New Smoke Gang

Summary

The New Smoke Gang is a violent criminal organization that seized control of New Smoke approximately two weeks before Session 8 of the campaign. The gang is immediately recognizable by their signature appearance: torn denim vests adorned with spikes. During their takeover, the gang engaged in widespread destruction and intimidation, burning homes, smashing merchant stalls, and forcibly removing residents from the settlement. Their reign established a protection racket throughout the New Smoke Aftermarket, where they force all merchants to pay daily tribute.

The gang operates under the command of a mysterious leader who controls operations from a heavily fortified town hall, surrounded by guard towers and floodlights. This leader maintains strict control over all salvage distribution in the settlement, centralizing the gang's economic power alongside their physical dominance.

Details

The New Smoke Gang maintains their control through visible presence and systematic intimidation. Gang members patrol the market area in numbers, their distinctive spiked denim vests serving as both uniform and warning. As observed during Session 8, multiple gang members mill about the aftermarket, maintaining the gang's oppressive presence throughout daily commerce.

The gang's recruitment methods include coercion and forced conscription. During their initial takeover, they took people away, with some residents joining their ranks—whether willingly or under duress remains unclear. The Meat Party vendor's nephew is one known example of someone recruited into the gang following the takeover.

The protection racket functions as a daily tax on all merchants operating in the aftermarket. This systematic exploitation has created widespread resentment among the merchant community, though the gang's violent reputation and visible force projection appear to prevent open resistance.

The gang's leadership structure remains partially obscured. While a single leader commands from the fortified town hall, the gang's operational hierarchy and the identity of this leader were not revealed during Session 8. The heavy fortifications surrounding the town hall—including guard towers and floodlights—suggest either significant paranoia or genuine threats to the leadership's security.

History

Session 8

The New Smoke Gang's presence dominated the atmosphere of the New Smoke Aftermarket during Vasso and Safia's visit to the settlement. Upon arriving at the market, the party immediately noticed gang members throughout the area, their spiked denim vests making them impossible to miss.

The party's awareness of the gang's oppressive rule prompted discussion about potential intervention. One party member suggested keeping watch for "these weird hustler guys that are making everybody sad," referring to the gang's protection racket and its effect on the merchant community. The relatively recent nature of the takeover—only a few weeks prior—led the party to consider that the situation might still be reversible, with one member noting, "it's only been a few weeks. We could probably help them."

The gang's control over salvage distribution and their fortified headquarters were identified as key elements of their power structure, though no direct confrontation occurred during this session. The party's recognition of the merchants' plight and the gang's "not cool" behavior established the New Smoke Gang as a potential future concern for the group's activities in the settlement.