Daigotsu

From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings

Daigotsu
Born:	1111
Died:	1160
Died after return:	-
Parents:	Hantei XXXVIII, Hantei Hochiahime
Spouse:	Shahai
Children	Daigotsu Kanpeki
Titles:	Dark Lord of the Shadowlands, Daigotsu family founder and daimyo, Spider Clan Founder
People

Daigotsu is the second son of Hantei XXXVIII, by Hantei Hochiahime, and half brother of Hantei XXXIX. He is the Dark Lord of the Shadowlands and founder of the Spider Clan.

Contents 1 Youth 2 City of the Lost 3 Visions 4 Fall of Otosan Uchi 5 Death and Resurrection 6 The Third Rise of Iuchiban 7 Post-Iuchiban Leadership 8 Spider Clan 8.1 Mass Assassinations 9 Birth of the Heir 10 External Links 11 References

[edit] Youth

While pregnant for the second time, Empress Hochiahime's caravan was attacked by a bloodspeaker cult, who took her hostage. A ronin named Yotsu snuck into their camp and exchanged his young son with Hantei Sotorii, in order to save the heir.^[1] The bloodspeakers raised both the ronin's son, who would become Goju Kyoden, and the empress' son, who would become Daigotsu.

[edit] City of the Lost

Daigotsu oversaw the start of construction of the City of the Lost in 1150. He and Kokujin mused upon their future plans, and Daigotsu even offered the mad ise zumi a place in his city. Kokujin refused however, claiming he had more pressing matters to attend to back in Rokugan.^[2]

"I have studied the Tsuno magic. All the Spirit Realms are one. All I need do is find the proper passages and Fu Leng will be restored to his proper place at the heart of Jigoku. We could even send him into the Celestial Heavens if we wished." -Daigotsu [2]

[edit] Visions

Almost a year in advance of his death, Daigotsu had learned from the Dark Oracle of Void the circumstances of his death. Knowing the Lost would not stay united without him, Daigotsu gave a portion of his soul to the Shadow Dragon for safe keeping. ^[3]

[edit] Fall of Otosan Uchi

To prove the power of the Shadowlands, Daigotsu engineered the Fall of Otosan Uchi. Knowing that the city would be impossible to hold, he sought only to leave it in ruins and watch the Great Clans blame one another for failing to defend it.^[4] Once it was under his control, Daigotsu traveled to Meido, where he used the Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng to force Emma-O to release Fu Leng's spirit. Fu Leng then began an invasion of the Celestial Heavens, while Daigotsu returned to Rokugan so that he could protect Fu Leng's temple in the City of the Lost.^[5] Arriving back in Otosan Uchi, Daigotsu battled with Toturi Tsudao before taking a portal back to the Shadowlands.^[6]

[edit] Death and Resurrection

In 1160 the Four Winds marched upon Daigotsu, and through the sacrifice of Toturi Tsudao he was killed. ^[7] A year later, in 1161, his bodyguard Goju Kyoden committed seppuku to sacrifice his soul to the Shadow Dragon to resurrect Daigotsu. The vengeful Fortune of Death Emma-O retained part of Daigotsu's soul, which purified Daigotsu of his Taint but left him unable to call upon Fu Leng's blessing. Other men would have leapt at this chance to escape the Shadowlands, but Daigotsu's faith in Fu Leng was not diminished. Daigotsu chose instead to hide his "weakness" to all but his closest followers and resume the leadership of The Lost. ^[3]

[edit] The Third Rise of Iuchiban

Seeking help in restoring her lover's powers, Shahai opened the Tomb of Iuchiban and released Iuchiban in the year 1165. Instead of assisting Shahai, he betrayed her and captured the City of the Lost, ousting Daigotsu after a ferocious battle. In one fell swoop, Iuchiban had gained control of Daigotsu's city, Daigotsu's armies of the Lost and even Daigotsu's sword, Akkuai-uo, which through a strange twist of fate gave Iuchiban control over Omoni and his goblins. The Goju stood back and decided not to interfere in the struggle, but the Chuda family immediately swore fealty to Iuchiban.

In order to defeat Iuchiban, Daigotsu traveled across the fringes of the Empire to the Burning Sands, where he entered an alliance with the Kolat. He also had one of his remaining loyal followers, Katsu, undergo the ritual that created Iuchiban and became a khadi. Daigotsu's soul was retrieved from Emma-O by a deception from Daigotsu Hoturi, giving Daigotsu his full power. ^[8] Daigotsu then moved to retake the City of the Lost while Iuchiban was away, managing to regain control of much of his forces, his sword and his lover Shahai.

When Isawa Sezaru, Hida Kisada, Matsu Aoiko and the combined Crab and Lion forces besieged Iuchiban's citadel in Otosan Uchi, Daigotsu played an instrumental role in the Bloodspeaker's defeat by having Katsu sever Iuchiban's ties with his followers, giving Sezaru time to destroy the Hidden Heart of Iuchiban so the Bloodspeaker could be slain. ^[9]

[edit] Post-Iuchiban Leadership

Daigotsu made many unusual moves in the time since Iuchiban's defeat, the most major and controversial of which was sending Daigotsu Soetsu to the court of Toturi III to petition for the right to become a Great Clan. The resulting political, philosophical, religious and moral issues involved with his petition caused a flurry of debate between the Clans and led Toturi III to travel the Empire in secret seeking enlightenment. ^[10]

Daigotsu recently came into the possession of Rosoku's ashes, which Shadowlands agents stole during Rosoku's funeral. ^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Spider Clan

Sometime in 1168, Daigotsu and the Lost left the City of the Lost and infiltrated Rokugan. They named themselves the Spider Clan.^[11][12]

[edit] Mass Assassinations

In 1170, Daigotsu launched dozens of assassinations across the Empire. The assassinations caused the deaths of many important people including Moshi Amika, Tamori Shaitung, Ikoma Korin, Tamori Nakamuro and Kaiu Umasu. ^[13][14]

[edit] Birth of the Heir

Recently his long time lover Shahai gave birth to Daigotsu's first child, a son, named Daigotsu Kanpeki. ^[15]

[edit] External Links

• Daigotsu (Web of Lies)
• Daigotsu (Experienced) (Lotus Edition)
• Daigotsu (Experienced 2) (Samurai Edition)
• Daigotsu (Experienced 3) (Celestial Edition)

[edit] References

Preceded by: None	Daigotsu Daimyo ? - Present	Succeeded by: -
Preceded by: None	Spider Clan Champion ? - Present	Succeeded by: -

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