By Jason C. Marshall (JCMarshall@sympatico.ca) for the Celestial Court.
"Go."
Two black-clothed figures dropped from a roof top to the cab. Three more black clothed figures emerged from the shadows at strategic points and silently killed the guards. Han Deng walked confidently over the truck cab and pulled the body of the driver out.
"Leave the Brujah a calling card so that they'll remember next time to give us our take of the action." One of the black clothed figures nodded and ran off. "Stupid, Hung Mao kindred, when will they learn that the Shu rule China's underworld."
The founders stuck together out of sheer survival instincts, creating progeny to increase their lot in life and to protect themselves from their brother kindred.
The first contact with the Celestial Court came when a member of the Pao Yu saw three Shu pulling off a smuggling deal with a small group of local fishermen. The Pao Yu reported back to his masters and soon five of the Pao Yu stood before the Shu founders, a Lung within their ranks and a decree from the Dragon Council in the hands of the Lung.
The Shu responded with typical arrogance, telling the Lung that they had no masters and would bow to no one. Three of the founders were killed outright. The remaining three signed the decree, under the protest and thus created the Jen Shu, or the House of the Rat.
It is recorded that the six founders had a different name for themselves before the coming of the Dragon Council and its enforcers, but that name is lost to history, the Shu taking the name given them and using it as a constant reminder of the yoke put around their necks by the Dragon Council.
At first, the Shu reveled inside of the laws that the decree set forth, flaunting their ways but keeping within the law of the Court. This caused much distress for many of the Jen Lung, as Shu cut into the trade with massive smuggling operations meant to strengthen the coffers of the new House. One of the remaining founders was killed as a warning to the Shu not to press their luck and to remind them of held the real power within the Celestial Court.
The remaining founders halted all operations, settling back to watch and learn how to best operate their various criminal activities without drawing undue attention from the Dragon Council and their fanatical Jen Pao assassins.
They were careful in the following years, using many mortal agents in order to cover their tracks. When the Hung Mao entered the scene, though, they once again rose up to flaunt their power and ways.
The presence of the European kindred that accompanied the Hung Mao to China gave the Shu an advantage that they hadn't had before. A possible ally of unknown strength. The fledgling Sabbat immediately coveted a place as the allies of the Shu, knowing that they possessed similar attitudes as they did. Using the already set up gang known as the 14K as a front, the Sabbat and the Shu entered partnership.
They were careful this time, and hid the operations from the Dragon Council. They made major headway towards Shu independence. When the Dragon Walls were raised, the Sabbat were forced out and the Shu found themselves less a strong ally. They immediately, and very smartly, dropped all operations, retreating once more to the security of the dark underworld.
When the Jen Shu was 'gifted' the Ch'i chu, the Shu asked them to join in their secret war on the Dragon Council. The Ch'i chu agreed and soon the Shu had managed to accumulate information on a number of the minor officials with the ranks of the Jen Lung.
They attempted to use this information to seek their independence but all it got them was the lessening of the Dragon Walls around a number of coastal cities.
The Shu immediately smuggled in Sabbat members to help them re-assert themselves over their fellow bloodlines. When Mu Li brought the Mui Tsai to the Shu they secretly rejoiced, as now they had a replacement for the Ch'i chu, to help locate knowledge and information on their enemies.
Today the Shu are very much in control of the criminal underworld of China and the surrounding islands. They are in firm control of most of the smuggling, prostitution, and drug running that occurs in that part of the world.
"Rabble."
Jian: You know, some of these guys are half way respectable. Half assed as well.
"One of the lesser bloodlines of these rats was once a good clan of warriors. It is a pity that they have fallen so far."
Pao Yu: This bloodline is as bad as the Lung. In fact, they're worse.
"We've been told to watch these peasants. Now we merely wait to see if they truly stepping where they shouldn't"
Kwai Tao: Perhaps these fallen ones will help us when our time comes.
"We do not deal with criminals."
Men Hu: Thanks for the gift of one of your girls.
"Scum."
Tong Chu: Destructive and feral, but oh so corruptible.
"Beware, little ones, for you are watched carefully."
Ch'i chu: We must absorb these kindred, so that their information can be ours.
"They plan and plan. They profess to hold the Jen Shu's interests at heart. Bah! What heart. These rabble are here to destroy the peace."
Yu: They think that because they live on boats and everything that they're better than us.
"These creatures have become the lowest of the low. Let none enter our waters."
Mui Tsai: They do as we tell them.
"Life dealt us this hand and we play it as well as we can."
Camarilla: Our 'cousins across the sea'. Hah! They say they're bringing us hope and salvation. Bah, they're as bad as the Jen Lung.
"They remind me of the Brujah of the Anarch states. Perhaps when we have finally entered into a alliance with the Jen Lung we'll be able to test a few pacification methods on them."
Shogun te: They are old and decaying. Soon they will fall and a new regime will be upon them. The Jen Lung think they will take over, but we have a surprise for them.
"Ahh, possible our best hope in the upcoming war."
Sabbat: We tried to let these kindred in. We believe that they will be our hope for the future.
"The only house that we can agree with. They have helped us in the past and with luck, they will help us again."