Yoritomo Saburo

Please note: This article is about the scout. For other uses of the term, please see Saburo (disambiguation).
Yoritomo Saburo was a bushi and scout of the Mantis Clan.
== Topaz Championship ==
In 1169 Saburo during his gempukku was a contender of the Topaz Championship, but he was defeated and wounded in the chest. He believed his future would be shackled to a shipman's life. The Law of the Sea, by Rusty Priske His opponent, Mirumoto Ichizo, nearly crippled him as a mistake during the fight. Ichizo regreted his lack of ability and became obsessed with training. Scenes from the Empire 3, by Rusty Priske 
== Sailor ==
Saburo became a sailor onboard Sea's Justice, alongside the magistrate Yoritomo Eriko, and Saburo was fond of her. The ship patroled the seas scrutinying any ship they crossed near. The Mantis boarded the Villain, a pirate vessel captained by Nami. The pirates willingly allowed to be boarded by the Mantis, who found Crane cargo onboard, an acceptable target for piracy. He drew their attention to another pirate ship, the Western Wind, which had attacked, plundered and sank a Phoenix ship. Nami guessed they beared to a Crane port to unload the loot. The Mantis chased, boarded by force and defeated the Western Wind. They took no prisoners and scuttled the ship. The Phoenix cargo would be returned to his owner for a fee. 
== The Prophet ==
Saburo helped protect the Mantis prophet Kitsune Narako from the unknown assailants who haunted the Kitsune Mori. Kakita Hideo and Kitsuki Taiko had gathered Saburo alongside with Hiruma Aki and the four went to Kyuden Kitsune. The Mantis did not see their pressence necessary, because the attacks had stopped. Aki saw it as the calm before the tempest, and he expected new attacks when the prophet's guard lowered their attention. Taiko and Hideo departed to deliver their request to the Mantis, while Aki and Saburo went to Narako's side. They soon found tracks that the unknown assailants had never left the Kitsune Mori. Scenes from the Empire VIII, by Brian Yoon
=== Shadow Dragon's threat revealed ===
Aki had gathered several items, as Spirit ribbons, fingers of jade, ritual scrolls, and others as such, to see if any of them worked against the misterious bandits. He alongside Saburo were successful with crystal, which led to the Lying Darkness's heir, the Shadow Dragon, as the mastermind of the attacks. They returned to Prophet Village, and with Hideo, Kitao, Bayushi Eisaku, and Utaku Kohana confronted the Shadow Dragon, but they were powerless to stop the Dragon's attack. The Shadow Dragon wanted to absorb Narako in order to gain her powers of prophecy, but when the Shadow Dragon tried to absorb Narako, he triggered another prophecy and was ejected from her body and fled. Narako told them the prophecy was to be repeated only to the Empress, but the Empire had no emperor at time yet. She remained under Mantis protection, and her guardians were forbidden to see the prophet again. He had witnessed the prophecy predicting the War of Dark Fire and the coming of Kali-Ma. One month later Kitsuki Iweko became the Empress Iweko I.Shadows in the Forest, by Shawn Carman
== Destroyer War ==
=== A new prophecy ===
Narako had been languishing in and out of troubled sleep for more than a year. In 1171 she awoke lucidly and screamed a new prophechy in front of Saburo. The Path of the Destroyer, Part 2, by Shawn Carman
"They are here! The horned god! The fanged demon! The forgotten daughter! They have come!"
"The Destroyers. You have to see. Gather the others and go, go behind the Wall. See. Understand. Tell. Tell the Empress!"'
Saburo departed to gather his companions in a quest within the Shadowlands. 
=== Confronting Kali-Ma ===
When word reached Saburo about the assault on Kaiu Kabe, Saburo and the others headed west to uncover the truth behind the armies of the Destroyer. The party was joined by Akodo Shunori and Moto Juncheng at the wall, and the ronin Hiroe, agreed to guide them through the Shadowlands. With her help, the group was able to navigate to the very heart of the Destroyer army and were the first Rokugani to witness the power of Kali-Ma Blood & Shadow, Part 1, by Brian Yoon in the month of the Rooster. Imperial Histories 2, p. 250 Hiroe panicked and began casting a maho spell to shield the group; but was killed by Hiruma Aki, who had seen what was doing the disguised maho-tsukai and preferred to die pure. 
The group engaged Kali-Ma and her elite guard but were quickly overwhelmed and Hiruma Aki died. The rest of the group split into two teams. Saburo, along with Utaku Kohana, Akodo Shunori, and a reluctant Kakita Hideo escaped back to Rokugan to inform the Empire of the true power behind the Destroyer army. The others died valiently in battle against Kali-Ma and her elite guards. Blood & Shadow, Part 2, by Rusty Priske and Shawn Carman
=== Meeting with the Empress ===
Saburo and the survivors from the journey in the Shadowlands returned to Toshi Ranbo. They were finding a way to obtain an audience with the Empress without explaining to anyone exactly what they needed to tell her. During these days he met a monk, Furumaro, who gave him focus. Changes, by Nancy Sauer Iweko gave them an audience to ask what was Taiko's fate. Saburo told their journey in the Shadowlands, the encounter with Kali-Ma, the death of several of his companions including Taiko, and the second prophecy of Narako. The Empress ordered to stay in Toshi Ranbo. Furumaro joined the group and Saburo met Mirumoto Ichizo, his contender during the Topaz Championship, to whom he told this day's events. Conjunctions and Aspects, by Nancy Sauer
=== Weapon against Kali-Ma ===
The group had been joined by Furumaro and Ichizo. In 1172 the monk told the group the Scorpion had a weapon of great power, powerful enough to stop Kali-Ma, current Champion of Jigoku. They took it from the Tomb of the Seven Thunders. The group decided to ask for Empress permission to leave the city, without waiting the return of Kohana, who had left the capital to join the war upon Empress request. The Next Step, by Nancy Sauer The Empress let the group to depart to the Soshi lands in search for this weapon. In the following days Kohana returned alongside Aki's sister, Hiruma Akio, Hideo presented Bayushi Kurumi as their Scorpion usher, and Isawa Kyoko, a powerful tensai completed the task force. Destiny Has No Secrets, by Lucas Twyman
== Furumaro's group: the eight members ==
Hiruma Akio, Kakita Hideo, Mirumoto Ichizo, Akodo Shunori, Saburo, Isawa Kyoko, Bayushi Kurumi, and Utaka Kohana, formed a group. One of each Great Clan, guided by the monk Furumaro. 
=== A Black Scroll is found ===
Within the Scorpion lands the group saw several dead Scorpion and Destroyers, in a place where no records of the gaijin demons had been reported. One of the attacked samurai, Bayushi Minoru, could draw the attention of the group to a box, behind the corpse of Soshi Natsuo. Kurumi took the box and found a burnt scroll in a false bottom, which she quickly dropped, her hands stained with its contact. She had touched the Black Scroll Essence of Destruction. Searching, by Rusty Priske
=== Ryoko Owari ===
Upon the arrival of the group to Ryoko Owari Kyoko told that the power emanating from the scroll was resonating with something within the city, something similar to the scroll itself, although less powerful. Beneath the City, Part 1, by Shawn Carman It was not clear if it marked the Ebon Daughter, linked to Kali-Ma as the Black Scroll was. The group were approached by the ronin Gahseng and Setsuko who sought their aid against a threat that lied in the city, in the Leatherworker's Quarter. The ronin told that Gahseng had had visions of the group and waited their arrival. After they left Hideo, Saburo and Shunori followed Kurumi, because they did not trust her. 
=== Ghul Lord ===
The warriors of the group followed the ronin to a building and found a hidden entrance to an underground dungeon. There they met the Ebon Daughter, and the Ghul Lord, an inhuman creature of large size. The samurai fought him, while the Daughter escaped, and eventually Hideo beheaded the monster. Susprisingly it would not end the creature's life, who began to regenerate and the head joined again to the body. The group departed and Gahseng remained behind to give them time to burn the place. Outside the building they were detained by Bayushi Sihaken, an officer of the city, and his men. Sihaken followed the warning made by Saburo and put the building to the torch. Fires in the City of Lies could not be controlled and all the Quarter burned to the ground. Beneath the City, Part 2, by Brian Yoon
=== Hunting zombies ===
Kyoko had fallen ill, and the group remained in the city clearing it of the Ghul Lord's creations, uncovering zombies hideouts. After the battle where the God Beast of Kali-Ma died, Furumaro pressed to move on, even if Kyoko was not fully recovered, but Saburo disagreed. The Road to Recovery, by Brian Yoon
=== Black Scroll ===
The group realized the scroll they were hidden should be a Black Scroll, and it was beeing sought by the Scorpion and the forces of Kali-Ma. They returned to Toshi Ranbo and Doji Ayano went with them to the Imperial Palace upon Empress request The Hinge of Destiny, by Nancy Sauer in the month of the Serpent. Imperial Histories 2, p. 253 Furumaro alleged he had to purify himself and did not join the visit. Iweko bid to continue their guardianship for a time, and gave them a letter which should be delivered to Daigotsu, in his lair in the Fingers of Bone. 
=== Visiting Daigotsu ===
There were doubts in the group about the opportunity of the Empress' commands, but they alongside with the courtier Ayano reached the border of the Fingers. They were met and escorted by Daigotsu Hotako, the Obsidian Champion. There were present Shahai, Daigotsu Usharo, the Onyx Champion Takasho, and the Dark Lord. After Daigotsu read the message he gave the Tao of Fu Leng to Ayano as requested by the Empress. The group returned to the Imperial City. 
=== Moving on again ===
They eventually moved on again. When they crossed paths with the remnants of a battle maiden patrol near the City of Masks, Kohana had felt compelled to join her kinsmen and left the group for a time. The Destroyer War, Part 12, Shawn Carman They reached a Scorpion temple which was being evacuated because the near presence of the Destroyers. Goddesses, Part 2, by Shawn Carman The temple could be Shinden Gyokei, currently the point were Kali-Ma was marching. Goddesses, Part 1, by Shawn Carman
== The Scroll is opened ==
In the month of the Goat Imperial Histories 2, p. 254 the group somehow knew that the Empress was traveling in the region, exposing her to be killed by the forces of Kali-Ma. They believed the group quest had been the motivation and bearing of the Empress journey, and several decided to act, making anything that could protect Iweko. Ichizo suggested to open the Black Scroll, because the safety of the Empress was worthy of the group damnation. Akio was the only one who openly disagreed, but Saburo retrieved the scroll and opened it. At that time, Fu Leng, formerly known as the monk Furumaro, recovered his divinity and exposed his true identity to Akio. The rest of the group had fallen unconscious. After Fu Leng explained what had happened he departed and Akio also fell. Goddesses, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
== Death ==
Shahai appeared before the group of young samurai who held the Tao of Fu Leng, told Daigotsu had died, and enacted a ritual to steal power from the gaijin goddess. Shunori and Saburo decided to condemn their souls to save the Empire and were beside the Lady of Blood. As a vessel for divine power, the Tao contained what was stolen, draining Kali-Ma of her divinity, but not all. When Shahai sacrificed the samurai who had helped her, Shunori and Saburo, Akio killed the Dark Daughter and stopped the ritual. Goddesses, Part 4, by Shawn Carman
== Aftermath ==
Saburo's sacrifice was instrumental in the Empire's victory in the Destroyer War, the death of Kali-Ma, and the ascension of Daigotsu as Master of Jigoku. 
== External Links ==
* Yoritomo Saburo (Samurai)
* Yoritomo Saburo Exp (The Heaven's Will)
Category:Mantis Clan Members