Demons are otherworldly beings that hold great power. They come in all shapes and sizes: some of them are creatures of myths and folklore; others were revered by humans as gods in the past. They appear in numerous legends from different corners of the world. More often than not, their depictions are unpleasant, ranging from irritating pests that wreck havoc and destroy farmers’ crops to wicked spirits that corrupt humans’ minds. They are sometimes, however, portrayed as benevolent, either offering protection against evil or combating the forces of darkness themselves.
These demons are known to surface in the human world when they are beckoned there by a very specific ritual or when a human’s strongest desire calls them forth. When this happens, a contract is formed between demon and summoner—an unbreakable contract that binds the demon to the summoner’s will for as long as their objective is not completed. In other words, the summoner is able to obtain the demon’s power, at a price…
P R E S E N T D A Y
Demons have disappeared from man’s memory, merely pieces of old, long-forgotten legends. They are actors in movies and other such entertainment, sometimes recalled in stories spoken in hushed whispers by younglings huddled around a campfire. As belief in them fades, more and more of them recede to their original underworld home, as supernatural incidents become slighter and are left unexplained by skeptical humans. Not all of humanity, however, has forgotten them. There are still the few who can hear their voices, who can feel the unsettling chill that sweeps over a room when a ghostly visitor knocks at their window in the dead of night. These special people have a great amount of spiritual energy. This, in turn, causes demons to be especially attentive to their heart’s desires. When their emotions peak, a gateway between the two worlds is created and a demon is summoned. This usually leads to a contract being formed… or the death of the summoner. However… even among people with high levels of spiritual energy, there are an exceptional few who possess very specific qualities. When these people open the gate, the demon’s energy does not manifest itself into a solid body in the human world, but rather flows into the summoner’s own body.
These people are called demon channelers.
However, demon channeling is dangerous and carries a high risk of death. But once channeled, a great portion of a demon’s powers are the channeler’s. Not only that, a demon’s passage in a human body indubitably leaves a residue of its demonic power. With this ‘residue’, a channeler is then able to communicate with and harness the power of innumerous beings. For this reason, a certain institution was formed in order to protect these demon channelers—and teach them to use their powers, in order to eradicate the remaining demons still lingering in Japan once and for all…
O P E R A T I O N ☆ P U R I F I C A T I O N
The Institution of Catharsis is a newly-established, government-funded organization whose goal is to cleanse Japan of malevolent, otherworldly forces. Its main headquarters is located near Tokyo, with many other bases scattered around the country. There has long been another establishment protecting Japan from supernatural forces: JP’s, the top-secret organization that exists in the shadows. However, while its predecessor uses demons to fight fire with fire, Catharsis seeks a new approach: the use of demon channelers. Their logic is sound: their abilities allow use of demons’ power without manifesting them, and there is no threat of ‘runaway’ demons once they have been channeled, since any escaped demons will return to the underworld.
The only risk is death.
C H A N N E L E R S
You are one with the potential to be a demon channeler, freshly recruited. Your ‘power’ has not of yet awakened—it is always one’s choice to go down this path or not. However, IT’s is currently low on members. They approached you after sensing your innate spiritual power. After much—or perhaps not so much—hesitation, you accepted to join their ranks. The establishment where you now live, along with a batch of other recruits, is aptly named the Sanctuary: a large white building with multiple facilities warded against demons and their ilk. You are not totally leaving your life behind—you are allowed a monthly trip into the city to visit family and friends. But your new life starts here, in this new, pristine palace of demon channeling.
C A T H A R S I S
You have been staying with IT’s for a couple of weeks now; enough to get used to the facilities and the personnel. You have learned that there are very precious few channelers who know their subject in the world, and there is only one here on ‘campus’, as you and the other trainees call it. So far, you have been treated luxuriously: the room at your disposition is opulently furnished and you are served meals of the best quality. Whether this lavish living style will continue once you have taken the Ordeal is uncertain. In the meanwhile, you learn about demons and lore, and the history of those who have dedicated their lives to the eradication of demons.
T H E C O M M I T T E E ☆
Two months have passed. You have survived the Ordeal in the Ritual Chamber and now hold the power of a demon within you. You have undertaken a few missions along with your teammates, who you now know as comrades. You are part of the Commission of Purification & Purging Committee, or CP/PC for short. You have been moved from the training center in the Sanctuary into the Tower, where you will begin taking missions in earnest. The Committee is a group of seven people.
You are all certified badasses. Soon, you will travel all around Japan to rid it of the demonic menace forever.
Go forth, for the sake of the Second Purge…
R E G U L A T I O N S
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