90s Noir: Pulp-Fiction style gritty crime drama (High Casual)

**Vulture** · 01-01-2013

Originally Posted by Redneck Romeo

Someone mention Rednecks?, Im down for some Good Ol'Boy Mafia stuff.

You and I could be partners.

**DEENO** · 01-01-2013

Im in all the way; hopefully my character I have in mind can rise to the top as the city's number one respected man. A gun for hire everyone wants to hire!

**benjaminrk** · 01-01-2013

Hmmm I might be interested too.

**Redneck Romeo** · 01-01-2013

Originally Posted by Vulture

You and I could be partners.

Big an Rich come to town eh?, LOL

**Sho Buraiken** · 01-02-2013

Originally Posted by Cambyses

Very interested. In fact, I have a nifty little idea for a character mapped out. Tell me if this sketch is ok.

Dmitri Marchenko was 15 when the Soviet Union collapsed. In the ensuing chaos, he managed to scrape together enough money to buy plane tickets for himself, his mother, and younger sister by fencing toilet paper stolen from Red Cross aid stations. They arrived in New York City penniless, and quickly found capitalism could be just as cruel as communism. He and his other worked a combination of odd jobs which allowed them to get a miserable old tenament in the rapidly growing Russian side of town. There Dmitri learned how to play chess and the vietnamese card game 13, two strategy games which he took to very quickly.

Life there was a hard; when his mother heard one could make good money waitressing at casinos in Vanitas she gambled and moved her family down the coast. Unfortunately, the information was a decade out of date; the casinos weren't hiring and the restaurants couldn't afford to pay their employees much due to extensive racketeering. Dmitri, 17 years old when they moved, decided to put his chess and thirteen skills to good use. He would set up folding tables in the park with half a dozen boards and invite onlookers to play him; 5 bucks to play, 25 if you won. Dmitri didn't lose. He also started frequenting vietnamese bars and clubs to play 13, a betting card game which he won more then he lost. These hustles, combined with a part-time job dealing cards at a casino, provided enough money in conjunction with his mom's waitressing job for the family to get by, if only barely.

Dmitri is 20 now. He still lives with his family out of necessity. He isn't going to leave Mom and sis by themselves without a man in Vanitas. Crime has gotten even worse sense they moved in '94. But nobody dares go near their apartment, because Dmitri is running with the big boys. His talent for numbers and strategy, and his devious nature led him to start scamming medicaire, an easy and very lucrative gig which, although originally intended just to give him and his family health insurance, caught the attention of Antonio's crew, a gang of mobsters who dominate the neighborhood with ties to Cartigo's old outfit.

So he's a goon. Maybe not what he would have chosen for himself, but he's got friends in the business, money, a 20 year old's dream lifestyle, and he knows when he goes home his family won't be lying facedown on the carpet in a pool of blood, the paper-thin apartment walls punctuated with bullet holes...

Nothing seems to be amiss to me. You should make a faction profile for Antonio's operation; someone may be able to use them for their own purposes as well.

Originally Posted by Mr Odin

I'd be interested in making a dirty cop character, higher level guy, something like a detective or special unit officer. Possibly in with the former mob family but I see the motive for his dirty practices being for a good reason, like the support and safekeeping of a family in a crime filled city. Sort of Vic Mackey ish from the Shield series but with my own flavor of spice for the character.

This sounds awesome. Love the Shield, too.

If you're looking for factions, might I suggest a fictionalized version of the Dixie Mafia? They don't get used much in fiction, but I feel they have an interesting dynamic. Bunch of good ol' boys forming a vicious criminal syndicate. Think if Hank Hill was running the mob.

I don't think propane and propane accessories qualify as a contraband, but sure. You should make a faction profile for them.

Name:

Gender:

Occupation/Affiliation: (If you're going to be a part of a faction or entity, please try to keep your character near the bottom of the totem pole; I don't want any characters starting off with too much political clout, you see.)

Age: (Have to be at least 16, just to avoid any pesky kids in the mix.)

Appearance: (In at least one short paragraph, describe your character's physical appearance, including hair color, eye color, skin color, physical build, scars, facial hair, tattoos etc. A picture is also acceptable, but please make sure to note any differences between the picture and your intended appearance in text.)

Clothing: (Please try to keep in mind the fashion of the 90s. Because I assume your character won't be wearing the same clothes every day, this is more of a broad overview of your character's fashion choices than it is any specific outfit. If you're a police officer, then don't bother describing the uniform; Vanitas uses the standard navy blue uniforms of most other police forces. Don't forget to include details such as common accessories your character wears on a regular basis; badges, watches, hats, glasses, jewelry, etc.)

Weapons: (Keep it light, and keep it few. If your character is a police officer, make sure to be reasonable with your service pistol; I don't know of any police force that hands out Desert Eagles to patrolmen. Gun control laws are still enforced, so be reasonable. Things like grenades, RPGs, sniper rifles, assault rifles, LMGs are a definite no-no. They may be given to you later (some more likely than others), but you're definitely not starting with any heavy ordnance. Also include ammunition counts, as well as where your character typically keeps their weapons when they carry them in public. Knives and such are also acceptable in this section.)

Inventory: (Other items of note that your character carries around on a regular basis. Wallets, watches, cell phones, etc. Unless you want to carry a backpack everywhere I suggest you pack light.)

Vehicle: (If your character owns a vehicle, list it here. Be reasonable, and make sure their ride matches their social status. Sometimes a less conspicuous car can be better. Only so many people in a city own bright red Ferraris...)

History: (In at least two decent length paragraphs, describe what happened in your character's life up until now. Make sure how to detail how they came to live in Vanitas (very few adults were actually born there due to the recent emergence of the city) and how they came to be employed in their current job.)

Motivations/Goals: (This is not a Personality section, although some elements of your character's personality may effect its contents.

As this is a character driven RP, every character must have something they're shooting for or some sort of goal they want to accomplish. In this section, denote exactly what these goals are and why your character has them. This is very important, so don't breeze through it! Don't pick something lazy like money or something cliche like revenge on the man who killed their parents/wife/daughter/son etc. Try to make it interesting and unique. If you're really cool, you'll pick an ambition that contradicts someone else's; this sets up rivalries further down the road.)

Other Info: (Is there anything else you want us to know?)

This is the tentative CS. It may change further down the road. I'll try to get a list of the factions up soon, so if you want your character to be a part of a pre-established crime faction, you may want to wait before doing so. However, if you're going to be independent worker, or a police officer or a PI (I want PIs! PIs are a staple of Noir!), go ahead and give it a shot and post what you have here. I'll give you some critiques if I have the time. Don't be afraid to ask questions about the setting. If you have an idea you think I might have a big problem with, always ASK FIRST! I'd hate for you to go through the effort of filling out an entire sheet only to have to start anew.

I'll have a list of some of my own factions up soon, so if you want to wait for that to go up to see if you want to join one of them, I understand.

Once again, if you have any questions about character creation, ASK, don't ASSUME. I would rather answer a lot of dumb questions than have to make you correct an entire profile.

**Dashed Hope** · 01-02-2013

I'm liking this a lot a really neat concept.

**Sho Buraiken** · 01-02-2013

Faction Name: The Cartigo Family

Faction Turf: Although the influence of the Cartigo Family use to spread across all of Vanitas, what remains of their operation now stays primarily in the lower east side of the city, the industrial center of Vanitas. What used to be the most imposing collection of arms, drugs, and cold hard cash in the city has now been reduced to three warehouses on the waterfront, although what does remain is heavily guarded, with thugs at every door. The Cartigo mansion, half of which burned down when the Vigotellis attempted to snuff out Cartigo's heir, Bluto Cartigo, remains an eyesore on Rainy Street in Midtown, the upper class suburbs on the north side of Vanitas.

Purpose: The Cartigo family used to have total control over the extremely profitable markets of drugs and weapons, although ever since the operation splintered, the family's been hemorrhaging money trying to keep a hold in both fields. Unable to compete with the many splintering factions undercutting their prices, the Cartigo family is caught up in several turf wars trying to regain their hold on these markets, while selling petty amounts of drugs and guns to stay afloat.

Characteristics: The Cartigo family is now mostly composed of those not smart enough to jump ship when the Don died, so don't expect a great deal of intelligence or competence from any of its members. While the family still has a great deal of footsoldiers in its employ, made men in the family dress in expensive suits and all wear a golden ring bearing a large C on their right hand. Regardless of its unorganized state, Cartigo men are usually trained killers, so it's not easy to push them around.

Important People:
Bluto Cartigo - Don Cartigo's heir and the current head of the family. A young, short, portly manchild of only 20 years, Bluto is neither imposing nor competent in his position. Many believe it was due to his poor management skills that the family splintered. A spoiled brat and an overt cocaine addict, many believe control of the family should never have been given to him.

History: The long-standing jewel in the shit crown of Vanitas' criminal underworld, the once great and powerful Cartigo family has nearly died out following Don Cartigo's death. Now barely staying afloat, the Cartigo family currently battles the police as they attempt to stamp out what remains of this once glorious family.

Relations:
The Vigotelli Crime Family - Furio Vigotelli, Don Cartigo's former right hand man, has recently become the head of his own family since Cartigo's death. Vigotelli, sensing that Bluto wouldn't be able to hold the family together without his father, was one of the first to stab Cartigo in the back, defecting from the family and taking a third of the operation with him. Since then the Vigotellis have been taking advantage of under the table deals to rob the Cartigos of most of their weapons deal contracts. The Vigotellis have been in an open war with the Cartigos since they attempt to burn down the Cartigo mansion and kill Bluto.

The Dukes - Most of the suppliers and dealers who used to handle the narcotics side of the Cartigo family have formed a new gang called the Dukes, essentially pushing the Cartigos out of the drug market by absorbing most of their operation. Many Cartigo footsoldiers have died raiding Duke warehouses, causing both factions to declare open war on each other.

Vanitas Police Department - Stamping out what remains of the Cartigo family has been a top priority of the VPD since Jefferson became chief of police. As a result, several officer deaths have been traced back to Cartigo hitmen, many of whom top the VPD's most wanted list.

Faction Name:The Vigotelli Family

Faction Turf: Aside from a small section belonging to the Cartigo's, the Vigotellis keep to the waterfront warehouses of the lower east side, many of which hold crates of weapons and explosives in addition to lumber and other construction materials. The higher ranking members of the Vigotelli family live in the Gilded Lord Hotel, a swanky, five-star hotel in the casino district of Vanitas. Furio Vigotelli himself lives in the penthouse suite, surrounded at all times by armed guards.

Purpose: Masquerading under the guise of a construction supply company, Vigotelli Supply Inc., the Vigotelli family is the most prominent arms dealer in Vanitas, with standing contracts to many prominent factions across the city. Unlike the Cartigos, the Vigotelli family maintains a facade of legality with the construction supply business, meaning they're under the radar of the police department for the most part. Vigotelli seeks to build a criminal empire to rival that of what the Cartigo family used to be.

Characteristics: Most of the workers for the Vigotelli Supply company double as footsoldiers, so as far as the thugs are concerned, one should always be wary around someone wearing Vigotelli Supply company coveralls or jumpsuits. Made men in the Vigotelli family appear less conspicuous than that of those of other families, usually taking the guise of dock managers or warehouse foremen. While lower level thugs fight with construction equipment and other inconspicuous tools, never underestimate the amount of heat they could be packing; working for the biggest arms dealer in the city typically means high-class toys.

Important People:
Furio Vigotelli - Former right hand man of Don Cartigo, Vigotelli is a middle-aged man who appears humble, handsome, and fatherly, but this only hides his true colors as a cutthroat businessman with profit always at the forefront of his thoughts. A sly criminal genius, Vigotelli is good at maximizing profits while avoiding costly scuffles with other gangs, save the Cartigo family, against which he has a rather large vendetta.

History: The Vigotelli family rose to prominence following Cartigo's death under the leadership of Furio Vigotelli. By acquiring most of the weapons contracts of the Cartigos and buying out a construction supply company on the waterfront as a cover, Vigotelli struck a careful balance between profit and legality. Despite his usual calm, passive attitude, Vigotelli began a war with the Cartigo family by attempting to kill Bluto Cartigo by burning his house down.

Relations: The Cartigo Family - The Vigotelli family is currently engaged in a war with the remnants of the Cartigo family.

Many of the factions of Vanitas rely on the Vigotellis for their weapons, so they hold contracts with several other operations across the city.

Faction Name: The Dukes

Faction Turf: The Dukes make their home on Washington Avenue, a particularly shady and dangerous street well known for meth labs, growhouses, and dealer hangouts -- basically a narcotics hotspot. Housing projects that have fallen into disrepair line the streets, providing living quarters and hideouts for the Dukes and their friends. A dealer on every corner and armed thugs always watching closely to make sure deals go off without a hitch, any cop or other do-gooder would be wise to steer clear. The Duke courtyard, a small enclosure in the middle of the largest project on the street (the Jefferson Estates), serves as a popular Dukes hangout and a meeting place when the shit goes down.

Purpose: The Dukes are in the business of selling drugs, and that's all. Preferring not to dabble in the other muddy business of turf wars and backstabbing, they keep to themselves unless they're really provoked.

Characteristics: The Dukes are a multiracial gang comprised mostly of blacks and hispanics. Preferring to keep a low profile, the Dukes dress in typical urban fashion, identifying themselves largely with their gang color - orange. Higher level thugs and dealers have a D tattooed on the underside of their wrist for easy identification. Most Duke dealers and footsoldiers carry pistols and knives that can be easily concealed, but they're not afraid to roll out the heavy ordinance if need be.

Important People: Ricardo Dominguez - The leader of the Dukes. Formerly the head of the narcotics division of the Cartigo family, he jumped ship and basically stole the Cartigo drug monopoly out from under their powdered noses. A careful drug lord, Ricardo does most of his communicating over the phone or through a messenger, and stays locked up under heavy watch in an unassuming apartment on the top floor of the Jefferson Estates. A man who does not use his own products, Dominguez is a devout catholic and a reasonable man, but he's not afraid to get his hands dirty to get the job done. Happy to deal with anyone, Dominguez is a businessman first and a criminal second.

History: The Dukes were born out of the great schism of the Cartigo empire, and have remained a profitable enterprise since. Due to the fact they operate in such a tightly managed and concentrated area, the police prefer not to trifle in their affairs, as the war on crime often takes priority over the war on drugs in Jefferson's eyes. The Dukes have essentially cornered the market on drug distribution in Vanitas since they began operation, and they often put competitors out of business not by force, but with better prices and service.

Relations:
The Jackals - Given that the Dukes are a gang of drug addicts and junkies whose influence extends only to the end of Washington Avenue, Dominguez negotiated an alliance with the Jackals, a group of violent, nearly insane burnouts who live on the adjacent Kennett avenue for protection. In exchange for discounts on their product, the Dukes are now often accompanied by members of the Jackals on a regular basis to make sure that important deals and deliveries go down smoothly. Many members of the Dukes criticize Dominguez for allying with these brutes, but nobody complains about the extra muscle.

The Cartigo family - While primarily a one-sided conflict, the Cartigos have declared open war on the Dukes in an effort to regain their footing in the narcotics market. Preferring not to get bogged down in such matters, Dominguez often ignores Bluto's threats, dismissing them as the whining of an impudent child.

Faction Name: The Jackals

Faction Turf: The Jackals make their home on Kennett Avenue, another street of housing projects adjacent to Washington. Several hoop-less basketball courts, covered in graffiti and surrounded by rusty, bent chain-link fences line the streets, with a baseball field devoid of grass and stained with blood at the end of the row on the corner of Washington and Kennett. These fields are called Dens by the Jackals, and the big baseball field is simply known as the Diamond. Within the Jackals are smaller, tribe-like groups who each claim a Den for their own hangout. Larger meetings are held in the Diamond, but a gathering of all the Jackals is rare given their reclusive nature.

Purpose: The Jackals are a gang in more of the "Clockwork Orange" sense than a "Godfather" sort of way; they thrive on chaos and brutality, not profit or influence. Their leader dubs the Jackals as a "masculist" movement, hoping to regain the primal, dog-eat-dog nature in which man once lived, but the lower ranking members of the gang think of the gang as a way to do drugs and fuck shit up for fun.

Characteristics: The Jackals are not defined by what they wear, but rather by their preference for elaborate tribal tattoos. Many prefer to go shirtless to show off their impressive ink, but otherwise they dress like common junkies with a more punk-rock heavy metal twist. The Jackals organize themselves into smaller subfactions called Dens, each Den hanging out on one of the many basketball courts on the street. Each Den is themed after a certain animal and has a leader, a position usually achieved by defeating the previous leader in single combat; each Den leader wears a necklace made out of animal teeth corresponding to the Den's animal. Promotion is earned by being the strongest, so Den leaders and above are typically extremely skilled brawlers, usually with some background in martial arts. Any Den leader has the opportunity to challenge the Chief of the Jackals for his position at any meeting, but so many have died in the process that few bother anymore. Due to the chaotic and dangerous nature of the organization, most of the Jackals are young men, but the gang is unique in that they are racially diverse and turn no one down due to color or creed. Even some women have been allowed to join.

The Jackals typically don't carry firearms unless they have to, but expect a lot of melee weapons -- knives, baseball bats, shovels, machetes, hockey sticks; the more obscure, the better. All of the fights within the organization, however, are simply hand to hand and one-on-one, a la Fight Club. The Jackals fight dirty, and are not afraid to seriously fuck up opponents if need be. Because of this, most police officers stay away from Kennett, fearing for their lives.

Important People:
Chief James Dawkins - Most of the Jackals simply call him Chief. Founder of the Jackals and an ex-military psychologist, Chief Dawkins returned from service in Africa a jaded man, filled with greed. After seeing the brutality and profit gleaned from tribal conflict overseas, Dawkins began the Jackals as a social experiment in bringing back the primal, masculine nature of the past and inserting it into the modern world, believing Vanitas to be the perfect blank slate on which to test this idea. Cartigo's operation forced Dawkins to lay low for a while, but since the family splintered, the Jackals has finally blossomed into the chaos he'd envisioned. An extremely muscly tower of a white man, Dawkins is perhaps the most heavily tattooed of all the Jackals, with tribal markings all over his body.

History: The Jackals began as a small sect of deranged young men under Dawkins' rule in 1990, slowly growing while making sure to stay off of Don Cartigo's radar. Ever since Don's death, however, the Jackals have been growing at an alarming rate and allying with other factions.

Relations:
The Dukes - The Jackals, many of whom are amphetamine junkies, have allied with the Dukes, exchanging their manpower for discounts of drugs. Their relationship is uneasy, but honest. Neither side has any intention of screwing the other over yet.

The Street Knights - Being basically the antithesis of what the Street Knights believe in, the Knights are a common target of vandalism and assault by the Jackals. The Knights consider themselves above petty rivalries, but have begun venturing onto Kennett street more often than usual.

Faction Name: The Street Knights

Faction Turf: The Street Knights have different branches in many of the suburbs of Vanitas, but their headquarters is a tidy little office on the corner of Main street and 2nd. Not exactly a fortress, the main office had little more than a conference room, a few cubicles, and a computer bank that holds information on all reports made, patrol logs included.

Purpose: Basically the neighborhood watch on steroids, the Street Knights are a non-profit anti-crime organization that is dedicated to protecting the common citizens of Vanitas from harm. Despite fighting an uphill battle, the Knights do their best to right wrongs when the police can't, which is sadly quite often. The Knights never seek to go on the offensive against crime like the VPD, remaining on the citizen's side more than anything else. The Knights are often viewed as more of a neutral entity than anything, and they are often employed as mediators when opposing gangs wish to negotiate peace. Always cooperative with both the police department and private investigators, the Knights are one of the few truly virtuous entities remaining in Vanitas.

Characteristics: The Street Knights' standard uniform is a bright neon green safety vest and a black baseball cap with their logo stitched on the front, an outfit chosen to make them easily identifiable in case of an emergency. Its member base is composed primarily of ex-police officers, former soldiers, and security guards. The Knights don't ever actively pursue leads or criminals, but rather patrol areas with high crime rates to ensure the safety of common citizens and report any news of suspicious activity that comes their way. However, if they witness a crime or run into a well-known criminal, they won't hesitate to take action and make citizen's arrests. The Knights never carry lethal firearms, preferring to stick with tasers, pepper spray, heavy maglites, and zipcuffs.

Important People: to be finished later

History:

Relations:

More factions to come in a bit. Check this post for the others -- I'll edit them in.

This is more work than I had originally thought. It would be great if you guys could create factions too, even if you character won't be involved with them. I foresee the need to have a lot of diverse families to flesh out the world of Vanitas.

**Mr Odin** · 01-02-2013

I'll work on having two up by Friday for you.

**The Whacko** · 01-02-2013

**Serge Drevlan** · 01-02-2013

Can you make an OOC? I think you have enough interest by now and I think it would be best for you to get more organized since I see a lot of work in your future with this. I'm totally in on this if you haven't been able to decipher that by now. I have a good idea for a spy/mercenary that is in the employ of the mayor.

Thread: 90s Noir: Pulp-Fiction style gritty crime drama (High Casual)

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