Tears of the Dragon

Amid shocking allegations of financial mismanagement within the CHOAM development company and accusations of illegal misconduct within the affairs of House Alman, Shogun Shen Ziyaira has come under intense scrutiny and criticism, both from the Landsraad and his own household.

The Shogun’s current political woes began when House Alman announced to the Landsraad that their security forces had uncovered a plot by the House Poritrin’s CHOAM Advisery Team on Aerarium IV. According to Duke Dermail, Poritrin agents had been caught in an attempt to alter CHOAM financial documentation in a manner that would suggest that House Alman had been illegally stockpiling spice. While this initial event appeared to be nothing more than a spat between Houses Alman and Poritrin, the situation became twisted in yet another direction when the ZIyairan government claimed full responsibility for the CHOAM forgeries in a statement to the Landsraad. In said statement, the Ziyairan representative claimed that their own government had bribed the Poritrin inspection team in an attempt to cause conflict between the Alman and Poritrin. While offering little explanation as to their motives for such a scheme, the Ziyairans quickly turned their statement towards accusing the Alman’s of being the ‘culprits’ behind the abduction of the Poritrin na-Doige, Ilario Poritrin. The Ziyairans also disparaged House Alman for their past invasion of Geidi Prime and the ersatz Commonwealth trading bloc that had attempted to challenge CHOAM.

Yet the situation became even more convoluted when House Ziyaira apparently gave a contradictory statement to the CHOAM Directorate, claiming Poritrin responsibility for the alteration of CHOAM documentation. House Poritrin has denied involvement. What does all this mean for the Shogun?

A society based heavily around concepts of honour, dignity and warrior strength, the seemingly underhanded activities of the Shogun’s government have quickly resulted in a near-revolt of the lower Ziyairan nobility. Some are deeply ashamed by the covert manner in which the Shogun has apparently tried to frame House Alman, while others are outraged that the Shogun might have acted as a lapdog of Doge Lucien. Perhaps the greatest blow to the new Shogun’s administration is the suicide of the House Mentat, Fren Lahet. A close advisor of Shen’s father, Shogun Li-Han, Lahet’s death has cost Shen a key ally and government minister. While exact details surrounding the circumstances of Lahet’s death are not yet available, it has been confifrmed that he took his own life in order to protests the Shogun’s actions regarding the Alman debacle.

All of this misfortune spells a very sour opening to the newly-minted Shogun’s administration. Compounding this, House Ziyaira now finds itself embroiled in a War of Assassins with House Alman while assailed from all sides by the Landsraad and its own internal factions, and short their Chief Mentat. Unless the Shogun is able to rebuild his reputation at home and abroad as well as deal with the Alman, House Ziyaira could see a very negative shift in their fortunes.