Rukararralyyk Usanagi

Name: Rukararralyyk Usanagi
Nicknames: Yoji, Ruk
Type: Dragon-Blooded Exalt
Player: NPC
Age: 179
Aspect: Water
Concept: Member of the Hallowed Order of the Grass Spiders
Motivation: Be defeated.
Political Affiliation: The Hallowed Order of the Grass Spiders
Anima: A vortex of water begins swirling behind him. It starts small at first, but grows into a gaping maw at totemic levels, swallowing his opponent's drive to continue fighting.
Likes: Assassination, swordplay, spicy food, stand-up comedy (Although he never laughs at it), beer
Dislikes: Wine, sweets, vanity, narcotics
Theme Song: Raekwon - Guillotine

Background

At a young age, Prince Rukararralyyk Usanagi, a descendant of deep Eastern nobility, was kidnapped by the Grass Spiders as part of a ransom contract they'd undertaken. Unexpectedly, their client was killed by another now-defunct assassin clan with whom the Grass Spiders were warring. Left with a young Ruk, the Grass Spiders knew of his noble lineage and strong breeding, and they decided not to waste such potential. They raised and trained him as one of their own. Sure enough, Ruk Exalted shortly into his adolescence, and quickly surpassed nearly every member's mastery of the Order's martial arts style. He spent many prosperous years as the Order's top assassin. His initial stint with the Grass Spiders also included an extended contract where he lived for two years in the Realm as the secret black hand of the Scarlet Empress, who liked to have a convenient means of eliminating other problematic spymasters without involving the bureaucracy of the Thousand Scales. He retains many contacts in the All-Seeing-Eye to this day.

Feeling (perhaps rightly, at the time) that he'd surpassed his clan, Ruk left the Order after some time, taking the title Yojimbo and wandering the East, looking for opponents capable of challenging him. Finding no suitable opponents, Yoji grew restless, wondering if he'd outlived his purpose. Although he considered committing suicide to avoid a wasted life, he instead decided to use the money he'd earned as a Grass Spider to host a fighting tournament, offering a Gem of Immortality to the winner, hoping to draw out Creation's strongest fighter. The tournament was held in Nexus, with the blessing of the Emissary (who presided over the ceremony) and the sponsorship of the Guild - Yoji's "Path to Godhood" fighting tournament became known throughout Creation.

Still, Yoji easily defeated every opponent thrown at him - veteran Immaculate Monks, taimyos of the Seventh-Legion, Imperial Generals, and even the Sidereal agents Heaven had sent to reclaim the Gem Yoji had stolen. Gyoki would not tolerate such a crass display from someone who rightfully belonged to the Order, and sent Iron Shatters Oak to compete in the tournament. Oak made it to the championship round, and before fighting Yoji, made a wager with him - if Oak won, Ruk would rejoin the order. If Oak lost, Oak would agree to leave the Order and spend the rest of his life attempting to forge a flawless blade for Ruk. Ruk agreed, and the two fought a now-legendary duel that carried them throughout most of Nexus and into the surrounding bamboo forest. It was here that Oak made his final stand. Although Oak's technical skill was surpassed by Yoji's, Oak was an older Dragon-Blood and capable of using his Essence to great effect. Additionally, Oak himself was a practitioner of the Eight-Legged Harvest Promenade, and was better equipped than any other opponent to defend against Ruk's unpredictable jumping attacks and unorthodox blade striking. After a brutal melee in the bamboo forest, Oak felled Ruk with the last ace he had hidden up his sleeve - Oak's white jade Grand Daiklave was actually eight daiklaves folded into one ((Think Cloud's buster sword from FFVII:AC)). He deployed all eight, and like the spider his style emulated, seemed to have eight limbs as he struck Ruk simultaneously from eight directions. Defeated but not killed, Ruk returned to the Order humbled, recognizing he had more to learn.

To this day, Ruk, along with Tiamat, remains the Order's foremost authority on single combat and traditional assassination arts. Among the Harvestmen, he has not taken any specific responsibility outside of his contract work, but instead serves as a link between them, ensuring that all of the member's pursuits continue to espouse and benefit the philosophy of the order. As such, to those in the know, he is considered the de facto leader of the Order beneath the Three Elite Fiends, who are often less directly involved with the day-to-day affairs of their clan.

As neither opponent intended to kill the other, Ruk does not consider his loss to Oak a proper defeat, although it was a serious turning point in his life. He continues to seek out increasingly more powerful marks, hoping that someday he'll meet the combat death he hopes for. He has yet to find it.