Clexx
Level 2
SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY APPLICATION
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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
Clexxss (2nd character slot)
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
clexxs or Clexxs#8882
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
EST
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
None
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
Yes
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
On almost everyday for at least five hours a day, sometimes less if I am busy.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Shrine Maiden
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU
PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
I am both prepared and willing to learn more about Shintoism and what I know about it is that it’s Japan's indigenous religion, meaning it was Japan's original religion before any form of colonists or foreigners came over to try spreading their religion. Also Shinto is a religion that holds many different types of gods and goddesses, some good or bad depending on how you view their ethics. Another thing is that people who practice Shinto are sometimes called Shintoists. Finally, Shinto itself is a polytheistic religion and their gods are called Kami’s, there are over eight million Kami!
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
What makes me stand out? Well my history on SRP and within the community as a whole has drastically changed since I first began playing on the server, I have come to terms with my not so polite past but since then I have made sure to make amends where I did wrong and I cleaned up my act. Whenever I get involved with something I am dedicated to the cause no matter what is thrown at me regardless of how bad it might be.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
Yes I do acknowledge this.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Clexxs Jaeger Hunter
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
Mr.
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
30
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
German
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
030-813-1391
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
My motivation for applying is fairly simple, I want to deepen my connection to the spirit realm within the land I call my home. Ever since I came to Karakura I have always felt a certain presence whenever you walk through the forest, as if I am being looked over and protected by a higher power and they are my guardian Kami. Another thing is that most of my friends in the past and present now are and have always been highly religious and I was keen to their devotion to the gods, I wanted to get more in touch with it all but I was afraid to do so at the time due to school and constant family issues. Being the only older brother to a large family takes up a lot of your time but thankfully nowadays I have a lot of time to spend and in my spare time this last decade I spent doing so deepening my mind on Shintoism and devoting myself to it.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
The Shinsei Seinaru Monastery has been around for as long as the town has been founded, longer even since it was built in 744 by Buddist Monks, after some time there was a fire that caused nearly everything to burn down, except for one building that survived thanks to the protection of the Kami, the fire broke out in the first place due to rebellious Buddist monks. There have been two accounts of the Monastery itself burning down, first like I just mentioned which happened in 1176, it was rebuilt over a hundred years later in 1228 and not so long later, three hundred and fifty years later to be more precise in 1578 it was burnt down to the ground once again. It was finally rebuilt sometime after 1620 and to this day it still stands atop a mountain.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Shrine Lead,
My name is Clexxs Jaeger Hunter and it is with great pride that I write to you today. I was born in the outskirts of Berlin Germany but didn’t reside there for long due to an unfortunate event in which my family's mansion was burnt down to the ground. I have an only child to my knowledge, biologically speaking at least because all of my family's records were burnt in the fire so there is little to no way to find out if I have more family or it is just me left.
I will not hide my past with you since I am now a devoted Shintoist myself so here I go, when I first arrived into the city I got involved in the most aggressive and violent family possible, the Hunter family. If you do not know which I am glad you do not until this day with this letter, they were a notorious family, not anything like the old Santarossa family thankfully but our name carries a lot of malice behind it with our eldest brother and also one of the heads being known as a psychopathic, insane devient murder, I am talking about Arctic Hunter or “KAGE”, I have cut all ties to that side of the family since, that is not me anymore and I do not wish to have any ties to that side of my family again and only the good ones, which is not much but what can you do.
I know a few workers at the shine I cannot list their names off the top of my head currently since I have a horrible time with names, faces are what I am best at remembering. One in particular being Calico, she has been with me for as long as I can remember and is one of the reasons I wish to work at your magnificent monastery. She is and will always be my best friend, until death parts us. We have casual talks about the Monastery and what duties are required to keep it as amazing as it looks to the eyes, and even how you guys and girls here sometimes have to battle against the spirits themselves. Such bravery inspires me to reach out even more than I could have ever anticipated.
In conclusion it would be more than an honor to work for your glorious Monastery as a Shrine Maiden with you and Calico, and to be honest everybody else there since everyone is so polite and open, the perfect atmosphere for someone like me who wishes to deepen my connection with the Kamis.
I hope this letter finds you well, best wishes and above all, thank you,
Clexxs Jaeger Hunter.
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Clexxs Jaeger was born in the outskirts of Berlin Germany, he was a small yet gentle boy at a young age. He enjoyed exploration, fantasy and going on adventures with his friends when his father was not around or cared about what he was doing for the time. His family lived in their dynasty owned estate mansion, or rather called the 'Jaeger Home' by the locals since only Jaegers lived in that house and nobody else was allowed to. His mother was a kind and gentle soul who cared for Clexxs more than her own self, he was her everything, her pride and joy and she hated it when his father, Karl, punished him unfairly for things he didn't mean to do or didn't get the grades his father wanted him to get, both him and his mother payed the price of speaking and going against his word. To call the Jaeger household dark would be shining a dim light over what it truly was like living there in young Clexxs's eyes. His father, Kart was a vicious and unfair man, if he didn't like something about a Jaeger he gave them a choice. Fix it or undergo punishment for disobeying the word of Mr. Jaeger as everyone called him. Soon after Clexxs's fifth birthday his own father set fire to the family estate, burning it down to the ground and killing everybody else who was trapped inside, Clexxs and his mother barely survived. His father, Karl, before setting fire to the estate emptied the family treasury and packed it all into his car, at the time his father was also cheating on Clexxs's mother with one of his secretaries from his business firm in Berlin. He directly planned on forcing both Clexxs and his mother to be homeless and bound to the cold winter streets of Berlin. Life for the two of them was rough, so rough that his own mother knew that only one of them would survive until the next spring. She didn't mind that at all though since she knew that he would eventually live to become a stronger and more dignified man than his father could ever try to be, and that is what she wanted to do most, spite her ex-husband with their child he claimed everyday was a 'Bastard Child' who 'does not deserve anything and should be lucky to even be living'. One day in mid February during a snowfall Clexxs went to the local cafe that would give him and his mother spare hot cocoa they had left for them and bread or pastries they knew they would not sell that day for them to eat instead to stay on their feet. As he was returning from the cafe and turned the corner he saw his mother being beaten on by some thugs and rushed to her side to help her but, he was cracked over the head with a baseball bat and was rendered helpless and weakened by one of the thugs as they all ganged up on his mother they punched, kicked and stabbed her ruthlessly. Clexxs could barely keep his eyes open, his heart racing through his stomach, until he passed out and woke up an unknown amount of time later. But, as he made his way over to his mother's side she was nearly gone, she only had a few moments left and in those moments she said "Clexxs, you are my pride and joy, I need you to grow up to be strong and dependable for me okay? Show your father, spite him with just how far you will go and all you will achieve in life. I love you my Little Snowflake.." and just like that she had drifted away beyond his control anymore.
Months have passed since his mother's passing, he was cold, alone and now on his last legs mere days away from joining his mother in the same back alley where she was also taken. But one fortunate day a man came along walking down the street with multiple other men in front and behind him, he seemed of great importance but Clexxs did not have the energy to call out to him so all he did was stare the man down and watch him pass, but he stopped infront of Clexxs, bent down and looked him in the eyes and said "You remind me of when I was a young boy, cold, alone and starving with nobody around to help me out. So I will help you out today and give you a choice, you can either come with me into my family and business and be bound to us for the rest of your life or, you can die here, alone, hungry and cold. Which will it be young one?" How could he refuse the offer? This was his only shot at becoming a man better than his father and ultimately staying alive for a lot longer than he was going to be on the streets alone. He couldn't say yes so he nodded his head and the man gently scooped him up into his arms and carried him to his Limousine. The man wore a strange pin on his suit with foreign characters labeled on them in black with a clean white background.
They did not speak much on the car ride to the airport or even on the plane but what Clexxs soon to be new father told him this, "Before we get to your new home I want you to know I am the Supreme leader of the Yakuza Clan in Japan known as The Sumiyoshi-Kai Clan. I will give you everything you need, knowledge, strength, food, a bed and the tools to survive in this world. You will become more than the average man with my help, my son." Clexxs didn't oppose this idea at all in fact, he wanted to see what would happen if he continued down this path so he followed where the road ultimately led him down. As they landed in Kyoto Japan there were tens of cars and hundreds of people, men and women, all waiting for them to get off the private jet and into the decorated limousine. As they drove his father talked to him about what he was going to do until a certain age and what would come after that, and one day he will own everything his father has including the seat as the Supreme leader of the clan. He listened to every one of his fathers words diligently, making sure to keep everything locked in and to not forget it. When they arrived at the Clan Estate it was large, it was the size of a small town to be blunt and there were a lot of people posted outside the gate awaiting their arrival and for their duty to just stand there and be on the lookout for any incoming messengers or anything of their use. Clexxs settled himself into his new room and saw there was a small black and white suit awaiting for him hanging on the Wardrobe next to his bed, his father came in and told him that suit was going to be his second layer of skin and first line of defense against any form of attack and to get showered and cleaned up before trying it on, which he did clean himself up and when he tried it on he was dumbfounded at how it fit him perfectly and above all else how he looked, the suit also had the same emblem as his father's pin embroidered into it on the left outside flap on his chest. For the following thirteen years he would study under his father, work for him and even went with him on peace treaty and other Clan meetings in order to learn how to act in such scenarios, how to talk and how to present himself in front of his potential business partners. He had learned so much in a short amount of years but it was all going to come close to an end as quickly as it all began for him.
One summer afternoon as he was out at a local town near the estate collecting protection money and getting info on when their next shipment of imported weapons would be, he could feel as if something was off but payed no mind to it. So he went back home and saw there was no guards at the front gate, okay now there was something terribly wrong to him and he prepared himself for battle but when he opened the gates he saw the aftermath of the slaughter, the bodies of his friends, loved ones and members laid slain across the grounds and how the maidens were desecrated in death. He was horrified at what he saw and as he walked towards the Supreme leader's house he saw only more and more bodies lying about. Each step he took to his fathers office his heart grew heavier and he grew angrier and when he opened those sliding doors, he was met with his father, decapitated and his head mounted on a spike in front of the doors. He cried out, everything he held near and dear to him taken away once again, after a long moment of screaming and crying he eventually pulled himself together and began the process of burying everyone who was killed at the estate which was everyone besides himself. The sole surviving member of the Sumiyoshi-Kai clan and the now acting head of it. He traveled the world for twelve whole years trying to track down and find who killed his father and clan mates again, who took everything away from him but he found nothing, it was as if it was the work of a god who made it all happen.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The Priests’ duties are important, they maintain the relationship between the Kami and the worshiper, this is done through three different activities. One of them being through direct offerings, the second one is through meditation for the deities blessing for the practitioner and the last and final one is through Evocation of the Kami itself. They also officiate all of the events and ceremonies held for and at the behalf of the worshipers, two examples being weddings and the New Year festival.
The Maidens, or Miko, are also important since they work the gift shop, make sure the shrine grounds are clean and well kept, help in the ceremony for weddings and even events like the New Year festival too. They also answer any and all questions visitors ask them, if they are able to of course.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
Firstly, you must pick up the ladle at the trough with spring water and pour it over your right hand, then your left. After your hands are now cleansed you must place the ladle down onto the Temizuya and bring your hands down to the water and cup it into both hands and bring said hands back up to wash your mouth out of water, cleansing it of any evil and you also MUST spit the water out to the side onto the rocks. Finally after that you will place the ladle back into the water, all of this is mandatory to make sure any and all evil spirits are removed from your soul before entering the sacred grounds.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
When you or someone wishes to do an offering to a Kami they can put or place an offering inside of the Saisen or offering box, if it is money it goes inside if it is not money it must go to the side of the box. Afterwards you step backwards and ring the bell to inform the Kami you wish to give the offering to that you are inviting them for said offering. Then you must bow two times, clap twice and say the prayer you wish to say to the Kami, the prayer can either be said aloud for others to hear or you may simply keep it to yourself and the Kami.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
Firstly to start off you would make tea how you normally would by boiling water in a kettle and then when it is heated enough you place the tea bags inside, letting the tea settle in the boiling water. When ready to serve the tea, you will place down teacups in front of your guests and face the spout away from them. You will then bow your head and say a prayer over the kettle as you turn the spout slowly towards the guests and pour the hot splendid tea into their cup or cups first then yours last. For any kind of Ceremony there are and will always be four parts and they are Harmony, Respect, Tranquility and Purity!
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
Tamagushi - A branch from a Sakai Tree and it is decorated with strips of washi paper or silk and it is a sign of goodwill. It is an offering used when doing an offering for the Kami, they are also used in weddings and funerals!
Ofuda - These are made from wood, paper or cloth and they can be placed around homes, home shrines or just to carry around to ward off evil, hopefully. They are also the talisman that holds the power of the Kami which itself brings good luck and fortune.
Kagura Suzu - An instrument with twelve bells that is used in the Kagura and they can only be used by a Miko. The dance itself is used to bring good luck and good harvests to the land, also it is done to entertain the Kami which gains you favor with them!
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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
Clexxss (2nd character slot)
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
clexxs or Clexxs#8882
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
EST
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
None
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
Yes
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
On almost everyday for at least five hours a day, sometimes less if I am busy.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Shrine Maiden
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU
PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
I am both prepared and willing to learn more about Shintoism and what I know about it is that it’s Japan's indigenous religion, meaning it was Japan's original religion before any form of colonists or foreigners came over to try spreading their religion. Also Shinto is a religion that holds many different types of gods and goddesses, some good or bad depending on how you view their ethics. Another thing is that people who practice Shinto are sometimes called Shintoists. Finally, Shinto itself is a polytheistic religion and their gods are called Kami’s, there are over eight million Kami!
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
What makes me stand out? Well my history on SRP and within the community as a whole has drastically changed since I first began playing on the server, I have come to terms with my not so polite past but since then I have made sure to make amends where I did wrong and I cleaned up my act. Whenever I get involved with something I am dedicated to the cause no matter what is thrown at me regardless of how bad it might be.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
Yes I do acknowledge this.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Clexxs Jaeger Hunter
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
Mr.
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
30
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
German
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
030-813-1391
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
My motivation for applying is fairly simple, I want to deepen my connection to the spirit realm within the land I call my home. Ever since I came to Karakura I have always felt a certain presence whenever you walk through the forest, as if I am being looked over and protected by a higher power and they are my guardian Kami. Another thing is that most of my friends in the past and present now are and have always been highly religious and I was keen to their devotion to the gods, I wanted to get more in touch with it all but I was afraid to do so at the time due to school and constant family issues. Being the only older brother to a large family takes up a lot of your time but thankfully nowadays I have a lot of time to spend and in my spare time this last decade I spent doing so deepening my mind on Shintoism and devoting myself to it.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
The Shinsei Seinaru Monastery has been around for as long as the town has been founded, longer even since it was built in 744 by Buddist Monks, after some time there was a fire that caused nearly everything to burn down, except for one building that survived thanks to the protection of the Kami, the fire broke out in the first place due to rebellious Buddist monks. There have been two accounts of the Monastery itself burning down, first like I just mentioned which happened in 1176, it was rebuilt over a hundred years later in 1228 and not so long later, three hundred and fifty years later to be more precise in 1578 it was burnt down to the ground once again. It was finally rebuilt sometime after 1620 and to this day it still stands atop a mountain.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Shrine Lead,
My name is Clexxs Jaeger Hunter and it is with great pride that I write to you today. I was born in the outskirts of Berlin Germany but didn’t reside there for long due to an unfortunate event in which my family's mansion was burnt down to the ground. I have an only child to my knowledge, biologically speaking at least because all of my family's records were burnt in the fire so there is little to no way to find out if I have more family or it is just me left.
I will not hide my past with you since I am now a devoted Shintoist myself so here I go, when I first arrived into the city I got involved in the most aggressive and violent family possible, the Hunter family. If you do not know which I am glad you do not until this day with this letter, they were a notorious family, not anything like the old Santarossa family thankfully but our name carries a lot of malice behind it with our eldest brother and also one of the heads being known as a psychopathic, insane devient murder, I am talking about Arctic Hunter or “KAGE”, I have cut all ties to that side of the family since, that is not me anymore and I do not wish to have any ties to that side of my family again and only the good ones, which is not much but what can you do.
I know a few workers at the shine I cannot list their names off the top of my head currently since I have a horrible time with names, faces are what I am best at remembering. One in particular being Calico, she has been with me for as long as I can remember and is one of the reasons I wish to work at your magnificent monastery. She is and will always be my best friend, until death parts us. We have casual talks about the Monastery and what duties are required to keep it as amazing as it looks to the eyes, and even how you guys and girls here sometimes have to battle against the spirits themselves. Such bravery inspires me to reach out even more than I could have ever anticipated.
In conclusion it would be more than an honor to work for your glorious Monastery as a Shrine Maiden with you and Calico, and to be honest everybody else there since everyone is so polite and open, the perfect atmosphere for someone like me who wishes to deepen my connection with the Kamis.
I hope this letter finds you well, best wishes and above all, thank you,
Clexxs Jaeger Hunter.
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Clexxs Jaeger was born in the outskirts of Berlin Germany, he was a small yet gentle boy at a young age. He enjoyed exploration, fantasy and going on adventures with his friends when his father was not around or cared about what he was doing for the time. His family lived in their dynasty owned estate mansion, or rather called the 'Jaeger Home' by the locals since only Jaegers lived in that house and nobody else was allowed to. His mother was a kind and gentle soul who cared for Clexxs more than her own self, he was her everything, her pride and joy and she hated it when his father, Karl, punished him unfairly for things he didn't mean to do or didn't get the grades his father wanted him to get, both him and his mother payed the price of speaking and going against his word. To call the Jaeger household dark would be shining a dim light over what it truly was like living there in young Clexxs's eyes. His father, Kart was a vicious and unfair man, if he didn't like something about a Jaeger he gave them a choice. Fix it or undergo punishment for disobeying the word of Mr. Jaeger as everyone called him. Soon after Clexxs's fifth birthday his own father set fire to the family estate, burning it down to the ground and killing everybody else who was trapped inside, Clexxs and his mother barely survived. His father, Karl, before setting fire to the estate emptied the family treasury and packed it all into his car, at the time his father was also cheating on Clexxs's mother with one of his secretaries from his business firm in Berlin. He directly planned on forcing both Clexxs and his mother to be homeless and bound to the cold winter streets of Berlin. Life for the two of them was rough, so rough that his own mother knew that only one of them would survive until the next spring. She didn't mind that at all though since she knew that he would eventually live to become a stronger and more dignified man than his father could ever try to be, and that is what she wanted to do most, spite her ex-husband with their child he claimed everyday was a 'Bastard Child' who 'does not deserve anything and should be lucky to even be living'. One day in mid February during a snowfall Clexxs went to the local cafe that would give him and his mother spare hot cocoa they had left for them and bread or pastries they knew they would not sell that day for them to eat instead to stay on their feet. As he was returning from the cafe and turned the corner he saw his mother being beaten on by some thugs and rushed to her side to help her but, he was cracked over the head with a baseball bat and was rendered helpless and weakened by one of the thugs as they all ganged up on his mother they punched, kicked and stabbed her ruthlessly. Clexxs could barely keep his eyes open, his heart racing through his stomach, until he passed out and woke up an unknown amount of time later. But, as he made his way over to his mother's side she was nearly gone, she only had a few moments left and in those moments she said "Clexxs, you are my pride and joy, I need you to grow up to be strong and dependable for me okay? Show your father, spite him with just how far you will go and all you will achieve in life. I love you my Little Snowflake.." and just like that she had drifted away beyond his control anymore.
Months have passed since his mother's passing, he was cold, alone and now on his last legs mere days away from joining his mother in the same back alley where she was also taken. But one fortunate day a man came along walking down the street with multiple other men in front and behind him, he seemed of great importance but Clexxs did not have the energy to call out to him so all he did was stare the man down and watch him pass, but he stopped infront of Clexxs, bent down and looked him in the eyes and said "You remind me of when I was a young boy, cold, alone and starving with nobody around to help me out. So I will help you out today and give you a choice, you can either come with me into my family and business and be bound to us for the rest of your life or, you can die here, alone, hungry and cold. Which will it be young one?" How could he refuse the offer? This was his only shot at becoming a man better than his father and ultimately staying alive for a lot longer than he was going to be on the streets alone. He couldn't say yes so he nodded his head and the man gently scooped him up into his arms and carried him to his Limousine. The man wore a strange pin on his suit with foreign characters labeled on them in black with a clean white background.
They did not speak much on the car ride to the airport or even on the plane but what Clexxs soon to be new father told him this, "Before we get to your new home I want you to know I am the Supreme leader of the Yakuza Clan in Japan known as The Sumiyoshi-Kai Clan. I will give you everything you need, knowledge, strength, food, a bed and the tools to survive in this world. You will become more than the average man with my help, my son." Clexxs didn't oppose this idea at all in fact, he wanted to see what would happen if he continued down this path so he followed where the road ultimately led him down. As they landed in Kyoto Japan there were tens of cars and hundreds of people, men and women, all waiting for them to get off the private jet and into the decorated limousine. As they drove his father talked to him about what he was going to do until a certain age and what would come after that, and one day he will own everything his father has including the seat as the Supreme leader of the clan. He listened to every one of his fathers words diligently, making sure to keep everything locked in and to not forget it. When they arrived at the Clan Estate it was large, it was the size of a small town to be blunt and there were a lot of people posted outside the gate awaiting their arrival and for their duty to just stand there and be on the lookout for any incoming messengers or anything of their use. Clexxs settled himself into his new room and saw there was a small black and white suit awaiting for him hanging on the Wardrobe next to his bed, his father came in and told him that suit was going to be his second layer of skin and first line of defense against any form of attack and to get showered and cleaned up before trying it on, which he did clean himself up and when he tried it on he was dumbfounded at how it fit him perfectly and above all else how he looked, the suit also had the same emblem as his father's pin embroidered into it on the left outside flap on his chest. For the following thirteen years he would study under his father, work for him and even went with him on peace treaty and other Clan meetings in order to learn how to act in such scenarios, how to talk and how to present himself in front of his potential business partners. He had learned so much in a short amount of years but it was all going to come close to an end as quickly as it all began for him.
One summer afternoon as he was out at a local town near the estate collecting protection money and getting info on when their next shipment of imported weapons would be, he could feel as if something was off but payed no mind to it. So he went back home and saw there was no guards at the front gate, okay now there was something terribly wrong to him and he prepared himself for battle but when he opened the gates he saw the aftermath of the slaughter, the bodies of his friends, loved ones and members laid slain across the grounds and how the maidens were desecrated in death. He was horrified at what he saw and as he walked towards the Supreme leader's house he saw only more and more bodies lying about. Each step he took to his fathers office his heart grew heavier and he grew angrier and when he opened those sliding doors, he was met with his father, decapitated and his head mounted on a spike in front of the doors. He cried out, everything he held near and dear to him taken away once again, after a long moment of screaming and crying he eventually pulled himself together and began the process of burying everyone who was killed at the estate which was everyone besides himself. The sole surviving member of the Sumiyoshi-Kai clan and the now acting head of it. He traveled the world for twelve whole years trying to track down and find who killed his father and clan mates again, who took everything away from him but he found nothing, it was as if it was the work of a god who made it all happen.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The Priests’ duties are important, they maintain the relationship between the Kami and the worshiper, this is done through three different activities. One of them being through direct offerings, the second one is through meditation for the deities blessing for the practitioner and the last and final one is through Evocation of the Kami itself. They also officiate all of the events and ceremonies held for and at the behalf of the worshipers, two examples being weddings and the New Year festival.
The Maidens, or Miko, are also important since they work the gift shop, make sure the shrine grounds are clean and well kept, help in the ceremony for weddings and even events like the New Year festival too. They also answer any and all questions visitors ask them, if they are able to of course.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
Firstly, you must pick up the ladle at the trough with spring water and pour it over your right hand, then your left. After your hands are now cleansed you must place the ladle down onto the Temizuya and bring your hands down to the water and cup it into both hands and bring said hands back up to wash your mouth out of water, cleansing it of any evil and you also MUST spit the water out to the side onto the rocks. Finally after that you will place the ladle back into the water, all of this is mandatory to make sure any and all evil spirits are removed from your soul before entering the sacred grounds.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
When you or someone wishes to do an offering to a Kami they can put or place an offering inside of the Saisen or offering box, if it is money it goes inside if it is not money it must go to the side of the box. Afterwards you step backwards and ring the bell to inform the Kami you wish to give the offering to that you are inviting them for said offering. Then you must bow two times, clap twice and say the prayer you wish to say to the Kami, the prayer can either be said aloud for others to hear or you may simply keep it to yourself and the Kami.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
Firstly to start off you would make tea how you normally would by boiling water in a kettle and then when it is heated enough you place the tea bags inside, letting the tea settle in the boiling water. When ready to serve the tea, you will place down teacups in front of your guests and face the spout away from them. You will then bow your head and say a prayer over the kettle as you turn the spout slowly towards the guests and pour the hot splendid tea into their cup or cups first then yours last. For any kind of Ceremony there are and will always be four parts and they are Harmony, Respect, Tranquility and Purity!
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
Tamagushi - A branch from a Sakai Tree and it is decorated with strips of washi paper or silk and it is a sign of goodwill. It is an offering used when doing an offering for the Kami, they are also used in weddings and funerals!
Ofuda - These are made from wood, paper or cloth and they can be placed around homes, home shrines or just to carry around to ward off evil, hopefully. They are also the talisman that holds the power of the Kami which itself brings good luck and fortune.
Kagura Suzu - An instrument with twelve bells that is used in the Kagura and they can only be used by a Miko. The dance itself is used to bring good luck and good harvests to the land, also it is done to entertain the Kami which gains you favor with them!
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