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"If at any point you think that something couldn't possibly get any worse, do us all a favor and gut yourself right then and there. Cause nature has a funny sense of humor and will always go out of her way to remind you that yes, shit can and will get much, much worse." |
| Shinsengumi | |
| |
| Kanji | 神戦組 |
| English | God Battling Corps |
| Romaji | Shinsengumi |
| Organization | |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | Soul King |
| Headquarters | Soul King Palace |
| Leader(s) | The Susanoo, Seven Calamity Gods |
| Affiliation | Zero Division, Soul Society, Court of Pure Souls, Gotei 13 |
The Shinsengumi (神戦組, "God Battling Corps") is a division within the Royal Guard and primary military force used by the Soul King who has tasked them to safeguard the balance between the Human World and the Spirit World.
History[]
Before even the establishment of the Royal Guard, it had become known to the upper echelon that Soul Society was not the only spiritual realm in existence. Those spirits who were known as gods to mortal men ruled over their own realms, and for a time they were separate. But as old gods died and new ones arose, those seeking to escape the threat of oblivion began to cross borders. One such goddess whose name and very essence would split and change as time and culture demanded would encounter the very King of Soul Society himself. This goddess known by many names, introduced herself with the name she bore at her birth; Ishtar. In an attempt to regain her power and once again rule over a kingdom she tried to seduce the Soul King. But the heart and soul of Japan that the Soul King embodied could not reciprocate given the dishonorable nature of her offer.
Enraged, the goddess clashed with the Soul King and were it not for the timely intervention of his retainers who would become the first of his Royal Guard, he very well would have perished that day. Embittered by her defeat, the ancient goddess of war allied herself with other distraught gods, demi-gods and demons promising them wealth and rulership of not only this realm but any other should they please. With her forces under her command Ishtar waged a bloody conflict that nearly brought Soul Society into ruin. The might of the gods is nothing to scoff at, and their prowess was formidable even for those who bore the title of Gods of Death.
To meet these gods evenly on the field of battle, the Soul King beseeched the kami, and they in turn lended their godly might upon the chosen warriors who would defend Soul Society. These eight led by the avatar of Susanoo himself met Ishtar and her army. It was a fierce and deadly battle but in the end, even a god must face death, the war had been won. Ishtar and her ilk banished from Soul Society. Such a conflict made it apparent that other gods, arrogant as they are, may attempt at another bid to destroy and rule their realm. As a result the Soul King had tasked these fearsome warriors who had been chosen by the very kami themselves to continue to act as his vanguard and defend Soul Society from these threats. Since then the Shinsengumi has had many who would bear the treasured names of the kami who lended their aid, and such a tradition carries on to this day.
Mission[]
The Shinsengumi who serve as the vanguard of the Soul King with the primary responsibilities of:
- Protecting the Soul King.
- Protecting the realm of Soul Society from intrusion by foreign gods.
- Safeguarding the boundary between the Spiritual Dimensions which separate Soul Society from its sister realms.
- Aiding in the defense of foreign powers should they be under siege by enemies of Soul Society.
General Operation[]
The Shinsengumi operate as ambassadors, generals, and assassins. They can called upon for any number of tasks, some at the command of their commander the Susanoo and less often at the command of their patron kami. How they accomplish these tasks is generally up to the Death God themself, but there are general rules by which they are to act in accordance with. Since they are representatives of the Royal Guard and by extension the Soul King himself, they are expected to act in a manner befitting one of their station. Indeed as avatars of the kami themselves this is held in even greater regard. They may even be contacted by other gods who may seek audience or favor with their kami. Regardless the primary objective of any member of the Shinsengumi is the extermination of all hostile forces who may seek to usurp or destablize the balance of the spiritual world. This means venturing to other realm's, establishing connections and ensuring that peace remains between Soul Society and the other spiritual worlds that exist. With such a burden of responsibility, the Shinsengumi is given carte blanche to do whatever is necessary to ensure that these tasks are performed, and are given little oversight to accomplish this.
Treasured Godly Names[]
The Houtenmeishou (宝神名称, "Treasured Godly Title") are eight divine names bestowed upon the exalted few who will carry out the will of the King of Souls to punish the malevolent spirits who would seek to destroy the heavenly plain. He who shall lead this vanguard will be known as the Susanoo, and bear the full might of the god of storms in his capacity as commander of the Shinsengumi. His generals shall bear the names of the Seven Gods of Fortune, and each will act in accordance with this heavenly decree. - The Book of the Shinsengumi, chapter 1, first stanza.
The unique nature of the Shinsengumi's mission will often pit its members against creatures, demons, and spirits of godly might, and while mortal men may obtain powers close to a god, they will never transcend past their mortal limitations. Thus a ritual was created by the Soul King to bestow upon his Gods of Death with the ability to battle on even ground against the gods they battle. This ritual confers upon the God of Death the name of their patron kami, transforming them into an avatar of its power.
Abilities[]
Kyoukaisen (境界線,"Boundary"): One of the primary abilities conferred to these Gods of Death is the ability to form a boundary, a field that separates the space within from the outside world. It is a localized dimension anchors reality preventing gods from using abilities that alter the fabric of reality from within. Magic however is not compromised as they interfere with probabilities within the world as opposed to outright rewriting them in accordance to the vision of the god. When a boundary is formed the space within is considered separate from reality, and thus any damage incurred within the area will not be carried over to the actual world once it is dismissed. The exact area a Death God can affect is large enough to encompass a small city. These boundaries are also effective in hiding the Death God from the scrying abilities of gods. Lastly by using a slashing motion a Death God can portals from one dimension to the next bypassing the Dangai entirely enabling them to more easily perform their duties.
The Susanoo[]
The Susanoo (須佐能乎, "His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness") is the supreme commander of the Shinsengumi, and overseer of their operations. He is given the authority to appoint his generals and is tasked with leading the ritual which bestows upon them their name. However to become the Susanoo requires the Soul King himself who performs this sacred rite with the Royal Guard to bear witness. Becoming the Susanoo requires the complete and utter abandonment of their name, causing their very existence, that which who they were and what they could have become to vanish from the throes of history. Their name, their exploits, their bonds, whatever they might have been are gone as though they had never existed. Different faces, and different names will appear instead as reality is subtlety rewritten. There is only ever one Susanoo and he who bears his name must bear it completely. As the leader of the Shinsengumi the Susanoo spends the majority of his or her time as the chief of operations for the Shinsengumi, though much of the work is delegated to the Seven Calamity Gods.
Seven Calamity Gods[]
The Shichi Kyoujin (七兇神, "Seven Calamity Gods") are seven Death Gods who have been chosen to receive the names of the Seven Gods of Fortune. These kami serve as the primary conduits for the Death Gods and their mysterious powers. To receive their names the Susanoo using his power as the avatar of the god himself performs the ritual to bestow upon these chosen the names of the kami. However unlike the Susanoo the names of the kami are instead added to their own and function as a title than a replacement for their name. The responsibilities of the Seven Calamity Gods is broad, as they serve a number of roles. Generally however they serve as emissary's traveling throughout the realms hunting corrupt gods, gathering intel and meeting with other pantheons to ensure the stability of the realms. To accomplish this task any given Calamity God has at his or her command a number of subordinates, most generally these are fellow Captains. Though the Shinsengumi exist as a separate entity outside the jurisdiction of the Gotei 13, as members of the Royal Guard their authority supercedes even that of a Captain and have been known to address Captains of the Gotei and use the resources of their division in order to aid in whatever task they may have. It's not uncommon for former Captains of a particularly favored division to be drafted into working for a Calamity God. However the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, commands absolute authority over his divisions and has the right to countermand the orders of a Calamity God, at their own risk.
Current Members[]
- Hotei:
- Jurōjin:
- Fukurokuju:
- Bishamonten: The current avatar of Bishamonten is Yǎo-Fēng.
- Benzaiten:
- Daikokuten:
- Ebisu: