Moto Hotei

Moto Hotei was a bushi and magistrate of the Unicorn Clan.
== Station ==
Hotei received a typical Moto education and after his gempukku he become a Clan magistrate, chasing bandits. He married and sired a son, but he longed a life as investigator of crimes. Vacant Throne, p. 94
=== Death at the Mikado ===
In 1169 before the Jade Championship ended Seppun Shogo was found dead at The Mikado. Seppun Katsura conducted the investigation and enlisted the service of Hotei. Vacant Throne, p. 91 He solved the death earning himself and his son passage to train with the Seppun family. Moto Hotei (Emerald and Jade Championship flavor)
== Imperial Treasurer ==
In 1170 Hotei, currently an Emerald Magistrate, held a meeting in the Imperial Palace with the Imperial Treasurer, Yoritomo Utemaro. He called for an end to the large number of discrepancies and questionable reports that had gone uninvestigated for decades when his duties were covered by the Emerald Champion. The Seppun fully supported Utemaro in his newly station and began to increase the Seppun Magistrate ranks to match Utemaro's needs.
=== Chosen of Ryoshun ===
Hotei, along with several others, were summoned by Ryoshun to Meido to be chosen as followers to either the Voice of the Jade Sun or the Voice of the Obsidian Moon. The Tenth Kami warned the Emerald Empire was to be tested, tested as it had never been before. They must prepare mankind for the trials ahead, and to remind him of the favor of the Celestial Heavens. Each was gifted with an item crafted from the essence of one Spirit Realm to help them in their service to the Voices. Gift of Ryoshun, Part II, by Shawn Carman Hotei was gifted with a helmet, the Talisman of Maigo no Musha. Scars, by Shawn Carman Hotei was reluctant to reveal the helm's abilities to others. It would negate any value he has as a magistrate, because it would be assumed that Hotei was dependant upon the helmet. Scars, by Shawn Carman
== Unicorn Plague ==
In 1171 Hotei was involved with the Unicorn Clan operation to contain the deadly plague that had infested their lands. Primarily his mission was to destroy all the infected or undead that tried to leave the quarantined areas, mainly in the Horiuchi lands. The disdainful treatment of Moto Kang who those he dispatched earned him a scolding from Hotei, who threatened to arrest Kang if his behaviour continued. Path of the Destroyer, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
Shiraki, a ronin of the called Spider Clan, led fifty warriors tasked to put the Horiuchi lands to the torch. Hotei left the blockade and the purge was completed shortly after. 
== Murder investigation ==
=== Unicorn lands ===
Hotei had spent a season training with the Kitsuki Magistrates, to learn the Kitsuki Method of investigation. The Dead of Winter, Part 1, by Shawn Carman In 1172 Hotei was assigned to Utemaro and returned to his homeland to investigate the murder of an Imperial tax collector. Yoritomo Sunagawa was appointed as his assistant for the mission. There Hotei met Shinjo Kurimoko, his liaison to the Unicorn, Kuni Tanin, a Jade Magistrate who was there and had already begun the investigation, and the ronin Hatsuken, a doshin in service to the Emerald Magistrate Bayushi Arunsa. Hatsuken requested all jurisdictions should be ceded to him. He was struck by Sunagawa after he spoke disrespectfully about Utemaro. Hotei led the mission, and after a second man was murdered simillarly to the tax collector, the trails led to Moto Chiang, who had disappeared. Hotei passed the lead to Tanin, as the quest fit better for the Jade Magistrates, and returned to report. Fits of Violence, by Shawn Carman
=== Toshi Ranbo ===
After Hotei returned to Toshi Ranbo the murders began to happen in the Imperial City. His talisman confirmed the relation between the murders. He decided to find support in an individual skilled with the fight against the dark arts. Throughout the records at his disposal he had noticed of the travels of many Yogo outside the Scorpion Clan borders, to areas reported as suspected maho activity. Those reports always ceased following the departure of the Yogo. One of them was Yogo Rieko, who was in the Imperial City. She refused to be a member of any secretive organization that fought maho, and left Hotei. Time later he was met by Rieko, who had changed her face, and told she would aid him to find the serial killer. 
=== Cultist ritual ===
During winter this year Hotei found more murdered, this time no related to the serial killer. A dozen monks, traveling sohei, laid dead beneath the snow. The Protector of the Imperial City, Bayushi Norachai, met Hotei and one of his assistants, Kuni Kitoru, confirmed that a gaijin corpse had been exsanguinated and later burned to cover the tracks. Norachai guessed the gaijin had been willingly sacrificed in a foul ritual to lower the Imperial Palace wards, and more assassins would be at Toshi Ranbo, to find their only target, the Empress Iweko I. 
== See also ==
* Moto Hotei/Meta
== External Links ==
* Moto Hotei (Emerald and Jade Championship)
Category:Unicorn Clan Members
Category:Emerald Magistrates