1

Athar (De Fortabte)

Also known as "the Defiers" or "the Lost", they deny not only the gods' right to pass judgment over mortals, but their very divinity. They claim that the gods (whom they call "powers") are powerful but have limits and do not deserve worship. Instead, Athar priests channel divine power from what they call the "Great Unknown", or what they believe to be the true divine force behind everything. Their headquarters in Sigil is the Shattered Temple (Det Ødelagte Tempel), the former temple of the dead god Aoskar. Following the faction war, and banned from Sigil, they moved their headquarters to the base of the infinite spire where divine magic does not function in protection of the many gods they have offended. The Athar are broadly derived from real-world atheists, agnostics, and Deists.

Depending upon who a body asks, the Lost are either

loyal supporters of the Lady or vile spies. They've got

no official position in Sigil, but they figure it's their

job to watch the doings of the various priests in the

city. Anytime some yapping cleric starts to become

too powerful, the Athar'U act. Sometimes they spread

rumors to bring the priest down a bit, other times

they strike more directly. In an odd way, the Athar

and Godsmen often work together.

2

Believers of the Source (De Hellige)

Known as "Godsmen" they believe that each life is a test, and that every person has the potential to become a god. Their headquarters is the Great Foundry (Det Store Støberi), symbolizing their belief that the multiverse constantly forges and refines all beings. Shares many parallels with Hindu, Buddhism, and most sects of Mormonism. However, the ultimate goal is not Nirvana but apotheosis.

Like the Athar, the Godsmen don't have authorized

jobs in the government. From the Great Foundry,

they take it upon themselves to be the peace keepers

of Sigil. After all, everyone could become divine, and

it would be a shame to put a potential power in the

dead-book before it reaches its destiny. They consider

their sacred duty to keep the peace between warring

faiths (and they'll use swords to do it if they must).

At least until a sod proves to a Godsman that he's no

power in the making, he can expect a fair shake from

the believers.

3

Bleak Cabal (De Skøre)

"Bleakers" or "Madmen" deny that any belief system has any merit; as they see it, the universe has physical rules, but no metaphysical or philosophical ones, therefore any meaning in life must come from within. Their headquarters is the insane asylum of Sigil, called the Gatehouse. (Galehuset) They are derived from real-life existentialists and the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.

For a group with such a miserable outlook on life,

the Bleakers are the most charitable faction in Sigil.

These cutters have taken it upon themselves to run

an almshouse for the sick and insane. Not that it's a

great place - the Bleakers have some pretty strange

ideas about treatment — but at least a sod can get a

hot meal and a bed from them.

4

Doomguard (Dommedags Vagter)

The "Sinkers" believe in the sanctity and inevitability of entropy, particularly the inevitable destruction of all things. The core of their belief is that everything ends. Their headquarters is Sigil's Armory, (Våbenhuset) where they forge weapons as tools of destruction.

This faction controls the City Armory, and with good

reason: As far as they can see, there's no better symbol

of decay than weapons of destruction and death.

It makes sense, too, because by controlling the Armory

they're also keeping the tools of order out of

the hands of their rivals in the Harmonium. 'Course,

no other faction's going to let these bloods police the

city, anyway - a gang devoted to entropy ain't exactly

going to promote law and order.

5

Dustmen (Støvmænd)

Also known as "the Dead", they believe that both life and death are false states of existence, that there is a state of True Death which can only be accomplished by denying one's emotions and physical wants and needs (a conception similar to eternal oblivion, but also conceivably to Nirvana). Their headquarters is the Mortuary, (Lighuset), where Sigil's dead are interred or cremated. Their philosophy is closely related to that of Arthur Schopenhauer, along with some shared similarities with Buddhism, Stoicism and acosmism.

The Dead have a job that suits them well, and one

that nobody else is keen on anyway. In the Mortuary,

they're the ones who dispose of Sigil's deceased. The

Cage doesn't have space for graveyards or crypts, so

the bodies of her citizens get dispatched to other

planes. These portals lead directly to mortuaries and

other places of death on each plane, and those on the

other side are expecting nothing but dead bodies to

come through, so those cutters who somehow manage

to sneak through any of these doors are in for a

nasty bit when they pass through. The Dustmen handle

all this work, and for the most part nobody

minds. Then again, there's always the suspicion that

the faction's keeping a few back and reviving them

for its own purposes. . . .

6

Fated (Tagerne)

"Takers" or "The Heartless" believe that those with power and ability have the right to own what they control and to take what they can from those who are unable to keep it, and that it is their right to exploit any situation to their advantage, regardless of how it affects anyone else (a position akin to "might makes right"). Their headquarters is the Hall of Records (Arkivhuset), where they serve as the tax collectors of Sigil. They are derived from real-life Social Darwinists and the philosophies of Max Stirner and Ayn Rand.

The Takers handle the most hated and needed task in

the city: They control the Hall of Records — a vital

piece of city administration. They record property

deeds, births, and deaths (when some sod bothers to

notify them). This isn't what makes them hated

though. They're also the tax collectors, a job nobody

thanks them for. With their "I got it, you don't" attitude,

the Takers are perfect for the job. Now, having

all this jink could be trouble for the other factions, so

they all keep the balance by trying to pay as little as

possible. If things get too bad, any faction can always

appeal to the Guvners - their control of the

courts gives them the means to keep the Fated's

greed under control, and the rest paying their taxes.

7

Fraternity of Order (Ordens Ordenen)

These "Guvners" believe that knowledge is power; they learn and exploit both the natural laws of the universe and the laws of society. Their headquarters is the City Court, (Byretten), where they serve as judges and legal advocates. They recall the Sophists of Classical Athens.

The Guvners are a natural to act as judges and advocates.

They believe in laws and don't like breaking

them. The Guvners run the city courts, from the

small ward courts to the High Court of the city. They

also make the best advocates for pleading cases, so

either way their faction tends to win, which keeps it

fair. Their absolute belief in Law makes them chillingly

legalistic. Still, the Xaositects and Harmonium

are both happy the Guvners don't get the power to

create laws, only enforce them.

8

Free League (Fri hold)

As "Indeps", they reject the other factions and their bureaucratic, hierarchical dogmatism and do not consider themselves a faction at all. For this reason, they don't have a factol or an official headquarters, though Sigil's Great Bazaar serves as an unofficial one. They believe in individual freedom as the highest good and are analogous to libertarians.

Buying and selling is what keeps Sigil alive, and the

Indeps are there to make sure there's always good trade

in the city's markets. Their job's not official, but these

cutters still make sure that every small merchant's getting

a fair chance. They don't like the high-up guilds

fixing prices, strangling competition, peeling their

partners, or hiring bashers to beat up rivals. Since they

don't have an official rank, the Indeps use criers, rumors,

and "friendly advice" to keep the markets moreor-

less honest. If they must, they'll bring a case to the

Guvners, but they don't like relying on others.

9

Harmonium 

"Hardheads" believe that peace and stability can only be established under one rule — theirs. The planar faction known as the Harmonium is actually just a small part of a much larger political entity which rules over the entirety of the Prime Material world of Ortho. In Sigil, they serve as the city's police force, and their headquarters is the City Barracks, (Barrakerne). They are related to present day authoritarianism, particularly religious evangelicalism and fundamentalism. They take offense to the term "Hardhead".

The Hardheads, always sure their's is the only way,

have muscled themselves into control of the City Barracks,

which means the City Watch is theirs. Members

of the faction take it upon themselves to arrest those

they think are breaking the laws. Their hard-liner view

of order means they're pretty eager to crush crime, but

their laws and Sigil's laws don't always match, so they

often arrest people who aren't really acting illegally.

Fortunately, a sod arrested by the Harmonium's tried

by the Guvners, who are strict about what's legal and

what's not. With the Doomguard controlling the Armory,

the real tools to run Sigil the Hardhead way are

kept out of the Harmonium's hands. That suits everybody

but them just fine.

10

Mercykillers (Nåde Dræberne)

"The Red Death" believe in justice and retribution at the expense of all else. Their name does not come from "killing out of mercy," but rather "killing mercy." Their credo that mercy is for the weak, and the merciful should be punished. Their headquarters is Sigil's Prison, (Fængsel), where they carry out the sentences of convicted criminals.

The Red Death has a job which it performs with relish:

punishment. Now, the Mercykillers'd much prefer

to hunt down, try, and punish criminals themselves,

but that's not something the other factions are too

keen on. The faction is too rigid in its views, and

telling a Mercykiller to pike it is just not an option.

Still, they're well suited to the task of running the

Prison and carrying out sentences. After all, what

happens to a criminal who's been arrested, tried, and

sentenced is only just, and who better to administer

justice than the Mercykillers?

11

Revolutionary League (De Revolutionære)

"Anarchists" who believe that social order and man-made laws are inherently corrupt and must be destroyed—though none of their members can agree on what, if anything, should replace them. Like the Indeps, they have no headquarters and gather in many safe houses and secret meeting places.

The Anarchists don't have an official role and aren't

even organized enough to have an unofficial one.

Still, their belief in pulling down the system does have

a twisted virtue in the works of the city: They're a

haven for those who don't — indeed, can't — fit into

the plan. Anarchists are proud of the fact their kind

can be found anywhere, lurking in the streets as harmless-

seeming clerks or wand-wielding wizards lending

a hand to loners in trouble. These bloods keep Sigil

alive and trying, or at least that's how they see it.

12

Sign of One (Enernes tegn)

"Signers" believe that everyone is the center of their own reality and that reality can be reshaped by the power of imagination. Their headquarters is the Hall of Speakers, (Talernes Hal), which houses Sigil's legislature. Some of them are solipsists, though most are not so extreme.

The Signers' confidence that each berk's the center of

his own universe makes them probably the only folks

who can actually govern Sigil . . . as much as the

Cage can be governed. They run the Hall of Speakers,

where the high-ups meet to make the laws of the city,

and they settle feuds, handle treaties, and do all the

other legislative things that keep Sigil running.

'Course, the Signers aren't the only ones on the

Council — every faction and power bloc's got representatives

— but the Signers are the only ones who

can preside over the sessions. Knowing every cutter's

the center of things, the Signers make sure that

everyone gets their say, and that's the only way to

keep the sessions meeting. Other factions may not

like the Signers, but they respect the faction's ability

to keep city business on the table.

13

Society of Sensation (Sensations samfundet)

Sensates believe that accumulating experiential knowledge through the senses is the only way to achieve enlightenment. Their headquarters is the Civic Festhall, (Fælles festhal), which features an endless series of entertainments and a library of magically stored experiences. They are reminiscent of ancient Epicurianism (if not hedonism more generally), as well as the more modern empiricism.

The Sensates don't have an official role either, but

every blood knows the city'd go mad without them.

In their endless quest to experience everything, the

Sensates make sure that there's plenty entertainments

and diversions flowing through Sigil. Here's

the dark that makes it important: What basher wants

to be around when a lesser baatezu gets bored? Sound

bad? Now multiply that disaster by tanar'ri, modron,

tiefling, prime, bariaur, djinni, yugoloth, and more.

Thanks to the Sensates, there should be something,

somewhere in Sigil, that'll suit every taste. Pleasure

is the balm that keeps Sigil from fevered rage.

14

Transcendent Order (Kroppens orden)

The Cipher believe that by tapping into the 'cadence' of the planes and acting through pure instinct they can achieve a higher state of being. Their headquarters is the Great Gymnasium (Den store træningscenter), where members can train to improve their bodies and minds. Their philosophy could be considered similar to Taoism and Zen Buddhism.

The most universally accepted of all the factions,

the Ciphers are natural advisers. They

want the perfect union of thought

and action, and they embody the

qualities that other factions lack.

To the Guvners, the Ciphers are

the compassion missing from

the coldly legalistic courts. To

the Harmonium they try to

lend tolerance, to the

Mercykillers they preach

order, for the Xaositects

they're the voice of stability,

and so on. Their advice

usually gets ignored, and

some basher'll take a poke at a

Cipher for his troubles, but

that's the play of things and

they're ready to deal with it.

15

Xaositects (Kaositek)

"Chaosmen" who believe that the only truth is revealed in chaos. The Xaositects have been quite accurately described as being "totally off their rockers, every one of 'em." Their headquarters is the Hive, the most disorganized part of the Sigil ward of the same name. Compare with real life discordianism.

Chaosmen have no claim, no stake in

the city. Too capricious for ruling, too

uncontrolled to judge others, too free

to follow orders, the Xaositects, from

their hole at the center of the Hive, are the "

voices of the dispossessed. They don't just • .

represent those poor sods who don't have anything

the Chaosmen become them. Security,

warmth, sustenance, none of these things matter.

The Chaosmen lurk on the edges of order, eager to

pull down the case that's just been built. Along with

the Anarchists, these wild addle-coves are part of

what makes Sigil alive and constantly changing. Perversely,

their attempts to tear everything down is

part of what keeps the city constantly building.