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gaeleth:people:sin_gunju

Sin Gunju

Character concept by Adam Montgomery, all rights reserved.

“Well, that's new.”

Date of Birth: Gril the 22nd, 1306 Avard.

Current Status: Summer, 1331 Avard. After leaving his son Ichiro in the care of his wife Jena and the Burning Sun Monastary, Gunju set sail west across the mighty Goordune Ocean, and for the Chamdois Empire. Gunju figured to set in motion events of Prophecy as he saw them, such that his own son would become a savior of the Chamdois Empire. He was last seen boarding a west-sailing ship in the late winter of 1328.

Appearance

Gunju looks every bit the Chilliean foreigner, and he knows it. His long black hair is in a top knot on his head. When he travels, he usually wears a long brown cloth cloak, the hood keeping his face in shadow, his armor and swords underneath. The blue-gray lacquered armour often has him mistaken for a cleric or paladin of Rahne. His Daimyo's mon is emblazoned on his chest plate and the clasp of the cloak; a smaller mon, of his family, over his left breast. For a man of only 20 years, he seems infinitely aged prematurely with too many worries and too much seen of the impossible.

Sin Gunju wears his blue-gray lacquered armour most of the time, with a cotton cloak over it. His left hip holds his diasho, the katana and wakazashi of which have been activated by his ancestors and are so enchanted. Across his back is his quiver of arrows, and an unstrung Yumi (long bow). He also wears bracers that, along with his blue-gray armor, is a set originally worn by Lady Blud of Wuron Sfa, circa 634 Avard. In a belt at his waist, he carries in loops 4 potions of cure serious wounds.

His wedding ring is crafted in platinum, with a single, tiny blue diamond inset in it with a beveled cut – and long strands of black and platinum blonde hair inlaid along the inside. The ring makes him invisible to and undetectable by the undead, and was made by Duke Henrik Kamus of Rakore before his death during the War of the Four Winds.

Background

Sin Gunju is the third son (and the fourth child) of the prominent courtier Sin Tsai. A fine courtier in the High courts of the Chamdo'im Empire, he was hoping for a second daughter (his third child being one) to be used as political leverage. His first son grew up to become a courtier, as was tradition. His second joined a monastery as was expected. Gunju, instead of picking up the Tao, and joining a monastery, as was expected, he picked up “The Way of the Lion”.

His father hardly paid any attention to him, always working with his oldest son, teaching him how to be courtier. He never noticed Gunju picking up the hard sticks and hitting trees until his palms were bleeding. Neither did his father see the long nights he would spend studying tactics and strategy – but his mother did.

His mother, who was a decent courtier herself, talked Gunju’s father to get a dojo to accept him. Tsai looked at his youngest child as he practiced and reluctantly agreed. To Gunju’s delight the Shina Koju war-master college accepted his father's petition; so he left his home at seven to go to it.

There life became hard. Gunju was already behind the other children. They being taught by fathers who were warriors, and master swordsmen-samurai. Gunju surprised many of his sensei and his peers with how fast he had caught up to the other children. In sword play he was not as good, but in strategy, and tactics, he was their equal. Soon the sensei were predicting him going to his gempuku on time rather than late.

During this time, he met Natsuko Asakawa. One of the few females in the college. She was a good swordswoman, yet had problems with the strategy and book-learning. So they started sparring and studying together. When they where fourteen they where sleeping together in secret. They reached their Gempuku and took it the same day, both coming out with above-average scores. They where sent to two separate locations to serve. She was sent to a fortress to the south, by the desert lands, and he near the Emerald Castle. His father used his influence to make Gunju his Yojimbo body guard, but they started to butt heads. Soon, after six months, to save face, he too sent Gunju south. There he got back with Asakawa and tried to continue the relationship. She had changed though; she had been in many fights in those six months, and was now in charge of a patrol unit. She had turned harder.

While not the same, they still were friends and would enjoy each other's company on occasion. Soon Gunju had a position of “sergeant” and was leading patrols. Upon returning from one of these patrols, he found panic at the fort. A well-to-do Emissary had been killed inside the fort walls. It was said that Asakawa was the assassin. A week later he was called to his commander’s side. Mayata Tominori was an old man but still strong. His school mon showed him following the Way of the Crab – a rough soldier's way. He carried a die tsuchi giant war hammer with little difficulty. He was told of his and Asakawa’s friendship and with everyone else out of the room, had Gunju admit to there relationship. There he introduced him to the bounty-hunter that was to find her – Toshitaka Shimiztu. Then his commander ordered Toshitaka Shimiztu to find Natsuko Asakawa, not allow her Supuku, and bring her back. The bounty-hunter was to take his five-man patrol with him – including Sin Gunju.

After leaving the castle, Toshitaka Shimiztu told him of the testimony sending them to the rest of Gaeleth. Then Gunju asked him about being a bounty-hunter and started learning about the Gaijin and bounty-hunting from him. As they traveled throughout Gaeleth, he started to learn more about the culture, becoming interested in some aspects, and appalled at others. As they traveled through the woods in a land called Linshala, they were attacked by a monster. The monster killed two of Toshitaka Shimiztu's men, and then bounty hunter himself. The bounty hunter ordered the rest to run before he died.

Gunju, after nearly a year's travels both on the high seas and around various ports in the foreign lands, had one final lead in the land called 'Rakore'. When he arrived, however, the trail had long grown cold; the proud samurai was also nearing the ends of his foreign monies. Considering giving up, and going home, he received another calling.

An old man offering substantial wealth, perhaps enough to return home, was also offering a wondrous quest. Long ago, an ancient artifact had nearly destroyed the world when the great powers of the time had searched for it, and the old man, Ye'amen, wanted to find it, and destroy it once and for all.

Character

Gunju is a haughty, confident-to-the-point-of-arrogance young man. He thinks that all these 'foreigners' are crazy, without realizing that he is the foreigner in the western lands. He has no problems working with groups of people who share his goals, so long as they do not perform evil acts in his presence. Evil he must deal with wherever he finds it, provided that it is not within the purview of the local administration – in which case he feels his duty is merely to inform the locals. Knowing he is ignorant of the foreign lands he visits, he attempts to learn as much as he can about them, and therefore keeps a more open mind than others – in regards to certain things. He's very close-minded when it comes to his own customs and ideals, such as his refusal to touch the dead, or be touched by anyone who handles dead things.

Recently, he has become the beloved of a Paladin of Yatindar named Jena. Gunju will do anything to defend her – and his son, Itchiro.

3E Oriental Handbook Stats

5th-level Samurai (Lion)
Initiative +3
HP 37
AC 20; Fortitude +5, Reflex +3, Will +5
Speed 6


Alignment: Lawful Good
Languages: Common, Chamdoi'im.
Skills: Battle Tactics +5 (Oriental Handbook), Craft (Flower Arrangement) +3, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +4, Intimidate +7, Jump +5, Knowledge (Gaijin) +8, Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) +3, Perform (Iajitsu Focus) +10, Perform (Storytelling) +3, Profession (Sailing) +2, Ride +5, Sense Motive +8, Spot +2.
Feats: Void Use, Way of the Lion (x2), Quick Draw, Dodge, Expertise.
Str 14(+2) Con 12(+1) Dex 16(+3) Int 12(+1) Wis 12(+1) Cha 14(+2)
Equipment: Lacquered armor of light fortification +1, katana +1, wakazaschi +1, longbow, bracers of armor +2, dai tsuchi +1, 4 potions of cure serious wounds, wedding ring made by Prat (undead make a Will save DC 21 to detect or see wearer; undead of 3HD or less approaching within 10ft must make a Fortitude save DC 20 or be disintegrated).

gaeleth/people/sin_gunju.txt · Last modified: 2021/09/28 15:49 (external edit)