It started as a form of ambulance chasing, showing up on the doorstep after a genuine attack after offering membership. Eventually someone figured out that if they paid mercenaries to attack, and were careful not to have it linked back... they'd generate far more ambulances to chase. It's more a scam than outright extortion.... closer to the peddlars of fake anti-virus software than a bunch of heavies smashing up the place. They generated the threat of attacks by quietly hiring mercenaries to launch light raids against unprotected settlements. Shortly after each raid, a representative would approach the residents and offer membership. If they joined, the attacks seemed to stop and membership seemed to be worthwile. If they didn't, a few months later the attacks escalated in boldness and deadliness.
They were smart enough not to pull it on anywhere that seemed like it might be able to fight back, or had some obvious hard assets who might get annoyed, and generally skim things below the radar to avoid attracting attention. The vast majority of the membership and administration had little to no idea this was actually going on, even the protection salesmen often thought it was just another ambulance to chase.
They just understimated the residents of Frigga.... and planned to just a superficial raid to wreck the place and run away before they could be removed or captured. It went south when they picked the worst day to launch their raid.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
They were smart enough not to pull it on anywhere that seemed like it might be able to fight back, or had some obvious hard assets who might get annoyed, and generally skim things below the radar to avoid attracting attention. The vast majority of the membership and administration had little to no idea this was actually going on, even the protection salesmen often thought it was just another ambulance to chase.
They just understimated the residents of Frigga.... and planned to just a superficial raid to wreck the place and run away before they could be removed or captured. It went south when they picked the worst day to launch their raid.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?