Murakama Family

Hikaru

Niece to Hottori and daughter of his longtime aide Michishiru, who was killed in action in Canock. Cousin to Yukiko, though they rarely speak to each other.

Hikaru believes that a realm is best served when it's people are put first. If the peasantry is allowed to prosper, then the realm as a whole will be better for it. Without the daily hard work of a realm's peasants, the nobility quickly becomes meaningless.

Hikaru's Career:

• Born in Lamar.
  • One short stint in a Cagilan prison was enough to make her realize the safety and wisdom of staying off of the front line of battle. Has since been a bueraucrat... though she often manages to show her face at tournaments.

• Invited to Portion by her cousin Yukiko
  • Named Countess of Corali Forest
  • One of the last two nobles residing in the Colonies with a legitimate (though tenuous) claim to the throne of Portion.

• Sent to Alebad as an ambassador after the capital fell, to offer them assistance with bueraucratic and financial improvements as well as maintain good relations between nobles in the Portionese government-in-exile.
  • Named Countess of Abaka twice, but the Spirits have decided to withhold that region from Alebad for the time being.
  • Named Countess of Vir el Mari heights, and initiated a major construction campaign to save the ancient fortifications. The rebuilt Palisade is named after her father.
  • Elected to the post of Fiduciary, but found political office unsatisfying as it removed her from direct contact with average people of the realm. Returned to her office in the Heights, and rededicated herself to improving Alebad, one small problem at a time.
  • Has turned in her quill and red tape for a sword once more, until Lukon can be beaten back and Alebad's lands reclaimed.

Notable Duels:

• She once wrote a scathing letter to a Council Subcommittee Chairman. No, really, she gave him what-for, I assure you. (Sadly, that's about as close to "dueling" as most bueracrats get... though Hikaru still maintains that the pen is mightier than the sword.)

Hottori

Hottori is the patriarch of the Murakama family. He rose to power when his village in a long-neglected corner of the Cummaol forest was liberated from Carelian control by Lamar. Eager to help spread the fire of freedom to other people in the land, he gave up his position as an elder of the village and traveled to the new capital of Strombran to pledge his sword to the service of liberty. Hottori takes his oath quite seriously, and will not serve in a non-democratic realm.

Hottori's Career:

• Rose to nobility in Lamar, earning a name as a fierce combatant with a dark sense of humor. (a trait commonly found in the Murakama family, it seems)

• After the fall of Lamar, he followed many of his countrymen to the New World (as it was then called) in the realm of Ar Agyr.
  • Helped expand the realm's borders to the northern ocean
  • One of the holdouts in Vore that held the city against the monster invasion much longer than anyone thought possible.

• As is the fate of many realms in Beulaterra, Ar Agyr was overrun by the undead. Hottori emigrated next to the Southeast Island, where his military skills could be put to good use.
  • Joined the Republic of Ikalak, and has constantly worked to ensure that it remains a healthy functioning democracy.
  • Made Count of Neralle, and kept the region secure even though surrounding regions fell to Taselak's invading armies. Unfortunately, Neralle fell after three long weeks apart from the rest of the realm.
  • Named Count of Dakan, the hidden land, after the treason of Sponge. Spent three straight weeks in and out of enemy prisons shortly afterwards... and was rendered helpless to defend Ikalak against the evil Sandalakians.

• After the fall of Ikalak, though he wanted to remain on the Southeast Island and bring the villians of Sandalak to justice for their lies, he could not break his oath. He has returned at last to Atamara, feeling it has been long enough since the loss of his home. He is now a noble of Talerium, and is eager to prove himself in battle.

Notable Duels:

• Challenged by the traitor Jair, and defeated him soundly. Though Jair was too cowardly to stake anything on the duel, Hottori considers the issue settled.

Yukiko

Yukiko was born in a small Atamaran village in Cummaol, but was abducted as a young girl and taken across the sea to the Colonies. She was sold to a Lukonite merchant who was collecting children for one of the many dark rituals practiced by Outer Tilog. Because of this, she is uncertain of her true parentage. Since the fall of Portion, she has become extremely sensitive about it. People questioning Yukiko about her family have been known to quickly recieve five or six new orifices in their body. (and they're the lucky ones)
A thoroughly disgusting example of the human race, the merchant came to her soon afterwards, attempting to do what sick individuals do to young girls... Yukiko clubbed him into unconsciousness with her shackles and got free, but not before cutting off each of his fingers. She arrived in the city of Portion a few days later and informed the authorities where the odious merchant could be found. She omitted the part about finger amputation from her tale and it was assumed that the man was waylaid by bandits. Fearing that she would find a way to take his tongue as well, the merchant kept Yukiko's secret all the way to the gallows.
Yukiko's plight was the talk of the city for a long while, and the young girl was an instant celebrity. She was adopted into a noble Portionese family, and raised as their daughter. Even though she is Atamaran by birth, she has no memories of the place and considers her true home to be Portion. She has always been a public figure, and life in the limelight has made her a bit haughty. Her attitude was usually excused during her time in Portion, since most people knew what horrors she had undergone as a child... in Outer Tilog, it's practically expected.
In contrast to most Tilogian nobles, Yukiko is ardently opposed to slavery, and does not allow it at all within lands under her control. While the reasons for this should be self-apparent, it has ruffled some feathers in the past. To keep her charges relatively unharmed, she claims them all as her personal property. For the most part it's effective; there are few who will risk her temper to discover just how much value she places on the lives of her peasants.

Yukiko believes that people are best served grilled, on a bed of cold noodles with a tall glass of mint tea - though she knows many other recipes that are just as tasty. Naturally, this causes some strife with her cousin Hikaru.

Yukiko's Career:

• Noble of Portion and one of the two remaining people with legitimate claims upon the throne.
  • Stood atop the walls of Lukon with her mentor Solufein, and watched the city burn for hours... one of her most cherished memories.
  • Named High Marshal of the Army, the youngest General in Colonies History
  • Briefly filled in as Duchess of Portion, when many nobles were incapacitated during the shadow war with the Assassins' Guild.
  • While wounded and unable to fight, was appointed Royal Treasurer of Portion. After her wound finally healed weeks later, she allowed Trumpet to keep the post of High Marshal. She has always regretted the decision, and blames Portion's fall on herself for not protecting it as well as she could.

• After the capital fell to Lukon, went with most nobles to form a government-in-exile in Outer Tilog, where she has remained ever since. She is still faithful to that cause, even though all the others have long since abandoned hope and left the island.
  • Named Countess of Hulaferd, in recognition of her martial skill and cruel streak. Leveraged the title into a vast fortune, most of which is still hidden throughout the region.
  • Upon the mysterious death of Cletus the Silent, was elected Chief Embezzler of Outer Tilog, a position she has jealously guarded (read: consistently rigged the elections) ever since.
  • In a bid to further consolidate her personal power, she has parlayed a good deal of her embezzled gold into being named Countess of the newly-acquired Naan Forest. She has hinted at a bold new undertaking in the dark recesses of the unnatural woodland region.

Notable Duels:

• Challenged by Pharmakeus, and defeated him. The duel was over some petty disagreement that has likely been forgotten by now, but it was the start of an entertaining rivalry between the two nobles. The current manifestation of the rivalry is the Iron Chef: Outer Tilog competition.