OOC: Sunagakure People! Daily reminder that your Kage loves you <3
This post details the political situation of Sunagakure right now, hopefully y'all can get involved in this at some point. If you think it's too long, read at least the dialogues for understanding what is going on~ I tried to make it as interesting as possible.
The Kazekage entered the room after having waited a rather long period of time. Sitting around the table was his war council. A group of men and women well acknowledged with not only the hardships of war but the difficulty of running a village. Despite this being a war council, what brought him here today was not a matter of war. Today was not about survival through power and military conquest. Today was about surviving through cunning and careful tactical maneuvering. At a young age of 21, Shin Kazehana understood the game well enough and was quite aware that before he could win battles against the foes who struck his walls, he first needed to win the battles inside the walls. And some of the fiercest battles of will ever fought happened within these four walls at the table of Sunagakure no Sato's Council Room.
As the Kazekage walked inside, he could feel the many eyes upon him as every man and woman at the table except one rose to their feet. Whether because he was young, of a short height, or an incredibly talented shinobi many eyes fell upon him. Some, Shin knew, fell on him like a predator's eyes fall upon a prey. But others looked at him in admiration and a select few with curiosity. It was Shin's job to not only run the village but be well aware of who was who, and who felt what in this council. Every shadow could hold a knife if he didn't know what its darkness hid.
"My lords. I trust none of you are planning to assassinate me on this lovely afternoon." He spoke, circling around the men and taking his seat at the far head of the table across the room. "If that is so, you may sit." They all did.
"Must you ask us every single time, Kazekage-sama? I assure you all of us are well aware violence is strictly forbidden inside this room." a voice spoke at his right side. Riku was a boy around his age, but who was far more than he'd let see at first sight. Shin was well aware of this man's superior intellect, comparable to his own, and that was why he occupied the first place at his right side. He wore a blue kimono which covered most of his body. It was a weird choice of attire, Shin noted once. Until Riku revealed how many knives can be hidden in the loose clothing of the simplest of kimonos.
"Ah yes, I have always found it rather peculiar how our War Councils are always held in a room where violence is prohibited. Sounds a bit counter-intuitive, no? " He didn't wait for an answer. "Alas, I must ask everytime. I know you didn't plan on taking my life last week, but it's been a few days now. You might have changed your mind, and I am intent on respecting that."
"Outside the room is fair game tho, right?" This time it was a woman's voice that spoke. Its tone was suggestive and provocative, and Shin couldn't help but lightly chuckle as his eyes met Viena Fogheart a couple of seats to his left. One of Sunagakure's most brilliant chemists, she was responsible for the death by poison of over a hundred men- that Shin knew of.
"No, not this week. It's my kid's birthday, I wouldn't want to spoil it with your week-long ass funeral. I'm free next week however, maybe we can arrange something?" A gigantic man was sitting right across from Vienna at his right side, also a couple of seats away from him. Raygo, the man was named. His huge size combined with the incredibly long beard that fell across his belly gave him a terrifying look. Despite having the appearance of a maniac, Shin knew Raygo's experience as a commander during field battles was unmatched. The man had begun a daily ritual of raiding and tearing apart Iwagakure's supply routes and watchtowers at the age of 12 and never stopped since then- until Shin forced him to. The man was not subtle, but sometimes he didn't require subtleness, sometimes he required a wrecking ball.
"Ah Vienna, how I missed your kind words. I would go on a fit of rage about treason if only I didn't know that should my death happen at your hands I will die with a full belly after a tasteful meal. Speaking of full bellies," Vienna raised her chin at the Kazekage as if thanking his acknowledgment of her chemistry skills, and Shin's gaze turned towards Raygo. "I should have you hanged for those words. I'm afraid we've run out of ropes strong enough to hold you by a noose tho, very much like last week. Truly I am ashamed, we've been postponing your death sentence for years now because of this issue. We don't even own a cell large enough to contain your fatass. I do apologize you've been made to wait at home."
Raygo's laughter echoed around the room, sounding oddly similar to war drums. "Ah! You better apologize you damned bastard. I've had to see the kiddo grow up for the last three years because of you. Little runt does nothing but shit and eat all day."
"Hopefully he doesn't eat where he shits?"
"If his father's doing the cooking I'm afraid he won't be able to tell the difference, the poor thing."
General laughter occurred, with Raygo's laughter making the ground tremble. All but the Kazekage laughed- Shin was not allowed such privilege inside this room, but he did permit himself a silent smile. He was home, and nothing in the world would ever replace these people nor the feeling of safety he felt when surrounded by them. But he knew this safety was an illusion- even when surrounded by friends, no ninja is ever truly safe. Thos who believed so in this world were usually either dead or dying. The laughter died as Shin raised his hand a little, to silence the group.
"So do tell me. What terribly urgent issue is there that justifies the emergency summon of this war council?"
"Who knows? Best ask lord o'batshitcrazy over there."
Lord o'batshitcrazy was none other than the one single man who didn't stand up when Shin entered the room. The Land of Wind's ruler and Riku's father, the Wind Daimyo. He had been chosen by the village eight years ago to fulfill that position and serve Kazehana interests in there, but things had begun to go off track once the man realized how much power he had. Or he thought he had.
"This is outrageous! Ridiculous! Unacceptable! Truly you cannot expect me to go along with this notion of yours!" The lord o'batshitcrazy was making due to his reputation. His voice was a loud shriek and the way he gestured when he spoke reminded Shin of a drowning pig. Alas, he needed to hear the man out.
"Calm down Lord Daimyo. Do tell me, what notion is this that troubles you so much?"
"This plan of yours regarding Iwagakure! It's insane! We've been battling these people for centuries, they hold lands that are rightfully mine! You cannot expect me to oblige to this." Shin's face hardened when he listened to those words. To his right, Riku let out an audible sigh.
"What I expect from you, Lord o'Wind, is obedience. And I will have it." Shin could be of a short height and childish appearance, but his gaze was incredibly threatening to those who knew what he was capable of. The Daimyo seemed shocked.
"I-I do not owe you obedience." he mustered up the courage to say. "I am the rightful ruler of the Land of Wind and I owe allegiance to no one. It is you who forgets his place." Shin's fists hardened around the solid wood knuckles of his chair.
"I forget my place?" Shin was almost amused by this man's courage. "Oh my... could it be you finally found the balls you used to make this one here?" he gestured towards Riku. "Wonderful. I could make use of another one like him." Although I suspect your wife found balls and what comes with them somewhere else. he thought but didn't speak. Some things were better left unsaid. Others, however...
"But let me remind you, my Lord, that my place did not fall upon my hands. That my place is at the head of the largest organized military force this country has seen in a thousand years. That my place is the reason your place exists. " The Daimyo's eyes widened at the sheer insolence. "You happen to occupy that position because I happen to have need of a political leader. A face, a hand to wave at people. I don't need you. I need your face. And as it happens, you are a man of a rather common face." The Wind Daimyo's face had lost its color. "The kind of face one could find upon the mines, or well impaled on a spike to feed the desert vultures."
"Y-you wouldn't. I-I have an army too." The Daimyo knew he had crossed a line and that now was too far to go back. It was only a matter of seeing how serious Shin was now.
"An army?" Shin raised an eyebrow. Truly, this man was amusing. "I assigned you that army, its numbers don't grow beyond the twenty. You have a house guard detachment. I have crushed ten times that with a single Shadow." Shin raised a finger.
One learns rather quickly that it is a matter to worry about when a puppet master moves their fingers. The Daimyo's eyes desperately ran across the room looking for the threat as he rose from his chair and walked back towards the door until his back hit the wood. Shin smiled.
"Apologies my Lord. I would never lift a finger against you." the tension on the Daymio's face seemed to disappear for an instant before Shin's face hardened again and he finished what he had to say. "I don't need a finger to crush you." A silent moment followed, during which no one was entirely sure of what to do or say.
"B-but I have a right to participate in the War Coun" "-The War Council is for those who know of war." Shin gestured towards the Daimyo once again, as the smile returned to his face. "Shoo now. Off you go, back to your palace." A single fnger was a bad sign, but a whole hand gesturing towards you as an apocalyptic omen. A quick movement, a *thud* sound and the door was closed with the Daimyo outside.
Riku let out another audible sigh. "I do apologize for my father's actions. He's a good man, although short-sighted."
"Don't. A man's actions are his own."
"Ditch the man. I'll be your father if yo'really one."
"A wonderful notion Raygo, but I really do need him to do more than eat and shit all day." The big man shrugged, and Rikou said nothing. It was Vienna who ended up breaking the silence.
"Perhaps it is time we end him and choose a more suitable candidate?" Her glance was upon Riku.
Shin didn't like the idea. "I'd rather not. He's a fool but useful in his own way. Let him keep waving at crowds, while Riku handles the administrative duties. Should other countries target him, we'll lose nothing."
"Back to the matters at hand then. This business with Iwagakure no Sato, are you certain it is the right idea?" Riku seemed happy to move on to another subject. Shin shrugged.
"I'm certain of very little. But the one thing I know for sure is that I'm tired of fighting over rocks."
"One has to wonder if the Tsuchikage feels the same."
"He will if he's an intelligent man. And no dumbass rises to such position on that viper nest of a village without intelligence. The Sand has nothing worth the military effort required to conquer it, and I honestly feel the same about Iwagakure."
"It's a matter of tradition really. Our ancestors ruled those lands once, some say we're honor-bound to get them back."
"To hell with our ancestors and their stone kingdoms. We can't grow food on stone. I won't spill our blood for a bunch of rocks. Let them have it."
"And if the Tsuchikage feels differently about Sunagakure? If he decides we *are* worth conquering?"
Shin smiled at Vienne. She always asked the questions that mattered.
"I've fought the man before. He's not that stupid. The math is relatively easy to make. And if he doesn't see it like that..." Shin shrugged again. "We'll go on with the tradition of murdering each other over rocks, I guess. It's a gamble I'm willing to take."
"And the other villages? Iwagakure is not the only other Great Nation out there. Some would argue it is even one of the weakest of the Five Great."
"The fools who say that of the Rock tend to tell the same tale about us. Do you think us weak? Alas, I'm not too worried about the other great nations for now. We'll establish lines of communication with all of them and consolidate our power, for now. We need to grow...Hopefully, Iwagakure will be interested in that as well."
And with that, the war council was done. Shin walked away from the table, leaving the Council and heading for his workshop. There was a terribly massive amount of work to do on the Shadows and himself before he was ready for this.
[EXIT]
This post details the political situation of Sunagakure right now, hopefully y'all can get involved in this at some point. If you think it's too long, read at least the dialogues for understanding what is going on~ I tried to make it as interesting as possible.
- Spoiler:
The Kazekage entered the room after having waited a rather long period of time. Sitting around the table was his war council. A group of men and women well acknowledged with not only the hardships of war but the difficulty of running a village. Despite this being a war council, what brought him here today was not a matter of war. Today was not about survival through power and military conquest. Today was about surviving through cunning and careful tactical maneuvering. At a young age of 21, Shin Kazehana understood the game well enough and was quite aware that before he could win battles against the foes who struck his walls, he first needed to win the battles inside the walls. And some of the fiercest battles of will ever fought happened within these four walls at the table of Sunagakure no Sato's Council Room.
As the Kazekage walked inside, he could feel the many eyes upon him as every man and woman at the table except one rose to their feet. Whether because he was young, of a short height, or an incredibly talented shinobi many eyes fell upon him. Some, Shin knew, fell on him like a predator's eyes fall upon a prey. But others looked at him in admiration and a select few with curiosity. It was Shin's job to not only run the village but be well aware of who was who, and who felt what in this council. Every shadow could hold a knife if he didn't know what its darkness hid.
"My lords. I trust none of you are planning to assassinate me on this lovely afternoon." He spoke, circling around the men and taking his seat at the far head of the table across the room. "If that is so, you may sit." They all did.
"Must you ask us every single time, Kazekage-sama? I assure you all of us are well aware violence is strictly forbidden inside this room." a voice spoke at his right side. Riku was a boy around his age, but who was far more than he'd let see at first sight. Shin was well aware of this man's superior intellect, comparable to his own, and that was why he occupied the first place at his right side. He wore a blue kimono which covered most of his body. It was a weird choice of attire, Shin noted once. Until Riku revealed how many knives can be hidden in the loose clothing of the simplest of kimonos.
"Ah yes, I have always found it rather peculiar how our War Councils are always held in a room where violence is prohibited. Sounds a bit counter-intuitive, no? " He didn't wait for an answer. "Alas, I must ask everytime. I know you didn't plan on taking my life last week, but it's been a few days now. You might have changed your mind, and I am intent on respecting that."
"Outside the room is fair game tho, right?" This time it was a woman's voice that spoke. Its tone was suggestive and provocative, and Shin couldn't help but lightly chuckle as his eyes met Viena Fogheart a couple of seats to his left. One of Sunagakure's most brilliant chemists, she was responsible for the death by poison of over a hundred men- that Shin knew of.
"No, not this week. It's my kid's birthday, I wouldn't want to spoil it with your week-long ass funeral. I'm free next week however, maybe we can arrange something?" A gigantic man was sitting right across from Vienna at his right side, also a couple of seats away from him. Raygo, the man was named. His huge size combined with the incredibly long beard that fell across his belly gave him a terrifying look. Despite having the appearance of a maniac, Shin knew Raygo's experience as a commander during field battles was unmatched. The man had begun a daily ritual of raiding and tearing apart Iwagakure's supply routes and watchtowers at the age of 12 and never stopped since then- until Shin forced him to. The man was not subtle, but sometimes he didn't require subtleness, sometimes he required a wrecking ball.
"Ah Vienna, how I missed your kind words. I would go on a fit of rage about treason if only I didn't know that should my death happen at your hands I will die with a full belly after a tasteful meal. Speaking of full bellies," Vienna raised her chin at the Kazekage as if thanking his acknowledgment of her chemistry skills, and Shin's gaze turned towards Raygo. "I should have you hanged for those words. I'm afraid we've run out of ropes strong enough to hold you by a noose tho, very much like last week. Truly I am ashamed, we've been postponing your death sentence for years now because of this issue. We don't even own a cell large enough to contain your fatass. I do apologize you've been made to wait at home."
Raygo's laughter echoed around the room, sounding oddly similar to war drums. "Ah! You better apologize you damned bastard. I've had to see the kiddo grow up for the last three years because of you. Little runt does nothing but shit and eat all day."
"Hopefully he doesn't eat where he shits?"
"If his father's doing the cooking I'm afraid he won't be able to tell the difference, the poor thing."
General laughter occurred, with Raygo's laughter making the ground tremble. All but the Kazekage laughed- Shin was not allowed such privilege inside this room, but he did permit himself a silent smile. He was home, and nothing in the world would ever replace these people nor the feeling of safety he felt when surrounded by them. But he knew this safety was an illusion- even when surrounded by friends, no ninja is ever truly safe. Thos who believed so in this world were usually either dead or dying. The laughter died as Shin raised his hand a little, to silence the group.
"So do tell me. What terribly urgent issue is there that justifies the emergency summon of this war council?"
"Who knows? Best ask lord o'batshitcrazy over there."
Lord o'batshitcrazy was none other than the one single man who didn't stand up when Shin entered the room. The Land of Wind's ruler and Riku's father, the Wind Daimyo. He had been chosen by the village eight years ago to fulfill that position and serve Kazehana interests in there, but things had begun to go off track once the man realized how much power he had. Or he thought he had.
"This is outrageous! Ridiculous! Unacceptable! Truly you cannot expect me to go along with this notion of yours!" The lord o'batshitcrazy was making due to his reputation. His voice was a loud shriek and the way he gestured when he spoke reminded Shin of a drowning pig. Alas, he needed to hear the man out.
"Calm down Lord Daimyo. Do tell me, what notion is this that troubles you so much?"
"This plan of yours regarding Iwagakure! It's insane! We've been battling these people for centuries, they hold lands that are rightfully mine! You cannot expect me to oblige to this." Shin's face hardened when he listened to those words. To his right, Riku let out an audible sigh.
"What I expect from you, Lord o'Wind, is obedience. And I will have it." Shin could be of a short height and childish appearance, but his gaze was incredibly threatening to those who knew what he was capable of. The Daimyo seemed shocked.
"I-I do not owe you obedience." he mustered up the courage to say. "I am the rightful ruler of the Land of Wind and I owe allegiance to no one. It is you who forgets his place." Shin's fists hardened around the solid wood knuckles of his chair.
"I forget my place?" Shin was almost amused by this man's courage. "Oh my... could it be you finally found the balls you used to make this one here?" he gestured towards Riku. "Wonderful. I could make use of another one like him." Although I suspect your wife found balls and what comes with them somewhere else. he thought but didn't speak. Some things were better left unsaid. Others, however...
"But let me remind you, my Lord, that my place did not fall upon my hands. That my place is at the head of the largest organized military force this country has seen in a thousand years. That my place is the reason your place exists. " The Daimyo's eyes widened at the sheer insolence. "You happen to occupy that position because I happen to have need of a political leader. A face, a hand to wave at people. I don't need you. I need your face. And as it happens, you are a man of a rather common face." The Wind Daimyo's face had lost its color. "The kind of face one could find upon the mines, or well impaled on a spike to feed the desert vultures."
"Y-you wouldn't. I-I have an army too." The Daimyo knew he had crossed a line and that now was too far to go back. It was only a matter of seeing how serious Shin was now.
"An army?" Shin raised an eyebrow. Truly, this man was amusing. "I assigned you that army, its numbers don't grow beyond the twenty. You have a house guard detachment. I have crushed ten times that with a single Shadow." Shin raised a finger.
One learns rather quickly that it is a matter to worry about when a puppet master moves their fingers. The Daimyo's eyes desperately ran across the room looking for the threat as he rose from his chair and walked back towards the door until his back hit the wood. Shin smiled.
"Apologies my Lord. I would never lift a finger against you." the tension on the Daymio's face seemed to disappear for an instant before Shin's face hardened again and he finished what he had to say. "I don't need a finger to crush you." A silent moment followed, during which no one was entirely sure of what to do or say.
"B-but I have a right to participate in the War Coun" "-The War Council is for those who know of war." Shin gestured towards the Daimyo once again, as the smile returned to his face. "Shoo now. Off you go, back to your palace." A single fnger was a bad sign, but a whole hand gesturing towards you as an apocalyptic omen. A quick movement, a *thud* sound and the door was closed with the Daimyo outside.
Riku let out another audible sigh. "I do apologize for my father's actions. He's a good man, although short-sighted."
"Don't. A man's actions are his own."
"Ditch the man. I'll be your father if yo'really one."
"A wonderful notion Raygo, but I really do need him to do more than eat and shit all day." The big man shrugged, and Rikou said nothing. It was Vienna who ended up breaking the silence.
"Perhaps it is time we end him and choose a more suitable candidate?" Her glance was upon Riku.
Shin didn't like the idea. "I'd rather not. He's a fool but useful in his own way. Let him keep waving at crowds, while Riku handles the administrative duties. Should other countries target him, we'll lose nothing."
"Back to the matters at hand then. This business with Iwagakure no Sato, are you certain it is the right idea?" Riku seemed happy to move on to another subject. Shin shrugged.
"I'm certain of very little. But the one thing I know for sure is that I'm tired of fighting over rocks."
"One has to wonder if the Tsuchikage feels the same."
"He will if he's an intelligent man. And no dumbass rises to such position on that viper nest of a village without intelligence. The Sand has nothing worth the military effort required to conquer it, and I honestly feel the same about Iwagakure."
"It's a matter of tradition really. Our ancestors ruled those lands once, some say we're honor-bound to get them back."
"To hell with our ancestors and their stone kingdoms. We can't grow food on stone. I won't spill our blood for a bunch of rocks. Let them have it."
"And if the Tsuchikage feels differently about Sunagakure? If he decides we *are* worth conquering?"
Shin smiled at Vienne. She always asked the questions that mattered.
"I've fought the man before. He's not that stupid. The math is relatively easy to make. And if he doesn't see it like that..." Shin shrugged again. "We'll go on with the tradition of murdering each other over rocks, I guess. It's a gamble I'm willing to take."
"And the other villages? Iwagakure is not the only other Great Nation out there. Some would argue it is even one of the weakest of the Five Great."
"The fools who say that of the Rock tend to tell the same tale about us. Do you think us weak? Alas, I'm not too worried about the other great nations for now. We'll establish lines of communication with all of them and consolidate our power, for now. We need to grow...Hopefully, Iwagakure will be interested in that as well."
And with that, the war council was done. Shin walked away from the table, leaving the Council and heading for his workshop. There was a terribly massive amount of work to do on the Shadows and himself before he was ready for this.
[EXIT]
