High Spirits

The **High Spirits** are a set of characters in *Magical Girl Policy*. They are gods that were worshipped by the Ardent Empire's Church of the High Spirits They were responsible for the reincarnation that allowed the Spirit Guard to be formed.

## Appearance

The High Spirits do not seem to have a physical form, as only the feeling of their presence is described. They are also not known to communicate verbally, but through feelings and visions. In this way, they are similar to Fate.

## Personality

The High Spirits are said to be benevolent, as they were associated with positive emotions in the Church of the High Spirits, and the decline in worshipping them was linked to the decaying moral standards of the Ardent Empire. They would most readily communicate with those that devoutly worshipped them. The High Spirits are said to be extremely selective with the miracles they grant, with the Shrine Maiden obtaining one from them said to have only been possible due to her life of piety. The individuality of the High Spirits is unclear, as they are exclusively referred to as a group.

## Abilities

Unlike Fate, who is described as merely godlike, the High Spirits are true gods capable of miracles. They have some level of dominion over souls, as they are noted for their ability to can induce reincarnation, an incredible phenomena that sees part of the soul preserved after death and later given to a new being. They can also grant visions, which they can use to deliver messages to mortals. The High Spirits can directly affect the physical world, as they did to slow the Other Power, but their work is usually described as their "influence"; one connected to the High Spirits can sense them as they nudge the person toward particular emotions that are deemed favorable for the current situation.

## Biography

### Background

The Ardent Empire had the Church of the High Spirits as its official religion, worshipping the High Spirits. As the Empire fell into corruption, however, the High Spirits became less popular as an increasing number of Ardentia turned to the opposing Lower Spirits instead. During the Ardentia Civil War, the Other Power appeared near the Ardentia homeworld, but even the High Spirits and the far-seeing Fate were unable to glean much on this strange anomaly that operates outside the universe's normal rules and destroys everything it reaches. The High Spirits used their power to slow the Other Power's encroachment on the Empire, but there seemed to be no way to stop it. As the end of the Civil War approached, the Princess and her friends enacted a plan to stop the Other Power, Platicore, the Empress, and the like from threatening Earth, the last remaining escape route from the Ardentia homeworld's inevitable destruction. The plan involved reincarnating the team as humans when their powers would be needed to protect Earth, but reincarnation is an extraordinary feat that would require the aid of beings like the High Spirits. The Shrine Maiden was recruited for this purpose, affirmed in her decision to join by the High Spirits, and earned the favor of reincarnation from her gods. During the final battle for the gateway to Earth, the Scholar placed the Spirit Sticks in the iris, keying both the foci and iris to respond only to an Investiture matching a member of the team. The gateway was then disabled, making the Sticks accessible only from the iris of the Earth's partner gateway, the Standridge Hill Stone Circle, and doomed all but a last-second escaping Platicore to die with the Ardentia homeworld. The Princess's team was killed by the Empress for their betrayal, with the High Spirits preserving part of each member's soul, including their Investitures, to be used in the reincarnation process.

Thousands of years later, the reincarnations are born as the people that would become the Spirit Guard, Champions that protect Earth using powers inherited from their Ardentia predecessors.

### Week 1

When the Spirit Guard battle Polygal, they find the Ardent Resonance marking the Shrine Maiden's successor on Robert Dreese, which confuses them for appearing on a man. They ask Kunapipi, who concludes this particular reincarnation was made in error, as the Spirit Guard transformation permanently alters the user's body to more closely resemble their predecessor's and would likely force Rob to live with a woman's body. They tell Rob about this when he meets with them at the Standridge Circle, and he thus refuses to become Spirit Guard Serenity. He later goes through with it to rescue Spirit Guard Tenacity from Day LaMode, and as predicted Rob is left a woman in the image of the Shrine Maiden.

### Weeks 2-4

Robynne has a vision of the Shrine Maiden being recruited onto the Princess's plan by the Scholar, with the Maiden feeling the High Spirits guide her in her decision to join.

### Week 5

Robynne has a vision of the Shrine Maiden in an isolation cell for returning to the capital city unannounced before being freed by the Princess and Soldier and confronting Liff. Like in the previous vision, the High Spirits help guide the Maiden in her decisions.

## Relationships

### Fate

Fate is likened to a sentient force of nature rather than a god, but she nevertheless associates with gods like the High Spirits. The High Spirits cooperated with Fate for the reincarnation process of who would become the Spirit Guard, as each one is a Champion chosen by Fate. Kunapipi believes the High Spirits were in charge of the reincarnation itself as the process appears to be outside of Fate's jurisdiction.

### Princess's team

With her life of devout worship, the Shrine Maiden had a deep connection to the High Spirits, often feeling them guide her in making important decisions. Because of this, the High Spirits accepted her request to have her as well as the Princess, Soldier, Scholar, and Mender reincarnate as humans when the time comes for the team's powers to defend Earth. The plan also saw the Maiden back up claims by saying they were delivered in visions from the High Spirits, and the corrupt Church of the High Spirits possessed no known person who could boast a similar connection to the gods and refute her statements.

### Spirit Guard

Each Spirit Guard is a reincarnation of a member of the Princess's team, which the High Spirits are credited with for making possible. Robert succeeding the Shrine Maiden is the result of an error, however, as being a man in this position causes his Spirit Guard transformation to give him a female body like the Maiden's. What exactly happened in the reincarnation process to cause this is unknown; Kunapipi blames the High Spirits, while Rob also considers the possibility that Fate or the Shrine Maiden may be at fault.