Shinju Clan

by **Rei** Tue Jul 30, 2019 2:53 pm

Name:(神獣 (Shinjū) Divine Beast(s)
Affiliation:(Shikigakure)
History:(The history of the Shinju are one of notorious report. The earliest recordings of this clan, go back to what many presume to be over one thousand years ago. Though they are only mentioned in stone tablet carvings, the stories told in stone are both exotic and terrifying. It is said that at one time, all beings were equal- then humanity found a method for harnessing the life-force within them to endow them with supernatural powers. This severely offset the balance in nature, where humans quickly asserted their dominance atop the food chain. This imbalance destroyed the equilibrium of nature and just like humans, the beasts also set the pecking order for the animal kingdom.

Mankind had once been considered a beast, until their superior wit and introduction of Ninjutsu made them powerful and greedy. The tablets say that nature itself cast them out, discarding them and their unnecessary supernatural powers. Yet their presence still greatly affected the beasts and changed the animal kingdom forever. Nature was in need of a new champion, the caretakers of balance and order. Mankind had been nature's best creation and had served as guardians of the forests. Guardians against what exactly, no one is for certain- as any mention of whatever threats they faces, were removed from the stone tablets.

In need of a new guardian of the forests, nature created a new existence- one of both man and beast. How this process was accomplished, many scholars have theories, but most suspect it was a union between man and beast. An unholy and vile concept. From what should have normally been impossible, nature allowed an exception for the sole purpose in creating the new caretakers of the forests. Beasts with human-like appearance and intelligence. The major difference between these creatures and humankind, was the inability to perform Ninjutsu. Not just Ninjutsu, but Genjutsu as well. Elemental manipulation, Fuinjutsu, Space-Time Ninjutsu, Barrier Ninjutsu, etc: all were denied to these new guardians. The perfect unison between mankind's original purpose, and the very creatures mankind was deemed unworthy to protect.

Above all else, the Shinju revere the food chain. Although mankind's Ninjutsu had twisted the original purpose of nature, the Kijin still worship the very land itself. Mankind had altered the coexistence between all beasts in nature and there was no going back to harmony. As such, the Shinju had been created as both the apex predator, as well as guardians.

While mankind had separated themselves from beasts and clustered together in man-made villages, the Shinju remained with nature. Although they appeared mostly human, they were still beasts. They had offspring with other wild beasts and eventually their race as a whole was established. Interaction with mankind was always stressed, due to the power and greed in the human heart. These two apex races fought many times over the years, mostly small skirmishes, but the Forest of Darkness always remained within the Shinju's control. The beast tribe was content to allow mankind to live in exile of nature. To rely on their own inventions and numbers. The Shinju believed that due to mankind's inherent evil nature, they would eventually destroy themselves.

They were mistaken however. After many generations of perfecting their ninjutsu into the shinobi arts and further dividing themselves by identities through affiliation of villages or groups- mankind spread out even further, taking what they wanted and needed through force. They carved their way through the unsettled lands in nature and would eventually create the three major powers, Johogakure, Chozogakure and Shikigakure. Although they were divided and began to war with one another, they never stopped taking from nature- and this invoked the wrath of the Shinju. They had remained apart from mankind for generations, content to watch from a distance.

After what was referred to in mankind's history as the "One Year War" The Shinju decided that they could no longer remain apart from mankind. Mankind needed to be brought to heel. Though many of man had died during that one war, the destruction to nature had been far greater. Like mankind, the Shinju elected a leader, a spokesman and representative of their people. This representative was the most powerful and fierce of their clan- of which they gave the title "Kijin" or Fierce God.

Due to the village of Shikigakure's location to the Dark Forest and their neutral stance on violence, Shikigakure was the prime example of a semi-reasonable coexistence with humans. The Shinju made a treaty with Shikigakure after the One Year War and began to slowly integrate into human society. For the next thirty years, both Shikigakure and the Shinju worked together to coexist- although ground rules had been set in place due to the differences between their races.

Shinju were required to wear clothing- though they were beasts in human form, they were expected to adhere to mankind's silly custom.
Shikigakure was allowed into the Dark Forest to collect natural resources for medicine, etc. The Dark Forest would remain under command of the Shinju's Kijin however. The Kijin's word was second to the Shikikage's.
Shinju and mankind were forbidden to harm one another. A valued rule for coexistence, but not heavily enforced.

These two races benefited each other in many ways. Shinju became more refined in personality, as well as their uses in combat. Taijutsu and Bukijutsu. Up until they allied with Shikigakure, they had relied solely on their bestial traits and natural weapons, such as bones and rocks. The introduction of tools by Shikigakure did much to improve the Shinju clan's power. Shikigakure also benefited greatly. The Shinju were not a peaceful clan, therefor they served as the "hand" to Shikigakure's neutral confrontations. In addition to this, the village was allowed to use the Dark Forest's resources at a moderate rate. The Shinju introduced many herbs, ore and other things which fueled the village's medicinal research.

The effects between these two races were not all wholesome however. Just as there was positive reinforcement, there was also the negative. The Shinju were discriminated out of fear and called "Demi-humans" creatures only half human and not worth the same morally. Although the second Shikikage Matoya Matsu worked tirelessly to ease the tensions, he could never reach a mutual respect between the races. Humans used the Shinju and in turn- the Shinju learned nasty habits from the humans. Violence begot violence, discrimination begot discrimination. The Shinju were treated as exotic creature for entertainment of many purposes. Humans became to be viewed as lesser creatures.

The two races had caused drastic change in one another, though the Shinju suffered the most. The shortest answer to this was their bestial natures and reverence of nature's established pecking order. There could not be two apex predators in the shinobi world. Beasts by nature, the Shinju were always quick to resort to violence. "Might makes right" was the way of nature. Though physically powerful and gifted, they lost as many fights as they won, due to mankind's inherent use of Ninjutsu. And so, an uneasy kinship continues between the village of Shikigakure and the Dark Forest. Some Shinju prefer to live in the village, while others chose to remain closer to their primitive roots and live inside the Dark Forest.)

Extra Info:("Might makes right" A simple but undeniable truth in the ugly world. Power was everything, morals were a lesser quality. To the beast clan of the Shinju, they revered the food chain of nature, more so than man's morals. While they are capable of emotions and intelligent thought, there is a large difference in the moral code between the Shinju and mankind. Kill or be killed. Take or be taken. Survival and dominance are the two driving traits in nearly all Shinju.

Due to these qualities, the clan itself has its own pecking order. The Kijin being at the top of course, but all clansmen were not equal. Their worth and respect were determined by power. The integration f mankind into their society broadened their understandings and dealings even more. Although humans were always their constant rival in being the apex predator, the Shinju came to learn from and respect the power of mankind. While the majority of each race dislike each other or maintain a very course relationship- coexistence has been achieved by some. Love was one method- these two races had offspring, though the offspring were incapable of Ninjutsu as well. Another method was reverence through power. Undeniable strength was an attractive quality to the Shinju. Power became the clan's way to govern themselves. This made things easier to coexist with Shikigakure's laws, as the Kijin made sure to enforce the most important of mankind's laws, although the Kijin tend to easily overlook the less important ones.

Shinju are a long-lived race, compared to other beasts. The average Shinju lives for one thousand years. A strong Shinju might live close to two thousand years. Age is relative to the clan and adulthood is only defined once you have reached two hundred year of age.

Lastly. The Shinju have a weird ritual. This ritual is like a ceremony of marriage, where they claim an individual for their own. After being claimed, the target carries the Shinju's scent. Allowing others of the clan that they belong to another. No one will touch them unless they first defeat the other Shinju to claim "dominance" of their property. This ritual is invoked by a simple action, a deep affectionate bite into their target. One bitten, the user's scent is transferred to the target, allowing the "owner" to track their "property" by scent even over long distances.)

Appearance:(The Shinju vary greatly, similar to the diversity in the animal kingdom. A common trait all Shinju members have though, are beast-like physical qualities. Such as fanged teeth, a tail, clawed-nails, or even cat ears.)

KKG/Ability:( The Kijin are most notably gifted for their physical qualities. Because they are not actually human, they possess much keener senses and stronger physical bodies. Mankind has Ninjutsu, but beast-kin have other physical qualities.
Shape-shifting: The most obvious special trait of the clan, is the Shinju's ability of transformation. Although they possess a human-like form easily mistaken as human(save small features such as fanged teeth or cat ears/tails, etc). The Shinju possess no true form, though human form is presumed to be their primary form. The clan possesses the ability to transform their entire body into that of various beasts, beast combinations, or even just parts of their bodies. Unlike humanity which requires chakra to perform these various transformations for a limited amount of time, the Shinju transformations are complete and final until they choose to shape-shift again. In addition o the shape-shifting, their bodies are also enhanced in a similar process of Nintaijutsu. Different transformations change their physical stats in the form of boosts. These boosts are also permanent but cannot be boosted further than their transformation allows.

Physical body: Due to the very bestial nature of the clan's KKG, the Shinju possess astounding physical stats compared to the human shinobi. Mankind invests highly into their chakra stat for Ninjutsu, while Shinju focus far less in chakra or their "life-force" as they call it. Instead they focus on their physical bodies and transformations. Shinju clansmen receive an additional +3 stat points every level. These extra 3 stat points may not be put into the chakra stat however, only their physical stats. In addition to their stats, they receive no penalty to learning Taijutsu as well as Bukijtutsu(They can learn Taijutsu without penalizing their Bukijutsu's option to learn all specs).
Cons:

Most notably is the clan's inability to perform the various Ninjutsu, including Genjutsu. At most, they are capable of channeling their life-force into weapons, akin to chakra flow.
Shinju have no tenketsu points. This is an indirect effect from their inability to use Ninjutsu & Genjutsu. They do not have a chakra circulatory system, therefor no tenketsu points.(Can't use 8Gates)
Shinju are limited to Taijutsu and Bukijutsu. They possess no natural affinity to elements.
Shinju cannot obtain specific DNA transplants or KKGs which grant them elements or extra skills(Such as Ninjutsu, etc)

Clan Jutsu:(Divine Beast Transformations)

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Shinju Clan

Shinju Clan