The Shimamura Clan is made up of master sages and fighters of the farthest east, a land so desolate and reclusive that few have ever traveled the long and arduous routes that tie the clan to Faerûn and it's surrounding bodies. That being said, there is an annual migration between the clan's homeland and Faerûn which arrives with very few new emissaries and outcasts, selecting a varied handful of candidates that are chosen by the emissary elder and shipping them back long-distance for training and trials over a period of a whole year.

Long ago, an eastern warrior of the name of Yoshimotosana Shimamura ventured deep into the farthest east part of the world alongside 13 other companions in a company of heroes tasked with destroying an ancient evil that plagued most of the eastern world. For many months, his company traveled through harsh and bitter waves and seas until they arrived at a totally forgotten land that bordered 'the edge of existence', as Yoshi described in his colleague's journals. Over the long and grueling trip, only 4 heroes, including Yoshi, completed their quest in retrieving an artifact that helped them defeat this great evil that reigned over their homeland, or at least that is what was written in the books.

After the defeat of the scourge, the surviving heroes parted ways and went their own ways, three of the five returning to their homeland. Yoshimotosana and his female companion, Kuyomi Nomura, decided to settle down in these foreign lands to the farthest south and formed a clan that would enter legend within their homeland. It is now a tradition to light candles in the great hall that is dedicated to their company's success in their goal of eradicating the evil scourge long ago.

In recent discovery, the top sages of the clan have had their suspicions raised to the fact that all of the surviving colleague's journals were recovered, all except Yoshi's. The theory that they have come up with states that the other members of Yoshi's company could have lied about the defeat of the scourge, as of recently, an eternal rain has been cast upon the Temple of Shimamura with no known source or cause. They suspect that perhaps the scourge was not defeated and instead stored away somewhere in the lands that Yoshi had conquered, and that the scourge might be the cause of this perpetual rain. The truth will not be known until they locate Yoshi's journal and read the missing pieces. This has become the main task of all Shimamura travelers, emissaries and recruits, as by demand of the congregation of elders."

~ A Brief History of the Shimamura Clan, Sect. 306 of 'The Adventurer's Guide to the Lands', by Lucas Thobblefoot

 You are either one of the few members of the clan to be shipped to Faerûn for emissary work, banishment or you are simply a wandering member of the clan that has somehow made their way to Faerûn by another method such as mercenary work, traveler status or other.

You are from the faraway land of Læthron, one so remote that few of the common folk in the North realize that it exists, and chances are good that even if some people you meet have heard of your homeland, they know merely the name and perhaps a few outrageous stories. You have come to this part of Faerûn for either your own reasons, which you might or might not choose to share, or reasons assigned by the clan leaders themselves.

Having been prepared and trained by the Shimamura Clan's household of trained fighters, monks and wizards, you are knowledgeable of Faerûn and it's surrounding bodies to the point of understanding basic communication and geography of the lands. This does not call you far from your humble reverence to your clan's homeland, however, meaning some encounters with people will feel strange in their own ways.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Perception

Tool Proficiencies: Any one musical instrument or gaming set of your choice, likely something native to your homeland, such as the flute or dice set

Languages: Marquesan

Equipment: One set of traveler’s clothes, any one musical instrument or gaming set you are proficient with, poorly wrought maps from your homeland that depict where you are in Faerûn, an emblem symbolizing both your connection and rank in the Shimamura clan, and a pouch containing 5 gp

Suggested Characteristics

These are the suggested characteristics for those of Shimamura Heritage.

d6	Personality Trait
1	I have different assumptions from those around me concerning personal space, blithely invading others’ space in innocence, or reacting to ignorant invasion of my own.
2	I have my own ideas about what is and is not food, and I find the eating habits of those around me fascinating, confusing, or revolting.
3	I have a strong code of honor or sense of propriety that others don’t comprehend.
4	I express affection or contempt in ways that are unfamiliar to others.
5	I honor my deities through practices that are foreign to this land.
6	I begin or end my day with small traditional rituals that are unfamiliar to those around me.

d6	Ideal
1	Open. I have much to learn from the kindly folk I meet along my way. (Good)
2	Reserved. As someone new to these strange lands, I am cautious and respectful in my dealings. (Lawful)
3	Adventure. I’m far from home, and everything is strange and wonderful! (Chaotic)
4	Cunning. Though I may not know their ways, neither do they know mine, which can be to my advantage. (Evil)
5	Inquisitive. Everything is new, but I have a thirst to learn. (Neutral)
6	Suspicious. I must be careful, for I have no way of telling friend from foe here. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	So long as I have this token from my homeland, I can face any adversity in this strange land.
2	The gods of my people are a comfort to me so far from home.
3	I hold no greater cause than my service to my people.
4	My freedom is my most precious possession. I’ll never let anyone take it from me again.
5	I’m fascinated by the beauty and wonder of this new land.
6	Though I had no choice, I lament having to leave my loved one(s) behind. I hope to see them again one day.

d6	Flaw
1	I am secretly (or not so secretly) convinced of the superiority of my own culture over that of this foreign land.
2	I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have.
3	I have a weakness for the new intoxicants and other pleasures of this land.
4	I don’t take kindly to some of the actions and motivations of the people of this land, because these folk are different from me.
5	I consider the adherents of other gods to be deluded innocents at best, or ignorant fools at worst.
6	I have a weakness for the exotic beauty of the people of these lands.