| Katsutoshi Kobayashi | |
| Thorn.png | |
| Profile | |
| Status: | Alive |
| Age: | 211 (appearance) |
| Race: | Kitsune |
| Gender: | Male |
| Class: | Rogue |
| Nation: | Libaterra |
| Faction: | Dwarven Triad |
- "Actions may speak louder than words, but often they hide true intent as easily as words can. What matters is what you feel inside at a given moment. Once you've lived as long as I have, you'll come to see the importance of the heart."
- —Katsutoshi Kobayashi (as Thorn Stronghelm)
Katsutoshi Kobayshi, also known as Fox, Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Thorn Stronghelm in the Third Age, is a wandering, party-loving rogue with ties to the Dwarven Triad and Clan Finian. He accompanied Javan al-Kassis and Razravkar Dominus to Reign under the guise of a drunk dwarf and later helped save Haruko Mizushima who was actually his long-imprisoned wife who suffered from amnesia. Katsutoshi subtly guided several people's actions until he finally revealed his true identity as well as his role as the mastermind behind Haruko's resurrection during the Battle of Malperdy.
Biography
Early Years
Dark Wanderer
Katsutoshi Kobayashi was active in the First Age and was notorious for seducing several women of different races whenever he came across them. One day he wandered into the Grove of Yggdrasil where he met a young cleric named Haruko Mizushima. Although originally planning to defile her as well, something changed as they spent time together, and he found himself drawn to her not only because of her beauty but because of her curious personality and intelligence which reminded him of himself.
Over time the other clerics, including Inari Okami, grew suspicious of Katsutoshi's presence and planned to banish him so that he couldn't defile anyone's innocense. Katsutoshi contacted Haruko that night, telling her that he'd have to leave soon and wanted to take her with him. Haruko panicked, saying her duty was with Inari and Yggdrasil. Katsutoshi said she'd have to decide whether she wanted her dull duty or his exciting love.
Haruko's hesitation eventually turned into anguish, and she chose to flee with Katsutoshi. Before she could leave, she was confronted by Inari, her mentor, who tried to stop them. The two fought, during which Haruko ended up killing her in bloodlust. Shocked by this turn of events, Haruko was about to apprehended by other clerics who arrived in the scene until Katsutoshi swooped in and took her with him.
Band of the Fox
Katsutoshi and Haruko lived a wandering lifestyle, stealing from those they pleased and killing those who tried to stop them. They eventually recruited like-minded people with unique skills, which included Arlen Finian (Vulture) and Koschei Dravaris (Shark) while Katsutoshi and Haruko adapted the nicknames Fox and Enchantress of the Spring, respectively. Their outlaw group came to be known as the Band of the Fox.
More info later.
Dwarven Schemes
After his awakening in the Third Age, Katsutoshi chose the form of a dwarf and the name Thorn Stronghelm for reasons he hasn't revealed even to his closest associates. By the time the dwarven mercenary Thorn showed up, little was known about his past except what he chose to reveal. According to one of his tales he was born to a regular dwarven family who had ties to the criminal underworld. He followed the family tradition and became a rogue, associating himself with various guilds in his youth. His days as an apprentice involved women, liquor and gambling.
He travelled around the world often but was always fond of Libaterra because of its diverse populace and because of easy access to Paladin's Breath, his favourite alcoholic drink. During this time he also got to know the Dwarven Triad with whom he began collaborating, and he eventually rose to the position of leadership, ironically using the title of Fox which he had once used in the Band of the Fox.
The Yamatian Invasion, Great War and Cataclysm put a dent to his carefree days, but he was cunning enough to survive the catastrophes. He helped finance Bella Sirius and Fehr Sirius who opened the Crafty Crow inn in Reign where people from all walks of life, including thieves and cutthroats, could stay safely. Thorn and the innkeepers kept in touch, and he had various meetings with shady individuals in the depths of the inn's underground tavern for many years to come.
Godslayer Era
Defiler's Touch
- "I'm a dwarf with a big heart...when I see injustice, I do my best to make this world a better place one person at a time. Do I need any more justification? Besides, I like the thrill of being in danger. It makes me feel alive."
- —Thorn about helping Razravkar Dominus
More info later.
Day of the Damned
- "I don't want anything bad to happen to good vixens like her, though. When I saw fear in her eyes, I decided to protect her. I admit that women are my greatest weakness."
- "So what you do is kidnap girls and call them weird names, Thorn-san. That doesn't sound very chivalrous."
- "Look, I know a good person when I see one. I don't want to risk the possibility of gods ruining more lives than they already have."
- —Thorn and Haruko Mizushima
The group spent the following week waiting for the trials to begin and figure out a way to acquit Razravkar. During this time Thorn and Javan got to know each other better, and one memorable incident between the two involved a bar fight in the Bleeding Stool.
Once Thorn came to tell the group that High Cleric Adela al-Saif and other higher-ups of the Clergy of Artemicia had already arrived, the group escorted Razravkar to the temple courtyard where the trial would take place, and Thorn vanished into the crowd in order to keep an eye on the events from there. He was relived to see that in the end Razravkar was acquitted, in part thanks to the efforts of Rasicare with whom Thorn had been making deals with. Having Rasicare as his eyes and years in the clergy would prove to be useful if he ever needed something from them.
By the time Razravkar's trial had concluded, Thorn also met Jacob O'Harris and Jason O'Harris who looked confused and hungry. Feeling pity for the two brothers and realizing he could use their swords to promote his cause, he asked them if he could hire them as bodyguards in exchange for food and shelter and a few coins. The brothers eventually agreed to help him protect Razravkar at least for the time being because they hadn't found any other job in the city and were in need of money.
Things took a sudden turn when Corwin helped Adela summon a strange magical crystal which rose from the ground. The crystal shattered, revealing a young Yamatian girl, who called herself Haruko Mizushima, inside. At this time the Dwarven Triad made its presence known and gloated how it had manipulated the clergy to do its bidding. Thorn frowned at the eagerness of the Triadists to reveal themselves so boldly, but it would serve as a good enough distraction for now in his view.
Events kept spiralling out of control, however, when another adversary appeared in the scene: the bard Jonathan Seneron, possessed by Shakkan, intended to kill the girl in order to release the goddess Laverna who had been trapped within the girl. Realizing that too many powerful parties would soon be after the confused damsel, Thorn decided to act like a hero and save her. After a brief battle with Jon's griffin, he took Haruko in his arms and fled from the enraged Adela and possessed Jon, the latter of whom gave chase.
Haruko was none too pleased by Thorn's heroics, thinking he was a pervert thanks to Thorn calling her "vixen" due to her voluptuous figure. Thorn introduced himself to the girl, doing his best to ignore her accusations, and led her to the Crafty Crow where he knew Fehr would provide them with a temporary sanctuary.
As soon as they got to the inn, Thorn led Haruko downstairs to the seedy tavern where they met with Thorn's old accomplices Faye, Jarrah, and Wade. The rest of Corwin's comrades, who now also included the Union Workers thief Raul Emmenson, the nymph Serene and Jonathan Seneron who was no longer possessed, joined the group and decided to help Thorn take Haruko to safety for their own reasons.
The group used a hidden tunnel underneath the inn to relocate to one of the Triad's hideouts where they met with various Triadists, including one who introduced himself as Fox. After a brief discussion of what they should be doing next now that they had powerful adversaries hunting after them and Haruko, they decided that they should travel through the Void and take Haruko to the Union's base in Hidefall where she would be safe from pursuers. The Triad and the Union made a strenuous alliance because they both wanted to keep Haruko, who served as the vessel for the thief goddess Laverna, safe.
Many group members had to be drugged during the journey through the Void in order to shield their minds from the anomalies in the Ghost Paths. The journey through the mists had a surprising turn, however, when Curdardh, one of the lords of the Faerfolc, suddenly ambushed the group on the Ghost Paths partly because he was after Razravkar and Raul but also because he wanted to capture Haruko as well.
After a fierce battle during which Haruko briefly accessed tremendous powers to keep the rogue fey and his minions at bay, the group was saved by Irvin Finian and Kendra Finian's Sinlarine pilgrims who accompanied them the rest of the way to their destinations. Corwin also used the opportunity to finally confront Razravkar about Deidra's death and forgave him much to Thorn's relief.
At the end of the journey the group decided to split up because they had different objectives: one group travelled to Alent, another group travelled to Ciano and the rest (which included Thorn, Raul, O'Harrises, Haruko and two Triadists) accompanied Haruko to Hidefall. After brief farewells, the groups went their separate ways. Thorn was eager to stay close to Haruko who grew increasingly annoyed at his attempts at flirting, and he also wanted to see Hidefall firsthand now that he had been given such a golden opportunity.
A Cry in the Dark
Raul assumed leadership of the group because he knew Hidefall territory the best and could keep the group out of trouble in case the Union's soldiers spotted them. The group eventually reached the hidden thief city, and Raul took them to a nearby inn to eat. Thorn couldn't help but wonder about Haruko's suddenly huge appetite, and he kept a close eye on the girl. During this time Thorn briefly saw a young, stuttering bard named Arcturius talking to Haruko, and he memorized the bard's face in case he'd meet him again.
They eventually relocated to a Yamatian apartment complex where each member of the group was given a room. Thorn got a room near Haruko as a courtesy from Raul although he was somewhat suspicious of Raul's eagerness to stay close to Haruko. Thorn suffered from a hangover after his experiences with the magic mushroom and whisky so he withdrew to his room in the apartment and stayed out of sight.
Thorn had a brief discussion with Fox during which Fox reminded him of their past deal in the Triad. Their discussion came to an end when they noticed a skulk of foxes running about in the garden. Thorn decided to investigate the matter when he noticed Raul and various others gathering in the garden. Raul gave Thorn instructions of where to locate the closest pub before heading off. Thorn, content with what he had heard, wandered off and left the group to continue what it was going.
However, Thorn later disappeared from Hidefall entirely prior to Haruko's kidnapping despite the thieves' best efforts to locate him. What had happened was that he had entered the Void with help from Irvin and would help him keep Haruko safe once Haruko had been retrieved from the city. He didn't leave a note about his reasons for disappearing behind to his other companions because he didn't want to risk tipping off the Triad but also because he wanted to keep his involvement secret for the time being.
Deceiver's Gambit
More info later.
Aliases and Nicknames
- Dark Wanderer
- What he is called among the Kitsune because of his past crimes.
- Fox
- His title as one of the leaders of the Dwarven Triad.
- Izanagi-no-Mikoto
- His title as the male high cleric of Laverna. It means He Who Invites.
- Mr. Espinoza
- His alias while operating in Aison. Ironically the name can be translated as "thorny" and is thus a reference to his other alias "Thorn".
- Thorn Stronghelm
- What most people call him in Libaterra. According to him he was to be named Thorin, but his dad was drunk and pronounced his son's name wrong. The misspelled name stuck because his parents thought Thorn was a "thorn" on their side, so to speak. It was all an elaborate cover-up story to hide his true identity, however.
Appearance
As Thorn, he looks like a tanned dwarf with black hair and a mighty moustache. He wears worn traveller's clothes which haven't been washed in a while. He somehow manages to carry various weapons on himself, including an axe, a miniature crossbow, a war hammer and a pair of daggers as well as various magic potions.
In his more beastly fox-like form, he tends to either look like an otherwise ordinary except black fox but can also turn into a much more ferocious, demonic form which is bipedal and capable of incredible feats and illusions while his tail can split into nine tails to signify his status as an older, more experienced kitsune.
Personality and Traits
- "Thorn may come off as a bit of a dimwit, but he can be wily when threatened."
- —Javan al-Kassis about Thorn
A jovial fellow who drinks heavily, favouring Paladin's Breath above all other alcholic drinks. However, when he gets serious, he really gets serious, but despite his plans he also likes to go with the flow. Some have even called him a trickster of a sorts because of his changing moods and elaborate pranks which prove that he is far more intelligent than he seems at first glance. He can also be quite the blabbermouth when he's drunk.
Powers and Abilities
Thorn is skilled in various rogueish activities including backstabbing, picking locks and vanishing into shadows. He possesses little magic ability but more than compensates for it with his use of wits and daggers.
Relationships
Corwin Finian
Thorn got to know Corwin and the rest of Clan Finian when the Finians were young. He became a family friend and always stopped by at their tribe when he had business in that area of Libaterra. When Corwin began acting as a mercenary to support his tribe and to advance his shamanistic cause, Thorn used the opportunity to work alongside Corwin on various assignments. The two respect each other although sometimes Corwin sees Thorn as acting too goofily to his liking.
Fehr Sirius
Thorn became acquainted with Fehr and Bella when the two ended in Libaterra. He helped them set up the Crafty Crow inn which became a famous neutral zone for various underground organizations and people on the run to stay at in times of need. Thorn and Fehr often snark at one another but that's just an act because they actually enjoy each other's company.
Gilgamesh
Katsutoshi and Gilgamesh were bitter rivals, which resulted in brutal clashes over the years. Their seemingly ultimate showdown right before Haruko's sealing was interrupted, and they'd have to wait for thousands of years before they could have a rematch which would end it once and for all. Gilgamesh is obsessed with defeating Katsutoshi and claiming Haruko for himself, and Katsutoshi likewise wants to put an end to Gilgamesh's violence.
Haruko Mizushima
Haruko and Thorn got off on the wrong foot as she took his affection for a perverted attempt at flirting. Despite Thorn's sudden infatuation with her, she doesn't seem to hold him in high regard.
Janus Todd
While in the guise of Thorn, Katsutoshi took the young dwarf Janus as his apprentice in the Triad after he saw potential in him. He taught Janus many skills in deception and eventually trusted him enough to let him pretend to be Fox while he pretended to be Thorn to the others.
Javan al-Kassis
Thorn sees Javan as a diplomatic enough fellow although he's not that pleased whenever Javan smacks him on the back of the head even if he deserves it. He believes Javan is more observant than most, which intrigues him. Javan sees Thorn as a stereotypical, kind-hearted dwarf with no big plans and who is terrible at flirting.
Raul Emmenson
Thorn and Raul get along although Thorn's somewhat concerned over Raul wanting to act as Haruko's protector. He keeps an eye on Raul, trying to figure out what kind of a person he actually is before making a judgement. Raul sees Thorn as way too enthusiastic but tolerates his presence because he hasn't opposed the Union to his knowledge.
Razravkar Dominus
Thorn finds Razravkar a somewhat funny individual and took a liking to him despite his necromantic profession, going so far as to actually help him out on his trial in Reign. Razravkar sees Thorn as a somewhat goofy drunkard but tolerates him because he's helped him and has proven his worth several times to him.
See also
