User:Nanorii
The Oni Kage is a social linkshell on the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI. The linkshell currently has over 100 members, making it the second most populous linkshell on the Leviathan server according to PlayOnline's Official Linkshell Community.
The Oni Kage was founded in September of 2004 by three Final Fantasy XI players who knew each other outside of the game: Tsurai, Bognar, and Gutz. Although it is a strictly a social linkshell (with some exceptions), it is often mistaken for a Hyper Notorious Monster linkshell because of the sheer amount of members that are pearl holders.
Original Oni Kage members Thecorporatespy, Bognar, and Gutz created what is known as the Oni Kage Salute. It is a macro consisting of emotes which cause the user's character to first panic, kneel, then salute the targeted character, along with a line of text which reads "[Player] gives [target] the secret Oni Kage Salute!" There is evidence that other linkshells have tried to copy the salute and make a similar one their own, but attempts have been unsuccessful.
The color of the Oni Kage linkpearl is purple (chosen because it is the color symbolizing royalty), but is often mistaken for blue.
The Oni Kage has only one rule: everything said over the linkshell cannot be taken as serious. It is important to have fun and be able to joke around with other members. There are many traditions:
- Terenas's Your Mom references.
- Niven's Reading Rainbow macro.
- Hefty's humping macro and the "Hefty madness".
- Every member's habit of shouting "OniKage!" whenever two or more members gather in one zone.