The Pistols

Also known as "The Punks"

Type
Factions: Secondary Faction

Description
The Pistols are a study in contradiction. While their ancestors preached Anarchy in the UK and gobbed on anyone who told them to straighten up and fly right, the Pistols of today are one of the most civilized and democratic groups in London outside of Westminster (and there are some who could argue that they’re better organized than the famously factional blue bloods.) There is a direct line between their past and present though. The same ideals of equality and radical individualism allowed for the Punks of Camden to reforge a new democratic and equal society as the Pistols. Represented by the Camden council and overseen by Apache Alice.

Free of the strongman rule of other Boroughs and groups, the Pistols of Camden are staunch in their adherence to freedom. But this does not mean they should be taken lightly, their borough borders three of the most violent parts of London, the Pistols can protect themselves when push comes to shove. This in combination with their general dissatisfaction with Gentry rule has led the Pistols to be somewhat insular, and suspicious of outsiders. Friendly enough, but only to a point. That same dissatisfaction with the Gentry has led to Camden being very friendly to the Camelot Movement and thoroughly unfriendly to the 5th column. Ultimately the Pistols will carry on doing their own thing, mostly uninterested in the broader politics of the city, but the time is coming that they will have to make a choice.

Location
Camden

History/Background
Before the war as after, Camden was the home of punks, one of several youth subcultures that competed for space in the borough. Gang violence was a growing problem as Mods, Skinheads and punks battled in the streets for domination of the borough. Ultimately this would have little impact on London broadly.

But then the bombs fell.

No one knows how many perished when the bombs fell, and no one knows how many survived, times were desperate and no one kept records. London was hit by several nukes and outside of Pindar stations and Westminster. The city was madness and Camden was no different. Even as the bombs fell, the gangs of Camden finally laid it all on the line at the battle of the Bang-Bang. The pistols won and from then on, Camden was the home of the Pistols. With the battle over, people could once again focus upon survival. People from across London began to travel to Camden in hopes that the rumors of a bubble of sanity survived there were true.

The Pistols slowly reclaimed Camden, establishing order and creating a new society. There was no great momentous event when the Camden Charter was first written but rather a slow growth as the Pistols adapted their new way of life to their needs. By 2170 the Pistols ran Camden with the Camden Council well established. The initial Gentry scouts to the area were met with a well developed communal and democratic society based around the power of individual representation and rule by those with experience in their respective fields.

When in 2190 the Gentry first arrived, demanding Camden swear fealty, they were promptly laughed out of the Hippodrome and swiftly run out of town, Gentry officials and guards pelted with rubbish and refuse. Though Camden won that day, the Gentry would soon be back and in greater numbers. That day would come in 2199 when the Gentry returned in force with an army of Tommies behind them and once more demanded Camden swear fealty to Westminster. Given the choice between an unwinnable battle and acquiescence, The Pistols knelt and signed a treaty with the Gentry. This is not to say that they did not gain some concessions. Camden insisted that the Gentry had no say in the internal operations of Camden so long as their tithe was paid. While the Gentry saw no reason not to grant this, the Pistols have held firm to this concept, often to the great frustration of Westminster.

Neither side is satisfied with this arrangement. Camden and the Pistols chafe under Gentry rule, taking personal offence at the Gentry’s undemocratic tendencies. Meanwhile the Gentry hate how the Pistols regularly challenge their authority.

This would come to a head in 2235 when the Gentry, seeking to strengthen their grip on the borough, colluded with WIlliam Icon, a city planner to rig the council elections in his favor. Following an extremely contentious election, Icon unseated the speaker for the Council, Apache Alice. Before the election, the Gentry had told Icon he could rule as he saw fit, even skimming from the tithe if he saw fit. Icon saw this as justification to begin living like a king and regularly overriding Council decisions in his own personal favor. Apache Alice very quickly rallied the council and the populace to recall Icon and start a new election. Icon however overestimated the Gentry’s support of him and did not take the situation seriously. By the end Icon had been recalled and banished and Alice restored to the council.

These days tensions are high between Camden and Westminster. Camden is beginning to seriously consider their place under the Gentry while Gentry wants the issue to blow over. Unfortunately William Icon refuses to let the matter die as he lives in exile in Westminster. Camden as a whole is VERY supportive of the Camelot movement as a result of this, making the Borough one of the few where Camelot can operate more or less completely in the open.

Prominent NPCs
Apache Alice

Captain Reasonable

Dr. Vania

Jack Rotten

Madussa Rotten

Polly Ester

John Strutter

Geoffrey Michaels

William Icon

Vicious Syd:


 * Corpse found in a gutter.

Assorted Information

 * Camden is one of the most stable Boroughs outside of Westminster. It’s considered one of the best educated as well given their focus upon education and their access to pre-war texts and holotapes
 * Camden is governed by the Camden council the various professions of Camden come together to elect one of their number to serve as their representative upon the council. Once on the council, the council members elect one of their number to serve as speaker. The speaker is as close to an executive leader that Camden has. It is the speaker’s job to speak for Camden broadly, chair council meetings, ratify votes by the council and to communicate Camden’s needs and decisions to London as a whole. Essentially the speaker acts as the face of Camden and is assumed to have the broad support of the borough.
 * Camden has a rough relationship with Westminster and the Gentry. They pay their tithe, but forbid Gentry interference in their persona affairs.
 * All Camden citizens have the vote and have a say in the affairs of the Borough. Any decision made by the Camden council can be voted down by a popular vote. Similarly, the populace can call for a recall of council members they view as harmful.
 * Camden has a comparatively small security force compared to their neighbors Islington and Westminster. But when compared to Islington, Camden security is very well trained and equipped. It also sees regular action against commuters from Paddington Station, thus most troops are well experienced.
 * Camden is fairly suspicious of outsiders. Given that their neighbors are islington who are regularly bellicose against them and Westmisnter who regularly try to lord over them, this mentality is understandable. Generally speaking citizenship is gaine by having enough people sponsor a new arrival.

Soldier Types

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Associated Quests

 * Quests associated with the faction. Hyperlink the quests to appropriate articles, if applicable (use the button that looks like chain links in your toolbar). [Ranger, anything here?]