diff --git a/src/main/java/net/server/Server.java b/src/main/java/net/server/Server.java
index 5b854bebcd..679d136643 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/server/Server.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/server/Server.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ import server.SkillbookInformationProvider;
 import server.ThreadManager;
 import server.TimerManager;
 import server.expeditions.ExpeditionBossLog;
-import server.life.PlayerNPCFactory;
+import server.life.PlayerNPC;
 import server.quest.Quest;
 import service.NoteService;
 import tools.DatabaseConnection;
@@ -849,15 +849,15 @@ public class Server {
         final ExecutorService initExecutor = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(10);
         // Run slow operations asynchronously to make startup faster
         final List<Future<?>> futures = new ArrayList<>();
-        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(() -> SkillFactory.loadAllSkills()));
-        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(() -> CashItemFactory.loadAllCashItems()));
-        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(() -> Quest.loadAllQuests()));
-        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(() -> SkillbookInformationProvider.loadAllSkillbookInformation()));
-        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(() -> PlayerNPCFactory.loadFactoryMetadata()));
+        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(SkillFactory::loadAllSkills));
+        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(CashItemFactory::loadAllCashItems));
+        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(Quest::loadAllQuests));
+        futures.add(initExecutor.submit(SkillbookInformationProvider::loadAllSkillbookInformation));
         initExecutor.shutdown();
 
         TimeZone.setDefault(TimeZone.getTimeZone(YamlConfig.config.server.TIMEZONE));
 
+        final int worldCount = Math.min(GameConstants.WORLD_NAMES.length, YamlConfig.config.server.WORLDS);
         try (Connection con = DatabaseConnection.getConnection()) {
             setAllLoggedOut(con);
             setAllMerchantsInactive(con);
@@ -868,6 +868,7 @@ public class Server {
             CashIdGenerator.loadExistentCashIdsFromDb(con);
             applyAllNameChanges(con); // -- name changes can be missed by INSTANT_NAME_CHANGE --
             applyAllWorldTransfers(con);
+            PlayerNPC.loadRunningRankData(con, worldCount);
         } catch (SQLException sqle) {
             log.error("Failed to run all startup-bound database tasks", sqle);
             throw new IllegalStateException(sqle);
@@ -877,8 +878,6 @@ public class Server {
         initializeTimelyTasks(channelDependencies);    // aggregated method for timely tasks thanks to lxconan
 
         try {
-            int worldCount = Math.min(GameConstants.WORLD_NAMES.length, YamlConfig.config.server.WORLDS);
-
             for (int i = 0; i < worldCount; i++) {
                 initWorld();
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/server/life/PlayerNPC.java b/src/main/java/server/life/PlayerNPC.java
index c0487d0276..f5a592016d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/server/life/PlayerNPC.java
+++ b/src/main/java/server/life/PlayerNPC.java
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
  * @author XoticStory
  * @author Ronan
  */
+// TODO: remove dependency on custom Npc.wz. All NPCs with id 9901910 and above are custom additions for player npcs.
+// In summary: NPCs 9901910-9906599 and 9977777 are custom additions to HeavenMS that should be removed.
 public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
     private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(PlayerNPC.class);
     private static final Map<Byte, List<Integer>> availablePlayerNpcScriptIds = new HashMap<>();
@@ -67,10 +69,6 @@ public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
     private int dir, FH, RX0, RX1, CY;
     private int worldRank, overallRank, worldJobRank, overallJobRank;
 
-    static {
-        getRunningMetadata();
-    }
-
     public PlayerNPC(String name, int scriptId, int face, int hair, int gender, byte skin, Map<Short, Integer> equips, int dir, int FH, int RX0, int RX1, int CX, int CY, int oid) {
         this.equips = equips;
         this.scriptId = scriptId;
@@ -128,6 +126,12 @@ public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
         }
     }
 
+    public static void loadRunningRankData(Connection con, int worlds) throws SQLException {
+        getRunningOverallRanks(con);
+        getRunningWorldRanks(con, worlds);
+        getRunningWorldJobRanks(con);
+    }
+
     public Map<Short, Integer> getEquips() {
         return equips;
     }
@@ -213,16 +217,6 @@ public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
         client.sendPacket(PacketCreator.removePlayerNPC(this.getObjectId()));
     }
 
-    private static void getRunningMetadata() {
-        try (Connection con = DatabaseConnection.getConnection()) {
-            getRunningOverallRanks(con);
-            getRunningWorldRanks(con);
-            getRunningWorldJobRanks(con);
-        } catch (SQLException e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
-        }
-    }
-
     private static void getRunningOverallRanks(Connection con) throws SQLException {
         try (PreparedStatement ps = con.prepareStatement("SELECT max(overallrank) FROM playernpcs");
              ResultSet rs = ps.executeQuery()) {
@@ -235,9 +229,8 @@ public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
         }
     }
 
-    private static void getRunningWorldRanks(Connection con) throws SQLException {
-        int numWorlds = Server.getInstance().getWorldsSize();
-        for (int i = 0; i < numWorlds; i++) {
+    private static void getRunningWorldRanks(Connection con, int worlds) throws SQLException {
+        for (int i = 0; i < worlds; i++) {
             runningWorldRank.add(new AtomicInteger(1));
         }
 
@@ -246,7 +239,7 @@ public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
 
             while (rs.next()) {
                 int wid = rs.getInt(1);
-                if (wid < numWorlds) {
+                if (wid < worlds) {
                     runningWorldRank.get(wid).set(rs.getInt(2) + 1);
                 }
             }
@@ -649,4 +642,4 @@ public class PlayerNPC extends AbstractMapObject {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}