The Abe Clan

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"Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind." - Abe Seimei

The Abe Clan

Country Of Origin:

  So No Kuni | The Land Of Ancestors | 祖の国

Village Of Residence:

  Iwagakure no Sato | The Village Hidden in the Stone | 岩隠れの里

Clan Progenitor

• Abe Shunzai

Clan Head:

• Abe Yasuna

Clan Status:

• Near Extinct: Though the Abe clan's lineage stretched far back into the hazy eras of great antiquity, they were never particularly prevalent as shinobi and it was widely believed that they were at their strongest a thousand years ago when the clan practiced Ninshu alongside the Sage of Six Paths and his children. Over the generations their strength diluted, and they shifted from a powerful clan to guardians of that which they held sacred. Today the clan name is barely known with very few entering the life of a shinobi, and those that do often don't possess a strong enough connection with the spirit world to form bonds.

Clan Age:

• Ancient; The Abe clan can trace its roots back to the earliest times in recorded history, and were among some of the first humans on the Earth to possess chakra. Over the course of their existence, the clan chose to use their abilities to act as historians, preserving the information of the ninja world during times when many were trying to burn everything down. Their deep respect for history fuels their deep respect for their ancestors. 

Clan Emblem:

 

 

 

Clan Bloodline:

 Hyōi Gattai | Possession Coalescence | 憑依合体

 

Clan Element:

Abe Hijutsu | Abe Secret Techniques | 安倍秘術

 

 

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 Clan History:

 

In a time of legends, when the God Tree connected the world of man and gods, Abe Shunza lived in The Land of Ancestors. The young woman grew up poor, working for her feudal lord in rice farms, when she discovered that she was developing a strange power. She came to her lord seeking guidance, but the lord did not know what to do with her. He suggested that she travel to the God Tree and seek the infinity wisdom of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya to aid her in her plight. So Shunza traveled to the God Tree, passing great distances and trials, finally to arrive. After requesting audience with Ōtsutsuki Kaguya three times, and three times being turned away, Shunza came to a small lake near the base of the tree. Here she sat, not knowing what to do next as she didn't understand these strange things she heard or saw. It was here that she came across a glorious golden carp that glowed with the light of the sun. The carp came to her and asked her why she was here, crying at the side of its lake. Shunza explained that she didn't understand what was happening to her or what she should do. The carp nodded, contemplating the young woman's plight, before finally suggesting that she join him in the lake. Unsure of what else to do, Shunza waded into the center of the lake, following the carp's bright glow. As she passed into the water though, she found that instead of a lake she came to be in another place of being, the world of souls. Here were all the souls of beings that had passed, and as she spoke to them in turn she came to realize that it was their voices that she heard and their faces that she saw in the corner of her eyes. It was then that she learned that her ability was a bridge to the world of souls, and that in this she could help those souls pass on to the beyond. Shunza spent many weeks in the world of souls, speaking to each soul that wished to see her, and in this time she aided many in their passing. With each soul she gained more knowledge and insight into the world of souls, and by the end of nintey nine days she had learned all that she could of the world of souls. Wishing to once again see her family, Shunza left the world but promised to visit at least once a year to aid the souls in their passing. As she crossed the lake once more back to the world of the living she found Ōtsutsuki Kaguya waiting for her at the shore of the lake. Kaguya asked Shunza where she had been, and Shunza told Kaguya of her journey. Ōtsutsuki Kaguya nodded, impressed by the story, and decided to take Shunza in as one of her favored. From then on, the decedents of Abe Shunza have had the ability to reach the world of souls and see those that have passed on.

 

The tale of Abe Shunza is a tradition passed down through the Abe clan, and though the truth of it is unknown it is believed that the woman did exist at the time of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. Whether her gifts of chakra and abilities were given directly from Ōtsutsuki Kaguya or if she gained them later after the first humans gained the gift of chakra is unknown, but the ancestry from that time to today is known and an Abe clan member can trace their lineage back 1000 years to Abe Shunza. Over the generations as The Land of Ancestors passed into time and disappeared the Abe clan formed the Senzoshinden (lit. Ancestor Temple Shrine 先祖新田) in the land that would eventually become Tsuchi no Kuni. The clan was never focused on combat or martial arts, but over the generations there were monks of the Abe clan who bonded spirits of marital prowess and lent their aid to causes they believed in.

 

When Iwagakure no Sato was formed they approached the Abe Clan to seek their power to join their forces. The clan head of the time declined, not wanting to use their connect to the world of souls for war, but allowed individuals to join as the clan felt strongly that the individual should choose their own path. It was not until the Second Shinobi War that a man by the name of Abe Masatsugu became famous for his renown with the sword. It was Masatsugu who forged a more concrete alliance between the Abe Clan and Iwagakure and since then the two have worked more closely together, though the Abe Clan still does not force any individuals into service of the village. 

 

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 Noteworthy Clansmen:

 

Abe Non-Ninja:

 

• Abe Shunzai | Deceased

Gender: Female

Role: Clan Progenitor

Information: Shunzai is more of a mythological figure than an actual person in depiction, though it is thought that she did actually exist. Tales speak of her moving mountains and creating bridges to the world of souls, actions that made her favored by the Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. The clan's proximity to Kaguya is said to be the reason why they have been bestowed with such a strong connection to their ancestors and the world of souls. 

 

• Abe Yasuna

Gender: Male

Role: Kannushi | Clan Head

Information: Abe Yasuna is the current Kannushi of Senzoshinden, the position that is analogous to the clan head of the Abe clan. He oversees the operations of the temple as well as the clan that resides within. While the majority of his duties are related to the temple itself and relations outside of shinobi life, Yasuna does often converse with the hidden village as the relationship benefits both and maintaining it is in both groups interest. It is very uncommon for Yasuna himself to leave the temple, and if he does another is appointed to oversee the temple in his absence. Abe Yasuna is a no-nonsense type of person, which a deep respect for his clan, ancestors, and everything they represent. He does not stand for insult, but he is also very slow to conflict. He never had any shinobi training, being raised and taught within the temple and having traveled briefly in his youth.

 

• Abe Sadato

Gender: Male

Role: Clan Ambassador

Information: Abe Sadato is the younger brother to Abe Yasuna, and the official head of the clan embassy within Iwagakure no Sato. As the head of the embassy he is responsible for the Abe clan members who have joined the shinobi life, but his primary duty is to maintain correlation and relationships with the village itself. Though Sadato takes his job seriously, he is prone to forgetfulness and procrastination, often running him into trouble that he is forced to work twice as hard to fix.

 

Abe Sennin:

 

• Abe Masatsugu | Deceased

Gender: Male

Shinobi Rank: Sennin

Specialization: Kenjutsu

Information: Abe Masatsugu is the most famous historical ninja of the Abe clan. Due to their focus on the temple and desire to stay a separate entity outside of the shinobi world the Abe clan itself does not speak of Masatsugu as a hero for his brave acts in war. They do however credit Masatsugu creating the strong relationship with Iwagakure no Sato, a relationship that has benefited the clan greatly over the generations since it was formed. Abe Masastsugu was a renown sword master and was credited with winning many decisive battles in the second and third shinobi wars. He was killed in battle during the third shinobi war by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

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 Cultural Information:

 

Clan Traits:

• The Abe clan traditionally has dark hair and dark eyes, but has shifted over the years as it allows its clan members to choose their own lots in life. Abe clan members come in all shapes and sizes, though they do have a general trend for early balding in males and shortness in females.

 

Clan Outlook:

• The Abe clan is one of deep tradition, looking to the past and their ancestors for guidance in all things. While they are relatively easy to get along with, they will not associate with anyone they deem a heretic- most often those that reject religion or the idea of the past not connecting to current day. 

 

Clan Professions:

• Most members of the Abe clan end up becoming monks either for Senzoshinden or other shrines across the land of Tsuchi no Kuni. While Senzoshinden is the only temple that is owned by the Abe clan, the clan is a well known name in the world of shinto religion and is often welcomed as heads of shrines and guardians of grounds across the nation. It is not uncommon to come across an Abe when visiting a shrine. 

 

Clan Temple: 

• Senzoshinden (lit. Ancestor Temple Shrine 先祖新田) is the ancestral home of the Abe clan and is located on the northern coast of Tsuchi no Kuni along the Northern Sea. The temple itself is up in the mountains and surrounded by trees, about an hour hike outside of the nearest village. The temple itself has stood for eight hundred years, being the place where the clan settled naturally after generations without a single place to call home. Almost all Abe clan members are raised here, taught the history of the clan and schooled in all areas of study until they come of age. The temple itself is a shrine built to their ancestors as well as the kami of family and history. 

 

Clan Embassy:

• The clan has a small estate that they refer to as their embassy withing Iwagakure no Sato. It consists of three medium sized buildings within a walled section on the edge of a residential district. The embassy is where the official ambassador for the clan resides, and also where members of the clan that have joined the shinobi life will often live as well. Some members of the clan in the past have lived outside of the embassy, but because of their upbringing and strong connection to their clan and family, most end up living within estates with others of their clan. 

 

Communicating with Spirits:

• The Abe have the unique ability to be able to reach into the world of the dead and communicate with spirits that have not yet passed to what lays beyond. While the bond with an individual spirit is well known as the Abe can talk to and see the spirit they bond, the clan members are able to communicate with all spirits in limited ways. An Abe can pick another Abe who has bonded a spirit out in a crowd as they can sense their spirit. Strong emotions of spirits makes an impression on an Abe and they are able to make rudimentary communication in this way. In rare cases of very raw emotion a spirit could even make itself vaguely visible to an Abe, but only for fleeting moments. The most successful spirit mediums in the Abe are not only ones who have honed their ability to feel emotions and sense spirits, but ones who have trained in empathy to be able to translate the subtle emotions and feelings they get from those who have passed. So while an Abe can only directly see and speak with the one spirit they have bonded, they are able to feel the presence and emotions of any spirit.

 

Iwagakure no Sato Relationship:

• The Abe Clan and Iwagakure no Sato have a relationship that consists of the Abe Clan allowing Iwagakure no Sato to recruit those willing of the clan to become ninja while also being able to consult the clan and the spirits that have passed for wisdom and guidance. In return, Iwagakure no Sato assures that Senzoshinden gains certain protections from those that may try and harm them while also giving them access to trade and freedom of movement within Tsuchi no Kuni that is not afforded to many.

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 Clan Skills:

• Hyōi Gattai | Possession Coalescence | 憑依合体

 

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 Clan Techniques:

• Hyōi Bunshin no Jutsu | 憑依分身の術 | Possession Clone

 

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 Clan Items:

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 Clan Rules:

 

 

 

Clan Positions:

• The Abe clan has a maximum of three (3) available positions at any time.

 

Clan Character Rules:

• Abe clan members must have grown up within the temple.
• Abe clan members may not be created outside of Iwagakure No Sato, and if they are they are considered a missing ninja.
• Any missing ninja of the Abe clan will be marked for death by the clan, and village.

 

Clan Roster:

• Position One | Abe Miho | [ Tw33dle | Iwa ]
• Position Two | Open
• Position Three | Open

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