The Namikaze Clan:.

[Eechi-go]

.:The Namikaze Clan:.

 

 

波風

.:Village: The Namikaze are wanderers, and as such, can be found in many different places all over the world. Primarily, however, the remaining families exist in Konohagakure, Kirigakure, and Otogakure.
.:Clan Founder: Though there is no official founder, Namikaze Bodaiju is looked upon as the one who brought the clan into prominence.
.:Clan Head: In the past, the clan head in each village has been a volunteer decision. A Clan head only serves for as long as they wish  - they can step down at any point, and the position isn't automatically inherited by their son or daughter. Recently, however, the clan has been lacking in families settling down next to one another, and many had perished during the rise of the NCIA. As such, the families have not come together to volunteer new leaders.
.:Clan Age: The Namikaze existed as a people even before the First Great Shinobi War. Though much of their history prior has been lost due to the damage done to their homeland, it is certain that they existed for as long as some of the most ancient clans.

.:Clan Status: The Namikaze are very well known and very well respected for their exploits in history due to them having a hand in the creation of two different shinobi villages. Though they have garnered many enemies due to the wars of long ago, the Namikaze are a family of artists and craftsmen first and foremost who strive to create rather than destroy. This lack of drive to conquer and gain power may be the cause of their diminished presence in the world; with the clan being less concerned about maintaining their legacy and more concerned with living peaceful, carefree lives.
.:Clan Bloodline:  N/A
.:Clan Element: Wind/Water

 

 

.:Clan Emblem:.

 

 

[Kiri, Konoha, and Oto Branch symbols respectively]

 

 

.:Clan History:.

 

 

.:Paradise of Wave and Wind:.

 

The Namikaze were always a simple folk.

 

No one can say for sure how or when they got there, but the first Namikaze lived on an island in the middle of the Eastern Oceans hundreds of years ago. The island was their entire world, and it was lush enough to support the humble population that lived on it. The early Namikaze lived as a carefree tribal society that believed that the most powerful forces in the world existed as the crashing waves and whipping winds that surrounded them. They witnessed firsthand the terrifying storms that took place when the sea and sky went blank with anger and decided to appease the elements by appreciating the gifts that nature brought them.The Namikaze became artisans- crafting woodwinds and stringed instruments as tribute to the elements such as ocarinas and kotos. These instruments appeared ceremonial in use, used only to celebrate the humble life they lead on their lonely yet peaceful island. At one point in time the Namikaze eventually learned how to manipulate the sky and the sea with chakra- picking up on the art of ninjutsu without any real guidance. Their usage of the elements were never laced with any malcontent, and instead were only used to support their way of life by assisting with the procurement of food and protecting the dwellings they lived in. Yet despite all they had learned, the early Namikaze showed no desire to leave their precious homeland.

 

But that all changed when the world finally found them.

 

When the First Great Shinobi War took the world by storm, it seemed as if no part of the globe was truly safe from the conflict. Mizu no Kuni was no different. In an attempt to gather support for their cause, a faction of clans from the mainland would begin traversing the Eastern Oceans to find more land to conquer. Eventually this faction stumbled across the Namikaze's peaceful little island, which had been completely undiscovered previously. In an attempt to subjugate the Namikaze the faction would attempt a hostile takeover of their island, violently lashing out at the passive men and women who had never seen a day of fighting in their lives. Yet despite the overwhelming advantage in skill, the Namikaze were the undisputed masters of their world- wielding both water and wind to such a proficient degree that all invaders had been repelled with a strength that the humble islanders never knew they had. Though they were inevitably victorious in driving out the invaders from their homeland, it came at a terrible price- the opposing faction had decided to flood and damage a vast majority of the island's crops before they were defeated, leaving the Namikaze with a homeland that could no longer support them.

 

This battle ultimately split the Namikaze apart forever.

 

 

.:Path of the Spiral:.

 

With their homeland decimated and unable to support them, the Namikaze stood at the precipice of collapsing on themselves. Many of the clansmen were traumatized by the violence they witnessed and inflicted on the invaders, while others were enraged by the suffering inflicted upon them. They knew now that the elements they wielded were capable of a great many things, and quite a few of the Namkaze were dedicated to finding the place these invaders came from and putting a stop to them once and for all. On the other hand, there was a great many clansmen who wanted nothing to do with getting revenge for their homeland and simply wanted to find a new home so they could return to their peaceful roots. Arguments broke out between the remaining clansmen as they struggled to agree on a single decision, but time ran out and their remaining supplies were dwindling. For the first time in their history there would be no agreement- the clan would drift apart to find a new home on their own terms.

 

The aggressive, vengeful members of the clan were stirred up by a young man by the name of Namikaze Bodaiju. His charisma and staunch defense of the island during the skirmish earned him the respect of the kin who wanted nothing more than to bring justice to those who dare invade their home. After looting through the sundered ships of their enemies, maps were found detailing the lands discovered by the invaders that indicated that their homeland was a place known as 'Mizu no Kuni'. Its landmass was several times the size of their own, quaint island, so it was deemed to be an acceptable location to settle in once they had retaliated against the rogue invaders that lived there.
 

The passive, peaceful members of the clan were larger in number in comparison to their angered kin, but had no real leader pushing them in any one direction. After overlooking the salvaged maps, these clansmen showed an interest in the gargantuan landmass to the west labeled as 'Hi no Kuni'. There was nothing on the maps to indicate that any of the invaders originated from said land, so it was widely accepted to be the safer and wiser location to build a new home, despite the fact that it was a longer journey. Before long there was consensus.

 

The clan continued to work together as they rebuilt and re-purposed the shattered boats of their enemies to function as acceptable vehicles, but once their small 'armada' was complete, the clansmen would say their final, tear-filled goodbyes before sailing off in opposite directions to find their destiny.

 

.:Forging the Brotherhood of the Mists:.

 

Despite their lack of knowledge in the field of navigation, Bodaiju's Namikaze would have a relatively safe journey to the land of Mizu no Kuni.

 

Managing to avoid torrential storms and rogue waves, the Namikaze would eventually land on the southernmost shore of Mizu no Kuni in an immense valley. Claiming this land as their own, the Namikaze began building their new homes along the shore while the self-proclaimed warriors, lead by Bodaiju, ventured outside of the valley to survey the new world they had landed on. It would not be long before they warriors stumbled upon a six-pronged conflict between the warring clans of Mizu no Kuni. Umikaze, Hisame, Hoshigaki, Kaguya, Hosui and Zandoran- all of them enemies with no intentions of seeing the Namikaze as anything other than a threat. Before they knew it the Namikaze had been dragged into a war that was embroiled by centuries of bad blood. Their new home would constantly be attacked by the various clans, but thankfully the whipping winds of the valley would always cut their invasion plans short combined with Bodaiju's vigilant leadership. The Namikaze were always capable of holding their home, but it seemed as though they would never know peace so long as Mizu no Kuni continued to perpetuate the endless cycle of war.

 

Years would pass, and Bodaiju would begin to grow wise. Nothing had changed for the better since they landed in the valley. As a matter of fact, things had only gotten worse as some of his clansmen also became embroiled in this war with no chance of backing down until they were the only ones left in the country. Rather than continue to rally his people into battle, Bodaiju began to approach each clan by himself. Knowing full well that the opposing clans had no interest in diplomacy or politics, Bodaiju instead decided to appeal to each clan's sense of honor. Bodaiju came to the clans one by one and issued them each a challenge- bring forth their strongest and most skilled swordsman to face him in single combat, blade against blade. If Bodaiju won, the swordsman would have to submit to the Namikaze and join his brotherhood. Of course, if he lost then his own life would be forfeit. None of the clans could resist this chance to take out an opposing leader, and thus they all agreed to the terms.

 

One by one the opposing swordsmen fell to Bodaiju's blades, and one by one his brotherhood grew. The battles would be remembered in history through song and folklore, and even some of the more skeptical clans believed that nothing short of a divine being's influence enabled the Namikaze's wrath to come down upon them. Eventually Bodaiju had defeated a swordsman from every single prominent clan, thus creating a brotherhood of seven. Though the group had a rough start, they all eventually became friendly and forged a strong bond between them. This friendship eventually spilled into each of the clans, easing the tensions that started this endless war. Though the battles between the seven clans became less numerous, the weaker clans would find no solace in this temporary alliance as they had no representation. Peace was close, but still slightly out of their grasp.

 

That was when Bodaiju called a summit between the clans.

 

Together, Bodaiju with his brotherhood and the other representatives of their clans, met in their own personal sanctuary to discuss the future of Mizu no Kuni. It was clear that despite all the progress they had made thus far there was no end in sight to the warring unless they did something drastic. Bodaiju proposed the creation of a village where all of the clans of Mizu no Kuni could unite under a single banner and live in peace and prosperity together. Though the idea was sound, it was ultimately a pipe dream unless the seven clans could hold enough power and influence to sway and scare the other, smaller clans into letting go of their pointless grudges. Not to be deterred, the leader of the Namikaze put forth the idea of subduing and sealing the mysterious Bijuu that also shared the land with them- the Sanbi. Yet even that was a significant hurdle seeing as how not even an army was able to fell the beast. They would need powerful weapons to beat back the Bijuu and claim it for their own.

 

And thus, the commission was made.

 

All seven clans pooled their resources together, and together under the careful craftsmanship of Zandoran Koginu, the seven legendary swords were forged. Each member of the brotherhood received a single blade that represented them and their clans. For Zandoran Koginu himself, Kubikiribōchō, for Hosui Sensu, Kiteki, for Hoshigaki Koukou-zame, Samehada, for Hisame Harugo, Kakuyuki, for Kaguya Shirayuri, Geikotsu, for Umikaze Wararu, Ensui, and finally, for Namikaze Bodaiju, Hiramekarei.

 

With Namikaze Bodaiju as their leader, the brotherhood took on the name 'The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist'. Together they would confront the powerful Sanbi, and after a long and exhausting battle the Seven were able to lure the Sanbi to their sanctuary for sealing. By spending their own blood, the seven would create a powerful seal that imprisoned the massive beast inside Umikaze Wararu, who volunteered to become the demon's host. With the power of a Bijuu at their command, seven prominent clans, as well as the seven legendary swords, it would be a simple task to strong-arm the remaining clans into joining the fold. Finally, Mizu no Kuni had been united, and in time, Bodaiju's dream would become a reality as Kirigakure no Sato was finally founded. All of the other clans acknowledged that without him and the Namikaze's intervention they'd all be in a much darker place, and so the people crowned Bodaiju as their Shodai Mizukage.

 

And so, the rest of Kirigakure's existence is history. A grand majority of the Namikaze moved into the village once it was constructed, but those who chose to live a life of peace now that the war was over decided to remain in the valley in which they first set foot, naming it the 'Valley of the Namikaze'.

 

 

.:Fanning the Will of Fire:.

 

The peace-loving Namikaze would meet great adversity right out of the gate.

 

Like their counterparts, they knew little about sailing the great blue seas. Due to how far away their destination was, the Namikaze ended up running into some trouble as they sailed into uncharted and dangerous waters. Many storms would tear them apart, occasionally separating and capsizing the ships that they sailed. Some were lucky enough to be scattered to the eastern continents and islands. Most who were separated would not survive, unfortunately. By the time the clan managed to reach Hi no Kuni they had already lost almost half of those they had left the island with. To make matters worse, it seemed like they had only walked into another land full of conflict, as the clans in this area were also warring. Thankfully, their first contact would be between the Senju and the Uzumaki. Both clans were fighting in this war, but they both fought for peace rather than to avenge long standing conflicts. The Senju in particular discussed and interest in creating a village in which all the clans could unite under and bring peace to the land. The Namikaze shared a similar interest, and as such were recruited by the Senju to help improve their war effort on the condition that they would not be forced to act on the front lines.

 

And so their alliance was formed, like so many others who followed in the path that the Senju created. The Namikaze supported their comrades by putting their excellent craftsmanship to work by forging weapons, armors, and other tools that could be utilized on the battlefield. Although the Senju kept their end of the bargain by not forcing the Namikaze on the front lines, there were times when the enemy managed to break through their defenses. It is said that this is when the Namikaze first began to use their instruments as weapons. Their guitars were made of such sturdy and solid wood that they were fully capable of parrying blows against blades, while those who carried ocarinas and other woodwinds relied on quick ballads that stirred the gusts around them into deafening gusts.

 

Eventually some of the Namikaze began to stand up and fight alongside their brethren, bringing their guitars and woodwinds to war, occasionally acting as bards who played music to help inspire their comrades. After a couple years of conflict they provided the edge that allowed the Senju to overwhelm the Uchiha, thus leading to the creation of Konohagakure no Sato. The Namikaze continued to be instrumental in the construction of the village, supporting it all the way until it was capable of standing up on its own. From there, the clan began to rest comfortably within the walls of the village they helped build. They remained so passive that some clans even forgot they existed until Namikaze Minato became the Yondaime Hokage almost 100 years later. His rule, while eventful, was cut short, and the Namikaze once again fell out of the spotlight as quickly as they took it.

 

 

.:To the Present and Beyond:.

 

While the Namikaze aren't talked about as much in there here and now, that is not to say that they have gone extinct just yet. Many of the clansmen have died in the various wars that plagued the world after the creation of the shinobi villages, and the Kumogakure Invasion was no different. Due to their reputation for unexpected comebacks and their good luck streak when it comes to winning wars, many of them were simply slaughtered rather than spared. The Kirigakure population in particular suffered heavy losses during the war, with only about ten or fifteen members left alive by the end of it. The Konohagakure Namikaze suffered many losses as well, however, it is difficult to count due to the constant shifting of family names. It is hypothesized that there are only about 50 or so pure-blooded Namikaze left in the world, and many of them no longer live on this continent, let alone in the shinobi villages.

 

The only other village in which the Namikaze have any prominence is within Otogakure no Sato. Thanks to a young, rebellious boy by the name of Namikaze Raizen choosing to travel the world as a bard rather than taking up the life of a shinobi, the influence of the Namikaze has spread further than expected. Though he took on the surname 'Kinsen' to cut all familial ties to avoid clashing with enemies of the clan, in time it would be revealed in later years during the Kumogakure Invasion that he and his spouse Haruka were both Namikaze, with her hailing from Konohagakure. However, it was their son Rasen who eventually gained popularity due to his actions in the Battle of Kusagakure, Kirigakure, Otogakure, and his title of Hachinin that rose the Namikaze to prominence in Otogakure. Though there are just barely three generations worth of the family, Otogakure may yet become the new home of these artistic men and women.

 

 

 

.:Clan Relations:.

 

• - Allied

• - Neutrality
• - Enmity | Hatred

 

 

.:Konoha Relations:.

 

• - Senju

• - Uzumaki

• - Sarutobi

• - Hyuuga

• - Yamanaka

• - Nara

• - Akimichi

• - Aburame

• - Inuzuka

• - Kinamoto

• - Xiao

• - Yobayashi

• - Uchiha

• - Shiro-Akuma

 

 

.:Kirigakure Relations:.

 

• - Hisame

• - Hoshigaki

• - Zandoran

• - Suizuma

• - Umikoi

• - Kaguya

• - Hozuki

• - Raigeki

 

 

.:Otogakure Relations:.

 

• - Kaguya

• - Naiyume

• - Dorobou

• - Senjin

• - Fuuma

• - Getsuei Odoriko

• - Hagemasu

• - Darksol

• - Tsuchigumo

 

.:Clan Slots:.

 

[[Note; Entry to the clan will be approved on a case-by-case basis. The character in question must be pitched to Eechi-go before a clan slot will be offered. Expect changes to the history to have them fit better.]]

 

1. Namikaze 'Raz' Rasen

2. Namikaze 'Izzy' Azrael

3.

4.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Eechi-go

[Eechi-go]

.:Namikaze Culture and Oddities:.

 

 

.:Spiral Eyes:.

 

 

It is unknown when the first spiral eyes cropped up in the Namikaze. Ancient artwork of the old world clansmen indicates that it was not an incredibly common mutation among ancestors. Despite their unique appearance there has never been any indication that the eyes are a dormant Doujutsu. It should be noted that the spiral eyes have become slightly more common nowadays, but only tend to surface in Namikaze who tend to have greater blood purity. That isn't to say that Namikaze with diluted blood never adopt the eyes either, making this a very curious genetics case. The Namikaze tend to believe that those born with the spiral eyes will become extraordinarily powerful and go on to do great things in their lifetime. Though Namikaze without the eyes have also gone on to accomplish great things, there has been very little evidence that proves this belief to be false.

 

 

.:Spiral/Wind Designs:.

 

 

Similar to the Uzumaki, the Namikaze have always shown a great affinity for the spiral design. The marking symbolizes both wind and wave alike, acting as a perfect banner for the Namikaze to rally under. The symbol also stands for the duality of unity- with two opposites coming together for converge at a single point. It also symbolizes the Namikaze themselves, as the symbol can be perceived as two forms splitting apart in different directions. Above all, the spiral symbolizes life and moving forward.

 

 

 

Namikaze jewelry almost always features the spiral design that the clan is so well known for. In ancient times these pieces were carved as a tribute to the elements that surrounded the clansmen. As such, stylistic designs of wind and/or water were typically featured. Another famous example of Namikaze jewlery is called a 'wind chime necklace', as seen below. True to its name, these necklaces are similar in appearance to wind chimes and function similarly when a gust of wind catches hold of it. The older style of necklace was made out of wood and gemstones, creating a more tribalistic appearance until the Namikaze finally joined the rest of the world. These new age necklaces tend to be made from precious metals, allowing the individual 'strands' to softly chime when knocked against one another.

 

 

 

.:Namikaze Instruments:.

 

 

Woodwinds were very popular amongst the ancient Namikaze, as they were typically used for ceremonial purposes in celebration of the elements. Ocarinas like the one pictured above were typically fashioned from the various resources around the island. Primarily, however, the Namikaze favored sea shells, as they tended to come in all shapes and sizes that would lend themselves to create interesting looking instruments.

 

 

Wood, obviously, was another popular choice of material, typically resulting in spiral didgeridoos. The trees found on the island were very sensitive to chakra, which allowed Namikaze who were proficient in wind techniques to amplify and alter the sound-waves that were released from the woodwinds. Some of the more prolific artists would go out of their way to carve or paint unique designs onto their individual instrument so further emphasize their individuality.

 

 

Namikaze guitars were few and far between in the past, but eventually became prevalent in the modern day world due to an abundance of resources. Due to how much time, effort, and love was required to make a sufficient guitar, only the most skilled artisans ever attempted to make one for themselves. Wood was primarily used in their creation, although the bones of particularly large sea creatures were also used to make the bodies a bit sturdier, and also provided a unique pitch. Though the user of guitars as weapons never quite took off in Mizu no Kuni, the Namikaze who landed in Hi no Kuni began to swear by their guitars as their first and last line of defense. Otogakurian Namikaze in particular use guitars to their advantage by condensing and releasing sound-waves upon impact with a target. Depending on the skill of the Namikaze this has the potential to send an opponent skyward bound, and in the more violent scenarios- blow the flesh right off of their bones.

 

 

 

.:Namikaze Architecture:.

 

 

The Namikaze were quite fond of the elements they were named after, and as such, their architecture keeps that in mind. Buildings that didn't act as homes were kept as 'open-air' as physically possible, and were also built close to water, be it by the ocean or the water sources around the innermost points of the island. These buildings were also lit to give off an aura of 'warmth' that would be inviting to those who stepped inside. Comfort and relaxation were always on the top of the Namikaze's priority list when it came to their abodes.

 

Edited April 13, 2015 by Eechi-go

[Eechi-go]

Reserved:.

[Rei]

Approved. 

[Cellar Door]

Adurdurphurrrrrrrr