The Oni

Long ago, in ancient times, Oniyahwa the Oni-Ookami caused terror in the lands of Rokugan. He was born of demon blood and was grandchild of Baba Yaga. One day he was approached by Klaw-keel himself with an offer. In exchange for great power, the Oni would be the vessel of he return should he fall. The Oni, wanting more power, agreed. The Oni cared not the cost, for he doubted Klaw-keel would ever truly fall. The Oni was wrong and Klaw-keel was slain by Deathwielder and Zyandal (Llloth) while destroying a portal that led to the world of the ghouls. Upon his death, the ancient geas of Klaw-keel dominated the Oni’s actions. He was to find mighty weapon makers and assist them by putting the portion of Klaw-keel’s power from himself into the weapons. Once a hundred years had passed, the Oni would begin the ceremony to raise Klaw-keel and have the weapons he created kill him as the final sacrifice.

To avoid his own death, the Oni would hunt down and slay the wielders and break the weapon. This of course was part of the geas, as more weapons were destroyed, others would become more powerful. Eventually only a handful of weapons remained and the clan of those slain would seek their revenge. Over centuries, many clans rose to slay the Oni and all failed and their weapons destroyed. Once the ceremony failed, the cycle would begin once more.

Time passed and the Oni began to tire of his of the constant death at his hands. He wished for rest, for a time of silence in which he could enjoy his life rather than constantly live in conflict. As the Oni once again sought out a weapon master, his eyes turned towards the Hattori clan. As he secretly spied them to see if they were to be the next clan in his cycle, he spotted a beautiful woman who was the daughter of Hanso, the weapon master and head of the clan. The Oni’s heart turned to love at the sight of her, something his race knew nothing of.

Distracted from his task, the Oni fled to seek his grandmother. Baba Yaga greeted her grandson, calling him honey and scolding him for never visiting in all these centuries. The Oni told Baba of his love for a human and his deal with Klaw-keel. Baba, being one of the most powerful wizards in all the planes, pondered her gradnson’s plight. She tells him that the love that has touched him is powerful and has weaken the hold the geas upon him.

Baba Yaga prepares a spell and casts it upon Oniyahwa. Baba tells the Oni that a special lunar cycle that happens every thousand years will appear on his world in a year. The magic she cast upon him will break Klaw-keel’s geas upon him if he is able to wed the woman on that one day. The catch, she says, is that she must be willingly given away by her father as his word of honor will seal the spell. The Oni thanks Baba. Baba warns that should the night pass and the wedding does not happen, the geas will never be lifted.

The Oni prepared with what was required for his ritual, return to his home world. The Oni approached the weapon smith Hanso, who wished to create the greatest weapons of all time. The Oni offered ability to empower his weapons to stand the test of time, but it would cost Hanso something when done. Hanso agreed quickly, figuring the Oni would wish his soul. Many months passed and finally the weapons were created. The Oni empowered them, as he had done so many times before. When done, the Oni told Hanso his request: Hanso’s daughters hand in marriage. Hanso face became grim but he agreed, as refusing would have been dishonorable.

The day of the wedding came, planned on the day of the Oni’s special lunar cycle. As part of the ritual, the Oni was required to take the form of a human. Figuring any human was fine, his killed a norse man in a far away land and took his form. Once in the form, he would be trapped in it for sometime after the completion of the wedding as Klaw-keel’s essence slowly left him. The Oni, having forgot to mention that the wedding was to be at night, showed up late as the humans were used to weddings in the day time.

When the Oni finally appeared, the guests were shocked at the disgusting looks of his human form. Also lacking manners, the Oni quickly offended many around him. Hanso, greatly dishonored by the Oni’s actions and for agreeing to allow this marriage, committed seppuku with his son finishing the deed. Hanso’s son called the wedding off and told the Oni to leave at once. The Oni, angered his agreement was to not be honored, moved to claim his bride. The son and the fellow guest, who also wielded the weapon Hanso made, attacked the Oni. While the weapons were not at full power, they were able to wound the Oni greatly. He grabbed his wife to be and fled.

By the time he had returned to his hut, the sun began to rise once more. The Oni yelled in anger, shaking the Shadowlands with his voice. A great sadness came over him, and he swore revenge on the Hattori clan. The Oni mercilessly hunted down the guests of the wedding, slaying many of them. In fear, many of the Hanso weapons were hidden for future generations to wield. When the Oni had finished his killings, much of the Hanso clan lay dead. The Oni retreated to his hut to live with his love.

Over time the Hattori clan recovered and found many of the weapons and cycle began once more. Sixty years later the Oni gave one of the weapons he had not destroyed to a young Ryo Hattori. The Oni converted him to his side in exchange for power. This was the first time he surrounded himself with allies and used the Klaw-keel power in him to empower others, not just weapons. The Oni figured that perhaps he could raise Klaw-keel another way. If not, the Oni no longer wished to do another cycle if he failed. Forty years later Nakasaki sought his own revenge against the Oni, which started the final part of the ritual.

In the end, Nakasaki faced the Oni. Tired of his suffering but forced to fight from Klaw-Keel's magic, the Oni was slain by Nakasaki and Taro. Once slain, Klaw-Keel reformed partially as a spectral being trapped in pools of radiance. Klaw-Keel offered compensation for the trouble his Oni caused. With their family avenged, Nakasaki decided to join Klaw-Keel while Taro returned to their homeland.