Chai Kotsume (茶移 小爪)
Faction: Ki-rin
Former tribe: Daikawa
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 5" (165 cm)
Build: Athletic and Sturdy
Hair: Pitch-black, shortish (shoulder-length say) and flowing
Eyes: Hazel
Occupation: Riverside Guardian and Yoriki and Animal trainer for the Chai family. Currently in the Capital to bring a message from Chaihime and others in the family about issues in the lands close to the Great Western River
Marital status: Single (one could say “married to otters”… but not literally!)
An average-sized, sun-tanned, sturdy girl with flowing pitch-black hair and hazel-eyes, Kotsume is a study in contrasts in many regards. Energetic and somewhat stubborn, but sometimes airheaded; usually direct and practical, but her eyes sometimes get lost in what seems to be spaces between worlds. She holds on to ways that are traditional to her but seem odd to many in the burgeoning Empire. And she’s a guardian and yoriki, dealing with what are ultimately human matters – but it doesn’t take long to realise she’s more at ease among nature and animals than among people.
This last part will not be known to most, but there is one more, important split related to her. Born among a tribe who formerly made its home along the margins of the Great Western River (i.e. Three Sides River in canon), the Daikawa, as a child she’s seen her family, and her tribe, split in two as her father joined the kami Akodo, taking with him her older brother and her twin sister – the latter now known as Akodo Kawauso. She doesn’t often speak about that, but holding on to many of the Daikawa’s traditions 8 years after the other half of the tribe joined Shinjo, and trying to keep at least some contact across the margins of the river as she grew up and even as an adult are eloquent as to how she feels about this split.
Like an increasing number of people in the Ki-rin, she knows her way around horses – although she’s probably not as good a rider as some might expect. In fact, she has a greater connection to other animals – otters, as her name might suggest. Taking after her mother's lessons and traditions, Kotsume's learned how to train these animals to carry out a variety of tasks - especially fishing and hunting. She has three "otter siblings", as she usually calls them. Two of those, Saen ("Left margin") and Uen ("Left margin"), are remarkably well-trained and almost always by her side, while one, Chuuen ("Middle margin"), is still a cub and is currently being trained by her. In fact, even when riding she’ll often be seen carrying her siblings in a basket tied to the saddle or to her back. Saen, a female, is dark brown, almost black, with black spots in the face and lighter marks in the back and belly, while Uen, a male, is light brown with some darker spots and white marks in the face and belly. The cub Chuuen is also female, and has the colour of walnut, with some lighter and darker shades in its back and a light tawny belly.
Kotsume usually values actions much more than flattering talk. 'Words are just words', she says. She does realise they may be important, especially in the more formal settings she’s still starting to get the hang of... but she simply values actions (and intentions) much more than words – whether true or false ones. And she seems to imagine, or hope, others will as well…. As a flip side to that, she is very much an optimist, and often trusts that people's intentions are the best unless she's got very good reason not to.
As a humble “Riverside guardian and yoriki”, the young Ki-rin girl is most likely one of the least important people spending the winter in the Imperial Palace. But those who ask will find out she did come here to bring some issues forward to the court – issues dealing precisely with the lands along the Great Western River’s margins, at the request of Chaihime-dono and other important members of the Chai. Whether the animal-loving river girl will be able to bring that properly to those who might do something about it is anyone’s guess…
Hooks
- Do you like animals? Do you like OTTERS? She’ll be happy to present you to her ‘furry siblings’, and they may show some of their tricks if you’re lucky!
- Do you like working and travelling outdoors and often has a hard time staying inside for long? Let’s enjoy the cold together!
- Do you feel a connection to spirits? Especially animal spirits? You probably feel a strong wild nature in her…
- Do you like fishing? That’s her bread and butter, let’s talk and catch some fish together!
- Still holding on to traditions of one of the old tribes? Has your tribe been split between different clans? We might have something to talk about…
- Do you have a twin? Kotsume has a twin. And misses her. And is thrilled that they ended up getting stuck here for the winter together! Anyway, if you want to talk about twin things, she'll probably have something to say too!
- Have you lived on the riverside? Do you like rivers? Do you miss taking a dip in cold, running waters? She's a proud river girl and will probably be for life.