Yakamo

From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings

Yakamo
Born:	Unknown
Died:	1132 (ascension), 1171
Parents:	Hida Kisada, Hida Tsuriko
Siblings:	Hida O-Ushi, Hida Sukune
Spouse:	None
Children	None
Titles:	Crab Clan Champion, Crab Clan Thunder, Lord Sun
People

Hida Yakamo was the firstborn son of Hida Kisada and Hida Tsuriko. He had one brother, Hida Sukune, and a sister, Hida O-Ushi. He succeeded his father as Crab Clan Champion and was the Crab Clan Thunder. He became Lord Sun after Amaterasu committed jigai.

Contents 1 Heir to the Great Bear 2 Corruption of the Crab 2.1 Assault on the Capital 2.2 Redemption of the Crab 3 Crab Thunder 4 Death and Rebirth 5 Lord Sun 6 The Will of Heaven 7 Endnotes 8 See Also

[edit] Heir to the Great Bear

Groomed at an early age to follow his father, it was well known how much he resembled his father physically and mentally. He was quick to anger, very hot headed and would speak in a frank and direct manner. His battlefield prowess was unquestioned. When entering the fray he often wielded a tetsubo in one hand and his katana Chikara in the other. ^[1]

Yakamo's dueling skills were equally impressive. The most notable duel he won was against Mirumoto Satsu, killing the older Dragon samurai with his tetsubo. After the duel, Mirumoto Hitomi swore vendetta against Yakamo. ^[2][3]

His abrasiveness had earned him a bad reputation in the imperial courts. Yakamo, however, saw politeness and etiquette as a burden to endure, not an honor to uphold. He was a very canny and perceptive man, clever enough to understand his own nature and impression on others, learning to time his rants for maximum impact on other people, keeping them off balance. He valued honesty above all traits, would not lie and equated his word with his honor. He saw politeness as deceit and would not pretend to enjoy someone's presence if he didn't. ^[4]

[edit] Corruption of the Crab

Shortlty before the Battle of Beiden Pass Hitomi located Yakamo travelling, and challenged him to a duel. Hitomi won the duel, cutting off Yakamo's right hand.^[5] Yakamo was rushed back to Crab lands where Kuni Yori manipulated Hida Kisada into allowind a large Claw replace Yakamo's lost hand. Yakamo gave his name to the oni that the claw had come from, Yakamo no Oni, and an alliance was forged between the Shadowlands and the Crab Clan. Yakamo and Hida Sukune led an army of Crab and Shadowlands creatures against Beiden Pass and Crane lands, where Yakamo returned the favor Hitomi had given him by ripping Hitomi's hand off.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Assault on the Capital

The corrupted Crab continued their march, assaulting the capital Otosan Uchi istelf. Yakamo and Kisada stormed the throne room themselves, only to find that the Emperor had been possessed by Fu Leng himself. Kisada was mortally wounded, but they managed to escape.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Redemption of the Crab

Yakamo and Kisada fled, and Kisada intended on committing seppuku to cleanse the shame they had brought on the Crab. Yakamo revealed that Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Yokuni had approached him while his father was unconcious, and told him there was still a purpose for him. Yokuni had given Yakamo the Jade Hand, which he place upon the stump of his arm after tearing off the Oni's Claw. Yakamo convinced Kisada that he should not give up, and they should help Toturi and the rest of Rokugan defeat Fu Leng.^[6]

[edit] Crab Thunder

Yakamo was the Crab Clan Thunder on the Second Day of Thunder in 1128. He fought Fu Leng alongside the other Thunders in the throne room, and was one of the survivors. ^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Death and Rebirth

After the Second Day of Thunder, new Champion Yakamo focused on retaking the Hiruma lands, and gathered an army of Crab and Naga into the Shadowlands. They reach Kyuden Hiruma in 1130, but then the Naga broke off for the north, leaving Yakamo and the Crab army trapped and surrounded by the Horde. He escaped the Siege of Kyuden Hiruma in 1132, but was captured by the Shadowlands. The Lion led by Ikoma Tsanuri reach the Crab in time to assist in the defense of the second attack. The combined might of the Crab and Lion made for a quick victory. ^{[citation needed]}

Yakamo's body was recovered, but Naga appeared from the forests and took his body, restored him to life using an ancient artifact and merged his soul with the Akasha. Many distrusted the Naga, but Yakamo assured them that only by working with them would they be able to defeat the Lying Darkness. ^[7]

[edit] Lord Sun

When Hitomi defeated Lord Moon after the Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness, Amaterasu committed jigai. Yakamo was led to the site of the event by the Akasha and served as her second. Upon her death, he ascended to become Lord Sun opposite Hitomi's Lady Moon. ^[8]

[edit] The Will of Heaven

In 1170, the Dragons, tired of Man's rule of the Heavens, exerted their will upon Tengoku. The Seven Fortunes allowed the Dragon of Jade and the Dragon of Obsidian to attempt to replace Yakamo as Lord Sun and Hitomi as Lord Moon respectively. The other Dragons, save the Dragon of Thunder, left mankind to cement their power.^[9]

Yakamo was defeated by the Dragon of Jade in the Month of the Horse in 1171, and cast down. His dying words were heard by Moshi Amika.^[10] His body turned to a giant cache of jade, which Crab Clan champion Hida Kuon ordered to be used to create a shrine to Yakamo adjacent to to Kisada's shrine. Kuon also ordered the Kaiu smiths to create weapons able to accept jade inlays and use the rest of Yakamo's body to arm his clan.^[11]

[edit] Endnotes

Preceded by: Hida Kisada	Crab Clan Champion 1128 - 1132	Succeeded by: Hida O-Ushi
Preceded by: Amaterasu	Lord Sun 1132 - 1171	Succeeded by: Jade Dragon

[edit] See Also

• Hida Yakamo/Meta