Kasha Clans and their Leaders
I think Orin herself is well enough known by now, we don't need to talk about her. But what you might not have known is that in addition to being Satori's favorite pet and essential right hand, Orin is also the leader of a clan of kasha, called the Shurei (狩霊). This clan is primarily located in the south wing of the palace and specializes in those skilled at hunting spirits, although like all the clans of the palace, they've diversified significantly over the years. These are the five clans of Chireiden and their leaders, the kasha alphas.
Sharing the south wing of Chireiden with the Shurei clan are the Fuutsu (不打つ) clan, a clan of fighters led by the agile, youthful (but definitely not young) kasha alpha called Kashin. This clan's fighting specializes in evasion and agility, and it's been said once that Kashin's never been struck in battle. She's dressed in a loose kimono and hardly ever allows her feet to touch the ground, but aside from that, she's said to be a quite friendly and good-to-know person. Then again, such information came from Rin, who is a bit biased in favor of Kashin. Okay, a lot biased. Nevertheless, Kashin is probably the friendliest of the five alphas to approach.
In the middle, mostly occupying the lower levels of the palace, are the Wakasatsu (若察) clan, a clan originally intended for young kasha, but has, like all clans, branched out since then. Though they primarily handle the low-level duties that keep the mansion running, it's not uncommon to find Wakasatsu kasha in high level positions. Their leader is Blake, a black-haired girl with a penchant for a seductive facade. Though she seems initially somewhat shallow, even perhaps foolish, it must be remembered that she is an alpha, and is an alpha for a reason.
The north wing, like the south, is split up into two clans. The first of these are the Hachitsume (八爪) clan, the rival clan to the Fuutsu who specialize in heavy, brawling combat. They tend to learn from the oni, and their leader, Shurin, is even said to be part oni herself. Given her size and musculature, the rumors are likely true. The Hachitsume wear ribbons on their robes like medals, with different ribbons symbolizing different accomplishments. To give one example, a thick purple ribbon symbolizes a severe injury in honorable combat, a great honor to carry. Shurin herself dresses in tight-fitting robes that leave few openings for enemy advantage. She is a serious person, treating her clan like an army. They certainly have the discipline for it, thanks to her.
The second clan in the north wing, living alongside the Hachitsume, are the Kakuneko (隠猫) clan, which are the primary kasha responsible for retrieving the corpses of humans from the surface. Their main method of doing this without being noticed is deception, and none are better at this than their leader, the alpha Seshiri. Even in the palace, Seshiri appears to look like a human at first glance, tails and ears both hidden and even her youkai eyes concealed. This is a front, of course, and if you see her, you'll likely recognize her from a wide variety of human village funerals that she's successfully cased out.
Of course, in all this, Satori must have a place to stay as well. She and her closest pets, Orin and Utsuho mainly, along with guests of the palace, tend to stay in the upper levels of the middle of the mansion, particularly towards the rear, where Satori's offices are located. The ravens, those other than Utsuho that is, can usually be found situated in towers on the corners of the mansion, high spires that reach into the sky and give the ravens plenty of places to fly. Which, after all, is what ravens love to do best.
The five kasha clans are not without their relations. The Hachitsume and the Fuutsu clans are engaged in fierce competitive rivalry, and close ties between the alphas of the Fuutsu and Shurei clans keep those two clans close at hand with each other. Seshiri and the Kakuneko play all sides of the field, as is their wont, and Blake simply does her best to improve her clan's position. Rumors even have it of a secret sixth clan in the palace, led by a kasha known only as Hanzo, although nothing's ever been proven. Though Satori is the overalpha and decides most major decisions, every clan still jockeys for a kind of political strength in their own way. In that way, Chireiden life is kept exciting and new for all, even in the stagnancy of the underground. And that's always a good thing.
