Crane's Crown

History

A relatively new comer into the criminal syndicate scene, Crane's Crown has come to rival and is set to surpass the largest Yakuza groups in terms of power and influence. Crane's Crown was created 40 years ago in Osaka by the young visionary Shozo Honda who saw the growing city as an opportunity to make it big as a criminal. Sure enough, Shozo's crafty schemes led to him gaining a reputation and followers. His plans became more elaborate, and the money poured in. Eventually the fighting between gangs and police in the Chichibu Ward of Osaka became so bad, and out of the power of the police to suppress. An agreement was made between each party to partition the irreparably corrupt Chichibu ward from the rest of the city, and let it become an autonomous zone, essentially ruled by the triads. Violence and such would stay confined inside its limits, but the police would have no authority inside. The agreement had indeed contained the violence inside the district, but one shudders to think of what happens within its borders. Crane's Crown in modern times has exploded in influence like a leech on the prosperous economic artery that is Osaka. Their power has essentially become enshrined legally, and their power grows underground roots far beyond Chichibu ward.

Structure

The organization has over 150,000 members in Osaka alone. Structure is similar to that of other yakuza groups, with the exception of a reduced emphasis on lineage and family ties. It is conceivable that the inheritor of a triad group is not the child or relative of the current leader, but rather a faithful lieutenant. This is part of the way Crane's Crown is able to be flexible, as they are largely merit based, and open to new ways of doing things.
The upper echelons of the group are members of Crane's Crown carry the names of great animals. At the top is the dragon, the first lieutenant is the tiger, and third is the falcon. The high level ranks resemble more of a corporation than a mafia. Accountants, lawyers, and financial experts hold great sway in the macro activities of the group, rather than merely the physically strong. This upper level assist in the running of the group and management of mid tier leaders. The aging Shozo Honda is still the head of the group, with his 2 sons as his lieutenants: Shoraku Honda, and Danjuro Honda
Middle level members who operate the institutions, and lead the men on the ground, and get their hands dirty too sometimes. They can come from any walk of life, though are almost always former foot soldiers from lower rungs. though are made to go through initiations. These people tend to be disaffected members of society, looking for an alternate route to get ahead rather than integrate into society, which is often a closed door for them. There are two mid level ranks: "Enforcer", and below them: "Soldier".
Most members of the group are uninitiated, and are often common criminals who operate the lowest levels of the organization, but have no insight on to how or to what extent it actually runs. These members are not given a lot of trust power, or responsibility, and are seen as expendable if they screw up. That being said, getting results and showing loyalty can open the door to initiation.

Culture

Initiation and Warrior Spirits

Binding one's service to a warrior spirit is part of being initiated into the mid level and above of the group hierarchy. Upper level Crane's Crown members make a sacrifice of their blood to a restless warrior spirit of the past they invite into themselves to gain their prowess and courage. The blood also represents the member giving their body in service to the group unto death with absolute loyalty. The member then recites a series of oaths and tenants of the group, and then they are officially initiated.

Symbology

Crane's Crown Crest - A ring made of Cranes to represent the namesake of the syndicate. The name was inspired by the majestic hooded crane.

Tattoos - Everything is fair game. While most triads still opt for traditional patterns and imagery, many others also adopt unique designs. These tattoos are not limited to any part of the body, and can be wherever the member desires. The one distinguishing design across all members though is the Crane's Crown emblem tattooed on the back on the right hand.

Punishment

This is intentionally kept a secret. Many people sent for punishment never return, and those that do carry a new aura and have tight lips about what happened to them. This utilizes the imaginations of the other members to conjure punishments each of them would find particularly horrifying, making the deterrent effect all the more powerful.

Foreign Affinity

One of the most distinguishing factors between traditional yakuza and Crane's Crown is the the group's rejection of traditional Japanese culture. It is not uncommon to see Crane's Crown members sporting foreign sporting foreign patterns and styles. They stand out as rebels against conformity, symbolically representing their rejection of the old ways. Crane's Crown higher ups often collect foreign artwork and other imports as well, and their hideouts are decorated in foreign style.

Activities

Crane's Crown engage in both white and blue collar crime. While they are engaged in many on the ground crime activities, their bread and butter is sophisticated and often non-violent.

• Bank Fraud - Acting as an unauthorized bank and scamming clients
• Bid Rigging - Collusion between bidders to non-compete and obtain bid upon items at reduced cost
• Blackmail - Using threat of humiliation, violence, and other means to get an institution to agree to unfavorable terms
• Bookmaking - To run an illegal betting market on games, gambling, sports, and so on
• Drug Trafficking - Proliferation of narcotics
• Election Rigging - Using bribes, intimidation, and blackmail to get sympathetic politicians elected, or to control them
• Loansharking - Illegal predatory loan practices, like extremely high interest rates
• Match Fixing - Predetermining the winner of a sporting event in order to capitalize on the sure outcome
• Money Laundering - Moving illegally obtained money through legitimate businesses to hide its dubious origin
• Racketeering - The act of obtaining, operating, or using a business illegally
• Securities Fraud - Includes stock market manipulation, pyramid schemes, and other illegal manipulations of assets
• Illegal Gambling - Running illegal underground gambling operations
• Infiltration - Having group members join and rise through the ranks of government, business, rival groups to act as spies and saboteurs
• Bribery - Giving money to influence members of government and business
• Counterfeiting - Printing fake money
• Arms Trafficking - Illegally obtaining and reselling firearms
• Assassination - contract killing on behalf of any willing to pay the hefty fee for the deed
• Theft - High level theft of expensive art, artifacts, and other expensive items.
• Smuggling - Movement of illicit goods throughout the empire for distribution
• Prostitution - Running illegal brothels
• Death Sports - Illegal matches of combat to the death either martial arts or with swords.
• Animal Fighting - Illegal underground animal fighting rings
• Kidnapping and Ransoming - Kidnapping high profile people to ransom them back for money
• Slavery - Kidnapping, buying, and selling of people for purposes of slavery
• Black Marketing - Selling illegal foreign imports at an up charge

Nectar

A mysterious pinkish beige paste that is made and distributed by Crane's Crown. This highly addictive hallucinogen has been made popular for its potency, and reasonable price. It has grown to become a more popular drug than opium even in many regions of Japan. No doubt the origin of this drug is somewhere in Chichibu, but that is out of reach of the authorities so it remains a mystery like the rest of the district. Nectar has made Crane's Crown unbelievably rich, and has it poised to topple the old crime empires of the Yakuza.