Garen Hawthorne

Garen Hawthorne was a gaijin self-titled admiral from the kingdom of Thrane who killed the Empress Hantei Yugozohime at the Battle of White Stag.
== Thrane ==
Garen born in the city of Morriston, being a distant cousin of the king himself. He became a hero of Thrane. A bull and a lion, locked in eternal combat was Garen family's crest. Lost at Sea, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
=== Piracy ===
Garen saw greater profit to be had in piracy, abandoned his name and rank becoming Garen. He proclaimed himself king of the seas. 
== First Rokugani Encounter ==
In 440 while at sea Garen encountered a fleet of lost ships from Merenae under the command of Teodoro Cornejo. After providing assistance Garen accompanied the fleet to Rokugan. Hantei Yugozohime allowed the gaijin delegation two years to prove their honor. Trade began limited to Otosan Uchi and the four Hub Villages. Garen and Teodoro had agreed to keep secret the existence of polvora. Imperial Histories, p. 73
=== Courted by the Rokugani ===
Garen came to lesser courts and the Daidoji sought him as a possible means to break the Mantis' hold over the foreigners. In winter court at Kyuden Seppun Garen was approached by the aged general Ikoma Genmuro and shared tales with him. Imperial Histories, pp. 73-74
=== Plotting ===
Garen intended to conquer Rokugan until he realized his ships and cannons were no match for their powerful shugenja and countless samurai warriors. Teodoro discovered Garen's intention to murder him on the eventual return trip, ensuring profitable trade for Thrane alone. With the help of his Mantis allies Teodoro exposed Garen's dishonorable past to the Imperial Court, leading the Empress to dismiss both delegations from the empire. Prelude to Darkness, Part Three: The Gaijin, by Shawn Carman Fires of Toshi Ranbo, Part One, by Rich Wulf
=== Warring the Empire ===
The Mantis tricked Garen into returning, which led to the Battle of White Stag and the Battle of Raging Seas in 442. Out of 40 ships in his fleet only nine survived the battle at sea. Garen piloted his flagship, the Revenant accompanied by his one loyal ship, the Eternal, south towards Mantis lands to exact vengeance on the Clan that had deceived him. 
== Corruption ==
Instead of finding Mantis lands, Garen entered the Sea of Shadows where he and his crew as well as ships became corrupted. For the next 700 years Garen was a scourge of the Sea of Shadows until he met Daigotsu who became his ally and supplied him with six more corrupted ships and plenty of crew in exchange for bringing him the Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng. He transported naval invasion forces of the Shadowlands like Tsuno Takuma and his pack in the invasion of Otosan Uchi in 1159. 
=== Battle at Otosan Uchi ===
The new Shadowlands navy battled Mantis and Tortoise ships led by Ikoma Otemi during the Fall of Otosan Uchi Battle for Otosan Uchi, Part 2, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman and he realized they escape by sea had been cut off. Beachhead (A Perfect Cut flavor) The Revenant was sunk in the Golden Sun Bay waters, while the Eternal was nowhere to be seen. Being surrounded by rokugani forces Garen drew his ancient longsword to make his final stand. Otemi dueled and wounded him, ready to strike the final blow. Garen was prepared to die in Otosan Uchi, but Jigoku had other plans. A wraithlike hand appeared from the shadows, drawing the undead gaijin screaming into the darkness. Wazinu no Yokai (A Perfect Cut flavor) 
== Shadow Dragon ==
The Shadow Dragon had rescued Garen and purified him of the Taint restoring his body to its previous living state (prior to his becoming undead). This process also granted him the power of the Goju. Garen agreed to become the Shadow Dragon's servant in exchange for his Shadow powers and a rescued Revenant manned by a Goju crew disguised as gaijin. The ship looked as it was before became tainted in the Sea of Shadows. The Shadow Dragon assigned Garen to become an ambassador to Rokugan, undermining any possible future relations with the gaijin. 
=== Recovered Appearance ===
Garen looked as when he was young. His skin was a pale white color, slightly tanned by exposure to the sun. His eyes were large and wide-set, his hair short and curly brown. His clothing was strange for rokuganies, with a white ruffled shirt and what appeared to be a leather vest worn over it. His eyes were deep blue, like the ocean at midnight. Blood Dawn, Part VI: Treacherous Seas, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
== Yoritomo Kitao ==
Garen introduced as ambassador of Thrane met Yoritomo Kitao in the Governor's residence at Toshi no Omoidoso in 1165. Kitao, a Mantis Clan Champion deposed by Yoritomo Kumiko, had decided to serve her as ambassador rather to spent whole life at prison. She had arrived the City by happestance, her vessel took shore for quick repairs. The romantic approach he tried was swiftly aborted by Kitao. 
=== Rain of Blood ===
The Mantis followed their journey to Crane lands shortly before the Rain of Blood. After the Rain, Kitao and most of her crew were corrupted and destroyed the City of Rememberance. Garen offered Kitao an alliance and the Eternal to sail with against the Phoenix Clan. 
=== War of Fire and Thunder ===
Thus began the War of Fire and Thunder in 1166. Blood Dawn, Part VI: Treacherous Seas, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman Garen and Kitao eventually became involved romantically. He installed in the Dark Wave Fleet tainted gaijin cannons. The War of Fire & Thunder, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
== Dark Virtues ==
In 1168 Garen was at Nikesake. He saw a duel to death between the duelist Doji Saori and Bayushi Kaneo. The Scorpion died over a rice trade dispute, being the Crane forced by her superior Doji Choshi to use honor as a tool. Saori was upset of the whole thing and Garen used it to begin teaching the Saori the ways of Shourido, by subtly subverting her views on Bushido. Tested Virtues, by Rusty Priske
== External Links ==
* Garen (Broken Blades)
Category:Shadowlands Personalities
Category:Thrane Members
Category:Nothing Personalities