Fell, she/they, English, currently obsessed with DnD and other ttrpgs. I do art sometimes. I am the GM of two tabletop roleplays on this very site:
- Beyond Moonlight's Reach, a story of four young dragons growing up in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, and using the Powered by the Apocalypse game Epyllion.
- Search for Tir na Og, a DnD 5e campaign set in the Planescape setting where a group of strangers from all across the multiverse come together to solve the mystery about what happened to the Celtic gods after they and their homelands were mysteriously spirited away.
... Well we have just accepted an eighth person, but you know what, okay. Considering how popular this turned out to be, I will allow a ninth spot.
... but I am definitely closing it after that.
Just a head's up, Vert, our current party consists of: two warlocks, two rangers, a fighter, a paladin, a druid and an artificer. Just to give you an idea of what we're working with so far before you start working on a character.
@Guardian Angel Haruki Note, Flicker isn't leaving the tavern (at least not yet), they're just glancing around at their surroundings to make sure they haven't done any damage to the surrounding area.
The beginnings of a blush and a lopsided smiled began to form on Jill's face at Chloe's compliments, though these were quickly replaced with surprise as the other girl linked arms with her and started guiding her into the next room. Guess they were carrying on, then. Jill quickly glanced over her shoulder and motioned with her free arm for Aster and Oleander to follow. The former had already started to scurry after her trainer, but the latter seemed more hesitant. After a pause, it gave a small, low ~bzzzt~ which was probably it's own version of a sigh before following after the rest of the group.
Upon entering the next room, things immediately started happening with the doors shutting and various machinery starting to turn on. Jill felt a current of static run through her, much stronger than the one she had felt when she had tried to help Aster, and watched as Chloe's hair suddenly started to frizz upwards. The ninja then felt her own hair, expecting it too was starting to stand on end.
... Surprisingly, it had not. She felt a little disappointed.
With the slightest pout on her face, Jill glanced over to Oleander. "Do you have any idea what that is?" she said. Both of her Pokemon had tensed up upon entering the room, but whereas Aster was looking all around in all directions, not sure what to expect, Oleander seemed a little more... resigned, was the best way Jill could surmise it. They were also looking around but a lot less frantically, and were focusing mostly on the areas where there were machines. Small sparks started to emit from their magnets, as if in anticipation.
yearly reminder that I made the most obnoxious build for a forum game of D&D imaginable. I will never stop apologizing for making a reaction-based character lmao.
Considering I'm building most of Jub's spell choices around getting Brutrumukk out of trouble (and also helping him get into trouble), I am in no position to judge.
Name: Arndell Whitwood Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: None Ancestry: Human Alignment: Lawful Neutral Info: A servant of Lord Norinthall, often assigned to Raella. Only the Gods know how he has put up with her shenanigans for this long.
Name: Azorigal Gender: Genderfluid (alternates between masculine and agender) Faction/Sect and Rank: Doomguard, factioneer Ancestry: Topaz Dragon Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Info: Considering that topaz dragons feel a strong connection to entropy, it's probably not all that surprising that one would join the Doomguard. Still, Azorigal doesn't fit the stereotype of his people exactly. For one, he is much more willing to socialize with others... even if his social skills still need some developing. He likes collecting fossil samples for his hoard.
Name: Cuatha Da'nanin Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Society of Sensation, factor (second in-command) Ancestry: Half-elf Alignment: Lawful Good Info: Between leaving Tir na Og and coming to Sigil, the Sensate's factol Erin Darkflame Montgomery spent some time in the material plane, travelling from world to world, often living the high-life and cosying up to local royal courts. In was while she was among these courts that she met her future second-in-command and boyfriend, Cuatha Da'nannin. He was a slave under some arrogant lord, who Erin eventually decided to free and run away with. They've been together ever since, and he now manages the Sensate's Planar Expeditions Department, where he manages most expeditions throughout the multiverse in search of new sensations. Recently, he's taken a particular interest in Tanrith, a relatively new Sensate who's situation mirrors Cuatha's own.
Name: Dr. Brakon Darkdraft Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Godslayers, sectioneer Ancestry: Half-orc Alignment: Neutral Good Info: Coming from a Prime world where technology has progressed enough for magic to be less common, Dr. Darkdraft prides himself on being an above-competent medic who doesn't rely on divine intervention to heal his patients. He seeks to bring this skill to the multiverse at large.
Name: Faelee Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: Doomguard, factotum Ancestry: Firbolg Alignment: True Neutral Info: Formerly a resident of Tir na Og who, for whatever reason, left her home to join the Doomguard. While she still has a strong respect for nature, she believes that things should be allowed to wither and decay.
Name: Fernus Therlxora Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: Godslayer, sectioneer Ancestry: Metallic Dragonborn (brass) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Info: Formerly belonging to the Fernus clan, a group of fire-breathing dragonborn located in the Para-elemental Plane of Magma. For whatever reason, she became separated from the rest of her people and ended up in the Outer Planes, now a part of the Godslayers and itching for a fight with anyone who so much as looks at her funny.
Name: Harmyr Flintgranite Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Godslayers, sectioneer Ancestry: Mountain Dwarf Alignment: Lawful Neutral Info: Father of four, struggling to maintain a good relationship with his children after divorcing his wife due a conflict in religious beliefs. He's a little cranky.
Name: Jarret Greyskies Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Bleak Cabal, factioneer Ancestry: Halfling Alignment: Neutral Evil Info: Originally from the gate-town of Bedlam. Jarret is very bad-tempered and often can be found at the nearest tavern drinking away his sorrows and frequently getting himself into spats.
Name: Liberty Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: Free League, sectotum Ancestry: Tiefling Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Info: A bouncer at the Ubiquitous Wayfarer.
Name: Lissandra the Gate-seeker Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: None (formerly the Revolutionary League) Ancestry: Human Alignment: Neutral Good Info: A mage originally from the Material World of Toril who just showed up in Sigil one day. Ever since, she has made it her goal to study and catalogue every portal in Sigil, in hopes of sharing the information with the people.
Name: Melvin Manyroads Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: None (though is something an associate with the Free League) Ancestry: Rock Gnome Alignment: Chaotic Good Info: Cartographer and proprietor of Manyroads' Maps in Tradegate, Melvin uses the money he gets from his shop to fund his expeditions into the many, many planes of the multiverse, with the goal of one day mapping the entire thing.
Name: Rath Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Godslayers, sectioneer Ancestry: Bugbear Alignment: True Neutral Info: A scout who's spent the last few years traversing the Wild Wood, a heavily forested section of the Hinterlands seemingly beyond the influence of any nature deity. His experiences there have made him believe that nature is a force beyond the gods themselves, and seeks to free it from their control.
Name: Riaen Blackhome Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: Fraternity of Order, factoral Ancestry: Human Alignment: Lawful Neutral Info: Long-time bartender and proprietor of the Ubiquitous Wayfarer. Doesn't like it when people use her bar without paying for something first.
Name: Sarceron Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Plane-tenders, sectotum Ancestry: Firbolg Alignment: Lawful Good Info: A cleric of the Celtic goddess Airmed. Seems to have some bad blood with Faelee.
Name: Tabiah Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: Athar, factioneer Ancestry: Human Alignment: True Neutral Info: A mage who, while friendly enough, tends to keep her distance from other people, both physically and emotionally. She has a familiar named Abasi who frequently takes the form of a cat, and is her only constant companion, despite the fact he only seems to tolerate her at best.
Name: Ulgad Gender: Masculine Faction/Sect and Rank: Bleak Cabal, factotum Ancestry: Gnoll Alignment: Chaotic Good Info: Formerly a member of the Howling Hoodlums, a gnoll pack in the Outlands known for stalking the wilderness between the gate-towns of Plague-Mort and Bedlam. After a failed attack on some travellers who wandered into their territory, Ulgad was near-fatally wounded and left for dead by his packmates. It was only thanks to a passing bleaker healer that he was saved and thus experienced his first taste of altruism. He doesn't leave the Gatehouse often, preferring to help around the place anywhere that needs him.
Name: Vivir & Rhuk Gender: Masculine & ambiguous, respectively Faction/Sect and Rank: Doomguard, factioneer Ancestry: Unknown Alignment: Chaotic Neutral & Lawful Neutral Info: Two soldiers who tend to find themselves on the same assignment. They seem to get on well enough, though the former is definitely more sociable than the latter.
Name: Wynvere Gender: Feminine Faction/Sect and Rank: Bleak Cabal, factioneer Ancestry: Eladrin Alignment: True Neutral Info: An eladrin inflicted with such a deep despair that she seems stuck in her winter form.
Tir na Og. Translating to "Land of the Young", this was one of the one of the largest of the shared realms on the Outer Planes, nestled within the heart of the Outlands and bordering a large river. It was the home of the majority of the Celtic pantheon, a very loosely tied together group of gods lead by the Dagda. Each of the gods within owned their own part of the land, and while each part had its own rules and quirks, they were unified by a few principles. The most notable was the land has no cities, just settlements - with the largest holding a population of about 3,000. Most of these of these citizens would have likely been here their entire lives, with only a few displaced outsiders settling within, likely being called there by its natural beauty and more pastoral way of living. While not all the gods there are deities of nature, you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise as the the land was full of forests and sprawling meadows, and possessed a large community of druids.
... Now, you may have noticed I have been speaking in past tense.
Less than a week ago, something happened which deeply affected the multiverse. It happened quietly and suddenly. The land of Tir na Og disappeared. They weren't attacked, they weren't destroyed, there wasn't some great cataclysm the befell them. The land in which Tir na Og once stood is now completely empty, with no signs that anything ever occupied it to begin with.
As you can imagine, the disappearance of a realm containing a diverse group of gods which are worshipped across several Planes has caused quite a stir. While those with more distance might have yet to realise what has even happened, the city of Sigil, sat at the top of an infinitely tall tower which lies at the exact centrepoint of the Outlands, certainly noticed, and caused a great amount of unrest among the various Factions, who are constantly struggling for power within the city.
You might be a member of one of these Factions, sent by the leader to investigate. Maybe you are a worshiper of one of the deities of Tir na Og who wants to uncover the truth of what happened to your god. Maybe you're just curious about how most of a pantheon just ups and disappears. Either way, your character is on-route to the site where Tir na Og once stood, ready to investigate.
The Setting
*One of many diagrams attempting to map out the multiverse. Not completely accurate.*
Planescape is a setting that focuses on the multiverse, spanning from the multiple Prime Worlds detailed in varying DnD material (Toril, Oerth, Krynn etc), to the twisted reflections of those Prime Worlds provided by the Feywild and the Shadowfell, to the elemental chaos of the Inner planes, to the myriad of afterlives promised by the Outer Planes, and so much more beyond that. While I certainly don't expect this campaign to take us everywhere the multiverse has to offer, I do hope we get the opportunity to explore a variety of different realms.
However, our story begins in...
The Outlands
Otherwise known as "Concordant Opposition", the Outlands is the Outer Plane of True Neutrality, and connects to every other Outer Plane veer sixteen evenly spaced portals, each of which have a town built around it. Because of its status as the neutral plane, the Outlands is subject to an unusual phenomenon called 'cosmic realignment': besides the domain of gods, when a location within the Outlands starts to embody the alignment of another Outer Plane, it and its inhabitants is absorbed by the Plane in question.
Automata Gate Destination: Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus Primary Citizens: Modrons Rulers: Council of Order
In the very center of the Outlands is the Spire, an infinitely tall pillar of rock which at the top of sits a ring. Within the interior of that ring is Sigil, the City of Doors. Attempts to climb or fly up to get to Sigil are futile, and the only real way in is through one of the city's many portals. As one walks closer to the Spire, they will encounter many anti-magic bubbles which radiate outwards from the rock. These bubbles vary in size and shape and function like the antimagic field spell. These bubbles usually don't reach either the gate-towns or Sigil, and often avoid the domains of gods... though there have been exceptions.
Sometimes referred to as 'the City of Doors' or 'the Cage', Sigil is the crossroads of multiverse, simultaneously existing within the Outlands and nowhere at all, and possessing portals to all planes of existence. These portals are all unique - most aren't always open, requiring some sort of condition to be met in order to access - and vary in appearance, usually being some sort of opening like an archway, pool or hole. How they appear usually reflects where they go. These portals are controlled by an enigmatic yet powerful being known as the Lady of Pain.
The Lady of Pain is not a god, and despises being worshiped as such. However, what exactly she is... well, nobody knows. She's humanoid, draped in ornate robes and wearing what appears to be a mask lined with blades. She occasionally can be found drifting round the city, surrounded by her servants, the dabus. It is considered wise to give the Lady a wide berth, as all attempts to interact with her lead either to banishment to one of her many mazes or severe harm being inflicted. She was apparently much more brutal before the Faction War, banishing people left and right and pretty much eviscerating them if she chose to. She seems a little calmer these days, but still is someone to be avoided. After all, she is powerful enough to keep all gods out of her city, and even supposedly powerful enough to kill a god - she is responsible of the death of Aoskar, god of portals, after all.
The City of Doors is divided into several 'wards'.
A district of two halves, the Clerk's Ward is home to the Society of Sensation and the Fated, thus arts and bureaucracy are always fighting for dominance within. The buildings are well-maintained, the streets regularly patrolled by the Harmonium and most conflicts are solved through paper and structured debates. The following structures and services can be found here:
- Civic Festhall: The main HQ for the Society of Sensation, it is home to all sorts of entertainment which is readily available to the public: art galleries, concerts, museums, theaters, and their specialty, the Sensoriums, semi-private rooms where creatures and record and relive various experiences recorded on sensory stones.
- Greengage: A cider shop favored by the Sensates. It is run by a cheerful sprite named Clea Appleblossom who updates the menu regularly and is always sending adventurers off to gather new ingredients for her drinks.
- Hall of Information: Sigil's welcome centre. Boards with public notices and odd jobs are outside, while one can go inside to ask for information from one of the Hall's many departments.
- Hall of Records: Once a prestigious college, the Hall of Records was claimed as the Fated's HQ after the founder failed to repay a slightly overdue debt. As its name suggestions, it contains all sorts of records and documentation such as deeds to property, certificates of birth and death, and financial records. There is also a series of underground vaults where valuable objects, particularly tomes, are stored.
- Hall of Speakers: Formerly the HQ of the Sign of the One, the Hall of Speakers is a place where factions can debate philosophies, and where citizens can freely voice their opinions in public forums. While the Sign of One is no longer around, the sect Will of the One, formed from some of its former members, can be found lurking around the hall, eager to recruit new members.
- Tea Street Transit: A cab service, run by the crotchety old elf Kyl Silkfoot. These onion-shaped cabs take customers throughout the ward, driven by a large variety of mounts from displacer beasts to unicorns.
- Tower Sorcerous: The HQ for the Incanterium, the Tower Sorcerous is a spire with no visible doors besides the eight balconies. While most are unable to enter, incantifiers are able to walk through the walls as if it were porous.
The Hive Ward, or sometimes just 'the Hive', is the poor part of Sigil, heavil neglected by all authority and fallen into disrepair. As such, crime and poverty runs rampant. The following structures and services can be found here:
- Bottle and Jug: The most infamous bar in the Hive, run by Beatrice Bazlan, a flightless erinyes who won the place in a battle against its former owner, but also lost her wings in the same fight. The place serves a variety of different cheap drinks and also has a portal to a fighting arena where people can compete or place bets.
- Fell's Tattoos: A tattoo parlor run by Fell (no relation), a dabus ostracized by the Lady and his kin for worshiping Aoskar, the dead god of portals. Unlike most dabus, he walks along the ground instead of floating, but still seems to have some of their power, able to create magical images in the air which he can control and adjust to his liking. He uses this same quick and painless process to apply to his tattoos.
- Gatehouse: The Bleak Cabal's HQ, a fortress of rehabilitation that contains a soup kitchen, orphanage, hospital and housing for the homeless and fugitives.
- Gatehouse Night Market: While most favour the Market Ward to buy goods, those interested in less reputable wares shop here, just a few blocks away from the Gatehouse.
- Grease Pit: An alleyway full of stalls selling foods from all different planes, particularly the Outer Planes.
- Mortuary: The Herald of Dust's HQ, where Sigil's dead are laid to rest. It has several undead working as menial labor and guards.
- Parakk Pest: Due to the large amount of cranium rats within Sigil, a pest control business is much welcome, and Parakk Pest is a family business, tracing back to its founder, the githzerai Parakk.
- Sandstone Strip: A strip of several buildings between the Clerk's Ward and the Hive, the Sandstone Strip mainly shelters charlatans and scoundrels.
- The Slags: Once an average neighborhood within the Hives, when a portal to the front lines of the Blood War - the eternal conflict between devils and demons - opened on the streets, and chaos broke out. It took several weeks for the attackers to be neutralized and order to be restored, and by that time, there was very little left of the Slags. There are repeated recalls in the Hall of Speakers for the neighborhood's reconstruction which have yet to be answered.
- Smoldering Corpse Bar: A bar so named because it was built around the floating form of a perpetually burning mage named Ignus, who once tried to reduce the whole Hive to ash. In retribution for his crimes, the man was turned into a living portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire. A little bit before the events of the Faction War, Ignus went missing and has not been seen since. The bar has slowly been declining ever since.
The Lady of Pain doesn't actually reside in the Lady's Ward, but it is a place of power and privilege regardless, with extravagant events often behind held there. It also contains over half of Sigil's temples, dedicated to god from almost every pantheon. The following structures and services can be found here:
- Armory: The Doomguard's HQ, stationed at the border between the Lady's Ward and the Lower Ward and covered in a thick coat of razorvine to keep out any would-be thieves hoping to steal the weapons within. It does possess it's own forge, which is colossal though not quite as impressive at the one in the Lower Ward.
- Barracks: The Harmonium's HQ, and houses their members.
- Fortune's Wheel: A casino run by the vain arcanaloth Shemeshka the Marauder.
- Heart's Fire: A huge temple devoted to all deities of fire, truth and light. Recently caught in some controversy after its former high priest, the deva Ephmera, was called away on a divine errand, and elected the horned devil Mihr as their successor.
- High Courts: The Fraternity of Order's HQ. While the Lady is undoubtly the greatest authority in the city, most legal matters in Sigil are settled here.
- Infinite Well: A temple to the gods of the Abyss.
- Prison: The Mercykiller's HQ, built to house all manner of convicts from every corner of the Planes.
The Lower Ward, so named because of the amount of portals to the Lower Planes it possesses, is the industrial part of Sigil. The following structures and services can be found here:
- Bones of the Night: A cavern complex home to Lothar, Master of Bones. He has a collection of skulls that he organizes as a library of sorts, drawing on their collective knowledge through magic. He can be paid to cast 'Speak with Dead' on any of his skulls, or any skull brought to him.
- The Ditch: Sigil's only body of water. Its waters are corrosive and digusting, but occassionally a portal to River Oceanus in the Upper Planes opens up and allows the waters to run clean. There are also a series of tunnels adjacent to the river where rats and wererats frequent.
- Face of Gith: A tavern frequented by githzerai, though anyone is welcome as long as they don't antagonize or unsettle the regular clientele.
- The Friendly Fiend: A small magic shop run by A'kin, an arcanaloth and the titular 'friendly fiend'.
- Great Foundry: The Mind's Eye's HQ and the heart of industry in the entire city.
- Parted Veil: A bookstore where the store itself is made of books, run by the gnome Kesto Brighteyes. It contains all sorts of books of all kind, as well as a large array of spells.
- Shattered Temple: The fallen temple of Aoskar, the dead god of portals. While most give it a wide berth, the Athar have chosen it as their HQ.
- Ubiquitous Wayfarer: A tavern that is full of portals, and is particularly popular with planar travellers.
The Market Ward is the commercial hub of Sigil, and buzzes with business at all hours. The following structures and services can be found here:
- Bank of Abbathor Inc.: One of the biggest financial institutions in the multiverse, named after and dedicated to the dwarven god of greed.
- Flame Pits: A bathhouse who's pools are filled with molten lava, acid and liquid shadow, and caters to a variety of otherworldly beings.
- Gastrognome: An eatery run by renowned chef, Celci Nugglebelly, and craftering a number of delicacies using ingredients from throughout the multiverse.
- Great Bazaar: A plaza of shops where almost everything can be found, and the seat of power for the Free League.
- Great Gymnasium: The Transcendent Order's HQ, and provides all sorts of services for physical and spiritual self-improvement, such as training grounds, gymnastic equipment, meditation rooms, saunas and more.
- Institute for Intellectual Excellence: A prestigious academy with a varied curriculum, though specializing in subjects of a multiplanar nature.
- Planar Energy Cooperative: A company dedicated to the monitoring and control of magical energy throughout the multiverse.
- The Other Place: Opposite the Great Gymnasium is a spa run by the aasimar Iarmid. He is also a member of the Transcendent Order, but believes that the Order was missing out by prioritizing its members over other clientele.
Beneath the streets of Sigil lies Undersigil, a complex network of tunnels. The following locations can be found here:
- Dead Nations: A range of derelict and forgotten catacombs, crawling with undead and ruled by an entity known as the Silent King.
- Drowned Nations: The sewers where several drains link to the Elemental Planes of Water and Ooze.
- The Loop: A series of tunnels that don't seem to behold to the regular laws of space and time, and are full of portals to a variety of unsavory lands.
- Nowhere: A series of warrens where the remnants of broken factions and sects find solace.
- Warrens of Thought: A maze of catacombs beneath the Hive Ward, and home to the largest collective of cranium rats: the Us (also referred to as Many-as-One).
Caverns of Thought: A series of tunnels beneath the Outlands, and home to the mindflayer deity Ilsensine.
Court of Light: A stone nest belonging to Shekinester, Queen of the Nagas.
Dendradis: A city of vertical towers belonging to the rilmani, the embodiments of True Neutrality.
Flowering Hill: A massive orchard and home to the halfling god of agriculture Sheela Peryroyl.
The Great Pass: A passageway through the mountains that leads between the gate-towns Ribcage and Rigus.
Gzemnid's Realm: Home of Gzemnid the Gas Giant, the beholder god of deception, fumes and fog.
Hidden Realm: Home of the Father of Giants Annam after he disowned his children and fled Ysgard. His land is invisible to the naked eye and protected even from divination magic.
The Hinterlands: It is said that the Outlands are infinite. Beyond the gate-towns, there are lands that few have explored, supposedly full of ruined civilasations, portals to unknown planes and so much more.
Labyrinth of Life: A small jungle island within Tir na Thuinn, and home to Ubtoa, Father of Dinosaurs.
Mausoleum of Chronepsis: A once great city now fallen to ruin, and home of the dragon god of time Chronepsis.
Moradin's Anvil: A dwarven mining city ruled by three dwarven gods, Dugmaren Brightmantle, Dumathoin and Vergadin.
Realm of the Norns: A community of seers who read omens from across the multiverse. It is said that the Norns, goddesses of fate, live among them, but none are sure how to identify them.
River Ma'at: A river that flows between the gate-towns of Excelsior and Torch.
Semuanya's Bog: A dense and colorful swamp that is home to the lizardfolk deity Semaunya.
Thebestys: The largest settlement in the Outlands outside of the gate-towns, founded by the god Thoth and holding a library that is said to hold the answers to any questions.
Tir fo Thuinn: Beneath the surface of the large body of water that bordered Tir na Og lies Tir fo Thuinn, the Land Under the Waves, home of the Celtic sea god Manannán mac Lir. Since the disappearance of Tir na Og, things have been quieter than usual down there.
Vale of the Spine: A series of bony pillars that mark the area around the gate-town of Ribcage.
Walking Castles: There are variety walking castles throughout the Outlands, some made by inventors, others gifted by the gods, and some powered by powerful magic.
Wonderhome: Originally within Tir na Og as part of the House of Knowledge, some sort of disagreement between the Wondermaker Gond and the Oghma has caused the former to move his realm outside of the Land of the Young, which in turn spared him from disappearing along with it. It is full of sentient constructs and more than a few elaborate traps, all engineered to stop intruders from disturbing Gond while he crafts his next masterpiece.
Factions & Sects
It is said on the Outer Planes, reality is shaped by belief, and if enough people are united under a single idealogy, they potentially have the power to remold the Planes as they see fit. This is the conceit behind the factions, groups of like-mind philosophers with their own ideas of how the multiverse works (or at least how it should work). There used to be as many as 50 roaming around Sigil, but during the Great Upheaval 642 years ago, they were whittled when the Lady of Pain demanded there only be 15. This number was then further whittled down further about a decade ago when Duke Rowan Darkwood, leader of the faction known as 'the Fated' attempted to overthrow the Lady of Pain and assert himself as the new ruler of Sigil, causing the infamous Faction War. The exact details of what happened during this time are muddy (everyone seems to have a very different story about what occurred) but needless to say Rowan's bid for power did not go well, and for a short time there were no factions in Sigil, with some either destroyed or driven from the city. After some time, most of these factions reformed and the status quo was restored... more or less. There are now 12 main factions in Sigil, referred to as Ascendent Factions, that control different aspects of the city's day-to-day life. They are:
Athar Who Claim the Gods Are Frauds Factol: Terrance Main HQ: Shattered Temple in Lower Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Astral Plane Members: Disillusioned worshippers, skeptics Epithet(s): Defiers, the Lost Allies: Mind's Eye Enemies: -
The Athar believes that the Gods are not in fact 'divine', but merely beings who have accumulated enough power to convince the rest of the multiverse otherwise. Clerics and others granted other wielders of divine magic don't gain their power from these so-called gods, but from some greater power. This power is referred to by the Athar's higher-ups as the Greater Unknown, and it is the Athar's mission to uncover the truth and expose the other powers for the frauds they truly are.
The Athar make their home in the Lower Ward, with their main base of operations being Shattered Temple once dedicated to Aoskar, the god of portals who was supposedly slain by the Lady of Pain a long time ago. From here, the Athar keep track of every faith, both in Sigil and beyond, through a network of spies. Should a god's influence grow too powerful, the Athar will step in, either dealing with the problem themselves or getting another faction to do so for them.
They are lead by Factol Terrance, a human cleric originally in the service of Mishakal, the Krynnian goddess of healing and restoration. He spent ten years as the patriarch of a community of healers who worked in her name before one day awakening with a startling yet illuminating revelation: the solution to every problem he'd had in his life had come not from his goddess, but his own intellect and intuition. While he had communicated with his goddess a few times, he'd never sensed any real power from her, nor felt she'd given him any real strength or guidance. He then resigned his post and left the order, eventually arriving in Sigil where he joined up with the Athar, who at the time, were an embittered and unpopular faction. Terrance quickly rose through the ranks, his compassion, charisma and natural leadership skills making him become Factol in no time, and he set about trying to improve relations with the other factions and strengthen their hold over the city.
Anything concerning the gods draws the attention of the Athar, so naturally the disappearance of Tir na Og has caught their eye. Anything that could make several powers disappear from the face of the Planes is worth investigating, either as a way to further prove the weakness of the Celtic Pantheon or as some sign of a greater force at work. However, they do have two other reasons why they are keenly interested in the phenomenon: 1. The Godslayers. This sect was formed from former Athar members who chose to take the defiers' philosophy one step further by proving it was possible to kill a god. Since Tir na Og's disappearance, the slayers have been claiming that they are in fact responsible, and several members of the Athar have decided to jump ship as a result. 2. The disappearance of Tir na Og might be down to the actions of another pantheon or their believers in an attempt to shift the balance of power within the Planes. Current suspicion is on the Olympians, due to their tumultuous history with the Celtic pantheons.
Bleak Cabal Who Find No Sense in the Multiverse Factol: Lhar Main HQ: The Gatehouse in the Hive Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Pandemonium Members: Consolers, healers, nihilists Epithet(s): Bleakers, the Mad Allies: Doomguard, Hands of Havoc, Heralds of Dust Enemies: Fraternity of Order, Harmonium, Mercykillers
To the Bleak Cabal, the quest for cosmic meaning is futile. There is no meaning to life, the multiverse, or anything. It doesn't make sense because it isn't meant to. Surprisingly enough, this revelation has a common tendency to breed introspection and empathy within the factions' members as they search for their own personal meaning. As such, the Bleak Cabal is one of the more charitable factions, second only to perhaps the Ring Givers, as they believe that the universe is cruel enough without them making it worse. There are exceptions, of course, but those of a more destructive leaning tend to prefer the Doomguard or the Hands of Havoc.
The bleakers are stationed primarily within the Hive Ward, the most crime-ridden and impoverished part of Sigil... which works perfectly for them, as their headquarters, the Gatehouse, acts a sanctuary for anyone in need, with healing facilities for both the physical and mental that particular specialize in planar maladies, shelters for the homeless and fugitives, a soup kitchen, and an orphanage.
Their factol is Lhar, an orc born and raised in the Hive. When he was twelve, his mother gave birth to a second child, and unable to both of them, his parents gave him up for adoption at the Orphanage where he remained until adulthood. He has never seen them since. For Lhar, the Gatehouse is pretty much all he's ever known and is keen to expand the facilities to better help those in need. He is the longest serving factol of the Bleak Cabal, as most others succumb to a mysterious affliction known as the Grim Retreat, which strike every time there is a strong influx of new members and causes bleakers to become extremely apathetic and dissociative from reality. Most of the inflicted don't recover, but Lhar did. As such, he is heartened to find to not only spread the faction's reach, but also find a potential cure for this malady.
Due to their belief that the multiverse is random, the disappearance of Tir na Og hasn't gotten the Bleak Cabal in the same panic or even curiosity that other factions are expressing. Most, however, realize the distress such an event would cause the masses, and Lhar is quick to act on it, sending healers and consolers alike to the former site.
Doomguard Who Celebrate Destruction and Decay Factol: Pentar Main HQ: Armory in the Lower Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Elemental Chaos Members: Entropists, soldiers, weaponsmiths Epithet(s): Sinkers Allies: Bleak Cabal, Heralds of Dust Enemies: Fraternity of Order, Harmonium
The Doomguard, moreso than any other faction, is somewhat divided. They are united by three core tenets (I. Nothing is permanent, II. Death and destruction is to be celebrated, and III. Everything will decay to entropy) but how those tenets are interpreted tends to fall into three distinct camps. The first revel in destruction and actively go out to cause it. The second are ambivalent, believing that if decay truly is inevitable, they have no reason to either excel or slow down process, simply content to let it happen as it is naturally intended to. The third and final camp attempt to slow down destruction as best they can.
Their main HQ is in the Armory in the Lady's Ward, where they oversee the production and selling of weapons in Sigil. The Doomguard has a very loose structure as opposed to most factions, with the factors being referred to as the Doomlords. Only the most powerful and ruthless Sinkers get picked to be Doomlords, and it is said they must undergo a transformation on the Negative Energy Plane so horrible that it's spoken of only in whispers and innuendo. When they return, they wear robes and black-and-red masks emblazoned with the faction's skull symbol. The chant's that the Doomlords never again remove their masks. The transformation's also said to drain a Sinker of their original personality, remaking them into a zealous ambassador of decay.
Factol Pentar is a human ranger originally hailing from the Outlands, specifically the gate-town of Xaos which connect the plane to Limbo. There, she witnessed all sorts of chaos and destruction, which she not only survived but learned to embrace. Not long after surviving a volcanic eruption as a teenager, she went to join the Doomguard, where she quickly proved herself to be a model sinker and she quickly attracted the attention of the Doomlords. When the previous factol of the Doomguard met a glorious end in the midst of a slave uprising he himself had sparked, the Doomlords voted to appoint Pentar as the new factol. Pentar's been factol for over five years now, and she's always eager to perform her duties; some say she even sleeps garbed in her battle gear, swords and bow at the ready. While not everyone is happy with her overzealous nature, Pentar doesn't exactly seem to mind. In fact, she secretly delights in the growing seeds of rebellion, hoping to push the faction to the point where it'll display a little entropy of its own - perhaps even fall apart completely.
The Doomguard are keenly interested in the disappearance of Tir na Og, and have sent several members to investigate the land it once stood on, hoping to find signs of what caused such magnificent and complete destruction.
Fated Who Take All They Can and More Factol: Duke Rowan Darkwood Main HQ: Hall of Records Aligned Plane: Ysgard Members: Bullies, moguls, warlords Epithet(s): Takers, the Heartless Allies: - Enemies: Harmonium, Society of Sensates
The Fated's core philosophy is a simple one: take what you can, and to the pits with therest. The Fated believe that anyone can stake a claim to the multiverse by simply knowing what they want, figuring out how to get it, and being strong enough to hold onto it. Faction members quickly learn how to take care of themselves, and while most folks can't help but respect such self-sufficiency, they also can't help being afraid of it. Ask anyone in Sigil which they'd rather do, arm-wrestle a fiend or suffer a visit from one of the Fated, and nine out of ten they will gladly pick the fiend.
The the Hall of Records, was originally the Tzunk College of Academic Arts eight hundred years ago by the mage, Tzunk. Once he died only a few years later, the Fated immediately took it over, and repurposed it as main HQ. From here, they act as Sigil's most ruthless tax-collectors, earning them a heaping share of animosity from Sigil's citizens.
Factol Rowan Darkwood, also known as Duke Darkwood, claims to be an important lord from the prime plane of Toril. He is no such thing. He is in fact the third son of a minor lord from Oerth, he ended up sentenced to the Abyss after making a bet to win a game of cards with a demon in order to protect his family... a bet he actually won, but demons are nothing but petty. After surviving a decade under unimaginable torment, he eventually his way out of the Abyss and back home, only to find his wife had remarried and his sons grown up. With nothing left to keep there, he returned to the planes, and quickly decided to make Sigil his home. Not long after obtaining leadership of the Fated, he set about trying to take down the other factions and the Lady of Pain. After that fell apart, he went missing for a bit, came back but has been a lot less present ever since. Some say this is because he is trying to avoid both the Lady of Pain herself and the Mercykiller's factol, Alisohn Nilesia, who was his right-hand woman during the the Faction War. Again, details are hazy about what exactly went down, but the short of it is that their alliance has since dissolved, and the Duke seems a little frightened of Nilesia ever since.
Relating to this, Duke Darkwood is actually one of the suspects for the disappearance Tir na Og. Since he has a long-standing rivalry with Factol Erin Darkflame Montgomery, who is both originally from Tir na Og and a worshiper of one of the Celtic Pantheon, many people suspect him of being the culprit out of a bid to weaken the power of his rival. The fact he hasn't even been seen since Tir na Og's disappearance doesn't lend well to his innocence, but several members of the Fated have taken it upon themselves to try and prove otherwise... though some of the Factors actually wouldn't mind if he turned out to be guilty, because it leaves the position of factol open to them, and may actually be willing to pay agents in order to pin it on the Duke.
Fraternity of Order Who Discover Laws to Find Truth Factol: Hashkar Main HQ: The High Courts in the Lady's Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Mechanus Members: Con artists, lawyers, spellcasters Epithet(s): Guvners Allies: Harmonium, Mercykillers Enemies: Hands of Havoc
The Fraternity of Order believes that laws are representations of power. Knowledge is power, and knowledge of law is the ultimate power. By understanding how the law works, one can exploit or even break them in the right circumstances. Not all regulations are equal, obviously, and the guvners typically divide them into three different groups: the lowest are Rules, the 'man-made' laws that govern how people should act. Second are Laws, the regulations of nature and edicts of the gods. The highest and most important are the Axioms, which are what governs all of existence and what is responsible given gods their power in the first place. Few of the Axioms are known, but believed that if one were to master all, they would rule the multiverse.
Given their philosophy, it is natural that guvners spent their time reviewing, studying and even abjudicating the many laws of Sigil, which they do from their HQ in the Lady's Ward, the High Courts. Though absolute authority belongs to the Lady of Pain, most legal matters are settled here by a single, supposedly objective magistrate appointed by the Fraternity. Punishments are tailored to fit the crime, and advocates are encouraged. There is also a library where all contracts ever made are written and documented, and anyone who dares break them are tracked down and banished to a teleportation circle within said building.
For a factol, Hashkar doesn't appear too impressive. He's a short and dumpy dwarf, with a big red nose and a long white mustache. His eyes constantly look bloodshot from reading, and he always carries one or more books or scrolls. When not reading, he's usually lecturing. Faction members get used to seeing him shuffling down the halls of the City Court mumbling to himself, barely aware of his surroundings. He has been an important part of Sigil for fourteen decades now, having joined the Guvners in his youth and showing no signs of slowing down any time. He governs with a firm hand, delegating authority through his factors.
The guvners have been extremely occupied since the Faction War as many cases are popping up even to this day about what went down during that time, and uncovering which ones are true and which ones are false (especially in a place like Sigil where belief shapes everything) has been an incredible headache. As such, the disappearance of Tir na Og is something they haven't been able to spare much effort towards, but they are a concern. Along some of their allies in Harmonium and Mercykillers, their agents have been sent to investigate the matter and uncover the truth behind this unprecedented occurrence.
Hands of Havoc Who Free Society through Chaos Factol: n/a Main HQ: Various warehouses throughout Sigil, though mostly in the Hive Ward Aligned Plane: Limbo Members: Anarchists, arsonists, freedom fighters Epithet(s): Wreakers Allies: Bleak Cabal, Doomguard Enemies: Fraternity of Order, Harmonium
Originally known as the Revolutionary League before the Faction War, the Hands of Havoc seek to free society through chaos. They believe that the status quo is built on lies and greed, with laws only benefiting those in power and keep the people oppressed, and only through a trial of fire (both in the metaphorical and literal sense) can the world be improved. This has led them to causing a lot of trouble, from decorating bland buildings with colorful murals to burning places to the ground. As such, members of this faction are constantly on the run from the law, having to hide their faces behind masks, goggles, scarves and the like.
Due to this, the wreakers don't have one consistent base of operations, preferring to move throughout various warehouses, though the Hive Ward tends to be where they are most commonly found. They also frequently masquerade as members of other factions, keeping tabs on them should they become to powerful and need dismantlement. The Hands of Havoc also don't have a single established factol, though the mantle is passed between members to confuse law enforcement. Should this supposed leader ever be on the brink of arrest of death, someone else steps forward to take up the torch.
Given the disruption to the multiverse that Tir na Og's disappearance has naturally caused, the wreakers are naturally intrigued, and several of their plants within the different factions have likely been sent there anyway. They are curious to see how the multiverse changes and grows as a response to this monumental change.
Harmonium Who Enforce Peace through Might Factol: Sarin Main HQ: The Barracks in the Lady's Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Arcadia Members: Authoritarians, guards, mediators Epithet(s): Hardheads Allies: Fraternity of Order, Mercykillers Enemies: Hands of Havoc
The Harmonium believes there are only two states to existence: war and peace. When neighbours share the same views, there's peace, but disagreement breeds conflict and instability. The purpose of the Harmonium is to unify the multiverse into a state of peace... by any means necessary. As such, the Harmonium act as Sigil's main form of law enforcement, stationed in the Barracks in the Lady's Ward. They train, plan patrols and keep record of every arrest within the city. Together with the Fraternity of Order and the Mercykillers as the city's trifecta of justice, cycling criminals through arrest, trial and punishment as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Factol Sarin is a human from Ortho, the homeworld of the Harmonium. While it was once like any other Prime Plane, a group of adventurers sought to drive out all chaos from the land. They succeeded, and now the world is firmly within the grip of the Harmonium, peaceful yet rigid and quick to enforce order and conformity. While Sarin could have stayed there and taken the easier route through the ranks, he chose to come to Sigil. He is completely dedicated to the Harmonium cause, and while not the easiest of people to deal with, promotes dignity, honor and peace.
Since the disappearance of Tir na Og has caused quite the disruption in the planes, the Harmonium are quick to investigate, find who is responsible and restore order as quickly as possible.
Heralds of Dust Who Believe Everyone is Already Dead Factol: Skall Main HQ: The Mortuary in the Hive Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Hades Members: Corpse collectors, the grief stricken, Undead Epithet(s): Dusters, dusties, the Dead Allies: Bleak Cabal, Doomguard Enemies: Mind's Eye, Society of Sensation
The Heralds of Dust believe that the multiverse itself is an afterlife and that every creature within it are already dead. This 'life' is in fact merely the first stage of death, and dusters seek to understand and experience each stage - being undead is seen as one of these stages - up until the final True Death. As they wait for this transcendence, they set aside engaging in the joys of life, considering it all to be part of an illusion.
The duster's HQ in the Hive Ward, the Mortuary, is one part morgue, one part funeral home and one part tomb, serving as the final destination for Sigil and the Outland's dead. It is also teaming with Undead: skeletons and zombies form the work force, taking on menial tasks such as cleaning or guard duty, while the more intelligent Undead such as vampires and wights serve in higher ranks.
The Heralds' factol, Skall is a lich, though not many people actually know this. In fact, much about Skall is a mystery, as few ever get the chance to meet him, as he is said to spend most of his days in the Negative Energy Plane. When he does appear, it's usually an illusion he has projected, and it's often cloaked and shrouded in shadows. It's no surprise that Skall can keep his true nature relatively quiet. See, the Heralds of Dust don't talk about him much. They just take for granted that he's advanced along the road to True Death, and the only thing stopping him from truly completing his journey is his desire to make sure his fellow Dusters also reach it.
You wouldn't think the Heralds of Dust would have much stake in the disappearance of Tir na Og, and most of them don't aside from the desire to recover any dead that may have been left behind... however, among the ranks of the Dusters, there has been a surprising increase in worshipers of Arawn, the Celtic god of death, to the point that reverence for him is slowly replacing their loyalty to Skall. Arawn's domain isn't in Tir na Og, instead being located in Hades, but the diseappearance of several of his peers has caused some alarm for his followers. Some are going to investigate Tir na Og's former site while another, more secretive expedition has headed into Hades.
Mercykillers Who Bring Justice to the Deserving Factol: Alisohn Nilesia Main HQ: The Prison in the Lady's Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Acheron Members: Bounty hunters, executioners, vigilantes Epithet(s): Jailers Allies: - Enemies: Fated, Hands of Havoc, Mind's Eye, Society of Sensation
The Mercykillers see mercy as a weakness, and the only way to secure the perfect multiverse is through purging it of wrong through cold, relentless justice. They don't make the laws or pass judgement, nor do they arrest criminals - those are the jobs of the Fraternity of Order and the Harmonium respectively. What the Jailers do is run Sigil's Prison, and administer the due punishment once a verdict has been made.
While not the newest appointed Factol, Alisohn Nilesia is the youngest. A tiefling born to a petty thief in the Mercykiller's Prison, Nilesia's strong convictions, strict nature and outright ruthlessness caused her to quickly rise through the ranks until she gained her leadership role at only nineteen years of age. Not long after, Duke Darkwood of the Fated started the Faction Wars, with Nilesia as his second in-command - and if the rumors are true, his bride-to-be. However, it is said that at some point during this time, he betrayed her and she went missing for a time, presumed dead before finally returning, wiser and more ruthless than ever. The Mercykillers were in a shambles at the time, but she quickly got them back into order, and has been looking for a chance to get back at Rowan ever since. Tir na Og's disappearance has proven itself as one such opportunity, as many have been pointing the finger at the Fated's Factol ever since it happened, and Nilesia has sent many of her people to investigate. However, some say her justice has another target, greater even than the Duke: the Lady of Pain herself.
Mind's Eye Who Grow to Godhood Factol: Saladryn Main HQ: The Great Foundry in the Lower Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: The Outlands Members: Crafters, guides, wanderers Epithet(s): Seekers Allies: Athar, Fraternity of Order, Society of Sensation Enemies: Bleak Cabal, Heralds of Dust
The newest of the Ascendant Factions, having been formed after the Faction War when two separate factions, the Believers of the Source and the Sign of One, decided to merge their philosophies together into a new one, where an individual is encouraged to realise their true potential through experience and exploration of the Multiverse, in hopes of one day obtaining godhood. In fact, some even believe godhood is but a stepping stone to some greater, more unknowable state.
The Seekers have claimed the Believers of the Source's old HQ in the Lower Ward, the Great Foundry, as their own, becoming the leaders of Sigil's manufacturing. They seek their desire to better themselves and reshape the multiverse into a better version of itself through their crafts, creating a variety of tools and objects which in turn shape life in Sigil and beyond. Each Seeker pursues a craft of their choosing, and through that craft hopes to one day achieve greatness.
While often mistaken for an elf or half-elf, Factol Saladryn is in fact one of the LeShay, a race of immortal fey said to be old enough to have witnessed the universe's creation. Whether this is true and how old Saladryn herself is no one is entirely certain, but there are implications that she has been around a long time. For one, she seems to have once been close with the Duster's factol Skall, though the exact nature of their relationship is unclear. She was once a high-ranking member of the Believers of the Source, and it was her idea to merge the faction with the Signers once the dust had settled after the Faction War. While she used to travel the multiverse in hopes of bettering herself as a person, she hasn't left Sigil since the Mind's Eye formation, preferring to help better facilitate the growth of her faction members.
The Seekers don't have an official stance on the disappearance of Tir na Og - though Saladryn has expressed some heartache as she once used to frequent there. However, many members have been drawn to the site out of either pure curiosity or a desire to help. After all, what is a better adventure than discovering the truth behind the disappearance of most of a whole pantheon?
Society of Sensation Who Find Truth Only in Experience Factol: Erin Darkflame Montogomery Main HQ: The Civic Festhall in the Clerk's Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Arborea Members: Artists, entertainers, revelers Epithet(s): Sensates Allies: Mind's Eye Enemies: Fated
The Society of Sensation perceives the multiverse as a place of experiences - the more varied, the better. By experiencing all there is, one can learn and understand all of existence. Of course, newer sensates tend to favour the positive experiences, living each moment like it's the last and pursuing joy and pleasure, but the Society encourages its members to embrace all experiences, even the bad ones.
The Society provides entertainment and joy for the people of Sigil, with their HQ in the Civic Festhall encouraging artistic expression of all kinds and housing their Sensoriums. The latter is particularly popular, as they allow others to relive another's experience as long as it has been recorded by a Sensate's sensory stone. The Society has a lot of these, with various members carrying them around with them to record a variety of different experiences, and they're always willing to pay a lot for anyone willing to help them.
While a human only in their late thirties, Factol Erin Darkflame Montgomery has experienced far more than some even twice her age. Born and raised in the tiny village of Grim's Head, nestled within Tir na Og, Erin became a full cleric of Diancecht, Celtic god of healing, at only age thirteen, and was committed to healing everyone, friend or foe. However, when a scuffle between the devils of the Nine Hells and the demons of the Abyss wound up on his doorstep, Erin found themself quickly overwhelmed and unable to tend to every patient in her care. Several demons perished, including one powerful captain known as Za'rafas who was favoured by one the Abyss' lords. Blaming Erin for the captain's death, he sent assassin after her, and at age seventeen Erin was forced to leave their home in fear for their friends and family's lives. After being on the run for a while and experiencing many of the multiverse's wonders and terrors along the way, Erin eventually found their way back to Sigil, and have been using his experiences to help the Society of Sensation grow beyond pure hedonism.
Publicly, the Society of Sensation has sent several members to the site of Tir na Og's disappearance under the guise of using sensory stones to record what has been left behind. However, it is not unknown that Erin heralds from there, and is likely concerned about the status of their friends, family and deity.
Transcendent Order Who Act Unfettered by Thought Factol: Rhys Main HQ: The Great Gymnasium in the Market Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Elysium Members: Athletes, daredevils, rescuers Epithet(s): Ciphers Allies: - Enemies: -
The Transcendent Order believe that for a person to attain a higher state of being, they must learn how to unite their body and mind so that thought and action become one. Those who act purely by instinct can become in harmony in the universe. To this end, its members undergo rigorous training in their headquarters of the Great Gymnasium, trying to perfect their chosen regiment so they can perform it without thought.
Factol Rhys is a tiefling unlike any you'll ever encounter, with indigo skin, hair that always seems to be floating, the back legs of a horse, the carapace of insect and a reptilian tail. However, it's not just their looks that make them stand out: they exude a natural aura that either draws people to them or intimidate them, though they never seem to really use this to its full extent as they prefer introspection and solo training as opposed to interacting others. However, they may at times seem aloof, they are also a great source of inspiration to their faction, and are actually the approachable factol, both in demeanor and in the fact that it is far less frowned upon for a 'lower ranking' member to speak to them. In fact, Rhys encourages it, as they are eager to advise others on their journey to perfect harmony.
Rhys is actually the reason the Ciphers are so invested in locating Tir na Og: the factol was last seen heading there to do some training, and hasn't returned since the realm disappeared. Considering Rhys is usually easy to find, this has been cause for concern. A couple of people have voiced suspicion at Rhys' involvement, of course, but most are just worried for their safety. After all, while the Transcendent Order don't usually form alliances with other factions, they also don't have any outright enemies and get on with most. As such, Rhys' disappearance has troubled many, even those outside the Order.
Aside from the 12 Ascendent Factions, there are also sects (also referred to as 'minor factions', but it's wise not to call them that to a sect member's face). These are smaller, less organized and usually based outside of Sigil. Some of them are all that remains of those 50 factions that controlled Sigil prior to the Great Upheaval, some are a result of the Faction War, some happened at some point between those two times, and some are completely new. There are a lot of them, and given the ever-changing nature of the Planes, new ones pop up every so often. These are the sects that are most commonly known (or are most likely to play a part in this upcoming adventure). More may be added if they become applicable.
The Dispossessed To Whom All the Multiverse is a Prison Sectol: Changes often Headquarters: Unknown Aligned Plane: Carceri Members: Prisoners, exiles, crooks Epithet(s): Chippers Allies: - Enemies: Harmonium, Mercykillers
Originally made up of escapees from the Lowers Planes (primarily Carceri and Pandemonium), the Dispossessed is a sect of exiles and former prisoners who are so traumatized by their experiences that they believe the Multiverse to run on prison rules. They distrust everyone outside the sect, and don't even really trust each other that much. Their members can be found around the gate-towns of Curst and Bedlam, though they're not the most welcoming sort.
Free League Who Prize the Individual Foremost Sectol: Bria Tomay, Lethea and Lesander Headquarters: The Great Bazaar in the Market Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: The Outlands Members: Merchants, mercenaries and non-conformists Epithet(s): Indeps Allies: Fated (sometimes) Enemies: Harmonium
Considered one of the 15 factions prior to the Faction War, the Free League has now been demoted to sect status. This suits them just fine as they never really considered themselves a proper faction to begin with. They are a loosely aligned group of Sigil natives who refuses to join any faction or sect, though a lot of the more recent members are those from factions that have since disbanded. They prize individuality above all. They don't have a strict base of operations, but can be found around the Great Bazaar.
Due to their nature, the Free League never had an official sectol, but there were three members who have stepped up to place the roles as unofficial leaders and spokespeople: a human named Bria Tomay, and two wemic twins named Lethea and Lesander. All three of them went missing during the Faction War, and only Bria and Lesander returned. Both refuse to talk much about what happened to them, with Lesander in particular seeming gloomy since the loss of his twin. He can be found patrolling around the Bazaar, though he's not much for conversation these days... not that he ever was much of a talker in the first place. Bria can usually be found at the smith Warbling Swords, run by her younger brother.
The Free League as a whole has no big interest in Tir na Og's disappearance, though individual members might have their own reasons for wanting to investigate.
Godslayers Who Seek to An End to all Gods Sectol: Unknown Headquarters: The Astral Plane formerly, currently attempting to set up in the Outlands Aligned Plane: The Astral Plane Members: Former athar members Epithet(s): Slayers Allies: - Enemies: -
A splinter group of the Athar who take their former faction's philosophy a step further by seeking to rid the multiverse of false gods... by killing them. Most wrote them off as madmen, but they've become more popular as of late, especially now that they have supposedly succeeded with the disappearance of Tir na Og.
Incanterium Who Consume Magic and its Secrets Sectol: Unknown Headquarters: Tower Sorcerous in the Clerk's Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Astral Plane Members: Mages, lore seekers, scribes Epithet(s): Incantifiers, magicians, wanters Allies: - Enemies: -
A sect that believe that by absorbing magic and mastering its rules, one can rewrite reality. Due to a ritual performed on them when they become full members, they become ageless and no longer need to eat, sleep or breath. The only resource they require is arcane energy, which they absorb from spells and magic items, the latter of which they have a very large hoard up in their HQ, the Tower Sorcerous.
The sect was believed dead for a long time when the Tower went missing, along with most of its members. It was believed that most of the sect were sent to the mazes by the Lady for being too powerful. Some time later, just as suddenly as it disappeared, it returned, utterly destroying the shop (Fretter's Fetters and Fritters) that had been built in its vacant lot. No one has any idea why or how.
Plane-Tenders Who Believe All Nature is Worth Nurturing Sectol: Cellach Headquarters: Summeroak in Tir na Og, the Outlands Aligned Plane: The Outlands Members: Druids, rangers, followers of the Celtic pantheon or nature gods Epithet: Tenders Allies: Verdant Guild (sometimes) Enemies: Doomguard, Heralds of Dust, Vile Hunt
A druidic order originally from a Prime world now completely overtaken by the Abyss, the Plane Tenders believe that all nature, even those in the more abstract planes outside of the Prime, is valid and in need of nurturing and protecting. When the original members were fleeing their dying homeworld, they ended up stumbling into Tir Na Og, where they soon encounter a mysterious half-elf known only as the Hierophant. She lead the survivors to her home in Summeroak, where they built a small village. The Hierophant is said to still be alive, wandering around Tir Na Og in hopes of guiding other lost souls to the village. She is also said to be the proxy of the god Silvanus, one of the most popular deities within the sect.
While the Hierophant is held in reverence among the Plane Tenders, she has no desire to for the authority and commitment being sectol would put upon her. The leader of the Plane Tenders is instead a human by the name of Cellach. He only recently took up the role of sectol from his father, Lochan, both of who are descended from the original Plane Tenders' leader. Cellach was not in Tir na Og when it vanished, having been called a way to aid another sect, the Verdant Guild, during tumultuous times. He has yet to discover that his whole homeland has disappeared, though word is slowly spreading to the other members who were also not at HQ when it occurred.
Ring-givers Who Give as Much as They Get Sectol: Jeremo the Natterer Headquarters: None, can be found around the Lower Ward Aligned Plane: Ysgard Members: Altruists, beggars, philanthropists Epithet(s): Bargainers, beggars Allies: Transcendent Order Enemies: Fated
The Ring-givers act as a direct foil to the Fated: they believe that the act of charity and giving to others is the path to enlightenment. They give away all they have as they believe everything they give up will return to them in some way. They never really own anything, they are allowed to buy or sell, and anything they are given are they expected to give up. They are lead by Jeremo the Natterer, a human who is one of the few people who has the favour of the Lady of Pain, often being referred to as her 'jester'.
Verdant Guild Who View The Wilderness as the Source of all Life Sectol: Split between Aaronatok and Karleona Headquarters: The Beastlands Aligned Plane: The Beastlands Members: Nature lovers, rangers, barbarians Epithet: Wylders Allies: Plane Tenders (sometimes) Enemies: Vile Hunt
Once a united sect who believed in preserving the Beastlands (and all wilderness) at all cost, the constant attacks by the Vile Hunt have lead the Verdant Guild to become incredibly divided between two sub-sects: the Defenders of the Wild, lead by Aaronatok, and the Crusaders of Nature, lead by Karleona. The Crusaders believe that they should spread out from their homeland and take the fight to the Vile Hunt, making the hunters become the hunted, while the Defenders want to stay to defend their ancestral home. This divide is becoming worse with time, with the two sides ready to declare all out war on each other any moment.
Vile Hunt Who Desire an End to the Unnatural Sectol: n/a Headquarters: Faunel Aligned Plane: Unknown Members: Humanoid supremacists, hunters Epithet: Vile Hunters Allies: - Enemies: Plane-tenders, Verdant Guild
The Vile Hunt consider all animalistic humanoids and animals with human intelligence to be an insult the nature, and seek to wipe them all out. While they are not as powerful as they once were, now being without a true leader, they still remain as small, unorganized groups who stalk the Multiverse, particularly around Faunel and the Beastlands.
Will of the One Who Follow the One Who Dreamed up the Multiverse Sectol: Prisine Headquarters: Hall of Speakers in the Clerk's Ward, Sigil Aligned Plane: Beastlands Members: Former Sign of the One members Epithet: The Willed Allies: - Enemies: Mind's Eye
Before the Faction War, before the Sign of One merged with the Believers of the Source to form the Mind's Eye, there already was some dissent among the former's ranks. See, the signers believed that the multiverse was a dream created by the One, the center of the multiverse... and the One could be anybody. In fact, every member believed there was a possibility that they themselves could be the One, and used this to go forth and reshape their lives into whatever they wanted. However, among the Sign of One, a small splinter group was starting to form, where they believed they had found the One, in a form of a bariaur called Terwolfe. While many meeting him might be skeptical - the man seems to have, shall they say, more than a few screws loose - some of him crazed ramblings have proven themselves prophetic. In fact, one of his most recent 'visions' was of Tir na Og 'vanishing off the face of the Planes', something the Willed are keen to investigate and use as proof of Terwolfe's power.
However, Terwolfe isn't actually the sectol of the Will of the One. That honour goes to the water genasi Prisine. Many assume she's using Terwolfe as a front for her own goals, and that many of Terwolfe's 'prophecies' coming true are down to her and those who directly work under her as attempt to further prove that he is indeed 'the One'.
Faction/sect members are split into five different ranks (six if you include the factol/sectol):
Namers are the lowest rank of any faction or sect, considered members in “name only". While all faction mimirs will hand out a Faction Badge to anyone who adheres to the faction or sect's guidelines, only once have the passed an initiation test will they be considered true members and gain access to the benefits and information of their chosen faction/sect. These initiation tests vary from faction to faction, and is not uncommon for namers to switch factions or drop out entirely during this time. You must have a renown of 0 with the faction/sect and be at least level 1.
Factioneers (or sectioneers) are full-fledged base members of the factions, having completed the initiation rituals and gained access to the faction’s basic protection and perks, usually in the form of access to their HQ for accommodations and training. They also might be given advantages on different ability checks or saving throws, which vary between the factions. They are expected to find tutelage under a higher ranking member and discover a job they enjoy doing for said faction, usually a menial task such as cooking, cleaning or acting as an assistant to their chosen mentor. You must have a renown of 3 with the faction/sect and be at least level 3.
Factotum (sectotum for sects) are faction members who have demonstrated some leadership skill - enough to be put in charge of the occasional project or entrusted with responsibility in their faction. They are often seen leading recruitment drives, presenting minor bills in the Hall of Speakers, and representing their faction in the public square. Factotums can now recieve special items from their faction, being given either a +1, armor, shield or immovable rod when they first reach the rank, and can request other item through their guild contact (note: if the requested item is of uncommon value, it will take 50 days and 500gp, and 100 days and 5000gp for a rare. Items above rare value cannot be requested.) Also at this rank, player characters gain the ability tomrequest otherwise secret history of the faction from its mimir and take on special sanctioned missions on behalf of the faction for personal gain and renown. You must have a renown of 10 with the faction/sect and be at least level 5.
Factoral (sectorals for sects) are faction members who demonstrated their loyalty and competency to their faction to the point that they have been given real responsibility in the faction. They likely have fellow factioneers under their command and are entrusted with important tasks. By the time a character has reached Factoral, it is expected that they are “living” their faction’s philosophy, and possibly have started to develop their own take upon it. Because of this, they are now capable of being a mentor and requesting a sidekick to serve them. You must have a renown of 25 with the faction/sect and be at least level 11.
Factor (sectors for sects) are faction members who have become leaders in their faction, advancing the goals of the faction, and guiding their fellow members. These are the people second only to the Factol and are the Factol’s own personal agents and advisors. Factors are expected to not only have completely bought into their faction's philosophy, but to to have formulated their own branch that provides a service to their Faction with their own sub-belief that other members can subscribe to. During their time in the faction/sect, a player character will have become proficient in certain skills (determined by their faction) and can choose one of those skills to become an expert in. As a mentor and exemplar, the Factor player character may spend ten days and 500 gold to teach one other player character to become proficient in any skill they have expertise in. Finally, a Factor/Sector player may choose to give inspiration to any other player character in the Bleak Cabal at the start of the game session. The inspiration expires at the end of the game session. You must have a renown of 50 with the faction/sect and be at least level 17.
Factols/sectols are the leader of their faction/sect and only become such through election.
Glossary
Mimir: Floating skull-shaped devices used to record information.
Petitioner: The reborn souls of dead worshipers.
Powers: A catch all term for gods, deities, archfey, archfiend, celestial paragon and any other type of incredibly powerful supernatural entity.
Proxy: A divine agent chosen to serve a god.
Tout: Local guides who can be found in various planes, willing to advise and guide newcomers... for a small fee, of course.
Homebrew Rules (will add to this over time):
- Game will have a unique crafting system. Will go in more depth once it becomes relevant.
- Charm spells: when they end, the charmed individual has to make a second save to see if they realise they were charmed.
- Drinking a potion in combat is a bonus action. Giving it to someone else costs an action, however.
Fell, she/they, English, currently obsessed with DnD and other ttrpgs. I do [url=https://www.deviantart.com/fellsnfairfolk]art[/url] sometimes. I am the GM of two tabletop roleplays on this very site:
- [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/188627-epyllion-beyond-moonlights-reach/ic]Beyond Moonlight's Reach[/url], a story of four young dragons growing up in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, and using the Powered by the Apocalypse game Epyllion.
- [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/192522-planescape-search-for-tir-na-og/ic]Search for Tir na Og[/url], a DnD 5e campaign set in the Planescape setting where a group of strangers from all across the multiverse come together to solve the mystery about what happened to the Celtic gods after they and their homelands were mysteriously spirited away.
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Fell, she/they, English, currently obsessed with DnD and other ttrpgs. I do <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.deviantart.com/fellsnfairfolk">art</a> sometimes. I am the GM of two tabletop roleplays on this very site:<br><br>- <a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/188627-epyllion-beyond-moonlights-reach/ic">Beyond Moonlight's Reach</a>, a story of four young dragons growing up in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, and using the Powered by the Apocalypse game Epyllion.<br><br>- <a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/192522-planescape-search-for-tir-na-og/ic">Search for Tir na Og</a>, a DnD 5e campaign set in the Planescape setting where a group of strangers from all across the multiverse come together to solve the mystery about what happened to the Celtic gods after they and their homelands were mysteriously spirited away.</div>
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