Ancalagon leans against the walls of the old church he is in, observing one of the more recent funerals. It involved a, until very recently, well respected member of La Cosa Nostra both from his own family and those of other cities.

However, the young man (by the standards of those in power), had decided to shrug off tradition and challenge the entirety of the Mafia World in a bold bid for power. He abandoned friends and spit on his family and yet, perplexing, friends and family members had filed into the small Christian ceremony in order to pay their last respects.

This is mad.

Flicking the coat in his hand to the nearest pew, Ancalagon storms up the aisle and stops in front of the casket. Turning, he gives the assembled fools, all members of Our Thing, a long hard look.

"Really?" Ancalagon waits for something other than a blank stare to meet his gaze.

"Alright, again. REALLY?!" Taking a breath, he shakes his head.

"I've seen many funerals in my time, for death is a commonplace event in our lives. Whether it is fallen friends or enemies, paying our last respects is something that should always be undertaken. Honor the fallen."

"However! What gives the Rogues that only occasionally plague our streets the RIGHT to such an honor? What goes through the minds of those that spend their time, at the funerals of these people? "

Kicking the accursed casket aside, Ancalgon steps up to the pulpit to further illustrate his point with fine oratory.

"Do you know what a Rogue is? Do any of you grasp the grave insult to our way of living and the disruption to the delicate balance that we have in our world? "

Seeing blank looks, Ancalagon sighs. He notices a few flushed faces and waved his piece around menacingly.

"No funny business. I don't care if this person was your blood sister or brother. Sit and listen.

"Now, a rogue is in most definitions an unauthorized or "blessed" setting up of a headquarters and what comes with that. This is a grave danger to all because, when this task is undertaken, it is to overthrow the current families in power. Not just the families in one city or even two. ALL."

"Clear?" Seeing nods, he goes on. "Good. Now there is a second and, for all of you small time and big time gangsters out there, even graver danger to this. You are now under threat of death, if the Rogue turns his gun on you. There is most often to reason for the shootings that follow, but no one is safe save the most heavily protected."

"I guess...coffee shop connections are to blame for all these foolish moves by some members of the Mafia. It's a slap in the face for all who work as per the traditions of our world. Sadly, most don't seem to see that."

Death slithers out from whatever rock he'd been hiding under. Kong's bodyguards had made his wallet to dangerous to pick and so he was now on the hunt for some other poor schlub to make up the difference. Stopping to hear his friend Ancalagon vent his frustrations, he finds himself inexorably drawn to the debate that was sure to start.

My friend, when you are in that box, all sssinsss are forgiven. All passst transssgressssssionsss are at an end. You have paid the price for your missstakesss, no matter how great or sssmall, no matter how few or how numerousss. We have no reassson to deny the family and friendsss of the deceasssed their grief, for no matter how heinousss their crimesss, they will ssstill have family and friendsss. SSSure, they probably ssshouldn't be up there extolling the virtuesss of the deceasssed and praisssing them to the highessst heavensss, but at the sssame time don't we all dessserve a fitting sssend off?
Whilssst I persssonally would never go rogue, I can underssstand the mentality of thossse who do. Itsss a sssicknessssss and an illnessssss that affectsss the mind, and drivesss men and women to thisss courssse of action. And whilssst I do not condone it, I cannot condemn them or their right to a decent Chrissstian burial, if that isss their faith.
Death isss the final arbiter, and by hisss hand all our sssinsss are wassshed away like yesssterdaysss fleeting sssnow in the rain. No I don't mean myssself, i mean the other Death, the one with the cowl and the ssscythe, yesss him behind you there.

I do agree that it is a sickness. It's a lust for power that drives people to break with all tradition,

But!

That does not mean as soon as the body starts to cool, I forgive or forget. Do understand, when I mean family I mean the most sacred of families.

A rogue breaks the sacred oath is sworn and is further dammed, for those that believe, to the lower circles of hell. As such condemnation for an action in life travels beyond the grave, why should it not continue even after the body is dead in our world?

For those that pay their last respects, it is my opinion that they do not condemn the actions taken by the deceased. Therefore, they themselves are also at fault. Rogues are never to be supported, even after they die, for it breaks the oath to the Family.

I wasss never one for believing in Hell. Letsss face it, if there where one, I ssshould probably be there already. However you have a point. I believe though that it should be up to the Crew Leader or the Godfather of the individuals in question to enforce that particular caveat.

If you where shot tomorrow by Clarence, because he found out that you where evil mastermind behind all these Rogues... and if it does happen it wasn't me who grassed you up... what is said in the cofee shops stays in the coffee shops...

Death looks around surrepticiously to ensure that no one is listening

... and he shot you in the face for it, I would still come to your funeral. Whilst our family lines may not have always seen eye to eye, you have been nothing else but pleasant and respectful to me, and I consider you a friend. The only thiong that would stop me attending and throwing confetti over your coffin... no wait, that's weddings... well you get the picture, the only thing that would stop me is orders from above banning my attendance.

Sure you where a traitorous dick, and sure you fucked over your family and your Godfather, but you did me no harm, and even bought me a quart of embalming fluid once.

Well Death, we'll continue to not see eye to eye on this.

One thing that has always been constant in my family line has been a rigid and opinionated view of the world and how things should be. I've yet to be in the position of having had a close friend or family member rogue, so I speak as one unknowing.

However, confetti sounds really nice. It certainly matches your...charm.

I have often seen in the past, a message along the lines of "I thank you for what you did for the family, and hope people don't judge you on this moment of madness".  When i see people say great job i wonder whats going on unless these are people with the same agenda.  I personally avoid rogues funerals generally partially for personal protection so not to be judged on similar levels and secondly not to support such acts.

I would however try to talk to the rogues son, or get hold of the rogues diaries and find why they went rogue to avoid future events if within my control.  I would not judge the son either on the fathers actions but would watch them a lot harder.

I'm sorry it took me so long to gather my thoughts on this matter but I wanted to make sure I'm not seen as someone who supports rogues or the act of roguing itself.

Whatever I say that makes it sound that way, is most likely me not expressing myself correctly so just point it out and I'll be more than happy to rephrase myself.

I thought there was another sacred... rule(?) that implied we should respect funerals and you have just kicked a casket to the side. Granted, technically we may not be inside a church, some may say, but I think I saw you quite clearly kick that casket inside a church regardless of where we are debating this.

You also mention lower circles of hell. Are you implying that we are not on our way to hell already for being criminals?

Also, are all rogues after total domination? What if you feel trapped in a crew you dislike and decide to get your own HQ in an attempt to kill your former Boss? That is still a rogue, but is it really a rogue ALL cities should fear? Again, I'm NOT saying this is a legit course of action, I'm just nit picking certain comments of yours I disagree with.

Funerals are a place to cry the departure of one you love. You don't necessarily stop loving somebody just because they screw up. You still weep their passing and the funeral is the place to express that sadness. So my presence in a funeral should not make you think anything about what I think about his actions.

Rogues are indeed after total domination. See...that is exactly my point. They want to be the top dog and therefore are a threat to everyone. As rogues never succeed, they more often then not turn their guns on the biggest and “juiciest” kill possible Consigliere Midpoint was an example of the randomness a rogue brings to the table.

As for the lower circles of hell, I assume you must remember your Oath of Omerta when you were inducted as a Made Man to Consigliere Whatsername? The spirit of the oath is the same throughout most families, though the wording or cermony may be different.

Ancalagon ruffles through his jacket and pulls out a loose paper, An example from my Grandmothers Journal:

"The ceremony began in a pitch-black room, where nary a sound was heard. It was after a long silence, when the voice of my crew leader came from the darkness with a simple question.

"Do you so swear to uphold the Code of Silence, also known as Omerta, and defend this family to your dying day?"

I affirmed my desire and moved closer to my leader, who had lit a candle in her hand. I had looked to the two figures near my leader and recognized a few of the other made men in the Family and found comfort in their presence. As she placed a card of St. Francis of Assisi in my hand, I couldn’t help but feel a small tremble at the thoughts running through my head.

Before I could indulge myself further she lit it alight and returned a look as strong as the flame in my hand. “As this card burns, may your soul burn in Hell if you betray the oath of Omertà or the Family.”

I looked down to the card in my hand, as it had grown quite hot. “As burns this saint, so will burn your soul. You enter alive and you will have to get out dead.”

So there. My Grandmother was a very charming lady by the way.

As for kicking aside the casket...I did it to make a point. The person deserves to be buried in the cold ground bereft of ceremony and fully exposed to the maggots of the earth.

How can you claim to know the motives behind *every* rogue? I know that many of them do, but take this last example, the one you chose to make your point as well. they seemed to be after just the one person. And since they couldn't get to him directly, they got to whoever they could, but within his organization.

Again, NOT condoning, but that doesn't seem random to be.

And yes, I do remember my oath well. And as you remind us yourself, there is no talk about a "lower" circle of hell. It just sends me to hell. The one I'm sure we're already headed to for our vicious crimes. But perhaps Theology in the context of MAfia should be the topic of another day.

Unfortunately, as for how you end your comment... I feel the need to express my agreement with JudgeDeath's views. I'm not sure disrespecting a funeral makes us any better men.

Poetics, Gaylord. I simply am stealing from Dante's Inferno to illustrate the gravity of the crime a rogue commits.

It is good to hear your views though. They have been noted.