The Octopus: A 19th Century Political/Crime RP
"I've been called a boss. All there is to it is having friends, doing things for people, and then later on they'll do things for you."
-- James Pendergast
"Vote early and vote often!"
-- Richard J. Daly
"Anybody who doesn't know that politics is crime has got a few screws loose."
-- James Ellroy
In Character Info:
Welcome to Central City, gateway to the American West. This rough and tumble city was once the largest hub west of the Mississippi, the last bastion of civilization before the wilderness. While the frontier has pushed on west, Central City's frontier mentality and pioneer spirit still remain even as the city becomes an industrial hub. It's a city filled with graft and vice. Saloons and gambling dens are on every corner and anything you desire can be bought for a price. It's a city where everyday municipal life is controlled by the Patterson Combination, a powerful political machine that has control of City Hall, a good chunk of the statehouse, and even a US Senator. Patronage is the order of the day and the Combination rewards loyalty with jobs. Policemen, alderman, and even dog catchers owe their jobs and allegiance to the Combination. Anythings happens in Central City, it does so with the Combinations approval. At the center of this Alan John "A.J." Patterson, a man who holds no public office but is still more powerful than the mayor or governor.
It's the summer of 1876 and it's an election year. Reform seems to be in the air and it's up to the Combination to show Central City that it is a force for good, a force that provides for the downtrodden and needy for the simple price of a vote or two or three. From the corridors of power all the way down to the muddy back alleys, it's up to you to see that the Combination stays in power and that you get your just reward for your hard won loyalty.
Out of Character Info
This game is a mixture of crime and politics. You'll play a member of the political machine, from lowly street hooligan and saloon owner to ward boss to beat cop and on up. There will be a few members of the machine that will be off limits, the upper ranks especially, but I have an overarching story in mind for the game and want to allow everyone a chance to work inside that framework and do their own things. There's a lot of flexibility in this. I want it to be about politics and crime, but also about just life in an urban city that was rapidly changing around its citizens and how they dealt with it. The backdrop of this is the American centennial and the controversial presidential election of 1876, along with a party convention that will be coming to town soon.
Primer:
What is a Political Machine?
From Wikipedia:
A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses, who receive rewards for their efforts. The machine's power is based on the ability of the workers to get out the vote for their candidates on election day.
Although these elements are common to most political parties and organizations, they are essential to political machines, which rely on hierarchy and rewards for political power, often enforced by a strong party whip structure. Machines sometimes have a political boss, often rely on patronage, the spoils system, "behind-the-scenes" control, and longstanding political ties within the structure of a representative democracy. Machines typically are organized on a permanent basis instead of for a single election or event. The term may have a pejorative sense referring to corrupt political machine
The Hierarchy
Precinct Captain
This is the man out in the street, getting the vote for the Combination any way possible. A Precinct Captain can be someone who does not hold office but reaps the benefits -- money, power, a chance for political office -- from his loyalty to the machine. The Precinct Captain's territory is, you guessed it, the precinct where he lives. He is a neighborhood leader who uses a team of ward heelers, low-level operatives under his supervision, and his connections with the machine to help constituents with everyday problems that come with living in an industrial metropolis.
To get an idea of the day to day life of a the lower levels of party machine work, read this fascinating excerpt from the diary of a Tammany Hall member: Plunkitt's Diary
Ward Boss
The middleman in the organization, a Ward Boss usually controls a significant chunk of the city's political territory, with as many as seven or eight precinct captains under his watch. While the precinct captain deals in political tactics, the ward boss deals in political strategy. He is usually in some mid-level political position, a city councilman or a high-ranking police captain or a state legislator or some other bureaucrat, and is indebted to the machine staying in power for his job. The Ward Boss handles constituent problems, but is also the man to see about business licenses, court problems, and other problems that may pop up for the well to do members of the city.
Underboss
Very rare, maybe only two or three men in the machine can be considered underbosses. The Underboss has a significant chunk of political power. He is either a high-ranking elected official (city mayor, district attorney, US Congressman, US Senator) or a prominent businessman. The underbosses can move the levers of government in a way that nobody else in the machine can. With the snap of their fingers they can get legislation passed, they can get charges dismissed, and they can get state and federal contracts for anyone willing to pay the price.
City Boss
The pinnacle. The boss is the man you see when you are either powerful enough to warrant it, or have something he wants. The boss holds no political office and is rarely mentioned by the politicians who owe him so much. It is he who makes the big decisions that affect the machine, the city, and maybe even the country as a whole.
Central City Neighborhoods
Eastside
The eastern side of the city is the remnants of the old frontier town Center, Central City's first incarnation. The city's oldest and most prominent families live on the eastside. Almost all of the residents of the eastside are "Americans" in the sense that their lineage can be traced back to ancestors living in America before the American Revolution. The occasional prominent immigrant may live Eastside if he or she has amassed enough money and political clout to buy one of the big homes on the hill.
Downtown
Built in the 1830's, downtown is where City Hall and Central City's other government buildings are. Downtown is also home to a large Irish neighborhood known as Little Galway, settled in the first wave of migrations to the West. A ghetto in the 30's and 40's, the neighborhood has developed into a stable working-class neighborhood home to many of Central City's middle-class families. Bordering Little Galway is Bohemia, a newer ethnic neighborhood, a slightly less well to do neighborhood that is none the less on the rise. Bohemia came about in the early 1850's as German, Czechs, and other members of the failed '48 Revolutions fled Europe for America.
Westside
The western edge of Central City is home to the new class of immigrants freshly arrived to the country after the American Civil War ended. Italians, Eastern Europeans, and Jewish immigrants still new to America all live in cramped houses and tenement buildings. Adding to their misery is the industrial factories that are also placed on the west side, factories that run all day and all night with a mostly immigrant workforce that has no other option but to spend sixteen hour days working. The Central Stockyards, a massive facility that supplies the Western US with meat, is where many work long hours for little pay.
Black Jack
Black Jack is the crude name of the city's African-American neighborhood. The overall black population in Central City isn't a lot compared to Southern cities, but it is more than the average black population in Northern cities. More African-Americans have come to the city in the years following the Civil War, though not enough to overcrowd Black Jack. The southern rail line that separates Black Jack between the rest of the city is known as the "Color Line." Outside of CCPD, very few whites are seen in and around Black Jack.
Saloon City
Running along one of the city's western boulevards, Saloon City is the vice hub for Central City. At least one hundred saloons, gambling dens, whorehouses, and opium parlors all reside in this one square mile of city. Tourists, travelers heading further west, and local residents all come to Saloon City to blow off steam and gladly hand their money over. Anything can be bought in Saloon City for a price. The graft and protection that comes with the district is a huge part of the Combination's revenue stream. Politicians, cops, and criminals alike all have a major interest in keeping Saloon City safe and trouble free.
Character Sheet
Name:
Age:
Ethnicity:
Occupation/Place in the Combination:
Personal History:
