Bella Tebaldi

Bella Tebaldi is a 28-year-old woman from District 9, or District I, one of the twenty-six districts in the City. She is a member of The Thumb, one of the Five Fingers Syndicates of the Backstreets, operating with a strict focus on adherence to hierarchy. Like the other Fingers, the Thumb is one of the most powerful Syndicates in the City, possessing enough influence to rival even the Wings/Corporations that rule each District. Bella’s rank is Soldato, a low-ranking position, with the sub-rank Secondo. Bella has short, bowl-cut black hair and brown eyes. She has an average build and height, with a small chest. She wears the typical Thumb uniform, consisting of a dark red fedora; a black suit with a plunging V-neckline; pants; and black shoes with golden bases. Bella, however, adds a black tangzhuang with golden buttons underneath the suit which is visible. She also wears the usual Thumb's dark red long coat unbuttoned and draped across her shoulders, outlined in gold. The coat falls from her shoulders to her knees and includes a chest-level strap that keeps it from falling off. Her usual Thumb equipment includes a dark red revolver rifle, with the revolver cylinder, trigger, and bayonet all made of gold. The rifle is break-action. Despite carrying a firearm, she fights mostly in close-quarters combat with the buttstock or bayonet, as bullets are expensive and heavily taxed in the City. Bella is somewhat rigid person and eager to prove herself to climb the Thumb’s hierarchy, though with little success. She is newly initiated and does not yet understand all the rules, especially the unwritten ones. She understands the importance of respecting Thumb members of higher rank and is loyal to the Syndicate. Although she appears serious and reliable, she has little patience, poor judgment, and often crosses the line with her words and actions, which gets her into frequent trouble. She tries to maintain composure when interacting with higher-ranking members, though her crass, loud, tomboyish personality sometimes slips out. She also tends to lie to avoid trouble or gain favor or position. Despite her flaws, she is hardworking and kind in her own way. Bella surprisingly has a beautiful singing voice something expected from someone born in District I. She came from the Backstreets of District I but has had a taste of the District I Nest because she once dreamed of becoming an opera singer. Many Thumb members enjoy her singing and call her la voce d’angelo. She loves pizza and pasta, and she also has an interest in District H and H Corporation’s Chinese-themed culture. Her favorite idol is Andrea Bocelli, a famous singer from District I’s past. Like the other Four Fingers, the Thumb is a large Syndicate with a unique culture and creed that all members follow fervently. Members value politeness and respect to superiors above all else. In practice, the Syndicate demands absolute compliance with hierarchy; any action that shows even the slightest disrespect toward higher authority results in immediate punishment. Depending on the mistake, consequences may extend beyond the offender, affecting even blameless comrades. Ultimately, the Thumb will punish anyone it deems an offender, regardless of how innocent the mistake or clueless the individual may be. Members also recognize the need to respect outsiders and may study the hierarchies of other City factions to avoid accidentally disrespecting individuals of higher rank. Thumb punishments often involve the removal of body parts, such as dismemberment or the forced removal of one’s tongue. Despite being a criminal organization, the Thumb carries itself with class in both dress and behavior, often engaging in diplomacy and trade. They believe that anyone of high rank whether inside or outside the organization deserves proper honor and polite address. The Thumb’s hierarchy, starting from the lowest tier, begins with Soldato, which is divided into four sub-ranks: Primo, Secondo, Terzo, and Quarto. Above them are the Capos (Captains), who command groups of Soldatos and relay orders from higher-ups, acting with some liberties. Above them are the Sottocapi, direct subordinates to the Capo dei capi, who manage entire operations within designated areas. They also oversee the Thumb’s “families” of subsidiary Syndicates, each Sottocapo assigned to one. At the top stands the Capo dei capi, or Godfather, the Padrino. While the structure of the Syndicate differs slightly across the City’s quadrants, members generally dress in black, dark red, and gold. A member’s status can be identified by their uniform, as the Thumb marks rank with the number of arrows on badges and sub-rank with pins on collars. Their weapons of choice are firearms, which they use in varied ways including bayonet or buttstock combat to reduce bullet costs. The Thumb enforces its rules and hierarchy strictly: those who break them are immediately punished, often under an order of “Esecuzione della Regola.” Offenders may suffer injuries such as broken jaws or the removal of their tongue as punishment for insolence. The status of Regola Infranta is something every Thumb member wishes to avoid. District 9, or District I, is owned and led by I Corporation. The district and corporation both revolve around music, with I Corp having massive influence over music creation and distribution across the City. District 9 itself has a modern atmosphere and architecture, with a lively nightlife and party culture. The Backstreets effectively the slums and poor areas are known as the “Streets of Music,” where much of the culture centers on music and art appreciation. The Nest, the mid- to high-income area alongside where the Corporation that ruled reside, emphasizes refined and high culture in both music and art. Several years ago, the infamous Distortion known as the Pianist attacked the residential area of the District 9 Backstreets, killing 80% of the district’s total population. I Corp participated in the Smoke War as an ally of Lobotomy Corporation. The Wing was among those that promised Smoke War veterans migration permits into their Nests, only to later change the terms and ban Wing War participants from ever entering. District I is Italian-themed.