At Gamello's southern Moonrise Port, goods flood in every morning like water through a rainforest delta, feeding a vast and varied ecosystem of criminals, smugglers, thieves and underground crews. Here the grip of the law is weakest and residents are more likely to seek protection from their neighborhood bandits than Bluecoats or Shepards.
Sandwiched between far more powerful crews —the no-nonsense Ferrymen, the gleefully violent Sea Dogs, the sprawling and powerful Kingdom, the mysterious new so-called Orphans cult— is your humble little group: The House.
The House is named for its, well, unusual house, a ramshackle nailed-together bunch of structures attached to the underside of one of Port Gamello's oldest iron bridges.
At the very top of the House, directly under the bridge and most sheltered from the elements are the shared dining room, kitchen, study, and Mama's quarters.
As the crew has grown, level after level has been added below these original rooms, getting closer and closer to the water rushing by underneath. At this point, new rooms must be carefully waterproofed, as each night a few of the lowest-slung quarters are pounded by incoming waves, with some new crew members complaining that it's like sleeping in a submarine.
The crew is led by the House Mother —dubbed Mama—an honorary and gender-neutral title. The tier below Mama are known as Aunties, such as Auntie Richard, Mama's right-hand man, bodyguard, and particularly trusted confidante. Auntie, like Mama, is used in a gender-neutral way; it's a term of respect, and honor, hard-won.
Crew members call each other Cousin, or cuz. Particularly tight teams might call each other siblings, as a term of endearment — 'twins' would imply a partnership that's virtually inseparable, like a pickpocket and their lookout.
Some other Crew terms:
The House's turf is a tiny sliver: the bridge itself, a bit of surrounding water, and a toehold on either nearby island's coast. (The yellow part!)
Life is, frankly, really fucking hard. The House is constantly under pressure from much larger nearby gangs, perpetually broke (your home needs repairs, mouths need feeding, Bluecoats need bribing), and frequently scapegoated by a few detective Shepards that seem to have it out for Mama. And then there's this strange new cult coming out of East Hand that seems to have particular hostility for your crew...
But here's the good news. Unlike most other crews in this city, The House is a warm, trusting group. People say the reason The House hasn't risen up further in Gamello's criminal hierarchy is Mama's sentimentality: she never turns her back on a loyal member, no matter how hopeless the situation, and you all never seem to say no to a prospective new member in dire straits.
The House takes in all those who show up with clear eyes, a loyal heart, and a willingness to do the work. It doesn't make you the most feared or elite Crew in Gamello, but it does make you more of a family than most of your rivals.
You've heard rumors that decades ago Mama and The House (or maybe it was a different Mama? Unclear) ran half of Gamello and no one dared cross you. Something changed, though you aren't sure what.
A key part of character creation is figuring out how YOU were recruited. What debt do you owe Mama? What scrape did she get you out of? Is her hold on you a burden or a privilege? Every member of the crew has their own story.