Toku
From L5r: Legend of the Five Rings
| Toku | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born: | Unknown |
| Died: | 1165 |
| Spouse: | Toku Inao |
| Children | Toku Miyako, Toku Kyoji, Toku Koto, Toku Kiyuko |
| Titles: | Monkey Clan Champion, Captain of the Imperial Guard, Fortune of Virtue |
| People | |
Toku was the son of a farmer who decided to become samurai. Over time, his shame was forgiven by Emperor Toturi I and his decision was made official. After his death, Toku was named Fortune of Virtue by Toturi III.
Contents |
[edit] Beginnings as a Samurai
A peasant village was attacked by bandits. Seven samurai gathered to defend it - Ikoma Hidemasa, a ronin formerly of the Lion Clan, an Otaku family magistrate, and five other ronin. They trained the peasants, and were impressed by the heroic spirit of one of the heimin boys, whom Hidemasa nicknamed "Toku," which means "virtue." During the fighting, all the samurai were killed, but Toku slew the bandit chieftain and thus saved his village. Following the battle, he left the village to take up the life of a ronin to honour the courage shown by Hidemasa. He took with him a suit of armour too large for him, taken from twelve different bodies; the Otaku's stallion, though he could not make it stop once he had made it start; Hidemasa's copy of Akodo's Leadership, even though, being illiterate, he had to have others read from it to him; and the daisho of the bandit leader.
[edit] Life as a Ronin
Toku wandered the empire, experiencing life as a samurai. Much of his knowledge was gained in Dragon lands, where a Mirumoto samurai, impressed by the young ronin, taught him the essential skills of warfare and culture that a samurai need to possess. This training was accidentally spotted by a Crane courtier, who goaded the Mirumoto into sending Toku to the prestigious Topaz Championship in Tsuma Village. Much to the Crane's horror, the Dragon did indeed sponsor Toku for the tournament, where Toku performed with great honour - winning no event, but coming second or third repeatedly. This was a seminal moment for Toku, when he realised that it was the actions of a man, not their birth or status, that determined their destiny. It was also here that he met Akodo Toturi, then Clan Champion of the Lion.
[edit] The Clan War
Following the Scorpion Coup, Toku sought the now-ronin Toturi. When he found Toturi in Dragon lands, the two discussed the state of the empire for some time. It is implied that it was Toku's questions that inspired Toturi to follow the course of action that he had been planning - to forge his own army of ronin to fight against the darkness that threatened Rokugan. It is likely that Toku became a member of the Twelve Ronin, Toturi's elite bodyguard. He fought at the Battle of Beiden Pass, where he slew an oni. During the war, Toku was entrusted with a piece of Iuchiban's heart by Naka Kuro. He hid it in a Shrine dedicated to his idol, Ikoma Hidamasa, in the Lion Clan's Hall of Ancestors. During the last days of the war, Toku was left behind to guard Nanashi Mura while Toturi led his forces to the Second Day of Thunder. When Nanashi Mura was attacked by Fu Leng's armies, Toku rode for reinforcements and lifted the siege of the village.
[edit] The Founding of the Monkey
In 1129 the position of Captain of the Imperial Guard was offered to Toku by Emperor Toturi I as a reward for his actions during the Clan War. Toku declined the offer and finally revealed to Toturi how he acquired his katana - that he was, in fact a heimin. Toku requested permission to repent for this great crime by committing seppuku, one last act as a samurai. However, Toturi pardoned Toku for his crime and offered the position a second time, as well as minor clan status upon Toku and his followers. In this way the Monkey Clan was founded. Initially their holdings were within the Imperial City, Otosan Uchi, but after the exile of the Scorpion Clan to the Burning Sands, Toturi decreed that they would have their home in the Scorpion lands, funded by Crane koku.
[edit] Family
Toku married then-Shosuro Inao and had four children: Toturi Miyako, Toku Kyoji, Toku Koto and Toku Kiyuko. He was fondly known throughout the empire as "The General".
[edit] Death
Toku perished during Iuchiban's attack on Gisei Toshi. In a death reminiscent of the Kami Akodo, Toku's final act was to lure the Bloodspeaker Yajinden from the battle and collapse a mountain pass upon them both. As a result of his actions, only one of the two leaders of the Bloodspeakers was present for the majority of the battle. After his death, a temple in Ryoko Owari Toshi was erected and dedicated to his memory by Emperor Toturi III himself, who also proclaimed Toku to be Fortune of Virtue.
The temple had a massive statue crafted by the finest Kakita sculptors. It depicted a young man in rough and ill-fitting armor. He held a ready sword in his right hand and had a thick, worn book clutched beneath his left arm. His keen eyes burned into the distant horizon, staring into the future without fear. On his back was mounted a sashimono, a banner depicting a black wolf – the symbol of Toturi’s Army. It was Toku as he had been in his youth, as he had been when the Emperor’s father first met him. At the bottom of the statue were carved a single line of characters. “Toku, Fortune of Virtue – named by the Righteous Emperor, Toturi III.” ([1])
[edit] References
Way of the Samurai p. 77 - 78
Way of the Wolf p. 72 - 74
[edit] External Links
- Toku (Imperial Edition)
- Toku EXP (Time of the Void)
- Toku EXP 2 (Dark Journey Home)
- Toku EXP 2kyd (A Thousand Years of Darkness)
- Toku EXP 3 (Soul of the Empire)
| Preceded by: None | Monkey Clan Champion 1129 - 1165 | Succeeded by: Toku Inao |
| Preceded by: Seppun Ishikawa | Captain of the Imperial Guard 1129 - ? | Succeeded by: Unknown |
