Organization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Insignia of the Gotei 13

The Gotei 13 is made up of thirteen divisions, with several divisions having certain specializations. [ For those that have never watched Bleach - this is practically a ninja roleplay with 13 differend squads. ]

The Gotei 13 is led by the Captain-Commander, who has the statuary authority to conduct all the affairs of the Gotei 13 while deferring to the authority of the Central 46 Chambers, which will not be included in the roleplay, in matters involving Soul Society.

As with any army, the Gotei 13 has ranks. There are 20 ranks for officers, but no ranks for non-officers. The lower the number is, the higher the rank. The ranks and their descriptions are below, from highest to lowest in terms of strength. The Gotei 13 is an organization with a merit-based hierarchy. It has disposed of the system of rank based on seniority. Abilities are the only thing used to determine one's rank. 

Captain's Council

The captains congregate in the main hall of the First Division Headquarters to discuss important issues involving their specific divisions and matters which affect Soul Society. This council is highly formal, with the captain-commander leading its proceedings. All captains are considered equal (with the exception of the captain-commander), and determine the course of their individual division unless dictated otherwise by the captain-commander. Votes are carried out via a unanimous consensus.

The Captain-Commander (総隊長, Sōtaichō; Viz "Captain-General"; Captain-Commander, Head-Captain in the English dub) is the supreme leader of the Gotei 13. The position requires the Captain-Commander to oversee the overall operations of the Gotei 13, Onmitsukidō and Kidō Corps when the well-being of Seireitei and Soul Society is at stake. The only power the Captain-Commander answers to is the Central 46 Chambers, who elect the successor of the current Captain-Commander in the event of their death.                                        

A Captain (隊長, Taichō; lit. Unit Commander) is the leader of one of the thirteen divisions.                                                                                        

Captains are generally the most respected Shinigami within the Soul Society, with the leaders of the Kidō Corps and Onmitsukidō possibly being on equal status. With one exception, all captains are able to utilize the final stage of their Zanpakutō, and are far more powerful than even their lieutenants. Knowing Bankai gives captains an average of five-to-ten times the strength of Shinigami who are unable to perform it. They have extensively trained, if not mastered, their Bankai, allowing them to use the enormous power effectively in battle. Most captains are skilled in the use of Shunpo and Kidō, and generally have extensive knowledge of Shinigami history and battle tactics. All of these factors create a vast power gap between captains and lower-ranked officers.

They function as Chief executive officers, and they determine the course, organization, tactics, and policy of their division. The power a captain has over his/her division is absolute and cannot be questioned by subordinates or the captains of the other divisions. Due to captains having supreme authority in their respective division, the divisions are separate entities and not a cohesive military. In this way, they only have the right to punish the actions of their subordinates and not those of other divisions. unless the division in question has no current captain or the subordinate's actions are against the laws or rules of Soul Society.

The true power of Soul Society lies in the captains of the Gotei 13, as they are the leaders of its military arm. With them at full strength, Soul Society is safe and almost unbeatable. If they are broken, their strength dwindles, making them highly vulnerable.

There are three different ways to become a Gotei 13 captain:

1. Captain Proficiency Test (隊首, taishu): A test which requires the ability to perform Bankai. Nearly all Shinigami become captains using this method. At least three existing captains, including the Captain-Commander, have to witness the test.

2. Personal Recommendation: To have personal recommendations from at least six captains and approval from at least three of the remaining seven.

3. Trial by Combat: To defeat a captain one-on-one with at least 200 witnesses from the captain's division. This method is seen as being the exceedingly rarest and the least refined of the three. The method is commonly looked down upon by some captains as barbaric compared to the other refined methods. This method allows one to bypass having the mastery of Bankai or other possible abilities which a captain would otherwise be required to have knowledge of, for it allows no judgment from captains who would require those skills as a prerequisite to join their ranks. Though rare in other Divisions, the Eleventh Division has been set up to exclusively utilize this method, with each captain attaining their rank by killing the predecessor.

Lieutenant

•  A Lieutenant (副隊長, fukutaichō; Viz "Assistant Captain"; vice-unit commander, often translated as vice-captain) is the 2nd seated officer in a division.

Lieutenants function as executive officers for their division, taking care of or supervising day-to-day operations. Along with their captains, they are not assigned to one specific squad. They generally only know the Shikai of their Zanpakutō, but are still the second strongest in their division. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making him unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the "substitute captain" until another can be assigned.

The authority to appoint or dismiss a lieutenant lies solely with the captain of the respective division, a privilege which was granted to them with the support of the Central 46 Chambers. Captains reserve the right to appoint multiple lieutenants at a single time, though this is rarely done due to it being both considered highly unorthodox and heavily frowned upon by the Central 46 Chambers. Though rarely exercised, any potential candidate retains the right to decline the nomination.

Seated Officers

Seated officers are the remainder of the officers in the Gotei 13 which hold ranks at or below 3rd Seat. Captains and lieutenants have the ranks of 1st and 2nd Seats, respectively. Next to that, there are 18 more seats (3rd-20th). In the Gotei 13, only one person can hold a senior officer rank (such as 3rd or 5th seat), but there are several holders of junior officer ranks (e.g. 20th seat). This varies from division to division, if two officers have the same talent or strength they may both hold a senior officer rank with the captains approval. Seated officers often lead sub-units within each division.

Transferring to Another Division

Officers do not necessarily serve in their assigned division for life. It is customary to be transferred to another division after gaining some experience, an event which often coincides with a promotion.

Uniforms

Most Gotei 13 personnel (picture 1) wear the standard Shinigami uniform, called Shihakushō (死覇装, Garment of Dead Souls) - a white agi (下着, under clothing), a black kosode (小袖, small sleeve), a black hakama (袴), a white hakama-himo, white tabi (足袋, foot pouch), and waraji (草鞋). The black kosode has its owner's division insignia emblazoned on the inside. Lieutenants sometimes wear an armband which carries their division symbol and its number, usually on their left arm. They are required to do this when they are summoned to a meeting, but apart from this, it is rarely compulsory.

Captains (picture 2) wear a white haori (羽織) over the usual black Shinigami clothes, with the number of their division on the back inside the Gotei 13 symbol (a rhombus). Some captains have long sleeves, while the others do not. The color of the underside is division--or at least captain--specific, for every captain has a different color of it.

Gotei 13 officers, particularly captains and lieuteants, often customize their personal appearance or that of their uniform. For example, all members of the 9th Division wear kosode without sleeves. 

Zanpakuto

The Zanpakutō of low-ranking Shinigami are called Asauchi and do not have names, but the Zanpakutō of Shinigami of rank have names. In its sealed state, a Zanpakutō has the form of a Japanese sword. Such weapons are unique swords generated from their owner's souls. Its shape differs depending on its owner.

Zanpakutō are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spiritual bodies, they are among the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows, a monster which is born from a soul that didn't make it to Soul Society. Each Shinigami carries a Zanpakutō, and each Zanpakutō is unique: the swords are reflections of a Shinigami's power and soul, and sentient beings unto themselves. The Zanpakutō's name is the name of the living spirit which empowers the sword and lends its strength to the Shinigami who wields it. These beings can vary greatly in appearance, and have their own distinct personalities, which match their owner's.

A Zanpakutō's shape and abilities are based on their Shinigami's soul. Once a Shinigami learns his/her sword's name, they can communicate with one another and grow stronger together. Zanpakutō are born with their Shinigami, and they die along with their Shinigami. Shinigami use them in battle as a reflection of their heart. When released, they can display a vibrant power. They are one with the Shinigami, and they share a Shinigami's conviction.

Inside each Zanpakutō is an incarnation which manifests itself upon the Zanpakutō's transformation. The first step is to acquaint oneself with this incarnation.

Facts: 

-Because they are part of their owner's soul, a Zanpakutō cannot be replaced, though it will slowly regenerate if it is broken.

-The only thing which can heal a broken Zanpakutō is its own wielder's force of will, Reiatsu, and the time required to infuse the Zanpakutō with this Reiatsu. This only relates to one's Shikai. The destruction of a Shikai and the destruction of a Bankai hold quite different meanings, for a destroyed Bankai can never be restored to its original form.

-The size of the Zanpakutō reflects the amount of the swordsman's spiritual power. Exceptions to this rule are beings of immense power, who are required to actively control the size of their Zanpakutō.

-If a Shinigami pierces the chest of a Human with their Zanpakutō and channels their Reiryoku through it into the Human's body, it will transform this Human into a Shinigami temporarily. This process does not have a high chance of viability even when the Human in question has a high level of spiritual energy, and if the method does fail, the Human will die.

-Every Zanpakutō has its own name, which the wielder must learn.

-A Zanpakutō can determine if its wielder is worthy of its power. Based on this, the Zanpakutō may choose not to give its true Bankai name (and its full potential) if it feels the wielder is not worthy.

-Zanpakutō have a true form. This true form resides inside their Shinigami. A Zanpakutō has a mind and a body, which control their powers. Shinigami can grow more powerful by communicating with them.

-Zanpakutō possess their own Reiatsu, which can be sensed as any Reiatsu can and is identical to their wielder's, though with subtle differences.

-It is possible for a Shinigami to lose harmony with their Zanpakutō if they are suffering from mental instability, resulting in the Zanpakutō spirit in question unable to hear their wielder's voice, and thus causing the Shinigami to lose access to the sword's Shikai despite knowing its name.

-No matter what form (or size) a Zanpakutō takes, it is always virtually effortless for its owner to wield because it is a part of its owner's soul. Shinigami captains all consciously keep their Zanpakutō in a manageable size, or else they would be holding Zanpakutō the size of skyscrapers, so one cannot judge the strength of one's opponent solely by the size of their Zanpakutō.

-No Zanpakutō in existence has a Shikai and a Bankai which use unrelated abilities

-A Kidō-type Zanpakutō cannot use elemental attacks of more than one element

Communication & Personality

A wielder knows their Zanpakutō spirit very closely and vice versa. The connection is very deep, though in the beginning the connection is one sided, with the wielder being unable to fully hear the spirit communicating with them. It is not uncommon for the introduction of the Shinigami and Zanpakutō spirit to take place in the "inner world" while the prospective Shinigami sleeps.

As stated, a Zanpakutō is a being unto itself, and tends to be highly temperamental. Its mood is determined by how it is treated by its Shinigami and its overall personality. This allows a Shinigami to partially determine whether or not it will achieve its true power.

Inner World

Normally, the Zanpakutō spirit can only be seen by its wielder. Otherwise, they dwell in their own "inner world", created within the minds of the Shinigami who wield them. As such, each Shinigami's inner world is drastically different from another Shinigami's, and is unique to themselves. A Zanpakutō's spirit can bring its wielder into its inner world, though Shinigami can voluntarily achieve this simply by meditation.

Shikai

Shikai (始解, Initial Release) is the second form (or first upgraded form) available to a Zanpakutō. To activate it, the Shinigami needs to learn the name of their Zanpakutō. This is not as easy as simply picking a name, for the living spirit of the Zanpakutō already has its own name. The Shinigami must be able to communicate and harmonize with their Zanpakutō effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its world.

The blade changes shape and gains special abilities by chanting a Kaigo, or release incantation. Using the Kaigo, followed by the name of the Zanpakutō, activatesShikai. It is crucial to memorize each phrase, for every Zanpakutō has a different incantation.

The commands vary between users and range from a simple imperative verb to a short poem. They often relate to the Zanpakutō's signature ability or hint at the nature of its spirit. This step may be bypassed by expert Shinigami who have learned how to use their Bankai. Occasionally, Shinigami who did not learn Bankai can release their Zanpakutō simply by saying its name.

Achievement of the Shikai is a mark of control of a Zanpakutō, and it is a requirement for advancement within the Shinigami ranks, for most seated officers are capable of Shikai. It is required in order to achieve the rank of lieutenant, for it is a requirement which most captains look for.

Bankai

Bankai (卍解, Final Release) is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō spirit. Materialization means the opposite of getting dragged into the Zanpakutō's inner world: the wielder needs to summon the Zanpakutō's spirit into the physical world. It usually takes 10 years or more to achieve, plus the experience needed to master it.

The power and forms of Shikai and Bankai are dependent on the Zanpakutō, and vary according to the wielder's strength and training. But in general, one's power can grow 5 to 10 times greater by attaining it.[51] Only the strongest Shinigami can use it, and it is the ultimate technique of a Zanpakutō. Even the four noble families, whose members are always exceptionally talented, only have a member capable of Bankai every few generations. Those who achieve Bankai always have remarkable roles in the history of Soul Society.

If you cannot think of a Zanpakuto which would represent your character well, I suggest you use this quiz as a base:

1. [click here]