Hida Tadaka

Please note: This article is about the Crab Clan Champion. For other uses of the term, please see Tadaka (disambiguation).
Hida Tadaka was a Crab Clan Champion early in the 5th century. He fought many battles against the Shadowlands, but his greatest accomplishment was avoiding a battle against the Lion Clan after their Champion, Matsu Itagi, became lost beyond the Kaiu Kabe.
== Matsu Itagi ==
When the Lion Clan Champion, Matsu Itagi, appeared before him, wanting to enter the Shadowlands to personally seal the Festering Pit of Fu Leng, Tadaka tried to talk him out of it, but could not make the Lion see sense. Way of the Crab, pp. 25-27
=== Itagi's Sister ===
After Itagi went missing for 25 days, his sister, Matsu Oki marched on Kyuden Hida, demanding her brother be presented whole, otherwise she swore she would take the castle by force. Tadaka could not spare any men to look for Itagi and did not have the defenses to stop her Lion army, so he offered his services to locate her brother. He could not promise he would find Itagi, so he offered Oki his own head if he returned without their wayward Lion Champion. Before entering the Shadowlands, Tadaka gave his wakizashi, Yama, to his daughter. Way of the Crab, pp. 27, 107
=== Last Stand ===
After two days in the Shadowlands, Tadaka encountered a Nezumi, Taktak, and traded some colored glass beads to learn the location of Itagi. When Tadaka found him, he was in a very bad state, beleaguered by monsters but still he would not forgo his mission. So Itagi and Tadaka together faced the horros hunting the Lion. Way of the Crab, pp. 27-29
=== Return of the Champions ===
Three days later, Tadaka returned to Crab lands carrying the limp body of Itagi. Itagi, barely alive, spoke his dying words to his sister. Tadaka died of his wounds brief time later. Oki and her army withdrew from the Crab lands without a battle. Tadaka and Itagi were buried with honors together in Otosan Uchi Way of the Crab, p. 29 in 412. Imperial Histories, p. 50
== Legacy ==
Tadaka's No-Dachi was worn by several heroes of the Crab Clan. It was secured at the secretive Phoenix city Gisei Toshi when it became apparent that the blade attracted Shadowlands creatures. The Atlas of Rokugan, p. 139
Category:Crab Clan Leaders