Purpose
The Hellfire Club is an elite social organization roots going back to the 18th century. Founded in England, the HFC is now a global organization with major branches in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Milan. With its membership comprised of wealthy, powerful, and celebrated people from all over the world, it is the most powerful social club existing today.
The Inner Circle
Behind the scenes of the international social club for wealthy elites lies the HFC's real core — the Club is run by a secretive Inner Circle, a group whose goals are to influence world events in order to accumulate power. The Inner Circle allows only members of exceptional ability and usefulness — not necessarily those with the most power, but those with the intelligence and skills to further their goals — into their ranks. Its members rank themselves according to a system of chess pieces, led by Kings and Queens.
Structure
The various roles of the Inner Circle's courts are loosely hierarchical. The Kings and Queens are at the top and the pawns are at the bottom; in between power is more lateral and the roles represent duties moreso than anyone's respective power. The Bishops, Rooks, and Knights, therefore, are all on equal footing relative to each other in the Courts; each is considered to be exceptionally competent at their tasks and are chosen to administrate their sphere. This doesn't mean that nobody else does what they do, necessarily, but that they are sort of the department heads of their respective spheres.
In each city with a Club, there is both a Black and a White Court, with identical structures for each. The White Court deals largely with domestic affairs and the Black Court with international; they may therefore find themselves working together or at odds depending on their current focus and goals.
Monarchs: Heads of the respective Courts, with the final decision power.
Bishops: In charge of intelligence, but in an administrative capacity. The bishops are in charge of Knowing Everything, essentially; making sure they have access at all times to all their Court's information, making sure things run smoothly, making sure that everyone else on their Court has access to the resources they need to do their jobs (and therefore making sure the Court has the resources they need), disseminating information where necessary, etc. Kind of the right hand/advisor to the monarchs. Probably tend to be in a precarious position of both being looked up to (because they always know what's going on) and occasionally regarded with some wariness / suspicion (because they always know what's going on.) Though they aren't actually in a position (hierarchically) above the knights and rooks, still in a position where they are frequently reported to. They don't exactly give orders outside their purview, but you don't withhold information from them, either.
Rook: The opposite side of intelligence -- intelligence, in a practical capacity. Rooks head up the in-the-field side of the InCi's intelligence gathering, overseeing in-the-field espionage, information gathering, figuring out where it is useful to put their resources and assets out in the world.
Knight: Muscle, wetwork, protection, assassinations. The knights are the ones who oversee and handle the bloodier side of the Court's business.
Pawns: They are pawns. Do any of the others need something done? The pawns get to do it. Despite the name there are not actually only eight of these at any given time. Their chess motif only goes so far. Pawns both report to and take orders from any of the other roles. Everyone starts as a pawn. Some people will always be pawns. There's only two of each other piece, after all.
Spaces
The Hellfire Clubhouse sits on the Upper East Side, just by Central Park. The Clubhouse itself is vast and elegant, and contains everything from multiple dining spaces to well stocked libraries to private office space members can reserve to several gardens to extremely well appointed fitness space with several personal trainers to luxurious suites for out of town members to stay in. There are several restricted-use rooms in the lower levels for the use of the Inner Circle.
Recruitment
Hellfire Club membership is intensely exclusive. It can be inherited from parents in the club; without such ties, membership can only be gained by invitation — such invitations are rarely refused, as belonging to the Hellfire Club is seen as the ultimate status symbol, and a way to increase power and wealth and prestige.
The Inner Circle itself is highly secretive -- nobody applies or seeks entry; its members are recruited by those on the existing Courts. The Inner Circle is very small and very selective; if your character is joining either the Black or White Court the New York Inner Circle, they will have to have been cleared by some number of existing PCs. Whether you want to app a character who is already in the Inner Circle or one who you intend to have join on camera via RP, Please let InCi members know OOCly if your goal is to join so that you can brainstorm potential paths for recruitment -- we are happy to help you devise a story that fits!
Roster
The current Characters in the Inner Circle are:
- White Court
- Black Court
- King: Sebastian Shaw (NPC)
- Bishop: Harry Leland (NPC)
- Knights: Friedrich von Roehm (NPC), Shinobi Shaw (NPC)
- Rook: Hive
- Pawns: Roberto "Kyinha" da Costa
- Grey Court?! (White Court, Schism Edition)
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