Age	21
Height	5’10"
Eyes	Dark
Skin	Pale
Hair	Blue Black
Faith	??

Class: Samurai (4th)

Matsuro is Ameiko’s younger half-brother and founder of the adventuring group, The Seven Swords.

Matsuro was the second child that their mother had by an illicit affair. The first was Tsutso, a half-elf boy that became quite the scandal in Sandpoint. Two years later, Mutsuro was born but to a different, and human, father.

The tragic tale of the Kaijitsu family was only going to get worse from here. Lonjitsu, Matsuro’s step-father, murdered their mother by pushing her off the Sandpoint cliffs. Tsutso knew what Lonjitsu had done but had no proof. The two constantly fought and in one particular fiery fight, Ameiko tried to quell both sides but was struck by both men. She ran away to Riddleport that same day to become an adventurer. She was 16. Tsutso, 14, left not long after.

This left Matsuro in the care of Lonjitsu who both resented and neglected him and he has hated both his siblings ever since for abandoning him. When he turned 14, his brother returned to Sandpoint with a tribe of goblins and murdered Lonjitsu before kidnapping the recently returned Ameiko.

He held her in the family glassworks factory before she freed herself and killed him in her escape. As the direct heir of Lonjitsu, Ameiko inherited the family holdings and factory. She offered Matsuro a place in her home but he turned his back on her and apprenticed himself to a retired warrior. Ever since then, he has gone out of his way to discredit, insult or humiliate the Kaijitsu name. Now that he is 19, he is a strong and handsome man who is quite popular in the town despite being little more than a braggart and bully. This has led him to be in several run-ins with various personalities, including Shalelu, her sister and her apprentice. Each time he has come off second best.

He honestly believes the family fortune should have been left to him as he was the only one that stayed and suffered the abuse of the family patriarch.

Matsuro’s Theme

Relationships – Stories List

Preferred Gifts: Exotic Weaponry
Hated Insults: His bastard heritage

Luthien (33 – Devotion): Matsuro has known Luthien for most of his life due to her training at the family compound but has never socialized with the elf. He has a general dislike for her due to her not bowing to his chauvinistic ways but is very careful around her for he has heard rumours about the kind of training she has received.

Update

If there has been one thing that has tempered Matsuro’s anger in recent months, it has been the mysterious elven woman. While at first he took it as insult that she could “train” him, he now looks forward to every training session. Her smile in return to his rudeness, her dancing steps away when he lashed out and her dark eyes flashing with approval when he has advanced his skill.

His pride is still strong and she is both challenging and skilled, something Matsuro is still coming to grips with. She is unlike the women of Sandpoint and it both frustrates him and drives him crazy. He has grown up believing women should be delicate, subservient cherry blossoms and while Luthien is both delicate and a cherry blossom, she is anything but subservient. And as they spend more time together, Matsuro is starting to think he would not want it any other way.

Update

Compared to the full circle relationship Ameiko and Luthien, his is a 180. The journey across the top of the world and into his ancient homeland has left him a changed man. Haunted by his past, angry with the world and its injustices, Matsuro was heading down a very similar path of his older brother, Tsetsu. Self-destructive and evil. And yet, despite that, an elf, a being not even of his race saw something more.

Everything Matsuro thought he wanted has changed. His perceived birthright, the power of rulership and a life of ease and easy women. He now only wants the intoxicating scent of his beloved and the touch of her delicate hands. However, it would be injustice to both to throw everything away. Instead, he wants to prove his honour is worth loving, that his birthright is claimed on deeds not boasts and that any challenge is met equally, not as a protector. This is everything he wants to say, if only he could.

His silence was stopped being on of arrogance and one of a man in thought, one that has many dreams and wants but cannot vocalize them. Not yet anyway. But it matters not, she knows and she agrees through shared silent moments and that is why she has stolen his heart. He is not Tsutso or his father, he is not cursed or misunderstood anymore. He is Matsuro Kaijitsu and like Beren of the ancient tale, he is man who has won the heart of an immortal beauty. His destiny was greater than he dreamed.

Athebryn (16 – Rival): The gnome is an annoying little beastie that vexes the young man. His cooking is not bad but the gnome knows how to just goad and taunt him. And every time he has pushed him too far, the gnome disappears behind Ameiko or someone else.

He has not forgotten the incident in Sandpoint as the caravan left and is still plotting revenge.

Update

Athebryn is a green haired kobold, a deranged rabbit and a damn cockroach. He doesn’t die, he doesn’t stop moving and he is constantly underfoot. At first, Matsuro thought it was just the gnome being his generally annoying self, but now he knows that the feral fey reject takes great delight in making him personally miserable.

Ignoring him doesn’t seem to work and he is well aware he cannot raise his sword on him. Tian is a big and foreign place though and there are many hidden dangers and places to get lost. However, if the gnome brings up his mixed blood again, Athebryn will be spayed.

Theibar (24 – Fellowship): Matsuro has always had a strong and mutual dislike for the elven ranger. They have come to blows on several occasions and the elf has even back him down non-violently as well which shamed Matsuro.

Despite this though, the ranger was the first of the caravan to extend a hand in friendship. It was an odd gesture but Matsuro does not require pity, especially from a dirt hunting elf.

It is nice not to have an enemy in the caravan at least….

Update

“Equals” The word is still etched in Matsuro’s mind. He has only ever been greater or beneath someone in station, never equal. It is not something he expected from an either, he swore they always looked down on humans. Equals means no expectations, one can be as they are, no questions no permissions.

Though loathe to say it aloud, the elven ranger is the closest friend he has ever had. Even his old cronies were just that, idiots who followed his every word. Whilst Ameiko is concerned about becoming a ruler, Matsuro fears being rejected by a culture he loves and emulates. Ameiko has many to rely on, and now, Matsuro feels like he has someone to turn to as well. Almost like a ……. Brother.

Update

Matsuro is quite pleased to hear that the elven ranger would be staying in Minkai. A strong sense of respect and admiration has grown in Matsuro for the Theibar as well just the ease of conversation. While neither are the biggest talkers, he is much more relaxed in the elf’s company and quite enjoys drinking and gambling with him and Sandru. In those times, a very different personality comes out and a genuine camaraderie can be felt.

With Sandru possibly leaving, Matsuro was concerned he would be left with few male friends in Minkai where his low birth may have been held against him. Either that, or due to his relationship with Ameiko, fake two-faced friends and yes-men would appear. Plus, with the possibility of being brother-in-laws, he has a refuge to head out of court from time to time while Luthien is busy with Ameiko. There has to be many “tea-houses” and gambling dens to be tested by the two of them.

Jinko (14 – Friendship): Another damn gnome, another straggler. This one seems less annoying than the other one though and actually seems helpful. No screeching, practical jokes and foul cooking. Now if only there was a 1 gnome limit in the caravan, he could punt the other over the nearest ravine.

Ameiko: Matsuro’s relationship with Ameiko is long and complicated. When he was still a young boy, Ameiko was the only one of the family that would talk or care for him. She shielded him from her father’s abusive rages and Tsutso’s bullying. All Matsuro wanted to be is Ameiko’s brother and proper part of the family. The she left, abandoning him without a mother or caring sibling.

His fear slowly became hate with each beating he took from his step-father. He strove to prove himself as a true son but never gained any recognition. When Ameiko returned and Lonjitsu and Tsutso lost their lives, she just took back the family name as convenience and inherited everything. He would never forgive that slight and one day, he will be the one true Kaijitsu.

Update

The journey has given the two siblings much time to talk and grow. But still, it was a lot of resentment to bury. Even as they pushed into Tian-Xia, Matsuro found it difficult to let go his foolish pride. The fact she kept trying to make amends pushed him away further and that she found it easy to call so many friend was irksome. He was wrong and her burden is greater than he could have imagined.

His desire for the throne is gone, he has seen what has been sacrificed in this journey and the devastation visited upon the people of Minkai by those of “honour” and power. By those who see black and white, absolute right and wrong and where slights must be punished. He knows he would make the quintessential samurai ruler, but it would not help. It is not what Minkai needs now and despite his long held resentment, it is Ameiko that needs to bring light and freedom to the ravaged country. Not bound by stupid codes of conduct but by genuine care. Like she did for him as a child. He just hoped now that the people do not reject her for like he did.

He admits that they may never be close, but they are family and will never be enemies.

Shalelu: While he would never air it, he is quite afraid of the yellow-haired demon. Her eyes seem to pierce and judge him and he has been on the receiving end of her anger before. While he is physically stronger than her, he has never managed to lay a hand on her and he believes if ever tried again on her or Ameiko, she would end him.

Sandru: Matsuro views Sandru as he views all Varisians, a dirty, thieving gypsy. However, he now keeps that a view a little quieter around him now as he copped a fair whopping from the enraged caravan leader for airing such taunts. He knows the gypsy doesn’t like him and keeps to the back of the caravan while on the road.

Koya: Even Matsuro cannot get mouthy with the old cleric. No matter what he has done, she has never judged him and only has given him advice, whether it was asked for or not. In fact, around Koya, he feels a bit like a boy and is careful not to cuss or be impolite. If he is being obnoxious and Koya appears, he will usually sulk off somewhere as he is embarrassed.