raith Society
The Legions * World's End * Rumor Mill * The Guilds * Renegades * Heretics
Wraith Society in Champaign still focuses mainly, or at least most visibly, on the Heirarchy. The guilds are now nominally accepted, but aren't really part of general society, and still, you never know who's a guild member, or a renegade infiltrator...
Emerald
Despite, or perhaps to make up for, their deaths by random chance, the Emerald Legion is one of the best organized in the Heirarchy. Champaign's Emerald Legion is led by Anacreon William Winston Winthrop III, who has not seemed himself lately...
Emerald Legion Characters:
Fate
The First Legion gets first pick among the newly dead, for only they can identify those who were fated to die. Champaign's Legion of Fate is stationed in an old water tower, a little way off from the citadel proper. The Anacreon of the Legion of Fate is Reagan.
Legion of Fate Characters:
Brendan Hughes (Marshall),
Catherine (Legionaire)
Gaunt
Members of the Gaunt Legion were victims of disease, which, oddly leads to their being one of the legions whose members are better adjusted to death, since they had time to prepare for it. The Gaunt Legion features an odd social heirarchy in some parts, with those who died from more prestigous diseases at the top. The Anacreon of the Gaunt Legion is
Grim
Generally, the Grim Legion is one of the larger legions, since violence has been a source of many deaths from time immemorial, but in Champaign, it is actually the smallest legion. The greater part of the Grim Legion split off from the Heirarchy at the time of the Jade Empire's invasion, and those remaining either stayeedd behind, or are new arrivals. The Grim Legion commands only a small portion of the Citadel and its members often wind up doing odd jobs for other legions at this time.
Iron
The Iron Legion is composed of the victims of old age. Anacreon currently missing, believed in a nihil.
Penitent
Champaign-Urbana's Penitent Legion is actually one of the more powerful in the city, a sobering thought when one considers that many of its members are stark raving mad. Led by Countessa Abyssa, the Penitent Legion commands the tallest structure in Champaign -- a twenty-plus story tower projecting from the Citadel proper according to a bizarre floorplan. Recently, the entirety of the Penitent Legion disappeared in one terrible scream, and its members have only just returned. The circumstances of their disappearance have not yet come to light.
Penitent Legion Characters:
Stanford(Stumpy)- Overlord
Dune Walker(m) – Regent
Stephen - Marshal
Postman - Marshal
Mirim – Marshal
Erik – Centurion
Joshua – Centurion
Julie – Centurion
Beast- Legionnaire
Paupers
The Paupers Legion is generally the largest Heirarchy legion, as it is composed of those who don't quite fit into the other legions, an assortment of types. The Anacreon of the Silent Legion, one Alex, has recently been accused of being a spectre, in association with the trial for treason of Xian Chang. Xian's current whereabouts are unknown, and no formal inquiry has yet been made into Alex's situation.
Paupers Legion Characters:
Xian (whereabouts unknown)
Lorn (Adjuster)
Silent
The Silent Legion is populated by those who died of dispair, frequently by their own hands. Champaign's Silent Legion is headed by Eric Jackson.
Player Character Members: Justin Smith, Robert , Michelle
Harbingers
Haunters
Spooks
Monitors
Masquers
Solicitors
Oracles
Like proverbial ships' rats, Oracles deserted Champaign before the explosion. Now most of the city's Oracles are imported from London. They operate an office in the Guild Annex, but do not publicly offer their services. As of now, the Oracles read only for specific, specialized customers, leaving fortunetelling to freelancers.
Artificers
The Artificers are willing to work alongside the Heirarchy, but often a little different. Of the seven forges, one is operated solely by Guild members and will accept only the highest quality drones and spectres, and the Artificers operate their own relic and artifact shop, The Anvil and Forge, in the Citadel Commons.
Alchemists
Mnemoi
Pardoners
Champaign's Pardoners are faced with a serious trouble: a plague which strengthens the shadow and eventually turns the wraith into a spectre, and which is spread via Castigation! Most of the original Pardoners' Guild have either gone spectral or are quaratined within their own tiny chapel. Those who remain are growing rather desperate to find a cure.
Chanteurs
Of the Guilds in Champaign-Urbana, only the Chanteurs refused to ally with the Heirarchy. Thus, they are also the only Guild without direct representation in the Citadel. As of now, they have squirrelled themselves away, and are not accepting much contact with the outside world.
World's End: ever so much more than a pathos bar. World's End is the only place in Champaign, other than the passing Midnight Express, where it is possible to purchase drinks that taste and behave as real alcohol. Sobriety sets in as soon as you leave the bar, however, as it is all a clever illusion of Phantasm. Also popular are the upstairs Dream Suites, where, for a price, you can experience anything you so desire. Payment is in pathos only, though, so be sure to stock up before going, and the tainted are not welcome!
In general, the renegade groups of Champaign are organized solely on the level of small bands and gangs. However, a larger group has taken residence in the highly attractive Savoy 16 Theatre to the south. and they seem well led...
There are a few identified Heretic groups within the city, which, for now, go unprosecuted (persecuted?)
Most obvious, and loudest, is the Temple of Gorm, situated in the Citadel Commons, of all places. It seems that the Heirarchy tolerates them as a deterrent to those who might otherwise join with Heretic groups, for the Temple is poorly put together (in both an organizational and a physical sense), and generally makes itself seem quite ridiculous. Members espouse that true perfection can only be found in the mingling of corpus with machinery, and sport bizarre mechanical parts and moliations.
The Circle of the Pure, while technically a Heretic group, has no one guiding idedology. Rather, it is a collection of uncontaminated Pardoners dedicated to Castigating the undiseased wraiths remaining in the city. For a price, of course. The Heirarchy permits them to remain because they are currently useful.
The Followers of Hel are based out of northwestern Champaign. They moved in shortly after the campus explosion to get a foothold in what was then a vulnerable Heirarchy city. The Followers maintain that the Shadowlands are a manifestation of the Norse Nifelheim, ruled by the goddess Hel, where the undeserving are sent after death. They are trying to make up for their sins in life through valorous deeds and be transported to Valhalla before the end of the world. They also have a close connection to oracular ability. Mostly, the Followers try to stay under Heirarchy radar when possible.