Sakuya Yamatai

**Author:** NineOfSpades

**Name:** Yamatai Sakuya, The Drunken Swordswoman, Straw-Hat, Sandals
**Age:** 35
**Affiliations:** The Barrows, Nihon

**Physical Description:** Sakuya stands 5’6”, with a trim build and
narrow frame. Her features obviously betray her heritage, with her
slanted eyes and coal-black irises, narrow and subdued noes, which is
perched over her small lips and slender cheekbones. Sakuya’s hair is as
black as her eyes, and hangs from her head in unwashed tangles, trailing
 down to cover much of her face and down to the small of her back. Her
body, though seldom clean, is fairly attractive and athletic, though
also baring multiple scars showing the many battles she’s fought. These
days, the smell of alcohol lingers on her constantly, mixing with the
other foul scents that stick to her body. Not that she cares much about
that. She dresses in several layers, the first being a plain white Gi,
over which is thrown a loose fitting emerald robe, cut to her knee
length with slits along the waist line to allow movement. The long
sleeves dangle at her wrists, and are usually stained with fluids best
left uncontemplated. Though made of fine silks, and likely once very
beautiful, the fabric is all but ruined now, haphazardly stitched
together and covered with grime. She usually forgoes shoes, favoring
wooden sandals instead. Its also rare to see her without her wide
brimmed conical straw-hat, which she wears to shade her pale skin from
the sun. On her back, she carries a wooden box like a backpack, which
unfolds into her medicine kit. Lastly, Sakuya carries a jug of whatever
alcohol she’s managed to get her hands on, and a wooden sword, both of
which are lashed to her waist.

**History:**  In the land of Nihon, far to the east, Sakuya’s place
in life was dediced before she was born. As a Daughter of the Yamatai
clan, one of the most respected families in the empire, her path was to
be trained in the Way Of The Blade. An ancient art, passed down for so
long its origins have been lost to time, she would be raised to become
the champion of her people, the hand of the Emperor himself. From the
day she was old enough to stand, her every waking out was spent in
preparation. Alongside dozens of other children, day in and day out she
was tested and trained in the art of battle. To an outsider, it likely
would be seen as cruel. To place such intense responsibility upon
children, working them till they could hardly stand. But in Nihon, these
 things were common. Each person, from the simple farmer to the most
exalted masters of magic, was expected to seek self-perfection. To do
less was an unforgivable sin in the eyes of the people, for it was akin
to wasting the precious gift of life that you had been given.

Though others eventually broke, their spirits too weak to endure, Sakuya
 thrived. Even today as she looks back on the memory of her graduation,
when the head of her clan bestowed her blade upon her and named her as
Samurai, Sakuya feels warmth and joy in her heart.

From then on, she did as her duty. Traveling the length and breadth of
the land, and occasionally beyond, Sakuya slayed great beasts and
apprehended criminals who preyed on the weak. Among the Samurai, who’s
strength was already tremendous, she was seen as something special. Had
life not been so fickle, she would likely have been chronicled as a
hero, her name spoken off with honor and distinction for generations.
But it was not to be.

It all began when she was granted a privilege that all would aspire to,
the chance to serve as a personal guard for the Emperor. Such a
magnificent blessing was nothing less than the culmination of her life’s
 work. For the Emperor, it was believed, was the living spirit of the
nation, a physical bridge that connected the physical world to the
spiritual. Through him, Nihon flourished, and she had been chosen to
safeguard him. There was no question, she accepted without hesitation.

Day and night, Sakuya accompanied her Emperor, alert for danger, tending
 to his every need. Without complaint, and indeed with great humility,
she eagerly served. It would be nice to wish that, in her failure,
Sakuya could claim that she had struggled in vain against her enemy.
That one evening she’d spotted the assassins entering the royal palace,
drawn her blade and engaged them in battle. Had she been overwhelmed,
her defeat would not have been so tragic. But it was not to be.

One morning, as the leaves of autumn had just begun to fall, Sakuya
entered the Emperors bedchamber, ready to wake his Excellency for the
day. What she found was her beloved Empeor, dead and cold. His throat
had been slit in the night, a deed done in silence and under cover of
darkness, with the Emperors guards all left none the wiser.

Absolute Despair. There are no other words for what Sakuya felt. She had
 failed, completely and absolutely, to uphold her duty. The Emperor was
dead, and with no heir to take his place, the future of her home was now
 uncertain. Guilt for her failure crushed her spirit. In her mind, there
 was nothing left to do but walk west, until she reached the sea. There,
 she intended to throw herself into the waves and accept her death.
Leaving behind her sword, and all other worldly possessions, Sakuya
journeyed west.

The journey took many days, and Sakuya soon found herself suffering from
 hunger and fatigue. Starvation drained her strength, leaving her to
weak to move. She likely would have died, had she not been saved by an
old fisherman who found her slumped beside the road. The man nursed her
back to health, asking for no payment. Though her heart longed only for
death, Sakuya could not let the kindness she’d received go unrepaid.
After repeatedly begging for the chance to fulfil the debt she believed
she owed the man, the fisherman eventually relented. He told Sakuya that
 he had a son, who lived in Tandem, far to the west and beyond the sea.
He longed to visit his distant family, and asked if she would be willing
 to accompany him on his journey.

Sakuya agreed, and so traveled over the sea, arriving in Tandem. Her
debt fulfilled, Sakuya’s pain lessed, if only slightly. No longer did
she wish to end her life, but she still found herself without purpose.
Finding a small home in the cities slums, she saw the people of Tandem
did not have the same quality of medicine as that which came from her
homeland. Her knowledge of the art was little, but it was enough to aid
the impoverished citizens, who she took to caring for. She opened up a
small shop, trading in medicine from her homeland, which allowed her to
get buy.

What little money she managed to make for herself quickly found a new
outlet. Samurai were expected to be the pinnacle of self-discipline and
purity, above such petty temptations as drinking to excess. But Sakuya
wasn’t a Samurai, not in her eyes anyway. She took to drinking, finding
the dull stupor of the bottle to be far preferable to the waking
memories which haunted her.

Thus is the tale of the Traveler from the East. Adrift and without
direction, she has suck to but a pale vestige of her once noble self. A
tired, sad soul who longs to undo her greatest mistake, and who remains
unable to move on with her existence.

**Personality:** Ever since her great failure, Sakuya has been
overcome with despair. Though her anguish seldom let’s itself be shown,
it has all but consumed the noble warrior she once was. She spends her
time flirting between drunken idiocy and scornful hermit, speaking
little to others and seeking isolation wherever she can. Her heart has
grown cold, though it has not succumbed to cruelty. A righteous spirit
still lingers within, even though buried under filth and refuse. Those
in need may not be greeted with welcoming arms, but they will never be
turned away. Sakuya prefers to help without resorting to violence.
Having discarded any pride in herself, she’ll completely debase herself
if need be, rather than take up arms. However, she will not stand by
while others attempt to take advantage of those weaker than themselves.
Those who try will find that beneath the worn-out drunk, there still
beats the heart of a warrior. Her deepest wish, one she does not admit
even to herself, is to somehow atone for her mistakes. That she could
find a way to climb up out of the pit she’s fallen into, and regain her
honor. That she could again become a Samurai. But for now at least, such
 a dream is simply beyond her, for she cannot bring herself to make
peace with her past, allowing instead her despair to control her

**Advantages:**

**Way Of The Sword [Rank 3] (Uncommon-Personal):** Sakuya’s skill with
 a blade was once the stuff of legend, hailed as one among the finest
living practitioners of the art. But those days have passed, and her
skill has rusted, though she remains a woman who ought not to be trifled
 with. Having abandoned her blade, she carries a wooden sword instead.
Hardly a fitting weapon, but a deadly tool when held by hands as skilled
 as hers.

**Athleticism [Rank 2] (Uncommon-Personal):** While her physical
strength is average for a young woman of her build, her physical
aptitude is far greater. She is both nimble and graceful, possessing a
level of balance and speed which are not merely considerable, but
formidable even when compared to other swordsmen.

**Bushido [Rank 2] (Rare-Personal):**Even considering how far she’s
fallen, the fire of her soul has not gone out, and she retains her
inherent nature. This part of her still compels Sakuya to act according
to the tenets of the Code of Bushido: Rightiousness, Courage,
Benevolence, Respect, Sincerity, Honor, Loyalty and Self Control. Though
 the steel of a Samurai's blade may be strong, far strong is the
strength of their conviction, their dedication to their path.

**Eastern Medicine [Rank 2] (Uncommon-Locus):** Nihon medicine is
among the best in the world, and though her training focused on the way
of the sword, she still learned the basics of the medicinal arts.
Utilizing long kept secrets, these techniques work to re-align the
natural flow of energy within the body to promote health and wellness.
She also uses these techniques to escape her own hangovers. Sakuya owns
and operates a small shop in the Barrows, though she doesn’t turn much
in the way of profit. Her medicine does require access to her tools,
herbs and other equipment, the majority of which are kept at her shop.
Without them, she can only perform common first aid.

**Education [Rank 1] (Uncommon-Personal):** Raised with some of the
best teachers her nation had to offer, Sakuya is very well read and well
 versed in a variety of topics. Certainly far more than you would expect
 from her. She doesn’t usually flaunt her intellect, typically limiting
herself to only a few words. It must be said though, that she has an air
 of laconic wit to her, using what little she chooses to say to great
effect.