The story is set in modern day New York City, during a time when the Magical Congress of the United States is infested with corruption. This allows the Serpeverde Crime Family to run their criminal empire with little interference from the authorities so long as they continue to bribe officials. They use Imperio and Obliviate to maintain control over the Five Families, often having them as scapegoats and distractions to keep No-Maj law enforcement preoccupied.

I will be playing a Capo in the Family named Tommy Zucco, and your characters are part of his crew. Unlike the actual Mafia, the magical version allows all genders and even non-Italians can become Made if they prove themselves. It's up to you whether your character starts out as Made or just a Serpeverde Family Associate. I'll wait to determine exactly what kind of work the Zucco Crew does until we have a few players and discuss some ideas, but it will definitely involve frequent use of the Unforgivable Curses.

"Look at this fucking snitch! Pissing his pants, this guy! What, you think we're gonna hurt you? Was that a nod? Hey Joey, this motherfucker thinks we're gonna hurt him! Well, when you're right, you're right! Crucio!"

Hmm fascinating.

Just going to sub and express interest.

@CaptainManbeard Oh, heck yeah! I'm in!

I'll throw my hat in as well.

Sorry I haven't done anything with this, I had originally written it off because it didn't seem like anyone was interested and then 20 days after I posted the idea people started showing interest XD. So, what ideas do you all have for characters? What type of work should the Zucco Crew do? We could start off as the smallest crew in the Family and do minor stuff like collections and petty theft or something and then work our way up to being the primary enforcers for the Family.

@CaptainManbeard That sounds pretty good. Build ourselves up to take over the family.

I like the idea of starting small and growing.

As for character, I'm toying with the idea of an illegal Animagus just getting into crime to support their family.

I’m thinking my character hunts and captures magical creatures to form a minor army. A reverse gender Newt Scamander only she doesn’t return them home, she uses them as threats for her crew to use.

I was thinking my charrie might be a magical safe cracker. Part time fence and "rat" catcher aka informant silencer. A sort jack of no trades master of none but still does good work

All great ideas! So maybe we could say the Family controls secret magical casinos and speakeasies within New York City that serve certain types of alcohol that are officially banned by the Magical Congress due to being labeled unsafe for human consumption. We can just make up names for these banned magical drinks, like Goblin Ale, Dragon Whiskey, Trollshine, etc. Many members of the Magical Congress are corrupt, accept bribes from the Family, and actually frequent the speakeasies themselves. But perhaps there are some street level gangs that are opening up their own establishments in the city, and the Zucco Crew's first mission is to take a few of these out of the picture to send a message, eliminate the smaller gangs, and loot any chests or safes they have. That should give everyone a chance to use their specialties XD.

Starlance, what type of animal do you want your character to turn into? Depending on what it is, we could have your character scout out our targets by posing as just a passing dog or cat or bird outside or something. If you wanted a larger, more ferocious animal, then we could have WhiteAngel send in one of her smaller creatures as the scout instead, like maybe a magical sugar glider than can turn invisible or something. What do you all think?

I don't know if I'll have time to write up an intro post and character sheets tomorrow but if not I'll have them up within a couple days.

I was gonna go with a crow if that works.

So working on the intro post and the set up, and wanted to ask what ages and experience levels you're thinking for your characters? Starlance mentioned wanting their character to be just starting to get into crime, but what about everyone else? I'm thinking about maybe changing my character to be a younger guy who is an Acting Capo at the beginning of the RP, who hasn't earned full Caporegime yet. Like, maybe he's a nephew of the Boss who is given a small crew of new recruits and they all have to prove themselves over the course of several missions. Then maybe our characters get pulled into some bigger conflict with the Corvonero Family from Boston, who we learn are behind the smaller gangs trying to encroach on our territory as part of some larger plot to control all magical organized crime along the East Coast. Our service in this conflict allows your characters to be promoted from Associates to Made Members/Soldiers in the Serpeverde Family, and allows my character to become a full Caporegime. By this point, the Zucco Crew is a force to be reckoned with XD. What do you think?

@CaptainManbeard

Was thinking my fella is in his mid thirties, and for a while, was a nonnaffliated case. A contractor for whatever family wanted to use his services. A fence and a safe cracker would be perfect for a neutral party. Until maybe a few years ago when the Serpeverde family talked him into helping with silencing a "Rat" and to make sure he didn't get pinched in the Auror investigation he joined up officially

He's likely got maybe 9 to 12 years of experience. Having done this since his late 20s.

It's a specific experience, though, so it's not like he's a super experienced gangster.

@CaptainManbeard

Was thinking my fella is in his mid thirties, and for a while, was a nonnaffliated case. A contractor for whatever family wanted to use his services. A fence and a safe cracker would be perfect for a neutral party. Until maybe a few years ago when the Serpeverde family talked him into helping with silencing a "Rat" and to make sure he didn't get pinched in the Auror investigation he joined up officially

He's likely got maybe 9 to 12 years of experience. Having done this since his late 20s.

It's a specific experience, though, so it's not like he's a super experienced gangster.

What do you have in mind for his safe cracking techniques? I'd image any safes he cracks would have multiple layers of magical protections so that a simple Alohomora Unlocking Charm wouldn't quite do it XD. I'd imagine his skills could be put to use against many types of magical barriers besides just safes, so he'd be extremely valuable to the Family. Unless you're thinking the safes use like special magical-tech locks that he breaks through.

@CaptainManbeard

From the movies and books there is evidence that alot of Wizarding security is based around magic yeah, but we see Goblin security uses mechanical locks too.

But I would imagine that wards and barriers would be something he needs to work at as well. So his safe cracking would be part mechanical lock picking, magical lock picking and ward/barrier breaking as well.

So a little bit of both of column A, B C and D more or less.

A: "Man, I'm so excited to see the best safe cracker on the East Coast at work."
B: "Right? I can't wait to see what advanced charms he's going to use."
C: "Bombarda Maxima!"
A: "..."
B: "..."
C: "What? Safe's cracked, isn't it?"

The best? No no. That'd be someone else.

I do like how that little scene played out in my head though lol

@CaptainManbeard

From the movies and books there is evidence that alot of Wizarding security is based around magic yeah, but we see Goblin security uses mechanical locks too.

But I would imagine that wards and barriers would be something he needs to work at as well. So his safe cracking would be part mechanical lock picking, magical lock picking and ward/barrier breaking as well.

So a little bit of both of column A, B C and D more or less.

True, but the mechanical locks usually require enchanted keys to open and probably have traps against simple lockpicking. Maybe your character has enchanted lockpicks that can trick some seals into thinking it's the right key or something XD. Maybe your character has also studied Goblin magic and technology extensively. To give two examples of enchanted locks, here's the Gringotts scene from Hogwarts Legacy, and the one from Deathly Hallows where the touch of a Gringotts employee unlocks the vault.

@CaptainManbeard

As awesome as it sounds to have those skills. I am beginning to think that's a little op boss.

Being able to feel out a mechanical and magilock with wand work and a lock picking kit sure. But I feel like having an in depth knowledge of goblin mechanical locks would be abit overboard for a 38 year old wizard. Maybe someone in then 80s who has had time and has stolen siblin, dearven and gnomish lock text sure.

But I'm trying to make my guy have a little experience not tons of experience. He still has some room to grow.

Personally feel like if he's got knowledge on how to crack a gringos safe he's been working way way way longer then I want to portray, you know?