Liberty Falls: Setting Overview

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Setting Overview

Streetlights stretch across the skyline, as skyscrapers gleam in the hot sun. Each building finds its place towering high above the concrete jungle. This is the side of the city that entices the peaceful residents living in the suburbs to travel in from the quiet sprawls outside. These young dreamers are met by the exciting wonders offered to them, as they pass over the toll bridge into the distant gem. Before entering the city they’re met by a large sign, reading “Liberty Falls.” The city awaits them.

Theatres play the newest shows, as the red carpet stretches outward from black limousines. Shining white teeth catch the camera's flash, as those in the height of their power strike a pose for the pending paparazzi. Airplanes fly lower and lower as they come in for a soft landing at a nearby airport. Some wish to try their luck at the city's largest casino, while others simply wish to enjoy the vibrant nightlife. This great city has it all, and more!

There is, however, another side of the city. A seedier side, known to those without wealth enough to chase the dream. It’s a place of many names. Some call it the belly of the beast, while those caught in its very depths call it hell. It's a cold place, the kind of place where anything can happen, and screeching sirens fills the air, daily. Red lights cut through the darkness, as a staggering drunk's shoe scuffs the pavement below. Cigarette smoke lingering in the air smells of blunt wraps and home-grown cannabis. Gunshots tear through the sides of vehicles as tinted windows light up with the bright flashes of return fire. Old folks chill on stoops, while young cats toss dice in games of cee-lo, trying to make bank on their next roll. Women in the neighbourhood look like trouble, and young G's only see it as another opportunity.

Caught in the chokehold of cold decisions, and surrounded by of the poverty of the neighbourhood, are those who play the streets for a chance to come ahead in life. They look for a quick buck, and do what it takes to make ends meet in the battlefield. Some want fame, others to get out of the hood, while the rest just want to put food on their tables. Friends keep six, while homes get caught in the crossfire of gun raids, and petty thefts. Gunfire whistles through the air, as mother's cry for those who died only days ago. Rap tunes from ghetto blasters, and old beat-up cars, drown out the chaos, and serenade local vigils, as they play songs from rappers rising in the streets around them.

Even deeper, in the heart of the city, are those who truly run the show. Most work from behind the scenes, but others like to be known. They're known for their big names, being connected to big guns, and being men of big word. Many have egos that match their money. They crew-up in streets they grew up in and have people on call at the skyline. They make all the shots in the hood, and pull strings in politics, buy out police, and knock off congressmen. What they say goes. They operate gangs, supply drugs, and coordinate hits. It's a line of work most can't manage, and if they could, they likely wouldn't live long, anyway. They have the fastest cars, finest women, and the biggest pads. In a game clout, they are the bosses.