[@Innue] both clans look fine, I'll add them to the clan roster. As well as the below. [center][hider=The Mayonaka Clan][B]Mayonaka.[/B] [img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/3c24f2f34a0009ccad27dfbf5c3321d3/tumblr_mpjrgjDVov1r0sn0fo1_500.png[/img] [B]Country of Origin:[/B] Land of Iron. [B]Hierarchy and Focus:[/B] Focused on the mastery of their sword art, the Shizukana-ryū-ji(Style of the Tranquil Path), the Mayonaka are renowned swordsman both within and beyond the Land of Iron. Choosing to lead themselves through mastery, the Mayonaka allow only those who have truly mastered their style and who are within their family, to reign over those who might learn their infamous style. This typically results in their being four or so grandmasters and one “Heir,” which seeks the grandmasters for council. The heir is the descendent of the previous heir, their bloodline, in some form or another, leading back to their clan founder. [i]The current Heir is Mayonaka, Seisui and he is out on a pilgrimage to finetune his art.[/i] [B]History:[/B] A long time has passed since the origins of this clan were lost, no longer do any of the outside world know where the Mayonaka spawned and how the now ancient style was forged into improving perfection. The outsiders do not know, but then they are not meant to, as a clan's history is its own. The Mayonaka clan, founded somewhere in what is now the land of iron, were far from notable before their style's creation. Their 1st master was a simple man, a hunter, living off the land and assisting the people in the few ways he could. Many years passed for him and he gradually grew in his wisdom until one day he was visited by a man. A strange man with a look of majesty, power, and wisdom in his many lively orbs, visited him for a time, asking for simple shelter for a time. Providing it, the foremost master of the yet to be created style gave the man all he needed, as he appeared to be recovering from some strange ailment. The man was weak of body at that time, but the two began to grow close, learning from each other, and the Mayonaka found himself overtaken with the smallest fragments of kinship with the man. A short time turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months and the man began to speak of things which the Mayonaka could barely understand. He was isolated from the world, knowing little of the arts being created and the politics or intricacies of things. Even as he worked the forge, he found something changing in himself, yet unsure as to what, and when he asked the man there was no reply, just a solemn look. The next day, the man had vanished, no traces left of his presence. This bothered the Mayonaka greatly and eventually he decided it was time to leave his home, he could no longer isolate himself, he was no longer satisfied by the simple wilderness, something in him longed for what he knew not. So he saved his money and then used it to acquire a weapon for while he was no true warrior he was a skilled hunter and he knew that wielding a blade, even of lesser quality, would be useful. He carried on, traveling slow and learning as much as he could bout his surroundings, the world he had been apart from for so long. It took two years before he saw exactly what he had been looking for, the spark that awakened a new passion in him: He witnessed the dual of two swordsman. - - - - - He traveled again, now returning home, changed, knowing what he had to do. So, while he returned he challenged many, defeated by some and winning against others, until his name was known well. So, he changed it for his face was not yet known. He became No-hassan Mayonaka(Emanation of Midnight), a growing legend among swordsman, and then he arrived home. His blade, of lesser quality still, no longer served him, he could not wield it, but he had learned more in his trade of blacksmithing. With money from his fallen adversaries he acquired the best of metals, specific mixtures, and from there he began to work. It was hard, for challenges often braved the long path to reach him in hope of besting the rising legend in combat. None did. It took months, and on the last month he was nearly defeated. However, strangely, his opponent decided to forestall their match midway, saying that his opponent could not possibly be serious. The look in the challenger's eyes seemed somehow familiar for they were knowing, wise, and filled with majesty. That day his blade had come to fruition, and it was the last day it had needed to cool and to harden into perfection. There was time still, two more days to pass before their match was to resume. No-hassan however decided he would no adjust to his blade, no, he would not even touch it. - - - - - A trusted friend carrying his blade wrapped in cloth to their field of battle, No-hassan's challenger awaited them, ready, but relaxed. Bowing he finally took the blade and its sheath readying it on his belt and bowing to his opponent. [b]"You are a man of honor, and this day I can assure you that by the end, you will witness my best,"[/b] something awoke in No-hassan Mayonaka that day, something calm, peaceful: Tranquility. His hand had been placed against the tsuka of his katana, and his stance shifted. The challenger drew his blade and approached him cautiously, ready to strike at any opening, but No-hassan had none. There was not a single true opening, but to the challenger their appeared many, it appeared as if the Mayonaka had laid himself bare to the world, ready to be felled in any moment. A deep breath, blade striking out in a diagonal slash, his foot slid back gently against the soil, and his body swiveled to the right, towards the blow, and his blade slid from its sheath and there was no clash, only a brilliance of movement and light on the blade as one met the other, and the lesser creation submitted completely to the will of Midnight. There was not even a single sound for the witnesses to perceive, only the brilliance, and then the soft sound of the lesser katana falling to the ground and the challenger's backwards stumbles. "Know its name, the name of the blade which cuts down this man, Chinmoku: E assuru hontō no jiko([sub]沉黙：へ圧する本当の自己[/sub] [i]'Silence: Overwhelm the truest self'[/i])," the first blade of Mayonaka, the first wielder of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no. So, his challenger fell, a sensation of weightless bliss coming over him in his last moments, spent falling to the ground for the brilliant silence had pierced him, and he understood. - - - - - Few remember this story now, though for its story is passed down in the metal of their blade, who shall forever bare in its name: Chinmoku, for the silence and peace of their ancestor, the man who defeated the man with majesty in his eyes: Miyamoto Musashi. This, is their legacy, the legacy of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no. Yet while here ends the story of the first, it is by no means the end of the story as 12 descendants passed, each with blade renewed until finally it came to be that Chinmoku was a blade such as to effect its wielder. This could not be, they would not allow the blade to dominate them, there had to be a mediator between, and so the 13th descendent of No-hassan spent most of her life gathering supplies, the materials needed and the knowledge necessary for her lofty task. Tanoshī(pleasant), the 13th descendant of No-hassan, after 15 years gathered that which she needed, and her task truly begun. For the rest of her life she crafted, carried, and meditated with her creation, attuning first herself with the artifact, and then attuning it with the blade. Finally, on her deathbed she asked to hold the two together and with the last of her strength she united the two, sheathing Chinmoku within its new counter part: The Tōrenai-men to naikō([sub]通れない面と乃公[/sub] [i]'Ego with an impassable mask'[/i]), a magnificent sheath, her life work. Then she collapsed into the peacefulness and serenity of death, her end as pleasant as her beginnings. From then till now the Mayonaka have lived in relative peace, until the war of 10 years ago. This perhaps the only time in history wherein the Mayonaka took up arms for a greater cause, spreading their deadly serenity among the ranks of Kyokujitsu no Tochi's enemies. While before the war the Mayonaka were well known within the Land of Iron, their name now strikes fear into the minds of those who face them. Some have even coined their style the “Equilizer,” as it appears to allow those who have mastered it or one of its forms, a degree of resistance to the techniques of shinobi, though not in a manner one would call defense. Nonetheless, the Mayonaka, these days, take in students from far and wide to train in their art thus making them one of the leading swordmaster families in the world. [B]Miscellaneous:[/B] It should be noted that the Mayonaka are in good standing with the Masazane clan. [hider=Style][i][B]Shizukana-ryū-ji no(Style of the tranquil path).[/B][/i] [i][B]Description:[/B][/i] [I][B]"To the eyes of a swordsman it is a strange aloof thing, beautiful in its strangeness; to a peasant it is a strange peace embodied by the swordsman's form, blade and sheath and mortality alike; but to the truest of swordmasters, one who understands that there is always more to learn, it is a masterpiece constantly renewing itself to perfection. This is the Shizukana-ryū-ji no, the style of the tranquil path,"[/B] - Mayonaka, Yōi-tsūka.[/I] The style of the Mayonaka clan is a constantly renovated masterpiece, for while many a style does not change once one has considered it perfected, this style is not as such. With every passing generation it is altered slightly to reach further towards the ideal of perfection. There are two codes which practitioners of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no live, the first set of codes are those of the Mayonaka family, while the second are the dogma of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no itself. While those from outside can attempt to learn the Lotus dogma and become practitioners of the Style of the Tranquil Path, it is unlikely that they would ever truly be full practitioners of masters as they lack the background of the Mayonaka. [U][B]Tenants of Mayonaka[/B][/U] [list] [*]Be humble, but understanding of yourself and your place in the world. However, never allow yourself to limit yourself to this position.[/*] [*]Judge one by your impressions of them, but do not underestimate them due to your judgements.[/*] [*]Strive till your limits, then come to understand what keeps you there and again surpass yourself.[/*] [*]Do not squander or show off one's abilities and talents, to do either is to demean oneself.[/*] [*]While one may judge and adapt, understand that you can easily be proven incorrect.[/*] [*]When proven incorrect, accept that you were wrong and change.[/*] [*]Be malleable only to your own will and the will of the universe.[/*] [*]Respect those wiser and more skilled than yourself.[/*] [*]Be changed by all, but be moved by only yourself.[/*] [*]Predict, verify and adapt.[/*] [/list] [U][B]The Lotus Dogma[/B][/U] The four petals of the lotus flower, a flower which sits upon the surface of the water and spreads its arms in the four directions, represent the four core ways that the blade is drawn and wielded in the Shizukana-ryū-ji no. These four methods of unsheathing and positioning the blade are considered part of the No geijutsu nodjiita ken([sub]の芸術野地板剣[/sub] 'Art of Sheathing a Sword'). These forms are each named after one of the four cardinal directions each of which have their own purpose in the scope of the style, without one form the others would simply not be in balance, that is the way of tranquility. [U][I]Kita-muki Renge-hen([sub]北向き蓮花片[/sub] 'North Facing Lotus Petal')[/I][/U] draws the blade with its edge facing forwards and its tip pointing upwards, the sheath comes off by pulling it up along the blade rather than drawing the blade from the sheath. This is considered one of the most bizarre of the No geijutsu nodjiita ken, but is nonetheless necessary. Typically the user will place the sheath upon their shoulder with the edge of their blade pointing away from their body even while within the sheath. One of the few dogmas that has the user fully draw the blade almost at all times, the Kita-muki Renge-hen is used for frontal attack. Once the blade is drawn, the sheath tends to move to the shoulder opposite where the blade was originally drawn from. The blade itself is then held with the dominant hand with the blade vertical, tip pointing up, edge facing away and forwards. The pinky is used to stabilize it, while the rest of the hand grasps it, the arm in a diagonally downwards position. This dogma is actually used to create openings by sliding the attacks down the blade, and then utilizing the sheath to strike the attacks away from the blade as it flows right into position to strike the opening. It tends to throw the attacker off balance while allowing the wielder to flow from defense into attack almost effortlessly. [U][I]Azuma-muki Renge-hen([sub]東向き蓮花片[/sub] 'East Facing Lotus Petal')[/I][/U] begins with one of the wielder's shoulders facing towards their enemy as they stand sideways. The left palm cradles the sheath, the blade's point aimed forwards towards the enemy or target and the sheathed edge facing away from the user's side, to the right. The fingers of the left hand are pointed towards the hilt as the hand cradles the sheath while its kin on the right hand easily grasp the grip of the blade. With this the stance is set and the user may use the variable movements of the sheathed tip with precision to disrupt the flow of attacks and then sway the blade to the other side of the body, exposing the other shoulder and hiding the prior thus allowing the blade to be drawn, its edge still facing right, to strike. This No geijutsu nodjiita ken is utilized to disrupt and then simultaneously block and strike the following counter if necessary. It is an intriguing and certainly unique form of the style. [U][I]Minami-muki Renge-hen([sub]南向き蓮花片[/sub] 'South Facing Lotus Petal')[/I][/U] is likely the most bizarre forms of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no as it is not used in true conflict, or at least that is not its primary purpose. Rather than conflict the form is used to disarm an armed opponent, even if this opponent's weapon is their body, their jutsu, or their mind. Standing with feet apart and the point of the blade facing to either side, blade horizontal and sheathed edge pointing towards the wielder, this style begins. Beside the blade itself, as the sheath is seldom used in this form, a guard on the forearm is typically applied so as to shield from the wielder's blade as it is held in reverse grip with the edge facing towards the arm rather than away. Another of this form's defining characteristics is that most of its attacks are delivered backwards and are piercing or pincer oriented. Beyond this there is only one other truly unique thing to be said regarding the Minami-muki Renge-hen, and that is that it is the only form (excluding the Shinzui no Hasu) of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no that can tap into the yin and yang of both the wielder and their opponent intentionally. It does this by using the blade as a conduit, which is how they manage to seal off certain capabilities, or even tenketsu if one is skilled enough. In this way it differentiates itself from the other No geijutsu no nodjiita ken. [U][I]Nishi ni menshi Renge-hen([sub]西に面した蓮花片[/sub] 'West Facing Lotus Petal')[/I][/U] first cradles the sheathed blade with the left arm, letting most of the sheath rest against the crook of the elbow. Within the sheath the edge will face away from the user's body, conversely it can face towards the user's body if they happen to wield the blade better with their left arm rather than their right. Given that they are right handed though, they will rest their left hand, fingers outstretched, along the sheath near where the blade's hilt is located. The blade is drawn by simultaneously pulling the sheath back with the left arm and drawing the blade with the right hand. The only explicit rule of this dogma is that the edge must always face towards the user's left side, meaning if it is drawn from the right side, its edge must be pointing towards the left. Many applications of this style do not actually fully draw the blade. Rather the sheath and hilt are used to block and trap the weapons or attacks of the enemy, flick them away and then quick draw when openings are present. Additionally, with a hand on the sheath and a hand on the katana, the blade can be sheathed and drawn at increased speeds allowing a limb to be more easily cut off by forcing the blade through it by manipulating the it via the sheath's movement and positioning. [U][I]Shinzui no Hasu([sub]真髄の蓮[/sub] 'Core of the Lotus')[/I][/U] is both the initial and final style of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no as it is used first without its definitive stances to test the opponent(s), and then later as a last resort to be the core of the lotus dogma and bring together the other four petals into a cohesive whole, a unifying central point. In its essence it is simple yet complex as it unites the four forms into a wonderful state referred to as Mabayui mankai which simply allows the user to do something that'd be otherwise essentially impossible, utilize all the forms with little to no hesitation as one flows through them and with no possibility of harming oneself. Lastly it does one thing that no other form of the Shizukana-ryū-ji no, it discards the sheath.[/hider][hider=Ancestral Weapon][b][u]Chinmoku: Yōikō no sharakuna ginren([sub]沉黙: 容易光沢、洒落な銀蓮[/sub] [I]'Silence: Simple Match of the Boldest Silver Lotus'[/I]).[/u][/b] and [b][u]Tōrenai-men to naikō([sub]通れない面と乃公[/sub] [I]'Ego with an impassable mask'[/I]).[/u][/b] [B]Description:[/B] A blade whose essence has been passed down through the Mayonaka family since its beginning, Chinmoku changes with each of its wielders' passing. The blade, due to how many times it has been altered and had chakra poured into its magnificent form has become nigh unbreakable and gained an edge so sharp that in the right hands it could easily sheer through even the strongest of substances. Due to the nature of Chinmoku and the fact that with each passing generation it is reforged and renamed, something unique has come of its existence making it much more than just an ancestral blade. With each passing wielder it is melted down and taken apart only to be created once more to better suit the inheritor. Its name is than chosen via the use of the wielder's closest relatives, for while the user names the blade themselves and to express its new form and how it will be used, it must still reflect several of its more recent wielders to remember its place in the world. Beyond these facts there is still a very unique aspect that many never truly realize is present in Chinmoku, for only with in depth meditation and reflection with the blade can one realize that within the blade is something similar to a soul or consciousness of some form. In fact, from the very beginning, Chinmoku has imprinted the skills and wisdom of its wielder into itself, acting as an ancient record of all those who have wielded it in earnest. These skills and this wisdom can be accessed through meditation and trained into a form that can become reliable in combat, but in no way are they easy to obtain. After all, the blade has a consciousness, and to truly unlock its secrets Chinmoku's sheath must be taken off the wielder's person so that there is no filter between the blade and the wielder's consciousnesses. It becomes a tug of war, a power struggle to see whom shall truly influence whom. Once the blade has however lost this struggle and its wisdom and imprinted skill has been unlocked, the user can once again don Tōrenai-men to naikō and still access the bounty of experience imprinted within Chinmoku. To expand, one ought to understand the nature of Chinmoku's sheath, Tōrenai-men to naikō, for without this sheath chinmoku would become an unwieldable monster, or rather it would be foolhardy to wield it if one did not want to go insane. In essence, the Tōrenai-men to naikō was created to filter the influence of Chinmoku's soul on its wielder. When Chinmoku is sheathed its influence is entirely filtered, and even if drawn it is not able to subjugate or totally influence its wielder as long as the Tōrenai-men to naikō is on their person. It is only when the blade is wielded and sheath discarded that its influence becomes dangerous to the mind of the wielder. Otherwise it has been seen that the sheath is just as resistant to damage as Chinmoku itself, the actual reasons behind this are unknown, but it is thought that the sheath was made to be even more impervious than Chinmoku so that it would not be destroyed, damaged, or influenced by the blade which it is meant to limit. Last of all, it has been seen that the Tōrenai-men to naikō has an incredibly calming effect on any whom it touches, entering them almost into a state of pure all consuming serenity. This effect can be felt even through clothing and indirectly through a weapon or armor, though its effects would be noticeably dulled. It is said that, in essence, Chinmoku and Tōrenai-men to naikō are the yin and yang to one another, for while Chinmoku is used for physical damage and destruction --embodying the yang-- Tōrenai-men to naikō is used to bring peace and serenity by way of sheathing the blade and keeping it from destroying --thus embodying the yin. So it has been seen that one cannot be used without the other, plain and simple.[/hider][/hider][/center]