▰▰▰ History
Amegakure [ Village Hidden in the Rain ] is a shinobi village nestled in the heart of the Rain Country. The Land of Rain is a landlocked country located south of the Land of Earth, west of the Land of Fire, and northeast of the Land of Wind. It is a small crossroads between three massive nations and, as a result, became a hub for trade and industry. The country has an average annual rainfall of over ten thousand millimeters it is the wettest place in the world. Because of the torrential rainfall that batters the country constantly the only crops that grow reliably in the wet soil are berries, Taro, asparagus, and rice. These foods have historically been the staple of the local diet and are the cornerstone of their cuisine. The Land of Rain is plentiful in only raw materials such as steel, coal, iron, and copper. This allowed them to rapidly industrialize but their lack of substantially arable land prevented population growth. Amegakure's factories, mines, and processing plants supply the neighboring nations with a massive amount of industrial goods in trade. It is commonly joked about that the only reason Amegakure was never invaded for its resources was that the Fire, Earth, and Wind countries wanted to stay in the sunshine.
Amegakure is the only noteworthy population center in the Rain Country with most of it consisting of mining and factory towns. Amegakure itself has been nicknamed the "Jagged City" because of its network of massively tall and sharp metal spires topped by exposed wires. The Rain Country's conservative cultural expectations of industriousness and stoicism left little room for beautiful and luxurious architecture. Amegakure has a highly advanced gutter and cistern system that carries rainwater through the Three Tiers of Amegakure. Tier One is called the Sky Sector which consists of the higher floors of the towers which are interconnected by covered sky bridges to pass through the village while staying dry. This is where the rain collection system begins as it flows through the pipes into Tier Two. The Sky Sector is known as the wealthiest district because of the expensive residential units and government and commerce offices. This is the smallest sector by population. The Earth Sector is the street level where the gutters flow through before reaching the processing point in the third tier Cistern Sector. The Earth Sector is made up of covered and irrigated streets and is by far the largest sector by population. Indoor markets, neighborhoods, restaurants, and most village life, in general, take place in the Earth Sector. Finally, the Cistern Sector is the lowest level where the rain collects and is redirected into the enormous lake that surrounds Amegakure. It is below the street level and has by far the highest poverty and crime rate and is sparsely policed.
Historically, the village has produced very few shinobi and was led by a Prime Administrator who served the interests of the Rain Daimyo who traditionally led the village and country. With threats and trade exploitation by the neighboring major powers of Konohagakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure steadily grew to resent the shinobi way of life. In the modern history of the village, Amegakure readily joined the United Hidden Villages and stationed one of the primary UHV battalions. Amegakure's civilian population wanted the continent under UHV control to improve their dismal quality of life without the geopolitical pressure of the larger nations. When the UHV was defeated in the war to follow by Kumogakure's empire the Rain Country was forced into the empire. This time period is known by locals as the Decade of Shame where the empire used their labor and raw resources for further military expansion. The once-proud independent nation of workers was now under imperial occupation.
At the end of the Kogarashi World War, the empire maintained dominion over the Rain Country but was vastly undermanned compared to the initial occupation. The Empire successfully kept them pacified by conscription into the imperial army but imperial taxation waned in the Rain Country and independence was beginning to look like a possibility with greatly diminished imperial influence. In the immediately post-Kogarashi war time Amegakure experienced a population boom that was unprecedented. Skilled immigrants, as well as displaced peoples, flooded the country over the years. It is speculated by experts that the country's position between three massive countries made it the ideal place for such an immigration surge after the Kogarashi war. Eventually, Amegakure's population rivaled that of Konohagakure as well as Arashigakure respectively. This fringe imperial territory in the far west was becoming a substantial power as the Prime Administrator and Daimyo steadily regained control from the imperial governor.
Before the political will was mustered by the Prime Administrator for independence he and the Daimyo were assassinated by Satoshi Genburyuichirousuke, a rogue ninja of Arashigakure and a notorious pirate of the imperial seas. Using advanced technology he projected the Kotoamatsukami mangekyo sharingan genjutsu across the village. Fuuinjutsu was then used to maintain the genjutsu over the entire civilian population who had no shinobi skills over the long term. With Amegakure under his control, he declared himself the first Amekage and the Daimyo of the Rain Country. As Amekage, he established a technological and sealing system across the village to maintain the genjutsu-based stasis that was controlling the population into submission. Sanbi chakra and further illusory genjutsu were then projected to create false images. Illusory Yokai and dragons often circle the village.along with any other images that the Amekage desires. The images are often used for propaganda to buttress the initial hypnosis. The subtlety of the Kotoamatsukami's command allowed for civilians to act as they would normally but with an undying devotion to the Amekage. The majority of citizens of Amegakure worship the Amekage as a god and supreme leader and martial law is constantly enforced. Not all citizens, especially shinobi, were affected by this hypnosis, however. A rebellious presence is growing in the Cistern Sector. The Amekage has a brutal regime enforced by the police, the surveillance state, round-the-clock propaganda illusions, and ANBU. Children in schools are taught obedience to Lord Amekage. Reality itself is questioned by the genjutsu propaganda stream as outside information is filtered through the state. Insurgents are usually taken to the labor camps in the Rain Country to mine coal or dig for metals.
The Land of Haze was founded by Satoshi when he used his forces to conquer the Land of Earth allowing access to a cost and far more arable land for agriculture. The impoverished people from the Land of Earth are often enslaved and brought to Amegakure for further labor and development. Amegakure's forces are used to guard the borders and keep the former Land of Earth in submission and they are currently not in the position to expand their borders.
Amegakure is the only noteworthy population center in the Rain Country with most of it consisting of mining and factory towns. Amegakure itself has been nicknamed the "Jagged City" because of its network of massively tall and sharp metal spires topped by exposed wires. The Rain Country's conservative cultural expectations of industriousness and stoicism left little room for beautiful and luxurious architecture. Amegakure has a highly advanced gutter and cistern system that carries rainwater through the Three Tiers of Amegakure. Tier One is called the Sky Sector which consists of the higher floors of the towers which are interconnected by covered sky bridges to pass through the village while staying dry. This is where the rain collection system begins as it flows through the pipes into Tier Two. The Sky Sector is known as the wealthiest district because of the expensive residential units and government and commerce offices. This is the smallest sector by population. The Earth Sector is the street level where the gutters flow through before reaching the processing point in the third tier Cistern Sector. The Earth Sector is made up of covered and irrigated streets and is by far the largest sector by population. Indoor markets, neighborhoods, restaurants, and most village life, in general, take place in the Earth Sector. Finally, the Cistern Sector is the lowest level where the rain collects and is redirected into the enormous lake that surrounds Amegakure. It is below the street level and has by far the highest poverty and crime rate and is sparsely policed.
Historically, the village has produced very few shinobi and was led by a Prime Administrator who served the interests of the Rain Daimyo who traditionally led the village and country. With threats and trade exploitation by the neighboring major powers of Konohagakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure steadily grew to resent the shinobi way of life. In the modern history of the village, Amegakure readily joined the United Hidden Villages and stationed one of the primary UHV battalions. Amegakure's civilian population wanted the continent under UHV control to improve their dismal quality of life without the geopolitical pressure of the larger nations. When the UHV was defeated in the war to follow by Kumogakure's empire the Rain Country was forced into the empire. This time period is known by locals as the Decade of Shame where the empire used their labor and raw resources for further military expansion. The once-proud independent nation of workers was now under imperial occupation.
At the end of the Kogarashi World War, the empire maintained dominion over the Rain Country but was vastly undermanned compared to the initial occupation. The Empire successfully kept them pacified by conscription into the imperial army but imperial taxation waned in the Rain Country and independence was beginning to look like a possibility with greatly diminished imperial influence. In the immediately post-Kogarashi war time Amegakure experienced a population boom that was unprecedented. Skilled immigrants, as well as displaced peoples, flooded the country over the years. It is speculated by experts that the country's position between three massive countries made it the ideal place for such an immigration surge after the Kogarashi war. Eventually, Amegakure's population rivaled that of Konohagakure as well as Arashigakure respectively. This fringe imperial territory in the far west was becoming a substantial power as the Prime Administrator and Daimyo steadily regained control from the imperial governor.
Before the political will was mustered by the Prime Administrator for independence he and the Daimyo were assassinated by Satoshi Genburyuichirousuke, a rogue ninja of Arashigakure and a notorious pirate of the imperial seas. Using advanced technology he projected the Kotoamatsukami mangekyo sharingan genjutsu across the village. Fuuinjutsu was then used to maintain the genjutsu over the entire civilian population who had no shinobi skills over the long term. With Amegakure under his control, he declared himself the first Amekage and the Daimyo of the Rain Country. As Amekage, he established a technological and sealing system across the village to maintain the genjutsu-based stasis that was controlling the population into submission. Sanbi chakra and further illusory genjutsu were then projected to create false images. Illusory Yokai and dragons often circle the village.along with any other images that the Amekage desires. The images are often used for propaganda to buttress the initial hypnosis. The subtlety of the Kotoamatsukami's command allowed for civilians to act as they would normally but with an undying devotion to the Amekage. The majority of citizens of Amegakure worship the Amekage as a god and supreme leader and martial law is constantly enforced. Not all citizens, especially shinobi, were affected by this hypnosis, however. A rebellious presence is growing in the Cistern Sector. The Amekage has a brutal regime enforced by the police, the surveillance state, round-the-clock propaganda illusions, and ANBU. Children in schools are taught obedience to Lord Amekage. Reality itself is questioned by the genjutsu propaganda stream as outside information is filtered through the state. Insurgents are usually taken to the labor camps in the Rain Country to mine coal or dig for metals.
The Land of Haze was founded by Satoshi when he used his forces to conquer the Land of Earth allowing access to a cost and far more arable land for agriculture. The impoverished people from the Land of Earth are often enslaved and brought to Amegakure for further labor and development. Amegakure's forces are used to guard the borders and keep the former Land of Earth in submission and they are currently not in the position to expand their borders.
▰▰▰ The Illusion Grid
The Illusion Grid is the network of technology that allows for the genjutsu cast by Satoshi to affect the entirety of Amegakure at once. The Grid would cease to function and the village would return to base reality in the event of Satoshi's death. Searchlights, cameras, projectors, audio, blaster weapons, and chakra stabilizers are in fixed points that cover every inch of the village. Not only do these technologies allow for genjutsu to appear anywhere they also promote the data gathering of the surveillance state. The illusory form of the village is remarkably similar to the regular village with only subtle differences. But the illusion grid does allow for the Amekage to seemingly bend reality to his will by creating grand illusions of weather changes, monsters, and projections of propaganda. The Grid also sustains the effects of Satoshi's initial casting of Kotoamatsukami on the village's civilians. This technology allows for a genjutsu-dominated village that is never questioned by the population whose intense hypnosis by Kotoamatsukami is sustained.
The Amegakure forehead protector has four vertical lines as its design but installed inside of it is the remote link to the Illusion Grid allowing the shinobi to see and participate in the illusions when the forehead protector is in their possession. Non-shinobi citizens do not need the remote link because they are already under the influence of the Grid via the Kotoamatsukami hypnosis.. Badges identical to the forehead protectors are automatically given to visitors to link them into the Grid as well. When the badge or forehead protector is lost or abandoned the illusions persist for an additional three posts. They can also be easily replaced as they are supplied in public receptacles across Amegakure. When NPC civilians are interacted with they act normally and about their daily lives but are completely indoctrinated and will not accept opinions contrary to the Amekage.
The Amegakure forehead protector has four vertical lines as its design but installed inside of it is the remote link to the Illusion Grid allowing the shinobi to see and participate in the illusions when the forehead protector is in their possession. Non-shinobi citizens do not need the remote link because they are already under the influence of the Grid via the Kotoamatsukami hypnosis.. Badges identical to the forehead protectors are automatically given to visitors to link them into the Grid as well. When the badge or forehead protector is lost or abandoned the illusions persist for an additional three posts. They can also be easily replaced as they are supplied in public receptacles across Amegakure. When NPC civilians are interacted with they act normally and about their daily lives but are completely indoctrinated and will not accept opinions contrary to the Amekage.
▰▰▰ KASA
The Keepers of Amity, Security, and Allegiance (KASA) are Amegakure's unique special operations force that fills the role of ANBU in most villages. KASA is a covert secret police force that operates independently of the primary law enforcement agency. KASA focuses principally on loyally serving the Amekage's regime by repressing political dissidents and weakening political opposition. Their main methods of fulfilling their central purpose are capturing, interrogating, and imprisoning political dissidents but they will also carry out assassinations. KASA are the keepers of the illusion grid and see to its maintenance as well as use methods of hypnosis for the rare citizens who are able to resist the effects of the grid. KASA also organizes the work camps in the Rain Country where the most stubborn dissidents are sent to isolate them from other citizens and obtain free agricultural, mining, and lumber labor. Because of their key role in enforcing the regime, only the most loyal and elite shinobi applicants are accepted as KASA agents. KASA agents, as secret police, often wear plain clothes and carry umbrella weapons although they will wear masks for more "traditional ANBU" operations. KASA agents also act as the personal security detail of the Amekage, his advisers, and other key members of the regime. KASA agents are trained as silent, precise, elite umbrella warriors and use umbrellas as their primary weapon because of its practical and covert nature. The stem of the umbrella can unsheathe to reveal a thin sword while the top of the umbrella is constructed from powerfully-reinforced folding sheet metal that can act as a shield. Additionally, the ribs of the umbrella have spring-loaded mechanisms for firing senbon.
