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Matsu Domotai 
Matsu Domotai 
Born: Unknown 
Died: 1160, Month of the Serpent [1] 
Parents: Matsu Ketsui,
Matsu Koetsu,
Isawa Kokei (stepparent) 
Siblings: Matsu Nimuro,
Matsu Satomi (half) 
Titles: Guardian of the Kitsu Tombs
People

Matsu Domotai was the second eldest son of the Matsu Daimyo Matsu Ketsui, and as such he was made the guardian of the Hall of Ancestors.

Family[]

Domotai was brother of the Lion Clan Champion Matsu Nimuro [2] and to his younger sister Matsu Satomi. [3] Ketsui had married to Ikoma Koetsu, who took the Matsu name. Three years later, while Ketsui was with their second son, Koetsu was slain in a duel with a Kakita Kenshinzen. A week after Domatai's birth, Ketsui took the Kakita's head in another duel. Many years later Ketsui married again with Isawa Kokei, who also took the Matsu name. [4]

Gempukku[]

Matsu Domotai 3

Youth Domotai

He took his name from Matsu Domotai, who fought against Iuchiban during the Battle of Stolen Graves. [5] Kitsu Motso believed the scout was clever enough to bear the hero's name. [6]

War of Spirits[]

During the War of Spirits Domotai fought beside his older brother, Nimuro, defending the lands of the Lion and Scorpion from the armies of Hantei XVI. [7]

Iuchi Shahai[]

Shahai meets Domotai

Shahai meets Domotai

Domotai's courage was tested with tricks by the Shadowlands bloodspeaker Iuchi Shahai. [8] They had met for first time, but it would not be the last. [5]

Kidnapping[]

Domotai confronts a Tsuno

Domotai figthing a Tsuno

When Nimuro became the new Lion Champion, he bestowed his position as protector of the Hall of Ancestors on Domotai. [5] Domotai fought off a Tsuno attack on the Hall of Ancestors in 1159. [9] Realizing the attack was merely a diversion he led his troops to the Kitsu Tombs where a much larger attack was taking place. Domotai led the charge but was eventually knocked unconcious and taken by the Tsuno. [5] Ikoma Otemi was the Protector of the Hall of Ancestors in his absence. [10]

Matsu Domotai's Torture[]

Nikushimi Torturing Domotai

Domotai tortured by Nikushimi

Tsuno Kurushimi, leader of the attack, carried Domotai as prisoner to Nikushimi Shinden, [2] where Nikushimi tortured the warrior. [11] Tsuno Soultwisters magic kept him free of Taint, as they did not wish to allow him to escape into the madness of corruption. Domotai endured the torture and the Soultwisters took over. Their magic plumbed deep into Domotai's mind, learning all that he knew about the Lion Clan. In turn, Domotai learned from them, gathering key information to be used against the creatures if he could escape. [7]

Rescued at Shinomen[]

He would the following months being tortured by the Tsuno until he was passed on to the care of Shahai and her bloodspeakers in 1159. Two months later he was finally rescued by Toturi Tsudao in a Naga city in the Shinomen Forest. Shortly before he had seen a hooded man in blue robes, supposely Matsu Turi, the Dark Oracle of Water. Turi let Tsudao to rescue him so that Domotai would see how much he had changed due to the torture. Domotai would have recurring nightmares about his time in captivity for the remainder of his life. [5]

Seppuku[]

Domotai preparing himself

Domotai preparing himself

In 1159 a message was sent to the Lion leadership by the Dark Oracle of Water Matsu Turi who announced that he had come into the possession of the remains of Akodo. In exchange for those remains he demanded a vassal of true Matsu lineage. Domotai volunteered. [5] He gifted his tanto, which beared the mark of Kitsu and Matsu families, a weapon entrusted only to who protected the Hall of Ancestors, to his brother Nimuro. [12] In 1160 alongside his sister Satomi and a hundred Lion he travelled to the Black Tear Mountain in the Twilight Mountains where the trade was to take place. Once the Lion were retreating with the remains he committed seppuku rather than serve the abomination Turi had become. Turi and the Tsuno had engineered a trap to the Lion by summoning magically a huge force of Tsuno to the valley. The Lion were prepared, with an entire legion lying in cover with Kitsu magic. The Tsuno were routed without the support of Turi, who fled when uncertainty clouded his mind after Domotai's seppuku. [5] [13]

Domotai's Sacrifice

Domotai's Sacrifice


See, fallen hero,
even the shadow gives pause
how a lion dies.
-Domotai's final Haiku [5]


Yomi[]

Domotai ascended to Yomi, where he was met by Matsu Tsuko who had died in a very similar manner. [5]

See also[]

Matsu Domotai 2

Matsu Domotai

External Links[]

References

  1. Four Winds, p. 58
  2. 2.0 2.1 Way of the Shugenja, p. 84
  3. Gifts of the Ancestors, by Nancy Sauer
  4. Secrets of the Lion, p. 73
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 A Lion's Honor, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
  6. Matsu Domotai (Soul of the Empire flavor)
  7. 7.0 7.1 Secrets of the Lion, p. 74
  8. A Stout Heart (Gold flavor)
  9. Four Winds, p. 37
  10. Enemy at the Gates
  11. You Are Weak (Dark Allies flavor)
  12. Blood Dawn, Part V: Bonds of Honor, by Rich Wulf
  13. Way of the Samurai, p. 89.


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