Lore & Arcs of the Warring States Era

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Warring States Era | The History

In the Era of Warring States there existed innumerable clans and nations across the known world, each with its own history, culture and peoples. This was before the advent of ninja villages, in a time where loyalty to one’s clan and family was paramount. Countless men and women lived and died knowing only the company of their own and undulating conflict with outsiders. There were as many different clans as there are stars in the night sky, but all jealously guarded their secrets from the outsiders they had been taught to mistrust, and whom they taught their own young to fear and hate in turn. It was a world of conflict, a world where the spilled blood of the generation that was drove their successors to make war with one another in an endless cycle of violence.

It wasn't until the Freehold arose that everything changed...

The Calendar:
No one remembers the time before ninjutsu, before the Sage of the Six Paths bestowed upon man the secrets of chakra. Precious few records from that era have withstood the test of time and so its history is generally considered lost to the world. Thus, nearly all of the inhabitants of the known world have adopted the time of the introduction of ninjutsu as their Year 1 to reflect the fundamental shift of history that occurred as a result of this gift. Though the many different peoples of the world disagree about almost every other thing, about this they do concur.
The Freehold of Hanguri:
Originally little more than a loose association of merchants and shinobi based in the independent city state of Chungsu, the Freehold of Hanguri arose from the depths of obscurity to become a near global power in the otherwise fractured and turbulent political reality that defined the Era of Warring States. Beginning with the election of their leader, Sai Nobunaga, to the executive office of Daijō-daijin, or Chancellor of the Realm, the group quickly came to dominate the politics of the traditionally patrician-led oligarchy that was Chungsu.
During his 26-year tenure Nobunaga reformed and expanded the long-neglected armed force into a professional, standing army that integrated shinobi and samurai into well-equipped ‘normal’ units. To fund these reforms the army was exposed to partial private management in a system reminiscent of a joint-stock company where shares, in conjunction with political support from the legislative branch, allowed for influence in the deployment and administration of the army. The stocks were sold in a proto-stock exchange and shareholders were promised dividends equal to a portion of the generated return. The landed nobility took little notice of Nobunaga’s reforms, nor of the initial public offering of his army’s stock, which allowed members of the Freehold and other merchant guilds to acquire them and, in close collaboration with Nobunaga himself, launch the city’s first expeditionary force to the neighbouring Tea Peninsula in what became known as the First Degarashi Campaign.
Nobunaga’s reformed army enjoyed astounding success, nearly doubling the city state’s territory during the first half-year of its deployment, then doubling it again during the second. Most of the local daimyō were wont to hire local shinobi clans to defend themselves, but these fared poorly against a larger and more organized force and were subsequently defeated, or paid a modest sum to stand down. The campaign was enormously profitable for Chungsu, but especially so for its merchant class, many of whom enjoyed triple, even quadruple annual returns on their investments, becoming more wealthy than most nobles almost overnight, which fundamentally shifted the balance of power in the city.
To enjoy suffrage and the right to run for public office in the city a resident was required to own property of a certain value or, alternatively, pay an annual fee that amounted to what was, at the time, an average yearly wage. This system divided the seats of the legislative body of the city between a number of nobles and candidates funded by them in a complex system of patronage, one that only the landholders could afford to participate in. With the success of the Degarashi Campaign, however, the nobles found themselves wanting to acquire shares from a social class that, in turn, sought titles and seats in the legislative branch from them. The result was the Hanguri system of government that survived, with few fundamental changes, until the collapse of the Freehold.

The Freehold of Hanguri was neither neither an autocratic nor republican entity. Throughout its existence it remained an oligarchical state governed by wealthy families of noble merchants, or patricians, who jealously guarded their political rights. Authority in Hanguri required a stake in the nation’s army and seats on its legislature and was therefore not inheritable in the strictest sense, but in practice the old families persisted through a combination of inherited wealth, internal competition between family members and the ample use of adoption.
Through its mode of partial private management the Freehold of Hanguri turned its army into an efficient fighting force and, in doing so, created a most lucrative investment opportunity for the wealthy of the region. Due to its resounding successes the army was campaigning almost permanently, reinforced periodically by the growing private armies of the patrician families, government contracted mercenaries and conscripted soldiers from conquered territories. In the first years of its existence the army of Hanguri suffered not a single strategic defeat.
The state of Hanguri employed shinobi in all layers of its administration and they enjoyed many privileges, like being exempt from most taxes, but their mandate was intrinsically bound to and controlled by the state apparatus, thus the shinobi enjoyed very little operational freedom. They were not free to choose their missions or offer their services to foreigners.

Though the state of Hanguri in its infancy relied almost exclusively on its military to achieve geopolitical and strategic goals, and successfully did so, the Freehold reached its territorial zenith – the borders of which would remain nearly unchanged until the country’s collapse in 804 – relatively early in its development. That is not to say, however, that it never expanded beyond the Gulf of Hanguri to which it owed its name, but the strength and stability of Hanguri was derived from its ability to generate revenue through its armed forces and these required foreign lands to operate in to do so. Through a combination of saber-rattling and decisive military victories the Freehold imposed a complex system of tribute and taxation on local daimyō and clans as far away as the Iron Peninsula in the North and the Water Archipelago in the East. Hanguri would inflame tensions between conflicting groups, levy taxes on manufacturing and skilled labor outside the Freehold’s borders and collect tributes from nearby countries to guarantee their independence. This approach to foreign policy endured until the razing of Chungsu in 804, though the state’s exact sphere of varied significantly over the years. Hanguri and its citizens grew wealthy from this system and people flocked to settle within the Freehold’s borders to be a party to its rising levels of prosperity and standards of living.

The Era of Reforms
From it final territorial acquisition in 350 to the election of Shin Toyotomi to the office of Daijō-daijin in 446 the government of Hanguri invested heavily in the development of its infrastructure and industry, founding ports along the Gulf, building roads to connect the various provinces of the Freehold and erecting several defensive fortifications along strategic points on its borders. Known as the Era of Reforms this age saw the cementation of Hanguri as being a cultural identity, though one mainly adopted by the fabulously wealthy patricians and the upper middle-class of merchants and landowners. Still, the comparatively safe and meritocratic standards guaranteed by the government and the influx of skilled labor led to a booming industry blossoming in Hanguri, one that was helped along by the state’s continuous efforts to employ ninjutsu to benefit all sectors of production. Though rather utilitarian in its execution this set the Freehold on the path to a Golden Age, one that began when Toyotomi proclaimed the first Hanguri cultural festival mere months after his election to office, signalling a definitive shift in government policy away from military jingoism towards soft power and cultural hegemonism.

The Golden Age
The Golden Age of the Freehold lasted approximately from the first cultural festival in 446 to the beginning of the Time of Troubles in 659. It marked the apex of Hanguri dominance in nearly all fields, including innovation, the arts, military doctrine and international politics. Despite being the most prominent era of the Freehold, however, it is also the least documented part of its history. The destruction of the Grand Library of Chungsu during the razing of the capital constitutes one of the single largest losses of knowledge and culture in recorded history; it saw the majority of records of the Golden Age lost. Only a few incomplete accounts survive, guarded jealously by the scattered descendants of patricians and coveted by those who seek to unlock the wonders of the Freehold for their own uses.

The Time of Troubles
The Time of Troubles was precipitated by three unrelated, but devastating events that together created a snowball effect, one that rocked the Freehold’s foundation and marked the beginning of its slow, but steady decline towards total collapse. The first was the succession crisis caused by the untimely death of Naomitsu Fujiwara, 34th Daijō-daijin of Hanguri, whose passing gridlocked the legislature in a year-long stalemate that led to the formation of a powerful executive to supersede the office of Daijō-daijin, hailed as the Second Junta. The second was an invasion of Kaguya Clan raiders, one that ravaged the countryside and cities of the Tea Peninsula and humiliated the Freehold internationally. The third was an influenza pandemic, known as the Red Fever, which was first detected in Keishi, but quickly spread to the surrounding countryside, including the many army units camped in fortifications along the Freehold’s northern border. The disease killed nearly half of Keishi’s urban population and decimated the Hanguri army; nearly a third of its enlisted men expired from the disease during its 18-month rampage.
Individually the events were devastating and all had far-reaching consequences for the Freehold, but in conjunction they permanently scarred the country’s citizens, administration and armed forces. Though the Hanguri army eventually drove the Kaguya from the peninsula in a series of decisive skirmishes, and replenished their numbers during the following years, the succession crisis politicised the army in a way that left it susceptible to internal division and strife during the Freehold’s twilight years. The weakened external security left the borderland exposed to hostile incursions and raids, and the perceived vulnerability of Hanguri as a whole was a major blow to the extent of its sphere of influence. Finally, the gridlocked legislature forced the division of the country’s territory into three administrative regions, in addition to a capital district, that could bypass the legislative branch and manage the essential functions of the state in national emergencies such as the Time of Troubles. These would later become the foundation of the three major rump states that surfaced asserted themselves in the aftermath of the Freehold’s collapse.

What followed the Time of Troubles was a long century of gradual decline for Hanguri in all aspects of society and state. A series of incompetent public administrators, opportunistic military commanders and self-serving factions within the Freehold gradually weakened the internal cohesion and state apparatus of the nation. Several external factors also contributed to Hanguri’s decline; the rise of Arekusandā-tennō and his empire, originating from the Badlands of Earth, – and his efficient legions composed mainly of non-shinobi using advanced light artillery such as the cheiroballistra and wielding weapons like Blue Fire Powder imported from the Howling Wolf Mountains – presented the patrician-led government with a challenge it could not simply overwhelm as it had done to most military threats for centuries. Many patricians advocated for the Freehold to enter into a diplomatic accord with Aléxandros and, to the bewilderment and frustration of much of its officers’ corps, it did so after he led his forces to burn down one of the Five Forts. The resulting Treaty of Keishi effectively put an end to Hanguri’s sphere of influence north of its border, as it agreed to a state of uti possidetis, wherein Arekusandā-tennō acquiesced to respect the Freehold’s territorial integrity so long as they maintained a policy of noninterference north of the Five Forts. This victory made Aléxandros a legendary figure among many; rumors buzzed that he was secretly the jinchūriki of the Five-Tails and a descendant of the Sage of the Six Paths himself, all despite his being a non-shinobi. In 709, only six years after signing the treaty, Aléxandros violated its terms and marched on Chungsu, defeating every force sent to stop his advance, though he succumbed to dysentery during the campaign and died in camp. Despite the abrupt end to his campaign and empire Aléxandros’ victories against the Freehold proved its fragile state to some and put a very permanent end to its status as a great power in many foreign eyes. Though the Hanguri central government attempted to reform its sphere of influence south- and eastwards these efforts were largely unsuccessful.
It was not until after the fall of Arekusandā-tennō that many of the Freehold’s citizens truly realized its, by then, rapid decline. Instability, mismanagement and corruption came to characterize its institutions and state apparatus, which did nothing to curb growing civil discontent and, eventually, unrest. Political horse trading became common occurrence, to the great detriment of the state of its army, finances and public administration, which culminated in the Freehold’s eventual default on its sovereign debt and subsequent national bankruptcy.

On the evening of January 1st, mere months after the government’s declaration of bankruptcy, the Kyūbi no Yōko appeared mysteriously within the capital city of Chungsu, beginning a night of terror that saw much of the city obliterated and its entire population displaced. The city and its metropolitan area was home to a significant number of units from the Hanguri army and the Black Ones, but nothing could stop the Tailed Beast once its rampage through the city began. Chungsu had traditionally been the seat of almost every major institution, agency and organization based in the Freehold and its abrupt doom spelled the effective end of Hanguri, a fact that became increasingly clear as both internal and external powers scrambled to fill the power vacuum left behind during the following months and years.

The Codex:
The Three Great Unifiers:
Sai Nobunaga: The legendary founder of the Freehold whose reforms and military campaigns laid the foundation for a new era of Hanguri dominance. Sai was the second son of a merchant father and a highborn mother of a poor noble family, and thus not expected to inherit, but grew into a cunning and charismatic leader of the then loose association of merchants and shinobi that was the Freehold of Hanguri. The group nearly bankrupted itself in trying to get him elected to the executive office of Daijō-daijin, but finally succeeded in 290 as part of a larger push for influence in the city state’s political matters. One of Sai’s first acts was to proclaim the Freehold of Hanguri, irrevocably merging the identity of the group with that of the new nation state. His policies, though not outright partisan, continued to disproportionately benefit his former associates throughout his three terms of office until his peaceful death in 316.

Toyotomi Nobunaga: The adoptive son of Sai Nobunaga, little is known about Toyotomi’s life before he was formally inducted into the Nobunaga family in 296. Though not as capable a statesman as his predecessor Toyotomi enjoyed a level of martial prowess that earned him a fearsome reputation, particularly seen in the context of the interventionist foreign policy he spearheaded and maintained throughout his time in office. Toyotomi rose to prominence during the First Degarashi Campaign and became commonly regarded as the Nobunaga family’s heir presumptive after none of Sai Nobunaga’s children survived infancy. Unexpectedly, Toyotomi was elected to the office of Daijō-daijin after the passing of his adoptive father, a responsibility assumed with great enthusiasm. Through a combination of heavy-handed tactics and strategic foresight Toyotomi continued the work of his forebear, most famously launching the Campaign of Fire that saw the Freehold conquer great swathes of territory in the southern Land of Fire. He died of typhus in 330.

Ieyasu Nobunaga: As the only son of Toyotomi Nobunaga’s only sister, Ieyasu was adopted into the Nobunaga family by decree shortly after Toyotomi’s formal induction into office. Though an adoptee, Ieyasu integrated well into the Nobunaga family and was soon considered second only to Toyotomi Nobunaga himself. Ieyasu was the diplomatic counterbalance to Toyotomi’s jingoism and he became such an integral part of the executive branch that he succeeded his uncle almost without opposition, a rarity in Hanguri history. Ieyasu’s life’s work was the fulfillment of Hanguri ambition to control the Hanguri Gulf area in its entirety; an objective many saw as the manifestation of the nation’s destiny. Unlike his predecessors Ieyasu took a very diplomatic approach to conquest and many danshaku willingly swore oaths of fealty to him personally, though his campaign was not without bloodshed. So effective were they that his methods became an inspiration to coming generations of the diplomatic corps. Having achieved his goal by the end of his second term of office Ieyasu opted not to stand for a third term in 350, becoming instead a close confidant and advisor to one of his successors; Hideyoshi, whom he served until his death in 363.
Ninja Clans of the Freehold
The Freehold of Hanguri enjoyed a complex relationship with the byzantine network of ninja clans that can be found throughout the known world. Hostile clans were captured and used as manual labor, forcibly resettled, or even eradicated entirely. Cooperative clans, however, were welcomed into the Freehold provided that they demilitarized and integrated themselves into society there. As an oligarchical entity driven by money and militarism the Freehold did not discriminate against ninja clan members, and even saw a number of these in the office of Daijō-daijin, but it did not hesitate to heavily tax uncooperative clans, play clans against each other, or continuously war with militarized clans for tribute. Some were concerned about the separate set of loyalties that even non-ninja clan members living in the Freehold would possess, but most of the focus on ninja clans was centered squarely on those within it that had learned the use of ninjutsu. The state apparatus of the Freehold was loathe to accept the presence of powerful military assets inside the country’s borders that were not bound directly to the establishment and sought to systematically suppress and diminish these forces throughout its long existence.
 
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The State of Affairs in the Present Year
The First Story Arc - Year 811
April 23rd - June 23rd

The Freehold of Hanguri has fallen. Considered the region’s premier military power for centuries its slow, but steady decline and eventual collapse led to a lot of conflict between clans and nations alike, all vying to fill the political vacuum left in its wake. While the remnants of that once great nation squabble amongst themselves, clans who have long encroached upon Hanguri’s territory like vultures upon a dying animal now see their chance to pounce. The Hanguri Gulf region will be irreversibly changed by the coming storm.
Although dozens of would-be great powers consider themselves contenders for the legacy of Hanguri only a few serious contestants stand against the tide of chaos and disorder, all sharing the ambition to subjugate and dominate their rivals, however different they might be in all other respects. These are the Clans whose stories will be recorded.

This marks the beginning of the first story arc of the Warring States Era. Familiarize yourself with the rules regarding , as well as clan submission requirements, and be sure to update your bios. Have fun!​
 
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Ashikaga's Gambit
Second Story Arc - Year 811
June 30th - July 30th

The power vacuum opened in the wake of the collapse of the Hangurian Freehold has become contested; a handful of small clans vie for political dominance on the Western Continent. One such clan in particular has risen above all others, the Golden Sabbath. The Golden Sabbath has come to dominate the region that intersects the Badlands, the Great Wind Desert, and the Land of Fire. But their rise has not gone unnoticed. A contingent of surviving Black Ones, led by Takauji Ashikaga, has formed a political powerhouse in the Tea Peninsula. Ashikaga and his small, but efficient military, consider themselves to be the successors the the remnants of the Freehold; they see these clans, especially the Golden Sabbath, as a threat to their position. Using their immense wealth and resources plundered from the collapse of the Chungsu, Ashikaga and his constituents have issued bounties on the members of the Golden Sabbath in an effort to destabilize their position and weaken rival clans.

 

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A Shogun Marches Forth
Third Story Arc - Year 811
August 6th - September 30th

Ashikaga's gambit had largely failed; the lesser clans of the world had not plunged themselves into chaos and weakened each other like he had hoped. While the Golden Sabbath did suffer some losses, two bounties had been claimed and they had been raided, it appeared to the Shogunate that reclaiming the Freehold's lands would require a more direct approach. Once again relying on their efficiency and wealth, the Shogun and his army would open up their political dominion in the Tea Peninsula to the world. There he and his small military rule in tyranny, establishing an autocracy over the fragmented groups that were left behind in the Freehold's destruction. Rather than destroy the clans directly, Ashikaga would offer a chance for the clans to come together and pledge allegiance to the rightful heir of Hanguri. With the Service Insignias issued thus far, and more to come, the Shogun would call on those forth who wished to fight along side him - a chance for glories and power; but most importantly a chance to restore what was reclaim what once was.​
 
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Conqueror's End

Fourth Story Arc - Year 811

October 6th - November 20th

127 years have passed since Aléxandros Mégas was proclaimed Emperor after conquering nearly the entire Badlands of Earth. The conquests thereafter, which lasted until 709, led the emperor to the doorstep of Chungsu, not even a day from the capital. Had disease not mysteriously claimed the unstoppable warlord's life, likely history would have turned out very differently for the Ninja World. For this reason, the world celebrates Conqueror's End - a time of festivities to honor Aléxandros's conquests and fear what could have been. It is one of the few nearly universal cultural events in the Ninja World, a celebration forged in the fires of conquest and fear. During this time, children dress up as figures from the era: Aléxandros, his generals, the Daijō-daijin, Black Ones, or even nameless soldiers. Some even dress as ghosts, zombies, and skeletons to honor the dead and the sacrifices made in the great wars fought. These children go door to door in their villages, looking for candy in exchange for not raiding the villages - an imitation of tributes paid to Aléxandros. Yet not all is right in the 127th celebration since his death; in the heart of the ruins, evil stirs....

 
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A New Age
Fifth Story Arc - Year 811
November 27th - December 27th


Phetra and the Necromancer cult have dispersed into hiding, and Conqueror's End has come to an end across the Ninja World. With their disappearance, Cassander too has dispersed. His Edo Tensei finally expiring and bringing his rampage to an end, his soul returning to the afterlife. Villages and clans throughout the planet return to their daily lives, with their bountiful feasts being stowed away and the costumes put back into storage. But throughout the world landmark decisions have been made: the formation of villages. Four groups have coalesced into new political unions, drastically changing the dynamics of the Ninja World. These villages, Tanigakure, Shimogakure, Tsumigakure, and Taiyogakure, have formed to assert their dominance. In the far winter-gripped North rests Shimogakure, the Village Hidden in Frost. Just west of Shimogakure is Tsumigakure, the Village Hidden in Sin. And to the east, occupying significant lands of what was the Freehold, is Tanigakure, the Village Hidden in the Valley. And finally in the far South is Taiyogakure, the Village Hidden in Sunlight.
 
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Hollow Peace
Sixth Story Arc - Year 812
January 3rd - February 3rd

A hollow peace has gripped the Ninja World. The skirmish between Shimogakure and Taniagakure has ended in the latter's firm victory; the Kage of Shimogakure, captured by Genji of the Hayabusa, was delivered to a mysterious figure on Midnight Island. The bounty that this man has propagated throughout the world, orders to capture shinobi with special skills, has wrapped the world in mystery. Who is this man? Or better yet, what is this man? What are his goals and why is he looking for gifted shinobi to capture others? Perhaps the only way to seek out answers would be to seek him out through his mission. As the mysterious man prepares to make his next move, and the world holds their breath to see the next bounty he posts, the hollow peace that has engulfed the four villages seems to remain stable for the time being.

 
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Season of the Rose
Seventh Story Arc - Year 812
February 10th - April 10th


The Season of the Rose - a time of celebration that honors the horrific Red Fever that plagued the world in the year 660. The disease devastated the mainland and left countless dead in its wake; and so, to honor the dead and appreciate loved ones, the Mainland celebrates the Season of the Rose - a time when couples and partners come together to overcome their trails and tests in life. To honor this tradition, the Witchwood Company hosts its Season of the Rose event at the Arena where teams of two, or doubles, can fight against other teams to compete for prizes! Meanwhile, the cloaked man continues to push forward with his plans as the Ten Champions of the Sunlit Forge continue their quest to uncover the true meaning of the Weapon Core they received not so long ago.
 

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The Coming Storm
Eighth Story Arc – Year 812
April 17th – May 17th


The departure of Takauji Ashikaga from the Western Mainland has triggered a chain of events that, unbeknownst to most, will have dire consequences for the world. In his wake the four villages have set their gaze upon the Eastern Continent, Tobusekai. In this war-torn land the villages see opportunity: colonial profits, exploitation, and domination. But Tobusekai is a land that has not known centralized power in over 800 years, and it will not kneel so easily. Largely unknown to the villages, conflict brews between the residents of Last Bastion and the Great Mother Cult to the east. Conflict was stirred by the Great Voice who, with his necromancers and army, seek to establish a rogue organization to revive what they call the Mother. The stage has been set as these great powers come to a head in the mysterious lands to the east.
 

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The Ritual
Ninth Story Arc – Year 812
May 30th - June 30th


Scout reports in Last Bastion have reported strange activities ongoing at the
Excavation Site. Cultist activity, while always having been prevalent in the area, has suddenly intensified significantly. A variety of rumors have circulated back to the last safe city in Tobusekai. Some townsmen say that the Necromancers have returned to bring about a second coming of Alexandros, others say that the activity in the far East is related to the rising tides on the Northern shores of Tobusekai. All rumors come to the same consensus however: that the Great Mother Cult is looking for something in the giant excavated pit they created. Meanwhile, the village of Taiyogakure has fallen into ruins and defunct status now leaving only three Great Villages left: Shimogakure, Taniagakure, and Tsumigakure.
 

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A New Year
Eleventh Story Arc – Year 813
January 5th - February 5th

With the fall of Takauji Ashikaga and the binding of the Primordial Mother, Goddess of Life and Creation at the hands of several righteous heroes we tumultuously move into a New Year for the Ninja World. A time of rebuilding, a time of remembrance and a time of coming together to help one another rise above and move past the traumatic and heinous events that happened in the world this year. Will the villages and the clans of the world be able to put aside their petty differences to fix what has been broken, or will the scabs and wounds fester creating a cycle of violence, hatred, and contempt? The beginning of the New Year will open up, thirty new possibilities or chances to change the world for the better, or for the worse. Three Great Villages remain to start off the New Year, Shimogakure, Taniagakure, and Tsumigakure, they will need to stave off the remaining Mother Cult, and any Children of Tiamat that remain on the material plane.
 
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Peaceful Quiet
Twelfth Story Arc – Year 813
February 15th - March 15th


The world gradually came together enough to starve off and lessen the damage that would be dealt by the remaining Mother Cult. However many remained silent, content to watch the world move on around them without their interference or influence. This caused several small groups to become more prominent and well known. Those willing to work together completed various heroics and fought against the Mother Cult more directly. Many bounties were claimed by numerous shinobi, as the citizens of the world called out for protection and aid. Tsumigakure held a holiday all their own and gave into festivities while the other villages remained hushed. Shimogakure finally began to make moves after months of silence. How long could that eerie quiet last though?​
 

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Cursed Revenge

Thirteenth Story Arc - Year 813

March 22 - June 1

Life after the Binding of the demonic Mother Tiamat, an event beginning to be known as the Resistance, was beginning to resemble a shadow of the life Shinobi once had. Deaths were mourned and time barely ticked by before opportunity presented itself, war always on the horizon and it came soon. Tsumigakure quickly resumed its imperialistic campaign, eventually finding itself at a short lived war with Shinigakure, ending with a treaty. Bounties and the remaining Children of Tiamat were found and though the area near the Hokubo Ocean uninhabitable, it became ground zero for a second outbreak of Red Fever. Spreading rapidly through the world, it grew to effect everyone in the Ninja World, having a perfect infection rate though for most it was most non threatening with them being asymptomatic. However, those who directly were in contact with Tiamat had been effected the worse, effecting others. The virus has spread across the entire western continent in a short time, dramatically increasing death tolls across the map. With no known method capable of during, the Red Fever strain began to cripple the continent. Meanwhile, in Tobusekai, another group begins to rise from the shadows...


 
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Rise of Ronin
Fourteenth Story Arc - Year 813
June 12th - July 30th

The Ronin tournament for a cure to the second outbreak of the Red Fever has ended. Forsaking humanity in favor of prizes, the champion did not opt to to select the cure for their prize. Their actions have caused those afflicted with a more serious infection to fall even more ill, leaving the world gravely unprepared for what is to come. Oisha has fled to an undisclosed location, his goal remaining a mystery. But no matter where he goes, a war path of destruction is left in his wake as those who are experimented on are found drained of their spiritual energy. The remaining Ronin at the Dark Tower have found new allies; led by Ishijo, the stage has been set for a final showdown against Oisha. Meanwhile, familiar forces gather on the horizon as the world is weakened by the Red Fever.
 

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The Fallen Star
Second Saga, Fifteenth Story Arc – Year 813
August 7th – September 7th

288 years ago, a mysterious meteorite plummeted from the heavens and struck the far northwestern mainland. Days later, a contingent of Black Ones, the Hangurian Special Forces, recovered it and brought the meteorite to the Grand Library of Chungsu. There it was studied by scholars and arcanists alike, but the mysteries of it eluded even them. All that could be uncovered was that the meteorite radiated a potent chakra, disrupting the intrinsic properties of artificial life – beings formed from the Creation of All Things. The meteorite would become known as the Fallen Star among a small circle of individuals, one of the Three Calamities that would eventually signal the end of the Hangurian Freehold. Two centuries later the Kyūbi would mysteriously manifest, and would see to the end of Chungsu and unleashing nearly a decade of anarchy.

The Kyūbi’s appearance in Chungsu also saw to the destruction of the Grand Library, triggering a rash of looting and banditry in the capital. In the chaos the meteorite was stolen, spirited away to Tobusekai to find itself in the hands of the Great Mother Cult and their master, Imeroth, Voice of Tiamat. Their nefarious design would see the Fallen Star re-engineered at the Excavation Site, along with the bones of the Mother of All Life to create the staff Kuniumi, the Birth of the Empire. With meteorite and bones united rumors that the Ichibi has stirred from its slumber have spread, beginning a rampage in the far north to find and destroy the staff.

Meanwhile, word has spread from Last Bastion of a mysterious child capable of curing the Red Fever. The child had emerged from the Hokubu Ocean, ground zero of Tiamat’s rampage, unharmed and untouched by the Sea of Life. Those who touched the child found their infection cured. The child’s miracles are remarkable, performed with its power over Chaos, a primordial force that is derived from the Void, the original state of the universe before Tiamat had shaped it. This child is, in every sense, a flesh and blood newborn god.

Oisha has vanished, but the Ronin’s reliquary has not. Stationed at the Dark Tower, the Ronin have opened their doors to a new challenge: fighting against their Spectral Champions at a chance for ancient relics of incredible power. The Witchwood Arena Company has also resumed its activities outside of Last Bastion.
 
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The Hunt for the Chains of Heaven
Sixteenth Story Arc - Year 813
September 12th - October 20th

His name is Enkidu, the Chains of Heaven. Born only just over a month ago in the depths of the Hokubu, the once infant has now developed into a young boy. His origins are shrouded in mystery; a being possessing a Divine Core on the level of siblings like Marduk and Enlil, he has been instrumental in alleviating the Red Fever that gripped the Ninja World for months. But his activities have caught the attention of Imeroth, Voice of Tiamat, and the Four Voidlords that serve alongside him. Demetrias, formerly Sai Uchiha, has marched forth from their sanctuary in the Sunlit Forge to investigate Enkidu, and hopefully capture him. The stage has been set for an inevitable clash between humans and those that seek to overturn the gods' work. Meanwhile, in the far northeast, Imeroth and Basel, another Voidlord, have met with Ningal, a shark-like woman dwelling in a newly born civilization beneath the sea.
 
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The Assault on Tobusekai
Seventeenth Story Arc – 813
October 25th – December 27th

Conqueror’s End – historically a time for joy and celebration in the Ninja World. It pays homage to the conquests of Aléxandros Mégas, who was proclaimed Emperor after conquering the Badlands of Earth and threatening the Hangurian Freehold. This year the world takes its first steps in recovering from the Red Fever that, just like it had centuries prior, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. People throughout the world dress as ghosts, zombies, skeletons, Daijo-Daijin, Black Ones, and even nameless soldiers to celebrate the occasion. To many the world is finally at peace; but it is a thin veneer, an illusion.

Disaster was avoided on the island of Kythira. The Divine-Child, Enkidu, was nearly captured by the Voidlord Demetrias after his safekeeper, Emiya, retreated from battle. But a fortunate set of circumstances and sheer bravery allowed Emiya to create a distraction for Enkidu to destroy the blade that held him hostage. And on the nearby Midnight Island, the ancient son of Marduk Athos was slain by the witch Strix. His death, and the blood that was spilled into the sea, served as a catalyst for Phetra, another Voidlord and the Queen of the Underworld, to march an army from the oceans into Tobusekai. Their assault begins at Last Bastion, unleashing chaos upon the only sanctuary of law and order in Tobusekai. And so, the 130th Conqueror’s End begins in the Ninja World; children in the East, who might have donned skeletal and spiritual costumes for their celebrations, will soon find very real underworld spirits marching across the land. Their objective: find the Armory of Marzan.
 
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Irkalla, the Underworld
Eighteenth Story Arc – 814
January 29 - June 2

Irkalla, the ancient land of the dead that was built by Nergal, the first Ruler of the Underworld. In the twilight of the Great War against Tiamat, Irkalla was constructed by Nergal to house the souls of humans that had died in war. In later was repurposed as a place for all souls to rest after life, judged by their actions. Since its inception thousands of years ago the Underworld has seen three rulers: Nergal, Ereshkigal, and now the mysterious Phetra. The Voidlord and once former human, through some unknown treachery and nefarious scheming, orchestrated a takeover within Irkalla and usurped the title Ruler of the Underworld from her predecessor Ereshkigal. Today a place that was once meant to house the souls of the dead, and punish or reward them for their actions in life, now has been weaponized and manipulated into something much more sinister. It is one of the engines that fuel Imeroth's campaign against humanity. And yet not is all as it seems within the great halls of the dead. Among the different places in reality, it is the closest one can come to the Void itself - even closer than the rift that had appeared at the bottom of the Hokubu Ocean.

The time has come to wrest control from the tyrant and shake Imeroth's. But despite Phetra's undead army breaking in Tobusekai, her power remains vast within her territory. As the Ruler of the Underworld and Queen of the Dead, the Voidlord controls the Domain of Death and the vast powers that come with it. To defeat her the Champions of Humanity must come together with powerful relics and defeat the Twin Fates, the Burial King, overcome the Seven Riddles, and then sack the Palace of Ganzir itself. Their journey parallels that of the Gods Enlil and Marduk themselves, though with their armies breaking well before reaching the depths of Ganzir. The time has come. A group of champions has assembled, converging on the Threshold in the far Western regions of the world.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world at the Sunlit Forge the Voice of Tiamat, Imeroth, meets with the leader of the Akatsuki, Madara Uchiha. In attendance are the other three nefarious Voidlords, Basel, Nefarian, and Demetrias.
 
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The Mystery of the Void
Nineteenth Story Arc - 814
June 10 - Present

In the depths of Irkalla the Champions of Humanity face off against Falnir, the Burial King, the Divine being responsible for judging souls in Irkalla and sentencing them to either the Realms of Torment or Paradise. Should they prevail they will take one step closer to an ultimate confrontation with the Ruler of the Underworld, the Voidlord Phetra. But this war is being fought on multiple fronts. After leaving the ancient sanctuary of Ganzir, an empowered Nefarian, another Voidlord, turned his attention toward the Land of Fire. There, the Voidlord unleashed a barrage of prismatic light, sending thousands of bolts throughout the Land of Fire and beyond. But no apocalypse shattered the world and for a time it seemed his attack was a failure. Peace prevailed and no destruction manifested. It wouldn't be long until the first rumors began circulating of a strange miracle gripping the world. And that miracle bringing humanity one step closer to the Void.
 
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