Iwagakure (Noodle)

* Village
 Leader:

'**Iwagakure** (岩隠れの里, *Iwagakure no Sato*, *Literally meaning:* Village Hidden by Rocks) is one of the five great villages in the Shinobi world. As a result the leader of the village is called a Kage. Tsuchikage is the exact term used.

The land of Earth and Iwagakure are both the same thing. Iwagakure is simply the capitol of the Land of Earth and acts as the center of government for the entire Kingdom. The Kingdom itself has 12 major cities. Iwagakure being the largest, Chīsana iwa being the second largest. The Tomb of Daiyu being the third.

## ***Climate and Geography***

The Land of Earth is a volcanic land filled with high mountains, molten earth, and deep valley ways. Due to having high mountains on all of its borders the inside of the nation rarely receives rain.

On the western boarder and along the beach front there is rich volcanic soil that forms the bread basket of Land of Earth. They are also the most contested and violent region. Most conflict between their long time rivals Konohagakure take place in this region alongside the threats of pirates. This is also the starting point of the Great Sea Aqueducts that feed the mainland Land of Earth. The city of Chīsana iwa is located in this region.

The heartland of The Land of Earth exist a great mountain. In this great mountain Iwagkure is built. It serves as the capitol of The Land of Earth. It also holds the very core of its controlled lands. The capitol is equal distance from its edges making everyone equally close to the center. It is also the first stopping point of the Great Aqueducts. The sea water pumped from the ocean is transported to a fortress outside of the village. There is is feed into a pit of naturally boiling magama. The sea water evaporates and turns to steam, and the steam is collected removing the salt and preparing it for proper purification. Iwagakure itself is the seat of the Tsuchikage. The home of the council of 12, and the location of The Great Academy.

On the boarders between Grass and Wind the land is arid and baron. The magma flow found in the heartland is missing, but the lack of rivers makes the land almost inhospitable. Despite that several cities have been established in this boarder region. They originally started off as out post, but grew over time.

## ***Culture and Politics***

Land of the Earth is a diverse place filled with many different types of people. The land itself was originally populated by exiles from all over the Ninja world. As a result of this there is quite a bit of diversity in skin tones, height, and genetics. Despite that Earth jutsu are the most dominant and most used in both civil and military actions.

The Land of Earth is different from many other Lands. For starters education is not only universal, but required. Since the foundation of the Department of Education by Konghai himself the Land of Earth has required that all citizens be educated in the five great arts. They are The Art of Numbers, The Art of Science, The Art of History, The Art of Writing, and The Art of Ninjutsu. Every citizen is trained in the art of Ninjutsu and the art of combat. As a result every member of The Land of Earth can fight and defend themselves from danger.

The Land of Earth itself is a very dangerous place with both Predators and Climate. Knowing how to mold chakra is required to survive in such hard conditions. As a result ones nature type often influence ones potential career in the civilian sector. Water natured people helped with the water supply, Rock users constructed buildings, Lighting users generated spare power, wind users delivered messages, and fire users worked steel.

### Government

Despite the fact that The Land of Earth was created by the rise of a single women the Kingdom is not ruled by a single person. The Land of Earth is ruled by The Council of 12, The Saiin and the Tsuchikage. The Council of 12 rules the Civilians, The Saiin Religion and the Tsuchikage rules the military.

#### Council of Twelve

The Council of Twelve is a council made up of 12 individuals that run the civilian government. The council is made up of a single representative from the 12 Great Cities. The representatives are chosen every twelve years. Each sitting member can only serve a single term on the council. A member is replaced every year for a twelve year cycle. The member is chosen by The Great city. The method of choosing a council member is up to a vote of the people inhabit the region. The vote itself is ran by the military and the civilian leaders. If there is ever a tie in a vote in The Council of Twelve then the Saiin is called in to made a tie breaking vote. If she is not available then the Tsuchikage is called in. If he is not available The Oldest Living person in the capitol is called in to make the vote.

However there are a few rules on who can and can't be a council member. First the council member must have been born in the region, or be the child of a diplomat from that city region. Second they can not be a active member of the National Shinobi force. They can be retired shinobi, but they are not allowed to be a council member and be a active member of the National Shinobi force. Third a council member must not be the head of their clan.

The Council of Twelve are responsible for the civilian laws and courts. They craft kingdom wide laws and regulations. They also appoint Kingdom Civilian Judges. They also set Civilian Regulations. The Department of Agriculture, Architecture, Communication, commerce, health and Investigation fall under their control. While they deal with Kingdom wide problems the Great Cities deal with Region wide problems. They make regional laws, regulations, and appoint regional judges. They also collect regional taxes. Below the Great Cities are the Settlements and small cities. They fall under the Great City in jurisdiction, but they can still set their own local laws and regulations.

The Twelve Great Cities are twelve Massive Cities that exist both above and below ground. They are the back bone of The Land of Earth and the system that runs its government. Each of the cities has control over a region of the Land of Earth. They create region wide laws, taxes, and regulations. They also hold a regional Shinobi force. They serve as both a regional police and as a first response to trouble in the region. Below the Great Cities are the minor cities that fall under their region. The minor cities hold power to make their own city level laws, taxes, and regulations. However they can not contradict The Great City laws and regulations, in the same way the Great Cities can not supplant Kingdom wide laws and regulations.

#### The Civilian Departments

The Departments are Kingdom wide organizations that regulate and maintain civilization in The Land of Earth.

* The Department of Agriculture - The Department of Agriculture maintains the mushroom fields, the great water purification plants, food distribution, and food purification standards.

* The Department of Architecture - The Department of Architecture jobs is to develop new building and structure designs to deal with the challenges of Land of Earth. They also monitor all the structures in the kingdom and check for decay. They run teams to repair existing structures or to replace damages structures.

* The Department of Communications - The Department of Communication job is to develop and maintain equipment and personal to pass along messages. They also keep official records and archive them. They run the national census.

* The Department of commerce - The Department of Commerce job is to sets trade regulations and taxes. They also collect the National Tithe. Every adult, age 18 and above, must pay 10% of their income to The Land of Earth. No one, be it civilian, military, or Kage is immune. Despite being under the branch of the Council of Twelve the Department of Commerce has power over the Military.

* The Department of Health - The Department of Health is responsible for the wellbeing of all the people of The Land of Earth. They recruit and train doctors to work across the 12 Great Cities. They also catalog and study diseases and make cures for potential plagues. They also study methods of cooking, and the effects of war on the human mind.

* The Department of Investigation - The Department of Investigation is the largest of the departments. Their job is to investigate The Land of Wind. They have spies watching for any sign of corruption in any of the departments or the 12 Great Cities. They run the Kingdom Police force both the official and Secret police. The Official police insure that Kingdom laws and regulations are followed. The secret police insure that corruption does not derail national interest and public good. They also search for potential spies.

#### The Saiin

The Saiin or High Priestess is the religious leader of The Land of Earth. She is also the jinchuriki of The Land of Earth, and the highest figure in The Way of the Stone. The Way of The Stone is the primary religion in The Land of Earth. It was established by Daiyu and the core that turned The Land of Earth into the nation that it is now instead of Jigoku that it was before.

The Way of Stone teaches that every member of The land of Earth is a piece of The Hearth of the Mountain. It teaches that everyone has a proper place and a proper position in the crafting of the heart. There is no inferiors. There is no inferiors. There is only the stone, and only united can they be strong.

To keep everyone tied together and unified under one heart The Way of Stone takes all children the age of five and raises them in The Temples of Stone. The Temples of Stone are great religious compounds that teach The Way of The Stone. They educate the children on the Five great arts and prepare them for life.

Each child is educated in Math, Science, Language Arts, History, and Ninjutsu. They are also taught in Religion, Ethics, and brainwashed to be Loyal to The Land of Earth. They spend most of their childhood lives in the temples. Their parents visit three times a season. The children themselves are taken care of by The priestess. As they grow older they are placed in more advanced classes. At the age of 12 they decided their specialization. They chose to either go into the Civilian sector toward a specific career or the Military. Depending on their choice they advance into more focus learning. At the age of 18 a child becomes a man and leaves from under the Way of Stone protection. If they chose the military path however this happens earlier at the age of 16, and they go instead into Military service.

Only females may join The Way of Stone. At the age of 12 a young girl decides she wants to join the religious order she is taken away to be trained at a special temple near the heart of The Land of Earth. There they are taught the teachings of The Way of Stone and educated to become Priestess. They are trained in The Way of The Bow, Furinjutsu, and the art of summoning. The entire order itself is part of a Ninja pact with Qilin. They serve aids in battle and travel. The Qilin have a unique trait that allows them to create a special breed of chakra that can purify demonic influences. They are needed in order to fight against the Mara (天魔, Demons)

The Mara (天魔, Demons) are remnants of Mōryō that infused themselves into the magma and have risen as demonic lava beast. In the past Songoku battled and defeated them, but with his sealing the duty falls onto the Priestess of The Way of Stone and the Saiin.

One is not born into the Saiin position. In order to become a Saiin one must first be a priestess. They then must move up the ranks of the Order of The Way of Stone. When the previous Saiin dies, or becomes incapable of holding the office a new one is voted into position from the Jokai. The new Saiin is usually chosen from among them. If there is a deadlock in the vote the Tsuchikage choses.

##### Way of Stone Rankings

* Miko - The Lowest Rank - Young Girls who begin their training to become Priestess.

* Meikai- The Middle Rank - Skilled Miko who have learned the art of battle, and purification.

* Jokai - The High Rank - Masters of the Miko arts. They are Masters at Furijutsu, Archery, Summoning, and Purification.

* Saiin - The Highest Position - The supreme leader of the Way of the Stone.

#### The Tsuchikage

The Tsuchikage runs the military and is the head of the military council. While they are not responsible for day to day operations in the military they are the ultimate authority. The Tsuchikage main job is to set the curriculum for the Academy of War, the ninja Military school. They also insure that their shinobi meet a certain standard of skill, and fight threats deemed to powerful for standard Shinobi to face off against.

The Military Council is a group of Jonin that make military decisions for Iwagakure. They chose the tactics that will be used. They oversee supply chains. They appoint ninja rankings and set the standard for ninja missions. Most mundane day to day activities of the Iwagakure military is taken care of by The Military Council. The Tsuchikage is not required to do anything. However he can step in at any time and change the direction of any operation or decision.

Iwagakure Military Arm has several powers that it holds over the civilian arm. First and foremost military personnel are immune to Civil Law and do not appear in civil court. Instead they are trialed and judged under military law. While this can be seen as a advantage it is also a disadvantage for the shinobi as Military law is far harsher then civilian law when it comes to punishments. The military can also issue a draft at any time and draft people from the civilian sector into the military sector. In order for a draft to happen the Tsuchikage must sign off on it, and they have to have a signature from the Council of Twelve or the Saiin.

## ***Military***

### Military Ranks

Iwagakure Military has three major rankings. The first is Genin. The second is Chunin. The last is Jonin. Each rank dedicates a level of skill and power.

* Genin - Genin are newly appointed ninja. They are usually 16 years old, and have just come from The Temple of Earth. They are then taken into The Academy of War and taught how to fight wars. During this stage they live in barracks and take on missions ranked E, D, and the more skilled C Rank missions.

* Chunin - Chunin are the majority of the Iwagakure ninja force. They are usually around the age of twenty and have been fighting for quite some time. They are graduates of The Academy of War and as a result they have the right to live where they want, as long as it is close to their post. A Chunin usually goes into one of the military Ministries.

* Jonin is the highest ranking members of the military and are rare. They are usually around the age of twenty five and have spent a life fighting wars. A jonin must be skilled in all three of the major ninja arts. Those arts are Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu. They must also be skilled in the art of tactics, and have trained at least 1 group of Genin into Chunin.

* Oniwaban - Oniwaban is a none standard ranking in the military. They are ninjas chosen for their stealth abilities and their ability to gather information. They are the personal soldiers of the Tsuchikage and are appointed by him. When a Tsuchikage dies all of the Oniwaban are dismissed and new ones are chosen by the new Tsuchikage.

* Touryou - Touryou are another none standard ranking in the Military. They are connected to the Academy of War. They are the teachers of Genin and the ones who run Chunin exams. They also rate the performance of both Chunin and Jonin, and recommend promotions or demotions. The Touryou core job however is to develop, test, and archive military plans for any and all situations.

### The Academy of War

The Academy of War is the instructional body of the Military. It is ran by the Touryou, ninjas specifically chosen to teach and train other Shinobi. The Touryou write ups the standards in which Ninja are to meet. They develop training methods in order to assist them to meet the standard. They also test and develop new weapons and armors to be used in combat. They also write up war plans and stratagems for possible future combat in any situation. This is also where Genin train and live until they are promoted to Chunin.

### The Ministry of Defense

The Ministry of Defense is a section of the Shinobi forces that aim at internal matters. They combat bandits, rouge Shinobi, and the Yokai. When a national disaster happens the Ministry of Defense responds. They are also the first response to any military action against the Iwagakure itself or its allies.

### The Ministry of Offense

The Ministry of offense is a section of the Shinobi force that aim at External matters. They combat foreign bandits, Enemy Shinobi, and foreign beast. This is the section of the Shinobi force that is usually hired out to allied Kingdoms, wealthy merchants, and nobles. In war they complete military objectives and eliminate targets. In peace they bring in extra income for the military by completing missions.

### The Ministry of Acquisition

The Ministry of Acquisition focus on three main objectives. The first is to insure the flow of supplies for both the Ministry of Defense and Offense. The second is to rank missions and send them to the Academy of War. The third is to plunder the enemy. Yes, plunder the enemy. The Ministry of Acquisition has a special plunder unit who entire job is to take wealth from enemy nations and brining it back to the Land of Earth to be used.

### The Ministry of Technology

The Ministry of Technology is a newer Ministry. Their job is to develop new technologies to be used in both the civilian and military world. Their main focus however is to develop combat golems that can replace Shinobi on the battlefield. They also develop cybernetics and artificial limbs to assist war veterans. They also study dna and attempt to develop new and exciting Kekki Genkai.

### The Ministry of Records

The Ministry of Records job is to record and store information. They keep track of messages sent between the Ministries, private and personal communications of shinobi officers, and dna bank of every jonin. They are the recorders and keepers of history. They are also the ones who audit the other Ministry when there are discrepancy in their budgets. They also set military terms used on the battlefield and in communication.

### Weapons of War

MCP III - MCP III are the largest of the Ministry of Heavens war machines. The Kirov is a giant rock that has been made lighter than air by the effects of Weight Jutsu . It is then inserted into a metal structure. The structure has a engine in it that powers its propellers. The propellers move the structure threw the air. The MCP III is 332.8 meters long and 76.8 meters wide.

MCP III stands for Mobile Command Position. They are used as such by The Land of Earth shinobi at war. They take position high in the air and use the altitude to give their sensors better range. From the MCP III the Shinobi commander gives out orders to the forces on the ground via radio. They also keep track of enemy movements and changing positions on the battlefield. The MCP III has a wide and varied crew of different shinobi.

* Sensor Shinobi - Their job is to find the enemy through sensing Jutsu and to keep track of allied positions.
* Barrier Shinobi - They use Barrier Jutsu to defend the MCP III when it comes under attack.
* Rock Blaster Shinobi - They fire blast of rock, exploding rocks, lava toward targets attacking from the air or the ground below.
* Engineers - Trained Civilian contractors who fly with a MCP III to repair it in case of damage or radio failure.

Extra Terms

* Yokai - Yokai are creatures born form failed attempts of Shinobi to become sages. They usually are half man half animal horrors. They go around in the Under Roads and caverns ambushing citizens of the Land of Earth. They usually capture them and force nature energy into them till they become Yokai themselves who then go around doing the same.

* Mara (天魔, Demons) - Mara are lava demons that came about as a result of Mōryō destruction. Fragments of him fused with the land and gave birth to lava abominations. They are major threat to civilization as they attempt to consume and destroy all in a effort to recreate Mōryō.

## ***Locations***

### Twelve Great Cities

1. **Iwagakure** - The Capitol of The Land of Earth and the most populated city. Iwagakure is a large city both above, and below ground. Most of the city is actually underground. Above the ground there are many buildings and workshops. This area is mainly used by merchants, Ninjas, and craftsmen. Below ground is the main resedential areas. The Council of 12 chambers, theaters, dance halls, and other civilized entertainment. The main ninja barrics is also here and Tsuchikage office.
2. **Gongen** (僅岩, Small Rock)- Gongen is the second largest city in The Land of Earth. It is located on the boarder between Earth and Grass country. The Great City is the center of foreign trade in Iwagakure. It is also called the city of craftsmen. The city is a major weapons production plant. They craft weapons and then sell them to merchants who take their products across the Ninja world. Foreigners are allowed to trade, live, and travel in the city above. However the Undercity is restricted to Land of Earth citizens only.
3. **Daiyu no Haka** (代湯の墓, *Tomb of Daiyu*) - is the third largest city. It is located near the center. The city itself was originally not a city. It was simply the tomb of the Founder of The Land of Earth Daiyu. However after the grave robbery done by the Zhang Clan during the Chang Civil War the tomb security was vastly upgraded. This required shinobi and priestess to live around the Tomb permently. As a result a city sprung up with The Tomb at its heart. The Tomb itself is located at the center of Trāyastriṃśa, the High Temple of Way of the Stone. It is where Miko come to train, and the home of the Saiin
4. **Kōgaji** (黄河市,Yellow River City) - Kogaji is next in line. It is located on the coast and seperated from the main body by a large mountain. However it is directly connected by the Under Roads. The city itself is also the home of the main The Ministry of the Heavens base, and flying Machine depo. It is considered to be one of the most strategic positions in the Kingdom. It produces a super majority of the nations rice, fruit, and fish.
5. **Daiyu** (大湯, Great Molten Iron) - Daiyu is one of the more southern Great Cities. It is also close to the border between The Land of Earth and The Land of wind. It is noted for its Chakra metal mines and forging. The city provides Chakra sensitive metal to The Land of Earth, and exports it to other Great Cities to trade in the wider world. The City of Daiyu itself has a secret agreement with The Settlements near the board of The Land of Wind. They trade them iron and Chakra Metal in exchange for poisons, salt, and other exotic goods from The Land of Wind. -
6. **Omashu** - The Great Stone City. Omashu is known as The City of Stone. It is the center of Golem Creation in The Land of Earth. It also produces the finest Earth Jutsu users in the nation. The city is famed for having homes and even beds made up of stone. The people there are also known to be giants standing between 7 and 9 feet tall.
7. **Heibanai** (兵馬泥, **Terracotta Mire**) - Heibanai is The Great City located near The Land of Rivers. It is known as the Refugee City. This is due to the city allowing in massive numbers of refugees who seek to escape other nations. It is one of the few Great Cities that allow foreigners to visit the under city. The city is secretly called The Spy city by Iwagakure leadership. It is the city filled with spies who spie on other spies. The area around the city is tick with mud. The Mud pits are deep enough to swallow a Kirovs. Those who do not walk on the stone roads and walkways to the city will sink in the mud to never be seen again. The city has the most diverse population.
8. **Jinomon** (地の門, **Gate of Hell**) - Jinomon is the most southern of all the Great Cities. It sits right at the Edge of The Lake of Magma that is called Hell. It is the main spawning point of The Mara (天魔, Demons). The city was built to be a bulwark for the nation against the fire demons, and it has. The city itself is mainly made up of Military personnel and a few civilians to support it. The city is famed however for its large number of children. So much so it got the nick name The Womb of The Land of Earth.
9. **Sagansawa** (砂岩沢, **Sandstone Valley**)- Sagansawa is the city founded by The Sandstorm Tribe after they were forced out of The Land of Wind. The Sandstorm Tribe has held a grudge against The Wind tribe ever sense and has been at the forefront in all of Land of Earth's wars against them.
10. **Daigen** (大岩, Big Rock) - Is the sister city to Gongen . It was founded after a man named Kosuke got kicked out of Gongen . He created Daigen in revenge. The two cities have hated each other ever since creation. Daigen is the center of technological development. The city itself is often called The Clockwork City. It experiments with Steampunk, clockwork, and electronic base technology. It also holds the Temples that focus on technological development.
11. Xi'an (西安) - Xi'an is the oldest Great City in The Land of Earth. It was around before there was even a Land of Earth. It holds the first major source of fresh water, and is connected to the Underground Rivers that run under The Land of Earth. The city known however for its vast underground Mushroom fields. It produces a supermajority of The Land of Earth's mushroom stock. Those mushrooms are then feed to goats and cows to produce milk, cheese, beef, and other animal base products.
12. **Tomihora** (富洞, *Wealth Grotto*) - Tomihora is known as The City of Wealth. The surrounding region has great deposits of gemstones and precious metals. The nations only supply of Platnium is here, which makes up the main coinage used in the Land of Earth. It is also the only place where Lava flowers grow. The city itself is said to be extremely beautiful, and is the location of two of the most wealthy of Temples.

### Under Roads

The Under Roads are a series of tunnels that connect the Under Cities of all the Great Cities together. It is a wide and long expanding network. You can get to anywhere in the Land of Earth from the Underoads. You can even get into other countries using them as several of them are very well hidden and lead to The Land of Grass, Rain, and Iron Country. The Iron country tunnel however is used for diplomatic reasons only and is well known and monitored by every nation it travels threw.

The under Roads are all illuminated by Seeing Stones. Seeing Stones are great big stones that react to heat. In places where it is hot the Seeing Stones are always a light. In cool places however they react to people traveling near them and light up to illuminate their paths. There are signs made of Seeing Stones that light up along The Under Roads that tell one where they are on a map, and how to get to other places. The Under Roads also have Ninja outpost built into them allowing aid and supplies to reach people in case of emergencies. There are dead shoots designed into it if there is ever a magma breech. The Dead shoot drain the magma away instead of allowing it to pool inside the Underoads.

The Underoads that are deemed too hot for travel are marked with warnings. They are also partially sealed requiring the user to go threw a door. Inside the area tempter is controlled with air conditioning.

## ***History***

Iwagakure was founded in 7621 ASA.

Long ago in the distant past there was a great and terrible demon. The serpent demon's name was Mōryō, and on his command a great and terrible army marched form the south to invade the known ninja world. The terrible serpent however was halted by the Yang and Yin Sages of the Six Paths. The terrible beast battled the twins for supremacy, and that battle scared the very world itself. Eventually the beast was shattered, but not before leaving a wound on the twin sages. In retaliation they tore the demon serpent asunder body and soul alike. The aftermath of the battle tore the land apart, and brought the end to the Land of Demons. From that day forward the land was simply called Jigoku.

Jigoku was a broken land filled with destruction. It was a land fitting for the damned. As a result people began to see the land as the gods prison. Rapist, murders, betrayers, and bastard children were banished to Jigoku. There they faced the mighty forces of nature and found their deaths in the cursed landscape.

However death was not the destiny for all who was exiled to Jigoku. Some survived. They learned. They adapted. Over time they recruited others who found themselves in Jigoku. They began to band together and form gangs. These gangs produced children. These children produced clans, and these clans wared with each other for control of Jigoku.

This conflict became known as Sengoku Jidai. This war in Jigoku lasted for three generations and would have went on for even longer. However in 7582 Zhang Daiyu was born. She who came first. She who gave birth to a nation. She who was the first Iwagakure Head ninja.

Daiyu grew up in the war torn lands of Jigoku. She saw the suffering of the people and the land. She vowed to herself that she would stop it. Swearing to the stone itself she set out on a journey. Leaving behind clan and family she traveled into the deep wilds of Jigoku. In the depts she found Songoku and ate upon his chakra flesh. It was not recorded how she survived this, but all that is known is that when she returned she had the power of hell.

Daiyu was the first user of lava release. with her great power she conquered and subjugated the other clans of Jigoku. She then used her new found position to outlaw barbaric practices and to share knowlage between all the clans on how to survive in Jigoku. Thanks to her efforts and the shared knowlage of the clans a City was formed, burried deep within the stone. The city of Iwagakure.

It was the year 7621 when the city was finished being built, and Daiyu celebrated its completion with stone tablets being crafted and sent all over her controlled territory. On every road, ever path, ever water hole, and every market the tablet stood. It declared that Jigoku was no more, and that the land was known known as The Land of Earth.

Daiyu unfortunately was made barren by her ordeal and died without a child of her own. Her successor was her nephew Donghai. While Donghai was not a great fighter as his aunt Daiyu he was without a doubt the greatest and most influential leader in the pre Kage past.

Konghai created the Ministry of Agriculture, The Ministry of communication, The Academy of Architecture and The Academy of War. These four organization later become the key stone of Iwagakure.