Kakita Makoto's Twenty Questions

01. What Clan does your character belong to? He's a Crane. Nothing much to be said: he doesn't try to distance himself from what the Crane clan is or stands for, nor does he break the mold in any way.

02. What family does your character belong to? He comes from the Kakita family. However, not the "mainstream" Kakita Bushi family, that has given Rokugan many warriors and duelists... but a lesser branch of the family, maintaining the Kakita Jester school, that has given Rokugan many kabuki actors and stand-up comedians.

03. Is your character a Bushi, a Shugenja, or a Courtier? Well, he grew up torn between his parents, who wanted him to uphold the family tradition, and his personal wish to instead become a bushi. He never outright rebeled against his parents, but after several years of bowing his head and imploring, they eventually gave up on his Jester career and transferred him to the Kakita dojo.

04. How would others describe your character's appearance? They would probably describe him as a "petite, pretty, long-haired Crane samurai-ko with pale skin and bleached hair". Except for those who know Makoto is a man, which would instead describe him as a "petite, pretty, long-haired Crane samurai with pale skin and bleached hair".

05. What is your character's primary motivation? Makoto wishes nothing more than to prove his worth as a samurai and as a bushi. He's not a naturally ambitious fellow, but, of course, he would never refuse honors such as a battlefield commission, land, or titles. However, if he had to chose between being made governor of a city or taisho of an army, and having people throughout Rokugan speak of him as noble, heroic and honorable samurai, he would chose the latter. And yet, both glory and status would mean nothing to him unless they were built on the foundation of Bushido. So, Honor first, then Glory, and only as a last thing Status.

06. Who is the person your character trusts most in the world? His parents, Kakita Kabuto and Kakita Yumi. Even if they had some hard times in the past, they love him, and he knows that. In the end, they let him chose his own path in life instead than pushing the family's traditions and obligations onto him, and that's not something that happens often in Rokugan: a clear sign of love.

07. What is your character's greatest strength and weakness? Makoto has trained long and hard to become a bushi worthy of that name and worthy of his own clan and of the love of his mother and father, and his skills with a sword and a bow are finely-honed. Hoever, perhaps even more than that, Makoto's real strength is his strength of character. He believes single-mindedly in Bushido and in its virtues, and strives to be an exemplar of duty, justice and compassion. He wil sooner commit Seppuku than betray the code of Bushido. This idealistic approac, however, makes his thoughts, intentions and words very easy to read. Makoto is no dissimulator: he is straight, blunt and to the point both in thought and in action. He believes every other samurai to be as honorable and duty-bound as he is, and the thought that someone might be using him or even purposefully lying is utterly alien to him. As a consequence, he is almost hilariously easy to fool and manipulate.

08. What does your character think of Bushido? A life without Bushido is not worthy of being lived. For Makoto, Bushido and its seven virtues of compassion, courage, politeness, duty, justice, honor and sincerity are, quite literally, everything.

09. What is your character's opinion of his Clan?

10. Is your character married?

11. Does your character have any prejudices?

12. To whom does your character owe the most loyalty?

13. What are your character's favorite and least favorite things?

14. Does your character have any recurring mannerisms?

15. What about your character's emotions?

16. How would your character handle a subordinate's improper behaviour?

17. How would your character's parents describe him?

18. What is your character's highest ambition?

19. How religious is your character?

20. How will your character die?