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Black Crows

Nature & ideology

Anarchist terror group by Original-Plane standards. They reject all formal authority and conduct what would be called a terror campaign in the OP: raising money through intimidation, attacking anyone in authority, and taking plunder.

They claim republican goals but seek anarchy and rule by the Black Crows themselves. Loosely organized — regional cells operate independently; members typically know only a local cell leader, who coöperates with other chiefs through a shadowy communication network. Nobody knows the true identity of the Chief Crow (founding principle: rejection of all hierarchy — accepting death willingly when caught).

Recruits are screened for willingness to face execution without breaking. Use cutouts so local leaders may not know who they report to (courier + code word). When caught, members usually reveal no more than three or four names.

Regional cells (Groups file + Book 01)

Region Known personnel Notes
Dal Valley / Southham Oscar of Lindal Thug captured Day 42; describes cells as squeezing farmers and burning titled men's stores; has never seen the Chief Crow's face; names five members and local innkeeper chief → Alton. Groups file: sent into exile. (Distinct from Oscar the tinker, Day 122.)
Wickham Kenneth (local leader); Uma (d); Keith (Groups file) Sexual recruitment (Uma joined at sixteen). Kenneth uses cutouts; assigns Kristof plot to kill Bailiff and Lord Mayor (Day 69). Uma killed resisting arrest (Day 77, Sir Milos).
Southham Alton (d); Casey (d) Alton — innkeeper, Three Diamond Inn; likely very senior (seventeen-name payroll, Day 111). Casey — shipwright; assassin (Day 105).

Meeting / cover locations: Cantankerous Tankard (Southham thugs, Day 41); Overflowing Tankard, Grey Goose (Wickham, Days 67–77); late-night meetings at Alton's house.

Leadership & structure

Role Detail
Chief Crow Identity unknown; Matthias suspects Alton may have been the Black Crow (Day 111)
Local chiefs Alton (Southham); Kenneth (Wickham)
Cutouts Messengers between cells; minimal knowledge

Book 01 operations & countermeasures

Story Day Event
39 King Edward notes Black Crow activity amid succession unrest
40–42 Dal Valley protection racket; Oscar names Black Crows and Alton; Company confronts Alton at Three Diamond Inn
67–77 Wickham mission: Uma, Kenneth; Danian spies (William, Kurtis) overlap with spy ring; Uma killed Day 77
70 Matthias (Kristof cover) lectures Company on OP republics vs Communist soviet cells; Milos compares Black Crow loose cells to that pattern (Grey Goose / Overflowing Tankard surveillance)
87 Lord Mayor and Bailiff assassinated in Wickham; Sir Godfrey named Lord Mayor; King's Guard platoon
101 King Robert orders Company to Southham; Royal Warrant — confiscate Black Crow property (King's 20% share)
104–106 Alton arrested; five-Knight jury; hanged Day 106 (refused mercy)
105 Road ambush: Tyra wounded (thigh arrow), casts magic missile while bleeding; Casey poison-dagger attack on Milos; killed by Sir Milos; Company adopts travel-in-pairs
110–111 Two Black Crow attacks reported; Robert orders mounted patrols and infantry battalion camp outside Southham; Tristan decodes 17-name payroll
114 Smuggling/tax-evasion charges from payroll list; Laurel runs seized assets
110+ Code wheel found in Alton's house (Days 104–110)

King's response (Day 110+): Mounted company on Southham ↔ Dal Valley and Southham ↔ Thornwick roads; infantry battalion in fortified camp outside Southham walls (Nystrian_Army.md).

Matthias/Robert strategy: Treat Black Crow acts as criminal, not political martyrdom; improve justice and prosperity to drain popular support; target leadership where possible; avoid sweeping military operations that create innocent casualties.

Wickham mission fee context: 100 gold + expenses + bonus if Black Crow threat ended (Day 63).

See also