Sisyphus's Mob
| Sisyphus's Mob | |
|---|---|
| Location | New Chiti |
| Leader | Sisyphus |
| Type | Criminal Mob |
| Notable members | Sisyphus, the Jeanman |
| Established | 2050 |
One of many gangs in New Chiti, Sisyphus's Mob is arguably one of the largest and most powerful. Territory wise, it covered all of Empress and Pawny, as well as some of north Jaxon. It's signature operation is controlling the flow of goods in and out of New Chiti, imposing illegal tariffs on all deliveries, and confiscating the cargo if people can't afford to pay. It has a particularly strong presence on the Draywood and Randwell borders as a result and many companies that rely on New Chiti factories to produce their goods factor in Sisyphus' tax to their budget. As a result, it's the most well known Chiti gang outside of the city. When business is slow, the mob often moves into neighboring city-states for the occasional grand heist.
While not the most ambitious gang, it was definitely the most stable with a large scale lucrative business, until the Penumbra's Parley Massacre, where gang member the Jeanman killed an influential heiress, which seemed to have greatly effected the leader, slowing down the operation.
Lead by Sisyphus, who considers himself an 'honorable gentleman thief'. Notable rival of Boss of the Janitors, who disagrees with that assessment.
History
Previously headed by a woman known only as Persephone, at the time tariffs and robberies were only imposed on the gang's enemies. After Sisyphus took over almost 15 years ago, policies were changed. A code of honor was instated including the rule on Marks. They also switched to becoming indiscriminate with deliveries as well as expanding in size and territory. Despite it's generally stable and unambitious modus operandi, any notable activity on Sisyphus's turf had to get express permission, whether it was relevant to the gang or not, or it would be seen as disrespect. This allowed the gang to exert a large amount of control over a significant portion of New Chiti and its borders.
In 2071, there was a notable bloody battle with the Bushrangers that left the rival gang nearly decimated and cemented Sisyphus's authority. Quickly after, the mob rose to their peak, with a certain corrupt detective helping pick off enemies using methods the gang couldn't normally employ.
Around the late 2070s, the Janitors quickly rose to power and butted heads with Sisyphus's Mob. The Janitors had the advantage, rumors of a stalemate over a 'contract' negotiation behind the scenes, but after Boss's death in the Parley Massacre, the Janitors had to take the step back and reduce their plans, letting Sisyphus's Mob keep its seat.
In 2081 years later, the Bushrangers have had a resurgence, firebombing many buildings associated with the Mob.
Rules
Unlike other gangs, Sisyphus's Mob operates with a code of honor that's taken very seriously by it's most loyal members. Any exceptions to the rule need notarized permission from Sisyphus himself. Some rules are secret, but the most well known ones are:
- No usage of Marks in combat, limited usage in gang activities
- No guns until after 8 PM, knives only, but you can still open carry for emergencies.
- All drugs, weapons, etc sold in mob territory must be what they're claimed to be. No surprises, no mixing stuff.
- Don't rob the same shipment twice, or rob a shipment after accepting a fee
- No gang activity from rival gangs of any kind without permission
Notably, there's no age minimum to join the gang. The youngest members are often runners, doing less dangerous messenger jobs while they learn to fight.
Structure
Headed by Sisyphus, due to the size and wide area many of the gang sects operate somewhat autonomously. Sisyphus has an inner circle with his accountant, informants, and secretary that catch him up on the day-to-day dealings of the gang and what could use his approval. Outside is his wide ring of thieves that either work in groups with self-appointed leaders or solo. They report to the secretary with their questions and to the accountant with their earnings. The informants catch what people don't say, as well as keep an eye on rival gangs, the governments, and news.
Beyond stealing shipments, the mob also has a few well known fronts for laundering its earnings and fences for reselling and distributing stolen cargo. It also collects cuts from any criminal ventures operating on its territories with it's permission as a "tax", things like weapons deals, fight clubs, etc. that don't interfere with the mob's activities and are therefore allowed. While the gang focuses on couriers and their cargo, if a rich and important enough looking outsider tries to cross the border, members are known to demand a toll for passage.