Onryōkai Clan

The **Onryōkai Clan** (怨霊怪, *Onryōkai-Ke*; lit. "Onryōkai Familiy") is a lesser noble family in the Soul Society that was recently founded.

## Overview

Not following the traditional formation of a clan, the Onryōkai was founded from the consolidation of power belonging to the numerous other groups that inhabit the Soul Society, merging the various beast clans into a unified front for the purpose of creating a single household. Serving as a way for most of their kind to band together, all manner of creatures make up their ranks, and as a result, the clan is mainly comprised of souls that have reincarnated into beasts. Living in a district secluded from all the others, the nobility of the clan is dictate through combat ability rather than pedigree, with those who can contribute more to the stability of the clan being given higher priority than the rest, thus creating a "law-of-the-jungle" environment that encourages familial rivalry among the different branches. In order to improve the standing of not just their clan but their kind in the Soul Society, Onryōkai Clan sends its most promising children to the Shin'ō Academy to become shinigami with the hopes of them becoming seated officers, increasing their influence even further whilst simultaneously showcasing the fighting capabilities o their kind. Before children of the Onryōkai are even considered for this, they are trained from a young age in the basics of shinigami combat, following the same regimen one would need during an encounter with a Hollow, and for self-defense, a shinigami. Developing their own techniques and tactics by employing their unique physique and features, members of Onryōkai are required to master several of their high leveled techniques before being allowed to leave.

Maintaining a somewhat steady arrangement, the clan provides the Gotei 13 their best fighters, in return, the level of influence they would otherwise possess is much larger, giving them some leeway in the way they interact or operate within the Seireitei. Mostly keeping to themselves, they rarely intervene in the affairs of others, only every become involved in matters of government or military when it involves one of their members or in some capacity, the clan has to make a decision in regards to the direction the family is going, often requiring the family branch heads and the clan leader to deliberate on. Although one clan, the Onryōkai is divided into several branches that are headed with the most influential and gifted fighters the clan can offer, the positions for the majority of the time, being a seat that is reserved for anyone willing to challenge them, ensuring that any weak members are culled away in favor of those strong enough to maintain their position. Although many of the positions in the clan change hands very often, the one singular seat of power that remains constant remains with the clan leader. When choosing the head of the clan, the previous conventional methods do not apply to the selection of the next leader, they are however chosen based purely on hereditary status. In this aspect, Onryōkai Clan acts in much the same way as other noble houses, with the position passed down to a worth successor by direct lineage.

Due in part to their isolation, the Onryōkai Clan do not take well to strangers, being looked upon with disdain, allowing very few visitors unless invited first or have proven themselves worthy, often in a display of strength or skill. With the clan divided between several notable branches, they all serve the main purpose of following a rough chain-of-command that doesn't put one part of the family over another, leaving power in only a handful of the Onryōkai Clan's nobles. Each division is responsible with running certain aspects of clan's living conditions, broken up into five key points: finances, military, government, nobility, and domestic security.

## Clan Structure

The head of the clan is protected by the Onryōkai Clan's very best fighters, serving as the advanced guard to keep him safe at all times, comprised of not just traditional combatants, but five elite guards that comprise the **Gokibayosō** (五牙予想, *Five Fang Premonitions*; *Viz* "**Five Fangs of Premonition**"), members that are also seated officers of the Gotei 13, establishing themselves in numerous different departments for varied skills. They function as the head of the security force in the main household, having over dozens of armed soldiers, each equipped with Zanpakutō, and all proficient in Bakudo and Hado spells. Only those welcomed by the the clan head personally through invitation or summons are to enter the premise, or under the strict recommendation of various nobles, which is often the case for outsiders. For members of the clan, they are often required to speak with the branch heads for a private audience, or those who have recently graduated from the Shin'ō Academy are allowed to speak with the clan elders who act on behalf of the clan leader.