The Hierarchy is good or evil, depending on who you ask. This book is a road map through all the aspects of the Hierarchy, from the Rome-like Stygia to the Necropoli
In Ghost Story: Verdicts, A legionnaire is captured by some Renegades and placed on trial about the Hierarchy's use and creation of soulforged items. The trial's outcome may surprise you.
Chapter 1 Introduction: The Powers that Be, is like every other White Wolf book. It gives the reader a primer of what to expect from the book. It also gives the Storyteller a choice: either use the book or disregard completely.
Chapter 2, Ex Libris: the History of the Hierarchy.
This chapter provides a complete history of the Hierarchy from its earliest days to the modern nights. The text reads like a poorly written research paper, in regards to there is only a series of quotes from various sources and no original thoughts from the compiler. Anyway, the main series of quotations come from the the Annals of the Dead, being an Official Record of the Dead and Acta of the Legions of Charon. These place the Hierarchy in high regard. everything about that organization was for the benefit of the restless dead. To provide a more complete understanding of the Hierarchy, there is a series of quotes come from various sources that do not agree with the Annals of the Dead. If these books were allowed to be read by the general public, they may further tarnish the Hierarchy's reputation among the Restless Dead.
Chapter II, Culture: Inside the Hierarchy.
This chapter is about the Stygian Underworld. It has information on the Rome-like Stygia, the Legions of Charon, daily life in Stygia, and Stygian Politics. For those that will never make it to Stygia, there are also sections on the Hierarchy's Necropoli. It has the Hierarchy's views of the Legions, the Deathlords, and their political games. There are also sections on the ideaologies of the Old Wraiths and the Younger Wraiths, the Hierarchies views of the others, fetters, mortals, and the supernatural, as well as the Forbidden Topic.
Hierarchy Archetypes
A series of new characters for your Wraith game. Some of these make references to other World of Darkness lines.
Legendary Hierarchs
These are the men and women that managed to attain some distinction in the Hierarchy. All are based on Real people.
Appendix
This is what I like about Wraith products. All the additions to the Rules are in the back. This has new Abilities, new Arcanoi tricks, New Archetypes for Wraith and Shadow, and many other goodies. They are the perfect addition to any Wraith game in and out of the Hierarchy.
Overall the book is great. It has everything one need to run a game using the Hierarchy. It has enough to make a game in the various aspects of the Hierarchy pheasible. The book also allows the ST to use the organization as foils for their Renegade or Heretic chronicle. Either way, the book can be a great addition to any Wraith game in particular and World of Darkness in general. And because there is very little game information except at the back of the book, most of the Hierarchy's material can be siphoned into other games. It is a good product.
Review Summary