• 極光隔れ • 山神 •
Advanced yamakami guide
"The land of water consists of an archipelago in the outer sea. [...] The island clusters around the main island have unique, ancient customs that vary from island to island. Many inhabitants still strictly adhere to their old traditions and customs." — NARUTO Hiden: Hyō no Sho
Welcome to the advanced Yamakami guide! Here you will find a streamlined guide on what is needed to create your clan member!
This guide will include lore and historic facts abou the clan itself and a visual creation guide for your clan member, some tips on the member's moral alignment or general personality and backstory.
If you still have questions, feel free to contact me via Discord (xravas), ig (@xravas_) or fb (Toshi Yamakami)!This site is an active work in progress!
clan belongs to xravas • creating a clan member requires permission • the Yamakami clan and Ōroragakure are a canon-divergent additions to the world of NARUTO by Masashi Kishimoto
Location & Lore - Advanced
cw: cult-living, human trafficking
Important! Information that your Yamakami most likely does not know/is unaware of will be highlighted like this. This is information that is important to you as a creator, not the oc itself.If you‘d like a quick overview, just skip to the „what this means for your oc“ section of each headline.
Location
Ōroragakure is located on a peninsula in the land of water, bordering the land of fire. The village is surrounded by a thick forest that is covered in illusionary traps and seals that only Yamakami members are immune to, making it nearly impossible to traverse without their secret technique.
Clan members grow up secluded from the rest of society, some never get to see other parts of the world.
Map made by anruki. The Kyuzazame clan is important for the future of Ōroragakure and are therefore connected with each other, hence the inclusion of the land of swamps.
Because of a genjutsu from the clan leader, it is always nighttime in Ōroragakure and auroras surround the sky. The clean leader can use these lights in the sky as his eyes and ears, observing the peninsula at wish. If a trespasser gets lost in the forest or stuck in a trap, they are then taken away by clan members and usually end up sacrificed. Because of this, the forest is often called Kumonosu (クモの巣, spider web) by natives.What this means for your oc:✧ Unless your Yamakami is a Nukenin or a Wanderer, they are forbidden to leave the peninsula.✧ As long as your oc is on the peninsula and visible from the sky, the clan leader can watch your oc's every move through the auroras if he so desires.✧ Yamakamis live under a fake night sky that does not allow them to see the sun. As a result, your Yamakami will be highly sensitive to sunlight if they ever get the chance of seeing any.✧ Since the night sky is a genjutsu, sunlight is still able to access the peninsula, meaning that crops there grow naturally and everything not inside the genjutsu is still able to see the sun. People inside the genjutsu do not feel the warmth of the sun, however.✧ People get trapped inside the genjutsu once they set foot on the peninsula. From the sea, it just looks like a dense forest. This is why people only realize they're inside Ōroragakure once it's already too late.
The clan
The Yamakami clan is all about contrasts. Starting from the magnificent, colorful night sky filled with everlasting auroras against the red and gold buildings with vibrant lanterns pathing the streets. Peace and quiet can be found in the hot springs or plentiful shrines, while the forest surrounding the village is the hunting ground, a place of neverending adrenaline.The clan preaches close bonds and community, they get taught to be social and helpful towards their kin - and only them. This attachment, however, is not as important as the attachment to the gods. If getting rid of your kin is going to bring you closer to your god, then so be it.Yamakamis are desperate for two things - blood and connection. And they cannot have one without the other.If you're looking for inspiration, try the clan's Pinterest board!
Lore
During the construction of Konoha, Ryūjin, the first and current clan leader, was a skilled priest and close confidant of Madara Uchiha. Madara saw potential in Ryūjin's abilities and was fascinated by his seemingly full immunity to fire. Both had a similar worldview and valued power and the bloodshed on the battlfield above all else, which is why they gained each other's trust fairly quickly. One day, Ryūjin confessed to him that his skills were inherited to him from a kami called Shujaku during his adolescence. Ryūjin described Shujaku as a "never-ending hunger" whose stomach could "only be satisfied with the flesh of heretics" and that everyone who'd help satisfy the kami would be rewarded with a long life and prosperity. Madara was intrigued by this concept, altough sceptical, but he still enjoyed the thought of being on a kami's good side. To show his willingness to cooperate with the kami, Madara gifted Ryūjin a Mangekyō Sharingan, under the condition that Ryūjin only uses the eye if it would benefit Madara in some way. Ryūjin abliged and keeps the Sharingan ingrained in his staff ever since. The priest helped Madara with his plans in any way he could, trying to strenghten Madara's influence, but when Hashirama defeated Madara in battle, Ryūjin believed that Madara died. Shortly after, he was banned from Konoha, as Hashirama saw him as a threat to the peace of the world.
This lead to Ryūjin roaming around the world in search for likeminded individuals. He looked for people whose religious practices were incompatible with the new structure of the Shinobi Organisation System. He eventually settled together with a few dozen in a peninsula in the land of water.As of today, people from all around the world join the clan, in hopes of being able to practice their religion without fear of punishment.Some years after Madara's defeat, Ryūjin received cryptic scrolls that included Madara's "eye of the moon" plan and was reminded of his promise to use the Sharingan to further Madara's goals. Ryūjin, surprised that Madara was still alive, promised to help him realize the plan if the people inside Ōroragakure were spared from the infinite Tsukuyomi. Madara obliged the deal. Ryūjin then created the fake night sky over the village to protect his clanspeople from the infinite Tsukuyomi, as he was unsure when Madara would turn his plan into action. Since then, Ryūjin preaches to his clanspeople that the kami would be satisfied with the clan's sacrifices "once the moon turns into a bloody red, trapping every heretic into an everlasting slumber", with only the Yamakami clan being allowed to roam the world freely, as long as they stayed loyal to Ryūjin and the ideals of the clan.
In turn, Ryūjin kept contact with Madara through Zetsu, who gave him various orders, such as murdering or spying on individuals close to the Jinchūriki, or getting intel on their wherabouts. Ryūjin uses the wanderers to fullfill these orders.What this means for your oc:✧ Zetsu considers every Yamakami member a spy for Madara as a result of their deal. Akatsuki members are ordered to not interfere with a Yamakami's mission. This means that Akatsuki members will not treat a Yamakami with hostility if they meet one. Even Nukenins are seen as valuable, as long as they're good at following orders and are valuable in battle. Nukenins should avoid staying with Akatsuki members for long, tough, as Zetsu might share their location with Ryūjin (if Zetsu thinks it‘s worth their time).✧ Nukenins of Ōroragakure are welcome in the other hidden villages and are allowed to integrate there. They get offered special protection to ease their fear of being found by wandering Yamakamis, but are also under heavy surveillance, as they are generally seen as untrustworthy.✧ If your oc is a wanderer, they will most likely have missions with Akatsuki members regularly.
Present day
To this day, Ōroragakure is an unusually wealthy village, given it's secludement. Ryūjin pretends that the blessing of the gods are the reason, but the truth is unknown by everyone but him and some of his children: Every time the chuunin exams take place and the young Yamakamis are forced to leave the village for the first time in their life, Orochimaru and his disciples are allowed to kidnap a certain amount of children to further Orochimarus research on immortality and Ryūjin receives the blood money in return. He also receives a good sum of money from Akatsuki as well.
This, in turn, allows the rest of the clan to live relatively lavishly. There is always enough food, drinks and festivals to be excited about.What this means for your oc:✧ In relation to the general population of the ninja world, your oc can be considered wealthy (if they're a loyalist).✧ If your oc has been kidnapped by Orochimaru and escapes (either on their own or with the help of Toshi), they will be forbidden to re-enter the village and are thus considered Nukenins. This way they are unable to explain to the villagers what happened to them. If Mifuyu saves your oc from Orochimaru, they are allowed to enter the village again, but will be heavily monitored by Mifuyu and her wanderers afterwards. They're allowed to talk about what happened to them, but Mifuyu wants to make sure they don't know too much.
The clan war
coming soon
Notable Locations
The forest
The place for mindless strolls or calculated hunts, Yamakamis have a deep connection with the spider-web forest surrounding the village. The chakra of the elders ensures that clan members never get lost inside it, while everyone else gets trapped inside it like helpless insects. The hot springs are found in the mountainous parts of the peninsula, deep in the forest.
The forest is also home to creatures that might accompany a Yamakami during their hunt, such as foxes. Some Yamakami have made friends with the many foxes of the forest and are able to summon them in battle or during everyday tasks.
the village
The hidden aurora village is densly decorated. Lanterns, candles and shrines shape the environment of the village. It's built circularly, with a marketplace forming in the middle which is also the go-to place for festivals and ceremonies.
the mountain of the gods
As the name implies, Yamakami members believe that the gods they worship live on top of a mountain, not far from the peninsula. The mountain top is usually covered in fog and barely visible from the village.
Appearance guide
Members are not part of the clan because of blood relations, but mainly because of their religious beliefs. Hence, there is a lot of freedom when it comes to deciding your oc's color pallete.
choosing a heritage
Members can be from anywhere and from any other clan - be it from a small, unknown family to the Uzumaki-, Nara-, or even Uchiha clan. It doesn't matter, as long as they completely cut ties with their former family. They just need a good reason to commit to something as drastic as joining a cult. Go crazy with your reasoning. Once they get infused with the chakra of the elders, their genetics change accordlingly and they will barely look different from Yamakamis who have been part of the clan for longer. They most likely loose access to their former kekkei genkai, though (such as the Sharingan, Byakugan etc.)Members who were born inside the village have a way easier time gaining the trust of other clan members and are less likely to be monitored by the clan leader and his family.
tattoos
The tattoos of Yamakami members are infused with the chakra of the elders. This chakra allows them to travel through the forest without getting lost.
If the tattoos are also used for battle, they're are able to exit and re-enter the body through the mouth and eyes. Once the re-enter the body, they take a similar, but new position on the body. This means that you don't have to be 100% accurate when drawing a Yamakami's tattoos. For people that are trapped inside a Yamakami's genjutsu, it can even look like the tattoos are moving around the body.
Mina using her tattoos (by Flanvii)
personality & moral alignment
It's important to note that Yamakami members are not "born evil". They are members of a cult that dictates how the members are supposed to live their lives from day one. That does not automatically turn your oc into a villain, crazy or a "psychopath". Their gruesome behaviour is a direct result of their environment, upbringing and forced isolation. (They're doomed by the narrative, basically.)
Even the Nukenins of the village tend to have a deeply ingrained superiority complex regarding people of different beliefs than the teachings of Jashin or Shujaku, which makes it hard for them to befriend people outside their hometown.
clan traits & journey
Appearance
Since people from all around the world join the clan, the possibilities for their appearance are basically endless. However, after living inside the village for a while, a lot of members start to radically adjust to their new environment, which even become part of their genetic disposition.
colored sclera
it is very common that the sclera of members change once they get their clan marks or clan tattoos. They are usually the same in color, but exceptions happen regularly.
slit & dilated pupils
the pupils of clan members can become slit-shaped. This allows them better depth perception. In order to see better in their dark environment, some develop dilated pupils as well.
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common (examples)
common sclera colors include red and black. All natural iris colors are present as well. Pupils are usually red or a darker shade of the iris.
uncommon (examples)
it's uncommon for the eyes of clan members to stay unaffected by their environment, especially after receiving the chakra of the elders.
Additionally, reddish iris are uncommon, as well as having no pupils.
unavailable
these combinations are only found in the family branch of the clan leader and are therefore unavailable.
nails, teeth & tongue
to be able to rip through flesh more easily and consume it faster, members commonly have sharper nails and teeth than normal. Over the years inside the village, their teeth can change drastically.Some members or born with black or blue tongues. A few have tattoos on them, altough they can only be aquired once adulthood is reached.
common (examples)
uncommon (examples)
cold resistance and fire sensitivity
clan members have an unusually high tolerance for cold weather conditions, but are highly sensitive to warmer climates. If they leave Ōroragakure, they need a long time to adjust to the sun. If outside the village for several weeks at once, wearing straw hats are basically a necessity for them in order to not get damaged by the sun.
However, they do not have an issue with hot liquids and tend to enjoy hot springs and hot beverages.
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clan marks & tattoos
At the age of 10, Yamakami members get their clan marks. They are usually located under the eyes, but can also be placed on the forehead or chin area. Special ink is prepared beforehand, infused with the chakra of the eldest. This chakra allows the Yamakamis to traverse through the forest effortlessly.
Adult members who migrated into the clan will need to prove their loyalty towards the clan first to get rewarded with a clan tattoo.Colors used for clan marks are black or red hues. Your oc's clan marks can can be simple or detailed as you want, there are no set rules.examples
Apparel
Yamakamis prefer their clothes to be primarily dark with earthy, gold or reddish accents. Their clothes are usually traditional and held together with ropes. Bandages are also incorperated into their clothes and hair frequently.
Paths
Staff wielder (杖運ぶ, Tsue hakobu) (common)
Staff wielders use their staff as a focus point for genjutsus. This allows them to trap their opponents into illusionary techniques. The staff increases the radius and strenght of genjutsus dramatically.
Additionally, Jashinists usually have a blade or another weapon hidden inside their staff to make sacrifices easier during battle.
Ghost (幽霊,Yūrei) (uncommon)
Yūrei are Yamakami members than can use their clan tattoos for illusionary techniques. The higher a members chakra control, the more potent the tattoos become in battle. The tattoos can travel outside of the user in a smoke-like state and can be used defensively as an easy form of escape or repositioning. With enough practice, the smoke can be turned into a thick liquid that can be used offensively.
With enough training, every liquid and steam in the vicinity of the user can be manipulated this way if part of it is consumed first.
clan leader
FAQ
When do slots open?
- There's no set schedule! they open whenever i have enough time to oversee everyone's potential wip's.How much time do i have to create my Yamakami?
- There's no deadline! Take all the time you need, but be aware that i might take a while to get back to you if it's been a while since you got the slot.How does my Yamakami become a wanderer?
- The wanderer is an extremely important rank inside the clan. The oc owner needs in-depth knowledge and understanding about how the clan works in order for the oc to be realistic. If you want to turn your oc into a wanderer, write me a message with an in-depth explanation of how they're supposed to become one. This way, i can check if you understood the clan and the structure of it. (Please understand that i am very picky with oc's becoming wanderers, so don't feel let down if i reject your idea!)Am i allowed to sell / gift my Yamakami? Do i need to change the design beforehand?
- If the new owner wants the oc to stay inside the clan, changing the design is not necessary, but please dm me before you give your Yamakami away.
If the new owner does not want their oc to stay a Yamakami, you need to change the design (how much you'd need to change varies by design, so please dm me beforehand.) You're not allowed to to gift/sell the design before you made the necessary changes yourself, don't transfer that responsibility to the new owner.Will you ever create Yamakami adoptables that can be purchased / May i pay you to create my Yamakami?
- No. If you need help with creating your Yamakami, dm me and i'll gladly help!