That singular night (Part 1 & 3, Part 2), now told in a different light, would not only offer the end to some of the most valiant of the village of Suna but would have rippling effects for what would follow...
Year: 244PP [Post Primus/Modern Calendar]
The night that the Daimyo, Ishii Shiro, and the Kazekage, Sunahoshi Katsuo, engaged in a secretive battle at Godsfall, would be a night that would become more publicly known by the explosions that ravaged the lands of Wind Country. Based on the investigative work after the fact, it would appear that a single large scale explosion had emanated from the Palace of the Glorious Immortal. From there, a series of small explosions would happen all throughout the surrounding area until another large scale explosion was set off at Godsfall. This pattern would continue, like rocks being dropped in a pond, to ripple out until almost every inch of the country had either had some form of explosion or had been impacted by the force of the chained explosions.
One location not impacted by this, however, would be the village of Suna. Whether it was the stature and construct of their fortified wall, whether it was a figure in the shadows weeding out the planted attempted bombers, or whether it was just the luck of the village, Suna would not feel the same impact of the damaging explosions. Yet, the price paid by the village would still be steep on that night.
Lives were lost, the Daimyo and almost all within his Palace had been declared dead, the Kazekage and all the Sennin were missing, new gashes appeared throughout the country opening up pathways into a strange tunnel system below the countries surface, and things that were once hidden below were now making their return while others were disappearing into the depths. There was also one other thing that happened that wasn't as noticeable at first. For whatever reason, the explosions seemed to have a unique reaction with Carmot, a resource that provided a lot of necessary power to the vast desert infrastructure. Soon, whether it was Carmot in use or those stored away for later use, the inhabitants of Wind Country would find that all of their precious crystals of vast energy were no longer functional or even intact. As this realization began to set in, and with eyes turning to Suna, a place not impacted by this shortage, the mass migration of desert nomads and tribes would begin to venture towards the gates of the village. The rise of Unbent attacks, creatures that were being called The Swarm based on their attacks, would only further compound the dire situation...
_Year: 245PP
Within a year since "The Shattering" and the disappearance of the Kazekage and the Sennin, the Steward, Takahashi Sousuke, would not only welcome in the heir of the Ryuzaki Clan, Raizo, but would announce to the village the coronation of their 11th Kazekage in him. While Raizo's appointment would be one to offer a bandaid in a time of need, those within Suna would not have time to figure things out, as it seemed the frenzied Swarm would suddenly grow sentient and turn their sights on the village.
The Long Night would be one that would see monsters storm from the darkness of the desert and be met with the might of a village who had already been preparing for war. Within this night there would be sights that would be hard to comprehend. In the midst of the waves of intruding monsters, valiant heroes would emerge. A heroine, blessed by the gift of water and healing would keep a large portion of the shinobi infantry alive and whole. A man with the ability to move and manipulate sand into great and powerful weapons and defenses would take to holding back The Swarm. A boy, pulling weapons from his body, would begin to rampage through the Unbent before him. A woman with the strange ability to alter the time around her would find herself hitting shots that were not only inhumanly perfect but seemed to land at exactly the most opportune time. A cursed heir to a grand bloodline would capture his prey before pummeling it with bursts of powerful air. A general would command his Rangers into battle while instilling them with confidence and vigor. A man, who did not truly recall his name, would lend an extremely helpful hand as well.
All of this, and various other feats from the cream of the crop of this village, would be watched over by an overseer that was plugged into the very wall they were protecting, the very wall he helped build. It would be a long night, but ultimately would be a night that the shinobi of Suna would claim victory over the marauding horde of Unbent, and while The Swarm would still linger, it would appear that their threat to Suna had subsided... for now. A fate whisper of a name would resonate from the victory... the name of Dominus.
Within this same year, two other significant things occurred: First, a mechanical engineer, who had worked on the efforts in the Land of Lightning, embarked on a journey from Liancourt-Tsushima, an industrialized province of Lightning Country, to Wind Country. In his possession were some tools, a lot of specific design plans, and a dream to bring large scale transportation to a country that seemed to lack it. His goal was to introduce trains to the desert. Upon reaching the port of Soons Haven and entering a caravan to bring him to the village of Suna, he was never seen from again.
The second thing was that nomads, desert tribes, and those who were actively searching for signs of Carmot deposits, which there seemed to be none remaining in the country, began to happen upon a strange yellowish-black liquid. The liquid, known as oil, was not thought to have been a known resource of Wind Country and because of the reliance on Carmot and chakra users, it did not seem to be a worthwhile substance to actively search or trade for... but now attention to the liquid that seemed to have been unearthed due to "The Shattering" has started to ramp up.
_Year: 246PP
Two years after the alleged terrorist attack that led to the disappearance of the Daimyo, his family, and loyal subjects, a new Daimyo would be coronated by the stern request of the Merchant Lords of Wind Country; the crowning of Lady Ishii Mako, the most recent wife of the late Ishii Shiro, who was a Merchant Lord in her own right and had not been present during the bombing of the Palace of the Glorious Immortal.
In her appointment, she made a decree that the Merchant Lords would not only have her heir appointed to her seat but that she also wished to welcome a new Merchant Lord into that prestigious council. This new Lord would be Zenin Ryūō, the current Guild Master of the Golden Sanctuary Merchants Guild. The GSMG had been relatively quiet in the public eye but seemed to have their hands very involved in affairs of the inland, affairs of the desert, a world the Merchant Lords had been mostly removed from in their placement in Soons. While it was largely a mystery as to how they rose to power as a merchant faction, they would soon unleash two things that would change not only their image but the way of life in the desert.
_Year: 247PP
Merchant Lord Ryūō unveils plans that the Golden Sanctuary plans to not only introduce the first wave of trains, behemoth mechanical constructs for travel and transportation, to the Land of Wind but also plan to begin to lay the tracks that would span the entirety of the country. Questions begin to arise of how such machinery would be powered, but the new Merchant Lord dismisses such worries.
Those still hunting for Carmot begin to pass warnings that aside from not finding the materials, that Sand Worms did not seem to be within this country anymore, as if the creatures, who mostly remained hidden and away from humans, had gone extinct. Those who were known to still be hoarding intact reserves of Carmot would become targets for bandits and desperate nomads, and if they did not find themselves in the protective walls of Suna they would instead venture into the depths of an area unearthed by the damage of two years prior
_Year: 248PP
The Golden Sanctuary continues the process of building its first series of trains, the T5UM3 and K1B4, while also laying tracks to connect Soons Haven to Sora as the first stage of their larger scale plans.
Meanwhile, a nomadic tribe who had become fixated with the oil deposit they had happened across in their travels, began to notice that burning the material allowed them to not worry about hunting out wood. The material also seemed to burn cleaner. Throughout the year, this tribe began the process of trying to trade the liquid in their dealings with others until one day, the tribe no longer existed. It would be documented that they had fallen victim to the still ongoing sporadic attacks of The Swarm.
It is also reported that people with chakra were starting to be targetted, whether humans who discovered the abilities on their own or shinobi deployed out into the country, and either disappearing or being found with random organs carved from their bodies. Rumors began to circulate that some believed those who could mold chakra also possessed an organ, or that their organs were imbued with enough energy, to serve as a Carmot replacement. Suna began to turn their attention to such instances.
_Year: 249PP
Merchant Lord Ryūō announces that their first series of trains will be powered by a fuel found from within the ground, oil. The oil would be burned allowing steam to motorize the engines of their trains. He then proceeds to expound upon how the potential for oil will not only allow those crippled by the loss of Carmot to recover but would also become a power source that would end the need for over-reliance of those gifted with the ability to mold and use chakra. "For the first time since Primus freed humanity, humans, regular humans, can once more take hold of their destiny. No longer will we need to be at the whim of humans possessing strange and otherworldly powers... we can create our own destiny!"
Chakra users disappearing would still continue. Suna would begin an effort to bring all those with chakra into their walls for training and protection, this would be a move that would draw praise and ire from the general population, from Sora, and from Soons Haven...
_Year: 252PP [Current Year]
The two trains of the Golden Sanctuary have been successfully running and the expansion to other points within Wind Country not only has created booms for settlements within the desert, but Lord Ryūō in association with Daimyo Mako have placed a premium bounty on those who were able to collect oil and bring it to the Golden Sanctuary. This pushed many within the country to set out to find the black liquid and claim riches they never dreamed imaginable... while also opening the door for those to capitalize on the treasure seekers.
The desert would soon find itself entered in a strange frontier, one where innovation and exploration could lead to the next big boom or could be cut down by bandits and cutthroats. A time when the Merchant Lords found themselves tightening a gripe over the country like never before. A time when mysteries continue to pile up from disappearances of humans, creatures and resources, to the origin of the monsters known as the Unbent. A time when chakra users were no longer the gods among men they had been for so long...
Welcome to a time of gold rush, dreams, a time when science and mysticism clash, a time when evils no longer just lurk in those who appear to be the strongest fighters but also within those who look the most unassuming, a time when adventure and horror share a fine line... welcome to Once Upon a Time in Kaze no Kuni!
OOC: What Just Happened?!
We felt that the best way to help people get a better feel for the current storyline would be to help set up the current moment by explaining how we got to where we are. Over the course of 8 (in character) years, events have transpired that have now set the stage for a multitude of different routes your character can explore. Want to go be a treasure hunter or chase oil? Do it! Want to solve the mystery of what happened the night the explosions went off, what happened to Carmot, where The Swarm came from, who is "Dominus, where did all the Sand Worms go?! Go for it! Do you want to square off with bad guys plaguing the countryside or go toe-to-toe with some of the more sinister elements working against the village? Do it! Instead of one linear plotline, we are opening the door for several branches, and even the opportunity for players to introduce their own branches based on their rping! So have fun with it, it is the wild, wild, west, after all!
Inspiration for the name Once Upon a Time in Kaze no Kuni
Year: 244PP [Post Primus/Modern Calendar]
The night that the Daimyo, Ishii Shiro, and the Kazekage, Sunahoshi Katsuo, engaged in a secretive battle at Godsfall, would be a night that would become more publicly known by the explosions that ravaged the lands of Wind Country. Based on the investigative work after the fact, it would appear that a single large scale explosion had emanated from the Palace of the Glorious Immortal. From there, a series of small explosions would happen all throughout the surrounding area until another large scale explosion was set off at Godsfall. This pattern would continue, like rocks being dropped in a pond, to ripple out until almost every inch of the country had either had some form of explosion or had been impacted by the force of the chained explosions.
One location not impacted by this, however, would be the village of Suna. Whether it was the stature and construct of their fortified wall, whether it was a figure in the shadows weeding out the planted attempted bombers, or whether it was just the luck of the village, Suna would not feel the same impact of the damaging explosions. Yet, the price paid by the village would still be steep on that night.
Lives were lost, the Daimyo and almost all within his Palace had been declared dead, the Kazekage and all the Sennin were missing, new gashes appeared throughout the country opening up pathways into a strange tunnel system below the countries surface, and things that were once hidden below were now making their return while others were disappearing into the depths. There was also one other thing that happened that wasn't as noticeable at first. For whatever reason, the explosions seemed to have a unique reaction with Carmot, a resource that provided a lot of necessary power to the vast desert infrastructure. Soon, whether it was Carmot in use or those stored away for later use, the inhabitants of Wind Country would find that all of their precious crystals of vast energy were no longer functional or even intact. As this realization began to set in, and with eyes turning to Suna, a place not impacted by this shortage, the mass migration of desert nomads and tribes would begin to venture towards the gates of the village. The rise of Unbent attacks, creatures that were being called The Swarm based on their attacks, would only further compound the dire situation...
_Year: 245PP
Within a year since "The Shattering" and the disappearance of the Kazekage and the Sennin, the Steward, Takahashi Sousuke, would not only welcome in the heir of the Ryuzaki Clan, Raizo, but would announce to the village the coronation of their 11th Kazekage in him. While Raizo's appointment would be one to offer a bandaid in a time of need, those within Suna would not have time to figure things out, as it seemed the frenzied Swarm would suddenly grow sentient and turn their sights on the village.
The Long Night would be one that would see monsters storm from the darkness of the desert and be met with the might of a village who had already been preparing for war. Within this night there would be sights that would be hard to comprehend. In the midst of the waves of intruding monsters, valiant heroes would emerge. A heroine, blessed by the gift of water and healing would keep a large portion of the shinobi infantry alive and whole. A man with the ability to move and manipulate sand into great and powerful weapons and defenses would take to holding back The Swarm. A boy, pulling weapons from his body, would begin to rampage through the Unbent before him. A woman with the strange ability to alter the time around her would find herself hitting shots that were not only inhumanly perfect but seemed to land at exactly the most opportune time. A cursed heir to a grand bloodline would capture his prey before pummeling it with bursts of powerful air. A general would command his Rangers into battle while instilling them with confidence and vigor. A man, who did not truly recall his name, would lend an extremely helpful hand as well.
All of this, and various other feats from the cream of the crop of this village, would be watched over by an overseer that was plugged into the very wall they were protecting, the very wall he helped build. It would be a long night, but ultimately would be a night that the shinobi of Suna would claim victory over the marauding horde of Unbent, and while The Swarm would still linger, it would appear that their threat to Suna had subsided... for now. A fate whisper of a name would resonate from the victory... the name of Dominus.
Within this same year, two other significant things occurred: First, a mechanical engineer, who had worked on the efforts in the Land of Lightning, embarked on a journey from Liancourt-Tsushima, an industrialized province of Lightning Country, to Wind Country. In his possession were some tools, a lot of specific design plans, and a dream to bring large scale transportation to a country that seemed to lack it. His goal was to introduce trains to the desert. Upon reaching the port of Soons Haven and entering a caravan to bring him to the village of Suna, he was never seen from again.
The second thing was that nomads, desert tribes, and those who were actively searching for signs of Carmot deposits, which there seemed to be none remaining in the country, began to happen upon a strange yellowish-black liquid. The liquid, known as oil, was not thought to have been a known resource of Wind Country and because of the reliance on Carmot and chakra users, it did not seem to be a worthwhile substance to actively search or trade for... but now attention to the liquid that seemed to have been unearthed due to "The Shattering" has started to ramp up.
_Year: 246PP
Two years after the alleged terrorist attack that led to the disappearance of the Daimyo, his family, and loyal subjects, a new Daimyo would be coronated by the stern request of the Merchant Lords of Wind Country; the crowning of Lady Ishii Mako, the most recent wife of the late Ishii Shiro, who was a Merchant Lord in her own right and had not been present during the bombing of the Palace of the Glorious Immortal.
In her appointment, she made a decree that the Merchant Lords would not only have her heir appointed to her seat but that she also wished to welcome a new Merchant Lord into that prestigious council. This new Lord would be Zenin Ryūō, the current Guild Master of the Golden Sanctuary Merchants Guild. The GSMG had been relatively quiet in the public eye but seemed to have their hands very involved in affairs of the inland, affairs of the desert, a world the Merchant Lords had been mostly removed from in their placement in Soons. While it was largely a mystery as to how they rose to power as a merchant faction, they would soon unleash two things that would change not only their image but the way of life in the desert.
_Year: 247PP
Merchant Lord Ryūō unveils plans that the Golden Sanctuary plans to not only introduce the first wave of trains, behemoth mechanical constructs for travel and transportation, to the Land of Wind but also plan to begin to lay the tracks that would span the entirety of the country. Questions begin to arise of how such machinery would be powered, but the new Merchant Lord dismisses such worries.
Those still hunting for Carmot begin to pass warnings that aside from not finding the materials, that Sand Worms did not seem to be within this country anymore, as if the creatures, who mostly remained hidden and away from humans, had gone extinct. Those who were known to still be hoarding intact reserves of Carmot would become targets for bandits and desperate nomads, and if they did not find themselves in the protective walls of Suna they would instead venture into the depths of an area unearthed by the damage of two years prior
_Year: 248PP
The Golden Sanctuary continues the process of building its first series of trains, the T5UM3 and K1B4, while also laying tracks to connect Soons Haven to Sora as the first stage of their larger scale plans.
Meanwhile, a nomadic tribe who had become fixated with the oil deposit they had happened across in their travels, began to notice that burning the material allowed them to not worry about hunting out wood. The material also seemed to burn cleaner. Throughout the year, this tribe began the process of trying to trade the liquid in their dealings with others until one day, the tribe no longer existed. It would be documented that they had fallen victim to the still ongoing sporadic attacks of The Swarm.
It is also reported that people with chakra were starting to be targetted, whether humans who discovered the abilities on their own or shinobi deployed out into the country, and either disappearing or being found with random organs carved from their bodies. Rumors began to circulate that some believed those who could mold chakra also possessed an organ, or that their organs were imbued with enough energy, to serve as a Carmot replacement. Suna began to turn their attention to such instances.
_Year: 249PP
Merchant Lord Ryūō announces that their first series of trains will be powered by a fuel found from within the ground, oil. The oil would be burned allowing steam to motorize the engines of their trains. He then proceeds to expound upon how the potential for oil will not only allow those crippled by the loss of Carmot to recover but would also become a power source that would end the need for over-reliance of those gifted with the ability to mold and use chakra. "For the first time since Primus freed humanity, humans, regular humans, can once more take hold of their destiny. No longer will we need to be at the whim of humans possessing strange and otherworldly powers... we can create our own destiny!"
Chakra users disappearing would still continue. Suna would begin an effort to bring all those with chakra into their walls for training and protection, this would be a move that would draw praise and ire from the general population, from Sora, and from Soons Haven...
_Year: 252PP [Current Year]
The two trains of the Golden Sanctuary have been successfully running and the expansion to other points within Wind Country not only has created booms for settlements within the desert, but Lord Ryūō in association with Daimyo Mako have placed a premium bounty on those who were able to collect oil and bring it to the Golden Sanctuary. This pushed many within the country to set out to find the black liquid and claim riches they never dreamed imaginable... while also opening the door for those to capitalize on the treasure seekers.
The desert would soon find itself entered in a strange frontier, one where innovation and exploration could lead to the next big boom or could be cut down by bandits and cutthroats. A time when the Merchant Lords found themselves tightening a gripe over the country like never before. A time when mysteries continue to pile up from disappearances of humans, creatures and resources, to the origin of the monsters known as the Unbent. A time when chakra users were no longer the gods among men they had been for so long...
Welcome to a time of gold rush, dreams, a time when science and mysticism clash, a time when evils no longer just lurk in those who appear to be the strongest fighters but also within those who look the most unassuming, a time when adventure and horror share a fine line... welcome to Once Upon a Time in Kaze no Kuni!
OOC: What Just Happened?!
We felt that the best way to help people get a better feel for the current storyline would be to help set up the current moment by explaining how we got to where we are. Over the course of 8 (in character) years, events have transpired that have now set the stage for a multitude of different routes your character can explore. Want to go be a treasure hunter or chase oil? Do it! Want to solve the mystery of what happened the night the explosions went off, what happened to Carmot, where The Swarm came from, who is "Dominus, where did all the Sand Worms go?! Go for it! Do you want to square off with bad guys plaguing the countryside or go toe-to-toe with some of the more sinister elements working against the village? Do it! Instead of one linear plotline, we are opening the door for several branches, and even the opportunity for players to introduce their own branches based on their rping! So have fun with it, it is the wild, wild, west, after all!
Inspiration for the name Once Upon a Time in Kaze no Kuni
