Moto Yasemin

Moto Yasemin is a Last Wish samurai of the Unicorn clan, trained as a bushi and a Death Priest. She is currently serving as yoriki of magistrate Tsume Nagare.

Appearance and Demeanor

Even at a casual glance, Yasemin is obviously a Moto. She typically wears her hair bound up in a braid and pulled back from her face, which has seen plenty of sun and wind out on the steppes. She typically wears the armor and riding clothes typical of Unicorn bushi, as well as a broad sash to hold her swords and a belt of medallions that was given to her by her uncle, and came from Medinaat-al-Salaam. When dressed for court, she wears the traditional face paint of a Death Priest. Yasemin has a very open way, generally upbeat but intense in her emotions. She tends to dote on her horse, Usagi. Whether other samurai find her pleasant to be around depends mostly on how traditional they are.

Early Life

Yasemin was born in the far western portion of Unicorn lands. Her father, Batu, is a respected horsebreeder, while her mother, Seungnyang is a semi-retired bushi and archer. She has two sisters - Jinseong, the elder, who has become her father's assistant, and Altani, the younger, who is still short of her gempekku. Jinseong and Yasemin spent their childhood quarreling and still do not see eye to eye, while Altani greatly looks up to both her older sisters.

Yasemin's special status was recognized shortly after she began to attend Unicorn schools. The Moto decided it was important that they have a Last Wish that reflected their values. As such, Yasemin was trained in the Moto way of war and as a Death Priest. She was still a samurai, however, and her strong desire to meld the ways of the Unicorn more fully with mainstream Rokugani practice eventually lead her to the Academy.

Yoriki to Tsume Nagare

The Jade Champion, having forseen that she would be needed, had Yasemin sent to the City of the Rich Frog. She eventually joined up with Tsume Nagare and his yoriki, offering her services. She assisted the ongoing investigations in the City of the Rich Frog, which developed in complicated ways, and then in finding a peasant with a preternatural skill at hand to hand combat.

Redeeming the Jinn

The Jade Champion's foresight was doubly proven when Tsume Nagare became involved in secret negotiations in the Burning Sands. The Owl had arranged for free Jinn to come to the Empire, an arrangement that was expanded to asylum for the free Jinn as a whole. This lead to a desperate escape from the Burning Sands, and then a miracle. Lady Sun and Lord Moon appeared before the group and redeemed the Jinn, bringing them into the Empire.

Contemplating War With the Caliphate

The Jinn's salvation was sure to draw a response from the Caliphate, one Yasemin was all too aware her Clan would bear the brunt of. Considering how to deal with this threat, Yasemin soon began to articulate a strategy which evolved into a philosophy. Rather than wait for the enemy, she proposed the Empire as a whole launch a preemptive attack and conquer the Caliphate first. More, the lands and people should become part of Rokugan. The Moto had done it before, so it could be done again, just on a larger scale. It would give the Clans an outlet rather than warring on each other, in addition to eliminating an enemy. Yasemin presented this idea to Moto Guan-Yu and others, who proposed it to the Empire as a whole.

Winter Court in Shiro Shiba

Tsume Nagare was assigned to Shiro Shiba for Winter Court, where the Imperial Princesses, Iwane Kawa and Iwane Attakai would attend as well. Unusually heavy snows came early, and a Yasemin accompanied a party clearing the roads clearing the youngest Princess' party, along with Tsi Yoshiharu. They encountered the work of a maho tsukai. Sending the larger party back to Shiro Shiba for help, the two Yoriki pushed on and reached the Imperial party just in time to help them fend off an attack and help them reach Shiro Shiba.

The young Princess was ill for a time afterwards, but recovered thanks to the prayers of those assembled at Shiro Shiba. Since then Yasemin has worked to further the invasion plan, as well as participating in a various court activites, including an ill fated hunting trip, and spending midwinter at the shrine of the Last Wish herself. Her offering and wishes for the year were met with approval, but much remains uncertain in Yasemin's future.