Gangs are the eternal thorn in NYX's behind. These aren't your classy groups that leave you sleeping with the fishes. These are the ones that are going to corner you, stick a knife in your gut, and then take your wallet and Rolex. In a better world, we'd be gang-less and get along with a dollar in each hand. But until then, gangs are a tough reality and all the inhabitants of NYX have to deal.
What you want to avoid is the gang turf if you can, and watch your can if you can't. This is tricky, as boundaries between them change every day. When in doubt, check the Rosetta. For now, here's the dos and don'ts to sharing the streets with these nut jobs:
DON'T go to through the boundaries where NYX meets the rest of New York City if you have fur, extra limbs, scales or anything else that can identify you as a mutant, or if you're a known mutant in the area. The Friends of Humanity, AKA FoH or TrueBloods, are the largest and most organized of all those mutie-bashing all-human gangs, and this is their territory. You can spot them a mile off; in the razzle-dazzle punk style of NYX, they stand out with usually clean-cut shirts and pants. Their huge Genepool H.Q. building is infested with kids, cats, and fleas. It's unknown who the current leader is since Marv Vincent was teleported to the Sahara. Who did that? Nobody is NYX is talking.
DON'T trot around the Promenade around midnight unless you are of the X gene and can prove it. The night belongs to Freak Show --enemies of the FoH, humans, and all things related. The old Freaks (a rare breed) can usually be identified by bad haircuts, lurid tattoos, and blue leather with "X"s ripped or painted all over. However, the newer generation, led by a telepath Red, dress more with the current style, and act far more dangerously. Red's easy to find, though; wearing a kilt even in NYX doesn't go unnoticed. He's NYX-bred and scary as hell, stay off his back.
DON'T fuck off in Chinatown borders. You can go, but mind your manners. The Neo-Dragons are more protective of this place than they are of the Promenade, not to mention the other gangs that operate under the Dragons's protection. They're all martial arts experts that put Kill Bill to shame. Dragon Master this year is Fa Cloud. Don't let his size or his hair fool you; this guy will bounce your ass out of town. The Dragons don't go looking for trouble, but they'll fight to the death.
DON'T throw around racial slurs around NYX at any time. There's plenty of race-only gangs that'll gladly rearrange your face for free. The biggest and the baddest are the Tomahawks (Native Americans), Neo-Dragons (various Asians), Patriots (Americans, mostly white), and the Tiger Claws (Indian). All of them can be caught with various symbols of the different ethnicities; look for foreign language symbols, flags, etc.
DON'T worry about the Wildcats; they're SoHo mutant-posers riding on bikes their daddies bought them. They've got no turf, no guns, no powers, just attitude.
On the other hand, DON'T worry about the Lobos. They're die-hard fans of the dance club, Wolf's Den, and they almost never get into fights. Rather, they're hospitable and will direct you to the club's owner, Lobo himself. The only way you'll ever get on their nerves is if you harm one of their own or insult the club.
DON'T fret around the Ragmuffins. They're a mixed group of mutants and humans, fourth- and fifth-generation hippies to be blunt. However, they've been known to do the drugs the most, so who knows what one will do.
If you have a grievance with any gang member, DON'T try to settle it yourself. You could end up setting off a damned war--it's been known to happen. Talk to the gang leader or, if you're that desperate, Lobo. He won't sympathize but he usually agrees to mediate; having his customers kill each other is bad for business. At the moment, there's a truce force between the two biggest powers, the FoH and the Freak Show. It's in everybody's best interests to keep it the way it is, including yours.
DO respect the neutral zones; the Wolf's Den, Parker Clinic, YMCA, Winfrey Cruise's Home for Orphaned Misfits, Unity Park, The Rosetta Stone, Womyn's Center, and the First Church of Christ (Mutant). If you create trouble by or in them, you're banned--in which case, pack up and leave. No one will know you, no one will let you back in, and there's a good chance someone will kill you. Not worth the risk.
DO respect the treaty lines, even if they're redrawn every damn day. Don't expect sympathy if your head's bashed in because you were walking where you shouldn't walk... even if that steeet was safe territory last week.
DO report trouble if someone is hurt, but don't bother with the cops. There are several healers, mutant and human, who help out kids no questions asked, or speeders who will run you at mach 4 to the hospital. Remember these names and where they're usually at: Mrs. Wu (Wu's Chinese Herbs & Such on the Promenade), Ms. Gia (Winfrey Cruise's Home for Orphaned Misfits), Express (The Rosetta Stone), Aedan (The Rosebud), and Dr. Nick or anyone at the Parker Clinic.
The cops won't come as far as the Promenade for anyone who lives in NYX, but these folks will help. In NYX, we take care of our own, savvy?