The Ninja Handbook

Handbook
OF
D AR K LORDS
Sith Academy Training Manual

SITH ACADEMY PUBLICATIONS
Imperius & Ravenus
“To dare to climb Mt. Imperius”
~Two Ninjas~
ii
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FOREWARD
This book is a training manual for the shadow warriors of our
Empire. It is written for Acolytes of our Black Brotherhood who
choose to specialize in the dark arts of espionage, sabotage,
assassination, stealth, scouting and covert operations of every
kind.
Make no mistake: this is a dangerous book. The skills and ideas
described herein are based on the hard-won knowledge of real
shadow warriors who operated for centuries in harsh conditions,
where the price of failure was often terrible death. Their very
name—Ninja—meant those who lived with their hearts under a
blade; those who walked a path of danger and faced death as a
way of life.
Such dangerous knowledge is not meant for “armchair ninjas”
who enjoy stories about “Leagues of Shadows” but have no
intention of putting any of it into practice. No! This book is for
those with the courage and will to act, to train and to transform
themselves into lethal shadow-beings. Our Empire will need an
army of such men of action to take our visions from the realm of
imagination into the realm of material reality.
With the publication of this book, we are putting out a call and a
challenge to those who wish to become the most feared
operatives of our new Imperial order: the dark knights we call
Black Ninjas. So read on, and discover if this is to be your
destiny. In the words of a haiku I wrote the other day:
Ninja clans unknown
In shadows training, creeping
Are you one of us?
~Dred Nightstalker; Grandmaster of the Black Dragon School~
Black Temple-Annex
Imperial Year 6, Month 6 (February, 2017)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BOOK ONE: BROTHERHOOD.....................7
The Way of the Black Ninja..........................................8
Black Ninja Brotherhood.............................................17
Ninja Ideology.............................................................32
BOOK TWO: TRAINING......................43
Ninja Body..................................................................44
Ninja Mind...................................................................53
Ninja Combat..............................................................66
BOOK THREE: OPERATIONS...................73
Ninja Strategy & Tactics.............................................74
Shadow Warfare.........................................................81
Ninja Missions..........................................................100
Ninja Equipment.......................................................106
BOOK FOUR: IMAGINATION.................. 115
Ninja Mysticism.........................................................116
Ninja Magick.............................................................123
Ninja Visions.............................................................136
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INTRODUCTION
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK
This book is a guide to living in the way of the Black Ninja, as
envisioned and taught by the Dark Lords. It is an outline of the
skills and philosophy we teach to Acolytes who come to us
seeking empowerment on the path of the shadow warrior. This
book may be used by solitary seekers, a group of like-minded
people who wish to form a Clan, or by those who are being
trained directly by members of the Black Ninja Brotherhood. It
may also be read simply for knowledge and enjoyment, if that is
all you seek.
Some may try to dismiss Ninjas as a fantasy from the movies and
comic books, but this ignores the fact that the Ninja are a
historical reality—real shadow warriors who existed for centuries,
and left us with scrolls, achievements and artifacts attesting to
their power. Our goal here is to revive the authentic dark Ninja
spirit for the modern world, taking inspiration from their fictional
depictions, but never forgetting that the mystique and magick of
the Ninja was a real and powerful thing, and will continue to be so
as long as its essence is preserved.
In this book we present a new take on the Ninja, incorporating
some of the language, training, ideology and symbolism that we
have developed on our own paths of inspiration as Dark Lords.
Historical purists may be put off by some of these innovations, but
our goal here is not to recreate ancient history. We believe that
the real, sinister Ninja can live again, in modern forms and new
environments, and this book is our vision of this revival. As Dark
Lords, we are formless Black Magicians who merge fantasy and
reality, imagination and action, the past and the future to bring
about our new black magickal order. We believe the Black Ninja
will have an important role to play in this new order—an order
which we imagine into existence with every new book we publish.
With this book, another gateway has been opened and a new
Way lies before you; do you dare to walk through it into the dark
and dangerous world of the Black Ninja?
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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The four books contained in this volume are designed to give the
Acolyte the knowledge they need to earn the title of Black Ninja in
the Dark Lords' Order. It may also be read profitably by anyone
with an interest in Ninja training, operations, skills, mysticism,
mindset and ideology, or who are simply looking to feed their
imaginations.
Book One: Brotherhood provides information about the Black
Ninja organization and ideology, and their relation to the Dark
Lords' Empire.
Book Two: Training is an introduction to our methods of training
the mind, body and combat skills of a Black Ninja.
Book Three: Operations discusses the strategy, tactics,
technologies and types of missions undertaken by the Black
Ninjas.
Book Four: Imagination is an introduction to the mystical beliefs,
magickal practices and imaginative visions of the Black Ninjas.
Notes: (found throughout the book)
A section for handwritten training entires, e.g. scroll-writing, symbolpaintings,
and correspondence
with 'Masters' of our Brotherhood.
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BOOK ONE
BROTHERHOOD
Painting the first “Black Dragon School” of Seattle, USA
'White Wolf & Black-D', 'Dred Nightstalker & Commander Amon Khan'—at work!
Hail the Black Dragons!
“Guardians of our Black Temples & Agents of the Empire!”
Special thanks to all Black Ninjas and Shadow Warriors of the Borgazul:
“from coils of 'madness' shall we call victory over the mundane and inject our black poison; we
will!” “Infect so' the Black Ninja Spirit' into the boys and men of many -we can!”
Chasing the Dragon in IY6:
~Dred Nightstalker, Commander Amon Khan~
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THE WAY OF THE BLACK
NINJA
“Everything is permitted; nothing is impossible.” —Motto of the
Black Ninja Brotherhood
BLACK NINJUTSU AT A GLANCE
To make clear at the outset the difference between our way of
Black Ninjutsu and other so-called “Ninjutsu” systems being
offered today, here are two bullet-point lists:
The Black Ninja are not primarily interested in:
◆ becoming martial arts champions or “black belts”
◆ propagating new martial arts systems to the world
◆ re-creating the weapons and costumes of the medieval
Ninja
◆ becoming health & fitness gurus
◆ promoting "positive spiritual growth” or “progress”
◆ defending the institutions of non-Ninja society
◆ learning systems of “self-defense” and non-violent
conflict resolution
◆ participating in group “positive thinking” or New Age
therapy sessions
◆ becoming productive, law-abiding members of non-Ninja
society
◆ making Ninpo a new religion for the masses
◆ becoming “enlightened” through meditation
◆ becoming celebrities or a pop culture phenomenon
The Black Ninja are primarily interested in:
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◆ training for dangerous, life-threatening situations
◆ becoming highly skilled shadow warriors
◆ gathering intelligence for their Clan
◆ punishing anyone their Clan wants punished
◆ obtaining anything their Clan wants obtained
◆ surviving in any environment
◆ moving undetected through any environment
◆ operating in darkness
◆ infiltrating any territory
◆ studying shadow warfare strategy and tactics
◆ practicing forms of mysticism and magick that enhance
their power
◆ preserving their Clan lineages and knowledge
◆ attending and defending Black Temples
◆ gathering invisible, formless power
Understand the above lists well. Know the difference between the
Black Ninja—sinister shadow warrior—and the White Ninja
—“New Agey” martial arts enthusiast—and decide which path is
for you. If the answer is the latter, put this book down, read no
further and forget about these dark fantasies of twisted minds.
Perhaps there is a group of black karate gi-wearing “Ninjutsu”
enthusiasts meeting at the local martial arts center that will be
more to your liking!
ELEMENTS OF THE WAY
THREE DIMENSIONS OF NINJUTSU
Ninjutsu is a total way of life that encompasses all three
dimensions or realms of human experience: physical, intellectual
and spiritual. These realms correspond to the three-tiered
hierarchy of Ninja Clans—Agents, Commanders and Lord—used
by both the historical Ninja and our Black Ninja Brotherhood.
They also correspond to the operational, strategic and spiritual
dimensions of Ninjutsu described below:
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The Way of the Black Ninja
◆ Operational: Development of the strength, endurance,
discipline and skills needed to complete Ninja missions.
The primary focus of Agents.
◆ Strategic: Development of the tactical and strategic
knowledge necessary to plan and manage successful
Ninja missions. The primary focus of Commanders.
◆ Spiritual: Development of the philosophical and mystical
understanding needed to successfully guide and preserve
the Ninja Clan. The primary focus of Lords.
One should not imagine that the path of the Ninja is only for those
who want to become athletic night warriors and spies. Our
Brotherhood also needs exceptional strategic thinkers and
spiritual leaders in its ranks, or it is no more effective than a body
without a mind or spirit.
NINJUTSU VS. BUSHIDO
In legend and fiction, Ninjas are portrayed as the mortal enemies
of the Samurai; their Way of Ninjutsu is the antithesis of the
Samurai's Way of Bushido. This wasn't always true historically,
but it serves to make an important distinction. Bushido, with its
honor codes, rigid conventions and class-based loyalties, is very
much opposed to the spirit of the Black Ninja. We do not deny
that there is power in Bushido—the Samurai's dominance of
Japan for seven hundred years under the Shoguns is a testament
to the power of their creed. But we follow a greater Way: a Dark
Tao that cannot be contained by limiting concepts like “honor”,
“class” and “tradition”. In nature such things do not exist; the
universe does not care about them, and life always finds a way to
defeat them.
The Black Ninja, being close students of nature, embrace its
greater wisdom and do not become bound up in artificial, humanconstructed
systems such as Bushido. This applies to any such
system,
including modern Western
systems of laws, governments
and
religious commandments. We
see them as arbitrary
constructs,
to be adopted to when necessary,
but never spiritually
submitted
to. The Black Ninja creed of “Everything is permitted;
nothing
is impossible” can never be compatible with the limiting
systems
of any other religion, philosophy or way of life!
As disciples of this unfettered Way, the Black Ninja can be both
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the greatest threat to orthodox authorities and their most powerful
servants. For when something must be done to preserve a
regime that requires fearlessness, ruthlessness and cunning, but
which violates their own orthodox codes and laws, it is to our kind
that they will turn.
Consider war: no order can survive that does not win wars, yet
every war requires shadow warriors who can operate in chaos
and moral darkness without losing their nerve. Every war requires
men of skill, steel will and deception; assassins, saboteurs, spies
and mercenaries—Black Ninjas, in other words. We saw this first
in feudal Japan: some warlords, impressed by the skills of the
Ninja, chose to employ them against their Samurai rivals and
were able to win great victories. This led other warlords to
respond in kind, until the supposedly Bushido-bound Samurai
found themselves allied with the despised Ninja, employing their
“dishonorable” skills because they got results.
We see this today also, when the armies of the modern West,
armed with vast arsenals of unprecedented destructive power
and technological sophistication, can't seem to win wars against
adversaries armed with simple weapons and few resources. The
reason for this is again the limitations of Samurai ways of warfare.
The Western armies are crippled by their own ideologies of
“human rights”, “just wars”, “rules of engagement” and the like.
They simply lack the will and the ruthlessness to do what must be
done to win. And their enemies, such as the Ninja-like jihadists of
Afghanistan and the Levant, take full advantage of this weakness
by using tactics such as “human shields”, “taqiyya” deception,
targeting civilians and suicide bombings, that the orthodox
powers have difficulty countering. In desperation, the Western
armies turn to assassination squads, foreign governments and
mercenary fighters who are not so “honorable” in their
methodology, and are not bound by the codes of conventional
warriors. Again, we see Ninja-style warfare succeeding where the
Samurai-like warriors fail, demonstrating the timeless power of
our Way.
THE DOUBLE LIFE
A Black Ninja will typically lead a double life: a mundane,
“daytime” life of work, family and community activities, and a
more sinister, “nighttime” life of Clan-related activities. The Ninja's
mundane life should appear normal on the surface, so as to not
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The Way of the Black Ninja
arouse suspicion, and to provide good cover for his less reputable
activities. The Ninja's mundane occupation could be anything at
all, though it will usually involve Ninja skills in some way. Ideally,
the occupation should give the Ninja access to resources and
information that will be useful in his Clan activities; for example,
access to police databases if he is a police officer, access to
national security intelligence if he works in counter-terrorism,
access to company secrets if he works in corporate security,
ability to open locks if he is a locksmith, personal information if he
is a barber, etc.
GUIDELINES FOR NINJA BEHAVIOR
Here are some basic guidelines for living the Black Ninja Way:
◆ Avoid lying or being two-faced. This way, when you do lie,
you will be more convincing.
◆ Stay in contact with your Clan. Never “go rogue”. A Black
Ninja without a Clan is a lost and ineffective Ninja.
◆ Create a network of contacts. Do not live like a hermit. A
Black Ninja has informants and allies wherever he goes.
◆ Travel frequently. This way, leaving for missions will not
be unusual, you will make new contacts, and you will
gather information about other regions.
◆ Travel alone, and don't let others know that you are
leaving or returning.
◆ Be prepared to adopt disguises on your travels and
establish new identities.
◆ Develop skill with medicines and drugs. This will serve
you well on missions and in life in general.
YO-NIN VS. IN-NIN OPERATIONS
In the classic Ninjutsu manual the Bansenshukai, author
Fujibayashi Yasutake divides Ninja operations into two types: YoNin
and
In-Nin.
This
is an important distinction that the Ninjutsu
student
must understand from the outset.
In Japanese, “nin” means “stealing in” or “infiltration” (hence “Ninja”
is “one who steals in”). “In” and “Yo”
refer to the two poles of
“darkness”
and “light”—“In-Yo”
is the same as “Yin-Yang”
in
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Chinese: “Yo” phenomena are of the light, masculine, aggressive,
“hot” and passionate; “In” phenomenona are of the darkness,
feminine, passive, “cold” and calculating.
Stereotypically, the Samurai were strongly “Yo” warriors, while
the Ninja were strongly “In”. In reality, the Ninja conducted both
“Yo” and “In” operations, depending on their mission.
◆ Yo-Nin: Infiltration in plain view, moving into enemy
territory using a disguise or a cover identity. An
undercover spy mission.
◆ In-Nin: Infiltration out of view, hiding in shadows, behind
objects, in the trees, under cover of darkness. A “special
forces” or “assassin”-type mission.
Black Ninjas tend to favor in-nin covert infiltrations, but are always
flexible in their approach. In some situations the clever Black
Ninja simply walks into the enemy camp posing as an ally as
does his dark deed; in other situations he must use classic blacksuited
stealth to scale the enemy's walls and take what he needs.
Sometimes
he will infiltrate an area with in-nin stealth then switch
to
a yo-nin disguise, or vice versa. Some individuals will
specialize
in one method over the other,
but both types must be
mastered,
and both are taught in our Black Ninjutsu school.
KOCHOJUTSU
The Ninja believe that one man of skill, daring and genius can
defeat hundreds of common soldiers. They achieve this by
carefully studying their enemies, finding their weak points and
attacking them there. They look for critical points where just the
right small action can cause a cascading chain of effects that will
vastly multiply their attack. For example, igniting a firebomb in just
the right spot could burn down an entire enemy building. This
methodology has been called kochojutsu, which means “the art of
the butterfly”, after the so-called “Butterfly Effect” of modern
Chaos Theory, where a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can
cause a hurricane in Florida. Kochojutsu is based on the
understanding that the world is highly nonlinear, and the Black
Ninja's art is to exploit those nonlinearities. Kochojutsu attacks
are often called “asymmetrical warfare” or “terrorism” by mundane
modern forces. Mastering the black science of kochojutsu is vital
to the Black Ninja if we are to establish our Empire. For like the
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historical Ninja, we are small in number—outnumbered
thousands-to-one by the armies of our enemies—yet we aim to
defeat them. We describe a few kochojutsu methods in the
Operations section of this book.
KYOJITSU
Ninjas also practice kyojitsu: the art of deception. The idea of
kyojitsu is to control your opponent’s perceptions, to create
illusions that induce him to act in predictable ways. This allows
you to anticipate their responses and counter them. Kyojitsu
might be as simple as a feint in hand-to-hand fighting, to
diversionary sounds or fires during an infiltration, to feint troop
maneuvers to draw away enemy forces during a war. Black
Ninjas always heed the wisdom of Sun-Tzu, who said: “all warfare
is based on deception”.
Kyojitsu is useful in another way for the Black Ninja: it can give us
a terrifying reputation, as ruthless, superhuman warriors capable
of doing the impossible. In feudal Japan, the Ninja were said to
be descended from demons and possessed of magickal powers
such as invisibility and mastery of fire. The Ninja exploited these
peasant superstitions to magnify their power. Even today, we find
people claiming to be authentic Ninja masters, leading global
cults with tens of thousands of members and teaching “secret
Ninja powers”, despite having no proof that they are anything but
clever frauds. Black Ninjas can learn much from such masters of
deception!
MINIMALISM
A Black Ninja should maintain a simple, minimalist lifestyle. The
fewer possessions and attachments you have, the easier it will be
for you to move to a new location or adopt a new identity for a
mission. Your Ninja life will bring an element of danger and
unpredictability, so you cannot afford to be weighted down by the
sorts of domestic comforts and responsibilities that enslave the
non-Ninja. Nor do you want to give over your sovereignty to
outsiders, in the form of debts, military service, educational
programs, etc., unless you have a clear purpose for doing so that
will benefit yourself and your Clan.
Minimalism does not mean that you cannot have a family, house,
cars, etc.—those things can be necessary for maintaining your
mundane life outside the Clan. But it means that inwardly, you
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should not become overly attached to these things, and should
view them only as useful tools, not the central purpose of your
existence. A Black Ninja is a dark monk and a warrior, passing
through this world but not imprisoned by its material playthings.
Remind yourself of this often.
THE SHADOW WARRIOR'S JOURNEY
There is an ancient tradition that when a warrior has completed
his training at a Ryu (martial school), he must journey out into the
larger world to test his skills and seek adventure. In Japanese,
this “Warrior's Journey” is called Musha Shugyō; in medieval
Europe it was known as “Knight Errantry”; in our Black Tongue, it
is called Shazath-Kirkūd.
While the Warrior's Journey was primarily a tradition of the
Samurai and other non-allied Orders, it can be just as powerful
for the Black Ninja on the path of shadows. In our case, the Black
Ryu graduate is expected to go out into the world, seeking
adventures, adversaries and endarkening work that calls for his
special skills. For example, the Black Ninja might seek work as a
mercenary or assassin, a corporate spy, private investigator,
bounty hunter, bodyguard or political operative. Or perhaps the
Ninja will simply wander for a time, seeking places of power that
inspire him and people of power to learn from and challenge. The
experience of leaving your familiar surroundings and support
network will force you to become a more resourceful, adaptable,
powerful being, which is the purpose of our path.
During your Warrior's Journey, you should learn to command
others and make them your Black Agents. Learn to sense others
with strong, black ki (inner power) and recruit them to your Clan.
Learn to survive in all environments and become adept at social
manipulation. Find nexuses of power where new Black Ryus and
Clans should be established. Seek out the houses and schools of
other Black Ninjas, and recognize their secret signs.
After many months or years of such adventuring, you should
return to your Ryu and dojo, a more powerful and resourceful
being and a greater asset to your Clan. By your work and
adventures abroad, you will have expanded your Clan's tentacles
further into the world, and planted seeds that may blossom into
dark fruit that will nourish yourself and the Ninja Brotherhood for
years or centuries to come.
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SIX QUALIFICATIONS OF A NINJA
In the Bansenshukai, Fujibayashi identifies six qualifications that
every Ninja must have to be worthy of employment:
◆ strong, healthy body
◆ loyalty (to other members of the Clan)
◆ courage
◆ strategy (understanding of Ninjutsu strategy & tactics)
◆ achievement (previous mission successes)
◆ fidelity (to the ways and doctrine of the Clan)
These six qualifications apply just as well to the Black Ninja; they
are the basic checklist of requirements for those who seek
admission to and continued membership in our Brotherhood.
Notes:
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BLACK NINJA
BROTHERHOOD
The Black Ninja is not a solitary operator, but a member of a
Brotherhood of fellow shadow warriors. Let us now discuss the
nature of this Brotherhood in more detail.
A NEW VISION
Our vision is of a worldwide Black Ninja Brotherhood, which takes
Ninjutsu far beyond the realm of sporting martial arts or historical
re-enactment to its true essence: a total way of life and spiritual
path for shadow warriors. The Brotherhood we envision will have
clans, dojos and temples in discreet locations across the globe,
where those who feel called and have the will may go to learn the
sinister ways of our kind.
Let us be clear up front that we do not claim to belong to any
ancient lineage of Ninjas or to have personal connections to any
authentic Ninja Grandmasters (if any still exist). Our connection to
the Ninja tradition is purely spiritual; we claim only to be deeply
inspired by the Ninja as a timeless role model for existence in a
chaotic world, and to be following their example by living as
shadow warrior-monks in the modern age. Perhaps this will
disqualify us in the minds of purists who only respect teachings
handed down by generations of Grandmasters within a family
lineage and authenticated in ancient scrolls. To such people we
say: study our vision, see if it has power and stays true to the
original Ninja spirit. The essence of Ninjutsu, we believe, is
formlessness and adaptability, not rigid adherence to centuriesold
doctrine or forms, and this is the essence of our project.
There is no going back to the past or reviving lineages that have
been broken by the postmodern age. We can only go forward,
taking inspiration from the old ways and building something new
and powerful with them. The fact that we were born into a
postmodern world of weaklings without traditions does not mean
that we must adopt those same values. We are free, as no people
in history have been free, to choose our traditions going forward.
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So we choose the Way of the Black Ninja as a potent antidote to
the ills of this age, and we offer this vision to others out of sheer
passion to see a new Ninja Brotherhood come into existence, and
a new lineage of shadow warriors be born.
To express our feelings on this matter, we wrote these four
haikus in the traditional Japanese style:
Ninja clans unknown
In shadows training, creeping
Are you one of us?
Ninja in a tree
Climbs higher through the branches
Eagles are surprised.
Ninja's sword unsheathed
His victim hears no warning
Head falls to the ground.
Ninja on a plane
A shadowed figure crawling
Over seas of time.
ONE EMPIRE, ONE BROTHERHOOD
Historically, the Ninja of Iga and Kōka Provinces developed a
concept they called Ichigun Ichimi—One District, One Band. This
became the motto of the loose-knit brotherhood of Ninja clans
that existed there, in the historical heartland of the Ninja. Natori
Masatake explains this idea in the Shoninki:
Later, the people from Kōka, next to Iga, followed this path of
ninjutsu and having made the oath of Ichigun Ichimi, the
friendship oath of “one district and one band,” joining the
people together. They went out expansively to various
provinces to utilize their skills. Thus, being universally
recognized as the premier shinobi, they exchanged a firm
written form of oath, which says “If I come to where you are,
you should show me everything of your province, and if you
come to where I am, I will show you everything about my
province.” By doing this, it is said they should show that their
family tradition was extraordinarily exquisite and outstanding
and also show the marvel of their tradition of ninjutsu, at its
best. However, being asked what they should do regarding the
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Black Ninja Brotherhood
offspring of shinobi, or if a complete stranger comes along
without recognition, there is a traditional way of constructing a
torch within the clan. You should regard this torch as
evidence, so that you should never suspect anyone who bears
it.
In other words, the Ninjas of any clan that took this oath were
willing to share secret knowledge with each other, provided they
could prove their belonging in the Ichigun Ichimi brotherhood by
demonstrating a secret Ninja skill. Thus a Ninja secret society
was created, which helped them to survive amidst the larger
samurai-dominated society.
Similarly, the Black Ninja will have a loose brotherhood of Clans,
each of which maintains its independence, but agrees to share its
knowledge and offer assistance to members of other allied Clans.
Our slogan, spoken in our Black Tongue called Borgal, reads:
Gūm Karzāth, Gūm Gazūl
{ One Empire, One Brotherhood }
Every Clan who belongs to our Brotherhood should display this
slogan in their dojo. Written vertically in our Harzād script, it looks
like this:
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NINJA CLANS
Historically, Ninja Clans were just that: extended families bound
by blood and heritage to the ways of the Ninja warriors. Children
were trained from a young age in Ninjutsu by fathers and elders
of the Clan; lineages of Grandmasters or Jonin (Clan leaders)
were transmitted from father to son. Such Ninja Clans were very
different from modern shadow warrior organizations, which are
ideologically rather than family-based and serve abstractions like
“the state”, “the nation” or “the corporation” rather than their
Clan's interests and traditions. Ninja Clans were more like mafia
families, who are loyal to their own kin first, follow their own
codes, enforce their own laws and maintain secrecy toward
outsiders.
In time, our Black Ninja Clans will also become feudal, hereditary
societies. There is a power in being raised in a tradition and
preserving it as a blood lineage that cannot be matched by nonhereditary
organizations.
But for now,
as we establish this new
tradition,
we have opened our doors to all those who are drawn to
our
Black Ninja ways, regardless of their heritage. Take
advantage
of this opportunity now,
because it may not come
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Black Ninja Brotherhood
again!
Our Black Ninja Clans have a hierarchical structure of four levels,
described below.
NINJA LORD
Each Ninja Clan is led by one supreme leader, who holds the title
o f Dark Lord in our Black Brotherhood (see below). This Ninja
Lord has been initiated and trained by the Dark Lords in their
black arts, developing a mastery of metaphysics, strategy,
philosophy, black magick and manipulation that will enable him to
be an effective Black Ninja leader. The Ninja Lord may also a
member of our Dark Council—the inner circle of Dark Lords who
advise us and carry out our directives via Black Ninja Clans and
other resources.
The Ninja Lord is a master strategist who directs his Clan's
operations, determines who it will make alliances with and who it
will go to war with. He is also a philosopher and mystic, who
guides the Clan using his advanced knowledge of various
esoteric sciences such as divination and meditation. The Ninja
Lord's identity is kept secret from the Agents for greater discretion
and security.
NINJA COMMANDERS
Below the Ninja Lord are the executives of the Clan, called Ninja
Commanders. They act as middlemen between the Ninja Lord
and the Agents, responsible for implementing the Lord's
directives. Only Commanders know the identity of the Ninja Lord,
which they must not reveal on pain of death. Commanders meet
regularly with the Ninja Lord at the Clan dojo, and may also take
part in rituals at the Clan Temple. The top Commanders are also
Apprentices of the Ninja Lord, which ensures their loyalty to the
Lord and to the Black Brotherhood. Commanders are skilled
strategists, managers and motivators who are familiar with the
skills of the various Agents and how to employ them most
effectively.
NINJA AGENTS
Ninja Agents are the field operatives of the Clan, responsible for
carrying out missions assigned to them by Commanders. Ninja
Agents are well trained in Black Ninja skills and well indoctrinated
in Black Ninja ideology before being activated for operations.
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They will acquire specialized skills over time to increase their
usefulness to the Clan. Agents are loyal to the Ninja Lord and the
Clan above all else; they are expected to carry out the Lord's
directives unquestioningly, and should be suspicious and hostile
to all outsiders.
NINJA ACOLYTES
Ninja Acolytes are new initiates of our Black Brotherhood who
have chosen the Ninja path in the Dark Lords' Empire. The task
of the Ninja Acolyte is to learn the skills and ideology of the Black
Ninjas well enough to be activated for Black Ninja operations.
Acolytes may be initiated and trained remotely, or they may be
trained in-person at a Black Ninja Dag (training group), Clan dojo
or Black Ninjutsu school.
OTHER CLAN ELEMENTS
CLAN SYMBOLS
Every Black Ninja Clan has a unique symbol, which is used to
decorate the walls of its dojos, sign its scrolls, inscribe weapons,
sew on clothing, use as warnings to enemies and generally
“brand” the Clan's identity into the minds of its members.
The Ninja make great use of symbols in this way because they
understand the power symbols have over the Shadow-mind.
Symbols route around the conscious mind and communicate
directly with the unconscious, Shadow-mind, which is the part of
the mind that most interests Black Ninja. A symbol can sear itself
into the Shadow-mind so powerfully that the mere sight of it
causes a surge of ki energy, inspiration...or fear. Some symbols
of our Black Ninja Clans are show in the Ideology section of this
Book.
CLAN IDEOLOGY
Every Clan will develop its own unique ideology, based on its own
history, personalities and traditions. One Clan might be founded
by an ex-Zen Buddhist who has a mystical vision of a “Black
Sun”, becomes “endarkened” and forms a Clan of “Black Knights”
who specialize in strategy and mysticism. Another might be
founded by an ex-Special Forces sniper who has a Dark Taoist
awakening after returning to civilian life and forms a Clan
specializing in assassination. Perhaps another is founded by a
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disgruntled former student of one of the well-known White
Ninjutsu martial arts clubs, who was nearly killed by terrorists,
thugs or police and forms a Clan specializing in the darker
methods of combat and survival favored by the Black Ninjas. The
possibilities are endless; let a thousand Black Ninja Clans bloom,
and let the Dark Tao decide what forms they take in the coming
age!
SCROLLS
The accumulated wisdom and knowledge of a Clan is recorded in
sacred writings called “scrolls”. In feudal Japan, these were actual
scrolls of rolled-up paper on which the Clan's secrets were handwritten.
In the modern age, a Clan's scrolls may be recorded in a
blank
book, inscribed on metal or stone tablets or in some other
form,
but it is still best to write them on paper
rolls in honor of the
Ninja
tradition. A
Clan's most secret scrolls should be handwritten
rather than recorded digitally to prevent them from being
easily
duplicated or “pirated”. They should be stored securely at
the
Clan's dojo under lock and key,
with only the Lord and his
authorized
Apprentices having access to them.
Perhaps one hand-written copy of the scrolls will be kept at a
secret location known only to the Lord and his closest
confidantes, to ensure that if the dojo is ever burned down and
the Lord killed, the Clan's knowledge will live on after them. Every
Clan must always act is such a way as to perpetuate their
existence forever, and never become so short-sighted that one
sudden blow could destroy them forever. This principle is codified
in the Ninth Canon of the Black Ninjas: Preservation.
DOJOS
Every Black Ninja Clan has a sacred space where they meet to
learn the ways of our kind. In Japanese, such a space is called a
dojo, which means “place of the Way”. It must be understood that
the dojo is more than a place of training; it is also a shrine, where
the deeds and spirits of Clan Brothers who have come before
permeate the space, giving it a magickal power that no mundane
gymnasium can match.
The design of a dojo is traditionally very “Zen” in style, with clean,
open spaces and minimal decoration. On one side, near the
entrance, is the shomen, where students sit in rows; there is
usually a shrine to Black Ninpo gods in this area also (see Book
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Four). Opposite the shomen at the back of the dojo is the kamiza:
the place of honor, which features a low platform where the
Master sits, instructing the students of the Clan. The Clan's
symbol should be painted on the wall behind the Master's
platform.
BLACK RYUS
We foresee the establishment of a number of Black Ninjutsu
schools, or Black Ryus, where members of Black Ninja Clans and
allied Orders will go to receive their training. The Black Ryus will
be secret academies where Black Ninjas from around the world
gather to study subjects such as espionage, assassination,
sabotage, combat, communications, psychological warfare,
wildnerness survival, black magick and other dark Ninja arts.
The flagship Black Ryu is known as Black Dragon Academy. It
was founded by the Dark Lords in Imperial Year five to train
warriors of the Black Dragon Clan to act as guardians of the
Black Temple. The Academy is located on the Dark Lord's
compound, a secluded, forested property where students have
the opportunity to climb huge trees, conduct Ninja war games,
train for combat, study stealth and survivalism, read books and
scrolls in our extensive Black Ninjutsu library and meditate at the
Black Temple.
The Dark Tao willing, there will be many more such Black Ryus—
the locations of which shall be a closely guarded secret known
only to the Dark Lords.
BLACK TEMPLES
Black Temples are holy houses recognized and consecrated by
the Dark Lords as sites of spiritual power in their dark theocracy.
Together, the Black Temples form the Borzakshod-Dūm—the
Black Temple Axis responsible for accumulating the black ki or
Vril needed by the Dark Lords for their campaign of world
conquest.
Black Temples are presided over by the Imperial faction called
Black Templars, who are the priests and acolytes of the Dark
Lords' dark religion. Black Templars practice a formless dark
spirituality that has been described as “Dark Taoism”, “Black Sun
Zen”, “Black Tantra”, “Diabolism”, “Sithism” and “Black Magick”,
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among other terms. For more information about Black Temples,
the Black Templars, and the black magickal vision behind them,
see our book The Templar Handbook, available from Black
Temple Publishing.
Black Ninjas are expected to attend Black Temple services and
learn Black Temple spirituality as part of their indoctrination. They
may also be called upon to defend Black Temples or carry out
covert operations for Black Templars from time to time, just as the
historical Ninjas once defended Buddhist and Shinto temples and
did favors for their priests in ancient Japan.
THE BLACK BROTHERHOOD AND THE EMPIRE
The Black Ninjas are allies of an Order of Black Magicians known
as the Black Brotherhood. This Brotherhood is led by two
supreme “Dark Lords” known as the Ruling Two, and their inner
circle of lesser Dark Lords called the Dark Council. The Dark
Lords are in the process of publishing a series of books that
describe their vision, ideology and training program for those who
aspire to join their ranks. By completing the training contained in
these books, Acolytes may become Apprentices of the Dark
Lords and earn the rank of Dark Lord themselves.
The Dark Lords are in the process of establishing new world
order called the Empire, which is a secret government of black
magicians—a Black Magocracy—who use every method of
sorcery, religion and occult warfare to establish and expand their
power.
Black Ninja Clan-Lords are themselves Dark Lords in the Black
Brotherhood and some are members of the Dark Council.
Through them, the will of the Ruling Two and the Dark Tao is
transmitted to the Black Ninja operatives, who are the shadow
soldiers and hidden fists of the Empire.
It may seem ironic that Ninjas, who historically were persecuted
by the Shogunate government and formed rebellious clans, would
align themselves with a brutal regime like the Empire. But this is
another area where Black Ninjas differ from modern “good-guy”
accounts of the Ninjas. In the first place, historical Ninjas often
did fight for Shoguns and warlords, so it is incorrect to think that
Ninjas were a tribe of “freedom-fighters”. Secondly, Black Ninjas
are not anarchists, and don't believe anarchy to be a possibility.
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Always the strong and the spiritually powerful will rule over the
weak and ignorant. The Black Ninjas choose to fight for the
Empire not just because it is founded upon this “might is right”
principle, but because it is led by a Black Brotherhood who
understand the supreme importance of the Will, the magickal
imagination, the Dark Tao, Black Temples and ki in the pursuit of
individual and collective greatness. The Black Ninja prefer to live
under their regime of endarkened imperial greatness than a
regime of soulless technocrats, white magicians, peace-mongers
and other false creeds of the white light warriors. The Black
Ninjas can thus be thought of as “Dark Knights”, or “black
samurai” of a “shadow Shogunate” that is extending its tentacles
across the world.The entire Black Ninja organizational network of
Dark Council, Clans, Ryus and Temples that we envision is
shown in the schematic below:
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NINJA TRAINING
Now let us discuss the core of Black Ninjutsu: training to develop
the skills needed for Black Ninja missions.
STARTING ON THE PATH
Ideally, Ninja training should begin in early childhood, before the
age of nine. This is the best time to begin training, because the
mind is still very fresh and impressionable. Those who are older,
even those over 20, can still find value on this path, but they
should also be thinking about the next generation. Develop your
skills and join a Clan so that you can raise your children in our
ways. This is the proper way to be a Ninja; it is not merely a path
of selfish empowerment, but a lineage of power and knowledge
that we pass on to our descendants.
When you are ready to begin on the path of the Black Ninja,
contact our Brotherhood for further guidance at the following
address: blackninjas@thedarklords.com.
THE NINE TRAINING HALLS
Our Black Ninjutsu training system is divided into nine “Halls”, or
categories of Ninja skill and mastery. All nine Halls will be
attended throughout your Ninja training, just as you would attend
different halls of a university. The Master might take the Acolyte
to the Hall of the Body one week, the Hall of Espionage the next,
the Hall of Strategy the next, or any other combination he deems
appropriate. Each Hall will have assignments associated with
them, culminating in final Trials that signify that the Acolyte has
learned the basic disciplines of that Hall. Here are the Nine Halls:
Hall of the Body: Physical skills, including running, stealth
walking, climbing, swimming and hand-to-hand combat.
Hall of the Mind: Mental skills, including meditation, sensory
training, observation and memory.
Hall of the Spirit: Metaphysical development: mysticism, Black
Ninpo religion, Kuji-Kiri, magick, etc.
Hall of Espionage: Spycraft; gathering information,
communication, surveillance, recruiting informants.
Hall of Sabotage: Skill with explosives, incendiary devices,
arson, dirty tricks, psychological warfare, computer hacking, etc.
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Hall of Assassination: Killing with hands, firearms, blades,
explosives, poisons, etc.; sentry removal, kidnapping, breaking
and entering, covering tracks.
Hall of Scouting: Skill with reconnaissance, stealth, navigation,
infiltration, evasion, bushcraft, wilderness survival.
Hall of Science: Skill with chemistry—poisons, medicines, truth
serums, drugs. Skill with forensic science, computers, mechanics,
electronics, communications and surveillance.
Hall of Strategy: Learn shadow warfare strategy and tactics.
Study military classics like Sun-Tzu, Ninja manuals like the
Shoninki and Bansenshukai, as well as modern thinkers.
BLACK NINJA TRAINING GROUPS (DAGZ)
Black Ninja Aspirants who cannot train in-person with a Black
Ninja Clan are encouraged to form independent training groups,
called Dagz, in their local area. Dagz are a way to train and study
with other Aspirants, recruit others to the Brotherhood and
expand the Empire’s tentacles into your territory. A Dag can be
anything from two people who train and conduct operations
together using this book as a guide, to a dozen or more people
who operate their own independent Clan following the doctrine
described in this book.
Note: any group of Aspirants who establishes a Dag and takes
the oath of the Black Ninja Brotherhood may be eligible for
recognition as an official Black Ninja Clan in the future. Think of
Dagz as seeds of future Clans, which may bloom into powerful
shadow armies, if the Dark Tao wills it.
DAG GUIDELINES
The following are some guidelines for forming and operating a
successful Black Ninja Dag. These are designed especially for
larger groups that aspire to become official Black Ninja Clans.
Meme: Choose a name for the Dag; it could be named after a
location, an idea, a symbol or something else. Also create a
powerful symbol for the Dag that will “brand” itself into the minds
of Dag members as a unifying emblem.
Hierarchy: Assign ranks to your Dag members according to
Black Ninja doctrine: Agents, Commanders and a Lord. You may
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also use a non-hierarchical “Black Brotherhood” if you wish.
Initiation: Initiate new members into your Dag by requiring them
to take the “One Empire, One Brotherhood” oath to the Black
Ninja Brotherhood described elsewhere in this book. Use your
Dag's symbolism in the initiation ritual.
Dag Name: All Initiates should choose an appropriate Dag name
to protect their identity and establish their Black Ninja persona.
Code of Conduct: Establish a Code of Conduct to maintain order
within the Dag. You may follow the Nine Canons of the Ninja
Brotherhood described in this book, or use a minimal set of rules
such as the Black Brotherhood Code:
◆ Never dishonor the Dark Tao.
◆ Never betray the Brotherhood or its secrets.
◆ Never refuse to carry out an order from a Dag superior.
◆ Never steal the possessions of a Dag member.
◆ Never harm a Dag member who obeys these rules.
Scrolls: Dag leaders should record important events and
thoughts in the Dag's “scrolls”. Scrolls could be actual paper
scrolls, journals, notebooks or digital files. Store them in a secure,
secret location, and include paper print-outs of any digital
writings. Creating such scrolls is good training for the aspiring
Clan Lord; they also provide a record of the Dag's activities which
may be used as part of a Dag member's application to a Black
Ninja Clan.
Activities: The activities of a Dag will depend on its members'
passions and knowledge, but basic Ninja skills training such as
stealth, infiltration, climbing, bushcraft, intelligence gathering,
hand-to-hand combat, breaking and entering, use of weapons,
chemical compounds and fire should always be part of the
curriculum. Philosophical and esoteric studies such as military
strategy, meditation, Kuji-In, magick and Dark Taoism should also
be pursued.
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NINJA IDEOLOGY
The Black Ninja have developed a code and a collection of
principles to guide their missions. These principles are based on
the hard-won wisdom of the historical Ninja, passed down from
ancient times and preserved through the centuries in secret
scrolls. Here we describe some of these principles, which are as
true for a Black Ninja operating in the 21st century West as they
were for the shinobi warriors of feudal Japan.
THE NINE MAXIMS OF THE NINJA
The Nine Maxims of the Ninja are the central guiding principles of
the Black Ninja. Study them well and live by them.
1. Strengthen the body; it is your foundation.
2. Stay in the shadows and be silent.
3. Endure all hardships; overcome all obstacles.
4. Control your mind; discipline your desires.
5. Affiliate with a Clan and obey its rules.
6. Think outside all boxes.
7. Be mindful of your surroundings.
8. Make war by way of deception.
9. Be like the wind—a formless, invisible force.
MAXIM ONE: STRENGTH
Strengthen the body; it is your foundation.
The way of the Ninja begins with physical fitness—running,
climbing, strength training, swimming, agility, etc. A fit body is the
foundation your power, self-discipline and strength, and a direct
manifestation of your strength of spirit. Your body cannot be
fooled like your mind; it always tells the truth. Your body knows
what you fear, what you like, what you love, what you hate. But
your body can be mastered, molded and made subject to your
will, and this is the first task of the Ninja Acolyte.
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MAXIM TWO: SECRECY
Stay in the shadows and be silent.
The most literal meaning of the word “ninja” or “shinobi” is “one
who steals in” or “one who hides”. This is the first defining quality
of a Ninja: stealth, secrecy, and the ability to evade pursuers. A
Ninja who is out in the open, exposed to enemies, spotted and
captured is a doomed Ninja; a Ninja who shares his vital secrets
with anyone outside his Clan risks exposure, capture and death.
Understanding the importance of this Maxim in a visceral way in
today's world, when the consequences of exposure are rarely
terrible torture and death, can be difficult. Operating by this
Maxim in an era of mass transparency, surveillance and policing
is even more difficult. But the principle remains true: the
successful Ninja, the surviving Ninja, is one who no one suspects
of being a Ninja.
MAXIM THREE: ENDURANCE
Endure all hardships; overcome all adversity.
The second connotation of the word “ninja” is “one who endures”.
The ability to endure great hardships during missions, to not be
discouraged or defeated by adversity, pain or long odds, is often
the difference between success and failure. The Ninja, like other
noted warriors and heroes, are celebrated for their almost
superhuman endurance.
This is another area where the Ninja mindset is at odds with the
ethos of the modern world. People of this age are very soft, value
comfort above all things, and have limited ability to endure
hardships that their forefathers took for granted. This is a society
of tender “snowflakes”; the Black Ninja is an indestructible
diamond.
MAXIM FOUR: FORBEARANCE
Control your mind; discipline your desires.
A third meaning of “ninja” is “one who forebears”. This means the
ability to control one's mind and bodily urges, to be disciplined,
patient and able to delay satisfying one's urges at will.
Forbearance is vital for a Ninja, who may have to watch a target
for hours our days at a time, take shelter in holes in the ground,
and go long periods without food, water, shelter, sleep or any of
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the other things that human beings naturally seek.
Again, this is challenging for people raised in a modern society
that encourages them to indulge every whim, satisfy every lust,
consume anything that makes them feel good, and exercise as
little self-control as possible. Lack of forbearance is why we have
the modern epidemics of addiction, obesity, and degeneracy of
every kind. But for the Ninja, forbearance is essential, because
their work requires them to do extreme, trying and terrify things
that are only possible with tremendous self-discipline.
MAXIM FIVE: AFFILIATION
Affiliate with a Clan and obey its rules.
The historical Ninja were never “lone wolves” who operated
independently of an organization. This idea is a fabrication of the
Western mind, which glorifies “cowboy” individualism and lone
vigilantes over group belonging and tradition. In reality, the Ninja
needed the support of a clan to survive in a brutal world; they
needed the knowledge, resources, network of informants and
brothers-in-arms to master their craft, do their jobs and complete
their missions. And the same is true of Ninja today.
Those who wish to join the ranks of the Black Ninja must become
affiliated with our Brotherhood. They may start by forming a Dag
training group and taking their Brotherhood Oath, or they may
seek entry directly into an existing Clan. Once admitted to a Clan,
they must obey its laws, for without strict group discipline the
Black Ninja cannot expect to operate effectively or survive for
long.
MAXIM SIX: IMAGINATION
Think outside all boxes.
The Ninja mindset is that all things are possible, the Dark Tao
permitting. Limitations created by one's own mind, or by the
thoughts of others, are not to be respected. Never let your
concept of what is possible be dulled by the conventions of any
culture. Conform outwardly when necessary, but inwardly remain
unfettered. For your imagination is a mighty mental weapon,
which can break through castle walls of convention and cut down
armies of predictable thinkers.
Thus the Ninja is a creative, outside-the-box thinker, who
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approaches every situation with a fresh and open mind. Live your
life by this Maxim; in every situation, look for unexpected angles,
outrageous approaches and surprising attacks. Think the
unthinkable as a matter of course. You will find that the Tao will
reward your imagination with victory much more often than
defeat.
MAXIM SEVEN: MINDFULNESS
Always be mindful of your surroundings.
Ninjas walk a dangerous path, fraught with foes and pitfalls that
threaten them with destruction. They must infiltrate enemy
territory and gather sensitive information while avoiding detection.
Therefore the Ninja must always be mindful of his surroundings,
in both the physical and metaphysical sense.
Physical mindfulness means developing a keen awareness of all
your senses, using mindfulness meditation, sensory exercises
and observation training. Metaphysical mindfulness means being
in tune to the minds of others—their feelings, thoughts, hopes
and fears. This is what Japanese martial artists call haragei: nonverbal,
intuitive communication, anticipation and awareness of
threats.
It means developing a “sixth sense” for danger and
“extra-sensory
perception”. The Ninja does not neglect any of
these
skills.
MAXIM EIGHT: DECEPTION
Make war by way of deception.
We have already discussed Kyojitsu: the art of deception, and its
importance for the Ninja. Diversions, feints, disguises,
concealments and tricks of every kind are favored by the Ninja
over straightforward attacks, because the Ninja are not Samurai
who bring overwhelming force to the battlefield. We are
psychological warriors and magicians, who cultivate the skills of
the stage magician and the actor: a flair for the dramatic, the
ability to deceive, play different roles, misdirect, hypnotize,
enthrall and “shock and awe”. Deception will be useful in almost
any Ninja mission, whether it involves covert assault, scouting,
undercover espionage, black propaganda, security or what have
you.
MAXIM NINE: FORMLESSNESS
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Be like the wind—a formless, invisible force.
I must state, that, ninpo, the way of the ninja, makes its way,
running towards a great void. If you ask what ninpo is, the
answer is it has no shape. If ninpo is sought for, it has no
heart. Just try to see and realize clearly the way of your own
natural mind. —The Shoninki
The Ninja who has no fixed form, who cannot be seen, heard or
even suspected, is the most dangerous Ninja of all. The Ninja
who works his will invisibly, becoming a force of nature like the
wind, is the most powerful type of being. This is the highest state
of Ninjutsu mastery: never drawing attention to yourself, never
leaving calling-cards, always changing your outer form, making
every operation look like an accident or an act of the gods. The
Ninja who wishes to endure will follow this advice. Flashy
personalities burn brightly but soon flame out; rigid organizations
cannot adapt to change and soon fail; but subtle, formless power
that stays in the shadows and adapts to any eventuality can
survive forever.
It is said that the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled is to convince
the world he doesn't exist. The same is true of the Ninja, who
have been called devils for similar reasons. For both the Devil
and Black Ninjas know this to be true: only power that is hidden is
power that endures. Be as formless and nameless as the Dark
Tao itself, and none can deny or destroy you.
THE NINE CANONS
The Nine Canons are the laws of the Black Ninja Brotherhood.
They ensure that our Clans will operate in a disciplined and
effective way, and will not be destroyed by hostile forces.
Canon 1 (Expulsion): I understand that violation of any of the
Nine Canons or Nine Maxims of the Black Ninjas is grounds for
permanent expulsion from the Brotherhood. I understand that
Acolytes and Agents can be expelled at any time by decree of the
Commanders, but Commanders can only be expelled by decree
of the Lord. The Lord can only be dismissed by decree of the
Dark Council.
Canon 2 (Chain of Command): I acknowledge that the Black
Ninja chain of command flows directly from the Dark Tao to the
two supreme Dark Lords (“the Two”) to the Dark Council, to the
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Lord, Commanders, Agents and Acolytes, in order of descending
authority.
Canon 3 (Clan Training): I understand that to become an Agent
of a Black Ninja Clan, I must complete the Clan's basic training
program under the guidance of other Clan members.
Canon 4 (Apprenticeship): I understand that to become a Clan
Lord, I must become an Apprentice of the current Lord and pass
the Lord Trials. To become a Clan Commander, I must become
an Apprentice to a Commander and pass the Commander Trials.
Canon 5 (Violations): I agree that if I find a Clan Commander to
be in violation of any of the Nine Maxims or Nine Canons I will
challenge him. If the issue is not resolved, I will appeal to the
other Commanders.
Canon 6 (Secrecy): I agree to never reveal any information
about the Black Ninja Brotherhood to outsiders. This includes the
identities of members, locations of dojos and safe houses,
information about Clan operations, strategies, training, techniques
or resources. I understand that violation of this Canon will result
in the harshest punishment.
Canon 7 (Exclusivity): I agree to only pursue Ninja training and
operations with the Black Ninja Brotherhood; I will not associate
with any other Ninja order unless it is the will of the Clan Lord.
Canon 8 (Alteration): I understand that the Nine Maxims and
Nine Canons of the Brotherhood may only be altered by decree of
the Dark Lords, as so guided by the Dark Tao itself.
Canon 9 (Preservation): I understand that if a Clan Lord dies, he
will be replaced by his senior Apprentice. If the Clan's dojo is
destroyed, a new one will be built. If the Clan's scrolls are lost,
they will be restored from a second copy, kept in a location known
only to the Clan Lord and his senior Apprentice. If an entire Clan
is wiped out, a new Clan should be formed by whoever recovers
the Clan's scrolls and feels so guided by the Dark Tao.
POWER SYMBOLS
“Signs and symbols rule the world, not words nor laws.” —
Confucius
Black Ninjas believe strongly in the power of symbols, to reorder
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consciousness, focus the will, and awaken perceptions in the
shadow-mind and spirit. The power of symbols lies in their ability
to bypass the conscious mind, which contains filters that resist
their influence, and work directly upon the subconscious mind,
which is the source of a Black Ninja's greatest power.
Below are some power symbols used by the Dark Lords and the
Black Ninja Brotherhood for this purpose. See which ones you
are drawn to, then try drawing them and meditating upon them in
your personal dojo.
BLACK NINJA STAR
The Black Ninja Star is the basic symbol of our Black Ninja
Brotherhood. It has nine points, representing the Nine Temples,
Nine Cuts, Nine Maxims, Nine Canons and other elements of our
ideology that incorporate the mystical power of the number nine.
The Black Star is used as a seal on official Brotherhood scrolls,
letters and other documentation; it is also engraved on sacred
katanas, tantos, shurikens, staffs and other items used by the
Clan Lords as a symbol of their authority.
Every dojo or dag that gives its allegiance to the Black Ninja
Brotherhood should put the Black Star seal on a wall, banner or
shrine to symbolize its membership in our network.
BLACK NINJA KANJI
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This is “Black Ninja” written in the Chinese Kanji alphabet. The
first character means “dark” or “covert”; the second means
“endure” or “steal in”; the third means “one who”. It is pronounced
“an-nin-ja”. It may be written on banners, dojo walls, Clan scrolls,
weapons and other items that are never seen by outsiders.
暗 忍者
TAIJITU SEAL
The Taijitu Seal is the classic yin-yang symbol inlaid upon the
Black Ninja Nonagram. The Taijutu is a reminder of the profound
truth that everything gives rise to its opposite; reality is made of
polarities; there is no “pure darkness” or “pure light”. As Natori
Masatake says: “life exists within death, death exists within life”.
Here the black or “yin” region of the symbol is above the white or
“yang” region, symbolizing the ascendancy of the Dark Tao over
the Light Tao in Black Ninjutsu philosophy. The Taijitu Seal is
used by Black Ninja Clans as a general symbol of our philosophy
and way of life.
BLACK CIRCLE
The Black Circle is a symbol of the Dark Tao or Black Sun—the
metaphysical dark side of existence, and of our own minds and
spirits. The Dark Lords use this as a prophetic symbol, to
represent the dawning of the “Age of Endarkenment” they believe
is falling across the world. It is also the symbol of the Black Circle
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Ninja Ideology
Clan—foreseen to be one of the darkest of all the Black Ninja
Clans.
NONAGRAM
The Nonagram (Grazkurod) is a nine-pointed symbol of black
magickal power used in rituals by sorcerers and Templars. It is
used to create circles of protection, to invoke the Nine Mental
Weapons, to open portals into the Dar (Abyss), to focus black ki,
and as a symbol of the Dark Lords formless magick and power.
The Nonagram is also drawn during the Nine Cuts of Power
magickal ritual to impose the Black Ninja's will upon the world.
KUJI-KIRI