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The Curds

Title The Curds
Age 2.5 years
Leadership Manchego
Location Downtown, Kalashport
Status Active

Overview

The Curds mafia is a gang located in Downtown Kalashport. After FerrCO's collapse and several months of gang wars, The Curds conquered all other factions in Downtown and have remained in power since. The Curds is the chosen faction allegience of Fet and Mascarpone. It is therefore a major player in the Faction Campaign. It is run by a young High Elf named Manchego. All Curds gangsters take on a cheese code name.

Operations and Goals

Ostensibly, the goal of the Curds is to create a subway system linking the different neighborhoods of Downtown. The mafia has been working tirelessly to excavate tunnels, seemingly with a quickly approaching deadline. The Curds pay for this endeavour by dealing drugs and weapons and by collecting protection fees from businesses in Downtown. The Curds also take a cut from sponsored businesses like the The Bargoyle and the Monterey Jack Casino.

Manchego has convinced just about everyone of his pure intentions and passion for public transport. However, the Faction Campaign party found out at the Clamshell Casino in Deep Trench that Manchego is seeking to destroy an ancient weapon called the "Empire Drake" buried underneath Downtown. Manchego remains unaware that anyone else is keen to his real intentions.

Allies and Enemies

The Curds have no official alliances. However, through Fet, Mascarpone, Yancy, and Tae's friednship, the interests of the Curds have been aligned with those of the Church of the Dragon and the Travelers' Temple. This is exemplified in the Bargoyle's themed menu items, such as the cream cheese liqueur and maple syrup cocktails, which incorporate both Curds and Church of the Dragon symbolism. The Curds have a peaceful nonagression pact with both SCHNI's Midtown Police and the Highland Heights KSC.

The Curds were formerly enemies with the Midtown Police under Lt. Bighammer. They previously had a nonagression treaty before Bighammer's POG officers broke territory lines. The Curds are not explicitly aware of The Stack, though the Stack views the Curds as a dangerous enemy.

History

Shortly after FerrCO's collapse, Downtown Kalashport was plunged into gang wars. Seemingly out of nowhere, a High Elf named Manchego appeared in Downtown and used his intimidating presence and expert negotiation skills (and his secret assassin) to rapidly coalesce several gangs into one. In only a few months, The Curds became the dominant force in Downtown. Over the next year, they would work to run out the remaining opposition in preparation for the formal launch of the subway excavation project.

Shortly before the Faction Campaign started, the Curds became wary of Lt. Bighammer's increasingly strict law enforcement in Midtown. They sent Fet to investigate the situation. Fet, undercover as a great wizard, found Mascarpone, Tae, SCHNI, Yancy, and Yin and joined The Prestige in opposition to Bighammer's Stability Provision. Mascarpone joined the Curds and began working alongside Fet. They hatched a plan to open a Curds-sponsored tavern in Downtown to train wizards to fight POG officers.

Once Bighammer was defeated, the Curds started their excavation. The Curds were aware of a treasure hunter named Tess Mystique who had been sneaking around Downtown trying to get into the tunnels. They ordered Mascarpone and Fet to find her and ensure she never comes back to Downtown again. Mascarpone and Fet found Tess in Deep Trench and made a deal with her that they would share information about the Empire Drake as long as she doesn't try to sneak in again. The party ended up defeating Tess in the Clamiseum, leaving Tess to explore the swamps in the Canal District.

After Tess was dealt with, Manchego had no remaining tasks for Fet and Mascarpone. Mancehgo was invited by Abigail Halibut to a business meeting and dinner party at her Heights estate. He and Pecorino attended, thinking it was related to Curds operations. However, Manchego quickly found out that Abigail had no idea he was a gangster - only thinking he owned a cheese shop. The party, invited to the same dinner by Norm Riesling, found out that Abigail invited Manchego on a mysterious recommendation. After the white dragon scale was stolen at the dinner, Manchego, Pecorino, Fet and Mascarpone were all trapped in Highland Heights, leaving the subway excavation project in limbo.

When Manchego and the party are able to escape Highland Heights, they find Downtown has been attacked with firebombs by the Stack. This turns out to be a distraction for Icy Wendy to sneak into Manchego's office to steal his map of the subway tunnels that leads to the Empire Drake. The party quickly finds another way to navigate the tunnels using SCHNI's recon bot to track the Stack thieves. The party and Manchego ventured into the tunnels and defeated both the Stack and the Empire Drake.

After Manchego's goal was completed, he decided to step back from directly leading the Curds, placing everyday leadership responsibilities on Pecorino instead. Faced with the question of what to do with the Curds after Downtown was done being rebuilt, Manchego has considered offering the gang to support Fet's business ventures.

Known Members

Trivia