Help with a character background

[Akodo Tomatsu]

Some of you know, Five Rings Online (a L5R java chat) is about to start its next story arc, and a friend of mine has convinced me to play on it. The theme of the next arc is the rise of the merchants and their attempt to gain legitimacy in Rokugan.

So I have managed to come up with a character concept a few general ideas, but I was hoping you great L5R enthusiasts out there would help me craft his back story, as I find myself in need of some constructive help.

My character concept, and important information about him for his back story is that he is a member of the Miya family, the second child of the family, and was sent off to study with the Yasuki be trained as a procurer of goods for the imperial families. He resents his parents for relegating him to such an inglorious task in life, despite being a near savant at commerce. His callous treatment by his parents, combined with an over inflated sense of purpose of his work make him insensitive towards the plights of those below him, both in status and celestial order.

I've decided that my against the new rise of merchants, as he feels that if anyone can practice commerce, it makes his sacrifice in job and social status worthless. Also, from a practical point of view, he doesn't want competition in the market for the procurement of imperial goods, the better he is at his job, the more status he can garner.

So I'm looking for any advice or story hooks you guys think would help me flesh the character out. Hes a rather arrogant jerk to those under him, but a loyal servant to those above him, and a better friend there is none, if you can win him over.

So tell me what you guys think I could add to make him more interesting.

[Bayushi Senshi]

Heres an idea. Give him a physical disadvantage. It could be a determining reason why the family sent him off to commerce, and it adds more character weight to his anger at being sent off even though hes a savant. Now it shows his parents are even more justified in making the choice, but give the arrogant little sh!t an air of being even more so.

[Akodo Tomatsu]

Well he is the second son, and for no good reason his parents sent him off (at least to him, I mean in Rokugani society, it makes sense the first son would inherit the best). His sense of anger towards his parents, which is enacted against those below him, is from the callous treatment by his parents. They had no ability to understand he would do well at his job. It is seen as a rather shameful "casting out" to be sent to study commerce of all things, especially considering his family is noble Imperial heralds.

But none the less, from a more statical, game point of view, he has 7 points of disadvantages and I don't really want to give him 4 total disadvantages (his current three being Failure of Bushido (Compassion), Insensitivity, and Lechery).

[Kitsuki Yuushahime]

It sounds like you have more than enough worked out Tomatsu. Most players wouldn't even have that much down pat. Plus it's always fun to let characters develop a little. If you try and define them too much you may not fit in with the game and/or players. Some flexibility is good.

My only suggestion is a competing excellency. Something else he is really good at buy maybe prefers doing. Like theater or music, some perform skill. Perhaps he really prefers a sport or board game and likes to dwell on it. Maybe he fancied himself a loremaster and he has a few lore skills - that'd work with his intelligence (which he no doubt has) and aid the other players and give them a reason to consult him.

He does his job very well because he is smart and it is his duty. However, his passion is something else... it'd flesh him out in my opinion. Could also reinforce his anger - "why wasn't I trained in Bayushi lands when I love acting so?!" etc

[Akodo Tomatsu]

Well I do personally love Games: Go. I like that idea, something he'd rather be doing and its sort of that he is cursed to have to be good at something important that keeps taking away from his Go time.