Usami no Genmaru

宇佐美の源丸

Father said I was, and always will be, an irrepresible free spirit.

— Usami

Early Life

Until we hit several years of bad harvests, my family's farm prospered. The province's aging daimyou brooked no excuses when it came to tax payments. Father sold off item after item to avoid having to do anything more drastic. But our debt kept growing. Since I was the lowly third son, would they be forced to sell me off or give me to a temple?

by Perry Yung

I couldn't let either of those things happen. To earn a few coins, I started wandering into town, playing a shakuhachi flute my uncle helped me make.
As my talent grew, so did my popularity and income. At fifteen, I requested permission to travel from our district lord. My appeal caught the attention of the new daimyou who served east of the capital. He invited me to play in his court. I was ecstatic at first. The pay was good and men and women vied for my attention, asking me to visit their quarters at night, much to the dismay of Bessho, the music master.
Bessho plotted to oust me, but a lady who fancied me caught wind of his plan and helped me foil it. Do not ask who she was. I shall not reveal her name.
It didn't take long to grow bored with playing for the petty, squabbling nobles who treated me like property. I longed for the freedom to learn more and become a shakuhachi master. It would never happen here.
It took me seven years to pay off my family's debt. After that, I reached a deal with my daimyou and left the court to travel like I'd originally planned. If I could learn more songs and techniques, I'd be happy to stop in Kyoto and play for his court again.

Goals

Become Japan's foremost shakuhachi player.

Earn enough to pay off my family's farming debt and help them get ahead for several years.

Travel to every district in Japan.

Time of Study

Every yen I earned had gone toward my family's debt. It was hard starting out with no money, playing to earn my food and begging to learn every new style I came across. But I picked up new techniques quickly. 
One master, Okuni-sensei, taught me to read the music for shakuhachi and how to infuse my music with a version of kotodama, the magic of the word.

(kotodama in a spell) Written music was a strange system and breaking through to use magic was tough. I stayed with Okuni-sensei for several years, the longest I studied under anyone because he challenged me. This may sound like bragging, but it's the truth. I surpassed all my other masters with little effort. Okuni-sensei said I lacked one thing, heart in my music. I needed to share my talent. So he released me back into the world.
Over the years, I visited every prefecture in Japan. I learned each regional style, adapting and combining them. Every nuance was something new to add to my performances. The crowds grew with my reputation. Posters at town squares would announce my eminent arrival. Though I will admit, a small part of my reputation was selfish. One woman who welcomed me to her bed bragged that she dodged her father's order to stay away. While she tried to keep contact, there was always another in the next town.
My music mattered most.

The Legend

On my way to the capital to play for a once in a lifetime audience, I ran into a snowstorm.

by AWV + Hero Forge

Snowflakes swirled around the snow maiden—beautiful, out of a fairytale. A man eating yokai. Idiot me walked into her territory. Could I propitiate her before she killed me? I introduced myself. All I had to bargain with was my life and my magic infused music. Her lips trembled at my offer.

Shimoko was her name.

by AWV + Hero Forge

My shakuhachi music had drawn the snow maid's attention. Her answer? A touch trailing down the flute leaving frosted fingerprints. I remained for a week trying to figure out how to escape. Each night she returned from the hunt, I performed soporific melodies to soothe her blood-soaked nightmares.

Meeting Shimoko, changed my life and my music. Thanks to her, I reached my final goal and played for the audience of a lifetime.
Read our story here.
(Start at chapter 2. Chapter 1 is his early life as above. Note: Chapter 2 leaves off at a satisfactory place. But chapters 3-5 will post on WA in March. If you can't wait to read the rest of the story, I have the full manuscript available in epub and PDF formats on Ko-fi and Patreon..)

The Bard's Magic

READ

Mental characteristics

Shakuhachi music like Usami would play

Description

Usami has sharp features, a darker complexion, and sports a short, well trimmed beard. He's a little shorter than average height and in great shape, due to his constant travel. He teases that he could out run a wolf, both in speed and endurance.

Age

32

Birthday

August 8, 948 (Leo)

Meyers Briggs

ESFP

Talents

Teaching

Storytelling

Entertaining a wide audience, from children to the eldery

Current Location

West of Lake Biwa

Species

Human

Birthplace

Kyoto

Pronouns

he/him

Gender

Male

Eyes

Brown, almost black

Belief/Deity

Buddhist/Shinto

Flute Player by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Personality

Virtues

Outgoing and friendly

Observant, able to expertly read people and the room

Diplomatic

Happy to teach people to play the shakuhachi, as long as he's in the area.

Vices

Dependent on others' approval

Womanizer

Impulsive

Uses music to make up for a lack of affirmation as a child

Quirks

Carries his shakuhachi everywhere. Having it along on his adventures is a comfort and a way to get attention and income.

Always has a joke or pun ready.

Views

Likes

Lives to entertain people

Traveling

Horses, though he's not rich enough to own one.

Persimmons

Light green

Dislikes

Being stuck in one area. Left the patronage of a rich daimyou because he could only entertain a restricted clientel.

Eel. He thinks it's slimy.

Fighting. He can talk and play his way out of any confrontation.