I don't own Halo or Naruto.

Bold-My Own Words

Bold & Italic-Locations, Time & Calendar

Normal-Narrative

"Normal"-Person Speaking

'Normal'-Thoughts

"Italic"-Foreign Language

'Italic'-Radio Chatter

/Italic\-AI/Computer typing


Shinsei Seasons:

Spring: April 25 - August 4

Summer: August 5 - October 11

Fall: October 12 -January 6

Winter: January 7 - April 24


United Dominion Archives

(April 2544 Edition; Part 1)


National Ratings Index:


READER NOTICE!
This Rating Index is based on the reflections, opinions, and observations of dozens of Dominion Military and Scientific Analysts.
It is not and should not be considered a 100% effective or accurate assessment of the situation amongst the Elemental Nations.


1. Military- Multiple Factors; Namely numbers, equipment quantity/quality, training quality, etc.
2. Economy- Multiple Factors; Namely visible wealth, citizen prosperity, the condition of cities and villages, etc.
3. Industry- Based on the amount of visible industrial centers visible from Orbital Imagery and/or ground reconnaissance.
4. Infrastructure- Based on Orbital Imagery of road/railroad development/conditions/numbers.
5. Population - 1 point per 3 million inhabitants (Country); 1 point per 8,000 inhabitants (Hidden Village).


Archive Listing:

1. Marsh Country

2. Sky Country

3. Wolf Country

4. Water Country

5. Honey Country

6. Demon Country

7. Lightning Country

8. Stone Country

9. Frost Country

10. Moon Country


Elemental Nations


1. Marsh Country (AKA Swamp Country)

Founded: 2512 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Hashimaki
Current Daimyo: Morishita Senichi (64 years old)

Population: 14.41 million
Army Size: (Est.)
48,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
15,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 4/10
Economy: 4/10
Industry: 2/10
Infrastructure: 3.5/10
Population: 4.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
18/50


Geography

Climate: Tropical
Dominant Biomes:
Rainforest
Wetland
Flooded Grassland

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 91°F
(Winter) March: 51°F

Average Rainfall*:
491 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
1,253 meters (4,110 Feet)
Mount Isawa

Lowest Elevation:
-2,425 meters (7,956 Feet)
Hatsuro Valley


Hidden Marsh Village (AKA Hidden Swamp Village)

Founded: 2516 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current 'Numakage': Takashima Yukinaga /2nd Numakage\ (51 years old)

Village Population: 29,000
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
3,000 Shinobi

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 3.5/10
Economy: 5/10
Industry: 3/10
Infrastructure: 4/10
Population: 3.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
19/50


Country Bio: A country born out of the fires of the 2nd Shinobi World War (2506-2512), Marsh Country is a break-off country of the old Sky Empire, which fell apart and collapsed into numerous states in the last year of the war, along with the early post-war years. Marsh Country was 'founded' during the war by the Rebel factions within the region, fighting the Imperial Shinobi and Samurai of Sky Country, in 2512. Led by the rebel ninja Takashima Korenaga and facing depleted garrisons and/or third-rate soldiers of the empire, the rebels were able to quickly overwhelm and seize several key locations and cities within the Marsh Region, leading to an overthrowing of the regional government within a few months. However, the country wasn't 'Officially' recognized by the other Elemental Nations until after the war's end.

In the years following the war, Marsh Country was beset with the problems of a new nation born from the fires of revolution. The region's few farmlands were largely in ruins, as well as the land's infrastructure and industry. The country's moderate-sized population is largely situated on or near the coast, though there are many villages and towns of considerable size further inland. The infrastructure, what little hadn't been wrecked in the fighting, was inadequate for the country's needs, resulting in limited growth and trade as the new nation struggled to rebuild.

Over the next several years, the country would attempt to rebuild the land, burdened by marauding bandits, famine, and a crippled economy. Along with opportunistic neighbors, such as Stone and Demon Countries, the situation looked bleak for the young country. However, the foundation of the Hidden Marsh Village in 2516 by Takashima Korenaga, who was also its first Numakage, helped changed the fortunes of the Marsh Country. With the nation now having its own dedicated Shinobi Force, the Marsh Military went about crushing the numerous gangs of bandits that plague the land, along with securing the borders of their Country from neighboring Countries looking for more territory in the wake of the Sky Empire's collapse as the infighting amongst the succession states resumed. Bandits and pirate still plague Marsh Country, but thanks to renewed efforts by the military and assistance from the Dominion Military, the number of gangs and factions roaming the countryside has vastly diminished. Slowly but surely, Marsh Country is regaining control of its land.

As the years went on, Marsh Country's situation continued to improve, slowly but surely. Border skirmishes were frequent, but not too frequent. However, before long, an old enemy reared its ugly head. Sky Country, fresh from their reclamation of the regions that were once Bird Country (Conquered in 2522.) and Forest Country (Annexed in 2539), were looking to retake their old territory back. Several clashes have occurred between the Marsh and Sky Villages over the decades, though never escalating to full-fledged war, even during the period of the 3rd Shinobi World War (2528-2540). Tensions remain high between the two factions but have yet to escalate to war. Though many are certain that it will inevitably escalate, even if the Dominion is backing Marsh Country.

Today, Marsh Country stands as a moderate but growing power amongst the elemental nations, with its population growing steadily and its economy experiencing a revitalization thanks to access to Dominion markets and goods. While nowhere near as powerful or prosperous as some of the Western Shinobi Nations, such as the Land of Fire or the Land of Lightning, the Country has enough resources and land to grow and develop, if given time. However, with the tensions between Marsh and Sky Country continuing to rise slowly but surely, largely due to a recent number of attempted kidnappings and assassinations from both sides, many are certain that it will inevitably escalate into a full-fledged war between the two countries, even if the Dominion is backing Marsh Country. Whether this will erupt into war, and whether or not the Dominion will come to Marsh's aid as promised if it does, has yet to be seen.


/-\

\-/


2. Sky Country

Founded: 2198 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Kenhaba (Is also the location of the Hidden Sky Village.)
Current Daimyo: Okuda Sotatsu (59 years old)

Population: 18.48 million
Army Size: (Est.)
80,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
40,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 6.5/10
Economy: 5.5/10
Industry: 5.5/10
Infrastructure: 6.5/10
Population: 6/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
30/50


Geography

Climate: Temperate
Dominant Biomes:
Temperate Forest
Grasslands

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 80°F
(Winter) March: 5°F

Average Rainfall:
117 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
3,012 meters (9,881 Feet)
Mount Keno

Lowest Elevation:
-500 meters (1,640 Feet)
Kawasaki Cove


Hidden Sky Village

Founded: 2422 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current Sukaikage: Miura Kenji /6th Sukaikage\ (45 years old)

'Village' Population: 36,000 (Kenhaba's total population is 322,000)
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
6,000 Shinobi

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 6.5/10
Economy: 6/10
Industry: 6.5/10
Infrastructure: 6.5/10
Population: 4.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
30/50


Country Bio: Sky Country is among the oldest of the current nations in the Elemental Nations. It's also one of the only countries in the region to have gained and lost an empire not once, but twice. The first time was back in 2251, which led to an empire that spanned across the western coast of the Eastern Continent, as well as several islands within what is now Water Country and Nagi Island. This empire lasted some 80 years, before being brought down by rebel factions, encroaching militaries, and a crippling economic collapse that caused it to lose all of its overseas holdings.

For the next century, Sky Country rebuilt its strength, fortifying its territory and restoring its military power, even establishing their own Shinobi Village. Then, the Lightning-Water War (2430-2434), throwing the entire Kaizoku Region into conflict. While the county only played a minor role in the conflict on the side of the Mist, the country did experience full-fledge Shinobi armies for the first time, as well as their potential, and what they saw intrigued them. Sky Country had always been slightly more technologically advanced than its neighbors, but experimentation with Shinobi lead to a new breed of Shinobi Warfare never before seen.

Aerial Shinobi Warfare became a trademark of the Sky Country, with their infamous flying death machines, aircraft carriers, and such, all of which gave them a considerable edge in battle and helped paved the way to a rebirth of their empire. They push inland on their home continent for the next 10 years, expanding their territory all the way to the border of the Demon Country and Wood Country. By this point, they were long considered to be one of the 5 Great Shinobi Nations of the Elemental Nations, (along with Wind, Earth, Lightning, and Water.). By the year 2470, they had secured all of their old territories on their home continent, a full 2/3 of the Eastern Continent, and had turned their attention towards reclaiming lost overseas territories.

When the First Shinobi World War (2486-2492) erupted, the Sky Country unleashed their forces with a fury not seen since the days of their first empire, invading and taking vast sways of territory within the first year of the war, including nearly a third of the Mist's land and almost all of Nagi and O'uzu islands.

Though by the end of the war they would eventually be beaten back from their overseas conquest, they were far from beaten in the war and had nevertheless made considerable gains for the Village and Empire, earning them tributary pay and vast amounts of gold payments from various powers and minor hidden villages. Confidence and pride in their nation had swelled to heights not seen in decades. That's why when the 2nd Shinobi World War (2506-2512) started, they went on another massive offensive, this time aimed at Lightning and Fire Country, who had only just created their own Hidden Village some 50 years prior. Unfortunately, this overconfidence is considered by many as to what led to the Sky Country losing the war.

While the initial invasion went well for the Sky Country, it quickly became apparent that they had underestimated their foes and overextend themselves, as the Sky Country began to suffer significant losses against the two Shinobi nations. To counter these losses, the Sky Village had depleted their garrison forces stationed at home, leaving behind a minimal force to protect their homeland. This was an opportunity that several factions of small-time rebels and fanatics within the Sky Country's territories had been waiting for. In rapid succession, numerous rebellions and uprisings occurred in the Easternmost territories of the Sky Country, forcing the Sky Country to divert more troops away from its home region to quell the uprisings.

It was at this moment, that the young Hidden Leaf Village and its host nation the Fire Country launched a surprise attack on the beating heart of the capital, Kenhaba. In one decisive strike, the Hidden Leaf razed the capital and surrounding countryside of the Sky Country, killed its Sukaikage, Daimyo, and a majority of the leadership staff, and had thrown the entire Sky Country war-machine into disarray. Both Fire and Lightning Countries quickly followed up with decisive counterattacks, driving the Sky Country forces out of their territories and inflicting massive casualties doing so. Combined with a loss of effective leadership, their supply chains disrupted, and numerous uprisings occurring all across their territory, the Sky Country began to crumble and collapse into udder disarray as many of their most elite armies were cut off and forced to fend for themselves, or were outright wiped out.

By the time the war ended, the once formidable empire had been brought to its knees and to the brink of destruction. Numerous new countries rose in the wake of the empire's collapse, resulting in a major shift of power throughout the Elemental Nations. The Sky Country, having receded towards its original homeland, had been reduced to a pathetic state of a nation, with a cripple industry and infrastructure, a paper-tiger of a military, and widespread famine due to the razing of precious farmlands by the marauding Fire and Konoha forces. It was well over a decade before the Country's situation stabilized to where it began to recover considerably.

Under the Charismatic leadership of Miura Kenji, who has ruled the country for 23 years after seizing power from the regency government that took over following the war's conclusion, the nation has seen a revival in both economy and military at a rapid pace. Its leaders have put an emphasis on quality over quantity the likes of which have rarely been seen (Though the Empire always had put an emphasis on Quality over Quantity.), resulting in a quality level of Elite Shinobi that haven't been seen in the Country's history before, and an army of elite, fanatical warriors, ready to die for their homeland, but who are also taught to use initiative in the heat of battle. Its economy has seen a boom in activity in recent years, likely in part due to many of the major nations, especially the 5 Great Shinobi Nations, having undergone severe turmoil and collateral damage due to either war or some sort of environmental or economic disaster. This has allowed the Sky Nation to rapidly recover as the neutral nations of the world choose to change their flow of trade away from the war-torn regions of the Elemental Nations to keep them from being seized or destroyed.

Today, the Sky Country is still somewhat a shadow of its former self but is quickly coming back onto the rise. It has already annexed and retaken the regions once known as the Lands of Bird (2525) and Forest (2539), taken over several small islands in the Kaizoku Sea and Hokubu Ocean to serve as naval bases, possibly installed a puppet government in the Land of Wolf (This is still unconfirmed. Some believe this is no more than a ruse by the Wolf Country Daimyo to keep anyone from invading.), and has rebuilt its military to a respectable and competent level, which has been made all the more dangerous by the illegal acquisition of Dominion firearms and equipment through Terran smugglers and gun runners. The tension between the Sky Country and its neighbor the Marsh Country have reached all-time highs, but have yet to escalate to full-blown war. Needless to say, Sky Country appears to be on the rise once more and if nothing interrupts this growth, the Empire could very well return to its old status as a Great Power.


/-\

\-/


3. Wolf Country

Founded: 2512 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Fujisaki
Current Daimyo: Tanji Koetsu (67 years old)

Population: 10.81 million
Army Size: (Est.)
35,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
16,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 3.5/10
Economy: 4/10
Industry: 3.5/10
Infrastructure: 5.5/10
Population: 3.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
20/50


Geography

Climate: Temperate
Dominant Biomes:
Temperate Forest
Grassland

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 83°F
(Winter) March: 21°F

Average Rainfall:
128 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
965 meters (3,116 Feet)
Jin-Sun Cliffs

Lowest Elevation:
-221 meters (725 Feet)
Mei-Jing Canyon


Country Bio: Wolf Country was born out of the fires of the Second Shinobi World War (2506-2512) following the collapse of the Sky Empire. Like its parent country, Wolf Country's infrastructure largely survived the war, which helped the country recover from the devastation faster than its neighbors. While economics and infrastructure may not be a problem, Wolf Country's government most certainly is. Corruption is reported to be widespread in the country, with bribery, kidnappings, rape, and even murder being supposedly commonplace within the politics of the country. Some believe the country is no more than a puppet state for Sky Country until they can return to prominence.

While most dismiss the claim, what is notable odd is that despite rebelling and seceding from the Sky Country, their relations with them are surprisingly friendly, with both countries assisting each other numerous times throughout the 30 years of Wolf Country's existence, while often times giving the cold shoulder or just being outright hostile to other nations that were once a part of the Sky Empire. And though the country has no Ninja force of its own, they have allowed the Sky Ninja free reign in their territory, further adding to the complexion that Wolf Country may, in fact, be nothing but a puppet state, waiting for its master to return to power.

Today, Wolf Country is considered a potential regional power in the Eastern Shinobi Lands, rivaled only by the Sky and Marsh Countries in the neighboring region, though many regard it as a paper tiger at best. Yet, they appear to be more than content with trading with everyone rather than fighting them, garnering up their small but growing economy with trade from overseas. There are a large amounts of untapped resources within the country that could easily bring the country into an age of prosperity should the country devote time and effort into exploiting these resources. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to happen due to the large influence of criminal lords keeping the populace weak and poor, while widespread corruption within the government prevents any meaningful attempts of change to the situation to occur. They have few friends or allies, as many view the sheer crime-plagued landscape of their country with contempt, while other, more unsavory individuals use the land as a meeting point away from prying eyes to conducted more lucrative and illegal businesses.

For now, Wolf Country is content to stay to itself, unwilling to involve itself with the affairs of other nations.


/-\

\-/


4. Water Country

Founded: 2260 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Soukita
Current Daimyo: Kurokawa Mashiro (52 years old)

Population: 26.5 million*
Army Size: (Est.)
100,000 Ashigaru Conscripts*
46,000 Samurai*

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 6.5/10
Economy: 6/10
Industry: 6/10
Infrastructure: 6/10
Population: 8.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
33/50*

*Note that figures and stats are pre-war estimates of the total population combined, due to the Civil War taking place.


Geography

Climate: Subtropical
Dominant Biomes:
Cloud Forest
Wetland
Grassland

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 88°F
(Winter) March: 29°F

Average Rainfall:
250 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
1,936 meters (6,351 Feet)
Chénshuì de Jùrén

Lowest Elevation:
-56 meters (183 Feet)
Kikomara Lowlands


Hidden Mist Village

Founded: 2420 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current Mizukage: Ikoma Yagura/4th Mizukage\ (15 years old)

Village Population: 55,000*
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
12,000 Shinobi*

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 6/10
Economy: 6/10
Industry: 6.5/10
Infrastructure: 6/10
Population: 6.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
31/50*

*Note that figures and stats are pre-war estimates of the total population combined, due to the Civil War taking place.


Country Bio: The infamy of the 'Bloody Hidden Mist' is one known far and wide to the people of the Shinobi Nations. Water Country has long since been a country held under suspicion by its neighbors, due to its willingness to partake in acts considered barbaric by the rest of the Shinobi Nations. Founded in 2260 during a time of war between numerous states, Water Country was forced from its inception to more or less either fight or die as every nation around it was fighting for territory and resources. One of the more devastating wars, the Kaizuko War (2294-2304), was fought between Water Country and Whirlpool Country, a much older nation that had established itself in the region. The 10-year long war would devastate the Kaizuko Sea region, mainly in part due to Whirlpool Country's premier Shinobi Clan, the Uzumaki, but it would establish Water Country as a significant power within the Kaizuko Region, though its military would be badly crippled from the fighting.

Desperate to ensure their survival, Water Country initiated a number of reforms within the government and their military, such as universal conscription and lowering of the conscription age from 16 to 14. Another practice that made them notorious early on was the practice of what they called "The Warrior's Will" where new shinobi trainees would be forced to brutally fight one another, sometimes to the death, in order to become soldiers, and oftentimes just to survive. Despite the barbarity of the practice, the tactics and reforms worked, allowing Water Country to defeat their neighbors and dominate the Central Island Chain.

After succeeding in taking over the island chain and achieving peace for their lands, Water Country went about on numerous projects to improve the land and increase the wealth of the newly formed nation, such as developing numerous farmlands or creating more port towns. This continued for roughly a century and a half before war reared its head once more at Water Country. Lightning Country, looking to expand their power and size, looked at Water Country as their next victim. Water Country's location was ideal, as the island chain was situated right in the middle of the Elemental Nations, making it a perfect staging point to invade any other part of the continent.

War broke out in 2430, as Lightning Country launches an amphibious invasion of the northern part of Water Country. Though the attack caught the country off guard, the invaders were quickly repelled within a month due to the sheer ferocity and ruthlessness of the defenders. For the next 3 years, the war was largely one fought on the seas by the two factions' navies, as well as their associates and allies. As the fight dragged on, large portions of the economy were shifted to focus on the military, both sides hoping to gain an edge over the other. Both countries developed their own hidden villages decades prior but had yet had a significant use for them until the war broke out. Ninja from both sides proved invaluable as their presence oftentimes decided the fate of entire battles throughout the war. By 2434, however, the war was but a stalemate, and both sides agreed that the fighting was going nowhere. By mid-2434, a ceasefire and follow up peace treaty had been signed, though the tension between the two would remain.

By 2475, relations had deteriorated with their 'ally' Sky Country. Water Country put more focus on their Shinobi and Military in the case of a possible conflict, which seemed more and more likely with each passing month. The brutality of their training regimes was notorious and infamous throughout the Elemental Nations, with some historians estimate that the training regimes and academies for the Hidden Mist Shinobi often times averaged a 30% mortality rate. Despite this, the Hidden Mist would go on to tie with the Hidden Leaf of having the 3rd largest Ninja Army in the Elemental Nations by the time the First Shinobi World War (2486-2492) broke out.

When the war finally broke out, Water Country was one of the hardest hit, as it faced attack from a resurgent Sky Empire as well as Lightning Country, who were looking for some payback for the Lightning-Water War. For the first 2 years of the war, Water Country and the Hidden Mist were fighting on their home turf, attempting to drive out the invaders. The turning point in the campaign was the Battle of Okuhara, where the 10,000 strong Water Army along with some 3,000 Hidden Mist Ninja, engaged and drove back the attacking Sky Army, which numbered some 18,000. The Sky Army was virtually annihilated, suffering some 85% casualties, and had comprised of some 60% of all Sky forces in Water Country. This loss had forced the Sky Empire to pull out of the Water Country altogether. Many historians agree that this key moment in the campaign stopped the entire Sky Empire Campaign in the Southern Nations altogether as their supply lines were now threatened by a resurgent and vengeful Water Country. The war would end some 3 years later, with Water Country gaining several of the smaller islands off its southern coast.

Water Country and the Hidden Mist Village would go on to participate in the 3rd Shinobi World War (2528-2540) in a sort of loose coalition against Fire Country and its Hidden Leaf Village but quickly changed when the Coalition forces invaded and destroyed Whirlpool Country (2528). Whirlpool and Water Country, despite their differences, had always enjoyed a friendly, if not cautious, relationship. They had refused to take action or arms against Whirlpool Country, and from all records found, seemed to have played no part in the destruction of Whirlpool Country. They even claim they sent an envoy to warn them of the impending invasion, though this envoy, if it even was sent, never arrived. When they learned of the massacre, Water Country left the coalition and declared war against it, while signing a peace treaty with Fire Country simultaneously. Though they wouldn't fight alongside Fire Country or its allies, it would wage war against Lightning Country and force it to fight a two-front war. In the end, both the Raikage and the Mizukage would be killed in the war, leaving the two countries in a state of emergency in the final months of the war before a peace treaty was signed.

After the war, following the death of the 3rd Mizukage, Ikoma Yagura was hurriedly named the 4th Mizukage. Almost immediately, the new Mizukage instituted a reign of terror, ordering purges of entire clans with a Kekkei Genkai. The Academies, who had already had a bloody reputation for their mortality rate, had stricter rules and regulations put in place per Yagura's orders, including that every student had to kill one of their classmates in one on one combat in order to graduate. The mortality rate rose from an 'average' of 30% to over 50-55%. The village was outraged by so many of their genin being killed before they even had a chance to become shinobi, but Yagura had the ANBU keep everyone in line, albeit through fear.

Sonoda Ao, a veteran and well-respected ninja of the Hidden Mist, finally discovered in 2542 that the 4th Mizukage, Ikoma Yagura, was being manipulated by someone and was being more or less ordered to do some of the horrendous things that had transpired. Who is unknown to this day. With this final revelation, the village, and soon after the entire country, went in full revolt. The Mist Civil War (2542-ongoing) had begun.

Today the country is divided and war-torn, with the various Ninja and Peasant Rebel factions, loosely united under a common enemy and led by Sonoda Ao; the Daimyo Kurokawa Mashiro's Samurai army and a handful of Shinobi loyal to him, who are attempting to fully purge the Hidden Mist altogether in hopes of just starting over; and those Ninja and Samurai loyal to Yagura's Regime, all of which are fighting for control of the country. Though many nations would love to either rid themselves of the Hidden Mist or take over the land for themselves, none have dared make a move beyond supplying one of the three factions with money, weapons, and sometimes mercenaries. Many are terrified of the prospect of invading the land, failing, and having to deal with a resurgent and vengeful Water Country afterward, regardless of whoever wins. Most, however, feel that the cost, in both lives and money, is just simply not worth it to take over or even wipe out Water Country, due to the well known and rather infamous tenacity of both Water Samurai and Hidden Mist Ninja. The situation has been further complicated due to loose reports of Terran firearms being used in the conflict by all three sides, likely sold to them by gun runners and smugglers.

While the United Dominion has an official no interference policy regarding Water Country and its Civil War, increasing numbers of attacks on dominion or civilian seafaring ships passing through the region have had some evidence pointing towards Yagura's Regime and the Daimyo's Forces being responsible. If these attacks continue, many agree that the Dominion will likely have no choice but to intervene. That, however, remains to be seen.

Interestingly enough, despite the country being mostly just 2 degrees south of Shinsei's Equator, save for parts of the central island and two islands right on the equator, Water Country is surprisingly very cold during its winter months. Col enough that it even snows regularly throughout the country's islands from Late January through Late March. While the exact cause isn't certain, as by all accounts this shouldn't be happening given the geographical location and features of Water Country and the surrounding region, it's suspected that a combination of factors, such as deep ocean currents, the tall central mountains and plateaus that populate the interior of the central island, the year-long prevailing mists, and the heavy rainfalls of spring and summer (At an estimated average of 250 cm/year, the third-highest in all of the Elemental Nations after Rain and Marsh Countries, which receive an estimated 290 and 340 cm/year, respectively.) may be the reasons for this. However, Dominion scientists are uncertain as of this time, as more research will have to be conducted to draw a definitive conclusion.


/-\

\-/


5. Honey Country

Founded: 2512 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Fuzou
Current Daimyo: Kawakami Anzai (59 years old)

Population: 7.8 million
Army Size: (Est.)
30,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
16,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 3.5/10
Economy: 8/10
Industry: 5.5/10
Infrastructure: 5/10
Population: 2.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
24.5/50


Geography

Climate: Temperate
Dominant Biomes:
Temperate Forest
Grass Savanna
Tree Savanna

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 78°F
(Winter) March: 45°F

Average Rainfall:
141 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
991 meters (3,251 Feet)
Mount Shidao

Lowest Elevation:
-43 meters (141 Feet)
Kuzunai Village


Country Bio: A country born out of the fires of the 2nd Shinobi World War (2506-2512), Honey Country is a break-off country of the old Sky Empire, which fell apart and collapsed into numerous states in the last years of the war, along with the early post-war years. Honey Country was 'founded' during the war by the Rebel factions within the region, fighting the Imperial Shinobi and Samurai of the Sky Country, in 2512. However, the country wasn't 'Officially' recognized by the other nations until after the war's end.

As opposed to some of the other breakaway states, who spent the next couple of decades dealing with anarchist, bandits, and pirate factions, Honey Country remained surprisingly stable, with very few bandits and pirate gangs ever managing to establish a foothold in the land before being either driven out or crushed. It also had the benefit of having a largely undamaged infrastructure, which allowed it to quickly capitalize on one advantage it had over the other. Its industry was much more developed than the other regions of the former Sky Empire, as many rare metals and ores are situated in its lands. It is one of the only nations that produce honey, its namesake, in the Elemental Nations. It is also the largest supplier of Honey, along with Silk (a title formerly held by Water Country before its Civil War broke out.)

Honey Country is situated in what was once one of the Sky Empire's economic zones, where commerce was the main focus of the region. With over a half dozen deep-water ports and over a dozen smaller ports in their possession, commerce quickly became Honey Country's main source of income. This lead to a vastness of wealth and influence that made them the envy of many neighbors, and allowed them to build a significant navy that dissuades piracy in their waters.

So why hasn't anyone invaded or tried to invade Honey Country? It's rich in resources and luxury goods would make it a prime target to conquer. The reason is rather simple: any invading nation would lose more in occupying Honey as opposed to trading with it. Honey Country is well aware of its appeal towards invasion from a foreign power, and have numerous contingencies in place should they find themselves in a war they can't win, which includes the destruction of the various mines and farms that produce their goods, along with any other strategically important targets such as ports and factories. This would force the invading nation to spend months if not years repairing and rebuilding the damage caused by both the fighting and a retreating army conducting a scorched earth policy.

In essence, it's more economically viable, and practical, to simply trade with the Land of Honey rather than attempting an occupation.

Today, Honey Country has a strong, prosperous economy and has developed strong economic ties with the United Dominion, despite having to compete with them now in trade. Regardless, many believe that relations will only improve between the two and in the near future Honey could very well join the United Dominion as a couple of nations (or regions, as some would call them.) have already. But this remains to be seen, as only time will truly tell if this is the case.


/-\

\-/


6. Demon Country

Founded: 2241 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Jinpo
Current Daimyo: Takenaka Fusaie (52 years old)

Population: 38.82 million
Army Size: (Est.)
190,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
30,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 5/10
Economy: 4/10
Industry: 4/10
Infrastructure: 4/10
Population: 10/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
27/50


Geography

Climate: Dry
Dominant Biomes:
Shrubland
Grassland
Mediterranean Forest

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 79°F
(Winter) March: -9°F

Average Rainfall:
68 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
1,674 meters (5,492 Feet)
Nagawara Mountain

Lowest Elevation:
-655 meters (2,148 Feet)
Ergas Cove


Hidden Demon Village

Founded: 2311 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current Akumakage: Kimura Saya /9th Akumakage\ (45 years old)

'Village' Population: 30,000
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
5,000 Shinobi

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 4/10
Economy: 4/10
Industry: 3.5/10
Infrastructure: 5/10
Population: 3.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
20/50


Country Bio: Demon Country is rather unique amongst the Elemental Nations. Instead of being a solid state, it acts more like a closely knit confederation of clans and villages that control territory within the Demon Region. When the Sky Empire had begun to encroach on their lands, the various clans, villages, and towns that made up the region banded together and formed what was later called the Confederacy of the Demon States, or Demon Country to outsiders. Initially, the land had no Daimyo, but that changed when the first Akumakage, Okazaki Toshiki, founded the Hidden Demon Village in 2311. Realizing the need for a centralized power, he sought out a Daimyo that could unify the land. While he would eventually succeed in doing so, the first Daimyo, Kushizu Takanaka, annointed in 2317, would have nowhere near the authority and power other Daimyos in other countries. Instead, power is divided between the Akumakage, the Daimyo, and a council consisting of 120 clan heads and village leaders. The closest comparison to how the pre-Daimyo Demon Country worked would be the Roman Republic's senate, though not quite exact as much of the details regarding its function have either been lost to history or are closely guarded by the Demon Government.

Demon Country can trace its history back to several nomadic tribes and clans that called the Eastern Continent their home. For many centuries, this stayed largely unchanged, until the beginning of the First millennium TC (1000 AD), when the various tribes and clans began settling towns and villages and started forming small city states. These city-states would compete and battle one another for many centuries over various resources and land, determined to achieve dominance in the region. This all changed, when the Sky Empire made the first contact in the 2100s. Initially, none of the inhabitants of the demon plains had been past the 'great marshlands', today Marsh County, with many believing it was unpassable and unending. However, the initial hostile first contact led to numerous wars and battles against the Empire, whose superior weapons and tactics more often than not would leave them victorious. This left the various city-states of the demon plains in a conundrum, they could either continue fighting each other and the Sky Empire at the same time, and likely be destroyed, or they could join forces and fight the Empire together. Though many were against the notion of working with former enemies, they reluctantly put their differences aside and fought against the Sky Empire, culminating in a stunning victory against the largely unbeaten Imperial Army in the Battle of Jamitoro Valley (2176), the largest land battle ever witnessed on the Eastern Continent where nearly 140,000 Demon warriors took on a 80,000 strong Imperial Army.

This battle, along with the sheer vastness and lack of significant resources within the demon plains, is largely considered to be the main reasons for the Sky Empire to eventually abandon their campaigns against the Demon people. Following their victory against the Sky Empire, the Demon people now realized the benefits of having allies, and since then, the ties amongst the various villages and clans only grew stronger, eventually leading to the creation of Demon Country.

In the following years after its founding, its history is largely uneventful save for occasional raids into Sky Territory and the interesting event where Demon Country became the first of the Elemental Nations to have a female Kage, (Sasaki Kina, 4th Akumakage; 2405-2431). Every now and then, border skirmishes have occurred with both Stone and Marsh Country, but never develop into full fledge war. Today, Demon country is considered a 'sleeping giant', mostly regarded as a backwards nation and not considered much of a threat by the rest of the world, but has the incredible potential to become a significant power should they ever modernize. It stayed out of the Shinobi World Wars and only took any significant action following the collapse of the Sky Empire, invading and conquering several neighbor states, from Neck and Wood Countries to the south, as well as Key and Silver Countries to the East, all of which have provided them fresh resources, such as iron and gold, to assist with their fledging industry. It would have grabbed the fledging Valley Country, had it not united with Marsh Country. Various reports have shown that Demon Country is indeed in the process of modernizing, constructing several factories across their lands since 2530, and having already developed a large navy and a Samurai Army, though they have been rather slow to expand their Shinobi Force. There have also been reports that Demon Country, like several other nations across the world, has acquired a small number of Terran firearms and technology, likely through illegal means, though this hasn't been confirmed by the Dominion.

Should they ever fully modernize, they could become a significant power within the Elemental Nations.


/-\

\-/


7. Lightning Country

Founded: 2255 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Rankita
Current Daimyo: Inagaki Norimoto (52 years old)

Population: 28.63 million
Army Size: (Est.)
200,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
50,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 8/10
Economy: 6/10
Industry: 6/10
Infrastructure: 6/10
Population: 9.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
34.5/50


Geography

Climate: Alpine
Dominant Biomes:
Alpine Forest/Grasslands
Montane Forest
Temperate Steppe
Tundra

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 71°F
(Winter) March: -25°F

Average Rainfall:
130 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
6877 meters (22,562 Feet)
Silver Peak

Lowest Elevation:
-242 meters (793 Feet)
Lake Inari


Hidden Cloud Village

Founded: 2405 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current Raikage: A/4th Raikage\ (26 years old)

Village Population: 118,000
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
12,000 Shinobi

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 5/10
Economy: 6/10
Industry: 5.5/10
Infrastructure: 6.5/10
Population: 10/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
33/50


Country Bio: One of the more notorious countries of the Elemental Nations, Lightning Country, like many of the other Shinobi nations, has a long history of violence and warfare. Founded in 2255, the years leading up to the country's founding are soaked full of bloody conflicts and wars of various city-states vying for control of the region.

Founded following nearly 500 years of city-states vying for control for the peninsula, the country is considered one of the most powerful within the Elemental Nations. But Lightning Country also has a close-knit, and largely hostile, history with another nation in the region, Frost Country, as both countries originate from two city-states that battled for control of the peninsula. Though there are several city-states with a vast interesting history that could be covered in this 500 year time period leading up to Lightning's founding, there are only two that need to be focused on which played a significant role. Rankita, a large mountain fortress that had dominated trade amongst the northern rivers, and Tokpo, a major trading hub and agricultural basin in the western part that would later become the capital of Frost Country, as well as the location of the Hidden Frost Village. By the time Lightning Country was founded, only these two major City-States had remained, having either conquered or destroyed all their rivals in the region. Frost Country would be founded in 2261, absorbing all the western cities and towns that hadn't fallen to Rankita.

Over the next 140 years, there would be 4 wars and numerous border skirmishes between the two nations, almost all of them ending in either a stalemate or in the case of the 4th Lightning-Frost War (2388-2394), a complete and utter victory for Frost Country, whose impressive forts and castles guarding the handful of mountain passes that led to the west, would prove too strong for Lightning to overcome. The 4th War would also be the first time Frost Country utilized Shinobi from their newly established Hidden Frost Village (est. 2380) in a frontline combat role. Following this war, Lightning began to experiment with the concept themselves of a dedicated Shinobi military, which had been slowly gaining more prominence in frontline combat roles during the late 23rd and 24th Centuries.

Several decades of experimenting and testing would eventually lead to the founding of the Hidden Cloud Village in 2405, but it wouldn't undergo its first major test until the Lightning-Water War (2430-2434), when Lightning Country went to war with Water Country and their ally Sky Country, who played a minor role in the war. The war ultimately turned into a stalemate, with neither side having a significant advantage in the conflict. By 2434, both of their Shinobi forces had been depleted, and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians were dead. In mid-2434, a peace treaty would be signed, effectively ending the war. Tension, however, would remain for years to come. While the war may didn't go the way they had hoped, the war did show Lightning Country how important Shinobi could be in warfare, thus the Hidden Cloud Village, which up until this point had been a small village of barely 3,000 Shinobi, began to receive larger funding from the Daimyo, allowing the Village to expand exponentially. While most countries would practice a concept of quality over quantity during times of war, where they would train their Shinobi to a high standard in hopes that this would increase their chances of survival, Lightning Country, with its larger population, chose to go for quantity over quality. The idea, largely borrowing from how the Lightning Army operated for many centuries, was to overwhelm the enemy with large numbers of 'good-enough' Shinobi with moderate levels of training, with the hope being that enough of them would survive to further develop their skills and become incredibly strong Shinobi further down the road. While it may seem barbaric to some, this mentality regarding the lives of their troops can be traced back to their people's history and culture, where a 'Survival of the Fittest' mentality has developed from the rough, violent history and rugged, harsh region that they live in.

This concept was first put into practice when Lightning Country went to war with another powerhouse of the region, Whirlpool Country (est. 2011), in 2466. It was met with success at first, as the northern islands were quickly seized in the first year. However, Lightning underestimated both Whirlpool Country and their Shinobi village, the Hidden Whirlpool Village (est. 2232), who had many years of experience in Shinobi Warfare. The war would drag on for 4 years, culminating in the complete and utter destruction of the invading Lightning Army at the Siege of Iwamoto Castle, Iwamoto Island (2470). Despite the early successes, Lightning Country's military was broken following the war, spending years recovering their strength. The events and actions undertaken in this war would have vast consequences in the future for both nations, but Lightning Country gained valuable insight and experience from the conflict, further refining their tactics and training in Shinobi Warfare.

Their doctrine would be tested again, as the next series of wars, as the 1st and 2nd Shinobi World Wars (2486-2492; 2506-2512) saw many great successes, and the birth of many strong and legendary Cloud Shinobi. In the 1st World War, Lightning Country successfully seized several islands from Water Country and fought a brutal war of attrition with Water Country in their own land alongside Sky Country. But like their previous war with Water Country, success was replaced with stagnation and heavy casualties. Eventually, both Lightning and Sky Countries were driven out of Water Country and back into their own lands as the invasion failed. Despite this, their simultaneous invasion of Frost Country saw great success, as for the first time in nearly 100 years, the great defensive forts of the Frost-Lightning border were broken through by Lightning Country Forces, driving the Frost Armies back some and pushing the eastern border some 75 miles further west in some places, annexing the occupied territory following the war's end.

The 2nd Shinobi World War saw Lightning Country itself being invaded, by Sky Country, who was also invading Fire Country at the same time. Lightning Country was sent reeling back in the early years, their numbers meaning nothing against Sky Country's veteran armies and advance airships, which pummeled Lightning positions from above. Frost Country, sensing an opportunity, launched its own invasion, quickly overwhelming the depleted border guards and retaking their lost lands, while also threatening to go further into Lightning Country, forcing them to sign a peace treaty returning all their stolen land. For the next few years, several fierce battles raged in the northern region of Lightning Country between the two powers, which would last until 2512 when Sky Country's Capital was sacked by Fire Country, leading the country's collapse.

The next 16 years following the 2nd World War would see Lightning's rivalry shift from Water Country to a new foe, Fire Country. The two countries had never been on good terms, even when both were invaded by Sky Country. In the years after the war, several skirmishes and assassinations would lead to worsening relations between the two, with Fire Country's ally, Whirlpool Country attempting to play mediator. For years, these talks and arguments would go back and forth, all the while Lightning becoming more suspicious of Fire and Whirlpool Countries, which slowly pushed Lightning into an alliance with Earth and Water Country. What happened next would become one of the most notorious incidents performed by Lightning Country. Years of suspicion and distrust between the two country had always existed, but had never boiled over to full-fledged war. That was until the assassination of the Lightning Daimyo, Inagaki Yasuhira (2471-2525), on April 11, 2525. All the evidence gathered had pointed towards Whirlpool being the cuplrit, but they firmly denied any responsibility. The Daimyo had voiced improving relations with Whirlpool for years before his death, which would have made an assassination of him counterproductive for Whirlpool. (Some suspect that it was another faction or even elements within Lightning Country itself that orchestrated the murder, though no one has been able to prove this, nor has anyone been able to prove Whirlpool was responsible either.)

Regardless, Lightning Country didn't believe them and quietly began gearing up for another conflict, while forming alliances with Earth, Grass, and Water Countries in preparation for a war with Fire and Whirlpool. There was just one problem. Water Country, while eager to take on Fire Country once more, refused to fight Whirlpool, for primarily two reasons. First off, Whirlpool Shinobi had assisted them heavily during the Lightning-Water War (2430-2434), helping them drive Lightning Country out of their homeland when it had been invaded. The second reason was, despite their differences, both Water and Whirlpool Countries had both enjoyed a long and relative friendly relationship with one another. They were hesitant to betray such a relationship with one of the few countries that were actually friendly with them. Supposedly an envoy was even sent to warn Whirlpool about the impending invasion, though this envoy never seemed to arrive if it was even sent.

Regardless of whether the envoy was sent or not, the war would break out between the Coalition (Lightning, Earth, Water, and Grass) against Fire Country and her allies River, Hotsprings, and Frost Countries on February 14. Whirlpool, suffering from an economic recession and despite being a long time ally of Fire Country, declared it would stay neutral in the conflict. But this wasn't good enough for Lightning Country and its allies, who had prepared what is considered one of the most brilliant military campaigns, and one of the worst genocides, in Shensei's entire history.

After months of planning an invasion and months of pinning down Fire Country's armies at the borders, the Coalition was ready to make its move. On September 18, 2528, nearly 8 months after the war had started, Operation Tsunami, the invasion and destruction of Whirlpool Country, had commenced, with tens of thousands of shinobi participating in the campaign. The smaller islands were quickly seized first, their populations' massacre and the settlements razed. By the time Whirlpool Country realized what was happening, it was too late. On September 25, the two main islands of the Uzushio Islands, Iwamoto and Uzushio Islands, were invaded. Uzushio Island, where the capital, the Hidden Whirlpool Village, was attacked with a majority of the invading force and within one night, the capital was burned to the ground. Its population was wiped out, along with the majority of the Uzumaki Clan in particular, which had numbered nearly 2,200 including the outer families, but now had been reduced to roughly 10-20 survivors. (This is based on various information, reports that have been acquired to indicate that at least 15 pure-blooded members of the Uzumaki Clan survived the massacre, but various Lightning, Earth and Fire Country reports that have been found or acquired strongly imply that the number of surviving clansmen was actually much higher, including family members who had married into the clan that survived. If these reports are accurate, and at the moment their accuracy is considered questionable but plausible, this would bring the total number closer to roughly 80 or more.)

The defenders on Iwamoto Island, however, had more fair warning of what was to come and prepared as best they could. But by the 30th, the outnumbered Whirlpool Army had been pushed back to the island's main settlement, Enzawa Castle, and were besieged, ultimately falling to the Coalition forces on October 2. With its fall, Whirlpool Country was effectively destroyed, its towns and cities razed, and its population massacred and reduced to a few thousand survivors fleeing across the Elemental Nations to wherever was safest.

The invasion stunned the Elemental Nations. Many were shocked at the barbarism of the attack, others disgusted by it. Both Fire and Water Country, in particular, had been outraged by the act altogether. Water Country would end up leaving the Coalition and declare war against them while signing a separate peace treaty with Fire Country and its allies. Whatever earlier successes were accomplished in the first year of the war, were soon turned around as the Coalition was slowly but surely pushed back by Fire Country, now hell-bent on vengeance for the massacre of their longtime ally.

12 years and hundreds of thousands of dead later, in both 2539 and 2540, a battered and defeated Lightning Country, having lost its beloved 3rd Raikage in November of 2539 during the Battle of Toutori (There are conflicting reports as to just how exactly the Raikage died. Some reports claim that he was killed after battling 10,000 Shinobi for 3 days to cover the retreat of his army, while others claim that the Reaper, a legendary warrior of unknown origin who had served the now deceased Uzumaki Clan for decades, was the one who killed the Kage in single combat.), ultimately signed a peace treaty with both Fire and Water Countries, officially ending the 3rd Shinobi World War. Lightning Country had been utterly devastated by the war. Hundreds of thousands dead and its Shinobi Force crippled along with its Kage dead.

In the wake of the Kage's death, his son, A, was elected Kage of the Hidden Cloud Village. The Hidden Cloud, however, was a shadow of its former self and would need time, resources, and manpower in order to rebuild its strength. Resources it had plenty of, but time and manpower had been questionable at best, as many within Lightning Country feared that their enemies would decide to invade and finish off the militarily crippled nation. (Despite the fact that the war had depleted Fire Country, Water Country, and their allies of manpower as well.) A quickly instituted an emergency policy of rapid deployment and mass recruitment of both Missing-Nin Shinobi (Ninjas who have abandoned their villages) and Mercenary-Nin Shinobi (Rogue Shinobi who are hired by people for money) in order to bolster the country's Shinobi Corps, while also speeding up the academy training of Genin in order to recover the losses inflicted from the war. While their Shinobi Corps isn't anywhere near the size it was during 3rd Shinobi World War, with its Shinobi Corps numbering some 23,000 at the start of the War, the Hidden Cloud Village has managed to rebuild its military strength back up to a respectable level thanks in part to these measures undertaken.

In the post-war era, the Daimyo and the new Raikage have taken a focus towards internal civilian matters, such as revitalizing and modernizing the infrastructure of the nation, as well as putting more focus on research and innovation to try and gain new advantages over their rivals within the Elemental Nations. They are still in a state of 'cold war' with Fire Country, with resentment still very strong within the country and many desiring vengeance against Fire Country for the humiliating defeat they suffered in the war. (Despite the fact they started the conflict.) This has led to Lightning Country maintaining close relations with its coalition allies and even seeking out new ones within the Elemental Nations. There are unconfirmed reports that Lightning Country, along with several other nations around the world, have acquired Dominion Firearms, likely through smugglers and gun-runners, and have begun a major military buildup on the border of Frost Country. Whether these actions will lead to a new World War has yet to be seen.


8. Stone Country

Founded: 2512 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Naha
Current Daimyo: Terazawa Sadaharu (42 years old)

Population: 12.12 million
Army Size: (Est.)
60,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
25,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 5.5/10
Economy: 4/10
Industry: 4/10
Infrastructure: 5.5/10
Population: 4/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
23/50


Geography

Climate: Temperate
Dominant Biomes:
Montane Forest
Temperate Forest
Grassland

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 75°F
(Winter) March: 19°F

Average Rainfall:
100 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
2,240 meters (7,349 Feet)
Mount Suribachi

Lowest Elevation:
-956 meters (3,136 Feet)
Kuso Grand Canyon


Country Bio: A country born out of the fires of the 2nd Shinobi World War (2506-2512), Stone Country is a break-off country of the old Sky Empire, which fell apart and collapsed into numerous states in the last years of the war, along with the early post-war years. Stone Country was 'founded' during the war by the Rebel factions within the region, fighting the Imperial Shinobi and Samurai of the Sky Country, in 2512. However, the country wasn't 'Officially' recognized by the other nations until after the war's end.

The founding of Stone Country is a bit of an oddity in comparison to other nations that formed in the wake of the Sky Empire's collapse. Unlike the other nations, which were largely formed from groups discontent with the Imperial rule, Stone Country was founded by a group of Sky Officers led by the current Daimyo's father, General Terazawa Aizen (2476-2533). General Terazawa, having learned of the disaster that had befallen Kenhaba some 3 weeks after the disaster, consolidated the 50,000 soldiers under his command in the region, placing them in strategically vital cities and locations that would allow them to quickly respond to any rebel attacks and incursions. Insurgent activity never managed to solidify in the Stone Region. The only faction that managed to do so was quickly eliminated after just 3 months of operation. This allowed the military forces in the region to focus on stability and security. General Terazawa attempted to send several messengers to Kenhaba to inform them that Stone Country was still under Imperial Control, but none of these messengers ever made to Kenhaba. (Even if they had, it was unlikely at best that Kenhaba would have been able to do anything with Stone Region. In all likelihood, the 50,000-strong army under General Terazawa would have been just recalled back to the Sky Homeland to help secure it.) After several months with no reply, General Terazawa and his corps of officers eventually concluded that the Sky Empire wasn't coming to relieve them. It wouldn't be until early July of 2512, months after the Sacking of Kenhaba that the officers would learn of the Sky Empire's collapse.

Once they had learned that the Sky Empire was in fact no more, the Stone Region Regency, as it had called itself at the time, set about restoring order to the chaotic mess of their region. While the insurgency never managed to gain a foothold inside the country, there was still wide-scale panic, disorder, and an outright collapse in the local economy, leaving hundreds of thousands out of work. The first major crisis that the new government had to face was to restore their territory back into stability and prosperity.

For the next 10 years, from 2512 to 2522, a period known as the black decade by the locals, political strife and economic struggle plagued the land as the Regency (Terazawa Aizen refused to call himself Daimyo.) attempted to bring the struggling country back into working order. Meanwhile, border skirmishes with both Demon Country, a long time rival of the old Empire, and Marsh Country, a new upstart nation, were constantly threatening to boil over into open war. As the situation began to stabilize and the realization that the Sky Empire wasn't coming back from its ruin began to sink in, the Regency in charge of this pseudo-nation finally began forming the territory into an actual nation. In 2523, Stone Country would officially be recognized as a country by the Elemental Community when General Terazawa Aizen was officially made the Daimyo of the nation, now officially named Stone Country. For the next 10 years until his death in 2533, he lead the nation into recovery and prosperity, while also keeping the nation from going into a full-fledge war with its neighbors, though border conflicts would be a constant problem. The two biggest instigators would be Demon Country to its East and Forest Country to the West.

The name Stone Country is a bit ironic, as the country doesn't primarily mine or export stone on any large scale (Though it does export copper, nickel, and tungsten in large quantities.). In fact, the nation's largest exports are vegetables, wheat, and other foods that can be preserved. (There's an unofficial rumor that Stone Country was initially going to be called Vegetable Country, but General Terazawa outright refused to have the nation called that, stating that no one in their right mind would take them seriously if they did.) It is one of the largest producers

In the final years of Aizen's rule, his health began to deteriorate, forcing him to be excluded from the day to day running of the nation. And to make matters worse, Sky Country was slowly on the rise, under the leadership of Miura Kenji. Though Aizen did not see eye-to-eye regarding Miura's method of ruling the Sky Nation, his heart was still torn by his old loyalties to the homeland and his responsibilities within his new home. This, along with his declining health due to a severe case of what is now identified to have been tuberculosis (A rather common disease affecting the Elemental Nations.), ultimately resulted in his death in 2533, largely due to complications from his tuberculosis. His son, Terazawa Sadaharu, would now take the reigns of Daimyo. His reign, while not as long as his father's, has still been just as challenging.

Attempts to expand the mines and farmlands within the nation, maintaining the border against Demon Country and a slowly resurging Marsh Country, and lastly, war finally coming to the nation in the form of Forest Country. For years the two nations bickered and argued over territorial claims near the border, leading to several skirmishes and clashes between the two powers. Ultimately it wasn't either nation attacking each other that lead to war. Instead, it was Sky Country launching an invasion in April of 2539, in their long quest to reclaim and restore the empire. Initially, Sky Empire was intending to invade and occupy both nations, but stiff, albeit uncoordinated, resistance from Forest Country forced them to change their stance, and instead approached Stone Country with an offer. If they assisted in the invasion of Forest Country, then Sky Country would split the nation between the two, giving Stone Country the resource-rich eastern 3rd of the country in exchange for cooperation and assistance in the war.

Ultimately, Stone Country would agree to help, invading Forest Country 2 weeks after Sky Country did. By Mid-November, Forest Country ceased to exist, having now been annexed between the two countries. It would be the first and only war the country has partaken in since its conception. The war would have profound effects on the country, as now it was seen as an ally of a resurgent Sky Empire. This lead to increases in border skirmishes with Demon Country, who was a historic rival to the Empire, and now Marsh Country, who were vehemently Anti-Sky Empire at this point.

Today, despite the border wars, Stone Country remains largely peaceful and prosperous, with a modest-sized military to defend its nation. While not the wealthiest or most powerful nation in the Elemental Nations, they are not poor either, and have the potential to become a powerhouse on the Eastern Continent, despite their lack of a Hidden Shinobi Village. Though an partner of the Sky Empire's Iron League, they seem to be a distant ally at best, preferring a state of neutrality and commerce rather than military action like many of their allies. There are unconfirmed reports that, like many nations, Stone Country has acquired terran firearms through smugglers and gun runners. An even bigger concern is the confirmed reports of Stone Country acquiring terran mining equipment after large quantities of Palladium and Silver was discovered in the Kuso Grand Canyon, as no Dominion trade missions provided such assets to them.

It is still uncertain whether or not Stone Country's neutral stance will continue in light of the recent events in the Elemental Nations.


9. Frost Country

Founded: 2261 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Tokpo (Is also the location of the Hidden Frost Village.)
Current Daimyo: Mogami Takekage (53 years old)

Population: 9.09 million
Army Size: (Est.)
120,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
40,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 7.5/10
Economy: 5.5/10
Industry: 5/10
Infrastructure: 6/10
Population: 3/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
27/50


Geography

Climate: Alpine
Dominant Biomes:
Alpine Forest/Grasslands
Montane Forest
Temperate Steppe
Tundra

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 70°F
(Winter) March: -14°F

Average Rainfall:
71 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
4344 meters (14,255 Feet)
Tesudo Point

Lowest Elevation:
-198 meters (649 Feet)
Sumay Valley


Hidden Frost Village

Founded: 2380 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current Shimokage: Mizuno Shuji/6th Shimokage\ (39 years old)

Village Population: 40,000 (Tokpo's total population is 200,000)
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
3,500 Shinobi

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 5/10
Economy: 5.5/10
Industry: 4/10
Infrastructure: 6.5/10
Population: 5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
26/50


Country Bio: One of the older countries of the Elemental Nations, Frost Country, like many of the other Shinobi nations, has a long history of violence and warfare. Founded in 2261, the years leading up to the country's founding are soaked full of bloody conflicts and wars of various city-states vying for control of the region.

Founded following nearly 500 years of city-states vying for control for the peninsula, the country is considered one of the most powerful within the Elemental Nations. But Frost Country also has a close-knit, and largely hostile, history with another nation in the region, Lightning Country, as both countries originate from two city-states that battled for control of the peninsula. Though there are several city-states with a vast interesting history that could be covered in this 500 year time period leading up to Frost's founding, there are only two that need to be focused on which played a significant role. Rankita, Lightning's Capital and a large mountain fortress that had dominated trade amongst the northern rivers, and Tokpo, Frost's Capital and a major trading hub and agricultural basin in the western part of the peninsula. By the time Frost Country was founded, only these two major City-States had remained, having either conquered or destroyed all their rivals in the region. When Frost Country was finally founded in 2261, it absorbed all the western cities and towns that hadn't fallen to Lightning Country.

The Capital of Frost Country, Tokpo, sits on a strategic trade and traveling route leading to the west, which has allowed the capital and the country to prosper due to its unique position. This trade route, along with the other handful of passes through the mountains and cliffs that dominate the Lightning/Frost border, has long been desired by Lightning Country, who often have to ferry their troops over the seas should they wish to fight other nations. This is a problem especially in both Haran and Gaikotsu Bays, where during the winter months the ports and surrounding sea freeze over and/or are swamped with icebergs from nearby glaciers, making these vital ports useless for as long as 5 months, depending on the severity of the winter weather.

This multitude of reasons has led to numerous wars with Frost in an attempt to seize both the country, which is rich in rare metals, and seize the vital trade routes to the west. Over the next 140 years following the country's founding, there would be a total of 4 wars and numerous border skirmishes between the two nations, almost all of them ending in either a stalemate or in the case of the 4th Lightning-Frost War (2388-2394), a complete and utter victory for Frost Country, whose impressive forts and castles guarding the handful of mountain passes that led to the west, would prove too strong for Lightning to overcome. The 4th War would also be the first time Frost Country utilized Shinobi from their newly established Hidden Frost Village (est. 2380) in a frontline combat role.

Frost Country has been under the threat of invasion and destruction by their larger neighbor for so many years, now, that it has had a profound effect on their society and culture as a whole. Conscription and military service is a necessity, with men reaching the age of 16 required to serve for 4 years in the armed forces before being placed in the reserves for emergency service should war break out, during which they are required to conduct military drills for a month out of the year. This has resulted in a large population with decent military training that can be called upon in a moments notice should war break out.

While it's Hidden Village is older than most of the current ones in the world, the Hidden Frost Village has never had a large number of Shinobi under its command, the largest it ever having at its disposal at any one time was 5,500 during the 3rd Shinobi World War (2528-2540). To counter this small number, the Hidden Frost Village, like the Frost Army, puts a strong emphasis on quality over quantity, giving their Shinobi the best possible training in hopes that it will increase their chances of survival during times of war. For the most part, this strategy has proven very effective, especially in a defensive role where the Frost defenders often find themselves outnumbered 3 or even 4 to 1 against Lightning Country. The Hidden Frost is oftentimes praised as having some of the best defense-oriented Shinobi in all the Elemental Nations.

Frost Country's military would really stand out during the 3rd Shinobi World War, primarily in the early years following the surprise attack and destruction of Whirlpool Country. Lightning Country launched several offensives at the Lightning/Frost Border, penetrating the fortresses that defended it in several places and driving as deep as 50 miles in some places. But, despite the ferocity of the attacks, Frost Country managed to hold the line and largely on its own, as its allies had to deal with invasion and attack from Lightning's own allies, Earth and Grass Country. Frost and its allies receive a bit of a relief in October of 2528 when Water Country, who had also been in the Coalition, signed a peace treaty with them and declared war on the Coalition out of disgust for the destruction of Whirlpool Country. But for the most part, Frost would be waging war on its own, holding the line against Lightning Country until 2531, when Hotsprings Country finally managed to send troops to help following the defeat of Grass Country in November of 2530. But even with these fresh troops, neither side was able to break the bloody stalemate until 2537, when Fire and River Countries, having largely been fighting Earth Country, were finally able to deploy significant reinforcements to help their beleaguered allies in the east. At last, the massive and formidable Lightning Army, which had slowly been whittled down in both manpower and equipment, was finally being pushed back by Frost Country and its allies, eventually pushing their way across the old border and into Lightning Country itself in 2539.

2539 would end up being the decisive year in the war against Lightning Country, as not only were many powerful armies annihilated by the allies, but the Raikage himself was killed during the Battle of Toutori, barely 50 miles away from the Hidden Cloud Village and a critical blow to the Lightning War Effort. (There are conflicting reports as to just how exactly the Raikage died. Some reports claim that he was killed after battling 10,000 Shinobi for 3 days to cover the retreat of his army, while others claim that the Reaper, a legendary warrior of unknown origin who served the Uzumaki Clan for decades, was the one who killed the Kage in single combat.) With the death of their Kage and the enemy literally at their doorstep, Lightning Country, after 12 years and hundreds of thousands dead, surrendered and signed a peace treaty with the allies in January of 2540, effectively ending the 3rd Shinobi World War. The cost for victory, however, had been high. Over 300,000 Frost Country Soldiers and Shinobi, along with hundreds of thousands of more civilians who were killed via sieges or raids conducted by Cloud Village Ninja Squads that had managed to infiltrate the country, had died defending their country, leaving the country depleted in manpower for the foreseeable future. (Though this was the case for every single nation involved in the war.)

Today, Frost Country maintains a strong vigilance on the border with its long-time foe, though its depleted military is stretched to the near limit guarding the 100 mile long border of the two countries, though the limited number of passages and routes through the mountainous terrain and strong defensive lines have certainly helped in that regard. Its alliance and ties to its wartime allies still remain strong, but the sudden rise of the Hidden Sound Village in Rice Country, led by the rogue Former Konoha-Nin Orochimaru, has forced both Fire Country and Hotsprings Country to divert troops that normally would have helped Frost Country should Lightning invade once more and instead send them to the border of Rice Country to protect from potential invasion. This development has not been good for Frost Country, as Lightning Country have begun military buildups on the border once more, indicating that they may invade in the near future. Should they invade, it is uncertain if Frost Country would be able to hold them off, as there are unconfirmed reports that Lightning Country has acquired Terran Firearms through illicit dealers, namely smugglers. Only time will tell if Frost Country will be the grounds for a new world war.


10. Moon Country

Founded: 2407 TC (Terran Calendar)
Capital: Seojin
Current Daimyo: Tsugaru Morosada (42 years old)

Population: 2.69 million
Army Size: (Est.)
35,000 Ashigaru Conscripts
15,000 Samurai

National Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 3.5/10
Economy: 4.5/10
Industry: 3/10
Infrastructure: 7/10
Population: 1/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
19/50


Geography

Climate: Dry
Dominant Biomes:
Shrubland
Grassland
Mediterranean Forest

Average High/Low Temperatures:
(Summer) October: 76°F
(Winter) March: 20°F

Average Rainfall:
88 cm/year

Highest Elevation:
2361 meters (7,746 Feet)
Mount Irudo

Lowest Elevation:
-2 meters (6 Feet)
Crescent Bay


Hidden Moon Village

Founded: 2488 TC (Terran Calendar)
Current Tsukikage: Ishida Kunihiro/4th Tsukikage\ (45 years old)

Village Population: 20,000
Shinobi Force Size: (Est.)
1,000 Shinobi

Village Ratings: (On a scale of 1-10)

Military: 2.5/10
Economy: 4.5/10
Industry: 3/10
Infrastructure: 7/10
Population: 2.5/10

Total Rating: (Out of 50)
19.5/50


Country Bio: Moon Country is a fairly young nation in comparison to the other Elemental Nations, if you exclude the Sky Empire breakaway nations. Having been under constant threat of invasion and attack by the powerful Pirate Factions based in the Sea Confederacy, it's mainly this reason as to why it comes as such a surprise regarding Moon Country's treatment and behavior towards outsiders. Rather than being met with suspicion and contempt, foreigners visiting the country receive a warm welcome and very courteous behavior from the populace, a level of benevolence and politeness rarely ever seen. The apparent reason for this can be traced to a legend that predates the founding of Moon Country, that during a time of war, somewhere in the mid-23rd to early-24th century, a wanderer from a distant land saved the island and its inhabitants from some great catastrophe that threatened to destroy the island. (It's not known just what the disaster was, as the island's volcano, Mount Irudo, has been ruled out, having been extinct for at least 40,000 years according to geological study. What few records that have been found make mention to a 'Demon', but the validation of this claim is questionable at best and likely an exaggeration or a mistake in the translation.)

It's not known what war this legend is referring to is either, as the only two major wars that are known of at the time are the War of the Sea Islands (2261-2298) and the Kaizoku War (2294-2304), but there is a problem with either of these two being the war, since there are no records of the War of the Sea Islands ever reaching as far as Moon Country, and the Kaizoku War, fought between Whirlpool Country and Water Country, was limited to the Kaizoku Sea Region.

While the country wasn't officially founded until 2407, its people have lived on the island for many centuries, possibly refugees or migrants from the neighboring islands. For the majority of that time, however, the island's population would largely be spread out amongst several large villages and towns, its total population not surpassing 1 million until around 2450, roughly a decade after the Lightning-Water War (2430-2434). Its population would continue to gradually increase, but with this came the problem of overpopulation and not enough space for farming or housing. While Moon Country has decent farmable land, the island is not very large and limits the amount of space available to farm without restricting housing space. Fishing has alleviated the problem some, but it can only compensate so much, especially during the winter months when fish populations drop. Along with the deforestation of the island, resources available to build more housing or industry had become scarce, leading to a recession and stagnation in development for the small country. However, with the recent acquisition of Crimson State Island as reward for their assistance with the Dominion's Sea Confederacy Campaign, and the dozen smaller islands and archipelagoes in-between, plus the trade being conducted with the Dominion, these problems have largely been alleviated, if not solved for the foreseeable future.)

While the island has dealt with pirates and the threat of invasion in the past, the country has yet to be actually invaded and/or attacked directly, thanks in large part to the geography of the island. Much of the island's coast are towering cliffs that can rise as high as 200 feet above sea-level, leaving only a handful of beaches that people can actually land on and makes defending the island fairly easy, even with a small force. Another reason is the country's Hidden Moon Village, a small Shinobi Village established in the interior of the island. While the village is small, barely 1,000 Shinobi are in its employment, they are more than capable at dealing with unorganized pirates and bandits. That being said, it is also a young and isolated Hidden Village, with only moderate experience in dealing with enemy Shinobi, resulting in Shinobi that are rather subpar in comparison to the other Hidden Villages of the Elemental Nations. This, along with the minimal funding being sent by the country's Daimyo, has kept the Hidden Moon Village from expanding much, though following the success of the Sea Confederacy Campaign, this may change in the near future.

Today, while still small and underdeveloped, Moon Country is slowly beginning to prosper under the new trade agreements with the Dominion and its newly acquired lands, and along with the alliance in place it has finally begun to expand its military to help defend its newly acquired territory as well. While Piracy still remains a problem, for now, it is a manageable one for the small country. For now, its biggest problem is developing its country and expanding its small, fledging industry and military to compete with the other nations.


That's all for now. The next Prologue chapter is almost done and will hopefully be out within the next couple of weeks. (May not have internet for a while and I still need to read through it to look for mistakes.) Hope you enjoyed and I'll see y'all next time!

-Azores