Northern Hell

Northern Hell is a sector that corresponds with Europe, Greenland, Iceland, and half of Russia in terms of geographical territory. It's regarded as a backwards Sector in comparison to others for its close alliances with Northern Angels. It's Absolute, rather Emperor, is named Epaulet.

## The Emperor

The current reigning Emperor, or Absolute, is Epaulet Passionata. He's one of the younger Absolutes and it shows with his little comprehension of how to run a country. Despite his shortcomings in relation to his rule, he's a kind man who works diligently in repairing his Sector, bringing it back to its former glory.

## History

Before Inquisitors inhabited this Sector, the only residents to call this part of Hell their home were the earliest denizens of Helheim and Hades himself. However, there was something peculiar about the Inquisitors that began moving in to the North in that they're regarded as the earliest ancestors of today's Berzerkers. Of course, being Inquisitors meant they had to follow rules to the letter but these individuals were sent to the North to be abandoned for the most part, thinking their violent outbursts useless to society.

Ages passed with more undesirables being dropped off and the passage of time allowed for these Inquisitors to become more organized, eventually building a proud and powerful Sector whose might was only rivaled by the East. They were also the first Sector to take the title of having an army comprised of only Berzerkers.

At the helm was their Absolute who they referred to as their Emperor or Empress. At the time, this title was donned by the leaders to mock the current and oppressive structure of Inquisitor society. It stuck, with the Absolute's subjects not only using it as a legitimate title, but one that expressed sincerity in how they respected and cherished their new chosen leaders.

The success of this Sector couldn't last for long once an Empress came into power. She was a power hungry tyrant that meddled in the affairs of humans which ultimately led to her demise. She left the Sector in disarray, her heir too young, and the regent didn't help any as the Sector fell into further collapse. This forced the courts to put the current Emperor on the throne.

Initially, he was unpopular with his subjects for being able to do little to help the Sector but he slowly worked on priorities. He's successfully stagnated the economy before it ceased to exist, manage to make necessary changes to his courts and ruling higher ranks, and much more that's leading the Sector into recovery.

## Ranks

*Baron/ness-*
The lowest rank of nobility in the North. Barons, unlike their Tempter counterparts, see to it that the Northern army has a healthy supply of knights and tacticians. They are strategic geniuses in their own right and many are known to upkeep and update magic tomes.

*Viscount/ess-*
The Minor-Lord counterpart. Viscounts uphold justice and order on a more local level. They are the governing bodies of cities and are turned to for advice. When it comes to warfare, Viscounts are responsible for the condition of the armies and keep tabs on provisions and weapons.

*Earl/Countess-*
The Lord equivalent in Northern Rankings. They are governing bodies on a more federal scale, acting as representatives to their populace in courts. When it comes to war, they are the product of a Baron's training, being knights, tacticians, and other classes like mages and drake riders.

*Marquess-*
Western counterpart being the Archduke. Marquess are high nobility with most working jobs as envoys or ambassadors along with Northern Archdukes. They're also commonly seen as working for the royal family as advisers while another percentage are simply higher ranking soldiers.

*Archduke/Archduchess-*
Western counterpart being Primal Emination. Archdukes are right under the Emperor in terms of authority. They are elite soldiers who take the mantle of generals. In more recent times, the title has fallen into more non-military positions such as scientists and those who participate in the arts. Many Archdukes are members of the Imperial Fleet and work closely with the Holy Order angels against the ghost threat.

*Emperor/Empress-*
The reigning power of Northern Hell. Unlike how others treat the Absolute ranking, for Northerners it's a hereditary rank. How the title is passed down depends on the ruler at the time. Many uphold the Inquisitor tradition of young rulers going up against the current authority and others simply retire. Only one can hold the title, but children of the Emperor/Empress tend to be addressed with this ranking as well.

## Military

The Northern army has one of the most diverse armies in comparison to other Sectors, having a number of specialized units within each rank. Each unit is unique in their role, specialization, and efficieny.

### Baron/ess

**Strategists**:
They help the army formulate pre-battle plans and often work as mediators between field-troops and the Emperor himself.

**Summoner**:
A fancy name for trainers. Aside teaching new recruits, their jobs are to keep the army in top shape.

### Viscount/ess

Those who don't pursue their office job are instead either your standard soldiers or the guy that keeps count of provisions and weapons. As lowly and humble some of their tasks may be, they help keep the army prepared for anything.

### Earl/Countess

**Tactician**:
Strategists are mostly pre-battle tacticians while the actual class is made for battle. Tacticians are quick on their feet, able to come up with solutions on the fly and are known for their prowess in both magic and the blade.

**Drake Rider**:
Aerial units who terrorize the sky on their Dracolisle mounts. Their jobs range from scouting, tracking down, and knocking anything else out of the air. They also serve to take attention away from ground-troops, being one of the first to lunge at the enemy.

**Great Knight**:
Mounted units on flightless Drakes. They go where the fliers aren't able to and are the ones usually seen in the front. Even if their mount is unavailable, they'll toss their weight around like a true tank. This unit is comprised mostly of Berzerkers.

### Marquess

**Retainers**:
This rank is where demons can start working closer with the royal family and as such, many yearn to work as a retainer for any member of the royal family.

**Grandmasters**:
Powerful magicians whose very presence can turn the tide of the battle. They're the Marquess version of Tacticians.

**Imperial Soldier**:
The standard soldier at a higher rank. These units are often stationed at Sector borders.

### Archduke/duchess

**Imperial Fleet** **Marine**:
Not exactly a Marine as we know it, but a common soldier found within the specialized ghost hunting organization made by the royal family. Their specialize in ghosts rather than actual warfare.

**Imperial Fleet Commander**:
Organizes and conditions the Marines. They're an veteran ghost hunter who takes ghost research seriously. Due to their demanding post, however, they do more paper-pushing than actual hunting.

**Imperial Fleet Admiral**:
The highest position out of any rank in Northern Hell. Not only do Admirals tend to the fleet, some can even become retainers to the Absolute themselves or generals of the army. They are expert ghost hunters and take this part of the job seriously.

## Hades & Tartarus

Much like Northern Heaven has an Olympus, Northern Hell has the Underworld under their borders. The Greek deity is celebrated in Northern Hell in the assistance of dethroning the previous Empress, Epaulet's mother, and liberating the North from her oppressive rule. In honor, Northern Hell has adopted the name Tartarus and has since annexed the Underworld. The North offers Hades and his domain protection from outsiders looking to nab souls from his waters and in return, Hades substitutes as Absolute domestically while Epaulet goes overseas for meetings.

## The Imperial Fleet

Despite being considered a counterpart to the Holy Order, the Imperial Fleet started with the ghost epidemic rather than the Crusades. The fleet consisted of ghost technicians with field-teams funded by the royal family that then grew to a research commission full of hunters, commanding officers, and admirals.  They do collaberate closely with the Holy Order in modern times and are described for being some of the more durable demons Hell has to offer.