POSTED BY: FIANCHETTO
Boston is a city rife with criminal history and—like the friendly police officers on whom KE models their public security protocols—a lot of it is fondly remembered as being more charming than it really was. The modern criminal organizations have so smoothly integrated themselves into the fabric of Boston that if you didn’t know where to look and what you’re looking at you’d never see them. This is partly due to habits learned in the days of the ECSE, when the megacorps invest- ed more than the city government in keeping a lid on crime. Being invisible was a necessary survival skill. It’s also partly because Boston’s underworld operates under the auspices of a crime syndicate whose long, rich history is filled with loud episodes of mayhem and slaughter separated by long lulls disturbed only by the quiet sounds of kneecap breaking and corpse disposal. There are always groups angling to make some cash,
gain a foothold, hold a neighborhood, defend their be- liefs, or just cause trouble, but the ones that last know to stay clear of the big boys.
MAFIA
I could write volumes on this operation, but I need to stick to the highlights. I’ll start by saying the Boston Mob is the most territorially successful Mafia organiza- tion in the country. Maybe the world. They don’t make as much money as some, but they have the firmest control of their turf. They have two primary families in Boston, the O’Rilleys and the Morellis, that don’t play nice together.
The O’Rilleys are currently on top, and Don Conor “The Mick” O’Rilley runs things with a smooth blend of old-fashioned mob violence, and a softer, more tactical touch that befits his elven heritage. The biggest threat to the Boston mob has forever been the Boston mob; the Sicilian families and Irish families have never managed to get along. Trying to use one side against the other never works, since they’re smart enough to know nei- ther side wins with a deal like that. They’ll turn you down and warn the others what you’re up to.
Of course, that tradition may all be changing. Da- mon, the second most famous dragon in Boston, man- aged to play them against each other long enough to get a lock on the bio-Awakened drug trade. The Com- missione had to step in and stop the two families from going to war with Damon. What they really prevented is a war between the Boston mob and a dragon, which a) would not have gone well, and b) would have given local syndicates a golden opportunity to do them harm and make money doing it.
Even though the Commissione stopped the war, oth- ers can smell blood in the water. The Boston mob has re- sponded by solidifying operations and strengthening their numbers—including having a stable of trustworthy runners. Word on the inside is that Morelli has been commu- nicating with some of the other syndicates in town; noth- ing solid, but there are whispers he might be looking to sell off a little mob control for the top spot in Boston’s underworld. If this gets to the Commissione we can ex- pect not only work between the syndicates in town, but also some out-of-town operators looking to take a part in Morelli’s double dealing. The worst news for O’Ril- ley and company is the rumored connection forming between the Morelli family and the Knights of the Red Branch. On the other side, O’Rilley is playing his cards close to his vest, but he has definitely reached out to the local shadow community and is paying good money for milk runs to get some loyalty.
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Problem with that is they are still runners, most of which aren’t much better than mercs for hire. They’ll go where the money is.>
Rigger-X>
I’ll try not to be offended while I point out that real mercs actually stick with their employers. If O’Rilley pays for long-term service from a mercenary unit, he’ll get it, so use better terms next time.>
Picador>
Are you saying O’Rilley is hiring your Quadrilla?>
Rigger-X>
How is the view of your colon?>
Picador>
It was a serious question. I have it on good authority than one of the Mafia families has a multi-aspect contract with a merc unit. They answer to Turren, an elf street sammy loyal to the family. Rumor is Turren is using them for his own personal vendetta, and those above him are not too happy at his misuse of resources.>
Rigger-XYAKUZA
In many cities the Yakuza are the Mafia’s biggest rivals, and in some cities they run things and the Mob dances to their tune. Boston is not one of those cities. Here the Yakuza are blocked out of all their traditional fields of endeavor, so they have taken on a new role. In some of the Japanese ethnic neighborhoods they still manage to operate their famous bunraku parlors and gambling dens, but by and large they act as a street-level black- ops branch for MCT. They are well-funded and have access to MCT’s asset catalog. That means nice cyber, computech, and magical resources, including some prototype stuff the R&D guys need field tested. The megacorporation even allows them to cross train with their own special operations guys.
This only works because the group is so small, but it definitely means that running against the Yaks in Boston is nothing like running against them anywhere else in the world. They have a tight-knit, well-outfitted, and well- trained operation that looks more like the ninja clans of ancient Japan than a modern crime syndicate.