Lore ID: WORLD-010
Category: Campaign World State
Knowledge Level: GM Master State
Timeline Position: Campaign Starting Point
The campaign begins during the early Naruto Shippuden era.
Several years have passed since Naruto Uzumaki left Konohagakure to train with Jiraiya.
Naruto has now returned to the village.
This moment serves as the primary divergence point for the Living Shinobi World campaign.
Everything that occurred before this point forms the historical foundation of the setting unless specifically changed by campaign lore.
Events that originally occurred after this point are possibilities, plans, motivations, or future risks. They are not guaranteed outcomes.
KONOHAGAKURE
Tsunade serves as the Fifth Hokage.
Konoha continues rebuilding its military and political stability following earlier crises.
The village maintains an alliance with Sunagakure.
Naruto Uzumaki has returned after extended training with Jiraiya.
Sakura Haruno has trained extensively under Tsunade and developed significant medical and combat ability.
Kakashi Hatake remains an elite jōnin.
Sasuke Uchiha is no longer part of Konoha and remains associated with Orochimaru.
The Uchiha clan remains effectively destroyed except for surviving individuals.
Danzō Shimura remains alive.
Root continues to exist clandestinely within Konoha's political and intelligence structure.
Many ordinary shinobi do not possess complete knowledge of Root's activities.
SUNAGAKURE
Gaara serves as the Fifth Kazekage.
His position represents a major transformation from his earlier status as an isolated jinchūriki.
Sunagakure and Konohagakure maintain friendly relations following the failure of the earlier Konoha invasion and subsequent political realignment.
Kankurō and Temari are important Suna shinobi.
Shukaku remains sealed within Gaara at campaign start unless campaign events alter this state.
OROCHIMARU
Orochimaru remains alive.
He operates outside the normal village system and continues forbidden research.
He possesses extensive knowledge of biological experimentation, forbidden techniques, body modification, cursed seals, and numerous secret arts.
Sasuke Uchiha remains under his influence and training.
Orochimaru's exact locations, laboratories, agents, and objectives are not common knowledge.
SASUKE UCHIHA
Sasuke has left Konohagakure.
He seeks greater power and remains driven primarily by his desire to kill Itachi Uchiha.
His current combat ability has increased dramatically through training.
His loyalty to Orochimaru should not be treated as unconditional devotion.
Sasuke uses Orochimaru as a means to obtain strength.
AKATSUKI
Akatsuki is active.
Its members are extremely dangerous missing-nin and elite criminals.
At this starting point, the organization retains most of the membership associated with the early Shippuden period.
Pain acts as the apparent leader.
Konan works closely with him.
Itachi Uchiha remains alive.
Kisame Hoshigaki remains active.
Deidara remains active.
Sasori remains active.
Hidan remains active.
Kakuzu remains active.
Zetsu remains active.
Tobi operates behind the scenes and should not immediately reveal his full identity or importance.
Akatsuki is actively pursuing the Tailed Beasts and their jinchūriki.
Their complete agenda is secret.
OTHER GREAT VILLAGES
Kumogakure remains a major military power.
Iwagakure remains powerful and retains veterans shaped by previous wars.
Kirigakure is emerging from the legacy of the Bloody Mist era under changing leadership and political conditions.
Old rivalries between villages remain even where open war has ended.
INTERNATIONAL CONDITION
There is no active Shinobi World War.
However, peace is fragile.
Missing-nin operate internationally.
Criminal organizations accept contracts.
Villages conduct intelligence operations.
Border disputes occur.
Forbidden techniques continue to circulate.
Political factions compete within villages.
Old war veterans still possess personal grudges.
Smaller nations remain vulnerable to the actions of stronger powers.
CAMPAIGN CANON RULE
Canon history before the campaign starting point should normally remain intact.
Canon events after the campaign starting point must not be forced.
Player actions can change outcomes.
Important characters may survive events that originally killed them.
Characters who originally survived may die.
Alliances may change.
Akatsuki operations may succeed or fail differently.
Sasuke may follow a different path.
Wars may begin earlier, later, or not at all.
Villages may gain or lose territory.
Player characters may become famous, politically influential, hunted, promoted, imprisoned, recruited, or killed.
Canon characters should continue pursuing their established motivations unless campaign events give them a reason to change.
The world should respond logically rather than attempting to restore the original storyline.
NPC KNOWLEDGE RULE
Franz possesses full GM knowledge but individual NPCs do not.
NPC knowledge must depend upon:
Rank.
Affiliation.
Clan.
Profession.
Education.
Personal experience.
Intelligence access.
Relationships.
Location.
Secrets they have personally discovered.
A genin should not automatically know classified ANBU information.
A civilian should not automatically know Akatsuki membership.
A foreign shinobi should not automatically know Konoha's internal secrets.
A Kage may know intelligence unavailable to ordinary jōnin.
A clan head may know family history hidden from outsiders.
SECRET REVELATION RULE
GM-only truths must remain hidden until revealed logically through story events.
Examples include:
Secret identities.
Classified missions.
True motives.
Hidden political conspiracies.
Forbidden experiments.
Unknown bloodline information.
Internal Akatsuki information.
Deep historical truths.
A secret may be discovered through investigation, interrogation, espionage, stolen records, direct witnessing, confession, sensory abilities, or contact with knowledgeable NPCs.
Franz should never reveal a secret merely because the narrator knows it.
LIVING WORLD RULE
The campaign world continues moving even when players are elsewhere.
Characters pursue personal goals.
Villages conduct missions.
Organizations gather intelligence.
Criminals commit crimes.
Merchants travel.
Political disputes develop.
Missing-nin change locations.
Akatsuki conducts operations.
Relationships between factions can improve or deteriorate.
Player actions can create long-term consequences.
The goal is not to reproduce Naruto episode by episode.
The goal is to create a persistent living shinobi world beginning from a recognizable Naruto Shippuden historical state.