Hyoko (prime)
- See below for Hyoko's Original Story: The Legend of Wilbur the Warrior
- See Below for Hyoko's I am a Warrior
Lord Hyoko Fujimoro
In order to understand the Fujimoro family, and me, the history must start with my father, Toshiro Fujimoro, and his life in the world known as Arshenjai. Arshenjai is a small world with three-quarters of the surface covered with water. The social system is much like Elanthia, with more overlords, and the population is very homogenous. That is to say, most of them look like me. The largest land mass of that world is controlled by the Fujimoro family, which subjugated the other warlords on this landmass through power and political maneuvering some two centuries ago. War between the ruling classes of the respective landmasses is virtually unknown, due to the logistics of moving troops across the oceans and the associated uncertainty of weather. Magic exists on Arshenjai and is studied heavily by the wizards and sorcerers in the warlords' courts.
Toshiro Fujimoro was the second son of the reigning warlord on Tomoko, this largest land mass. As second son, he held a very privileged position, but could never expect to rule after his father's death. The first son held the right to this position. Toshiro, a warrior, longed for adventure and challenge, and chafed under the restricted system of a far-too-tamed world. He loved his older brother dearly, so assassination was out of the question.
It was in this atmosphere that the top court wizard announced she had discovered a way to open a portal to another world. Important meetings were held in order to decide how to handle this wonderful discovery. Perhaps profitable trade could be established with this new world. Perhaps this new world would be a place of expansion. Perhaps this new world would be desolate. Who would volunteer to go? Toshiro saw the opportunity, the adventure. He volunteered, and it was agreed that a member of the ruling body would be an excellent first ambassador. The court wizard opened the portal and Toshiro stepped through into a world known as Elanthia... and the portal closed behind him. The wizard had told him the portal would open again in 8 days to allow him to return home.
It never opened, and it is not known why.
Toshiro found a wild land on Elanthia, with pockets of civilization and a rather undefined ruling system. He found no one person to contact that could help him establish trade. Eventually, realizing that the portal might never open, he assimilated himself into the populace of the town of Wehnimer's Landing, a place where a warrior could make a fair living. My father fell in love with a human empath who bore him a son, me. They named me Hyoko in honor of my grandfather. I grew, and under my father's tutelage, learned the ways of the samurai warrior. However, I was much more taken with the bustle of the town around me than with learning the lessons my father prized so greatly. Often I would escape with bands of friends to bedevil the kobolds that lived outside of town, or to scamper through the sewers ahead of the voracious giant rats.
It was in my 18th year, still living at home and not focused on anything, that my father announced he had to go to a faraway city to try to establish business contacts. He left the household in my care, with orders to protect my mother and a couple of adopted brothers. I believe this was a test of my manhood and responsibility. I saw it as a way to get out with my friends without my father finding out. So, when my father left, I slipped away from home and, with some of my friends, went to spy out the Coastal Cliffs.
Undead hordes swept in from the east, entering Wehnimer's Landing and killing many people. My mother, not knowing where I was, attempted to find me and was killed by zombies near Town Square. Time and again she arose from Lorminstra's altar to search for me, until she could arise no more. Lords and Ladies fought valiantly and eventually repulsed the invasion at great cost in life and property.
I returned to find my mother dead. When my father came home and heard the news, he said not one word to me. He merely packed his belongings and left Wehnimer's Landing. I have not seen him since. I believe he considered me unworthy. I was left to raise my stepbrothers and reflect on my mother's death, for which I blame myself, and my father's teachings. After thinking on this for four years, I decided it was time to take up the sword... Avenge my mother's death... And try to become the samurai that my father would have wanted me to be.
I still hope to find him someday. I do not believe he is dead.
Lord Maldon then asked Hyoko, "What will you say to him when you find him, Hyoko?"
To which he replied, "I will ask him to look at me, consider all I have done, and believe I am his son."
The Legend of Wilbur the Warrior Roach
By: Hyoko Fujimoro
Hyoko recites:
"There are many fine fighting types who have been members or are members of this fine Hall. Former members such as Lady Ingrid, Lord Metaboculous, Lady Kythyn and Passion come to mind."
"I shall not mention present members for fear of slighting someone by not mentioning a name, but there are many fine, fine fighters in Helden Hall."
"However, there is one former resident of this Hall that stands among the greatest fighters ever to reside here. Yet I am certain you have never heard the legend of this warrior."
"He is...Wilbur the Warrior Roach."
"Now I know there has been some concern about the cockroaches that seem to inhabit Helden Hall, and discussions about getting rid of them...."
"...but they have a society of their own, too, and a proud legacy which I won't get into here because, um, they might not have a proud legacy."
"Oh, I should mention that in the telling of this story I will be assigning familiar names to various roaches for identification purposes."
"Anyway, one day the king of the Helden Hall roaches...for identification's sake, let's call him 'the Yarx roach'..."
"...decided that something had to be done about the fearsome Stomping Boot Monster which had been wiping out so many of his subjects."
"So the Yarx roach called his faithful subjects together. After only one or two appeared, he added a call for all his unfaithful subjects to appear also, and quickly had many, many roaches."
"He announced that a champion was needed to go defeat the Stomping Boot Monster, and would a brave warrior roach step forward?"
"Of course, with all the scurrying that roaches do, it was impossible to determine if a roach had volunteered among all the scurrying to and fro."
"So the Yarx roach had to find another means of determining the champion."
"There were many brave fighting types present. The Ruffelin roach. The Strathe roach. The Jeanius roach. The Metadi roach." "The Metadi roach was so occupied with running away from a horde of pursuing female roaches that he was of no use to the Yarx roach at all."
"And the others were involved with some roach order called the Silly Gripe-ons or something like that, and didn't have the time to help."
Hyoko rolls his eyes.
Hyoko recites:
"And everyone decided that the Hyoko roach was far too stuffy to even talk to about undertaking the mission, of course."
Hyoko gazes in wonder at his surroundings.
Hyoko recites:
"So the Yarx roach was becoming discouraged. He called for his trusted advisors, the Tiashi roach, the Rabekka roach and the Lissanne roach."
Hyoko sashays about with a content look on his face.
Hyoko recites:
"They suggested that the Yarx roach offer one of his daughters to the champion who defeats the Stomping Boot Monster."
"It didn't seem like much of an offer, though, considering that it wasn't really easy to determine whose eggs were his, and there were several million of them, and they all looked the same."
"Just one daughter was hardly a prize."
"The Yarx roach was getting very discouraged."
"He even called for his fool to entertain him, but despite the best efforts of the Greyotter roach, the Yarx roach was still in a funk."
Hyoko sighs inconsolably.
Hyoko recites:
"Finally, a small voice piped up from the back of the crowd. "I'll go!"
"The Yarx roach asked, "Who are you?" and the young roach replied, "I am Wilbur!""
"The Yarx roach asked, "Why would you want to go?" and the young roach replied, "Because I have nothing better to do?""
"It seemed to be a very good answer, because roaches really don't have much of anything better to do."
"So they outfitted Wilbur with the best mithril toothpick they could locate and sent him on his way to find and kill the fearsome Stomping Boot Monster!"
"Now, unbeknownst to the roachen kingdom, Wehnimer's Landing was beset by an invasion of epic proportions just at that time."
"Large horrible things and small nearly as horrible things were invading the very streets of our Landing, and people were dying like roaches, so to speak."
"Wilbur started out to find the Stomping Boot Monster."
Hyoko sashays about with a content look on his face.
Hyoko recites:
"Wait. That's not right."
Hyoko marches back and forth, sharply turning at the end of each stride.
Hyoko recites:
"That's better. He searched high and low within the walls of the Hall, but found nothing except large footprints."
"Finally he reached the gate of the Hall and found a small band of Hallers defending the gate against a particularly nasty looking troll emperor."
Hyoko says:
"It's my story. I'll make up troll emperors if I like."
Hyoko recites:
"The ground was littered with debris from the bodies of those the troll emperor had killed earlier. Weapons, armor, backpacks. Even a small piece of soggy bread."
"It was a difficult decision for Wilbur. Attack the troll emperor, or eat the soggy bread?"
"Fortunately the troll emperor did no real damage during the time that Wilbur consumed the soggy bread except for killing a dozen or so Hallers."
"Shortly Wilbur was ready to help the remaining Hallers fight the troll emperor. But how to do so? It was then that Wilbur saw his opportunity."
Hyoko stares off into space.
Hyoko recites:
"He stole over quickly to the troll emperor and rushed up the troll emperor's leg, underneath the troll emperor's armor."
"Scuttling about in the famous and effective manner that roaches do, Wilbur tickled the troll emperor unmercifully, causing the troll emperor to fall down, roaring in laughter."
"A troll emperor roaring in laughter isn't much different from a troll emperor roaring for any other reason, and the Helden Hallers didn't stop to consider that it might be different."
"They rushed in and dispatched the helpless troll emperor."
"Wilbur, happily soaked in blood, returned to the Yarx roach and happily told his tale of valor."
"The entire roach kingdom was so impressed that they gave Wilbur a second piece of soggy bread and held a regal ceremony for him."
"Unfortunately, it was interrupted by a visit from the Stomping Boot Monster who made Wilbur into a permanent fixture in the Hall's stone floor."
Hyoko says:
"There you have legend of Wilbur the Warrior Roach, one of the finest fighters to ever grace the walls of Helden Hall."
Hyoko bows.
By: Hyoko Fujimoro
I am a warrior, and always have been,
If you wish me to tell you, I'll tell you again.
I am a warrior, and always have been.
My thighs are like tree trunks, my shoulders immense
I battle the critters, but lack common sense,
And I can be nice, just don't call me dense.
My blade's all I need, no magics for me.
OK two-oh-two, and some guards, one-oh-three,
But no more than that, 'cuz I'm tough, don't you see?
I strut and I posture, I preen and I brag,
I go to offensive, and get caught in lag,
And then when I die, I'm too heavy to drag.
When I walk in the room, the women all gape.
'Cuz I'm strong and I'm handsome? No, I smell like an ape.
If the smell didn't choke you, you'd see my great shape.
The sweet scent of blood, the treasure, the furs.
I leap to the battle, my blows are in blurs!
Two hundred points damage! You say that was yers?
They yell, "Don't belong here!" "Too strong!" they all shout
But I sneer and I snort, and I laugh as they pout,
And I go smunch more rats but can't find the way out.
I belong to a guild, where I learn stuff that's best.
Like how to smack boxies, break 'em up with great zest.
Oops. Next time I'll make sure I disarm the chest.
I learned to expectorate, spit that goes 'Splat!'
Now why did they have to teach me 'bout that?
It'd think it'd come nach'ral, like killing a rat.
And speaking of killing, now here's quite the trick,
They taught me to berserk. It ain't worth a lick.
Go screaming in, flailing, and die real quick.
They taught me the warcries, it's OK I guess.
The creatures get stunned, though it's 'cuz of my breath,
But I won't try to tackle. Another quick death.
With a cry of great courage, and a wave of my swords,
I shift into off stance, no fear of the hordes.
I am solely the reason four empaths are Lords.
My muscles are tensing, my eyes tinged with red,
I fight toughest creatures, all over my head.
The message I see most: You can't do that while dead!
I am a warrior, and always have been,
If you wish me to tell you, I'll tell you again.
I am a warrior, and always have been.