Tovarisch Syndicate
Description Seemingly split into several organizations the syndicate rules much of the docks in various ways. The Duraki act as a smoke screen filling the area with minor crime and surveillance, while the Prisyaga pull larger jobs and maintain the group’s reputation. Keeping things separate is the standard MO for this group and when attending moots they will typically appear as two separate groups, with one working under the other being an open secret.
Regalia A play on the Rubin Kazan football club dragon with синдикат(syndicate) written on one of the wings. Usually seen stenciled in Duraki stomping grounds and discreetly displayed in other venues.
Other names Also called the Russians, or simply the Syndicate, they also lay claim to several generalized pejorative nicknames.
History
The Tovarisch Syndicate first appeared in the united states in the late 1980s, but didn’t rise to prominence until 1994 after a not so small gang war for the docks of Ashton. While they started out with piracy, once they got a financial foothold they toned down their activities, moving them into a more towards the organized crime side of things. Now, after years of slowly getting their fingers in all kinds of business, they control most of the docks.
Funding
The Syndicate has to support its workforce through its own enterprise and capital, as such they have developed a robust portfolio over the decades. The Russians primary money maker is in extorting the port along side a diverse import and export operation, dealing in drugs, weapons, and an occasional stowaway. They also have a few money laundering businesses that can serve multiple purposes, including a garage the serves as a chop shop and diner that is protected under The League. The Syndicate’s operations have a rather modest net worth of about 7 billion USD.
Operations
Duraki (Initiates and Fools)
This is the group that makes up the bulk of the Syndicate’s numbers, recruiting with little to no scruples they are more of a self sustaining mob than any kind of organization. The main objective for individuals of this group is to catch the eye of one of the higher ups and become a part of the main organization. This group doesn’t get paid much but it’s enough that it’s favorable to working a minimum wage job. Throughout their territory you can find Duraki on street corners, in dive bars, and generally being a nuisance. The Duraki will use whatever weapons they can find, Pistols, bats, crowbars, etc.
Prisyaga (Bound by Oath)
This is one of the two main true groups of the Syndicate, being the front group that handle most of the muscle aspects of the organization. Every member is handpicked, and loyalty is their primary concern. Most of the members have been through some form of military training, either US or Russian military, or some form of police, some members are even former PRT officers.
One Prisyaga can muster a following of a couple dozen Duraki with ease. If there is a major operation going on odds are there are some Prisyaga there. All Prisyaga have sworn an oath of loyalty to the Syndicate. The Prisyaga pride themselves in their strength and will almost always be armed, if they are expecting an attack or guarding high profile goods the will have whatever rifle that member was trained to use, otherwise they are instructed to always have their side arm with them.
Del’tsy (Businessman)
The Del’tsy are the brains to the Prisyaga’s brawn. They handle the book keeping and white collar crimes of the organizations. While the upper echelons are vital to the inner workings of the Syndicate, the lower member of this group may not realize they are doing anything illegal. While they are a more intellectual group and members are not required to undergo military training, it is not unusual for one of them to carry a gun.
Prizraki (Ghosts)
Acting as both internal enforcers and a covert operations team, the Prizaki are one of the strongest assets in the Russian’s arsenal. Each of the 18 members was personally trained by the Tsar, and while they may not have any super human abilities, their training, cunning, and ruthlessness make them a difficult foe to contend with. In addition to this each member is outfitted with specialized tactical gear designed personally by the Syndicate's in house tinker.
Dramatis Personae
Yakim Zima: Tsar
Occupying both his own unique rank as the leader of the Russians, Tsar has effectively become Yakim’s cape name. Yakim has money and isn’t afraid to show it typically wearing expensive suits with his salt and pepper hair being the main marker for his older age, when in combat he takes whatever gear is appropriate denoting himself with his signature red broach for caped social occurrences. While he doesn’t have any powers, what he does have is an exceptional competence for tactics and training. A pioneer in cold war era anti-parahuman tactics, Tsar was known for both his success and ruthless tactics. Tsar runs the training program for the Prizraki, where the participants who fail either dropped out or died trying. Tsar is treated as either a stranger or a trump for most responses to him as thinker powers tend to be less accurate when he is involved for some reason.
Rae Zoya: Amarta
Amarta is the Russians in house or pet tinker depending on who you ask. She was kidnapped and raised by them, hooked on drugs to get her working for them. While her specialization lies in tracking and reconnaissance, the Russians have co-opted her into making weapons and armor. Originally she put devices on the gear in an attempt to escape, but now she is content to simply train up and coming prostitutes to pass her time. She doesn’t appear too malnourished but her fingers could certainly be described as skeleton like.
Gavriil Isaev: Uley
Operating at both the top of the Del’sty and as the face of the organization in most instances, Uley is usually the one to deliver threats on behalf of the Syndicate. Having triggered while already a member of the group this young man quickly rose through the ranks. He has the ability to create up to 7 duplicates of himself and can use them to both communicate and gain an awareness of the area a clone is in. He seems to to suffer no setbacks when a clone is destroyed, and they will be destroyed should they leave his range, other than losing most of the material possessions on the clone. Uley’s striking pinstripe suit and sleek white mask are made out of materials that allow them to duplicate with his clones, sadly his money and weapons cannot. When a clone is destroyed it turns into a black cloud and returns to Uley’s original body, the clone cannot be replace until the cloud has returned. Merciless and an excellent shot, Uley is the most feared member of the Syndicate.
Oliver “The Machine” Gadic
Oliver dropped out of the Prizraki training camp, finding himself falling more in love with raw strength than tactics. Oliver has become incredibly strong at 6’5 and 370lbs, he prides himself in his grip strength and ‘perfect’ steroid regimen. While he has no superpowers or cape costume the mistake is made often enough that his subordinates have given him his moniker The Machine. Oliver is a high ranking member of the Prisyaga.
Mabel Orlov: Perun
Perun is the redheaded stepchild of the Russians, almost literally. Her charming personality and vibrant red and yellow suit make her the face of the Russian’s rule abiding capes. Her power is a versatile static discharge which she can imbue into other objects or radiate around herself. She prefers not to kill, but her public persona and powers have earned her a seat in the inner circle.
Spartak Krupin: Varangian
Varangian is a bear of a man, he has hair everywhere you would expect and then some. He wears the standard red and yellow colors the capes have adopted, but cheaped out on the mask only wearing a hockey mask where his beard pokes out half the holes. Varangian is blessed with a modest durability such that when combined with his power he would only end up with scrapes from gunfire. His power displaces forces into the surrounding environment, mostly through the ground but he does light up on thermal in a fight, this aids him in performing superhuman feats of strength while on the ground.
Artyom Kozlov: Vasilek
Artyom is a man who appreciates order and cleanliness, and this bleeds over into his caped persona. Vasilek puts appearances at the forefront of his career sporting a very well maintained suit, sometimes taking hiatuses from cape work to clean his suit. The suit is a variant on Amarta’s other work with a focus on appearing a bit more large and intimidating, along with some snazzy tinted chrome highlights representing the gang colors. Vasilek is keen on the idea that he is a businessman first and is far less willing to break the unwritten rules without good cause. His power is one of the more destructive abilities in the Russian’s toolbox, as he can compress matter that he touches into red hot shells that he can launch at speeds over twice that of a major league fastball. While hurling ball of almost molten gunk at hundreds of miles an hour is his calling card, his value as an anti material Striker, causing things to fold in on themselves in small pieces, is not to be underestimated.