The Middle

The Middle is one of the Five Fingers, the five most powerful Syndicates in the City which hold enough influence to rival even the Wings.

The Twinhook Pirates are one of many subsidiary Syndicates that operate under The Middle.

Culture

Similar to the other four Fingers, the Middle has a unique Syndicate culture and creed that all members follow fervently.

The Middle has an extremely tight-knit 'familial' structure, and Syndicate members share close fraternal ties with each other; members of the Middle call each other "Brothers" and "Sisters", and rank in the group is denoted by seniority in the family. The emphasis on family is more than superficial: parties are thrown for new members, and large group dinners are often held, which family members are expected to attend

The Middle has a completely different attitude towards outsiders. Any slight (or "sin", as members call them) done to a member of the Middle or its property (including assets and subservient Syndicates) will be recorded on the "Book of Vengeance" (which members carry around on their waists), and promptly avenged for, usually within the space of a few days. The Book of Vengeance also provides guidelines for the punishment required for each crime, ranging in significance from "getting one's shoe stepped on in the streets", to having one's luxury hair salon coupons stolen, to physical harm to a Brother or Sister. This means even slighting a member of the Middle Finger might result in mass death, with entire households being slaughtered over a single dead Middle member and the Sinners being slaughtered over accidentally stealing a single Luxury Hair Salon coupon. As a result, they are greatly feared by outsiders. In comparison, slights within the family are generally ignored.

Appearance-wise, Middle members who have appeared so far have sported Hawaiian-style shirts or vests, dress pants, and sunglasses. More notable attributes (implied to by common to the Middle across the City) include golden chains wrapped around the forearm, shins, and neck (larger amounts of chains are present on higher members), which symbolizes solidarity and connection between Middle members, and enhancement tattoos present all over the body, which glows purple when an user attacks (presumably to provide a strength boost). Members are allowed to add a single tattoo to their bodies with each vengeance completed.

Members

• Ricardo (Big Brother)
• Unnamed Great Sister
• Queequeg (Former Big Sister)
• Tanya (Former Member)

Sinner Identities

• Don Quixote (Little Sister)
• Meursault (Little Brother)
• Heathcliff (Former Member)

Enemy

Fighting Style

The Middle, being the strongest group of enemies the Sinners had come against to date, sports a quite overwhelming fighting style, featuring large amounts of Paralyze, self-buffing, and highly damaging Counter skills. Their skillsets are built solely around Blunt skills, primarily revolving around the Sin Affinities Envy, Wrath, and Pride.

All Middle members have two Envy skills which they primarily rely on to deal damage and weaken the enemy (via Paralyze and Attack Power Down for the Little Brothers).

The Little Brothers additionally have identical skillsets otherwise, with a minus-coin Wrath skill that gives Paralyze on hit or buffs oneself on Clash Lose, a Pride Counter skill that deals large amounts of additional HP, SP, and Stagger Threshold damage on hit, and a no-Affinity Guard skill that buffs oneself next turn if the shield was not exhausted.

Ricardo, on the other hand, has a more complex skillset, featuring a rather large assortment of Defense Skills that revolves around the Status Effect Test of the Big Brother, an Envy skill that summons allies if there are no more allies onstage, and a 7-Weight AoE skill functioning as his ultimatum.

All Middle members have Passives that buffs oneself after allies have been defeated (one permanent buff applying to all Middle members, and one temporary one applying only to allies currently onstage for 1 Turn). They also have a Passive that weakens them somewhat on Clash Lose. They additionally have a unique Panic type called Vengeance, which massively boosts their offensive capabilities (while weakening their defense somewhat) upon Panic or Low Morale.

Gallery

Sturdy Little Brother of the Middle

Ricardo (Big Brother)