As dusk fell, Lilac Delaney walked slowly through the streets of central Detroit, thinking to herself. It wasn't often these days that she had much time to ponder, but she had managed to wrap up some business early and had a few moments to spare. Something had been weighing on her mind recently; something she had passed comment on throughout the course of conversation on the streets, but which she had yet to address of her own accord.

The area was still busy, almost in spite of the dark clouds that had begun to choke the light from the sky. Realising that her timing was ideal, she slowed to a stop and fired her gun into the air to get everyone's attention.

Ladies, gentlemen and specifically, leaders. Godfathers, Godmothers, Dons. If I may, I would like to steal your focus for just a moment and invite you to stand alongside me in order to offer a few words to our general public, if you are willing.

It occurs to me, since having acquired the title of Godmother myself, that the way in which many mobsters perceive you can be somewhat surprising.

Many have already heard me speak about the importance of transparency - at least to some degree - as a leader. By this, I mean recognisable traits, established by the leader themselves within the eye of the public and resulting in not only a reputation - be it formidable or otherwise - but also an identity through which people feel that they truly know something about you. For example, let's take your values.

As a leader and indeed as a Godmother, I have very particular values. I'm sure all of us do. I am not at all adverse to making those values known; again, as I've said before, I'd much rather that some fresh faced youngster stepping off the boat and wondering about my district might be able to gauge something through my street presence about the kind of leader that I am and what they might expect if they come to work for me.

So, to be plain, there are three things that I value most. Two of these I absolutely insist on, while the other is something that I believe is to be expected and granted, but must be maintained on both sides. The first? Respect. The second? A willingness to listen, ask questions and learn. And the third? Loyalty.

To me, the concept of recruiting some young thing into my district and instantly demanding absolute loyalty from him or her before they know a thing about me is inherently flawed. If I were to make them sign a document in their own blood swearing their commitment to me until the death, can I really be assured that they will hold true to their word? Of course not.

But, I can hope so. I can treat the dynamics of loyalty as reciprocal. I can encourage my members, make them feel valued and nourish every last morsel of their being that when starved, might question this prerequisite or, heaven forbid, rebel against it. And yes, I can most certainly retrieve my gun from its holster and pop those who fail me without emotion. The fact that I consider these issues at length and with all of my faculties should not be mistaken for weakness or an inability to be ruthless; on the contrary, it means that when I am ruthless, I act as a result of clear, coherent thought, untainted by bloodlust or a bruised pride.

Now, that is just me. What I would like to hear are the thoughts of other leaders in This Thing of Ours. What traits do you value most in your members? Do you feel you are perceived as you wish to be by our society, or do you feel that your title - and all the heresay that comes with it - sometimes censors aspects of who you are? Do you prefer to be shrouded in mystery, or balls out and straight up to all who cross your path?

Honesty. It's what I value above all else. It's the foundation of everything Ive worked to build. I'm honest and straight forward with my crew, and I can only hope that they're doing the same in return. When I'm approached, I give the most honest, straight forward answer I'm capable of giving. I dont believe in beating around the bush, nor giving anyone the run around. So as I do these things, I expect the same from those who bunker down in my headquarters.

Godmother Lilac,

I appreciate you asking me for my thoughts on this topic, and I will be honest and say that I originally wasn't going to respond, until I came across something that started an itch in me. An itch that could only go away if I went ahead and asked you a question based on your answer. In respect to you, I will first answer your question, as it would be rude for me to ignore your question and ask one of my own.

The traits I value most in my members is intelligence. The ability to see the big picture in things. The ability to see not only the direct impact of an action, but the long term effects of it. Those who see that, are able to move up the ranks and be privy for larger roles. Those are the ones who display leadership abilities. Abilities to think long term and not short term.

I feel I am perceived in many different ways, and that is based off of my direct connection with a person. Those who know me in one way, perceive me differently than those who know in a lesser way. I am not worried about how I am perceived by outsiders. Outside opinions of me are amusing. Those who want to get to know me and see what I am actually like, always have that luxury. Those who choose not to and simply form an opinion of me that way are simply entertainment for me.

As for your final question. I prefer to be whatever it takes to wield the best long term results in the specific situation. If being secretive and a mystery is needed to optimal results, so be it. If being rash, straight forward, and firm is needed, then that is what shall be.


Now I ask you this, Godmother.
Loyalty is without a doubt something important to all of us. However, what exactly do you define as loyalty?
Should an associate be loyal to their sponsor more so than their crew leader?
Should a made member be more loyal to their crew leader than their Godfather/mother?
Who exactly should be loyal to whom?

Lilac smiles as her fellow mobsters start to respond and listens intently to their words. As Don Alexander talks of honesty, she nods in agreement. Then, as Godfather Phil Steak steps up, she turns her head to him and absorbs what he has to say.

She lights a cigarette, inhaling and exhaling thoughtfully as the Godfather of New York speaks. When he finishes with a question, she raises an eyebrow and rests her chin on her hand as she considers how to answer.

Godfather Phil Steak, it pleases me greatly to see you come out here to answer my question. In turn, I'd like to voice my appreciation for that. Furthermore, your own question offers food for thought and the potential for some real debate, which is excellent.

Of course, I can only offer you what I believe to be right from my own experience.

Loyalty is without a doubt something important to all of us. However, what exactly do you define as loyalty?

Loyalty, for me, is threefold. A mobster is loyal to their city, their Godfather (s) and their family leader. That loyalty is demonstrated through a mobster's actions; in how they conduct business in order to make money for the family and the city, in how they conduct themselves not only with their family, district and city members but also with those from other cities and in how they represent themselves and those that they belong to in all public dealings, be it out here or in the coffeeshops. A loyal mobster will always have family at the forefront of their mind, whether in financial or social matters. And family, I might add - for me - encompasses not only those who reside within their own HQ, but also those within their districts and city.

Should an associate be loyal to their sponsor more so than their crew leader?

This is a question I didn't expect to see, because frankly, I think there is only one answer: absolutely not. An associate may be under the guidance of their sponsor, and certainly the sponsor may cream a little pocket money off the top for their trouble, but ultimately that associate works for the family and therefore the crew leader. As such, that is where their loyalty should be directed. However. This leads me to your next question and my final answer:

Should a made member be more loyal to their crew leader than their Godfather/mother?

My response to this includes all mobsters, from associate goombas to wise guys and beyond, rather than just button men and above.

In a city where leadership is unified, there is no need to split or measure loyalty to one leader against another. The big picture illustrates loyalty overall to the city as a single unit. Of course, the orders of your city Godfather carry more weight than that of your district Godfather, whom in turn carries more authoritative weight than your CL. But that should have nothing to do with loyalty; that is a matter of obedience. Under unified leadership, there is simply no need to measure one's commitment to their crew leader against their commitment to their Godfather, because the end result of that commitment - the city's goals, as it were - should be the same in all cases.

However, when you have a city where the leadership is not unified, you do indeed have this situation where sometimes, unfortunate choices need to be made. It is no secret that I have experienced this situation myself and I remain proud of the decision that I took all that time ago.

In the event where a mobster finds that their leadership is split and that they must decide whom to entrust their loyalty to over another, it is my concrete opinion that they must consider the path that leads to the overall benefit of the city. Say, for example, that their crew leader and the city Godfather are at odds with one another and a mobster is asked to decide whose word they wish to follow. For me, there can never be any regret in knowing that you followed the word of the man who held your city's best interests at heart. In my situation, it just so happened that the intentions of my former leader were compromising the family and therefore the city, thus rendering my then-Godfather's authority as the best way forward at that time. So, naturally, I made my choice and consequently, although a leader was lost, an exemplary family remained intact. The fact that my former Godfather then went on to meet a downfall of his own was an entirely seperate matter.

Had the shoe been on the other foot - i.e., if it was the actions or intentions of my former Godfather that threatened to cause detriment to our city, then if given the word by my crew leader I would have stood against him without a shadow of a doubt. This is the simple truth of the matter; Godfathers can and have been known to be fallible and they can and have been removed. This is why I believe it so important to earn, rather than demand, the respect of one's members; because in turn, you earn their implicit rather than vowed trust and subsequently, they will believe in the decisions you make for your district or city.

Thank you again for the questions, Godfather Steak. Very interesting indeed.

Eavesdropping in on a conversation in the streets, SpaceCowboy continues to casually stroll, listening in on the conversation in front of him. He walks until he finds himself in front of a group of people chatting. After hearing Lilac finish her speech, he smiles and gives her a wink. He waits patiently and listens to others voice their opinions before it's his time to step forward.

Personally, one of the things I value the most is those who stay real while working in a professional manner to better the city. There's nothing I enjoy more than working with those who don't misrepresent themselves. I'd rather work with those who are honest and straight forward without spouting bullshit.

Another big trait is being respectful. My mother raised me right, teaching me to show respect to others and treat them as you'd wish to be treated. I do my best to enforce the same things I've been taught as a young lad to my family.

"Do you feel you are perceived as you wish to be by our society, or do you feel that your title - and all the hearsay that comes with it - sometimes censors aspects of who you are? Do you prefer to be shrouded in mystery, or balls out and straight up to all who cross your path?"

Those who know me will tell you that no matter what your title, rank or role is, I will treat you the same. I am straight forward with everyone, and I will chat with and mail whoever so wishes to speak with me or whoever fate leads me to run into that day.

Do I prefer to be shrouded in mystery? Not at all, I enjoy meeting new folks! I'll be honest as I'm not quite sure if I am perceived as I would wish to be by our society. Those who know me or work with me on the daily basis would make me believe others do too, but let's be honest... this is a big world we live in, you can't impress them all. Those who've yet to meet me will most likely be seeing me differently than others.

Deadly stops as he sees Godfather Lilac Delaney making a speech. He pauses to think for a second before giving his answer.

"I have to agree with Alexander here. Honesty is the one thing I value most in people, and I feel there is nothing worse than finding out that someone has been lying to me. As long as people are honest with me, I will do everything in my power to protect them."

"How people perceive me isn't something I worry about, or even give much thought to. That might come across as slightly arrogant but the fact of the matter is that worrying about what people think of me isn't going to benefit me in any way, and too much thinking about how people perceive me might lead to making decisions just to 'look good' rather than making the decisions which benefit my city as a whole."

"No, I do not believe it censors aspects of who I am. If anything it is when you are not a leader that you have to censor certain aspects of yourself, whether that's for the sake of your family rules or because your leader has told you to behave in a certain way. Once you are the person in charge, it is up to you how to behave. The censors are then in fact, removed."

"As for the final question.. I cannot give one or the other as an absolute answer. I am mysterious when I have to be, and I am balls out and straight up when I have to be."

Deadly tips his hat to the Godfather before lighting a cigarette.

I must say, I'm in full agreement with every aspect of your answer, Godfather DeadlySin.

I don't believe that not caring about how people perceive you is arrogance; inevitably, perceptions will vary and will include some negative ones. There's really not much sense in dwelling on things like this as to do so stands in the way of important work.

You make an interesting point about censorship, though. A true one at that. I would counter with one point though...

Once you are the person in charge, it is up to you how to behave.

Now, obviously this is a factual statement. Nonetheless, I would suggest that while it is entirely up to someone in charge to behave as they wish, I still believe that some decisions to act cannot be made without first considering the wider impact, or, as Godfather Steak put it, the bigger picture. The power to make the decision may rest with the leader, but it is how they utilise that power that illustrates real leadership, i.e. do they make a call entirely independent of all influencing factors as they are in charge, or do they inform that decision with not only the facts, but also the thoughts of those that serve them?

I would also state that again, while we may act as we wish, we must also remember that we are arguably the most influential role models in This Thing Of Ours and should conduct ourselves as such. Of course, very few would have attained the positions they enjoy without already being thoroughly well practised in the art of personal conduct.

Jaqen took the cigarette from DeadlySin and flicked it onto the ground before he stepped on it, he then looked at him and shook his head before he turned to Lilac. "Thank you for this lovely speech, Lady Delaney, it's nice to see so many Godfathers involved as well. A man has to agree with the traits you all seem to value in your members, but the man is a firm believer that everything we get in this life, is earned, some things we may be able to demand, such as respect, especially those high up in the hierarchy of La Cosa Nostra. But it is much better to earn it, than demand it, so not to mistake fear, for respect. Because at the end of the day, do you want someone at your back that has been loyal to you out of fear, and would most likely abandon or betray you when the opportunity arises, or someone who has been loyal to you because you'd shown them the respect they earned and deserved, and always had their back, thus making loyalty go both ways and not just to where some believe it should reside?

A man believes many of the traits that have been mentioned here, go both ways and are intertwined. Honesty, respect and loyalty would mean nothing without each other, they all serve a higher purpose in this thing of ours, and that purpose is to make a crew, become a family. If a leader does not stand up for his people when wronged, he is not worthy of loyalty, because the leader wasn't loyal to them in return, respect would be lost as well in this regard, because in my opinion - if you let your people get screwed over without doing anything, you will lose a lot of respect from your family, if you are not willing to lay down your life for them as they would for you, you don't deserve their loyalty or respect.

Love, loyalty.. and respect, used to be the foundation of our lineage when asked to lead their own. The love was for the family, raised to believe that nothing else mattered in life, they were brothers and sisters, the heads of the family were their parents and guardians, respect and loyalty was earned and returned in full, not demanded, and because of that - their love for the family grew to the point where they would never turn their back on it. Even when punished with death for mistakes, regardless of their ranks - they accepted their fate as honorable men and women, and their next of kin returned to be even more loyal than those before them. The only ones who feared, were those not part of that family or those who joined with bad intentions, and they had every right to fear a family that built such strong ties.

As far as the public goes, a man accepts the fact that he may be perceived as a 'mute' leader, shrouded in mystery. That does not mean a man doesn't care for this thing of ours, it's the fact that all men are different and some will grace these streets every day while others would rather observe everything said, waiting for either a speech that inspires them to share their views, or waiting to make speeches that will encourage others to do the same. One takes longer than the other, but the end goal is the same, and neither is the right or wrong way of doing things, just different." Jaqen tipped DeadlySin's hat when finished and nodded to the lady as she approached the old man next to him.

I hate to disagree (lol), but speaking from the other side of the fence, honesty is not always the best policy. Being honest can end your life very quickly. You fine ladies and gentlemen have, or no doubt will come across a situation where one of your members admits to a mistake and the gun is turned on them.

It takes someone you truly trust to be totally honest with. I'm sure somewhere in your bloodlines (maybe not you Lilac :P) your blood has said or done something wrong and not been honest about it and it's kept you alive and no doubt you're proud that your ancestor managed to dodge the proverbial bullet, I know my blood has. If I could get into all of my bloodline's heads I'm sure I could give examples. I'll take a stab in the dark here and go on to say that your relative didnt know that leader too well, or didn't respect them enough.

However, I'm equally sure that during your lineage's you have been totally honest with a family head/Godfather of yours, maybe not even because you liked them, but because of (touching on a point of Lilac's) street presence, or been friendly in the coffeeshops... for whatever reason your blood felt comfortable enough to share anything with them, even a mistake.

For me, the one trait I'd want my members to have would be judgement of character. There's only so much help you can give a member with this, it's something they can only advance in themselves by being around the place, the mobsters and the life of crime in general. If someone is able to make snap decisions quickly on a person's character it puts them one step ahead as they know how to react and calm any situation. I guess some people would really call this good politics.

For members to evolve into part of the close-knit faction that is a family, people you can truly trust then they need to learn and fast. Being able to react to ticking time bomb can be good for business.

Jaqen smiled at Countdown and then patted him on the shoulder, "Although a man sees your point, in the matter of honesty, it has saved lives as much as it has taken them, my friend. A man would be happier being informed of a mistake by his own people, rather than being told of what had happened by someone else at a later date, because it means one of my own had lied to me, or at least withheld the truth - and that alone would make me end their life, because if you can't trust me to make the right decision depending on what happened, a man would no longer require your services, if you are truly loyal you'll trust your leader to do the right thing, even if it means your death.

A man agrees with the judgement of character trait, it can be quite handy, but there's a lot of people that are very good at acting, deception is also a trait well known...and as useful as the judging of someone's character, depending on what your intentions are you could easily deceive someone to believe you're the nicest and most loyal guy on earth, but in reality you're just a assassin waiting to strike. We take on a role, and play it, so to speak. Until that role is no longer required and your true intentions show, but that is if you live long enough to achieve your goal, without getting caught.

It takes time to learn our way of life, a man would rather not rush them into it and instead guide them so everything sinks in, if to be considered truly part of the family.. they need to learn a lot more than just the basics, so they know what being part of a family truly means when they are ready, getting to know your brothers and sisters is a good way to start while getting accustomed to how they do things.

Ticking time bomb... Countdown..." He said and chuckled, "sorry, that was amusing for some reason."

Lilac leans back against the stone wall of an old building as the debate continues, taking an occasional drag of her cigarette, sometimes nodding, sometimes shaking her head.

She turns to Godfather SpaceCowboy and smiles.

Wise words, Godfather. I don't think I could tolerate someone who wears a false mask and acts their part without really living it. This ties in with honesty, which I must admit, is something I consider to be a very basic requirement, almost one that I take for granted. This particular conversation has reminded me that I should be clearer in including it within my expectations.

I consider myself a reasonable woman, but I wouldn't think twice about turning my gun on someone who witholds truth from me.

Countdown...I have always respected your honesty on these streets. For me, it is one of your most admirable traits.

I hate to disagree (lol), but speaking from the other side of the fence, honesty is not always the best policy. Being honest can end your life very quickly. You fine ladies and gentlemen have, or no doubt will come across a situation where one of your members admits to a mistake and the gun is turned on them.

To the above, I have a simple response. I would rather lose my life through honesty than continue to live at the hands of a lie. As you point out, my bloodline hasn't been around long enough to experience this sort of situation, but I have certainly had smaller incidents occur where for me, honesty has come before perhaps not my own life, but definitely the lives of some of those close to me. I take no shame in that. Someday, when it is my own life at stake, I'll still readily take the plunge and speak the truth even if it means dying. Death, in our world, is supposed to be as much about honour as anything else and I believe truth to be the highest of honours. as it were.