Conflict.
It is one of the most influential and prevalent forces in the world. Some could even say that it is the only force that allows time itself to move. Empires fall, nations are burned, and new technologies of war are developed. Races are massacred, cultures are decimated, and corpses fill the streets. Each time two forces clash, something new is brought out of it. New understandings, new hatreds, new weapons, or new philosophies. They build upon each other and force the world to evolve and change over time. Sometimes this leads to chaos, other times to peace. But in the end, the shroud of death hangs over it all.
Some believe that after death these conflicts cease. Every person and being will learn to understand each other and an ultimate harmony will be born. Everything will be peaceful for eternity and all the pains and fears of living will immediately disappear. However, to keep up with an evolving world, wouldn't the afterlife also have to evolve? And what is that main force that makes things evolve?
That pesky conflict again.
The year is 2020. The afterlife, rather than a perfect paradise, is full of turmoil. Shinigami flit around the three worlds trying to force order and conformity on all of the races. They intend to make every person connected to the spiritual realm follow their vision of a perfect afterlife, using force when necessary. Standing in their way are the souls that the shinigami could not save, the Hollows of Hueco Mundo. Constantly evolving to repel the powerful Shinigami, they continue to fight to achieve a world where they can consume at their pleasure. Standing between the two are the masked Vizards, the group that shares powers with both but is accepted by neither. Striving to be left alone, they have sworn to fight all those that threaten their freedom. In the Real World, the powerful Quincies continue their duty of protecting the living from the chaos that the three spiritual races create. Standing with the Quincies sometimes and standing against them at other times, those humans that have been corrupted by the spiritual energies of the other races have emerged as a new group, the Superhumans. A young and confused race, they tend to spend their time creating their own conflicts over whether they have been given their abilities to save the world or to burn it to the ground.
This is the world of Bleach: Awakening of the Elder Ones. Modeled off of Tite Kubo's original world, the basic racial set-up is still in place. However, certain choices in the past were made differently, some battles were avoided and new ones were created. In the end, it is a similar world with a whole new set of players and problems.
After its victory 3000 years ago during the Great Spiritual War, the Gotei 13 was heralded as the dominant spiritual force of the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Real World. With its force of Soul Reapers and its impressive academy, they had been able to quell any threats that crawled out of Hueco Mundo. They had forced most of the hollows deep into the Menos Forest and were quick to send shinigami to destroy any hollows that made their way to Earth. However this nearly spotless record has been marred by the appearance of Shinigami who have broken one of the oldest taboos by combining their normal powers with those of the hollows.
These would eventually develop into the Vizard Race. A group of Shinigami who have sought the powers of hollows, they have been banished from the Soul Society and forced to live in the real world. Not only are they a banished race, but they are also a divided race. Some of them are content with staying out of the world's affairs and maintaining a peaceful existence in their personal sanctuary deep in the forests of Mount Fuji. They will step out rarely if the threat of hollows becomes large enough for them to take action. Besides those rare excursions, they try to keep away from the rest of the world. However, some believe that their powers should be used to change the order of the world. The so-called Rogue members of the race, they want to use their powers to overthrow the current Shinigami regime and return the Vizards to the Gotei 13.
Despite their hostile feelings for each other, both races are similar with their antagonism, and feelings of superiority over the Hollow race. For centuries, the hollows have not been able to muster any attack forces stronger then an easily crushed Menos army. However, events occurred in the Real World that went past any of their calculations. In one century, two world wars and several other wars released their terrible might on the world. The slow moving Shinigami were not able to keep up with the sudden influx of souls and even the assistance of some of the vizards was not enough to stop the transformation of thousands hollows. With the huge increase of weak hollows, the already dangerous menos were able to feed and evolve. With their power returned to what it once was, the huge army of hollows rose up and pushed out the shinigami scouting forces. For the first time in centuries, all of Hueco Mundo was ruled by the hollows.
However, despite the euphoria that came with their victory, the hollows realized that it would not be long for the Shinigami to once again band together to crush the hollow resistance. Unlike the organized Shinigami, the Hollows were used to living in fear of each other, not working with each other. When all hope for a united hollow army appeared lost, one lone creature smashed across the plains of Hueco Mundo gaining supporters as he went. He was a new being, something that had not been seen in millenia, an arrancar. He made his way to Las Noches, easily dispatching the Vasto Lorde who had ruled it and proclaiming himself leader of the hollow race. Having been taught the secrets of creating Arrancar, he quickly recruited the most powerful Menos he could. Creating a hierarchy based on power and fear, the Espada were formed. Using their collective might, the Espada have built a strong arrancar army ready to wage war on the Soul Society itself.
Nevertheless, to the shock of the Espada, the Shinigami are not their only enemies. The second oldest spiritual organization behind the Gotei 13 itself, the Quincy Council roams the world keeping normal humans and souls safe from any threats. For over 1500 years, they have served humanity sometimes in the background and other times at the side of the religious powers. For most of their history, the Shinigami have turned a blind eye to the Quincy organization. They personally don't like the idea of humans meddling in the spirit realm, but they also understand the benefit of having the Quincies around during emergencies.
With the advent of modern technology, the Quincies have been able to increase the power of their organization. From their base deep below a series of office buildings near Karakura Town, they have been able to set up an information network that spans the continents. With the powers of the Council and their subordinates, the Quincy Knights, they have been able to quickly respond to issues worldwide. During some of these problems, they came across several beings that were unlike anything they had seen before.
Dubbed the "Superhumans", they were regular people who had evolved and gained unusual powers from contact with large amounts of spiritual energy. While this was not the first recorded sighting of this phenomenon, the Quincies were shocked upon realizing the power that some of the Superhumans were able to wield. Having control over abilities that would rival even that of a Shinigami Captain, the potential that some of the Superhumans had could shake the entire balance of the powers. Understanding the danger that could occur if a large number of individual Superhumans began making chaos all over the world, the Quincies acted in the only way they could. They made contact with the most powerful Superhumans explaining their powers and about the basics of the Shinigami/Hollow struggle. They brought together as many of them as they could get a hold of in the hope that they would organize and thus become a more united group. Their hopes were confirmed when the first meeting of the Superhuman Overseers was called.
The most powerful Superhumans, politically economically or physically, became a council to discover other Superhumans and to decide what steps should be taken to protect themselves. Humans being the most volatile of the races, the Quincies then cut off most of their ties once the Overseers and Generals set up. However, there is still low-level communication in between them in case they once again create a true alliance. It is unknown if this group will survive in the long-run or will fall apart due to their own struggles.
The players have all appeared, the pieces have all be set up, and time has begun to move again. Deep within the halls of the three worlds, the drums of war have begun beating again. What part will you play in this grand drama of life and death? If you are still intrigued, then join the chaotic world of Bleach: AEO!
Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:26 am by 
