Finding Our Way: A Warring States Naruto AU/WHFB Quest

The circumstances surrounding your people's arrival are grim.

After hundreds of years of constant failures to bring your people down and steal your riches the dozens of desert raider and bandit tribes that were your eternal enemies decided that they were tired of constantly being slaughtered by your family and decided to form an alliance with the sole goal of destroying the clan as an entity and enslaving the survivors to gain access to your clan's Kekkei Genkai.

On the day when everything changed you saw them marching from far off in the horizon of the desert. Their every step lifted clouds of sand bigger than what had been recorded in centuries and then a mile from the compound a horn from hell made using a Futon Jutsu sounded and they all charged forward looking to despoil and destroy everything.

They paid for it with their lives.

Puppets shredded, blasted, and poisoned them with spinning blades, senbon grenades and chemical attacks respectively. The greatest of your clan's Jiton users joined together to murder the enemy in ways so horrid they would be passed down by the survivors for eight generations.

But it was not enough. The foe was grim and focused with a lust for vengeance hundreds of years in the making for the slayings of thousands of their kinsmen by your own people. They did not care if they died today so long their most hated foe accompanied them to the grave.

The carnage would continue for several days as you both destroyed each other. It was on the sixth day of battle that the bandit confederation decided to carry out a proper siege and wait for your people to starve and weaken themselves before moving in for the killing blow.

It would've worked.

For several weeks your people had to survive in the compound without food and water imports from your trading partners. The clan rationed what remained equitably to ensure no one starved. But as time went on the rations became smaller and smaller, the portions lesser and lesser and you all hungered more and more.

The hunger pains prevented you from properly doing your watches, much less performing ninjutsu with your almost dried out chakra reserves.

But the tactic did not succeed. Because on the day you and the council were getting ready to do one final charge to face the enemy to not die in shame, the light came.

A massive vortex composed of every single color in existence appeared in the middle of the compound, shimmering and radiating eldritch energies that your clan could not make heads or tails of. Until your brave fool of a brother stepped forward and walked in and back out of it. He described a land of unspoiled forests with plenty of elk to hunt.

The council made its decision then.

A full retreat through the portal with every shinobi and civilian being rushed through.

This is when you proved yourself worthy in both body and spirit of leading your people by offering yourself to hold the line to give the clan time to escape. Ignoring the protests of your parents and brother you stole the last three available soldier pills in the entire compound and pitted yourself against legions of enemy shinobi using your own brilliance, skill and your clan's legendary iron sand techniques to ensure your people could escape. Thousands died at your hands that day and you spilled blood in such quantities that the golden sands of the desert you called home will remain crimson forevermore as a testament to your legendary deeds.

You fought, killed and bled for twelve hours straight, constantly rediscovering inner sources of strength you did not know existed as you burned out your own life force to create the chakra necessary to fight.

When you were at the end and gave all you could give of yourself heart and body and soul you closed your eyes expecting to only open them when you were with your ancestors in the afterlife.

But expectations are often not met and yours weren't in this case.

Welcome to the new world Rayiys of the Sabaku no Kin Clan, Kannika Sabaku.

It is time to awaken young one.

Your clan, your family, awaits.

---

I don't know where I am.

I don't know if I am dead or alive.

I don't know if this is limbo or the afterlife.

But I know I don't dream.

I know I remember.

In the deep darkness I inhabit all I do is remember.

I remember the fear I felt we were told that our enemies had at long last banded together to break and enslave us.
I remember the pain as our enemies attacked us and ravaged our homes before we beat them back.
I remember the hunger pains after being under siege for several weeks.
I remember my rage.
The hatred that thundered through my veins at what the enemy did to our people.
The cold fury that focused my mind towards killing them.

But more importantly I remember what I loved.
I remember my Clan.
I remember my kinsmen like Raizou, Prema, Akeem and Miyoharu.
I remember my family.
I remember Mama, Papa, and my little brother.
I remember it was that love for them and not my hatred for the enemy that made me push myself to the absolute limit to defend them.

For those I cherished I gave all that I was to protect them. I destroyed myself bit by bit as I sacrificed more and more of my own life for the power to keep fighting.
And I was okay with that.
Because when I could fight no more, when the world began to fade from my senses and when the cold hand of death began to reach out for my soul I knew peace.
For I do not fear death, I fear those I love getting hurt.

The last thing I saw was the ethereal portal that promised our people salvation.
A deep longing overtook me as I said my last words.
"I love you all."
Then I knew nothing but darkness.

Since then here in the void I relive these moments again and again and again.
My mind and soul are trapped in a never ending loop of fear, pain, hatred and love.
For how long have I done this?
I don't know.
How long will I do this?
I don't know.
Yet my will is iron and my mind is steel.
I shall not be broken.

Time passes once more.

But something's different.

I don't know how long I've been in the void for but something that has never happened before occurs. My senses begin to return to me, not the phantom sensations of vivid memories but true sensation.
The weight of my body on a bed, the softness of the mattress, how fluffy the pillow cradling my head is, how thick and warm the blankets covering me are.

After so long without using it my sense of smell is hit with an avalanche of burning incense and flowers that momentarily overwhelms me. After that first hit passes I calm my breathing and begin to enjoy the pleasant aromas, they soothe me and let me become aware of even more things, like that fact that I can hear someone speaking softly.

"Merciful Nikrah and the Ancestors with you please heal my sister and show her the way back. Oh Mighty Al-Lat and the Ancestors forgive my weakness as a warrior for not being able to protect my sister and bless her with your strength. Oh beautiful Al-'Uzzá and the Ancestors please watch over and protect her from all the evils of the night. Oh Fatherly Shay al-Qawm… " On and on it goes as he beseeches every single one of the gods and our ancestors.

He is praying for me and I know who it is.

I open my eyes slowly and take in the room. I am inside a desert tent, the thick wool blocks out sunlight and submerges the room into a pleasant cooling darkness that is illuminated by small wax candles that have gentle flames lit in them.

Lit sticks of incense in jars are placed next to small shrines dedicated to the gods. Attached to the shrines are hundreds of small pieces of parchment laid out as supplications to whoever they represent. The individual scripts all have different calligraphies and devotions written on them, listing hundreds of prayers from hundreds of different people but they are all supplicating for the same thing.

For me to be protected and recover.
It is, it's too much, after an eternity in the void without contact I-I can't process this right now, the volatile mix of newfound anxiety and hope grip my chest like a vice as I fight with myself to confirm that my mind is not deceiving me.

I push through the heavy feelings as I finally dare look at my side and confirm with my eyes what my ears had already told me.

There is a massive man with bright red hair kneeling on a prayer mat by my bedside, his hands clasped together in devotion as he has not once broken the string of prayers I first heard him make. He is covered in fresh dirt and still drying blood, not his own of course, making it obvious that he had done his duties and the first thing he did was come pray for me.

Although I'm weak and exhausted, I force myself to move to my will and raise my right hand.
I slowly lift and move it towards his head.
He doesn't notice my movement, so focused is he in his heartfelt prayer, but eventually my hands gets close to his face and I extend my index finger out to do something I've been aching to do for what feels like centuries.

I poke him softly on the forehead.
Like a proper shinobi he reacts by jumping up from his kneeling position and looking around alert, kunai in hand ready to disembowel the imaginary intruder, his tired bloodshot eyes looking around the room with a tired rage at whoever he imagines dared interrupt his ritual.

Such an adorable little brother, he didn't even notice I'm awake.

I lick my wet lips and get my voice ready to speak after being silent.

"No one else's around you dork, just me."
He stops cold.
For a moment he remains so still it's like Manat herself took his time.
But it's only for a moment as he eventually processes and accepts what his body and mind tell him are true.
"Big sister… are you really here?"
Foolish little brother I am no ghost or genjutsu! With another herculean effort I force myself to sit up and look him directly in the eyes and notice that he has deep bags underneath his eyes, sleep deprivation.
"Damn right I'm here, bet you were so happy you could finally find a boyfriend or girlfriend who didn't meet my standar- yip!"

I do not squeak, and if I did it would be a very dignified squeak I'll have you know, as I'm tackle-hugged by 250 pounds of shinobi. I can feel the air getting squeezed from my lungs and what feels like my ribs creaking as he latches on to me with a vice grip even the Senju's famous superhuman strength couldn't disbar.

I prepare to yell at him to get off, but then his grip softens and I hear him weeping.
The magnitude of his suffering hits me then. While I was in the void trapped remembering he was here in the real world praying every day for me to return. How long was I gone? How long did he wait?

With another near superhuman demonstration of my willpower I fight against the weakness and aches plaguing my body to hug my crying brother. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and lay my head on the back of his.
"It's okay lil bro I'm not going anywhere, after all who's going to supervise you if not me?"
His sobs begin to slowly stop as I calm him down, I feel him take a deep and speak in shuddering breaths.
"I missed you so much, big sister. The Gods and Ancestors are good. We thought you would never wake, but w-we never stopped praying and working for you to heal."
His words made everything click together. My eternity of darkness was not the afterlife, but a coma that made me a prisoner of my own mind and body as I healed from my sacrifice.

I ask him gently. "You came back for me didn't you little brother?"
He sniffs before speaking again. "Not me, we. Prema, Raizou, Miyoharu, Akeem and I all came back together to save you."
I feel a smile begin to slowly inch its way across my face, hot salty tears begin to collect in my eyes. "Fools all of you are fools. I stayed behind so none of you would be at risk."
My brother pushes himself off the bed and raises his face to mine making me look into his blood shot eyes and then dares to talk back to me with attitude. "That was not your decision to make big sister! You taking the soldier pills made you the only one who could fight at full power!"
Normally I wouldn't even let my father yell at me, but he is entitled to vent and I'll admit what I did was a little reckless but at the end of the day I made the right call. And even weakened, barely escaping death's door and crying I'll never think otherwise.
"I made the choice to sacrifice myself and not any of you. I would rather do what I did a thousand times again rather than even risk you, mom, dad, our friends and the clan even once."

He gets frustrated "Oh that's so typical of you! Always jumping ahead and doing whatever crazy stunts you want and making the rest of us follow just to keep!"
I see a wicked smirk knife its way across his tear stained face and he raises a hand to make it level with my forehead, all his fingers are stretched out minus his thumb and middle finger who he has pressed together.
He wouldn't dare! "That's why you deserve this big sister!" His middle finger snaps out and hits me on the forehead with a physical force so minor that it barely feels like a nudge while mentally it feels like I just got punched by the sage of six paths.

This is a crime against my person! The inhumanity! The humiliation! How dare he do this to me his big sister! "Snrikt. Pouting does not suit you big sister… HAHAHAHAHA!" Now he dares to laugh at me!
"I'll get you for this later little brother just you wait."
That stops him cold as he stops and goes pale for a bit, then he smiles sweetly at me.
I don't like that smile. The sweetness is a lie, nothing more than poisoned honey.

He gets of my bed and looms over me as he produces a small glass to look at myself, his cursed smile never leaving his face.

I look terrible! My face is tear stained, the space around my eyes are purple as if I never rested, my lips are all cracked from dehydration, the musculature I was so proud of has declined during my recovery and my hair by the gods, my hair! It's a horror!
"By the way sister I forgot to tell you that while you were resting the clan had voted on a very important matter that you must be aware of post haste, it is so urgent that it requires I present you to the entire clan immediately."

A bolt of primordial terror goes down my spine. "L-little brother I can't see the clan right now I look like a raccoon, you wouldn't want me being called mean things for looking like a mess right."

He begins to bundle up my blankets "But big sister everyone has been waiting for so long to see you. Everyone is eating lunch right now but I'm sure they won't mind being interrupted to know you're awake, especially mom and dad."

I begin pleading "Then bring them here Ahim! We can have a private moment as a family!"

He stops bundling the blankets. "Are you sorry for stealing that cute fire country boy I had a crush on from me? Or for scaring away that cute village girl from the water country that I liked?"

The fear leaves me as my pride overcomes my vanity. "First off that hunk and I were making eyes at one another long before you even noticed him, and secondly that water country harlot was a gold digger who wanted you because she saw you as a meal ticket!"

He then finishes bundling the blanket, wrapping me up in a cocoon and taking me under his arm like a sack of grain. "Then there is no choice but to meet the clan now sister." I spit on the floor. "Do your worst!"

My brother raises his hand in a half tiger seal and then I feel the rush of wind as he moves us out of the tent and into the outside world with a Shunshin flicker.
In a split second we're both under the sun in the middle of a large communal kitchen where hundreds of our kinsmen are sitting and eating on carpets, my brother has taken us to the line of cooks where a few dozen people focus on preparing and serving food.

There it takes me a moment to process who is in front of me.
One of them is a very tall and slender woman with skin the color of cream, and the same red hair and amber eyes as me and my brother, next to her is a short copper skinned man with a bald head, a short bushy beard and an extremely muscular physique that me and my brother inherited.
The question slips from my mouth. "Mom, Dad?"

Tears start streaming down their faces as they run around the boiling pot they were supervising. My brother sets me down on my own weak and unsteady legs so they can both pick me up themselves. I'm showered in kisses by both of them as they talk to me. "Our beautiful daughter came back!" "Praise be to the gods and ancestors for this blessing." I feel myself tear up as they hug me.

In the background I can hear my brother screaming something and our kinsmen cheering at his words. I can hear more shouting and people running elsewhere but I don't care because I'm with my parents.

After what feels like hours of the happiest time of my life my mother and father set me down and keep me steady. My father then speaks "Kannika there is something you must know while you were asleep you were-" My brother interrupts him, "Don't spoil the surprise Papa let the Clan as a whole tell her!" he wraps his hands around my waist, lifts me up and then turns around to present me to what seems like the entire clan.

I feel like dying in absolute shame. I look like a red haired raccoon he just picked from the forest! Lady Nuha I beg that you please blind them with the power of the sun so that my wretched appearance cannot be recorded!

"HAIL THE RETURNED RAYIYS!!! MAY THE GODS BLESS HER AND OUR CLAN!!! MAY SHE PROTECT US LIKE SHE DID IN THE NEW WORLD LIKE THE OLD WORLD! HAIL RAYIYS KANNIKA!!!"

Wat.

"Surprise big sister! You're the boss now!"

Wat.

---

Two weeks, my time in the void which felt like a millennium was just two weeks.

A terrifying thought really, better not to dwell on it.

Either way I awoke the month before the year ended and in that time I have eaten enough muton, grain and humus to feed a man for a year as I train my body back to its peak and reconstruct my chakra reserves.

Last week was when I proved I was back in form as I slaughtered ten thousand of those belligerent green human shaped things, these goblins and orcs, as the locals call them gathering in the forest. The largest of them was very annoyingly screaming something about his gobs and boyz until I smashed his skull in with my fist. I feel myself smile in satisfaction of the memory as I finish dressing myself and looking in the mirror I had set up in my room.

I am very happy to report that after my debut as a raccoon I made sure to never get caught in such an unfashionable state again. I look great with my long red hair being properly brushed and the bags under my eyes gone, for my clothing I wear the regalia of my station. A sapphire kalasiris with the visages of winds and mountains sewn in with white threads, a marble white shawl that shines in the sunlight, and an azure Ghutra with white stitching in the shape of roaring lion's head tied together with an emerald Agal. I walk out through the door and make my way into the tent that the clan has set up as an office for meeting with my Jounin council.

The day is hot, but it's not so bad thanks to the strong and pleasant winds blowing through the area, it's all so lovely and a good omen since it's the first day of the year.

I reach the tent, greet the Chunin guards standing watch and slip through the entrance flaps. The interior walls of the tent are covered either in maps of the region we're in or depictions of the clan's old triumphs, minus one that was left barren to host a small table with snacks for us in front of it. At the center there is a large azure carpet embodied with beautiful imagery of the flowers, a large table with short legs and scrolls of parchment inscribed with mountains of logistical data, and six small silk cushions to sit upon surrounding it.

It is not the most luxurious thing but it is comfortable.

I see that Ahim, Prema, Raizou, and Miyoharu are all sitting down and getting comfortable enjoying their snacks, with Akeem going around serving coffee to everyone as it was his turn to get the pot from the canteen.

As we drink our coffee I start the New Year by being told of the clan's status.

---

State of Clan:

Note: If an action has no chance of success listed that means it's an automatic success with no degrees of variation.

Martial: 2 Actions Available.

Ahim starts off first being the commander of your military forces. "Things are bad but not terrible sister. We have 566 Shinobi available to fight, if we include you. The clan compound is safe as in the time we've been here we have exterminated almost all of those belligerent green creatures within a 25 kilometer radius of it, this in turn has served as a demonstration of our abilities and prowess as warriors to the local population both ensuring they are rightfully dissuaded from attacking us and for having a solid customer base if we wish to pursue mercenary work." He smiles at that sounding eager to keep showing off the might of the clan. "Mount wise we only have 100 of our chakra camels left, not enough for a stable breeding population and I suggest you talk to Miyoharu about getting local camels soon." He slides some scrolls to you. "These are the courses of action I feel we should take this year.

[] Boost Recruitment: Now more than ever we must build up the forces of the clan by recruiting more Genin. We will focus our efforts this year on supervising the recruitment, supervision of the trails and take a personal hand in training the appropriate Chunin to lead them. Add 10 +2d10 of Genin this turn to your passive recruitment and can be selected as many times as you want.
Cost: Ninja Recruitment cost, one year.

[] Taijutsu Manuals: Ahim is the clan's most skilled Taijutsu warrior, and he doesn't like writing so force him to record his techniques no matter how much he bitches. Increase melee stat of all non-Jounin Shinobi by 3, open up more martial actions, keep martial options that would be lost if Ahim dies.
Cost: Ahim cannot be deployed for one turn.
Chance of Success: 70%

[] Produce and Distribute Fuma Shuriken: Fuma Shuriken are a lovely weapon to have and one your Shinobi are clamoring to have in their kits as a small boost to their ranged capabilities. Set aside a selection of blacksmiths to maintain a rolling production of Fuma shuriken to equip all your forces with. Gives every Shinobi below Jounin +3 in Marksmanship and Ranged Damage.
Cost: 1000 Gold, one year, takes one year.

[] Equip 5 Chunin with Puppets: Currently due to the limitations of the clan's industry and what we could carry Raizou is the only one with a few baseline puppets left in his arsenal, we could distribute some of those bottom tier models out to the chunin but even these are expensive for us currently, on the other hand they would provide our Chunin with a way of fighting enemies from a safe distance.
Cost: 1000 900 Gold, The ten Chunin equipped with these half their upkeep increased by 50%.

[] Secure the Surrounding Villages: the smattering of hamlets and villages surrounding the compound have turned to us in their time of need to defend them from the local thugs, bandits and warlords that come to demand "protection" money from them. No more. Have Ahim send out the clan's might with orders to slay all who would engage in such thuggery and to bring the people under our protection. Make the surrounding areas into Vassals that will provide a tax of 600 food and 500 Gold per turn, secure the flanks of the compound from bandits, and expand the area of influence. Opens more stewardship and martial actions.
Cost: 300 Gold, One year.

[] New Great Coat Uniform: The current uniform, or rather lack thereof, is whatever the shinobi's family has to provide them with which is usually just thick wool robes and scarfs, this is obviously something we should fix. Thankfully the seamstress guild has been collaborating with the engineers and researchers to develop a standardized uniform consisting of a long great coat like robe with a high collar that comes in beautiful sapphire, emerald and steel grey colors at the request of the person wearing them that will provide better protection, more room to hold weapons, and provide comfort while wearing armor such as chakra steel plate. The Department will create and finalize the design and then pass it on to the seamstress guild to produce and equip our forces by the end of the year.
All Shinobi gain a uniform that grants +30 Armor, +3 Melee and Marksmanship.
Cost: 2'500 Gold.
Chance of Success: 90%.

Mercenary Missions: Must pick at least one, can take as many as you like if you have the forces available to do so, specify from which company the forces are coming from.

[] Petty Lords: The legions of so called "princes", "barons", "dukes" and in one memorable case "Bovine Emperor" that populate the region are all busy fighting one another for a myriad of stupid and petty reasons. Get to work extracting as much gold as possible from this state of affairs. Easy Difficulty Mercenary Mission.
Requires a Platoon, specify which Tokubetsu is leading it.
Gain 5k-10k in Gold, and experience for all units involved.
Chance of Success: 90/70/50%, Takes One year.

[] Merc Work; the "Dwarfs" and these so called "Vampires": There's a community of rude, vertically challenged, hairy drunk people called the "Dwarfs" in this land that are also supposedly the best craftsmen, artisans and engineers in the region. While I cannot verify any of these talents and abilities I have heard they are offering good solid gold to fight Ghouls, the undead not put to rest properly, now running around in human skin feasting upon the weak. We will do the world a service and eradicate them.
Medium Difficulty Mercenary Mission.
Gain 15K-20K in Gold, and experience for all units involved.
Chance of Success: 70/50/30%, Takes One year.

After Ahim finishes speaking and I pick out the proposals I look at Prema who is grabbing some olives, hummus, mutton and a piece of pita bread. I give her a moment to make herself a pita wrap that looks mighty appetizing to me right now. After coming back to her seat and taking a bite she looks my way, rolls some scrolls towards me, swallows and then begins speaking. "My scouts have inspected everything within a day's travel of our current location. There's quite a few notable minor threats but we may have real trouble brewing in the mountains and forests to the north of us. For you see Lady Kannika the locals have informed us of these half-man, half-animal beings called Beastmen that launch wars of extermination against humans."
My appetite for a wrap is gone now, I sigh and sip my coffee.
"Have you confirmed that these people are as belligerent as claimed?"
Only a piece of shithead would take what may be ignorance and racism at face value.
Prema stops eating for a moment as a sour look overcomes her face. "Yes we did. We have located several tribes of them living in the mountains and forest I mentioned where my men confirmed the local report that they gave us. Also noting they gave off an evil chi, practiced slavery, and that they like the taste of human flesh."
A problem to handle then.
"They also report that there's about fifty thousand of them that they could see."
I catch that.
"That they could see?"
Prema nods. "Yes my Lady. The scouts did not perform a proper reconnaissance of the forests, they would've gone further but uh give me a second to find the report, Ah here it is." She starts reading. 'When we prepared to scout the depths of the forests a primordial terror overcame us, as if our instincts knew that the only thing awaiting us further was death and we departed.' She puts away the report. "Now my professional assessment is that either there was a genjutsu-like barrier of some sort placed by these man eaters to prevent intruders by scaring them off with a massive pulse of killing intent or…" she trails off for a second as she thinks. I raise my hand and motion for her to keep talking. "There might be something we really don't want to find, either way something to contemplate later, my proposals are there in the scrolls." I begin to open and read the scrolls.

Intrigue: 2 Actions Available.

[] Proactive Solutions: From what I've been told it's only a matter of time before these "Beast-Men" as the locals call them gather themselves and start terrorizing the areas around the forests and mountains and maybe eventually reaching the compound. We will nip this problem in the bud right now. Instruct Prema to have her department initiate a poisoning campaign that will see the leaders of these tribes put to rest eternally through the arsenals of toxins she has crafted.
Send out Prema's Shinobi Company composed of 100 Genin, 10 Chunin and Two Tokubetsu Jounin and herself to spend the year killing every Beastman champion, war lord, shaman and other high value targets for a year either stopping them from rampaging entirely or making them easy pickings for your forces at a later date.
Cost: 1'500 Gold. Takes One year.
Chance of Success: 90/70/50%

[] Investigate Poison Regents: Prema advises that while her current repertoire is good for now she notes that it was all made to attack the human physiology and in this world we are not dealing solely with humans now as such she requests a piece of the budget and shinobi be set aside to seek out good components for more effective poisons.
Gain more poison options for more shinobi, opens more poisoning options, boost success chances of other poisoning options.
Cost: 100 Gold, Takes One year.
Chance of Success: 90%

[] Guerilla Warfare training: Prema has plans to begin reinforcing and expanding what our shinobi know about fighting from the shadows giving them all more of an edge on the battlefield. Raise the stealth of all shinobi below Jounin by +3.
Cost: 1000 Gold, Takes One year.

[] He did it!: The border princes are a pack of clowns and thugs with delusions of nobility and getting rid of them will be necessary in the future if I am to ensure the clan's hegemony in this region. Unfortunately to do so now is a fool's errand as there's too many of them and not enough of us. Fortunately this plan would make that much easier as we sow the seeds of strife amongst them and make them war against each other, well more than they usually do, send 50 Genin and 5 Chunin to run around and fuck shit up in the border princes and blaming it on each other weakening them against your, and other actor's, intentions.
Cost: 500 Gold, Takes One year.
Chance of Success: 100%

[] Get your ass back in there!: The Genin could not force themselves to go deeper into the forest and mountains out of fear but Chunin are made of sterner stuff so send five of them in to look into how big the Beastmen tribes are.
Chance of Success: 70%, Takes One year.

[] Stealing is such an ugly word: Although she doesn't call it that this is obviously nothing more than using our shinobi abilities to act like common thieves going around taking everything of value not nailed to the floor and then coming back with a pry bar to take that too. Good. The warlords terrorizing the region deserve nothing more than to walk around in flour sacks, let us relieve them of their riches. Loot rival lords for lots of loot. Roll for what you get.
Chance of Success: 100%, Takes One year.

[] Train Chemists: Prema is the best poison maker and chemist in the clan and she's willing to sit down for a year and train staff and students in her skillset to create a proper research and development team for the creation and distribution of poisons.
Gain a chemical engineering department that provides more martial, intrigue, learning and special equipment options and +10 Bonuses to actions related to developing new poisons.
Cannot be selected at the same time as Proactive Solutions.
Cost: 500 Gold, Prema will be unavailable for combat deployment for one year, Takes One year.
Chance of Success: 70%

After I pick out which actions I think should be done first I hand her back her scrolls and let Prema go back to devouring her wrap. I turn to Miyoharu who is busy looking into a mirror held up by her gold dust that she is using to fix her gold and silver hair extensions into long elegant plaits. There's a small plate with kunafa rolls made by her mom next to her, I stealthily use Jiton to move my iron sand slowly and carefully to retrieve the plate while she's distracted. As my sand is getting close to the plate a whip of golden sand hits and disperses it, "Toot toot Kannika if you wanted some all you had to do was ask." Miyoharu stops fixing her hair, gently takes the mirror and puts it away in her robes. She then grabs two scrolls and the plate with the rolls and places them both on a floating cloud of gold dust. She smirks expectantly at me. "What do we say?"
I try not to pout that one of my closest friends is bullying me "Can I please have some of your mom's kunafa rolls?"
The smirk gets bigger. "Your wish is my command Rayiys." She floats both the scrolls and the plate my way. I receive both and then proceed to stuff all rolls in my mouth. As I'm chewing I begin to read the scrolls.

Diplomacy: 2 Actions Available.

[] Local Outreach: Mikyoharu has spent the last month building ties with the local warlords and civil leadership to keep them wasting our time and ammo by killing them for daring to attack us. Now she's requesting to be given the time to work out more solid trade deals and non-aggression pacts with them. Gain +500 Gold and +1000 food per turn, money will go up as local economy increases and the clan produces more to sell.
Cost: 100 Gold, Takes One year.

[] International Diplomacy; The West: Now for something more exciting Miyoharu says that to the west instead of poor pauper warlords there's actual no bullshit richy-rich warlords with more gold than brains, lots of exotic foods, spices, technologies and people. With the most exotic of them all being a group of people with very long sharp ears, great magical knowledge and more importantly lots and lots of money oh and handsome men or something.
Establish diplomatic ties to the Tilean City States and The Asur. Open up more diplomatic options westward. Open up world events section in this region, trade deals open.
Cost: 200 Gold.
Chance of Success: 80/40/10%

[] International Diplomacy; the South: Camels. Faithful companions to the clan and the main reason we were able to travel and interact with the rest of the continent, it brings me close to tears to think about alongside thousands of our clansmen we also lost most of the camels in the siege including Samiira and Varsuka. Now we have only a hundred and unless we find a local supply of them to mate with they will go extinct. Miyoharu understands this cannot be allowed to happen under any cost, the locals have been shown our camels and confirmed that to the South in a land called Araby that is home to this world's version of camels. I will send her there to make deals to stimulate the clan's economy and save our companions.
Establish diplomatic ties with the Kingdoms of Araby. Open up more diplomatic options to the South. Open up world events section in this region, trade deals open.
Cost: 200 Gold.
Chance of Success: 90/70/50%

[] Dealing with the Dwarfs: These Dwarfs or Dawi as they prefer to call themselves, have traditions regarding hair they like to see observed amongst themselves, and believe everyone else should too, where the men keep their beards uncut while the women never cut their hair and keep them in long ornate plaits, this is the reason why Miyoharu was fixing her hair extensions. Either way it is in the clan's interest to make contact with their dual purpose fortress city and harbor of Barak Varr which controls is the biggest sea based trading node in your area.
Gain open relations with Barak Varr, trade deals open, receive Empire Rumor Mill.
Cost: 200 Gold.
Chance of Success: 60/40%

[] Record the Gold Style: Miyoharu is without a doubt one of the greatest geniuses the clan has produced, alongside myself of course, in decades creating a whole new style of Jutsu with our Kekkei Genkai. Unfortunately she hasn't had the time to take notes on it or teach it to anyone else, no more have her sit down and record her knowledge so that it is not lost to us.
Miyoharu records and teaches gold style so there is no chance of it being lost and can be picked up by the Tokubetsu Jounin.
Cost: Miyoharu will be unavailable for combat deployment for one year.
Chance of Success: 70%, takes one year.

[] Record and teach her medical secrets: Miyoharu has tread where none have dared to before in the clan by dissecting the dead while many of the more pious members of the clan would decry this I couldn't give less of a shit. What she has learned is too valuable, too important to discard in the name of faith and even Akeem sees the wisdom in this. As such Miyoharu will record and train people in her medical secrets for proliferation and further study. Miyoharu's medical knowledge isn't lost and can begin studying actual medical ninjutsu.
Cost: Miyoharu will be unavailable for combat deployment for one year.
Chance of Success: 50%, takes two years.

[] Offer medical services: Miyoharu proposes that she sell her services as a surgeon and a doctor while traveling. While Miyoharu has not mastered "True" medical Ninjutsu that allows one to reattach limbs and repair organs with applications of yang chakra she can use her Jiton chakra as an internal scanner and probe, use the diluted forms of the clan's poisons for anesthesia and the gold used by her can be cleaned and sterilized so she can use it in surgical procedures where she can control them remotely to perform extremely difficult and sensitive internal procedures that no one in the clan, much less this world can replicate. Miyoharu will travel far and near looking for powerful clients in need of her services and using it both as a chance to make a nice profit and build relations.
Gain 1k-10k Gold and ???
Cost: Miyoharu will be unavailable for combat deployment for one year.
Chance of Success: 100%

After I make my selections I pass the scrolls back to Miyoharu and thank her for the rolls and her hard work. I use my iron sand to summon from my robes my own scrolls and data, I set them down on the table and begin to meditate on what I know about the clan's state and finances. I grimace. The clan is surviving but not living, we all stay in either tents or shacks or for the more unfortunate of Doton made mud huts. It's a wonder we haven't been hit by the elements, but we will soon and when we do our civilian kin will start to die. We are also lacking in the resources and work spaces for us to practice our trades, so we are not making the money we should be making, our food supplies are also being devoured quickly despite supplementing them with sheep grazing and hunting. The sewage is also starting to become a problem despite the half measures we've taken so far. The roads around us are shit or non-existent limiting our trade, we also need to fortify the compound and the hamlets surrounding us if we want to keep our industries and civilians safe. So much to do…

Stewardship: 2 Actions Available.

[] Turn your compound into a proper city: The clan will not live in squalor a day more than necessary I swear this as the Rayiys, we know Jiton and Doton it is time to use them. I will conscript every spare ninja available this year to focus on constructing a proper urban living area with strong stable houses made of iron and stone with built in bathrooms connected to a underground sewage system, several public baths, areas carved out for sports and leisure, a large public library, several shrines to the gods, open spaces for gardening, a central plaza from which the clan could administrate it's duties and more.
Raise Population Growth by 2% per turn, stops casualties from passive environmental conditions such as the evil moon, gain +300 Gold and Food per turn.
Cost: 10'000 Gold 2000 Gold, (Cost Reduced due to Kannika's skill as a civil engineer and the clan's Jiton and Doton Mastery, can be reduced even further if proper veins of iron are found) Takes one year.

[] Prospect Minerals and Metals: Gold and Silver, the materials necessary to perform our trades, are unfortunately in short supply amongst ourselves, thankfully our Kekkei Genkai makes finding and digging up more of them very, very easy.
Gain gold, silver, iron, aluminum and anything else the earth can give. If gold and silver are found the Sabaku civilians will activate their trait and triple their income, giving you 4'500 Gold per turn instead of 1'500.
Chance of Success: 100%. Takes one year.

[] Coffee Farms: Coffee is the lifeblood of the clan, some would say literally as there are some of us that consume more of it than water. As such it is very important we construct greenhouses that emulate the naturally very hard to find conditions which the coffee seed requires to grow, it will be an expensive multi-year endeavor as the right type of soil must be found, the specific type of glass the houses require would need to be made by the glassblowers guild, and a watering system that would create the perfect humidity must be constructed from scratch.
Adds Coffee to trade resources, +20 to Civilian Food Production, add an extra +500 Gold to every trade deal, unlocks learning options.
Cost: 3000 Gold. Takes two years.

[] Road Networks; Hamlets and Villages: The villages surrounding us are in a shit sandwich of a situation. They are isolated and disconnected with no good solid roads giving them access to the wider world and their own small sizes make I them an unattractive target of investment by any outside powers. Fortunately for them the clan has come to do what no one else would and offer to build them roads.
Gain +100 Gold, +500 Food per turn from the villages surrounding the clan, synergizes with the secure the village's action.
Cost: Doton and Jiton mastery render costs insignificant and ensure this endeavor will succeed.
Takes one year.

[] Stone and Steel Fortress Network: Those same villages I would build roads to not only make good vassals and trade partners but be the first stones upon which waves of invaders will break themselves, I will turn them into fortress towns with large walls, local artillery such as catapults and ballistae to protect them, weapon depots of crossbows and armor and then provide them with a garrison shinobi to patrol the area and act as messengers.
In case of an invasion of the border princes the Villages surrounding the compound will not be automatically destroyed and will have the ability to hold out against low tier threats for one year, massively cause casualties or outright repel them.
Cost: 5000 Gold. Takes one turn.

[] Standardize Chakra Steel Apprenticeship: I only have two somewhat competent Tokubetsu Jounin trained in the arts of chakra steel forging from our scrolls. I would rather not start from scratch if they were to die so they will be instructed to pick civilians and ninjas to instruct in their arts, I will give them the proper facilities for their crafts and I will pay for scribes to record the lessons.
Gain more chakra steel capable smiths (Beginner level) who will provide their Tokubetsu (Intermediate level) Instructors with the base chakra steel they need to make proper armor and weapons reducing the costs of them crafting equipment by 25%, providing experience for the smiths, and opening more options.
Cost: 5'000 Gold.
Chance of Success: 100%, takes two turns.

After thinking long and hard about it I make my decisions, write them down and inform the Jounin council of them who nod and agree with the course I set, after all I'm the one with the best head for these things and they all know it. Now unto the other issues on the itinerary the research and development division. I sigh and lay my head on the palm of my head as I look to the local egghead. Raizou like always is lost in his own little world writing down some gods' awfully bad sketches of future puppet designs that look like they were drawn by an seven year old.
I'm gonna bully him. "Cousin Raizou I see you're sketching skills are still very… underdeveloped, I'm sure we could ask one of the children at the canteen to draw it for you."
He mock gasps and hugs the sketch to his chest as the rest of the room is now looking at him. "How dare you! I am designing the future weapon system of the clan and you dare say a brat could do a better job of putting my vision to paper!"
I temple my fingers together and lean forward look him directly into his eyes as I say the next words. "Yes I do, Ahim fetch one of the kids from the canteen to help our cousin."
Ahim groans and asks playfully. "Do I have to big sister? I can draw for him, I'm good at it." Raizou then begins to chuckle. "That would be appreciated cousin, if you would please take the paper and ink, also Kannika," he has a pair of puppet hands levitate and bring over several scrolls for me to read. I adjust my Ghutra as I get comfortable and read over his proposed projects.

Learning: 2 Actions Available.

[] Improve Puppet Designs: The puppets are shit. And that isn't my opinion it's literally what Raizou wrote here for me to read and he says that before we can even begin to dare think about starting mass production and equipment of our forces we need to design a better frame for the puppets for use and manufacturing in this world immediately.
Gain a brand new puppet model with higher stats and more weapon slots.
Cost: 500 Gold. Takes one turn.
Chance of Success: 100%

[] Study Chakra Steel: We have only began to decipher the secrets of chakra forging, we must keep going if we are to recreate the wonders of the samurai clans. It is good to see that Raizou is of the same mind and wants to gather together the current smiths we do have to investigate the materials they create to get a deeper understanding of them for future applications.
Gain a better understanding of chakra forging, open up more of the tech tree for research.
Cost: 300 Gold. Takes one turn.
Chance of Success: 80%

[] Assess local medicines: Raizou dislikes the idea of paying to listen to the tall tales of the local medicine men and women to find real nuggets of valuable medical knowledge in between all the snake-oils and placebos they offer but he feels it would be worth it.
Learn of remedies and cures for local illnesses and poisons that might affect your civilians and local forces.
Cost: 200 Gold. Takes one turn.
Chance of Success: 70%

[] Study Gunpowder: Gunpowder, that curious substance that you were introduced to shortly after coming to this world. It smells awful, it is toxic, and it is a bit difficult to make. But it would be idiotic to reject learning more about this chemical substance simply because the current methods of use don't suit us.
Gain a better understanding of gunpowder itself as a chemical compound, open up more of the tech tree for research.
Cost: 400 Gold. Takes one turn.
Chance of Success: 80%

[] Study Gunsmithing: Guns are garbage for your ninja. They are loud, slow to load and your shinobi can match the speed of the projectiles they fire with kunai and muscle power. But they are still useful for your civilians and for any allies or vassals we may acquire here as they are a mundane way of giving a lot of firepower to non-chakra cultivating humans. Not to mention the metallurgical techniques used in the construction of such weapons could be applied to our own arms manufacturing.
More options for puppet construction and artillery opens up, gun sales may be possible in the future.
Cost: 300 Gold. Takes one turn.
Chance of Success: 80%

[] Train Puppet Artisans: Raizou's staff is trained but are not fully masters in their duties and in what he's good at. I will correct that now by forcing him to sit down and give them an intense study and work course that will disseminate as much of his knowledge as possible, it will take a year of his personal attention and he is going to be unhappy about being made to do something he's not particularly good at instead of working on other projects but this cannot be put off.
Gained better trained engineers and puppet artisans reducing the costs of manufacturing puppets, increasing how many you manufacture per action, gain +5 to puppet study rolls. Opens more stewardship options.
Cost: 2'000 Gold. Takes one turn. Raizou cannot be sent out for one turn.
Chance of Success: 60%.

I make my decision put the scrolls back on the puppet hands who go back to Raizou's side.
On to the next order of business.
"Brother Akeem what you got for me?"
Akeem doesn't answer me for a moment as he's busy petting a chubby white cat in his lap. He eventually looks away from them, smiles and nods at me.
"Apologies sister Kannika, Mau does not like it when I stop petting her," the cat then chooses to start meowing and clawing at his chest to get his attention. "See?" Oh she looks so cute I want to ask him to let me snuggle with her, but no I have to put on my serious face and get my work done. "Apology accepted Brother Akeem, now what proposals do you have for me?" He points at the ground near my seat. "Look to your side and see for yourself Sister." It takes everything I have not to squeal in joy as beneath the table is an absolutely adorable little kitten the same color as Mau with big expressive blue eyes, with a small belt with scrolls wrapped around him. "Oh my gods he's so cute!" I pick him up and put him down in my lap after taking off the scrolls, he begins to nuzzle into my chest as I get comfortable to begin reading.

Piety: 2 Actions Available.

[] Build Shrines: The people of this land have righteous faiths according to Akeem, a heartening thing really to know that the evil cults like Jashinism aren't the norm in this region as such there is a proposal to start building shrines to our own pantheon along the routes and towns our shinobi are patrolling.
Gain shrines in friendly areas, gain converts from the local civilians, more piety options.
Cost: 100 Gold.
Chance of Success: 100%

[] Train Kittens: We do not have the Cat contract, but we do have regular cats who are still very useful for sniffing out vermin and evil, blessed be the Gods for granting us such a holy animal as our companions. Akeem would like them trained to very high standards to be guards to temples and scouts for other areas.
Gain more intrigue actions. Give Shinobi +3 Recon. Gain a bonus to internal security rolls.
Cost: 1'000 Gold.
Chance of Success: 100%

[] Study Wicked Chi: For all that there is goodness and safety in this land there is also wickedness. The priests and priestesses report that they feel a malignant energy coming from many creatures and things that surround us and they would like to research it to determine what it is, how it will affect us and what can we do to defend ourselves from it.
Open up anti-dhar and chaos options.
Cost: 500 Gold.
Chance of Success: 70%

[] Contemplate the Gods: Akeem confirms that although we have moved from one world to another we are still connected to our gods, and while we are forever grateful for such a thing how is that possible is a thing that's kept him up at night and he'd like time to investigate it through meditation.
Gain:?????
Cost: Akeem is unavailable for a year.
Chance of Success: 50%

[] Theological Dialogue: There are many gods in this land and Akeem would like to know more about them so he is proposing sending out our priest and priestesses to find temples to the local gods and ask about their own gods so we can gain a better understanding of them and not offend them.
Gain more Piety options regarding the local gods to understand them and their people, help deal with internal friction in your territory between clan members and locals.
Cost: 200 Gold.
Chance of Success: 90/70/50%

[] Train Scribes and Secretaries: Akeem has offered to provide his skills as an administrator to training assistants and secretaries for the rest of the Jounin council that would help them with recording their knowledge. Giving many who are lacking in their diligence with paper work a better shot of actually getting something done.
Give +10 to all rolls that related to training personnel or recording knowledge for all action categories.
Cost: 1000 Gold.
Chance of Success: 100%

I finish making choices, and then put the belt and scrolls on the cutest fluffiest kitty cat in the world and then let him go back to Akeem. I stand to stretch as after sitting for hours I feel a bit sore. I go to the snack table to get some refreshments and think deeply on the personal things I want to focus on this year on my own time.

Personal: 2 Actions

[] Overwork yourself: There is too much shit to get done and I'll put in the hours in the office to see them finished this I swear!
Cost: 1 Personal Action.
Gain one extra action to use in any category of your choosing.

[] Travel: The world is vast and I need to understand it, I will requisition one of our chakra camels and go out to explore the world and see it with my own eyes.
Gain:?????
Chance of Success: 100%

[] Sell your services personally: I presently do not have a Ninja company to lead personally but I am a Jounin, a master Shinobi with the power to make battlefields tremble and armies flee in fear at just the idea of hearing my name spoken. I will sell my services as a one woman army and bring back my earnings to the clan.
Chance of Success: 100%

[] Help in preparing the Bazaar: The Bazaar is one of the most important events for the clan and for my family, I will not have anything or anyone dare interrupt it.
Gain +20 to the Bazaar roll this turn.
Cost: 300 Gold.

Decisions made I sit back down to have lunch with my friends and family. It's good to be back.

Special Equipment List:

Things you can request and commission from your chakra steel blacksmiths, puppet artisans and engineers.

[] Make One Set of Intermediate level Chakra Steel Armor:

• [] Who's it for.

Create a breastplate and a rough kabuto helmet of the most advanced chakra steel your blacksmiths can make, which isn't much but still, expensive but will provide the best protection the clan can make. Chakra Steel Armor Provides: 100 Armor and full resistance against the lowest levels of warp radiation and 50% against medium levels of warp radiation.
Cost: 2000 Gold. Takes one turn.

[] Make One Set of Intermediate level Chakra Steel Melee Weapons:

• [] Who's it for.

Make an intermediate level chakra steel weapon for one of your Jounin to use that will be custom made just for them.
Intermediate Chakra Steel Melee weapons provide +50 Melee Damage, +20 Melee AP Damage and no special effects.
Cost: 2000 Gold. Takes one turn.

[] Personal Puppet: Raizou refuses to begin building custom puppets until the new puppet models are created.

QM Note:

I'm not going to kill Kannika or your Jounin on turn one if you pick the options that send them out to explore, fight or offer their services and roll a nat 1. That would be cheap bullshit and I want you to be encouraged to take exciting options.

You can overspend gold without penalty in a plan so long as you take actions to recover your losses by the beginning of next year, Ex: Overspending by 10K Gold but taking a Merc Job that pays 10K Gold.

Take risks. The only way your Jounin and Ninjas will get stronger is by fighting and exploring, send them out to do things, I as QM also want you doing things and not just turtling up or else I'll get bored and start to find ways to make things fun