HIBAKUSHA ONYUDU

By Jenny Parr (j.l.parr@bradford.ac.uk) (27 June 1996)

Description

The Onyudu, masters of the Japanese business scene, are at the moment the most powerful Kindred in the financial world, surpassing even the Giovanni in their business empires. Seen until the twentieth century as political meddlers and weaklings by the Hibakusha Kasa who controlled Japan's military, the Onyudu were one of the weakest bloodlines and were often easy pickings for the Ventrue who had some subtle help from the Kasa who were not too keen on sharing Japan with " a group of merchants." Indeed at the beginning of the twentieth century there were only eight Onyudu left in the whole of Asia. One, Sanjuro Kuwabatake, escaped from the Ventrue by leaving for Hong Kong in 1940. Impressed by the financial companies of the British he returned to his kin to describe to them the future of Japan -- a great empire, not in war but in business until no-one could stand against them in power over their people. With the disbandment of the Japanese army the Kasa lost most of their power and the Onyudu stepped in to fill the power vacuum left by WWII.

The Onyudu, though small in number, have a stranglehold over Japanese business that not even the Kasa can take away from them. Their greatest allies, the Zaibatsu Gaki, recruit their ranks from Onyudu run companies such as Takumaru Electronics run by Tanofugi Sakahoko, Yamaru (holdings) run by Askikaga Tararyu, Torii Firearms run by Terau Saotome or Argentum Media Inc. run by Sanjuro Kuwabatake. Surprisingly they have met with very little resistance from the Ventrue in the far east and it is rumoured that they have fled back to the west realising a lost cause and are taking the war to the western economic capitols of the world. The Onyudu are the main force industrializing East Asia. Their success in transforming Japan into an economic giant has led to 'invitations' from other countries in return for power on the Hibakusha ruling city councils. The Hantu handed over complete control of Singapore in return for industrial favours, both in Asia and in the recently colonised west coast of both north and south America. Seattle, Portland, San Diego, San Fransisco, Lima and Antofagusta.

Many of the younger Ventrue have not even heard of the Onyudu, let alone of the war between the two clans and this has been one of the strengths of the Onyudu. They make alliances with the younger Ventrue and the Anarchs in the hope of weakening the Elders' position. It seems that they are succeeding...

Quote

"This isn't really a hostile takeover. Just think of us as some friends who are doing you a favour by looking after your business for a little while. Now are you going to sign that contract or will I have to persuade you that it is in the best interest of your health..."

Nickname

Cyberfangs

Origin

Japan

Appearance

They are exclusively oriental and are always well groomed. Power dressing is universally acknowledged as the typical garbing of an Onyudu.

Haven

The Onyudu usually have power in major Japanese companies therefore they are quite rich and have penthouse flats or company hideaways.

Backgrounds

The Onyudu only embrace those with the intelligence and strength of personality needed to succeed in today's business environment. Most are businessmen but some industrial spies and company 'enforcers' have also been introduced in the bloodline's ranks.

Character Creation

The concept of most Onyudu is professional. It is rare for other concepts to be embraced. Their primary traits are Mental or Social attributes and Knowledges. Bureaucracy, Computers and Finance are valued abilities. Common archetypes include Architect, Visionary, Perfectionist and Director. Few Onyudu have resources of less than 3 dots, most have more. Retainers are another common background.

Clan Disciplines

Auspex, Dakai, Dominate.

It is interesting to note that the origin of the complex computer was mainly due to interference from the Onyudu who saw in the earliest computers a way of creating the effects of Dakai. Many Onyudu are fascinated with the prospect of reproducing the effects of other disciplines with computers but have not yet been able to do so. However, many Onyudu have set out to learn other disciplines simply so they can attempt to reproduce them.

Weaknesses

The Onyudu are unable to take blood from animals and are unable to have animal ghouls.

Geography

With the arrival of the global economy Onyudu may be found practically anywhere in Asia and occasionally in the West. Both Argentum Media Incorporated (ArIM) and Torii firearms have branched out into North West America -- Torii setting up in Anchorage while Argentum have located to Seattle.

Structure

The Onyudu do not have a rigid organisational structure, preferring to rely on their industrial power to determine their status. Local Onyudu will gather to quote their monthly sales figures but no real issues are discussed. Independent initiative is the only reason that the Onyudu are so successful.

Gaining Power

The best way to gain power among the Onyudu is to make more money that your peers. This wealth-centred approach has been a factor in the Onyudu's continued success in the business world. Another, more difficult, way to gain power is to take over or financially ruin a company owned or run by one of the Faithless. Although once the emphasis was on forcing out the Ventrue, these days there is far more prestige to be won from winning a boardroom battle with a Giovanni or the Sabbat-run Pentex Incorporated. Pentex is also a target because of the large influx of Sabbat vampires into Onyudu held territory. Currently they are deciding whether or not it would be better strategy to encourage Glasswalker and Hakken Shadowlord strikes on the vampire held companies.

Gathering Days

Onyudu hold board meetings on the last Monday night of every month to swap boasts, stories and generally catch up on the latest gossip. These informal groups are known as Consortiums. Occasionally candidates for the embrace are discussed but usually childer are sired then introduced to the Consortium as it has been known for other Onyudu to suddenly embrace promising candidates.

Power Rumours

The Keizaiteki no Senshi are the main decision makers for the Onyudu, twisting the financial markets to favour those who follow them, or to cause the bankruptcy of those who disobey them. The Fukumen no Kanshisha are currently making plays for foreign companies in order to lessen the hold of the Senshi.

Internal Orders

There are four internal orders struggling for power among the Onyudu: the Keiretsu, the Korosu Shinri, the Fukumen no Kanshisha and the Keizaiteki no Senshi. Each has its own section of business it specialises in:

The Keiretsu dominate the industrial sectors. Members of this order form coteries, each participant blood-bound to the others and all holding shares of the others' companies. This closeness protects them from takeovers, hostile or otherwise.

The Korosu Shinri control the arms trade. Conniving to ensure that their services are always needed they often deploy their own mercenary units to 'influence' situations of interest. This group also controls the pharmaceutical and medical industries -- always on the alert for new biological and chemical weapons they can sell to the highest bidder.

The Fukumen no Kanshisha own most of East Asia's media corporations. Few television stations or radio broadcasters have escaped their net and they are currently expanding into the old USSR and into America. Expansionists, they currently wish to move into Polynesia and the Pacific but are having trouble -- the Camarilla and Sabbat have driven them from Australia and strange monsters have chased them from New Zealand.

The Keizaiteki no Senshi influence the financial markets of the East. They include the oldest and most respected Onyudu as they have modernised from the merchants of the past.

Allies

The allies of the Onyudu are most often mortal family members or employees that the Onyudu can trust. They can be from diverse walks of life.

Contacts

The contacts used by Onyudu are always corporate. Occasionally they are spies in rival corporations, but can be R&D.

Influence

Onyudu have a great deal of influence in the marketplace but no real political power. Although controlling the evolution of Japan as a whole, the local governments are usually dominated by the influence of the Kasa.

Military Force

Many members of the Korusu Shinri have mercenary units at their disposal which they use in order to inflame tense situations and create 'business'. No other orders of Onyudu are particularly bothered with the military.

Resources

If there is one thing the Onyudu have it is money. Lots of it. As money equals power in the minds of the Onyudu it is rare to find one that does not pride resources over all else.

Status

Before the Second World War the Onyudu were not the most highly esteemed Hibakusha, but since then their role in the economic growth of the East has gained them respect from the others.

Supernatural

By concentrating on their own affairs the Onyudu have not been successful in cultivating contacts with other supernatural creatures, seeing them only as anachronistic and not worth bothering with. The only exceptions to this are the Glasswalker Lupines and the Virtual Adept mages with whom they keep some lines of communication. They do, however, have many allies among the Zaibatsu Gaki who comb the ranks of the Onyudu corporations looking for suitable candidates for immortality.

Merits

Corporate CEO and Corporate ties are very common merits for Onyudu. Mortal Double or Baby Face are also common along with Computer Aptitude and Self Confident.

Flaws

The Onyudu believe strongly that the mind can overcome any frailties of the body, and physical flaws are quite common among them. Enemy-Giovanni, Ventrue or Glasswalker is common, as is Driving Goal - personal success. No Onyudu will have Illiterate, and it is rare for one to have Anachronism.

Skills

Clan Knowledge - Onyudu, Industrial Sabotage.

Stereotypes

Drukpa: Boring, anachronistic technophobes.

Hantu: Worthy business partners.

Hibakush: Treat them with respect, then run like hell.

Ju: The original evil sadists. In years to come parents will tell their children tales of the Ju to make them behave.

Kasa: They would cut us down in an instant if given the chance.

Kuei: Uncouth louts.

Kyuketsuki: Kawaii!

Sanatan: The jury's still out on these guys.

Bushi: If they leave us alone we'll grant them the same courtesy.

Gaki: Deal with them but don't trust them.

Sazan: Yeah, right, like they really exist.

Shreh Ren: The big guys. Our great lords and masters...

Faithless: Time for the takeover bid.

Camarilla: Pathetic little bureaucrats.

Sabbat: Ahh... Pentex's little footsoldiers. Destroy them.

Brujah: Locking them in a room with Kasa is fun to watch -- just don't get too close.

Gangrel: They are as bad as the animals they claim to hold sway over.

Malkavians: Don't invite them to your business dinners but they can be used as a weapon against the Ventrue.

Nosferatu: The ultimate spies, corporate or otherwise. Trust them not and use them infrequently or your enemies may find out things you don't want to reveal.

Ventrue: The bane of our unlives -- kill them all.

Giovanni: Almost as bad as the Ventrue; they are trying to take over our power but we shall teach them the error of their ways.

Yei: Live and let die.

Lupines: Watch for them if you try branching into environmental industries.

Glasswalkers: Amateurs.

Mages: Odd but of no real consequence.

Wraiths: The dead should go away and not come back.

Fae: I suppose you believe in Father Christmas too.

Gehenna: No one is stupid enough to end the world.

Author's note

O.K. guys, I've graduated and will loose my account sometime around mid July. Til then I'm still reachable at: j.l.parr@bradford.ac.uk. After then I can be reached at my friend Chris' account at c.plaice1@bradford.ac.uk but please put 'for Jenny' in the subject line otherwise it won't get to me! Arigato.