#betterluck rp

[betterluck-rp]

THE STREETS ARE QUIET BECAUSE THEY MAKE IT SO.

The police commissioner on the evening news says, “this city is to be a free and safe place for the citizens of Macau and its guests, not a playground run by a bunch of thugs in nice suits or otherwise. This goes for all you criminals out there, even the ones at the very top,” the last words held deliberately as they stare straight into the camera, calling them out without saying the name. “We are coming for you.” But the woman to standing behind them just to the right has a sly grin playing on her lips, the commissioner’s words noted but barely a blip on her radar of concerns. 

THE STREETS BLEED BECAUSE THEY MAKE IT SO.

In the harsh fluorescent light of a battered warehouse, they shake hands and make deals with fellow devils. It is a harsh contrast from the shiny skyscrapers they occupy during the day, but that does not erase their purpose: deciding everything from who lives to see tomorrow, to which gangs get to taste violence, and whose heart is expertly carved from their chest next, to when and how the money pours in. To the real leaders of this city, it’s merely business as usual. 

THE STREETS DO NOT FORGET BECAUSE THEY MAKE IT SO.

A budding civil war among their ranks, moles trying to infiltrate the syndicate, and attacks on their people becoming more and more frequent—this is just the tip of the iceberg. This city is beginning to forget its place, but RISE HOLDINGS, after all, is not the company it is today without the bloodstained hands they used to get here. They will make sure to remind Macau who is really calling the shots. It may not be the first dynasty to reach these lands, but it isn’t planning on leaving it any time soon either. They aren’t your gods, they’re what is left. 

THE STREETS GROW HUNGRY, SO THEY WILL FEED IT.

[betterluck-rp]

Rise Holdings is a large corporate crime syndicate with roots in Shanghai and Hong Kong. It's been based in Macau for the past six decades, and is currently led by Chairwoman Zifu Sun, having inherited the position from her father, Yip Ho Sun. Sun Sr. cemented the syndicate's presence in Macau with alleged real estate prowess and savvy in the casino industry, effectively making him the grandfather of the casino business in Macau. The fact is his methods often entailed turf wars, government corruption, extortion, orchestrated murders, and racketeering which also led to a monopoly over the casino industry there.

These days, Rise Holdings is an amalgamation of several crime organizations that have since been incorporated by the dominant Sun Clan which further rose into prominence after its earlier merger with the Zhou Clan, once headed by Qiang Zhou, father of Jun Zhou-Sun. Zifu and Jun were married as a sign of good faith between the two rival clans. With multiple factions working under the same syndicate, Rise Holdings has stakes in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to: tourism, entertainment, shopping and commerce, and shipping and transport. Most serve dual purpose for their criminal underworld dealings.

Because of the potential for shifting dominant clans, the factions are referred to by card suites: clubs (Sun Clan), hearts (Cordero Clan), diamonds (Kong Clan), and spades (Ribeiro Clan). Throughout the play and lore of the site, "faction" and "clan" can be used interchangeably, but the faction can be referred to as that particular suite as well; if a clan fails, then the faction suite will remain but the clan that runs it can be changed.

The Factions

Clubs Faction: Sun Clan

The Sun family serves as the chief faction for Rise Holdings and has been able to maintain this with the grand influence they have over Macau through their longstanding monopoly over the casino business. The late Yip Ho Sun who catapulted Rise Holdings and, in effect, the Sun Clan into such a position was known to rule with a clever ruthlessness masked by his charm. His daughters, Zifu and Zedong are his only surviving children—their other brothers and sisters having diminished for various reasons ranging from violent attacks, quiet assassinations, and vague disappearances. Zifu Sun is currently the matriarch for the clan and syndicate.

This faction oversees general business that helps portray Rise Holdings as a legitimate enterprise, and delegates and distributes orders to the rest of the factions. Any major decisions like kill orders and significant business changes must be approved by them first.

Hearts Faction: Cordero Clan

The Cordero family is one of three major factions that support the chief Sun clan. Lina Cordero's father, Lucio Gonçalves, had been best friends with Yip Ho Sun and assisted with building Rise Holdings into the conglomerate it is today.

This faction oversees the entertainment facet of the company, and runs the redlight businesses for the syndicate; under the latter, they also partake in human and organ trafficking.

Diamonds Faction: Kong Clan

The Kong family is one of three major factions that support the chief Sun clan. It was originally led by one of Zifu Sun's late half-brothers, Edison Kong, but is now run by his ex-wife, Ya Wen Kong.

This faction oversees shopping and commerce facets of the company, with additional interest in profiteering. They also specialization in real estate and development (re: handling turf wars).

Spades Faction: Ribeiro Clan

The Ribeiro family is one of three major factions that support the chief Sun clan. It was originally led by Lina Cordero's cousin, Rufino Ribeiro, but he is currently in a coma following a heart attack. Because of this, his daughter, Kalya Watakeekul-Ribeiro has taken his place and is serving as interim Managing Director.

This faction oversees general business ventures with specializations in shipping and transport, and is also active in upholding government relations. Recently, they've become heavily involved in the drug trade through their pharmaceutical company.

The Split

The way future heirs to the syndicate are chosen is by a council of “elders”, typically made of the leaders for each faction, and any other high-ranking members of the syndicate deemed suitable to advise. Candidates are usually from the dominant clan at the time, which is currently the Sun Clan. Prior to Sloane Sun’s official appointment as heir-apparent to Rise Holdings, two other candidates were being considered for their direct connections to the Sun Clan: Junior Zhou (step-brother to Sloane) and Biayun Sun (Sloane’s maternal cousin).

Although technically the eldest of this generation of the chief Sun Clan, Junior Zhou lost out to his sister due to his more average level of involvement in the organization, and for not being a full-blooded Sun relation. Meanwhile, Baiyun Sun’s hotheaded nature and overzealous tendencies toward handling syndicate business caused her to be deemed unfit to succeed to the position. As such, in addition to her own merits and significant contributions to the company, Sloane Sun was ultimately chosen.

True to Baiyun’s nature however, she did not take the news well and left Rise Holdings to start her own organization, taking a few others with her, including her mother, Zedong Sun, who now serves a her advisor. This rift has led to the beginnings of a civil war amid the syndicate.

[betterluck-rp]

Soft Opening Now In Progress

The Forum //

https://tmrw.jcink.net https://tmrw.jcink.net https://tmrw.jcink.net

The Discord //

https://discord.gg/SSDrjMD https://discord.gg/SSDrjMD https://discord.gg/SSDrjMD

[betterluck-rp]

⌈BETTER LUCK TMRW⌋

A crime rp set in Macau during the fall of 2018. Coming soon.

[betterluck-rp]

C A N O N   P R E V I E W :   K A L Y A   W A T A K E E K U L - R I B E I R O

// ALIVE, 34 // OPEN // SUGGESTED PORTRAYAL — NATHAPOHN TEMIRAK

Kalya was originally a Manager overseeing a fledgling pharmaceutical company recently acquired by Rise Holdings. Due to her strong entrepreneurial spirit, she saw this as an opportunity to even further expand the syndicate's portfolio. Relatively well-versed in chemistry and pharmacology herself, Kalya spearheaded a new venture into the drug trade, severing their need for attaining goods from mainland China and instead developing their own source. The company is now a front for said druglording, and Kalya made such an impression upon upperleadship in the syndicate that they found no fault into placing her in the Managing Director position in the interim during her father's incapacitation.

This is both a blessing and curse for her. While Kalya enjoys her roles in the syndicate, she has been in a volatile relationship with her father since his remarrying following her mother's death after a longtime illness. Kalya did not have a bad relationship with her father while growing up, but the aforementioned ailment added a new level of stress to their relationship that has since been in shambles.

To say Kalya does not like her step-mother, Marguerite Ribeiro, is an understatement. She more loathes her, and even 'hate' is probably not strong enough a word. Kalya is convinced that Marguerite is simply a gold-digging hag and that she was the one who put her father in a coma to begin with.

And she may not be wrong.

But that's just one of many problems she's sorting out. Lately the number of attacks on her life have increased due to her encouragement of Rise Holdings' venture into the drug world. Many competitors fear Rise Holdings' influence while others that they've severed ties with for no longer needing them are holding grudges. Her bodyguard, Ryland Lee has got a lot of work cut out for him.

*Since Rufino Ribeiro’s marriage to Marguerite, Kalya began going by her mother's maiden name, hence the 'Watakeekul'.

*Kalya is also noted in this want ad.

[betterluck-rp]

C A N O N   P R E V I E W :   I K E D A   Y U U D A I

// ALIVE, 46 // OPEN // SUGGESTED PORTRAYAL — TAKESHI KANESHIRO

A former cop that absolutely went rogue while attempting to infiltrate the Kong clan. He'd been attempting to arrest Edison Kong and manipulate him into providing testimony against the rest of Rise Holdings in turn for a lighter sentence, but following Edison's death, Yuudai found himself wavering.

Now, he's left that old life with the law and has been loyal to Ya Wen Kong's leadership. Yuudai maintains close ties with criminal organizations in Japan that Rise Holdings may have. He is also a liaison between Mei Wei Kong and her fiance, Nakajima Katsuro.

The only thing is, he thinks Katsuro is an asshole, and wholeheartedly supports Mei Wei's relationship with Carlos Velasco, knowing full well that he's an undercover cop. It is Yuudai's goal to get Carlos to choose between a life of crime or law enforcement, given his own fondness of Carlos who he sees as a little brother.

[betterluck-rp]

C A N O N   P R E V I E W :   A M A N D I N E   W U

// ALIVE, 43 // OPEN // SUGGESTED PORTRAYAL — BERENICE MARLOHE

Amandine met Ya Wen Kong when she briefly cut ties with the syndicate following her divorce with Zifu Sun's half-brother. During that time, the pair worked heist jobs together back in Europe.

She has since become Ya Wen's Deputy Director and especially relishes her role as advisor to Ya Wen. However, her greed is beginning to bear its teeth.

Amandine happened to observe Ya Wen's daughter's, Mei Wei Kong, low key relationship with one of the clan's "employees", Carlos Velasco. Secretly aware that he is actually an undercover cop working on infiltrating the syndicate, Amandine has not yet shared any of this information with Ya Wen, thinking that she may be able to leverage this later on into an attempt to overthrow Ya Wen and take the faction for herself.

This, in conjunction with her sister's, Marguerite Ribeiro, plans to take over the Ribeiro clan, could lead to a very prosperous takeover indeed.

[betterluck-rp]

C A N O N   P R E V I E W :   D U A R T E   &   S A N C H O   C O R D E R O

// ALIVE, 25 // OPEN // SUGGESTED PORTRAYAL — ROBIN LOO

Twin brothers, Duarte and Sancho Cordero, both serve the Cordero family simultaneously as Deputy Director to their mother, Lina Cordero, and co-heads of the gang specially affiliated with the clan, the Cotai Kings. The gang was originally founded by their father, Herminio Cordero, before it was partially-assimilated into Rise Holdings. It gained a resurgence following the twins' ascension into their roles.

The brothers are both equal in strength and intelligence, and are often praised for their quick integration into their roles. Neither have preference between the more "corporate" side of the organization, or getting their hands dirty with more "fieldwork" with the Cotai Kings which is why they are often seen in both roles. Some say they also have the spooky penchant for being able to communicate without vocalizing, which makes them even stronger as co-leaders.

The twin brothers have been getting groomed for the family business, something Herminio felt very passionate about in light of the alleged death of their big sister, Iria Cordero. However, her return has current situations a bit muddled. Although being reassured by others, including their parents, that Iria's return does nothing to affect their futures in the organization, they will only admit to one another that they feel slightly threatened by her return. Even so, they may be justified in this since Iria's motives are ultimately detrimental to the family and RH as a whole.

Through their gang activity, they've become acquainted with the fact that Iria was (and is still technically) on the side of the law and are not afraid to point this out. They sense something is off with their big sister and are intent on finding out what it is.