The Hokousha :: The Desert Walkers

History//Legend of the Clan
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The Desert Walkers, as they are so aptly name, began as a nomadic peoples, roaming the dunes of the Wind Country in search of water and food. The Desert Walkers, after many years of a self-sufficient society, experience a dire need of water and decided to procure the services of a local number of Doton manipulators. They were able to call water from the depths of dormant wells and the very earth itself. The Hokousha rejoiced, praising their good fortune, and began to develop their own abilities with the use of Katon. The Hokousha, originally, took well to Katon, using their abilities to handle the heat of the sun and the desert itself. They, to this day, maintain a high respect for heat and fire and its ability to purge and kill.

After many years, the Hokousha began to present the ability to mix Doton and Katon to form Gaton, or Glass. At first, the Hokousha thought very little of their abilities and their applications. The Hokousha, nonetheless, began to cultivate their abilities the resulted in the creation of their Doujutsu. The Hokousha had long been fascination with the tricks of the mind, illusions, and mirages. This eye allowed them to see through this world fully and completely. However, the Hokousha were ever growing and soon they would no longer be able to support their people. The Hokousha, then, decided to travel to Sunagakure in order to permanently settle. The Hokousha did so and traveled to the village, arriving some time not long after its creation. Unfortunately, the Hokousha were not well suited to such a life within a village and many of them perished. The view that survived relatively kept to themselves, making an income off glass ornaments and hardened weapons.

The Hokousha began to replenish their numbers, many of them taking to the shinobi profession in order to protect Sunagakure. The Hokousha have done well for themselves in recent years, becoming a pivotal part of the village and its infrastructure. It is also in recent years that the Hokousha have finally developed a sort of political system in order to deal with their ever increasing numbers. The Hokousha, while a fairly quiet clan, are very loyal to Sunagakure or, really, whatever place they end up. The spirit of adventure never leaves the Hokousha, their body always questing for more and better knowledge and experience.

Kekkei Genkai
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These nomadic peoples, one with the desert, have developed a rather interesting bloodline based upon Gaton - Glass manipulation. The Hokousha, obsessed with the difference between true reality and subjective reality, had honed their skills andabilities to a masterful extent. The Kekkei Genkai possessed by hereditary Hokousha requires extremely precise and grand chakra control. Only those clanmembers who present a chakra attuned specialty are allowed to become shinobi. There are, of course, forsaken members that do not present this specialty and refuse to obey the statutes of the clan. These members, called the Demon Walkers, are subject to exile and, if not, are then labeled Untouchables and are shunned by other clan members. Reprieve is possible, if the Demon Walker presents a master's ability, but it is highly unlikely.

Now, in order to understand the Kekkei Genkai of the Hokousha, it is necessary to understand their mindset. The Hokousha put great emphasis on the true reality and the subjective reality, and their related importance. At points the subjective reality can take precedence and the true reality must be forgotten. The Hokousha absorb themselves in the intricacies of the world are a very politically involved. The Hokousha are importance diplomatic representatives of Sunagakure and support her and her endeavors wholeheartedly as long as they maintain accordance with their own ideals. The Hokousha are very loyal to Sunagakure and when a situation presents itself that they do not agree with, most will not participate. Only the highest rankingmembers of the Hokousha [Jounin +] break the statutes of the clan based on what is and is not necessary.

The heavy emphasis on reality has cultivated the Genjutsu abilities of the Hokousha. However, they do not simply deal with typical Genjutsu. By using Gaton - Glass to manipulation naturally occurring light the Hokousha have developed a highly dangerous arsenal of area effect Genjutsu. By not affecting the mind of the opponent directly, they can formulate far more powerful Genjutsu than most other shinobi. However, this method of Genjutsu has two main weaknesses. Firstly, the Hokousha can only manipulate light to a certain distance. By the inverse square law [the strength of the source is inversely proportional to the square of the distance] the Hokousha are limited by their proximity to an opponent or the area they are attempting to affect. Secondly, because the Genjutsu they create is area effect, they will also be affected by the Genjutsu. However, this issue has been rectified with a Doujutsu that allows them to pierce reality.

[ Shinnyogan | Absolute Reality Eye ]

The Shinnyogan, a brilliant Doujutsu, allows for a number of additional abilities granted to the Hokousha. Firstly, it must be duly noted that under the influence of the Shinnyogan, the clan member will be granted the ability to create super thin layers of glass, only a few molecules thick. This ability, a break-off from the Shinnyogan, is called Tasekai [Other World]. Tasekai allows for the flawless manipulation of the area one both sides of the sheet of glass. Normally, the Hokousha employ the use of thicker glass which is used to reflect light and manipulate it as such. However, with Tasekai the Hokousha can affect two, or more, locations at once with this thinner layer of glass which reflects and manipulates light along both sides of its surface.

The primary ability of the Shinnyogan is the ability to pierce reality. Now, this does not necessarily limit the eye to seeing through Genjutsu. It also allows the clan member to see through a ruse of the opponent or a hidden trap that may be waiting. The eye picks up exclusively on intentions that are being ketp secret or hidden. An opponent that does not attempt to hide or conceal himself will be seen as normal. An opponent, however, that does attempt to hide themselves, information, etc will appear as a distortion within the field of sight. The eye is incredibly unruly, however, and will often distort reality in order to compensate for information it does not understand. The Shinnyogan, at the base, is built from the reality and perception of the user. If the user cannot correctly interpret data given to them, the Shinnyogan can become difficult to use. However, use of the Doujutsu obviously becomes easier with age as experience and wisdom increases. The leader of the Hokousha are said to have such a defined grasp on reality, they are impossible to trick or dupe.

The sight of the Shinnyogan will appear as a black field with white lines creating the field of vision. Any portion of reality that is distorted and any matter of the like will appear as red lines, with the true reality still appear as the white lines. However, because of the unruly nature of the Doujutsu, the lines may cross, blur, disappear at points, and a whole other manner of distortions depending upon the individual clan member and their rank. Generally, however, a Genin will find themselves with major distortions, reality sometimes very difficult to distinguish from lies. Chuunin will find themselves readily able to distinguish between what is reality and what is not. During times of heighten emotion or stress they will somewhat lose theirability , lines quickly falling into disarray. Jounin will find themselves able to cleanly be able to distinguish between what is real and what is not, stress and heightened emotion affecting theirability very little. The Shinnyogan has a 50 meter maximum at Genin, a 250 meter maximum at Chuunin, and a 500 meter maximum at Jounin.

The Inner Workings
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Clan Training | The Hokousha begin their training at a very young age. Most, if not all, clan members possess excellent chakra control [stemming from their need to conserve in the desert] and therefore starting at a young age is not odd or out of the question. Hokousha members will start with simple Gaton - Glass manipulation and move onto far harder concepts. After learning to create and manipulate Gaton - Glass, Hokousha clan members will begin to learn to bend and manipulate naturally occurring beams of light. This usually consumes much of the training process and is sometimes a difficult ability to learn and certainly a difficult one to master. During this time, most Hokousha members will begin to develop their Doujutsu. The Doujutsu will activate at the age of seven, without fail, and constitutes a great celebration for shinobi within the Hokousha. The Doujutsu takes quite a bit of time and attention to foster and grow. Most Hokousha members will enter the Academy around twelve or thirteen, but usually never much younger. The Hokousha attempt to gain as much knowledge as possible form home before heading out to continue their education. Beyond initial training, after the Academy Hokousha members are often left to their own devices.

Population | The Hokousha are a Class D clan, possessing somewhere around one-hundred members. The Hokousha often possess dark skin, olive in color or sometimes light or darker, with dark hair, usually black and brown. However, some children presenting a lighter complexion and hair color have been born. The Hokousha wear loose, billowing clothing that is often light and easy to move within. The traditional dress of the Hokousha are long robes, but they have long since upgraded to more modern clothing. The Hokousha often wear light color clothing, white or tan, to better survive within desert conditions. The Hokousha almost exist exclusively within Sunagakure, rarely straying from their homeland. The Hokousha are exclusive to Sunagakure unless the member is a Demon Walker or a defector.

Nature//Values | The Hokousha are... neither good nor evil. The Hokousha have an intensive level of understanding and see the true colors of the world, which includes both the good and the bad. The Hokousha realize that there is not true good and no true evil and, as such, the represent more of a middle line. The Hokousha, at times, can be self serving if it to the benefit of them, to the clan, and their village. The Hokousha understand completely the nature of their profession, as shinobi, and what they must do. The Hokousha lend themselves according to what they believe in and are usually never swayed by outside sources. The Hokousha believe in themselves above all else.


Additional Information
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Clan Founder | Unknown.

Clan Political Structure | The Hokousha are ruled by a council of four elders and one younger clan member, between the ages of twenty and thirty. Using this method, the Hokousha are able to allow their strongest and oldest members to rule but additionally with the influence of the younger generation. The Hokousha do not decide by a vote but a mutual agreement for on a certain issue. If a clan member is adamantly opposed to a proposition, that proposition will not be carried out no matter the feelings of the others. The council of elders is chosen very wisely and, simply, does not provide for any true higher privileges within the clan beyond dealing with simple domestic issues and the like. The true ruler of the Hokousha is the clan leader. Usually a younger member of the clan, representing the most powerful of the clan. The clan leader spot can be contested by another member and a battle will ensue, to ensure the strongest member fills the most important position. The clan leader most often resolves disputes and aids the council in making decisions.