Curl-Tail Crime Ring

The Curl-Tail Crime Ring is a powerful criminal syndicate founded and operated by Shar Pei Canids, most notably the infamous Wrinklebutt Family. The Ring began as a modest smuggling operation dealing in banned Spice Cigars but evolved into a sprawling underworld empire involved in narcotics, prostitution, and the trafficking of illicit goods across the Benerip Federation’s trade sectors.

The name “Curl-Tail” derives from the Shar Pei’s distinctive curled tails, a symbol of both heritage and criminal pride among its members.

Origins

The Ring’s origins trace back to the beloved restaurateur Mattius Wrinklebutt, affectionately nicknamed “Stogie” for his constant habit of smoking Spice Cigars. Mattius owned and operated the popular Stogie’s Biscuit House, famed not only for its biscuits but for the pleasant spice aroma that perfumed the establishment due to his cigars.

When Spice Cigars were banned throughout the sector, Mattius was forced to shut down production. His son, Gordon Wrinklebutt, outraged by the loss of the family business, began trading the cigars illegally. His smuggling venture soon grew into the Curl-Tail Crime Ring, a syndicate whose influence stretched from the Spice docks to the highest levels of underground trade.

Expansion and Operations

Under Gordon’s ruthless but charismatic leadership, the Curl-Tail Crime Ring thrived. Initially focused on Spice trafficking, it expanded into protection rackets, prostitution, and the movement of contraband artifacts. Gordon’s ability to balance brutality with charm made him a respected—if feared—figure in the underworld.

After Gordon’s retirement, his son Cornelius Wrinklebutt assumed leadership. Cornelius modernized the Ring, forging covert deals with legitimate corporations while tightening the syndicate’s grip on the Spice black market.

Leadership and Succession

The Curl-Tail Ring remains a family-run operation. Gordon still serves as an advisor from his Spice estate, while Cornelius handles daily operations. Cornelius’ daughter, Clarissa Punkbelly, rejected her family name.

“Wrinklebutt sounds like a bad joke.”

— Clarissa Punkbelly

Despite her public distancing, she remains deeply tied to the organization’s politics through her betrothal to Hollbrook Smartbottoms, head of the rival Felt Ear Crime Ring.

Their impending union has caused great speculation within criminal and law enforcement circles alike—some see it as the dawn of a grand underworld alliance, others as the prelude to all-out gang warfare.

Rivalry with the Felt Ear Crime Ring

The Felt Ear Crime Ring, composed primarily of Bulldog Canids, is the Curl-Tail’s chief rival. Their operations overlap in gambling, smuggling, and territorial control. While the two syndicates share a begrudging respect, violent skirmishes frequently erupt over trade routes, territory, and control of the Spice distribution network. The arranged union between Clarissa Punkbelly and Hollbrook Smartbottoms is widely viewed as a political maneuver meant to prevent further bloodshed—or possibly a prelude to one side’s total takeover.

Cultural Identity

Among Shar Pei Canids, the Wrinklebutt name carries an ironic mix of ridicule and reverence. Their curled tails—once a symbol of domestic pride—have become an emblem of criminal unity. Members of the Ring bear tattoos depicting a curling tail wrapped around a cigar, usually inked near the base of their spine. The scent of Spice remains their unofficial calling card, lingering wherever the Curl-Tails operate.

Trivia

The Curl-Tail safehouses are perfumed with the faint scent of Spice Cigars, both as a nostalgic homage and a means of identification.
Gordon Wrinklebutt famously remarked:

“You can outlaw the smoke, but never the scent.”

— Gordon Wrinklebutt

The original “Stogie’s Biscuit House” sign still hangs in the Curl-Tail headquarters as a reminder of their humble beginnings.

References