Hitomi Kobai

Otomo Kosha, became Hitomi Kobai after he was blessed by Hitomi, under the will of Kokujin was Kokujin Kobai, and after he "died" and lost his soul to a shamesword, the Blade of Slaughter. Part of his soul remained alive, and Kobai returned to life without taint, becoming again Hitomi Kobai.
== Otomo family ==
Kobai was born Otomo Kosha, the third son of a minor courtier in the Imperial Court. He had a very excitable personality, often spending time running in the gardens and fighting other boys in the castle. He was eventually chastised for his boyish tendencies and forced inside to study the ways of the court. Unfortunately, being the third son of the family, he had little to expect of life and quickly grew tired of the courts. Hidden Emperor, p. 35
=== Wanderings ===
He told his family he would undertake a Musha Shugyo before accepting his post in the court and was allowed to wander. His family hoped a year stripped of Imperial privileges would cure his pugnacious nature. Kosha wandered the Phoenix and Lion lands before ending up in the Dragon lands in Shiro Mirumoto. It was at night as he was wandering the courtyard when the Dragon Clan Champion Hitomi appeared to him and spoke to the young man of a higher cause, helping to shape Rokugan's future and of power beyond imagination. He was tempted by her words and she led him to the newly christened Kyuden Hitomi and into the tattooing chambers. He exited the room as Hitomi Kobai. 
== Service to the Lady ==
Kobai became the voice of the Lady Hitomi outside of the Dragon Clan lands. Although the Kitsuki family continued their duties as the ambassadors of the clan, Hitomi would often send Kobai as her reliable messenger. Hidden Emperor, pp. 35-36
=== Kokujin ===
In 1129, Hitomi sought to use the advice of Kokujin to balance the corruption in her from the Obsidian Hand. Kobai spoke up against the murderer joining the Dragon Clan, but Hitomi ignored his warnings. Enlightened Madness, Part One, by Rich Wulf
=== Agasha Defection ===
Mirumoto Bujun informed Hitomi that the Agasha family was leaving the Dragon lands. They had taken everything from their homes, and their libraries were bare. The Agasha Daimyo, Agasha Tamori, was one of the few who remained loyal to the Dragon. Hitomi did not allow Bujun to chase the traitors with a legion after she pondered the situation with Kokujin. Hidden Emperor, p. 26
=== Imperial Court ===
After the Naga began to attack the Dragon Clan in the Siege of Sleeping Mountain in 1132, Kobai was sent to the Imperial Court to offer the Imperial Regent Takuan rice in exchange for the aid of the Imperial Legions. Drawing upon his old family training, Kobai quickly outmaneuvered his older brothers in court, Otomo Izo and Otomo Ryo, who failed to recognize their younger brother, which pleased Kobai. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 1, by Ree Soesbee Kobai returned to Kyuden Hitomi and confirmed his Lady the Imperial Legions would attack the Naga. Hitomi knew her battle was no longer in the Mortal Realm, but she would not leave her fellows in their final hour. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 3, by Ree Soesbee
=== Reputation as Hitoden ===
After completing his duty, he felt reaffirmed of his decision and became even more fanatical in his devotion to the Lady Hitomi, even going so far as to assault other Dragon members who spoke ill of the Lady. This garnered him a reputation as a bully and a brute to most others, and was called Hitoden. Hitomi Kobai (Hidden Emperor 5 boxtext) Redemption, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
== Hunting Kokujin ==
At this point Kobai had a severe hatred of the madman Hitomi Kokujin, even going so far as to personally keep an eye on the rogue monk's movements. Kobai needed a master to be guided, and after Hitomi ascended Kobai was empty. He threw himself into the hunt for Kokujin because Kobai hoped the madman might destroy him. 
=== Race to Volturnum ===
After Kokujin's betrayal and ascension of Hitomi in 1132, Kobai sought to end the shame of Kokujin's existance once and for all. When he was part of the march to Volturnum in 1133 Kobai saw how Kokujin wielding the Togashi's Daisho was part of the Shadowlands army led by Akuma no Oni. The creatures blocked their way, but a group of nezumi had found a way through the oni lines, to proceed the race toward the troll city. Kobai had another goal and with the permision of Togashi Hoshi, turned to hunt and kill Kokujin. The Race to Volturnum: Dragon Hitomi spoke from the Heavens to Hitomi Kagetora, who chose his six most trusted warriors Hitomi Reju, Hitomi Akuai, Hitomi Kobai, Hitomi Bujun, Hitomi Pukku, and Hitomi Kazaq. They were forced by Lady Moon to remain behind, not to join their brethren at Volturnum. In the Battle of Oblivion's Gate the Hitomi sacrificed themselves to gain the battle against the Shadow. They thrown their bodies against the Goju, and they combined their tattoo magic in an explosive, suicidal display. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 75
=== After the Battle of Oblivion's Gate ===
With many of the Hitomi family dead or becoming tainted at the Battle of Oblivion's Gate in 1133, Kobai sought out the aid of Togashi Mitsu, but Mitsu refused to take part in a petty quest for vengeance. 
== Kokujin Kobai ==
Kobai did not relent in his quest however, and was eventually captured and turned by Kokujin, becoming Kokujin Kobai. Kobai led the tattooed bakemono that were sent by Kokujin to capture the seven Dragon samurai who answered Kokujin's Challenge in 1159. 
Despite an early surge from the seven Dragon, Kobai's forces won when six shugenja collapsed the pass on the Dragon. Tamori Chieko, Hitomi Hogai and Togashi Satsu were captured initially, and taken to Kokujin who was waiting in the ruins of Shiro Heichi. Hitomi Akuai was later captured and sent there also. Enlightened Madness, Part Two, by Rich Wulf
Kobai and the remaining bakemono and dark ise zumi began searching the rubble for the three remaining survivors. The bakemono initially found a severely wounded Hoshi Wayan, and requested to be allowed to eat the monk's heart. At this point Togashi Matsuo and Mirumoto Rosanjin attacked, defeating the bakemono and dark monks. Kobai was shot in the throat by Rosanjin, apparently killed, and Wayan was rescued. 
=== Return ===
Kobai returned not long after during Togashi Mitsu, Togashi Matsuo and Kaelung's assault on Kokujin's lair, his death merely a ruse. Kobai was knocked unconcious by Hitomi Hogai after the large kikage zumi was freed by Matsuo. Kobai recovered in time to see his master Kokujin surrounded by the Dragon. Kobai made his way to his masters side, but was killed by Kokujin on the Anvil of Despair to allow the First Oni to break free from it's prison beneath the ruins of Shiro Heichi. Enlightened Madness, Part Six, by Rich Wulf
== Shamesword ==
Kobai's sacrifice on the Anvil of Despair created the Blade of Slaughter. Through the intervention of Lady Moon Kobai's soul was not sealed within the blade entirely. Kobai still lived possibly as a result of Hitomi's blessing and the magic of the mountains where he died, the Twilight Mountains. The part of Kobai's soul trapped within the blade was the Tainted part. Four Winds, p. 143
=== Captured by Bloodspeakers ===
He was disoriented and was easily captured by the Bloodspeakers Migawari and Hida Horii, Iuchiban's followers. He was tortured by the duo in the mountains he had died and rebirth. They were trying to find the location of Kokujin's Shameswords. He became utterly insane in the process, but managed to retrieve his sanity in time to be rescued in 1166 by Mirumoto Narumi and Kuni Yaruko, who had mistaken him for Mitsu. The two were surprised to find that Kobai had lost his Taint and now had a way of detecting Shameswords. 
=== Return and Redemption ===
Kobai sought redemption within the Dragon Clan by tracking down the blade, taking the Hitomi name once again becoming Hitomi Kobai. Every time the blade was used Kobai broke out in bouts of rage. Although the location of the blade was unknown to the Dragon Clan, Kobai gained a sense of where it was every time it was used. 
== Tattoos ==
Kobai was known to have the Crescent moon tattoo, given to him by Kokujin. 
== See also ==
* Hitomi Kobai/Meta
== External Links ==
* Hitomi Kobai (Hidden Emperor 5)
* Hitomi Kobai Exp (Code of Bushido)
Category:Dragon Clan Members
Category:Characters with Pictures
Otomo Kosha