Zhushima Crime Syndicate (Zoo-she-mah-Crime-Sin-dic-Eight)
The Zhushima Crime Syndicate is the dominant, overarching criminal group on the Island of Kquimlar, and one of the most powerful in all of Dagan. After the Ixa Malestrom enveloped Mion- a formerly prominent hub for criminals around Kquimlar- in CR 10008, it effectively crippled organised crime overnight, due to the loss of many major figures in this underworld. From a position as lowly street urchins in the city of Knoxville, Astra, Fuma and their "adopted" Hobgoblin brother Stoggarth Zhushima used a combination of intimidation, cunning and bartering to essentially bring all crime under their indirect control. This did not mean the organised criminals of the cities; highway robbers, pillaging brigands, corrupt bailiffs; if someone makes money from doing something against the law in civilised society, the Syndicate gets a cut.
50 or so years on, the Zhushimas still run things as a trio, albeit years older. Astra is the brains of the leadership triumvirate- organising plans, schemes, and being the trio's authority on magic-related affairs. Fuma, also called Zorin, is the smiling face of the triumvirate, dealing with deals, pleas and the social aspect of running a criminal empire. He is also skilled in torture if reports from the scant few who have crossed the Syndicate and lived are true. Stoggarth is the enforcer, and shamelessly so. He sees the Syndicates operations as complying to the code of honour he originally learned with his Hobgoblin Legion back in Ryusha, this code of honour being the one he mercilessly drills into the enforcers he trains for the Syndicate.
In the modern day, the Zhushima Crime Syndicate still controls most all crime in Kquimlar, however it has a large presence in the Elven Imperium currently, due to the monumental amounts of corruption of the officials there. The city of Elvastad within the nation houses the Alabaster Manor, the personal residence and stronghold of the siblings, who each reside in their own separate areas of the place.
Zhushima holdings are decentralised, (similar to groups like the Tojo Clan from the Yakuza series of games) with the actual size of the Syndicate on it's own being quite small. Instead, the Zhushimas rely upon subsidiaries- criminal groups supported by the grand influence of the Syndicate, who in return compensate the Zhushimas in some way; money, manpower, exotic armaments, magical items, etc.
However, despite the seemingly monolithic power of the Syndicate (dominating the affairs of a huge Island's crime is nothing to sneeze at), cracks have been forming as of recent. Outside pressure from other organisations trying to muscle in on Kquimlar, the arrival of more and more "foreign do-gooders" (adventurers from other continents) and most importantly internal tension from gangs within the Syndicate. Many within these organisations are becoming increasingly more disillusioned with the Zhushimas, and are starting to wonder why they need them at all. This has led to the hiring of the mercenary guild known as The Skullguard on a long term contract, in order to supplement a slight deficit in manpower (but not in funds). Additionally, rumours continue to circulate that tensions between the trio are ever-rising. Over all, The trio are powerful but on thin ice, as of CR 10059.
In the Month of Seas, CR 10059, the Zhushima siblings and their syndicate began to be investigated by Sithim's KENGIE initiative to see if the group had any ties to the shadowy organisation known as Nyx. The investigation in the Zhushima stronghold of Elvastad was conducted by two adventuring parties, known as the "Eclectics" and "The Fool's Menagerie". The latter daringly attacked a group of Syndicate soldiers collecting the Zhushima monthly tribute from Alkier's Savings and Loan bank. After the Fool's Menagerie defeated these soldiers, they used an alchemical acid to melt the collected tribute instead of stealing the money. Stoggarth Zhushima quickly located the party's hideout in the slums of Elvastad, noticing that the Eclectics (aside from one of their members, Rohelda) were missing. Regardless, he took the Fool's Menagerie to a sit-down with him and his siblings in a old warehouse near the docks. The Zhushima trio told the party that they were now in the syndicate's debt for a round sum of 30 thousand gold pieces, and gave them two weeks to make the money back and deliver it to the Alabaster Manor.
50 or so years on, the Zhushimas still run things as a trio, albeit years older. Astra is the brains of the leadership triumvirate- organising plans, schemes, and being the trio's authority on magic-related affairs. Fuma, also called Zorin, is the smiling face of the triumvirate, dealing with deals, pleas and the social aspect of running a criminal empire. He is also skilled in torture if reports from the scant few who have crossed the Syndicate and lived are true. Stoggarth is the enforcer, and shamelessly so. He sees the Syndicates operations as complying to the code of honour he originally learned with his Hobgoblin Legion back in Ryusha, this code of honour being the one he mercilessly drills into the enforcers he trains for the Syndicate.
In the modern day, the Zhushima Crime Syndicate still controls most all crime in Kquimlar, however it has a large presence in the Elven Imperium currently, due to the monumental amounts of corruption of the officials there. The city of Elvastad within the nation houses the Alabaster Manor, the personal residence and stronghold of the siblings, who each reside in their own separate areas of the place.
Zhushima holdings are decentralised, (similar to groups like the Tojo Clan from the Yakuza series of games) with the actual size of the Syndicate on it's own being quite small. Instead, the Zhushimas rely upon subsidiaries- criminal groups supported by the grand influence of the Syndicate, who in return compensate the Zhushimas in some way; money, manpower, exotic armaments, magical items, etc.
However, despite the seemingly monolithic power of the Syndicate (dominating the affairs of a huge Island's crime is nothing to sneeze at), cracks have been forming as of recent. Outside pressure from other organisations trying to muscle in on Kquimlar, the arrival of more and more "foreign do-gooders" (adventurers from other continents) and most importantly internal tension from gangs within the Syndicate. Many within these organisations are becoming increasingly more disillusioned with the Zhushimas, and are starting to wonder why they need them at all. This has led to the hiring of the mercenary guild known as The Skullguard on a long term contract, in order to supplement a slight deficit in manpower (but not in funds). Additionally, rumours continue to circulate that tensions between the trio are ever-rising. Over all, The trio are powerful but on thin ice, as of CR 10059.
In the Month of Seas, CR 10059, the Zhushima siblings and their syndicate began to be investigated by Sithim's KENGIE initiative to see if the group had any ties to the shadowy organisation known as Nyx. The investigation in the Zhushima stronghold of Elvastad was conducted by two adventuring parties, known as the "Eclectics" and "The Fool's Menagerie". The latter daringly attacked a group of Syndicate soldiers collecting the Zhushima monthly tribute from Alkier's Savings and Loan bank. After the Fool's Menagerie defeated these soldiers, they used an alchemical acid to melt the collected tribute instead of stealing the money. Stoggarth Zhushima quickly located the party's hideout in the slums of Elvastad, noticing that the Eclectics (aside from one of their members, Rohelda) were missing. Regardless, he took the Fool's Menagerie to a sit-down with him and his siblings in a old warehouse near the docks. The Zhushima trio told the party that they were now in the syndicate's debt for a round sum of 30 thousand gold pieces, and gave them two weeks to make the money back and deliver it to the Alabaster Manor.
Founding Date
Formally founded CR 11009
Type
Illicit, Syndicate
Comments