Connected

Connected by Shadowknight

Is the flip side of Military Rank feat only it's directed at the criminal elements. In the U.S there's basically 10 major gangs or families. There's other like the Pakistani/Indian Mafia and the Israeli Mafia but for the most part they are small potatoes in the U.S, but big in some other countries like Canada. 90% of the time your friend knows your Secret Identity but he doesn't care as long as you don't betray the friendship but he'll leave some information on who you're should something happen to him & you fail to help him or avenge him.

1. Cosa Nostra -Italian Mafia=they operate in major cities (NYC, Newark, Jersey City, Baltimore, Boston, LA, SF, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas)

2. Bratva -Russian Mafia=they operate mostly in the (Upper East coast, Florida, Chicago & California)

3. Triads-Chinese Mafia=they operate mostly in Chinatown throughout the U.S & Canada or other Asian communities.

4. Yakuza -Japanese Mafia=they operate where there's a large Japanese population mostly inn the (Upper east cost, California, Oregon, Washington & Hawaii)

5. Mexican Cartel-Mexican Mafia=they operate where there's a large drug demand, near border states or wealthy cosmopolitan centers (NYC, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, etc)

6. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs-Biker Mafia=They operate mostly in places where there's a large freeways (California,the Midwest and Southern states)

7. Aryan Brotherhood-White Racist Prison Mafia+outside of prison the tend to congregate in large cities with a large white majority, are sometimes confused with Outlaw Motorcycle gangs

8. Cartels-Colombian Mafia=they operate where there's a large drug demand, near border states or wealthy cosmopolitan centers (NYC, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, etc)

9. Posse-Jamaican Mafia=they operate where ever they can blend with the black population

10. Westis -Irish Mafia= they operate in (Northeastern U.S)

For some reason you're connected to one to 1 of the 10 major criminal organization. You must when you choose such a feat give a reason to your GM how this became possible. Here's a few possible reasons

a. You were childhood friends with someone who grew up to be a Captain in one of the criminal gangs

b. You dated or was once engaged to a daughter, sister, cousin, niece or favorite goddaughter to the near head of the criminal organization and even-though your relationship is over you still care for each other.

c. You were college roommates & belonged to the same fraternity, got drunk together and stayed at each others houses during spring break to someone who became a Captain in the Organize Crime family.

d. You are related to someone high in rank in the criminal organization anything from Brothers, Half brothers, Cousins, Godson, Nephews to third cousins

e. You serve in the Special Forces that's an Elite Military Organization ( Green Beret, Special Force, Marine Recon, Seals, ect,) and saved each others lives numerous times

f. You took the blame & was punished for something your friend did, and you never talked to lessen the punishment

g. You saved the life of 1 of his near relatives or you got them of drugs or out of prostitution

h. You know a dirty secret that could have sent them to prison, have them assassinated by their family or another criminal organization or derailed their rise to a position of power in the Criminal Organization but you kept your mouth shut.

See the movie " Analyze This" while it a comedy it give a livid example on how somehow who's not a member of organize crime could become connected or have friend in OC. It should go without saying if for example{your connected to 1 of the NYC 5 major Mafia families, you're not connected to all of the 5mafia families)]. It should also go without saying loyalty is a 2 way street. While a capo might tell you of a armored car heist a rival family is involved in, you can't use that information to blackmail him or tell the police I have an informant in such & such family. You are signing a death warrant on your informant, there's a 10%-15% chance the OC either have an informant or a mole inside the police force in position of authority (see the movie" The Departed" or the Chinese Movie " Internal Affairs") and you'll lose your feat. What you can do with the information is use it to stop the crime yourself in your superhero identity. In game terms it work like this.
Once a month or once per level depending on the GM you can ask your OC connection about a crime that he knows about, but won't get back and hurt him, but it has to be on his sphere of influence. A Mafia Capo might know about a rival Mafia family Highjacking operation, but he doesn't know about Outlaw Motorcycle gang Estacy lab 3 states over. Or you can request a favor once a month could be Weapons or other services'

Knowledge reliability

Knowledge about a rival Mafia Family of the same genetic ancestry for example (Mexican Mafia Sinaloa Cartel knows about the Juarez Cartel) but their knowledge of the Jamaica Posse is slim. Base Skill: 70%+2% per lvl

Knowledge about a rival Mafia Family in nearby state of the same genetic ancestry Base Skill: 50%+ 1% per lvl

Knowledge about a rival Mafia Family in another state of the same genetic ancestry Base Skill: 40%+1 per lvl

Knowledge about another genetically different family in the same city Base Skill: 45% + 2% per lvl

Knowledge about another genetically different family in the same state Base Skill: 40%+ 1% per lvl

Knowledge about other crimes unrelated to organize crime in the Campaign city (Kidnapping, Terrorist, Cyber crime, mid street level drug dealers, Computer hackers) Base Skill: 25% + 1 per lvl

Other services

Weapons: Can get you any normal gun and ammunition 50%-75% off book cost

Special Weapons & experimental weapons: Can get it for you if available 60% once at -20% cost, after that -10% when available usually once every 1d4 lvl a 30% chance per lvl

Cybernetics, Cyborg & Robotics: Underground operation and repair only 25% availability check once each level and now you owe them a big favor in which they will collect.

Repair & Medicine
A lot of players forget bullets hurt, and you can't just go to a hospital to have the bullet removed. because by law the doctor or Hospital must report it to the police. So the mafia has their own Doctor that can remove the bullets without reporting the incident to the police. or they have their own garage where you can get your suit, car or robot suit repaired. You still have to pay for the repair, medicine and parts. but you don't have to worry about police showing up and wondering where & how you receive the bullets in your body or how is it your car looks like it's been in a war zone.

Papers & New Identity & Money laundering
People tend to forget, why SH tend to wear mask, gloves or have headquarters, your mafia contacts can get you those type of papers and 90% of the time it will pass Gov't muster. How about you just busted a major Colombian Drug dealer you turned him over to the police. Your connection helps you launder the money you found to give to charity or if you're an anti-hero for yourself or your fight against crime. Guess what sometimes crime pays except you don't want the Gov't knowing where you got the cartier watch. Your connection can help you launder the money.

Cost: 2 feats per Mafia Family

Bonus: Physical Training, Special Training, Ninja & Super-spies can have the feat at a cost of 1 feat

Limitation: You can't have Military Rank feat & Connected feat it's one or the other. This feat requires heavy role-playing and you can't betray your Connection, should your Connection be kidnapped or killed you must rescue them or avenge them. Should you fail to do this other people in the organization will either have a contract put out on you, frame you for a crime or have your secret identity known. It goes without saying no matter how much your connection might like you he won't betray his OC family or give you information that will destroy his OC family only other rival families or different ethnic OC families.