The Holy Tenouzan Republic (also known as the Holy See of Tenouza) is an independent city-state supported by trade and religious pilgrimage. Available records suggest that the Tenouzans might have been an influential power before the first historical use of chakra in warfare. In recent history Tenouza has consistently denied showing any interest in territorial expansion, preferring instead to increase its influence by spreading the holy word of its founder and spiritual hero Saint Moto Isamu. Despite its non-expansionist stance, it maintains a rather active defense force, staffed by a near-universal conscription rate and augmented by artillery-laden fortifications inside the city.Tenouza's defense force consists of two distinct groups: Guardsmen and Knights. Guardsmen usually serve as the city's police force when not called to active duty, they are usually proficient with anti-ballistic shields and some are proficient with pistols, batons, or explosives. On a whole they are poorly trained and equipped when compared to their knight counterparts; they rely on fighting spirit and strength in numbers more than thought out strategy. Knights consist of trained and elite forces, often called on to clean up wherever the guard can't. Since the guardsmen can usually protect the city well enough on their own it is not unheard of for knights to leave Tenouza and seek out mercenary work when not on active duty. Knights, on a whole, are well armed, well armored, and well informed. In combat knights usually fill the role of either heavy infantry, force recon, or armored cavalry- the exact role depends on the knight's specialty.
Shinobi engaging Tenouzan forces are advised to avoid fighting inside the city or within range of the city's main ballista (a very large mortar-type weapon named "Domina Senna"), as such an engagement would give a rather blatant advantage to the Tenouzans. If fighting inside the city proves unavoidable, the use of siege weaponry and area-of-effect jutsu are highly advisable as Tenouzans are tenacious fighters adept in, as one general put it, 'weaponizing their entire city, if that's what it takes to win'.
Tenouzan Creation Scroll I
‘Thus the Lord spoke, and all of creation came forth to kneel, letting man gaze upon all they were interested in, to lead and guide.
“My Children,” spoke the Lord, “Lay thine sight upon thy charge, for I gift this world to you to tend in my absence. From the smallest pebble to the greatest leviathan, all has its place; you shall never lack.”
However, these new children of the Lord, humanity, had witnessed the creation and found themselves small, humbled. Had humankind left it be, it would have been their first virtue. However, curiosity led some to ask if there was some way they could further emulate the Lord and his might.
Amused by the first question, the Lord decided to humor humanity. “Everything is perfect as it is, but there is a way.” The lord presented a farming tool he had made to allow humanity to tend the land and plants. “This object was made to dig the land so you may grow food to provide sustenance for yourselves and your beasts of burden. If you wish to gain a bit of my power, take it and spill my blood, and drink of it. However, know that power and necessity are tightly bound. By gaining power, this perfect world will change to make that power necessary. The beasts will not easily yield, and the seasons will change, food will become a necessity instead of a pleasure. The power you take of me will cause this world to test you, for you will no longer be the emissaries of my power, but those who seek to master it.”
Humanity having been gifted knowledge by the Lord, understood that such an action would cause the Lord pain, and most buried the thought, but two stepped forth. The eldest daughter and youngest son of humanity, stood before the lord and the eldest daughter took the tool from the hand of the Lord.
“With such power, we can make the world kneel and bend to us, it is a challenge we can master,” spoke the eldest daughter.
“With such power, we can add to the creation and change it to suit us. The world will kneel, or it will be knelt,” spoke the youngest son.
The Lord frowned but did not discourage them. “I have gifted you freedom of choice, and it is yours to make. However, know that your choice affects all, not only yourselves.” Thus the Lord stretched his arms wide, palms facing the sky as if welcoming humanity.
So lo, the eldest daughter stepped forth and stabbed the heart of the Lord.
In arrogance, humanity believed it could fight a world.
In arrogance, humanity thought it could improve upon the perfection of the Lord.
In arrogance, humanity brought upon its anguish.
Creation itself recoiled in harm, the boundaries of the world weakened and a bloody shadow from a realm beyond seeped into the world. The Lord gazed coldly upon it, causing the shadow fright, but the Lord did not intervene, for he had already gifted this world to humanity, and it was a consequence they chose.
Seeing the Lord had no intention to stop it, the shadow rejoiced and sought the eldest daughter who was drinking of the Lord’s blood.
“Why stop here?” The shadow asked of her. “The Radiant One is willing to let you drink of his power, and you drink so little?” However, while arrogant the eldest daughter had not yet felt the sin of greed on her heart.
“I must share with my brother, for he too wishes to challenge this world with me.” The eldest daughter told the bloody shadow, instinctively if not knowingly wary of its vile taint, knowing it was not part of Creation.
The shadow could not understand the bond of family and thus could not reply to this idea. However, it did recognize the opportunity and carefully came closer under the increasingly cold gaze of the Lord.
“Then spill more blood and share with me as well. In this world newly cursed with consequence, the knowledge of death should have come to you. If you share the blood of the Radiant One with me, I shall offer you and all your kin who covenant with me protection from the consequence of death.” The shadow ceased to speak as it felt the hatred of the Lord and froze, fearing its destruction.
However, the eldest daughter was oblivious to this and eagerly nodded, causing the hatred the Lord felt to retreat to disappointment and heartache, seeing his favored creation so willing to destroy itself and to betray him. As the eldest daughter withdrew the tool and stabbed the Lord again, the Lord shed tears, not of pain, but of sorrow. The youngest son began collecting blood from the first wound in his hands while the eldest daughter gathered blood from the second wound to gift to the shadow.
The rest of their brethren watched in shocked horror at the sight, and creation itself grew angry and bitter as the Lord was harmed and shed tears. The sky itself, the broadest entity of creation, began to weep at the sight of the Lord’s tears, birthing the first storm.
The first storm became the incarnation of Creation’s rage and began gathering all its night to strike down the one who harmed the Lord, not once, but twice. Winds howled as the first storm gathered the entirety of its might, causing the youngest son to realize his sister’s danger as she began sharing the Lord’s blood with the shadow.
The storm, using the entirety of its might, launched a bolt of lightning as heavy as the world itself at the eldest daughter. The Lord watched silently in pained and torn emotion as Creation sought to kill his precious eldest daughter of humanity to avenge his pain.
Hands filled with the blood of the Lord, the youngest son had not yet drunk of it and rushed forward to catch the bolt in his hands before it could strike his sister. The bolt should have destroyed the youngest son, as he had yet to drink in the power of the Lord, but his hands covered in the pureblood were allowed to wrestle the bolt from the grip of the storm. The Lord’s blood scattered across Creation, but the majority of its power was used as a conduit for the youngest son to make the force of the bolt his own.
The Lord was overcome with relief as he had not had to witness the murder of one of his precious children, but was returned to grief as the arrogant pair continued to act.
Once again oblivious to her surroundings, the eldest daughter had the only perception of the blood and power before her. She saw the shadow’s desire and asked of it if it had other power it could trade for the taste of the Lord’s blood.
The shadow was more than willing to make such a trade and showed the eldest daughter the tainted secrets of manipulating blood, particularly that of her brethren. Her eyes were becoming tainted bloody orbs from what she saw and her senses further attuned to a growing need to command the blood of those around her, the sound of hearts seemingly a call for her to dominate them.
Meanwhile, the youngest son gazed upon the weakened state of the first storm and decided to respond wrath with wrath. Using the sheer force that the Lord’s Blood and the Lightning Bolt has given him, the youngest son inflicted a fate worse than death upon the First Storm. He tore its very sense of self and reasoning from it, to punish it for raising its might against his kin. The storm broke into many thousands of smaller storms and began to scatter across the world as mindless entities made purely of wrath, inflicting senseless destruction wherever they roam. As his sister began dominating the life around her, he began dominating the sky above. She wanting control, and he wanting power.
The Lord gazed upon them and sighed, and witnessed the rest of their brethren cowering or praising the pair. Only One, the eldest and wisest Son, did neither. The eldest Son gazed upon His brethren, unsure in His heart of what He should do.
So He approached the Lord, asking, “Creator, might I ask for a gift as well? I do not wish for your power, merely a tool to help us serve as the caretakers of this world.”
The Lord said nothing and instead gazed towards the bloody shadow that was undergoing significant change. It now stood in the shape of a man, except it stood heads above humanity, and stood as a being foreign to this world, for the light did not give it color. The bloody shadow now appeared as a monochrome man, the only color to him being the blood that flowed in his veins.
The monochrome man felt the gaze of the Lord but had realized that he would be allowed to do as he pleased, unless perhaps if he took a direct hand against these children of the Lord. The monochrome man gave a deep but mocking bow and spoke, “Do not fear, oh Radiant One, for I will never raise my hand to harm your children without their consent. I will willingly share my knowledge with them should they ask and trade for it.”
The Lord knew what this creature of darkness meant, and knew that these children would have members who fell for this temptation. He gazed upon Creation, seeing many plants and animals had changed from being touched by his blood, and he saw that man was weak.
Placing a hand on the shoulder of the Eldest Son, the Lord said, “I shall grant you the tool you ask, and the knowledge to make more. However, it too comes at a cost, for that is the balance inherent of this once perfect world. You must become a warrior to protect the lives of those under you, and lead them against the many threats of this world, even if those threats were once your kin. In exchange for this tool, you will be cursed with the knowledge of the law, order, and justice and will need to use it. You will need to guide and protect, but also command, those who are not as strong or wise. The responsibilities of a lord will curse you and your descendants. It is a heavy cost, but one that is now a necessity in this once perfect world.”
The Eldest Son, being wise above all of the Lord’s children, trembled at the cost, knowing how heavy his shoulders and those of his descendants would weigh, but spoke firmly, “I will humbly accept this charge.”
The world shook as the sky was disturbed once again. What seemed to be mountains fell from the sky, made of an otherworldly metal, crashing deep into the world, causing the land to drop and rise where they fell. The landscape now covered by many mountains, and seemingly distances became greater. The Eldest Daughter, Youngest Son, and the monochrome man were no longer to be seen, hidden by a great range and the mountains in between.
Where the Lord and the rest of humanity stood, the largest of these sky mountains fell, but due to the presence of the Lord, it sank gently into the ground beneath their feet. The Lord took a bit of the metal in hand, and an exquisite hammer was forged from it and spoke to the Eldest Son, “My final gifts to you my son, will be this holy land, knowledge of the forge, this hammer so you might both build and defend yourselves… also, time to prepare. I feel as if I have failed you, my children.”
At these words, the Eldest Son, hammer in hand, knelt, and the rest of humanity followed, their bodies trembling from witnessing their Creator’s grief.
“Please do not say so,” the Eldest Son said with tears forming in his eyes. “We are the ones who failed you and ourselves. You made me wiser than all others, yet I merely stood shocked as my First Sister and Final Brother acted. I did not step forward to guide them from their actions as you intended of me from Creation, it is I who failed above all others. However, I shall do so no longer. I will build a home and shelter for my people, I will protect them from this great world, and I will find my lost brethren whom I have failed, and bring them back to the Light.”
With this oath, the Eldest Son knelt a man and rose a king. For the first time, the Lord sincerely smiled, as he senses his Favored Son’s convictions, and saw this world that was once perfect had hope.’
“My Children,” spoke the Lord, “Lay thine sight upon thy charge, for I gift this world to you to tend in my absence. From the smallest pebble to the greatest leviathan, all has its place; you shall never lack.”
However, these new children of the Lord, humanity, had witnessed the creation and found themselves small, humbled. Had humankind left it be, it would have been their first virtue. However, curiosity led some to ask if there was some way they could further emulate the Lord and his might.
Amused by the first question, the Lord decided to humor humanity. “Everything is perfect as it is, but there is a way.” The lord presented a farming tool he had made to allow humanity to tend the land and plants. “This object was made to dig the land so you may grow food to provide sustenance for yourselves and your beasts of burden. If you wish to gain a bit of my power, take it and spill my blood, and drink of it. However, know that power and necessity are tightly bound. By gaining power, this perfect world will change to make that power necessary. The beasts will not easily yield, and the seasons will change, food will become a necessity instead of a pleasure. The power you take of me will cause this world to test you, for you will no longer be the emissaries of my power, but those who seek to master it.”
Humanity having been gifted knowledge by the Lord, understood that such an action would cause the Lord pain, and most buried the thought, but two stepped forth. The eldest daughter and youngest son of humanity, stood before the lord and the eldest daughter took the tool from the hand of the Lord.
“With such power, we can make the world kneel and bend to us, it is a challenge we can master,” spoke the eldest daughter.
“With such power, we can add to the creation and change it to suit us. The world will kneel, or it will be knelt,” spoke the youngest son.
The Lord frowned but did not discourage them. “I have gifted you freedom of choice, and it is yours to make. However, know that your choice affects all, not only yourselves.” Thus the Lord stretched his arms wide, palms facing the sky as if welcoming humanity.
So lo, the eldest daughter stepped forth and stabbed the heart of the Lord.
In arrogance, humanity believed it could fight a world.
In arrogance, humanity thought it could improve upon the perfection of the Lord.
In arrogance, humanity brought upon its anguish.
Creation itself recoiled in harm, the boundaries of the world weakened and a bloody shadow from a realm beyond seeped into the world. The Lord gazed coldly upon it, causing the shadow fright, but the Lord did not intervene, for he had already gifted this world to humanity, and it was a consequence they chose.
Seeing the Lord had no intention to stop it, the shadow rejoiced and sought the eldest daughter who was drinking of the Lord’s blood.
“Why stop here?” The shadow asked of her. “The Radiant One is willing to let you drink of his power, and you drink so little?” However, while arrogant the eldest daughter had not yet felt the sin of greed on her heart.
“I must share with my brother, for he too wishes to challenge this world with me.” The eldest daughter told the bloody shadow, instinctively if not knowingly wary of its vile taint, knowing it was not part of Creation.
The shadow could not understand the bond of family and thus could not reply to this idea. However, it did recognize the opportunity and carefully came closer under the increasingly cold gaze of the Lord.
“Then spill more blood and share with me as well. In this world newly cursed with consequence, the knowledge of death should have come to you. If you share the blood of the Radiant One with me, I shall offer you and all your kin who covenant with me protection from the consequence of death.” The shadow ceased to speak as it felt the hatred of the Lord and froze, fearing its destruction.
However, the eldest daughter was oblivious to this and eagerly nodded, causing the hatred the Lord felt to retreat to disappointment and heartache, seeing his favored creation so willing to destroy itself and to betray him. As the eldest daughter withdrew the tool and stabbed the Lord again, the Lord shed tears, not of pain, but of sorrow. The youngest son began collecting blood from the first wound in his hands while the eldest daughter gathered blood from the second wound to gift to the shadow.
The rest of their brethren watched in shocked horror at the sight, and creation itself grew angry and bitter as the Lord was harmed and shed tears. The sky itself, the broadest entity of creation, began to weep at the sight of the Lord’s tears, birthing the first storm.
The first storm became the incarnation of Creation’s rage and began gathering all its night to strike down the one who harmed the Lord, not once, but twice. Winds howled as the first storm gathered the entirety of its might, causing the youngest son to realize his sister’s danger as she began sharing the Lord’s blood with the shadow.
The storm, using the entirety of its might, launched a bolt of lightning as heavy as the world itself at the eldest daughter. The Lord watched silently in pained and torn emotion as Creation sought to kill his precious eldest daughter of humanity to avenge his pain.
Hands filled with the blood of the Lord, the youngest son had not yet drunk of it and rushed forward to catch the bolt in his hands before it could strike his sister. The bolt should have destroyed the youngest son, as he had yet to drink in the power of the Lord, but his hands covered in the pureblood were allowed to wrestle the bolt from the grip of the storm. The Lord’s blood scattered across Creation, but the majority of its power was used as a conduit for the youngest son to make the force of the bolt his own.
The Lord was overcome with relief as he had not had to witness the murder of one of his precious children, but was returned to grief as the arrogant pair continued to act.
Once again oblivious to her surroundings, the eldest daughter had the only perception of the blood and power before her. She saw the shadow’s desire and asked of it if it had other power it could trade for the taste of the Lord’s blood.
The shadow was more than willing to make such a trade and showed the eldest daughter the tainted secrets of manipulating blood, particularly that of her brethren. Her eyes were becoming tainted bloody orbs from what she saw and her senses further attuned to a growing need to command the blood of those around her, the sound of hearts seemingly a call for her to dominate them.
Meanwhile, the youngest son gazed upon the weakened state of the first storm and decided to respond wrath with wrath. Using the sheer force that the Lord’s Blood and the Lightning Bolt has given him, the youngest son inflicted a fate worse than death upon the First Storm. He tore its very sense of self and reasoning from it, to punish it for raising its might against his kin. The storm broke into many thousands of smaller storms and began to scatter across the world as mindless entities made purely of wrath, inflicting senseless destruction wherever they roam. As his sister began dominating the life around her, he began dominating the sky above. She wanting control, and he wanting power.
The Lord gazed upon them and sighed, and witnessed the rest of their brethren cowering or praising the pair. Only One, the eldest and wisest Son, did neither. The eldest Son gazed upon His brethren, unsure in His heart of what He should do.
So He approached the Lord, asking, “Creator, might I ask for a gift as well? I do not wish for your power, merely a tool to help us serve as the caretakers of this world.”
The Lord said nothing and instead gazed towards the bloody shadow that was undergoing significant change. It now stood in the shape of a man, except it stood heads above humanity, and stood as a being foreign to this world, for the light did not give it color. The bloody shadow now appeared as a monochrome man, the only color to him being the blood that flowed in his veins.
The monochrome man felt the gaze of the Lord but had realized that he would be allowed to do as he pleased, unless perhaps if he took a direct hand against these children of the Lord. The monochrome man gave a deep but mocking bow and spoke, “Do not fear, oh Radiant One, for I will never raise my hand to harm your children without their consent. I will willingly share my knowledge with them should they ask and trade for it.”
The Lord knew what this creature of darkness meant, and knew that these children would have members who fell for this temptation. He gazed upon Creation, seeing many plants and animals had changed from being touched by his blood, and he saw that man was weak.
Placing a hand on the shoulder of the Eldest Son, the Lord said, “I shall grant you the tool you ask, and the knowledge to make more. However, it too comes at a cost, for that is the balance inherent of this once perfect world. You must become a warrior to protect the lives of those under you, and lead them against the many threats of this world, even if those threats were once your kin. In exchange for this tool, you will be cursed with the knowledge of the law, order, and justice and will need to use it. You will need to guide and protect, but also command, those who are not as strong or wise. The responsibilities of a lord will curse you and your descendants. It is a heavy cost, but one that is now a necessity in this once perfect world.”
The Eldest Son, being wise above all of the Lord’s children, trembled at the cost, knowing how heavy his shoulders and those of his descendants would weigh, but spoke firmly, “I will humbly accept this charge.”
The world shook as the sky was disturbed once again. What seemed to be mountains fell from the sky, made of an otherworldly metal, crashing deep into the world, causing the land to drop and rise where they fell. The landscape now covered by many mountains, and seemingly distances became greater. The Eldest Daughter, Youngest Son, and the monochrome man were no longer to be seen, hidden by a great range and the mountains in between.
Where the Lord and the rest of humanity stood, the largest of these sky mountains fell, but due to the presence of the Lord, it sank gently into the ground beneath their feet. The Lord took a bit of the metal in hand, and an exquisite hammer was forged from it and spoke to the Eldest Son, “My final gifts to you my son, will be this holy land, knowledge of the forge, this hammer so you might both build and defend yourselves… also, time to prepare. I feel as if I have failed you, my children.”
At these words, the Eldest Son, hammer in hand, knelt, and the rest of humanity followed, their bodies trembling from witnessing their Creator’s grief.
“Please do not say so,” the Eldest Son said with tears forming in his eyes. “We are the ones who failed you and ourselves. You made me wiser than all others, yet I merely stood shocked as my First Sister and Final Brother acted. I did not step forward to guide them from their actions as you intended of me from Creation, it is I who failed above all others. However, I shall do so no longer. I will build a home and shelter for my people, I will protect them from this great world, and I will find my lost brethren whom I have failed, and bring them back to the Light.”
With this oath, the Eldest Son knelt a man and rose a king. For the first time, the Lord sincerely smiled, as he senses his Favored Son’s convictions, and saw this world that was once perfect had hope.’