Name: Kasuga Ypshi
Clan: Tortoise
Age: 24 years old.
Gender: Male
Height: 6'0
Body type: Lean, with deft fingers
Striking Feature: Short but well groomed hair, neat and polished clothing and demeanor
Enjoys: Bargain Hunting, Gift Giving, Doing Favors, Grilled Mackerel
Dislikes: Mantis Clan, Being shown up
Occupation: Diplomat, representative of Slow Tide Harbor
Tools carried: abacus, kiseru, wazizashi, gaijin coins, tetsubo (so uncivilized, wouldn't you rather deal with this politely before I break your face in?)
Known Family
Father: Kasuga Rayaki, Tortoise Sailor
Mother: Kasuga Saba, Bookkeeper
Sister:Kasuga Himawari, 14, undergoing training
Backstory
Kasuga Yoshi has had an interesting run. Born into a mostly ordinary family of a minor Clan, the Tortoise H\his mother, Saba, had come from a family that had once been a trusted advisor and architect of the Kizoku's network, but the family had since fallen out of favor. Looking to rekindle that success, their first child was named after that ancestor, Kasuga Yoshimitsu.
Their child was apprenticed out to a courtier and diplomat to Otosan Uchi, a samurai by the name of Kasuga Yamori. Yamori was a wizened man at this point, who delighted in playing games at Court that were supposed to be out of his league. The Tortoise's strange positioning as voice of the Minor Clans, but considered beneath notice of most Major Clans left them a surprising amount of room to operate and spread their shadow network throughout the Empire. Presenting themselves as respectable, but inferior representatives at Court, and to bring news from the nearby thriving port town of Slow Tide Harbor gave the Tortoise levers that most Major Clans would not consider: shameless purveyors of commerce that could make or break having enough food for winter, a willingness to do tasks with plausible deniability for a patron and a back channel to and between the Minor Clans. The boy was used as a lookout, runner, occasionally pickpocket and in general was there to observe Yamori wheedle, cajole, bargain and con his targets to get what he wanted. However, they would run into competition with the Mantis, and Yamori would play for keeps, resulting in a great deal of ire from the other Minor Clan.
Reaching his gempukku, Yoshimitsu chose to shorten his name to "Yoshi", meaning "the best". His parents and mentor appreciated his ambition, but found that while he had learned his lessons well, Yoshi had acquired a dangerous wish: to be considered valuable for his services. Much of the Tortoise's power lay in shadow, and the boy wanted dearly to step into the light, gaining a reputation for presenting a venture to Major Clans and finding investors...a venture that was cover for a Tortoise smuggling operation. When the ships returned flush, Yoshi earned a reputation as a financial savant and whispers of his wealth have spread. He himself has fueled these rumors with acts of generosity, which in turn have bought favors and further fueled his ambitions.
A recent attendee of the miai at Kyuden Shika, he had perhaps the strangest outcome of the assembled group: his assigned betrothed abandoned the match and seemingly vanished, but rather than slinking back Slow Tide Harbor in shame, his friendship to Kaikoga Koi (now Neeshin Koi) wound up bringing him to a post in Otosan Uchi when she herself was asked to visit by a Seppun whose interest she had captured.
Yoshi has faired decently well in his time in the city, and managed to get a reputation of getting people whatever they needed. As someone who offers only the scantest attention to propriety, obtaining goods and services discreetly became a trademark. However, with the death of the Emperor, his position has become far less stable as the factions of inheritance continue to quarrel. While he thinks that the old position would be there upon his return, he had been looking for a way to set a position without entirely relying upon the goodwill of Koi.
The formation of the 42nd was an outside the box opportunity, but Yoshi had long been someone to chase after such a path. His reputation of wealth and knack for acquisitions meant that he was able to obtain a posting in the logistics wing of the legion, even if there wasn't enough actual funds and clout to be placed in charge.
Plot Hooks
• Do you hang around Otosan Uchi? Yoshi would love to build ties to stick around there longer.
• Have you been to Slow Tide Harbor or would like to? Yoshi would be happy to hook you up.
• Do you have some aquisitions that you wish to be handled *cough* "discreetly"? He's the man to talk to.
• Are you from a Minor Clan? Solidarity! If you have a problem, it would be a privilege to help with that.
• How single is Yoshi? So single that he got matched at a miai and I still unattached. Want to change that?
