Patch Tribe

The Patch Tribe (パッチ族, Pacchi-Zoku) are a group of Native American Shamans responsible for overseeing the Shaman Fights.

About
The Patch tribe reside within the Patch village for the majority of their lives, preforming regular day to day tasks, to provide for the general well being of the tribe. However, they are also in charge of overseeing the smooth progress of the Shaman fights, being in charge of monitoring and testing various shamans during the course of this event, e.g. Silva is in charge of observing Asakura Yoh.

The Ten Officiants are members of the Patch tribe and when not conducting their responsabilities concerning the fight, their day job is to sell Patch memorabilia and food items, to cover the expenses of the tribe. It is revealed that each of these Officiants also has an area of field which they control (mountains, valley, desert, water etc.), called plants, which form the path that the Shaman king must first take to reach the Great Spirit. One of these, called Chrom, was killed in the intial stages of the tournament by Tao Ren, during his entrance exam. However, it seems a replacement for him has been found in the form of his younger brother, Nichrom, since there is now mention of 10 Priests. Each individual priests has their own specific roles within the tournament, such as Radim who acts as the general host/referee of the Shaman Fight. Some of the Patch had already formed biased opinions before the start of the fights, throwing their support to Hao's purposes. These Patch are fearful of his power, yet at the same time, feeling protected by his overwhelming strength, they do their best to lower the esteem of the other contestants in the Shaman Fight.

Once the Shaman King has been revealed, the Patch now act as their protectors, guarding both the new Shaman King and Great Spirit as they merge into one.

Goldva

 * See More: Goldva

Goldva (ゴルドバ, Gorudoba) is an elderly Patch Tribe chief who is the head organizer of the Shaman Fight. She was born October 1st 1921, and is a God class shaman who remains completely neutral throughout the tournament. Her spirit is a Totembird named Big Chief, with her medium being Goldva herself.

Goldva currently guards the Shaman King throne room, like all the previous chiefs before her.

Silva

 * See More: Silva

Silva (シルバ, Shiruba) is a Native American of the Patch Tribe and a member of the Shaman Fight Selection Committee. He was born on September 16, 1971, and his blood type is B. He travels from the United States (The "Desert of the West" in the English anime) to Japan after being assigned to test Asakura Yoh. After some difficulty, Yoh lands a hit on Silva, passing the qualification test.

Silva watches over Yoh after he defeats him in the qualification test, finding Yoh to have great potential and good will and must frequently refrain from directly interfering to aid Yoh. Silva is also responsible for overseeing Tao Ren (following Chrom's death), and "Wooden Sword" Ryu. He often is seen as a street vendor, trying to sell traditional Native American crafts while in Japan. He spends the rest of his spare time watching soap operas.

Silva has five familiars, who are luminous totems that have refined themselves for over 500 years: Silver Horn - an American Bison spirit, Silver Rod - a snake spirit, Silver Shield - a turtle spirit, Silver Tail - a coyote spirit, and Silver Wing - an eagle spirit. The five can combine to form a cannon used in the Totemic Soul Blast attack. His plant is the Glacier.

Kalim

 * See More: Kalim

Kalim (カリウム, Kariumu), one of Silva's friends and organizers of the Shaman Fight, he tested and deemed Horohoro to be qualified to take part in the Shaman Fight. In addition to Horohoro, he also oversees the Icemen. His birthday is April 24, 1971. His spirit partner is a bull named BlackSickle, with his medium being a bull skull and leg bones allowing BlackSickle to merge with the lower half of his body. His plant is the plateau.

He shares an apartment with Silva during the tournament in Tokyo, where the two constantly bicker over the heat (because they cannot afford an air conditioner and the summer is so warm and humid). Like Silva, Kalim sells handcrafted Patch goods to make somewhat of a living while in Tokyo. Kalim frequently provides a voice of reason to somewhat quell Silva's desire to interfere in the Shaman Tournament. Kalim is apparently hemaphobic. Following the trend of Patch priests being named after metals, Kalim's name derives from Kari (加里 or カリ), or Kariumu (カリウム) meaning potassium in Japanese (derived from the German language Kalium).

Nichrom

 * See More: Nichrom

Nichrom (ニクロム, Nikuromu) is the 10th priest of the Patch tribe, in the Anime he first appears in episode 50. Nichrom became the 10th priest after his brother, Chrom the previous 10th priest, was killed by Tao Ren. In the manga, Nichrom was able to kill Ren who was later revived by Iron Maiden Jeanne. Also (in the anime) Nichrom joins up with Asakura Hao. What has surprised most fans is Nichrom's age, since it has been stated that he was eight when he joined the Patch tribe. He is responsible for Faust VIII (following Chrom's death), Team "Niles", and Team "Tsuki-gumi".

His spirit is a scorpion, Yellow Whip, with his medium being a scorpion's tail. It is revealed, in the new ending of the series, that his Plant was in fact the 7th Plant of the Cave, which also used to be his brothers Plant.

Magna

 * See More: Magna

Magna (マグナ, Maguna) is an officiant of the Patch who takes Nichrome under his wing when the young boy becomes an officiant. He is the officiant responsible for Team "Hana-Gumi", Team "Hoshi-gumi", and Team "Magical Princess". He openly supports Hao, and like other officiants who do so, takes pleasure in intimidating some of the remaining contestants in the tournament.

His spirit is a great horned owl named Magnescope, with his medium being placed on his arms and legs to generate owl wings and owl claws. His plant is the volcano.

When the invaders reached his plant, he faced of against Tao Ren and tried to use the volanic gasses to attack unseen like and owl. He was eventually killed by a gigantic lightning strike created by Ren.

Radim

 * See More: Radim

Radim (ラジム, Rajimu) is the officiant who is selected to the moderator of the tournament. Unlike most of the other officiants, he tries his best to remain neutral, but at times has openly agreed that he doesn't approve of Asakura Hao's shaman only kingdom (going so far as to get Hao's furyoku rating during the fight with X-III). He is responsible for overseeing Team "Mariachi" and Team "T-Production" in the Shaman Fight.

His spirit is an Australian pelican named Platinum Sword, with his medium being his microphone. His plant is the lake.

Namari

 * See More: Namari

Namari (ナマリ, Namari) is an official who first appeared when Yoh's friends attempted to stop Hao's followers from killing Lady Sati. He apparently had some sort of discontent or rivalry with Ryu, though also seemed to respect him. He was an open supporter of Hao, intimidating some of the remaining contestants in the tournament. Namari's spirit was a cobra named Red Rope(レッドロープ) with his medium (probably) having been snake skin.

On their journey to get to the Star Sanctuary, Ryu fought with him first one-on-one in his area: the desert. After killing Ryu, he was in turn killed by Ren with the help of Horo Horo. Before he died he smiled, knowing he'd won by having his boastful opponents use a part of their furyoku to defeat him. This caused Ren to respect him afterwards. He was responsible for all Gandhara shamans, and also Team "Tsuchi-gumi".

Bron

 * See More: Bron

Bron (ブロン, Buron) was the Patch Officiant responsible for Lyserg Diethel and the X-Laws throughout the shaman fight, and was sent to London to test Lyserg after the sighting of the destiny star. His spirit is a spider called Bluenet and his mediums are wrist and ankle cuffs made out of spiderhair.

When Silva tried to steal the remaining 4 Elemental Spirits and was captured Goldva ordered Renim and Bron to reeducate him in the ways of the Patch, something Kalim seemed shocked to hear.

Eventually Hao would be crowned the Shaman King by forfeit of the remaining three teams and his own two teammates. When the remaining teams invaded the Plants and was facing of against Silva Bron showed up alongside Renim and ordered Silva to return to his Plant. There both he and Renim introduced themselfs to the invaders and showed off their oversouls, possibly to intimidate them.

Eventually the invaders reached his "Plant of the Valley" where he easily defeated them all, until Lyserg Diethel calmed his mind and burned him to death.

Renim

 * See More: Renim

Renim (レニム, Renimu) is together with Bron responsible for reeducating those who stray from the way of the Patch. He is responsible for Chocolove McDonell, Team "haiti800" and Team "Nazca" in the Shaman Fight.

When Silva tried to steal the remaining four Elemental Spirits and was captured Goldva ordered Renim and Bron to reeducate him in the ways of the Patch, something Kalim seemed shocked to hear.

Eventually Asakura Hao would be crowned the Shaman King by forfeit of the remaining three teams and his own two teammates. When the remaining teams invaded the Plants and was facing of against Silva, Renim showed up alongside Bron and ordered Silva to return to his Plant. There he and Bron revealed their oversouls and greeted the invaders. They left and told them to follow the main path or get lost forever.

Renim's spirit is a chameleon named Clear Coat. His plant is the jungle.

Thalim

 * See More: Thalim

A Patch member first seen working in the Patch Cafe, but little else is known about him. It is possible that due to name association he is Kalim's brother. He is responsible for Team "Kabbalahers" and Team "Cowboys".

The group of invaders encountered him in the eighth plant, the ocean. He was easily able to defeat the majority of them using his versatile spirit, Green Seeds, but was eventually overcome and defeated by Chocolove McDonell.

Rutherfor

 * See More: Rutherfor

Rutherfor (ラザホー, Razaho) is a Patch Priest who is only seen at the very end of the manga series, escorting Hao to the King's Shrine. She is a guardian of the Universe Plant and, having enormous black eyes on a naked head, she seems like an alien rather than human.

However according to Hao her appearance is just an Over Soul. In a close up of her face one can see what looks like the outline of a human face inside the "alien head" perhaps hinting that she uses her body for her medium.

Chrom

 * See More: Chrom

Chrom (クロム, kuromu) was the first and only officiant to die in the preliminary rounds of the Shaman Fight. He was killed when he tested Tao Ren. Officially, Ren passed with one hit but when Chrom goaded him a little bit more, he went insane and killed him. In addition to Tao Ren, Chrom was also responsible for Faust VIII, but since he died, those responsibilites were passed to Silva and Nichrom.

Chrom's spirit is a locust. His medium is probably the armor like plates on his vest. Seeing that his younger brother, Nichrom, protected the 7th Plant, the Cave, it was most likely his Plant to protect had he lived long enough to do so.

Spirits
Since a long time ago, animals that are related to the Patch tribe turn into nature spirits when they die. When the young Patchs exceed a set age limit, a ritual is held for them in order for them to find the nature spirit that will protect them in the future. Under the guidence of the Medacine Man, they are carried into a process of deep meditation, that sets them into a pseudo death state. Then the nature spirits start gathering, and as soon as the young Patchs recieve one they're brought back from death's depths. In the end each youth is bound together, by a mutual agreement, with the spirit that was brought back with them. It is not impossible for a Patch to bond with more than one spirit during this process.

Five Elemental Spirits
The Spirits of Earth, Wind, Rain, Thunder and Fire - the five greatest spirits to exist and owned by the Patch tribe. They were once part of the Great Spirit itself, and just like it they formed from a collection of spirits rather than a single individual. Due to this each retains the ability to grow stronger and evolve by consuming more spirits, adding these spirits power onto their already significant power.

500 years ago, Hao was reincarnated as one of the tribe members of the Patch tribe and managed to steal the Spirit of Fire from them. He reincarnated in the present together with the spirit, to become the teenage twin of Asakura Yoh. The other four Spirits are currently kept hidden by the Patch Tribe, in the deepest parts of the Great Spirit and guarded by the four kings of hell, to prevent others from stealing them away.

Sati of the Gandhara had plans to obtain the four Spirits and pass them on to Tao Ren, Asakura Yoh, Chocolove and Horohoro. It was theorised that once Hao had combined with the Great Spirit, the Spirit of Fire would be detached from him and from that point onwards could be claimed by Lyserg Diethel. She believes that with the help of the Five Great Spirits, the five children could defeat Hao even if he has become one with the Great Spirit and obtained the power of the Shaman King.

Anime/Manga Difference
In the anime many of the Patch Officiants are never officialy introduced and many of them are only seen in cameos with no real ressemblance to the ones seen in the manga. The main focus lies primarily on Silva and Kalim, while Magna is replaced with Zinc as Nichrom's main partner.

Zinc



 * See More: Zinc

Zinc is a shaman of the Patch tribe who along with Nichrom fights Kalim and Silva when they attempt to help Asakura Yoh. Due to the fact he is in the anime, he doesn't have a plant. Like Nichrome he is given a power boost by Hao yet at the same time he is given 9 other guardian ghosts to make himself a suit of spiritual armor like Silva that can also be combined into Totem Pole Cannon like the Silver Arms.

His guardian ghost (most likely the first one he oversouled) is a vulture or buzzard with his medium being the feather plates he wore.

Trivia

 * A note on the Patch: All the Patch Tribe are named after elements on the Periodic Table of Elements (Nichrom is named after an alloy).
 * Goldva = Gold
 * Silva = Silver
 * Kalim = Potassium (Japanese)
 * Chrom = Chromium
 * Nichrom = Nichrome (a nickel/chromium alloy)
 * Magna = Magnesium
 * Renim = Rhenium
 * Bron = Boron
 * Radim = Radium
 * Namari = Lead (Japanese)
 * Thalim = Thallium
 * Rutherfor = Rutherfordium
 * Zinc = Zinc (a metallic chemical element)