The First Division

Mission
The First Division of the Gotei 5 is simultaneously the division with the most illustrious history and the division with the most authority. Much of its authority stems from the fact that it is the oldest of all divisions, and though there have been isolated incidents of the Gotei at large being led by the captain of some other division, the First traditionally acts as the administrative body of the organization.

Unlike every other division, the First lacks a particular speciality—where, for example, the Third Division specializes in medicine and the Demon Arts and the Fifth Division in conflicts of all manner of sizes, the First Division stays true to its roots and encourages a well-rounded skillset in its members. If, for some inexplicable reason, every other division was to suddenly disappear, the First would be very well suited to adapting to the various tasks they left behind. Its members may not produce results in quite as efficient a manner, but the Gotei would certainly remain fully functional.

It is for this reason that those who lack a particular specialization gravitate toward the First, as do those with excellent leadership and organizational skills. In a sense, the First Division is about constant improvement, and through improvement, setting an example for the rest of the Gotei to aspire to. Members of the First Division are often seen as genial, helpful, competent and driven by a desire to make the very best of any given situation for both themselves and their compatriots. It is common to see members of the First Division temporarily attached to other divisions in a supportive capacity as a means of broadening the group’s operational potential, though these liaisons rarely, if ever, take charge of the unit they are attached to. The First Division also sees a proportionally larger share of interdivisional transfers—some Shinigami decide to stay and pursue a career in the administration of Seireitei, but the remainder is typically very fluid, eventually leaving the First after settling on a specialization.

As a natural extension of the First Division’s desire to better themselves and others, they have maintained the Spiritual Arts Academy since its inception with the goal of providing the very best instruction to candidates of all walks of life in order to foster new generations of excellence. The First Division is so intrinsically linked with the Academy that upon graduation, students are automatically assigned to the First Division if no other suitable division can be found.

Command
Despite having seen its fair share of bureaucratic nonsense in the past, the First has since been pared down and streamlined a great deal since Seireitei ridded itself of the Central 46.

Roster
Captain-Commander: Shun Minamoto
The Captain is in command of the division, and holds the unique title of Captain-Commander of the Gotei 5. She is the ultimate military authority in all matters and as such outranks not only everyone in the First Division, but also everyone—including the captains—in the other four divisions.

Lieutenant:
The Lieutenant acts as an executive officer, and is second in command. The lieutenant focuses primarily on day-to-day administrative tasks within the division, reports to the captain, and her orders can only be overruled by the captain herself. The lieutenant of the First Division traditionally outranks the lieutenants of all other divisions.

Third Seat:
The Third Seat acts as the headmaster for the Spiritual Arts Academy, which includes duties such as appointing instructors and administering exams. Her rank grants her no particular authority outside the Academy, though it is common for most Shinigami to treat her with a certain reverence given that all Shinigami have attended the Academy at one point or another.

Seated Officers:
Seated Officers are all subordinate to the captain and lieutenant of the division, but given the nature of the First Division’s duties and its members’ varied strengths, it is common for seated officers to be assigned to aid other divisions in their work. The numbers they hold are linked to the duties they perform, hence, they hold no authority over one another, only over those working under them in their branch: the unseated Shinigami assigned to/ interested in helping with the Archives, the maintaining of the prison (its gates), etc.

Sixth Seat: Murat Pasha - The Seat for the Ambassador to the Quincy.

Unseated Shinigami:
Unseated Shinigami are those members of the First Division that have displayed qualities suitable for military administration or otherwise lack a sufficient specialization for placement in another division.
They tend to pick one of the fields the seated officers are leading and help the latter in managing said field.
- Amou Daichi
- Li Yingfeng

Facilities
Besides the new Command Annex*, built next to the Central Command Annex [currently under reconstruction], the First Division maintains a number of facilities, including the following:

The Captains’ Assembly Hall - A high-ceilinged chamber within the First Division compound where meetings of the captains are held. They arrange themselves in two lines on either side of the Commander: even-numbered captains on his right, and odd-numbered captains on his left.

The Lieutenants’ Assembly Hall - A similarly high-ceilinged chamber adjacent to the Captains’ Assembly Hall where the lieutenants wait for their captains to conduct their business, though it is decidedly less formal than the higher-ranking equivalent.

The Spiritual Arts Academy - Also known as the Shinigami Academy, all Shinigami have—at one point or another in their lives—attended this institution. It offers a wide variety of courses, some more specialized than others, and the standard curriculum takes the average Shinigami approximately six years to complete. The instructors hail from every division, each teaching what they know best to ensure a consistently high standard of education for all students.

Central Command Annex - Previously the complex used by the Central-46, this facility has been refurbished to serve as a centralized administrative archive and office complex. [Beneath the surface of this facility lies the Daireishokairō, which is the restricted facility that contains all historical record for the Gotei as well as much of the Soul Society. These documents range in content from simple tax collection to top secret experiment. These documents do not contain esoteric knowledge such as training manuals or other reading intended for a similar purpose. Access to this facility is both secret and tightly controlled. This was previously the Central-46 building.]

Senzaikyu - This is the large, looming, white tower in the center of the Gotei that acts as a prison for violators of the Soul Society's justice, as well as a holding cell for those awaiting execution. [Beneath this facility is the Underground Prison. See later entry for details. This facility is top secret and only a highly select few in all the Gotei have knowledge of it, let alone access.]

Sokyoku Hill - A large, rocky mesa that rises high above the center of the Soul Society is the plaza site of all public executions. Although surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides, several sets of stairs rise from the Senzaikyu and connecting plazas all the way up to the top. When in use, a large Gallows capable of accommodating as many as four, simultaneous executions is erected atop the outcropping.

Barracks, Mess, and Officer's Quarters - This central facility houses the bulk of all First Division personnel and contains all essential elements of a comfortable life and successful career. Full service kitchen facilities, private training yards, spacious quarters, offices and conference rooms for collaboration, and a private Senkaimon for emergency use all highlight this complex.

The Underground Prison - Beneath the Senzaikyu is a secret facility known simply as the "Shugo". Here, the truly dangerous await their end. Special qualities of this facility's construction make it impossible for any reiryoku to be molded within its walls, ensuring that Kido cannot be used in any capacity. Many of the residents of this facility are either impossible to execute by known means, or are impossible to execute safely and so they wait for techniques to be developed in order to do so, or their natural end to come. But far below even this deep place is The Muken. Exceptionally little is known about the Muken, even by the Captain Commander. The opening and sealing of its doors require extraordinary effort and considerable time, and it is a realm devoid of any and all contact. It is here, where nightmares truly dwell and are sent to be forgotten.



Standing Order(s)
* Any Shinigami who witnesses a Quincy destroying souls is duty-bound to detain or destroy the Quincy.

THREAD THEME