The governments of most Necropoli have evolved into semi-independent entities, still bound by both loyalty and strong economical and political ties to Stygia, but are otherwise free of direct Stygian rule. The local Council of Anacreons and their Legions, usually made up of wraiths native to the area, constitute their own Hierarchies-in-miniature, and their policies and customs vary from Necropolis to Necropolis. One Necropolis is normally not “dependant” on another Necropolis unless they want to be.
A Citadel is comprised of nothing more than the eight Legions under the Hierarchy umbrella congregated in a certain location. Almost every city in the world where Western culture has left its stamp plays an unwitting host to a hidden city lurking just beyond the Shroud. Although each Necropolis shares some traits common to all Shadowland-based cities, regional differences make each Necropolis a unique environment for the local wraith population. Factors such as relative distance from Stygia, the “ambiance” of the host-city in the Skinlands, and the physical placement of Haunts within each city, all contribute to the overall role played by the Hierarchy in any given Necropolis.
Strife begins most commonly when there is a dispute over territory. The Anacreon council in the local Citadel determines a Necropolis’ boundaries. They usually correspond to the counterpart city in the Skinlands, but that doesn’t mean a Necropolis must stay stagnant. Territory may always be negotiable; it simply depends upon what the local Hierarchy can exert control over.
Another angle to the political intrigue of Citadel vs. Citadel is when one Citadel tries to extend their power base by encompassing another. Most Citadels do not take kindly to this and fierce trouble will almost always arise. In such a case most wraiths, regardless of Legion, will view the offending Citadel as the enemy regardless of what Legion affiliation the attackers have. Significant amounts of inter-Legion ties can be damaged or broken, as well as those ties made under the Citadel umbrella of power.
Many wraiths will travel to neighboring Citadels to make allies, while still others make the trek to gain information. It is always a good idea to know what the other citadels are up to. Of course covert operations aren’t entirely unheard of either, such as those to assassinate or secretly dispose of Anacreons from a competing Necropolis.
Occasionally a grab for power may happen in a Citadel in which one legion is not very heavily represented. Sometimes a successful overthrow to the current power base would mean damage to the smaller Legion’s local influence and power. In such a case it’s not unheard of for members of the less-represented Legion to call in assistance from their fellow Legion members in another Citadel. Thus wraiths technically from another Citadel may rush in to thwart plans and/or return the balance to their smaller counterparts. Herein lies the careful dance of politics in and between Citadels. Just because your Legion is bigger in your Citadel doesn’t mean it’s the biggest PERIOD. And alternately, just because your Legion has the smallest representation locally, doesn’t mean it won’t have the same amount of power as one with more local representation.
There are no rules governing how Citadels interact with one another as long as there is not open warfare – groupings of allies and enemies constantly come together or fall apart based on IC play. During a Tribunal (explained later) though, groupings of Citadels that vote the same way can be an awesome political force. If the faction is large enough it gives real power to the Citadels: One Necropoli carries only one vote, but if they are part of a block of 15 Necropoli with a particular outlook, this carries with it one heck of a political punch. They can be organized based on geographic terms, viewpoints towards wraithly society, or any number of other common interests/goals. Many younger Necropoli like to band together to form a moderate camp, while many older Necropoli form a more conservative grouping. So be it. As stated before, creating, joining, and leaving these agreements is the hearts blood of an Anacreon Councils life, outside of running their own Necropoli, and is the actual heart of Citadel vs. Citadel level politics. On occasion, certain groups of Necropoli take it upon themselves to formalize their relationship with treaties thus preventing betrayal (which is fine as long as the Hierarchy doesn’t catch wind of it) or, on rare occasions, open integration.
What must be stressed is that in the United States, with the vast size of the campaign, regional groupings of Necropoli (based around regional campaigns) shall be the first to be formed and also the weakest. The truly important groups shall be those that transcend barriers and allow an alliance of Necropoli and their councils to come together across the vast nation. The true measure of their ability is not whether they can influence a Tribunal in their region, but if they are powerful enough to influence Tribunals in other Regions! Obviously, if they can cross international boundaries they are exceptionally powerful and rightly feared.
he disappearance of Charon, the erratic nature of the Tempest, and the constant threat of attacks from roving bands of Spectres, Renegades, or other bandits, have all contributed to make travel between Stygia and the Shadowlands less than reliable. This, combined with Stygia’s growing preoccupation with its own affairs, has left the Necropoli much to their own devices. Only the gravest of infractions, such as a complete cessation of tribute or a state of outright insurrection, currently elicits direct intervention of Stygia - and even that takes time.