Gūruverse

WHAT IS GŪRUVERSE?
Making this rentry was inspired by misceverse and pastryverse. Gūruverse is a lifestyle based around ghouls from tokyo ghoul. We picked "gūru" due to that being the term used in the series, it means ghoul. Rentry wouldn't let us put it in the url but the ū is meant to be used. This is inclusive of all ages, it is not meant to be inherently nsfw even if some may decide to use it that way. Also note that this entire lifestyle is based on cannibalism due to the nature of the series.
Disclaimer: You do not need to be a system to use this, nor do you need to be Japanese. It simply has a Japanese influence due to the setting of the series and our own background. This rentry is owned by the-astropaws on tumblr.

WHAT ARE GHOULS?
Since the meaning of a ghoul changes based on where you are, we decided to explain more about the world for those curious. It also goes into the biology that describes bodily violence, you can skip over it if wanted.

• Ghouls: These are a carnivorous and cannibalistic humanoid species that are only able to feed on the flesh of humans and other ghouls. They can't digest any other type of food due to an enzyme their bodies produce. The structure of their tongues is also different from humans', making other foods taste disgusting and uncomfortable. They are, however, able to consume basic water and coffee beans/coffee. Eating other ghouls is uncommon due to cannibalizing ghouls in bulk leading to physical mutations and loss of mental awareness, but some may do it on purpose to gain power.
• One-Eyed Ghouls: These are ghoul-human hybrids made through two ways: one is by the human having ghoul blood and organs mixed into their body. The second is through the very rare, in-series natural way, of birth between a human and ghoul couple. They can eat both ghouls and humans. Natural-born hybrids have been documented being able to digest human food—while ones made through mixing organs can't. They get their name from only having one kakugan (the distinctive phenomenon observed in ghouls that cause their eyes to change) while natural ghouls have both.
• How the two interact in series: Ghouls consider one-eyed ghouls a myth or rare find. Many one-eyed ghouls have a tempting scent due to ghouls sense of smell being able to detect human vs ghoul based on scent, causing them to be more at risk of cannibalism by other ghouls. That being said, one's gūruverse lifestyle does not need to involve that unless the individual feels it fits. One's lifestyle can also include eating human food based on how they view their gūruverse identity.
• Biology: They possess boosted physical capabilities, and are much stronger than the average human; they are able to send the average human flying if struck with enough force, and they can penetrate the skin with their bare hands. They are also extremely quick and can jump to heights not achievable by humans. Their bodies are tough and resistant to injury. For example, if a ghoul were to be stabbed with a normal knife, the blade would break instead, and they'd suffer a small scratch that would heal almost instantly. However, higher forces like falling from a great height will harm them. Ghouls also have strong regenerative abilities. Small wounds and fractures heal in a matter of seconds. Larger wounds take longer to heal, but they still often vanish after a few days (unlike human recovery) as long as the injured ghoul has enough food. Ghouls have been shown to regain their strength and heal wounds almost immediately after consuming a small amount of flesh. This ability varies among individuals with some showing the ability to reattach body parts or regrow limbs. In extreme cases, some powerful ghouls can even heal severe brain injuries, reattach their head or upper body, and regrow large sections of their bodies. These can all vary a lot depending on one's personal gūruverse lifestyle.

TERMS

• Kiryoku ghoul - for 'dominant' leaning in lifestyle.
  Kiryoku (気力) translates to “vitality” or “willpower.” The term emphasizes mental strength and determination, highlighting how important mental resilience is. This word was chosen for the more dominant ones due to higher rank ghouls needing more effort to mentally stay put / blend in with others. though do note that what counts as dominant changes based on the person. one could be dominant in the aggressive mean way, or dominant in the calm in charge way, or even dominant in different cultural contexts. one could also be dominant in power alone while having a more neutral or timid personality.
• Chikara ghoul - for a 'neutral', that can be very flexible, lifestyle.
  Chikara (力) translates to “strength” or “power.” It's a versatile term referring to physical powers, mental strength, or influential power in social contexts. This word was chosen since neutral can mean a ton of different things. What defines "neutral" depends on the person. In the series contexts of it, ghouls that are neutral usually blend in easier with human day-to-day life. Or may have a middle ground in abilities. But like the term above it can vary based on cultural contexts, personality, or goals.
• Jōryoku ghoul - for a 'submissive', life style.
  Jōryoku (助力) means “assistance” or “support.” This term refers to the help provided or received in various contexts, such as teamwork highlighting the value placed on cooperation. This word was chosen since even more 'submissive' ghouls are still built on strengths. Those may be less aggressive, more teamwork-oriented, or more supportive of the others while having their own strengths in other ways not obviously shown. Again as mentioned above it varies on cultural contexts, personality, and goals.
• Rogue ghoul.
  This term is for ghouls that reject the concept of humanity or blending in with it. They can fall into any terms above, but may or may not lean into the 'dominant' role due to the nature of making themselves known. In context to the series many have more urges to cannibalize fellow ghouls and humans more than the needed amount. They avoid forming close bonds with other ghouls unless it's fellow rogue ghouls, and they lean into more chaos and unpredictability. But these examples vary to the individual.

OTHER THINGS

• Kagune - The term for a ghoul's predatory organ that functions as their weapon and claws. The four types are ukaku, koukaku, rinkaku, and bikaku. Ukaku is spread out like feathers and is released from the shoulder area. Koukaku is generally shaped into armors or shields, but on the offense, they can be shaped like melee weapons such as drills/hammers/blades/swords. It is released below the shoulder blade. Rinkaku has the shape similar to tentacles and is released at the back around the waist. Some can manipulate the shape, such as seeming more like swords or claws. Bikaku is generally shaped like a tail-like appearance and is released around the tail-bone, while one is common some can form multiple. These could be shown in the lifestyle through limb dysphoria / atypical dysphoria, fighting styles, and cosplays as a few examples.
• Hunger - The term for spikes in cannibalistic urges for flesh or blood, how long it lasts varies. This can be metaphorical or literal. In a lifestyle it could be shown through cannibalistic related attractions or hatred (urge to eat someone you hate) or roleplay as some examples.
• Marks / Marking - Used in the context of marriage or a planned life long bond. It isn't normally based in ownership, rather both ghouls leave a mark on the other to show they are equal. Could be shown in the lifestyle if wanted through biting others (with consent) or wearing other things to show marking.
• Hunting - When ghouls make plans to hunt down humans in order to regain strength / survive. Could also become impulsive hunting if said ghoul tries to avoid eating humans causing instincts to take over. This could be many things when applied to a lifestyle, like acting out a hunter+hunted and prey+predator dynamics or other similar things.
• Mask wearing - an integral part of ghoul lifestyles. In the series, it's used as a needed identity cover-up during hunting or moments of hunger. It could be worn casually for lifestyle comfort and preference. Masks often show something about one's personality or traits and are custom-made for those who wish to make one.
• Code name / Aliases - Ghouls use fake names to refer to each other in masks to avoid humans learning their identity in the series. Examples being "Owl", "Eyepatch", "One-Eyed king." These are often based on the ghouls personality / mask theme, or the ghoul's abilities that stand out. It could be used for euphoria in gūruverse lifestyles but is not required.