The Hierarchy

The Necropolis  The Hierarchy  The Others

The monolithic organization known as the Hierarchy has an iron grip on the underworld of the western civilization, or at least so it claims. The public face of the Stygian Empire, the Hierarchy's goal is a straightforward one - to govern and ensure stability, thus taking up the fight against Oblivion and preserving the safety of every wraith under its aegis. In order to prevent the feeding of the Void, those wraiths not strong enough to resist Oblivion's pull are enslaved and smelted down for their substance by the Hierarchy's servants. Many wraiths detest this practice, and turn renegade and fight the Hierarchy because of it, yet the Hierarchs explain that the unfortunate souls would have perished anyway, and through their forging they are at least able to strengthen the Necropolis instead of feeding Oblivion.

The Hierarchy is divided for administrative purposes into eight Legions, determined by cause of death. These are violence, happenstance, despair, age, mystery, madness and pestilence, corresponding to the Grim, Emerald, Silent, Iron, Pauper, Penitent and Skeletal Legions. The eighth Legion consists of those souls marked by Fate. Each Legion manages the souls belonging to them, although full cooperation is of course expected at all times.

The Anacreons

The Necropolis is ruled by a council of seven Anacreons, one from each of the legions, plus the representative of the Lady of Fate, as is the Stygian policy. The power balance is very uneven, however, and political bickering has always been the order of the day.

The largest of the city’s legions is undoubtedly the Iron legion, and thus its Anacreon hold the greatest political clout. A woman by the name of Sophia Charleson is the Ashen Lady’s representative, and has been so for more than a century. She wears a silver half-mask in reverence of the Lady herself, and she is soft-spoken and rarely seen.

The Anacreon of the Skeletal Legion, Hans Scherfig, is second in terms of political power. He is a well-dressed gentleman, more of a diplomat than Charleson and often issues the commands of the council. He is backed not only by his own legion, but has allies in many positions, and plays the role of the mafia boss to the hilt.

The Grim and Emerald legions are close to each other in influence, and each controls nearly as many souls as Scherfig. Scherfig’s clever politicking and personal involvement ensures his popularity and standing, but the less visible Anacreons hold as much military might and are each able to hold the others at the level they can outwardly accept, while secretly furthering their own plans. Few wraiths outside the hierarchy know their names of these two, Lady Carmine and Michael Santos, although most Hierarchy citizens do.

The remaining legions are represented sparsely, and the position of Anacreon for them is largely an honorific and nothing more, compared to the others. The Anacreon of the Silent legion, Thomas DeLaine, enjoys respect from most of the legions for his wisdom and mercy, and he is rumored to be a member of the Pardoner’s guild. The androgynous creature known as Clyth is the Anacreon for the Penitent legion, and is known for its theatrical appearances and opinions. A necessary pain for the other Anacreons, it seems, as there has been no success in getting it removed.

The legion of Fate’s representative is never seen by other than the Anacreons. It is rumored to be a man, but that is all there is known.

Other notable personnages

Other personalities of note include a man known as Raven, a Marshal of the Skeletal legion. His white facemask, the only features of which are the eyes, is often seen patrolling the streets accompanied by at least two cohorts. He traditionally announces the official messages of the Hierarchy, both to the different hierarchy outposts in the city and in the vicinity of known haunts. The Master of the Forge, in charge of the city’s soulforges, is one of the two Overlords of the Iron legion, and is extremely influential when it comes to the sentencing of criminals. Another feared mask is that of a  Centurion of the Grim legion, called Sictus, who is known for his ferocity in rooting out heretics and renegades. He is kept in the post because of the fear he inspires, even though his superiors do not agree with his ‘take no prisoners’ doctrine.