Inuzuka Clan

Where the hounds play.

The Inuzuka is a family of Shinobi that reside within Konohagakure. Acclaimed for their usage of Ninken, or Ninja Dogs, as combative partners, they are a well cemented group of Shinobi who present their lineage with red fang tattoos on their cheeks. Many dogs and canines run loose and unbridled within their clan quarters, meaning a majority of the children are toyed with and tackled playfully. The clan runs a system unsophisticated at most, but that is very likely where their charm stems from.

Structure

The structure of the Inuzuka clan consists mostly on the actions and judgement of canine and human alike. Within their community, the denizens admire a set of roles upheld in their clan, in which a good amount are handpicked by their dogs and or clansmen. One of the most fundamental roles in the Inuzuka is their leader:

Ryoken

This role is tasked with being the Inuzuka's headman, and the Ryoken conducts many of their everyday operations which provides them consistent foundation and preservation that they strive for and more. The Ryoken should seek advancement and swift development for their "pack," in addition to being the clan's glowing example of what is to be an optimal Inuzuka clan member. They tend to head expeditions for hunting and herding, foraging for medicinal herbs, acquisition of intel, representing the entirety of the clan, and breeding operations. The Inuzuka figurehead takes great pride in keeping the clan name as dominant as possible, therefore considerable lengths are taken to quash any ill opinionated mouths from speaking against them.

The process of selecting the Ryoken is a passionate pursuit in allowing their hounds a voice in leadership. At any given point, one canine is considered the strongest and the fiercest of the rest, and due to this strength, the dog is bred with another in order to gift its litter to Inuzuka children as companions of battle. This powerful variant of their Ninken is known as the Okuri.

Clanswomen of the Inuzuka who are expectant of a child will meet with the Okuri in search of them bestowing the title of Ryoken onto their child. And to decide if the baby is fitting for the name, the Okuri tests the scent of the newborn and intently listens to their heartbeat to judge the character of their soul and the vigor of their heart, and if it is befitting of their verdict, the child would then become the Ryoken. For being dubbed the Inuzuka leader, Inuzuka members weigh the heaviest puppy of the Okuri's litter and gives it to the Ryoken child in order for them to become partners of combat who are equally matched.

Borderstone

The prudent and essential piece in the Inuzuka's formation is informally known as the Borderstone. The Borderstone acts to provide guidance and political insight to the Ryoken and well-established Inuzuka as a means to advance the clan onto a higher pedestal. In most instances, the knowing adviser of the Inuzuka is gaunt and haggard, physically wearing its sagacious attitude on themselves. The Borderstone role is not entirely given by an authoritative official; more accurately, it is a rank that one progressively grows into over time and within that period, those of the Saluki dub the wisest the Borderstone. The owner of the Borderstone title is commonly the previous owner of the Ryoken, moreover, the Borderstone ekes a livelihood in unison with the previous Okuri. Since their relationship is tied close together, the Borderstone attends the selection for the Ryoken and witnesses the passing of their title onto the next generation.

The Saluki

The Inuzuka do not pay much attention to their elderly, and only supplies them with basic needs. The Saluki are the seniors of the Inuzuka community and are the ones housed in a large edifice constructed for them. The Borderstone is among these and are regrettably treated without intensive supervision.

Public Agenda

If any word can describe what the Inuzuka's clan tries to put themselves out to be, it would be faultless. The Inuzuka Clan's motives are towing the whole clan towards greatness and establishing a name that rivals that of the Hyuga or the Uchiha. The family of Shinobi have no malicious intent nor any purpose for defecting from their solid foundation, Konohagakure. Konoha is the Inuzuka's foundation that gives passage for them to ascend their ladder of respect, and without Konoha, many rungs on that ladder would snap, thus causing the Inuzuka to linger in their own personal limbo. 

They would execute any play or strategy if it meant they can further better the wellbeing of their clan, on the contrary, their actions typically avoid any hostility from Konoha seeing that they do not want to entice them. Along with satisfaction of supremacy, the Inuzuka also strive to hear their fellow citizens and rivaling clansmen promote their name with high regard, for this reason, the Ryoken is assumed to handle any other disposition in either physical or verbal confrontation.

Assets

Some describe the Inuzuka as people who stockpile their resources in the form of Ninken, and this asset the Inuzuka possess is one they take full advantage of. From their heightened senses to their value on the mass Shinobi market, such as their uses on battlefields and in investigations. Their hounds are properly fed and nurtured for themselves and for other Shinobi, in some occasions even selling them to take on the role of Summoning Animals. A trade between Konoha and the Inuzuka provides them with compensation, although, the Inuzuka rarely accepts monetary reward and opts to gain as much reputation through the form of media. The clan already receives many forms of payment through scavenging herbs, investigating rumors and prescribed intel. The Inuzuka can poke their snouts in some direction and somehow gain resources out of it, because of this it is frustrating for other clans to advance at the Inuzuka's pace.

History

The Illusory Foxes vs. the Wolf Pack

Ember City, otherwise known as the city of anthology, is a village who leisurely spends their days gathering various tomes and information of chakra and Jutsu via scroll. The settlement is more famously recognized as the The Hall of Cultivation, where any Shinobi who seeks precise control of their own power or desires knowledge on other chakra fields can attend. At the time, Ember City was not much of a hotspot in the Taika Province since their accumulated writings were not as sought after. The city range was relatively small, and for the most part, unprotected. During a time of weakness, Ember City was assailed by a faction of anonymous, yet strangely amateur, Shinobi who threatened the lives of the employees at the Blaze Crest Athenaeum.

The Fire Daimyo, unable to allow a government funded city to fall to ruin, sent out their most prepared Shinobi with sufficient fighting capabilities and Shinobi who were close to the vicinity to defend Ember City. The Inuzuka were deployed straight towards the city on their hounds, and rapidly encroaching too. The Inuzuka and the assailants engaged in fierce combat, and after minutes of relentless battle, the Inuzuka were on their last legs. Before finishing off the clansmen, the Kurama Clan swiftly acted as the Inuzuka's impromptu reinforcements and apprehended the unknown forces.
The Kurama Clan victoriously took back Ember City while simultaneously rescuing the Inuzuka. As a result of this, the Kurama Clan were commended for their valiant efforts in the Ember City Skirmish. The Inuzuka viewed the events as a stolen opportunity for themselves and sparked conflict with their newly made competitors. The Inuzuka presently disdain the Kurama Clan and very frequently butt heads against one another.

Summoning Scandal

The Inuzuka's hounds are very literally their most precious boon. Without them, the Inuzuka would very much be a surface level clan like others, with no way to defend their pack effectively. Due to this, their Ninken are treated like kings within their establishment and are properly groomed to maintain a pleasant countenance. About 29 years ago, the Inuzuka had comfortably settled as a clan and began their operations to ascend even higher in Konohagakure. The Ryoken, Obu Inuzuka, had desired paving his clan a shorter alternative route to greatness, so he had turned to the Inuzuka Ninken to reach that path. The Inuzuka Ninken are highly marketable for their aforementioned traits and features that simplify basic Shinobi needs. In an arrangement to broker an alliance with the Hidden Cloud, the Inuzuka offered Cloud Shinobi their Ninja Hounds. The Cloud did not pay much attention to the deal as they already own an island that inhabits a vast majority of beasts. Consequently, the Inuzuka bargained further by offering their Ninja Hounds as Summoning Beasts. The idea of turning the Inuzuka Hounds into Summonings is an unorthodox bribe offering, as it seemed very odd for the clan consisting of Ninken to be graciously presenting them to the Cloud, yet, it came with a variety of benefits:

1. Inuzuka dogs are bred regularly, meaning any shortage of them would be unlikely.
2. Tending to Inuzuka Ninken has its drawbacks and benefits, such as the responsibility of looking after their ninja hounds being similar to caring for any regular canine, however, the benefit that comes with that daily maintenance show in the hound's physical prowess, such as being able to snuffle out explosives or weapons on a person. If the Ninja Dogs were to be converted into a Summoning, it would be unnecessary to tend to their needs, seeing that they would be summoned through scroll transportation whenever they are considered useful.
3. With a successful bargain, the Inuzuka and the Cloud would form close negotiations and ties, in addition to a reliable ally they can utilize whenever necessary.

The Ninken Summoning deal was a success between them and they managed to broker an alliance, therefore the Cloud and the Inuzuka were officially business partners. The Inuzuka commenced their practice of altering their canines into Summonings, but this execution did not come without flaws. The Inuzuka severely overestimated the amount of hounds they were able to supply to the Cloud, and made the decision to resort to forcefully taking custody of Ninja Hounds that belonged to their own clansmen. The action of taking away their own family's Ninken from them incited uproar in the Inuzuka, and this upheaval did not avert Konoha's attention... but only drew it towards them.

It also became apparent that unauthentic Summonings are still tied down to dietary needs, meaning the Inuzuka Ninja Hounds were left to starve within their summoning spots for long majorities of time. Observers of the situation repeatedly questioned the Inuzuka's moral decisiveness, and Konoha higher-ups took note of the ongoing events in the clan. Eventually, Konoha caught wind of the Inuzuka's affairs and swiftly took action. Konoha and the Cloud had already finished with the Third Great Shinobi World War, and if the conflict was handled wrongly, it can very well lead to another war between the two Lands. Because of this, Konoha saw no reason in supplying the ally with more power than they already own, and if the Cloud grew stronger with each Ninken they received from the Inuzuka, they could very well become an even greater world super power that surpasses Konoha. Luckily, the situation quickly deescalated since the Cloud's supply of Ninken grew weak from malnutrition and their alliance was disbanded. Laws were enforced to prevent owners of Non-Summoning creatures from enacting similar acts to the Inuzuka, and adequate treatment of other Ninja animals were now considered a necessity. Konoha severely punished the Inuzuka for acting on their own instinct and sanctioned them to the point where they were forced to heed to Konoha's warnings.

Mythology & Lore

The Inugami Curse

The myth of the Inugami Curse is a telling of the Inuzuka's inherited dog capabilities. The story commences way before the beginning of the Shinobi era, where chakra has not been instituted as of yet. In a wide mountain range, frostbitten by sheering waves of cold wind, a settlement was occupied by many who cared for the wellbeing of hounds and operated everyday life under their companionship. As the soft radiance of twilight sunk down the horizon, the settlement knew not of their rival village plotting its demise. The rival village assaulted the settlement in a rage caused by their continuous relationship with canines, and assured themselves they would not abuse nature for their own benefit evermore. The assailants bathed their hounds in scorching masses of flame, leaving only their soot and bones. After this merciless display, the inhabitants of the village were left with no companions and to mourn, they fell to their knees and watched as the trails of smoke left their old friend's ashes. No longer walking this plane, and with no body to find passage to the afterlife, the dogs whimpered their grief in limbo. The Inugami, the Spirit God of Mongrels, gave them sanctuary in words, telling them:

"The path you stride upon has met its abrupt finale, that is, only if you see this as your end," proclaimed the spirit, "Mutts of your ilk have no place to grovel in suffering here, where your souls find no home. One more home you all seem to forget is the one bending its knee to you. The home who sought you, the home who considered you their boon. As of now, you shall be your home's blessing and curse. The blessing that gifts them your soul, and the curse that ties them down with your soul. Gift them your beastly attributes that I gifted to you. Send the ones who wronged you where you all reside now and take back what was yours."

The incorporeal hounds obeyed the will of the Inugami, and sunk their spirits into their previous caretakers. The owners inhaled the smoke that permeated off the remnants of their pets, and suddenly felt their spirit be tethered to another. With their limbs becoming more uncontrollable, pangs of heat and torment surged throughout the owner's chest and torso. In the span of a couple minutes, the previous owners of the hounds became possessed and felt the voracious need to devour. Their nails and teeth sharpening to the point of sword tips, no weapon could compare to the edge these possessed owners had. Jealousy, vengeance, and hunger fueled every decision. Every scent never being left unchecked. The feral owners sought out their attackers throughout tundras and deserts, desperate for a chance to send them to where they were before. Years of search and investigation led to a discovery, and they located their past assailants. Quick slaughter bid them farewell to the material plane, and straight into the Inugami's paws.

Once their business was finally finished, the owners overtaken by the spirits of their dogs returned to control themselves. And the spirits of their previous hounds still lay within the inner crevices of their body, although their aggressiveness waned and their need to control diminished. From then on, spirits of canines reside within a certain group of individuals and their offspring, tying their soul with a blessing and curse.

The Huntsman's Shepherd

Around the Warring States Period, lands of unsolicited Shinobi clashed against one another for the sake of power. Unforgiving steel took the lives of civilian and Shinobi alike. A man of no relevant past roamed about the Kogeta Province in the Land of Fire, and believed Shinobi were irresponsible with their chakra manipulation. Whilst the man was travelling, he encountered what seemed to be a wild, predatory canine snarling at him. 

A quick glance tipped to the man that the hound was badly wounded, and with that little inspection, it came to him that a Jutsu was the probable cause for the injury. The hound shot itself at the man in quick haste, clamping it's sharp fangs into the mans shoulder. Once out of the shadow of night, the man recognized the dog to be a German Shepherd. The shepherd expected retaliation to erupt from the man once he bit him. Contrary to that, the man embraced the shepherd affectionately. The shepherd knew this act of kindness was not deserved in the slightest, since in his maw he could clearly taste the harsh tang of iron.

Muffled by the sound of his shoulder, the shepherd questioned the man, "Who are you? You address me with a tender heart yet I draw blood from you?" In a tranquil and unswayed tone, the man replies, "Inquisitive pup. You are but me, and I am but you. We share fangs coated in blood."
"The teeth I brandish share no sentiments with yours."
"You think incorrectly of which fangs I speak of." The shepherd, irked by this statement, shifts his gaze to the face that welcomes him. What he sees is the face of a gentle man who possesses what seems to be markings of crimson fangs on his cheeks. The shepherd staggers in shock, releasing his jaws from the man's shoulder, his fangs painted in that same crimson. A whimper escapes the snout of the creature, and soon enough, both the man and the shepherd hug with no hatred.

"A huntsman. To those who brandish fouler fangs than you and I, I am known as a huntsman." The man remarks.
"Your people slayed my kind." The shepherd whimpers repetitively, and the huntsman responds, "Allow me to tend to your wounds." The huntsman quickly bandages the shepherd's hind leg in gauze.
"Your scent tells me you know of witchcraft as well." A growl sounds out.
"A curse I sadly cannot lift. Since birth, my people were damned to follow these practices. I am no follower of the damned."
An echoing boom rocks the earth they sit upon, and both of them turn their heads in the direction of the sound. The huntsman exits the treeline and is met with a valley, and in its center, death is catered to all sorts of shinobi. Battle has broken out once more in the valley between vast armies.
"If you are no follower... Then your scent of leadership drives me to you, huntsman." The shepherd says as he also exits the treeline.
"The scent of leadership drives us together, but I solely cannot abolish this witchcraft."
The shepherd limps closer to the man and to the valley.
"Then let us bear our crimson fangs as one."
"To the end of witchcraft."
"To the end of witchcraft."
The two of them free a mighty howl that matches the sound of any explosion, and the battling armies turn to them. The shepherd's huntsman, and the huntsman's shepherd slide down the valley and into the hands of their fate.

The Dog Hill

A fabled place mythologized to be a beacon of hope for Inuzuka who suffered the curse of the Inugami. Those who harness and bid farewell to the ferocious aspects of their curse would be granted access to a secluded, peaceful mountainous area. This reposeful locale would accommodate the cursed Inuzuka with everlasting serenity. Throughout their lives, they would forcefully repress their natural canine instincts to avoid being an outcast. 

The mythical place known as the "Dog Hill" is a place of unwinding and luxury for tormented Inuzuka. In the olden times of the Inuzuka clan, they constantly feared their instincts would overtake them, causing them to lash out on others. When those Inuzuka manage to gain control and find finality in their character, they would be given a sign that would lead them to find the Dog Hill. The sign itself was never directly stated, so people interpreted the sign to be a show of "you'll know it when you see it."

The Inuzuka members dress themselves without much attention to fashion. Their opinion is more suited to practicality than design. Inuzuka outfits usually have fur lining for a canine aesthetic, as well as padded, finger-less gloves for protection when sprinting on all fours. Open-toed boots encase their feet and reach up to the knee. Other articles of clothing depend on the occupation and circumstance of the Inuzuka member, for instance, an Inuzuka Shinobi would wear tight clothing to avoid any drag whilst moving at high speeds, while on the contrary, an Inuzuka citizen is allowed to dress themself with furred clothing that suit their stylized standards.

Clan members are given their own canine comrades when they reach a certain age or when they are born. After the gifting of the Ninken, the two are practically inseparable. The Ninja Hound and the Inuzuka pair up in battle and use fighting techniques only unique to them, such as Jutsu that allow them to spin at rapid speeds in unison, and they can take advantage of their teamwork, claws, and teeth in hand-to-hand combat.

If the bond of both partners is strong enough, they are able to communicate, however, not all Ninken can speak with their owners. Inuzuka have magnified their ability to smell. By concentrating chakra into their noses, their sense of smell is amplified to the extent where they can monitor, detect, and track targets from long distances.

Type

Information Network

Capital

Konohagakure

Alternative Names

The Wet Noses, The Dog Hill, The Wolf Pack, Stray Hounds, Two Year Olds

Demonym

Inuzuka

Location

Konohagakure