Character History:

If you ask Misao about her past, she might tell you she was raised by a family of carnivorous prairie dogs in the wilds of Canada. Or she might confess to being your evil twin who was created by a nefarious sorcerer for the sole purpose of irritating you. But if sheís in a good mood, and you buy her a couple of drinks, sheíll admit to being the daughter of Bleys, Prince of Amber and all-around fun guy, born before Patternfall and raised in a backwater shadow on the Chaos side of things.

When she was 16, Bleys brought her to Amber. She didnít stay long, as Fiona apparently had quarreled with her father over his choice in women; Fiona felt that the woman who was Misaoís mother had no business being her mother. Calmly and quietly, she explained to Misao that her mere presence was an irritant, and she didnít tolerate irritants in her vicinity. Misao took the hint and accepted an unofficial exile.

So Bleys had her walk the Pattern in Tir, and Misao went on a tour of Shadow for a few years. She met and befriended Koji, a mercenary who has been her constant companion ever since. Eventually, they accepted a berth in the army Ericís daughter Annabelle was forming. They soon became mid-level officers and rather enjoyed themselves.

Then Oberon disappeared and Eric took the throne. And Eric brought Annabelle and her army home to Amber to supplement the Royal Guard. Misao and Koji tendered their resignations, as she could not serve in Amber as long as Fiona was there. But they werenít without employment long; soon they were out in Shadow raising armies for Bleys. When Corwin joined Bleys, Misao posed as Bleysís lover rather than his daughter, suspecting that Corwin was the kind of guy whoíd seduce his brotherís descendents. Go figure.

Misao took part in the fighting during Patternfall, but Bleys kept her out of the mystical shit and family politics. Afterwards , looking for a challenge and way to remain players,  Misao and Koji began to establish a presence in the Chaosian underworld as special ops agents for hire; Misao made a point of hiding her Amber blood. They set up a headquarters on a mountaintop in a shadow called Shi Jen Ten Chi Sho and acquired more associates. Among them were:
Harvey, a survivor of an attempted fey genocide which Misao and Koji put to a halt;
Adam, whom they rescued from an iceberg after reading Mary Shelleyís novel and agreeing that the ending was totally unfair;
Maryjane, the 4-foot tall shadow spider who nearly ate Misao but was persuaded to work for her instead;
Megumi, a hyperactive and genki kitsune with a love for all things that go boom; and
Mike, a sweet and patient former computer who now has an organic body.

There are several others, and Misao and her bandits have been a force to reckon with in the Chaosian Underworld for over 50 years now.  During that time, Misao had an affair with Anneke, a lady of a minor house in the courts who would later marry Borant.  When the purges in the Courts began, Misao went back to working for Bleys. Her major role during the recent war was conducting a guerilla warfare campaign in the Courts with Tancrid and Joshua.  At the end of the war, Bleys asked her to keep a watch on Corwinís Pattern while Corwin was otherwise engaged.

Since the death of Princess Fiona, Misao has been attempting to establish herself as a presence in Amber. She has for the most part delegated the work in the Chaosian Underworld to Harvey, as she is aware that eventually her bloodline will become known there, reducing her personal effectiveness.
 

Appearance:

Misao has the pale skin and fiery red hair common to Clarissaís descendents. Her eyes are a strange golden shade and her upper canine teeth look like fangs. She attempts to compensate for a petite and delicate build with an androgynous tousled haircut, foul mouth, and an aggressive manner. Her usual outfit is black pants with a white top, a knee-length black duster with crimson trim and a military-style cut, black boots, and gaudy jeweled necklaces and earrings.

She always carries a two-foot long iron fan in a back sheath. The fan has sharp edges and is heavy enough to use as a hand-to-hand weapon; it also throws flame at her command. Sheís also been known to use it as a shield. There is an image of a mountaintop etched into the fan.
 

Personality:

In a word, fiery. Misao is an extreme extrovert, and frequently plays the role of the clown. She is extremely blunt, having no apparent skill at tact or subtlety. She enjoys being outrageous and breaking the rules; she has little doubt of her own skills and will tend to tackle problems head-on, although with a peculiarly creative approach. She is fiercely loyal and generous to her friends and can be overprotective of those she loves. She is widely regarded as insane.
Quote: "If it ainít worth throwing your whole heart into it, it ainít worth doing."
 

Hobbies:

Drinking, killing and maiming, causing property damage, drinking, collecting drinking games, fighting, Gillbert and Sullivan musicals, mountain climbing, and did I mention drinking? Although itís mostly a secret, a few confidantes know she sings. Even fewer know she composes and directs her own musicals.