Prae stood on the milk crate, looking down at the obituary clipping he cut out of the newspaper just hours earlier. He cleared his throat and began to speak.

Anthias, a wise guy from CrissCross's family. Mike-Stud, a wise guy from Paul-Heyman's family. Dominic_Lockwood, again from CrissCross's crew. All three of these unfortunate souls have something in common: they took their own lives. I do not know any one of these people; I haven't spoken to them, nor do I hold any opinion about them or their bloodlines.

I make this public speech to talk about suicide, and how it has become a running theme in this thing of ours. Every day, it pains me to open the obituaries in the newspaper and read about the half-dozen or so men and women that, unfortunately, found that life just wasn't worth living anymore, and decided to take their own lives. I speak, not on the action of their suicide, but rather how they go about ending their own lives.

In my ancestors' day, suicide wasn't something you did unless you were a Don/Godfather who just wanted to leave it all behind, so their bloodline could move on to more legitimate enterprises. They did so with the approval of their families, with a person appointed to step up in their place. The option was also available to the upper ranks -- the made men and the like, as well as the regular rank-and-file. But they never took it, because it left their bloodline blacklisted by the former family. If someone needed their life to be ended, it was done with the blessing of the Don/Godfather. A crew member would be appointed to see him off with a quick and painless death, to improve his gun and to earn the experience.

I don't see that as much anymore. I'm sure there are a couple of examples, but none that I've seen recently. I would ask that anyone seeking to end their lives, don't take the easy way out. Talk to your Don about different ways, and leave your bloodline on good terms with your former family.

Prae looks sorrowfully out over the small crowd, wondering if anyone in the crowd would end their own lives before the night was out.

If someone suicides out of their family because they have no desire to be in that family anymore, or have grown to despise and hate the family, I am fine with that, if at least the person who suicides has the decency to tell his leader of his decision and his reasons for taking that decision. If I wanted out of a family I didn't like, I wouldn't help that family by giving them a notch on their gun. I would suicide as a 'fuck you' to that family, simply because I can. Furthermore I think that those who have not yet reached the rank of Wise Guy or Made Man should be allowed to swap families if they desire it (after discussing it with their leader of course), because they have not yet joined the family, they are mere associates.

If someone wants to retire from this world because the other world has pressing matters at hand, by all means should they inform their leader of so, and let him take the shot. 

Wondering aimlessly through the Streets Wild-Boy heard one of the crew members of the ruthless Lion known as Simba discussing a very actual topic regarding this act of hopelessness and fear that we call suicide.Wild-Boy wanted to say few words to Prae.

Your words make sense Prae and though you and me do not understand those people's actions, this doesn't make them so wrong.My opinion on this matter is that it is a personal choice that the player makes and doing it he/she accepts the consequences from her/his actions.I do not believe I know any of the people who have taken their own lives, but they cerainly had their own reasons to do this.

I consider the suicide as an act of cowardness unless it is in the very first days of a new player's live who has either rolled bad stats or doesn't like the conception of the game and this intention certainly has to be announced to the crew leader or to the Sponsor.If you do not want to play anymore or want to start over, the most honorable decision is to ask a person from your family to end your life, otherwise expect no ''welcome backs'' again. 

The way I look at it is that suicide isn't even really an problem. It's just something that happens and something we will have to accept. Shame you didn't get that extra notch on your gun because some twat suicides instead of letting you take the shot. Deal with it, don't let his kin into your family. I would rather suicide if I found out my crewleader was a cunt than him getting a better gun from shooting me.. Makes sense. 

Keynes it is not all sunshine and rainbows here.You either adapt to the atmosphere and the people you are in a crew with or you die.Even if your crewleader is the biggest prick of the all and you hate him, he is your crew leader.If you suicide olny because your crew leader is a dick, then you are not fit for this game and you better go play some Candy crush.IF you want to change his attitude towards you, you will have to prove him wrong and then he will respect you more than anyone else, show him you worth more than the other 30 members in the crew and he will respect you..Here you do not require respect from your family, you earn it.

Sunshine and rainbows? Don't know where that came from..

You either adapt to the atmosphere and the people you are in a crew with or you die.

So, if I don't adapt or don't want to adapt.. I can suicide.

Even if your crewleader is the biggest prick of the all and you hate him, he is your crew leader.

Until I suicide that is.

If you suicide olny because your crew leader is a dick, then you are not fit for this game and you better go play some Candy crush.

 What? So if I am not convinced that the social and leadership skills of my crewleader are good enough for my standards, I should go play 'candy crush', whatever that is? (You appear to have a bad case of OOCitis here). If I think my leader is a dick, I am sure as hell not going to give him the kill.. Why should I?

IF you want to change his attitude towards you, you will have to prove him wrong and then he will respect you more than anyone else, show him you worth more than the other 30 members in the crew and he will respect you..Here you do not require respect from your family, you earn it.

Right, because I am going to put in work for someone I have a dislike for. That's almost like making a Bully's homework in the hope he won't bully you no more. Indeed I do not require respect from my family, but I won't give it to them unless I deem it necessary.

It is difficult to quarrel with someone convinced in his own understandings about this world.If you want to rank up in this world of ours and make a name for yourself, you will have to engage with various types of characters and opinions and I can tell you that most of them will not like you, due to jealousy or just because they are assholes.Adapting abilities and the knowledge of what to say and when to say it, are the only way to make progress.

Isn't it better to be stubborn and constant in your actions and positions, so you actually get a chance to change something, so you get noticed or even show those shitheads who thought they can use you as their chew toy, that they made a big mistake messing around with you.Then my friend you will be victorious.

If you suicide no one will actually give a fuck about who you were and what forced you to do this...

Regarding the Real Life Bullying reference.Me and my friends do not allow anyone even think about bullying us,do you?

It is difficult to quarrel with someone convinced in his own understandings about this world.If you want to rank up in this world of ours and make a name for yourself, you will have to engage with various types of characters and opinions and I can tell you that most of them will not like you, due to jealousy or just because they are assholes.Adapting abilities and the knowledge of what to say and when to say it, are the only way to make progress.

Believe me when I say I know how to rank up in this world of ours.  I am just saying that I won't take the effort when I don't like my crewleader, and since I do like to rank up, I would search for other crews to do so. If I didn't feel right in my crew and wanted to join another, I would ask for my leader to shoot me. If I thought my crewleader was an asshole, I wouldn't bother asking, I would suicide (but I would still tell him why).

Isn't it better to be stubborn and constant in your actions and positions, so you actually get a chance to change something, so you get noticed or even show those shitheads who thought they can use you as their chew toy, that they made a big mistake messing around with you.Then my friend you will be victorious. 

If I really wanted to be 'victorious' I would train a gun to shoot people. My comments were not about that however, they were about committing suicide when my crewleader is an asshole. And no, I am not going to do the effort and rank up if I don't like the person I'm doing it for. 

If you suicide no one will actually give a fuck about who you were and what forced you to do this...

They won't, that isn't important. What is important is that the kin of those that committed suicide find  a crew that is suitable for them (and who's leader doesn't appear as dick to them).

Regarding the Real Life Bullying reference.Me and my friends do not allow anyone even think about bullying us,do you?

I've never been bullied by any leader here, I would find it hilarious if I were. But I would still suicide out of his crew. 

I feel that, if a person is having trouble with their boss being a bully, that they should speak with their Godfather, and present evidence of the bullying. The Godfather can then take care of their captain, and have the person in question that was bullied to a different crew. If the captain refuses the Godfather's orders, well, we have ways of dealing with that.

The 'bully' thing was only a means to illustrate my point, not my actual argument. My point is that someone who:

• Doesn't like his current crew
• AND heavily dislikes his leader

Has the right to suicide. We can make a problem out of it, or we can deal with it. It happens and it generally gives no lasting harm.

But shouldn't the reason he doesn't like his crew have a reason to do with the acceptance of his suicide? What if he doesn't like his crew because his CL won't buy him a bag of lollipops and chocolate cakes or some nonsense like that? All he has to do is say 'I don't like...' and boom, free of guilt.

Look, if someone doesn't like his crew and/or crewleader he can commit suicide. Of course he isn't going to give the man he dislikes an extra notch on his gun! Why would he? Saying 'I don't like..' doesn't force the leader to change it. 

If I had joined a crew which I thought was solid, but turned out to be bad and if that crew had a horrible leader (in my eyes) I would suicide. I definitely would. 

Do you really think the Godfather who authed the crew leader will eliminate him, because he is being mean to you...lol

It is a personal choice indeed, it also depends on what kind of person you are.If you prefer to run from the problems instead of facing them and  trying to fix them, well I cannot judge you. 

Indeed a Godfather will not be likely to shoot his auth for him being mean...

Suiciding isn't running from a problem. If you suicide you are avoiding a potential problem.

It has been my experience that most people suicide out based upon two reasons:

• they picked a crew that wasn't fitting his or her needs. this is more than likely caused by taking one of the first offers they received without digging into the crew and what it was all about
• the boss in charge is with holding a promotion for whatever reason. people tend to get heated really quickly when they reach the minimum levels set by the gods, but don't automatically receive the promotion that comes with it. to those leaders, i applaud your backbone and standards. that is being a good crew leader as far as im concerned.

All in all, we can't stop the easy way. If people want to go, let them go. No matter how many times we offer to teach them to put the crew first, it just isn't going to sink in with everyone.

Scriba hears some commotion and finds himself drawn near an ever growing rukus of Mafioso. At the front of it all a man stands on a milk crate. He's the first and also the last to speak and Scriba notices the face to be that of Praefect. Upon further inspection he can see a newspaper clipping flapping about in his hand as he spoke.

Scriba waits for the crowds muttering to die down. The sunlight catches the silk of the lime green ribbon adorning his fedora. He begins speaking from his place amongst the smallish circle of Mafioso.

"Who in this thing of ours considers bullying, even a thing? If one isn't ballsy or tough enough to take on this thing of ours, then they should do us all a favour. No-one wants to put up with complaining and whinging, especially from a so called Mafioso."

Scriba shook his head, looking rather irritated. He was usually quite the calm and smiley type, yet today the topic caught a bit of fire in his belly.

"If someone feels they are at odds with their leader, their Don, their general, then taking the gun to themselves is seen as cowardice in my eyes. Why would you work for someone you don't respect, and aren't loyal to in the first place. Disagreements end either with a sit down, or with bloodshed. This is the life we chose. Where are the true mafioso's that will still bite their pride and follow tradition to the end?"

Scriba throws his hands in the air frustrated.

"If you can't hack this thing of ours, take the gun and end it. Or someone else eventually will do it for you. But don't expect to be seen as anything but a coward. Only the strong survive."

Maybe it's cowardice, in my eyes it's denying someone you dislike a favor.

If someone is so unhappy that they're willing to end their life, do you really think they give a fuck what their current leader or Godfather think of them? 

Believing that they would, never mind that they should, is at best naive and unrealistic. Sure you can retain hopes that it would happen, I'm not suggesting that anyone should like it, but when you start to expect it to it's you that is making the mistake not the person you're blaming.

As for it being a new problem and didn't happen in the olden days? Bullshit. My bloodline arrived on these shores when this was a new world. They walked on the shores of others before that. This has always happened and always will happen.

You know why? People are free to choose. They can choose what to say, choose what to do and if they decide to... they can choose to end your life or end their own. When you give people a choice, some will make the wrong one, some will fuck up and some will do exactly what you don't want them to do. That's life. If you've a great leader that motivates and inspires their soldiers, it will happen less. If you've terrible leaders that couldn't lead a troop of girl scouts on a walk it'll happen more. If however you're complaining that it shouldn't happen, ever, you might as well complain about the sun rising or setting each day for all the good it will do you. 

Scriba nods as he listens to Keynes, then Setanta. He ponders momentarily before responding.

"By all means deny them the right for a favour, yet there are other ways to go about things. Conspire with the enemy. Start your own inner circle and look to overthrow the Don. I would never do those things, yet these Mafioso chose to be Mafioso. There are certain codes we live by. Many break these values, and they are seen in a certain light. People who snitch or conspire are seen as rats. People who are disloyal to their Don's are also seen in a certain light."

Scriba pulls at his collar, feeling the heat of the conversation rising, before continuing.

"I don't think this is a question of whether it does or doesn't happen, but what we think of such acts. I personally believe if you don't like someone, then don't work for them in the first place. And if after a period of time you find out you no longer enjoy the protection and guidance of a family, then step out and take a shot. If you don't feel the situation calls for that action, then shut the fuck up and follow tradition. Not all leaders are liked, or loved, or respected, but they chose that family. Suck it up and find a way to deal. If they can't be loyal to the Don, then find something or someone else to be loyal to, yet suffer the consequences of breaking the rules."

Scriba covers his mouth and coughs, before going on.

"Why is suicide seen as something incidental? And why would someone trying to overthrow their Don be seen as something worse? Grow some balls and do something about the bad leadership, or step back in line and follow the rules. People make their beds, they need to lay in them."

Raoul smiles having listened to all who have spoken before him. Some very good points have been raised, and he feels that now is the time to throw his two cents into the fray.

As always, the view on Suicide is always a simplistic one. As has already been addressed some view suicide as the cowards way out but as with everything there are always numerous reasons for doing anything. We have people who made a serious mistake, spoke to someone in the family who seemed like a genuinely nice guy, only to find out that their family head is a complete cunt. Maybe he's not, maybe its just a clash of personalities, but I can understand not working for someone you dislike. Its why my family's leaders always had an open door policy. Up to the rank of Earner, you could leave the family at any time, having spoken to the leader, and no ill will was borne. You were free to seek employment elsewhere. Whether you would find another family to take you is of course open to debate, but you were free to try. However once you reached the loft rank of Wise Guy, you were stuck. You were privy to secrets within the family covered by Omerta, and as such those secrets would be taken to your grave.

I understand though, that not every leader would be happy to do this. So sometimes you are trapped. So what do you do? Let a hitter in the family kill you? Well I agree as a few of my learned colleagues have stated, why would I do this if I really dislike my CL? You might be happy to allow a particular person within the family kill you, but that is not your choice to make, and if your Leader is as big a cunt as you claim, he may well have someone else kill you as one final fuck you. Others have said rank up and do something to do about it. In theory this is the best option. Be disloyal, don't give your leader your protection, hold back on donations and taxes. Train your gun, and take him out. Yes you will die in the process, you might take his entire upper structure out, maybe even all his hitters, but you will be seen as a Rogue and someone will take you down. There are three problems I see with this:

• Not everybody is a shooter. Yes everyone has the ability to train their gun, but there are people out there better suited as protection specialists, Earners, Spies etc. So shooting may not be where your talents lie.
• Your Cl may not like the idea that you are a low earner, that you are buying up loads of Body guards and training your gun, and not interacting, thereby withholding promotion or he may just kill you before you get to the level you need.
• You have just wasted a load of time, money and energy on this one act of revenge when you son or daughter may have been able to accomplish something truly significant in the same time.

I am sure there are other flaws in this plan, there may even be flaws in my logic that I'm sure others will be happy to point out to me, but for me, suicide in this instance is a viable option, but only in this instance.

Raoul smiles and decides that he has said enough for now.

Let me just say thank you for listening to my ramblings, and if you are ever in New York, Please feel free to come visit me in The Dead Rabbit Grocery & grog.

Chuffed that he managed to slip in a cheeky advert for his bar, Raoul steps back into the crowd.