Dirtcloaks

***“**What kind of madman goes out of his way to do good in a city of evil?**”***
— Sebastiaan Kenven

The **Dirtcloaks** are a prominent criminal gang operating out of Whitecrest's Common District. It is arguably the most powerful gang within the larger Crestian Syndicate. The Dirtcloaks were founded by Edmond Heyer, who continues to rule over the organization, the larger Syndicate, and the entire City-State of Whitecrest to this day.

Founded in the wake of the Purge of Whitecrest, the Dirtcloaks' principal ideals revolve around helping the innocent people of Whitecrest that got caught in the crossfire of the chaos and the later War for Whitecrest. While many of the more violent gangs – such as the Dogs of Whitecrest – were quick to call this vision naive and foolish, it has granted the Dirtcloaks much appeal to ordinary people.

## History

In the wake of the Purge of Whitecrest in late 1193 AW, the Eastern Districts of Whitecrest were left in ruins after the League of Whitecrest attacked the area to eliminate the present criminal gangs. Edmond Heyer, a nobody at the time, founded the Dirtcloaks in the Common District to repair the damages, help the people, and defend them. The Dirtcloaks started off extremely small and were widely ridiculed.

However, Heyer negotiated an alliance with the well-respected Red Serfs shortly after founding the gang. Not only did this give the Dirtcloaks stability, but it also gave them legitimacy in the eyes of the other gangs. The Dirtcloaks grew exponentially and stuck to their mission of helping the people, making them widely popular across the Eastern Districts. However, they mainly operated in the Common District.

With more influence and members, Heyer continued his negotiations. Alongside the Red Serfs, Sons of Innyria, Anti-League, and Dogs of Whitecrest, the Dirtcloaks became one of the founding gangs of the Crestian Syndicate, with Heyer acting as the leader. While the Sons had more money and the Dogs more brute force, the Dirtcloaks had won over the people, which would prove to be a vital asset in the coming War for Whitecrest.

However, the Second Purge of Whitecrest in 1203 AW would be a significant blow to both the Dirtcloaks and the Syndicate, with Edmond Heyer being captured and imprisoned at Greihill Keep. Leaderless, a power vacuum emerged in both the Syndicate and the Dirtcloaks. The Dirtcloaks split between the loyalists under Kian Bruth and a second faction under Gerhalt Hakburg, who wanted to take the Dirtcloaks down a more violent and independent path.

Ultimately, the two sides started properly fighting. Yet, with the loyalists under Bruth supported by the Red Serfs, Hakburg would eventually be killed in 1205 AW. From then on, Bruth ruled the Dirtcloaks as a sort of regent, awaiting the eventual breakout of Heyer. With the aid of the Red Serfs, Heyer would eventually be freed from Greihill Keep in 1215 AW, with Bruth returning control over the Dirtcloaks back to Heyer.

The Dirtcloaks were the worst affected by the Fühlgartians under Albert Schmied invading Whitecrest at the behest of the League, as they took the most casualties. Many members were lost, including Bruth, with the Dirtcloaks being forced back underground alongside the rest of the Syndicate.

However, with the recent outbreak of the Second Fühlgartian Civil War, the Fühlgartian garrison abandoned Whitecrest, allowing a swift Syndicate takeover, overthrowing the weakened League of Whitecrest. Edmond Heyer now serves as the leader of the entire City-State, too. This has made the Dirtcloaks the most powerful of factions operating within the city.

As the de-facto most influential faction in Whitecrest, the Dirtcloaks are currently in another resurgence, with many flocking to join the gang. However, Heyer has already stated that he intends to make the Dirtcloaks a legal entity, and minor reforms have already passed as the transition from a criminal organization to a legal one begins.

## Leaders

* Edmond Heyer (1194-1203 AW)
* Power Vacuum (1203-1205 AW)
* Kian Bruth (1205-1215 AW)
* Edmond Heyer (1215 AW-)

## Members

* **Edmond Heyer**
* Aryk Potars
* Gerhalt Hakburg †
* Kian Bruth †