Hitomi Kobai
From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings
Hitomi Kobai was originally Otomo Kosha, the third son of a minor courtier in the Imperial Court. He had a very excitable personality, often spending time running in the gardens and fighting other boys in the castle. He was eventually chastised for his boyish tendencies and forced inside to study the ways of the court. Unfortunately, being the third son of the family, he had little to expect of life and quickly grew tired of the courts.[1]
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[edit] Wanderings
He told his family he would undertake a musha shugya before accepting his post in the court and was allowed to wander. His family hoped a year stripped of Imperial privileges would cure his pugnacious nature. Kosha wandered the Phoenix and Lion lands before ending up in the Dragon lands in Shiro Mirumoto. It was at night as he was wandering the courtyard when the Dragon Clan Champion Hitomi appeared to him and spoke to the young man of a higher cause, helping to shape Rokugan's future and of power beyond imagination. He was tempted by her words and she led him to the newly christened Kyuden Hitomi and into the tattooing chambers. He exited the room as Hitomi Kobai.[1]
[edit] Service
Kobai became the voice of the Lady Hitomi outside of the Dragon Clan lands. Although the Kitsuki family continued their duties as the ambassadors of the clan, Hitomi would often send Kobai as her reliable messenger.[2]
[edit] Kokujin
In 1129, Hitomi sought to use the advice of Kokujin to balance the corruption in her from the Obsidian Hand. Kobai spoke up against the murderer joining the Dragon Clan, but Hitomi ignored his warnings.[3]
| "He will destroy us all, my Lady."
-Kobai
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[edit] Imperial Court
After the Naga began to attack the Dragon Clan. Kobai was sent to the Imperial Courts in order to offer the Imperial Reagent Takuan rice in exchange for the aid of the Imperial Legions. Drawing upon his old family training, Kobai quickly outmaneuvered his older brothers in court who failed to recognize their younger brother, which pleased Kobai.[2]
[edit] Reputation
After completing his duty, he felt reaffirmed of his decision and became even more fanatical in his devotion to the Lady Hitomi, even going so far as to assault other Dragon Clan members who spoke ill of the Lady. This garnered him a reputation as a bully and a brute to most others. At this point Kobai had a severe hatred of the madman Hitomi Kokujin, even going so far as to personally keep an eye on the rogue monk's movements.[2]
[edit] Hunting Kokujin
After Kokujin's betrayal and ascension of Hitomi in 1132, and many of the Hitomi family dying or becoming tainted at the Battle of Oblivion's Gate in 1133, Kobai sought to end the shame of Kokujin's existance once and for all. Kobai sought out the aid of Togashi Mitsu, but Mitsu refused to take part in a petty quest for vengeance.[3]
| "We need your help, Mitsu. There are too few kikage zumi after the Battle of Oblivion's Gate. Too few by far. We need you to help us hunt Kokujin."
-Kobai
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[edit] Kokujin Kobai
Kobai did not relent in his quest however, and was eventually captured and turned by Kokujin, becoming Kokujin Kobai. Kobai led the tattooed bakemono that were sent by Kokujin to capture the seven Dragon samurai who answered Kokujin's Challenge in 1159.[3]
| "I am Kobai, Kokujin Kobai. Greetings, Satsu, son of Hoshi. My master welcomes you to his home."
-Kobai
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Despite an early surge from the seven Dragon, Kobai's forces won when six shugenja collapsed the pass on the Dragon. Tamori Chieko, Hitomi Hogai and Togashi Satsu were captured initially, and taken to Kokujin who was waiting in the ruins of Shiro Heichi. Hitomi Akuai was later captured and sent there also.[4]
| "Just as we were once reborn in the service of the Lady, now I have been reborn in the service of Kokujin."
-Kobai
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Kobai and the remaining bakemono and dark ise zumi began searching the rubble for the three remaining survivors. The bakemono initially found a severely wounded Hoshi Wayan, and requested to be allowed to eat the monk's heart. At this point Togashi Matsuo and Mirumoto Rosanjin attacked, defeating the bakemono and dark monks. Kobai was shot in the throat by Rosanjin, apparently killed, and Wayan was rescued.[4]
[edit] Return
Kobai returned not long after during Togashi Mitsu, Togashi Matsuo and Kaelung's assault on Kokujin's lair, his death merely a ruse. Kobai was knocked unconcious by Hitomi Hogai after the large kikage zumi was freed by Matsuo. Kobai recovered in time to see his master Kokujin surrounded by the Dragon. Kobai made his way to his masters side, but was killed by Kokujin on the Anvil of Despair to allow the First Oni to break free from it's prison beneath the ruins of Shiro Heichi.[5]
| "Never assume the enemy is dead. Until you have devoured their heart."
-Kobai
|
[edit] Return and Redemption
Kobai mysteriously returned back to life, possibly as a result of Hitomi's blessing. Having lost his Taint during his original death at Kokujin's hands, he returned disoriented and was easily captured by the Bloodspeakers Migawari and Hida Horii. He was tortured by the duo, who were trying to find the location of Kokujin's Shameswords. He became utterly insane in the process, but managed to retrieve his sanity in time to be rescued by Mirumoto Narumi and Kuni Yaruko, who had mistaken him for Togashi Satsu. The two were surprised to find that Kobai had lost his Taint and now had a way of detecting Shameswords. [6]
[edit] Shamesword
Kobai's sacrifice on the Anvil of Despair created the Blade of Slaughter. Through the intervention of Lady Moon Kobai's soul was not sealed within the blade entirely. Kobai still lived to seek redemption within the Dragon Clan by tracking down the blade, taking the Hitomi name once again becoming Hitomi Kobai. The part of Kobai's soul trapped within the blade is the Tainted part, and every time the blade is used Kobai breaks out in bouts of rage. Although the location of the blade is unknown to the Dragon Clan, Kobai gains a sense of where it is every time it is used.[7]
[edit] Tattoos
Kobai was known to have the Crescent moon tattoo, given to him by Kokujin.[5]
References
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