The Laws and
the World

SHINIGAMI: A God of Death, as called by the Japanese.
SHIKIGAMI: In this case, magically animated "golems" of once-deceased animals used by the Shinigami as messengers and workers. (Fun fact: they don't react to pain.)

Divine Laws of Shinigami

Also the rules governing the Institute.

1. Shinigami may not kill each other. That charge lies only in God Himself. This will result in death.
2. Shinigami may not take a human before his or her time. This will result in death.
3. Shinigami may not intervene in a person's life.
4. Shinigami may not tell normal people they are Shinigami.
5. Do not accept any unenrolled human who sees the Instutute.

There is also the implied rule, "Those who become Shinigami may never return." This is not a rule so much as it is a fact.

The Institute for the Arts of Death was founded fairly recently in a very remote area of the world - thought to be hidden in southern New Zealand, though one can be unsure, even its students. Since it is located on the Spirit plane, it cannot be found by normal humans. Although its name implies emphasis on death, it is actually focused on the act of killing, or removing the soul.

It was founded by First Shinigami Obigami 1455 years after Christ and during Japan's Muromachi Period, during which he noticed a great increase in the number of dying humans. He could no longer use a sheath to reap their souls, and changed to an axe, then a sword, and finally decided he would recruit the hidden jaded nations of people to help him collect souls. They were unfocused, their potentials unrealized, and would not always listen or operate as a Shinigami should; he also saw that they could develop different, efficient, and interestingly creative ways of collecting souls. Thus, he established the Institute, making it a seven-year program and making the divine laws governing him its rules, in order to educate those who would become Shinigami, and had Shikigami go about to recruit potentials.

Obigami perished when he broke the first rule of Shinigami himself by slaying his closest student, Yarigami, in a fit of rageful frustration. Yarigami had always possessed ways that were effective yet contrary to Obigami's teachings, and the two, despite respecting each other, had often fought. To this day, the oversight of God and his Counsel, the Sun Amaterasu and the Moon Tsukuyomi, has been constant upon the Instutition, and it continues well.

NOTE: In the years after Christ, the need for Shinigami decreased significantly. Today, there are plenty to handle the job, but nowhere near as many as there once were.

The grand Institute stands on a massive ground isolated from the world. It is large in mass and resembles a cathedral in design, its build more modernized in certain areas on the inside for convenience. It hosts a myriad of its own resources, including an athenaeum, sanatorium, auditorium, refectory, training grounds, pools, and two grand gardens (one Japanese-style, one hanging). Some Shinigami, Shikigami, and a rare few humans bound to the area have set up resources around the school for entertainment, like a resort at the base of the mountain and a kart-race and putt-putt. There're food stands and more nearer to the campus, and casual training centers for tae kwon do and the like.

The Institute has five tall floors. Dormitories are usually two-three people per room, and co-ed. They're physically located on the third floor, with professor rooms on the fourth. Classes are typically on the fifth and second, with other accomodations on the first. Student rooms come equipped with: shower, small refridgerator, one-three beds, and some larger ones have small kitchens, like apartments.

There are eight grand steps before the Institute, and students are initiated by the Steps Ceremony, in which they symbolically move up a step. The First Step is taken on the first day, watched by all senior. At year's end, all levels address the steps and move up. Seniors are dismissed into the world with the Sending Ceremony, in which there is usually flight (even of wingless Shinigami) and tossing of robes to reveal their transformed bodies.

After Graduation period, there are six weeks of downtime, a Break occurring in late Spring during which students can do as they like on the grounds, followed by two weeks of Orientation for new students. Normally classes are held every day except Sunday.

Recently, more normal people with insight into the supernatural have been joining the Institute. The Institute was once filled with seedier and more withdrawn people, considered strange and unfit for society in their time. It is not required that a student tell why they desired to become a Shinigami, only that they be sincere about their undertaking. Students who are found to be not cut out for the institute for lack of ability or dedication have their minds erased and are placed back in their place of origin, regardless of what their situation was prior. They are marked so that Shikigami will know to avoid them.

The Bureau of Rings: The smaller organization kept at the Institute, consisting entirely of Shikigami, with only a few smaller factions spread out to Posts. These are specifically the Shikigami that recruit Shinigami. They are called the Bureau of Rings because, in the past, each Shikigami would give a ring (one that specifically enables it to be able to move at immortal speeds) to the person considering joining it. Today they still wear the rings but do not give them out for simplicity's sake.

This Bureau is headed by a great Bird of Paradise spirit and consists mostly of smaller birds and flying things, but not entirely. They keep constant watch on humans whose lives are bleak through "looking-books" and are cautiously assigned humans to approach.

Posts: Subsets of the Institute, Posts are found throughout the world as aids to Shinigamikind. These Posts are usually run by earnest Ronadas who have gleaned a good knowledge of the Gods of Death.

The years for a student are named so:

Year 1: Freshman
Year 2: Fledgling
Year 3: Sophomore
Year 4: Initiate
Year 5: Junior
Year 6: Senior
Year 7: Aether

During that time, one may "major" in one Shinigami skill and "minor" in another. They can take courses not pertaining to either, but it is not advised, as there are many to be sidetracked with. With seven tiers of learning going on at once, one might find the Institute confusing at times. The higher-tier students actually spend more time in the field than they do at the campus, however, relegating the teachers to focus on fledglings.

Each student is admitted after a personal meeting with the Principal, No Jonegami, and given their supplies. When a student reaches their seventh year, they may append their name with "-gami" (great) or rename themselves with the -gami suffix. Once a student has graduated his or her seventh year, he is re-presented with a Divine Weapon of their very own, marked with their own sigil and tailored to their skill.

The Institute at first consists of more reading, writing, and lectures than it is physical training, though a lot of study is interactive, and students are usually genuinely interested in their subjects, even ones irrelevant to their type focus.

During lecture classes, one is required to wear the official brown uniform; any other time, students can wear whatever they would like.

Clash Shinigami
"to engage in a physical conflict or contest, as in a game or a battle... to strike with a resounding or violent collision"
The most common (and, untrained, weakest) kind of Shinigami, Clash Shinigami slay people and souls by use of a weapon. Most Shinigami Obigami originally oversaw were this type. These are the only type that are given smaller Divine Instruments in-training, and unlike the original Shinigami, they have the aid of enchantments to ease the removal of the soul. These types are usually large and develop many horns.

Murmur Shinigami
"a low, continuous sound, as of a brook, the wind, or trees..."
Once more common, they coax the soul out with special words. It is far more challenging than it sounds, and they often must be equipped with bodily skill to handle a soul that has been coaxed surreptitiously from a body. This skill is often a pair with Clash, and also can be of great aid to Sound with the ability to unweave curses. These types change the least physically in their transition to Shinigami.

Heart Shinigami
"the firmness of will or the callousness required to carry out an unpleasant task or responsibility"
Despite their name, they are a very dangerous and painfully-met Shinigami, able to cause humans to die with the onset of sudden vicious diseases. Theirs is a skill difficult to master. Many use the aids of special poisons invented within the Institute and historically. These types are sometimes small and have tiny horns but long tails.

Claw Shinigami
"a sharp, usually curved, nail on the foot of an animal, as on a cat, dog, or bird"
A liked kind, the Claw-type specializes in using harnessed animal spirits to do his/her bidding. They are agile of body and tend to make friends easily. They are also the closest to mages, since their animal spirits sometimes have slightly elemental properties (example: most canines are neutral; a snow leopard is water; a komodo dragon is fire). Summoning a captured animal spirit takes some of the summoner's spirit to maintain and thus limits what can be summoned at once. This type changes the most physically in transition, with the development of scales or fur (or both) and the half or complete look of an animal.

Ero Shinigami
eros: "creative, often sexual yearning, love, or desire"
Sometimes called "Succubi" or "Incubi" by humans, these Shinigami (somewhat popular and taboo in the Institute) cause people to die in their sleep by sleeping with them. (It is not sure whether or not it is the sex itself which kills them, or a change in bodily state as they lie.) Most Shinigami enjoy this role. These types are typically slender and very physically attractive. Many grow long hair.

State Shinigami
"the condition of a physical system with regard to phase, form, composition, or structure... a particular condition of mind or feeling"
One of the most powerful kinds of Shinigami, State Shinigami (sometimes referred to as State-Change) cause unnatural body-changing alchemy in their victims. Their powers are used rarely so as not to disturb the common human world, but had wider-spread usage in the days of Obigami. State-Changers have been known to turn their victim's blood to acid or lead in accordance to some loose moral holding that the person violated. They have also had gazes that turned people to stone or salt, and have breathed sulfur to cause insides to shrivel and dry. They can alter the state of nonliving things at times as well. These types have the quickest reaction time. They also resemble Heart-types in appearance.

Sound Shinigami
"free from injury, damage, defect, disease... having no defect as to truth, justice, wisdom, or reason... free from moral defect or weakness; upright, honest, or good"
These Shinigami are not killers but rather healers and purifiers. They are sometimes referred to as "Angels" by humans. They remove infirmities from the bodies of otherwise helpless people and purify cursed souls. They Send souls off to Purgatory when other types are unable to and hence are often assistants. These sometimes look minimal, like Murmur types, but sometimes grow small horns and vestigial wings.

Some people do not have Shinigami types and must do the job with extra effort. Others have more than one, or all, of them, and thus are the most balanced out but also the hardest to refine, even if they focus on just one type.

Students typically change appearance over the course of their training at the Institute. Depending on their type, they can appear more elfish, more animal-like, or even change into their desired self-image. However, there are a few changes that normally manifest themselves in all students:

Freshmen: A change of hair color; stronger nails, hair, and teeth
Fledglings: Noticeably improved body health (if training well)
Sophomores: Small head horns, elongated canines
Initiates: Additional horns, tails (sometimes)
Juniors: Wings (small), of bird type (usually) and summoned by will; fur and scales possibly
Seniors: Larger wings, markings (if any)
Aethers: Eyes shift colors and glow in darkness

Many say that as a fully-realized Shinigami they are nothing like their former selves, but often they have come to be themselves at their fullest.
In some these may not develop as much, or at all, or may develop vestigially; again, it depends on their type.
Shinigami are known to develop more acute senses, including taste (and some are known to become gluttonous) and sensuality. Similarly, those who had crippling or chronic illnesses or conditions tend to notice them fade away within the firts half-year of Shinigami training.

Shinigami collectively share the abilities to cloak themselves from visibility from one another and humans if their work must ever be done on the Physical plane. However, other Shinigami still have means to track down someone cloaked (scent, echo-pulses). They can also pass through thin walls.
Shinigami stop aging at the time they graduate the Institute. Some older ones have been known to actually look younger going from that point because of their improved body condition (this doesn't go so much for Shinigami who don't often use their bodies, such as Heart or Claw; and certain types can mildly add age). At Aether point, certain Shinigami get advanced regeneration skills (apart from advanced healing that comes default), able to regrow lost limbs. The most powerful kind can even regenerate heads. This doesn't help if the soul alone is attacked.
Certain Shinigami have been known to become purely soul instead of a meld of soul and body, but it is very rare and hard to achieve.

It's noted Shinigami may also never enter Heaven, since their services are on earth and they should never die.

Carnelian, Ruby, Jasper Claw Shinigami store the hot spirits of their found animal (and plant) spirits in this gemstone.

Quartz, Agate, Pearl Sound Shinigami find purity in these varieties and draw on good thoughts.

Sugilite, Amethyst Ero Shinigami are told to charge their sexual energy into the stones and keep them safe.

Malachite, Turquoise State Shinigami must be very close to the green earth in order to manipulate it.

Lapis Luzuli Murmur Shinigami find that many words unravel when they focus on the stones and the spirits.

Tourmaline Heart Shinigami turn to multicolored tourmaline to draw up all the sickness they have gathered for their own usage.

Pyrite Clash Shinigami are told to shine bright. Stores of energy for their efforts are kept in the stones.

The response when one holds a stone will only be visible if they already hold a lot of power towards it. However, it is certainly felt in the holder, almost like a shock. They are told to keep stones of one or two types (the major and minor) around their necks or otherwise close to them and are usually fashioned elaborate necklaces out of their selected rocks in the course's third week. (Some do not make up their mind for years, and thus hold on to more than a couple rocks safely in bags for some time.)

Souls

A dying human, or a human killed, must have his/her soul taken and placed properly in Purgatory, lest it roam the earth eternally in torment as a ghost. This is called Sending. Usually the soul lingers about the dead body for three days, floating on the Soul plane and invisible to humans, and if by then their person is not resolved or a Shinigami has not seen them, they will remain attached to the earth until a Shinigami catches them. At this point, they can turn into several different kinds of souls.

Lost Soul
This is most souls after they've separated from their body. They do not know what to do, often follow their friends or family or go to places they once visited (rarely thinking to travel outside their society circle).

Wandering Soul
This type causes havoc or destruction without being aware of it, having lost the ability to cognate over time. It has no desires, no aims; knows only confusion and loneliness. This type is not put into purgatory if a Sound Shinigami cannot calm it and restore it to its original self. (This process is called Restoration, and can sometimes result in reverting the soul to an infantile mind.)

Oni
These souls, sometimes called "Demons", are destructive to human character and sometimes to physical property. They through great effort gather the energy to affect the physical word and have caused many problems in the history of humankind. These are usually born of already-malicious and unfortunate human souls and are often completely destroyed from existence, although they can be stunned and purified (notably the cursed kinds that also do not understand their own destruction).

Plant Soul
The souls of living plants, including fruits and vegetables (roots), can also be seen. Shinigami revere them and often leave them idle, for the souls of plants are recycled. They can sometimes be of help in restoring life energy. Shinigami will go through some lengths to make sure their conflicts do not interfere with wildlife or plants.

Animal Spirit
Conventional lower animals do not have souls in the way humans do, but they possess spirits - energies that can be harnessed and used to certain Shinigami's advantage.
The souls of rare mythical animals - dragons, kappas, gryphons, etc. - are often present and must be dealt with in similar ways as the humans', but they are rarely like oni, often passive.

THE PRECISE MOMENT: One of Shinigami's major duties is to take people's souls when their life ends or within the first three days of their death, to save them the trouble of having to hunt down the soul. It's easiest at the moment a person is dying. With the ability to see souls, Shinigami can see the seconds count down on the soul to the moment the life ends. The moment it's easiest to strike is right after "1".

CURSES: Sometimes a human curse or a curse of the gods can linger on a soul after it's passed from the body. Other times a wandering soul can come in contact with a cursed object and become cursed themselves. Curses can incite wrath, dolefulness, blind madness, and more, things that utterly prevent a soul's being able to pass into Purgatory.

How a Person Should Die

Many deaths in the world are natural or accidental, ushered on by a gentle-speaking Murmur Shinigami, but on occasion one must be given in a worthy and deserving fashion. There was once a set of Commandments of which Obigami was fond, but after his passage, the terms of a person's death have been left to subjective professors and the judgment of the Shinigami charged.

Conventionally, there were elaborate associations allowed to be made by the Shinigami, some of which are still remembered:

Lying: shot in the tongue by Clash Shinigami's Flingr.
Adultery: sexed to death by Ero Shinigami. More painful than it sounds.
Idolatry: consumed by mighty bear spirit.
Theft: removal of eyes, hands, and feet by Clash Shinigami's Slayr.
Blasphemy: body liquids turned to lead by State Shinigami.
Murder: shot through the heart with Clash Shinigami's Blastr.
Disrespect: inflicted with 12-hour boils by Heart Shinigami.

Should the Shinigami break rules of the Institute, s/he will be punished severely. However, if s/he breaks laws directly defying God and His Counsel, then his/her soul will be destroyed from conscious existence.
If the Shinigami is killed, however, the soul will be released and sent into Purgatory like a regular soul. Only a few Shinigami, in legend, have existed independantly from their bodies.

All are enchanted to make them usable beyond what they would normally be limited by, and to ease the taking of souls. Since they are an extension of the soul and emotion, they can change form to different forms of their weapon type, though more volatile Shinigami will have a hard time controlling this. The most common types are:

Slayr: A sword that extends length at will. Usually looks of pewter or steel. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 85%
Reapr: A very sharp scythe. More recently double-ended. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 85%
Gashr: An extendable spear that also comes in axe-headed varieties. Commonly used as javelins. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 75%
Flingr: A bow, paired with a quiver (Flingr-load) whose stock never expires. Also comes in crossbow form (Cross-Flingr). First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 33%
Flayr: A whip, single- to multi-pronged at will, with the ability to take many souls at once. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 95%
Bangr: A mace with an optional chain. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 95%
Blastr: A handgun, rarely used by the Institution, filled with divine soul-capturing bullets. Requires precision to aim. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 99%
Sayr: A wand or rod usually instilled with the properties of absorption or infliction. These can also take the forms of lightweight maces. First-Time Soul Capture Rate: 85%

There may also be custom weapons requested, such as sais, swallows, katars, hooks, and even physical animals/Shikigami.
All Divine Weapons come with a sigil that acts as a makeshift way to send souls to Purgatory, should a Sound type not be present.
DWs are mostly used against Oni, but when needed to retrieve a soul, they only affect the soul itself, not the body. Normally a strike only produces momentary but intense pain in a person as their soul is taken.

(1) The Physical Plane, host to all that you and I know. This is, sadly, the plane that those without any kind of spiritual insight are confined to. On this plane (considered to be the "main" one of this world), all the workings of nature go in order, but it sometimes influenced in big ways by the other plane.

(2) The Spirit Plane, in which the Institute and all spiritual life is hidden. It perfectly overlies the physical plane and is, in ways, less occupied, but throughout hosts some communes of souls and Ronadas. Souls that aren't sent, animal spirits (including those of myth that have influenced the Physical plane, as well as lesser "gods"), and Ronadas have staked themselves throughout. Though it is possible for humans (such as No Isu) to dwell in their own bodies on the Soul plane (such makes it easier for people to become Shinigami), it is extremely rare for them to be allowed to freely--even those perfectly aware of and in tune with its existence.

Shinigami can switch between planes by staring into their reflection in any body of water for more than seven seconds.

There is also a third realm independant of any plane on any world (for most worlds possess these two planes with their own beings and souls). That is:

PURGATORY: The waiting place of souls for the Final Judgment. Has several divisions: Eternal Pit (for boredom), Waiting Room, and Spa (actually a nine-tiered tower). It's largely managed by strange flying creatures called Umbri, a disfigured few of which have been mistaken for Oni while on earth.

Umbri: These mostly take care of souls in Purgatory. They're also responsible for negotiating with one another and angels about reincarnating a soul, although this can also be done amongst important Shinigami.

HEAVEN: An off-limits realm reserved only for God and the angels, which can be accessed by no mortal being.

The Spirit plane's alternate to humans. Not souls, not Oni, not deities of any kind, simply beings that exist on the Soul plane, often accompanied by mythic beasts. Since they are long to expire, they are also few, and dispersed throughout this Spirit world in small communities. It is said that sometimes, when one passes on, it is reborn into the Physical plane as a human (and sometimes the same goes for mythic beasts and animals), and this chain of rebirth and reincarnation can continue for several generations.
Ronadas are often mistaken for Shinigami by other Shinigami, as they usually bear resemblance to them. A few kinds of Ronadas look animalistic, and fewer don't resemble anything seen elsewhere on Earth.

Most Ronadas are uninterested in being Gods of Death, but some have formed alliances with the Shinigami. Ronadas mostly help the cause by providing resources in areas outside of the Institute's reach.

Common pets (mythic beasts): Dragon, baku, unicorn, gryphon, gargoyle, benu (rare). When kept as pets, they're branded so as not to be mistaken as Oni.
Also witnessed, but rare: Centaurs, fairies, chimaera, leviathan, basilisk

The Volume: A catalog kept by Jonegami holding the name of every student ever enlisted in the Institute. It also has names of Shinigami that existed before the Institute was founded in the very front, penned by Obigami himself and passed down.
The Roster: A book filled with a list of deceased humans by region, kept by No Jonegami. It automatically checks off whether or not the soul's been sent to Purgatory. With this, Jonegami can issue missions to students and those who come seeking them.

History
The history of Shinigami overall, and specific important historical Shinigami. Also includes related art and paranormal science. Taught by No Isu.

Discovery
Gems are used to determine which Shinigami type someone is; then the semester is spent focusing energy into them.

Laboratory
Alchemal processes are explored to give students an idea of what State Shinigami can generate.

Basic Field
Unlike Advanced Field, students do not engage in battle as their instructor, No Chester, goes out and tracks a lost soul. Onis and Wanderers are rarely pursued - they're dangerous. Usually is seen how to properly handle a wayward, recently-deceased soul, and how to send them.

Physical Education
The professors find it important that Shinigami even with round body types should keep active, even if their major doesn't require it. All types gather here and train with running, lifting, and sports competition.

Accomodations

Library: An extensive array of books to keep the students entertained and learning. From the history of the world through limited human eyes, to simple amusement. A rare few entertainment magazines are kept. First floor.
Swimming Pool: Indoor, first floor. For fun swimming, exercise, and training. Coupled with a heated jacuzzi. (There is actually also a nearby outside lake.)
Playground: Small, not filled with ridiculous kid-things, but with a few swings, see-saws, etc. Outside.
Training Field: Adjacent to the playground. Since some find recreation in training, there is a track, bars, a skeet-shoot, and indestructable grounds where Clash types can battle. Outside.

There is also a Battle Room, a Recreation Room, an archive of Records, a Refectory, and the Ero Lounge.

Clubs

Pool Club: For those who like billiards. Begun by Donna. Meets in the Rec Room. Rules: No cheating.
Ero Club: Commonly mistaken for a regular group orgy, this club actually has a lot of personal insight and drama stemming from the many questions asked and experiments performed. Led by Aether Ecogami and Oregami in the Ero Lounge. There are male-only and female-only factions. Rules: Get your body and attitude checked.
Battle Club: Don't ever talk about it! Rules: Don't attempt to wound your opponent(s). Clash-only.
Book Club: Popular amongst Murmur-types. A favored genre is horror/macabre, as well as mystery and thriller. Meets in the Hanging Garden. Rules: No cheesy romance or fantasy. Do not lick your fingers to turn pages. Do not crease spines or pages. (These are the Library's rules.)

And more! Song and Dance, Claw, Alchemy...

Sports

Apart from a light and mostly unorganized playing of volleyball (and pool volleyball), tennis, and football (soccer), the Shinigami sometimes play their own invented sports, which also serve as training means.

Javelin - flying Clash types toss spears through suspended rings. Danger level: ****

Special Holidays

Day of Candles - A late winter/early spring event where everyone lights a candle and sets them onto hard paper rafts to float down the river. They send prayers and wishes on the candles, and it's said that if the candle does not blow out, the wish will come true.
Day of Lanterns - An early autumn alternative to the Day of Candles, which is essentially the same, but with candles covered by lanterns, and usually to respect those passed on.
Obigami Day - A day in late summer to honor Obigami as well as Yarigami, on the day they died. (Although it was a disgrace, they're still respected.)
Apple Day - Actually, no one is sure what started this tradition. It's easy to get sick of apples on this day - even gala apples.

Familiar celebrated holidays: Hallow's Eve, All-Saint's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, sometimes Thanksgiving. Also, the Solstices (Summer/Winter) and the Equinoxes (Vernal/Autumnal), on which souls emerge or are summoned by dancing and candles.