Sao wanders aimlessly through the city of New Orleans, thoughts clearly racing behind his eyes. Taking in the recent announcements, changes, calls for opinions, he begins mustering his own ideas. His bloodline a veteran of this lifestyle for years, he remembers when times were different. Without realizing it he has wandered to the usual spot for mobsters like himself to meet up for proclamations and discussions. Noting the usual faces he slides over to the soapbox and readies himself to clear his mind and voice his thoughts.

My friends, family, all you other folk, as of the past few days I have been thinking on the goings-on of our world. Having a long lineage on these shores, it all brings to mind memories of the "old world" of our American mafia. Times are different from when my line first entered the world of crime, and that's not a bad thing. With time comes change.

Love it or hate it, over the past couple years the powers that be have changed our ways. We live longer, much longer than ever before. A fine example would be Godfather Roman of Chicago, who just celebrated his 2 year anniversary of his crime ridden lifestyle. There are others who are approaching a year old, and even more past the mark. There is so much more getting accomplished due to these long careers. Is this a change for the better?

Our Mafiosi are also now followed by an army of bodyguards. When my lone first came to these shores, you were lucky to have 25-30 men following your every move. Now we have people who need a parade of vehicles just to move all at once. Millions of dollars are being spent for the upkeep of said armies. These armies of bodyguards are a force to be reckoned with all on their own. Is this also a change for the better?

Due to the long lives of our fine mobsters, we have also seen some of the biggest guns our world has ever seen. There is a river of blood following many of the people who call our society home. Piles of bodies that have been hidden from prying eyes. As we've seen in a few takedowns turned war, a single man with one of these cannons can do immense amounts of damage to a city on their own. Back in the day the "skilled hitters" had a much smaller kill count. It has raised the bar for those new to our shores to become a power house in the eyes of the veterans. Is this another change for the better?

Really what I'm getting to, is I want your voice as well. I want to know how you all feel about the new world we live in. I want to hear your comparisons, and preferences from the old school to the new. I'm wanting to hear how you all feel about our world and what changes I've left out from my speech.

I appreciate you taking the time to listen to my rambling. Please, if you have something to say, please let the world hear it.

Sao steps down from the soapbox in hopes that someone will take his place.

I feel like this - the amount of blood on the hands of those at the top, of those who have reigned for so long, should surely alarm the Gods.  The police, being Godly men, should mean that someone can only sit in a hot seat for a set period of time before being retired or relinquishing his or her seat.

Hearing Sao's words she remembers tales her great great grandmother once told her.

I remember my ancestors talking about these things you have mentioned. The times have defiantly changed from what I have heard. I might not agree with everything that has evolved but I guess at the same time we have to evolve at the same time. I recall hearing of people getting mugged as well left to recover for hours from getting their money robbed from their pockets. Far more different from the petty pickpocketing we have.

As far as the armies of bg's that I have as well seen that follow many of those around these streets.. Well the only thing that I can really say there is sometimes it makes walking down the street or flying on an airplane a bit difficult because it is so crowded.

In your mentions of the "new" guns on the streets well I guess that is what it takes now because of the bg's that a lot have. A nessacry evil, but the bodies that are left behind do tend to stink up the streets a bit more.

She finds herself covering her nose a bit. Nothing worse then the smell of mass dead bodies. She shrugs as she lights up a smoke and slowly walks away to get to the things she has to get to.

Klint listens intently to the words of those around him as he slowly smokes a cigarette on the street corner.  Hearing a pause in the action, he approaches and throws in his two cents.

Interesting topic.  Having descended from a bloodline that has only recently become acquainted with the inner workings of our society, I am not at liberty to make comparisons from old times to new.  However, I will say that I am simply amazed at the amount of local muscle some people have following them around.  I once went outside with my morning coffee thinking it was the Saint Patty's Day Parade only to be amazed at the spectacle of a man walking down Mainstreet with hundreds of men surrounding him!  All of them, emotionless, faceless drones all willing to protect the one powerful man that employed them.   A spectacle I will not forget soon I assure you!

Needless to say it left a startling impression on my eyes, knowing it would take an equally large army of men to take that man down should they so choose or an equally capable crafty assassin that had spent many months maybe even years harnessing their skills before any sort grab for power could reasonably be made.  I must say, that is dedication indeed!

Taking a last drag off his smoke, Klint smiles as he leans back against a lamp post as he listens in on the rest of the discussion.

Local Muscle -Klint?! You want to talk about Muscle brother!? Well feast your eyes on the twenty four inch pythons brother!

The hulkster begins to flex and then rips his shirt! Smiling he begins autographing the shirt for -Klint and then focuses on the speech maker.

Well you know something brother, every other leader that emerges people will always say the same thing brother! "Oh it wasnt like this back then or it was so much better then...When my father was alive!" My question is why does every single one of the mobsters parents take time to write a damn journal? And why is everyone so lost inside of this thing brother! You know dude the more people that focus on the past rather then the present miss the whole point of this lifestyle dude! Yeah this life is boring right now brother everyone knows that but its cause people keep reading these damn journals and stay living in the past!

The hulkster puts on a new shirt and then rips that one as well.

But let me tell you something else brother if i could go back in time and take the place of my fathers shoes brother i would because i think everyone forgets the main point of Mafiareturns dude and id love to see it in the eyes of your fathers because my father wasnt in the mafia! Well thats just my opinon dude but i thought i should share it brother if nothing else for the experience ill be getting out of it!

The hulkster shakes everyones hands and then begins gallavanting down the street into his locker room where no bodyguards await the wrestler. Only his dreams of holding another title. Only his dreams of fighting Alabama once more. Only his dreams of people making toys out of his image. Only his dreams await.

Browsing through his family's diaries he notices a lot of changes. The amount of BGs some people have, the very long lives people seem to live these days, an almost peaceful world, the huge amount of HQs and their mute leaders. He wonders to himself if these changes are all for the better. He lights a smoke and steps forwards.

Changes...

Definitely not all for the better.

Of course a peaceful world is good for business. And ain't we all here to get freaking rich and become respected for it? Of course we are. However, things looked a bit more exciting back then. Only a small spark could cause a huge fire which could burn almost all cities. To those who love a bit of action, these times were great. It seems to me that we now live in a world filled up with people who only do their daily businesses from behind their desks, hidden in the safety of their HQs. They only step out of there to sell/buy a bit of drugs or kill a harmless bum in the streets and then quickly go back to their safe places. In my opinion that's not a good change - is there a more boring life than that!?

The huge amount of BGs that some people have is another change that cannot be ignored as it seems ridiculous.
Over the years my bloodline never had any of these brainless muscles. Only since a few generations back these BGs became a reality. Not in big amounts, but only a few. My bloodline was never really interested in them. They were of the meaning that they never would safe their lives - they only could (maybe) postpone their dying for a few hours.
These days people seem to be obsessed by them. People do really anything to get as many as they think is necessary - and then they still don't seem to have enough of them. Do they really think these guys will safe their petty lives...? Come on. Of course they won't!

Which brings me directly to another issue.
Due to the peaceful world we live in these days, people do live much longer than they did in the old days which gives them the opportunity to train their guns to the upmost and build themselves a huge canon. This is at least one positive side to all of this. Though wars hardly ever occur any more, it should keep those in charge sharp. Knowing that there are people around here that could be able to kill them even with the amounts of BGs they have (which probably makes them buying even more BGs...).

He throws the rest of his cigarette to the floor and lights himself another.

Finally - the huge amount of HQ's and the mute leaders.

We never saw so many HQs in history. Of course this is related to the relative peace we live in. Another thing that is related to this is the amount of NPMs that walk around in our cities. Since their introduction to our streets, they seem to overwhelm some (or maybe even a lot) of the HQs. Is that really what we want? Mute characters who are only there to earn some cash for their CLs and become canon meat when their time is up...

Talking bout mutes - and this has been discussed only recently in these streets, but still...
In the old days people only were considered to be authed if they were supposed to have this 'something extras'. First of all you needed to show your capabilities to lead of course, but you needed to have a vision as well. Street presence was vital back then. Today it doesnt even seem to be necessary to announce the opening of a new HQ in the streets...

All in all I think these changes are definitely not for the better. How to (eventually) get back to the way things were, is a completely different story of course...

Thank you for taking the time to hear me out, ladies and gentlemen.

He walks off while lighting another cigarette and waves at a family member on his way back to the HQ.

Jade walks out of her Headquarters and people whispers about seeing that she have these amount of bodyguards , they didn't recognize her first because and most probably they are accustomed to her long flowing hair that she now had it cut to shoulder length .

She thought of the words being utter at the streets and ponders to them long and hard. The words that Corbin interest her.

Changes you say , On the topic of long lives and peaceful event as to what back then you had uttered that a small spark can cause a great war....perhaps our leaders now are wiser and more mature than they were back then, that the leaders nowadays care for the community than on satisfying their blood thirst .

As for the crewleaders as being mute, how can you really say that they are mute? Have you been under those crewleaders? If you will only have the street presence as a basis that is a poor basis for the times are evolving, have you even try to communicate with them? Or you expect them to mail you and have a chit chat with you. You see different people have different attitudes , some crewleaders talk to their members on a daily basis , some do not for some leaders have the thought of if they start the first conversation the members may not try to take them seriously. I know for I have experience that , but still I talk to each and everyone as of this date.

You say that being a leader they have to have this "extra" that street presence is vital, I must say I agree with you , but that is only part of it. A "BETTER" Leader should know what his each member is good at and push them to that path . If he sees a good orator on his midst then he will push that fellow on the streets because he is better in talking. A "Better" leader know that his family is out most important than being at the street talking and heating up , especially if there are problems within the family or city. Don't you think that is the "extra" you are talking about?

With that she bid her leave