..I              Base Information »

name

Suiryuu Ichizoku 【 水流一族 】

▢ 水流 -【Water Current】

village

Hamanomiya (Land of Waves), Tanigakure, Konohagakure, Kirigakure, Takigakure

chakra natures

Suiton, Fūton, Raiton

animal summon

Water Snakes

financial status

Upper Middle Class (they have money, but don’t use it)

..II              Genetics .& Fashion »

hair

Hair colors within the Suiryuu clan are various shades of blue. This can range from an almost white-blue to green-blue tones. Growing out one’s hair past the waist is considered the norm, and ornaments are often added to accentuate looks. Their hair tends to grow either straight or wavy, with a good amount of volume for both.

eyes

Their eyes usually are red to yellow hues, with pink and orange tones in between.

skin

Suiryuu clan members are usually on the paler side, with generally pink and yellow tones to the skin. Freckles are not common with Suiryuu, though beauty marks and moles aren’t uncommon. Due to their pale complexions however, they are easily susceptible to sunburns, and must protect their skin in a variety of ways.

body types

Built like dancers, the Suiryuu is known for their lean, muscular frames.  The males usually are known for their extremely toned legs and butts, standing a bit smaller than average height at 5’6”. The women usually have toned bodies as well, with small breasts and hips. Their average height is around 5’1”. Their face shapes tend to be round or heart-shaped, with small, narrow eyes.

common diseases .& disorders

Due to training in water for long periods of time, young Suiryuu clan members often end up coming down with colds a lot over their training, though they slowly acclimate to the conditions as they grow older.

clothing

Suiryuu fashion is usually along the vein of traditional Japanese fashion. Obi are worn with all outfits but besides that they can take a slightly more modern theme. Sashes, half skirts, and slitted skirts are all common as well as sleeves that billow. They lean towards billowing and flowing outfits, parts of their outfit will always flow and glide as they move. Their clothing is predominantly shades of darker blues, whites, greys, creams, blacks but they can adapt other colors that are common in the villages they reside in. For example, Suiryuu in Kiri often wear a bit more teal and purple-black. Pattern wise, waves and water patterns are very common.

..III              Clan Biography »

history

The Suiryuu clan was originally formed as a religious cult along the coastline, paying tribute to Okami, the ocean god whom took the form of a dragon in their imagery. However the threats of the Warring States period were looming ever closer, and forced the group out onto the ocean and to the islands that would become the Land of Waves. It was there that they built their shrine and around it, Hamanomiya (浜の宮). With that, they began to create their formalized rituals, and music and dance became the major forms of expressing reverence. These would later be the guideline for the creation of their Hidan techniques.

While peaceful worship continued for a time, the news of the creation of ninja villages eventually reached their ears. While preferring to cut themselves off from the outside world, their leader finally decided that it was time to embrace the modern age. It was with this that they began to send envoys out, and started to look at how they could create jutsu of their own. This led to their modern styles of Hidan Jutsu as they blended shinobi techniques with their ceremonial dances. This further led to the discovery that their traditional instrumental songs could also be converted into forms of genjutsu.

Some youth of the clan wanted to grow outside of the island, feeling that their isolation was hindering their progress. So in a rather controversial act at its time, a group of them took boats and sailed to the mainland, coming into contact with Tanigakure. While relationships were a bit stiff at first, the successful integration of them into the Hidden Village led to the first small shine to Okami outside of Hamanomiya. The success slowly led to more immigration to the mainland, with small groups heading to Takigakure and Konohagakure as well. Most of these immigrants traveled to Konoha, due to its proximity to their comfort zone. Only a few families found the adventure in them to travel all the way across to Takigakure. The bloody mist gave them pause, despite their closeness, and immigration to Kirigakure has been a very recent endeavor as of their newest Mizukage.

clan leaders

Clan Leader -
Dance Leader -
Song Leader -

Tanigakure

Dance Sub-Leader -
Song Sub-Leader -

Konohagakure

Dance Sub-Leader - Suiryuu Izayoi (-20)
Song Sub-Leader -

Kirigakure

Dance Sub-Leader - Suiryuu Tsukiko (-22)
Song Sub-Leader -

Takigakure

Dance Sub-Leader -
Song Sub-Leader -

power structure

There is one overall clan leader, who oversees the clan from Hamanomiya as well as staying in constant communications with their far-off relatives. Under them are two practice leaders, each specializing in the two practices of the clan. While Hamanomiya has the main two leaders, each other settlement has a pair of sub-leaders that teach the children there the techniques of their path. The practice leaders are the ones whom conduct the placement ceremony, making sure each child is judged fairly and accurately and placed into the practice they are most attuned to. This ceremony takes place at Hamanomiya during the child’s 8th new year, but the training to further the lessons of each child is done by their village’s specialty sub-leaders. These leaders are trained personally in the practices by the sub leaders, focusing on how to teach the techniques and methods of the clan.

The Clan leader is a role that is inherited from generation to generation, as it is believed those of this line are related to Okami distantly, though they are not held in any specific reverence outside of their title. Some however do consider them more important than others. In the case of specialty leaders, there is a tournament held in Hamanomiya every eight years. One must be an adult to enter, and if they win out, they are allowed to be the new specialty leaders. In the case of sub-leaders, similar tournaments are held in the Hidden Villages as well.

alliances

TBA

status

Due to their very new status within the village, the Suiryuu in Kirigakure have a very small settlement, and are not considered much of a presence at all. In contrast, Tanigakure features the largest compound outside of Hamanomiya, and is where children born in Hamanomiya are sent if they wish to be shinobi. They have created themselves a solid place within the hidden village, and are respected. Konohagakure sports the third largest population of Suiryuu, with their compound just outside the village at the local waterfall. Most members of the clan commute to the village on the regular. They also have had a few families move to Takigakure due to their waterfall, but not enough to create a settlement there.

..IV              Culture .& Customs »

names

The Suiryuu take names from multiple water-based sources, including: waves, water, currents, the ocean, lakes, ideas of grace, and also the moon. Names are picked in hopes that their children will embody the grace and beauty of their meanings.

gender roles

Due to the split of the clan, gender roles within combat are much less important, and children do not grow up with those sorts of biases. Due to the belief that Okami is a genderless god (being a dragon) and that water itself is fluid, the ideas about gender and sexuality are rather progressive, considering. Most children are quite fluid in how they act and dress, and are surprised to see that things are different in other villages and clans when they meet others or visit other countries. All Suiryuu children are expected to know traditional homemaking roles, and the same amount of knowledge on sexuality.

coming of age

The Suiryuu hold two specific ceremonies during their children’s lifetimes, both of which happen on the Lunar New Year. The first is at eight years old, and are held to test the aptitude of their abilities. This is how it is decided if they are more suited for taijutsu or genjutsu. Most children are very open about what their results are, but some families are much more competitive than most. Their second comes at their legal age of adulthood (regardless of sex) at sixteen. This is due to that being two moon phases in age, and they host a giant ceremony for that year’s adults. There is a great pilgrimage to Hamanomiya during this time, and allows them to meet up to travel home on boats. After this, these new adults are allowed to join together at the great temple. It allows for them to mingle, flirt and perform traditional dances and songs. Within the next month after, the new adults are put through lessons on marriage, homemaking, and sexual education. This is to ensure sufficient knowledge on all subjects, regardless of gender.

raising of children

Childrearing within the Suiryuu is a group effort, especially within the Hidden Villages. Family sizes tend to be three to four children, and both parents do their best to give equal time to each child. Most age gaps for siblings tend to be 2+ years, but never more than five to six due to worries. Older siblings are expected to play and nurture their younger ones, and help them with their lessons. Mothers and fathers both teach traditional song and dance, and are expected to help educate their children pre-academy. Due to shinobi having to leave for periods of time, Suiryuu in hidden villages often have a lot of help from their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and fellow clan members. This is also true for those in Hamanomiya as well. Due to the intense water training their children endure, parents are expected to be very health conscious with their children. Most parents are quite lax about which path their children end up on, but some want their children to be like them, and push hard for them to excel in either song or dance.

occupations

Due to their association with water, many of the jobs Suiryuu take on work with water. Whether that be within the fishing industry or working as ferrymen. While many do take on Shinobi jobs, they also have a good many in the food industry, known for their seafood-centered restaurants and teahouses. Some also like to work with reeds and other water-based materials to create pottery and crafts to sell. Along the same vein, they are also known for their well crafted boats and boat repair, jobs for those skilled with their hands and visualization. Suiryuu also have facilitated several inns for clan use only; these are usually used by couples who need a few hours to a night away from their relatives for alone time.

While members are welcome to work directly for in clan jobs or outside of the clan, money earned by members is pooled within the settlement they live in and shared equally among the members. Within the compound, the Suiryuu mostly deal with bartering of goods and services rather than fuss with money. Due to this they generally keep to their own economy and only spend money outside for things they can’t produce themselves.

marriage

Suiryuu children are expected to show off their musical talents to the objects of their affections with traditional arts, and have very romantic views of relationships. The accepted age for dating is their adulthood, as they believe that is when they are mature enough to handle love after their month-long sex education. Marriage itself is a very important procedure, and something all Suiryuu members take very seriously. They must compose a song or create a dance that is complex and unique to show their love for their beau. Marriageable age is when one feels they are mature and responsible enough to take on the married life.

Marriages themselves are performed on several boats on the closest body of water, surrounded by friends and family in their own boats. Lanterns are let out across the water, and they have ceremonies and parties into the night.

Marriage and sexuality is considered a non-issue throughout the clan, as marrying and being whom you wish is considered “embracing your inner dragon”, as Okami is considered genderless. Therefore same sex marriages are embraced as much as heterosexual ones. With that, even marrying outside the clan is not considered a big deal, as they love the idea of bringing more to the attention of Okami and water purification, albeit casually. Moving in with spouses is a complex affair if outside the clan, as their family-oriented nature and need to be near water makes them want to move into the compound. Most urge their spouses to move into the Suiryuu compound, though there are rare cases where they will move with their spouses elsewhere; usually as long as there is a water source nearby. Regardless of their spouse’s gender, Suiryuu expect they will both balance household duties with their daily lives, and do not take kindly to being expected to perform a certain function.

Most couples live with their in-laws for a set period of time; part of this is to get acquainted more with one another, and the other is to gain wisdom from their elders. Once they have done this, they may look into getting their own residence and once done, will purify it with a dousing of holy water from the shrine. This is to bless the house and couple with happiness and hopes for their future.

housing

The compounds for each clan are structured with a larger main shrine in the center of the compound. From this shrine, 8 canals of pure ‘holy’ water flow out in a sun beam formation out from the shrine down the middle of the 8 main streets of the compound. These canals are kept and tended to by all members to be as clean and clear as possible, lanterns floating on the surface instead of any lamp posts on the grounds. The houses line either side of these canals with the entryways pointed toward the water, rows structured so that the houses  are all back to back with the houses facing the canal behind them.

While the smaller compounds don’t have connector streets, the lay out of Hamanomiya has connectors every 4 buildings with the storefront type buildings in the center closest to the shrine. Each side street has a branching canal down the middle of it with small ornate bridges allowing cross over the canal. There are two more rings between the buildings and the largest shrine out of all the Suiryuu shrines that resides in the middle of Hamanomiya. The canals that point North and South are the widest with large moon bridges being the pathway into the shrine. These moon bridges are the only way into the shrine.

Houses themselves are very traditional, after passing through the entry way with the shoe keep and passing the side door to the bathroom you walk into a half tatami room, wide and spacious with a kitchen, fire pit, and low table ready to be a kotatsu for the winter months. While the majority of the room is 4½ tatami, the other half - where the kitchen is - is hard wood. Going up a ladder in the side of the room will get you to the top floor, an 8 tatami mat room where the whole family sleeps, gets ready for the day, and keeps most of the family’s possessions. Often a mini shrine is kept on the main floor of the house.

Backyards of a Suiryuu house are small, the main body of them taken up by a porch and a small fountain which is connected to the canals. There is only a half fence that separates the yards between your next door neighbors but the yard behind you is shielded from view with a full height fence. Due to their disinterest in wealth and material goods, the houses are typically plain and unornamented but keeping photos of the family and things were great emotional ties is common. Due to the clan being raised by their close relatives and the strong ties between the clan and family, houses aren’t usually locked and people are free to visit each other’s homes. The second floor of each house is typically viewed as private and guests aren’t allowed.

beliefs

The Suiryuu pray to the dragon god Okami (龗) at their shrines, a god of water, rain and snow. Their main shrine in Hamanomiya is where most ceremonies take place. Every hidden village’s compound has a small shrine as well to pay homage. The clan’s leader acts as the main host of ceremonies, the practice leaders giving their own performances, depending on the occasion. Major Ceremonies include the styles ceremony and  the coming of age ceremony. The Suiryuu also celebrate several holidays, including the Lunar New Year, the solstices, and other events.

Religious symbolism in the form of water is very important for the Suiryuu, as it represents purity and they therefore make great efforts to keep local water sources healthy and free of pollution. Being near water is believed to promote purity of the soul, and this is why they are always located near it, and cannot live in places like Sunagakure where there is little water to be found. They also consider snakes and other reptiles auspicious due to their relation to dragons, and are very respectful towards them.

..V              Fighting Style »

kekkei genkai .& hidan jutsu

The Suiryuu have developed hidan jutsu over the years that pertains to dance and song. These hidan jutsu are all related to the two practices the clan uses, either taijutsu or genjutsu.  

battle style

Depending on the ceremony, their two styles take on different characteristics in combat. Their taijutsu style has elements of capoeira and Yang style t'ai chi ch'uan, along with a clear dancing style that means to replicate the movement of water currents. The style is known for it’s focus on looking effortless in its grace, though perfecting it takes many years. Their music style is a form of genjutsu. The songs they play wraps their opponents in the illusions, which are slippery and sleek like the snakes they summon. They glide into the mind like a current and overtake reality, slowly poisoning and disorientating their opponent’s minds. Most if not all are water-based, with many who’ve gone against it experiencing drowning and suffocation.

weapons

Weapons can include wind and fire wheels, chain whips, three-sections staves, and fans for the dancing style. As for their genjutsu, traditional instruments are the staple, These include portable Kotos, Fue, Shakuhachi, Shamisen, Hichiriki, Kugo, Kagura Suzu, and Biwa. They also have been known to use percussion instruments like Ōtsuzumi and normal tsuzumi Their voices can also be used as well.

..VI              Clan Members »

Hamanomiya

Name || BirthYear || Gender || Occupation/Path

Tanigakure

Suiryuu Hatou (水流 波頭) || +2 || Agender || Weaver/Song

Konohagakure

Suiryuu Ren (水流 蓮) || -26 || Female || Shinobi/Dance
Suiryuu Rai (水流 瀨) || -22 || Male || Shinobi/Song
Suiryuu Izayoi (水流 十六夜)  || -20 || Female || Sub-Leader/Dance

Kirigakure

Suiryuu Tsukiko (水流 月湖) || -22 || Female || Sub-Leader/Dance
Suiryuu Nagare (水流 流) || -19 || Male || Shinobi/Song

Takigakure

Name || BirthYear || Gender || Occupation/Path

..VII              Ect »

trivia

▢ The Suiryuu follow the Lunar Calendar and as such, things like ages are done by the Lunar calendar. For example, a child born in December is considered one year of age by the upcoming Lunar New Year, as it is after the Lunar New year. Ages in this clan are counted by how many Lunar New Years you have lived through, regardless of how long you were alive before that point. As such, everyone ‘ages up’ at the new year.
▢ As a whole, the Suiryuu are very fond of even numbers. Particularly ones that can multiply to 8, or can be divided to 8. This is due to their reverence of the tides and their connection to the phases of the moon.
▢ With the close quarters of families, it’s completely normal and acceptable for couples to spend date nights out at Inns specifically for couples to spend private nights together. These Inns are very private and uninvolved, allowing couples to spend time together without a fuss.
▢ As of Naruto Start, the most recent tournament took place Year 0 (Series start) and happens every 8 years from there both forwards and back. -16, -8, 0, +8, +16, +24 ect.
▢ Hamanomiya is on an island all to itself in the Land of waves, on the side opposite of the town is a more isolated shrine with torii gates that go into the water and line a path into the sea. At high tide all the gates are surrounded by water but by low tide only the further most gates are.
▢ The island is run amok by various wild deer, small monkeys, and various reptiles. While most are left to their own devices, the reptiles especially are treated with care. It is extremely shameful to injure or harm a reptile. Killing one is taboo.
▢ More TBA