Kakita Yaoru was a brilliant courtier and expert duelist. Truly, he was a Crane’s Crane. His ability to maneuver political disaster into political advantage was legendary in the courts. Despite his skills, Yaoru was cursed by a single tragic flaw: women wearing the Scorpion mon.
Yaoru’s skills of diplomacy and etiquette were useless against Scorpion women, despite his best efforts. No matter how hard he tried, he was always at their mercy. His silver tongue failed him once too often, and his bride-to-be’s merciless manipulations (as well as — it is rumored — the manipulations of the Scorpion Clan Daimyo’s bride) led to his untimely demise. It is uncertain what happened to Yaoru; some reports suggest he was murdered, while others lean toward an uglier conclusion.
Cranes who take Yaoru as an ancestor receive a +2 Etiquette (which may raise the skill above 5, up to 7)… except when dealing with Scorpion women. When making any Sincerity, Etiquette or Diplomacy rolls against a Scorpion woman, the Crane must spend a Void Point or his roll automatically fails.
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Alternately, game masters may employ Yaoru as a haunting spirit. Any Scorpion woman haunted by Yaoru must make 2 raises whenever making a Diplomacy, Sincerity, or Etiquette roll against a Crane. These raises cannot be used for additional effect. In this case, Yaoru counts as a 2 point Disadvantage.