Akodo Shunori

Akodo Shunori was a bushi and tactician of the Lion Clan.
== Childhood ==
Shunori was always a strange child. When he was young, he never showed particular interest in the games of other children. Kemari, chasing one another through the forest, and even pretending to fight with katana simply did not hold his attention. Go and shogi were his passion, even as a child, and he spent many long afternoons sitting quietly with his grandfather in the garden, watching every tactic, every strategy that the players made. Afterwards his grandfather would take him aside and explain what had happened, and years before his formal training as a samurai began, Shunori could be found playing men fifty years his senior. He did not often win, but he never played badly. Gempukku Gang (Imperial Herald v2#22), by Shawn Carman
== Demeanor ==
Shunori was a quiet young man whose keen eyes missed nothing. He could have been a courtier or an ambassador, but his love of battle and tactics was far too great for such a life. He thrived within the great Lion military, and worked hard to prepare for the leadership position he hoped one day to achieve. After his gempukku he served in the Lion Clan Army abd became its youngest nikutai. Blood & Shadow, Part 1, by Brian Yoon
== Station ==
=== Fighting the Unicorn ===
Shunori was appointed under the command of Akodo Seiichi. In 1169 they seized the Unicorn village of Tsurai Mura, wiping out the defenders, as part of the retribution for the Khan's Defiance. Masters of War, pp. 64-65
=== Commander ===
In 1169 Shunori was stationed at Kenson Gakka. He was appointed as commander, and his first mission was to patrol the path between Kenson Gakka and Shiro Matsu. His veteran scout Sato found tracks that a bandit gang would be raiding a village near Shiro Matsu. His patrol defeated the bandits, and his friend Matsu Takeko murdered the bandit lord. After the fight was ended, appeared the Imperial Legions led by his General Toturi Shigekawa. Measured Ferocity, by Brian Yoon
== Destroyer War ==
In the month of the Rooster of 1171 Imperial Histories 2, p. 250 Shunori was serving on Kaiu Kabe in defense against the armies of the Destroyers during the Fall of the Wall. He killed a demon who oozed deadly gas out of its tail, but a small amount of the smoke had touched him. The shugenja who tended him no sensed corruption within him, although he was ordered to be away from the frontline, so he would not threaten the other defenders with some hidden, delayed corruption. Blood & Shadow, Part 1, by Brian Yoon
=== Confronting Kali-Ma ===
He overheard a group of samurai planning to infiltrate the Shadowlands to discover the leader of the enemy army. Shunori joined the group in their mission. The ronin Hiroe agreed to guide them through the Shadowlands. With her help, the group was able to navigate to the very heart of the Destroyer army and were the first Rokugani to witness the power of Kali-Ma. Hiroe panicked and began casting a maho spell to shield the group; but was killed by Hiruma Aki, who had seen what was doing the disguised maho-tsukai and preferred to die pure. 
The group engaged Kali-Ma and her elite guard but were quickly overwhelmed, and Hiruma Aki died shortly afterwards. The rest of the group split into two teams. Shunori, long with Utaku Kohana, Yoritomo Saburo, and a reluctant Kakita Hideo escaped back to Rokugan to inform the Empire of the true power behind the Destroyer army. The others died valiently in battle against Kali-Ma and her elite guards. Blood & Shadow, Part 2, by Rusty Priske and Shawn Carman
=== Meeting with the Empress ===
Shunori and the survivors from the journey in the Shadowlands returned to Toshi Ranbo in the month of the Dog. They were finding a way to obtain an audience with the Empress without explaining to anyone exactly what they needed to tell her. Changes, by Nancy Sauer Iweko gave an audience to Kitsune Narako's guardians, to ask what was Taiko's fate. Saburo told their journey in the Shadowlands, the encounter with Kali-Ma, the death of several of his companions including Taiko, and the second prophecy of Narako. The Empress ordered them to stay in Toshi Ranbo. Shunori met hie friend Matsu Takeko and told her this day's events. Conjunctions and Aspects, by Nancy Sauer
=== Weapon against Kali-Ma ===
The group had been joined by a monk named Furumaro and a Dragon, Mirumoto Ichizo. In 1172 Furumaro told the group the Scorpion had a weapon of great power powerful enough to stop Kali-Ma, current Champion of Jigoku. They took it from the Tomb of the Seven Thunders. They decided to ask for Empress permission to leave the city, without waiting the return of Kohana, who had left the capital to join the war upon Empress request. The Next Step, by Nancy Sauer The Empress let the group to depart to the Soshi lands in search for this weapon. In the following days Kohana returned alongside Aki's sister, Hiruma Akio, Hideo presented Bayushi Kurumi as their Scorpion usher, and Isawa Kyoko, a powerful tensai completed the task force. Destiny Has No Secrets, by Lucas Twyman
== Furumaro's group: the eight members ==
Hiruma Akio, Kakita Hideo, Mirumoto Ichizo, Shunori, Yoritomo Saburo, Isawa Kyoko, Bayushi Kurumi, and Utaku Kohana, formed the group. One of each Great Clan, guided by the monk Furumaro]. 
=== A Black Scroll is found ===
Within the Scorpion lands the group saw several Scorpion and Destroyers dead, in a place where no records of the gaijin demons had been reported. One of the attacked samurai, Bayushi Minoru, could draw the attention of the group to a box, behind the corpse of Soshi Natsuo. Kurumi took the box and found a burnt scroll in a false bottom, which she quickly dropped, her hands stained with its contact. She had touched the Black Scroll Essence of Destruction. Searching, by Rusty Priske
=== Ryoko Owari ===
Upon the arrival of the group to Ryoko Owari Kyoko told that the power emanating from the scroll was resonating with something within the city, something similar to the scroll itself, although less powerful. Beneath the City, Part 1, by Shawn Carman It was not clear if it marked the Ebon Daughter, linked to Kali-Ma as the Black Scroll was. The group were approached by the ronin Gahseng and Setsuko who sought their aid against a threat that lied in the city, in the Leatherworker's Quarter. The ronin told that Gahseng had had visions of the group and waited their arrival. After they left Hideo, Saburo and Shunori followed Kurumi, because they did not trust her. 
=== Ghul Lord ===
The warriors of the group followed the ronin to a building and found a hidden entrance to an underground dungeon. There they met the Ebon Daughter, and the Ghul Lord, an inhuman creature of large size. The samurai fought him, while the Daughter escaped, and eventually Hideo beheaded the monster. Susprisingly it would not end the creature's life, who began to regenerate and the head joined again to the body. The group departed and Gahseng remained behind to give them time to burn the place. Outside the building they were detained by Bayushi Sihaken, an officer of the city, and his men. Sihaken followed the warning made by Saburo and put the building to the torch. Fires in the City of Lies could not be controlled and all the Quarter burned to the ground. Beneath the City, Part 2, by Brian Yoon
=== Hunting zombies ===
Kyoko had fallen ill, and the group remained in the city clearing it of the Ghul Lord's creations, uncovering zombies hideouts. After the battle where the God Beast of Kali-Ma died, Furumaro pressed to move on, even if Kyoko was not fully recovered, but Saburo disagreed. The Road to Recovery, by Brian Yoon
=== Black Scroll ===
In 1173 the group realized the scroll they were hidden should be a Black Scroll, and it was beeing sought by the Scorpion and the forces of Kali-Ma. They returned to Toshi Ranbo and Doji Ayano went with them to the Imperial Palace upon Empress request. Furumaro alleged he had to purify himself and did not join the visit. Iweko bid to continue their guardianship for a time, and gave them a letter which should be delivered to Daigotsu, in his lair in the Fingers of Bone. The Hinge of Destiny, by Nancy Sauer
=== Visiting Daigotsu ===
There were doubts in the group about the opportunity of the Empress' commands, Shunori believed Jigoku had a hold on Iweko I for her command to parlay with Daigotsu. They alongside with the courtier Ayano reached the border of the Fingers. They were met and escorted by Daigotsu Hotako, the Obsidian Champion. There were present Shahai, Daigotsu Usharo, the Onyx Champion Takasho, and the Dark Lord. After Daigotsu read the message he gave the Tao of Fu Leng to Ayano as requested by the Empress. The group returned to the Imperial City. 
=== Moving on again ===
They eventually moved on again. When they crossed paths with the remnants of a battle maiden patrol near the City of Masks, Kohana had felt compelled to join her kinsmen and left the group for a time. The Destroyer War, Part 12, Shawn Carman They reached a Scorpion temple which was being evacuated because the near presence of the Destroyers. Goddesses, Part 2, by Shawn Carman The temple could be Shinden Gyokei, currently the point were Kali-Ma was marching. Goddesses, Part 1, by Shawn Carman
== The Scroll is opened ==
In the month of the Goat Imperial Histories 2, p. 254 the group somehow knew that the Empress was traveling in the region, exposing her to be killed by the forces of Kali-Ma. They believed the group quest had been the motivation and bearing of the Empress journey, and several decided to act, making anything that could protect Iweko. Ichizo suggested to open the Black Scroll, because the safety of the Empress was worthy of the group damnation. Akio was the only one who openly disagreed, but Saburo retrieved the scroll and opened it. At that time, Fu Leng, formerly known as the monk Furumaro, recovered his divinity and exposed his true identity to Akio, while the rest of the group were unconscious. Goddesses, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
== Death ==
Shahai appeared before the group of young samurai who held the Tao of Fu Leng, told Daigotsu had died, and enacted a ritual to steal power from the gaijin goddess. Shunori and Saburo decided to condemn their souls to save the Empire and were beside the Lady of Blood. As a vessel for divine power, the Tao contained what was stolen, draining Kali-Ma of her divinity, but not all. When Shahai sacrificed the samurai who had helped her, Shunori and Saburo, Akio killed the Dark Daughter and stopped the ritual. Goddesses, Part 4, by Shawn Carman
== Aftermath ==
Shunori's sacrifice was instrumental in the Empire's victory in the Destroyer War, the death of Kali-Ma, and the ascension of Daigotsu as Master of Jigoku. 
== See also ==
* Akodo Shunori/Meta
== External Links ==
* Akodo Shunori (Samurai)
* Akodo Shunori Exp (Celestial)
Category:Lion Clan Members