Sanosuke Clan

The symbol of the Sanosuke Confederation.

*"Nothing warms one as good as a good company, food and drink. And a forge!"*

The Sanosuke clan is one of the Great Clans of the Lightning Country. Though they call themselves Hyrlings, which derives from the name Horic - which lead the first group of Sanosuke to their current homelands after a long and troublesome voyage. Rivals to the Hojo and Alaricus clans, the Sanosuke have been anything but on friendly terms with their southern neighbours. Known as capable smiths and fighters, the Sanosuke are also respected as dreaded by their skills as navigators and sailors. The Sanosuke people are considered a sub-division from the Chonobi culture.

## Traits

* Capable craftsmen, often skilled smiths, artisans and regarded as a creative folk.
* Most have an affinity towards either Earth or Fire Release,
* It is assumed to be a trait of theirs, but it isn't really a trait, but many suspect that a lot of Sansouke have red hair.
* Despite not located near other Chonobi cultures and clans, the Sanosuke share the same ancestory and still uphold some Chonobi traditions as manners.

## History

The Sanosuke clan came into existence as the Chonobi Migration landed. For the Sanosuke it was landing on the northern regions of the present day Lightning country.

Much like their cousins that landed south, the Sanosuke aggressively expanded their dominion. In time, the clan started to grow as their grip on the land as influence expanded. While the land was rough and not that great when it came down to fertility, there were enough resources. The mountains as highlands provided minerals of good quality while the woods provided timber. The Sanosuke were able to even subjugate and assimilate most of the Taika that they encountered. At first, the interactions with their not assimilated subjects were rough. But as they established their dominance, the earliest Sanosuke leaders were able to wipe out most resistance against the assimilation.

From the point that the Sanosuke Clan had reached most of their current day's expanse, they remained mostly at peace with their close neighbours. Nomads were somewhat tolerated as they brought trade and coin - as knowledge from events that occurred past the borders of the Sanosuke clan lands. At least, so far one can really say that the Sanosuke was at peace. Much like their forefathers, the Sanosuke would turn to the sea. Aboard their fast and reliable ships, they continued to be a scourge of the northern seas. Ravaging and raiding coasts from the present day Earth Country to the shores of the Eastern Continent.

### Warring Times

The Warring Clans Era was a busy one for the Sanosuke clan. Tension and friction with the likes of the Hojo kept them in a wary state. Various conflicts broke out but never did a clear victor emerged from either side. The Sanosuke clan continued their raiding ways while contesting with other clans. As evident by their power and influence in the present day, the Sanosuke survived the turbulent era pretty well. They would eventually submit to the established Lightning Country.

Five major wars were fought with the Hojo:

* The First Hojo-Sanosuke War, 192 - 212

* The Second Hojo-Sanosuke War, 220 - 240

* The Third Hojo-Sanosuke War, 260 - 287

* The Fourth Hojo-Sanosuke War, 295- 302

* The Fifth Hojo-Sanosuke War, 316 - 325

### Rise of the Cloud

At the time that the Hidden Cloud was founded, the Sanosuke clan had managed to establish a treaty that they would supply the village with craftsmen. Though at first, the clans had no interest in joining the village as they only saw it as a valuable customer, the clan started to shift their seat to a given compound in the ever-growing hub that we know as Kumogakure today.

With the start of the Great War, the Sanosuke clan didn't join in as one would expect from clans. They offered engineers and other valuable workers to support the military. But the majority of their warriors and fleet stayed at home. There have been various theories by outsiders by the most reliable is that the Sanosuke didn't want to. Facing discrimination past their own clan lands, the Sanosuke weren't eager to fight for a country that didn't seem more than as raw resources.

They only had a brief period where the Sanosuke clan had managed to become the most dominant clan in Kumogakure and occupy a leading role in the nation's military. This was with Jinyaru Sanosuke as the Fourth Raikage, appointing Waki Sanosuke as his jounin commander due to his achievements as a commendable general during the Great War as his niece Asami Sanosuke, a capable young ANBU captain to become his assistant.

This period of dominance didn't last long, however. With the brief time of the 'Shoji Occupation,' the Sanosuke clan took a hard blow. They had lost more than one hundred young men due to the cruel punishments that were deal out due Jinyaru protecting Midori Sato, who had grown rampant with the Hachibi in a chakra cloak version 2 state. Under the leadership of Asami Sanosuke and her rebels, they managed to fight off the occupation and liberate Kumogakure.

However, with the liberation, the Sanosuke's brief reign over Kumogakure, and the nation's military came to a crashing end. Jinyaru was poisoned and ended up in a coma due to some work of a Metsuke, shortly dying afterwards. Waki Sanosuke found his end two years at the end of an unknown assassin and now only Asami remains in the higher-ups, though she is only half a Sanosuke.

### The Tension in the North

The situation of the Lightning country split by the Regency Council would see to it that the Sanosuke clan started to isolate themselves. The jarls would come together for a meeting, in which they cemented the decision to combat the Regency Council to prevent that their clan would become subject of various unfair laws and regulations.

Soon after the clans started to isolate themselves behind their mountain ranges, they did establish an alliance with the Sato clan. Letting the nomad clan moving into their heartlands, the Sanosuke would prepare for the coming storm.

## Members

Unlike most clans (in the north), the Sanosuke isn't governed by one leader. The Sanosuke clan is divided among various clans that are usually designated as jarldoms. While united in traditions and beliefs, there is some strife between the various jarldoms. But with external influences threatening them, the Sanosuke clan can, and have been through the course of history, coerced rather easily to unite to fend off a common foe. Only to fall back within their own status quo.

Each tribe is led by a jarl. These men and women have and will come to power in different ways. The most in use is through inheritance. The oldest child inherits the title and succeeds to become the next chief. But succession can vary due to local customs as well through political guile. There have been various instances where a younger child inherited the leadership through a moot or being considered more capable. Or with the deaths of his kin.

### Prominent members

*Prestigious Ancestor:* Horic the Brave

*Fourth Raikage :* Jinyaru Sanosuke, the Chef. (deceased, in the year 475)

*Jounin commander during Jinyaru - Takeru's reign :* Waki Sanosuke, the Monkey Sage. (deceased, in the year 476)

*Raikage Assistant during Jinyaru - Takeru's reign :* Asami Sanosuke, the Red Devil. (A half Sanosuke)

### The Jarldoms

The heartlands of the Sanosuke people are divided among their own clans. Each having their own leader and history. Some even have a feud against one another due to an event in the past but they are united ever since the Third Hojo-Sanosuke war as a confederation-clan. This confederation is called by outsiders as their entire clan where the Sanosuke see it merely as a loose binding that keeps the peace among themselves.

* The Jarldom of Horga
* The Jarldom of Arkanes
* The Jarldom of Langanes
* The Jarldom of Yngvar
* The Jarldom of Reistara

## Techniques

The Sanosuke clan doesn't have any hidden or clan techniques when it comes to ninjutsu. What they do have what can be considered a hidden is the ability to forge Dragon Steel weaponry, tools and gear. This secret is very well guarded within a few selects families and not shared among outsiders, on the penalty of death and various other threats - such as being cursed an oathbreaker. The Jarls of the Sanosuke clan are so wary of the secret of Dragon Steel forging to be stolen by another that they are even hesitant to equip anybody but their most trusted servants or warriors with it. Another measure has been to apply cursed marks on capable smiths, in order to prevent the secrets of their smithing to be stolen.

## Traditions

The Sanosuke clan knows several traditions, but remain more pragmatic. They value certain virtues, such as honour, but tend to focus more on what seems beneficial than following some rules they think should be followed. The majority are by heart craftsmen, miners and engineers. Only a small part of the clan provides Kumogakure with shinobi and resides within the respective compound.

* The Clan doesn't have an official rite of age. They value a person of becoming adult at the age of 18.
* To prove one's worth to the clan, the person must show their talent. Some try to smith or create a great piece of art or weapon. Those who dabble in non-crafting often try to show their worth with achieving a position or achieving a deed that is worthy of praise.
* Though old, the old Sanosuke used to be holding raid parties to raid foreign coasts as their ancestral lands weren't that fertile.

### Blót

One of the oldest traditions of the Sanosuke clan. Following the saying that a harsh environment shapes a hard culture is seen back in this tradition of the Sanosuke clan. While it is rarely ever practised anymore, the Blót traditions is regarding about sacrifice. A sacrifice where a small group is being sent away from the clan in hope to find another ground where they can prosper.

### Runes

While the Sanosuke clan read and writes in the common language, an older section of the clan still upholds the tradition of runes. In old belief the Sanosuke clan were convinced that each rune had its own magical power, which eventually started that the clan to also use it for their own code language as barely any outsider from the clan understand the rune inscriptions of the clan.

### Rite of Age

In the older times of the clan, the Rite of Age was pretty 'simple'. A boy could only become a man by defeating and killing an enemy of the clan. A girl used to have it easier, by the 'first time she bleeds' she would be regarded as a women. With the more modern times, the Rite of age has slightly changed somewhat. Because the Sanosuke clan isn't performing any raids any more, they have formed the rites to be more 'peaceful'. Instead there are other ways to be regarded as an adult:

* Wedding, as only adults are regarded to be married.
* Able to provide for oneself - so no longer needing to be dependent on their parents for a roof, food and such on a daily basis.
* Able to form a capable work of art after being apprentice for years.

## Military

The Sanosuke consider themselves the true Northlings. This is partly because of the capability of their military strength. While many Chonobi south have 'forsaken' the seas, the Sanosuke haven't forgotten where they came from. Their naval prowess and traditions have stayed strong. Allowing the Sanosuke to field strong ships that can contest with their rivals and bring both prestige as prosperity to their holdings.

### The Northern Seadevils

The Sanosuke are known for their knowledge and expertise as competent seamen and navigators. As the age of the longship started to fade away, the Sanosuke would invest time and resources to build better ships to contest the waves. These 'Hyrlings' are called after the Chonobi name of the Sanosuke. Ships that much like the Taika galleys vary from size and function, are quite often decorated with symbols of fierce sea creatures and monsters. These ships are rumoured to spread a sinister cold wherever they sail but this is regarded as mere myth.

### The Vörðr

The Vörðr is a specialist unit of the Sanosuke clan. Not much about these operatives are known and both the Sanosuke as the Vörðr themselves have attempted to keep every information about them from falling into the hands of enemies and political rivals. It is, however, quite speculated that these aren't exactly humans anymore and that dark rituals have made them sell their soul to demons, all in order to defend their people's freedom.