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This article, In'ei Temple, is property of Hozoin. |
In'ei Temple
The Temple of In'ei is a prosperous and heavily populated shinobi monastery in the Land of Fire that is strongly reminiscent of Shaolin Monasteries. The temple is populated with ninja monks. This particular sect of monks is separate from the monks of Fire Temple, and they have developed an extremely close relationship with the powerful Tokugawa Clan. For years the Tokugawa have guided disadvantaged persons to the temple, and for years the temple has grown and benefited from its large membership. There are currently over 12,000 men, women and children who call the temple home. The temple is spacious enough to house them comfortably, being the size of a village when all of its buildings and grounds are considered. It is also so isolated that the monks have the freedom to expand should they ever desire or need to, given that the surrounding terrain is for many miles completely free of human habitation.
Background & Information[]
Their purpose is to refine and practice their spirituality and ninja arts and take care of the needy. They also work amicably towards the benefit of the Tokugawa family in a manner reminiscent of Konohagakure's relationship to the Fire Country Daimyō. They also function as an orphanage and school. The monks make a point to ensure that any child without family and clan can have a place with them, and are entirely self-sufficient but for occasional business with the Tokugawa family. This is necessary due to their extreme isolation. They produce their own food, smith their own weapons, armor, and tools, build and refurbish temple buildings and areas themselves, among other activities.
Temple Grounds
The temple community aids the local lord and his family. They provide unique and nearly unsurpassed training in a variety of schools from shinobi arts to spirituality, to trade training. The monks have developed their own version of shinobi arts in every category, and even have their own equivalents to forbidden techniques. While some of their number are skilled in the main areas of jutsu such as ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu, they as a group specialize in fuinjutsu and kekkaijutsu. They also have their own hospital and offer training in medical ninjutsu. They are very widely renowned for their absolute mastery of soujutsu, or spear techniques, and their style in this art, known as Hozoin-ryu, is coveted. Those with knowledge however know that Hozoin-ryu, nor any of the above listed skills, is not the ultimate ability of the temple monks, deadly as it is. The temple's most closely guarded secret is the knowledge of, and the ability to teach a method of perfect chakra molding and an ability to intensify chakra upon intense concentration to monstrous levels, several times greater than the norm. Only elite adepts and masters are aware of this ability, and it's use is highly controlled by temple leadership.
Enhanced Chakra
They are employed frequently as high class bodyguards and escorts. Rarely, they are even asked to send a contingent of strong warriors to assist the Daimyo. In the wake of the Fire Temple's destruction at the hand of S ranked Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu, In'ei Temple saw an enormous increase in both size and affluence. It is now one of the most famous, if mysterious temples in the shinobi world, partly due to its extreme isolation. Only the Tokugawa family and their closest vassals are aware of the temple's location. It is a very closely guarded secret, partly due to the fact that the temple has been used in the past as a way to hide important but threatened people, or valuable and/or dangerous objects. In very tangible ways, both in terms of the prestige of having the loyalty of this sect of monks, and the fact that they are a powerful military asset, the monks of In'ei Temple are an integral part of the Tokugawa family's power as landholders. In addition, a great many warriors of the Tokugawa army were trained by the monks. Such students are known as practitioners, rather than monks.
Location[]
The mountains and forest.
Located in Fire Country in a place of both wondrous natural beauty and deep isolation. Surrounded on all sides by mountains and forest, they are difficult to get to if one doesn't know the secret paths. It is said to be as isolated as Mount Myoboku, and in some circles has a similar prestige, as the monks of In'ei Temple are known to be powerful and even fierce warriors. Its lush environment is teeming with flora and fauna of incredible diversity and rarity. The fauna in more remote regions tend to be gigantic, and are potentially very dangerous. Such animals avoid the barriers around the temple for obvious reasons. Certain flora can be processed and used for many purposes, among them medicine, poison, drugs, ink, and paper. Some of these rare animals and plants can only be found in this area. In the case of medicines, this means that certain types of medication can only be received at the temple. For poisons, it means that the antidotes are exceedingly difficult to come by. Though, the members of the temple should not poison even an enemy.
Defenses[]
The Temple is protected by a tri-fold barrier, which must be constantly empowered and monitored by the the temple's barrier division. Only monks classified as Adepts are allowed to know the signs to pass the barriers unimpeded. Even escorts from the Tokugawa clan are met before broaching the first barrier by temple monks, who take over the protection detail to guide visitors in. As such, most of the Tokugawa men never lay eyes on the temple. The first barrier serves as a means of detection of potential threats, and extends a quarter of a mile from the middle of the temple. The second barrier lies midway between the first and last barrier and when breached, triggers a powerful genjutsu empowered by the barrier team itself, which changes its effect to suit the severity of the threat. Some simply will become instantly lost. Others will suffer a kanishibari effect and even unconsciousness. The third is a barrier that reacts to physical threats to the temple itself, providing a powerful physical obstruction to all who do not know the signs to pass unimpeded. In addition to regular patrols that extend even past the furthest barrier, being so densely populated, the temple has strong warriors of enough skill and numbers that a direct assault is out of the question but for the strongest of military powers.
History[]
Unique Fuuinjutsu
Hōzōin-ryū (宝蔵院流), a unique school of shinobi arts that specializes in the art of spearmanship (sōjutsu), was founded by Hōzōin Kakuzenbō In'ei (宝蔵院 覚禅房 胤栄) at approximately the same time as the hidden village system was being formed. In'ei was a monk of the Fire Temple in the Land of Fire. He was extremely masterful in utilizing the signature ability of the temple, Gift of the Hermit Group, partly due to the strength of his chakra. Still, he was a bit odd for a monk. He adored martial arts and trained in the art of swordsmanship, and left the temple to assist in stabilizing the Land of Fire. He took the lessons he'd learned from the temple and used them where he could. Some time after his departure, he was coached and mentored by Daizendayū Moritada (大膳太夫盛忠?), a master of the spear. Under this master's guidance, In'ei honed his spearmanship. Eventually he also founded his own temple, dedicated not to him, or martial arts, or the Land of Fire, or to the Gift of the Hermit Group, but to the universe. During this time he became once again drawn towards his original instruction, and began diligently improving upon the nature of the Gift of the Hermit Group chakra. Eventually he developed a method to do just this, and the result was the creation of the Seikoki no Chikara. With his ever-expanding knowledge as his guide he took steps to ensure that his fledgling order would survive the multiple attacks to come, and that it could even weather the multitude of shinobi secret world wars. He gave his life in the end to ensure the prosperity of his disciples.
It is said that one evening, on seeing the reflection of the crescent moon shining on Sarusawa pond, he was inspired to create a spear with a cross-shaped spearhead. He imagined this style of spear would be more effective in fighting. With this new type of spear (known as jumonji-yari 十文字槍), he founded the Hōzōin-ryu. Hozoin-Ryu of course can be used with any staff weapon, even a bo, but the original style was specified for that particular spear.
Later, the teachings Hōzōin-ryū sōjutsu were passed down to Nakamura Naomasa In'ei and then Taizen Muwashi In'ei. Its reputation spread nationwide and the number of disciples increased. As Hōzōin-ryū sōjutsu was passed down from generation to generation, various new techniques were created.
It is said that Hozoin In'ei originally wrote a poem expressing the spear of Hōzōin-ryū sōjutsu in this way:
The poem later became the motto and even nindo of the monks.
Buildings and Places[]
The various locations of import in the temple, including its gardens, surrounding wilderness, caves, and hidden areas.
Artifacts[]
The temple houses a great many sacred, valuable and/or dangerous artifacts coveted by many factions. Among them are:
Known Members[]
- Senjin Shuhan
- Kakyo Kuzuchi
- Kenju Hoteimaru
