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[Calibur]

Contents

Sound Projects

Shoda Kagero's Unity Squad

Nunchaku no Jutsu

Chop Shop

[Calibur]

The Shindou Clan
Silent Instruments of Hidden Sound

Philosophy

Mantra

Still the body and the mind will speak,
Quiet the mind and the soul will speak,
Silence the soul and the world will speak,
And I will listen.

Religion

Traditions

Culture/Appearance

History

In the days of Old Hidden Sound, the Eight Strings were a band of elite hunters whose exceptional mastery of the war bow was nearly overshadowed by their reputation as prodigal musicians all. These chakra-gifted men and women had tuned their senses to such a degree that they believed they could detect the frequencies of all things, or Universal Resonance. Their unity, renown and enterprising spirits led to the founding of a clan that built upon their reverence for these hidden sounds, transforming a belief into a religion and enshrining their practices within the sacred ceremonies of their descendants, the Shindou.

Eighty years ago, the Great Wars all but wiped out the clan, forcing the sole surviving branch family to find safety in anonymity. For decades, the clan acted as mercenary archers to feudal lords, moving nomadically under the leadership of Shindou Madoka and, later, his eldest daughter Mayumi. It was Mayumi and her son Takehiko who, fearing for their family, which had narrowly escaped decimation by bandits and ronin on several occasions, thought to channel their religious rites into a formidable martial art to complement their dominant use of the bow.

Takehiko, who fathered two sons, Shinonome and Tetsuji, continued this endeavour even after his wife, mother, father and aunt were slaughtered by ronin who attacked the refugee camp the had called home at one time. Though his was a clan of survivors, that fateful night never lost its maddening grip on his heart. When his boys were old enough to fend for themselves, he left to track down the ronin and avenge his family. He never returned. As the last two surviving members of the once hundred-strong Shindou clan, Shinonome and his younger brother Tetsuji were left to continue the self-imposed exile their great-grandfather had begun, protecting their clan heritage at all costs.

However, unlike their predecessors, the two young men did not believe in hiding who they were or isolating themselves from all potential allies. They wanted to trust again. When the Seijuu called, they answered, and were among the first Nomads to bear the mark of the Eighth Note. Shinonome was then one of the first of the new Seishi hand-picked to go out into the world and act as Kaigen’s eyes and ears. Tasked with operating undercover in the Lightning Country, his Eighth Note surgically removed, Shinonome rose from unknown status to a role of prominence.

Tetsuji remained the named inheritor of the clan, years later solidifying his place among the Sound Nomads with a kunoichi bride named Kotone. The pair’s son, Akira, was born not long after Shinonome had earned the rank of special envoy within Hidden Cloud, which afforded him the ability to return home. He did not return, viewing his position too crucial to jeopardise. There were other agents of Kaigen's at play whose identities were kept on a need-to-know basis, any one of which would have alerted his superiors to a suspected transgression in a bid to elevate their own position.

Notable Members

Shindou Takehiko
Shindou Tetsuji
Shindou Akira
Shindou Shinonome

Battle Applications

Sousouken (Hybrid Taijutsu)

Survivors

[Calibur]

Voice Actor: James McAvoy

SHODA KAGERO
Lock up your wives and lock up your lovers,
Lest they join Kagero under the covers.



Age: 20
Sex: Male
Height: 5 feet, 11 inches
Country/Village: Rai no Kuni/Kumogakure
Character Type: Shinobi
Rank: Chuunin

Clan/Bloodline: Shoda Clan
Lightning Body Colour: Gold

[Nindo; "Way of the Ninja"]

"One for all."

[Appearance]

A fine piece of man candy, Kagero’s characteristics reflect a symmetry of strength, sensibility and masculinity, from his neatly styled hair and unblemished skin right down to his well-manicured fingernails. But he’s also a bit of a mannish boy. Take a look under the playful brush of coffee blond and you’ll find storm blue eyes of youthful exuberance tempered by self-discipline, or follow the line of his sophisticated nose to lips well-versed in the art of the smile. There are some rough edges, though, including the physique to perform his duties. At just under six feet tall, he is fairly slender but has endeavoured to develop an athletic build in order to keep himself trim and fighting fit, and would go shirtless more often were it not for his finely tailored fashion sense.

If one is presentable, interaction with others comes easier, so Kagero prefers to look his best, whatever the occasion, opting for smart yet comfortable wear like shirt and jacket combinations and dressing appropriately for each season. Up-to-date on most fashions in the Lightning Country, he picks the ones that complement his build and activities best. Style is important but not without practicality. Kagero’s tailor therefore ensures his client’s civilian clothes afford him decent mobility, and that his hitai-ate can be clipped over any of his belt buckles. Kagero's uniform has also been improved upon, with tactical padding for a denser, smaller flak jacket over a range of black, navy or grey undershirts, and leather-capped boots.

[Personality]

Kagero knows that when he puts his mind to something, he can achieve it. He is a resourceful free thinker, but one who plays by the rules to get things done. He’ll rein in his ego when he must, and compartmentalise to limit the extent that his professional life might encroach on the personal. Fighting for the freedoms of clan and country includes his own rights too.

A natural student in the art of espionage, cut from the same cloth as the rest of his tribe, he has cultivated an extraordinary level of concentration, as well as a thirst for learning and professional development. His sterling commitment to the LMG continues to turn heads, most notably among those who would otherwise look down on the Fallen Kings and Queens as traitors. As a member of the Shoda clan, he has always walked a path between the paradigms of treason and integrity whilst weathering the warring winds of contrived duty. The way has never been clear and the everstorm has left its mark. The Three Faction War was especially cruel but, as a survivor, Kagero endured its bloody conclusion.

It is not just optimism driving him forward, but responsibility. He hides the scars of his teenage years well. Loss has failed to crush his resolve; his memories demand that he persevere as the poster boy for resilience, recovery and living a full and passionate life. The attention Kagero receives from his male and female counterparts is the product of being a genuinely nice guy, not to mention one who never mistreats his dates. After all, good looks and charm only get a man so far. But with high standards for a compatible partner and a wariness in the danger of leading people on, he’s known as something of a heartbreaker.

This veil of dapper gentility hides an inquisitive brain-box who can recite entire film scripts, owns extensive manga collections, is beguiled by avant-garde technologies, longs to master his element, and who defies expectations but all on his own time. He also dances. Well, he dabbles. Ballroom, if you must know.

[Statistics]

Lightning Specialist x Fallen King
Elemental Special: Gains a free low-level Lightning technique.
*Stat Merit: +2 to Power, +2 to Reserves, +1 to Strength
*Stat Flaw: -2 to Willpower, -2 to Tactics, -1 to Speed
(AC - Advanced Character)

Chakra - Primary
Power: 1 + 2* + 10 (+1 AC) = 14
Control: 1 + 11 (+3 AC) = 15
Reserves: 1 + 2* + 9 (+2 AC) = 14

Physical - Secondary
Strength: 1 + 1* + 8 = 10
Speed: 1 - 1* + 11 (+3 AP) = 14 [+12 Jishaku Genkotsu] = 26
Stamina: 1 + 8 = 9

Mental - Tertiary
Intelligence: 1 + 4 (+5 AP) = 10
Tactics: 1 - 2* + 10 (+4 AP) = 13
Willpower: 1 - 2* + 10 (+3 AP) = 12

[Jutsu & Techniques]

Lightning Release (Raiton)

Stage 1: Flickering Luminous Body (Yurayura Hikari Karada) [PWR 2, TAC 2, FREE]
Stage 1: Electric Shock Clone (Dengeki Bushin) [WIL 3, RES 3]
Stage 2: Deafen (Rousuru) [PWR 5, CTR 4, RES 4]
Stage 2: Lightning Bolt (Rakurai) [WIL 6, TAC 5, CTR 5]
Stage 3: Detonation (Bakuhatsu) [PWR 9, CTR 9, WIL 7]
Stage 3: Great Pulse (Idaina Myakudo) [WIL 9, TAC 9, CTR 7]
Stage 4: Lightning Instantaneous (Raikou Shunshin) [PWR 12, CTR 11, RES 10, WIL 12]

The Magnetic Fist (Jishaku Genkotsu)

Stage 1: +3 Speed (Electric Spike Strike) [CTR 5, RES 3]
Stage 2: +3 Speed (Magnetic Levitation) [CTR 7, RES 7, SPD 6]
Stage 3: +3 Speed (Magnetic Rush; Magnetic Disarm) [CTR 10, RES 10, SPD 8]
Stage 4: +3 Speed (Electric Surge Spike) [CTR 15, RES 14, PWR 14, SPD 8]

Shoda Bloodline Limit: Lightning Body (Raikoukikan)

Stage 1: Conductor - Recovery [CTR 3, RES 3, PWR 3]
Stage 1: Conductor - Circuit Breaker [CTR 3, RES 3, PWR 3]
Stage 2: Conductor - Tether [CTR 8, RES 8, PWR 6]
Stage 2: Resistor - Ground [CTR 8, RES 8, PWR 6]

Global Shinobi Arts (Ninjutsu)

Stage 1: Transformation Technique (Henge no Jutsu) [CTR 3, INT 2]
Stage 2: Wall Walking Technique (Kabenobori no Jutsu) [PWR 5, CTR 4, RES 4]

[Inventory]

Standard Issue Shinobi Kit (0 points)
Handcuffs x2 (4 points)
R-SAK Hand Radio (2 points)
Electric Storm Bombs (1 point)
Combat Knife (1 point)
Item Points Remaining: 0

[Biography]

Originally Posted by Intelligence Division // Internal Affairs / Annual Subject Review (4 of 4)

…You didn’t mind being the middle child?

Not when Ichirou wasn’t interested in becoming a shinobi through the clan pathways. I think that always had him at odds with our parents so they heaped their expectations and attention on me instead. And Kei? She might have been the baby, but she represented the best of us, and brought out the best in us, so…

A happy childhood.

Sure. If you disregard the ever watchful eye of branch matriarch Aunt Kumiko, and the constant tests to draw out our bloodline abilities. I don’t blame Ichirou for wanting a different life, given the pressure he was under. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I reckon that my rising to the challenge was in direct correlation with his decision not to.

So none of it was your own ambition?

Too long ago to tell. You try to remember what motivated you twelve years ago.

I wanted to be a diplomat to view the world’s wonders and meet its people. Not to spite the naysayers who hounded me, but to make a difference.

Wow. Well…there you go. Good for you. Sorry it didn’t pan out.

We don’t all get what we want. There has to be a balance.

We could have done with some of that wisdom when we were younger. We lived in a bubble for most of our early childhood. Ichirou, because he didn’t know what else to do, tried to draw other kids into his schemes to boycott the clan training. His natural charm and optimism were being worn away by unchecked frustrations. Naturally, I joined him in a show of solidarity, but we got caught. He was suspended from Aunt Kumiko’s training for three months, learning from our dad instead, to get a taste of the life he desired, but that only drove the wedge deeper. Then the bubble popped.

Konishi bringing the Shoda Clan back into the fold…

A rude awakening for all affected, particularly as we’d grown up on stories of the outside world only to find we were the vilified ones. That people feared an 8-year-old like me, just for being Shoda. I knew their fears were misplaced. You don’t grow up in Aunt Kumiko’s household without learning a thing or two about disinformation and perception.

What did you do?

I got stuck in. Took to Academy training to be the soldier, the spy, the symbol — whatever my country needed from me. Entering into Aoi at the advanced age of 9, it was made clear through my dedication (and some of my aunt’s string-pulling) that I was to be a priority. We needed to raise the clan profile by getting as many of us into service in the public eye as possible, making good on our promise to be trusted allies. Most of the pressure actually came from me. I was too young to be a king, but I was determined to be knight rather than a pawn.

How did this affect your brother?

The bubble bursting was a different kind of awakening for him. He was introduced to what lay outside of that life and was irrevocably drawn to it. We all seemed to accept that there was no way to dissuade him from his obsession. My excuse was that I was too busy graduating as the Number One Rookie and cutting my teeth on my first Genin missions. But the truth? I wouldn’t have known what to say. Life isn’t scripted out like a book. I remember thinking I’d mess it up. Even Kei couldn’t reach him, though I think she tried.

Our failure set the stage for the honeyed words and gilded promises of the enemy. I don’t know when the G-Men found him and groomed him to work for them, but I know it would have been easy to get to him. We were a high profile bunch. You notice the ones bucking the trend who don’t fit in with one grand destiny, looking for another. After the radio tower incident, when Ichirou came to me, a mess of tears and crumbling confidence, saying it was his fault there’d been a casualty because he hadn’t gone through with the recon the G-Men had instructed him to perform…he was fearing for his life. So sure that after the G-Men won their guerrilla war, they’d come after him. What could I do?

Flag it up?

You’d think. I still can’t help but feel sick at how poorly I misjudged the situation, and what he needed. By the time I put my clan's wellbeing before his own and told my parents, it was too late and he’d run away. And then, to have my squad-mate, Hideo, killed the same week by the very monsters who’d manipulated my brother…

You were—

—And Mana, our other squad-mate, murdered while escorting her parents to safety…? It was too much. I was mute for days. Only when I started speaking again did they have me cleared for duty and reassigned to a new squad, beefed up to four. But we were all collaterally damaged goods. Embittered, inexperienced…the kids left behind. I did my best to play the part of royalty and keep us looking forward, believing in Konishi when we were losing faith, fighting the fear of death with missions that placed us in its crosshairs. Putting our hair-trigger, powder-keg, knife-edge-walking mentality through a trial of fire. It worked, strengthening us each time we came back in one piece. The cleanup of Hima was another positive: saving lives rather worrying so much about losing our own.

Kei was doing well too, all things considered. She was 11 when she graduated Aka into a system devoted to the Hima efforts, which had an even bigger impact on her. She decided to go into the Biomedical Engineering Corps to focus on rehabilitation, while her new Genin team also caught the spotlight for the hope it presented, following Nagai’s trial and acquittal. They became a symbol, but perhaps too fast. Sent to Matsuri City for a publicity stunt to galvanise the masses. Sent at the wrong bloody time.

Sorry. The more times I tell this story, the more I realise my family just has the worst luck.

Your sister survived the attack.

But lost the use of her legs, was publicly humiliated and forced into anonymity to escape the backlash. Although you’re right. It could have been worse. She could have lost her fighting spirit…but she didn’t. And she wouldn’t let doctors decide that her days as a shinobi were over, which inspired me not to let the expectations of others stop me from living my life. I realised it was all I’d let myself know from 8 to 13. Where was the other stuff? Playing with friends, crushing on girls, getting into fashion, getting into trouble? I found out. For a time, I was happy. Then Nagai declared open rebellion and the country was divided.

But you had your team this time.

Sort of. When we got to Jishaku, we were reassigned temporarily to divisional tutors to train us up for the inevitable Three Faction War, so what time I could spend with them and my family, I took. Before we started battling our former friends, former dates. Man…that was a hard one to get my head around.

It wasn’t all bad, though. Records state you made a pretty remarkable discovery too.

My Lightning Body? Yeah, it scared the living daylights out of us when I made the radio on Kei’s windowsill in the hospital explode. But greater power simply meant greater responsibility to raise the spirits of all those around me, and Sakoshi was my first real mass deployment. That’s a lot of hearts and minds to strengthen, and a lot of G-Men to go up against. I trained with the other bloodline users as much as I could beforehand but it was a steep learning curve and my awakening was ultimately more symbolic than functional.

So when we won, I simply kept at it. We knew this was only the first stage of what was to come. I stayed in Sakoshi for the next month, returning home with my squad only twice to escort my sister there from Jishaku then back again. That short period was a time of light in the darkness, seeing her drink in all the inspiration she could and return home with enough ideas to craft a pair of prototype legs. And it was darkness that followed. Katashi, Miwa, Usagi, our sensei Hakuro and I returned with Nagai’s army nipping at our heels. Hideyoshi helped convince the brass to keep the gates at Sakoshi open just for us.

Did you return the favour?

I couldn’t let him down when the siege began, obviously, but my role was largely out of my hands, and my squad was split by divisions. What control I had went into finding ways that I, personally, could support the Chuunin and Jounin on the front lines. For the most part, I covered my mom’s six when she went on strafing runs and carried messages between the clan branch captains, until she ordered me back to command the cousins of mine who lacked the bloodline. I organised them into supply lines for electrical devices that could energise our Raikoukikan users. It was the best I knew how to do…but then, of course…we were too busy playing soldier to notice that Nagai had stuck to shinobi tactics: misdirection; confusion; subterfuge; infiltration. He struck from within and harried us with guerrilla tactics until my teams were forced back to the front!

I lost cousins that day. Sakoshi reminded us, for a time, that even though we bicker and have our disputes, clan is clan, and family is family. When one dies, we all hurt the same. We lost six of our family in the siege and another two in the retreat. By then, we all knew Nagai could crush Jishaku whenever he wanted but there was too much blood in the sand to turn back. We fought for more than principle. More than honour. We fought for family. Or it seemed that way. You can get turned around in the fog of war. If we’d really wanted to protect the ones closest to us, we’d have pushed for a surrender. Maybe Denryuu saw it coming, because that was when he enacted a wave of morale-boosting promotions.

The first time you became a Chuunin.

And a squad leader, officially, to the other three, who’d missed out but were no less happy for me. It was my 16th birthday. We’d grown strong together. But from that point, I had to shoulder even more responsibility. I was an officer of the last bastion, where all supporters of the Raikage chose to find solace. We had refugees coming in from all over, and tried our best to accommodate them — that was one of my jobs — but it got to the point we had to start turning people away. And that’s when I got a message that there was a Shoda Ichirou at the gates. The guards wouldn’t release him into my custody, but they’d listen to my parents and aunt, who took control of the situation and left me to continue my duty. Didn’t trust me to be my brother’s keeper.

Not an unfair estimation, all things considered.

Yeah, but all things considered, what would have happened if I had been involved this time?

What did happen?

The Offensive kicked off the following day. And the plans we drew up for our section of the walls were effective, containing the majority of breachers to pockets of intense melee combat while Genin support squads and Chuunin medics oscillated in waves. Katashi, our heavy hitter, had paired off with me, while Miwa had teamed up with Usagi, for a deadly assassin/genjutsu combo, all of us holding fast to a ‘take no prisoners’ mentality. I saw more death that day than I’ve seen since. Some memories, I’ll never truly expunge.

Tell me about the bombings.

Which part? The part where we realised someone was massacring refugees from inside the walls and discovered the field of body parts, or the time I watched a Sound shinobi kill a father in front of his son then kill the son too, before we eventually put him in the ground? Maybe you just want the part where I saw my brother walking through the smoke with an accomplice, bricks of explosive tags strapped to his chest, slitting the throats of any survivors they could find. Do you want to hear about that? You want to poke and prod me again for emotional scar tissue like your predecessors did the last three years? Or can we move past the bit where I froze up, Usagi put a couple kunai in them and they kept coming, spouting rhetoric like zombies? Maybe the part where Miwa had to finish them off with senbon to the throat and I had to leave Ichirou in the dust or risk my team discovering who he was and what he meant to me. What they’d done.

Killed your brother.

That wasn’t my brother. Not any more. Those weren’t his words. Somebody had put him up to it, conditioned him. I’m not suggesting it was anything to do with Nagai — and before you try to interrupt me again, I know I don’t have any proof, and I’m not absolving him of guilt for those heinous acts.

So you’re not actively investigating the matter any more.

No, because that would be going against the direct orders I received two years ago when I last attempted it. I’ve just had to accept it as something that will never sit right with me but will also never interfere with my job. I’m not the kind of guy to let personal vendettas obstruct reason or I would have gone willingly to my execution. My loyalty is to this great nation, the same way a king’s should be, rather than to one person. We lost Katashi to that pride.

Fracturing your squad, while you were stripped of your title. What was there for you?

Joining the Intelligence division, aiming for Internal Affairs. While it wasn’t easy to earn back trust, it wasn’t the first time I’d faced that challenge. Fortunately, I discovered that being a military man and a citizen gave me purpose in a world after war. And I wasn’t without allies. Miwa and I were allowed to join with two Nagai-loyalists and form one of the new Unity Squads. We didn’t get on with each other right away. Staff Sergeant Masaki was fond of hazing and Akihiro was exempt, so Miwa and I hit the learning curve running and dodging, spending our first year weeding out lingering traces of dissent with such vigour it was hard to argue with the results. We were both Corporals by the time I turned 17, Miwa 16.

Kei foresaw the road to my eventual burnout and intervened before it was too late. She was rehabilitated by then, a Private in Engineering. Told me to look beyond myself or risk losing myself, so I listened. If I hadn’t…I would have missed things right in front of me.

Like your romantic relationship with Saionji Miwa.

Which was ill-advised, I know. But it made things easier for a time, sharing a bunk, confiding in each other. You’ve got to admit, we all need someone like that. We ended things when we realised how it might look, before we risked compromising missions, but it brought us closer, and our teamwork to new levels of instinctive proficiency. Can’t argue with those results. We knew it was a relationship of convenience rather than love, so we spared each other the broken hearts.

Such a succinct summary. Did you practice that?

Only a little. Want to hear more? My promotion, before you ask, came later that year, with Masaki moving on and the exams still fairly far away. Handpicking Private First Class Yamane Ren to keep with the theme of unity, I took all three of them out for a meal to lay my plans out on the table: my goal to get each of them to Chuunin status before the year was out and make ours the top Unity Squad in the entire LMG. No funny business. Hard work, but good work.

While you were still aiming for that top spot in IA. As ambitious as a king.

No, just the King’s man. Nagai’s the King, remember? But I did get my wish.

Why does it sound like you know more about where this interview’s going than I do?

Because this is where it ends.

Now just a—

Sorry, I’ve got nothing against you. I know it’s your job and you’ve got bosses, orders, I get it. Trust is a rare commodity at the moment. The war is still too fresh in our collective consciousness for it to be anything but. So I understand your persistence, but this is where it stops. This is the last time I subject myself to this loyalty test, and that lie detector in the corner, and the only time I’ll have done so willingly. It’s closure for me, and for my case. You don’t get to work in IA without being one of the most trusted guys in any room. So thanks for the memories, but if you want to sit me down like this again, take it up with Inquisitor Hiroto. His orders.

We cool? Good. King’s Man out.

[Other Information]

=====================
Surname, First Initial: Shoda, K
Alias: The King's Man
Company/Squad: Unity Squad 08
Technical Occupation: Intelligence; Internal Affairs
Military Rank: Sergeant
=====================
Birthplace: Shoda Clan Grounds
Serial Number: 118621643924
Specialisation: Lightning Release
Chevrons: 6 Standard Grade
Medals Earned: ---
=====================
Associations: Shoda family: Hisoka (father); Kotone
(mother); Kei (sister); Kumiko (aunt)
Declared Next of Kin: Shoda Kumiko (branch leader)
Dependents: None
Marital Status: Single
=====================

[Mission Log]

Stormlight Adventures | The King's Man
Theme: Memoirs of War & Peace

• World Date 1.35 | Mission #00: Prelude to the Storm
  My country gives me strength, my clan gives me strength, my team gives me strength. It's time that I gave back.
  Character Creation AP (MAX): +3 Speed, +3 Willpower, +2 Intelligence, Electric Shock Clone, Deafen, Lightning Bolt.
  Advanced Chuunin Points: +3 Control, +2 Reserves, +1 Power, Detonation, Great Pulse, Lightning Instantaneous.
  Cloud Creation GMAP: Transformation, Wall Walking.
  
  
• World Date 1.35 | Mission #01: Lightning's Heir
  Aim for the stars, shoot for the sky, and leave all your doubts at the door. This journey's just beginning.
  Perk Activated: AP Limit Breaker
  AP Awards: +3 Intelligence, +4 Tactics, Circuit Breaker, Ground, Magnetic Disarm.

[Calibur]

Nunchaku no Jutsu

A: Strength
B: Speed
C: Stamina
D: Tactics
E: Willpower

Style Basis: Iaijutsu/Weapon

Style History:

Nunchaku, often termed ‘nunchuks’, ‘chainsticks’ or ‘danger sticks’ are weapons of force, speed and unpredictability. Yet knowledge of these practical attributes is always preceded by a rather mythic infamy, as rice flails converted by farmers into improvised armaments during a time of revolution. And so, as simple peasants’ weapons, they are often relegated to the footnotes of armouries, their usefulness in modern warfare undervalued and their presence on the battlefield almost nil. Few beyond the shinobi are privy to the unabridged history of the weapon - one which inspired its adoption by the masters of many schools as a form of supplementary training to build coordination, quickness and self-restraint.

Its origin is one of nobility, sacrifice and resilience.

In a time when the domains were united, aristocrats serving the government as officers, tax collectors and the like were known to practise fighting arts as a necessity, their very lives and livelihoods bound to these roles as protectors and keepers of the law. Yet when the prohibitive legislation tied to their positions denied them the chance to scale other government occupations when the economy dipped, most were reduced to beggary before being granted to right to work for themselves as merchants, farmers and craftsmen. Naturally, they were wont to revolt, only to have their rights further reduced, including the privilege of working for the government or bearing arms.

As princes became paupers, they moved into villages to survive this harsh new world, only to be met by the resentment of those already in situ. Defending themselves on all sides, from their new neighbours and the bandits who later arrived to exploit the sudden boom in food production, these ‘farmer princes’ were forced to refresh their fighting skills. Deprived of their traditional weaponry, they resorted to improvising staffs from sticks, tonfa from millstone handles, nunti-bo from fishermen’s gaffs and kuwa from hoes. The nunchaku was one of the few weapons developed by design, compensating for a lack of reach with sheer force and swiftness. While at a disadvantage against longer weapons like swords, it became a favourite against mobs of opponents brandishing short range weaponry and bare fists.

Easy to conceal and carry, it was the perfect tool for self-defence and gaining the upper hand in a street fight. When wielded alone to accompany unarmed techniques, or paired with another, its hardened handles could deliver blunt force while its cord could be wrapped around attacking weapons and limbs to immobilise or disarm opponents. Many centuries later, the descendants of its inventors would ascend to positions of power once more, only this time as shinobi, masters of concealment, with their forefathers' improvised combat mechanics honed into fully established schools.

Style Information:

Construction

Typical nunchaku consist of two equal lengths of wood connected by a rope (himo) or chain (kusari), each section either rounded or given an octagonal cross-section to create an edged effect. The ideal length of each piece will be long enough to protect the forearm when held in a high grip near the top of the shaft (kontoh). The ideal length of the connecting cord will be just long enough for the user to lay it across their palm with the sticks hanging perpendicular to the ground. The weapon should also be balanced so that the practitioner can perform more advanced ‘low-grip’ moves such as overhand twirls. Weight will generally sit towards the sticks’ outer edges for maximum control of swing arcs. The most common materials for the shafts are strong, flexible woods that have been hardened under mud for several years then finely sanded and stained for preservation. However, metal shafts do exist, as do telescopic/retractable handles, nunchaku with knives and scythes on their tips, and those with blades concealed inside the rods.

Style Requirements: Nunchaku (single/dual)

Stage I
Requirements: 4 Strength, 4 Speed
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 2 Tactics, 2 Willpower

Stage II
Requirements: 7 Strength, 7 Speed, 6 Tactics
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 4 Tactics, 4 Willpower

Stage III
Requirements: 10 Strength, 10 Speed, 8 Tactics
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 7 Tactics, 7 Willpower, 6 Intelligence

Stage IV
Requirements: 16 Strength, 16 Speed, 11 Stamina, 14 Tactics
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 10 Tactics, 10 Willpower, 8 Intelligence

Stage V
Requirements: 20 Strength, 20 Speed, 16 Stamina, 16 Tactics
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 15 Tactics, 15 Willpower, 13 Intelligence

Stage VI
Requirements: 26 Strength, 26 Speed, 23 Stamina, 20 Tactics, 16 Willpower
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 19 Tactics, 19 Willpower, 18 Intelligence

Stage VII
Requirements: 34 Strength, 34 Speed, 31 Stamina, 25 Tactics, 19 Willpower
Bonus: +5 Strength, +4 Speed
Specials: 26 Tactics, 25 Willpower, 24 Intelligence

[Calibur]

Inspired by Taido, Tai Ji Quan, Panzer Kunst, Wing Chun and Kyudo.

Sumuken
Resonating Fist

A—Stamina
B—Speed
C—Strength
D—Control
E—Power

Stage I - The Enthusiast
Requirements: Stamina 5, Speed 3
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 2, Power 2

Stage II - The Apprentice
Requirements: Stamina 8, Speed 6, Control 6
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 4, Power 4

Stage III - The War Artisan
Requirements: Stamina 12, Speed 8, Control 8
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 7, Power 7, Reserves 6

Stage IV - The Warrior
Requirements: Stamina 17, Speed 14, Strength 12, Control 14
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 10, Power 10, Reserves 8

Stage V - The High Warrior
Requirements: Stamina 22, Speed 19, Strength 15, Control 16
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 15, Power 15, Reserves 13

Stage VI - The Master
Requirements: Stamina 30, Speed 24, Strength 21, Control 20, Power 16
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 19, Power 19, Reserves 18

Stage VII - The Elder
Requirements: Stamina 39, Speed 33, Strength 27, Control 24, Power 20
Bonus: +5 Stamina, +4 Speed
Special Techniques: Control 26, Power 25, Reserves 24

[Calibur]

Non-Player Characters

Mori Souto

[The Finders’ Keeper]

Age: 46
Sex: Male
Height: 6'2"
Country/Village: Formerly Kaze no Kuni / Sunagakure
Rank: Jounin
Missing-Nin Rank: A

Nindo; "Way of the Ninja": What's mine is mine, and what's yours will shortly be mine.

Souto has been at large for over ten years, but in that time has never left Kaze no Kuni. He broke with his shinobi contract to KAZE when an internal investigation unearthed his policy of stealing and purveying the items from his crime scenes that he deemed too valuable for the evidence locker. After evading arrest, however, his business only grew, along with a following of cut-throat acolytes, and he has operated with impunity for the last seven years out of an ancient thieves’ den within striking distance of the Hidden Village, hidden from all public records by a partner in high places. He is about as vicious and self-serving as they come, having no need to hide his true nature before his men. Indeed, his ability to disguise his actions was, at one point, as impenetrable as the night. His motivations, on the other hand, remain as clear as day.

Techniques:

• [???]
• [???]
• [???]
• [???]
• [???]
• [???]

Unity Squad 080

Squad Roles

Squad Dynamics

Squad Story Hooks

Saionji Miwa



"How's it looking, Sparks?"

[Highwire]

Age: 19
Archetype: Assassin
Shinobi Rank: Chuunin
Military Rank: Corporal
Division: Intelligence - Investigator

Nindo; "Way of the Ninja":

About:

Techniques:

• Yatama no Shikaku: Assassin’s Projectile
• Futoumeisei Gai Nai No: Those Lacking Opacity
• Cloud Genjutsu
• Global Ninjutsu

Ingakankei Akihiro



"Fighting pose, huh? Alright, I got one."

[Beast Mode]

Age: 18
Archetype: Druid
Shinobi Rank: Chuunin
Military Rank: Corporal
Division: Combat - Shock Trooper

Nindo; "Way of the Ninja":

Pet: Jun (Clouded Leopard - Chuunin Rank)

About:

Techniques:

• [???]
• [???]
• Global Ninjutsu
• Yajuu No Houkou: Roar of the Beast

Yamane Ren



"Get that thing out of my face, Kagero."

[Shrike]

Age: 18
Archetype: Maven
Shinobi Rank: Chuunin
Military Rank: Corporal
Division: Engineering - Field Mechanic

Nindo; "Way of the Ninja":

About:

Techniques:

• Raiton: Lightning Release
• Cloud Gadgeteering
• Yomi no Buyou: Dance of the Underworld
• Madoiken: Illusion Fist

Sleeping Blue Dragon Taijutsu
Stage 6: +30 Speed, +24 Strength [SPD 30, STR 25, STA 21, TAC 22, WIL 14]
\\Special Technique: Kirioroshi – Shiten Tsuki (Strike – Four Point Thrust)
\\Special Technique: Nukitsuke – Ushiro Kiri (Draw – Back Cut)
\\Special Technique: Nukitsuke – Shiho Kiri (Draw – Four Direction Cut)

The Fierce God Fist
Stage 7: +35 Strength, +28 Stamina [STR 37, STA 33, SPD 29, WIL 24, TAC 20]
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Ago (Fierce God Jaw)
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Sentou (Fierce God Punch)
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Chikaraashi (Fierce God’s Strong Legs)
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Assai Nigiri (Fierce God’s Crushing Grip)
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Karada (Fierce God Body)
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Kire (Fierce God Cut)
\\Special Technique: Kinshin Senshi (Fierce God Stab)

Global Ninjutsu
Stage 1: Yoso no Te (Element Hand) [PWR 4, CTR 4]
Stage 1: Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Switch Technique) [PWR 2, TAC 2]
Stage 2: Kabenobori no Jutsu (Wall Walking Technique) [PWR 5, CTR 4, RES 4]
Stage 2: Chakra Hikari no Jutsu (Chakra Light Technique) [PWR 6, CTR 6. INT 4]
Stage 3: Hitoshizeru Bakuhatsu no Jutsu (Hidden Explosion Technique) [PWR 9, CTR 9, INT 7]
Stage 3: Chakra Tsuitou no Jutsu (Chakra Hunting Technique) [PWR 8, CTR 8, RES 6]
Stage 4: Tenkuu Hokou no Gyou (The Art of Walking on Air) [PWR 15, CTR 15, INT 14, RES 13]
Stage 4: Tessayose no Jutsu (Iron Chain Calling Technique) [PWR 14, CTR 13, RES 11, TAC 10]
Stage 5: Takai Yoso no Te (Higher Element Hand) [PWR 18, CTR 17, RES 17, TAC 14, Yoso no Te]
Stage 6: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique) [PWR 21, CTR 20, RES 19, INT 17, TAC 15]

Grass Ninjutsu & Division Swap
Stage 1: Etai Souken (Nature Creation) [PWR 2, TAC 2]
Stage 1: Kaika (Bloom) [PWR 3, WIL 2, Replacing—Kusa Maina-Hei]
Stage 2: Shyushi Karamari (Seed Entangle) [PWR 5, CTR 4, RES 4]
Stage 2: Hinsei no Senrigan (Nature’s Clairvoyance) [INT 6, TAC 5, CTR 5]
Stage 3: Tsukene Yari (Root Spear) [PWR 8, CTR 8, RES 6]
Stage 3: Kusa Kusariei (Grass Chain Wrap) [WIL 8, INT 8, TAC 6]
Stage 3: Kusaki Kengeki (Plant Weapons) [INT 9, TAC 9, CTR 7]
Stage 4: Keiryu (Thorn Dragon) [INT 12, PWR 12, CTR 11, RES 10]
Stage 4: Kusa Shunshin (Grass Instant Relocation) [INT 14, TAC 13, WIL 11, CTR 10]
Stage 4: Jikihi Kodachi (Personal Grove) [PWR 15, CTR 15, INT 14, RES 13, Grass GM Approval]
Stage 5: Kusa Mikon (Grass Wilds) [INT 17, TAC 16, WIL 16, PWR 15]
Stage 6: Boubi Kusa Tentou (Defense Grass Counter) [INT 21, TAC 20, WIL 19, PWR 17, CTR 15]
Stage 7: Makai Sakura Se (Hell's Cherry Blossom Torrent) [PWR 30, CTR 27, RES 26, INT 22, TAC 20]

Grass Genjutsu
Stage 1: Fuuka no Jutsu (Enfade) [PWR 2, TAC 2]
Stage 1: Kusanone no Jutsu (Grass Stalks) [INT 3, RES 3]
Stage 2: Etai Teichi no Jutsu (Nature's Espionage) [PWR 5, CTR 4, RES 4]
Stage 3: Genjutsu Kai (Release) [PWR 9, CTR 9, INT 7, Replacing—Kakuu Kagai no Jutsu]
Stage 3: Doki Etai no Jutsu (Nature’s Wrath) [INT 8, WIL 8, TAC 6]
Stage 4: Kamigami riki no Jutsu (Godly Strength) [PWR 12, INT 12, TAC 11, WIL 10]
Stage 5: Gisou no Jutsu (Chameleon) [PWR 17, CTR 16, RES 16, INT 15]
Stage 5: Heki Ukiyo-ki (False Life Tree) [PWR 19, CTR 19, RES 18, INT 16]