Comprehensive Setting and Lore Guide

[Sand Council]

The Desert Environment
A Review of Our Setting​

Sunagakure is located in the heart of Wind Country. The surrounding desert served as both a blessing and a curse for the people of Sunagakure, separating them from both their enemies and their allies. The ever-shifting dunes made venturing into the badlands of Wind Country a dangerous prospect that only the most rugged and experienced dare face. Those that dare traverse the great untamed desert expanse risk becoming lost, consumed by the predatory creatures of the desert or fall victim to the dangerous elements. The arid vistas of Wind Country provide a significantly harsh landscape for inhabitants; water is scarce and, in some places, unattainable by all but the most specialized creatures, the ground and air temperatures vary wildly from noon to nightfall and even the basest nutrients for survival are a precious resource. However, life finds a way; resulting in a spectacular series of hardy creatures, whose ingenuity and strive for survival should give even us pause and provide a source of inspiration.

To learn more about the great beasts that roam Sunagakure, refer to Sunagakure's Bestiary

Language

Most people in Wind Country speak a common language, however there is an old language known by some in Wind Country called Runic Terran. Runic Terran is the ancient language of the first men. Almost wholly forgotten over the centuries as humanity began to share a common tongue, this archaic script and spoken word has been recorded by Suna's great record keepers: The Oracles. The great tome known as The Annals of the Conqueror chronicled this ancient tongue. With their recent resurgence in Wind Country, with them they bring great knowledge that they are willing to share, the only prerequisite is a readied mind. While the edges of the great massive leather-bound masterpiece are worn, the text has endured war, famine and strife, one of the most closely guarded treasures of the Oracle Order. The Oracles do not jealously protect what they have learned, literature and knowledge is to be shared and as such a copy still under lock and key has been provided to the Sunagakure as an offering of hope that through knowledge their legacy will forever live on.

Runic Terran is considered to be a strategic resource to Sunagakure, the words housed in the great tome when learned offer a dialogue that can only be shared by those with common knowledge. As such, Sunagakure has limited learning these words to only a fraction of their population: the shinobis. Upon obtaining the Rank of GENIN or above, any interested shinobi can learn this language in The Oracle's Library, despite the recent destruction of the Scroll Locker remnants of this book remain. Additionally, those who are not shinobis or those too impatient as to wait until they have become of rank can seek out an Oracle and obtain this information from an Oracle.

As a new player you will need to learn this language, to learn more after you join our community please look in our Setting Information: Runic Terran

The Climate

Wind Country possesses the world’s largest hot desert and one of the harshest environments on the planet. Wind Country's south westerly winds can reach hurricane levels and can give rise to sand storms and dust devils that can consume a traveling party. The desert receives up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) per year, the coastline however receives abundant rainfall and the sandy earth is held in place with naturally-occurring vegetation. Here rainfall is more frequent but the moisture in the air makes the heat even more oppressive. The infrequent rain in the arid desert areas is usually torrential and can lead to sudden flooding and mudslides, making travel during a rainstorm even more dangerous than travel on a particularly hot day.

There are four seasons in Wind Country: Winter from January to February. Spring from March to May, Summer from June to August, and Fall from September to November. The hottest months are the summer months from June to August where the daytime temperatures are exceptionally hot and dry with temperatures ranging generally from 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 Celsius) to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.89 Celsius). However, the nighttime temperatures are the actually considered to be quite comfortable during these months, akin to room temperature. For this reason many merchants prefer to travel at night during the summer months and find shelter during the day. The coldest months would be the winter months, where the daytime temperatures are comfortably warm but the night temperatures drop to sub-freezing temperatures of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (12.2 Celsius) to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 Celsius). Travel during the day is deceptively pleasant but the nights due to the cold temperatures can be life threatening. Many merchants avoid traveling over large stretches of desert during the winter months for this reason. The fall, unpleasantly hot with risks of sunstroke and nights that are too cold to endure without a warm fire holds relatively little risk in terms of temperature but the fall winds boast an increased risk of windstorms. Finally, the spring, similar in climate to the fall, many Sunans call this the rainy season because 90% of the annual rainfall occurs between the months of March and May. Mudslides and floods threaten livestock and under-prepared villages and travelers. For this reason children are often taught to never play in dried riverbeds because of potential flash-floods and merchants often choose routes that maintain the high-ground to avoid being buried beneath yards of mud.

Geography

Wind Country is bordered by the Mizumi Sea on the western edge and mountains on the other three sides. To the north, the sandy terrain gives way to a rocky hamada, a type of desert landscape that has very little sand and is made up of primarily barren, hard, rocky plateaus. This expanse is known as the Black Salt Fields, despite the fact that there is little field and more rough, uneven terrain made of primarily hard stone, this region has earned it name for the dark stone for which this region has earned its name. There are several salt mines, mostly abandoned scattered throughout this northern area. To the west is a pair of mountain ranges, the northwest is a low-laying range of what are known as fault-block mountains. Fault-block mountains are formed by the movement of large crustal blocks when forces in the Earth’s crust pull it apart. Some parts of the Earth are pushed upward and others collapse down. This happens because this range is located over a tectonic plate and the region as a whole is subject to earthquakes that thankfully do not extend into the desert itself generally although there have been rare reports of this happening. Called the Utsusu Range, few travel to the northwest, often electing to follow marked paths through the better traversed Black Salt Fields. The southwest mountain ranges upon first glance appear no different from the Utsuru Range to its immediate north, however these mountains are volcanic. Dormant at this time, there are several accounts that this range known as Hell's Sanctuary was one home to the Flame Court. Finally, the southern border of Wind Country is fringed by a the "high peaks" a series of mountains that reach higher than any of the other mountains in the region. The peaks have snow year-round but they are rarely visited. Much like Hell's Sanctuary, this range dubbed the Jōgi Mountains was said to be the home of the Solar Court. It is believed that the highest peak was once the home of the Solar Court Lord Fuujin and for that reason it has been simply named Fuujin's Peak. There has been little exploration of these alleged ancient homesteads, not due to lack of curiosity but rather due to the inherent difficulties of reaching such areas. The desert itself boasts a myriad of threads and then the extremes in both climate and terrain in the Jōgi Mountains and the Utsuru Range add to the peril as well as the superstitious fear that there might be some Ancients that remain in these remote locations has kept the curious for the most part at bay.

Major cities located in Wind Country include: Sunagakure, Soons Haven and Sora.

Settlements of Wind Country

The three main settlements of Wind Country - Sunagakure, Soons Haven and Sora - each exist for a very specific purpose. Sunagakure provides the nation with much of its militaristic strength, specializing in a mixture of the enigmatic arts of chakra and a study of martial prowess that produces many of the dominion's most highly-celebrated mercenaries and soldiers. Soons Haven functions as a mercantile and manufacturing center, containing some of Wind's most cutting-edge engineers both mechanical and structural, as well as being the home of the lauded Merchant Lords who protect what is theirs through a private militia force. Both of these fiercely proud villages are defended by steel, determination and the very elements in which they have been founded, bear allegiance in some way or another to the third - Sora.

The nearest neighbor to Sunagakure would be Soons Haven, a merchant community found on the coastline of Wind Country, just outside the Diamond Maelstrom at the deepest point of the bay. Calm waters provide safe harbor for a great many merchant ships but their proximity to the maelstrom leaves them prone still to inclimate weather. Soon's Haven has high walls that protect them from the storms as well as roving bandits. Under the authority of the Wind Diamyo is the 7 Merchant Lords who oversee commerce, trade and policies in Soon's Haven. They are considered to be a neutral state, however since the mounting tensions between the Wind Country Diamyo and Soons Haven have climaxed, this city has grown cold to the shinobi state. There have been rumors of a bustling flesh trade in the hidden back alleys of Soons Haven, a mostly overlooked and somewhat poorly kept secret.

Sora functions as the home to many of Wind's powerful lords and nobles, and as such provides both reason and means for its own existence. A powerful trade capital in its own right but not nearly as much so as Soons Haven, Sora is the single largest society upon Wind's easternmost shores, Sora is also the oldest village, predating Sunagakure and and Soons Haven by quite some time. Sora was originally a small fishing society for the first agrarian tribe and in fact one of the oldest families of this tribe holds the mantle of power over this community. As such, Sora's roots grow deep and strong in Wind's dusty soil. Benefiting not only from this advantageous positioning in regards to business exporting and importing goods from around the known world, Sora also has what could be described as the most stable, temperate climate; with Wind Country's ever-present sun, cool winds blowing in from the sea and naturally deep harbors, as well as an exotic culture rising from the mixture of many different systems of belief, cuisine and craft, Sora is a popular vacation resort and an even more popular home for those with wealth and influence, bringing the village much of its funds through these two concerns alone.

As mentioned, many of Wind's oldest and most influential noble houses and clans can draw their roots back to Sora, making the village the center for Wind's high society as well as the beating heart of the country's government and bureaucracy. Many of Wind's most vital decisions are made here by the ruling Council of Elders, but even these men and women hold fealty to one individual. This is the nation's Daimyo. The position of Daimyo has been a consistent one throughout Wind's history, from Sora's earliest roots as a simple fishing village to its modern-day vision and scope. The Daimyo holds authority over all nobility in all of Wind, and exists as a position which is either inherited or bestowed upon individuals considered to be worthy by the passing Daimyo. As such, many families have rested upon the throne of Wind, and vying for the attentions of the Daimyo in the hopes that you or one of your relatives be granted the prestigious position is an ever-constant source of political intrigue in Sora.

However, until recent there was always more than one. Each Diamyo oversaw a great track of land, their domain centered around the great city that housed them. Yet after the maelstrom came and the villages of Wind Country fell one by one, the reign of these Dimayos also came to an end. Today there is one Dimayo that oversees all of Wind Country, less Sunagakure the last Sovereign state.

Desert Traders

The economy of Sunagakure is based primarily on the trade of Carmot, the waste product of sandworms that possesses within its hard shell an incredible elemental power as well as the human toil the Sunagakure shinobi forces could offer. Sunagakure being a hidden shinobi state makes a majority of their income from the contracts they fulfill with interested consumers internationally and abroad. This differs from Soons Haven which sells merchandise ranging from baubles to weapons to humans. Soons Haven does not have the moral limitations that some societies have to contend with. The sale of these items is divided evenly between Tea Country, Sora and Sunagakure as well as the varied needs of the nomadic tribes that both buy and trade with the crafters that have set-up shop around the fringe of the village. Finally Sora, the capital of Wind Country seems to consume more than they make, at least to the untrained eye. Sora differs from the other villages in that they have no real manufacturing, their source of funds largely a mystery.

The Ancient Courts and the Old World

In the beginning of recorded history, there existed beings comprised of prime elemental power and energy. Created by the hand of a now nameless but extremely powerful being, the Ancients were given the task of over-seeing and managing the natural world. Each of them possessed powerful dominion over their element and over the course of thousands of years gathered both denizens of the natural and spiritual worlds to them to form large feudal system-like courts. The most powerful of them were the Solar, Flame and Earth Courts as those were the elements in the Wind Country which were most present. The Solar Court was the greatest of them and led by the Ancient of Sun and Sky, Fuujin and given the role of ruler of the skies and the keeper of the surface world. Hailing from below all things within the streams of magma and fire existed the Flame Court and their ravenous leader Homura whom was the Ancient of Iron and Flame. Homura was the flame in which the other Ancients were to be tempered, created to constantly test and prune the others to ensure that no one court ever grew too powerful as to lord over all others. Suna, the Ancient of Desert and Earth, was queen of the Earth Court and given the task of governing the desert and it's all of it's flora and fauna. There also existed lesser courts as well and while the various courts never bent knee to any one leader nor were bound to any court in servitude, none could contest the size and affluence of the Prime Courts.

It was not until the First Coming of mankind that the Ancients found another being that was truly native to their world but also possessed the power of spirit and thought as they did. At the time, the Wind Country was home to many creatures both mundane and supernatural but none took the world into their hand as Man did. Carving out settlements and places for themselves in the world, the Ancients quickly became aware of Man... and almost as quickly shoved them beneath their heel. Feeling in their hearts the manifest destiny to rule the domains they had been given, the Ancients lorded over humanity for centuries before He was born. Born from a tribe in the south of Wind Country, His true name has since been lost to history. Known to Sunan historians as the One King or Primus, this king was the first of humans to throw off the shackles of slavery and give death unto an Ancient. It took little from there for Primus to begin liberating humans from the grip of lesser courts and slaughtering any Ancients which dared to oppose their ascent to sovereignty. Those that joined Primus shared in his spoils and bathed in his power becoming paragons of their kind which would eventually come to be called the First Men, even though they were generations beyond the literal definition of such a title.

Mankind had earned the ire of the Ancients, Homura and Fuujin cursed those defiant to them to become beasts of burden. Homura turned the contumacious rebels into stone men. It was said that some went mad after this transformation: violent, angry, their intellect stunted. Some even claimed that they devolved into primates. Despite this, those who could hone their mind found this curse to be a powerful asset as their strength and durability was enhanced. Fuujin turned man into wolves in a demonstration of his power. These accursed men only served to swell the ranks of discontented humanity. Primus did not turn away any who were wronged by the ancients, he welcomed them into his fold and gathered his forces.

Eventually the Great Rebellion would catch the eye of Fuujin and Homura, two of the great Ancient Lords, and against humanity they brought their strongest and fiercest soldiers. But Primus and his First Men would not be denied. As if they were protected by the unseen hand of a god, Primus hewed through champion after champion of the Ancient Courts and through his martial might ascended to near deific status among the humans. As their faith in him grew, so too did his power and through him grew the rebellion. Soon humans all over the Wind Country were rising up on their own and forcing the hand of the Ancient Lords to kill them for their defiance. Finally growing to the end of his patience with this upstart race, Fuujin summoned to him all the might of the remaining Ancient Courts. Demanding something that had never before been demanded, he sent emissaries to each of the remaining courts demanding that their Lord and their armies join him to crush the Rebellion once and for all. Most responded, some did not. Most notably, the Earth Court fought but their Ancient-- the Desert Queen Suna --was mysteriously absent from the battle. The last battle of the Rebellion was a blood bath the likes of which the Wind Country is never likely to see again. The blood of both Ancient and Man spilled and mingled in the sands that day, thousands of lives were lost and most of the Ancient Courts were wiped from existence by the blades of the First Men and their One King. Perhaps the massacre would have continued if not for Primus issuing a challenge to the greatest Ancients on the field; Fuujin and Homura. He boasted that their power combined could not defeat him with the strength of human faith behind him and as they chaffed against his arrogance Fuujin and Homura agreed to the slanted duel. Both armies ceased their battle temporarily as the titanic clashes of power between Primus and the two Great Ancients shook the desert itself. The legends do not say for sure how long they battled, all that is said of the outcome is that while Fuujin and Homura were victorious over Primus he had battled them so viciously and wounded them so greatly that forever a scar of fear towards humanity was carved into their hearts. With the duel done and their power spent, Fuujin and Homura retreated from the battle leaving their armies to fair against the furious First Men. The resulting resumed battle was nothing more than butchery.

With the Ancient Courts scattered and defeated by the might of Primus and the First Men, humanity turned at last to what they would do with themselves now that they were free. The desert was harsh to them still and they now lacked supernatural power without Primus to tame it. But curiously, to the leaders of the First Men came the missing Desert Queen. She spoke of her duty and role, to steward the desert's denizens and reflected that with the defeat of the Ancient Courts, the desert would require a new breed of caretakers. In the aftermath of Sunagakure's formation it is said a true goddess native to the desert came to the people to aid them. She came to be known as Mother Suna. She brought not war to the First Men, but blessings. She blessed the Sunahoshi with control of the desert sands and blessed the First Men with ingenuity. From this moment in time, the First Men and the Kazekage converted from nomadic living to stationary. With some aid from Mother Suna, Sunagakure was built. To that end, she offered the mantle of power that she possessed to the Sunahoshi-- the greatest of the First Men-- but not simply to their leader. She instilled her power within their very blood, their spiritual identity as a clan and family, and then disappeared into history to whereabouts unknown.

Playing an Ancient

• Full-blooded Ancients are considered to be rare and near extinct.
• Full-blooded Ancients are bound to certain natural rules, which creates an interesting RP challenge for those interested in playing these characters, however it is expected that users that chose to play a full-blooded Ancient do not find a work-around to bypass these certain RP traits.
• Ancient Lords are Council controlled characters because this position is necessary to maintain our setting.
• According to the mythos, Ancients cannot die. This cannot be statistically represented for player characters due to the limitations in our system, therefore if your character is somehow killed and does not posess any means to resurrect yourself, your character will remain dead.
• Sunagakure will not grant users that are not a part of Sand's community a biological link to being an Ancient.
• For more information regarding the Ancient Courts, please contact a Council Member.

Hybrids

Hyrbids are people that possess both human and Ancient DNA. Hybrids are not necessarily 'uncommon' but a true hybrid is. For the most part, Ancient DNA has mingled with that of the people of Wind Country. Not every family has Ancient DNA, in fact many can trace their heritage back to the first men and do so with pride. For some families, however, their link to Ancients through blood is a secret they have not even shared with their loved ones because for many this is seen as a shameful and dark legacy. Many families have forgotten their heritage because of this, not that it matter greatly so many generations after Godsfall. After the first generation, the influence of Ancient DNA weakens as it is diluted with human DNA. What most Sunagakure denizens have in their family line is so faint, it is hardly a whisper of Ancient legacy.

There are exceptions to this. Hybrids can be made one of four ways:

• The 'curse' of an Ancient Lord. An Ancient Lord can create hybrids from humans. Their children will also be hybrids like their parent. Examples of this are the Sunahoshi Clan and the Kirishii.
• The "old fashioned" creation of a hybrid between an Ancient and a hybrid (birds and the bees) where their child will become a hybrid upon birth. While not very common, it is so weak in their bloodline that it never becomes relevant for the most part.
• Something that is being done by the Diamyo and his subordinate Nao with some of their soldiers. They have called these hybrids "Sovereign."
• A forbidden technique called the 'Fatalist Method' during the time of the first men that has led to the exile/imprisonment of every practitioner during the time of the First Men.

Hybrids are considered to be an affront to nature by many. In addition, hybridization is considered to be dangerous. Most people do not survive the process. Even child hybrids naturally born often die in the womb but like with all things 'life finds a way' and for hybrids this is no exception.

Playing a Hybrid

• Hybrids are considered to be fairly uncommon in Wind Country, the influence of the Ancient genetics is so distant and rare that the presence is entirely forgotten. This is sometimes seen as a family's "dirty little secret."
• Unlike Ancients, Hybrids do not have RP limitations or special rules that they need to follow unless they have a great deal of Ancient genetics within them, making them nearly full-blooded.
• According to the mythos, Hybrids are long-lived. They are not immortal but they can live to be almost a century and a half, maintaining their youth much longer than others.
• Sunagakure will not grant users that are not a part of Sand's community a biological link to being an Ancient.
• For more information regarding the Ancient Courts and how one can become a Hybrid, please contact a Council Member.

Curse of the Fang Mark

Much of Wind Country's ancient history focuses on the rise of humanity against their oppression at the hands of the ruling Ancient-kin and Primus, the man who lead that rebellion and went on to become the first king of a free human race in Wind Country, but what is less commonly known is that the uprising that eventually grew into a crusade for freedom that was led by Primus was the first time that humanity raised it's hands against their oppressors-- only that Primus was the first to achieve success. Small scale uprising and rebellions were not unheard of across Wind Country but as each were cast down by the Ancient-kin that ruled the land at the time they became cautionary tales against the folly that was fighting or fleeing the rule of the Ancient-kin. Perhaps the most commonly well known of these cautionary tales is the legend of the cursed wolf-creatures which are known as Fang Marked.

Once a clan who's name has been lost to time which served under the rule of Fuujin, the Ancient Lord of Sun and Sky and his Solar Court the Fang Marked were a rare breed of men that dutifully served their lord. They were enforcers of his will among humanity and eventually came to be granted power for their loyalty-- the ability to take the form of a colossal desert wolf. Durable beyond human ken with enhanced senses and reflexes, the Fang Marked were steadfast soldiers of the Ancient-kin which were rightfully feared by the armies that gathered behind Primus and his First Men.

Eventually Fuujin was undone by the power of Primus and the Ancient-kin forces which had rallied to the greatest of their kind withdrew in their defeat leaving the ancestral Fang Marked alone in the world and for the firsst time purposeless without the command of their master. Hunted by the men and women they had fought against during the war that saw them as kinslayers, the Fang Marked were scattered to the winds and into hiding and to make matters worse without the sustaining power of their master eventually the Fang Marked began to lose control of their ability to transform and indeed control of their very minds in their transformed state which cemented their reputation as nothing but monsters to be hunted.

In the modern age the curse of the Fang-marked is a recessive trait in the family lines that can draw their bloodline back to one of the ancestral members of the group which were originally given power by Fuujin. There are a handful of desert clans which have rallied around the rare transformation as a manifestation of providence and destiny but for the most part Fang Marked individuals are reviled by society at large as dangerous and unpredictable beasts. Even though most common folk in Wind Country no longer know the story of how Fang Marked individuals came to be the threat that a Fang Marked individual in the throes of an uncontrollable transformation can pose is widely known and as a result those that display it are generally shunned by common society.

While once upon a time Fang-marked individuals were hunted rigorously by the Ranger Order, the times have changed enough that those who are Fang Marked are not implicitly turned away from Sunagakure. Instead those that have the good fortune to be accepted into the Sunagakure Academy are taught how to cope with their urges and are fashioned into weapons for the state to be used for the good of Sunagakure.

Becoming Fang Marked

The only creature which fully understood the process by which the Curse of the Fang Mark was created with was Fuujin and he has long since passed into antiquity. As a result there are no "new" Fang Marked being created but the curse is passed on from generation to generation which results in there being individuals who possess the Fang Mark in every age. The curse has grown wild and unpredictable since it's earliest days when the ancestral Fang Marked could control their transformations at will and keep their minds keen during said transformation. It manifests chaotically through family trees which contain an individual who possessed the Fang Mark and much like a naturally occurring shinobi Bloodline Limit the Fang Mark has no cataloged criteria for what causes it to manifest. Men and women have sometimes gone their entire lives without knowing that they were distantly related to a Fang Marked individual until one day their life was turned upside down by an abominable transformation.

Any character may choose to "become" a Fang Marked. Because of the wild manner in which it manifests, age and gender are irrelevant. The only cavet to a Fang Marked individual is that they must be 100% human. The Fang Mark is suppressed by any ancestry which is not human whether it be demon, Ancient-kin, youkai or something else.

Fang-marked Player Characters

• The Fang Mark enhances predatory thought patterns and behavior in humans because of it's association with dune wolves.
• The characteristics of the Fang Marked are generally represented as either the Inuzuka or Demonic Ancestry BL/CAs. Possessing one of those two BL/CAs is not mandatory to play a Fang Marked character but in your BL/CA application you must explain how your BL/CA relates to your character's Fang Mark.
• Your character cannot be a hybrid and a Fang Marked, this curse would not be passed down to someone that has hybrid genetics. Your character must be 100% human.
• Sunagakure will not grant users that are not a part of Sand's community a biological link to being cursed by the Fang Mark.
• For more information regarding the Ancient Courts and how one can become a Fang Marked, please contact a Council Member.

Humans

By far, considered to be the most mundane to the casual observer but humans are by far the most hearty. Most humans in Wind Country can trace their heritage back to the first men with pride. With a rich heritage and a tale of endurance and victory, children grow up listening to tales of their ancestor's exploits. Humans are also by far the most versatile, for generations others have tried to twist humanity to their ends. Despite humanity's enemies, people have endured in the face of insurmountable odds. Humans, at least in name as many do hide an Ancient heritage or a generational sin, make up a majority of the main settlements in Wind Country: Sunagakure, Sora and Soons Haven. In addition to being apart of these settlements, there are several nomadic tribes that also exist in the desert -- some hunters, others traders, still others crafters.

Human Player Characters

• It is presumed that all characters are human unless they state otherwise.
• If you wish to get more information regarding the main settlements or the varied nomadic tribes of Wind Country, please contact a Sand Council Member.

Clans & Tribes

Sunagakure has a number of ancient clans, some of them can be traced back to the first men. In addition, in this modern era Sunagakure also recognizes some demon-based clans that have been held in a high regard in Sunagakure. Each of these clans differ in their composition, leadership, practices and sometimes secrets. Tribes differ from clans in that clans are made of genetically (or legally through marriage or adoption) related members whereas a tribe is composed of a group of people that may or may not be related, such as the gypsy-like nomads that roam the desert. With strength in numbers, the clans often have a greater political foothold in Sunagakure's community. To learn more about Clans please refer to the our Clan Page.

 

[Sand Council]

The Ancient Courts and the Old World
A Detailed Account of Our History​

Ancients
In the beginning of recorded history, there existed beings comprised of prime elemental power and energy. Created by the hand of a now nameless but extremely powerful being, the Ancients were given the task of over-seeing and managing the natural world. Each of them possessed powerful dominion over their element and over the course of thousands of years gathered both denizens of the natural and spiritual worlds to them to form large feudal system-like courts. The most powerful of them were the Solar, Flame and Earth Courts as those were the elements in the Wind Country which were most present. The Solar Court was the greatest of them and led by the Ancient of Sun and Sky, Fuujin and given the role of ruler of the skies and the keeper of the surface world. Hailing from below all things within the streams of magma and fire existed the Flame Court and their ravenous leader Homura whom was the Ancient of Iron and Flame. Homura was the flame in which the other Ancients were to be tempered, created to constantly test and prune the others to ensure that no one court ever grew too powerful as to lord over all others. Suna, the Ancient of Desert and Earth, was queen of the Earth Court and given the task of governing the desert and it's all of it's flora and fauna. There also existed lesser courts as well and while the various courts never bent knee to any one leader nor were bound to any court in servitude, none could contest the size and affluence of the Prime Courts.

It was not until the First Coming of mankind that the Ancients found another being that was truly native to their world but also possessed the power of spirit and thought as they did. At the time, the Wind Country was home to many creatures both mundane and supernatural but none took the world into their hand as Man did. Carving out settlements and places for themselves in the world, the Ancients quickly became aware of Man... and almost as quickly shoved them beneath their heel. Humanity served as little more than a source of entertainment as some were made into gladiators to sate Homura's bloodlust. Others served as meals, their souls being a source of concentrated power that filled their Ancient bellies. Others still simply enjoyed the exercise of power as they pulled the metaphorical strings of their marionette playthings.

The Rise of the Champion Primus
Feeling in their hearts the manifest destiny to rule the domains they had been given, the Ancients lorded over humanity for centuries before He was born. Born from a tribe in the south of Wind Country, he is known to Sunan historians as the One King or Primus. Primus was the first human to throw off the shackles of slavery and give death unto an Ancient. Ancients were immortal, or so even Ancients believed. It took little from there for Primus to begin liberating humans from the grip of lesser courts and slaughtering any Ancients which dared to oppose their ascent to sovereignty. Those that joined Primus shared in his spoils and bathed in his power becoming paragons of their kind which would eventually come to be called the First Men, even though they were generations beyond the literal definition of such a title.

Mankind had earned the ire of the Ancients, Homura and Fuujin cursed those defiant to them to become beasts of burden. Homura turned the contumacious rebels and those that failed to prove their mettle in gladiatorial displays into stone men called Kirishii. It was said that some Kirishii went mad after this transformation: violent, angry, their intellect stunted. Some even claimed that they devolved into primates. Despite this, those who could hone their mind found this curse to be a powerful asset as their strength and durability was enhanced. Fuujin turned man into wolves in a demonstration of his power. These accursed men only served to swell the ranks of discontented humanity.

Primus did not turn away any who were wronged by the ancients, he welcomed them into his fold and gathered his forces. Credited with consolidating the great nomadic tribes of man, unifying the slaves and the cursed creatures under a unified banner. Eventually the Great Rebellion would catch the eye of Fuujin and Homura, two of the great Ancient Lords, and against humanity they brought their strongest and fiercest soldiers. But Primus and his First Men would not be denied. As if they were protected by the unseen hand of a god, Primus hewed through champion after champion of the Ancient Courts and through his martial might ascended to near deific status among the humans. As their faith in him grew, so too did his power and through him grew the rebellion. Soon humans all over the Wind Country were rising up on their own and forcing the hand of the Ancient Lords to kill them for their defiance. Finally growing to the end of his patience with this upstart race, Fuujin summoned to him all the might of the remaining Ancient Courts. Demanding something that had never before been demanded, he sent emissaries to each of the remaining courts demanding that their Lord and their armies join him to crush the Rebellion once and for all. Most responded, some did not. Most notably, the Earth Court fought but their Ancient-- the Desert Queen Suna --was mysteriously absent from the battle. The last battle of the Rebellion was a blood bath the likes of which the Wind Country is never likely to see again. The blood of both Ancient and Man spilled and mingled in the sands that day, thousands of lives were lost and most of the Ancient Courts were wiped from existence by the blades of the First Men and their One King. Perhaps the massacre would have continued if not for Primus issuing a challenge to the greatest Ancients on the field; Fuujin and Homura. He boasted that their power combined could not defeat him with the strength of human faith behind him and as they chaffed against his arrogance Fuujin and Homura agreed to the slanted duel. Both armies ceased their battle temporarily as the titanic clashes of power between Primus and the two Great Ancients shook the desert itself. The legends do not say for sure how long they battled, all that is said of the outcome is that while Fuujin and Homura were victorious over Primus he had battled them so viciously and wounded them so greatly that forever a scar of fear towards humanity was carved into their hearts. With the duel done and their power spent, Fuujin and Homura retreated from the battle leaving their armies to fare against the furious First Men. The resulting resumed battle was nothing more than butchery.

Primus died on that bloodied field. Homura and Primus fell victim to their wounds, they withered and died. As if they were never there at all. The secret behind Primus' power was in part his uncanny might but also his legendary blade Shoki. Shoki was a weapon capable of negating its victim from reality, effectively erasing what remained of the wounded Lords. Ancient-kind as well as humanity were both unaware of this boon or from where this precious gift came from, what they saw was a mere mortal with his sharpened blade take down the gods of this realm.

The Fall of the Ancient Courts
With the Ancient Courts scattered and defeated by the might of Primus and the First Men, humanity turned at last to what they would do with themselves now that they were free. The desert was harsh to them still and they now lacked supernatural power without Primus to tame it. But curiously, to the leaders of the First Men came the missing Desert Queen. She spoke of her duty and role, to steward the desert's denizens and reflected that with the defeat of the Ancient Courts, the desert would require a new breed of caretakers. In the aftermath of Sunagakure's formation it is said a true goddess native to the desert came to the people to aid them. She came to be known as Mother Suna. She brought not war to the First Men, but blessings. She blessed the Sunahoshi with control of the desert sands and blessed the First Men with ingenuity. From this moment in time, the First Men and the Kazekage converted from nomadic living to stationary. With some aid from Mother Suna, Sunagakure was built. To that end, she offered the mantle of power that she possessed to the Sunahoshi-- the greatest of the First Men-- but not simply to their leader. She instilled her power within their very blood, their spiritual identity as a clan and family, and then disappeared into history to whereabouts unknown. Council Resource

The Rise of The Sunan Empire

The generation that followed the destruction of the Ancient Courts were hard, many brave men and women perished before their time, a consequence of the harsh habitat they sustained themselves within. With the power over the storms in the hands of the Sunahoshi, the Diamond Maelstrom remained at bay. Sunagakure was built by the hands of humanity, a consolidation of the many fragmented tribes that united under one banner to battle the ancients. Together they created proud great structures of mortar and stone pierced the heavens and they made barren lands bountiful with the fruits of their labors.

Despite their progress and the gifts of the Sunahoshi line, the desert remained a constant threat. The ancient Dune Wars were a series of battles fought against sandworms. Eventually humanity decimated the Sandworm population by destroying the egglair of Barynx, a great and mighty sandworm. The legendary sandworm Barynx fought with early Sunan forces but was pushed back, she retreated into the desert where she further diminished her own population by devouring other Sandworms which earned her the moniker “The Devourer.” The threat of human extinction persisted despite the worm’s alleged madness as it returned to Sunagakure stronger than ever. Barynx took the lives of many before she was finally put down and was ultimately consumed by the Diamond Sands wielded by Sunahoshi Noh.

Barynx the Devourer

Sandworms, commonly misspelled "Sandwyrms" are very large creatures that live for an unspecified period of time, but it was hypothesized that they live for as long as 5 centuries. Barynx was believed to be in excess of 4 centuries when her egglair was decimated. While not believed to be intelligent by human standards, Sandworms are known to have a sense of self-preservation and will attack if provoked. Prior to Barnyx, Sandworms are not known to attack villages, travelers or livestock but the incidental death of a person or community had been attributed to Sandworms in the past. Barynx is one of the few exceptions but scholars argue that it was because Sunagakure encroached on her nesting grounds and that she was only attempting to protect her brood which makes her a tragic figure in the eyes of some. For the most part, Sandworms are unaware of the presence of humans; humans and animals are not considered to be a food source for the worms as Sandworms consume the earth and sand, it is assumed that they consume the microorganisms that exist within the sands. It has become a modern debate among scholars regarding the microorganism theory, some feel that if that was the case then sandworms would exist in regions external to Wind Country but there has been no reports of Sandworms outside of Wind Country. Some researchers argue that there is an energy contained within the desert that the worms consume. While the energy is intangible, it is believed to be mystical and the source of the Sandworm's strength.

Some further debate that is why Barynx the Devourer attacked her own kind, that she would take with their death their strength and the properties of the desert that they had consumed to increase her own vitality for her final battle. Historians familiar with Ancient lore draw a number of parallels between the sin of consumption and its effect on the Lord of the Wild Hunt and his decent into madness and the unfortunate fate of the great annelid. Barnyx was encased in the diamond sands manipulated by one of the last Sunahoshi leaders and the Sandworm was ultimately destroyed.

Sanctuary War

After Barynx’s demise in 21 PP, the people of Sunagakure got to enjoy peace for many years. Despite political backstabbing and greed among the leaders of the village, the righteous ancient Toraono and Takahashi family maintained an illusion of peace before the public. Trouble did not reach the public level until the efforts of San Fang, a criminal organization that came from a coastal village in Wind Country called Soon’s Haven and opened up black markets in the Grand Palais in 160PP. Their nefarious efforts did not go unnoticed and Sunan forces purged the Grand Palais of many of these seedy figures but they were never able to completely eliminate these shadowy figures. Remnants of this criminal organization attacked their former homestead Soon’s Haven in 167, starting the Sanctuary War which lasted 6 years. Sunagakure sided with Soon’s Haven against these terrorist forces. The war ended with the death of the San Fang clan leader Yamura Yuuto, the rebel forces were absorbed by Soon's Haven but the group was never entirely extinguished according to many scholars. It is believed that interference by the San Fang persists to even this day, perhaps under another name.

Today an underground organization known as the Fang and Claw, a den of gamblers according to ANBU forces however they hold a darker secret. The Fang and Claw actually trade in the flesh and blood of certain clansmen. Yes, the Fang and Claw, formerly known as the San Fang was a part of the flesh trade. It was an underground market for Uchiha eyes, the bones of a Kaguya, the blood and flesh of honored houses, the means of acquisition questionable at best.

The Sanctuary Wars marked the end of growth and prosperity for Sunagakure. A disease known as The Red Death started to take the lives of the poor and affluent alike. Initially Sunagakure made efforts to render aid to the ailing but as the virulent plague continued to spread and take the lives of even the strongest of shinobi, Sunagakure was forced into isolating themselves. It was later discovered that Sunagakure was the source of the condition, walling themselves inside the village with the expectation of safety backfired. The diamond sands that consumed Barynx had tainted the earth, the corruption of the desert was the source of the disease. Attempts to destroy the black heart of Barynx with the use of Hellfires and Blackflames was only met with failure. Out of desperation, Kazekage Sunahoshi Keikou and Steward Takahashi Hana sealed the heart within themselves and allowed themselves to be consumed by the corruption. The corruption took the lives of both the Kazekage and Steward.

Source: The contamination of Barynx's heart corrupted the earth beneath Sunagakure and caused illness.
Transmission: Contact
Incubation: 1 week
Symptoms: Early symptoms start after approximately 1 week and consist of mild flu-like symptoms including a low-grade fever 100-101, dry non-productive cough, malaise and muscle aches. Intermediate Symptoms usually occur in the 2nd week, a petechiae rash develops, their phlegm is blood streaked as is their stool and sometimes their urine has a strawberry tint. Symptoms often persists for another 2 weeks [week 4 total] where they bleed from every orifice, usually blood loss or secondary infection is the cause of death.
Mortality Rate: With treatment, mortality hovers around 75%, without treatment it is approximately 95%.
Known Cures: Treatment is only palliative; there has been some success with blood transfusions but blood supplies tend to be limited because many shinobi clans erroneously believe that their bloodline trait can be transmitted to another via blood exchange but it is believed that the blood of a Kagyua would be immensely helpful in curing this condition.
Prevalence: There has been no reported cases of the Red Death for several years now, it is believed that through proactive quarantine and perhaps some inherent immunities that no active cases of the red Death have been established recently.

The death of Kazekage Sunahoshi Keikou and Steward Takahashi Hana did not end the threat of the Red Death, while the source of the corruption was gone people tried to mimic the effects of the plague and the clever ones found success. As a source of enlightenment for only a few, most coveted this plague as a weapon and wielded it as such. Known as the Plague Preservers, men and women of ill intent would go to war for this kind of power and several did. Scholars called this conflict for the raw materials necessary to recreate the Red Death as The Plague Wars. While the product was similar to the original plague, some would argue the outcome was exceedingly more gruesome at the expense of speed and mortality.

Source: A synthetic recreation of the Red Death using remnants of Barynx's heart and/or the remains of Sunahoshi Keikou/Takahashi Hana as a main ingredient.
Transmission: Contact
Incubation: 1.5 weeks
Symptoms: Early symptoms start after approximately 1.5 week and consist of mild flu-like symptoms including a fever in excess of 101 but never over 103, a harsh rattling productive cough productive of red-streaked sputum, severe lethargy and muscle pain. Intermittent symptoms include boils over one's face and arms, even if this disease proves not to be fatal, these boils often leave deep pock-like scars. These boils have in 95% of all cases led to a secondary infection, most commonly cellulitis. The fever and lethargy persist, often leaving the victim dehydrated and malnourished unless someone cares for them during this state of illness. Due to fear of contamination, most victims die before reaching the final stage. In the final stage, organs begin to putrefy one at a time. Treatment for this is supportive, meaning if a victim's organs can be supported long enough to recover, the victim will survive but be severely weakened as a result of the disease processes.
Mortality Rate: With treatment, mortality is 10% but due to fears of contamination many people go untreated. Untreated, mortality rates for the second stage are 60% and the final stage are 95%.
Known Cures: Hydration and nutrition as well as secondary infection prevention during the second stages and during the final stage organ support by a trained medical professional.
Prevalence: most of the preserves have been destroyed or it is so believed, it remains a constant fear of Sunan officials that this disease in another form will one day return.

The Diamond Maelstrom

It was the plagues that ultimately destroyed the Sunahoshi line. The last Sunahoshi, Sunahoshi Hiro perished in 204PP as a consequence of the Red Death. His brother Daisuke wandered into the desert to never return not much earlier. Without the Sunahoshi to safeguard Sunagakure as they had for centuries against the storms, the desert became restless and fierce. The mantle of leadership fell to the Takahashi Clan, loyal partners of the Sunahoshi throughout the centuries and the survivors were led underground where they rebuilt their civilization. The storms continue to this day, those that dare traverse the desert are unlikely to survive the perilous journey which has forced Sunagakure into a state of geographic isolationism. Attempts have been made to overcome the storm with the assistance of the Sunahoshi cousins: The Sunaku, but their efforts have only been met with failure.

Known as The Diamond Maelstrom, the sky over Wind Country was eclipsed by a terrible storm that darkened the sky. The wild winds alone would rip and tear the flesh off those foolish enough to traverse the desert unprotected. Entire villages were buried beneath these rushing sands. The countless losses of life forced great walls to be erected around some of the more capable civilizations and some even descended to the depths. That was exactly what happened to Sunagakure, the village descended into the very depths of the desert. The cavernous spaces beneath the dunes was carved by the comings and goings of Sandworms great and small that ate through the hard-packed earth and solid stone. These caverns a perfect place to subsist, safe from the storms and the oppressive heat of the Sunan sun.

A sandstorm that covered for most of the desert for approximately 30 years. The sand itself had a glass-like quality. It was later discovered that the glass-like shards were due to a lightning storm in the eye of the storm itself that surrounded a once assumed dead Sunahoshi. Sunahoshi Daisuke was indeed dead, however his corpse was reanimated and his body was under the control of a terrible unseen force. The electrical storm created a fulgurite and the dangerous winds pushed these glass-like shards and sand throughout the countryside. These dangerous sands were capable of drawing the flesh off a man in a matter of minutes. Until Sunahoshi's ultimate destruction years later, this maelstrom persisted. Upon the destruction of the source of the storm, the skies immediately cleared and the desert has been free of a storm ever since.

The Subterranean Empire

The year of 227PP was a bad year for Sunagakure, malevolent and ancient forces alike sought the destruction of Sunagakure. It started with the escape of the Djinn, an antediluvian creature of unimaginable power that was trapped by ancient forces. When unleashed the Djinn wrecked havoc on the subterranean village of Sunagakure. The Medical Center was destroyed but Sunagakure fought back, hero's such as Hiku, Toraono Kuro, Sunaku Harupia, Mikaboshi, Takahashi Sousuke, Roku, and Kumiko worked together and through their efforts together they sealed the Djinn away forever.

For a short time, there was peace again in Sunagakure. They began to rebuild and some perhaps took greater pride in a city that was built with their very own hands. The Omni Prime Medical Center, replaced the former, grander and more durable than ever before some would like to say. This was a time of rejuvenation and growth for Sand, but this time would be fleeting. A new enemy emerged in the absence of the Djinn threat: Magnetica. Magnetica, a bandit leader with an uncanny ability to control gravity and magnetism, she proved herself a worthy threat of a collective unit of Sand shinobi. The trials and tribulations these Suna shinobis faced eventually came to an end and Sunagakure was victorious against Magnetica[/url], she was subsequently imprisoned and it can only be hoped that she would never return again.

The village moved on, day-day life resumed when their peace was shattered once again. A group of Anarchists known as The Cabal took Sunagakure by surprise. A series of explosions collapsed the tunnels to the surface, all less one. This incursion was brief, these madmen (and women) slaughtered hundreds, destroyed residences and plunged the village into turmoil. Escape was not an option, the one main entrance to the village was armed to explode and guarded by a Cabal member known as Shouki. Eventually Sunagakure's Main Branch Sennin Toraono Kuro called the Cabal's bluff and ran through the gates only to set off a chain reaction of explosions that nearly leveled the city. Set on a delay, part of the village were saved by fast-thinking shinobis such as the Sunaku family. The village set to explode, the Cabal started to make their exit through a single hidden tunnel that they had maintained after the Djinn attack on the Toraono Dojo. An area covered in refuse and debris that masked an intact path to the surface, something that a double agent among Sunagakure's own forces ensured. His identity has never been revealed. The Cabal was stopped at this hidden exit identified by a small group of shinobi but some members remained at large.

• Magnetica was mortally wounded, armed with an explosive device in her chest that threatened to go off and destroy what little remained. They attempted to remove the bomb, which was successful, however Magnetica never survived the attack.
• Kaito, the 'leader' of this group was captured and made a deal with Sunagakure to ally himself with them. While closely observed he is still 'free' to roam in Sunagakure. He is presently battling lung cancer, an attempt to save his life through hybridization was declined.
• Naganisa was placed in an Asylum upon her capture but was released by Sunahoshi Katsuo, the would be king. Naganisa has become enamored with this young man and has not caused any issues as of yet but is considered to be mentally unstable. Oddly enough she is in a physical relatioinship with the Kazekage.
• Homura, Naganisa's former lover betrayed Naganisa at the final battle. He tried to kill her but was unsuccessful. Businessman Aburabuta Hirotomi has utilized his substantial resources to procure Hirotomi's assistance as an employee but he has not been seen in some time. It is assumed that the swordsman is dead, possibly an act of revenge by a jilted lover.
• Fuu, an Oracle from the Original Orders and allegedly the former lover of the Diamyo she has been considered a neutral force during the Cabal's incursion and has been able to avoid capture during the Cabal incursion, however due to an altercation some time later she was captured. While incarcerated Ancient Lord and former Sennin Mikaboshi found her and hybridized her, making her a Deep Court hybrid. Mikaboshi helped her escape, taking a new identity as "Michi". Since her escape/release she has served as an occasional resource for Sunagakure.
• Shouki, a sociopath who once guarded the gates from assistance. He killed several Jounin level units independently, kidnapped the Kazekage Steward's cousin as well as a mercenary that he tortured over the course of a few days. He was eventually defeated, more than once but he is immortal. It seems to take awhile, a few years, but he comes back every time. Shouki is the bastard son of Fuu/Michi and Diamyo Iishii Shiro and half-brother of the Diamyo's children: Sango and Susumu. He is considered to be the general of the Sovereign army when he is alive. He has been dead for a few years, he should return any time now...
• Saiga, a man of honor he was also the second in command during this incursion. He has a profound hatred of demons but has not been found guilty of killing anyone during the attack. There is documentation of an attack by Saiga against a half-demon youth as well as the attempted kidnapping of an academy student but in both cases there were no casualties. He was eventually captured by Toraono Kuro but escaped/was let free by the Senin. He was last seen in the desert wilds. It has been said that his family was kidnapped by the Diamyo and their safety was used to leverage his cooperation.
• Akio, little is known of this mysterious and shrouded man. The true leader of the Cabal group. His intentions are unknown as well as his identity or present whereabouts.
• Urufuu, an exiled Inuzuka clansman that is said to be enlightened due to a mysterious book he caries. He has a relationship with Yume (the significant other of the present Kazekage), while assumed to be based on familial ties the details of their relationship are not well-known. Yume assisted the Inuzuka during the gates battle and nearly turned the tides of the battle in the Cabal's favor. Urufuu was eventually captured and restrained in the Omni Prime Asylum, however he had escaped and was put down by Mikaboshi. Dead, the spoils of his tome came into the possession of Mikaboshi.

The Rise of a New Villain

Sunagakure garnered a great deal of information with the defeat of the Cabal. The most important piece of information was the fact that the storm had a physical cause. The Diamond Maelstrom that surrounded Sunagakure and forced the denizens underground decades earlier could be stopped. Armed with this new information the Steward Takahashi Sousuke and the newly rediscovered true Kazekage, Sunahoshi Katsuo along with a band of Mercenaries traversed the storm and came upon a strange man who commanded a storm-like force that caused the maelstrom. At the heart of the chaos was Sunahoshi Daisuke, the man was not under his own control. A great necromancer had brought the unfortunate man back to life and for the past few decades he had suffered the fate of being the epicenter of the storm. Daisuke was killed a second time and once he died the storms ceased and Sunagakure would see the sun for the first time in over 3 decades.

They have their theories on what happened to Daisuke but they have never been able to prove anything as a people. An Oracle offered a potential explanation, the Diamyo has a powerful necromancer that has sided with his cause. It is conceivable that this necromancer is the one who brought the Sunahoshi back to life all those years ago. The reason being simple, to isolate Sunagakure while the Diamyo consolidated his power throughout Wind Country. This plan proved effective. The Diamyo is near eighty but he appears to be about forty. in the past three decades much has changed in the rest of Wind Country. The Diamyo is an immortal Jashinist, as are his children Sango, Susumu and Shouki. The regions controlled by other Diamyo's were lost over these past few decades as the Diamyo overtook the other Diamyo's regions one by one. While Diamyo Ishi Shiro might be the last Diamyo, he has not called himself an emperor. Words have a terrible power, one that can sway opinion and allegiance. A mere Diamyo seems a lot less threatening than a man who calls himself "king." Sunagakure represents the final free-state within Wiind Country.

The Diamyo has also gained in power, his children adults. His oldest, a bastard named Shouki whom he had with an Oracle named Fuu was named general of the Sovereign, the Diamyo's private army. The second, Susumu whom is the Diamyo's Heir apparent as he is the Diamyo's first born legitimate, was also a scholar spent his adolescence in Tea Country where he has made connections. His youngest and only daughter, Sango was to wed the Otokage, but her wedding was interrupted. Susumu has reached out to Sunagakure, considered to be nothing like his father he has garnered the trust of some high-ranking officials. The daughter Sango was kidnapped several years ago, beaten and taken to Sunagakure. She has not been seen in years, but she is locked away in a mental institution at this time.

 

[Sand Council]

The time before Primus is recorded by many scholars as 'Titan's Reign' or [TR]​

22 [TR] - The Ranger Order was formed.

• The Ranger Order is the oldest Order, born from Hunters and Gatherers.
• Rangers started to hone their skills for battle against their oppressive overlords: Ancients.

18 [TR] - The Journeyman Order was formed.

• The Flame Court's human slaves were known for their blacksmithing skills, creating weapons for the Flame Court and their armies.
• Nomadic crafters across the Land of Wind came together to help free some of these blacksmiths, and together they formed the Second Order.

15 [TR] - Primus starts gathering the nomadic tribes of Wind Country to build a force to fight the Ancient oppressors.

• The Sunahoshi, Takahashi, Toraono, and Chikamatsu were some of the first to join the rebellion.

14 [TR] - The Ranger Order and the Journeyman Order join the rebellion.

13 [TR] - Humanity declares war against Ancient-kind.

• The Battle of The Dunes resulted in a slaughter, human rebels suffered great losses this year.
• The Battle of Desert Storm resulted in humanity retreating into the Sandworm-carved caverns to avoid ultimate destruction.
• The Battle of the Blood Moon ended in humanity's defeat.

10 [TR] - Primus kills an Ancient, the Ancient does not appear to be in limbo awaiting his resurrection.

• Ancients experience true reincarnation, their memories and personalities reform with their bodies after death.
• This would be the first recorded permanent death of an Ancient.
• Some Ancients, who have experiences much in live and have incredible power can be splintered, giving birth to Ancient Avatars, Ancients who are a fragment of their previous life. Homura, Fuujin, and Suna are known to have given life to many Avatars.
• Homura is the Ruler of the Flame Court (Fire and Iron)
• Fuujin is the Ruler of the Solar Court (Sky and Weather)
• Mother Suna is the Ruler of the Earth Court (Desert and Life)
• Suijin is the Ruler of the Deep Court (Water and Oceans)
• Raijin is the Ruler of the Storm Court (Electricity and Thunder)
• Kage Onna is the Ruler of the Gloaming Court (Cavern and Shadow)

8 [TR] - Humanity continues to suffer losses against the Ancients in this seemingly unending war.

• More rebels answer the call to action and start to fight against Ancients.
• Primus is responsible for the death of several Ancients by this point, but no other human has successfully killed an Ancient.
• The Battle of 100 days of Darkness demoralized humanity but ended in a draw. Defeated Ancients would rise once again, however their defeat temporarily slowed their process.

4 [TR] - A promising young nomad developed a technique called the Fatalist Method.

• The Fatalist Method was a technique where a human was able to steal life and power from the environment around them, taking in their life force and essence. This included the life-force and essence of Ancients which increased his power exponentially.
• It is now believed that the Fatalist Method may have been an ancient form of Archsage technique.
• Many of the rebels saw this as an abomination, this nomad was exiled from Wind Country never to be heard from again.
• This was the first man-made form of hybridization.
• This nomad is called by some "the first Oracle" despite the fact that the Oracle Order did not emerge until decades later.

3 [TR] - The rebel human forces, now known as The First Men, continued to suffer losses, their number dwindled from the thousands to the hundreds.

2 [TR] - Curious humans found the notes left behind regarding the Fatalist Method.

• These notes were incomplete, the result imperfect but readers learned how to take from the world around them life essence to prolong their life and enhance their power.
• The result was addictive as those that underwent the Fatalist Method coveted more power, hungered for life and became destructive.
• A civil war began between those that felt that this was the means to victory and those that wished to remain wholly human.
• Practitioners of this flawed fatalist method were dubbed the "Unbent".
• Many of the Unbent would now be categorized as the Abominations.
• This was the second man-made form of hybridization.

1 [TR] - The Battle of Godsfall serves as a turning point in the war.

• Suna comes to the aird of the First Men to help them in their battle against the Flame and Solar Courts
• Primus fights Homura, of the Flame Court, and Fuujin, of the Solar Court.
• Homura and Fuujin are believed to killed completely and do not show any evidence of reforming.
• Homura and Fuujin's Avatars go into hiding, trying to find a way to bring back their Courts' Ruler.
• The defeat of two ancients at the hands of a mere mortal man resulted in a demoralization of the Ancients and humanity was able to rally.
• The Lesser Courts such as the Deep Court and Gloaming Court leave the forces.
• This was the first battle than humanity won.
• Primus was mortally wounded in that fray and died weeks later to his wounds, his son Sunahoshi Nori attempts to lead the human war machine.
• Scattered battles throughout the remainder of the year ended in human victory, diminishing the numbers of Ancients capable of fighting. They would reform months later, resulting in a cyclical system of rebirth, slaughter and death.

---

The Time between Primus' defeat and the formation of Sunagakure is known as the "Chaos Era" or [CE]​

1 [CE] - Victory was assigned to humanity, however Ancient-kind continued to fight against humanity but their numbers dwindled.

2 [CE] - The Unbent were exiled from Wind Country, however some refused to leave and they were imprisoned.

4 [CE] - Some of the Unbent renounced the means by which they achieved power and pleaded for forgiveness.

• They were never released, however their execution was held.
• Those that did not denounce the means by which an Unbent was formed were apparently all killed.
• All notes concerning the creation of the Unbent were seemingly burned.
• Several notes were preserved, those hungry for knowledge jealously hid away what notes they could find. These scholars thirsted for knowledge but at the time met in secret, knowledge was a source of fear at this time and therefore something that needed to be hidden away.

5 [CE] - The desert itself became unruly. The beasts of the land were no longer kept at bay humanity faced a new threat: the environment itself.

• Despite the many failings between Ancients and humans, it was by the will and power of the Ancients and the balance they maintained that kept the peace in the desert. With the losses among the Ancient populous, the world itself became a dangerous place.

7 [CE] - Due to difficulties humanity faced, a concentrated seat of power became a source of conflict.

• Primus was dead and while some felt that leadership should be hereditary. Some of the freedmen were chakra capable and felt that "might was right" and therefore they had the right to rule. Some of them scholars who were building their inventory of knowledge, their ideal was a society of intellectuals and that the wisest should lead. There were traders, workers, those whom simply had large families, the 'greatest' of these seeking the metaphorical throne.
• This was a leaderless time that lacked order.
• Humanity became a threat onto itself.

12 [CE] - Some of the nomadic tribes that joined the liberation efforts returned to the desert and their roots.

13 [CE] - The Oracle Order is developed, but at this time the Oracles are limited to a small settlement where they attempt to create a government ruled by the clever rather than the strong, the right or the one born to the right family.

16 [CE] - Mother Suna, the Earth Court Queen "blesses" the Sunahoshi heir and claims he has the right to rule.

17 [CE] - The Journeymen build a forge in the southwest called HammerFall, around which they settle.

---

The Modern Era is known as Post Primus or [PP]​

0 [PP] - The modern era begins.

• Sunahoshi dynasty begins with Sunahoshi Nori who ascends to the rank of Kazekage based on the will of the One King and receives blessing from Mother Suna. Takahashi Ino becomes the first Steward.
• Sunahoshi Nori becomes the first Kazekage and ruled for 13 Years
• The Sunahoshi are direct descendants of Primus. Mother Suna blessed them with the power to control the environment within the Land of Wind
• This often shows as the Sunaku or Santaru Bloodlines.
• The Takahashi family is a line of craftsmen who were rewarded for their loyalty to the Sunahoshi Clan during the war of Godsfall and the turmoilous years that followed. The Takahashi Clan was given the title of Stewards.
• This often shows as the Mechansit or Battle Smith Core Abilities
• The Toraono family is a line of beastkin and demonkin who were valiant warriors during the wars against he Ancients and have been trusted to protect the alliance of the Great Clans. The Toraono Clan was given the title of Protectors.
• This often shows as the Demonic Ancestry.
• The Chikamatsu family is a line of healers that used both their chakra and the natural herbs of the area to save countless lives during the war. They were given the title of Mednins.
• This often shows as the Benevolent Core Ability or Yamanaka Bloodline.
• The Ancient Courts are actively hunted post war by the Rangers, bringing the Ancient Courts to near extinction.
• Several Ancient Courts have a non-aggression agreement with humanity and the agreement between these Courts and humanity is respected.
• Merchants consolidate and create a tent village that centers around oasis' but this community is roughly formed and has no name.
• This will one day become Soons Haven.
• The Oracles start to build the city of Babylos, the heart of intellectual society.

1 [PP] - The first Kazekage Tower is built.

• The tribes of Wind Country is an archaic expression of the various clans, bloodlines, and families in Wind Country.
• They had united under the late Sunahoshi Primus and maintained a tense alliance for the sake of progress.

3 [PP] - Sungakure expands and fortifies their settlements.

5 [PP] - The Ancient Courts are for the most part destroyed, occasional attacks occur in the wilderness but for the most part Ancients have dwindled to a mere handful.

• Hunts persist with the Ranger Order specializing in the tracking and destruction of Ancients.
• The slain Ancients begin to rise, the humanity discovers the cyclical nature of Ancients. Depending on the relative strength of the Ancient, some Ancients were reforming after about a decade.
• The Journeymen forge weapons made of Feather-Steel that the Oracles suspect might be capable of sealing an Ancient. The Oracles begin a near decade-long research project here they attempt to develop a means of sealing Ancients within weapons.

7 [PP] - Sungakure continues expansion and inadvertently ventures into Sandworm territory. The Dune Wars begin.

• The Dune Wars are a series of battles the settlers of Sunagakure fought against a legendary Sandworm named Barnyx after Sunagakure inadvertently encroached on the egglair of this Sandworm.

13 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nori is devoured by Barnyx as the great Sandworm continued to ravage the land, Sunahoshi Noh his sister takes up the mantle and continues to wage war against the Sandworms.

• Sunahoshi Noh becomes the Second Kazekage and ruled for 18 years
• Takahashi Ino becomes the First Steward

14 [PP] - The Oracles develop a means of sealing Ancients within Feather-Steel forged blades.

• Rather than killing Ancients, knowing that the Ancients will rise again in a matter of years Rangers armed with these Feather-Steel forged blades start sealing defeated Ancients within their weapons.
• Sealing an Ancient in a weapon does not enhance the weapon in any way and only one Ancient could be sealed within a weapon, however through this process of sealing the Ancient would be trapped in a perpetual limbo that prevents them from reforming when enough time has elapsed for them to be reborn.
• Rangers wielding a Feather-Steel weapon that has the soul of an Ancient are also known as Kensei.

15 [PP] - Sungakure destroys all spawns of Barynx.

• Sunahoshi Noh and Takahashi Ino lead a team of shinobis into the egglair of Barnyx.
• Takahashi Ino loses her legs and is forced to retire from active service. Her son Takahashi Eisuke becomes the next Steward.
• Takahashi Eisuke becomes the Second Steward
• It was unknown at this time that the Sandworm would soon lay another clutch of Sandworm eggs in a few years' time had it not been for her death.

17 [PP] - Sunahoshi Noh and Takahashi Eisuke expel Barnyx from the immediate vicinity of Sungakure.

• The beast ravages the lands and begins to devour its own kind. Barynx becomes known as Barnyx the Devourer.
• This is what made Barnyx different from other sandworms. Sandworms are dangerous enough in their own right, however the consumption of its own kind resulted in a madness. There was a taboo, a curse that came with the sin of consumption where one ate their own kind. A terrible madness that came as a consequence for the strength they also enjoyed.

18 [PP] - Sungakure fortifies and consolidates its expanded territories

19 [PP] - Barnyx returns to strikes at the core of Sungakure.

• The Kazekage Tower is shattered but is used as a weapon by Sunahoshi Noh and Takahashi Eisuke. Barnyx is impaled by the tower and immobilized. The Dune War becomes stationary. Barynx still battles fiercely despite immobilization.

21 [PP] - Barnyx survived for three years, pinned in the heart of Sunagakure but Barnyx is finally slain, Takahashi Eisuke perishes.

• Takahashi Eisuke's first cousin Takahashi Shiro becomes the next Steward.
• Takahashi Shiro becomes the Third Steward
• Sunahoshi Noh forces the diamond sands to consume Barnyx.
• Little did they know then that Barnyx was pregnant and about to lay another clutch of eggs at this time.
• Sunahoshi Noh begins to show heavy fatigue from using the diamond sands to obliterate Barynx and is never the same.
• The diamond sands were a trademark move by the Sunahoshi clan where they commanded the sands to consume a target and the sands would then crystallize, forever encasing a target in a diamond-like shell.

25 [PP] - Inner Sungakure is fully rebuilt. Sunahoshi Noh puts down her weapons and retreats into a life of scholarly knowledge.

• She dedicated her life to facilitating the Oracle Order. The Oracle Order was a group of men and women who pursued scholarly knowledge throughout their lives for the purpose of recording and ultimately disseminating this information.

26 [PP] - The Rangers, unable to seal more Ancients in their weapons but also no longer capable of carrying every sealed blade they erect several secret bunkers throughout the Badlands.

27 [PP] - The first medical tower [Caucus Tower] is built under Sunahoshi Noh's supervision. Sunahoshi Noh begins to heavily invest in medical innovations.

• The Chikamatsu Clan becomes the formal Medical Branch thanks to the funding of the Second Kazekage.
• It is at this time the first Arboretum is built by the Chikamatsu Clan to grow medicinal herbs.

31 [PP] - Sunahoshi Noh dies in childbirth, Sunahoshi Kai is born.

• Sunahoshi Noh's successor Sunahoshi Kai was unable to ascend to the Diamond Throne due to her age. Takahashi Shiro begins a long regency.
• Takahashi Shiro rules as the First Steward Kazekage and ruled for 18 years
• In the absence of the Sunahoshi Clan, or a viable heir, the head of the Takahahsi Clan would rule in the Sunahoshi's stead until a practical leader came of age or became available to rule.

36 [PP] - Sunahoshi Koi, cousin to Sunahoshi Noh attempts to wrestle power from Sunahoshi Kai. Takahashi Shiro intervenes and maintains the status quo. Sunahoshi Koi and her followers are put under house arrest.

• The role of Kazekage would be passed on to the the eldest child of the main Sunahoshi family. When there is more than one child in a family, the role of Kazekage would be go to the eldest child. If that child rejects the position, then the role would be passed onto the second eldest. If the Sunahoshi is not of age, rather than passing the role onto another Sunahoshi from a branch house or line, the role is temporarily bestowed to a member of the Takahashi line until the Sunahoshi child comes of age.

39 [PP] - The Orders: Journeyman, Oracle and Ranger become a part of Sunagakure.

40 [PP] - Sunahoshi Koi again tries to stage another revolt, once again she is stopped. Takahashi Shiro with much regret puts Sunahoshi Koi to the blade [to death] with an eight out of ten vote from Sunahoshi councilors.

42 [PP] - Takahashi Shiro begins to train Sunahoshi Kai for ascension.

• The Toraono Clan aids in this undertaking, beginning the tradition of Shinobi training within the Toraono Clan's Dojo.

49 [PP] - Takahashi Shiro's long regency ends and Sunahoshi Kai becomes Kazekage. Takahashi Shiro with much satisfaction is relieved of his regency and becomes a trusted adviser to the young Kazekage Sunahoshi Kai.

• Sunahoshi Kai becomes the Third Kazekage and ruled for 15 years

53 [PP] - Sunahoshi Kai becomes betrothed to Merchant Lord Quan from Qannn-mount.

• Takahashi Shiro doubts Sunahoshi Kai's choice, and is relieved of his duty as Adviser and Steward, and Takahashi Jeikotsu briefly takes on the role of Adviser and Steward.
• Takahashi Jeiktsu becomes the Fourth Steward
• This predates the creation of Soons Haven, community run by Merchant Lords. During this time Merchant Lords represented the leader of several small crafter communities and trader caravans.

54 [PP] - Merchant Lord Quan attempts to control Kai with dark sorcery and is successful.

• Takahashi Shiro rides to her aid and removes Merchant Lord Quan from power to restore Sunahoshi Kai.
• Takahashi Shiro is returned to his previous station as Steward and Adviser to the young Kazekage Sunahoshi Kai.
• Takahashi Shiro returns as the Fifth Steward

55 [PP] - Takahashi Shiro and Sunan forces come upon Qannn-mount, a successful island off the southern border of Wind Country. Mostly ports and shops, the island dealt in trade with a great deal of the known world. The island was razed and then sunk into the sea.

• The are no further accounts of Qannn-mount, the residents of this community were unceremoniously slaughtered.

60 [PP] - Takahashi Shiro dies of old age, Sunahoshi Kai becomes heartbroken. A long period of mourning begins.

• Takahashi Jeikotsu with great hesitancy becomes the next Steward.
• Takahashi Jeikotsu returns as the Sixth Steward

64 [PP] - Sunahoshi Kai takes her own life. Having no living cousin, aunt or uncle, Kai's cousin Sunahoshi Akina ascends to the Diamond Throne.

• Sunahoshi Akina becomes the Fourth Kazekage and ruled for 31 years

65 [PP] - Sunahoshi Akina gives a grant to House Toraono to fortify and form their own grand dojo.

• This brings rise to the Toraono Dojo, the training place of all Sunan Shinobis.

68 [PP] - The first Grand Gladiatorial Tournament is held. Merchant Lords from all around gather, at this time they discover the potential power that can be garnered from their unified resources.

• The winner of this tournament was a Fang Marked Inuzuka named Yamato. While he received acclaim for his successes and he hid his heritage, he fled the community in disgrace once his heritage came to light.
• The Fang Marked represent a line of men and women that sided with Fuujin of the Solar Court during the great wars.

70 [PP] - Merchant clans form around an oasis near the shoreline of Wind Country and begin to construct a paradise that would one day be known as Soon's Haven.

• Soons Haven is a merchant-run plutocracy that exists to this day. They are presently Sunagakure's closest neighbor.

77 [PP] - Soon's Haven begins to build high walls and opens trade with Sungakure.

• Soon's Haven is a separate state within Wind Country that is run by the seven Merchant Lords of the era who also became politicians in this fledgling independent state. Throughout the years some of the merchant lord families have remained consistent but some seats have found new occupants over the years.

83 [PP] - There has not been an Ancient hunted in a near generation, the Rangers start to crumble as an organization.

• Through oral history rare families maintain the old ways of the Ranger.

92 [PP] - Some merchants break away to form San Fang due to arguments within Soon's Haven.

• Many of the merchants who joined the San Fang were disenfranchised merchants that felt that they were deserving of the title of Merchant Lord.
• San Fang is a criminal organization that came from Soon's Haven.

94 [PP] - San Fang begins investing in the infrastructure of Sungakure to spite Soon's Haven in an attempt to create a competitive market as well as to create alliances with the shinobi hidden village.

• Sunagaskure expands further, the Grand Palias is put on paper but is not approved.
• Takahashi Jeikotsu is mysteriously killed. Sunahoshi Akina forms the ANBU to investigate, no results become immediate.
• Takahashi Sousuke II becomes the Seventh Steward
• The first Takahashi Sousuke was never a Steward, but the name was a family name.

95 [PP] - Sunahoshi Akina retires from Kazekageship and dies 5 months after, her son Sunahoshi Kenshin becomes Kazekage.

• Sunahoshi Kenshin becomes the Fifth Kazekage and ruled for 5 years

96 [PP] - Sunagakure begins construction of an ANBU Headquarters, construction is completed within the year.

97 [PP] - The culprits who put Takahashi Jeikotsu to the sword are found, they were members of San Fang.

• Those responsible for Jeikotsu's death were put to the sword [executed]. Sunahoshi Kenshin monitors the San Fang for further trespasses.

98 [PP] - The next Grand Gladiatorial Tournament at House Toraono is held.

• The winner of this tournament was a young Pyromaniac named Souta. The boy achieved victory when he spontaneously combusted, nearly killing himself in the process from the backlash that ensured his victory.

100 [PP] - Sunahoshi Kenshin is put to the sword as another Sunahoshi rebellion starts. His son Sunahoshi Nobu begins his long reign and defends his throne. The vigil over San Fang ends.

• Sunahoshi Nobu becomes the Sixth Kazekage and ruled for 50 years

103 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nobu and Takahashi Sousuke II with ANBU forces put an end to the second Sunahoshi rebellion.

• Sunahoshi Nobu without hesitation puts several Sunahoshi to the blade [death] as a consequence of their betrayal.

105 [PP] - Babylos closes off to traders, claiming self-sufficiency.

108 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nobu takes an orphan bride from a broken Hyuuga house.

114 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nobu declares a year of celebration as his first born daughter Sunahoshi Keiku arrives.

115 [PP] - Due to the limited need for specialty weapons beyond Sunagakure the Journeymen Order starts to fade.

• Oral tradition and the desire to maintain a trade keeps the principles of the Journeyman Order alive in limited families.
• Most common in Nanjirou families.

117 [PP] - Sunagakure begins to build the Grand Hall of Learning.

• This was Sunagakure's first library, however there were several other libraries scattered throughout Wind Country that were maintained by Oracles.
• This would be the first reservoir of knowledge that was maintained by the common man.

119 [PP] - Soon merchants gift Takahashi Sousuke II with a chronicle of their histories and funds him to further expand.

124 [PP] - Takahashi Sousuke II finished the Grand Halls of Learning.

128 [PP] - The third Grand Gladiatorial Tournament at House Toraono is held.

131 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nobu's Hyuuga bride dies in childbirth, giving birth to a son, Sunahoshi Shoumetsu. Sunahoshi Nobu goes into a long period of mourning.

136 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nobu's mourning enters its fifth year.

• Takahashi Sousuke II is presented with the plans for the Grand Palasis, but holds off construction due not being able to contact Sunahoshi Nobu.

145 [PP] - Sunahoshi Nobu becomes the longest living Sunahoshi, a grand celebration marks this occasion.

150 [PP] - Sunahoshi Keiku ascends to the Diamond Throne after the passing of Sunahoshi Nobu dies of old age.

• Sunahoshi Keiku becomes the Seventh Kazekage and ruled for 41 years

151 [PP] - Takahashi Hana becomes the next Steward.

• Takahashi Sousuke II dies due to illness
• Takahashi Hana becomes the Eighth Steward

153 [PP] - Construction of the Grand Palais is granted under the rule of Sunahoshi Keiku. Construction begins on the surface.

• The Grand Palais was at one point a bustling suburban area that fell into ruin during Sunagakure's isolationism period during the maelstrom.

153 [PP] - Construction on the Grand Palais continues, but Sunahoshi Kiku seeks financial aid from the Soons Haven's Merchant Lords.

• Soons granted the requested funding, but in exchange they demanded an Ambassador seat in Sunagakure. The Ambassador would have a say in trade, supplies, tariffs, etc. and represent Soon's interests.

156 [PP] - Construction continues, but Soon's ambassador is assassinated by San Fang members who input their own replacement ambassador.

158 [PP] - The fourth Grand Gladiatorial Tournament at House Toraono is held.

160 [PP] - With a San Fang Amabassador representing the interests of Soons Haven, Sunagakure completes construction of the Grand Palais.

• However through the influence of the San Fang, dirty markets within the Grand Palais started to open up. They were a shadowy contrast to what was on the surface appeared to be a placid suburbia.

161 [PP] - San Fang's dirty markets are revealed and the purge of San Fang begins.

• The treachery of the San Fang's influence on the Merchant Councilor Ambassador position resulted in the imprisonment of the ambassador and her ultimate death as well as the elimination of the ambassador position in Sunagakure.

162 [PP] - Majority of San Fang's dirty markets were disbursed, but not completely eradicated. Some pockets remained.

164 [PP] - Trade routes reopen with Soon's Merchant groupings.

• Soon's Merchant Council declares themselves nobility, and Sungakure accepts their new self-appointed position.

167 [PP] - Soon's Haven is attacked by remnants of San Fang and their paid mercenaries, several of the Merchant Lords were victimized.

• Four of the seven Merchant Lords were killed and the family of another was killed brutally leaving only the better guarded Lord herself.
• Sungakure attempts to aid the Merchant Lords and improve their strained relations with Soon's Haven, however they are too late.
• The Sanctuary War began and the last two Merchant Lords Trade Lord Solomus and Trade Lord Aburabuta resided in Sungakure for a time.

170 [PP] - Takahashi Hana dies in the defense of Trade Lord Solomus and Sunahoshi Keiku.

• Takahashi Shiro III abstains from becoming the next Steward, his younger sister Takahashi Kin rises to become Steward.
• Takahashi Kin becomes the Ninth Steward

173 [PP] - The Sanctuary War ends with the death of San Fang's clan head, Mushi Hayate.

• Mushi Hayate's daughter was forcibly married to Trade Lord Aburabuta and was held in custody/hostage situation.
• San Fang's leadership went to Mushi Hayate's younger daughter Mushi Izumi.
• In exchange for her sister's freedom, Mushi Izumi agreed to a total surrender of the San Fang.
• The Merchant Lords did not keep their side of the deal and they slaughtered the revealed members of the San Fang with the assistance of Sunagakure forces.
• It is believed that remnants of this group [San Fang] exist even today.

180 [PP] - A Plague arises in the desert, known as the Red Death.

• Soon's Haven provides Sungakure with medical aid before closing its own gates to control their own ailments. An age of sickness begins.
• The Red Death was a terrible disease that killed thousands. The disease stemmed from the corpse of Barnyx that festered below Sunagakure encases within those diamond sands. The corruption leeched into the ground and plagued the people of Sunagakure. As Sunagakure tried to wall themselves in, they only worsened the state of affairs.

186 [PP] - The Red Death begin to evolve ravaging the lands. Sungakure begins to contemplate a future in the depths as the earth would make a sound barrier from this virulent foe.

188 [PP] - The fifth Grand Gladiatorial Tournament at House Toraono was canceled due to the terrible, contagious sickness that plagued the lands.

190 [PP] - Excavation begins.

• The source of the plague is revealed unexpectedly during to excavation.
• The skeletal structure of Barynx was found and in particular the heart of Barynx was discovered to be causing corruption to the land.
• Sungakure takes measures to obliterate the heart. Sunahoshi Keikou and Takahashi Kin decide to seal the heart within themselves and submit themselves to the corruption. Both the Steward and the Kazekage died. The plague was sealed, however interested groups arose to find other ways to create the plague for purposes of war and future medical usages unbeknownst to the public at large. A one year of mourning is given to grieve for the losses of the Kazekage family and their Steward.

191 [PP] - Sunahoshi Hiro begins a crusade to end research on the plague for good and for ill. Most medical researchers cry out but comply with the order of the Kazekage.

• Sunahoshi Hiro becomes the Eighth Kazekage and ruled for 13 years
• Takahashi Judori becomes the Tenth Steward

192 [PP] - The Toraono dojo hosts the fifth Grand Gladiatorial Tournament.

• There one of the five Dimayos was found dead in their hotelroom, his son Ishii Shiro, the "boy king" as he was only 15 at the time took over as the Dimayo of this small stretch of land in the Southern portion of Wind Country.
• The death was ruled as suspicious but no culprit was ever apprehended. Viewers from as far away as Tea Country came to view the display.

194 [PP] - Despite the fact that the plague threat has ended, Takahashi Judori resumed excavations, fearing future returns of the plague and future wars.

196 [PP] - The Sovereign Academy was founded in Sora.

198 [PP] - Total evacuation is completed, they reached the worm-carved caverns that lace beneath the desert.

• The worm-carved caverns are a network of naturally occurring caverns created by roaming sandworms. These caverns crisscross beneath the desert, many of the passageways remain unmapped to this day.

199 [PP] - Outside forces try to invade the surface of Sunagakure, the people evacuate to the underground.

• Sunahoshi Hiro deploys ANBU to discover the identity of these outside forces.
• They are revealed to be individuals who tried to obtain the heart of Barynx for future plagues. They are successful in finding the remains of the infected former Kazekage and Steward as they were not guarded well enough and the Plague War begins.

201 [PP] - Babylos shows no sign of life. No scholar enters and none leave. Due to the isolationism this goes uncontested. The tower goes dark.

202 [PP] - Plague Preserves unleash a new plague.

• Sungakure forces best the Preservers in the war, Sunahoshi Hiro deploys his brother Sunahoshi Daisuke to hunt down remaining Plague Preservers. Sunahoshi Daisuke disappears.
• The Plague Preserves are a synthetic compound intended to mimic the original plague caused by the corrupted heart of Barynx. The Plague Preserves were derived from the remains of Sunahoshi Keikou and Takahashi Hana and they proved even more virulent than the original.
• Little did they know at the time but the Plague Preserves were manufactured by a mad scientist known only as Kenta, however the plague itself was sold to degenerates in Sora who never knew Kenta's name only that they were given this product by a brilliant, tanned skin man that spoke in only a whisper.
• Sunahoshi Daisuke was murdered in the desert, however his corpse was reanimated by a necromancer named Nao.

203 [PP] - The Great Oracle Libraries in Baylos, Korm, and Tante were razed, this event unnoticed by the country at large because of the plagues being suffered still by the people of Wind Country at large.

204 [PP] - Sunahoshi Hiro falls ill due to a new plague consisting of elements old and new as do other members of the Sunahoshi family.

• Sunahoshi Hiro perishes and the Diamond Sands begin to become unruly. Takahashi Judori calls for a council of Sunaku cousins to attempt to control the storm but fail. Takahashi Judori deploys a full set of ANBU to hunt and return Sunahoshi Daisuke. They return with no one.
• Takahashi Judori becomes the Second Steward Kazekage and ruled for 21 years
• The plague was also credited with the already dying lines of Rangers and Journeymen as the old ways utilized by these Orders had fallen to the wayside. The massive amount of death caused by this disease caused many to forget their past.

205 [PP] - Sungakure structures were being destroyed by the Diamond Maelstrom.

• The Diamond Maelstrom was an ongoing massive storm that took the diamond sands and eradicated nearly all life on the surface
• Takahashi Judori begins an exodus to the underground. Judori stages for structures to fall beneath the desert grounds. Another search party is deployed in search of Sunahoshi Daisuke, he is never found and many searchers died as a result of the storm itself.

206 [PP] - A secret war between Diamyo Ishii Shiro and the other Dimayo's began. Each community isolated from the others, their fates largely unknown.

• Only 4 Dimayos existed at the start of the year, but by the end of the year only three remained.

207 [PP] - All structures descend to the underground safely.

• Although many structures were damaged or mostly destroyed by the diamond sands, as if in an attempt to maintain a piece of their heritage the people of Sunagakure went to pain-staking efforts to preserve the remains of their structures and to rebuild those destroyed in the image of the originals they replaced.
• The skeleton of Barynx is checked for corruption, the skeletal structure is found to be clean.
• Only 2 Dimayos existed by the end of the year.

209 [PP] - The last Dimayo was removed from his station.

• Only Ishii Shiro remained and his attention turned to Soons Haven.

210 [PP] - Diamyo Ishii Shiro has his first born son, a bastard. The mother unknown. He was named Ishii Shouki.

215 [PP] - Council urges Takahashi Judori to become the Kazekage. Takahashi Judori refuses, and continues to deploy searches yearly.

218 [PP] - Takahashi Judori again summons the Sunaku Council, many believed to be distant cousins of the Sunahoshis to attempt to control the storms.

• Failure is met again. Future actions are taken by council to seat Takahashi Judori on the Diamond throne as the Kazekage, he refuses.

225 [PP] - Takahashi Judori retires from council from old age, his son Takahashi Sousuke III comes to power.

• Council offers him the Diamond Throne, and refuses.
• Takahashi Sousuke III becomes the Third Steward Kazekage and ruled for 14 years

227 [PP] - Kazekage Takahashi Sousuke III faced his first defeat at the hand of the Djinn, the medical center, Caucus Tower was destroyed. A short time later Sunan forces rallied and the Djinn was sealed away forever.

228 [PP] - The Omni Prime Medical Center replaces the destroyed former medical center.

• The Chikamatsu Clan take lead on it's construction and expand from traditional medicine to include psychological treatment due to the hardships of underground life and expansions into research and development.

229 [PP] - The Cabal infiltrate Sunagakure.

• ████████ █████ from the ████████ █████ and declares themselves the Ninth Kazekage, ruling adjacent to and against Takahashi Sousuke for 3 years
• Explosive charges were set throughout the village. One of the men that helped rebuild Sunagakure had laced them throughout the community after the Djinn attack.
• The Hall of Learning was destroyed, as were major residential areas, the main entryway into the village was collapsed, several places of science also destroyed.
• The incursion only lasted 3 days but the extreme loss of life was profound. Eventually Sunagakure rallied, defeated the Cabal and took back control of the village.
• Upon interrogation and the acquisition of new allies as some of the Cabal members joined Sunagakure, they learned that there was a heart to the storm.
• ███ ██████████ is ███ and █████ █████ is unleashed.
• Late this same year an adventuring group found the heart of the diamond maelstrom and its source, the reanimated corpse of Sunahoshi Daisuke. A perpetual storm was being created around the felled Sunahoshi.
• Daisuke was destroyed and the Diamond Maelstrom ended.
• When the storms cleared, the Diamyo and his allies knew that Sunagakure was free and that it was now go-time.
• ████████ ███ ██ █████████████ is used to eliminate an attempted coup.
• ████████ infiltrates █████████████ █████
• A schism occurs in the ████████ █████ and the ████████ █████
• The last Sunahoshi is rediscovered, Sunahoshi Katsuo. He is uninterested in the role of Kazekage and refuses the Diamond Throne.
• ████████ █████ betrays the alliance with ████████ █████
• █████████████ ██████ ███████ is seemingly felled in battle.

230 [PP] - The Sovereign reveal themselves as a dangerous force against Sunagakure. They attack several citizens and kidnap the Steward Kazekage's adopted cousin.

232 [PP] - A combined effort between Takahashi Sousuke and Sunahoshi Katsuo are able to ████████ █████ and ████████ is █████

• The ████████ are discovered █████ and ████████ █████
• ████ ████ and █████ as well as the ████████ are heavily redacted from history thanks in part to █████
• ███████ █ █████ ████████ █████

238 [PP] - An intervillage examination is hosted in Soons Haven.

239 [PP] - Sunahoshi Katsuo becomes Kazekage.

• Sunahoshi Katsuo becomes the Tenth Kazekage and ruled for 6 years

242 [PP] - Sungakure climbs out of their bombed village below and rebuild on the surface. Walls are erected shortly after designed by the Takahashi Clan.

243 [PP] - Tea country offers a World Martial Arts Tournament.

244 [PP] - An alleged battle between the forces of Suna (Kazekage Sunahoshi Katsuo, his Sennin, and select ANBU members) and The Sovereign (Daimyo Ishii Shiro and his soldiers) occurs at Godsfall. Several key members of this event are still MIA, including both Daimyo Ishii Shiro and Kazekage Sunahoshi Katsuo.

• Coinciding with this, a terrible earthquake ravages the land as seemingly all the deposits and storages of carmot are destroyed. This event is later named "The Shattering"
• ████████ discovers that █████ ████████ ██████
• Creatures known as Unbent begin to actively terrorize the country, they are referred to as The Swarm.

245 [PP] - After a year missing, Sunahoshi Katsuo is removed from the position of Kazekage and Ryuzaki Raizo is named the Kazekage, the first Kazekage to not be a direct descendent of Sunahoshi Primus.

• Ryuzaki Raizo becomes the Eleventh Kazekage and ruled for 14 years
• In one of the most organized shows of force from the creatures, The Swarm seems to conduct a coordinated attack on the walls of Suna. Their efforts are repelled, and the name "Dominus" begins to spread through the country.

246 [PP] - Lady Ishii Mako is named Daimyo, usurping her husband Shiro who was still MIA. The Merchant Lords officially have his status deemed "deceased".

• A new Merchant Lord is announced, thanks to the backing of Daimyo Mako; Zennyo Ryūō of the Golden Sanctuary Merchants Guild (GSMG)

247 [PP] - Mass migration to the protective walls of Sunagakure no Sato, as infighting from the lack of carmot and the ravaging of The Swarm becomes to much for many nomadic tribes and smaller villages.

248 [PP] - Oil becomes a resource of utility, nomadic tribes begin to use it to make new avenues for themselves and partnerships with the Golden Sanctuary Merchants Guild

• A rash of disappearances and deaths occur relating to those believed to be "chakra attuned".

249 [PP] - The GSMG declares oil as a means of breaking free from not only the over-reliance on carmot but also those who manipulate chakra.

• Sunagakure no Sato declares itself a safe haven to those with chakra sensitivity; this move is viewed poorly by those of Soons Haven and Sora.

252 [PP] - The trains, T5UM3 and K1B4, are now up and running while tracks connecting various regions and locations in Wind Country are progressing rapidly.

257 [PP] - The Chikamatsu Clan creates artificial life in the Omni Prime Medical Facility known as the Homunculus.

• Homunculi begin to work as Field Medics as their lives are currently treated as though they are worth less than human lives due to their easy production and lack of a human soul.
• ████████ becomes the first to █████ ████████ █████

259 [PP] - Sennin Games announced to find a council worthy of assisting Ryuzaki Raizo

• Chikamatsu Shin made Sennin for the 11th Kazekage Raizo at the end of Round 1
• ████████ ██ ███ ████████ █ ████
• Kazekage Raizo goes missing during Round 2
• Chikamatsu Shin announced as 11th Kazekage as he leads the search for Ryuzaki Raizo. He has not been found. Chikamatsu Shin is the second Kazekage to not be a direct descendent of Sunahoshi Primus.
• Chikamatsu Shin becomes the Twelfth Kazekage and ruled for a little over 1 year

260 [PP] - Chikamatsu Shin reaches out to Kumogakure and Konohagakure to establish ties.

• Both villages were attacked by Rogue Shinobi who framed the Ancients of the Land of Wind. Kumogakure nor Konohagakure know of the Ancients and placed blame on Sunagakure.
• Shin begins to carry open discussions with the Raikage and Hokage about the dangers of the Ancients.
• Shin approves the creation of the Fourth Order, to take to the skies and finally eliminate the remaining Ancients.
• ████████████ ██████████████
• █ ███████ tries to warn Kazekage Shin about █████ but is unsuccessful and ████████ ████ █
• █████ ███ █ ████ ████ ████ █████
• ████████ █████ █ ███████ █████
• In a calculated attack, the Kazekage Tower is destroyed and many other shinobi and Order installations are also heavily attacked or destroyed outright.
• Despite no body being found, Kazekage Shin is believed to be dead due to the heavy casualties attributed to the destruction of the Kazekage Tower.
• It is later believed that Shin was targeted after discovering █████ and ████ involving ███ Kazekage Raizo ██ ██████ ██████
• With no Steward formally being recognized in Shin's place, the Sunagakure village council is forced to once again leave the village in the care of Sennin while efforts are underway to appoint a new Kazekage.
• Miroku Akkuma and Shingaetsu Sora are formally recognized as co-leaders of Sunagakure while also tasked with dealing with the fallout of Shin's assassination and the heavy destruction to Sunagakure.

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The Time following the assassination of Chikamatsu Shin and the military coup by Chikamatsu Wei and the Oil Barons is known as the "Second Chaos Era" or [SCE]​

1 [SCE] - Bending to the power of nepotism, the village council appoints Chikamastu Wei as the Eleventh Steward while they continue to decide on the next Kazekage.

• Within moments, Chikamatsu Wei declares himself the Fourth Steward Kazekage and reveals his alignment with the Oil Barons.
• Due to the weakened shinobi forces, Wei and the Oil Barons are able to fast track self enriching actions, leaving the people of the Wind Country at their whims.
• A schism occurs between the shinobi of Suna and Orders loyal to Wei and those loyal to the original village council. This schism forces the village council loyalist underground.

2 [SCE] - To be continued...

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Our Current Year: 1 [SCE]​

 

[Sand Council]

*Best if viewed in the Dark Theme setting*

Wind Country Bestiary​

The arid vistas of Wind Country provide a significantly harsh landscape for inhabitants; water is scarce and, in some places, unattainable by all but the most specialized creatures, the ground and air temperatures vary wildly from noon to nightfall and even the basest nutrients for survival are a precious resource. However, life finds a way; resulting in a spectacular series of hardy creatures, whose ingenuity and strive for survival should give even us pause and provide a source of inspiration. In the following pages, I will attempt to give further detail to these stubborn survivalists and flesh out the bare bones of the more mythical creatures of the Dunes; rarely encountered, but possessing a great impact on the biotope at large.

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E-Rank Threats (Minimal)​

Armatunk

An imposing creature with a weight between 900 and 1400 pounds, the Armatunk is a massive creature that has been able to survive in Wind Country despite limited resources they require little food or drink. Slow-moving, they carry with them an armored upper body made of heavy bone-like scales. Their underbelly is one of the few places that has superficially thin flesh. Because of this, they are hard to kill despite the fact that they are slow-moving and not necessarily intelligent animals.

Armatunks were first domesticated about 500 years ago by early Sunans that worked the land under the rule of the ancients. Armatunks are easily domesticated and gentle creatures but they are also rather powerful and were helpful in plowing fields and carrying heavy loads that humans could not. While there are still domestic Armatunks in Sunagakure, their uses underground are limited. Wild Armatunks still exist in the Badlands of Wind Country undeterred by the unruly Diamond Maelstrom. They sustain themselves mostly on small plants and animals they find in the desert, but in captivity they thrive on various forms of grain feed.

Armatunks have very little nutritional value if eaten. Not only is their armored hide nearly impossible to get through forcing one to attack from the underbelly, but the meat of this animal spoils quickly and has a bitter taste. Due to its relatively little need for sustenance, there is little protein or other nutrients found in their meat. While their meat may satiate hunger, it will not provide sustenance. Their armored hide, on the other hand, has been used by some indigenous tribes as body armor. The armor is durable and surprisingly light weight but it carries with it a dead animal smell that does not go away even after long periods of use, in fact many people suggest that the stench only gets worse with time.

General Threat Level – Minimal: E Rank

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Cave Crawler

A nocturnal vermin creature, this insect prefers damp dark caverns and with the introduction of an abundant food source (scraps left by humans), the number of these creatures has increased exponentially over the last few decades. While these creatures pose an infestation risk, they multiply slower than Legionnaire Ticks laying only 20-30 eggs every 4 months.

Despite their large size: 27-35 inches high with a weight of 41-70 pounds, making them as large if not larger in some cases than Hykals, their color and appearance offers them some camouflage. Variable hues of brown to black with a shell-like carapace with patches of fur, many blend with the walls and ceilings, only moving when the lights have been turned out. They are also noted for their crocodile-like head and four spindly legs. While these insects may appear threatening, they are no threat to humans and they prey on other insects, specifically the Legionnaire Ticks and various species of scorpion as well as small mammals. They also find small mammal pets rather tasty.

Mostly considered to be a vermin creature, despite their assistance in keeping other pest population levels down, it is often preferred by most to simply use bug spray than to employ larger vermin. But in poor areas of Wind Country, these creatures are celebrated for their vermin-hunting abilities as well as their apparently succulent meat. While it is considered to be a "dirty" animal by most, this meat is often eaten by the poorest members of society and has been proven to be a safe meat choice but it can be tough and stringy according to most accounts.

General Threat Level – Minimal: E Rank

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Dune Bug

This aptly named insect of the grasshopper family is located mostly in the rare grassy areas in the desert, such as those found in and around various oasis' in Wind Country and the ruins of old Sunagakure. The Bugs have been known to be quite docile creatures, with the intelligence equal to that of a horse. A Dune Bug can grow to the size of a pony and on rather strange and completely circumstantial situations have been known to actually carry people across the desert. They constantly migrate, at least once every month, in order to stay ahead of natural sandstorms which they can sense via highly adapted fiber optic hairs on their legs which are highly sensitive to pressure changes in the air. These hairs also make them highly aware of almost every thing around them that's large enough to change the flow of air such as humans, small animals and the like. It is also believed that their heightened sense of touch results in either poor sight or complete blindness, as they have been known to crash into things when traveling down wind. While they have what appear to be wings on their back, these creatures are incapable of flight, but their strong hind legs can leap over thirty feet into the air when startled.

As omnivores, Dune Bugs consume plant life as well as acting as scavengers of the dead; they seem to have no taste for living flesh. The Dune Bugs travel in small colonies and are rarely ever found in solitude, due to their highly pack-oriented society.

General Threat Level - Minimal: E Rank

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Dune Rabbit

Of all of the animals found in Wind Country, the Dune Rabbits are perhaps the most tragic. Sole herbivores in a land largely devoid of green plant life, Dune Rabbits manage to survive on a bare minimum of sustenance, which is then immediately utilized in locating further pockets of greenery or reproduction. Likely due to this meager diet, they are significantly less excitable than other leporidae and provide the vast majority of food for carnivorous dune life. Their survival is one of the mysteries of the sands.

However, Dune Rabbits have found a patrician, to some degree, in humanity. Their large ears and short, white to earthen-hued coats have resulted in them becoming a popular pet for Wind Country villagers; easy to keep and utterly docile.

General Threat Level - Minimal: E Rank

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Legionnaire Tick

The smallest arachnid focused in this bestiary, Legionnaire Ticks are thus for their incredibly rapid reproduction time; a dozen ticks have been known to multiply by an order of ten in a few days. Less a millimeter in length, they increase to a centimeter when fully engorged. These ticks are parasitic, focusing solely on vertebrates they are most often found in thick hair, clothing or bedding where their high turnover rate can result in saturation of a habitat in a very short amount of time.

This species of tick is highly invasive and hard to identify before a massive infestation due to their diminutive size, but they can be killed with bleach and most pesticides. Upholstered furniture can be tricky to sanitize as it is difficult to achieve optimal saturation, often to protect a living quarters from having a near immediate re-infestation, items that cannot be clearly disinfected would have to be burned.

By themselves, the only remarkably facet of the Legionnaire Tick is this rapid reproduction cycle. However, much of the time, wounds caused by Legionnaire Ticks can become infected with the Tick's own parasite, a Bacilli known to be responsible for Crimson Fever; a maddening illness known to cause severe emotional regression and overt tendency towards violence, as well as a red tinge to the thinnest areas of skin and the irises of those infected. While medications against Crimson Fever are available in richer settlements of Wind, more secluded and impoverished villages are more prone to outbreaks of this disease.

Spoiler: Crimson Fever

A tick-borne illness, known for the characteristic crimson hue of the infected person's eyes and skin as well as personality-altering facets. This disease attacks the frontal lobe of the brain and alters a person's inhibitions, making them quicker to act often leading to reckless, erratic and even violent behavior. Due to this fact, many victims of this disease have to be restrained and housed in an asylum until the infection and infestation is quelled.

Treatment is rather expensive as it requires a multi-modal care: psychiatry and sedation as well as medication for Crimson Fever and an eradication of the infestation. The poor often find themselves imprisoned for their unruly behavior, contributing to the vermin issues in Wind Country Prisons were this condition is prevalent. Some prison systems provide medical treatment for their prisoners, but due to the lack of medical training misdiagnosis and under-diagnosis are common, mania is a common generic diagnosis. The antibiotic of choice is Rosacillin, a broad spectrum antibiotic that can be taken orally over the course of 2 weeks, costing about as much as the average person makes in a week or IM where a single injection is all that is needed but it costs as much as 2 months wage. The speed of recovery is also dependent on the route of administration, orally it still takes over a week for the symptoms to reside; IM takes about 6 hours to take effect.

Animals have a milder version of this disease process. They can become unruly and aggressive for short periods of time, but they have natural antibodies to fight this infection.

General Threat Level - Minimal: E Rank

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Pugilist Scorpion

So called because of their characteristically large tarsus and manus, the components of the scorpion's claw, Pugilist Scorpions are the powerhouses of Wind Country's Scorpiones order. Growing to a size of 2-3 feet in length, Pugilists are nocturnal and hunt small mammals, relying on their over-sized claws to kill their prey as they sleep. They possess a low-strength poison that serves to cause minor paralysis, slowing reaction time, but which causes only numbness in human-sized targets.

These scorpions are not aggressive and would rather scurry from battle.

Spoiler: Pugilist Venom

This venom is found in the stinger of the Pugilist Scorpion, a breed of scorpion that is indigenous to Wind Country. This venom causes complete paralysis including respiratory arrest in targets under 30 pounds but can effectively paralyze a target up to 50 pounds. Human-sized targets, defined as those with a weight in excess of 90 pounds only suffer from localized numbness to an affected area that can be generalized numbness if the dose is great enough. The effect lasts up to 3 hours. This venom is often used by medical personnel as it has been found to be an extremely safe and effective local analgesic.

General Threat Level – Minimal: E Rank

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Sand Tribble

These are small palm-sized creatures that live underground. While they are considered to be arachnids, their appearance most closely resembles that of a small flat Sandworm. These creatures have no actual biological relation to Sandworms but they do depend on Sandworms for their very survival. Sand Tribbles subsist on the Carmot believed to be excreted from Sandworms as well as whatever water they can some across in the arid terrain.

Some Carmot hunters use Sand Tribbles to find Carmot. Since Sand Tribbles fare poorly in captivity because they require Carmot (a very expensive resource) for sustenance. For the most part harmless, those that can afford to feed a Tribble will find a life-long friend. They are considered friendly and loyal to anyone who does feed them.

Sand Tribbles burrow underground quickly but make a "zziippping" sound as they vibrate through the earth so they can be easily followed. They offer little to no nutritional benefit so they have no natural predators. Once they find a boulder of Carmot they will start licking it. Their saliva melts the crystal structure of the Carmot into something that they can suck up. A Sand Tribble eats 20 grams of Carmot in a single day. Once a Tribble finds a Carmot source they will not leave it until it has been consumed but they will only eat their fill for a day. The Carmot is entirely metabolized by the Tribble, their output is simply fresh sand.

Tribbles mate seasonally, finding a new mate each year. Tribbles give birth to a single live offspring each year if they successfully mate near a rich source of Carmot. This new Tribble is about a quarter of the size of their parent upon birth but they are immediately able to care for themselves since they were born on top of their initial food supply. Within a week a Tribble is full-grown. The life span of a Tribble is usually between 5-10 years, Tribbles in captivity commonly live shorter lifespans ranging from 3-5 years.

Spoiler: Carmot

Carmot is a naturally occurring element found in the deep caverns of Wind Country's massive underground networks. Theoretically generated as a by-product of the legendary Wind Country sandworm's digestive process, Carmot is almost pure energy in crystallized form and is highly sought after for a large variety of usages though a high-yield fuel source is its most common application.

Finding/Farming Carmot
Carmot, being the excrement of Sandworms, has made farming the resource almost impossible. Most commonly it is simply "found" making treasure-hunting a common vocation for the adventurous. Sandworms are known to frequent areas far from civilization and known paths and mating grounds are dangerous to enter and knowledge of their location is limited. A common search technique utilized by successful Carmot surveyors is to follow the Sand Tribbles found in the desert. These tiny animals are drawn to water but they are also drawn to Carmot and will search it out as it is believed to be a food source for these tiny critters. It is said that if a Carmot hunter follows a Tribble long enough he will likely come upon a boulder of Carmot within a few days time.

General Threat Level - Minimal: E Rank

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Siren Spider

Some consider spiders to be expert huntsmen, deploying actual tactics and traps in order to appropriate prey that possess subtlety and ingenuity. Despite their simplistic biology, spiders are a paramount example as to the potential complexity that can be employed by even the basest animal. Siren Spiders are an interesting example of this; known to excrete hormones that attract their prey to their webs, they are also capable of producing cicada-like calls that apparently boost this ability. As a result, they are highly successful and rather numerous, but generally confined to human settlements where their prey, winged insects such as flies, are found in higher numbers. Barely three inches in diameter, some individuals cultivate Siren Spiders in order to keep fly populations under control, as they are of no danger to humans and are somewhat of a curiosity.

General Threat Level - Minimal: E Rank

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D-Rank Threats (Low)​

Basilisk (Juvenile)

Reptile

It is unclear from what kind of creature basilisks have evolved. It is known, though, they have preyed on humankind for as long as there accounts of their existence. Their general habitat used to be located deep within swampy areas, but it seems they have migrated into deep desert territory for some unknown reasons. It is not uncommon to find a stray basilisk within the walls of a city, usually residing in their sewage systems. Quadrupedal, their bodies are entirely covered in scales. Younger versions of this creature sport lighter greens, while matured beasts have darker coloration. They have yellow menacing eyes and large fangs decorate their jaws. They have a tail that is used mainly for navigation. They have thorns that follow their spine.

Basilisks are solitary hunters by nature and their youngling are quickly abandoned to their fortune. They have a nasty bite and are known to inflict petrification on their victims via contact with their saliva. Records says that the older the basilisk the greater the chances for petrification to occur. The petrification effects are irreversible if the victim us fully petrified and death is certain at that point. Caution is advised against these critters, mainly because of the chance of petrification to occur.

Juvenile Threat Level – Low: D Rank

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C-Rank Threats (Moderate)​

Kyrinchor

An imposing reptile, the Kyrinchor, pluralized Kyinchi are aggressive animals that tend to stray far from areas of civilization. Carnivorous, they will attack a target even if unprovoked and even if food sources are not scarce. Noted for their golden to bronze-colored scales and red spotted snake-like markings that differ from Kyrinchor to Kyrinchor as well as their body-type which is a hybridization of a three-headed canine and a lizard. They are day-time creatures, preying on nocturnal creatures that attempt to find shelter during daytime hours but they are not adverse to direct combat, even with their own kind. Kyrinchi are known to eat their own, especially their young, of the 20 or so eggs they lay every 8 months, only 3-4 survive to adolescence.

The male and female Kyrinchor differ greatly. The female Kyrinchor is often found in a small pack with young Kyrinchi which break from the pack upon reaching adulthood or fighting the dominant female (their mother) for pack superiority which often results in the mother Kyrinchor's death. Male Kyrinchi, on the other hand, are solitary creatures that do not eat their young, unlike their female counterparts and only come into contact with other Kyrinchi for the purposes of mating. Such alliances are brief because female Kyrinchor will even lash out against their mate.

Neither the male or the female makes a good pet, but the female is worse than the male for this purpose. There have been documented instances where a male Kyrinchor will ally itself with a human master if that human master shows him or herself as a superior fighter and provider and is not aggressive towards the Kyrinchor. The most threatening part of these creatures is their unpredictability, with the physical power of the average Chuunin and no special skills beyond a bite, as long as you are sure to keep your eyes on this creature and be prepared to fight you will likely survive the encounter.

General Threat Level - Moderate: C Rank

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Shuriken Scorpion (Individual)

Shuriken Scorpions are the most poisonous arachnid found in Wind Country. While there have been reports of Shuriken Scorpions outside of Wind Country, they are few and far between because these scorpions prefer hot, dry settings only offered in the desert. Approximately 3 inches long (the size of a shuriken), these black invertebrates look no different from any other type of scorpion and that is what makes them so very dangerous. Shuriken Scorpions carry a powerful poison called Necrosis, this poison causes severe nerve and tissue damage, causing paralysis, burning numbness in the extremities and eventual death as vital and delicate neural tissue is degraded in as little as just half an hour, depending on where an individual is stung.

Shuriken Scorpions can be very aggressive, the stinger is an effective hunting and defense tool for the scorpion. They rarely scuttle to the shadows and will often hiss of wave its stinger menacingly if it sees a potential predator. Many an unfortunate avian have attempted to pluck a shuriken scorpion from the ground only to meet their death shortly thereafter. In fact it has become biologically programmed over the eons that birds will avoid all manner of scorpion in the desert.

It is believed that shuriken scorpion stings are the 8th leading cause of death for Wind Country shinobi and most common cause of death that can be directly attributed to an animal. While some animals are considerably more destructive and dangerous, such as the mighty Sandworm or Carnasaur, the Shuriken Scorpion is significantly more common and extremely dangerous. Some people actually revere the Shuriken Scorpion as a sign of strength and tenacity and tattoo themselves with an image of the scorpion on their back. They purposely expose themselves to the scorpion venom in small, calculated doses as to gain eventual immunity. They believe that in doing so enhances their vigor and call themselves a member of The Order of the Scorpion.

Spoiler: Necrosis

Necrosis is a powerful poison carried in the stinger of the Shuriken Scorpion. Necrosis is known to cause rapid death in a victim in as little as thirty minutes but it could take as long as an hour in some cases. Symptoms are almost immediate and include searing pain as the site of injection that spreads distally and then centrally. It is said that the pain is so great that the pain simply stops after several minutes and that the nothing or numbness felt is simply the nerves no longer sending impulses of pain to the brain. The Necrosis venom attacks every major organ system, blocking its ability to take up oxygen, causing cell death in a matter of minutes. Victims often die due to multi-organ system failure within the hour.

Treatment: The most effective treatment is an anti-venom called Revite. Revite has been restricted to hospitals and is not available openly on the market due to its high cost. Second to this, supportive treatments are the most effective but as previously mentioned, this venom causes multi-system organ failure and this would also require a hospital setting to render effective care. A tertiary option and the only field option available is to suck out the Necrosis poison, then to tourniquet the affected extremity and seek medical attention as soon as possible and hopethat the poison does not spread to the body core before Revite can be administered.

Alternative Uses: A form of this venom is sometimes harvested from shuriken scorpions for use in ANBU interrogation. A weakened form of this will not kill a victim but still leave them in a similar degree of pain. Eventually with enough doses given there is the supposed possibility of multi-organ failure, but thankfully no victim has ever held out long enough to know this for sure.

Spoiler: The Order of the Scorpion

Little is known about this special interest group. They are not believed to be a religious unit, but this cannot be known for certain. All that is known for certain is that these people believe that they must continually expose themselves to various poisons to fortify themselves and to increase their vigor. The venom of the shuriken scorpion is the final test for many of these members once they have exposed themselves to every other kind of venom available. Those who succeed and survive a full dose of a shuriken scorpion sting without medical care then mark their flesh with the symbol of their faith, manhood or vigor: a runic symbol resembling a scorpion.

Some believe this is a sub-sect of the Yamanaka Clan, a clan known for their skills as florists and the adept skill with poisons. These people take their family secrets and skills one step further and attempt to intake the most virulent forms of toxins with the hope of increased strength and vigor but this is only a theory.

General Threat Level Individually – Moderate: C Rank

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Sunagakurian Crow (Common)

The Sunagakuran Crow is a solitary creature by nature, only seen in groups when feeding upon a large carcass. These creatures, often depicted in tall tales and legends, are shy but territorial against other birds, inhabiting dark, cool areas and nesting in the tough, thorny plant life that are common in Wind Country. They are much larger than a common crow and display a rather ragged bill with a thin layer of feathers on its head, making it look almost bald; a design that ensures its head can easily enter a carcass without getting caught.

Although its staple diet consists of dead meat, the Crow will not pass up fresh meat when it presents itself. It will also eat lizards, rabbits and other small prey. Tales have it that they also hunt humans, both adults and children, but this has yet to be proven.

The Common Sunagakurian Crow usually scavenges and kills small prey such as rodents and lizards; living humans have little to fear from the common Sunagakurian Crown but they have been known to be "dirty animals" that carry a variety of bacteria that can cause illness in humans. For this reason they are considered vermin and they are often hunted. The common crow is a day-time animal, roosting high on cliff faces or perched on thorny branches. Their main predator is the Giant Sunagakurian Crow, a cousin, that is known to pick off common crows when other food sources are not readily available. They remain airborne at the first sign of threat making them difficult to catch alive but they have no known utility either.

General Threat Level - Moderate: C Rank

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Sunan Dustboar

The Sunan Dustboar is a thick-skinned, hearty creature found mostly in the badlands far from agrarian civilization. However Dustboars can occasionally be found as close as Soon's Haven where they feast on the varied greenery available. They measure about three feet long on average, and possess large tusks and claw-like hooves, generally assumed to be their natural tools for burrowing or scavenging the desert landscape for sources of food or shelter, as well as offering means of self-defense against predators. They travel in packs dubbed 'sounders' that range between six and twelve and can go weeks without fluids, which explains how such a simple creature could survive the harsher areas of Sunagakure.

Dustboar meat is considered a delicacy, as it is difficult to obtain and extremely tender and delicious when prepared. Only licensed hunters, companies and shinobis are permitted to hunt Dustboar due to the risk. While Dustboars are generally docile creatures, they become extremely territorial and aggressive when agitated or confronted, thanks to in part the relatively large variety of natural predators that they are liable to encounter. Travelers are warned to stay clear of them.

If confronted with a Dustboar, it is recommended that you seek higher ground.

General Threat Level - Moderate: C Rank

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B-Rank Threats (Dangerous)​

Archer Lizard

Three feet in length, the Archer Lizard is a carnivorous beast with an opportunistic and cunning streak. Hiding below the surface of the sands, its earthen coloration aiding this attempt, Archers then project a stream of venom towards the face or eyes of its prey, causing severe burns or total blindness. The Archer will then emerge from its hiding place and attack; pulling the wounded animal down with serrated claws and sheer bulk and finishing it by biting the throat. Archer Lizards hunt animals far larger than themselves, always leaving the majority of the deceased for consumption by scavengers, for their actual appetite is rather low. It is not known why the Archers hunt beyond their requirements, be it territorial or simple defensive instinct, but their existence allows other smaller species to thrive, and so they are often found in areas of high ecological variation. They hunt singly, as all lizards, and will often attack humans given the chance.

The hide of an Archer Lizard can sell for a hefty price, soft and buttery tan; women love purses, shoes and belts made from this material. Due to the inherent risk in hunting this lizard, Archer Lizard leather is rare and coveted among the wealthy. Besides humans seeking their leather, the Carnasaur is another natural predator of the Archer Lizard.

Spoiler: Brumhelic Acid

An acid expelled from the Archer Lizard. This caustic substance is known to dissolve most carbon-based matter. Celebrated for its scientific uses, Brumhelic Acid has the same ph as hydrochloric acid but due to its naturally tenacious nature it does not dissolve as easily in water so it can not be washed off with simply water, rather an oil-based such as Prickly Apple Extract is necessary to dissolve the substance and it is a common component of a medic kit. Even with prompt removal, damage is almost immediate.

Prickly Apple Extract
An extract that comes from the spiked fruit of a common cacti, the Prickly Apple Cactus. So named for the rose-colored fruits it produces year-round. These small fist-sized fruits are edible but they have a thick spiny shell that protects the tender flesh. While this cacti is edible and used in various wines, it can also be distilled into an oil to counteract strong acids. This can have a high pH and be very damaging when exposed to skin as alkaline substances can be as dangerous as many acids, but when used to treat acid that is actively burning a victim, it is a safe and effective treatment.

This is relatively cheap and easy to produce so it is a common staple of many medical kits.

General Threat Level – Dangerous: B Rank

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Basilisk (Adult)

Reptile

It is unclear from what kind of creature basilisks have evolved. It is known, though, they have preyed on humankind for as long as there accounts of their existence. Their general habitat used to be located deep within swampy areas, but it seems they have migrated into deep desert territory for some unknown reasons. It is not uncommon to find a stray basilisk within the walls of a city, usually residing in their sewage systems. Quadrupedal, their bodies are entirely covered in scales. Younger versions of this creature sport lighter greens, while matured beasts have darker coloration. They have yellow menacing eyes and large fangs decorate their jaws. They have a tail that is used mainly for navigation. They have thorns that follow their spine.

Basilisks are solitary hunters by nature and their youngling are quickly abandoned to their fortune. They have a nasty bite and are known to inflict petrification on their victims via contact with their saliva. Records says that the older the basilisk the greater the chances for petrification to occur. The petrification effects are irreversible if the victim us fully petrified and death is certain at that point. Caution is advised against these critters, mainly because of the chance of petrification to occur.

Adult Threat Level - Dangerous: B Rank

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Grand Gold Scorpion

The largest scorpion found in Wind Country, Gold Scorpions are thus named due to their coloration; a deep color that fades into red in darker conditions. As long as 6 feet, though individuals have been found up to 9 feet in length, Grand Scorpions are mostly scavengers, but will rely upon violence when food is scarce or when threatened. Mammals killed in this way will be allowed to rot for several days until edible. Gold Scorpions possess not inconsiderable strength, particularly in their claws, and while their poison is relatively weak, causing dizziness and confusion for up to an hour after administration, they possess large chelicelae, or mandibles, that contain many bacterial and fungal colonies; a result of their diet. A bite by these arachnids is considerably more dangerous than their sting, and difficult to treat due to the wildly varying ecologies found in their digestive systems. If a scorpion successfully stings a target, they will pursue and attempt to kill their target as they never turn from a readied food source, making them dangerous for their kill-intent.

Those who are lucky enough to survive an attack by a Grand Gold Scoprion require immediate medical attention to prevent sepsis. The bacteria are quick to colonize and without care, someone can fall ill from a wound infection within 24 hours.

Spoiler: Honey Toxin

Named after the appearance of the venom when bottled, a thick pale yellow color, this venom is derived from the tail of the Grand Gold Scorpion. While larger scorpions make more potent forms of this venom, the venom alone is never fatal. The venom merely disorients a target, survivors have likened it to a sense of drunkenness several minutes after exposure but claim that the effects subside within the hour. The danger for most is the scorpion's large claws and mandible, often enough to dismember a confused victim before they recover.

This venom can be effectively treated with any form of anti-venom.

General Threat Level – Dangerous: B Rank

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Sand Wolf

While many wild dogs can be found in Wind Country's arid wildlands, the Sand Wolf is by far the most aggressive. Possessing a cunning intelligence, the Wolves have thought to have thrived in part thanks to humanity's impact upon the Wind's ecology; all wild dogs have been seen roaming the streets of populous villages, but only Wolves have been known to trespass upon human property to scavenge the food that they seek. This is highly unusual, as they either seem to lack a strict territory, or are so uncaring of that which we have established as to steal from homes and stores at night, provided entrance. They are also considerably more dangerous than the average wild dog; both larger and leaner, they can grow to just under three feet tall while standing on all fours and about 100 pounds, they have been known to attack humans without provocation; this is thought to be the result of the above over-familiarity progressing into the Wolves seeing humans as prey, rather than threat.

These sandy-colored lupines have also been known to exist singularly; that is, without a pack. While pack animals may benefit from shared resources, it is thought that these 'lone wolves' are simply too hostile to co-exist with others of its species. Both male and female, such examples have been monitored over long periods of time and it has been shown that these streaks of fierce individuality eventually result in a lifespan far shorter than their brethren.

Sand Wolves are carnivores and scavengers of the highest order and are largely sessile during sunlight hours, likely in an effort to retain energy. They have been known to dwell in caves and cooler rock formations for long periods of time, but are largely considerably more nomadic than any other species of wild canine found in Wind Country.

General Threat Level – Dangerous: B Rank

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A-Rank Threats (Highly Dangerous)​

Grams (Independent)

Grams are large creatures brought together by unnatural distorted amounts of chakra, they are elemental beasts who usually keep to themselves and have for many centuries spending most of their time burrowed underground away from civilisation inside of the country hidden in the sand. Being quite large in size usually they will take the shape of large mounds of rock, earth and sand hiding and watching over those who dare wreak havoc in the desert expanse. The key difference between Grams and other elemental beings and that they are almost always creatures which work for good, they like to keep the natural state of the food chain. Watching on from afar as they see animals hunt each other, they appreciate other creature's need for physical sustenance. Most other monsters and beasts in suna heed no mind to these large golems, almost respecting them and keeping out of their way.

Grams usually are found alone if looking to be hunted. They have no problem with members of their species and will work together if needed, however they prefer their own territories to help in a larger expanse. They often show no mercy to those that wish to destroy the natural order of things. Things such as hunting for fun, material or as a game will not stand with them, so they are quick to chase away or kill those that wish to ruin the beauty of the desert. They gain most of their energy from the sun, absorbing their rays, the heat stored and gained on their exterior is then placed inside of a small core hidden away which keeps these creatures going. When found underground they look as if they are dormant, it is a type of hibernation for them as they remain still and unflinching. If on the verge of death they will be able to use the heat stored up as a final gambit against those which dared to battle against them, this makes their visage appear as if they are melting, they increase in speed and are able to exude these high temperature flames from all parts of their bodies. However once this has been activated they always will die from all the solar energy overriding their body and causing them to overheat, turning in to a scorching pile of lava.

Due to their craggy exterior most basic attacks will prove ineffective against them, and they likely will not even notice they are being struck unless severe damage is caused. No one is quite sure what the symbols on their bodies yet they appear to be some kind of attempt at writing in ancient terran. It is unsure how old these golems live to be however one thing for sure is that there is almost no chance of finding them outside of Suna, it is their home and they wish to protect it to the best of their abilities.

General Threat Level – Independent Highly Dangerous: A Rank

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Grams (Group)

See individual entry above for full description.

When multiple Grams work together, their threat level increases significantly due to coordinated defense of their territory.

General Threat Level – Group Highly Dangerous: A Rank

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Hykal

A canis-species mammal, this creature has been commonly likened to Sand Wolves, but these creatures are another entity entirely. While canine-like in many ways, the Hykal is a pack-oriented animal, making them significantly more dangerous than their peer the Sand Wolf. While smaller than the wolf, a Hykal stands only 20-25 inches high on all fours and weighs between 34-60 lbs, they make up for this discrepancy with their sheer numbers. They often exist in packs greater than 5, with some packs reportedly as large as 30. It is unknown how a pack of such a size is able to sustain itself considering the limited resources all critters must compete for in this arid landscape, but these carnivores both scavenge the dead as well as hunt small game. If desperate, they will attack larger solitary animals, something that they are largely successful in but often tend to prefer to take less riskier prey when available. Faster prey, such as Sandrunners are often safe from Hykals because their top speed is 15 miles per hour, slower than a running human, but Hykals are able to sustain this speed over protracted periods of time, often allowing fatigue to overtake their prey before they descend.

A nomadic species, Hykals can track their prey over many miles. They birth live pups after 5 months gestation and within days pups are often able to keep up to their peers. Litters often consist of 3-6 pups, when taken as pups into homes and domesticated these small dogs can grow up to be loyal, fun-loving companions. Said to live 13-15 years, they can provide companionship for many years.

Mostly noted for their unique tan medium length fur with target spotted markings and their grinning expressions. Some call them the "mocking dog." Their pelts are prized among those in cooler climates both for their warmth and for fashion. Humanity has hunted these creatures to the brink of extinction.

General Threat Level – Highly Dangerous: A Rank

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Sandrunner (Flock)

A tall ratite, or flightless bird, Sundrunners stand 6 - 7 feet tall and can weigh 400-500 pounds. It is assumed that despite their generous wingspan of 10 feet that their weight permanently grounds them. Wings are essentially useless to the Sandrunner, they dash across the desert sands in small groups reaching 60 miles per hour. Their scaled legs and large claws rake the desert floor, leaving an obvious trail for trackers to follow. All Sandrunners are a generic yellow color at birth and as they age they develop dazzling individual color pallets: No two Sandrunners look alike.

Sandrunners are found in small flocks, wandering the deserts foraging for food. Omnivores, they sustain themselves mostly off of the rare small mammals, reptiles, plants and fruits found in Wind Country. Due to the scarcity of resources, Sandrunners only stay in one place long enough to hatch their young in temporary nests made from displaced sand most often in a shallow cave or beneath a stone ledge. The eggs hatch within a week of being laid, the female Sandrunner keeps the egg within themselves for the first 5 months allowing the egg to almost entirely develop before even being laid. Each nest has only 1-3 eggs, something that might also contribute to their endangered status since these eggs are the target of many of the other desert predators. With a strong maternal instinct, Sandrunners are very protective of their young and have a sense of family and flock, intruders are always met with aggression. Notoriously intelligent and fiercely independent, sandrunners can be excellent personal steeds for desert travel due to their high top speed and natural acclimation to the climate but are complicated to bond with due to their quirky personalities.

Since the dispersal of the Diamond Maelstrom and in no small part to restoration efforts by conservationists, wild sandrunner populations are on the rise. Those found in captivity have been found to live between 40-45 years. They are commonly the prey of larger animals such as the Carnasur or pack animals such as Sand Wolves when they are separated from their pack. But their fiercest predator is man, celebrated for their vibrant natural plumage, their feathers are adored by aristocratic women willing to pay top dollar. Through aggressive hunting and tracking techniques Sandrunners have been hunted to the brink of extinction. It is considered to be a crime to hunt Sandrunners, but despite this poachers to this day continue to hunt this bird as a trophy piece or to sell the plumage in adjacent countries.

General Threat Level Flock – Highly Dangerous: A Rank

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Shuriken Scorpion (Multiple)

See individual entry in C-Rank section for full description.

When encountered in groups, Shuriken Scorpions become exponentially more dangerous due to the likelihood of multiple stings and the aggressive territorial nature of these creatures.

General Threat Level Multiple – Highly Dangerous: A Rank

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Sunagakurian Crow (Giant)

A subspecies of Sunagakurian Crow can be found can only be found in caves near oases, where they prey upon animals visiting the waterside. These are considerably more active during the night than the common Crow and will eat anything it can overpower. There is a large size disparity between the Common and Giant Crow; the former can vary in length between one and two feet, possessing a proportionate height for such a bird, while the latter is considerably larger and possesses a highly volatile temper and fierce temperament.

The Giant Sunagakurian Crow is a larger species of crow that can be a distinct threat to humans, up to 8 feet in height with a wing span in excess of 21 feet, these crows are capable of lifting a human from the ground. While they prefer to feast on the dead as that is their easiest quarry, they will attack larger animals up to 300 pounds in weight. They kill their prey by lifting them from the ground and then flying to great heights before dropping their prey to earth, allowing the fall to kill their target. They also have sharp talons and a razor beak which can be used offensively and defensively. They are often hunted for trophy pieces or to thin their population. They are a constant threat to traveler, specifically caravans and exhausted explorers.

General Threat Level - Highly Dangerous: A Rank

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S-Rank Threats (Extreme)​

Ridgeback Sphinx

A giant, legendary creature fabled to spend most of their lives slumbering under the sands of the desert, their great rock like backs peer over the dunes, disguised as small ridges. It was an old farmer's tale about how men would become lost wandering the desert. They would spy a landmark over the horizon and then use this landmark to navigate the storms. Upon returning through the storm from their destination, they would again spy the same land mark but upon reaching it they would discover that they are in a completely different area, miles from their intended destination. They claimed that the mountains would walk while they slept.

For the most part the existence of the Ridgeback Sphynx was ensconced in myth and superstition, but approximately 50 years ago a massive canyon was discovered 30 miles from Sunagakure, previously at this very site there was a massive rock formation that records have shown to have been in that exact location for at least 300 years. This prompted not only interest but potential legitimacy of such a creature previously confined to the studies of cryptozoologists. A handful of other specimens were identified of variable size and weight, most un-moving and with vegetation growing on their back. While unresponsive to the presence of researchers, when digging the earth adjacent to these massive rock structures they discovered what resembled a carved feline-like face on one side. Three reported witnessing its eyes opening as if it was blinking or temporarily aroused from a deep slumber.

It was discovered that water arouses these massive beasts, which has led many researchers to speculate that these creatures are in a hybrination-like state due to the limited water-resource in the area and some have even suggested that their existence provides evidence that Wind Country was not always a desert.

While these creatures have demonstrated no aggressive tenancies, their sheer size: in excess of 2 tons in the smallest cases identified, an awakened creature could provide disastrous.

Spoiler: Official Report for the Ridgeback Sphinx

Class: Mammal?
Size Range: On average 20-25 feet high
Weight Range: 15-18 tons (30,000-36,000 lbs); the smallest ever reported was in excess of 2 tons.
Diet: Omnivore?
Life Span: Unknown
Top Speed: 35 mph. ?
Habitat: Desert, but only becomes responsive in the presence of water.
Main Prey: Slow moving mammals and large plants? Possible Venus Flytrap-like qualities.
Predators: Sandworms? Due to their ingestion of sand and earth matter.
Litter/Clutch Size: 1? Assumed due to the relative rarity of these creatures.
Gestation: 2 years? Possibly longer, again due to the rarity of these creatures.

General Threat Level – Extreme: S Rank

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Sunan Carnasaur

A primordial beast of unknown origin, this reptilian creature is likely one of the most ancient beasts in Wind Country. While there are similarly named, smaller creatures in other parts of the world, once believed relations to this creature, that theory as been debunked. Most notable is the relative size of this creature, standing over 500 feet in height, it is one the Wind's greatest mysteries how this creature remains hidden. There have been few reported sightings of this creature, many believed to be sensationalized stories of drunkards, but some of their reports have also had supporting evidence.

Historical Accounts:

Spoiler: Nishimuraya Tobei's Account

The year was 65 of our Leader, my wife and three hands were herding Dune Bugs with linens across the badlands in hopes of reaching Sora before the night's end. It was dark, my wife was with child and I thought hysterical from feminine imbalance when she screamed "Monster!" I was about to tell her to rest in the wagon but earth did quiver beneath my feet. I feared that exhaustion may have gotten to me as our trek was 3 days in the wilderness and sun, but over the horizon I saw what the missus saw: an ancient-class Sandwyrm and a massive bipedal lizard were wrestling in the distance. We were too far to even hear their roar, we could only see a hazy image of the two monsters biting and clawing at each other and feel the ground shiver with the force of their impact miles away. The battle did not last long, we saw the lizard beast bite into the side of the wyrm, we saw it thrash at first and then fall still. The monster did not eat the downed worm, it retreated into the far wilderness. Me and the missus were far too shaken to leave the site where we witnessed this battle, we made camp and the next morning the sky was dark with Giant Crows eating the carcass of the downed worm. We never finished our travel and with haste returned to Sunagakure to share our findings and seek compensation for our troubles.

While this merchant was a known scam artist, often claiming his wares were made of more valuable materials than they in fact were, upon investigation Sunan officials found a large, partially devoured ancient-class Sandworm near the site reported by Nishimuraya Tobei. It is unknown what could have killed an ancient class Sandworm besides another ancient-class Sandworm, but Sandworms are known to devour their kills.

Spoiler: Hosokaya Chiyo's Account

I was tasked with the study of the natural flora in Wind Country by Kazakage Sunahoshi Noh, specifically researching potential uses for the root of a rare plant, the Sessile Summerberry. I had found a small oasis with a variety of plant and animal life as well as this coveted plant when I came upon a great Sandworm devouring its own. It was an odd site as animal cannibalism is often relative to certain species of animals and prior to this I have read no reports of Sandworms eating their own kind. The carnage was interrupted by a large lizard that stood around the height of the worm but did not have nearly the same length. I thought that the worms would devour the lone lizard but sparks came from the maw of the lizard and what appeared to be a bolt of lightning shot out and struck the large worm broad-side. The worms scattered, including the largest one appearing singed by the attack. The lizard made no attempt to pursue the worms and left the way it came.

I found this to be an oddity as we have no historical, ethological or zoological records depicting such a beast and it is my fear that with a new potential predator of this caliber introduced to our ecosystem, disaster may result.

While there were no remains to study, a Sunan official identified a possible footprint in the earth. The footprint was over ten feet long and belonged to no known animal in Wind Country. Her report was the first report to actually provide Sunan officials tangible proof that there was a second apex predator in Wind Country. A cast of the pictured footprint has been made and it has been on display in the Archives for over a century.

Hosokaya Chiyo dedicated the remainder of her life to attempting to find this mystery creature that she named Carnasaur due to the similarity it had with the much smaller Carnasaurs she encountered abroad that possessed a gland in their chest that was capable of producing an electrical charge that could be dispensed at will. She died thirty years later, unable to again cross paths with this creature.

Over the last quarter century, sightings of Carnasaurs [Sunan] have increased dramatically and even a few photographs have been taken of the beast. The Sunan Carnasaur differs from the foreign Carnasaur in size and the only appearance aspect they share is the fact that they share reptilian features. They both possess a gland or an organ capable of producing massive amounts of electricity. The source of their electrical change is unknown but assumed to by physiologically similar to other creatures with similar abilities. The electrical discharge is released through the maw of the Carnasaur and it is capable of melting sand upon impact. Remnants of believed electrical discharges, termed an Arc Release leave behind patches of a metallic mineraloid lechatelierite similar in ways to fulgurite from when actual lightning impacts sand leaving behind hunks of glass. Were petrified lightning or fulgurite is a often used in jewelry-making or as a point of interest in a collection, the resultant mineraloid lechatelierite produced by an Arc Release forces a change at the cellular level. The resultant substance has metallic properties and while glass-like in appearance it can be used to make weapons. This unusual phenomena has given this substance the name: Feathersteel Glass.

Spoiler: Feathersteel Glass

This is a metal-like mineraloid lechatelierite that is produced by the Arc Release of a Carnasaur. Considered exceedingly rare as the Carnasaur itself is very rare, this is a valued substance due to the fact that it can be made into items such as armor and swords by a trained smith. Due to the rarity of this substance, some of the richest families in Wind Country do not even have a weapon made from this, the few Feathersteel Glass weapon artifacts in Wind Country are heirlooms jealously guarded by those family heads.

The desire for this substance is not based entirely on its relative rarity, Feathersteel Glass is extremely light-weight and durable. It is rare to find a smith capable of forging such weapons and armors today because of how durable this weapon is, this too is a family secret passed down within families.

It is assumed that the Carnasaur is a carnivore due to the rows of jagged and sharp teeth that are better at ripping away flesh than grinding roots and plants. In addition, they are believed to be solitary animals as there has never been a reported sighting that involved multiple Carnasaurs in a single place. Their methods of reproduction and their life expectancy are also a mystery. Carnasaurs are known to remain far from settled areas areas such as Soons Haven and Sunagakure and they have only ever been witnessed fighting Sandworms, for this reason it is believed that Sandworms are a natural food-source for Carnasaurs despite never witnessing a Carnasaur actually consume a felled Sandworm.

Note: There is also a historical account of a Sunan native known by many as "The Shield" or "The Demon-Warrior Toraono Reizo" who was killed while attempting to destroy a suspected egglair of Barynx, an ancient Sandworm. The cell was attacked by a large scaled creature that breathed lightning. At the time the term 'Carnasaur' was unknown but modern scholars believe that he was killed by a Carnasaur.

General Threat Level – Extreme: S Rank

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Sunan Sandworm

These gargantuan annelids are simultaneously one of the most potentially destructive forces in Wind Country (besides man) and also one of its greatest treasures. Conventional thought believes Sand Worms to vary in size quite significantly and though this is due somewhat to age, it is also apparent that this is not always the case. It is presumed that Sand Worms are further divided up into subclasses, depending on location and/or elemental affinity and that this is responsible for size variation. Needless to say, no matter the subclass, Sand Worms are vast; between a 'miniscule' three feet tall, by fifteen feet long, to an impressive fifty feet tall and seven times that in length. Few of these larger individuals have been encountered in modern day, though ancient records state these conquerors of the sand were the cause of much destruction and woe to neophyte colonies and civilizations. The largest reported Sandworm in history was Barynx the Ancient, the sandworm was almost 100 meters in length and just under 34 meters in diameter. While the weight can only be estimated, all that remains of the ancient terror is the exoskeleton.

Sandworms are very large creatures that live an unspecified period of time, but it is hypothesized that they live for as long as 5 centuries. While not intelligent by human standards, Sandworms have a sense of self-preservation and will attack if provoked or if their spawn are threatened. Sandworms are not known to attack villages, travelers or livestock outright but the incidental death of a person or community has been attributed to roaming Sandworms in the past. For the most part, Sandworms are unaware of the present of humans and animals are not considered to be a desired food source for the worm. Sandworms are omnivores, largely subsisting upon microorganisms and nutrients gleaned from the rocks below the surface of the dunes, in a similar fashion to earthworms. They are extremophiles, able to exist for long periods of time on very little sustenance considering their mass. No reports of Sandworms can be found outside of Wind Country, for this reason some researchers hypothesize that there is an energy contained within the desert that the worms consume for vitality. While the energy is intangible and entirely unproven, it is believed to be mystical and the source of the Sandworm's enormous strength.

As mentioned previously, besides the size disparity, Sand Worms have also been known to vary in coloration (from earthen brown to bone white, occasionally with a mottled flesh thought to a result of aforementioned parasitic infection) and also in 'facial' features. Records show individual Sand Worms with large, triangular-shaped mouths and others with a more blunted visage. The Sandworm digestive system consists of 3 parts: Their maw is filled with several circular rows of grinding 'teeth' to wear away the earth, stone and anything of substantial form until it becomes a fine dust. Once the ground-up earth is taken into the worm, their stomach digests the sand and whatever residual nutrients they derive. Their digestive system is unlike that of most biological organisms, they do not use caustic substances such as hydrochloric acid to break down minerals but rather they use a powerful internal sources of heat that crystallizes the earth. The food-source is likely turned into a gaseous form in response to the heat that is then absorbed by the worm. Finally, the remaining crystals are excreted in the wake of the worm. These crystals are known as Carmot, a very valuable natural Sunan resource.

Spoiler: Carmot - Full Description

Carmot is a naturally occurring element found in the deep caverns of Wind Country's massive underground networks. Theoretically generated as a by-product of the legendary Wind Country sandworm's digestive process, Carmot is almost pure energy in crystallized form and is highly sought after for a large variety of usages though a high-yield fuel source is its most common application.

Creation:
The sustaining theory regarding Carmot's creation is that it is a natural by-product of a sandworm's digestive tract. While information regarding the biology of a sandworm's body is extremely limited at best, biologists have witnessed sandworms unleashing gooey torrents of excrement in some of their uncommon sightings at the surface of the desert. This slurry of excrement has been discerned as a mixture of earth elements from broken down stone and sand, natural elements likely from unfortunate creatures caught in the sandworm's path and-- strangely enough --a pure form of non-elemental chakra. In lab observation samples of the energy-charged substance harden quickly when exposed to the oxygen in the air, forming crystals at a rapid pace which resemble the natural deposits of Carmot found in the wilderness.

Qualities and Application:
One of the first things discovered about Carmot deposits is that they are extremely unstable-- including ones created under lab conditions. The chakra in the crystals has a unique facet to it in that it can take on different traits depending on its surrounding environments. Carmont crystals introduced to heat sources become infused with fire chakra and become capable of violent explosions if not handled with care. Very little is actually understood about this process or why it occurs but is the reason that Carmot is so sought after as a resource. Fire Carmot and Lightning Carmot are extremely potent as fuel sources and even as weapons if used correctly making them a unique cornerstone of Wind Country's economy. Large factories of chakra-sensitive men and women who weren't born with enough talent to become shinobi but are chakra-sensitive enough to be able to protect their energy in some fashion exist in larger cities such as Soon's Haven where they work lines of powdered Carmot to infuse it with certain types of chakra.

Finding/Farming Carmot:
Carmot, being the excrement of Sandworms, has made farming the resource almost impossible. Most commonly it is simply "found" making treasure-hunting a common vocation for the adventurous. Sandworms are known to frequent areas far from civilization and known paths and mating grounds are dangerous to enter and knowledge of their location is limited. A common search technique utilized by successful Carmot surveyors is to follow the Sand Tribbles found in the desert. These tiny animals are drawn to water but they are also drawn to Carmot and will search it out as it is believed to be a food source for these tiny critters. It is said that if a Carmot hunter follows a Tribble long enough he will likely come upon a boulder of Carmot within a few days time.

The Various Elementally-Infused Carmot Types:
- Lightning-Infused Carmot
- Fire-Infused Carmot
- Water-Infused Carmot
- Non-Elemental Carmot
- Earth-Infused Carmot
- Wind-Infused Carmot

They are also a veritable ecosystem in and of themselves; their vast bulk is home to many smaller parasites and microbial colonies. It is somewhat ironic that much of the dry bulk of life within Wind Country is concentrated upon these singular beasts.

Sandworms when assaulted tend to attack their assailants even if they pose no mortal threat to the Sandworm. While it is a source of scholarly contention regarding the ability to feel pain, most researchers claim that sandworms are capable of feeling pain despite their armored exterior. Sandworms have large segmented plates that cover their body. These plates vary in size and do not fully encircle the worm. Rather, each plate is a leaf-shaped plate. Each plate attaches to its neighbor in a lateral fashion until it entirely encircles the worm. Each ring of leaf-shaped natural armor is considered to be a "segment." The size and thickness of these plates varies in accordance to the size and age of the worm.

Life Cycle:

In addition to an incredibly long lifespan, they produce offspring hermaphroditically every few decades and they thought to be highly defensive of until said larvae are strong enough to survive on their own; an unusual facet of such an annelid. Baby Sandworms are approximately 3 meters in length and 0.5 meters in diameter and weight approximately 400 kg. They are hatched from eggs. The actual gestation of a baby Sandworm is unknown but considering the relative rarity of this apex predator it is assumed to be 1-2 years. While not considered to be especially dangerous at this age despite their size their mother is often close by.

Growth is rapid for baby Sandworms, they almost double in size every year for the next 3 years. At a length of 24 meters a diameter of 4.8 meters and a weight of 3840 kg the worm is considered to be a young Sandworm and usually separates from its mother at this age. As baby Sandworms are usually hatched in small groups 1-4, these now young Sandworms often travel in a group for the next several years. While young Sandworms are often neutral, they are sometimes drawn to human activity and may attack travelers unprovoked. Young Sandworms are protective of their peers and will come to the aid of their fellow worm if they are attacked or if their Sandworm kin attacks and fails to successfully devour a group of travelers.

Growth is stagnated but continued during this youth period, it is estimated that the Sandworm increases by approximately 10% each year for the next decade. After an additional 10 years, the Sandworm often separate from their burrow (the collective term for Sandworms in a group much like a flock of geese or a murder of crows). At a staggering 62 meters in length, 15.5 meters in diameter and approximately 12,450 kg these solitary beasts roam the desert and are often called adolescent worms. Adolescent worms are rarely seen because they move to the most remote regions of Wind Country. It is assumed that it is where they start laying their own eggs.

Little is known about the reproductive organs of a Sandworm. While several excursions have been attempted in hopes of understanding this phenomena, the earthquakes from the worms movements have proven fatal to all those in close enough proximity and in cases where a Sandworm was a combatant of a group of shinobi, the reproductive system and cycle of the worm was considered to be a low-priority according to the surviving cell members.

At the end of this adolescent period there is the adult and ancient period. Little is known about these periods. Sand worms continue to grow indefinitely but their growth is limited to their food source. The diameter to length ratio varies with age as well. Infant sandworms have a 1:6 Width to length ratio, where young have a 1:5, adolescent 1:4 and ancient worms a 1:3. Adult worms usually remain between 1:4 and 1:3.

Potentially providing an entire lifetime's worth of meat, Sandworms have few known predators beyond parasites and the Carnasaur. This is largely due to their sheer bulk and tough skin, though even the smaller species are quite tenacious survivors. They burrow deep beneath even Sunagakure some believe. Some have even suggested that the entirety of Wind Country rests upon a multitude of Sand Worm burrows, though this is pure conjecture.

Spoiler: Barynx the Devourer

Sandworms, commonly misspelled "Sandwyrms" are very large creatures that live for an unspecified period of time, but it was hypothesized that they live for as long as 5 centuries. Barynx was believed to be in excess of 4 centuries when her egglair was decimated. While not believed to be intelligent by human standards, Sandworms are known to have a sense of self-preservation and will attack if provoked. Prior to Barnyx, Sandworms are not known to attack villages, travelers or livestock but the incidental death of a person or community had been attributed to Sandworms in the past. Barynx is one of the few exceptions but scholars argue that it was because Sunagakure encroached on her nesting grounds and that she was only attempting to protect her brood which makes her a tragic figure in the eyes of some. For the most part, Sandworms are unaware of the presence of humans; humans and animals are not considered to be a food source for the worms as Sandworms consume the earth and sand, it is assumed that they consume the microorganisms that exist within the sands. It has become a modern debate among scholars regarding the microorganism theory, some feel that if that was the case then sandworms would exist in regions external to Wind Country but there has been no reports of Sandworms outside of Wind Country. Some researchers argue that there is an energy contained within the desert that the worms consume. While the energy is intangible, it is believed to be mystical and the source of the Sandworm's strength.

Some further debate that is why Barynx the Devourer attacked her own kind, that she would take with their death their strength and the properties of the desert that they had consumed to increase her own vitality for her final battle. Historians familiar with Ancient lore draw a number of parallels between the sin of consumption and its effect on the Lord of the Wild Hunt and his decent into madness and the unfortunate fate of the great annelid. Barnyx was encased in the diamond sands manipulated by one of the last Sunahoshi leaders and the Sandworm was ultimately destroyed.

General Threat Level – Extreme: S Rank

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If you have any questions please contact your Council Representatives​

 

[Sand Council]

*Best if viewed in the Dark Theme setting*

Wind Country Flora​

The harsh landscape of Wind Country supports a surprisingly diverse array of botanical life, each species uniquely adapted to survive in one of the world's most unforgiving environments. From the sun-scorched surface dunes to the lightless depths of the worm-carved caverns, plant life in Wind Country demonstrates remarkable resilience and ingenuity. The following pages catalog both common and rare specimens, detailing their properties, uses, and the dangers they may pose to the unwary traveler.

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Surface Flora​

Ivory Pareidolia

Tree

The rarest and most prized botanical specimen in Wind Country, the Ivory Pareidolia has inspired the saying among nomadic farmers that "the land is most fertile wherever a pareidolia prospers." This exceptional tree requires incredibly rich soil, consistently warm climate, and devoted cultivation to thrive—conditions nearly impossible to achieve in Wind Country's harsh environment.

Healthy specimens stand approximately thirty feet tall with stark white bark and brilliant pink leaves that deepen to crimson in autumn. The trees always grow in isolation; no case exists of multiple Pareidolia flourishing in proximity. No recorded Ivory Pareidolia has died of natural causes that could not have been prevented through better husbandry, suggesting these trees may be effectively immortal under ideal care.

Given their presumed immortality and extreme rarity, only approximately twelve specimens have been discovered and catalogued by the Oracle Order. Additional trees may exist, but their guardians have declined to reveal their locations.

Faced Bark: As the tree ages and the trunk expands, fine ridges in the smooth white bark overlap like wrinkles, creating patterns that form distinct human faces. The older the tree, the more faces emerge, and anecdotal evidence suggests each face resembles a caretaker who devoted their life to the tree's care.

Resilient Wood: Pareidolia maintained through specialized ninjutsu develop exceptionally strong and durable wood. Healthy trees never shed branches naturally, and pruned clippings are crafted into fine musical instruments highly valued by artisans.

Legendary Fruit: Despite meticulous care, Ivory Pareidolia rarely produce fruit—sometimes allowing entire generations of caretakers to pass without bearing a single specimen. The trees resist attempts to force fruiting through wood-release ninjutsu. When fruit does emerge, it resembles a lustrous white peach and occasions celebration among the caretakers.

Folklore claims the fruit possesses magical properties and can grant special abilities to those who consume it. These are merely superstitious tales and should be dismissed. Nevertheless, unscrupulous merchants sometimes attempt to sell purported Pareidolia fruit for exorbitant prices. Such fraud should be reported to appropriate authorities immediately.

Note: The Oracle Order suspects a correlation between caretaker deaths and fruit production, though this remains unconfirmed and is likely coincidental.

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Kali Melon

Vine

A slow-growing, leafless vine that sprawls across Wind Country's arid terrain, the Kali Melon thrives precisely because moisture-rich environments allow more aggressive flora to overwhelm it. The plant produces fist-sized melons encased in thick, fibrous shells that typically require a blade to penetrate.

The melon's flesh is prized for its sweet-savory flavor and abundant juice, which is consumed fresh or fermented into a popular wine. Folk tradition ascribes healing properties to the fruit, claiming it reduces the duration and severity of common illnesses. While medical shinobi have yet to confirm these allegations, homeopathic practitioners throughout Wind Country incorporate Kali Melon into remedies for minor colds and fevers.

Culinary Applications: Both the flesh and seeds are edible. The seeds are ground into flour that produces bread and baked goods with a distinctive honey-like sweetness. This grain serves as a staple food source for numerous small desert animals, making the Kali Melon a keystone species in the region's ecosystem.

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Knocksroot

Herb

This elusive surface plant grows flush with the desert floor, presenting as a dinner-plate-sized, pale green rosette frequently compared to a flattened cabbage. The ever-shifting sands typically conceal Knocksroot, and locating specimens requires both luck and persistence.

The plant's "cabbage-flower" is technically edible but possesses a bitter flavor that makes it unpalatable to most, though its low caloric content has led some to consume it for dietary purposes. The true value lies in the bulbous root, which branches extensively beneath the surface. When dried and granulated, this root produces a savory spice that has become indispensable in Wind Country cuisine, complementing meats and enriching soups with its rich yet balanced flavor.

The increasing demand for Knocksroot has led to overharvesting concerns, and some settlements have begun cultivation attempts with limited success.

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Pink Thimble-Berry

Shrub

This hardy, ground-hugging shrub grows in twisted masses seldom exceeding two feet in height. Small thorns hide among the berries, though these pose no greater threat than mild irritation. The Thimble-Berry is one of Wind Country's most economically valuable plants, cultivated extensively in the agricultural regions surrounding Sora and Soon's Haven.

The plant thrives in a variety of climates and soil conditions, making it ideal for both large-scale farming and home cultivation. In the wild, the bushes are typically stripped clean by rodents and other small fauna, but domesticated specimens yield abundant harvests when properly maintained.

Uses: The leaves, while nutritionally negligible, can be dried and ground into a savory spice popular in Wind Country cuisine. The berries are exceptionally flavorful and versatile—consumed fresh, preserved as jams, or dehydrated into sweet snacks. The fragrant berry essence is distilled into an affordable perfume favored by young women throughout the region. Dried branches serve as excellent kindling and possess sufficient flexibility for basket-weaving.

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Rabbit Ear Cactus

Cacti

Named for its distinctive branching pattern that produces paired "ears," this towering cactus can reach heights of thirty feet under optimal conditions. The plant is covered in fine, pale yellow needles that cause intense itching upon contact. Unlike many desert cacti, the Rabbit Ear stores significant quantities of water but proves frustratingly difficult to harvest due to its thin profile and irritating spines.

The cactus reproduces exclusively during rainy seasons through a peculiar method: broken "ears" that fall during storms take root in water-saturated soil. Transplantation attempts invariably result in the parent plant's death, as disturbing the root system proves fatal to these sensitive giants.

While the plant itself offers little practical value, its extensive root system serves an invaluable purpose for desperate travelers. The roots burrow deep into the earth, invariably leading to underground water sources. Those with time and patience can carefully excavate along these roots to locate hidden aquifers—though one must accept that the excavation will doom the cactus itself.

Caution: The meat is inedible, and attempting to tap the plant for fluids yields minimal results for considerable effort.

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Rose Cactus

Cacti

A diminutive desert succulent rarely exceeding two feet in height, the Rose Cactus is immediately recognizable by its extraordinarily long needles—some specimens boasting spines up to six inches in length. These needles contain a naturally occurring enzyme that causes severe localized pain and temporary paralysis of affected muscle groups when the skin is pierced. Despite this defensive mechanism, the Rose Cactus is highly prized for its spectacular blooms.

Following the infrequent desert rains, the cactus produces large buds that unfurl into stunning roses ranging from delicate coral to deep crimson. These flowers have become a traditional courting gift among Wind Country's inhabitants, though obtaining them requires both courage and skill. The blooms persist for approximately one week after cutting, and many preserve them through pressing techniques for permanent keepsakes.

The plant itself is exceedingly rare, and individuals typically perish within weeks of flowering. This ephemeral nature, combined with the danger of harvest, makes Rose Cactus blooms one of Wind Country's most valued romantic gestures.

Medicinal Properties: The needle enzyme, when carefully extracted and administered in controlled doses alongside analgesics, functions as an effective muscle relaxant. The root and flesh offer no known utility, though the latter is technically edible in desperate circumstances despite its intensely bitter flavor.

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Wax Fruit

Shrub

This versatile evergreen shrub reaches heights between 6 and 13 feet under favorable conditions. The plant bears small, leathery leaves up to 12 centimeters in length and produces yellow spherical berries approximately 1.5 centimeters in diameter, growing in compact clusters. Each berry contains one to four greenish seeds when fully mature.

The Wax Fruit's most remarkable property is its natural coagulant capability. Components from any part of the plant—bark, twigs, leaves, or fruits—can be added to turbid water, causing clay and particulates to compact and settle. This allows travelers to obtain potable water from otherwise questionable sources, making the Wax Fruit invaluable to desert nomads.

Culinary Uses: Fresh fruits contain sweet pulp that dries into a sugary solid difficult to separate from the seed. Most prefer to cook the fruit before consumption. The juice can be boiled into a butter-like substance mixed with millet and milk to create traditional cakes. In Soon's Haven, the fruit is fermented to produce a distinctive beer.

The seeds, while toxic in their natural state, can be rendered safe through an extensive debittering process involving drying, soaking, and boiling. The resulting product possesses a texture similar to chickpeas and is used in cereals, stews, and soups, or ground into a bland but protein-rich flour.

Additional Applications: The leaves demonstrate proven biocidal properties and are placed in grain storage to protect against pathogens. They also possess anti-parasitic, fungicidal, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties, though their unpleasant taste limits direct consumption. Young roots can be ground and boiled into a thick, sweet porridge. Dried wood serves as adequate fuel, and mature specimens occasionally provide timber for construction purposes.

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Cavern Flora​

Midnight Bloom

Flower

This small, exquisite blossom thrives in the deeper worm-carved caverns where sunlight never penetrates. The flower presents as a mass of deep violet petals arranged in an intricate spiral pattern. Despite—or perhaps because of—its toxic nature, the Midnight Bloom is a popular decorative plant in Sunagakure households, prized for its beauty and pleasant fragrance.

The entire plant contains varying concentrations of toxins, with seeds bearing the highest levels. Consumption causes severe gastrointestinal distress including nausea, violent vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, and intense cramping. While not lethal, the symptoms prove highly incapacitating and may persist from one hour to three days depending on the amount ingested relative to body weight.

A single bloom contains sufficient toxin to cause approximately one hour of severe symptoms in an average adult. The flowers emit a sweet, alluring scent, though this fragrance cannot be safely extracted for perfume production due to the plant's pervasive toxicity.

Safety Note: The Midnight Bloom is safe to display and enjoy visually. Handlers should wash their hands thoroughly after contact and ensure the plant remains inaccessible to children and pets.

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Strangle Vine

Vine

An invasive and dangerous plant that proliferates in underground brush areas. The Strangle Vine presents as a twisted knot of black stems bearing deep red leaves and numerous sharp thorns. The plant produces no flowers but spreads aggressively, choking out beneficial flora and rendering areas essentially barren of other plant life.

The thorns contain a paralytic compound that causes temporary paralysis in the affected extremity lasting up to twenty-four hours. While the paralysis is not permanent, it can prove extremely dangerous in combat situations or when traversing hazardous terrain.

Some cruel individuals have weaponized Strangle Vine thorns as pranks or traps, though such behavior is officially discouraged and may constitute assault depending on the circumstances. The plant is typically burned on sight to prevent spread, though complete eradication has proven impossible in many areas.

Caution: Wear heavy gloves and protective clothing when dealing with Strangle Vine. The paralytic effect activates through even minor skin punctures.

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Succulent Gerbera

Aquatic Flower

An aquatic flowering plant found exclusively in Wind Country's rare oases, both surface and subterranean. The Succulent Gerbera blooms underwater, producing flowers in vibrant hues ranging from brilliant orange to deep purple. The flowers are exceptionally rare even within the already-scarce oases they inhabit.

In Wind Country courtship tradition, presenting a Succulent Gerbera blossom has become the ultimate romantic gesture, often accompanying marriage proposals. Many suitors undertake dangerous journeys across the desert in search of these flowers, braving sandstorms, predators, and dehydration to prove their devotion. The "lover's quest" for a Succulent Gerbera has inspired countless songs, poems, and tragic tales throughout Wind Country's history.

The flower's association with true love and ultimate commitment has made it a cultural touchstone, though practical ethicists note that the tradition encourages dangerous behavior for what is ultimately a symbolic gesture.

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Willow Paw

Shrub

Found in both surface and subterranean environments, this small bush rarely exceeds the size of a human head. The Willow Paw is notable for its complete absence of traditional leaves; instead, it produces small clusters of exceptionally soft, silky fuzz in varying shades from cream to pale gold.

This fuzz can be harvested and spun into thread for textile production. However, the plant's small size means that enormous quantities of Willow Paw are required to produce even modest amounts of cloth. Garments crafted from Willow Paw fiber are therefore extraordinarily expensive and typically worn only by nobility and wealthy merchants as status symbols.

The plant thrives in arid conditions and is almost never found near water sources, preferring the dry cavern expanses and desert regions where competing flora is minimal.

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Hybrid Flora (Surface & Cavern)​

Sugar Reeds

Grass

A remarkable plant that adapts dramatically to its environment. On the surface, Sugar Reeds grow as tall, narrow tubes reaching heights of ten feet in direct sunlight. However, the Diamond Maelstrom has rendered surface specimens exceedingly rare. In underground oases along rocky shores, the same species appears as small, hard bulbs—light deprivation having stunted their growth significantly.

Despite this morphological difference, both forms serve identical purposes. The inner pulp of Sugar Reeds is processed to create one of Wind Country's most important sweeteners, used in everything from beverages to baked goods to medicinal preparations.

Surface-grown reeds develop thick, woody stalks that can be harvested for construction purposes. These stalks have been used to build small structures, furniture, and decorative items. Underground specimens, being far smaller, lack this secondary utility.

Economic Impact: Sugar Reed cultivation and processing employs hundreds of workers throughout Wind Country and represents a significant component of the region's economy.

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Zen Moss

Moss

Despite its peaceful name, Zen Moss is anything but calming. This moss grows near bodies of water in both surface and cavern environments, forming thick mats of gray-green growth. The moss contains irritating compounds that cause severe dermatological reactions upon contact.

Exposure results in intense redness and itching that persists for several days. Severe cases require medical intervention and sedation to prevent victims from injuring themselves through violent scratching. The itch is reportedly so intense that some victims have drawn blood or caused permanent scarring in attempts to relieve it.

Zen Moss is commonly employed in juvenile pranks, with young people brushing the moss onto unsuspecting victims' belongings or clothing. While generally considered harmless mischief, such pranks can have serious consequences and should be discouraged.

Warning: No known practical applications exist for Zen Moss. Avoid contact entirely. If exposure occurs, seek medical attention immediately rather than attempting to treat the reaction yourself.

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Newly Catalogued Flora​

Crimson Shelf Fungus

Fungus

A bioluminescent fungus that grows on cavern walls in the deepest reaches of Sunagakure's underground territory. The fungus forms shelf-like structures up to two feet in diameter and emits a soft crimson glow bright enough to read by at close range.

Crimson Shelf Fungus serves multiple purposes in underground settlements. The fungus provides natural lighting in areas where other light sources prove impractical or expensive. More remarkably, the fungus demonstrates powerful antibacterial properties when ground into powder and applied to wounds—reducing infection rates significantly compared to untreated injuries.

Recent research by the Chikamatsu Clan has explored synthesizing the fungus's antibacterial compounds for broader medical applications. Early results show promise, though production remains limited due to the fungus's slow growth rate and specific environmental requirements.

Cultivation Note: Attempts to farm Crimson Shelf Fungus have achieved mixed results. The fungus requires specific moisture levels, temperature ranges, and complete darkness to thrive.

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Diamondsand Grass

Grass

A hardy grass species that has adapted to thrive in areas touched by the Diamond Maelstrom. The grass incorporates microscopic crystalline structures into its blades, giving them a distinctive glittering appearance in sunlight and remarkable durability. The crystallization makes the grass inedible to most herbivores but allows it to survive in areas where the diamond sands have rendered soil toxic to most plant life.

Diamondsand Grass serves as one of the first pioneer species to reclaim areas devastated by the maelstrom. Where this grass takes root, other plants may eventually follow as the grass's extensive root system gradually breaks down and neutralizes the crystalline contamination in the soil.

The grass itself has limited practical applications due to its hardness—attempts to use it for weaving or thatching have failed as the blades cut like glass when woven tightly. However, the grass can be dried and burned as fuel, producing an unusually hot, clean flame favored by some smiths for detail work.

Environmental Impact: The Oracle Order has suggested deliberately planting Diamondsand Grass in former maelstrom zones to accelerate ecosystem recovery. Initial trials show promise.

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Ghost Lotus

Flower

An ethereal white flower that blooms exclusively during new moons in the deepest cavern pools. The Ghost Lotus floats on water's surface, its translucent petals seeming to glow with internal light though producing no actual luminescence. The flower blooms for only a single night before dissolving completely into the water by dawn.

Ancient Wind Country tradition holds that Ghost Lotus tea, brewed from flowers harvested during their single night of bloom, grants the drinker prophetic dreams. While no scientific evidence supports this claim, the tea does possess mild sedative properties that promote deep, restful sleep.

The extreme rarity of Ghost Lotus—requiring perfect timing, knowledge of bloom locations, and willingness to venture into dangerous caverns—has made it one of Wind Country's most expensive botanical commodities. A single dried flower can sell for a month's wages or more.

Medicinal Properties: Beyond its sedative effects, Ghost Lotus tea has been observed to reduce anxiety and provide relief from insomnia. Some medical practitioners prescribe it for patients suffering from trauma-induced nightmares, reporting reduced frequency and intensity of such dreams.

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Memoryspore Mushroom

Fungus

A peculiar fungus found growing on the decomposed remains of Cave Crawlers and other large insects in deep caverns. The mushroom is small—rarely exceeding three inches in height—and displays a distinctive blue-gray cap with white spots. When disturbed, the mushroom releases a cloud of spores that cause temporary confusion and short-term memory disruption in those who inhale them.

Victims report experiencing vivid false memories or being unable to recall events from the previous several hours. The effects typically last four to six hours before full clarity returns. While disturbing, the spores cause no permanent damage and leave no lasting effects.

Some enterprising criminals have weaponized Memoryspore extracts to facilitate theft or create alibis, leading to increased regulation and monitoring of areas where the mushrooms grow. Possession of processed Memoryspore powder is illegal in Sunagakure and most other Wind Country settlements.

Medical Research: The Chikamatsu Clan has investigated whether controlled doses of Memoryspore extract could help treat victims of severe trauma by temporarily suppressing traumatic memories. Results remain inconclusive, and ethical concerns have limited experimentation.

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Mirage Flower

Flower

A surface-dwelling plant that has developed one of the desert's most unusual survival mechanisms. The Mirage Flower produces no visible blooms for the majority of its lifecycle, appearing as nothing more than a small cluster of grayish-green leaves flush with the sand. However, when temperatures exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant releases a heat-shimmer compound that creates vivid visual distortions in the air above it.

To desperate, overheated travelers, these distortions can appear as pools of water, groves of shade trees, or even structures. The mirages serve to attract birds and other animals that, when they discover the deception, often defecate near the plant—providing it with valuable nutrients in the nutrient-poor desert soil.

Contrary to popular belief, the Mirage Flower is not deliberately malicious or carnivorous. It simply exploits the perceptual vulnerabilities of dehydrated observers. The mirages disappear entirely when temperatures drop below the threshold or when approached closely enough for the observer's body to disrupt the heat differential.

Survival Tip: Experienced travelers learn to recognize Mirage Flowers' distinctive leaf pattern and give them wide berth, understanding that their presence indicates no actual water source nearby.

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Quicksilver Reed

Grass

A highly unusual plant that grows along underground streams in the deeper caverns. The Quicksilver Reed is named for its metallic silver coloration and its peculiar property of seeming to flow and shift like liquid when wind passes through it. The effect is purely visual—the reeds are solid plant matter—but the illusion is so convincing that many first-time observers insist they are witnessing some form of water-based ninjutsu.

The reeds grow in dense clusters and reach heights of four to five feet. They are inedible but produce exceptionally long, strong fibers that can be harvested and woven into remarkably durable rope and cloth. Fabric made from Quicksilver Reed retains the metallic sheen of the living plant and has become fashionable among Sunagakure's elite.

The plant's root system has an unusual property—it actively filters toxins and impurities from water as the water flows past. Streams containing healthy Quicksilver Reed populations are demonstrably cleaner than those without, making the plant valuable for environmental restoration projects.

Economic Note: Quicksilver Reed cloth commands premium prices in Soon's Haven and Sora markets. Several merchant families have attempted to establish cultivation facilities but with limited success—the plant's specific water quality requirements proving difficult to replicate.

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Sandwhisper Grass

Grass

A peculiar species of grass that grows exclusively in areas where Sandworms have recently passed. The grass appears within days of a worm's passage and reaches full maturity within a week, growing to heights of two to three feet. The blades possess a distinctive silver-blue coloration and produce a soft whistling sound when wind passes through them—hence the name.

Sandwhisper Grass has an extremely short lifecycle, typically dying within two weeks of reaching maturity. However, before death, each blade releases thousands of seeds that remain dormant in the sand until the next Sandworm passage. Scientists theorize the worms' digestive process releases nutrients or compounds that trigger seed germination.

The grass itself is inedible to humans but serves as a valuable food source for Dune Rabbits and other small herbivores. More importantly, the grass's appearance serves as a warning to travelers that Sandworms have recently been active in the area.

Indicator Species: Experienced desert guides use Sandwhisper Grass as evidence of Sandworm migration patterns, allowing safer route planning.

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Sundeath Bloom

Flower

One of Wind Country's most dangerous plants, the Sundeath Bloom grows exclusively in areas of extreme heat where few other plants can survive. The flower itself is startlingly beautiful—large golden petals arranged in a perfect spiral around a dark center. However, the plant is photosensitive and releases a cloud of toxic pollen when exposed to direct sunlight.

This pollen causes severe respiratory distress, violent coughing, and temporary blindness if it contacts the eyes. Prolonged exposure can prove fatal, though death is rare as victims typically flee the area once symptoms begin. The pollen cloud disperses within minutes, making the danger acute but temporary.

The plant's defensive mechanism serves to protect it during its most vulnerable period—mid-day when the sun is strongest and evaporation rates highest. By driving away potential threats during peak heat, the Sundeath Bloom conserves its limited water resources.

Warning: The Sundeath Bloom is most common in the territories where the maelstrom has recently lifted. Travelers should wear protective face coverings when traversing formerly storm-locked regions.

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Thornback Melon

Vine

A defensive variant of the common Kali Melon, the Thornback Melon evolved in regions with higher predator populations. The vine produces the same nutritious, sweet melons as its cousin, but the fruits are covered in sharp, rigid thorns up to three inches in length rather than the Kali Melon's fibrous shell.

These thorns contain no toxins but are extraordinarily sharp and brittle—designed to break off in the mouths or paws of animals attempting to consume the fruit. The thorns cause painful injuries that discourage repeated attempts at theft. Humans can harvest Thornback Melons using thick gloves and careful technique, but the added difficulty has prevented widespread cultivation.

Interestingly, the thorns only develop as the fruit matures. Immature melons lack defensive spines entirely, suggesting the plant "invests" in defense only once the seeds within have developed sufficiently to justify protection.

Harvesting Technique: Experienced gatherers use wire cutters to remove thorns systematically before attempting to extract the melon from the vine. This process is time-consuming but necessary to avoid injury.

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Veilstalker Vine

Vine

A carnivorous vine that grows in the mid-level caverns where small mammals and insects are plentiful. The Veilstalker Vine produces a sweet-smelling sap that attracts insects and small rodents. When prey touches the vine, specialized cells burst and release an adhesive compound that immobilizes the victim. Digestive enzymes then slowly break down the prey over several days.

The vine grows in thick curtains hanging from cavern ceilings, creating natural barriers that can prove hazardous to unwary travelers. However, the vine's adhesive only affects creatures weighing less than five pounds, making it harmless to humans except as an annoyance—the sap is sticky and difficult to remove but not dangerous.

Interestingly, the Veilstalker Vine has developed a symbiotic relationship with certain bat species. These bats nest among the vines and consume insects attracted to the sap, while their guano provides the vine with nutrients. The bats appear immune to the adhesive, though researchers have not yet determined the mechanism.

Practical Use: The adhesive compound, once properly processed and stabilized, creates an effective glue for woodworking and other crafts.

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If you have any questions please contact your Council Representatives​

 

[Sand Council]

The Ancient Courts and the Old World

In the beginning of recorded history, there existed beings comprised of prime elemental power and energy. Created by the hand of a now nameless but extremely powerful being, the Ancients were given the task of over-seeing and managing the natural world. Each of them possessed powerful dominion over their element and over the course of thousands of years gathered both denizens of the natural and spiritual worlds to them to form large feudal system-like courts. The most powerful of them were the Solar, Flame and Earth Courts as those were the elements in the Wind Country which were most present. The Solar Court was the greatest of them and led by the Ancient of Sun and Sky, Fuujin and given the role of ruler of the skies and the keeper of the surface world. Hailing from below all things within the streams of magma and fire existed the Flame Court and their ravenous leader Homura whom was the Ancient of Iron and Flame. Homura was the flame in which the other Ancients were to be tempered, created to constantly test and prune the others to ensure that no one court ever grew too powerful as to lord over all others. Suna, the Ancient of Desert and Earth, was queen of the Earth Court and given the task of governing the desert and it's all of it's flora and fauna. There also existed lesser courts as well and while the various courts never bent knee to any one leader nor were bound to any court in servitude, none could contest the size and affluence of the Prime Courts.

It was not until the First Coming of mankind that the Ancients found another being that was truly native to their world but also possessed the power of spirit and thought as they did. At the time, the Wind Country was home to many creatures both mundane and supernatural but none took the world into their hand as Man did. Carving out settlements and places for themselves in the world, the Ancients quickly became aware of Man... and almost as quickly shoved them beneath their heel. Feeling in their hearts the manifest destiny to rule the domains they had been given, the Ancients lorded over humanity for centuries before He was born. Born from a tribe in the south of Wind Country, His true name has since been lost to history. Known to Sunan historians as the One King or Primus, this king was the first of humans to throw off the shackles of slavery and give death unto an Ancient. It took little from there for Primus to begin liberating humans from the grip of lesser courts and slaughtering any Ancients which dared to oppose their ascent to sovereignty. Those that joined Primus shared in his spoils and bathed in his power becoming paragons of their kind which would eventually come to be called the First Men, even though they were generations beyond the literal definition of such a title.

Mankind had earned the ire of the Ancients, Homura and Fuujin cursed those defiant to them to become beasts of burden. Homura turned the contumacious rebels into stone men. It was said that some went mad after this transformation: violent, angry, their intellect stunted. Some even claimed that they devolved into primates. Despite this, those who could hone their mind found this curse to be a powerful asset as their strength and durability was enhanced. Fuujin turned man into wolves in a demonstration of his power. These accursed men only served to swell the ranks of discontented humanity. Primus did not turn away any who were wronged by the ancients, he welcomed them into his fold and gathered his forces.

Eventually the Great Rebellion would catch the eye of Fuujin and Homura, two of the great Ancient Lords, and against humanity they brought their strongest and fiercest soldiers. But Primus and his First Men would not be denied. As if they were protected by the unseen hand of a god, Primus hewed through champion after champion of the Ancient Courts and through his martial might ascended to near deific status among the humans. As their faith in him grew, so too did his power and through him grew the rebellion. Soon humans all over the Wind Country were rising up on their own and forcing the hand of the Ancient Lords to kill them for their defiance. Finally growing to the end of his patience with this upstart race, Fuujin summoned to him all the might of the remaining Ancient Courts. Demanding something that had never before been demanded, he sent emissaries to each of the remaining courts demanding that their Lord and their armies join him to crush the Rebellion once and for all. Most responded, some did not. Most notably, the Earth Court fought but their Ancient-- the Desert Queen Suna --was mysteriously absent from the battle. The last battle of the Rebellion was a blood bath the likes of which the Wind Country is never likely to see again. The blood of both Ancient and Man spilled and mingled in the sands that day, thousands of lives were lost and most of the Ancient Courts were wiped from existence by the blades of the First Men and their One King. Perhaps the massacre would have continued if not for Primus issuing a challenge to the greatest Ancients on the field; Fuujin and Homura. He boasted that their power combined could not defeat him with the strength of human faith behind him and as they chaffed against his arrogance Fuujin and Homura agreed to the slanted duel. Both armies ceased their battle temporarily as the titanic clashes of power between Primus and the two Great Ancients shook the desert itself. The legends do not say for sure how long they battled, all that is said of the outcome is that while Fuujin and Homura were victorious over Primus he had battled them so viciously and wounded them so greatly that forever a scar of fear towards humanity was carved into their hearts. With the duel done and their power spent, Fuujin and Homura retreated from the battle leaving their armies to fair against the furious First Men. The resulting resumed battle was nothing more than butchery.

With the Ancient Courts scattered and defeated by the might of Primus and the First Men, humanity turned at last to what they would do with themselves now that they were free. The desert was harsh to them still and they now lacked supernatural power without Primus to tame it. But curiously, to the leaders of the First Men came the missing Desert Queen. She spoke of her duty and role, to steward the desert's denizens and reflected that with the defeat of the Ancient Courts, the desert would require a new breed of caretakers. In the aftermath of Sunagakure's formation it is said a true goddess native to the desert came to the people to aid them. She came to be known as Mother Suna. She brought not war to the First Men, but blessings. She blessed the Sunahoshi with control of the desert sands and blessed the First Men with ingenuity. From this moment in time, the First Men and the Kazekage converted from nomadic living to stationary. With some aid from Mother Suna, Sunagakure was built. To that end, she offered the mantle of power that she possessed to the Sunahoshi-- the greatest of the First Men-- but not simply to their leader. She instilled her power within their very blood, their spiritual identity as a clan and family, and then disappeared into history to whereabouts unknown.

Playing an Ancient

• Full-blooded Ancients are considered to be rare and near extinct.
• Full-blooded Ancients are bound to certain natural rules, which creates an interesting RP challenge for those interested in playing these characters, however it is expected that users that chose to play a full-blooded Ancient do not find a work-around to bypass these certain RP traits.
• Ancient Lords are Council controlled characters because this position is necessary to maintain our setting.
• According to the mythos, Ancients cannot die. This cannot be statistically represented for player characters due to the limitations in our system, therefore if your character is somehow killed and does not posess any means to resurrect yourself, your character will remain dead.
• Sunagakure will not grant users that are not a part of Sand's community a biological link to being an Ancient.
• For more information regarding the Ancient Courts, please contact a Council Member.

Hybrids

Hyrbids are people that possess both human and Ancient DNA. Hybrids are not necessarily 'uncommon' but a true hybrid is. For the most part, Ancient DNA has mingled with that of the people of Wind Country. Not every family has Ancient DNA, in fact many can trace their heritage back to the first men and do so with pride. For some families, however, their link to Ancients through blood is a secret they have not even shared with their loved ones because for many this is seen as a shameful and dark legacy. Many families have forgotten their heritage because of this, not that it matter greatly so many generations after Godsfall. After the first generation, the influence of Ancient DNA weakens as it is diluted with human DNA. What most Sunagakure denizens have in their family line is so faint, it is hardly a whisper of Ancient legacy.

There are exceptions to this. Hybrids can be made one of four ways:

• The 'curse' of an Ancient Lord. An Ancient Lord can create hybrids from humans. Their children will also be hybrids like their parent. Examples of this are the Sunahoshi Clan and the Kirishii.
• The "old fashioned" creation of a hybrid between an Ancient and a hybrid (birds and the bees) where their child will become a hybrid upon birth. While not very common, it is so weak in their bloodline that it never becomes relevant for the most part.
• Something that is being done by the Diamyo and his subordinate Nao with some of their soldiers. They have called these hybrids "Sovereign."
• A forbidden technique called the 'Fatalist Method' during the time of the first men that has led to the exile/imprisonment of every practitioner during the time of the First Men.

Hybrids are considered to be an affront to nature by many. In addition, hybridization is considered to be dangerous. Most people do not survive the process. Even child hybrids naturally born often die in the womb but like with all things 'life finds a way' and for hybrids this is no exception.

Playing a Hybrid

• Hybrids are considered to be fairly uncommon in Wind Country, the influence of the Ancient genetics is so distant and rare that the presence is entirely forgotten. This is sometimes seen as a family's "dirty little secret."
• Unlike Ancients, Hybrids do not have RP limitations or special rules that they need to follow unless they have a great deal of Ancient genetics within them, making them nearly full-blooded.
• According to the mythos, Hybrids are long-lived. They are not immortal but they can live to be almost a century and a half, maintaining their youth much longer than others.
• Sunagakure will not grant users that are not a part of Sand's community a biological link to being an Ancient.
• For more information regarding the Ancient Courts and how one can become a Hybrid, please contact a Council Member.

Curse of the Fang Mark

Much of Wind Country's ancient history focuses on the rise of humanity against their oppression at the hands of the ruling Ancient-kin and Primus, the man who lead that rebellion and went on to become the first king of a free human race in Wind Country, but what is less commonly known is that the uprising that eventually grew into a crusade for freedom that was led by Primus was the first time that humanity raised it's hands against their oppressors-- only that Primus was the first to achieve success. Small scale uprising and rebellions were not unheard of across Wind Country but as each were cast down by the Ancient-kin that ruled the land at the time they became cautionary tales against the folly that was fighting or fleeing the rule of the Ancient-kin. Perhaps the most commonly well known of these cautionary tales is the legend of the cursed wolf-creatures which are known as Fang Marked.

Once a clan who's name has been lost to time which served under the rule of Fuujin, the Ancient Lord of Sun and Sky and his Solar Court the Fang Marked were a rare breed of men that dutifully served their lord. They were enforcers of his will among humanity and eventually came to be granted power for their loyalty-- the ability to take the form of a colossal desert wolf. Durable beyond human ken with enhanced senses and reflexes, the Fang Marked were steadfast soldiers of the Ancient-kin which were rightfully feared by the armies that gathered behind Primus and his First Men.

Eventually Fuujin was undone by the power of Primus and the Ancient-kin forces which had rallied to the greatest of their kind withdrew in their defeat leaving the ancestral Fang Marked alone in the world and for the firsst time purposeless without the command of their master. Hunted by the men and women they had fought against during the war that saw them as kinslayers, the Fang Marked were scattered to the winds and into hiding and to make matters worse without the sustaining power of their master eventually the Fang Marked began to lose control of their ability to transform and indeed control of their very minds in their transformed state which cemented their reputation as nothing but monsters to be hunted.

In the modern age the curse of the Fang-marked is a recessive trait in the family lines that can draw their bloodline back to one of the ancestral members of the group which were originally given power by Fuujin. There are a handful of desert clans which have rallied around the rare transformation as a manifestation of providence and destiny but for the most part Fang Marked individuals are reviled by society at large as dangerous and unpredictable beasts. Even though most common folk in Wind Country no longer know the story of how Fang Marked individuals came to be the threat that a Fang Marked individual in the throes of an uncontrollable transformation can pose is widely known and as a result those that display it are generally shunned by common society.

While once upon a time Fang-marked individuals were hunted rigorously by the Ranger Order, the times have changed enough that those who are Fang Marked are not implicitly turned away from Sunagakure. Instead those that have the good fortune to be accepted into the Sunagakure Academy are taught how to cope with their urges and are fashioned into weapons for the state to be used for the good of Sunagakure.

Becoming Fang Marked

The only creature which fully understood the process by which the Curse of the Fang Mark was created with was Fuujin and he has long since passed into antiquity. As a result there are no "new" Fang Marked being created but the curse is passed on from generation to generation which results in there being individuals who possess the Fang Mark in every age. The curse has grown wild and unpredictable since it's earliest days when the ancestral Fang Marked could control their transformations at will and keep their minds keen during said transformation. It manifests chaotically through family trees which contain an individual who possessed the Fang Mark and much like a naturally occurring shinobi Bloodline Limit the Fang Mark has no cataloged criteria for what causes it to manifest. Men and women have sometimes gone their entire lives without knowing that they were distantly related to a Fang Marked individual until one day their life was turned upside down by an abominable transformation.

Any character may choose to "become" a Fang Marked. Because of the wild manner in which it manifests, age and gender are irrelevant. The only cavet to a Fang Marked individual is that they must be 100% human. The Fang Mark is suppressed by any ancestry which is not human whether it be demon, Ancient-kin, youkai or something else.

Fang-marked Player Characters

• The Fang Mark enhances predatory thought patterns and behavior in humans because of it's association with dune wolves.
• The characteristics of the Fang Marked are generally represented as either the Inuzuka or Demonic Ancestry BL/CAs. Possessing one of those two BL/CAs is not mandatory to play a Fang Marked character but in your BL/CA application you must explain how your BL/CA relates to your character's Fang Mark.
• Your character cannot be a hybrid and a Fang Marked, this curse would not be passed down to someone that has hybrid genetics. Your character must be 100% human.
• Sunagakure will not grant users that are not a part of Sand's community a biological link to being cursed by the Fang Mark.
• For more information regarding the Ancient Courts and how one can become a Fang Marked, please contact a Council Member.

Homunculus

Being born of a synthetic soul and a body that defies nature, the Homunculus is often an ageless being. It's physical form was not created through the natural means of conception, but was instead created through artificial planning and advanced jutsu formulas. The Chikamatsu Clan, the Medical Clan that fills the Omni Prime Medical Facility, has discovered a way to not only splinter human souls into soul shards to be used to create simple homunculus that follow the orders issued from the individual who provided the soul obediently, but how to create fully synthetic souls as well. These synthetic souls are from advanced formulas and tightly woven natural energy which allows the homunculus that receives it the ability to act independently as if born through more traditional means.

The bodies of the Homunculi have a few common traits that are carried throughout all of them. The most notable of the traits is the red eyes that look to be pools of crimson staring back at you. Their skin, while not always porcelain white, have a dusty complexion to them that makes them look as though they had not seen the sunlight in numerous years, and the majority of the time their skin is free of any "imperfections" such as moles, freckles, or beauty marks. Having to keep a large amount of Spiritual, Physical, and Natural Energies dwelling in balance within the bodies of the Homunculi they are often seen covered in various seals that each have their own unique purpose.

Being born a "perfect" vessel the homunculi do not naturally age nor mature. Their minds and their bodies are often time stagnant, though through life their vantage point can be sculpted by the experiences that they carry. Most Homunculi are born with the knowledge that the average child would have had to spend most of their life gathering innately woven into their minds, some with even more knowledge stored into their synthetic memories. Regardless of their minds, the bodies stay how they are for eternity, unless the Homunculus wills their physical forms to change.

Playing a Homunculus

• When starting a Student or a Genin you may chose to be a newly formed homunculus, but you must appear to be the required ages for the application
• Not aging does not make you immortal, Homunculi can still be killed in mechanical combat like any other PC
• While the birth of the Homunculus are attributed to the Chikamatsu Clan, you do not have to be a member or even associated with that clan if you do not wish it.
• Homunculus PCs may chose to have a Purely Synthetic Soul and have "no family" ties or they may chose to have a Splintered Soul but choosing this path causes not only a connection to another PC, but per the lore makes you loyal to them to a fault. Keep this RP aspect in mind when choosing your soul type
• PCs who are not created as a Homunculus may not "discover" they were a homunculus all along through this means.

Humans

By far, considered to be the most mundane to the casual observer but humans are by far the most hearty. Most humans in Wind Country can trace their heritage back to the first men with pride. With a rich heritage and a tale of endurance and victory, children grow up listening to tales of their ancestor's exploits. Humans are also by far the most versatile, for generations others have tried to twist humanity to their ends. Despite humanity's enemies, people have endured in the face of insurmountable odds. Humans, at least in name as many do hide an Ancient heritage or a generational sin, make up a majority of the main settlements in Wind Country: Sunagakure, Sora and Soons Haven. In addition to being apart of these settlements, there are several nomadic tribes that also exist in the desert -- some hunters, others traders, still others crafters.

Human Player Characters

• It is presumed that all characters are human unless they state otherwise.
• If you wish to get more information regarding the main settlements or the varied nomadic tribes of Wind Country, please contact a Sand Council Member.

 

[Sand Council]

Solar Court - Prime Court

• Greatest of the Courts, ruling the skies and heavens above all
• Ancients of Sun and Sky
  • Bounded by the Rule: To stand above all, guiding the world from the heights of the sky (Pride, Authority, Fate)
• Fuujin - Leader of the Court
  • Guardian of the winds, weather, and celestial patterns
  • Fought against Primus and the First Men
  • Responsible for sending omens and trials through storms and sky phenomena
• Court Focus: Skyborne wisdom, prediction of events, rulership over surface life through the wind and sun

Flame Court - Prime Court

• Ancients of Iron and Flame, dwelling in molten depths
  • Bounded by the Rule: To exist for battle, forge, and conquest, tempering the world through fire
• Homura - Leader of the Court
  • The forge of the Ancients; tests and tempers all other courts
  • Fought against Primus and the First Men
  • Master of fire, magma, and the creation of weaponry and destructive power
• Court Focus: Destruction and creation, war, the refinement of power through trial

Earth Court - Prime Court

• Ancients of Desert and Earth, caretakers of the sands and life within
  • Bounded by the Rule: To protect and sustain the deserts and all its denizens
• Suna - Leader of the Court
  • Blessed the Sunahoshi and First Men, granting stewardship of the desert
  • Governed flora, fauna, and the hidden resources of the desert
  • Served as a stabilizing force among the Ancients, guiding balance rather than conquest
• Court Focus: Preservation, growth, survival, and the stewardship of life in harsh environments

Deep Court - Lesser Court

• Ancients of the Oceans and Water, rulers of depth and tide
  • Bounded by the Rule: To keep the secrets of the deep and maintain the balance of all waters
• Suijin - Leader of the Court
  • Guardian of oceans, rivers, and aquatic life
  • Keeper of submerged knowledge, the subconscious of the natural world
  • Controls tides, currents, and storms born of the sea
• Court Focus: Depth, secrecy, adaptability, and hidden forces of life and memory

Storm Court - Lesser Court

• Ancients of Thunder, Lightning, and Sudden Power
  • Bounded by the Rule: To strike with divine wrath and inspire fear, upholding power through overwhelming force
• Raijin - Leader of the Court
  • Controller of storms, thunder, and lightning
  • Wielder of sudden, devastating strikes to enforce balance or punishment
  • Represents the volatility and awe of nature’s fury
• Court Focus: Cataclysmic change, judgment, power, and revelation

Gloaming Court - Lesser Court

• Ancients of Cavern, Shadow, and the unseen
  • Bounded by the Rule: Speak only truths to deceive, rule from the shadows, and maintain the balance of secrets
• Kage Onna - Leader of the Court
  • Warden of darkness, hidden paths, and underground life
  • Manipulator of secrets, memory, and perception
  • Governs the boundary between light and shadow
• Court Focus: Stealth, influence, secrecy, and the unseen mechanisms of the world

 

[Sand Council]

The Orders
​

Brought up from perdition, shackled by mighty ancients, these men of antiquity rose up in the face of overwhelming odds to provide a spark of hope for humanity. Initially separated by the oppression that kept them in chains, they grew restless and aspired to more. Inspired by the One King, Primus these individuals stood beside him in an effort to create a new world for themselves. Using their unique abilities they fought to overcome the many trials they would face. United they were a shining example of humanity's spirit and ability to conquer unfathomable obstacles.

During the Great Descent, a numerous amount of historical records were lost to the diamond sands. A portion of Sunagakure's efforts has always been dedicated to the recovery and restoration of The First Men's legacy. A large vault containing the names of clans and families going back generations has released with it the true names of the Orders that once helped Primus take Wind Country. To help revitalize the village's hope that we may once again rise, we take from our past to help secure our future.

Men of the wild sands and true earth, stalwart craftsmen and bearers of arms most grand, as well as those brilliant in thought and nimble-minded on the battlefield will aid us in these coming times with their gifts.

For Order has returned.

Rangers

The most ancient order, Rangers come from the neolithic era, long before the advent of written word. In the beginning Sunanites were nomadic as food, shelter and water were lacking and the beasts of the realm were dangerous and hungered. The Rangers were the proud hunters of early Sunan society, the strongest, fastest and bravest young men and women would join the ranks of Rangers at an early age. It was a part of their rite of passage to battle a Sandworm and bring back a chunk of its armored hide as proof of the encounter. Great honor was bestowed upon these providers from even the earliest of times as they were given rights to the first portions of food and drink. Their dignity was taken from them shortly after Primus called all ranks and paths of man to arms, while they fought valiantly against the Gods and provided rations to the army of man, society forever changed when humanity became an agrarian society. The sedentary lifestyle of modern man diminished society's value on the Ranger Order, but the Ranger Order never hesitated in their duty. While humanity became increasingly reliant on technology, the Rangers kept to the old ways and maintained their uncanny tracking skill as well as their remarkable ability to traverse the diamond maelstrom. While the Ranger Order has been forgotten by society at large over the last centuries, those loyal to the Ranger ranks have honed skills no other shinobi could hope to emulate.

• Benefits of Rangers:
  • Rangers are capable of entering and exiting Sunagakure without a passport [this cannot be used to go missing].
  • Rangers do not need to be "let out" of Sunagakure [this method cannot be used to leave the country, but a Ranger can travel in Wind Country without a passport and without being let out of Sunagakure at the gate].
  • Rangers are considered to be excellent trackers, they can find footprints in the midst of raging sandstorms and note deviations to their landscape that would be unnoticed by other shinobi.
  • Rangers are considered to be excellent at using stealth -- this does not automatically grant a Ranger any additional stealth buffs but would serve as an IC reason for one to have stealth enhancing abilities or jutsus.
  • In non-modded situations a Ranger can enter a thread in stealth, meaning all participants of the thread must consent to their stealth presence.

Journeymen

The genesis of the Order of Journeymen can be traced back to the Age of Primus and the God's Fall that preceded the liberation of humanity. It is said that Primus' blade and armor were the greatest achievement of the Journeymen's Order. Those who claim lineage to the Journeymen often state that Journeyman's armor was the product of a dozen Journeymen and gave Primus the strength of one-hundred men and often boast that it was their wares that gave Primus the ability to overcome the power of the Gods.

The Journeymen are a trade order that specializes in armors and weapons. It is said that a Journeymen is an expert in every form of armed combat and that their weapons which often bear their family name and sigil are the strongest, sharpest, and best weapons produced. Their secrets have been closely guarded and often Journeymen run in families but in cases where there is no heir, apprentices are often found among promising local youth.

In the present day Journeymen are not only unrivaled in their weapon martial skill but also skilled in armors and in some cases technology. Some Journeymen are tinkerers capable of making proficient EMP grenades, the creation and manipulation of mannequins or even the creation of armored suits capable of serving as more than a protective shell. Crafting is considered to be a lucrative trade in modern Suna, the Sunan government often has high regards for Journeymen because their wares are the essential tools of the shinobi vocation. In addition, many Journeymen are also instructors due to their in-depth knowledge and affinity for their weapon crafts. In fact, it is common for a Journeymen to become an educator for a brief period to find an apprentice if they have no appropriate legitimate or illegitimate offspring of their own.

• Benefits of Journeymen:
  • Capable of sealing the souls of their ancestors or other potentially powerful beings into weapons and armors. They believe that the soul that inhabits the weapon gives it strength - the weapon or armor can essentially communicate with the user. [The user would require the permission of another player to use a player's previous killed PC/NPC in a weapon or armor.]
  • All of a Journeyman's weapons have a signature appearance to them [be it a color, glow, insignia, etc].
  • IC Journeyman's are considered to be "experts" in every weapon type they manufacture.
  • Many Journeymen are considered to be financially well-off due to the fact that most Crafters sell their wares.
  • Journeymen are IC'ly held in high regard in Suna society.
  • IC Journeymen are considered knowledgeable in every technique a weapon is capable of even if they cannot use the jutsu themselves. Meaning that a Crafter would in character know what a bludgeoning technique does even if they do not own the technique. This does not mean that they would become auto-aware of a hidden action done with a weapon in modded battle.

Oracles

The Oracles started as an informal group of theologians who thought that the ills of society could be eliminated through peaceful discussion and understanding others. Ancient philosopher Satoru is often quoted and is considered to be the greatest mind Sunagakure has ever known. He is considered to be the first member of the Oracle Order, his students added to the Order's ranks and the number of members grew into the dozens. While membership was often limited and the Oracles never sought new members, those with promising intellect or an undefinable spark would be tested for eligibility. The components of the test are for the most part unknown but it is assumed to be a trial of the mind where the proctors look for mental faculty and capacity over actual success.

Historically, the Oracles were those that sought wisdom and felt that understanding the past was not only a way of better was of discerning the present and it was a way of predicting the future. While often stereotyped as physically weak and unimposing, Oracles often use the information they gain in their studies to fortify their own body. Oracles have access to the Vault, a secret locker room of ancient artifacts that are to be stored indefinitely. In addition, Oracles have access to ancient scrolls that often describe the lineage of many great families, discuss the history of Wind Country and even scrolls of theology and biographies of ancient great figures. Presently, the Oracles remain shrouded in mystery as little is known of them beyond the fact that they are considered to be intellectuals.

• Benefits of Oracles:
  • Have full access to The Scroll Locker.
  • Have full access to The Artifact Locker.
  • Considered to have IC knowledge of all Clans, great families and have general knowledge bloodlines and kinjutsu (as detailed in the Scroll Locker).
  • Each Oracle member's membership in the Oracle Order is unknown, all members are masked and shrouded when they act as a member of this order. [All Oracles know other Oracles.]
  • Have access to Runic Terran automatically as well as a formal form of Runic Terran.
  • Oracles can in-character teach others Runic Terran (formal or common type, see Runic Terran for more information).

 

[Sand Council]

رونيك أرضي

Runic Terran​

Runic Terran is the ancient language of the first men. Almost wholly forgotten over the centuries as humanity began to share a common tongue, this archaic script and spoken word has been recorded by Suna's great record keepers: The Oracles. The great tome known as The Annals of the Conqueror chronicled this ancient tongue. With their recent resurgence in Wind Country, with them they bring great knowledge that they are willing to share, the only prerequisite is a readied mind. While the edges of the great massive leather-bound masterpiece are worn, the text has endured war, famine and strife, one of the most closely guarded treasures of the Oracle Order. The Oracles do not jealously protect what they have learned, literature and knowledge is to be shared and as such a copy still under lock and key has been provided to the Sunagakure as an offering of hope that through knowledge their legacy will forever live on.

Runic Terran is considered to be a strategic resource to Sunagakure, the words housed in the great tome when learned offer a dialogue that can only be shared by those with common knowledge. As such, Sunagakure has limited learning these words to only a fraction of their population: the shinobis. Upon obtaining the Rank of GENIN or above, any interested shinobi can learn this language in The Scroll Locker, despite the recent destruction of the Scroll Locker remnants of this book remain. Additionally, those who are not shinobis or those too impatient as to wait until they have become of rank can seek out an Oracle and obtain this information from an Oracle.

The book and its secrets are protected by the Sunagakure government. The secrets of Runic Terran are obtained through diffusion, meaning that the book actually passes its legacy into the holder. Everyone's experience with this influx of information varies, that is their experience can vary from a slight glow in their hands to searing pain in their head that could incapacitate them for weeks. It is said that these experiences vary because of how the soul accepts new new things, while this is only an Oracle hypothesis it is the prevalent theory. According to this theory those who are willing to accept new things have an easier time acclimating to this new language. Many Oracles due to perhaps their love of learning, find the diffusion of Runic Terran to be an easy process. Upon obtaining Runic Terran through The Annals of the Conqueror (diffusion), the shinobi is immediately fluent.

An Oracle is dedicated to learning and loyal to knowledge, the edification of themselves and others is their purest motive. Since they are the source of the Annals of the Conqueror, many have their own copy of this ancient tome often stored in a scroll. This information can be shared with others and it has happened from time to time in the past. Due to weight of the burden of knowledge, Oracles have to take great care when choosing who they allow into their ranks, often they will test the fidelity of an Oracle hopeful prior to accepting them. Being able to judge a man or a woman's character and knowing when one must protect information and when one must share it are core tenants to the Oracle's creed.

Steps to Obtain Runic Terran

• The Normal Method:
  1. Meet the prerequisites: Genin Rank or higher shinobi of Sunagakure.
  2. Post a 500 or more word post in The Scroll about learning Runic Terran. All a player needs to do to learn it is to read the book: Annals of the Conqueror. Please tag your thread [RUNIC TERRAN] so that it is easier for the staff to find it later.
  3. Post in Sand Request requesting that you be recognized as a speaker of Runic Terran. A Sand Council member will review your post and update your FAQ/Dojo with the fact that you can now speak Runic Terran.
  
  The Alternative Method:
  1. Meet with a PC (player character) Oracle and request that they teach you Runic Terran. ONLY a Player Character Oracle can teach Runic Terran.
  2. There is no word minimum.
  3. It is considered an in-character crime to share this language through this methods. An unintended person with this language will be considered a threat and hunted as an enemy if discovered with this talent. Someone who shared this information, if they are discovered, they too will be hunted for sharing this information.

Using Runic Terran

Once you have acquired your language, you simply go to the Google Translator and set the languages to: ENGLISH to ARABIC. Arabic is the language of Runic Terran. We color the language ORANGE to make it stand out and we also bold the text to add impact.

[color=orange][b]وهذا مثال من رونيك أرضي.[/b][/color]

وهذا مثال من رونيك أرضي.

When you use Runic Terran in your posts, it is expected that you share with readers what you wrote. The most common method being a spoiler at the end of your post. This is not only player etiquette but it is also necessary to prevent cheating.

Formal Runic

Formal Runic Terran is a language used by the Oracles. This is a language only known to the Oracles and it can only be taught by other Oracles. There is no known book that contains this information, rather this information is transmitted via a seal only known by the Oracles. Again, much like Common Runic Terran, Formal Runic Terran is considered a secret, but this one is guarded by the Oracles themselves. It is considered rare that an Oracle shares this language to an outsider and it is often only in the gravest of circumstances. As this is a seal, the seal and with it the information can be removed by means of a seal removing technique.

This language only differs in the color, [darkslategrey] and the language is swapped from Arabic to Hindi. An example of Formal Runic Terran would be as follows: इस औपचारिक भाषा का एक उदाहरण है