Fang Country

The flag of the Fang Country, incorporated with the Yukuro symbol at the centre.

## Government

### Government

Feudal Monarchy

Located in the west, the Fang country is one of the small sovereign states. It is widely known for the fierce loyalty to their own and disdain that its locals have for outsiders. While being a mere speck compared to the likes of the Wind and Earth countries, the Fang has never been subdued by any foreign political entity. Not a particularly rich country, the Fang has proven itself in the past to be a threat to its neighbours. Leading to various interventions of outside countries, yet never to a successful invasion into the Fang itself.

## History

It won't come off as a major surprise for anybody that is aware of the rather hostile attitude that most denizens of the Fang country have. The country was before its formation home to various hill and mountain tribes and clans. These tribes and clans seemed to be an in a perpetual state of war. Peace was a rarity in the Fang country as violence seemed to be the only diplomacy that the locals knew.

While a constant bickering and rivalry existed, there have been various times that the local tribes and clans would unify in order to combat outside entities.  Only for the rivalries and feuds to be picked up again. A change would come in the form of the Yukuro clan, who resided in the more fertile lands in the centre of the Fang country. With superior numbers and capable leaders, they started to overwhelm many of the clans and tribes. It wouldn't be an easy conquest but much before the formal end of the Warring Clans Era, the Fang country was more or less unified by the Yukuro clan. Which became known as the Yukuro dynasty, who claim to be the oldest Taika dynasty.

Though at various points a challenger rose up to the Yukuro, these dissidents were put down and any rebellious feeling would be rooted out with harsh treatment. Whether they were clans and tribes that desired more autonomy or individuals that wanted more political influence, or even the crown of the country. Slowly over the years after the formation of the Fang Country, its borders would be closed to any foreigner. With the rough landscape that dominates most of the country's borders, it became a rather easy objective for the people of the Fang to keep a hold over their sovereignty while they saw their closest neighbours shrinking in size or being subdued by either the Wind or Earth country.

### Invasion attempts

While the Fang country already gained an infamous reputation for being fierce and hostile, there have been various attempts of foreign powers trying to invade it:

* **The First Earth Country's Conquest of the Fang.**

403 AD, by the Earth Country. The invasion force marched north and the invaders considered themselves to be so superior in numbers that they forgot that the defenders of the Fang were quite familiar with the terrain. The war and invasion lasted for two years, after which the Earth Country ceased its first attempt.

* **The Wind Country's War of Aggression.**

406 AD, by the Wind Country. A large army moved from the south, which is less protected by mountain ranges. Scoring some initial success in defeating small armies of the military of the Fang country, the invaders tried to push forwards. Only finding themselves fighting against the harsh environment alongside its locals. After three years, the war ended with the Wind country withdrawing its troops.

* **The Mountain-Fang Punitive War.**

421 AD, by the Mountain Country. Roughly equal in ferociously and determined to subdue and put an end to the raiding parties of the Fang country, the eastern neighbour launched a large invasion. Scoring some initial success, the invasion failed as the constant harassment on their supply lines and occupation forces started to drain their motivation and enthusiasm.

* **The Second Earth Country's Conquest of the Fang.**

430 AD, by the Earth Country. More prepared, the Earth country launched its second invasion into the Fang country. Gaining various victorious in key sieges and battles, the Earth country managed to occupy the northern sphere of the Fang country for almost three years. Trying to fend off vicious attacks by the Fang military and dissidents that wanted to get rid of the foreigners, the Earth Country withdrew its forces for the second time.

### Invasion of the Claw

While having a strict isolationistic attitude and policies, the Fang country did attempt several attempts to attack its neighbours. Mostly this would be condoned at first by raids. Both to gain resources and information about the landscape as the presence of the local military power. Both the Mountain as the Claw suffered various hosts of the Fang country entering their lands without any warning, trying to occupy and conqueror land for their own. Most of these attempts would be quickly pushed away or seeing the rise of various conflicts that lasted for a few seasons before the Fang withdrew its force.

In 432 AD, however, the Fang country managed to launch a large attack on the Claw country. With the operatives of the Fang destabilising various important key positions of defence, the Fang military encountered little resistance in the first few months. Counter-strikes were organised and attempted by the Claw but by the end of the year 449, the Claw country was fully occupied and considered annexed. At least, the Fang considers that the Claw country is now a mere vassal. Most surrounding political entities still consider the Clawy country as a mere occupied country out of spite of the Fang country.

In the year 474, Hitomo III of the Yukuro Dynasty rose to power. Shortly after his rise to power, the Fang country started to invade the Mountain country and even from there started to make initial success in taking out the border defences of the Bear country. Aid from the Wind country was suspected to be a key for the success of Hitomo's aggressive expansion. This, however, came to a crashing halt with an assassination by the Green Falcon and White Wolf of Konohagakure. The death of Hitomo III caused that the Fang withdrew its forces from the west as the Wind country pulled most of its support back. The successor of Hitomo IV has, however, managed to establish a defensive alliance with the Wind country.

## Fang's Military

The Fang's military is a curious one for many. The country isn't rich and lacks the resource for a large and powerful military. Yet, the Fang has a military with a discipline that easily rivals that of larger and more prosperous nations, such as the Empire of Akino. This discipline is coming forth from the harsh treatment that the troops of the Fang receive from their leaders. Knowing all too well that several foreign political entities wouldn't mind occupying and 'liberate' the Fang from the aggressive and vicious leaders that 'dominate' them, the military is constantly drilled and pushed to perform at grim expectations.

### Dread Steel Legion

The main military force is called the Dread Steel Legion, which is the bulk of the Fang's military. The Dread Steel Legionnaires are in general ill-equipped with barely any armour. Most wear nothing more than some rugged fur or hide armour with a helmet or shield as personal defence. The weaponry for the lower ranked soldiers also is quite of low quality and the most popular weapons are the spear and bow.

The more experienced and wealthier members of the Dread Steel Legion are often clad in a combination of scale, chainmail and leather armour. Their weapons are of somewhat better quality but still pales in comparison with that of other countries.

What makes the Dread Steel Legion being still a threat is their undying loyalty to their chieftains, lords and leaders. With each clan and tribe forced to levy a certain percentage of its population as troops, it is where the origin of the Legion's discipline and training starts. No matter the size of the community, tribe or clan, the requirements are that each conscripted force exists out of people who are capable of the gruesome task that lays ahead of them.

### Fang Shinobi

Much like the Dread Steel Legion, the shinobi of the Fang country is a force to be reckoned with. Their equipment lacks in complexity and quality but their determination and ingenuity make it up for it. Only the best of the best are able to fool and remain out of the Fang's shinobi when trying to infiltrate the country. On the offensive, the Fang's shinobi aren't really that grand. Various mistakes were made and often these incidents gave away the intention of the Fang country to its neighbours, allowing the respective targeted country to prepare for a large military strike of the Fang.

## Demographics

### Population

The population of the Fang country can be divided into a few groups yet being part of the Taika cultural group. There are the hill clans and tribes. These live in small communities that tend to provide some of the raw resources such as wood, wool and linen to the few cities and settlements of the country. Then there are the mountain tribes and clans, who are with fewer but are equal in terms of ferociousness and hostility to outsiders as their countrymen. Though they are held responsible and capable of mining and delivering some metals to the army camps and settlements, many of the mountain tribes and clans hold a feud against that of the hill tribes and clans. Only what prevents them from going at each other is their fear for the military under the command of the Fang Daimyo.

A percentage of the Fang's population does live in its cities but one shouldn't expect too much of these urban centres. The cities in the Fang country are small and build rather in a dense fashion.

### Language

The main and only language that is being used in the Fang country is Taika. Though most denizens of the country are unable to read or write. Only the clergy and nobility seem to be able to read and write.

### Religion

Before the unification, there were various religions and faiths present within the borders of the Fang country. Most of the information on the religions that predate the unification has been lost as the Yukuro managed to eradicate the 'heretical' faiths. Now the Fang country holds and follows the Horned Father as their patron god. They know and pay homage to more gods but the most present is the Horned Father, which is depicted as a large human in black robes with a set of horns adorning his bald head. To call this deity benign is rather inaccurate in comparison with many foreign norms and qualifications. The Horned Father demands as tribute from its followers daily sacrifices and at the passing of each month a grand sacrifice: that of a human life.

Many convicts find themselves ending up on the sacrifice table within the temple of the Horned Father, suffering a slow and agonizing death. Those who are faithful and don't forget to pay homage to the Horned Father will live to see another day and month. For it is told that if the Horned Father isn't receiving enough homage that he will drown the world, that he created, in misery. Most in the Fang country believe that Horned Father had sent the Ten-Tails as punishment for the lack of faith of his followers. Only in the nick of time did the god forgive humankind and allowed the Sage of Six Paths to gain a victory over the dreadful terror it unleashed. Ever since then, the followers of the Horned Father and his pantheon have been fearful of its wrath and craving for his blessing.

## Political Structure

At the top of the Fang Country is the Fang Daimyo. The daimyo rules with an iron fist over his subjects from the mountain keep of Kuronai, with the blessing of the Horned Father. There decrees and decisions are made and spread over the Fang country. Underneath the Daimyo stands the clan nobility and clergy. Both are of equal importance as the clan nobility raises levies and leaders for the Fang's military while the clergy holds both commoners as nobility in line with their faith.

The commoners or lower folk in the Fang country don't enjoy much freedom. Many are nothing more than serfs in service of the nobility or clergy, forced to work and live in poor conditions. Yet many don't dare to question or riot against the nobility or clergy for harsh treatment immediately follows any behaviour of rebellious nature.