cider
Name: Ain Kitsune.
Origin: Kitsune Clan
Archtype: Ronin
Age: 37
Appearance:
He is 5’7’’ tal, with a strong, powerfull build. His eyes are a hazel brown and bright. No longer fit to wear the traditional top knot he now wears his hair in a scraggly mess, allowing it to grow past his shoulders. Its thick and raven black. His skin is a healthy, if weatherworn tan. His eyes and mouth have laughlines clearly visible and his smile is bright and big. He wears a unassuming brown and red Kimino with a pair of black hakama styled trousers. His hakama still wear the Kitsune emblem, albeit it has been worn down to almost nothing.
Biography:
Ain is a wanderer not by choice, but by fate and circumstance. Born into one of the lower houses of the Kitsune Clan, he was embroiled in the machination of Major Clan politics at a early age. Born to Lord Matahazu Kitsune, a vassal and cousin to the Kitsune Daiymo. Due to his linage, he was meant to be someone of position and wealth eventually. The Kitsune, being a relatively young clan strove to legitimize itself but at the same time stubbornly clung to their less then honest beginnings.
He trained like all boys of the household in how to wield the the chain and sickle. But also in the art of the sword, in case of duels. He soon found he possessed a talent for the martial arts. He was not a star pupil, but he held his own and was ahead of most the pack.
Like all of the Foxes, he was also told to appreciate cunning and shrewdness and to not loose himself to the trappings of Bushido and the warriors code. The Kitsune had a reputation as scoundrels for a reason, and this blatant disrespect towards the honor code was one of the most prominent ones. Ain knew how to keep up appearances however, and always carried himself as he perceived a samurai should. As he grew older, this adherence would be what set him down a pathe he had never foreseen. One of the Generals of the Northern front, Onshi Tora, demanded that the foxes contributed more men as they were severely underrepresented in the army.
What the Foxes came to realize, was that this was a mean for their Rival clan, the Toras, to weaken their rapidly expanding sphere of influence. Many promising prospects like Ain was drafted and sent North, to battle the Vacc. This was the most difficult and dangerous of the fronts at the time. Fighting men on wolf back on the tundra and plains was extremely frustrating and dangerous. Six months later, At 20 years of age, Ain found himself staring across the frozen planins at a large Vacc Encampment.
The Tora Generals was ever hungry for glory and competing within their own clan as to whom may bring the most honor to their house, Onshi had been stuck battling the Vacca for the better part of a year now, winning only small victories and loosing men to cold and food shortage all the while. The day his scouts find the main encampment for the Voccas main force in this part of the plains, he moved everything to encircle and destroy the camp.
And so was it that the the Tora and Kitsune cavalry charged in along with Iron Samurai and a army one half the greater then their barbarian opponents. They soon found that they had underestimated their enemy. The camp was empty but for a few hundred men. And the ground had been toiled and loosened, making the Iron Samurai sink into it. Wolf riders poured over the surrounding hills as they had stayed away far enough to come charging as complete surprise. Wolves the size of horses jumped into the fray, tearing Spearmen and archers apart while confused samurai cavalry tried to turn their horses. And their horses were terrified of the massive predators in their midst.
Tarbombs clogged and slowed Iron Samurai, fire engulfing many as the far was lit with fire arrows. The battle was one of the biggest, most devastating defeats the Tora had ever faced. A young Ain Kitsune had reacted faster then most when the Iron Samurais had begun to sink into the ground. He had commanded his troops to stop and form a protective circle. Even so, they were no match against the ferocious berserkers and wolf riders. When the battle was over, a wounded Ain was one of eleven relatively high ranking prisoners of war.
The following two months were not pleasant. The Vacc were not kind wardens, and their bloodlust would have them kill lesser slaves and prisoners. But they never killed them without a fight. Each time, a servant or a slave was given a blade or a club to defend themselves with. All the while, the samurai captured was growing more broken by each mile marched. Many demanded to be allowed to commit Seppeku. None was given allowance for such “Redemption”. They were however, allowed to challenge their capturer. A victory meant better privileges, less taxing treatment. Many were to proud to be reduced to gladiators or pit fighters. At least at first.
Not so for Ain. He asked for a opponent to fight immedietly. The Foxes way of survival was one of cunning, not one of mindless adherence to code and honor. He won only barely, inching out a victory at the last minute. But he won. Soon, he became a source of entertainment. The Vacc respected a crafty fighter. The other Samurai alive considered his fighting vulgar and dishonorable. It was one thing to fight like a animal in the heat of war. But to fight the way he did in a one on one duel was unheard off. And to do it for the pleasure of Vucc barbarians was the last straw.
AS it were, the throng of Vucc warriors would send the slaves with a small contingent of warriors south, to ransom the captives. However, the group was ambused by forward cavalry of a crane contingent. The long months of marching to the beat of the Hordes Drums were finally over.
However, the surviving nobles were not late to report and completely assassinate what reputation young Lord Kitsune had remaining. Claiming he had turned on them and helped their wardens. That he had grown to fond of the Vacc way of fighting. That he had no sense of honor, just self-preservation. Ain also found out that in his long absence, his family had been absorbed by another as neither him or his Brothers had come home from the War and his father had died from Illness. His mother had remarried as a means to protect her only daughter.
Dishonored and cast out, a disgraced Ain was without home or money. All he had was his sword, his past and his skill in combat. He began wandering the land a Ronin, one of many master less warriors who lost their way. He would begin to wander Tora land, agitating the Samurai of the Tiger clan with his mere existence. Over the past 4 years, more and more people would try to duel the dishonored and insignificant man who none the less was skilled with the sword. But he fought like no samurai, his fighting was dirty, unconventional and he left men and women bleeding on the ground.
It was after a particulary close duel he came across elements of the brewing rebellion. Fellow Kitsune who had lost their possessions to Tora scheming drafted his services.
Weapons:
A katana with a fox motif etched to the base of the blade. The Cross guard is a simple iron one and shaped something like a six pointed star within a circle. It is a simple thing as far as Katanas go.
Chain and Sickle. A Kama (The sickle) is attached to a long chain with a weight attached to the other end. Its generally wrapped around his midsection.
Misc Equipment:
Traits:
* Swordmanship (Katana) (Skilled)
* Kurisigame (Skilled)
* Etiquette (Duels) (Proficient)
* Athletic (Proficient)
* Riding (Decent)
* Judo (Decent)
