In the latest post, Angora makes mention of something called the Firm. I thought I'd extrapolate some information about the Firm here. In essence, the Firm are a business of organised crime. The Firm aren't your regular thieves, thugs, highwaymen, etc. These are men and women who prefer the business side of crime and leave the dirty work to their underlings. The Firm primarily work in Zerul City and the surroundings, and focus on activities such as smuggling, protection rackets, illegal gambling dens, brothels, and assassinations. No, they are not an organisation of Robin Hoods, but nor are they completely senseless murderers and thugs. This is sophisticated organised crime at its highest levels, similar perhaps to the American Mafioso families of the East Coast, or the Yakuza. The Firm have codes of honour, loyalty and brotherhood (or sisterhood, both genders are welcome). The leaders of the Firm aren't known to the government. They stay in the deepest, darkest shadows, dealing with very few cases and preferring to delegate to their captains in the field. It's thought that the Firm operate even in the highest echelons of civil government, with plants, informers and 'bought' men and women passing information on in exchange for money, protection and access to services that would otherwise perhaps be unavailable. The Zerulic City Guard, too, has been infiltrated extensively, and oft-times turns a blind eye to the Firm's activities - at least those they witness. Executions of mass murderers, rapists, thugs? Often the Firm dealing with its own. Think of it as a Thieves' Guild... only much more insidious and present in many aspects of society that Thieves' Guilds perhaps avoid. That merchant in the street you saw selling wares perhaps a little bit cheaper than his competitors? He might be subsidised with smuggled goods by a low-ranking captain of the Firm in exchange for protection and cuts of the profits, or word on the street. That barkeep that seems to listen all the time and keep his mouth shut? You never know, he might be in the Firm. The robber who robbed you at swordpoint of what little you own and who ends up dead a few days later, with your belongings and a little bit more returned? Courtesy of the Firm. In addition to the usual smuggling, racketeering and general crime malarkey that the Firm are involved with, they are also responsible for a large quantity of magical item trafficking in and out of Zerul, often masqueraded as legitimate business transactions. Zerul City, of course, is home to large quantities of mages and magical knowledge, and it's only reasonable that some of these magical talents also work in the Firm. Essentially, much of the magical knowledge within the Firm is used to defend it from prying eyes on the outside, whilst also maintaining a firm and iron-shod grasp on matters and the traffic of information into and out of the city. In addition, magic can also help the Firm in other ways - body disposal, identification, interrogation, execution - all of these can be hastened with the correct and appropriate application of a touch of magic. So who are actually in the Firm? Collating the lists I have made, and what little the government likely knows about those involved, here is a run-down of who's who in the Firm. [u][b]A Detailed Analysis of the Nature of Crime - The Firm in Zerul[/b][/u] - GRAND CAPTAINS' CIRCLE - Grand Captain Harold Nystrom: 59, M, Human. Reportedly the seniormost of the Grand Captains of the Firm. Grand Captain Danil Serrin: 77, M, Human. Head of the Serrin family, masters of the river docks. Grand Captain Fastolf Dramburgh: 50, M, Human. Dramburgh is apparently Grand Captain of the Cleaners. Grand Captain Elme Arnowik: 58, F, Human. The only female on the Grand Captains' Circle, Grand Captain of the Dens. [hr] Beneath the Grand Captains are the true workhorses of the Firm; the Captain-Juniors. These are the ones you're likely to see signing death warrants, protection rackets and other dealings - anything above these and you're in seriously high-level crime. Generally, it's thought that each family has four or five Captain-Juniors in their employ. -CAPTAIN-JUNIORS- Nystrom: Captain-Junior George Nystrom: 48, M, Human. The nephew of Harold, and reportedly second-in-line to the Nystrom family. Captain-Junior Leon Nystrom: 40, M, Human. Son of Harold, Captain-Junior. Rivals with George. Captain-Junior Stewart Nystrom: 44, M, Human. Brother of George. Considered to be a financial whizz, in league with the Arnowiks. Captain-Junior Alexander Nystrom: 37, M, Human. Brother of George. Serrin: Captain-Junior Stephen Serrin: 57, M, Human. Dockyard worker leader. Has been reportedly siphoning funds for his own personal use. Captain-Junior Laura Serrin: 57, F, Human. Sister of Stephen. Has network of informants in the merchant docks, often in league with S. Nystrom and E. Arnowik. Captain-Junior Danil Serrin II: 50, M, Human. Strongman of the Serrin family. Father's right hand and alleged heir. Runs many brothels in the docks. Captain-Junior Ambrose Serrin: 48, F, Human. Daughter of Danil Serrin. Head of the dockyard's "escort services wing"... whatever that means. Dramburgh: Captain-Junior Ian Dramburgh: 46, M, Human. Brother of Fastolf. Captain-Junior Glenn Dramburgh: 40, M, Human. Nephew of Fastolf. Involved in goldsmithing and precious metal smuggling with Kelenwyn. Captain-Junior [u]Erik Kelenwyn[/u]: 40, M, Human. Goldsmith, blacksmith, jeweller. Not a Dramburgh, though married one. Regularly tests gold samples for the Firm. Captain-Junior Andru Dramburgh: 30, M, Human. Son of Fastolf and heir to the Dramburgh family. Arnowik: Captain-Junior Seane Arnowik: 45, F, Human. Gambler, card player and cad extraordinaire. A common sight at upper-class parties and events. Captain-Junior Juan Arnowik: 42, M, Human. Financial regulator, often works with Kelenwyn and S. Nystrom in financial matters of the Firm. Captain-Junior Willem Arnowik: 42, M, Human. Security professional, ex-military. Runs a variety of protection firms, both legal and non-legal. Captain-Junior Fredrika Arnowik: 33, F, Human. Works with brother Willem in security and defence. With the Captain-Juniors are their own networks of contacts, usually run through their second-in-commands; the Firm calls them Cons. Who these Cons are is currently unknown, but it's estimated that each C-J has at least one Con, if not two or three. Occasionally, people displease the Firm in manners that cannot go unpunished. In times of need, the Captain-Juniors send out a call for assistance in dealing with these matters - these individuals are known as the 'Cleaners' in some circles, and the 'Hunters' in others. According to what limited information the civic government has on the Firm's internal workings, their official title is the former - perhaps the latter is a colloquialism, given their job. The Cleaners' task is to hunt down and eliminate those who pose a threat to the Firm's dealings, for example through drawing too much attention to their activities or threatening to inform on the Firm's inner workings. The Cleaners have an array of targets that they are paid handsomely for, and the Cleaners often have small crews of their own to deal with body disposal. The Cleaners are perhaps the most shadowy of the organisations in question, though their activities have the most obvious effects. In essence, the Cleaners are the police of the Firm - cleaning up those who are too dangerous to have around. Known Cleaners: Angora Kelenwyn: 19, F, Human: Daughter of Captain-Junior Erik Kelenwyn, the youngest of the known Cleaners. Also an expert in seduction and infiltration. Henry Thaw: 25, M, Human: Thaw was reportedly behind the assassination of several high-level informers within the Firm. Charlie Thomas: 39, M, Human: Known for his expertise in body disposal. Thomas and his waste disposal crew have been seen at the sites of murders. Hargo Stensen: 48, M, Human: An expert at assassinating magical foes of the Firm. Xavier Mansworth: 42, M, Human: Mansworth is a contact with the City Guard - by day, he guards the walls. By night, Mansworth is a Cleaner. Victoria Smethwick: 35, F, Human: Rumoured to be behind the knifing of several murderers. Cassidy Lawrensworth: 22, F, Human: Known in the Firm to prefer the jobs of rapists over all others - perhaps raped earlier in life?