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Makai Priests (魔戒法師, Makai Hōshi) are practitioners of magic and serve as assistants for the Makai Knights in their unending war against Horrors.

Overview[]

Note:The following defines a priest based on the original universe.

Makai Priests (and priestesses) are based on the fantastic mythical aspects of Taoist Priests: a Daoshi. The priests are trained to utilize a combination of mysticism, magic, elemental manipulation, martial arts, alchemy, necromancy, healing, blacksmithing, and summoning techniques to help them battle against the forces of darkness. They were the original defenders against the Horrors long before the creation of the Makai Knights. However, after the knights became their frontline forces, the priests have evolved into support roles for the knights in modern times.

The priests created anti-Horror devices, spells, enchantments, and weapons to support the Makai Knights in combat and their investigations. In addition, they possess a vast knowledge of magics, healing, and purification techniques. They have seals/talisman scrolls for spells, a brush to cast magic, madougu's (magical tools), and have prefabricated devices used to defend or attack.

In humanity's darkest moments, it was the Makai Priests that stood as the light against the Horrors. However, despite all their abilities, they were only strong enough to destroy low tier Horrors and slowed their advancements. Ultimately, they resolved the problem by creating the Makai Knights and their campaign has held the line.

As the back-up, the priests provided madogus, like Zaruba and Silva, to advise and detect Horrors for the knights. They also designed spiritual sensors that detect dark energies to help warn and prepare both the knights and the order of impending danger(s). When a knight has complications in defeating a Horror, it is often a priest that provides a solution to help defeat the Horror(s). Most recently, the priests have the Gōryū in their possession. With the new addition to their arsenal, the priests now have the ability to take an offensive role against stronger Horrors.

Development & Training[]

The complete picture of how priests are trained has never been clearly defined, only glimpses of their lives throughout the series. There seems to be no age restrictions nor pedigree preferences in magical training, however, the Makai Order prefers to strictly train children within their society; no outsider has ever made it into their society to become a priest. It takes 15+ years for a trainee to develop the knowlege and magical skills to utilize them in the field, it's why the order prefers to start training students young. When children are born into makai society, the boys have a choice of either becoming a priest or a knight. Since girls are not allowed to become knights, they only have the option of becoming a priestess; they can still study swordsmanship but won't become a knight. Although boys have the choice of becoming a knight, both professions have rigorous and extensive training regiments, trainees may not meet expectations and become disqualified. Those who have failed can try to make a living within their society or leave their world to assume an ordinary life. Once the child chooses the path of priesthood, they are trained in magical arts and later specialize into specific roles.

Just like Makai Knights, priests have their own version of boot camp. Separated by their sexes, the boys and girls are secretly trained within hidden forests where their world doesn't meet with ordinary civilians. From there, they have a priest instructor that will teach the recruits in magical arts, such as magical combat and rituals. As the priests are also expected to face Horrors, they are trained in martial arts and taught how to dispose of Horrors. Just like Makai Knights, some priests were taught by schools while others were privately trained by either family and/or a master priest. There's no fixed method of training; certain students will follow a singular master their entire lives (Jabi) while others diversify their training by following different priests as they mature (Rekka).

The life of a priest has many paths after basic training; priests that wish to enter the front lines, they will have an apprenticeship with a seasoned priest in magical combat arts against Horrors. Through practical training, they are exposed to live missions and may die in their apprenticeship if they're not careful. Those who wish to specialize in healing can study makai medical arts, where they learn how to cure the infested, the cursed, the magically injured, and heal wounds for the knights. Others who wish to master forging can learn from one of their specialized craftsmen to master magical item creation such as forging a knight's armor or magical tool creation. Because there's an expansive role for priests, they can practice a multitude of unique skills and can specialize in a combination of several fields if they have the talent. Because it was extremely rare that a priest would double as a knight, there are no rules against a male priest training to become a knight. However, it's not socially acceptable that a woman attempts to do the same. The exact reasons why a priestess can't become a knight remains unclear. Although priests can also wield soul metal blades, it's suggested priestesses have limitations in full mastery of a makai sword.

Priesthood[]

For priests that enter the front lines against Horrors, they're assigned with their own territory like Makai Knights. From observation, only the knights are governed by the Watch Dogs. The priests are given a district to patrol and left to their own devices unless given specific orders. While knights operate in solo missions, priests can operate in groups. Because their combat skills are weaker than knights, the priests mainly handle lesser Horrors and the bigger ones left for the knights to defeat. Should a knight and priest agree, they enter a long-term partnership and aid each other in their missions. Occasionally, that leads to romantic relations.

Because the makai world is secret, most priests often marry within their society. It's common for knights to find a priestess bride or priests finding love with each other. However, while it's not forbidden not to have relationships with ordinary people, it's socially not accepted due to its inherent complications of protecting their shadow society. Those who are exposed to the makai realm are expected to maintain their secrecy or may risk having their memories erased. However, the extreme rule breakers may face death.

Priests who either break their secrecy or do things not allowed by the order are subjected to judgment by the Watch Dogs. Aside from potential prosecution that can lead to a death sentence, the watchdogs can also banish priests from ever practicing magic and imprisonment. For those who wish to walk away or retire from the priesthood, they must give up practicing magic and swear to secrecy. Such former priests, like Anna, learn to integrate themselves into normal society and lead ordinary lives. Those who break their vows are also subject to punishment by the Watch Dogs.

The most capable and talented of the priests end up serving The Senate, the leadership of the Makai Order. There are no exact specifications to join the senate, only that they're exceptionally talented in a specific area(s). Certain priests are highly skilled in medicine, others are highly skilled in engineering, and some serve as support for a senatorial knight. Knights that made it into the senate often face unique and powerful horrors, to help them succeed, a senatorial priest is partnered with them to aid them in their mission.

Darkness Hunter[]

A sub-group of priests, they are highly trained in martial arts and the Makai Order's internal affairs unit. Because they specialized in hunting corrupted beings of their order, their combat strength must rival a knight or risk death. They use the Soul Insertion Technique to validate the purity of a person's soul. If the person is proven corrupted, they are authorized to kill the person and purify their darkness to prevent further corruption.

Alternate Universes[]

There are several different universes that also have priests within the Garo stories. While the overview covers the general definition of what priests are and do, there are nuances within each world that makes them different.

Ryūga-verse[]

The difference between the priests in the original universe and Ryūga-verse are not that great; it's very similar. However, the greatest difference is their leadership and technology. Priests are capable of achieving magical power greater than those in the original universe. The magically powerful may not be immortal, but their power allows them to maintain their youth and hold seats of power that rivals a watchdog (Ryūme). While priests mainly act as support to a knight, the most exceptional can be a team leader and command a mix group of knights and priests if needed. Sentient magical jewelry like Zaruba exist, but they absorb the lifeforce of the user. This caused such tools to be phased out and considered an antiquity. Magical ballistics were created to help reduce the strain of magical spells in combat, allowing a priest to conserve energy and last longer in battles.

VR-verse[]

Little is known about this universe; it's only presumed how priests are created are similar to those of the original universe. However, advance cybernetic and digital technology prevails in this world. The hyper-realistic VR simulators within this universe allows magic to be used within the digital world.

Anime Series[]

Within the anime universe, priests are referred to as Makai Alchemists. In the original Japanese language, it is still called priest, but the English translation created a difference between the eastern and western cultures within the story; alchemists belonged to the west and priests belonged to the east. In the Crimson Moon story, featuring an ancient Japanese society, makai society is known by the local government and limited to the public. Even then, secrecy is not heavily maintained; priests and knights have been known to openly reveal themselves without erasing the memories of civilians. Like priests of the original universe, they use magical brushes, talismans, magical tools. However, after a few decades (or centuries, timeline undefined) in the western world, makai society operated in strict secrecy and their agents have been exposed due to the mad alchemist Mendoza. It's not clear is there a difference in their practices between different cultures or changes in their practices, but the alchemists (priests) of this time are less dependent on summoning magic. They prefer to create magical tools to help them succeed in their missions. By modern times of Vanishing Line, it is a blend of both old and new. Blades and magical talismans are still used, but priests embraced magical ballistics. Magical spells are now prepared in advanced into magical bullets and only deploy when fired. This gives a priest immediate use of complex spells without performing a ritual or complex steps to achieve the same effect.

Though unconfirmed, to further drive the point of how much Makai Alchemists different than Makai Priests, their training emphasizes the art of Alchemy through which they construct various Makai Equipment.

Known Makai Priests[]

Gallery[]


Trivia[]

  • In Anime Series, Makai Priests are replaced by Makai Alchemist, whose set of abilities leaned more on Alchemy and magical arts practiced in regions their branch situated at.

References[]


External links[]

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