he faction level of politics is where the external threat to the Hierarchy can be played. Those bent on the destruction of the Hierarchy and more importantly your Necropolis and Citadel. There are three major political factions that fight for dominance over the Underworld; they are the Hierarchy, Renegades and Heretics. Most people will be playing Hierarchy characters but rarely it does happen where some players will play either Renegade or Heretic characters.

The Renegades and Heretics share a common bond. They both see the Hierarchy as a bastion of evil whose fall would improve the Shadowlands and the Underworld. They will seek to cause its fall through any means possible. This can be anything from hit and run tactics to subtle covert infiltration. The latter has the best impact as direct assaults against the Hierarchy are usually met with dire results. There is no telling how far a heretic or renegade can climb in the Hierarchy, in fact it is rumored that there are both in some of Stygia’s highest areas of government. However the commonalities end here.

The Hierarchy is not immune to the faction level of politics. Desperate times have given rise to desperate measures. With the disappearance of Charon and the subtle battle between the Legions, the Necropoli in recent years have often had to resort to seeking assistance from certain Renegade and even Heretic Circles. During this period of escalating political tension, wraiths outside the Hierarchy are frequently recruited to cross the Shroud. Many Renegades and Heretics have better contacts in the Skinlands than most Hierarchy wraiths and are far more adept at some of the forbidden Arcanos. Plus, through this way it is far easier for Hierarchy wraiths to disavow all knowledge of Skinland missions.

The general view of Hierarchy wraiths is that Renegades are traitors and rebels. It is also thought that though they set themselves in opposition, they are not free from the Hierarchy’s claims upon their souls. Their greatest crime is not that they seek open opposition, but that they shirk their responsibilities to the Legions to which they rightfully belong. Disagreeing with the Hierarchy is not in and of itself a crime, after all most legionnaires complain about the Hierarchy all the time. But desertion is a crime, and those who call themselves renegades, freedom fighters, dissenters or whatever else suits their fancy are nothing more than deserters.

But the general feeling in the Shadowlands and that of the local Necropoli can differ tremendously. Many wraiths feel their troubles with the Hierarchy apply more specifically to Stygia than to her Necropoli. While Necropoli don’t belittle the potential danger they dissenters represent, they do recognize that most Renegades are very willing to join with them to defend their joint territory from Spectres and other Tempest-spawned creatures. So usually as long as they don’t interfere with Hierarchy duties, they can be tolerated for the extra assistance they provide in an emergency.

Depending on the setup of your particular Necropoli, the renegades and heretics can be a real threat or not even show up as a blip on the radar. In some Necropoli the Hierarchy’s hold over their Necropoli is less than absolute, and rather than bringing brute force to bear on the populace, your Hierarchy rulers might realize that the best they can do is keep a low profile. In response, many of your citizens will be content to accept such minimal government, realizing that outright rebellion might result in the arrival of troops from Stygia and the imposition of a harsher set of rulers. Yet other Necropoli will exert firm control over the local dissenters, while still other Necropoli will remain under constant siege from them. A wraith’s relationship with Renegades and Heretics is often a direct result of the type of relationship his home Necropolis maintains with them.