Jack of Harts

Richmond’s turn as the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia came to an end with a whimper, not a roar. Richmond had enforced ruinous taxes on their business sector and plundered the public treasuries to fund pet political projects for decades. Federal bailouts funded by more prosperous States kept them afloat, but the Second Great Depression cut that funding source off at the knees. The last vestiges of their public law enforcement agencies finally collapsed, leaving the city in the hands of private security forces, gangs, and drug cartels. Though it was often difficult to differentiate them from each other. Violence spiked throughout Richmond and the surrounding metro areas, and many people began leaving for safer areas. Those who could not leave watched the cities fall into another cycle of shootings, lootings, and burnings.