The School of Death
In Paradisum Faciens Inferos
The world, you have to admit, is a pretty nasty place to live in.
Violence and murder surround us and engulf us no matter where we hide, whether in the dangerous jungle of concrete in urban areas or in the desolate plains of suburbia. They follow us, creeping through every facet of our lives, and then leaping out and taking the ones we love the most, or just flat-out taking your life. Evil's everywhere, and it ain't hard to find.
But things aren't all that bad as they used to be, thanks to us. You see, they changed the history books a lot, made sure not to write about us or what we did, but back in the day, people used to get killed by all sorts of demonic creatures. Devils, witches, the undead, restless spirits, and other evil entities all roamed free, leaving the world in bleak chaos as they ruthlessly tore up the fledgling human species.
That's where our founder, Charon, the Ferryman, comes in. He was born from the Darkness itself, but unlike the other wicked beasts that came from the Darkness, Charon wanted to make the world a safer place, even if he couldn't prevent death. So he grabbed his scythe, set sail on his magical ferry, and traveled across the world, slaying demons and devils as he went and allowing some of the early civilizations to sprout up and prosper. Charon was really doing a number on all those hellish fiends, but he met his match with the mighty Behemoth demon and was fatally injured. Realizing that he would never be able to fight another demon, Charon spent his last days passing on his knowledge and skills to a group of 13 men. These 13 men and their descendants would later form the 13 Great Families, and they would pass down their talents, knowledge, and legacies through the generations.
The coalition of 13 men would form the Society of Death, centered on Charon's ideal of killing demons and assorted hellish beasts. In order to train the descendants of the original 13, along with any other students that developed an aptitude for magic, the Society founded the School of Death, an elite academy that teaches, along with traditional academics, the art of murder and the craft of combat.
The Academy of Assassination
The School of Death is located on an island to the southeast of the Japanese archipelago, with ancient magic imbued into the waters surrounding it to prevent unwanted foreigners from entering. The School of Death is heavily influenced by oriental themes, and is located in the center of a small but vibrant town that is built around the Academy. The School of Death is a highly secretive schools that invites only descendants of the 13 Great Families, direct relatives of Society members, and other select individuals that the school’s admissions staff notes potential in.
The School of Death is well-maintained and illustrious, with beautiful grounds and inner design, and provides a luxurious experience for staff and students alike, with dazzling dorm rooms and quality of life that very few schools in the world can boast. However, the School’s goal is to train Reapers to join the Society of Death, and it engages students with vigorous and cutthroat activities in order to whip them into shape. The Society is currently headed by Headmaster Yasue Hiroji, a Japanese swordsman and mercenary for the Society of Death that is known for his tough moral code and tougher standards of teaching.
With a surprising resurgence of Demons in recent years, the Society is in greater demand for Reapers than ever before, and it’s up to a new year of students at the School of Death to fill those shoes.
Thanks for reading! Any questions, feel free to ask.