Gotei 13 Ranks

The first Division is responsible for making sure the machine that is the Gotei 13 stays well oiled and maintained. If you want to change squads or just graduated the academy, you submit your requests and get new orders through the 1st Division. They also monitor the training and supplies of each squad ensuring there is always enough food and pay for everyone. They are considered to be a role model division and each of it's members are hand picked for being noble and well respected by their peers.

The 2nd Division is closely tied with the Gotei 13's Onmitsukido. They are the Gotei's blade wrapped in shadows. This group is tasked with a wide variety of jobs. Their tasking can range form simply delivering express messages during times of war, to putting down a rebellion on the outskirts of Rukongai. They do all the dirty work, including the holding and transport of criminals and traitors. The members are expected to be swift and skilled in hand to hand combat. This division also run the underground prison "Maggots Nest" and keeps Rukongai safe from hollows through the Patrol Corps.

The 3rd Squad is generally entrusted with missions that deal with gathering information. This doesn't just mean on enemies but on allies as well. Most of the criminals the 2nd Division takes down are discovered thanks to the 3rd Divisions efforts. They spread themselves all through out soul society including in Rukongai and the forest beyond where the Patrol Corps. operate. They are always on the look out for signs of trouble and are ordered to report on everyone from academy students still in training, the to highest of nobles sitting in Central 46.

The 4th Division is responsible for most of the menial tasks in Seireitei. The move supplies, clean, and generally handle the "small stuff" when it comes to their day to day tasking. But when other shinigami get injured, this group really shines as they spring into action to support their comrades. Those of the 4th division are generally good with Kido and can help others recover from most injuries by restoring the wounded's reiatsu and then treating the wound.

The 5th squad exists as a reserve unit that can support and bolster the number of any other squad. They a considered to be all around shinigami and tend to be Jack-of-All-Trades, but master of none.

The 6th Division does not posses any special purpose other than to carry out the orders of the Captain Commander. This generally means they are the fangs that the Gotei bares most of the time. Most shinigami in the world of the living come from this squad and in the event soul society needs to strike at an organized enemy away from home, the 6th Division is often included among those ordered to take care of it.

The 7th Squad exists as the eyes and ears of Seireitei. While the individual divisions man their guards from their own men. The 7th squad is responsible for guard duty anywhere not controlled by a division. They also patrol Rukongai regularly to keep the peace. This is not to be confused with the 2nd Division's Patrol Corps. As the 7th Squad rarely ventures out to the lawless outer districts and thus don't encounter hollows often. They will also often be assigned protection for nobles should there ever be a need.

If the Gotei 13 is ever under direct attack, they will no doubt muster all their forces. However, if the Captain Commander ever needs a specific point or location defended, it is the 8th Division that gets entrusted with the task. Since this is a rare occasion, they usually end up helping protect the world of the living. Other squads joke that they are slackers, but generally they are respected as their skill in battle is as to be expected of the ones trusted to be an unbreakable shield when mobilized.

The 9th Division is a mix between uptight combatants that are always on alert, and cultural artists. If the 2nd Division are the SWAT teams of the gotei 13's police force, the 9th Division are it's cops. They are usually the first responders to any trouble within the walls of Seireitei. Their orders are to remain on standby at all times so they can react to crisis on a moments notice. But they are also expected to oversee arts and culture within the Gotei 13 and are thus responsible for writing the "Seireitei News Magazine" and as a result, all Vice Captains of the Gotei 13 must send in copies of their reports to the 9th Division.

The 10th Division is expected to handle the coordination of all large scale operations. Any time more than two division are working together on something, the 10th squad tends to be involved. They also handle most of the paperwork for transportation in and out of seireitei making this squad well known for having lots of office work after anything big happens in seireitei.

This Division once had a specialized purpose as shock troops. It is made from ex-criminals, thugs, brawlers, and anyone else looking for an excuse to just pick up a blade and start cutting something. But because most of it's members are loose canon fighters(including its captain more often than not) any attempts to treat this group as an organized military unity have been all but forsaken. They are kept on the edge of Seireitei and ordered to attack known hollow nests discovered by the Patrol Corps. that are out of the 2nd Division's hand. They also protect the world of the living, however since they tend to cause lots of collateral damage, they are usually only ordered to take action in scarcely populated areas or in the middle of the wilderness.

The 12 Division's duties were once similar to the 5th Division's as reserves. However they have since been transformed into the place where imagination becomes reality if soul society. They monitor the world of the living, extensively tracking both hollow appearances and the activities of other spiritual races located on earth. They also perform experiments and develop new technology for the Gotei 13.

The 13th Squad is the primary group in charge of purifying hollows and defending souls in the world of the living. It is assigned to Karaura Town in particular which is known for high spiritual activity. But it also sends men to locations all over the world. They are also responsible for monitoring access to the Daireishokairou. Seireitei's underground library which even they themselves require special permission to access. The 13th Division submits new articles to be stored and documented within the library, but unless Central 46 or the captain commander approve, not even the 13th Squad may peek at the libraries vast selection.

The Kidou Corps. are specialists whom were hand picked for having exceptional talents in kidou. It is technically a group separate from the Gotei 13 and the Kidou Commander has the right to give the group orders without the Capain Commander's permission. However the groups usually cooperate as their goals and purpose are both the same. They are usually called in if a powerful seal or barrier is required.