Alecto Summercourt

Alecto is the middle-oldest of the Empire's three Lords, and is the head of the massive and vaguely-titled Ministry of Affairs. The Ministry of Affairs mostly oversees the military, espionage, and public relations, but it has fingers in a lot of other pies as well.

Alecto is a shapeshifter; in its natural state, it is invisible and intangible. Being anything *but* invisible and intangible requires some mental effort on its part, and if it becomes sufficiently distracted it will simply disappear. When it wants to be recognized as itself, it tends to wear ominous black armor, heavy geometric tattoos, bright red eyes (including disembodied ones that float around its head,) and very long blue-black hair that doesn't obey the laws of gravity. It makes itself very tall and muscular when on official business, and tends to be significantly more slight of build on more casual occasions. When it doesn't care to be recognized, though, all bets are off. It can take practically any form, from that of a gnat to that of a herd of stampeding elephants.

Though all the Lords are treated as deities by citizens of the Empire, of the three, Alecto is the most popular to pray to--because unlike its siblings or the Queen, it actually puts quite a lot of hands-on effort into helping its subjects. There are many stories of random do-gooders who turn out to be Alecto in disguise... which is both encouraging and terrifying, depending on how you look at it. Any time, any place, Alecto could be there with you, watching, and you wouldn't even know. Hopefully it approves of what you're doing, because otherwise it may eat you....