Susumu

Daigotsu Susumu was a courtier of the Spider Clan and Imperial Advisor to Empress Iweko I and became the Dark Fortune of Deception after he died and Daigotsu became the Master of Jigoku.
== Youth ==
Susumu was the son of two ronin who were barely surviving when they were recruited into the fledgling Spider Clan. With future plans in mind, they were ordered to remain in the Empire, rather than traveling into the City of the Lost. Recognizing their new lord's plan involved more than mindless zombies and such, they protected the boy from the taint. Masters of Court, pp. 143-144
Learning the arts of the courts from a sensei in the back of a tea house in an obscure village in Unicorn lands, he was taught the ways of the Voice of Daigotsu. Soon, he set off, accompanied by his yojimbo, Daigotsu Gyoken; he was eventually able find leverage on a local magistrate named Utaku Katiro. Access, by Rusty Priske and Shawn Carman
== Service to the Unicorn ==
=== Introduction ===
Susumu presented himself to Ide Tang in the courts of Shiro Ide, introducing the Spider to the Unicorn, and offering the services of the ronin group in helping with the war against the Lion. While Tang was no fool, the prospect of further help against the Lion was appealing, so after the meeting, Tang agreed to take up the courtier's request to the Unicorn Clan leaders. 
=== Mantis ===
Somehow Tsuruchi Etsui requested the aid of Susumu to divert the attention of the new Emerald Champion Shosuro Jimen from trading activities involving the Third Yasuki War and the Lion march to Shiro Moto. Economic Matters, by Rusty Priske
=== Exposing the Scorpion ===
Immediately following Daigotsu's assassination campaign against the clans in 1170, Susumu approached Moto Chen, telling the Unicorn Clan Champion that the Spider had prevented many assassinations against the Unicorn, and offered proof in the form of dead assassins. Susumu then exposed both Ide Tang and Shinjo Nakaga as Scorpion Clan spies. For this, the Spider were rewarded with the support of the Unicorn Clan. The Heaven's Will, Part II, by Shawn Carman
== Imperial Advisor ==
After the Celestial Tournament, Susumu was appointed as the Imperial Advisor. Ide Yusuke, who was one of the leading contenders to replace Ide Tang as Ide Daimyo was not happy with the decision and confronted the ronin. As a result, Susumu killed Yusuke making sure it looked as if the Unicorn was mugged. Susumu also relished the moment as possibly the last time he might be able to kill with his own hands for a long time. Imperial Advisor - Daigotsu Susumu (The Conclusion, Part 3), by Shawn Carman
=== Winter Court - 1170 ===
During the Winter Court of 1170-1171 at Kyuden Bayushi, Susumu participated in a series of controversial events, including the presentation of the nezumi K'mee to the Imperial Court by the monk Tanari, the offering of a relic by the fallen poet Rezan, and the discussion of the teaching of the prophet Fudo. The War of Dark Fire, Part 2, by Shawn Carman The War of Dark Fire, Part 3, by Shawn Carman The War of Dark Fire, Part 14, by Shawn Carman
==== War of Dark Fire ====
News of a massive yobanjin army wielding some unknown form of fire magic arrived the winter court. Before Shogun's forces had time to be redeployed the Northern Towers of Flame had been overrun and the Dragon territory assaulted. Susumu believed, and Daigotsu Usharo had come to agree, that the Spider ally Chosai, the Dark Oracle of Fire, had betrayed Daigotsu for some agenda of his own. It was the beginning of the War of Dark Fire. Letters II, by Shawn Carman Susumu managed to have a group of Spider monks be used as replacement for Shiba yojimbo, so that they could return home and help defend their family lands from the Army of Fire. The War of Dark Fire, Part 12, by Shawn Carman
=== Spider Infiltration ===
When in 1171 the Army of Fire menaced the ancestral home of the Shiba family, Shiro Shiba, Shiba Yoma and Asako Kanta were aided by Susumu to gather the Shiba Yojimbos from their charges withou any loss of face in court. The yojimbo were replaced by sohei of the Order of the Spider. With these additional forces the Phoenix achieved the victory in the Battle of the Burning Palace. The War of Dark Fire, Part 12, by Shawn Carman and Nancy Sauer
=== Imperial Animosity ===
Among the Empress chosen, Susumu was treated with a hostile attitude. This was greatly evidenced by the way the Voice of the Empress, Togashi Satsu, acted towards him. Fearing that such animosity would hamper his work in the courts, Susumu offered Satsu veto power over the Advisor's choice of yojimbo. Gencon Tournament Fictions: The Imperial Yojimbo, by Nancy Sauer
=== The Horiuchi Purge ===
During the events after the War of Dark Fire, a mysterious plague erupted in the Empire. The Horiuchi family of the Unicorn, was the most affected, to the point that the Empress ordered their lands to be put to the torch. Wanting the burden not to fall to one of the Great Clans, Iweko I ordered Susumu to send remaining untainted Spiders to prove their loyalty by performing the act. To preserve whatever was left of the Spider-Unicorn alliance, Susumu sent a letter to the Khan. In the letter, the Imperial Advisor offered the lives of the fifty Spider which carried the orders in recompense for the loss of the Horiuchi. Path of the Destroyer, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
=== Winter Court - 1171 ===
Susumu attended the second Winter Court of Iweko I at Kyuden Gotei in 1171. The Empress questioned Susumu to know better who was Daigotsu. Rulebook Story (The Harbinger) The Empress proclaimed that she was suspending the edict demanding the immediate execution of Daigotsu, and demanded that he be brought before her. Susumu hurried to inform his Lord about it. The Proclamation, by Rusty Priske During this winter court Susumu had become engaged to Kakita Shizuka and they eventually married. Kyuden Gotei Winter Court (Clarification from Dace)
== Destroyer War ==
=== Empress' audience: renewed Charters ===
In 1172 Susumu was present during the Empress' audience, where the Great Clans were given new Imperial Charters. Duty of the Clans, by Shawn Carman Later in the presence of the Imperial Herald Miya Shoin the Imperial Consort Iweko Setai slipped the information that Susumu was a member of the Spider. Shoin was surprised, but he did not question the Divine. State of the Empire, Week 15, by Shawn Carman
=== God Beast Unleashed ===
Bayushi Jutsushi became the yojimbo of Susumu, and accompanied him in the visits Susumu made to Taishuu, the tainted ambassador to the Empire. During the Destroyer War a gigantic crature appeared ravaging the Scorpion lands. Susumu met Taishuu to ask for Spider assistance on the matter. Chosen by Fate, by Shawn Carman
=== Seppun Tashime ===
Seppun Tashime, a renowned magistrate, had been summoned by the Empress to ha have a personal audience. Susumu was not allowed to be there. It was not known if Susumu knew that he told that Jigoku had a new avatar in the physical world, Kali-Ma. Fu Leng had been severed from the realm of Evil. Love & Duty, by Shawn Carman
=== Regicide Attempt ===
During the opening of the winter court, within the Imperial Throne room, a group of gaijin ruhmalists followers of Kali-Ma had managed to infiltrate. They uncovered and attacked the attendants, trying to kill the Empress and the Empress' Chosen. Several members of the Empress' Guard and the Protector of the Imperial City Bayushi Norachai were killed before all the assassins were dead. Susumu during the fight was frightened, but he had leapt atop one of the assassins from behind, clawing at his face. After the incident Jimen cancelled the winter court, because he could not assure the safety of the attendants. The Dead of Winter, Part 2, by Shawn Carman
=== Hunting the Daughter ===
With the combined efforts of several of the greatest rokugani shugenja the Ebon Daughter was captured, her powers temporarily negated, and moved to the Imperial Court to be judged by the Empress. Iuchi Yue, the former Iuchi Daimyo who had become the abomination known as the Ebon Daughter, was found a traitor to the Empire and executed by the Crab Clan Hunting the Ebon Daughter, Part 2, by Shawn Carman in the month of the Hare of 1173. Imperial Histories 2, p. 253
=== Furumaro's Group ===
In the month of the Serpent of 1173 the Empress had summoned a multi clan group alongside with Doji Ayano, and he did not know why. One of the requested for the audience, the monk Furumaro excused his presence. Isawa Kyoko told the group had retrieved a Black Scroll. Even most disturbing was Iweko announced the Empire knew where Daigotsu was hidden, in the Fingers of Bone. Instead of sending the Legions and chase the Dark Lord, she wished the group would deliver a message to him. The Hinge of Destiny, by Nancy Sauer
== Goddesses ==
Iweko was granted with a vision, her presence was required upon the battlefield. Jimen, Susumu, and the Empress' Guard commander Shiba Erena disagreed with the travel, but her palanquin proceeded southwest through the Seikitsu Mountains, Goddesses, Part 1, by Shawn Carman toward the besieged Kyuden Ashinagabachi. Satsu informed the destination had changed and headed toward a small Scorpion temple. They were inside when the sound of a brutal fight began. They did not know that Fu Leng and Kali-Ma were engaged in a personal duel. Goddesses, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
== Death ==
Susumu died in the month of the Goat of 1173 Imperial Histories 2, p. 254 when Daigotsu came to bargain the price for his help against Kali-Ma. The Imperial Advisor was mortally wounded by protecting the shogun, Moto Jin-sahn, from an attack of Daigotsu's. Susumu took the vicious blow of maho himself and thus saved Jin-sahn's life. He did it, he said, because he served two masters loyally: Daigotsu and Empress Iweko I. 
=== Dark Fortune ===
On the day of his death Daigotsu Susumu was deified by Daigotsu to become the Dark Fortune of Deception after the Dark Lord had risen and become the Master of Jigoku following his death and the defeat of Kali-Ma. Susumu and Shahai were the first mortals to ascend as Dark Fortunes. Goddesses, Part 4, by Shawn Carman
=== Voice of Daigotsu ===
Susumu came to Togashi Satsu and the group of young samurai who survived Shahai's ritual. The deified Susumu acted as a vessel of Daigotsu's, took the Tao of Fu Leng and absorbed the divine power it contained, and the book was simply that again, a book. He then met the Empress, and introduced himself as the Voice of Daigotsu. Through him Daigotsu arranged with Iweko the Great Clan status for the Spider Clan. After it Susumu left his mortal corpse and his soul departed Ningen-do. 
== Legacy ==
Following the Spider Clan's ascent to a Great Clan, the Susumu family was established. Susumu's daughter, Susumu Kuroko, became its first daimyo. State of the Clans, Part 3, by Shawn Carman In 1174 the Empress allowed to build a temple devoted to Susumu. The Master of Water Asako Bairei was instrumental, as he declared Susume was to be venerated as an ancestor of a noble family, not as a Dark Fortune. A Brief History of the Sanctioned Spider Clan, by Seth Mason
== See also ==
* Daigotsu Susumu/Meta
== External Links ==
* Daigotsu Susumu (Stronger than Steel)
* Daigotsu Susumu Exp (Path of the Destroyer)
Category:Ronin
Daigotsu Susumu
Category:Dark Fortunes