Gotei 13 Introduction

The Gotei 13

The Gotei 13 (Thirteen Court Guard Squads,) serve as the guardians of Soul Society and a military force dispatched to cleanse Hollows and to help Pluses (Earth-bound spirits) to Soul Society. Their main purpose is to preserve balance between living souls and the dead. Much of their work also is covering up the existence of Hollows and repearing damage done in the battles they fight in the Living World. They have a fortress city known as the Seireitei in the heart of Soul Society that is protected by a powerful barrier and strong gatekeepers. There is also a Shinigami Academy where new Shinigami learn skills necessary to join the Gotei 13.

History

The Gotei 13 has existed for more than two-thousand years. In its early stages it was nothing more than the Shinigami Academy, but underneath the leadership of Matsumoto Kajin and twelve of the strongest Shinigami, the Gotei 13 was born. In their early years they were extremely aggressive and very powerful, launching countless raids agaisnt Hollows. They soon found an enemy in the Quincy, a group of spiritually attuned humans who slew Hollows. Upon doing so wiped their souls from existence instead cleansing them, as the Shinigami do. This became a problem for the Gotei 13 who feared that an imbalance of souls would be catastrophic.

The first Quincy war was a burtual genocide, with Soul Reapers wiping out Quincy settlements all across the World of the living. The war took a burtual toll on both the Gotei 13 and their enemy, but in the ned most of the Quincy were wiped out, except for a small handful who managed to go into hiding.

This brutal war changed the perspective of the aggressive Gotei 13. They began to be more careful and to calm down their efforts, only fighting where its most needed and necessary. With the Quincy wiped out, they ceased their hunts for the remnants and decided to focus on preserving the balance rather than their own bloodlust.

A sort of peace resided underneath the rule of the Gotei 13 for countless generations. That is, until the emergence of the Arrancar. Somewhere within Heuco Mundo, inside of Las Noches, the King of the Hollows discovered a method of ascending beyond a normal Hollow, by tearing off their masks. These Arrancar were effecitvely Shinigami-Hollow Hybrids and some developed powers enough to rival the strongest Captains.

The Shinigami feared acting upon impulse and dragging the entire Gotei 13 into a war within Hueco Mundo, so they monitored the progress and growth of the Arrancar, largely split on how to deal with them. This proved to be detrimental as the Arrancar, with little warning, launched an all out invasion on The World of the Living.

The Gotei 13 were able to intercept but the battle was out of their leauge. In the many years of peace, much of their original strength was lost. They suffered great losses as the hands of the Arrancar, but were in the end, able to push them back from whence they came. With their numbers weakened, the Gotei 13 couldn't afford to bring the war to Heuco Mundo, instead they withdrew back to Soul Society to recuperate their ranks.

This was seen as a moment of opportunity for the Vandenreich, an army of Quincy who had been living, training, and growing their ranks in secret since the First Quincy War. They started by invading Heuco Mundo in secret and enslaving Arrancar to their ranks, to serve as disposable foot soldier.

The Vandenreich's assault on Soul Society was extremely successful. Their elite force, known as the Stern Ritter
tore through the lower ranks of the Shinigami and were extremely sucessful agaisnt the Vice-Captains and
Captains. Most of the Seireitei was reduced to rubble during the battle and hundreds of shinigami died,
including most of the remaining Captains. The Quincy ranks

The tide of the battle turned when the Captain-Commander Matsumoto Kajin stepped in and challenged the leader
of the Vandenreich Sebestian Grundir. Their battle shook the whole of the Seireitei, but Matsumoto wound up
as the victor, slaying Sebestian. This broke the morale of few Stern Rittier left withdrew back to the
World of the Living, so that they could choose a new leader and rebuild their ranks.

In current time the Gotei 13 are rebuilding. The various squads are mostly patchwork compared to their former
strength. Only three Captains remain, including the Head-Captain.

It is a time for new Shinigami to realize their strength and rise up to the occasion.