[open] shuten clan mingling

[no_kyouken]

Who ⬤ The Shuten Clan Lost Souls
What ⬤ Post-event drinking meeting
When ⬤ After some Kappa punching, I assume
Where ⬤ The White Koi, Shuten Clan bar
Content Warnings ⬤ Dranking, Shutens

un: majima Get yer asses up an' come to th'White Koi by 7. It's on Shuten turf, corner of Bunyudomachi. We're meetin'. [ The bar is almost exclusively Shuten members, most of them wearied with nightly patrols and clashes. There's plenty of muttering and chatter about the recent assassination, with the common complaint being 'fuck I have to get my funeral suit out of storage'. Majima points lost souls into a slightly more secluded room done up in the titular white koi pattern. ] Siddown, who's heard what. [ He is also weary and bruised from some fights, leaning back against the wall with a cigarette and a drink. ] 🐍 This is a mingle, sure they got together to talk info but they're Shutens so it's assumed they're going to get drunk, yell, and throw hands. 🐍 Lordy please do whatever you want, I'm not the cops. 🐍 OOC info collection 🐍 Toraguma's orders

Comments

Sheliak | open, feel free to threadjack/wildcard

[sleepinglyra]

[Sheliak was a bit surprised when he received Majima's summoning. If it wasn't his clan, he would say Shuten using their heads was inconceivable. But he couldn't think like that, even if there was plenty of evidence to prove that thought he did not have.

Sheliak was among the first to arrive at the White Koi. He didn't grab anything to drink, someone had to stay sober during this meeting, and he chose a seat at the center. So far no one seemed comfortable in the leadership role so he took it for himself. He had a few nagging doubts that these people would listen to a "pretty face" like him. Hopefully his two wins at the sumo competition earned him some respect. At the very least he stood out and he could easily use that to his advantage. He quietly listened to what everyone else had to say first before adding in his own thoughts. Despite his fragile appearance, his voice easily carried across the room with an air of authority. This was his specialty.]

I've heard enough to conclude that this was carefully planned. The timing of the Night Parade and the Kappa were essential for the assassination to work. Thanks to the importance of the Night Parade all of the clans' hands were effectively tied. Shuten and Tamamo couldn't do anything without risking the spirit of peace and by choosing the Kappa as their pawns, the Daitengu was forced to play along. Opinions on the Alliance are already tense without their own leader questioning their motives.

I believe the kappa are just pawns, during the Parade none of them seemed nervous and when the assassination took place they genuinely seemed as shocked as everyone else. Although their extreme carelessness caused irreversible harm, in that way they are just as guilty as the assassins for the fallout. Without any leads, the Alliance will likely tear itself apart while the real assassins are left unchecked. I doubt the Alliance was their only target. The chaos left behind is the perfect smokescreen and our opponents have already shown that they understand this gameboard incredibly well, too well not to take advantage of this.

[littleshield]

[ Yeah, Felix doesn't so much as touch anything that'll addle his mind. ]

So, what do you think their ultimate goal is? Have someone else rise to power due to the power vacuum? Or something else in addition to that?

[metafictions]

Maybe...

[he takes a thoughtful sip of his cocktail before he chimes in.]

It could be intimidation, as well? Or undermining public opinion? Now everyone in Jigoku-cho knows the clans aren't as unassailable as one might think.

[sleepinglyra]

[Sheliak listened to both suggestions with a quiet hum.]

It would be an ideal time for someone to rise to power. However, whoever tries to do so will be met with suspicion given the timing and so far our enemy has taken great lengths to stay in the shadows. I'm not sure what their ultimate goal is, but it involves turning the clans against each other and intimidation certainty plays a part in that. With one strike they crippled if not destroyed one clan in one night. It's an effective message and perfect for spreading the seed of suspicion within the other clans. If the other leaders were attacked everyone would have a reason to band together against a common foe, despite their differences. By only targeting the Daitengu the clans are forced to suspect each other.

[littleshield]

So, essentially you think whoever pulled this wants to unbalance the system. [ ... ] I can agree with that.

The more chaos that's sown, the easier they'll be able to eventually take an advantageous position after the dust settles in the aftermath of the other clans possibly targeting one another as a result.

[ Felix doubts that this group wants to necessarily take up position as simply 'one' head of a clan, because otherwise after the Daitengu had been taken down that would've been their opportune moment. Yet, nothing still. ]

[metafictions]

I would agree too. [he gives Felix a polite little nod of acknowledgement.]

In that case, who could be our culprit? Alliance infighting? The Enma? Some external clan on the rise?

[He taps his chin, pensive.] It would be very ironic if this were the Enma's handiwork... an organization who values order like no else, sowing chaos in order to assert its own idea of order.

[sleepinglyra]

[Sheliak's thoughts suddenly turned to the home that was stolen from him. His eyes narrowed slightly as a hint of anger slipped through his calm expression as he answered in a hushed tone.]

The end justifies the means. If you believe your cause is right who cares what you do to achieve it.

[Sheliak quickly caught himself and with a blink the flash of anger was hidden away again. His voice regained it's confidence as he continued.]

The Alliance and the Enma seem the most suspicious at the moment but they could have been purposely put into that role to hide the true culprits.

Regardless of whether the Alliance is responsible, there will be infighting simply due to the power vacuum left behind and the Enma would have seemed even more suspicious if they didn't go after the kappa. With the tension as it is, it is dangerous to suspect anyone without solid proof. Otherwise we will just add to the chaos.

[littleshield]

[ This is the second time the blond-haired man's thoughts seem to align with his own. That being said, the anger there is noticeable regarding how he feels about ... something. So the fact he can offer an objective opinion afterwards is a bit commendable. ]

It's not so unusual for snakes in high positions to take advantage of that, but I doubt that happened. It's probably on purpose the two clans have been put into the spotlight like this. We've seen already how far ahead our enemy seems to think, so why not in this too?

Not like I want to give a bunch of cowards in the shadows any credit.

[ He'd rather just kick their ass tbh. ]

[sleepinglyra]

[His anger would only cloud the already murky situation and they couldn't afford that. Not to mention the cowards in the shadows, as Felix rightfully called them, wanted them to suspect each other and he refused to play along. He agreed with Felix with a small smirk.]

Frankly neither do I, but in order to drag them out of the shadows, we have to acknowledge they exist first.

[harimaya]

(He's quiet, listening to Sheliak walk through his theory. Something about what he says makes him set down his drink and turn the glass in his hands almost anxiously,)

What? You think someone's trying to overthrow the government or something?

(Tear the Alliance apart and go for the others next? They'd be talking about changing Jigoku-cho's entire structure.)

[sleepinglyra]

[Sheliak answered with a small nod.]

Yes. I doubt the Daitengu were their only target. Why else were the other leaders left unharmed if not to create suspicion among each other?

[It was a common tactic among the noble families back home. Why risk going after your enemies yourself when you can get them to turn on each other instead?]

[harimaya]

I dunno.

(He really doesn't so why is Sheliak asking!! He has no idea.)

It's not like I go around making plans to start a revolution or something.

(He just... kills for the revolution. But no one here really needs to know that right now. Maybe.)

Just thought it was because Toraguma's pretty strong and I dunno... I don't like the fox.

(She makes him nervous. He's certain she's dangerous but he doesn't know how and that's scary.)

[sleepinglyra]

[Ah, well, Sheliak on the other hand, did have experience with this. Not full scale revolution, but power changed hands among the families regularly and his family had certainly played one family against the other on many occasions to come out on top. It made the conversation a bit awkward so he focused on Hizen's argument instead. He agreed with his thoughts on Tenkohime with a ghost of a smile. He didn't like her either. The ones that hid their claws were the most dangerous.]

It's certainly possible that the others were too intimidating but even if the assassins only intended to cause upheaval within the alliance, it is strange that no one even tried to take a shot at the other leaders during the chaos.

[Sheliak stopped himself from ending with another question this time.]

And it seems to have benefited them quite a lot for a mere coincidence.