| Please note: This article is about the last Kitsu. For other uses of the term, please see Nintai (disambiguation). |
| Nintai | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born: | Pre-calendar |
| Died: | 1170 |
| Parents: | Kishenku |
| Titles: | Sensei of Toguchi Shinden |
| People | |
Nintai was perhaps the last of his race. He was for a long time known as Tsuno Nintai, member of the Tsuno race.
Ambitions[]
In the time before Rokugan's founding, when the Five Races built the City of Night, Kishenku led a group of renegade kitsu who tried to usurp the power of the city for themselves. Their plot devastated the city, but was foiled. Kishenku's son, Tsuno Nintai took control of the rebels to continue his father's work, but also failed. [1] Chased by the kenku, kitsu, ningyo, trolls, and zokujin, they were eventually cornered and banished to Toshigoku. There, he and his cohorts were twisted and became the Tsuno. [2] They lost hope of ever escaping. [3]
Back to Ningen-do[]
Tsuno Nintai
Daigotsu's Visit[]
In the 12th century Nintai was visited in Toshigoku by Daigotsu, the Dark Lord. After the human informed that the kitsu had been slain and all but swallowed by the Lion Clan, Nintai thirsted for vengeance. He followed Daigotsu's instructions to lead the Tsuno to freedom, back to Ningen-do. [3]
Preparations[]
Rather than return to the mortal realm immediately, Nintai and his brethren began to explore the Spirit Realms, learning to harness the powers of each dominion and incorporate them into his own magic. Nintai founded his own school in the temple of Toguchi Shinden to instruct others, and also trained them in the arts of war. After a second visit of Daigotsu, the alliance was forged. [3]
Sensei[]
When the Tsuno moved to Ningen-do, Toguchi Shinden was located near the City of the Lost. Nintai stepped down from his responsabilities, leaving Tsuno Yokoshima as the new Supreme Soultwister. [4]
Meeting with Daigotsu[]
In 1157 Daigotsu summoned Tsuno Nintai to his presence in the Temple of the Ninth Kami. Nintai explained that travel between Realms was easy, but safe travel was not. Links between Ningen-do, the Mortal Realm, and Tengoku, the Celestial Heavens, were in every place where the Oracles of Light worked their magic. To link with Jigoku any tainted place was enough. To travel to Meido, the Realm of Waiting, from any place where anybody died. [5]
Alliance with the Shadowlands[]
Nintai demanded Daigotsu's aid to obtain the journals of Kitsu Okura. The tainted Jade Champion had been researching this kind of travel, and he was even able to plant the noble heart of a shiryo within an oni, and redeem it's dark spirit. Daigotsu agreed, but requested the attack of the Tsuno against their hated enemies, the Lion Clan, should wait until the rest of the dark forces were prepared to attack together. [5]
Nintai also told revealed to Daigotsu the need for an anchor, an item which focused the energies on the Realm to be travelled, something that once belonged to the one Daigotsu sought. The Dark Lord's intention was to find the Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng for this purpose. [5]
Creating the Onisu[]
Daigotsu, Shokansuru, Omoni and Nintai created the Onisu from the raw stuff of Yume-do, the Realm of Dreams. [6] To create them, The Maw had stolen magic secrets from Morito Tokei, imprisoned in Jigoku since the Clan War. [7]
Training[]
The Tsuno moved between realms, so they used Toshigoku, the Realm of the Eternal Slaughter, as their training ground. There Nintai met Tokei, now Naka Tokei, Grand Master of the Elements. Before leaving the realm Nintai warned Tokei about the hold Jigoku had on the Grand Master. [8]
Fighting in Rokugan[]
Raiding the Kitsu Tombs[]
Nintai wreaked vengeance upon the Lion, destroying much of the Kitsu Tombs in 1159, retrieving the Okura's journal and kidnapping Matsu Domotai. He also aiding Daigotsu in creating the Onisu, especially Nikushimi, the tsuno-like Nightmare of the Lion Clan. [9]
City of Night[]
While causing destruction throughout Rokugan, the Tsuno sought the City of Night. In the Unicorn Clan's lands he discovered the crystal city, but it had been enchanted in such a way that the Tsuno were barred access. Through the manipulation of Moto Vordu, a shugenja excavating the city, Nintai had his father's remains returned to him and resurrected him. Due to Hantei Naseru's interference, Kishenku was slain and his body immolated. With his father's soul forever lost to Meido, Nintai vowed vengeance against the son of Toturi. [3]
Third Rise of Iuchiban[]
When Daigotsu was defeated by Iuchiban, Nintai decided to remain neutral in the war between them. Suspecting Daigotsu was not yet done with the mortal plane, Tsuno Nintai maintained cordial relations with the new ruler of the Shadowlands. [3]
Nintai and the Nezumi[]
Tomorrow Chieftain[]
The Tsuno had used their own mastery of the Realm of Dreams to forge a creature out of nightmares, piecing together the shattered dreams of the Stained Paw Tribe and infusing them into one of their own kind, creating the illusion that was the nezumi Tomorrow Chieftain, Ikm'atch-tek. [10]
City of Dreams[]
Nintai made in the Shadowlands the City of Dreams. It was a copy of a nezumi city that had been moved to the realm of dreams, Chitachtr-foo. [2] Ikm'atch-tek claimed he had dragged the city back to the mortal realm, and he was a powerful Shaman who had lived before the Terrible Day. The Stained Paw dwelled the city, made Ikm'atch-tek his Chieftain, and allied with the Tsuno. They began to fight the other nezumi tribes. [11] [12]
Engineering a Trap[]
In 1165 Nintai sent a letter to nezumi shaman Te'tik'kir informing him about the arrival of Iuchiban to the City of the Lost and the defeat of Daigotsu. The bloodspeaker had the power to reach into and control dreams; Nintai proposed to share knowledge with one another to face this new menace. [13] The meeting would be a trap and the nezumi would be betrayed by the Tsuno. [11]
Trap is Set[]
In the Meeting Place the Stained Paw and the Tsuno ambushed the Crippled Bone Tribe, and the One Tribe Chief of Chiefs, Kan'ok'ticheck. [11] The Crippled Bone chieftain, Te'tik'kir saved the Chief of Chiefs, and only the aid of a Grasping Paw Tribe party led by Ik'krt avoided the Crippled Bone total destruction. During the battle a Rain of Blood covered the Shadowlands. [14]
Ik'krt[]
In 1166 the Tsuno captured a nezumi intruder in the City of Dreams, Ik'krt, who was tortured by Nintai. He told Ik'krt, a Rememberer of a defunct nezumi tribe, that Tsuno had created the nezumi to use them against the Naga, a race who stole this world from the Tsuno. Ik'krt was released so Te'tik'kir would recognize the Nezumi for what they truly were, and realize that they could not fight the Tsuno. [12]
Defeat[]
The nezumi learned Tsuno had lied to them and the One Tribe led by Kan'ok'ticheck attacked the city. They rushed into the city, taking the upperhand. Nintai moved the city to the Realm of Slaughter and the One Tribe nezumi begin to fight between them, twisted by the ominous realm. The city had become a Tsuno trap. Ik'krt attacked Nintai, and Te'tik'kir joined the fight. Nintai easily defeated the Rememberer and killed Te'tik'kir, who gave his life to give Nintai back his soul, restoring him as a Kitsu. Nintai, penitent, sought to atone for his crimes by sealing the rest of his cohorts in the Realm of Dreams forever. While the nezumi left the city, Nintai waited his former brethren to come, and dragged the city deep into Dream, where even the Tsuno could not escape. [2]
Tomorrow[]
Nintai stayed with the nezumi and watched over their bodies during Tomorrow. After the Battle of Tomorrow in Yume-do, the nezumi bodies in Ningen-do did not awaken. Nintai interred them all, mourning for his fallen allies. [15] He was alone now, save for his Nezumi allies. [16]
After Tomorrow[]
Opening the Temple to Te'tik'kir[]
In 1169 K'mee, the nezumi monk came to bless the Temple to Te'tik'kir. The Lion were surprised no other nezumi appeared there, and asked her why. K'mee began to cry, and Nintai stepped in to tell the nezumi tale, no survivors from the travel to Yume-do returned. The Master of Void Shiba Ningen appeared with Chi'kel alongside him, the only survivor. He told the tale of Tomorrow, and vowed to remain at the Temple to tell it again for any who wished to hear the tale. Surprissingly several Naga, former nezumi-eaters, arrived. They had awoken to pay the debt for the nezumi's sacrifice. They would guard the temple and its keeper from any who would do them harm. Nintai took up residence there. [17]
Death in Shinomen[]
During the burning of the Shinomen Forest in 1170 shortly after the ascension of Iweko I as Empress, [18] Nintai and Chi'kel abandoned the Temple. They met the Asp guards, who had been sent ahead. They told the foul were attacking the Lion who tended the Temple. Nintai realized he never should have tried to leave them, and returned with the Naga. Nintai was found pinned to a wall through his heart, and skinned. [19]
Honored[]
Chi'kel was the only nezumi involved to remain in Ningen-do to tend the Temple to Te'tik'kir, [20] which was being rebuilt and refurbished, to also honour Nintai. [21]
See also[]
External Links[]
- Tsuno Nintai (Dark Allies)
- Nintai (Drums of War)
References
- ↑ Fortunes & Winds, p. 92
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Last Rememberer, Part Three, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 42
- ↑ Way of the Shugenja, p. 84
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Prelude to Darkness, Part 6: The Dark Lord, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ Nightmares, Part I, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ Fortunes & Winds, p. 35
- ↑ Fortunes & Winds, pp. 87-88
- ↑ Complications, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ Report of Miya Shoin to the Righteous Emperor, Toturi III (Imperial Herald v2 #16)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Blood Dawn, Part IX: One Tribe, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Last Rememberer, Part Two, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ Ratling Letter (Imperial Herald v2 #9)
- ↑ The Last Rememberer, Part One, by Rich Wulf
- ↑ Tomorrow (Imperial Herald v2#22), by Rusty Priske
- ↑ Nintai (Drums of War flavor)
- ↑ Farewell to the Nezumi
- ↑ A New Empire, Part III, by Rusty Priske, Nancy Sauer, and Lucas Twyman
- ↑ Glory of the Empire, Part II, by Rusty Priske and Nancy Sauer
- ↑ Confirmation of Chi'kel's survival
- ↑ Temple to Te'tik'kir (Promotional flavor)
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