Riverra Family
The Riverra Family is a Karazawi organized crime syndicate based around the Suiyuu of Juturntzan and its capital city, Riverre. They are the second largest cartel, just behind the Lazarene Group, their most direct rivals. As such they maintain a large network of alliances, known as the Families Compact, with ramifications outside of Karazawa's borders. It's illicit activities include drug trafficking, Arms trafficking, labor and construction racketeering, gambling, loansharking, extortion, money laundering, prostitution, fraud, hijacking, and fencing.
The Family was founded by Leo Riverra, a lieutenant of Michel Orrellion and of his Lazarene Clique. After the death of his boss, Leo Riverra went independent, with the help of his three sons.
This cartel was one of the most powerful faction in play during the 80s and 90s, constantly waging war with the Lazarene Group, both cartels claiming to be the true inheritors of Orrellion and his Lazarene Clique, and with the North East Cartel that was trying to push into its territory. They are notably remembered for having turned a large number of anti-gang police officers into well-organized and disciplined units of enforcers : the Uarhipenuichi or War Dogs. These units would then go on and form their own cartel of the same name, kickstarting the events known as the Lazarene War.
After Leo Riverra and two of his sons's arrestations, the leadership of the organization went first to a lieutenant of Leo, Sinzo "Sarge" Kuanichi, before his last son, Leon, took over in 2001. Leon was then himself killed in 2004 in a police raid, throwing the Family in disarray once more. Power then went back to "Sarge" Kuanichi, despite the fact he was in prison. Since Kuanichi's death in 2016, the current leader of the Riverra Family is unknown.
Background
Leadership and Organisation
Blood family and membership of the crime family overlap to a great extent within the cartel. Although other reasons might attract a young man to seek membership, and non-kin have also been admitted. Marriages help cement relations within each cell and to expand membership. As a result, a few blood families constitute each group. Indeed, since there is no limit to the membership of a single unit, bosses try to maximize descendants.
At the bottom of the chain of command are the footsmen or soldiers, who are often not technically part of the Cartel. It's only with a promotion to the rank of Enforcer that one becomes officialy a member. Above the Enforcers are the Lieutenants, supervising a dozen to twenty or so Enforcers and their units. The current number of Lieutenants is unknown. All Lieutenants are directly under the order of the Patriarch, leader of the Family.
Rituals and Code
Following testimonies from arrested and repentant members alike, it is known that the initiation ritual of the Riverra Family is well established and varies very little from ceremonies to ceremonies. The members of the Unit that the initiate is joining seat with him around a table. The Enforcer may or may not be present, leaving then his "powers" to a Master of the Ceremony. On the table, a pentacle has been drawn, a human or animal skull in the middle of it. The recruit then has to answer a long series of questions, cut the palm of his hand with a dagger and let the blood drip on the skull, recite the Family's commandments, and so on. Once it is done, the Master of the Ceremony will kiss the initiate three time on the cheeks, and he is now officialy a member.