Here One Day, Gone the Next
Sovegrad's criminal underworld is dangerous enough for large, influential entities and their agents.
The Golden Cat,
Boilertown Boys, Happy Hippo Co., and The Blacksteels all face daily threats to their business, territory, and their own lives from a myriad of sources, namely one another. To expect longevity in much smaller crews and outfits who aren't ultimately assimilated, or backed, by one of the four is therefore highly unrealistic. Many gangs form temporarily, as ways to combat abusive policing or to oppose a small outfit who has moved in and troubles its new neighbors. Once the problem is solved, assuming they survived, the gangs usually dissolve and are never seen again.
What's in a Name?
Names are an important facet of Sovegrad gang politics, both out of a surface desire to have a
preem sounding title to stand by and because of the way the mythology surrounding figures like
The Boss put an importance to titles and names. Names can be a statement of pride from where a gang hails from, containing street names or notable locations, or a way of quickly conveying their purpose for being a gang. The most powerful and sought after names are ones that a gang "earns", usually when they are labeled by a media outlet. Names can also be passed down onto a new generation outfit or crew, though to take the mantle of a crew without their permission is not only seen as one of the most disrespectful acts to perpetrate, and that the offenders will forever be cursed with an omen of doom.
Notable Lesser Gangs
Elizabeth's Home for Wayward Girls
Named for their base of operations being the orphanage of the same name, as well as street lore claiming that the crew was formed by former wards of the home before it was condemned, "Waywards" (called "Lizzies" among their own number) control several blocks around the orphanage in the Colossus district. They conduct several small illegal enterprises and rackets, paying street tax and homage when necessary, but focus on looking out for the many vulnerable residents of the neighborhood. These include many former residents of the home and flophouses for recently released convicts. Waywards can be spotted easily, known to wear gaudy, faux furs and jewelry of exotic colors, their hair color and styles just as loud and standout, and being entirely composed of women, their weapon of choice being baseball bats.
Gutter Runners
A well known "undertaker crew", meaning that they are affiliated with the
Boilertown Boys but still retaining their own identity and a sizable amount of autonomy, Gutter Runners are a crew of exclusively "small folk" races. Goblins, Kobolds, Kenku, Halflings and others form the ranks of the gang, their origins being believed to be in the now long gone Colossus slum of Hobbiton, where they formed a gang to prevent their number from being goaded and picked on by other gangs who believed the small folk were easy targets. Gutter Runners specialize in breaking and entering, sabotage, and assassination gigs, but focus largely on controlling the gambling scene within their turf. Usually, this would infringe on The Happy Hippo's claim to the entirety of the Sovegrad gambling network, both legal and illicit, but the Gutter Runners are immune due to Daud's backing. Gutter Runners don't wear any gang specific clothing except while on a job, where they will wear black and drab rogue leather armors and cloth. If a Gutter Runner lives up to the reputation of the gang, you'll never see them in the first place.
Crucible
A largely Warforge populated gang, Crucible is one of the few lesser gangs that make the Confederacy watchlists. Also composed of Warforge emancipation sympathizers, Crucible uses many of its illicit activities to fund The Railroad and other groups outside the city and even in the Skyspear Isles that work towards the goal of freeing enslaved Warforged. Crucible usually function as contract muscle for local groups and gangs, or those who simply can't afford the Blacksteels fee. Warforged within Crucible are known for their chassis modifications, serving both form and function.
The Seal Club
A gang out of the Port Maiden district, The Seal Club are a racially diverse gang of sailors, both out of work or needing more coin to get by, who run a protection racket at and the blocks surrounding Pier 51 in Sovegrad Bay. Though their turf isn't very large, their racket being imposed on the life blood of the city mean they are one of the wealthier lesser gangs in the city. They will also contract out muscle and protection services when another gang or one of The Big Four need a shipment secure, or lost at sea, but can't do it themselves. Their name has a double meaning, as it is both an ironically high-class sounding name and it is a reference to the clubs all its members carry from the sailor days.
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