Aurelius Baldor
Delightfully Devilish
SHADOW HAND CARTEL
Type: Criminal Syndicate & CartelAffiliation: COMING SOON
Alignment: Lawful Evil: criminals they may be, the Shadow Hand Cartel nonetheless abides by certain tenets that shape them as a family
Operations: Smuggling, Protection/Security, Black Market/Fencing, Spice Production & Trafficking, Arms Manufacture & Trafficking. If there's a crime, the Hand either has its fingers in it or is trying to.
Structure: The Shadow Hand Cartel follows a standard rank structure similar to that of Black Sun. The ranks are as follows, in descending order.
Lord Commissioner: The sultan of sin, the king of crime, the Lord Commissioner is the head of the Shadow Hand Cartel. Nothing goes on in the Cartel without his say-so. The Lord Commissioner is responsible for overseeing the Cartel as a whole and appoints his Lieutenants personally, as well as selecting a Seneschal to act as his personal enforcer and closest confidant. The Lord Commissioner enjoys supreme authority over the entire Shadow Hand Cartel, and those who question that authority will face his wrath, whether through his Seneschal, or at the Lord Commissioner's own hands.
Seneschal: The Lord Commissioner's confidant, his consigliere, his most trusted bodyguard, and if need be, his personal assassin. The Seneschal in responsible for taking care of the minutiae of the Lord Commissioner's business that he cannot be bothered with, such as dealing with his personal finances and arranging appointments with Associates. The Seneschal exists apart from the chain of command and reports directly to the Lord Commissioner, no one else, and his authority is second only to him. It is at the hands of the Seneschal that traitorous Lieutenants will meet their fate, if the Lord Commissioner does not deign to deal with the scum personally.
Lieutenants: The Lieutenants hold positions directly below the Lord Commissioner in the official chain of command. Each Lieutenant is expected to specialize in one type of criminal operation: for example, one Lieutenant would specialize in dealing with the Spice trade, while another controls the Cartel's security division, so on and so forth. Each Lieutenant is personally appointed by the Lord Commissioner, having proven to be reliable and, above all else, loyal. It is because of this that traitors of this rank are dealt with the most harshly, for to betray the Lord Commissioner's trust is the worst offense one may commit.
Captains: Captains operate beneath the authority of the Lieutenants and handle different aspects of their Lieutenant's circle. For example, a Captain under the Lieutenant who deals in spice might be in charge of mining operations or development of recipes, while a Captain of the Arms division might be responsible for sourcing weapons or finding buyers. These officers are selected by the Lieutenants, and any dissent among them is expected to be dealt with by their Lieutenant, lest the Seneschal grow suspicious.
Enforcers: Enforcers are near the bottom of the Shadow Hand Cartel's chain of command, usually consisting of the Captains' most trusted and most loyal thugs. Enforcers are responsible for the recruitment and training of the Hoods, street-level members of the Cartel, while weeding out those that are found to be too weak or disloyal. Enforcers have access to better gear than your average hood, such as actual body armor, and can usually be found sporting shock gloves, electro-batons, or force truncheons to keep Hoods in line.
Hoods: Hoods are the lowest ranked of the Shadow Hand Cartel, the entry-level members. Hoods usually consist of two-bit bangers or petty deathstick dealers, but those who prove to be reliable may find themselves appointed as Enforcers, who enjoy a modicum more respect and authority. As the lowest rung on the ladder, Hoods are the worst-equipped of the Cartel, usually armed with little more than blaster pistols or vibro-shivs.
Associates: Associates are not official members of the Shadow Hand Cartel, and do not usually enjoy the perks of membership, but depending on the importance of association may be offered protection or preferential treatment: a BlasTech exec willing to sell to the Cartel under the table, or a corrupt politician who has come into "agreement" with the Cartel are examples of valuable Associates. In addition, providing the Cartel with such Associates is a sure-fire way to earn prestige and promotion.
Description: The Shadow Hand Cartel is an up-and-comer in the world of crime, created by the Devaronian Aurelius Baldor with the dream of it becoming the next Black Sun or Exchange, a large syndicate with influence felt across the entire underworld.
History: Years ago, Aurelius Baldor swore loyalty to another. The Devaronian worked for years as a mid-level capo for the Black Sun crime syndicate, just on the cusp of becoming one of the respected Vigos, but before he could grab that power, the syndicate was dissolved. Aurelius was left on his own, three paths laid out ahead of him: turn snitch and help law enforcement in exchange for immunity, lay low and go legit, or make use of his associates and resources and strike it out on his own. It's obvious which path he took. Aurelius fought tooth and nail, carving a criminal empire all his own from the corpse of Black Sun. No more was he a slave to another man's whims, no more would he risk his life to put a few more creds in anyone's pocket. The Shadow Hand Cartel has big ambitions, and making right connections might be the key to seeing them come to fruition. Aurelius hopes that, by staking a claim in the mines of Kessel, the spice and coaxium produced could be useful in growing and dealing with galactic players. Purchasing a mine from the Pyke Syndicate proved costly, but one that has already been making major returns. Meanwhile, the Devaronian crime lord has set up shop in the palace that once belonged to the post-Imperial warlord Trioculus, built after the three-eyed mutant's promotion to Lord Overseer and Supreme Slavelord of the Spice Mines.
Territory:
Planet Name: Kessel
Key locations: Trioculus' Palace, Spice & Coaxium Mines
Other:
Tenets of the Cartel
No matter whether they're a Hood or a Lieutenant, every member of the Shadow Hand Cartel is expected to abide by the same core tenets that shape the syndicate.
1: Silence - On pain of torture and death, no member of the Cartel is to ever cooperate with law enforcement or outsiders. The Cartel places importance on silence in the face of questioning by authorities or outsiders; non-cooperation with authorities, the government, or outsiders; and willfully ignoring and generally avoiding interference with the illegal activities of others.
2: Loyalty to the Cartel - Every member of the Cartel is expected to place the welfare of the Cartel above oneself, tying in with the first tenet.
3: Loyalty to Each Other - As the Mandalorians say, "Family is more than blood." The Cartel is your family now, and families stick together. Do not betray your brothers and sisters, or you will pay dearly.
4: Loyalty to the Boss - The Lord Commissioner is the supreme authority of the Cartel, and every member is expected to remain loyal to him. If you are faced with the choice of staying loyal to the Lord Commissioner or staying loyal to your Captain or Lieutenant, you are to always stay loyal to your Lord Commissioner even and especially if these loyalties do not align.
TECH
Coming soon (tm)
Members:
Aurelius Baldor (Lord Commissioner)
Discord Link: (x)