The following document is a list of historical mishaps and misfortunes that befell Karakura, perhaps eventually leading to its demise. Any and all characters may have the IC knowledge of this document. This document has been worked on by the lore team as a whole.A book titled ‘Historical Mishaps and Misfortunes - VOL. 1', authored by ‘Hashirama Takagi’, was found in the historical section of the library you browsed.
The Unfair Shares of the Vault of Gininkan
Before the regency of Tsugumi Takagi over the land, many of Karakura’s aspects were scattered across clans, families, factions, and alliances. Law and jurisdiction had remained in her excellency’s family long before her birth; a trait she would later inherit to overthrow the Tenoshisons of Shizukanamichi and become the Regent of Hokuseibu, despite the island having many court officials who could perhaps rise to the role. Yet, a woman of such imperial nature rose above all, declaring herself the most important, most gracious, and most honourable in all the Izu Islands. And with such titles, she came into the possession of a manner of artefacts, ranging from illustrious fans to luminescent pendants and charms. But there was a time before Tsugumi when Karakura’s many artefacts were under the protection of not its noble families per se, but their servants.
Kizahana Iwamoto had served the Tenoshison household dutifully for many years, and when the court of Hokuseibu required something from the vaults tucked away underneath the crypts of Itsbyoshi, they called upon the head maid of the household to open the vault. But alas, the maiden herself was incapable of opening the vault solely. Rather, she had to summon a maid from every noble household of Hokuseibu’s Court, each bearing a key to one of the vault’s many locks. Once the Iwamoto summoned her echelon of servants to open the doors, she herself entered, should the vault have been the setting of a trap that could take the life of Hokuseibu’s many governors.
Relics of Shinboshi, mirrors from Shizukanamichi, hairpins imported from Edo, and pearls collected by the Mizukawas adorned the shelves and golden hills of the vault. The court claimed that this vault was of Karakura, and that the servants guarding the doors of the vault were entitled to its shares, but all knew that none but the few daughters of the aristocracy could wear the jade pins, and the gallant sons could spar with silver-embedded katanas. Many in the city protested for shares from the Gininkan vault, claiming that their families had added to such a large sum of items, yet none could prove such, and with the court wishing to hoard the treasures, they announced that the vaults were closed to all.
Kizahana Iwamoto and her many colleagues knew of the lies the North-Western Court were announcing, and wished to make a change. The woman attended to her lady, the soon-to-be wife of the Kaseya heir, Kazenotome Tenoshison, pleading the case before her and requesting that her father, Lord Saiko Tenoshison, puppeteer the court toward a course that would allow the vault to be opened. Alas, Saiko Tenoshison denied the request, for not only was he in favour of keeping the vault for himself and the men of the court, but he was also the mastermind behind the plan.
Families of Monogatarihito and even lesser never got their share from the court. Eventually, when the rule of Karakura landed in the hands of the Tenoshison daughter, Tsugumi Takagi, she took upon the duty to oversee the vault herself. Many whisper that this vault was moved to the basements of Takagi Hut, though none were able to open the doors; none but a certain Genma Takagi later down the line.
The Takagi Affair / The Hokuseibu Dispute
8 years passed after the banishment of Hiraku Takagi from Karakura and Tsugumi Takagi’s ultimate decision to name her second son, Hidekazu Takagi, as the heir. Her husband, the Lord Hachiro Takagi, Lord of Karakura, denounced her rank as regent and declared that his word was superior to his and that his decree was final.
Lord Takagi’s decree came after years of neglect by the court and of being used as a puppet by his wife and her courtiers. With the assistance of his banished son, Lord Takagi pulled the strings of several families in Karakura, including the Kawahara, Okada, and Ishibashi clans. Such families held prestige in Hokuseibu’s Court, and surely their influence would go beyond that of a mere regent. What sparked such an uprising, however, was a mere dispute in Takagi Palace, which was the first of its kind seen by the Lord and Lady Takagi. As usual, Lord Takagi remained silent, and his wife would set out the decrees and govern.
Yet, Lord Takagi disobeyed his wife and defied her word, declaring himself superior. Livid by her husband, the Lady Takagi ascended to her hut in Kohaku with her lady in waiting, the Lady Rina Hishison, and her servant, Miss Tsuru Iwamoto. Within a week, Karakura’s political stance was cracked. A party of the husband, and a party of the wife. And when word climbed to the Takagi Hut about Lord Takagi’s plan to usurp the court and ensue a coup on the place, the Lady Takagi ordered her loyal clans and supporters to stand guard. In a rush, the Lady Rina Hishison sent word to the Court of Edo and the Court of Kyoto to establish a new title to legitimise the rule of the Regent, and that was the Governess of Izu.
Days passed by. The supporters of Lady Takagi were known as the Sons of Itsbyoshi, which comprised many clans, but thirteen took the lead, and the supporters of Lord Takagi were known as the Sons of the Seikatsu. Despite the children of Seikatsu being much closer to Hokuseibu than the Itsbyoshi were, and the Seikatsu being theoretically larger in number, the Itsbyoshi were inherently better trained.
And finally, a letter from Edo. The Shogun has declared Lady Tsugumi Takagi as the Governess of Izu, and all those who defy the governess are enemies to the empire. Lord Takagi was soon deposed from his role, and in his stead, came his son, Lord Hidekazu Takagi, as the new Lord of Karakura, and his mother acting as regent. Till his death, Lord Hachiro Takagi was sent into exile to Oshima. Rumours claim that he kept on sending his attendants to make amends with his wife, but none were successful.
The Great Masuo Heist
Karakura Bank was not always Karakura Bank; the main bank in Karakura until the 1960s was the Regional Izu Bank of Masuo. Having been the richest family in all of Karakura, keeping their money and fortune alive for more than four centuries, the Masuos prided themselves on running the Karakuran economy.
Unlike the other descendants of the ancient Itsbyoshi Ruling Clans, the Masuo paid little attention to the art of ruling; instead, they stuffed money into the pockets of governors and judges to get their decrees passed. But no Masuo was as awful as the latter Ogonshoku that came to the island. Yet, their presence caused mayhem among the masses.
To teach the Masuo a lesson, a group of miscreants during Karakura’s Education Boom devised a heist in which they would rob the bank in Shinboshi, the Masuo’s residential and commercial headquarters, and snatch the Shinboshi Artefact, a pendant, right from their arms.
On the 17th of August, 1965, the Regional Izu Bank of Masuo was robbed by this unknown party of miscreants, who stole a large sum of money equivalent to estates and the pendant. National news, the heist became, and shame tainted the Masuo name. The Education Boom, however, did not allow for such a heist to bring chaos to the island, and the children of Karakura managed to get through.
As a result of this shame, the Masuos changed the bank’s name to hide it and separate the family from the business. But, none in Karakura shall forget the Masuo name being dragged down awfully, and it only rose after most businesses came right under their grasp yet again.
Other entries in the book seemed uninteresting...
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