The Siluren Clan

The emblem of the Siluren Clan

### Location

North Eastern section of the lightning country. Where the pine forests meet the mountains like pikemen standing before a fortress.

### Compound Location

A modest village that rests within the pinewoods just before one would reach the vast mountain range, close to one of the numerous rivers.

### Amount of Influence

Low

"Never forget, never forgive."

- The motto of the Siluren clan.

"It is said that a Siluren will always repay a kindness done to them. However, one should expect the same if you ever do wrong by a Siluren. Grudge Keepers or Debt Payers are terms used to describe Siluren."

- A common saying to describe the Siluren.

The Siluren are a noble clan that resides in the north eastern section of the lightning country residing in the pine forests just before the northern mountain ranges. They are an offshoot of the more commonplace Yakimara cultured people since the reside so far to the north away from most other Yakimara clans. They tend to reside within their own land and territory, rarely having a reason to venture beyond their hunting grounds. Being completely surrounded by the great clans likely makes this refusal to venture outwards more of a strength than a weakness, at least that's how the Siluren see it. It should be said that the Siluren are not openly hostile to anyhow stumbling into their lands, but they are always wary and always watching.

## **Traits**

* Light skinned with brown hair and bright green eyes
* Cloaks (At sixteen years of age everyone Siluren is gifted a fresh green cloak as a sign of adulthood and to protect them as they continue into the future. It is said one can tell how experienced a Siluren is simply by how muted the green is on his or her cloak.)
* Known for raising excellent trackers and bowmen since hunting is a large part of their way of life.
* Known to be above average at singing and playing instruments.
* All Siluren are connected through a deep communal bond because of their traditions.
* Grudge Keepers (Wrongs done to Siluren are not easily forgotten and retribution should be expected.)
* Dept Payers (Likewise, a Siluren will always repay a kindness done to them in full.)
* Poisoners (Many Siluren are taught how to create and apply simple poisons, usually by more adept clan members)
* Language [Killasha] (The Siluren speak a different dialect of what most Yakimara speak. It is called Killasha. The written language is the same as what Yakimara write and the languages are similar but the pronunciations are different.)

## **History**

A Siluren with a harp beckons the young and old alike to come sit by the fire and listen to a tale; that which how the clan came to be. She pulls the strings of the harp as she sings a harmonious soft tune.

"Ooooh we came from a land far from where we dwell. From the land of fire where conflict always swelled. But one day Dana guided us with her wind. North is where we went not looking once behind."

Many generations ago the origins of the SIluren clan began during the **age of settling** when the fire country was still the land of fire long before the Akino Empire rose to power. Scattered among the many Yakimara clans, the Siluren migrated to the north past frost country and into the land of lightning. Members claim that their anscentors followed the winds that guided them by their goddess Dana whom wanted her followers to escape that war-torn place. This being why the clan's language is so close in comparison to what most Yakimara people speak.

After settling in their lands on the eastern side of lightning country, the Siluren did their best to stay out of politics or conflicts as the generations went on. During the warring clans era the Siluren were not entirely safe of course as occasionally two already warring parties would begin fighting on Siluren lands. The clan would always remain neutral and target both sides until the conflict left their home. The same was done if they were ever invaded in the future, fighting back aggressors until they were pushed from Siluren territory.

It was during that time that the direct Siluren family was without an heir. Going forward it would be determined that the clan would still be whole even if the founding bloodline were to disappear, for the bonds that tied the Siluren clan ran deeper than blood. In the future the leader would be chosen by the entirety by the clan in a large gathering at Giuthais. There candidates would be vouched for and a decision would be made between all adult clan members. The most renowned and respected would be chosen and then their line would continue on as the leaders of the clan, taking up the Siluren name as their middle name as a sign of respect to the founders.

The clan stayed out of most later main timeline events, simply serving as spectators to the destruction that countries brought upon one another whenever the lightning country was involved. In more recent times the Siluren have continued to reside in peace though less so as of late due to Sanosuke raids coming down from the north. Aside from a few of the sub clans within Sanosuke that only wished to trade with Siluren, most Sanosuke are attacked when entering Siluren lands. This in part with the multiple invasions attempts undertaken by the Hojo whom wanted to civilize the Siluren has made the clan even more wary of outsiders than they already were in more recent times.

## **Members**

Note - The Siluren have one main village (Giuthais "Pine in Gaelic") that hosts most of the clan. It is common for whole groups and or families to venture away from the main village for a time and make large campsites before returning.

Ancestral Important Members

* **Rusur Siluren**

The founder of the Siluren clan. Said to have refused the call of death far into his elder years. Some say this was because he refused to see his people be led astray during the age of settling.

* **Gralin Siluren**

Died during the warring clans from his wounds due to raids from aggressive nomadic clans, thus ending the Siluren bloodline. Passed on the way in how new leaders would be chosen and that no one bloodline should claim utter supremacy over the clan. The leader should be chosen as the clan's protector and guide when the nights are darkest.

### Current Important Members

* **Kidrin Siluren Bilihk**

The current leader of the Siluren clan. A well aged stoic man who's seen people at their best and their worst. Holds the safety of his clan above all other matters. A known kekkei genkai storm release user. He's been given numerous titles over the years from other clan members such as "Kidrin the Storm Herald" and "Dana's Fury."

* **Farver Siluren Bilihk**

Kidrin's only son and heir, a young man who's heard the tales and witnessed what the people beyond the pines are capable of. He's curious and naive at times but shares his father's love for their clan, wanting nothing more than to keep them safe.

* **Tathra Willow**

A renowned Grey Laouk within the Siluren clan. When conflict is occurring within Siluren territory Tathra Willow is a known pillar of leadership when Kidrin is elsewhere. She is slightly more accepting of outsiders than Kidrin is but only slightly. She's known to spend most of her time on the borders of Siluren territory, on patrol.

* **Bjorn "The Sightless"**

Is a legendary Red Laouk and dear friend to Kidrin, it is argued which one of them is more stoic and stern than the other. Bjorn was a close candidate for leader of the clan right beside Kidrin during the last choosing. Bjorn was born without sight but his father trained him hard in order to fight with his condition. As a man he distinguished himself on the battlefield garnering the title of Bjorn "The Sightless." He spends his days wandering the Siluren territory watching over the various perimeters seemingly at random, occasionally visiting Giuthais village.

## **Techniques**

Overall the SIluren utilize the same skills the use in tracking in hunting when dealing with an outside threat such as other clans. They prefer to stay at range while doing their best to ambush their prey and fight a guerilla war. Additionally, the Siluren are not known for possessing an affinity for a certain chakra nature or kekkei genkai.

* Chakra Flow Bowstring

The Siluren have developed an unorthodox form of chakra flow when utilizing their bows. Where as most ranged weaponry chakra flow is put into the projectile itself, most Siluren bowmen/archers flow their chakra through the strings of their bows. This increases the speed, power and accuracy of an archer's arrows while having to expend less chakra than flowing chakra into the projectile since it will be flying away from the user. This also helps keep the arrows more stealthy as there is no chakra on the projectile to be sensed as it nears the target.

* One Handed Sign Weaving

With how much of their combat style revolves around utilizing the bow, its usually difficult if not impossible to weave signs in order to utilize jutsu. Veteran Siluren tend to learn how to weave signs with one hand in order to utilize jutsu while armed with their bows allowing them to preform devastating jutsu at range.

* Silent Arrow (Silent Fist Variant)

The Siluren overtime developed a way to flow their chakra into their arrows before firing, akin to how an owl's wings muffled the sounds of air rushing through its feathers. The arrows are usually made from wood that allows for easier chakra flow as well.

## **Traditions**

The Siluren are a people who have a deep communal bond. A village of Siluren are not multiple families living in the same space, they are all of the same family. When children are born they are nursed by every woman and protected by every man. Individuals within the clan refer to others within as father, mother, brother and sister. Families will still have their family names but the communal bonds and traditions run deeper than blood.

This strong bond commonly extends to those who truly befriend a Siluren. Just like in their communities, many Siluren will refer to close friends or comrades as brother or sister; and just like how Siluren will protect their own to tooth and nail a Siluren would happily do the same for a close friend outside the clan.

The Siluren primarily live off of foraging and hunting. Due to this lifestyle it is normal for most Siluren to be excellent trackers and bowmen. When dealing with threats of any kind the Siluren prefer to utilize ambush and hit and run tactics much like when hunting their prey in the woods, even commonly utilizing poisons made from natural plants when threatened by neighboring clans or tribes.

"It is said that Siluren will always repay a kindness done to them. However, one should expect the same if you ever do wrong by a Siluren. Grudge Keepers or Debt Payers are terms used to describe Siluren."

The Siluren are known to worship a single god within their belief. They refer to a goddess of the earth and seasons that they call Dana. She resonates the coming and going of the seasons on her harp which is depicted as a long U shaped branch with a four harp string in-between, one for each of the seasons.

**Giuthais Village**

The spot that the Siluren first settling during the age of settling. It is a modest size with dozens of small wooden houses nestled at the edge of the pine forests just before the river and mountain range to the north. The settlement has no walls though it does have some sentry towers built around some of the surrounding trees. Any additional defenses other than those within the village itself would include an assortment of traps including but not limited to pitfalls, tripwires and falling logs.

## **Military**

Each and every Siluren is taught how to use a bow and short sword adequately by the age of fourteen though the clan takes measures to have it be that only those who've received their cloaks by age sixteen are rounded up to fight hostile clans or threats. No one is quite sure what kind of numbers the Siluren can muster but estimates suggest that anywhere from 6,000 to 9,000 of age Siluren can be mustered from across the clan's territory.

Since the Siluren are so fixated on keeping what territory they have rather than expanding, they've developed multiple defensive layers that they man within their territory. The first layer being the most outer one the hugs the Siluren border and goes about a dozen miles or so inwards. This layer is mainly comprised of singular or small scout teams, no more than three individuals. Their primary task is to keep watch on anything that comes in and goes out. They are not to engage and are informed to report back any alarming findings immediately. These patrol groups are usually cycled out every month or so.

By the second layer if traders have ventured this far they are likely greeted and bartered with. As a larger group will be sent out to them with goods to do bartering. A hostile threat on the other hand will start to be meet with hard hitting ranged ambushes by multiple larger groups of mustered cloaks before fleeing back into the woods, also setting lethal traps when applicable. The threat will be harassed day and night within the woods as it is softened like prey.

The third and final perimeter which is not more than a dozen miles from Giuthais village is where the SIluren pull out all the stops. There any invader or threat will meet stubborn resistance, having to then deal with many more grey and red cloaks along with every capable fighter.

* Battle ready Siluren are refereed to as "Laouk" or "Cloaked Warrior."
* Green Laouk are the common fighters within the Siluren clan. They are usually young adults who have been well trained in archery and in the use of jutsu. They are trained in melee combat but are not adept at it. Equivalent to most genin and chunnin.

* Grey Laouk are veteran Siluren as their once bright green cloaks are now a tattered grey. They are usually far more dangerous foes than the more common green cloaks. Most Grey Laouk have already experienced combat and have learned from it, usually having the ability to utilize more than one chakra nature and multiple techniques. Equivalent to most Jounin.

* Red Laouk are those Siluren who've put down their bows, usually because they are unable to utilize one anymore or through some person choice. In most cases this is due to the loss of an arm, or bowstring drawing fingers or have poor eyesight. These Siluren train hard to fight exclusively in melee combat and with jutsu techniques. Due to this the red cloaks tend to be the hardiest and most aggressive Siluren. They wear red to symbolize the blood spilled upon them by their enemies and so that the enemy is too distracted seeing them to notice their brothers and sisters fighting from afar.

## **Relations**

[The Great Clans (The Big Three)]

The Sanosuke - (Unfriendly) For the most part the Siluren clan will attack most of the sub Sanosuke clans once they enter Siluren territory except for a few outliers who started off with good trading relations and have maintained them. This is due to the fact that most of the time the sub clans of Sanosuke will launch raids into the Siluren's territory. These trading outliers are the only reason the Siluren are not completely hostile towards the Sanosuke.

The Hojo - (Hostile) With how the Hojo have attempted to invade and occupy Siluren lands on multiple occasions on the grounds that they were bringing civilization and 'saving' the Siluren, it goes without saying that the Siluren hold a strong grudge with the clan. Despite the Hojo's attempts at diplomacy and trade after their failed invasion attempts due to the Siluren's preferred ambush tactics and guerrilla warfare, the Siluren continue to hold hostile relations towards any Hojo presence within their lands.

The Alaricus - (Neutral) Due to the distance that separates the Alaricus and the Siluren the two clans have had very little in the way of interactions. Mostly in the form of Siluren scouts or hunters spectating or seeing the aftermath of the Alaricus people fighting against Sanoskue clans.

[Noble Clans]

The Hishima - (Hostile) A clan that is subject to the Hojo is no friend of the SIluren

The Sato - (Unfriendly) Being a northern nomadic clan that is close allies with the Sanosuke they are treated similarly. They are kept at arms length and watched warily when in Siluren lands.

Most Nomads of the North (Neutral/Unfriendly) Simply if the nomadic clan is passing through Siluren lands and is willing to trade showing little to no aggression they are welcomed. More known aggressive and belligerent nomadic clans are greeted with volleys of arrows.