A Whistle in the Dark [Closed]

[chimecho]

For some time now, Souma had been gathering forces despite his absence from the realm of Otogakure-no-Sato. It is always wise for a man of profound intellect to utilize others in his stead when he himself cannot show face to the crowd. As the Uchiha returned to his studio, a shadowed figure emerged from the darkness of the empty chambers. It had been his right hand, Li Hideki. This man had been Souma's surrogate-leader for the interactions between occultist Liderens and otherworldly agents in the lands of Demons and Night. Not much progress had been made, but ties had become stronger since the last time Sugoi-sama appeared before the dark mass within the catacombs of Otogakure.

[chimecho]

In a lengthy spiel, Hideki informed his superior of the crimes committed against the nation of Sound. It had been the forces of the northwest, hailing from Hoshigakure-no-Sato that caused scores of people to retreat into the darkness and abandon their posts as shinobi of the Hidden Sound. As the Uchiha reclined in his seat, he took in all of the information presented to him, and then there would be another who would step forth from the cloaking blackness.. The single eye of Souma sparked with interest as before him stood none other than Akayo; she had since returned from her tasks in the northeast and then presented the seated man with his large fan Kitsuenai. Akayo bowed once and also handed over an unopened letter which had been received from the warlord Banjakutarou. She went on to tell both Souma and Hideki that despite their best efforts, the Star-ninjas had overwhelmed the oni troops and that only a few had survived the encounter. Cool and poised, Souma showed no recognizable concern, but his mind was racing with a fever. He went on to ask about the priority that he had given the Oni warlord and his henchmen. Akayo then slipped a hand in her tool bag and slowly, pulled out a vial that glowed a peculiar shade of purple.

This had been the siphoned chakra of a Hoshi-nin. The heliotrope hued energy danced around in the container as Souma examined it with his crimson 3-tomoe eye... he was fascinated by this miraculous energy and felt more at ease that the lower ilk of demon men had at least done one thing asked of them. He tucked the vial away at once and then asked Hideki and Akayo of any more news concerning the umbral uprising of Otogakure's forces....

[chimecho]

Via kuchiyose, Akayo would summon three entities into the dark chambers of the artist Uchiha Souma. There had been one hailing from the Land of Demons, one from the Land of Night, and the last being, which was nursed within the "neutral" country of Shadow. Immediately, all three dropped to their knees and lowered their faces into the ceramic tile at the feet of Souma.

"Sugoi-sama!!!" the hailed in unison. Their tongues had been flicking violently as to produced the harsh sounds made by those who spoke exclusively in Infernal. As the now six figures either stood, sat or knelt in the dark embrace of the art studio, Souma would speak loosely of the events that transpired while on the Isle of Moon. He would not, however, reveal too much context because of the inferior breed that held an audience within his chambers. Even though his intimidation was masterful, those hybrids of men and demon held no true alliance to anyone but themselves; it was solely out of fear for their lives that they moved at the Uchiha's beck and call. One thing he did make mention of is the fact that the child-kage may no longer serve a purpose in the dark plans he was meticulously arranging from the shadows of Otogakure. Since she may not be returning, he would not have to act as her subordinate and that he may actually have the opportunity to rise to the height of Otokage himself.. if the cards shifted in his favor. But in that interim, he would need to accomplish several tasks, especially since he had returned to the village and his paramount influence would be felt as a lurid flame in the hearts of the other Liderens inhabiting the hidden village.

At once, he had the Ranzatsu kunoichi de-summon the inferior beasts to their respective holds and then he, Hideki and her would talk more privately about the political affairs that were developing around the world. This hidden nation in the Moon isle seemed to be a powerful entity, but for now, Souma wanted no parts in it. He still would require more advanced technology from the minds of Minerai, and covert agents in at least three of the five great nations, then at best one or two from some lesser shinobi village. The plan was to turn the world on its side and watch as the overturned candle set the world ablaze. The nations of Earth, Cloud and Mist seemed to be the most geographically advantageous for him to interact with, while only Waterfall and the ever lonely nation of Snow held more hidden secrets that the world over hadn't known of. If not for the cooperation of the onis and shadow-hybrids, none of this information would have came to Souma's knowledge. It was time to set actions into motion. Hideki, almost as if by telepathy, or perhaps a brotherly bond, knew that it was his time to depart. Akayo, however, stayed behind with her lord and lover as a total darkness encumbered her irrational Kekkei Genkai senses.

[chimecho]

This winter brought along with it a crawling disease, and with an eye set on a flickering flame in the windowsill, Souma sought to settle the harrowing affair once and for all.

[chimecho]

Black Sun on the Horizon

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Black Sun on the Horizon
Rank: None Set 
Type: Unknown
Difficulty: Moderate
Objective: Gather Lideren forces within the walls of Otogakure no Sato.
Description: Having returned from the Moon Isle to the country Sound, the Uchiha has found the village still in turmoil. With no active Otokage, the villagers are in a state of unrest and here now seems to be an opportune time for the artist to orchestrate an effort to rally the men of the Oto-cloth.
Reward: Unknown

With a clear mind, Souma stepped from the threshold of his studio out into the streets of Otogakure no Sato. Protesters littered the streets and violent flames licked the heights of walls as shadows danced in a chaotic tempo. Voices clamored in thick waves as the Uchiha moved down the tightening corridor; villagers shouted and the dark-shrouded man walked with a deathly silence as he navigated his way through scores of men and women. 

For a moment, he would close his eye and take in the conflict that manifested around him...

1

[chimecho]

 ...As his means of visual acuity returned to an agape position, he took in the chakra flow of the surrounding world in a flood of sanguine rays. The fury happening around him was observed by nature and prediction. He frowned faint, then turned his left eye towards a bystander with a hot scowl. The man unaware, had fallen into the pits of the ocular powers of the Sharingan; he stood frozen in time as Souma stared him down from behind the cloaks of a black-curtain-corridor. 

"Hegh---!!" he stammered, closing his eyes shut and dropping to his knees; this would alert several other protesters around him, but it did not cease the entire crowd. Fights broke out in the western district and a flame roared down its tight streets. "Heeellllpppp!!!" that, in tandem with the uproar of heat, made onlookers wondered what it was that he'd seen. Already, by the time they had too, looked into depths spiraling into the obscene realities of the mind, the first man fell into a bout of horrifying screams. It didn't take much time for the chain reaction to reach the surrounding masses, who now fell under the heavy pressure of a three-tomoe Sharingan. With a phantasm, Souma struck. The nightmarish land holding the minds of those captured forced them into a world of fetid skin and abandoned resolve. In his vision, Souma hoped that this would reach the spirits of this Lideren men and cause them to stop fighting. Through his towering ego, he would one-by-one calm the minds of those captured in his Genjutsu. Many willing turned their way to quell the angry passions of his neighbor, and the village ANBU witnessed everything that had occurred. 

When others in different districts fell victim to the epic prowess of Souma's doujutsu, the crowds waned in power. His voice could move mountains of men and dispel any hostile advances they had towards the guardians of the hidden village. And there were none amongst them that could read his truer nature behind the actor's mask... this village and its people were as puppets before the calculating maestro Uchiha Souma. With an acting and persuasive skill well above that of master, it was no difficult task to subdue the masses. In time, he would rise to a center position that looked down over the surrounding Liderens. He stood at a podium of some dilapidated theater and began to question the integrity of the nation's peoples. 

Many of the gathered took time to reflect on their most recent actions and how the civil unrest looked even for them as a nation. The Liderens weren't innately hostile people -- these were people of the arts; of a finer lifestyle than many of the other regions of the known world. Souma used the lore and history behind the beginnings of Otogakure to persuade its people that they were to be better off following the passions and arts of their hearts than wasting their time in a state of confused animosity. Soon, as the crowd worked itself into a jovial frenzy, Hideki rose to a height similar to Souma's and added his own spiel to further subjugate the gathered mass.

SPOILER: Click to show

Sharingan
Rank: "C", "B", "A"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: The Sharingan is a special eye that grants the user a broad form of abilities, and unlocks techniques dedicated to the Sharingan.
Special: Handseals
Drawback: ---
Description: Picture The Sharingan is the most feared ability of the Uchiha Clan. This unique ability manifests in a clan member's eyes, and while some might call it a genetic aberration of deformity, the Uchiha have used this gift to devastating effect. In some members this ability will only let them anticipate or predict the path of an attack. The user activates this ability as a "C" Rank weaving movement that does not provoke an opportunity of attack. Each Rank learned the user gains a Tomoe (maximum 3). User gains a +10 insight bonus to Investigate, Observation, Reading Lips, and Forgery (to copy writers) checks per Tomoe. User gains a +10 insight bonus to Sense Motive against Feints per Tomoe. User gains a +2 insight bonus to Intimidate per Tomoe. User gains a +2 insight bonus to Will Saves against GenJutsu and Mind-Affecting Jutsus per Tomoe. User gains a +2 insight bonus to Attack Damage per Tomoe. User gains a +2 insight bonus to Dodge per Tomoe. The user can concentrate for a move-movement to gain the ability to "See Chakra" for as long as the user concentrates, plus 5 rounds. The Sharingan eye costs chakra per round to maintain. If the user is blinded, user gains none of the benefits of the Sharingan. Unless caught flat-footed, immobilized, or feinted against, the character cannot lose Minor Defenses while the Sharingan is Active. Deactivating this is a free movement. When the user unlocks the 3rd Tomoe they gain the ability Glare. User gains a +20 bonus to Observation to detect GenJutsu techniques or see Chakra Activity (see See Chakra). The Difficulty Saves of a character's Eye Techniques increases by +1 no named bonus while their Sharingan is active.
Limit: Must be an Uchiha.

Gazing GenJutsu
Rank: "S"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: A jutsu enhancement technique that allows the user to perform a GenJutsu as a gaze attack.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: A Sharingan based technique. A variation of the Still Jutsu, GenJutsu is released as a Gaze Attack. Instead of using Handseals to perform a Jutsu, the user uses their Sharingan as a medium. This Jutsu Enhancement only affects GenJutsu. Gazing GenJutsu cannot be reduced by Efficient Jutsu Enhancement Technique, Easy Jutsu Enhancement Technique and similar Jutsus. Handseal/Chakra Increase: 1 Rank.
Limit: Must be an Uchiha. Must know Sharingan (3rd Tomoe).

Actor’s Mask
Rank: D
Skill: Supplementary Ninjutsu
Effect: Creates a balance state.
Special: Vocal Symphony Knowledge
Drawback: Takes a full post to take effect.
Description: By chanting a mantra to themselves the bard clears their mind and buries conscious and subconscious thoughts far below the surface. During this time the emotions and alignment of the bard cannot be read by any means. This skill lasts for the entirety of the thread unless the bard chooses to dispel it.
Limit: Art of the Bard. 'Singing'.

2

[chimecho]

The catacombs were a home a way from home for Souma and as Hideki stepped in as his faithful surrogate, the Uchiha himself descended into the depths of the Otogakure underbelly. His crimson eye was able to discern figment from reality and with a stoic mind, the things that moved within the shadows did little to bother him. He had grown accustom to navigating these ruinous grounds of Old Oto and set up several rest spots in dead-end tunnels scattered across the entirety of the upper and robust village. He would retrieve his Ryuteki flute and play a swift melody, which resonated with several structures in the catacombs; immediately, a dead-end had turned into a pitch-black atrium that only his Sharingan could pierce through.


"Ahhhh, Sugoi-sama."

A voice rang out in the clammy darkness.

"So you've returned." The tongue of the Infernal was laced with old age and dark wisdom.

3

[chimecho]

Smiling, the Uchiha circled around the front of the seated figure. "Yes, Baqi..." Following whatever protocol there was to be made while on the stage of the underworld, Souma bowed before this dark entity. Did it hold power even over the prodigious Sugoi? As he regained his full stature, Souma cut right to the chase. In Infernal, too.

"What news do you have of the Junayd? Have they completed their assignment in Minerai?" The Junayd, or small army, had been a class of low-ranking soldiers, hailing mainly from the Land of Night and then that of Shadow. Their numbers where in the high two-hundreds by the time Souma returned from the Moon Island--before he had departed for six months, they had barely been half of that. The entity known as Baqi told him that they had successfully captured a few of the coveted minds working down in Minerai, and that with the recent efforts of the Junayd involving the Star Country shinobi, the arcane secrets of how their chakra worked with the technology found in Snow Country was in the early stages of being solved. But they needed more time. Souma had been already working out the impurities of such a perfect plan and Baqi was ready to hear of his scheme. The Otonin informed him of the affairs down in Tsuki-kuni and none of it seemed to surprise him. For years now, the dark forces of the world had heard stories about the mysticism going on down there. Baqi waved it off, though. So once Souma revealed to him his plan, the ancient one Baqi spake thus:

"That is an excellent plan, Sugoi-sama.. but can you answer this? What happens if your plan backfires and your own people turn against you? Will you retreat to this total darkness?"

For a moment, Souma thought. He had already checked and then double checked nearly every possibility within this game of power. And he was omnipotent. His subtle power had even now seemed to deceive the old Kedouin, Baqi, who didn't understand that he, too, was a pawn in the army of Uchiha Souma. But, playing his role as an actor, Souma seemed concerned; yet this slight change in his usual personality stood out to Baqi and the ancient one's eyes turned into a leer. The Uchiha had suddenly become indiscernible to the age-old Kedouin.

"I am the darkness......" Souma said, smiling, before he back-peddled into the spaces of the underground chamber that light dared not reach.

4

[chimecho]

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Beastland Ferocity
Rank: "D"
Skill: GenJutsu
Effect: User unleashes the savage will to survive inherent in every creature.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: ---
Description: A Mind-Affecting Technique. Affects 1 creature. The user is able to perform this technique on the target they touch. The duration of this technique lasts for 5 minutes per class level. This technique may be negated. The subject becomes such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying. The creature can still die normally.
Limit: Must know the Enchantment Perception.

[ 0000 // 0010 ]

Back topside and with the sun stretching its hot gaze over the flat plains of the Oto-kuni horizon, Souma called forth a simple enchantment. He had himself seen it performed several times by warlords who had been in charge of lesser oni. These beings had been captivated by genjutsu and coerced into battle. From what he could scry with his Sharingan, he had known that this particular enchantment first involved touching the target, and then conditioning them to their inner bestial nature. Warlords in Demon Country would place bets on the bastard creations and set them to fight amongst themselves in the Pit of Teeth. Since he had specialized specifically in the illusory arts and had mastered a few perceptions, a technique such as this one proved easy enough for him to master.

His victim had been a whelp. It was a small and frail canine, possibly on the brink of starvation that his eye had caught. With a burst of chakra, his dark colored eye swirled into a crimson pattern bearing three-tomoe and immediately the dog fixated its gaze into Souma's own. The man smiled and knelt down to touch the dog. An innocent gesture that held hellish connotations. As the Otonin's chakra pushed through his body, he flashed a set of one-handed seals while placing the other on the head of the small pup. In no time, the transference of energy had been completed and now the eyes of the eager dog turned hot with rage. There was an insatiable hunger gnawing at the canine's stomach; fleas had already riddled his body, but now their presence seemed to have been magnified to an extent of creating aggression in the heart of this adolescent animal. 

The beast would turn away from its red-eyed hypnotist and seek out an elder man of the streets who had no home. Its bark had certainly grown from pitiful to outrageous in moments as the enchantment coursed through its shaking body. Half-awake from his slumber at dawn, the old man rubbed both eyes and then quickly tried to get out of harms way-----Yet it had been too late. His screams were met with opposition as the small dog twisted and turned with the man's leg in its vicious maw; Souma had never seen the spirit so vehement and as an artist, it inspired him in many ways. Out of nowhere, or so it seemed, as all shinobi do appear, a team of two, and then three, attempted to apprehend the beast, but to no avail. The dog's spirit had been lifted to such a feverish height of tenacity that nothing could keep it from spilling this man's blood. Not even a dozen shuriken or a D-rank Raiton ninjutsu did little to stop it in its tracks. All bloodied and bruised, the puppy fought on. It was inspirational as Souma absorbed all of this emotion carried through the dog into the man, that went out into the genin-ranked children who yearned to aid him in his plight. 

It would take the swift mind of their chuunin counterpart to fully subdue the dog. He had to quickly crush the animal with a strange art of the sand release. Needless to say, that the small alleyway where this fatal arrangement took place in had been splattered with blood. In all of this, it took Souma no time to realize the potential of the enchanting illusions. Before his very eyes, a small dog had grown the heart and hunger of some larger beast as if it were a very natural thing for it to adopt. The artist turned his back on these affairs as iryounin rushed to the scene. He still had the morning's business to attend to.

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Animal Magnetism
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: User's charming powers are more potent with animals and anthropomorphic creatures.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: The Saves for all of the user's Jutsus and abilities are increased by +2 when they are used to target Animals or anthropomorphic creatures.
Limit: Must be an Uchiha.

One-Handed Jutsu
Rank: "A"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User learns how to perform Jutsus with One Handed Handseals.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Jutsus are normally performed with the use of 2 hands. A Stilled One-Handed Jutsu can be performed with Handseals using 1 Hand. Jutsus without Handseal components are not affected. Jutsu Handseal/Chakra Increase: 0 Rank.
Limit: Must learn from Universal NinJutsu.

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exit

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