The Secret Society, also known as the Himitsu Kessha is an underworld cabal and social network central to the world of the Battle Arena Toshinden series.
About[]
A group of individuals whose existence ties in heavily with the Gerard Foundation, the Secret Society was founded in late 15th Century Europe by a man known as Sir Gerard, who created both the Gerard Foundation and the Secret Society for his purpose of "The creation and establishment of an ideal state". Shadowy and ultimately obscured in the darkness of history, Sir Gerard was said to have gathered his followers and enacted his ideals through his foundation into the current day.
Even into the criminal underworld, the Secret Society itself is an urban rumor among urban rumors. Never having given itself a name, yet existing only in spirit, it is through this measure that the Secret Society has been able to maintain its existence by secrecy, and it is through this obscured intangibility that the Secret Society has been able to infiltrate and spread across the world. Even if the small number of those who know are not of the greatest of threats to their agendas, the Secret Society is of such a vague level of an undocumented obscurity within human history that the majority of the world has no idea of their existence, and would sound more like a tall conspiracy theory or a figment of the imagination to ordinary ears.
In turn, they are highly elusive and in the utmost control of even the smallest ounce of knowledge pertaining to its existence. It is this dedication to secrecy that they are willing to silence any and utilize their resources to leave the world unknown of its existence if they ever suspect or know who or what seeks to unveil them. As such, to even to those who carry knowledge of the Secret Society, letting such information out even casually is a death wish.
Eyewitness to symbols of the Secret Society claim that their insignia is that of a cross; a elongated "8", with a simple horizontal line through the intersecting portion. Though it is virtually unidentifiable to that of the Christian cross, variations are said to be seen on the pants of Chaos' clothes, and it marking the arena of Master in Battle Arena Toshinden 2.
Relation with the Gerard Foundation[]
Through the Gerard Foundation, the Secret Society maintains its front as the world's leading multinational interest and for-profit charity megaconglomorate, and has its main headquarters in Europe. True to its methods of secrecy, the current leader of the company is known within the public interest, but is rarely if ever is seen by the public eye, and has all of his work, including representations, negotiations, and events carried out by his closest aids. At the same time, when needed as the leader of the Secret Society, it is then the real leader of the Gerard Foundation and its entirety is revealed as the Master.
Essentially ruling over modern day society and its infrastructure, the Secret Society enjoys nearly unlimited riches and wealth, as well as control over the flow of world resources and the economy. However, despite even massive influence over even politics and governments the world over, they do not experience complete control over free will and the unpredictability of human nature, an aim they wish to achieve with the Gerard Foundation's goal of "the creation and establishment of the ideal state".
"The creation and establishment of an ideal state"[]
"The creation and establishment of an ideal state", the main vision of Sir Gerard's dream, is the historic catalyst for modern day society's current infrastructure and workings. Seeking to ensure humanity's needs are met and to promote the well being of the people, this ideal born of European Renaissance dreams and realization were initially pursued by Sir Gerard with much joy and enthusiasm. As time went on however, and Sir Gerard passed on within the passage of history, such a lofty ideal is said to have fallen from grace, having spurred European imperialistic conquest and world monopoly over natural resources and global trade. Against the Secret Society's forces commanded to control and rein in the people of the world to realize its ultimate ambition, this has only proven humanity's natural want for freedom and own agency of free will by those of "the everyday world" through their clashes and the resistance of the people.
As such, "The creation and establishment of an ideal state" has changed not by its maxim, but through its means of achieving its ideals. Into the 20th Century, the fruiting result of the Industrial Revolution and breakthroughs within scientific discovery and innovation by the western world leading into the Information Age now sees conceptual capital like economy and commerce being the main driving force that rules society. Acting through conglomerates than hard power political means like assassination and coercion in the past, the Secret Society continues onward in its crusade to realize "The creation and establishment of an ideal state".
However, a current dilemma exists in how the leading powers of the Secret Society, being Master and the Divine Four Executives, ultimately remain divided than unified upon their management of the corporate world and the global economy. With the current executive Uranus leading the majority share of power and the pursuit of the Secret Society's ideals, this imbalance is not even capable of being resolved by the Master. Through Uranus's near complete control of the Secret Society, she hopes to enact this longlived vision with fear and force over the world by total global corporate domination, whose results has been felt strongly by society through economic recessions and the uncertainty of world peace. In the face of inaction and economic stagnation, the rest of the executives and even the companies and corporations within the "everyday world" can only comply with Uranus's demands, who seeks the enactment of "The creation and establishment of an ideal state" against the rise of power by "those whom the world must be protected against."