Kaminari no Kuni, or “the Land of Lightning”, is one of the five great countries in the Sagaverse. The Land of Lightning is governed by a Daimyō, while smaller towns and villages may be internally governed by independently elected officials. The Land of Lightning hosts one of the great shinobi villages of the world, Kumogakure no Sato, also known as the “Hidden Cloud Village”. Residents of the Land of Lightning are typically oriented toward the element of lightning.

The Land of Lightning is known for massive expanses of tall mountains, of which host a plethora of rivers that run straight into the sea and create a scenic, crooked coastline. The Land of Lightning gets its namesake from the many thunderstorms that roll throughout the country, which leaves a great many of their lakes and valleys flooded.

The land area of the entirety of Kaminari no Kuni is approximately 1,470,285 km². In terms of contiguous land area, the Land of Lightning is fourth in size behind the Lands of Wind, Earth, and Fire respectively, and ahead of the Land of Water.

The Land of Lightning only shares a southwestern land border with the Land of Frost, as their position on a peninsula leaves most of the country water-locked. They share a sea border with the archipelago outside of the Land of Snow to the northwest, as well as a bay border with the Land of Hotsprings.

The Land of Lightning consists of three main biomes; alpine tundra, montane forest, and alpine flat steppe. The southern portion of the Land of Lightning has fewer mountains and more large hills that are typically covered in montane forest. Moving north will lead to mountain ranges growing exponentially in size, the majority of which are alpine flat steppe, although some are alpine peaked. Past the central point of the Land of Lightning, everything north of it is either alpine tundra or simply tundra, that eventually flattens at the base of the Land of Lightning’s tallest mountains and breaks off into a few smaller islands just off the coast.

The Land of Lightning’s climate is hot-summer humid continental toward the south, while most northern portions beyond Kumogakure will reach tundra-like climates.

Kumogakure no Sato, also known as the “Hidden Cloud Village”, is the capital of Kaminari no Kuni. Located at the southwestern neck of the peninsula that the Land of Lightning claims, most of Kumogakure is built into the narrow peaks of several mountains in relatively close proximity to one another. Connected to other buildings and mountains through a vast network of bridges, catwalks, and man-made caves, navigating the village can be akin to navigating a labyrinth for those unfamiliar with its infrastructure. The village is built above the clouds, which gave birth to its namesake, the village hidden in the clouds.

Population: 4.1 Million
Military Demographic

Active: 656k career (approx. 16% of total population)Reserve: 270k (includes non-shinobi)Shinobi: 57k

Shinobi Demographic Breakdown

Genin: 29,000Chūnin: 8,500Special Jōnin: 14,500Jōnin: 5,000

Economy: Fair, stagnated

Kumogakure has a fluctuating economy that has historically benefited from warfare. In the past, Kumogakure has taken advantage of the conflict between Iwagakure and Sunagakure, and silently supplied various mercenary groups of countries stuck betwixt the warring countries. This lead to various economic boons throughout Kumogakure’s past, as well as resulting in a rise in banditry and crime within the aforementioned countries. Because of this, Kumogakure engages in regular trade with Lands of Claw and Fang, who have supported Kumogakure’s economy during lulls in conflict.

Kumogakure itself doesn’t export many materials or goods, although they do have a minor trade for unique chakra-receptive metal that is found throughout the mountains of the Lightning Country. Their metal trade pales in comparison to Iwagakure’s and Tsuchi no Kuni, however they are still the world’s second leading exporter of raw metal and ore.

Kumogakure imports a large number of resources that they are otherwise incapable of producing themselves, as a result of their mountainous geography. Agricultural goods are the highest on the list of priority, as well as other goods such as fish. They also import a large number of exotic comfort goods as well.

Personal transportation is dominated by foot traffic that traverse a large number of roads that wind up, around, and through the vast mountain ranges of the Lightning Country. Within the village proper, transportation is also done by foot, using bridges of varying degree, catwalks, roads, and man-made caves and tunnels to move through and between mountains.

The transportation of goods is primarily done by narrow carriages drawn by horses, or smaller wagons drawn by smaller work animals. A large portion of their trade is done by sea, leading to a large number of port towns having roads connecting to, from, and around Kumogakure.

Kumogakure has a remote culture that is typically unwelcome to foreigners or foreign customs. Historically, they have valued war, combat, and militarism, where holding a rank or title within either the military or the shinobi forces is usually a point of respect and esteem. They have various holidays spread throughout the year dedicated to honouring fallen war heroes, both as a whole and individually. Tradesmen and merchants are usually well respected as well, especially if they dabble in the creation, engineering, or dealing of arms and armour.

Kumogakure was founded by Kazuyto Shinkama, the son of his nomadic tribe’s leader, who brought together various clans, tribes, and travelers in a battle against a native wasp clan. Shortly after the formation of their villages, Konoha's First Hokage sold tailed beasts to Kumo as a sign of friendship and to ensure a balance of power amongst their new villages. The Second Raikage and Second Hokage later tried to formally agree to peace between their villages, but the ceremony was interrupted by the Gold and Silver Brothers and the Hokage was nearly killed. Konoha and Kumo ended up on opposing sides during the First Shinobi World War, with Kumo's Kinkaku Force killing the Second Hokage. Decades later, during the Third Shinobi World War, Kumo and Konoha would fight again, often with A on Kumo's side and Minato Namikaze on Konoha's. Following the death of the Third Raikage in a battle against 10,000 opposing shinobi, A succeeded him as the Fourth.

Whereas a peace treaty was formed between all the villages reduce the sizes of their forces during times of peace, Kumo secretly does not demilitarise so that no other village can ever have an upperhand when hostilities inevitably resume. The Third Tsuchikage notes that this behavior has only provoked the other villages to employ the same tactics in kind. Kumo's efforts to amass power often entail stealing secrets and kidnapping shinobi from other villages. Several years before the Third Shinobi World War, Kumo shinobi kidnapped Kushina Uzumaki from Konoha in order to study her unique chakra, but were foiled by Minato Namikaze. A few years after the Third Shinobi World War, Kumo sent its Head Ninja to Konoha to sign a peace treaty, a cover for an attempt to acquire the Byakugan by kidnapping Hinata Hyūga. When the Head Ninja was killed by Hiashi Hyūga in the attempt, Kumo still tried to obtain the Byakugan by threatening war unless Hiashi's body was turned over to make up for the Head Ninja's death. In what would be called the Hyūga Affair, Hiashi's twin was given to Kumo instead, his Byakugan sealed. Kumo made another attempt to acquire the Byakugan amidst the Konoha Crush, but failed again.

When Akatsuki captures B mere months after the similar capture of Yugito, the Raikage is outraged by the loss of the village's jinchūriki and calls a Kage Summit to find a way to deal with Akatsuki. Although suspicious of the other villages due to their histories with Akatsuki, Akatsuki's declaration of the Fourth Shinobi World War convinces the Raikage to join the Allied Shinobi Forces. He is appointed its Supreme Commander and Kumo is selected for the Allied Shinobi Forces' Headquarters, making it a target for Akatsuki's counter-offensive.

During the war, Kumo fell victim to the Infinite Tsukuyomi and God: Nativity of a World of Trees, but endures the attack. With the war won, Kumo works closely together with other villages, improving relationships between each other. Two years later Kumo is still consolidating power, but it does so for mutual benefit of all the villages by taking charge of stopping the moon from crashing into Earth. By the era of the Fifth Raikage, all five Kage are on good terms.

This peace did not last following Darui’s death and Arata Shinkama’s takeover of Kumogakure. Although Arata maintained peaceful relations with Konohagakure and Kirigakure, it secretly supported the countries that laid between the Lands of Wind and Earth, who were war-torn by the conflict between the two. In addition to this, Kumogakure and Iwagakure warred themselves, though these battles took place primarily on their own lands, as a result of the Land of Earth’s interest in retaining its dominance as the world’s supplier of metal. Arata participated in many of these battles himself, and killed three Tsuchikage before the two countries met and agreed to terms of peace. Despite this supposed peace, Kumogakure continued to supply the Lands of Claw and Fang, which are the primary source of banditry in both the Land of Earth and Wind.

Following Arata’s death, he was succeeded by siblings Lin and Lo Kuang, who maintained their position as dual-Raikage until old age, when Taiya Akiyama overtook the role, and then Midnight after her. Reika, who succeeded Midnight, managed to make formal peace with Iwagakure, yet smaller independent arms dealers from Kumogakure continue to fund the banditry as they historically have. Although Kumogakure has maintained relative peace with most of the other shinobi nations, they are typically regarded as antisocial as a nation, despite their village having hosted one of the recent Chūnin exams.

1. Shinkama, Kazuyto (First Raikage, deceased) {NPC}
2. Ikibaiya, Nam (Second Raikage, deceased) {NPC}
3. Omega (Third Raikage, deceased) {NPC}
4. A (Fourth Raikage, deceased) {NPC}
5. Darui (Fifth Raikage, deceased) {NPC}
6. Shinkama, Arata (Sixth Raikage, deceased) {NPC}
7. Kuang, Lin and Kuang, Lo (Seventh Raikages, deceased)
8. Akiyama, Taiya (Eighth Raikage, deceased)
9. Midnight (Ninth Raikage, location unknown)
10. Misora, Reika (Tenth Raikage, deceased)
11. Flynt, Sanosuke (Eleventh Raikage, location unknown)
12. Miyamoto, Hastur (Twelfth Raikage, current)

The Land of Lightning is a sparsely populated country divided by massive mountain ranges, and connected via man-made tunnels, modified natural caves, and long roads that wind up, over, and around the natural elevations. The towns in the Lightning Country are most commonly located seaside for easy access to trade, although some older towns deep within the mountains persist.

Chiharu is the de jure capital of the Lightning Country, and home to the Lightning Daimyō. The town gets its name from the various mountain-borne natural hot springs that run through the town, as well as the climate which provides the town with clear skies in a country otherwise dominated by consistent cloud cover.

In terms of industry, Chiharu produces very little, and relies primarily on its position at the eastern sea border of the Lightning Country for commerce. It is the largest trade hub in the Lightning Country, ahead of Kumogakure itself as well. Buildings in Chiharu are typically made of stone or imported wood, coloured brightly, and kept extremely clean due to the Lightning Daimyō’s preference.

Demographics
Population: 150,000
Population Density: 1,948/km²
Land Area: 77/km²

Economy: Excellent, on the incline
Relationship with Kumogakure: Good

Hiromitsu is the largest of the towns that reside within the Land of Lightning. Not unlike Chiharu, it is also built on the sea border, although Hiromitsu was constructed on the western border. The location has limited trade to a degree, however they are still a flourishing economy due to their large production and exporting of the unique chakra-conductive metal that is native to the Lightning Country.

The buildings in Hiromitsu are tall to support the large population within a relatively small amount of land area. They are primarily built from wood and plaster, although stone is a common building material scattered throughout as well.

Demographics
Population: 330,000
Population Density: 3,666/km²
Land Area: 90/km²

Economy: Moderate, on the decline
Relationship with Kumogakure: Fair
Relationship with Chiharu: Poor

Kenkami is the Land of Lightning’s oldest town, built into the side of one of the country’s largest mountains. In terms of elevation, Kenkami sits just barely above cloud level, where the ground beneath them is obscured when looking out from the various walls and catwalks that connect the mountains, but the clouds are close enough to touch if one were to reach out. Kenkami is largely a spiritual and religious town that has no exports or internal production to speak of. Its continued existence is something akin to a museum, and is solely supported by Chiharu by order of the current Lightning Daimyō.

Demographics
Population: 1,000
Population Density: 250/km²
Land Area: 4/km²

Economy: Moderate, stagnated
Relationship with Kumogakure: Poor
Relationship with Chiharu: Excellent