Herald Gangs
by hughpierre
Structure
Every gang has their own head and ideally keep to their own campa and specialized into their own form of artistry business. They possessed a pyramid like structure across their campan and can run the gauntlet from small scale street gangs who hustle locals and take part in turf wars. To large syndicates in racketeering, bribery, insurance fraud, gambling, kidnapping, assassinations and more.
The boss is typically the favoured point of contact between the patron and the rest of the gang hierarchy. They helped in their patrons' aspirations and backing their campaigns. Competition between politicians can be fierce and can reverberate throughout the gangs as physical conflict.
Boss
Senior Advisor
Managers involved in scouting talent, recruiting and promoting.Accountants
Mostly consisting of specially trained slaves.Advocates
Dedicated teams helping to fund, manage and protect specific groups or specialized subgroups within the overarching organization.Secretaries
Supporters dealing with the logistics of various missions for unemployed athletes and disenfranchised combatants.Children
Musclemen borrowed from other sectors to interfere with legal meetings and act as security.First Lieutenant
The head of armed unofficial militia composed of slaves, thugs and retired Jaguars. These enforcers find their success by being particularly menacing criminals, but they do not need to be. They are highly respected, almost intellectual figures, and outside of violence, double as mediators within groups and among peers.Children
New arrivals recruited by lieutenants start out as mere labours for years before being recognized as armed followers who intimidate rivals and breakup meetings.Second Lieutenant
The sub-head of associations formed around shared interests for internally capable members.Acolytes
Priests, and even priestesses, of various acolyte tiers in outlandish grab who arrange for violence to achieve an aim.Novices
Runaway slaves chosen from amongst the children to support their peers in inimidating bloody performances.Children
Hooligans recuited for the sake of having bodies to throw at missions or for grunt work. Or maybe there is an unrealized talent in an individual that is difficult to nurture.Public Agenda
Herald gangs are a group of loosely affiliated youths within a given campa who deface property, harass rivals and spread rumours at the instruction of the host campa nobles. They serve as an extended tool for rival families to exert 'soft' power against their political enemies. But sometimes, the gangs themselves initiate physical conflict amongst themselves which can bring the families into open conflict.
Assets
Brushes
Artists use simple brushes made from animal hair, plant fibers or feathers to apply paint to surfaces. It is even simplier to use their fingers or simple tools like sticks for more intricate designs.Musical Instruments
Several gangs integrate traditional instruments to showcase their prowess. These include the Huehuetl, Teponaztli, Tlapanhuehuetl, Ocarina, Tlapitzalli, Tecuhtli, Ayoyote, Copilli, Chicahuaztli and TepuzquiquiztliHammer and Chisel
Wooden mallets used in conjunction with obsidian, flint or other stones to carve detailed designs into wood, stone or clay.Demography and Population
Working Class
The usual thugs and ordinary laymen conscripted by lack of options into the remedial and manual forces.Young Artists
Fresh young men brought by contract to cut their teeth and gain experience in their preferred field or be trained up from nothing.Territories
Calpōlli
Calpōl are spatial neighbourhoods who form the lowest social order in society, and are the most populous. They are administered by locally-selected leaders and pay taxes to the state as a collective. When more than one neighbourhood groups together, they can become a politically-motivated, territory-holding group of peasants organized for sculptors, painters, weavers, and embroiderers.Island Campan | Calpōlli | Affiliated Gangs |
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Atzacualco |
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Cuepopan |
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Moyotlan |
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Zoquiapan |
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Coltonco |
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Tetzcotzinco |
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Huexotla |
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Tetamozolco |
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Peninsular Campan | Calpōlli | Affiliated Gangs |
Tenayuca |
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Calixtlahuaca |
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Coatetelco |
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Coast Campan | Calpōlli | Affiliated Gangs |
Ocumtit |
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Tepoztlan |
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Malinalco |
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Teopanzolco |
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Acatitlan |
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Military
The level of violence each gang is capable or can vary widely.
Wooden Clubs
Most can only get away with improvised weapons that are not inherently perceived as threatening in themselves. Such gangs may resort to being more violent than other to make up for it.Obsidian Knife
There are a few prestigious groups that hide fashionable knifes in plain sight to identify themselves. These gangs tend to be more surgical in their approach, as overwhelming force is unnecessary.Agriculture & Industry
The gangs wield significant power and influence within their host city, using a combination of economic acumen, cultural relevance, and strategic alliances to further their goals. As a result, many have diverse portfolios of revenue generation:
Illegal
Protection Rackets
Gangs frame their brand of tax collection to local merchants and artisans as necessary to fund the "peace" from external threats or rival factions.Money Lending
Gangs provide loans to individuals or businesses unable to treat with the House of Pochtéca. Borrowers can receive favourable terms if they aligned with the gang's political or artistic vision. These gangs build networks of indebted supporters who could be mobilized for various purposes.Smuggling
Art gangs smuggle exotic pigments and materials for crafting, or even restricted religious artifacts. This involved creating clandestine trade routes and alliances with other criminal networks or corrupt officials. Smuggling operations enhance a gang's reputation as a resourceful and influential player in the black market.Gambling
The gangs offer games of chance and betting on various events, from traditional ballgames to political outcomes. These places double as social hubs where information is exchanged and the gangs gain significant financial revenue and leverage over participating pochteca.Legal
Construction
Gangs invest in construction projects to legitimize their presence and influence while providing employment to their supporters.Night Gatherings
Gangs organize night festivals or social events that feature performances, art displays, and rituals that reinforce the gang's themes. While fostering a sense of community and solidarity among attendees, the events are also opportunities to recruit new members, network with influential citizens, and disseminate propaganda.Security
Gangs offer communities protection from rival factions or external threats. From this position, they also monitor and control activities within their territory and prevent potential challenges to their authority.Performances
Gangs use theater in public spaces to attract large audiences and generate revenue through donations or sponsorships. They shape public opinion and cultivate a loyal following for their missives.Education
Clubs
A rich recruitment ground of water mice are settled into orphanages to be taught professional skill: thievery, fraud, forgery, and brawling. These places are - in effect - competing with the state-run Tēlpochcalli for control of the youth. Though most civilians cannot tell the difference between them due to similarly harsh environments.Divine Origins
Campan Sponsors
Essentially, a powerful person would cultivate a semi-formal network of followers with favours being exchanged between them. For instance, a patron would support their guy with loans, business deals, legal representation, marriage arrangements and more. In exchange, they would offer loyalty and services to their patron in the form of some necessary dirty work.Political Influence & Intrigue
Political art gangs could use various tactics to influence public opinion and manipulate the political landscape to their advantage or for their patron(s). These practices would combine artistry with strategic planning:
Sabotage
Gangs distrupt rival activities by destroying or infrastructure such as marketplaces, roads or aqueducts to weaken their opponents' power.Graffiti
Promotion
The gangs cover walls and other public spaces with murals, symbols and slogans that communicate their beliefs and a call for action.Defacement
Many gangs favour defacing statues, monuments or important adversarial documents in order to ridicule or mock.Propagate Rumors
Gangs might spread false or misleading information to sow confusion and general mistrust among their opponents. Rumours are strategically crafted to exploit existing internal tensions or to fabricate scandals, undermine the credibility of rival factions and manipulate public perception.Espionage
Daring members infiltrate rival factions, government institutions or influential households to gather intelligence for blackmail, negotiation and strategic planning. and monitor their activitiesTier 6 | Institute | 100+ people |
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Tier 5 | Massive | 80 people |
Tier 4 | Huge | 40 people |
Tier 3 | Large | 20 people |
Tier 2 | Medium | 12 people |
Tier 1 | Small | 3 - 6 people |
Tier 0 | Tiny | 1 or 2 people |
Type
Illicit, Gang
Alternative Names
Political Gangs
Training Level
Semi-professional
Ruling Organization
Economic System
Traditional
Currency
Location
Neighboring Nations
Comments