[open] kappa rehousing time

[playfoul]

Who ⬤ Yuri + Sutoku members (& other charitable Lost Souls)
What ⬤ Kappa crowdfunding
When ⬤ Late April
Where ⬤ Warehouse within Sutoku's grounds
Content Warnings ⬤ N/A


OOC Context: Yuri is coordinating relief efforts for the displaced Kappa and mods have approved temp housing for them in a warehouse provided by the Alliance. He'll need help from Lost Souls to get supplies there! Sutoku members will receive a message from him. If your muse is not Sutoku but would like to pitch in, you can assume word got out through the grapevine.

Hi gang. Been a fun month, hasn't it? Especially for our Kappa friends.

On a serious note, the Kappa are in need of shelter. I spoke with the Alliance and they've agreed to convert an unused warehouse to housing space. I'm looking for help with set up and supplies, as well as with getting the word out.

Message me if you can lend a hand. Every bit helps.

-Yuri

[ If you express interest, Yuri will follow up with details and the address of the warehouse. He'll ask you to use discretion who you share the location with since he doesn't want to attract trouble for the Kappa.

When you reach the location, you'll find a warehouse with running electricity and racks that have been pushed to one side to make room. The warehouse has been sectioned off into a sleeping area, a common area, and a storage area that the Kappa have been filling with equipment they've managed to retrieve from underground. ]





[ Yuri will be seeking volunteers to serve food at the food lines the Alliance has negotiated for from local restaurants. We'll need drivers to help transport nonperishable donations to the warehouse. People to carry it all. Bookkeepers to track the numbers. Anyone willing to network with nearby businesses to procure supplies or temp jobs for the Kappa to get back on their feet. Idk... morale boosting activities? Maybe someone can hook up a karaoke machine. Feel free to bring your own ideas!

If you need to get in touch with me, you can drop me a PM or message me on plurk ahlyo! ]

Comments

[playfoul]

Oh, I love ambitious.

[ Now there's an interesting idea. No reason not to consider it. Yuri's gotten enough help that the workload isn't overwhelming right now. Sutoku you are all champs. ]

With how things look underground, the Kappa could use a new base of operations. What are you thinking?

[kaientai]

A fundraiser, first of all. More than we're doing right now, since ultimately as generous as the businesses have been it impacts them as well. So instead, we should encourage as many people to open their wallets as possible, especially the big fish!

[ when you're doing it for a good cause, you can totally be excited about getting people to throw their money at things? ]

One night only, a huge party in the Underground! Of course, there's the little problem of an ongoing war, but I'm confident if we play our cards right we can get the clans on board at least long enough to call a temporary truce. Then, we get the Kappa in there to help set things up but I don't want this to be something we do right under their noses without their input. They're living like this right now and had all their leaders killed, so they really don't have a lot going for them right now. They need to be involved in this because whatever we create, I want it to be in the hands of the Kappa in the end.

[ it's easy to want to launch into details but if he's allowed to be a little ambitious here, he'll share what his ultimate goals are. ]

If we can get the factions to come together for one night it means opening the door to the idea that the factions can work together long-term. If we can make this work once and everyone benefits, why can't we build something permanent together?

[playfoul]

[ Oh, he loves a party, too. Yuri's mouth curves up in amusement. ]

An Underground occupied by all three Factions... you really are ambitious. I'm intrigued.

[ The territory reminds him of Abyss, and Yuri hates to relinquish it to the other Factions. Ryouma's idea has appeal. Who said there couldn't be both a gambling den and a brothel down there? ]

The last time we tried to throw a peaceful party, it ended in assassination. What do we need to do differently this time? More alcohol?

[ He's only half-joking. ]

As for fundraising, the more sources, the better. Though I've never known the rich to open their wallets without wanting something out of it.

[kaientai]

Well, something like that. The idea is for it to remain an Alliance-held territory but operate as a neutral zone.

[ he'll take being called ambitious even if he doesn't think of himself that way at all. that's how it looks to anyone that isn't in his head, knowing the weird way he thinks, so it's not unreasonable. ]

Money is the key. The Night Parade was a community occasion for everyone. This will be a lot more high-profile. First, if we control the area we control access. That's why I'm willing to settle for partitioning off a section of the place if they won't give on the whole Underground. [ since it's a big place and all. ] People have to pay to get in. The more expensive the ticket, the more you get out of the experience. I bet you'd see a lot of rich people paying out for exclusive benefits other people can't afford. That also adds a layer of security.

[ because if their real enemy finds the idea of faction unity distasteful, ryouma is well aware of the fact that he's painting a big target on this entire operation, so security is key. ]

I want the clans to see how much money they can make with this because profits speak in ways all of us standing around talking about peace never can. Once they know the potential we can set up a more permanent operation down there. Big companies work because they have a lot of different people investing their money together, so that's what we want the clans to do. If they have a real stake in what happens down there, they're less likely to want to go to war.

[playfoul]

Now that's a language everyone speaks. When Tamamo and Shuten have fought themselves into a stalemate and worn each other down, I think they'll begin to see the appeal. What would be even better is if they could reach the same conclusion themselves. Have you seeded the idea with anyone?

[ Convincing the clans will be an uphill battle that will take a miracle, but Yuri likes the idea. A classy Underground to bait the rich is the kind of scheme he can get in on. ]

The Underground's going to need a whole lot of fixing up or the wealthy will turn up their noses at it. The merchants won't want to move business somewhere risky. Seems it all comes down to securing the place first. Our Kappa friends can help, but they're not fighters. Are you going to sneak them down there?

[kaientai]

In an ideal world, they might find their own way, but the stronger likelihood is that they're going to need someone to show them. That's why I'm starting small. A one-night event at first. The area will still need to be cleaned and prepared and so we would need at least a temporary truce until the work is complete.

I already have a plan for a proposal that should be attractive to them, especially if I can get my hands on what all this fighting is costing everyone in damages. We'll get some peace, the Kappa get to go home and back to work, and the clans make a profit. That shouldn't be too disagreeable, right? Plus, it's a fundraiser. If the clans want to prove who's best they're perfectly welcome to battle it out over who can make the most money in one night.

[ maybe just... redirect some of that competitive spirit to something constructive? ]

As for seeding the idea, I'm going to be arranging a few meetings soon. I intend to take this to Toraguma and Tenkohime directly if the Alliance is willing to back me on it, but I need to get in touch with a few of my contacts in the other clans. They're both from my world so I know I can trust them. Which... raises another point.

For the moment we should keep this all as quiet as possible; we still have the unknown factor of a real and dangerous enemy out there who might object to the idea of restoring peace. A long time ago I found myself in a situation a lot like this and so I have to be completely upfront about how dangerous this can get.

[playfoul]

My lips are sealed, don't worry. I'm used to danger, but I don't want to risk anyone else here. I'll help as much as I can with that in mind.

[ The Kappa, the volunteers, the shelter itself... Yuri's quickly growing protective of those under his wing. So far they've been left alone, the other clans busy with their turf war.

He listens carefully to Ryouma's plan, the part about battling it out over money even drawing a chuckle from him. He has his doubts about it, though. It's just, in his poverty-stricken life, he's rarely seen money change hands out of goodwill. The only ones to succeed at that were the Church, and obviously that's not going to fly here. ]

Reframing the competition isn't a bad idea. I'm skeptical the fundraiser will turn a profit though. People always want something for their coin. What if we divvied up and auctioned the territory? ... though that could end badly. I've seen auctions get nasty, hah.

[ Yuri sighs. It'd defeat the purpose of peace talks if it all dissolved into fighting again. ]

sorry this is late i am finally caught up!

[kaientai]

Good! Honestly, I don't expect I'll have to try very hard to convince people to keep things quiet. Everyone understands the sort of game we're playing here whether any of us want to be playing it or not.

[ everyone playing on different teams automatically lends itself to secrecy and distrust which is unfortunate but not unexpected. ]

The territory is valuable, that's true, not because of what it is but for what can be put on it. It's all supply and demand — people will part with their money in exchange for things they want, so we give them something they can only get from us, which in this case is a unique experience they can't get anywhere else.

[ ryouma isn't saying so directly but he's definitely been tightening up his pitch through all of these meetings he's having with people. he enjoys the feedback because it's very easy to think his ideas are great in his own mind. ]

[playfoul]

You a salesman? You sound like you've done this sort of thing before.

[ Yuri has to remark after hearing a pitch like that. Seems to him that Ryouma has some experience with negotiations, though salesman doesn't strike him as being quite right. Someone with both leadership and ambition could set their sights higher. ]

Good to hear. I'd hate for the wrong ears to catch on to your plan. How is the situation underground lately? [ He's been above ground most of this time. A first for him, really. ] How soon do you think we could secure it?