| Mirumoto Saori | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born: | Unknown |
| Died: | - |
| Spouse: | Mirumoto Katsutoshi |
| Children: | Un-named son |
| Titles: | Oracle of Earth |
| People | |
Doji Saori was a courtier and one of the best duelists of the Crane Clan. She married to Mirumoto Katsutoshi and joined her husband's family as Mirumoto Saori.
Early Life[]
As a child, Saori showed equal aptitude for both the sword and the spoken word. When the time came for to begin her education, her parents successfully sought to send her to the prestigious Kakita Dueling Academy. There, her skills blossomed, and she passed her gempukku with honors.
However, about a year after her gempukku, she was involved in an accident during a practice duel resulting in significant damage to her arm. As it would be some time before she could wield a sword again, she was given leave to attend the Doji courtier school so that she might still serve her clan. There too she lived up to the potential seen in her as a child. [1]
Courts and the Art of the Duel[]
Doji Saori
After her training, she was assigned to the entourage of Clan Champion Doji Kurohito. One morning, she was disturbed by an argument involving a rather belligerent Dragon and a Kakita. Stepping in, she successfully utilized her knowledge of dueling protocol to arrange for a suitable contest to resolve the issue without bloodshed. Her success in this led to her being often sent to various courts and regarded as a knowledgeable arbiter of dueling protocols. [1]
Doji Choshi[]
After recovering the full use of her arm, Saori resumed her dueling skills and was soon assigned to assist Doji Choshi. She soon found that the other courtier was using her skills to arrange duels to eliminate rivals and threats to the Harriers. [1] This would eventually lead to her to duel Bayushi Kaneo under questionable circumstances at Nikesake. By demanding a duel Saori showed the will to divert proceedings to her own way and the determination to see it through. This gave her control over the negotiations and she had the knowledge of Kaneo unability with the sword and insight into how he and the Scorpion would react to the challenge. Choshi forced Saori to ask a duel to death, using honor as a tool in a rice trade. [2]
Judge of Skill[]
Saori often arranged tournaments and demonstrations of skill between aspiring young duelists. She was an excellent judge of skill, and always arranged for opponents to face someone of an equivalent level. Saori became a well-known and greatly respected official in the dueling subculture so popular throughout Rokugan. [3]
Shourido[]
These events caused Saori to question her dedication to Bushido. During this time of weakness, she was approached by a gaijin named Garen. He pointed out some of the 'weaknesses' of bushido, and introduced her to a new way emphasizing such things as Strength and Perfection. Saori had found these ideas fascinating, and soon began to follow a path she felt would lead to enlightenment. [1] [2]
Enlightenment[]
Saori's philosophy was that victory for the Crane justified whatever she must do to achieve it. Her purpose was to force her clan's foes into duels they could not win, regardless of who those foes were or whether they were in the right. [4]
Hostage to the Dragon[]
In 1170 during the Festival of the Sea Dragon Mirumoto Katsutoshi helped Ikoma Asa find a suitable gift for her would-be husband, Doji Nobuhide - a handkerchief that once belonged to Lady Doji. Asa was accused by Doji Saori of stealing it, and Katsutoshi retorted saying that she was a liar, and it was clearly an attempt to shame Asa for her own purposes. Saori then challenged Katsutoshi to a duel, in which the insult and Asa's honor would be dealt with. Katsutoshi arranged for Mirumoto Ichizo to act as their champion, who defeated Saori in a duel to first blood. Katsutoshi said the outcome proved that Saori had attempted to shame Asa, but that the duel did not resolve the attempt to dishonor her. Choshi suggested that the Dragon Clan take Saori as its hostage. [5] In Saori, Katsutoshi discovered a kindred spirit, as they both desired personal gain and power. Saori shared with Katsutoshi the tenets of Shourido. [6]
Destroyer War[]
Still a hostage to the Dragon [7] she was on the battlefield defending the Mantis village of Shaiga against the Destroyers in 1173, with Akodo Tetsuru, when they noticed that an illegal mine was hidden there. Saori suggested to keep the information quiet in exchange for some of the profits. Tetsuru was enraged by it and decided to denounce her. Unfortunately for him, she managed to wound his shoulder during the fight so that he could not defend himself against the Destroyers any more, because he was only wielding an ono. [8] Mirumoto Katsutoshi took command at the front. [7]
Married[]
When the Mirumoto decided that her time as a hostage was at an end, Saori stayed and betrothed to Katsutoshi. They prolonged their betrothal for many years while they traveled the Empire together. [6] Saori eventually married Katsutoshi and joined her husband's family as Mirumoto Saori. They had a son who was being prepared to change the Empire itself. Saori brought misfortune to any who could bar the advancement of her son. [9] She lived in their estates in Toshi Ranbo [10] and wrote a personal journal and her vision about the superiority of the Shourido philosophy over the traditional Bushido. [11]
Oracle of Earth[]
In 1200 Saori was selected as the new Oracle of Earth and attended the Conclave of Light with her fellow Oracles, to discuss about the impending threat of Jigoku upon the mortal realm. She boasted her station had been seized from the previous Oracle, instead to be granted. Saori also considered herself beyond the bounds that tied the actions of every Oracle of Light. The meeting was disturbed by Kokujin Dairu, who killed the monk Oshiryo in the presence of the conclave. The Oracles vanished, to leave the Shadowlands monk without the prize of asking a question to an Oracle. Saori returned shortly after, to give Dairu a glimpse of the future. [12]
See also[]
External Links[]
- Doji Saori (Web of Lies)
- Doji Saori Exp (Test of Enlightenment)
| Preceded by: Hiruma Osuno |
Oracle of Earth 1200 - Present |
Succeeded by: - |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Masters of Court, pp. 56-57
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tested Virtues, by Rusty Priske
- ↑ Lotus Personalities: Doji Saori
- ↑ Test of Enlightenment
- ↑ Gifts, by Rusty Priske
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Unexpected Allies 2, p. 29
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Destroyer War, Part 7, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ The Destroyer War, Part 6, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ Collaborations, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ Unexpected Allies 2, p. 30
- ↑ Imperial Archives, p. 8
- ↑ Conclaves of Light and Dark, by Maxime Lemaire & C Thomas Hand
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