East-Sandro Bokke

County of Datial

* Datian Channel

The **East-Sandro Bokke** (also known as the **Haliburg Bokkenrijders**) are a branch of the Bokkenrijder criminal gang, active in the County of Halilburg, in the Duchy of Germania. They are notorious for their minor tobacco smuggling across the Datian Channel, deed-forgery, and false land claims. They also are associated with piracy, and general robberies in the Laaglands. They are united under an a-religious (Faux Satanic) culture, and have a detailed, specific hierarchy common in all Bokke sects.

Out of all the Bokkenrijder branches, East-Sandro is considered "backwater" and relatively small compared to the much larger and more influential divisions. It consists of roughly 190 members, consisting of some clergymen (Johannes Gertocian, Kolli Wiedou) and nobles (Ferryman Colt, Ulric de Daeffi), but mostly peasants and ex-communicated lower-class individuals. It also has its hand in scholarly Alchemy scams to deceive nobility and sell alternative medicine (Gasconic Elixir), and occasionally Opium.

## History

The East-Sandro Bokke was founded by long-time Reirenmarken Bokkenrijder member, Darem Laager. Darem settled in the town of Limoenburg at the climax of the Apollo War, while he was supposed to be on feudalistic soldier duty. He defended the town during the local siege, taking out dozens of invading Lusitannians and earning a legendary status.

### Apollo War Era

The Papal Empire had declared the gangs of the Laaglands (including the Bokkenrijders) a disgrace, and an enemy to the papacy. The siege at Limoenburg was considerably larger scale than necessary, purely for the sake of eliminating the presence of any remaining Bokke, under the pretence of warfare. The local nobility, specifically Count Morrisveld and his vassals, were also searching for a reason to pursue a proper counterattack against St Heirmann to topple the entire empire.

Darem, who would usually have remained hidden and denied any connections, was instead pressured to reveal his identity as a criminal in order to create a casus belli grand enough to not only defend the county, but to pursue the obliteration of Christianity in the 3rd Heptant as a whole. After a number of satanic visions, Darem declared himself pridefully in front of Lusitannian spies of his allegiance to the Bok.

An outbreak of Horse Psychosis among the Lorita forces allowed the attack to cease and the siege to be postponed. Darem's followers (some of whom viewed him as messianic for his visions) unionized in what would eventually become the **East-Sandro Bokke**. The name is derived from Sandro, the castle Limoenburg is built around, and the eastern orientation of the gang relative to most Bokke operations. Darem never declared himself leader (leidter) of the group, always acting as an ambassador and figurehead.

### Post-War Era

The nobility in the region, who had suffered casualties during the conflict, and who's horses had gone mad, fell out of popularity with the local inhabitants. There had also been an influx of Ostlichians (including the father of Kolli Wiedou) in the region who identified more with the bokke than the Holy Frankic Empire, who had recently massacred their entire population. This divide eventually amounted to the rebellious reputation of the town.

In order to avoid a rebellion, the 7th Duke, Leighton Arear, personally intervened and turned Limoenburg into an imperial town directly under the rule of his personal vassals, and sometimes, himself. This strict jurisdiction caused the criminal underworld of the entire county of Halilburg to tighten into specific factions, one of which being the East-Sandros, as well as the Forthers. The remnants of the Fourth Pirate War also joined the East-Sandro in order to survive, at the behest of Diogo.

### Economic Boom

Limeonburg's status as an imperial town allowed taxes (or its lack thereof) to be exploited by the criminal underworld. The extreme financial success of the gangs, as well as a royal Donative as a gift for the efforts of Bokke the war. The success resulted in a golden age for the Bokke in the region, as one of the wealthiest and most influential unions in Germania. The number of Selders at this point reached over 400.

Resources in the region were gathered in preparation for a large-scale war on the continent of Cadmus, which certain members of the Bokke were obliged (due to vassalage and the lack of the Suecian Model) to participate in. Local merchants (some debtors) filled in as captains (Kapteins) in the absence of the draftees. This kept the union afloat, long enough to commit the Macro Heist, a large-scale robbery of a naval vessel off the Devitian Coast.

### Osmont's Conquest

Dozens of members perished in the Osmonian Wars, but the absence of nobility in the region allowed the gang to get away with much more. Multiple heists occurred in the region, as well as a minor rebellion (the assassination of Anssier De Sommelier), and a heist on the Bank of Kleinstadt, the duchy's capital bank and wealthiest deposit. The heist was carried out by legendary thief, Mons Decken (then a co-captain), who was subsequently promoted to Kaptein in 1581, and eventually Co-Leidter.

Many armed Bokke were present at the Battle of Counardes, and many were forced to defend their homelands when Kollisch forces encroached on the Datian Channel and bombarded the region with cannonfire. It was a Bokkenrijder, Hansen Konning, who rammed his personal mercantile vessel (loaded with gunpowder, rum, and whale oil) into the Kollischian ship, knocking over a candle as he leaped into the surrounding waters. The resultant chain reaction caused an enormous explosion, and the complete annihilation of the galleon. This event has been known as the Attack of Mattion.

### Modern Day (1629-)

In the modern day, the Bokke are running well and have a steady reputation. The main character of the series, Syphil Hansen, joined them in 1645 following his trial. He has been a notable member, especially due to his connections with the king of Reirenmark, the adolescent Addison Colt. He has managed to rope together a number of individuals in Johannes Alfdieri's somewhat large crew, including Vell Machia and Alois Reigns. For the most part, Syphil also represents the original messianic startings of the group, as he represents his own cult following.

## Trivia

* The East-Sandro Bokke are based on the Patriarca crime family of Boston, and are partially based on Camorra, Yakuza and the original Bokkenrijders.
* Mons Decken is based on Bernard Fokke, William van der Decken, and Neil McCauley