The Krewe

The criminal gang known as “The Krewe” (sometime called “The Krewe Kriminel”) has besmirched the reputation of Embouchere for years, through several incarnations. The original Krewe used the Mardi Gras tradition of the same name as a cover for their criminal activities, a “private club” for planning robberies and con games. Initially, the Krewe went in for Mardi Gras-themed costumes and gimmicks, and they ran afoul of Siren, who saw most of the original members sent to prison.
But the idea and “tradition” of the Krewe refused to die. It became a deeply rooted criminal gang in the area, branching out into racketeering, smuggling, vice, and drug peddling, including Baron Samedi “zombie powder”. The Krewe still sometimes uses Mardi Gras masks, and they communicate by covertly passing “doubloons,” small fake plastic coins of the type often used as “throws” by legitimate krewes in parades. This has transitioned from a code system using the symbols and style of the coins to ones with computer chips and transmitters, capable of working like radio-frequency ID tags.