Ren Yoshida

Background
A year ago, Ren Yoshida looked upon his destination. Around him, the members of Eugeni Barondo's caravan laughed and smiled—the long journey through treacherous terrain had ended. Vhiskri's clan (and Ren's new friends) looked forward to a bit of ease.

Ren felt a frog in his throat. This was the day he would present himself to his intended, Ameiko Kaijitsu. Taking up the reins of his horse and attendant pack mule (laden with many casks of the finest sake), he began to descend into Sandpoint.

. . . ..

Months before, Ren could not understand why the Kaijitsu family, scions of one of Minkai's highest ranking family, had departed their homeland and make their home with barbarians a world away.

It made far more sense that they would send the clan's youngest son abroad. Ren was more given to waxing poetic and praising Shelyn than to the way of the samurai. The Yoshida's rice empire had fallen on hard times. A fourth son was one more mouth to feed and family to house. Better to send him on a fool's mission to marry up.

Ren had devoted himself from an early age to the Lady of Chrysanthemums and the romantic epics of the samurai. To seek the hand of a faraway noble lady seemed a perfectly sensible pursuit, no matter how many spirits and barbarians he must battle along the way.

But Ren's time with the Vhiskri's Varisian clan had changed his thinking about the 'barbaric' people of Avistan. These Varisians were joyful folk, with their own sort of honor and a gift for colorful song and dance that put to shame Minkai's much more mannered forms. The Lady of the Chrysanthemums must surely smile upon them.

. . . ..

As he approached the bustling town, Ren looked to Fondo Barondo, Eugeni's rakish son, and smiled. I shall miss him. He's taught me so much about swordplay and poetry, in every sense of the word... He blushes visibly. But duty leads me elsewhere. Surely Shelyn will bless Ameiko and I with love for each other. . . . ..

Alas, Ren soon found that his quest had been for naught. Ameiko refused his first, second, third and twentieth proposal. Twenty-one lovingly crafted poems would not sway her heart toward Minkai and her family's duties. Let alone marry the fourth son of a minor clan.

At first, Ren was appalled by Ameiko's crude manner (attractive in a Varisian, abominable in a daughter of Minkai). But after months of fawning and fretting, dejection began to turn to acceptance. He found himself liking, not loving this daughter of abdication. His dowery offering of priceless sake became the currency of their friendship, and Ameiko taught Ren to drink it in long draughts. ''But it's of priceless vintage—the last I am like to drink. Ah, but you're teaching me joy in the drink. The Lady shine upon you.''

Ren resigned himself—happily, really—to remaining in Varisia. His clan would not welcome him back, disgraced and without a bride. Moreover, he found himself drawn to the free spirited romance of this new land's people. Better to devote myself to love and beauty, if duty of blood is denied me.

Another young emigre, Zarku Frallino began to join the sake parties, and Ren began to trade Minkaian poems for Taldan and Varisian idioms.

Even more recently, a new traveler joined their table — a giant of the Shoanti people named Serolt. Plain, nice enough, utterly alien to Ren. Somehow they managed to understand each other's thickly accented Varisian (Taldane/Common?). The sake and Ameiko's plum wine helped.