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woodenbandman
2009-09-23, 11:36 AM
SO in my World of Wonder (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4470.0) game, I've just recently finished the profile for the main city in the continent known as Starstown. There's not much there besides ale and whores (There is even a tavern owned by a dwarf named Alestorm Ironfire Hammerfall). So for the next nation, I had an idea which I got from the backstory of one of my players. His character took out a loan for a friend, in his own name. Said friend was actually part of the mafia, and he was just using him to get rich quick. So he gets to keep the money, PC gets shaken down and beaten half to death. This established that there is a powerful mafia.

The player also wanted the country to have a neutral stance on the upcoming war. And since neutrality is extremely profitable, I figured that the mafia would have a say when it came to taking sides.

So the whole nation is basically run by an extensive Halfling mafia. Why halflings? Why the heck not.

I would like a few suggestions on how this mafia would actually go about controlling things. Obviously there's money and threats. How do they operate, though? Where does one hide the headquarters? How does one keep the officially sanctioned police off their trail? What can the mafia do in a DnD context that nets the most profit for the least effort?

It might mention in the link that magic is banned, but that is retconned and magic is unbanned.

Blackfang108
2009-09-23, 11:38 AM
Alestorm Ironfire Hammerfall

Three of my favorite Metal Bands.

This guys parents must be awesome!!!

Is the tavern named Nancy's?

EDIT: Now on to relevancy.

Mass Cloud Mind, Mass Dominate X.

Intimidate, Bribery, etc.

Drugs or rare/illegal spell components would be the best source of income. That and protection Rackets, exploitative prostitution, slavery, etc.

Really, look at the activities of the various Mobs to get an idea of the sorts of activities you'd be likely to see the halflings do.

Rhiannon87
2009-09-23, 11:46 AM
Well, it kind of depends on how obvious you want the mafia to be about the fact that they're running the show. If they're brazen about it, forget all this hiding HQ and dealing with official authorities business-- they are the official authorities. There might be a weak state government remaining, but they have no power to control the criminals.

If they're trying to be relatively quiet about it, though, they've probably pulling some strings to dictate the leadership's actions. Blackmail and bribes are the way to go here. Make it either worth someone's while to do as the halflings say, or make the cost of disobeying too high. Dealing with the cops goes basically the same way-- have plenty of bribed officials, cops and judges and the like, to make sure that people don't get arrested or evidence is lost or juries are rigged. And if, god help you, some LG cop and judge team up to bring you down, well, have some really good lawyers on payroll. And remember, it's better to let a mid-level guy go to jail for a little while than to risk the bosses. If the mid-level guy keeps his mouth shut, reward him for doing his time! If he talks, well... he'll get a reward for that too.

Headquarters and command should be decentralized, that way there's no one target for the authorities to go after. And this way, if one boss does go down, the entire organization won't be finished. You have other people and places that can carry on the work.

Basically, take a look at how real-life organized criminals operate. The Chicago mobs of the 1920's are a good example, as are some modern-day warlords in Africa. And the availability of magic just gives you some new options for how to go about the criminal empire.

woodenbandman
2009-09-23, 11:58 AM
Okay, in order of questions asked: No, the tavern is named The Bearded Hammer. I had Nancy's back in another game.

It is the first option, they are more of the official authorities than the hidden power. I had the idea that the cops were full of mobsters, and when a mobster is eventually arrested, the legal system is full of loopholes that they use to get off.

Johel
2009-09-23, 12:07 PM
I would like a few suggestions on how this mafia would actually go about controlling things. Obviously there's money and threats. How do they operate, though? Where does one hide the headquarters? How does one keep the officially sanctioned police off their trail? What can the mafia do in a DnD context that nets the most profit for the least effort?

It might mention in the link that magic is banned, but that is retconned and magic is unbanned.

Halflings got large families. I mean, both nuclear and extended.
This might explain how they control things on a local scale : they just have at least one relative in every single field, from the bank to the dirt disposal. This makes it easy to build a social network, as well as a safe "business" network, as "blood is thicker than water". Criminals won't fear being sold by their associate if these associates are their blood relatives. Also, they won't mind being sent to jail, as they know they'll either be broken out soon OR that they'll never be alone. Nothing says "gang" like having three or four TRUE cousins already in jail.

Halflings are natural rogues. You don't want to mess with those guys. While most halflings will be your average journey man, knowing that this guy has probably a cousin who can gut you in your sleep and get away with it... that's something that make you think twice before being not nice with him. Even if the halfling has no KNOWN connection to the mafia... you never know.


Where does one hide the headquarters?
In normal inns, taverns, warehouses and normal business. For outsiders, each halfling runs his own lawful business. What's going on behind that and the many ties between said halfelings is something else.


How does one keep the officially sanctioned police off their trail?
By having relatives inside the police. And if it's not possible, they can still find a weak-willed guard who want some extras. Also, they can "persuade" other businessmen to "lend" their properties to hide criminal operations, though having a extended family means they don't really need outsiders.


What can the mafia do in a DnD context that nets the most profit for the least effort?
I would say "craft magical items" but...
Here's a list of potential activities that are easy money :

Drug dealing : addicted customers means huge profits.
Protection racket : just sit around and watch. And be ruthless.
Gambling : fuel other people's vice.
Loanshark : because people addicted to drugs and gambles need fresh cash.
Prostitution : girls got to pay these debts...
Luxury goods smuggling : if it's not taxed, it's cheap.
Property business : basically, scare the **** out of the actual owners...

Cieyrin
2009-09-23, 12:50 PM
It'd probably run similar to how I had a Gnomish Mafia running a city for a good amount of time, though they worked mainly through illusions and enchantments. If people think they're getting what you tell them they're getting and they 'believe' you, why should they be disappointed, right?

As for the halfling mafia, given how naturally nomadic they are, I would think there would be no true head quarters and the leaders would almost always be on the move and so no one knows where the true power is. Also, I know the halflings that I see are almost always desirous of Halfling Nip (like catnip but by and for halflings). Getting other races addicted is a natural extension to increase such operations. And who do the halflings go to for more of the stuff when they need to move more product? The druids, of course. D&D's natural drug dealers.:smallbiggrin:

Keld Denar
2009-09-23, 01:00 PM
Doesn't Eberron have a halfling mafia family already? You could see what they do. I forget the name, but I think they are mentioned in the "1001 things that the crew of the Forgotten Freedom are not allowed to do" list. Google it.

Cieyrin
2009-09-23, 03:25 PM
Doesn't Eberron have a halfling mafia family already? You could see what they do. I forget the name, but I think they are mentioned in the "1001 things that the crew of the Forgotten Freedom are not allowed to do" list. Google it.

Damn it, you stole 2-3 hours of my laugh while I lol'd reading that. Then I got sucked into an Eberron motivational poster thread in the Wizards forum. <_<;;

Blackfang108
2009-09-23, 03:29 PM
Damn it, you stole 2-3 hours of my laugh while I lol'd reading that. Then I got sucked into an Eberron motivational poster thread in the Wizards forum. <_<;;

I do love that thread.

"Swine Flew"

Johel
2009-09-23, 03:44 PM
80. Halflings of Clan Boramar are not to speak like they're Italian or in the Godfather.