Azuchi Castle
Clan : Oda
Year : 1576
Time Period : Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)
Idea : This will be a storyline loosely based around Samurai, Daimyos, Shoguns, Buddhist, commoners, Geisha, And yes Ninja. Please do remember that many Samurai did become bureaucrats, teachers or artists. The idea of the whole thing is more about life in Azuchi Castle rather then ninja attacking everyone, Or Samurai going around picking fights. As everyone will be in the same clan. Which is Oda clan.
Now this is not to say there shouldn't be any fighting, and action. Just not overly so. There should be sparing, Training, Bar fights, Fights on honor, And so forth. I'm going to make some key Char and make them NPC so more then one person can use them within their inner storyline. However once more I'm going to give some basic info on the person, Please.. Please I beg try not to undermined them. Use them as if they were your own char, Also keep in mind that other people might be using them. So you might have to wait, Or something.
Concept : When the last effective Ashikaga shogun Yoshiteru was assassinated in 1565, an ambitious daimyo, Oda Nobunaga, seized the opportunity and installed Yoshiteru's brother Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the 15th Ashikaga shogun. However, Yoshiaki was only a puppet shogun.
The Ashikaga shogunate was finally destroyed in 1573 when Nobunaga drove Ashikaga Yoshiaki out of Kyoto. Initially, Yoshiaki fled to Shikoku. Afterwards, Yoshiaki sought and received protection from the Mori clan in western Japan. Later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi requested that Yoshiaki accept him as an adopted son and the 16th Ashikaga Shogun, but Yoshiaki refused.
In the summer of 1582, just after Nobunaga's death at Honnōji*, the castle was attacked by the forces of Akechi
Mitsuhide, Nobunaga's betrayer. The castle was set aflame
Between 1576, and 1582 there was six years of life in Azuchi Castle. Nobunaga'a Army of Samurai, the farmers in the fields, And everyone between. Did they live in fear of an attack from the Mora Clan as they battle the Takeda clan, Did they live in awe of their daimyo Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority, Or did they live in true peace with the Buddhist temple called Jōgon-in within their city.
Let us live it, and find out.
*The Incident at Honnō-ji ( Honnō-ji no Hen) refers to the forced suicide in June 21, 1582 of Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga at the hands of his samurai general Akechi Mitsuhide. This occurred in Honnō-ji, a temple in Kyoto, ending Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority
Now this is not to say there shouldn't be any fighting, and action. Just not overly so. There should be sparing, Training, Bar fights, Fights on honor, And so forth. I'm going to make some key Char and make them NPC so more then one person can use them within their inner storyline. However once more I'm going to give some basic info on the person, Please.. Please I beg try not to undermined them. Use them as if they were your own char, Also keep in mind that other people might be using them. So you might have to wait, Or something.
Concept : When the last effective Ashikaga shogun Yoshiteru was assassinated in 1565, an ambitious daimyo, Oda Nobunaga, seized the opportunity and installed Yoshiteru's brother Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the 15th Ashikaga shogun. However, Yoshiaki was only a puppet shogun.
The Ashikaga shogunate was finally destroyed in 1573 when Nobunaga drove Ashikaga Yoshiaki out of Kyoto. Initially, Yoshiaki fled to Shikoku. Afterwards, Yoshiaki sought and received protection from the Mori clan in western Japan. Later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi requested that Yoshiaki accept him as an adopted son and the 16th Ashikaga Shogun, but Yoshiaki refused.
In the summer of 1582, just after Nobunaga's death at Honnōji*, the castle was attacked by the forces of Akechi
Mitsuhide, Nobunaga's betrayer. The castle was set aflame
Between 1576, and 1582 there was six years of life in Azuchi Castle. Nobunaga'a Army of Samurai, the farmers in the fields, And everyone between. Did they live in fear of an attack from the Mora Clan as they battle the Takeda clan, Did they live in awe of their daimyo Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority, Or did they live in true peace with the Buddhist temple called Jōgon-in within their city.
Let us live it, and find out.
*The Incident at Honnō-ji ( Honnō-ji no Hen) refers to the forced suicide in June 21, 1582 of Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga at the hands of his samurai general Akechi Mitsuhide. This occurred in Honnō-ji, a temple in Kyoto, ending Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority
The OOC can be found here Listen to fall of Sakura(OOC, Signups)
Note: The IC is closed at the time till more people come if they ever do
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Ryou Katsurou General of the Oda Nobunaga third army of Samurai the “ Kenhshin Ayumu*” stood alone in the garden of Sakura. This was on the fourth level of the castle, The temple Jōgon-in was behind him. With it's monks cleaning, praying, making tea, and attending to their works. This was none of Katsurou business, Nor a point of fulfillment for himself. He was merely her to view the Cherry Blossoms.
In the middle of the gardens his form could be view from the temple. A man clad in a ash gray kimono, and a simple black belt around his waist stood next to large granite stone. This was the last stone to be cut for Azuchi castle as it was not used it was then moved to the garden center. One might have thought this form to be an man save for the Tachi which hung from his waist. He was Samurai, For a new law forbade anyone but the Samurai to arm themselves with a sword.
Lids came to a close over the light brown hues of Katsurou eyes as a light wind past through the trees like a wave washing over the rocks on a beach. The smell perfume of Sakura wash over him in the same moment. The only sounds filling his senses was of leafs fighting for their hold, And the movement of fabric around his legs. As the winds left leaving the garden in peace once more, lashes open the unhidden brown hues under them. Katsurou eyes find the blossoms that loose the battle for their life, floating mid-air on their flight to the cold earth below. Many find this as a point of beauty untold to the outside world. One could find many Haiku's, and song about just this action. One could find all the beauty of life, and joy in falling fight of the cherry blossom. Katsurou found sorrow.
Another soft wind pass through the trees, Pushing the fallen blossoms deeper into the forest of trees. Even in this Katsurou heart, and thoughts darken. For with each falling blossom Katsurou saw within it a friend, A Foe, and loose life. For each flower was like a man. Starting life with the promise of untold beauty, and untold joys then at some point the lie unfolds. They fall slowing from their tree, however beautiful that flight through the air may be. They at some point come to the unseen stop to rot on the earth below them. Even as the sorrows of the lies told by others fills him, None more darkens his soul then his own lie. Own that he himself will one day find the soil to rest and rot on. It's not like there is an endless cliff that you could float downward forever.
In his darken mood Katsurou could no longer find beauty and peace within the sakura trees. His time here was coming to an end, for he didn't want to cloud the air with his darken nature.
“A chilled breeze calls out, To the frost bitten flowers--, Until Spring you wilt.” Katsurou words were softly spoken. For they were to himself, Not for any other. His Haiku was a very simple one. Not very insightful, Not did it warm the heart in anyway. He would have to work on it at some later time. Which meant he would never get around to it. Though his life wasn't overly full with duties. He did try to keep himself rather busy. There was always time for training, For one never truly became the master at the sword. Rather when one was better then all others we called him a master, Merely for we have yet to learn the way.
A hand moved from it's rest place on top of his Tachi, numb fingertips brushing loose hairs away from brown hues. He then turned, and placed his remain free hand on the stone he stood next to. In his own heart this was his farewell, The farewell never said to fallen friends who mid-air flights had ended, the honor to foes fallen by Haru**, and the farewell to the moments peace he found here in the garden.
He moved on from this place passing by the monks of Jōgon-in wordlessly. Till his feet found the never ending stairs leading to small forts and houses below, And to the donjon above. He turned to the right and headed up the stairs. Ahead were a few of his men, Samurai of Kenhshin Ayumu, they saw him leaving the Sakura trees, and knew the mood in which he could found. In their pass they merely bowed slightly to him. This was the way his passing to the castle came to be as the darken mood could clearly be seem across his face. This would at most times show a loose of face, By showing a weakness so openly to others. Yet Kenhshin cared less for his love of Oda Nobunaga was based off a moment he loose face. Besides he was Ryou Katsurou, He was Samurai, He was General of the Oda Nobunaga third army of Samurai the Kenhshin Ayumu, and trained and studied the Chūjō-ryu style of sword fighting. Come all who may...
*(Kenhshin Ayumu - Modest Walk)”
**( Haru – Sunlight. Many Samurai named their sword. For the spirit within in must have a name otherwise the demon might overtake you)
