Criminal Codex by

<div class='cover-header'>Criminal Codex</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>A compendium of crime by r/DnDBehindTheScreen</div>

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# Contents
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- ### [3Organized Criminal Syndicates](#The-Outer-City) 
 - [3The Basilisk]()
 - [3The Bistro]()
 - [4The Bitterbrew Gang]()
 - [4The Black Sun]()
 - [5The Black Thorn]()
 - [6Blinks]()
 - [6The Bleak Cabal]()
 - [7The Bloody Rose]()
 - [7The Broken Coins]()
 - [8The Crystal Moon]()
 - [9The DiBiase Crime Family]()
 - [10The Facade]()
 - [10The Fallen]()
 - [11The Family]()
 - [11The Fetterlocks]()
 - [12The Foundation House]()
 - [13The Gilded Grip]()
 - [14The Jade Fang]()
 - [15Obsidian]()
 - [15The Rats]()
 - [16Ravana Yuga Gold Train]()
 - [16The Sangleer Brothers]()
 - [17Shadowbrow Syndicate]()
 - [18The Shadow Conclave]()
 - [18The Shelendur Shipping Company]()
 - [19The Silenced]()
 - [19Slaughterjaw Syndicate]()
 - [20The Skinnies]()
 - [21The Sweetsmen]()
 - [21Three Bands]()
 - [21The Watching Eyes]()

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# Organized Criminal Syndicates
Present in both real life and fiction, organized crime groups can provide a powerful and compelling force for characters to act in tandem with with or to fight against. They can be powerful tools for intrigue, strong allies, or deadly enemies, but regardless of the way PCs forge relationships with these groups, they can be used to help create a better story and adventure.

## The Basilisk
Publicly, the Basilisk is a cloistered group of philosophers and monks dedicated to an anti-theistic tradition. Members of the cult work as social workers, caring for the poor and sick; or as laborers, tending public gardens, vineyards, and maintaining village infrastructure. Privately, the Basilisk fosters corruption, smuggles drugs, oversees street crime, and subverts other religious organizations dedicated to Ascended gods. Female monks most often train to become thieves, bookkeepers and overseers, while male monks are often gelded and trained in the arts of assassination.

### Symbols & Icons
The primary symbols adopted by the Basilisk are loose fitting, pale green robes. All members of the cult study from a text titled *In the Valley of Power*, a series of essays and tales about the cult's founder's encounters with mortals that falsely represented themselves as gods.

All members of the Basilisk, upon completeling a Rite of Passage, are ritualistically branded and tattooed with the symbol of a closed eye, both on the bottom of their tongues, and on the base of a heel. These marks are magically imbued to only appear under certain conditions, to prevent their discovery during mundane searches. Thieves are branded on the left heel, assassins are branded on the right.

### Criminal Activities
This group primarily works in the shadows, organizing thefts and murders to manipulate other cults and religious groups, foster corruption, and sow dissent.

### **Hierarchy**
This group only has a few tiers of authority; cloistered groups will follow the instructions and teachings of a head monk known as a Wide-Eyed One. A single Wide-Eyed One manages both thieves and assassins in their region, and will coordinate goals for both sects to achieve based on the needs of the monastery.

### **Codes of Conduct**
Secrecy is the biggest concern. Members who volunteer information to a non-member against their Wide Eyed One's wishes trigger the magical brands on their tongue, turning their tongue to stone. Members who attempt to steal from the cult trigger the brand on their heel, causing them to feel intense burning and constant pain which prevent the traitor from receiving the benefits of a long rest. These effects can only be removed at the behest of a Wide-Eyed One.

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## The Bistro
Nobility longs for distinction. Socialites crave the unknown, the esoteric, the exotic. In the upper strata of society, galas and soirées attract lords like light attracts moths. And the greater the food, the greater the company.

The Bistro caters for the powerful, no matter their tastes. And when they cater an event, nothing is off-limits. Dragon steak, dark elf short-ribs, and Kraken calamari are only the start; name the ingredient, and the Bistro will bring out it's full mouth-watering potential. World-renown chefs "procure" the Bistro's ingredients themselves and transform it into something divine.

### Symbols & Icons
A Bistro Chef is the best of the best with a blade. Bards sing of aproned Chefs killing and carving dragons in a single stroke. Smiths whisper of their adamantium knives, coated in a dulled silver alloy to conceal their true strength. Outsiders may use this blade to identify a Chef, but it is an unreliable means; imitation blades are all too common.

A true Bistro Chef identifies themselves with their Signature Dish. It is the very same dish they cooked to earn their entry into the organization. To prove their identity out-of-town, they must prepare this Signature Dish for the local Bistro Chefs.

### Criminal Activities
Bistro Chefs have no culinary limits.  They will ensure the quality of their dishes by any means necessary, oftentimes by hunting and killing the creature from which it's carved. The law is irrelevant to a Bistro Chef, and if they must break the law to acquire their ingredients, they do so without a second thought. It is all too common for ruthless warlords to demand drinking wine from the skull their rivals; Bistro Chefs take this quite literally.

Therefore, theft, murder, and smuggling are all on the menu, but only as a means to cook the perfect dish. Bistro Chefs are not petty assassins, nor gormless thieves.

### Hierarchy
The Bistro is more a philosophy for the culinary elite than an organization. As such, the it is inherently decentralized, with no central authority figure. Instead, the position of a Chef is judged by the prestige of their restaurant. When multiple Chefs cater  an event, they determine the Head Chef by vote.

### Codes of Conduct
1. A Chef strives for perfection in all they do. Flaws and mistakes are not acceptable.
2. A Chef is the absolute master of their own domain. 
3. A Chef does not slip with the blade. They takes every action with clear intent.
4. There is no food a Chef cannot carve. They are an exemplar of the blade, and without rival.
5. A Chef prepares ingredients before cooking. It saves a lot of time running around the kitchen.

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## The Bitterbrew Gang
The Bitterbrew Gang is an aggressive group of criminal alchemists and apothecaries. Their products are notorious for their unpredictable (and often explosive) side effects.

### Symbols and Icons
The gang only uses explicit symbols for its street-level members, such as enforcers, dealers, and other common criminals. Still, the Bitterbrew Gang is far from a secret organization, and it has a vice grip on entire neighborhoods in many port cities maintained through addiction and threats.

Locals unfortunate enough to live in these neighborhoods know Bitterbrew Gang members by their black bandanas, used as makeshift gas masks against the chemical reagents common to their work. Any higher-ranked members avoid symbols, preferring to not be recognized and targeted by other gangs or authorities. These members work in the background, hiding in plain sight as legitimate alchemists.

### Criminal Activity
The gang is notorious for their alchemical "alternatives" to common potions. Often sold to the poor or desperate, the gang mass produces "Cheer," a watered-down *potion of healing* that also happens to be highly addictive. Those who can't afford anything else, reach for Cheer, and they always come back. All it takes is one taste.

While Cheer is their main racket, the Bitterbrew Gang is also the source of many other knockoff potions. A strength potion called "Rockbreaker" also causes uncontrollable rage in its users, and sometimes fatal heart attacks. All this together has led to "Bitterbrew" becoming a pejorative slang among legit alchemists, used to describe shoddy potions.

### Hierarchy
The man who gave the gang its infamous name, **Felldir Bitterbrew**, is a hard case. Stocky and strong, even for a dwarf, Felldir often stands with his arms crossed to show off the muscle. His black beard is tightly knotted into a single, solid braid, a common sight among imprisoned dwarves to prevent their beards from being ripped out or torn in a fight. He sports a shaved head, and small spectacles sit precariously on a lumped nose.

In spite of assumptions based on his appearance, Felldir is a brilliant scientist, and his creations, while volatile and dangerous, are stunning works of alchemy. He knows his business, and revels in the act of creating ever more explosive and mixtures without the restrictions of oversight or law.

Also a true career criminal, bad to the bone, Felldir oversaw the growth of the gang from its infancy, and he's buried more than his share of bodies in the process. The warped, half-melted skull of a particularly irritating former rival still hangs in Felldir's lab.

### Codes of Conduct
Side hustles are expected with gang members, but selling the gang's product for individual profit is a great way to get dissolved down into protoplasm by a lieutenant. Trade secrets are secrets, after all. But beyond this, the only true code of conduct forbids selling any product to children of any race or to any dwarven women.

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### NPCs
**Karbek Grimhold** is one of Felldir Bitterbrew's most trusted lieutenants, a Dwarf with less of a mind for science and more of an eye for perfection. Karbek inpsects and assesses the product purveyed by the Bitterbrew Gang's many alchemists, ensuring quality and that no members are pocketing profits for themselves.

### Other Products

While Cheer is by far the most popular (and addicting) of the products that the Bitterbrew Gang offers, there are a few other knockoffs available to those who are willing to fork out the gold for them.

* **Oracle.** This watered-down version of a *Potion of Clairvoyance* bestows a sense of euphoria when ingested and gives the drinker a complete out-of-body experience.
* **Lighter.** Popular among the homeless, this diluted *Potion of Fire Breath* gives the imbiber a warm and tingling sensation throughout their body, keeping many comfortable on cold nights. It also allows the user to breathe a tiny flame from their mouth or nose, perfect for lighting up a smoke or other narcotic.
* **Courage.** A watered-down *Potion of Heroism*, those who drink it are filled with a sense of invincibility, losing all sense of self-preservation. While not actually granting any such protection, the total recklessness and adrenaline given by Courage is popular among pit fighters.

## The Black Sun
A large-scale criminal organization whose activities are as varied as they are widespread, the Black Sun rose to prominence relatively recently after absorbing multiple smaller criminal enterprises. Their network spans the continent, and their power and influence has crept into nearly every political faction in every region in which they operate.

### Symbols & Icons
The symbol for the Black Sun is a black-inked, geometric sun. Members are required to get this symbol tattod on their bodies in easily revealed areas, but only designated (and well-paid) tattoo artists are accepted, so that the final product is only detectable by *truesight*. The tattooing process is painful, and is a rite of initiation for new recruits.

### Criminal Activity
Having made its way in the criminal underground by absorbing multiple smaller networks, the Black Sun holds stake in nearly every criminal endeavour available. As a front, the Solari Corporation maintains a massive shipping and mining enterprise that primarily functions as a financial crutch of the Empire - being the majority shareholder in the mining of Redsalt (potassium nitrate) and the production of gunpowder. Because of this wealth, they are ever expanding into new territories, including drug manufacture and smuggling, human trafficking, item smuggling, money laundering, business extortion/protection, espionage, political blackmail, and murder for hire.

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### Hierarchy
The Black Sun is divided into multiple independent criminal organizations called *coronas*. These rings operate with autonomy for the most part - often interacting with members of other coronas without knowledge. The head of each corona and a small group of trusted lieutenants are the only members who know any details about the wider organization and other coronas that operate in the region.

The head of the Black Sun is a man known as **Prince Sarul Xorlarrin** - a drow who made his way to the surface world after being exiled by the matriarchy of his home city. Using his personal wealth, he established a legitimate business known as the Solari Corporation, and secretly operates his criminal enterprise using money he earns from his close relationship with the empire, where he serves as the chief financial advisor to the Emperor.

### Codes of Conduct
Each corona operates discreetly and independently. The leadership of the corona may interact with Sarul but no ground-level members are permitted to know anything about the organization. If a corona is exposed by the government or significantly damaged by a rival organization, they will be *extinguished* by the elite forces of Prince Sarul, save for the leadership, who can be repurposed and moved to other coronas or within Saruls personal entourage as he sees fit.

Discretion and loyalty are the two highest valued traits within the organization.

Finally, coronas are not permitted to leave their jurisdiction or operational functions (such as branching into new pursuits) without the express authorization of Sarul.

### NPCs
**Galen Corial** is a nervous man. He always sits with his back to a corner, and rarely shows his face from behind a scarf and hood. When he does, he'll show you a short crop of straw-colored hair, strung-out brown eyes, and a beard grown not from choice, but from negligence. He wears a dagger at his hip, and has at least two more you don't know about; he served as a hired killer for the Sun, and was known for his professionalism and efficiency.

Galen has reason to be wary. His corona was extinguished after a major bust, and through a miraculous stroke of luck, Galen escaped the purge with his health more or less intact. His sanity, however, is another story. It's been a few weeks since the purge, and Galen has spent every moment looking over his shoulder. He's convinced that there's assassins hot on his heels, and he's probably right. But in his flight, he's getting desperate, and desperate people can do desperate things.

## The Black Thorn
For a criminal organization, the Black Thorn spends a lot of time trying to prevent crimes. For what they describe as "modest fee," the Thorns can let it be known that a given shop or warehouse is under their protection. The mark of The Black Thorn is usually enough to deter would-be criminals, as the few that would defy it tend to be found in the lower reaches of the city's river a few days later.

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The City Guard is quite happy for the shady districts that the Thorn operate in to police themselves, so mostly turns a blind eye to their activities. The inhabitants of these districts hold varied opinions, with some welcoming the relative order they bring and others objecting their rule. Adventurers looking to learn about the darker side of the city could learn a lot from members of this group, if they earn their trust.

### Symbols & Icons
Because the Black Thorn can operate in the open, their symbols and dress are more about projecting power than communicating to each other. The main symbol is a donward-pointing dagger entwined by spiky black vines. Anyone seeing a property bearing this mark knows it is under the Thorn's protection. Likewise, those walking the streets in well-fitting black coats bearing this symbol on their shoulders stand out as members of the Black Thorn. Occasionally the group's leaders decide to operate in the more salubrious parts of the city, in which case operatives wear plain clothes.

### Criminal Activity
Black Thorn members spend most of their time running a protection racket. This mostly means collecting fees from shop owners and persuading those who haven't joined the scheme or are behind on their dues, that it is in their interest to pay up. The reputation of the Thorns is such that few would rob from their protected properties, because those that do are made an example of. In addition to running the protection racket, operatives make sure any smugglers or drug runners in the streets are paying their respects, and a substantial cut, to the Black Thorn.

### Heirachy
The group is organized from the streets up. Operative on the street as simply called "thorns," and have significant freedom in how they achieve the goals set to them by neighbourhood-level lieutenants and district-level captains. The group's leader, known simply as **the Claw**, is a Rakshasa who usually takes the form of one of his black-coated operatives. When in human form, the Claw speaks with a refined accent that is at odds with his grizzled and battle-scarred appearance. He is extremely cool and calm in conversation, able to use his powers of charm and deception to manipulate any situation to his benefit. If he takes on his natural form someone is about to die.

### Codes of Conduct
The most important rule in groups is "All business is Thorn business." Street operatives that are found to be conducting their own crimes and not paying the proceeds on up the chain are likely to see the Claw's true form. However, beyond this, there are very few rules imposed on members.

Essentially, as long as members are not participating in activity that would reflect poorly on the Thorns, or that would threaten their authority, almost any additional activity is permissible. In cases where a member believes a dramatic action, such as arson or murder, is warranted, they generally must seek the approval of their superiors before any action is allowed. Members that act without requesting approval first are disciplined harshly.

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## Blinks
The Blinks are a group of wizards, artificers, and arcane tricksters in a region where such things are heavily regulated. Their business is obtaining spells, components, and other such items, and selling magical inventions to the right bidder. They have a reputation for causing small disasters resulting from their experimentation, but the items they sell are generally high quality.

### **Symbols & icons**
A simple symbol used by many members is a simple lightning bolt. A more intricate symbol involves a blink dog dodging lightning, and on special occasions an animated illusion depicts the dog dodging back and forth in a loop.

Some members infuse magic into their clothing such that someone casting detect magic can see the pattern, and read simple codes from them.

### Criminal Activity
The major business of the Blinks involves obtaining illegal components and spells, and selling spellcasting services and scrolls They also sell some more unique inventions to those that know who to ask.

### **Hierarchy**
The Blinks do not have a formal leadership structure. Members generally act alone or in pairs, and often know the specialties of other nearby members. The founder of the group, **Zook**, is a gnome illusionist, with a pet blink dog named Scud. Zook is 3'4'' with a scruffy beard, who wears light blue clothing. His 'spell book' is many different scrunched up sheets of paper hidden in his many pockets. He loves illusion magic and hates evocation, especially fire magic. He won't hesitate if he sees a chance to pull a prank.

Zook started the Blinks partially as a prank on the 'uptight' regulators of the city, and partially to obtain knowledge that he sought. The group grew organically, as those seeking knowledge need to purchase things from the Blinks, and would offer what they could obtain.

### Codes of Conduct
* Don't withhold knowledge if offered a fair price.
* If a kid wants to see a magic trick, show them. If they want to learn, teach them.
* Don't sell substandard products.
* Give credit where credit is due.

## The Bleak Cabal
Known changelings are distrusted at the best of times and the Bleak Cabal is a good reason why. Though few in number, this shapechanger-exclusive group surrounds itself in mystery and rumor. No one is sure how many convenient deaths in the capital have been done at their hands. Their assassins, often called  “Bleak Phantoms” by the locals, are a source of endless paranoia among the rich and powerful. After all, when dealing with enemies that can look like anyone, how do you know who to trust?

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### **Symbols & Icons**
The main symbol used by this organization is an oval with an off-center horizontal line crossing it. It is said to represent a blank face, its eyes struck out. When the Cabal wishes to claim responsibility for an action, be it on incriminating documents or a cooling corpse, the Cabal’s sign is left in plain sight. Considering the nature of the Cabal, it is used more often by non-members than by the Cabal itself in order to invoke fear and paranoia.

Members of the Cabal are given a mark with enchanted ink. Each individual in the Cabal has a different mark in a different place, and the showing of one’s mark is the traditional greeting among the organization’s members. No matter what form the Cabalist takes or what face they wear, the mark will remain, so it is always in a place easily hidden. The enchantment in the ink is weak, but can be located at a great distance by the one that made it.

### Criminal Activity
The Bleak Cabal concerns itself heavily in the trade of information, and espionage is second-nature for its members. Those who can change their faces often overhear things said in dire confidence, and Blackmail and Extortion are commonplace in its operations. The organization’s near-mythic reputation, however, has been earned by its assassinations. Any thug can break a man’s neck. Hire the Cabal, and even the dead man’s own corpse will swear he broke it himself.

Though it is often concerned with its own machinations, the Bleak Cabal does do hire work, be it ferreting out secrets or removing opposition. They are picky about the jobs they do, however, and the fees they demand are staggering.

As its actions are hard to discern, no one is sure what aims the organization itself might have. At its most basic, the Cabal is a force of fear and paranoia. They are agents of chaos. Their ultimate goal, however, is one of control. All they need is an opportunity.

### **Hierarchy**
The Bleak Cabal is relatively small; its ranks never swell to more than twenty or so. It is presided over by a powerful spellcasting shapeshifter known only as “The One.” The One dictates their actions and direction, and tolerates no dissent. In many ways, the Cabal is a cult of personality, its members drawn in by the One and his majesty. Not even the other members know One’s true nature, but the One is notable for being able to mimic animals and monsters as easily as people. If One has a true face, none in the Cabal have seen it.

Beneath One are the Faceless, who manage and run the Cabal’s many covert operations. Each has two or three Bleak Cabalists that serve under them in separate cells, which rarely interact. With the use of disguises, magic, and their innate talents, even those few members function with the effectiveness of a small army.

### **Codes of Conduct**
Besides trading in information and death, the Cabal is very concerned with its own mystique. Members must act invisibly, masking themselves with borrowed or conjured faces and never showing the same face twice.

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The Cabal demands the highest levels of professionalism from both its informants and phantom killers. Information is brought to the Cabal, and the Cabal will decide how it will be used. Targets are to be killed in as quiet a manner as possible, and only those marked for death are to be harmed. Most folks think the Bleak Cabal is a myth, and its master wants to keep it that way.

Its members are in for life. Nobody leaves the Bleak Cabal, for its secrets are not for the world to know. Any that leave or betray the order are hunted down without mercy. The mark a member receives on initiation is indelible, and the Cabal can follow it across oceans and continents if need be.

#### The Final Hunt
The Final Hunt a Shapeshifter's last mission, assigned only if they are seen or if they failed their mission and risked public knowledge of their activity. The final hunt tasks the failed member with cleaning the job, either by silencing any witnesses and any other means needed.

The One personally finds this member and cast a grim spell of haste (overhaste) on this member. It will give them double the benefits of haste but exhaust them to death after 48 hours.

### Forbidden Crimes
While no overall class of crime is forbidden to the Bleak Cabal, the One appears bound by a strange law that it demands its followers must obey. Should a cabalist ever see the reflection of a target of their assassinations in water that is also reflecting the light of a full moon, they must whisper "gealach" and flee for the shadows with any other cabalists on the assignment. From then on, the Bleak Cabal must pretend as if the target never existed; they may never speak of them, may never go near them, and certainly will never accept contracts involving them.

## The Bloody Rose
The Bloody Rose is a splinter group of vampires and their spawn that once freed from their lord's control upon his death, decided that they would build a criminal empire. You don't need to be a vampire or a spawn to join the group, but the Embrice is required in order to gain standing. They are based in a city called Sparrow's Roost, a wealthy city in turmoil from it's criminal underworld.

### Symbols & Icons
The most common way members the Bloody Rose identify themselves is with a red coin that has a their symbol, a rose, on each side. The coins are not just for identification. Blood-soaked coins are also used as a calling card, and hollow coins are used as dead drops for information. Members also like to do things like wear a rose in their lapel at parties, or use thorn iconography on crests an such.

### Criminal Activities
The Bloody Rose operates like a mob with a vampiric twist. Their current goal is to bring the city completely under their control so they can expand their criminal empire across to continent. To do this they suck the blood of residents, turning them into vampire spawn under their control.

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They then order the spawn to file their fangs down daily, and apply makeup to appear completely regular, and continue to go about their lives until the time is right.

The Bloody Rose also engages in smuggling, human trafficking, counterfeiting, bribery, embezzlement, and anything else they can do to destabilize the economy and the government of Sparrow's Roost. In addition to this, higher ups will throw lavish parties where they kill or transform nobles and other important figures into vampire spawn.

### Hierarchy
The leader of the Bloody Rose, **Cain Grimmarrow,** is one of the few true vampires in the Bloody Rose. He is the complete definition of a psychopath. He uses his charm and charisma in addition to his dominating gaze to manipulate his targets and underlings alike into a position favorable to him. He dresses in fine clothes, eats the best food, drinks the most expensive wine, etc. This stems from his grotesque narcissism, as he believes he deserves everything. He looks quite similar to many other nobles in the area, except for his pale skin, and black eyes. He does not file his teeth, but simply casts disguise self to look normal when going outside. Beyond Cain, there is a high council made up of the only seven true vampires in the entirety of the Bloody Rose.

### Codes of Conduct
The Bloody Rose Council's authority carries a lot of weight, and positions are highly coveted. In order to acquire a seat on the council, one must first become a vampire spawn, and then gain enough of a following to capture or confront their sire. If the fledgling vampire can manage to politically maneuver their sire into a compromising position, honor demands they be made into a true vampire before the sire accepts death.

If the original vampire refuses this tradition, another council member steps in to complete the deed. Despite the power and authority, being on the Council often results in paranoia. Everyone is always trying to get up, and people will always be trying to move up themselves. This leads to a lot of alliances, backstabbing and power grabs, which are frowned upon when discovered, but silently encouraged. These customs have also created the false perception of a group of honorable criminals. While this may be true on the surface, honor is merely a tool for most to create the illusion of being the favorable candidate for advancement in the ranks.

## The Broken Coins
There's a saying that goes: "I'd rather snap my coins in two than pay the usurpers." When the civil war ended with the Northern nobility taking over the kingdom, many of Old Blood felt unjustly taxed by a new ruling class that, in their view, had no legitimacy. A group of merchants started a smuggling operation to avoid paying taxes to the new rulers.

In time, the smuggling network grew into something bigger. Attracting all kind of thugs with a dislike for the despotic rules. The "Broken Coins" quickly became a sprawling organization fueled by ethnic hatred. Its vast network survives thanks to the complicit silence of many disgruntled commoners. Many inside the organization are still hoping that the illicit gains will be used to finance an open rebellion, without realizing that the leaders are more interested in personal wealth than any political agenda.

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### Symbols & Icons
The symbol of the organization is a cracked coin separated in two halves. More reckless members of the Broken Coins get the symbol tattooed on the back of the hand or on the neck, but the majority of its member avoid displaying any insignia for fear of being identified by royal agents.

A tell-tale sign of affiliation with the Broken Coins is a hate for Northerners. This doesn't mean that anyone with ill sentiments against Northerners is a member of the Broken Coins, or that all of its members are motivated solely by ethnic hatred, but anyone openly suggesting violence against Northerners is at least a sympathizer of the Broken Coins.

### Criminal Activities
The Broken Coins operate the most structured smuggling network in the realm. They smuggle regular goods to avoid taxes, but also use the same network for weapons and people trafficking. The weapons are sold to other groups for profit, or used to arm paramilitary groups inside the organization. Whenever the leadership fails to keep the most violent members in check, small crews also engage in unsanctioned killings, kidnapping and robberies against Northerners.

###  Hierarchy
The Senate, a group of fifteen senators who are on the receiving end of the illicit gains, lead the Broken Coins. A few are veterans from the civil war, others are rich merchants, or heads of once powerful families now displaced by Northerners.

* **Zarindaj Konta** is a typical senator with a military background. He lost his right hand in the war, a fact that he never fails to mention. Bragging about his role in the civil war makes him an anti-Northern hero that attract young recruits. 
* On the opposite end of the spectrum is **Mina Ljiker**, the aging matron of a old noble family. Quiet and frail but deadly sharp, she keeps tabs on more senators and generals that anyone else. She whispers orders that are both feared and executed with zeal.

The Senate excels at gate-keeping, preventing brutish thugs and ideologues from climbing ranks into their council. They also issue orders to the "generals," who lead "brigades." Brigades are the local divisions of the Broken Coins, internally organized with paramilitary discipline, each numbering between 10 and 100 members.

Generals enjoy significant leeway in running their brigade, and as long as they pay their share to the Council, senators don't get involved with the details. Rarely, brigades gets completely out of control, as fanaticism can lead to highly visible acts of terror. In these cases, the senate secretly orders the assassination of the general, and replace them with someone easier to control.

## The Crystal Moon
**The Crystal Moon** is a thieves' guild comprised almost entirely of undercover were-creatures who run a large-scale smuggling and espionage-for-hire scheme across the southern part of the continent.

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### Symbols & Icons
Because members of the Crystal Moon only meet to do business in their hybrid form. To keep their humanoid identities secret and allow them to move freely within society, they identify themselves by keeping crystal moon amulets on their person. Seeing one being worn indicates an ally, while keeping their hybrid identity secret.

It also serves as a warning of danger: the amulets are so delicately made and balanced that any kind of willful jostling will break them. If someone is found dead with bits of shattered crystal determined to be from a crystal moon amulet, it likely means they were murdered by someone who knew to attack the werecreature in their human form. If they are found dead with an unbroken crystal moon amulet, it either means that they were killed in hybrid form but that the killer had no knowledge of the larger organization, or that the death was random and unconnected to either their being a werecreature or a member of the guild.

### Criminal Activities
The Crystal Moon dabbles in a wide array of criminal activities, but they primarily focus on money laundering, smuggling, extortion, and espionage. Different groups can often work together and share information and resources with one another through secure channels.

### Hierarchy
The leader of the Crystal Moon is a female dwarf named **Horvi Leyndgeit**. In humanoid society she's a mid-ranking member of the Jeweller's Guild; high enough where her word and expertise carries weight, but not high enough to be a public figure. Among the Crystal Moon, she is a fearsome weregoat warlock known only as Horns, who made a pact with a powerful fiend after being turned.

In humanoid form she has long, wavy gray hair and overly bulbous, bright blue eyes. She walks with a bit of a hunch, but insists it's from leaning forward to examine so many dammed jewels. Her skin is rough and pink, and she has two piercings on her right ear, one of which starts heating up when any amount of silver larger than what it takes to make a ring is near her. In hybrid form, her fur is much like her hair; long and grey, but also matted and knotted. When she transforms, her earrings become two veins of gold running through her horns. When calm, she's extremely deceitful and schemeing. When stressed,  becomes more bold, and forthright with her desires. She is an outspoken cynic and only trusts deeds.

### Codes of Conduct 
To help protect the organization's members, Horns has instituted the following codes of conduct. 
- Nobody spreads lycanthropy unless explicit permission is received from the Horns 
- No committing murder for hire 
- Rats only work with rats, wolves with wolves, etc., so that nobody wonders why the lycanthrope are coordinating. 
- Only ever take half of what the target can afford to lose; the rest can be acquired through protection schemes 
- And finally, the golden rule: **Power comes at the expense of the powerful**; never punish anyone who's of a lower station in life.

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### NPCs
With representatives from all the different species of lycanthropes, the Crystal Moon is one of the most diverse organizations listed in this codex.

#### Paul Triman
**Humanoid form:** Paul is the owner and founder of his magnificent tobacco and pipe shop. The shop known for its wide collection of tobacco breeds from all across the land. He is short in stature with yellow teeth, and usually wears his dirty leather jacket and motley cape. He speaks through his nose and gesticulates emphatically when making deals.

**Hybrid form:** Paul is a werechicken and in his hybrid form he adorns black and white feathers, and a cockscomb. Paul and his crew run and operate the smuggling side of the Crystal Moon.

#### Old "Nest" 
An oddly ancient Wererat, huge and fat in both forms, who has an unknown number of 'pups' - stunted wererats who do her bidding and drink from her many teats. They have been known to spend much time in their hybrid forms but also set up a pastry and pie bakehouse, with Old Nest going by "Nessie" and keeping all her underlings in line.

Old Nest has reduced speed but excellent perception. She can empower he pups by suckling them - granting them abilities depending on her own emotions or desires. If she is angry, they gain a barbarian's rage. If devious, they gain uncanny dodge or cunning action. If she is tender and motherly, they get temporary HP or are healed when they suckle.

## The DiBiase Crime Family
A City wide criminal organization whose activities are any way to cut corners and make a few gold pieces. The DiBiase Crime Family has existed under that name since last generation when it was headed by "Mithral Mike" DiBiase. The current head is his son, Theodore.

### Symbols & Icons
The symbol for The DiBiase Crime Family is a coin with a nail driven through it. A copper coin is used to mark the family's displeasure with a person or establishment, while a silver one denotes membership, and gold denotes that the person or premises is protected. The symbol may be drawn in a simple manner with a stick passing into a circle.

### Hierarchy
The DiBiase Crime Family functions as a criminal pyramid scheme of sorts. Each underling runs their own criminal enterprises (the details of which must not conflict with higher-ups) and kicks a percentage to the member in charge of them. A percentage of the profits flow this way to the top.

The head of the family settles conflicts, and picks the choice criminal ventures for themselves. Beneath the Head is a trusted lieutenant who enforces their will and arbitrates matters not worth the Head's personal attention.

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### Criminal Activities
Most of the Family's activities feed into each other. Clients who indulge in vices such as gambling, or smuggled goods will be squeezed for information or encouraged to bring others into the activity. As dirt is dug up on increasingly important figures, extortion becomes a more lucrative business. All in all, the Family has their hands in several of the following pots:

* Fixing Gladiatorial Fights
* Unauthorized Gambling
* Human Trafficking
* Stolen Merchandise Smuggling
* Business Extortion/Protection
* Political Blackmail

### Codes of Conduct

The Family operates under a code of silence and honor that places importance on silence in the face of questioning by authorities or outsiders; non-cooperation with authorities or outsiders; and willfully ignoring and generally avoiding interference with the illegal activities of others.

Loyalty, and Making Money are the key virtues.

### NPCs

**Voltaire DiBiase** is a charming, dark skinned halfling bard with a variety of instruments at his disposal.
As an NPC, he functions on different levels for the family.

First and foremost, he is an entertainer at family gatherings and very good at that as well. He is often instructed to calm down the moods of the family members, if things get too impulsive. But he also sends secret messages to other family members as well as instructions and can function as a bringer of bad or good news. This is especially necessary, as the family operates under a code of silence and still needs to exchange information.

He is also present at parties of noble houses as an entertainer and may offer special services in order to gather crucial information, secrets or rumors for the crime family to execute their criminal activities or to get leverage over persons of authority.

## The Facade  
Specializing in procuring whatever item a person might need, this underground smuggling ring tends to keep itself hidden in plain sight from city in which they're headquartered. They send individuals out across the world (and sometimes across the planes) to procure things from specific treasures, to magical items, to unique potion components.

### Symbols & Icons
The main symbol used by this organization is a stylized, geometric icon that looks like an eye. *(Always look closely, for anything could be hidden behind a facade.)*

New members are branded with this mark. The member gets to pick where this mark is placed, within reason, but most prefer to have it put somewhere that is easy to cover. This branding process also includes magical components that are burned into the skin to prevent it from being healed. This mark will also continue to appear if a character is polymorphed or has their shape changed in any way.

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### Criminal Activities  
This group primarily works in the realm of smuggling. Most of the time, this means moving items from one place to another to eventually sell, but they have also been known to sometimes smuggle animals and creatures.

### Hierarchy   
This group only has a few tiers of authority. They are led by an elven woman named **Brenlyn Rhyweth** - a powerful druid with the ambition of making this organization grow like far-reaching vines and reach into new territories. Brenlyn has short, chestnut hair, and dresses in simple purple clothing under a fine set of leather armor. Her forearms, from the elbows down, are covered in old chemical burns, and her left arm has a tattoo that looks like dried and broken earth.

She respects people that are honest, bold, and loyal, but rarely trusts people that are not loyal to her specifically.

### Codes of Conduct    
Secrecy is  the biggest concern, and new members are informed that speaking directly about The Facade to any non-members will cause part of the magic to drain away part of their life force. Doing so will deal 5d8 necrotic damage to the character, and permanently reduce their hitpoint maximum by that much as well. This damage cannot be healed with anything less than a *wish* spell.

Beyond this, The Facade frowns on unnecessary killing, as it can draw attention to their activities, but they don't have a formal stance on murder.

### Crimes Avoided
The Facade tend to avoid smuggling sufficiently intelligent or crafty creatures; preferring to smuggle dumb beasts or similar. The clever ones are too much trouble to round up again if they get loose in settled land or (gods forbid) between the planes, and tend to get adventurers involved far too often.

Additionally, they steer clear of actively visible crimes like arson or major property damage, and prefer to use official channels and favors for activity in any political spheres.

### Other Organizations
The Facade have a working business partnership with the Crystal Moon, but it gets dicey at times. Both sides have been caught trying to spy on the other multiple times (The Crystal Moon wants to know how The Facade moves product between planes, and The Facade have noticed rat infestations that Brenlyn can't influence when representatives from The Crystal Moon show up to parley).

Otherwise it's a relationship of mutual convenience: The Facade helps the Crystal Moon move things into the south of the continent, and the Crystal Moon helps the Facade move things out to free up some labour better spent elsewhere.

### NPCs
Most NPCs within the Facade are likely to be skilled thieves, but they accept anyone that is capable of moving contraband. While rogues fill the majority of their ranks, they are several members with other skill sets.

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#### Brenlyn Rhyweth
The bold and cunning leader of the Facade, **Brenlyn** is a 20th level moon druid. She joined the facade a century ago and worked her way up to position herself to take the reins when the leadership was vacant. With connections across the planes from her days as an adventurer, she can secure access to most of them and often sends her subordinates on fetch quests all over the cosmos.

#### Oog
**Oog** the ogre used to be an elf known as Folen. While smuggling an ogre through the Astral Plane, a bad bout of astral winds switched the minds of Oog and Folen, and the body that used to be Folen's fell overboard. Realizing the advantage of being free of The Facade's brand, Oog plays dumb, keeping his intellect and centuries-spanning memory secret from everyone else while he silently schemes.

## The Fallen
While most demon worshippers are insane nihilists, some criminals see the power granted by demons as a tool. The Fallen are those some criminals.

### Symbols & Icons
The Fallen use a certain ink made from abyssal sludge for tattoos denoting rank and what demon they venerate. Invisible to most forms of detection, speaking Abyssal causes the tattoo to become visible for a few seconds. Creatures that can innately sense alignment or who cast *detect evil and good* can see the tattoos for the duration. While some higher-ups learn the language, most of the lower-downs learn a single word; usually an expletive or name of a demon.

### Criminal Activities
The Fallen provide several main services including bound demons, humanoid services, and abyssal item acquirement. Sold demons are bound to an amulet and must obey whoever wears it. The Fallen emphasize that they are not responsible for any "misinterpretation of orders" given to the fiends, and encourage all their patrons to be as clear and specific as possible with their instructions.

Due to this, hiring humanoid operatives is far more reliable. They have abilities based on their fiendish patron, and can be hired for money or other goods. For example, a Baphomet cultist makes a great bounty hunter, and a Juiblex cultist can infiltrate with ease, or either theft or murder.

Finally, abyssal acquisitions: if someone needs water tainted by Wastriliths, poisons found in certain demons, or even some Abyssal Matter for debased wizardry. As long as they have the cash, they can get it.

### Hierarchy
The Fallen’s hierarchy is fairly loose. At the top is **Harrison Blackstar**, the crime lord merged his soul into the body of a sibriex to steal its power and knowledge. Despite his demonic appearance, he is a shrewd businessman. Like any other sibriex, he resembles a living tumor that leaks bile and other fluids, but due to a tube system that siphons away waste, he looks much cleaner than your average sibriex.

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Below him are archcultists, the leaders of each demonic cult. They tend to be spellcasters, but some, such as **Bararog Blackjaw**, the Archcultist of Baphomet and a Tanarukk, are warriors who have an innate connection to the abyss.

Next are the cult leaders, who run the cult for each city. To prevent detection, no more than one cult is to be found in a given city. As such, some cultists must be imported for their skills. Below them are rank and file cultists, and finally, demons at the bottom, seen as beasts to be used for profit.

### Codes of Conduct
The very first rule of The Fallen is to destroy any other cult they find. Demonic, Infernal, Great Old One, whatever. They don’t need them bringing the wrath of paladins into the cities and realizing the intense demonic presence therein. The other rule is to always obey superiors. Disobedience is punishable by death by being turned into demon food.

## The Family
The Family began with a group of five orphans that grew up in an orphanage until a rich noble to built his secondary mansion in its place. Since then, they lived in the street, playing pranks and causing a ruckus.

This changed when they tried to rob a small house that belonged to ancient dwarf known only as Gramps. Gramps used to be a major crime boss in his prime until lost his place, his left arm and his right foot, and went into exile. When the Family tried to rob him, he overpowered them with a combination of dirty tricks and traps hidden in his home.

He then "adopted" them and began to teach them all that he know of the underworld. They now control a minor city's entire criminal network, with about 30 members or so.

### Symbols
As a way of spitting onto fate's face they wear jackets emblazoned with an oakwood tree, from the oakwood orphanage they came from.

### Criminal Activities
The Family is mainly a racketeering gang, living of protection taxes. They also dabble in burglary. They will never back down from a fight or from a chance to piss off the wealthy. They have a very strong "us versus the world" mindset and will fight anyone perceived as a threat, even authorities.

### Hierarchy
At the top is Gramps. The core group is now called Uncles and Aunties. All the others are brothers and sisters.

### Codes of Conduct
The only crime worthy of punishement is to betray the Family. If a family member is accused, a concil is gathered and a fair trial will take place. If found guilty the former family member will be tie to a post and everyone will stabe them. The last members often only stab a corpse. If found innocent, it is the accuser who face the punishement.

Attacking an orphan is frowned upon, they prefer to coopt them into the Family.

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## Fetters (or Fetterlocks)
The Fetters are a secret society who's primary goal is political and arcane power. The members do not meet with any regularity but are spread over the 3 largest cities of the kingdom. The Fetters primary belief is that those with arcane knowledge are better suited to lead, and obviously, that means themselves. There are probably no more than 50 members in the Fetters.

### Symbols and Icons
Fetters identify themselves with a pendant or badge worn under their clothing shaped to mimic closed fetterlock. Low ranking members have a small lock pendant made from iron or even carved from a branch. Older and highly-regarded members may have one made from gold and set with gems.

### Criminal Activities
The Fetters are blackmailers and thieves. They don't want to be in charge, but they want to decide what those in charge do. They use magic to either dig up dirt on someone in charge or manufacture some. Their most diabolical crimes are to dominate someone on the cusp of coming into power, force them to do something reprehensible and hold that over them the rest of their career. The Fetters work as merchants and bureaucrats to further their goals and help each other.

In a similar vein the Fetters love magical items and artifacts. Since magic items are scarce they often steal them to hoard. They steal arcane and religious items from far and wide, sometimes taking long trips to explore the wide world and bring them back home.

### Hierarchy
The Fetters are led by two men, and elf and a dwarf who do not get along. In the group they are known as the Miner and the Locksmith. These two are the only ones who know every member of the Fetters. Every year they call a meeting of the members who are nearby, but given the disparate nature of the organization, individual members might not be in a formal meeting for 2 or more years.

Older members, who have the trust of the Miner and the Locksmith are given a magic talisman shaped like a key. These trusted few are allowed to bring in new members.

### Codes of Conduct
They do not involve apprentice mages in their crimes. The next generation of mages is not ready to understand the necessity of their organization.

They do not engage in crimes for direct personal gain. If a member truly needs something that much, they should speak to a local representative and pursue legal paths.

A Fetterlock never, **never,** takes an action that would destroy magical knowledge. This unfortunately leaves them in the awkward position of working around obstructionist mages, rather than dealing with them directly.

### Allies & Enemies
The Fetterlocks frequently put out contracts with smuggling companies.  The Miner has personally a cut a lucrative deal with Ravana Yuga of **The Ravana Yuga Gold Train.**

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The Fetterlocks do not sit well with petty moneymaking organizations.  Especially mundane peasants and tradesmen with the audacity to upset what could be a more perfect social order.  They frequently sit at odds with the **DiBiase Crime Family**, in particular.  Fetterlocks often take time out of their busy schedules to block and stymie the Family's clients.  In turn, Fetterlock marks are often counter-blackmailed into paralysis, and order mages are occasionally beaten to death in the street.

### NPC

#### Leffen LeMarc
**Leffen Lemarc**, a Knight of the Summer Queen, finds fae princes and princesses handsome maidens and rakes in exchange for a powerful form of mesmerism.  He has been the governor's game warden ever since joining the governor's son on a disastrous hunting expedition.

Leffen is a solidly-built young man with captivating auburn eyes and a wide grin.  He makes almost too much effort to be dressed in the latest society trends.  He has a crude sense of humor and carries an air of irresponsible mischief about him that make it hard to see the purposefulness of his actions.

He keeps office in the capitol, where he hides the movements of Fetterlocks and their contacts through the wilds.  He is their liaison with the feywilds, and a repository of knowledge of the inner workings of the Fey Courts.  He also provides manpower by driving the commonfolk to hunt illegally, a situation that gives him power over them.

When not in his office, he lives in a sprawling lodge in the woods, centered on a special hunting zone with looser contraband laws. He periodically holds revels in the woods and invites many rebellious young nobles and heirs; they slum it with particularly handsome commonfolk, and occasionally have a legendary night with deviant fae.  Such entanglements usually have permanent consequences that a respectable family would die to keep under wraps.

Those in the woods without hunting licenses can't help but find themselves at the doorstep of Leffen's lodge. Smugglers and poachers only broach his woods once if they are lucky enough to not appease his tastes.

## The Foundation House 
The Foundation House has been in existence for centuries that operates as a legitimate Historical Foundation dedicated to recording and tracing lineage for all who document their genealogies, including royal and noble bloodlines. The "Founding Fathers" were the original designers and their authorized legal contract deeds, seals, papers, and most importantly "Legal recognition of nobility carried official weight throughout the Kingdom.

Through their expertise, titles of nobility can be bought, sold, mortgaged, or established by royal decree. Seeing the early opportunity to control this powerful market, the Founding Fathers obtained royal authority to design and create the heraldry for the kingdom. They also have the largest documentation of lineage, superseding even that of historical records and societies, allowing them create noble bloodlines or new titles, while hiding and establishing the original creation of it. The syndicate's history is traced back to one of the oldest cities in the land. But every 25 years a different historic city is chosen as its guild house, so that its records and leadership are always moving.

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### Symbols & Icons
The main symbol of when looking to find them is a house being built from the foundation. It will look complete at the top and as it gets close to the bottom the building begins to fragment into pieces that will look like bricks. This will seen in many different places whether a tattoo to determine if they are an approved counterfeiter by the Foundation House. You may find it etched into a flagstone of a building in a not so prominent location to know this building is owned by them.

### Criminal Activities
All forms of counterfeiting related to documentation, papers and deeds, and Nobility fall under their purview. Other forms of counterfeiting such as art or goods or currency are not. However, no unauthorized counterfeiting of any kind of official documents is allowed in any location where they exist and they eliminate any kind of competition quickly.

Mundane document work costs a small fee and rarely varies much across the land. Nobility however is different. Because of its specialized nature, the Foundation House uses a more intricate and unusual method of payment. Any wealth and lands accumulated by a client during the lease must be transferred to the Foundation House when the lease ends or when the Noble dies. Heirs can also assume the lease when it ends or when the Head of House dies.

Because of this practice, the holdings of this organization is very deep. They very commonly own extensive property, lands, goods, cattle in and outside the cities where they are located. It is estimated 20% of the capital city buildings are ultimately owned by them.

### Hierarchy
Ironically, no formal hierarchy exists within the Foundation House. Common members are called Retainers, and members they bring into the organization are Apprentices. Members with specialized areas of expertise get specialized titles: Keepers to handle holdings, Guild Brother or Guild Sister for artisans, and Sentinels for security and recovery. Between these categories, Apprentices rank the lowest, but the others all exist on the same overall rank. The two leadership roles and Councilman and Grandmaster. Usually these last two roles are filled with someone who worked their way through the positions. Traditionally one of them worked for at least a year as a Sentinel, and at least one is related by blood to one of the original Founding Fathers.

### Codes of Conduct
Joining the Foundation House is not undertaken lightly. Each city only has 20-30 members, so admission into their ranks is incredibly selective. In fact, no application process exists; the Guild's Councilman personally invites people they think would fit in well. The Councilman makes such invitations only once, and to decline an offer generally results in needing to move far away. However, Foundation House jobs are lucrative, and most of its members are filled with family, so the Councilman rarely extends invitations to people that aren't already connected somehow.

There is very little violence associated with working for them, other then the unpleasant situation of having to remove a noble who is unwilling or can't pay the piper.

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## The Gilded Grip
The Gilded Grip formed from an age-old pact made among several thieves' guilds.  They have their fingers in pies everywhere, and they don't let go of any assets, ever. Time and time again, would-be heroes have attempted to bring about their destruction, and they have always failed and faced the guild's brutal retaliation. Nobody in the world holds a grudge as grimly as the Gilded Grip.

### Symbols & Icons
The Grip has no formal symbol: it's just an easy way to out themselves to rivals. Somewhat hypocritically, they do have a uniform: golden silk gloves issued to each initiate. Also, they use a unique thieves' cant called *Gripgab* as the primary form of identification and communication among members.

### Criminal Activities
Robbery and smuggling are by far most common, but each sect has their unique side hustles. Contract killers, drug traffickers, money launderers, fences, embezzlers; all criminals are welcome in the Gilded Grip. There's only one enterprise they don't touch, as it goes against their central philosophy: human trafficking.

### Hierarchy
**Osmar the Ox** is the minotaur "Guildmaster," but he is primarily a flashy figurehead to distract foolish foes. He maintains appearances as a "bad guy" but can't stand the sight of blood. Still, he's no pushover, and his half-ogre bodyguard and personal assassin, **Fat Phillip**, is feared enough in criminal circles that no one messes with him. Osmar wears the fine robes of a nobleman, and he usually relies on his menacing exterior to keep enemies at bay. In a fight he usually hangs back or flees, letting Phillip handle it.

The Dukes have all the real power. They are elected individuals who serve for life as the leader of an individual sect. Each Duke appoints a Quartermaster, who manages the various thugs and minions. The rest of the membership is made up of Senior Agents and Initiates.

The Market of Whispers is the Gilded Grip's official black market, full of fences that buy stolen or illicit merchandise off members. These fences are independent of the Grip's hierarchy, and they have their very own leader, First Fence **Jubala Anderi.** Jubala was a bard in her past, and she still has a flair for the dramatic, wearing outlandish outfits just about everywhere she goes and speaking in hyperbole.

## Codes of Conduct
Hospitality, Subtlety, and Acceptance are chief among the Gilded Grip's values.

**Hospitality.** Never turn away a brother or sister in gold, this can lead to blacklisting among the other sects. Members believe, underneath it all, that they are still one family, and turning away family is a chief sin.

**Subtlety.** Evidence is a sign of weakness, and that goes double for bodies. The Grip deals in contract killing occasionally, but unnecessary deaths on the job are a sign of sloppy work, which is unacceptable. People are assets, and human trafficking is a wasteful enterprise.

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**Acceptance.** No member is permanently kicked out of the Gilded Grip, no matter the crime. They may be sent away or shunned for certain infractions, but underneath it all, they love each other, warts and all. If a member can prove to their Duke that they've learned the error of their ways, they're welcomed back with open arms. An Initiate is an investment, and a lost Initiate is a waste of that investment.

### NPCs

#### Garth Greymalkin
One of the higher ranking Dukes in the Gilded Grip, Garth Greymalkin started out as a legendary cat-burglar. He mainly coasts by on his renown, since a bad case of gout long ago ended his career. And for the most part, it’s enough. He has the ear of Osmar, for what it’s worth, and the old bull trusts him wholeheartedly.

## The Jade Fang
The Jade Fang is a centuries old organization.  Few know the origin of the name, and fewer still know the true leader.  What is known, however, is that their organization is far reaching and has a very adept method of infiltration.

### Symbols & Icons
The symbol of the Jade Fang is a simple green fang on a field of black. It is most commonly seen on the masts of pirate ships in their employ, though occasionally the mark of the Fang may be found etched on cargo, doorways of hideouts and informants, or tattooed on its members.

The ships in the Jade Fang's employ use their own unique code of Flag Signals to relay information and prove who they say they are. Thieves Cant itself is known by all members.

### Criminal Activities
To most, the Jade Fang appears to be interested in acquiring wealth and material goods.  Higher rewards are placed on metals, gems, and items of an elemental nature.

Pirating, infiltrating local thieves guilds, distributing drugs, and more are common practice for the Jade Fang to acquire wealth and materials.  The Jade Fang has a few designated "Infiltrators;" assassin rogues with the ability to take on new personas blend in and acquire information.

Occasionally, when one region steps out of line, the Jade Fang employs Dopplegangers to off local members and take their place, gather intel, then eliminate anyone left who had displeased them.

The true purpose is to create a vessel (Warforged) for a fiend to inhabit.  If the Jade Fang's lairs are discovered, one might encounter numerous suits of Animated Armor hinting at this purpose.

### Heirarchy
The Jade Fang himself is in fact a fiend trapped inside a dagger.  The fiend desires freedom to move about, and has set on a centuries long quest to do so.  The fiend has granted powers to a number of warlocks in the higher tiers of the organization, including the acting leader; a drow woman named Sophisma.

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Sophisma is a warlock who has carried the Jade Fang for centuries. She is fully aware of his plans and desires, and runs the organization under his direct supervision. She is beautiful, and on more than one occasion has used her wiles to seduce people in positions of power to acquire information. Many warlocks in the organization believe that she herself is their patron.

The Jade Fang itself appears as a plain iron dagger at her side. *Detect magic* or *true seeing* will reveal the ornate weapon which the fiend is trapped in.

### Codes of Conduct
As decreed by the Jade Fang, members must uphold the following codes:
- Wealth comes to those who serve.  
- Materials are more valuable than gold, especially metals or enchanted items  
Information is above all.
- The Fang tolerates no stealing within the organization under penalty of death.

### NPCs

#### Kosmauld Steelwind
A young man with dark bronze skin, piercing grey eyes, and scars around his mouth, Kosmauld has taken on so many false identities that no one knows his true name anymore. A skilled actor, he routinely plays a part completely on the fly, and sells it like he is truly that person. He is also one of the top assassins in the entire organization. He is a master of sneakily sliding a dagger into someone's stomach, slipping poison into a drink, or silently smothering one in their sleep, and mastery of all these tactics have allowed him to rise in the ranks, becoming one of the most high ranking Infiltrators in the Jade Fang. He secretly holds suspicions that the organization is not all that it seems, although Sophisma has not trusted him with the truth behind her power.

Kosmauld's true motives remain a mystery to all but himself and a few others. He is in fact a spy sent into the Jade Fang by the Bloody Rose, the mafia of a nearby city called Sparrow's Roost in order to keep the Jade Fang out of the city. His job is to gather intelligence, destabilize the group, and report back. He will do anything to achieve the silent and successful completion of his mission, even cooperate with adventurers in a way that benefits him.

## Obsidian
Obsidian is a group of adventurers, mostly consisting of mages and sorcerers, but the group also consist of other personalities capable of using magic, like eldritch knights or arcane tricksters. This combination of talents makes Obsidian a very dangerous group. They operate strictly outside the usual system of law enforcement and can’t be easily found in cities, but only through hidden codes or special NPCs in cities. The organization tends to have multiple lairs across the world, inaccessible either due to their remoteness or the various security measures that protect them.

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### Symbols & Icons
Obsidian's main symbol is a simple, deep colored, obsidian piece jewelry. The easiest form of this would be a ring on one of the fingers of the members. However, group members tend to wear the rings as a necklace as well. Some of them spice up their armor with obsidian colored stones or insert obsidian jewels into their skin, giving it an obsidian shimmering look.

### Criminal Activities
As they consist mainly of power and knowledge hungry magic users, Obsidian has one ultimate goal: magical prowess and superiority. They achieve this by first obtaining enough money to support their organization and provide mercenary services well under the competitive rate to put other adventuring organizations out of business.

During the second phase, they shift to kidnapping. By strategically kidnapping other mages, enchantresses, sorcerers and other magic users, Obsidian tries to extract their magical powers and feed on arcane energy to enhance and manipulate their own form of magical use.

### Hierarchy
There is not a lot of hierarchy inside Obsidian. The group consists of about 10-12 members and elect one among them to be the main decision maker. However, the leader can easily be overthrown, if the majority thinks, they are not capable of leading them anymore. Right now, the organization is led by **Claire**, young, but powerful necromancer.

### Codes of Conduct
Over the course of several decades, Obsidian took different forms and was led by different individuals. Though each iteration is viewed as either subversives or criminals, all seek to make the world a better place as they interpret it.

### NPCs
#### NPC: Brenthal "The Cleaner" Turner
In the case of failed kidnappings, messy hostage situations, or general uncleanliness of the crimson variety, Mr. Turner, or *The Cleaner* by his associates, is a master of making problems disappear. It is said given a few minutes as a window, Mr. Turner and his army of unseen servants can have a bloody catastrophe cleaned up in a matter of hours. Immaculate in appearance and slick in manner, many a guard or pesky adventurer has turned up to the scene of the crime to find only him smoking a pipe and all evidence *disposed* of.

## The Rats
The Rats are thieves guild operating in the region of Tatalia and it’s 3 biggest cities. A fairly new criminal organization, they have surprisingly extraordinary expertise for what they do and have made them quite the name for themselves in a short time.

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### Symbols & Icons
Members of the Rats are branded in intricate tattoo that is partly magical and partly mundane. Depending on the city they are operating from, the tattoo of a rat is a bit different with different styles corresponding to a specific city. The tattoo also changes based on what kind of job they have in the organization. Procurer of information would have emphasis on the rat’s eyes and mouth when pickpocket would have emphasis on the from paws and smuggler/fence would have on the back paws.

### Criminal Activities
The Rats deal in theft. They steal anything they can including information, trade goods, and contraband. The one thing they do not steal is life, as in killing somebody if they can avoid it nor do they partake in human trafficking or kidnapping.

### Hierarchy
Every city the Rats operate from has a Caspar as the chapter leader who oversees multiple Lutni’s that manage the different departments of crime. Each Lutni leads their own Rats with their unique set of skills that contribute to their department of crime. Each of the Caspar report to a Dasbul that is the leader of the Rats and only the Caspars know the identity of this person.

Kaer Faldir's chapter Caspar is **Lorelei Ratley**. She is on her fifties and looks somewhat frail woman with long greying hair and simple linen clothes with dirty apron on top. Her skin is weathered and darker than most locals because she came to Kaer Faldir from another continent some thirty years ago. She runs a tavern called Lonely Witch at the edge of the city. She seems to be just normal older lady with a everlasting smile on her face and is ever helpful if somebody needs a helping hand.

### Codes of Conduct
A good rat is heard of but not seen.  A good rat is loyal to its pack.
Murder is to be avoided if possible. There is enough evil in the world so we do not need to add to it unnecessarily. Human trafficking and kidnapping are also off limits.

## Ravana Yuga Gold Train
An extremely wealthy merchant company - the Ravana Yuga are the legitimate face of a smuggling outfit run by a long-ived Rakshasa mage.

### Symbols
Their mark is a gold wheel. A trusted smuggler carries an ivory gate instead as proof or membership.

### Criminal Activities
They smuggle and trade slaves (especially for consumption by devils), monster organs (Troll, Basilisk, and Beholder parts are very popular), souls (called "the Hag Trade") and volatile spell components (specifically oddstone, which has powerful inter-planar properties). And they do it all behind a veil of magic: Mord's Magnificent Mansion is cast as many time as needed in order to transport their illicit cargo, along with their regular caravans of Gold, Silver and exotic Sundries.

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### Hierarchy
**Ilmani** is a Rhakshasa who usually takes the form of an Aasimar. In a word her look is opalescent - but she feigns shyness, covering up so as to seem like a fugitive from some god war or other. Ilmani leads the Yuga but she is actually beholden to a greater devil: **Sipina the Gluttonous and Long Limbed**. Sipina demands a steady stream of humanoid flesh and Ilmani must provide or lose her patron.

Beneath Ilmani are a host of minor fiends and some vampires as well. She has a Duregar underboss who keeps the legit business in the Trollclaw mountains humming. He has little choice in the matter - a Geas has been bound around his heart.

### Codes of Conduct
The Ravana Yuga abide by the laws of the 9 Circles of Hell. All members of the Yuga who serve on the material plane serve for life. But the bulk of those who serve the Yuga are mercenaries who do the job, take the coin, and are none the wiser of the secret trade they are helping to maintain.

### Crimes Avoided
The Ravana Yuga specifically avoids any kind of property damage crimes, viewing them as actively unprofitable. Members that cause any such damage to property on the course of their *acquisition missions* have their pay steeply cut for the job.

### Allies & Enemies:
The Crystal Moon are aggressively neutral towards the Yuga. While they go out of their way to not interfere in the Yuga's business, they also go out of their way to make sure no one else interferes with the Yuga's business in Crystal Moon territory. This is a mysterious relationship that Ilmani does not fully understand, but has been told by Sipina the Gluttonous and Long Limbed is reliable.

The Facade is definitely hostile toward The Ravana Yuga and views them as trespassers in their markets.

### NPCs
#### Grimp the Imp
**Grimp** the imp is a familiar under the employ of Ilmani, but who ultimately serves Sipina the Gluttonous and Long Limbed. In exchange for 1% of each soul Ilmani handles, or as Grimp would call it, "a mere nibble," Grimp leaves out one minute's worth of Ilmani's daily activities from his regular reports to Sipina.

Grimp is stashing the soul fragments, and plans on either using them to covertly power a transformation into a more powerful devil without being beholden to an Archdevil, or as a bribe to a more powerful devil if his under-the-table dealings with Ilmani are ever discovered.

#### Johanna
**Johanna** is a human woman in her early thirties that is one of the Ravana's best Aquisitioners. She has pale skin, long black hair that is usually kept in a practical braid around her head, and opts for dull colored clothing and light armors.

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She's loyal to Ilmani out of pragmatism and fear: Ilmani is clearly powerful, but also pays her well. Years ago, Ilmani even gifted her an Umbral Sword - a blade from the Shadowfell made of permanently tarnished mithral. Attempting to sway Johanna's loyalty away will require a significant show of power, the promise of protection, and a large chunk of cash.

If stats are needed, consider Johanna to be a lv 8 thief. Her Umbral Blade provides her advantage on stealth checks if she's not in direct sunlight. Additionally, once per day, she can use her reaction to turn invisible if she is targeted with an attack that she is aware of or when she takes damage.

### Crimes avoided
The Yuga try to avoid bribery and blackmail whenever it does not pertain to enforcing infernal contracts. If you're going to ruin someone's life, either take their soul for the Hag Trade or magically enslave them to your will. Keeping them alive with nothing to hold over them except the wrongs you've committed is a rookie mistake.

## The Sangleer Brothers
A small but influential gang of smugglers, led by the eponymous brothers.  They control the docks of a number of port cities, where they are feared by the locals and deliberately ignored by corrupt officials.

### Symbols & Icons  
They tend to avoid symbols.  Their group is small enough that members are known to one another without needing identifying markings.  That said, they do tend to wear the knit caps favored by sailors and dockworkers.

### Crimes
Their principle criminal activity is smuggling.  This includes illicit drugs, forbidden and subversive texts, untaxed luxury items, dark magic artifacts, and recently, slave trafficking.  They have also branched out into protection and extortion in those port cities where their influence is heavy.

### Hierarchy
**Gulo Sangleer** is the younger of the two brothers.  He is a large man, of large appetites.  Food, drugs, gambling, women, violence.  He is a hot-headed man, quick to anger.  He favors flashy, expensive clothing, and enjoys showing off his status.  To Gulo, life is one big party.  Gulo tends to take a more hands-on role in gang activity than his brother, often acting as an enforcer when people get in the gang's way.

**Ira Sangleer** is his older brother. Smaller physically than Gulo, nonetheless he is a greater figure of fear due to his sadistic, calculating nature, and tendency to hold a grudge.  While Gulo's rages will dissipate as soon as he is distracted by something, Ira will set himself to avenge any wrong he feels has been done to him. 
While the brothers are nominally equals in authority over the gang, Ira tends to allow Gulo to focus on the day to day operations while he works on long term plans.  Of the two, he is by far the more intelligent and charismatic.

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### Codes of Conduct
1: The brothers always get their cut.  
2:  Smugglers have no business attracting attention. No crimes without Sangleer approval.  
3:  You look after us, we'll look after you.

### Allies & Enemies 
The Three Bands often contract the Sangleer brothers organization, and rely on their discretion to ship especially hot merchandise out of the city to clients in far away lands. Rumors of the Sangleers' recent forays into the field of slave trafficking have soured relations between the two organizations, though not enough to begin impacting the daily business. Gulo is often brought in to sample new types of sweets as a nod to the history between the groups.

The Sangleer Brothers are in conflict with the Crystal Moon over its high-end smuggling business, and drastically at odds with its leader Horvi Leyndgeit. Open fighting in the streets is rare between the organizations, but members of both who walk alone at night have been known to disappear and reappear weeks later in far-off lands either as merchandise or bodies.

Sangleer operatives are currently falling under more intensive pressure to avoid scrutiny, by having somehow attracted the notice of a commandant of the City Watch, an Aasimar fighter named Sulaman Floch.

## Shadowbrow Syndicate

“*We are the hammers that strike, the wolves that bite,*   
*and the whistling ghosts that haunt.*  
*We are the forests of oak, and the forges of smoke,*  
*and the cries of the starving so gaunt.*  
*We ask for no glory, no honour, memory,*  
*only freedom for dwarves do we want.*  
*We are ice-covered vales, and old wives’ tales,*  
*but feared by the bastards we taunt.*”  
**-Song of the Shadowbrow**

This dwarven mafia was created by disgruntled dwarf miners ages ago. They see themselves as heroes, supporting dwarf endeavors whenever they can. In truth, they use the "Fight for dwarves" as a cover for opportunism and greed.

### Symbols & Icons
Their official colours are silver and black. Silver, the colour of mithril that gave them power. Black, like the tunnels they prowl in secrecy. Their symbol is the pickaxe, which they often use in ceremonies.

### Criminal Activities
Protection rackets are their primary business. Their targets are mines and quarries that are not dwarf-owned; sabotage and vandalism fall unto those who do not pay up. They’ll kill to protect their business interests, but they won’t kill a dwarf.

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### Hierarchy
The undisputed leader of the Syndicate is **Brother Stragg the Saltmason.** Brother Stragg is possibly the smartest dwarf in all of Wellspring. The man has no patience for smooth-talkers, con artists, or anyone who talks fancier than he does. His appearance is that of a dwarf's dwarf, one who has worked hard for his success, and he only works with those who reflect that hard work in their character. He has two dark brown eyes, and a bushy, wiry beard.

**Brother Tirsk the Tradelord** has all the local miner-barons in his pocket, and he sets prices for their product himself, to the benefit of the Syndicate.

Every member is called "Brother," be they male or female. The Syndicate has three ranks: **Journeyman, Mason, and Builder**. Nobody gets in until they prove themselves to the higher-ranking members. Once in, they attain the rank of Journeyman. Masons lead smaller cells of thugs, especially in fights, while Builders are upper-level leadership.

### Codes of Conduct
The lion’s share of rules followed by the Shadowbrow Syndicate pertains only to dwarves (Don’t kill a dwarf, don’t steal from a dwarf, don’t damage the property of a dwarf).  Beyond this, they generally encourage nonviolence with a preference for intimidation and property destruction. Stragg always says, “What's important is not the deed, but the expectation of it."

### NPCs
#### Brother Gelda 
A good dwarven mattock can do a lot of damage to a competitor's mine, but when Shadowbrow Syndicate really wants to do some damage they turn to **Brother Gelda the Rockbreaker**. Gelda is the syndicate's explosives expert. Using her skill in preparing and applying blackpowder, Gelda can stealthily collapse a tunnel or create a huge explosion that sends a message to anyone stepping into the  Shadowbrow
Syndicate's turf.

## The Shadow Conclave
A cult-like organization, the Shadow Conclave accepts hit contracts from clients and carries out murders with horrifying proficiency and expertise. Though accepting of all races into their fold, the Shadow Conclave's ranks consist primarily of Doppelgangers. Steeped in traditions and customs, the Conclave's dark trade is more than just a business — it is a form of macabre, yet beautiful art.

### Symbols & Icons
Though members of the Shadow Conclave wear no insignia to denote their allegiance, their outfits are typically black with deep blood-red highlights.

Despite their lack of worn icons, the Shadow Conclave is not without vanity. At each meticulously executed murder, magical ever-burning roses appear nearby. The sight of such "Ashen Roses," always placed in full view near the scene of the crime, strike fear into the hearts of onlookers as they cautiously watch the shadows.

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### Criminal Activities
This organization works solely in the field of hired assassinations. While this most often involves slitting the throats of their targets or leaving a dagger in their hearts, the Shadow Conclave is not above the use of poison or arson to achieve their goals. To them, all forms of claiming life is beautiful and artistic.

### Hierarchy
The Shadow Conclave places nigh-religious importance on its ranks. The spiritual and strategic leader of the cult is known as the Reclusiarch. Currently, this is a Doppelganger known as **Lucius Vasch**. An enigmatic man who usually takes the form of a handsome human with sandy-brown hair, **Lucius** adores the pleasures of riches and pampers himself lavishly.

The right and left hands of the Reclusiarch are known as Pontiffs. These master assassins have multitudes of successful hits under their belts, and they are unmatched in skill. The rest of the organization are Disciples — skilled fighters capable of completing hits and vanishing without a trace after placing an Ashen Rose. Trained rigorously under the watchful gaze of the Pontiffs, they are withheld from taking contracts until they pass the entrance tests.

Arguably the most mysterious rank of all is the Deacon. There is only ever one in the Shadow Conclave, and they are in charge of purveying the contracts to potential clients.

### Codes of Conduct
Members of the Shadow Conclave are taught to uphold the traditions and customs as law within the organization. Their exorbitantly-priced contracts, or Oblations of Ash, are signed in blood and treated as holy edicts to be fulfilled. Those who dare to betray the Conclave or fail to provide payment are hunted down ruthlessly and executed without remorse.

## The Shelendur Shipping Company
A local titan in the import and export of raw materials for most any endeavors, Shelendur Shipping Company owns warehouses and offices in most port cities. Being such a large company, a subset of the organization is known for smuggling in more exotic contraband with their typical imports. From narcotics, to reagents, to magic items and tomes. If the coin is good, Shelendur can move it anywhere.

### Symbols & Icons
Shelendur employees commonly wear a leaf green tunic with a thick, dark brown stripe down the center of each sleeve. A scale with ore on one side and coin on the other is their logo. Pins are common for holding up cloaks, or pinning decorations to caps. Those working in more covert manners tend to opt away from the colors of their employer, but retain pins so  clients can identify them.

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### Criminal Activities
Since they have a fleet of ships, carts, and a myriad of warehouses, they focus on smuggling. Anything from humanoids and beasts to weapons, drugs, and magic items have been transported covertly by Shelendur. The occasional bribery, extortion, or blackmail scheme is thrown in the mix as well to allow them to circumvent check-points and other areas they'd get caught with contraband. They had dabbled previously in production of narcotics, but after an incident that almost exposed them, they have backed out of that and purely move raw products around.

### Hierarchy
The Shelendur Shipping Company has the Head Merchant at the top. His capital funds the construction and upkeep of warehouses, offices, and ships. Below him are the Company Wholesale Merchants, also called CWMs. The CWMs maintain ledgers and coffers for their assigned ports. Ship Captains report to the CWMs and are mainly responsible for their assigned ship. Crews report directly to their Captains, with little interaction with CWMs. The crews are also responsible for loading and unloading at the docks. Company Harbormasters also report to the CWMs and are responsible for maintaining the offices and warehouses within their specific port. They maintain a myriad of dock-hands, who move the goods from the docks to warehouses and vice versa.

### Codes of Conduct
The Shelendur Shipping Company follows several tenets, all of which are commonly known.
* Stay Professional
* Stay Confidential
* Stay Safe 
* Stay Compensated

### Crimes Avoided
The Shelendur Shipping Company's shadier side errs on the side of caution. As such they usually avoid theft, espionage, sabotage, and robbery. They will occasionally commit murder, but only to defend their reputation, never for profit.

### NPCs
#### Ciarde Laraethaer
The Company Wholesale Merchant with the largest region of influence is **Ciarde Laraethaer.** He is a tall, well-built High Elf with sharp features, grayish-green eyes and long blonde hair that falls to the small of his back. He is seen as company man, a gentleman, and a competitive person. His hobbies include dueling, woodworking, and alchemy. He carries his modified silvered rapier everywhere, it has a special vein for poison down the blade. He finds armor uncivilized.

**Ciarde** personally helps with the movement of contraband between his local warehouses in the ports he has jurisdiction over. He usually can be found with sellswords as bodyguards. In regards to sellswords and lovers, he has a weakness for half-elf women who practice arcane arts.

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## The Silenced
An organization dedicated to leaving no trace, they focus on moving about without making a single sound. They use a specialized Thieves Cant comprised entirely of gestures and body language, so as to communicate both in plain sight and while on jobs to avoid betraying their presence.

### Crime
The Silenced focus on crimes that easily avoid notice, such as smuggling and robbery. Proven members can undertake jobs involving kidnapping, contract killing, and arson, but these are reserved for only the most experienced members, as it requires utmost skill to prevent others from making noise as well.

### Symbols and Icons
The only symbol that the Silenced use is an owl feather. They brand all new members with this mark, and occasionally leave an owl feather as a calling card, on the rare occasion where they want their presence to be known. This is usually done as a show of expertise or strength.

### Hierarchy
**The Silent**, is the enigmatic leader who is sworn to silence. In fact, he speaks so little that when he does, his voice is hoarse from lack of use.

The elite within the organization are known as **the Whispers** - extensions of The Silent’s will. A notable member of this group is **Jon Quick,** an alias he assumed upon entering the group. He wears nondescript brown clothing, favoring closely knit trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, with the only distinguishing feature being a large diamond earring worn on his right ear. He often welcomes new members into the guild, and is a harsh teacher in regards to quieting the new members of the guild. Jon always speaks in a whisper, denoting his station.

The newly initiated are known as **the screamers**, as the profuse racket they make grates on the ears of veteran members, and are not well practiced in the art of remaining quiet. All initiates are branded with a feather tattoo on the base of their tongue, to symbolize their devotion to becoming no louder than the sound of a feather falling to earth.

### Codes of Conduct
The Silenced have two inviolable rules- to always strive towards remaining silent, and to leave as little evidence of their passage as possible. Members of the Silenced are constantly tested on their abilities to move quietly, and the Silent will occasionally give jobs to members in order to progress them through the ranks, selecting those he thinks worthy to move on.

## Slaughterjaw Syndicate
Murder, violence, and blood lust are the specialty of the Slaughterjaw Syndicate, a cult of Yeenoghu that has evolved into a far more professional organization. Their influence can be found in several prominent cities, where they are notorious for their underground fighting rings, as well as various other crimes that foster the “virtues” of the gnoll lord.

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### Symbols & Icons
The visage of a laughing hyena serves as the Syndicate’s most prominent symbol, either burned or scarred onto the member in question. Every member has one or more of these on their body, often not caring to disguise them. Territories that have been claimed by the Syndicate, including their underground fighting rings, will have this symbol stained on the floor or a wall with blood.

The Alphas of the Syndicate brand themselves with this symbol through a vile ritual known only to them, which allows their scar to function as a *symbol* spell with the Insanity effect for one round each day, affecting only creatures that can see the scar. Creatures affected, rather than speaking gibberish, begin madly cackling like a hyena.

### Criminal Activities
The Slaughterjaw Syndicate is most notorious for its hosting of illegal fight clubs beneath the cities where their influence presides. They can be found anywhere, from deep in the sewers to beneath a rich lord’s manor, and any who know of it are allowed in for a minimal fee. These fight clubs are known for their lack of significant rules and the brutality of its combats, where fighters duke it out with nothing but their fists and teeth. Deaths are a common occurrence.

The Slaughterjaw Syndicate is responsible for pushing the performance-enhancing drug known as Rampage in its fight clubs, the slums, and even among the city guard.

Rampage is a reddish liquid that comes in tiny syringes. When injected by a humanoid, it grants a temporary +2 bonus to their Strength score in addition to giving them the *Rampage* trait of a gnoll. Continued usage of the drug, over at least a week by a humanoid, leads to addiction and heavy dependence, leaving them afflicted with the Poisoned condition if they have not taken a dose within the past day. Every week that goes by without them taking the drug requires the user to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer a level of Exhaustion.

To satiate their bloodlust, the Slaughterjaw Syndicate is known to undertake contract killings. These killings are not known for their subtlety, featuring destroyed property, messily strewn blood and gore, and extra casualties. Despite this, their reliability and deadly effectiveness lead them to receive offers on a semi-regular basis.

When the number of combatants in their fight clubs dwindle, or they find need of fresh sacrifices for a special ritual or event, the Syndicate dabbles in kidnapping. Their victims are primarily from the slums, petty beggars and the homeless who the city guard won’t bother looking for, but they are known to take wealthier and more prominent citizens for use in the arena. Bound with chains, beaten, and forced to take Rampage regularly, these poor souls are frequently the casualties of the often deadly combats.

In certain cases, such as specific rituals or the desire to feature something more exotic in one of their fight clubs, the Slaughterjaws will also resort to Humanoid Trafficking. The humanoids they smuggle are from all over and are of all races, from Yuan-ti to Genesai. The cruel treatment they receive and the often brutal displays of violence used to cow them into submission mean that not many survive the transfer, dead on arrival. However, considering the fate awaiting those that survive, some find death merciful.

The Slaughterjaw Syndicate rails against the legal codes of whatever cities they operate in, and frequently work to obstruct justice however they can. Their brutes will often ambush lone guard patrols and seed the use of the Rampage drug among their lower ranks. They send death threats to lawyers, judges, and prominent members of the city guard to scare them into compliance, and will always act on these threats if ignored. Bold omegas may even commit acts of arson against guard houses and courts.

A favorite trick of theirs is to kidnap the loved ones of prominent officials and judges, holding them hostage until they comply with the Syndicate’s demands. However, the victims of this extortion will often find that their kidnapped loved one was long dead, and that the cries of suffering and pleas for help they were allowed to hear came from one or more **leucrotta**, which the Slaughterjaws sick on the official once their usefulness has run out.

### Hierarchy
The Slaughterjaw Syndicate is organized into three ranks, that of Omegas, Betas, and the Alphas. Omegas are initiates, often common thugs, fight club combatants, or gnolls. Omegas enact the will of the Betas and Alphas and working the Syndicate’s operations. Betas are above the Omegas, responsible for recruitment, management of the Omegas, and ensuring operations run smoothly. While the Betas have authority over the Omegas and are often the direct heads of the many operations, whether fight club, drugs, or humanoid trafficking, they bow before the Alphas.

There are only three alphas of the Slaughterjaw Syndicate, each a female gnoll who embraces one of the gifts of Yeenoghu: hunger, fear, or death. They alone hold power over the entirety of the Syndicate, and while they are rarely seen, their presence is certainly felt.

### Codes of Conduct
**Show No Weakness**  
“Show no weakness. If confronted, strike rather than run. Do not flee from combat, except if doing so would benefit the Syndicate. Asking for mercy is an abhorrent sin, and if they do not kill you after doing so we will.”

**Use Fear, Not Bribery**  
“If you seek to force someone’s hand, use fear and strength, not the petty coin of society. Hunt them, beat them, threaten their lives or the lives of their loved ones, but do not tempt them with currency, for wealth is a pathetic construct of society and to humor it is a sign of weakness.”

**Part of the Pack**  
“To turn against another member of the Syndicate of your rank will be met with death. We are a pack, and a pack supports and looks out for each other. That said, if a superior shows weakness or an inferior proves uncooperative, you are obliged to rid the pack of them.”

**Yeenoghu Above All**  
“Yeenoghu is our lord and the true leader of our pack. His word is law. Look for his signs in all things, and follow their instructions as best you can. Refusal to show proper deference will be met with death.”

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### NPCs
The Alpha of Hunger, **Slavengrash**, is a twisted mockery of a gnoll, grossly enlarged and emaciated, with the lingering wounds from when she bit herself in her maddened hunger. Her fervent worship of Yeenoghu and constant indulgence in the Rampage drug have warped her from a powerful fiend into a monstrous **devourer.** She oversees both the Syndicate’s drug operations, as she is credited as the original creator of the Rampage drug, as well as its humanoid trafficking, as her tastes have grown rather exotic in recent years, refusing to eat all but the most unusual humanoids.

## The Skinnies
Operating out of the filthy port city of Stilsee, the Skinnies work in the East District as thugs and hired clubs. Discretion is not advised with this group, turnover high and daily life difficult. Operating with brute force, with the accuracy of a drug-fueled sailor, the Skinnies are not a group to anger in the *City by the Sea.* For as many guards as there are, there is always a Skinny to answer.

### Symbols & Icons
Most Skinnies can be easily mistaken for the low-life in the East District, either by purpose or accident. This helps them blend in from guard watch, yet also leads to unfortunate accidents when identities are mistaken. A tell-tale sign of a Skinny can be the hooked cudgel they carry on their waist, or the bloodshot eyes of a man high on *Western Pearl* with the scent of sweat and unhinged anger.

### Criminal Activities
- Drug smuggling, drug use, and drug production
- Thug work (Business *protection*, *tax* collection, intimidation work, rough-housing, and drunken mischief)
- Gang-related crimes and murders with the opposing criminal groups in the East District
- Banditry and theft
- Counterfeit operations (of varying degrees of success)

### Hierarchy
Most Skinnies see each other as equals, yet the name of the group follows the infamous leader. **Lucien Giffard**, or Skinny for short, leads his group of haphazard pirates and thugs with a cold and calculating manner. At the end of the day, he makes sure the group leads a profit. His gaunt face always has a secret hidden, and his eyes can bring a shiver to the biggest of thugs. He passes work down to a few sergeants, and the majority of the organization works below that. Ranks are not as important as experience, and most are looked on favorably for what they've done, not what rank they hold.

### Codes of Conduct
Skinnies favor strength in numbers, and proudly control more of the East District than the Stilsee Watch could ever hope to patrol. A Skinny never backs down, no matter how hair-brained or stupid the circumstance. The only good competition is dead competition, and they always want the leverage to use when pressured.

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## The Sweetsmen
The Sweetsmen's game lies in smuggling precious stones embedded within crystalline sugar. Through a magical process, they create sugar crystals with the same clarity or opacity as precious stones, and encase jewels in a sugary prison. Upon successful delivery, the sugar is dissolved an the stones are freed.

### Symbols & Icons
The symbol used by this organization are two overlapping sugar cubes, unadorned on all sides. A Sweetsmen will also carry a pair of white crystal six-sided dice, with a single colored pip on one side noting their position in the gang; red indicates an enforcer, green indicates a runner, and blue indicates a negotiator.

In addition, a Sweetsmen will have the rear lower molar removed and replaced with a diamond, which is how members truly verify one another. It's easy to get a pair of dice, it's hard to get a diamond tooth.

### Criminal Activities
This group primarily works in smuggling, encasing precious stones within sugar as previously stated. However they also have stakes in gambling, extortion, and tax fraud. Candy goes a long way among the general populace.

### Hierarchy
This group has several tiers of authority, with one primary leader who picks "family members" to lead individual groups in different areas. The head of the group is an elderly dwarf named **Boss Tumblestone**, of the esteemed clan Tumblestone. He chooses those loyal to him to be "Nephews and Nieces" and lead the gang's different divisions, and they refer to him as **"Uncle Boss."** The divisional leaders then recruit to bolster their own gang, referred to as the street name or city, followed by "Sweetsmen."" Example: The Tricorners Sweetsmen, the Bottom Barrel Sweetsmen, ect.

Boss stands at a proud 5'2'', with grey hair pulled back and braided, and a black braided beard that has begun to turn grey as well. He wears fine clothing, and no jewelry other than a large golden wedding band. His face holds many wrinkles from smiling and laugh lines crease around bright green eyes. Looking closely, one can see a myriad of scars on his hands, and can clearly tell his knuckles have been broken in the past. His typical outfit is a set of fine trousers and linen shirt, with sturdy polished boots and suit-like jacket over his shirt. He has a series of runes and symbols scattered across his body from the neck downward, a sign of time spent in a dwarven prison.

### Codes of Conduct
First and foremost, kids are never involved, ever. Uncle Boss may be a king of smugglers, but he has standards! Candy and children often go hand in hand, so he has strict rules to never involve a child in any illegal activity or danger. In a true act of generosity, free samples of candy are given to the community on the first day of the week, to help make their days better. But when punishment is doled out, offenders are dipped in molten sugar and encased,  then put on display in Uncle Boss's office as a grim reminder to those who cross the line

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## Three Bands
Three Bands is above all else, a business operation. Their goal? Money. The means? Less than scrupulous. The Three Bands operate under the guise of a franchise of sweets shops around the city and throughout the land; and while their sweets are quite good, their service as top notch fences and auction houses are even better.

### Symbols & Icons
The main symbol of the sweets shop franchise is a Bundt cake covered in icing. It looks delicious. Discerning customers might find a carving of a snake biting its own tail stylized to resemble a rounded triqueta. This symbol is located most often under the mushroom cupcakes, though it may appear distorted through the display glass. Auctioneers for the Three Bands wear a silver or gold version of this symbol on necklaces kept tucked away under their robes.

### Criminal Activities
Just like the flavored ice pops next to the counter, the Three Bands specializes in taking the heat off. They are elite fences, and can make "hot" merchandise disappear for a suitable fee. Auctions are held every three weeks on a random day, announced through contacts in the local criminal guilds. Requests to "procure" certain items are honored on occasion, but they are well respected in the underground community as neutral middlemen and will not jeopardize that reputation for any price.

### Hierarchy
The General Manager of the Three Bands is **Günther Callioph**. A portly, ever-smiling half-elf businessman by appearance that is not to be trifled with. He is rumored to have once wrestled a Hill Giant to the ground and drowned it in a roadside ditch, earning him the nickname **The Naga**. Günther stands around average height, with sun-tanned skin and executive silver hair. He is surprisingly spry for his size, and has a powerful build.

Under him, the company is split between the sweets business manager and the Three Bands lieutenant. Auctioneers are the faces of the criminal enterprise, and work out of the locked and warded room on the second floor of every sweets shop.

### Codes of Conduct
Each member of the Three Bands swears to uphold the utmost anonymity, punctuality, and professionality. Unprovoked violence will not be tolerated in Three Bands presence. Often they partner with both local law enforcement and criminal guilds, and contact whoever is best suited for the situation. Additionally, Three Bands auction houses deal in items only. Sale of humanoids is prohibited in the sweets shops, and any Auctioneers found to be violating this rule will find out personally how Günther earned his nickname.

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### NPCs 
**Jolly Joe Jamjar** is a fast-talking, charming halfling with a hankering for mushroom cupcakes that nearly resembles an addiction. He wears a preposterous top hat and waves an ivory cane around while he calls off auction items at a blistering pace. Joe knows his stuff, and he is not one to be toyed with. He takes his job seriously, despite his jovial demeanor. “Jolly Joe” has even been known to crack a few skulls with that cane of his, if necessary.

## The Watching Eyes
This group acts as the eyes and ears for any other criminal organizations. They have a central leadership who designates areas for different messengers and deals with disputes.

### Symbols
The Messengers each have a small trinket worn in a visible location. Instead of names, this trinket represents that this messenger is working and what their name is should their be any disputes. Every messenger dresses different, but the color scheme they wear is the same; neutral colors for shoes and pants, and a burgandy shawl or jacket. Any of the Eyes wearing both their trinket and this combination is “working” and can be approached for information.

### Criminal Activities
The Watching Eyes act as informants for any group in the city, evil or lawful as long as they can lay the price for their information. The criminal portion comes from the ruthless manner they deal with threats to their messengers, and the messengers themselves if they fail in their job. For the right price, messengers can also be convinced to not give information to anyone else. If a group of criminals have been discovered to be traitors and are planning to kill the king, a messenger can be paid and that information will go no further. The messengers do sell to the police or law enforcement, but also withhold from them.

### Hierarchy 
At the bottom are the **Runners**; these individuals are usually the newest and must learn the basics of how to deliver messages and before they become Messengers. They do not yet have a trinket of their own and are instead referred as a Runner for a particular Messenger.

Eventually, Runners can be promoted to **Messengers**, and receive their own trinket now. Messengers work almost constantly and live in one of a few messengers “hives” with other low ranking messengers.

After reaching a certain level of trust and usefulness, messengers are given the opportunity to sell information they find on their own time, out of uniform. These **Senior Messengers** also get to move out of the “hives” and into their own homes. They are denoted by a smaller secondary trinket that has a pair of red wings. Senior Messengers also function as dispachers of sorts, helping to keep the Runners and normal Messengers organized.

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**Black Bags** are responsible for removing Messengers or Watchers who are ineffective or dangerous. They wear no signifying dress, only attacking and killing when there is no one else around to observe them. Similarly, the Dead Hands are responsible for dealing out justice to those who harm a messenger, watcher or any other under protection of the Watching eyes.

### NPCs
#### The Hundred-Eyed One
The Hundred-Eyed One makes final judgment on the fates of watchers, messengers, and every other facet of the organization. He personally revels in secrets and is told every bit of information that comes through the Organization. He speaks with a heavy lisp and uses a generic tough guy soldier to act as a figure head, but in reality is whippet thin and prides himself on his sneaky nature. His hobbies include creating and solving riddles and puzzles and he thinks himself a master of wordplay - often spouting horrible poems when given the chance.