Faction War Being a Chronicle of Dark and Bloody Days in the City of Doors, a Cautionary Tale of Treachery, Mystery, and Revelation, and the Wondrous and Terrible Consequences Thereof. CREDI+S Designers: Monte Cook and Ray Vallese + Editor: Michele Carter Brand Manager: Thomas M. Reid Conceptual Artist: Dana Knutson + Interior Artists: Adam Rex and Hannibal King Cartography: Diesel and Rob Lazzaret Art Director: Dawn Murin # Graphic Design: Matt Adelsperger, Dee Bamett, and Dawn Murin Electronic Prepress Coordination: Jefferson M. Shelley * Typography: Angelika Lokotz Dedicated to the PLANESCAPE® Mailing List. EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS Wizards of the Coast, Belgium US., CANADA, ASIA, PACIFIC & LATIN AMERICA Wizards of the Coast, Inc PB34 P.O. Box 707 2300 Tumhout Renton, WA 98057-0707 Belgium ++1-800-324-6496 #32-14-44-30-44 Visit our website at www.tsr.com 2629XXX1501 “AwvanceD DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADAD, DUNGEON MASTER, MowstR0US CoMPENDRM, PLANESCAPE, the Lady of Pain logo, and the TSR oqo are registered tademarks owned by TSR, Inc. MONSTROUS MANUAL is a trademark ovened by TSR, inc. All TSR characters ‘Glirater names andthe distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, In. ©1998 TSR, Inc.All rights reserved, Made Inthe USA. TSR In. isa subsidiary of Wizards ofthe Coast, In. Distrbuted to the book twade in the United States by Random House, inc, and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Lid. Distruted o the hobly, toy, and comic trade by inthe United States and Canada by regional distnbutors. Distributed worldwide by Wizards of the Cows. tnes-and regional distributors. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of meres, Any tepaduction or unauthorized use of the material or atwork contained herein & prohibited without the expres written pelssion of TSR, IncTABLE @F CON+EN+S In which something long Lost is Found. PEERING Into THE C E Including notes on Running the Adventure and Preparing for Play, and a great Deal of useful Information about the City of Doors Wherein the true Dark of the faction war is Revealed and the Role of all participants is laid bare. In which the Heroes must safeguard a supposed Factol and observe many important Devel- opments in the Course of the war. Tit BATTLE AT-THE ARMOR Wherein a great Conflict erupts and heralds a Cage-shaking Incident with far-reaching Consequences. ML: THe Escuaton In which forecasts of Doom and destruction lead the Heroes to discover an important Cluc. IV: Dagkston In which the Blood War comes to Sigil, a hidden Lair is found, and the Lady Acts Vs Macic UNEAGED In which the heroes go Nowhere fo find a Mage who may have a means to End the war, ‘and must decide whether to Hinder or Help him. Vi: Tue Untry oF Rinas In which great Revelations lead 0 even greater Danger, a madman finds his Destiny, and the Heroes must make a Choice to decide the fate of all Sigil Wherein the last great Dark is revealed. In which the Effects of the war become clear and a great many Changes take place in the City of Doors. A full Account of the events in this Volume, presented Chronologically for the ease of the Dungeon Master.ear until all of Sigil trembled. YOU WON’+ BE NEEDED in which the Lady had bared her blackfoot, a jewel that glowed as blue as a sky, which AF+ER ALL she then caused {0 be buried in the soit of the multiverse, far from the fields of sanity. —leBAS, But why had she not simply ed him to the worms? The seap said further thar +O +H S4+H PARTY sir? BOUND fen Duke Rowan Darkwood glanced up from the yellowed tome, his mind stil mired PANDEM@NIUM io thelext 'm sorry to disturb you, but—well, we have news.” The bariaur waved in a pair of steely bashers who looked as if they'd been trampled by the Modron Match. “These two are all that’s let of the seventh party we sent to Pandemonium. They-they have something for you, The bariaur clopped his hooves with nervous excitement as he took a blood- spattered sack from the bigger of the two mercenaries and handed it to Darkwood The Duke put down the book and rose from his chair. With a smile of weary cyni- cism, he untied the pouch and peered inside. He stared for several moments in silence. The hirelings shifted uncomfortably. Uh, did we, uh, do good?” one asked, "See, there was this new tunnel, see? Which we think opened on account o° this dead god or whatever we heard was knockin around in those thing? So, so we was creeping through, see? But we didn’'t~ es, lookin" for so eae“You can read a thousand books about a place, but you never really know PE RING Ward Gude, and I needed itt be good. Everyone sai, tlk Ti ote Nba se ea YP Inte THE CaGF ooncch bissoc yas su “The a a te Cy Coa nd Te Le Dead (beer td WEL “Fw book git os Sout eb fw Get von rg de Thanos ede sumed he wanted me to follow. I relue- neighborhood against the tiefling smiths because of it? Hi ‘Or look over there,” he said, pointing to the other side of the street. “See that house with the door that constantly changes color? You won't find any mention of that in a book, but that’s where the priest-mage Tenisari lives. She casts curses for jink, and the door's her marker. ‘Course, once she placed a hex on a slaad from the Lower Ward who took her head right off. It took three priests of Anu to bring her back and reattach her head—well,” he chuckled to himself, “not in that order. “Or how about,” he continued, “knowing who's really in charge? Sure, the books tell you what the Hardheads do and who the Mercykillers tote off to the Prison, but no book can tell you about Tiritesh and how he keeps the streets IG! BE HARD of New Pelion safe, or who watches over who in the Slags, oF things +@® WRAP BRAIN-B@X like that. @metimes I stared at him. “There's nothing keeping! me from putting in details a i like that in my book. I could fill it with points like that, skipping over the KYLIE +86 T@UF this tavern’ here and this public building's there" kind of chant everyone already knows— “Yes,” he interrupted, smiling. “Yes, you could.” Damn. I hate being manipulated, Nevertheless, he was right, and I'd fallen for his litle game. Folks were right to send me to old Angus. He set me straight on what I should write The Big Picture? Not really-more like how the “litle pietures” fit together to become the “big picture.” For a place that’s had more written about it than probably any other, that’s what hasn't yet been sad, My book details the litle things that every Cager knows make things work. This work isn’t about the system, but how all the high strangeness ofthe City of Doors comes together to make a working whole. They tell me that they're going to take a condensed version of what I've writ- ten and put it in a book detailing the big faction war. Great, | say. Where's my jink? ®UND —Faragoh Nacil, narrator +64RUNNIN +HE + ADVEN+URE + Faction Waris a bit different from most other PLANESCAPE® adventures, Act I: Guarding Rrka sets up the basic situation for the PCs and plunges them into the plot—no big surprise there And Act VI: The Unity of Rings brings the various plot threads to ‘ahead and gives the PCs the chance to decide the fate of Sigil In between, though, four nonlinear adventures challenge the heroes to accomplish various tasks while the faction war builds and rages around them. In these four adventures (Acis Il, Il, IV, and V), the PCs aren't guided from one encounter (o the next Instead, each chapter presents a situation, the locales and NPCs involved, and a possible flow of events, and leaves the player characters free to act as they please. ‘This open-ended style is meant to accommodate whatever the heroes want to do. I's impossible 10 predict which side of the faction war they'll join (if any], what they might do to stem the flow of blood, {and just how involved they want to be in the fighting. This way, the DM has all the tools he needs to structure each chapter around what the PCs decide to do. “Course, with great power comes great respon- sibility—running the four nonlinear chapters will require a bit more work on the DM's part Faction War is built around a Timeline, which begins on the back cover and continues onto the atefold. It lists the main events of the war in chronological order, beginning well before the PCs get involved. Many of the Timeline’s events are fleshed out in the chapters, but some are described only in the Timeline. Thus, it lets the DM know what's happening in Sigil even if the heroes can’t take part in everything, Also, the Timeline’s an overall guide, not a minute-by-minute account of what every sod in Sigil is doing—the DM's encouraged to work in additional events as desired. The use of the Timeline makes the game more dynamic and exciting, but it requires careful atten- tion. The DM must always keep an eye on the Timeline so he knows what's playing out on the larger backdrop as the PCs go about their business, ‘After Act VI, a short Epilogue ties up a few loose ends, and a comprehensive Aftermath presents the changes to Sigil as a result of the war. What happens to cach faction? How does government, com- merce, and the balance of power in the Cage change? The answers'e all right here—the DM doesn't have to buy another product to leam the dark of th PLAY I+ Y®UR WAY I's worth noting: The DM should introduce plenty of elements from his own PLANESCAPE Faction War. Ifthe player characters have made a number of friends or enemies in the Cage, those NPCs should appear in the story-and perhaps be killed off in spectacular fashion. If the PCs love to spend time in a favorite tavern, let one of the factions commander the place and defend it against their foes—or just burn the watering hole to the ground. If certain folks or groups in Sigil already hate each other's guts, let them fight it out in smaller skirmishes all over the city—beyond the large-scale battles described in the “official” chapters. Im other words, the DM shouldn't feel that he must into his own campaign. I's much more fun to integrate the two into a seamless whole. And given all the chaos sweeping through Sigil, there's never been a better time for the DM to spring his own favorite sur- prises and changes on the hapless heroes. impaign into rtificially shoehorn the events of Faction War ADVEN+URE SUMMARY The chapter entitled “How It Begins” doesn’t contain a blow-by-blow summary of the Faction War adven~ ture, That kind of chant appears on the Timeline, which clearly spells out each event, in order, from before ever begins right up to the conclusion in Act VI ore mt 3+ PREPARING FOR PLAY # Faction War is an epic ADAD® PLANESCAPE adventure designed for a party of four to six player characters of Sth 10 9th level. In order to run the game, the DM must have the PLANESCAPE Campaign Setting boxed set (2600). The follow- ing products would enhance the DM's understanding of Sigil and its denizens, but they're not required: Factol’s Manifesto (2611), Uncaged: Faces of Sigil (2624), In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil (2609), the Planewalker’s Handbook (2620), the PLANESCAPE MONSTROUS ComPENDIUN® Appendix I (2602) and the PLANESCAPE MonsTRoUS CoMPENDIUM Appendix IT (2613), Jualicized vert printed in amber should be read aloud or paraphrased for the players: all other chant in this book is for the DM's eyes only. Several kinds of special notes appear throughout the adventure: % Sections marked DM Novv are intended to call atten- tion to important information. * Sections marked Ti Krai Cuant help make clear What's really going on, Sections marked 5: iepi\6 Nu) BluNos try to help the DM deal with specific problems. AAs always, the DM should read through this book from cover to cover before running the adventure. Faction War is rewarding but complicated, and the DM needs to be sure he understands how to handle the Timeline and the non- linear chapters. It might help to photocopy the Timeline out of the book and keep it handy~and out of sight! during the game. Making copies of chapters as needed and hiding the book from the players will help, too. After all, if they see that it’s titled Faction War, they won't be as sur- prised when events start leading their characters toward the massive confit. Finally, remember that a PLANESCAPE game ain't about racking up kills and hoarding treasure. It's about the might of ideas and the majesty of the cosmos, and the DM should stress good roleplaying. ‘Course, any berks who tuy 1 stop the war by fighting everyone in sight'l just hit the blinds before long, anyway— unless they're sent straight to the dead-book. Since Faction War is a Sigil-based adven- ture, the following sections take a look at the vari- ous wards and districts of Sigil, all of which figure heavily in the course of the war. This chapter takes into account the inhabitants, the politics (factional and nonfac- tional), and the general flavor of life found in each ward, ‘making, it easier for the DM to run this adventure and fur- ther Cage-based adventures of his own devising. Addition ally, this chapter discusses the mysterious region known as UnderSigil, which figures into parts of the adventure quite extensively. ‘Those impatient to know the dark of the war are, of ‘course, free to skip ahead to “How It Begins” on page 32. * THE LADY’S WARD # The Lady's Ward is an archetype of contradiction, and i's funny that most berks don’t see it that way~at least not immediately. The ward is home to the rich and the powerful, as well as the law of the city. See the contradiction? The rich and the powerful of Sigil are as far from the law as any knight of the post in the Hive. Folks say that The Lady’s Ward hasn't always been called that. Chant is, it was once called the Palace Ward. It was renamed, the story goes, to appease the Lady herself “Course, the touts who tell this tale also say it’s the oldest ward in the city—and how can that be true? Given the city’s nature, wouldn't it all have been created (or whatever) at the ‘same time? Well, that’s for bigger minds (with less to do) to contemplate. ‘The Lady’s Ward is easily divided into two parts: the High Houses and the Law Houses. These definitions don't refer to areas so much as function. That is to say, @ body can't draw a line between the High Houses “area” and the Law Houses “area.” Nothing in the Cage is ever that easy. THE HIGH HOUSES The High Houses are the palaces and mansions of Sigil These regal dvellings are surrounded by well-kept homes for serving staffs, fine (and expensive) shops and services, and clegant places to dine, drink, and be entertained. Want to part with a fortune? Spend a night in The Lady's Ward, as the saying goes. Sigils rich also known as the golden lords, the knights ofthe ward {referring to The Lady's Ward), and the keepers of the trust-live in utter opulence. Some would add “deca- dence” as well. Most ofthe Clueless can't even begin to grasp the wealth of these bloods. They can buy and sell entire cities for even kingdoms, although they rarely take part in anything, so sorid. On prime worlds kings and emperors possess most of the wealth, but herein Sigil, folks have taken the fortunes of kings and used it 10 establish financial empires almost always built upon interplanar trading. (Mercenaries and planewalkers take note: Those berks who've turned down jobs escorting planar trading caravans or shipments because it was too “lowly” a duty have probably missed out on the chance to impress some real top-shelf bloods!) Most of the golden lords are so wealthy that they no longer play any part in their own financial empires. The wealth and influence is simply too great to be managed by ane basher, so they employ an army of underlings to admin- ister things for them. Many of these managers are fabulously rich merchants in their own right, and no one knows that they are only “middle management.” Even the managers don't know that they work for the same lord. I's a conspir~ acy of wealth. ‘The knights of the ward spend their time living the {food life as only The Lady's Ward ean provide. Most, how- taeever, are not content to simply enjoy the finest food, drink, entertainment, and luxury that the planes have to offer, Instead, they use their position to manipulate people and events to their benefit-not to gain more wealth (for their wealth is almost limitless), but to gain power. In Sigil, at the heart of it all, they attempt to pull the strings that control the multiverse. Some graybeards—the paranoid ones~say that if a body wants to see the cause behind anything that happens on the planes, he should look to the High Houses of The Lady's Ward. Now, that’s taking things way too far. Most tanar', for example, couldn't give a ratatosk's third toe for what some rich basher in the Cage thinks or wants. Plane: tars aren't impressed by wealth. Most slaadi, well, most slaadi'd probably say “where?” if Sigil was mentioned, ‘Course, that doesn't mean that these groups can’t be manipulated by master string-pullers like the golden lords of Sigil. Even the high-up bbaatezu admit to hhaving a fair bit of respect for these canny manipula- tors. Many of those among the otherwise well- lanned Cagers don't know of the wars” fought among the wealthy bloods of Sigil, Tha's because these silent wars of treachery, manipu- lation, deceit, and double-dealing don’t often leak ‘out into the Cage. The golden lords use their money and influence like weapons, smashing. the plots of their ‘enemies while advancing their own. If these silent wars sound similar to the end- Jess struggles for control that the Factions of Sigil fight all the time, it’s no coincidence. Their goals frequently corre spond, and the golden lords \ « and the factions use each other for their own ends. Remem- ber, many of the knights of the ward are also faetion mem- bbers—or fierce opponents. For example, the d’Arlen family, particularly its current master, Timmon (Pl/3 human/F6/N), has long strived to gain complete control of all of the touts in Sigil. Now, the obvi- ‘ous question would be, “why?” The answer is simple. The touts are often the first source of knowledge for the Clueless who come to town. Therefore, anyone who controls what the touts say, where they direct the newcomers, and what they don’t say becomes an extremely powerful basher. I's a simple way to subtly control an entire segment of the pop- ulation. And it’s a segment that many overlook as insignif- icant, so there shouldn't be any opposition, right? Well that's what the @Arlens thought too Chant has it that the Ciphers ‘caught wind of what the d’Arlens were up to and immediately decided to stop them. Why? It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Cipher funds began pouring onto the streets of the Cage to buy off exist ing touts or to hire and train rnew ones. This jink was chan- neled through so many different sources (the resources of any faction are quite astound- ing) that the @At Tens had no idea that their competi- tion was an entire faction until literally years had passed. When Timmon «Arlen took control of the family empire upon the death of his mother (the circumstances were not questionable—Timmon is very good at what he does), he tum- bled to the fact that the Ciphers were vying for control of the city guides. Rather than concede to a superior force, Timmon directed his influence and considerable monies toward gaining the alliance of Factol Emma Oak- ‘wright of the Fated. Once he had estab- lished a relationship with the Takers. he \ sor‘maneuvered them into investigat- ing the fact that a great many toutsparticularly those who had shown up during the recent increase in the ranks of that profession over the last Few years—were woefully neg- lect in paying their taxes, Suddenly, the touts of the city, especially those in the pocket of the Ciphers, were hunted on the Cage’s streets by the Fated with the muscular help of the Harmonium. (Many touts still refer to those few months as the “dark times.") Though the Transcendent Order was able to recover some ofits losses by harboring its touts (or simply paying their back taxes through circuitous jink-paths), the Arlens had won a significant victory in their silent war. This and many other wars go on even today, with new “battlefields,” “weapons,” “casualties,” and “spoils.” They may not seem like conventionally fought wars, but their outcomes are just as important and far-reaching, BU+ | THE TEMPLES Also counted among the High Houses are the temples of The Lady's Ward, most of which are palaces in their own right. ‘The temples found here are extravagant places dedicated to the most powerful or respected powers in the multiverse. A body might say that The Lady's Ward is built more on respect—sometimes begrudging respect-than on money or real power Why build a temple to @ power in a place where that power can’t go? Why would anyone care in the Cage? It seems a simple question, but i's not. Even the cynicism and. jadedness of the City of Doors can't completely drown out faith and devotion, True believers and followers worshi their gods no matter where in the multiverse they go. That's understandable. But it doesn’t completely explain the tem- ples of Sigil—Cagers (those born and bred here) are an impi: fous lot. That doesn’t mean that the Athar have won their propaganda war; it just means that i's easy to get caught up in the daily grind in Sigil and forget about the gods. Worry- ing about keeping the authorities off a body's back and the barmies from his mind, keeping the faction high-ups happy ‘and paying his taxes keeps a berk pretty busy. And all that doesn’t even take into account a body's family, job concerns, and everything else that goes into making a life an interest- ing thing to live. Even those who take the time to think about the big picture are more likely to think about factional beliefs that try to explain the multiverse than about religion. No, the temples in Sigil are more about respect than devotion. A power's followers and proxies, if they've got cnough clout, establish a temple in the City of Doors prima- rily as a statement about that god's power rather than pro- viding a place for the local congregation to worship (although it serves that purpose too). The temples, especially @H, SURE, +H’ FAC+I@NS HAVE POWER, MIND SE++LING FOR tis MONEY @F © GOLDEN L@RDS INS+EAD —TAREK INNAVIM@N those found in The Lady's Ward, stand as showy struc tures of grandiose presenta- tion and awe-inspiring architecture. The priests of these temples hold their own sort of political power in the Cage, similar to (but not nearly the ‘equal of) the golden lords. Many are proxies of the powers themselves, and the temples are their palatial homes as well as monuments in honor of the deity they represent. Intrigue plays a big part in the activities of the temples of this ward. Each schemes to become greater than the others. Even establishing a temple in The Lady's Ward is dif= ficult, since every other temple there tries (0 stop it from happening. Garnish, favors, and flattery need to be spread thick and in the right places to be successful. Once established, various churches and temples wage wars of lies, deceit, politics, and even vandalism against cach other, Holy relics are stolen or defaced, religious ritu- als are sabotaged, and parishioners are accosted or threat- ened. And don't be fooled into thinking that only temples dedicated to evil powers conduct themselves in this way. Neutral and even good priests are forced to stoop to these tactics just to survive. One temple or another is always look- ing for mercenaries or planewalkers to do some dirty deed to an opposing faith or simply to help protect themselves from their numerous enemies. But when it comes to planewalkers, most look at tem- ples with one thing in mind: getting wounds healed and sicknesses cured. While there're obviously plenty of excep- tions, most adventurers just aren't very pious. This outlook fits in real well in the Cage. A few of the temples have become more houses of healing than places of worship (if they ever really were that to begin with). These places found that the business of curing the sick and tending to wounds can be extremely lucrative. The temples of Apollo, Diancecht, Pelor, and even Frigga have expanded and grown to a level of power and influence far exceeding the rank and status of the powers they represent simply because they offer healing. ‘The cost of healing fluctuates from day to day, based ‘on what somebody from the Market Ward might call the “going market value.” On average, however, a body should expect to pay around 100 gp per level of the spell that the Priest has to use. Other charges might apply depending on the situation, LAW, JUS+ICE AND INEVI+ABLE DOOM Want to find the common folk in The Lady's Ward? Sadly, the best place to look is around the Prison oF the Tower of the Wyrm at execution time. Bashers come quite regularly +104from the Lower Ward (and the rest of town) to watch justice done by the Mercykillers, ‘The Law Houses are the City Barracks, the Prison, and the City Court. Each has a small “community” of homes, shops, and services that cater to those who work in these places and those who visit. The demeanor of the residents is the best guide to whether a body’s in a High House or a Law. House locale. Even the servants of the High Houses dress and smell better than a good number of the poor sods forced to visit the City Court or the Prison, for example. Likewise, the military atmosphere surrounding the City Barracks won't be found around the High Houses (although security there is just as tight) The Law Houses have a distinctly different feel than the rest of the comfortable and well-kept ward. Oh, it's not that they're not well kept, it’s just that the militaristic feel of the Law Houses arcas are grim where the other areas are ele~ gant, and harsh where the others are pristine. Interestingly, the three “Law House factions” (the Fra- temity of Order, the Harmonium, and the Mercykillers) don't feel that they control or have a special attachment to the ward by any means. The factions have much loftier goals than that, and they're content to allow the knights of the ward and the priests of the great temples to conduct their litle struggles for supremacy. The Law Houses don’t gener- ally involve themselves with High House dealings unless they impact the factions’ works. Likewise, the Doomguard (whose Armory is based at the edge of The Lady's Ward) doesn't Feel any special aff ation with it. In fact, many Doomguard hold a special dis- taste for the ward and its inhabitants. The members of this faction look upon the wealthy lords as foolish sods who ‘waste their money building empires that're destined 10 crumble. ge LIVING IN THE LADY'S WARD [Although it’s easy to think that the ward comprises only the igh Houses and the Law Houses, the folks who five in The Lady's Ward separate the ward into six districts: the Court District (surrounds the City Court), Firmground (the City Bar- racks area), the Armory District (the blocks around the ‘Armory, also known as Entropy’s Gem), the Graytowers Dis- trict (surrounds the Prison), the Temple District, and the vast Nobles’ District. ‘While many of the residents of The Lady's Ward are wealthy, many more are not. These folks work as servants in the High Houses or operate the shops, restaurants, taverns, and services that serve the knights of the ward, Plus, many members of the Harmonium, Mercykillers, Fraternity of Order, and the Doomguard live near the headquarters of their factions (not all, by any means, but some do), and they're certainly not all rich. But who's fooling who? The Lady's Ward is for the rich, That can't be denied, and nobody really argues the eI = rs sich a ind shake-ups within the iene hae eae th "newest import in the Market Ward point. The streets here are safer (or more dangerous for knights of the post), the buildings are better kept, and body's got access to all the good things the planes have 10 offer—if a basher is of the right sort. The Hardheads patrolling the streets of the ward can tell by sight (s0 they ‘say) who belongs in the ward and who doesn't, They escort the “wrong sorts of people” right out of the Noble's District if they don't arrest them outright. The other districts are ‘more open and forgiving, but the entire ward bears the chat= acter ofthe stomping grounds of the elitist rich to one extent or another. The main streets here are wide and open. The narrow alleys appear mote like normal streets in the rest of the Cage. ‘The wide streets aren't the reason that a body won't find himself in a crowd here, though. Folks get where they're doing and hurry inside. The Hardhead patrols are thick, and ro one wants to be seragged for doing something they didn't ‘even realize was wrong. Why take the chance? ‘The wealthy spend much of their time attending formal balls and elegant parties where they forge new alliances and spar with their foes, all under a pretense of manners and protocol. The rest of their time is spent shopping (here and in the Market Ward), entertaining guests with grand ban- quets or expensive amusements, and taking holidays to eeother worlds through the well-guarded and well-regulated portals of the ward. The annual “holiday” called Grace is celebrated with a huge masquerade ball held in the fantastically large Palace of the Jester, Al the social elite~and those wanting to see or be seen with them—attend this event. Over a thousand atten- dees appear at the yearly gala, which is hosted by a differ- ent family each year. Not surprisingly, each family attempts to overshadow those that have come before them, so each ball is larger and more lavish than the previous one. + THE LOWER WARD Ifa body were to ask, “in which of the wards do the people of Sigil live?” the correct answer would be, of course, all of them. Nevertheless, about half the time, the answer's likely to be “in the Lower Ward.” That’s probably for two reasons. ‘The first is simply that the other wards are known for some- thing other than residences—the Lower Ward isn't. The second is that, depending on the body answering the ques- tion, the phrase “people of Sigil” might be significant. A typ- ical Cager likely'll have the prideful opinion that it's the common folk, not the factols, the wealthy, or the warriors, who make up the City of Doors. I's the common folk who live in the Lower Ward. The ward is divided up into some of the most varied and interesting districts found in the Cage, Sure, the air takes some getting used to, the streets are dirty and dangerous, and folks here don’t always take well to strangers—but at least it's not the Hive. Plus, the border areas, like Swordhold or most of the Shattered Temple district, ain't so bad. The air’s more breath- able and the folks are reasonably friendly (still a little peery of strangers, though). THE CHAN+ If there's a ruling power in the Lower Ward, it’s the chant. Rumors fly fast-even by Cager standards. What makes gossip so powerful here is the fact that in a place like the Lower Ward, where a body makes his living by the skill of his hands and toil of his back, reputation is very important. If folks think badly of a cutter's work, he's in a world of trouble, because that’s all he’s got. He is his work. Speak badly of either his character or his skill-it's the same thing, While keeping a basher’s reputation on the top shelf is important, keeping lanned to the chant on everyone else is, Just as important. A body does business with those he can trust—in or out of the Lower Ward. This makes a chant- monger’s job even more important in this ward than else- where. People gladly pay for the latest news. A chant-monger’s soot to stay on his feet, though. Folks won't give good jink to hear what the washwoman on the comer'll tell them for free. Occasionally, information brokers down I+ SMELLS aseunc BU+ I+’S m —WINGAR FINASH, IN +#* LOWER WARD oon their luck take to giving out screed as true chant, just 10 keep the jink flowing, They always find their reward on the leafless tree quicker than most folks'd think. THE GREA+ FOUNDRY The Great Foundry and the area surrounding it probably ‘exemplifies the Lower Ward in most basher's minds. Here, the air is thick with fumes and smoke and the streets, build- ings, and even the people are covered in soot, sweat, and rime. It is a place of real work. ‘The Foundry itself is surrounded by an entire district that bears its name. The narrow, twisting, cobbled streets of this area provide homes for smaller forges and smithies, as well a5 support facilities, shops, and services for the folks who work and live here. A body won't find anything fancy, just simple, well-made staples and such to fill the basic needs. And there're plenty of taverns on Alehouse Row to ‘quench the thirsts of the hard-working souls of the district. ‘Course, since the Great Foundry provides the Believ- crs of the Source with their factional headquarters, the place isn't without its intrigues and conflicts. At least three different times in the last two years, some- fone has managed to sabotage the works in the Foundry itself. This ‘was accomplished in such a way that workers were killed or injured and production ground to a hhalt. Other factions, particularly the Dustmen and the Bleak- ers, were blamed but nothing could be proven. Some folks looked with a peery eye at the Anarchists as well. Because of these mysterious attacks, security is high Watchful guards keep visitors out and glance suspiciously even at the workmen themselves. The Godsmen high-ups tried to quell paranoia by reminding the faction members that this sort of thing is just part of the grand scheme, fur- ther honing each of them to perfection. While this tactic achieved some success, tie high-ups also managed to attract a few peery cyes themselves. Delegates and representatives from other factions and Sroups look clearly out of place coming to the Grea Foundry—unless they've the brains to dress down a bit. The spies always know how to dress properly, but the smart sp strive for other assignments since infiltrating the Great Foundry usually involves a lot of hard labor as part of the cover. With the heightened security, the spies’ jobs have ‘become more difficult and the risks they take much greater. ‘The Godsmen in the Great Foundry and the people of the Foundry District maintain a narrow outlook on life. They cat, sleep, and breathe craftwork and the products thereof (in some ways, very literally). Two types of bashers live in the Foundry District: the workmen and the artisans. Now, while HERE, HOME A FIEFLING +24many'd say the workmen are indeed artists themselves, they sladly distinguish themselves from the artisans. The major- ity of workmen portray themselves as hardworking, straight- forward cutters who value difficult labor, skilled work, and honesty. Mostly, the artisans are a secretive lot who spend their time studying (and hoarding) arcane and obscure craft- ing skills. They keep to themselves out of paranoia as well as arrogance. They produce some of the finest crafted goods body's ever likely to lay eyes on, though. THE SHA++ERED TEMPLE DIS#+RIC+ This area of the Lower Ward is quiet, serene, and- to some visitorsa little spooky. The remnants ‘Sigantic temple dominate the district, This Shattered Temple, the headquarters of the Athar faction, is surrounded mostly by other ruins, although a few homes and a random shop or tavern stand in its shadows. Once a body stands a stone’s throw away, the tightly packed edifices normal to a Sigil street resume. A careful eye notices that blocks and beams from the old temple went to raising the walls of a number of these buildings. ‘This area has now and again found itself haunted by spirits of the angry dead. Ghosts and hauntings rarely pose a problem in Sigil and on the Outer Planes, but here, long-dead memories of the past remain strong enough to conjure up poltergeists, apparitions, and other spectral vapors. These forces cause Fear among the residents and sometimes real damage to local buildings. "Course, the Athar won't let an outside priest near the area to exorcise the spooks, Their own priests ofthe Great Unknown can handle it just fine, they say. iccording THE GARIANIS FAMILY In the Lower Ward's Central District, which stretches from the Mortuary (in the Hive) and New Market and down to Gear Run (almost to the Shattered Temple District, but not quite—which means it’s not so central), the Garianis family hholds sway. Now, these folks aren't golden lords like those found in The Lady's Ward, and they're not entirely a real family like some king and queen with their royal brood. Instead, they're a group of folks organized by their families ‘under the actual Garianis clan to watch over the folks of the Central District and their interests. In exchange, the people give them money. Are they criminals? In the eyes of the Har- rmonium and the Guvners, yes. In the eyes of the folks of the Lower Ward, no. In fact, those they protect see them as heroes. Most gladly “donate” the protection money. ‘The Garianis family owns a number of taverns and businesses in their district outright. Starting another busi- ness, or even patronizing a direct competitor, in their area isn't a good idea, The family is powerful, pervasive, and, well..vindictive. Don't cross them, though, and they can be protective, nurturing, generous, and even kind. Friar Muriov Garianis (PI/d- human/P12 [Hades] /Free League/LE) is the unchallenged leader of the family. As a young man, he left the family to work at a temple to Hades that revered the god's aspect as the power of wealth. He eventually abandoned that life and returned to his destiny. His numerous children all work in the family business in various ways. This powerful group has existed for many generations, its leadership passing down the ages through the most successful Garianis offspring. ‘There's no love lost between the Garianis and the city’s authorities, The Family avoids them with a great deal of gar- nish (a tactic more successful than the high-ups of the Har- monium and the Fraternity of Order want anyone to know), fa well-honed system of subterfuge, good representation in the City Court (the best that money can buy), and most important, the cooperation of the people in their district When the Hardheads can scrag a family member and make the changes stick, the Guvners are usually particularly severe ng the punishment. Strangely enough, the family’s belief in their own sort of justice makes the Mercykillers fairly sympathetic to their goals, and unlike their allies they don’t condemn the Garianis, Additionally, the family's obtained clandestine support from both the Free League and the Revolutionary League, just because of their opposit their mutual enemy, the Harmonium, @+HER NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIS+RIC+S Butied up against the Foundry District is Little Bytopia, @ squat full of gnomes and like-minded bashers who do their honest day's work, collect their honest day's pay, and go home without bothering anybody. Folks here like things the way they are, so don’t go stirring up trouble. They don’t abide it Gurineraag is a small neighborhood near Little Byto- pia, though the residents rarely mix. Gurineraag means “dwarven mountain” in some Prime dwarf tongue, and it's probably someone's idea of irony. Though populated mainly by dwarves, this neighborhood reflects nothing of the grandeur of a dwarven mountain. The real dark, however, is that the squat is really a sort of “front.” for the neighbor- hood extends down into UnderSigil to caverns of surprising clegance and majesty. The dwarves don't show their true dwellings to just anyone, though, and newcomers (even dwarf newcomers) see only the simple houses above the street level. The unpopular neighborhood of Hellgate is situated around three neighboring portals to Baator. Chant has it that a single baatezu controls this neighborhood (a pit fiend Whose name is said to be Mirshaz, though others claim it to be Fesneut). More likely, Hellgate holds a number of camps and strings of alliances all vying, for power. The baatezu [and the mortals who like to live near them) can't ever seem to curb their love for politics and power struggles. I's worth +enoting as well that more than one baatezu expert has expressed serious doubt that any pit fiends have taken up permanent residence in the Cage. Situated not far from Heligate but closer 10 the Great Foundry and the Shattered Temple is Gear Street, a modron squat, This incongruous slice of Mechanus right in the middle of the Cage catches some berks off guard, with modrons tot~ tering from case to case, thicker than any other kind of folk. It's a welcome neighborhood, though, for in it a body can find all sorts of clockwork do-dads and well-made mechanisms, Better yet, while the modrons won't be cheated or haggled, ‘they won't bob a basher, either. They've got their own seeu- rity here, making it a safe litle spot. Those with chaotic out- looks should plan on avoiding the area, though—they just © won't fit in (and not fitting in is a crime to a modron..). S@ME HIS+t@RY Chant has it that long ago, the Lower Ward was called the Prime Ward. Newcomers settled here. That is, such folks were |” herded here by the Sodkillers or the Incanterium, ant factions that didn’t want primes wanderinig around the city and getting in the way of their business. The Clueless lived here, at least until they figured out how to sur- vive in the rest of the burg—which means of course that they weren't clueless any more. At that time, the ward took up about half of the area the Lower Ward does now, and a good deal of the area that currently comprises the Hive Ward. Well, the restrictions placed upon the inhabitants of the Prime Ward caused what's now remembered as the Clue- less Rebellion, While the name's got a humorous ring to there was nothing funny about what happened. See, the inhabitants of the ward discovered that the ward's doorways and arches had a proclivity toward portals leading to the Lower Planes. In defiance, the Clueless began activating these portals as often as possible, letting whatever they could into the Cage. Intelligent fiends knew better than to cause a lot of trouble in Sigil, but the Clueless also let in vast numbers of mindless monsters (and a lot of dangerous fumes and ill climatic effects). Beasts and horrors from the dark planes ravaged the Prime Ward and the surrounding, wards until (it’s said) the Lady herself took action. Many of the monsters disappeared, presumably into the Mazes but per- hhaps just back to the Lower Planes, The dabus did what they could to reverse the most terrible of the conditions, but ‘much of the fumes and gloom remain today. The rebellious offenders were punished (got los, but the restriction on Clueless movement through the city was lifted. ‘The preponderance of lower-planar gates caused the area to become known as the Lower Ward, Initially all but abandoned after the Clueless Rebellion, the area was slow recover as folks gradually moved back to the area. When the Great Foundry was built in the center of the ward, itreinvig- crated the area and encouraged bashers willing to put up with the conditions to set up their cases and their businesses here. “Course, a few leatherheads out there still believe the Shadow-Sorcelled Key lies hidden somewhere in what was once the Prime Ward. This gate key, the stories go, was Instrumental in the rebellion. Somehow, it can supposedly ‘open all of the lower-planar portals in the ward at the same time. A frightening prospect, but probably just so much screed, Still... LIVING IN +HE LOWER WARD Well, by most standards, life isn’t great in the Lower Ward, Dut there are certainly a lot of worse places in the multi- verse—and a good many of them are right here in Sigil. The inhabitants persevere through hardship and overcome the harsh conditions of their home with dignity and sometimes even good-natured attitudes, Once a body's gotten used to the fumes and the stench produced by the forges, the portals to the Lower Planes, and een't seem so bad, When the frequented by numerous jobs or on the various tasks make up an urban life. A washwoman might have a few moments to stop and wigwag about the latest chant with her neighbors, and a vendor might stroll by selling some dry crusty bread (kept in a covered basket to keep the soot and grime off), but most folks are on their way to or from some~ where The natural gathering pl Jes where a body can rest throat with something es are the taverns and eater rough and rarely pretty to look at, these Lower Ward estab: lishments are filled with music, laughter, and up-front matter-of-fact talk Even in their homes, the inhabitants of this ward make rmeal- and rest-time a communal, open affair. Many times, multiple families share meals. The food they eat is rarely a fair deal here than in The Lady's rd, or the Hive. Since cutters live om fe apt to deal straight so that others more likely to rec Ward, the Market their reputa will do so with ‘Course, if this all seems a litle 100 rosy a picture of a place known for its nasty air and portals to the Nether Planes, a body can always look at neighborhoods like Hell darker the ward—the sket, and the like gate or som Styx Oarsman, The influence of th+ THE CLERK’S WARD # “IF wards was people, the Clerk's Ward’d be a real soddin’ pain in the neck. Probily a modron.” So says Unger Fanax, ‘an Indep tout. Not everyone shares this sentiment. Its, how- ever, worthwhile to note that most folks think of mazelike offices, long lines, and stacks of forms to fill out when they consider the Clerk’s Ward, Ifa chaos-loving cutter thought he was free from the strictures of law and order when he left The Lady's Ward, he Just doesn’t understand Sigil. Looking for order? Never mind the Harmonium in the City Barracks or the Guyners in their Courts; just visit the Clerk's Ward (and fill out the proper forms). Stil, the comparisons of the two wards are obvious. The Cletk’s Ward doesn’t have the finery of The Lady's Ward, but it is just as clean, if not moreso. Hardhead soldiers keep the streets well patrolled. The orderly and well-kept build- ings bear similarities to their neighbors. I's been said that the main difference between the Clerk’s Ward and The Lady's ‘Ward Is that if @ body finds the power behind the scenes in the latte, in the former he'll find the scenes themselves. That is to say, the obvious political power of the City ‘of Doors lies in the Cletk’s Ward. Bashers come here when they want permission to do something, whether it's to put up a new building, start a new tout service, or bring a herd of Bytopian sheep into the Market Ward for sale, ‘The bureaucracy of Sigil loves to hand out licenses, and the Clerk's Ward is where a sod stands in line to obtain one, ‘That skinny berk behind the counter might prave nothing 2 trained warrior, but that clerk has the power to take away the warrior’ right to carry a sword, buy goods, ot even walk the streets of Sigil at night If he wants, so the mighty hero's wise to treat him well. It just goes to show, a cutter can't judge a basher's worth by looking at him. Appearances, more than anything else, can be deceiving in the City of Doors ‘More than just a place to apply for licenses and pay taxes, the Clerk's Ward houses the main legislative body in ‘Sigil-the Hall of Speakers. These bloods make the laws and. regulations, so they're to be respected. Nevertheless, that doesn’t change how much power is really in the hands of the petty officials in Sigil. The administrators, the clerk supervi- sors, and the application officers all but hold a Cager’s life in their hands. Because of that, most are as corrupt as is round, living far beyond their means on garnish alone, Eee tHE CIVIC FES+HALL moment's work ‘1S. 4¥ ISLAND ®* C@L@R ‘on a batlefield to IN & SEA & DRAB —LILA FISSINA+HICUS, 4 BARIAUR SENSA+E Jink is the goal in the Market Ward, i's said, but in the Clerk’s Ward it’s the means toward the goal. THREE HALLS The Hall of Speakers, the Hall of Records, and the Hall of Information constitute the main bastions of bureaucracy in the Clerk's Ward. Spaced evenly on the white granite-paved Rook Street, these three complexes are the backbone of Sigil’s day-to-day government. A surrounding region of appropriate shops, services, taverns, and inns surrounds each of these Halls. For example, the area around the Hall of Information boasts some of the best bookshops in the Cage. Cutters interested in history, par- ticularly the city’s history, should definitely pay this district a Visit. The Hall of Speakers has fine inns for visiting dignitaries ‘and important bloods who wish to speak before the Council ‘Scribes and criers can also be found in abundance on the sur- rounding streets. The Hall of Records supports a number of Dbusy clerks and accountants In the nearby businesses, THE ADMINIS+RA+@RS" AND WORKERS’ DIS+RIC+S Living conditions vary considerably between these two major districts in the Clerk's Ward. While the Administrators’ District has many luxuries, the Workers’ District provides few amenities. Both, however, maintain a clean yet drab appearance. The differences are much more evident to those folks living here, as opposed to visitors. In the Workers’ District, there’s said to be a group of young dissidents plotting an uprising against the authorities of the ward. Rumors abound that the Revolutionary League supports these young firebrands, but this is untrue. In fact, the Doomguard backs them in their plots and efforts. This faction wants to see the Clerk’s Ward brought down in flames, for they hate its pristine order. ‘The dissidents themselves want to ereate an egali- tarian government that maintains equal treatment for all citizens. They consider violence to be an aceept- ‘able means to achieve this goal. Although they've taken no action as yet, their plans are wide reaching and incredibly destructive (probably due to the Doomguard influence} THE FES+HALL DIS+RIC+ A body doesn't have to be a Sensate to appreciate the strik- ing difference between the Festhall District and the rest of the Clerk’s Ward. Among the bright colors and wild music of the Civie Festhall, cutters find members of the Society of Sensa- on attempting to garner as many experiences as they can, The Hardhead guards patrol this area heavily, watch- ing closely for any Sensate activities that might get out of hhand and overly disturb or endanger the tranquillity of the +16Clerk’s Ward and its people. Fact is, the Harmonium’s attempting to use legal charinels to convince the Sensates to move the Civic Festhall to another ward-like pethaps the Hive. They claim that the Festhall so clearly fails to fit in with the rest of the ward that it should be relocated. Little chance exists for Hardhead success in this matter. ‘The Society of Sensation points out that the presence of the Hall of Speakers often creates and encourages as much of @ disturbance as the Civic Festhall. Protests, debates, and arguments frequently spill into the surrounding streets (Some start out there and never even reach the actual Hall). LIF+LE ARCADIA Although the Harmonium maintains its strength in The Lady's Ward, 2 good many of its member live in @ small neighbor- hood that folks have taken to calling Little Arcadia, The inhabitants make this a safe, if slightly bland, place to tive. ‘Armed militia, high walls, and strict local laws (like harsh cur- fews) help to protect and regulate the area. Unfortunately, they also keep out what the locals eall “undesirables,” which amounts to some hefly discrimination and prejudice. Still the streets are quiet and peaceful, the buildings are clean and pleasant looking fagain, one might be tempted to use the word “bland”), and there's litle for a body to fear-assuming the residents let him in. Ifa berk’s wandering the Cage looking to see celestals (the ones that every tout tells a body are in taverns drinking with fiends aren't as easy to come upon as the touts claim, in reality), Little Arcadia’s not a bad place to ty. Aasimon who come to the City of Doors with intentions of staying awhile often look for some litle piece of ome, and few places in the Cage remind a body of the Upper Planes. Devas, fuardinals, agathion, and others can be seen mixing freely with the locals, though many tend to keep to a spot called the Silver Spire, a tower used as a meeting place and inn for celestials. Nobody really knows what goes on inside, because {as one disgruntled bariaur who was tumed away put i)" ya ain't got a pair o” feathered wings on your back, don’t come knockin:" Only celestial beings can enter. Apparently even most aasimar are politely turned away at the gate. One more thing a bright basher'l note about Little Arcadia: I'S not a safe case for tiflings and full-blooded fiends. Those who somchow find their way into this neigh- borhood for more than a brief visit never come back out Fiends and tieflings usually just disappear, never to be seen again, Chant is a rogue asuras with a powerfully enchanted magical spear murders any creature with lower-planar ori- igins. ‘Course, its not as if any blood in Little Arcadia’s, trying too hard to catch him, THE SANDS+@NE DIS+RIC+ The Sandstone District stands in sharp contrast to Little Arcadia, for it provides a home for many tieflings and even fa few true fiends, Where Little Arcadia is restrictive, the Sandstone District is open and free in regard to who can live here. ‘Course, this also means that a few knights of the post and less desirable types call kip here as well. In particular, a wizard called Tyrashyk of the Broken Wand (PI/é human/N13/Fated/NE) lives in the district. He's rumored to capture Sods in the umbra of night to sacrifice to some dark god of magic. Though Harmonium patrols only rarely wander into this area, the Hardheads have tried more than once to catch the spellslinger on his nefarious errands in the dim hours, but to no avail. Tyrashyk denies the chant, of course, and nobody can prove him wrong. There's also a tiefling soothsayer named Chumbrai (PI/2 tiefling/P4 [Shekinester|/Society of Sensation/N), known throughout the neighborhood, the ward, and even all of Sigil as a particularly canny source of clairvoyant infor- mation. Chant is, some of the city’s high-ups (administra- tors, crime bosses, golden lords, and even factols) come to ‘ask Chumbrai questions about the ultimate dark: the future. DAUGH+ERS @F +HE LIGH+ The Daughters of the Light is a loose confederation of people unified witha single cause. Now. it might sound that the group qualifies as a sect or a faction wanna-be, but that aint the case, The Daughters of the Light exists only to put an end to the Revolutionary League. This pan-factional {group has no official endorsement from any faction it sup- pons itself Why the Anarci own literature goes somet Well, the Daughters of the Light's ng, like this: ‘Deep in the shadows, a group of evil conspira~ tors lurks, plotting to overthrow your way of life, ‘your governments and organizations, your family, These fiends lie, cheat, steal, and even murder to reach their goal, and that goal consists of nothing less than the complete subversion of all you hold dear. This group of criminals has a name: the Revo- lutionary League, “They infiltrate groups, governments, and even families. They manipulate events through guile and subterfuge. Their agents are everywhere but never vis~ ible. The Revolutionary League 's powerful, thetr ten tacles reaching everywhere, Thetr agents are canny and cunning, yet subversive. Many of the leaders that ‘you trust, the friends and coworkers that you associ- ate with, and even the family members that you love are Revolutionary League agents ‘These self-proclaimed Anarchists preach free~ dom but want only destruction and the dissolution of soctety. Those among you who value your homes, your families, and your way of life will help us oppose these lying, thieving murderers at all costs. If they win, we all lose.” oeThis organization was created to increase awareness of the Anarchists’ activities with the hope that the “light of truth” would expose and dispel their shadowy operations. They also raise money by collecting from concemed (often- terrified) donors. This money goes toward printing more anti-League pamphlets. It also supports the reporting serv- ice. Concerned Cagers who suspect Anarchist activities are instructed by the Daughter's literature to report to them. The Daughters of the Light then investigates the report more closely, eventually turning over any leads and evidence to the Harmonium, the Fraternity of Order, and the Mercykillers (chant has it that they actually turn over this information to all of the factions, just to be safe). ‘The Daughters of the Light is based in the Clerk’s Ward and uses an old butcher shop as its headquarters. Don't be fooled by the name-members of both sexes are involved, although the group was started by a small group of con- ccerned mothers. While still small in size, the organization has managed to stir up a lot of paranoia, distrust, and out- right fear in Sigil. While most folks had heard of the Revo- lutionary League before the Daughters came along, they'd never had the Anarchist’s bad qualities laid bare before them. ‘Course, not everything that the Daughters of the Light claims about the faction is true. A body still might be asking herself, why the Anan chists? Couldn't a group have started up with an anti-Signer ‘outlook, or to oppose the Guvners, or any of the other fac- tions? Despite the fact that the Daughters claim no faction relationship (many of the members belong to factions, but none are above the mamer rank), the answer is “yes.” The Daughters don’t look at the Revolutionary League as a fac- tion to be ranked among the others but rather as an evil group of subversive agents and destructive murderers. Nevertheless, some of the other factions are fright- B@RING? ‘ened rather than H@®W CAN yeu FIND ened by its such FINELY FUNED success ano WELL-@®RGANIZED meee BUREAUCRACY BORING? erat —CHINDARNES BEDON, he lish GUVNER CLERK proves successful, other faction mem- bers wonder, what will stop it or some new group from turning on us? Is also rumored that the Daughters of the Light exists as an Anarchist front spreading misin- formation and false leads (as well as stirring up general Interest about the faction). Such is the nature of conspiracy theories; once a body begins to lose his trust, he soon Finds ‘that he can’t even trust those who convinced him to lose his trust in the first place. QUALITY AND-PRICE OF GooDs: 5 5 ca RE pice A DUNGEON MAS+ER'S Ree, though row. upon tow of small clerks’ offices. anc accounting firms are common. The streets range nam Si ide ene at SE bout all are clean and faitly safe. NPCS: Administrative, sometimes bookish, ‘and work here. These folks work with numbers pa eile viiank they're bet most Cagers. A few are qui wea Many Clerk's ard rae ave business approach to life, but someti ‘wil loosen their to s ‘facts regarding the day-to-day grind money to whom, who just applied for a and information of that nature. The Clerk's Ward's populace co bariaur, and some githzerai and tiflings: 0 “found here fess frequenty, while pl fiends, slaadi, and their like stay aw here, and what can be found although there are ra i smal eno Harmon LIVING IN +HE CLERK’S WARD Quality of life in the Clerk's Ward depends greatly on who a body is and where exactly she lives. Administrators in the Halls of Records and Information, officials from the Hall of Speakers, and high-ranking employees or business owners in the rest of the ward live very well. The lowly clerks, scribes, and other simple folk live no better than folks in the Hive although the Clerk's Ward is quite a bit safer. Folks here mind their own business and prefer not to get involved. Helping some berk, or even talking to him, will prob- ably just lead to more work, or worse yet, the attentions of the hhigh-ups. “Leave well enough alone, it's not my problem,” crosses through these folks’ brain-boxes almost continually. In general, the Clerk's Ward is not the place to come looking for a good meal and fine entertainment. (The Fes- thall District ranks highly in both areas, though.) This is a quiet, drab ward for quiet, drab people. But maybe because Of the lack of the other two luxuries, maybe because of some of the other aspects of the ward, a body'll find plenty of ood bub here.. 18++ THE GUILDHALL WARD # Some folks can’t tell where the Guildhall Ward starts and the Market Ward ends. “In’t ital just the same?" they ask. Well, not really. Although the ward derives its name from the guilds that once dominated the area, most of those have faded away, Now, the Guildhall Ward exists as a sort of domain of the middle class, Many of the merchants from the Market Ward-those not wealthy enough to live on Copperman Way bbut not forced to live in their shop or sleep next to their ccart-live in the Guildhall Ward. Likewise, this ward houses ‘many who perform services rather than just sell goods: crafismen, cobblers, tinkers, talors, leatherworkers, smiths, seribes, guides, masons, carpenters...and the list goes on. GYMNASIUM DIS+RIC+ Not surprisingly, Ciphers constitute most of the population in this area. Most members of the faction live very close to their headquarters—and who can blame them, since they have free access to the luxuries of the Great Gymnasium! Surrounding this elegant structure are businesses that cater to the factioneers and others who come to relax or work out in the Gymnasium, Beyond that stretches a mainly residen- tial area, I's generally an active, pleasant neighborhood. “Course, the members of the Transcendent Order aren't ‘without their problems. The latest chant reveals the exis- tence of a murderer or group of murderers that preys only ‘on Ciphers, I's taken the Harmonium awhile to come to that conclusion, but they're sure of it now. (The investigative arm of the Hardhead faction isn’t their strongest one, and~in their defense-it’s difficult to investigate a crime where the only similarity is the personal philosophy of the victims.) Because of this, the Transcendent Order has its own (illegal) patrols watching the district. Since the Ciphers tend toward Jumping to conclusions and going on gut instinct rather than investigating clues or questioning suspects, these patrols have created a great deal of contfict on the streets of the Gymnasium district. Wrongful “arrests” and misguided vigilante attacks are commonplace now, and the real author- ities don't have the manpower to stop them. Worse, the murders continue. All concerned assume that more than one killer is involved since the methods and style of the murders vary so widely. Some folks theorize that the murderers use spells, while others claim that the killers hhave natural magical powers, like flends or cetestials. Still others say that the victims themselves are part of a spel, unwilling participants in some foul ritual or sacrifice to an evil god. @+HER AREAS In at least one respect, the Guildhall Ward is less cosmopol- itan than the other wards of Sigil. A number of neighbor- hoods are devoted to members of one particular race or background, There is no “official ordinance” requiring this segregation. Rather, it arose from folks wanting familiar faces and familiar surroundings in the unfamiliar maze that is the City of Doors. One of the larger racial neighborhoods (or “squats” i the githyanki community known as Gitriban, or sometimes Githariban, The architecture here is distinctly githyanki~ that is, baroque and orate. Some folks are surprised by the number of githyanki in the Cage. Most igure that the bash- cers stick to the Astral, especially when there'e so many sithzerat about ready 0 put them in the dead-book. Well, While there're frequent skirmishes here and in the githzerai Hive neighborhood of Darkwell Court, and the githyanki really have to watch their step and move about the City of Doors in numbers, the chant is that most of those found in Gitban are actually rogues who've fled the Astra, never to return, These outcasts and pariahs aren't talking when it comes to the whys and wherefores of their exile, but plenty lof berks like (0 guess. The elf community of Sigil lives in an area without a real name, although some leatherheads laughingly refer to it as the Forest. See, the elves who choose to live in the Cage aren't ike most elves. Most of those folks could never stand to be cooped up in a grimy, dreary, lifeless city like Sigil. Those who can don’t notice the conditions. Thus, their neighborhood is indistinguishable from any other part of Sigil, except that i's full of elves. I's @ small squat—a stret really, called Ritman Street by some, Long Lane by others. ‘The squat of Ghundarhavel-a neighborhood inhabited almost entirely by bariaur—is known to the locals by its real name (which means “home without grass” in their native tongue), Those who don't live here call it Hoof Park. This little community's taverns and eateries cater to bariaur tastes and accommodations. Shops carry bariaur clothing, armor, shoes. gtooming tools, and other unique items. I's a pleasant enough place (as Cayer neighborhoods go), but the inhabi- tants are surprisingly unwelcoming to those of other races. Bordering Ghundashavel near the Clerk's Ward lies @ squat called Curly-Foot. Curly-Foot provides a. home away from home to a fair number of halflings, While most halflings have a surprising adaptability (not unlike humans), they still prefer to live in familiar teritory. Talun Underfoot (Pr/g.halfing/F3/Transcendent OrderING), a wealthy half= ling from a world called Oerth, had a few tons of real Ocrthian soil brought in (at tremendous expense). complete with sod. He then commissioned an actual burrow to be built (ug?) for him inthe artificial hil that was created. It stands in the center of Curly-Foot ‘A fest years back, a tout new to the business sent a {group of Clueless halflings to find a case in Curly-Foot Unfortunately, these halflings were from a prime world called Athas. When the halllings from Athas attempted to cat the residents of Curly-Foot, it took virtually every local warrior to expel them from the neighborhood. +194GUILDHALL WARD HIS+@RY The Guildhall Ward once held the reigns of power in the Cage, While it still retains some vitality and importance (that {s to say. it’s not the slum that the Hive is), it has long since lost its grand qualities. In days s0 long ago that most books don't even men- tion them, centuries before the Great Upheaval, the guilds of Sigil were powerful cabals of well-organized men and women. Back then, the numerous and splintered factions constantly and openly fought with each other, often result- ing in warfare and chaos on the streets. In these dangerous days, the guilds were bastions of order, safety, and peace. A basher not part of the constant factional conflicts found pro- tection and stability with the guilds ‘Some of the more powerful guilds included the Stone- workers, the Freemen (carpenters, masons, and roofers), the Leatherworkers, the Alchemists, and the Planewalkers. The Planewalkers were a guild of mercenaries willing to travel anywhere for the right price. (The guild's name became the name for all types of planar adventurers over time.) ‘Afier the Great Upheaval, when the factions were sta- bilized by edict of the Lady, the guilds fell on hard times. The people of Sigil clung to one faction or another, and the consolidated, more-powerful-than-ever factions saw the guilds as unnecessary threats, Many of the new or newly organized factions forbade their members 10 hold guild membership. Most of the major guilds fell apart soon after, leaving only a few of the more “innocuous” ones—the Innkeepers, the Touts, and so on. The Alchemist guild went into hiding, and the Planewalker’s Guild left Sigil and relo- cated to Ysgard, on the Infinite Staircase. Most say that they disbanded soon afterward. The Secret Society of Alchemy still exists today, and although the factions hardly notice the guilds anymore, it still chooses to remain hidden, These bashers maintain their expertise in magical study, herbology, and magical item construction. Some of them are wizards, while others are merely learned scholars. Although most folks don’t even know that they exist, chant is that the Alchemists dabble in forbidden and dark magic, keeping obscure secrets and long- forgotten rituals that produce spells unlike any cast by con- temporary wizards. LIVING IN +HE GUILDHALL WARD ‘The Guildhall Ward possesses less of a unique atmosphere all, its own than the other wards of Sigil. I's @ mishmash of cul- tures and races, each attempting to keep its own identity, Somehiow, it all fits together without creating the chaos and disorder of the Hive. The Guildhall Ward celebrates a holiday four times ceach year called Harmony. This huge festival's origins and even meaning have been lost in the mists of time, but the A DUNGEON MAS+ER's VIEW @F +HE GUILDHALL WARD — BUILDINGS ANO Stacers: The buildings of this ward ap “range from tiny wooden kips to vast stone complexes. The types of buildings and streets vary greatly from neigh-- borhood to neighborhood. NPCs: The people of the Guildhall Ward common middle-class folk, at least by Sigi’s standards. ‘They've often got a smattering of information pertaining to both the upper classes and the lower but are unfamil- {ar with the ways of the extreme of either end. Guildhall folk often have a good feel for history and many gray- beards call kip here, particularly those with knowledge of the planes This quiet ward also boasts the highest per- centage of resident wizards in all of i No one race is found more predominantly than the others, though the mixture here is the opposite of the Heer ag ae al dango FM Bae ie Guildhall Ward, a body's more likely to see a celestial than a fiend). QUALITY AND PRICE OF GooDs: This ward is known ‘more for services (tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry, ‘masonry, and similar crafts) than for goods. Since Guildhall Ward must compete with the nearby Ward, prices are low, but so are quality and selection. Locanion of AUTHoKMES: An old etm among many of the old guild headquarters, esrees aS at outpost for the Harmonium, residents of the ward continue to celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Parties, parades, and revelries occur over a three-day period at the end of each third month. At night, bashers throw colored powders into torches and lamps, caus- ing them to burn with red, green, or blue flames. The number of lights causes the Guildhall Ward to shine more brightly than any other place in the Cage at that time. Folks from all over Sigil come to celebrate the parties of Harmony, which means authorities and cross-traders both are out in full force + THE MARKE+ WARD ‘As the name implies, the Market Ward holds the key to com- ‘merce in the Cage. Shops, Warehouses, markets, and bazaars make up most of the ward. Merchants and their employees live here as well—and it’s not too hard to find an establish- ‘ment in which a body can obtain something to eat or a decent kip to sleep in, either. ‘Course, with all the things to be bought in the ward, a berk won't have a difficult time finding a moneylender to extend her a big, fat loan—with a big, fat interest rate and the bruisers to back the ‘lender up at collection time, +20%Merchants of the Market Ward range from wealthy and powerful bloods who own rows of warehouses and transport vast amounts of goods from plane to plane to simple street peddlers with rickety wooden carts that hold all their wares. Some items are imported from the remotest quarters of the multiverse, and some are made by craftsmen right here in the Cage, Even with Harmonium patrols watching over the streets and shops of the ward, there’s just too much money exchanging hands to expect the cutpurses, cony-catchers, ‘muggers, and pickpockets to be far away. The establisl shopkeepers have minders to help protect them against thieves, while the simpler dealers have only their own wits and skills © protect them. ‘And the cross-trade doesn't stop there, Many of the criminals are organized into elaborate network authorities root networks in not the thievis real punishment and actually supply a surprising per centage of the vendors. If a body's been bobbed in the City fof Doors and he wants his stuff back, the best place to look in the Market Ward are, of course, the markets and what a body can buy there. he Food that Cagers eat comes through the Market point, Even if a cutter doesn’t buy his food -s are that the local vendor in his ward or the that he bought the food from dealt with a vendor. Almost any sort of foodstuff can be found here, but the are sold first-come, first-serve (usu- ind only when available (in season). A few examples more interesting kinds of food and drink are presented below.®", Y®U CAN FIND Arborean wine: This extremely expensive wine (130 Ap per bottle from most sources) is made from giant rapes that grow on the plane for which i's named. Actual giants pick and erush the grapes, thus raising the price. For those unaceus- tomed to its potency, this wine intoxi- cates anyone drinking it twice as quickly and as completely as most other wine Byropian cheese: This cheese comes in three types blue, red, and white. Made from goat’s milk, these unique cheeses have a flavor unlike any other. Each costs about 1 ap per pound, with the price of the blue cheese often exceed ing twice that during the night (at night, the blue cheese slows in the dark and gains a much tangier, spicier flavor, Fire frit: Shipped directly from the Elemental Plane of Fire, these delicacies burn with a soft flame while fresh. Ifa body douses the flame only right before eating, their taste ‘exceeds virally any other fruit. Left extinguished, they spoil in just a few minutes. Vendors Keep them in special contain crs and serve them with tongs. They're tempting, but beeware—this frit is uterly deadly to all but the most fire= stant beings. Each costs 2 sp. CLO+HING Everybody needs clothing-the Harmonium’s pushed laws through the Council of Speakers requiring it, in fact. The Market Ward features shop after shop with clothing and cloth, as well as leather goods, furs, shoes, hats, jewelry, and riscellaneous accessories. Chilfoot boots: Developed by a halfling cobbler right here in Sigil, these useful leather boots seem useless—even detri- rmental-on first glance. Somehow, they harbor an unnatural cold conjured from some icy waste. Basically, any herk who puts them on gets very cold feet. The boots are too uncomfort- able to wear for much longer than half an hour normally. However, if wor in areas of great heat, that same berk can walk over red-hot surfaces and even through flames with= ‘out any harm coming to him=or at leat to his feet. While the wearer's not fireproof by any means, he can safely resist any damage normally incurred by touching hot surfaces with his feet [such as in Khalas on Gehenna). These boots cost 130 gp for more (depending on where a body buys them). Fishskin suit: This suit stitched from ichythian hides allows a cutter to swim through water smoothly and quickly. It comes complete with webbed gloves and fins for the fee increasing a body's swimming speed by 50%. A tailor-made suit with accessories costs 225 gp. Living cloak: Chant is, this thing comes from the Prime somewhere. While it looks like a normal, thick fur cloak, i's actually alive, When wor, the cloak clutches tightly {not painfully oF restrictively} around the wearer. Coupled with ANY+HING HERE IN +e MARKE+ WARD Te QUES+ION IS, WHY W®ULD YOU Ever NEED some or +HIS STUFF? —ENKILL® +He SLY the “creature's” own body heat, this cloak is about the warmest piece of clothing in the multiverse—at least, that’s what the vendors say. They charge 60 gp for the cloaks, and only a few ‘merchants in the ward know where to procure them, Solanian shoes: On Solania (a layer of ‘Mount Celestia), these climbers’ shoes allow a blood to scale even vertical inclines safely and without fear. Elsewhere in the multiverse they aid a climber by adding $9 to his chance to scale any surface. Market Ward vendors won't let these useful items go for less than 300 gp. Zadisband: This simple novelty item looks like a regu- lar leather headband or armband, but it has a unique feature: It continually hums a soft, melodic tune. While most bash- ers grow tired of the humming eventually, they make won- derful-if often-recycled—gifis. Each costs 8 sp. EQUIPMEN+ Often, planewalkers make the Cage their base of operations. To do their jobs (which can vary greatly), planewalkers need equipment. Beyond all the normal things that adventurers need, Sig's Market Ward offers the following rarer items lin addition to many, many others}. Bytopian bottle: By utilizing some law of nature on the plane of Bytopia, the gnomes who live there are able to ‘make bottles that can store two different liquids without the liquids ever mixing. They come in all shapes and sizes but generally cost around 15 gp. They are widely available, Celestian rope: The spiders found on Mount Celestia are metallic things of gold and silver (and can themselves be purchased for 2 gp each in the Market Ward). They spin a gossamer silk that’s virtually transparent and very strong. This silk has a variety of uses, one of which is to make strong and lightweight rope. Vendors usually charge about 1 4p per foot for this rope, which has the strength of a normal chain and is almost invisible. CClearsteel shield: Clearstee is @ mineral found only on Acheron. There, they use it to make (what else?) weapons and armor. While the weapons are simply novelties, many a blood has seen the practical need for a transparent shield. These shields are availabe from many armorers in the Cage and cost ‘ovice ay much as shields made from more common metals. iter chain: Lengths of chain from the Baatorian city of Jangling Hiter are the finest in the multiverse, bar none. Durable, rust-fee, and lightweight, this chain puts others to shame, Each foot of chain costs 10 gp and weighs 1 pound. ‘Mandorian stone: In the Grand Bazaar, careful shop- pers can find a small cart owned by a shor, stout woman named Finn. Finn sells polished stones of all types, a few made into pieces of jewelry or set into ornate boxes. She also sells something she calls Mandorian stones, although she +224won't reveal their source. These grayish-blue rocks come in ‘one, two, and five pound sizes. When struck sharply, these stones become immovable in space, able to support up 10 100 times their own weight. Striking them again negates the effect, in which case they seem like normal stones until struck again. ‘There's a tea-house garden in the Guildhall Ward where the steps up to a secluded loft consist only of Man- dorian stones. Canny bashers take soft, careful steps up those stairs Asa strange side effect, these stones give off an eerie ‘moaning sound when wet. No one knows why. Voidmarks: Vendors selling these claim that they come from the plane of Vacuum—hence the name. However, more than one graybeard has taken the time to investigate and prove this to be false. Voidmarks come from the portion of the Outlands known as Tir na Og, where they just call them ‘marker bits, ‘These chalklike sticks can be used to make invisible ‘marks on things. The marks made by the chalk can only be ‘seen through special dark lenses or magical means that nor mally reveal invisible objects. Cross-trading bloods use voidmarks to indicate future targets to their comrades by surreptitiously marking their clothes. Shopkeepers use them to. mark prices or secret notes on their merchandise. Planewalkers use them to mark paths through the wilder- ness, mazes, or whatnot If a body buys a stick or two, he shouldn't forget to buy the lens to sce them. A stick costs 8 sp, while the 3-inch by J-inch handheld lens costs § gp (and it’s not good for anything but seeing voidmarks). Water-torch: Using a process developed in Limbo by the githzerai, woodcrafters in Sigil have developed a way to treat wood so that it will burn even when wet. In fact, the ‘wood bums even when submersed in water. Unfortunately, the treatment process requires some rare chemical mixtures ‘and about six months, so each water-torch costs 8 gp. LIVING CREA+URES In certain parts of the Market Ward, a body can’t even hear her own bone-box rattle due to the screeching, braying, roaring, and chittering of the animals for sale. It might sur- prise some folks that a metropolitan city like the Cage offers a livestock area, but it’s true, Merchants herd animals into the city through a portal, sell them, and then the new owner herds them right back out again through his own portal. Although prospective buyers can find virtually any kind of beast (even some rather deadly monsters} for sale in the Market Ward, those presented below are some of the more interesting specimens. Astral streaker: These birds hail from the Astral Plane. ‘They're intelligent and have excellent homing instincts, making them wonderful messengers. Small bits of paper or cloth can be tied to their legs. If treated well, they become fiercely loyal. Each sells for about 3 gp—they'te fairly ‘common around Sigil Trained ethyk: Dragged from its home on the plane of | Bytopia, this lemurlike creature has the ability to alter the ‘moods of other creatures. Unfortunately, an ethyk always alters it for the worse, making others more aggressive and contrary. In the wild, the ethyk uses this ability to encour- age predators to become aggressive toward other prey, for the object of the ethyk’s powers never directs its aggression toward the ethyk itself (handy, that). Some Folks like to have these beasts around, for trained ethyks can be made to increase the aggression in others, directed away from both cethyk and master. In the debate-heated confines of the Hall of Speakers, for example, it’s handy to deflect an opponent's ire at another-which is exactly why they're not allowed in that building. In any event, most trainers sell ethyks for around 150 gp. These beasts understand simple one-word commands but only accept them from someone that they've been around for at least a week. Afler a few months of additional train ing, they can be taught simple tasks such as retrieving small items, tying knots, warning of intruders, and so on. MISCELLANE@US Jewelry? Yes sit. Transport? No problem. Musical instru- ments? OF course, The Market Ward can fill any need that a body has—no matter how varied or strange. Boatorian lute: First off, any leatherhead knows that the baatezu aren't known for their music. Nevertheless, an observant cutter found a box of interesting instruments called Baatorian lutes as she went through the cart of a peddler who'd gone to the dead-book. A member of the Fated, she was processing his belongings for tax purposes before the Dustmen carted it all away. In any event, it ‘seems that these lutes were originally crafted by an erinyes (this determined through some careful research and a legend lore spell) and sold as extras. They have no special powers per se, but they produce sounds unlike any previ- ously heard by mortal ears. The Fated sold the lutes to a merchant in the Grand Bazaar, so they are once again available to the public. The curiosity value has forced the price to rise considerably. No one will let one go for less than 450 gp. Githyanki jewelry: The githyanki produce gold and silver gem-studded jewelry of all sorts: necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and everything else. Not only are they omate and wonderfully crafted, but they also possess an interesting property, Whenever the wearer’s name is spoken wi mile, the jewelry tingles. Apparently, each piece is somehow psionically attuned so that it mentally “reads” the name of the wearer and then scans the surrounding area. While not terribly useful, this intriguing power jacks the price of the jewelry (usually worth from 500 to 5,000 gp for the material ‘and craftsmanship alone) up 500 percent +23eJandor’s Music Boxes: Not a thing, really, but a place, Jandor’s has a wide variety of musical boxes. These elegant devices bear the precision of something from Mechanus and. the beauty of an art object from Elysium. Each is different, but all of them seem to be a steal at 80 gp. The thing is, nobody knows the dark of where they come from or who makes them—and Jandor (the owner) is keeping his bone- box locked. The real dark? Jandor's a polymorphed nalfesh- nee, and the boxes each contain the essence of a tanar'ri warrior ready to materialize and pounce when Jandor gives the word. The moral? Let the buyer beware. HIGH WEIRDNESS Sig's the self-proclaimed center of the multiverse (what place ain't?) Because of its unique position and easy access to virtually everywhere else, 2 body exploring the Market Ward can stumble upon some very strange things. Some of this odd, miscellaneous stu is magical. while some is just weird or rare, A few examples of such high weirdness are presented below. (The DM is encouraged to throw a strange or wondrous find the PCs’ way once in a while-if they've really looked hard.) Clockwork pets: More than likey, these things origi- nated on Mechanus or the gate-town of Automata. These iron contraptions are designed to resemble normal domesti- cated animals—dogs, cats, birds, and even fish. Clockwork pets function in every way that a normal trained animal ‘would, except that they don’t need to eat or sleep. None of them seem capable of combat, either. Most clockwork pets seem created for aesthetic value, as they are incredibly beautiful. Many produce wonderful music by “singing.” Depending on the materials used in con- struction, clockwork pets cost anywhere from 1,000 to 8,000 &p. Favored among the golden lords of Sigil, they're only ‘obtained in an upscale clockmaker’s shop called Divinities ‘Memory erystal: A vendor who worked out of Giereht's eweleraft once sold these crystals. (At the time he said he was a fiend of Girreht’s, but now that he's gone the githz- rai claims to have no memory of him.) He apparently had an entire box of them, but no one knows for sure if he man- aged to sell them all These memory crystals are a little like thought recorders (see below}, but instead of being able to store the image of a thought, the small, finger-sized erystals can store a memory. The memory is preserved in exact deal (and is completely accurate—it's what really happened, from the recorder’ point of view) and can be “replayed” by anyone holding the crystal. The memory will never be more than ten minutes long, but once stored in a crystal it lasts forever. ‘A monastic deva visiting from Elysium reportedly rat- tled her bone-box about the erystals being from an order of psionicists sequestered deep within that plane. They call the crystals Fir-annads, Another source, however, claims that the erystals come from Pandemonium and are used by fiends, Fg: 5 A DUNGEON MAS#ER’S VIEW | @F +HE MARKE+ WARD — BUILDINGS AND Steers: Though visitors might see strets filled with rows of shops of every imaginable type, the typical architectural archetype in this ward tends to open markets filled with stalls, stands, carts; and brim- ring over with product. Although the streets are safe ‘against physical harm, smart bashers Keep a peery eye out for pickpock i NPCs: Merchants, Period. The Market Ward is. a 00d place to introduce the vast range of Cager mer- ‘chants, from haughty import kings to lowly peddlers and _ everyone in between. Although most like to chat over'a purchase, folks here are more interested in money and produets than information. Nevertheless, many of the traveling merchants in this ward carry with them news of other planes and worlds. fag Since everybody needs to buy something sometime, ‘every type of basher in the multiverse can be found here at some point. Some folks come to Sigil for no other reason than (0 shop the Great Bazaar for its incredible selection and availabilty of goods. 3 QUALITY AND PRICE OF Goobs: Obviously, in a place like the Market Ward, quality and price can vary consid= erably. Those who want to pay less can either ange bargains or seitle for less-durable, lower-quality- 7 cchandise (but sometimes a body doesn't need anything — better). On the other hand, those willing t0 pay a bit more can find an “improved” or “advanced” version of virtually any item. Overall, prices of common items are slightly ‘ower than average due to the great availability, but bar- - gain-hunters should remember that a body gets what he oF Auroars: The Fee Leagi och icra Hardheads still maintain a garison on Copperman Way. to trap the fleeting memories of barmy petitioners, which are then used to torment the poor sods. This mysterious source says the crystals have no name. Obviously, the crystals are similar to, or perhaps related to, the recorders found in the Sensoriums of the Civic Festhall. I's said the Sensates'll buy up any of these crystals they find, if for no other reason than to keep the recorders unique. ‘Thought recorder: Andar Colis found one of these in a stall in the Grand Bazaar, under a stack of ceramic plates com- memorating the inauguration of some long-dead prime king and a box of lute strings. A few others have surfaced in Sigil, ‘but no one has any idea where they came from originally. A thought recorder is a flat copper plate about six inches to a side. If pressed to a basher’s temple for five min- tutes (or more), the image of what he was thinking about +eappears slowly on the plate. This image remains perma- rently, or until a new image is placed upon it. The image never reveals more than what the user imagines, even if ‘what the berk thinks is wrong, untrue, or unrealistic, THE GRAND BAZAAR FROM +HE INDEP’S VIEW “sure, the Grand Bazaar is a great place to pick up some trinkets, buy some food and bub, and try on a new hat. However, i's also the ‘headquarters’ of the Free League. How's that work? Not too well, if the Free League was an official sort of faction with offices, applications, and the rest of that screed, But we Indeps aren't like that, so it all ‘works just Fine,” So says Kalo Seth, an outspoken Indep who works in the Grand Bazaar and loves it. Kalo’s a stuc- cessful artist who sketches caricatures of folks in the plaza of the Bazaar. His less-successful friend Joma isn’t quite as enam- cored of the place. “It'd be nice to have someplace to go 10 fet away from the crowds, like the other factions,” he says. Chesfur, a bariaur smith, adds, “Oh, 'm always telling Peeping Jomatt (that’s what we call him around here) that he should just quit complaining. The Indeps aren't even a fac- tion. If he wants some fancy headquarters and a bunch of berks behind desks telling him what to do, he should join the Guvners.” “There's just no place else to be,” Kalo states. “I's good for business and it’s a good place to be free of the strictures of the rest of the Cage.” LIVING IN #HE MARKE+ WARD For the most part, only the folks who work in this ward choose to live here fulltime. Other eutters who come here to do business stay in the various inns on a temporary basis. ‘The general feel here is one of self-sufficiency. “Watch your own back, berk,” remains a commonly heard catchphrase In the neighborhoods of the rich merchant “kings,” a body might think he was in The Lady's Ward. Walking down Copperman Way, a cutter sees well-kept and well-guarded manors, wide newly paved streets, and ample-bellied mer- cchants riding in sedan chairs carried by muscular soldier- slaves. Much of the rest of the ward, where the business is done, is a crowded cacophony of peddlers, hawkers, con- sumers, sightseers, and beggars, not to mention Hardhead patrols, entertainments that entice shoppers to come to one store ot another, and the frequent arguments that break out when haggling escalates out of hand. And that doesn't even begin to include the livestock and other animals for sale, which are actually more pungent than loud. Yet folks in the Market Ward live as well as work here. Many shopkeepers live right in their stores (or above, or behind... and peddlers and vendors live in tiny hovels set up close to the markets and bazaars Although the Market Ward doesn't have several well- defined districts like the other wards, the Warchouse District is a distinct area with rows upon rows of storchouses. Guards maintain a constant vigil, though (as usual) most are not immune to a little garish. If anything rules the Market Ward, it's jink. Forget the Harmonium, the Council of Speakers, or even the Lady her- self, Money is the real power here. Everything is for sale. Everything. Not just goods, but information, loyalty, justice, public opinion, reputation—even religion. If a body likes ‘money, this is the place to be. Folks who don't twig to such Jevel of commercialism should complete their business and move out fast. + THE HIVE WARD + Firahar's book on the Hive Ward describes it as a cooking recipe: “Cram thousands of cross-traders, numerous fiends, and a variety of monsters into a small, rundown area. Sprin- ile liberally with impoverished sods and diseased beggars. Top ‘olf with some of the barmiest berks in the multiverse. Serve.” He doesn’t paint a preity picture, but it ain't inaccu- rate, either. The Hive is the slum of Sigil, though newcomers often jokingly point out that its hard to tell. ‘Course, after they've spent some time in the Hive Ward, then they're able to tell. ‘The Hive is everything had about Sigil, but doubly so. Infested with thieves, cutthroats, fiends, and creatures most folks'd label monsters (orcs, trolls, goblins, khaasta, reaves, ‘mephits, and much worse), the Hive's a dangerous area. Garbage liters the street, and rats and other vermin nibble on ‘corpses before the Dustmen can arrive to cart them away to the Mortuary. I's a grim, dismal place of pain, fear, and poverty. THE DEAD DIS+RIC+ It’s no secret that the Dustmen run the Mortuary in the Hive. ‘They're a fairly quiet faction, rarely causing trouble for others (though the chant says that they might have some- thing to do with the problems the Godsmen are having). The real dark is that they quietly run the entire Hive Ward. ‘The Dead District (the area around the Mortuary) is probably the cleanest and safest place in the Hive, The streets have better lighting, and folks walk them with litle fear. Course, it being next to their headquarters, i's not sur- prising that the district's thick with Dustmen. However, the poor sods who live here know that “the eyes of the Dead ‘watch everything in the Hive.” The Dustmen faction directly or indirectly controls much of what occurs in the ward. Some say that they even gain a percentage of all money ‘made, legally or illegally, in the Hive. ‘The dark grows deeper. The rumored reason why they exert such control over the Hive, which they've actually: done for centuries, is twofold, Firs, to raise funds to support 1 dire master plan, Factol Skall, itis said, desires to convert +254THE NICES+ +HING B@DY can SAY everyone in the AB@U+ +H HIVE Coren IS THAT +HE DECAYING thinking B@DIES DON’+ ines suasion LAY sous +HE SHREE+S — Susi +28 LONG ae —RETH@LIEN, And the easiest GIFHZERAL Way to convert sods by force is to put them in the dead-book itself. Second, if there's going to be a “mass conversion,” his forces need a staging ground, and the Hive is conveniently free of most Harmonium patrols and nosy Fated tax collectors—even the dabus usually steer clear of the slum, ‘The visible result of all this is that wise bloods living, in the Hive quietly toss a litte jink in the cart when the Dustmen corpse collectors come by. It's either that, or sud- denly discover that there's room for one more on that cart tomorrow. The inhabitants of the Hive have all heard that a secret order of Dead assassins exists to punish those who won't cooperate with the faction or who actively counter their plans. No one seems to know anything more about these shadowy killers, however. THE CHA@S DIS#RIC+ ‘The Xaositects have their headquarters in the Hive, too, Do they know about the Dead’s supposed plans? Maybe. Maybe not. Who can tell? And even if they did, would they care? The slum called the Hive, as opposed to the entire ward surrounding it, functions as the Xaositects’ headquarters—as ‘much as they have one, It’s also known as the Chaos District. Visitors to this neighborhood should be ready for anything. Anything, The Chaos District is a jumble of falling-down, buildings, hastily raised hovels, and winding streets (some which go seemingly nowhere) filled with cacophonous sounds, smells, and sights. No one building serves the faction as a base. Rather, the Xaositects just hang out in the neigh- bborhood, so it’s the place folks go if they want to find them. THE MADH@USE DIS+RIC+ Only the Bleakers seem to take any initiative to make the Hive a better place. The Bleak Cabal runs a number of soup kitchens and shelters for those who have nowhere else to go. ‘Their headquarters, the Madhouse, takes in those barmies ‘who just couldn't handle their lives any more, There's a cer- tain appropriateness to the fact that in Sigil, when a body hhas sunk to the utter bottom and has no where else to turn, she can always look to the Madmen for solace, ‘The district around the Madhouse is wide and open~ unlike most of the Hive. A body's likely to encounter a umber of ragged urchins, crippled beggars, and wretchedly poor sods here, hoping to garner help from the Bleakers. The screams and wails of madness from the Madhouse itself set the mood on edge in the district, but the barmies, at least are all safe inside. Chant has it that the Bleakers built a number of under- ground entrances to the catacombs below the city. Some say that the Madhouse is full, and now they throw the inmates into the deep warrens below, while others say that the Bleak cers have it in their heads that there's something. important down there to find. Other versions of the chant say that it was the barmies inside who dug down and out, and now their keepers follow the madmen down there to bring them bback. Whatever the case, rumors abound of search parties exploring the reaches under the Madhouse. THE DI+CH The Ditch is a hideous trench ripped through Sigil like a giant scar, dividing the Hive from the Lower Ward. Some ‘maps put the Ditch in the Lower Ward, but it really fits in the Hive~it’s a water-filled gouge filled with trash, offal, and dead bodies. Certainly sounds like it belongs in the Hive. Despite the horrible and clogged waters, the Ditch holds a number of portals and thus many bashers use it as transport to other planes or gate-towns. Occasionally, a special portal to the River Oceanus opens to fill the Ditch and purge its foulness with pure, sparkling Water. When this happens, folks on both sides drop whatever they're doing to bathe in and drink the refreshing water. A few berks claim that they've developed systems for predicting When this occurs, and one barmy’s even sure enough of his formula to propose that a scheduled official holiday be declared so that people are ready for the deluge. The real dark is that the dabus have access to the Oceanus portal and its key. ‘They purposely open the portal repeatedly, letting in the rivers water. Their motives are beyond understanding, let alone pre- diction, so the berks with the systems are spouting screed. THE SLAGS ‘The Slags are a small, isolated area of the Hive Ward that lies in ruin. Chant has it that a Blood War battle spilled over into gil once, and the devastation it caused resulted in the Slags. There’re still quite a few fiends scattered throughout the area, so it's an easy story to believe—and some bashers claim that the portal which let the battle in is due to open up again. Soon, ‘Many horrible tales come out of the Slags, but none is ‘more frightening than that of the self-proclaimed King of the Slags. This being (reports conflict as to whether he is a nycaloth, a nalfeshnee. or an obese tiefling) reportedly demands tribute from anyone it comes upon as it wanders the Slags. The tribute is in the form of virtue—the King ‘demands that its “subjects” perform some evil act far it. This could mean striking a friend, stealing food from the poor, ‘maligning some good power, or even worse. The King of the +26Slags possesses a great deal of might to back up its demands, and it’s also got a lot of evil thugs and minders that follow it in the shadows, ready to strike when it calls for them. Creatures not tolerated in other areas of Sigil call kip in the Slags. Monstrous humanoids most often found in Acheron—orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, and the like-live in nomadic camps that move around the ruined wasteland. A lower-planar native like a night hag, hordling, or gehreleth is as likely to share the street with a body as @ human or boariaur. Now, such creatures are occasionally found in other areas of Sigil, but in the Slags they act as if they own the place. It may be that they're no more common in the Slags than anywhere else, but the lack of normal or upstanding folk in comparison makes it seem like there're more of ’em. @+HER AREAS Darkwell Court's ominous name serves to scare off cross- traders and undesirables more than anything else. The neighborhood's inhabitants, a large community of githzerai, live in the Hive because it’s isolated, not because they'te poor. The githzerai have made this area uniquely their own. Gone are the sweeping gables and iron spikes found on most Sigil buildings. Here, the walls are smooth, the roofs are flat (sloped a little so that water doesn't collect), and the archi- tecture is plain. By some standards, the place is drab and ‘unimaginative. By other standards—githzerai standards: alittle slice of home. An ancient githzerai woman named Divin Anesh (P1/2 githzerai/M10/Athar/LN) living in the Court's said to be the high-up. Apparently, nobody makes a move in the neighborhood without her, and all githzerai in the city pay their respects (o her (or at least they should). Surprisingly close to Darkwell Court is Khaasta Row. Creatively named, a number of Khaasta have taken up resi- dence on this short street. Since most folks don't twig 10 these lizard-men (some cutters have a problem with raiding and kidnapping), they hole up in this tiny slum and keep mostly to themselves. "A bunch of primes from the world of Athas have set- ted a small section of the Hive that they call New Tyr. Most of these bashers possess rough qualities and excel in fighting and survival skills. Most don’t like githzerai or githyanki, cither, so canny members of either race stay far away. Refugees from a dying prime-material world called Ranais settled in the Lower Ward centuries ago. but the neighborhood, called Goatswood, has since shifted into the Hive with the ever-changing borders and definitions of the two wards, These folks are fairly good natured as well as long-suffering, making the squat a friendly one—partic by Hive standards. LIVING IN +HE HIVE WARD Might makes right in the Hive. Personal power and tough- ness overshadow all else—politics, jink, information, or even St : A DUNGE@N MAS+ER'S VIEW @F +HE HIVE WARD - S unoiies ano STREETS: This is the ultimate slum. The buildings here have either collapsed or are well ‘way to niin, Various kips have been cobbled together, but no one puts real_effort into a Hive buil ecause 4 tabody cares and because everyone knows if wont A Jong anyway. Thetrets run down narrow a F jus alleyways and shadowed spots for angs, muggers, and worse to wait in-ambul : ‘NPCS: The poor and the criminally inelined call kip.» in the Hive, but usually not by choice. Not everyone in. the Hive i a criminal, but is safer to not give the bene= fit of the doubt. Folks here focus their eriergics ofsur~ vival, 50 if a basher wants information about something other than the general goings-on inthe Hive, fe should ook elsewhere. : ‘The Hive is one of the few places in Sigil where humans aren’t the major segment of the population. | There'e still alot of humans in the Hive, but when a body adds together all the githzerai, tieflings, bariaur, half- elves, humanoids, fiends, and monstrous races, they seem "insignificant. A player character's not likely to rum across “a celestial in the ward unless it's on some mercy mission. QUALITY AND PRICE OF Goons: Low and tow. ai little for sale here but junk scavenged or stolen from ‘others by those desperate fora few coins. Location oF AuTHoRMEs: The Harmonium mai tains two small bastions on either side of this sprawl ‘ward, one in Ragpicker's Square (which is ly in. the Lower Ward) and the other near the junction of Pride. paths, with mm Nhs, and Stump street, just within the unofficial borders of thie ward. Truth be told, however, the nly authority in the Hive isa body's own might. & t re : belief. But like anything else, toughness is a commodity. A basher can buy the right weapon, trade for the best spells. or hhire out his trained sword-arm. Might is the currency that people trade in here—in fact, bloods looking for the best ‘mercenaries or the strongest guards come to the Hive, With might comes two other important components to success in the Hive, A good head on a cutter’s shoulders is ‘one, and a good healthy dose of fear is the other. Nowhere in the Cage do the Clueless last a shorter length of time than here. Ironically, a lot of portals to the Prime Material Plane are located in these slums. Canny bashers learn quickly ‘what's what and who's who in the Hive. This information is cone of the keys for survival in Sigil’s slum. But fear? Powerful bloods don't fear anything. right? Wrong. Folks who live in the Hive know that somewhere maybe just behind that crumbling wall over there—lurks something more powerful than them. Knowing where not (0 +e* Y@U +HINK fo, when to run, and who not to disturb may have been learned out Fear, but most bloods maintain that such knowledge ranks right up there with knowing their own name in importance. The Hive weeds out traits like overconfidence and bluster through something akin to natural selection, DANGERE! SIGIL’S 4 DIR+Y, DISGUS+ING, BURG, MY ADVICE wei BE +8 +RY +@ AVOID UNDERSIGIL UnderSigil’s very existence begs the question: What's Sigil made out of that berks can dig down into it? Well, some sgraybeards have (seriously) devoted their lives to researching the answer to that very question, and they came up with this: [No one knows. Day-to-day life in the Hive remains rather ** ALL C®S+S. Any dwarf can tell that it's not dreary. Most of the sods living here spend their —TARSHE£WA Stone. It looks a litle like stone, though, and time simply trying to remain alive-looking for LONGREACH _ 3 thoutas hard. While a basher needs a food, procuring jink, and fending off enemies, ‘The lucky few hang on to their jobs as best they can, while the others operate as scavengers in an urban wilderness, Few bashers stop 10 wigwag, on the street. No one looks for beauty or grandeur—luxury here is a full belly The Hivers socialize behind closed doors in dimly lit and poorly ventilated taverns where the bub is cheap and the mood is dark. Even the tougthest bashers from outside the Hive find such places rough. The night's entertainment could proffer a fight to the death or merely some hawdy tales, but a body never knows. ‘With the recent talk of a “babble fever,” though, many Hive residents keep their distance from their fellows for fear of contagion. Babble fever is the name given by locals to a plague making its way through the Hive. Bashers say that the disease renders a sod into a blathering idiot who can't shut his bone-box before it sends him on a winding, painful path (0 the dead-book. It’s not a good way to die by anyone's reckoning, even~it's said~by the Dustmen, The Hardheads patrol the Hive occasionally, but a body's actually more likely to find a group of Mercykillers ‘hunting criminals here. “We see eye to eye with people in the Hive,” one Red Death member relates, “because they under- stand that if you do wrong, you pay. No courts, no argu- ‘ments, just punishment. Justice.” Nevertheless, only a fool ar a barmy would really expect justice in the Hive-even the ‘Mereykiller patrols are rare. Survival of the fittest remains the closest thing to justice most folks see. So really, the cross-traders and other criminals have no fear of “getting, seragged.” In fact, in the Hive, most folks don’t think in terms of criminals and laws. A body does what he needs to do in order to get by. Any hesitation comes from the thought of retribution from the berk he’s bobbed, not the law that ‘may catch up with him later. Stil, joy is not unknown in the Hive, and neither is laughter. Cagers are a tough lot, and the Hivers are the toughest. + UNDERSIGIL # First off, nobody calls it UnderSigil. That's such a Prime name. Folks just refer to it as “down below.” “the cata- combs,” “the Realm Below,” or even “the labyrinths” (but never the Mazes-they're something else, berk). ‘Course, pick, a shovel, and a good strong back 10 carve his way through it, unlike stone it's not good for building, shaping, or anything else. Once broken from the main mass, the chippings become crumbly and brittle like bits of a dry rice cake. That's why folks have ta ship stone, ‘wood, and other materials through the portals to build any- if in Sigil. Whatever material comprises the torus itself, it's useless for making anything but dust. So when folks refer to the dirt streets in a particular district or the soil on their boots from walking around the Hive, they’re talking about the dust that comes in through the constantly opening portals, the detritus of long-since crumbled buildings, and the cast-off grime from the beings that have lived in Sigil since who-knows-when. The Cage doesn't have dirt or soil in the earthy, plant-a-tree-and- watch-it-grow sense. Not unless it’s been shipped in at great expense, that is. In any event, the labyrinthine catacombs that run under the streets and buildings of the City of Doors provide Cagers with an endless mystery to discuss over meals or a flagon of ale. See, some bashers think that the catacombs aren't really down there at all. Can't be, they claim, because there's no “down there” for them to accupy. These folks believe the entrances to the catacombs are really keyless portals and the tunnels and chambers actually exist on some other plane=not unlike the demiplanes where the Lady makes her Mazes. As corroborating evidence, these chant- mongers offer up the fact that whenever a body digs down real far, instead of reaching, the outside of the ring of Sigil, hhe just disappears. Sure enough, this seems to be the case. No one’s ever tunneled all the way to the outside—not even close, In fact, ask a graybeard and he can’t even tell how thick the torus really i, not with any grain of surety. No one knows that little Fact either, though it sure seems like an easy enough question. (For a place that people have lived in for millenni Sigil still presents a surprising number of mysteries) Most folks don't twig to the whole other-plane expla- nation of the catacombs. IF it looks simple enough, they say, don't muddy the waters. In Sigil as well as on the planes, ‘when something doesn't need a strange theory, don't attach ‘one to it. But if that’s so and the tunnels and passages are nothing more than what they seem, then where exactly do the dabus so, and why can’t a cutter follow? oeFor a cold glass of cheap bub, Rhemmy the Fet-cher tells folks about his excursions below the streets of Sigil. The canny ones know not to believe everything he says, but as his bone-box rattles on and on, a body begins to picture what's going on beneath his feet, There's a Sigil that no one knows about and that no one eees—a secret city below the City in the Center of Everything. “C'mon, e'mon. Don’ be shy," Rhemmy says, his breath thick with a briny bub-stench, waving over anyone who will listen. | walk over. “Gome folks'll tell ya | do nothin’ but epout off screed. But jus’ for today—not later, but jus’ today—ll ive ya the real chant. The true and complete tale of ol! Rhemmy’s adventures in the down below. “lesatruth. | weren't no eword-ewingin’ hero, No. Nope. Not me. They call me the Fetcher, an’ that’s because | fetch things for folks. You tell o' Rhemmy whatcha need, and I'll fetch it. ee? Get it? Anyhow, one day thie here berk tells me he's got somethin’ for me to fetch for him. It fell down a hole, he says. One of them narrow sewer holes inna street—you know. Well, | knew. And thie wasn't just any old thing. This berk wants of Rhemmy to fetch a magic watchacallit...wand. Fell down the sewer when he was scrappin' wit’ somebody” Rhemmy reaches for the glass in front: of him and drains It, looking at me. As | order another from the barkeep, he continues. “Anyhow, | found a way down there, under the street. It was a ways away from where that wand fell, 601 had to do some wanderin' to tumble to how to reach there. Whew. Such a stink. Rate, too. Lots of 'em—but | had with mea lantern and a good stout blade, 60 | wasn't too worrled. Most of the critters ran from me. “Now, I'm a good fetcher. Let me tell ya that right off so nobody gets the wrong idea. But | ain't had a lot of experience wandering around in tunnels in the dark. Ive heard there some prime bashers what do it all tthe time, but not here in the Cage, right? So, | ain't ashamed to eay that ol’ Rhemmy got a bit turned around, Somehow | ended up going down real deep, figuring them tunnels would start headin’ up again any minute. Eventually, the lantern runs outa oll, and there | am, who knows where, inna dark.” Rhemmy goes on for a while about the horrors of being alone in the dark. Yes, well, anyone who's been to Pandemonium knows what darkness and horror really are. Eventually, he gete back on track. “There were thinge down there, see? Monsters like | ain't never heard tell of before or since wit’ mouths and arms and sewage-covered tentacles. Little things scurried through the tunnels and scurried through my mind. I thought Id gone barmy. Yet, where it was drier, there was folks livin’ down there. Called themselves darkers and they lived without light. Some were thieves and murderers, but some were alright. They helped o! Rhemmy find hie way out—three days | was down in there and s'true, when | came up | was in a completely different ward than where I went down. Never did find that magical whatzits, “Course, now, don't be thinkin’ bad of Rhemmy, ‘cause that were the only thing | ain't never been able to fetch. If you got somethin’ you want fetched...” Having learned all | could from Rhemmy, | wander out of the tavern. Yet | can't help but look down, and wonder what lies under my feet. —Faragoh Naell, narrator Most people assume that the dabus live somewhere, They certainly vanish down into the tunnels once they're done With their work, and a body’d assume that means they're THE DABUS WARRENS ‘When folks refer to the Dabus Warrens, they're talkin, the mysterious places where the dabus go below Sigil's streets, not the tunnels they use to travel there. The distine- tion is important, because a body can walk down into the tunnels. They make up most of the known area down below. However, nobody follows the dabus into their own cases, Their little hidey-holes, cathedrals, plazas, or whatever they fare remain inaccessible to nondabus~if they exist at all going home, or going back to their headquarters, or their base, or whatever it is that they have. And if they weren't going somewhere secret, why won't they let folks follow them? Of course, as always, folks have different theories. As said before, Cagers like talking about UnderSigil, so there's lots of chant (and screed) to be heard about it. Maybe the +294dabus disappear through hidden portals in the catacombs that lead to their secret, otherplanar homes. Maybe they pra- tect their warrens with powerful magic so that only they can find their way. Maybe they go down into the catacombs to the hidden sanctuary of the Lady herself, and it's her will that keeps other berks out. Its all just speculation when it comes to the dark of these bashers. I’s true though that explorers in the tunnels under the city often suddenly come upon a dabus on its way back up or as it comes down. Following always leads into the blinds, but it sure makes a body wonder. TRAVELING UNDERGROUND Now, why folks would want to go into the Realm Below is their problem. Some bashers like to poke around in strange places while others might have a need forced upon them by circumstance {if a Mereykiller’s quarry goes down below, then the cutters probably going to follow]. A bashers first step to exploring the catacombs under Sigil entails figuring out how to get there. Fact is, it's not too difficult. There're more entrances than a body might think. The easiest entrance, although not the most pleasant, lies through the sewers. Explorers willing to wade through the muck and sewage don't have to wander too far (a few hours is usually enough) before they come upon a mysteri- fous passage or even a door leading away from the drainage tunnels and into the labyrinths. These passages usually ead down prety fasta good indication that a body’s entering. the catacombs. RA+S ‘Course, a cutter wandering around in the sewers has a good chance of running into other unpleasantness beyond just dirty water and filth, Like any sewer, Sigil’s drainage system is @ home for rats and other foul vermin. In the Cage, how- cver, a pack of rats might be able to warp a sod’s mind as casily as swarm over him with vicious little bites. That’s because Cager rats sometimes turn out to be cranium rats, which are much, much more dangerous than normal rats [even the big ones that grow as large as dogs) Folks who've wandered through the sewers and ‘through the labyrinths tel chilling tales of tiny underground kingdoms ruled by vast networks of cranium rats. No one knaws much about them, but sometimes whispers circulate about four different groups of the creatures called the Four Great Minds. These groups war with each other and work at cross purposes, sometimes utilizing mind-shackled slaves to attack or thwart the others, Sewer rats in Sigil have big, bipedal cousins known as wererats. They also travel through the sewers, but they have their own warrenlike tunnels as well. (And here's a warning to those who might enter their kips-wererats love nasty, deadly litte traps, usually involving terribly sharp spikes, blades, and poison.) Chant has it that most live in and around the Ditch (many tiny passages extend from the sides of the Ditch into the Realm Below) under the thumb of a shadow fiend named Tattershade. They can be found else- where, though, and are known to kidnap children and help- less sods, dragging them down below with hopes of ransom, If that doesn’t work, the victim usually becomes a meal—so either way, the wererats win. DEAD AND DARKERS Slipping through an old crypt is another way into the labyrinths. To many, this path is even more distasteful than traveling into the sewers. Crypts aren’t all that common in the Cage, since most folks don't bury their dead here. The Dustmen cart them away, or else the Dead take the dead through a portal and bury them someplace nice. Some people like to keep their dead nearby, though (who knows why?) and so they dig down below their cases and put them in shut-up rooms below the streets. Sometimes the diggers run into the catacombs already in place and a new connec- tion is made, Sometimes, though, things in the catacombs dig their way up into the crypt. I's a little-known fact that ghouls live below the streets in certain wards (the Hive and the Lower Ward have the worst infestations). I's an even lesser-known fact that these ghouls aren't the undead kind. ‘These poor, raving souls that look, smell, and fight like ghouls are really living sods who've developed a taste for corpse flesh, Ghouls aren't the only worry for a basher who defiles some deader’s crypt. Lots of the places are cursed, sending tomb raiders (or just those passing through) to the dead- book in the most horrible manner. Peery berks put traps and wards on their tombs as well, and of course, some are said to be haunted by deaders who just don't want to leave, Lucky bloods find entrances to the labyrinths that aren't so dangerous. For example, the Twelve Factols, tavern in The Lady's Ward, offers access to the catacombs. ‘The Gurineraag neighborhood in the Lower Ward is rumored to have numerous entrances to UnderSigil. Many ruined buildings, particularly those found in the Hive, act as fronts for entrances into the catacombs (like the Bones of the Night, by the Ditch). Folks called darkers sometimes maintain these street-level egresses. Darkers live in the Realm Below by choice. Criminals, madmen, or just folks with nawhere else to live, these people have adapted completely to an under- {ground lifestyle, coming up only at night to scavenge, steal, ‘or sometimes just to spy on those living “the old way.” as they put it. Some never come up, living out their entire lives belowground, Darkers hate intruders from above. Those with a crim- inal bent fear retribution from authorities. (In fact, their fears carry a certain amount of validity, since the Harmo- nium has been known to ruthlessly purge underground areas suspected of harboring criminals.) Others just resent and fear +304folks who can live “up there.” Their communities usually comprise only a few dozen souls, but some of the largest hold hundreds of indi rious sets of laws, codes, and manners, and have even devel oped their own cant. ‘Course, even among these ou there are outcasts-some of whom have become monsters duals. Darkers keep their own myst that prey upon the datkers themselves. The Realm Below essentially exists as @ network of inter: connected tunnels and chambers. Because Sigil ain't what a body might call “natural,” there are no native caverns or anything like them. Everything was put there for a reason by somebody, although the reason and the somebody might both be long gone and completely forgotten The upper levels include the sewers, crypts, and dungeons directly underneath the streets and buildings above. (Supposedly, a lot of the High Houses in The Lady's Ward harbor deep and extensive dungeons underneath them to hold prisoners, slaves, and Lady ddabus tunnels, wererat passages, and narrow vermin warrens connect them all and extend downyrard. The darkers live in lower areas branching off nows-what-else.) The from these pas- sages, in tunnels of their own making or in old, forgotten avenues created for long-lost purposes. Would-be adventurers, treasure seekers, and monster slayers should keep in mind that hundreds of miles of under ground tunnels (and connected chambers) fill the Realm Below, and most of them are empty. Those going down just to wander and see what there is to see quickly grow bored. Cut ters are better off with a destination or a goal in mind. The tunnels usually don't grow much wider than 10 es found more often. ry bad, and unless @ feet across, with much narrower passa There's never any light, ventilation is, body's poking around the sewer or nearby passages, every hing is very dry. The dust-choked air filling most tunnels decreases visibility, even for ight—it makes for difficult breathing, too. Most folks find that down below they can only exert themselves to a degree about half of normal before they need to rest nose who brought magical Collapsing passages offer another danger. For what ever reason, Sigi’s not always perfectly stable (graybeards claim it's got something to do with all the portals). “Cag quakes These events present a deadly threat to the catacomb dwellers. During a “quake, falling debris inflicts 344 hp damage upon anyone in the affected underground area (saving throws versus breath weapon reduce damage by half, secure shelter reduces damage by half or to nothing with a successful saving throw) Thankfully, such events are rare and usually quite localized occasionally shake things up on the street level.The rat hadn't returned for months-is that what bothered him so? No, no, thee The more onc de his sal elon et, tnt thug rd gram vot veh lst os wok OW IT BEGINS iesrie icin con mn: ta Feat tem ond gt Suddenly, the itch became a dozen white-hot nails searing his brain, The old barmy cried out and shut his eves against the pain, but with the fire came secrets. He remembered then what was about to happen out there, in the forgotten city beyond his cell. If was time. ‘You must set me free! It is happening again!” he screamed, smashing his stained fists against the stone walls of his dark hole ‘again and again. Do you hear me? I am the Chosen One! It— is—happening-again!™ + BACKGR@®UND + Some berks kick around Sigil practically their whole miserable lives, tossing the chant, ducking the Harmonium, and maybe getting the sweet end of a deal now and again. But they just live day to day, their sights set om litle else but a bit of jink or a bite to eat. They never seem to rise above what they are, never try to chase a dream And make it real—that is, if they bother to dream at all And then there're bloods like Duke Rowan Darkwood, factol of the Fated, +S +1ME Almost from the first moment he set foot in the Cage, Darkwood knew what he aa wanted. His goal was simple, really: total control of Sigil. He looked around and saw RaWAR that the factols held the titan’s share of the power in the city, so he set out to became DARKW@@D one. It didn’t take him long; fact is, he replaced Emma Oakwright as the leader of the Fated so fast that most folks whispered of skullduggery. Truth is, he just pored through dusty tomes until he found a few skeletons lurking in Oakwright’s closet. But Darkwood didn’t care what the chant said about him. He knew how to grab power, but more importantly, he knew how to keep it. He could wield it like a scalpel or a club, whichever got the job done better, ‘Course, command of a faction didn’t make him master of the Cage. The Duke hhad a dozen or more other factols to contend with, not to mention a few leaderless factions—and a small thing known as the Lady of Pain. The Lady he'd save "til last, since he considered her an unknown entity, a wild card. Oh, he knew that one day he'd stand against her, that they alone would fight the final battle for the heart of Sigil, but he also knew that he wasn't ready yet, So he set his underlings to digging, up the dark of the Lady, in hopes of finding something to use against her. And then he turned his attention to foes more easily understood~and defeated. +324See, Darkwood had taken pains to position the Fated asa primarily neutral faction: friend to none and enemy to none, with a slight alle sgiance here and there. But he couldn't disguise his ambi- tions, and before long he found an cager enemy in Erin Montgomery, factol of the Society of Sensation and high-up at the Hall of Speakers, The Duke envied her control over the poli tics of the Cage and lusted openly for her position. ‘Course, a ‘cutter like Erin wasn't without her own resources, which were more than enough to give Darkwood a run for his jink ‘Another problem surfaced before long, too: the Harmonium. it seems the self-styled patrol~ ‘men of Sigil had a slight problem with the Fated’s whole “take whatever we can get” attitude. Plenty of Hardheads saw Darkwood’s faction members 2s thieves—or at best, thieves in the making, It didn’t help that bands of Hardheads'd taken it upon themselves to rid the Cage of freethinking Indeps, either; the Fated and the Free League were alles, at least as much as two neutral factions could be. The Duke knew that when he Finally made his move to seize the city, the Harmoniun'd be sure to oppose him, which'd likely draw the Mercykillers against him as wel. His only option: divide and conquer. DIVIDED THEY FALL Taming the Red Death proved easy. All the Duke had to do was win the heart of their 19-year-old facto a somewhat barmy (and romantically gullible} tiefling named Alisohn Nilesia. Darkwood promised her everything-love, a grand wedding, and a place at his side when he ruled Sigil-in exchange for the sup port of her faction when the shoe finally dropped. Now, a body might wonder why the Mercykillers'd follow a tiefling’s lead, but Nilesia'd gained a large number of fiercely loyal factioneers, what with her intense focus on justice and her harsh sentencing “reforms” that sent criminals to the leafless tree by the hundreds. Darkwood’s got a plan to keep the Harmonium and the Sensates distracted, too. First, he'l slip word to the Hardheads that the Doomguard'te preparing to start a war in the streets of Sigil, a war they'll wage with illegal and dangerous items they've been stockpiling at the Armory. As a story, it ain't half bad, given that the Doomguard did practically the very same thing about 600 years ago (just after the Great Upheaval, when all the surviving factions were struggling for direction). At the same time, the Duke'll warn the Doomguard that the Hardheads are about to raid the Armory and seize the city’s cache of weapons for their own personal crusades. After that, i'd be simpler to make peace between a balor and 4 pit fiend than between those two factions. What's more, the Doomguard and the Sensates're natural opponents as well. The Sinkers relish the decay of the multiverse, while the Sensates live for experiencing all the cosmos has to offer. Normally, that wouldn't be enough to go to war over-not even in Sigilbut with a violent berk like Pentar in charge Of the Doomguard, who knows what might happen? Darkwood figures that once the Sinkers're all wound up over the Harmonium, it won't take much to get them to run riot over at the Civic Festhall as well. ‘Course, the Duke realizes that the Doomguard won't fight well if they're stretched to0 thin, so he’s arranged to give them a litte help. Through the canny placement of spies and chant-mongers, he'll per- suade cell leaders of the Revolutionary League to join the Doomguard and end the oppression of the Har- ‘monium once and for all. It won't be a tough sell, afterall, not with the Anarchists sworn to destroy all factions. The Sensates, t00, will burn in the flames of revolutionan incidental casualty, perhaps, but a welcome one neverthe ‘Now, Darkwood's no addle-cove. He knows that his plan won't bring about the total annihilation Of the Harmonium or the Sensates. But the two factions will be far too busy fending off the Sinkers and the Anarchists to offer much resistance to his bid for power. +334L@VE AND DEA+H Does Rowan Darkwood truly adore Factol Nilesia, or is his declaration of love just a ploy to exploit the young tiefling? The topic’s kept many bone-boxes in the Cage rattling for some time now. Nilesia herself wholeheartedly believes I that her suitor has nothing, but the best intentions, and she'll scrag any berk ‘who she hears whispering, otherwise. The Fated don’t know what to make of the relationship, but most figure that, at worst, i's a marriage of convenience, a chance for two separate groups to unite and enjoy greater power. Sadly, neither’s the case. Darkwood feels nothing for Nilesia but contempt, and he plans to ensure that their union lasts only as long as is necessary for him to gain control of the Mercykillers. Fact is, he confided his ambitions in the young girl and led her to believe that they would rule Sigil together. All he would need from her is support from the Red Death. The tiefling agreed to his terms, under one condition: that he marry her. This he promised to do, in a lavish but pri- vate ceremony. And soon after the wedding, Nilesia will inform her most loyal troops that they should follow Dark- wood's word as if it were her own. Unfortunately for the bride-to-be, the Duke's just biding his time. As soon as Nilesia's top bashers swear loy alty to him, he plans to kidnap the factol and sell her into fiendish slavery on the Lower Planes—a fitting end, given that she so enjoyed doing the very same thing to many a sles prisoner. Meanwhile, Rowan has convinced the faction’s second-in-command, a noble paladin known as Arwyl Swan's Son, to step up his movement to roll back Nilesia’s stringent and unpopular sentencing guidelines. The Duke's told Arwyl that he’s doing it for the good of Sigil, and that hhe wants to keep their little project a secret from his beloved for nove. He also backs Arwyl's plan to release unjustly jailed sods from the Prison. “Course, his “good deed” ain't the act of charity it seems, Darkwood’s done his research, as always. He's found a dozen or so prisoners-seasoned murderers, all—who're known to have strong grievances against certain high-ups in Sigil. The Duke plans to quietly slip these killers out along with the rest of the freed prisoners, then sit back and wait, for them to fulfill their vows of vengeance. With any luck, the berks'll put enough high-ups in the dead-book to sow even more chaos and confusion. Why, they might even kill off a few cutters who would've otherwise stood in Dark- waod's way! ust KNOW +Hat+ ROWAN’S GO+ S@ME+HING SPECIAL PLANNED AFTER ous WEDDING! —ALIS@HN NILESIA At LAS+, +HE LADY Darkwood suspects that once tensions erupt between the Doomguard, the Harmonium, the Revolutionary League, and the Sensates, other factions will join the fray, fighting for or against their favorite sides. And that suits him just fine-a disturbance on that scale is sure to draw out the Lady Of Pain. Not even the most ale-soaked Cager would purposefully set out to attract the Lady's eye, but the Duke’s just a prime, after FoR all. Sure, he's spent a few years in Sigil, but he's never really moved beyond viewing the Lady as an obstacle to be overcome, a foe to be vanquished, Darkwood believes that his plan will force the Lady to appear on the streets of the Cage, at which time he'l confront her-and blast her into oblivion, Mere arrogance or full-blown stupidity? It’s hard 10 tell. But the Duke figures that he has (or rather, will have) an ace up his sleeve. One of his many chant-diggers found a reference in an old book to a formidable spelslinger who, ons ago, challenged the Lady of Pain—and nearly defeated her. Apparently, the Lady couldn't destroy him, and only managed to ensnare the usurper’s spirit in an impervious gem that she cast out of Sigil, some say to the Lower Planes. Over time, this legendary jewel came to be known as the Labyrinth Stone, for it was said to house a psychic maze through which the wizard’s spirit would forever wander. The book went on to note that another mage, Shekelor, left Sigil about 10,000 years ago on a public quest to find the gem, a mission that ended in his hideous death. That kind of news'd turn most folks away, but it gave Darkwood an idea: obtain the Stone himself and use its power against the Lady. After all, if she could have stain the ‘mage, she would have, right? Thus, she must be vulnerable to the blood’s awesome magic. If he could only release the wizard’s spirit in Sigil, the Duke might at last command power enough to bring down his greatest foe. So Darkwood’s had his diggers studying the problem for years~practically since the first day he became factol of the Fated. They've read every word ever written about the Lady, listened to every tale-spinner who claimed to know a piece of the puzzle, and sent bands of adventurers to comb every patch of dirt that might hide the prize. But it seemed as futile as trying to climb the Spire. Until they found the gem. T® +HE MAZES Shortly before the adventure begins for the player charac- ters, Rowan Darkwood finally gets his hands on the gem containing the ancient spirit. Bashers in his employ stum- bled across it while exploring a recently opened passage in the fourth layer of Pandemonium, rumored to have been cre- ated by the thrashing of a dying god. The Duke realizes that +344itis, indeed, an object of immense power, but he’s not sure what kind ‘or how to tap it His top graybeards aren't much help, so Darkwood spends many a day simply concentrating on the gem. trying to contact the wizard within, While he doesn’t ‘exactly succeed, his mind fills with strange, fleeting images: something about ancient magic, a trap set but never sprung. the destruction of the Lady, and the twisting of Sigil itself The Duke also gleans the method by which he can destroy the gem, thus providing the prisoner with an exit from the maze But he senses resistance from within the Labyrinth Stone. Has the old spelislinger been trapped for so long that the idea of freedom terrifies him? No matter—Darkwood’s determined to set him loose and steal his power. FAC+@LS? At long last, he can set his plans in motion: peeling the Harmonium and the Doomuard, setting the fac tions at each other's throats, marrying and kidnapping Nilesia, and gaining the confi dence of Arwyl Swan's Son. These tasks accomplished, the Duke finally prepares to destroy the ebony gem and release its prisoner. He looks Forward to a face-to-face confrontation with the Lady. Unfortu nately for him, she’s not the type to float ‘down the street and challenge him to a dluel—she simply tosses the pest into the Mazes, without the precious Stone. It stays behind in Sig ‘Course, Darkwood always expected to face the Mazes someday. Truth is, he’s almost glad it hap- pened, as it seems to confirm that the Lady does fear the release of the wizard’s spirit. But he’s prepared. THE FA+E @F +HE FACTOLS The Duke ain't the only sod thrown into the Mazes. Other factols share his fate, See, the Lady of Pain decides, finally, that enough’s enough. The faction high-ups've held the reins of the City of Doors for a good long while, and more blood's been spilled in their cC@me DOWN names than in most anything WI+H PLAGUE, BERK, __ “ise (except the fiends’ Blood SURE AS my NAME’S paved course). I's time for SENBAR Is ita coincidence that =A CHAN+-M@NGER _ th Lady stars whisking away the nameo YUIN factols just as Darkwood manipu- lates the Cage fo the brink of war, or does the latter event lead directly to the purge? It doesn’t really matter, All that’s important is that most of the factols will be gone by the time the PCs start adventuring in Act I This f most of the factions keep the disappearances quiet~it's not the kind of news that helps build morale. Second, those who ddo know about the vanishings tend to blame the faction ten sions that seem to be swelling rapidly in the Cage, Are the high-ups falling vietim to assassination plots and other skullduggery? Have they withdrawn from Sigil to hold a secret conclave of leaders? Are they simply in hiding from emboldened enemies? The chant’s sme but no one really has the dark of it, Actually, in some cases, the chant’s not far from the mark. Factol Nilesia—who's been sold to fiends by Dark: wood-is spared exile to the Mazes, and a few others either 's not public knowledge, though. First of all, ed all over town, +354leave the Cage on their own or fall 10 more mundane attacks. That could be why the Lady doesn’t imprison them in her desolate labyrinths: She knows that they'll play no part in the brewing war. For details on the fate of each factol, see “The Fac- tions,” below. THE @LDES+ BARMY Shonly after he came to Sigil, Parkwood realized he would eventually find himself in conflict with the Lady. He Jearned that she consigned her rivals to the Mazes, and so he hired a prime mage to construct and cast a carefully, worded wish spell. (Why a prime? Because Rowan knew no planar wizard would accept the contract knowing it involved the Lady of Pai Darkwood ended up in the Lady's Mazes, the magic of the spell would lead him unerringly to the correct portal out of the Maze and back to Sigil, Upon finding himselTin @ Maze, Darkwood calls on the ‘magic and finds the doorway out. But the Lady's will cannot be so easily thwarted. The sod appears in the halls of the Gatehouse, the asylum run by the Bleak Cabal—500 years in the past. (Why that location? Well, it ain't called the Gate~ house for nothing, berk, The chant’s long sai that the struc~ ture has some mysterious link to the Lady's Mazes) Naturally the Duke’s disheveled and disoriented trom his harrowing jaunt. He begins to roam the halls, looking for a way out. A few Bleakers notice him—his confused manner, his odd clothes. The wanderer starts to rant about how he's, the factol of the Fated and must return to lead fis troops in, battle against his enemies, [The leatherhead doesn’t realize ret that he's traveled back in time) Wel, a body can guess what happens next. After al, the Bleakers have never heard of anyone named Rowan Dark wood, there’s no war in the City of Doors at present, and the Fated already have a factol. So they lock the sod in, a cell and begin a treatment program of hetbs, deprivation, and cleansing madness. The “barmy” spends the next 500 ‘years in his dark, dreary chamber, slowly growing more and Why doesn’t he die? Blame his own careful planning. See, before Darkwood ever set foot in Sigil he traveled the Outer Planes, and on Acheron he fell in with a band of Pro- longers—bloods dedicated to extending their lives through ‘magical and other means. Drawing upon their vast repository of knowledge, the Duke managed to give himself the natural life span of an arcane. Thus, the berk unknowingly hought himself five centuries of torment in a cold, dingy cell The Duke can't escape by using the wish again: its ‘magic has been expended. To symbolize the shedding of his old life, the Bleakers took all his possessions and gave him a new and suitably meaningless name, as well: Gifad. So