Hansha no Taigetsu
Mother's Blood Remembers
Thunder-on-the-Sand

Full Moon of the Rakurai
Athro of the Shadow Lords
Hatamoto Hakken of Clan Taigetsu
Gold Guardian of the Sheltered Waters
Fist of the Razor Edge of the Jade Spear
Blazing Dragon of the Court of Bamboo Talons

Description


Homid: ~A heavy woolen robe of earthy color conceals the sturdy individual who paces along at a casual step. With the cowl up, it’s almost impossible to make out any of his shadowed features. By the figure’s gait and build alone, in fact, can one tell the person is a man. Attached to the robe near the cuff are a small bind of bells, tinkling quietly with every step. When the robe is discarded, Hansha is revealed to be a walking anachronism who would get in a lot of trouble for his dress habits: hence the robe. Hansha of the Taigetsu family wears an old-fashioned, short-sleeved vest and hakama trousers. It is a simple affair and the crimson vest and dark-gray pants are likely made of cotton, not silk. But the only truly unacceptable matter of his appearance beneath the robe is the daisho firmly crossed in his supporting sash. The daisho: two swords, katana and the shorter wakizashi, a symbol of a bygone era this man evidently refuses to let go. With his dark hair bound back in an antiquated tassel, chiseled face denoting a youth of mid-20s, ever-serious expression, and glittering brown eyes that reflect an experienced warrior and killer, he seems to live up to the look. And if memory serves the observer’s history well, the observer might recall the temper of the samurai and hold his tongue unless he’d like to find out how good this guy is with those swords. As noted, the swords cannot be seen unless he removes the robe.~

OOC: Appearance 2; Pure Breed 3; Glory 9, Virtue 9, Wisdom 3

Glabro: ~Overall, not a whole lot changes about Hansha’s appearance. Provided he’s not hidden beneath the robe, one realizes he’s gained a few inches in height and pounds in weight, and it seems to have all gone to brawn. His chest swelled and shoulders widened. Even his hands seem larger, like the meaty fists of a professional wrestler. And he’s covered in dark hair. Where he had no facial hair is now covered with a rough and beard-like set of whiskers. The lupine predator seems much more evident in his gaze as well, and his ears are curled up a bit into points, almost hidden under that excessive yet orderly hair.~

OOC: Appearance 1; Pure Breed 3, Glory 9, Virtue 9, Wisdom 3

Crinos: ~The human clothing is mystically discarded when he assumes his dreaded war-form. On his belly is vague, tattoo-like markings in the X shape of his daisho; this tattoo isn’t evident if the Hakken chose to wield his blades in this form as well. But that’s unlikely, because his vicious black claws are capable of rending flesh. The bipedal, wolfman beast is almost nine feet tall and 800 pounds of corded muscle and midnight-black fur. Where the muscle and fur ends, the razor-sharp teeth and claws begin. Hansha is a rabid killing machine in this form, throaty growls his preferred method of speech. Few stick around to hear what he has to say anyway.~

OOC: Appearance 0; Pure Breed 3; Delirium; Glory 9, Virtue 9, Wisdom 3

Hispo: ~A quadruped now, Hansha still sports inky-black, smooth fur and a terrifying bulk and ferocity. A huge wolf the size of a pony as it were, this terrifying shape is an awesome killing machine in its own right. His snapping, drooling lupine jaws are often enough to send humans screaming. Even those who are unaffected by the mind-numbing fear of the predator’s proximity may immediately desire less primal environs.~

OOC: Appearance 0; Pure Breed 3; Glory 9, Virtue 9, Wisdom 3

Lupus: ~No wild animal, even one as seemingly plain and innocuous as a black wolf, should be taken lightly. The husky but keen lupus of Hansha no Taigetsu is no exception. The wolf’s coat is kept in prime condition, smooth to touch and with a healthy luster. Brown-golden eyes flicker about in tune to the wolf’s twitching ears and snuffling nose. No barbarian, Hansha rarely bares his teeth at people. But a wolf is a wolf, and aggravate or insult him enough will certainly get him to reveal that terrible maw.~

OOC: Appearance 2; Pure Breed 3; Glory 9, Virtue 9, Wisdom 3

"Uselessness equates the unwanted. The unwanted equates disharmony. One should strive to be more useful to this world and one’s obligations. The useless are discarded."

History


Youth

His parents, Jazon Ueichi and Kagami Daitetsu both of the Taigetsu Clan, were together one night, harrowed in the city of Kobe by Kumo foes. It was only a moment of forbidden passion. There was no planning whatsoever, so Hansha was the inauspicious result. Properly ashamed when she realized she was pregnant, Kagami fled back to the Taigetsu Estate to accept her punishment and to bear her twisted son. In the autumn of 1983 on the night of a full moon, Kagami gave fairly easy birth to a strong cub. The easy birth is perhaps related to the fact that for a metis this cub seemed to bear no deformities. There was fear that his mind was cursed instead of his body, so no one got their hopes up.

Prior his First Change, he was called simply Tatsuo. He grew up in the Taigetsu Clan’s broad estate next to the great Biwa-ko lake. He demonstrated no signs of a warped mind or body as he aged in his powerful breed form, the terrifying crinos. Of course, since he was still a metis who had not undergone his First Change, Tatsuo could never leave the estate grounds. He spent most of his time helping the Clan’s swordsmith, Kuronama, by carrying heavy supplies. Tatsuo learned a little of the craft, but became far more interested in fencing than smithywork. He picked up his first sword at the actual age of five and began swinging with it informally everyday until Kuronama took him to the Clan’s fencing instructor, Nadama, for proper tutelage one-on-one. When he wasn’t training in the art of kenjutsu, Tetsuo helped Kuronama. And when the old smith didn’t need his help, the metis often found a simple joy frolicking in the fields and hills of the estate, chasing butterflies (nothing he’d admit to doing now!). The young metis dutifully attended every Clan Moot and due to his proper behavior, he was permitted to accompany the daimio and his escort to one of the few national Hakken moots. That’s when he was blown away by how large the world really was, and the urge to see more of it began to creep into the otherwise loyal pup’s mind.

First Change & Tutelage

Tatsuo was nine when he First Changed, in 1992. It was in the midst of his fencing training, oddly enough. He was working on a difficult modification of the thrust, and was growing more and more frustrated as he failed to perform it properly. Nadama-sensei was perhaps urging the cub on (he often took crinos form when teaching the metis) with harsh barking commands and criticisms. Finally, with the pent-up emotions of being ostracized by most of his family, never knowing his parents, and a desire to leave the estate, Tatsuo Raged. He cast the sword aside, dropped to all fours with a howl, and with a snarl the Hispo lunged at Nadama. Nadama easily cast the cub aside and pinned him until calm overtook the awakened werewolf.

Already indoctrinated into the ways of the Hakken, Tatsuo only had to learn some of the basics. He learned about Reaching into the Yang World and more essentially how to assume all of the shapes with which the Emerald Mother had blessed the Garou. It was during that first instruction on transformation that his curse at last was revealed. In a room where there was a large mirror for the cub to view himself, as well as by which he might step sideways, Tatsuo grew frustrated and his mentors perplexed. The metis wanted to see what he looked like now that he could change! But all he saw, in every form, was his terrifying war-form, the crinos: his breed form. Mirrors, the reflections of the soul, would only show him what he truly was. He could not hide his heritage so long as there was a mirror nearby. A dangerous curse indeed, since it threatened the Veil.

That day after, Tatsuo changed his own name to Hansha (“reflections”). He swallowed his frustration as best as possible and began to behave with the dignity expected of a samurai. Although still only ashigaru, his self-driven attitude had allowed him to grow quite skilled in kenjutsu especially. He promised to make a great Ahroun. So even those who despised metis kept their comments to themselves around the cub -- except for the occasional powerful Full Moon, who would say something to purposely bait Hansha and test his skill. Hansha always learned thereafter that he had much more to learn!

He still was not allowed to leave the Clan estate, so he spent a great deal of time learning more about his people and most of all training and excelling in the art of fencing. Hansha was still waiting for his Rite of Passage before he’d be promoted to shihaku and maybe given leave to travel. He learned about his Clan and how they were especially linked to the great patron of all Garou, Tsukiyomi (Luna). Besides their renown as masters of iaijutsu (the art of drawing the sword) and kenjutsu, the Taigetsu were feared for the blessings Tsukiyomi seemed to give to almost all Trueborn members of the family. Of course, this blessing also carried its curse. On the nights a samurai’s moon waxed full, he was strong and terrible. On the nights it waned, he was not only weaker but unable to leave whatever form he assumed by the rise of the moon. Hansha learned through experience that he too had inherited this trait. He inwardly made a point to make sure he could always take advantage of it -- and not be taken advantage of by the same token.

And Hansha’s patience paid off three months later. The budding warrior was commanded to take his Homid form and put on a heavy robe with the hood up to conceal his face should an outsider notice him in a reflective surface. He was transported by car from the estate into the outskirts of the city of Kyoto. He was commanded to enter the slum and return with the heads of at least three bakemono. Armed with only his katana, instinct, and no Gifts, he entered the section. He was gone three days and returned with a burlap sack of gruesome contents. His face was scratched on one side and apparently burned on the other, but he was stoic as he offered his trophies out to his testing masters. On command, he gave a brief prayer of thanks and praise to the Emerald Mother, Tsukiyomi, and Naru-kami, dedicating the scalps he took to those great gods that his Clan held in highest esteem. The metis was then transported back to the estate and for three weeks he heard nothing of whether he had passed his challenge or not.

Early Years

But at the next moot, Hansha was finally given his reward. Flushing with barely-disguised pride, Hansha stepped forward to accept the praising howls of his brothers and sisters. He was handed his first daisho -- the two swords “great” and “small”, symbolic of the samurai, and given the rank of shihaku (Cliath as the Sunset People would call it). He was asked to choose a name fitting for his people and how he would be known inside the Clan and indeed to all Hakken. Demonstrating a lack of self-hatred despite his cursed state as metis, he asked if the Clan would honor him with the name, “Mother’s Blood Remembers”. He was taught some simple Gifts, and was allowed to petition spirits as he met them to learn more. Sadly, Hansha could never get any Ancestor-spirits to hear him, probably due to his improper breeding.

Still, Hansha served the Clan honorably for several years thereafter. His swordsmanship and skill in battle brought the Taigetsu greater glory. Sometimes, he was called to fight the spawn of Yoma and other such demons. Sometimes he participated in friendly (more or less) tournaments and competitions against other Clans of the Hakken. Because his Clan’s fathers were wise and shrewd, they made sure the battles and competitions were always held when the moon waxed for the Taigetsu heroes to be strongest. Hansha rarely lost a match, and his few losses were always accountable to an older opponent with much greater skill. But the keen Hakken kept a sharp eye on his opponents and observed the different styles employed. He always felt his family’s methods were superior, but knew it was wise to acquaint himself with what other styles were like -- so that he could better take advantage of their flaws.

During these times, he had very little to zero contact with other shen and even other hengeyokai. Abroad, his contact was limited to fellow Hakken from other Clans. At home, he sometimes indulged in more temperamental behavior as Ahrouns are apt to do. Generally, however, his pent-up frustrations were taken out on inanimate things. He spent a lot of time to himself, so no one was around to be victimized. Still, breaking down doors, shattering windows, and tearing up some of the master’s favorite bonsai garden is no way to ingratiate yourself into the good graces of the Clan. Were he not such a great warrior, the Clan would have had even less tolerance. He was still criticized at moots, of course, and that only slowed his progress to achieving the next rank, Wasarau (Fostern). Despite this, the Clan fathers knew he was progressing only as fast as any Ahroun would. They did not lose hope for his future, even if he only grew more frustrated as months ticked by into years.

Later Years

However, Hansha’s opportunity finally came in 1999. Hengeyokai allies in the north, from the Beast-Court of White Sands, petitioned the Taigetsu Clan for aid. They sent a group of warriors, not a permanent pack, to the requested locale: just east of the city of Tsuruga, on the shore of the Sea of Japan. It seemed that there was a large infestation of demons the Beast-Court alone couldn’t handle. Unfortunately, the proud hengeyokai had requested help too late. When the Hakken arrived, most of those who had been gallantly holding the Dragon Nest had been overrun. Apparently, the demons had chased those hengeyokai who fled, because the place was nearly abandoned. The Hakken pack ran into limited resistance, which it dispatched easily. But it seemed the battle was over. Now it was up to the Hakken to hold the Dragon Nest while spirit messengers were dispatched back to the Taigetsu for more aid.

The spirit messengers may have been ambushed or delayed, because with the command of dragon lines, reinforcements should have arrived that night. But none did, and Hansha and his fellow Hakken were engulfed in a veritable swarm of insect or crab-like demons. None of them were singularly as strong or fast as a werewolf, but there so many! One-by-one the pack was falling. Hansha’s katana had broken on one of the demon’s hard carapaces and he was fighting with his short sword as well as claws and teeth. Hansha’s wounds were many and he knew he too would probably fall before dawn. But he was determined to die with honor, to die as a samurai and Hakken should. Just as he was forced to his knees from the injuries and his final packmate fell dead, reinforcements arrived -- but not what he expected. The tides of the sea itself seemed to rise and flood forth, engulfing the relentless demon army. And carried on those waters were mighty Same-Bito warriors. The huge shark-men warriors plowed into the Yomispawn with ferocity even Hansha had never seen. Their might changed the tide of the battle and saved Hansha’s life.

When that battle was done, the Same-Bito told Hansha that they were members of the Beast-Court that now lay in ruins. Their mission was unfortunate: they were forced to swim away from the Dragon Nest in order to lead a huge aquatic demon from the beach. The demon was destroyed, they said -- so they thought. Just as the rising sun glistened over the waves, the tentacled, squid-like behemoth rose. Calling upon their Rage again, the Same-Bito dove back into the water and assaulted the beast. Feeling useless, Hansha could only watch the sea battle from the beach, surrounded by dozens of corpses. But the Same-Bito could not stop the demon as it slowly crawled inland towards the Dragon Nest. They inflicted many wounds on the demon, but it was a determined monster, and its barbed tentacles pierced many of the weresharks’ hard skins. A pack of nine Same-Bito was reduced to five in a matter of a couple minutes.

Frustrated -- frustrated by his limiting injuries now, and of all the limits placed in his past, Hansha howled defiantly, challenging the demon. The kraken-like thing, occupied by annoying Rokea, ignored the little werewolf. Ignoring the wounds as best he could, he staggered forward in his natural form and with an almost hopeless snarl, he speared his wakizashi through the air at the beast. Perhaps out of sheer luck, or a blessing of the kami, or both, his aim was true. The short sword landed square in one of the kraken’s eyes, and with a sickening plop! eye-jelly splattered. The demon writhed and shrieked and began to withdraw, and a final effort by the Same-Bito dragged it back and deep under the sea, where they frenziedly devoured the monster.

Suffice to say, for his bravery and heroism, Hansha was handsomely rewarded by the Taigetsu Clan when they arrived an hour later to secure the Dragon Nest. The Same-Bito, curt as they always are, praised Hansha’s deed before retreating to their depths to gather allies to help protect the Nest. Back at the estate during the next moot, Hansha’s deeds were enough to be directly promoted to Wasarau and earned the deed name, “Thunder-on-the-Sand”. He stayed with the Clan for another two and a half years while they recovered from losing four warriors at the White Sands Battle. And when their numbers were secured again with a couple fresh cubs, Hansha was at last given a choice. He could stay with the Clan and serve them directly. Or he could enjoy his personal dreams, at least for awhile, and serve the Clan by visiting other lands and Courts as their representative. The elders knew that’s what he wanted, and that he had earned the privilege to take some time for himself.

Recent Years

And that’s what Hansha chose. He yearned to see lands beyond, perhaps even America. Before he left the estate, his old friend and caretaker, Kuronama, asked him to stay an extra month while he prepared a going-away present. A month later, the old swordsmith presented Hansha with a new daisho to replace the swords lost at the White Sands as well as a complimentary tanto (dagger). The Hakken named the pair higetsu (Sun & Moon). The Taigetsu’s Ritemaster was also impressed. He offered to bind spirits into the dagger to help protect the Hansha as he traveled out alone. Hansha humbly agreed, overwhelmed at his elders’ unexpected kindness, and waited for the spirit-binding to be complete. Hosei was born and Hansha bore all three blades with pride and dignity everyday thereafter. Of course, knowing the danger of human authorities, he always took care where he went and wore that old dun-colored robe he’d been given for his Rite of Passage.

Hansha at first restricted his travels to Japan. He drifted from one area to another, usually on foot. Eventually, by boat, Hansha ended up leaving Japan for America. Again, he drifted from one place to another. He did not linger on the West Coast very long and drifted inwards for other Asian settlements in the “melting pot” nation. He eventually came across Kansas City’s Little Asia and discovered the large shen population. Curious as to how the Beast-Courts work, he petitioned to join the Coalition of Little Asia for the hengeyokai presence. The strange man still drifts across the district, usually shrouded in a heavy robe, but quick to silence a sharp tongue with a sharper sword.

Past Life


Hansha isn’t even sure he has a real connection to his past lives. Only when he sleeps does he normally envision anything of his ancestors. So confident is he that stress rarely triggers helpful flashbacks to ancestral guru. Therefore, he normally only remembers his past in his dreams. Many of those dreams are haunting and nightmarish, though never quite enough to disturb him for more than a couple minutes after waking. Though no names have sprung out at him, most of his memories involve blood-thirsty warriors or warrior-women.

Fetishes


Hosei
Level: 3
Gnosis: 6
Origin: This tanto was especially made for Hansha of the Taigetsu Clan as a reward for his amazing skill and duty to family after the crisis at the Court of White Sands.
Description: The blade is a work of masterful craftsmanship, with the personalized watermarks of the swordsmith Kuronama. The hilt is not overly ornate, decorated with twining ebony dragons over red silk. The weapon is 15 inches long. After construction, a skilled shaman of the Taigetsu Clan summoned and bound a Metal Elemental into the dagger to give it great aim to reflect Hansha’s deed against the seaborne Wyrmspawn.
Effects: 1) inflict aggravated damage, 2) reduce any Accuracy penalties
Activation: Simply unsheathing the knife fully can activate it, if drawn by a shapeshifter.

Battle Scars


Class: Superficial
Description: Six inch gash
Location: Upper outer right thigh
Origin: Matanuki (c.f.)
Effects: none (if ever healed, he will lose double the usual Glory Renown for healing a battle scar)

Class: Deep
Description: Parellel puncture scars
Location: Lower left ribcage
Origin: A demon-crab’s pincer during his defense of the Court of White Sands
Effects: Aches when the weather is about to change

Significant Other


Never did the Metis Hakken expect to fall in love or even find a partner. But his stoic bravado and animal attraction lured young Mikiko Kishiro to his side. Since their first encounters in 2003, their relationship has deepened to the point that Mikiko sought tutelage in how to be a “proper Hakken wife” from Takara Monobe. For the time being, marriage has not been discussed. Hansha feels uncomfortable proposing when he cannot give Mikiko children as she probably would like, and she's pursuing her dance career stridently anyway.

Mikiko

Weakness
Overspecialized


Hansha's biggest problem is that he only really knows about swordfighting and battle. He's experimenting with haiku and seems to have a natural creative knack for poetry. However, he doesn't take it or anything else as seriously as he does the notion of war. This was not the true way of the samurai, nor is it particularly wise in general. Until he expands his horizons to accept other activities and hobbies into his life, his limits may overcome him before he overcomes them.

It also goes without saying that Hansha's typical Garou temperament, held in check only by polite Hakken upbringing, can be a problem.

Likelihood of Corruption


Average.

The Centipede knows how best to reach the Garou: through their short fuses. The Hakken, and Hansha, is no exception despite he and his Tribe's attempts to cling to the code of bushido.

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