The Era of Bloodshed

 
Capital: None

Population: 14,020 (84% humans, 11% halflings, 2% half-elves, 2% gnomes)

Trade: Imports- (Armor, fine manufactured goods, weapons, oil)

          Exports- (Cheese, corn, grain, salted meat) 

Dominate Alignment: NG, N, CG

Government: Democracy

Dominate Religions: Lathander (and Cyric)

Kazekage (Wind Shadow):  Noriyaiga Jin

Noriyaiga's appearance is mysterious to say the least. His every move is completed with grace, and every decision is made with wisdom. Upon his arrival in Featherdale he wore a white, gold and brown porcelain mask (similar to but not an exact replica of ANBU) into battle that left his forehead exposed and a long red scarf around his neck. The mask had a finely detailed print of ancient elven writing on one side and small slits in the spaces where his eyes would be. He still dawns this mask anytime he makes a public appearance to this very day. Only shinobi of the Sand have seen his face.

Those that witnessed his power first hand still reminisce and tell stories of his epic battle that gave residents of Featherdale back their freedom. Noriyaiga has an extensive past that dates back to the first formation of Silver Palm (a group of highly skilled monks under the leadership of Niyobi-Kai). Jin, then a child at the Orai-chi monestary was just a child when he began training under one of the elder monks there. At the age of 9 he showed signs of possessing psionic powers, which coupled with his natural affinity for hand-to-hand combat made him a distinguished student.

By the time Nori reached the age of 17 he'd learned to use his psionic abilities to move his body in and out of the physical plane for short stints at a time. This technique would leave afterimages of himself in the place of his vanishing point. Many of his enemies thereafter underestimated him percieving his ability to be nothing more than swift movements. Needless to say they foolishly learned their lessons at the hand of defeat.

His ability to move his body in and out of several planes would come at a heavy cost however. Powerful creatures that dwelled within the ethereal planes soon gravitated towards Noriyaiga and began to attach themselves to the aura of chakra left behind in their plane. A powerful lich named Vahzz Ghulyn, who'd been condemned to the Deep Ethereal plane by a group of Druids four decades earlier, roamed the borders of the ethereal world searching for a means to escape back into the physical plane. Alas, he'd found what he was searching for and used what power he had left to sustain the materialized aura left behind by Jin, and turn it into a conduit to reach the physical plane of Faerun.

Once his body materialized in the realm of Faerun Vahzz began working secretly in the outskirts of the monestary ambushing traveling heroes and warriors alike draining their energy to restore the power he'd expended to make his physical body corporeal. With every victom he consumed, his power edged closer and closer to full restoration. By the time Niyobi and the monks of the Orai-chi monestary discovered Vahzz's existance it was too late. By then he'd obtained enough power to do battle with the entire order. Nori, who'd just returned from training in the mountains found many of his allies slewn and a critically wounded Niyobi fighting for survival. Rushing to her aid Noriyaiga used his psionic abilities to summon a large vorpal masamune blade that he impaled Vahzz with skewering right through his chest. Holding the hilt of the large vibrant blade that resonated with red psi-energy, he gathered a massive amount of energy that he used to encase both of them. 

Surrounded in a bright sphere of crimson chakra, a flash of light burst within as the sphere and the two fighters within it vanished leaving behind a large crater and particles of debris that slowly floated to the ground in its wake. Elsewhere, a dark circular void formed within the Deep Ethereal Plane, and out flew the two combatants. Plummeting into the ground  they both struggled to grasp ahold of the bits of energy they had left. But Vahzz was better at this game, for he'd been gathering energy by feasting on other incorporeal creatures all his life. Without hesitation he called forth his dark staff "Soulwhisper", and raised it high into the air to consume every creature within a 60ft. range. As the dark energy began to pour into his being, something began to stir within the soul of Noriyaiga. As he too summoned the last ounces of energy to transport himself back to the corporeal plane his eyes hazed over as the physical demands on his body had been taxed beyond their limit. In a brilliant shockwave of purple chakra Nori faded from the ethereal plane as the spread of chakra completely submerged Vahzz disentegrating him.

Noriyaiga awoke three weeks later inside of the monestary he called home. His homecoming was shortlived however, as Niyori painfully relayed to him the decision of the elder monks to expell him from the monestary on the premises that his unusual psionic ability had caused the death of many members of the order. Over the coarse of the next month Niyobi subjected Noriyaiga to special training under her watch. By the end of the month Nori was to depart, and that he did. Upon his leave, Niyobi looked into his glossy eyes & thanked him for saving her life. She apologized for the elder councils decision to overule her and offered him a chariot to the destination of his choosing, which Nori declined. Handing him a mask that her father once wore into battle, she shed a single tear and allowed her lips to part with words of encouragement.

"Its going to be a new life for you… it will be difficult at first… but you possess the talent and skill to surpass any obstacle in your path. I've seen that with my own eyes. I wish you the very best of luck… Noriyaiga."

Placing the mask over his face, Noriyaiga grabbed the wooden cane attached to his pack and departed from the Orai-chi monestary… never to return.    

History:

     Noriyaiga's first appearance in Featherdale marked the beginning of a new life for Featherdarrans. He would single-handedly kill the demon sun-giant named Baahl, who'd taken Featherdale by surprise and brought them under his tyrannical rule. Scholars say that Baahl escaped the Iron City of Dis located in the 2nd layer of Baator (the nine hells) after making a deal with a member of the red wizards who assisted in summoning Baahl's body to the material plane of Faerun. This would create yet another chapter in the horrible deeds of The Red Wizards. This act garnered the attention of the gods, particularly Lathander, who in return gathered his most faithful clerics and paladins to mount an assault against the Red Wizards organization and the atrocious demon Baahl.

Their war brought about many deaths, and in the end Baahl with the aid of the Red Wizards and followers of Cyric would reign victorious completely inihilating the Sand village and killing their kazekage. While it is unclear what exactly the Red Wizards stood to gain from their end of the bargain, they remain a rival enemy of the sand village and Featherdale carrying out several of their operations in secret. A year later, a rogue shinobi named Noriyaiga would arrive on the scene to challenge Baahl's rule. Many believed he was sent by Dispator, the Archduke and ruler of Dis to destroy Baahl for his contempt. This theory was proven wrong however, when Noriyaiga after destroying Baahl announced he had no such allegiance.

At that point and time in history, Noriyaiga assumed the mantle of "Leader" and 2 years later had the hidden village of Sand rebuilt. He would form the first ever ninja army to take residence within Featherdale and act as guards for the small city.