C&C Copcast Admin (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
capeandcowlcop) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
capeandcowlpolice2012-02-04 09:43 pm
capeandcowlcop) wrote in capeandcowlpolice2012-02-04 09:43 pm
Entry tags:
Zero's Children
BACKGROUND
It is unclear to what extent ‘Zero’s Children’ are an organized crime group cloaking their self-serving actions in political rhetoric versus a paramilitary group sustaining themselves through criminal acts to further their agenda. Ultimately it comes down to how one defines such terms as ‘criminal’ or ‘terrorist’. For every member truly devoted to the cause there is another who is just in it for the money, and another who simply enjoys hurting people.
Officially, the former Russian colony of Dolvania is a constitutional monarchy recovering from a devastating plague with no problem with organized crime. Unofficially, the Dolvanian royal family has an authoritarian regime where the only criminals that can survive are those who support the government. Named after ‘Patient Zero,’ the originator of the Boils Death who they believe created modern Dolvania, Zero’s Children have an ultranationalist ideology where blind loyalty to the royal family is the only hope for the nation’s future. For the sake of this hope, they target Dolvanian dissidents at home and abroad for intimidation, extortion, theft and murder to suppress those who would threaten Dolvania with their ‘treason.’
The government turns a blind eye to their activities and treats the group as an urban legend at best. ZC acts as a sort of unofficial secret police, allowing the regime to maintain its image while sitting back and letting potential problems get ‘taken care of’ without any action needed. When ZC members are arrested and convicted at home, it’s usually the result of disciplinary action within the organization.
The group originated in acts of looting and assault against the ‘anarchist elements’ blamed for the Boils Death plague in 2002, as grieving citizens vented their rage against those they were told were responsible. Almost all members suffered somehow during the plague. Today, their sorrows find expression in their dedication to supporting their government through violent criminal acts. The group is mainly but not exclusively composed of Russian-ethnic males between the ages of 20-40.
Zero’s Children has spread overseas in its pursuit of power over the Dolvanian diaspora- many dissidents flee the country to speak out against the regime, but they can’t flee the Children. Since most of its members have no criminal record at home, they can travel with ease throughout the world unhindered by the usual customs. This is particularly the case with America, which is a Dolvanian ally through the Vulcanus organization.
THE CHILDREN IN THE CITY
Wherever the Children establish themselves abroad, they operate with incredible ruthlessness, freed of the constraints of functioning in the country they think they’re defending. Blackmail, fraud, counterfeiting, kidnapping, contract killing, bribing public officials, trafficking in narcotics, weapons, and human beings, straightforward theft, there is no crime they will not commit to fund themselves and their cause. And now they are beginning to appear in the City, carving out a place for themselves in its underworld.
Appearance-wise, they try to blend in: dark, loose-fitting clothing, no flashy jewelry. Most of them have small, concealed Cyrillic tattoos somewhere on their body, professing their devotion to the nation and the Queen. They favour military-style haircuts or baldness, and grow or shave facial hair as needed for evading the law. EDIT: Due to popular demand, there are some 'fringe' members of Zero's Children with very silly/awesome 90's style mullets. Like Superman or Mel Gibson.
They are all in good physical shape and have had some form of training. All of them have gone through some kind of political indoctrination in nationalist ideology. Many have some form of post-secondary education, often political. Drug or alcohol abuse is uncommon.
Most of them live solitary lives and avoid personal entanglements outside of the group. Their financial situation is usually comfortable, but they take low-profile jobs that give them alibis and time to indulge their extracurriculars. Many Children are employed by a small import/export front company that handles Dolvanian products entering the City.
The organization’s culture is based around arrogance, paranoia, ruthlessness, and discipline. Foreigners are looked upon with contempt and suspicion, although always quietly. The Children are not a group defined by social relationships, but there are strong bonds between members of professionalism and shared ideology. They take great pains to maintain secrecy, employing high-tech electronics and complex code systems and hand signals. It is extremely difficult to get information out of captured hardcore members.
In terms of its ‘business’, Zero’s Children does not bother with maintaining or claiming any specific territory. The Group tries to keep its activities low-profile and deniable for its government, to maintain its ‘urban legend’ status at home. However, whenever they run into opposition, they crush it. Rival gangs, police, it doesn’t matter- no mercy, no hesitation, no restraint. They have little interest in playing or subverting the system beyond bribing and intimidating officials. They consider themselves above the law, they hold it in contempt. They usually resist capture and fight instead of surrender. Zero’s Children are heavily-armed, highly vicious, and extremely dangerous.
STRUCTURE
ZC structure is centralized and based around paramilitary cells. Each cell focuses on a specific task, but not exclusively- if the Direct Action (assassination) cell needs weapons, they don’t have to go through the Defense (arms dealing) cell to get them. This prevents bottlenecking and keeps the organization flexible. The cells know little about one another for the sake of security. They are joined together by the Command cell, the nerve center of the group. Command coordinates the other cells and has authority to communicate with the rest of ZC back in Dolvania. Very rarely does the entire group come together to cooperate on something. When it does, it is something extremely serious, an all-out gang war or a massive hit.
ZC membership is divided into two categories: ‘core’ and ‘fringe.’ Everything described so far applies to the ‘core’ members, Dolvanian nationals dedicated to the organization. Yet most of the Children’s people in the City are ‘fringe’- people native to the City recruited into cells to perform basic tasks and serve as the outward face of the group, allowing the ‘core’ an extra layer of secrecy and security. Most cell members are fringe- only Command is exclusively Core, and it is the cell with the most muscle and the most involvement in political activities.
Fringe members are chosen for criminal records, few scruples, and the willingness to keep their mouths shut and not ask questions in exchange for money. Most fringe members know very little about who they’re working for, which is how the Children like it. They are simply told ‘drive this, steal that, watch here, guard there.’ They are also selected for a lack of ties to other criminal groups- the Children have no tolerance for divided loyalties. Punishments for fringe members suspected of compromising the group are harsh, but rewards are generous enough to attract recruits. While most fringe are small-time non-professional crooks, the category also includes specialized professionals contracted for particular skills, such as forgers or ‘cleaners.’
The leadership of the organization is based around the ‘starshina,’ or master sergeant. A Starshina leads each cell, and the Command Starshina is in control of the overall organization. However, there is no Zero’s Children ‘don’ or ‘crime lord-‘ defeating the organization means more than taking down the highest-ranking member. Cells have enough autonomy to continue operating if Command is neutralized.
It is unclear to what extent ‘Zero’s Children’ are an organized crime group cloaking their self-serving actions in political rhetoric versus a paramilitary group sustaining themselves through criminal acts to further their agenda. Ultimately it comes down to how one defines such terms as ‘criminal’ or ‘terrorist’. For every member truly devoted to the cause there is another who is just in it for the money, and another who simply enjoys hurting people.
Officially, the former Russian colony of Dolvania is a constitutional monarchy recovering from a devastating plague with no problem with organized crime. Unofficially, the Dolvanian royal family has an authoritarian regime where the only criminals that can survive are those who support the government. Named after ‘Patient Zero,’ the originator of the Boils Death who they believe created modern Dolvania, Zero’s Children have an ultranationalist ideology where blind loyalty to the royal family is the only hope for the nation’s future. For the sake of this hope, they target Dolvanian dissidents at home and abroad for intimidation, extortion, theft and murder to suppress those who would threaten Dolvania with their ‘treason.’
The government turns a blind eye to their activities and treats the group as an urban legend at best. ZC acts as a sort of unofficial secret police, allowing the regime to maintain its image while sitting back and letting potential problems get ‘taken care of’ without any action needed. When ZC members are arrested and convicted at home, it’s usually the result of disciplinary action within the organization.
The group originated in acts of looting and assault against the ‘anarchist elements’ blamed for the Boils Death plague in 2002, as grieving citizens vented their rage against those they were told were responsible. Almost all members suffered somehow during the plague. Today, their sorrows find expression in their dedication to supporting their government through violent criminal acts. The group is mainly but not exclusively composed of Russian-ethnic males between the ages of 20-40.
Zero’s Children has spread overseas in its pursuit of power over the Dolvanian diaspora- many dissidents flee the country to speak out against the regime, but they can’t flee the Children. Since most of its members have no criminal record at home, they can travel with ease throughout the world unhindered by the usual customs. This is particularly the case with America, which is a Dolvanian ally through the Vulcanus organization.
THE CHILDREN IN THE CITY
Wherever the Children establish themselves abroad, they operate with incredible ruthlessness, freed of the constraints of functioning in the country they think they’re defending. Blackmail, fraud, counterfeiting, kidnapping, contract killing, bribing public officials, trafficking in narcotics, weapons, and human beings, straightforward theft, there is no crime they will not commit to fund themselves and their cause. And now they are beginning to appear in the City, carving out a place for themselves in its underworld.
Appearance-wise, they try to blend in: dark, loose-fitting clothing, no flashy jewelry. Most of them have small, concealed Cyrillic tattoos somewhere on their body, professing their devotion to the nation and the Queen. They favour military-style haircuts or baldness, and grow or shave facial hair as needed for evading the law. EDIT: Due to popular demand, there are some 'fringe' members of Zero's Children with very silly/awesome 90's style mullets. Like Superman or Mel Gibson.
They are all in good physical shape and have had some form of training. All of them have gone through some kind of political indoctrination in nationalist ideology. Many have some form of post-secondary education, often political. Drug or alcohol abuse is uncommon.
Most of them live solitary lives and avoid personal entanglements outside of the group. Their financial situation is usually comfortable, but they take low-profile jobs that give them alibis and time to indulge their extracurriculars. Many Children are employed by a small import/export front company that handles Dolvanian products entering the City.
The organization’s culture is based around arrogance, paranoia, ruthlessness, and discipline. Foreigners are looked upon with contempt and suspicion, although always quietly. The Children are not a group defined by social relationships, but there are strong bonds between members of professionalism and shared ideology. They take great pains to maintain secrecy, employing high-tech electronics and complex code systems and hand signals. It is extremely difficult to get information out of captured hardcore members.
In terms of its ‘business’, Zero’s Children does not bother with maintaining or claiming any specific territory. The Group tries to keep its activities low-profile and deniable for its government, to maintain its ‘urban legend’ status at home. However, whenever they run into opposition, they crush it. Rival gangs, police, it doesn’t matter- no mercy, no hesitation, no restraint. They have little interest in playing or subverting the system beyond bribing and intimidating officials. They consider themselves above the law, they hold it in contempt. They usually resist capture and fight instead of surrender. Zero’s Children are heavily-armed, highly vicious, and extremely dangerous.
STRUCTURE
ZC structure is centralized and based around paramilitary cells. Each cell focuses on a specific task, but not exclusively- if the Direct Action (assassination) cell needs weapons, they don’t have to go through the Defense (arms dealing) cell to get them. This prevents bottlenecking and keeps the organization flexible. The cells know little about one another for the sake of security. They are joined together by the Command cell, the nerve center of the group. Command coordinates the other cells and has authority to communicate with the rest of ZC back in Dolvania. Very rarely does the entire group come together to cooperate on something. When it does, it is something extremely serious, an all-out gang war or a massive hit.
ZC membership is divided into two categories: ‘core’ and ‘fringe.’ Everything described so far applies to the ‘core’ members, Dolvanian nationals dedicated to the organization. Yet most of the Children’s people in the City are ‘fringe’- people native to the City recruited into cells to perform basic tasks and serve as the outward face of the group, allowing the ‘core’ an extra layer of secrecy and security. Most cell members are fringe- only Command is exclusively Core, and it is the cell with the most muscle and the most involvement in political activities.
Fringe members are chosen for criminal records, few scruples, and the willingness to keep their mouths shut and not ask questions in exchange for money. Most fringe members know very little about who they’re working for, which is how the Children like it. They are simply told ‘drive this, steal that, watch here, guard there.’ They are also selected for a lack of ties to other criminal groups- the Children have no tolerance for divided loyalties. Punishments for fringe members suspected of compromising the group are harsh, but rewards are generous enough to attract recruits. While most fringe are small-time non-professional crooks, the category also includes specialized professionals contracted for particular skills, such as forgers or ‘cleaners.’
The leadership of the organization is based around the ‘starshina,’ or master sergeant. A Starshina leads each cell, and the Command Starshina is in control of the overall organization. However, there is no Zero’s Children ‘don’ or ‘crime lord-‘ defeating the organization means more than taking down the highest-ranking member. Cells have enough autonomy to continue operating if Command is neutralized.