Walking calmly through a lightly forested area, his companion beside him, Kyūsai took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Amegakure," he said, breaking the calm air. The next moment a kunai flew towards his head. There was a flash of red and the sound of rupturing flesh for the briefest of moments before the weapon could be seen falling to the ground. He had not flinched, he had barely noticed, he kept on walking. After a whole quiet thirty seconds had passed he smiled, a look one might see upon the face of someone who had thought of a useful idea, "Arina, would you fetch me a shuriken, a smoke bomb, and three explosive tags please?" Without giving her so much as a passing glance, his arm raised from his side, palm upturned, in a gesture for her to hand the items over.
Several kunai three. Again, a flesh and the sound of bursting flesh, and the kunai fell to the ground his body unmarred. He hadn't even blinked. It almost seemed as if he hadn't even realized he was being attacked. It was odd, his expression and demeanor contrary to his request and his situation all at once.
Currently split into Factions due to civil war. The below list, thus does not include a kage, but is instead a list of those who are contesting for the position (or are following one of those faction leaders).
History: A village having been brought together by Etseiru during the first three years of the shinobi war, the once small mountain settlement expanded rapidly. Through their conquest of the surrounding area and alliances with the Kanagata and Antare clans to name two, they were afforded a level of mobility that the other factions during the war simply did not have. With their steadfast and decisive, if not overly cautious and sentimental, leader in charge of their strategies the Village Hidden in the Clouds came to bear a startling military power, driving back anyone who intuded upon their lands through a series of fuinjutsu established by the Antare clan to facilitate essentially instantaneous travel between a multitude of points.
With the end of the war and the passing on of the First Raikage, Kanagata Etseiru, the country turned its eyes to the new Raikage, Genmyou. Having been nominated through Etseiru's will, Genmyou has sought to bolster Kumogakure's military to sufficient levels, but this has not been his primary focus. No, instead he has assisted the Antare clan in expanding their once small outposts into cities, which, by their enemies have come to be cumulatively called the Lightning's Shroud, though the people refer to them as Bastions. Having succeeded at this, the settlements are now manned by only the shinobi necessary, whereas a small civilian populace lives within their walls. However, each outpost is more than it appears as the rest of the population consist of retired, or training shinobi. This allows many people to already be present and on call for first response should it be required—though this is certainly not where their defenses end.
In more recent years Genmyou has focused on infastructure and research. It has come to the point where the Land of Lightning is ready to establish trade routes with other countries as a means to support their research and the people's livelihood.
Clan List:
Kanagata Another of the prestigious clans in Kumogakure, the Kanagata clan is known for its powerful Raijin no junshū Kekkei genkai and its Denjiton chakra nature. The Kanagata are among the most powerful users of the lightning affinity world wide. Their service during the war was pivotal and they remain extremely loyal to Kumogakure to this day. They often serve as advisors to the Raikage and assist greatly in the finances of the village, not to mention several sets of systems that run therein. This gives them a powerful sway over the village's leadership. They tolerate the Antare clan.
Antare Known for their prolific skill in Fūinjutsu. They are pivotal in the defense of Kumogakure and are a widely respected clan both for their skill and for their service to the Land of Lightning. This gives them a powerful sway over the village's leadership. They tolerate the Kanagata clan, often looking down on them. The Antare are in contact with the Jikangai clan and the two exchange knowledge and technique to some degree. However, the Antare is very secretive about their most powerful and intricate seals and as such do not allow any member of the Jikangai within 20 miles of their clan's headquarters.
Negishi Known for their tendency to adopt orphans or those who were displaced by the war. As such they are monitored by the Raikage for potential Kekkei genkai, problem children, and for potential assets.
Kosui A particularly reclusive clan, the Kosui keep to themselves and seem to have a fierce rivalry within their ranks. They are known for the Silk Release.
Suzumori Loyal to Kumogakure, the Suzumori is known for their unique elemental Kekkei genkai, the Komurasaki.
Focus: Military, Trade and Research.
Miscellaneous:
Defenses In progress.
Divisions Iryō-tai (Medical Corps): Simply put, the medical shinobi and more mundane doctors of Kumogakure either moved into combat zones to retrieve the injured or, in peace time, those in charge of the populace's health and wellbeing.
Ōda-tai(Strike Corps): One of Kumogakure's unique organizations, the Ōda-tai are employed only in certain circumstances. Their nature is shrouded in secrecy, but their effectiveness and lethality to those who they are deployed against is well known enough that parents tell cautionary stories to their children about them. Essentially the Ōda-tai are a select few chosen shinobi who are cross trained in all jutsu disciplines and then taught a series of guiding principles. A set of very specific, very intricate and powerful fuinjutsu known only to the Raikage and the grandmasters of the Antare are incribed upon all individuals within the organization. (If wishing to make a character in this group, contact me for further details)
Fūinsetsu(Sealing Division): A division strongly associated with the Antare clan, the Fūinsetsu answer only to the Raikage and the Antare clan head. Their purpose is the maintenance and creation of Kumogakure's vastly varied sealing networks. In war time they are typically sent out in 3:10 squad ratios with their members being the less common. The reason for this is not due to them being ineffective in battle, but because their expertise is so valued that they must be defended at all costs.
Kanshisetsu(Surveillance Division): Unlike other villages who tend to have a division of sensory shinobi, Kumogakure has a rather large group of individuals who lock into an established system of fuinjutsu or otherwise methods of sensing. While the division includes sensory shinobi to go on away missions so as to chart areas, or set up sensory fuinjutsu for new locales, they focus primarily on sifting through the vast amounts of data that the current system picks up on an hourly basis. As such, this is one of the most work intensive and large of the divisions. All sensory shinobi sent on away missions for this division are connected to the sensory networking system via fuinjutsu and chakra resonance.
Senryakusetsu(Strategy/Tactics Division): Focused on the protection of Kumogakure and the Land of Lightning's territory as a whole, the Senryakusetsu is effectively the division in command of Lightning's military, though the Raikage is the Commander in Chief that reins over any of its leaders. The Senryakusetsu works closely with the Kanshisetsu, Ōda-tai, and Fūinsetsu.
Kagaku-tekisetsu(Scientific Division): Also known as the Research Division by some, the Kagaku-tekisetsu are stationed within the Bastions and Kumogakure itself. Each Bastion focuses on a seperate area of study whereas their Headquarters in Kumogakure preforms larger more broad studies in everything from physics to chakra theory and jutsu. While each Bastion has a head of research, there is a council of five members in Kumogakure who make most of the executive decisions. This council answers to a chosen village elder, the Raikage, and the head of the Antare clan.
History: The Land of Wind was very much shaped by those whose motto was to go wherever the wind carried them. The land was colonized first by around a hundred nomadic clans who were not bound to any one place. These small families, no larger than one or two generations of people, gathered in the sand covered wasteland and saw something many people did not: a blank slate with which they could do anything with. Those clans with the intellectuals or natural born leaders came together to plan a course of action and decide on how best to start living with their families in this previously uninhabited desert. One such clan was that belonging to a young Daisuke Morizashi.
The Morizashi were a group of beast-taming ninja known for their amazing strength. They were, in many ways, the protectors of the group of settlers. Diverse in their skills, and knowledge of survival, it was only natural that they were at the forefront of village development. The group settled in the area that is now Akuma (see below) and started to slowly develop and grow in numbers. Little did the newcomers know, that the land was already planning to be taken by a group of bandits that called themselves Owari (The End). These rebels were made up of the criminals and outcasts of the other lands who had come to take refuge in the deserted sands in the Land of Wind. This encounter with the Owari would lead to a conflict that is still going on today, nearly a century later.
With the Owari's number of fighting individuals, there was no chance for the settlers to stay in the area. Many clans broke away from the group to escape the dangers, traveling to what are now coastal villages to seek refuge. Eventually, the Owari pushed the group of clans back closer to the border where the land was unclaimed. This is now where the Hidden Sand is located. It is said that the people stumbled upon a large crater in the earth, and that was where they started to rebuild.
As a new nation, hardly century old, those put in power to watch over the people were naive, in that they thought the temporary sanctuary would last. When the war started in other parts of the world, the newly chosen First Kazekage at first did nothing. He saw the conflicts going on outside the Land of Wind to not be his problem. He continued to slowly build the village as the number of people living there began to ride. He had little concern with defense or safety. And then, when the fight came to their doorstep, things were nearly laid to waste. Lord First ended up participating in the protection of the people, fighting with only a few at his side while the villagers were rushed underground to safety. He nearly lost his life in the battle, if not for one of his beast summoning, he would have died on the field.
It is hard to say how much the new village had lost in the war, but the most prevalent loss was the spirits of the people. Many became enraged and scared, and so Daisuke set in motion a set of plans meant to rebuild the Village to an even better place than it previously was.
The First Kazekage lived to the old age of seventy-nine, passing away in his sleep the day before his eightieth birthday. This was a hard blow to the village after losing their protector and leader. Many were skeptical of Yuzuki's ability to lead the village towards success when she was chosen to be the successor to Lord First. She was young compared to him, had no experience in the war, but what she did have was the unwavering loyalty to the village, and a profound love for its citizens. Slowly Yuzuki grew to become a motherly figure in the village as she set to change some things the First left behind for her.
With the village growing skywards, the spirits of the people began to grow with it. Sunagakure now has villagers who are all devoted in playing a roll in helping the village grow even more. Though no nation is without the occasional setback, the expected economic growth rate is predicted to be off the charts and higher than any time the First ruled.
Yuzuki is now in her second year as Kazekage, and there are still many items to check off on her list of achievements. Nonetheless, Sunagakure is becoming a place people travel across the world to live in.
Focus: Military Defense, Economic Development, Sustainability, Quality of Life
Miscellaneous:
The Land of Wind: Important Places
The Morizashi Ruins Here once stood a statue of The First Kazekage, Daisuke Morizashi. It was built in honor of him founding the Village Hidden in the Sand. During the fights with bandits that tore through the land, it was destroyed. It now lays ruined a half days journey away from the village.
Akuma no Hōn - Devil's Horn Village Known as the starting point of Sunagakure, it is told in history books that this was where the people of the Hidden Sand resided before the village was founded. It is now a ghost of its former glory, despite many people still living there. However, many people still take the day's journey to and from the Sand and Akuma to its many unique shops.
Tōge - The Mountain Pass Village Once the headquarters of the bandit organization the Sand spent many years to defeat, this village is now home to many nomadic families and clans. This area is very diverse in culture because of the low restrictions for those who are allowed to live here. It is rumored that there are still bandit activity going on in secret, but Sand shinobi are quick to put a stop to such things.
Ribāzuejji - River's Edge Village This resort village is located at the mouth of a small, active volcano that brews beneath the lake that was created by an eruption many years ago. This small town is very active, attracting people from all over the world to come and relax in its hot springs and nice Inns.
Kyokujitsugakure Land of the Rising Sun
Sankage: Shikata Kibō - Hokage Shikata Ayameko - Former Leader of the Land of Rivers
History: Despite how young the nation is compared to many of the other global powers, Kyokujitsu no Tochi has a rich history that intertwines a variety of cultures. The Land of Fire was established well before the first Shinobi war and only fell due to destruction from the bijuu which claimed the lives of many people across many of the territories that comprise the nation as a whole. Because of that destruction, Ayameko was able to establish a new nation that banded together those struggling and remade the lands into a nation of surprising prosperity.
Much of the history of the nation is due to the efforts of the Sankage who developed the idea of the national structure and executed it by significant diplomatic efforts. Despite being selected as the leader of the Land of Fire as a non-native, a nation that still had significant power after the destructive forces of the bijuu, she was able to guide its people to accept that not only would they be stronger if they worked together, but they could maintain their national pride.
Kyokujitsu no Tochi is over 30 years old.
Geography: Kyokujitsu no Tochi is one of the most diverse geographical landscapes, spanning from the cold northern territories to the tropical southern lands. Largely flat, Kyokujitsu no Tochi only has incredible terrain changes in the west and north, where it runs into the mountains dividing them from the Lands of Earth and Wind in the west, and the Land of Lightning in the North. It does, however, have a small section of mountains in its most northern most territory.
Plantlife is abundant in Kyokujitsu no Tochi, with a wide range of crops. The open plains scattered throughout are often utilized for agriculture
Specifically around Kyokujistugakure, however, the terrain is arrange very specifically. A network of small rivers filled with floating lilies creates a natural looking moat miles away from the outskirts of the walls. From the air, these are obscured by the thick forest of trees planted specifically by the village. Further out from that, there are a series of mountains on the western side, which span from the Land of Iron to just above the southern coast. These mountains run along the border of the original Land of Fire.
Map of Kyokujitsugakure and Surrounding Area
- Yellow gold - Farmland - Grey - Walls - Dark Brown - Mountain - Dark Green - Trees (Largest is Yggdrasil) - Light Green - Grassland - Purple Squares - Important Buildings - Light Purple Square - Transport - Black Squares - Homes and trade buildings - Orange Squares - Houses/Clan compounds - Light Blue Square - Temple of Fuujin - Red Square - Temple of Fire - Tan - Roads - Blue - Water
Notes: - The distance between the trees closest to the wall is actually larger than it appears. - There are actually inner walls between the rings of buildings. - There are trees and other plants within the walls of the village scattered about. - The number of buildings within the walls is greater than it appears (it'd just get super cluttered that way)
Religion: Kyokujitsu no Tochi is actually a highly spiritual nation. Temples of various beliefs can be found within the city with major shrines scattered throughout the lands. Very notably are the Temples of Fuujin and the Temple of Fire. With the influx of a few members from Tsukigakure, even more religions are mixing into the diverse beliefs of the people of Kyokujitsugakure.
Politics: Kyokujitsugakure is run predominantly by the Sankage who is selected by the tree Yggdrasil. However, each original territory within the confines of Kyokujistu no Tochi (Tea, Noodles, Rivers, Grass, Iron, Rice, Hot Springs, and Wave) has representation on the Council. While each territory is overseen by the Sankage, they do allow significant flexibility in the self-governing of many of the local functions of the territory. In fact, the only time the Sankage would step in would be when the rights of the citizens overall were being affected.
The selection of the Sankage is a surprisingly simple process. At the passing of current Sankage, or when they opt to retire, candidates selected by each territory are brought to the tree and among them the tree selects those that it deems most worthy to lead the nation.
Current Council Representation by Territory: - Land of Iron - Masazane Io - Land of Fire - Yuki Shiori - Land of Rivers - Shikata Ayameko, Current Sankage - Tea - ??? - Noodles - ??? - Grass - ??? - Rice - ??? - Hot Springs - ??? - Wave - ???
Clan List:
Masazane The Masazane clan is a historical staple in the Land of Iron. Noted for their manipulation of metal, they have served the village as smiths of unique and powerful weapons. Many have immigrated from their historical homeland into the capital.
Yuki The Yuki clan is charged with keeping records for the Land of Fire. They run the Omoide no Kinko-shitsu, the library for Kyokujitsu no Tochi. They posses incredible memories and information retrieval within the library.
Uchiha Wielders of the Sharingan, the Uchiha provide Kyokjitsu no Tochi with the bulk of its Intel forces and military police.
Hyuuga The Hyuuga is the second oldest clan in Kyokujitsu no Tochi and its members have access to the Byakugan. Many members of the Hyuuga clan join the Senkensha, a sensory division for Kyokujitsu no Tochi.
Senju The clan of the Shodai Hokage, noted for its ability to utilize the Mokuton nature, given to it by the tree Yggdrasil. They are the oldest clan in Kyokujitsu no Tochi and have exceptional reverence for Yggdrasil. The largest percentage of Kages for the Land of Fire have come from this clan. There are only a few members of this clan still around.
Nara The Nara clan is well known throughout Kyokujitsu no Tochi. Keepers of the Hiden that allows the manipulation of Shadows, Nara clan members work in a variety of roles throughout the village. Noted for their cleverness and ingenuity, they are well respected.
Focus: As diverse as their geography, Kyokujitsu has numerous strengths because of that diversity. A wide range of exports are available for the nation allowing them to trade away many of their excess goods while requiring few themselves. As such, much of the economy within the nation is home produced goods. The large amount of land available for agriculture, with high quality soil and diverse climates, gives them the framework to support a large population. Significant resource of the nation are put into research.
Places of Note:
Kokumin Toshokan [National Library] - A part of the Yuki clan compound and residing close to the center of the capital, quite close to Yggdrasil as well as the Sankage's compound. As such, it is along the ornate gardens that are especially common at the city center.
Hansha no Genkan [Halls of Reflection] - A specialized building that serves multiple purposes. One of the most beautiful buildings in the capital, it is a single story rectangular building. Aside from the very center, which is a square, the building has open air covered walkways and floats on top of a large pond filled with lily flowers. What makes the building unique and important are the specialized mirrors within the center hall. These mirrors allow an individual to see their reflection as if they had a doujutsu similar to the Byakugan. This building serves both the Medical Corps, as well as the Research Division. It also serves as an advanced training building for many.
Temples of Fuujin and Fire - While these can be found throughout the nation. The main temple sits outside the capital walls between the mountain range on the west. The Temple of Fuujin, as well as the Temple of Fire share the solitary mountain separated from the range that lies between the cities. The Temple of Fire looks east, while the Temple of Fuujin looks west. Both have smaller shrines scattered as well as major temples with the capital itself. These serve as training facility for many specialized disciplines.
Research Compound - There is a large research compound near the Sankage's facility. This building is actually directly connected and spans multiple stories both above and beneath the ground. Many people who serve as advisors to the Sankage work directly within this building or the compound.
Boughs and Roots of Yggdrasil - There is, in fact, two additional 'places' of note within the capital city. At the center of Yggdrasil there is a place where the roots have specifically grown in a way to allow a flat surface within the branches of the tree. Few people are allowed to access this area and it is restricted mostly to the Sankage or those with specially permission from Ayameko herself.
The Roots of Yggdrasil are another location and connect directly to the Research Compound and consists of multiple rooms. This, as well, is a highly restricted location used for advanced research in conjunction as serving as a safe room for the villagers in times of great peril. Tokumei's specialized facility is actually within the Roots of Yggdrasil.
Divisions:
While many activities are directed by the Sankage herself, or the Council, much of general management of various shinobi is done directly by their division leaders, who either report to the head of another division or to the Sankage or Council. Should the Sankage and Council be killed, leadership then falls to the had of Senjutsu-tekina [Tactical Division]. In the event that is not possible, the leadership follows the following chain: Medical Corps, ANBU, Eternal Watch, Sensory Division, Research Division, and Barrier Division.
Iryō-tai [Medical Corps] Lead by: Nara Shiō - Trains and dispatches medical shinobi within the nation as well as abroad in times of great need by allies.
ANBU [Military Intelligence] Lead by: --- - Formerly run by Touzoku, the daughter of Ayameko, ANBU serves as a specialized organization within the village designed for missions. Reports to Tactical Division.
Root [Research Division] Lead by: Nara Shiō - Preforms research into new techniques with a strong focus in defensive and medical techniques.
Senkensha [Sensory Division] Lead by: Nara Shiō - Maintains any large scale sensory techniques as well as responds to requests from other divisions in dispatching shinobi within this division.
Senjutsu-tekina [Tactical Division] Lead by: Nara Kakugyō- Serves as the military as strategists for single operations to full scale wars and sieges.
Kekkaisetsu [Barrier Division] Lead by: Yūdai Kei - Establishes many of the rules governing access to the capital as well as maintaining and establishing barrier techniques in times of war. Reports to Tactical Division.
Yusōsetsu [Transport Division] Lead by: --- - Maintains and supplies chakra to the transport system for Kyokujitsu no Tochi. Those within this division generally have high chakra pools and exceptional control. Many lacking in practical combat abilities serve the nation within this division. Reports to Tactical Division.
Yotogi no Eien [Eternal Watch] Lead by: Akaritori - Maintains order within the various cities o Kyokujitsu no Tochi with their center operating within the capital. They work closely with the various other military branches in times of crisis. Reports to Tactical Division during times of crisis.
Antare
Country of Origin: Land of Lightning. Hierarchy and Focus: The Antare pick a single clan head based on the individual's wisdom and propensity for the art of sealing. This clan head elects a series of lesser masters, though these masters are still considered Grandmasters when compared to the average Antare clansman. These grandmasters each are skilled in a particular area of governance and fuinjutsu, thus splitting the clan into a number of branches based not at all on blood, but instead on skill. These branches change too often and are too numerous to be named.
The focus of the Antare clan is, plain and simple, fuinjutsu. They are considered far superior to the Uzumaki and rival to the Jikangai, though the Jikangai are perhaps not as well known due to their isolationism.
History: Originating from a member of the Jikangai clan who was born with their Kekkei genkai, but did not stay within the clan, the Antare came to being when this Jikangai had a child with a member of a rather secretive clan known as the Iouchiryo clan it was their children that resulted in the creation of the Antare. Over the years these children, then grown to fine shinobi, pulled others to themselves while they traveled throughout the lands gathering some of the most skilled individuals in many areas. As time went on these skills were all translated into fuinjutsu, due to their natural propensity for the art,
Eventually settling in what would one day become the Land of Lightning. The Antare only grew in skill and size. While possessing no Kekkei genkai, the Antare became well known for their peaceful nature and tendency to teach those who were willing to learn their craft. Additionally, it became widely recognized that the Antare was capable of outputting more Hiden techniques than perhaps any other clan on the historical record.
During the war the Antare choose to support Kumogakure due to the Daimyo's support of them, not to mention the promise of better land. Their service allowed Kumogakure a great deal of mobility and foreknowledge of their enemies, not to mention it assisted greatly when they were forced to deal with the Uzumaki.
After the war the Antare took up residence in Kumogakure where they began turning the mountain into their permanent home. It has been 10 years since then and their work is largely finished.
Miscellaneous: The Antare will teach those with a passion or great interest in Fuuinjutsu, but those outside the clan must go through a screening process first.
Additionally, it should be noted that while the Antare do not have a Kekkei genkai they possess an incredible propensity for learning and advanced thought in addition to an almost intuitive understanding of fuuinjutsu.
Uranaisha
Country of Origin: Unknown. Hierarchy and Focus: The Uranaisha serve as advisors, tacticians, as well as masters of chakra theory to those who seek them out. Their leadership appears to be a form of matriarchy wherein the oldest and/or wisest woman among them leads. Their leadership is chosen by way of special rituals and tests to identify ones wisdom and mental superiority.
History: The Uranaisha are said to be descendents of one of the Sage's children, little else is known about them and while they assisted Sunagakure during the war, their primary function, in the aformentioned instance, and most of history has been that of strategists, scientists, and prophets of a sort. Only recently have some of their more notable abilities come to light.
Miscellaneous: Most members of the Uranaisha clan are not shinobi and it should be noted that their Kekkei genkai is typically inherited by the women of the clan, though this is not always the case.
Kanagata
Country of Origin: Land of Lightning. Hierarchy and Focus: In terms of hierarchy there are three inheritors who collectively take the mantel from the shoulders of their predecessors. Each generation of these inheritors almost always has their clans kekkei genkai and is ALWAYS hand picked by all three of one of the three previous inheritors. The Ranks are as follows with their corresponding place in the clan and general function.
Joutei no inryokuban(God of the Gravity grid): This is the highest Ranking and usually the most skilled, powerful, and influential member of the clan. He is effectively the clan head and all final decisions must be run by him unless a state of emergency is upon the clan and/or the village. They are often the eldest but this is not always the case as skill and intelligent decision making and leadership skills are more important than experience in this situation due to the easy reliance on the other two inheritors. The individual in this position does have their own assigned branch but they are less entitled to their well being in comparison to the other two inheritors due to the 1st inheritors increased authority over all branches of the clan. (may update with the weapon that this individual is given).
Chinjunokamiban(Guardian god of the grid): This is the second in command position of the clan -though to outsiders it seems the same as an advisor or simply an individual of equal authority-. This individual is almost always required to be the tactics specialist though exceptions have been made in different situations. They generally have second say and help the 1st inheritor in any way possible as well as supporting their assigned branch of the clan. They are almost always given the blade known as Buyu rakurai, which is indeed the case for Tesshu.
Mittei rakurai(Emissary of lightning bolts): The technical lowest rank in the clan this individual oversee's their own individual branch as well as the more minor processes of the clan. They receive the least augmented weapon of the kanagata clan and -as is usually the case- are the weakest of the three inheritors, though this is not always the case. Strangely throughout the years it has been seen that the third inheritor actually has more sway in times of intense chaos as they are usually skilled in the fire affinity of their kekkei genkai and have skills -both socially and in battle- to handle chaos due to familiarity with it.
Though there is a strong sense of loyalty to each other within the Kanagata clan they do not have the ideology of non-biased loyalty meaning they are not necessarily completely honest outside of the clan.
Moving on, the Kanagata clan is focused on the continued mastery of the lightning affinity and their kekkei genkai in particular. They are quite well known for this as they are considered among the most powerful lightning users. This is largely attributed to their kekkei genkai, the Raijin no junshū.
History: The Kanagata clan was born in the Land of Lightning and they have been fairly loyal to its Daimyo for centuries. Nonetheless, they were considered a force not to be reckoned with during the warring clans period in which they repelled anyone daring to intrude in their lives. While not seen as particularly vindictive, they did annihilate several clans who repeatedly bothered them thus making them infamous for their ruthlessness if trifled with. As this period ended their loyalty to Kumogakure was common sense due to their loyalty to the daimyo. They proved a powerful asset in war time as their expansive Kekkei genkai made them terrifying adversaries. With its end, and their position of power gained, the Kanagata situated themselves near Kumogakure, though still on the mountain, making them one of its prominent clans.
Miscellaneous: Only once has an inner clan betrayal occurred and the man can still not be found to this day. It however is said that he was the Mittei rakurai of he time and he took out the two above him through his unique capabilities and discovered a method in which to take their collective abilities making him an incredible threat. He then left with none of the clan able to combat him in his horrible glory.
The man is still being searched for but since then the ties from clan member to clan member are mutual and made to be very tight knit so as not to have something like this occur again. Additionally the three inheritors are usually of similar village rank and standing with each only having slight differences in class stature and the like.
Tatasuko
Country of Origin: N/A.
Hierarchy and Focus: The Tatasuko clan is governed by a group of elders, typically members of the clan who possess their kekkei genkai some of which who have experienced combat, and some whom have not. While there is no true head of the Tatasuko clan, currently Zume Tatasuko serves as something similar as he speaks for the clan. As a whole the Tatasuko are very peaceful, respectful people with the majority of them possessing neither kekkei genkai nor their specialized chakra affinity.
The Tatasuko clan primarily stay within their cave system known as the Hahaoya no jōmyaku to those few who are aware of any of its many entrances, or its existence at all. Every so often one member of their clan or another can be noted by their typically black clothing and straw hats, which dangle similarly black pieces of cloth to obscure their faces.
Generally the Tatasuko are looked upon as enigmatic peacekeepers, tending to stay away from conflict and if that is not possible, they mitigate or cease it altogether. They prefer to stay out of the affairs of the world at large and do well to stay in the shadows, hence most referring to them as shades. Publicly the Tatasuko clan have no known export or focus, though it is rumored that, for whatever reason, they defend the caves they live within. It is known that they consider the Hahaoya no jōmyaku to be sacred.
History: The advent of the Tatasuko clan is largely held in mystery, or at least kept from the ears of the public. Nonetheless it is said that the Tatasuko originate from the Tatasuko of myth, making their clan's founder the ancient rival to the Sage of Six Paths and the Avatar to the Phoenix, who has since been banished by the aforementioned sage.
Following this their founder is said to have fled into the caves, having been spared by the Sage. Then he and his brother, both of whom remain unnamed, spread their blood to others, and they did the same. Gradually they were gathered together and naturally the clan formed as a result, remaining within their caves where they stay today, only emerging for resources and, at times, to assist in the resolution of conflict.
Miscellaneous: Rather than have one point of origin the Tatasuko clan's base of operations is only known to dwell within the cave system. The problem lies in the fact that this cave system runs all over the world connecting to a great many other cavern complexes making it extremely difficult to locate their dwelling places. As to their origins, well such are irrelevant for many countries have unknowingly contributed to their growth not that such is extensive. While not a well known fact, or a known one at all, the Tatasuko clan does not consist of a large sum of individuals numbering at perhaps 200 maximum, with the majority being civilian individuals.
Kosui
Country of Origin: Land of Lightning Hierarchy and Focus: The Kosui Clan is mostly known for their vast knowledge of the land and the uses it has for people. For generations they have been making breakthroughs in medicine, they are known to be actively developing stronger anesthetics for use in their field and others. The ninja produced by the Kosui Clan are avid users of the Silk Release in combat, while doctors and medical-nin use this release for it's healing properties. The leader of the clan is deisgnated by bloodline all rooting from the original clan member Ichigo Kosui.
History: >Ichigo Kosui founds the Kosui Clan >The clan is weak and seeks knowledge of healing rather than warfare. >Ichigo seeks a means to defend his Clan of healers. >Ichigo and the Spider [tale] >Clan joins Kumogakure
Ichigo and the Spider A single brilliant man once walked this land. Not a fire in his soul, nor a blade in his hand. Though he did have those he wished to protect. So to that horrible place in the dark he left.
Small things skittered, large things crawled. Things too horrible with names to be called. Under the dirt, under the stone. Where these horrible things called home.
"I have come to seek help." he said. And in the darkness a large web was spread. "To seek help from a spider, you're as good as dead." The voice was soft, inviting, but more than all.
The voice was so close, it'd make your skin crawl.
"A spider I seek, one who'd help those who are meek."
The man stood his ground, Silence, and then what he'd found. Was the spider's response, was not one of sound. "Your cries are heard, my web is shook. The first of your kind, I've ever mistook. Take my gift, do what you will. But the next man I see, I swear I will kill."
He thanked the spider, for taking a chance. The man left the cave, without even a glance. Returned to his family, and with him a gift. The gift of threads, and silken strands. What they did with it now, is in your hands.
Miscellaneous: The Kosui Clan's symbol is reminiscent to a spider, which is befitting with their Silk Release. There is a Missing-Nin from the Kosui Clan last seen somewhere in the Land of Water. Kosui-nin are taught by their seniors to use Silk Release at an early age.
Jikangai
Country of Origin: N/A
Hierarchy and Focus: The Jikangai follow a quasi-ancestor worship hierarchy, with the oldest and most powerful members of the clan being venerated. Yata, the Immortal Matriarch of the clan, is considered to be deific in nature, and all those descended from her have the most power and the most authority. Beneath Yata are the Immortal Scions, figures of legend chosen by Jikangai, Kinjiro to supposedly be immortalised and direct the clan’s efforts from the shadows. Below this are the various sects of the Jikangai, each with a focus on a particular element of Fuuinjutsu. Female Jikangai are more powerful and important than their male counterparts as they are guaranteed to produce Jikangai children.
The Jikangai’s area of expertise is Fuuinjutsu, which they are the progenitors of.
History: The Jikangai clan's origins begin with the matriarch and eternal leader of the clan, Yata, who was born into a wealthy family in a time where chakra was yet to grace the land. Yata's early history is unknown to anyone but herself, but there are a few established facts that the Jikangai are privy to: Yata was among the first to receive the gift of chakra, and in her blood were the secrets to the first sealing techniques. Yata became the first to utilise the nature of the seal to manipulate chakra in ways that could not be achieved within the body, and her rise to power was as swift as it was lethal. Yata later discovered that her sealing techniques were potent enough to affect the flow of time within small areas, and developed this power over many years alone. At some point, Yata gave birth to her first child, Kinjiro, with an unknown father who was on a similar or greater level of power to her, and Kinjiro was born with all of Yata's power except that over time, though she was the first Jikangai known to possess the trait of being "outside time", likely a result of Yata's experimentation with temporal energies.
The earliest members of the Jikangai were not selectively bred or taught like many of the earliest coalitions of clans. Initially, to gain entry to the Jikangai one only needed to be a powerful male (in order to create children from Yata's side to pass her potent sealing power down) or to have an interest in the sealing techniques that Yata offered. Coalitions of like-minded people that were not required to possess specific traits were initially rare, so the earliest Jikangai groupings were not as powerful as many of the other fledgling clans, but as the requirements to join were so simple, many chose to partake of the power that Yata offered. War was common in the early days as people discovered the limitations of their newfound power, but the Jikangai chose to weave seals within their architecture that offered them highly fortified and defensive positions through which to avoid battle. The legendary safety of their strongholds resulted in those tired of war defecting to join the Jikangai, and after a few short decades the Jikangai had members of almost every discipline that presently existed and the means to research many more.
When Yata's first child, Kinjiro, turned thirty two she achieved the secrets of immortality and shared these with her mother, causing the pair to become biologically immortal for a time. This secret gave the matriarch of the Jikangai clan enough time to perfect the seals that would render her truly immortal and cement her eternal reign over the Jikangai. It was also around this time that Kinjiro disappeared from the annals of the Jikangai, taking with her several of the more medically minded individuals of the time with her, and the clan turned from essentially worshipping its most powerful members (those who had most of Yata's blood) to a more expansion-oriented people, using their collective knowledge and sealing prowess to become conquerors. The seal-infused architecture typical of the early Jikangai strongholds became as much a weapon of war as the rest of the techniques within the Jikangai's grasp and they reconstructed many settlements that they took over with their own to ensure that none that came after them could take the land should they be ousted, and other contingents of the Jikangai could take their place.
The love for complex sealing and structures quickly became the largest downfall of the Jikangai, and their promising expansion years were cut short after only a small number of generations due to infighting within the clan, and their own seal-infused architecture being sabotaged by rival members within the power-oriented clan. Many of the less powerful members died during raids from other sects within the Jikangai, or through the defences upon which they heavily relied being rendered defunct and invading parties having enough of a surprise advantage to turn the tide of battle in their favour. The most powerful of the Jikangai survived and chose to withdraw into the heavily fortified structures that they had relied upon in their infancy, abandoning hopes of conquest for mastery over their sealing techniques under Yata's directive.
Yata, the Immortal Matriarch, directed the clan's efforts towards creating a set of seals of unknown form and function shortly after their withdrawal from their expansive phase, and at some point within the next ten years all instances of the Jikangai on the surface world promptly vanished and retreated into a single underground compound. Much controversy was raised over the reason for the disappearance of any large body of Jikangai, but several missionaries remained in the world to quell these rumours and to recruit promising talents into the folds of the Jikangai. Though it would seem, from looking at the history books, that the Jikangai simply erased themselves from the world, nothing could be farther from the truth.
After withdrawing to their underground compound, the Jikangai returned to their original state of pseudo-ancestor worship. Yata once again became the ultimate public authority within the clan (where before she had largely ruled from the shadows) and once the seals she had ordered the clan create were finished, she ascended beyond the mortal scope of power. With her new seals, Yata's presence was dangerous to all non-Jikangai, and though there was no immediate aftermath, the clan grew worried that her unchecked power would draw attention to their hiding location and chose to construct a sphere in which to entrap their Immortal Matriarch and limit her power. Yata herself designed the seals for her gilded cage, recognising the threat that she posed, and willingly withdrew to lead the clan from within a place that she could do no harm. Unfortunately, Yata's prison limited the contact that she could have with her children, and she receded from the spotlight once more to allow the Jikangai to work towards goals she would entrust to the most powerful members of the clan.
It was at this point that the various sects of the Jikangai begun to develop, each with a focus on a particular aspect of sealing, and the clan begun to evolve into the complex society that it is today. In order to avoid stagnancy, the Jikangai offered the secrets of their seals to the world for knowledge and resources that they may have needed through use of their missionaries, who in return recruited brilliant individuals to join the clan. This process has continued since that era, and is still something that occurs semi-regularly within the Jikangai. It is not uncommon for the most powerful members of the Jikangai (those selected to receive Kinjiro's gift of immortality) to directly intervene with mortals of specific interest and prowess to offer them unique gifts in return for their service. Some would liken the Jikangai to would-be Gods, undying beings with a penchant for interfering within the lives of perceived lesser beings for their amusement, but the truth of the matter is far simpler than that: The Jikangai scions are mortal ambition taken to its furthest extreme, with the power to match, and delight in precisely the same game of control that all mortals do, only on a larger scale.
Miscellaneous: The Jikangai are a secretive clan, having sequestered themselves deep underground many years ago. Their primary contact with the surface world is in the form of Jikangai Missionaries, who broker deals and trades with the hidden villages to secure resources and trade influence/information. These missionaries are also sworn to high-ranking members of the Jikangai (such as sect leaders of members of the Immortal Scions) as spies and informants. The missionaries are very easy to find should one wish to contact them, and they can be found within any major village.
Yuki
Country of Origin: Land of Fire Hierarchy and Focus: The Yuki clan is one of the oldest clans from the Land of Fire. They are guardians of the ancient relic known as the Gensho and have an innate ability with the written word. They are gifted with detailed and creative minds, making them skilled with not only their clan's signature techniques which utilize writing and paper techniques, but quite adept at utilizing Genjutsu.
The Yuki clan is run by the oldest member of the clan that has completed all of the Rites of Passage and has read from the Gensho. History: The Yuki clan itself was formed before the Sage as a group dedicated to the preservation of information. One of the first groups to develop a very formal language, the clan utilized the the abilities gained through the revelations of the Sage to enhance their ability to preserve information. The clan actually shrank due to the sacrifice of the members to craft the Gensho itself.
After crafting the book, and realizing the full extent of its power, the Yuki clan stayed within a small area in the Land of Fire. Fearful of those that might take the book, as well as members of their own clan that might tell others about the book. Thus, they developed a very unique set of techniques to guard the Gensho from not only outsiders, but those within the clan who may misuse it. However, much of the safeguards were not needed given the reverence the clan members had for the book.
It was noted early on in the years after the Gensho that no Yuki clan member lived past their 150th year. It would be later researched that it was due to their connection with the Gensho that caused their very static lifespan. It is theorized by the clan, that if a child was not exposed to the Gensho at all, they would theoretically be able to life past 150. However, the clan's obsession with the book has left this theory completely untested even hundreds of years later. Misc: Many clan members chose to read large sums of the Gensho when they fall into ill health or to end their lives peaceful. By careful, methodical timing, this results in a very peaceful end to the Yuki clan member's life.
Masazane
Country of Origin: Land of Iron Hierarchy and Focus: The Masazane clan hierarchy is determined through a yearly test of skill and overall commerce. Heralded as some of the best smiths in the world, the Masazane clan has a gift with the shaping of metal.
Clan leadership is determined by whichever members of the clan has the most verified sales of weapons or by any individual who has completed a work of superb caliber. After those members are identified, they are faced with forging a sword for a champion of their choice in a contest known as the Tetsu no Shōtotsu [Clash of Iron]. The winner, by either through defeating an opponent or by breaking the sword of the opposing champion, becomes leader of the clan. Lethal attacks are considered a violation of the rules of the current Tetsu no Shōtotsu, but this is has only been the rules for the last few years. History: The Masazane clan are a small, yet widespread clan that is noted for their ability to produce weapons.
Originally from the Land of Iron, the Masazane are an old clan and have forged weapons for the samurai from the land for their entire existence. Smithwork in the Land of Iron was considered exceptionally noble, and much like nobles trade marry off children to other royals, the early smiths of the Masazane clan used their children to form connections with other smiths.
One smith, whose original name was long forgotten, was said to have had so many sons and to have made the most legendary weapons, that he was only referred to by his surname. Owning a weapon of the smith Masazane, or being married into his family (to be able to put the Masazane stamp on their productions), was considered an badge of honor. After awhile, all of the smith families within the Land of Iron were related.
Once the original Masazane died, leadership of the family fell into chaos. It was proposed by Masazane's third son that they determine who is to lead the clan through the Tetsu no Shōtotsu. It was not unheard of in the early days for this to be a bloody affair with assassinations of smiths and champions alike. After the first Tetsu no Shōtotsu, leadership of the clan fell to Masazane's fifth son, Ito, who was considered to be almost as skilled as his father.
Ito would run the Masazane in the longest reign of the clan for over 63 years. It was during Ito's reign that the Sage changed the world. With the heavy relation to a singular bloodline, many of the Masazane developed the ability to manipulate steel through a kekkei genkai known as Kōton, using a mixture of the fire and earth elements. It was also not unheard of for members to develop Jiton either in addition to Kōton or as a solitary alternative.
After the reign of Masazane Ito, leadership of the clan fell once again into disarray with leadership cycling repeatedly through a series of smiths that were closely matched between each other. Each year, the one currently in power would lose to one of the smiths he had defeated the year before.
It would not be for over a hundred years before the leadership would yet again stabilize. However, this stabilization of leadership would continue to the reign of Masazane Io, who has lead the clan for the last 62 years. Io is often considered the reincarnation of the original founder of their clan with near unrivaled skill in the forging of weapons and the manifestation of both Jiton and Kōton at a high level. This is often considered because of Io's great number of male heirs.
With the creation of Kyokujitsu no Tochi, many members of the clan have spread themselves out to other territories within their nation. Smiths who stay in the Land of Iron often look down on these members are trying to escape the significant competition within their historical homeland for the Tetsu no Shōtotsu and qualify through sales in another land where the smiths are less skilled. The clan itself, despite its age, is relatively small. Misc: While rare, some Masazane do forge weapons for themselves for the Tetsu no Shōtotsu. Most members of the clan fall under competent or skilled with a weapon. For the Tetsu no Shōtotsu most form relationships with kenjutsu masters.
It is said some still participate in an underground version of the Tetsu no Shōtotsu known as the Ketsueki no Shōtotsu [Clash of Blood] as a form of gambling or a way to display power between Tetsu no Shōtotsu.
Mayonaka
Country of Origin: Land of Iron. Hierarchy and Focus: Focused on the mastery of their sword art, the Shizukana-ryū-ji(Style of the Tranquil Path), the Mayonaka are renowned swordsman both within and beyond the Land of Iron.
Choosing to lead themselves through mastery, the Mayonaka allow only those who have truly mastered their style and who are within their family, to reign over those who might learn their infamous style. This typically results in their being four or so grandmasters and one “Heir,” which seeks the grandmasters for council. The heir is the descendent of the previous heir, their bloodline, in some form or another, leading back to their clan founder.
The current Heir is Mayonaka, Seisui and he is out on a pilgrimage to finetune his art.
History: A long time has passed since the origins of this clan were lost, no longer do any of the outside world know where the Mayonaka spawned and how the now ancient style was forged into improving perfection. The outsiders do not know, but then they are not meant to, as a clan's history is its own. The Mayonaka clan, founded somewhere in what is now the land of iron, were far from notable before their style's creation. Their 1st master was a simple man, a hunter, living off the land and assisting the people in the few ways he could. Many years passed for him and he gradually grew in his wisdom until one day he was visited by a man. A strange man with a look of majesty, power, and wisdom in his many lively orbs, visited him for a time, asking for simple shelter for a time. Providing it, the foremost master of the yet to be created style gave the man all he needed, as he appeared to be recovering from some strange ailment. The man was weak of body at that time, but the two began to grow close, learning from each other, and the Mayonaka found himself overtaken with the smallest fragments of kinship with the man.
A short time turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months and the man began to speak of things which the Mayonaka could barely understand. He was isolated from the world, knowing little of the arts being created and the politics or intricacies of things. Even as he worked the forge, he found something changing in himself, yet unsure as to what, and when he asked the man there was no reply, just a solemn look. The next day, the man had vanished, no traces left of his presence. This bothered the Mayonaka greatly and eventually he decided it was time to leave his home, he could no longer isolate himself, he was no longer satisfied by the simple wilderness, something in him longed for what he knew not. So he saved his money and then used it to acquire a weapon for while he was no true warrior he was a skilled hunter and he knew that wielding a blade, even of lesser quality, would be useful.
He carried on, traveling slow and learning as much as he could bout his surroundings, the world he had been apart from for so long. It took two years before he saw exactly what he had been looking for, the spark that awakened a new passion in him: He witnessed the dual of two swordsman. - - - - - He traveled again, now returning home, changed, knowing what he had to do. So, while he returned he challenged many, defeated by some and winning against others, until his name was known well. So, he changed it for his face was not yet known. He became No-hassan Mayonaka(Emanation of Midnight), a growing legend among swordsman, and then he arrived home. His blade, of lesser quality still, no longer served him, he could not wield it, but he had learned more in his trade of blacksmithing. With money from his fallen adversaries he acquired the best of metals, specific mixtures, and from there he began to work. It was hard, for challenges often braved the long path to reach him in hope of besting the rising legend in combat.
None did.
It took months, and on the last month he was nearly defeated. However, strangely, his opponent decided to forestall their match midway, saying that his opponent could not possibly be serious. The look in the challenger's eyes seemed somehow familiar for they were knowing, wise, and filled with majesty.
That day his blade had come to fruition, and it was the last day it had needed to cool and to harden into perfection. There was time still, two more days to pass before their match was to resume. No-hassan however decided he would no adjust to his blade, no, he would not even touch it. - - - - - A trusted friend carrying his blade wrapped in cloth to their field of battle, No-hassan's challenger awaited them, ready, but relaxed. Bowing he finally took the blade and its sheath readying it on his belt and bowing to his opponent. "You are a man of honor, and this day I can assure you that by the end, you will witness my best," something awoke in No-hassan Mayonaka that day, something calm, peaceful: Tranquility.
His hand had been placed against the tsuka of his katana, and his stance shifted. The challenger drew his blade and approached him cautiously, ready to strike at any opening, but No-hassan had none. There was not a single true opening, but to the challenger their appeared many, it appeared as if the Mayonaka had laid himself bare to the world, ready to be felled in any moment. A deep breath, blade striking out in a diagonal slash, his foot slid back gently against the soil, and his body swiveled to the right, towards the blow, and his blade slid from its sheath and there was no clash, only a brilliance of movement and light on the blade as one met the other, and the lesser creation submitted completely to the will of Midnight.
There was not even a single sound for the witnesses to perceive, only the brilliance, and then the soft sound of the lesser katana falling to the ground and the challenger's backwards stumbles. "Know its name, the name of the blade which cuts down this man, Chinmoku: E assuru hontō no jiko(沉黙：へ圧する本当の自己'Silence: Overwhelm the truest self')," the first blade of Mayonaka, the first wielder of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no. So, his challenger fell, a sensation of weightless bliss coming over him in his last moments, spent falling to the ground for the brilliant silence had pierced him, and he understood. - - - - - Few remember this story now, though for its story is passed down in the metal of their blade, who shall forever bare in its name: Chinmoku, for the silence and peace of their ancestor, the man who defeated the man with majesty in his eyes: Miyamoto Musashi. This, is their legacy, the legacy of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no.
Yet while here ends the story of the first, it is by no means the end of the story as 12 descendants passed, each with blade renewed until finally it came to be that Chinmoku was a blade such as to effect its wielder. This could not be, they would not allow the blade to dominate them, there had to be a mediator between, and so the 13th descendant of No-hassan spent most of her life gathering supplies, the materials needed and the knowledge necessary for her lofty task. Tanoshī(pleasant), the 13th descendant of No-hassan, after 15 years gathered that which she needed, and her task truly begun. For the rest of her life she crafted, carried, and meditated with her creation, attuning first herself with the artifact, and then attuning it with the blade. Finally, on her deathbed she asked to hold the two together and with the last of her strength she united the two, sheathing Chinmoku within its new counter part: The Tōrenai-men to naikō(通れない面と乃公'Ego with an impassable mask'), a magnificent sheath, her life work. Then she collapsed into the peacefulness and serenity of death, her end as pleasant as her beginnings.
From then till now the Mayonaka have lived in relative peace, until the war of 10 years ago. This perhaps the only time in history wherein the Mayonaka took up arms for a greater cause, spreading their deadly serenity among the ranks of Kyokujitsu no Tochi's enemies. While before the war the Mayonaka were well known within the Land of Iron, their name now strikes fear into the minds of those who face them. Some have even coined their style the “Equalizer,” as it appears to allow those who have mastered it or one of its forms, a degree of resistance to the techniques of shinobi, though not in a manner one would call defense.
Nonetheless, the Mayonaka, these days, take in students from far and wide to train in their art thus making them one of the leading sword-master families in the world.
Miscellaneous: It should be noted that the Mayonaka are in good standing with the Masazane clan.
Shizukana-ryū-ji no(Style of the tranquil path). Description: "To the eyes of a swordsman it is a strange aloof thing, beautiful in its strangeness; to a peasant it is a strange peace embodied by the swordsman's form, blade and sheath and mortality alike; but to the truest of sword-masters, one who understands that there is always more to learn, it is a masterpiece constantly renewing itself to perfection. This is the Shizukana-ryū-ji no, the style of the tranquil path," - Mayonaka, Yōi-tsūka.
The style of the Mayonaka clan is a constantly renovated masterpiece, for while many a style does not change once one has considered it perfected, this style is not as such. With every passing generation it is altered slightly to reach further towards the ideal of perfection.
There are two codes which practitioners of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no live, the first set of codes are those of the Mayonaka family, while the second are the dogma of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no itself. While those from outside can attempt to learn the Lotus dogma and become practitioners of the Style of the Tranquil Path, it is unlikely that they would ever truly be full practitioners of masters as they lack the background of the Mayonaka.
Tenants of Mayonaka
Be humble, but understanding of yourself and your place in the world. However, never allow yourself to limit yourself to this position.[/*]
Judge one by your impressions of them, but do not underestimate them due to your judgements.[/*]
Strive till your limits, then come to understand what keeps you there and again surpass yourself.[/*]
Do not squander or show off one's abilities and talents, to do either is to demean oneself.[/*]
While one may judge and adapt, understand that you can easily be proven incorrect.[/*]
When proven incorrect, accept that you were wrong and change.[/*]
Be malleable only to your own will and the will of the universe.[/*]
Respect those wiser and more skilled than yourself.[/*]
Be changed by all, but be moved by only yourself.[/*]
Predict, verify and adapt.[/*]
The Lotus Dogma
The four petals of the lotus flower, a flower which sits upon the surface of the water and spreads its arms in the four directions, represent the four core ways that the blade is drawn and wielded in the Shizukana-ryū-ji no. These four methods of unsheathing and positioning the blade are considered part of the No geijutsu nodjiita ken(の芸術野地板剣 'Art of Sheathing a Sword'). These forms are each named after one of the four cardinal directions each of which have their own purpose in the scope of the style, without one form the others would simply not be in balance, that is the way of tranquility.
Kita-muki Renge-hen(北向き蓮花片 'North Facing Lotus Petal') draws the blade with its edge facing forwards and its tip pointing upwards, the sheath comes off by pulling it up along the blade rather than drawing the blade from the sheath. This is considered one of the most bizarre of the No geijutsu nodjiita ken, but is nonetheless necessary. Typically the user will place the sheath upon their shoulder with the edge of their blade pointing away from their body even while within the sheath. One of the few dogmas that has the user fully draw the blade almost at all times, the Kita-muki Renge-hen is used for frontal attack. Once the blade is drawn, the sheath tends to move to the shoulder opposite where the blade was originally drawn from. The blade itself is then held with the dominant hand with the blade vertical, tip pointing up, edge facing away and forwards. The pinkie is used to stabilize it, while the rest of the hand grasps it, the arm in a diagonally downwards position. This dogma is actually used to create openings by sliding the attacks down the blade, and then utilizing the sheath to strike the attacks away from the blade as it flows right into position to strike the opening. It tends to throw the attacker off balance while allowing the wielder to flow from defense into attack almost effortlessly.
Azuma-muki Renge-hen(東向き蓮花片 'East Facing Lotus Petal') begins with one of the wielder's shoulders facing towards their enemy as they stand sideways. The left palm cradles the sheath, the blade's point aimed forwards towards the enemy or target and the sheathed edge facing away from the user's side, to the right. The fingers of the left hand are pointed towards the hilt as the hand cradles the sheath while its kin on the right hand easily grasp the grip of the blade. With this the stance is set and the user may use the variable movements of the sheathed tip with precision to disrupt the flow of attacks and then sway the blade to the other side of the body, exposing the other shoulder and hiding the prior thus allowing the blade to be drawn, its edge still facing right, to strike. This No geijutsu nodjiita ken is utilized to disrupt and then simultaneously block and strike the following counter if necessary. It is an intriguing and certainly unique form of the style.
Minami-muki Renge-hen(南向き蓮花片 'South Facing Lotus Petal') is likely the most bizarre forms of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no as it is not used in true conflict, or at least that is not its primary purpose. Rather than conflict the form is used to disarm an armed opponent, even if this opponent's weapon is their body, their jutsu, or their mind. Standing with feet apart and the point of the blade facing to either side, blade horizontal and sheathed edge pointing towards the wielder, this style begins. Beside the blade itself, as the sheath is seldom used in this form, a guard on the forearm is typically applied so as to shield from the wielder's blade as it is held in reverse grip with the edge facing towards the arm rather than away. Another of this form's defining characteristics is that most of its attacks are delivered backwards and are piercing or pincer oriented. Beyond this there is only one other truly unique thing to be said regarding the Minami-muki Renge-hen, and that is that it is the only form (excluding the Shinzui no Hasu) of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no that can tap into the yin and yang of both the wielder and their opponent intentionally. It does this by using the blade as a conduit, which is how they manage to seal off certain capabilities, or even tenketsu if one is skilled enough. In this way it differentiates itself from the other No geijutsu no nodjiita ken.
Nishi ni menshi Renge-hen(西に面した蓮花片 'West Facing Lotus Petal') first cradles the sheathed blade with the left arm, letting most of the sheath rest against the crook of the elbow. Within the sheath the edge will face away from the user's body, conversely it can face towards the user's body if they happen to wield the blade better with their left arm rather than their right. Given that they are right handed though, they will rest their left hand, fingers outstretched, along the sheath near where the blade's hilt is located. The blade is drawn by simultaneously pulling the sheath back with the left arm and drawing the blade with the right hand. The only explicit rule of this dogma is that the edge must always face towards the user's left side, meaning if it is drawn from the right side, its edge must be pointing towards the left. Many applications of this style do not actually fully draw the blade. Rather the sheath and hilt are used to block and trap the weapons or attacks of the enemy, flick them away and then quick draw when openings are present. Additionally, with a hand on the sheath and a hand on the katana, the blade can be sheathed and drawn at increased speeds allowing a limb to be more easily cut off by forcing the blade through it by manipulating the it via the sheath's movement and positioning.
Shinzui no Hasu(真髄の蓮 'Core of the Lotus') is both the initial and final style of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no as it is used first without its definitive stances to test the opponent(s), and then later as a last resort to be the core of the lotus dogma and bring together the other four petals into a cohesive whole, a unifying central point. In its essence it is simple yet complex as it unites the four forms into a wonderful state referred to as Mabayui mankai which simply allows the user to do something that'd be otherwise essentially impossible, utilize all the forms with little to no hesitation as one flows through them and with no possibility of harming oneself. Lastly it does one thing that no other form of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no, it discards the sheath.
Chinmoku: Yōikō no sharakuna ginren(沉黙: 容易光沢、洒落な銀蓮'Silence: Simple Match of the Boldest Silver Lotus'). and Tōrenai-men to naikō(通れない面と乃公'Ego with an impassable mask').
Description: A blade whose essence has been passed down through the Mayonaka family since its beginning, Chinmoku changes with each of its wielders' passing. The blade, due to how many times it has been altered and had chakra poured into its magnificent form has become nigh unbreakable and gained an edge so sharp that in the right hands it could easily sheer through even the strongest of substances. Due to the nature of Chinmoku and the fact that with each passing generation it is reforged and renamed, something unique has come of its existence making it much more than just an ancestral blade. With each passing wielder it is melted down and taken apart only to be created once more to better suit the inheritor. Its name is than chosen via the use of the wielder's closest relatives, for while the user names the blade themselves and to express its new form and how it will be used, it must still reflect several of its more recent wielders to remember its place in the world. Beyond these facts there is still a very unique aspect that many never truly realize is present in Chinmoku, for only with in depth meditation and reflection with the blade can one realize that within the blade is something similar to a soul or consciousness of some form. In fact, from the very beginning, Chinmoku has imprinted the skills and wisdom of its wielder into itself, acting as an ancient record of all those who have wielded it in earnest. These skills and this wisdom can be accessed through meditation and trained into a form that can become reliable in combat, but in no way are they easy to obtain. After all, the blade has a consciousness, and to truly unlock its secrets Chinmoku's sheath must be taken off the wielder's person so that there is no filter between the blade and the wielder's consciousnesses. It becomes a tug of war, a power struggle to see whom shall truly influence whom. Once the blade has however lost this struggle and its wisdom and imprinted skill has been unlocked, the user can once again don Tōrenai-men to naikō and still access the bounty of experience imprinted within Chinmoku.
To expand, one ought to understand the nature of Chinmoku's sheath, Tōrenai-men to naikō, for without this sheath chinmoku would become an unwieldable monster, or rather it would be foolhardy to wield it if one did not want to go insane. In essence, the Tōrenai-men to naikō was created to filter the influence of Chinmoku's soul on its wielder. When Chinmoku is sheathed its influence is entirely filtered, and even if drawn it is not able to subjugate or totally influence its wielder as long as the Tōrenai-men to naikō is on their person. It is only when the blade is wielded and sheath discarded that its influence becomes dangerous to the mind of the wielder. Otherwise it has been seen that the sheath is just as resistant to damage as Chinmoku itself, the actual reasons behind this are unknown, but it is thought that the sheath was made to be even more impervious than Chinmoku so that it would not be destroyed, damaged, or influenced by the blade which it is meant to limit. Last of all, it has been seen that the Tōrenai-men to naikō has an incredibly calming effect on any whom it touches, entering them almost into a state of pure all consuming serenity. This effect can be felt even through clothing and indirectly through a weapon or armor, though its effects would be noticeably dulled. It is said that, in essence, Chinmoku and Tōrenai-men to naikō are the yin and yang to one another, for while Chinmoku is used for physical damage and destruction --embodying the yang-- Tōrenai-men to naikō is used to bring peace and serenity by way of sheathing the blade and keeping it from destroying --thus embodying the yin. So it has been seen that one cannot be used without the other, plain and simple.
The People’s Brotherhood
The People’s Brotherhood Founder/Leader: Shingen Tenjin Purpose: To retake control of Kiri, and make it a proud independent country. It focuses on the strength of its members, both collectively and individually. It is highly patriotic.
Hierarchy and Focus
Hierarchy and Purpose:
It is led by a small group of leaders, called the Sanada Yūshi. Each Yūshi controls large parts of Kiri, making a patchwork of neighborhoods. Each Yūshi goes by a code name when acting for the organization. The idea of the Yūshi is more important than their individual names, and so no one knows them by such. In the open, the Yūshi do not parade their identities.
One Yūshi in particular has no area of influence, but acts as the mouthpiece for the organization, as he is not always available.
Influence: They control roughly 40% of Kiri, and have eyes in the rest. Shingen calls himself the Mizukage, even though not accepted as such yet.
Members: Leader(called the Mizukage by the organization): *Shingen Tenjin
Yūshi:
* * *
Yoru (夜, Literally meaning: "Night" or "Evening")
Founder/Leader: The 2nd Kazekage
Location: The Land of Wind
Village: The Hidden Sand Village
Purpose: To bring together Sunagakure shinobi that present skills that could be used specifically for securing the Village defences. The organization employs those who prove to have exceptional combat, sensory, and tactical skills (among others); presenting opportunities for young shinobi to 'shadow' experienced ninja and gain a better understanding of what their role in the village is. This would be a good next step for Academy Graduates that performed at the top of their class.
Hierarchy and Purpose: All members of this organization receive orders directly from Yuzuki Rei. Members are separated into three divisions, all of whom are under the control of the Kazekage. No one division has more power/importance over the others. The three divisions are: Medical/Defense, Sensory/Scouting, and Combat/Tactical. Each division has their respected 'Commander' who will be responsible for the exchange of information and orders between the Kage and the members. Additionally, each division is represented by a color: Blue for Medical/Defense, Dark Green for Sensory/Scouting and Red for Combat/Tactical. This color differentiation can be seen in their uniforms shown below.
Lastly each Division has a separate purpose and focus that they are assigned to do.
Medical/Defense: The support shinobi who are adept in medical and protective jutsu. Medical ninja mostly stay closer to the Village, working in hospitals or cultivating poisons and healing items from the plants grown in the Village Greenhouse, though few go out with some squads to provide additional support on missions. The ninja who are adept in protective type jutsu also stay close to home, working on securing the borders and protecting small surrounding towns. This is the smallest but most crucial of all three divisions.
Sensory/Scouting: Surprisingly, this is the largest division, comprised of ninja whose purpose is to venture out beyond the village (and even land) borders and spy on other nations. The Sand has produced many ninja who are skilled Sensors and those adept in Silent Killing. Due to this, many squads are sent out to gather any information they can. This division presents the most risk due to the fact that missions carry them to far lands where Sunagakure laws cannot protect them. Usually accompanied by a single Medical ninja per five men squad.
Combat/Tactical: This division if full of ninja who are blessed with natural talent, whether it is ruthless fighting abilities, or IQ's that are off the charts. The most diverse group in terms of combat specialty, they are the Soldiers of the village who help within and outside the borders of the village. Their goal is to keep the people safe and do so by taking on many missions that can potentially be dangerous to your average ninja. The brains of the group typically stay at home, delivering orders and debating war plans in the event Suna be attacked.
Influence: The start of this organization came in the wake of the Great War, as an opportunity to get shinobi working together to protect the village. (Will be updated as time goes on.)
Attire:
This is the standard uniform for those shinobi employed into Yoru. Shown below is the female example. The uniforms are color coded, depending on which division the ninja resides in. Color changes can be found on the shoes, gloves, as well as the symbol color (not visible) which is placed on the backside of the 'cape' part of the garb. For example, if one was in the Scouting/Sensory division, the boots, gloves and Symbol will be a dark green color. Everything else is kept a dark grey. In addition, the male variant of this is nearly the same. The black shirt covers the belly however, and the boots stop around the lower calf.
Members: Approximately three thousand Sand ninja are employed so it is impossible to name them all. The notable characters are: NPCs: -(To be updated)
Contrary to..."popular belief" this is not a 1x1. Seriously, please join, we don't bite...and we're lonely. Also, I know this looks daunting, but I promise we're very accommodating.
It should be noted that all power levels and characters can and will be accommodated for. We're accepting of genin who want to go on small scale missions, or S rankers who want to take over the world. Trust me, we'll find a way to work you in. Anything that might initially appear intimidating, is something you ought to ask about. I'm sure we can help to put your worries to rest~
GM:yoshua171--The Loremaster(Roleplay Overseer and Mechanics Expert). Co-GM:CaughtinTheRiddle--The Goddess. [MIA] Co-GM:Innue--The Old Timer. Co-GM:Ganryu--The Overlord. Co-GM:OneWayOut--Ms. Potential.
Prologue
As seasons have cycles, so do war, peace, prosperity and ruin. While the world was once dictated by the wills of the great beasts that live in it, Imperial creatures more regale and refined than any royalty, it has fallen to the fate of man and their clashing desires. This world we share has had more time pass than we can fathom, yet it has never been whole or perfect for a single moment in its history. As with the seasons changing, each lack what others desire. As with each state of the world, there are those that wish for more and it is true that this world has always lacked something....
That was until, in terms of the infinitely etching history of this world, the Great Azure Dragon and the Majestic Vermilion Bird made the choice to put the world into the hands of those whom live within it. To usher in an era of man like none other. It is said, by the eldest of elders within every corner of the world, that there was once a great warlord named Tatasuko and a humble wise man known only as the Sage. The warlord Tatasuko coveted the lands of the Sage and thus conquered them ruthlessly despite the peaceful nature of the Sage and his kin. When the Sage, with mere words, stood up to Tatasuko, the warlord stole the Sage's sons. He murdered one and sacrificed the other to the great Phoenix, whom had shed its title as a mere Vermilion Bird.
The Sage, having lost everything and most importantly his family, sought out the Great Azure Dragon, his sovereign beast and the counterpart to the new Phoenix. The great Dragon, distraught with the pain and suffering of a worthy, faithful example of mankind, presented the Sage with six divine trials:
The Trial of Earth was first, and was passed when the Sage used only words to unite those against or free of the Warlord, saving thousands from depravity and darkness.
The Trial of Fire was second, and was passed when the Sage again used only words to stop rebellion and unneeded conflict, once more saving the people.
The Trial of Wind was third, and was passed when the Sage understood his followers, their passions, their goals, and their values, uniting not just the people, but himself within them.
The Trial of Lightning was fourth, and was passed when the Sage was given a quest to leave his people and find the Dragon Shrine. He had saved not only them but himself from destruction, thus was worthy of meeting the Dragon once more. His journey took him through the world and fostered within him an understanding beyond just his people, but one of life itself.
The Trial of Water was fifth, and was passed only when the Sage understood that humility before the Dragon included that of his people and previous trials. He was a living creature, as all things were and so deserved respect.
The Sage ascended to the Dragon Shrine where he was rewarded not only for passing the trials, but also his compassion and love for his son. There, the Dragon gifted the Sage with the Rinnegan - the eyes of the Dragon - and the ability to control chakra, life energy itself. The Sage was then told by the dragon, whom had given him a portion of his own strength, that if the Sage should return with his son and having defeated Tatasuko who himself had the power of the fallen Phoenix, he would be given one final gift. The story goes that a great battle, one that shaped the land itself and changed all of life in a single event, resulted in the victory of the Sage. The Sage then saved his surviving son and banished the Phoenix, but through his compassion for all life he could not bring himself to kill Tatasuko. He allowed the warlord, fallen like the Phoenix he worshiped, to flee into the veins of the Earth, never to be seen again.
The Sage returned to the Dragon with his son soon after, explaining his successes and failures. The Dragon, however, was pleased and told the Sage only that he had passed the final trial: The Trial of Yin and Yang. As he respected all life and did not take it, the Sage was granted the ability to give life by the Dragon, thus ushering in the era of the Sage of Six Paths. The Sage served the Dragon for the remainder of his life and continued to fight the Phoenix, but never attempted to end him. This was the new cycle. This was the new way. Even the Juubi was sealed by the Sage and given a chance at life in ways that stretched the imagination. He even loved his rescued son far too much to intervene with the Curse of Hatred placed upon him by the fallen Phoenix, fated to plague generations henceforth.
The Sage taught his trials, his journeys, his battles and his idealogy to countless apprentices in a style he called Ninshuu. As all life was connected, he wished to use the life energy he was taught to control to bring all life together. He scoured his apprentices that eventually became the first masters in their rights across the world to teach the ways of Ninshuu. As time passed and the Sage did as well, the following generations took Ninshuu and stripped it of its core values thus creating ninjutsu. Sages became Shinobi. Masters became veterans. The teachings and the trials of the Sage have been all but forgotten.
Those that mastered ninjutsu passed it on to only who they trusted most, eventually creating clans. Most have blood ties, and even some have such close ties that they have developed abilities and methods of manipulating chakra only they can use. These have become Kekkei Genkai, bloodline limits. New techniques have been created, limits have been pushed, and the imagination has brought forth power unconsidered by the Sage himself. These clans, ever expanding, growing more powerful with each generation, have recently begun their friction with each other. The world is not black and white anymore. Or, should one say, Azure and Vermilion. There are more sounds than can be counted, more leaders than any treaty can keep content.
It is in this political climate that the clans fall to warring amongst themselves as tensions reach their breaking point. Clans slaughtered, alliances made, coalitions formed. As the years pass blood continues to stain the earth's poor soil until finally the skirmishes gradually cease. The land is left bloodied, the people ragged and tired. The war, in future years, will be known as the First Shinobi War, but for now it has no name...it is a nebulous tragedy, tainting everything and everyone who took part. Taining generations of shinobi.
Afraid of those outside their newfound allies, clans begin to congregate, form small settlements. Perhaps it is the beginning of a new era, regardless it is the rise of the great shinobi villages. What form they will take however is unknown.
Here and now is the time to decide.
It is the time to shed the Jaded Ideals of the past and shape the Continuum's future. Be it great...or not.
Naruto: Continuum is an alternate universe of the popular Naruto manga and anime. Created with the collaborated ideas of many and a large pool of assistants, this roleplay was designed by yoshua171 to give people a chance to help have a large hand in a Naruto world before it was even created. The "ideal" is not only to create a fantastic roleplay, but to weave a community of like-minded individuals together to create a strong social fabric for the roleplay. Ideas have been bounced around and evolved over time, taking new forms and becoming parts of the roleplay when at first their rough forms may have not as easily fit. This is the true ideal. To sand down any idea and build it back up until it fits perfectly, and create a community that can help in that process. In that sense, the roleplay has thus far been successful, as many new ideas have been and are constantly being incorporated into the roleplay and reviewed by its community.
It should be noted that this RP serves as both a reboot for Jaded Ideals, and a sequel of sorts.
Notable Information:
"Welcome to Naruto: Continuum, If you’ve gotten down to this point and intend to still reading, I’m happy. If you intend to join, even better! Here I will give you some additional information that was not contained in the history above.
The Daimyo, and thus the Land of Iron, exist already. As such the world is separated into the Elemental countries we know so well. They are the Land of Wind, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Fire, and Land of Water, and the Land of Earth respectively. The villages have just begun to take shape and it is up to you to decide what shapes they take.
The map below is primarily for geographical purposes so that we can measure distance and the landmarks of various areas.
I hope you enjoy our RP, and feel free to come to me or any of the Co-GMs if you have any questions."
Timeline Notes
>The Sage died three-hundred years ago, which was also when the Juubi was split into the nine Bijuu. >The First Shinobi War lasted 15 years. >It has been 10 years since the end of the Shinobi War.
Current Playable Dates: 5/1/1925---5/7/1925
The Rules
1. Metaphors, similes, analogies and other figures of speech used in any description made by a roleplayer are not considered 'true' and can be contested and/or debunked by a Moderator or two-thirds vote of the present player roster. This applies to any background, history or description of an item, character or event not made by Staff.
--In laymen's terms, do not try to slip in loopholes by using clever wording or hiding abilities throughout your sheet that ought not be there. Be straightforwards, and honest about your characters abilities and I’ll never have to point you back at this rule.
2. Anything created by the players for the setting, or for their characters, is subject to use and subjugation by the Staff. This does not apply to specific characters or items, but it does apply to anything not approved into the setting and used as descriptors for their characters, items, or events, such as NPCs.
--Basically, if you make a clan, I may make an NPC, as can anyone else, within that clan without asking first. If you make three ancestral weapons for your clan and only use one for your character, then a GM, or other individual, may use said weapon for another character or plot point. That’s the jist of things at least.
3. The staff/moderators have the privilege of going back and changing any aspect of this roleplay, including characters, events and even dialogue which have happened and/or were not created by /and/ subsequently accepted by Staff; anything that was accepted will require approval from its creator.
--Myself and/or any future GMs may go back and make changes where needed, though we cannot do so after a character, or the like, is accepted unless the creator of said character gives permission.
4. I, and any other GM have the right to end an arc and skip it with a timeskip resulting in whatever edits, additions, and/or plot events we see fit from the last posted point in the Arc, till the point after the time skip. We may kill a character or the roleplay entirely at any time and that they decide whom may create a splinter RP in the same extended universe. I will usually ask to kill someone’s character, and will try to work with people if we need to skip an arc entirely.
5. Going hand-in-hand with the first rule, I and the other GMs are allowed to interpret metaphor, simile, and the like as I see fit as long as my interpretation does not contradict previous actions in the course of the RP.
6. No godmodding, metagaming or powerplaying. If you forgot what these mean, read below:
Godmodding: The practice of controlling someone else’s character without their express permission to do so. Even minor actions can fall into this category. Autohitting falls into this area as well, as does being able to dodge/block anything/everything
Metagaming: The practice of your character knowing OOC knowledge that he, she, or it had no way of obtaining. This will include suddenly figuring out someone else’s abilities/jutsu and how it functions after it has been told or narrated to in the IC. Unless there is a logical manner to discover in the information and you successfully achieve such, your character should not and will not know it. I may chew people out for doing this, seriously.
Powerplaying: Basically making your character godawful powerful for the sake of being powerful, often without the character having any real substance (personality, backstory/history etc). Not as terrible an offense, and it won’t happen since I’ll be grading CSes. To avoid this consider whether or not your technique/Kekkei genkai/Weapon/Armor abilities can each be counter in some manner and that together they do not make you invincible, if they are counterable, then they’re likely fine.
7. This roleplay, as a collaborative project, is about working with one another, and while there is certain to be conflict, due to the nature of the Narutoverse, please remain civil. If an issue cannot be solved amongst yourselves and it is not strictly personal, refer to the GM(s), aka myself (for the moment). If it is personal, you will be promptly told to take it to PMs, and if you don’t, there can and will be consequences for disrupting the peace.
8. My word is law, if I say no to something, or allow something, it’s typically a done deal. If I however missed something, feel free to inform me. I am not beyond reproach.
9. This is an AU(Alternate Universe) roleplay, and as such none of the canon characters ever existed excluding the Rikudo Sennin (Sage of Six Paths) and his two sons.
10. If you need to take a leave of absence, tell myself or someone in the RP who can get the message to me, first. I will be quite aggravated if people disappear all willy-nilly. If you have lost your will to be in the RP, exit your character, or at least tell me you are officially leaving. If you are gone for 3 days without prior notice and you are holding up posting, I will puppet your character out of the way. If you are gone a week, I will begin moving them into position for removal. If you are gone 2 weeks, then your character will be killed off. However, if you tell me, I will merely move your character aside and you may pick up with him or her later on. Oh yeah, and have fun damn it!
11. When one begins to develop a piece of equipment, jutsu, or otherwise ability one should get it approved or modified by the GM BEFORE the technique/equipment is gained by the character. This is to prevent one from gaining things ICly that would be game breaking and retains the necessary amount of balance on a given character.
12. Time is Semi-liquid in this RP. The limitation is stated above. At the end of an IC week a summary will be constructed before we move on to the next week.
Banned/Limited Jutsu
This list is subject to edits as I may see fit to add other techniques to it. Additionally, game-related jutsu, kekkei genkai, weaponry, or hiden are not considered canon and thus are not available for use.
Shunshin, the Body Flicker technique, and Lightning Release armor cannot be used simultaneously--End of story.
Body Replacement Technique
The Body-replacement technique requires you first mark an object with your chakra. Once marked, you must execute two handseals to activate it, after which it will activate 1 second later switching the user’s position with the marked object. A marked object may be effected by this technique for a maximum of 12 hours after which point the chakra necessary for the technique will have dissipated too much for the technique to be utilized.
Body Flicker Technique
Individuals below C rank may not use this technique in combat unless it is their main focus. Those of B rank can use it 3 times and those above can use it up to 5 times in combat. You can be hit while it is in use, which will interrupt it as it is high speed movement, not teleportation.
Jinchuuriki
You may not start as a Jinchuuriki. These must be captured by clans/villages ICly. Additionally, capturing one is a huge pain in the ass; this pain gets progressively worse as the beast’s tail count rises. As such it would be no small endeavor to catch even the One Tailed Shukaku, so don’t go about thinking that kind of thing will be easy.
Senjutsu
Senjutsu may be learned at around chuunin rank, but it will be rudimentary at first and require diligent training and development. Tapping into senjutsu will only be useful if one intends to become a fully-fledged sage somewhere down the line. Otherwise any senjutsu talents/abilities you learn are likely to be grossly limited due to lack of skill/training as well as dedication to the art. Sages will be around the same level as, other individuals of their respective rank.
The Uchiha
For the moment the maximum amount of player characters possessing the Sharingan is 5. For now these characters must all be Uchiha, meaning you cannot make someone who has stolen the Sharingan and implanted it. This is subject to change depending on the circumstances and the outcomes of the roleplay.
The Mangekyou Sharingan, when unlocked is not immediately an Uchiha’s default doujutsu. They may continue to use their normal sharingan, choosing when to activate or deactivate their Mangekyou. Typically you will be required to gain the Mangekyou ICly. However, an exceptional character sheet, which is sufficiently balanced, may be accepted with it.
Amaterasu will be unable to be put out with water or oxygen deprivation as per the usual, but it can be absorbed via seals, or filtered out/sealed in advanced seals/barriers if they are not outright destroyed by the flames first. The flames will move slowly. These weaknesses will apply to scorch release techniques as well, which must be learned from an Uchiha via observation or direct tutoring.
Susanoo may not possess the Yata mirror or the blade that Itachi’s wielded. Its manifestation is not instantaneous and the skeleton/figure created by the technique is incredibly heavy, disallowing high-speed movement almost entirely during its activation.
Both Susanoo and Amaterasu will possess high chakra costs no matter the user’s chakra control.
As the Mangekyou was originally stated to give unique abilities to each Uchiha who awakened it, this will be the case in this RP. You may choose to possess Amaterasu and/or Susanoo, but you do not have to. Any given Mangekyou Sharingan has a maximum of three abilities, two if you wish both to be expansive and particularly potent.
The Sharingan will not allow perfect replication/prediction of people's techniques ever. Replication of people's techniques can certainly happen, but depending on the skill of the Uchiha it will take them less or more training to properly copy someone's technique(s). Prediction will work, but only 2 steps ahead with normal sharingan and 4 with Mangekyou unless you have a unique ability of your own construction for that. Keep in mind that eventually, with overuse of Mangekyou, an Uchiha will go blind and lose their sharingan's abilities overall.
Izanami, Izanagi, Kotoamatsukami, and Kamui are outright banned and thus do not exist in this verse. The same is true for the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.
The Rinnegan
Do not ask for it, for the answer will be, no. It does exist, though the form it exists in are somewhat different. When and if the Rinnegan is implemented only two people, maximum, may have it. Possessing the Rinnegan will not grant the individual all five affinities unless they obtain both types.
The two types of Rinnegan are as such. There is the Paths Rinnegan (eyes of the Dragon), which allows the holder the potential to learn and utilize the six paths. The second form is the Sensory Rinnegan, which allows sensory abilities roughly equivalent to the Byakugan in addition to Onmyouton(yin-yang release). The two forms are equally powerful and equally rare.
Rinbo: Hengoku and Amenotejikara are both banned. Ashura and Indra, the sage’s sons in canon, will not reincarnate, and as such their DNA is not strictly required to possess the Rinnegan.
Space-Time Ninjutsu
While I will not outright ban space-time ninjutsu, I will say that if you create one it is going to receive harsh scrutiny. Furthermore, Hiraishin, aka the Flying Thunder God Technique, will gain certain limitations depending on the skill of the user in the area of fuinjutsu. These weaknesses depend on how one wants to balance the technique.
Shikotsumyaku
As with Space-time Ninjutsu, the Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai is not strictly banned. However, it will be strictly watched and severely graded if one is to put it on a character.
Mechanics
Combat and Jutsu
In combat and when describing Jutsu, you must use time, rather than post amount, to measure the duration or prep time of techniques or actions. More or less figure out how long something would take to physically do, figure the vague speed of the technique, and use that to assist in the conclusion.
It would also be quite helpful to state the distance between yourself and the one you’re fighting. Trust me, doing these two things not only helps the other players out, but it will also improve your own skill in combat as you become familiar with the method.
Rising to his feet, Kuro took his stance and waited for his enemy to attack him. His opponent, who stood only 8 meters away, braced himself before erupting forwards at high speed, charging Kuro. It would take the shinobi roughly 5-8 seconds to reach him, so Kuro acted swiftly. Weaving handseals and drawing forth his katana, the man had almost crossed the distance when Kuro’s katana ignited in flames as he slashed forwards. The shinobi would have to dodge the three arcs of fire, which would hit him 2 seconds before the man finished crossing the distance.
Time and Location Stamps
Basically, at the top of every post, please state the time and location of your character. If your character is going from one location to another you can state such. Here’s a helpful format to do so, though the format is not strictly necessary.
Location – Time
This assists in keeping everything in the same time so we don’t cause time paradoxes and also so we can document things on the site. Additionally, the time of day should be general, not specific, as we don’t exactly have clocks. So things like what follows:
Early Morning Morning Midday Afternoon Evening Night Midnight
As to location, it is good to list both the general location (which land you are in) and specific location (a forest, a clan compound etc etc).
Normal
Land of Fire/Uchiha Compound – Midday
Transitional
Uchiha Compound-->Senju Compound – Midday
Uchiha Compound – Between Midday and Afternoon
Positions, Ranks, and Abilities
The more effort you put into your character’s history, personality, and clan information the more likely I am to allow your character(s) to have a higher position in a clan or organization, in addition to rank or abilities. If you have the concept for an ability or the like and can’t figure out how to balance it, present it to me and I may be able to help.
After all, I have a deep understanding of how chakra and the like functions in Naruto and I am willing to assist you in balancing things. However, if I outright say no to something, you need to accept that the answer is no. Typically I will give suggestions as to what you could change to balance something. If you want the technique, more often then not those suggestions are required.
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Sheets/Skeletons
The hiders are optional. As is the title and pic section at the top, you can place it elsewhere. The way this is formatted is more or less optional. As long as the necessary fields are there.
[B][U]Organization:[/U][/B] If applicable. [B][U]Clan/Kekkei Genkai (or hiden):[/U][/B] clan name/kekkei genkai or hiden name
[B][U]Rank:[/U][/B] D-S(Aka Genin-kage/sannin) [U][I]Position:[/I][/U] Your purpose/position in the clan, village, or organization. [B][U]Chakra Nature:[/U][/B] Max of 3 or 4 with few exceptions.
[url=]Additional Appearance Details:[/url] I, at the very least, need a height and general build. You can find a picture to replace most of this, but you still need height and any notable changes.
[B][U]History:[/U][/B] At least three paragraphs.
[B][U]Personality:[/U][/B] One or more paragraphs please.
[Url=]Theme:[/url] Optional.[/hider] [hider=Equipment] [B][U]Base Weapons & Items:[/U][/B] X explosive tags. X smoke bombs. X kunai X shuriken X wire
[B][U]Specialized Weapons & Items:[/U][/B]
[B]Name of Weapon or Item:[/B] ([sub][/sub] [I]''[/I]). [img][/img]
[B]Description:[/B]
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[B]Name of Weapon or Item:[/B] ([sub][/sub] [I]''[/I]). [img][/img]
[B]Description:[/B]
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[B]Name of Weapon or Item:[/B] ([sub][/sub] [I]''[/I]). [img][/img]
[B]Description:[/B] [/hider] [hider=Combat Data] [B][U]Special Traits[/U][/B] How fast, strong, or durable are you? How large is your chakra pool? What types of jutsu are you best at? Do you have good chakra control? Do you possess any weaknesses/limitations?
[B]Name of Kekkei Genkai/Hiden/Kekkei Tota:[/B] ([sub][/sub] [I]''[/I]).
[url=LINK]Jutsu name[/url]: Only fill this out if they use the jutsu differently or have modified it slightly. [url=][/url]: [url=][/url]:
[B]Custom Jutsu[/B]
[B]Name of Technique:[/B] Japanese([sub]Kanji[/sub] [I]'English'[/I]). [B]Type of Jutsu:[/B] Ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu. If the technique requires a KG or KT then add Kekkei before the ninjutsu genjutsu thing. Feel free to specify if its defensive or supplementary or shape manipulation etc etc. [B]Rank:[/B] Between E and S. E is academy rank, S is kage level. [B]Range:[/B] [B]Nature Type:[/B] Fire, water, earth, lightning, Wind or other affinity. [B]Handseals:[/B] The amount. [B]Description:[/B]
[B]Weakness:[/B]
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[B]Name of Technique:[/B] ([sub][/sub] [I]''[/I]). [B]Type of Jutsu:[/B] [B]Rank:[/B] [B]Range:[/B] [B]Nature Type:[/B] [B]Handseals:[/B] [B]Description:[/B]
[B]Weakness:[/B]
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[B]Name of Technique:[/B] ([sub][/sub] [I]''[/I]). [B]Type of Jutsu:[/B] [B]Rank:[/B] [B]Range:[/B] [B]Nature Type:[/B] [B]Handseals:[/B] [B]Description:[/B]
[B]Weakness:[/B]
[/hider]
[center][hider=Clan name][B]Clan Name:[/B] [url=]Clan Symbol[/url] [B]Country of Origin:[/B] [B]Hierarchy and Focus:[/B] How they are governed and what their shinobi, or the like, are known for/skilled in. [B]History:[/B] From their origins to present. [B]Miscellaneous:[/B] Any information that doesn’t fit elsewhere.[/hider][/center]
[hider=Organization][center][b][u]Insert name here[/u][/b] [img]Organization Symbol(if applicable)[/img][/center]
[i][b]Founder/Leader:[/b][/i] (name or alias they are known by).
[b][i]Purpose:[/i][/b] Short summary of what they intend to do. Try to keep it within 3 sentences. Usually best to write this after [u][i]Hierarchy and Focus[/i][/u].
[u][b]Hierarchy and Purpose:[/b][/u] This includes the Chain of command(who answers to who), Divisions(if there are separate portions of the organization dedicated to specific things), and what their purpose/goals are.
[b][i]Influence:[/i][/b] If and when the organization develops. This is both a "starting point," in regards to the influence they hold, and a "progress report." Every so often, if their influence expands, this needs to be updated.
[b][i]Members:[/i][/b] Same as influence. The names of its members should be listed here as people join.[/hider]
[u][b]History:[/b][/u] Include the first kage (you can choose name and disposition), when they formed (during the war, just before the war, near the end) and what clans were most involved (ask around/choose clans that are stated as prominent). Their part in the war. Their more recent history (after war, last 10 years).
[u][b]Focus:[/b][/u] (example: Military, Trade[economy], Diplomacy, Research/Knowledge, and many more).
I see it being fair if it was standard thickness armor. Of course anyone could wear armor like that without being OP. However, if the volume of her body was all placed outside of her body as surface area...that could get a little crazy.
EDIT: I was also thinking personality, although wearing a giant suit of diamond armor would be epic for most people. Hmm...
Wait, isn't Ruchette all about having a worthy challenge, or a challenge in general. She seems to be something of an adrenaline junky almost. If that's the case, maybe she has some subconscious limiters on her ability. Like things she just wouldn't think to do even though she's certainly creative and intelligent enough to do so. She have things she doesn't do because it'd make finding people she can actually fight even harder than it already is for her. She'd not even be aware that she has these tendencies either so you don't have to really worry about her suddenly changing her mind unless she's really pushed into a corner.
Making thick full body armor could be one of those things.
Member
xVampire3go
Dane
Kalas
ArkmageddonCat
Simply Not Real
Raijinslayer
Tuujaimaa
Not a Sayan
Altered Tundra
SkyeOfStars
