Iado Oezuki - The Westernized Kozakuran

[Dissonant]

First Name: Iado
Last Name: Oezuki

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Appearance:
Race: Tiefling
Age: 28
Height: 6”3
Weight: 147lbs
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: Black

One quick glance, it’s very obvious that Iado is of eastern descent and his physique comparable to circus acrobats. He normally sports an unkempt facial hair stubble across his jaw. He is often seen wearing hoods to hide his horns. Someone can assume that Iado can be vain as he wears elaborate clothing of both Faerun and Kara-turan fashions presumptiously he was once of wealthy origins. It might be safe to say that Iado is fairly attractive, but it’s hindered by the strange feminine qualities to his face like a slender jaw-line, high cheek bones, long eye-lashes and what-not. Often its foreshadowed by a cheeky smirk that consistents looms on his lips, making him radiate a somewhat mischievous aura.

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Personality Profile:

If one can describe Iado in two words to summarize his behavior in its entirety, it’s - benevolently whimsical. Iado often makes important and life-changing decisions without second-thought and some might say he has a reckless personality. There’s only a few times when Iado would be cold and calculating - he knows he can be, but decides to treat life nonchalantly in order to cope with the social difficulties of being a Tiefling. Even though Iado is of demonic heritage, surprisingly, Iado has a gregarious and benign disposition. He tends to take find comedic value in the abstract concepts of morality since being a “good” person has different standards between nation after nation. Being both aware of both eastern and western cultures, Iado seems to be aloof about cultures and tends to be comedically satirical the logical reasoning behind law. He tends to gravitate towards people who take profession in the arts, such as writers, bards, poets, musicians and the like - funnily, Iado is not talented in any of the professions, he has an avid knowledge about them.

General Health: Iado seems to be in good health, however his frequent intake of tobacco, might lead to some undesirable circumstances in the far future.
Deity: Tymora
Initial Alignment: Chaotic Good
Profession: Smuggler & Self-Proclaimed Gambler
Base Class & Proposed Development: Swashbuckler & Duelist; [at later levels might decide between either, a wizard or a ranger]
Habits/Hobbies:
Iado always spends his time collecting varieties of tobacco-related products, such as pipes, tumbleweed, smoking paper and so forth. He is often seen smoking his Kozakuran-made pipe whenever he’s at leisure.

He’s an avid fan to most of form of gambling, but his favorite games tend to involve cards.
He has an extensive knowledge of both Faerun and Kara-Turan card games. For those who play against Iado from time to time, one might say Iado has a knack for being a frequent cheater, which he often attempts to cloak it with misdirective dialogue (e.g. lying, taunting, etc) and superfluous reasoning.

Tends to have very mixed opinions when asked about his views on Kozakuran and Wa culture, especially that of the samurai.

Languages: Kozakuran, Common
Weapon of Choice: Rapier & Longbow

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Background:
Iado is an illegitimate child of an old samurai, Segura Ikerumo, known for his scandalous, debaucherous and decadent behavior. Iado remembers very little of his early childhood, but he remembers having sparse interaction between him and his father. Segura was once a samurai of high political standing with the current shogunate, however, the discovery of a ‘demonic’ illegitimate child has squandered his political influence, thus doomed the paternal relationship between Segura and Iado. Iado grew up not knowing who his real-birth mother was and his father never ever shared any information about her. All that Iado knew was that “she” was the reason his heritage was unorthodox to Kazakuran standards.

Iado always aspired to be samurai, but his father had prevented him from teaching any academic or martial training. And realisticallly, a demon-blooded samurai couldn’t have possibly existed before Iado as far as anyone knows? Despite having difficulties to become samurai, Iado would often frequent a peculiar apothecary that sold books from Faerun as a sideline. The apothecary owner, known simply as, Uwari, was a well-traveled merchant who spent his younger years adventuring along the Sword Coast. Iado would often visit Uwari, being educated and intrigued of a world so far away from Kozakura.It was Uwari who greatly influenced Iado’s disposition.

As Iado grew up well into his adolescent years, he developed western sensibilities into his own being. For one, Iado picked up the rapier instead of the katana. He developed his own free, yet undisciplined form of fencing. This practicing of “foreign” arts began to thin the patience of his father. Luckily or unluckily, depending how one looks at it; Iado’s father had lost his position in government and was forced to commit ritualistic suicide. Iado is not sure of the premises and events that led to his father’s demise; however, it did provide opportunity for Iado to freely roam around Kozakura unchecked. Iado did smile somewhat upon hearing the news of his father’s fall from grace.

In time, Iado started his independent life by getting himself involved a variety of Kozakuran crime syndicates. He mainly worked on the distribution of smuggled luxury goods of far-away origin - often meeting sailing-folk from Faerun. His smuggling routes frequented between the lands of Kozakura and Wa. For two years Iado called the kingdom of Wa his home despite his Kozakuran origins. Iado likened the prospect of “fast” financial prosperity, but as fate decided, Iado’s good times faded into disaster…

As of recent the Wa shogunate implemented the ban of luxury goods towards the general populace, but more importantly to enforce a stricter discipline to the people of Wa. Iado and his contemporaries became automatic enemies of the shogunate, and Iado witnessed many of friends quickly meeting the end of their lives through execution. Iado luckily evaded the authorities, by boarding a merchant vessel heading to Shou. During his journey into Shou, Iado wasn’t sure where to go, but always wondered what life was like in the far-west and often wondered who his mother was.

One peculiar evening on the sea, Iado, digged into his pockets and unbeknownst to him, a letter was planted into his pockets a few days ago. Shockingly the letter come from his mother, and instructed him to meet her in Baldur’s Gate. The letter stated that his mother wants him to be under her “wing” and that he’s old enough to do her will. More instructions will come later when they meet.

Iado did not know how to react on whether he should enact the initiative to meet his mother. Why listen to a maternal figure who never once raised him up? But what else does Iado has to lose? He just lost his means of a living, and did not know where else to steer his life into. So nonchalantly Iado decided to join a merchant caravan that was about to partake in an arduous journey into Aglarond, from there he can grind his way into Baldur’s Gate.


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Goals:
Iado wishes to find his mother. Her last known whereabouts were rumored to be somewhere around Baldur’s Gate and the immediate vicinity.

Amass enough gold to start a gambling house, whether it’d be legal or illegal

To continue his pursuits into developing his fencing technique

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Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:

Iado does not know the intentions his mother has for him, which leads for any DMs (and players) to steer who or what Iado’s mother could be.

Iado’s existence as a “onin-child” and being the bastard son of a once influential samurai, has caused Iado to be enemies of his father’s extended family. But Iado’s not aware of it!

The exact demonic heritage of Iado is not identified and is possible for a DM to decide what it could actually be.





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Footnote:
I would appreciate any kind correction if the background doesn’t accurately reflect upon forgotten realms lore, especially that of Kara-tur since the kara-tur campaign setting isn’t as widely explored (or explained) as extensively as the continent of Faerun! I’ll gladly correct such inconsistencies!