October Contest

The Land of Bears was a small country, land locked between the two great countries of Fire and Wind, and the smaller ones of the land of Fangs, Land of Precipice and the Land of Lakes.  While small, this country had its own hidden village, the Village Hidden in the Stars, Hoshigakure.  The country derived its name from its primary export, furs, leather, and other animal products, as well as the hearty nature of its people.  While not quite sharing the stature of their lands namesake, they certainly tried.  

The average citizen of the Land of Bears was quite above average in build and height, with a boisterous attitude to match that of their stature.  This was helpful for their primary professions, as well as for the lumber industry which was starting to bloom in the region.  While at odds with the traditionalists, who see the forests as the sole provider of the small country, that same ancient forest will fetch a premium price once properly harvested.  While there hasn't been open conflict between the two parties, mostly due to the Covenant forces constantly moving through the area, and the leader of the Hoshigakure, tensions remain high.

The leader of the lumbering company which is starting to harvest the natural resources is known as Toriama Yoshito, of Yoshito Enterprises.  He has managed to gain exclusive rights to several natural resources which had been previously "untouchable" through a combination of charisma, money, and a missing nin he kept on the pay rolls.  While he disliked having to remove his competition via assassination, he fully recognizes it as a legitimate strategy.  Most often his pet nin is relegated to body guard duty, and drugging or poisoning of officials and local cultural leaders.  Once they sign the contract, they can't easily get out of it, and those who try usually find their homes being ceased and families turned out from them for breach of contract.

Opposing him are the gathered village elders who keep the oral history of the people, and region.  While they have historically been at odds with one another over choice hunting grounds and fishing rights for rivers, they have managed to come together on this issue, through fear more then anything.  This coming together of the elders is what more then anything have polarized the two opposing forces in the country.  This Council has been contracting for regular missions from Hoshigakure, as well as neighboring Hidden Villages when they can get away with it, for various sabotage missions against Yoshito's Enerprises lumber camps.

Spoiler:

Ancient Grove

One of the areas desperately trying to be defended by the Council of elders, and most sought after by Yoshito for the same reasons, is a several square kilometer grove of ancient oak trees.  These trees are possibly thousands of years old, and are home to dozens of local species.  Under and in these branches the hunters stalk prey, go through their initiation into manhood ceremonies, and even live in camps while following the yearly migrations of game animals.  

The sheer size of the trees is why Yoshito, at least at first glance, wants the area.  Those trees are worth a fortune, just one being able to double his bottom line if he can get his hands on them.  The real reason however, is that he doesn't want to lose.  He has won every battle for resource rights until now, and dammit all if some backwoods bumpkins are going to stop him from getting what he wants.

Village Hidden in the Stars, Hoshigakure

The Village Hidden in the Stars began as an extension of the Seers of the various tribes that lived throughout the Land of Bears.  The would gather every year at the highest peak in the country, Seiko piku (Peak of Stars).  Here they would cast the auguries, dice, read the stars, engaging in several different forms of divination, each method unique to the tribe which had trained the seers.  It was natural that these mystics would eventually develop jutsu, and form their own hidden village.  While not much is known about the hidden village, due to the still highly secretive nature of the residents, a few facts can be gleaned.  

They have elaborate uniforms, and they all wear masks.  The more ornate the mask and outfit, the higher rank one is inside the village, with the leader having the most intricate of all.  They practice several unique types of jutsu which focus on sensing, and information gathering, harkening back to their start as seers and soothsayers.  They also have the ability to read people, something they are all trained at in a young age.  This has given rise to the ability to communicate almost completely without speaking, which has given rise to the legends of telepathy, and is also the reason they  where masks.  These shinobi can read a face as easy as a book, and using that information they can lead any conversation in the direction they would like.

Combined with Jutsu which give them hints, and signs of what is to come, they have the eerie ability to be in the right place, at precisely the right time.  While not the most offensively talented of shinobi, attackers often find that their approach has been foreseen, and the weakness of every foe accounted for in the defense of the Village.  This has prevented them from being wiped out, as to do so would require far more resources then anyone is willing to commit to such a task.  The villages economy is sustained by the various spiritual manuals and books which the shinobi there write, as well as the leasing of their members as advisers to anyone who has the money with which to pay. This system also allows them to have spies anywhere, a fact that the Storyteller has use to his advantage many a time while ruling this hidden village.

The Land of Hot Springs is a geologically active country, which has harnessed that for a thriving tourist industry.  With natural hot springs, open pits of lava, geysers and sulfurous lakes, the land is a prime tourist attraction.  Everyone is trying to draw the business of the visitors, and the central location of the country between the Lands of Earth, Fire, and Wind has blessed it with impressive economic success.  The people of this country have adapted themselves to their situation.  All wear a smile that seldom fades, at least while customers are about, and are overly friendly.  This facade fades when they are alone with their own people, and the few local watering holes and community centers for the locals are heavily guarded, so as to keep out the nosy tourists.

This type of constant keeping a mask up leads to a high amount of stress, and with the money of tourists flowing out of their pockets, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the Land of Hot Springs would become a Land of Vice as well.  Nearly anything one could imagine can be found in the Land of Hot Springs underground markets, from companionship, narcotics, to even medical ninja and other contract services.  This behavior is encouraged by the leader of the local Hidden Village, and even expanded upon by him.

Though most of the locals are completely on board for a life of ease and decadence, there is a budding conservative movement in the region, led by a local monk.  He has denied himself a name, so as to better show that you do not need worldly possessions to exist, so he is just known as 'The Monk'.  While most would think that this type of preaching would extend to words against violence as well, The Monk has survived three separate assassination attempts, leading many to believe there is far more to this wizened old man then meets the eye.  After each attempt, he apologized to the assassins for having to defeat them, and then left without finishing them off.  

This behavior has greatly enhanced his reputation among the disenfranchised of the country, and, ironically enough, produced yet another tourist attraction.  Word spread of the Monk of the Hot Springs, and people flock to hear his sermons.  While some religious leaders might take offense to their likeness being capitalized upon with t-shirts and other items, The Monk simply smiles, and compliments those who wear or have such in his presence.

Spoiler:

Limestone Caverns

While the entire country has been commercialized, one area sticks out as the number 1 hot spot, and that is the massive caverns that run throughout the region.  While only a small part of them has been mapped, that part is also where every group of tourists visits.  The caverns are indeed extensive, and packed with the mineral leftovers being heavily geologically active.  Were one so inclined, it would be simple matter to being a mining center and turn a handsome profit on the mineral wealth of the region.  

This however, seems to have occurred to none of the local residents.  The wealth just below them is at least comparable to the wealth that walks across the border, yet were you to question the locals, they would simply smile, nod, and direct you to a tour guide and to tell that guide that they sent you, so they could receive a finders fee.

Village Hidden in Hot Water, Yugakure

The caverns beneath the population centers also hide the countries hidden village, the Village Hidden in Hot Water.  This village is the primary reason by the caverns have not been completely explored, and why the mineral wealth of them is kept secret.  The Village is also the home of the prison of the country, and it is one that boasts a 0% escape rate, 100% rehabilitation rate, and 100% mortality rate.  Those who break the laws of the Land of Hot Springs disappear, and find themselves conscripted as miners until the day they die, either by exhaustion, old age, or a steam blow from mining.  

The shinobi of the Hot Water village are recruited from the local underworld, and are jaded, iron hard men and women.  They focus primarily upon katon and suiton nijutsu, along with steam release for some of the more powerful members of the village.  The mineral wealth of the caves that is excavated by the slave prisoners is used by the smiths of the village for equipping their shinobi, and as a result these ninja enjoy an above average level of quality in their equipment.  The abundance of warm bodies also allows for these ninja to have extensive practice plying their deadly arts upon actual people, speeding along their killing potential as they further harden their minds against the horrors of battle.

All of this is why the Politician was able to take over this land, and rule unopposed.  He lords over one of the most ruthless, deadly, and well equipped forces in the Covenant armed forces, a fact he often uses when meeting with other Covenant leaders.  The Village of Hot Water is the dragon under the mountain of the covenant forces, one of their greatest weapons, and one which they have managed to keep hidden from the masses of wandering tourists right over their heads.

The Land of Frost is a desolate place.  Tundra, glaciers, and a nomadic by necessity people are what occupy it.  They make their living following the herds of wooly mammoth across the frozen lands, being primarily a hunter gatherer culture.  They have a few settlements, which draw the various tribes and groups together twice year to mend equipment, sell some of their goods, and make purchases.  This is also the time when the young men and women of the tribes gather to choose a potential mate, while their parents haggle over prices.  One of the items which comes from the Land of Frost, is stunning hand carved ivory.

Sought after throughout the world for its beauty, and incredible property to always be cold to the touch, Land of Frost ivory is one of the most expensive things a person can have to show their wealth.  The native people rarely take requests, but their artists carve in dozens of different artistic styles, and nearly all of these sculptures find their way to collectors.  The amount of money this brings to the country has lured all kinds of merchants to the region, all with hopes of striking it rich by purchasing these works directly from the locals.  Pound for pound, Frost Ivory is worth more then gold.

One woman was able to turn this into a substantial profit, while helping the local people as well.  This woman is the mayor of the town on the border, and her name is Miri, Suzuki.  This woman has shown incredible bravery, and cunning to move into the role of mayor, and that cunning has served her well in the position.  Her goal for her town, and people, is to stop the exploitation by foreign merchants (who can often get away with trading a few steel weapons to a clan in exchange for a dozen carved figurines) and try to slowly draw her people into the modern era.  While she has been moderately successful in both aspects, it is a long, uphill battle she faces.

Miri started by importing teachers, and convincing clan elders to allow them to travel with the people as they traversed the tundra.  This education quickly helped bring up the newest generation to respect the value of their primary export, and to gain a wider understanding of the world in general.  These children have grown now, and many reside in Miri's town, as merchants, and members of the local government.  With her steady hand guiding it, and the massive proceeds from the sale of Frost Ivory, she is determined to help her people, and she is doing a fine job.

Spoiler:

Valley of Bone

With each hunter gatherer culture, their tends to be a legend of the dying ground of their chosen prey, and the Land of Frost is no exception.  Rumors speak of a vast, hidden crevice, a mountain which split a glacier in two as it flowed, and created a valley of ice behind it.  In this valley, the wooly mammoth elders go to die, and their corpses and bones litter the landscape.  The amount of free ivory here is what keeps the rumors flowing, though few think that the place is a real location.

Should anyone find this valley, they would be richer then a king, if they could get their spoils to market.  Anyone walking out of the frozen north with wagons upon wagons of ivory could very well find themselves held in a frozen dungeon, tormented by jailors and the cold until they spoke of where they found their prize.

Village Hidden in the Frost, Shimogakure

This village rise from the frozen wastes like a fairy tale castle, tall spires and delicate towers with arced bridges between them.  At perhaps the northern most latitude inhabited by humans, few who are uninvited enter the village, let find it.  The shinobi here are dressed in furs, those stained white so as to blend in with their surroundings, while they practice suiton, futon, and ice release.  Shinobi are recruited into this village by two methods, birth, and combat.

Among the various tribes and clans of the tundra, some make their living not by hunting and carving, but by taking what they like from others.  These are the ones that the Village Hidden in Frost recruits into their ranks, those with the innate blood lust required to take life.  They go through an intense training regime upon recruitment, and either emerge from it a shinobi, or they don't emerge at all.  Those who fail are forever enshrined in the Cave of Shame, and new recruits must walk through this cave every day on their way to their lessons, a constant reminder of the price of failure.

The White Queen keeps a tight leash on her shinobi, staging tourniments and other challenges every few weeks to let them let off the tension of being contained in such a remote place.  This also serves the purpose of keeping her shinobi in fighting trim, and at the heights of preparedness.  While her force may be smaller then the other covenant members, she can proudly say that she has the most powerful shinobi under her command, and they will gladly die for queen and country without a moments hesitation.

The Land of Valley's is a small, but densely populated and fertile country, with rolling hills full of cattle, pigs, chickens, and endless fields of every possible grown food one could imagine.  Her people are happy, well fed, and generally get along famously with each other.  They do however, tend to be xenophobic to an extent, and believe that their position as the bread basket of the shinobi world entitles them to more honor then they currently receive.  This intense nationalism is one of the casual factors which led to their joining the Covenant.

The several small villages which dot the landscape tend to focus in just a few goods, usually either animal or vegetable based, since to do both is considered bad luck, which also lends itself to the local sport of the region, Satchel.  In a game not unlike football mixed with capture the flag, with three teams to a game, the goal is to take as many points from the opposing team by stealing the sacks of their local produce in their guarded zone.  If you can successfully retrieve five bags from both teams, you win by default, before the time is up.  Each game is split into two halves, and there is fierce competition between teams.

Every town has a rival, and often an alley as well.  The three team dynamic to the game ensures there is plenty behind the scenes intrigue, as each time employes several diplomats to court other villages for aid in the next match.  While deaths are rare, underhanded tactics are common, and shinobi are often hired to drug opposing teams before games.  One team has managed to take the championship for two years in a row now, an unheard of feat in the history of the sport.This is due to the cunning leadership, and training techniques of Shizuka.  

As a child growing up in the village of squash, he yearned to be a professional satchel player.  The squash team was usually in the mid places, neither bound for greatness or obscurity, however that all changed when Shizuka joined.  His speed was impossible, his stamina beyond reason, and he had the tactical mind of the greatest general.  With these, he lead his team to victory after victory, with each season as he grew older placing them closer and closer to the championship.  Then, tragedy struck.  

The reigning champion village hired a shinobi to deal with the upstart squashers, and Shizuka was drugged, then tossed into a local river.  While he managed to avoid drowning, crashing into the many rocks of the fast moving river caused several severe fractures in the bones of his legs.  He would never play again, though he could at least walk.  All of this didn't dissuade him however, and he returned to lead his team as the coach.  

Despite every other teams best efforts, Shizuka hardened his men into an unstoppable satchel force, their team work, speed, stamina, defense and offensive tactics stunning their opponents and confounding their enemies at every turn.  The team from squash has managed to single handedly redefine the sport, and it is owed all to the crippled coach Shizuka.

Spoiler:

Thousand Year Falls

With the hundreds of fertile valley's of the country, it stands to reason that there would be waterfalls, and that logic is well founded.  While there are several notable ones in the region, the Thousand Year Falls holds the record as the tallest falls in the world, with over a three kilometer drop. While most sane people would look upon this with nothing more then passing fancy and respect for nature, there is a small contingent of locals who are determined to ride the falls to the water below.  

These men and women are called crazy by every village around them, though that doesn't dissuade them in the least.  While the most preferred methods currently of attempting to survive is via a well constructed barrel, with harness and armor, they rarely send a live person in their contraptions.  Most often it is a pig, or man made of straw, and neither have survived the falls to date.  A curious side effect of this is that the blacksmiths of surrounding towns are amazing armor smiths, able to produce much higher quality product then nearly anyone else in the world.  Indeed, their advancements in metallurgy are ground breaking, yet no one outside of the local area would even begin to guess at this fact.

Village Hidden in the Valley, Tanigakure

Of the hundreds of valley's in the land of valley's, many are still unexplored.  Some have been settled in the past, then moved away from as the times change, and it is in one such valley that the village Hidden in the Valley lays.  The sole reason for the creation of a hidden village in a land of such bounty, is to defend that bounty from invaders.  In days past, bandits routinely invaded the small country, and took what they wanted from its people.  This is one reason of their naturally xenophobic nature, and the reason their shinobi are so well versed in defensive tactics.

The ninja of the village hidden in the valley are masters of siege warfare, in all its aspects from the storing of supplies, to the manufacture of the weapons of a traditional siege.  From their time in the academy they learn how to defend with limited resources against an enemy many times stronger then their force.  This obsession with the defense has manifested in many interesting ways among their army, most noticeably in that they maintain the largest medical corp of any of the villages, with nearly one medical nin for every two shinobi in the force.  This combined with their defensive tactics, and focus in suiton and doton style jutsu has created an army that is built to defend any location, for as long as needed.  

Their leader has preyed upon the xenophobic nature of the population to maintain power, and when the Covenant arrived with their peace offering, she finally had the means to keep power, and more importantly maintain her lifestyle, for as long as she lived.  With a carefully conjured lie, the entirety of the country was convinced that the Great Villages meant to conquer them, to take the bounty of the Land of Valley for their own.  They already knew it in their hearts, so the selling of the actual lie was as easy as offering candy to a child.  

Perhaps one of the greatest farces in the world currently, is the Land of Demons.  Despite its name, the place is a thriving small country, with many people, fertile land and inviting landscape.  Despite this, the name is often used by parents of other countries as a means to terrify their children. "Be good, or the demons will take you to their land!" they say.  The people who live there would probably find a good chuckle about that.  The residents of the Land of Demons are happy, productive, and otherwise a normal people whose only run of bad luck is the name of the country they live in.  If it wasn't for the mad dictator who rules from their hidden village.

Even despite the military build up, the curfews and police patrols, the people retain hope.  Perhaps it is by the name of their land that the people maintain hope, but the fire of their souls is rivaled only by that of the legendary Will of Fire, in the land of its naming.  These people could very well be distantly related to those of the Land of Fire, but such information would be lost to history.  While the common folk do their best to keep their heads down and go about their lives, they are beginning to struggle.  
The King of Demons demands that they maintain war time production, which is putting an incredible strain on the populace.  Sixteen hour workdays are common, and that just barely keeps up with the demands placed upon them by the Demon King, who in turn supplies the Covenant.  Resentment is building, but with his grip firm around the hidden village, rebellion is a dangerous, and terrifying prospect.  Despite that, several underground cells have begun to rise up.

The leader of this nascent rebel movement, a master organizer with great charisma, is named Kage, even going so far as to dress as one to hide his identity.  While this isn't his real name, he took it to remind those in the rebellion of the high ideals they are fighting for.  The great villages are ruled by Kage, and they remain free.  That freedom is the dream of Kage and his followers.  

In secret they gather supplies, weapons, and have begun to work against the regime of the Demon King.  So far this as gone only so far as to recruit members from the populace, and win the common folk to their cause, but soon the Land of Demons could be home to full scale rebellion.  While Kage hopes to keep the presence of himself and his people secret for as long as possible, that is becoming more difficult by the day with the swelling of their ranks.  More firebrands join every day, and that has begun to stain the groups ability to remain hidden.  Kage has managed to buy himself some time by dispatching several of the more vocal members to the great villages to seek aid.

Spoiler:

Road to Hell

While the irony of names in the Land of Demons would quickly overwhelm those not of the land, it is a national pastime to give the most heinous names possible to the greatest beauty the country holds.  The Road to Hell is perhaps the best known of these.  It is a path leading from the capital, into the woods and past some of the most stunning landscape in the Land of Demons.  The end of the road takes one to a precipice, from which one can look out over the wilds to the south.  The view is breathtaking, and locals often make the pilgrimage at least annually, drinking in the beauty before heading back to their homes.

It is also a favorite path to prank visitors, as those who don't know of the joke often expect demons to jump out from behind every tree of the twisting path, and for the ending to be an abrupt fall into fire and brimstone.  All find themselves pleasantly surprised at the end.

Village Hidden by Demons, Onigakure

Ruled by the mad Demon King, the hidden village of the land of demons is a cruel place.  Those who did not share the Demon Kings love for violence and hate were either executed, or fled with their families for their lives.  Those that remained set themselves to learn at the feet of a madman.  The focus of the shinobi of the village quickly became that of buki, gen, and inton jutsu.  With these three branches, the Demon King trains his army.  

Their weapons of choice are designed to instill fear, with scythes heavily favored, and large, barbed two handed weapons being a close second.  The use of genjutsu is used as a way to torment enemies, and even allies if the situation demands it, while inton simply mimics what is left of the hearts of the Demon Kings forces.  Demon shinobi are trained or recruited, they are created.  Children are stolen from homes, their parents paid a pittance and those children are thrust into the cruel world of the Demon.  Few survive the academy, and those that do are often twisted, hateful individuals, determined to bring the pain of their childhood to the rest of the world.

Land of Iron

The Land of Iron is the home of the Samurai.  In a world of Ninja, it is the Samurai who are the mysterious ones, keeping their borders sealed for the most part from outsiders as they worked towards being a neutral party in the ongoing ninja wars.  This changed with the coming of the covenant, and the Land of Iron joined the Alliance in its stand against tyranny.  The current Shogun is a one Mizuki Uchiha, whose blade is rumored to find any weakness in your defense, and then strip flesh from bone in a single strike.  With its lands the best defended of any member of the Alliance, and with an army that easily rivals that of any of the Great Shinobi villages, the Land of Iron is one of the greatest members of the Alliance, and once which the Covenant will go to any length to devastate in the coming battles.

With rolling hills, mountainous peaks, and rivers dotting the landscape once you are past the intimidating border, the Land of Iron is rich indeed.  Being one which has known peace for centuries, the land has supplied every need for her people, and they have prospered beyond what those of the villages could have imagined.  Industry, usually restricted in the Shinobi world, has prospered in the Land of Iron, with the benefits being the ability to produce weaponry, armor, and other tools of war at unheard of rates. These goods are sold to the other members of the Alliance at a discount, which helps cement relations, and create supply routes between the other members.

One of the most curious inventions to come from the Samurai, is firearms.  While most shinobi would scoff at the idea of such a thing, priding themselves on the use of their jutsu and natural ability over that of technology, the Samurai have embraced the concept, with entire brigades of rifle equipped soldiers.  These specialists are trained to fight ninja with gun and sword, their training as excellent as their aim, and can be found serving with every unit which has been deployed thus far.  The effects on moral of the enemy from these units has been impressive to say the least.  The natural mystique of the Samurai, combined with the thunderous roar of a massed volley, and then charge through the smoke has broken many a Covenant attack.  The grand armor of the Samurai, with their frightening visage helmets as they run through the sulfurous smelling cloud with swords raised brings back every children's tale of these warriors.

Notable Locations

Sho Village

This medium size village near the frontier is the first place visitors often see of the Land of Iron, and has many barracks for the soldiers which serve on the front defending the land.  With those soldiers, come the vices which they enjoy, and this town has several sake establishments, geisha houses, and other forms of entertainment for the Samurai who live and serve here.  The rough and tumble town has a square in the center of it for duels of honor, and hardly a day goes by in which at least one duel is fought here.  The local officials keep a well stocked hospital directly off the square, so deaths are rare, though not unheard of.

One of the main claims to fame of this town is the somewhat spicy sake that is served at a few of the bars.  The spicy flavor is due to the local rice that is used in making the drink, which many think shares ties with elemental fire, though this is a rumor at best.  Be that as it may, Fire Spice Sake is quite popular in town, and often served to newcomers as a way of testing their mettle.  Should they sputter and choke, the locals enjoy a hearty chuckle and welcome them to town.  If they drink it like a champ, then the result is the same, however there is more respect to the greeting.

Spirit River

This mighty river cuts its way from the Mountain of Iron through a meandering trail into the very heart of Iron country, feeding many smaller lakes and tributaries along the way.  Easily one of the widest rivers in the world, it is the beating heart of the local economy, with boats and ships of all kinds plying its waters.  Raw materials from the mountain villages are floated down stream on barges to factory towns, which then ship the finished goods to the cities where they are sold both merchants both domestically and internationally.  

Traders and fishermen pull their living from the river as well, with the arrival of a traders vessel heralded as a minor holiday to some of the more remote villages that dot the landscape along the river and its off shoots.  The fishermen bring in a substantial haul from the river, which never seems to deplete itself of game fish.  Indeed, fish from the Spirit river make up an estimated 40% of all food stuffs within the Land of Iron, in one way or another.  These people are mostly free from the bandits and pirates which normally inhabit such waters, by quick and overbearing responses by the local militia.  Pirates and their ilk are always sentenced to death, and those helping them often are stripped of rank and all possession and cast out from Iron Country.  

The river derives its name from the founder of Iron country, who claimed that a Great Spirit of Bushido guided him to the head waters of the river, and then instructed him to craft a boat and travel to the end of the river.  During his journey, he reached enlightenment, and founded Iron Country around the mighty river.  The passage of time has shortened the name to simply "The Spirit River" from its original name.

The Spirit River is also part of the primary religious pilgrimage of the Land of Iron.  Those who wish to follow in the founders foot steps climb the mountain paths, stopping at several shrines along the way to pray and meditate.  Upon reaching the summit, they craft a boat from locally gathered supplies (the monks of the final shrine tend the groves of the mountain, and leave materials there for use so that pilgrims do not damage the pristine landscape with their clumsy attempts at gathering) and begin the travel down the river.  When one reaches the end of the river, they should have achieved enlightenment.

Mountain of Iron

This mountain is the main spiritual site of the Land of Iron, with the Spirit River being the second stage of the journey.  True to it's name, it also contains the largest iron deposits in the known world, and is subsequently the primary hub of mining operations in Iron Country.  Many mines honeycomb the mountain with their tunnels, despite protests of the monks who live on the mountain.  These mines have an amazing safety record as well, with cave ins and other mishaps almost unknown, another factor which lends to the spiritual significance of the mountain (the spirit of the mount protects its children, even as they sunder its flesh) in addition to the substantial profits which can be achieved from the mining operations themselves.  The local miners are well payed, taken care of, and enjoy their work.  They live and operate the most sacred site in their country, and they are proud that they do it.

The actual summit of the mountain holds a shrine, which encloses the blade of the founder of Iron country, however none are allowed up the most sacred of paths except the Shogun.  The monks of Iron will give their lives defending the sword and the path, and to date none have attempted to make the journey who were not the Shogun.  This shrine is also rumored to contain ancient texts on the Samurai arts, as well as Bushido, though these could only be confirmed by a Shogun, and none of them have spoken on the matter.

Notable Characters

Iron Monk Leader, Joo Song Lee

The leader of the Iron Monks is quite the character.  He is a retired Samurai, choosing the life of the monk over that of instructor in his family's bushi school.  He took the name Joo Song Lee upon arriving at the Iron Monk shrines and hidden schools, at the same time as he shaved his head and dedicated his life to their teachings.  His martial prowess was quickly recognized, and he was given the best of training by the masters of Iron, and rose quickly through the ranks due to this talent.  Within a decade the retired Samurai was training youths in the ways of Iron despite his attempts in his younger years to avoid just such a fate.  

At this point in his journey though, Joo Song Lee was at peace with his life, and choices of it.  He treated each student as his own child, giving each attention as he might to encourage their physical and spiritual growth.  This has created a generation of monk who are fiercely loyal to him, as well as each other.  The 'Family of Song' is often a title attributed to these thirty some individuals.  

While most of the monks life is one of training body, spirit, and mind, the Monks of Iron must also tend the paths and shrines of the Path, as well as advise the Shogun should they call for an adviser.  The monks take these duties quite seriously, and Joo Song Lee is not exception.  Where he focuses his attention however, is on combating the iron miners.  

Joo Song Lee has requested multiple times that they open no new mines, and simply be content with the ones they currently have.  Telling a business man to curb his greed though is often wasted breath, and so the leader of the Iron Monks has begun more intense negotiations.  These typically involve a group of monks entering the office of a local mining leader, and simply staring at him while Joo Song Lee makes his case for being content with current production.  It has been remarkably effective, though other leaders of the order have condemned his use of such threatening tactics upon others.

While these other leaders are quiet in their condemnation, since the tactic has been working, the Monks of Iron have begun to split into factions.  The consequences of this has yet to be seen, and it could me nothing more then several spars to determine the new Iron Monk who would then direct the order in a new direction.  It could however, lead down a path much more sinister...


League of Iron Miners, Jung Han

Leader of the League of Iron, Jung Han, is one of the few who has stood up to the Iron Monk.  He represents the drive towards further mining expansion on the Iron Mountain, though not without care and consideration for the local environment and custom. When the current mines have reached their limit of productivity, Jung plans on purchasing the rights to several other mines, and creating tunnels between them, his hope being that these tunnels will open new untapped veins of iron, as well as create and underground road of sorts for the movement of goods.  With such a road and linked mines, he could move his product much faster, and cheaper, and thus increase his profit margin.

The Iron Monks are actually helping him in that regard, as his competitors refuse to anger the monks, and as their mines begin to run dry or they leave the business he is able to purchase their rights for pennies, and hire their workers at the standard rate.  This has led to his business growing almost faster then he can manage, but the profits have begun rolling in nearly as fast.  Overall, for a few minutes of courage, Jung has managed to make himself rich and powerful practically over night.  Luckily for the miners, he is a kind man, just one who refuses to be intimidated, whatever the reason.  

His success in the mining industry has drawn the attention of the Iron Monks however, and they are scheduled to meet him again at some point in the near future.  How this meeting goes down could very well determine the fate of several thousand peoples lives, and Jung is determined to keep his business alive and thriving.  The locals have begun to rally behind him, and he was recently elected to the Head Foreman position of the League of Iron as part of their complete faith in him.

This situation between the two strong willed men has created a potential powder keg situation, as both believe they are in the right (and indeed are) and both have the manpower to back up their claims.  How this will play out only time will tell.

The Land of Rain is located between the lands of Win, Earth, and Fire, sharing a border with each of these great countries, as well as with the Land of Grass and Woods.  This central location has caused many, in the past, to fight over the area and the rich mineral resources it contained.  Slowly but surely, the country was ravaged during the multiple ninja wars, and when the chance to strike back at the great shinobi villages came by joining the Covenant, the Land of Rain was eager to sign up.

While the lands of Rain were ravaged by war, they did have extensive mining sites and underground caverns which had remained pristine, as they were desired to be captured, not destroyed, for the wealth they contained.  This, combined with the rise of the Gravedigger, a shinobi whom had discovered a massive underground necropolis from days long past, changed the direction of the Land of Rain dramatically.  

Villages began disappearing, first the outlying ones, with one in five becoming nothing more then ghost towns, the remaining ones being along the major train routes through the country.  Even the border stations, posts, and villages seemed to lose every inhabitant in short order, increasing the mystery of the Land of Rain.  This, combined with spreading rumors (fabricated and distributed by the shinobi of this land) of plagues and unquiet spirits residing in the ruins kept the curious out.  The bodies of looters mangled and dismembered eventually kept out the looters as well.  The residents spoke not of what happened to their countrymen, just putting on a fearful look and performing a ward against evil when the subject was broached before moving on.

The reality of the situation is that 90% of the population had moved underground passages, with the new hidden village in the necropolis which had been uncovered.  The caverns provided everything the people needed, with some careful preparation.  There was clean water, fish in those waters for eating, various mushrooms and fungus for eating, they even brought their herds of domestic animals down and kept them in the larger caverns.  Areas which had natural light flowing down, through planned construction or nature, were used to grow rice and other crops which needed the light of the sun.

The superstitious nature has become the great game of the people, with some weaving tales of ancient evils and curses, while their neighbor will simply pale and run screaming at the same questions.  While not cruel in their game, the people of the Land of Rain often take it too far by decorating their homes and shops in spooky fashions.  The gloom of their surface world is the polar opposite of the warmth of color and design of the cave dwellers homes.  The people of the Land of Rain enjoy a good joke, practical joke, or scary story, often using them as ways to teach the children about the dangers of the great shinobi countries, as well as keep the fires of hatred for those which sacked and looted their country dozens of times over burning hot.

This, was how the Land of Rain dropped from the view of the rest of the shinobi world, and began supplying its partners in the covenant with weapons, money, and warriors expertly trained in close quarters combat, building raids, and other special tactics and techniques.  

In this underground world, those who can retain their calm, and keep their sense of direction are highly valued as guides, and tend to develop a small amount of fame.  One such person to become well known throughout the entire country is a young girl known as Amaya.  When she was twelve, her and her family were caught in a cave in, a constant danger of the underground world.  While her parents were wounded, she bravely set off down the tunnels on the only way left to her, leaving her family for help.  Her journey was difficult to say the least, with the climax being her letting the flow of an underground river take her back to the village, as through careful listening  and intimate knowledge of the cave system led her to know that her village was close.  

She was swept into the communal pond of her village, and into the hearts of the people after she lead them back to rescue her family.  Since then, she has been elevated to a leader of a search and rescue squad, and has been offered a spot in the coming years class at the Hidden Village.  She has a few months to decide if she wants to become a shinobi, that time being spent saving anyone who finds themselves lost in the beloved caverns of her home.



Pit to the Abyss, Hell elevator, Throat of the world

The pit that has several names, all which usually bear sinister undertones is the conduit of a now extinct volcano.  The pit was covered from the surface by a dome of volcanic glass, those who lived and worked over it never knowing what lurked beneath it.  The sides of the pit have numerous holds and ledges, and a sport among the younger residents of the nearby town is to make bets and the like to see who can climb the furthest down, and return safely.  There are few injuries or deaths, as nearly all children are taught to be effective and practiced climbers.  

The hole itself has become a hub of activity, with several dozen rope and pulley elevators being used to lower people and supplies to lower caverns, and dozens of mines branching off from it, chasing the tendrils of minerals that were left by the magma of the volcano before it died.  The area is quickly becoming the principle city of the region, though it still remains without a name.  The hole itself is thought to extend for possibly miles below the surface, though has yet to be fully explored.  

Amegakure Village Hidden in the Rain

When the Land of Rain went underground, the Hidden village of Amegakure followed.  As fate would have it, the hidden village had a massive necropolis underneath it, which was quickly inhabited by the shinobi of the Hidden Rain.  This new ground with which to train, altered somewhat the training of the shinobi who were now housed underground.  While they still engaged in their traditional methods and jutsu, they began branching out with their tactics, using their new home and their old as training grounds.  

Mock raids were set up, with shinobi either going up to attack the hidden village, or down to raid the necropolis.  These war games helped shore up errors, tactical and strategical problems in their training, as well as keep their forces in fighting trim.  Being underground constantly also encouraged some shinobi to begin learning doton techniques, an area of study that was historically one which was lacking from the Hidden Rain.  Using these newly trained assets led to further development of special tactic squads, using doton techniques to create strike tunnels, one use passages to lead to a target, and under their defenses.  The jutsu for these techniques is a highly guarded secret among the Hidden Rain, and the shinobi who know it assigned to squads on an as needed basis due to their rarity.

These developments in surgical strikes have greatly increased the amount of money that Amegakure shinobi can charge for their services, leading to a scholarship program that was begun with the hidden village.  This program sends out recruiters to find talented young men and women and actively begin training them and encouraging them to attend the shinobi academy.  The program is highly successful, and the talent scouts have gained a small amount of local celebrity in their respective zones of influence.

While this is all wonderful for the country and village, the leader has their own goals, one which they have been carefully guiding their followers towards.  The tunnels which are opened every day follow a pattern, one which is looking for -something- which only the Gravedigger knows.  Finding the necropolis was the first stage in this plan, and in order to continue they need the other pieces of the mystery they are searching for.  Every tunnel that opens, and every shinobi which gains the knowledge to help with such draws them closer to this goal.

There is some tension however, between Amegakure and Yugakure. This is drawn from the mineral markets that both countries compete in, as well as that both of their hidden villages are now underground. The two leaders have been known to share cool, barbed comments about the other in regards to their chosen village location, both believing that the other was copying them. While this hasn't yet bloomed into a actual vendetta, the seeds have been planted.