Cidade das Maravilhas. City of Marvels. Yeranthaya, how far you have fallen…

This was once a wedding gift. Given to Queen Yarantha Zenythya of Onyx by Lord Vraellos Galhapertinikeau I of Thermon, King of All Galhapertinikeauya. The City was one of incomparable radiance, the shining jewel in the muck of Pan Gu.

But now, Galhapertinikeauya was dead, and Vraellos was deader, and Yeranthaya had been dragged down into the muck like the rest of them. Its Supreme Royal Palace of Eternal Magnanimity lied vacant, and the streets were barren, and all the royals had fled the mansions that lined the boulevards. Salvadare could not afford to keep Yeranthaya polished. Galhapertinikeauya probably couldn’t have either. And so, out with the royals and in with the rats.

And there were a lot of rats. By the year 923, Ierantaia was the home of over a million souls, all starving, squabbling, struggling. The manors and villas, each once more glorious than the last, now were mangled into a shantytown. The Arts Guilds, once the envy of the world, were derelict, perhaps work of art about the current state of arts itself – that likely made those last artists happy. The fortifications had crumbled, and its beauty had withered. And that wasn’t to mention the Gangs.

“Spare me the theatrics,” said the Galhapertinikeauyan – Bené Galinha. He was a minor crime boss, here on behalf of Cicero Paulomo. While Paulomo had his covert capital in Quitso, his arms stretched long and far, and he figured himself to be king of all Maonia and Mertonia. Especially Ierantaia; it was still a crown jewel, but now in name only.

“So tell me, Castor, of your plan.”

“It’s simple, maestro. In order to defeat the Lucchese, we will need weapons. Where else to get weapons than the Rapira?” said the Lieutenant, Castor.

Rapira?! thought Galinha. The Rapira was colossal, and untouchable. Built directly into the side of a mountain, it still overlooked the ruined city. It stood for Salvadarean law, and under its shadow the Paulomo Gang, the Lucchese Gang, the Schiro Gang, and the Salvatore gang skirmished quietly. They were but four mobs out of over a dozen that infested the outlying provinces of the Imperio. Guards were paid with Glimmerite Gilders, just like a good portion of those very gangs, and as such the Salvadare Imperio Army looked the other way from the shadow war that played out in front of them.

Unless someone was stupid enough to attack them.

“Joey,” said Galinha to the other attendant, “shoot this idiot.”

As Joey “El Tigre” Brasco reached for La Tigressa (Why he named his rifle was beyond Galinha, but he overlooked this oddity because of el Tigre’s unfailing loyalty. And silence), but Castor cried out.

“Maestro, please, allow me to explain! We will attack the Rapira, but blame it on the Schiro!”

Galinha raised his hand, and the Tiger did not shoot.

“Go on.”

“Maestro, I know a man from Fourside. He can provide us with an explosive, a dynamite. We can blast our way into the Rapira from the old tunnels – we bring Schiro corpses, and when we take from the armory, we leave the Schiro behind.”

It did have merit. Perhaps…

“Do you have any intention of how we navigate the old tunnels? Consider your words, Castor. You are a good lieutenant.”

La Tigressa seemed to stare directly at Castor.

“I have sent a man, a loyal one, to map out the tunnels. I’ve heard a drunken Soldier blither about the happenings in the Rapira. We can do it, maestro.”

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

But the shadow war was not going anywhere. In fact, the Paulomo Gang was losing their hold on Ierantaia. And if they lost Ieranaia, then they would lose Mertonia. And if they lose Mertonia, the Galhapertinikeauyan would lose his head.

“Make preparations, Castor,” Bené Galinha waved his hand once more, and Tiger Brasco set La Tigressa aside. Castor breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, maestro.”

“Do not thank me yet. If you live to tell me to regret this decision, you will regret it too.” And with that, Castor was off, and Galinha could not help but hope he would not regret this.

[M]: Establishing the Salvadarean Gang War! This is more of a prelude, but there are plans on the table to hit the Rapira. Also, it tells of the state of the condition of Galhapertinikeauya after it got conquered and /u/volkanos subsequently did nothing with it.