The Four Families

The Four Families - Clubb, Spadros, Hart, and Diamond - are four crime syndicates which have divided up the domed city of Bridges, each taking a quadrant.

The families themselves had been in Bridges for generations before the Alcatraz Coup, many engaging in criminal activities on a small scale, but after the overthrow of the Kerr dynasty and the chaos which followed, they became more organized. The city of Bridges fell into deep financial straits, and the wealthy fled the city center, making their way into the countryside.

Alcohol and drug use skyrocketed, especially a drug called Party Time, which had up to this point been more of a social drug. A religious group called the Bridgers began a violent campaign to make Party Time illegal, linking it to the decadence of the Kerrs.

Once Party Time became illegal, dozens of gangs began taking over factories and converting them to production of the drug, with all-out war over Party Time distribution and market share. After decades of violence, four Families remained, each controlling a quadrant of the city.

The Four Families: Spadros

The Spadros family was among the original laborers brought in to work on the city’s construction.

Emboldened by the overthrow of the Kerr dynasty after the Alcatraz Coup and flush with newfound power, the first Acevedo Spadros began collecting men around him, calling in favors city-wide to claim larger portions of the city.

As the smoke cleared and the city settled into its new life, the scarred, frightened people who survived the battles wanted strong leadership, which Acevedo Spadros was happy to provide, at a price. With most of the businesses burned and their owners fled to the countryside, poverty and famine meant all the Spadros Family need to do was have access to food and the muscle to protect and transport it in order to win the hearts of many.

Also see: History of the Spadros Family (found in The Jacq of Spades)

The Four Families: Diamond

A large group of immigrant workers from the South African diamond mines settled in Bridges in the early 1500’s AC (After the Catastrophe). Proud of their unique identity, this disparate group of clans - many of Xhosa heritage - began to call themselves “Diamonds” and exclusively intermarry.

During the Alcatraz Coup, the Diamond clans banded together, seizing the prison. Releasing the prisoners to cause more chaos, they recruited many of them to their cause as they fought for territory. Tight-knit and secretive, the Diamonds were almost impossible for the other Families to infiltrate or woo members away from, and were the first to successfully claim a quadrant for their own.

Also see: History of the Diamond Family (found in The Jacq of Spades)

The Four Families: Clubb

Clover Banditerna was a indentured worker on a wheat farm near the zeppelin station until the Alcatraz Coup. Seeing an opportunity, he and his fellow workers called themselves the Clubbs Of Justice and seized the station, along with the controls to the Aperture.

Knowing that no one could enter or leave the city without going through them, the group charged exorbitant rates and became extremely rich. After the Coup, Clover Banditerna changed his name, calling himself Johnny Clubb.

The Clubbs’ main focus since the Coup has been on controlling the flow of goods and information into, out of, and around the city.

Also see: History of the Clubb Family (found in The Jacq of Spades)

The Four Families: Hart

Descended from Appalachian and Chinese workers, Crispin Hartmann, Sr. led one of the early street gangs of the early 1700’s. This gang called themselves the Hartmann clan and were one of the major players in the looting and other unpleasant acts seen during the Coup.

After the destruction of the Pot, the Hartmanns, wanting to improve their image, began calling themselves the Harts. They spread money, liquor and Party Time to whoever would join them, and once Party Time became illegal, devoted much of their time to seizing warehouses, setting up Party Time labs, and undercutting or killing the competition.

Also see: History of the Hart Family (found in The Jacq of Spades)

Also see: A Short History of Bridges

Get more behind the scenes action!

This blog post is partially underwritten by my Patrons.

Patrons get my books and stories at no extra cost, massive discounts on merchandise, behind the scenes stuff, character discussions, and so much more.

Want to check it out? It's free to follow along. Click here to learn more.

Find my books:

Amazon, Audible, the Amazon logo, and the Audible logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The Apple logo and iBooks are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Patricia Loofbourrow is an independent author and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.