The Organization, also known as the Soshiki is a cult and cabal found in the world of Battle Arena Toshinden, and are the primary antagonists of Battle Arena Toshinden 3. Into the 1990s, they were lead by Abel.
Story
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Said to be "those whom the world must be protected against" by the Secret Society, the Organization is a black magic and human sacrifice cult revolving around the worship of the forsaken Olympian god of conflict, Agon Teos. Much like the Secret Society, the Organization has long worked in the shadows of everyday society and within obscurity, but with ties and enterprises in some of mankind's darker enterprises and conquests, including the slavery trade, the imperial conquest of the Americas, and the genocide of the Native Americans, and even to the fields of human resources and social services, including orphan caretaking and troubled youth outreach programs around the world.
Though originating as the worship of the God of Conflict and Competition, including not just combat, but the Olympic games, the worship of Agon Teos was soon turned to dark ways upon the founding of a secret cabal whose members claimed themselves as only "the strongest in Grecian society" gathered to decide the direction of their civilization. However, upon being found by the authorities, the remains of the original cult exiled and driven out found their way northeast to Thrace, having heard of territory inhabited by violent warring barbarian tribes ruled over by the descendant of Ares, the God of War, Thrax. Having established their new domain in secrecy, the cult was able to maneuver through both Ancient Greece and the outlander barbarian tribes of the Thracians and the Dii; their rise to power was soon made known upon the Peloponnesian War, where they were able to convince hiring Thracian mercenaries on both sides and further cement their power with the end of the Golden Age of Greek Civilization.
Beliefs and PracticesEdit
Holding strong to the Ancient Grecian belief that life is but like that of struggle and an eternal fight, the Organization's fervent worship of Agon Teos hinges on a more perverse take on this belief in that life is nothing but a place for the strong, and that the blood of the weak and slain shed upon the earth and into the seas of the world are what brings about the change all creation comes to see. From this, it is believed within their faith that blood itself is mystical by itself, and that the carnage and conflict the world sees is but a natural result of its cycle of life. Born from these beliefs, the Organization has long practiced and studied the dark arts of blood sacrifice to utilize and harness the great powers and energy from the blood of their victims and captives, including the act of "the rebirth of humans through magic" to empower and perfect their worshipers with mystical rituals and to try and manifest Agon Teos into the physical world. To these ends, they are willing to target the young, whom they believe are "strong" due to being at the peak of physical condition by age, and fighters who do not willingly want to associate themselves with the Organization, and come to harvest their flock by many processes, from a world scale human trafficking operation, the manipulation of legal social processes to orphanages under their control, to planning wide scale waves of kidnapping, and hiring assassins and murderers to hunt and track down their targets.
Though their beliefs are unwavering, the Organization's outward practices are said to be embracing enough to synchronize and adapt to anything new that doesn't threaten their faith. As such, the current incarnation of the Organization is a far cry from its original incarnation. Some synchronistic practices include the acceptance of other faiths and individuals from societies that practice human sacrifice, such as the Vikings and the Goths, to where their cultural practices are acknowledged and incorporated in the blood sacrifice magic research within the Organization, although historically the Organization has also been known to practice cultural domination and appropriation by warfare and genocide as guided by their dark faith; this includes the destruction of Aztec civilization and the adoption of their religious human sacrificial rituals through members within the armies of Hernán Cortés. Others come from being inspired by various practices and trends outside of the Organzation throughout human civilization and history, from not just the religious but the social. A few examples include adopting the rigid dualism found within Christianity upon the rise of Greek Orthodoxy, including the perverted belief that Agon Teos is the one true god, to the disturbingly growing idea and social conditioning of Social Darwinism and how "the weak are meat, the strong eat" upon the growth of modern civilization and sociocultural affection of city infrastructure, especially to those strongly affected within the poor and working class, from street gangs and the socially isolated, to the disenchanted working man and the rich and famous.
It goes without saying that fighting and battle are highly valued in the Organization as per their beliefs. From having instigated wars and civil conflict throughout the world within history at greater instances than the Secret Society, so are their members warriors and fighters who value victory at any cost and with the guiding belief that Agon Teos blesses their way to their salvation and ascension through the demise of their opponents, or at least pay them as mercenaries and assassins with their grisly trade for hire. Their relation to the Toshinden tournaments held by their fiercest nemesis is how the tournament is seen as the next pinnacle of the culmination of those with powerful fighting spirit throughout the world gather and where the strongest change occurs in its bloody spectacles, the new battleground of the new age and where its champion commands the course of the future of humanity. As such, for generations, the Organization has long infiltrated and attempted to win the Battle Arena Toshinden for themselves to proudly host, but with thwarted failure at every participation. This would last until the ironic collapse of the Secret Society itself, where the vacuum of power within the criminal underworld would leave it ripe for the taking.
Though prominent and having infiltrated the ranks of civilization, the Organization has long understood the compassion and aspects of mercy and non violence by the populace, but out of a means of survival. Knowing well that should they reveal themselves and their practices to the light of the everyday world, they dare to draw the wrath of the people and the authorities of the land to wipe them off the face of the earth for their atrocities and inhumane practices, and as such, the Organization has long kept to themselves, hoping for a new time in human history of an age where they are able to convince the world of their beliefs and make them wide spread for a new age and the coming of a new world remade by Agon Teos and his followers. In preparation for this long believed promised day, this is what drives the Organization to target the Toshindendaibukai champions and utilize their blood to make manifest Agon Teos into the mortal realm, and make their influence mightier for "the rebirth of the world and human beings" by their God of Fighting.
Members and FatesEdit
- Abel - Current leader of the Organization. Killed by Eiji Shinjo during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Vermilion - Second-in-command of the Organization. In charge of major assassinations and information gathering. Survived the events of the third Toshindaibukai, but killed by Eiji Shinjo at the end of the fourth Toshindaibukai.
- Miss Til - Third-in-command of the Organization. Practitioner of magic and fortune teller of the Organization. Killed by Shizuku Fuji during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Schultz - Fourth-in-command of the Organization. Master ritualist of the Organization's magic division. Killed by Chaos during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Ten Count - Assassin loyal to the Organization; one of the highest skilled. Killed by Kayin Amoh during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Zola - Assassin loyal to the Organization; opera singer and high society navigator. Killed by Sofia during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Leon - New assassin of the Organization; modern-day pirate and wanted criminal. Killed by Eiji Shinjo during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Adam - Android made specifically for the Organization. Destroyed by Rungo Iron during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Rachael - Hired assassin for the Organization; American mercenary. Spared by her twin sister Tracy and completely disappearing without a trace afterwards. Her eventual whereabouts and final fate unknown.
- Cuiling - Hired assassin for the Organization; hired from the Rising Dragon Triad of Hong Kong. Defected from the Organization while switching sides via personal morality in order to join up with and help Eiji Shinjo and the rest of the Toshinden fighters out after killing Bayhou and avenging Fo Fai's past death.
- Judgement - Black magic empowered killer for the Organization; an experiment in the removal of "humanity" through blood magic sorcery. Killed by David during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Atahua - Aide of the Organization; Incan Empire heir. Forfeited his match to Ellis through the advice of his adoptive father and guardian Tau. Resumed a normal and peaceful life with Tau back in South America.
- Tau - Aide of the Organization; Atahua's adoptive father and guardian. Forfeited his match to Gaia after learning and knowing of Gaia's personal resolve and determination to defend and protect his daughter Ellis. Resumed a normal and peaceful life with Atahua back in South America.
- Toujin - Aide of the Organization; veteran assassin from Japan. Killed by Mondo during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Balga - Aide of the Organization; Norwegian knight. Killed by Duke B. Rambert during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Veil - Former leader of the Organization; experiment subject. Killed by Eiji Shinjo during the events of the third Toshindaibukai.
- Amoh - Assassin once loyal to the Organization and Kayin Amoh's foster father. Killed by Sho Shinjo in the finals of a previous Toshindaibukai prior to the events of the first game.
