[center][h2][i][u][b]A Mysterious power[/b][/u][/i][/h2][/center][hr][hider][center][h3][u][b]Nature & Origin[/b][/u][/h3][/center][hr]
Zanpakuto, a power considered synonymous with Shinigami, these ancient and powerful tools were forged by a thousands of years ago by Ōetsu Nimaiya, long before man's numbers had grown or the Seireitei had formed. Once spirits merely wandered and settled within soul society, but as the population of man grew, so did that of the spirit world, and in accordance, so did the hollow threat. With this threat looming, it was that the aforementioned shinigami, created the zanpakuto...but what came before it? How did shinigami keep the balance before the weapon's creation?

The answer lies within the very nature of their being. The answer lies in a lost art, a lost power known...as Shinkaku(真格 'True Vessel'). This power was one born of self mastery, combined with powerful visualizations and control of one's reiryoku. As it was once that with great time, effort, and reflection a shinigami would refine and then draw forth their inner power to make manifest. This inner power, now channeled by the zanpakuto, was a more pure thing and in its purity it contained a potency and thus power that the zanpakuto in its current state...simply cannot achieve.

Where a zanpakuto channels the inner power of its wielder, a shinkaku IS that very inner power made manifest. This power possesses only one release, known as Meiji(明示 Manifestation) however, while a zanpakuto takes on one defined form and then clarifies and strengthens that form, Shinkaku allows several modes of manifestation. Any skilled wielder of a shinkaku can enter Meiji and decide one of several forms that their power may take. In most cases the shinkaku's meiji will take the form of a weapon and energy pair, but it can take the form of either strengthening that aspect, or it can be used to alter the individual themselves. In rare cases it may even manifest as a creature or location.
[hr][hr][center][h3][u][b]Meiji[/b]
[i]([sub]明示[/sub] 'Manifestation')[/i][/u][/h3][/center][hr]
In short, practically all living—or otherwise—thinking beings are complex creatures and as a result the forms a Shinkaku take possess the possibility for similar complexity. However, unlike the zanpakuto, which attempts to condense the sum of its user and spirit's nature into two related, but nonetheless distinct states—the latter of which is typically an escalation of the former—Shinkaku does not. Instead, a shinigami possessing Shinkaku is capable of accessing several manifestations of their inner power's truest nature.

These manifestations, known as Meiji can take on any number of forms—a trait which they share with zanpakuto. However, unlike the alternative, a Shinkaku's manifestations have the tendency of taking on the following forms: A physical transformation/armor, an energetic manifestation, or a weapon with some rare individuals manifesting a mixture of them or even—in some cases other entities.

As a result of Shinkaku's lack of escalation, its forms are typically as strong as its creator's personal mastery(alignment). However, due to the results of personal mastery imparting more knowledge and wisdom to an individual—leading to a greater understanding of oneself and thus an enriching of the spirit—a Shinkaku's various meiji can be considered one rank higher in power than a zanpakuto's equivalent resonance with its wielder—with few exceptions.

Aside from the specifics of Meiji, one should bear in mind how one brings them into being. Essentially, a Shinkaku user will rapidly externalize a portion of their reiryoku in the same moment that reishi and reiatsu are gathered and condensed to form a sort of 'containment shell,' or 'vessel' around this energy. These 'shells' form a given Meiji's physical manifestation, or, in the case of a Meiji based solely on energy, they keep the energy from being easily absorbed or manipulated by any outside force—not that such is impossible. This entire process, is typically began with the act of gathering one's focus before proclaiming, “Shinkaku.”

Following this the methodology varies greatly as every Shinkaku is different. Though, typically the following action involves stating the name of the given Meiji that is brought to bear. It is entirely possible, however, for additional actions to be required before a shinigami unleashed their Shinkaku.

[hider=Skills][center][h3][sub][u][b]Baizō Meiji[/b]
[i]([sub]倍増明示[/sub] 'Double Manifestation')[/i][/u][/sub][/h3][/center]
Once an individual has mastered themselves (4) they become capable of choosing two of their Meiji and manifesting them simultaneously, thus creating a stronger and more cohesive form. This is considered the typical/traditional “mastery” of one's Shinkaku.
[center][h3][sub][u][b]Ien-i Shinkaku[/b]
[i]([sub]以遠威真格[/sub] 'Transcendent True Vessel')[/i][/u][/sub][/h3][/center]
For those seldom few who have attained levels of personal mastery unimaginable to most, the Transcendent Shinkaku is possible. However, once it is attained, the individual's normal Meiji cannot be accessed. In essence, the Transcendent Shinkaku occurs when an individual with transcendent alignment briefly externalizes nearly the entirety of their reiryoku using the techniques utilized to manifest the Meiji of one's Shinkaku. However, unlike with Meiji, these individuals will instead use their reiryoku to gather reishi, which will act as a protective layer upon their externalized reiryoku.

Within this manifested reiryoku is the sum of their being, and thus of their meiji. A shinigami who obtains this power may create their [calling/summoning], which will encapsulate all that their meiji held, but in a single cohesive form. This form always takes the shape that best suits the individual from which it is derived. This state, while not technically more powerful than Meiji, does contain all the potential of its prior manifestations, thus making it appear stronger—despite this not technically being true. Additionally, it should be noted that—as mentioned—once an individual utilizes their Transcendent Shinkaku once, they lose access to all their meiji...permanently. It is a sacrifice of “variety,” for potency and truth that few can make.
[center][h3][sub][u][b]Seigyo[/b]
[i]([sub]制禦[/sub] 'Repression')[/i][/u][/sub][/h3][/center]
An ability that any Shinkaku user with alignment above a 2 is capable of, Repression allows the shinigami to effectively apply limiters to the scope, or potency of their Meiji. Whereas Zanpakuto gain a measure of power through mastery of their two forms and then maintain a static level of power, a Shinkaku's power can be suppressed and limited by its shinigami. Applying 'Limiters' makes the Shinkaku either less stable, or less powerful and once one has been applied, releasing them typically requires that certain prerequisites be made. Typically these prerequisites are set by either the wielder or their master. Conversely, 'suppressing' the power of one' Shinkaku does nothing to reduce its stability, but instead is simply a way to allow its user to better control the precise level of their power output.[/hider][/hider]