Swattpup1989

((Enjoy the listen - Danheim - Hefna - YouTube)) Bjor began to make his way through the city, exploring the uncharted land he was now calling his home. Los Santos was not like his village by any means and due to it's massive size, you were lucky if you knew the person standing next to you. He began to wander around before finding the farm lands to the north which seemed to be empty. This sight was strange to him, the farms at the village were always full of people and animals as far as you could see. This did not deter him though, he needed to begin making money and getting the tools needed for the Sons of Odin. He began his work and harvest like he was raised to do, giving prayer to Jord and Nerthus mother of All. This was uncharted land and the farm land did not seem to be as fertile as the village so he would need all the help he could get. He spent many days waiting for the crops to grow and began to grow concerned that this land was not worked due to it not being fertile and providing crops for the people. One day shortly after he awoke to find crops beginning to sprout from the ground and his prayers were answered, the land was fertile but only for growing wheat. This crop was a staple for many things in the world but not a very expensive crop however it was worth something none the less. However, it did not take long for a non-believer of Odin to begin trying to mess with him. In the midst of him tending his crop a man began to try stealing his truck, but, this man quickly learned that the Sons of Odin do not fear a fight nor protecting their possessions. Bjor approached the man and asked him one question, "I am ready to enter Odin's Halls and be with my brothers and sisters... can you say the same my friend?" The man looked at Bjor with a surprised look and thought he was joking until Bjor bowed his head and with no hesitation let his fists meet the mans face. The man quickly fled the area waiting for another opportunity until he realized Bjor was not joking and would not just let this go. Bjor shouted to the man as he ran away, "You will be judged by your deeds sooner or later by Odin, The All-Father. May you never enter Valhalla for being a coward." The crops finally finished growing and made their way to a local warehouse, however, prices for these crops in this city seemed to be far worse than the village and local trading ports. Bjor needed to find a way to make money and meet people so he decided to begin exploring the logging camps nearby, but, he had no idea what was going to happen once he made his way there. He began his work quickly within the forests, cutting down any and all trees he could. However, he knew the best trees were in the mountains, way up high. Bjor got into his truck and began to ascend the mountain sides trying to find the best place to find the trees when out of nowhere he began to see something in the distance. The Seer was sitting in the midst of a ton of trees and smiling with his typical grin. Bjor parked his vehicle and walked up to The Seer asking him why he was here once again and what riddles he would tell now. The Seer smirked and laughed at Bjor before speaking in riddles once again, "Bjor Eiriksson, the great descendant of Ragnar, you know what colors you must fly if you wish to have the favor of the Gods." As the words cut through the air, Bjor blinked and The Seer was gone. As he stood there among the trees he had just cut down it became clear. Bjor would fly the colors of his ancestors banners, the Sons of Odin would be that of black and red. They would settle in the woods near the ocean where they could prosper and continue following their traditions. Bjor knew these things but now needed to make them come to purpose. As he finished his work in the forest and brought his trees to the local lumberyard, he realized him and his people could make a living from the trees in this land. It was a lot of work but it would pay them well to keep to their heritage. Sooner or later they would need the wood to begin making their stronghold and hopefully once doing enough work for the lumberyard they could get their help in making the stronghold. With this new found money in Bjor's pocket, he made his way to a local shop and inquired about getting his truck painted. The shop happily obliged and painted the truck, dawning it in black paint with a red roll cage. He nodded and gave the shop his blessing, bidding them farewell as he pulled off with music blaring. Bjor made his way back to the city to park his vehicle and get some rest but sadly on the way ran into a fallen Brother who had been carried off by the Valkyrie to Odin's Halls. Bjor recognized this man from the farms and knew nothing else except he was a hard worker like Bjor along with they shared a conversation regarding Odin, The All-Father. The man appeared very interested but sadly they were now no longer around.

KING Bjor Eiriksson THANE HERSIR RADNINGAR SHIELD MAIDEN BERSERKER AND VALKYRIE VIKING

((For added effect when reading, enjoy the music - Danheim - Ulfhednar - YouTube )) ((For anyone wondering the wolves are Geri and Freki, the wolf companions of Odin, The All-Father)) Bjor Eiriksson was woken up in the middle of the night due to a startling dream showing him flashes of tall buildings, rough seas, boats, warriors, and Odin’s Hall. Near the end of the dream a sign flashed before him stating, “Welcome to Los Santos”. Not knowing what all this meant he visited the Seer in the village and began to ask him questions regarding the dream and asking what the Gods had in store for him. The Seer spoke in whispers and riddles, the only clear thing stated was his destiny awaited him in Los Santos and its untold fortune. Bjor nodded his head knowing the Seer would tell him nothing else, gently grasping the Seer’s hand and giving it a gentle lick before walking out and returning to his parents great hall located in the village. He told his parents of the dream and what he could make out from the Seer. His parents nodded and told him it was the will of the Gods for him to go to Los Santos. Bjor had never left the village or the surrounding area except for when he was sent to meet the other Earls or Kings. However, if going to Los Santos was the will of the Gods then so be it. He began to gather his forces and explain the task ahead of them. As he spoke to his Radningar and Shield Maidens a crack of thunder and a bolt of lightning beamed across the sky as rain began to fall across the village. Times were changing around the village and in the surrounding area, the times of raiding and pillaging were over, but new ways of fighting were clear to everyone. Instead of shields and axes, they now fought with guns, however, the noise of war always remained the same. Bjor knew this was a possible way for the village to begin to prosper again even if it was a more modern way. Bjor and his Radningar with the Shield Maidens agreed they would find a few boats to take them across the great sea to Los Santos so they could begin a clan within the city, however, they knew nothing of this land and it’s uncharted area. Two weeks went by and the journey was long and rough. The boats arrived at the ports of Los Santos but the only one to make it off the boat was Bjor. All of his Radningar and Shield Maidens had fallen ill on the journey and passed away or were sent back to the village. As he stepped off the boat and his foot touched the pavement of the docks, it began to rain heavily with thunder cracking constantly and lightning beaming across the sky. The Gods foretold he would make the journey but not that he would do it with help, he was being tested. He began to wander around the city, trying to figure out where things were in this new place. As he walked down the streets, he noticed a sign with a symbol for The Seer and he wondered if this was real. He walked in and a voice broke through the silence from a dark corner of the room, “Welcome to Los Santos, Bjor Eiriksson, the long lost descendant of Ragnar. Find the golden tree lost in the hills, Odin awaits your arrival. Be mindful of these false heretics.” He quickly looked into the corner as if he was imagining things… it was The Seer from the village sitting in the corner but as quick as he saw The Seer, they were gone. A female walked out of the back room and asked if she could help Bjor and he smirked and spoke softly, “No my friend. You have a wonderful day trickster.” He turned around and walked out, finding a car nearby and breaking into it. He began driving around the city and it’s outlying hills before finally finding it, the golden tree lost in the hills. He approached the tree and kneeled before it, placing his head in his hands before speaking. Those of us owned by You, who have trembled in delicious fear at Your presence, praise Your name, Odin, All-Father, Master of the Tree. Oh Son of Bestla Son of Borr born when the worlds were yet to be formed, born of those first generations to arise from Ymir’s horde, You with Your brothers, forged a new race of Gods, rising from violence, shooting toward wisdom like the fleetest of comets shooting toward the earth. You are called Gangleri, Wandering God, at home nowhere and everywhere; You are called Sigtyr, brilliant in Your battle-glory, born to conquer, to possess the world; You are called Grimnir, and by vitki Yggr, in honor of Your terrible time upon the Tree. You are known by these and many other names, and the paths to You are many. We praise them all, that You may savor in each of Your guises, and by whichever name pleases You the most the fermentation of our spirits. May these words please You oh God, and may You bestow upon us, whose mouths overflow with adoration and praise, the terrible grace of Your blessing. Bjor had contacted Odin, The All-Father for his blessing in this new city. It was now time for the forgotten age of the Viking to be brought into a Modern Era. He would begin his work with the farmers, fishermen, lumberjacks, and hunters of the city… then move onto the more fitting people for fighting. However, those same farmers, fishermen, lumberjacks, and hunters would soon be taught how to be Viking. King and Queen - The leader of the factions and clan. His word is law and the only way to become King is by killing the previous or current standing one. This person is shown the utmost respect by his subjects and all his people pledge their allegiance to their King, no matter the cost. In the end, the King only wishes for his people to sit in Odin's Halls, Valhalla. Thane - Royal advisor to the King and Queen regarding the armies and how the strongholds are progressing along with any other things they are tasked with overlooking. Hersir - The King’s right hand man when it comes to war tactics and the dispersion of manpower. This is the leader of the clans army and only answers to the King and Queen, only if the King is unavailable. Radningar - Warriors who have proven their oath to their King and Queen through battle or other means. They are the only members besides the Hersir and Shield Maiden who are allowed to train fellow warriors in the art of battle and ways of the Norse. Shield Maiden - This rank is reserved specifically for females who have proven their oath to the King and Queen through battle or other means. They are also allowed to train fellow warriors in the art of battle and ways of the Norse. Berserker and Valkyrie - Warriors who have proven their worth through dedication to their King and Queen no matter the cost. They have become trusted within the stronghold and clan earning them a place among the councils. Viking - This is where everyone starts within the clan. You have pledged your oath to your King and Queen, laying your life and everything you have in their hands. You still have much to prove but you are acknowledged within the stronghold and clan. You will be tested countless times before becoming a Berserker or Valkyrie. CURRENT SHORT TERM GOALS-- - Establish connections with the farmers, fishermen, hunters, and lumberjacks. - Establish a clan of 10 members - Establish a look for the Faction (Currently an axe and leather vest are the attire) - Establish a temporary Stronghold CURRENT LONG TERM GOALS -- - Establish connections within the criminal world - Establish gun connections and gun trades - Establish a chop shop connection - Establish a permanent Stronghold - Establish a clan of 30 members - All recruitment is done IC -Must possess general knowledge of how Roleplay works along with how to do proper /me -Must follow all ECRP Rules to the best of their ability and not bring unnecessary heat to the faction -Must know how to immerse yourself into IC and follow the lore and overall feel of the faction -Must be okay with Gross RP considering this is a Norse style faction which will sometimes involve sacrifices to the Gods (You will not be forced to be involved in it, but, must be okay with it happening within the faction) -Each recruitment is different as every person brings in different elements of RP to the faction -XP Requirements will be on a case by case basis and as we see fit - Stay loyal to your clan and uphold your armband oath - Do not pick fights that are unnecessary, remember your wanting to go to Valhalla, make your death worthy of Odin’s Halls - Do not openly speak of the clans business to outsiders - Keep our established connections firm and progressing, do not backstab our allies - Show no mercy and leave no survivors unless you have a clean getaway - We do not snitch, if your caught you will be given judgement ((All of the info portrayed in this thread is strictly OOC. Changes will be made along the way, the overall goal of this faction is to bring something new and unique to ECRP. We hope you enjoy our journey as the Vikings make their way into the city.))

Eclipse Lounge was Ezekial's pride and joy. He spent WEEKS building and finding the PERFECT LOCATION but sadly the greed of others sometimes strips us of the things most precious. Ezekial now being apart of Shadow Corp and knowing M. Warner being on the legal team they reached out to the government with the help of X. Shadow in hopes of getting the property back into Ezekial's name and bringing the nightlife back to Los Santos. Emails were drafted and approved and word was sent out. It didn't take long for a response. However, it was a response no one wanted nor expected. The government responded with saying they had BIGGER PLANS for the properties so it was not possible for Ezekial to get them back. Everyone was furious and it was very clear they were, but, Ezekial held his cool and began thinking of other plans. Ezekial wanted another email sent asking for some type of compensation and if the government would be willing to give them a different property due to this which they kindly obliged to except now they slapped a 20mil price on the property which we got down to 15mil. Something Ezekial nor Shadow Corp wanted to pay nor had the money to pay. It was clear the government would not work with us and we were sure in due time we would find out why. Ezekial found all this out after everyone else did and was furious. It seemed the government had their own plans to bring back nightlife to the city and they wanted to corner the market on the business venture. Ezekial told M. Warner that he was going to begin finding a property and do something no one had done before and make it his mission to be the best establishment for the city, shutting down the rest. Ezekial quickly began sending out emails to old friends like Ryan Gusto and Hazel Adams regarding their properties. Sadly Ryan had not be in the city for quite some time so who knows when he would respond. However, Ezekial, X. Shadow, M. Warner, and a new associate M. McKinley ran into Hazel outside Ryan's Club Truth. She informed them that the club she owned and ran was actually owned by Burnout Nation and they wouldn't be selling it. At this point everyone split ways and began thinking of what to do, but, Ezekial wasn't giving up now. He made a promise to himself and now had to see it through. He drove to the pier with M. McKinley and contacted Weazel wanting to place ads. They came and it was time to see what could be made to happen. Ezekial put out an ad regarding buying BUILDABLE BUSINESS PROPERTY. It didn't take long for an old friend to contact him regarding their unused and partially built property. Darragh called him and said he had one available for 1.7mil. This price was far better than the government's 15mil pricetag. Ezekial called Shadow and they met with Darragh and looked at the property. It was small... really small, but, it would be a great starting point. Shadow bought it and told Ezekal it was his job to build it, manage it, run it... everything. Ezekial wasn't surprised and welcomed the challenge. For the next 2 hours he just sat in the room trying to think of what the fuck he would do with this small place. Shadow joined him at one point and told Ezekial to take a break, lets go find inspiration. Shadow and Ezekial drove around for hours just stopping at anywhere they could find with an interior that was built by someone. They visited every single police station and Shadow let Ezekial walk through them all to see the different styles of building. One of these buildings had some inlays that made Ezekial's brain begin to wander. The city just added a pair of large Angel Wings or in other terms "The Wings of a Valkyrie". Ezekial looked at Shadow and told him he knew what the new spot would be called and the overall atmosphere. Shadow listened as Ezekial spoke and agreed it would be a great design, but, now to just make it fit. It was going to cost a lot of money and time, but, in the end worth it. The concept of Valkyrie was simple. Upon entering the door you were being lifted into a very relaxed and chill environment. It was the perfect place to decompress after a long week and to meet with friends. Valkyrie would not only be based on that though. The wings hanging within Valkyrie could also be interpreted as the wings of angels. Which is why inlays were built to mimic the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Valkyrie would function during the week as a bar/lounge for people to come after work and just have a drink or a bite to eat... however, the real fun began on Fridays and Saturdays when it would transform into a nightclub. The entire club would be module in the sense it could switch between the two easily. This is something no one has ever done before and Shadow Corp would be the first. Ezekial flew to the store and began working quickly. 10 hours in and 150k later, it felt like there was so much to do still. The reason for that is because there was. They were already planning an event for it and yet it was still so barren. Things Ezekial built now with fresh rested eyes began to not fit... he was going to need to call in some friends and see where their minds went. As much as this was Ezekial and Shadow Corps baby, we were doing this for the citizens so why not get their opinions. One thing was for certain, when people walked in they would know they were at VALKYRIE.

RSERVED

RESERVED

Marco Villano - Eclipse-RP - GTA V Roleplaying Server (eclipse-rp.net Giovanni "Johnny" Pulsanti - Eclipse-RP - GTA V Roleplaying Server (eclipse-rp.net)

La Cosa Nostra is a term used by many in the Italian community, it roughly translates to "Our Thing" or "This Thing Of Ours". The Italian Mafia is our thing and it always has been. We maintain a high standard within the family and within our community. We help our own and protect them. Little Italy was an overwhelming location with tons of culture and heritage. Bloodlines merged and were everywhere within this community due to immigrants coming from Italy in the 1900s. The put down roots and began to grow what now is known as Little Italy... a location where food was abundant and so was history. Deep within Little Italy sat a bakery which was owned by a Sicilian Family who immigrated many years prior and passed down from generation to generation. It was a front for a known Sicilian family who ran the mafia for the area. They ran things in a specific way and were set in those ways for generations because it was a way of life... their way of life. The family loved money, power, and their heritage. They always protected their community and Italian families... for a cost. Anyone in the community paid up without hesitation due to they knew they were protected and taken care of. However, you can only bleed your community so much before there's nothing left. The Mafia began to extend outwards with their enterprise... restaurants, car dealerships, casinos, alcohol stores, strip clubs... nothing was safe. If it made money then the Mafia wanted a piece but they always offered something in return. Over the years these places thought they could pull a fast one on the Mafia but learned quickly that the Mafia wouldn't take no for an answer and they didn't like being pushed out of the cut. This is where Marco Villano came into play. Marco Villano was a messenger for this bakery. When people were late on their payments or it was found out they were making side deals... Marco brought them an envelope with a warning. This was step one. Step two was they introduced fear to the business or person so they realized they needed the Mafia for protection... what they didn't know is, the Mafia was the one introducing fear as a tactic... most people didn't push it to step two but sometimes people weren't smart and tried to bite the hand that fed and protected them. Marco worked there for years and made a name for himself, but, a life tragedy changed everything for him and a dying wish made by his parents had to be fulfilled and the Mafia sent him on his way. After a year of being on his own and exploring the world Marco decided going back to New York wouldn't be a good idea. He decided to set roots in Los Santos and begin his own family, but, he needed the blessing of the Mafia he was once working for. (Phone Transcript from Character Story) "Uncle Tony, I don't think I'm going to be returning to the bakery. It's too soon for me to go back there with mom and dad being gone. I miss them so much already and I fear I would fall into darkness by moving back." "Marco, we understand. You gotta do what's best for you. The Don told you to come back whenever you felt you were ready. The bakery isn't going anywhere... yeah times are changing but we have adjusted. These new guys on the block don't understand how things run and don't understand our ways. We have had some issues but we handle things like we always have. These fucking jackals don't know who we are and have no idea what we are capable of." "Uncle Tony..." "Yeah Marco, what is it?" "I think I want to do my own thing out where I am. Los Santos seems like an amazing place but there doesn't seem to be any families like ours out here... these people lack culture and respect for what we did. Italian bakeries and shops seems to be non-existent. I found one shop in all of the city..." "MARCO! They got Italian sub shops there, you get the Sunday Gravy Sandwich?" "Yes Uncle Tony, I got the usual. It's not the same, but, it's authentic..." "Ahhh good boy. You always did love the Gravy Sandwich. You know nothing will be the same out there... it's not made by family... your family." "I know Uncle Tony. I had a question though... do you think the Don would bless me doing my own thing out here instead of returning back to the bakery. I may need some advice from him from time to time." "Ahhhh, I knew there was a reason for this call. Give me a second Marco." The line goes quiet for what felt like an eternity. I was never fully introduced to the family nor got any title, but, they treated me as if I was one of them all my life. If I was to succeed in doing this, I needed to make sure I wouldn't be exiled and shamed by my family. This would decide what my life would entail. In the middle of my own thoughts I heard the line pick up and a familiar voice... it wasn't Uncle Tony... it was The Don. "Marco." "Are you sure you want to do this? It will take a lot of work for you to take this big of a position and take on this much responsibility." "The family taught me everything I know and need to know. I am sure I wish to do this. I feel I am ready and I want to bring our culture to this city and show these people the Italians are still around and just as strong as we used to be." "Marco, what would your family be if I give you my blessing." "We would be known as, The Villano Crime Family." "Marco I like it, but... your attracting a lot of attention by calling yourself that. You would never have any room to breath my boy. Your linked to it instantly." "Your right, but, these new crews make themselves aware and I will struggle to make us known and find loyal members if I am not willing to make myself known and take the heat just like my own members do. Yes the name would link to me, but, will they be able to link the crime to me." "Marco... times have changed since I took over this family and began to drive it to where it needs to be. You are right though. Keep your head down and be safe Marco. I give you my blessing. The bakery doors are always open for you if things don't work out. You will always be La Cosa Nostra... one of us. Make Los Santos aware of our culture and of the Italians." "Understood and thank you. I will be sure to check in from time to time." "Marco it was great to hear from you. I must go though." The blessing of his old Don was given and Marco now had a long road ahead of him. It was time to bring the Italian heritage and the Mafia way of life to Los Santos. The Villano Crime Family was coming to Los Santos and would begin organizing itself and recruiting members who wished to be apart of a family that would never back down. However, Marco knew in the beginning they would need to lay low before they made other organizations know that the Italians had another family entering the city... hopefully any other Italian family present welcomes them with open arms. Don - The boss of the family and overall shot caller. He stays in the shadows unless absolutely necessary and if you see him come out of the shadows you know someone messed up big. He keeps himself unattached and away from the danger, his Underbosses handle the day to day activities while making sure their Don doesn't catch a record and is untouchable and unlinked. Consigliere - This is the advisor of the Don. Whether it comes to finances, contracts, member issues, this man helps advise the Don of the possible outcomes. He also helps the Underboss in the day to day activities. Underboss - This is the man who carries out the orders of the Don and acts like the leader, however, he answers to the Don and does as the Don wishes. He is the one everyone comes to with their issues and helps them resolve them. Caporegime aka Capo - This is a made man who has proven themselves and their skills. They have been given the rank of Capo and are a leader of their own crew of soldiers and potential soldiers. They carry out the orders from the Underboss and make sure their Don and higher ups are protected. Enforcer - These men have proven themselves to be brutes. They have a certain set of skills which allows them to be the front line for the extortion business and being body guards. They are the front line defense for the Capos and higher ups. Made Men - This men have proven their loyalty to the family and have proven they are worthy of being Made Men. They follow the orders of their capo and go above and beyond the duties of being a Soldato. These men are recognized in the family and trusted within the organization. Soldato aka Soldier - The second rank in the family people can get to. These men are pure soldiers and carry out what their Capo tells them. They are still proving their loyalty to the family and settling into the organization. Soldatos are heavily watched and babysat to make sure they don't bring shame to the family. Associate - The entry level of the family and where all men will begin. These men have showed an interest to the family and wish to become a Made Man, but, have a lot to prove. These men can often be seen running errands for the Made Men and higher ups. They aren't privileged to any information within the family. Gambling - One of the oldest Mafia money-earners has been Gambling. Weather it's skimping money off a legal mafia-owned casino or if it's hosting a shady back-door game, the mafia has always spread it's tentacles into the profitable enterprise. Arms Dealing - Distributing unlicensed forearms is a major source of currency for the family. However, dealing guns can be dangerous. Narcotic Trafficking - Once outlawed by the families, Narcotic distribution has became a large source if income for the Mob. Drug Trafficking is a very risky business and following the RICO stature and the very hefty Federal Narcotic prison charges many mobsters have turned states witness and became informants against the families. This venture is only trusted to the elite of the family. Loan Sharking - Loan sharking is the process of giving a large loan with a high "vig" or interest rate to a person who would typically be unable to pay it back. If the loan isn't payed back the holder gets beaten or their assets can get taken by the Shark. Prostitution - This enterprise is an incredibly profitable enterprise if you have the right clients and employees - prostitution and the Mafia have always gone hand and hand. Labor Union Infiltration - The infiltration of Labor unions has long been a traditional Mafia racket. They can gain income from raiding Union Pensions or adding a tax to goods the Union offers as well as other methods. --> Begin forming the family and getting loyal members --> Establish connections with other organizations --> Establish multiple business fronts --> Establish a loan agency --> Establish a narcotics run route --> Establish an arms broker --> Establish multiple underground gambling rings --> Establish an escort service --> Establish a labor union or infiltrate one --> Players must not have the ((New Player Tag)) --> A high level of roleplay must be held at all times --> All members will be subject to routine admin checks --> OOC Chat will NOT be abused - only use it if necessary or in private --> All members will abide by ECRP rules and stay IC --> Respect the roleplay of an Italian Mafia and follow it at all times ((Music Inspiration - Chris Webby - Don Corleone (feat. Vincent Pastore) - YouTube ))

RESERVED

It was the evening of September 5th, 1989 and the weather was as normal in New York for this time of the year. However, this day was not like any other day it was the day Jimmy and Marie Villano would bring their son, Marco, into the world. Marco was born an average size baby with no complications, but, based on photos he can see from the hospital that day, his family was no small or ordinary family. Growing up it was clear his family was different. Everyone had an accent and as the years went on it seemed the family never stopped growing. Every year there seemed to be more and more people he hadn't met the year before. It wasn't like it was just more kids being added...it was adults too. He never really understood where they all came from nor how his family afforded everything they had. Their house was anything but normal. But the neighborhood gleamed with culture and was home. They lived in one of the most Italian ran neighborhoods in New York... Little Italy. He constantly heard stories about how his Great Grandparants and their parents fought to survive in this country coming over from Castel Marrone on a boat. They were immigrants. Throughout his years in school he heard about immigrants coming over from Italy and was always proud to say his family originates from Italy and his grandparents were immigrants coming for a better life. However, some kids in his school always had choice words to say about his family being immigrants which lead to him getting in trouble constantly. As the years progressed and so did his knowledge, he began to understand why the family kept getting bigger. It wasn't that he had never met these people...it was that he was too young to go to all the functions. Upon reaching the age of 15 his parents brought him to a local bakery in Little Italy. It was owned by his uncle...or so he thought. The thing with Italian families is everyone is family. The community sticks together and knows each other. This guy was a very dear family friend that went by the name Uncle Tony. Marco didn't know if it was his real name or not, but, he respected his parents wishes and called him Uncle Tony. Upon walking in it was clear this wasn't any ordinary bakery. The booths were filled with men in suits and they all kept their heads down and talked quietly, but, their eyes watched everyone who came through the door. When they walked in everyone instantly chimed up greeting my parents, then their eyes glanced at me as if sizing me up. I wasn't a big kid but I wasn't a small kid, I knew how to hold my own. Then out of nowhere I could hear my Uncle Tony speak in this thick Italian accent, "I see Marco has finally become of age to work at the bakery. A lot of the family has been waiting for this day." I looked at my parents surprised, they gave me no warning of this. I thought to myself, "Work in a bakery? What could I possibly learn here." Little did I know this was just a front for things I wasn't involved in. I was 15 and clearly too stupid to notice but as the years went by I began to realize things...lots of things. Uncle Tony was a shot caller for someone. These men in suits would come and go all day long getting envelopes and bags from my Uncle. I also began to notice they were all carrying a gun and would never speak unless my Uncle told them to. My Uncle was also on the phone all day long talking to people. In my mind I began to realize that I had never seen him work a single day in the bakery yet he had all this money. Fast forward a few years and it's my 18th birthday. Up until this point I was only ever allowed in the front of the bakery where we helped customers and into the kitchen area in back. The downstairs was off limits to me and any other employee working there. However, on this day, my Uncle walked up and grabbed the back of my neck pulling me closer to him. He leaned forward to me and spoke softly, "Today...today you become a man Marco." I had no idea what he was talking about until he opened the door to the basement and all I could hear was loud voices and these thick Italian accents. As we made our way down the stairs and these guys caught a glimpse of me it got quiet...too quiet. I thought I was in trouble, but, out of nowhere I heard a man in the back of the room speak up. I had never heard or met this man, but, he spoke as if he knew me, "Marco it's finally your 18th birthday and it's time you become a real Italian man. Over the years you have worked nonstop in this bakery and showed you can follow directions. You have always taken care of your family including THIS family. Today you become one of us." I looked at my Uncle Tony and began to think about those words and one thing stood out, "THIS family". What could it mean, what family, who are these people. My Uncle walked over to the man in the corner and grabbed an envelope. He turned and walked over to me and handed it to me following it up by saying, "Take this envelope to the deli down the block and tell them it's from Uncle Tony. Do not look in the envelope." I nodded my head and began to walk back upstairs. I didn't ask questions nor open the envelope even though I wanted to. I arrived at the deli and walked in, they greeted me as normal, "Marco nice to see you." "Does your mom need more Prosciutto or Pancetta, it's been a while since she's been in." I just shook my head and walked over to them handing them the envelope. They opened it and pulled out a piece of paper and nodded to me, then began to walk over to the cash register and reached under it. They came back out with 5 envelopes that were decently thick, my mind began to wonder what was happening. They put the envelopes into some butcher paper and wrapped it up then threw some cold cuts into the bag with it. They looked at me and just said, "Tell Uncle Tony and the family we say hello and thank you." I nodded and just looked at them for a minute before heading back to the bakery. I walked back inside and made my way down the stairs, handing the bag to my Uncle Tony. Him and the man in the corner sat down opening the butcher paper smiling. The other men in the basement just looked at me and watched me, not saying a word. The man in the corner said something and then all I heard was, "Happy birthday Marco and an envelope came flying at me." It was an envelope from the deli, upon opening it I realized it was filled with money...they all were. The envelope had at least $5,000 in it...I wondered, "Is this how the bakery makes money? Is this what these men do all day?" I didn't ask questions, I just said thank you and asked if they needed anything else before I headed back to work. As the years went by, I was asked to do more and more of these favors. I never asked questions nor went against their rules. I just did as they said. However, not all these favors were done easily nor willingly fulfilled by the other party involved. The one time it went wrong was the final time I went on these errands alone. I began to have to do these with someone I referred to as Cousin Mike. He was older than me, much older. He always had a gun and he was a bigger man, the one time I asked about him, I was told he was an enforcer type man and just makes sure nothing happens to me. I never understood what they meant by Enforcer until I got much older, but, that's besides the point. On my 30th birthday during a routine favor I had been doing for years I remember receiving a phone call from my Uncle Tony. I had just left to run the errand and he just said to me, "Marco come back to the bakery immediately, we need to talk." I told him I hadn't completed the errand and I would be back soon, but, he insisted I come back regardless so I did. When I walked in it seemed like the place was going to burst there was so many people inside. A lot of the women were crying or had been and the men were just stone cold. The man in the corner who I still had yet to meet came up to me and introduced himself as Don. I didn't realize this at the time but Don wasn't his name. He was the head of the crime family I had been running errands for. He informed me that my parents had died in a car crash and that their last wish was that I could explore the world and learn more about it. It had been 15 years since I had began working at the bakery and 12 years since I began working for these guys. The Don informed me that he wanted the wish fulfilled, that the family would be there if I ever wanted to come back, but, he had a parting gift for me. We walked outside with me still in shock and he handed me a set of keys. Sitting in front of me was a brand new car and I now had the keys to it. He looked to me and told me to go have some fun and enjoy the world, when I decided to come back their would be a place for me in the family due to my loyalty. All the men began to come out of the bakery, hugging me and shaking my hand. Uncle Tony informed me that I needed to get some experience in the world and once I had I could come back to the bakery if I wished. They all said their goodbyes and then in one fell swoop told me to get the fuck outta there.

It has been 2 days since joining The Shelby Family. It was time for Ezekial to prove his value within the family and show them he was worth their TIME. Things started off rather slow due to Ezekial being around during the night time when barely anyone was around but he was always surround by Fez Lequis, Christmas, and Charles McWhiliker. They all hung out together at the pier nonstop, exchanging stories, fishing, and listening to music. However on this night, Christmas was not around. Ezekial, Fez, and Charles were minding their business on the pier like usual until the Ginger Cop pulled up with his partner and began to harrass Charles like usual. Before Ezekial or Fez could say anything they had Charles on his knees and placing him in handcuffs....these COPS were pulling their bullshit again. Without hesitation, Ezekial got in his Komoda and told Fez to open the back door. Before the cops could even respond, Ezekial pulled up and Charles jumped into the back seat....tazer shots were fired nonstop but all missing....they were free, for now. Ezekial drove Charles to HQ and began working through the handcuffs, trying to break Charles out but was having no luck. He brought Charles to Fez and dropped him off, thinking he was safe, but, Ezekial was quickly met by an unmarked HSP Unit. It was a super car....much faster and much more expensive than his car.....he knew it was only a matter of time before he was caught but he was g oing to have fun doing it. Within minutes the pursuit went from him and a HSP Unit to him, the HSP Unit, a helicopter, and 6 squad cars.....his fuel was running low, really low. He knew he didnt have much time and tried to make a get away into the tunnels but it didnt work.....the HSP Unit pulled in front of the tunnel entrance and Ezekial slammed into the side of the super car going 200. The car was shot and so was he.....he last a good 30 minutes in this chase but knew it had to end sooner or later. They swarmed the car, pointing guns at him and screaming demands.....his fun wasnt over yet. He got out and laughed at the Ginger Cop who was arriving late claiming he had caught me. Ezekial made sure they remembered him.....the entire time he talked trash to them and the entire way to DOC he did too....it was to the point that before the removed his mask and found out his identity they thought he was Charles McWhiliker's brother due to the amount of HATE he had for COPS. He was brought to DoC immediately and sentenced to 120 months for Reckless Endangerment, Felony Evading, Aiding and Abetting, Facial Concealment, and Criminal Threats to a Government LEO. However none of this mattered to him.....Charles was free....he was more than happy to take the charges and serve time for the Shelby Family. However upon arriving he was met by someone who wanted to assert their dominance on new inmates. He was sadly mistaken for messing with a Shelby member who had friends....friends like Brad the Cowboy. They quickly asserted their dominance on the man and Ezekial took his cowboy hat wearing it for a time period. Before his sentence ending, another person came into the prison trying to assert their dominance but Ezekial was being released on account of good behavior early so he would have to leave it be. He got out and met up with everyone shortly after. Fez and Ezekial shortly after got into their own trouble and again Ezekial put his life on the line to get Fez out. After dodging COPS over 5 times, they had enough fun with them. Charles popped up out of nowhere and the 3 agreed to just turn themselves in. Ezekial knew there would be people in DoC trying to dominate other inmates and he wasnt going to let Charles go in alone. They all agreed and went to Mission Row, however, only Charles had charges. In an attempt to make sure Charles didnt go alone, Ezekial found a nearby ambulance and stole it with the medic inside, but, for extra measure he walked up to the nearest cop and assaulted him. He wasnt going to let Charles go to DoC alone.... On the way to DoC, Charles told Ezekial what he just did was respectable and he appreciated it. The two served their jail time together.....wasnt very eventful or anything. They just enjoyed the downtime they had now. Ezekial got out before Charles and told him when he got out, he would be there to pick him up....he made sure to keep his word. ((Stay tuned more to come....just a tiny update in the story of Ezekial and the Shelby's))

The meeting between The Ronin Empire and The Shelby Family finally happened. Waiting for it to occur felt like forever. The 2 organizations met and discussed many topics including introducing themselves to eachother. Emperor Diablo, Shogun Pierce, Daimyo Elric, and Samurai Feather all met. We were not expecting as many people as there were but it was welcoming none the less. They brought us inside and showed us their club, it was nice and small, perfect for business if it ever picked up. The topics at hand were simple. Meet and Greet all members, discuss possibly becoming allies, and discuss the possibility of a merger. However everything needed to be on the table. They sat for a while discussing both groups goals, objectives, values, and their overall expectations. Everything matched up between the groups. They shared a lot of common interests. By the end of the meeting it was shots all around and toasting to new friendships and new beginnings. However what occurred later, Im sure no one expected. After the drinks went around and everyone toasted, Shogun Pierce made his way outside to some unknown guests. Everyone went outside to make sure he was okay and the cars were too. The men outside thought it was a party so they stopped by but upon Samurai Feather showing her face, they now had a new objective. Samurai Feather was Ex Murda and had been caught recently sitting at the bank bad mouthing the Ex Zetas and The Council so they wanted her. They didnt take kindly to those who bad mouthed The Council nor bad mouthed them. Samurai Feather turned to me and told me she was scared but within The Ronin Empire we operate under the code of, back up what you do and accept whatever consequences come of it. This was not The Ronin Empires fight nor The Shelby Family. Samurai Feather did this on her own and as such would need to handle the problem on her own. She had been warned many times to watch what she says and to keep her disrespectful comments to herself but she did not listen and now faced the immediate consequences. However, this small party was quickly dispersed at the sight of LSPD showing up and posting up. Samurai Feather being dealt with would be postponed and everyone broke off, all going their separate ways. It would be hours later, Ezekial would receive a text from Charles McWhiliker informing him that LSPD came and busted a bunch of them and that Fez had been sprayed down by an officer with a carbine rifle. Ezekial offered to pick him up and went on his way, they made it half a block before LSPD was pulling them over, harassing Charles and checking him for firearms based off made up 911 calls they never received. However, they let us go due to having nothing on us and we proceeded to hangout for a few hours discussing many things in which other members of The Shelby Family arrived. We discussed many things including that of The Ronin Empire and what members would be coming over IF a merger did happen. During this time, it was made clear, Samurai Tak would most likely not make the cut due to his eagerness to skip steps and attract unwanted attention. A random stranger jokingly asked him for a gun license and the response was Samurai Tak pointing his gun in the mans face. This is not how we act or condone ourselves. At the rate people were showing their true colors, Ezekial made the decision. The Ronin Empire would go under the same roof as The Shelby Family but not as planned. All members from The Ronin Empire would need to go through the same process any new person would. There was only 1 person, Ezekial vouched for and that was Shogun Pierce. Someone who he felt truely understood the goals and values of both organizations, the rest, were on their own. Ezekial contacted Charles and told him his decision and without hesitation Charles contacted Victor Shelby and told him he had a new possible recruit. He didnt give him a name or anything else. Upon arriving Victor laughed and said, "This is one way to go about it." Ezekial explained his decision and why. Victor agreed and continued the process with him. Victor was shocked at Ezekials views and the code he lived by. He told Ezekial he would love to just throw him in at Soldier rank but there were procedures in place. Ezekial welcomed the idea of proving himself, he didnt merge for a title or a rank of position, he merged for the overall bigger picture. As a sign of commitment to supporting their cause, he handed his mask of to Victor. Victor looked at him confused and asked about it. Ezekial responded simple, "I have no need for this anymore. The codes within me and that mask was a reminder of our cause. Being in the Shelby Family is reminder enough." Victor took the mask and inspected it and noticed the strange inscriptions all over the inside, the Bushido Code. He understood why Ezekial was doing this and understood why the merger was so important. There was no need to have 2 organizations with the same goal, it was more beneficial to have 1 organization pushing for the same goal. So begins the story of Ezekial Diablo and The Shelby Family pushing for the bigger picture within the city.......

Things within Ronin were slowly progressing as expected. However our original plans of recruiting people from Dojin came to a screeching halt. We were informed certain members within Dojin would give us a bad rep and possibly make us a target. Along with a recent confrontation with some ex Dojin and ex Murda made it very clear.....they had not disband. Their tactic of telling the world they disbanded was a mere decoy to buy them time. Shogun Pierce was informed our group should start stockpiling for the next 2 weeks, he was informed this by James Sakamoto. The Ronin Empire was now being targeted due to rumors. However sometimes issues end up presenting positives you never realized. Over the past few days we made some new friends, Fez and Christmas or as we have called them, The Shelby Boys. For the past few days we have hung out with them and discussed the future of Ronin and what our plans were. They seemed rather interested in our objectives and our codes, so much so, they wanted to setup a meeting. Christmas mentioned the possibility of the two groups coming together but who knows. They seem like they have the same interests as us but all will be revealed during our meeting. One thing was clear when it came to these boys......The Ronin Empire and Shelby's got along and so far have been helping each other out when needed. The real question is do we become allies or do we join forces and become one group. Hopefully the meeting happens and we get the answers we all need. One thing is for sure, me and Shogun Pierce agree that The Ronin Empire and Shelby's need to band together. Ezekial and Christmas sharing an interest in music and fishing

So we have been dealing with this for a few days ICly with one of our guys. There is a group of people camping the mines waiting for people to go inside them to deposit the ore into safes. Upon the person going inside, the people hop in the front seat and drive the RV off. Upon exitting the RV they are greeted by a group of guys pointing guns at them. I will advise everyone as I advised my guy, start recording and then report it. There are Admin Markers stating robbing at the mining area isnt allowed......without proof or reports happening, nothing can be done on an OOC level.

Thinks were slowly progressing in the right direction. We had been keeping our heads low and doing what needed to be done to make ends meet. We had spoken to a Triad friend of mine from the past regarding certain things and he accepted our ideology and understood what our purpose was. He welcomed it but said it was not up to him what would happen in the long run. I checked multiple times throughout the day looking for signs of the Triads and their High Command with no luck. I continued to check the following days but still no luck. Come to find out, I was missing them by mere hours so in an attempt to keep things moving forward, I decided to go to sleep early and pray I find them in the morning. However the past couple days have not been unproductive. With news coming to us that Dojin and Murda were disbanding, me and the Shogun discussed any candidates we would be interested in trying to bring in. Kat Castle, Lola Sakamoto, Samuel Castle, Camilo Guzman, and a few others were on the list. Word was sent out to Kat and Camilo, both seemed interested in what our plans were along with our values. However no word was heard back from the others. Other people were brought up but the fact of the matter remained, we were not a good fit for them and nor them for us. We needed to tread lightly and only bring in those who could follow the ways of The Ronin Empire and those who understood I would not let this become Dojin. Dojin had an objective and a view they were stuck on but sadly lost their way. The Ronin Empire would not do the same and anyone caught trying to do so, would find themselves removed from The Ronin Empire. While we waited for responses and made money, alot of decisions were made regarding our colors and masks. We wanted to make sure we were seen as being neutral but also know we werent your friendly neighborhood watch. So we decided to keep the colors simple. White cars with red pearlescent, red rims, and red neon. The white being the primary color to show representation of surrender or neutrality. The red to represent the color of the Samurai armor. The masks on the other hand became a debate due to the masks we wanted are used by the Triads and we did not wish to disrespect them so we have chosen to drop our original objective of speaking with them regarding using a certain mask. As such we picked up a different one, one that in some ways represents the mask of the Shogun. With me, Shogun Pierce, and Daimyo Elric in agreement, everyone was fitted to their mask. Now all we needed to do was begin recruiting and start getting the money together for our legal business fronts. The Mask of the Emperor The Mask of The Shogun The Mask of The Daimyo The Mask of The Samurai and Ronin The Original 4 out of 5 members representing the colors and masks.....the beginning of The Ronin Empire Takashi Tak - Samurai , Milan Pierce - Shogun , Ezekial Diablo - Emperor , Draco Elric - Daimyo Member not shown - Lulu Feather - Samurai

Before moving to Los Santos, I live in New York where I was apart of a group called The Devils Cartel. Me and my brother joined The Devils Cartel after our parents died and had to start living on our own at the age of 18. With no money and barely any education, work was impossible to find. So we took what we needed. The Devils Cartel heard about us and approached us offering us everything we needed to survive. The Devils Cartel was a vicious group who was known for drug and gun smuggling, along with kidnapping and torturing people. I personally was in charge of meeting people and making connections. Along with fulfilling contracts to kidnap people and get information. After a deal going bad and my brother becoming hunted by our "family". I left in hopes of finding them before him which led me to Los Santos to find him. Sadly I was too late and they killed him before I could warn him. As time went on in Los Santos and the failed attempt at bringing the Latin Kings to Los Santos and being hunted by people who I thought were friends of mine and my brothers, I found myself lost within the criminal world and took the chance to start anew. I went the legal life. I worked at Weazel and a mechanic shop, neither bringing me what I wanted in life. I finally found myself at LSEMS and loving it but something was still missing. As time went on at LSEMS I made tons of money and opened a club, Cascade Nightclub which later became Eclipse Lounge....i met a girl and planned to get married until I found out things were happening behind my back I did not know and I moved away from Los Santos to regroup. Upon returning I found my entire world flipped upside down, everything I worked for and built was gone.....given away to another. Those same friends who had my back were now just like the girl.....only there until they no longer needed something. Upon returning though I met alot of familiar faces and old friends.....ones who even after all this time were still friends for now. One friend in particular did not show themselves immediately but later did in an unexpected way. During a medical call at LSEMS I met some people who seemed really cool and chill, Kat Castle and Enemoto. But that world slowly came crashing down when I was called to report to Central MD and greeted by cops claiming I may have ties to criminal organizations based on me trying to protect people who I barely knew. I was informed they were members of Dojin Kai. How was I supposed to know. But one thing was for certain, PD had it out for them like they did for my brother and his group and how they are with everyone who isnt legal. But something was different about this, it seemed personal and I wasnt going to get into it, but, I did want to apologize for not helping Kat in her situation. So I reached out to an old friend who knew everyone, Ghost. Ghost was shocked to hear from me and I explained the situation, he told me he could setup a meet with the Leader of Dojin Kai so I could personally apologize for not being more help........what happened next was unexpected..... We met at the Los Santos Bank and I was told to follow to a location so I did......we arrived at a location I knew back when scouting properties for the nightclub, The Koi. However the Koi was now one of the Dojin Kai Dojos. Upon walking in, there was no one but slowly people began to pour in.......familiar face after familiar face. All people I knew before I left. They all welcomed me with open arms about being back. I was still confused though, where was the leader. Ghost removed his mask and looked at me and said, I am the leader of Dojin Kai. I was shocked when I left this man was just a normal criminal who got in trouble.....to see what he had created blew my mind......he explained alot to me.....about the start of Dojin Kai, the values, the war.....everything. He had sank his teeth in but after my brother dying I swore I wouldnt pick up a gun to harm people......I was at a crossroads with no clue where to go. Days passed by and the offer to join Dojin Kai was on my mind all the time. I didnt know what to do and I had no one to talk to...... Business carried on as usual until I volunteered to work at a club and was given an order to shoot someone because they kidnapped the club owner.....I hesitated but did what I was told by my employer. I pulled my gun from its holster and shot the driver 4 times before his body flopped out of the car......at first it was fine but hours later everything came crashing down......the girl I was trying to talk to had disappeared basically.....LSEMS was back to being drama filled and I was being targeted again.....and now I shot and hurt someone......that night was horrible, I texted everyone I knew and asked for help, I was losing my sanity...... However, out of everyone I texted.....the one person who arrived to my aid and helped me was Kat Castle......the Dojin Kai member that PD swore was a bad person......she helped me in my time of need and showed me how to overcome the situation......however through this I learned.....I needed to accept my fate and my destiny...... 2 days later an issue at LSEMS arose and the same old drama was confirmed.....I was being targeted by the same employee as before, Ania.....she made the decision for me and showed me the path so I thank her for that......that day I called Kat and requested a meet......she agreed. Ghost offered me position within Dojin Kai and Kat knew.......my hopes were I would have to prove myself and as such I do, I am happy for that. Kat asked me and my new friend Melon questions they ask every recruit......upon our answers she gave our approval but now we needed to do a final screening with my old friend Mike Laurie, Wakagashira. So we met with him and met with another member Aki Yamamoto, also a Wakagashira-Hosa but Kyodai. It was Mikes birthday and he didnt feel like being an asshole so Aki did our final screening with Mike overwatching......they did not lie.....Aki played no games and went straight to the point, but, she cleared us.....Mike cleared us.....Kat cleared us......Me and Melon were now apart of Dojin Kai as trials or as they call us Minarai. It was our time to prove ourselves to them and the rest of Dojin Kai. However, over the next few days. I realized alot about myself and my own worries. Dojin Kai wasnt just a gang or an organization....it was a family. A family I swore my life and allegiance too. Seeing as I have no formal last name due to not remembering it after all the years of shit I did for the Devils Cartel.....I texted Ghost and told him that I will not disappoint him for the opportunity and hope one day I can earn an honorable name and bring honor to the Dojin Kai family. He understood where I came from. During these days I spoke to Samuel Castle and explained the same to him along with my worries for the Sakazuki Ritual and how I feared, the ritual would make me into what my brother became but Samuel was very intelligent on the Sakazuki Rituals......they are different for everyone and most people come out a better version of themselves.....what he said after that thought is what made me realize......this isnt just a thing you become apart of and then leave when your ready.....this is your life.....Dojin Kai is apart of you forever......Samuel told me that no matter what happened during my Sakazuki Ritual, that he and the rest of Dojin Kai will be there to help me through it, help me understand, and make sure I dont end up on my brothers path.......he also told me that based on how I think and how I am, that I am a great addition to Dojin Kai. Moving to today, a war has broke out. Zetas are disbanding and we are being hunted by The Council.....I have been warned by some many people I know to stay away from it....hideout.....avoid getting involved....... That is not me. I live by the Bushido Code. I live by Dojin Kai. I live by my brothers and sisters. I knew what I signed on for and I know the consequences. I became a Dojin Kai and I will die a Dojin Kai. Those who are not Dojin Kai may blacklist me, hate me, tarnish me......but I will bring honor to Dojin Kai until my last breath and I will earn an honorable name within the Dojin Kai. Anyone who doesnt support me then you are not worthy of being apart of my journey or knowing my legacy. My legacy may not be known to the world but it will be known to those who matter.....The Dojin Kai. I bleed and sweat for the Dojin Kai.....I will do so until my last breath.....this I swear to my Dojin Kai Family. I know who I fight for, but, do you? Things within Dojin were going well for the first few days but slowly things went downhill. Members within Dojin and Murda were dropping like flies and there was no solution in sight. Kat, my mentor, had disappeared along with many of the other high command for Dojin and Murda just vanishing. The lower ranked members were now fighting a war, they wanted nothing to do with. Lots of members were talking about leaving and with that 15 people left within 36 hours. Another 10 were discussing it including higher ranked people. During a meeting with another member of a higher rank, it was said to me and another that Dojin and Murda would not exist within 2 weeks. After thinking for quite some time on what to do, I reached out to some friends and my girl. I explained to them everything and what my plan was.....without hesitation they were on board with my idea and so The Ronin Empire was born. We knew what needed to be done and we all shared the same view. Violence is not the answer. So we began our search for colors, outfits, masks......everything. However the one mask that rang true to our name and our values was possibly taken by a group who shared our heritage and culture, The Triads. The hunt was on to find higher members within Triads and arrange a meeting to see if something could be worked out. We did not want war or violence. We merely wanted to use our skills to benefit the community and help them. We hope they will understand our message and understand we are not here to become the Top Dogs in the city. We do not care about wealth or the luxuries of life, we only care about our fellow man and woman. For now, one thing was for sure. We had alot of people interested but fear quickly set in for me and the second in charge. Some of these people made enemies due to their necessity to talk shit and never shut up. Would they be able to understand that they need to keep their mouths shut now or The Ronin Empire will share the same fate as our previous homes. Only time will tell.

Yeah Im trying to find someone to do images....im not the best at creating full blown images and such. We are also trying to figure out some things ICly before we start posting uniforms, masks, colors, etc

The Ronin faction within the Samurai have always been looked down upon since Ancient Japan however lots of us have banded together from all sorts of walks of life within the city and come together to create, "The Ronin Empire". Some of us may have bad blood with others or have brought dishonor within our organizations and been cast out as outcasts. Within The Ronin Empire everyone begins as they arrive, a Ronin. Someone who has no master or lord due to whatever reason, however, The Ronin Empire believes in giving you a breath of life and second chance. Here you may bring honor back to your name and once again give meaning to your life. Within our organization everyone has a voice but only those who have proven themselves and earned the proper title are heard. Our values are not for the weak nor for those who lack discipline. We breath and follow the old ways, The Bushido Code. 8 virtues that made a Samurai what they are, a warrior. Code 1 - Rectitude or Justice - As samurai have said in past times this is our most sacred code. It is our own willpower to decide upon a path in accordance to reason and not waver from that path. Meaning you did when it is right to die, you strike when it is right to strike, you punish when punishment is required. If you can not follow this code then you are of no use to us. Teaching you the ways can only do so much but sheer willpower is found within yourself. Code 2 - Courage - You must have the courage to do what is sound and just. However courage can not be done properly or be given true meaning without Rectitude and Righteousness. Code 3 - Benevolence or Mercy - A value only true men have. Power and force can give you everything in the world but if you can not show mercy to your enemy or to those who wrong you then who will you lead? Your life will be focused on hate and turmoil and as such, you will never know the true meaning of life. Learn to forgive and forget. Code 4 - Politeness - Violence can solve everything but what is violence without retaliation. All matters of life can be handled with politeness and diplomacy, not all things require sheer force. Being able to feel what others feel and to understand their position will go along way in the survival of your life and those around you. Code 5 - Honesty and Sincerity - Simple way to put this is do not lie to your fellow man or woman. Be honest and true to yourself. If you do something, own it and accept the consequences of your actions. With this, money is considered a luxury and the greatest evil of manhood. Due to this, we expect our family to not flaunt how rich they are or how much they have.....help your fellow man or woman get to where you are. Code 6 - Honor - Without this what is life? What is our purpose? We are all here within this family for a reason so correct it. Bring back honor to your name and to your purpose. You were born into this world with a name and raised to value your duties and privilege's of your life, somewhere you messed up and ended up here. Figure out what that is and fix it. Bring honor back to your life and find a way to begin valuing your duties and privileges once again. Code 7 - Loyalty - You are in the Ronin Empire for a reason. You came from a walk of life where you did not show loyalty to your cause or life. Here in this family, its your time to show loyalty. Loyalty to the cause....loyalty to your emperor....loyalty to your shogun.....loyalty to your peers. We do not stand for unloyalty. If you swear yourself to empire then you must show you are with the empire. Code 8 - Character and Self Control - Throughout all of our codes it all equals to a moral standard that is beyond comprehending. You are taught to know the difference between right and wrong, bad and good are the given things, not arguments subject to discussion or justification....and within the empire, members should know the difference. There is a time and place for everything, know when that time and place is. Within this code, it is also a members obligation to teach and lead all people below him by the way they, themselves act....be a model of behavior for those around you and below you. Compassion is GREATER than Confrontation Benevolence is GREATER than Belligerence OUR OBJECTIVES Our organization may be small but everyone within has come from the path of stealing and killing to get to where they are. We are a criminal organization at the end of the day, however, we used our skills in crime to give back to those in need. We are not here for war nor are we here to take over the city. We are here to use our skills within the crime world to give back to those who have been wronged or been given shitty hands by those in power, whether you are a struggling business or an entrepreneur looking to make your big break. The Ronin Empire will do what it does best to help anyone in need. 1 -> Establish a line of communications with other gangs within the city and hopefully come to terms with other members of our culture 2 -> Establish a safe haven for those in need where they can get shelter, food, clothing, water 3 -> Establish a HQ for our organization to operate out of so we may conduct illegal business without scrutiny 4 -> Establish a drug and gun pipeline so we may fund our true goal which is giving back to the community 5 -> Provide protection to those using the mines or local fishery so they can once again feel safe within the city IC RULES 1 -> We do not rob or harm those who work legal jobs unless absolutely necessary (LSEMS, miners, fishers, mechanics, etc) 2 -> We not start confrontation unless absolutely necessary - Diplomacy is always a better answer 3 -> We follow our heritage and family and offer them support when we can 4 -> Do not abandon your family, no matter what 5 -> Never turn away from helping a fellow man or woman 6 -> Do not attract unwanted attention to The Ronin Empire 7 -> Remain loyal to the cause and to those who support our cause OOC RULES 1 -> Follow and obey all ECRP Rules to the best of your abilities 2 -> Remain IC at all times and refrain from using OOC at all cost unless necessary 3 -> All reports against you or that your filing must go through Shogun+ for approval (we do not want forum wars) 4 -> Have fun and do not bring a win mentality, we will all have good days and bad days, get used to it 5 -> Anyone interested in joining must have a minimum of 10,000 xp Emperor - The leader of the Ronin Empire. Oversees everything that is done and makes the final decision within the organization. He also makes the decision on who will be receiving help and who will not. The only task of the Emperor is to make sure those within his organization are taken care of first and foremost. He is also the one who carries out any punishments required within. Shogun - Most trusted members to the Emperor. In his absence they are charged with overseeing the organization. They have proven themselves on and off the battlefield. They have earned themselves great honor within the organization and should punishments need to be carried out and the emperor is not around, it is their sworn duty to do so. Daimyos - These are the 3rd in charge. All complaints and concerns go through members at this rank. They are the eyes and ears of the Shogun. They do what the shogun says, no matter their own personal beliefs. They are expected to make sure the Samurai are teaching the Ronins the proper virtues and that they are following them. These are people who have proven they are committed to the cause. Samurai - Trusted members within the Ronin Empire who have proved that they can listen to a higher power. These are also people who have not dishonored or broke any virtues while being a Ronin. They are members who train our new Ronin in the ways of our organization and teach them how to be apart of the family. Ronin - Entry level member who has shown interest within the organization. These people are learning our ways and learning our objective. They have little to no say in matters, however their voices will always be heard. They will do as they are told by any member higher than them and bring honor to themselves or they will see themselves out. ((ALL INFORMATION LISTED IN THIS THREAD IS STRICTLY OOC AND SHOULD NOT BE USED ICLY -- THIS THREAD IS ALSO A WORK IN PROGRESS AND AS SUCH WILL BE CHANGED CONSTANTLY -- ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING FRESH AND NEW FROM THE CRIMINAL WORLD))

So I am 100% certain there will be a million people commenting on this saying files reports or flaming me due to who Im with ICly. Along with down voting the crap out of this like they do whenever a REPORT is filed against any of their members.......aka Mob Mentality. But the fact of the matter remains this is what has been occurring nonstop since "Zetas Disbanded". It seems like all sense of server rules and RP have gone out the window for the people and groups within The Council to the point where it is effecting not only my own but many other peoples RP, to the extent some of them are leaving the server to take a break out of frustration. Others are claiming to not return at all because nothing is being done. In the past few days since this "war" began, I have noticed alot of reports have been hitting the forums regarding remaining members claiming they are Zetas and members of "The Council". Whether it be VDM, Public Robbery, NonRP, Fail RP, etc. One thing is for sure, something has changed for these groups and its pretty obvious. Below I will show some screenshots of things I and others have noticed along with a video from today in which Im not going to bother reporting because it will just get labeled as petty and mob mentalities by nonstop downvotes and other crap that I just dont want to deal with. Comments have been made since the "war" began and since Zetas disbanded by people from all the groups within "The Council" stating the only objective is run people out of the city for good. Regardless if this is just being said on an IC manner it doesnt feel like it to many. To the point where people are alternating their entire paths of RP because they enjoy the server and dont want to be hunted until they quit forever or be forced to make an alt character just to play. At some point enough is enough and someone needs to step in and do something regarding it. However, I am not that person. Hopefully by me posting this topic, others who have felt this way or see it like this will voice their opinions and let it be known that there isnt only a select few who feel this way. And yes I know, upon this post being submitted probably 30+ people from "The Council" will flood this claiming so many different things that it will literally prove my point but thats not the point, the point is for the staff to see a thread where people are actually voicing their concerns so they can see what needs to be changed and overlooked. Along with Faction Management being able to have a log of things and be made aware of the problems. I hope anyone who reads this does speak up and show whatever they have witnessed so that hopefully the staff or these groups can fix the way things are. At the entrance to the pier and was driving around the pier like this.... At the pier attempting to rob me and others......few minutes later DMed someone (didnt report due to no video) At the pier TODAY https://streamable.com/ia2tbq Hopefully people accept this post and see it as a way for them to change the way they RP and hopefully realize they are literally causing issues for people to even want to be apart of this server. But if not then thats on them, they will continue to just do what they are doing and sooner or later, the reports will pile up and it will be dealt with by staff.

Before moving to Los Santos, I live in New York where I was apart of a group called The Devils Cartel. Me and my brother joined The Devils Cartel after our parents died and had to start living on our own at the age of 18. With no money and barely any education, work was impossible to find. So we took what we needed. The Devils Cartel heard about us and approached us offering us everything we needed to survive. The Devils Cartel was a vicious group who was known for drug and gun smuggling, along with kidnapping and torturing people. I personally was in charge of meeting people and making connections. Along with fulfilling contracts to kidnap people and get information. After a deal going bad and my brother becoming hunted by our "family". I left in hopes of finding them before him which led me to Los Santos to find him. Sadly I was too late and they killed him before I could warn him. As time went on in Los Santos and the failed attempt at bringing the Latin Kings to Los Santos and being hunted by people who I thought were friends of mine and my brothers, I found myself lost within the criminal world and took the chance to start anew. I went the legal life. I worked at Weazel and a mechanic shop, neither bringing me what I wanted in life. I finally found myself at LSEMS and loving it but something was still missing. As time went on at LSEMS I made tons of money and opened a club, Cascade Nightclub which later became Eclipse Lounge....i met a girl and planned to get married until I found out things were happening behind my back I did not know and I moved away from Los Santos to regroup. Upon returning I found my entire world flipped upside down, everything I worked for and built was gone.....given away to another. Those same friends who had my back were now just like the girl.....only there until they no longer needed something. Upon returning though I met alot of familiar faces and old friends.....ones who even after all this time were still friends for now. One friend in particular did not show themselves immediately but later did in an unexpected way. During a medical call at LSEMS I met some people who seemed really cool and chill, Kat Castle and Enemoto. But that world slowly came crashing down when I was called to report to Central MD and greeted by cops claiming I may have ties to criminal organizations based on me trying to protect people who I barely knew. I was informed they were members of Dojin Kai. How was I supposed to know. But one thing was for certain, PD had it out for them like they did for my brother and his group and how they are with everyone who isnt legal. But something was different about this, it seemed personal and I wasnt going to get into it, but, I did want to apologize for not helping Kat in her situation. So I reached out to an old friend who knew everyone, Ghost. Ghost was shocked to hear from me and I explained the situation, he told me he could setup a meet with the Leader of Dojin Kai so I could personally apologize for not being more help........what happened next was unexpected..... We met at the Los Santos Bank and I was told to follow to a location so I did......we arrived at a location I knew back when scouting properties for the nightclub, The Koi. However the Koi was now one of the Dojin Kai Dojos. Upon walking in, there was no one but slowly people began to pour in.......familiar face after familiar face. All people I knew before I left. They all welcomed me with open arms about being back. I was still confused though, where was the leader. Ghost removed his mask and looked at me and said, I am the leader of Dojin Kai. I was shocked when I left this man was just a normal criminal who got in trouble.....to see what he had created blew my mind......he explained alot to me.....about the start of Dojin Kai, the values, the war.....everything. He had sank his teeth in but after my brother dying I swore I wouldnt pick up a gun to harm people......I was at a crossroads with no clue where to go. Days passed by and the offer to join Dojin Kai was on my mind all the time. I didnt know what to do and I had no one to talk to...... Business carried on as usual until I volunteered to work at a club and was given an order to shoot someone because they kidnapped the club owner.....I hesitated but did what I was told by my employer. I pulled my gun from its holster and shot the driver 4 times before his body flopped out of the car......at first it was fine but hours later everything came crashing down......the girl I was trying to talk to had disappeared basically.....LSEMS was back to being drama filled and I was being targeted again.....and now I shot and hurt someone......that night was horrible, I texted everyone I knew and asked for help, I was losing my sanity...... However, out of everyone I texted.....the one person who arrived to my aid and helped me was Kat Castle......the Dojin Kai member that PD swore was a bad person......she helped me in my time of need and showed me how to overcome the situation......however through this I learned.....I needed to accept my fate and my destiny...... 2 days later an issue at LSEMS arose and the same old drama was confirmed.....I was being targeted by the same employee as before, Ania.....she made the decision for me and showed me the path so I thank her for that......that day I called Kat and requested a meet......she agreed. Ghost offered me position within Dojin Kai and Kat knew.......my hopes were I would have to prove myself and as such I do, I am happy for that. Kat asked me and my new friend Melon questions they ask every recruit......upon our answers she gave our approval but now we needed to do a final screening with my old friend Mike Laurie, Wakagashira. So we met with him and met with another member Aki Yamamoto, also a Wakagashira-Hosa but Kyodai. It was Mikes birthday and he didnt feel like being an asshole so Aki did our final screening with Mike overwatching......they did not lie.....Aki played no games and went straight to the point, but, she cleared us.....Mike cleared us.....Kat cleared us......Me and Melon were now apart of Dojin Kai as trials or as they call us Minarai. It was our time to prove ourselves to them and the rest of Dojin Kai. However, over the next few days. I realized alot about myself and my own worries. Dojin Kai wasnt just a gang or an organization....it was a family. A family I swore my life and allegiance too. Seeing as I have no formal last name due to not remembering it after all the years of shit I did for the Devils Cartel.....I texted Ghost and told him that I will not disappoint him for the opportunity and hope one day I can earn an honorable name and bring honor to the Dojin Kai family. He understood where I came from. During these days I spoke to Samuel Castle and explained the same to him along with my worries for the Sakazuki Ritual and how I feared, the ritual would make me into what my brother became but Samuel was very intelligent on the Sakazuki Rituals......they are different for everyone and most people come out a better version of themselves.....what he said after that thought is what made me realize......this isnt just a thing you become apart of and then leave when your ready.....this is your life.....Dojin Kai is apart of you forever......Samuel told me that no matter what happened during my Sakazuki Ritual, that he and the rest of Dojin Kai will be there to help me through it, help me understand, and make sure I dont end up on my brothers path.......he also told me that based on how I think and how I am, that I am a great addition to Dojin Kai. Moving to today, a war has broke out. Zetas are disbanding and we are being hunted by The Council.....I have been warned by some many people I know to stay away from it....hideout.....avoid getting involved....... That is not me. I live by the Bushido Code. I live by Dojin Kai. I live by my brothers and sisters. I knew what I signed on for and I know the consequences. I became a Dojin Kai and I will die a Dojin Kai. Those who are not Dojin Kai may blacklist me, hate me, tarnish me......but I will bring honor to Dojin Kai until my last breath and I will earn an honorable name within the Dojin Kai. Anyone who doesnt support me then you are not worthy of being apart of my journey or knowing my legacy. My legacy may not be known to the world but it will be known to those who matter.....The Dojin Kai. I bleed and sweat for the Dojin Kai.....I will do so until my last breath.....this I swear to my Dojin Kai Family. I know who I fight for, but, do you? ((For anyone interested, during the writing of this, I found my inspiration through the following song, Ronin by Peter Roe.....it made writing this so more intense for myself and wish I could post it into the background for when people begin to read it)) Dojin Kai Were There During My Darkest Hours I Will Be There For Dojin Kai During Their Darkest Hours Until My Dying Breath

I never thought in a million years I would utter the words, "Zetas are disbanding". But sadly that day has come and these legends will live in this server forever. Gangs who come into the city should push themselves to do what Zetas did but sadly many will fail because Zetas werent just a gang or a faction, they were a family through and through. Alot of people say negative things regarding them but what they fail to release is Zetas wasnt just one person or one small group of people, they were one of the biggest factions Eclipse has ever seen and they are OGs of the server. So while some of their members may not have been up to par, the Zetas overall were the number 1 group and the leaders of RP I have ever met. Having dealt with them on the criminal side and on the legal side, I have never had bad interactions with them on RP standards. The one incident I always bring up to people of their RP and the mentality that Zetas had is when I was leader of Yakuza on one of my characters, to see the amount of organization they had was unimaginable, but, they somehow managed to do it. I have yet to meet or see another gang as the Zetas or Triads were/are. Anyone who says otherwise should maybe take a look into what happened to cause bad interactions and may find, it wasnt the Zetas doing. Sooner or later this group was meant to leave or disappear, they paved the path for others to achieve greatness and showed it was possible....now its their time to sit back and watch the road they paved get walked by those who follow and aspire to be like them. There is no doubt in my mind that the Zetas will live on even after this server is done and gone. @JayGamble and Kelly Gamble (sorry cant find your profile name) - Thank you for all the advice you gave me IC and OOC back when I was trying to do things the right way. Even when I was new to this server you still offered me assistance in many ways you didnt even realize. @Purmineli - You have been a good friend to both my characters. No matter what I needed, even if it was just a question I found extremely stupid you helped me out to the best of your abilities. Even after me being gone for what felt like an eternity, you still treated me like a friend upon me coming back. I can not thank you enough for the memories, including my wedding. @Wolokai142 - Even though I know you by so many names, the most fitting one will always be Red. So many interesting memories with you but I wouldnt change it for the world. You truely were a badass in all honesty. It will be weird not seeing the Undercover Fox anymore. @MrUntouchable215 - Flint Capone, the legend. Sadly Im sure there are a ton of memories I have with you but honestly the only thing that ever comes to mind is me ALWAYS seeing you drunk and stumbling at the Zeta Store......even after all this time of the store not being the hangout spot, its still weird pulling up and not seeing you stumbling around. You will surely be missed Im sure there are plenty of other people within Zetas I have met and had interactions with but these 5 are by far the ones who helped me learn RP and have a good time on this server. I really hope where ever you guys go, you continue to have fun and keep the standards as you did. Below are some of the random memories and encounters I had with these wonderful people. I do hope the ones I call my friends ICly do stick around but whatever happens, I wish you all the best of luck in your futures endeavors. So before you see these random pictures I leave to you some quotes which represents this fascinating group of people and to remember that they left on their terms - "If everyone likes you, your not doing it right." "The only way you can become a legend is in your coffin."

Not sure if this was intended or not but the speakers are no longer working and haven't been for about 2 weeks. Will this be getting fixed or staying this way? Kind of ruins a lot of RP that was going on in regards to nightclubs and such.

Your literally proving the reason why changes need to be made regarding robbery. Twice now you have stated you cut corners on RP when it comes to doing criminal stuff.

This right here proves my point. You legit just said "proper roleplay takes too long". Then don't RP. The rules state as of now we need to RP unholstering a gun and placing it on the ground yet these demands with time limits do not allow us to realistically do the RP for it like the rules call for. It has turned into people giving time limits rather than RPing the frisk because they know the time limits aren't reasonable and its quicker to just injure the person rather than wait for them to RP. It is 100% power gaming. Also with the fact of looking at it from the position of someone who doesn't rob. My main character on this server was in the Rooks. We prided ourselves on RPing everything. Your a criminal. If doing the time is a problem then don't do the crimes. It comes hand in hand. Your going to go to jail sooner or later. And your comparing RP to real life. Well in real life we would slowly unholster a gun to not startle you and make your premature shoot. We would also have to slowly remove other items so you don't think we are trying anything funny. I have seen a robbery first hand. People don't rush to throw their things at peoples feet due to they are startled and scared. In the retrospect of your response, im going to go ahead and assume you may be one of the people this report is referring to. You literally RP for your own SELF gain and care very little for the other people involved in your RP.

In my personal opinion, something needs to be said or done to those who are doing robberies on people. Recently I have been robbed numerous times and they all do the same thing. The entire interaction is rushed and powergamed beyond belief. Robber(s) - Hands hands Robber(s) - drop the fucking gun Meanwhile your typing the entire RP response of unholstering a gun since they decide to not RP frisking or removing it themselves Robber(s) - You have 5 seconds to drop the gun. 1 2 3 4 5 Opens fire This whole countdown thing in itself is powergaming along with deathmatching in my opinion. You can not expect someone to type unholstering a gun via /me and doing everything else when your literally giving them 5 seconds to type out the RP for removing the gun. And then having to OOC equip it and then do /dropgun. It has become extremely irritating in the fact, a robbery doesn't even feel like a robbery. The entire depth of the robbery is gone because they just start screaming and yelling and then when you start to type out the RP for unholstering a gun or dropping the gun. They start screaming your stalling or going into OOC saying your stalling. Then ICly they just shoot you or they just scream and yell. I honestly feel a rule change needs to happen where these "ultimatum choices" need to not be allowed. It causes more issues than it does improve the RP we are looking for. Another option to fix this is we imply a minimum time thing that is allowed instead of people saying you have 2 seconds or 5 seconds to do something. Not everyone on the server can type a million words a minute and truthfully they shouldn't have to. At one point or another it can be seen as stalling but on the other hand. I have been told by numerous people including staff we are to RP everything during a robbery now including dropping the gun or unholstering. If this is not correct, please correct me. But at this current point in time, it is impossible to RP any of that stuff during a robbery without being shot to death because they want to force the RP in their advantage. Would love to hear anyone elses opinion on this. Added note - I am noticing this more and more with the smaller gangs or randoms doing robberies. Most of the bigger gangs enjoy making the RP full of actions and commands rather than force your hand into skipping RP.