Shinobi clans

The Shinobi clans (忍び) are ancient family institutions originating from hundreds of years ago in feudal Yashima on Tiandi. These clans are responsible for training the Shinobi, which are highly-skilled covert mercanary operatives. These clans are considered a type of secret society by the government of Yamatai, but are tolerated as the clans preserve cultural practices that would otherwise be lost.

Typically, Shinobi clans hire out their operatives to any organisations or individuals for high prices and types of missions ranging from security to assassinations. The government is also rumoured to regularly hire the services of the Shinobi, though they also operate their own Shinobi operatives, the Oniwaban. Oniwaban shinobi are not recognised as true ninjas by the Shinboi clans.

Three major clans survive to the modern day, the Kōga, Iga and Takatsukasa clans. All three clans are in continuous feuds with each other in a "shadow conflict" that involves espionage, assassinations and related counter-activities. The details of this conflict is unknown to groups outside of the clans. Along with the three major clans, numerous minor clans also exist in various communities which also produce Shinobi for hire, or for self-defence and isolationism. Imposter organisations which train covert operatives claiming to be Shinobi also exist as commercial mercenary organisations.

Along with the ongoing struggle between the major Shinobi clans, the Shinobi clans also face competition from the Yashida clan, a centuries-old warrior clan traditionally dedicated to the destruction of ninjas.