Rukararralyyk Usanagi

Name: Rukararralyyk Usanagi
Nicknames: Yoji, Ruk
Type: Dragon-Blooded Exalt
Player: NPC
Age: 179 (Now 187)
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, fishing
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.

What He's Been Up To

As age finally begins to become a disadvantage to Oak and Rizuka, Ruk is coming into his own. He has spent nearly his entire life training as a Grass-Spider. He has mastered a multitude of Terrestrial and Celestial martial arts and run countless missions of every sort. At just under two centuries of age, he is finally beginning to achieve his full potential. He has mastered every skill relevant to the Grass-Spiders' mission, and yet discipline remains the core of his character - Ruk still pushes his boundaries every day, and despite his pivotal role as the Order's de facto leader, he out-trains virtually every member of the organization; only Tiamat, Zealot, and Valen follow training regimens of comparable intensity.

With Atlas gone and Oak and Rizuka aging, it is fitting that a Water caste should move to the Order's forefront; Atlas started a shift in the organization, but in the Time of Tumult, perhaps only a Water caste is adaptable enough to survive to changing tides. In many ways, Ruk has been the Veil War's staunchest opponent and strongest supporter. While he routinely cautions everyone in the Order that getting obsessed with a shadow war with another clan of assassins risks destroying the Order's identity, he simultaneously manages the Order excellently and is keenly aware of of every thrust and riposte that goes in the Veil War, right down the associate level. Although he rarely gives direct orders, he feels personal responsibility for each associate killed in the line of duty. In addition to and partly because of this, Ruk is stuck in an ideological conflict, sandwiched between the Three Elite Fiends, who often ignore the Veil War in favor of continuing normal operation, and the lower ranks of the Order, whose lives are directly threatened by the White Veil Society's wrath. Paradoxically, he often finds himself an advocate for the opposite viewpoint - convincing the Fiends that War must be taken seriously while warning the Order's other members and associates not to lose sight of the big picture. This has been challenging, but Ruk's patience and attention to detail make him an excellent bureaucrat, though he'd never admit it.

Ruk has been busy enough trying to manage the top that although he is deeply involved in the Veil War, it has primarily been on the administrative end. He has grown close with Tiamat, another Member whose discipline and prowess have made he and Ruk a natural alliance. Because Anton is tasked with attending to the Order's vast network of contacts and worldwide associates (a task which has turned into a full-time job, as the Veil War has primarily been fought in these arenas), Ruk and Tiamat have teamed up to direct the Order, always striking a careful balance between fighting the Veil War and upholding the Order's reputation as Creation's most skilled assassins. The plan and spar constantly (typically at the same time), and they agree on just enough to be productive leaders - they are both extremely focused, fairly traditional in their mindsets, and place a high value on preserving the Order's rich history and bylaws. At the same time, they agree that Atlas's mission of change is one that should continue to be advanced. They differ somewhat in their implementation, however - Ruk takes a practical approach, believing the Order must change to survive and stay relevant in these chaotic times. Tiamat's belief is somewhat more idealistic, believing that the Order can become even greater than it is by recruiting a wider variety of non-traditional assassins into their ranks. Most members of the Order are satisfied with their direction overall.

One area where Ruk's patience has begun to earn him some ire is the recent developments in the Veil War. He has authorized little or no retaliation to the attack on the Range Homes, much to the aggravation of some of the Organization's more hot-headed members. Ruk suspects that retaliation is exactly what the White Veil Society wants, and expects that they already have plans in place to exploit any retaliatory efforts to the detriment of the Order. This hasn't stopped Ruk, but it has made him more cautious. Many suspect he is biding his time, lulling the White Veil Society's observers into complacence, and making sure the Order's members have a chance to cool off - they'll need their wits about them to carry out their eventual revenge; there are hushed rumors that Ruk, the Fiends, and a few select others are in fact plotting revenge, and that it will be the biggest job in the Order's history.