Tohler House Gangs

House Gangs are the biggest, and probably the only criminal organizations left in Tohl after the purges immediately following the bandit wars. A house gang is essentially a banding together of young men who are given the right to wear the colours (but not the seal) of one of the noble houses of The City. Because they are agents of one of the noble houses they are allowed to openly band together. Noble houses usually use house gangs to enforce the collection of rents and tariffs in districts where they control land or businesses, and where the residents are likely to make an issue about paying what is owed, or proved difficult to evict. While the watch don't like the situation, the noble houses all have the right to have agents within the city, and little can be done about the situation.

The gangs however, usually comprised of brash young men who are hungry for power and status, quickly became intensely territorial, and in the absence of any criminal organizations in the city, many became heavy handed in their dealings, and began to encroach on territories that were not their own. As this happened violent clashes began to break out between one gang and another, and the reprisals, and then enduring grudges, until the situation evolved into what it is today, with all out war breaking out in the streets of the poor districts between rival gangs.

There are thirteen house gangs in all, belonging to Houses Lerent, Rein, Derelle, Verne, Taliniere, Cavish, Ghiere, Voergard, Broen, Deloene, Kevvh, Faelenar and Ellene. Not every house employs these kinds of tactics, and in some districts many houses simply don't need to. Because they are not employees the noble houses themselves don't have power over these gangs as such, and many things are done in the name of a noble house that goes totally against the houses ethos or will, especially by the Voergard gangers. But generally the careful use of a little gold coupled with the fact that most gangers are adherents of their parent house's cult means that the noble houses can at least influence if not control the actions of their loyal followers.