### **Basic Information** - **Name:** [[Mosswater Syndicate]] - **Alias/Nicknames:** The Black Veil, The Mosswater Cartel, The River Lords - **Type:** Criminal Syndicate, Smuggling Network, Black Market Guild - **Symbol/Emblem:** A dagger entwined with moss-covered chains, often marked in hidden places to signify control over an area. - **Headquarters/Base of Operations:** Operates out of **hidden docks and safehouses along the Sellen River**, with a **major presence in Mosswater’s ruins** and connections extending into **Brevoy, Pitax, and the River Kingdoms**. - **Scale & Reach:** **Regional to international**—while strongest in **Mosswater and the Stolen Lands**, their smuggling routes stretch across multiple borders. ### **Purpose & Goals** - **Primary Objective:** To dominate the **black-market economy**, ensuring all illegal trade in the region flows through their network. - **Core Ideology:** Profit above all else; **law is merely another obstacle to navigate, bend, or break**. - **Methods & Operations:** - **Smuggling & Contraband:** Moving **stolen goods, illicit magical items, exotic creatures, and weapons** between regions. - **Gambling & Extortion:** Controlling **underground casinos, pit fights, and high-stakes wagers**, ensuring debts are always paid—one way or another. - **Blackmail & Information Brokering:** Gathering **secrets and leverage** to manipulate nobles, merchants, and officials. - **Assassinations & Protection Rackets:** Those who refuse to cooperate **suffer accidents**, while those who pay **sleep a little easier at night**. - **Notable Activities:** - Running the **largest illicit trade hub in the Stolen Lands**, hidden among the ruins of **Mosswater**. - **Infiltrating political circles** through bribes, spies, and blackmail. - Controlling key **smuggling routes along the Sellen River**, avoiding taxation and oversight. ### **Structure & Leadership** - **Leader(s):** The mysterious **[[Silvio Korda]]**, an enigmatic crime lord who never shows his true face, known only through coded messages and intermediaries. - **Hierarchy & Ranks:** - **The Black Veil:** The inner circle, closest to **[[Silvio Korda]]**, overseeing major operations. - **The River Barons:** High-ranking lieutenants controlling specific territories or trade routes. - **Dock Lords:** Enforcers who manage smuggling ports and coordinate shipments. - **Shadowsmen:** The Syndicate’s spies, assassins, and information brokers. - **Street Collectors:** Low-level thugs, debt collectors, and muscle who enforce the Syndicate’s rule. - **Recruitment & Membership:** - **No one joins the Syndicate unless they prove their worth.** Newcomers must complete a task that shows **ruthlessness, cunning, or absolute loyalty**. - Those who **fail or betray the Syndicate** disappear into the depths of **Mosswater’s swamps**—if they’re lucky. ### **Influence & Power** - **Allies & Affiliations:** - **Corrupt merchants and nobles** who rely on the Syndicate to secure hard-to-find goods. - **Pirates and river smugglers** who use their trade routes. - **Dissidents and rebels** who need weapons and resources outside of legal channels. - **Enemies & Rivalries:** - **The Brevoyan Crown**, which has placed heavy bounties on their leadership. - **The [[Aldori Swordlords]]**, who seek to restore order and cut off the Syndicate’s influence in trade. - **Other criminal organizations**, such as the crime families of Pitax, who see the Syndicate as both a rival and a threat. - **Reputation & Public Perception:** - **Among commoners:** A necessary evil—while feared, they also provide goods and protection where the law fails. - **Among criminals:** The most organized black-market operation in the region. **Cross them, and you vanish.** - **Among rulers:** A plague on the region, undermining legal trade and bleeding cities dry through illicit dealings. - **Military/Magical Strength:** - Ruthless **enforcers, spies, and assassins**, trained in stealth and brutality. - **Bribed mercenaries and corrupted guards** ensure their operations remain undisturbed. - Access to **dangerous magical items** and **forbidden alchemy** that they trade in secret markets. ### **History & Lore** - **Founding & Origins:** - Founded in the wake of **Mosswater’s downfall**, when outlaws and opportunists saw **profit in the ruins**. - Some claim the Syndicate began as **a simple smuggling ring**, but under **[[Silvio Korda]]**, it became a full-fledged crime empire. - **Major Historical Events:** - The **Burning of the Black Docks**, when **a rival faction tried to oust the Syndicate**—they were never seen again. - **The Pitax Purge**, where members of the Syndicate were hunted by King Irovetti—**only for the survivors to resurface stronger than ever.** - **Scandals & Secrets:** - Some whisper that **[[Silvio Korda]] is not a single man, but a title passed down among the Syndicate’s leaders.** - There are **rumors of a hidden treasure hoard beneath Mosswater**, filled with gold, cursed relics, and unspeakable horrors. - The Syndicate is suspected to **have agents within major noble houses**, influencing decisions through hidden bribes and blackmail. - **Current Struggles:** - **A growing resistance movement** seeks to **break their grip on Mosswater**, led by an unknown figure. - **A betrayal within their ranks** has put a major operation at risk. - The Syndicate is **losing ground to a new criminal faction**, possibly backed by Pitax. ### **Culture & Traditions** - **Core Values & Ethics:** - "We don’t ask for permission. We take what we want." - "Loyalty is worth more than gold." - "Dead men tell no tales, but debtors always pay in the end." - **Rituals & Initiations:** - Every new member must complete **a trial of initiation**—whether **running contraband past armed patrols, silencing a witness, or proving their cunning in negotiation.** - **The Branding:** High-ranking members receive **a secret mark**—visible only to those who know how to look for it. - **Notable Sayings/Mottos:** - "The river flows, and so do the goods." - "You’re either with us, or you’re at the bottom of the lake." - "A sharp tongue is just as useful as a sharp blade—until it gets cut out." - **Symbols of Authority:** - A **silver dagger**, often given to enforcers who have proven themselves. - A **coin marked with a black veiled skull**, rumored to signify a **death contract**. ### **Additional Notes** - **Vibe & Inspirations:** - A mix of **the Black Sun Cartel, the Venetian Mafia, and pirate smuggler rings**. - Themes of **organized crime, backroom deals, and a ruthless underground economy**. - A group that **operates in shadows, yet influences entire regions**. - **Adventure Hooks:** - A **shipment of powerful magical artifacts has been stolen** from the Syndicate—**who took it, and what happens if they get it back?** - A **corrupt noble is secretly in league with the Syndicate**, using them to eliminate rivals. - The Syndicate **offers a deal**—protection, wealth, or information—**but what’s the catch?** - **An exiled member seeks revenge**, knowing Syndicate secrets that could unravel its empire.