| Matsu Agetoki | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born: | Unknown |
| Died: | 1132 |
| Died after return: | Returned to Yomi |
| Titles: | Lion Warden Commander |
| People | |
Matsu Agetoki was the commander of the Lion Clan's cavalry from before the Scorpion Coup until his death at the hands of Otaku Kamoko. He was famed for his great agility and fearless disposition.
Early Life[]
At an early age, Agetoki was captivated by horses, for he saw them as a freedom that nothing else in the Empire could match. At the age of three, he started to sleep in the stables among the horses. Since then, he began showing fearlessness while mounted, and would attempt maneuvers that none save the Utaku Battle Maidens would even dare think of. [1]
At the age of thirteen, Agetoki killed for the first time, also while mounted and weilding nothing but a boken. Since his gempukku, he bent his will and body towards leading the Lion Clan's cavalry. [2]
Prowess[]
Although impulsive, sometimes jumping ahead of the tacticians' plans and charging his unit into battle, he had yet to hinder a military plan, nor had he thrown away lives needlessly. [2]
In personal combat, Agetoki took the philosophy of speed to a high level, pushing his horse to a gallop and utilizing the momentum to cut his opponent down. He was able to wheel and turn on a horse with a dexterity usually seen only among the Unicorn Clan. [2]
Personality[]
Off of the battlefield, Agetoki maintained a boisterous attitude that many courtiers could not stand, although he understood the rules of etiquette, and would never flout them and risk bringing dishonor to his family. He was known to laugh too loudly at other's jokes, and used wide arm motions to punctuate and emphasize his speech.[citation needed] Agetoki was a good friend of the Honest Scorpion, the junshin Bayushi Yojiro, and assisted him in his search of Bushido. [3]
Appearance[]
A large man, Agetoki had a full mustache and blazing eyes. He was said to resemble the Lion Clan's namesake more than any other, and wore firey red robes at all times, although they were embellished with the Lion mon to prevent confusion with troops from the Phoenix Clan. In battle, he wore ornate armour, with a wide red crest on his helm. [2]
Warden Commander[]
The Lion Clan Champion Akodo Toturi made changes in the Lion Clan Army, introducing the Uma Ite or horse archers in the Kaisha Nanatsu, the Sixth Company, making it a totally reformed company, the Kaisha Kimabusha, a cavalry company. He was contested by traditionalist Rikugunshokan, and some of them resigned. Matsu Agetoki was the first to step forward and accept his new commission, [4] as Commander of the elite cavalry of the Lion, the Lion Wardens, which would become an essential component of the Lion military. [5]
Winter Court - 1121[]
Agetoki attended Winter Court in 1121, participating in the contest Bowmen's Wager. Agetoki was defeated in the final by Tsuruchi, so he drank from the Cup of Defeat, which contained only water, but ill fortune was rumored to follow those who drink from it. [6]
The Kolat[]
Matsu Agetoki
The secret no one knew about Agetoki was that he was member of the Kolat. He became one when the secret society blackmailed with the disgrace of his grandfather, Matsu Yoshimura, who had murdered a rival in an illegal duel, a matter that did not escape the eyes of the Kolat. Agetoki agreed to the Kolat's demands, but only so long as they did not seek to blackmail any other members of his family. [7]
Killing Kamoko[]
Otaku Kamoko was leading a Battle Maiden party following orders to find and kill bandits near the Lion border. Agetoki and his Lion Wardens crossed the border, upon the masquerade of seeking the same group of bandits, and invaded Unicorn territory. A skirmish between both groups happened. Agetoki drove the Otaku Daimyo Otaku Kamoko off a cliff. [8]
Kamoko's Daughter[]
This caused her daughter, who chosed to be named Otaku Kamoko after her gempukku to honor her dead mother, to swear vengeance against him, although for a very long time the younger Kamoko did not even know Agetoki was responsible. [9] When the deed was done he realized that he had killed an honorable samurai for dishonorable purposes. He was no better than his grandfather, and had likely doomed his own descendants to the Kolat manipulation that now chained him. [7]
Otaku Kamoko[]
Agetoki firts time encountered with Otaku Kamoko on the field of battle. The Battle Maidens led by Otaku Tetsuko had arrived to stop a Lion scouting party, but they found nearly an entire invasion force. Tetsuko ordered to withdraw, but Kamoko's hatred of the Lion drove her into a suicidal charge which was followed by her sisters. The Lion line crumbled, and Kamoko confronted Agetoki. On the field of battle he told Kamoko of her mother's death, admitting that he knew who had killed her. A counterattack of the Lion happened and Agetoki fled before Kamoko could get any answers. [10] [11] Kamoko became the Otaku Daimyo shortly after, in spring of 1122. [12]
Scorpion Coup[]
In 1123 the Scorpion Coup was in motion. Agetoki began to increase his ranks with forces levies, demanding that every able-bodied villager prepare to march on Otosan Uchi at once. In one of the villages an old man threw himself at the feet of Agetoki, begging the Lion not to take his grandson. Agetoki refused curtly, kicking the elder, by the name Ojo, in the chest. The old man died and, not wanting to draw attention to his overzealous behavior, Agetoki moved on with a few of the villagers. He did not know that ojo's grandson would be known years later as the Hooded Ronin, the true descendant of Shinsei. [13]
Clan Wars[]
Skirmish with the Phoenix[]
In 1127 Agetoki intercepted a Phoenix force sent to investigate events taking place in the southlands near Beiden Pass. The Lion army was waiting on the edge of Crane territory, looking to ambush the disgraced former lion Toturi. [14] Agetoki ordered Kitsu Koji to duel the enemy leader, Shiba Tsukune, to determine the victor. The shugenja had been trained with the sword by his samurai father and by Matsu Gohei. Despite it the Phoenix won the day when Koji was killed by Tsukune. [15] The shugenja's head was carried back to the Phoenix stronghold as a trophy. [16] Matsu Tsuko, enraged by the action, declared a Blood feud on Tsukune. [17] [18]
War against the Crane[]
Agetoki stands aside during the Fall of Kyuden Doji
This year after the Crane lost the Battle of Kakita Palace against the Crab, Agetoki, who was Matsu Tsuko's hatamoto, invaded Crane lands leading an army [19] and sieged Doji Castle, [20] which was defended by his former student, Doji Kuwanan. [21] An army of shadowlands Madmen arrived led by the False Hoturi, fouled the defenders and destroyed the castle, [22] at the sight of the Lion forces, which by Imperial Edict had been ordered to stand down. Several Lion commanders expressed their discontent via seppuku. [23]
Second Day of Thunder[]
Agetoki fought and survived on the Second Day of Thunder. [24]
Disappearance[]
Sometime in 1129 Otaku Kamoko vanished from the Unicorn lands chasing him only lead on who killed her mother. Agetoki also dissappeared soon after Kamoko. [25]
Encounter[]
They had a encounter in a plague village, where Agetoki defeated her but did not take her life. Instead Agetoki tried to teach her about making a choice to harm innocents to avoid worse consequences. [26] Agetoki fled to the empty Scorpion lands. [27]
Death[]
The Death Poem of Matsu Agetoki
In the western Phoenix lands, during the search for the missing Emperor Toturi I in 1132, Kamoko finally caught up with who she thought to be her mother's killer; Agetoki. He confronted Kamoko and attacked her, forcing her to kill him. In his obi Kamoko found Agetoki's final haiku. [28]
"Bright the full moon shines.
On the pale face of honor. Shadows of the pines." - Matsu Agetoki [29]
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He did not reveal to her it had actually been the Kolat and their machinations who were ultimately responsible for he feared any knowledge would only entangle the innocent Unicorn in their machinations. [7] Kamoko honored Agetoki, as he had finally given her the knowledge she needed to find peace with her mother's death. [30]
"She lifted the copper bell and tied it with white ribbon. 'You were my enemy,' Kamoko said, 'but you have given me the knowledge I must have to find peace. Rest well, honorable soul."
- Otaku Kamoko [30]
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Return[]
Agetoki, Returned Spirit
In 1133 Agetoki returned to life through Oblivion's Gate. [31] [32] Agetoki rode back through the Gate, pursuing a flock of shadow spawn, shortly before the Gate was destroyed. He did not regret missing his chance at a second life; he had no further business in the mortal world. [7]
After death[]
Matsu Agetoki joined the Legion of the Dead to fight against Iuchiban's Legion of Blood in the Realm of Thwarted Destiny in 1166. [7]
Shiryo[]
Agetoki gave guidance to his clan as a Shiryo. [33]
See also[]
Agetoki no Shiryo
External Links[]
- Matsu Agetoki (Imperial)
- Matsu Agetoki Exp (Time of the Void)
- Matsu Agetoki Exp2 (Soul of the Empire)
- Agetoki no Shiryo (Dark Allies)
References
- ↑ Way of the Lion, p. 72
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Way of the Lion, p. 73
- ↑ Way of the Scorpion, p. 59
- ↑ Way of the Lion, p. 99
- ↑ Secrets of the Lion, p. 29
- ↑ Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 66
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 The Legion of the Dead: The Swift Lion
- ↑ Way of the Lion, p. 63
- ↑ Way of the Unicorn, pp. 5-6
- ↑ Way of the Unicorn, pp. 68-69
- ↑ The Wave Men (Dark Journey Home flavor)
- ↑ Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 85
- ↑ Time of the Void, p. 115
- ↑ The Battle of Beiden Pass, Imperial Herald #2
- ↑ Strength of the Clan (Phoenix Army Expansion), by Ree Soesbee
- ↑ The Story So Far: Imperial Edition (Imperial Herald #4)
- ↑ The Gaijin's Guide to Rokugan - Part 4: Distant Thunder
- ↑ Clan Letter to the Lion #1 (Imperial Herald v1#1)
- ↑ Time of the Void, p. 32
- ↑ Medium Cavalry (Obsidian flavor)
- ↑ Clan War: Thunder's Challenge, p. 8
- ↑ The Story so Far: Shadowlands (Imperial Herald #4)
- ↑ Time of the Void, p. 53
- ↑ Clan Letter to the Lion #7 (Imperial Herald v2 #3)
- ↑ Hidden Emperor, p. 11
- ↑ Choices, by Ree Soesbee
- ↑ Clan Letter to the Unicorn #10 (Imperial Herald v3 #2)
- ↑ Hidden Emperor, p. 28
- ↑ Final Haiku (Dark Journey Home flavor)
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Bells of the Dead (Dark Journey Home flavor)
- ↑ The Death of Yoritomo, by Ree Soesbee
- ↑ Matsu Agetoki (Soul of the Empire Boxtext)
- ↑ Agetoki no Shiryo (Dark Allies)
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