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The section opens in 967, when calls for secession from Leithanien swept the Siracusan Autonomous Region. Woodcutters captured a feral man resembling the legendary "Ones Who Ran With Wolves," assassins who could never be domesticated. A famiglia associate paraded him in Montelupe as "the Primal Predator," but he broke free and disappeared forever.
Siracusa was long a loose organization of constantly conflicting city-states ruled by famiglie. About sixty years ago a national order emerged. Its roots lie with ancient "wild wolf packs" of Lupo Beast Stewards, roaming for at least a thousand years in extraordinarily high density that science cannot explain. These wolves caused famine and harsh competition among primitive tribes, producing stark hierarchy. Metal tools enabled farming, population growth, and social classes; after the first famiglia-led city-state, Siracusa entered "civilized society."
Alliances like the Siracusan City-State Alliance formed and broke. United resistance against Kazdelian Sarkaz invaders led to Leithanian alliance and the Güldenesgesatz. Siracusa became an autonomous region within Leithanien without voting rights for the Kaiser. In 967 an independence movement erupted; Leithanien's earlier campaign against Kazdel had weakened the Sarkaz presence, giving Siracusa her chance. Independence came in 969, but was overshadowed when the City-State Alliance hall was destroyed by Originium Explosives, beginning seventy years of internal strife.
Signora Sicilia, educated in Laterano, concluded Siracusa's problem was a lack of order. She subdued the great famiglie, formed the Grey Hall with the Dodici Famiglie, and established the Joint Council and Joint Court of the Comuni. The government of ordinary people took power, yet famiglie retain influence—juries of famiglia associates pressure judges, and Sicilia remains the real authority. The play Stagione delle Piogge commemorates her extermination of a rival famiglia. Sicily's city history and a failed government attempt to escape famiglia control, ending in bloodshed, are recounted; Sicilia remarked, "The government is just the cloth draped over Grey Hall's round table."
Siracusa's population is concentrated in the humid, forested east; the dry west is barren and dangerous, roamed by desperate outcast wolves. Farmland is scarce, wheat is imported, timber and finbeast abundant, and industry underdeveloped until returning famiglie from Columbia brought technology after Famiglia Texas's fall there. Famiglie control the economy, including hospitals that serve famiglia requests. Siracusa's Columbia history includes smuggling during the Revolutionary War, until Giuseppe Texas's radical acts led to his famiglia's massacre.
The section closes with scenes of ordinary life: a murdered judge and his grieving fiancée; salon worker Cerva navigating Volsinii's split into Nuova Volsinii, the "city without famiglie"; the abused schoolboy Mattia upholding fractured values; and relocation official Piccolo losing his sense of power.
In 967, calls for secession from Leithanien swept the Siracusan Autonomous Region. It was then that woodcutters discovered a feral man near a forest's edge. Filthy, barely clothed, unable to speak or understand human language, he fought like a wild beast, biting off two fingers and scratching three arms before being caged. His behavior recalled the legend of the "Ones Who Ran With Wolves," the bloodthirstiest assassins in Siracusa, whom the ruling elite could never "domesticate." A famiglia associate chained him to a cart, paraded him through Montelupe, and pushed him before the independence parade, where a man with a loudspeaker named him "the Primal Predator" and "the Call of Savagery" and commanded him to tear apart the Leithanian flag and the Güldenesgesatz. Instead, the beast-man broke free, bit several guards, slashed bystanders, and disappeared from civilization forever.
For a long time, Siracusa meant a piece of land east of Leithanien rather than a political entity—a loose organization of city-states whose ruling famiglie were constantly in conflict. About sixty years ago, a true national order began to take shape. The building housing the Siracusan Joint Court of the Comuni was once one of the most luxurious mansions in Siracusa; after secession from Leithanien, war erupted among the famiglie, the owning famiglia was wiped out, and Signora Sicilia transformed the defeated famiglia's estate into a symbol of the new order. The generation that grew up with the "rule of law" believed famiglia rule would become a thing of the past; today many are disillusioned, and Siracusa's true governance model remains an open question.
To trace the roots of the famiglia tradition, one must discuss the "wild wolf packs"—packs of Lupo Beast Stewards that have roamed Siracusa for at least a thousand years. Their density is extraordinarily high relative to the local prey population; intense competition within and among packs would give a regional biomass chart an unusual hourglass shape, and modern science cannot explain this distorted ecosystem. Its impact on humans was profound: merely surviving the wolves was difficult, famine was a constant threat, and harsh competition over food likely gave rise to stark hierarchy.
Farming and building techniques evolved only with metal tools capable of felling trees, beginning steady population growth. Family unity became more about shared identity and common beliefs than bloodlines; labor groups emerged outside the traditional family; family hierarchies evolved into social classes. Only after the first famiglia-led city-state did Siracusa enter "civilized society" in the conventional sense. The città-states formed numerous alliances; treaties were established and broken, assembly halls burned and rebuilt. The largest and longest-lasting famiglie council was the Siracusan City-State Alliance.
According to ancient Leithanian hymns, "the black-horned Sarkaz trampled the eastern horizon, scattering blood and fire upon the lands of music and law." The common thread in Siracusan and Leithanian history is united resistance against the Kazdelian invaders. Fear of the Sarkaz drove the scattered tribes to ally; the nine tribal leaders of Leithanien played instruments in the hall, and their orchestral harmony created the "Güldenesgesatz" (Golden Laws), foundation of Leithanian governance. The Dons of Siracusa's famiglie looked on, their bags filled with hunting trophies and weapons but not a single instrument. For Siracusa, the Leithanian Empire was merely a temporary measure against the Sarkaz. Siracusa's cultural atmosphere, political landscape, and racial composition led to her designation as an autonomous region within Leithanien: no right to vote in the Kaiser's election, but a high degree of self-governance. The tenuous connection was quickly forgotten. In 967, a large-scale independence movement erupted, spurred by several powerful famiglie.
For centuries Leithanien had ignored Siracusa's sufferings, but two hundred years ago her caster corps played a crucial role in the Kazdel Expedition: Kazdel was burned to the ground and the Sarkaz retreated for decades. By the 960s the Sarkaz presence had dwindled, and Siracusa's independence was made possible not by Leithanian neglect but by Leithanien's campaign against Kazdel, which gave Siracusa the chance to rekindle her ambitions.
Siracusa officially broke away in 969, but the news lasted only two days before being overshadowed by "the great explosion": the City-State Alliance assembly hall was torn apart by Originium Explosives. Rescuers watched as crossbowmen perched on surrounding rooftops; no one dared to help, and the cries beneath the rubble fell silent—the beginning of seventy years of internal strife.
Signora Sicilia was born into this exhaustion and chaos. Before the unrest, each city-state had been controlled by a single famiglia, but through the turmoil most cities became arenas of struggle among multiple famiglie. Famiglia Sicilia, though diminished, survived and held its ancestral lands. When its Don sent his daughter to study in Laterano, some in the famiglia murmured that an heir not groomed in Siracusa would ruin them. Yet leaning on a Laterano hotel balcony, watching students drill between classes with synchronized gunfire in the "Land of a Millennium of Peace," the young Sicilia reflected that nowhere else had a tool of violence been so seamlessly integrated into daily life. Perhaps Siracusa's trouble was not an excess of violence but a lack of order—every famiglia had its rules, but society had never been organized around a principle valuable and authoritative to everyone.
Returning with her friend Agenir, whom she met in Laterano, Sicilia made the Dons of several great famiglie bow their heads within a few years. She rarely resorted to force; flattery and threats evoked no reaction, but when necessary she was astonishingly firm and unexpectedly ruthless. The great famiglie returned to the negotiating table; Sicilia gave up leadership of her famiglia to head the Grey Hall. The Dodici Famiglie accepted a unified order, and the Grey Hall gained considerable influence and authority over the family powers.
The Grey Hall was more than an alliance: Sicilia established a true national institution. The Joint Council of the Comuni became the executive body, and the Joint Court of the Comuni the legislative and judicial body. A government of ordinary people took the reins; Dons could no longer prevent other famiglie from developing in their cities, and cities were no longer referred to by their ruling famiglie' names. The land now appears orderly, but Siracusans remain skeptical—Sicilia herself, holding no title or position, still plays a massive role in affairs large and small. Her name rarely appears in official records, but her deeds fill folk culture. The play Stagione delle Piogge, performed for the Great Theater's centennial, chosen for a beloved actor's retirement, and shown as the first film on a new Columbia-imported shadow screen, tells how Signora Sicilia exterminated a rival famiglia; over fifty years directors have staged more than a dozen methods of annihilation, but every version retains the iconic scene of rain echoing through a bloodstained hall.
The name "Sicilia" is nearly as ancient as Siracusa. The city was founded under several small famiglie co-governing as the "Sicilian Union," which initiated the first city-state war in Siracusan history—legend says they cut off the tails of the defeated, origin of the saying "lost a tail and fled." After a coup, a single famiglia claimed the city, transforming the Union into Famiglia Sicilia. When Signora Sicilia relinquished the headship, the small famiglie re-formed the union but failed to reach consensus: some sought to restore ancient rule, others to leverage Signora Sicilia's prestige. The latter gained nothing; the former were expelled from Siracusa.
About thirty years ago, officials of a certain city tried to "advance Signora Sicilia's will even further" by their own ideas, intending to free Siracusa from famiglia control, but ended up merely courting the famiglie's favor; their struggle ended in silence, with rivers of blood flowing quietly through city hall. Everyone believed Sicilia orchestrated it—perhaps because the eerie silence bore her style, or because since the Grey Hall's founding only she dared spill that much blood. It was after this that she remarked, "The government is just the cloth draped over Grey Hall's round table."
After her reforms, the political system operated by ordinary people, together with famiglia power in the shadows, maintained order. The great famiglie agreed to retreat into the background but did everything within the Grey Hall's tacitly approved boundaries to control the government. Political institutions often hold only nominal power, dependent on famiglie opinions—yet the famiglie also increasingly rely on these institutions for administration as population growth strains their traditional methods. The Joint Council of the Comuni is composed of representatives from each city-state, from whom a Council President is elected as Siracusa's leader; other representatives become department heads managing specific areas.
The concentration of legislative and judicial powers in a single institution is uncommon among Core nations, but its logic in Siracusa is clear: most Siracusans see the court as an extension of Signora Sicilia's will. The court has long maintained the fragile peace among the great famiglie. Though the Joint Court formally holds legislative power and can codify precedents, the people know these laws are boundaries set by Sicilia, and in practice the court functions mostly as a central judicial institution.
Siracusa comprises over twenty cities, each with municipal government and courthouse. Local courts hold only judicial power. Before striking the gavel, judges instinctively glance at the jury box—most jurors are associates of the great famiglie. Sicilia would never let the court become another famiglia forum, so juries cannot participate in verdicts, but their mere presence gives the famiglie lingering influence. There is no police force in the traditional sense; judges enforce the law, so they must be well-read and often physically fit. The Penal Code, the "Codex of Thorns," comes in special hardcover volumes adorned with iron thorns that judges can slam onto a criminal's head—though this is rarely "necessary." Most often, when a judge spots a famiglia insignia in a brawling crowd, he can only watch; famiglie consider any interference an overreach. Judges intervene only between ordinary people, when famiglie endanger civilians, or when famiglia conflicts escalate beyond resolution.
On May 9th, a Montelupe judge was found slumped in his car, the Codex of Thorns nailed to his face. His young fiancée rushed to the scene and removed the blood-soaked Codex herself without looking away. That night the deceased was buried with the book. At dawn, the guilt-plagued old judge drove her back to town, rambling about "justice and faith"; neither took his words to heart. Newsboys shouted the headline: "Corrupt Judge Exploits Populace, Meets Gruesome End in Car," detailing his extorted "protection fees." On May 11th, the woman was found hanged in her home; the dishes had just been washed, the trash not yet taken out.
Siracusa's population concentrates in the humid eastern regions of rolling hills and dense forests, where the long rainy season shrouds forests in mist and makes roads treacherous. Western Siracusa is barren, dry, and nearly unsettled. Films about western brawls and wanderers once made wilderness driving popular among the upper class; those who ventured alone often did not return. The dangers are the harsh climate and the outcast "wolf packs" driven from their hunting grounds, which attack any creature to survive; travelers band together on established routes. Forests cover most of the land; farmland is scarce, and Siracusa imports wheat from countries like Laterano for pizza, while boasting timber and finbeast resources—"the Siracusan woodsmen are tougher than the famiglia enforcers," as the joke goes.
Industry remains under-developed; it took decades to make Montelupe a nomadic city, dependent on imported core structures and precision Originium components, with famiglia feuds delaying progress. Only after the venerable Famiglia Texas was incinerated and famiglie returned from Columbia with advanced technology could Siracusa build nomadic cities at scale. The famiglie control most of the economy—gambling, smuggling, legitimate trade, real estate—expanding mainly through family businesses; though names and crests rarely appear on signs, everyone knows which famiglia controls each industry. During Columbian Revolutionary War, Siracusan famiglie established smuggling channels and earned enormous profits, then expanded in Columbia into mining, agriculture, trade, lending, gambling, and smuggling, extending routes to Bolivar and giving the federal government an excuse to intervene under "trade enforcement." About seven years ago, Salvadore Texas, head of the most powerful Siracusan famiglia in Columbia, was assassinated by his son Giuseppe, who printed counterfeit money, murdered business owners, and declared a break with Signora Sicilia; when Famiglia Texas was massacred, no one aided them, marking the decline of Siracusan famiglia power in Columbia.
Hair care and private healthcare are prominent. Siracusan salons serve as entertainment and social hubs for famiglia associates, while famiglia hospitals sometimes shut their doors without warning, prepared to fulfill "family requests," whether lifesaving treatment or "end of life care." Where the line between "famiglie" and "ordinary people" lies, no one knows; famiglia associates build identity around loyalty, but ordinary people are raised on the same beliefs—"Do it for the family" is the phrase Siracusan children hear most, and contributing to family is often the only path to recognition.
Theater and cuisine are Siracusa's most prominent cultural elements, held in near-spiritual reverence. The theater scene is vibrant yet stagnant—new productions, unchanged themes; laborers find hope, mercenaries seek absolution. The most overused joke: "Chefs who try to reinvent Siracusan cuisine get beaten." Even poor families tell children, "One day, you will eat a real Siracusan pizza."
Siracusa models its Infected policies after Columbia's, requiring exorbitant insurance fees, but it is often famiglia associates, not judges, who knock on doors. The famiglie, citing "violations of housing safety agreements," demand penalties; those who cannot pay end up in lawless gray areas, and even those who can may lose jobs and homes over a minor complaint.
Among the small incidents repeated thousands of times: elementary school students put third-grader Mattia on trial for "being a goody two shoes"—evidence: he wore his uniform, attended class, and asked the teacher for help with math. He explained a burst pipe left his uniform his only dry clothing but had no defense for asking for help. At home he faced a second trial for failing his pop quiz; no matter how hard his father lashed him, Mattia refused to rat out his classmates.
Other vignettes fill out the picture. Cerva, a tail salon technician in Volsinii, was transferred to a branch in the new city, only for the boss to push a "transformation" and return them to the old shop; facing high rents and the cities' separation, she applied to the government for relocation help, while coworkers speculated endlessly about the young man from Famiglia Bellone and the "city without famiglie," Nuova Volsinii. Piccolo, in charge of Volsinii's relocation task force, savored the power of his pen until a weary young woman from the Solfeggi Tail Salon applied to move back to the old city. Dismissing her as a helpless peasant, he refused her—until she mentioned she "heard from the big shots" that placements were "about to end," information he himself lacked. Angered and confused, he ordered her out and stood motionless.
A margin note by an unattributed reader claims that Siracusa's distorted ecosystem was originally shaped by the Aristocrats of Beasts, who sustain it to this day, with the wasteland wolfpacks and human "Fangs" essentially proxies of the Signori dei Lupi whose survival competitions mirror conflicts among the Signori themselves. This is a reader's comment, not part of the book text.
EPIGRAPH
In 967, calls for secession from Leithanien swept across the Siracusan Autonomous Region. He was first discovered by a few ordinary woodcutters. They thought the hunched figure running by the edge of the forest was a thief, but as they got closer, they realized it was a "man" with matted hair, filthy skin, and barely any clothing. When the woodcutters tried to subdue him, he fought back like a wild beast, biting off two fingers and scratching three arms, but they eventually managed to throw him into a cage. The woodcutters soon realized he couldn't speak or understand human language, and his behavior was more akin to that of a feral Lupo Beast Steward. It was then that they remembered one of Siracusa's oldest legends. According to the legend, the "Ones Who Ran With Wolves" were the bloodthirstiest assassins in Siracusa. No matter how the ruling elite tried, they could never "domesticate" them. News of the man's discovery somehow spread, and the next day, one of the famiglia (family) associates arrived at the lumberyard to take him away. They chained him to a cart, paraded him down the streets of Montelupe, and pushed him to the front of the independence parade. A man with a loudspeaker introduced him to the crowd as "the Primal Predator" and "the Call of Savagery". He threw the Leithanian flag and the Güldenesgesatz at the beast's feet, commanding him to tear them apart. But amid the roaring cheers, the beast-man broke free from his restraints, bit several guards, slashed a few bystanders, and then disappeared from civilization's sight, forever.
For a long time, when people heard the name Siracusa, they thought of a piece of land east of Leithanien, rather than a political entity. Siracusa was, until recently, a loose organization of city-states that couldn't even be called an "alliance"—the ruling famiglie (families) of these city-states were constantly in conflict. Then, about sixty years ago, a true national order began to take shape in this land. When Siracusa's first courthouse opened its doors, many curious onlookers gathered, eager to grasp the significance of this new institution. The building that now houses the Siracusan Joint Court of the Comuni was once one of the most luxurious mansions in Siracusa. However, after Siracusa seceded from Leithanien, war erupted among its famiglie. The famiglia that owned the mansion was wiped out, leaving its once opulent halls dark, empty, and silent. Signora Sicilia transformed the defeated famiglia's estate into a symbol of the new order. The new generation of Siracusans who grew up with the "rule of law" believed that famiglia rule would become a thing of the past. Yet today, many of them are disillusioned. Siracusa's true governance model remains an open question.
Official Languages Siracusan
Dominant Groups Lupo
Official Currency Florin
A Siracusan Florin. The great famiglie of Siracusa all have the authority to mint their own coins. These coins vary widely in both quality and design, but the majority of Florin gold coins bear the same two words: "Famiglia" and "Ordine". That is, "Family" and "Order".
Everyone who talks about Siracusa inevitably delves into the same topic—famiglia. But to trace the roots of the famiglia tradition in Siracusa, we need to first discuss the "wild wolf packs".
These "wolf packs", composed of Lupo Beast Stewards, have roamed Siracusa for at least a thousand years. Even today, they continue their relentless pursuits, hunts, and battles in the wilderness, just as described in ancient legends. From an ecological standpoint, the density of "wolf packs" in the Siracusan region is extraordinarily high, surpassing what one would expect given the local prey population. If one were to chart the biomass distribution for the region, it would likely take on an unusual hourglass shape. Intense competition exists both within and among these "wolf packs".
Modern science cannot fully explain how such a distorted ecosystem came to be or how it has persisted. However, there is no doubt that the existence of these "wolf packs" has had a profound impact on the local human population. Merely surviving without falling prey to the wolves is difficult enough; hoping to snatch food from their jaws is pure folly. The primitive people of Siracusa faced the constant threat of famine, leading to harsh competition over food within the tribes. The stark hierarchy that developed in these societies likely originated from this struggle.
Farming and building techniques didn't truly evolve until the arrival of metal tools capable of felling trees. This marked the beginning of steady population growth in Siracusa. As the population expanded, family unity became more about shared identity and common beliefs, rather than just bloodlines. Labor groups began to emerge, outside of the traditional family structure. Thus, the distinction between family hierarchies evolved into a division of social classes. It was only after the establishment of the first famiglia-led city-state that the people of Siracusa entered a "civilized society" in the conventional sense.
Throughout history, the famiglia-run city-states of Siracusa have formed numerous alliances and organizations of varying sizes. Treaties and rules were established and
then broken; assembly halls were burned down and rebuilt. Few famiglie were content to follow a set of widely disregarded rules, but amidst the bloodshed, the great famiglie always needed a forum for negotiation. The largest and longest-lasting famiglie council in Siracusa's history was the Siracusan City-State Alliance. Most of the city's famiglie engaged in negotiations there at some point in their history.
Before Signora Sicilia's reforms, this kind of dagger was an essential tool at the negotiating table in Siracusa. No one knows how many hands it has pierced during negotiations.
According to ancient Leithanian hymns, "the black-horned Sarkaz trampled the eastern horizon, scattering blood and fire upon the lands of music and law."
If there is one common thread in the historical narratives of Siracusa and Leithanien, it is their united resistance against the Kazdelian invaders. Fear of the Sarkaz drove the scattered tribes to form alliances: "a golden fowlbeast flew through the halls, chirping the first notes of the Golden Laws". When the alliance was finally established, the nine tribal leaders of Leithanien spontaneously began playing various musical instruments in the hall. Their orchestral harmony created the "Güldenesgesatz" (Golden Laws) which later became the foundation of Leithanian governance. The Dons (lords) of Siracusa's famiglie looked on with uncertainty. Their bags were filled with the horns, claws, and furs of hunted prey, along with knives for defense and swords for intimidation—but not a single musical instrument among them. The establishment of the Leithanian Empire might have been the inevitable result of long-term cultural integration, but for the people of Siracusa, it was merely a temporary measure to counter the Sarkaz invasions. Ultimately, Siracusa's unique cultural atmosphere, political landscape, and racial composition resulted in her designation as an autonomous region within Leithanien. While Siracusa did not have the right to participate in the election of the Kaiser, she retained a high degree of self-governance.
The tenuous connection between Siracusa and Leithanien was quickly forgotten; very few Leithanians remember that their eastern forests are home to a group of outbloods. If you were to ask a Leithanian for directions to Siracusa, they would likely respond with, "Siracusa? Where's that?" In 967, a large-scale independence movement erupted in Siracusa, spurred on by several powerful famiglie.
For centuries, Leithanien had shown profound indifference to the invasions suffered by Siracusa. However, two hundred years ago, her caster corps played a crucial role in the Kazdel Expedition. The Sarkaz paid a heavy price for their victory. The entire city of Kazdel was burned to the ground, and they were forced to retreat and lick their wounds in the ruins for decades. By the 960s, when the independence movement erupted, the Sarkaz presence in Siracusa had dwindled significantly. Siracusa's independence wasn't due to Leithanien neglect. It was, in fact, Leithanien's campaign against Kazdel that gave Siracusa, long mired in conflict, the opportunity to rekindle her ambitions.
Siracusan attire is not always somber; bright or even multicolored suits and ties are quite popular among the ruling famiglie. However, Signora Sicilia always wears black, no matter where she goes.
Siracusa officially broke away from the Leithanian Empire in 969. However, this event, which should have been earth-shattering news, only stayed on the front pages for two days before being overshadowed by "the great explosion". The City-State Alliance assembly hall, safeguarded for centuries under Leithanian rule, was torn to pieces by Originium Explosives. The firefighters and rescuers who arrived at the scene could
do nothing but stand by and watch. They clearly saw the crossbowmen perched on the surrounding rooftops, their arrowheads gleaming menacingly in the light. No one dared to step forward to help that day. The cries for help from beneath the rubble gradually fell silent, marking the beginning of seventy years of internal strife in Siracusa.
Signora Sicilia, who would later change the course of Siracusa's history, was born at a time of exhaustion and chaos. Before the unrest, Siracusa had maintained a basic structure whereby each city-state was controlled by a single famiglia. But as the decades of turmoil dragged on, most cities became arenas for both open and covert struggles between multiple famiglie. Although Famiglia Sicilia (in the city of Sicilia) had lost much of its former glory, it managed to survive the decades of turmoil and hold onto its ancestral lands, which was no small feat. Even so, when the esteemed Don decided to send his daughter to study in Laterano, there were murmurs of discontent within the famiglia. To many, an heir who had not been groomed in Siracusa would only lead the famiglia to ruin.
Yet, as the young Sicilia leaned against the balcony of a hotel in Laterano, gazing out at the bustling streets, she wasn't thinking about the future of Famiglia Sicilia but about the future of Siracusa. The ten o'clock bell had just rang, and the sound of synchronized gunfire echoed from a nearby campus. Laterano students were practicing their drills between classes. Laterano, known as the "Land of a Millennium of Peace", was far from a haven for the sheltered. In fact, nowhere else had people so seamlessly integrated a tool of violence into their daily lives. Perhaps, Sicilia thought, the root of Siracusa's troubles wasn't an excess of violence but a lack of order.
However, Sicilia also understood that every famiglia in Siracusa has its own rules, and every Siracusan has been disciplined since childhood. Siracusa had simply never organized its society around the principle that was valuable and authoritative to everyone. After completing her studies, Sicilia returned to Siracusa with her friend, Agenir, whom she met in Laterano. In just a few short years, she made the Dons of several great famiglie bow their proud heads. It is said that Signora Sicilia rarely resorted to force; flattery and threats could not evoke even the slightest reaction from her. However, when necessary, she could be astonishingly firm and unexpectedly ruthless. Finally, the great famiglie of Siracusa returned to the negotiating table that had been forgotten for decades. Signora Sicilia gave up her position as the head of her famiglia and became the leader of the Grey Hall. The Dodici Famiglie accepted a unified order, and the Grey Hall they formed gained considerable influence and authority over the family powers in Siracusa.
The Grey Hall was far more than just another famiglia alliance. On top of the new famiglia order, Signora Sicilia established a true national institution. The Joint Council of the Comuni, the executive body, and the Joint Court of the Comuni, the legislative and judicial body, were soon established. The government, composed of ordinary people, took the reins from the famiglie. The Dons of the great famiglie who once saw themselves as the masters of their cities no longer had the power to prevent other famiglie from developing within their cities. The era of great famiglia rule was no more; people no longer referred to cities by the names of their ruling famiglie. Today, with the help of the government and the courts, this land that has endured a thousand years of chaos now appears to be orderly. However, the Siracusans themselves remain skeptical. Signora Sicilia herself is a prime example. Though she no longer holds a famiglia title or a government position, everyone knows the massive role she plays in Siracusa's affairs, both large and small.
Signora Sicilia's name rarely appears in Siracusa's official records, but her deeds are vividly depicted in folk culture and artistic works. Stagione delle Piogge was performed to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Great Theater's renovation. A beloved actor chose Stagione delle Piogge for their final performance before retirement. When a new circular shadow screen was imported from Columbia, the first film shown was a recording of the 50th-anniversary edition of Stagione delle Piogge. Stagione delle Piogge tells the story of how Signora Sicilia exterminated a rival famiglia. Over the past fifty years, different directors have tried more than a dozen different methods of annihilation, making the play almost a comprehensive guide to the many ways Siracusan mafiosi could meet their demise. Yet, without exception, all versions retain the iconic scene where the sound of rain echoes through a bloodstained hall.
The name "Sicilia" is almost as ancient as Siracusa herself. Unlike most city-states in Siracusa, Sicilia was not initially ruled by a single famiglia when it was founded. Instead, several small famiglie co-governed the city of Sicilia, forming a loose alliance known as the "Sicilian Union". It was this union that initiated the first city-state war in Siracusan history. Legend has it that they cut off the tails of the defeated with scythes, and this may be where the old Siracusan saying "lost a tail and fled" originated from. The victory in the war fueled their ambitions, and after a coup, the city of Sicilia and its glorious name were claimed by a single famiglia, transforming the Sicilian Union into the Famiglia Sicilia.
When the Grey Hall was established, Signora Sicilia relinquished her role as the head of the famiglia, marking its formal end. The small famiglie in the city coveted the vacant "Sicilia" name, and they re-formed the union. Unfortunately, they failed to reach a consensus—some wanted to restore the ancient rule of the Sicilian Union, while others merely sought to leverage the prestige of Signora Sicilia. In the end, the latter group gained nothing, while the former were expelled from Siracusa.
■ The Grey Hall did not adopt the modern architectural style; it looked more like a traditional castle's banquet hall. However, there were no bright, colorful tapestries here; the pale candlelight replaced the bright sunshine, and dull grayness filled every corner of the hall. It must be said that the design of the Grey Hall served its purpose well—no one dared tread into this oppressive gray space without permission But this design was not without its drawbacks: shadows began to breed musbeasts in the dark corners. They became a menacing presence in the Grey Hall.
The cohort of young people who entered government service decades ago might have been anxious, but they all walked into the hall with their heads held high. Most of them had no famiglia background or influence; they grew up hearing the legendary stories of Signora Sicilia, firmly believing that she could control all the famiglie and that they had a responsibility to create a new order for Siracusa.
About thirty years ago, the government officials of a certain city used every resource at their disposal to "advance Signora Sicilia's will even further" according to their own ideas. Their intention was to free Siracusa from the control of the famiglie, but after years of planning, they ended up merely trying to curry favor with them. Their struggle eventually ended in silence, with rivers of blood flowing quietly through the city hall. The bloodstains were eventually cleaned, and city hall continued on as usual. No one spoke about the incident, but everyone believed it was orchestrated by Signora Sicilia—perhaps because the eerie silence of the hall bore her signature style, or perhaps because, since the establishment of the Grey Hall, she was the only one who dared spill that much blood. It was after this incident that she uttered the now-famous remark, "The government is just the cloth draped over Grey Hall's round table."
After Signora Sicilia's reforms, the political system, operated by ordinary people, together with the famiglia powers exerting influence from the shadows, maintained the order in Siracusa. Under Signora Sicilia's dominance, the great famiglie may have agreed to retreat into the background, but they were never content to fade into obscurity. They did everything within the Grey Hall's tacitly approved boundaries to try to control the operations of the government. In many aspects, the political institutions of Siracusa have only nominal power, with their actual functioning heavily dependent on the opinions and judgments of the great famiglie. However, the great famiglie have also begun to rely on these political institutions to handle various administrative matters. As the population continues to grow and social relationships become increasingly complex, the famiglie's traditional ways of managing affairs are showing signs of strain.
Since ancient times, the Siracusan famiglie have often formed loose advisory organizations. I'm not sure whether they intended to subvert or continue this tradition, but the powers that be named Siracusa's central administrative body the "Joint
Council of the Comuni". However, there is no doubt that, as a formal government institution, the Council's structure and functions are vastly different from the advisory organizations formed by the famiglie.
The Joint Council of the Comuni is composed of representatives sent by each city-state. A Council President is elected from among these representatives to serve as the leader of Siracusa. Still other representatives are elected as Joint Council department heads. They are charged with managing specific areas of governance.
The highest legislative and judicial powers are concentrated within a single government institution, a political structure not commonly seen in contemporary Core nations. However, it's easy to see why it exists this way in Siracusa. Most Siracusans see the court as merely an extension of Signora Sicilia's will. When rules are freshly printed in law books, with the pungent scent of ink still lingering, the Dons of every famiglie know exactly where the hard boundaries are. For a long time, the presence of the court has helped maintain the fragile peace among the great famiglie. Although the Siracusan Joint Court of the Comuni possesses formal legislative powers and can codify a series of precedents established during judicial processes, the people of Siracusa are well aware that these laws are not the creation of the court but rather the boundaries set by Signora Sicilia. Thus, in practice, the Joint Court of the Comuni functions mostly as a central judicial institution.
However, if the unreasonable framework and process are justified by "deviations in execution", does that imply that the framework and practices themselves are fundamentally flawed?
■ "I hereby find the defendant guilty on both charges and sentence him to one and a half years in prison", the judge pronounced as he banged his gavel.
"This courtroom has an unusual color scheme. It looks like a chocolate cream waffle", commented an associate of the defendant's famiglia.
Siracusa is made up of over twenty cities, each with its own municipal government and courthouse. Local courts possess only judicial power; they do not have legislative authority in procedural matters. Before striking the gavel, city-state judges will often instinctively glance at the jury box (most jurors are associates of the great famiglie). Signora Sicilia would never allow the court to become another forum for famiglia deliberation, so juries composed of famiglia associates have no authority to participate in the verdict. However, the mere presence of the jury gives the famiglie lingering influence. If a judge sees a famiglia consigliere sitting in the jury box reading a newspaper, he will think twice before banging the gavel with his verdict.
There is no police force in Siracusa, at least not in the traditional sense. Instead, judges are responsible for enforcing the laws of the land. Thus, Siracusan judges need to be well-read, but also, quite often, physically fit. The Siracusan Penal Code is also known as the "Codex of Thorns", and each edition of the code includes a batch of special hardcover volumes adorned with iron thorns. Many Siracusan judges love to carry this codex. When necessary, they can slam it down hard on a criminal's head. Thankfully, this sort of corporal punishment is rarely "necessary". Most of the time, when a judge spots a famiglia insignia in the midst of a brawling crowd, he can only stand by and watch. Under the rules of the Grey Hall, famiglie are expected to maintain order during street fights. However, whether they do so or not, they consider any interference by a judge to be an overreach. Judges only intervene when both parties in a dispute are ordinary people, when a famiglia's actions seriously endanger civilians, or when conflicts between famiglie escalate beyond resolution. However, for judges, even this extremely limited form of intervention is like walking on thorns. Most of the time, the great famiglie are willing to show basic respect to judges; famiglia associates who violate the law, even if they do not end up in jail, will still appear in court to face judgment. But once a judge threatens a famiglia's honor or interests, that respect quickly evaporates.
People have always been curious about one specific thing: can this book adorned with thorns actually open and close freely? The Codex of Thorns comes in various designs; some versions can indeed be flipped through but not closed, while others feature a spine with hinges or flexible materials that allow it to open and close, though not by much. The Codex of Thorns is not a particularly practical reference book in any sense. It's more or less just a weapon. Then again, for many judges, the law is not a handy tool but a heavy burden.
Supplementary Material
On May 9th, a judge from Montelupe was found slumped in the front seat of his car, with the Codex of Thorns nailed to his face. The deceased's young fiancée rushed to the scene in a frenzy, breaking the heel of her shoe on the roadside. The attending judge stopped her, citing the need to protect the crime scene, but five minutes later, he let her in. She personally removed the blood-soaked Codex of Thorns from her fiancé's face, never once looking away. That night, the deceased was buried in the Montelupe cemetery, along with the book that had taken his life. His fiancée watched the judges leave the funeral, then stayed in the graveyard all night. The judges hurried home amidst the dust. Some collapsed into bed, not wanting to miss work the next day. Others lay awake, pondering how this brutal murder would affect their careers. Meanwhile, the young woman replayed her fiancé's eulogy in her mind. Delivered by the old judge who presided over the funeral, it was a reflection on justice and faith, echoing the very ideals her fiancé had often spoken about. As dawn broke, she heard the faint sound of an engine at the cemetery gate. That same old judge, his heart plagued by guilt, had come to give her a ride back to town. As they drove away, he began rambling on about "justice and faith". But neither of them took his words to heart; they were both numb. Well, as they say, "life must go on". The judge dropped her off at the entrance of the market. He still had to make a trip to a northern apartment complex, where there were insurance fees to collect from a few Infected. The sound of newsboys hawking papers echoed through the streets; news of her fiancé's death had spread to every corner of Montelupe. The excited newsboy didn't notice the young woman's trembling hand as she paid, hopping away as he continued shouting the headline: "Corrupt Judge Exploits Populace, Meets Gruesome End in Car". The report detailed how the deceased had extorted "protection fees" from residents across several neighborhoods, and how he had crippled an old woman who couldn't pay. When she returned home, her front door was covered in garish paint and defaced with obscene graffiti. On May 11th, a woman from Montelupe was found hanged in her home. The dishes in the kitchen had just been washed. The trash by the door hadn't been taken out.
Siracusa's population is concentrated in the humid eastern regions, where the landscape is characterized by rolling hills and dense forests. During the long rainy season, the forests are shrouded in mist, and the muddy roads become treacherous, making it nearly impossible for trade caravans to travel and creating severe challenges for forestry workers. However, in the cities, rain is just a normal part of daily life. Even on rainy days, the streets of Siracusa remain bustling, as people seem to have grown accustomed to the constant pitter-patter of raindrops. There are people who love rainy days. "In fact, there are people who enjoy standing in the rain and getting wet. Some need the rain to wash away bloodstains, others rely on it to cleanse their souls— then they return to work, busier than ever."—Worker at a Siracusan laundromat.
In contrast, western Siracusa is dominated by vast expanses of barren land with a dry climate and almost no permanent settlements. Films about brawls, treasure hunts, and wanderers in the western wilderness were once all the rage. During that time, driving off-road vehicles through the wilderness became hugely popular among Siracusa's upper class. These adrenaline junkies were often accompanied by large convoys of bodyguards. The fools who dared to venture out alone often did not return. The dangers of the western Siracusan wilderness are twofold: the harsh climate and the "wolf packs" roaming within. These outcasts, driven from their hunting grounds by other predators, will recklessly attack any creature that enters the wilderness in a desperate bid to stay alive. As a result, travelers and trade caravans usually band together, following a few established routes to traverse the wilderness.
Most of Siracusa's land mass is covered by forests and other untamed areas. The Siracusans have made valiant, continuous efforts to clear the forests and cultivate the land, but arable farmland remains quite scarce. As its population continues to grow, Siracusa has had to rely on imported wheat from countries like Laterano to put pizza on their tables. On the other hand, Siracusa boasts considerable timber and finbeast resources. There's an old joke that says, "the Siracusan woodsmen are tougher than the famiglia enforcers".
Siracusa's industrial sector is still under-developed. It took decades to transform its capital, Montelupe, into a nomadic city. Construction was difficult. The city was heavily dependent on imports to build its core load-bearing structures and precision Originium components. Frequent famiglia feuds and regime changes further delayed progress. After the venerable Famiglia Texas was incinerated, many famiglie who had emigrated to, and thrived in, Columbia returned to Siracusa with advanced technology. Only then was Siracusa finally able to construct nomadic cities on a large scale.
The ruling famiglie control most of Siracusa's economy, from underground gambling and smuggling to legitimate trade and real estate. Nowadays, the famiglie expand their influence primarily by developing their own family business. Although Siracusans rarely print their famiglia names or crests on signs or labels, most people know which famiglia controls each industry. Even the dullest street thug knows which malls and hotels are strictly off limits.
It's worth noting that Siracusa's service industry is quite developed. In the Siracusan mindset, 'service' has always been a necessary part of a functioning society. Hair
During the Revolutionary War, when the Columbians accepted aid from Gaul, they did so with a certain level of trepidation. They believed that Gaul would help them defeat Victoria, but they also feared they might become a Gaulish protectorate after the war. To mitigate this, they urgently sought help from other powers as well, recruiting soldiers and laborers from various sources and gathering all kinds of supplies. Several Siracusan famiglie seized the opportunity to intervene, establishing numerous smuggling channels in Columbia and earning enormous profits from the transportation of essential goods.
After the Revolutionary War ended, the Siracusan famiglie began expanding their enterprises in Columbia, a land full of new opportunities: mining, agriculture, mercantile trade, money lending, gambling, smuggling, they did almost everything. With the tacit approval of the federal government, the Siracusans extended their smuggling routes from the capital district all the way to Bolivar in the west. These secret channels filled the famiglie's coffers and provided the federal government with a legitimate excuse to intervene in Bolivar's affairs under the guise of "trade enforcement".
About seven years ago, Salvadore Texas, head of the most powerful Siracusan famiglia in Columbia, was assassinated by his son, Giuseppe. After taking power, Giuseppe implemented a series of measures, both radical and incomprehensible: He opened factories to print counterfeit money; he murdered several prominent Columbian business owners in broad daylight; he sent a strongly worded letter to Signora Sicilia, declaring a complete break with the Siracusan famiglie. Giuseppe's actions enraged the Columbian federal government, Columbia's business community, and most importantly, Signora Sicilia herself. As a result, when Famiglia Texas was massacred, no one came to their aid. This marked the decline of Siracusan famiglia power in Columbia. Today, a variety of signs still dot the streets and alleys of Volsinii, many of which are directly or indirectly controlled by famiglia forces.
care and private healthcare are particularly prominent in Siracusa. Lupos aren't the only race that care about their hair. There are hair salons all over Terra. However, Siracusa's salons offer more than just basic services like dyeing, conditioning, and trimming—they also serve as popular entertainment and social hubs for many famiglia associates. On the surface, famiglia-operated hospitals may seem no different from public ones, but these private facilities sometimes shut their doors without warning—refusing to admit new patients or discharge current ones. Medical tools can heal or harm, and these hospitals, along with their staff and supplies, are always prepared to fulfill "famiglia requests", whether that means providing lifesaving treatment or "end of life care".
Today, a variety of signs still dot the streets and alleys of Volsinii, many of which are directly or indirectly controlled by famiglia forces.
Many people, including myself, tend to unconsciously separate "famiglie" from "ordinary people" when discussing Siracusa. But where exactly should this line be drawn? No one really knows. In Siracusa, associates of the great famiglie build their sense of identity
Supplementary Material
Listening to her doctor's lengthy explanation of the pathology, Cerva felt lost. When the doctor paused to swallow, she interrupted him, directly asking for his advice—yes, drink less alcohol, and avoid contact with certain Originium products, got it—these were the parts she could understand, anyway.
Cerva had always been this way. When she was at work at the Solfeggi Tail Salon, she was often bewildered by "logical arguments" and "appeals to reason". She preferred to dive headfirst into tangible, practical tasks. So, when her coworkers talked politics, she buried herself in the trivial matters of her own life.
Volsinii's new district was going to break off as a nomadic city. That was already old news. But after a shocking murder and the resulting uproar, Nuova Volsinii became known as the so-called "city without famiglie". This was decidedly new news. Her coworkers were always discussing the latest news about Nuova Volsinii. They constantly analyzed the TV appearances of the young man from Famiglia Bellone. They speculated about whether he was the leader of the new city, what forces backed him, his relationship with Signora Sicilia, and even what kind of tail treatments he preferred. Cerva tried to piece together these musings to form a coherent picture, but her mind kept drifting back to her doctor's advice... and the work at hand.
That is, cleaning off stains and grease, brushing tangled tails until they are neat and tidy, applying the special oil that is said to "shine like Active Originium", and setting up a large Originium searchlight to make the customer's tail look radiant... Hey, were those the Originium products the doctor mentioned? ...Remembering what kind of tail styles each famiglia associate liked to flaunt as a status symbol, offering just the right compliment at the right moment, and occasionally sharing a drink with customers, as it helps her build relationships with them... Wait, didn't the doctor tell her to drink less?
A few months ago, the boss opened a branch in the new city, and Cerva was among the first batch of technicians transferred there. But after the upheaval in Volsinii and the uproar about the "city without famiglie", the boss started pushing for "transformation". One day, he asked them to think about which Columbian pop songs they should play in the shop; The next day, he told them to master the use of fully automated shaving tools; the day after that, he asked them to write a detailed report on the Don's son's attire. But after all the back-and-forth, the boss eventually transferred them back to the old shop in the old city.
And so, Cerva had new worries. She regretted being in such a hurry to move when she was first transferred to the new city. Now, she had to move back to the old city before the cities officially separated, or she'd end up commuting between them. But rents were alarmingly high. To save money, she had to apply to the government for help with relocation. Thus, for the first time, Cerva started to inquire about policies she had never cared about before.
around their famiglia loyalty, finding self-worth through their dedication. However, ordinary people are also brought up with similar beliefs. "Do it for the family" is the phrase Siracusan children hear most often. In fact, contributing to the family is often the only way for a Siracusan to gain recognition in society. In Siracusa, it is rare for children to sever ties with their families, even if they come from abusive homes. Siracusans experience deep moral anguish when trying to break away from their families of origin.
This may be why Siracusans cling so tightly to their traditions. Theater and cuisine are the two most prominent cultural elements in Siracusa, and many Siracusans hold almost spiritual reverence for both. In a way, Siracusa's theater scene is both vibrant and stagnant—while new productions are regularly staged, the popular themes remain unchanged. Many are obsessed with the fictional famiglia stories on stage. They find spiritual fulfillment watching the plays. Laborers in the audience, with grease-stained hands, find hope for a better future. Mercenaries, with blood-stained hands, seek absolution.
Siracusans' love for their traditional cuisine is quite well-known across Terra. The most overused joke in all of Siracusa goes, "Chefs who try to reinvent Siracusan cuisine get beaten". The pursuit of traditional dishes among the upper class goes without saying, but even families so poor that they can only afford cheap ingredients still adhere to tradition in their own way. Before and after meals, parents of poor families tell their children, "One day, you will eat a real Siracusan pizza."
Siracusa has modeled its Infected policies after those of Columbia, requiring the Infected to pay exorbitant insurance fees to be allowed to live normal lives. However, it is often not the urban judges who knock on the doors of the Infected, but rather associates of local famiglie. Some "underfunded" judges may scour the area for the Infected, hoping to survive on the insurance fees they collect. But more often, the fate of the Infected is decided by the local famiglie, who typically control the housing and businesses where people live and work. These famiglie, citing "violations of housing safety agreements", demand large penalties from the Infected. Those who cannot pay often end up in lawless gray areas, beyond the reach of the famiglie. Yet, even those who can pay may lose their jobs and become homeless due to a minor complaint.
The interior of a Siracusan theater is adorned with posters of recent performances. The VIP seats are equipped with dining tables, allowing the audience to enjoy meals while watching the performance. To avoid blocking the view of the VIPs, the waitstaff serving in the inner section must walk in a hunched position, and all of them suffer from severe back problems.
Two incidents, so minor they could hardly be smaller, occurred in Siracusa.
The first incident: a group of elementary school students held a trial. The defendant was a third-grader named Mattia, who was accused of "being a goody two shoes". The evidence against him? He was still wearing his school uniform, meaning he had gone to class that day. Furthermore, there were witnesses who testified that not only did he not skip class, but he also asked the teacher for help with a math problem. Mattia defended himself by explaining that a pipe burst at home the night before, and his school uniform was the only dry clothing he had. However, he had no defense for the crime of "asking the teacher for help with a math problem". As his classmates punched and kicked him, Mattia gritted his teeth, refusing to explain his reasons for doing what he did.
When Mattia got home, he faced a second trial. This time, the crime was failing his pop quiz, and the evidence was the test paper marked with failing grades in red ink. Kneeling on the ground, Mattia listened as his father scolded him for failing to live up to expectations, bringing shame to the family, and jeopardizing their future. His furious father swore to punish the bad influences that had led Mattia astray. Yet, no matter how hard his father lashed him with the belt, Mattia kept his teeth clenched, refusing to rat out his classmates.
On this day, two small "famiglie" upheld their silly social orders, and one Siracusan maintained his fractured values. Such small incidents are repeated thousands of times in Siracusa.
If one day the people of Siracusa grow tired of the discipline imposed by their famiglie, how will they create a new social order that is any different?
Supplementary Material
Piccolo never imagined that within just a month, he would be appearing on Volsinii's television screens nonstop. His image was a constant presence for Volsinii residents navigating the relocation process. The new district of Volsinii was soon due to separate as a nomadic city, dividing people who once lived in the same place into two. A significant number of residents need to be relocated. Piccolo was the main person in charge of the task force established by the city government specifically for this purpose.
Of course, when he first took the job, Piccolo knew that any work carried out under the banner of "coordination" and "relocation" would not be easy. His office was flooded every day with countless application forms—some from people seeking to reunite with family and friends, others wanting to distance themselves from old acquaintances, but more often than not, people applied to move simply for better education and employment opportunities. Piccolo couldn't satisfy everyone, and not everyone could satisfy him. As a result, his office became a cauldron, simmering with both joy and sorrow. With just a stroke of his pen, Piccolo could adjust the emotional balance within that cauldron, making people bow with gratitude or cry out in despair. He had to admit, he somewhat enjoyed this feeling. That is, until one day, when a young woman walked into his office. She said she wanted to apply to move back to the old city. She looked weary and weak.
"Where do you work?" he asked, pleased with the cold tone in his voice.
"Solfeggi Tail Salon."
He couldn't be bothered to recall the details of this shop. What mattered was that he now knew the girl in front of him was just a helpless little peasant.
"There are branches in both the old and new cities, right? Personnel transfers between branches are your shop's business; we have no control over that." Seeing the girl's troubled expression, he knew he had hit the mark.
"If I don't live in the old city, they might just fire me... Someone as important as you must understand..." she began to babble, flattering him. He smiled to himself. Young people are so easy to manipulate.
"We're under a lot of pressure at work too. We can only prioritize placing people who have valid reasons. Your situation doesn't qualify."
"Please hurry... I've heard from the big shots that the placements are about to end, and Nuova Volsinii is about to formally split..."
For a moment, Piccolo suddenly lost his momentum, feeling confused. The girl in front of him was holding out a delicately wrapped gift box, but Piccolo paid no attention to it, as her words still echoed in his mind. She "heard from the big shots"? How could someone as poor and powerless as her have access to information that even he didn't know? The placements are "about to end"? He hadn't even begun to properly enjoy this job. How could the placements be ending so soon?
A wave of anger surged within Piccolo. He ordered the girl to get out, accusing her of lying and obstructing official business. Then he stood there motionless for a long time, without calling in the next person. He felt like he was on the verge of losing something, but what exactly was it?