[Yoritomo]

✚ Starting Plot

As it stands the shinobi world as a whole is at peace. Ever since the end of the Third Shinobi War twenty-four years ago the peace has held, if just barely. With the exception of the minor skirmishes occurring between Sunagakure and Amegakure as well as the one between Shimogakure and Kumogakure all the villages have strictly followed the treaty laid down at the end of the last war.

This treaty dictates that no village may openly declare war with another village. To do so, the signers of the treaty are to not help the aggressive village and if willing, help to suppress their actions. Still, the shinobi must also earn a living and thus a small claus in the treaty allows shinobi from varying villages to fight one another while on missions, while defending their boarders and while participating in world wide events like the chuunin exams.

With these guidelines the shinobi villages have continued the painful recovery from the destitute state the previous war left them in. Now, with all the villages at roughly their former strength from before the war, many leaders are nervous of the treaty being shredded with the blades of invaders.

To make matters worse, rumors have spread within Konohagakure that the Hokage has locked himself away in his home and refuses to leave and speaks to few, but his closest friends and comrades. The rumors range from him perfecting a doomsday weapon, developing a new jutsu or working on some way to maintain the fragile peace.

In Iwagakure, large numbers of troops have been seen performing large scale combat drills on the border with Kusagakure as if to remind the entire world that they have one of the mightiest military forces once again and are not afraid to use them. Furthermore delegates have been seen crossing the country's border into the Stone Country, who are most likely traveling to Ishigakure. The popular theory is that Iwagakure is hoping to soothe and reforge Ishigakure as an ally in the case that war breaks out.

Kumogakure has recently had to decide on a new Raikage after their last Raikage passed away suddenly. The new Raikage is thought to be a rather competent individual and is now working diligently to try and undue some of the damage the previous Raikage caused before his sudden and mysterious death. While many shinobi nations suspect foul play of some kind, they have by and large looked the other way believing it to be for the greater good.

Reports have also recently spread through the shinobi nations that the daimyo of the Water Country has been killed and that the Mizukage has stepped up to take control. While the official report is that the Daimyo was killed by rouge shinobi from an unknown country, many leaders across the world believe it to have been an internal power struggle.

Conditions in Sunagakure are still rather volatile, even with decades having passed since the war. With Sunagakure being held responsible for the Third Shinobi War, they have been largely shunned or at the very least have been treated harshly by other shinobi villages. As such there have been several food shortages of late due to less trade and a particular hot summer. As such, many Sunagakure forces have been forced to act as peace keepers for the village to ensure law and order is maintained.

Amegakure has continued to thrive with its strong economic ties to many other villages, but as of later have been fortifying the defenses around their city and have started to allow less and less non-Amegakure natives into the main city. While some individuals believe the leader of Amegakure is just preparing for the war that seems to be building, others say he is trying to hide something within the village.

Uneasy about the military drills being held on their Northern border by Iwagakure, the leader of Kusagakure has scrambled a significant amount of their own forces to take a holding pattern on the Northern border in preparation for a potential attack. Additionally they have begun to stockpile food and medical supplies that they normally sell, slightly weakening their economy, but strengthening their military capability.

In response to the military drills held by Iwagakure, Takigakure has bolstered its shinobi forces along the country's Western and South-Western borders. While many leaders assume they will side with Iwagakure should the village attack, others question why they placed forces on the Western most border as well, if that is the case.

Largely unconcerned with the troubles of its Southern brethren, Yukigakure no Sato has been devoting more and more of their time to dealing with internal issues. Several bombing have occurred, targeting the country's unique railroad that runs across their country and acts as a major artery of trade and transportation. To put a stop to these bombings the village's leader has put a task force together to hunt down the culprits and to repair this important piece of their infrastructure.

While the terms of the peace treaty between the villages prevent any attacks on a country under the control of a shinobi village, Otogakure has seemingly set its sights on its Western neighbor, the Forest Country. With the Forest Country generally hiring shinobi from Hoshigakure and Hoshigakure inexplicably pulling most of their forces from the country. Otogakure has begun amassing troops on its Western Border, but as of yet has not launched an attack.

As of late, few rumors have come from Hoshigakure. In truth, little has been heard from the minor village at all with the village having recently taken on a isolationist policy, defending their borders with extreme aggression and cutting access to all, but their outermost town to traders. Still, the few rumors that have managed to escape speak of monsters roaming their lands that are proving difficult to kill.

While the truth in all of these rumors is unclear, one truth is known by all. Every shinobi village looks for an opening to claim more power for themselves and if the peace will shatter like so many people fear, then they will need every scrap of power they can muster.

[Sega]

✚ Starting Plot

An uneasy peace has remained in the ninja world, making it almost four decades since the last Shinobi War was declared. Citizens spanning many backgrounds and creeds look upon their leaders in times of great tention, hoping that the twenty-six years of peace and economic prosperity will remain, but as time progresses the likelihood of peace remaining seems less and less likely. All villages except Sunagakure and Yukigakure have seen dramatic changes in leadership marring the age with great instability. So much so that this new era has been called 'The Worst Generation'. While they have managed to keep the peace, the shinobi of this day age have been seemingly more self-interested and underhanded in comparison to the generations before them.

In the span of the last two years, Iwagakure has seen itself go through three different Tsuchikages. Kamizuru Akatsuchi, Tantetsu Kyoya, and Noihime Kouen all from the village's most esteemed clans. Enormous amounts of power has remained in the hands of only a few, each clan vying for their own bits of power and favors in which they could get from their kinsfolk in power, at the disadvantage to the silent majority. During Kyoya's breif reign, the village had seen itself broker a few deals with foreign lands which had seen to be subservient on their part in the eyes of some of the village's elite. Kouen, a famous war veteran had appealed to the Tantetsu to stop these new, yet inadequate policies. When he refused, Kounen started to amass a large enough following to attempt a coup. After a terribly bloody campaign that had seen the village loose many lives Kounen had executed the Third, and implanted himself as the Fourth Tsuchikage.

Kouen's administration was quick to act. As they worked hard to bring the village to 75% of it's former capacity, they ventured into the the lands of their political adversaries, making sure they caused massive damage. Working along side with Hi no Kuni's worst criminals, they were able to make Hi's northern borders a small banana republic. They were even able to get as far as assassinating Hiyashi Ayame, the Rokudaime Hokage. Their resolve did not end there. Working with some shinobi from their allies in Takigakure, they were able to synthesize a deadly disease that they spread within the walls of Kumogakure. The disease was so viral and dangerous that it had wiped about approximately one third of the village's shinobi force in addition to the Raikage. In his most recent action inspired by the 'Will of Stone', the Tsuchikage has proceded to invade and annex Ishi no Kuni, a land to the south.

Also in the south, lies Sunagakure. In comparison to the neighboring villages, it has seen its most stable days. While the village still works adamantly on recovering from the Ame-Suna Pipeline War, they have seen the Daimyo essentially neglect his duties toward the country. This has forced the Kazekage, Oonakayama Takato to manage Kaze no Kuni. The village works to combat minor insurrections in their autonomous communities in the country's West. The extremely diverse region has a myriad of clans that continue to produce excellent shinobi, which give their expertise in combating the problem. In order to gain quicker access to that part of the region, the country invests heavily in its infrastructure, and to pay, it has taken on massive loans from their allies.

The day Hayashi Ayame, the Rokudaime Hokage, was assassinated had been a dark day for Konohagakure. The summer day was supposed to be a happy occasion in which relations with Kusagakure would be renewed, and the alliance strengthened. However, it proved to be an international embarrassment because it had been in front of an otherwise well trained shinobi force while many dignitaries were in attendance. To its allies, it seemed that Konohagakure could not even protects its most important shinobi, to its enemies, it was a laughable situation. The dilemma had quickly fallen into the hands of Kawai Niko, an assistant to the three previous Hokages. The Nanadaime Hokage quickly acted by meeting with some of the village's top shinobi and councilors in an effort to show to the rest of the country that the Will of Fire still stood strong in Konoha, and that whomever had been the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice.

An investigation was quickly brought up, and after her shinobi making thorough findings, the Hokage had strong reason to believe that their avowed enemies in Iwagakure had infiltrated the village, and caused not only insurrections in Northern Hi no Kuni, but had been behind Ayame's assassination. In the meanwhile, the village had seen itself exert some of its vast resources on the international stage by lending Kumogakure is medical team in order to help contain the spreading disease, and invest in Sunagakure's infrastructure by giving them loans. While many have seen it as a benevolent act by none other than Konoha, the current administration sees it more as a way to ensure that their allies return a favor when they require it the most.

To the east, on the island nation of Mizu no Kuni, Kirigakure has had to deal with several issues. As they still recover from their terrible civil war, they have seen themselves go through utter destruction, a time of brief stability, then utter destruction once more. The Sanbi Jinchuuriki was no longer able to maintain control of their Bijuu, and as a result a rampage ensued. In the struggle, masses of Kirigakure shinobi were killed which included the Yondaime Mizukage, Yuki Nanami and the total eradication of the village's founding clans; the Ran and Sato. After the beast was defeated Hozuki Shingetsu remained as the most qualified candidate for being the Godaime Mizukage. He worked briskly in finding a new host for Isobu and looked to the far west and found Iwagakure as a seemingly good ally.

While the disease in Kumogakure had managed to wipe out a third of their shinobi force, the village has been able to continue to running almost at a similar capacity prior to the outbreak. Each and every Kumogakure shinobi has taken it upon themselves to double their efforts in order to keep the village running at a similar capacity. Raikage, Kagawa Imojin, and her husband Kagawa Keisuke have worked hard in shaping the policies of the village despite their ages. They look forward towards avenging the deaths of so many of the village's shinobi in addition to the beloved Raikage Kyuten Aoi.

In Takigakure, Mikatakujira Yosaiyma has retired from the mantle of being the Taki Lady and as left the village in the hands of the next generation. Having seen the village throughout its days from its founding, the jurassic centurion looks to see is there is anyone who can possibly handle the big shoes to fill.

The village of Kusagakure has seen itself amass a good amount of income by hosting the Chuunin Exams. It had helped significantly in their expensive militarization campaign from two years ago. The Kusa Lady, Midori Kane continues to look for ways in which she can improve her village.

The world's fate lies in the balance of these Lords, Ladies, and Kages. Each of them looks for ways in which they can better their village, even if ti means drastic measures must be taken.