Daitan Shindashi

Euthanatos
Acarya of the Phula
Shiryokosha no Shujin
Sensei of Walking the Ebon Road
Minister of Lore of the Court of Shooting Stars

Description


~Starting to get on in his years, Daitan still commands a colorful and compelling veneer. The good-looking Japanese gentlemen appears to be in his mid-30s. But he still loves his "zoot" suits. Daitan wears burgundy, midnight blue, ivory, black, or gray suits (and various combinations thereof) most often. He stands tall, boasting a great measure of self-confidence and pride. The wizened shinta keeps his inky-black hair short and swept back. Bright brown eyes scrutinize the people and places around him. A merry twinkle in that gaze accompanies a thin smile. Few accessories adorn the man. On his left hand, a bright red ribbon wraps around his middle finger. And the right ring finger bears his wedding band: white gold boasting three small but brilliant emeralds. Daitan sometimes seems distracted with thoughts beyond the obvious, perhaps by those adornments. But the man's zest for truth and finality is irrepressible. Every moment is lived as if it were his last...because he knows every moment is his last.~

OOC: Appearance 3; Arcane 1

"Let Fate decide and the game of life will end with honor."

History


Youth

Daitan was born Kojo Daitan, and his family was a simple, extended family that lived in middle-class Shimonoseki. His father, like his grandfather and great-grandfather, worked in a textiles (notably silk) factory, though his great-grandfather also fought and died in World War II, one of the many pilots turned kamikaze. His mother stayed home to care for the only child, Daitan, and the retired grandparents lived in the home as well. Subtle but unusual quirks began to manifest at an early age. Any games of chance that he engaged in he invariably won. More than once, as a young boy, he was found seemingly to talk to himself. This was presumed to be childhood "invisible friends", but in hindsight, Daitan realized he was touching the Yin World and speaking to the Sundead (the wraiths of Japan). His medium-like abilities were spontaneous, and thus the Sundead did not seek him out.

Throughout childhood, Daitan continued to manifest these idiosyncrasies. They created a more introverted and philosophical youth. But Daitan did not neglect his peers. He had many friends in school and played baseball for the peewee leagues. He never told anyone of his strangeness, perhaps because he thought it was normal. His family, for certain, never did anything to discourage the odd behavior. They rarely took notice of it, as he kept to himself at home, save when asked to dutifully family chores.

Awakening & Mentorship

Few notable events occurred in Daitan's life until that fateful accident in 1982 when a garbage truck slammed through his family's sedan, driving normally on the main streets. The wreckage obstructed the roads for hours. Others were injured, but his family took the brunt of the impact. Later investigation on Daitan's miya's behalf discovered that the accident was set up -- Daitan has still not be informed of this information, kept a secret from him for some 17 years. The Metal Dragons were in pursuit of a akuma-jin (barrabi or Nephandus), and the Infernal mage used his cunning power to cause the terrible accident and halt their pursuit. Daitan Awakened as he faded in and out of coma, his consciousness sent through the Wall and on a vision of death and life. When he opened his eyes after emergency surgery, the world was painted another color. He no longer saw life in the blacks and whites his parents taught him, but all its myriad grays. A smoky form lingering in the back of his mind whispered truths and tempted him with the rewards of fulfilling his offered Destiny. He touched the grays of Death and saw the colors of Life. At this moment, he was given the choice to die and join his family or live and Awaken. His Avatar warned that his new path would be difficult, but he accepted.

A representative of Kuroiten, one of only two Shiryokosha (a small sect of Euthanatoi in Japan that is based on syncretionistic Shintoism and Buddhism) miya (chantries) in Japan discovered him during his recuperative time in a Shimonoseki hospital. Daitan's sensei-to-be was one of Kuroiten's leading members, a Master of Spirit and Entropy and Adept of Life. Her name was Hansha Aki and she approached Daitan, offering him a choice similar to what he had just made with his Avatar. Three years after Daitan's indoctrination into the Kyoto miya, he underwent his first sanpo yurei (the agama te) at the age of sixteen. He encountered the Sundead and learned then that the Yin World was to be treated with reverence. He was fortunate he encountered nothing more during this perilous journey. After this sanpo yurei, he was renamed Shindashi Daitan and was considered true Shiryokosha.

In-depth training within Kuroiten taught him most of what he knows today. Though he studied in particular under one sensei, all of the Adepts and Masters aided his development. The Shimonoseki-based miya is a tight-knit setting; a necessary concern when potentially dangerous foes (such as neighboring Akashic Xiaduoyuan and Metal Dragon Constructs, as well as nearby corrupted Hiroshima) are surrounding. The charismatic Hansha Aki always helped Daitan out as much as she could, and as a result, he excelled in his studies. Although seemingly only in her early 30s, she was actually well over a hundred due to longevity magicks. After his first sanpo yurei, she became a little more than a sensei to him, and they became lovers for a time. In fact, til the age of 27, Daitan and Aki were off and on an "item" in Kuroiten. However, there was never anything serious between the two, nor was anything serious intended. Throughout his stay at Kuroiten, Daitan only ever underwent three more sanpo yurei, even after he gained the power to enter the Yin World on his own. Each time was out of strict necessity and he found each time became more perilous. It was as if the consuming energies of Oblivion reached out to claim him the more he touched that dismal world. Only through his Tradition's insistence that he remain clean and unsoiled of death (which in itself is considered unclean, and few mysticks in Japan truck with it as a result -- the Shiryokosha simply see the necessity that someone has to do it!) did he manage to remain relatively free of death-taint. Needless to say, Daitan maintained most of his friendly connections across the Shroud!

Early Years

After the accident, his grandparents remained in the modest home and recieved insurance payments to live on. They accepted Daitan's leaving, made to believe the miya was a private boarding school. Daitan pushed, though without needing to, for the chantry to send his grandparents a small staple to help their financial concerns. He sends occasional correspondence (along with an ample sum of money) to his grandparents, but knows that their time will soon come. He does not attempt to halt this process, that being against the beliefs of the Shiryokosha. Besides this immediate family, he has never made contact with any cousins, uncles, aunts, or other relations, and honestly does not know if any others live. He does not seem particularly interested either, perhaps because of the Kojo's tendency for self-reliance and exclusion from the rest of the extended family (who were actually on the other side of the country).

During Daitan's stay at Kuroiten, he accomplished much for the miya. He helped reorganize and expand their libraries. He kept an eye on the Yin World and the local gaki, who were primarily of House Genji and had truck with the Kin-jin -- which the Shiryokosha did not approve of, of course. He also personally hunted down the notorious akuma sorceress, Aiyume Sempu. It was through this encounter that he learned of the danger that the Yama Kings and other demons posed. And for the first time, Daitan killed someone -- without regret. Six years later, Daitan has slain many more, and most of them have been irretrievably corrupt. His prey has ranged from Infernal sorcerers to drug dealers. Of course, more than one has been a bad judgment, but Daitan does not know that (or he wouldn't have done it). Overall, Daitan has killed nearly a hundred bonified demons or pawns of demons. In 1998, Kuroiten expanded with many new Awakened. Not ready to take on pupil right then and the chantry halls too full for someone to just hang around, he made a decision.

Recent Years

Daitan left Japan for the opportunities America offered. He did not linger in San Francisco very long, though he enjoyed his stay while there. He felt a calling to go elsewhere. Serendipity led his nose from the tumultous West Coast to Little Asia, Kansas City. Here he met with the illustrious Nekoko. Both his current sensei and leader, she is the surest link Daitan has to seeing his dreams and Path come true. He is not likely to abandon her and her organizations anytime soon. He was there when the Reitake were realized, and when they fell to that terrible accident in early 2000. He was there when Nekoko raised the Court of Infinite Ages.

Throughout this time, he worked to expand both his own and the shinta's magical and supernatural awareness. Indeed, he dedicated most of his time to intense studies and occasional but deep probes into the spirit realms. So focused on this preparatory task was he that when the Court of Shooting Stars began, he was immediately reappointed as Minister of Lore. "The future is now", and Daitan continues to work diligently to realize his dreams. As part of realizing his future and hopes, Daitan married Duatnefret "Diamond" Liao, a fellow Euthanatos mystick. They even had a child together in 2004, and they named their son Nen. With family at his care, Daitan became even more intent on succeeding in his ambitious plans.

Avatar


Daitan's Avatar is a confusing entity that one day pushes him forward into his Destiny, the next day meandering off on some other road, dragging Daitan along for the ride. Daitan's recent interest in having children is one of these side-tracked roads. His Avatar appears to him as a smoky entity with myriad, colorful sparkles about. When engulfed in sagashite, his entire consciousness is overwhelmed with this smokiness. When Epiphany strikes, the sparkles flash brightly and he is made aware. It does not speak to him, only directs him along his course.

Fortunately, Daitan gets along well with his Avatar. Rarely do they struggle, for Daitan believes his Avatar is a direct gift of the kami and it would be bad karma to fight its wishes. When they do conflict, it is often over the course of his Path. His Avatar occasionally hints at actions that Daitan might take to further his cause, but conflict with other matters on hand -- often matters his Avatar got him into in the first place!

The Hall of Bones (Sanctum)


~An ancient, underground crypt, this Native American burial site is older than the ghosts whose predecessors no longer linger. Covered after centuries of natural, geological development, the bones within likely date back to the last Ice Age. The crypt itself is simply a man-hewn cave branching off from the secret tunnels leading from the Yamahasu pagoda into the city. Perhaps one hundred yards from Camel Hill, a hole in the tunnel wall leads into a smaller, adjacent tunnel that pushes back another ten yards. The tunnel opens up into this dry cave, bereft of all things but a dusty floor and cleared off, rounded walls and ceiling that extend perhaps a total of twenty feet back and ten feet up. The human bones have been calcified into the bedrock floor and Daitan has no intention of removing them. Everything else the Shiryokosha obviously added. A wooden card table sits near one wall, four folding chairs surrounding. A single-sized bed leans against one wall, a nightstand, lantern, and radio resting peacefully nearby. Velvet curtains hang from rods afixed to the ceiling. They enclose a small restroom area, which includes a decent-sized bathtub, and modern plumbing runs down from the nearby pagoda. Removable candles line the walls and are lit or extinguished when the Sanctum's owner enters or leaves. A personal Shinto shrine rests in one corner of the room, incense sitting next to the mirror and other religious devices. A bookshelf lined with tomes of varying depth, thickness, and age stands against the furthest wall. Perhaps most curious are the complex mandalas adorning every part of the wall, each depicting, in typical Japanese "syncretionism", one of the many great Buddhas or Japanese kami. The Sanctum definitely evokes transcending peace and quiet, the final triumph of death over life and life over death.~

OOC: Arcane 2

Sect


The Shiryokosha are a very small sect of the Euthanatos Tradition based solely in Japan. Numbering no more than three dozen mages of varying strength and calibre, they can call only three chantries their home. Two are hidden in the super-metropoli of Kyoto and Tokyo. A third is based in the Ryukyu Islands. All maintain a low profile presence with the dominance of the Akashic Brotherhood and the Subtle Thunders.

The Shiryokosha existed in Japan for most of the fledgling nation's history. Since the rise of organized Shintoism, this sect formed. Through ritualistic ceremonies and dances, these Awakened channeled yugen from the blessings of the kami. The energy was fueled into their rites of life and death, purifying the spirit in preparation for what is simply put Ascension. The Shiryokosha always lived on the fringes of society, neither too far or too close. For centuries, they managed to avoid the greater conflicts of civil strife and war between the shen. They had mild difficulties with the Subtle Thunders on a few occasions. They held fierce debates with Buddhist Choristers and Akashic Brothers when safe and feasible. But their long-standing conflict was always with the Japanese akuma sorcerers -- Nephandi in Western lexicon. The Shiryokosha, as holy men and women, represent the path of purity and transfer of essence from life to death and back again. The Nephandi stand as corruptors of that cycle more than anything else.

Although Tantrick exercises and rituals are not involved in the Shiryokosha system of magickal beliefs, other Far Eastern Thanatoics took notice of these mages. Pilgrims from China, India, and Southeast Asia have visited the Japan and largely left Japan soon after. But a few stayed and a few encountered this small sect. Over time, it was inevitable that they become invited to the Euthanatos Tradition. Unlike many of the other sects around the world, the Shiryokosha did not officially join the Tradition until after World War II. Now the sect continues to maintain as low profile as it can. It seeks to proliferate its purist Shinto beliefs in careful manners. The sect also does its part in the war against yoma, opposing demons and their akuma minions wherever they are found.

Significant Other


Daitan and Duatnefret Liao met in 2002 in Little Asia. Duatnefret worked at the museum in the district. Daitan was investigating Egyptian lore through the exhibits. The two soon it it off. Dates proceeded into passion, passion became romance. The two Euthanatoi shared love and mystickal lore alike. Eventually, the two were married in Shinto fashion on March 14th, 2004. Duatnefret was already pregnant and gave birth to their son, Nen, on March 25th. They had a daughter next: Sanura was born October the 15th of 2006. The growing family intends to see through the ambition of Horizon Realm creation. There the Shindashi's could raise a family in safety and find real peace at last.

But before the escape to Nekoko’s promised Nozomi could come to pass, tragedy struck. Duatnefret seemed to succumb to Shades from the Underworld in 2009. Demons from the past returned with a cruel vengeance, robbing husband and children of beloved wife and mother. Daitan vanished into the Yin World to exact terrible revenge and perhaps find the lost soul of his beautiful wife. Curiously, Horus -- the Horus -- found her soul first, rescued her, and bestowed upon her the Spell of Life. She returned to Daitan's arms in 2012; alas, their children now fear their undead mother...

Duatnefret

Weakness
Iro-Otoko -- "Colorful Man"


Daitan has been given a great vision for the future of humanity. Unfortunately, this loverboy can't keep his eyes off the short term. Searching for love and a family to call his own, he is distracted from his necessary studies and delayed by his own desires. He must learn to balance the Yin and the Yang instead of bouncing from one to the other day-to-day.

Likelihood of Corruption


Average.

Daitan's strength is also his weakness. He may lose sight of his goals for friends and family, but those same loved ones are his anchor. They fetter him against the tides of darkness, and help prevent him from slipping over that edge many Euthanatoi stumble over. Still, the shinta treads dangerously and tempts Fate almost daily.

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