Intro
The Western Flock, or Flock, is an organized crime syndicate that dedicates its operation to helping refugees from war-torn areas through unscrupulous means. The Western Flock gathers intel from the refugees, orphans, and less fortunate in the cities that they operate in. They use that information to try to better those people's lives. Their power comes from the trust they have earned with the small folk, and they seek to gather more influence among the ruling class, often through covert alliances and manipulation. Gathering intel and helping the less fortunate is only one aspect of the organization. The group specializes in smuggling high-value goods throughout its network. They gained this skill by smuggling goods out of their war-torn lands. The small folk sees the Western Flock as heroes, but the government only sees them as villains.
Beliefs
The Western Flock believes in fair trade, lawful or unlawful, helping those who suffer from unchecked powers of authority, assisting those who may find themselves in trouble with the law, and stealing artifacts wrongfully taken from war-torn lands. The Western Flock uses its funds to help those who are suffering from conflict. They also seek to gain enough power to reclaim their homelands. That is the promise that the Western Flocks have given to their members. Each member will work hard to reach that goal and be awarded fairly for their contribution.
Attitude
Those drawn to the Western Flock are driven by a sense of justice and a moral belief in helping the less fortunate. Even though most come from conflict zones in the Kingdom of Menione, those who are not from those zones also seek to improve the lives of those stuck in the conflict zones or help those who have escaped. They will do whatever it takes to help those less fortunate by lawful and unlawful means. The Wester Flock is very protective of its members, valuing them as family. It is said, “If you mess with one member, the rest of the flock will attack,” instilling a sense of security and value in each member.
The enemies of the Western Flock only see them as an obstacle that is no different than themselves. Except for the worst, since they use the guise of helping the less fortunate as a front.
Culture
Despite the members have lived through cursed events of conflict they have experienced, such as the Battle of Chauve-souris Volante, where hordes of aberrant creatures rained down on an unsuspecting orc tribe. The Western Flock takes a reasonably optimistic approach to their daily activities. This optimism varies from gang unit to gang unit. However, they have a zest for life and the simple things that it can offer to people, instilling a sense of hope and positivity in their actions.
Code
The code of the Western Flock is relatively different between the different cells. However, there are a few tenants that they tend to follow. Those tenants revolve around helping those who are struggling to survive as refugees. Most members of the Western Flock are refugees, so they help out those communities. Another standard code that all cells follow is no slavery standard. If a cell finds out about slavery or indentured service, they are obligated to dismantle it or free those enslaved. The actions that they’ll take depend on the local laws. The Western Flock tends to protect their own. They do not handle disrespect or threats to any of their members. The responses to those actions will vary, but the common thread is that you mess around with one. You mess with all of them. A simple insult started many behind-the-scenes guild wars.
Organization
The Western Flock is an organization built on two pillars. These pillars are Clear Sky and Cloudy Sky. The Clear Sky pillar works to help those who have suffered from raider attacks and war. They work with local governments and religious temples to help those who survived the events. The Cloudy Sky pillar works in the underbelly of society. They use their skills to smuggle and fence goods from all over the kingdom. The avian species such as Aarakocras, Kenkus, and Owlin founded the guild. Those races still make up most guild members, but the organization grew by their willingness to help those in need. Those that they helped ended up joining their guild.
Clear Sky
The Clear Sky pillar seeks to improve those who survived the horrors of dragon assaults, raiders from the underdark, warring kingdoms, and other hostilities that displaced the innocents. The group runs refugee camps, schools, and orphanages across the kingdom of Menione. They work with the local temples, farmers, and governments even though they work for the good of those who lost everything. They use this as a network to gather information from around the kingdom and relay it to the Cloudy Sky.
The individuals involved in this initiative come from diverse backgrounds. Most individuals responsible for the day-to-day operations are former refugees with firsthand experience managing and maintaining refugee camps. Other members include local clergy who wish to promote their faith through this work and those who are committed to being responsible global citizens. These camps are carefully designed to provide a sense of peace and security to those in need and to assist them in rebuilding their lives. They help by giving those people a temporary purpose in life by providing them with work, building new skills, and re-education.
During times of war, there is a tragic loss of life, and as a result, the youngest survivors may need a new place to call home. The organization Clear Sky operates orphanages across the kingdom. If they are unable to locate any family or displaced citizens from the same area as the children, they will place the kids in their orphanages. At these orphanages, the staff will provide the children with a safe environment in which to make new friends who have experienced similar events. The children will also receive an education and learn vocational skills.
The last aspect of the Clear Sky is to gather intel. They use subtle techniques to have the refugees be the eyes and ears of their region. The refugees are not forced to spy, but they use the nature of humanoids to gossip. The agents within the refugee camps will collect these words in the wind and disperse them to the Cloudy Sky.
Cloudy Sky
The Cloudy Sky pillar is a group that engages in illegal activities such as stealing, smuggling, fencing, and hit squads. The group uses legitimate businesses to conceal illicit operations, including gambling halls, taverns, warehouse companies, general stores, and auction houses. They also have an extensive spy network throughout Menione.
The guild is well-known for its smuggling capabilities. The Founders developed those skills by retaking items from their lost homeland and bringing them back to the refugee camps. Throughout the years, the founders developed those skills and subterfuge techniques to be renowned throughout the kingdom. Their services are open to anyone who can afford them and take all customers. The pricing depends on what needs to be smuggled and the type of customer. If the customer is a refugee, it’ll be the lowest price possible. However, the price will be fair market value if the customer comes from wealth. If the refugee cannot pay the total cost, the item will be on hold onto they can afford it. Unfortunately for those who can afford the smuggling, the guild will hold the customer item for 30 days and sell it at auction post-deadline.
The Western Flock will fence stolen and smuggled goods through their legitimate business. The guild has various fronts, from general stores to auction houses, to sell off those goods. The fencing operation happens within population centers that have a Western Flock headquarters. This part of their business works in conjunction with the smuggling portion. They communicate what and where goods should be sent or sold off. The fencing operation is the backbone of their thieving operation within the kingdom.
All of the Cloudy Sky members are skilled combatants. They are trained in martial and range combat, while others dabble in the magical arts. Those who wield spells are not trained wizards, but those born with the ability or came across it from other means. They do have a skilled hit squad group. Those individuals are professionally trained combatants. They are used for assassinations, guild protection, and entering a hostile territory. These folks are the best of the best warriors. Somebody can hire this group at a high cost and a worthwhile cause.
History
The Fall of Moucheaigle
The Moucheaigle mountain range is between the two large seas, the Sterile Sea in the northeast and the Vinblue Sea in the northwest. The mountains are home to some of the tallest trees, the redwoods in the kingdom, and an array of diverse wildlife. The locals living in the hills have lived there for centuries in peace with the kingdom of Menione. They have cities not made on the ground but in the tall, thick trees. The Oiseau people are a mixture of avian species such as Aarakocra, Kenku, and Owlin. However, there are a few colonies of rock gnomes within the Moucheagile.
The day was full of thunderous clouds that eclipsed the sun. The dark gray sky was filled with energy arcing from one cloud to another, and then tunnels of air came spiraling down. These spiral devils hit every major city in the Moucheagile mountains. The power of the wind brought down buildings and uprooted several monolithic trees. The initial stormfront killed hundreds of people and grounded those who could fly. More of these twisters and bolts of energy followed. And then, the sound of a horn cutting through the howling wind.
That is how the fall of Moucheaigle began. Armies from the clouds rained down on the more populated areas. Giants, giantkin, and tabaxi slaughter thousands of people. The defenders of the larger cities had little to no chance to rebuff the assault. Luckily, they gave their people enough time to escape. The smaller towns had no chance against the army. They either died or surrendered. It took the giants less than ninety days to conquer the Moucheaigle mountain range and to establish fortification.
Those who survived created refugee camps along the Vinblue Sea. Living in those camps was rough for the Oiseau people. The kingdom of Menione helped, but they were primarily concerned with holding off the giants. A gang called the Western Flock formed in the refugee camp. The gang planned to infiltrate the different townships in the Moucheaigle mountains to retrieve stolen family heirlooms and treasures. They did this to help their people recover and improve their lives in the camps. The goal of this gang was to bring peace to their people and to find, but it opened the door to a new business adventure.
Battle of Chauve-souris Volante
There was an orc clan known as the Chauve-souris Volante, pronounced (shoe soo-ree-s vol-aunt). They wandered between the Menione and Oberon borders north of the Sterile Sea. They were well-known for harnessing the power of giant bats. They used these creatures for advanced scouting and precision combat. The tribe took immense pride in properly training those beasts. Chauve-Souris Volante settled on the Oberon side of the border for several months. They found an area of plenty in the Valley of Autremonde, pronounced (u-tra-mon). The valley is home to an abandoned Oberon fortress.
On a cloudless night, the stars and moon were illuminating the night sky. Chauve-souris Volante was in the middle of their ascendant ritual. During the chants and the singing, a lone creature flew down from the night sky. The creature was unworldly to behold. It had an elongated chitinous dark body with six legs, and the end appendage of the legs resembled sythes. The creature’s flight came from long bat-like wings, but that wasn’t the only thing related to a bit. Its head was a hard bat skul with fleshing bat ears sticking out. Once the creature flew toward the ceremony, it released a scream that brought shivers down their spines. The horror of the night quickly assaulted the weakest people and ripped them apart. The warriors promptly killed the beasts. Unfortunately, more of these creatures were spotted. Chauve-Souris Volante jumped on their mounts to greet these creatures in air-to-air combat.
Soon after, the warriors flew off to meet more of those creatures. Other horrific beings entered the encampment. The disease creatures had thin, ailing bodies and empty eye sockets and may have been elves or hobgoblins at one point. However, they had multiple tentacles protruding from their backs. The remaining warriors attempted to defend the encampment from the new foes. Unfortunately, they got overrun. Luckily, they held long enough for the non-fighters to escape.
After the survivors crossed the Menione, the Western Flock assisted them in setting up the refugee camp. They made efforts to help restore Chauve-souris Volante. Many younger members joined the guild to seek revenge against the creatures that had destroyed their way of life. Others chose to return to their wandering ways but still supported the Western Flock by providing information and assisting in smuggling in the areas they traveled through.
Ascendant ritual: a ceremony where young orc children become adult clan members.
Relationships
Arachnid Society
The Western Flock doesn’t do business with this group. They find them to be a bit extreme and aggressive.
Black Lily
The Western Flock has a decent relationship with Lily’s. They will use the Black Lily to hire outsourced contractors to do jobs they cannot do.
Steelflags
The Western Flock dispises the Steelflags. They view them as vile death dealers. The Flock and the Steelflag are at war with each other.
Known Members
Ah Chi - Player Character
Species: Kenku
Status: Active
Location: Unknown
Campaign: Murderbird and the Flirts
Ah Chi is a member of the Western Flocks hit squad. He is a well-respected asset within the Flock and is known to have assassinated the evil Thaah Mornstaar and stopped a slaving ring in Lebrook. Ah Chi and his team are given some of the most challenging assignments.
Lothaire Gagnon - NPC
Species: Aarakocra
Status: Active
Location: Atbrook
Campaign: The Seekers
Lothaire is the current leader at the Menione location in Atbrook. He operates a gambling establishment known as "Who Licked the Salt" and oversees all Clear Sky business from this location. Cloudy Sky business, however, is conducted at a different location. Lothaire is typically well-mannered and enjoys playing card games. When not attending guild business, he can be found at one of the orphanages, where he provides mentorship to older children and spends time playing with younger kids.
Whorjae Volant - NPC
Species: Half-orc
Status: Active
Location: Atbrook
Campaign: The Seekers
Whorjae is one of the members who handle the smuggling operation and manages contract employees. He primarily works in one of the warehouses at the docks. However, Whorejae can be found in “Who Licked the Salt.” That is a gambling establishment run by the Western Flock. When Whorjae is not working for the Western Flock, he has a particular hobby. He enjoys the art of pickling. Whorjae pickles, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, eggs, fish, and various other ingredients. He feels that the pickle brine is the most critical part of pickling.
Madeline Hornbeak - NPC
Species: Human
Status: Active
Location: Atbrook
Campaign: The Seekers
Madeline is a junior member of the Western Flock. She is known as a skilled pickpocket and burglar. Her skills and friendly disposition allowed the Flock to promote her to a handler. Unfortunately, the group she was supposed to handle had an uncooperative member who threatened her. Whenever she isn’t working, Madeline can be found at the library reading about history and locations around the world. She is known to be an expert seamstress as she crafts her outfits.
Ladrón Shadowcloak - Player Character
Species: Gnome
Status: Active
Location: Unknown
Campaign: The Seekers
Ladrón is a current player character in the Seekers campaign.
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