Kitsuki Kaagi

Please note: This article is about the famous Emerald Magistrate. For other uses of the term, please see Kaagi (disambiguation).
Matsu Kaagi was a Lion bushi who joined the Dragon as Kitsuki Kaagi. He became an Emerald Magistrate famous for his investigations of the Lying Darkness.
== Lion ==
Kaagi was originally born a Matsu in 1097. In 1106 Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 90 his older brother Matsu Iyekao was at a Phoenix school when all their family was killed by old Crane enemies. Way of Shadow, p. 6 Kaagi was eight years old and his brother fourteen. Way of Shadow, p. 138
== Change of Fealty ==
A friend of his father, the Kitsuki Daimyo Kitsuki Yasu, took the orphaned Kaagi into his family and sent for his brother, but he had already disappeared three nights after his family's destruction. Through seventeen years Kaagi became his student, friend, and to all the world, Yasu's son. 
=== Ninja ===
From some lingering doubts Kaagi needed to explain the shadows of his past, so he made it his work to seek out one of the deepest of Rokugan's enigmas: the Ninja. 
== Meilekki ==
Kaagi travelled with a servant named Meilekki, although different stories arose as to her exact origin.
A Crane courtier visited Kitsuki Castle with a servant named Meilekki. Kaagi noticed Meilekki's intelligence and inquisitive nature immediately and the Crane noticed his attention, so he offered her as a gift at the end of his visit. Kaagi taught Meilekki in many of the basic principles of his work, despite his guess that she had been a geisha in the past. Way of Shadow, p. 12 As an eta she could touch the corpses, examining human fluids, which would give many useful hints to Kaagi's investigations. Way of Shadow, p. 59
Other sources claim that Meilekki had once been Otaku Meilekki, who became a ronin and later entered Kaagi's service.Way of Shadow, p. 158
== Death at Ichime castle ==
Word that Akodo Maouri, lord of Ichime Castle, had died from an unusual and alarming death came to Shiro Kitsuki. Maouri's heir, Akodo Hakenka, had been a playmate of Kaagi during their childhood. Kaagi went to investigate with his servant Meilekki. Way of Shadow, p. 8 Maouri, son of Akodo Bakusho, had in the chest the same mark his father bore when died, and Kaagi learned it was the one of Bakusho's brotherhood in the Akodo Bushi school, and no one had seen it since. Way of Shadow, p. 22 The mark was made by Kebo, a fabric dye which would poison through constant contact. During his findings Maouri's lover, Ichime Amai was also murdered by the poison, making it clear to Kaagi that she did not know how dangerous it was, and another person had engineered the murder. This mastermind was uncovered when it tried to kill Hakenka - Matsu Nari, Maouri's karo was the guilty. Nari escaped and Kaagi guessed he was a ninja. Way of Shadow, pp. 24-30
== Chasing the Ninja ==
Kaagi and Mei followed the ninja tracks, and the magistrate noticed somebody was also following his prey. He did not know the pursuer was Matsu Hiroru. Kaagi only knew that the man who had impersonated Matsu Nari had been killed by an unknown pursuer, his throat cut. Kaagi began to follow the trail of the killer's killer. Way of Shadow, pp. 40-41
=== Story of the Shadow ===
Kaagi met a Oja-san, Seru Haka, who told the story of Onnotangu, Amaterasu and the Shadow. Way of Shadow, p. 42 Kaagi did not know this man was Matsu Hiroru in disguise, giving him advice about the danger of the Lying Darkness. Way of Shadow, p. 113
== Crab lands ==
They entered Scorpion territory in their chase, and later into the Crab. They met Hida Misogi, who saved them from a bad incident with several Crab guards. Way of Shadow, pp. 46-47
=== Dasan investigation ===
Misogi was the headman of Utokii Village, Way of Shadow, p. 64 and asked Kaagi to find an explanation about what made one of his men, Hida Dasan, a traitor and murderer of his companions. More than that, the destruction of his key force had led into a large defeat of the Crab on a disputed border lands with the Scorpion. Kaagi questioned all those who knew Dasan to gather information. Way of Shadow, pp. 48-52 During the investigation Kaagi began to suffer nightmares and also appearances of faceless people he did not know if they were real or just figured. Eventually the haunted house of Dasan was burned down by Misogi, and the suspicious Dasan's student, Hida Kurusu, disappeared. Kaagi guessed he was deep involved in these incidents. Way of Shadow, pp. 62-63
== The Rescue of Ninube ==
Kaagi decided to return to Kitsuki Castle, and crossed Dragonfly lands. He was met by Daidoji Sanju, karo to daimyo Doji Mikara. Mikara's daughter, Doji Ninube was missing for several days. A first group of magistrates who went to investigate had also disappeared. Way of Shadow, pp. 78-79 Kaagi intervewed Bayushi Baka, companion of the doomed magistrates who stayed behind. Baka knew his companions would be doomed, and counseled Kaagi how to avoid the risks of the Shadows. Way of Shadow, p. 82 Kaagi was the last magistrate to heed to the call of Isawa Ujina when his bride to be, Doji Ninube, disappeared on her way to the marriage ceremony. Together, they managed to find her and bring her back to the Phoenix lands, but Ujina was badly wounded in the fight. Way of the Phoenix, p. 81 It became clear to Kaagi that Ninube had already succumbed to the corruption of the Lying Darkness, but Ujina refused to listen, and took his bride home. Way of Shadow, pp. 100-101
=== Matsu Hiroru, the Shadow Hunter ===
Kaagi was returning to Dragon territory when was met by Matsu Hiroru, a man in white kimono. Hiroru introduced himself as a Shadow hunter. He told their previous encounter, and gave more information about the Lying Darknes, as the Shosuro family knew of it. Hiroru gave him some hints and advice Kaagi to send his servant away and met alone a group of Unicorns. The Shadow was trying to use her against the magistrate. Way of Shadow, pp. 112-114
== Kaagi and the Lying Darkness ==
Through his investigations over the years, Kaagi became all too aware of the Lying Darkness. All the while, he compiled a journal of his experiences and findings. He eventually became aware that the Shadow was taking over his mind and body, so he dispatched his eta servant Meilekki. Way of Shadow, p. 115
=== Meeting Unicorns ===
Kaagi alone met the Unicorn group advised by Hiroru, meeting Shinjo Renari and the leader's group, a old oba-sama Unicorn, Iuchi Eniki. They were leaving the place and Kaagi rode with them over keo, a Shinjo steed. The Unicorn had a minion of the shadows as prisoner, bound by crystal charms. Goju Ninja chased them, to avoid the Empire could discover the real danger of the Shadows. After they crossed the Dragon-Unicorn border they were again attacked but escaped. Eniki had given her last energies to speed up the group and the next day she passed away, and Renari was killed. The group followed to Shiro Iuchi led by Eniki's granddaughter Iuchi Hotaiko. Way of Shadow, pp. 118-127
=== Meeting his brother ===
Kaagi had had a dream where his brother appointed him at a temple near the Firefly River. Way of Shadow, pp. 128-129 Kaagi's brother, Kitsuki Iyekao, was one of the first to fall to the Goju. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 2, by Ree Soesbee Kaagi was told how Iyekao sought a way for revenge, which led him to a concealed compound, where he was trained in the ways of the shadows. Kaagi struck his brother down, and tried to escape, but he was caught. Way of Shadow, pp. 139-141
=== Strange period ===
Kaagi was found near the White Shore Village, and tended of fevers. He went to Kitsuki Castle but realized the Darkness had already a hold on him, his features began to fade. When Kaagi was one day from Shiro Kitsuki he tasked an eta to carry his journal to Yasu Way of Shadow, pp. 141-143 in 1120. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 17 The Imperial Histories Way of the Scorpion, p. 28 It was not clear if this person was his servant Meilekki, a Shosuro Actor Shosuro Sashen in guise, or a minion of the shadow. Way of Shadow, pp. 157-159
== Disappeared ==
Kaagi disappeared since, and it drew the attention of the Scorpion Clan, as Kaagi had been obsessed in finding the truth about ninja. The Scorpion were unable to learn what he had discovered prior to his disappearance, as his journal was in the safe hands of Kitsuki Yasu. The journals were contained in a crystal prison built by Yasu in Shiro Mirumoto. Way of Shadow, p. 157
=== Shadow's hold ===
Kaagi had become vulnerably through his bond with his brother. He was drawn through the Darkness's initiation rituals during his slumbers, when his defenses were removed, and all his training of extreme mental and emotional discipline was useless. Way of Shadow, p. 151
== Minion of the Nothing ==
=== Re-appearance ===
Ginawa and Matsu Hiroru in their investigation to find the Hidden Emperor came into an abandoned monastery, rifed with Goju and fought their way to the center of the monastery. They discovered Kaagi who has been imprisoned and presumed dead for the past ten years. Kaagi told of his imprisonment by his brother Kitsuki Iyekao who became a willing minion of the Darkness and had been attempting to corrupt his brother for the past decade. Kaagi continued to tell the two heroes a great deal about their true enemy and master of his corrupted brother, the Lying Darkness. As the heroes learned of this information, Emperor Toturi was discovered in another Goju stronghold no more then three days travel from their location, Morikage Toshi. Hidden Emperor, pp. 26-27 Kitsuki Iyekao (Dark Journey Home flavor)
=== Drawing Hitomi to the Darkness ===
During Hitomi's reign, the nearly nonexistent soul and form of Kitsuki Kaagi had returned to the Dragon Clan to draw the new Champion into the Darkness. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 26 In 1132 he supported Hitomi during the Siege of Sleeping Mountain by the Naga and Brotherhood of Shinsei. Kaagi tried to show Hitomi her mistake about any attempt to control the Shadows, but Hitomi was overconfident. 
== Death ==
The influence of Togashi's soul shone through to Hitomi in a moment of lucidity and Kaagi regained an anchor for his soul. Kaagi died in 1132 by seppuku, to avoid the Shadows making him it's minion. Honorable Sacrifice (Fire and Shadow flavor) In the mountains of the Dragon Kaagi's body was given to the flames. As the last flames died, the armies marched south to assault Otosan Uchi. Gold Mine (Fire & Shadow flavor)
=== Legacy ===
After the end of the War Against Shadow the Dragon and the Unicorn agreed to rebuilt and to refurbish the formerly run-down temple where Kaagi met his brother. It was renamed Kaagi no Tamashii and a memorial to commemorate his life was known as Kaagi's Memory. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 18
== See also ==
* Kitsuki Kaagi/Meta
== External Links ==
* Kitsuki Kaagi (Hidden Emperor 4)
Category:Emerald Magistrates
Matsu Kaagi
Category:Dragon Clan Members