Kazu Kurusu

> "You drove me from my own homeland, you separated me from Ruka, my one love and I've been forced to wear this mask out of fear for years. Now you claim you've changed. How?"
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> ***- Kazu to Iki in the Shou Lung Palace***
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## Kazu Kurusu

### Appears in

Lost Mine of Phandelver (mentioned only)The Deathless The Brigadiers (mentioned only)

## Biographical Information

### Relatives

Iki Kurusu (adoptive brother)Tai Kurusu (adoptive father)

Ruka Seta (wife)

Kassandra Kurusu (biological daughter)

Kaari Kurusu (biological daughter)

Kane Kurusu (biological son)

Kadmiel Kurusu (biological son)

Kaiser Kurusu (biological son)

Soma Kurusu (descendant)

## Status

### Cause of Death

Unknown

**Kazu Kurusu** is a party member of the Fellers in The Deathless and is the adoptive brother of Iki Kurusu.

Kazu is a blademaster from Shou Lung and was once a member of the Tosei Lung, a elite group of warriors who served the Emperor of Shou Lung. He is a very capable warrior who wields the Dragonfang Glaive.

## Appearance

Kazu is a rough-looking, tall, muscular man with long black hair, a beard and brown eyes.

He wears armour and clothes that are roughly patched together. He is often seen wearing a black and gold dragon mask when he needs to conceal his identity.

## Weapons

* **Dragonfang Glaive:** Kazu's signature weapon which is capable of defeating monsters many times his size.
* **Throwing axe:** While only used once against an oceanic creature capable of mind control, this is a weapon in Kazu's arsenal of tools.

## Backstory

One day, an unnamed orphan child was left on the doorstep of the Imperial Palace with only a tag reading "first child" to identify him. The Emperor named the child "Kazu", High Shou for "first", and ordered the leader of the Tosei Lung at the time, Tai Kurusu, to raise the child along with his own son, Iki Kurusu, to become the Emperor's personal guard.

Along with Iki, the two were taught and trained in the traditional methods of Shou combat. While Kazu excelled, Iki was looked down upon by his father and was repeatedly told he wouldn't amount to anything. The constant feeling of being incompetent slowly drove Iki to resent Kazu. These bitter feelings allowed the spirit of Wrath to choose Iki as it's new host, granting Iki supernatural powers.

Iki attempted to murder both Kazu and his father in their home with his newfound powers, allowing him to take the form of a dragon. Tai Kurusu was killed in the fight but Kazu narrowly escaped, believing Iki was dead after he lost control in his dragon form, causing the building to collapse on top of him followed by a burst of magical energy.

Miraculously, Iki survived and took over as the leader of the Tosei Lung, claiming Kazu was a traitor who murdered their father and must be stopped at all costs. As a result of this, Kazu was forced to flee Shou Lung, hiding in nations overseas.

## The Deathless

Battling Kazu for the first time in years, Iki also revealed himself to now be the emperor of Shou Lung. Kazu managed to defeat Iki and encased him in chains that prevented him from fully utilizing the potential of Wrath.

## After The Deathless

Kazu left the adventuring party early and returned to Shou Lung along with Iki, now in chains to prevent him from utilizing the power of Wrath. Proving that Iki is under the control of Wrath, Kazu was able to clear his name in the death of his father. Now a free man, Kazu was able to reunite with his wife, Ruka, for the first time in almost a decade. As they embraced, Kazu felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He no longer had to run and finally had a place to call home again.

Embracing a life of tranquility, Kazu dedicated himself to finding solace in the teachings of his ancestors and the nature of Shou Lung. Kazu became a respected figure in his community, known not only for his martial prowess but also for his wisdom and compassion.

As the years passed, Kazu and Ruka welcomed a new generation into their lives. Their children grew up in a home filled with love and traditions, learning the values of honor and integrity that Kazu held dear. The shadows of the past seemed to fade as Kazu focused on the bright future that lay ahead.

## The Brigaders

Although Kazu himself does not make an appearance, Robo Kazu, a robotic replica of him, makes an appearance.

## Trivia

* In The Deathless, Kazu never killed any people. The only things he killed were monsters.
* Kazu originally was intended to be a criminal attempting to cut ties with a large criminal organization. This is shown during Iki's original "Have you seen this man" monologue and in the unofficial Army of the Damned campaign.
	+ This version of Kazu took more inspiration from Kazuma Kiryu of the *Yakuza* games than he did in his final version.