Motoko Nakakami

Motoko Nakakami
Motoko in Doma before the revolt.
Gender	Female
Race	Hyur
Clan	Doman
Citizenship	Doma
Place of Birth	Hinata, Doma
Nameday	1st Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon, 1553
Age	24
Guardian	Halone, the Fury
Profession	Swordswoman
Theme Song	The Gensokyo the Gods Loved

Motoko Nakakami (中神 素子, Nakakami Motoko) née Aoyama (青山, Aoyama) is a Doman refugee and survivor of the Garlean attacks on Doma following the Doman uprising. A specialist of martial combat styles, she practices a style of swordsmanship primarily focused on slaying creatures of the Void. Coming to Eorzea a season or two before the majorty of Domans fleeing their homeland, she has begun to establish a new school of learning, hoping to ensure the Shinmei-ryū style does not go extinct. Currently, she lives in Gridania with her husband, Seno Nakakami, and a number of their vassals and students.

Personality

Principled, ethical and tolerant, she was brought up to follow traditional Doman morals of the warrior class; meaning to follow obligation, politeness and duty. As a result, she was somewhat naive to the "ways of the world" in her youth and is sometimes confused or irritated by the mannerisms and attitudes of other people her age that might strike her as air-headed or frivolous, when it in truth is simply people taking a break from their personal disciplines. Moving to Eorzea has broken her of this somewhat, thankfully, but things she perceives as people shirking their duties or laziness still sets her off.

Although her upbringing is ingrained, she remains open to new experiences and willfully participates in Eorzean things, in particular fighting styles. Usually seen practicing and/or honing her martial techniques, she is, due to her serious nature, often seen as the moral or principled backbone of whatever group she partakes in. Motoko has not stopped to rest since moving to Eorzea, simply trying to absorb information and knowledge of fighting from the realm at a rate that one might call borderline self-destructive. If there is any inkling in her own mind that she is using training as a means to distract herself from the tragedy of her past, she does not show it or know it.

The woman is not without humor, though, often sharing jibing contests with her husbands and close friends. Usually, she loses these battles of wit, but short of a very quick tantrum that she is swift to turn around from, she does not hold a grudge against her allies and companions. Motoko's anger is saved for her enemies and she bears a feverish anger towards the Garlean Empire and its inhabitants that transcends her husband's. She is quick to scorn mention of the civilization and, upon sight, is wont to attack and aim to kill anyone who names themselves a national or ally of the Empire.

Appearance

Standing five fulms and ten ilms tall, Motoko is rather tall for a Doman and stands just a few ilms shorter than her husband. She bears black hair that is a well known trait of her race, and she has it styled long, falling to her shoulders. Her bangs are cut straight above her olive colored eyes and earlocks are sheared as well, though she has since allowed those bits of hair to grow out in a fringe since coming to Eorzea. Sometimes, though rarely, she pulls it back into a ponytail. The girl has strong shoulders and womanly hips and what could be considered an ample posterior and middling sized assets. She is well built due to her training and has no other physical markings of any kind, piercing, tattoo or otherwise.

Typically, Motoko's appearance and clothing resembles that of traditional Doman attire, often she is seen wearing gi and hakama, and it is general this that she wears when she is at her new home in the Lavender Beds. Other than that, she will wear clothing appropriate for the weapon she chooses to wield for the day or the task at hand. Mobile, light clothing for when she prefers hand-to-hand, steel armor and plate for when she prefers sword and board, scale mail for when she wields a lance and typical Lominsan marauder's garb for when she favors the axe.

That aside, it should be mentioned she is never seen without her katana, either at her hip or on her back when she needs to be more mobile.

Clothing

Biography

Early Life

Born in a Doma after the country had been conquered by Garlemald in a village called Hinata, Motoko Aoyama was raised from day one to be dutiful and respect tradition and honor above all things. Born into the Aoyama clan as the second daughter, she was driven even in youth to partake and train in the sword discipline native and originating from Hinata, Shinmei-ryū. A sword arts born from and passed down by the Aoyama family, it was well known through the region as a divine art and Shinmei-ryū practitioners were often called upon all across Doma to act as exorcists and defenders against Voidsent. Though Garlean rule and occupation had suppressed many of the traditional Doman combat styles to reduce the likelihood of an uprising, it had been deemed foolish to suppress the training of the sword in light of the deep rooted tradition the weapon bore for the Doman people. As such, though most sword disciplines were kept under a watchful eye, they were allowed to persist.

Motoko was inspired as a youngster by her older sister, Tsuruko, a senior by ten winters and the current heiress of the school, to become one of the renown warriors of the Shinmei-ryū school. As a potential heiress to the swordsmanship school, she was trained as a practitioner from the time she was able to hold a wooden sword. Beginning in her early childhood, and throughout her life, Motoko would idolize her older sister, viewing her as the personification of the life she should lead, much to Tsuruko's consternation, who always wanted Motoko to live her own life for her own happiness. At the age of five, she was introduced to a boy her age, Seno Nakakami, whom was sent to the school by his family to follow in the footsteps of the men of his clan and learn the Shinmei-ryū style. The two swiftly became inseparable, and, when not training, often ran amok pulling pranks and doing as children are wont to do.

Some seasons later, upon Seno's eighth birthday, another youngster was brought to the dojo even though she was only three, two years before the entry age of five. A Doman by heritage and birth, the girl's family had allowed an Eorzean miqo'te to marry into the bloodline. Though the girl, Setsuna Sakurazaki, was more Doman hyur than miqo'te, the dominate traits of the feline race showed through even generations later, giving Setsuna the cat-like ears, tail and eyes of a proper miqo'te. This caused no small amount of scorn amongst some of the students at the school, but Seno and Motoko were quick to take the younger girl under their wings, sheltering her and shortly becoming her friend.

Heritage and Marriage

Around the time Motoko turned fourteen, Tsuruko declared her intent to step down as leader of the school. This caused Motoko no small amount of stress, having never planned to inherit the school and having always believed and idolized Tsuruko as the perfect Shinmei-ryū warrior and teacher and having always thought it was her place to be behind her sister. It is partly believed that Tsuruko stepped down due to marrying her husband, wanting a more calming life and as a means to make her sister realize herself as a fine warrior, but regardless of the reason, Motoko fled Hinata and went into hiding, running from what was to become her inheritance.

Becoming something of a hermit, she spent a season at a remote inn in the mountains before Seno managed to track her down. Explaining her fears to her closest friend, Seno agreed to stay with her at the inn while Motoko worked out her worries and doubts about taking over the school. Seasons would pass and the two would continue their training in the chill of the Doman mountains. Seno at least kept regular correspondence with Tsuruko back in Hinata, assuring the woman of her sisters continued diligence and safety. Eventually, around the time of her sixteenth birthday, Motoko believed in herself enough as a person and warrior to accept Tsuruko stepping down as leader. Returning home, she formally apologized to her sister and declared herself willing to accept inheriting the dojo.

Tsuruko declares that she will accept Motoko's ascension as master of the dojo and apology for running away from her duties under one condition: that she best her in a duel. The heated combat that ensued was a duel that not many at the school that day would ever forget. Especially the local carpenters who had to replace the eastern wing's hallway. Never the less, it ended with Motoko standing victorious and Tsuruko declared that when Motoko's training was done, she would be heiress to the Shinmei-ryū school. The sisters embraced, Tsuruko pleased to have found her little sister had grown into her heritage. Nevertheless, Tsuruko acts as interim leader while Motoko continues to complete her training.

In the spring the following year, shortly after turning seventeen, Seno declared his affections to Motoko. Initially taken aback by the abruptness, the Motoko smiled and leaned over to rest her forehead against Seno's, informing him that his feelings were mutual. With that and after all the necessary preparations, the childhood friends married in late spring to all around glee in the school. Motoko, per tradition and unlike her sister, took Seno's last name as her own. In winter when Motoko turned eighteen, Tsuruko formally stepped down when her sister finished her schooling in the sword discipline and Motoko stepped up as leader of the Shinmei-ryū dojo and discipline. Almost immediately, Motoko took Setsuna Sakurazaki, then thirteen, as her personal page and student. Despite misgivings from many in the school about the girl's heritage, Setsuna swiftly began to prove to everyone how diligent she was and people in the discipline began to gloss over her muddled blood.

For many of the following seasons, the dojo and Motoko lead a pleasant life... but the turn of the era would come for Doma in Motoko's twenty-second year...

Revolt

As summer faded into fall, shortly after Motoko's twenty-third year, a coalition of Doman warriors, those of the Shinmei-ryū school included, planed and executed a revolt against their Garlean occupiers in conjunction with a greater force of Domans lead by the woman Yugiri. In part, they planned this revolt to coincide with the growing tension concerning the Garlean succession, in hopes that such tension would fragment Garlemald's attempts to reclaim the country. Initially successful, Doma established many a foothold as seasons came to pass and stood six moons strong against the Garleans as they took back the Doman homeland inch by inch. The Domans were successful in taking out many established occupiers... and the Garleans initial organized infantry falls easily to the Shinmei-ryū and other forces in Doma. This early victory was primarily due to well planned strikes, bottle-necking techniques, and Doman strategies that worked with their smaller armies and units.

Unfortunately, the good fortune would not last. Having underestimated Garlemald's ability to hold onto their claimed assets and to work every last available source, betrayal and tragedy fell in unison. In what could be called a decisive strike, a large number of Doman leaders were assassinated in a single stroke, almost all being killed over the course a single night. In full, this is due to the leader of a clan of trusted shinobi, a man known as Gekkai Sharpeyes, selling secrets and information to the Garlean Empire. No small amount of Domans die in the initial fighting and chaos, be they disciples of the sword, Shinmei-ryū practitioners, shinobi, or simply civilians caught in the cross fire. Confusion break out across the country and as the loss of the Doman leaders cause exactly what the Garleans had hoped for: disunity. In the aftermath, the shinobi declare Kasaru Redbeak the traitor due to a misunderstanding and given the fact he fled the country in fear. Oboro Moonrise, with a small group of shinobi, leave Doma to pursue him.

At this point, Garlemald declared their intent to wipe out the Domans to the last man, as retribution for their uprising.

Despite this, the warriors of Doma stood against the oncoming storm as their holdings crumbled. The first forces to regroup for attack and lead the front lines were those of the Shinmei-ryū school, having not suffered half again as many causalities in the betrayal as some other Doman armies, with both Motoko and Tsuruko surviving the attempts on their life. Though the resulting chaos had fragmented the Doman forces, the Shinmei-ryū stood strong, though wholly outmatched, an army of hundreds against an army of thousands. As a large Magitek force mounted to crush the smaller country, the Shinmei-ryū cavalry organized to stand against them despite all odds in hopes that their stand might give their remaining countrymen the time to recover and regroup on their own.

It is at this time, before the field of battle, that Tsuruko rendered Motoko unconscious and ordered Seno to flee. It was the reasoning of the elder warrior that on that day, all of the practitioners of Shinmei-ryū would die. Tsuruko foresaw no favorable outcome and had even heard that the Lady Yugiri and her entourage were planning an exodus should the straits become dire. Tsuruko believed that the school must be preserved and she refused to see her sister die, so she sent Seno away, bidding him take her sister and act as a scout in lands where fleeing Domans might live. Despite misgivings, Seno rode from their homeland, fleeing with Motoko and Setsuna overland to the coast.

Motoko awoke some time after, furious with both Seno and Setsuna, it was by no small feat that they keep the woman from rushing back to her sister's side. Subduing the warrior, both her husband and the miqo'te managed to talk, drag and coerce her onto a fleeing vessel bound for anywhere but Doma. Motoko swiftly grew enraged and depressed all in one fell swoop as the ship left harbor and broke down into Seno's arms. For the entirety of the voyage, the woman was an emotional void, barely eating. For all his worth, Seno comforted his partner. Though he could never know what she was going through, having been forced to survive by her sister's hand, when she had been just as willing to lay her life on line for her home, he could understand to a degree... After all, he knew not if his own family had survived.

After some time at sea, the ship docked at Radz-at-Han in Thavnair, the island nation founded by a number of merchant houses. For a week or two, Motoko, Seno and Setsuna got by on the island, searching it for others that might have fled. Motoko began to recover some of her liveliness, but Seno and Setsuna continued to keep a watchful eye on the woman. Though their time on the island was short, they were able to procure many supplies from the merchant conglomerate. Quite a few of them were Doman in origin, though the trio paid a pretty penny for the things, they wiped out a number of merchant stalls worth of their Doman goods, hoping to use them as a means to make wherever they settled feel like home. Then, after that short time, the trio brokered passage on another vessel and headed to Eorzea, hoping that they might find their kinsmen there.

Eorzea

After a time at sea, the couple and their page arrived in Limsa Lominsa. This arrival would find Motoko still livid with Seno somewhat, having shifted from depression to ferocity and frustration with both her husband and with Setsuna. It has certainly not made for an easy voyage from Thavnair. Hoping to make a fresh start, the flavor and spirit of the new land they arrived in began to soften Motoko, though, and she threw herself into exploring new martial styles, if only as a distraction from what had been left behind... and what had been lost.

Hoping to find refugees or fellow kinsmen, the trio began to travel the realm, exploring first Limsa Lominsa and then taking a ferry to the mainland, where they began to familiarize themselves with Ul'dah. Immediately taking a liking to the militant and disciplined structure of the Immortal Flames, Motoko and Seno enlisted in the Grand Company. Though diligent, they kept a low profile, rising only so far enough in rank as to secure themselves a pair of chocobo to better travel the realm. Motoko named their newly acquired horse-birds after Tsuruko's pet cranes, naming her yellow one Shippu and Seno's dark-violet one Hayate.

For some turns of the moon, Motoko and Seno familiarized themselves with the land. Among those styles and guilds she studied under, Motoko her name at the Maurauders' Guild in Limsa Lominsa, the Lancers' Guild in Gridania, and the Gladiators' Guild in Ul'dah, having become fascinated with combat involving axes and Eorzean swords. Her time in Ul'dah and with the Flames also gave her a proximity to the Sultansworn and, while she never considered joining them, she did attend a fair few training sessions with the paladins in an attempt to integrate their skills with her own. As such, she put her name in with the Conjurers' Guild in an attempt to adhere to some of the paladin's doctrines, but she was quick to drop her interest in learning conjury and magic, not finding it to her liking.

She and Seno also trained under a monk named Shanna Swiftgrace. They met the woman during a night at the Quicksand, where Shanna was drinking a roegadyn feet taller than her under a table. Finding the woman to be amicable and easily falling into conversation with her, they learned that Shanna had fled Ala Mhigo's decimation by Garlemald shortly after its conquest. When the Ala Mhigan learned what Motoko and Seno's goals were for the time being, she suggested that she pass on some of the martial arts of Ala Mhigo to the two. Thus, Seno and Motoko began picking up the tricks and tools employed by the Ala Mhigans and adding them to their prior knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. In the process, they ended up putting their names in the Pugilists' Guild as well.

Four months after Motoko and Seno arrived in Eorzea, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn eradicated the Ultima Weapon and Operation Archon came to pass. Unbeknownst to Motoko and Seno, the final stand of the Shinmei-ryū had bought precious time for the Doman forces to regroup and stand against the Garlean armies. The onslaught following Garlean's decisive maneuver proved too effective, however, and Doma fell in an eradication that bordered on genocidal. Yugiri and the remaining Domans fled a broken homeland, leaving shortly after Motoko and Seno's time in Eorzea had reached that fourth moon.

It was by chance and happenstance that Motoko and Seno heard of Domans in Wineport. Leaving Ul'dah to investigate, the trio ended up discovering Oboro Moonrise and his group attempting to hunt down Kasaru Redbeak, having tracked the traitor overland from Doma. Aiding Oboro over the course of a moon, the group unravels the plot of Gekkai, learning that he is responsible for Doma's initial occupation. Together, they slay the man in a viscous blow of justice, taking revenge on the man who fed Garlemald the information necessary for the Empire to take Doma in conquest.

A New Life

A month after Ultima Weapon fell, Yugiri and her Domans arrived in Vesper Bay, shortly after the traitor Gekkai had been slain. Word of the woman attempting to secure a safe haven for her refugees quickly spread, and Seno and Motoko leave Wineport to seek them out. Though the Syndicate blocked Ul'dah from offering aid, Seno and Motoko reunited with their fellow countrymen and joined them in Mor Dhona to begin what they hope are their new lives. At this time, the first new student of Shinmei-ryū was initiated, as one of the refugees, Kotomi Katakura, expressed interest and decided to learn under Motoko and Seno.

Long since used to getting by on the minimum necessities, the pair were able to accrue gil at an increased rate with various jobs taken on throughout the realm, with their best-paid jobs being the eradication of voidsent. As their successes mounted, word of their skill at this task spread, paving the way to more difficult, and higher-paying, contracts. To ensure that their fellow Domans weren't subjected to being able to perform similar feats, they made sure to inform everyone they took contracts from that the voidsent-slaying was the domain of the swordsmen of Shinmei-ryū. With this, they were able, within months, to purchase a small homestead in the Lavender Beds, doubling as both their home and a training dojo for the rebirth of Shinmei-ryū.

A few days after completing their work furnishing the new dojo, Motoko and Seno decide to wander their newfound neighborhood to learn about their neighbors. Stopping by at the Oak Inn located at the base of the hill upon which their dojo sat, they met several of its occupants, to include Gunnbjorn Darkblade, Ashiirra Azaria, Ariilyn Azaria, Devilish Sarracenia and Clouse Sydonis. This meeting proved fruitful as well, as Gunnbjorn spoke of his desire to learn their martial style, becoming yet another new student, himself with a keen interest in learning a new void-fighting style. Ashiira, as well, volunteered her adopted daughter for martial lessons, though more simple self-defensive sword training than the actual combat style.

Some days later, they met with yet another Doman by the name of Rika Lyall, a member of a shinobi clan dedicated to rooting out and destroying void cults, quite similar in ideal to Shinmei-ryū itself, though Rika's clan was more suited to assassinations of cult members before they could summon voidkin, wherein it would fall to Shinmei-ryū to fight actual voidsent. Rika, as well, decided to throw in her lot with the reforming school, at once to broaden her own abilities and to find solace amongst her own countrymen.

Traits

Likes ■ Honor & justice ■ Skilled warriors ■ Training and learning new combat styles. ■ Rain

Dislikes ■ Garleans & the Garlean Empire ■ Traitors ■ Turtles

Hobbies ■ Kendo ■ Writing classical Doman poetry. ■ Koi-koi, a Doman card game. ■ Mah-ziang, a game played in Radz-at-Han. ■ Eorzean literature

Other ■ Favorite Food & Drink: Crumpets, muffins & mulled and green teas ■ Favorite Creatures: Cranes & chocobos ■ Least Favorite Food: Eggplants ■ Least Favorite Creature: Garleans & turtles

Combat

Primarily proficient in melee weapons, Motoko's strengths lie in employing the common Doman sword, or katana. On top of that, her trained style, Shinmei-ryū, primarily employs life energy, or ki as the Domans know it, to channel power into and through the sword in a wide array of techniques. As someone who grew up learning the way of the sword for as long as she could hold a practice blade, Motoko's personal strengths lie in a steady but agile forms of battle, and she prefers freedom of movement to heavy defenses. Still, let it never be said that she is not a learner at heart. She is and always has been willing to pick up a new weapon or skill set when it is presented to her, and this has lead her to dabble in Eorzean sword and board, axes and lances near equally.

Endurance Strength Dexterity Agility Magic Intelligence ████ ██████████ █████ ███████ █ █████

• Axes: The first of the many combat styles that Motoko dabbled in upon coming to Eorzea, fighting with an axe and the learning taught by the Maurauders' Guild aside are some of her favorite new skills and styles to practice under. While she has not the strength to heft a full, double bladed axes or heavy bardiches, bills and bhujs quickly became her favorite implements. She took like a fish to water when it came to the skills requiring to force her body to turn abruptly and mve with great speed and force, though it can be said that she is unable to apply as much weight and force behind her skills as some other more adept maurauders and warriors might. Let it never bet said that she's not in touch with the angry fury that is required of some of the more advanced skills, just that she saves them for particular foes that enrage her, such as Garleans.

• Daggers: Generally favoring Doman-styled blades, she recently took up Eorzean daggers at a whim, upon landing in the coastal city-state of Limsa Lominsa. Though Eorzean dagger fighting is a bit flashy for her tastes, she quickly began to teach herself the dance-like tricks and flips that many of the rogues around Limsa Lominsa were keen on showing off when she spent her first few weeks in the port city. Additionally, having had a fair deal of training with Doman short knives and daggers prior to coming to Eorzea, Motoko's time spent with Oboro Moonrise also honed her ability with the weapon as he refined her knowledge of the Doman side of things. That being said, she typically keeps a Doman tantō on hand, tucked into the waist of her hakama.

• Hand-to-Hand: Let it never be said that those of the Shinmei-ryū school did not learn hand-to-hand combat. Unarmed combat being something of a necessary skill for a warrior to learn in Doma, Motoko was never the best at fighting without a sword. While that did not change when Motoko and Seno met Shanna Swiftgrace, Motoko did learn a thing or two, or fifty, from the diminutive monk. Learning Ala Mhigan styles on top of a shaky and novice's knowledge of Doman fighting caused Motoko no small amount of headaches when she was being tutored by Shanna, but that did not stop her. Now, when she fights hand-to-hand, she fights with a smooth blend of Ala Mhigan channeled abilities and Doman punches, kicks and disarms.

• Katana: Motoko's finest school of combat. Quite skilled with the blade she wields, Motoko uses the traditional styles of fighting taught to the Aoyoma clan for many ages now. She is proficient enough in this weapon to hold her own against the onslaught of others and multiples and she wields it with finesse. As per normal for practitioners of the Shinmei-ryū style, she is adept at fending off things that are inherently evil, specifically voidsent. Motoko's greatest strengths in the style lay in the ki channeled techniques that the school focuses on, rather than the quick draw and speed fighting that others are more adept at.

• Lances: Though initially very interested in the art of wielding the lance, Motoko quickly found that the upper body strength and core strength required to wield something so large as a lance was not in her fate. Her most recently trained Eorzean school, she finished out with the Lancers' Guild in good graces, but clearly realized early on that she would never be overly successful using lances and spears. This has not stopped her from keeping such a weapon well maintained and commissioning a set of light leather armor, but Motoko will not ever hone much skill with the spear and is content to remain mediocre at best.

• Ninjutsu: Where her time aiding Oboro Moonrise honed her dexterity and skill with the Doman short blade, Motoko's true gains and boon from spending time with the shinobi was picking up some knowledge of ninjutsu. Where most of her time in Doma had been spent learning the Shinmei-ryū style, the shadow arts of the ninja clans were not unknown to her, though they were never something she had dabbled in. As such, she was keen to glean as many skills as she could from her countryman, walking away from his company with a budding but veritable knowledge of the mudra and ki techniques that Doman ninjas employ.

• Sword & Shield: Of all the schools and guilds that Motoko has experienced, learning under the tutelage of the Gladiators' Guild in Ul'dah was, by far, the most challenging. Unlearning a lifetime of sword style and teaching herself to couple a much brasher, lively school of thought that incorporated a hefty, defensive shield on the other arm was alien to her at first... but she quickly came to enjoy it. Spending a fair amount of time training with fellow sword and board users in the Gladiators' Guild and also having spent some time watching the Sultansworn spar, Motoko has a layman's knowledge of how to work through a fight with this school. Additionally, she favors lighter gear, shields and blades, giving her a bit of mobility over heavier weapons users in the arena.

Relationships

Allies ♥ Romantic Interest ♥ Platonic Love ● Good Standing ♥ Seno Nakakami: Motoko's childhood friend and husband of four years. Though it may look to a casual observer that their relationship is borderline abusive and the couple wantonly antagonize each other, both know that their words are unedged and more for amusement between themselves. In truth, the strength of their bond rivals Garlean steel-working and both are ready to lay down their lives for the other, which bodes ill for any who oppose them. ♥ Setsuna Sakurazaki: A member of an established family from Doma that, generations upon generations ago, allowed a miqo'te to marry into the family, causing resulting children to be half-breeds and bear miqo'te features, such as feline tails and ears. Though she faced scorn all her life because of this, Setsuna is a caring, if some-what shy, girl whom Motoko considers a younger sister and whom learned Shinmei-ryū from Motoko herself. She would lay down her life for Motoko and Seno without question and would follow them into the fires of the seven hells. ♥ Tsuruko Aoyama: Motoko's sister, who presumably fell in battle to the first wave of Garlean forces as they struck down the Doman revolt. Motoko regarded her as the finest Shinmei-ryū practitioner to ever have lived. Motoko has stowed away her depression about her sister's death since the day she sent her and Seno away, and has never had proper time to mourn her sibling. As such, her mood turns beyond gloomy when the woman is mentioned. ● Gunnbjorn Darkblade: A recent ally, Motoko butts heads with Gunn in a friendly fashion, with jibes between them usually consisting of mocking the other's sword styles. She has recently begun imparting upon the knowledge of Shinmei-ryū to him, making him the first Eorzean student to enter the school. ● Hisato Aoyama: An ancient and well-respected member of the Aoyama family, Hisato's soul resides in Seno's katana Shinaijou, granting it its many unique characteristics. Unlike Kazue, Hisato's remaining spiritual power is low, and thereby unable to physically manifest as Kazue can, except in locations with great aetherial concentration. She is, however, able to communicate with Seno telepathically, and has a maternal attitude toward he and Motoko. ● Kazue Aoyama: A faithful kunoichi and Seno's retainer, Kazue has in truth been dead for several hundred years, her soul bonded to the shortsword Kagetaku that makes up half of Seno's ancestral daisho. She serves as both scout and combat support, her ghostly nature allowing her to access locations and information that no living kunoichi could. She has taken to Eorzean culture like a fish to water, easily disguising herself among the populace and already possessed of a snarky attitude. ● Kotomi Katakura: The first student of the new order of Shinmei-ryū established in Eorzea, she is a stoic and studious individual. Though she has little in the way of humor, she is exceedingly faithful and has demonstrated to Motoko and Seno that she will become a fine swordswoman. At current, she lives with the couple in their newly established dojo. ● Shanna Swiftgrace: An Ala Mhigan monk that fled when the city was sacked. Though her homeland remains in ruins, she is a bright, hyper-active ball of fury that few survive should they taunt her. The shortest highlander one would have ever known, standing at five fulms tall, Motoko became acquainted with her when they met in Ul'dah and Shanna was drinking a roegaedyn four times her size under a table. One thing lead to another and the two quickly got into a discussion about hand-to-hand combat and various tips and tricks. As such, Shanna decided to impart a fair deal of Ala Mhigan tricks upon Motoko and Seno and has remained in contact with them ever since.

Acquaintances ● Neutral Standing ○ Acquaintance ● Rika Lyall: A recent addition to the Shinmei-ryū school, Rika is a half-Doman, half-Ala Mhigan that met Motoko and Seno as they bickered outside in Gridania. Hitting it off well initially, Motoko has found herself pleased to welcome Rika into their school, even offering to allow Rika to board at the dojo. ○ Ariilyn Azaria: The first of the Oak Inn residents that Motoko met, Arii's attitude and sweet disposition charmed her to the young girl right off the bat. Truth be told, she has missed the sound of children playing more than she might have realized since leaving Doman... which might have been why she extended the invitation for Arii to be welcome at the dojo to play or train. ○ Ashiirra Azaria: A botanist and tracker, Motoko has talked most with Ashii out of the Oak Inn crowd, and given her liking of the woman's adopted daughter, she has found Ashiirra a pleasant person. They found they shared a common interest in hunting and tracking, though Motoko only vaguely so, and primarily they are both fond of Ariilyn. It is for this reason that Motoko mentioned Arii was welcome at the school. ○ Clouse Sydonis: Motoko only spoke with Clouse shortly, as her husband did much of the talking with the masked man when they visited the Oak Inn. The man struck her as polite, which was well enough to put him in decent standing in Motoko's book. ○ Devilish Sarracenia: Having made Dev's acquaintance when she explored their new neighborhood, Motoko didn't get to talk to the roegadyn too much yet. She likes the woman's attitude, however, so it's possible that they may hit if off well... or hate each other, one or the other! ○ Sabine Aislihn: Motoko knows Sabine because the miqo'te advertised having acquired some new seeds of Doman origin. As such, Motoko purchases a handful of plants from the woman from her homeland. Antagonists ● Poor Standing ♦ Enemies ♦ Garlean Empire: Not any one person, but the whole culture and civilization. Motoko vehemently despises anyone and anything to do with the Garleans and Garlemald. She will, with no quarter, attack on sight anyone claiming or accused of being Garlean, pure-blood or not. Her opinion on ex-patriots of the country is mixed, but it more likely than not that she will see red concerning someone formerly of the Empire.

Rumors

Some of these rumors are untrue or are greatly exaggerated. Please feel free to add your own rumors under PC!

◢ Common Rumors (Easily overheard.) ■ "That girl is fond of 'er schools of war. Every time I see 'er, she's got a new weapon in 'er hands. Somethin' about learnin' th'ways of th'realm." — Baderon Tenfingers ◢ Uncommon Rumors (Moderately difficult to overhear.) ■ "Nakakami? Her family lead what we call a dojo back in Doma. It's a school of the martial arts. Those that practiced that style... the Shinmei-ryū, they were the first out into the battle when Garlemald attacked." — Doman Refugee ■ "I've heard that girl's a princess back in Doma." — Ul'dahn Drunkard ◢ Rare Rumors (Very difficult or rarely overheard.) ■ "I've seen that girl's temper more than a handful of times, she's quick to anger... but I've only ever seen her inconsolable once. I don't think she meant to drown her sorrows in the drink that night, but something had set her off that evening and reminded the poor girl of her lost sister..." — Momodi Modi

◢ PC Rumors (Rumors from other player's characters.) ■ "A school of swordsmanship blessed by the gods, divine in its inception, capable of dividing the heavens and cleaving mountains asunder. That is the power that man and his wife wield, and they are rightfully feared by the Garlean Empire." — Glioca Sargonnai

Music

The Gensokyo the Gods Loved Artist: CarrotWine Origin: Touhou ~ Mountain of Faith Context: Character theme. Riverside View & Retrospective Kyoto Artist: Unlucky Morpheus Origin: Touhou ~ Phantasmagoria of Flower View Context: Strike against the Garleans.

The Reminiscence of the Gods Artist: OdiakeS Origin: Touhou ~ Mountain of Faith Context: Combat theme. The Way of the Sword Artist: Hans Zimmer Origin: The Last Samurai Context: The fall of the Shinmei-ryū.

Kizuna Artist: Aya Uteo Origin: Ayaueto Album Context: Feelings for Seno.

Trivia

• Motoko is based on Motoko Aoyama from Love Hina. She is primarily based on an iteration of the aforementioned character found in Kuro Arashi: The Black Storm, a fanfiction about the work.
• The final stand of the Shinmei-ryū is based on the final battle in The Last Samurai.
• The game mah-ziang is based on the game mahjong.
• Her family kept a breed of varied colored cranes as pets. Two of them were favorites and were Tsuruko's pets. One was a black-violet Male named Hayate and the other was yellow female named Shippu. It is these birds that Motoko named hers' and Seno's chocobos after.

Lore Adherence

Everything concerning this character that has not been confirmed by in-game lore should be taken with a grain of salt. While an effort was made to craft lore that was vague enough and would believably fit into an Eastern-themed country such as Doma, it was done so with the knowledge that some things would possibly need to be adjusted down the road as Square Enix inevitably fills in the gaps that were taken advantage of. This section exists as a running list of things that were updated or retconned to reflect emerging and evolving lore concerning Doma.

Disclaimer

This character's personality and back-story is an adaption of the Love Hina character Motoko Aoyama, with some information drawn from Negima! Magister Negi Magi. I do not own the aforementioned works. This character is only a derivative and an homage. As much attention as possible was given to make things lore appropriate and she is not merely a fandom insert, nor is she self-aware of anything related to Love Hina.