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Organized Crime and Tech Dealers

So I have two things I'm curious about. First, other than The New Purple Gang, are there any big name crime families? Talking Mafia style organized crime, like how DC has the Falcone and Maroni families.

Second thing I'm curious about is, are there any known Tech Dealers in CO, that supply Heroes, or Villains, with costumes and gadgets they might not be able to make on their own?

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  • bulgarexbulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User
    edited March 2021
    For tech dealers, please see the Champions Universe: Unique Character Origins thread, and scroll down to "Professional Armorers," for a summary of available resources. The book titled Cops, Crews, And Cabals describes a support organization for supervillains, named "Villainy Unlimited." Although it doesn't help supervillains commit crimes, it does provide legal representation, bail bonding, medical assistance, insurance, investment counseling (including setting up bank accounts under assumed names, but not money laundering), and design and construction of costumes. (There's a public relations firm called "CC Promotions" described in another book, Everyman, which includes costume design and construction for superheroes.)

    All the real-world criminal organizations exist on Champions Earth, but few of their members operate on the "supercrime" level that receives the most attention in Champions PnP sources, so they tend not to be prominently featured. But there certainly are representatives from the Mafia in the lore. The Bondi family used to run mob operations in Vibora Bay, but at his death their don, Flavio Bondi, designated Guy Sweetland as his successor. Sweetland had to engage in some conflicts with rivals, and negotiate with others, before his control of the VB mob was secure. As you can see in CO, he remains in charge decades later. (Those details are taken from the Vibora Bay source book.)

    According to the Millennium City source book, after the destruction and reconstruction of Detroit, and the influx of immigrants who often brought representatives of their own native crime groups, no one organization controls crime in MC or its suburbs. At the time the book was written, close to two decades ago, the closest thing the Mafia had to a leader in MC was veteran gangster Joseph Sorelli, who negotiated deals with the various crime groups. Sorelli planned to retire and turn his position over to his trusted advisor, Matthew Cresse. Barring unrevealed circumstances one may assume he did so by now. (Sorelli and Cresse are described but not game-statted in MC.)

    Perhaps the most prominent Mafia crime family in the "supervillain" game was the Scarlatti mob which controlled crime in Baltimore. For several years they patronized Dr. Sebastian Poe, the founder of PSI. In exchange for funding for his research Poe created several superpowered enforcers for Sam Scarlatti. But under the prodding of his mistress Madeline "Medusa" Bruner, Poe eventually used PSI to take over the Scarlatti operations. When Bruner and her lover Psimon betrayed Poe, all the elements of PSI loyal to him were also arrested, while Psimon and Medusa relocated to the new Millennium City with the remainder. Although not stated anywhere, I imagine that was the final nail in the coffin of the Scarlattis. (The preceding is summarized from the background for PSI in Champions Villains Volume Two: Villain Teams.)
  • I enjoyed this read and will benefit from the Villainy unlimited organization you outlined.

    I feel it's also important to note for role players that the Purple Gang is a historical real world organization with history in Detroit. I found that cool when looking into it. The 'New' in the Champs version led me to believe there was something more there either in Champs or real world history, and sure enough, The Purple Gang was a Jewish outfit founded in Detroit.
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