Maffi / Zhao

Based out of the continent of New Kala'uun is the Twi'lek mafia clan: Maffi and its non-Twi'lek subdivision: The Brotherhood of Zhao.

IC
Thematically Maffi / Zhao is an Underworld Organized Crime Syndicate with galactic reach, a plethora of operation types and business opportunities. It is dedicated to the advancement of the Twi'lek criminal agenda, and has made a place for itself in the thriving underworlds of most major systems including Corellia, Coruscant, Kashyyyk, Etti IV, Bonadan and Tatooine. Based out of New Kala'uun, Etti IV the Maffi Syndicate has only grown since its recent inception under the rule of Tyy'sun Eson after his fall from the leadership of the shadowy Black Sun Syndicate.

OOC
For the MUSH, Maffi / Zhao org provides a place to RP the underworld in a story-focused fashion, bringing the fringe to life in a unique, mafia style. We provide an antagonist to the heroes of the galaxy and seek to be known as one of the best orgs for RP and dramatic story out there with an underworld theme.

Zhao Shipping Systems


Zhao Shipping Systems is the primary front company of the Brotherhood of Zhao and Maffi. It provides shipping services to a number of Corellian system worlds and huals frieght from one end of the Galaxy to the other in any given day. One of its most lucrative long term contracts is that of providing primary resource and cargo allocation services to the Resources Division of the Corporate Sector. This contract, forged by Tyy'sun Eson and Corey Cochrane, provides ZSS with a foothold on CSA territory for the purposes of smuggling elicit contraband, narcotics, slaves and misallocation of Corporate Sector Authority assets. As such it is the perfect setup for a steady income of underworld revenue in the guise of a perfectly legitamate and respectable service. ZSS pilots and staff are all granted a citizenry within the various CSA worlds and recieve a weekly paycheck according to their duties and position from Resources Division. Pilots are expected to maintain a professional conduct while in the Corporate Sector, especially when on duty, and uber-especially while conducting the various illegal activities assigned to them by Maffi while on the job.

ZSS Holds its primary office on Corellia in the Brotherhood of Zhao compound located in the slums of Coronet City. However, many of its more legitamate front operations are managed from the office building/warehouse located in the Industrial district of the planet Bonadan in the Corporate Sector. ZSS also makes regular use of the deepspace Rendili Bulk Carrier Cruiser -Remittance- for both pragmatic and illicit needs.

Zhao Shipping Systems is often whispered in the fringe and mainstream ranks of galactic society alike as being an agressive company that is not beneath unscrupulous and violent competitive strategies. Its primary competition: Galactic Transport Systems and FLS have both felt the sting of seemingly random pirate attacks durring deepspace freight hauls, but little hard evidence is available to prove ZSS is behind any of the attacks.

IC Operations
The Maffi Syndicate dips its lekku into every convievable operation in the Galactic Underworld. The following is a list of its more successful and focused operation types. Use this information as inspiration for your role-play on the grid. All information found in this section is OOC only - your character only knows what they have encountered ICly or have been told personally. If your character is not involved with Maffi / Zhao either as a member or interactor and you would like to be, please contact Tyy'sun Eson on the MUSH and he will be happy to arrange a storyline with you.

Illegal immigration


Illegal Immigration is a huge forum for money making and obtaining cheap labor from the myriad Sentients across the Galaxy. Moving from one system to another is something many beings cannot afford, or do legally, or do at all due to various circumstance. That is where Maffi comes in. Maffi can transport many beings secretly off world, smuggling them away and to whatever system, and across whatever political borders these immigrants wish. They pay what fees they can and are smuggled into worlds and deployed en mass by ZSS freighters, or other deceptive means of transportation. The amount of currency generated by this practice is immense - but so too are the opportunities to control the illegal immigrants.

For example, if a small load of would be immigrants wishes to relocate to a distant world illegally, Maffi can provide that transportation, smuggle the beings into the target system, and then charge them a set price as a debt. This price will typically be more than the illegal immigrant can pay, and so Maffi will then inform the Sentient they are required to work off their debt by contributing to whatever labor is required in the criminal practices Maffi is involved in within that system. Often this is prostitution, theft, manual labor, battle against rival entities, drug running etc. Once the immigrant has payed off the debt, they are left alone and set free to make their own way within the system. This form of exploitation is very common, provides for cheap assets, and illegal immigrants do not go to the local authorities from a combination of the fear of deportation and violent retribution from Maffi.

Slaving


Slavery is a reality, not just within the Twi'lek culture, but in the Galaxy at large. Maffi has operations both trading in Sentient slaves, capturing potential slaves, and laundering the profits of other slaver groups through reinvestment. There are various forms of Slavery in the Galaxy and this section will describe a few.

Traditional Slavery is the most commonly notorious form, involving unwilling captives who's lives have been forcefully dedicated to the labor put forth to them by their owners and masters. Often Sentients such as Twi'leks are taken from their homeworlds and smuggled to other worlds where they are either sold off or used by their captors. The slave market, while a dark and ominous trade, is non-the-less a very real operation. Some of the work the slaves of Maffi might be made to do include Mining, Drug running, Prostitution, various forms of Manual Labor or servitude.

Debt Bondage accounts for much of the slavery within the Corporate Sector but also many less financially wealthy systems and worlds. It is a classic form of slavery, ussually associated with loan sharking. The original debt, which may have started out as a small and manageable one, through exorbitant interest or "extras" entangles the borrower in a way they never understood or foresaw. It is typologically similar to the sweat-shop or sex worker, whose earnings are withheld to repay their trafficker; the mule who is forced to carry drugs to repay a debt to Maffi loan sharks; or the small Tatooine or Nar Shaddaa business owners who are forced to borrow at impossible rates from the Maffi becuase bank loans are not available, and who eventually have to perform criminal "favors" in return.

Punishment Within Maffi of those members who have betrayed the Syndicate, or fail to meet expectations has sometimes, but rarely, been employed in the form of temporary terms of slavery to other Maffi members or operations. All Sentient rights and authority is stript of the being in volation and they are then shipped to the facility or owner to which they will spend a set amount of time working off their punishment. Needless to say, members of the Maffi who undergo this punishment learn their lessons quickly, and are not privy to future failures lightly.

Trafficking in Sentient Biology


Maffi also exploits another desperate Sentient condition - illness. Acting as middleman for those who need organ trsnplants, Maffi charges high prices to the patient needing an organ, and underpay or dupe the organ donor. The sale of Sentient body parts is illegal in most systems, though in some, including Tatooine and some lower levels of Nar Shaddaa, organ sales are carried out fairly openly. Some philosophical and religious minded cultures prohibit the mutilation of the body, so their populations often contain a constand demand for organs.

Although hearts, livers, lungs and lekku are sometimes sold, kidneys are the most popular organs for trafficking as there is a great demand for them, and they can be supplied by a live donor. Occasionally kidneys from cadavers are bought illegally, but survival rates for patients who recieve a kidney from a live donor are far better, so the market in Human and other Sentient organs is a profitable one. Traffickers naturally prefer not to pay for the organs they sell. IGN and other investigative and news organizations have repeatedly investigated cases of young Sentients apparently killed for their organs, especially in Independent worlds and various slums of the more powerful Systems.

Illegal Arms Trade


Arms trafficking has a long history, but during the last 15 years due to the Galactic Civil War it has mushroomed into a transgalactic business on a huge scale, largely controlled by organized crime groups. Maffi has its lekku dipped into this process and is experiencing dividends. The opening of borders, the collapse of currancies and the growth of terrorist groups with access to funds have all played their part. With the breakup of the Empire, some systems found themselves in possession of vast supplies of weapons. These weapons have found their way across the galaxy and into the underworld and a veritable market has formed in the years to follow.

Selling Arms to Both Sides. Maffi arms dealers are rarely concerned with the politics of the wars in which their weapons are used. Maffi sold arms to the Yasko government in the Yanti system and to the Blarge group that opposed it. The complexity of bank arrangements that Maffi create to cover itself and the lack of intragalactic law enforcement make it a highly profitable business.

Diamonds, Gemstones, and Precious Metals
Diamonds, gold and platinum are high value, intergalactic acceptable mediums of exhange, second only to hard currany in terms of their convenience for illegal trading. Unlike weapons, diamonds require no end user certificate and are vitually untraceable. Many of the smuggled diamonds and gems are used to fun the illegal importation of weapons and drugs. Outer Rim systems are often divided between private armies who fund their military operations with smuggled diamonds and gold. The people subject to these warlords are forced to mine the commodities to perpetuate the fighting. Maffi's own supply of slaves and manual laborors and mines are also put to use in the same way.

Smuggling diamonds and gems is quite simple. Bags of uncut stones are transported from their place of origin, split into smaller packages and shipped to one of the major diamond markets, such as Nar Shaddaa or Coruscant's undercity. In the last 10 years, Diamonds and other gems have replaced gold and platinum as the most smuggled commodity becuase metals are difficult to refine and transport.

The Starship Racket


There are two main types of ship thieves. The first is the joyrider who looks for vehicles to steal as a form of temporary transportation, and who then abandon them. The second is the professional who steals specific vehicles and ships to order, either to export or to sell on, having changed its identity, for example, the ship may be re-hulled, re-sprayed, modified and resold with different transponder codes and identification numbers.

The creation of the New Republic and the aftermath of the Galactic Civil War, along with the opening up of new borders has made the work of Maffi in stolen ships and vehicles much easier. Huge bulk frieghters through ZSS like Remittance allow stolen ships to be moved around the Galaxy easily and speedily. A stolen ship can be taken across several systems before the owner has realized it has been taken and informed the local authorities. Intergalactic ship crime is organized, complex, lucrative and growing.

Examples of the Maffi Racket include the movement on Tatooine of a large number of land speeders which had been stolen from Coruscant; a number of stolen Lambda shuttles shipped back to Corellia and sold at prices lower than their market value and the storing on the Smuggler's Moon of YT-1300's and Sarhdak Light Cruisers enroute to the far Outer Rim territories.

Smuggling Rare Animals


The illegal trade in animals is worth billions of credits each year. It is said to be the third most lucrative form of Galactic smuggling after drugs and arms. Most of the smuggled animals go to scientists or pet collectors, though there is an increasing trend for them to be sold for fur, potions, or ornaments. Most rare animals are sold to the Corporate Sector market, though they are also popular with New Republicans and Imperials.

Rare animals are ussually cuaght by local poachers who are paid a trifling amount by Maffi for their efforts. Maffi then smuggles the animals abroad. The animals often die on the jouney, which is hardly suprising given that they are often stuffed into small bags or containers. Animals are also sent by mail, and sales may be arranged over cyberspace.

The reason for the smuggling and sale of these animals is very simple: profit. Some breeds of rare creatures can sell for as much as 70,000cr. In CSA markets green Rykrits and Stoopa Birds are sold alongside Yellow Snakes. On Coruscant one can buy Haphogs and small jungle finches. Advice about how to smuggle them home is often thrown in for free. Many of the animals come from the Mutanda Jungle. The variety of illegal animals available for purchase around the Galaxy is endless and continues to increase.

Protected Animal Meat
During a check of the cargo on a transport from Mutanda to Coruscant in 13 ABY, customs officers found several duracases leaking blood. Inside they discovered 2.5 tonnes of meat in 56 bags. Womp rat, antelope, chicken, prok, bat, fish, live crabs and snails, Nabooian sheep carcasses, and "Mut Meat" are just some of the delicacies illegally imported into Coruscant.

The term "Mut Meat" is used to describe the flesh of animals which are killed illegally, notably endangered species such as Kashyyyk gorillas and chimpanzees, which are being hunted to extinction. Meat smuggled into Coruscant via Corusca starport can be found for sale as far away as the undercity and Abbysal Ruins and is regularly found openly for sale in the Subteranean Bazaar.

It is estimated that many tonnes of illegal meat products are smuggled into the New Republic each year. There are obvious health risks to the final consumers in this trade. The meat is not transported in refrigerated freighters unless ZSS has utilized a few of their better outfitted YT-1300's for the haul. Animals often carry infectious deseases while other animals may carry snapeworms, giadia and malisarmonella.

Throughout many areas of the Outer Rim, mut meat is important as a source of affordable food and only secondly as an opportunity for trade. As the availability of mut meat declines, more species are hunted, and commercial trading is replacing local consumption. Rykrit used to be popular on Ryloth, but since numbers have declined hunters now go for animals that were at one time taboo, such as hippokatamus and zooopasha donkeys.

Indeed Maffi not only makes it possibel for hunters to access new areas, but also supply transport, ammunition and guns.

Extortion and Protection
Both Extortion and Protection are crimes with long histories and are lucrative sources of revenue for Maffi. Extortion is demanding money from an individual or a business, which, if not paid, will result in the individual or business being physically or financially harmed. Protection is money paid on a regular basis to Maffi to "protect" the individual or business from other criminals. In many cases the percieved 'other criminals' is a threat staged by Maffi itself to frighten the subject into compliance.

Extortion can range from the school bully demanding another student's lunch money to a mob such as Maffi extracting payment from immigrants newly arrived in the Corporate Sector or New Republic. Protection can be the local store paying 100cr a week to a Maffi cell or a large employer paying hundreds of thousands to ensure harmonious labor relations.

Case Study: In 13 ABY, Maffi helped newly arrived Twi'leks in New Kala'uun to find homes and work. The head clan of New Kala'uun was becomming infiltrated by Maffi members, the foremost of which was Tyy'sun Eson. By 14 ABY Tyy'sun had become the chairman of the Headclan and filled the New Kala'uun continent and offices with many of his criminal associates. Many Twi'lek immigrants, especially from Ryloth, are leaned on to pay a percentage of their weekly wage to Maffi extortionists, fearing violence and the loss of their jobs. Small businesses such as grocers, the apothacary and tattoo shop also pay "protection."

However Maffi is not confined to New Kala'uun. There are Maffi cells in nearly all major systems led by Lieutenents of varying degrees of power and influence. The Abbysal Ruins sector of Coruscant is one such breeding ground of Maffi influence that is growing today, and small businesses in the lower parts of the undercity are feeling the brunt of maffi Extortion and Protection.

On Bonadan, in the Corporate Sector Maffi wanted to make all importers and freighters pay a percentage to guarentee trouble-free loading and unloading of their goods. Violence and terror was the order of the day. One Resources Division man had his head pushed into a lighted stove to encourage compliance with the Maffi demands.

Blackmail
Blackmail is a simple crime. Maffi threatens to expose a Sentient's guilty secret unless money is paid or favors are granted. The payment or favor can be a "one off," or demands may carry on for an indeterminate period. Maffi is in control once the victim has agreed to their terms. The expression "blackmail" derives from the extortionist practice of threatening a victim by sending a letter with the imprint of a black hand on it. In the modern Galaxy, where politicians and public servants often lead lives under the continual gaze of a public fascinated by scandal, the least indiscretion, if disclosed, can lead to ruin.

Therefore, Maffi exploits the weaknesses of those that can grease the wheels of its illicit activities. This is particularly true of the Outer Rim where the salaries of officials are low and the rewards for cooperating with criminals high. The "gift" of a luxury speeder or of a vacation in return for a small favor may lead to an increase in the favors demanded in return. Similarly, the "honey trap," where an apparently happily married official is lured into a sexually compromising situation and then treatened with public humiliation unless favors are granted is an oft-employed tactic of the Maffi Syndicate.

The geographic region of the Galaxy determines the nature of the blackmail. In the Corporate Sector, where profit is the law - Executives are blackmailed with the threat of exposure to the CSA of their own financial crimes. In the New Republic, where politics abound and Senators from countless worlds are steeped in public scrutiny and democracy - Character assasination is the key.

Greenmail
Greenmail takes part of its name from the color of standard Corporate Sector credit chips. It describes the practice of buying shares in a company that is the target of a hostile takeover bid, and threatening to support the predator unless a financial reward is recieved. The payoff can be in cash or the purchase of the shares at an inflated price. It is in fact corporate blackmail, but it is legal.

Given the huge amount of revenue Maffi often times commands via its many operations and the fact that they need to launder those funds, in the less well-regulated financial markets of the Galaxy there are Maffi-backed corporate raiders who are manipulating their assets in just this way. The essence of greenmail is that it is not technically illegal and it offers another point of entry for dirty money into a cleaner arena of operations.

Credit Laundering


In some circumstances, depending on the laws of a system, the greatest problem facing Maffi cells is how to legitimize their profits. In systems where banking is in its infancy, the simplest solution is to take over a bank. This is the case in some Outer Rim worlds where Maffi cells have bought or coerced their way into small banks and bureaux de change, which they use as conduits through which to process their cash.

For example providing illicit spice earns large amounts of cash that needs to be "cleaned up" in Emperial, CSA or New Republic controlled worlds where spice is highly illegal to smuggle and trade. The cleaning or 'laundering,' as it is known, requires that the money passes through some apparently cash rich legitimate business, such as a restaurant, shipping company, charity or a bank.

In the current underworld climate, Maffi credit laundering is a complex process, involving shell companies, tax havens, orders for non-existent products or services, corrupt or inept officials, bribery and huge amounts of credits moving in and out of bank accounts all over the Galaxy and Corporate Sector at mind-bumbing speed. One such operation is through Schaum, Yfarg, Welbig, Fabrico and Associates - a large Twi'lek based company from Ryloth which re-invests Maffi slave trade profits in the Corporate Sector. Sarhavian Eson is one of the enablers of this particular example.

Holdings
The following is a list of places controlled and facilitated by Maffi and Zhao generally in the context of it's front and underworld identity and use.


 * SCAV Remittance

New Kala'uun


New Kala'uun is a continent island on Etti IV, owned and run exclusively by Twi'leks. It is the second largest settlement of Twi'leks in the known galaxy next to that of Ryloth itself.

The continent is a base of operations for the Maffi Syndicate, who not only lives and recruits there, but has nestled its Ruling Council into the very governing bodies of the settlement and play a large role in the continent's overall politics and legislation.

Eson Manor
Eson Manor rests on the Western Coast beaches of New Kala'uun, and presides as a safe house, headquarters and meeting place for Maffi and Zhao. Home to Tyy'sun Eson himself, yet also a business hub and waypoint, this structure is about as close as Maffi gets to 'home base'. Many meetings are held there, and many briefings and debriefings. If you are a Soldier or higher in rank - then you know where Eson Manor is and have a pass to enter. If you are a Pledge or Worker, chances are you either dont know it exists, or are a serving staff there.

Golden 'Shroom Casino


Kassottak City: Golden 'Shroom Casino -- Kashyyyk

Front: Nestled in The Annex, a mushroom farming community within Kassottak City and located near fields of illegal plants, the guady Golden 'Shroom curtails to the gambling vices of the surrounding community, commanding a handsome income for Maffi and Zhao, yet retains a legitimate stature and presence to those who do not know how to look deeper into the grapevine of the thriving betting tables.

Underworld: Aside from the obvious gambling operations, legal and illegal which are facilitated here, a booky ops, prostitution ring and credit laundering ops grace the shadows of this Syndicate holding. Private meeting rooms are available to Maffi and Zhao members of Soldier rank and higher, and a safe room for hiding out is also available.

Hotel Acacia


Hotel Acacia - Kashyyyk

Front: The famous Hotel Acacia - Home to the many tourists who populate the city throughout the year. Raising tall among the bustling tourist areas of Wrookrrorro city, the hotel provides a more than modest income from the industry, as travelers and visitors to the great New Republic world require a place to rest or relax. Hotel Acacia is a legitimate and thriving business on the surface.

Underworld: Maffi and Zhao members utilize this Hotel in facilitation of Kashyyyk operations, as a safe house, a black market sales depot and credit laundering waypoint. Members at the Soldier rank and higher stay for free. Lieutenants have authority over the day to day operations within, should it suit their operational needs. But the front and legitimate end of this holding must be kept within its proper Masquarade - so blatent facilitation of underworld activites and operations is prohibited by the Maffi Council.

IC Structure
The Maffi/ Zhao org IC Structure consists of Ranks and Positions. Cells and Divisions

Ranks
Ruling Council: The Maff Ruling Council is shrouded in secrecy, but most members of the Syndicate can say a few things about it with certainty: 1. It is chaired by Tyy'sun Eson. 2. It is exclusively Twi'lek. The Ruling Council is the mastermind behind the Maffi and Zhao Syndicate and is the highest Authority within. It's full membership is largely unknown, even by 'made' Maffi and Zhao associates.

Lieutenants: All Lieutenants are 'made'. Each Maffi Cell is lead by a Lieutenent, and most groupings of Syndicate teams and missions are lead by at least one Lieutenant. These beings are the cream of the crop in the Syndicate - they command the most power, aside from the Ruling Council, and they understand the most. They are to be respected at all times, and their edicts and commands on the field are to be followed to the letter. It is often the ambition of Enforcers and Soldiers to reach this covetted position within the Syndicate. Many have died trying to get there, as only the most loyal, most willing to put themselves into harm's way and most capable ever attain the rank of Lieutenant.

Enforcer: Enforcers are members who are more respected and empowered than Soldiers, and often many of them have attainted the position of 'made'. These beings are understood to be implimentors of edicts from the Ruling Council, and are often employed as messengers, containing a seal of authenticity from from the Council - or missions in which they exact punishment and vengeance on Syndicate members and outsiders alike when the wrath of the council has been awakened for one reason or another.

Soldier: The mainstay of Maffi - soldiers make up the majority of operatives in the Syndicate. They are fully accepted as members, which no question as to their loyalty. Most soldiers are not 'made' members of the organization, but rather comprise the vast array of informants, fighters, smugglers, lawyers, business executives, footmen and many untold other positions within. They understand the nature of the Syndicate, and are responsible for the labor and warfare which forges it's success. They are obediant to their superiors, and excercise authority over workers and pledges. When a Maffi solder walks into a room, those workers and pledges who are aware of their status will show the respect deserving of a being who often puts their life on the line in the field, and who's personal stake and investment into the Syndicate is far deeper than cassual. Soldiers are looked on with Honor by all Syndicate memebrs, and disrespect to a Soldier by Workers or Pledges is never tolerated.

Worker: Workers are a specialty class. Most Maffi members do participate in this rank, at least for a short time - but many sentients under the class of 'worker' are laymen and specialists, technicians and lawyers, who have little to no understanding of the true nature of their employers. In this way, workers are equivalent to pledges in terms of underworld authority and operations. Unlike pledges, however, workers often command a higher pay, having found their niche and enjoy their positions with no ambitions of advancement in a Syndicate sense. Many workers are not even aware they work for a criminal organization at all, and only know the front business or particular service they are concerned with.

Pledge: A pledge is a newly recruited individual who commands no authority, understands next to nothing about the Syndicate, and is often tested in various ways to ensure their integrety and focus is conducive to the organization. Pledges are typically of a criminal element and at least understand that they are entering the ranks of an illicit organization, and harbor ambitions for advancement therein.

Twi'janii: The Twi'janii are honored guest members of the family, who are loyal, yet permitted to have external loyalties. These members are often very powerful individuals from the Galaxtic arena.

Divisions
Maffi: The Twi'lek Mafia, chaired by the ruling council, consists of Twi'lek's from New Kala'uun and abroad who all pool their resources to form a thriving, wealthy Organized Crime Syndicate with the intent of ruling the Galactic underworld and furthing the criminal agendas of its membership base.

Zhao: The Brotherhood of Zhao is the Non-Twi'lek division of the Maffi Syndicate. Non-Twi'leks cannot attain positions on the ruling council of the Maffi - only Twi'leks are afforded that elite opportunity. However, there are positions of leadership and importance throughout Zhao for non-Twi'leks as that branch is of great prominence to the overall success of the org. Maffi and Zhao form a symbiate circle - and neither properly functions without the other. Members of the Brotherhood of Zhao are often referred to by the Twi'lek Maffi as Kocceille Twi'lek or "friend of the Twi'lek" as translated to Basic.

Cells
Maffi / Zhao operations abroad are organized into Cells, which are typically designated by the System in which they operate and the type of operation.

Examples: Coruscant Extortion Corellian Starship Racket Rishi Slaving Kashyyyk Smuggling ops

All Cells are led by at least one Lieutenant who is knowledgable about the system and specializes on the operation type being performed. Cells often contain large numbers of Soldiers, depending on the needs of the operation, and an assortment of legitimate workers, should there be a front business required to shield the Cell from public scrutiny.

OOC Org Policy
Org policy is implemented to both protect the org, and to present a realistic criminal environment for characters and storytelling. An organized crime syndicate is a dangerous territory to be involved in. It demands loyalty, commits grave acts, contains many secrets and is very serious about itself. Involvement in a crime syndicate is both rewarding and a gamble. Failure to perform to the expectations of its rulers can lead to unfortunate punishments, while success can lead to great wealth and power. Criminal masterminds are penned for their paranoia and members of their syndicates are penned for their short life spans. If you are not interested in this type of story or org, then Maffi may not be for you. Please review all of the Policies presented in this section and decide for yourself before going any further with Maffi org. Continuing membership after reading these policies means that you consent to them and are willing to explore the dangerous lifestyle of the Maffi org.

PC Death
Membership in Maffi and Zhao is granted only to those who are OOCly willing to understand and accept the danger inherent in being a member of an organized crime syndicate. A syndicate demands loyalty from its members. The further up the ladder of ranks and power one moves in a syndicate, the more permanent their membership tends to become. As characters learn the inner workings and secrets of the Maffi, its ruling council considers them more and more dangerous. To this end, any character attaining a rank of made may never leave the Maffi Syndicate on pain of death. Any character betraying the syndicate, or selling it out to external powers will be hunted down and destroyed. Lower ranked members of the syndicate are typically ignorant of the intimate workings and agenda of the higher positioned members, and so are given a little more room to breath in terms of their employment. Pledges, Workers and Soldiers are allowed to leave the syndicate in the case of extreme circumstances, and on the condition that they really never came to understand any sensitive secrets. These situations are judged on a case-by-case basis, depending on the story of the character in question, and the exact nature of their relationship with the Maffi Syndicate. Once a character becomes made they take an oath to the syndicate, and it is understood that they have dedicated their career to the success of the syndicate as a whole. Made characters are treated with great respect by Maffi, protected, sponsored, granted rights and powers within the organization, and responsibilities. However, it is also on the shoulders of made characters that the full expectation of perfect loyalty rests. Characters are made for a reason; they, above any other, have shown their true commitment to the success of Maffi.

Punishment
Maffi is a dangerous organization. Strict rulings and laws are laid down for its members by leaders and rulers, and are enforced by various characters. Failure to abide by the laws of the syndicate, follow direct orders from superiors or observe the general etiquette and social order within the syndicate by your character Icly may cause your character to be punished in various ways. Depending on the severity of the infraction and on a case-by-case basis, these punishments can range from relatively mundane consequences such as a docking of pay, or restriction of freedom, to physical and corporal punishment from thrashings to mutilation and scaring. How many mafia movies have we seen in which one of the gangsters has a missing pinky finger? The realities of a criminal syndicate are often dark and frightening. OOC consent to punishment being imposed on your character is a requirement to be a member. This does not mean your character must submissively accept such scenarios your characters reaction to the situations and scenes is your own to decide. Your characters obedience and observance of Law and direct orders is completely your call. Consent in this instance simply means that you will not OOCly demand a scene be halted or that your character not be threatened with punishment in the instance that trouble arises. Worry not, Maffi is not in the habit if terrible and permanent punishments of its members for minor to medium infractions. Situations where extreme punishments occur are rare.

Arrest
Due to the nature and operations of a criminal syndicate like Maffi, it is a real danger that characters affiliated with it may be arrested and detained on criminal charges for the various acts and crimes committed during the course of employment. It is unfair to have a character involved with Maffi or any criminal org and reap the benefits of such a relationship but not be willing to explore the consequences. Other PCs are involved with protecting governments, organizations and factions and will provide ample opposition to many of the goals and acts of Maffi. It is only fair that the opportunity for them to succeed in arresting Maffi members be available to them. Therefore your OOC consent to be arrested, charged with crimes and potentially detained or imprisoned is required for you to participate in Maffi with your character.

IC-Knowledge
In the underworld, knowledge is power. In an organized crime syndicate, this is doubly so. Knowledge and information of the details of the syndicate is very sensitive and often shrouded in secrecy. This is for both the protection of the syndicate, and the protection of its individual members. The more a character knows about Maffi, the more they are held responsible for and accountable to that knowledge. Pledges, Workers and Soldiers are not typically granted any sensitive knowledge of the inner workings of the syndicate. They only know that they are involved in something larger than themselves, and that they stand to gain power and wealth by climbing the ranks through hard work and patience.

Pledges do not even know the true name of the syndicate. They dont know who is a member, and who is not. They only know the immediate circumstances and surroundings in which they work. They have no knowledge of other operations of their employers or other locations in the Galaxy or planet operated by their employers. In essence, a pledge is in darkness and blind to the true extent and power of their peers.

Likewise, Workers are in the same boat, and only understand the jobs they are given, and only know the people they come into direct contact with. Workers are not explained why they are given a job, or what the greater context of their job entails for the org. They often only know the people who give them direct assignments.

Soldiers are more in the know. They are employed in a more mobilized fashion and so often come into contact with more than one syndicate operated location during their time as a soldier. They are given assignments by more than one superior and are privy to more information about the context of their work. Soldiers are often the most heavily employed member of the syndicate, and are always used in combat situations. They are higher paid and more informed and stand ever closer to the point of no return.

Lieutenants are powerful members in Maffi and Zhao. They run crews and so have far more intimate knowledge of syndicate inner workings and details than any of the individuals under their command due to the nature of their leadership role and their close contact with superior ranked Maffi members. Almost universally Lieutenants are made and as such are permanent members of the syndicate. Lieutenants are in a dangerous position due to the mobility and hands on nature of their role, and are often under the most scrutiny by superior ranked Maffi.

If you are in doubt about what your character knows and what they do not assume they dont know it, or talk to an org admin. Never assume that your characters knows ANYTHING unless that information has been imparted personally to your character by means of Role Play. Only the information your character is told or overhears in actual RP is considered to be In Character knowledge. All information contained in +mafhelp files or through OOC discussion is Out Of Character information only, and cannot be used on the IC grid by your character in any fashion. This is of utmost importance and you will be expected to show maturity in your gaming and understanding the difference between what you know as a player about Maffi org, and what your character actually knows in the game world.

NPC-use
NPCs are non player characters that appear in scenes for various reasons and are posed by any player (and you) aside from their individual PC. Arbitrary NPCs like innocent bystanders, workers like mechanics, techs, waiters or people and aliens who would naturally be in a certain setting are ok to pose at will - and can often be used to spruce up a scene and help present a thriving, realistic environment. Other NPCs, however, will be soldiers, and lieutenents and powerful Maffi members, or beings with guns and equipment utilized for battles, strikes, assassinations and other aggressive and offensive roles. These sorts of NPCs, while fun to use, are easy to abuse and if not utilized correctly, can easily imbalance a scene and cause non-org players to stop enjoying the role-play due to excessive power-playing. Therefore, no one is allowed to pose NPC soldiers, ships, battle groups or other agressive NPC types without the express OOC permission of Tyy'sun, Corey or MUSH Admin. This policy is to ensure that 1: Maffi org retains the right to utilize such NPCs to augment stories, TP's and bring realism to the underworld syndicate theme. 2: Instances of abuse is kept to a minimum and other SW1 players don't view us as TWINKs. If you don't know what a Twink is - you are in danger of becoming one. Ask around and find out.

Quality
Maffi org seeks to represent some of the finest Role-play on SW1. This goal will require its members, new and established alike, to possess a skill in creative posing. One liner poses are not story-thriving pieces of literature. Consider at least 3 or 4 sentences to be mandatory - and a complete paragraph per pose to be 'on par'. Tell the story of your character! Tell the story of Maffi! Tell the story of the underworld and dont be shy to relate what is neat about any of it in your poses. Good spellling and grammer is not as important as good content - and quality of posing is essential to good scenes and good Role-play. Make us proud. Make Maffi org desirable to the rest of the mush by creating intriguing and exciting poses, which will serve the scene as a whole and not just you. One liner poses should be generally considered bad form unless there is a specific story technique involved in doing so. Vary your diction. Include hints about what your character is thinking. Include a little background in a pose. Pose the environment! It is not difficult to come up with a few paragraphs if you just take a moment and consider all the various things happening that you can express.

Having trouble thinking of something? Answer a few questions and then get writting: What does the setting smell like? What does the setting look like? Are there other people around? What are they doing? Is there a beautiful scene on the horizon? Is there a glowing planet outside the starship view port? Oh, it is starting to rain? Is that thunder in the distance? How is your character dressed today? What sort of mood is reflected in their eyes? What are they thinking? What emotion plays across their face? If they have a poker face - express that too. What dark moments in their history does the scene remind your character of? Say so.. Remember - a scene as it progresses should READ LIKE A BOOK.

OOC Attitude is nearly as important as good Role-playing.... but not quite. Still, it is required that Maffi members have a mature demeanor when dealing with other players of SW1. Laming other players, abusing a Maffi power or authority, OOC bullying, excessive fighting and complaining, bad mouthing others in a slander campaign, or any number of other petty behavior will not only reflect badly on you, but it will make Maffi org look bad as well - and I will not tolerate that excessively. If you are not in this to tell a story, and have fun - then Maffi is not for you. Maffi is not about getting a powerful character, it is not about getting a rich character, it is not about winning, and it is not about sticking it to the other guy... Maffi is about telling a story about the underworld, the galactic fringe, a Twi'lek mafia, the Brotherhood of Zhao, the dangers of organized crime, the rewards of organized crime, the tragedies inherant in these themes - and providing a villain for the rest of SW1. If you dont understand what a story is - then go find a mud to play - or some other org.

Activity
Activity & Advancement through the ranks of Maffi go hand in hand. There is no formal activity level required for you to remain in Maffi org other than the general MUSH activity policy just to have a character at all on SW1. However, players who are not actively participating in Maffi missions, Maffi Role-play and contributing to the org will simply not advance in IC rank. Players who achieve higher ranked status but taper off to an inactive level will likewise lose ranks through gradual demotion. Notifying org admin of vacations and times of inactivity before hand, with the intention of jumping back in again will not result in demotion.

Because Maffi org is about storytelling, role-play and enjoyment of the game from a standpoint of villainy and organized crime - players who utilize their characters, and contribute to scenes and are PROACTIVE will raise ranks the fastest and accumilate more IC power and OOC respect in the org. We are looking to be one of the best orgs on the grid - and it takes active, story-focused people to be that. When you play your character, mix it up, start plots, follow up leads, get into things! Don't be afraid to lose and don't be afraid to get your character's hands dirty. The more everyone in a scene enjoys your involvement - the more you will be rewarded. Likewise, the more abusive and counterproductive you are - the less you will be included. Keep a good attitude OOCly and scare the pants off of characters in the game world ICly.