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Please note: This article is about the son of Hida Kisada. For other uses of the term, please see Sukune (disambiguation).
Hida Sukune 
Hida Sukune 
Born: Unknown 
Died: Month of the Goat of 1127 [1] 
Died after return: Unknown 
Parents: Hida Kisada, Hida Tsuriko 
Siblings: Hida Yakamo, Hida O-Ushi, Kitsuki Yasuo (half) 
Spouse: None 
Children: None 
Titles: None
People

Hida Sukune was the youngest son of Hida Kisada, brother of Hida Yakamo and Hida O-Ushi.

Shame[]

Hida Sukune 3

Hida Sukune

He was a source of shame for his father. Where his siblings were strong he was weak, where his sibling were noisy he was quiet. He was born two months early, and his mother, Hida Tsuriko became sick after giving birth to him. Many thought that Sukune wouldn't survive a week. His entire life he was plagued by poor health, always sickly. His mother never recovered from her illness and died from a protracted illness five years after Sukune's birth. [2]

Strategist[]

From the start he had to rely on his mind to sustain him through school, as he lacked the strength and stamina to keep up with his classmates. He became spellbound by lessons of military strategy, devouring writings by Rokugan's greatest generals remembering everything he read. He applied what he learned to the rest of his training, becoming a strategist and a tactical adviser for his father. His health meant prolonged conflict was dangerous, and he was early on positioned behind the front lines. Sukune himself did not like this, but knew it was for the best. [3]

In Battle[]

Hida Sukune 4

Hida Sukune

Sukune would hold the position of carrier of the great battle standard, giving him an important task, but leaving him out of harm's way. His tactical prowess was nothing short of amazing; he only lacked experience. His weakness plagued him and no solution could be found, which left him thin and small for a samurai, his body wracked with coughs. In battle he would wear an elaborate suit of armor that looked like an attacking crustacean. He knew he could never measure up to his father and would have done anything if he thought Kisada would approve. As his father and brother he prefered a tetsubo to a katana, although his was a lighter version than theirs. [4]

Demeanor[]

Sukune spoke quietly, conserving his judgment until he had heard all the sides. He saved his greatest respect for his father and would support him if an argument arose. [5] Sukune vowed to overcome his physical ailments no matter what the cost, and he adhered to the tenets of bushido more closely than most Crab. [6]

Moving North[]

In Autumn of 1126 the army led by Hida Sukune reached the Beiden Pass, where they faced the Toturi's Army, a ronin army with a token Dragon support. The cunning Toturi otmaneuvered the superior forces of Sukune, and the Crab army was forced to pull back. [7]

Assaulting the Crane Clan[]

In 1126 Kisada's army made again its way north, their main target being Beiden Pass, the "crossroads of the empire". [8] Sukune led the Crab army that sacked Kyuden Kakita in 1127. [9] Sukune's next target was Kyuden Doji, but as Sukune moved his army southward an army of Dragon and Unicorn samurai appeared, taking the Crab completely by surprise. It forced Sukune to retreat back to Beiden Pass. [10] [11] [12]

Battle of Beiden Pass[]

Yakamo's Absence[]

While Kuni Yori was healing Yakamo, wounded from a previous fight, Sukune was obliged by his brother to rush and enter in battle with only part of the total Crab forces. [13] Sukune was tasked with holding the pass until Yakamo could arrive and bolster the Crab forces. [14] The unorthodox tactics of Toturi and his army proved to much for the inexperienced Sukune, [15] whose larger army couldn't draw upon numbers because of the tight, twisting pass. [16] As Sukune attempted to reinforce his position his infantry were slaughtered by Unicorn cavalry [17] and archery fire. [18] Sukune was forced to retreat, and Toturi followed, leaving the pass to be guarded by Shinjo Yasamura. [19]

Aftermath[]

Sukune's Death

Sukune's death

After initial failures at the Battle of Beiden Pass, Kuni Yori had a group of zombies beat Hida Sukune to near death. Yori only kept him alive to sacrifice him to Fu Leng. Yori convinced Hida Kisada that it was his orders that killed Sukune because of his failures at Beiden pass. [20] Yori requested Sukune his sacrifice. It would strengthen their alliance with the darkness, and secure the future of the Crab. Sukune refused and Yori stabbed him in the back. [21] Yori made A Terrible Oath which greatly increased the physical power of his army, at the cost of Sukune's life. [22] After a dark ritual Sukune was nailed to the war banner known as the Terrible Standard of Fu Leng. [20] [23]

Shadow Samurai[]

Hida Sukune 2

Sukune, the Shadow Samurai

Sukune's pure and noble soul was thus banished to Jigoku. Ever the Crab, he fought his way out of the Pit, through the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. He returned a Shadow Samurai, a "Kage-Musha", an undead spirit uncorrupted by the Taint. [23]

Toturi's Army[]

Sukune gave his guidance to Toturi's Army during the Clan War, [24] after his returning in the Month of the Ox of 1128. He made a quick visit to his father and brother, in their camp near Kyuden Doji, vanishing shortly thereafter. The united armies of Rokugan were preparing the assault on Otosan Uchi and the Second Day of Thunder. [25]

Siege of Kyuden Hiruma[]

In 1132 Sukune appeared to rescue Hiruma Tsuneko from death during the Siege of Kyuden Hiruma. A group of Tsunkeko's Nezumi allies saw this, misinterpreted Sukune's glowing aura and bestowed the name A-wat'Itchr'foo-s'stch'ch, or Sun's-Chosen-Daughter-Warrior upon Tsuneko. [26]

War Against Shadow[]

He was seen again before the beginning of the race to Volturnum during the War Against Shadow. [27]

Returned Spirit[]

In 1133 Sukune made his way out of Oblivion's Gate and fought during the War of Spirits. [28] [29]

Four Winds[]

He made his presence felt to Hida Kuon, telling Kuon that he was about to face his fallen brother, Hida Kuroda, in combat. [30]

Legion of the Dead[]

Hida Sukune 5

Hida Sukune, returned spirit

In 1166 Kuroda joined the Legion of the Dead. He had stepped forward to answer Matsu Goemon's call to fight the Legion of Blood. [31] As the two forces initially battled for control over the newly forming realm in 1166, Isawa Tsuke released a massive explosion intending to stop the First Oni, but it also disrupted the realm and knocked everyone in it into private memories of critical choices in their lives. The Realm of Thwarted Destiny was testing each of them, to see if they would embrace their destines or reject them. The realm could become a place where those who failed their destinies could repeat their failures for eternity or a place where those who failed could embrace their fates and find redemption. [32]

Kisada will Return[]

Naka Kuro guessed the new Realm had a connection with the Mortal Realm through the Oblivion's Gate. The Legion of heroes were afraid that crossing to pass the Gate could destroy whoever not enough strong who tried it. Kisada was selected as the most viable option, and Sukune's eyes were filled with faith. [31]

External Links[]

See Also[]

References

  1. Time of the Void, pp. 32-33
  2. Way of the Crab, p. 65
  3. Way of the Crab, pp. 65-66
  4. Way of the Crab, pp. 66-67
  5. Way of the Crab, p. 66
  6. Clan War: The Clans, p. 13
  7. Imperial Histories, p. 154
  8. Time of the Void, pp. 8-9
  9. The Gaijin's Guide to Rokugan - Part 4: Distant Thunder
  10. The Story So Far: Imperial Edition (Imperial Herald #4)
  11. The Battle of Beiden Pass, Imperial Herald #2
  12. Medium Cavalry (Shadowlands flavor)
  13. The Cold Dark Dawn, by John Wick
  14. Medium Infantry (The Battle of Beiden Pass flavor)
  15. Heavy Infantry (Emerald flavor)
  16. Heavy Infantry (The Battle of Beiden Pass flavor)
  17. Medium Cavalry (The Battle of Beiden Pass flavor)
  18. Archers (The Battle of Beiden Pass flavor)
  19. Light Cavalry (Emerald flavor)
  20. 20.0 20.1 Kotei 2003: Hida Kisada, The Great Bear
  21. Legions, Part V
  22. Imperial Histories, p. 173
  23. 23.0 23.1 The Legions of the dead: The Shadow Samurai
  24. Hida Sukune Exp (Promotional boxtext)
  25. Time of the Void, p. 100
  26. Secrets of the Crab, p. 36
  27. Clan Letter to the Crab #11 (Imperial Herald v3 #3)
  28. Hida Sukune (Spirit Wars boxtext)
  29. The Death of Yoritomo, by Ree Soesbee
  30. Brotherhood, by Rich Wulf
  31. 31.0 31.1 Legions, Part X
  32. Legions, Part III, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf


Crab This Crab Clan related article is a stub. That means that it has been started, but is incomplete. You can help by adding to the information here.
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