The huge hive city of Gothrul's Needle is the only city on Necromunda that actually elects a council to run operations. Every other city is directly controlled in one way or another by the planetary governor: Helmawr.
It has been this way for centuries. The council handles the governance of the Needle, then every few years a new council is elected by the more powerful spire citizens.
In an attempt to improve life in the hive, the council imposed an outright ban on gang warfare in the lower levels. A ban like this had not been attempted in any hive city before. But, with some rather brutal crackdowns and heavy handed tactics from the citizen protection officers, they were eventually successful.
The ban has been maintained for several years now. The old gangs have been driven into hiding, giving the council a strong grasp on order.
All that was to change.
Deep underground in the colossal slum known as the underhive, an area known as sector 13 has become the epicentre of a massive outbreak of violence.
None are certain as to what caused an entire stratum of the underhive to erupt into lawless rioting. General unrest at the heavy handed rule of the council, or dissatisfaction at living conditions would not explain the suddenness and severity of the violence.
The gangs of the needle who previously had to operate in secret, were able to finally reveal themselves: Bone Gnaws of house Cawdor, The Murky Stroganoffs of house Escher, Spooktown of house Delaque, Orlock’s grim reapers, and Van Saar’s House Lukan have emerged as the most prominent.
These gangs are attempting to take advantage of the breakdown in order, and set up a number of criminal rackets. Some are doing this in an attempt to bring the underhive under their control. Others are using this as an opportunity to try and overthrow the ruling council entirely, and for yet others, their motive is entirely unknown.
A more concerning group has emerged from the deeper levels, known as the lodge of the covetous bag. Nobody is in any doubt as to the intentions of this cannibalistic cult: complete massacre.
This unrest would be of grave concern to the council, however they are as yet unaware of the extent of the problem. The officials that are closer to the flare up have attempted to cover it up. It’s unclear why they want to keep this under wraps. Perhaps these lower down, easily expendable officials are keen to avoid losing their positions; or perhaps they have been paid off.
In any case this cover up has meant that the local enforcers: 13th Precinct Community Relations has found itself at the epicentre of the riots, and completely cut off from the other citizen protection officers in the needle. They will have to use any means necessary to help bring this part of the underhive back under control.
