The Lock of Genoa
The Lock of Genoa is a criminal syndicate from the Italian state of Genoa. As a criminal organisation, they have their fingers in many underhanded practises. The whole group is known to have many specialites within their ranks, ranging in theft, assassination, piracy, mercenary work specialising in black ops, bribery & blackmail, and smuggling (including highly illicit goods & substances).
Their leaders are a mix of Human, Dragonborn, Kenku, and Tiefling. Most believe that something far worse lies at their head, and a story suggests that it is ran by a Yuan-Ti Pureblood. If this is true, then the Lock of Genoa is far more dangerous than thought.
Structure
The Lock is made up of Associates at the bottom, Made Men next and Paters at the top. Outsiders are generally those commanded by Associates & Made Men. At the top is a Jester, unknown but spoke of in whispers of being a diabolical master & agent of chaos.
Culture
Mistrust, deceit, misdirection, and even outright violence is all part of their culture. Loyalty is accepted to those in each cell and to those above, but the more successful is also revered. The gangs are split into cells led by a Made Man, with a number of Associates below loyal to the Made Man in charge. Outsiders are criminal elements generally loyal to an Associate, and ergo to the Made man above the former. Also, Made Men regularly would team up for larger jobs, and can end up in gang warfare against others of their kind when not.
Public Agenda
If it involves criminal enterprises then the Lock is usually involved at some level. They are known to control all illegal activity in Genoa, and have ties to many other criminal enterprises outside this Italian State. The exact number and members (predominately at higher levels) are generally unknown. A few are known and some are viewed as folk heroes fighting against the hierarchy.
Assets
Highly organised the Lock has multiple cells throughout the State of Genoa. These vary in size and the group controls the Genoese criminal underworld with an iron grip. They have multiple safe houses, equipment dumps & hidden treasuries, along with access to ships & the odd ship crews too. Thieves, assassins, fences, and illicit dealers are everywhere at different levels. Heavies are chosen here & there to act as muscle and protect assets. Spies are placed here too, and both them & the heavies are used to intimidate rivals, loan sharking, business 'protection' and blackmail of enemies including government officials.They have a number of hidden paths & caverns in the Alps, and a couple of small islands of the coast. The excat number of members is unknown but thought to number in their hundreds at least.
History
Started in the past 55-60 years by a group of crime families in Genoa, someone arrived called the Jester and helped unite the families once & for all. They quickly took over business fronts throughout the country allowing for them to appear legitimate while keeping their other enterprises under the radar. There they built it up over time gaining control over all criminal groups and driving others out. They have fought against most other nations criminal groups, though a few of the families will work with others.
Beside the usual criminal activities, they have also recently started to illegally supply slaves to others, commit piracy against shipping around the western Mediterranean, and importing indivduals & drugs to Europe. They do allow others to escape Europe too if paid well enough. These seem to be on the increase,especially with elements that are considered dangerous or unwelcome to the broader empires in the region, though they don't care as long as the money is good.
Since their inception they have had a number of shadow wars & gangland violence aimed at other groups, the most so far is with the Thieves of Frankia as well as elements of the Abbasid Caliphate backed Thieves & Assassins guilds. There is no sign of stopping any time soon, and they make it a point to remove these guilds & their members from wherever they can. The Thieves of Frankia refer to the Lock as a mix of cartel, corrupt family members and thugs with no honor who would stab their own gamily members in the back if they could. It dosen't help that the Lock has both fought against & alongside the Bladed Pouch, as long as they got something out of it. This being money, territory or membership increases.
It is also noted that many of the cells are controlled by a small tightknit family at the top, and they would now have what they call a "Don" controlling everything. These Dons are chosen from a lifelong member & a Pater. His position is usually inherited from the eldest son, but needs the agreement of the rest of the Paters in a family. If not, it can lead to the family suffering from internal strife until one side is obliterated or folded into the winning side. The Made Men act as officers enforcing the will of the cells, and they are loyal to their respective family being drawn from the sons of it. They are usually swoen in which is different in each family and has becomr more complicated over time. The Associates are outsiders that are loyal to the family and work closely to them usually specialising in certain tasks. Since they are not family members they cannot progress up the ranks further. And finally the Outsiders who are generally made of local criminals & hoodlams who are drawn to the family and do the day-to-day jobs for the family & associated gangs. If the latter tries to go it alone hey are quickly snuffed out or forced to join. If not they have to flee.
Through the years the Lock has been active, they follow the old practice of being patriarcal in nature with those in power being male. Females are respected though, and many work behind the scenes acting to run the back of house side, and acting as a cohesive force. They generally take over when the men are unavailable (until a man is appoiunted a vacant position, away on business, recently killed, etc). Very few of the families directly target the women of opposing families as it is generally considered amoral to target them, and children even more so. A differenrt matter exists to outside regions which are viewed as down the pecking oder.
Most of the followers are also deeply religious with most being Roman Catholic, and usually have one or more priess tied to each family, and a specific church. These are seen as involotile, and harming a priest (unless a corrupt one) or damaging a church is seen as a major stain on the family who does so. A few follow other religions, with the Kenku being a mix of Buddhist or Hindu, and the Dragonborn & the Tieflings regularly following the tenants laid down by the Black Pope.
Fallere est vivere (To deceive is to live)
Founding Date
766 AD
Type
Illicit, Syndicate
Alternative Names
Sera Genoa
Leader Title
Location
Related Ethnicities
Related Plots
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