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Please note: This article is about the Kolat Master and Yasuki Daimyo. For other uses of the term, please see Taka (disambiguation).
Yasuki Taka 
Yasuki Taka 
Born: Unknown 
Died: 1170 
Parents: Un-named Kolat Master 
Children: Yasuki Oguri 
Titles: Yasuki Daimyo,
Kolat Master
People

Yasuki Taka was the Yasuki Daimyo, a small yet vital family of the Crab Clan. He was also a Kolat and a double agent working to bring the Kolat down from within. He raised as Master Jade within the Kolat.

Appearance[]

Taka was a tiny, wizened old man in simple clothes with a wide-brimmed hat, his face creased with wrinkles of a smile that revealed his love for life. You could not tell from looking at him but he was one of the richest men in the Empire. [1]

The Wily Trader[]

Yasuki Taka 2

Yasuki Taka

From a young age, Taka preferred simple trade and salesmanship to diplomacy and high stakes economic maneuvering. After becoming the Yasuki family daimyo he enjoyed travelling the country as a common peddler despite his high status, and most people of Rokugan would recognize him. He would always seem to have what people would want. No one seemed to care that he always came out on top, no matter how much he would gouge his customer they would always feel as if they came off with the better end of the bargain. [1]

During these travels, he established a Yasuki owned business in nearly every village he visited. He would spend his travels checking up on the businesses, delivering messages and instructions. His "micromanaging" led the Yasuki into an era of fortune and prosperity. Taka enjoyed earning wealth, but most when he used his own skills and abilities to obtain it. His favourite targets for trading were the Crane who had officially banned him from their lands, but somehow he still managed to get through their borders. [2]

Merchant Coins[]

It is believed that Taka was in possession of two of the Merchant Coins created by Asahina as a gift to the Crane Clan after his marriage and joining them. Observant traders noticed he would conduct most of his trading just after lunch and sunset, in the hours of the goat and the dog, indicating he might be in possession of those two coins. [3]

Otosan Uchi[]

Taka dared to sell his trinkets even in the Forbidden City, within the Imperial Water Gardens, while the courtiers were discussing matters of war and politics. [4]

The Kolat Traitor[]

Yasuki Taka 3

Yasuki Taka

Indoctrination[]

Taka was indoctrinated into the Kolat from an early age, drawn in by his father who was a member of the Ten Masters. When he came of age, he orchestrated schemes of breathtaking audacity and deceit. He was considered for a position within the Masters, but the others were uneasy with a hereditary succession. Taka became disillusioned with the conspiracy’s plans, and secretly decided to try and undo them. [5]

Double Agent[]

Few knew that Taka also had waged his own personal war against the Kolat, solely relying on his guile to hide his true intention of fighting them from within. He was one of their most fierce agents, but unknown even to the Ten Masters, he had become also one of their worst enemies. [5]

Patroned by Asako Nakiro[]

In 1088 Taka found Asako Nakiro near the Bells of the Dead. The Asako Inquisitor had contracted a terrible illnes while studying the Shimushigaki, a powerful gaki which had been banished two centuries ago. Nakiro survived through the intervention of Taka, but the willy trader extorted him. In 1093 a small sake works was opened by Taka at Friendly Traveler Village. [6]

Wealthy Business[]

The sake commerce at that time was dominated by the Daidoji Three Horse village further up the coast. This year a strong monsoon wiped out the Crane settlement. Taka organized the villagers and everyone took refuge in an inn. The Friendly Traveler Sake Works and the inn were the only two buildings that had not been reduced to splinters. The next day the Temple of Daikoku began its construction. [7] Taka's liquor quickly grew a reputation for being the greatest in the empire. [6] Due to the enterprising efforts of Yasuki Taka, the village became one of the most successful trading communities of the Empire. [8]

Yasuki Daimyo[]

In 1102 in the Month of the Rat Taka becomes the Yasuki Daimyo. Within a year, trade along the Peninsula of Hardened Waters tripled. Taka was regarded to be responsible for the economic boom and was gifted with a Kaiu Blade. [6] Hida Kisada gifted him with a miniature Koutetsukan, suited to hold about three dozen crewmen, rather than the standard hundred plus. [7] His cousin Yasuki Garou was assigned to him as his personal shugenja. [9]

Testifying against the Hare[]

In 1123 after the Siege of Shiro Usagi and the nearly destruction of the Hare by the Scorpion, Kitsune Hamato, Daidoji Unoko and Toritaka Bonugi testified that the Usagi were Maho-tsukai. [10] One week later Taka appeared and also confirmed it with his own testimony. [11] Following the accusations the Emperor Hantei XXXVIII disbanded the Hare Clan. [12] Taka did it as the first move of the underworld war against the Dajan's Kolat, a splinter sect of the Kolat, which had framed the Hare. [10]

Scorpion Coup[]

After Bayushi Shoju beheaded the Emperor Hantei XXXVIII, beginning the Scorpion Coup, the ambassadors were held in the Imperial Throne Room. Taka and Kuni Fujiko were the only Crab present. [13]

Usagi Ozaki[]

In 1125 the outlaw Usagi Ozaki, son of the last Champion of the disbanded Hare Clan, had been tracked down by Imperial Magistrates to the village of Nanashi Mura. When the magistrates commanded by Miya Katsu arrived to the village, Taka claimed loudly he knew where the Usagi fugitive was. As he led the hunters off into the dark tangle of forest, he glanced directly at the position of Ozaki, who was witnessing amused how the merchant was saving his life. Taka mouthed a word as he departed, "Run". [14] The Hare had been framed by the Dajan's Kolat and Taka was helping one of the victims.

Dajan's Kolat[]

The Dajan's Kolat had begun a war against the true kolat, and Kitsune Hamato was entruste to wipe out their most visible member, Taka. [15] Ozaki had been aided by Taka because of this. While a group of samurai were investigating the conspiracy against the Hare, the shugenja Hamato provoked an unnatural tsunami which hit Friendly Traveler Village. Taka was in the city and survived, alongside the investigating group. The Yasuki Daimyo was also saved from rioters, who had been instigated by his enemies. Taka lent his Koutetsukan to the samurai who quickly took care of Hamato, who onboard a ship had been preparing a second tsunami. [16] Ozaki was healed with a bell the samurai had recovered, and Taka told Nakiro's history. He swore to Usagi that if these foul kolat were destroyed he would rescind his testimony against the Hare. [17] The Dajan's Kolat were eventually doomed by the group of samurai. Taka rescinded his testimony [18] and the Hare Clan was reinstated. [19]

Clan Wars[]

During the Clan War, Taka was pressed into service by a Scorpion Clan ninja, known only to him as Tantoko. Taka and Tantoko went to the Tomb of Yu Weh in search of a jade goblet. Tantoko was injured and to save her life Taka ventured into the tomb alone, in an unusual display of courage. Taka found the goblet and escaped from the Kumo and was able to save Tantoko. Taka's heart was broken as he secretly watched Tantoko unsuccessfully try to assassinate Hantei XXXIX using the goblet, as ordered by Aramoro, the yojimbo to the Emperor's wife Bayushi Kachiko. Taka recognized an evil presence within the Hantei. From the event Taka caught a crystal sword which was readily sold months later to Shiba Tsukune. [20]

Shadowspawn[]

It was due to a Kolat operation during the War Against Shadow that he was consumed by the Lying Darkness, but his Kolat brethren were able to save him from becoming a mindless Shadow-spawn by enclosing him into a crystal chamber beneath the Hidden Temple, which preserved Taka's soul, if not all of his memories. [21]

Succession[]

Taka was succeeded as Yasuki Daimyo by his son, Yasuki Oguri, just as he had succeeded his father. [22]

Kolat Master[]

Faked Death[]

Yasuki Taka 4

Kolat Master Taka

Because of his intimate knowledge of the ways of Nothing, Taka became an incredible asset for the Jade Sect. He became Master Jade, though he was merely a free-willed shadowspawn, and Yasuki Taka was gone. [21] Taka was suppousely dead for the rest of the Empire. [23]

Agents[]

Taka recruited Hoshi Kaelung to be one of his agents. In 1155, Taka saved Kaelung from almost certain death at the hands of Kokujin on the Plains Above Evil. Kaelung left the Hoshi family after disagreeing with Hoshi Wayan about how to continue with the matter of Kokujin, and Taka approached Kaelung shortly after and suggested the two work together. [24]

"Were you hoping for something more? Did you secretly dream that it was your great destiny to face and defeat Kokujin? I am sorry, Kaelung, but I do not believe that the future is constructed in such a manner. I do not believe in destiny."
-Master Jade

Alliance with Daigotsu[]

In 1165 Ikoma Tsai, at the time Master Chrysanthemum and corrupted by the Rain of Blood, was imprisoned in the Hidden Temple by Taka and Kaelung. Tsai's mind was modified by Master Dream to remove Iuchiban's influence, and he became the Kolat's ambassador to Daigotsu, in the new alliance against Iuchiban they had agreed with the Dark Lord. [25]

Death[]

When Bayushi Paneki's strike force successfully captured the Hidden Temple in 1170, Bayushi Tsimaru killed Taka with the crysteel blade [26] that Otomo Hoketuhime had given Tsimaru at a previous Winter Court. [citation needed]

See also[]

External Links[]


Preceded by:
Taka's father
Yasuki Daimyo
1102 - 1133
Succeeded by:
Yasuki Oguri
Preceded by:
Unknown
Master Jade
? - 1170
Succeeded by:
Unknown


See Also[]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Way of the Crab, p. 73
  2. Way of the Crab, p. 74
  3. Way of the Crane, p. 118
  4. Otosan Uchi:Book 2, pp. 82-83
  5. 5.0 5.1 Merchant's Guide to Rokugan, p. 62
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bells of the Dead, p. 8
  7. 7.0 7.1 Bells of the Dead, p. 21
  8. A Matter of Honor, by Brian Yoon
  9. Bells of the Dead, p. 26
  10. 10.0 10.1 Bells of the Dead, p. 9
  11. Bells of the Dead, p. 12
  12. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 18
  13. Otosan Uchi: The Scorpion's Sting, p. 16
  14. Bells of the Dead, p. 5
  15. Bells of the Dead, p. 27
  16. Bells of the Dead, pp. 22-25
  17. Bells of the Dead, pp. 28-29
  18. Bells of the Dead, p. 37
  19. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 19
  20. The Tomb of Yu Weh, by Ree Soesbee
  21. 21.0 21.1 Way of the Ninja, p. 46
  22. Souls of the Betrayed, Steel Throne Bonus Chapter
  23. Marketplace (Gold flavor)
  24. 24.0 24.1 Enlightened Madness, Part One, by Rich Wulf
  25. Black Chrysanthemum, by Rich Wulf
  26. War Amid the Shadows, by Brian Yoon


Sources Conflict
The sources relating to this article are in conflict with each other.
In Bells of the Dead page 8 Taka becomes Daimyo in 1101, but seeing the timeline of the events written there it seemed a typo. The previous entry was in 1102, so it is assumed year 1102 is the correct one. Oni no Pikachu 11:26, August 12, 2012 (UTC)


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