Sensory

A **Sensory** (触覚, *Shokkaku,* literally *sense of touch*) is a common element featured in the stories of the Shinza Banshou series, having played a role, whether small or big, in all of its stories. Sensories are, most commonly, avatars created by and employed by Hegemony Gods, particularly those currently occupying the Throne, so as to interact with the universe that comprises, for all intents and purposes, their own body, due to their inability to leave the space they currently occupy.

As an special case, and probably due to being merged with the Throne's infrastructure, the entity known as Naraka is capable of creating his own Sensories, nicknamed Observers.

## General workings

The workings of Sensories vary, depending on their creator. In most cases, they are born as regular humans, completely unaware of their nature as mere prolongations of a God. This was the case with the Mercurial Snake's Sensories, as well as the only known Sensory of the Goddess of Twilight. Upon awakening to their true nature, they gain all memories of their main self, ceasing their existence as independent humans and becoming mere extensions of their true selves. However, this is not always the case. The Tumor's Sensory, Habaki Sakagami, was born with an independent will to that of his creator, albeit inheriting defining traits of his personality, most notably his cowardice, which lead to his memory loss. Hirume, Sensory of the Dawn, acts as an independent existence to her originator, following on her father's footsteps (given the Dawn is the reborn form of the Tumor, which would make it her father's creator too, it is pretty fitting).

Most Sensories tend to share the general physical appearence of their creator.

Yakou Madara is an exceptional case on his own, given he was originally born as one of Ryuusui Mikado's delusions, and was later taken over by Hajun as his own Sensory, with the purpose of furthering the completion of his Law. Yakou, nonetheless, keeps his own individuality to a certain degree.

Once awakening to their nature as Sensories, they might develop special powers related to their creators. In the case of the Mercurial Snake, his Sensories' bodies became devoid of substance, as if made of nothingness, and whose figures were difficult to discern without getting the feeling of looking at flickering mercury. They also inherited their originator's Foreknowledge, and developed immense sorcerous power, easily surpassing all magicians in the world of Omega Ewigkeit, becoming a comparable existence to Reinhard Heydrich himself.

Naraka's Sensories, born as normal humans, keep their entire individuality, only unconsciously acting on their creator's agenda, which usually involves instigating and promoting a change of Throne God.

## Involvement in the series

### Paradise Lost

Judas Strife, one of Nerose Satanael's main enforcers and envoy to Sodom, is one of Naraka's Sensories, whose role is to make sure his master succesfully replaces Paradise Lost's God as the Throne's holder.

### Dies irae

Karl Krafft, better known as Mercurius, is the main Sensory of the Mercurial Snake, acting as an avatar through which the Fourth Heaven can interact with the universe of Foreknowledge. The true form of the Mercury is only seen at the ending of Marie's Route, in time for his Grand Guignol's finale at the Twilight Beach, and at the end of Rea's Route, within the Throne, ready to face the embodiment of his own death wish.

The God of Eternal Recurrence has been acting through Sensories since time inmemorial (they might be the same Sensory going by different names, or different Sensories altogether), born as normal humans to regular human mothers, and going through a totally average life before awakening as embodiments of the Snake in the Throne. This modus operandi has spawned legends such as that of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew, probably in conjuction with the actions of another of the Snake's children. Through the ages, the Snake has played the roles of numerous enigmatic figures, such as Hermes Trimegistus, the Count of St Germain, Albert Magnus, Paracelsus, Christian Rosenkreuz, Nostradamus, Doctor Faust and Alessandro di Cagliostro, the name under which he met with Marguerite Breuil, his successor as the absolute God.

As Karl Krafft, he is the man behind the creation of Ewigkeit, a form of sorcery that helps in establishing a symbiotic relationship, down to the soul, between a Holy Relic and its chosen Apostle, and in the long run serves as an easy to follow method to become a God. Assuming the Demon Name of Mercurius, he guides his Apoptosis, Reinhard Heydrich, and his claws and fangs towards Godhood, so the clash between the Beast and his own Ahnenerbe creates the path that'd lead the now Hegemony Type Goddess to the Throne.

Being mere extensions of their main body, these Sensories are affected by the Snake's constant Foreknowledge, turning them into borderline omniscient entities.

After taking the Throne for herself, Marie also learns of the ability to create Sensories. Her Sensory, identical in appearence to her and bearing her same name, ends up in an orphanage run by the elderly Kasumi Ayase, with no awareness of her true self. Upon seeing Ren, she gains all of the Goddess' memories.

Shirou Yusa, on top of being Ren Fujii's Apoptosis, is also one of the Observers. His main mission, following Naraka's agenda, is to guarantee the Mercurial Snake relinquishes the Throne to his successor, in one way or another.

### Kajiri Kamui Kagura

Habaki Sakagami, one of the main heroes of the story, is but the Sensory of the Tumor, Hajun's cojoined twin brother. Despite not being a God himself, as part of his brother, the Tumor is able to siphon a small quantity of Hajun's and the Throne's power in order to better stay hidden from him, turning into a pseudo God in the process. It is this state of pseudo Godhood that allows him to create a Sensory. Habaki's main purpose was to protect the foreign Law covering the Land of the Gods' eastern half, created by Yatou Tenma, so as to stall the completion of Hajun's Principle and improving his chances of staying hidden. However, mainly because of Habaki having the same cowardly nature as his creator, he loses his memories, and ends up playing the exact opposite role the Tumor had created him for: by slaying Yatou, he leaves the way open for the Way of the Tengu to complete itself. The Tumor's own Apoptosis, Rindou Koga, had led Habaki to such an outcome.

His nature gives Habaki quite a few benefits, such as enhanced physical power and resurrecting ability, misidentified by Ryuumei as a Distortion due its disconnect from Hajun's Principle. Plus, after his temporary death at Fuwanoseki, he gains the benefits of the Tumor Mandala, spread by Rindou to his comrades. After getting torn away from Hajun by Habaki, the Tumor fuses with his own Sensory, before getting reborn as the Dawn through Habaki and Rindou's Taikyoku.

Yakou Madara, a delusion turned into reality through Ryuusui's unconscious use of her Taikyoku, was turned into Hajun's Sensory upon catching his eye, getting granted his very own Taikyoku and his Heavenly Eye, as well as two Shikigami of the highest grade in the form of Niko and Teirei, once a single soul, and the single greatest murderer of the Legion of the Beast. These benefits, as nothing but a small portion of Hajun's own Taikyoku, can easily be taken away. After his resurrection via Ryuusui's power, Yakou manages to break all connection to Hajun, turning into a completely independent existence.

Sukuna Tenma, much like his previous form, is one of Naraka's Sensories, with the purpose of grooming another Hegemony God that can take Hajun's place. Hajun's ascent to Godhood was brought by a previous Observer in the first place, who persecuted the Samsara Vartin and indirectly pressed them to fulfill their goal.

### Dies irae: Pantheon

Hirume, Habaki and Rindou's daughter, is the Sensory of the Dawn, whose main body is an enormous sakura tree in the center of Takamagahara. Hirume, as shown by her addressing of her main body, has a distinct consciousness from her creator.

## Known Sensories

* Judas Strife: Observer of the world of Paradise Lost, one of Naraka's Sensories.
* Mercurius: A Sensory of the Mercurial Snake. Also known by a myriad of other names, such as Karl Ernst Kraftt and Cagliostro.
* Marie: The Goddess of Twilight's Sensory in her own world, Anima Entelecheia.
* Shirou Yusa: Sensory of Naraka, the Observer of the world of Omega Ewigkeit.
* Habaki Sakagami: Sensory of the Tumor.
* Yakou Madara: A fantasy of Ryuusui Mikado, made into Hajun's very own Sensory.
* Sukuna Tenma: Sensory of Naraka, Observer of Mahamara.
* Hirume: Sensory of the Dawn.