[OOC] 1920's Gangsters

[Sterling]

@Plank Sinatra Approved

[POOHEAD189]

Con Man

Name: Phillip Harvey
Alias(es): Cooper
Age: 31
Gender: M
Profession: Professional Confidence Man

Appearance: Ever since he turned 17, Cooper has been tall and handsome, with striking blue eyes and light brown hair that looks good even when uncombed, despite him combing often. He has a 5 o-clock shadow, and a few scars on his abdomen and side he never lost from being beaten by the mob. He is Caucasian, but keeps a light, healthy tan.

Personality: He’s very suave and charming when he wants something, or when he’s in a good mood. He is charismatic, and clever, and knows how to talk. He can be very egocentric, and he tends to call people by nicknames based on their personal appearance or attitude. He loves money and women, and he enjoys taking the easy way out. While no murderer or thug, he does not shy away from pulling the trigger if he has to. He is often sarcastic, and is a perpetual loner. He seems to have a sixth sense about danger however, and uses his intuition to great effect in dangerous situations or in cons. He is touchy about the subject of his mother, and doesn't like talking about his past very much. Now he only wants to be called Cooper, keeping his real name a secret.

History: Phillip was born into a middle class Kansas family. His father was a famous salesman and his mother was a stay at home wife. He had 2 brothers, both older, one who joined the military, and one who became a boxer. Phil was always the smallest, called “The Runt” by his father. His mother was the only one who seemed to love him unconditionally. Other than that, he was constantly bullied by his brothers, both of whom were large for their age. It wasn’t until age 17 that Phillip grew half of a foot, making him 6’1. Before that, he had to coast by on getting what he wanted through his wit, charming his teachers and blackmailing bullies so they wouldn’t pick on him. At age 16, his mother died in a car accident, causing Phillip to go into a large state of depression. A week after her death, he fled his home, not being able to stand his family without his mother. He stole 2 hundred dollars from his dad when he did so, and went to the city. He began to live outside in a box, in an alley behind a local bar. Phil learned how to play pool and cards very well, and soon he began to drink heavily, and he often hustled people. He got so good at it that in 2 years he was living in a nice apartment, and he began to con upper class business men, going by the Alias “Cooper.” Despite his cleverness, he had gotten in trouble a couple of times, most notably once at age 19 when he was held at gun point and beaten. Ever since then, he has carried an M1911 gun. At age 23, he had to use it to kill a prominent gang member named Willy, who was the hired muscle trying to find Phil for a business deal that went bad. The only person in his life he ever cared about was his mother, and after her death, he had lived a life of fast women and free money. When he turned 31, he had once again gotten in trouble with the mob, having seduced a crime bosses wife (he didn’t know she was his wife at the time. He only knew she was loaded) for her money. After that, he stole a car, and was just about to leave the city…

Body Type: Athletic
Skills:
1. Charisma: Being handsome and intelligent, he can pretty much talk most people into anything. And even when being unpleasant, people seem pulled to him.
2.Street Smarts: After living alone on the streets for 15 years, he knows how to avoid or escape danger.
3.Self Defense: While not a boxer or a soldier like his brothers, he is a scrapper and quick on the draw.

Inventory:
1. Bussiness Clothes
2. Mysterious Note
3. M1911 Pistol
4. Sunglasses
5. Picture of his mother

[Sterling]

@POOHEAD189 LOVE HIM. Approved.

[Sterling]

@Jotunn Draugr Hey hey question for ya. I PMed ya

[Gunther]

The Scarpello Family

Ethnicity: Sicilian. Half-Sicilians are allowed to be associates but cannot be made under current rules.
Don: Donato Scarpello
Consiglieri: Anthony Geraci
Size:: < 40 - the Don has been keeping the recruitment low and overworking the crews doing the alcohol work.
Area of Influence: Brooklyn, especially around Sunset Park, Borough Park, Park Slope, Flatbush, Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights and Bed-Stuy. Moving into Jersey as well.

Overview: The Scarpello family is a real 'Moustache Pete' operation of old world values and mafiosi credo. However, the allure of Prohibition and the increase in resources has created tensions as the organization tries to protect itself and its prime position at the South Brooklyn Terminal, expand into New Jersey and lock down even more docks, and set up front businesses for the booze distribution. The problem, of course, is that the old man is holding on too tightly, such as forbidding business dealings with non-Italians, particularly the Jews and the Blacks. There's a lot of power in the Scarpellos, but the old men just want their peace and quiet in a time of opportunity and the younger guys aren't having it. Part of what Scarpello is trying to do is keep the crews of Polumbo and Mazzara from getting too dominant, forcing a turnover.

The old guard and the young blood are a couple gunshots away from a civil war in the family. The reason it hasn't happened yet is because Tony Geraci, the consiglieri, is well-regarded on both sides and is keeping things going with shuttle diplomacy. Current operations include; docks, alcohol distribution, prostitution and extortion. There are four crews in the Scarpello family, with about 30 or so soldiers and associates, with more muscle available in the traditionally Italian parts of Brooklyn. The truth is that in a bid to control wages and skim off as much as possible, the Don has kept the numbers of soldiers dangerously low, especially in the operations that have the best growth potential but are under capos of questionable loyalty.

Caporegimes:

- Vito Polumbo - Younger and more progressive than his Don, Vito Polumbo is the guy that runs the Brooklyn docks and set up the Scarpello bootlegging operations. The shipping from other nations, the unloading and distribution comes primarily from his operations. He is, for all intents and purposes, the most powerful and lucrative single operation in the Scarpello family thanks to Prohibition and his quick recognition of it. He uses the funding to make sure that his crew are well-outfitted and loyal. Polumbo is currently in a bind because Don Scarpello wants a bigger cut of the profits during a time of growth and investment. Meanwhile, Geraci is keeping the peace, but for how long? Polumbo's crew is tough, working the docks, but Polumbo is a deal maker and has successfully negotiated with unions in the past. He keeps trying to bring on more talent, but Scarpello keeps trying to keep him in his place. Scarpello sees a threat, Polumbo sees more money. Geraci is trying to keep the two from going to war.
- Salvatore Mazzara - Another young turk in the Scarpello family, Mazzara's crew move liquor into a variety of places, starting with the brothels but then moving into other venues as the alcohol smuggling really got underway. He started off as part of the Baglio crew. However, with Prophibition, he has set up the Pappalardo Olive Oil Company as a front and is, secretly in negotiations with the Blacks to move liquor into the Harlem jazz clubs, despite the Don's prohibition on working with 'those people.' (and that's the nicest thing he has to say.) Mazzara is a dapper sort of guy, a guy that knows how to use a gun and sweet talk while holding it. Mazzara wants minimal disruption to his operations, though he is concerned that Scarpello isn't dynamic enough to keep the business going as more than his retirement fund. He is, however, Geraci's nephew and is staying on the fence, for now.
- Joseph Baglio - Part of Scarpello's old regime, Baglio focuses on protection rackets, a pretty traditional mafia undertaking. Because his territory covers much of Western Brooklyn, outside of Crown Heights and other traditionally Jewish areas, he has a lot of manpower compared to the other crews. Baglio is totally loyal to Scarpello and has the bulk of the family's muscle.

@Sterling

@HeySeuss

Benny La Guardia is associated with the Scarpello Family. They are both Sicilian Families.

[Sterling]

@Gunther OKay great. Feel free to post them both up

[HeySeuss]

<Snipped quote by HeySeuss>
Benny La Guardia is associated with the Scarpello Family. They are both Sicilian Families.

@Gunther

Makes sense as he's from the part of Brooklyn they're operating in anyway. Little Tommy is, unless someone has a better idea, working as an associate/hired guy for Sal Mazzara's crew, though if we stick with that idea, he's probably being looked at for button man.

[POOHEAD189]

You're gonna get a post from me tonight. And yer gonna like it, or you'll end up 6 feet under Miami bay in concrete shoes.

[Sterling]

@POOHEAD189 That's a long drive my friend. Excited to see the UN-likeable lovable con man in action.

[Onarax]

Should have a post up tomorrow.

Sorry for the delay.

[Sterling]

Thanks alright. Thanks for the update.

[Sterling]

Hey guys where are we at with this?

[POOHEAD189]

I'm ready to interact.

[Onarax]

Sorry my day got busier than expected, only got home a few minutes ago and I'm ready to crash. I promise to type something up in the morning.

[Gunther]

I will post today.

[Mao Mao]

Sorry for not posting so soon. I was celebrating my 18th birthday on Friday and Saturday with family and friends. I will finish up my character by tomorrow.

[Gunther]

Happy birthday, @The Spectre. My birthday is one week after your's. I am also 18 with 34 years experience. ;)

[Sterling]

Gunther I think our birthdays are the same day! How excittttting :)

[Gunther]

@HeySeuss Thanks for putting this in the Characters tab. I referenced it a few times when I writing my post. Care to add Gino Palumbo? He is 6'5" tall and younger cousin to Vito.

[Plank Sinatra]

@POOHEAD189 Working up an introductory post now after a busy/uninspired few days, and just checking - your character is addressing Vivianne, right? It sounds like it given the depiction of the club and her role in it, but I just want to make sure you're not anticipating an NPC response or anything instead of what you get.