Goka Clan

The **Gōka clan** (豪火一族, *Gōka Ichizoku*) is distinguished for their astonishing manipulation of fire and extraordinary talent as blacksmiths. From their origins those of the clan have been skilled war-making people whose tempers fuel the flames of conflict all throughout history. It was their passionate attitudes that encouraged their eventual slaughter, resulting in their current scarce population. While some members of the clan inherit the Kashogan (火床炉眼, "*Fire Bed Eye*", English TV; "*Flame Bowl Eye*") dōjutsu, all receive the Hijinryoku (火神力, "*Fire God Power*", English TV; "*Strength of the Fire God*", or "*Flame Power*") kekkei genkai. At the height of their fame the Gōka were an unquestionable power to reckon with.

As progenitors of the Fire Acolytes (火集団, "*Hishūdan*", English TV; "*Disciples of the Flame*" or "*Fire Cultists*"), the Gōka maintain a secretive network of religious warriors who deify fire itself. Because of this, they are naturally suspicious people.

## **Background**

### **Origins**

According to ancient cave writings and word-of-mouth legend, the Gōka clan had its start several thousand years ago with an otherworldly man whose name is speculated. He came, not as a helper to humanity, but one who wished to enslave them and enjoy the spoils of their wars. Throughout his time on Earth, this man caused much bloodshed to fill the earth, no doubt contributing to the creation of the God Tree as a result. He would, so the legends say, take many wives and have many children, imbuing his life force and chakra into them. From this the Gōka clan was created.

### **Land of Bamboo**

As the years passed on, the Gōka clan would eventually settle in the Land of Bamboo after their progenitor's death. Throughout the years their exceptional physical prowess and domineering personalities made them especially feared and powerful; in this region, no one had been exposed to chakra yet. Many considered them to be gods. Eventually chakra was spread to those about but by then the Gōka were immensely wealthy and wielded much influence. Some would even serve as the daimyō of the Bamboo Country. The growing distrust between leadership and the people caused much unrest and poverty throughout the land. Several uprisings occurred, especially now that people have chakra to defend themselves. Eventually the Gōka clan and the daimyō at the time were overthrown and many of the Gōka fled into hiding or to other countries. The revolutionaries claimed, however, that they were all exterminated and the clan was extinct. The rumor persists to this day.

### **Present Day**

Those of the Gōka clan do not exist, for the most part, as a single unit. They have, however, spread about and split up into sister, brother and cousin clans, with varying skills and abilities in varying lands. Some of the greatest blacksmiths and forgers are of the Gōka; many people go to them in order to receive enchanted tools and weapons. Despite their scarcity, those of the clan have an influential name that still strikes fear into countless people throughout.

## **Abilities**

### **Chakra Power**

**Fire Chakra** (火チャクラ, "*Hi Chakura*", English TV; "*Fire Energy*", or "*Red Aura*") is unique to those of the Gōka clan and is said to be both difficult to manage and dangerous to wield. It is essentially the red colored super-heated aura within them that acts as the source of their abilities. As a result of its unpredictable behavior, it requires more arduous training to learn to use this chakra than regular chakra. Should it be absorbed by a foe, they themselves feel as if they were burning from the inside until the chakra is expelled. It would also prove for such a person to be difficult to use straightaway. According to clan elders it has a high concentration of physical energy, giving the fire constructed from the chakra a more solid and robust form. Overuse of the chakra can be taxing as the more one uses it the more dehydrated and fatigued they become. Some have described the chakra to Fire Release chakra molded within shinobi, only those of the Gōka clan always have it within them.

The more angry, bitter and irate one becomes, the stronger their chakra power grows; it is fueled largely by rage but can be further strengthened through hard work and training like any other chakra. Due to this chakra fire is the natural affinity for those of the clan, water being their most difficult element to master. When some attempt to, they oftentimes notice the water simply evaporate into steam almost immediately. However, they have an incredibly easy time at using fire techniques, despite fire being known as "outrageously difficult" to have under one's control.

### **Life Force**

Members of the Gōka clan are born with large and powerful life forces and pass this on even to their distant descendants. It is a essential for many of their techniques and the way in which they do battle. As a result of this unusually robust life energy, they possess an increased durability and stamina.

### **Blacksmith Skills**

Through their countless centuries of archived wisdom, those of the clan have learned to craft many different kinds of items with varying attributes. Weapons, armors, statues are but a few of the requests they once received heavily, especially in times of war. People from all throughout the world would come to them because they forge materials that are able to do things that are usually impossible like creating a dagger that is sharper and more deadly than a katana or armor that can defend against things that would normally break. The materials they use are often times "irrelevant" or weak in themselves; with their knowledge, however, the simplest of tools can become a powerful weapon.

Very few have learned to imbue weapons and tools with chakra and spiritual powers, even sometimes incorporating complex sealing techniques into them in order to entrap entire entities within objects.

## **Kekkei Genkai**

### **Hijinryoku**

**Hijinryoku** (火神力, "*Fire God Power*", English TV; "*Strength of the Fire God*", or "*Flame Power*") is a kekkei genkai which gives its wielder the ability to effortlessly generate, change and control fire and its chemical processes. This is done by infusing chakra through the unique fluids of their body, producing flames and fire-based byproducts at a lesser cost to their reserves. As a result of this bloodline limit, clansmen have become all-but-immune to fire and heat based attacks.

### **Kashogan**

**Kashogan** (火床炉眼, "*Fire Bed Eye*", English TV; "*Flame Bowl Eye*") is the lesser-known dōjutsu kekkei genkai of the Gōka clan that appears selectively among its members.

   According to legend, it is supposedly a mutation of a power originating from another dimension, giving its wielder the ability of improved insight through heat vision and amazing destructive force through the chemical processes of combustion. Due to its rarity, the Kashōgan is a highly sought after commodity on the black-market. Rumors claim that its initial form is not its final progression, though the claims are yet to be confirmed.

## **Culture**

The Fire Acolytes (火集団, "Hishūdan", English TV; "Disciples of the Flame" or "Fire Cultists") are a secret cult of religious fanatics who believe in the piety of fire. It is led by wise sages and aged gurus who possess vast knowledge, archiving much in secrecy. Those of this sect wield a unique technique of fire manipulation known as the Fire Method (火歩, "Hihō", English TV; Fire Step", "Dance of the Fire Foot", or "Ancient Art of the Majestic Flame"). The discipleship was originally founded by the Gōka clan's original progenitor, countless millenniums in the past.

## **Succession of the Clan Lord**

Those who serves as the vessel for the Phoenix' power succeeded the previous clan lord, taking over the leadership as well as to serve as a new vessel for that power. It is evident that the Fire Acolytes could see the emblem on the forehead of the then-clan lord, acting as a living proof that this man was chosen to led them. It is however noted that only a true believer of the Phoenix could see it and for anyone else it's invisible.

## **Trivia**

* Gōka (豪火) literally means "great fire" but can also be translated to mean "heavenly fire" or "hellfire".
* Although those of the clan have red chakra, the shade of red is not always the same. It has, however, been described by Sensors to be warm and bright and sometimes even scorching when one becomes angry.
* The concept and article except for minor details are written by Michael Madlock.
	+ Minor details that were added onto by Seeten is the Dojutsu appearance or the Clan Lord section.