Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Prime32 01-06-08, 11:16 AM	Bleach seems to be the current "big thing", but it has some holes that need to be filled if you want to run a Bleach campaign. Some people have pointed out the oddity of Soul Society, in that it seems exclusively Asian. I suggest the following... Soul Society is not Heaven, or at least, not the only possible Heaven. Most souls move on to some other place the shinigami know nothing of, but certain places have a high concentration of spiritual energy - these can be as small as a local "fairy hill", or as large as an entire country - one of these spiritual fields covers much of Japan. Each of these has either its own associated Soul Society, or is attached to some distant part of Soul Society, and most souls within move on to Soul Society instead of the normal afterlife. Other groups similar to the shinigami exist throughout the world, but could not be recognised as such - their appearance is based on the folkore of the area. For instance, no western "shinigami" would have a katana as the sealed form of his zanpakuto (unless he was an otaku :P). A group of Italian shinigami might resemble Roman centurions. Ichigo subcpnsciously based his shinigami uniform on Rukia's - if he had encountered an Italian shinigami, his outfit would look quite different. Question: Why do Hollows have Spanish names for their abilities? The Aztec gods were actually a group of hollows of varying rank. The Aztecs placated the Hollows' desire for souls by feeding them the souls of their enemies. The Aztecs believed that their emperors became gods in death, and indeed many were transformed into Hollows by the others. Most of the events, role-swappings, etc. in Aztec mythology are distorted versions of the Hollows consuming each other or transforming into arrancars. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Quetzalcoatl_Ehecatl.jpg While most of the Hollows were arrancars, one was a particularly powerful Vasto Lorde named Quetzlcoautl, who was particularly remembered for his white face. Eventually, the Aztec pantheon were either slain or left for their own reasons. Quetzlcoautl is the only one known to have survived. As for the Day of the Dead...
Prime32 01-06-08, 11:18 AM	If anyone has any ideas in tying Hollows and shinigami to real-world mythology, throw then out here!
Prime32 01-06-08, 11:29 AM	In Roman mythology, shinigami were the Lares (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lares), while Hollows were the Larvae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larvae) or Lemures; the first Hollow in Rome was Remus himself.
Prime32 01-06-08, 11:33 AM	In Celtic mythology, many of the legendary heroes, such as Cuchullain, were shinigami. Samhain (which evolved into Hallowe'en) started as the celebration of a victory by an unknown shinigami with a fire-based zanpakuto (pehaps even the Japanese Sokyoku) over a powerful hollow. There are a lot of festivals with similar themes around that time of year - suggesting that the event was witnessed by "shinigami" from many cultures. Celtic shinigami inherit zanpakuto, rather than gaining their own. As a result of this, they generally have a weaker bond with the weapon. Despite this, most Celtic shinigami know their weapon's name, as a result of a jealously guarded divination spell. One of the most powerful zanpakuto is the Gáe Bulg. In its sealed form, it resembles an ancient, rusted spear. It transforms into a more elaborate spear with the command "ibur". When released. this command causes the spear to sprout forked barbs - this can be done with the head in the ground for a "Field of Blades" effect, or when it strikes an enemy, which is usually fatal. After being thrown, the spear will return to the wielder with the word "athibar". Gáe Bulg's bankai can only be activated when the head of the spear is placed in the legendary Cauldron of Dagda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagda%27s_Cauldron) - if this is not done, the weapon will drain the blood from the wielder's body, killing him. Bankai causes the contents of the cauldron to bubble, steam, and glow red, as the spear grows longer and thicker, though the grip remains the same thickness. A ring of small spikes sprout from the stub of the spear in a sunburst pattern, and an orb of multicoloured energy floats above it, occasionally taking on the appearance of a darting eye. As the head is drawn, it continues to draw the contents of the cauldron into itself, and it can be seen that the head has become far more elaborate and glows cherry red. Both ends of the spear are used in battle - the head is intensely hot, and even on a near miss, it may draw the opponent's blood from their body, wounding them from the inside. The orb at the butt can release powerful energy attacks at any element. (I combined the Gáe Bulg with the Spear of Lugh because of their different power levels)
draxredd 01-06-08, 12:34 PM	The most difficult, but interesting, clash of cultures will be the different spiritual dichotomies: shinigami and hollows are split over the traditionnal yin/yang (reason/instinct, honor/passion) angels and demons are split over Good and Evil (sins vs virtues) greek and roman and all animist pantheons are pure anthropomorphic principles (storms, sea, earth, death, etc...) crossovers should play a lot on this for weird alliances. I'm currently trying to put together a beginner setting leaflet for my take on bleach d20. It's set in Hiroshima and i'm planning to play a lot with this crossover thing (western spirit creatures haunting a wierd place standing at the old "ground zero" for exemple)
Prime32 01-07-08, 12:46 PM	I'm trying to tie Hollows to the Fomorians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorian), which would make Bres and Lugh (half-fomorians) vizards or arrancar. Lugh’s sling rod was the rainbow and the Milky Way was called "Lugh's Chain". He also had a magic spear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spear_of_Lugh) (named Brionac?), which, unlike the rod-sling, he had no need to wield, himself; for it was alive, and thirsted so for blood that only by steeping its head in a sleeping-draught of pounded poppy leaves could it be kept at rest. When battle was near, it was drawn out; then it roared and struggled against its thongs; fire flashed from it; and, once slipped from the leash, it tore through and through the ranks of the enemy, never tired of slaying.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Lugh_spear_Millar.jpg/376px-Lugh_spear_Millar.jpg Resureccion? This guy was the father of Cuchullain, who was known for his terrible rages or "warp spasms" - possible similarity to Ichigo's Hollow side. Gáe Bulg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1e_Bulg) also seems like a zanpakuto to me. The first warp-spasm seized Cúchulainn, and made him into a monstrous thing, hideous and shapeless, unheard of. His shanks and his joints, every knuckle and angle and organ from head to foot, shook like a tree in the flood or a reed in the stream. His body made a furious twist inside his skin, so that his feet and shins switched to the rear and his heels and calves switched to the front... On his head the temple-sinews stretched to the nape of his neck, each mighty, immense, measureless knob as big as the head of a month-old child... he sucked one eye so deep into his head that a wild crane couldn't probe it onto his cheek out of the depths of his skull; the other eye fell out along his cheek. His mouth weirdly distorted: his cheek peeled back from his jaws until the gullet appeared, his lungs and his liver flapped in his mouth and throat, his lower jaw struck the upper a lion-killing blow, and fiery flakes large as a ram's fleece reached his mouth from his throat... The hair of his head twisted like the tange of a red thornbush stuck in a gap; if a royal apple tree with all its kingly fruit were shaken above him, scarce an apple would reach the ground but each would be spiked on a bristle of his hair as it stood up on his scalp with rage. Shinigami=Fianna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fianna)? Read the article and tell me what you think of using the name.
Prime32 01-08-08, 02:53 PM	The most difficult, but interesting, clash of cultures will be the different spiritual dichotomies: shinigami and hollows are split over the traditionnal yin/yang (reason/instinct, honor/passion) angels and demons are split over Good and Evil (sins vs virtues) greek and roman and all animist pantheons are pure anthropomorphic principles (storms, sea, earth, death, etc...) crossovers should play a lot on this for weird alliances. I'm currently trying to put together a beginner setting leaflet for my take on bleach d20. It's set in Hiroshima and i'm planning to play a lot with this crossover thing (western spirit creatures haunting a wierd place standing at the old "ground zero" for exemple) Well I was going with "all myths are distortions of local Hollows and shinigami". The Spanish names in Japan suggest that Hollows are pretty much the same everywhere.
the_unthinkable 01-08-08, 06:23 PM	Well I was going with "all myths are distortions of local Hollows and shinigami". The Spanish names in Japan suggest that Hollows are pretty much the same everywhere. I also believe that Hollows are the same everywhere else because of the same reason you stated. (I also like the the Aztec pantheon being hollows. It ties it together very nicely.) In a game called Drakengard 2, there was a character that made a pact with the land's reaper. Not many of you know about this game and probably don't care if you don't know about it, but I'm using this as a parallel to Bleach. I think that Soul Reapers (English show) or Shinigami (Japanese show) and their Soul Society are represented by the land's culture that they are over, thus why Soul Reapers/Shinigami in Bleach a dressed in Feudal Japanese attire. (I probably didn't use the right words here so don't flip out if I did.)
Prime32 02-18-08, 03:20 PM	Just coming back to this thread to add something: The Quincy were the Knights Templar! After the Templars and their families were hunted down, tortured and killed by the Vatican ("I don't see any monster with a skull for a face - those guys must be crazy!"), 1500 survivors fled to Japan. Since many of them had lost their faith in God after that little incident, their old name no longer seemed appropriate - they renamed themselves "The Fifteen Hundred", or Quindici in Italian, which was eventually corrupted to "Quincy". The Templar's mission was basically to protect people, after all. And of course, the Knights Templar used a cross with four arms of equal length as their symbol. http://www.ancientquest.com/images/templar-cross.gif (If anyone knows a group that used a blue cross on a white field as their symbol other than Finland, let me know)
the_unthinkable 02-20-08, 07:46 PM	I found this flag at wikipedia.org. I hope it helps. 1431-1619 The Greek σπαχήδες (sipahis) cavalry units serving with the Turkish army were allowed to use this flag during the first centuries of Ottoman rule, when within the territory of Epirus and the Peloponnese. Similar flags were used during the Greek Revolution. It's a blue cross over a white field, with an image of St. George slaying the dragon in the middle.
Prime32 02-21-08, 01:50 PM	I have since seen an article which points out that the Quincy cross is five-pointed, and this is probably related to their name. I don't know what I'm going to do about "the 1500", but what about this: http://www.bleachweb.com/site/images/goodies/image_18.jpg The treasure of the Templars was said to be a piece of the True Cross. It was actually the five-pointed Quincy cross (I suppose it could still be made of the melted-down nails or something, if you want). Anyway, some representative from the Vatican forced the Quincy/Templars to let him see it, but when he touched it, he became spiritually aware. Driven mad by the "demons" he saw everywhere (which often had Templars nearby), he believed the Quincy had cursed him with unholy powers, and ended up getting them declared as Satanists. Afterwards, the five-pointed star, pentagram and related symbols were declared to be tools of the devil. The Templars, under torture, "admitted" to worshipping a demonic head named Baphomet. This was likely a hollow mask, not a head.
the_unthinkable 02-21-08, 05:45 PM	I think that the traditional cross and the five pointed cross can both work 'cause they are both seen used by Uryu, but that's only a suggestion. It's getting to look really good.
Prime32 02-21-08, 05:51 PM	Do you have any more ideas? Mythologies that bear similarities to Bleach?
RusVal 02-22-08, 10:59 PM	I have since seen an article which points out that the Quincy cross is five-pointed,... *Snip* ...The treasure of the Templars was said to be a piece of the True Cross. It was actually the five-pointed Quincy cross... Five points, eh? Like a certain building I could name? Ironically the HQ of one of the most powerful militaries in the world at the moment? Not to mention all the conspiracy theories connecting its construction to various Illuminatie groups in American history. While not sharing the same name, there could be many more Quinces out there than we realize. And much better equipped. Since, you know, bows are sooo four centuries ago. ;)