Jade Hand

From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings

Jade Hand
Created by:	Osano-Wo
First used by:	Kuni Hohiro
Currently in the possession of:	Hida Yakamo
Nemuranai

The Jade Hand is a relic created by Osano-Wo from a scale of the Dragon of Jade and is a powerful weapon against the Shadowlands.

Contents 1 History 2 Hida Yakamo 3 Appearance 4 Use 5 New Jade Hand 6 Wielders/Owners of The Jade Hand 7 Parallels 8 External Links 9 References 10 See Also

[edit] History

Legend says that just prior to the Battle of the Cresting Wave - during the building of the Kaiu Wall - the young brother of Kuni Osaku, Kuni Hohiro, went to pray. Feeling powerless to help stop the hordes of Oni lead by The Maw awaiting the Crab, Hohiro pleaded and begged the Fortune Osano-Wo for help. Seeing that Hohiro was weak and asking for help, the Thunder God ignored the boys pleas. Hohiro returned day after day, making offerings, and praying with all his heart. Still Osano-Wo did nothing, but watched. Then, after many days, Hohiro left the shrine... convinced the god would never help him. Hohiro cursed Osano-Wo's name and said he would find a way to stop the Shadowlands himself. Impressed with the boy's new-found confidence and anger, Osano-Wo created the Jade Hand and gave it to Hohiro.^{[citation needed]}

The Hand stayed under the guidance of Hohiro's family until finally Kuni Hitu awoke in the middle of the night and left the Crab territories, around 1118. A single Hida guard watched the young samurai depart, and the guard claimed the only statement made by Hitu was "I hear his call." Hitu was unchallenged and disappeared, traveling north.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Hida Yakamo

Following a duel with Mirumoto Hitomi, Hida Yakamo had lost his arm and at the behest of his father Hida Kisada traded his name to Jigoku in exchange for a great Oni's Claw. He confronted Hitomi at the Battle of Beiden Pass, using the Claw to defeat his nemesis, although leaving her alive. ^{[citation needed]}

In time, however, he began to feel the corrupt energies of the Claw and was confronted by Togashi Yokuni, being told to make his choice: Jigoku or salvation. Yakamo tore the claw from his arm and replaced it with the Jade Hand Yokuni had brought to him.^[1]

Using the Jade Hand, Yakamo cleansed his own Taint, helped cleanse his own clan, and led Crab armies to the gates of Otosan Uchi on the Second Day of Thunder. Although the power of the Jade Hand was immense, it served Yakamo little as Fu Leng used Yakamo's connections to Jigoku through the monstrous Yakamo no Oni to dispatch the Hida. Yakamo survived the combat, eventually returning to the Crab to lead the clan for a short time.^{[citation needed]}

When Yakamo was resurrected by the Naga, the Jade Hand was still a part of him, influencing his movements and guiding him to his final destiny: as the second to Lady Amaterasu at her jigai, he ascended to become Lord Sun.^[2]

[edit] Appearance

It is a left hand, wrist and partial forearm composed of segmented jade plates that when attached function as a normal gloved hand. The Jade Hand is known to be used as a replacement hand, but it is theorized that it can also be worn as a normal glove.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Use

The hand can choose to attach itself or not if placed to a stump of a left arm. If it does attach, it will painfully burn away all Taint from the wielder, and render the person unable to be Tainted so long as the hand remains in place.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] New Jade Hand

Following the fall of Yakamo, and the ascension of the Jade Dragon as the Jade Sun in 1170, the Oracle of Jade Omen became the Voice of the Jade Sun. He began travelling across the empire to reach the capital, but on his journey he encountered Matsu Benika. Omen gifted Benika the Jade Hand, but it is unclear if this is the same hand as the original. ^[3]

[edit] Wielders/Owners of The Jade Hand

• Kuni Hohiro
• Togashi
• Hida Yakamo
• Matsu Benika
• Togashi Mitsu (Thousand Years of Darkness timeline)

[edit] Parallels

Jade is the purity of Lady Sun in Rokugan, and Yakamo eventually replaces her. Similarly, Mirumoto Hitomi acquired the Obsidian Hand, the essence of Onnotangu's evil in Rokugan, and eventually becomes the new Lady Moon.

[edit] External Links

• The Jade Hand (Imperial Edition)
• The Jade Hand (Experienced) (1000 Years of Darkness)

[edit] References

[edit] See Also

• Jade Hand/Meta