Ogawa Terumoto
The Immortal Ox of Etchu, The Old Man of Gifu
Patriarch of the Ogawa clan.
Like the clan he has ruled for 60 years, Terumoto is as old as they come, having reigned over the Ogawa for longer than most of his peers have been alive. His phlegmatic disposition and commanding aura are complimented by a reputation for just governance. Of all the generals of Kiku Hirokuni, Terumoto was the most respected, though he served more on the rear echelon than the front lines.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Born in the year 1400 of the Era of Jade, when the Ogawa were at their lowest point in centuries, Terumoto grew up having little to trade on but his name. The Soga had supplanted the Ogawa in theImperial Court, and his father Ogawa Matsumoto had drained the treasury through a profligate lifestyle that disgraced all the Ogawa. When Terumoto took over leadership of the clan in 1422, he made it his mission to restore the clan to respectability. He doubled down on the image of the Ogawa as the embodiment of the old way of life in Shinano, and held himself to the highest moral standard. He is known to be chaste and loyal to his wife, to live in spartan conditions befitting a Samurai of the Old Ways, to not give way to rage, and to drink alcohol only on special occasions to honor the Gods or his comrades.
In 1424 he married his childhood sweetheart, and they were considered the model couple until her death in 1458, though they had no children. He remarried shortly after, and his second wife bore him his one and only son, Ogawa Ryunosuke. His second wife died in 1491, and he has been a widower ever since.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Early in his career, Terumoto soundly defeated the upstart Arakawa Clan in battle to reestablish Ogawa dominance over the southern plains of Etchu. Since then he has had a glorious career, though not always a victorious one. As he has always fought according to the model of Bushido and chivalry, however, his conduct has been extolled even in defeat. In him all the mistakes of the Ogawa in the past have been forgotten, as he seems the perfect embodiment of his ancient and august lineage.
Personality Characteristics
Virtues & Personality perks
Due to his extreme age for a human, and his robust health in spite of said age, there is a common rumor that Terumoto is immortal. This view is aided by his generally excellent manners, as the priests and monks enjoy extolling the fact that the oldest of humans is also the most virtuous, and that virtue is therefore a path to immortality.
This rumor of immortality has caused many would-be suitors of the aging widower to second guess an attempt to latch on to his wealth and outlive him, as no matter how young you are there is little guarantee that Terumoto will not live longer.
Vices & Personality flaws
It is widely known that Terumoto cares little for material wealth, a fact that many blame for the economic crunch the clan finds itself in. Were it not for his diplomacy with the wealthy upstart Arima Clan, his reign might be remembered more for its bankruptcy than its glory.
Age
99
Family
Children
Quotes & Catchphrases
"To be loyal to the land is to be loyal to the throne, to be loyal to the throne is to be loyal to the Kami."
Ruled Locations
Comments