Dark Ones

The Dark Ones, or Clan of Darkness in the English dub version, are a clan of Shinigami that were exiled over 1000 years ago and are also known as the fallen house of Ryodoji. The name of their clan was the Fallen House of Ryōdoji, though the Dark One's leader no longer claims ties to that name. They took refuge in the Dangai Precipice World and later in the Valley of Screams. Their leader, Ganryū, planned revenge against the Soul Society by finding the Shinenju and using it to collide Soul Society with the Human World, destroying them. The Dark Ones were defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki, Senna, and various members of the Gotei 13.

History
The Dark Ones were actually once known as The House of Ryōdoji, but Soul Society exiled them 1000 years ago for unknown causes. Amazingly, the group somehow managed to avoid the deadly current flowing through the entire Dangai, and resided there for many years. It was in this world that the clan of exiles discovered the souls that evaded transmigration and turned into wandering ghosts: The Blanks. The Dark Ones learned to harness the Blanks as an energy source for their own power. The Dark Ones learned all the information there is about Blanks and the Valley of Screams, which they chose to reside in, and formulated a plan for revenge against Soul Society.

Hierarchy
The Clan of Darkness is made up of six members including Ganryū the leader who also calls himself the "Dark One" in the English dub movie. The other five include four men and one woman all of whom were soundly defeated by the Shinigami. The members names are as follows:

Leader
Ganryū was the leader of the Dark Ones, due to his ingenuity and power. Killed by Ichigo Kurosaki after a long battle.

Subordinates
Jai - A dark-skinned member of the clan. He was killed by Byakuya Kuchiki.

Benin - The only female of the clan, she was killed by Soifon.

Riyan - Member of the clan with what appears to be two rocket packs on his back. He was killed by Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

Bau - A large man having his face completely covered by a veil and caring two large weapons. He was killed by Renji Abarai.

Mue - A small, pale clan member who liked to attack from a distance. He is killed by Kenpachi Zaraki.

Allies
Blanks - The entire race of Blanks was used solely for their own ambition. Not one Blank showed any originality from the rest, but were used creatively by the Dark Ones.

Ryōdoji Clan Techniques/Abilities
While it is not known if the clan wielded Zanpakutō or just had unusual weapons as it was never stated, they all displayed unique powers involving the Blanks.


 * Teamwork Experience/Strength: The group was very powerful, as shown when despite the presence of three Division Captains, their plan to kidnap the Memory Rosary went perfectly.


 * Skilled Strategists: They were also very insightful, as seen afterward when they used an escape route planned beforehand to evade the Gotei 13 completely.


 * Expert Weapon Specialists: The Clan members were highly skilled in their respective weapons, able to make three Division Captains ineffective against their kidnapping attempt.


 * Flash Steps: Though not explained, the Dark Ones were able to keep up with Lieutenant and Captain level Shingami using Shunpo; Since every member was once a shinigami, this is the only technique they can use to travel at such speeds.


 * Invisibility: Ganryū demonstrated the ability to turn invisible, but was the only Dark One to do so. It can be assumed it was an advanced technique created by the clan before Exile, as the only ability the clan gained was power over Blanks.

"Dark One" Abilities
Apparently they could use the blank souls to replenish their weapons, create new ones and even regrow limbs. The Dark Ones gained this ability during their time in the Dangai Precipice World.


 * Altered Spiritual Structure: During their millennium of Exile in the Dangai Precipice World, the Dark Ones adapted to the harsh environment, being unaffected by the deadly Kouryū current (through evasion.) Their bodies also became similar to the Blanks, which explains the fine control they have over them, as well as how they can restore limbs by absorbing them. Lastly, every Dark One did not die like the standard shinigami, as they all turned to dust upon death, with the exception of their leader who became smoke.


 * Blank Manipulation: The Dark Ones eventually learned how to harness the Blanks for their own power, during the time they spent in the Dangai Precipice World. They also had the Blanks do their bidding in the Valley of Screams, ordering them to fuse around the Memory Rosary creating a gigantic cocoon-like structure. Blanks were used to augment their weapons and even restore limbs. Jai was the 3rd most powerful member, focusing completely on Blanks for his attacks; He even used a duplication technique with Blanks that allowed him to survive being frozen and subsequently shattered. Riyan, the second in command of the group used Blanks to create an unlimited supply of weapons for his rocket pack. The strongest of the group, Ganryū, was able to transform Blanks into anything he could imagine. His most prominent use was shown when he turned 4 Blanks into daggers, changed the last one into an adhesive mass before impact [with Ichigo Kurosaki,] and within moments created another set of daggers to critically injure him.