Glen Baskerville (グレン＝バスカヴィル, Guren Basukaviru), or just called simply as 'Glen' (usually called as 'Glen-sama' by his subordinate), is the title of head of the Baskerville Clan who inherits his position from his predecessor over the course of a couple decades through a series of Succession Ceremonies.
The being known as Glen Baskerville leads a collection of people accepted by Abyss to become The Messengers of the Abyss--acting on behalf of The Core of the Abyss as they strive to maintain the harmony of the Abyss. The presence of Glen, as well as the Baskervilles, is the feature to supply 1st Dimension with a unique story as decided by The Jurors, with Jury directly planting herself within the Baskerville Clan as Glen's adviser in order to ensure that the 1st Dimension could be brought to it's proper diverse ending.
The existence of Glen differs from the rest of the Baskervilles, as each incarnation of Glen is born with a direct link to The Core of the Abyss. Additionally, in relation to a distortion of power relayed by The Core through each Glen, Children of Ill Omen are born. As Children of Ill Omen exist outside the planned structure of 1st Dimension - Jury imposed a rule that required each Glen to drop their respective Child of Ill Omen into the Abyss - citing them as a danger to the harmony of the Abyss due to their unnatural existence and ability to casually approach The Core. Without question, the tradition is followed by each incarnation of Glen, who are left unaware to the fact that the Children of Ill Omen do not need to be destroyed to protect the harmony of the Abyss.
The moment in which an incarnation of Glen Baskerville completes their last Succession Ceremony, their successor is chosen by The Droplets of Light, which become one with the bodies of the successor and their Child of Ill Omen in order to guide them to Sablier in order to join the Baskerville Clan. Following their induction, it takes approximately 20 years to undergo the five Succession Ceremonies - during which Glen will transfer one of The Black Winged Chains to their successor, through the introduction and bonding to the Black Winged Chain via its respective Door to the Abyss followed by the successor's drinking of a mix of the Black Winged Chain's blood and Glen's blood in order to complete the transfer. Each of The Succession Ceremonies are also held in the order in which The Black Winged Chains were Contracted: first Raven, then Owl, then Dodo, then Gryphon and finally Jabberwock.
With the successful transfer of the Jabberwock, the traditional robes of Glen Baskerville are passed onto the successor, and the entirety of the Baskerville Clan present at the event bow in order to recognize their new master. Immediately after the final Succession Ceremony, the new Glen must begin a Ceremony of Judgement, for which only their predecessor, Jury and their Child of Ill Omen are present. Apart from the initial purpose of dropping of the Child of Ill Omen into the Abyss, a Ceremony of Judgement is also meant to hone a Glen's skill with handling The Black Winged Chains.
With the succession of a new Glen also comes new responsibilities and information only meant to be heard by the Glens. This crucial information details the Chains of the World that hold the 1st Dimension together and prevent its drop into the Abyss. Additional information explains the existence of The Core of the Abyss and its function as a macrocosm for the 1st Dimension - thus only an incarnation of Glen is permitted to approach The Core in cases of extreme emergency. With their title and knowledge passed onto their successor, the previous Glen's body will begin to deteriorate over the course of a month until they ultimately die. Once they die, the previous Glen's soul joins its predecessors in the consciousness of the successor. Meanwhile the body mutates into a new Chains as a result of the large quantities of Abyssal energy that it had stored, often times forming Contracts with others in the Baskerville Clan due to their previous connection to Glen - eventually forming a consciousness of their own in the process. Soon after, the new Glen's own successor will arrive and be inducted into the Baskerville Clan alongside their Child of Ill Omen and the process will once again repeat.
In the event that the consciousness of Glen Baskerville is not transferred and the body is instead destroyed, then the collective consciousness will enter The Rule of 100 Cycles just as any other soul would, to be reincarnated 100 years after the last Glen's death.
As well, as displayed by Oswald and Leo, if one of the souls of the previous Glens intervenes and possesses the acting Glen, their soul will wear to the point of obliteration as they abuse powers that are no longer rightfully theirs.
Powers & Abilities
As a leader & Duke of Baskerville Clan, and acting on behalf of The Core, Glen is granted by The Core of the Abyss some powers and abilities, such as:
Enhanced stamina. They can last for hours in any fight situation.
Supernatural level of strength. Most of them appears as a nice combatant, especially Oswald with his swordsmanship.
Possessing. This ability is needed for the collective consciousness from predecessors of Glen's to new Glen and transferring of Glen Baskerville's soul to new Glen after Succession Ceremony. Soul of every person whom ever became the previous Glen in the past could possessed a body of the acting Glen, as displayed when Oswald possessed Leo's body.
Intelligence. Aside powers, Glen also seems to possess high intelligence. In this case, Levi is considered as the most clever Glen along the series.
Approach The Core of the Abyss.
Absolute authority and governance rights in Baskervilles estate towards all Baskervilles.
List of Known Properties
Baskerville estate. Glen appears as a ruler in the mansion and Baskervilles (must) viewing his/her orders as
Oswald instructs his subordinates (Dug, Fang & Lottie) to slaughters every guests during the Tragedy.
being absolute, although sometimes there is a servant who criticized his order (as displays by Fang during the Tragedy of Sablier) .
The Tower. A Glen also acted as a controller of this tower, to watching every Children of Ill Omen whom living in there (howeverVincent is an exception in this case, as Lacie's daughter(s) having already taken up residence in The Tower).
Note that Gilbert was to succeed Oswald as Glen, but due to Vincent's intervention of Gilbert's first Succession Ceremony via opening one of the other Doors to the Abyss - Gilbert only succeeded in solidifying the bond with Raven before being knocked unconscious as an effect. As the Tragedy ensued and Oswald was killed, Gilbert would never get the opportunity to become Glen Baskerville.
In anime, often Glen Baskerville is depicted in silhouette. But there is a little exception with Oswald's appearance as Glen in anime version, where himself depicted not in silhouette, more clearly; but with a shadow covered a half of his full face. The following pictures are the example :
Glen Baskerville's silhouette as depicted while Vincent talking with Oscar & Reim about Baskerville Family in anime
Another silhouette of Glen Baskerville as depicted in Rufus & Oz conversation in Barma Dukedom about Abyss in anime
Glen's silhouette as explains by Jack through Oz to Pandora, about Glen's purpose
Oswald's face silhouette in Lottie's memory during Tragedy of Sablier
Trivia
It was revealed in Pandora Hearts 18.5: Evidence that the Glen whom Levi succeeded was female, thereby not restricting the role of Glen to a specific gender.
There have been at least seven incarnations/intended incarnations of Glen Baskerville, Glen Baskerville (♀), Levi, Oswald, Gilbert, Leo and two other unknown Glens who were seen within Leo's soul.
Leo is the only known vessel of Glen Baskerville who did not have any known connection to a Child of Ill Omen , unlike Oswald's connection to Lacie, Levi's unspecified connection to a Child of Ill Omen and Gilbert Nightray's connection to Vincent Nightray.
Birds seem to be attracted to the soul of Glen Baskerville as both Levi and Oswald have been shown numerous times with birds perched on their heads in both omakes and within the plot of Pandora Hearts.
There's an unique silhouette of Glen's which shown in Vincent's explanation to Oscar in episode 13 of anime with similar facial features with a Baskervilles member, Fang (see the gallery).
