This is a game inspired not only by the ninja myth in itself, but also the many iterations of it such as the manga/anime shows Naruto, Ninja scroll and Basilisk, but also the many movies, games and books that handle ninjas. If you enjoy ninjas as a myth, please have a look.
The ninjas:
This is where you come in. I want you to populate the sixth clan with ninjas fighting for survival against the kingdom. How you intend to do this - I don’t know. We will take the path you choose. I will not be playing myself, but rather act as the world and react to what you are doing. If you want take the violent approach and gather an army, do that. Stealthily sneak into the palace and assassinate the queen, go ahead. Try to stay away and live your life in the wilderness? Go for it.
The game is in your hands.
First ninja civil war, ca 700 years ago:
The lives and techniques of the ninja are closely guarded secrets. Yet, in the records of this war, known commonly as “the war of five autumns”, information can be found about warriors on both sides who employed special tactics and fighting styles. Thought to be martial arts masters, great generals and heroes of the day, no one put much time into following up on the information. Not until almost 400 years later did the ninja community as a whole reveal what these extraordinary warriors had been.
Apart from being the first documented sighting of ninjas, the war is not considered to be historically important.
Second ninja civil war, ca 300 years ago:
A renegade group of ninjas revealed their presence to the world and the world answered with force. The five clans were drawn into the open and forced to fight a war they didn’t want. In order to minimize the bloodshed the five heads of the ninja clans formed an alliance with the king of the land of falling cherry blossoms and went after the renegade ninjas together. Commonly known as “the summer war”, this conflict was extremely short and lasted only a few months. However, it is probably the most important milestone in the history of the ninja world.
With the ninjas known to the world the king of the land of falling cherry blossoms needed some kind of insurance against these superhuman warriors. Thus a new class or warriors, the samurai, were formed. Men and women who had honed their skill with weapons to perfection, each capable of standing up to a ninja in a duel. They were given both fame and fortune, a very comfortable life that so far had been granted only to the nobles. A new law was created that said that a samurai carrying the mark of the five clans could not be denied entry into any structure or room within the five hidden villages. For peace, this seemed like a small price to pay.
Third ninja civil war, ca 200 years ago:
Samurai kept the kingdom balanced, and the ninja in check. The constant presence of samurai in the villages meant that the ninjas had to work hard to keep their secrets, employing their field tactics in their own homes. Although unspoken, the looming threat about what could happen if a samurai turned up dead or missing from a hidden village kept the warriors safe. Still, the villages grew in both size and number. Money flowed from rich merchants and nobles wanting both assassinations and protection.
Then disaster struck. The king fell ill and died without an heir and suddenly the kingdom of falling cherry blossoms was a battlefield. Nobles and other rich men gathered armies and fought one another in broad daylight. As soon as darkness fell upon the kingdom, it was the ninjas who fought. Every man who fancied himself on the throne knew the importance of having a bodyguard in the shadows. Many sent offers to each of the five clans for protection, and most kept a permanent bodyguard from at least one village, thus making sure that at least that village would not be able to accept a contract on his life. These contracts were often formulated so that the head of their victim, or some other important piece of evidence, was needed to complete it. The same contract could be offered to several villages, thus maximising the chance of the target being killed, but it also meant that the ninjas would have to fight one another for the kill.
It was a brutal time, and it took almost ten years for a new king to be crowned who could unite the kingdom of falling cherry blossoms once and for all.
With contracts literally flooding the villages, they turned into great economic centres of power. No longer hidden, great cities were founded and no expense spared.
Fourth ninja civil war, ca 20 years ago:
Wars are fought by rich people, poor people are too busy looking for food.
Following the third war jealousy blossomed between the clans. For the first time they could see the relative wealth, progress and success of the other villages.
One day the fighting started. No one is really knows for sure how, why or who threw the first punch, but within a week all five clans were involved in the war in one way or another. Within a month all five clans were engaged in a shadow war on four fronts.
The ninjas managed to keep the war secret from the rest of the kingdom for years. Not until two of the kings ninja bodyguards were found dead did anyone outside the five clans learn of the conflict. The samurai were not pleased with the news that a war had been going on for years and they hadn’t noticed.
Immediately, the samurai led armed forces to war against the ninjas, and brought the fight all the way into their homes. The great ninja cities, formerly hidden villages, were besieged and bombarded with cannon fire, the ninjas had to escape, their families and other non-ninjas living in the cities were slain.
Fifth ninja civil war, current:
It is unclear when and why the fourth war ended and the fifth war began, all people know is that the war changed.
Some say it happened when the edict that outlawed ninjas and use of chi was formed. Some say that the burning of last hidden village was what changed the war. Others still believe that it was the old king’s assassination and consequently the rise to power of his queen that marked the end of the fourth war.
It doesn’t matter who is right.
The 200 years old great ninja cities have all burned. The king who was in favour of keeping the ninjas around is dead. The very lifestyle that separates a ninja from other people is outlawed. This is no longer a war of supremacy over the other clans. This is a war for survival.
The lives and techniques of the ninja are closely guarded secrets. Yet, in the records of this war, known commonly as “the war of five autumns”, information can be found about warriors on both sides who employed special tactics and fighting styles. Thought to be martial arts masters, great generals and heroes of the day, no one put much time into following up on the information. Not until almost 400 years later did the ninja community as a whole reveal what these extraordinary warriors had been.
Apart from being the first documented sighting of ninjas, the war is not considered to be historically important.
Second ninja civil war, ca 300 years ago:
A renegade group of ninjas revealed their presence to the world and the world answered with force. The five clans were drawn into the open and forced to fight a war they didn’t want. In order to minimize the bloodshed the five heads of the ninja clans formed an alliance with the king of the land of falling cherry blossoms and went after the renegade ninjas together. Commonly known as “the summer war”, this conflict was extremely short and lasted only a few months. However, it is probably the most important milestone in the history of the ninja world.
With the ninjas known to the world the king of the land of falling cherry blossoms needed some kind of insurance against these superhuman warriors. Thus a new class or warriors, the samurai, were formed. Men and women who had honed their skill with weapons to perfection, each capable of standing up to a ninja in a duel. They were given both fame and fortune, a very comfortable life that so far had been granted only to the nobles. A new law was created that said that a samurai carrying the mark of the five clans could not be denied entry into any structure or room within the five hidden villages. For peace, this seemed like a small price to pay.
Third ninja civil war, ca 200 years ago:
Samurai kept the kingdom balanced, and the ninja in check. The constant presence of samurai in the villages meant that the ninjas had to work hard to keep their secrets, employing their field tactics in their own homes. Although unspoken, the looming threat about what could happen if a samurai turned up dead or missing from a hidden village kept the warriors safe. Still, the villages grew in both size and number. Money flowed from rich merchants and nobles wanting both assassinations and protection.
Then disaster struck. The king fell ill and died without an heir and suddenly the kingdom of falling cherry blossoms was a battlefield. Nobles and other rich men gathered armies and fought one another in broad daylight. As soon as darkness fell upon the kingdom, it was the ninjas who fought. Every man who fancied himself on the throne knew the importance of having a bodyguard in the shadows. Many sent offers to each of the five clans for protection, and most kept a permanent bodyguard from at least one village, thus making sure that at least that village would not be able to accept a contract on his life. These contracts were often formulated so that the head of their victim, or some other important piece of evidence, was needed to complete it. The same contract could be offered to several villages, thus maximising the chance of the target being killed, but it also meant that the ninjas would have to fight one another for the kill.
It was a brutal time, and it took almost ten years for a new king to be crowned who could unite the kingdom of falling cherry blossoms once and for all.
With contracts literally flooding the villages, they turned into great economic centres of power. No longer hidden, great cities were founded and no expense spared.
Fourth ninja civil war, ca 20 years ago:
Wars are fought by rich people, poor people are too busy looking for food.
Following the third war jealousy blossomed between the clans. For the first time they could see the relative wealth, progress and success of the other villages.
One day the fighting started. No one is really knows for sure how, why or who threw the first punch, but within a week all five clans were involved in the war in one way or another. Within a month all five clans were engaged in a shadow war on four fronts.
The ninjas managed to keep the war secret from the rest of the kingdom for years. Not until two of the kings ninja bodyguards were found dead did anyone outside the five clans learn of the conflict. The samurai were not pleased with the news that a war had been going on for years and they hadn’t noticed.
Immediately, the samurai led armed forces to war against the ninjas, and brought the fight all the way into their homes. The great ninja cities, formerly hidden villages, were besieged and bombarded with cannon fire, the ninjas had to escape, their families and other non-ninjas living in the cities were slain.
Fifth ninja civil war, current:
It is unclear when and why the fourth war ended and the fifth war began, all people know is that the war changed.
Some say it happened when the edict that outlawed ninjas and use of chi was formed. Some say that the burning of last hidden village was what changed the war. Others still believe that it was the old king’s assassination and consequently the rise to power of his queen that marked the end of the fourth war.
It doesn’t matter who is right.
The 200 years old great ninja cities have all burned. The king who was in favour of keeping the ninjas around is dead. The very lifestyle that separates a ninja from other people is outlawed. This is no longer a war of supremacy over the other clans. This is a war for survival.
There have always been five clans, because there are five different kinds of chi, living energy, that each human can be born with and pass on to their children. The five energies are represented by the five elements of traditional chinese philosophy; wood, fire, earth, metal and water. A person is only born with one chi nature, and normally inherits the nature of the mother. This chi nature makes a certain type of ninja techniques stronger and easier to learn. Each clan consists of ninjas with the same chi element. As such the whole clan is specialized in training and developing techniques for that specific element. While all ninjas can (to some extent) use all forms of chi techniques, it is the techniques of their own clan that are the strongest and that defines them. Chi is a form of energy that exists within all living things, and are expended when you work, only to be regained when you eat or sleep. When you feel tired or hungry, this is because you have expended your chi.
The wood clan focus its chi outwards to nature. They are adept gardeners and animal trainers. Their extensive knowledge of plants enable them to fashion both potions and poisons with an almost infinite amount of effects from an almost infinite amount of ingredients. Apart from this they can train all kinds of animals to do their bidding. Wild animals and monsters won’t attack a wood clan ninja without a good reason.
The fire clan also direct their chi outward, but in the form of lethal ninja techniques. These ninjas can spew fire from their mouth, set up invisible chi-barriers to lock someone in a room or increase the surface area of their feet to walk on water. This clan is specialised in so called jutsus, solidifying chi into something tangible, rumour has it that there is not a fortress in the land of falling cherry blossoms that can stand up to a fire ninja.
The earth clan is the only clan who focus on themselves. They direct their chi inward to strengthen or modify their own bodies. Ninjas from the earth clan are often capable of superhuman feats of strength, endurance and speed, they can grow new limbs to suit their needs or modify their organs to endure any circumstances. The earth clan is the biggest ninja clan in the kingdom.
The metal clan are craftsmen and masters of weaponry. As they craft and practice with their tools, anything from simple swords to deadly puppets, their chi flows into the weapons and gives the ninja an almost empathic bond to it. This bond is often strong enough for the ninja to feel physical pain if their weapon is damaged or broken. At the same time, a metal ninja’s weapon has a mind of its own and can slightly alter its course and sometimes even form a personality or soul of its own.
The water clan focus on creating harmony between their own chi and that of their opponent. Once harmony has been established the water ninja can use their chi to alter the flow of their enemy’s chi. The water ninja can create illusions, take control of an enemy’s body or even read their minds by recreating the enemy’s chi pattern inside themselves. Because this discipline is extremely hard to master and use effectively, the water clan is now by far the smallest of the five.
At the start of the second ninja civil war a renegade group of ninjas revealed their existence to the world. By the end of the war this group had been hunted down and exterminated. However, almost immediately after the war this group was reformed with new members. The sixth clan consists of people from the five great clans that have abandoned their clan for some reason. Their only hope is to band together, or else they’ll be an easy target for ninjas from the five clans. As the clan consists of ninjas from all five clans their ninjas can learn proper techniques from all five chi paths. Unfortunately it is rare that true masters leave their clan, so the advanced techniques are often beyond renegade ninjas.
The kingdom is a vast land that accommodate millions of people. It is so big that people in one end of it rarely knows what goes on in the other end. The kingdom if in fact a whole continent, surrounded by water on two sides, an endless desert to the south and the frozen tundra to the north. Off the coasts are some islands and island nations. Most of them are either allies, uninhabited or insignificant to the kingdom. In the west a huge mountain range called “the heavenly mountains” divides the kingdom in two. Most of the kingdom is on the east side of the range, and only a small strip of habitable land lies between the range and the sea. The kingdom have started several projects to dig out paths through the mountains to make traveling easier. So far “the great divide”, the natural path between the two highest mountains in the range, is the only route that connects west and east.
The east side of the kingdom is where most of the kingdom’s citizens lives. It is mostly flat with very fertile soil. Large forests provide the people with firewood, building material and animals to hunt. Almost nine tenths of everything that is produced in the east is sent to the capital, either to be sold in the great market, or to provide the queen and her nobles with the abundance and luxury they deserve.
In the middle of the kingdom stands the great city, the capitol. The city of shining light. It is the only real city in the kingdom and more than a million people lives and works there. Compared to the mud huts that most of the kingdom’s citizens lives in, the city almost seems to be from a different time. Stone buildings towers above broad, straight boulevards. All buildings are painted in lively colours, making the whole city look like a piece of art. Every crossing has a soldier that directs the constant traffic of wagons and people. Guards patrol not only the palace, but the city as well. Last but not least, the whole city is surrounded by a great stone wall, three men high.
The east side of the kingdom is where most of the kingdom’s citizens lives. It is mostly flat with very fertile soil. Large forests provide the people with firewood, building material and animals to hunt. Almost nine tenths of everything that is produced in the east is sent to the capital, either to be sold in the great market, or to provide the queen and her nobles with the abundance and luxury they deserve.
In the middle of the kingdom stands the great city, the capitol. The city of shining light. It is the only real city in the kingdom and more than a million people lives and works there. Compared to the mud huts that most of the kingdom’s citizens lives in, the city almost seems to be from a different time. Stone buildings towers above broad, straight boulevards. All buildings are painted in lively colours, making the whole city look like a piece of art. Every crossing has a soldier that directs the constant traffic of wagons and people. Guards patrol not only the palace, but the city as well. Last but not least, the whole city is surrounded by a great stone wall, three men high.
Soldiers
Consisting of normal humans with a relatively low amount of combat training, these soldiers will individually still pose a threat to ninjas because of two things: Their gunpowder weaponry which can rip a hole through anyone who isn’t fast enough to dodge or tough enough to block it, and the reinforcements that will come running in great numbers once they hear the gunfire.
Samurai
The samurai are basically normal people, even though some of the more skilled ones seems to have worked out how to manipulate their chi. These formidable warriors live a life of training and fighting. Everything else is taken care of by slaves or servants. The sheer amount of training they get means that they can stand toe to toe against ninjas in a fight.
Sanctioned ninjas
These traitors have abandoned their brothers and sisters to fight for a kingdom that will see them dead once this war is over. While they are extremely dangerous opponents with both skills and insight into the ninja world they should not be treated with respect. If you get a chance to take out a sanctioned ninja, take it.
Inquisitors
In order to find all ninjas in the kingdom the most twisted and sick minds were set loose upon its citizens. While these red-robed monsters are a rare sight on any kind of battlefield they can pose a real problem. Torturing and dismembering their fellow men have turned these people insane, there is no way of telling what they will do if they get their hands on a real ninja.
Oni
These monstrous warriors goes to war dressed in metal so thick that no normal weapons can harm them. They are insanely strong and focus on big, heavy weapons which they will swing around with no remorse, not caring who is hit by their attacks. They usually appear with a small squad of soldiers, dealing with both can be a handful for even the most seasoned ninjas.
Kitsune
Relying on their agility and speed, these swift warriors have forsaken every piece of armor they can. Their martial art is heavily influenced by acupressure. Aiming for nerve centres and other weak spots, a single hit can turn a whole limb numb and completely unusable for several minutes. They mostly fight unarmed or using small weapons such as throwing knives or daggers.
Tamers and monsters.
About one man in a hundred is born with a unique talent to bond with the myriad animals and monsters what inhabit the kingdom. Their methods may vary, but the end result is always the same. The tamers can bind an animal or monster to his or her own will. They can keep vicious panthers or fire-breathing monstrosities as house pets, completely subjugated. In battle the tamers are among the most dangerous in the queen’s host. Their beasts are loyal to death, almost impossible even for wood ninjas to influence, and as disciplined as a seasoned veteran. Should the tamer be killed, the animal(s) or monster(s) under its command are highly likely to go berserk.
Black legion.
The kingdom’s most delinquent and violent citizens makes up this troop. Serial killers, bloody revolutionaries, people with mental illnesses, war criminals and violence enthusiasts. These people are lumped together in an abandoned hill fort near the heavenly mountains in the west, always under the watchful eyes of several of the kingdom's finest. Once they are let out they will destroy everything in their path, they have never been officially used, but whole villages or provinces have suddenly disappeared in the past, this has been blamed on revolutions or outside attacks. The black legion is currently led by a mysterious man called “the black swordsman”, his real name, skills, appearance, and background is unknown.
Consisting of normal humans with a relatively low amount of combat training, these soldiers will individually still pose a threat to ninjas because of two things: Their gunpowder weaponry which can rip a hole through anyone who isn’t fast enough to dodge or tough enough to block it, and the reinforcements that will come running in great numbers once they hear the gunfire.
Samurai
The samurai are basically normal people, even though some of the more skilled ones seems to have worked out how to manipulate their chi. These formidable warriors live a life of training and fighting. Everything else is taken care of by slaves or servants. The sheer amount of training they get means that they can stand toe to toe against ninjas in a fight.
Sanctioned ninjas
These traitors have abandoned their brothers and sisters to fight for a kingdom that will see them dead once this war is over. While they are extremely dangerous opponents with both skills and insight into the ninja world they should not be treated with respect. If you get a chance to take out a sanctioned ninja, take it.
Inquisitors
In order to find all ninjas in the kingdom the most twisted and sick minds were set loose upon its citizens. While these red-robed monsters are a rare sight on any kind of battlefield they can pose a real problem. Torturing and dismembering their fellow men have turned these people insane, there is no way of telling what they will do if they get their hands on a real ninja.
Oni
These monstrous warriors goes to war dressed in metal so thick that no normal weapons can harm them. They are insanely strong and focus on big, heavy weapons which they will swing around with no remorse, not caring who is hit by their attacks. They usually appear with a small squad of soldiers, dealing with both can be a handful for even the most seasoned ninjas.
Kitsune
Relying on their agility and speed, these swift warriors have forsaken every piece of armor they can. Their martial art is heavily influenced by acupressure. Aiming for nerve centres and other weak spots, a single hit can turn a whole limb numb and completely unusable for several minutes. They mostly fight unarmed or using small weapons such as throwing knives or daggers.
Tamers and monsters.
About one man in a hundred is born with a unique talent to bond with the myriad animals and monsters what inhabit the kingdom. Their methods may vary, but the end result is always the same. The tamers can bind an animal or monster to his or her own will. They can keep vicious panthers or fire-breathing monstrosities as house pets, completely subjugated. In battle the tamers are among the most dangerous in the queen’s host. Their beasts are loyal to death, almost impossible even for wood ninjas to influence, and as disciplined as a seasoned veteran. Should the tamer be killed, the animal(s) or monster(s) under its command are highly likely to go berserk.
Black legion.
The kingdom’s most delinquent and violent citizens makes up this troop. Serial killers, bloody revolutionaries, people with mental illnesses, war criminals and violence enthusiasts. These people are lumped together in an abandoned hill fort near the heavenly mountains in the west, always under the watchful eyes of several of the kingdom's finest. Once they are let out they will destroy everything in their path, they have never been officially used, but whole villages or provinces have suddenly disappeared in the past, this has been blamed on revolutions or outside attacks. The black legion is currently led by a mysterious man called “the black swordsman”, his real name, skills, appearance, and background is unknown.
These are plots that will be going on in the background. The characters can actively engage in these plots or leave them alone. The characters might encounter the plots or elements of them accidentally during the game. I will give you a teaser now, and will try to update with important info that you come across as you play.
Legendary armour.
A scroll describing an ancient armour created by the metal clan falls into your hands. It is said to be as light as a feather, as hard as tempered steel and made from a star that fell almost one thousand years ago.
Hidden scrolls.
The great techniques are not only passed from master to student by word of mouth and rigorous training. Many of the old masters also wrote and drew scrolls that were meant to teach a student a special technique of their clan. Once the king of the land of falling cherry blossoms held a great library of such scrolls. The queen has now ordered them all to be destroyed.
The four guardians.
There are four great beings, demi-gods, that keep the world balanced. They reside in the corners of the kingdom, one in the north, south, east and west respectively. Thought to be a myth, no one has really gone to look for them, but many have claimed to see or hear them.
Wanderers of the desert.
Every now and then people go into the desert, wander around for a while and either die of thirst and starvation, or turn back with tales of endless dunes of sand. Now strangers are sighted at the horizon. Where are these people coming from?
Dragons of the west.
News of ships on the eastern shore reach your ears.
Next in line.
Although not presently in any real danger, the queen will not live forever. Her two sons and three daughters feud for the throne behind her back.
White clouds and red sky
Not one, but two organisations made up of extraordinary people. If they are not ninjas, what are they?
Legendary armour.
A scroll describing an ancient armour created by the metal clan falls into your hands. It is said to be as light as a feather, as hard as tempered steel and made from a star that fell almost one thousand years ago.
Hidden scrolls.
The great techniques are not only passed from master to student by word of mouth and rigorous training. Many of the old masters also wrote and drew scrolls that were meant to teach a student a special technique of their clan. Once the king of the land of falling cherry blossoms held a great library of such scrolls. The queen has now ordered them all to be destroyed.
The four guardians.
There are four great beings, demi-gods, that keep the world balanced. They reside in the corners of the kingdom, one in the north, south, east and west respectively. Thought to be a myth, no one has really gone to look for them, but many have claimed to see or hear them.
Wanderers of the desert.
Every now and then people go into the desert, wander around for a while and either die of thirst and starvation, or turn back with tales of endless dunes of sand. Now strangers are sighted at the horizon. Where are these people coming from?
Dragons of the west.
News of ships on the eastern shore reach your ears.
Next in line.
Although not presently in any real danger, the queen will not live forever. Her two sons and three daughters feud for the throne behind her back.
White clouds and red sky
Not one, but two organisations made up of extraordinary people. If they are not ninjas, what are they?
The ninjas:
This is where you come in. I want you to populate the sixth clan with ninjas fighting for survival against the kingdom. How you intend to do this - I don’t know. We will take the path you choose. I will not be playing myself, but rather act as the world and react to what you are doing. If you want take the violent approach and gather an army, do that. Stealthily sneak into the palace and assassinate the queen, go ahead. Try to stay away and live your life in the wilderness? Go for it.
The game is in your hands.
