Pre-Great War Map and Country Guide

[Archives]

The Known World of Naruto Saigen

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Numbered Political MapShow

Biome MapShow

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List of Countries:

1: The Land of Tides 2: The Land of Floods 3: The Land of Monkeys 4: The Land of Heaven 5: The Land of the Tiger 6: The Land of the Dragon's Touch 7: The Isle of Serpents 8: The Isle of the Great Mountain 9: Dragon Country 10: Steppe Country 11: The Country of Plains and Sea 12: Juu no Kuni 13: Dungeon Country 14: Shark Country 15: Salt Country 16: Dwarf Country 17: The Land of Runes 18: Miracle Country 19: Beast Country 20: Wind Country 21: Dune Country 22: Owl Country

23: Country 23 24: Country 24 25: Owl Country 26: Frost Country 27: The Land of White Death 28: Country 28 29: Rock Country 30: Iron Country 31: The Land of Forests 32: Fur Country 33: The Holy City of Towers 34: Gold Country 35: Silver Country 36: Pebble Country 37: Pebble Country 38: Oasis Country 39: The Land of Stars 40: Grass Country 41: Waterfall Country 42: River Country 43: Rice Country

44: Whirlpool Country 45: Tree Country 46: Lightning Country 47: Fire Country 48: Country 48 49: Tea Country 50: Lava Island 51: Starfall Island 52: Jinjeku Island 53: Land of Fountains 54: Water Country 55: Country 55 56: Soul Country 57: Fishing Wastes 58: Yaseyama 59: Shard Country 60: Cold Country 61: Knowledge Country 62: Country 62 63: Fossil Country 64: Country 64

Notes:
*Owl Country makes up both Countries 22 and 25
*Pebble Country makes up both Countries 36 and 37

The ContinentsShow

There are three continents in the world of Saigen. The main continent, or 'Honshu Taishuu', which contains the bulk of the countries of the world. The frozen continent, or 'Reikou Taishuu', which contains little more than frozen tundra. Finally, there is the shrimp continent, or 'Ebi Taishuu', named after its shape, which contains a culturally distinct group of people.

Shrimp ContinentShow

Cultural differences of the Shrimp continent:

Largely isolated except through sparse sea-travel, the Shrimp continent is culturally distinct from the mainland in several ways. The most apparent to any visitor is the shift in language and accent; while the mainland primarily follows Japanese culture, the Shrimp continent does so with Chinese. While the mainland-tongue is spoken and understood by at least some in most large towns, the primary language spoken among the people is different. Thus, the locations on the Shrimp continent - countries, towns, notable features of the land, et cetera - are primarily named in Pinyin. Rough translations of the countries are outlined below.

The local population are generally darker-skinned, shorter and stockier than those on the mainland, with very dark hair and eyes being common traits. There are a number of local religions, although only one has risen to dominance within recent generations; Jindàoism, or The Golden Way. With its spiritual centre in Tianguó (Country 4), the religion teaches of a spiritual "counter-world" to our own, and many other paired mortal-spirit worlds existing in dimensions beyond discovery. These 'female' spirituaal realms are the source of 'good' energy and benevolence in the world, including chi (chakra), spirits and good fortune. The 'male' mortal-world is the natural counterbalance, where all that exists is susceptible to evil and corruption over time. As such, anything 'spiritual' -- including ninja capable of utilising chakra -- are seen as fragments of divinity who have been in contact with the spiritual world.

It follows from this that practitioners of the ninja arts are exceedingly rare in the Shrimp continent. Those that exist typically do so in secret, and reject the theories of Jindào. Those that have exposed themselves openly as ninja have, in the past and whether intentional or not, sparked turmoil and war across the continent as faithful and faithless assumed allegiances and clashed. Despite this contrast in beliefs with much of the mainland, foreigners and their trades are typically welcomed in the Shrimp continent, and the people are known for their general lack of xenophobia.

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Recent history and Political Climate:

Thirty years ago, the Shrimp continent was a prosperous, peaceful land. All nations on the Shrimp continent were once unified beneath one nation known as the Golden Empire, or Jīn Dìguó. The Shénzhèng, chief priest of Jindào in the city-state of Jīnshān, worked for the happiness of the citizens of the continent as head of state. He both ruled above and consulted with the Junfá of the 8 internally autonomous states to maintain peace. A brutal coup d'état in Laohudì and a conspiracy to assassinate the Shénzhèng, however, soon plunged the continent into a fierce and agonising decade of war, creating the countries and borders that we see today.

The war ended in a fragile, tenuous peace, and although further war has thus far been avoided, skirmishes and minor conflicts between neighbours are still a common occurrence; the old wounds are far from forgotten. The land and its peoples have yet to recover, and while many strive to stabilize their nations and restore peace to the land, there are those among the citizenry and nobility alike that believe a second full-scale war will soon consume the continent again. Borders are unsafe, many smaller villages have ceased to exist in the face of continual invasion, and tensions remain high in the face of political, economic and militaristic turmoil.

In the east, the Junfá of Xùntudi now seeks to reunite the continent in a web of diplomacy and alliances to return the land to peace, as it had been in decades past. The central and western powers, however, are concerned only with their own survival - often through dominance before all else. The armies of Guólóng grow year by year, and Laohudì responds with equal preparations. The border between the two is now a wide stretch of no-mans-land, dominated by half-rebuilt towers and fortifications, outposts and strategically positioned military camps.

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Terminology:

Country #	English Translation	Pinyin	Romaji
Continent	Shrimp Continent	Lù Xia	Ebitaishu
1	Land of Tides	Cháodì	Shio no Kuni
2	Land of Floods	Xùntudi	Kozui no Kuni
3	Land of Monkeys	Hóuzidì	Saru no Kuni
4	Land of Heaven	Tianguó	Enmansujo
5	Land of the Tiger	Laohudì	Tora no Tochi
6	Land of the Dragon's Touch	Guólóng	Hiryuu no Tochi
7	Isle of Serpents	Daoshé	Janoshima
8	Isle of the Great Mountain	Dàshanzhou	Ooyamatou

Junfá; A warlord or leading figure of a country; essentially the local title for a Daimyo.

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Many of the countries have minor trade agreements, or lack the military or governing power to prevent their lands from being used for trades. However, some countries do have great military strength, or strong alliances with other countries. These are worthwhile to know both as shinobi and minor country characters as wandering into the wrong land could prove to be consequential to you if anyone decides to come looking. Below is a list of countries who have agreed upon alliances. You should assume any country your village has an alliance with is a safe place for you to wander, and treat places with alliances elsewhere with caution. Additionally, some countries are listed as Intermediaries, these are countries that are not directly aligned with any major villages, but instead consider themselves peaceful grounds. Countries that act as intermediaries do not permit shinobi activity within their borders unless previously approved, and should be looked at as safe havens for those wishing to avoid persecution.

Iwagakure no Sato

• Fur Country

Kirigakure no Sato

• Sea Country

Konohagakure no Sato

• Tea Country
• Whirlpool Country

Kumogakure no Sato

• Tree Country

Sunagakure no Sato

• Oasis Country

Iron Country

• Intermediary

Land of Stars

• Intermediary

Pebble Country

• Hostile towards Iwagakure and Sunagakure

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Country 1
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Cháodì - Shio no Kuni - The Land of Tides Geography
Cháodì is a small nation forming the eastern peninsula of the Shrimp continent, far to the south of the mainland. Its terrain is relatively flat, forming lowland plains that gradually rise towards rolling foothills to the west that lead into a pass of low mountains at the border of Xùntudi.

The majority of Cháodì's land is covered by varying densities of temperate, mixed broad-leaf forests. Open plains roll down to the south-western and the north-eastern coasts, the latter of which become dense mangrove swamps for a small distance. The countries northern coast is composed of a series of cliffs and sheltered bays, broken by occasional beaches and off-shore reefs.

Much of the nation's population resides in coastal towns, preferring to live close to their source of income and resources. While none of these towns could ever truly be called a city, the capital Haizhong is a quite large town. The further one travels inland, however, the further they get from human civilization. One may walk across ruins of entire towns, abandoned since the collapse of the Empire that once ruled the entire shrimp continent, and the ruined statues which mark the main pass between the mountain range separating Cháodì from Xùntudi are a grand reminder of the peaceful rule that the country once enjoyed.

Ecology, Climate and Resources
Despite its potential in expansive grasslands, the soil of Cháodì is relatively poor and provides little agricultural wealth for the nation beyond basic sustenance. While the forests are rich in wildlife, particularly grazing herbivores, the small population of the nation are uncommon hunters and largely prefer instead to survive on fishing, marine aquaculture and other maritime endeavours.

The coasts of Cháodì are rich in life, providing a diverse and sustainable source of food for its people. Fishing also provides the country with its chief export, and farming for oyster pearls provides a rare luxury resource. In addition to this, the expansive forests provide a steady supply of lumber, much of which is traded over the border to Xùntudi, Tianguó, and beyond.

The weather patterns over Cháodì are mostly as expected from a coastal region; high winds and rain are frequent with the occasional storm, however as one moves inland the forests and low-lying basins provide a degree of natural shelter, and year-round the climate can be considered fairly mild.

Politics and History
Cháodì is known to have a very small population, about a quarter of which reside in its capital town, Haizhong, situated on its southern shore. The remainder generally live in small coastal fishing communities and trading ports. A man named Yu Fei currently rules in Haizhong, and claims to be Junfá of the country but in truth his power does not extend far beyond sight of the capital. The other communities of Cháodì are lead by magistrates or mayors, generally who rule either by acceptance from the people or through some measure of force or wealth. Those communities are left to organize and defend themselves from raiders and lawlessness, and take care of themselves the best they can. This leads to an exceptionally high crime rate in the incredibly unstable political climate of Cháodì.

The land is overwhelmingly poor despite the prevalence of natural resources available for trade, and this is almost entirely due to frequent raiding. Daoshé to the north are a plague upon the coasts of Cháodì, seizing whatever prizes they can find - whether they be gold, resources, or the helpless citizens themselves. Captives are often sold into slavery or kept for labour. Many of the trade deals between Cháodì and Xùntudi to the west are heavily in favor of the latter, who regard Cháodì as uncivilized and desperate. With such a small population, no central leadership, and little to no supporting infrastructure, the nation is powerless to resist either drain on its society, leading the people to continue to suffer on quietly year by year as their country slowly declines into deeper and deeper poverty.

Despite their situation, the people are known as optimistic and cheerful. They treat outsiders warily at first, but accept them with open arms if they're perceived to not be a threat. While attitudes shift from community to community, the Cháodì people are open and kind. As a people, they are more focused on doing what it takes to survive to the next day, but predominantly don't enjoy getting involved in anything like politics. Instead, they form strongly knit and usually familial communities and take care of each other as much as possible.

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Country 2
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Xùntudi: Kozui no Kuni: The Land of Floods Geography: Separated from the eastern peninsula of the Shrimp continent by the Shíkuò Range, Xùntudi contains terrain that is greatly envied by its neighbors to the west. The Shíkuò Range serves both as a physical barrier against any future threat from Cháodì and as a meager source of ores and minerals for use by the nation's tradespeople. Much of both the northern and southern coastlines are protected by steep cliffs and treacherous undersea rocks, making them easily defensible against naval assault. The southern half of the country is dominated by very dense mixed broad-leaf forest, which gradually thins and gives way to tropical grasslands and savannah to the north.

On the border between the two biomes and roughly following the curve of the Shíkuò Range footprint rests a long and thin lake. The city of Húzhèn has been built up on the lake's western shore and is the only major settlement that remains in the nation. Xùntudi's western border meets that of Hóuzidì along its full length, from the seas in the north to the coast of the southern ocean, and while many areas are disputed and fought over between the two, the actual border has not moved since the end of the last war.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources:
The broad-leaf forest in the south of Xùntudi is teeming with a diverse range of flora and fauna and many local populations thrive through trapping, hunting and logging alone. The tropical savannah to the north is much more sparse, but provides a natural habitat to many larger mammals and free-roaming cattle. The land that meets the shores of the lake in the center of the country is largely dedicated to farming, providing a sustainable year-round supply of food to the nation's citizens.

Weather patterns across the country are relatively mild, with cold winds blowing down from the eastern mountains and from across the southern seas, and warmer air circulating from the north and west. Rainstorms are incredibly common, with clouds rising from the mountains in Hóuzidì and rolling eastward, or coming in from over the oceans.

In terms of resources, Xùntudi is largely self-sufficient, with supplementary support and resources traded to and from Cháodì. The main revenue of the nation is earned through craft secrets, created using locally sourced ore and lumber which provides a reliable source of income from overseas trade routes. Xùntudi ironwork and furnishings have circulated in rare cases as far away as the great nations away to the east, primarily the lands of Wind and Water where they can fetch incredible prices.

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Politics and History:
Given the small size of the country, Xùntudi is a surprisingly prosperous place. With plenty of fertile land for expansion and natural resources, it has become a very stable nation among those of the Shrimp continent. Although it lacks the great military strength required to compete wholly with the larger nearby nations, its borders are entrenched and fortified enough to remain secure. Such a reliable economy and military is complimented by an expansive feudal system, with a Daimyo at its head and many tiers of organisation below. Raids from Daoshé to the north are rare given the strength of arms and danger of Xùntudi's coast, with the attackers generally preferring the easier pickings elsewhere on the continent. Hóuzidì, to the west, frequently attempts to test the borders of Xùntudi with small organised forces, but outside of these minor disputes there are have been no large conflicts in recent history.

The Junfá of the country is an expert in diplomacy and aims to use the stability and security of his nation to push the rest of the Shrimp continent closer towards a lasting peace. With a cabinet of over a hundred advisors (many of whom are relations by blood to some degree), he has a firm grasp on all aspects of his nations internal and external policies. Under his rule, the country has enjoyed a generation of relative happiness.

The citizens of Xùntudi tend to be optimistic and cheerful like their neighbors to the east, but with a far more privileged and patronizing tone. They often look down on their neighbors, believing them to be brutes that bring their own problems upon themselves.

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Country 3
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Hóuzidì: Saru no Kuni: The Land of Monkeys

Geography:
Relative to others on the Shrimp continent, Hóuzidì is regarded as a large nation, stretching from mangrove swamps along its southern shore to the mountains and grasslands that dominate the northern coast. The eastern reaches of the great central desert occupy the middle of the nation and create a geographical barrier that almost splits the country into two smaller states. Nestled between the foothills of two peaks in the north, and along the shores of a small inland sea, lies the capital city, Zhōngyǎn.

In the south, the Jìntóu mountains tower up at the edges of the desert and block access to the coast. The only passage through these mountains also leads directly to the town of Chéngmò, beyond which lie much more temperate Mediterranean forests which thrive between the shadow of the mountains and the great sea to the south.

Another span of rocky highlands rise from the desert's northern edge, marking a change in conditions. Beyond this, the desert gives way to sparse tropical savannah, fed by mountain run-off streams, lakes and rainfall coming in from the seas to the north. A small inland sea forms a bay on the northeastern coast, on the south of which lies the capital. To the west of there, the land rises steeply into rocky and grassy highlands, before eventually ending in a border on the slopes of Fù Shan, the second highest peak on the Shrimp continent.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources:
Hóuzidì is host to a diverse range of ecological regions, ranging from temperate forests and coasts in the south to the arid deserts through the center of the nation and the tall Jìntóu mountains, as well as plains of savannah and shrubland in the north. With the exception of the great desert region, life is abundant and varied, and the people of Hóuzidì enjoy commons sights of a wide range of flora and fauna.

The mountains of Hóuzidì contain scarce resources, and much of the nation's trade resources lie in crops from its arable northern plains. Economically, the country benefits greatly from taxation on trade routes passing through their lands and through previous diplomatic agreements with Tianguó, however this latter source of income ceased with the war thirty years ago. Since then, Hóuzidì have exercised military might to secure the resources and riches they require, raiding wherever they see opportunity.

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Politics, People and History:
Hóuzidì occupies a crucial position in the center of the Shrimp continent, and has had to defend its borders against the press of invasion many times throughout its history. Although Xùntudi to the east has never officially attacked the nation, Hóuzidì's Junfá is ever cautious of their strength and suspicious lack of open aggression; they are a threat to nation, and one which is always being tested and gauged by small skirmishes along the border. Xùntudi's rich and fertile lands are highly desirable to Hóuzidì, and the Junfá is keen to push for aggression and conquest in the region as soon as the opportunity presents itself, however thus far their neighbor is proving staunch and stable against both investigation and assault. Such a conquest, if it could be achieved, would establish Hóuzidì as a major power on the Shrimp continent, securing themselves against present threats and granting them the strength to expand further and on to greatness.

Historically, Tianguó was never a concern; the small city-state did not have the military ambition to cause problems for Hóuzidì, and although the lands were exceedingly wealthy, much of that fortune came to Hóuzidì through diplomacy and trade. Further west, Laohudì have always been a clear and substantial threat, and much of Hóuzidì's strength has been exchanged many times over with that country. Were it not for Laohudì's priorities elsewhere, Hóuzidì might well have been conquered generations ago. With the outbreak of war thirty years previous, however, Tianguó came into their own as a military power and arose as a threat to Hóuzidì, and the nation lost a lot of ground to the former city state. Although some of that land has since been reclaimed and firmly fortified, the present-day borders of Tianguó still largely consist of seized friendly territory.

The people are known as a little crazy. They're generally a good people, but they have a tendency to be very passionate about what they care about, and also being very goal oriented. Almost all of their industries are conducted on a master-apprentices format that results in a constant competition between apprentices for the best masters in their field. The average citizen is ambitious and pragmatic, also leading many of them to be suspicious of others by default. The country is also known, however, for having some of the continent's biggest parties. The nation has many holidays and plays as hard as it works.

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Country 4
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Tianguó: Enmansujo: The Land of Heaven

Geography:
At the heart of the Shrimp continent, Tianguó is a nation landlocked on three sides, spanning approximately two hundred and fifty kilometers at its widest point. Its southern coast is dominated by a range of tall mountains which the pious locals have for long generations called the Pillars of Heaven. On their far slopes the land falls quickly and sharply away into the vast ocean that lies beyond. The lower reaches of the inland northern slopes are swathed with sparse Mediterranean forest which extends for several leagues, before thinning out and disappearing as the land becomes more dry and arid. From here, the country stretches north out into the large desert that runs through the majority of the Shrimp continents length. A number of canyons and hills are scattered through the desert regions, however the continually shifting sands make accurate mapping or exploration of the area nigh impossible.

Halfway along the mountainside on the northern side, a large plateau juts out for some thirty kilometers and creates a wide shelf approximately two and a half thousand meters above sea level. In a wide basin on this shelf lies a great lake known as Jinhú, the Goldwater, created through run-off from the nearby peaks. On its western shores lies the Divine City of Jīnshān, the capital of the nation and former jewel of the Shrimp continent. Far to the north, amid the shifting desert sands, rests the only other remaining large town of the once prosperous country; a trading-post turned military compound, Lù'dào.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources:
The desert that occupies the central reaches of Tianguó provides only rare cases of life, usually in the form of small insects and reptiles. Beetles, scorpions and snakes are the most common, with rodents and carrion birds emerging by night. As the desert gives way to dry shrub-land and eventually Mediterranean forests, life becomes far more abundant. Rainfall and run-off from the nearby mountains create a fertile region where woodland species can thrive and the land is rich enough to support many types of crop farming, while the summer heats are still significant enough to support the culturing of exotic fruits and spices. Where the deserts are brutally hot during the day and freezing by night, the sheltered regions near the mountains provide a much more stable, temperate zone. Cold ocean winds passing over the mountains and mixing with the arid air of the deserts often results in fierce storms, although these are usually far enough away from the few major settlements to be of little concern. The main consequence of these is the continual picking-up and depositing of sand across large stretches of the desert, giving the region the nickname of the "shifting sands".

In these forests, and on the slopes beyond the mountain shelves, many larger mammals thrive. Mountain goats and birds of prey are common sights, but are both dwarfed in quantity by the diversity of other life. Bears, monkeys, tigers and antelope are commonly hunted for sustenance or the fur trade, and there is a large local profit in the growth and processing of many herbs, spices and lumbers.
The main wealth of the nation stems from veins of gold discovered within the mountains themselves, which have for many years been exploited by Tianguó, boosting it to be one of the wealthiest and grandest nations on the continent. It is incredibly common here, and in years past people have successfully led extravagant lives through nothing more than panning along the shores of Jinhú or the rivers that feed into it.

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Politics and History:
Tianguó began as a small, yet stable and prosperous city-state in the shadows of the mountains, famed for its religious freedom and piety. The city of Jīnshān, on the shores of Jinhú, housed one of the greatest temples in the known world; a vast shrine of Jindào, and the nation was led by a religious figurehead: The Shénzhèng, messenger and representative of their divine pantheon. The entrepreneurial spirit of the free peoples of the city soon discovered the vast wealth of gold in the nearby mountains, and very quickly the small nation erupted with untold fortunes.
Thereafter, for many generations, Tianguó was known across the Shrimp continent as the jewel of the south. Its vast fortunes in gold and its strong religious ideals created what many believed to be a seat in paradise, with gleaming white-and-gold walls encircling their plateau-city and multitudes of shrines reaching out across the desert. Their wealth was so great that they conquered the shifting sands of the desert to the north, establishing within it a rich and vibrant trading outpost to better access and draw their neighbours' interests.

But thirty years ago, their prosperous political climate came to a dramatic, brutal change. Unrest and war brewing in the west erupted, and for reasons very much still speculated over, the Shénzhèng of Tianguó was assassinated. At once the veil of peace and prosperity over the country vanished, and it became a nation of panicked and helpless citizens. Wars between Laohudì and Hóuzidì almost crushed the peaceful state, consuming many of its former lands and pushing Tianguó to the brink of destruction; it quickly became a lucrative prize for whichever neighbouring country could seize it first and hold it against the other.

After a few months of terror, a resistance faction arose in the rubble of Jīnshān, amassing their influence and wealth to gain control over the remaining peoples. Years of internal strife were revealed as this new government seized power over the nation and established themselves as firm military dictators; those citizens who resisted disappeared, and those who didn't resist became oppressed and abused to the point where submission became the natural way of life. Confusion and treachery triumphed, transforming the once peaceful religious state into a reborn, hardened military regime, hell-bent on its own survival - at any cost.

Whatever the price, the new government was successful in its efforts to save the country. The white walls of Jīnshān are now stained and decrepit, and no one remains who sees the country for what it once was - but its borders are now at least relatively stable and the country remains.

The people are generally described as solemn, dedicated and... sad. The current government is almost entirely focused on sustaining itself, abandoning almost every aspect of their religion to focus only on security and maintaining of power. The majority of individuals within the country were alive when their religion was what fueled and maintained society, not fear and power.

If not struggling to survive and hiding in fear of their government, citizens are usually very honest and passive. They're often the calmest ones in the room and have a large aversion to conflict on principal.

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Country 5
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Laohudì: Tora no Tochi: The Land of the Tiger

Geography: One of the largest countries of the Shrimp continent, Laohudì is sandwiched between Tianguó to the south-east, Hóuzidì to the north-east, and Guólóng to the west. Daoshé lies to the immediate north, only a short sail away across the Daoshé Straits. As with its neighbours, the nations central landmass is almost entirely desert and xeric shrubland that provides little domestic value to its inhabitants. There remain many stories and tales of ancient cities and countries that once existed among its sands, but nothing now remains save occasional rumours of ruin sightings or unearthed trinkets. Many deep canyons and crevasses run through the desert beneath the surface of the sand, adding additional peril to those who try to cross.

The real land wealth of the country lies in the northern and southern extremes of its borders. To the north, it meets Hóuzidì by a border that crosses the peak of Fù Shan, the second highest point on the continent. East of this the land falls steeply into a fertile lowland, sheltered from the elements by a second set of highlands further east, and Daoshé to the north across the Daoshé Straits. In this valuable patch of arable land lies the nations capital, Bófeng, as well as its vast seaport through which the majority of the countries' trade flows.

Far to the south a large mountain plateau rises, the west side of which is so steep and impassable that it creates a natural border with neighbouring Guólóng. This region is filled with mineral wealth, and a sizeable portion of Laohudì's military and economical strength is sourced here in iron, silver and other resources both strategical and luxurious. The high altitudes are utilized by the people to escape the searing heat and inhospitability of the deserts below, and as such they contain various small communities and military camps. Together, they secure most of the mountains against ongoing attempts by Guólóng to push the residents of Laohudì out. In a small valley situated in a nook just to the east of the plateau is a large town, Lèyuán. A rare stream flows from the heights down here, creating an unlikely paradise tucked away in the shadow of a steep gorge, where dwellings are built clinging onto cliff-like walls and infrastructure is composed of networks of hanging bridges and ropes.

Along the foot of the southern plateau, running from the eastern border with Guólóng and following the coast to the edge of Tianguó lies a stretch of thinning Mediterranean forest. Although it is a region that is vital to the survival of the nearby population due to the source of foodstuffs provided, it is growing smaller through logging year by year which adds continual strain to the local ecosystem. A number of small ports dot the coast, although they are largely military fortifications that act as a deterrant to Guólóng. A large wall and fortress occupies the southwestern coast between the end of the mountain plateau and the start of the sea.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources: Given that Laohudì is dominated by the great central desert that runs through the heart of the continent, it is therefore no surprise that its range of flora and fauna is fairly small. In these regions one can travel for many days without witnessing life, although a trained eye may discover tracks of rodents, insects and some small subterranian species that, as a rule, prefer not to be disturbed. Most of the ecological value in Laohudì follows its northern coastline, where cooler air and moisture from the Daoshé Straits provides better conditions. Unlike neighbouring regions of this coastline, the mountain Fù Shan and another range of highlands provide a good degree of shelter against storms and create an almost idyllic river-fed envionment in which the nation's capital is seated.

The Mediterranean forests in the far south of the country have for many generations provided a valuable source of food and raw lumber for the developing nation, however the region is now overcultivated and is at increasing risk of vanishing entirely. However, as with the ores and minerals of the mountain plateau on the west border, these are not prime source of the country's prosperity; that comes from silk. A rare and prized species of silkworm is found among the deserts of Laohudì, and is heavily exploited to produce some of the finest fabrics in the known world. The "silk road" is a network of traderoutes that run the length of the country from its origin in the southern sands, through the great desert and to the sprawling ports of the northern coast, where the valuable products are widely exported. This rare and luxurious resource grants Laohudì a wealth almost comparable to that of Tianguó's gold industry, and allows the nation to field an impressively large military.

Politics and History: Laohudì has a very turbulent, wartorn history. Holding a prominent and lucrative central position on the Shrimp continent, it has throughout the past been targeted by nations on all sides and this has created a country whose people are constantly on high alert. With the wealth of the silk trade beginning within its southern deserts, it is a tempting target; however the value of such a resource is sufficient to employ and support a sizeable military counterweight.

Local traditions suggest that the origins of the nation lie in conflicts between previously nomadic desert tribes, however few reputable accounts remain of such times and these beginnings are rarely supported by histories of the surrounding continent. One fragment of these origins does remain, however, in that all young men and woman are encouraged to cross the great desert and emerge safely on the far side before they can be considered adults; walking the path of their ancestors and facing the hardships of the desert is said to forge their bodies and minds ready for the challenges of adulthood in such a rough country. The beginning of recorded history starts many centuries after the supposed era of these nomads, however a warlike and aggressive culture has always been firmly rooted in the country's people.

The ruling warlord of Laohudì fits this demographic well. An ambitious yet paranoid man, he is widely regarded as a confident and talented military commander. He sees enemies on every side, and dreams of expanding his nation at any cost; he is the type of leader who has a vision of a better future, and will chase it through any hardship. He rose to power thirty years ago when he orchestrated the assassination of the previous Junfá in a brutal coup d'état, seized control of the military assets of the nation and immediately began killing off his opposition; the event is recorded today as the Night of the Hundred Wolves for the (supposedly) one hundred assassins and their targets.

One such target was the Shénzhèng, the religious leader of Tianguó, an advocate of peace and prosperity who had been working closely with the previous Junfá of Laohudì. It was this assassination that plunged the continent into a bloody war that rewrote the borders visible today. Laohudì spent much of its military strength in the war, but in doing so claimed large tracts of land from both Tianguó and Hóuzidì, and prevented any advance from Guólóng to the west. The conflict only ended when each nation realised that no further ground could be gained, and the combatants were forced to turn their attentions to broiling internal strife or else be shattered from within.

Citizens are generally known as high energy, hard-working people. Their aggressive government is a bit at odds with their citizens tendency to want to keep their heads low and work. It makes more sense once citizens feel threatened in any way. A history of contested lands has created a culture of people that are very proud and protective of both their land, their materials and their families. They don't take kindly to most outsiders.

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Country 6
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Guólóng: Hiryuu no Tochi: The Land of the Dragon

Geography:
Similar in size to Laohudì, Guólóng is one of the largest nations on the Shrimp continent, and boasts a very diverse range of environments. A thin strip of mangrove swamp runs the entire length of its southern shores, which blend into dense Mediterranean forests further inland. These extend for approximately a third of the country's north-to-south distance, and are broken by two small mountain formations. These are known as the Westmount and Eastmount ranges, respectively, although each consist of far more than a single peak. The Eastmount range is the higher of the two (and includes the third tallest peak of the continent), snow-clad all year round, while the Westmount range remains a more habitable temperature with its flatter, gentler profile.

A plethora of rugged highlands cover the southeast of the nation, between the Eastmount and the mountains of Laohudì, while many valleys and plains cover the western reaches up to the foothills of the Westmount range. North of the forests that cover these regions, the great central desert divides the land and continues far out into and beyond Laohudì to the east and reaches to the very shore of the western seas. On the northern coasts the desert thins to become tropical savannah and sparse grasslands, with many rolling hills and sheltered bays. On the northwestern tip of the continent lies a large coastal inlet which is actually sunken swampland, and is now a dense spread of mangrove swamps.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources:
The wide swamps of Guólóng are host to a great many species, some of which are not found anywhere else in the known world. The snow-clad heights and peaks of the Eastmount range are too steep and high to culture much life, but the lower plateaus of Westmount are home to a range of mountain-dwelling goats, deer and reclusive bears as well as many types of birds of prey, wildcats and horses. The hills and valleys of the south are filled with forest animals, providing a healthy hunting and trapping culture to sustain and provide trade for the local populations. The central desert is home to only the hardiest of plants and animals, namely cacti, snakes, scorpions, beetles, rodents and the occasional flock of carrion birds. Along the northern coasts life becomes more abundant among the tropical savannahs, and many small communities thrive here through a combination of agricultural farming, fishing and hunting.

The climate of Guólóng is just as varied as the land. The southern coasts recieve plentiful rainfall from stormfronts moving in from the oceans beyond, and the northern coasts are subject to harsh weather coming into the Daoshé and from the seas to the north. The central desert is very arid and dry, but kicks up frequent dust storms which make passage across it difficult during the warmer months when they are more common.
In terms of resources the nation is relatively self-sufficient. The forests and mountains to the south provide enough raw materials to support its various communities, and most inhabited areas provide ample quantities of foodstuffs and trade products. Guólóng is likely as large and as stable as it is due to its well-maintained infrastructure network, with roads and caravan routes maintained between its many settlements - including those that cross its central desert.

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Politics and History:
While there is continual border conflict with Laohudì to the east and the rare raid along the northern coasts from Daoshé, Guólóng capitalizes on its relative security as the westernmost region of the Shrimp continent; with no threats from the south or west, it has for many generations thrived by being able to focus its attentions on the sole main threat to the east. From such a strong position, with all the resources and territory its people need, the country boasts an impressive army and a sizeable navy, and many believe that it has enough military strength to crush its neighbour of Laohudì should the two nations come to blows. However, since Guólóng's security and efficiency stems from its infrastructure, such a war effort would become less and less effective the more land it seized, which keeps Guólóng relatively conservative in its ambitions.Instead, the Junfá of the country appears content to maintain a strong border with Laohudì by fortifying the outer regions, rebuffing any invasion attempt and securing peace with his neighbour through fear of retaliation more than anything else.

The Junfá rules from his seat in the nations capital of Ximén, located in a great valley in the central south of the country. Ximén is now one of the largest single settlements on the continent, having been allowed to flourish for many years in the relative security of the west. A number of smaller towns dot the southern regions of the country, particularly among the foothills of the Westmount range where mining communities are common. From these areas the Junfá's influence stretches north, securing the desert through a great network of watchtowers and trading posts, before eventually it reaches the northern ends of the country. On the northern coast lies the country's second largest city, Beimén, from which Guólóng carries out much of its overseas trade with the mainland.

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Country 7
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Daoshé: Janoshima: The Isle of Serpents

Geography:
Daoshé is a small island, little larger than nearby Cháodì, which lies sandwiched between the spires of Dàshanzhou and the rugged shores of the northern Shrimp continent. Most of the island is covered with flourishing temperate broad-leaf and mixed forests, which reach from the central areas of the island up to and along the highlands on its northern coasts. A thin strip of xeric shrubland runs close to the southern coast in the unsheltered region that is scoured of rich plant-life from the rough Daoshé straits. The land rises up to the north, before suddenly falling away into the sea in a range of steep cliffs.
The coasts of Daoshé are very varied, with many sheltered bays, inlets and natural cave systems close to the shore that make it a haven for raiders and smugglers alike.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources:
Daoshé generally receives very fair weather, likely due to the relative shelter provided by Dàshanzhou to the north and the rest of the Shrimp continent to the south, although rough seas along the Daoshé straits often carry storms over the coast. These stretches of the southern coast are mostly devoid of all but the hardiest grasses and trees due to the harsh salty winds, but further inland the ground becomes much more fertile. By the time one reaches the mixed forests the ground becomes nutrient rich and ideal for farming, although that is only rarely done so by the local population who prefer other means of sustenance.

Aside from the land quality, Daoshé offers little in the form of exploitable resources. Fishing is a strong food industry and used to feed the various villages, but it has never been performed at a level that would allow much in the way of exports. Many people speculate that it is this lack of natural raw materials that first drove the peoples of Daoshé to raiding and piracy, although it is more likely now a tradition and heritage among the citizens rather than their only option to survive. These activities account for almost all of the nations collective wealth, with riches plundered from anywhere they can be seized.

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Politics and History:
The peoples of Daoshé compose a strong and fierce warrior society, with personal standing and importance based on skill in battle and victories won. This creates a very fractured, unstable relationship between neighbouring communities as more often than not there is no single leader among the people. Typically each village or region is ruled and organised by those within with the most influence over their peers. Local folklore frequently alludes to past or future "kings" of warriors who were, or will be, so great so as to unite the land; however in practise it is doubtful that this has or ever will happen due to the inherent nature of the people to fight one another and defy order in pursuit of more immediate gains.

This, of course, leads to the nation having a long and bloody history of warfare, much of which is not well documented. Since the prime concern of the people is war, little thought is given to cultural or personal development; education is minimal, healthcare is crude and the only crafts of major renown are those of martial relevance, such as shipbuilding and practical weaponsmithing. The ability to read and write is scorned by most individuals, meaning histories, treaties, news and other information is primarily passed only through word of mouth from parent to child.

With each community being independent of the others, all but the smallest fishing villages venture out to raid the various shipping lanes and port towns of the Shrimp continent to bring in the supplies and wealth needed for daily life. Cháodì and Laohudì are the main targets due to their vulnerability and richness, respectively. An unusual point of note is that the residents of Daoshé, warriors included, revere the secret peoples of Dàshanzhou and deliver tribute frequently to the safest shores of their northern neighbour. It is believed that they consider the peoples of Dàshanzhou to be heralds, messengers or descendants of a God or Gods; although their exact religious beliefs appear to vary wildly between different communities, and is the source of much in-fighting. On one thing they all agree - if they do not pay sufficient tribute, be it in gold, exotic goods, supplies, slaves or prized possessions (typically weapons) to their "superiors" on the northern island, they will retaliate with divine fury, bringing the storms and seas against Daoshé.

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Country 8
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Dàshanzhou: Daiyamatou: The Isle of the Great Mountain

Geography:
Dàshanzhou is often considered the great herald of the Shrimp continent, a monolithic twin-peaked mountain rising from the churning seas that is the first sight any traveller will find south of the mainland. Its forested shores are deceptively inviting, for many treacherous rock spires, reefs and underwater currents surround the island which makes any uneducated approach an exercise in lethal futility.
These coastal forests rise quickly into steep foothills, hiding scattered valleys and gorges, and eventually into the high slopes of the mountains themselves. Of the two peaks the western is the greater, both in height and footprint, and its spine and shoulders are year-round entrenched in deep snow that, beyond the clouds, glimmers in the sun. The eastern peak is several hundred meters shorter and is a much sharper, unbroken spire. The western peak is suspected to be the highest point in the Shrimp continent.

Many rivers and gulleys run from the twin mountains down into the forests and seas below, and the few travellers that have ever escaped the island speak of places with wondrous beauty - from secret valleys and hidden stairs in the mountains to lush vibrant forest hollows that seem untouched by humanity. A high lake rests on the eastern tip of the island, fed by a great waterfall that begins high up in the mountains, cascading down hundreds of meters and creating a breathtaking sight.

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Ecology, Climate and Resources:
There have been very few attempts to study the ecology of Dàshanzhou due to the difficulty in reaching (much less leaving) its shores. The forests appear to teem with exotic life, with many-colored birds and unlikely mammals a common sight. Species that elsewhere in the world have been hunted to extinction thrive on the isolated terrain, making it a haven for the weird and wonderful. Although beautiful, much of the flora and fauna is considered dangerous, with many local toxins and poisons having no known antidote simply because of their rare and unique nature.

The few areas of the island that can be considered lowlands are well sheltered by a thick forest canopy, although the northern, western and eastern coasts are exposed to the fury of the seas beyond and are frequently battered by approaching storm fronts. The peaks of the mountains are frequently obscured by clouds and storms are common. The heights are largely dry and rocky slopes, too steep in many places to accommodate much in the way of plant or animal life, although hidden valleys exist on the island that are said to be near paradisiacal in terms of their beauty and ecological wealth.

Such a rich variety of animal life would no doubt provide a unique source of rare and valuable hides, furs, meats and animals to trade - should anyone dare to try and secure or export them. Due to the limited area of lowland, agriculture is non-existent and would no doubt require the clearing of large swathes of forest to achieve. No surveys to date have been recorded concerning mineral wealth or mining opportunities of the mountains and surrounding terrain.

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Politics and History:
Most of the world regards Dàshanzhou as a forbidden gem; most attempts to even approach the island result in tragic shipwrecks and many lost lives, and the vast majority of landfall attempts over the long years have resulted in failure - the few who reach its shores are rarely ever heard from again, and those that are speak of impassable terrain, deadly wildlife and claim divine interference preventing their passage inland. In reality, the island is already occupied; but by a very small, very secretive tribe that reside in the hidden valleys and gorges of the towering mountains. Experts of their land, they alone know the routes and passages that allow approach to and from the shores, through the forests and into their precious highlands. They are fiercely protective of the island, attacking, killing or enslaving all those who encroach on their domain.

Highly religious, this small community spend most of their lives at high altitudes and in difficult conditions which makes them incredibly hardy and adaptive. Of all the peoples of the Shrimp continent, their subculture is the most secretive and little is known about them beyond their relationship with their island neighbours of Daoshé - which even then is little-known further afield. In their own eyes, the peoples of Dàshanzhou are subservient only to their diety, a monotheistic entity who controls and creates all aspects of life and death. They consider themselves beyond the call or question of other humans and life, and only tolerate the "savages" of Daoshé due to that peoples' reverence for Dàshanzhou and its tribe.

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Country 9
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Dragon Country

Geography

Much of Dragon Country is made up of Temperate Grasslands and rich soils, making it ideal for farmlands. There is very little in the way of congested populations and villages, much less cities. Most of the residents of the area have their nearest neighbors at least a couple miles away. The few small villages there are have just enough to get by, a store, a single restaurant or two, maybe an inn, but beyond that there isn't much. Almost all of it is flatland. Towards the north the area warms up into more tropical grasslands. However towards the South-West there is more tropical forests and very few people who live there. There is a handful of small hills in this area, one just shy of being high enough to be considered something akin to a mountain, and that location has a reputation of its own.

Landmarks

Mount Daemar The most well-known of all landmarks, Mount Daemar is located in the southwest of the country. In today's day and age it is little more than a hill with nothibg growing upon it. Any attempts to plant on it have been fruitless and it is said to be cursed to never grow anything again. It is called a Mount not because of this current state, but because of its legend. In legend, Daemar was once an impressive mountain with a network of caves and even snows at its peak. But one day the mountain burst open, giving birth in an explosion of earth and fire to the first dragon, destroying the mountain itself and every structure withing a twenty mile radius. To this day, no one lives within that radius, and this legend is how Dragon Country got its name.
	Kikio Swamp According to legend, if there had ever been a capitol of Dragon Country it would have been at the heart of it, where a lush and beautiful forest was once. But now all that remains is Kikio Swamp. The area is desolate and deadly and while some say there are safe paths through the swamp, any who have been known to attempt crossing wind up dying terribly. It is said this all changed because a dragon of a dark power took up residence in the forest and overtime the land was corrupted into the swamp it is today.
Gullean Markets Of the two major markets in the country, the Gullean is considered the richest. In the southeast corner it is so large there are hundreds of shops and even a small port attached to it. There are constantly people in and out, buildings mostly rented and changing hands every week to month as families come and go to sell their wares before returning home. As there are only two major markets in the entire country, this market is almost entirely made up of temporary residents either there to buy or to sell.
	Seledar Market Being in the southwest of the country, not far from Mount Daemar, this market is far less popular. Its people are mostly permanent residents selling their things and, in one case, running a bath house and a whore house. The area is better known as a seedy pleasure district, being close to an area where crops often fail, but there are a handful of decent businesses as well. The place is quiet in the day, and noisy at night. Any visitors are expected to keep secret anything they may accidentally observe and the residents prefer to mind their own business.

Climate & Resources

Dragon Country is known for its mild temperatures and weather. It has a fairly hot and fairly cold season as do most areas but truly its worst time of year is the spring. Often called by name of "Dragon Wrath" it is a season most well known for its thinder and lightening storms with high winds. As the land is so flat these storms can be quite severe and the damage wide spread. Tornadoes may be seen two or three times a year and typically every farm keeps a cellar just in case. Her primary resources are those born of farms. Livestock, grain, and other edibles are the most common. Precious metals are hardly ever found, and in the rarity a cave is found or the ground is found to contain any such thing it is mined empty within the year. However among the mundane there is a rumor, a legend. Some say the fires of this country burn hotter than anywhere else while others say it is the rare steel thag is mined in the land that is different. Both claim this somehow results in blades forged stronger than ever. The sad truth however is that if either were really true the only smithies anyone would find would be for livestock. Only in the Market cities could one find someone to smith a blade, and even then they would be lucky if it wasn't a charletan out to make an easy buck.

People & Culture

The people of Dragon Country can only be described as paranoid. One way or another they are all wary of strangers. In the Markets they are quick to take advantage of strangers, and the markets are the only places with some form of concrete law. Out in the farms they are not typically generous, helping only when it is in their interest or they can get something out of the person. Their culture is very simple. They are primarily farmers, with many of these farms producing everything they need themselves, many families on these farms being rather large with multiple generations on a single farm. Marriages are typically arranged, but incest is frowned upon and so girls are wed to boys on other farms. It is always that the girl leaves her family to join the boy's and never the other way around. In truth in this culture, the only ones a person trusts is family, for the stranger will always have a trick up his sleeve.

Politics

The politics of Dragon Country seem overtly simple on the surface, though as with most political systems there is at least a little more than meets the eye. Politics are split up into three groups: Merchant Seat The Merchant Seat is also known as the Merchant Council. It is made up of half a dozen men amd women who are the wealthiesr of the merchants in the country. Each has equal voice and no one is above another. The council leads as a body, and as such there is no one person in charge of the rest. Yet in some areas this is a front. There are back door dealings with far less savory types in am effort to keep the piece without leaving room for weakness. Ku-Dei-Ka This organization is much like a mob or gang and operates in the shadows. It provides mercenaries and bodyguards to members of the council for the country's safety and the council's safety itself. It is the Ku-Dei-Ka that runs the Seledar Market and other profitable ventures akin to it. Ryuu Nomads There are many who think them nothing more than a myth or rumor, as their existance cannot be fully confirmed by but a tiny handful of people. They live in Kikio Swamp and worship the "Great Serpant". This great serpant is supposedly the spirit of the dragon of dark power that once resided within the swamp. They believe the spirit will bless those loyal though many define the word differently. Some are vegetarians, others are cannibals, but all of them hide well and avoid outsiders at all costs. Kindness is not in them, but fear and cruelty is.

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Country 10
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Steppe Country Geography

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Located on the southern coast of the continent, Steppe Country is roughly 250 square miles in size and at first glance appears to be an idyllic country forgotten by the rest of the world. Well known for its miles of uninterrupted grasslands and the steep coastal cliffs, it remains largely untouched by human life. Perhaps it's only prominent landmark is a large river called the Nibun which essentially splits the country into two halves. The great river runs from the northwest border to the southeast coast, spilling over the cliffs in a great waterfall.


Ecology, Climate and Resources

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Steppe Country is easily characterized by its continental climate, moving from extreme heats of 40 °C+ during the summer months and dropping to below freezing in the winter. There is also a large difference not just between the seasons but also between day and night, going from extreme heat during the day to sub-zero during the night. As a result of these extremes in the climate, the country is generally regarded as inhospitable and remains largely unpopulated by humans.

The rains, which typically roll around in the early summer months, often come in the form of harsh storms and the amount of rain the country gets for the year ultimately determines how long the grasses will grow. The lightning from these storms is a common cause of huge grass fires throughout the country, though this actually serves to assist in the maintenance of the land, clearing areas to allow the rarer grasses a chance to grow and providing freshly burnt vegetation as fertilizer for the soil. Often the land succumbs to drought. This prevents trees and large shrubbery from growing as they require more water to sustain themselves, whereas the grasses are sturdier and thus can grow more freely.

In terms of fauna, a wide variety of large grazing mammals can be found within the borders of Steppe Country, including cattle, bison, antelope, deer, horses, even sheep and llama. These are found both wild and herded by the indigenous nomadic people of the country. In terms of carnivorous animals, there are a number of wolves, coyotes, foxes, and badgers throughout the country. There are a few species of rodent, such as gophers, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and mole rats. A small variety of snakes can be found and there are some species of bird such as sparrows, hawks, owls, even quail.

In terms of trading, what little the indigenous tribes do partake in, the country specializes in livestock, meats, raw hides and leathers. While there is great potential for agriculture, given the richly fertile soil of the grasslands, the nomadic lifestyle of the indigenous people has resulted in a lack of the necessary farming skills to turn it into a viable trade.


People and Culture

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The indigenous people of the Steppe Country are separated into nomadic tribes. Each tribe has their own unique set of laws and rituals but there are many things that remain the same between all of them. Each of the tribes are split into three distinct groups; the herders who take care of the livestock and ensure they do not overgraze as they wander the country; the workers who prepare the food, skin select animals, tan hides into leather, fashion clothes and weapons, maintain the collapsible huts; and the warriors who specialize in mounted combat from horseback, using bows, arrows, and spears made exclusively of animal parts, the bone and sinew etc. Both women and men are treated as equals and can be found among each of the three groups.

The three major tribes each control a portion of the country. The entire side of the country north of the Nibun is controlled by the Abe. Originally there were three tribes located north of the Nibun, but after generations of war and violence only the Abe remain. The Abe are perhaps the most isolationist of the three remaining tribes, often sending hunting parties to patrol the border of the country to ensure no foreigners enter their domain. As a people they respect physical strength and power, and as a result their warriors are treated as royalty. Surprisingly enough, they follow no religion and worship no deities.

Next, dominating the area south west of the Nibun, are the Kujo. The Kujo's skill with leather working and grass weaving surpasses that of the other tribes, thus they typically have better shelters and sturdier clothing for the cold nights and freezing winters, and have better trade goods. As they have access to the entire western border of the country, the Kujo are the most open to trade with foreigners and freely welcome them among the tribe as long as they respect the laws and customs of the tribe. They believe in a 'circle of life' religion, where they see the deaths of the animals they kill as returning to the earth in order to be reborn.

Finally are the Ito, the smallest of the three clans, in the south eastern corner right against the giant coastal cliffs, both north and south of the Nibun. They are the only tribe that has the knowledge of the secret paths that lead down along the cliffs and to the sea below, meaning they are the only tribe that has access to the bounties of the sea. They protect these secrets with a fervor and are almost as isolationist as the Abe, firing upon any ships that stray too close to the cliffs. Perhaps the most spiritual of the tribes, they see the spirits in everything from the grass to the river to the animals and the sea. The most worshipped of the spirits is the Spirit of the Niban.


Politics

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Politics are handled differently from tribe to tribe. The Abe select a chieftain from among the ranks of the warriors, each time a new chieftain is required there is essentially a battle royal where the one left standing is the one put in charge. This battle royal occurs one week after the death of the current chieftain or, if they survive long enough, once every three years.

The Kujo have a representative from each of the three factions that sit on a council of sorts. The warrior representative is determined via a tournament style series of fights. The herder representative is typically a hereditary position, passed from elder to son. The worker representative is perhaps the closest thing Steppe Country comes to democracy, where the representative is voted upon by the rest of the group.

Finally the Ito are governed by three elders who 'commune' with the spirits. These elders take on disciples and when they are close to death, the spirits will chose from among the disciples who will lead the Ito people next through a series of challenges that change depending on the seasons.

The relationship between the tribes is very much a volatile one. The warfaring and isolationist Abe despise the Kujo for allowing foreigners into the country and want to take over the tribe as they have done in the past, but they also wish to know the secrets of the cliffs and thus constantly seek to capture members of the Ito. The Kujo ultimately seek a peaceful life, remaining in their part of the country, only ever defending themselves and not actively seeking violence. The Ito will go to war or make peace depending entirely on how the elders interpret the will of the spirits, so they can never fully be trusted.

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Country 11
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Hirachi to Umi no Kuni

The Country of Plains and Sea






Geography
Very few countries have a geography which is so varied and yet so erogenous at the same time. The Country of Plains and Sea is littered with mild deserts, an oceanic coast, volcanoes, hills and various grasslands. The south eastern border of the country is predominantly bluffs and tropical, grassy beaches. These bluffs give way to sprawling hills that stretch out for miles with sparse trees dotting the landscape before dipping into low flatland several dozen meters below sea level. At it's northern most corner are small patches of spotty, xeric shrub-lands mostly covered in sand and surrounded by savanna-like plains. It's north eastern corner is dominated by a single, inactive volcano that can be seen for miles and miles around thanks to the relatively empty landscape.

The country itself is relatively small at a little over 450 square miles. Towards the middle of the country is a small, 10 square mile salt water lake that is two shaded, a bright, vibrant pink during the spring and summer months and a dark, salty blue during autumn and winter, known as Lake Blomst. The volcano, Mt. Tletl, is massive at close to 4,000 meters at it's base and towering 5,859 meters above sea level. Although it has been sleeping for some time, smoke does still rise from it's peak occasionally.

Ecology, Climate and Resources

The Country of Plains and Sea are home to two dominant plains that split the country in two, each one seeming to constantly fight for dominance over the other. The western plain, known as Cozauhqui, is predominantly green in color and is made up of thick, wavy, ocean-like grass that grows up to 3 feet tall while the eastern plain, known as Groen, is dominated by golden yellow grass which rarely grows above 2 feet. It is home to no forests but instead thin, tall, spindly trees that expand out in all directions like mushrooms and grow on either plain. These plains and the trees, shrubs and weeds that grow upon them are as large, lush and vibrant as they are thanks to the volcanic soil provided to them by Mt. Tletl.

This volcanic soil is used to the fullest by the local populace who take advantage of the nutrient rich soil to grow farms of wheat, various vegetables, rice, and fruit trees. One of the main exports of the Country of Plains and Sea is the ugli fruit, which grows in groves along the bluffs on the coast. Along these coasts are also a rich environment of mangrove trees which grow in intricate bundles connecting the land and sea and helping to protect the locals from seasonal weather. Another major export are jewelry made of Pele's hair and tears, the material harvest from around the base of Mt. Tletl twice a year and formed into various forms of necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, rings and other trinkets that are seen as a commodity among foreigners.

The sort of fauna that can be found are not especially diverse but are all the same abundant. The herbivores that can be found are wild horses, bison, deer, various rodents, reptiles and insects while the carnivores consist of leopards, coyotes, red foxes and various species of birds. In addition to these land based animals, the sea provides an infinite variety of fish, mollusk, fungi, sea faring avian and other marine predators that live along the coast, in the mangrove clusters and further out at sea. Lake Blomst has it's own unique ecosystem in dependent of the sea, full of unique species that are believes to have been separated from the sea in an age gone by and adapted to their more limited environment. The apex predator within the country is the blind jackal. This species of pack hunting jackal gets its name from the milky white color of its eyes. Despite their appearances, they do in fact have sight yet neither sight nor scent is the main sense which they use to hunt. The blind jackal's sense of hearing is especially potent, due largely in part to their enormous ears. Incredibly sensitive, they are able to hear even the slightest movement in either grass or water giving them the capabilities to hunt on both hand and sea. The indigenous people consider the blind jackal to be at once a sacred animal and the ultimate prize in hunting, as their incredible sense of hearing makes them quite difficult to hunt.

On top of the rich soil which provides excellent sources of vegetative growth, the residents of the Country of Plains and Sea hunt and sell what they can from the animals that roam the region. Animal pelts and leathers, various meats, fish, and even the entirely unique species of Lake Blomst are all regularly harvested, traded and sold by the people living within the country. The land itself is not very well off as far as minerals and ores go, save for Mt. Tletl, but it's lush, varying climate makes it perfect for seasonal farming. During spring and summer, the sea brings warm winds, plentiful rains and more often than not a tropical storm or two. In autumn and winter the coast becomes more frigid and cold, making it less ideal for growing produce but instead more ideal for harvesting strands of Pele's hair and Pele's tears. It's during the latter half of the year that the majority of this is done.

Further inland, the climate is not so dependent on the seasons. More sheltered from the unpredictable nature of the sea, those living in the flat grassy plains can enjoy warm, pleasant weather throughout most of the year, the northern borders keeping a more or less constant temperature in and around the shrub land desert. During spring, flooding does occur often creating more of a dry/wet season for those living in this portion of the country. The wet season often turns the flooded areas near the coast into marshlands temporarily for only a month and a half to 2 months out of the year.

Politics, People and History


As a people, the citizens of the Country of Plains and Sea are highly independent and very isolationist. While they do export goods, mostly food and jewelry, to other countries across the sea, the national policy is almost universally one of disharmony with the world outside of their borders. That is because, as a people, they are mostly made up of raiders, warriors, and hunters. The hierarchy is relatively simple within their borders, with the lord of the land, the Ezhuahuacatl, being the highest on the proverbial totem pole, followed by various noblemen and lords, the Tlamatini, then warriors, farmers, traders and serfs or slaves being lowest. They have their own language, Nachtuatish, but often learn to speak other languages as well so as to interact with foreigners when need be.

The over all population of the country is relatively sparse, a few thousand at the most at any given time. With such few numbers, those living within it's borders can be divided up into clans. Each clan is lead by a figure head known as Tlamatini. A Tlamatini can be male or female and is generally a position either passed down or won in combat. Tlamatini look over all disputes and the well being of all within their immediate area including farming and hunting, food distribution, court-like disputes, etc. Tlamatini have any number of farmers, fishers, warriors, raiders and merchants within their territory that they must look after. If they are seen as unfit, they are replaced, usually through combat. The name of each clan is derived from the Tlamatini who governs it.

Each Tlamatini is expected to pay tribute to the lord of the land, known as the Ezhuahuacatl. Like Tlamatini, Ezhuahuacatl can be either male or female and serve the same purpose as a king or queen. Like the Tlamatini, the Ezhuahuacatl is expected to be fit for their role as leader of all of the clans. As such, the Ezhuahuacatl is often present during raids in neighboring countries and is expected to answer any and all challenges to their reign personally. The Ezhuahuacatl lives within Ulvengrad, the only city in the entire country. This city is positioned upon Lake Blomt itself. Built upon a magnanimous wooden platform, the entire city functions as a stationary boat that houses a single small pyramid, equivalent to a palace, and several long huts and simple houses that serve as both market place and houses for the citizens of Ulvengrad. As the only city in the country, it serves as a bustling metropolis to which all of the clans can flock to to trade goods.

As impressive of an architectural feat as Ulvengrad might be, the people of the Country of Plains and Sea are known as warriors first and everything else second. They are an aggressive people who freely raid neighboring countries be it by land or by sea. Their society has a very large portion dedicated to warfare and warrior life in general. They are very adept in fighting in open spaces where there is more than enough room to move as well as on the open sea. As hunters, they are clever and use the environment around them as camouflage whenever possible. This skill often translates well into combat, naturally.

With their aggressive demeanor and isolationist behavior, it's no wonder that the country does not have an actual standing army. There is no presence of Samurai or Shinobi within its borders as neither can get a proper foothold within their society. Despite this, there is much more to them as a people than just an aggressive outer shell. Despite periodically raiding the countries around them, for example, they are still able to maintain a steady, fairly healthy economy by trading exports with countries across the sea, far away from their raiding territories. They are a strong, fierce people with an intricately woven society that is in harmony with the ever changing nature of the world around them. Occasionally on raids they will take people from neighboring countries back with them and treat them initially as slaves. Over time, as they become more ensconced in the culture around them, a slave will be integrated into the society and made a citizen with a specific role like anyone else, although they are never quite forgotten as a one time slave.

Religion


Unsurprisingly for a warrior culture who keeps itself mostly isolated, the citizens of the Land of Plains and Sea have developed their own belief system. This religion, complex in it's mythology, history, and practices is dominated by a single deity; En Framförallt, the Blind Idiot God. There are other minor deities within the religion but none which reach the fame, achievements or force of impact upon the people's culture as a whole than En Framförallt. Every Tlamatini enforces the worship of this pantheon. Any other religious view is seen as heretical, to be laughed at and shunned.

En Framförallt's influence cannot be understated within the culture of this society. It is believed that at the dawn of creation, this jackal headed deity forced its way to the top of all other gods and goddesses through right of conquest to reign as their Ezhuahuacatl, demanding tribute from all others. It is believed that in celebration of this deed, En Framförallt created a creature in their image. During the creation of this beast, one of the conquered deities played a trick of them, cursing the new species to be eternally blind and wander the world as such. Out of love for their creation, En Framförallt gave his own eyes to the beasts before finding and devouring the god who had cursed his creations in the first place. These beasts came to be known as the Blind Jackals.

The total impact of this religion cannot be understated within this society. The ranks of society are named after the ranks of the gods, with En Framförallt as the one and only Ezhuahuacatl of the gods and every other minor deity is known collectively as Tlamatini, though the context of these words are different when speaking about the gods and the lords of the land. Their practices of raiding neighboring and paying tribute to the come from tales of En Framförallt. The jewelry that they craft is often in the image of this deity, every Tlamatini has at least one shrine to En Framförallt that vary in complexity and are often changed in order to one up neighboring Tlamatini. Even the reverence of the blind jackal is directly related to the religious practices of the natives.

One of the most common tributes sent to the Ezhuahuacatl at Ulvengrad are a gaggle of human sacrifices. Each Tlamatini will annually send a group of nine humans to Ulvengrad, usually slaves, injured or old warriors, or even volunteers, during a 3 day festival held in honor of the Blind Idiot God the day before, during, and after the summer solstice. They send nine sacrifices because nine is believed to be the number of blind jackals originally created by En Framförallt and thus is a sacred number. These practices and more shape the society of the people of the Land of Plains and Sea. While by no means a country of religious zealots, it cannot be denied that religion is a large part of every day life for these people.
Possible Plotboards

EnslavedShow

Through circumstances wholly unique to each individual, they become captured and put into slavery.
From there, they must find their way to their freedom or navigate the society into which they have been abducted in order to earn their freedom back. How they choose to go about this is as unique as the individuals who end up in this procarious position.

• The first thing that must be done is decide how an enslaved individual will go about earning their freedom. Do they fight their way out of captivity and risk a team of skilled hunter warriors tracking them down to kill them? Do they lay low and integrate themselves into the society and earn their freedom as their society allows them to? Do they use their talents to sneak off, never to be seen again? Depending on where and how they become enslaved as well as how they chose to act on it will dictate the rank and length of the plotboard.
• Should they chose to take the societal path out of captivity to earn their freedom, they could be in for a long plotboard involving taking every chance available (or thrust upon) them to climb up in the ranks of society. Everything from farming and tending to animals to going on hunting parties or even participating in a raid or two should they have the physique required. However they go about it, these threads should always be B rank minimum.
• As a final note, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for a character in this particular position to rise up to the ranks of a Tlamatini eventually. The road would be difficult and rife with challenges, but should one overcome all challenges set before them, how could a society such as this deny them the right they've earned?

Defending Against RaidersShow

Periodically, the citizens of the Land of Plains and Sea will venture out into one of their many neighboring countries in order to conduct raiding parties, plundering and killing as they go. Sometimes, a person might be on the wrong end of one of these raids and be forced to defend themselves or others from the invaders!
In such harrowing times, ones bravery and skill as a warrior is tested!

• For this plotboard, a character would need to be in one of the countries surrounding the Land of Plains and Sea. How difficult the plotboard is can vary, but should always be a B rank minimum as the invaders conducting these raids are all skilled warriors, seasoned or not, who act with a religious fervor and do not fear death.
• The severity of this plotboard could easily reach S rank if a character or characters has to fend off an entire war party of raiders which can include dozens if not hundreds of warriors sweeping across the land they've invaded, looting and pillaging as they go. The possibility for this plotboard being an event is not at all impossible.

Meeting with a GodShow

Through one set of circumstance or another, a character has found themselves in the presence of the Blind Idiot God themselves! Perhaps they've taken part in a religious ritual while being enslaved? Perhaps the Blind Idiot God has made itself known to the character while hunting a blind jackal? Or perhaps they have a touch of destiny about them and the Blind God can sense it? Whatever the occasion, such an omen should not be taken lightly and should be investigated forthwith!

• The circumstances for this plotboard are intentionally vague so as to allow for breathing room for the storyteller. However they choose to invoke the Blind Idiot God, the resulting plotboard should always be A rank minimum, as a spirit of such magnitude making itself known in the material world is no event to turn a blind eye to!
• En Framförallt, the Blind Idiot God, may have a task specifically for the character to fulfill, or may appear to a character as an omen for good or for ill. The Blind God is fickle at times, after all, and his intentions are not always clear behind the laughter.
• Should any local people be involved in the plotboard, it is not improbable for them to take the character or characters involved to Ulvengrad to alert the Ezhuahuacatl of the appearance of En Framförallt. This all but guarantees a trip to the only city within the Land of Plains and Seas and a meeting with the leader of clan leaders in the entire country, who will, with the help of their priests and priestesses, interpret the encounter with their god and inform the characters of what they are to do next to appease the Blind Idiot.

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Country 12
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Juu no Kuni Geography
Once there was a land, filled with buildings the likes of which had never been seen before, filled with people who spoke a strange, and foreign language. No matter how many times people tried to invade this small country, no one could ever get past their stone walls. Over a mile high, and half a mile thick, the walls were rumored to be impenetrable, except by sea and air. These giant walls surrounded the entire country, except for a mile wide gap on the coast that allowed ships to come in and out of the biggest city's harbor. The strange rulers of this ancient country were so protective of their land that their walls extended out roughly around a mile and a half into the ocean, which had allowed them to dig out a massive harbor on the coast, allowing for even greater ships to come into the harbor. While the walls are over a four hundred years old, they were built so well that they still stand in all of their original glory, except for the fact that they are now covered almost completely in vines, and moss that have grown on them since the fall of the once great country. Along the walls giant gates were constructed to allow the country's military force to enter and leave the country. Rather than be constructed of wood or steel, the gates were made of the same granite as the walls, and were created in such a way that they blended into the wall seamlessly.

Just past the great walls are the rolling hills and farm lands of Juu no Kuni. As far as the eye can see is lush grasslands, occupied only by the occasional small village, and more frequently, large farms. With the lack of forests in Juu no Kuni, the only trees within the great walls are the massive orchids, each filled with various types of fruit, including new fruit that are the result of the trees being pollinated with pollen from other trees. This, however, is only are the outer most regions of the Land Of Curses. As one get closer to the main city the more evidence they find of a great war that had been fought within the borders of the country. The land surrounding the city is blacker than a moonless night, forever lifeless due to the taint of the human blood spilled upon it. It is not only the massive amount of blood that had been shed that has mutated the land, and the city. No, the main source of the mutation, and devastation upon the land were the various jutsu that had been used there, jutsu so powerful that their affects left a permanent imprint on the land they were used on.

Among the various mutations of the land are chunks of earth, stretching a mile long and a half mile wide, that float fifty feet in the air, suspended by massive amounts of magnetism. Not only are there floating plateaus, but there are also fields of lightning, where arcs of Raiton erupt from the ground at varying speeds, strengths, and sizes, and yet those are the tamest of the mutations housed within the country. Other forms of the mutations can been seen in the winds circling the city, winds that never fall below forty miles and hour, as well as a giant golem, created from the granite city, standing lifeless in the center of the once great city, waiting to be brought to life once more. The once elegant, and powerful, city of granite had been all but destroyed completely, and the strangest mutation among all of the others were the melted buildings inside the city, evidence of a once great fire.

The buildings of the once great city had been made solely of granite, though in varying colors. The most prominent stone that had been used to build the largest city in the country was Black Diamond Granite. As most of the outer most buildings had been built with the black granite it gave the city a very dark, but elegant feeling. As one drew closer to the harbor, they would come upon the speckled blue of the Blue Bahia granite, which had been the second most common color within the city. The buildings closest to the harbor, and what appears to be the Daimyo's palace had all made of the black and blue granite, though the most prominent building material had been Emerald Green Marble. These had been, by far, the most elegant buildings, displaying the former wealth of the city. While the city was beautiful enough to take your breath away, if was far from being in its prime, as most of the city was in shambles, more evidence to the great war that had taken place within the city, and its outskirts. In the dead center of the city was a massive, perfectly square, hole with crumbling stairs leading down into a pitch black darkness. The city is no more than a disgrace to what it once was, a hollow shell of a former great civilization. The harbor of the once great city stretched two miles straight down, and was three miles wide, easily allowing for large shipping vessels to dock within it. Should one decide dive into the harbor, not only would they find themselves face to face with the terrors of the sea, but would find the wreckage of ancient sailing boats, large pieces of the city, and even more evidence of the great war.

Due to the city above them excavating the earth for all of the stone they needed to build their city, and the wall protecting their country, the earth under the country was all but hollow. The enormous caverns that had once been mine shafts had been converted into the city's military compound, a compound so large it had actually become its own city. The city had been created over a giant geothermal lake, suspended in air by braces that secured the city to the sheer cliffs around them. The heat from the lake below was the main source of energy for the militant city, was literally the power source for everything they used, including their massive amounts of Fuuin. While the city held a wide variety of Ninja, all specializing in different things, every ninja was proficient in the Fuuin of their homeland. These Fuuin were used for everything. They were used from converting the geothermal energy into the electricity they needed to power their city, to converting it into chakra. Then from chakra, they were used to power the countless number of Fuuin that filled their tunnels, protecting them from potential invaders.

The city was constructed mainly of steel, and other such metals. Fuuin were, once again powered by the Geothermal energy, used to keep the city from over heating, while tunnels that led up to the surface were used to funnel in fresh air. To help keep the Shinobi from dying due to toxic fumes, and massive build ups of CO2 the tunnels that led up to the surface were consisted of two types; intake and outtake. Both tunnels were filled with large fans that blocked anyone from using them while the fans were active, fans that were so strong they actually created artificial winds when the right amount of fans were active. The city itself is just what one would expect of a militant compound, every inch of the city is designed to keep its Shinobi in top condition and ready for battle at a moments notice. There are countless training facilities, different types of armories, each being devoted to either weaponry, or, armor, but never both. Aside from the training facilities and armories, there were barracks that housed the Shinobi, with each barrack being used for only one rank, while the coed barracks were only used when married couples wished to be intimate with each other. There were no houses to speak of in the compound, and as such there was only one place to eat which was the galley, also referred to as the mess hall. Due to the lack of personal homes Shinobi were forced to bath in group showers, and use rest rooms that were designed for the large amount of people in the city.

Surrounding the compound was a countless amount of tunnels, all of which had a purpose. Not only were these tunnels filled with Fuuin that were filled with various types of jutsu designed to hinder and kill invaders, but they were also designed in a way that would keep invaders wandering for days as they went in circles. There were tunnels that led down to underground lakes, as well as tunnels that led up to the surface as to allow the Shinobi to protect their country should the need ever arise, not to mention gather the fruit from the orchids when they wanted it. There had even been tunnels constructed that led to large granite doors, which opened up into the countries around their own. These doors were never more than a half mile into the other countries. Another notable aspect of the tunnels were the tunnels that led to massive animal pens, which were the source of all of their meat.

Ecology, Climate and Resources

Juu no Kuni, as it's name suggests, is thought to be cursed, though it is not only the land itself that holds the curse, but the plants and animals as well. Among the massive orchids of apples, pears, peaches, and other fruits is an odd grouping of trees not found in other places. Seemingly alive in it's own right, the trees will attack any large creature that come to close by whipping them with vines, and their branches. Within the middle of the orchid of what many have called the Akuboku tree, the "Evil Tree," is an incredibly large tree bearing fruit that was once known as the "Golden Apple," though it is now known as the orange.

The animals of Juu no Kuni have also adapted to the mutations of the land, such as the flying snake that haunts the branches of Juu no Kuni's trees. Felines, and canines that were once domesticated have, through generations of living untamed, grown wild, and fierce. The canines have all seemed to form packs, each breed keeping within their own kind, where as the felines once deemed "house cats" have formed a single, giant, "pack," and seem to protect something dark hidden within the Akuboku orchid. It is said that the eldest, and most powerful of not only the feline pack, but of each canine pack are able to speak as humans do, and command those under them to protect what is left of the once great country, though what they are protecting it from no one knows.

There are other animals within Juu no Kuni, such as a unique breed of fox, rabbits, bovine, ferrets, and even mice that have gained the ability to use, and control chakra as a result of living with the mutations of Juu no Kuni for so long. To say the animals of this country are not to be taken lightly would be an understatement. Though there are no confirmed sightings of it, there is rumored to be an extremely large Hydra living within the bay of Juu no Kuni's captial city.

The land of curses has a mild temperate coastal climate, which means that the temperature changes around twenty degrees year round, though it rains more than one would think it to. While the climate for Juu no Kuni is a mild coastal climate above ground, the climate within the underground fortress stays seventy five degrees year round, with humidity added to the air by special fans at the end of tunnels leading to the ocean.

People and Culture
No one knows what happened to the inhabitants of the Land of Curses, though the evidence of an epic battle is obvious. The Densetsu, the name historians gave to Juu no Kuni's people, did not seem to care for jewels, or other such things, but rather seemed to prefer the beauty of stone over anything else. Some have suggested that their love for granite means that the Densetsu originated in the Rock country, while others believe that their love of stone came from the ease of access they had to it.

Many historians have died trying to uncover the secrets of Juu no Kuni, though their deaths have not all been in vain. It is known that the inhabitants came from another country looking to increase their own power, and that it had been ruled by a royal family, though why the wall was built is still unknown. Though little is known about the time prior to the war, historians have found remnants of an old painting depicting what is believed to be the country's final ruler: a sixteen year old girl.

Some believe the country was raided by incredible armies from the ninja villages long ago, while others think there may have been a very long, very deadly civil war. Documents have been found that suggest the military that occupied the fortress beneath the country had planned to take over Juu no Kuni, however, it is unknown whether they are the reason for it's destruction.

Politics
Juu no Kuni is a lawless land awaiting to be taken over by an organization strong enough to tame it.

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Country 13
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The Country of Darkest Dungeons




Geography and Ecology Renowned worldwide for its incredibly varied geography, Dungeon Country is hard to pin down to any simple description. Due to the unique structure of the country, further explained below, the geographical differences from one area to another are grand and sudden. This is also aided by the fact that there is very little change in any part of the country from winter to summer, giving the country the nickname of "The Land Frozen in Time."

To the northernmost part of the country lays a massive lake, with several small islands dotting its opulent surface. Some of the islands are dotted with ancient structures, and more ancient structures still poke up slightly from the surface of the water, with an ever increasing amount buried beneath the surface, some laying as deep as the bottom of the almost oceanic body of water. A ferry service often takes passengers from the north side towards the center of the country for a fee, but cannot guarantee their safety. Small houses, and even a few businesses dot the shore of the lake, though it is perhaps one of the more uninhabited parts of the country. Under the surface of the lake lay a variety of fish found only in this country, and because of it, quite a few species of bird call this area their home, and even more migrate through the area to dine on the feast of fish that lay just below the surface. Survivor reports also indicate something more sinister beneath the waves, as birds are dragged down below when aiming to snatch a fish, or in the off-seasons for bird migration, rumors have come about entire boats being swallowed into the waters by mysterious beasts.

To the northeast lays a grassland, relatively tamed in much of the area, but also home to the most populace area of Dungeon Country, some taken over by farmland, and some taken over by houses and businesses alike, making for a rather bustling city not too far from the lakeside area. This city is the capital known as Haira, though holds no seat of power besides its economic status. Yet more ancient structures dot this land, some even in the middle of Haira, and usually under guard by at least two skilled samurai at the entrance. The grasslands are relatively flat, and while some has been settled for farmland, the tall grasses just beyond the farmland act almost like a barrier to the areas around them, though a few trees dot the area, and a hill or two interrupt the otherwise clear land, and a single river passes through the capital, from the lake. Much like the other areas, ancient structures crop up in more than just the capital city, often entrances to lead further underground, though some spires shoot high up into the sky, visible from miles around. As with the northern part of the country, the river that leads through the area is full of fish most of the year, and the tall grasses are home to small deer-like creatures, usually only the size of large dogs, which are preyed upon by large, fluffy, ram-like creatures, usually the size of large stags, with horns to match, and an evident taste for meat.

To the southeast, right next to the calm grassland, lays a frozen wasteland. On the edge closest to its neighboring sections, it freezes over parts, such as freezing in a straight line and causing a near perfect division between the grasslands and itself. Considerably more hilly than its neighbor, it is mostly home to local nomads, who travel through their part of the country on sleds run by dogs, who chase down the migration patterns of the local wolves for capture and training as sled dogs, as well as the large elk that roam in small families, or occasionally in herds. Snowfall and snowstorms are not uncommon, leading to an aversion of sedentary lifestyles, as homes can be buried, and the snow may not melt for sometimes years at a time, adding to the hilly region, almost turning them into mountains in their own right, depending on how the weather has been. Rarely buried, however, are the entrances to yet more of the ruins that dot the country, seemingly always having a small path leading up to them, even if the rest of the 'building' is buried under the deep snow drifts.

To the west lays a grand, thick forest, home to the biggest variety of animals, as well as people, who live in near-tribal villages. A small handful of rivers find their way from the lake up North and wind their way through the thick-trunked trees to make rest in a handful of very small lakes in the otherwise flat, simple land. A few simple paths allow travellers to find their way through, breaking up the trees into small clearings, and occasionally leading to one of the villages, and more importantly, to the ruins within. One of the most heavily populated areas by temples, of both sort that go beneath the ground and that stretch into the sky, villages are often built around them. The people there worship the temples as though they were home to the gods themselves, and worship those who come out alive after a night within as demigods. Home to many types of animals, the region is filled with a mixture of deer, rabbits, and of course a good selection of birds who prefer nuts, versus the birds who choose fish from the northern region. As with the rest of the waters of the country, the rivers are home to a rich selection of fish, allowing small fishing villages to subsist with some gathering mixed in, as well as a small amount of farming of necessities, such as rice.

To the south, and up through the center of the country, is a mountainous region with no real population to speak of, aside from the occasional hermit, and only a few wildlife who are bleed-over from the other sections of the country. Only a single ruin sprouts from the direct center of the country in this region, buried within what is assumed to be a dormant volcano. Few trees, little grass, and some snow from its cousin regions mix together to make wild, unpredictable territory that even animals aren't fans of staying in, except perhaps the toughest of alphas.
People, Culture, Religion The people of Dungeon Country are not so complex as the dungeons they are named for. The economy of the people is based off of tourism, mostly, as people flock from all areas to see the ruins, or foolhardy samurai and ninja alike come to challenge one of the many temples and their trials held within. The people have a tendency to worship the ruinic entrances, and are able to read and write the symbols that make up a language on the ruins themselves. The people are welcoming of such events, and encourage purchases of their wares with promises that it will help them through the challenges ahead of them, and most of the merchants aren't entirely lying. There is very little skilled labor amongst the denizens of Dungeon Country, with largest portion of the population existing as farmers, keeping some wares for themselves, as well as selling the rest to merchants, keeping the area well fed, as well as any travelers that come through, giving them one last good meal before they risk their lives. Dungeon Country natives also make up a good percent of their population in the form of mercantile, but do not sell traditional goods, usually. For the most part, their wares consist of stands full of things pulled out from the temples, as well as those taken off of travelers who are assumed dead, and left some of their things elsewhere for safekeeping. These merchants also do lots of business outside of the country, selling such artifacts to the Big 5 ninja nations, who gladly take advantage of the expensive tools that come from deep in the dungeons.

Some families consider it a right of adulthood to undertake one of the lesser temples challenges, only considering their children adults when they have passed the trials and come back with a trinket from the deep depths to prove their worth. This leads to a relatively hardy people in much of the country, most of which have some combat experience, though rarely formal training for wars. Dungeon Country holds no standing army, either, and is considered a pacifist nation. Not taken over by any of the other countries, it remains a mystery as to how they maintain their freedom with no formal government to lead them to all except those foolish enough to have attempted it before.


A short note on Politics, and Transport

While there is no formal government to unite the people under the same banner, which occasionally leads to infighting, local governments spring up all the time, from local tribal leaders in the west, to merchant families who maintain a majority say in decisions for generations.

Bringing a sense of solidarity to the country, however, is a series of well maintained roads in all regions except the southeastern (who has the roads, and probably in good shape, but unfortunately buried under feet of snow most years.) Most roads are patrolled by samurai, and are often traversed by merchants, as well as a series of wagon services who offer to transport people from one part of the country to another for a modest fee.

The Dungeons

Enough teasing, now. The ruins spread across the Country of Darkest Dungeons give the country its name, so of course they must be important enough for their own section. The people believe each of the dungeons to be sentient in its own right, though the reality is that each dungeon is watched over by an ancient spirit who wishes to draw chakra from those foolish enough to enter unprepared. These spirits offer small trinkets as rewards, which take a fractional portion of the energy they receive by sapping off those who are unsuccessful in their dungeon delving experiences. They also populate these dungeons with spiritual beasts who are drawn to the seals on each ruin, the strongest of which are drawn to the darkest depths of these darkest dungeons.

Each dungeon is formatted a little differently, and designed differently to the taste of spirits who oversee them, but most follow a relatively simple formula. An entrance hall that leads to the first 'floor' of their own dungeon, often leading adventurers into a false sense of security, as only weak monstrous creatures fill the early levels, often dispatched with ease to any experienced ninja or samurai. This is, of course, in effort to lead them in deeper and deeper, where it will be too late to escape the dastardly creatures that appear on the later floors. Some spirits are brave enough to wait at the end of these dungeons themselves, though many simply prefer to have the strongest of their creatures wait at the end, guarding the artifact menacingly. The artifacts are also designed to individual spirit tastes, and some can be disappointing to adventurers, while others are as grand and exorbitant as the spirits who created them. The thing all dungeons share in common, however, is the drain of chakra for being there. Every 'floor' that an adventurer visits offers another -1 stamina, draining them as soon as they enter the room. This ensures the spirits receive something out of the deal, no matter what happens.

While the spirits who create these dungeons don't usually get along, they prefer the country exactly as it is. Because of this, they allow the current people to coexist peacefully (and the worship doesn't hurt), but will work together fiercely to fend off attackers, making Dungeon Country an intimidating place to invade, even for a major ninja village. The disputations between them is also what causes the extreme geographical changes in the country, as spirits band together in small disparate groups, putting their combined powers together to even effect the weather around them to be more appealing, leaving little room for new spirits to join, unless they happen to fit well in one of the existing climates.

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Country 14
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Shark Country
”Shark Country is known for utilizing every inch of everything they harvest. They let nothing go to waste.”

• Geography & Resources:

The coast of Shark country is littered with sandstone cliffs that rise upwards of forty feet in the air at their highest. These cliffs are home to the largest population in the country, with each major city housing over twenty thousand people, whose homes are carved directly out of the cliff side, as well as on top of the cliffs. Aside from the sheer cliffs of Shark Country, the coast also has many white sand beaches, whose turquoise blue water has also attracted numerous people. Inland of the beaches are many fishing towns, with piers that reach four to five miles into the sea. At the end of these piers, and even further into the sea, are floating villages that are crafted out of the bones of massive sea creatures.

The primary resource of Shark Country are the creatures of the sea. The denizens of Shark Country hunt animals of all sizes in the depths of the ocean, and do not waste a single inch of their kills. Whales are hunted for their oil, fat, meat, bones, and even their skins, while lobster, crabs, and turtles are hunted not only for their meat, but for their hard carapaces. Even coral is grown, and harvested as one would trees for lumber. Inland, the trees of the many forests are carefully harvested for lumber, fruits, and medicinal herbs, with the various animals within also being hunted for food.

Traveling further into Shark Country, there is the Laughing Desert. The citizens of the Laughing Desert, like those of Shark Country’s coast, utilize every inch of their homeland. Not only do they hunt the various wildlife of their desert homeland, but their also grow, and harvest the flora that grows naturally within the desert. While the homes of the coastal citizens are built out of the stone from the cliffs they live on, the homes of those within the Laughing Desert are all underground. All of their above ground buildings are constructed out of a mixture of animal bones, leather, lumber, and red clay.

Coastal housingShow

Xeric GeographyShow

Floating Fishing VillagesShow

 

• Ecology/Climate:

During summer, regions of Shark Country are strongly influenced by cold ocean currents which keep the weather in the region very dry, stable, and pleasant. Similar to desert climates, in Shark Country there is a strong diurnal character to daily temperatures in the warm summer months due to strong heating during the day from sunlight and rapid cooling at night.

In winter, Shark Country is no longer influenced by the cold ocean currents and therefore warmer water settles near land and causes clouds to form and rainfall becomes much more likely. As a result, areas with this climate receive almost all of their precipitation during their winter and spring seasons, and may go anywhere from 3 to 6 months during the summer without having any significant precipitation.

Shark Country is particularly noted for its spectacular array of endemic plants, with 52 percent of the 22,500 species found nowhere else in the world. Due to the long history of human occupation on the coast of Shark Country, many of the forests have been replaced by floristically rich scrubland. This ubiquitous scrub is sometimes classified in to different types, depending on factors such as the plant composition and soil type, although the boundaries between these are blurred, producing a mosaic of plant communities. Perhaps the most iconic inhabitant of the shrubland is the olive tree (Olea europaea), a small, evergreen tree best known for its edible fruit. A range of familiar aromatic shrubs such as lavender (Lavandula), thyme (Thymus) and rosemary (Rosmarinus) also grow there, along with medically important plants like felty germander (Teucrium polium). As well as providing an array of habitats, this complex mixture of plants puts on a spectacular floral display every spring.
 
The forested areas of Shark Country are much more diverse than those found in other areas of the world. Of the 290 tree species native to Shark Country, an incredible 201 are endemic. The cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) in particular is renowned for its timber, having been utilised for hundreds of years. The sea off the coast of Shark Country is host to a range of unique plants, including up to 200 endemic macroscopic species. One of the most important marine vegetation types, however, is the meadows of seagrass, such as Posidonia oceanica, which supports over 80 percent of the fish yield in Shark Country.
The sea, forests, and xeric shrubland of Shark Country is home to a wide variety of animals. In the sea the most common animals are the Monk seals, Loggerhead turtles, Shortfin Mako sharks, Saltwater Crocodiles, Bluefin Tuna, Rabbit fish, Dalmatian pelican, Dusky grouper, Angel shark, and the Balearic shearwater. However, there are some fish that are rarely found within the waters off the coast of Shark Country. After traveling out at least twenty miles, Giant Squid can be found on occasion, as well as massive sea snakes, Blue, and Orca whales, as well as what the fishermen of Shark country call Leviathan Dragons.
 
On the coast of Shark Country there are animals such as the Lynx, Spanish Imperial Eagle, many various types of lizards, with the largest being the Komodo Dragon, though another large lizard found on the coast are the Iguanas. Aside from the lizards there are many birds, and insects, such as the Dragonfly, that all live on, or around, the cliffs of Shark Country’s coast. Within the forests of Shark Country, the prominence of the Lynx becomes more pronounced, as it is the largest wild cat within Shark Country’s forests, though there are smaller wild cats. There are elk, antelope, and even barbary sheep that have escaped from their pens all living within the forests. There are large constrictor snakes, as well as venomous snakes, all living within the branches. There are field mice, boars, monkeys, and apes, even the Hyenas from the Laughing Desert will wander into the forest from time to time. The rarest animals within the forest, however, are the Silverback Gorillas, and the large elephants, which rarely leave the forest.
 
Within the Laughing Desert, some of the more common animals are the Caracal, Striped Hyena, Coyotes, Rattles Snakes, Addax Antelope, Arabian Horse, Bats, Bighorn Sheep, Collared Peccary, Desert Elephants, Dingos, Dromedary, and the Fennec Fox. However, some of the more uncommon animals are the Ibex, Nine-Banded Armadillo, the Giant Armadillo, Oryx, and the Peregrine Falcon.
 
While those on the coast primarily eat fish, and raise lambs for slaughter, those within the Laughing Desert eat primarily the Addax Antelope, though they will eat any animal that they are capable of killing.

Leviathan DragonShow

• Politics/People/History

Shark Country is ruled by the Shuryo family, which is where the country gets it’s name. However, the Laughing Desert has recently become it’s own territory, and is ruled by a warlord by the name of Duan Liao. While the two families are officially at war with one another, they have recently agreed to cease all fighting, and to stop interfering with each other’s territory. The forest between the two “countries” has been made into a no man’s land, and is used as a natural barrier between the two civilizations. However, the people of both territories are quite happy, and live normal lives. Those within the Laughing Desert enjoy riding tamed hyenas, and horses, while those on the coast had learned to train the saltwater crocodiles, and monk seals, to help them fish. While Shark Country, and the Laughing Desert, are both ruled a single monarch, they are not ran the same way. The Laughing Desert is primarily a militaristic socialist community where each member of the community serves the greater purpose of the country.

Shark Country, however, is more of a traditional monarchy, where everyone within the country serves the ruling family. The civilians of Shark Country pay a tithe to the Shuryo family every year, and the members of the Shuryo family train, and run, the country’s military force. Those that live on the coast of Shark Country revere the sea as though it is a living god, while those in the Laughing Desert treat the earth under their feet as their living god.

[Archives]

Country 15
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Sho no Kuni ; Salt Country
The land of undying salt

• Geography & Resources:

The majority of the country isn’t as dry nor as unforgiving as it’s northern neighbour. Salt country is mostly made up of warm forests and flat land, only giving away to the mountains in the south of the country. The coasts are swampy, giving way to only mangrove marshes and flooded inland areas.

Coastal MangrovesShow

This makes it almost impossible to dock one’s boats in the vast majority of the coast, as both mangrove trees and roots would block one’s way. Stepping off your boat prematurely could spell almost certain death to those who are not shinobi or capable of swimming long distances.

There exists only one dock, at the mouth of a river that runs past these mangroves, the strong currents and occasional storms having made it hard for mangrove trees to root there. Allowing for medium sized ships a single route in from the sea. However, this river can grow treacherous during low-tide.

The majority of the land is covered in mediterannian forests. Characterized by their dry summer weather, and high shrub density with woodlands being sparse in tree density. The wood found in these trees is scented and used by the people as such, perfuming it and burning it as a kind of incense. However in terms of construction, the wood would need to be treated first meaning that it isn’t a very good export, using heat-treated bricks alongside the wood.

shrublandShow

The southern portion of the country however is where the land gets its name from, Salt Country. The mines of rock salt exist below the mountains in the southern part of the country. However, in these areas salt-pits can also by found from old dried up lakes. Between these two, the main export of this country is quite obviously salt. Due to this, the majority of settlements also exist near the mountains and dried lakes in the south.

The mountains themselves however are low in precious metals, and have few low-worth gemstones too that primarily go to businesses under the daimyou. The one exception to this however, is a specific mine which produces pink salt, colored due to some reason. Which is protected by a local tribe known as the Teiwetto. While not ninja, they are martially trained specifically for this purpose and only allow occasional mining trips into it. This pink salt is seen as a high-class commodity, and thus can sell for a high price both within the country and outside of it. Continual consumption of this salt leads to one’s hair and skin changing colors, becoming pink has time goes on. However rumors revolving around it is that those who consume it gain life-force, and eventually grow immortal, leading to its high cost.

MineShow

• Ecology/Climate:

Beyond the coasts, the country is dry for the majority of the year only giving way in winter during its wet season. The coastline however gets consistent rain, and the land just beyond the mangrove forests is where the majority of the crops grown come from. As the rain clouds dry up before reaching in-land Salt Country proper, as well as the southern more mountainous region; the biodiversity of the country is split up in three.

The mangrove biomes in the coast, which is home to a number of water based species amongst them being prawn and shrimp, as well as things such as oysters and types of crabs. While they do not bear fruit, these mangroves are used to harvest salt that crystallizes on their leaves by poorer families.

Further inland, beyond the occasional farm lies the true climate of the majority of the country, that of a dry place that only experiences rainfall a few months out of the year with occasional drops in between. Being south of the land of wind and land of dunes, the northerly winds bring in dry air year round and drives down the humidity very quickly. The species that live in this place are well adapted to it.

The majority of the trees are used for incense, and they are protected requiring a good reason for citizens to cut them down as they are rather sparse. The majority of plants can be put down to shrubs, some of which produce beans and fruits, though not in any great quantity. The soil experiences top layer run off in large swathes of the country, leading more educated minds to be concerned about potential desertification.

Some of the animals which can be found here are multiple species of snakes, while most are not poisonous, and even those that are, live far from humans. A species of them does live rather close to humans due to their main meal being that of rodents such as rats, its poison being enough to fell a man in a couple of hours. The rest of the reptiles are smaller lizards, which live mostly in the central and northern parts of the country.

Mammals on the other hand are usually of the smaller variety, closer to borrowing rodents, and small monkeys. The further south one goes, the greater the odds of finding larger mammals such as goats, deer and even mountain bears. The most common symbol however is the shadow lynx, which can be found in a number of places in the country and is seen as a symbol of power.

• Politics/People/History

Hardy. That is the first image one would get from the people, regardless of their environment, they seem to make do with what they have. From subsisting on a diet of meat and beans near the centre of the country, to the heavily salt, bread and meat diets in the south. It’s those closest to the marshes that are seen has holding the best life, having farms, fish, and also the best access to imported goods.

The capital of the country is based at the mouth of the brackish river, the same city in which the only dock to the country lies. Dealing with all of the imports and exports, as well as managing the country. However, as the military presence is weak, and they mainly rely on natural defences, the daimyo’s influence doesn’t exist far beyond his own capital, only managing taxation due to contracts and deals others keep when convenient and require access to the dock.

The majority of life exists near the mountains, where the mining operations happen. The majority of families down on their luck move here, and those with access to the mines are families that have held access for a long time, paying their employees and when those employees inevitably fall into debt, they’ll continue to work them until their debt is paid off. Leading to what should perhaps be counted as the largest settlement in the country.

Moutain HomeShow

Amongst these families, is a tribe that stands guard over a very specific mine. The pink salt mine is the greatest resource and potentially the biggest annoyance for this tribe. It had been discovered before Salt Country was even a single country, and not three separate lands. A lightning storm of previously unseen proportions had coincided with an earthquake, which had led to the walls of a cave collapsing. A group of nomads had stumbled upon this, a power pink glow emanating from the mouth of this cave.

It was their initial greed that led them to mine and sell as much as they can, a place only filled with mountainous shepherds now full of miners, taking anything they could from the heart of the mountains. It was the first leader of the tribe, which is now named after him as the Teiwetto tribe, had the idea of partaking of this divine gift, turning pink.

Until Teiwetto Teiwetto as he is known now, had the bright idea of uniting a country under him. Which didn’t work, and led to his death, which made his son do the same, and so it went until eventually they managed to install their leader in. But the capital moved from their lands, they grew ever more distrustful of others, and eventually refused to let anyone near the mines, even those of their own. These Teiwetto consider the Daimyo a traitor, and anyone who is not one of them is an enemy. However they require money as all people do for goods, and thus they end up selling their pink salt when not consuming it, leading to a pink people group.

Salt Country is known for its salt, which can be found in many forms all over their country, but more so than anything what defines it is the separation and anger that people feel for those that are not theirs.

[Archives]

Country 16
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Dwarf Country
A country founded on the idea of celebrating its people and their accomplishments, Dwarf Country is a natural goldmine of resources, biodiversity, and rich cultures rooted in its people.

• Geography & Resources:

Dwarf Country is an area primarily covered in forest and foliage, and while the landscape is mostly shaped by hills and slopes of forestry, it is by no means difficult to get around, as just about every area in the forest is riddled with pathways and bridges that allow for easy navigation and movement. With an abundance of unique natural resources and multiple types of forests in its land, Dwarf Country is a major exporter of many different varieties of wood--many of these wood varieties are discernible through their color, smoke traits, and pliability, and priced accordingly. Because of Dwarf's uniquely large pool of different varieties of wood, their economic relations with most other countries are well maintained.

West DwarfShow

East DwarfShow

Dwarfisher VillageShow

Dwarf Country is split into two primary segments: with the area to the East being predominantly tropical coniferous forests, while the West is filled with Woodlands, the two areas of the country are typically referred to as 'East Dwarf' and 'West Dwarf', respectively. One might say that East Dwarf and West Dwarf might as well have been two completely different countries, had it not been for the 'merge'.

West Dwarf, as mentioned before, is filled mostly with Mediterranean forests and woodland, and is the location of the capital state of Dwarf Country: Colorwood Village. As the name of the capital might imply, West Dwarf is where the majority of wood harvesting and exportation comes from. The land in West Dwarf is primarily split up into four quadrants, which are appropriately named I, II, III, and IV. While citizens of West Dwarf are free to roam wherever they please in the country, most people tend to stay in the quadrant that they were born in--more of a cultural thing than a geographic thing. Because this side of Dwarf Country is so busy, it's considered to be the more populated area of Dwarf Country and many visitors will find that there are certain sparse areas, particularly in Quadrant III, that have most of their trees cut down to stumps.

To the Western Coast of West Dwarf stands a small village named Dwarfisher Village, where many younger citizens looking for a job go for the abundance of opportunities that lie in fishing. This village is surrounded by woodlands on one side, and a coast on the other, while standing on the edge of Quadrant IV.

East Dwarf is the area with Tropical Coniferous Forests. As mentioned before, East Dwarf has a completely different type of terrain than West Dwarf, and is, for the most part less inhabited. Because of the fact that there are less people, East Dwarf's natural resources are mostly untouched save for the Westernmost region of it, where a specific tree called the Kokirot is harvested for various purposes, but mostly for its excellent candlewick making properties.

Dwarf Country, while primarily is focused on the harvesting of the rich abundance of natural resources that they have, also have a complex network of bridges that are interwoven between trees and other areas of forestry (as mentioned previously). These bridges and pathways are very well kept, and allow any tourists or researchers to view forests at just about any level of height. Bridges have markings that denote a numerical system in which anybody with a map of Dwarf Country can find exactly where they are.

Finally, while there are numerous streams and a decent amount of rainfall in Dwarf Country--especially in the East--there stands a primary river that flows from the Easternmost part of East Dwarf all the way through the country and into the ocean that touches on the border of Dwarfisher Village. This river is named Drivver River, a humorous name that was coined some time in history as a joke, but has stuck with the citizens ever since. This source of freshwater is what most Dwarf Village citizens harvest and use for daily purposes.

• Ecology/Climate:

The climate of Dwarf Country generally differs depending on which part of the country you're in.

Starting with East Dwarf, where it is practically entirely covered by Tropical coniferous forests, East Dwarf experiences very low levels of precipitation and generally has a moderate temperature that hardly ever changes. While mostly mapped out and explored, East Dwarf is filled with a rich and complex biodiversity; researchers of the area found that when catching a net full of flying insects in the canopy, there were dozens of different species. Not only this, but every time they would do this experiment, most if not all species were completely different from the previous samples. Because of this, while most people in Dwarf Country tend not to live in the harsher environments of the Eastern tropical forests, researchers frequent the area and are constantly making new discoveries about species of animals--most commonly on species of insects. As mentioned before, East Dwarf is mostly famous for its abundance of the Kokirot tree, a tree that has various uses. Although Kokirot is harvested primarily for its excellent candlewick making properties, it's also edible when fried and is often served in traditional Dwarf Country cuisine as an appetizer. This among many other purposes make the Kokirot a staple in Dwarf Country culture; in fact, the Kokirot is the national tree of Dwarf Country.

West Dwarf is primarily Mediterranean forests and woodlands, and the temperature varies from season to season, with summers being quite hot and dry, and winters are cool and moist with a moderate amount of precipitation. Because of the hot and dry summers, forest fires aren't uncommon at all, and are actually a very large issue that affects both the citizens and the economy of Dwarf Country. Luckily, the forest has the aforementioned Drivver River, which allows them to quickly deal with the natural forest fires that occur. The Drivver River is actually connected with a large irrigation and well system that allows citizens of all 4 quadrants of West Dwarf to enjoy the same water all sourced from a single source. West Dwarf has a variety of over 100 different types of trees, which is the trait that the country is mainly known for. These trees are all well maintained and balanced by the people in order to continue a steady production of materials for every country that they export to. The tree varieties are split up just about evenly, with roughly 25 different species standing in each Quadrant. One might find that West Dwarf has your typical 'woodland animals', such as deer, foxes, and squirrels--nothing particularly interesting about the animal population in the West compared to the East.

Because of the rich forests and the raw amount of materials that are available to the inhabitants of Dwarf Country, many people tend to have varied diets, as anybody can live on any type of diet without disturbing the ecological balance. Because of this, there are carnivores who feed on products of hunting wild animals, there are vegetarians who rely primarily on foraging and personal farms, and there are those who choose to eat both. There are technically no 'cultural' diets that all inhabitants share, but some traditional foods include the aforementioned Kokirot chips, and a sweet, grape-like berry that derives from the Western side of the country called the Poofla Berry.

• Politics/People/History

The people inhabiting Dwarf Country are a peaceful people who live and prosper in the wealth of natural resources and interpersonal relationships. It is interesting to note that Dwarf Country is aptly named after its people, in fact--most, if not all inhabitants of Dwarf Country that were born there are considered to be midgets. Because of this fact, it's culturally common for the inhabitants of Dwarf Country to give outsiders with a regular height and stature weird looks upon first meeting them; most Dwarf Country children don't get to see an outsider until they're much older. As mentioned before, most inhabitants of the country tend to stay within the 4 quadrants of West Dwarf country, as there are more economic opportunities, more harvestable resources, and generally there is just a culture of people just having been there since as far as Dwarf Country history dates.

Because each quadrant has its own very specific range of tree species, most inhabitants born in their own respective quadrants will not move, due to the fact that they spend most of their lives training to harvest the specific type of tree that belongs to their quadrants. This is also a cultural move, because each quadrant having its own natural resources means that they also have their own types of foods and fruits that they are accustomed to. In this respect, each quadrant might be considered a 'state' that makes up the country as a whole. Dwarfisher village is an exception, and most people who are ambitious and looking for great economic prospects will move over to Dwarfisher in the hopes that they'll be able to strike it rich.

The country is ruled by a Daimyo named Kokoro who is also unironically a midget, but in terms of economic and political control, the country mostly stands peaceful and neutral; there are no corrupt instances of exploitation, violence, or anything like that in Dwarf Country. However, this is not to be said that Dwarf Country does not have a military that carries out law and order from time to time. Under the order of the Daimyo, upon reaching the age of 15, Dwarf Country men are expected to enlist in the Daimyo's military for training and service for a span of 2 years, after which they are free to live their lives however they'd like. Because of this, Dwarf Country inhabitants are confident and comfortable in the safety and wellbeing of their families and friends. The peoples' perspective and relations with the government is generally a good one; while there will always be someone who does not approve of the laws and rules made by the government, this does not speak for the country as a whole, as the Daimyo is mostly concerned with the wellbeing and prosperity of its country. The government is relatively new-age in its way of thinking, and because of this the country as a whole generally approves of Daimyo Kokoro. In fact, they have a celebration once a year during the summer to honor Kokoro and all that he has done for his country and his people, suitably named Kokoro Day.

Because of their economic relations with most other countries, although it is awkward for Dwarf Country citizens to interact with tall people, they are quite friendly and welcoming of outsiders. There haven't been any major political events in a long time that have affected Dwarf Country negatively, so the people have a general attitude of acceptance and are quite happy.

Alongside Kokoro Day, the Dwarf Country's inhabitants also celebrate an annual festival that is somewhat of a mix between Christmas and Valentines. This holiday is called the Sock Festival, and spans over the course of an entire week. During the Winter, where it may or may not be snowing, inhabitants--particularly the women, but sometimes men--hand knit socks to share with their loved ones, be it romantic, platonic, or maybe for their families. It is said that if two people share socks with each other, they're bound by the threads of fate and are meant to love one another. Most people find this a cheesy explanation and just share socks for the sake of sharing socks. While many younger children tend to make basic socks, the most experienced Dwarf Country citizens tend to make crazy outlandish socks with various colored dyes and whatnot, making socks a potentially expensive and very welcomed and appreciated gift. However, socks are not the only things that are exchanged during this joy-filled holiday; presents of any and all kinds are typically shared with one another, and special Kokirot chips garnished with different types of seasonal spices are served alongside meals. It is said that most children in Dwarf Country are typically conceived around the time of the Sock Festival.

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Country 17
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The Land of Runes
Seventeen Etymology and History

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Little is known about the Land of Runes' ancient history. Hardly anything remains, aside from the Runes themselves and the writings they bear. Some of the connecting pathways between cities do show sign of ancient and elegant architecture, however. Many of these passages are also riddled with artistically placed runic script.

The country was gradually settled by peoples from across the Western Ocean, long before any of the neighboring countries were ever founded. As the valley and its caverns were discovered, a government over eleven cities began to rise. The city with the greatest stone, a sundial, was elected as the capital after the cities were united under Rí Uamhnach, a great commander who arrived on the last of the ships from the west. A stable government soon emerged, and the academics system was born to educate citizens and create skilled laborers. A short time later, the additional military training was added as the country feared that it may be threatened by the much larger surrounding countries. While farming was developed in the initial phases of population in the valley between the mountains, subterranean farming wasn't begun until the end of the feudal era as the more adventurous began to explore the caverns and discover new ores and plant life. About this time The Darkness was also discovered, and is rumored to have been the end of the country's forerunners.

The Land of Runes is known as such for its prevalence of vertical stones, on which strange runes are carved. They are placed throughout the interior of the valley, and even atop some of the mountain peaks. There is enough superstition surrounding the country and its inhabitants, however, that few are willing to venture forth without a guide. The country was thought to be devoid of life until it was found by a neighboring shepherd who was chasing after a man who had stolen one of his sheep. He followed the man up into the mountains, but eventually lost sight of him and could not find him. When he told his friends and the authorities about the man, he described him as "ghostly pale and dirty, with his body entirely covered in tattoos." This mounted a search, which lead villagers to the discovery of the Runes. It was a long time, however, before any outsider stepped foot through the Gate of Cairdeas.

Some time after the discovery of the Darkness, the country’s leaders deemed it necessary to allow foreign trading, but decreed that no foreigner should pass beyond the city of Cairdeas. The influx of foreign influence led to a slow adoption of some of their culture, including their style of names. While many are still named in the runic tongue, far more have begun to use more basic names.

As the country entered the modern era, its rulers recognized that academic advancement was becoming far more important. While everyone was a trained warrior, few pursued their intellectual inclination. The government promptly add the second and third specialization to the academy: Scribe-school and Hybrid learning.


Government and Politics

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Cairdeas is the seat of the Land of Runes’ government, but each city has its own Fear D'aois, or Elder, all of whom report weekly to the Sovereign in Cairdeas. A new Sovereign is elected every ten years, and new elders every five. Since the time of Rí Uamhnach, there have been twelve Sovereigns, the most recent being Rialóir, who has brought great economic prosperity to the region through trade with other nations. There is currently no conflict between The Land of Runes and its neighbors, although there have been several in the past. Even though this is so, the Land of Runes’ government is slow to trust, and keeps its military on standby at all times.

• Organizations

Na Hiarrthóirí, or The Seekers, is a rebel organization that thinks the Land of Runes is held back by all the religious superstition, and want to explore The Darkness, but are not doing so carelessly. They are trying to better themselves and move slowly, knowing that there must be some backing to the claims about The Darkness, and not wanting to be caught unawares. Their research has not been criticized by the majority of the cities greater scribes, and is in fact secretly supported by many. Even the most superstitious of the scribes cannot deny their own curiosity entirely.

Na Seamsúir, or The Chanters, are a faction of self-dubbed monks who worship The Darkness, and are by far the palest of them all, as they live farthest from the surface in the city of Beinn. To reach their city, a traveler has to traverse nearly a mile of The Darkness itself, and it is known to be a fatally perilous journey. They claim that they can communicate with the Darkness, and that it blesses their prayers, but any who venture to their village disappear, said to be lost to The Darkness without the Chanter's blessing.


Military

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The Land of Runes’ military system spans the entire country. Cairdeas houses The Legion Headquarters, and each city has its own separate ‘Chapter’ of The Legion. Each Chapter reports to Cairdeas weekly, using the same harbinger that the Elders do. Harbingers, messengers between cities, are always accompanied by an escort of two scouts, as scouts are trained to run for both speed and distance, and can easily keep up with the fleet-footed harbingers.

Aside from Scouts, the main intelligence gathering service for The Legion, there are Guardians and Sentinels. Guardians are heavily armored behemoths, selected for their size, strength and ferocity. The Guardians provide the first line of defence in any battle, and are tasked with watching over the gates day and night. Guardians commonly wield shields, but many are known to carry Greatswords, Battleaxes, and Warhammers. Regardless of the armament, few Guardians are found without their thick steel battle armor, decorated with Runic engravings.

Sentinels wield long range weapons primarily, but always keep a dirk or short sword close at hand. Sentinels are mainly stationed on rooftops within the city, and handle most of the petty crime with an arrow to the back. As a result, crime is usually not a big problem. During wartime, warbands of Sentinels accompanied by a pair of Guardians would patrol the mountain passes, and were capable of shooting down enemies before they were ever seen, as a result of their skill and familiarity with their own Country. This gave rise to rumors in the neighboring countries that evil spirits roamed the high places of the mountains, stealing away the souls of any who ventured there.

Aside from providing escort for swifter persons, scouts handle infiltration and intelligence gathering. They are trained in the art of disguise, and they have the easiest peacetime job of the three. They are simply tasked with keeping on the lookout for crime and other dangers whilst going about their daily lives. This does not mean that everyone pursues this branch, however, as it is one of the most difficult to master and is in the greatest danger should war erupt.

Geography

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• Terrain

The Land of Runes is extremely mountainous around its borders, but as it slopes down towards the valley it gives way to gentle rolling green hills. The centermost area of the valley is the lowest, but not much more so than the feet of the mountains.

Cities in the Land of Runes are almost entirely subterranean, using the shelter of the caves to protect them from weather and notice. The entire country houses a labyrinth of caves and caverns, every one of which is connected to the others, allowing denizens to travel the length and breadth of the country without needing to set foot above ground.

• Climate

Summer brings variable warmth to the Land of Runes, sometimes reaching temperatures high enough to melt some of the snow off of the lower mountain peaks. During the Harvest Season the temperatures slowly decline, and snow almost always arrives before it is fully winter. As winter rolls in, heavy snows layer the entire valley in many feet of snow. The torches and fires’ heat keep the caves warm, and the caverns return the favor by sealing in most of the heat. As a result, most of the cities are not faced by deadly cold, except in the worst of winters. In the deepest caves, most specifically the city of Beinn, the temperature maintains a cold, clamminess that brings chills to anyone not sufficiently dressed.

• Biodiversity

The valley between the Land of Runes’ mountains houses all manner of plant and animal life. While fir trees are predominant, some others grow as well, but weaker trees cannot survive the cold winters in the valley. Voles, hare, caribou, and squirrels make up the majority of the herbivorous life, but there are also large wolfpacks, foxes, and bears, all of which are known to prey on the cities’ sheep-herds. ravens, snow buntings, falcons, loons, ravens, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, and various types of gulls make up the species pool for migratory birds. Rarely an owl can be found, but they usually tend to avoid humans altogether.

• Environment

The valley is host to a number of lakes, rivers, streams, and smaller pools that encourage migration during the spring and summer, and a large river flows from the mouth of the cavern the houses the capital city of Cairdeas, flowing down the mountainside to feed into a larger river. Cairdeas itself contains a small lake, at the center of which rises the small island with the city’s Rune: The Sundial. Trees are most common near the foot of the mountains, but the majority of the valley could be described as a sparse forest.

Economy

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The Land of Runes initially ran on a barter economy, and still does to some extent today. However, commodity money began to take over as the dominant form of payment around the time of the fifth Sovereign. The current commodity money is compressed tea leaves, but in the past rare mushrooms and pelts have also been accepted by merchants.

• Science and Technology

Many rare subterranean plant species that grow only in the deep caves and along certain rock formations are used to make unique and potent medicines, potions, and poisons. The rise of alchemy in the Land of Runes came when people first began to venture deeper, and the discovery of such plants was first made. Alchemical materials and products are now made widely by many skilled alchemists and scribes, and some soldiers tip their weapons with poisons made by these. The same materials and products are sold to other villages for high profit, as they can be found nowhere else, but the sale of ingredients for the most potent potions and poisons is strictly prohibited: they are kept for the sole use of the village and its people.

Demographics

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• Religion

A Rune is a standing stone, completely covered in the engravings of an ancient and lost language. There are eleven known Runes, each at the center of a city. When they were found, they were each inside their own massive cavern, and seemed to cast out the fear brought upon by The Darkness. The people found refuge in its embrace, and settled by each of them, eventually forming the eleven cities. They are said to protect and strengthen the people around it, and repel The Darkness. It is customary to isolate it from the population, but once per year, the father of each family may go in a boat to the stone to pray for protection.

The Darkness is considered to be any part of the caves that is not within two miles of a Rune. It is said to consume all who enter. Many believe it is a tear between the living world and the afterlife, and any who enter risk being called through the rift. Some believe The Darkness is one entity comprised of the souls of all who failed to escape. Even others believe it is a deity to be worshipped, and provide human sacrifices to it, though these are kept secret. Regardless of what it really is, all that is known is that anyone who does not fear The Darkness perishes. Any who venture too deep, whether in the name exploration or science, never return.

The people believe that the caves are sacred, and therefore do not do anything to 'harm' them. They do not mine the precious ores and gems, especially in The Darkness. It is said that anyone who tries to harm the caves will be consumed by The Darkness, never to be seen again. To date, not one has dared challenge this superstition.

Burial rites are fairly simple. Since many believe that the Darkness is a gate to the afterlife, they request that their body be carried into the darkness and left there when they die. This is done by a few of their closest friends and relatives, and the rites are performed with no light to guide the way. Alternatively, some prefer to be cremated, and are given a pyre atop one of the mountain peaks.

• Languages

For many years, the people of the Land of Runes spoke a Runic tongue, a cousin to the Runic Writings found on the Runes themselves. Around the time of the fifth Sovereign, however, they began to slowly convert to using the Basic tongue, to improve foreign relations and expedite trade between the Land of Runes and neighboring countries. Even to this day, however, many names remain Runic, for both cities and people, and the denizens of the Land of Runes speak with a unique highland accent.

• Education

All citizens of the Land of Runes undergo training in one of the three academies. The largest is in Rathúnas, but there are also facilities in Teacht Aniar and Misneach. Basic education to teach citizens to be of service to their community and to read and write, among other things, lasts until the students reach their sixteenth year of age. At this time, their specialized education begins. Specialized education trains the students in their chosen field: Soldier, Scribe, or a Hybrid, until age 19. Afterwards, students serve on standby for the military or the scribes, but it is not unknown for some to seek further mentoring by a skilled master of their field. At age 24, they are given the choice of whether to remain in service, or pursue farming, herding or other personal pursuits. Military school involves training the students in a variety of fighting styles, as well as handling most weapons to at least basic proficiency, after which they are encouraged to further pursue their personal preference. Scribe-school raises up the great minds of the village, teaching everything from recording history to medical training. The Hybrid specialization is responsible for producing the village's tacticians, officers, and combat medics.

• Health

Many of the deeper cities are too far down for sunlight to penetrate, and as a result anyone who lives in them and does not make regular trips to the surface tends to have pale skin and more sensitive eyesight. Both can be countered by some of the region’s unique potions, but many who never venture to the surface at all are content with the normality of pale skin. The Runics are a hardy people, in both body and mind, and they tend to have greater fortitude against both bodily and mental illness, but for some the constant darkness surrounding them is too much, and they are driven mad by the unknown and in rare cases, claustrophobia, but most villages are housed by enormous open expanses of cavern, so it is almost like simply living in a darker world.

Culture

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• Cuisine and Agriculture

While the majority of the region’s crops are grown in the valley during the warm months, some of the deeper cities carefully nurture a harvest of much different plants: ranging from alchemical ingredients to exotic edible fungus, these subterranean plants bring variety to the area’s food vendors and are a popular sales item to foreigners. Moon Crops are species of subterranean plants that do grow in the surface, but are too delicate for the sun's burning rays, so they are covered during the day.

Aside from fruits and vegetables, both lamb and mutton are highly popular for the more carnivorous Runics, and the sheep-herds in the valley provide more than enough for both meat and wool for clothing.

Fréamh Gealach, or the Moon-Root, is the rarest of subterranean treasures. When in proximity to other life, the Moon-Root releases a steady silver light from its leaves and emits a tenor humming sound. While it is incredibly uncommon, and is known to grow farther into the Darkness than is safe to pursue, its uses are nearly infinite. Moon-Root is used to create the most potent potions for both healing and harming, depending on what it is mixed with. Only the greatest of the region’s alchemists are permitted to handle the plant, and it is strictly prohibited to sell the unique leafed item to foreigners.

Because there are exposed gold and diamonds in many caves, there are plants that thrive there that would never be found elsewhere. They have special properties because they siphon some of what they sprout on, giving them many different applications. Some of the stones shimmer lightly when combined with the plants that grow on them, creating an eerie glow some places in The Darkness that are thought to be the souls of those lost in the caves.

• Sports and Entertainment

Many cities, Cairdeas included, house gladiatorial arenas. While fights to the death are forbidden, the matches in these arenas are extremely popular among citizens and foreigners alike. Students are most often the ones to test their skills against both each other and their mentors in the arenas, but sometimes mock battles will be staged for entertainment and hosted by the city’s ‘Chapter’ of The Legion.

• Taverns

While drunkenness is frowned upon, it is not openly discouraged. Nearly every city has a large Inn or Tavern, sometimes several. Most nights see the taverns packed with Runics eager for some laughter and a drink after a long day of hard (or not so hard) work.

Cities of Note

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• Cairdeas

Cairdeas is the capital city and is the seat of both the region’s current Sovereign, and the Legion headquarters. It is the only city open to foreigners, and is guarded most fervently.

• Beinn

Beinn is the deepest of the eleven cities. It lies so far secluded from the others that there is an expanse of The Darkness that must be crossed to reach it. It is the home of a mysterious and wicked cult, and most tend to avoid it if at all possible.

• Rathúnas

Rathúnas is the nearest city to Cairdeas, only set about a half mile from it. The tunnel to reach it opens up to a large cliff overlooking The Darkness for a large section where the ancient wall is broken away. Since the two cities are so close, there is a large area where the influence of two Runes overlaps. This same place is where the break in the wall is, and is where the headquarters for the Scribes was constructed. Rathúnas is also the home of the largest and greatest of the country’s academies.

• Other Cities

Other minor cities include Misneach and Teacht Aniar, homes of the second and third academies, Righneas, Gra, Dilseacht, Pirinne, Saoirse, and Deiridh. Each is located within the mountainous perimeter of the country, connected by a system of catacombs.

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Country 18
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MapShow

Miracle Country

Geography

Located in the west rests Miracle Country, where the sunset is a bit lengthier and more gold-looking than anywhere else. Much of the north and central areas of the land are made up of temperate coniferous forests around gorges and ravines, making it ideal to discover plenty of the world's most common minerals and vegetation. Due to the altitude, most of the towns live in the south, where there's more subtropical savannas. They reside in lower altitudes in order to produce more reachable trade centers and maintain border patrol. With so much flatland, there's much to see, making it difficult for war to breakout because the vast flatland will inform them of what's happening ahead of time. Even though most towns are in the south, most of the people live northward because less of their well-preserved culture has been influenced by nearby nations. This is due to the fact that much of the forested areas run at high altitudes. This steepness help fortify their safety from other nations.

Landmarks

Panacea Potentially one of the most famously known forested landscape, Panacea, is located in the heart of the country, devouring 1/4 of the land with the thickest tree density in the nation. Most of it is in higher altitudes and also inside the valleys, while a small portion appear in partially forested in the east, surrounded by shrubland. Much of Panacea is full of rare minerals, medicinal herbs and flavorful spices that can only be grown here due to its environment and history. Besides the healthy wonders of this enormous terrain, one would need to take a gander of the appearance. It is ethereal. The way it glows cyan-colored lights in most of the plants tell a unique story very few ever will know about. The trees tangle above everything, which keeps the forests dim all day, allowing the eerie ambient lights to stay heavily noticeable 24/7. With this forest's countless wonders, Miracle Country has become a leader in the medical industry. Even though people may visit and export at the patrolled border, due to the complexity of the area's species, it usually requires a very specialized apothecary to utilize the rare species efficiently. This is why most countries find it affordable to file an export claim directly to the capital. Most of the best and rarest finds have been extracted, regrown and concentrated within the indoor farms within the capital.
	Gorges of Miracles Gorges of Miracles is not only a landmark, but the landscape. Much of the land is beautiful in the sense that they're parted by gorges with forested plateaus. Much of the cities and towns live in these high-altitude locations, increasing the chances to avoid war and conflict due to having the higher ground to defend on. Even the city of Birashiri, and the town Kimsu both rest on narrowing gorges with forests littered beneath them. To exit them, a dweller would have to either walk down the steep forestry or cross the bridges that ring them. There are creeks and small rivers here and there, increasing the chances with nature, and live with less struggle than most nations. To help lessen the trouble for travelers, if there's ever an isolated gorge, there's bound to be a bridge to it.
Birashiri The second engine of the economy, and home to the second richest residents. Very close to Heaven City, Birashiri plays a role moving the imports and exports as well as house some of the greatest architects and stonemasons the world has ever seen. Even though there is a market thriving in the city's Central Plaza, due to the fact that most of the people have lived on old money, there's less heckling and much of the shops are few and specified, typically family owned. Similar to Heaven City, the people of Birashiri are generally very morally driven consequentialists, who also do not like trades which might run the country to a downwards spiral. Even at the slightest, even if the offer is good, they have an interest to take care of the mental states of their future generations. Futurists at heart, there's a lot of optimism in Birashiri. Many believe there's more good than bad to come for the world.
	Heaven City Located northwestward is the capital, Heaven City. Grandeur with its marble and concrete, this city happens to be one of the wealthiest cities in the world; a true world wonder. The city is filled with several-story homes with marbled flooring. The roads are seemingly immune to decay, for it's traditional liveliness is immemorial. Morally strong, the citizens of Heaven happen to do their best to create a consequentialism-based utopia, where there's less wrong than there is right. And crime here happens to be hardly noticeable, for most individuals live quite a prosperous lifestyle. Like much of the country, they function as a gemeinschaft--valuing closeness to one another over duty. Much of their water resources come from the backdoor, where five fjords collide -- called the Divine Collide. The collision touches a waterfall, and above it is the city's dam. In terms of noise, there's always something to celebrate. However, nothing is louder than the holiday: Day of Care (December 21s). When this date takes places, everyone gives each other gifts as a reminder that they're not alone in this world.

Climate & Resources

Miracle Country is known for its forestry on plateaus with gorge-based landscapes. Generally the mornings are misty and the evenings are longer in areas closer to the westward horizon (the ocean), licked with remarkable golden highlights. It has warm summers and vaporous-but-cool winters and falls. In the spring there's plenty of cold rain to go around, which is perfect for its temperate coniferous forests. What is quite a miracle is Panacea, a forested area which captures the downpour above using a thick frondescence, leaving what's beneath to be uniquely preserved and gradually nourished. Having a very high altitude, and to being within the section of the world where warmth happens to be more prevalent, Miracle Country is truly in one miraculously blessed position. This nation's primary resources are herbs, spices, and rare minerals. Most of the animals are short and forest-based, which can range from wolves to reindeer. Most of the land's caves, both found and uncharted, appear either on the cliff-side against the open ocean or littered within the teeth of the the nation's thickest ravine, the Fabled Ravine, located in the southwest area. Due to the richness of their resources, with creek-making waterfalls, import happens to not be that important to this self-sustainable society. Since ancient times, there have been explorers who sought after and left plenty of treasures inside arcane ruins. Most tend to be in the cul de sacs of valleys, while many are placed along cliff-sides by the ocean and inside caves hidden within the land's gorges.

People & Culture

The people of Miracle Country are, in a nutshell, helpers. Similar to one of the land's age-old trading partners, The Holy City of Towers, they have a tradition to believe in the beyond but give that beyond no name. Simply a place in heaven, mirrored by man under the status as the land's capital, Heaven City. They're mostly vegetarian and spiritual in the sense that they believe in vibes. With the sunsets they receive everyday having the most nostalgic-bringing experience, many believe it is tradition to drink tea as soon as the skies turn gold. Holding dear believing in faith and in destiny, denizens of Miracle Country have an entitled tendency to believe they're the doctors of the world. And in the literal sense, if one wasn't a doctor, architect or a builder, he/she was likely an apothecary, herbalist or caretaker. Much of the people have lived off of old money, with enough for generations to come to live in true peace. So most of their attitudes tend to be quite appeased and lavish. There's little import into the country when it involves meats, vegetation, wood, common minerals, and stone (for building), due to their diets and how much they can extract from their own land's terrain. This makes it a lot easier on them than most economies. Culturally, most of the people of the Land of Miracle have communication values that make them appear to be socially liberal but fiscally conservative; very open when they communicate, but will keep their wallets locked and secured. This has granted many individuals statuses being chivalrous and courteous in the classical sense, as well as persuasive and diplomatic. Although most can be accepting of other people's walk in life, when it comes to actually practicing it when it's time to settle down, and hold family values, it has been a tradition to only bear a child with someone they deem show signs having a better tomorrow for themselves.

Politics

The politics of Miracle Country is easy to understand through and through. Although merits do play a role, there's truly no single ruling class. Due to the fact that most of them are wealthy, even the builders, there's little to tell about how they govern each other. Each city has its own stronghold, and the entire nation equally shares their earnings from the Panacea forest. No single person has more share than the next. Even though they're trusting towards each other, security will always be a very important thing for any nation. With togetherness within their mutuality, Miracle Country happens to unearth a political spectrum that is rarely seen in human history. If one person is in distraught, they all seek to solve that person's problem. If one word could define this nation its 'gemeinschaft'. The strong majority focuses on the communion and family strengthening almost everyday. This puts their politics into the realm of shared governance. A true democracy. When it comes to voting, citizens who have lived here over five years may vote on not only a policy but on the systematic development towards one. From the act, the introduction, to the law, the official documentation. At the back of the capital, above the dam facing the Divine Collide, is a massive hall they meet in every first day of the month. It is called the Hall of Unity. Even though politics can be slow and laborious for the mind, those who attend to vote know of its importance. Because they find it traditional to take care of each other, nearly 1/3rd of all adults usually come not only for attendance but for participation.

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Country 19
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Yajyuu no Kuni ; Beast Country
A country completely lost to the wilds.

• Geography & Resources:

The country is almost completely flat, from top to bottom, only giving way to a ravine in the north carved out by an old flood. There is also a valley in the south, surrounded by hills made by men over many generations as well as aid from shinobi in the past. These two places are the only two places men can live comfortably.

The southern valley is surrounded by hills, and the lands in general are similar to tropical grasslands, being rather lush and fertile. It’s also only inhabited by smaller species of animals and domesticated livestock, being of small risk to the populace. The hills themselves are man made, and the valley has a river which flows through it. Looking at it, it appears to be a tropical paradise. But there’s a number of human made defences, walls, the passes that lead beyond the hill being as a moat, and even homes on top of the hill stacked to the brim with weapons.

In Between is mainly savannah lands, which are usually dry and lack any in depth vegetation between the occasional tree and large amount of tall grass that turns red when dry known as blood grass, named such for the sheer amount of natural bloodshed the wilds have seen.

The main problem for this country as well as it’s absolutely best resource is the animals that inhabit it. A surplus of meat and fur that doesn’t match the arid landscape of the country, mostly covered in dry grasslands and spare woodlands. However the wildlife and natural environment has a cycle, leading to periods of massive amounts of game and catches, which the country exports outwards, known as delicacies due to it only being available for a year every decade.

The rest of the time, the main export for the country is spices that grow which sell for a high price in the luxury market. There’s also a number of unique physical features that get rich tourists looking for a great sight, such as the great ravine in the north with its open air stalactite and stalagmite formations, large enough for people to build homes within them.

End of RavineShow

• Ecology/Climate:

For the most part, the country is dry with only occasional rainfall for the majority of the year until the rainy season comes along close to winter, and this being the time when the majority of the animal population go into breeding season. This is known as the monsoon, however this comes in cycles that shift gradually over ten years, growing longer and then shorter again before growing longer once more. At its peak it can take up to a third of the year, before slowly tettering off over another three months. At the lowest points however, it can be nine months without a drop of rain, and this usually coincides with the period known as ‘The Great Bloodshed’

Even though the land is rather dry, the plants that grow are hardy; being capable of storing up rain for very long periods of time. This leads to their very slow growth cycle, not drinking up the water during the rainy season and then using it throughout the year. The root system being very similar to the build of cacti. A unique set of life that almost only thrives on this land. This slow build up comes to an end every few years, where they will undergo rapid growth just before they drop their seeds.

This phenomena is noted by the local people of the country, as ‘The Great Flourishing’ as the food supply rises rapidly, so does the number of herbivores. It’s generally assumed that the syncing of these breeding cycles coincides with the cycle of the local plants, however the birth of wild-life is absolutely rapid. The numbers of herbivores explode, from insects all the way to large mammals such as the jumping antelopes and a type of elephant known for lacking tusks completely.

Once again, more food means more for everyone. After The Great Flourishing, comes ‘The Great Bloodshed’. This is functionally the reset button for the wildlife. The carnivore population grows in return, and at the head of this is the pale lion. Smaller than its cousins, it is known for its great speed and larger prides. When food is this good, the population of this animal soars, and these two phenomena are why the human populations cannot rise.

The Great DyingShow

As the land flourishes, so does the population of beasts and for the following year only bloodshed exists. Any town build would get torn by the large stampeded, or the people picked off by the predators on the tail end of the great bloodshed, when there is too much competition for food, humans become easy pickings. In a 5 year cycle, this goes from massive plant population, to massive animal populations, to death.

It seems to be only here and the questions that revolve around those who live in this place is why. There are signs this was not always the case, and there is even wonder about what can be done about such a thing, but for now this is a country where the local wildlife rules, and when the wildlife rests, mother nature still holds supreme keeping man from leaving their safe havens through the harsh hammer of weather.

• Politics/People/History

By far, the least dominant force within this country is the people. There is no universal form of government as the two settlements are separated by the wilds in between. The people who lack an adventurous streak however tend to live good lives, bandits stray away during long stretches of time, trusting the fields only after a great dying. Which is when the country is inundated with bandits looking to steal fur from the sheer amount of dead animals that exist during this period, contending with the survivors for food.

However, due to these conditions, the two settlements that do exist while not particularly big are rather well defended. Every person, man and woman is trained from a very young age to defend themselves, and man the walls during a large-scale incursion. Their homes are built in a way so that others will struggle to get in.

With the southern village using specifically crafted bolts for their doors, and opting for metal sliders instead of widows; provided for every home. So that only those on the inside could open it, and that’s it. The population of the southern village has been growing consistently due to how protected they are, and have begun to be able to fill out the valley better and guard it better as their population has grown. This southern village has gotten into trouble with shinobi villages in the past and have experienced bloodshed, due to attempting to convince shinobi to impart their secrets, through bribes and very lofty promises.

The northern village is more unforgiving. The people here live in homes carved within giant stalactites and stalagmites within a ravine that leads into a cave. It’s one of the only places in the north with continually running water, due to the large river that cuts its way through it, allowing for agriculture but the majority of their efforts are in order to stay alive during the great Flourishing. They’re not as well protected as their southern brethren, but they make up for it in hard work.

The two villages do keep in contact, and the two village chiefs together vote on issues that concern their country. For the last five generations, they have voted against building another outpost. A number of people have wondered just where their civilization drew from, and why they can even be considered a sole country, but it seems that there were other cities and a central leadership in the past. What lead to them being wiped out is a question for everyone, but one only has to wait to find the answer.

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Country 20
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Country 21
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Sakyuu no Kuni ; Dune Country
Within the dunes, happiness

• Geography & Resources:

Dune country, just as its name describes it is a country characterized by a large amount of sand dunes, being primarily a desert country. However it is not all sand and gloom, the eastern part of the country has a large amount of dry forests, and shrubland allowing for some agriculture as well as consistent wildlife growth.

These forested areas are flat, almost completely lacking any high points, the highest elevation being a hill, on which the chief tribe head has built his castle, which is only 80 meters tall.

The east of these forests gives way to deserts making up 70% of the country. The elevation rises and falls in places, giving way to cliffs that drop off into dunes. The high pressure system and very consistent windstorms seem to have formed some of the highest sand dunes in the world, one of which shifts west by a few meters every year, and has an overall height of 700 meters.

One of the chief exports is various types of powders and perfumes, some of these deriving from animal products, however some of these are based off the minerals found in the sand. While the people did not know it at the time, they separated glass workable sand from other sand, and not wanting to waste it a number of other methods had come around during this time. Allowing for backboards and glass mirrors made from the same deposits. Some of this sand being used, surprisingly, for facial powders.

The biggest resource to the country however is glass worked by the artistic people of the country. Known for a number of world renowned glassworking artists who have crafted sculptures, glasses and even full sized statues are made by the people, depicting a number of things. These have been known to sell for a very high price. They also have a number of mineral deposits, known for also working various types of quartz into shapes. While they do not export raw minerals, the greatest asset and resource in this place is the artistry and work of the people who call Dune country their home.

• Ecology/Climate:

The dry forests are only called such in comparison to some of the other forests found on the continent, however it receives ample rain for a desert country. The systems that bring it never make landfall completely due to an almost constant high-pressure system over the desert that seems to shift only in the rainy season. This means that the rain fall for these forests carries north, further into the seas before the curve away at the south end of Wind country and towards others such as Fire and Oasis country. However the seasons are split, between the dry and the rainy season.

Unlike most places, Dune country experiences two rainy seasons, a small one at the start of “summer” before a dry spell and then it comes properly. The eastern coast experiences enough rain to be capable of agriculture and it has some rivers and streams that sake through it.

This allows some respite for the local people as well as the local wildlife, however this has also lead to a lot of biodiversity in such a country. The mediteriannian forests while prone to wildfires, are also rather fertile. Allowing for a number of species such as deer, the Jyakko Deer or the musk deer being one of the most prevelent, known for marking trees with its musky behind and leaving behind a strong stench, though it’s something that is only overwhelming for humans but does not seem to be noticed by most other predatory species. Making it a chief export, used to mark areas to keep others away as well as used as a perfume base for areas high in insect count in order to not attract them.

The forests that have been cut down have given way to being used for a number of grown plants, one of these being a stimulant that is chewed by those inhabitants, most common during mass sculpting sessions in order to be kept awake. Things such as melons and other fruits are also grown, though the land is not great for grazing, camels have also been noted to be used due to their ability to store water as fat for such a long time.

The desert on the other hand is rather unforgiving, the heat here is scorching almost the entire year with only the occasional rainfall there to make it somewhat bearable, but even so the biggest risk then becomes the humidity. The winds in this part of the country are strong, bringing consistent sand drifts, allowing for hundreds of meter tall sand dunes, the thing for which this country is named.

The wildlife here is sparse, made up of the hardiest species; most of which can range from Wind Country down to Dune country and the surrounding lands. Reptiles and small mammals are the largest of animals one might find here, as well as the occasional domesticated camel. Cobras and sidewinding snakes are the most common type found skating through the dunes, looking for small mammals, and the occasional migrating bird.

There are a number of small arachnid and insect species living within the dunes, one of which is known as the honey scorpion, known for their large sacks of starchy water they keep in the thelson, right next to their venom sack; making it both a great prize and potentially a fatal mistake in the unforgiving desert. They’re known for being one of the few scorpion species to live in very large groups.

• Politics/People/History

The most remarkable thing about this country is by far its people, that seem to carry a culture of making the most out of almost nothing. To understand the lives it is best to break it up, to begin with the primary reason as to why these people are so happy with their lives is their faith. They worship the Goddess Yuumagure just as is common for a lot of their brethren in Wind. The sun that bares down on them must not have been from her cruelty of any sort but rather an opportunity. A country warmed in the west and given water in the east, even if terrible times would come, they were blessed and loved thus they could get over everything.

This way of thinking pervades every part of the culture within this society, one would be hard pressed to find a culture so entrenched in high energy happiness and productivity. There are a number of different settlements in the country, those closest to the coast deal with matters of agriculture and docks for exporting goods. The roads in this country and a great number of buildings are actually built from sand, even in the east this is true. Whereas those who are more rich add greater amounts of glass and quartz, while terrible construction materials, they make for good status symbols.

While many work with glass in their day to day lives, the ones who actually make a living from it number few. Those who are great at it, most definitely live in the capital city of the country. Originally similar to the rest of the eastern quarter of the country, the desert spread has begun to reach here due to the heavy dust storms during the dry season. Based around the largest hill, it is the closest to a city in this country.

The Chief Tribal Chief, makes his home here. A Daimyo in all but name, his home is the ultimate show of wealth gained from taxation. Large parts of the building are made from glass and quartz, sculpted and melded together using molten and blown glass sheets. While it is certainly messy, the rest of the building is made from various colored sands, though the most common is black bricks. Making this entire building a rather multicolored monstrosity with clear parts and a wooden roof, all in the shape of a pagoda.

The tribal chiefs is a title that hung on from its history, now simply referring to the leaders of the individual settlements, from the smallest village to the dock town and finally the capital’s head is named Chief Tribal Chief, a hereditary title though the current Chief seems to want to change the name to daimyo, finding it rather silly. While the other tribal chiefs meet with the Chief in a council set up, his word is law.

This is a country that has learned to prosper from the very thing that has been causing them grief, choosing dune country not as a descriptor for its environment, but rather through the high heat, the harsh winds and the dry air, they rose.

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Country 22
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Owl Country

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Owl Country
Owl Country is located a ways North-West of Wind country and South-West of Rock Country. Its immediate neighbors are 26 to the north and 18 to the south. Owl Country surrounds a great deal of its eastern neighboring country, 24. Right on the western coast of the continent and nearing the North end, Owl Country is slightly odd in its vast amount of trees and forests which cover the landscape almost entirely all the way to the water's edge. Even though most of the country is dominated by the absurdly large amount of trees, the ground itself has many slants and slopes, being mostly hills in nature. This creates for odd viewing of the landscape from a distance, as when the wind blows it seems as though the entire country is a moving wave of trees. In the "middle" of both the Northern and Southern parts of Owl Country, the already dense population of trees begins to become even denser, the ground becoming twisted and gnarled, almost entirely covered in roots. The general seasons of Owl Country are not the harshest of conditions, though one should prepare to be rained upon at any given moment if entering the area regardless of the time of year. The summers are not unbearably hot but do get rather humid half-way towards the beginning of fall, even when raining. The winters are not teribbly cold, just barely falling below freezing. Snow is mild, though generally sticks pretty well to the trees and barely gets to the ground. The soil in Owl Country is abundantly rich with minerals. Rock formations sprout up here and there within Owl Country, usually split open over time by trees growing straight through them.
Trees of many kinds make Owl Country their home, though the most common types are pine, fir, and cedar. There is also an abundance of yew and redwood, though the sheer amounts of other trees make the numbers less comparable. Despite this, most of the redwood trees in Owl Country have grown for many, many years and are quite massive in size and tower far above the wildlife which down below. The greatest of these trees is a redwood which rests in the northern end of Owl Country, looming over all of its surroundings with an impressive near 400 feet height and spanning a great many branches to the point where from a distance it can easily be mistaken for a tower. Many types of flowers grow in Owl Country, though due to the ever so consistent rain they tend to not come in such an abundance as the trees. Notable flowers include the drooping red columbine flowers, many different types of ferns, poison ivy, and various types of mushrooms and fungus though none of them are fit to eat for human consumption. Berries too make there presence in the woodsy country, mostly in the form of chokeberries which can be found in rapid abundance through the entire country, northern and southern. The different varieties of the chokeberries supplies a constant source of them during all times of the year in one type or another, though most humans are unable to access them at all due to the animal residents of the country. Other types of berries can be found in Owl Country as well, though the most prominent throughout the years has always been the chokeberries. There are many edible grasses in the area, and nuts from the trees tend to be in an abundance along the ground level.
It is said that deep within the Northern parts of Owl Country, the Owl King, Yeritai, and his family make their home. Particularly, they claim the gargantuan tower-like redwood and its surrounding area. The trees in the area are seemingly always alive with the thousands of owls that make this their home, high in the treetops away from the quadruped and tetrapod down below. Many of these Owls are Summon Spirits, hiding from the chaos of the human-rich world, driving back most of them that would ever dare to enter. Even still, a great deal of them are regular owls of varying lineage and species that have grown unnaturally large over the course of many, many years. Commonly known Owls in the rest of the world can bee seen as large as six feet tall in Owl Country, with a monstrous wingspan. The Summon Spirits tend to grow even larger. The Owls tend to live in harmony with one another, a fact which seems to boggle the minds of many. There exists only a small handful of other birds in the entirety of Owl Country, all of which are summon spirits. Of these are Miruka the Fire Swallow, Yeinto the White Cardinal, and Kaziochu the Fluid Crane. Each of these summon spirits are allowed into Owl Country only because they serve as great allies and spies for the Owl King, scouting out into other countries for him. Down below on the ground level, a variety of frogs, snakes, and mice make their home. Very few of the snakes are venomous, the only notable one being a dark red snake with white rings that flow down its entire body. It has a strange "Y" shaped black marking on its head. This particular snake is able to grow up to eight feet long though never seem to reach such a length as the Owl Clan tend to kill them before they get the chance. Never the less, there are those that manage to survive from time to time and so they continue to breed. The venom secreted by these snakes will cause an extremely irritating burning sensation in the immediately effected area, which can spread through the entire human body over the course of an hour and will eventually stop the heart. Victims of this snake's bite will appear to have been injected with some red substance as their skin will turn nearly blood red by the end of the process. The frogs in the area come in many different kinds and though most of them are entirely harmless, the Snagger frog is quite different. These frogs are rather unique in appearance, having black limbs and a gray torso if female, or gray limbs and black torso if male. They are exceptionally poisonous, every pore on their body except the stomach secreting an irritant that will cause rashes very similar to poison ivy. These frogs tend to become very large as the snakes in the country avoid them like the plague and the Owls will not eat them, though will tend to kill one once it has grown over a foot in height. The larger the frog gets, the more potent its poison becomes, increasing from a poison-ivy like rash to puss-festering boils from sheer contact. The mice in the area are of no notable concern, the Owl Clan tend to leave them alone for the most part, only killing as many as necessary in order to eat. This allows the mice population to boom in size over time, supplying the Owls with a constant food source. Though there are many deer in the area as well, it is a constant wonder they they haven't been entirely wiped out by the presence of the Owl Clan and the wolf packs, which seem to have an unspoken mutual agreement with each other that the wolf packs will keep the deer in check, though the wolves always seem to eat more than they truly need to. That said, wolves too tend to make there way into Owl Country from time to time, generally crossing back and forth from 24. They are mostly gray in color and travel in packs of numbers ranging from as few as three to as many as twelve. They tend to group together to hunt the deer in the country, occasionally even going for the mildly numbered fox and rabbits in the area. The fox tend to eat whatever rabbit or squirrel they can get their paws on, while the rabbits and squirrels tend to eat whatever plants and nuts they can get. There is little political Hierarchy in Owl Country. The entire area is ruled by the Owl King Yeritai, an ancient Spirit Summon that has existed far longer than most anyone in the world can remember. His word is law. He is exceptionally wise and though many view him as cruel, his actions are always for the benefit of his family, or she he tries to have them be anyway. This being the case, nothing goes on within Owl Country without Yeritai knowing about it. Since Yeritai has taken over Owl Country many many hundred of years ago, only a select few humans have ever stepped foot into the area and left unscathed and well.

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Country 23
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Country 24
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Country 25
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Frost Country #26 Geography:

Frost Country is located in the north western hemisphere. The country itself is covered in vast mountains, and appears to be covered in snow almost all year round, the weather is harsh and Frost Country. Though the whole country is homogeneous in terms of visage, it is cut clean in two parts by a large river named Kachi River which runs through the entire country. It also has a well-known Mountain named Yuki Mountain is on the border of Earth Country.

Ecology, Climate and Resources:

The entire land space is covered in large conifer and fruit trees, such as apples and pears. Surprisingly there are more fruit and vegetables growing in this country than would be expected such as turnips, parsnips, beetroot, potatoes and other fruit and vegetables that seem to be able to grow in the harsh weather. These vegetables have evolved to the harsh conditions, though in the process becoming less nutritious and flavorful.

There is quite a rich wildlife in Frost Country, such as Snow Foxes, White Hare, Penguins, Bald eagles, Bighorn sheep, Geese, Chipmunks, Bison, Squirrel, Moose, Beaver, Blue Jay, Flying Squirrel, Heron, Grizzly Bear, Owls, Horses, Wolfs, Falcons, Cows, Wolverines, Beluga Whale, Killer Whale, Walrus, Pigs, Chickens, Seal, Otters & Seal harp.

The country's major resource is its mining of precious metals, such as gold and silver, coal and large diamonds, which they trade and sell to the neighboring countries. Besides its aforementioned metals and combustibles, Frost also sells a variety of lead, copper, nickel, sulfur, iron, rock & sapphires.

At night the country's sky is covered with the popular northern lights, also known as aurora. These bright lights that cover the sky are called by the local people as kokou or Arc light. They make for an excellent tourist attraction.


People and Culture:

The people of Frost Country are a simple people, they tend to be tall, blonde and pale and have little racial diversity. They have a population of several thousand people and almost all live in a village named Seichou. The rest of the country is dominated by wildlife and small mining districts that are connected to Seichou through vast tracks that take carts which the people use to travel at relatively quick speeds.

Most Frost Country people follow the religion of Kyoujiru. Their god goes by the name of Nikoraido. He is believed to be a rather delicate, tall man with a long and white beard who wears nothing but red robes with a gold trim. They believe he lives in in the Kokou/Arc Light which covers the sky at night and that all those who live a good life will live there with him in the afterlife. They celebrate this fact by covering structures and their homes in candles that tend to be covered with coloured paper to make bright colourful lights to resemble the Arc Light. They also trade gifts once a year which are usually wrapped in bright colourful paper. It is said that Nikoradio himself comes from the Arc Light and brings gifts, though this is a simple and obvious story for children. The religion is led by the Priests of Kyoujiru who wear the red robe of Nikoradio.

There is a dark side to this religion, though. The people of Frost Country are a simple, hardy and honest people. The religion of Kyoujiru demands generosity and good behavior from them. Many legends of children who were abandoned in frozen forests or fed to the wolves go around. There are rumors that a specific and uniquely dedicated cult practices these punishments once a year, called the eve of the punished.

Politics:

Frost Country politics follows the pattern of communism, believing in a classless, money-less society thriving in socialism. Everyone is treated as an equal, all food money and resources are shared between everyone.

Though a classless and almost leaderless country they do however have an elected Daimyo, who is chosen by the priests of Kyoujiru. The priests and the Daimyo vote on basic matters of the country, make sure laws are followed and the resources are distributed equally. The Daimyo has no power without the vote of the other priests in order to discourage and take away any chance of a poor or unfair decision.

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Country 27
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Land of White Death
Only death exists within the frozen wasteland...

SpoilerShow

• Geography & Resources:

Located North West of the country of Earth. [The Land of White Death] is spilt into two separate geographical areas with the southern portion of the country covered harsh mountainous landscape filled with thick snow covered Boreal forests that cover the vast majority of the southern highland areas with the exception of the higher altitudes that are solely owned by the rocky mountain peaks alone. The further North one goes the tree's disappear into white snowy slopes and frozen ice. A pure winter wasteland, so harsh that normal human's are unable to live in such an environment. However in this part of the country that has been nicknamed the 'White Death' by those explorers who've attempted to navigate the froze landscape their is a particular set of mountains clustered together. Five separate mountain peaks can be found in what seems to be the sharp of a star and then at the very center is another massive mountain, they don't appear to be naturally formed but instead perhaps something man-made?

At the peak of each of the so called 'Five Point' mountains can be found a monastery carved into the frozen rockface of each mountain, though Monks have been seen here in the past it is very rare to see one with the last Monk being seen over ten years ago. This meeting itself had been by chance as an explore found himself in a life and death situation because of the hazardous environment only to be saved by a young looking monk who seemed un-phased by the deathly cold temperatures or snow. No one is sure how the monks survive in their mountain top monasteries or even if they are still there. But what is most interesting about this area besides the mountain top shrines is that within the bowl created by the five mountains, the tallest mountain in the entire country can be found. It's peak is always concealed in the clouds and their is an almost unnatural snow storm/blizzard that rages all year long within the interior of these mountains preventing even the most well prepared adventure from advancing more than a few kilometers into the storm. Nearly all who have tried to breach this storm and discover the secrets that lay on the Heavenly Sword mountain, named for its sharp shape, have went missing and are presumed to have died in the storm.

Though just traversing the snowy mountain terrain with its altitude and sub freezing temperatures is hazardous to normal humans, their is also another danger that surrounds each of the five mountains. Each mountain is considered to be like a spiritual magnet of some sort, seeming to attract various cold, ice, and snow based spirits. No one is sure about the reasoning for the strange natural occurrence.

In the southern mountains, there have been a handful of mining operations conducted that reveal that there might be several untapped viens of precious ore. But the weather only offers those few months per year of time when the weather isn't to bad and in turn not overly dangerous for the workers and thise trying to transport the ore out of the country for further refinement and sell.

Five Peak MonasteriesShow

Heavenly Sword MountainShow

• Ecology/Climate:

The average temperature in the warmest mo ths hovers just over ten degrees Fahrenheit while in the winter season the temperatures drop to as low as negative thirty degrees Fahrenheit. Snow and sleet is a common daily occurance in this part of the world during the fall and winter time frames with the summer and spring time seeing the precipitation cut back to around once a week. Over the course of the year the mountains recieved several meters of snow annually with the southern region of the country normally recieving snow up to two-to-three feet at a time during peak season.

In the sourthern portion of the country in the region of Boreal forests, small fox and wolfs can be found preying on snow rabbits and other small mammals. But these animals don't venture to far north causing for the arctic wasteland area in the high altitude to have zero naturally living land dwelling creatures with the exception of the Artic Polar Bear. This beast can be found hibernating during the winter, emerfing in the mid spring like the traditional polar bear. The massive creature measures three meters in height at the shouldee and over five meters in length, the males being very territorial and the females extremely protective of their young Cubs.

Though the Northern land isn't deciod of life, alone the frozen cost where the ocean freezes and thaws a number of seal, walruses, and penguins colonies decorate the edge of the frozen seas edge. These are the primary prey for the Artic Polar Bears. Despite this place being one of the most, if not the most, inhospitable places in the world their is a single species of spirit plant that grows on the slopes of the five peak mountains. It is a rare natural phenomenon in which the plant will naturally absorb energy from the environment and grow as it matures. This natural energy is know to have near miracle level healing power when refined and used to treat illness.

Being said to be able to regrow lost limbs, heal fatal wounds, or even cure diseases said to be incurable. But this miraculous plant has only been mention in ancient text and no explorers who has actually managed to reach the five point mountain range has seen one. So many just consider this one of the many legends or myth about the remote place.

Mystical FlowerShow

• Politics/People/History

There are a handful of small tribes that live amongst the southern border, only numbering a few hundred in total for the country. These tribesmen are nomadic in nature and keep to themselves, moving with the herds and never staying in one place for to long at a time. They are normally made up of two to five families under a village elder, nornally the older man in the tribe being in charge of making decision for the tribes with a small council of other elders to help. As you move further north the land becomes to cold and the animals or plants that would be used as food become nonexistent, thus there are no know humans living here. Only the rumors about the strange monks who supposedly live on the old monasteries found on the five peak mountains range. But their hasn't been a sighting of even one of the monks in over fifty years.

But there are mentions of these sacred places and monasteries in ancient text from almost the beginning of recorded history after the genma and spirits that ruled over the world qere overthrown and either defeated or sealed away. The sheer dangers of the environment and the spirits drawn to each of the mountains in the far north of the country have stopped anyone from exploring this region fully...so far. There is current no know unified form of government in the region due to hiw sparsely populated the area is and thenlack of communication between the nomadic people and the outside work aside from basic fur trading or acting as guides for travelers who come find them. Not much is know truthfully about the monks who are believed to live in the north most reaches but the nomadic tribes hold very druidish beliefs. Believing in the spirits of the forest and weather, praying to them for harvests and safe passage.

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Country 28
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Country 29
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Country 30
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鉄の国
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Geography and Ecology The Iron Country is located in the north eastern hemisphere, and is made up of around 220 square miles making it a relatively small country. The country itself is covered in vast mountains, and, due to its position in the globe, appears to be covered in snow almost all year, with the only exception being the area near the borders of the Rock Country which is, despite still incredibly cold, a whole lot warmer than the interior. Due to its temperature, the fauna and flora of this Country is not incredibly varied in terms of families and species, though natural selection has made sure to make them among the strongest and most apt for survival in the world itself.

The entire land is covered in large conifer and fruit trees, such as peaches and pears. Surprisingly there is more fruit and vegetables growing in this country that would be expected such as turnips, parsnips, beetroot, potatoes and other fruit and vegetables that seem to be able to grow in the harsh weather.

There is quite a rich wildlife in the Iron country, such as Foxes , Hare, Puffin, Bald eagle, Bighorn Sheep, Goose, Chipmunk, Bison, Squirrels, Moose, Goose, Beaver, Blue Jay, Flying Squirrel, Heron, Grizzly Bear, Owls, Horses, Wolves, Falcons, Ox, Wolverines, Pigs, Chickens.

The country itself is loaded with Iron beneath its mountains, however no mines have been created in attempts to collect this resource due to the lack of civilians. Despite this, there are still personal mines. Iron Country did not receive its name just for kicks. Each Samurai and Blacksmith family has their own personal mine below their Compound, with their own personal purities of Iron and ways of treating it to make the best of steel. In times of need, these families may sell said Iron, but prefer not to, as they consider it to be only theirs by birth right.

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People and Culture The people of the Iron Country are nothing but Samurai Families, Black Smith Families and a good amount of civilian hunters, fishers and chicken/Ox farmers living among them. Every man, woman and child who lives in said families lives by the principles and rules of a Samurai of course, the civilians are influenced by this rigorous philosophy as well. Few make it past childhood without basic training in the art of the sword, even if they don't have one. Bred to be powerful warriors and unmatched with a Katana, many styles have been trained and taught here. It is said that the Samurai Sabre was developed here as a way to counter shinobi.

Speaking of the Samurai Sabre, the only belief that these people hold is that of Spiritual Energy, also known as Qi. They believe that one is only as strong as they attempt to become. Anyone may practice with their Qi via meditation and practice. The Samurai Sabre style was developed as the Samurai practiced channeling their spirits into their weapons in order to increase their power. Needless to say, it worked fairly well.

Very much like a hidden village, the Iron Country sells their services as protectors. They are willing to get their hands dirty, but will always fight with a code of honour and will only take a job that fits their morals. An assassination on a priest known to be helping others would not be a mission these people would accept, and there would be a high probability they would attack the one who proposed it to them.

The relationship between the people of the Land of Iron and shinobi is an odd one. Neither hate the other but both agree to keep their distance and maintain a neutrality between the five major villages. Neither take anyone's side side if wars are to break out, simply due to the fact that they respect each other and leave each other's confrontations to themselves. This “unspoken agreement” has been going on for centuries.

The only liveable area within Iron Country is Sanrou or as it is also known, The Three Wolves Mountain. Inside is a complex building built with stone, designed for combat training. There are multiple living accommodations within this mountain as well as a mess hall. It is somewhat ran like a military base but functions as much more.

Market, hospital, training grounds, military outpost, living quarters and relaxation center, all in one. It was designed with the idea of creating a safe haven in such a harsh place.

Lastly, even after the growth of the Samurai families in this Country, it is still considered very dangerous and most travellers tend to try and avoid it. After all, it is a freezing cold place inhabited by expert hunters who can barely see through the snow, wolves, bears, longhorn sheep, ox and much more. Spending more than a day in this country is almost a request for damage and injury.

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Politics and Government The Land of Iron unlike other countries does not have a Daimyo. It is too small a country to have one, with this fact being only worsened as it only has one hospitable place.

However, the Land of Iron does however have a Taisho, who is the leader of the Samurai army. The Taisho’s word is law. If they suddenly decide on mass murder, the Samurai follow the orders and that's final. This system functions on the basis that the Samurai's leader is the Taisho, and the Taisho's leader is his or her people, therefore bounding them to make the best and most just of decisions, becoming a way to avoid said mass murder

There is no council to vote, but before any major decisions, every Samurai, man and grown woman has the right to participate in one large appointment in the Three Wolves Mountain's great hall. There, they may express their opinion.

The Taisho is chosen on one thing alone, by strength. This being physical strength and spiritual strength. Anyone may become the Taisho. They must face three tests: The Test of Honour and Loyalty, comprised of having to wear a blindfold and follow instructions no matter the dangers their other senses may detect. Second, the test of Wit, where they must defeat the Land of Iron's current champion of Go and Shogi. Lastly, the test of Sharpness, where they must simply challenge the current Taisho and defeat them in one on one battle. This however doesn't have to be a fight to the death, as the Samurai want as many strong warriors as possible.

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Country 31
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The Land of Forests Geography
Located west of the country of Fur and to the South West of the Country of Iron, [The Land of Forests] is spilt into two different geographical areas with the southern portion of the country covered in Coniferous Forests and farm lands that have been carved into the land, with a small area of Tropical Coniferous Forest located near the very southern tip of the country when one travels to the south.



While it is quite the opposite when one passes the center of the country traveling to the north as the elevation continues to increase as the Coniferous Forests and farm lands give way into the harsher mountainous landscape filled with thick snow covered Boreal forests that cover the vast majority of the Northern highland areas with the exception of the higher altitudes that are solely owned by the rocky mountain peaks alone.


A pair of large unnamed rivers run from the North East and North West corners of the country, beginning high in the snow capped mountains and running down towards the center of the country where they first combine in a massive river known as the river of Life before shortly afterwards arriving at the enormous waterfall that acts as a dividing marker within the country know as the Great Falls. This waterfall is over three hundred meters in total height, with two drops, the first being around a hundred meters and the second being around two hundred meters. The massive river ranges from one hundred and fifty meter to three hundred meters wide and runs to the south out of the country.



There are only two main roads that run through the country, one running east to west that is just slightly south of being centered on the forest covered countryside and another that runs North to South almost dead center up into the mountains. Where these two roads meet is an area known as the crossroads, a place that symbolizes the work of the country during its earlier years when the former ruling families were looking to expand and establish trade with neighboring nations. All that is left in the present day and age is a city of ruins of what once was.

CrossroadShow

Ecology, Climate and Resources Within the thick forests through out the country their can be found the typical forest dwelling animals such as small to large mammals, various snakes, and insects. The most notable being the snow elk of the north countryside that can grow up to four meters in height and length, their antlers growing to over three meters in width and being a exotic animal with many wanting to use its antlers or organs for various foods or medicines. Another notable feature are the Forest wolves, known to room from the mountainous landscape of the northern part of the country almost to the southern border, the wolves themselves have the unique ability to move without being heard despite their large sizes which can be as large as two meters in height and five meters in length. If the size of the individual wolf wasn't enough they often times travel in roaming packs which can range up to seven-to-ten wolfs in size. The more barbaric tribesmen of the Northern countryside are side to keep these animals as hunting partners and watch dogs for their tribes claimed land.

Important AnimalsShow

The northern half of the country experiences about six months of winter and snow during the year, while the lower half has the typical four seasons a year. With temperatures in the northern mountain reaching in the negatives during the peak of winter and only in the low sixties during the warm months. While the southern portion of the country experiences temperatures around freezing during the winter and heights in the upper seventies to lower eighties in the peak months of summer.

The country has a vast logging export with some of the exotic trees found deep in the center of the country, along with traditional fur trading, exporting of animal parts for food and medicine. In the northern portion of the country their are a number of fully operating precious metal and mineral mines that are exported to the surrounding countries with a priority to the Earth country and its Hidden Village, often times competing with Iron country for business in this area. Their most precious mine is one that has been actively extracting ore, minerals, and jewels for the last fifty years. Some even believe that the northern rulers have constructed an elaborate underground city within its heavily guarded gates. But the true money making export that can be found in this land is not exotic woods, rare animals or animal pars, rare furs, or even the precious metals that can be found in the mountain mines. No, it's number one resource is the people which the two ruling families capture and sell as slaves to Iwa and in return also to Kiri through middle men within Iwa.

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Those of the lower country side in the south find the forest floor to dangerous because of both animal and other humans, building their homes and cities high within the canopy of the towering Coniferous trees that can grow over two hundred meters in height due to the extremely high amount of natural nurturance in the soil. One might not even know that above them on the ground could be thousands of people due to how well they've learned to conceal themselves, with lookouts posted through out the forest.

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In the northern highlands, the barbican like tribes turn to stone and wood to build their homes, dotting the landscape with high walls and thick defenses to deal with the savage wolves that roam the snowy landscape and as defense against intruders. The ruling family of the north is no exception as they have constructed a massive fortress over the course of the last fifty years to serve as their home. The architecture and stone mason work gives the building a medieval look as they utilized their vast stone and ore resources to create a near impregnable stronghold for the ruling family and its army.

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Politics and History Several small families and tribes dot the forest landscape throughout the country, with no true or uniquid government over the country as a whole. Instead each half of the country is ruled over by two large families, each of which hold strong claim to one half of the country with the others clans and tribes within their sphere of influence having been forcible brought under their charge many years ago and serving more as servants and workers than citizens of the same country. Creating a rather hostile environment as the country could be said to be in a mini civil war, but neither side is willing to fully pull the trigger to initiate an all out war on the other family at this time. Travelers who pass through the borders of the country have been known to disappear if they have no ties with the major shinobi villages or important people, said to have been captured and sold off as slaves in the massive slave trading export that country runs with both ruling families.

Humans have inhabited the Land of Forests for hundreds of years, as far back as when the spirits ruled over the world. Up until the last forty years though the various tribes and families had all been focused on maintaining control of their small territories. But it was about forty years ago when the Ning family of the northern lands were led by their new 'King' in a crusade of submission or death for those who lived amongst the mountainous northern landscape as he captured and imprisoned thousands, those who wouldn't been a knee were executed. Over the course of five years the campaign allowed for the man who was nicknamed 'Shisho the unkillable', having a unique ability to live through even wounds that should have been lethal as he forged his name and power through strength and blood. The tribes of the northern lands all worship Norse styles gods, forced upon them from the Ning family.

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In the southern Forest, in order to fight back against the growing army of the Ning family that threatened to swallow up the whole country under their iron fists, one man named Li Jun appeared. He was the quiet ruler of a large tribe of nomadic or druid style people who worshipped the various forest gods, under his strength he also began to assemble an army to deter Shisho's conquest of the Land of Forests. He had the remarkable ability to become one with nature, causing the elements to bend to his will at time and control animals to aid his people against their foes. This allowed for him to bring the other smaller tribes and families under his own banner as their battle came to a peak twenty years ago in a fierce exchange at the Crossroad Ruins. Here the two men fought for two days against the other and their army before both finally agreed to retreat, having proven their strength to one another.

From that point on to the present day, the loose peace has been more of a cold war as the two men grow older with Shisho still having his sights set on one day conquering the entire country uniting it under his rule and crushing the forest lover Jun. But for now only small level skirmishes are carried out with either not daring to cross to far into the others territory..

JunShow

Both men and their family have established relationships with the nearby countries and even as far as Earth country and its shinobi village who Shisho provides slaves to from within his own people as well as those he captures from the southern lands of the country. Exports of rare woods, plants for medicines, furs, and metals amongst the main driving force behind their country.

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Country 32
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Fur Country Geography

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Fur Country is a highly diverse land, composed mainly of large forested areas which spread across the entirety of the country, with human-populated areas few and far between. To the south lies the Kinpaku Forest, a large approximately 320 acre forest which claims nearly half of the country. The Kinpaku Forest is covered from beginning to end with large trees, green grass, and leafy bushes, with a handful of small streams that are scattered throughout the woods. The moderate temperatures and seasonal rainfall, in addition to the lack of human interference, make the Kinpaku Forest one of the most beautiful, unique lands in all of the shinobi world. Towards the northern regions of the country, temperatures begin to drop steadily, resulting in a steady change in both plant and wildlife. To the northeast lies the town of Nukumi, a small, very tourist-friendly rural town which separates the Kinpaku Forest and Shinku Woods, a small wooded area who’s namesake derives from the large red-wooded trees which encompass the land. The northwestern region of the country is by far the coldest, and is home to the Ichimu Forest. In stark contrast to the rest of the country, the Ichimu Forest is often riddled with snowfall and frozen grounds, making it inhabitable for the rest of the wildlife that encompasses the Fur Country. The trees are much smaller and scarcer in comparison to the rest of Fur Country, but it’s unique weather and location allow it to maintain it’s own unique form of wildlife.


Ecology, Climate, Resources

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Travelling from the southern regions all the way to the north, the temperature in the Fur Country drops steadily. In the southern and central regions, the weather is defined by warm summers, and cool winters with adequate rainfall in between each season to maintain the forest life. The northeastern regions are marked by a short, but warm, summer period, followed by much cooler, rainy weather which lasts for the majority of the year. The northwest region of Fur Country has the harshest weather, which even during the summer usually doesn’t exceed more than 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The winters usually consist of a long rainy season, following by a significantly shorter snowy season, where the average temperature is usually about 15 degrees.

The forests of the Fur Country are rich, unique, and bountiful, containing such a wide variety of plant life that it would be impossible to name all the species which reside within the country. There are, however, a handful of well-known species that are either easily distinguishable or particularly dangerous that they are common knowledge amongst the residents of the Fur Country.

The Golden Cedar is the most famous of all the plant life in the Kinpaku Forest, and in the Fur Country itself. Growing anywhere between 130 and 200 feet tall, the seemingly gold reflection off the yellow needle-like leaves of this tree are what give Kinpaku Forest (translated Gold Leaf Forest) its name. The Bloodroot Birch, found in abundance in the Shinku Woods but scarcely throughout the rest of the country, are notable for the deep red color of their bark, as well as the bright red sap, which resembles blood, that they produce. These trees are what give the Shinku Woods (Crimson Woods) their name. Ghost Willows encompass a portion of the northeastern frozen regions of Fur Country, famous for their incredibly pale bark and high resistance to any sort of damage, be it from animals or weather.

There are a handful of poisonous/harmful plants scattered throughout Fur Country, perhaps none more infamous than the Wild Milk Lily. Deceptively similar to a normal white lily, the leaves of this plant produce a wax which causes mild hallucinations and severe dehydration on anybody who consumes the wax either directly or through a secondary source. Several different species of poison ivy are also found throughout the forest.


The large diversity of the flora of the Fur Country is surpassed perhaps only by the diversity of the fauna. Possessing a multitude of animals throughout the entire land, none are more sought out than the furred animals which reside throughout the land. The abundance of such animals is so great that the namesake of the Fur Country is derived from the highly prized fur of several of the animals through both the southern and northern regions of the country.

Notable Fauna found in Southern Region/Kinpaku ForestShow

Caramel Sable: A species of sable which lives in the trees of Kinpaku Forest. Deriving its name from the smooth caramel brown color of its fur, it has become highly aggressive towards humans due to the frequent hunting of caramel sables. Their fur is considered a luxury in other countries, and is highly prized by hunters.

Honey Mink: A species of mink with a magnificent honey-brown fur coat. Much like the Caramel Sable, the frequent hunting of honey minks has led to hostile behavior towards humans. Their fur is considered a luxury in other countries, and is highly prized by hunters.

Chato: A species of cougars which are unique to the Fur Country, these predators have often times found themselves prey in recent years. Their all-black fur, as well as their nutrient-rich meat, make these animals the apple of many skilled-hunters eyes. Contrary to what one would expect from a beast of prey, Chato’s avoid human contact as much as possible, and will only fight when escape is no longer an option.

Wooly Beaver: A particularly large and fuzzy species of beaver that reside in the handful of streams throughout the forest. The flexible and water-resistant fur of these animals is highly sought after by countries with sea-based economies, making them high value targets for hunters.

Saber Wasp: Deadly insects whose nests are found through Kinpaku forest, saber wasps get their name from the unusually 2-inch long stinger they carry around on their rears, resembling steel sabers. Almost all yellow in color, with minimal black striping, swarms of these wasps are incredibly aggressive and are suspected to be carnivorous, as there have been a handful of witness reports sighting squirrels and rabbits being ravaged by these insects.

Notable Fauna found in Northern Region/Shinku Woods/Ichimu ForestShow

Royal Black Bear: The undisputed king of the Shinku Woods, these bears grow to about 12 feet in size and in excess of 700 pounds. Unlike most bears, which are usually solitary animals, royal black bears travel in families; usually a male and a female which travel with their offspring until they are of age to find mates of their own. The pitch black fur of these bears have a soft purple sheen to them in sunlight, and are considered a sign of royalty and superiority. This highly sought after fur is one of, if not the most, expensive exports from the Fur Country.

Fire Squirrels: A regular species of squirrel located in the Shinku Woods, these animals have absorbed the color of the trees in the woods by eating and resting on the red bark of the trees. Ranging from soft pink shades in adolescence to bright reds in adulthood, the fur of these animals are one of the less-expensive more common exports from the Fur Country.
Fire Mosquitos: A species of bright red mosquitos, these pesky little bugs are found in particular abundance during the rainy seasons throughout Fur Country. Carrying a handful of diseases, these insects are considered a plague on the people of Fur Country.

Northern Ichimu Lynx: A species of lynx native to the Ichimu Forest, these animals are famed for their resistance to the cold weather and their skill as relentless hunters in the snow. The shades of their coat range anywhere from soft white to a dark grey, making their fur another one of many sought after coats from both local and foreign hunters.

Long-eared Silver Fox: As the name indicates, these animals are just silver foxes with slightly longer ears than those of their brethren. These foxes, along with their cousins the long-eared red fox, are found throughout the Ichimu Forest and Shinku Woods. Their fur, ranging from grey to a stunning silver, make them another one of the many popular exports from the Fur Country. Solitary hunters, these foxes usually feed on wild rabbits, but have developed a taste for the local livestock in recent years, much to the chagrin of the local villagers.

Long-eared Red Fox: Close relatives of the silver foxes in Fur Country, these animals are slightly less popular than their cousins but are still widely hunted. Larger than other species of fox in Fur Country, and highly aggressive by nature, these animals have fallen victim to massive casualties in recent years due to their many confrontations with hunters.

Blackfoot Hares: Blackfoot hares get their name from their pitch black paws, which contrasts beautifully with their snow white fur. The rapid breeding of these animals makes them perhaps the most commonly hunted animal in Fur Country by both wild animals and hunters. These animals, although often targeted for the value of their fur, are popular pets for locals due to their docile nature.

Snowy Eagle: Like the snowy owl, a snowy eagle has a predominantly white plumage. Although they make their home in the Ichimu Forest, they hunt and breed throughout the entirety of the Fur Country, often times stealing the fresh kills of hunters in the area.

People & Culture

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Fur Country in general has been generally untouched by mankind, but a handful of small towns exist within the Fur Country. The largest of these is Nukumi, which acts as the capital of Fur Country and the epicenter of civilization within the country. A small, roughly 50 acre town, Nukumi is composed of a handful of farms, with a large market area and several travel lodges.

The people of Nukumi, although small in number, are generally very wealthy, with the large number of exports and travelers in and out of the village lending to a very fruitful economy. Families throughout Fur Country are run much like businesses in the real world. They trade with one another, form partnerships, and absorb smaller ones to help expand their own business. Exports of rich furs are by far the most popular and rewarding business, while lodging and travel are a very distant second. The wealthiest families are those who can lay claim to a large stake in each. The people are very friendly and welcoming to outsiders, so long as they follow the rules and respect the land in their country. This attitude remains the same throughout even the smaller, unknown villages throughout Fur Country.

There is no specific religion throughout the Fur Country, and each household has their own set of distinct beliefs. The only common theme found throughout Fur Country is the great respect they have for nature, and all that it provides the people of Fur Country. Conservation of nature is highly encouraged, and when an animal is killed, they ensure that all pieces of it, from the meat to the bone, are used. This is not to say that the Fur Country citizens are complete “hippies”, but just people who recognize and respect all that is given to them by the land.

There are no holidays in Fur Country which are traditionally celebrated, but there are a handful of days of importance. The first day of summer, which marks the busiest day of the trading season, is the busiest day in the town of Nukumi and all villages in the country, as every hopeful hunter and business owner gathers to share and trade there most expensive items in hopes of leaving rich men. The beginning and end of spring are also considered days of rest and peace, as they mark the beginning and end of the breeding season for a number of animals throughout Fur Country.

Politics

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Politics in the Fur Country are run like a business. There are a 10 board members, usually high ranking members of the wealthy families of Fur Country, and one chairman, who is generally responsible for planning the oncoming rainy, breeding, and hunting seasons. Every 3 years, the chairman must nominate a candidate from the board to replace him, and this candidate must in turn be seconded by at least half of the remaining board members. Once elected, the new chairman will take his post, with the off-going chairman becoming an advisor to the oncoming one.

Generally, life throughout Fur Country is peaceful. The most important, and perhaps most heavily enforced law, are those that they have on hunting and trade. Hunting is allowed year-round, save for a 2 month breeding season in which all wildlife must remain untouched. The punishments for such crimes are as severe as they would be for things such as murder and rape. Trade is also heavily regulated. Local hunters and traders are usually left to do as they please, while foreign hunters are heavily taxed, ensuring that not all profits are lost from the abundance of resources in the Fur Country.

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Country 33
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塔森の聖都

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Government and Culture Located in the upper centre of the continent, the land under the control of the Holy City of Towers rivals that of small countries. This rather large landmass is controlled through a unitary theocratic system, where the Church of the Eternal Mother controls all affairs of state and the Eternal Mother herself rules paramount. The Church dictates all facets of life, and the considerable bounty that has come from the Church's miracles has given them great favour in the eyes of the populace. The rulers and the priesthood are well loved by the people, all of whom are devout followers of the Church.

The Eternal Mother hears the qualms of her citizens daily between the hours of 10:00am and 2:00pm. For these four hours she takes audience from any citizen of her city, whom must climb the Ten Thousand Steps of the Greatest Tower to reach her. The Greatest Tower is the highest tower of the city, reaching a staggering 47 stories high and continuing to rise by a floor each year. Inside the Greatest Tower are four places of import: the home of the Eternal Mother, the Audience Chamber, the Grand Cathedral of the Church and the Holy Herbiary. The Grand Cathedral takes up the bottom five stories of the tower, with a huge vaulted ceiling and tiered seating, as well as balconies around the walls. This cathedral is decked with rich fabrics and delicate metal artworks in the colours of the Eternal Mother, White, Red and Gold.

The Head of state is the Eternal Mother, and she and her religion are the source of all law. Her word is law and is always treated as such. She is attended by three advisers; The Dawn, The Day and The Dusk. These three women, as all priests of the Church are women, are the highest three practitioners of the faith at any given time. When they speak, it is with the Mother's voice, and they act with the Mother's hands.

Public policy is largely focussed on internal affairs. The Church ensures that all its people are happy, using the miracles of the Mother to stimulate a steady economical growth. The Mother's miracles have produced a booming farm trade, as thanks to her abilities crops are able to grow at almost any time of the year. This over-abundance of crops is often used to trade with nearby nations, some of which cannot produce enough food themselves to feed their people. This is how the Holy City makes its money.

The Sons of Iron are the purely male militia of the Church of the Eternal Mother. Every male over the age of 13 and under the age of 55 is required to maintain an active military status, although they are not fully aware that they are treated as such. The Doctrines of the Church state that men must always be in pique physical condition to protect the women, whom are far superior to them and are to be treasured. This is why the Church ensures that they are educated in the proper use of a spear. Through this policy, the Church maintains a possible army of almost two hundred thousand militia, and three hundred professional soldiers.

The Daughters of Cloth are the name for the priesthood of the Church of the Holy Mother. Each practitioner is female in nature, and they are learned in the arts of healing, public speaking, persuasion, conflict resolution and law. The Daughters are always dressed in white linen dresses, however the hems of these dresses are embroidered with a coloured flame for each discipline they have mastered. Almost every one of them has the golden flame of religion, while green is for the healing art, blue is for law and judicial reasoning, red is for conflict resolution and persuasion and purple is for economics. All members of the public are educated in religion through masses held every Monday evening, but none others see the kind of schooling that the Daughters of the Cloth receive. To become a Daughter of the Cloth, a girl must be presented to the Greatest Tower on her twelfth birthday, and be considered to have 'potential' by the Eternal Mother. Those who are identified are stripped of their names and often do not see their family for a decade or more, and when they are reunited the Daughter will no longer feel compassion for them over any other person, as the Church is their family now.

The Doctrines of the Church of the Eternal Mother are rather simple, as they preach the values of compassion and grace. They do not believe in equality, however, as they promote a matriarchal society in which women are the most powerful, as they are required for the continuation of the human race. Mothers are a social class all of their own, and are expected to be well respected and never insulted except by others on their tier. This is not to say that men are disdained, they are simply seen as simpler, less complex creatures than women. It is understood that their duty is to protect and provide for the family, while the women's duty is to lead, decide and further the family.

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Ecology and Economy

MapShow

The Holy City's lands spread for a significant portion of the northern central section of the continent. It is no great country, but it is not so small that it is to be ignored. Its place it the world gifts it with a climate suitable for coniferous rainforests, and therefore suitable to herb and fruit farming. Quite a lot of the original forests which once covered the land surrounding the Holy City has been felled to build the magnificent structures, and replaced with farmland. These farms see little in the way of wild animals, apart from foxes. Farmers in this country tend to farm berries, fruits and herbs such as apples, pears, blackberries and aloe vera rather than hops, and as such the orchards attract songbirds and similar bright avians to the country. Farmed animals are limited to mostly chickens with the occasional goat or dairy cow. The chickens are what attract the foxes, which have a large population in the country and provide quite a bit of income for hunters who sell their attractive furs.

The forested regions that remain contain a range of appropriate wildlife to their climate. This includes deer, black bears, skunks, woodland rabbits and similar vermin. The varieties of tree are mostly types of oak or pine, which produce good usable timbers. There was once a booming logging industry in this land, but it has since died down considerably due to widespread deforestation having reduced the amount of suitable logging areas available. The mountainous sub-region which occurs in the south of the city-state is the source of the land's only river and lake, and is home to various kinds of eagle and water fowl, as well as mountain goats. Mountain lions are rumoured to exist in the area, but such things have never been confirmed. The hills surrounding the mountain region contain two or three working quarries which serve to supply the city with stone for its high towers. There are no particularly precious metals in the hills or the mountains, but there are a scarce few iron veins which are used to help arm the Sons of Iron, but such stores require supplement from other nations to fully arm them.

Perhaps the most peculiar part of the wildlife in this nation are the humans themselves. They seem to grow lankier, with paler skin and with fairer colouring in their eyes and hair as well. The people rarely bear skin blemishes, and those that do only scars from the most dangerous of wounds. Their features are highly angular, and their arms and legs tend to grow longer than humans in other regions. Another peculiar trait can only be found in the Daughters of the Cloth, and that is that the tips of their ears are pointed rather than round. The people of the Holy City do not often grow body hair apart from on their head, and peculiar eye colours such as purples and reds are not uncommon. It's as if something has influenced their traits, and caused them to diverge slightly from the rest of humankind.

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Country 34
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金の国

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Government and Culture Originally one large country, Gold Country and Silver Country have since split and begun a war between each other that has spanned generations. Gold Country is under the rule of the original Daimyo's family, the Morimoto clan, with their current Daimyo being Morimoto Daiichi. Under Daiichi's rule the country has fallen into a state of bankruptcy in order to fuel the ongoing war with their cousins to the north. As a result of the harsh taxes and the constant forced conscription of able-bodied men into the army, the common people are subjugated and fearful of their ruler. Those that live in the capital do not experience the harsh reality of the rest of the country and fervently support the war effort.

The castle-town of Ohkazaki serves as the capital of Gold Country. In this place the Daimyo makes an active effort to maintain the illusion of the country's former prosperity. The roads are clean, soldiers patrol the streets to reduce crime, and the people are happy and healthy. There is an undercurrent that runs through the people that foreigners pick up on; a feeling that these people know exactly what their carefree lives cost the rest of the country, but purposely ignore it. The lands surrounding Ohkazaki are primarily farmland. The lack of rain the country receives has resulted in deep wells being constructed, the water drawn up by large windmills that use the harsh dry winds from the desert in the south. These wells are guarded and controlled by the government and any illegal use or distribution of the water is met with incredibly harsh punishment.

The Morimoto standing army consists of very few fully trained samurai, many having lost their lives over the constant years of war without training enough apprentices, and is primarily made up of conscripted ashigaru. These foot-soldiers are little more than farmers and servants who were unfortunate enough to either be sold to the Daimyo by their families or were forcibly conscripted during the bi-annual 'Reaping', a period where any village that can't afford their taxes is forced to give up half of their able-bodied men to the army. With very little formal training, essentially handed a spear and some very low-quality armour, these soldiers are forced to fight under the command of the few remaining Morimoto samurai generals.

Moving south, in the middle of the great Glittering Sand Sea, the desert that covers more than half the country, the village of Ōnamazu serves as a safe-haven away from the rule of the Morimoto clan. The people that live in this village are open, friendly, and cheerful but are still a hardy people. Living in the desert and relying on the waters of the oasis their village is built around to survive is a difficult life but some that many find preferable to having an 'easier' life in the north. The army of Morimoto doesn't enter the desert, the many sandpits and deadly creatures serving as a deterrent; more soldiers have been lost in the past to the desert than in their war with Silver Country. The people serve as treasure hunters and diggers, the caves below the sands having large amounts of buried treasure from the time when the Morimoto ruled the entirety of the country and had its capital in the south.

The buried city of Rysambo is the former capital of Gold Country. An immensely massive city, double the size of Ohkazaki, this once glorious city has since been lost to the sands. Those that are fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate, enough to find it will find that it has been largely preserved instead of crushed beneath the weight of the desert. Within the castle are vast treasures, the reason for Gold Country's naming back during its founding. The people of Ōnamazu constantly search for this city but are also heavily superstitious of it; it is said that Rysambo is a cursed city. The weight of its gold caused it to sink into the sands, and it is guarded by the beasts of the desert to prevent the people from succumbing to such greed ever again.

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Ecology and Economy Gold Country is a landlocked country that borders Wind Country to the south, 31 and 23 to the east, The Holy City of Towers to the north, and its rival Silver Country to the west. In the south of the country lies the Glittering Sand Sea, a large expanse of desert, its fine-grain sand ebbs and flows like water and shimmers like gold under the harsh sun. Large areas of the Sand Sea are highly unsafe, the free-flowing sand giving way to lethal pools of quicksand. Numerous caves and mines dot the desert, a result of the once booming gold mining industry that the Country originally got its name for. Towards the northern regions of the country, the desert gives way to grasslands, resulting in a steady change in both plant and wildlife. Dotted with villages and farms, the richly fertile soil of the grasslands gives yield to large crops of rice, most of which goes towards feeding the Daimyo's army in his ongoing war with Silver Country. Despite the rich soil, the flora of the country is largely uninspired; the lack of rivers or consistent rain and reliance on deep wells for water means more exotic plant life finds it difficult to survive, giving way to the rolling plains of sturdier grass.

In terms of fauna, at least in the grasslands to the north, a wide variety of large grazing mammals can be found including cattle, bison, antelope, and horses. These are found both wild and herded by the people of the country. Horses are primarily bred and tamed for war, only the most useless are left for the civilians. In terms of carnivorous animals, there are a number of wolves, coyotes, foxes, and badgers throughout the country. There are a few species of rodent, such as gophers, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and mole rats. A small variety of snakes can be found and there are some species of bird such as sparrows, hawks, owls, even quail.

Within the confines of the desert, those few who are daring enough to searching for gold or treasure often find themselves at odds with oversized creatures; giant scorpions and spiders, snakes, all manner of poisonous and dangerous animals. If they are fortunate enough to survive the dangers of the desert, not just the animals but the sand traps and sand storms which are even more lethal than the animals, and then lucky enough to find treasure can often afford to buy their way into owning an entire plot of land of their own. The riches are plentiful and there for the taking, if one only has enough luck and fortitude to gather them.

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Country 35
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[Archives]

Country 36
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Pebble Country

Geography

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Pebble Country is the collective name given to what was Bird Country and Forest Country. Located between two world superpowers, the area was once littered with luscious forests and ample wildlife. While there are certainly areas where forests and wildlife still remain, much of the area has been reduced to rubble and destroyed villages in the aftermath of the last great shinobi war. Miles upon miles of landscape has been reduced to rubble where little life seems to grow or flourish. The occasional lake dots the landscape although many are unsafe for drinking purposes due to a high amount of acidic content. The landscape of Pebble serves as a reminder of the destruction that Shinobi are capable of.

The only part of the country that looks as it once was for a long stretch is the demilitarized zone that runs through the country's middle from one end to the other. A number of small towns dot the area around this zone.

Ecology, Climate, Resources

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With the humid Wind Country to the south and Rock Country to the north, Pebble Country was once a lush middle ground between the two areas. What the Senju had raised with chakra, Pebble and Bird once produced naturally with all manner of trees growing strong. The whole country was once forested, giving one of the nations its name. The winters were mild and heavy amounts of rainfall drifting in from the neighboring Rain Country helped the trees grow tall. Nearly a century ago, several of the trees were reported as growing a kilometer tall. Smaller plants flourished on the forest floor, leading to what was certainly a robust amount of animal life.

In the winter, megafauna from Rock Country would migrate to the area to live in relative warmth. Hunters from the area, normally too cautious to cross the border with Rock Country, would take this opportunity to hunt under the cover of protecting their lands. Smaller wildlife flourished in the area. Now, the destroyed landscape has made habitable by creatures from the Wind desert. Snakes and other nasties have moved into the area and there are even cacti along the southern half of the country. Some small forests remain, scattered throughout the country. Many of them are self-contained ecosystems and microscopic samples of what the country was like nearly a century ago. Shinobi historians and local enthusiasts alike have been studying these areas for centuries for their historical value and the peak at what natural life was like nearly a century ago.

People and Culture

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The people of Pebble Country know strife better than most in the world. Ever since the last great war, they've been struggling to rebuild with only token offers of assistance and resources offered by the great nations. Eighty percent of the country's population moved east and west after the war. Ten percent remains in the sole major city left in the area, the capital which houses the Daimyo's meager palace. The other ten percent are spread out across the remainder of the country either living in small towns near the habitable land, wandering, or living along either side of the demilitarized zone running down the middle of the country.

What culture this country had was destroyed long ago in the war and precious few holidays remain to be practiced. Besides new years festivities, few celebrations are celebrated throughout the country. In the capital though, elements of both Sunagakure and Iwagakure have leaked into their culture with a week-long celebration honoring the dead and bi-monthly duels in the same style as Shiren. Shinobi stationed on either side of the demilitarized zone occasionally mingle and they take home snippets of the other village's culture.

Politics

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Politics plays a major role in day to day life for many people. The hand of two superpowers can be felt running throughout their life although neither are actual allies with the country. It was land conquered and divided, now left to a Daimyo that is filled with resentment for being born lord of rubble. Despite his lowly position in the grand scheme of things, the Daimyo is intelligent enough to occasionally exploit the fact that he has an ear to the Daimyo of two superpowers to his advantage during particularly harsh winters.

Representatives of both Rock and Wind hold positions in the court in the capital and relations are relatively good with nearby Rain and (country 35), the present Daimyo having blood relations to prominent members of their courts.

[Valkier]

Country 38
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Oasis Country Geography:

The Oasis Country is located in the south hemisphere, it is composed of around 600 square miles and is a rather small country placed between Fire Country and Wind Country. This unique positioning creates a large variety of diverse land, a mixture of the vast greenery of the Fire Country combined with the hot desert of the Wind Country. It has beautiful lush beaches on its most southern part. A large man made road cuts perfectly through the middle of the country connecting Wind and Fire, this road is called ‘The Oasis Trade Route’.

Ecology, Climate and Resources:

The entire land space is almost in two perfect halves, lush green woodland to the east and beautiful golden desert to the west with a river moving down the center and spreading out creating lush, beautiful palm trees along its path, creating the oasis that gave the country its name.

To the east there grows many root vegetables such as turnips, parsnips, beetroot and potatoes. Berry bushes, apple and pear trees and other traditional fruit, vegetables and fungi can also be found in forested areas. To the west there are a variety of exotic fruits, herbs, spices and even tea. To the south they even grow olives.

The wild life like the rest of the country is vast and diverse, traditional woodland animals to the east such as bears, foxes and wolves and to the east traditional desert animals such as camels, lizards and snakes.

The country has vast resources due to its lush diverse climate and unique positioning, it is one of the largest trading hubs within the world. Certainly between two rich countries such as Wind and Fire. They export plenty of produce and is even a top holiday location, creating a booming tourism industry. Due to the variety of animals, they have a large textiles industry and supply many countries with the material create flak jackets. To the south there is a large fishing industry.

Finally at a central point of the country is ‘The Golden Bank’ a tall golden tower that is one of the largest and most extravagant banks in the world. The country is a tax haven, creating low taxes for businesses but because the country has so much trade, they continue to make a large amount of money.

People and Culture:

The people of the Oasis Country, unlike the rest of the country is not incredibly diverse. They have tough immigration laws, allowing only people to make a permanent residence if they have a business and must have a large enough wealth. They do, however, allow many people to visit.

The native people are called the ‘Navis’ and have olive skin, dark hair and brown eyes. They tend to be slightly shorter than average but have stocky, muscular builds. This build creates a perfect work force for the country's large amount of resources. However, the population is kept low, each family is restricted to two children each so that their resources stay in perfect balance. If a family has more than two children, they lose any tax benefits and are often shunned by the society.

Politics:

The country is led by a council of elected representatives from each community. While they are supposed to form a socialist government that cares equally for its people, the council tends to be comprised of the rich and corrupt members of society that can afford superior campaigns that get them votes. These council members often make decisions that bring them greater wealth as opposed to what's best for the country.

Despite this corruption, the country never dreams of war. Being situated between two world powers, the council always steers clear of conflict and serves as a neutral trading partner to anybody that's interested.

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Country 39
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Hoshi no Kuni
The Land of Stars

星の国

• Geography & Resources:

The terrain of Hoshi no Kuni is unique from the rest of the world due to a large concentration of craters dotting the country, while many of the older craters have over time have become unrecognisable some of the lands scars have been unable to heal. This gives the country an unusual appearance as a sub tropic broadleaf forest attempts to cut straight through the heart of the country, yet it finds itself broken in places by rocky craters of earth and what the locals have come to call star rock. In other places where the wildlife has managed to take over once more it has created a strange effect of a forest amongst dozens of valleys attempting to compete with each other, this creates a multi-tier effect through out vast portions of the land making traversal of this land a nightmare to the unprepared or inexperienced. In places where larger celestial bodies had impacted this changes up the terrain even further, creating seemingly daunting pointy peaks that surround vast basin like valleys. Many of these valleys no matter their hold ruins designed vary much with a Mayan/Aztec aesthetic to them, the older the ruins the more the vegetation has begun to reclaim what was once it's domain.

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The majority of the water in Hoshi no Kuni has pooled in many of the craters and valleys, most streams having to pass through the walls of these craters to join up with any lakes. The country is devoid of anything large enough to be considered a river, a lot of the natural bodies of water tend to be stagnant and not fit for human consumption as a result. The Land of Stars is nestled between the Land of Wind, Fire and Earth bordering with each of them directly leaving the land with some key strategic value despite it's harsh unpredictable terrain.

The Country itself holds very few natural resources they can export other than the star rock, the one thing they do have is a extensive road network they have constructed through the uneven terrain that the craters have caused in their land along with the people willing to work those roads to deliver goods. While the land no longer suffers frequent meteor strikes some small impacts are made every so often to keep the supply of star rock from running out, it is in abundant supply within the countries craters. It has generally been used in the making of Jewellery and other such trinkets due to it's unusual patterns and colours, it has also been used to increase the durability of tools when mixed in with steel implements.

The southern most portion of the land of Stars sees a very different landscape, having seen the least amount of impact from any celestial bodies the terrain here remains relatively flat compared to the majority of the country. Leaving the land perfect for farming, many of the forests there have been cleared to make way for vast farmland. The crater impacts that do exist create nothing more than a rolling hill vibe amongst the grassland that has been cleared, the occasional coniferous forest clump together breaking up the long stretches of farm land and hillocks.

Southern Stars - 星の国の南Show

In the center of the country lies the second largest crater of them all, it is here that the many roads of the country pass through making it a key crossroad to trade between the surrounding countries and with the land of Stars itself. Built not only due to it's location but also being one of the more frequent and reliable sources of both clean water and star rock, the jungle itself has been cleared away over time both within the crater and some of the surrounding area making it one of the most accessible areas in the country if you were not to include the southern end of Hoshi No Kuni. In the giant crater the inhabitants of the country have built their capital city, in an attempt to be poetic they named it Heaven's Landing.

Heaven's Landing - 天国の着陸Show

One other area of key note that makes this country unique is the resting place of a spirit who has resided in the land far longer than anything in the country, before the breach between worlds brought chakra into the physical world and long before man had dominated the land large prehistoric creatures roamed the land, many held avian and reptilian features and are thought to have ranged through different sizes. A lone spirit fell through a crack that had begun to form between the worlds, this "crack" would later have potential significance in the breach that followed whether this is true however is entirely speculative. This lone spirit came to reside in this portion of the land falling in love with the climate, when the stars began to fall down killing many of the prehistoric creatures the spirit protected those within it's land draining vast amounts of it's energy as it did so. To this day the Spirit still slumbers in the center of the largest crater of the country on the western side in full view of Heaven's Landing is Ancient's Rest, the surviving prehistoric creatures reside within this large crater protecting their saviour from would be interlopers.

Ancient's Rest - 古代の残りShow

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• Ecology/Climate:

In the southern most portion of Hoshi no Kuni the weather tends to be considered more normal when compared to the rest of the county, they tend to have longer summers and shorter winters, a reasonable amount of rainfall not too much as to swamp the land but not so little that the summers dry out the land. The wildlife tends to be deer, wolves and gamefowl. The plant life typical to what you would find in a coniferous forest in the areas where the forests have been left intact, the grasslands tend to hold mostly crops or are used for grazing of cattle. Most domesticated animals in this region are dogs, cats, sheep, horses, goats and cows etc. The food produced from this area however is not always enough to feed the Northen portion of the land with the Capital taking priority.

North of the farm land of Southern Star is more complex, it tends to be summer nearly all year around here occasionally being broken up by subtropic rainstorms around the time most places experience winter, even during this time the rain feels warm. The inhabitants of this portion of the land who do not have the luxury of living in the capital find themselves hunting the local wildlife, eating from berries and other fruit provided by the vast jungles of their land. This can lead to dangers however as some of the local wildlife is just as capable as hunting them back.

Over the many years since the Prehistoric creatures were first saved they have flourished inside their crater, a few thousand years back however one of the worst rainstorms finally eroded a section of the natural wall that surrounded Ancient's Rest spilling forth a new wave of wildlife within the northern lands of the country. The beasts that now inhabit it are fortunately very acclimatised to the subtropic environment they have lived in for so long that they do not fair well outside of it. Most of the larger reptiles stick to the lower levels of the valleys, there are many predators however that are more than capable of traversing the precarious terrain of Hoshi No Kuni. Not all these prehistoric creatures are vicious killers there are some that prefer the slow life of grazing on flora and wandering at a steady pace in their herds.

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The hunting of any of these creatures is highly illegal without the correct permits which in themselves are difficult to obtain, breach of these laws can result in public humiliation and execution as the people believe the animals quite sacred. Much of the plant life in this region vary in things such as vines, creepers, underbrush vegetation and trees of various shapes and sizes. Some regions see more dense clusters of tall trees creating canopies that can block out a vast majority of sunlight letting just enough through to light it up during the daytime and feed some of the lower plant life in small rays, other regions see more sparse clusters and shorter trees opening up to more rocky sections of the land.

Those who are permitted to hunt these great beast not only are fully equipped to hunt these beasts but also have learnt to respect the fact that these are a rare species and that over hunting could lead to their eventual extinction as such trophy hunting is completely taboo and all components that are not usable by the people along with the blood of the creature are returned to the ground in an almost ritualistic fashion this also helps to identify those who hunt the creatures illegally as they tend to be unaware of such a ritual.

One other unique property of this country is the star fall, while less common for celestial bodies to strike the land they are still seen on a regular basis soaring across the night sky and sometimes even during the day. Once a year the night sky becomes covered in an endless sea of shooting stars that sail through the night sky in vibrant colours, while the frequency of shooting stars at other times of the year is becoming less over time this one time during the end of winter is a constant.

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• Politics/People/History

The people here tend to look just like a vast majority of the other main land residents, their skin tone tends to lean towards darker colours from obvious tans to almost ebony mostly due to the climate in Hoshi No Kuni. Their architecture tends to be ancient south american in design taking heavy inspiration from Mayan and Aztec culture, the exception to this is southern star which have been heavily influenced by much of the feudal Japanese architecture that is popular throughout the rest of the world.

The inhabitants of Hoshi No Kuni are split into three different caste:

SouthernersShow

Those who inhabit the South of Hoshi No Kuni tend to have adopted a more traditional feudal Japanese appearance due to the influence of neighbouring countries, the inhabitants of these lands tend to mainly be farmers, hunters and craftsmen and while pleasant enough to outsiders the occasional bandit raids have caused a small leaning of caution upon the inhabitants of the south who tend to live in more isolated parts. Southerners who live on the trade posts and subsequent roads that lead south out of the country tend to be more tolerant of even the most rowdiest of outsiders. The vast amount of trade going through the country tends to bring enough protection with it that acts a deterrent to the majority of would be brigands.

The southerners have a relationship of necessity with the northerners, providing the capital with food in return for protection and wealth they tend to speak ill of their northern brothers and sisters behind closed doors only. They are subject to all laws that come down from the capital even if they don't always agree with them, the people in this region are treated fairly by the current ruler but the system of government is such that it could easily lead to making things difficult for the inhabitants of the south. Most people from the south are well off compared to the poor of many other countries, this is due to the bustling economy of the country through trade.

NorthernersShow

The dominant members of the country being the largest in population and also holding the center of trade in the region, many of the inhabitants of the Northern Junglescape have learnt to coexist with the land to some degree. Some of them have even domesticated the reptile-avian beasts that roam the jungles, turning them into household pets and beasts of burden. The Capital even has an entire defense force based on fighting alongside the more ferocious beasts, some of the larger more docile ones have been used in construction of various roads and towns by flattening out the landscape to suit the northerner's needs.

The Capital itself incorporates a subtle blend of the feudal style of the south and the Aztec/Mayan culture of their heritage, mixing ziggurat structures with pagodas and the like giving a rather unique feel that can't be found elsewhere in the country. Many of the other towns owned by the northerners are built along trade routes, they tend to hold more of the Mesoamerica feel to them having homes built into cliff faces in some places to conserve on space while other buildings being built on higher ground and lower ground with steps carved to get to each.

The people may be friendly and welcoming but they are by no means naive, knowing that as a smaller country they were easy pickings for the larger nations of Earth, Wind and Fire around them they settled for using something else than military might to maintain their freedom. Building a big name for themselves in trade, using the difficult terrain also as a selling point as only the local knew how to navigate it best over time the people built up enough wealth to act as a deterrent from any would be invaders. After all it was coin that won wars is a great philosophy shared by many of the past rulers of this nation, the consequences that would come from one of the five nations trying to invade this place would extend to upsetting the other neighbouring pair which acts as further deterrent at present. Not to mention invading this place is a logistical nightmare due to the terrain and the way that all the roads and bridges have been built so they can be sabotaged with ease by the authorities, the reason as to why this does not have any consequences for the inhabitants is explained further below. Along with the logistical nightmare comes the ferocious beasts which guarantee to make any invasion costly even if there is a victory.

People from the north tend to be Traders and Merchants, Hunters, Gatherers, Craftsmen and Jungle Riders (see spoiler below).

TribesmanShow

Some small groups have continued to avoid progress, because these individuals remain in seclusion for the most part very little is known about them. They hold a coming of age ceremony for their male offspring that involves surviving in the Ancient's Rest for three months, most of these tribes tend to have a tribal elder structure of government. Each tribe tends to have small differences but by and large they keep to themselves and will go out of their way to avoid outsiders.

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The Jungle RidersShow

The reason the locals are confident they will survive without their road network is due to the Kakkū Hachūrui or Gliding Reptiles which have existed for as long as the locals have worked alongside the reptiles from Ancient's Rest. The people who ride them are known as Jungle Riders and they perform the function of couriers, traders and scouts. They tend to have developed a special bond with their animal of choice the Kakkū Hachūrui, many of them are trained from a young age and are well versed in spear techniques along with intel gathering techniques, pathfinding, survival and guerrilla tactics. The beasts themselves are similar to raptors in many respects, folded under their arms however is a very small membrane that can be stretched out to temporarily slow a fall for short distances while this can't cross great chasms coupled with their razer sharp claws with inhuman grip strength that are suited to scrambling and climbing up uneven terrain they are more than capable of travelling the more precarious paths in a rapid fashion.

The System of government is one based around their trade lifestyle, at the end of every year marked by the star fall across the sky a festival is held in the capital. It is a time for everyone to get together and appreciate the year they have had and to try new things, being a trading city first and foremost the festival tends to always have something new going on every year but one thing always remains.

The Annual Weight happens at the very end of the festivals, all the big merchant families gather and go through an audit of all their wealth both in assets, contracts and physical value. The person who is deemed the "wealthiest" is elected as the leader for the year, this can at times lead to the merchant king swinging trade laws in their favour so they can continue to stay in power very few people have any disagreement with this method as it just adds to the challenge. The every day people tend not to feel to hard done by this system either as they see much of the return on such a competitive trading environment, there are many who can sign up for work that way and there is very little in the way of poverty when it is compare to other countries. The only people who tend to disagree with the government's structure and the modernisation of this country are the tribes, even the southern population understand the benefits they are receiving from the way the north has handled affairs the tribe however are stubborn and stuck in their ways. Below the Merchant King are the wealthy merchant families who have no real power except to vote out an unjust Merchant King this rarely happens as they Merchant King tends to curry favour with the families and also is a member of at least one of those families usually. Until the next Annual Weight a regent will be appointed from the second wealthiest from the previous Annual Weight.

The country and it's citizens always try to maintain a good relationship with other countries - especially making strong ties to the three great nations surrounding it - not seeking to gain any land but always looking to secure the best trade deals that will further strengthening their ability to justify their existence as a country. When moving goods they either rely on Jungle Rider convoys to navigate the vast majority of the country spreading the load amongst the beasts of burden or they will use the roads that twist through the rough landscape if they rely on the first method there are usually trade points to load and unload to the Jungle Rider Convoys in their employ as the Gliding Reptiles like all the rest of their kind do not fair well outside their typical climate. From these trade outposts they are loaded onto more traditional means of moving cargo, all cargo that goes through this land is usually taxed and has begun a trend of Rogue Jungle Riders smuggling goods at a more reasonable price through the country for those who wish to avoid taxation on trade goods.
se who wish to avoid taxation on trade goods.

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Country 40
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草の国
phpBB [video] Geography and Ecology The Grass Country is, as its name suggests, full of grasses. Blessed with rather consistent rainfall and a favourable climate, the Grass Country is home to rather impressive sceneries of rolling grassland. The nation's flat lands make it a perfect haven for grazing animals and pastures, allowing for impressively sized farms in the small hamlets that dot the land. The almost constant grassland is broken only by the occasional hill, gully or wood, nothing so large as a forest grows within the nation's borders. The land is quite fertile, always green and lush with life. The sources of water in this landlocked country are plentiful, but small. Creeks and streams are spread out across the land, but nothing so large as a river or significant lake is found here.

The topography and climate of the Grass country makes it the perfect habitat for animals such as rabbits, horses gazelle and other bovine creatures. This means that predators like cheetah, lions and hyenas are present to feed off of the roaming herbivores. The bird life in the Grass country consists mostly of songbirds, with owls and hawks also present to prey on field mice.
Government and Economy The government of the Grass Country is quite complicated. Each village or hamlet within the Grass Country has it's own aristocratic leader, a local mayor. The seat of mayor is handed down from father to son, and entails much responsibility. The mayor is in charge of dispute resolution, and the creation and enforcement of local regulations. They are unable to establish specific criminal laws, however, as that duty is done nationally by the Daimyou. Depending on the size of the settlement, mayors may be anything from palace dwelling aristocrats to village elders in wealth.

The towns and villages of the Grass country are joined through an agreement of coalition. They assist each other wherever possible, and allow free trade and migration between each of their lands. Each mayor holds his own small force of soldiers, which are loyal to him. Only through the command of the Daimyou do the mayoral forces come together to form the national army.

Once every three years, the Daimyou of the coalition of towns and villages is selected as the mayor whose people have harvested the most grain. The Daimyou has the ability to create laws, and serves as the resolver of disputes between mayors. The Daimyou also has complete discretion over international affairs and is treated as king for those three years.

The Grass Country is first and foremost a collection of 'Rice Kingdoms'. The main product of the nation is it's crops, from rice to barley and wheat, all are found within the country's seemingly endless fields. This means the nation's economy is largely based around food, and it is largely considered to the be the 'rice bowl' of the region. It exports large amounts of crops and meats into the Wind and Rock Country's especially, as the Grass Country shares borders with both nations. One thing that the Grass country lacks, however, is metal. Most metals are difficult to come by, and in such flat lands mines are few and far between in the agrarian nation.
People and Culture Those of the Grass Country are a hard working, honest people. They keep largely to themselves, but do not shun outsiders. Many of the common folk only loosely associate themselves with the Grass Country as a nation, usually preferring to consider themselves citizens of their particular village or hamlet, as there are no cities in the Grass Country. They are largely illiterate, but are capable with numbers in order to facilitate the counting of crops and coins. The majority of their education is within their own trade, with farming and carpentry being the most common.

The homes of Grass Country people are generally wooden in nature, with thatched roofs made from the surrounding grass. Hamlets and Villages are always surrounded by paths weaving through farm lands, leading to a village square in the middle of which is a large well or fountain in front of the Mayor's home. The majority of the people here are farmers, and as such significant advancements in agriculture have been made by the Grass Country. Their irrigation methods are second to none in the entire world, and their field rotation methods keeps the soil fertile for generations past the fields of other nations.

The people of the Grass Country place a great amount of value in the land and are very much in touch with nature. They show great respect for animals, and their hunters bless the bodies of the beasts they slay before returning them to the town. While they do not worship the land as a God, they do believe in a spiritual connection to all things in nature. They believe that all things of this world under the God(s) were created to be interconnected, as as such to disrespect any life is to disrespect life itself. The people of the Grass Country engage mostly in the practice of ancestor worship as their faith. They believe that their ancestors become servants of Gods, and actively watch over the family from heaven. Only those who were great in life have the capacity to become a God in their own right.

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Country 41
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Taki no Kuni - 滝の国
Geography

The Waterfall Country. With around 270 square miles of territory, it is a mixture of temperate conifer forests, swamps, temperate broadleaf forests and beaches. Covered with mountains, valleys and ravines around its outskirts on the border of the Fire Country, Grass Country & Rock Country. Due to these man valleys and mountains there are many waterfalls and rivers that cut cleanly through the country. Surrounding these rivers is rich woodland, or, in some cases, dead, intoxicating swamp filled with health hazards.

Ecology, Climate and Resources

In on itself, Waterfall Country is not the most pleasurable of places to be in. The entire land space is covered in poisonous fruit trees and bushes, along with carnivorous plants. The vegetables grown are turnips, carrots, cabbages, lettuce, tomatoes and due to the muddy areas, potatoes. The wet land allows them to make vast amounts of potatoes that they trade with other countries. Those that are brave enough to do so, of course.

It’s wildlife consists of dangerous foxes, dire wolves, big-horned sheep, ox, rabid dogs, bobcats, lynx, horses, boar, ostriches, eagles and hawks, venomous snakes, deadly, toxic spiders and a variety of white fish, gigantic cephalopods, sharks and killer whales.

The specific dangers of this land are the tarantulas, black widows, brown recluses and Big Mama that exist. Big Mama is a specific species of spider, which is extremely rare, but extremely dangerous as well. These spiders have an intensely powerful paralytic venom and suffer of gigantism, meaning they may grow indefinitely.

Other dangers are alligators, crocodiles, caiman, rattlesnakes, diamond-heads, mambas, pythons, anacondas and others. Thus, the resources that the people most rely on are the natural weapons, skins and organs of these deadly animals, which are hardly found anywhere else.

People and Culture

The population consists of roughly 18,000 people, with a variety of harvesting and deadly hunting jobs. The people of the country itself live in the valleys and trees within their country within small, self-supported groups. The nature around them is seen as holy and should be preserved. That is, the beautiful kind of nature. Anything that might be deadly to humans is seen as a sin against nature and doomed to be annihilated.

Obviously, the people of Waterfall Country are an extremely hardy and survival-apt people. Most people from this country if not all are battle-hardened, and most children at the age of ten have faced dangerous animals and survived in fights against them.

Not being pressured only by the natural hazards but also by slavers that come from Rock Country and bandits from Grass, these people have developed their own sword-fighting style. Doomed to fight in close-quarters due to the dense foliage and thick swamps, they prefer smaller bladed weapons. From this, Yoshin was born.

A style perfect for quick response, disarming and even assassination. Needless to say, most people of this country have deep knowledge of this style and make for fantastic assassins, with many of them offering their services as such in black markets and hidden valleys, also being notable in Slaver Ravine.

Due to the vast ravines around the border, there is a single connection with the Fire, Rock, Grass and Waterfall countries through a maze like ravine donned as Slaver Ravine. This has many hidden passages for bandits and slavers to hide in. Many rock country slavers use this as a passageway to other countries.

Politics

The Waterfall Country consists of a small parliament, as one representative of each recognized village is sent to be part of the Waterfall Daimyo’s council. However, maintaining a firm hold over the country's population is hard. The travelling and locomotion of armies or multiple-member assault teams is made hard by the terrain. Thus, this country's laws and rules are mostly enforced in the villages themselves by their leaders, which are, more often than not, chosen via strength and power.