The Cardinal Forsaken
"They say if you don't go to school like your mother and father wants, the Forsaken will come and get you. No, I don't think it's a story, I saw one once. I did! He had a black cloak on, but I saw the mark on his face, no lying I swear! Also, right, remember when there was that thing going on down Faustian Square? I heard there was a body, strung up on the side of the building, no lie! Dint pay his money, I heard."When children in Downside need to be scared, there is only one name that is used; the Cardinal Forsaken. Born out of unspeakable violence, the members of the Forsaken do not work in the open, but no one can mistake their presence. So long as their payments are upheld, and unsanctioned criminal activity is avoided, most residents in their territory may never actually meet a member, but for the transgressors, or for rival Clava members who offend them, punishment is severe and public, designed to deter dissent and invoke fear.
Structure
Like most clava, the Forsaken do not accept requests to join and the only way to become a member is to be approached by a member and invited. To actively seek membership to the Forsaken is said to draw their attention unwillingly, and the clava do not tolerate such things. Where most clava would issue a warning, or perhaps rough up a vocal applicant, the Forsaken tend to make such people disappear.
If one is approached to join, entry is very simple, one just accepts it. However, once a part of the Forsaken, one can never leave, and the rigid hierarchy of the organisation demands that any and all commands must be obeyed, no matter how dangerous or heinous. For this reason, the Forsaken are careful to only approach those who can be trusted to do as they're told, competently and without drama. New inductees are known as 'Recruits' and are the bottom of the pecking order. Recruits must cut all ties with their life prior to joining, and the first of their facial scars is received.
If a Recruit survives and performs well over the next few years, then they can expect to be promoted to 'Member', who are the vast majority of the Forsaken. Members are further marked on their face, and are entitled to keep a portion of the proceeds that they acquire, and even to propose new jobs and opportunities to other Members. Rank is based entirely on seniority, with those part of the organisation longer holding authority. Further markings on the face indicate time served in the clava. In-fighting is not unheard of, but discouraged, although personal feuds are expected to be resolved quickly, and permanently.
Members who perform well, obey orders, and uphold the clava, become 'Keepers', who take responsibility for a specific sub-section of Forsaken territory. They are expected to identify new recruits, manage the Members underneath them, and operate under almost total autonomy. Like with Members, feuds do occur, but open conflict between Keepers is highly frowned upon, especially if it pulls in Members underneath.
At the next level of the hierarchy are the 'Overkeepers'. The number of Overkeepers is fixed at 15, with openings only occurring on the death of an existing one. This lends a certain amount of danger to the role, as Overkeepers must be constantly aware of ambitious Keepers forcing an opening. New Overkeepers are selected by secret ballot of senior Keepers by the Overkeepers themselves, but politicking and bribery are still common. The primary role of Overkeepers is the strategic level management of the clava, and ensuring that the organisation is in its best possible position.
The highest position is that of the Crimson One, who rules the Overkeepers, the clava, and its territory with an iron fist. Their will is law, and it is the Crimson One who decides on the Forsaken's actions. It is an appointment for life, and although life expectancy in the job is good, no known Crimson One has died of natural causes. Crimson Ones typically appoint their successor early on in the role, but on occasion where no clear successor is there, a substantial amount of infighting occurs within the ranks of the Overkeepers to decide who should take the role.
Culture
In order to distinguish themselves from the rest of the population, and to ensure total loyalty, Forsaken routinely tattoo and scar their faces, with the complexity of the patterns indicating rank and experience. A number of symbols are attached to known deeds, such as killing a member of a rival clava, or stealing an item of a certain worth. Other parts of the body are often scarified and inked as well, but only the face carries any symbolic significance. The facial patterns make it almost impossible to leave the clava, as authorities will quickly be able to identify a clava member, all over the Empire.
A typical Recruit, with simple face markings
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