Kujaku Ume
Ume was born in Toshi Kaeru, a peasant with the ability to speak to the Kami. Normally, this would have been her ticket into the arms of a Samurai, but Ume was not educated enough to know this, and was not found by someone who was. She was found, instead, by Kansen.
These little spirits whispered to her of ways she could rise in the ranks and become safe again. All she had to do was give them blood. Ume had plenty of men who had abused her, plenty of targets that had plenty of blood to be given. She did so, but sold her soul, becoming tainted in the process. It wasn't until much, much later that she understood the consequences of her choice, but by then, it was much too late.
She took a meager path, trying to earn her way into the Kaeru through marriage and manipulation of one man's mind. She might have succeeded, if not for Kaeru Masuyo stumbling onto her. A raucous night of sex lead to an interrogation she couldn't escape, and Masuyo offered her a deal--she'd protect her if she'd stop using blood magic. She saw herself in the girl only a few years younger than she was, and there was no reason to kill a young, naive girl who had been tricked. Masuyo didn't care for traditions like that.
Ume agreed, and they began to be inseparable. Ume occasionally was given tasks to get done, and she did them well, and she took care of her own things, too. She came upon the information that the person vying for the Imperial throne, Shosuro Izamiya, had been kidnapped by one of the cults she had been invited to work with a long time ago, and infiltrated it to get her out. She snuck in and got the Empress a knife, telling her that she would be back with more help. When she came back, the Empress had killed many of the men inside and was already well on her way to escaping, but she brought Masuyo to deal with the cult more thoroughly.
This act paid itself over tenfold, because when Izamiya became empress, she gave Ume stewardship of land and the Minor Clan of the Peacock, as well as the name Fujaku. The Empress impressed upon her the dangers of her taint and recommended she adopt samurai in, and so she did. While a bad decision one night did give her a child, Ume pretended that the young boy was adopted as well.
These little spirits whispered to her of ways she could rise in the ranks and become safe again. All she had to do was give them blood. Ume had plenty of men who had abused her, plenty of targets that had plenty of blood to be given. She did so, but sold her soul, becoming tainted in the process. It wasn't until much, much later that she understood the consequences of her choice, but by then, it was much too late.
She took a meager path, trying to earn her way into the Kaeru through marriage and manipulation of one man's mind. She might have succeeded, if not for Kaeru Masuyo stumbling onto her. A raucous night of sex lead to an interrogation she couldn't escape, and Masuyo offered her a deal--she'd protect her if she'd stop using blood magic. She saw herself in the girl only a few years younger than she was, and there was no reason to kill a young, naive girl who had been tricked. Masuyo didn't care for traditions like that.
Ume agreed, and they began to be inseparable. Ume occasionally was given tasks to get done, and she did them well, and she took care of her own things, too. She came upon the information that the person vying for the Imperial throne, Shosuro Izamiya, had been kidnapped by one of the cults she had been invited to work with a long time ago, and infiltrated it to get her out. She snuck in and got the Empress a knife, telling her that she would be back with more help. When she came back, the Empress had killed many of the men inside and was already well on her way to escaping, but she brought Masuyo to deal with the cult more thoroughly.
This act paid itself over tenfold, because when Izamiya became empress, she gave Ume stewardship of land and the Minor Clan of the Peacock, as well as the name Fujaku. The Empress impressed upon her the dangers of her taint and recommended she adopt samurai in, and so she did. While a bad decision one night did give her a child, Ume pretended that the young boy was adopted as well.
Personal
Virtues
Vices
Social
Family Ties
Social Aptitude
Children