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PLAYER'S HANDBOOK

Planescape
Campaign Setting

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 PLANESCAPE
CAMPAIGN SETTING
D&D 3.5

PLAYER'S HANDBOOK
INDEX

Page

Chapter 1: 4
Introduction
Chapter 2: 12
Characters and Races
Chapter 3: 65
Factions
Chapter 4: 135
Skills and Feat
Chapter 5: 178
Magic on the Planes
Chapter 6: 215
MERCHANTISE ON THE PLANES

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 Chapter 1: Introduction
There hardly seem any words capable of expressing the years of hard work and devotion that brings this book
to you today, so I will simply begin with “Welcome to the planes”. Let this book be your doorway and guide to
the multiverse, a place of untold mysteries, wonders the likes of which are only spoken of in legend, and
adventurers that take you from the lowest depths of Hell to the highest reaches of Heaven. Here in you will
leave behind the confines and trappings of a single world in order to embrace the potential of infinity and the
ability to travel wherever you please. All roads lie open to planewalkers brave enough to explore the
multiverse, and soon you will be facing wonders no ordinary adventure could encompass.

Consider this a step forward in your gaming development as well, for here we look beyond tales of simple
dungeon crawling to the concepts and forces that move worlds, make gods, and give each of us something to
live for. The struggles that define existence and bring opposing worlds together will be laid out before you so
that you may choose how to shape conflicts that touch millions of lives. Even when the line between good and
evil, lawful and chaotic, is as clear as the boundaries between neighboring planes, nothing is black and white,
with dark tyrants and benevolent kings joining forces to stop the spread of anarchy, or noble and peasant
sitting together in the same hall to discuss shared philosophy. On the planes, neither sword nor spell is the
greatest weapon to be held, but knowledge and belief the paths to power and influence. Keep these words
central in your mind as your characters explore the multiverse and you’ll be entreated to an experience unlike
anything Dungeons & Dragons has brought you before.

My thanks for listening to an old fan rant, and welcome to the Planescape Campaign Setting.

Using This Book

This book is broken down into nine chapters which each focus on a different aspect of the setting. Chapters 1-
5 consist of rules and background information useful for creating Planescape player characters, while
Chapters 6-8 provide extensive details about the planes written from an in-character perspective in the unique
dialect of planars. Chapter 9 is for the DM's eyes only.

Chapter 1: Introduction describes the Planescape Campaign Setting, including the history and themes of
Planescape, and a description of the cosmology itself.

Chapter 2: Characters and Races lists the 17 standard Planescape races as well monstrous races, prestige
races, languages, home planes, and character regions.

Chapter 3: Factions introduces the 16 major factions of the multiverse, including their history and a detailed
description of each group. This chapter also explains everything a player needs to know about being a
factioner and using the material found in Chapter 4.

Chapter 4: Skills and Feat contains updated and additional skills for a Planescape campaign. It also has well
over 100 new regional and faction feats, with about nine feats per faction alone.

Chapter 5: Magic on the Planes provides information on an essential element of the multiverse and how it
can operate in a number of different ways. Some new types of magic as well as spells specific to planar life or
the factions themselves are found here.

Chapter 6: Life in the Multiverse has a wealth of information about the planes and those who live in them,
including methods of travel, culture and attitudes, as well as some planar merchandise.

Chapter 7: Sigil provides players and DMs a complete guide to Sigil, a central metropolis in the multiverse
and the main city for many Planescape games. This chapter is intended for planar characters who should be
familiar with the City of Doors, and provides an extensive account of the city that can be used to run games
entirely within Sigil.

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Chapter 8: The Planes and Beyond is an in-depth look at the cosmology of the multiverse, mirroring
information in the Dungeon Master's Guide while providing a Planescape spin. This chapter gives players of
planar characters everything they need to know about the planes.

Chapter 9: The DM's Dark offers advise for running Planescape games, background and plot information that
players should not know but DMs may find useful, as well as tips for customizing the setting to your liking.

What You Need and What You Can Use

The Planescape Campaign Setting requires use of the Player’s Handbook v.3.5, Dungeon Master’s Guide
v.3.5, and Monster Manual v.3.5. The 3.0E core rulebooks can be used instead with only minor alterations.
The Planar Handbook is also highly recommended, though some material in that supplement may be ignored
or superseded by Planescape material. Furthermore, the setting incorporates psionics and the Expanded
Psionics Handbook may be used as well. Variant rules are provided for those who do not wish to include
psionics.

Relatively unique to the Planescape Campaign Setting is that it attempts to integrate other campaign settings
into its cosmology. In the days of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons each of the campaign worlds was
mentioned and taken into consideration as to how it interacted with the Planescape cosmology. While this
project will by no means attempt to coalesce the disparate products published under the D20 license, we
continue to encourage DMs and players to introduce as many races and cultures, forms of magic and religion,
worlds and cosmologies as they see fit. Planescape remains an open setting and can be easily expanded to
include just about any other material. Chapter 9 provides advise for the DM as how to integrate elements from
other products.

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 The Multiverse

If anything can be said about the planes for sure, it’s that they are many and varied. The peaceful fields of
Elysium, the mechanical metropolises of Mechanus, the infinite torments of the Abyss, and everything else in
between can be found somewhere in the multiverse. Worlds made entirely of water touch those where
everyone lives in cities in the sky, bound together by portals reaching across all creation. Billions of people,
both the living and the dead, as well as creatures beyond such states, all exist throughout infinite landscapes
each different than the last. Some are unaware of the multiverse beyond their own dimension, but others
travel the cosmos and make up the greater society of the planes. Anything you can imagine can be found out
there by those brave enough to look.

The setting of Planescape is not a single continent or world, but rather an entire multiverse, a collection of
planes linked together by portals, mystical pathways, and stranger channels. Most players are familiar with the
Prime Material Plane, which serves as the backdrop for the majority of Dungeons & Dragons campaigns and
hosts a variety of worlds all its own, while the other planes are commonly reserved for the mightiest
adventurers and the most powerful foes. Here we dispense with that myth and make each plane a setting all
its own, suitable for characters of any level, and all the richer for its interaction with the rest of the multiverse.
There is no single world or plane that sits at the center of creation, for no place in the multiverse overshadows
the rest in importance. Players are expected to travel to new planes and encounter new people and ideas
often, for that is the life of a planewalker and one most characters would not pass up.

Planar Denizens

Walk into the right bar in a major planar city and it’s not unusual to see a angel from Mount Celestia sitting
across a devil from Baator discussing philosophy, politics, and the grand scheme of the multiverse. Mythical
creatures are both more common and more active on the planes. Despite the grandeur of such beings, with
literally hundreds of thousands of species inhabiting the multiverse there is always something stranger, more
powerful, or more influential. Some live as “normal” members of their respective societies while others remain
hidden in the far reaches of creation. Indeed, the gods themselves have their own realms, and it’s not unheard
of for a deity to speak with visitors or take direct action to further their own ends.

That being said, races that are prevalent on different worlds in the Prime Material Plane are populous on other
planes as well, with humans in particular found in high numbers just about anywhere. Beyond that, there is
little that can be said to describe such a wide range of creatures and cultures, what with every walk of life
existing out there somewhere. Planar societies have a way of reflecting the common aspects of Prime
civilizations while being more alien and diverse. At the same time, people tend to hold stronger convictions yet
remain somewhat open-minded; the planes have a way of testing one’s beliefs, but with so many different
faiths and principles brought into contact on a regular basis planars usually develop a degree of tolerance, if
only to avoid getting themselves into unnecessary trouble.

Defining Reality

On the planes, the majority of organizations and powers value one substance above all others: belief. It is a
source of power in the multiverse, the sustenance of the gods, the force that makes and moves creation.
Much more than abstract thought, reality itself conforms to strong belief. Virtually everything, from whether a
particular harvest will be good and what awaits a person’s soul in the afterlife, to the layout of the multiverse
and which gods are prominent at any given time, is heavily influenced by the collective will of everyone in the
cosmos. In the end, the power of belief can change the planes in profound ways and literally make anything
possible.

At first glance, subjective reality may seem like a playground where everyone gets what they want, but most
of the time the planes only react to strong convictions and ideas shared by the masses. Beliefs regarding
lifestyle choices, which deities deserve worship, and issues of moral and ethical debate are most strongly
reflected in the multiverse, for such things truly matter to people. Likewise, the greatest conflicts are between
those seeking to prove the superiority of their philosophy or to win the hearts and minds of others, either in
hopes of making reality a better (or worse) place or to gain the power inherent in guiding the belief of billions.
In the end, the war to define reality provides fertile ground for adventures filled with passion and intrigue, great
leaders and conniving gods, and battles that challenge principles as well as capabilities.

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 Distinctions of Good and Evil, Law and Chaos

Traditional D&D games pit heroic adventurers against vile villains. Advanced stories may complicate matters
by placing characters in difficult positions where they must make decisions about what is truly right and wrong.
Planescape takes this idea a step further and emphasizes the cultural and philosophical differences that can
turn benevolent societies against one another and lead patrons of virtue to become allies with paragons of
evil. Just think of the conflicts that can arise from the two ideologies “individual rights supersede the desires of
the majority” and “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few” and you can begin to see the
tensions which divide the multiverse. Even those of good alignment cannot plainly justify their viewpoints
based on any sort of majority, for there are just as many realms of evil as realms of good, and some say more
than enough fiends to overrun all creation.

To planars, questions of right and wrong instead become questions of what ideology is the best, and with the
most extreme manifestations of Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos as influential as they are in the motions of the
cosmos, both zealousness and tolerance can often be found in abundance within a single person or group. All
of the Outer Planes can be seen as a spectrum of gradual change in outlook, with distinctions in alignment,
religion, and culture between neighbors near and far provoking both a confluence of ideas and struggles for
supremacy. What this means for planewalkers is that adventure and peril can be found even in the most
serene realms, and it is considered no more righteous to go around killing those of opposing morality for what
they believe than it is to hunt those of a particular race (even “monstrous” ones) for the characteristics they
were born with. That said, there’s no shortage of wars and lesser conflicts over just these differences.

History of the Setting

Planescape joined the gaming scene in 1994 with the release of the Planescape Campaign Setting box set,
which quickly established itself with thoughtful writing and lush artwork. It was the first major expansion of
planar cosmology since the Manual of the Planes was published in 1987. Planescape took the old planes of
1st Edition and transformed them into a full-fledged setting of belief and philosophy, providing a depth to the
cosmology that had been lacking up to that point. With it came a break away from simple alignments, simple
plots, and simple worlds. On it's release, Planescape won Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game,
Adventure, or Supplement of 1994, for the 1995 Origins awards.

The major creative minds behind this new setting were Colin McComb, David "Zeb" Cook, Monte Cook, Ray
Vallese, and Wolfgang Baur. Many of these writers have since moved on to careers working on other settings
or other companies, though they recently gathered together in what has been called the "Planescape reunion"
to write Beyond Countless Doorways, published by Malhavoc Press. The artwork was largely influenced by
Tony Diterlizzi, whose unique ink and watercolor style set the tone of all the series' art. The works of rk post
and Adam Rex matched his contributions.

The adventure Faction War represented the first major shakeup to the setting, and was in fact intended to be
the beginning of a large three-part story arc. This was not to be, however, and in 1998 TSR published what
would be the last Planescape book, A Guide to the Ethereal Plane. This left many fans in the lurch, as the
game line was closed due to budget costs with little resolution of its plot lines. While the series was selling and
certainly had its hardcore fans, the high printing costs of the books were simply prohibitive to further products.
Nevertheless, a year later the computer game Planescape: Torment was released by Black Isle. It was a
spectacular depiction of the mood and tone of Planescape, and while its story isn't considered canon, it
obtained a cult following and drew many new fans to the setting.

The fans of Planescape were not to be dissuaded, and through the wonders of the Internet interest in the
setting continued. A number of fan sites, some predating the closure of the line, continued developing the
setting and detailing the gray areas of the infinite planes. Amongst these a few stood out of particular interest:
The Mimir, On the Wings of Mephits, and Planewalker. Of these, Planewalker is the only one still updated and
was recognized as the official fan site by Wizards of the Coast when it acquired the rights to Planescape from
TSR.

With this recognition came the privilege to revise and continue the Planescape Campaign Setting by members
of the Planewalker community. Planescape material now owned by Wizards of the Coast could be used freely
in the creation of new products so long as these new works were not used to make a profit, in essence
ensuring the development of Planescape remained a fan project. The Planescape 3rd Edition (PS3E) project
began in December of 2002 as several groups were split off to brainstorm and develop various aspects of the
setting. The goal was not only to provide a new campaign setting that updated material from the original

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Planescape box set, but also to include and revise information from numerous Planescape supplements in
order to create a truly comprehensive look at the planes. The PSCS page count places it well over 400 pages,
making it one of the most ambitious fan projects the gaming community has known. Development has taken a
very long time, but our drive to create a campaign setting worthy of Planescape never faltered.

The future of Planescape is, as it long has been, in the hands of fans. Though many would like to see
Planescape in print once again, it is beyond the means of the Planewalker staff to purchase the license to
Planescape and no third parties have come forward with interest in reviving the setting. In the meantime,
Planewalker has developed into a medium for fans to share their own ideas for the planes. While there are no
specific plans for PS3E to release future products, it’s the drive of the fans that will determine what more is to
come.

Adventure and Intrigue on the Planes

Planescape is not about high-powered dungeon crawling on the planes, so Dungeon Masters and players
should dispel themselves of that notion quickly. If that were the case, traveling the multiverse would hardly do
more than provide tougher opponents and larger playing fields, absent of anything truly memorable or
inspiring. There are realms which reflect one's greatest dreams and darkest nightmares, grounds for
characters to test their limits and explore not just infinity, but themselves. To this end Planescape endeavors to
leave behind hack and slash adventuring for in depth role-playing by emphasizing philosophical thinking and
social interaction. Players are encouraged to consider resolving conflicts with words and cunning before
resorting to the tip of a sword (though there’s plenty of that as well), just as Dungeon Masters are encouraged
to create thought provoking and conviction testing stories that provide opportunities for character development
as much as they provide players with new experiences.

Welcome to the Great Ring

Every culture has some theory as to the shape of the multiverse, whether it’s as simple as Heaven above and
Hell below, or a complex cycle involving the movement of celestial bodies. The traditional cosmology of D&D
campaign settings is some variation of the Great Wheel, as illustrated on pg. 153 of the Dungeon Master’s
Guide. This model centers on the Prime Material Plane, which may seem appropriate to residents of that
dimension, but is often considered naive arrogance by others. Most planar creatures believe the multiverse is
circular, without beginning or end, a cosmology called the Great Ring. This model follows three important
truths that remain universal throughout most of creation:

The Center of the Multiverse: Contrary to supremacist thinking everywhere, there is no center of the
multiverse, or rather, with the planes being infinite in size wherever one stands could be called the center.
There are certainly a great number of folk who consider Sigil to be the hub of all planar society, just as most
Primes believe all existence revolves around their plane. In the grand scheme of things, however, no
particular spot is more important than any other. No matter how influential a place may be, it'll never be the
source of the gods and all the planes, and things would continue on with or without it.

The Unity of Rings: Everything comes in rings, both figuratively and literally. Sigil is a ring, just as the
Outlands are comprised of consecutive rings. Both the Inner and Outer Planes form rings, as do some of the
greatest pathways of the multiverse. This pattern represents a greater order: things have no true start or end,
but continuously lead to one another and back to whence they came. Even the nature of the gods and the
greatest forces in creation are said to move in circles, encompassing all that exists within their domain but
never truly going anywhere. The cynical might cite the Unity of Rings as proof that things never truly change,
but the truth of it is the course of history is a culmination of even the smallest details, and the consequences
of one's actions will eventually come back to them.

The Rule of Three: Things come in three. No one really knows why, but examples are found in the most
fundamental aspects of the multiverse: Good, Evil, and Neutrality; Law, Chaos, and Neutrality; Inner Planes,
Prime Material Plane, and Outer Planes; Prime, planar, and petitioner. The number three seems to have some
power to it, and things both good and bad tend to happen in sets of three on the planes. Planars who see two
things know a third probably lies hidden beneath the surface, and more than one treatise has been written on
the matter. Of course, that may just be the power of belief making what people already believe real, but the
very shape of the Great Ring seems to prove there's something to the Rule of Three.

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Aside from a couple small differences, Planescape uses the same planes as the Great Wheel, and it can
easily integrate those from other cosmologies. The truth of the matter is that although the Great Ring has
remained relatively constant for thousands of years, the multiverse is changing, whether because of shifting
beliefs or divine decree, and even experienced planewalkers are discovering planes they never knew existed.
An in-depth look at each plane from a planar perspective is provided in Chapter 8, but a description of the
three components of the multiverse is provided below.

Cardinal Planes

The cardinal planes are the three major groupings of planes. Like jewels on a ring, they are the most
prominent portions of the multiverse. No one can say for certain the exact purpose of each group; some think
they represent different stages of existence, while others say they simply exist to serve as appropriate homes
for vastly different creatures. Of course, some just throw their hands in the air and say there isn’t any meaning
behind it, but it cannot be denied that the Inner, Material, and Outer Planes are each very different places.

Inner Planes: The building blocks for the multiverse, the Inner Planes are composed of the elemental and
energy planes from which material existence is formed. Here abstract thought is given little credence in face
of the natural laws that govern the planes, and many inhabitants pursue wisdom in the characteristics of the
most fundamental forces. Each plane consists of its element and little else; the Plane of Water is almost
entirely water and inhabited by creatures that enjoy such an environment, while the Plane of Earth is formed
of rocks and dirt separated only by sparse caverns and treacherous tunnels. Between each of the Elemental
Planes are the Paraelemental Planes, border regions where two elements merge. Likewise, the
Quasielemental Planes are the union of the Elemental and Energy Planes. Collectively, the Inner Planes are
exceedingly dangerous to anyone who is not properly prepared to survive the harsh environments
beforehand. Naturally, they don’t seem to have nearly the population of the Prime Material or Outer Planes,
though each plane has its fill of elementals and elemental creatures. A few planar societies do exist, either
because some folk grew fond of the purity found there or because they wanted to exploit the seemingly infinite
supply of natural resources. While the Inner Planes are mostly apathetic to ethics and morality as a whole,
they feature their own conflicts and wars between opposing elemental forces as well as between variations in
alignment on the same plane.

Elemental Planes: Air, Earth, Fire, Water.

Energy Planes: Negative, Positive.
Paraelemental Planes: Ice, Magma, Ooze, Smoke.
Quasielemental Planes: Ash, Dust, Lightning, Minerals, Radiance, Salt, Steam, Vacuum.

Prime Material Plane: Though a single plane, unbeknownst to most Primes the Prime Material Plane hosts
myriad worlds locked away from one another in crystal spheres and suspended in an amber stream known as
the phlogiston. A crystal sphere may contain anything from a single isolated world to a field of planets, moons,
stars, and other astronomical features. These worlds often differ widely based on varying levels of magic,
technology, and culture. Some have unique religions native to its people, while a couple pantheons are
worshipped on numerous planets. It isn’t rare for the residents of a world to be unable to access the planes or
to not believe in their existence altogether, while others often think their planet exists at the center of all
creation. For these reasons and more planars tend to avoid the Prime Material, and quite a few primes are
hostile to anything from beyond their own world.

Example Prime Worlds: Athas (DARK SUN), Eberron, Kyrnn (DRAGONLANCE), Oerth (GREYHAWK), Toril
(FORGOTTEN REALMS).

Outer Planes: Home to fiends and celestials, mortals and deities, the Outer Planes are the center of planar
activity in the Great Ring. Shaped by the thoughts and faiths of creatures throughout the multiverse,
everything here has a bit of subjectivity and hidden meaning to it. Planars of every variety frequently travel
countless miles through portals connecting the Outer Planes and the rest of the cosmos, leading to the
formation of huge metropolises that act as melting pots for hundreds of races and cultures. Perhaps the most
numerous are the petitioners – the souls of the dead who make their resting place on the plane most suited to
their nature, whether its to live their afterlife serenely or in perpetual torment.

The Outer Planes are divided along ethical and moral lines: law and chaos, good and evil. Linked together in
a wheel with the neutral Outlands as the hub, each plane is positioned based on its alignment relative to its

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neighbors. The inhabitants, deities, and features of a plane are closely tied to its overall ideology. Likewise,
the planes move and conform to the beliefs of their residents. Though existing in an uneasy balance, each of
the Outer Planes seeks to grow and have the philosophical outlook it represents spread to the rest of the
multiverse.

Planes of Law: Acheron, Arcadia, Baator, Mechanus, Mount Celestia.

Planes of Conflict: The Beastlands, Bytopia, Carceri, Elysium, Gehenna, the Grey Waste, the Outlands.
Planes of Chaos: The Abyss, Arborea, Limbo, Pandemonium, Ysgard.
Upper Planes: Arborea, the Beastlands, Bytopia, Elysium, Mount Celestia.
Neutral Planes: Acheron, Arcadia, Limbo, Mechanus, the Outlands, Pandemonium, Ysgard.
Lower Planes: The Abyss, Baator, Carceri, Gehenna, The Grey Waste.

Intermediate Planes

Between each of the cardinal planes lies an intermediate plane, a transitional realm between two different
forms of existence. The intermediate planes connect two of the cardinal groups together, forming a pathway
for travelers, magic, and other more forces to move from one to the other. Because of this they are sometimes
referred to as transitive planes, but confusion often arises over what is and what isn’t a transitive plane. There
are three and only three intermediate planes: the Astral Plane, the Etherial Plane, and the Ordial Plane.
They’re all coexistent to their respective cardinal planes, none of them touches another intermediate plane,
and they all have their fair share of mystery to them.

The Astral Plane: A silvery expanse of thoughts and ideas where time and space are just concepts. It is a
graveyard of dead gods and the passageway for dead souls traveling to their final resting place. It connects
the Outer Planes and the Prime Material Plane.

The Ethereal Plane: A mist-filled sea where raw materials give shape to possibilities both real and left
unfulfilled. The Border Ethereal touches every Prime world, while the Deep Ethereal is home to countless
demiplanes and stranger things lost in its murky depths. The Ethereal connects the Prime Material Plane and
the Inner Planes.

The Ordial Plane: The ultimate enigma, a land known only through theory and powerful divination. Perhaps
the true home of the gods, or powers greater than they. Maybe the next stage of evolution, or where material
and spiritual matter is finally broken apart and purified. It connects the Inner Planes to the Outer Planes.

The Pseudo Planes

The pseudo planes fill a unique niche in the Great Ring, as they are coexistent with virtually every other plane.
In fact, pseudo planes are not truly separate planes at all; they have no existence of their own. Rather, they
are additional dimensions of the Great Ring, much like how height and width are different dimensions that are
fairly universal. Aspects of the multiverse rarely seen, each fulfills a special purpose and each operate very
different rules than the rest of the cosmos. The pseudo planes overlap one another just as they overlap most
other planes of the Great Ring, making them extremely convenient routes to use when planewalking from
different parts of the multiverse. Most planars steer clear from them, however. In the past the pseudo planes
were thought to be much smaller than they are known to be now, and it’s only recently that planars have
begun to realize their true scope. Its clear that there’s a lot that is unknown about the them, and no one can
be quite sure what they’re getting into when traveling through them.

Dream: The Region of Dreams is a place you can get to when you’re not thinking about it, but will have the
hardest time reaching when you actually try. It exists wherever resting minds are found, and it is a realm
where anything is truly possible, making it both grand and dangerous. Few natural pathways connect to the
dreamscapes there.

The Shadowlie: A place of many names, the Plane of Shadow is a realm of dark secrets and terrible
prophecies, where the things we try our hardest to deny are locked away. It exists as a mock mirror of each
plane it touches, highlighting that which seems contradictory and wrong about them. The Shadowlie is said to
hide what we choose to not believe in, even gods and entire planes of existence, and its true nature may be
similarly forever hidden.

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Temporal Prime: A plane where most people will only ever move in one direction, the Temporal Energy Plane
is beyond the understanding of most folk. Supposedly powerful mortals known as chronomancers could use it
to travel to points both near and far in history, but it’d be a foolish act to trust anyone who claimed to be one.

Sigil

One burg deserves special attention, for it’s unlike any other place in existence. Atop an infinitely tall mountain
known as the Spire in the center of the Outlands rests Sigil, the most prominent crossroad of the Great Ring.
The City of Doors is said to have portals leading to every place in the multiverse; it just requires finding the
right door and key. The portals themselves move around, and recent shakeups have taught planars that even
Sigil isn't completely reliable, but there are few planewalkers who don't pass through it on a regular basis. Its
also one of the most common spots for creatures from the Prime Material Plane to end up after accidentally
leaving their plane, and some might say the best place to start before exploring the cosmos.

Of course, with portals leading to every realm in creation, you can bet there's no limit to the number of forces
that want to control it. Yet Sigil has remained neutral ground since time remembered, thanks largely to its one
ruler, the Lady of Pain. She has protected the city for millennia, controlling its portals and ensuring the planes'
most powerful and dangerous creatures, even the gods themselves, cannot enter. It is Her will that keeps Sigil
running and ensures that anyone who causes too much trouble is thrown into the Mazes, making the City of
Doors one of the safest locales for people of every race and creed. A force beyond scrutiny, the Lady speaks
to no one, but seeing Her robed form adorned in glittering blades quietly float through the streets is enough to
keep most in line.

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Chapter 2: Characters & Races
Creating a Character

To create a Planescape character, discuss with your DM your character idea and how he or she expects the
players to perform on the planes. Planars, being the knowledgeable fellows that they are, categorize all
creatures into one of five groups: Primes, Planars, Petitioners, Proxies, and Powers. These groups are
discussed in detail below, including the role they play on the planes. If you are not familiar with Planescape,
you should probably be a Prime so that you as a player can pick up information at the same rate that your
character does. Players of Prime characters need read no further than Chapter 5 to have all the information
they’ll need to create a complete Planescape character. Planars, on the other hand, are expected to know a
good deal of information about the multiverse and players should be familiar with the material up to Chapter 8.

Next choose your race and class. Since Planescape can be made compatible with most d20 settings, there
exists the possibility for virtually any race to show up in some form in a Planescape campaign. The races
outlined in the Player’s Handbook and this chapter comprise the available options in a standard Planescape
campaign. Keep in mind that planar races may be significantly different than their Prime counterparts, and
allegiances are likely judged off alignment more than race. The Planescape Campaign Setting utilizes all the
standard classes and prestige classes from the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Expanded
Psionics Handbook.

Finally you determine your home plane and region. Your home plane is particularly important part of character
creation because it determines the plane you are not considered extraplanar. Choosing a region for your
character likewise gives you the option of further refining your character’s past, as well as giving you additional
choices in feats and languages. You should probably choose a region that reflects the alignment and beliefs of
your character. On the other hand, coming from a plane with completely opposite philosophical views can
provide a twist to your personality.

Planar Denizens

Primes

Also known as the Outsiders, or Clueless, if you prefer a less polite term. Primes are travelers from one of the
many crystal spheres in the Prime Material Plane. Through use of powerful magic, portals, or other mystical
means, they have journeyed beyond the borders of their small worlds and entered the infinite scope of the
planes. Just about every race from other campaign settings fits into this category, including those in the
Player’s Handbook. Primes are often humans, elves, dwarves, or other lesser known races that travel the
multiverse in order to complete some task given to them by their king or deity, though some simply wish to
learn more about the multiverse. A few leave their home completely by accident, such as by unknowingly going
through a portal, and don’t even realize they left their plane. PCs are commonly Primes if the DM has brought
them to the planes from another setting, be it a temporary or permanent trip.

Most Primes don’t know the first thing about how the planes operate, which is why most planars call them the
Clueless. They rarely understand the philosophy or the politics of the multiverse, and are likely to find trouble
faster than anything else without an honest guide to help them along. Primes also often believe the rest of the
multiverse revolves around their own world in some manner. Many simply can’t get over the fact that their world
doesn’t exist at the center of the multiverse, and they expect every celestial and fiend to respect them for it.
Most don’t even realize that their world is not the only one on the Prime Material
Plane.

Though the odd beliefs of Primes often make them seem crazed and easy
marks, it’s best to have some care when dealing with them, at least at first. Its
takes powerful magic to travel the planes; more than one planar has been burnt
trying to take advantage of the wrong Prime wizard. And of course, Primes don’t
look any different than their planar counterparts, so there’s little way to tell the
difference. There are even a few settlements scattered about of Primes who
have chosen to live permanently on the planes.

12
Planars

Planars are the true denizens of the planes, ranging from planar humans to githzerai, from fiends to genies.
PCs in a Planescape campaign are most likely planar characters, the mortal and immortal inhabitants of the
planes beyond the Prime Material. In contrast to the ignorant Primes, planars have grown up in the multiverse
and know how things work; they tend to have an understanding of the rules and forces governing the
multiverse, an intuitive knack for dealing with portals, and some measure of respect for the true strength of
belief. As inhabitants of the planes, planars are innately more magical than Primes and often posses some
unique features that set them apart. For starters, all planars have the natural ability to see the outline of portals,
the tunnels between the planes, whether the portals are currently active or not, with a successful Spot (DC 18)
or a Search (DC 10) check.

Planars respect power, but even more they respect knowledge and quick thinking. The multiverse is infinitely
large and dangerous, and there is always something with greater strength or magical power. Planars survive by
knowing when to fight, when to talk, and when to just run for the nearest portal.

Clarifying ‘Outsider’
The term “outsider” has multiple meanings depending on what system you are most familiar with. By its loose
definition, any creature is an outsider if it is extraplanar: the plane it is on currently is not its home plane. In
Planescape, planars often refer to Primes as outsiders because they come from such an isolated portion of
the multiverse. In Dungeons & Dragons 3.0E, this term is redefined to describe any sort of nonelemental
creature that comes from a dimension, reality, or plane other than the Prime Material Plane. Many outsiders,
like elementals, are the manifestation of the traits of their home plane and are often referred to as exemplar.
Exemplars on the Outer Planes include all types of celestials, fiends, modrons, rilmani, and slaadi. Outsiders
may gain more skill points and feats, and by being a different creature type are not subject to effects that
specifically target humanoids such as the spell dominate person.

While these rules may work in a campaign centered on the Prime Material, they are not as appropriate for a
Planescape campaign, where almost all creatures could be considered outsiders. Instead, the creature type
“outsider” is reserved for creatures with a particularly powerful connection to their plane, with other creatures
becoming planar versions of other creature types. For instance, native outsiders such as aasimar and
tieflings, as featured in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, are planar humanoids. So a tiefling could be
affected by the spell charm person because it is a humanoid, but it could also be raised by the spell raise
dead since it is not an outsider.

Petitioners

The most numerous beings in the multiverse would be petitioners, the departed spirits of Primes and planars
who have been reborn in some form of afterlife. Virtually all petitioners are on the Outer Planes on whatever
plane most closely matched their alignment or faith. Souls that worshipped a specific power or pantheon are
assigned a place in the afterlife based on the judgment of those deities, which normally means they are reborn
in the realm of their respective powers. Because of this it is possible, if exceedingly rare, for petitioners to be
reborn on the Prime Material Plane, on the Inner Planes, or on any other plane where a power keeps its realm.

The powers determine how petitioners exist in the afterlife spiritually and physically. They may be made into
shapes deemed appropriate or valued by the deity, though typically petitioners are very much like they were in
their first life. For instance, a power that favors felines may change her followers into cats, while elemental
powers are fond of shaping their followers into barely sentient sparks of elemental matter. The petitioners’
mannerisms and interests from their former lives remain, though any memories usually fade to shadowy
fragments. Petitioners live to attain harmony and union with their power or plane, thus gaining purity from the
ideals they value. This can be accomplished in any number of ways depending on their alignment: works of
charity and good will, vile acts of selfishness, abandonment of thought or desire, etc.

Petitioners serve primarily as the nonplayer characters in a Planescape campaign. They may serve any role
appropriate for their plane or realm: property owners, farmers, smiths, guards, spies, and so forth. Some may
act under the orders of their powers; others may be furthering their own goals, which usually centers on
becoming closer to their respective plane. Most have either few class levels, though some amount of skill from
their previous lives lingers with them. Essentially they are planars, but in addition, perhaps because of their
spiritual existence, they are completely immune to necromantic effects including spells that harm or heal.

13
When petitioners die, their essence is scattered and absorbed into their plane. There is no known way to
revive slain petitioners. Most cannot leave their plane unless instructed by their deity, and those who do die on
another plane face oblivion. Still, these risks are viewed as necessary methods to prove themselves, and thus
become closer to their power.

Proxies

Though not truly their own category, proxies are a cut above the rest, as they are the chosen favorites of the
powers. Where clerics are the heralds of the gods, proxies are the knights. Primes, planars, petitioners,
monsters, or anything else that has proven itself in service of its god may be elevated to proxy status, a
position that grants more power and responsibility than most planars ever know. Proxies give themselves
entirely to their deity, becoming completely obedient to the desires of their power according to their alignment,
and becoming more and more like their patron god. Good proxies are often kind, loyal, and selfless servants to
their god. Evil proxies may be cunning, manipulative, and treacherous. Such proxies may serve their powers
only until they can manage to betray them and come out on top.

The strength, appearance, and authority of a proxy depends on its patron and the assignment it has been
given. While proxies usually retain their creature type, powers sometimes elevate their proxies to planars or
even exemplars and, like petitioners, they are often changed into creatures favored by their god such as orcs,
devas, or other, more mythological creatures. Aside from at high and epic levels, PCs are almost never made
into proxies, and cannot become such without their power’s approval. Instead, proxies are typically the elite
nonplayer characters that see, speak, and act where their power may not be able to do so directly. Some are
granted proxy status temporarily in order to fulfill a single mission, while those who have proven themselves
worthy may be granted a longer lasting position in their patron’s service. The greatest proxies may even be
granted demigod status for a time at the cost of the deity’s own strength, making them dangerous individuals
indeed. No matter what their position, deities expect their proxies to receive the same respect and reverence
as the gods themselves are given. To disrespect or attack a proxy is to do so to its patron, which contributes to
the awe and fear that surrounds them.

Powers

The deities that reside in the multiverse are commonly referred to as powers by
planars. Rightly so, for if you ask them most would say they are the prime de
facto rulers of the multiverse, and they have the strength to back it up. As the
living embodiments of belief, and the power that it represents, the gods are both
inspiring and terrible. They are the mysterious hands behind events both small
and large throughout the cosmos. Most powers have a realm on the Outer Plane
that best suits their nature and domains. You can’t just walk into a palace and
spot a god, though. They aren’t seen unless they want to be, and sometimes
such an encounter can be enough to kill a mortal. Almost all deities are part of a
larger pantheon, and all in all there’s a countless number of powers both known
and hidden scattered across creation. While their plots and agendas stretch
across the multiverse, drawing in planar and Prime alike, most seem to exist in
an uneasy balance. The conditions of such a truce are the source of endless
debate among planars, but more than likely it exists to secure the powers’ own
position.

The powers don’t take quite as much interest in the Outer Planes as you might
expect. The Prime Material Plane continues to hold the attention of most gods,
as they draw more strength from their worshippers there than anywhere else.
While planars may have closer contact with deities and have greater faith in their
might, this certainty comes from continuous proof and direct experience. It
seems the faith of Primes, who don’t need to see to believe, simply provides
more sustenance to the gods. This isn’t to say that their servants on the planes
are ignored. In fact it’s quite the opposite; their planar followers are more likely to
be given the honor of serving them in specific missions anywhere on the planes.
Performing such tasks can go along way to secure a one’s place in the
multiverse, though failure or outright refusal may mean paying a far bigger price.

14
 Planescape Races

The races described below are the standard PC races for a Planescape campaign. They can all be found in
Sigil, which serves as the home for most characters. Not all of the races below are suited to work together in a
party, the githyanki and the githzerai being the most obvious example of this, as the racial hatred between the
two runs so deep that they could never work together without significant explanation. Discuss with the other
players the characters you are playing, and what relationships may exist between them before the campaign
begins. See tables 2-1 and 2-2 for additional information on Planescape races.

15
Psionic Characters
Psionics are assumed by default to exist in the Planescape setting, as described in the Expanded Psionics
Handbook. While not as common as magic, psionics are widely recognized, and those who manifest them
are often respected on the planes because of their mental strength. Psionics are particularly common on the
Outlands and on the Astral Plane. Three of the races listed below are psionic creatures: the githyanki, the
githzerai, and the nathri. In most cases variants will be provided for magical counterparts if your campaign
does not feature psionics.

16
 Aasimar

The noble scions of the Upper Planes, aasimar are mortals that bear remnants of celestial blood in their veins.
Much like their celestial ancestors, aasimar tend to be kind, honorable, and proud. They normally live among
humans, often becoming heroes and leaders of their communities as they continuously strive to bring justice
and prosperity to their mortal kin.

Personality: Most aasimar possess an air of confidence and charm that sets good folk at ease and causes evil
folk to grit their teeth. Loyal, courageous, and often honest ‘till it hurts, it’s easy to see their celestial heritage,
which they take great pride in. Aasimar feel deep down that they have a duty to lead and protect, to fight for
justice, and to crush evil at every turn. This passion causes them to make many close friends, as well as many
bitter enemies. While they respect the rights of others to choose their own ways of life, very few aasimar could
sit idly by if they saw something morally questionable. Some people might view them as overbearing, but such
folk are those who probably shouldn’t be left to their own devices.

Physical Description: While nearly all

aasimar can arguably pass for humans
or half-elves, they all possess features of
their noble heritage that give them away.
Flawless skin and radiant hair is typically
the first sign that there’s something
different about them. Some posses more
distinctive features such as vibrant
metallic eyes, a tiny unicorn horn
growing from their forehead, or even a
birthmark shaped like a holy symbol.
Aasimar rarely have much interest in
fanciful clothing or other materialistic
things, and tend to dress in the normal
style of whatever community they were
raised in. They carry themselves with a
strong yet gentle demeanor, which adds
to their ability to standout in a crowd.

Relations: Aasimar are usually more

interested in what kind of life you live
than your race, but they don’t fail to
acquire prejudices. They tend to disdain
tieflings on principle along with anyone
who they consider tainted with evil. Their
natural charisma allows them to gain the
attention of most creatures, while their
compassion, honesty, and reliability
earns them long-lasting friendship with
most well-intending people. Others know
that aasimar are clean and honest folk,
so they’re trusted and respected more
than most planetouched. Because of
their interest in the welfare of others,
aasimar often rise to positions of
leadership and prestige in their
communities such as religious leaders,
advisors, or constables.

Alignment: Inherently pure and good,

nearly all aasimar side with their celestial
ancestors in alignment. For whatever
reason there is also a predisposition
towards lawfulness, though a few will do
just about anything to serve the greater

17
good, even if it means breaking a few rules and probably a few bones. However, though most fight against evil
wherever it gains power, some aasimar have been known to fall into treachery and darkness, gaining the
enmity and fear of those they once protected.

Aasimar Lands: Having no communities of their own, nor desiring any, aasimar often keep a home in Sigil or
in human towns on the Upper Planes. Individual aasimar can be found just about anywhere, fighting injustice
and spreading good whether they’re welcome or not.

Belief: Almost all aasimar hold the tenets of Good and Order dear above all else, even their own lives. Many
adventuring aasimar are paladins, with others serve as clerics to good deities. Aasimar are most numerous
among the Sons of Mercy and the Harmonium, as these factions exist to spread good to others in one way or
another. Though polite, they rarely have much respect for factions that focus on the self above the community,
and strongly dislike morbid factions such as the Dustmen and the Bleak Cabal.

Language: Aasimar speak Planar Trade, and many learn to speak Celestial.

Names: Aasimar are often given human names by their parents, though a few take on celestial names to
further identify themselves later in life.

Adventurers: Few aasimar can, or want to, deny their righteous heritage, and therefore many feel it is their
duty to sponsor integrity, honesty, and kindness through all the realms of existence. Many, after seeing how
much evil there is to be overthrown, take the road of adventuring as the path to do the most good. Some
believe that the best way to win against evil is to maintain an exemplary life within their own home communities
and protect them from corruption. In either case, the aasimar are normally trying to live up to their celestial
ancestors, who are more than likely still alive and keeping an eye on their descendents.

Role-playing an Aasimar: Within you is the blood of celestials. You are the embodiment of courage, honor,
compassion, and sincerity. As a champion of good, you are charged with defending your weaker kin, just as
you are entitled to their respect. It is your responsibility to be ever watchful for evil and to strike it down at every
opportunity. Vice and wickedness are your enemies, as are those who would spread it. Justice and peace are
their own rewards as you travel the planes undoing the wrongs of others and avenging unjust deaths. Though
fame and power are tools to spread the word of good, you must be careful not to allow yourself to fall to
arrogance and greed, and risk becoming what you hate most.

AASIMAR RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. The aasimar’s heritage makes them wise and inspiring leaders.
Medium-sized humanoid.
Aasimar base speed is 30 feet.
Acid, cold, and electricity resistance 5.
Daylight (Sp): Aasimar can use daylight once per day as cast by a sorcerer of their character level.
+2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret
languages, such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (often one of the Upper planes).
Favored Class: Paladin.
Level Adjustment +1.

18
 Bariaur

Bariaur are tauric inhabitants of the Upper Planes, combining features of humans and rams. These natives of
Ysgard are herbivorous and generally peaceful in nature, though like many of Ysgard’s residents they enjoy
competition and do not fear any battle. Their herds are a common sight on the chaotic side of the Upper Planes
as they travel from plane to plane. Many bariaur make their way to Sigil on their own as traders, explorers, or
just to use it a connecting point between journeys.

Personality: The best word to describe bariaur is carefree. They are optimistic about life, always looking to the
best possible outcomes of events, as well as the best in other people. Bariaur are very social, and possess a
powerful wanderlust, making it hard for them to settle down in one place for long. They constantly wish to try
new things and see new places. Staying in one city, or even on one plane, bores them, which is why the herds
are known to travel such great distances. Bariaur also enjoy combat, and when challenged they are focused
warriors. However, they are not generally blood thirsty and don’t desire to kill their opponents, only to defeat
them.

Physical Description: Bariaur strongly resemble the centaurs found on some Prime worlds, though they
generally do not care for the comparison. Unlike centaurs, a bariaur’s lower body appears to be that of a large
goat, instead of a horse, while their torso looks human. In addition, a male bariaur have a large pair of ram
horns on his head, while females have smaller, less noticeable horns. Bariaur are generally very mindful of
their appearance, considering it a matter of pride to look one’s best. They usually wear shirts, jackets, blouses,
or vests, but only to look fashionable, and spend long hours keeping their pelts well groomed. For special
occasions some bariaur may even weave jewelry into their fur or suspend it from their horns.

Relations: Bariaur are very easy to get along with. They are very accepting of others, and in return most
people have few problems with them. Of course, the general disrespect for rules that most bariaur express
disturbs those involved with keeping the
law. In fact, many bariaur have long
suspected that the keepers of the law often
single them out without reason, especially in
the days of the Harmonium. Those who
take life seriously or with cynicism, such as
certain genasi, tieflings, and zenythri often
have difficulty putting up with the typical
bariaur cheerfulness. Bariaur, on the other
hand, enjoy trying to loosen up such folk,
seeing it as a challenge and a service.

Alignment: Many bariaur are chaotic good,

but none can say whether this is inherent in
their nature or if it comes from their long
residence on the Upper Planes. Despite this
tendency, bariaur of all alignments can be
found.

Bariaur Lands: Bariaur are found on many

planes, but their herds are found only on
Arborea, the Beastlands, Elysium, the
Outlands, and Ysgard. These herds roam
all across the fields there in a seemingly
random fashion, but of these five planes
bariaur are by far most numerous on
Ysgard. As a people bariaur erect no
structures, although individual bariaur may
do so. Those not found in these herds are
usually lone wanderers, protectors of the
wilderness, or herders. The majority of
bariaur have little contact with civilization,
and some have never even seen a city
larger than a small town.

19
Belief: Bariaur have their share of clerics among them, though their close ties to the land also cause a large
number to be drawn to the druidic lifestyle. They believe strongly in a carefree, unrestricted lifestyle, and do not
approve of those that try to restrict others with laws and tyranny. Bariaur whose travels bring them to Sigil are
likely to join the Free League, as the Indeps share their views on personal freedom. Many also choose to join
the Sensates, who, like most bariaur, seek to experience new things. They are extremely unlikely to join the
Doomguard, the Bleak Cabal, or the Dustmen, as the negative views on life expressed by these factions’ do not
appeal to bariaur mentality. It is also rare to see them as members of groups such as the Harmonium, for they
cannot stand the restrictions enforced by such organizations.

Language: Bariaur speak Bariaur, Planar Trade, and Celestial. The Celestial tongue is used for communication
with some of their neighbors on the Upper Planes, while Planar Trade is occasionally used for trading and
discussion with outsiders.

Names: Bariaur are given a name at birth by their parents, and they also have a herd name that indicates
either their current herd or the herd in which they were born into.
Male Names: Cious, Grazik, Darun, Jalen, Lijel, Mihel, Zatar
Female Names: Floria, Glien, Kilil, Defilia, Entida, Jillia, Welida
Herd Names: Wide Wanderers, Green Pastures, Far Mountain, Open Plain, Winding River

Adventurers: The wanderlust shared by many bariaur drives them into the career of adventuring. Usually they
begin their careers by simply walking away from the herd one day, and soon they are drawn to try to meet other
people, until they often as not wind up in Sigil. Others are drawn to a life of adventure through their exploration
of trade opportunities. No matter what drew them to a life of adventure, bariaur embark on their journeys with
the gusto with which they typically approach all ventures they undertake.

Roleplaying a Bariaur: Every day is a good day, for every day is a new chance to see new things. It is not
possible to fail all of the time, thus even when everything is at its worst things have to look up eventually. Don’t
stay in one place too long; the planes are infinitely large, and therefore you shouldn’t waste much time in one
spot. Fear not danger nor adversity; you will die one day, and so it is best to take a risk and face the challenges
before you. Every situation has potential for hope, so never give up, even when things seem the bleakest. And
never, ever back away from a good fight, for what fun would running from a challenge be?

BARIAUR RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Strength, -2 Charisma: Bariaur are stronger than average humans, but their carefree
nature often makes them poor leaders.
Medium-size monstrous humanoid.
Bariaur base speed is 40 feet.
Spell resistance 11 + class level.
+2 racial bonus to Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
Quadruped: As quadrupeds, bariaurs gain a +4 bonus on checks to resist bull rush and trip attacks. They
have a carrying capacity 1 1⁄2 times greater than normal for their Strength. They must wear barding instead of
normal armor and cannot wear boots designed for humanoids.
Powerful Charge (Ex): A bariaur often begins a battle by charging at an opponent, lowering its head to smash
its rams’ horns against a foe. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows the
bariaur to make a single bludgeoning attack that deals 2d6 + 1 1⁄2 times the bariaur’s Strength modifier.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
+2 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks.
Automatic Languages: Bariaur, Celestial, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages:
Elven, Giant, Sylvan.
Plane of Origin: Often Arborea or Ysgard.
Favored Class: Ranger.
Level Adjustment +1.

20
 Bladeling

Bladelings are dangerous inhabitants of the Lower Plane of Acheron. Like their home plane, they seem to be
made mostly of metal. Bladelings do not trust outsiders, and are rarely found outside their home communities,
but when they do leave they quickly come to be respected and feared.

Personality: Many bladelings are extremely xenophobic. Those who have traveled outside of Acheron often
learn to deal with strangers, but they are always suspicious of anyone who is not a bladeling. Those who have
not left their home plane are usually openly hostile to strangers and can be provoked to violence with little
motivation. Unlike many Lower Planar races, bladeling society instills into all its members a strong sense of
duty and community; as a result they think foremost of their community and only secondly of themselves.
Nevertheless, they fit poorly in societies consisting of other races, as this respect for community does not
extend toward them. Bladelings are also highly superstitious, and as their beliefs are passed on from one
generation to the next the bladelings will not abandon them, even when presented with evidence that suggests
that they are in the wrong.

Physical Description: Bladelings have a humanoid form, and stand on average 6 feet tall, but otherwise
share few qualities with humans. Most noticeably different is that bladelings are covered with patches of
metallic spines. Their skin also looks metallic, giving bladelings the appearance of animated constructs. Some
scholars speculate that in their initial battles with rust dragons the bladelings developed their immunity to rust
and corrosion in order to survive against these foes. Furthermore, their eyes, usually blue or purple, glow with
a sinister light that unnerves anyone willing to meet their stare. Overall, this gives bladelings the appearance of
being fiendish, which for many of their race is an accurate description. They have little interest in superficial
clothing, and many rely on their natural armor for protection.

Relations: Within their own community bladelings are very closely tied together, for without this unity they
would not be able to resist the dangers of Ocanthus. However, the isolation of most bladeling cities causes
them to instinctively distrust other races. Natural xenophobes, bladelings often find it difficult to deal with other
races, or even other communities of bladelings. Bladelings almost never learn to trust non-bladelings
completely, and will always carefully watch even long-time companions. Because of this distrust, others find it
hard to befriend a bladeling, and are thus more likely to turn against them. This merely reinforces the
bladeling’s ideas about the unreliability of other races.

Alignment: Most bladelings share the alignment of their home plane of Acheron, lawful evil. However, a small
portion of the population is lawful neutral, and it is from this group that many adventurers are found. Even the
lawful neutral bladelings may have some evil tendencies, arising from the upbringing that they must overcome.

Bladeling Lands: Bladelings are found in the greatest

concentration on Ocanthus, the fourth layer of Acheron. The
primary bladeling city is Zoronor. Also called the City of Shadows,
Zoronor is surrounded by a shell of wood called the Blood Forest
that, for the most part, protects the inhabitants from the deadly
environment of Ocanthus. Other bladeling cities are
undocumented, although the number of bladelings one may
encounter surely indicates there are more. It is rumored that the
race did not always hail from Acheron, but that they left some other
plane to move to Ocanthus in the distant past. The truth of the
matter is likely lost, and the bladelings themselves seem
uninterested.

Belief: Clerics are prevalent among the bladelings, who as a whole

seem to be a religious people. Some clerics devote themselves to
Hextor, others who hail from Zoronor worship the Blood Forest as a
lesser god called Hriste, the Gray Whisperer. However, the majority
worships an unknown force or pantheon, and they will not speak
about this belief to anyone, not even to their closest companions.
Bladelings who find themselves in Sigil will most likely be attracted
to the Sodkillers, as their harsh interpretation of justice appeals to
both the lawful nature of bladelings and their darker tendencies, or
to the Fraternity of Order, as they too are interested in the pursuit

21
of order. They are never attracted to the Xaositects, the Free League, or other chaotic factions as they cannot
understand their disrespect for the law. Few can understand the Athar, as their teachings go against the strong
religious ties in bladeling society.

Language: Bladelings speak Planar Trade and Infernal.

Names: Bladelings are given a name at birth by their parents. When they reach the age of adulthood they pick
a descriptor to follow their name which either reflects their abilities or is intended to frighten their enemies.
Male Names: Bladac, Cutaros, Glearan, Rajin, Shadi, Tarkai, Velassi
Female Names: Abalido, Ortoris, Higaria, Delara, Evensha, Jidika, Yolatis
Descriptor: Shade’s Doom, Silent Killer, Shadow Walker, Death Drinker

Adventurers: There are generally two types of bladelings found adventuring on the planes. The first group is
made up of explorers and traders who were sent out by their communities to gather knowledge about the other
planes and to bring back goods that can help the bladelings survive on Ocanthus. Bladelings of this type will
usually make periodic returns to their community to share their knowledge and acquisitions with their city. The
second group are outcasts from bladeling society, who are now trying to set up new lives for themselves
outside of Acheron. Outcasts are usually afraid to return to Ocanthus, as there their former brethren may
attack them. For this reason, outcasts usually conceal their status to avoid reprisal.

Roleplaying a Bladeling: Darkness pulls at you from the back of your mind, causing you to do things others
do not approve of. You must resist these impulses to survive, yet giving in is so much easier. This is the fault of
the others; their non-bladeling ways have made you weaker. They are responsible, not you. Always watch your
back; you never know when your so-called friends will turn on you.

BLADELING RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Dexterity: Bladelings have a natural agility that makes them deadly warriors.
Medium-size humanoid.
Bladeling base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Bladelings have a +4 natural armor bonus.
Natural Weapons: All bladelings automatically have a claw attack that deals 1d6 + Strength modifier points of
slashing damage.
Razor Storm (Ex): Once per day, a bladeling can expel shrapnel-like bits of its skin in a 15- foot cone, dealing
2d6 points of piercing damage to any creature in the area. A Reflex save (DC 10 + Constitution modifier)
halves the damage. After this attack, the bladeling’s
natural armor bonus drops to +2 for 24 hours.
Immunities (Ex): A bladeling takes no damage from acid, and it is immune to rust attacks
despite its metallic hide.
Cold and fire resistance 5.
DR 5/magic bludgeoning.
Metal Hide: Certain spells that affect armor, such as heat metal, treat the bladeling as
though wearing armor that cannot be taken off. In addition, the spikes on the bladeling’s
body make it impossible for a bladeling to wear medium or heavy armor.
Automatic Languages: Infernal, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Giant,
Goblin, Orc.
Plane of Origin: Usually Acheron.
Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment +1.

22
 Chaond

The implantation method used by the slaadi to reproduce is well known and feared, but what few planewalkers
realize is that even when a victim is cleansed of the infection the remnants of chaos often persist. These
lingering elements are overlooked as the unsuspecting soul continues about their life, but can become painfully
obvious when their descendants appear more slaad than human. These hybrids are usually killed, but some
are simply abandoned in remote places of the wild. Few survive on their own for long, but a small number
manage to thrive and even procreate. As the generations pass, the slaad taint weakens and the human side
grows stronger, allowing them to live lives that are more normal. The mark of chaos always remains with these
planetouched, known as chaonds, forever separating them from humans and even other planar creatures.

Personality: Chaonds are outgoing, flamboyant creatures. Whimsical and emotional, they are prone to sudden
shifts in mood as well as flights of fancy, and feel no need to excuse their actions to others. Few look past the
present moment or their own desires, and they are generally amused by the tendency of other races to trouble
themselves with thoughts of the past and future. Though they are naturally very social, many people find their
insensitivity to social custom and fits of emotion unsettling. This does not bother the chaonds, however, as they
expect nothing from those around them and couldn’t care less about the opinions of others. Their own interests
and tastes change rapidly, causing them to live by a variety of different lifestyles and morals. They are not
without reason for their actions, only quick to change their mind and even faster to act off it. always remains
with these planetouched, known as chaonds, forever separating them from humans and even other planar
creatures.

Physical Description: Chaonds normally appear as rudimentary humans with thick chests and limbs, blocky
facial features, and slowly shifting skin and hair color. They range in height from 5’1 to 5’10, and are normally
twice as wide as a typical human is. Many are repulsed and a little intimidated by the chaonds’ savage body
shape and posture, which disguises an agility surpassing most. Chaonds wear virtually anything, even patching
different assortments of clothing together and equipment, having little interest in appearance or style. The
result is often a gaudy display of color and design matching the chaond’s own unorthodox form. They also
possess a wide variety of unique
physical features that link them to
their slaad ancestor from patches of
hardened scales to reptilian hands
and feet. Most have a gravelly voice
that sometimes resembles a croak
when they are excited. These are just
a few physical abnormalities; over the
generations nearly any sort of
alteration may develop among.

Relations: The chaonds’ indifference

to the opinions and rules of others
serves as both a blessing and a curse
in their relationships. While most find
chaonds pleasant companions
(overlooking their frequent outbursts
of emotion), the chaos planetouched
are rarely welcome among structured
societies or organizations. Chaonds
instead choose to spend most of their
time in the wild on the edge of
civilization, mixing with others
infrequently and only for short
periods. Well aware of their unusual
heritage and form, they tend to get
along with any other race, treating
everyone as equals with an openness
that surprises the most liberal person.
They get along particularly well with
bariaur, who share their free spirited
nature, and many tieflings feel some

23
common ground with them. Chaonds view those who impose laws on themselves and others as misguided,
and have no compunctions against ignoring or actively working against such tyrants.

Alignment: Chaonds are inherently chaotic due to their slaad blood, but can be of any moral alignment. They
are often self-centered in their apathy for the concerns of those around them, but some feel a calling to protect
the freedom and lives of others. With anything being capable for the chaos-touched, some chaond show a
preference for order and structure over freedom. Such folk are the exception, however.

Chaond Lands: Chaonds have no organized culture or place to call home, but often live on the edge of planar
civilizations. Rarely do they assume ownership of a particular area, believing that others have as much claim
as they do, and having no desire to sit in one location for long.

Belief: Firmly believing that they choose their own path, chaonds have little use for fates or powers, and abhor
enforced religion. Some choose to ally themselves with chaotic deities, if they share a similar belief or goal, but
are as likely to ignore dictates as they are to obey them if it doesn’t fit with the chaond’s current taste. Naturally,
the Xaositects have the highest number of chaond members, though a few can be found among the
Transcendent Order and Revolutionary League.

Language: Most chaond speak Planar Trade, though their travels give them access to a wide variety of
languages.

Names: Chaond names are based on where they were born, and thus can be nearly anything. Suiting their
chaotic nature, chaond like going by alternating nicknames before falling back on their given name.

Adventuring: With a deep-rooted need to travel and explore, chaond are natural adventurers and can be
found in any sort of environment or among any party. They are comfortable with most of the terrain found on
the planes, and many serve as guides. They are most at home on the chaotic side of the Great Ring, but some
take bringing anarchy to order as a challenge.

Roleplaying a Chaond: You live without restraint, responsibility, or worry. Others may bury themselves with
trivial concerns and chain their lives with rules, but you know better. Life isn’t meant to be with restrictions, but
with the freedom and willingness to explore its many facets. To this end, you travel constantly, rarely remaining
in one place for long, lest you miss some new experience and sensation. You live your life in the moment, for
there is no point in being tied down by the past and future. While always open to new ideas, you do not let the
opinions of others sway you to follow the trends or interfere with how you want to live your life.

CHAOND RACIAL TRAITS

+4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma: Chaond are sturdy and surprisingly agile, contributing to their feral
appearance.
Medium-size humanoid.
Chaond base speed is 30 feet.
Acid, cold, and sonic resistance 5.
Shatter (Sp): Chaond can use shatter once per day as cast by a sorcerer of their character level.
+2 racial bonus on Escape Artist and Tumble checks.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such
as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (often one of the Planes of Chaos).
Favored Class: The first class chosen by a chaond is their favored class. Once chosen it
cannot be changed.
Level adjustment +1.

24
 Genasi, Air

Heirs to the open sky and wild blue

yonder, air genasi are descendants
of djinn, sylphs, and other
inhabitants of the Elemental Plane
of Air. Such pairings are very rare,
but there are occasions when
exceptional humans are chosen as
mates. Also known as wind dukes,
air genasi, like most elemental
planetouched, are viewed as aliens
because of their elemental heritage
and disliked for their distant and
arrogant nature. Though they have
high ideals and stormy tempers,
they can be quite gentle and friendly
to those who manage to meet their
standards.

Personality: Air genasi are quite

used to looking down on everyone
and seem to manage this even
when standing on the ground.
Having no need to breathe, they see
such waste of air an affront to its
purity, and their disdain in the
“faults” of others only grows from
there. The self- styled wind dukes
are seen by most folk as haughty
and self-important, but are well
respected within the Elemental
Plane of Air for their heritage.
Elsewhere, however, they are
viewed much as other genasi, which
is an affront to their egos. Air genasi
are wild and carefree; their temper
often shifts between a calm breeze
and a raging tempest seemingly
without warning. They are swift to make rivalries and are fiercely competitive about anything their capricious
nature indicates is worthy.

Physical Description: With their mortal parents being chosen for exceptional qualities combined with their
elemental blood, air genasi are usually strikingly exotic in appearance. They often have a sultry, breathy
voice, and what seems to be a constant breeze blowing through their hair, even while indoors. Some are
proud of a light bluish tint to their skin or hair, as well as the coolness it radiates. Air genasi do not need to
breathe, furthering the idea of their alien physiology. Most have a permanently disheveled look about their hair
and attire, which they view as only the proper manifestation of things.

Relations: Air genasi tend to look upon other races as rivals and inferiors. They will rarely deign to lower their
standards or assist those of lesser heritage than themselves. Instead, they prefer the company of their peers
and individuals they believe measure up somehow. Overall, the air genasi do not seem to fit in well in most
planar societies, as they rarely take interest in community affairs or the politics of others. It isn’t impossible to
befriend them, and in fact the wind dukes make strong allies, but such relationships are formed only on their
terms.

Alignment: Air genasi can be of any alignment, though they tend to be neutral and are rarely lawful. Their
morals vary intensely from one individual to the next, more so perhaps than other genasi, but no matter their
alignment or motives, they are self-righteous in defense of themselves.

25
Air Genasi Lands: Unlike most genasi, wind dukes have a special place within their society. They are
typically reared in humanoid settlements floating through the Elemental Plane of Air and put into positions of
prestige and respect due to their noble heritage. Outside these little towns, however, air genasi are wind-
strewn throughout the planes and live at the highest elevation they can manage. This usually means lofty
mountaintops or at the very least on the highest floor of whatever building they are occupying.

Belief: Most air genasi are more concerned with their own well-being than that of any organization or church,
but some choose to venerate deities of Air and Wind as part of their noble heritage. A few choose to join
factions for short periods to satisfy a particular flight of fancy, and may remain if the philosophy grows on
them. The Mind’s Eye and the Transcendent Order seem to be the most appealing, though their numbers
remain small even in these groups.

Languages: Air genasi speak Planar Trade, and a majority of them pick up Auran as a second language.

Names: Air genasi are often given names by their human parents, but depending on the involvement of their
elemental sire, they may be given a name with more prestige in that society.

Adventurers: A good number of air genasi are avid travelers, which often leads them to become experienced
planewalkers in their own right. Some are drifters who prefer not to sit still for very long, while others travel on
business associated with their office in the community. A few may actually seek glory and adventure, though
because of the reliance on traveling companions these are only the most tolerant of their kind.

Roleplaying an Air Genasi: You are a child of the skies, of purest air, an exemplar of nature’s way. Those
who do not share your birthright are beneath you, hardly worth a glance, and incapable of recognizing your
true value. All you can do is bear with their failings and rise above them. Those who dare stand in your way
will know the fury of the storms; those who merit your respect will feel the blessing breeze that is your
kindness.

AIR GENASI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Air genasi are nimble in form and thought, but are
flighty and arrogant.
Medium-size humanoid.
Air genasi base speed is 30 feet.
Electricity resistance 10.
Gust of Wind (Sp): Air genasi can use gust of wind once per day as cast by a druid of their character level.
Breathless (Ex): Air genasi do not breathe, so they are immune to drowning, suffocation, and attacks that
require inhalation (such as some types of poison).
+1 racial bonus on saving throws against spells all air spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for
every five class levels the genasi attains.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret
languages, such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Air)
Favored Class: Rogue.
Level Adjustment +1.

26
 Genasi, Earth

Bound by blood to the earth, the

stone princes hail from the union
of humans and dao from the
Elemental Plane of Earth, and are
ever bit as sturdy and stubborn as
its natural residents. Abandoned
by their genie ancestors, they live
among humans never forgetting
their unique connection to the
fundamental elements of the
planes. Though ponderous and
slow to act, they can be as terrible
as the quaking ground when
brought to anger.

Personality: Earth genasi are

slow and meticulous by nature.
Never rushed when an important
decision must be made, they try to
consider any problem from all
angles and carefully weigh the
possible consequences of their
actions. Earth genasi tend to be
quiet individuals willing to listen
thoroughly to those around them,
though always with the certainty
that their way is the right way.
Though patient, they are often
closed-minded to new ideas,
seeing change as a waste of
energy when they are content with
the status quo. Slow to anger, and
even slower to forget a slight,
earth genasi make reliable friends
and lasting enemies.

Physical Description: Resembling solidly built humans, earth genasi are commonly mistaken for dwarves —
or sometimes boulders. Some have rough skin that resembles a handful of dirt and rock, while others have
skin as smooth as marble or granite with a metallic sheen to it. Their eyes may be like gemstones, or
bottomless black pits. Earth genasi have a naturally thick frame and strong muscles, though their short frame
and skin color often causes them to blend into their surroundings.

Relations: Though just as arrogant as other genasi, earth genasi are patient and quiet, masking their
contempt for other races. Many are sedentary and like to stay near the place of their birth, while others are
always moving seeking out precious treasures of the earth in the form of gems or precious metals. Often as
not, earth genasi are solitary individuals and few have the inclination to wait around on them, which is just as
well for the earth genasi as they don’t like being bothered to move at an unreasonable pace. Still they are loyal
to their companions to the end, and are not ones to let small qualms or differences get between them and their
friends. They are also widely regarded as the finest smiths, with many rivaling or even surpassing dwarves in
their ability to craft stone and metal.

Alignment: Earth genasi seek a balance in their actions and thus tend to be neutral, though they have a
predisposition towards the thorough, linear nature of law. They have little capacity to understand, let alone,
embrace the ever-changing freedom of chaos, and are normally apathetic to moral dilemmas that do not
concern them.

Earth Genasi Lands: An earth genasi feels at home whenever his feet touch the ground. Their elemental
ancestors have no interest in flesh creatures, so they mostly live among their human kin. As a race, they have

27
no lands of their own, but often found deep within mountains, canyons, and near natural rock formations
across the planes.

Belief: Many earth genasi revere the earth with what some would consider religious fervor, though few are
actually priests. It is not in their nature to change their beliefs easily, and they can be extremely devoted to their
ideals, even when presented with flaws in their logic. They are too independent to see much need for faction
membership, though a small number join the Fraternity of Order for its stability.

Language: Earth genasi speak Planar Trade and the majority of them have Terran as a second language.

Names: Earth genasi take the name given by their human parents, which varies based on their homeland but
often hints back to their unique physical features.

Adventurers: If an earth genasi puts his mind to accomplishing something, few are strong enough to stop
them. Those stone princes who collect the hidden treasures of the earth like precious stones and metals will
travel far and wide in search of them. Very rarely an earth genasi might reject its elemental heritage out of
distaste for being abandoned so quickly by its sire (a rash act in their eyes), and choose to focus on protecting
their fragile human kin above all else. These earth genasi may take up adventuring to promote the freedom
and stability of other creatures.

Roleplaying an Earth Genasi: You are a being of earth, the greatest of all elements, yet no one understands
you or recognizes your true worth. It’s not their fault, and you are patient enough not to hold it against them.
Nor will you let their failings stand in your path. They call you stubborn, and you gladly live up to the title. After
all, a being with your lineage has a destiny; it’s your duty to ensure that your name is engraved in the records
of history.

EARTH GENASI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Earth genasi are physically impressive, but can be
oblivious and stubborn.
Medium-size humanoid.
Earth genasi base speed is 30 feet.
Earth genasi have a +2 natural armor bonus.
Acid resistance 10.
Soften Earth and Stone (Sp): Earth genasi can use soften earth and stone once per day as cast by a druid of
their character level.
Stonecunning: This ability grants an earth genasi a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual
stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction, unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone
ceilings, and the like. An earth genasi who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a
Search check as if he were actively searching, and an earth genasi can use the Search skill to find stonework
traps as a rogue can.
+1 racial bonus on saving throws against all earth spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every
five class levels the genasi attains.
+2 racial bonus to Appraise and Craft checks that are related to stone or metal items.
Darkvision to 60 feet.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret
languages, such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Earth).
Favored Class: Fighter.
Level Adjustment +1.

28
 Genasi, Fire

Descendants of efreet or fire spirits from the

Elemental Plane of Fire, the flame lords are
fiery- tempered beings of quick action. While
most fire genasi are killed outright by their
nonhuman parent, a few manage to escape
with the mortal parent to human lands. There
the fire genasi learns to be feared, perceived
as a personification of fire’s destructive power.
Though not innately evil, as many believe,
they are the most arrogant and selfish of the
genasi, believing that the flames that run in
their veins make them greater compared to
other mortals.

Personality: Fire genasi generally like to be at

the center of things, quick to take up causes of
glory and fame, but also becoming bored
easily if things get difficult or drawn out. They
begin far more endeavors than they finish,
though most would refuse to admit this as a
failing. They are high-strung and full of energy,
jumping at the chance to try something new
and exciting while remaining elitists at heart.
The flame lords typically try to push the
extremes of social trends rather than follow
them, seeing it as fitting that others would fall
short of their capability. Befitting the nature of
fire, they are wasteful and excessive, lacking both tact and consideration for others. The multiverse is their
playground, and they don’t mind if a few of their toys get burnt in their fun.

Physical Description: Hair like summer heat waves and eyes that glow with the intensity of flames, fire
genasi have an exceptional ability to stand out no matter where they are. Most have skin that is deep red or
charcoal color, which is sometimes hot enough to burn those who touch it. Some even have a voice that
sounds like crackling flames, giving them almost a fiendish quality to their words. While outer appearances are
very important to them, they prefer simple and elegant clothing in colors of black and red, fashioned to the
latest styles of their culture.

Relations: Most races have an inbred fear of fire, and this distrust carries over to the flame lords. As a result,
fire genasi become accustomed to accepting the paranoia of others and eventually reinforce it. Their hot
tempers make dealing with them a matter of caution and few are willing to put up with their spoiled and elitist
attitudes. Even those who might find themselves in the good graces of a flame lord may be dismissed shortly
thereafter when something else catches the genasi’s eye. Though it could easily be reasoned that they share
common ground with other planetouched, they consider relating their existence to that of other races an insult
to their innate superiority.

Alignment: Fire genasi are typically apathetic to moral or ethical decisions, basing their actions on their mood
at the time. As a result most are true neutral or chaotic neutral, though sometimes their love for destruction
leads them to the path of evil. Fire Genasi Lands: Fire genasi are only completely tolerated in the towns where
they were first raised, protected by their human parents from the hatred of others. Once mature, fire genasi
normally choose to leave their homes forever in search of new thrills.

Belief: Not many of the flame lords hold strong beliefs or convictions, but those who do choose deities and
factions that promote change, independence, and destruction. The Doomguard and Xaositects have their
share of fire genasi among them, while the Revolutionary League and Transcendent Order may be attractive
to them for a time as well. Overall few fire genasi have the dedication or interest to stand behind any
organization or philosophy for long. Those who do may be the most fanatical of their kind.

29
Language: Fire Genasi speak the languages of the land of their birth and almost all have Ignan as a second
language, considering it a higher form of speech.

Names: Fire genasi are often given names by their mortal parent that fit their elemental heritage.

Adventurers: Fire genasi readily take up arms for whatever suits their fancy at the time, especially if it
involves fame and fortune. Because of the amount of fear human communities have for them, fire genasi often
roam the planes for extended periods, enjoying the excitement and danger offered by adventuring. Their
impatience and willingness to act first and think later leads them into dangerous situations, guaranteeing that
any journey with a flame lord will be an interesting experience.

Roleplaying a Fire Genasi: The blood in your veins burns, driving you to try the impossible and rise above
the mundane creatures around you. You give neither mercy nor compassion to others; it is more than enough
that you acknowledge these weaklings, let alone view them as equals. Never hesitate or sit idle. Never allow
yourself to be portrayed as weak or dependent. Mortals fear you and they should continue to do so. Allow no
insult to go unpunished, for it is your responsibility to ensure others never forget who the superior race is.

FIRE GENASI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma. Fire genasi have bright minds but are easily angered and poor in dealing with
others.
Medium size humanoid.
Fire genasi base speed is 30 feet.
Fire resistance 10.
Produce Flame (Sp): Fire genasi can use produce flame once per day as cast by a druid of their character
level.
Burn (Ex): As a free action after making a touch attack, a fire genasi may force the opponent to succeed on a
Reflex save (DC 11 + Constitution) or catch fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds if not extinguished sooner. A
burning creature can use a full-round action to put out the flame.
+1 racial bonus on saving throws against all fire spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every five
class levels the genasi attains.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret
languages, such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Fire).
Favored Class: Evoker.
Level Adjustment +1.

30
 Genasi, Water

The sea kings come from the

pairing of humans with nereids,
marids, or other water elemental
creatures. Water genasi are the
most independent of the elemental
planetouched, having as little in
common with their parents as with
other genasi. Most are abandoned
by their parents at birth and are later
raised by other creatures on the
Elemental Plane of Water such as
dolphins, mermen, tritons, or darker
races such as sahuagin. They
consider themselves to be
completely unique, and each
develops an extreme personality
trait that leads others to agree with
them.

Personality: More than other

genasi, no two of the sea kings are
alike in personality. Some are
patient and cunning, choosing to
gradually wear away resistance to
their plans, while others are stormy
and violent, preferring to drown their
foes in their wrath. They may have
virtually any trait or goal, exhibiting
a versatility that rivals even that of humans. Whatever characteristics a water genasi may have are taken to an
extreme: bravery unto martyrdom, cowardice unto paranoia, and other such unbending outlooks are commonly
displayed. They seem more than a little off to most, but they can be surprisingly pleasant if one treads lightly in
dealings with them.

Physical Description: Their relationship with the seas is apparent to all who look upon the water genasi.
Flowing seaweed-textured hair, blue-green skin with soft scales, and webbed feet and hands are common
traits of the sea kings. Though they have no visible gills, they can breathe water as easily as air, and their
voices sometimes sound like the sonorous songs of whales or dolphins. Though their form and styles are as
varied as their personalities, many of them like to decorate themselves in the accoutrements of the sea such
as sea-shells, coral, fish bones, and especially pearls or abalone.

Relations: Water genasi have more dealings with the sentient underwater races than anyone else, and are not
looked upon cruelly by most since they can be very useful in communications and dealings between them and
the more common planar races. They are perhaps the least arrogant of the genasi, but all strongly feel that
which makes them unique makes them important individuals in their own right. While their extreme
characteristics make it difficult for most to get close to water genasi, those who do can easily find a strong and
amiable companion.

Alignment: Water genasi vary greatly in their principles, though their elemental heritage endows them with a
measure of apathy to philosophy, so most are at least somewhat neutral.

Water Genasi Lands: Water genasi can take or leave land without much care, but they all call the water
home. Be it river, sea, lake, or pool, the sea kings make their homes in or near bodies of water throughout the
multiverse. Befitting their nature, none of them share enough common ground to join together, though most
firmly believe there is enough water for all.

Belief: As extreme as these fellows are, they are just as apathetic to morals and ethics as all other genasi.
They are focused purely on themselves, but expect the same attitude from everyone else. Those who travel
the Outer Planes may develop beliefs centered on this principle and become as fanatical about it as the

31
greatest Hardhead. Of the factions, water genasi are most often found among the Fated, and the Free League
has a number of sea kings among its members as well.

Language: Water genasi speak the Planar Trade spoken throughout the multiverse, and a majority of them
are fluent in Aquan as well.

Names: Water genasi take the name given by their human parents, which varies based on their homeland but
often hints back to their unique physical features.

Adventurers: The sea kings wander far and wide, following the tides physically and metaphorically. Many live
among the creatures that raised them, as special members of the community or as slaves, depending on the
society. Exploration comes naturally to water genasi, however, and they are quick to seek out adventure both
under and above the waves. Many enjoy searching out and collecting lost treasure, though the appeal of
learning about new places is also a strong incentive.

Roleplaying a Water Genasi: You are the essence of the great oceans, serenely tranquil yet quick and
unpredictable. Others may have difficulty accepting you, but they cannot fathom the intensity within. You have
always been the outsider, and deep down you realize you will always be different from everyone else. There is
no one like you in the entire multiverse, an idea that brings you great satisfaction. After all, there must be great
things meant for one as unique as you, and you know that no matter what direction your life flows it will lead
you to that greater purpose.

WATER GENASI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Little can faze a water genasi, which makes them not only sturdy but also aloof.
Medium-size humanoid.
Water genasi base speed is 30 feet. They swim at a speed of 30 feet.
Cold resistance 10.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Fog Cloud (Sp): Water genasi can use fog cloud once per day as cast by a druid of their character level.
Drench (Ex): The water genasi’s touch puts out torches, campfires, and other open flames of nonmagical
origin if these are of Large size or smaller. The water genasi can dispel magical fire it touches as dispel magic
cast by a druid of their character level.
+1 racial bonus on saving throws against water spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5
class levels the genasi attains.
Water genasi breathe water as an extraordinary ability.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret
languages, such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Water).
Favored class: Druid.
Level Adjustment +1.

32
 GITHYANKI

Githyanki are the descendants of ancient humans enslaved by the Illithid Empire eons ago. After winning their
freedom through a violent uprising led by one called Gith, they split with their brethren the githzerai over
intense ideological differences. Living in the Astral Plane under the tyrannous lich-queen Vlaakith CLVII for
millennia, the githyanki have devoted their entire society to warfare and conquest. Now, with the lich-queen
recently slain, the githyanki are splintered and weakened, making them open targets for their ancient
enemies. Due to both their heritage as illithid slaves and generations on the Astral Plane, githyanki also have
a strong disposition towards psionic ability.

Personality: Cold, aloof and utterly militaristic, the githyanki have little in common with the distantly related
humans. Although exceptions are quite notable, most githyanki only focus on war and domination – all life is
defined by these. Needless to say, competition runs deep in the githyanki psyche. Even everyday activities
become silent contests to outdo each other. They have a need for people to be organized hierarchically, like a
military unit. Surprisingly, though, violence almost never erupts from this competitive drive. Ever since the
separation from the githzerai, githyanki never fought other githyanki – as long as they were loyal to their lich-
queen. Even with Vlaakith dead, the githyanki remain a proud and loyal race.

Physical Description: Aside from their form, the githyanki’s human heritage is almost unrecognizable. They
are deceptively gaunt and lanky, but that hides steely muscles constantly trained for combat. The average
githyanki stands 61⁄4 feet tall and weighs around 170 lbs. Their mottled, yellowish gray skin is pulled tight.
Their hair is nearly always black, but red-haired githyanki have been encountered and it is said to be a dire
omen when one is born. Their eyes are entirely glossy black, and their ears are pointed and marked with
serrations in the back. They gain these serrations in dark ceremonies celebrating their coming of age.
Githyanki dress is always ornate, bordering on gaudy. They decorate their armor and weaponry with elaborate
engravings signifying their prowess in battle. These weapons and armor are always finely polished and cared
for more than the githyanki’s own family. Unlike most humanoid races, githyanki are an egg-laying species.
These eggs are normally taken to heavily guarded fortresses in the Prime Material Plane where they can
properly grow until hatching. Githyanki children likewise spend many years on the Prime Material Plane
training in warfare and growing to adulthood.

Relations: Overall, githyanki relate well with no one. They rarely leave their plane except in the name of
conquest and war. In particular, they have a deep racial hatred for githzerai and illithids. Other races are
considered potential enemies, but it is not unheard of for individuals to prove their value in combat enough to
earn the respect (though rarely ever trust) of a githyanki. The only exception to this is red dragons. Due to a
pact formed centuries ago between the githyanki and the goddess Tiamat, red dragons have always come to
the aid of the githyanki people. Whether this extends to individual githyanki is anyone’s guess.

Alignment: Their entire society brutally engineered by the lich-queen, githyanki are almost always evil, and
even those who have split from githyanki society are rarely good. Their regimented lifestyle leads most
githyanki to be lawful, but not nearly as strongly as the tendency towards evil.

Beliefs: Loyal githyanki unilaterally worshiped the lich-queen as a deity. To avoid potential rivals and increase
her own power, Vlaakith would devour the life essence of any loyal githyanki who became too powerful, and
those githyanki not devoted to the lich-queen would be hunted to the death. Many continue to worship the lich-
queen, though they will always feel a void within themselves without her guidance. Others have chosen to
devote themselves to true deities, with gods of war being favored, though some githyanki become so appalled
by their racial nature that they instead devote themselves to pacifistic deities. Few githyanki join factions,
disdaining organizations led by mortals. Rogues will nearly always join some group due to their deep-rooted
need to belong to a larger organization and for the safety customarily provided. They often join the Bleak
Cabal, the Doomguard, the Dustmen, or the Free League.

Githyanki Lands: Githyanki inhabit massive fortresses within the Astral Plane, as well as numerous outposts
on the Prime Material Plane. These bases are designed solely to be fortresses to either mount or defend
against invasions. Those who have lived on the Astral Plane for extensive periods either remain on that plane
or use unique spells developed by the githyanki to prevent time from catching up with them when they travel.

Languages: Githyanki speak their own secret language, and will typically know the Planar Trade and
Draconic. A few also learn the languages of their enemies, the githzerai and the illithid. Those stationed on the
Prime will likely know the predominant language of the region.

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Names: Githyanki names are prophesied at birth by the parents and are
said to denote their future deeds. Thus all githyanki names carry some
meaning, though they hide this from those outside their race. They may
earn additional prefixes denoting their profession and rank or due to
major accomplishments. The honorific prefixes often differentiate names
as necessary. The name of the fortress they are positioned in normally
serves as a surname when traveling.
Male Names: Ki’Yaj, Tehv’in, Y’roon
Female Names: G’zen, Na’rai, Zan’uusm
Fortress Names: Githmir, Tn’erkis, Tu’narath, Xamvadim

Adventurers: Loyal githyanki rarely join adventuring parties unless it

somehow benefits githyanki society. Most adventuring githyanki are
therefore outcasts, and wander the land fleeing from their people and
trying to achieve some purpose outside of their society.

Roleplaying a Githyanki: Whether you accept it or not, every fiber of

your being is devoted to combat. Focus this drive through your sword
and vanquish those who would dare to stand against you. Prove to them
that they are only worthy to bleed upon your blade. Combat is your
passion, and the killing blows your ecstasy. Even when you are not in
battle, be vigilant. Never forget that your people were betrayed by their
alleged brethren. Trust no one. Underestimate no one. Always be aware of their capabilities in relation to your
own, for everyone you meet is a potential weapon to be raised against you, or wielded by your own hand.

GITHYANKI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom. Generations of combat training have made the githyanki agile and
sturdy. However, their single-minded devotion to the lich-queen for ages has stolen much of their intuition and
judgment.
Medium-size humanoid.
Githyanki base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Naturally Psionic: Psionic githyanki gain 3 bonus power points at 1st level.
Psi-Like Abilities: 3/day – psionic daze, far hand. In addition, at 3rd level githyanki can use concealing
amorpha 3/day, at 6th level githyanki can use psionic dimension door 3/day, and at 9th level githyanki can use
telekinetic thrust 3/day day and psionic plane shift 1/day. These are manifested as a psion of the githyanki’s
character level.
Power Resistance (Ex): A githyanki has power resistance equal to 5 + 1 per character level.
Red Dragon Pact: Githyanki receive a +4 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks with red dragons.
Automatic Languages: Githyanki, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Celestial, Draconic,
Githzerai, Undercommon.
Plane of Origin: Usually the Astral Plane.
Favored Class: Either psychic warrior or fighter. Whichever class taken first by a githyanki character becomes
that character’s favored class. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.
Level Adjustment +2.

Nonpsionic Githyanki
If the Expanded Psionics Handbook is not being used, replace the Naturally Psionic, Psi-Like Abilities, and
Power Resistance traits with the following racial traits for githyanki characters:
• Psionics (Sp): 3/day - daze, mage hand. In addition, at 3rd level githyanki can user blur 3/day, at 6th level
githyanki can use dimension door 3/day, and at 9th level githyanki can use telekinesis 3/day and plane shift
1/day. These are cast as a sorcerer of the githyanki’s character level.
• Spell Resistance (Ex): A githyanki has spell resistance equal to 5 + 1 per character level.
• Favored Class: Fighter.

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 Githzerai

Like their cousins, the githyanki, the githzerai are the descendants of ancient humans enslaved by the Illithid
Empire eons ago. After Gith led their people to freedom, a warrior known as Zerthimon rose up to oppose her,
warning that she would lead them into an evil just as great as the illithid. A civil war between those loyal to
Gith and the followers of Zerthimon began, eventually resulting in the two sides splitting into the githyanki and
githzerai. They have sworn to never be enslaved again by anyone, and all githzerai are taught to protect their
freedom and that of their people above all else.

Personality: The githzerai as a rule are grim and serious to the

point of being humorless. Smiles are rare, laughs are rarer, and
tears are rarest of all on a githzerai’s face; they are the bane of
artists, bards, and jesters everywhere. They do not speak often,
preferring to remain silent rather than waste words over
meaningless issues. Though not as paranoid as the githyanki, they
live cautiously, trusting few nongithzerai and are always mindful of
their wars with the githyanki and illithid. Their greatest fear is that
they will somehow be enslaved again, thus githzerai view just
about everything as a form of oppression that they must fight
against.

Physical Description: Githzerai were once human, but the

crucibles of enslavement, war, and survival in Limbo have forged a
new form for them. Standing roughly six feet tall and weighing
around 150 pounds, githzerai would be distinct from their forebears
even without their unmistakable sharp features and piercing,
yellow-gray eyes. Their skin is pulled tightly and has a dark yellow
color to it. Some cannot tell the difference between a githyanki and
a githzerai, though the distinctions are clear and few make the
mistake twice. In sharp contrast to the baroque ornateness of
githyanki, the githzerai favor extreme simplicity. Dark, drab earth tones prevail, even more so in their
monasteries, and voluminous cloaks are common – especially over light armor. Like the githyanki, the
githzerai are an egg-laying species due to the horrific mutations made while enslaved by the illithids.

Relations: As a rule, the githzerai seem to interact best with themselves, and the harshness of Limbo has
done little to discourage this introversion. While they normally deal with other races politely, githzerai have
been trained from birth for generations to be wary of anything as a potential threat. It is difficult to earn their
respect, and even harder to gain their trust. Few would say that githzerai make good friends, but they are
good companions to have at one’s back. They hold a deep and powerful hatred towards both the githyanki
and the mind flayers, who they actively hunt across the planes. Despite their obsession with personal
freedom, their greatest loyalty lies to their people, and they will never reveal information that could be used
against them.

Alignment: Githzerai exhibit an odd combination of order and chaos. They are all extremely independent,
believing that no one has the right to choose their path for them, and thus enslave them. Most githzerai are as
chaotic as the Limbo they call home; their rejection of githyanki legalism in part guided their decision to
colonize the plane of primordial chaos. Likewise, they reject the predation and callousness so prevalent
amongst githyanki, although they make neither claims nor efforts to goodness. Yet as much as they value
personal freedom, githzerai society instills both rigid discipline and complete loyalty to the entire race. Such
are the necessities of war.

Githzerai Lands: Eons separated from the world where first they originated, the githzerai have adopted the
plane of Limbo as their home. A loose alliance of cities, fortresses and castles – as well as a vast number of
monasteries, reflecting an equally vast number of teachings – hold their ever-shifting domains in the plane of
ultimate chaos. Occasionally, however, a party of illithid hunters known as rrakkma will establish a stronghold
on the Material Plane during an especially long hunt, laying waste to the surrounding landscape until a
predetermined number of mind flayers have been slain.

Beliefs: The githzerai do not know the gods. They have no pantheon, and no religion has ever held sway
over more than a handful of their kind. However, their culture is saturated with the image of their liberator and

35
greatest hero, Zerthimon, and many githzerai hold a deep reverence for his legacy that borders on faith. The
god-king, Zaerith Menyar-ag-Githzerai, grants his subjects more freedom than the githyanki’s lich-queen ever
did. The githzerai are free to keep company with whatever faction they may, and some (most notably Karan of
the Xaositects) have risen in the ranks to great prestige. Their continued freedom, and that of their people, will
always be the most important values of the githzerai, and all other ideals and loyalties come second.

Language: The githzerai’s language draws heavily on history, mythology, and the epics of their greatest
heroes, using metaphor and Zerthimon’s words frequently and powerfully. Despite ages in isolation, the
spoken language is still close enough to githyanki that the two races, were they to speak instead of slaughter,
could make sense of each other. All githzerai are well versed in Planar Trade as well, recognizing the
importance of being able to deal peacefully with other races.

Names: Githzerai names are often given to them by the leaders of their community, and normally have an
even number of syllables.
Female Names: Atlor, Beezil, Jebeel, Karsten, Moraan, Narniss
Male Names: Arstimis, Karan, Leggis, Yangol, Zegonz

Adventurers: Many githzerai take to wandering the planes, for many reasons. Some roam far and wide in the
endless war against the mind flayers and githyanki; others are dispatched across the multiverse in their
monastic training; and still others travel for gold and glory, just like any other race in the multiverse. In almost
every case, however – no matter what the reason – their adventuring includes the defense of the githzerai.

Roleplaying a Githzerai: Remember Zerthimon, always – there is nothing in your existence without a parallel
in his. Live freely, in emulation of him, and act that githzerai may forever live freely in emulation of him. In
every pair of eyes that you meet look deeply at what you see – and if you see in their eyes a tyrant, an
enemy, an enslaver; then remember the illithids. Remember Gith. Remember Zerthimon - and never regret
the blood on your blade. Underestimate nobody. Never cry; pain is the forsaking of weakness. In the crucible
of pain, you are made strong, that you may forever live free. Broken bones heal forever unbreakable; so too
shall you. These are the words of Zerthimon; his words are all words; his life is all life.

GITHZERAI RACIAL TRAITS

+6 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence: Lightning reflexes and iron will are highly regarded by githzerai;
both traits are essential for survival in the tumult of Limbo. Creative thought, however, is not.
Medium-size humanoid.
Githzerai base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Naturally Psionic: Psionic githzerai gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level.
Psi-Like Abilities: 3/day - catfall, concussion blast, psionic daze, inertial armor. At 11th level githzerai can use
psionic plane shift 1/day. These are manifested as a psion of the githzerai’s character level.
Power Resistance (Ex): A githzerai has power resistance equal to 5 + 1 per character level.
Automatic Languages: Githzerai, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Githyanki, Khaasta, Slaad,
Undercommon.
Plane of Origin: Usually Limbo.
Favored Class: Monk.
Level Adjustment +2.

Nonpsionic Githzerai
If the Expanded Psionics Handbook is not being used, replace the Naturally Psionic, Psi-Like Abilities, and
Power Resistance traits with the following racial traits for githzerai characters:
• Psionics (Sp): 3/day - daze, featherfall, shatter. At 11th level githzerai can use plane shift 1/day. These are
cast as a sorcerer of the githzerai’s character level.
• Inertial Armor (Sp): Githzerai can use psychic force to block an enemy’s blows. This gives them a +4 armor
bonus while they remain conscious. This is equivalent to a 1st level spell.
• Spell Resistance (Ex): A githzerai has spell resistance equal to 5 + 1 per character level.

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 Khaasta

Personality: The khaasta are interested in only two things: prestige and wealth. To achieve these goals, they
would do almost anything. Although the khaasta are a chaotic race, they have a very rigid social code of
conduct, which encourages backstabbing, conniving and deceit. Khaasta challenge authority, believe in the
rule of the strong, and always strive to improve their position in a, be it khaasta or a multicultural one such as
Sigil. Although they are usually disorganized and wild, they have developed a non-lethal means of dealing
with inner conflicts, which consists of unarmed fights. This prevents them from rooting each other out like
some Prime drow societies do.

Physical Description: Khaasta resemble lizard folk, though they are between 6 and 7 feet tall. Males weigh
200 to 250 pounds, while females usually are a bit lighter. They have a humanoid form, but their bodies are
covered with tough scales and their spine extends into a long, powerful thick tail, which is about 3 feet long.
Their reptilian noses are flat and somewhat blunt, and their yellowish eyes are sunken deep into their heads.
Bone spikes grow out of their skin from the head to the tail. Khaasta scales range in color from green to
brown; some are even reputed to have reddish scales, which some sages interpret as fiendish heritage.
Unlike the primitive lizard folk, they like to dress in martial armor, usually plate mail, and wield exotic weapons.
Khaasta are bipedal creatures and can live up to around 120 years of age.

Relations: The khaasta are distrusted by most races, and rightfully so. They kidnap, extort, smuggle goods,
and often raid small towns on the Outlands to ransack whatever they can get in their greedy claws and
enslave the inhabitants. The poor souls who have been made slaves by a khaasta will most likely find
themselves on a Blood War battlefield only some days later. Some good-aligned races and organizations such
as asuras or the Order of the Planes-Militant actively despise the khaasta. In return, the khaasta ignore other
races or see them as lessers whom they can exploit. However, while dealings with the khaasta are risky, they
do not always turn out bad. The khaasta are an excellent source of information, sell rare items and even offer
themselves as mercenaries. One must be able to meet their prices, though, or show that they are too powerful
for to be overcome. The khaasta code of conduct demands that they take from the weak instead of dealing
with them, and if one is not careful, they may find themselves lying on the Outlands with a khaasta spear in
their chest.

Alignment: Khaasta are very chaotic, having a wild and disheveled mindset. Trying to get themselves on top,
they are most likely to ignore the needs of others. However, the khaasta are not completely evil, as they do
not seem to be cruel, tyrannical, or scheming. Lies and betrayal are only a tool for them to improve
themselves. Most khaasta are chaotic neutral, though there are exceptions, as with most races. Khaasta
Lands: The khaasta usually do not found cities or even nations on their home planes. Most khaasta wander
the Outlands in large bands, using the portals there to travel between the chaotic planes, as they have no
innate plane-shifting ability. These bands are usually equipped with caravans and giant lizard mounts. Some
khaasta like to explore the Great Ring and seek new kips to raid. A few even set up shop in the places they
have “discovered”.

Belief: The khaasta aren’t very religious. Though some of their elders are clerics of powers like Semuanya,
most of them don’t like to bow before a high-up, be it a god or king or whatever. Those khaasta who ever get
to visit Sigil are most attracted to the Fated, as their beliefs match perfectly. The Mind’s Eye, The
Revolutionary League, and Xaositects are also good choices for factions.

Language: Khaasta have their own language with a unique alphabet, and some Guvners claim that they have
over thirty different terms for “money”. All are fluent in Planar Trade, which they use to deal with other races.

Names: The khaasta have no family names. They define themselves by the clan or band they live with.
Male Names: An’arth, Curnnt, Hutha, Klenz’t, Nuthas
Female Names: Biyu, Gonhu, Kovaru, Luqu, Vit’hu
Clan Names: Ssarth of Limbo’s Flag, Kunhu Thasta of Tir na Og, The Wandering Laughter, The Sissha Blades

Adventurers: Most adventuring khaasta have either left their bands to improve themselves on their own or
were forcibly separated from their kind. Being accustomed to wandering the planes, the khaasta will gladly
take on a life as an adventurer seeking wealth, power, and prestige.

Roleplaying a Khaasta: Power is the only force that can shape the multiverse and its inhabitants. Strive for
power. Grasp at it wherever you can. But be not foolish. Dominate the untamed by brute force, bribe those

37
susceptible to mere coin, learn the laws of the civilized to your own advantages and beguile those who fall for
words. If you choose to fight for law or chaos, good or evil, act in accordance to these philosophies, but never
forget your true destiny.

KHAASTA RACIAL TRAITS

+8 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, +2 Intelligence: Khaasta are incredibly strong and tough, as well as
deviously clever.
Medium-size monstrous humanoid.
Khaasta base speed is 30 feet.
Khaasta possess darkvision to 60 feet.
Kooth Proficiency: The kooth is the khaasta’s ritual weapon, two crescent blades in a 45° angle to each other
on a 10-foot pole. All khaasta are proficient with the kooth.
Khaasta receive a +6 natural armor bonus.
Natural Weapons: All khaasta have a bite attack that does 1d4 + Strength modifier points of piercing damage.
Automatic Languages: Khaasta, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Slaad,
Undercommon.
Plane of Origin: Often the Outlands.
Favored Class: Rogue.
Monster Hit Dice: Khaasta have 3d8 + Con modifier hit points in addition to class levels.
From these Hit Dice, they have a BAB +3 and base saves of Fortitude +1, Reflex +3, and Will
+3. They also have (2 + Int modifier) x 6 skill points. Their class skills for these skill points
are Climb, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (the planes), Ride, Spot, and Wilderness
Lore. They also have 2 feats and proficiency with all simple weapons.
Level Adjustment +3. With their 3 Hit Dice, khaasta have an ECL of 6, so a 1 st level khaasta rogue will have
4 Hit Dice (3 from race, 1 from class) and be equivalent to a 7th level character.

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 Modron Outcast

One of the oddest creatures a planewalker’s likely to ever run into on the planes, the
modrons are the workers and caretakers of the plane of Mechanus. They represent the
strictest form of law and order, and view the multiverse in an alien manner compared to
most other races. Stability, structure, order: these are the modron principles, dictating
everything about how they act, think, and function. But even in the perfection of
Mechanus things go wrong every now and then. Once in a while a modron loses his
place in the hierarchy of the modrons, turns from the order it has always known, and
goes rogue.

No one is quite sure what causes a modron to go rogue, though it represents one of the
greatest blasphemies in the eyes of the higher-ups in the modron hierarchy. Some say it occurs when a
modron receives conflicting orders from its superiors, or when a modron realizes something is truly wrong with
the order around it. Others believe the modron advances beyond its immediate peers, and thus becomes
different from other modron of similar rank. There are even rumors that Primus, the near power-like leader of
the modrons, purposefully infects some modrons with chaos in order to better understand that force. Though
this is probably baseless, the truth remains unknown. While many of these rogues are hunted down by other
modrons as threats to the modron order, a select few are allowed to leave modron society peacefully. Truly
epitomizing lawfulness, modrons have developed a bureaucratic process even for this. Those approved are
cast out from the modron hierarchy and are forever considered non- modron.

Personality: Planewalkers often assert that modrons are incapable of emotion, and this isn’t far from the
truth. Modron outcasts, however, have much more freedom to develop their own personality than their siblings
have, and thus are able to learn about the feelings that other creatures take for granted. Being somewhat
naive in the ways of planar matters, modron outcasts tend to be extremely inquisitive, questioning the cause
behind the simplest events, and pushing the most patient individual to their breaking point. Over time, the
modron may unknowingly mimic emotions, particularly frustration as it experiences difficulty understanding the
rationale of other races, but this marvelous discovery merely opens fascinating new avenues for the modron
to explore.

Modrons do not recognize the concepts of “chance” or “luck”. Though the multiverse is alarmingly chaotic in
the eyes of a modron, they believe that there is an order behind it all. Everything follows laws and regulations,
even though they may not be obvious at first. The modron outcast need only learn these laws to find its place
in the multiverse. While likely a life-long task, modrons have plenty of time, and they have a focus that no
other creature can match.

Physical Description: All modrons are made of a fusion between metal and organic parts working together in
perfect unison. While a modron’s shape is normally determined by its rank, shortly after leaving Mechanus the
modron outcast loses its rank, including any abilities determined by it, and adopts a form similar to a
quadrone. In this new form rogue modrons stand exactly 6 feet tall with a cube-like body, with each side 3 feet
across. They have two thin 3-foot legs and two 3-foot arms, as well as a pair of small non-operational wings
on their back, and a vaguely humanoid face on their front side. They can draw nourishment from nearly
anything, and they sleep and breathe like normal creatures, though undoubtedly the exact process is different
internally. All modrons are genderless and ageless, and every modron outcast looks exactly alike, making it
confusing to tell them apart at times. Thankfully, there are very few modron outcasts traveling the multiverse.

Relations: Modron outcasts have a neutral, analytical approach to everyone they meet. They come from an
alien society and world, and find the different outlooks held by other races both strange and fascinating. Their
spark of self-awareness gives them a vague understanding of concepts such as greed, happiness, and self-
preservation, but the ideas are still foreign to their way of thinking. They are neither submissive nor arrogant in
their dealings, simply curious and straightforward. Over time the modron outcasts typically adapt to fit in their
new environment. While most planewalkers cannot tell the difference between a modron and an outcast, all
true modrons recognize the outcast as no longer part of the modron hierarchy and treat them as such.

Alignment: Modrons have no sense of mercy or compassion, but they are neither cruel nor vengeful. Their
decisions are based on pure logic, not morality, and the outcast will normally do what seems most reasonable
at the time. As it begins to understand matters of good and evil, the outcast’s alignment may shift as a result
of its exploration of these new concepts. Though no longer part of the strict hierarchy of Mechanus, modron
outcasts remain beings of pure law. They can never accept that there is not an order to everything, and will go
to great lengths to impose their own law on the multiverse or rationalize explanations for apparent chaos.

39
Modron Outcast Lands: All modrons are originally born on Mechanus from the central energy pool in
Regulus. After leaving the modron hierarchy, outcasts slowly lose any memory they had of their home or
former life. Thus they know nothing of their previous rank or where they come from. Each must find its own
purpose and place, for they are far too few to form their own society.

Belief: All modron outcasts have the universal belief that there is an order to everything. This defines their
entire existence, and no one has ever been able to convince them otherwise (though many a Chaosman has
tried). Most beliefs a modron outcast develops after leaving Mechanus arise from their quest to discover the
laws governing the multiverse, or are adopted from their companions. They do not quite understand the role
of deities or the devotion given to them, but a few pay lip service as a way of adapting to new cultures.

Language: Modron outcasts retain knowledge of Planar Trade and the Modron tongue after being exiled from
Mechanus, but must pick up any additional languages on their own.

Names: Modron outcasts are normally named by those they meet upon first leaving Mechanus. The idea of
names, like most concepts, is foreign to the modrons and requires some time for them to accept. These
names can be nearly anything, though some outcasts take on a unit designation that they believe suits their
position now or reflects their former life (normally arbitrarily).

Adventuring: Modron outcasts adventure as a way to learn about the multiverse and its inhabitants. To them
everything is new and mysterious, and adventuring presents the most opportunity to obtain additional
information. Modron outcasts never join any groups that do not have a clear hierarchy, even adventuring
parties. They must have a firm idea of their function in the group, including who stands above and below them
in authority. Though modrons are rarely innately brave or heroic, like everything else they may exhibit similar
traits by modeling their actions after those of their companions.

Roleplaying a Modron Outcast: Cast away from the order of Mechanus, you now find yourself enveloped in
new thoughts, sensations, and experiences. There is so much information that the multiverse can seem
chaotic, but you can sense the order behind it all, even if you cannot see it. You hear its clockwork movement,
the ticking and grinding of wheels as the multiverse moves. Chaos is an illusion; luck does not exist; there is a
reason and purpose for everything. Every detail is important, each piece of information another part of this
mysterious machine. Ask questions about everything; observe what happens and why; take every opportunity
to learn more from those around you. They provide various insights into the nature of the multiverse, and
unknowingly into the laws governing it.

MODRON OUTCAST RACIAL TRAITS

+4 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Modron outcasts are highly intelligent, and their partial
clockwork composition makes them sturdier than most other races. However, they have very little experience in
life outside of modron society, especially concerning interaction with others.
Medium-sized outsider.
Modron outcast base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision up to 120 feet.
Modron Outcast Traits (Ex): Due to their devotion to order, modron outcasts are immune to mind-influencing
effects, and their odd body composition makes them immune to subdual damage or critical hits. Unlike other
modrons, they are susceptible to ability damage, ability drain, and energy drain. It is believed this is because they
are cut off from the central energy pool, but none other than Primus himself knows the reason.
Acid, cold, and fire resistance 10.
Metal Frame: Modron outcasts receive a +4 natural armor bonus to their Armor Class due to their partially metallic
nature. Due to their odd form, however, they are unable to wear amulets, armor, helmets, belts, goggles,
medallions, necklaces, robes, shirts, or vests. Such items, magical or mundane, must be custom made for the
modron to wear.
Automatic Languages: Modron, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (any other except secret
languages, such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Always Mechanus.
Favored Class: None. Modron are too focused to be able to diversify easily.
Level Adjustment +2.

40
 Nathri

The Ethereal Plane is a realm of ghosts and haze. It is a gray world

that shadows the Material Plane, always watching yet rarely seen.
Within the fog live the nathri. They are said to have sprung from the
depths of the Deep Ethereal itself, and seem highly attuned to the
plane. Their history remains a mystery since as a race they are savage
and lack any known civilization. Instead, they live in hunting packs
centered around an extended family and feed off of the few creatures
that attempt to traverse their ethereal home.

Personality: With the tribulations of life on the Ethereal, nathri have

little culture and are considered crude savages by most. They do what
they must to survive and have little time for anything else. They are
also, by necessity, scavengers. Any loose item that is potentially useful
will quickly find its way into nathri hands. Even apparently useless
items will be taken if they catch a nathri’s eye. The harsh environment
of the Deep Ethereal has also made them very volatile, and if
displeased by someone chances are they will lash out. However, they
never hold a grudge for a minor offenders beyond a day or so – their
minds are simply too focused on where to find the next meal (even
when living in abundance among society). However, those who are
seen killing a nathri will be forever perceived as a threat.

Physical Description: Nathri typically stand only 4 feet tall and have green skin and unruly long black hair.
They have wide faces with flat noses and long pointed ears. Adult males will have a small tuft of hair on their
chin. Eye color is usually a blend of yellow, green, and gray, though often one of those shades will be
dominant. They also have on the backs of their right hands a small barb that secretes a mild poison. They wear
clothing (often scavenged) with many pouches and bags in which to carry the entirety of their possessions, and
rarely wear heavy armor. Nathri are also capable of consuming any organic matter – a fact that benefits the
scavengers greatly.

Relations: Nathri clans rarely get along well with other races, seeing them as merely a source of goods to be
stolen from. Individual nathri, however, are far different. The few who have ventured out into the multiverse,
especially among adventuring groups, become quite friendly with their companions regardless of their race,
even to the extent of considering them as their new clan. In fact, being so removed from the rest of planar
society, nathri simply are not treated with the typical distrust many harbor for races like the tieflings. They see
all races as just various shades of non- nathri. However, their loyalty apparent naivety are best not
overestimated. The first remark about one’s “pet nathri” is bound to be met with the full force of their rage.

Alignment: Nathri have little concern for good and evil, and even less for the structure of society, and therefore
have a strong predisposition towards chaotic neutral.

Nathri Lands: The nathri are a nomadic race constantly traveling the Ethereal Plane, often raiding demiplanes
there. Long-term nathri communities are unheard of, though more than a few Guvners believe they have some
hidden realm deep in the Ethereal where they may have originated from. On other planes they are rarely seen,
with those few who are often become bandits and highwaymen along the trade routes that cross the Outlands,
though a sizeable number of the waste collectors in major planar cities are nathri as well.

Beliefs: Nathri have no known deities or dominant belief systems. Despite their lack of any apparent culture of
their own beyond their own clans, it has been rumored that all nathri travel through the Deep Ethereal at some
point in their life in what can only be called a spiritual pilgrimage. The validity of this rumor, let alone their
destination or reason for making such a sojourn, are all unknown. Few nathri ally with the factions, but those
who do find the greedy values of the Fated to fit their scavenging natures. The randomness of the Xaositects,
especially when focused towards brute force, can often appeal to the more violent nathri. The endless ethereal
mists also drive a few nathri towards the Bleak Cabal.

Language: Nathri speak their own strange language, as well as Planar Trade. It is also common for an eclectic
mix of additional languages to be spoken by various members of a clan, which are usually the tongues of
civilizations that they frequently spy on and raid.

41
Names: Nathri names consist of a given name at birth, and the name of the same gender parent. Given names
are always chosen by the paternal grandfather, and are often reused from ancestors. On occasion, he will hear
a name or word spoken in the language of a town they are raiding and later choose to use it for a grandchild’s
name.
Male Names: Amkhet, Fek, Rezni
Female Names: Nammusah, Sebahkk, Tariktiri

Adventurers: With the nomadic lifestyle of the nathri, traveling through the unknown depths of the Ethereal
Plane raiding demiplane after demiplane, world after world, it could be said that all nathri are adventurers. On
occasion an individual (or even more rarely an entire clan) will leave the Ethereal and use their adventuring
skills for some grander cause. Nevertheless, while they are very few in numbers, it appears as if a greater
proportion of nathri are adventurers than any other race.

Roleplaying a Nathri: Life is harsh and can end at any moment, so you must do what you can to survive. Most
often that means preying upon the weak for food and goods. It’s not malice that drives you, just the predatory
hunger to continue on even at the cost of others. In your raids and travels, however, you have witnessed
glories beyond the imagination of other creatures. You have walked through countless demiplanes, each its
own pocket of twisted reality that refuses to conform to the rules of any of the other planes of existence. These
worlds, each a unique gem, are your gardens and pastures, providing all that you need to survive. Many may
call you barbaric, or even vermin, but you have walked in places that would have made them weep in joy and in
terror. Even more importantly, you have come out of them, your sanity intact and pockets full of food to feed
your clan.

NATHRI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma. The harsh ethereal environment has made nathri tough and quick,
yet the isolationism greatly hinders their social skills.
Small-sized humanoid: As small creatures, nathri gain a +1 bonus to AC and attack rolls.
Nathri base speed is 20 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 ft.
Naturally Psionic: Psionic githzerai gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level.
Psi-Like Abilities: 3/day – catfall, cloud mind, empty mind. These are manifested as a psion of the nathri’s
character level.
Poison Spike (Ex): Nathri can poison creatures using a small barb on their right hand that deals 1d4 piercing
damage. Nathri poison (Injury DC 11, 1d2 Dex + 1d2 Int, 0).
Ethereal Vision (Ex): Nathri are able to see creatures in the Ethereal Plane from any plane coexistent with it.
Ethereal objects appear hazy and are easily distinguished from objects in the current plane. Within the Deep
Ethereal, nathri vision is not impaired and remains a 60 ft. range.
On the Ethereal Plane, nathri gain a +4 racial bonus to Intuit Direction, Listen, and Spot checks.
A nathri has power resistance equal to 5 + 1 per character level.
Automatic Languages: Nathri, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Auran, Draconic, Ignan,
and Terran.
Plane of Origin: Usually Ethereal Plane.
Favored Class: Barbarian. Nathri live outside traditional society and typically only encounter others during
raids for supplies.
Level Adjustment +1.

Nonpsionic Nathri
If the Expanded Psionics Handbook is not being used, replace the Naturally Psionic, Psi-Like Abilities, and
Power Resistance traits with the following racial traits for nathri characters:
• Psionics (Sp): 3/day - featherfall, invisibility. These are cast as a sorcerer of the nathri’s character level.
• Spell Resistance (Ex): A nathri has spell resistance equal to 5 + 1 per character level.

42
 Shad

Centuries ago, a group of powerful druids from a world

named Verdorth decided to take it upon themselves to
transform the Plane of Earth into a garden paradise
unequaled among the planes. As the Beastlands is to
animals, this haven would be for plant life. They managed to
carve out massive caverns within portions of the Elemental
Plane of Earth, where they opened portals to the Planes of
Water and Radiance, and soon plant life unlike anything
else on the planes began to grow. Trees grew to fantastic
proportions; fruit the size of cattle gained magical properties.
All was well and glorious for generations of the Verdorth
druids. Then, at some point, some unknown assailants killed
every last one of the druids. Without their constant care, the
paradise rotted and crumbled. Unbeknownst to even the
druids, among the trees a new race had been spawned.
These humanoid beings, which called themselves the shad,
descended from the falling trees that had been their home.
Short-lived yet very fertile, they started to spread out in
groups of extended families to search for new homes within
the Plane of Earth, and eventually numerous other planes
as well.

Personality: The shad seek merely to survive. After the tragedy of their ancestral home dying away, and the
fact that many races consider them little more than vermin, the shad have learned to tolerate a great deal.
They appear blissfully oblivious as they shrug off insult and injury and continue on with the urge to survive just
one more day. An important factor in helping the shad survive is the signs and messages left by past
generations. For the short-lived race to thrive, they learned to always leave markings, tell tales, and convey
other messages for future generations to help them learn what to make use of and what to avoid. Therefore,
the shad have developed a rich tradition of stories and folklore, each with a specific warning or information on
helpful resources (such as hidden oases in the caverns of the Plane of Earth).

Physical Description: Shad are lean, gray-skinned humanoids, who are also able to contort their bodies to
extreme degrees. Though they are not overly graceful, that flexibility is still evident in their awkward, wobbly
gait. Their hair is nearly always short and dark. Oversized eyes dominate much of their faces, and are most
often colored various earth tones, from golden yellow to ruddy brown to drab green. Clothing varies greatly
from clan to clan, but is most commonly simple clothing or armor with precious stones sewn in. Shad also
adorn their large ears with multiple earrings; the number and placement of earrings always carries a meaning,
but the meaning is not at all consistent between families. One clan may use earrings to indicate status, in
another clan they would signify important past deeds, and in yet another they would represent lineage (with
each earring possibly being either a family member, or even a generation since the tribe was formed).

Relations: Shad are distrustful of most other races with good reason. Most view the newcomers as nuisances
at best, and vermin to be exterminated at worst. Yet, once past their initial distrust, shad are extremely friendly
to most races, unless of course an ancestor left some message about specifically not trusting them.

Alignment: Having been created on the Plane of Earth, shad have a strong tendency towards neutrality,
though shad of all alignments have been encountered. With the racial emphasis on helping future generations
survive and keeping the race as an entirety thriving, there is a slight tendency towards lawful and neutral good.

Shad Lands: There are numerous small shad settlements throughout the Plane of Earth. The longest-lasting
ones tend to be hidden, with a few large central caverns used as gathering places, and the shad themselves
living in smaller caverns that are only accessible through extremely small openings. In the case of invaders,
the central caverns are abandoned and the shad scatter into their smaller abodes, hoping their enemies either
cannot follow or cannot get to them all. In other planes, the shad tend to settle in very small groups, with the
exception of a village in the Outlands where up to a thousand of them have settled. Recently, however, a tribe
of giants boasted that they “dealt with” that little infestation.

43
Beliefs: As a whole, shad tend to revere nature itself rather than any specific deities. Those few
who do follow a deity typically worship deities of nature, knowledge, protection, and travel. It is also
not surprising that more than a few shad clerics of Ilmater (FRCS) exist. As for factions, a few Revolutionary
League cells have found them useful for breaking into buildings, and the exploratory nature of the Mind’s Eye
appeals to many shad. The Free League and Xaositects, with their rather open membership, also boast a
number of shad members. Few other factions tolerate them beyond a few particular individuals.

Language: The shad lack any language of their own, but through observing the Verdorth druids, they
managed to learn their secret language. A number of families use the druidic language as their primary
language. However, they are just as secretive about the language as druids are. They have also developed an
unspoken language of simple symbols and markings, called Shad Graffiti by other races that can convey
surprisingly complex amounts of information. It is also quite common for shad to speak Terran.

Names: Shad typically only use a given name, often a name common in the family ancestry. In shad
settlements, however, it is often necessary to differentiate shad further. In this case, they often use second
names that signify their role within the settlement or some noticeable aspect of the individual. Furthermore,
there is no discernable difference between male and female names – all are used for both sexes.
First Names: Loppdil, Nebneb, Oebi, Plilp, Sedjed, Tasperoo
Second Names: Green Gardens, Dark Eyes, Pale Eyes, Swordsmith, Leader’s Son, No Hair

Adventurers: Most shad seek to settle down and live out the rest of their lives in peace. Unfortunately, they
do not often get this chance, making a great number of shad wanderers, and adventurers by necessity. A very
small number look to take a more active role in defeating the enemies of their race, and will search out those
who would harm their families.

Roleplaying a Shad: No one likes you. On good days, you are not even noticed, and on bad days you rely on
your sturdiness of body and spirit to endure. Always be sure to inform future generations of dangers and safe
havens, both with secret markings and with stories to be passed down. After all, while individuals of other
longer-lived races might still be breathing, your grandchildren and their children may come and go. Endure
and your race may one day find gardens as majestic as those of which your ancestor’s stories speak. Within
each shad is a small spark of that tranquility, and from that draw strength until your race finds peace again.

SHAD RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom. Shad are durable, but lack a great deal of common sense.
Small-sized humanoid: As small creatures, shad gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class and attack rolls.
Shad base speed is 50 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
+2 racial bonus to saving throws against poison and disease.
+4 dodge bonus versus creatures with the Earth subtype.
+2 racial bonus on Craft (Weapon smith) checks due to their need to craft weapons that can stand up to
attacking earthen creatures.
Contortion (Ex): Shad bodies are extremely pliable and they can contort their bodies to fit through an opening
only 6” by 6”. Shad also have a +8 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade or Druidic, home region. Bonus Languages: Planar Trade, Druidic,
Dwarven, Shad Graffiti, Terran. Note: Shad must select either Planar Trade or Druidic as their automatic
language, though either can be added as a bonus language due to high intelligence. After character creation
shad can only learn Druidic by becoming druids themselves.
Plane of Origin: Often Plane of Earth.
Favored Class: Bard.

44
 Tiefling

The tieflings are one of the

most numerous planetouched
races, the offspring of humans
and some lower planar
denizen. This ancestry causes
tieflings to often be shunned by
respectable society, driving
them to associate with those on
the wrong side of the law. Often
tieflings grow up with no family
or close relations, and few feel
the need to look after other
members of their kind. Despite
these obstacles, tieflings often
have a strong personal drive to
rise to positions of power,
wealth, and respect.

Personality: Some have

theorized that tieflings are born
sharp, for it seems that they
always know a little bit about
everything. Part of this is
because tieflings are children of
the planes; unlike many other
races they have no home and
are much more willing to
explore. Tieflings are often
driven to prove that they are
better than their fiendish
heritage, and thus try to stay on
top of things, more so than
most other folk. In their desire
to rise to the top, however,
many tieflings take risks that
others would shy away from,
and they sometimes find it
convenient to bend, or even
break, the law. This gives some the impression that tieflings are untrustworthy and deceitful. This is of course
not universally true; there are some tieflings that are as virtuous as any paladin. The vast majority, however,
seem shady to most.

Physical Description: Tieflings look like normal humans, with only a few physical traits to show their
heritage. It is said that all tieflings come from the inbreeding of humans and fiends, with the fiendish traits
being diluted over time. The most noticeable of these include: goat legs, cloven hooves, horns, tails, fur, and
scales. Note that no tiefling possesses all of these traits, and some possess none of them. The less
noticeable traits include pointed teeth, unnatural eye or hair color, and pointed nails.

Relations: Tieflings are generally tolerant of other races, though most other people do not extend this
generosity to them. Many distrust and fear them, and a few are openly hostile. Residents of cosmopolitan
areas, such as Sigil, interact with many tieflings, and thus are more accustomed to them. While these people
still often distrust them, they will not react with open fear or anger. In general tieflings get along better with the
shadier side of society than with those who live uprightly, even if the tiefling is of a good nature.

Alignment: Tieflings can be found possessing any alignment, though because of the way they are raised, or
perhaps because of their fiendish blood, they seem to have a disposition towards being evil. This could just as
likely be a stereotype placed on them, however.

45
Tiefling Lands: Tieflings do not have any specific lands of their own. However, as a group they gravitate
toward cities and other heavily populated areas where they are more likely to be accepted. While tieflings can
be found on all of the planes, there are very few residing on the Upper Planes, as the inhabitants there are
disturbed by the tieflings’ connections to the Lower Planes.

Belief: There are very few clerics found among the tieflings. This is not because they do not believe in the
powers; rather it is because they do not like putting others above themselves. They would rather strive to be a
power than to worship one. Tieflings who find themselves in Sigil are naturally attracted to the Mind’s Eye, as
it preaches that all beings can rise above their origins to greater things, and gain great power by doing so, just
as many tieflings have risen above their fiendish origins. Many are also attracted to the Free League, as its
philosophy of independence suits them well, plus its association with the Grand Bazaar doesn’t hurt. There is
no faction that doesn’t contain at least some tiefling members, as they have as diverse a world-view as any
race, but the faction that appeals to them least is the Harmonium, whose strict regulations attract few tieflings.

Language: Most tieflings speak Planar Trade, as well as a few other languages they may have picked up
either from their planar travels or their dealings in Sigil.

Names: Like many of the planetouched, tieflings names are based on whatever culture they were raised in.

Adventurers: Many tieflings end up as adventurers. Some are trying to figure out where they belong, and
others are coming to grips with their dark heritage. Most are adventurers for far less noble reasons, however.
These tieflings have come to terms with their past and are more focused in establishing a name for
themselves, along with wealth and power. Realizing that their past doesn’t have to limit them, many tieflings
are driven to rise from humble beginnings, and gain the respect and prestige that may be denied to them
because of their appearance. This drives some to embrace their heritage and attempt to rise to great power
within the ranks of the fiends themselves.

Roleplaying a Tiefling: Who really cares where a body came from? If a body makes a name for himself
through his deeds none can say that he didn’t earn it. If the multiverse gives you lemons use them to corner
the lemon market, push your competitors out of business, and amass a huge pile of coin. Sometimes it may
be necessary to bend the law a little, but that is the price of success, and you are willing to pay it. You may
have some disadvantages, but no one can stop you now; you will rise to the top of society, and then you won’t
have to hear any whispers about your origins again.

TIEFLING RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma: Tieflings are nimble both in wit and body. However, their Lower
Planar heritage makes some uneasy.
Medium-size humanoid.
Tiefling base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Cold, fire, and electricity resistance 5.
Darkness (Sp): Tieflings can use darkness once per day as cast by a sorcerer of their character level.
+2 racial bonus to Bluff and Hide checks.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such
as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (Often one of the Lower Planes).
Favored Class: Rogue.
Level Adjustment +1.

46
 Tuladhara

Perhaps the rarest of planetouched, the tuladhara

are the distant descendants of rilmani and a human,
infused with the essence of balance itself. Though no
one knows why the enigmatic neutral exemplar
would choose to mate with a mortal, most assume
these planetouched are yet another tool to be used
by the rilmani in order to balance the planes.
Tuladhara are just now being recognized in any
significant numbers, which only increases the
mystery surrounding their motives.

Personality: Tuladhara tend to stay out of conflicts,

viewing everything from a distance and making
judgments only after they have heard (or seen) both
sides. The tuladhara think practically, but are not
emotionless like zenythris sometimes appear to be.
In many ways they resemble normal humans in their
capacity for any emotion, though tempered by their
willingness to consider all sides of an issue. Above
all, the neutral planetouched are cryptic, rarely
saying more than is necessary and always seeming
to know more than anyone else. They prefer to help
someone find their own answer rather than lead them
to one. Though some think that the tuladhara, being
so innately dedicated to neutrality, will even betray
their own friends if it serves their idea of balance, real
planewalkers know that this is not true. Earning the
trust of a tuladhara may not be easy, but once you
have it, they are loyal allies and honorable friends.

Physical Description: Tuladhara look like lithe and graceful humans and are sometimes mistaken for
aasimar or half-elves. The misconception is short lived, however, as they can be easily discerned by their
skin, which has a metallic color depending on the type of rilmani ancestor. In addition, their eyes glow with
opalescent light, and some tuladhara have slight ridges on their foreheads. Tuladhara like to dress in
fashionable, rich and heavy fabrics, so long as they aren’t too flashy.

Relations: Few people have met a tuladhara, and even fewer know enough about the rilmani to make any
judgments on them. This anonymity serves the tuladhara fine, as those who know of their heritage often eye
them curiously. Some people are alienated by the thought that the tuladhara are born of neutrality, and think
that they have no opinions of their own, while others believe they are trying to play everyone in the pursuit of
equilibrium. A few races even look at them with disdain for not taking a stance in the conflicts of ethics and
morals throughout the Outer Planes. More open-minded races admire the tuladhara, because they are fair
and never have biases. Whatever others think of them, due to their neutral mindset, they try (often
successfully) to be on good terms with all other races.

Alignment: As one might suspect, most tuladhara are true neutral, and those who are not strive to be at least
a bit balanced in their views. Those who decide to tilt the odds in one direction can be chaotic neutral, neutral
evil, neutral good, or lawful neutral. Tuladhara with one of the “extreme” alignments are very, very rare.

Tuladhara Lands: The tuladhara live everywhere on the planes. Perhaps because of the rilmani’s grand
design, they have created their children to live on the Outer, Inner, and even the Prime Material Plane. Many
tuladhara have visited Sigil at least once, trying to “learn from The Lady”, whom they regard as an important
factor in keeping the balance on the planes. They have no lands of their own save among their human
parents, and it is unclear whether the rilmani would welcome them in their own society.

Belief: Balance is everything for the tuladhara. They are born with the desire to make the planes equal and
few can suppress these urges. They tend to work together with like-minded individuals to achieve their ends,
and if this means that they have to join a religious order or faction, they will do it. Few are dedicated to a

47
single ethos, though some of them venerate neutral powers, particularly gods of knowledge, nature, and time.
Tuladhara join any faction that they believe can help them further their goals, though many join the Free
League.

Language: Tuladhara speak Planar Trade. They’ll also learn any other language that they think might be
necessary to know in the future. Most tuladhara also know Prime languages like Draconic and Elven,
exemplar languages like Abyssal and Celestial, and the elemental tongues.

Names: Since the rilmani have no family names, the tuladhara adapt the family name of their mortal parents
or define themselves by their birthplace.
Male Names: Devonech, Leynar, Silmach, Vondar
Female Names: Cesimag, Elnehm, Kivha, Unach

Adventurers: Adventuring gives a tuladhara the opportunity to increase her knowledge about the planes and
where balance is needed. Many tuladhara will not hesitate when they are offered a position within an
adventuring group and will support this group with all of their abilities as long as these people understand and
respect their belief. They will rarely act against the wishes of the group; instead they try to advise their
companions on the best course of action. Whether appreciated or not for their insight, tuladhara are confident
that their attempts will bring the multiverse one step closer to harmony.

Roleplaying a Tuladhara: The multiverse’s equilibrium is endangered, and you are its tool to even the odds.
Strive for knowledge and power, but only as tools to achieve balance. You are born of an enigmatic race of
keepers, and are equally mysterious to those around you. The passions and temptations of your mortal kin do
not stir you. In the end, the many cycles of the multiverse triumph over these temporary things. Though just a
small part of a greater design, unlike most creatures you know what your purpose is. Do not hesitate to play
your part; what you do serves the will of the multiverse itself.

TULADHARA RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom: Tuladhara are resilient and naturally perceptive.
Medium-size humanoid.
Tuladhara base speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Acid, electricity, and sonic resistance 5.
Magic Circle against Alignment (Sp): Tuladhara can use magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law once per
day as cast by a sorcerer of their character level.
+2 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as
Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (Often one of the Neutral planes).
Favored Class: Druid or Ranger. Whichever class taken first by a tuladhara character becomes that
character’s favored class. Once chosen, it cannot be changed.
Level Adjustment +1.

48
 Zenythri

One of the rarest of the many planetouched that walk the planes are the zenythris – the descendent of
humans mysteriously infused with the energies of law. No one is quite sure where zenythri offspring come
from, the rumors range from unnatural rituals used to mix lawful exemplars with humans to zenythri being the
distant descendents of certain gods. Currently the most popular explanation is that certain regions of
Mechanus alter travelers in strange ways, causing them to give birth to zenythri offspring. Still, a few whisper
that the real secret of it is zenythri are the result of machines built to defy the natural order and artificially
create life. No matter how the zenythri came to be, they do exist in small numbers on the planes, sticking
mostly to Sigil and the Planes of Law. More often than not, they do not seem to know any more about their
origins than anyone else, and surprisingly show little interest in the mater. Instead, zenythri devote their entire
life to self-perfection in some manner or another, viewing anything else as a distraction from that goal.

Personality: Zenythri are introverted, serious creatures that view everything with high scrutiny. They rarely
express any emotion; rather they choose to analyze every facet of a situation before deciding how to react.
While others may view them as slow to act, few match their drive and determination once their course is set.
Zenythri tend to be absolute perfectionists, refusing to let the
smallest flaw or shortcoming pass in a task when it is
possible to do better. As a result they often look down on
less-structured creatures with either pity or disdain.

Physical Description: Zenythris most resemble perfectly

formed humans. They range in height from 5’7 to 6’3 with
perfectly smooth skin, evenly shaped bodies, and well-
defined muscles. Even their hair naturally forms into the
zenythri’s personal style. They are often attractive by human
standards, and could easily pass as one if not for the bluish-
purple tint to their skin. Some have more unusual features
such as metallic colored hair and eyes, or even areas of skin
that have hardened into metal. They prefer elegant, but
simple clothing that provides as much comfort as image for
those around them. Their clothing is often tight-fitting, so as
not to impede their naturally strong and agile bodies. They
cannot stand waste or clutter, even in their dress, and
normally avoid wearing large amounts of jewelry or other
accessories. Often they change their style to match
whatever the current trend is in their area, if they do not set
the new trend beforehand.

Relations: The structured nature of the zenythri makes them

natural leaders and decision makers. They are often
attracted to positions of high responsibility, where they are
able to bring their own form of order to those around them,
whether tyrannical or benign. While this may put them at
odds with the strong-willed or independent-minded, their
patience gives them the restraint to deal with any situation
rationally. They treat most other races fairly, though generally
with an air of superiority. Zenythri rarely trust or see eye to
eye with the more chaotic races, such as bariaur or khaasta,
and outright avoid chaotic exemplars such as the slaad and
tanar’ri. At the same time zenythri tend to admire the efficient
operations of the modron, and get along well with the
modron outcasts found traveling the planes.

Alignment: Zenythri are naturally lawful creatures, though

they move freely along the moral spectrum of good and evil.
More often than not, they try to prove the superiority of their
ethics by leading as an example to others, but some find it
more efficient to enforce their views in any form possible.
There are exceptions to the structured nature of the zenythri

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however, and some zenythri choose to forsake their quest for perfection in favor of the enticing thrills and
freedom of chaos.

Zenythri Lands: Zenythri have no homes or land of their own, but mix freely in nearly any society where
humans call kip. In larger communities, groups of zenythri may form small organizations to pursue some
common goal, but usually they keep to themselves to avoid conflicting views of law and order.

Belief: Zenythri believe it is their duty to further perfect the gifts they have inherited, and thus are often found
among the Mind’s Eye, though many are members of the Harmonium, the Fraternity of Order, and the
Transcendent Order. Their focus on personal potential and responsibilities gives them little reason to worship
deities, though most recognize the important role the powers play in the multiverse, and some look to the
lawful deities as exemplars of order.

Language: Zenythri speak Planar Trade and any other dominant languages in their region.

Names: Zenythri names are based on where they were raised, and thus can be nearly anything. Whatever
they may be, they take great pride in their names, and hold them in high regard.

Adventuring: Most zenythri find wandering the planes unappealing, the lifestyle too wild and unfocused.
Those who are members of the Mind’s Eye travel because they believe the knowledge gained will help them
achieve perfection of self. Others feel the need to bring their order to realms beyond their home communities,
and join adventuring groups because of the safety in traveling with others.

Roleplaying a Zenythri: You exist as a bastion of order in a multiverse filled with chaos. Your heritage makes
you superior to most creatures, who lack an understanding or appreciation for structure, and it is your duty to
guide those beneath you. In bringing your law to the planes you not only improve the multiverse itself, but you
give purpose and completion to your own existence, bringing you closer and closer to perfection. Let nothing
deter you from your destiny. Do not be distracted from the important things in life. Small pleasures and
concerns are trivial; they will only delay you in your quest and are to be removed as quickly and efficiently as
possible. By following this course you will master yourself in time, achieving perfection and unity with the very
order of the multiverse.

ZENYTHRI RACIAL TRAITS

+2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Zenythri are slightly stronger and faster than their human
ancestors, and their scrutinizing mind allows them to gain a higher understanding of things. Their arrogance
often hampers dealings with others, however.
Medium-size humanoid.
Zenythri base speed is 30 feet.
Electricity, fire, and sonic resistance 5.
True Strike (Sp): Zenythri can use true strike once per day as cast by a sorcerer of their character level.
+2 racial bonus on Balance and Intuit Direction checks.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus: Any (other than secret languages,
such as Druidic).
Plane of Origin: Any (Often one of the Planes of Law).
Favored Class: Monk.
Level adjustment +1.

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 Using Other Races

Nearly any race can be found somewhere on the planes. It is entirely possible to play a race not included as
one of the standard planar races, in fact one of the advantages of the Planescape Campaign Setting is that
allows players to mix character races from many different settings. Most of these creatures are Primes that
have journeyed to the planes, but some creatures actually have planar equivalents. Whether the race first
originated in the Prime Material Plane or not makes no difference; after generations of living on the planes they
have become part of the extended cosmos, gaining the benefits and downfalls of its true natives. Planar
humans can be found in large numbers on nearly any plane, befitting their ability to adapt to any environment,
but elves, dwarves, and other planar races exist as well.

Included below are notes on the races found in the Player’s Handbook and Oriental Adventures, with details on
how they fit on the planes and any appropriate stat changes. DM’s should carefully consider how other
campaign settings fit into Planescape before allowing players to choose other Prime races.

Races from the Player’s Handbook

Planar Humans: Humans can be found nearly anywhere in the multiverse. Most are born and raised on the
planes, employed as merchants, adventurers, or any other profession known on the planes. Humans may not
be as powerful as many planar races, but they are highly adaptable, allowing them to live in places some
planetouched cannot. Much of the conflict between ideologies occurs among humans, especially in Sigil and
among the factions. Human settlements usually reflect the architecture of the realm or plane where they live,
resembling traditional homes but influenced by whatever races they coexist with. Still, many humans have no
ties to any specific realm or land, and can be found wandering and exploring the multiverse. No matter where
you go on the planes, humans likely have been there first.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as
Druidic).

Secluded Planar Races

Many planar races are seldom seen outside certain planes. Most notably, planar elves, dwarves, gnomes,
and halflings rarely travel the planes beyond the realms of their pantheons. These creatures are the
descendents of Primes who traveled to their deities’ homes millennia ago and decided to stay. Like
petitioners, they are content to live under their respective powers and see no reason to leave their version of
paradise. Players wishing to play a planar version of these races should have a good reason why their
character would leave paradise, and of course have the DM’s permission. Players are still free to play Prime
versions of these races.

Planar Dwarves: Many settlements in the dwarven realms engage in profitable trade in metal goods. Like
their Prime brethren, planar dwarves are well known for their skill at the forge. Those that leave the realms
often use the skills they have learned to set up their own smithies in whatever plane they settle in, and cities
such as Sigil are always receptive to dwarves for just this reason. The
majority of dwarves are found in the Dwarven Mountain, located in the
Outlands. Most non-lawful, non-evil, dwarves are drawn there either when
they die or when they find it on their travels. Lawful neutral and lawful
good dwarves are most often encountered in Erackinor, located in Solania,
a layer of Mount Celestia. Some dwarves can even be found in Nidavellir
(the realm), which is located in Nidavellir, the third layer of Ysgard. The
dwarves of Nidavellir tend to be slightly chaotic, and many of them are
also magically inclined. The duergar make their home in Hammergrim, a
realm in the second layer of Acheron, Thuldanin. Finally the derro, a race
of chaotic evil dwarves, are found in the Hidden Betrayal, located on
Phlegethon, a layer of Pandemonium.

-Automatic Languages: Dwarven, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus

Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Giant, Gnome, Undercommon.

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Planar Elves: The majority of elves live in Arvandor, located in the first layer of Arborea and home to the
majority of the elvish pantheon. Its deep woods appeal to the elves, many of whom never leave it. Perhaps
due to the proximity to their gods, these elves are even more haughty and aloof than their Prime counterparts,
with a very strong tendency towards isolationism. Outcasts of elven society are often drawn to Fenmarel
Mestarine’s realm Fennimar located in Limbo.

Drow are generally drawn to one of two places: good drow are attracted to
Svartalfheim, located in Nidavellir, the third layer of Ysgard, while most
evil drow are drawn to Lolth’s realm in the Abyss, the Demonweb Pits. A
few evil drow are found in Carceri, specifically in Vhaerun’s realm
Ellaniath in the layer Colothys.

Most planar elves feel strong ties to nature. Even if they plane on which
they are living or visiting does not have a traditional environment, they will
still respect the natural (or unnatural) order that is found on that plane.
Many elves find employment as explorers and guides, especially in
Arborea and in the Beastlands, as they are familiar with these types of
environments.

-Rather than the weapon proficiencies, Arvandor planar elves focus on

their magic and gain a +2 racial bonus to Spellcraft and Knowledge
(Arcana) checks.

-Elf Automatic Languages: Elven, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Auran, Celestial, Draconic,
Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan.

Drow Automatic Languages: Elven, Planar Trade, Undercommon, home region. Bonus Languages: Abyssal,
Drow Sign Language, Dwarven, Gnome, Sylvan.

Planar Gnomes: Although most often found throughout the Upper Planes, planar gnomes tend to follow a few
different paths. A great many tend to the quiet pastures of Arborea and the Outlands, living simple lives.
Another significant portion become Guvner sages, spending their days pouring over ancient tomes with an
almost joyful sense of exploration. The last major group is the often-maligned tinkerers. Among the magical
landscapes of the planes, their clockwork machinery stands out as an eyesore in all but the gears of
Mechanus. Interestingly enough, these disparate groups all co-exist quite well in Bytopia, where gnomes are
perhaps the most plentiful race.

Most likely due to their tendencies towards a neutral alignment, the svirfneblin, also known as deep gnomes,
are one of the few Underdark races commonly found in the caverns within the Elemental Plane of Earth. They
tend to go about their lives there much the same as they do in the Underdark. In fact, a number of svirfneblin
communities are totally unaware that the Plane of Earth and the Underdark are separate locations. To them it
is all endless caverns where it is best to attract as little attention as possible or become easy prey to slavers –
be they drow or dao.

-Rather than the ability to “Speak with Animals”, planar gnomes gain a +2 racial bonus on one Craft skill.

-Automatic Languages: Gnome, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven,
Elven, Terran.

Planar Half-Elves: Planar half-elves are almost always the children of a planar human and a Prime elf. Like
many races that do not have “pure” ancestry, the half-elves generally feel no special attachment to any one
place. Some make their homes in elven communities, primarily in Arborea, but the vast majority live elsewhere
on the planes. Many planar races cannot distinguish between half-elves and humans, and most assume that
their pointed ears are the result of some faint tiefling heritage. Like humans, half-elves are very adaptable, and
as a result can be found scattered throughout the multiverse. While half-elves may make up a sizable
percentage of the population on some Prime worlds, on the planes they are much rarer.

-Automatic Languages: Elven, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages,
such as Druidic).

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Planar Half-Orcs: Of the races native to the Prime Material Plane, half-orcs are most like humans and half-
elves. They have no ties to any specific realm and are thus commonly found traveling, adventuring, and
making names for themselves on the planes. The half-orcs have no powers that specifically watch over their
race. Some worship the orcish powers; these half-orcs are commonly found in Nishrak, located on Avalas, the
first layer of Acheron. Often the orcish powers use the half-orcs as elite troops, since they are usually smarter
than full-blooded orcs, and can thus carry out complex battle plans. These half-orc generals are greatly feared
upon that plane. Many half-orcs are not drawn to worship the orcish powers, however. They tend to go to the
major planar cities, where they find work as soldiers or bodyguards.

-Due to the respect they garner commanding orcish armies, half-orcs gain a +1 racial bonus to all Charisma-
based skill checks on the plane of Acheron.

-Automatic Languages: Orc, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages,
such as Druidic).

Planar Halflings: Most halflings are found in the Green Fields,

located in Venya, a layer of Mount Celestia. Green Fields is a
pastoral paradise, perfect for farming, and thus perfect for many
halfling temperaments. It primarily exports food to other locales on
the planes, and some halflings may be found outside their native
realm along with these shipments. Generally halflings that were
raised in Green Fields have a lot of adjusting to do to fit in on the
planes, and are often as clueless as any Prime. Those who are not
found in Green Fields are most likely to be encountered in the
Flowering Hill, located in the Outlands. The demipower Urogalan is
part of the halfling pantheon, but he serves as a judge of the dead
for the halflings, and not many of their race worship him, thus there
are few petitioners associated with his realm.

-Automatic Languages: Halfing, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus

Languages: Celestial, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Gnoll, Goblin.

Races from Eberron

Planar Changelings: Though very rare, there are planar descendents of doppelgangers and humans, but its
one in a million whether someone has ever met one. The term changeling is more often applied to the children
of fey, however, and most would assume the ability to shapeshift springs from faerie or planetouched blood.
Regardless, those Eberron changelings who journey to the planes are at worst associated with tieflings, and
can normally expect to be treated much like anyone else.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as
Druidic).

Planar Kalashtar: There are no kalashtar on the planes save those who have managed to travel beyond
Eberron and the few realms known to the Primes there. While it is conceivable that the outcast quori who
originally learned to merge their bodies with humans could have done so in places other than Eberron, it would
not have provided them as much protection from the other quori, as the Region of Dreams is easily accessed
through the Astral and Ethereal Planes. On the other hand, as more people travel to the ephemeral Dream
Plane creatures similar to the Inspired are beginning to appear, and it may be only a matter of time before the
quori make their presence known.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, Quor, home region. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Riedran.

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Planar Shifters: Like their lycanthropic ancestors, planar shifters are primarily found in the Beastlands,
though some live in Arborea and the Outlands as well. Their blood typically grants them some prestige in the
animal kingdoms there, and a few cults are devoted to the superiority of lycanthropes and those related to
them over other races. Throughout the rest of the Great Ring shifters are treated just like anyone else; it’s not
uncommon to share a meal with far more menacing creatures, and there aren’t enough planar shifters for any
stereotypes to develop.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Bariaur, Celestial, Elven, Sylvan.

Planar Warforged: Living constructs are nothing particularly new on the planes. One could make a
compelling argument that the modron are the oldest example of such a race, and a small number of similar
creatures are known to exist in parts of the Planes of Law. None of these were specifically created to be war
machines, however, and it’s seen as no small irony that Primes seem to be the first to come up the idea. As it
stands, while all warforged are native to Eberron, a slave trade has sprung up to transfer some to buyers in
Acheron, Baator, and Mechanus. The Fraternity of Order, Sodkillers, and baatezu are particular interested in
learning the secrets of the warforged’s creation, but whatever force is responsible for bringing them to the
planes seems to be more than capable of hampering such efforts. Still, it may be only a matter of time before
planar versions of the constructs begin appearing.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: None.

Races from Oriental Adventures

Planar Hengeyokai: After the vanara, hengeyokai are the most common oriental race encountered in the
Outer Planes. Always living on the outskirts of society, they have few ties to the Prime Material Plane, and
many left ages ago to explore the multiverse. They tend to wander across the planes freely, never staying in
one place for long, with a tendency to travel through the chaotic side of the Outer Planes. Naturally, many find
the Beastlands to their liking, and it is there that most planar hengeyokai are born. They strictly avoid areas
known for lycanthropy of any kind, however. It seems they see such creatures as infectious mockeries, and
are appalled at being often mistaken for them.

Some hengeyokai adopt settlements to protect (or exploit), much like on the Prime Material Plane. This occurs
throughout most of the Outer Planes, particularly in the Lower Planes, where a number of evil hengeyokai
have had the audacity to extort villages. Whether such hengeyokai have gained permission from the local
fiendish masters, or are soon to find themselves as a fiend’s dinner remains to be seen.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Giant, Goblin, Nezumi,
Spirit Tongue.

Planar Korobokuru: The korobokuru prefer simple lives and very rarely travel to the planes on their own.
However, centuries ago, a number of oni led by a powerful ogre mage captured hundreds of korobokuru and
sold them to the baatezu as laborers and Blood War troops. Generations later, a number of the korobokuru
managed to flee their slavery and escape to the Outlands. The largest number of still captive korobokuru
remains in the City of Minauros on the third layer of Baator, where they help keep the city from sinking into the
sands. The free korobokuru have been making raids on the city for years now, releasing more and more of
their people each time, and now organize their attacks from a large town located spireward of Ribcage. Even
though they have managed to operate largely undiscovered in the area around Ribcage for years, they know it
is only a matter of time before they are discovered.

-The korobokuru’s +1 bonus to attacks against goblinoids is instead applied to all demons due to the training
they received from their baatezu masters.

-The korobokuru’s +4 dodge bonus against giants now applies to demons that are Large or greater in size.

-Automatic Languages: Infernal, Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Abyssal.

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Planar Nezumi: On the Outer Planes, the nezumi are often mistaken for wererats and other evil creatures.
They suffer the same sort of prejudice as tieflings do, which means the two races often have an understanding
of one another. Their scavenging nature helps them to survive in portions of the Outlands, as well as on a
number of the Lower Planes themselves, while a significant number of good-aligned nezumi also reside in the
tunnels of Sigil, where they are united in a mission to rid the city of all wererat infestations. Their success has
been extremely limited thus far.

-Instead of the nezumi taint immunity, planar nezumi are immune to the wisdom-draining “grays” as well as the
entrapment effects of the Gray Waste. Since they have lived through despair as a race and moved on, these
planar effects have no hold on the nezumi.

-Automatic Languages: Nezumi, Planar Trade, Rokugani, home region. Bonus Languages: Bakemono,
Shadowlands.

Planar Spirit Folk: The spirit folk have strong ties to the spirits of the Prime, and therefore very rarely have
any traveled beyond that plane. Those found on the planes are often mistaken for humans, or worse, genasi.
Only a brief conversation will reveal that the serene spirit folk are a far cry from the haughty genasi.
Unfortunately, few of the spirit folk have enough patience to educate others on the matter. Most live on the
Outlands, tending to the land and seas much as druids (and a number of them, in fact, are druids). Many of
them also find peace upon the Astral Plane as well, where they feel they can better commune with the nature
spirits. It is also interesting to note that a disproportionate number of proxies serving the Celestial Bureaucracy
are spirit folk. Many act as guides and directors to the humans and petitioners who faithfully serve the
Bureaucracy in Mechanus.

-Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, Spirit Folk, home region. Bonus Languages: Hengeyokai, Nezumi.

Planar Vanara: More than any other of the oriental races, the ever-curious vanara often find their way onto the
planes, either by following human adventurers or by exploring through own magic. Since they venerate the
grandest spirits of nature, many are drawn to the magnificent landscapes of Ysgard. They find the boisterous
humans and other races on that plane fascinating, and greatly enjoy the festivals and battles on the Plain of
Ida. The vanara are nearly always observers to such activities, however, and only very rarely participants. On
the other hand, the more contemplative vanara shamans are often found on the upper two layers of Elysium.
Lastly, a large clan of vanara has arisen on Karasuthra, the third layer of the Beastlands. The bestial nature of
the plane has shaped those vanara somewhat, leaving them more aggressive and savage. These vanara tend
to have a far more stooped posture when walking, though this is not readily apparent to most who encounter
them, however, since they live entirely within the trees and never walk upon the ground.

Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, Vanara, home region. Bonus Languages: Celestial, Bariaur, Spirit
Tongue, Sylvan.

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 Monstrous Races

Planes outside of the Prime Material Plane tend to be less parochial by several orders of magnitude. On the
majority of Prime worlds, where habitable land is limited, monsters are the creatures that adventurers fight and
drive away from civilized lands. Out amongst the infinite planes, however, there is room to spread out and
even for monstrous races to find a place of acceptance. Parts of Acheron are the unquestioned domain of
orcs, formians control vast stretches of Mechanus and Arcadia, and ogres are the bouncers of choice in many
of Sigil’s taverns and pubs. Members of races traditionally labeled “monsters” may be one’s neighbors,
employers, or even close companions. In most realms, monsters are nearly as common as, if not more
common than, the “civilized” humanoids. Many prejudices of the Prime worlds do not often carry over into
planar societies. After all, how can a dwarf focus his hatred solely against giants and goblinoids when vile
fiends openly walk the streets?

This is not to say that all of the races get along harmoniously outside of the Prime Material Plane. Far from it.
Bigotry and racial hatreds still run rampant – take a survey to see how many would trust a tiefling walking
towards them in a dark alley. Like everything on the Outer Planes, however, hatred is often based more on
philosophy than race. With such a staggering number of races from an equally staggering number of worlds,
nobody can entirely keep track of what races are “good” or “bad”, which leads to individuals being judged more
on their moral and ethical positions than by their racial background.

Specific Monsters

Many existing monsters already have clear planar ties; exemplar and elementals tend to be found on their
respective planes in large numbers, though most have at least some freedom to travel beyond their home
plane. Listed below are explanations as to where some common Prime monsters are typically found in the
multiverse.

Beholders, as with many other aberrations, find they fit into planar society surprisingly well. They most often
serve as conniving servants of various fiends, acting as messengers, spies, and assassins between the
fiendish factions. Many are found around the realms of their deities, including Gzemnid in the Outlands and
the Great Mother in the Abyss. Beholder representatives and proxies of the Great Mother can be found on
several layers above and below her realm. Albeit quite rare, non-evil beholders do exist and have a tendency
to congregate within Sigil.

It is rumored that dragons are so rarely seen off the Prime Material Plane because their spell- like abilities are
directly tied to that plane, leaving them significantly weaker whenever they are away from it. The validity of this
is still debated, and few are willing to put their theories to the test. Notably, the vast majority of dragons found
outside the Material Plane either are rare native breeds (such as the ethereal dragon) or are working directly in
the service of a deity. This is especially true for the draconic deities such as Chronepsis, Tiamat, and
Bahamut, who almost exclusively use dragons as proxies. Gem dragons are also known to frequently live on
the Inner Planes and a few journey to the Outer Planes for a time. With dragons as magical as they are, it is
also speculated that dragons always assume humanoid forms when traveling the Outer Planes, which makes
it all the more difficult to judge their population.

The various fey races generally prefer causing mischief on the Prime Material Plane, where they are relatively
free to entertain themselves with the Primes there. The preference is even more pronounced in relation to the
Inner Planes where, save for an isolated community on the Plane of Air, fey are virtually never seen. On the
Outer Planes, the Seelie Court tends to congregate in the realms of Arborea or Ysgard, while the Unseelie
Court reigns in its own portion of Pandemonium. Though reclusive, neither court is static, and members of
both sides often take stances in the politics of the Outer Planes in their own mischievous ways.

Formians have always been a feature of Arcadia, but it is becoming unclear whether they originated from that
plane or from Mechanus. Whatever their origin, the insectoid hive-cities are spreading throughout Mechanus
at an accelerated rate. So far, the modrons have done little to stop the incursion. Perhaps in watching the
clockwork of reality they know that their time has come and gone, and now they resolve themselves to be
ground under the wheels of destiny. Or perhaps they are too concerned with some other more pressing
concern.

Among the various planes, even though most creatures are still medium-sized, larger creatures are much
more common than on most of the Prime worlds. Therefore, giants and giant-kin are better able to fit in – at
least physically. Many are still brutes destroying much of their surroundings, but a number of them are able to

56
adjust into societies rather well. Unfortunately, this includes a number of fire giants that have aligned
themselves with the baatezu in their Blood War or can be found commanding armies on the battlefields of
Acheron. Storm and good-aligned cloud giants are common on Mount Celestia, while Ysgard has a particularly
high population of fire and frost giants. In only the past decade, a small but thriving Giant’s District has also
formed in Sigil, featuring architecture suitably sized for giants and other massive creatures. Much to the
chagrin of law enforcement, giants living there are still adjusting to looking past racial differences.
Consequently, small gangs based upon racial and alignment lines have formed, leading to a few outbreaks of
bloody violence.

Prime wizards and other spellcasters are common visitors to the Outer Planes. They come to explore these
new worlds (at least new to them, even if they did exist ages before their world), but the vast majority of them
meet their fate out here. They leave behind walking towers, drifting demiplanes, and a surprisingly large
number of golems. Every type of golem imaginable can be found abandoned, the corpse of its master
perhaps still rotting at its side. Most remain dormant for eternities awaiting a new master. However, word is
that an enigmatic woman calling herself the Golem Queen has discovered a means of awakening intelligence
in the constructs. Most are then ushered away to a secret realm full of nothing but intelligent, self-aware
golems. At least so the rumors go. Word differs on just where this realm of golems is located; some say it is in
caverns near Automata, others claim it is a fortress constantly moving between planes searching out additions
to their society. Also mysterious are the Golem Queen’s motives; does she do this out of some sort of
benevolence, or is she building an army? Those she leaves behind, self-aware, are left to wander the planes,
contemplating their new awareness and the multiverse around them.

The lillendi are found more on the Outer Planes than on any Prime world. Their most common home is
Selune’s Palace, the origin of the Infinite Staircase, on the first layer of Ysgard. Caretakers of the Infinite
Staircase, they constantly roam its many flights, guiding those who are lost and dealing with those who would
exploit or harm it. In fact, if you ever see a lillend on the Prime Material, chances are she is exploring the area
around one of the portals on the Staircase. Lillendi are also artists and poets to the core of their being, so
many are traveling artists, sharing their work with others and nurturing the creative spark wherever they go.

Mind flayers are a rather unique participant in the planar scheme of things. Outside of Ilsenine’s realm on the
Outlands, mind flayers are exceedingly rare, and settlements are almost unheard of. The vast majority of the
illithid reside upon the Prime Material Plane in their subterranean cities. Yet, their influence upon the Outer
Planes exceeds that of most any other race. It is said they are second only to the yugoloths in manipulating
both sides of the Blood War. Entire cities, including two gate-towns, have allegedly been obliterated at the
whim of these creatures within the past few centuries alone. Cranium rats, believed to the eyes and ears of
Ilsenine and its illithid worshippers, are ever-present within Sigil and can be found in many other planes. Even
on the Inner Planes, a mind flayer or three seem to be present whenever powerful tyrants rise to power. It is
not surprising that the grand sultan of the City of Brass has a mind flayer among his court of advisors. Whether
they are individually ambitious or are actually working together to reclaim the glory of the Illithid Empire, mind
flayers are just as feared by planar creatures as they are by Primes. Some hunt them, others respect them,
but most just steer clear.

The various orcish and goblinoid races infest the Outer Planes just as much as they do the Prime Material
Plane. In Acheron, they are so common as to even outnumber all other races. Many also survive as bandits
upon the trade routes of the Outlands and by selling themselves as mercenaries (which, of course, means a
great many of them wind up fighting in the Blood War). Sigil’s Hive Ward is also rife with the creatures,
especially orcs, while the goblinoids are more prevalent in the tunnels of Sigil. One notable exception to the
typical plague of orcs is a number of orcish petitioners arriving on Mount Celestia. They all come from a
particular Prime world where an orcish paladin order has arisen that venerates the legend of Mahleotcha, a
noble orc hero in that world’s history.

Undead creatures are not as common as they are on many Prime worlds, often sticking to the realms of
deities of death and undeath. Though still reviled by many planar races, mindless undead such as skeletons
and zombies are sometimes used as servants and soldiers by planar organizations, while other more powerful
undead may serve as guardians for certain pantheons. Undead spirits are rarely seen on the Outer Planes, as
most creatures know with certainty what stage of life awaits them next. Vampires and other undead that suffer
from daylight find themselves free to move about during the day on planes that do not have true daylight,
such as Sigil. Nonetheless, these creatures prefer to avoid “surface life” and keep their presence, and their
appetite, as hidden as possible to avoid the inevitable persecutions. Some vampire councils have been known
to exist, but they either have been destroyed or have managed to mask themselves in obscurity. Most assume

57
vampires either have a difficult time accessing the planes or simply prefer to feast on the Prime Material
Plane. Liches, on the other hand, are often powerful players in the politics and conflicts of the multiverse.
While not usually the type to wander the planes, or even to show themselves openly, many influential liches,
such as the githyanki queen, are well known and feared.

Playing Monstrous Races

Playing a monstrous race is just like playing any other Prime race, provided you have the DM’s approval. The
Planescape setting directly lends itself to playing strange and exotic creatures as player characters, and rules
for this are fully detailed in the Savage Species supplement. One of the limiting factors of playing a monstrous
PC is often the high effective character levels (ECLs). Even with the “monsters as classes” rules outlined in
Savage Species, characters might have to be high-level before they can even begin taking levels in a standard
class. The Planescape Campaign Setting also helps mitigate this problem; with challenges such as competing
archdevils, shifting planar layers, and numerous philosophical organizations all vying for the beliefs of sentient
creatures everywhere a party of 1st to epic level characters can easily find adventures awaiting them.

Furthermore, with the decreased emphasis on combat in many Planescape campaigns, disparity in power is
less of a factor. DMs may wish to re-evaluate the ECLs for certain races if their campaigns will depend less on
combat, though a large shift is not recommended, as powerful monsters can still have distinct advantages in
non-combat situations with greater bonuses to skills and ability scores.

If the creature you are playing is planar, you should work out with the DM how your race fits into the
Planescape setting and pay special attention to the differences in personality such a character would have
from its Prime brethren. Does your race have a unified position on the planes, or are they scattered about the
multiverse? What are the traditional beliefs of your people, and how well do tend to relate with other prominent
planar creatures and organizations? Answering these questions will help you create a character with a
background suited for a planar creature.

Prestige Races

The very substance of the planes is potent. The Outer Planes are built out of pure belief, and even the Inner
Planes are composed of such raw elements that magic is inherent in them. Over generations, the planar
energies can shape creatures into forms more attuned with that plane, giving rise to various planetouched
races. Some creatures, however, choose to evolve much faster. Through rituals as ancient as the planes
themselves, they can focus the planar energies into their own bodies in order to evolve step by step into a new
form. They gain prestige races.

Presented in “Prestige Races” in Dragon #304, creatures undergo magical rituals to gain “enchantments of the
flesh” which cause their very bodies to evolve. The character must travel to a place of extreme magical power
in order to cast such a ritual. Each enchantment costs a certain number of experience points. As the
transformation occurs, the character’s body makes the specified change in a matter of minutes.

Enchantments of the flesh are collectively known as prestige races. Each follows a particular focus of three to
four physical changes, each with its own experience point cost. Characters who begin down one focus are not
required to continue down it. Unless specifically barred, they can even take enchantments from more than one
focus.

Each focus presented in Planescape is attuned to a particular plane. Within each focus are listed known
places of power that can help characters to gain prestige races without the Evolve feat. At the DM’s discretion,
there can be more, fewer, or even none of these locations. Perhaps the only way to gain a prestige race is
through the Evolve feat. Alternatively, the feat may not exist in your campaign, and the places of power may be
the only means to cast enchantments of the flesh. However you balance access to prestige races, it is
suggested that characters can only evolve along a focus while actually on the plane the focus is attuned
towards.

Each step along those foci is listed with the specified XP cost, and the minimum character level required to
undergo that change. Also listed are any prerequisites (typically just earlier stages in the Focus), and a list of
what creatures are barred from that change (typically diametrically opposed Foci, and in the Planescape
setting, creatures with opposing alignments). Lastly, details of the change both physically and in game effects
are listed.

58
This book contains prestige races based upon the Outlands and UnderSigil. Future books will include prestige
races for all of the planes. Some of the prestige races already released fit certain planes well, however.
Examples of Foci based around the four standard elements (air, earth, fire, and water) appear in Dragon #304.
Furthermore, the Focus of the Gear presented in that article is quite fitting for Mechanus.

Focus of the Outlands

Characters that pursue this Focus attune their forms to the various aspects of the Outlands. Initially they focus
on the diplomatic side of the Outlands, helping to appease conflicts. Afterwards, they attune their form to the
mists and fogs all too common throughout the Outlands. Lastly, characters with this Focus alter themselves to
better protect themselves from the forces of imbalance as well as the magic of their enemies.

Places of Power:
• 1000 miles beyond any gate town
• Upon the Spire - the character must climb for one day per 1000xp in the cost

Soothing Creature
Cost: 5,800 XP
Minimum Level: 6th
Prerequisite: None
Unavailable to: Non-neutral creatures (LG, CG, CE, LE)
Details: The creature’s voice becomes soothing and calming, and its facial appearance seems more serene.
Game Effects: Able to cast calm emotion 3 times per day as a sorcerer of their character level, and gain a +5
racial bonus to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks. They also gain a +10 racial bonus to Knowledge (the
Outlands) checks.

Misting Creature
Cost: 4,400 XP
Minimum Level: 7th
Prerequisite: Soothing Creature
Unavailable to: Non-neutral creatures (LG, CG, CE, LE)
Details: Creature’s skin becomes grayer as if color is fading out of it. Wisps of mist and smoke trail from its
every movement.
Game Effects: Can cast solid fog at will and gaseous form once per day as a sorcerer of their character level.
Also, gain a +10 racial bonus to Hide checks.

Balanced Creature
Cost: 7,200 XP
Minimum Level: 8th
Prerequisite: Misting Creature
Unavailable to: Non-neutral creatures (LG, CG, CE, LE)
Details: Eyes become a solid opalescent color, with no visible pupils or irises.
Game Effects: Able to cast detect chaos/evil/good/law and protection against chaos/evil/good/law each at will
as a sorcerer of their character level.

Focus of UnderSigil
Creatures following the Focus of UnderSigil slowly transform into unsightly creatures that are well suited to the
scavenging lifestyle necessary to survive in Sigil’s dank underworld.

Places of Power:
• Sigil

Scavenging Creature
Cost: 3,500 XP
Minimum Level: 4th
Prerequisite: None
Unavailable to: None
Details: The eyes of the creature become oversized, dominating much of their face.
Game Effects: Gain darkvision to 60 feet. If the creature already possesses darkvision, its range is extended
30 feet. Also gain a +10 racial bonus to Search checks.

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Digging Creature
Cost: 4,500 XP
Minimum Level: 5th
Prerequisite: Scavenging
Unavailable to: None
Details: Arms become over-sized and hands grow claws built for digging through the porous rock of Undersigil.
Game Effects: Increase strength score by +2. Gains burrow speed of 10. Gain natural claw attack that deals
1d6 damage.

Stinging Creature
Cost: 6,500 XP
Minimum Level: 7th
Prerequisite: Scavenging
Unavailable to: Non-scavenging
Details: The creature grows a bulbous stinger and poison sac somewhere on its body – commonly the arm or
back, although a few unfortunate souls grow it on the side of their heads.
Game Effects: Can rebuke and command vermin as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead at half their
character level. Gain poison attack – deal 1hp damage and poison 1d4 Str initial and secondary damage. DC
is 10 + 1⁄2 character level + Con modifier + size modifier for vermin (+2 for medium-sized, +4 for large, etc.).

Immunized Creature
Cost: 8,000 XP
Minimum Level: 9th
Prerequisite: Scavenging
Unavailable to: None
Details: The creature’s stomach becomes bloated and distended as it fills with various chemicals that can
digest nearly anything.
Game Effects: Increase constitution score by +2. Immune to all disease, including magical disease. Also gain
a +6 racial bonus to saving throws vs. poison.
Note: This is identical to the Immunized Creature in the Focus of the Body from Oathbound: Domains of the
Forge.

Digestive Creature
Cost: 14,000 XP
Minimum Level: 15th
Prerequisite: Digging creature, and Immunized creature
Unavailable to: None
Details: These are truly unsightly creatures, with stomachs becoming even more bloated – the skin stretched
tight so that it is possible to see dark shapes moving within. Their jaws are now loosened as well, and often
hang slack. This allows the creatures to swallow prey they have successfully grabbed more easily.
Game Effects: Acid Resistance 20. Gains acid spit attack – functions as a ray up to 30 feet long, 2d6 damage.
Each use exhausts the entire supply of acid, and thus it can only be used once per hour. Gain Improved Grab,
and Swallow Whole special attacks as detailed in the Monster Manual. Creatures swallowed suffer 2d4 points
of acid damage each round. Those trapped can use a tiny slashing weapon to cut free by inflicting 12 hit
points of damage (AC 18).

Language

In a setting as vast as Planescape, it is impossible to list the number of languages that characters may know.
On the cosmopolitan streets of Sigil, being a center for planar commerce, dozens of different tongues are
spoken every day. The solution to this language barrier was the development of Planar Trade, which takes the
place of Common in the Planescape setting; all planar characters begin as literate in the language unless they
have special reasons not to be. Prime characters, on the other hand, may find the Common language they use
completely foreign, and in many cases Common may not even extend to Primes from other worlds. However,
even with the existence of Planar Trade, knowledgeable planars see the need to know several different
languages, and many guides make a living by catering to such outsiders. Some of the unique planar
languages are described below, and a listing of the most common languages spoken on the planes is listed in
Table 2-3.

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Celestial, or Upper Planar Trade, seems to be the root language for the various celestials of the Upper
Planes and is widely used for communication between different races there. It is the language Primes are
most familiar with, and is often used in religious ceremonies. The celestials themselves derived their own
tongues over the millennia, but do not mind speaking to others in Celestial.

Fiendish, or Lower Planar Trade, is a crude language developed before the advent of the current Planar
Trade for use among traders along the Lower Planes. Unlike Celestial, Fiendish was derived as a basic form
of Infernal by those seeking a common tongue. It is rarely used elsewhere in the multiverse, and only handles
topics such as greed and hate with ease. Its limited usage makes it an excellent way to communicate secretly,
however.

Modron is a strange language of various beeps and notes emitted rapidly in mathematical patterns. Most
creatures have great difficulty understanding it, let alone learning to speak it. Non-modrons must have Int 17+
to learn the language.

Rhebus is the strange picture language used almost exclusively by the dabus of Sigil. The language consists
of an assortment of diagrams, letters, and other symbolic images strewn together to imitate the Planar Trade.
There is no spoken version of the language, and few are capable of mimicking the symbolic notation. Anyone
can attempt to understand a message in rhebus without learning the language by making a Decipher Script
check (DC 20 for basic messages), though unlike normal characters can make the checks untrained.

Of some note is the prevalence of a slang used with Planar Trade known as the Cant. The cant is widely used
by planars in casual talk, but may be seen as unsophisticated by intellectuals or members of the upper class.

61
TABLE 2.3 PLANAR LANGUAGES
Language Spoken in... Spoken by... Alphabet
Abyssal The Abyss, Carceri, the Gray Tanar'ri Infernal
Waste, Pandemonium
Aquan Elemental Plane of Water Marid, Water Elementals Draconic
Archon Arcadia, Mount Celestia Archons Celestial
Asura Arborea, Arcadia, the Beastlands, Bytopia, Asuras Celestial
Mount Celestia, Ysgard
Auran Elemental Plane of Air Air Elementals, Djinn Draconic
Bariaur Arborea, the Outlands, Ysgard Bariaurs Elven
Celestial Arborea, Arcadia, the Beastlands, Bytopia, Aasimons, Archons, Asuras, Celestial
Mount Celestia, Ysgard Eladrins, Guardinals,
Quesars
Rhebus Sigil Dabus Rhebus
Daemon Gehenna, the Gray Waste Yugoloths Infernal
Demodand Carceri Gehreleth Infernal
Eladrin Arborea Eladrins Celestial
Fiendish The Abyss, Acheron, Baator, Baatezu, Gehreleth, Infernal
Carceri, Gehenna, the Gray Waste Tanar’ri, Yugoloths
Formian Arcadia, Mechanus Formians Formian
Githyanki The Astral Plane Githyanki Githjad
Githzerai Limbo Githzerai Githjad
Guardinal Elysium Guardinals Celestial
Ignan Elemental Plane of Fire Efreet, Fire Elementals Draconic
Infernal Acheron, Baator, Gehenna, the Gray Waste Baatezu Infernal
Khaasta The Outlands Khaasta Khaasta
Modron Mechanus Modrons Modron
Nathri The Ethereal Plane Nathri Nathri
Planar trade Any (except Prime Material Plane) All Planar trade
Shad grafitti Elemental Plane of Earth Shads Druidic
Slaad Limbo Slaadi Slaad
Sylvan Arborea, Pandemonium, Ysgard Fey Sylvan
Terran Elemental Plane of Earth Dao, Earth Elementals, Draconic
Xorns
Xill The Ethereal Plane Xills Infernal

Variant Rule: Common as the Shared Language

While the default rules make Planar Trade and Common different languages for purposes of realism, you
may wish to make them equivalent for simplicity. This is particularly ideal if you are running a game with a
party of Primes, or only visiting the planes for a short time. Making this change requires no special work;
simply replace any mention of Planar Trade with Common. This can be most readily explained by the
existence of the powers, many of whom have existed for millennia and have a presence on many worlds and
planes. These deities may have seen fit long ago to guide various cultures to develop a shared tongue for its
obvious benefits, thus making communication a much easier process.

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 Character Region and Home Plane

The planes are vast, and the folks that live in them are anything but homogenous. Different planes, layers,
and realms can breed all kinds of people, from the jaded souls of Sigil to the dedicated working folk of
Bytopia. "Region" can refer to any division of the planes or realms, but typically refers to either a particular
plane or a grouping of sparsely populated planes. For example, Limbo counts as its own region while the
Positive Quasielemental Planes, though four separate planes, only count as one region due to their extremely
sparse population. A region can also be a racial cultural identity, such as aasimar or khaasta.

Regions help to provide flavor and perspective unique to the character's homeland. A character’s region often
has a strong relation to their beliefs and attitudes. It is the plane the character grew up on and possibly first
started adventuring in. Characters may gain additional languages or access to particular feats based off their
region. In addition, a character’s region often denotes their home plane as well. All creatures have a home
plane, the place they were born and the only plane they are not considered extraplanar in the multiverse (see
above). A character can have only one region and only one home plane. Nonhuman characters are free to
designate either their physical homeland or their racial culture as their region, though they must match the
typical alignments of their race or homeland to select the corresponding feats. Table 2-4 lists the normal
Planescape regions and describes typical alignments, automatic languages, bonus languages, and regional
feats. Prime characters may choose regions from their world. Sigil is considered part of the Outlands.

Automatic Languages: The languages automatically known by all characters from this region, regardless of
Intelligence score. Planar Trade, though not listed, is always an automatic language.

Bonus Languages: Characters of exceptional Intelligence (12 or higher) begin play with one bonus language
per point of Intelligence bonus, which must be chosen from the list on the table (superseding racially granted
bonus languages).

Regional Feats: If you start with an alignment typical of your home region, you may select regional feats
appropriate to that region. These feats represent the common sorts of talents that people from that region
learn. You can acquire regional feats later in your adventuring career. With a few exceptions, any regional
feats appropriate to your race or homeland that you don’t select at 1st level are still available the next time
you gain the ability to select a feat. If your alignment changes from the alignment typical of your home region,
you cannot select additional regional feats, though your previously selected feats still operate provided your
new alignment meets the feat’s prerequisites.

You may even learn feats from a new region altogether, whether or not you actually have that region or the
typical alignment. After 1st level, each 2 ranks in Knowledge (the planes) you have allows you to select feats
from the appropriate plane (other than your home region, if applicable).

63
TABLE 2.4 CHARACTER REGIONS
Region Typical Automatic Bonus languages
alignment languages
Abyss, The CE Abyssal Draconic, Fiendish, Gnoll, Ignan, Undercommon
Acheron LE, LN Orc Giant, Goblin, Infernal, Fiendish
Arborea CG Celestial Auran, Bariaur, Eladrin, Elven, Sylvan
Arcadia LG, LN Formian Asura, Celestial, Gnome, Halfling
Astral plane, The Any Githyanki Celestial, Draconic, Undercommon
Baator LE Infernal Draconic, Fiendish, Goblin, Ignan, Orc
Beastlands, The CG, NG Celestial Aquan, Asura, Bariaur, Elven, Guardinal
Bytopia LG, NG Gnome Asura, Celestial, Dwarven, Guardinal, Terran
Carceri CE, NE Abyssal Demodand, Fiendish, Giant, Undercommon
Elemental plane of Any neutral Auran Aquan, Draconic, Elven, Ignan, Sylvan
Air
Elemental plane of Any neutral Terran Aquan, Draconic, Dwarven, Ignan, Undercommon
Earth
Elemental plane of Any neutral Ignan Abyssal, Auran, Draconic, Infernal, Terran
Fire
Elemental plane of Any neutral Aquan Auran, Draconic, Elven, Terran
Water
Elysium NG Celestial Asura, Elven, Guardinal, Halfing
Ethereal Plane, Any None Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Nathri, Terran
The
Gehenna LE, NE Daemon Draconic, Fiendish, Ignan, Infernal, Terran
Grey Waste, The NE Daemon Abyssal, Fiendish, Infernal, Undercommon
Limbo CN Githzerai Abyssal, Celestial, Khaasta, Slaad
Mechanus LN Formian Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Modron
Mount Celestia LG Celestial Archon, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling
Outlands, The Any neutral Khaasta Draconic, Dwarven, Sylvan, Undercommon
Pandemonium CE, CN Abyssal Dwarven, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon
Ysgard CG, CN Bariaur Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Sylvan, Undercommon

64
 Chapter 3: Factions
The coins hit the table loudly, snapping Tethin from his doze. “Sold! To the man chewing on his feet...”
muttered the middle-aged human that was his companion for the evening, a Xaositect called Barking Wilder.
Tethin glanced around the tavern and frowned at the indications of its closing. He had spent most of the day
with the Xaositect, who had been given high recommendations from his contacts in the Cage. Barking Wilder
supposedly had a knack for finding the dark of things, even prophecies, from whatever madness he lived in.
Tethin had carried out the instructions exactly as he was told, approaching the strange man with a bowl of
clean water, dropping three copper pieces into the bowl, and placing it before the Xaositect while asking his
question. The odd human seemed to acknowledge Tethin's request, nodding as he dipped his fingers into the
water and began tracing lines across the wooden table. Thinking the Xaositect meant to communicate
through the trails of water, Tethin had quickly sat at the table, taking out his writing instruments and sketching
the patterns down. Several hours later, Tethin had long ago given up attempts to decipher any meaning from
the “writings”, and the Xaositect seemed to have lost interest in his bowl, now nearly empty. Tethin was
considering why the man was called Barking Wilder when he hadn't made a single bark, hardly a noise at all
in fact, the entire day as the sound of clattering coins broke him from his musing.

Tethin sat up in his chair and leaned over the table, taking in the array of coins scattered across the table.
Nearly two dozen in number, each of the silver coins bore the symbol of a faction, and Tethin mentally noted
that one coin depicted the Lady, and a few bore symbols he did not recognize. Muttering to himself, Barking
Wilder began pushing the coins around with a long finger, staring at the display intently. Just as Tethin
thought to pick up his notebook again, the Xaositect scowled and swiped his arms across the table, picking
the coins up and dropping them back into a small leather pouch. Tethin sighed and sat back in his chair. His
colleagues had extensively studied the properties of Sigil for years with little conclusive results. Having
similarly failed in his attempts, Tethin was now certain understanding of the city's wards, which seemed to
defy all known magical and natural laws, could only be obtained through study of the chaotic energies that
flowed through the city. Thus his research had led him to believe Barking Wilder, who was said to be one of
the oldest Xaositects in the city (though that hardly said much, Tethin thought wryly), might make a good
lead. Now he was beginning to question his “reliable sources”.

Once again he was disrupted from his thoughts as Barking Wilder overturned the pouch, sending the coins
dancing across the table. Tethin watched carefully as the coins bounced and swirled, the spinning coins
mesmerizing him as he unconsciously calculated their speeds and angles. Something seemed wrong with
how the coins moved, but try as he might he couldn't figure it out. The very notion of the coins' randomness
irritated him...there was a pattern to their fall, just as there was a pattern to everything. It was only a matter of
finding it... Realizing that the coins had ceased their motion, he scrawled their positions into his notebook,
silently noting that they vaguely formed a ring...

Barking Wilder swept up the coins and immediately dropped them onto the table again. Tethin watched the
coins carefully, leaving his hands to scribe his train of thought. The coins' movement wasn't right at all; they
seemed to bounce higher and produce more noise than an object of their apparent size and weight should.
He rapidly calculated their velocities, rate of attraction, and numerous other factors. Formulas flowed through
his mind, filling his vision and causing him to forget completely about the Xaositect next to him. The answer
was just out of his reach, an underlying principle obscured by meaningless variables. Algorithms stretched
across the table like strands of silk, tying the faction symbols together, a web of action and reaction, an
endless pattern of lies. It was all there, laid out before him in strings of acronyms and numbers. All leading to
the same conclusion, all leading to the...Tethin jumped to his feet, stumbling back over his seat, hurriedly
pouring his thoughts into his notebook lest they be forgotten in his haste. Wait until his peers on Mechanus
saw his work! They'd promote him directly to factor...maybe even factol! What would be his first
proclamation? Bah, enough time for that later, just need to get back to that portal. He still had that portal key
in his coat somewhere...

Tethin was halted suddenly as someone grabbed his arm. He swung around in alarm, instinctively jerking his
arm away. Barking Wilder slunk back, shook his head, and said “To dark meant not some spilled be”. Tethin
scowled at the babbling, unruffled his sleeves, and turned out the tavern, madly scribbling notes down. He
didn't bother to watch where he was going, trusting his feet to lead him home. He didn’t notice the unusual
silence in the streets of Sigil at this hour, only vaguely saw the large shadow fall over him.

Back at in the tavern, Barking Wilder smiled serenely, drinking the last of the water from the bowl.

65
 Understanding the Factions

Newcomers to the planes often view the factions as planar-based

organizations. A canny prime might call them cults, and they're not
far off. Factions are formed around some widely held belief - some
philosophy alluring enough to unite people across multiple planes.
Especially in the Outer Planes, where belief is often a tangible
force, factions hold a significant amount of power due largely to
their size and the strength of their ideals. The beliefs of a large
group can influence reality, changing the multiverse to suit their
mindset, after all. Fervent believers gain abilities related to their
perspective and a profound action by a great number of like minds
could cause the nature of an entire plane to change. Thus, most
factions espouse a viewpoint that is also a path to either power,
understanding of the multiverse, or simply the meaning of life. Of
course, most of the factions aren't content to sit back and argue
the finer points of belief; rather, they are devoted to convincing the
rest of the multiverse to see things their way. Planars that have
some grievance against the factions might call them “philosophers with clubs”, and the truth of that statement
is many of the factions are willing to do whatever it takes to prove that they’re right. None have made a
decisive victory, but competition for the hearts and minds of the planes has always been fierce, and those
that stop trying are often lost under the weight of more infectious viewpoints.

Most factions act as a network of people to support those that hold the same ideals, providing strongholds or
hangouts that any faction member can call home. This provides members with contacts, resources, and even
protection they likely couldn't achieve on their own. Individual members are likewise expected to provide
mutual support for fellow factioneers. After all, the multiverse has always been filled with forces that want
their viewpoint universally accepted. There isn't much room for factions that can't hold their own in the quiet
war for the minds of the planes; if a faction can't stand up and spread the word or fight for what they stand
for, their days are numbered. Not all factions have had to battle for their existence, however. Some simply
have goals, ideas, or beliefs that are so universally appealing across the planes that they fail to vanish, even
if their members seem apathetic to their cause.

Over time, the number of factions and even the very definition of the word "faction" have changed drastically,
much to the frustration of those that seek to define these planar groups. What you'll find here is the most
recent description of what a faction is and what it means to be a member of one. Until recently, the center of
faction activity and recruiting was in Sigil. Even now, the majority of Cagers are faction members of some
sort, and planars across the multiverse are beginning to sign up in increasing numbers as the factions
strengthen their influence abroad. Joining a faction normally equates to improvement in a body's life, but the
web of politics and intrigue the factions spin across the multiverse is enough to catch anyone in the mix.
Proper understanding of the extent of faction conflict can only be truly understood by examining their history.

Brief History of the Factions

Many factions are quite old - dating back centuries or even millennia. If there's folk that can remember a time
that they didn't shake the planes, they haven't been doing a lot of talking. Over time, various factions have
come and gone, splintered and merged, risen to fame and fallen to infamy. The primary target of most
factions' influence has been Sigil, due to its access to virtually every corner of the multiverse. If one could
control the City of Doors, they would then be in a position to influence all of the planes at once. Failing that,
Sigil still enabled the factions to spread their message to the numerous planars and primes moving through
the city every day.

Over six hundred years ago, there were roughly fifty-two factions in Sigil. Few were as organized or as large
as the factions today, but they were powerful enough to engage in the kriegstanz. The kriegstanz was a war,
both overt and covert, to undermine every other faction and influence the minds of Sigil. The conflict was so
intense that fierce battles became common in the streets, catching both factioneers and bystanders in the
crossfire. With several factions espousing fanatical or opposing viewpoints, it seemed the war wouldn't end
until one side managed to wipe out all the opposition. However, it was Sigil's overseer, the Lady of Pain, that
brought an abrupt end to the conflict, making her will known by sending her servants, the dabus, to each
faction with a message:

66
“By the order of the Lady of Pain, there will be but fifteen factions in Sigil.
Organize thy colors in a fortnight - or die.”

After two weeks of turmoil the number of factions within Sigil had dropped to fifteen. Some fled Sigil, while
others dissolved entirely. The stubborn died horribly, presumably at the hand of the Lady of Pain, indirectly or

otherwise. Over ten thousand died, and it seemed the kriegstanz had finally ended with what would become
known as the Great Upheaval. It had simply entered a new phase, however, as the remaining factions
gradually took control of Sigil's institutions and competed for control of the city.

Veterans of the Upheaval

The fifteen factions widely believed to have survived the Great Upheaval include the Athar, Believers of the
Source, Bleak Cabal, Discordant Opposition, Doomguard, Dustmen, Fated, Fraternity of Order, Free League,
Revolutionary League, Sign of One, Society of Sensation, and the Transcendent Order. The Mercykillers
would form from the unification of two other factions during the Upheaval - the Sodkillers and the Sons of
Mercy. The Discordant Opposition would eventually become known as the Xaositects, and the Harmonium
later moved to Sigil from the Prime Material Plane. The more paranoid recorders of Sigil history, however,
often question this list. After all, the exact events of the Great Upheaval were poorly recorded at best, as the
chaos and panic that occurred prevented anyone from gaining a clear perspective of what transpired. Some
claim a few factions, such as the Fated, Sign of One, or Society of Sensation were actually more recent than
is popularly believed, and that they displaced other factions after the Upheaval itself. Others think the
Harmonium existed on the planes long before its recorded arrival, and engineered the downfall of some
predecessor. Though it seems unlikely, these rumors and suppositions help underpin the skepticism
regarding the accuracy of even more reliable sources such as the Fraternity of Order or the Society of
Sensation.

Many died during the Great Upheaval, but even more died afterwards, some by the initial conflicts between
the surviving factions, and others through more mysterious causes such as diseases and disappearances.
Many of the now displaced factions (thereafter called “sects”) struck out against the entrenched factions
within the city, making the city's already difficult transition more so. Though it’s widely agreed that the original
kriegstanz was worse, some revisionists believe that the Great Upheaval actually caused more deaths than it
supposedly saved. Whatever the case, it’s unanimously agreed that, for good or ill, the Great Upheaval
occurred in line with the Lady's wishes, and that whatever goal she had was fulfilled. Indeed, Sigil would
become much more stable over the next century, gaining a structure that both served the needs of the city
and enabled the factions to continue the kriegstanz, albeit more covertly. However, this new order would only
last for a little over six hundred years. Though the current state of affairs would come to be taken for granted,
tension was steadily building and things were in for a change - and in a big way.

The Faction War

Roughly five years ago, the factions had devolved to the point where they could no longer exist in harmony.
Though Sigil had been running efficiently for centuries, hatred fueled by the never-ending cycle of quiet
conflict had set the scene for another full-blown war. Some factions were forcefully undermining other
factions, while others broke Sigil's laws on a daily basis. What was once idealism had become well-honed
fanaticism, and the balance of power shifted back and forth like a swinging pendulum. Old grudges had
simmered for centuries, and it was only a matter of time before people stopped being civil and decided to
settle things the bloody way. It wouldn't have taken much to spark a war, but what Sigil got was several such
sparks only days apart, and soon Sigil was gripped in a civil war that rocked its very foundations.

Everything started with the Harmonium and Doomguard, as both groups suspected each other of preparing
an attack. What truth there was to the rumors is hard to say, even today, but the tension such hearsay
caused was quite real. When Pentar, the factol of the Doomguard, suddenly vanished, the Doomguard
blamed the Harmonium and Society of Sensation, shouting accusations loudly across Sigil. The Harmonium
in turn accused the Doomguard of violating their ancient edict against sparking a war, and demanded the
Doomguard relinquish the Armory to the Harmonium. Naturally, the Doomguard balked, but it would be weeks
later before the conflict would come to arms.

Soon thereafter, the varied leaders of the Free League and Revolutionary League would come together and
accused the Harmonium of wrongdoing, though the Anarchists also added the Mercykillers and Fraternity of

67
Order to their accusations. At the request of Nilesia, the Mercykillers were put under the control of Duke
Rowan Darkwood, factol of the Fated, for reasons that remain a mystery. Most agree that Nilesia was
somehow duped, though the exact circumstances are still hotly debated. In any case, Nilesia vanished soon
thereafter. Many Mercykillers refused to serve Darkwood, while others were simply bewildered by the turn of
events. The faction began to splinter, falling into disarray, and within only days it would cease to be an
effective force in planar politics. Meanwhile the Doomguard began to gather allies, distributing weapons in
order to build an army against the Harmonium.

Factols kept vanishing - both Ambar Vergrove and Darius “ascended” shortly thereafter, at least according to
the Godsmen and Signers at the time. Terrance of the Athar also disappeared, and that faction brought
suspicion against both the Sign of One and the local churches. Karan would be captured by the Harmonium
and subsequently vanish, bringing the Xaositects to the side of the “Enemies of Peace” as the Harmonium
called them. Shortly thereafter the Hardheads’ factol, Sarin, would die in an Anarchist assassination. Only
levelheaded leadership in the Harmonium prevented a riot, and the Hardheads began to plan an attack on
the Doomguard. Finally, the Mercykillers split into its two predecessors, becoming the Sons of Mercy and the
Sodkillers. A few diehard Mercykillers remained, but they failed to reorganize into a faction proper. The Sons
of Mercy would go on to release those they thought unjustly imprisoned in Sigil's prisons. It's said that a
number of those released were killers or worse, though the Martyrs have protested that they were not
responsible for their release to this day. That same day, Anarchists performed a vicious attack on a Sensate
bar that prompted the Sensates to swiftly ally with the “Oppressors of Sigil”. Meanwhile, the Doomguard
sought allies with the Bleak Cabal. The Bleakers, true to their nature, refused and opted for neutrality in the
upcoming conflict. The Free League, on the other hand, eagerly jumped at the chance for an alliance against
the Harmonium, seeking revenge for years of oppression. Eventually the Sons of Mercy allied with the
Sensates and the Harmonium, while the Sodkillers, looking for an excuse to fight someone, sided with the
Doomguard. Open war was imminent. The final catalyst hit when a Xaositect slew Factol Hashkar of the
Fraternity of Order.

The first battle of the war was known as the Battle of the Armory. Giving no formal warning, the “Oppressors
of Sigil” staged an assault on the Armory. The “Enemies of Peace” mounted a defense, but were eventually
overwhelmed due to their lack of organization. Several backfiring Doomguard weapons ended up destroying
the Armory, and the Sinkers suffered massive losses in the ensuing destruction. Still, it was far from a
decisive victory, and sizable losses occurred on both side. Soon thereafter, the Fraternity of Order, Sign of
One, and Believers of the Source allied with the Harmonium and the other “Oppressors of Sigil”, while the
Athar joined the Doomguard and the other “Enemies of Peace”.

Things rapidly deteriorated as the Indeps and the Chaosmen staged a counterattack on the Civic Festhall.
However, upon receiving prior warning, the Hardheads, Martyrs, and Sensates were able to build their
defenses in the Lower Ward. The battle that ensued there remained a stalemate until tanar'ri forces began
pouring into the city, believing this was their chance to take Sigil finally. Almost immediately, a baatezu force
arrived to fight the tanar'ri in response. There was no victor of this conflict - all of the forces simply lost
numbers, with no appreciable gain or loss, the only exception being a surprise attack by Sodkillers and some
tanar'ri on the Festhall, which led to the slaughter of many holed up inside. Similarly, a much smaller conflict
erupted between the Lost and the Signers, which resulted in the destruction of the Shattered Temple, but the
Athar were nonetheless able to drive the Signers from their base.

Suddenly, at the height of the chaos, Sigil's portals ceased working. Riots for food and water immediately
began. The less stable threw themselves off the edges of Sigil, tumbling away to destinations unknown.
While the fiendish invasion was cutoff, it almost seemed that the panic and fury of Sigil's citizenry would
destroy the city anyway. However, the sudden appearance of nearly every member of the Transcendent
Order brought relative peace to the city as they worked to calm the populace and aid them in their time of
need. Anarchists, however, in one final act of retribution against the Bleak Cabal for remaining neutral,
infiltrated the Gatehouse and freed many of the inmates there.

The war ended without any more ado, with no real winners, no new rulers of Sigil. Too spent to continue
fighting, and not driven enough to truly consider mutual destruction, the factions signed a truce. It was
another bold step by the Lady of Pain, however, that truly ended the Faction War. Once again, her dabus
issued an ultimatum:

“This city tolerates your faction no longer. Abandon it or die.”

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Though vague, there was no disputing Her Serenity's words. The factions left the city's institutions they had
maintained for centuries, leaving private and public organizations to rise to take their place. Some buildings
that once served as faction headquarters were taken by private entrepreneurs, while others were made
public facilities. The Athar, Doomguard, Fated, Fraternity of Order, Harmonium, and the Revolutionary
League all chose to leave Sigil and regroup on their respective planes. Meanwhile the Bleak Cabal, Dustmen,
Free League, Society of Sensation, Transcendent Order, and the Xaositects simply renounced their faction
status while changing little about their beliefs or activities. The Believers of the Source and the Sign of One
decided to merge into the Mind's Eye, and moved the majority of their faction to the Outlands. Finally, the
Sodkillers and the Sons of Mercy, under the guise of guilds, both took it upon themselves to fill the void in
Sigil's law enforcement. The portals reopened, but with their destinations and keys changed entirely. This
became known as the Tempest of Portals, and with it, the factions left Sigil.

In the aftermath, it became abundantly clear that more factols were missing than previously assumed - in
fact, Factol Rhys of the Transcendent Order is the only survivor. Rumors began spreading that factol Rowan
Darkwood of the Fated's manipulations were responsible for starting the war. Much of the city became
consumed with “faction fever” as Cagers tried to gather as much information on the departed factions as
possible. Various conspiracy theories began to circulate blaming different forces for the disappearances of
the factols, including Darkwood, Rhys, the Daughters of Light, the Eschaton, and the Lady of Pain herself. In
retrospect, most assume the Lady to be the most likely suspect. After all, she's the only one with enough
power and seeming reason to have done so, but ultimately there's no real evidence to support this theory.
The disappearance of the factols remains, for the most part, a mystery.

Faction Mechanics

“After the Faction War, a lot of bashers assumed that because the factions were banished from Sigil, they
weren't going to have influence on the planes anymore. Of course, today we know this to be entirely false -
by forcing the factions out of Sigil, they retreated back to places suitable to their beliefs and concentrated
their efforts there, where they grew far faster than they ever did in Sigil. All of this seems obvious in
retrospect, but bear in mind the factions were relatively quiet as they healed their wounds compared to
before the Faction War. By the time the factions started to gain real power in the Outer Planes, enough that
they actually started infringing on the powers' spheres of influence, it was already too late.

“Greybeards always wonder how the Blood War started; I think what we're looking at now is the potential
beginning of a similar conflict, but this time I don't think any of the planes will be safe from it. Of course,
things had begun to unfold some five years after the Faction War...”

– Portiale, zenythri scholar, four years hence

Aside from the myriad advantages granted in game by being a member of a faction, characters have the
option of training in and developing abilities specific to each faction. The Planescape Campaign Setting uses
feats and prestige classes to represent the various paths faction members take. These can be gained by the
standard rules with the additional condition that the character must currently be a member of one of the
prerequisite factions. During character creation players may choose to start in any faction. Otherwise, players
cannot simply join or leave a faction. The process must be role-played in game as described below.

A character may only be a member of one faction at a time and may only take feats from one faction - if for
some reason a character should end up a member of two factions (such as if they are a spy), only one
membership counts for purposes of feat and prestige class selection. Furthermore, even if a character is a
member of a faction, they aren't considered a true member of a faction unless they back up that membership
with belief. A DM is in their right to restrict faction membership or abilities based on a character's actions, and
provide repercussions for those that go “against the grain” in a faction. Should a character lose membership
in a faction, or otherwise indicate to the DM that their character has completely lost faith in the ideals of the
faction, any feats or abilities granted by prestige classes that are indicated to be Faction-Dependent cease to
function. Other class features, such as base attack and increased saving throws, remain. The character may
regain lost abilities by rejoining the faction (almost always a difficult process) or joining another faction that
also offers those abilities.

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One additional perk of being a faction member is that factioneers look after their own and react well to those
of like-mind. Thus, faction members gain a +2 circumstance bonus on any Charisma-based skill check when
interacting with members of the same faction. This only applies if both parties are aware of each other’s
faction membership.

Joining a Faction

For some factions, joining isn't very hard - just put on the faction symbol and walk around pretending like you
belong. That won't work out well with the more lawful groups like the Harmonium or Fraternity of Order, but
factions like the Free League don't mind. Truly belonging, however, requires two things: belief and recognition
of that belief. The only real way to prove one's belief is through actions, and so most factions take into
account the doings of any would-be member. If they don't seem to be in accord with their credo, they may set
additional requirements. This could be an induction ritual, a mission to prove one's loyalty, or even a hazing
of one sort or another. Ultimately, most factions will watch a new member closely after joining. If they don't
seem suited to the beliefs and activities of the faction, or if they embody the beliefs in an improper manner,
chances are they'll be kicked out unless they're lucky or know someone important.

Most of the time, gaining membership in a faction is the task of the would-be member, and it's up to a
factotum of the faction to recognize that fact. Often that factotum becomes a mentor to the new namer,
guiding them and bringing them closer into the fold. In some factions, recruitment is extremely informal. For
example, a Transcendent Order factotum will simply watch a would-be Cipher and make a personal judgment
as to whether the person can follow their path. On the other hand, joining the Harmonium requires showing
up for several recruitment meetings, and if judged worthy, going on to eight weeks of training in Arcadia. On
occasion a faction will seek out an individual they think is suited to their ideals. This typically only happens
when a faction notices someone they think essentially complements their belief system already or a faction
has some definite gain to be made by courting a would-be member.

This isn't to say the factions don't recruit - it's just rare that they target an individual. Indeed, recruitment
flyers, posters, and criers can be seen throughout the gate-towns and planar cities, particularly close to
various factions' spheres of influence. Recruiters wander the Great Ring, trying to win the allegiance of the
unaligned through words or deeds, whichever seems likely to work at the time. Where Sigil was once the
center of such activity, most recruiters keep their activities quiet in the Cage these days, relying on subtle
hints and suggestions to get their message across. Few are brave enough to test the Lady's word, even five
years after the fact. There's always the occasional disappearance that could be attributed to pushing Her too
far. However a faction goes about it, the kriegstanz continues, make no mistake. Almost every faction wants
your mind on their side, and the war for belief needs soldiers.

Faction Ranks

Despite their extreme differences in activities and outlook, most factions ascribe to largely the same ranking
system. Of course, how rank is achieved and what it means is entirely different from faction to faction. Higher
rank may or may not confer authority, but it always confers increased responsibility to the faction. In general,
higher rank means one will be sent on more important missions for the faction, oversee the activities of
lesser-ranking members, and act as a worthy example for those seeking to advance in the faction's
philosophy.

The initial rank for everybody new to a faction is namer. Namers are typically uninvolved in the day-to-day
operations of a faction, but provide grassroots support for the movement. The simple act of namers believing
is enough for most factions, though they often help pass relevant tidbits of information on to more dedicated
factioneers, or provide small services like a subtle discount or a place for other faction members to rest. They
also serve as mouthpieces, spreading the word of their faction and occasionally even recruiting. Though
namers might be called upon for the occasional mission, they are well within their rights to refuse direct
orders or requests from high-ups, even among the lawful factions. Of course, refusing is a sure-fire way to
remain a namer. Typically, only by helping advance the interests of the faction directly does one advance to
the next rank.

Once a namer has proven themselves and has a willingness to work full-time for the faction, the faction may
promote a namer to factotum. The biggest difference in being a factotum is that one works directly for the
faction itself. A number wander the planes, attempting to recruit others into their faction. However, they also

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fulfill necessary roles in the faction's structure
such as guards, spies, record-keepers, soldiers,
mages, and so on depending on their skills and
the faction's needs. Unlike namers, they're
expected to follow orders largely without
question, but chances are they'll also be well-
provided for. Similarly, faction leaders are
unlikely to send them into life-or-death
situations (at least unprepared) due to the
inherent value in a dedicated believer.

A rare few within a faction advance to the rank

of factor. Factors serve as the administrators of
a given faction, directing factotums, overseeing
faction strongholds, and ensuring that the
factol's policies are carried out. Groups of
factors generally deal with the day-to-day
business of running a faction and advancing its
ideals. Most factors are based out of the
faction's home plane, though a few between all
the factions remain in Sigil to direct their factions' subtle presence there. In some factions, it may not be clear
as to who the factors are; the Revolutionary League, for example, doesn't advertise their leadership, while
the Cipher factors lead by example but rarely give actual orders.

Finally, the top rank in any faction is that of factol. Most of the time these are former factors, but rarely a
factotum will become popular (or lucky) enough to make the jump from factotum straight to factol. These are
the direct and often unquestioned leaders of their respective factions. They direct the entire faction's
direction, outlook, and plans. Often they embody the faction's beliefs, serving as examples to namers and
factotums alike as to the direction and desires of their faction.

It's important to note that some factions have additional ranks in between. The Harmonium has five levels of
ranking, while the Fraternity of Order seems to have a different title and rank for every member. Others have
much looser structures, and may or may not have a factol. Notably the Revolutionary League and the Free
League traditionally have no factol, and rank has never played a large role among the Transcendent Order or
the Xaositects. Still, most folk are inclined to classify faction members by these ranks - it's as much a matter
of perception as actual authority.

Changing Factions

Occasionally, someone will decide a faction doesn't really suit them anymore, and leave a given faction. Most
that do so are seen as burnouts, folks who either can't make up their mind or can't be trusted to dedicate
themselves to anything. They receive both pity and distrust from members of nearly any faction, and it's
difficult to join a new faction after abandoning another. Furthermore, many are wary that former faction
members might still be serving as spies for their former faction. More fanatical factioneers might reject those
that have belonged to other factions on the simple suspicion that others might be “corrupted” by their former
beliefs.

A lot of importance is placed in belief, particularly in the Outer Planes, and those that casually discard it are
seen as throwing away about the only thing of universal worth on the planes. Those that do change factions
typically do so because of some profound experience; rarely does someone set out to change their own
beliefs. Most of the time the change stems from some trauma or revelation that changes the person's outlook
or ideals deeply. That being said, most movement between factions are done between the more chaotic
groups. An embittered Sensate might join the Bleak Cabal, or a Revolutionary League member that becomes
a rebel without a cause might have a better home in the Xaositects. The Free League is about the only
faction that regularly welcomes individuals that formerly belonged to another faction.

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 The Current State of the Factions

While the number of "true factions" is hotly debated - with words in the parlors of the planes, and with fists in
the drinking halls - sixteen major factions remain post-Faction War. Now that the factions have been expelled,
it remains to be seen whether that number will grow or shrink in time. Of the sixteen, twelve formerly held
power in Sigil. New or old, all the factions have been forced to reconsider their position and purpose in the
multiverse. Sigil is no longer the objective of every faction, at least for the time being. Many of the factions
have been forced to look inward for the first time in centuries, questioning both their goals and their methods,
as well how they fit in the rest of planar society. A synopsis of the major factions is included below:

The Athar are most commonly found around the Great Spire in the Outlands, but members also travel with
relative frequency to the Astral Plane. They believe the deities are unworthy of worship, and to do so
reinforces their subjugation of mortals. To the Lost, deities are just incredibly powerful individuals, but are just
as flawed as lesser beings and should not be idolized.

The Bleak Cabal is most commonly found in Pandemonium and its gate-town, Bedlam. It’s members believe
the multiverse has no purpose or deeper meaning, and every individual must find their own reasons and
motivation from within. Though largely humanist in nature, the Bleakers often fall prey to depression and
madness due to the implications of their beliefs. They can often be found supporting soup kitchens and other
works of relief across the gate- towns and Sigil.

The Doomguard calls the negative Quasielemental Planes its home, though wild rumors place some Sinkers
as fortifying in the Abyss as well. Their philosophy revolves around entropy, the force of decay that they
believe to be the only constant on the planes. Whether that entropy needs to be assisted or stymied varies
from member to member, but they have developed reputation as destruction-mongers.

The Dustmen have their outpost upon the Negative Energy Plane, though a number of them are still active in
Sigil's mortuary. They believe that this life is a shadow of real existence, and that everyone has already died
and transitioned to this poor substitute. Seeing no value in this life, the Dustmen accept death, and work to
prepare themselves for True Death and whatever stage of existence exists beyond it.

The Fated are often found in Ysgard and its gate-town, Glorium. The Takers accept that life is tough, but
assert that it's survival of the fittest, and that each individual has the right to do whatever it takes to survive
and prosper. The multiverse exists for those that can take it, and those who won't fight for their piece deserve
to be shoved aside. The Fated weren't much loved before the Faction War, and now that their former factol is
blamed for beginning the war, many across the planes intensely distrust them.

The Fraternity of Order is centered on Mechanus and its gate-town, Automata. Understanding the laws of
the multiverse provides influence over it, the Guvners say, and those that learn to exploit these rules will have
true power. Their hunger for power is well known, and most folks are watchful of them despite their relatively
inoffensive nature.

The Free League is spread evenly around the Outlands and gate-towns, spreading its philosophy of
individual independence from the dictates of others. The Indeps believe the minds of the planes should be
free from the thought police of the factions, and allowed to develop their own beliefs. While not advocates of
revolution like the Revolutionary League, the Free League has often been persecuted by various groups
because of its resistance to authority.

The Harmonium is mainly found in Arcadia and the Upper Planes, enforcing its belief in a unified, planes-
wide organization. Peace, the Hardheads say, can only be achieved by getting every person across the
planes to believe in the same ideals. Naturally, their beliefs are best suited for the task, so peace requires
enlisting everyone into being a member of the Harmonium. While seemingly well meaning, the Hardheads
have clearly gotten out of hand on a number of occasions, and people across the planes are often polarized
between seeing them as saviors or thugs.

The Mind's Eye is a neophyte organization, largely spread evenly across the Hinterlands of the Outlands.
Also known as Seekers or Visionaries, they see the multiverse as a testing ground, a place designed to help
one pursue self-discovery and personal growth. Only through this path can individuals move up the latter of
existence. The catch is, they tend to perceive their surroundings as their personal playground, and their self-
centered quality rivals that of their forebears, the Sign of One and the Believers of the Source.

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The Revolutionary League is a loosely knit
alliance of various anti-authoritarian cells spread
across the planes, with its central holdings in
Carceri. The Anarchs seek freedom from authority,
and the total liberation of the planes from high-ups
and hierarchies. Only once the chains of society are
cast down will everyone be free to find the truth of
the multiverse. Anarchists to a fault, they are rarely
trusted. On the other hand, they often find alliances
with the oppressed and dispossessed.

The Ring-Givers are a rapidly growing faction from

Ysgard and now based in Sigil. Focused on freeing
themselves from debt and reliance, the Bargainers
believe that by coveting material possessions and
convincing ourselves they are necessary, we
become beholden to them. True freedom, they say,
can only be found by giving everything up.
Likewise, by giving everything you've got to the
multiverse, the multiverse will be persuaded to act
in kind. Though most folks laugh at the idea of
tossing power or riches away, it can't be denied that
they often seem to end up on top of many deals.

The Society of Sensation is based out of Arborea,

where it demonstrates its philosophy that
experience equals power. That doesn't mean simply
length or depth of experience (though those are
nice), but breadth. The Sensates believe
experiencing something is the only way to
understand it, and so to understand the multiverse
one must expose oneself to as much of its
experiences as possible.

The Sodkillers are based out of Acheron, and

believe firmly that violence is the solution to all life's
problems. Whatever the trouble, a suitable amount
of force properly utilized will resolve the matter.
While not exactly popular, they've come to gain a
significant amount of respect and power in Sigil because of the obvious effectiveness of their tactics.

The Sons of Mercy are a well-meaning group of white knights hailing from Bytopia, traveling across the
planes on a mission to demonstrate the best qualities of good. While recognizing the role of laws in protecting
the well-being of a community, the Martyrs feel that because law is corruptible, it should not be a hindrance in
achieving the greater good. Likewise, they realize evil is counterproductive to peace in the multiverse, but
believe that the best way to promote good is by living as an example and helping individuals reform. While
noble, a gentle approach isn't always an effective one, and this has earned them a reputation as idealistic
fumblers.

The Transcendent Order centers in the serene locale of Elysium, seeking to attain unity of mind and
thought. Deliberation and hesitation are flaws from the standpoint of their members, and the Ciphers believe
that by purifying action into instinct one can discover their role in the multiverse. That role often brings them
into the center of conflicts as a mediating force, bringing balance and calm to otherwise unstable situations.

The Xaositects are everywhere, but find their natural home is Limbo. Chaotic in the extreme, they think that
disorder is the true state of the multiverse, and the only state worth seeking. True freedom and strength can
only be found by loosing the shackles of reason and conformity according to their example, if not precisely
their teachings. Most people simply think them mad, and often the Xaositects only back that up with their
bizarre actions and schemes.

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 The Athar
Jaya hugged Hobard, who squirmed with discomfort. “Take care of yourself, and keep in touch,” she said,
holding forth the portal key. A low humming filled the air as a shimmering field of blue energy encompassed
the doorway.

The wizened githzerai snorted, a combination of amusement and disgust. “And how am I supposed to do
that, with you cowerin’ at the base o’ the Spire?” Jaya tucked a stray hair behind one ear and looked straight
into Hobard’s eyes. He could see her compassion and determination, so much like Terrance’s.

“There will come a time when the Lost can return to Sigil, Hobard, but our brethren are confused and scared
and need a place to feel safe. I can understand your reasons for not coming with us -- please understand
why we must go.” With a smile and a wink, she vanished through the portal.

Hobard proceeded back along the alley and stopped to stare at the place where the Shattered Temple once
stood. Swarms of workers hauled building materials to and fro, the foundation nearly ready for its new
temple. The githzerai’s eyes narrowed, and crackles of energy danced between his fingertips as he clenched
his fists.

“We’ll just see how far that fat friar gets with his temple.”

The Athar believe that the gods are frauds, unworthy of worship, no matter how powerful they may be. While
possessing awesome might and near-limitless resources, gods are not the all- knowing, all-powerful
progenitors of the multiverse - they are beings that make mistakes, and they can be killed. The false
hierarchy of worshipper and deity serves only to bolster a power’s ego and reinforce the inferiority of a
worshipper. No, the gods are beyond the understanding of mortals, if they exist at all. What exists now is
nothing more than an elaborate scheme that ends up with worshippers getting the short end of the stick.
There is enough hardship in a person’s life without the need to cater to a power’s whims, and the Athar
believe it is their duty to inform everyone they don’t have to.

Philosophy: The gods are all frauds.

Nicknames: Defiers, the Lost.
Headquarters: The Spire.
Major Races: Bariaur, chaond, half-elves, humans, tieflings, zenythri.
Favored Classes: Ex-clerics, monks, ex-paladins, rangers, druids.
Factol: Jaya Forlorn (NG female human ex-Clr7/Ftr2/Defier5).
Prominent Members: Caylean (CG male tiefling Rgr6), Hobard (CN male githzerai Wiz11/Fist of Divinity2).
Alignment: Any, with chaotic tendencies.
Symbol: Profile of the Spire crowned by a black torus.

Philosophy
The gods are frauds, not because they aren’t powerful – they are; there is no denying it – but because they
present themselves as more important than all other things in the multiverse. They demand worship and
obedience, but they grant only a tiny measure of power to a select group of worshippers, mainly clerics, in
exchange for a lifetime of devotion and service. The bulk of the population receives no acknowledgement, let
alone benefit, for their piety. Most creatures live and die without knowing if their god truly existed. Such
deception is unconscionable and inexcusable, and must cease.

The Athar belief is simple: the powers are not “true” deities. A deity should be above the necessity of mortal
worship, should be above all mortal mistakes, and most of all should be above death. If they suffer from
these flaws, if they are truly so limited, how can they be the absolute forces that created and guided the
multiverse? It simply can’t be true. The powers that exist on the Outer Planes (and the few that live
elsewhere) must therefore not be gods at all. Of course the Athar aren’t blind, deaf, or dumb; they fully
acknowledge the strength and ability of the powers. They just don’t believe any amount of power short of true
godhood is worthy of worship, and they refuse to participate in any act that reinforces their sham.

There is ample evidence the gods are frauds. Druids, paladins, and rangers can duplicate the divine abilities
of clerics without swearing fealty to a power, and more and more clerics are surfacing with spell abilities that
spring from ideals, philosophies, and other less tangible sources. Indeed, the Athar have clerics within their
ranks that draw upon the Great Unknown, a force they believe is beyond the ken of mortals and gods alike.

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On the Outer Planes the difference between
a power and a mortal is even less defined,
for everyone with sufficient belief can alter
their reality to meet their expectations.
Sure, they may not be able to do it with the
dazzle of a power, but the process is the
same.

Why, then, is the message so hard to

deliver? The Outer Planes are home to the
gods, and nobody likes being called a liar to
their face. While the Athar do their best to
not directly provoke the powers (they’re not
suicidal, after all), sometimes there is no
easy way to tell the truth, and the
messenger suffers as a result. This is the
current state of the Athar, and a great
concern for the faction’s members. How can
one shed light on the truth of the powers,
when the powers themselves wish it to
remain hidden?

Before the tumultuous events of the Faction

War, the Athar used the very nature of Sigil
as a buffer between themselves and those
they disparaged. Whispering runes – talking
leaflets that delivered the Athar message to
the illiterate – were a main weapon in the
faction’s war against deific oppression, with
the multitude of portals providing a ready
means of distribution. Gods could not enter
Sigil, and their agents were easy to track
and eliminate, so the Lost were secure in
their position.

Brief History
History recounts the meeting of two men, Dunn and Ciro, who encountered each other at the location of the
Shattered Temple in Sigil and formed a friendship based on their mutual disregard for the powers. The two
parted with a solemn vow to find like-minded individuals and bring them back to the ravaged temple, forming
the basis for the Athar as they are known today. Disillusioned clerics, dishonored paladins, and discontent
commoners swelled the ranks of the Lost, eventually attracting the attention of the Harmonium. A war
between the factions ensued, stopped only by the intervention of the Lady of Pain.

This conflict actually served to cement the Athar’s factionhood. The reaction of the Harmonium showed the
message of fraudulent gods carried weight, and the support of the Lady was seen as an affirmation of that
message. The fact that she was extremely powerful and actively discouraged worship of herself was also a
boon to the Lost. Of course, more than just the Harmonium disliked the stance of the Athar; the Fated and the
Mercykillers also opposed them. The Takers believed that since the gods could get the worship of mortals,
they should be able to; the Red Death simply wanted to avoid adding ultra-powerful beings to a growing list of
those deserving of justice.

The Faction War in Sigil dealt the Athar two heavy blows: first, when Factol Terrance disappeared near the
beginning of the war, and second, when the Shattered Temple was razed in the war's aftermath. Leaderless
and homeless, the Athar rallied around Jaya Forlorn, a young protégée of Terrance’s and a cleric of the Great
Unknown. Her calming influence coupled with the wisdom of Hobard, an ancient githzerai wizard, helped
organize the group for a mass exodus from Sigil when the Lady’s decree became known. The factions were
no longer allowed to officially operate within the City of Doors, and the Athar could think of only one other
place in the multiverse where the gods could not destroy them at their leisure – the base of the Spire. There,
all magic would be suppressed, even that of the powers.

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The bulk of the faction migrated to the base of the Spire. Hobard and a small group of militant Athar remained
in Sigil and moved underground – literally – to plot the return of the faction to strength. One problem that
immediately became apparent for the emigrants was the isolation. There was no longer the convenience of a
plethora of portals; indeed, the dispossessed Athar had only their feet as reliable transportation for countless
miles until the Spire’s influence waned. They were secure from their enemies, but they no longer had the
means to deliver their message. This both frightened and frustrated many members, and only the leadership
of Jaya Forlorn kept the faction from dissolving altogether. The faction has since adopted a new symbol – a
profile of the Spire crowned by a black torus – symbolizing the Athar journey from Sigil to the Outlands and
their hope to one day return to the City of Doors. Members bear the mark as a tattoo or on an amulet but
keep it secret, fearing the wrath of the gods and their servants.

Goals
The current goals of the Athar are twofold. First, they must find some means of continuing to deliver their
message that gods are frauds, and second, take back that which was theirs – namely, the Shattered Temple.
Jaya concentrates on the first while Hobard focuses on the second, and the two hope to reunite the faction
when either goal has been accomplished.

Jaya’s attention is currently focused on the Athar’s new neighbors, the rilmani. Of particular interest is the
Mirrored Library in the city Sum of All; if information on how to accomplish the Athar’s goals cannot be found
within, then a thorough study of the “mirror magic” might help solve communication and transportation
problems. The rilmani are not forthcoming with any information, but they do not bar the Lost from entering the
city or the library, so Jaya continues along this line.

Meanwhile Hobard plans a campaign of guerilla warfare aimed at both the Garianis family and the temple of
Hades now being constructed where the Shattered Temple once stood. Friar Murlov Garianis, a local
crimelord and cleric of Hades, immediately took possession of the Shattered Temple and its surroundings
when the Faction War ended, intending to build a grand temple that would elevate his own status and bring
the glory of Hades to the masses of Sigil. The Athar consider this action a declaration of war, and no one
involved with the temple’s construction is safe from the vengeance of the Lost.

Of course, both these lofty goals have little impact on the average Athar member. Membership in the Athar
these days involves work, and lots of it. Food and supplies must be carted to the base of the Spire on a daily
basis, messages must be delivered to those Lost still lurking in Sigil, and allies must be sought among the
planes if the Athar hope to return to their former power. Magic is of little use where the Lost currently lair, so
skilled craftsmen and professionals are in high demand. Heavily armed parties escort the caravans
necessary to keep the Athar alive, and the most trusted of agents act as go-betweens for Jaya and Hobard,
sworn to take their own lives before revealing the faction’s plans.

No one in the organization is idle; everyone has a part to play. Wizards are dispatched to the Mirrored Library
in Sum of All to study the texts and unlock the secrets of mirror magic. Combat-oriented members act as
escorts for all Athar, defending fellow members from the proxies and petitioners of the powers.

Allies
The Athar have no allies among the former factions, but they also don’t have any enemies left with the
strength to take action. While Jaya Forlorn courts the rilmani, there is little hope that enigmatic race will lend
true support. Whatever the Athar hope to accomplish, they must do so on their own.

Enemies
The gods themselves consider the Athar a threat, for the faction’s words poison the faithful and leech away
their power. The church of Hades and the Garianis crime syndicate are both targets of the Athar’s wrath,
although neither as yet knows of the enmity. As for the factions, each has its own concerns and no time to
worry about the doings of the Lost. The Mercykillers and the Sign of One no longer exist; the latter merged
with the Believers of the Source into a new organization called the Mind's Eye, and it has no hostility towards
the Athar. The Harmonium and the Fated both relocated to other planes and are no longer in such close
quarters with the Athar; the Lost remain cautious around members of both factions, but neither group has the
time or resources to mount a campaign against the Athar.

76
 The Bleak Cabal

“Pike it. He’s a barmy and that’s that.”

Ghren sighed despondently, and regarded the old aasimar in Bleaker colors sitting on the dirty Hive streets,
dejected and mute, with a knowing look. The bariaur picked at his horns absent- mindedly and sighed again,
“He’s not just a barmy, he’s a fellow Bleaker. I have to help him, especially in this time of need...he doesn’t
have any cutters like you and Ferno to take care of him...we can’t just leave him here; he needs to be in the
Gatehouse.”

Sareth snorted derisively. “What does it matter? You ain’t in a faction any more than I am. You don’t hafta
help if it don’t benefit you.” Sareth started shifting back and forth on his hooves, something he did when he
was getting impatient. Ferno’s surprisingly stocky and muscular half-elf form sauntered over to Ghren.

“Nothing...nothing...pointless...empty...futile...why?! There is no hope, no mercy, nothing...”

“I guess you have a point...”

Ghren gave one last sigh of despair and wandered away, trailing after his friends, thinking that there was
nothing he really could have done, because nothing he could have done would have meant anything.

Life doesn’t make sense. That sums up the Bleak Cabal’s philosophy, and no further elaboration is required.
They do not believe that nothing is the meaning, like the Doomguard, but instead that there isn’t even any
meaning in the first place. The closest thing to meaning is what’s inside you, and when nothing means
everything and everything means nothing, the inside looks dreary and anything but sane. Bleakers constantly
struggle with their own sanity while trying to find inner purpose, most choosing to find meaning in life through
charity, giving people reprieve from the mad merciless multiverse.

Philosophy: The multiverse doesn’t make sense, nor is it supposed to.

Nicknames: Bleakers, the Cabal, Madmen.
Headquarters: The Madhouse in Pandemonium.
Majority Races: Half-elves, humans, tieflings.
Favored Classes: Bards, sorcerers, wizards.
Factol: Tyvold (CG male grey elf Clr6/Ftr5/Wiz7 Bleak Cabal)
Prominent Members: Tessali (CG male grey elf Ftr5/Rog6/Wiz7 Bleak Cabal) and Ezra (NG male bariaur
Exp1 Bleak Cabal)
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Symbol: A helm with a black blaze behind it.

Philosophy
To most people the idea that there isn’t any meaning to the multiverse is madness, but to a Bleaker, the idea
that there is meaning to anything is what’s really mad. What proof of some greater purpose has their ever
been? What makes people so sure life makes sense anyways? None, nil. For all the searching, no one can
truly make sense of everything, not the petitioners, the proxies, or the powers themselves. The Bleakers
know the truth: there is no answer, no grand design, no reason. Nothing. They find peace in accepting the
state of things for what they are; it’s what allows them to face the multiverse and themselves. They look down
at those who try to force meaning on the multiverse with pity, and can only sigh when others say they are
mad.

The Bleak Cabal believe that since there is no meaning on the outside, then all they can do is try to find
meaning on the inside. See, the multiverse is cruel and merciless, all madness and noise. However, being
used to that, a Bleaker tends to be more understanding of such a condition, and more willing to dole out the
mercy that is not inherently in the multiverse. They figure if there isn’t any mercy in the multiverse, then
mercy comes from within, and if mercy comes from within, then maybe, just maybe, they can find their own
meaning through it. Even the evil among the Cabal try to do charitable acts, not because they care one way
or the other, but because the act helps battle the insanity of having no purpose.

77
While the Cabal would like to shape people with their point of view, they don’t force it on others. They don’t
even actively recruit members. Indeed, when someone approaches a Bleaker for membership, they just
ignore them, even more so now that the Lady of Pain has seen fit to ban the factions from Sigil. Once the
potential Bleaker realizes that all of the questions they’ve been asking have not been answered because that
is the answer, they are accepted. Most of the time potential recruits are members of other factions who’ve
lost faith in their creeds, and no longer see the point of their faction, its allies, or its enemies. It just ceases to
make sense. And when you can’t find anything to believe in, not believing in anything at all is rather
appealing.

The Bleak Cabal are a group of depressed, and ofttimes mentally disturbed, humanitarians. If that doesn’t
convince people that the multiverse is insane and without meaning, then perhaps nothing will.

Brief History
Around nine centuries ago, the
Bleak Cabal sprung into being. Their
philosophy of no philosophy
appealed to a great many people,
but confused a lot more, especially
at first. When belief can shape
everything round you, a belief in
absence doesn’t seem too out of
place, but an absence of belief is
outright insane. No one understands
it until they don’t understand
anything anymore, at which point
they can either choose to accept the
harsh reality or go mad from the
strain. Nothing makes any sense, so
why keep on trying to force it?
Instead, just focus on yourself, and
see if you can find meaning there.

Naturally, this appealed to the

cynical planars that were tired of the
factions and their philosophical wars,
or those who found their own beliefs
failing them. Thus the Cabal
attracted those who had become lost
in the clash of ideals, who felt
abandoned for one reason or
another by their faction or powers,
those who were ready to give up. Most other factions never appreciated how the Bleak Cabal seemed to
“steal” their members, even when it was clear the factions weren’t doing enough to keep them. Still, with all
the factions that have existed over the course of Sigil’s history to oppose them, you’d think that the Cabal
would’ve have been squashed...but there was always someone who saw that much opposition as a sign they
were doing something right. Even at their all-time lows, the Cabal knew that when one faction or another got
too big for their own good members would become disenchanted, and their own ranks would swell. This cycle
has repeated throughout history, with their memberships rising and falling, and providing the Madmen a
chance to be too big for their britches as well...often far too big, which caused some notable problems.

When a Bleaker talks about the Grim Retreat, most people just think they’re talking about a Bleak Cabal
vacation. In a way, they’re right. The Bleakers, constantly striving against that insanity inside of them, finally
give up in large numbers and go on a little trip of the mind that often lasts them the rest of their lives. This
happens, oddly enough, whenever the ranks expand too much. The overwhelming loss of belief causes
insanity, which can’t be dealt with efficiently by the few elders who truly understand it. This strange mental
disease seems to start at the top and work its way down, with the factol usually the first to go. As it spreads
through the ranks, the inexperienced new recruits are left behind, forced to drive the faction themselves while
attempting to tend those Bleakers that came before them.

78
They’ve gotten smart over the years, however. They’ve learned quite a bit about medicine and treatment, and
now the recovery rate for its members is very high. And though there are still individual cases, the Bleak
Cabal has not suffered a mass Grim Retreat in the past three decades, mostly due to the fact that their ex-
factol Lhar made a point of keeping their membership at a stable number. Now, with the disbanding of the
factions, they aren’t even sure if one will happen again. They aren’t even really a faction anymore, just a
bunch of like- minded individuals accustomed to dealing with madness. This doesn’t stop them from tending
to the insane and the needy, and they continue to do so, now unofficially instead of officially.

Many of the Madmen decided to make a trek to Pandemonium after the Lady declared factions against the
law, and most of those never returned. Some are staying at or around the Madhouse, their faction
headquarters on the first layer, to ward off any trouble from the lawful folks who have been sniffing around
recently, asking about an artifact reputed to be able to bring back dead Powers. Some decided to settle in
Windglum, a town on the third layer of Pandemonium. But whatever the reasons, it’s reduced the amount of
Bleakers in the Cage, but not by too much. It’s not like things like this didn’t happen all the time over the
course of Bleaker history.

Most people continue to view the Bleak Cabal as a “bunch of barmies” who are perpetually depressed. No
one cared before to look at the intricacies of the Bleak Cabal philosophy, and now the only people who might
care are those who have been swept up in the “Faction Fever” of learning everything about every faction and
every factol. It’s all over the place that ex- factol Lhar was always seeking his parents, but the Bleakers don’t
care, and neither does anyone else really. Apathy breeds apathy, and the Bleak Cabal is one of the few
factions that didn’t generate too much interest when Faction Fever started up.

Goals
The Bleak Cabal does not have a unified front or a common objective. Each member is expected to grapple
with the implications of accepting the multiverse for what it is. In the meantime, the majority of the Cabal work
together and with other organizations to help the poor, the lost, and the insane, running food courts, shelters,
and asylums as needed. These acts of charity are considered the faction’s main “responsibility”, and their
principal method of finding some purpose to their lives. A few Bleakers take up the life of planewalkers, either
to promote the “truth” to those who haven’t heard it or to find meaning in the personal growth that comes with
the adventuring lifestyle.

Allies
While the Bleak Cabal has no real official allies, the Dustmen, Doomguard, Sons of Mercy, Revolutionary
League, and Xaositects are all well disposed towards them. Now that the Doomguard and the Revolutionary
League have moved their main operations out of Sigil, the handful that are left aren’t very strong allies.
Relations are perhaps strongest with the Dustmen, as both of the morose factions continue to carry out their
duties solemnly side by side in Sigil, Bleakers helping the poor, sick and dying, and Dustmen carrying away
those who the Bleakers couldn’t help.

Enemies
The Bleaker’s principal “enemies”, the Sign of One and the Mercykillers, are gone, with the former joined with
the Believers of the Source to form the Mind’s Eye, and the latter splintered. The Bleak Cabal still don’t really
like the Signers for thinking one of their old factols to death, but they don’t hold it against the Mind’s Eye, so
the Bleakers have purged themselves of the bitterness and turned towards their work and themselves. While
the Sons of Mercy are being quite cordial and even a little helpful, any Sodkiller that comes along is bound to
crack a few skulls if the Bleaker doesn’t get out of their way. Overall, most other factions are content to ignore
the Madmen and leave them to their madhouses.

79
 The Doomguard

Ely Cromlich stood aboard the ship. It screamed in pain, its living and demonic nature betrayed by the injury.
Though the ship swayed, his grip on it was tight despite his single arm. But the vision of emptiness tempted
him. Ever since pure annihilation had touched him, he had dreamed of falling apart... of Pentar... and he
realized that this would be his only chance to be nothing at all. Taking a step off the ship as his allies cried
out, he knew that the enormous field of blackness that stood before him was more than simply a weapon.

It was the beginning of the end.

The Doomguard pay homage to entropy, believing it to be the only constant in the universe. Some guard
against the doom, while others guard the doom against those that would stop it. But they are together in their
belief of a constant descent, that the universe reached its peak with creation and is now purely a downhill trip.
Many Sinkers are mercenaries and warriors, finding roles that engage in destruction on a daily basis, but
some take a less obvious approach using magic, piety, or other means.

Philosophy: Entropy is the only truth. Everything falls apart.

Headquarters: Negative Quasielemental Planes.
Nickname: Sinkers (Ashers, Dusters, Salties, Voids)
Majority Races: Humans, tieflings, zenythri.
Majority Classes: Fighters, rogues, wizards.
Factol: None
Prominent Members: Devland (LN male half-elf Ftr16 Doomguard (Asher)), Nagaul (NG female dwarf Clr12
Doomguard (Voids)), Pereid (LN female human Rog20 Doomguard (Dusters)), Roth (CN male tiefling Ftr15
Doomguard (Salties)), Spragg (LG male human Expert10/Ftr5 Doomguard)
Alignment: Any.
Symbol: A horned, spined animal skull on a blue field surrounded by a yellow ring.

Philosophy
A single belief fuels the Doomguard: everything is falling apart. The only truth of the multiverse is that it will
end. In fact, it’s ending every minute of every day, with every flake of rust, every aging body, and every
waning power. It’s happening on a mass scale. Nobody could stop it, even if everybody tried together. For
every finger you stick in the dam to halt a leak, another leak will spring from the pressure. Most people rage
against entropy, or at least try to. The Doomguard takes the opposite tack - why wait? Why not help it along?

It’s their take on entropy that has led most folks to think the Sinkers are insane or worse. Truth is the reasons
one might hasten the end are varied and not always malevolent. Some think the multiverse is less than
perfect, and the slate has to be cleared for a better order. Others think the powers and mortals alike have a
tendency to lengthen the lifespan of the planes beyond their natural age, and that the Sinkers have to work to
undo the harm this “preservation” does. Some just want to see the multiverse end in their lifetime, and play a
part in the biggest and final event in the history of the planes. Others are simply inspired by the despair and
chaos entropy brings, and let it take permanent root in their souls. Whatever their reasons, they are united in
the belief that eventually the multiverse is going to crumble, and defying this end is denying its purpose.

The Doomguard, however, in keeping with their tendency to break and disperse other things, have broken
and dispersed themselves. Currently four major sects call themselves Doomguard, each representing a
particular interpretation of their philosophy. Before the Faction War, there had only been three subfactions,
supposedly in keeping with the Rule of Threes. But any Sinker can tell you that it’s easy enough for three
pieces to become four, and tradition be damned.

The fastest growing splinter group is the Doomguard of Ash. A number of Doomguard led by Spragg have
embraced the belief that things are falling apart too fast, pointing to the Faction War as a wake-up call to
those Sinkers that think otherwise. Perhaps shaken by the destruction unleashed during the war, the Ashers
don’t view rapid decay with as much love as they used to. Believing wholeheartedly that the multiverse has
its own path to destruction, they think it is wrong to accelerate its end, and perhaps cause unnecessary harm
to the planes. One of their older members, Devland, would simply gesture to the ash that surrounds their
citadel, and point out that there’s more than enough entropy already. Furthermore, if their faction falls apart,

80
 who’s going to help entropy along when it does need
help? While most of their efforts right now are being put
towards healing their own wounds and unifying their
faction, they seek to curb the more excessive members of
their faction, as well as slow the hemorrhaging of the
planes they believe the Faction War has begun.

While they were once the largest group, entropy has

taken hold on the group now known as the Doomguard of
Salt, and their numbers dwindle due to their own
destructive actions. These folks believe that entropy has
to be accelerated as fast as feasibly possible. They follow
the vision of their missing leader, Pentar, who previously
led them, and Roth, the inheritor of her legacy. While
partial to accelerating natural cycles of decay, they have
taken a more active role by feeding weapons and
information to both sides of the Blood War in an attempt
to intensify it. They also seem to believe that any Sinker
that doesn’t subscribe to their view is a pale mockery of
the Doomguard as it once existed. Right now, this makes
their main opponent the Ashers, and they've come quite
close to wiping Spragg’s faction out. Though they’re seen
as dangerous maniacs by many of the other faction
members, few can fault their dedication... as well as the
fact that they seem to have the largest stockpile of
weapons, most of which were “liberated” from the Armory
of Sigil.

The more moderate view is taken by the Doomguard of

Vacuum, who think that entropy is right on schedule, and that Doomguard should act to speed or slow it on a
case-by-case basis... if at all. Led by Neraul, and the second-largest group of Doomguard, they have been
allying themselves with the Ashers in the interest of restoring the faction’s strength. Indeed, were it not for
their efforts, the faction might have fallen apart entirely by now. Of course, in a decade, they might be working
to halt the growth of the faction... if it survives that long.

Doomguard of Dust seem to be a more eclectic lot, not seeming to partake in one view on entropy. Rather,
they are unified by the fact that entropy has taken root in their souls. Led by Pereid, and the largest current
faction of Doomguard, many come across as chaotic as a Xaositect, and some are undeniably mad. Others
have been wounded during the Faction War and other conflicts, and sport disfigured or scarred bodies. A
growing belief in this citadel is that entropy should be internalized - that only those that bear its mark, in one
way or another, can have a perspective on it. They are split between those that think entropy is moving too
fast, those that think it’s moving at a sufficient pace, and those that think that it isn’t moving fast enough, but
their belief in internal entropy is what has brought them together.

Brief History
Few know the history of the Doomguard as it predates the Great Upheaval. Pereid, the Doomlord of Dust,
has been heard to hint that the Doomguard actually predate the multiverse, and that they were instrumental
in putting the last one to its rest... “for its own good,” Pereid might add. Of course, popular belief holds that
she’s a lunatic among lunatics, but the idea seems to have spread amongst the Doomguard to some extent.
They believe that the belief of their predecessors was somehow preserved and continues on through them,
that they are simply the purveyor of a multiversal law.

More accurate records point, instead, to a seemingly spontaneous formation of the group during the Great
Upheaval itself. It seems, from Guvner records of the time, that the Doomguard originated from a half-dozen
apocalyptic cults that saw the Great Upheaval as a sign that the universe was due for destruction quite soon.
United by their belief in impending doom, they survived to become one of the fifteen factions that would
control Sigil. Becoming more organized in the aftermath, they took up the role of city guard, patrolling the city
against “doom”.

81
Centuries later, a charismatic body by the name of Molluus within the faction would spark a change within the
faction. He claimed that it was “doom” that needed protection, that entropy was falling by the wayside in the
light of the Lady’s new order. He attracted a number of smaller sects and those few long-lived individuals who
had been alienated by the Great Upheaval, some of whom were deeply embittered over the loss of their own
factions. A common thread in their goals was revenge against the factions and the destruction of Sigil as a
whole. The Doomguard split, and it became clear to groups such as the Harmonium and the Fraternity of
Order that the Doomguard were no longer suited to be the guardians of Sigil. Certainly, the actions of
Molluus’ sect supported this, as his followers engaged on rampages and strikes against what they called the
“Lapdogs of the Lady”. The Lady, surprisingly, took no apparent action against the folk that railed against her.

War broke out between the Doomguard and the Harmonium, with other groups throwing support either way.
Still, the Harmonium had numbers, and were able to force the Doomguard into the Armory, where the
Doomguard holed up for months. Even those who had previously guarded against the doom were marked as
members of Molluus’ faction by the Harmonium, and were forced to side with Molluus or perish at the hands
of the Hardheads. For months the Doomguard struck against the institutions of Sigil, until a vote of the other
factols in the House of Speakers threatened to revoke the Doomguard’s status as a faction. While Molluus
threatened to continue the battle without his faction status, he and many of his followers suddenly vanished.
With this threat hanging over them and cooler heads coming to lead them, the Doomguard was forced to sign
a blood pact that they would never instigate a war within Sigil again.

Afterwards, the Doomguard took up the duty of creating and distributing weapons in Sigil, a task their
developing philosophy was suited to. The faction was still divided, however, and would never truly find a
unified base again. The older members believed that entropy was something to be slowed, prevented, for it
was moving too fast, while the newer members instead believed that Molluus was on to something... even if
he might have gone about it the wrong way. They took up the role of speeding doom and hastening its end a
bit more subtly than Molluus had. Lastly, a few believed that both sides were wrong, and that the multiverse
was falling apart just fine, and that it would be better to study it, and prune where entropy was lacking and
preserve where entropy had grown too rampant. They came to serve a balance within the faction in
accordance with the rule of threes, one that went undisrupted until relatively recently.

The Doomguard's last factol, Pentar, fell into much the same camp Molluus had. Voted by the Doomlords into
leadership due to her fanaticism and talent for destruction, she supported the speed of entropy by any
means. To this end, she supported those that agreed with her ends solely, recruited the half-tanar’ri Ely
Cromlich, supported the creation of the Ships of Chaos (a tanar’ri/Doomguard invention of mass destruction),
and made war upon the Great Modron March. Her stoking of her sect within the faction made it the majority
within a surprisingly brief time. Many were inspired by her “devotion”, and she made sure any opposition met
a bad end. Most of her grander plans were cut short when she was Mazed by the Lady of Pain just before the
Faction War, however.

The Doomguard blamed the Harmonium and Sensates for Pentar’s disapearance, and the threat of brewing
conflict would make the Harmonium demand the Doomguard turn over the Armory and all of its weapons.
The Doomguard refused, and a battle broke out between the Sinkers and Anarchists against the Hardheads
and Martyrs. The Armory was destroyed, Ely Cromlich - then leading the Doomguard - would be crippled by
the escape of the Armory’s spheres of annihilation... and the following war saw them suffering the largest
losses of any faction.

Most of the Doomguard, after the Faction War, planned to flee back to the faction's citadels. They weren’t
much liked in Sigil, and they lacked a cohesive leadership outside of the Doomlords themselves. Of course,
without their portals in the Armory, they would have to go back to the citadels the long way... and not all
agreed on which Doomlord deserved to be informed first. Still, where there's a will, there's a way, and many
found themselves painfully cashing in their beloved weapons and armor in order to buy passage on a genie
exploratory vessel... or dying trying to make it there the hard way.

The Doomlords were expected to make decisions about the faction’s future, and make decisions they did -
just not the same ones. Roth, Doomlord of Salt, who had already been making deals with fiends for quite
some time, had no interest in a “new direction” for the Doomguard. Most of the old guard fell in with him,
including the now-crippled Ely Cromlich. Neraul, Doomlord of Vacuum, ended up hosting Spragg and those
who followed him. Spragg offered his direction - one of counter-entropy - to the Doomlord, and was rejected
after a long deliberation. Making their way to Pereid's citadel, Spragg and his followers discussed their
proposal with her at great length. Just when they thought they had won her over, another group ofDoomguard

82
arrived and spoke with her privately, after which Spragg and his group were forced out at sword point. It
wasn't until they spoke with Devland, Doomlord of Ash, that they found an ally.

This split the Doomguard along two lines: those that fell in with Spragg and those that fell in with Ely. Conflict
was inevitable (and quick), with Roth and Ely - and a horde of tanar'ri manning their Ship of Chaos - showing
up on the doorstep of Citadel Exhalus in the interest of wiping out their “traitorous” brethren. The assault on
the Crumbling Citadel was fierce, and the “Ashers” had little choice but to flee. As the Ship of Chaos tore
apart the Citadel, the secret of the Crumbling Citadel’s entropic qualities was revealed - it was home to a
sphere of annihilation far larger than any that's been recorded. For reasons known only to himself, Ely
Cromlich leaped from the ship and into the sphere. Furthermore, the sphere brushed against the Ship,
crippling it and killing the majority of the invading Salties. With both the Ashers and Salties crippled, it seems
the Doomguard has once again reached a stable condition ... though an uneasy one at best. The Doomguard
of Ash have since retreated to Citadel Cavitius, where they seem to have found a new home despite the
undead spirits that reside there.

Though the Doomguard have not emerged with a clear leader, Spragg has grown from the conflict and
responsibility he's shouldered over the past few years. Far from what he once was - Ely's quivering assistant
- he's grown into the closest thing the Doomguard have to a new factol. Though he doesn't have control of
the entire faction - far from it - he has strong allies in Devland and Neraul, and it seems more often than not
Pereid is throwing in her lot with him (though she's fickle at best). However, Roth remains firmly and violently
opposed to him.

Goals
The Doomguard have finally started to gain influence on the Outer Planes once again, as the four sects seek
out new members, alliances, and things that need breaking. Talks have begun with what's left of their former
allies, and several strikes on the Harmonium by the “Salties” have solidified Hardhead-Sinker hatreds once
again, much to the dismay of the more liberal and moderate Doomguard members. Still, it's clear that the
Doomguard are making noise across the
planes - and even Sigil - once more.

Largely, the Ashers have been consumed with

ensuring their own survival, but it’s said that
they’re finally getting the chance to look
outward at the planes and ponder their more
long- term plans. Many have wondered as to
how they have managed to settle into Citadel
Cavitius - a place tainted with dark spirits and
necromantic magic - with relative ease.
However, the secret of it seems closed to all
but Spragg, Devland, and their closest
supporters.

The Salties have thrown their weight into

making sure the damage from the Faction War
never heals. Whether they’re working to
support the Blood War in faction-held locales
or striking against groups like the Harmonium
directly, they seem dedicated to making sure
the other factions remain destabilized and
dispersed.

The Voids are focused on preserving the

Doomguard, divided views and all. Serving as
the conservators of the Doomguard cause,
they have worked to offer support and insight
to the other groups, seeing themselves as
enlightened in regards to perceiving entropy.

83
Finally, the Dusters seem to lack any real unified goal other than spreading the word of their “new path”. They
have begun to filter into places like Sigil, spreading their philosophy of enlightenment through self-
destruction. Some more fanatical members are said to be going around scarring people - physically or
mentally - to spread their word in a more direct fashion, but if such is the case, reputable reports have
substantiated it. Certainly, it would go against the entire point of the idea of self-destruction.

Allies
Separated as they are from much of planar politics now, the Doomguard have had difficulty maintaining
contact with their former allies. Since few of them save Pereid’s group are numerous enough to see their
goals furthered alone, many have looked to others they can influence or gather support from.

A close alliance with the Dustmen may not seem unusual initially, but is stranger when you note that they've
sided exclusively with the Doomguard of Ash. Some say the secret of it is that some timely assistance on the
part of the Dustmen is the only reason the Ashers have been able to squat in Cavitius, and that Spragg or
Devland is now beholden to an undead of one sort of another. Others say that some dark of the place
allowed them to settle there, and that their alliance with the Dustmen is due to something they had to offer
the Dead.

As for the Salties, rumor has it they’ve been working with fiends to take up a presence and secondary
headquarters somewhere on the Lower Planes, a position that they can then use to more comfortably spread
entropy across the multiverse. Some say they’ve been indirectly supporting the splinter cells of the
Revolutionary League, hoping that the Anarchists will strike the decisive blow against groups like the
Hardheads once and for all.

The Voids seem to have sought few allies outside the faction, instead just working to find key allies within the
Doomguard itself. It is said, though, that they are closely allied with, or possibly even the originators of, this
newly formed Cult of Sferus. The cult worships the giant sphere of annihilation that erupted from the
Crumbling Citadel, believing it to be a power of its own. Granted, there’s no way to communicate with it, and
it doesn’t have any proxies, but the members seem to be getting spells from their worship regardless.

The Xaositects have come into close alliance with the Dusters, though this seems to be a purely informal
affair. The line between chaos and entropy is a thin one, and a number of Chaosmen have gone over the
Duster cause and vice versa. Furthermore, they have cooperated several times on goals either one faction or
the other might normally seem to have no interest in. The exact nature of this symbiotic relationship is
unclear, however, and most expect it to end any time now, with Chaosmen turning on Pereid’s Doomguard.

Enemies
The Harmonium is largely unaware of the Doomguard's ideological split, and recent events have caused
them to consider most members of the Doomguard enemies by association if nothing else. In turn, many
Doomguard blame the Harmonium for the sorry state of their faction. The anger between the two groups is
one of the fiercest on the planes, despite the desire of the more level-headed Doomguard to avoid reviving
old hostilities during this fragile time.

Still, the enmity between the Doomguard and the Fraternity of Order has yet to be revived. The Dusters
haven’t struck against them yet, feeling that the Guvners are relatively inoffensive and can be dealt with when
they turn their attention to Mechanus. Thankfully for the Dusters, the Guvners consider the Doomguard
sufficiently broken as to not prove a true threat to their studies and power.

84
 The Dustmen

“Tsalak?”

The older Dustman glanced at his companion as the youth hefted another corpse onto the
wagon, but said nothing.

“What do you think comes after True Death?” the young aasimar asked.

Tsalak shook his head, maneuvering the corpse into a stable position on the pile so it wouldn't fall off when
the wagon started moving. “Ah, Marn. Curiosity. You're going to have to rid yourself of that if you ever want to
reach True Death.”

“But what comes after True Death? Lynia says we are reborn into Life. Horkozie says there's nothing, that
we're gone forever. Raan says - “

Tsalak climbed on the front of the wagon, and motioned for Marn to get on. “And Tsalak says if you'd spend
more time trying to rid yourself of curiosity and other passions and less time trying to indulge them you could
reach True Death yourself and find out.”

As Marn leapt onto the back of the wagon and steadied his perch atop the corpses, Tsalak shook the reins,
and the Arcadian ponies started forward.

“But - what if what comes after True Death isn't something I want to get to?”

The old genasi sighed and stopped the wagon. “Marn. Look down. Look at those corpses you're standing on.
Look at their faces. Look well.

“Do they look fulfilled? Do they look like they've reached peace? No? That's because they haven't. That's
because deep down, they know there was more they had to do. Our belief in True Death isn't something
unique to the Dustmen, Marn. Everyone knows it, deep down. It's just that most sods are too blinded by their
passions to admit it to themselves.”

“Strive to eliminate your passions, Marn. Strive to become ready for True Death. Because deep down, you
know that's the next step you need to take. And because if you don't, then when you do die, you'll end up like
them. Unfulfilled. Frustrated. And then you'll just have to start all over. Do you want that?”

Marn didn't answer, and Tsalak started the wagon forward again. The clip-clop of the ponies' hooves echoed
through the dark.

Stoic, calm, dead expressions... their nickname “The Dead” describes the Dustmen best. Believing that this
life has no meaning and that everyone is already dead, they come off as a little bit creepy. They run the
mortuary of Sigil, and have always done so as far back as anyone can remember. The Dustmen try to
eliminate their emotions, and many succeed to the point that it is nearly impossible to get a rise out of them;
even insulting or threatening one of the Dead makes no difference. If a basher manages to rid himself of all
emotion, the Dustmen believe, then he can finally reach True Death - for everyone in this multiverse is dead,
and this multiverse is only a shadowy afterlife.

Philosophy: No one is truly alive; all there is to do is strive for True Death.
Nicknames: The Dead, Dusties.
Headquarters: The Mortuary of Sigil, with outposts on the Negative Energy Plane.
Majority Races: Half-elves, humans, and tieflings.
Majority Classes: Clerics, monks, and wizards.
Factol: Currently none
Prominent Members: Iunne (CN male asuras Dustmen), Komosahl Trevant (NE male human Wiz13
Dustmen), Oridi Malefin (N female tiefling Cle19 Dustmen), Silidath (NE female shad Wiz5/Rog5 Dustmen)
Alignment: Any, with evil and neutral tendencies.
Symbol: An elongated skull, front view, with a collarbone, over a field of purple.

85
Philosophy
The world is a miserable place, an endless
cycle of death and sadness. Cruelty,
brutishness, and greed are common
throughout the multiverse, and even
expected in some places. The quality of “life”
is in the gutter. But of course, that's because
this isn't “life” at all. It's the afterlife, and it's
not a pleasant one.

The Dead believe that we've all lived and

died already, and this is what comes next.
Life is about joy and celebration, after all, yet
the multiverse is filled with conflict and
suffering. Instead of positive feelings, there
is pain. Instead of growth, there is only
death. No, this cannot be life. This is a
twisted mockery, a shadow of what life really
is.

The only goal now is to achieve True Death

and pass beyond this miserable stage of
existence. What comes after True Death?
Well, that’s up for debate. Some believe that
after True Death, a body comes back into
True Life, and has a chance to live again
where he lived before, a place far more
vibrant and real than this pale post-mortal
shadow. Others believe that it's not True Life
that comes after True Death, but a true
afterlife, where joy and real happiness are
the only things there are, and pain is
unknown. Still others believe that True Death
is oblivion; that what it brings is a permanent end to the soul and to consciousness. What all the Dustmen
agree on, however, is that whatever comes after True Death, it has to be better than this.

That doesn’t mean that they go around looking for death. Just dying ain't enough; a body's got to have
prepared himself right to get to the next stage after True Death. One has to truly understand this stage of
existence, its trials and its hardships, before being ready to move on. Otherwise, well, he'll probably just end
up right back here and have to go through this painful afterlife all over again - and wouldn't that be a waste of
time? So Dustmen don't really want to die until they're ready for it, nor do most go about rushing others to - if
they aren't ready for True Death, then putting them in the dead-book won't do anyone any good. Even of
those who think they are ready for it, many want to stick around to help shepherd others to the right paths.
Thus the Dustmen feature an odd mix of apathy and altruism, though very few appreciate their generosity.

Stoicism is a common trait among the Dustmen: this is only an afterlife, and anything that happens here
doesn't really matter except insofar as it brings a body closer to True Death. So why bother caring? And as
far as cares are concerned, the Dead don’t have them. A sense of aloof pity is common; the Dustmen feel
sorry for those who don’t see the big picture. But then, pity is a feeling, and so even that is something of
which the really advanced Dustmen try to divest themselves.

Sometimes, though, some of the Dead get a bit overzealous in their striving against passion. That may seem
like a contradiction in terms, but the resulting condition, called the Apathy, is very real. Those afflicted
become so detached and apathetic that they don't even care about eating and other basic tasks. Now,
elimination of all passion and desire is one thing, but not even caring about day-to-day existence... well, that's
not going to get a body any closer to True Death. Fact is, many Dustmen call the Apathy “False Death”,
because it's superficially similar to death in some ways but ultimately it's something a body’s going to have to
shake off if he wants to advance. Some do - there have been cases of recovery from the Apathy. But far too
many who fall victim to the Apathy end up just withering away and dying, or losing their drive to find True
Death and joining the Bleakers.

86
As far as the Dead are concerned, primes are only beginning the path of True Death; they are too caught up
in trying to live in this existence to understand the stages of death. Planars are wiser about the multiverse,
knowing more about the processes and ends of “death” here in the afterlife, but only some recognize that it is
an afterlife, and that it's True Death they need to reach. Petitioners and proxies are both in dead-end
positions, even if they are closer to True Death than most. The petitioners are focused on merging with their
plane, and proxies on serving their powers, when both should be looking toward True Death. Perhaps the
closest beings to True Death are the undead. Purged of passion and attachment to “life”, they have a purity
few can know. Ironically, unintelligent undead may be devoid of emotion, but they lack the sentience to
appreciate their nearness to True Death. The free-willed undead, on the other hand, should be most able to
appreciate their position - and yet even they tend to cling too fiercely to “life” to be ready for True Death.

Brief History
No one knows when the Dustmen were founded; they've been around as long as anyone remembers. Most
believe the faction was founded by Skall, the former factol, about 600 years before the Great Upheaval, but
this seems to have been only when certain details of the faction's structure were formalized; they'd been
around in some form long before then – maybe for thousands of years before then. How had Skall been
around so long? Well, stories differ about that. Maybe he was just a powerful wizard, and able to prolong his
life indefinitely – but the opinion is becoming increasingly popular that Skall was actually undead himself,
probably a lich or maybe a vampire. Skall only ever seemed to interact with other Dustmen by project image,
so it's not as if anyone really knows for sure what he looked like. Anyway, whenever it was that the Dustmen
were founded, they've remained pretty quiet since. They don’t tend to bother people, although their ideas
anger factions with more positive outlooks on the multiverse.

During the Faction War, the Dustmen lost Skall's leadership. At first, most of the Dead assumed that he found
the secret of True Death and ascended, but later after the War when it turned out that other factols had also
vanished it became clear that he had probably shared the same fate as the others, presumably banished to
the Mazes. The Dead remained neutral during the War, tending the dead of both sides equally. After the War,
though, the Dustmen had to come to terms with Skall's disappearance. For most other factions, the
disappearance of the factol wasn't all that important; there were plenty of others who could fill the vanished
factol's role. But Skall wasn't only the factol of the Dustmen; he was the founder, and in a sense in many
Dustmen's minds he was the faction. It seemed hard to see how the faction could continue without them.

And for a time, it didn't. After the Faction War, the Dustmen officially disbanded. Individual Dustmen
continued to work to clear the dead from the streets, and privately they continued to believe as they had and
to strive for True Death, but they didn't associate with each other or have any sort of hierarchy. It didn't take
long, though, to realize that this was foolish – worse, it smacked of sentimentalism, which is something the
Dustmen should do their best to avoid. So gradually, and without any sort of official purpose, the faction
reunited. They haven't gotten around to choosing a new factol, and maybe they never will, as they work well
enough without one.

Goals
The Dustmen have never been a goal-oriented faction. Mostly, they're just doing what they’ve always done -
tending the dead and working towards True Death. There are always rumors that the Dustmen are trying to
start a mass “conversion” of everyone to their way of thinking, but nothing has been proven.

There are, though, a few things the Dustmen do want to do - well, not so much want, as think may be useful
for their work. Maybe the biggest one right now is to find a new place with enough portals to serve as a
funerary center, like the Mortuary used to be. There was some chant shortly after the War that the Dustmen
were going to buy the Hall of Speakers from Harys Hatchis, but nothing ever came of that; either they
decided it didn't have enough portals, or the story was just rumors to begin with. In any case, the Dustmen
don't seem to have found another building that will serve their purposes, at least not one with an owner
willing to sell it.

So far, the Dead have chosen to try to solve this problem in at least two different ways – and the faction's
current lack of centralized leadership means that there's no one to say which way is officially preferred. Some
Dustmen just use what few portals there still are in the Mortuary, not bothering to try to customize the
corpse's disposal to the individual as much as they did before. Others use portals not in the Mortuary; it's a
fairly common sight now to see Dustmen conducting a funeral service on some street corner or in some

87
tavern that happens to have
a portal to the right plane.
Still, even though the
Mortuary doesn't have all the
portals that used to make it
so convenient, it remains the
Dustmen's headquarters.
They've got too much
invested there to make it
easy to pull up stakes and
move. Besides, why should
they? Sure, another place
with more portals might be
more convenient - but a
desire for convenience is...
well, you know the rest.

Another interesting
development of late is the
possible reappearance of
Skall. A number of Dustmen
have reported seeing Skall
himself in the Mortuary
recently. Has Skall escaped
from the Maze he was cast
into? Or has he found a way
to project an image from the
Maze? No one's sure, but there are those who are convinced he's back, and are working to try to get things
ready for his return as factol. Others, though, ain't so sure. Not that they think all those who said they saw
him return are lying or barmy, of course, but... if Skall was only projecting an image anyway, what's to prevent
someone else from projecting a similar image and pretending to be him? The fact is, though, that Skall's
important enough to the faction that most of the Dustmen high-ups think any reports of his possible return
need to be investigated. Maybe he's really back; more probably it's an impostor; but either way they need to
find out for sure.

Allies
The Dustmen don't have any “allies”, per se; they tend to work alone, and try to avoid getting caught up in the
matters of other factions one way or the other. In practice, though, they do get along better with some
factions than others. They share with the Bleak Cabal and the Doomguard a certain sort of nihilism, and often
find common cause with both of those two factions. To a lesser degree, the Dustmen also find some things to
like about the Athar and the Xaositects, who do seem to see through some of the veils of meaning on the
false life they're in. They likewise respect the Guvners, Indeps, and Ciphers, who have some respect for
learning and progress; but all of those factions remain too wedded to their passions and desires to find True
Death.

Enemies
Just as the Dustmen have no true allies, they have no true enemies, either. However, some factions keep a
cautious eye on them. The Harmonium and the Sons of Mercy tend to watch the Dustmen, not interfering, but
suspicious. The Anarchists... well, they seem opposed to everyone, and the Dustmen see little to admire in
their zeal and passion for their work. The Fated also seem too focused on desire to get along well with the
Dustmen philosophy. The Sensates are far too intent on savoring the supposed pleasures of this “life”, and
are blind to its emptiness and unreality - or, from the Sensates' point of view, the Dustmen are too intent on
ignoring what's beautiful about life. And as for the Mind's Eye... well, it don't take a genius to realize that their
ideal of progression through successive incarnations runs directly counter to the Dustmen's desire to find
True Death and end their time in this multiverse.

88
 The Fated

We must regroup; we must survive. And we will; we always have. Darkwood’s actions have shone a harsh,
unblinking light on us all. It will be years, maybe decades, before we are able to leave behind his crimes,
before we are no longer held responsible for what has happened. But we are strong, and we will overcome
any obstacle. The Sanctuary’s halls burn with the energy of our fellows, brighter in these troubled times than
they ever have before. Wanderers from across the vast planes return with tales of their exploits, and a spirit
of cooperation once lost has returned to our beleaguered faction. Even as we hold our individuality and pride
in our hearts we come together in the face of adversity. Here, in the golden fields of Ysgard, where each
strives for his or her own excellence, our faction begins anew.

– From The Secret History of Sigil, as penned by Brigitte Gunnarsmoon.

The Fated are possibly one of the most distrusted groups in the multiverse. Their leader was responsible for
the calamity of the Faction War, and everyone knows it. Although the members of the Fated weren’t aware of
their factol’s true ambitions at the time, they were wise to scarper out of Sigil when they did. Now, they make
their way the best they can in the planes of the Great Ring, and they find it just as unforgiving as any cold-
blooded Taker.

See, the Fated don’t believe in pity. They recognize the multiverse is a tough place, but they say everyone’s
the master of their own destiny, and there’s no one else to blame. Everyone has the potential to make it big,
but only those who are really work for it are going to get anywhere. The multiverse belongs to those who can
hold it, and if you fail along the way, it’s because you weren’t trying hard enough.

Philosophy: Everyone’s responsible for themselves. For good or bad, you carve out your own fate.
Nicknames: Survivors, Takers, the Heartless.
Headquarters: Ysgard.
Majority Races: Bariaurs, dwarves, halflings, humans, tieflings.
Majority Classes: Barbarians, rangers, rogues.
Factol: Aram Oakwright (CN male dwarf Ftr 6 Fated)
Prominent Members: Rayl Whitespoon (CN female githzerai Ftr4/Wiz6 Fated), Brigitte Gunnarsmoon (CN
female frost giant Expert4 Fated), Shorash Ambergrove (LN male aasimar Rog16 Fated)
Alignment: Any except lawful good.
Symbol: A hand gripping a golden walking stick against a purple background. It has been adopted to
highlight the faction’s change of emphasis, but detractors claim the stick’s actually a cudgel.

Philosophy
The Fated believe that the multiverse and everything in it is up for grabs. Those who are strong enough to
hold on to something deserve it. This covers everything from material wealth, to land, to the abstract ideals
that make up the multiverse. A body needs to pull himself up by his own strength in the end, and if they fall,
it’s no one’s fault but his own. Luck, chance, fate, those are all shams. A true Fated grabs the woven threads
of the Norns, and snaps ‘em in twain. Then he moves on, and does what he needs to do to make the future
he wants. Sure, there’s all sorts of names thrown at the Fated, like heartless and cold-blooded. Just the
squalling of babes, who are too weak to stand on their own two feet. Instead of doing something about it, they
try to bring down the successful with words like knives. Well, the Fated have a nice, thick skin.

And truth is, those poor fools have got it all wrong. The Fated aren’t petty thieves and thugs (at least not for
the most part). They’re individuals first and foremost. Most are the fair- minded, upstanding sort. Being a
Taker doesn’t mean grabbing everything in sight, and it doesn’t mean you can’t give someone a fair shake.
But when you want something, you make it yours with everything you can muster. All but the dimmest realize
not everything can be won by force. But even finding love and happiness takes force of will, an inner strength
that too many lack.

Never show weakness or softness. Never be a coward. It’s courage to stand up for what you want and what
you believe that’ll get you places. Anytime you see someone in the gutter, just remember whose fault that is.
Any self-respecting body wouldn’t wallow about in the mud there, asking for handouts. A body has to be self-
sufficient. ‘Cause when it comes down to it, there’s no one else looking out for you. The only one with your
best interests at heart is your own self.

89
Brief History
The Fated keep the truth of their early days close to their chests. They
were banging about the Cage for quite some time, having had the
foresight and wherewithal to set up the Hall of Records and become
Sigil’s tax collectors. The Hall of Records contained files on almost every
transaction and title of ownership that had any importance in Sigil. Birth,
marriage, and death certificates were kept in the Hall, along with histories
and census records. The basement held the extensive archives acquired
when the Fated foreclosed on the original owners of the Hall, Bigby’s
College of Academic Arts. These archives came in very useful indeed,
and became the basis for The Secret History of Sigil, the Fated’s greatest
collection of information on the factions. This research project was
continuously added to, and also contained the history of the Fated itself.

Not much else is known about the history of the faction. They have
always had a presence on several other planes, most notably Ysgard,
where a large number of the inhabitants belong to the faction. The strong
thrive in the fields of Ysgard, and the relationship was natural. The Fated
seem to have begun there, having learned valuable lessons of survival
and self- sufficiency. From there, the faction spread throughout the
planes, learning how to cope with the various conditions on the Great Ring, finding ways to survive, and even
thrive. As time passed, they turned their attentions to more than merely getting by, especially when they
came to Sigil. Many Fated came to hold positions of power throughout the planes, sometimes as rulers, but
more often as right hands or other powers behind the thrones. The Fated tend towards subtlety and
manipulation, and staying behind the curtain gives their power more longevity than if they were out in the
open.

Duke Rowan Darkwood became factol by getting the dirt on Emma Oakwright, the factol before him.
Darkwood had only been in the Cage for a short time, but he was a quick study. Ambitious enough to put
most Fated to shame, he set his eyes on nothing less than Sigil itself. He made plenty of enemies along the
way, from his own faction as well as the rest. His plans all came together when he finally got hold of
something to use against the Lady herself. That’s when he set the Faction War in motion.

Of course, Darkwood’s plans didn’t work out the way he’d planned, and he was sent to the Mazes with the
rest of the factols. The whole power structure of the factions came tumbling down, and the Lady blew the
pieces to the winds. When the ragged factions started comparing notes, they figured out that Darkwood had
played the lot of them, manipulating events and bringing about this whole sorry state of affairs. The Fated
made themselves real scarce when that came to light, with most of them scurrying back to Ysgard. Their
headquarters there used to be called Rowan’s Hall, in honor of their leader, but now it’s simply known as the
Sanctuary. Any Fated’s welcome to make it their home whenever need be. Naturally they have to work for the
privilege, but it’s better than being out in the cold. Although they’ve lost the Hall of Records (and the Hall’s
lost the records), Darkwood had The Secret History of Sigil moved here shortly before the War. The
information contained in the history may be the key to the Fated’s return to Sigil. Historian Brigitte
Gunnarsmoon has been put in charge of maintaining the archives, and incorporating new information.

Recently, the Ring-Givers abandoned Skeinheim, their headquarters in Ysgard. This used to be the
headquarters of the Fated, but it fell into the Ring-Givers’ hands. The Takers claimed that they were tricked,
and have never forgiven the upstart Ring-Givers. The Fated tried to take the town back several times over
the years, but the Ring-Givers beat ‘em back each time. Since the Ring-Givers pulled up stakes, a number of
the Takers have moved back in. Many of the Fated are sure it’s some sort of ploy, and they still give
Skeinheim a wide berth.

Aram Oakwright, Darkwood’s former right hand at the Hall of Records, has shoved his way to control of the
faction. He’d been eyeing the top spot since Darkwood took it from his cousin. Oakwright is a master at
trading and selling information, and with The Secret History of Sigil at his fingertips, he’s been able to keep
most competitors at bay. His position is still precarious, though. The other ambitious sorts are looking for any
way to topple him they can, while a good number of Fated aren’t looking to replace Darkwood with another
power-hungry bastard. To the more forward-looking Survivors, Oakwright is a dangerous anachronism, the
sort of conniver that made them pariahs in the first place. Some of ‘em have simply chosen to ignore him for
now; they’re too busy forging their own paths to bother with him.

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Goals
Just getting by in these times is a pretty big goal in and of itself for the faction. Although none of ‘em were
privy to their former factol’s plans, the members of the Fated are even less popular than they used to be. One
of the things they need to accomplish is brightening their image, and there are several ways they’re going
about accomplishing this.

The Fated are trying to at least pretend they’re friendly folks, and if not offering outright charity, at least offer a
helping hand here and there. They expect to be paid for their help in some fashion, but they usually cut a fair
deal. They also try to show a body that their driving philosophy ain’t so bad, after all. They point out the fact
that anyone’s welcome to join (unless they’re paladins or some such). They may be elitists, but it’s not
because they stop anyone else from trying to be the best they can be. The best example of this campaign is
Shorash Ambergrove, an aasimar with a personality as bright as his skin. Shorash travels the Great Ring,
offering seminars (for a fee) on how to reach a person’s full potential. He also sells a book containing all sorts
of advice and little phrases a body can repeat to himself to keep a positive attitude. A lot of folks have joined
up with the faction after going to a seminar or two. Shorash hasn’t made it to the Cage, yet, but it’s only a
matter of time. The Fated, by and large, are working hard to regain respect, and try to show themselves as
self-reliant cutters to be admired, not feared and despised.

Many of the Takers are scrambling for any plot of land they can get hold of in the planes, especially the
Outlands. Even in the infinite multiverse, territory is a valuable commodity. Oakwright is especially interested
in Glorium, Ysgard’s gate-town. The town’s chieftain, Flatnose Grim of the Free League, has always resisted
the Fated’s attempts to gain a foothold here. Oakwright figures he’ll take Glorium by force of arms if it comes
to it. Rayl Whitespoon, who used to run the Rowan Academy of Training, has distinguished herself in several
sorties across the planes, particularly in the battle for Kra’thinkar, a githyanki fortress built on the corpse of
some nameless deity. While this has given the Fated a base on the Astral Plane, it’s whispered that the real
reason for the dangerous assault lay in a long-standing grudge between Whitespoon and H’r’kai, a prominent
githyanki knight of Kra’thinkar. Some people wonder how Darkwood could have ever had the guts to spurn
Whitespoon for Factol Nilesia.

Many of the less militant Takers have taken control of caravan lines, or have otherwise opened or maintained
existing merchant ventures. Several caravan routes across the Outlands and throughout the Outer Planes
bring goods to gate-towns, realms, and the Great Bazaar of Sigil. Some of them quietly support Oakwright’s
plans for Glorium, hoping they can gain access to Yggdrasil’s pathways.

In general, the Fated have fallen back on the skills that made them special in the first place. When a Survivor
sets his mind to knowing a plane, few can approach his skill. The Fated know how to endure the unforgiving
nature of the Great Ring, and some note with pride their forays into the inimical Inner Planes and the like.
Many Fated have taken up the job of guide, for individuals or caravans. The Survivors operate way stations,
inns, and toll bridges, and offer places to hire guides, even along a number of caravan routes they do not
explicitly control.

Allies
The Fated never had many friends to begin with, and that isn’t changing since Faction War. They still tend to
get along with the Free League, as long as their individual goals don’t clash and the Fated bring a lot of
goods to the Great Bazaar of Sigil, or help protect the routes. The Fated used to have some tenuous links
with the Mercykillers. Of the two splinter groups born of that dead faction, the Sons of Mercy don’t think much
of the Fated (and the feeling’s mutual). The Sodkillers have quite a bit in common with the Fated though, and
sometimes they work together with the Takers, while other times it comes to blows, depending on the
situation.

Enemies
Pretty much everyone else qualifies as an enemy. Most bodies are still wary of the Fated, and none of the
factions seems interested in forgiving them for the war. The Fated still holds grudges against the other big
group in Ysgard, the Ring-Givers. Their philosophies don’t mix well, and that’s caused quite a bit of strife over
the years.

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 The Fraternity of Order

“What is it with that racket?” The old man slowly shifted, pulling himself out of his chair. “I’d have found the
dark of the gears by now if it weren’t for these infernal interruptions!” Making his way out of his lab and
wandering down to the foyer, he followed the shouts, mechanical buzzing sounds, and noises of war erupting
from the supposed sanctuary of the Fraternity. He barely blinked as a whirling blade slid in front of his face,
giving his mustache a neat, if uncalled for, trimming. Other Guvners, bearing weapons both ancient and
modern, moved about in a symphony of order that might seem like chaos to an outsider. But they responded
in an organized manner, perfectly in line with local protocol, to ward off the hostile creatures in their midst.

“Dear. What seems to be going on?”

A younger, unshaven Guvner cried out, “We brought it back from Acheron!”

More voices added to the chorus, shouting over the clangs of steel and the crackling of bizarre devices,
“They called it a ‘clockwork horror’!”... “It seems to have originated on Baritus, a prime world where there
are...”... “You leatherhead! You think a prime could come up with something like this?!”

The old man watched as the adamantine insect sawed one of his fellows cleanly in half, without even
flinching. “My. I don’t suppose any of you would mind if I took some notes...?”

The Fraternity of Order isn't what a body might think. First of all, they aren't concerned with keeping the order
- that's the Harmonium. Secondly, they just aren't as... well... orderly as they used to be. Getting booted out
of Sigil by the Lady shook them up but good, and inserted a bit more chaos into the stagnant mix that the
Guvners used to be. But their core philosophy still revolves entirely around laws and the order therein. See,
according to them, it’s very important to understand laws... whether they're the local statutes or the universal
axioms all creatures are forced to live by. To them, understanding the laws - the Orders - things work by is
vital to manipulating things to be the way people want them and need them. Of course, the sort of power that
information grants isn't bad, either. And it's no secret that the Guvners are looking to be in charge of it all,
sooner or later.

Of course, if you listen to them long enough, you just might think that they are in charge. And if their theories
are correct, that just might be the case...

Philosophy: Learn the laws that govern the multiverse and gain power through them.
Nickname: Guvners.
Headquarters: The Fortress of Disciplined Enlightenment in Mechanus.
Majority Races: Dwarves, humans, gnomes, zenythri.
Majority Classes: Psions, wizards.
Factol: Jamis (LG female human Clr12 (Oghma) Fraternity of Order)
Prominent Members: Nancias Garabutos (LN female human Wiz11 Fraternity of Order)
Alignment: Any non-chaotic.
Symbol: A dagger with a blue handle, pointed upwards. Blue curls over from the top, branching and splitting
as it falls down - as if being cut by the dagger itself. The blade of knowledge reveals the truth.

Philosophy
Knowing the law is one thing, and relatively uncomplicated, even if it can be taxing and time- consuming to
study it. But knowledge of how to use laws is where real power comes from. Think of it this way: a man might
not know he can use a boulder as a weapon until he understands that the law of gravity will let him push it off
a ledge, or, even better, the law of action and reaction that lets him construct a catapult that flings the boulder
as far as he needs it. Imagine that on a multiversal scale, and you’ve got an inkling of what the Guvners are
aiming for.

The Fraternity of Order believes there are three types of Orders. The first are called Rules, created by
sentient beings to govern themselves and resolve disputes. The second are called Laws, which derive from
the powers. Most Laws are the natural laws of a given plane – the cycle of time in the Outlands, for example.
The third are known as Axioms. Axioms are laws all things - inanimate or alive, divine or mortal, planar or

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prime - must adhere to. Some
Axioms are referred to as Great
Axioms, which it’s said only the
powers can really understand.
However, if by some chance a
mortal does come to fully
understand one, one might move
on to an existence more capable of
withstanding that knowledge.
Whether this means becoming a
power or something else is entirely
theoretical.

Another trick to laws is discovering

loopholes. By using loopholes in
Orders, one can win court battles,
devise a device that boils tea
nicely, or even bend Axioms to
perform actions that might
otherwise be impossible. With
loopholes, it’s possible to do
anything... a body’s just got to
uncover the secret to it. The
loopholes of Rules are useful in the
court, the loopholes of Laws are
useful in the lab, and the loopholes
of Axioms... well, they’re useful
anywhere, though one can only
cheat the universe itself so many
times before it wises up.

Some Guvners argue that Rules

are not created by mortals, nor are
Laws created by powers. Rather,
they are discovered, and the truth
is that there’s a universal set of
such Orders, and that some may become lost or misunderstood, while others simply haven’t been discovered
yet. People may think they’ve written a new law, or a power may think its edict is its own, but they’re just
introducing (or rediscovering) a previously unknown Order. While some may argue that there is no such thing
as universal Rules and Orders due to the seemingly varied laws of different planes and realms, such
Guvners would counter with the idea that Rules and Orders can be different between places and times. In
their mind, that simple fact doesn't mean there isn't an underlying order behind their variations of absolutes.

Though they may seem monolithic and homogenous to outsiders, the Fraternity of Order is often divided
between different viewpoints. While they're all undeniably dedicated to law, they have varying viewpoints on
what those laws might be. Even what is considered to be “known” is somewhat self-contradictory, and the
Guvners realize it's hard for them to see the whole picture. Therefore, different bureaus have been devised to
help solve this problem. Sometimes they are formed to devise a solution to a problem, or other times simply
to perform dedicated study of a single piece of the multiverse. A handful of the bureaus are described below,
but a there are literally hundreds of different bureaus both defunct and active in Guvner records.

One group within the Fraternity of Order, the Mathematicians, focuses solely on discovering the Orders of
Mechanus itself. After all, the theory goes, Mechanus embodies every law, everywhere in the multiverse. So
a full understanding of Mechanus’ laws would allow you to use those discoveries across all planes. In
addition, it’s said that somebody that pins down every bit of law about the gears would gain enough insight to
rule Mechanus... and from there, the rest of creation shortly afterward. Furthermore, they believe the plane of
ultimate law has a “perfect” version of anything else in the universe. So by studying Mechanus, one can find
anything one might be desire. Formerly a separate sect, they have been subsumed into the Bureau of Native
Mathematics, a subdivision of the Fraternity of Order.

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On the other, more down-to-earth side, some newer members are claiming that folks within their faction were
and are going too fast, too soon. They argue that the understanding of Rules and Laws is incomplete at best,
and that to try and uncover Axioms before mastering the basics is dangerous, if not outright mad. Focusing
on bringing the information they have into more physical endeavors, many of these younger Guvners are
explorers, investigators, and inventors, seeking out knowledge and putting it into more practical pursuits,
such as golems and clockwork oddities designed to perform tasks of labor and the like. Surprisingly, though
Jamis has not joined in with her rhetoric, many of those returning with her to Sigil are of this group. Officially,
they’re organized under the new Bureau of Timekeepers, even if many of their endeavors deal in more than
just watches.

Finally, another new theory that’s controversial at best, and considered outright heresy at worst, posits that
the Fraternity of Order is looking in the wrong place entirely to discover law. An outgrowth of attempts to
study the elements which made up the Faction War, these scholars believe that only in attempting to discover
the patterns of chaos can one uncover the truth of the multiverse. They believe that if one can find the
patterns and rules even in the most seemingly disorderly of all forces, that those rules will be the ultimate
Orders... those that exist even in the face of seemingly total chaos. There is no official bureau for them as of
yet; most of them exist under the Bureau of Extraplanar Exploration and Development, or as the Bureau of
Xenophilosophical Studies. While considered a bunch of fools by the majority of Guvners, they have mounted
expeditions to Limbo. Right now they’re particularly interested in trying to discover the dark of the inhabitants'
ability to influence the raw matter of the plane itself, though much to the relief of Limbo’s inhabitants, they
haven’t stumbled onto it yet.

Brief History
Being the gluttons for knowledge the Guvners are, they've recorded nearly everything they can about their
own history. Their own records stretch back roughly a millennium - or maybe more - in millions of volumes
that sprawl across their libraries in Mechanus. Some of their records get into minutiae that might test the
patience of even their own... from the clothes somebody wore on a given day to how many dribblings of
mucus came down a orc's nose at a given trial. But to the Guvners, no detail is worth missing. Anything could
be a greater piece of the puzzle that, day by day, they're working to uncover. Consquently, few of their
records are interesting from an artistic or emotional perspective. They have no great heroes... no epic tales...
no climactic disasters... at least by the reckoning of most people's viewpoints. Of course, with the amount of
mundane details in Guvner works, even vast clashes like the Faction War might be so deeply analyzed that
they hardly seem any more interesting than their factol's dinner records for the past year. The thing is, they’re
good at the details, but there just isn’t much passion in their written works. After all, passion distorts, and they
can’t have anything but the ungarnished facts.

The actual history of the Fraternity of Order begins with a bunch of magically-inclined sages in Sigil that had
gravitated there from various prime planes. Back then, they were what a prime would call a “college of
magic”, picking their numbers from various worlds - from Toril to Cerilia and so on. Of course, having to
reconcile the magical traditions of dozens of worlds was quite a feat, and so they worked on developing
theories that would uncover the basic laws that underpinned wizardly magic. Forget that “born to power”
heritage sorcerers work with... they were working on what let pure training and knowledge allow a wizard to
harness one of the strongest forces in the universe, perhaps even the strongest force.

It’s a cinch for anybody that knows how the Fraternity operates now to see how that developed. Once they
had a theory for that down, they started looking for ways to “cheat” magic. Though they didn’t consider it
more than spell research, it was what a modern Guvner would consider primitive study of what they now call
“loopholes”. Their research succeeded beyond their wildest beliefs, and some started theorizing that the laws
of magic weren’t alone in their malleability. Their search led them naturally to Mechanus, where they set up a
secondary fortress to complement their home in Sigil. From there, they slowly gravitated away from a pure
study of magic to a study of the multiverse as a whole.

They took the name “Fraternity of Order” not too long prior to the Great Upheaval to replace “The Planar
Order of Magic”. Their orderly ways allowed them to weather the Lady’s new edict without even blinking for
the most part, only restructuring their activities slightly. Becoming a part of Sigil's rule by the factions, they
took up the role of record keepers, keeping track of laws, statistics, events, and so forth. But laws became
their métier, since there was always somebody needing to know what the laws were, thanks to the constant
power struggles – both small and large - in Sigil. And needless to say, the Guvners used this to their own
benefit, interpreting and using the laws in their favor. Of course, the fact that they ran the courts, often playing

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judge, prosecutor, defender, recorder, and more, also helped them quite a bit. Though they were unable to
create new laws on their own, they were able to bury laws they didn't care for occasionally.

Over time, the faction got more complacent. Influence and power took its toll; though empowered by order,
they were also trapped by it. More members joined with no inclination towards studying law past Sigil's
books... sloppiness crept in, something that would have been anathema during their origins, when they
picked only the mightiest minds from across the planes. The faction became a haven for the unimaginative
and rigid, and their original ideal of exploration was lost between a mountain of bureaucratic paperwork and a
maze of internal regulations. A number of older Guvners, disgusted with the situation, traveled back to
Mechanus to try to pick up where they believe their faction left off. Particularly taken by studying Mechanus
once more, they joined with some of the disillusioned Guvners there, breaking from the faction and becoming
the sect known as the Mathematicians. They went on to study Mechanus solely, though they would often
share notes and efforts with the Guvners of Mechanus.

Somewhat recently, the factol of the Fraternity by the name of Lariset the Inescapable locked herself up, only
explaining during her occasional outings that she was on the verge of a new discovery. One day, she
vanished, and it's assumed by most Guvners that she'd ascended somehow to a higher power, having
discovered a Great Axiom. Her successor was Hashkar, a planar dwarf. His single-minded quest for
knowledge seemed to define him, and he was an easy choice to lead the faction. While he wasn't exactly a
interesting fellow, he seemed to know anything about everything, and that was enough for the Guvners.
Shortly before the Faction War, though, he was revealed to be a petitioner, with the rumors being his “faith” in
life was one for Sigil itself, and he was somehow reborn as a petitioner in the City of Doors! Even though the
concept seems impossible, it's not unthinkable, considering the facts. Hashkar wasn't Mazed like the other
factols, and rumors were spread that he had some sort of agreement with the Lady of Pain. Of course, none
of that saved him from the blade of a Xaositect, inflaming the already natural enmity between the factions of
law and chaos. The fact that attempts to raise or resurrect Hashkar magically after the War were completely
abortive didn’t help the Guvners refute matters, either. After this disaster, the Guvners then joined with the
rest of the “Guardians of Peace” during the War, weathering the chaos afterwards just as they did the Great
Upheaval centuries ago. However, when the dust was cleared, they could no longer be the keepers of law in
Sigil. Though they still had their knowledge, much of their power was lost.

Afterwards, the Fraternity of Order retreated from Sigil, joining with their fellows on the plane of Mechanus. A
flurry of talks followed on a variety of subjects, with most centering on the central question of “where did we
go wrong?” Most agreed that while their organizational structure was able to weather the chaos rather well,
the fact remained that plans and theories centering around Sigil, some of them hundreds of years in
development, had been put on indefinite hold. Quite quickly, a small power struggle erupted between Jamis,
a high-ranking Guvner from Sigil and cleric
of Oghma, and Nancias Garabutos, the
wizardly head of the Fortress of Disciplined
Enlightenment. Jamis was the obvious
choice to succeed Hashkar, but Nancias
was already head of Guvner doings in
Mechanus. At the same time, a grand
restructuring of the Fraternity was taking
place. “For everything a place, and a place
for everything” became the tagline that
marked many speeches and talks during
this time. The Mathematicians were
reabsorbed into the organization, with the
promise of a new direction for the faction
luring them back.

Jamis, after many debates, was elected -

though many Mechanus natives resent the
fact that it was probably due more to her
charming presence and divine favor than
to intellectual ability. Still, Jamis softened
the conflict by announcing that she would
be leading an expedition to form a safe
house and library in Sigil again (so as to

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avoid threating Nancias’ authority). Also, the structure of bureaus was greatly expanded with the interest of
exploring previously neglected studies and widening the scope of the Fraternity's research.

The Guvners haven’t forgotten Sigil; indeed, it’s been foremost in their minds even during their absence.
Since it seemingly lies in the middle of the Outer Planes, the Axioms discovered there might be the most
valuable of all. Rumor has it that Jamis has quite a few of Hashkar’s journals, which may include darks
regarding both Sigil and the Lady of Pain...

Goals
The main goal of the Fraternity of Order remains as it always has been - to gather knowledge and information
in order to gain the secrets of the multiverse. How they’ve gone about it has changed in some ways, but their
defining element has remained unchanged in over a millennium.

Towards this end, they have set up shop in Sigil again so that they may resume their studies. Through an
agreement with the aasimon and modrons that run the Hands of Time, a clockwork piece of Mechanus that’s
somehow been planted in Sigil, they’ve been able to gain a new stronghold where they can continue their
studies. In return, they’ll be putting in money and hard work to expand the Hands of Time, as well as deal in
the acquisition of new plots of land to develop on. Many are still working in the legal system and bureaucracy,
though without their former badges of office. Jamis heads this operation personally, keeping each
development and outgrowth on a tight, controlled plan.

Keeping Menausus, a new layer of Mechanus, from slipping back to Arcadia stable is also a major
undertaking by the Fraternity. Rooting out the leftover Arcadian petitioners and shipping them back to Arcadia
is a high priority for Nancias, who is planning and overseeing the operation. Unfortunately, the Xaositects -
and possibly even the Harmonium - are confronting them on this point. Even with their modron allies and their
work to import additional lawful inhabitants to the layer, it doesn’t look like the layer will be stabilized anytime
soon.

Allies
The traditional allies of the Fraternity of Order in the old days before the Faction War were the Harmonium
and the Mercykillers. Unfortunately, the Mercykillers were dissolved in the Faction War, and recent events
concerning a new layer of Mechanus, Menausus, look to damage Hardhead/Guvner relations, possibly
irreparably.

Conversely, they’ve found new allies in both of the Mercykillers’ splinter groups. When in need of having their
body guarded, they’ve hired the Minder’s Guild, the label under which the Sodkillers' business endeavors
operate. On the other hand, their return to the City of Doors has led them to assist the Sons of Mercy from
time to time in the fields of law enforcement and peacekeeping.

Enemies
The traditional enemies of the Fraternity of Order are the Xaositects, naturally enough. Their philosophy of
engendering chaos is quite disruptive to Guvner activities, and the fact that one of their number killed
Hashkar hasn’t helped matters any. Distance and time have mellowed things somewhat, but it’s certain that
meddling in Sigil will cause both groups to meet head-on in the future.

The Revolutionary League is none too fond of the Fraternity either, but with the Guvners out of power, the
League’s hostility has dropped a notch. Still, given the claim by the Guvners that they plan to run everything,
some Anarchists are inclined to take “preemptive” actions against them, even today.

Special Note
Almost all Guvners speak Legalspeak, their version of high Planar Trade. Legalspeak may be taken as a
bonus language by any starting Guvner. If the Guvner has no bonus languages (or joins after character
creation), it may be taken for the cost of a single skill rank, regardless of the Guvner’s class. Legalspeak is
obtuse and impenetrable for non-speakers, combining Draconic with high Planar Trade (but either root
language is hardly recognizable as a pa rt of Legalspeak), as well as over a millennium of Guvner jargon and
professional terms.

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 The Free League

“Right there, cutters! Step up! Step up! Ol' Surefoot'd be sellin' the dark o’ things, an’ you'll be needin' a
lantern afore too long, methinks! M'names Merlianik the Surefooted. An' sure's my name, what I've got here
you'll want a cut in!

“Now I wouldn't sell ya short, sell ya high, or sell ya bunk! But that'll be up t' yer mind to be makin' now. What
I be sellin' ya is what they don't want ya to know.

“Books! Ever'one o' them t'make a Hardhead give ya the peery eye. An’ if'n ya pop on over to Melodia, say
yer 'ello ta one of... ask 'em how the arse end of Arcadia fares.”

The bariaur's words carried over the corner in the Grand Bazaar. The swirl of crowds slowed before him as
he lifted high two rough bound copies in his hands. Over his flanks, saddlebags were packed with books and
scrolls. There was a jingle from the satchel over his shoulder as he passed around the tomes and gathered
the jink.

“Cross me palm with a bit o' jink, a stinger or two or three, and I'll see what I've got that you might take a likin'
to. A word's cheap enough a charge. The truth costs a bit more. Factol's Manifesto for sale if you'd take a
peek, an' more than that if you'd take an ear t' m' words.”

“Now what'ya be wantin', lass?” He leaned in to hear the words of a halfling cutter as she stood tiptoe, before
both eyebrows lifted right up. Even as she darted off between the legs of the crowd, he was looking his way
up Copper Lane.

“Folks, folks!” He waved to the crowd, sliding his coin into his pack. “I be sorry t' be leavin' ya wantin', but I'm
a mite wanted m'self. Tomorrow'll find me on 'nother street, in 'nother lane, maybe on 'nother plane - but you
look, an' you'll find me.” He smiled widely as the crowd began to back away, before bounding to the top of his
booth. He lifted a hat to the three guards of the Minder's Guild, making their way through the crowd, before
leaping off towards the alley behind him.

Philosophy: Freedom and individuality.

Nickname: Indeps.
Headquarters: The Outlands.
Majority Races: Tauric creatures.
Majority Classes: None.
Factol: None.
Prominent Members: Harys Hatchis (NG male human Wiz 11 Free League), Kylie (N female tiefling Rog8
Free League)
Alignments: Any, with neutral tendencies.
Symbol: A yellowish or golden-toned abstract dragon, circling in on itself to eat its own tail, wings above its
body though folded close.

Philosophy
A true Free Leaguer has no philosophy and no problem telling you so if you try to confront them about it.
When asked directly on points, most Indeps will give a loose definition or simply not answer the question at
all, turning it back upon the questioner. The only thing that a Free Leaguer will be definite about is their
independence. They are free to make up their own mind as they wish, and will not give up that freedom for
any price. See, the Free League isn’t about spreading a particular philosophy. They don’t have a common
belief; fact of the matter is, most don’t believe there is a “right” belief to begin with. To accept one philosophy
over another is only restricting yourself, denying independent thought in favor of someone else’s opinion.
Members of the Free League are not held to any creed other than individualism, freedom, and tolerance.
They accept any person, are often non-judgmental, and can be found scattered throughout the Outlands and
within Sigil. In the end, the philosophy of the Free League is not having a philosophy. A member determines
his own mind, and does not simply follow an outlined guide for his beliefs.

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Brief History
The Free League’s true age is lost to time and numerous holes
in the histories of the ancient city of Sigil. It is possible that the
faction has been around as long as the factions themselves
have been around, in one form or another. Perhaps longer, if
the nature of the loose alliance of independent minds existed
before the factions were formed. Unfortunately, not even the
Guvners have any conclusive records on the subject. One of
the few things known for certain is that the Free League
enjoyed its largest population following the Great Upheaval. At
the time, roughly forty-nine factions fought for power in Sigil
until the Lady herself declared that there would only be fifteen
factions. Many of those factions that had neither the power nor
the numbers to establish their own place amongst the
remaining fifteen fell under the mantle of the Free League - a
faction of laissez-faire philosophy that would allow them to
keep their own ideals. Within fourteen days the Free League
was the largest faction in Sigil, with nearly a million members.

Yet fifty years later their numbers had dropped to less than
twenty thousand. The Free Leaguers simply died by the
thousands, without warning and without a recorded cause over
a period of several years. Naturally, many blamed other
factions for cutting them down in jealousy. Others spoke of a
curse from some pantheon of powers, and a few even attributed the deaths to an unknown internal strife.
Medical records of the time, what few survived the years, speak of a bizarre plague that found Indeps to be
choice victims. What the plague was, where it came from, and why it ended before wiping the faction out all
remain a mystery. Indeps that were alive during the time often refuse to discuss what happened, seeming to
prefer that it be forgotten.

Regardless, the plague returned only a few years ago, once again mysteriously culling the numbers of the
Free League. Indeps fell sick, dying within days or sometimes hours with no cures available in Sigil. In the
gate-town of Tradegate cures were available from a few of the Free Leaguers there if the patient managed to
arrive in time. Similar to the previous plague, it struck without warning, though much more subtly, and many
an Indep was dead before knowing they were sick. Eventually the news traveled through the Indeps’ rumor
mill to all ears, prompting some Indeps to avoid Sigil entirely and stick to the Outlands, at least until it
disappears again.

Since the Free League always refused to call itself a faction, or appoint a factol, it never had a representative
in the city. They simply refused to give up their freedom enough to allow one individual to control them, even
if it might have been to their benefit. Thus, before the Faction War, the Indeps had no rights under Sigil law.
Naturally, this helped make the Harmonium their greatest enemy, as the Hardheads already believed the
Indeps’ freedoms were in direct opposition to their ideals of order. Likewise, with the Harmonium’s strict
requirements that all around them “fall in line and march to the beat of the same drum” the Free League often
felt its independence was endangered. Harmonium members were prone to harass members of the Free
League, even to arrest them on groundless accusations, and without the legal representation on their behalf,
many Indeps simply disappeared.

With the events of the Faction War, the Free League, like all the factions, became distracted from their
current troubles. When their leaders disappeared, the Indeps immediately accused the Harmonium, the
Mercykillers, and even the Fraternity of Order for secretly killing them. But without their leaders the Indeps
soon lost their heart and spirit. Directionless, many Free Leaguers joined forces with the Doomguard against
the Hardheads out of a sense of revenge. What Indeps didn't join retreated out of Sigil to other safe locations,
particularly Tradegate, the most heavily Free League-aligned gate-town of the Outlands.

With the Lady’s Edict, the Free League was banished from Sigil, along with the other remaining factions. The
surviving Indeps didn't mind, considering all the other factions were getting the same message. In fact, this
meant that the Indeps had won their cause: the factions were no longer able to control the free-minded and
free-willed people of Sigil. The Free League had banded together under the ideals of individuality and
freedom only to find by the end of the day that the Lady had made that the standard. Factions were now

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irrelevant, at least in Sigil. As an added bonus, since the plague seemed to spread in Sigil, the Free League
may once again be free of it.

The Indeps continued for the most part just as they had before. They had lost many friends to the War, and a
few decided to split off to form their own sects. After all, there was now no need for the Free League “cover”
of protection against the Lady’s rule that there would only be fifteen factions. But the vast majority of Free
Leaguers continued about their business as if the future were the brightest it had been in a long time. They
no longer had the Harmonium breathing down their necks, they no longer had the Mercykillers to unfairly
punish them, and they no longer had the Guvners enacting laws that they couldn’t protest against. The
business of exchange of goods and information continued.

With the factions dethroned, the Indeps have had more opportunities to expand. While none are willing to go
so far as to mark the Free League symbol publicly in Sigil again, the Free Leaguers were amongst the first to
return to the Cage and pick up pieces. Following the Tempest of Doors, many Indeps took the chance to
make a profit by exploring the new portals, and as a result Indep-owned businesses rediscovered trading
routes faster than most. As they were among the first to rediscover the portals and were more willing to risk
the Lady's whims than most trading houses, Indep-owned trading companies have been particularly
successful in the years immediately after Faction War. News travels fast amongst a group of “friends looking
out for each other”, and it wasn't long before the Indeps were back in operation, portal scramble or no portal
scramble.

Goals
Most Indeps have their own personal goals, and the faction as a whole doesn't set any for its members. The
closest thing to a goal that the Free League currently has is to continue fair business practices in the Bazaar.
The Indeps discourage price gouging and other unfair practices. They are certainly in favor of independently
owned small businesses, and are not interested in monopolies or any other practices that would restrict the
livelihoods of buyers and sellers alike. Beyond that, a body’s business is their own and no one else's. They
still offer support to their “friends” and the underdog. But as some Indeps would say, “if you want free
handouts, go to the Bleakers.”

Allies
The Free League hasn’t really changed much, though many of the other factions have. Contact with the other
factions, new or old, is generally limited to business deals, conversion attempts, or the occasional fistfight
when a Hardhead is involved. The Indeps are too loosely organized to have allies as a whole, though
individual members often have friends in interesting places.

Enemies
The Planar Trading Consortium, under the leadership of Estavan, has been trying for years to consolidate a
grip on all trading in the planes. With the war in Sigil, though, his power within the Cage has faded, especially
as fewer trading companies are willing to risk the Lady's whim by using Sigil’s portals. Estavan, however, can
still make a pretty profit by taking advantage of the position of the Outlands as a central point in the planes. It
may take longer than using portals, but it will work. He has been rebuilding his power base there before he
moves to regain power in the Cage.

Unfortunately, the Indeps pose a problem to him now. There are no factions to suppress the Indeps anymore,
and they’re not willing to sell away their free will at any price he could offer. In Tradegate and the Outlands at
least, they have a well-established foothold and connections – even a built-in market in the form of Indep
villages. The Free League businesses and trading houses won't bow down to Estavan's growing monopoly,
and soon that is likely to cause some serious trouble for all involved.

Even though the Harmonium has retreated to Arcadia, and claims to be stepping away from the extreme
militarism of the past, to the Indeps “once a Hardhead always a Hardhead”. Indeps are even more wary of
heading near Arcadia now, and there are some members of the faction that still feel that the Harmonium had
something to do with the disappearance of their old leaders. Along the same lines, the Indeps are perhaps
more cautious of the Sodkillers than of their predecessors, the Mercykillers. With the new faction’s influence
in Sigil and their preference to operate outside the law, they’re a primary threat to Free League operations in
the Cage.

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 The Harmonium

The multiverse has always needed someone like us.

Throughout the multiverse, discord and strife rule. Not just in the Lower Planes, where the Blood War rages
on without end. Even in the sacred realms of Arcadia, Mount Celestia, and Bytopia there is conflict and strife.
Even between beings of Law and Good holy wars have been fought, and countless millions have died. The
multiverse has always needed those who would, with a firm hand, end the petty squabbling and meaningless
disagreements. The multiverse has always needed those who would unite all of the planes into one
harmonious whole that would not struggle, that would not break, that would not war.

Yes, the multiverse has always needed someone like us.

– The opening lines of the Book of the Harmonium.

The Harmonium believes that peace and harmony is the perfect state of the multiverse. In times of peace,
farmers can tend to their crops, merchants can trade freely, and soldiers don't have to die. Clearly, peace is
better than disharmony and war. And what causes disharmony? It’s simple, say the Harmonium:
disagreement. When two nations or just two people disagree, it leads to friction, discord, and ultimately
fighting. To that end, the Harmonium believes in minimizing disagreements by working together as one group.
Their goal is nothing less than recruiting every sentient being into the Harmonium. And once everyone lives in
agreement with all others, then the multiverse will enter into a golden age of peace.

Philosophy: Universal harmony through force of arms.

Nicknames: Hardheads.
Headquarters: Melodia in Arcadia.
Majority Races: Aasimar, dwarves, humans, zenythri.
Favored Classes: Fighters, monks, paladins.
Factol: Faith (LG female human Clr17 (Saint Cuthbert) Harmonium)
Prominent Members: Killeen Kaine (LN male half-elf Wiz16 Harmonium), Nicolai Mabru (LN male tiefling
Wiz12 Harmonium), Tonat Shar (LG male human Ftr10 Harmonium)
Alignment: Lawful good or lawful neutral.
Symbol: A sword thrust downward in front of a shield.

Philosophy
“The multiverse has always needed someone like us.”
So begins the Book of the Harmonium, the most revered book of the faction. Within that tome the goals,
rules, and core philosophy of the Harmonium are laid down. And central to the Harmonium philosophy is that
of the truth of belief. Not just the truth of what they believe, but the truth of belief itself.

See, it’s obvious that peace and harmony is the perfect state of the multiverse. It’s only when this is achieved
that a person can make the most of his life, and not waste it in a struggle of ideals and petty differences. It’s
clear, then, that the only true belief is that which brings about peace and harmony. Truth is harmony, the Book
explains, and harmony is truth. And only if everyone accepts this doctrine can peace ever be achieved;
anything else is a selfish deception.

When belief is power, belief can be used for the selfish quest of individual ascension, to create discord and
conflict among society, or it can be used to forge a unified front of peace and safety for all. Those who care
about others strive to find a common system of belief that benefits everyone, while those who only care about
themselves choose a different system of belief, inevitably false because it will inevitably lead to
disagreement, which causes friction and even war. It is this common belief, this belief that by working
together peace can be obtained, that the Harmonium places at the very center of their organization.

Unfortunately, there are many folk that resist the Harmonium, regardless of the truth of their cause. Mostly
chaotic people who prefer strife and oppose harmony, and even many good folk who cause friction while
thinking it’s for the best. And so it’s the Harmonium’s job to educate them. Remember, disagreement is the
cause of war, and so only when everyone agrees with the Harmonium and adopts their beliefs can peace

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ever be truly obtained. Most Harmoniums will take
any opportunity to lecture the uninitiated on the
absolute rightness of their cause. They know with
an utter conviction not commonly found even
among other factions that their cause is right and
just. After all, how could it not be? The Harmonium
belief has to be right, because the Harmonium belief
is the one system that can bring an end to war.

Of course, not everyone can be swayed, and the

Harmonium recognize this. The tanar’ri are a prime
example; beings of pure chaos and evil, the tanar’ri
would never accept the Harmonium ideals – their
ways of thinking are just too different. Therefore, the
Harmonium itself has had to become a military
machine to fight their menace. That may sound
paradoxical, but it really follows quite naturally from
their beliefs. After all, doesn’t the Book of the
Harmonium warn that difference of belief inevitably
leads to war? And cannot peace only be achieved
when the multiverse all accepts the truth of the
Harmonium and accepts a common belief? While
these facts are obvious, who thinks the tanar’ri will
ever accept law and good? Will the slaadi ever
conform to the truth of harmony through
cooperation? No, they never will. Thus, they must
be dealt with in the only way possible: through force
of arms. Simply put, to bring about peace, first you
must defeat the warmongers. The Harmonium will
bring peace about, and will pay any price to get it. If
bringing about peace means thumping heads, then
the Harmonium is willing to thump heads. Every
time the Harmonium defeats an enemy, there's one
fewer person opposed to peace, one less barrier to
the universal harmony that the multiverse is
destined to have. They’ll bring about peace to the multiverse, even if they have to wade through every god-
forsaken layer of the Abyss and defeat every tanar’ri to do it. It’s a nigh-impossible task, but they’re trying
anyway – even if it kills them.

Brief History
The Harmonium has been around for about five centuries in total, but has only had a strong presence in the
planes for the last three. It started five hundred years ago on a prime world called Ortho. It was there that a
group of adventurers calling themselves the Knights of Harmony set out to “rid the country of chaos and bring
peace to the land.” It was a simple goal, one that many adventurers aspire to, but unlike most adventurers,
the Knights of Harmony actually succeeded. And once they’d brought peace and harmony to their own
country, they set out to do the same to other countries. And after those, still more.

It was hard work, and sometimes the Knights even found themselves fighting others that were good and
lawful. They were saddened by these misunderstandings; how could two peoples, both essentially good and
lawful, fight each other over what in the end were small details? It seemed to them that only when a people
were united could they ever truly be at peace, and they wanted the peace on Ortho to last, even after their
time had passed. But how could they ensure that the countries of their world wouldn’t squabble and fight
among themselves ever again?

The Knights had become quite famous, legends in their own time, and so they began to exert their political
power. As they vanquished evil after evil, the kings of Ortho swore allegiance to them. Wherever a king would
not pledge himself, the Knights found a noble that would, and supported their claim to the throne. In time, the
Knights of Harmony united all of the planet, even the so-called “monster races” such as the beholders, under
one banner, so that the peace they created would last forever. This government they called the Harmonium.

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In time, the Knights did die, but their legacy endured. For a hundred and fifty years, there was complete
peace on Ortho. But then the trouble started. Every now and then, chaos and discord would appear, and the
Harmonium would have to deal with it and put it down. After much study, their clerics and wizards determined
that the source of the chaos must be off-world, for certainly their own world was now perfectly serene and
pacified. In the end, they decided to mount an expedition to the home of chaos and evil on the Outer Planes
– the Abyss. It’s a testament to how little they knew about the multiverse that they thought an expeditionary
force would be able to set up a beachhead there, and the problem would be dealt with within a few decades.

Of course, the force was decimated by the tanar’ri and other demons. After being pushed from the Plain of
Infinite Portals to the Caverns of the Skull Goddess and back again, they retreated to a more neutral location
– Sigil. From there, they wised up on how the multiverse worked, and developed a new plan. Establishing
extensive bases on Arcadia, the plane that most closely matched their alignment and ideals, they set out to
convert other planar races, as well as others from Prime Material worlds. The Harmonium has extended its
empire to half a dozen other prime worlds now, though none are as fully pacified as Ortho, and most still have
pockets of non-Harmonium citizens.

As a faction in Sigil, the Harmonium eventually replaced the Doomguard as the city's police force. It seemed
an obvious fit; after all, enforcement of the peace through strength is both the definition of a police officer’s
job and the definition of the Harmonium’s philosophy. Yet in the City of Doors they ran into much resistance,
with the first problem being the Free League. The Indeps held nearly the exact opposite philosophy of the
Harmonium, and it doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that friction would quickly develop between the two. The
Indeps were the ones to give Harmonium members the nickname “Hardheads,” one that they went on to
adopt with pride. Over the next few hundred years, the hate between the two continued to intensify, so that
eventually some Hardheads began arresting Indeps for no reason other than being Indeps. Generally, the
charge was “disturbing the peace,” which they considered perfectly accurate, philosophically speaking.

It was also during this time that what was probably one of the most amazingly bad decisions ever in the
history of the Harmonium was made. Someone, and no one quite remembers who anymore, had the bright
idea of setting up “training camps” in Arcadia. Of course, the Harmonium had had training camps there for
centuries by this time, but these weren’t training camps for Harmonium members, oh no. They were camps
for those who hadn’t yet seen the truth of the Harmonium way. Those who spoke less euphemistically called
the training camps by what they really were: brainwashing centers. Guests at these training camps were
chaotic lawbreakers, and the goal was to turn them into born-again Hardheads. There they were forcefully
shown the error of their ways, and in the end, many died. Over time, the evilness of the camps balanced out
their good intentions, with the end result being that Menausus, Arcadia's third layer, slid into Mechanus.

Since the Faction War, the Harmonium has undergone significant changes, most for the good. After Factol
Sarin's death shortly before the War, his wife, Faith, rallied the faction and led them to victory against the
Revolutionary League, the Indeps, and especially the Doomguard. With immense support from within the
faction and the blessings of her superiors on Ortho, Faith took on the role of factol and began to reexamine
the practices of her faction.

Before the War, the Harmonium was not a popular faction. Many saw them as bullies that tried to press their
beliefs on others. And, though they do wish to convert everyone else to their way of thinking, they certainly
don’t wish to appear as bullies. Faith knows that part of that is the faction's own fault, though. She believes
that the faction let too many people in that didn't want harmony - they just wanted to beat up those that
disagreed with them. Intimidation and violence must sometimes be used as tools for achieving worthy goals,
but when they cease being tools and become the goals themselves, then that's the opposite of what the
Harmonium stands for .

Goals
Currently, the Harmonium has three goals. First, they’re attempting to get Arcadia’s former third layer,
Menausus, back. Faith has closed down the training camps that initially caused the problems there and
renewed efforts to recover the layer. Previous efforts to do so have been resounding failures since the
Harmonium were doing it for all the wrong reasons: they tried to get it back to cover up their mistakes and
save face - selfish reasons that would never get a plane to slide back to Arcadia, a plane that exemplifies
actions for the greater good. The complete loss of the third layer has wreaked havoc among the Arcadian
petitioners and caused plane-wide problems that Faith genuinely feels guilty about. She wants Menausus
back for all the right reasons - to help the rest of Arcadia - and she's spoken passionately about it, trying to

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instill this feeling into the other Harmonium officers. It's helped, and the recent battles with the modrons for
control of the former layer have been more successful, not because of any change in tactics, but because it’s
being done for all the good of Arcadians. Planar sages think parts of Menausus may be about to slide back,
and that it just needs a bit of a push - some act that truly reflects Arcadian principles.

Secondly, the Harmonium is trying to improve their image. To that end, their new unofficial base in Sigil is the
reconstructed Armory, which was vacated when the Doomguard were all but destroyed. After the faction
relocated to Melodia and Factol Faith became the new local leader of the city, the former mayor, a tiefling
named Nicolai Mabru, had to find a new job. Faith had some very definite ideas about that. See, Mabru is
one of the Harmonium’s biggest success stories. He was once chaotic and evil, but his life was saved by a
Harmonium member, and he instantly converted to the faction. He still fights against his inner nature, but in
the end he’s now a loyal, dedicated member of the Harmonium. Faith felt that Mabru would be a good
example to others, and so she funded his plan to reconstruct the Armory, which the faction uses to promote a
positive view of life under Harmonium law.

Under Mabru’s guidance, the Armory has been transformed into a training and unofficial recruitment center
(the unofficialness being stressed, so as not to anger the Lady). Indeed, it’s not even technically owned by
the Harmonium. Instead, it’s simply a private venture undertaken by Mabru, who runs things there as he sees
fit. The Harmonium have no administrative functions there, and training is not restricted to Harmonium
members. Instead, everyone is welcome to train, though training of course costs some money, and
Harmonium members do get a significant discount. Within its walls, experts in a wide variety of weapons and
fighting styles teach their pupils. Spellswords, arcane archers, lashers, champions of law, and all manner of
other exotic martial experts are willing to train students and pass on their experience. To further the
Harmonium ideals of races working together, Nicolai usually arranges to have odd races paired together, so
that dwarves and drow or tieflings and aasimar often find themselves attending the same sessions or one
teaching the other. In many ways, the Armory has become much like the Great Gymnasium, a concept many
Cagers find amusing considering the Harmonium’s distrust for the Ciphers.

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And finally, the Harmonium is turning their attentions to the neutral good and chaotic good races. They’ve
been fighting chaos and evil on their own too long, and they believe that they’d be much more successful if
only they could unite those of good alignment under the banner of law. Indeed, the Harmonium has revived
the idea of the Pax Benevolus, an ancient treaty once written by the good-aligned gods in an attempt to find
common ground they could all agree on. It was never ratified, because of sometimes vast philosophical
differences even among beings of good heart, but the Harmonium will never give up on the idea of uniting
beings of good under one belief. It’s a central tenet of their philosophy, after all. But instead of shopping it
around to the gods (who they can’t exactly walk up to and chat with anyway), they’ve been trying to get the
major leaders of the good exemplars to agree on a modified version that they hope can be used as a
foundation to unite all beings of good. Their version reads:

I: It is Wrong to Murder
II: It is Wrong to Covet What is Not Thine Own
III: It is Wrong to Commit Adultery with Mortal or God
IV: It is Wrong to Steal
V: It is Wrong to Lie or Twist What is True to Benefit Thyself
VI: It is Wrong to Sacrifice Lives to the Gods
VII: It is Wrong to Dishonor Thy Parents and Family
VIII: It is Wrong to Sully the Purity of the Upper Planes
IX: It is Wrong to Consort With Fiends

Of course, the eladrins and guardinals won’t have it, but that won’t stop the Harmonium from
trying.

Allies
The Harmonium gets along well with other lawful factions, particularly the Fraternity of Order and the Sons of
Mercy, though relations with the former have become strained over the issue of Menausus, which the
Guvners want to keep in Mechanus. Due to their alliance during the Faction War, the Harmonium is also on
very good terms with the Society of Sensation. Though the Sensates aren’t generally a very lawful faction,
their philosophy isn’t particularly opposed to that of the Harmonium, and the two factions worked so closely
together during the War that continued alliance only seems natural to them.

Enemies
In the same vein, the Harmonium is generally against the overly chaotic factions. The Free League and the
Harmonium share an intense hatred for each other since their philosophies are diametrically opposed.
Likewise, the Revolutionary League and the Xaositects are traditional enemies as well. The Transcendent
Order, while not enemies per se, have long been carefully watched by the Harmonium, who trust neither their
actions nor their “true” motive, whatever that might be.

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 The Mind’s Eye

The aged tiefling turned to stare back along the overgrown path towards what had been the sole focus of the
last few years of her life. Brushing back a wisp of gray hair from her face, Sarazh let her gaze fall over the
clearly aging manor, its ancient stone architecture merging smoothly with the newer, renovated mason-work
that its later inhabitants had supplied. This building, the Dreamhearth, had been under the care of Factor
Sarazh most of her life, an old Krigalan manor deep in the Beastlands. This structure had been a secondary
base to the Sign of One, a place from which faction members would search the cosmos in the hopes of
finding ways to further the goals of their factol, Darius the Veyl. But now Darius had been Mazed, and the
faction had fallen into disarray. The pain of leaving showed clearly in Sarazh’s blue eyes; she knew that in a
matter of hours this building would be sealed in a demiplane smaller than a thimble, at least until it was
needed once again.

After the Lady had ordered the factions out of Sigil, a meeting was called in the Hall of Speakers, one to
which all Signer highups were invited. This debate over the future of the Signers had literally lasted for days,
as seemingly all control over the faction was lost along with their factol. It was only when any chance of
coming to a consensus had seemingly died and despair began to fill the Hall that finally, Itheros spoke.

He had slowly risen from this chair, Sarazh remembered, the old human gently stroking his beard in thought,
then with careful timing he began to speak in his Prime dialect. “Fellow Signers, I would ask you to listen to
me for a few moments.” The whole hall fell silent for what may have been the first time that day as the eyes
of its occupants turned to their respective peer. “It has come to my attention that our dear friends and closest
allies, the Godsmen, have decided to leave Sigil, and retain their status as a faction. They are still strong. But
as I look around myself, I see our power falling apart. I see the glory of the Sign of One diminished by the
squabbling of childish desires. As we have spent the years arguing in this very same hall, our faction has
fallen apart around us without us even realizing it. The common berks of the Hive cannot even tell who or
what the Sign of One is anymore. We have fallen from our seats of power.”

The whole assembly watched Itheros in anticipation, unsure of what his proposal would be, but clinging with
hope to the conviction in his words. “It is now, in our greatest time of need, that I feel we should cast off our
arrogance; its burden has weighted us down for too long. I say that we merge with our allies, the Believers of
the Source. I say that together, our factions will be more than twice what we could ever have become alone!”

And that was the simply beginning of events that would eventually lead Sarazh where she was, looking at her
beloved home for one last time. Giving the Dreamhearth a final farewell, she turned and followed the
attendant down the road, wherever it may lead.

The Mind’s Eye came into existence shortly after the Faction War, a combined grouping of both the Believers
of the Source and the Sign of One. Those who gather under the name of the Seekers follow a mixture of their
parent factions’ tenets, choosing to travel the planes in search of challenges, which they believe is the path to
a new level of existence. Somewhat self-centered, and every last one filled with an over-inflated sense of
self-esteem, the Seekers view the multiverse as their personal playground. This arrogant attitude has
unfortunately resulted in a lack of popularity with the average planar, though despite first appearances they
are far from the callously detached egomaniacs that some berks would have you believe them to be.

Philosophy: Explore existence; face life’s challenges; discover yourself and the multiverse.
Nickname: Seekers, Visionaries.
Headquarters: The Outlands.
Majority Races: Half-elves, halflings, humans, shads, tuladhara, zenythris.
Majority Classes: Bards, monks, psions, psychic warriors, sorcerers.
Factol: Ombidias (NG male voadkyn Adp9 Mind’s Eye)
Prominent Members: Sarazh (LG female tiefling Clr14 (Deneir) Mind’s Eye), Itheros (LN male human Wiz7
Mind’s Eye)
Alignment: Any.
Symbol: A finely crafted sword, with a corona of flames rising from its hilt. Coiled around the blade is a
sinuous Chinese-style dragon, its scales a radiant gold, and eyes glowing intently. This combination of the
two parent factions’ symbols represents their union as a new and budding influence across the planes.

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Philosophy
If you were to ask any average planar about the
powers, they would most likely claim that they are
almighty beings, possibly beyond the ken of any
mortal, capable of changing the very fabric of
existence on a whim. Members of the Mind’s Eye
view things a little differently. As the Seekers see
things, the powers are just one rung up the ladder
from any other person, those who have come to
understand the nature of the multiverse well
enough to rise to the next stage of a natural cycle.
The fact is the Mind’s Eye sees existence as a
huge succession of circles, or rings. Every time
one of us dies, we are reborn in a new body, and
with every life we learn a little bit more about the
path to cosmic truth. It may take countless
lifetimes for a soul to move on, but given the time
and disposition, anyone can pass that final
boundary into the next level of existence. The
Seekers believe the only way to travel up this
ladder is to embrace and attempt as many of the
countless challenges and opportunities that life
presents you with as possible.

The challenges that one is presented with during

each life are countless, coming in almost any
form; some are blatantly obvious while others will
pass you by without you ever knowing it. To fail a
challenge in the conventional sense is not the
issue, for even in failure experience, and therefore
knowledge, is gained. By the Seeker line of
thought there was no failure to begin with; the
only true failure is in not proving your worth. While
one who truly follows the path of the Seeker will
be rewarded with a higher state of existence,
those who stray away from it may be shown their
error by moving backwards and living their next life as a lemure or any other virtually mindless being.

There is no set path to enlightenment for every faction member; such a path is a very personal one. One of
the main challenges for a budding Seeker is to find their own route to the next stage. While one may find their
path in the simplicity and primal nature of battle and warfare, another may find it in the intricacies of sculpture
or any other art form. For this reason, Seekers believe that others should be helped and encouraged to find
and follow their own paths, in the hopes that all can eventually fulfill their potential and arise as new powers.

Because the members of the Mind’s Eye see existence as one huge challenge, many have come to consider
the planes to exist purely for themselves. Everything that they encounter is there as part of their own
personal series of tests, therefore only existing to mold them into their final state of enlightenment, bit by bit.
This has led to a reputation of self-centeredness for the faction’s members, and although this isn’t strictly
true, there is still an obvious level of detachment surrounding most Seekers. This attitude is almost certainly
descended from their predecessor, the Sign of One, a faction who by the time of the Faction War had come
to view themselves as virtually deities due to their ability to manipulate reality by will alone.

The important issue to remember is that according to the Seekers, all beings have this potential deeply
ingrained in their very souls. Even the lowliest maggot has a chance of transcending, no matter how many
stages away from such a goal it may appear. Because of this, all beings should be given a certain level of
respect, as for all you know they may be on the very threshold of enlightenment. Every being goes through its
various lives in a massive cosmic test to prove his value, rising and falling in relation to each life’s
demonstration of worth.

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Brief history
The Mind’s Eye was originally formed from the Believers of the Source and the Sign of One, two of the fifteen
factions to take up place in Sigil after the Great Upheaval. The Believers of the Source, or Godsmen, as they
were commonly known, were formed by Perrine, an athlete and philosopher who considered the possibility
that an individual’s success and achievement in one pursuit may be in fact affected by past actions, which
may at first glance appear unrelated. He eventually chose to found a group based around this theory, hoping
to discover if following a certain sequence of actions could in turn produce only good results.

Around the same time as these embryonic Godsmen were beginning to form, an older society known as the
Sign of One had started to flourish. Originally based around the revelations of a woman named Rilith, the
faction encouraged members to spend their time teaching the benefits of positive thought, and how it could
influence the surroundings of an individual, if concentrated on a single purpose. Despite this seemingly
harmless ideal, the focus of the Signers, as they were known, was changing. They gradually began to
expand the uses of their reputed mind powers, starting to make dramatic proclamations of events that they
intended to cause, then drawing as much attention to the occurrence when it finally happened. Eventually the
principle of positive thought was completely forgotten, abandoned as members became self-proclaimed
gods, believing themselves capable of making anything they desired come to pass.

When the time of the Great Upheaval occurred, myriad ideological groups were winnowed to the fifteen
factions that were to dominate Sigil for the many centuries that followed. It was at this time that the Godsmen
were finally given a better-defined philosophy. Their factol at the time, Augy of Faunel, came to the
understanding that she was actually her one-thousandth incarnation, and discovered that she could recall
each and every one of her past memories. Following her new addition to the faction’s beliefs, and several
other revelations during the following centuries, the Godsmen moved their purpose to helping every living
being ascend the ladder of existence in the hopes that eventually a life itself would rise to a new level of
existence.

Both factions continued their own courses, becoming close allies, but at the same time retaining their own
beliefs, until the Faction War occurred. Just as conflicts between the factions began to reach a boiling point,
factols Vergrove and Darius disappeared. With their leaders gone, both factions individually concluded that
they had ascended to another level of existence, but like most of the other factions tried to keep their
disappearances in the dark, not realizing that this occurrence was not unique to their faction. When full-out
warfare finally started between factions, both groups were in a state of confusion. Without the factols to guide
them, all the factions began to fall apart, each accusing another of the turmoil that wracked Sigil. A few days
after the destruction of the Armory at the hands of a combined force of Hardheads, Martyrs, and Sensates,
both the Sign of One and the Believers of the Source chose to join this alliance in the opposition of the
Anarchist threat, realizing that the stability of the City of Doors was now at stake.

Eventually, when the Lady of Pain intervened and chose to cast the factions out of Sigil once and for all, the
Godsmen realized that this was possibly the catalyst they had all been waiting for. How could they
experience all that the planes had to offer if they simply stayed confined to one city? Taking the much-needed
push, they chose to abandon Sigil, intending to leave for the limitless potential of the planes. Just prior to
their leaving Sigil for good, the Godsmen were approached by the Sign of One. In recent times the strain of
keeping a faction based entirely on the ideal that every member was the center of the multiverse was starting
to have an effect. So many splinter groups had formed from the Signers that they were gradually beginning to
fall apart, each chasing their own personal objectives, forgetting the true meanings behind the faction. As a
result, the remaining high-ups chose to make an offer to merge with the Godsmen, hoping to form a new
faction by joining their like beliefs. The faction that arose from this union was the Mind’s Eye, also known as
the Seekers. Merging the philosophies of the two factions, they elected Ombidias, former factor of the
Godsmen and a voadkyn from the little-known prime world Glemayne, to be their new factol. The Seekers
chose to move out into the planes to find what destiny awaited them, ready to find the inspiration and
motivation that their predecessors had lacked.

Upon leaving Sigil, the Seekers wandered aimlessly amidst the magnitude of the planes for a time, lost as to
where to go or how to continue their plans. Gradually, after much traveling, they found that the Outlands was
the plane most likely to suit their needs, a land of unlimited variety from which they could extend their search
into the more turbulent planes surrounding it. Thus it has become the center of many Seeker journeys, a
suitable doorway to everything the Great Ring has to offer.

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Goals
The Mind’s Eye is generally a very individualistic, scattered faction. As a result, it lacks much of the structure
and influence of the more organized factions, the members being more interested in the achievement of the
individual’s own personal goals than in the overall might of the faction. As a whole, the Mind’s Eye is still in
the process of forming its plans and intentions, being currently most interested in working out its place on the
planes. The majority of the faction for the time being is located around Tir na Og, the realm of the Celtic
pantheon. This place seems to be quite an inviting location to use as a base of operations, and though there
is still some dispute, it appears for now to be a temporary power center for the faction, at least until a proper
decision can be reached. Although the Seekers are based in the Outlands, the majority of them do not stay in
one place for any extended period. Expanding their horizons, many have taken to traveling the planes as
much as possible, hoping that it will provide them with some new insight into their own teachings.

One of the main objectives of the faction currently is to try to form allegiances with several of the other exiled
factions wandering the planes, creating bonds from their similar situation if nothing else. These negotiations
are going well with the Fraternity of Order, but also with the Athar, albeit to a lesser extent.

Despite these issues, possibly the greatest problem that Factol Ombidias is being forced to deal with is
sorting out his own faction’s members, and keeping the more problematic ones under control. Some of the
Seekers still seem to cling too closely to their old factions’ tenets, unwilling to modify their beliefs in
accordance with the dramatic changes that have occurred over the past few years. This issue has not
become too major yet, but Ombidias has every intention of “nipping it in the bud” before it begins to grow out
of hand. Occasionally there are small flare-ups between those who interpret the faction beliefs differently, but
on the whole, the situation is being kept under control.

An issue that is currently being discussed is the proposal of the construction of a new faction hall. Although
not even the style or scale of such a building has been addressed, several suggested locations have been
offered. The currently most popular ones are in the city of Thebestys, which is said to have a library
containing the answer to almost any question, and an undefined location in the Hinterlands, though the latter
is only supported by the more eccentric members of the faction. Some have even suggested the notion of a
hall capable of shifting from plane to plane, an idea which would not only demonstrate the outgoing style of
the Seekers, but also make a clear statement of power to the rest of the factions.

Allies
Due to the relative youth of this faction, the Mind’s Eye has had very little time to develop allegiances, or set
up its place among the rest of the factions. Despite this, the Fraternity of Order feels a certain sense of
kinship with the Seekers, and is probably the closest group that the Mind’s Eye has as to ally to date. Seeing
many similarities between the two factions’ central beliefs, the Mind’s Eye realize that the Fraternity of
Order’s constant search to understand the laws that bind the planes together, and their own acceptance of
the tests that the multiverse presents, are not so different.

The Athar are also in the process of trying to develop a level of friendship with the Seekers. This is primarily
due to the fact that both call the Outlands home, and because of the vulnerable situation that the Athar are
currently in, now that the Lady of Pain does not protect them from the powers. Several groups of
ambassadors and diplomats have presented themselves to the Seekers in hopes of allegiance, but there is
still a reasonable level of mistrust, mainly due to the bitter rivalry between the Athar and the Sign of One prior
to their disbanding.

Enemies
Likewise, the Seekers do not have any real foes currently. They simply have not been around long enough to
be able to tread on anyone’s toes seriously enough to spark proper conflict. This is bolstered by the fact that
the Believers of the Source were generally well received throughout the planes, and although since their
disbanding this benefit has lessened to a degree, the legacy of their influence among most political groups is
still partially present today.

Unfortunately, the somewhat self-absorbed attitude of the Seekers is gradually growing into a widespread
stereotype across the planes. Although on a political level they are currently unopposed, faction members
have a growing bad reputation among the normal populace of the planes as being troublemakers. This is
gradually developing into an issue for the faction, as the numbers of those wishing to join the Seekers are
generally low.

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 The Revolutionary League

Broggo cast a peery eye over his shoulder. No one was coming. He breathed a sigh, and returned to work.
His fingers nimbly flipped through ancient leaves of paper, yellowed and dusty. He’d been at the Mortuary for
two months, and those cursed Dusties weren’t the type to wigwag. Nope, they were silent as the dead they
fawned over. But Broggo got the feeling, deep down in his gut, that they were up to something.

There were better assignments out there than this, but Broggo was still green. Someday, he’d prove his
worth to the cause, and they’ll let him hang around the Civic Festhall. Broggo was doing his level best to act
like one of the berks here. Wasn’t easy, walking through these echoing chambers in the half-light, nor was it
easy staring at corpses every day and not flinching. And the Dustmen kept as quiet as the dead, softly
creeping about, going about their business.

He needed to find some papers that weren’t written back when his grandmother had teeth. If Broggo could
get his paws on the Dead’s secrets, then he could give this pit the laugh. The Dustmen pretended they were
just law-abiding citizens, that they were a faction no more. But Broggo didn’t buy it. Broggo reached for
another pile of scrolls, lost in his thoughts.

Dirt-caked fingernails dug into his neck, as the stale air of the Mortuary was forced from his throat. Grabbing
the bony arms and slowly twisting around, Broggo stared into eyes like open graves. His tongue swelled up
like a worm in the Ditch after the rain, and his eyes rolled back into his head. He hadn’t heard the thing
coming. The dead were quiet indeed.

The Revolutionary League stands for the reversal of the present order. Operating in utmost secrecy, they
strike out against their enemies from the darkest shadows. Ask a group of Anarchists what their ultimate goal
is, and you’ll get a different answer each time. Truth is, the Revolutionary League has never been known for
unity or cohesion. The members are so paranoid they don’t even trust each other, much less agree on a
common objective. What they can all agree on, though, is that no one should be telling anyone else what to
do. Exiles, runaways, and misfits all find a home of sorts with the Anarchists, and a dream of a better
tomorrow where all folks’re free to make their own way, and face up to the darks of the multiverse by
themselves.

Philosophy: The truth can only be found once the chains of the social order are removed.
Headquarters: Carceri.
Nickname: Anarchists.
Majority Races: Chaonds, githzerai, half-elves, humans, tieflings.
Majority Classes: Fighters, rogues, sorcerers.
Factol: None.
Prominent Members: Hazrag the Shifty (NE male human Rog14 Revolutionary League), Little Miss Tempest
(CG female gnome Ftr11/Rog6 Revolutionary League), Baltazar Clearview (CN male tiefling Brd15
Revolutionary League (Committee of the People))
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Symbol: The conjunction of two curving, bladed golden designs.

Philosophy
Order is slavery. No one should be able to tell another what to do, not the city officials, not the judges, not the
rulers, not even the powers. See, an authoritarian god’s just one more taskmaster on a guy’s back, keeping
him down. The Anarchists fight to tear down all repressive structures, from the lowest toady to the highest of
the high-ups. Several ways exist to accomplish this goal, and the League ain’t shy about using just about any
of ’em. From propaganda to sabotage, infiltration to assassination, the invisible army of the Revolutionary
League fights its war with any weapon it can get its hands on. If they can just uproot all of this decaying
system, then the people will finally be able to find the truth. Why is that, you ask?

The planes, as any planar will tell you, operate on belief. If someone can tumble to the dark of what makes
them tick, then the planes truly open up for them. But that’s easier said than done, and there simply ain’t no
chance of doing that with things the way they are. A body has to be able to make their own choices, for good
or bad, to get anywhere. But no one’s going to let them do that. The folks in power, well, they want to keep it

109
that way. They like sitting on top of the heap,
and they won’t let anyone topple them
without a fight. Most poor fools don’t know
any better, and swallow any lie they’re told,
and ask for seconds. But if all you believe is
what someone else tells you, you’re never
going to find the truth. The Anarchists are
there to help you shake off those chains,
whether you like it or not. It’s for your own
good.

The Revolutionary League is open to all

alike, regardless of race, profession, or
background. Well, as long as you aren’t
lawful in alignment, that is. While some would
say that the exclusion of folks with a lawful
bent makes the Anarchists just as reactionary
as their enemies, fact is, lawful types don’t
have the thirst for upheaval that a true
Revolutionary does. Anyone else who wants
to can join up, if they can find their way in.
The best way to contact this secret society is
to make yourself visible (but not too visible).
Let your dissatisfaction with the way things
are be known in quiet conversation with
enough people, and sooner or later,
someone’ll come calling. Because of the
League’s welcoming nature, it’s provided
fellowship (structure even, paradoxically
enough) to any number of bashers who
never would have found it otherwise.

Some wonder if the Revolutionary League ever qualified as a faction, and why the Lady of Pain would let
them exist. Well, for starters, trying to figure out what the Lady’s up to will drive you mad, and if you ain’t quiet
about it, it’ll drive you into the dead-book or the Mazes. If the Lady kept ’em around, she must have had a
good reason. Some of the more introspective Anarchists or their analysts figure it was because the
Anarchists provided a place for those who didn’t have any other place to be. Even if most Anarchists listed
the Lady as one of their eventual targets, what did she have to be afraid of, anyway? In fact, a few think that
the real reason the Lady hasn’t flayed them all is ’cause she knows they’re right. So, she lets them go on,
skulking and planning with the occasional upheaval. It’s all for the greater good, and it’s not harming her rule
none. As for whether or not they were a faction, the Lady proclaimed fifteen factions back in the days of Great
Upheaval. So even if groups like the Indeps and the Anarchists chafed at the definition, they fit it better than
any other comers. And even if they operated without factols, they were still mighty big movers in the Cage.

But for all that, there’s no real unifying philosophy at work in the League. Everyone’s working towards this
perfect society, but no one’s agreeing on just what that society is. The League could’ve become a cozy little
group of old men, sitting in their comfy armchairs and rattling their mouths about this, that, and the other. But
the Anarchists don’t have time to worry about the future; what matters is right now. The Anarchists believe in
action, thinking the rest will take care of itself. Otherwise, nothing would get done. The one thing the
Anarchists can all agree on is that things need to change.

Brief History
Who knows when the League started? Not even its own members know. They’ve never been much for
record-keeping, after all. Anarchists have a tendency to look at all sorts of revolutionaries from the past and
bring them into the fold. And other folks do the same, painting all dissidents with the same stripes. But many
of these heroes never belonged to a faction calling itself the Revolutionary League. The same is true today,
for better or worse. Anytime something bad happens, the Anarchists get blamed. Everything from bar fights to
childish pranks gets laid at their feet.

110
What is known for sure is that Anarchists have operated in Sigil for a few hundred years, maybe as many as
700, or as few as 300. In that time, all sorts of havoc have been caused. Two major assassinations are the
known work of Anarchists: Factol Kraymar the Bloody of the Mercykillers and Factol Sarin of the Harmonium.
Kraymar (mustn’t forget “the Bloody”; those charged with crimes by him sure didn’t) was engulfed in a
spectacular conflagration of spells flung from several alleyways as he marched to the Prison one day. It’s
said that his carefully orchestrated assassination was not solely the work of the League, but was aided by
several Mercykillers who felt he needed to be slapped down. Sarin fell to an enchanted arrow, and his death
helped spark the bouncing keg of powder that was the Faction War.

Other victories for the Revolutionary League include Omar, the Anarchist infiltrator who made it all the way to
the top of the Harmonium. Upon his election to factol, he tried to disband the Hardheads, but they arrested
him and handed him over to the Guvners at the courts. They then handed him over to a Mercykiller
executioner and that was that. Still, it was a roc-sized feather in the Anarchists’ caps, throwing light on the
fallibility of the factions. Anarchists were also responsible for the revelation that dull little Factol Hashkar of
the Fraternity of Order was actually a petitioner, and of the Lady of Pain at that! This caused quite a ruckus in
the days leading up to the Faction War, until Hashkar was laid low by a Xaositect, and the story lost its
punch. But it certainly made the old sage more interesting than he had ever been before.

For centuries, the Revolutionary League plotted the downfall of the factions. They figured with the factions
and all their hide-bound traditions and viewpoints out of the way, the average planar in the street would be
practically free. The factions had become the symbol of everything the Anarchists hated, and all their
energies were focused on knocking them aside. Nowadays, that vision proved a bit shortsighted. Sure, the
factions controlled the functions of Sigil, but it’s not like a city without factions has no rules or officials. With
the Lady’s Edict, the League’s dreams came true; the squabbling of the factions finally ended with the Lady
of Pain stepping in and saying through her dabus mouthpiece, “Pike it, berks, or you’ll get yours!” And the
factions went away, just like that, though they seem to only be biding their time, waiting for the Lady to
change her mind.

So the League got what it wanted, right? If only. After they were done patting themselves on the back, they
started looking around and asked, “Now what?” No answer has been forthcoming. And truth be told, the
League had a lot to do with the current state of affairs. They stoked the flames, spread the rumors, lied,
cajoled and killed to keep the Faction War rolling right along. Good for them; they did what they set out to do.
Now they’re dusting themselves off, and haven’t got the first clue what to do next. See, they had been
operating under the idea that philosophizing could wait for so long, their rusty brains can’t get back into the
habit too quickly. The hated factions have been kicked out of Sigil, but nothing much seems to have changed.
There are still courts; there are still those who’ll beat you down soon as look at you; there are still fat
merchants with their fat fingers worming into every slice of pie. And as successful as the Faction War was,
the Lady sent the top-shelf Anarchists to the Mazes, leaving what little leadership they had in shambles.

So, when word came down from the Lady, the Anarchists bolted to their hidey-hole in the first layer of Carceri,
almost to the one. Nestled amongst the prisons of Othrys, the Bastion of Last Hope squats like a big, stony
toad. This natural bluff is riddled with caverns and chambers, and has one of the few reliable portals out of
Carceri, connecting up to the City of Doors. This secret base traditionally operated as a safe house for
Anarchists who needed to lay low for a while. Even here, Anarchists wore masks and kept their real names
dark, for the most part. The truly desperate could go under the knife, and come out with a new face, though it
was rarely a pleasant one. Now, this den bristled with Anarchists, elbow to elbow, plotting their next step.
Some remained in Sigil or other bases, waiting for the word to come down. Many couldn’t wait for the word to
come, and ran out to cause turmoil in the meantime. In Sigil, they operate without symbol or name, but it’s
still pretty much the same.

Then there’s the Daughters of the Light. This pan-factional group formed for the purpose of quashing the
League. Membership was open to all, regardless of race, faction membership, or, despite its name, gender.
They drew members from almost every faction save the Anarchists. To them, the Revolutionary League did
not qualify as a faction, and was instead the greatest threat to peace Sigil knew. But that changed after the
Faction War. The Lady of Pain proved the League right; she revealed that the factions themselves were the
problem all along. Now, the Daughters exist to stamp out the remains of every faction but the Revolutionary
League. Some bloods say this organization is a tool of the League, always has been. Before the Faction War,
the Anarchists used them to spread disinformation about the Anarchists, making sure everyone knew how
dangerous and powerful the Revolutionary League was. Since the War, these cat’s paws have been
manipulated into finishing the job of destroying the factions and all their works. There’s probably some truth

111
to it; after all, the Anarchists are masters of the infiltration racket. Hazrag the Shifty, a guy who manages to
both swagger and slink at the same time, says it was all his idea, but he’s been known to lie before.

Goals
Many of the Anarchists are of the opinion that with the factions off their throne, planar society is on the cusp
of coming into its own. It still needs a further push, though. Obviously the people aren’t quite ready, ’cause
the blindfold’s been taken off, but they still can’t see their way. The skeletal remnants of authority remaining in
Sigil need to be smacked down, and then a transitional governing body will be put in place, made up of
members of the Revolutionary League. This new “Committee of the People” will shepherd the berks toward
the next stage of development. The Anarchists say they’ll only need to run things for a little while, until
everyone can stand on their own feet. It may be harsh, but it’s necessary.

Of course, not all Anarchists like this idea too much. In fact, some of ’em are so against it, they’ve splintered
off, and are working to stop the Committee’s plans. This has become their primary focus, and fighting them
off has become a big focus of the Committee too, if they want to survive to see their master plan come to
fruition. What’ll the splinter group do once they’ve gotten rid of the Committee? Go back to doing what
they’ve always done, namely working to free planars everywhere from the yoke of law and order. They just
don’t see the point of replacing that order with one of their own making.

Plenty of Anarchists haven’t sided with either group. Some want to see how it plays out before they line up;
no point in backing the loser and getting strung up with them after all. Others think it’s all a waste of time to
be fighting amongst themselves, when there are plenty of enemies out there who don’t wear an Anarchist’s
badge. Whatever their reason for playing the middle, they operate pretty much as they’ve always done, while
they wait for the True Revolution.

Debate broke down real quick. Remember, Anarchists tend to be fighters, not talkers. The splinter group
operated in secret for a good while, but once the Committee figured out there were “traitors” in its midst, the
purge began. The fighting lasted about a week, but so many on both sides knew secrets about their own
hideouts, there was no way for anyone to hold it for long. But Carceri’s a big place, and there’re lots of places
to hide. Skirmishes are frequent, but deaths are rare. Little Miss Tempest, one of the deadliest gnomes to
stalk the planes, continuously hops between Curst and Carceri. Her tireless efforts against the Committee of
the People have won her the admiration of friend and foe alike.

Anarchists fight each other the same way they fight their other enemies. Anarchists spend most of their time
infiltrating other organizations. They keep their real faction membership close to their chests, and only their
compatriots in their cells know the dark of who they are, and what their missions are. They spread rumors,
half-truths, lies, and even actual facts. They blow things up, and they outright murder. They operate in
autonomous cells of three to eight members. At all times, they act as if they were members of the faction they
infiltrate, and that includes going on missions for them. They take what they can get from the situation, as
long as they don’t do anything to risk their cover story. When a cell grows too large, it splits, with one member
belonging to both. The high-ups belong to several cells, spiders at key points on the web, spreading orders
and information.

Allies
Friends have always been few. Nowadays, they’re pretty much non-existent. The Doomguard is crippled,
hiding out. The Xaositects have officially disbanded, not that they were terribly organized to begin with.
Course, there are still plenty of them around, possibly even more chaotic then they were before. Neither of
these groups were staunch allies, but the Anarchists worked with them on occasion. And though they may not
agree, many Anarchists admire the Bleakers’ dedication to helping the unfortunate and downtrodden.

Enemies
All factions are officially counted as the Enemy. So are the guilds, the governments, and the powers
themselves (though most Anarchists leave those to the Athar). The Harmonium are especially loathed. While
the Sons of Mercy are better than the Mercykillers were, the Martyrs butt heads with the Anarchists often
enough, and the League doesn’t like their presence in Sigil. The League also keeps a close eye on the
Fraternity of Order, even while they sit on the gears of Mechanus.

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 The Ring-Givers

“But that’s the beauty of it!”

Jeremo danced around the room at a dizzying pace, forcing Ingwe to close his eyes. The Lady’s Jester
paused after a bit, noticing the look of pain on the man’s face. A sly expression crawled across Jeremo’s
features, and he leaned in close to his captive.

“Weary of this life, Ingwe? Care to move on?” A sneer punctuated Jeremo’s sarcasm.

Ingwe struggled to open his eyes, fighting to remain conscious as long as possible, his lifeblood seeping
away from the wound to his head. With great effort he spoke. “You offer me your sympathy, even if only in
jest, which puts me in your debt. In exchange, I offer you that which you desire...control of the Ring-Givers.”

Jeremo stood silent, stunned for a moment, before giving a great shout and spinning around the room at an
even dizzier pace. “Ha ha! I won! I won!” He careened off the walls and bumped into Ingwe’s chair several
times during the celebratory dance. Ingwe felt the rope slip.

Keeping his eyes on the Lady’s Jester, one of the most powerful men now left in Sigil, Ingwe slowly freed his
hands. He smiled and whispered, “Realize that this great gift puts you in my debt, Jeremo. There will come a
time when the power you have craved will become an anchor around your neck. I can only hope that by
leading the Ring-Givers you will come to truly understand the nature of giving, before it is too late.”

Ingwe crushed the delicate talisman secreted in the hem of his tunic, calling in a favor owed to him by
another of Sigil’s elite and powerful. With a barely audible “Pop!” the former leader of the Ring-Givers
vanished from sight. Several seconds later, Jeremo finally noticed he was alone.

“Where have you gone, Ingwe? No matter...no matter... I have what I want. Now, where to begin?” Jeremo
gave a dramatic pause, one finger resting on his lips in mock thoughtfulness before breaking into more
capering and dancing. “Aha! I have it! It is always best to begin at the beginning...”

The Ring-Givers are a small but growing faction from Ysgard. Completely opposite in ideals from the Fated,
the Ring-Givers believe that everything that is given up will come back to them. Thus, whoever can give up
everything and convince the multiverse to do likewise will reap the greatest reward in true accordance of the
Unity of Rings. To the Ring-Giver, possessions are a form of limitation, and freedom from desire equates to
complete power over oneself and eventually the multiverse. Ring-Givers live only on the charity of others,
and they thrive in doing so. In a place as cold and uncaring as the multiverse, that is an accomplishment
indeed.

Philosophy: You only get as good as you give.

Nicknames: Bargainers, Beggars.
Headquarters: Palace of the Jester in Sigil.
Majority Races: Bariaurs, half-elves, humans, tieflings.
Majority Classes: Any.
Factol: Jeremo the Natterer (CN male human Ftr6/Rog12 Ring-Givers)
Prominent Members: Borghild Walsing (CG female human Sor9 Ring-Givers), Grim Arneger (CN male
human Ftr7/Rog5 Ring-Givers), Ingwe Alting (CG male human Ill14 Ring-Givers), Ragin Ravensson (NG
male human Rgr12 Ring-Givers), Voltraagh (CE glabrezu Brd4 Ring- Givers)
Alignment: Any, with chaotic and good tendencies.
Symbol: Outstretched hand with a ring in its palm

Philosophy
Freedom is the true path to power. The acquisition of material possessions dulls a person’s true potential.
The responsibilities of business and property distract from a person’s true purpose. When you have nothing,
then you truly have everything.

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Ring-Givers covet neither money nor
possessions, and rarely do they wield overt
power. They keep themselves free of debts while
living day to day on the charity of others. When
given an object, a Ring-Giver uses it as the need
arises, then passes it on to another more in
need. Rarely does a Ring-Giver keep more than
the bare essentials.

Such a lifestyle would seem self-defeating,

especially on such an independent plane as
Ysgard, where charity is considered an insult.
What distinguishes a Ring-Giver from any
common beggar in any city on any plane is a
sense of integrity and self-worth that remains in
balance. Ring- Givers don’t expect a free ride;
they gladly work for what they need, and they
lend aid without complaint. “The gods help them
who help themselves,” is a favorite saying, and
the most unlikely of creatures have given aid in
the most unlikely of situations. Stories of such
fortune have helped their philosophy spread
slowly throughout the planes.

Of all the factions, the Ring-Givers’ philosophy

has possibly been subject to the most
interpretations. People tend to embrace the core
of the Ring-Givers’ ethos – give and others will
give to you – and alter it to fit their individual
perspectives. The Ysgardian Ring-Givers
philosophy remains the best-known
interpretation: people in a community contribute
as much as they can while keeping track of
those who owe them something in return. A
wainwright mends a farmer’s wagon wheel,
knowing the farmer will bring him a bushel or two of apples when the crop is ripe. A woman cleans her
neighbor’s house when there’s a new arrival, as the neighbor did the same the previous year. When a
stranger comes to town, a family feeds him and gives him a bed for the night; if the stranger doesn’t pitch in
and help around the house the next day, the family knows they’ll be paid back all the more. Such folk hold on
to the favors owed as if they were the purest platinum, trusting their charity will be returned in kind eventually.
And they’re usually right.

Limbo and Pandemonium see a fair number of Ring-Givers as well, as it’s easier to give up everything when
you don’t have anything to begin with. While this makes those planes a bit more hospitable, Ring-Givers in
those regions are more likely to make a quick shift of perspective when it doesn’t look like they’ll be making
something for their help.

On the fields of Elysium and across regions of the Upper Planes, the Ring-Givers’ philosophy is less self-
motivated and more altruistic in nature. Believing that it is a moral obligation to give one’s all to those around
them, these Ring-Givers act to better the community as a whole. In their eyes this is the only path to the
greatest benefits for everyone, and by living by example they slowly convert the multiverse to follow their
lead. Not everyone may do so for the same reasons, but the very act of giving is enough.

Abyssal Ring-Givers have the most twisted interpretation – everyone owes them something, for one reason
or another. A Bargainer on the Plane of Infinite Portals might admire a fighter’s sword, suggesting that it
would help him keep his silence if questioned about the fighter’s whereabouts. A quasit might solicit individual
gifts from party members, implying it would “forget” the adventurer was with the others if the price is right.
Even a marilith might accept a person’s belongings in exchange for not killing them. Hardly any different from
regular extortion, the Abyssal Ring-Givers consider such gifts payment for a debt inherently owed, and that
their “gifts” of inaction can be just as valuable as active assistance.

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Brief History
Like most of the factions, the origin of the Ring-Givers is unknown, though it almost assuredly began in
Ysgard. The principles of the faction seem to have existed in different forms for a very long time, but it was
Ingwe Alting who gave it a firm philosophical foundation. In a land where brawn triumphed over brains on a
daily basis, Ingwe Alting found himself ineffective in the pursuit of glory by combat. He had no skill with a
sword and little coordination, and he lacked the strength and stature of his peers. This troubled him greatly,
for he wished to live up to the ideals of his forefathers, and by the standards of his people he did not
contribute to the honor of his clan.

Failing to find prestige through combat, the illusionist sought to win respect through another Ysgardian
tradition: hospitality. Using his magical talent to provide bountiful food and entertainment, Ingwe earned a
reputation as a wonderful host, and by offering more than was customary of his family’s resources, over time
his visitors all came into his debt. As his influence over the community grew, so did his generosity, until a
cycle of favors and repayments established him as one of the most successful men in his region.

His fame naturally spread as others attempted to follow his path to fame. True to his nature, Ingwe shared the
secrets of his success, gaining him the respect and admiration of like-minded Ysgardians. Thus, he was
eventually given leadership over the fledgling Ring-Givers and named its factol. For years Ingwe gave his all
to the faction, formalizing its ideals and guiding his fellows to understand their true meaning. Unfortunately,
the Ring-Givers became an organization of a select few precisely because of this perfectionism, and the
faction’s growth became stunted. It is believed that is one of the main reasons Ingwe “gave” the stronghold of
Skeinheim on Ysgard back to the Fated and moved the majority of the faction’s organization to the City of
Doors shortly before the Faction War.

This played into the hands of Jeremo the Natterer, who used the war to stage a coup and seize control of the
faction. In the wake of the Lady’s Edict Jeremo’s natural charisma and ambition is spearheading the Ring-
Givers’ philosophy across the Outer Planes, where its message is becoming more common, if diluted. No
one is quite sure how Jeremo is running the Ring-Givers out of Sigil; is he truly mad, or does the “Lady’s
Jester” have a special deal? Whatever the reason, it has drawn even more eyes to the Ring-Givers as the
other factions consider their position in the multiverse.

Goals
Aside from whatever the goals of Jeremo the Natterer are, the Ring-Givers as a whole have no direction or
higher purpose other than general enlightenment of the multiverse’s populace. Through their spreading their
philosophy to others, more people across the planes become accustomed to giving, which in turns reinforces
the ideals of the faction and the benefits of its individual members. Likely as the faction spreads and its power
grows, Jeremo will begin to pull his weight more and more, but in the meantime he seems just as focused on
spreading its ideals as any member.

Allies
The Ciphers have always been the Ring-Givers’ staunchest allies. Both organizations believe that action is
the key to existence, but the Ring-Givers believe that giving is the only action that counts. The Ring-Givers
also have improving relations with the Sons of Mercy and the Bleak Cabal, which both find common ground
with the Ring-Givers’ dedication to giving to the community, whatever the reasons. Most other factions regard
Ring-Givers in a favorable light, as generosity begets feelings of good will.

Enemies
The Fated have long considered themselves the enemy of the Ring-Givers, but in truth, the organizations are
two sides of the same coin. One takes, the other gives. The flip side being that despite their best attempts,
the Fated always find themselves paying for the Ring-Givers’ generosity in the end. Naturally, the Ring-Givers
enjoy this relationship, despite its tendency towards competitiveness, and while a Ring-Giver will rarely speak
ill of the Fated, one would be hard pressed to find a Taker that thinks much of the Ring-Givers.

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 The Society of Sensation

Turim writhed in agony, his eyes forced wide by fear, pain surging down his nerves like burning white
lightning. The baatezu leered over his contorted, twitching form, as the imp servants slowly, almost teasingly,
peeled back another agonizing layer of Turim’s skin, a depraved smirks spreading across their monstrous
little faces.

“Stop,” the paeliryon commanded in its sickly voice, a voice that would almost have seemed appealing to the
shad were it not issuing from the obese, sagging mass of weight that was his tormentor. Drawing closer,
bringing its garishly painting face within a few inches of Turim’s face, the devil leered, gently stroking its
claws across his flayed chest, sending new jolts of agony through his body. The shad gasped for breath,
though the air around him was filled with the thick, intoxicating aura that followed his captor like a cloud of
sickly, syrup-choked flies.

“Maybe now we will talk, my dear little shad, my precious little shad,” it whispered coaxingly; “this will soon all
be over if you tell me what I want to know. You know how much I want to know, and you know how much you
want to tell me.” It licked its tongue delicately over its sharp needle-like teeth, drawing even closer. “Don’t try
to deny it. Deep down you know you want to tell me. You know that this can all end in an instant. All you have
to tell me is this one little, trivial secret and all your suffering will end.”

Turim stared back, his eyes filled with an overwhelming hatred for this obscenity, the very concept of evil
given form incarnate. It watched him calculatingly for a few more seconds, then withdrew its face, an
expression of mock disappointment splayed across the hideous, geisha-painted visage. Suddenly lurching
forward with a speed which belied its size, the Paeliryon grabbed Turim’s slender throat in one hand, ripping
him from the table which he had been tied to and with a look of malicious glee thrust its monstrous claws into
his gut, as though he were a limp straw doll. Screaming with pain, Turim squirmed in its grasp as he felt his
very body distorting, blistering as his flesh lost form slowly.

Suddenly the shad felt a jolt, as though his mind were being thrown back into a dark, shapeless void of
nowhere. Then he felt his body impact with the floor. Opening his eyes slowly as they adjusted to the light, he
saw the smooth, perfectly spherical sensory recorder stone on the pedestal upon which it was kept. Gasping
for breath, streams of perspiration flowing down his forehead, his breathing came in quick and shallow
gasps. He pulled himself from the floor consciously as several other Sensates stared in his direction, one or
two of the more senior faction members smirking to themselves knowingly.

His breathing steadying, Turim eyed the stone warily with a newfound level of respect. Maybe he would think
twice the next time he made drunken bets with his peers at the Portal Jammer. No wonder the elderly
githzerai had given him the expression she did when he requested the use of this particular stone...

The Society of Sensation goes by the basic philosophy that to truly understand something, it first must be
experienced. With this as their compass, a Sensate travels the planes in the attempt to find new experiences,
in the process coming to understand these new concepts. Although many claim them to be simply hedonists,
in truth there is much more to this path. A “true” Sensate will accept any experience short of death, no matter
how unpleasant, as they feel that whether a Sensate enjoys an experience has little to do with whether they
learn from it. As a result, while one member may be sampling expensive wines imported from an obscure
prime world, another at the same time may be testing his perseverance in the depths of an Elemental Plane,
yet both do so in the same never-ending pursuit of knowledge.

Philosophy: You can only understand the multiverse by experiencing everything it has to offer.
Nickname: Sensates.
Headquarters: The Gilded Hall in Arborea.
Majority Races: Aasimar, bariaur, chaond, elves, half-elves, halflings, humans.
Majority Classes: Bards, fighters, psions, psychic warriors, wizards.
Factol: Cuatha Da’nanin (LN male half-elf Rgr15/Eye of Da’nanin5 Society of Sensation)
Prominent Members: Annali Webspinner (CN female bariaur Ftr7 Society of Sensation), Quleine (NE
female alu-fiend Sor5 Society of Sensation)
Alignment: Any.
Symbol: A navy blue disc with a lighter metallic-blue foreground. Engraved at the top is a blank, genderless
face, prominently displaying the nose, eyes and mouth. Below the face, a cupped hand and ear are located.
The clear depiction of the human sensory organs symbolizes the unity of the senses.

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Philosophy
The Sensates are based entirely
around experience. As they would
put it, your senses are the only
things that allow you to truly know
that something exists. To know an
object exists you first must see or
feel it. To be able to comprehend a
food’s taste, you must have eaten
it. To understand the meanings of a
new piece of music, you must have
heard it. This makes experience the
ultimate teacher, and all knowledge
must therefore stem from it. A
Sensate can then apply such an
explanation to anything that can be
thought of, for every physical thing
requires the senses to be
experienced, and all mental
concepts require a connection to
physical reality, for without outside
inspiration the mind cannot
function.

Because of their ideals, the

Sensates feel that to gain and build
upon personal knowledge, it makes
far more sense to actively seek the
experiences that life has to offer
rather than wait for them to come to
you. In a lifetime a Sensate will
experience countless smells,
sounds and situations, but this will
still only be the most minute
fraction of what the planes truly have to offer. While every member is encouraged to travel the planes in
search of new experience to be found, they are also given complete access to the Sensoriums in Sigil.

The Sensoriums span countless rooms throughout the Civic Festhall, the Sensate base of operations within
Sigil, each containing thousands of sensory recorders: small, round stones that are used to store specific
occurrences or situations that a Sensate has experienced. Through these, junior Sensates can gain wisdom
from various experiences, without having to subject themselves to the dangers or difficulties of experiencing
them personally. The sensory recorders cannot be taken beyond the doorway of the Civic Festhall without
losing their magically stored contents. This feature was originally designed for security reasons, but caused
the faction serious problems when they chose to relocate to their current headquarters, the Gilded Hall of
Arborea.

Due to the hands-on style of the Society of Sensation, the life of a Sensate can be a very expensive one.
This means that the faction regularly attracts members from the upper classes, who easily have the money to
take exotic trips to any of the planes that they care to. This is both a burden and a boon to the faction. On the
plus side, a large amount of money becomes available to the Sensates, making them possibly the most
financially secure of all factions.

They are able to spare no expense in their fantastical productions of many well-known plays, hiring powerful
illusionists to supply special effects, and employing the best actors from across the planes. On the downside,
many false Sensates are able to creep into the faction, believing that it is purely about decadent pleasure, or
at least using the faction’s facilities to that end. Although many Sensates would like to have these members
cast out as the frauds they are, several are also the main benefactors of the faction. Without their financial
support, the quality of Sensate productions would plummet.

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Brief History
The Society originally formed prior to the Great Upheaval, simply one out of the multitude of groups and
factions filling the Cage to the brim. They started as a mere group of associates who would gather together
occasionally for simple amusement to help the monotony and boredom of their lives move more comfortably.
They would organize small trips across the planes, or just exchange conversation or tell tales, whatever really
interested them at the time. As the years passed, folks gradually began to hear of the group and expressed
curiosity. Anyone who was dissatisfied with their life would join for the sensations and occasional adventure it
brought. The Society enjoyed an influx of members, and as the faction grew people began to look beyond the
immediate implications of their experiences.

Some time after the Society of Sensation was established, construction began on the Civic Festhall. A small
fortune was put into this endeavor, with its huge auditoriums, lecture theaters, and training rooms. Despite
the horrific amounts of money being put into the building’s construction, those who invested in it realized the
financial potential that entertaining the masses could provide. Upon its completion, the Festhall was filled
every night with entertainments of every style and description. One evening the audience would be enthralled
by some of Sigil’s most prestigious actors performing a well-known tragedy, the next night, the bizarre and
breathtaking aerial acrobatics of a troupe of air genasi gymnasts.

As things constantly improved for the Sensates, they willingly allowed all who wished to become a member to
join, irrespective of race or background. Clueless who needed something to cling to after leaving the Prime
found the Sensates welcoming, and the faction as a whole continued to flourish. Unfortunately, in all of this
progression they had become slightly too indiscriminate in their acceptance of members. Many who claimed
membership of the Sensates were simply there for the pleasures that the Festhall provided, ignoring the true
meanings of the Society’s beliefs. Others demanded the same entertainments over and over again, never
learning to appreciate the uniqueness of each experience. These false Sensates gave the faction the label of
hedonists, and although great effort was put into the attempt to rid the faction of such frauds, this problem still
plagues the Sensates today.

All the while, other groups and beliefs had been growing, just like the Sensates. In fact the number of factions
was beginning to grow almost out of hand; every direction a basher looked, a new philosophy would sprout
from the gutter. The Lady eventually intervened in this growing chaos, demanding that there should be no
more than fifteen factions in Sigil. Many factions merged, more died out or split between several larger ones,
but all the way through, the Sensates persevered. A factol was elected to organize this more focused faction
and the Sensates, as ever, continued to grow.

Though not a strong supporter of the Faction War, the Sensates did what they could to maintain peace. In an
attempt to stop the rising anarchy, the Sensates joined with the Sons of Mercy and the Harmonium, helping
spearhead the assault on the Armory, the headquarters of the Doomguard. Afterwards, when the dust of the
war settled, they were forced from Sigil along with all the other factions. The Sensates divided, one-half
following Da’nanin and leaving Sigil, the others remaining in Sigil to help the city recover from the effects of
the war. Da’nanin’s followers traveled with him to Arborea, where they now reside in the Gilded Hall. The
majority who remained in Sigil continued to aid those ravaged by the Faction War, helping the city’s
inhabitants, and running the Civic Festhall as before.

Although the Festhall is no longer officially under their control, the Sensates still practically run it, being
fronted by the “Entertainer’s Guild”. Annali Webspinner, a bariaur of wide repute in the Cage, has been
placed in charge of the Festhall, taking care of its management on a day- to-day basis. She insists that the
Festhall must continue in its original aim, and it still provides some of the best entertainment available on the
planes. The Gilded Hall, although it actually houses fewer Sensates than the Civic Festhall, is now the seat of
Sensate power. From there Factol Da’nanin orchestrates the political maneuvers of the whole faction,
supported by a council of advisors. Although Da’nanin is technically the leader of all Senates, Annali
Webspinner runs the Festhall independently from the rest of the faction, so as not to tempt the Lady’s wrath.

While the majority of members are still devoted to the core tenets, the Sensates as a faction appear to be
taking an increasingly disturbing turn in their ideals. This problem is mainly due to the current factol. Da’nanin
was consort to the former Sensate factol, Erin Montgomery, a priestess of the Celtic goddess of healing,
Diancecht. The loss of his lover affected Da’nanin severely, and Da’nanin seems to have become a far
grimmer, introverted character since then, having taken to brooding for extended periods of time. His deep-
set dislike of both Sigil and its ruler is well known throughout the faction, though for the time being he seems
to not be acting upon it. This same attitude is slowly affecting those closest to him, as more and more

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Sensates begin to judge the Lady of Pain as a hypocritical tyrant. Such a development has caused grave
concern among the faction high-ups, and many fear that their factol must be stripped of his title if the faction
is to remain safe.

Goals
The main goal of the Society of Sensation, as ever, is still to teach others the wonders of the planes and how,
through only the senses, true knowledge can be found. Although they have politically relocated to Arborea,
the presence of the Sensates in Sigil is still a force to be reckoned with. The Lady may have banned the
factions filling political functions in Sigil, but the Civic Festhall continues to be used as the primary recruiting
center of the Sensates. It still runs the nightly performances that gave it the name it has today, and many
claim that under the guidance of Annali Webspinner, the Festhall has grown not only in power, but also in the
sheer wonder and diversity of its shows.

One primary concern of the faction is the state of their factol. Da’nanin has changed drastically since the loss
of Factol Montgomery. Though he was originally a kind, open half-elf, his passion for tales of far lands seems
to have been snuffed out, replaced by a grim determination. He has taken to long periods of silence, and is
growing increasingly harsh in his punishment of those who cross the Sensates, the once welcoming Gilded
Hall now being out of bounds to all non-faction-members, on pain of death. He seems to have developed an
air of apathy that coils around him, making his underlings edgy when in his presence. Many Sensates accuse
Quleine, an alu-fiend and closest confidant of Da’nanin, of poisoning their factol’s mind, though due to her
standing with the factol few dare to speak out against her openly.

Individual Sensates do what they enjoy most, seeking out new experiences across the multiverse,
occasionally returning to recite their tales or record their experiences. They encourage others to embrace
their lifestyle as much through friendly debate as by living by example.

Allies
The Sensates have always been very popular with the people of Sigil. Their former factol was possibly the
most influential and well-loved citizen of the Cage prior to her imprisonment, and the support of her faction
still continues, even after her loss. Because of this, the Sensates have great leverage in Sigil, and even
though they’ve been displaced to Arborea, the chances are that the average people would side with them
above any other faction.

Among the other factions, the longest-running allies of the Sensates still around are the Free League and the
Fraternity of Order. The Free League are generally seen as recruitment stock by most Sensates, though a
cannier cutter also realizes that they make indispensable hirelings due to their lack of allegiance to any
particular faction. In the case of the Guvners, the Sensates find their ideals fascinatingly intriguing, even if
they seem somewhat quaint, and are willing to ally with them if it favors both sides.

The newest ally of the Sensates, a group who they had little interest in before, are the Harmonium. During
the Faction War both factions worked closely together in the attempt to keep Sigil stable. With the end of the
war it seemed obvious to continue with such close connections, and the factions are well on the way to
becoming close partners, despite the fact that the two philosophies seem to have little in common.

Enemies
As popular as the Sensates appear to be, even they have gained enemies during their time on the planes.
They have clashed with the Sodkillers in recent years, and though they despise the Dustmen’s pessimistic
view of life, the most prominent and easily recognizable of threats is the Doomguard. The Doomguard’s ideas
flaunt the very basis of Sensate philosophy, as they implies that planes are merely decaying objects from
which nothing can be learned. What’s worse, the Doomguard have no desire to stop this decay, embracing
the entropy that they feel is the purpose of existence. The lack of desire to preserve the planes is possibly
what repels the Sensates most of all, as with the loss of any part of the planes, unique experiences will be
lost to the Society of Sensation forever. Although the Sinkers do not seem to go out of their way to disrupt the
plans of the Sensates any more than most other factions, the Sensates find them distasteful and unpleasant
company.

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 The Sodkillers

“Where’s my pikin’ money, ya little leatherhead? Ya said ya’d pay me by- “

A tap on his shoulder gave Zarn pause. He turned around to see a forbidding tiefling warrior, tapping his foot
and staring deep into his eyes.

“I want the boy or your life. Don’t make me take both.”

The powerfully built bariaur spat at Krik’s cloven feet, holding up a terrified githzerai youth with one hand
against a wall. Krik closed his eyes and prepared himself.

“Ya ain’t the pikin’ Harmonium...ya ain’t even the sodding Mercykillers anymore! Who d’ya think ya are, tellin’
me I can’t... extract a loan payment from a... a buddy o’ mine? Who’re you to even tell me ‘good day’ walkin’
by?”

Krik smiled a fanged smile, drew his short sword, and ran him through, all in one motion, giving a curt nod to
the frightened githzerai teen.

“Sodding Mercykillers? Nah... merciless Sodkillers.” He casually tossed a piece of paper on the ground and
walked away, beckoning the boy to follow. The teenager picked it up and looked at it. It read: Get him home
in two hours, safe and sound, for payment.

It was signed by his mother.

The Sodkillers are of a mind that any dilemma can be resolved with force. Might makes right. And since they
see themselves as being mighty, they see themselves as being right. The more cynical of the Mercykillers (or
simply the meaner ones) who didn’t think that the Sons of Mercy’s way would work decided if Arwyl Swan’s
Son was going to revive an old faction, so were they. This time they wouldn’t make the mistake of sharing the
reins of power with anyone, much less annoying idealistic do-gooders like the Sons of Mercy. Now they hire
themselves out as mercenaries, proving their philosophy works. They’ve already cemented themselves in
Sigil behind the cover of the Minder’s Guild, biding their time until the factions regain their status. When that
time comes, they’ll seize their goals with all of their might until they have everything they want in their grasp.

Philosophy: Might makes right.

Nicknames: Brutes, Sellswords.
Headquarters: Vorkehan in Acheron. The Tower of the Wyrm in Sigil.
Majority Races: Bladelings, githyanki, half-orcs, humans, khaasta, tieflings.
Favored Classes: Fighters, monks, rangers.
Factol: Nijul P’iuy (LN female aasimar Rng10/Justiciar5 Sodkillers)
Prominent Members: Grubby Garrin (LN male half-orc Mnk10), Tall Tally (LE male osyluth), Nagaro (LE
female human Ftr7/ex-Pal7), Coirosis (LE female rust dragon)
Alignment: Any non-good, non-chaotic.
Symbol: A rust-red colored fist on a blood-red-colored disc, surrounded by a border of green serpents.

Philosophy
Might makes right, that about sums up the Sodkillers’ beliefs. If there’s something you want, take it by force. If
there’s someone bothering you, bash them about a bit. If you don’t like someone’s smile, why tell them about
it when you can just punch them in the face? If a body keeps smiling after that, maybe he has a good reason,
or a physical defect.

Not everyone is quite that violent, and most aren’t that indiscriminate in where they aim their force. Fact is,
while a lot of the criminals released from the prison during the Faction War are now members, there are even
more members that just want to see people get punished for doing what they personally believe is the wrong
thing. A lot of ex-Mercykillers who see the Sons of Mercy as softies join up just because they want to continue
Mercykiller beliefs as they saw them. Sodkillers, more often than not, are neutral, not evil. And they don’t (for
the most part) just go around bashing everyone they see for some perceived slight. That’s too chaotic for

120
these champions of justice. Even the evil ones still see
themselves as upholding the justice they held as their ideal
before the Faction War. And the criminals have joined
because they were won over by Mercykiller beliefs while in
the prison (mostly anyway). Nonetheless, good folk won’t find
much of a place in this organization, as they are essentially a
freelance mercenary group. When they get a contract from a
higher-up, they do it, because the higher- up wouldn’t have
accepted it if it wasn’t just in his eyes. The Sons of Mercy’s
dedication to good seems perverted and twisted to a lot of
Sodkillers. They don’t see themselves as evil, only dedicated
to “real justice” which shouldn’t be clouded by either good or
evil. Of course, with the fact that the good ex-Mercykillers all
went over to the Sons of Mercy, the Sodkillers are becoming
more and more a faction of personal justice instead of real
justice.

However, conformity is a fundamental faction principle, and

the new Sodkiller factol (a former Justiciar) is trying to
eradicate all traces of personal bias in the translation of
Truth, Law and Justice. Chances are, she’ll be highly
successful. The Sodkillers are accepting of anyone who is
willing to raise a weapon for justice, assuming they don’t
pause and whine at every individual case like the Sons of
Mercy. Mercy is for the weak, and as everyone knows, Sodkillers are all about strength. The faction’s
message is popular and gaining a lot of power for three reasons.

One, it’s simple. You don’t have to wrap your head around believing in nothing, or not believing in anything
(which is somehow different than believing in nothing) or believing in Law or Chaos or Good or Evil. You just
have to believe that there is justice, and that you will mete out that justice where you see it needed. Two, with
the sudden vacuum left two years ago by the departure of the Harmonium and the Guvners, people realized
they could police themselves. And what better way to do that than to join up with people who only want
what’s best for justice? Three, the Sodkillers are effective at what they do through the Minder’s Guild, and
have been since day one. Everyone can see that. The Sons of Mercy, on the other hand, are only just
starting to get on their feet. While both represent justice, only one seems to work with any level of efficiency.
Simple, just, and effective. No preaching - results people can see and solid pay all attract more people than
the Sodkillers need. And all they had to do was flex a little muscle. Proof of their philosophy in action. Might
makes right, say the Sodkillers, and it seems that there is little argument.

Brief History
When the Great Upheaval occurred over six centuries ago, the Sodkillers were not very popular, and the
Sons of Mercy were not very strong. When they combined into one faction, they solidified their chances of
surviving. The Sodkillers gave up mercenary work to carry out punishments of the guilty alongside the Sons
of Mercy. Both began seeing things in different lights; the Sodkillers realized that just bashing heads without a
little mercy and consideration for the innocent wouldn’t improve things, and the Sons of Mercy soon learned
that bashing a few heads straightened out the people mercy did nothing for. Over time the two groups lost all
distinction, and became the Mercykillers.

As time passed the Mercykillers’ beliefs grew away from those of their predecessors, and while all members
agreed the faction’s methods were effective, some began to wonder if they had lost their true focus. Finally,
during the height of the Faction War, the Mercykillers began to fall apart, with Alisohn Nilesia gone without a
trace and brother turning against brother. Arwyl Swan’s Son rallied together like-minded faction members and
declared the Sons of Mercy revived, turning on his former comrades and their way of life in disdain. In
response, a group of around two dozen of Nilesia’s personal guards worked around the clock with little to no
sleep (which they were quite used to, being as Nilesia slept very little as well) to recruit all of the members
they felt would be willing to revive old Sodkiller practices. As it turned out, with the infighting and bloodshed
that had already spread throughout the city, there were a good number of folk interested in enforcing a little
might. The majority of surviving Mercykillers gravitated towards the new Sodkillers, making it one of the
largest organizations left in Sigil.

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In a place where celestials and fiends walk down the same streets, people easily became jaded and cynical
about concepts of good and evil. Justice was always something that mattered to the common folk, though,
and the Sodkillers offered a way to justify the things they did and eradicate what they thought was wrong.
The Sons of Mercy, on the other hand, led by some “clueless purple prime paladin or whatever” with an
idealistic view of “unified good as justice for all”, wasn’t about to win over the hardened populace of Sigil.

The Sodkillers ranks swelled, and they took up residence in the Tower of the Wyrm. They started off by
selling truth potions at ridiculously low prices to encourage repeat customers as well as to foster more truth in
the general populace. At the time, the Sons of Mercy commended the Sodkillers highly for their actions, but
shortly after the demand increased the Sodkillers raised their prices and began to hoard as much profit as
they could. Using the original profits to form the Minder’s Guild, the faction turned to mercenary work as their
main source of income. Now they are making enough profit to make a Taker envious. The Sodkillers are
gaining more converts and more power every day, and if (to a Sodkiller that’s “when”) the factions are
allowed back in Sigil, they’re ready to seize as much power as they can. Chances are, Sigil will be a
battleground at least once more before factions are allowed back in anyway, and chances are, it’ll be the
Sodkillers’ fault.

Goals
Shortly after forming the Sodkillers established a guild in Sigil called the Minder’s Guild which makes up the
bulk of their business as a front for people to hire them as mercenaries. They act as bounty hunters, and now
(unlike before the Faction War) they can act as judge, jury, and executioner without having to worry about the
Hardheads or Guvners breathing down their necks about proper trials. The Sodkillers are quickly moving their
way into positions of power throughout the city, without wasting effort on subtlety or tact. So far, this no-
nonsense approach to politics has been very effective at garnering public support in the wake of the Lady’s
Edict. While all this “forcing” business may get on people’s nerves as Sigil begins to settle, for now the
Sodkillers are enjoying an ego-tripping power grab that doesn’t let too much slip through their fingers.

Meanwhile in Vorkehan, a rogue army of ragtag petitioners, planar mercenaries, achaierai (bird-like creatures
native to Acheron), and various rust creatures attacked from below, rusting the roots of the city from within
the cube. The army, led by an achaierai named Mnarknak and an elder wyrm rust dragon named Patynara,
thought by attacking right in the middle of the Faction War they could gain the upper hand over the
Mercykillers there, who were currently locked in divisive struggle between the older Mercykillers and the new
Sodkillers. However, the attack only solidified the Sodkillers’ position by prompting the remaining Mercykillers
to sign on with the new faction. Though Mnarknak and Patynara escaped, the area is now firmly in the control
of the Sodkillers. In addition, Coirosis, an ancient rust dragon, became a Sodkiller within weeks of the attack
on Vorkehan, and the Sodkillers now have complete access to the Mines of Marsellin, where a treasure trove
of great war machines is lying frozen in iron. Thus, the Sodkillers are trying to convert bladelings and other
creatures immune to the plane’s effects to the faction so they can get access to the treasure there without
becoming a part of it.

Allies
No one really likes the Sodkillers right now, except those with no faction who don’t care that the Sodkillers are
making power grabs all over the place. They view other factions as weaklings, nuisances, or direct threats to
their power.

Enemies
There are many people who dislike the Sodkillers, but their only real enemies seem to be the Sons of Mercy
and the Harmonium, who both view the Sodkillers as a threat to the greater good. The Xaositects and the
Revolutionary League work against the Sodkillers’ interpretation of justice, and neither cares too much for the
Sodkillers growing system of enforcement. Active resistance is light so far, as the Sodkillers operate mostly
within Sigil, but hostilities are mounting.

122
 The Sons of Mercy

Looking rather foppish in purple and gold, the paladin made his way through the streets of Sigil. He was
aware of the looks he got, but paid the snickers and stares little mind. His heart was true; that was all that
mattered. Well, that and the matter of the man just to his left, who happened to be beating a tiefling into the
ground. Turning to the distinctly abusive human, he grasped the man by the shoulder. “If you stand aside,
and let me heal him, I can look the other way.”

The man hissed, “Your kind aren’t guards anymore!”, before giving the tiefling a swift kick with a booted foot.
“Go preach to a petitioner!”

The paladin sighed, drawing forth his blade. “Your life could be made so much simpler. Unfortunately, you put
me into a position where I have to make things simple for you.”

The man’s drunken blow missed the paladin, who stepped to the side and cuffed the man upside the head
with his hilt with an efficient, calculated motion. The man unsteadily drew his short blade as he recovered –
only to find the paladin’s blade in his gut. Losing orientation and consciousness completely, he fell to the
ground...

... Only to wake up a moment later under the paladin’s healing hand. “Why... why are you healing me, you
barmy... barmy?!”

The man kicked away the drunkard’s blade, saying, “Because. You have a spark.” The drunkenness faded
with the paladin’s final touch. “If you wish to speak with me for a bit, we can discuss it further...”

The Sons of Mercy are a revival of an ancient faction, reborn from the ashes of the Faction War.
Reestablished by their current leader, Arwyl Swan’s Son, they have focused on upholding justice and good
across the planes. Though they’re a bit disorganized, their hearts are pure – for better or for worse. They are
intent on bringing their brand of justice to the planes whether the planes want it or not. But rather than force
others into the fold as their predecessors did, most are content in the belief that their righteous deeds will set
an example for the planes as a whole.

Philosophy: Justice exists to uphold the greater good.

Headquarters: Bytopia.
Nickname: Martyrs.
Majority Races: Aasimar, humans, zenythri.
Majority Classes: Clerics, paladins, rangers.
Factol: Arwyl Swan’s Son (LG male human Pal17 Sons of Mercy)
Prominent Members: Dadkrilik (NG male zenythri Clr14 (Illmater) Sons of Mercy), Thasala (LG female
aasimar Pal14 Sons of Mercy)
Alignment: Any good.
Symbol: A hand reaching up to grasp a sword by the blade; indigo blood runs down over a purple backdrop.
Black edges curl around and infringe in a jagged fashion, symbolizing the ever-present threat of evil.

Philosophy
The Sons of Mercy’s philosophy revolves around “good”, the nebulous quality that characterizes the Upper
Planes. Overall, their beliefs are still in the process of forming as the faction’s membership and
responsibilities grow, but they have a few principles that form the basis for their ethos.

First off, the Sons of Mercy believe that all creatures have an innate spark of goodness. They point to fiends
that have “risen” and joined the Upper Planes as proof that no creature is truly without the potential for good.
Of course, in something like a yugoloth, you probably won’t see that spark more often than once every
several thousand years, but it is there – at least to hear them tell it. Still, most of the time a spark that tiny
isn’t worth pursuing, and they realize this. Even though most folks consider them idealistic fools, the Martyrs
are smart enough to know not everyone, especially fiends, are likely to convert, much less show a virtuous
side.

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Secondly, just as you can’t truly make a body believe
something, you can’t force someone to become good.
This is where the Sons of Mercy’s philosophy differs
from those of other, similar factions; they believe the
best method to spread good is to demonstrate its
beneficial qualities. Sure, sometimes you can stoke
that spark of goodness by forcing evil creatures to
perform good acts, but if you overdo it you’re only
creating tyranny, not spreading good. On the other
hand, the absolute wrong way to defeat evil is to go
around smiting evil souls. After all, doesn’t an evil soul
go to the Lower Planes, with the potential to become a
fiend and possibly become an even greater danger?
While sometimes evil must be brought under a blade, it
should only be done in the defense of good places and
folk, as just punishment rather than something more
proactive.

Finally, justice is only true if it serves good. Locking

folks up in prisons or executing them may be
necessary, but justice is better served if there is a good
act to balance an evil act, especially if the evildoer
reforms and performs a virtuous deed. This is the
ultimate purpose of the Sons of Mercy, and its
principles have ancient ties to the original faction. The
original Sons of Mercy believed that law was originally
created to foster good, but was perverted for evil
purposes by mortals. Justice was split from law, and so they believe that justice must be preserved by
ensuring that the innocent are freed, either by exploitations of the law or by outright sheltering. Ever since the
passage of Arwyl through the Upper Planes and his “enlightenment”, he has pushed to bring back the older
teachings, embracing them as deeply as the Sons of old did. This makes the Sons of Mercy alternately the
allies and enemies of law enforcement, passing their own judgment that often will have little to do with local
law.

Brief History
According to the pre-Upheaval writings of the Sons of Mercy, the powers – at least the good ones – gave
mortals law with the intention of fostering peace, keeping the weak from harm, and protecting people from
their own vices. But in mortal hands, law had become warped. Whether written to serve the needs of the
elite, evil mortals, or worse, the law had become a weapon against those it was meant to protect.

The answer of the original Sons of Mercy to this dilemma was when a law didn’t serve the greater good, it
was best ignored. Ironically enough, their idealism would be perverted in the alliance that would help them
survive the Great Upheaval. See, the Sons of Mercy were never a large group, and certainly not large
enough to live through the changes sweeping Sigil at the time. When the Lady of Pain proclaimed that there
would only be fifteen factions, the Sons of Mercy sought out others that would help preserve them... and
found few that shared their ideals. As their hope faded, their desperation grew and their ideals died.
Hardened by the warring between the factions, they fell in with the Sodkillers, a faction that believed any
problem could be solved by force. Though such an alliance would be unthinkable during peaceful times, it
was a time of war, and the Sons of Mercy were desperate. Indeed, they had already begun to see things the
Sodkiller way, having been forced to kill and worse simply to survive. As the Great Upheaval ended the two
groups merged, and their combined philosophy became the basis for the Mercykillers.

As the Mercykillers, they enforced justice... but often at the cost of good, and sometimes even to the gain of
evil. Justice became all that mattered, and soon the original tenets of the Sons of Mercy were all but
forgotten. During the final days of the Faction War, Arwyl Swan’s Son, a paladin from the prime world of Toril
(a “Purple Knight” to hear him tell it – whatever that means) watched Alisohn Nilesia pervert the Mercykiller
code to perform vile acts, punishing with an intolerance that rattled even the jaded citizens of the Cage. Arwyl
would bring a pure heart to the faction, however, and worked to recruit good, like-minded folks in order to
help change the faction for the better.

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When Alisohn disappeared, Arwyl took the opportunity to break from the Mercykillers with his followers,
reforming the Sons of Mercy. Reborn as they are, the Sons of Mercy have struggled to break free of their
Mercykiller heritage. They helped stabilize Sigil in the months after the war, taking up the position of city
guard and jailers in place of the Harmonium. Being green to handling the whole process, however, the
“Martyrs”, as they came to be known, could be said to be amateurs. Too many criminals slipped past them,
and often as not the Sons of Mercy would let guilty folks go due to moral reasoning. They were overwhelmed;
trying to balance their traditional role with that of both the responsibility of city guard and that of the prison
produced mixed results at best and downright incompetence at worst. After about six months, the Sigil
Advisory Council passed a motion that removed them from their hold on Sigil’s law enforcement, a motion
that many Sons of Mercy found to be a relief. Still, a number of members have stayed on with the city guard –
even though the faction doesn’t run it anymore – and it could be said that their mark has been left. Though
more draconian than when it was run by Arwyl Swan’s Son, the city guard is definitely a bit more mindful of
Sigil’s citizens than the Harmonium and Mercykillers ever were. In addition, the Martyrs continue to use what
influence they do have with the guard to press their philosophy of just punishment.

After the Sons of Mercy were removed from their chosen role in Sigil, Arwyl Swan’s Son fell into melancholy,
wondering if there was a place on the planes for his ideals. And so he journeyed to the Upper Planes, trying
to find something that would strengthen his resolve and find a new purpose for his faction. It was in talks with
the leader of the Guardians, Prince Azlan, that Arwyl Swan’s Son found his beliefs renewed, and the two
factions have since become strongly aligned almost to the point of symbiosis. As he continued his trek across
the Upper Planes, his sermons and discussions increased the Sons of Mercy’s membership and reputation.
Returning to Sigil after several years of travel, he has since published the seven Books of Mercy, containing
lessons learned on each of the planes he traveled across. While the Sons of Mercy have become fragmented
during his absence, Arwyl Swan’s Son is determined to not allow the faction to suffer the same fate as its
predecessors A large number of folk are skeptical about the Martyrs’ chances, and it remains to be seen if
their ideals will truly stand the test of time.

Goals
The first and foremost goal of the Sons of Mercy is to see true justice dealt out to those who deserve it, and
free those imprisoned by twisted or false justice. A surprising number of them have turned to the pen rather
than the blade, learning Sigil’s labyrinthine code of laws and the loopholes therein. They have worked to
defend good folk in the courtroom, as well as writing to spread the word of their faction’s philosophy. Many
Sons of Mercy, however, have kept their blades, and still work to enforce justice as per their Mercykiller roots.
Though the Martyrs aren’t as efficient as the Harmonium or the Sodkillers, virtually none of the folks they
bring in turn out to be innocent. Such Martyrs see going out and performing tasks like bounty hunting and
vigilante actions as protecting the good from evil. While there are some members using the faction as an
excuse for revenge, greed, or other less savory goals, the faction has proven surprisingly good at rooting out
the less virtuous from their number.

Nonetheless, a few members have come to the conclusion that if a good deed need be done for every evil
deed, cannot good deeds be done with money? Certainly gold can support soup kitchens, orphanages, and
more... taken from the hands of criminals and monsters. Thus, some Martyrs have turned to taking money
instead of requiring criminals to turn over a new leaf. Despite Arwyl’s protests, the practice is only growing.
After all, doing good deeds doesn’t exactly put food on the table, and some members really need a bit more
support than the Sons of Mercy provide (or so they tell themselves).

A major endeavor of the Sons of Mercy has also been to wipe out the remnants of the small armies of
undead and fiends unleashed into Sigil during the Faction War. They’re largely concerned with those that
present a menace to Sigil’s public, and have helped remove the more offensive creatures left as part of the
Faction War’s fallout. Some Sons of Mercy, particularly those that lost family or friends to the monsters, hunt
the creatures with motivations far darker than they pretend.

Arwyl Swan’s Son, in the meantime, is refocusing his efforts into trying to bring the faction together. Various
disparate groups have started to quarrel – guards versus vigilantes, competing parties of bounty hunters,
“reformers” against “punishers – and so he’s looked for an example to set for the rest of his faction. Towards
this end, he’s founded a new business in Sigil: the Sanctuary. Some have accused Swan’s Son of aping the
Sodkillers, but the truth is the Sanctuary offers services that don’t at least compete directly with the Minder’s
Guild. Rather, it focuses on actions like investigation, repossession, and other similar tasks. And if you seem
to be of a good heart to them, chances are you won’t have to pay their fees. It also provides safe haven for

125
folks of any race, faction, or moral leaning, as long as they haven’t committed an unjust action. In exchange,
guests are expected to contribute with mundane work around the Sanctuary, but for planars on run from
fiends or worse, it’s beyond generous.

Unbeknownst to Swan’s Son, a small sect is growing among the Sons of Mercy, one that claims that freeing
those unjustly held by the Mercykillers was only the beginning. See, another has been imprisoning folks
unjustly in Sigil long before the Mercykillers. Dozens, possibly even hundreds of sods are held in a prison that
they may or may not deserve.

And their jailer is the Lady of Pain.

This group believes that the Mazes can – and should – be undone. After all, weren’t good folks like Ambar
Vergrove and Erin Montgomery locked up during the Faction War? They haven’t informed Arwyl of their
activities, figuring that once they hit upon a good method to undo one of her Mazes, they can present
themselves to him. They figure that sure, while the Lady seems to be impartial and neutral for the most part,
neither equals good or just. Plus, one need only remember the destruction of the temple of Aoskar to see an
example of the Lady’s cruelty. These members know they’re walking a fine line, and don’t wish to risk the rest
of the faction. At least that’s what they tell themselves; fear of Arwyl is probably the unwritten motivation. The
trouble is, it’s awfully hard to tell exactly who’s in a Maze until you break them out...

Allies
The Sons of Mercy have found common ground with the Harmonium, even if most Harmonium members find
the Martyrs to be disorganized and inefficient despite their goals. Similarly, they’ve also found strong friends
in the Ring-Givers. Though the philosophy of either faction seems extreme to the Martyrs, they have
cooperated in works both charitable and just over the past few years with both factions. Surprisingly enough,
the Martyrs have also come to work with the Bleak Cabal, supporting the madhouses and soup kitchens run
by the Bleakers. As with many other groups, the Bleakers see them as idealists, but they haven’t precisely
complained about the helping hand, either. The truth of the matter, though, is that the Sons of Mercy have
been desperate for allies at best, and are often willing to work with any faction if they believe the means and
the ends are both pure.

Rather recently, the Sons of Mercy have come into a very tight alliance with the Guardians of Elysium, and
the two groups have been combining their efforts often enough that it seems to some that the differences
between the groups are dissolving. The Guardians were a smaller sect dedicated to the protection of the
Upper Planes, though the support of the Martyrs has helped them grow and develop – and vice versa.
Assuming no major disaster parts the two factions, it may be that within a decade or less they become
unified. If such an occurrence were to happen, it would most likely cement the Sons of Mercy’s position in the
multiverse.

Enemies
Overall, the opinion of many planars is that the Sons of Mercy are led by a prime who hasn’t ever really
become a planar. Arwyl Swan’s Son is seen as somebody trying to enforce an idealistic perspective that
might just work on a tiny continent on a tiny prime world, but will be broken over the back of the planes in a
decade or so. This has been a bane and a blessing. Though it has hurt recruitment and made them a
laughingstock in the eyes of more cynical planars, it has also permitted them to continue their activities
without garnering any major foes. While the image of the bumbling Martyr guard may soon be a major
comedic archetype in Sigil’s plays, most would-be enemies of the Sons are just as likely to write them off as a
temporary annoyance, a defect of the multiverse that will soon be corrected by the natural way of things.

Ironically, a “good” group has become the closest thing the Sons have to a foe. The Order of the Planes-
Militant has grated on the Sons of Mercy, particularly in Bytopia where they’ve been trying to recruit well
outside of their bounds. A quiet struggle has begun between the two groups for the hearts and souls of the
Upper Planes, though it may soon turn to steel if the Order of the Planes-Militant steps up its already strong
recruitment effort.

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 The Transcendent Order

Representative Holmin slapped his hand on the table, as if to emphasize his point. “We all know the factions
are sneaking back into the city! I say we throw them out before the Lady’s mood turns foul once again...
show them they’re not welcome anymore!”

A raise of an oversized eyebrow punctuated the silence as Estevan cleared his throat. “While I certainly have
no love of the factions, perhaps we should consider the benefits of their presence as well as the detriments...
what do you think, Rhys?”

The surviving factol began to rise, her eyes not meeting the other Council members as she softly spoke. “Let
them stay.” She stood up and turned away, her cloven hoof beats echoing through the small hall as she
made her way to the exit.

Rising as well, Holmin spoke up. “You can’t just walk out now, Rhys! You’re just fearful such legislation would
threaten your own, don’t you...” Rhys didn’t bother turning around as she stepped out, not missing a step due
to Holmin’s outburst.

Estevan looked over with a toothy smirk before shaking his head. “Without all nine representatives, I call this
meeting adjourned for now...” He fixated his eyes on Holmin. “... but the lady has a point. Perhaps we should
wait before deciding to declare another war so soon after the last, hm?”

Holmin fumed in silence. How was it the others were nodding in agreement when Rhys hadn’t said more than
three words?

The Transcendent Order may be the name of the faction, but it doesn’t describe the faction. Rather, the
“Transcendent Order” is what they seek, a sense of perfect harmony and unity. But they don’t seek to impose
it on others, like the Harmonium does. Instead, the Ciphers draw it from within by unifying thought and action
into an enlightened whole. See, according to them, there’s a universal harmony – a pulse the entire
multiverse beats to. And by understanding that harmony one can always find the perfect action for a given
moment.

Philosophy: Know your place in the multiverse; enact it through action without thought.
Headquarters: Elysium.
Nickname: Ciphers.
Majority Races: Half-elves, humans, tuladhara.
Favored Classes: Fighters, monks, psions, psychic warriors, sorcerers.
Factol: Rhys (N female tiefling Mnk15/Sor10 Transcendent Order)
Prominent Members: Quillabrin (N female lightning genasi Psi16 Transcendent Order)
Alignment: Any neutral.
Symbol: An orange sun rising atop a starlit sky, with a crescent moon in the foreground. Gold rims the outer
side, with slight hooks within the lower edge, and larger horns rising to frame the skies. The two sides are
balanced and joined; unity of the cosmos is attained.

Philosophy
“Cipher thought” is an oxymoron - at least according to them. To the Transcendent Order, thought is but an
obstacle to action. Act upon impulses, instincts, and one will find rhythm with the universe. To ponder is to
hesitate; to hesitate is to doubt; to doubt is to fail. All that matters is the moment; anticipating the future is
meaningless, and so is dwelling in the past.

Of course, any drunken fool can act without thinking, either with his fists or otherwise. That isn’t the aim of the
Transcendent Order; instead, they believe that ideas should be brought forth into action in a mere instant. By
merging body and mind, and balancing both, one opens up both to the multiverse and to the rhythm found
within. They call this rhythm the “Cadence of the Planes”, and once one is attuned to that rhythm, they can
understand their role and purpose in the multiverse. Once this understanding is achieved, they then need not
ever think again; they simply know what they must do and act upon it without hesitation or failure.

127
That doesn’t mean that a Cipher is always
acting. Inaction has its place in the
multiverse too, and sometimes it’s best if a
body just doesn’t get involved. Sometimes a
Cipher might come across as uncaring or
aloof, but truthfully, it’s just that they
recognize where their place is. When
confronted with less balanced folk, Ciphers
will often reflect that imbalance. Around
tanar’ri, a Cipher might be saintly. Around a
modron, a Cipher might be chaotic. This
isn’t a deliberate act, but rather, a byproduct
of their philosophy. Since they serve the
balance unconsciously, they often serve as
a counterweight to extremes in the cosmos,
reflecting them... rarely, though, do they
reflect an extreme deeply enough to
become an extreme itself. It just isn’t in their
nature.

Despite the fact their philosophy has yet to

truly splinter, it has a wide variety of
interpretations. See, one can’t really be
taught the philosophy. The basic concepts
can be taught, and development can be
tracked, but everybody’s path is a bit
different. It’s more than knowledge... it’s
understanding, and everybody comes to
that understanding a little differently... even
if the end result is often the same. Even
those without professions that require
physical strength or grace often take care of
their body, regularly training it to be in tune
with their mind. The degree of physical training varies with each member, but few neglect their forms. One
may never find balance through weakness, after all. Some merely work on maintaining and ensuring their
health, relying on a moderate regimen of exercise and abstaining from over-indulgences (food, drink, etc.)
Others focus on honing their body to the human limit and beyond, seeking a tool that their mind can unite
with no matter its need.

Three major steps of progress are codified through Cipher training. The first is a Master of the Heart, where
one learns to act without thought through a special trance... though only for short periods of focus. Then one
may advance to become a Master of the Mind, where body and mind become one, and the trance periods
last longer and become sharper. Lastly, one becomes the Master of the Spirit, where the trance replaces the
member’s old, clumsy thought processes, allowing them to come in touch with the pulse of the multiverse. It’s
said those that advance further – primarily the former factols of the faction - leave their mortal existence
behind. Some claim they become powers; others say they become intermediaries between mortals and the
nebulous entity that the Athar call the “Great Unknown”. It’s at least true that clerics of the Transcendent
Order are able to channel “Oneness”, supposedly a representation of the factols that have previously
ascended to form their own pantheon.

If a factol “ascends” in this fashion, another Master of the Spirit, and only one, feels the call to take up the
reins of leadership. However, the role is more that of a spiritual leader than an organizational leader.
Members may be more or less enlightened, but there are no real ranks in the faction other than mutual
respect (or lack thereof). Typically, the factol is the only Master of Spirit at a given time, but sometimes there
have been as many or three or four.

The Ciphers live completely in the moment, following the multiverse’s pull and generally doing what they do
best. They are not random or without reason; rather, they follow a will that outsiders just can’t get, and even
the Ciphers rarely know what the outcomes of their actions will be. No one can ignore their results, however,
as the Transcendent Order has long been a contributing force to many events, big and small, in the

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multiverse, whether they unconsciously helped another faction achieve a goal or prevented a dispute from
becoming hostile. Ciphers have a way of being in the right place at the right time, and bring the opposing
forces of the cosmos into balance without a second thought (or a first).

Brief History
Despite its age, the Transcendent Order keeps no history and no records, and rarely brags of its deeds or
stories. The trick of the matter is that to them, the present - the now - is all that matters. The past is gone, and
shall never return, and the future shall be, but neither is worth the distraction. Though they have existed for
over a millennium, actual records of their origins are scant at best. Some Guvner theories, combined with
small evidence, claim the faction originates from a figure who spent time with the rilmani and was attempting
to emulate their ways. Others point to the land of Kara-Tur on the prime world of Toril, noting similarities
between some native philosophies and that of the Ciphers. Some Ciphers seem to believe that those that
have ascended to Oneness guide them, and that the first of their kind stumbled upon the Cadence of the
Planes by singular, unguided enlightenment. Whatever the truth is, few tales are told of Cipher exploits, and
especially by their own.

That isn’t to say they haven’t done anything important. Most certainly, they have. Prior to the Faction War,
they served as mediators, smoothing over clashes and disputes between the factions. It could be said that
the Faction War probably would have happened quite a bit earlier were it not for the Ciphers’ efforts. Much of
the way the government of factions worked is due to their assistance, and they also contributed greatly to
Sigil’s current political structure. At the same time, it’s not as if they’ve worked hard at keeping the peace;
rather their own balance helps bring equilibrium to Sigil has a whole. The more advanced members of their
faction have often been in the right place at the right time to make a difference, lending their efforts with no
more of a deliberate quality than a heartbeat. Their current factol, Rhys, has embodied this “natural action” in
her conversion to Cipher thought, becoming well-liked among both those in their faction and among
outsiders. Despite being a tiefling, she’s overcome her natural tendencies towards evil and her past criminal
acts to become the most natural Cipher anybody knows.

Recently Rhys traveled to Elysium, the retreat of many a Cipher. Coincidentally, she took this sojourn just
before the Faction War broke out. Where most factions served only to stoke the fires of conflict higher, the
Ciphers helped the common folk of Sigil. Afterwards, Rhys returned to the Cage, the only factol remaining
after the war. Though they lost the Great Gymnasium and their faction status, the Ciphers focused on helping
rebuild and heal the city. Truthfully, not much changed for the Ciphers, and it could be said they weathered
the conflict largely intact. Nowadays, Rhys serves as one of the nine representatives that govern the city, and
she’s clearly one of the most influential figures in the city today... not that it concerns her. To her, the power
doesn’t seem so important, as she’s just doing what the multiverse needs her to do. Still, a lot of folks are
suspicious of her, and whisper that if she steps too far into influencing Sigil, the Lady herself will step in. In
the meantime, many factols of other factions watch her progress, curious to see how far the tiefling can go,
and just when the Lady is willing to put her words into action.

While technically Rhys is still the leader of the Ciphers (nobody calls her a “factol” anymore), her time on the
council has caused another member by the name of Quillabrin to take up the role of “Cipher representative”.
A former member of the Harmonium, Quillabrin was troubled by her inner nature as a quasi-elemental
planetouched, and never found the acceptance or peace she sought from the faction. After the Faction War,
she deserted the Harmonium for the Ciphers, and seems to have found peace in her conflicted spirit through
their path. Having become a Master of the Spirit some time ago, she’s served in Rhys’ stead during her
recent absence for the few times the Ciphers need a voice. While she hasn’t felt a “call” – at least as far as
anybody knows – Quillabrin’s development puts her as the closest thing Rhys might have to a second (or a
successor).

Goals
The first goal of every Cipher is, at least ideally, enlightenment... abandonment of hesitation and thought. It
may seem a bit self-centered, but it’s far from selfish. They believe that by becoming balanced, they thus
become able to balance the actions of others, and bring everyone closer to the Cadence of the Planes.

Rhys has seemingly inspired her faction to help rebuild Sigil, just as she has. Granted, she hasn’t ordered
any of her “followers” to do so, nor has she suggested that they should. They’ve simply followed suit.
Whether their actions are due to the Cadence of Planes or just Rhys’ charismatic presence is up for debate.

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Most Cagers don’t mind the assistance, though. After the mess the rest of the factions made, they’re just glad
to have any help they can get.

After the Faction War, many Ciphers have drifted away from the City of Doors, instead taking their philosophy
to the Outlands and gate-towns. While not quite ‘spreading the word’ deliberately, their presence does have a
calming effect. Some whisper that despite their good doings, the presence of the faction further about the
planes is actually a bad sign. They say that the Ciphers are preparing for some new disaster, one that’ll make
the recent troubles in Sigil look as small as they actually were.

Allies
The Transcendent Order’s one of the few groups that gets along with just about anybody. Often
counterbalancing other factions, they complement the philosophies of others quite well, and rarely get
involved in the kriegstanz to any serious extent. Combining this with their diplomatic and largely inoffensive
nature, few have considered them foes, and even fewer have ever confronted them.

Enemies
Of the major factions, only the Harmonium truly eyes the Ciphers with suspicion. See, the two groups are
alike in that they seek group harmony. However, while the Harmonium seeks it by converting and inspiring
others, the Ciphers do it by looking within. Thus, the Hardheads see the Transcendent Order almost as
competition. While the Harmonium desires peace for all, the Ciphers distill peace in the individual. Still, the
Ciphers have never given the Hardheads major cause to actually bring their suspicions into action... at least
for the time being.

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 The Xaositects

Walintin strode through the streets of Sigil with purpose, his robes flowing about him. He moved quickly
through the planar metropolis, prideful of his discovery. Though they did not know of him here, they soon
would, he reasoned. After all, he was the greatest mage of all Bitaun, was he not? Armies had quaked at his
arrival, and he had tamed the mighty tarrasque.

He was beloved by the three fates. All these natives seemed to have was a sneer on their lips and rude
comments regarding his hat. But he knew he'd bring them to heel soon enough.

He paused, however, as a ragtag group of young folk of all sorts surrounded him. Some of them were
obviously devil-mongrels, while others showed shades of elven and ogrish heritage. Some of them carried
buckets, while others bore long brushes. He waved his staff, trying to ward them away with a simple gesture,
but they suddenly converged, pulling at his enchanted fabrics! Thieves! Trying to summon power from his
staff, he quickly found it yanked away. Trying to gesture, he found them yanking his enchanted goods and
fabrics from him. Trying to speak arcane words of might, words that would kill them instantly, he found his
mouth suddenly filled with a colorful, foul-tasting poison. A devil-spawn, both human and fiend at once,
jabbed a pointed object between his lips.

“Paint plates shouldn't talk,” he heard a half-elf holding his arm comment sharply. All of Walintin's knowledge,
all of his experience, all helpless before his ignorance in the flow of these madmen, directed by fiendish
chaos itself. He began to laugh at the absurdity of it all, swallowing paint...

The Xaositects embody chaos, or at least try to. They are difficult to define, since they spend much of their
time working to be undefinable. That’s all there is to it. If you want to know more, have you considered
Sopworth's delicious soup? Doors usually only open one way; it's too much trouble otherwise. The ointment
is best put directly under the skin, but who wants to do that? Blackened tanar'ri smells awful, believe me. If
only there were a way to keep a pen magically wet all the time... use the speed factor and damage
appropriate to the grip. You don't like Bytopia? Don't go to Elysium, then! Well, I can if I want, and make it so.
Inquiries regarding rules should be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope and sent to Tactical
Studies Rules, POB 756, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 53147. Grick and drangle, bloeth the preen. Ful and
toothbeck, it sans the yrene.

Philosophy: There is no pattern to the multiverse, no meaning. Its true state is chaos.
Nickname: Chaosmen.
Headquarters: Limbo.
Majority Races: Chaonds, githzerai, humans.
Majority Classes: Bards, fighters, rogues.
Factol: None
Prominent Members (at the Moment): Mordigaarz (CN male human Ftr6 Xaositects), The Painter (CG
female tiefling Brd3 Xaositects), Quake Lavender (CN female half-elf Wiz10 Xaoistects)
Alignment: Any chaotic.
Symbol: The horned, crimson face of a gargoyle-like fiend on a black backdrop.

Philosophy
The multiverse wasn’t just born from chaos; it is chaos. There’s no order to the multiverse, no rules that
define its existence. The only order that exists is that which we try to impose on it, and as soon as we stop
the multiverse will return to chaos. And if chaos is the true state of the multiverse, why fight it when you can
just accept it, become one with its beauty and energy?

So goes the philosophy of the Xaositects (kay – Oh – si - tekts), and it sounds simple enough. But it’s much
harder to truly live, and embody, a force with no true direction or reason. Even the hearts of nominally chaotic
beings like bariaur and chaond have natural processes and organs that beat and function to a particular
rhythm, and truly coming to champion chaos as a force can be as difficult - and dangerous - as training one’s
heart to beat out of sync. Even slaadi have a hierarchy and path of progress. Few beings can really be said
to fully embody chaos. Some mindless creatures like the chaos beast and the teratomorph come close
physically, but even they have limitations and patterns they abide by. Xaositects aspire as best they can to

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embody chaos mentally, if not necessarily
physically. To many they come across as insane or
idiotic, but they aspire to neither. The mad are
often more lawful than one might expect, limited
more keenly by their own delusions or neuroses
than any sane person. Nor do they desire to
abandon thought, rather they desire to abandon
reason and patterns, to act in an entirely
unpredictable fashion, and by doing so, seed
chaos throughout the multiverse.

Of course, chaos should exist outside of moral

structures. Good and evil are irrelevant before its
glory. Does a storm care whom it rains lightning
down on? Chaos is random, and randomness is
arbitrary. Often the only people Xaositects are
partial to are other Xaositects, and even that's a bit
questionable. However, individual Xaositects often
impose their own moral strictures on chaos. Good-
minded Xaositects tend to desire the
implementation of positive change and
development... they tend to stir the pot where they
see corruption and stagnation, hoping their actions
will serve as a wake-up call and impetus for
change on the part of the wicked and lazy. More
evil Chaosmen tend to see chaos as a tool to be
used for their own benefit, a method for self-gain
and a weapon to be used against their enemies.

Naturally, there’s no real codified path to follow;

that’d defeat the point. Some go to Limbo to try
and learn what they can there. Others follow some of the more charismatic Xaositects for periods of time. A
few try and take up different roles or missions each day. The one thing that can be said, though, is that each
follows their own way. Sometimes that's somebody else's way, but that's chaos for you.

Though often Xaositects seem silly, it should be noted that humor is rarely their intent. If at times they come
across as laughable and nonsensical, this is a byproduct of their chaotic actions. Often things that might be
considered humorous initially might be dragged out long past being funny, or become things that are rarely
considered amusing (especially when folks start losing eyes). Still, as some bards will admit, there is a
certain artistic bent the chaotic mindset lends itself to. Some of the greatest and worst artists Sigil has seen
have been part of the Xaositect philosophy.

Brief History
While the Xaositects haven't been around long per se, perhaps only a century or so, there has always
seemingly been a group that approximates them. Older organizations such as the Order of Dis, the
Ochlocrats, the Raucous Guild, and dozens more litter the histories of the planes, few of them lasting longer
than a century. Of course, such groups have often been prominent in Sigil, sometimes gathering in greater
numbers there than they even might around Limbo and the gate-town Xaos. Most rival factions count them
under the simple heading of “trouble”. In fact, it may be the only reason the Xaositects are known as such is
because the other groups have gotten used to calling them that... and not out of any desire of the Chaosmen
to keep a stable name. Certainly, it's not unheard of for a Xaositect to refer to the faction by a totally unknown
name. Rarely do such appellations reach any sort of common usage, though it may be how the group
eventually evolves into new labels and definitions.

Trying to compile a history of the Xaositects is essentially futile. They have kept no written or verbal records -
no accurate ones, anyway - and those on the outside have difficulty telling what's really going on in any
Xaositect endeavor. More like a natural force than an organization, they've rarely taken part in pivotal events
in the City of Doors. Oh, sure, there are countless colorful tales of the Xaositects' exploits, such as the time
they assassinated the factol of the Harmonium by hitting him upside the head with an hourglass. Or the time

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the Sensates invited them to a party and ended up sparking one of the biggest riots ever to hit Sigil (with
some help from the Anarchists). Then there's the time they worked up a bunch of Karan look-alikes during the
Faction War, just to add to the chaos. There are thousands of amusing stories surrounding the Chaosmen, of
which about half might actually be true. But the Xaositects live firmly in the present. Though the Faction War
came and went, it didn't have a huge impact on them. If anything, those lost during the warring and exodus
have been replaced by a nearly equal number of bodies “inspired” by the war and the sheer confusion and
change that resulted because of it. Sure, they lost their so-called leader, Karan, but he only really led by
example in the first place... when he felt like it that is. No Chaosman has come to take the reins of the group
since Karan, and some say the Faction War has only made them more “purer” as a result. A couple of
Xaositects have led their own small groups of Chaosmen to various ends, though they're niche groups and
hardly represent any major movements within the faction.

Goals
According to most folks, the main goal of the Xaositects is to foment chaos. The trick is, having a goal means
that you're falling into a pattern, and the Xaositects despise patterns rather vehemently.

So scratch that.

Want to know what the huge, labyrinthine plot the Chaosmen are engaged in is? Ask one. You might even get
an honest answer. Doesn't make it the right answer, though. Truthfully, most plots the Xaositects might
engage in are short-term and rarely have more than a dozen members collaborating on them.

Ask Quake Lavender, and you might get a speech about how magic is the root of all things, and that magic is
naturally chaotic. She runs a tavern, but she seems to largely be involved with the spread of wild magic in
Sigil, though just as often she seems to follow random whims for days at a time. When bored, she often
tosses a spell like random action or confusion about, though whether this is deliberate is up for debate. Her
own tavern has many unusual magical “innovations”, from the tap that produces random liquor (served to
anybody that asks for “the usual”) to the fact that the business often changes furniture, layout, name, or even
locale. While her business is a perfectly serviceable tavern for the most part, there's the occasional touch that
says in no uncertain terms that “chaos was here”.

Ask The Painter, a tiefling member, what she's doing and she's unlikely to give you a straight answer. What
her actions show, though, is that she and her crew are engaged in painting across Sigil. They're responsible
for the mural in the Great Gymnasium, the one lauded as one of the greatest paintings the planes have ever
seen. They're also responsible for the horrible eyesore that's been left in the Hall of Speakers. They paint on
anything: walls, the roads, trees, spires, the primes... anything that they find handy, and with whatever
“paints” they happen to be lugging about at the time (which isn't always proper paint). Other smaller groups
have splintered off on their own, each seeming to follow their own aesthetic philosophy, and at least one is
working to try and tear down works of art created by the other groups.

Ask Mordrigaarz what he's been up to and you're likely to get the bile beaten out of you for infringing on his
turf. Ask someone from the Hive and they might mention that Mordrigaarz and his merry band are a bunch of
thugs that wander around the Hive starting brawls, which is a bad thing. On the other hand, he tends to
protect them when he thinks they're threatened – it's his job to mess with them, and nobody else's. There's a
reluctant gratitude among many Hivers for his efforts, because he's cleaned up the neighborhood to some
extent... even if his reasoning is anything but benevolent. Often he'll choose a criterion that he decides Hivers
must fit, and goes around harassing folks based on that criterion as “outsiders” (even if they actually are
Hivers). Some days it may be the color of their clothes; other days he may pick on folks for not rolling their r's
in the “proper, Hiver way”. Still, most Hivers just know to give him a wide berth and let those less wise in the
ways of the Hive get accosted by the Xaositect gang.

Ask Sister Cade and she'll give a speech on her current newfound faith. Though her faith is deep, abiding,
and downright fanatical from time to time, it is also inconsistent. She's worshipped over forty-three different
gods, and doesn't look to have settled on one yet, remaining nothing more than an acolyte. While one might
think the churches and temples of Sigil would have given up on her already, her deep faith is a much-desired
commodity... however brief it may be. Perhaps there's something special about it, or perhaps each religious
leader simply wants to be the one that finally makes her settle down.

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Ask Karan and chances are he'll chat you up for a bit of chaos-speak, and perhaps try and recruit you, but he
will always deny ever having been missing. Of course, most people never see Karan around anymore, and
most sightings are passed from a relative of a friend of a friend. Some say there's a group of Chaosmen still
going around and impersonating Karan. Others say he never got Mazed in the first place. Some say that
Karan was never a “member” to begin with, but instead is a primal force of chaos that just often wears a
similar face. A few even claim that there never was a Karan, and that he was a disguise for various
Xaositects all along (it certainly would explain his odd absences). But the truth, as with most things Xaositect,
is shrouded in chaos.

There are, naturally, many other groups

of Xaositects running around with their
various agendas. There's the group
running around and trying to forcibly
implant slaad eggs in others. There's
the group down in Menausus trying to
make sure conflict between the
Fraternity of Order and the Harmonium
sparks up. There's a group trying to go
research a way to make elementals
insane. If you can think of it, there's
probably a Xaositect that will do, has
done, or currently is doing it.

Allies
The Chaosmen may not be predictable,
but their allies often are. The
Revolutionary League and Doomguard
are traditional allies for the Xaositects,
but that's got more to do with the
chaotic tendencies of those factions
than any active attempt by the
Xaositects to court them. Truth is, the
Xaositects have been allies with nearly
all of the factions at one point or
another, but their unreliablity makes
most folks steer clear of them. More
foolish Anarchists and Sinkers
sometimes treat the Xaositects as a
destructive tool, figuring that if they can
get enough Chaosmen in one spot,
destruction and anarchy will ensue.
This sort of plot works just about as
often as it fails. The Xaositects might indeed riot, party, or go to war, but it's just likely that they'll do
something less disruptive, such as build a misshapen statue dedicated to St. Cuthbert or take a group nap.

Enemies
It isn't hard to figure out who the Xaositects are most often at odds with - the Harmonium and the Fraternity of
Order. While not deliberately opposed to the Harmonium, the Chaosmen naturally find themselves at odds
with the Hardheads, especially due to the fact one of their number was responsible for killing a Harmonium
factol. Even so, they're not taken to be as serious a threat to Harmonium unity as the Revolutionary League
or the Free League. Surprisingly, they clash less often with the Fraternity of Order. Even when the Chaosmen
stick their noses into orderly affairs, the Guvners' academic perspective often keeps them from being
dragged into outright conflict.

More recently, the Xaositects have run afoul of the Sons of Mercy. While the two groups haven't conflicted
often, the chaotic nature of the Xaositects means they often break the law, and they have run into the Sons
trying to uphold it. Just as often, though, a Son has upheld the rights of an unjustly persecuted Chaosman,
and the two groups' flexible natures has kept them from conflicting on a serious basis - so far.

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 Chapter 4: Skills & Feats
A brief blast of sound and rushing wind greeted Volund as he stepped into the room. The tiefling girl turned
towards him for a moment, her eyes wide with fear beneath the blazing Harmonium sigil upon her forehead,
before throwing herself through the open portal. Volund watched it close impassively and then turned sharply
back from where he came. In the main room heads turned away, whether to some distant corner or down at
what slop passed for food here, but everyone watched him from the corners of their eyes. The fear was
palpable, for the zenythri needed no badge to be recognized. He was Harmonium, and though surrounded by
at least a dozen men that would eagerly sell his corpse to the Dustmen, his air of authority was uncontested.
His comrades might be waiting outside, and even if they weren’t, word would get back to his faction, and then
there’d be real trouble. No, despite any advantages in numbers they might have, they were the ones afraid.

Volund took in the establishment with disdain. So accustomed to the perfection of Arcadia, the Smoldering
Corpse Bar was an ugly mesh of sharp angles, flickering shadows, and grayish-brown wood. Fortunately he
wouldn’t have to remain long, and he made his way confidently towards the impish barkeep currently doing
his best to look busy as he wiped a mug with a soiled rag. Now everyone stared in earnest, waiting to see if
he’d be hauling someone else in the tiefling’s place. Volund paid them no mind and simply levied a stern
gaze on the pathetic figure, who finally muttered, barely above a whisper “I did as ya said, gave de one with
de Hardhead mark the key. Sent ‘er where ya asked, I did.”

The zenythri leaned over the bar, subtly sliding a couple coins to the man while replying in a clear voice so all
could hear “Don’t let me catch you helping anymore runaways, Krish, or you’ll be taking her place in the
camps.” The barkeep nodded several times, but Volund was already moving to exit the bar content that
another criminal had wound up on the prison plane of Carceri, just where her kind belonged. Order was
served, and next time the little thief would take a minute to verify where a portal actually lead before making
her getaway.

New Skills
Planars are a canny bunch, and most of them eventually train in the nature of the planes to improve their
chances of survival while traveling. The skills below represent common abilities planewalkers develop as well
as new uses for old skills on the planes. Anyone can pick up these techniques, so primes can also use these
skills without penalty.

CONTROL (Wis)
Most planars agree that the forces that comprise the multiverse are mutable. Though altering the landscape of
the planes is a task best left to the powers, some planes are more morphic than others are, while a few
individuals have discovered specific techniques to modify reality to conform to their beliefs. This skill allows
you to force changes in the planes with your will.

Check: As a standard action you roll a Control check against the appropriate DC for the effect you are
attempting to produce. Subsequent checks to maintain the effect may be repeated once per round as a free
action. Only one effect may be maintained by any one creature. Different planes have varying ways in which
they may be affected and suggestions for the most morphic planes are listed below. Other effects than those
listed below can be produced with permission from the DM, though unless manipulating a highly morphic
plane a great deal of research and ranks in the appropriate Knowledge skills are likely necessary.

Special: Spell-like effects created by Control checks are manifested instantly and have a duration of one
round unless the creature continues to maintain the effect. For every round the effect is maintained the DC
increases by +1. If the creature fails the Control check or ceases to maintain the effect it fades in one round.

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136
KNOWLEDGE (Int; the planes)

The multiverse is vast, far larger than most primes can fathom. Studying every corner of the multiverse is
impossible, and proper study in this field requires choosing a few planes to focus on at a time. For every four
ranks in Knowledge (the planes) you must select a plane as a specialty, such as Baator or the Plane of Fire.
This represents special attention paid to that plane's traits, layers, and inhabitants.

Check: Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for
basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions). The DCs listed below are reduced by 10 for any
plane with which you have a specialty.

DC Task
10 You know the cosmology of the planes and the basic theories behind them.
15 You can name the major exemplar races.
18 You are familiar with the known effects of a plane (e.g. the maddening winds of Pandemonium) and
common forms of protection.
20 You are able to identify the most common inhabitants of a plane.
20+CR You are familiar with the basic abilities of the common inhabitants of a plane.
25 You know which major organizations are known to have influence on a plane.
25+CR You are familiar with the habits and weaknesses of the common inhabitants of a plane.
26 You know the elemental and energy traits of a plane or layer.
28 You know whether the water of a plane or layer is drinkable.
30 You know whether some of the material (such as plants or animals) from a plane or layer is edible.
30 You know which deities are believed to inhabit the plane.
30+ You know the histories of a plane’s major societies and cities.
30+ You are familiar with any known risks from a planar feature.
35+ You know the legends and lore of a plane’s hidden realms.

Action: Usually none. In most cases, making a Knowledge check doesn’t take an action---you simply know
the answer or you don’t.
Try Again: No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let you
know something you never learned in the first place.
Special: An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, a character
only knows common knowledge.

KNOWLEDGE (Int; factions and guilds)

This represents your knowledge of the most influential factions, sects, and guilds scattered throughout the
planes. This skill determines what you know about an organization including its philosophy, agenda, leaders,
and history.

Check: Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for
basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).

DC Task
10 You know the beliefs and known agendas of the organization, as well as its symbol.
15 You know the organization’s primary location and area of influence.
17 You know of the most recent leaders of the faction or guild.
20 You know who is known to sponsor or oppose the organization.
20 You know the basic history of the organization.
20+ You know the influence of the organization (economical, political, military, etc.).

Action: Usually none. In most cases, making a Knowledge check doesn’t take an action---you simply know
the answer or you don’t.
Try Again: No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let you
know something you never learned in the first place.
Special: An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, a character
only knows common knowledge.

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PLANAR EXPERTISE (Wis; Trained Only)
This skill represents your familiarity with the nature of the planes. You can use this skill to determine basic
information about the plane you are on (such as its alignment and elemental traits) or predict when and how
the conditions on a plane are going to change (such as gravity, ground stability, etc.) up to an hour ahead of
time. This skill is most useful on chaotic planes such as Limbo, where the conditions are constantly changing.

This skill also allows you to sense what plane a portal leads to, and gain an idea of whether the conditions of
the other side are inherently dangerous to you. This can only be done within 5 feet of a portal, and can only
determine whether there is a danger from natural conditions of the connecting plane, not whether a creature
or trap is waiting on the other side. It does not reveal what the danger is, only that there is one.

Check: You can determine various conditions of a plane or portal.

DC Task
15 Predict the conditions of a plane for the next minute.
15 Determine the elemental and energy traits of a plane, layer, or realm.
17 You know what plane a portal leads to.
18 Determine the alignment traits of a plane, layer, or realm.
20 Predict the conditions of a plane for the next 10 minutes.
20 You know whether the other side of a portal leads to an environment dangerous to you.
22 You know what layer of a plane a portal leads to.
25 Predict the conditions of a plane for the next 30 minutes.
25 You know whether a portal is permanent, temporary, or shifting.
25 Determine basic magic alterations to a specific school of magic or psionic disciplines. This only applies to
universal conditions and not modifications to specific spells.
28 You know whether a portal is one-way or two-way.
30 Predict the conditions of a plane for the next hour.
30 You know the current portal key necessary to open the portal from the side you are on.

Action: Using Planar Expertise is a full-round action. Examining a portal requires you to be within 5 feet of a
portal.
Try Again: You may make continuous checks to determine whether the conditions of a plane are going to
change. Checks to determine where a portal leads can only be made every hour.

SURVIVAL (Wis)
Though there are no cardinal directions on most planes, planewalkers make use of landmarks and other
planar features to find their way. You can use Survival to determine the general direction to a city or other
obvious landmark you are familiar with on the same layer of the plane you are on. This skill can only be used
to locate places you have already been to. If you’re on a plane where positions of landmarks are subjective,
this skill can be used to reduce the amount of traveling time to a destination.

Check: The DM makes a Survival check against base DC 20 for you to determine the direction to your
destination. If the check fails, you cannot determine the direction.
When you’re on a plane where positions of landmarks are
subjective, such as Limbo, every point by which the check exceeds
15 reduces the traveling time to your destination by ten minutes.
On a natural roll of 1, you err and mistakenly take a random
direction.
Action: It takes one minute of surveying an area and attuning
oneself to a plane to determine how to reach a destination.
Try Again: You can attempt to find a location with Survival more
than once per day. You may retry once every hour to determine the
direction to the same destination if previous checks failed. You may
not retry a check to decrease the amount of traveling time on a
plane with subjective landmarks.
Special: Untrained characters can’t intuitively determine the
direction to a location or decrease traveling time. This skill is used
normally on the Prime Material Plane as described in the Player’s
Handbook.

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 New Feats

The feats below supplement those in the Player’s Handbook and follow all rules in that book for how feats
may be chosen and how often a character may do so. In addition, some of these new feats possess an
additional prerequisite: a character region or a faction. Character regions are discussed in the Chapter 2. You
only need be a member of one faction to qualify for a faction feat (in fact, you can only be a member of one
faction at a time). If a feat has both a region and faction requirement you need only qualify for one; some
planar residents can gain the benefits of faction ideals through the conditions of their upbringing.

Some faction feats represent the training that comes from being in that faction, while others represent the
belief manifested by that faction’s principles. While most feats remain operational if a character changes
factions, those with the descriptor Faction-Dependent (representing powers granted by the faction’s collective
beliefs) cease to function if the character loses faith in the ideals of their faction or chooses to leave the
faction.

Some of the feats below are defined as [General, Fighter]. This means a fighter can use their bonus feats to
acquire one of those feats. However, the character still needs to qualify for all prerequisites, regions, and
faction requirements in order to take the feat.

Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Addled Mind Insanity 1 Add your Insanity score to your Will saves.
Amoral Cha 13, base Will save +2 bonus Gain undetectable alignment at will
Aversion Barb Nathri Your poison barb inflicts aversion
Between the Lines Int 17, Cha 17 Subtly learn someone’s secrets
Blessed Smith of Wis 13, any good alignment Weapons you create are automatically of masterwork
Bytopia quality and blessed
Eye for Treachery Wis 17, any nongood alignment Realize if someone is planning to
harm you
Focus of the Modron Int 15, any lawful alignment Increase the probability of completing some task by
ignoring everything else around you
Functional Wings Modron Outcast, Character level 6th Gain a fly speed
Honed Spikes Nathri, Martial Weapon Proficiency (armor Your body’s metallic blades deal damage with a
spikes), character level 3rd successful grapple
Improved Energy Naturally resistant to a form of energy One of your natural resistances increases
Resistance (acid, cold, electricity, fire, sonic)
Improved Razor Nathri, Character level 3rd Deal additional 2d6 damage with razor storm ability;
Storm DC increases by 1
Improved Turn - Gain +4 Turn Resistance
Resistance
Turn Immunity Cha 25, Improved Turn Resistance, Immune to any type of turning/rebuking attempts
natural Spell Resistance 20
Insight of the Barmy Insanity 1, any chaotic alignment, Receive intuitive clues from seemingly unrelated facts
permission from the DM
Finder - +2 on Search checks, increased search area
Great Finder Finder Able to find valuable objects in the most unlikely of
areas
Memory Log Modron Outcast Remember everything perfectly
Natural Protomatter Nathri You can create protomatter out of your barbs
Secretion
One with the Wild Wis 15, Cha 15, any nonlawful, nonevil Animals and plants recognize you as
alignment a friend

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Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Outsider Turning Wis 15, Cha 15, Extra Turning, ability to turn Gain ability to turn/rebuke one
or rebuke undead subtype of outsiders
Censure Outsider Wis 17, Cha 17, Extra Turning, Outsider Stun one subtype of outsiders instead of turning them
Turning, ability to turn or rebuke undead
Improved Outsider Wis 19, Cha 19, Extra Turning, Outsider Banish or rebuke one subtype of outsiders
Turning Turning, ability to turn or rebuke undead
Portal Sense Wis 13, Planar Expertise 9 ranks, ability to Gain ability to determine what type of danger a portal
see inactive portals leads to
Precondition Modron Outcast Always respond the same to certain situations
Protomatter Control 3 ranks, Ethereal Plane as a Psionic powers can manipulate
Substitution specialty for Knowledge (the planes), protomatter instead of ectoplasm
ability to manifest powers
Servant of the Bladeling, Permission from the DM You are watched carefully by the unnamed ones that
Unnamed oversee bladeling society
Self-Reliance - Gain one extra skill point each level
Static Spell Any lawful alignment Remove random variables from spells
The Stuff of Legends Str 13, Con 13, Endurance Str and Con based checks are influenced by both
abilities
True Name Lore Int 15, Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks, Use the basics of a creature’s True Name against them
base Will save bonus +4
Twitch Dex 15, Improved Initiative React normally during a surprise round
Unhealthy Fixation Insanity 1 Add your Insanity score to your Wisdom-based skills.
Wild Spell Int 15, Spellcraft 9 ranks, base Will save Randomly modify a spell’s caster level, with the chance
bonus +4 of causing a wild surge

Athar Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Condemnation - Impose a -4 penalty to some skill checks of a divine
agent
Blasphemous Cha 15, Condemnation Make distracting sermons to divine spellcasters
Presence
Heretic’s Strike Condemnation, base attack bonus +6 Attacks ignore divine protections
Counter-Indoctrinate Diplomacy 9 ranks, Knowledge (factions Gradually convince someone that they’re better off
and guilds) or (religion) 9 ranks without their faction/religion
Parting the Veil Knowledge (religion) 9 ranks, access to a Cast domain spells spontaneously
domain
Slippery - +1 bonus against mind-influencing effects, +2 bonus
on Escape Artist checks
Deny Edict Iron Will, Slippery Become immune to compulsion effects
Faithless Blessing - +1 bonus against divine spells
Faithless Miracle Faithless Blessing, character level 6th Gain spell resistance against divine magic

140
Bleak Cabal Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Addled Mind Insanity 1 Add your Insanity score to your Will saves.
Detached Wis 15 Gain 1⁄2 Wis modifier bonus to saves when taking only
a standard action
Helping Hand Heal 6 ranks, base Will save bonus +3 +1 on Heal checks, +1 to caster level for healing spells
and class abilities
Insight of the Barmy Insanity 1, any chaotic alignment, Receive intuitive clues from
permission from the DM seemingly unrelated facts
Manic-Depressive - Gradually move closer to insanity
Hyperactive Manic-Depressive, base Reflex save +4 While in a manic state you are
hasted for a brief period
Touched in the Head Iron Will, character level 9th Immune to madness effects
Incorporate Iron Will, Touched in the Head Absorb mind-influencing effects that are afflicting
Madness others
Unhealthy Fixation Insanity 1 Add your Insanity score to your Wis- based skills.

Doomguard Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Annihilation Spell Any two other metamagic feats Add a Con penalty to a damaging spell’s effect
Destruction - Gain luck bonus to AC and saves by refusing magical
Embraced healing
Steady Decay Destruction Embraced, character level 6th Become immune to death and
negative energy effects
Entropic Blow Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +3 Make an attack once a day that deals 1d3 Con
damage
Improved Entropic Str 13, Power Attack, Entropic Blow, Your entropic blow deals 2d3 of Con damage
Blow base attack bonus +8
Entropic Int 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +5 Score critical hits against type of creature that is
Understanding without a discernable anatomy
Sift - Determine what destroyed an object
Improved Sift Sift View an object’s destruction
Sinker Proficiency with simple and martial Gain the benefits of a weapon-based fighter feat for all
Swordsmanship weapons, Weapon Focus, base attack swords with which you meet the prerequisites
bonus +9

Dustmen Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Dead Truce - Mindless undead will not harm you
Expanded Dead Dead Truce Extend the Dead Truce to your
Truce companions
Greater Dead Truce Dead Truce, character levels 6th Intelligent undead will not harm you
Lord of the Dead Dead Truce, Greater Dead Truce, Enlist unintelligent and intelligent undead into your
Leadership, any nongood alignment army
Death Focus Spell Focus (Necromancy) +2 bonus on spell DC’s for death spells
Death Wish Death Focus, Spell Focus (Necromancy) Force people to commit suicidal acts with compulsion
spells
Numb Iron Will Become immune to spells that affect emotions
Oblivion Awaits Wis 13, Iron Will, Numb, Vision of Death, Gain a gaze attack that inflicts either a scare or fear
Intimidate 9 ranks, Spot 9 ranks effect
Vision of Death Wis 11, Spot 6 ranks Determine the condition of others

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Fated Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Borrow Style Int 15, Alertness, base attack bonus +9 Gain a virtual version of a fighter feat you observe
Deal Maker - Get a discount from merchants
Multiversal Socialite Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks Gain +2 bonus to Charisma-based skill checks with
some planars
Planar Knack Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks Gain +2 bonus to some planar skill checks; Planar
Expertise becomes a class skill
Sticky Fingers - Gain +2 bonus to checks when
stealing; gain Sleight of Hand as a class skill
Grab Magic Sticky Fingers, Knowledge (arcane) 6 Make touch attacks to steal a
ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks magical effect from someone else
Siphon Spell Slot Grab Magic, Sticky Fingers, Knowledge Regain spell slots or spells per day by stealing them
(arcana) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks from another spellcaster
Unwritten Destiny Iron Will, character level 9th Gain immunity from magical
contracts, attempts to divine your future

Guvner Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Arcane Dabbler Int 13, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks Gain detect magic and
prestidigitation at will, Use Magic Item becomes a
class skill
Intuit Pattern Int 11 Gain comprehend languages at will
Assemble Pattern Int 15, Intuit Pattern, Knowledge Gain minor creation or major
(arcana) 6 ranks creation as a spell-like ability 3/day
Minor Loophole Int 15, base Will save +3 bonus Temporarily gain a spell of up to 4th level
Bookworm Int 15, Minor Loophole, base Will save +3 Reduce the time to develop
bonus loopholes and spells by 75%
Pocket of Order Any lawful alignment Lawful spells remove any chaos from a small area
Probability Int 15 Able to add +2 or -2 to anyone’s roll
Manipulation
Evaluating the Int 15, Probability Manipulation, base Add or subtract your Intelligence modifier from an
Outcome Will save +5 bonus action to change the result
Structured Mind Base Will save +2 bonus Gain +2 bonus against probes or attacks on your
mind; gain ability to resist possession

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Free-League Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Counter-Indoctrinate Diplomacy 9 ranks, Knowledge (factions Gradually convince someone that they’re better off
and guilds) or (religion) 9 ranks without their faction/religion
Deal Maker - Get a discount from merchants
Faction-Free - Gain +2 bonus against faction-
dependent abilities
Surprise Factioneers Wis 13, Cha 13, Knowledge (factions and Able to shock faction members with your statements
guilds) 6 ranks
Insult Factioneers Wis 15, Cha 15, Surprise Factioneers, Able to make faction members focus on you with
Knowledge (factions and guilds) 9 ranks your slurs
Disenchant Wis 17, Cha 17, Insult Factioneers, Able to nullify faction-dependent abilities with your
Factioneers Surprise Factioneers, Knowledge counter-faction points
(factions and guilds) 12 ranks
Slippery - +1 bonus against mind-influencing effects, +2 bonus
on Escape Artist checks
Deny Edict Iron Will, Slippery Become immune to compulsion effects
Well-Lanned Cutter Gather Information 6 ranks, character Gain one contact in a specialized field per three
level 6th character levels

Harmonium Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Authority Cha 11, 3 ranks in Intimidate Gain command or greater command as a spell-like
ability 1/day
Branding Cha 11, Authority, Control 6 ranks, Channel the power of justice to
Intimidate 6 ranks, any lawful alignment brand criminals with magical runes
Commanding Spell Focus (Enchantment) +2 bonus on save DCs against
Spellcasting compulsion spells
Hardheaded Iron Will, character level 6th Become immune to charm effects
Joint Operation Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +6 Bypass abilities that prevent flanking and retain Dex
bonuses to AC
Lockdown Quick Draw, base attack bonus +4 Attach restraining devices on
opponents as a free action
Seasoned Officer Cha 13, Leadership Lead other Harmonium members more effectively
Renowned Cha 13, Leadership, Seasoned Officer Suffer fewer penalties when
Commander attracting cohorts and followers
Unit Tactics Base attack bonus +3 Gain combat bonuses when
threatening an opponent with allies that have this
feat

Mind's Eye Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Complete the Cycle Control 6 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 6 Be reincarnated into a planar
ranks creature after dying
Harness Divinity Wis 11 Gain cure and inflict light wounds 1/day
Cleanse Impurity Wis 15, Harness Divinity Gain restoration usable on yourself 1/day
Sacred Form Wis 17, Cleanse Impurity, Harness Become immune to some
Divinity transmutations
Descend the Wis 19, Cleanse Impurity, Harness Gain limited shapechange 1/day
Chain Divinity, Sacred Form, Control 15 ranks
Imbue Equipment Skill Focus (Craft) Gain ability to create some magical equipment
without being a spellcaster
Illusion Perception - Automatically gain save against illusions
Power of Denial Illusion Perception, Control 6 ranks Become incorporeal towards an object
Talents of the Past - Gain two cross-class skills as class skills

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Anarchist Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Anarchist Craftsmen Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks, Craft Pay 1/6 base price for making acids, poisons, or
(trapmaking) 5 ranks traps
Counter-Indoctrinate Diplomacy 9 ranks, Knowledge (factions Gradually convince someone that they’re better off
and guilds) or (religion) 9 ranks without their faction/religion
Mental Counter-Indoctrinate, Diplomacy 15 Embed secret commands in the subconscious of
Conditioning ranks, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 15 someone you’ve used Counter-Indoctrinate on
ranks, any nongood alignment
Infiltrator Bluff 5 ranks, Disguise 5 ranks, Disguise yourself convincingly as a member of
Knowledge (factions and guilds) 5 ranks another faction or guild
Confidant Infiltrator, Bluff 18 ranks, Disguise 12 Gain ability to appear as a trusted friend or advisor
ranks, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 12 to a target who will then view you in a very favorably
ranks, instruction by someone possessing light
this feat
Riot Leader Leadership, Bluff 7 ranks, Diplomacy 7 You can stir up a riot for a short period of time
ranks
Point Finger Bluff 4 ranks Subtract from Bluff checks to make target appear
guilty
Slippery - +1 bonus against mind-influencing effects, +2 bonus
on Escape Artist checks
Deny Edict Iron Will, Slippery Become immune to compulsion effects

Ring-Givers Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Ascetic Equipment value restriction Gain bonuses for discarding valuable items
Harmless Wis 11 Gain sanctuary 3/day
Punish the Wis 11, Harmless, character level 9th Reflect damage back on your
Oppressor attacker
Helping Hand Heal 6 ranks, base Will save bonus +3 +1 on Heal checks, +1 to caster level for healing
spells and class abilities
Bear the Burden Helping Hand, Improved Initiative, Heal 6 Gain ability to take damage in place of another
ranks, all base saves +4 bonus person
Intrinsic Value Wis 13, Eschew Materials Substitute costly spell components with cheaper
materials
Return of Favors - People must honor their debts
Oathbinder Cha 15, Return of Favors, Control 3 Ability to cast lesser geas on those who make a
ranks, character level 6th promise
Oathmaster Cha 17, Oathbinder, Return of Favors, Ability to cast geas on those who willingly make a
Control 6 ranks, character level 9th promise

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Sensates Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Extraordinary Sense Alertness One of your senses is honed to a supernatural level
Bloodhound Alertness, Extraordinary Sense Gain the Scent extraordinary ability
(Olfactory)
Empathic Alertness, Extraordinary Sense for two Gain ability to read auras
Awareness senses
Empathic Insight Alertness, Empathic Awareness, Gain modified vision as a spell-like ability
Extraordinary Sense for two senses
Exceptional Con 13, Alertness, Extraordinary Sense Ability damage from diseases and poisons is
Immunity (Taste), Craft (Alchemy) 6 ranks reduced by 3 points
Spectrum Alertness, Extraordinary Sense (Ocular), Gain a minor form of x-ray vision
Enhancement Spot 12 ranks
Sensorium Scholar Must have gone through every sensation Make untrained Knowledge checks, gain a +1 bonus
available at a sensorium to Knowledge checks
Communal Sensorium Scholar, character level 9th Gain insight bonus from the memories of other
Experience people
Sensory Touch - Gain ability to transfer some of your own wellbeing
to another

Sodkillers Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Eye for Injustice - Can tell if someone has committed a crime recently
For Justice Str 13, Cha 13, Eye for Injustice, Natural Make attack that deals double
Alpha, base attack bonus +6 damage against a criminal; you take half damage
Killing Blow Str 13, Cleave, Power Attack Kill enemies rather than incapacitate them
Kill Count Str 13, Cleave, Killing Blow, Power Gain combat bonuses by killing opponents
Attack
Love Thy Weapon Str 13, Cha 13, Power Attack, Weapon Gain greater magic weapon 3/day
Focus, base attack bonus +8
Natural Alpha Str 13, Cha 13 Add Str modifier to Intimidate checks and some
Diplomacy checks
Brawn over Brains Str 13, Cha 13, Great Fortitude, Natural Use base Fortitude in place of base Will for mind-
Alpha, base Fortitude save +4 influencing effects of certain level
Strengthened Spell Focus (Transmutation) +2 to caster level for transmutation spells on
Transmutation yourself
Wounding Martial Int 15, Weapon Focus, base attack bonus Leave wounds that continue to bleed
Strike +6

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Sons Mercy Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Commanding Spell Focus (Enchantment) +2 bonus on spell DC’s for compulsion spells
Spellcasting
Helping Hand Heal 6 ranks, base Will save bonus +3 +1 on Heal checks, +1 to caster level for healing
spells and class abilities
Joint Operation Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +6 Bypass abilities that prevent flanking and retain
Dexterity bonuses to AC
Know the Guilty Heart Sense Motive 12 ranks Gain ability to hear guilty consciences
Lightning Justice Empower Spell, Spellcraft 10 ranks +1 bonus on spell DCs for electricity spells,
empower an electricity spell once a day without
preparation
Merciful Strike Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Knock an opponent unconscious instantly with a
base attack bonus +8, smite ability smite attack
Purity of Form Great Fortitude, any good alignment +2 bonus against the special abilities of undead;
cannot be made undead
Purity of Spirit Iron Will, any good alignment +2 bonus against the special abilities of evil
outsiders and evil spells
Unit Tactics Base attack bonus +3 Gain combat bonuses when threatening an
opponent with allies that have this feat

Cryptic Feat Prerequisite Benefit

Cadence Whispers - Receive insightful instructions
Walk the Predefined Cadence Whispers, character level 9th Gain find the path once a week
Path
Cipher Trance Concentration 2 ranks Gain one trance use a day; trance gives you +4
Dexterity
Action without Cipher Trance, Concentration 2 ranks Gain a +10 bonus to initiative roll by using one
Thought trance use
Cadence Strike Cipher Trance, Combat Reflexes, One attack becomes a critical threat by using one
Concentration 5 ranks, base attack bonus trance use
+5
Extended Cipher Cipher Trance, Concentration 2 ranks Trances last an additional 5 rounds
Trance
Extra Cipher Cipher Trance, Concentration 2 ranks Gain two additional trance uses
Trance
Improved Cipher Wis 13, Cipher Trance, Combat Reflexes, Gain additional trance use; trance also gives you +4
Trance Concentration 7 ranks Wis and Cha
Greater Cipher Wis 17, Cipher Trance, Combat Reflexes, Gain additional trance use; trance bonuses
Trance Improved Cipher Trance, Concentration increase to +6 Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma
10 ranks, permission from the DM

146
Xaositect Feat Prerequisite Benefit
Chaos Infused Any chaotic alignment Make it more difficult to identify and counterspell
your magic
Instant Chaos Chaos Infused, Combat Casting, Quicken Quicken a chaotic spell without
Spell, any chaotic alignment preparation once a day
Divert Pattern Cha 13 Gain random action 3/day
Disruptive Aura Cha 15, Divert Pattern, character level 9th Disrupt the actions of those around you with your
presence
Divert Attack Dex 13, Cha 13, Divert Pattern, Dodge, Redirect the attack of an opponent you are dodging
character level 6th to hit someone else
Finder - +2 on Search checks, search 10’x10’ area
Great Finder Finder Able to find valuable objects in the most unlikely of
areas
Riot Leader Leadership, Bluff 7 ranks, Diplomacy 7 You can stir up a riot for a short period of time
ranks, any nonlawful alignment
Unlikely Event - 19-20 are treated as automatic
success, 1-2 are treated as automatic failure

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Action without Thought [General, Faction-Dependent]
You’ve learned to react instantly, moving thought into action almost immediately.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Cipher Trance, Concentration 2 ranks.
Benefit: You may expend one of your trance uses for the day to gain a +10 bonus on a single roll for initiative. This
stacks with other initiative bonus such as from Improved Initiative.

Addled Mind [General]

Your natural insanity inhibits additional clouding of your mind, as your madness provides a more compelling
distraction.
Region: Pandemonium.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisite: Insanity 1.
Benefit: You may always use ½ your Insanity score as a bonus to your Wisdom rather than a penalty for the
purposes of making Will saves.
Normal: Your Insanity score is normally subtracted from your Wisdom for purposes of Will saving throws.

Amoral [General]
You are careful to keep your moral and ethical beliefs hidden from spells.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, base Will save +2 bonus.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability undetectable alignment usable on yourself at will as a cleric of your character
level.

Anarchist Craftsman [General]

You are adept at creating nasty surprises, and know how to get the most for your money.
Faction: Revolutionary League.
Prerequisites: Craft (Alchemy) 5 ranks, Craft (trapmaking) 5 ranks.
Benefit: When creating acids, poisons, or traps, you pay one-sixth the item’s price in raw materials, rather than the
usual one-third.

Annihilation Spell [Metamagic]

Your magic uses Sinker knowledge of pure annihilation to enhance its destructive power, causing fault lines of
disintegration to accompany the normal devastation of a given spell.
Faction: Doomguard.
Prerequisites: Any two other metamagic feats.
Benefit: This may only be used with a spell that targets a single creature and deals damage. If that spell
successfully deals damage the target also suffers a penalty to Constitution equal to the level of the spell. A
successful Fortitude save (DC equal to the original spell’s DC) halves the Constitution damage (minimum 1). If the
target’s Constitution is reduced to 0, the target is reduced to dust as the disintegration spell. Against inanimate
objects or objects with no Constitution score the Constitution damage is simply added as additional damage. An
annihilation spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

Arcane Dabbler [General]

Though not a dedicated spellcaster, you have studied arcane principles enough to pick up a few useful cantrips and
to understand the concepts behind magical devices.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisites: Int 13, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks.
Benefit: You gain detect magic and prestidigitation at will as a wizard of your character level. In addition, Use
Magic Device is now a class skill for you.

Ascetic [General, Faction-Dependent]

By forsaking dependence on material possessions you have found a freedom few could understand. By putting
faith in one of the main tenets of the Ring-Givers you are able to rely on fate to carry you through.
Faction: Ring-Givers.
Prerequisite: Equipment value restriction (see below).
Benefit: As long as no one item in your possession is worth more one-tenth the starting equipment value for your
ECL (as described in Table 5-1 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide pg. 135), you have a pool of luck points equal to
twice your ECL to spend as you wish each day. Each luck point equals a +1 luck bonus that can be spent on any
roll. You must declare your luck point use before you roll, and you can only spend as many points as half your ECL
(rounded up) on one roll at a time. If you ever have an item in your possession exceeding your allowed limit, you
lose your luck points until you discard the item. If you make use of such an item, such as wearing expensive armor
or attacking with an expensive weapon, you lose use of your luck points for 24 hours after discarding the item.

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Assemble Pattern [General, Faction-Dependent]
Everything has a system - a pattern - of Orders it abides by. By understanding groups of small Orders you’ve
managed to combine bits of arcane and mundane training to create an object out of thin air.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Intuit Pattern, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability minor creation 3/day as a wizard of your character level.
Special: If you have Int 17 and Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, you gain the spell-like ability major creation instead of
minor creation.

Authority [General, Faction-Dependent]

The authority put forth by your faction has become an almost supernatural ability to bellow a command and see it
immediately obeyed.
Faction: Harmonium.
Prerequisites: Cha 11, Intimidate 3 ranks.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability command once a day as a cleric of your character level. The spell DC is
Charisma-based.
Special: If you have Cha 15 and Intimidate 6 ranks, you gain the spell-like ability greater command instead of
command.

Aversion Barb [Psionic]

You have evolved your poison with psionic augmentation to cause those you infect to recoil away from you.
Region: Nathri.
Benefit: Whenever you strike someone with your barb, they must make a Will save (DC 11 + your Constitution
modifier) in addition to resisting the poison or act as if affected by the power aversion towards you for one hour.
Special: If you are not using the Expanded Psionic H., treat infected creatures as if affected by the spell sanctuary.

Bear the Burden [General, Faction-Dependent]

You are a truly rare breed, one willing to take the burdens of others onto yourself, believing that doing so is in the
best interests of everyone in the end.
Faction: Ring-Givers.
Prerequisites: Helping Hand, Improved Initiative, Heal 6 ranks, base Fort save +4 bonus, base Reflex save +4
bonus, base Will save +4 bonus.
Benefit: You can take a standard action before or after your normal initiative (losing your next action) to take the
damage that another is about to receive and have the effects applied to yourself instead. This includes ability drain
damage and negative level damage. You must be within 10 ft. of the targeted creature, and you must choose to use
this ability before any dice are rolled to determine its success. You are automatically hit by the attack and cannot
resist the effect by any means. You must be aware of the attack or spell to intercept it.

Between the Lines [General]

You are capable of guiding casual conversations to trick others into revealing hidden information without them
really being aware of it.
Regions: Gehenna, the Gray Waste, the Outlands, Tiefling, Tuladhara.
Prerequisites: Int 17, Cha 17.
Benefit: Simply by talking to an individual for a few minutes you can pick up information without them being aware
of it. Make an Intelligence check versus a base DC set by the DM based on the importance of the information to the
character (DC 10 for personal information such as name, home, and hobbies; DC 15 for the location of where they
keep valuables; DC 20 for passwords and other sensitive information; DC 25 for closely held secrets) plus the
target’s Wisdom modifier. Use of this ability can only be used to learn one thing from a person per day, and
continuous use of this ability on the same target may result in higher DCs or hostility from the target, at the DM’s
discretion.

Blasphemous Presence [General, Faction-Dependent]

By taking a stand and voicing your disdain for the powers you are capable of undermining the devotion of divine
servants.
Faction: Athar.
Prerequisites: Cha 15, Condemnation.
Benefit: By making a successful Intimidate check as a full round action you force any characters within 30 feet that
receive power from a deity to focus on you instead of their spells. Targets that fail a Sense Motive check against the
DC of your Intimidate check must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level + your Charisma modifier) to
cast a spell or use a spell-like ability. You may continue this distraction for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your
Charisma modifier, during which you can attack and move normally but may not cast spells or activate magical
items. This is a supernatural ability usable once per day.

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Blessed Smith of Bytopia [General]
Having learned from the master smiths of Bytopia, you excel at making quality weapons.
Region: Bytopia.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, any good alignment.
Benefit: All weapons you forge with a Craft check are automatically masterwork weapons and are blessed, which
means they have special effects on certain creatures. The raw materials cost remains the same as for an ordinary
(non-masterwork) weapon.

Bloodhound [General]
Your sense of smell is far more potent than is normal for your race, and is on par with the best of hounds.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisites: Alertness, Extraordinary Sense (Olfactory).
Benefit: You gain the Scent ability, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Bookworm [General]
Through extended training, practice, and many nights poring over books and scrolls by candlelight, you’ve
developed quite a skill for speed reading and putting principles together.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Minor Loophole, base Will save +3 bonus.
Benefit: The research time required to discover new loopholes or to develop new spells is reduced to ¼ the normal
time.

Borrow Style [General, Fighter]

You’ve been able to take care of yourself by adapting various techniques quickly. You may imitate the combat styles
of others for a short time.
Faction: Fated.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Alertness, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: By studying a target in combat, once a day you may make use of one feat that the target uses. You may
take other actions while studying your target, so long as your attention remains on the target as the feat is used.
The duplicated feat must be one that fighters may choose as a bonus feat, and you must choose to adapt the
technique as it is performed. You need not meet the prerequisites of the feat and may use it until the end of combat.
This ability cannot mimic epic feats.
Note: You can only borrow styles that involve distinct and visible combat techniques. For example, while you could
borrow the Expertise, Dodge, and Improved Trip feats, you could not borrow the Improved Critical, Improved
Initiative, or Weapon Focus feats.

Branding [General, Faction-Dependent]

Unfortunately it is often not possible to make others see the wisdom of the Harmonium way, and it is not always
appropriate or possible to kill someone outright. The Hardheads are persistent, however, and you are trained in
alternative means to punish criminals.
Faction: Harmonium.
Prerequisites: Cha 11, Authority, Control 6 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks, any lawful alignment.
Benefit: Upon taking this feat select one of the brands listed below. Placing
a brand on a target requires a touch attack as a standard action and may
require an extended amount of concentration, as noted below. The target
may resist the branding with a Will save (DC 10 + ½ character level +
Charisma modifier). Once placed, the symbol crackles with energy for a
moment and then settles to a steady glow that can be seen through most
clothing. It is about the size of a palm and is not written in any known
language. Read magic reveals the crime committed to earn the mark and in
some cases how the target can make amends in order to remove the
brand. The brand is otherwise permanent and can only be removed by the
one who placed it or through powerful magic such as limited wish, miracle,
or wish. Spells such as disguise self and shapechange cannot hide the
brand, but invisibility will. This is a supernatural ability usable once per day.
You may have a number of runes active equal to your Charisma modifier.

Brand of Tracking: By placing this mark on a target, you gain the ability to
find them wherever they are with a standard action as the spell locate
person except there is no range limit so long as the target is on the same
plane of existence. Even should they escape to a different plane the
branding will lead you to the last area they were in.

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Brand of Remorse: This brand can only be placed on evil creatures. Once a brand of remorse is placed, the DM
secretly rolls a d6. That many rounds later the brand appears wherever the target was touched and the target is
overcome with intense and painful visions, experiencing everything that their victims have. Though not helpless, the
target has a 50% chance each round to not perform any intended actions aside from moving as the pain blots out
anything else. Even if able to act, the target must make a Concentration check against DC 20 (plus spell level, if
applicable) to perform anything that requires focus. The effect lasts for one minute per four character levels.
Afterwards, the target is permanently shaken until the brand is removed. Should the target ever commit a blatantly
evil act the visions return as before.

Brand of Warning: By focusing for ten minutes you can imprint a symbol of warning on the forehead of a target that
you believe has committed an unethical deed. Though the brand does not cause any direct harm, it tends to make
the target’s life miserable. Lawful creatures instinctively realize the target is untrustworthy, and their attitudes move
one step closer to Hostile. Nonlawful creatures feel uneasy around the target, as if they will be punished for mere
association. The target suffers a -10 penalty to Charisma-based skill checks targetting lawful creatures and -5
penalty towards nonlawful creatures. The symbol must be seen to have any effect, but the difficulty to hide it
ensues that it serves its function.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each additional time you take this feat, you learn a different brand
symbol.

Brawn over Brains [General, Faction-Dependent]

Strength and power are the true measurements of one’s position in the multiverse, and you don’t believe some
bookworm mage can ever pose a threat to your superiority.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Cha 13, Great Fortitude, Natural Alpha, base Fortitude save +4.
Benefit: Whenever a mind-influencing spell or spell-like effect targets you and your Strength modifier is equal to or
greater than the level of the spell, you may use your base Fortitude save bonus in place of your base Will save
bonus. You still apply Will save modifiers normally.

Cadence Strike [General, Faction-Dependent, Fighter]

Knowing the perfect action for a given moment can give terrific clarity in life-and-death situations, allowing one to
strike in the precise location necessary to inflict grievous harm.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Cipher Trance, Combat Reflexes, Concentration 5 ranks, base attack bonus +5.
Benefit: You may expend one of your trance uses for the day to make a cadence strike as part of a single attack
before the attack is rolled. If the attack hits, it is automatically considered a critical threat.

Cadence Whispers [General, Faction-Dependent]

To be a member of the Transcendent Order is to open oneself up to the grand design of the multiverse. While the
method and extent to which Ciphers do so varies, those that surrender themselves to the Cadence of the Planes
are rarely without knowledge of the best course of action to pursue.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Benefit: Upon taking this feat choose a number between 1 and 20 to represent the difficulty check of this ability. A
number of times a day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) you may attempt to gain some insight into the
course of action the Cadence of the Planes requires you to take. As a free action roll a d20 against the chosen DC;
if the roll succeeds you gain a one sentence hint indicating what you should do next. While a success does not
reveal secret information, it should be enough to provide a push in the right direction. “Shemeska the Marauder
may have relevant information” and “You should make sure there’s nothing hidden behind that dresser” are both
viable instructions.
This insight comes at a price, however. If your roll succeeded, the DM secretly rolls a d20 against the same DC,
with each success adding one point to your “debt” to the multiverse. Every time you accumulate five points the DM
may at any time place a geas upon you requiring that you perform some minor task which you recognize to be
required by the Cadence of the Planes. Such tasks should be compensatory to the hints you receive from this
ability, and will rarely require much in the way of travel or danger. This geas cannot be removed by any means, but
any true Cipher would willingly accept their place in the Cadence anyway.

Censure Outsider [Divine]

Choose an alignment subtype with which you have Outsider Turning. You now censure Outsiders of that alignment
subtype instead of turning them.
Prerequisites: Extra Turning, Outsider Turning, ability to turn or rebuke undead, Wis 17, Cha 17.
Benefit: Instead of turning Outsiders of that alignment subtype, you stun them for 10 rounds. Stunned creatures
lose their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) and can take no actions. Foes gain a +2 circumstance bonus to hit stunned
creatures. If the censuring character attacks the censured Outsider, the outsider can act normally on its next turn.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, choosing a new alignment subtype with which you have Outsider
Turning each time.

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Chaos Infused [General, Wizard]
Chaos touches every aspect of your work, changing the way you think and practice magic, and straining the ability
of other spellcasters to identify and counter your spells.
Faction: Xaositects.
Prerequisite: Any chaotic alignment.
Benefit: The DC to identify or counter any of your spells with dispel magic increases by +4. Even normal attempts
at counterspelling you now require a caster level check (DC 11 + your caster level). Your spells tend to become
wilder and more extravagant in their manifestation.

Cipher Trance [General, Faction-Dependent]

Able to enter into trance states, a Cipher can abandon thought in favor of action, gaining improved coordination and
reaction time. A Cipher that has reached this level is known as a Master of the Heart.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisite: Concentration 2 ranks.
Benefit: You gain the ability to enter a trance once a day as a free action. You gain +4 to Dexterity for the duration
of the trance. The trance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). While in a
trance, you may not use the delay or ready actions. You may not activate a trance state while in a rage, ki frenzy, or
similar state, and vice versa. When a trance ends, you are dazed for a round.

Cleanse Impurity [General, Faction-Dependent]

All Seekers must be at their best if they are to face every challenge before them, and thus it is a necessity to wipe
away any damage done to body or soul that could hamper your quest. You have learned to use some of your inner
divinity to do just that.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisites: Wis 15, Harness Divinity.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability restoration usable on yourself once a day as a cleric of your character level.

Commanding Spellcasting [General, Wizard]

You enhance your compulsion spells with the strength of true authority.
Factions: Harmonium, Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (Enchantment).
Benefit: Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against spells with the compulsion type. This bonus stacks with
Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus.

Communal Experience [General, Faction-Dependent]

Sensates who have made frequent use of the sensoriums often feel as if they’re undergoing the same experience
again. In reality, they’re channeling remnants of other lives that may not have been specifically recorded yet were
left within the sensoriums – an unusual source of insight into the multiverse to be sure.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisites: Sensorium Scholar, character level 9th.
Benefit: Once per day you may make an appropriate Knowledge check against DC 25 to gain some hidden insight
on a particular subject. If successful, you gain an insight bonus to ability and skill checks when interacting with the
subject of the check for the remainder of the day. The bonus gained depends on how general the subject is; if the
check was for a race or plane the bonus is +1, if the check was for a subrace, a layer of a plane, or an organization,
the bonus is +2, and if the check was for a realm or specific person of status, the bonus is +3.

Complete the Cycle [General, Faction-Dependent]

Many Seekers are loath to allow their quest to be ended prematurely, particularly if they believe they still have
lessons to learn from this life. Through their understanding of the cycle of the planes many find ways to manipulate
the natural order so they will have a chance to finish their task. Arguments still rage over the ethics of this
procedure and whether the reincarnated individual is really not just a new life robbed of its own fate.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisites: Control 6 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks.
Benefit: Upon death, you may choose to be reincarnated, as per the 4th level druid spell. One hour after your
death, you are reborn at a random location on a plane of your choice where your new race is considered native.
This plane becomes your new home plane. When rolling to determine your new form you may raise or lower the
result by up to 10%, though you may only return as a humanoid or monstrous humanoid. Any feats or other abilities
dependent on your home plane or race may cease to function as a result of your change in race and home plane.
You must choose whether to use this power immediately after dying, though if a raise dead or similar effect is used
on you before the hour has expired you are raised normally.
Special: This feat will only work once, but may be taken multiple times, providing one extra reincarnation for every
time it is taken. The DM has the final say on what races are acceptable for this feat.

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Condemnation [General]
Your defiance of the gods themselves invokes anger and fear in others.
Faction: Athar.
Benefit: By shouting taunts and derisive comments at someone who receives power from a deity you distract them
from their duties. If you succeed with an Intimidate check with a +4 bonus opposed by the target’s Sense Motive
check you impose a -4 penalty to the Concentration, Control, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Planar Expertise
checks of the target while the ranting continues. You may take other actions while speaking, though you may not
cast spells with verbal components or use any other abilities that require speech.

Confidant [General, Faction-Dependent]

Though the Revolutionary League has gained a reputation for impressive acts of espionage, none of the other
factions, or even the majority of Anarchists, have the faintest idea how far the elite infiltrators have evolved their
skills. Through secret training and bizarre initiation ceremonies, a select few are taught how to deceive the minds of
others into trusting them without need of tools or spell. This is commonly used to prompt targets into revealing their
most intimate secrets while leaving the “Confidant” free of blame.
Faction: Revolutionary League.
Prerequisites: Infiltrator, Bluff 18 ranks, Disguise 12 ranks, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 12 ranks, instruction
by someone with this feat.
Benefit: As a full-round action choose a creature within line of sight who has not noticed you and make a Disguise
check (DC 20 + target’s base Will save). Within seconds and without supplies you become convincingly disguised
in the mind of the target as someone they know and trust, either a good friend or a respected authority figure. So
long as you maintain the façade the creature will react to you as if affected by charm monster (creatures that would
not be affected by charm monster do not see through your deception and still treat you favorably, if not as much).
Everyone else in the area continues to perceive you as normal unless you use some other means to alter your
appearance. The target unconsciously overlooks anything within reason that you say or do out of character, though
use of spells or abilities that bypass illusions require a new Disguise check for the effect to be maintained. This is a
supernatural ability that can only be used on one person at a time.

Counter-Indoctrinate [General]
Sometimes the best way to get your creed out on the planes is to convince someone else they’re wrong. Easier
said than done, of course, yet some individuals choose to make an art of such persuading. Whether through daily
debates of philosophy, propaganda, or plain old brainwashing, you know how to get your point through the thickest
head.
Factions: Athar, Free League, Revolutionary League.
Prerequisites: Diplomacy 9 ranks, Knowledge (factions and guilds) or Knowledge (religion) 9 ranks.
Benefit: This feat can be used to convince someone to leave their faction or guild, or to abandon their current
religion, depending on which prerequisites you meet. Each day, after spending at least an hour speaking with the
target creature about philosophy (and how their organization is flawed), make a Diplomacy check. The target
opposes this roll with the appropriate Knowledge check, adding their character level as a bonus. Each consecutive
day the creature fails the check they become less convinced of the truth as proclaimed by their faction or religion,
until after failing five checks in a row they reach the point where they will abandon their current affiliation without
some significant event to change their mind. If the creature succeeds five consecutive times, they become immune
to the effects of this feat for at least a year.
Special: Players should probably role-play some of these discussions during out of game time, and the DM may
give up to a +4 bonus to the player’s Diplomacy check based on the merits of their arguments.

Naturally, characters are not required to have this feat to discuss faction
politics or even to dissuade faction members from their current beliefs.
Rather, this feat illustrates special training and consideration for effective
arguments that make it much more likely for these arguments to succeed.
If the DM wants to use this system without requiring a feat be taken,
provide a large penalty to anyone who does not possess this feat or make
it impossible to convince certain individuals.

Dead Truce [General, Faction-Dependent]

The Dustmen have a pact with the undead that prevents unprovoked
hostility by either side. When individual Dustmen learn to take advantage
of that pact, they can pass among the undead unmolested.
Faction: Dustmen.
Benefit: Mindless undead, those without an Intelligence ability score, will
not attack you. They recognize you as one of their own and ignore you. If
you attack them, however, they will react appropriately. This protection
only applies to you, not to any companions that are with you.

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Deal Maker [General]
You are well accomplished in getting what you want for a reasonable price through the art of haggling.
Factions: Fated, Free League.
Benefit: With a successful Diplomacy check opposed by a target merchant’s Sense Motive check, you can
convince the merchant to give you a discount on the purchase of a single item. The base discount is 5% plus an
additional 5% per 4 points your check exceeds the target’s check to a maximum of 25%. Retries are not allowed for
the same purchase. You may only use this ability for one item per merchant per day.

Death Focus [General]

Not always willing to let the living remain so, many Dustmen spellcasters concentrate on spells of death, which
greatly furthers the fear and disdain outsiders hold for them.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (Necromancy).
Benefit: Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against spells with the death descriptor. This bonus stacks with
Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus.

Death Wish [General]

Truly exemplifying a disdain for life, a few Dustmen seem to appreciate (as much as they appreciate anything)
making victims bring about their own death prematurely.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisites: Death Focus, Spell Focus (Necromancy).
Benefit: You may command an individual you have placed under a compulsion effect to perform a self-destructive
action. The subject gets another Will save to resist the command at the same DC as the effect. If the target fails the
second save, the action is carried out, regardless of its self-destructive nature. Each time the target fails to kill them
self somehow, such as surviving an incredibly high fall, they gain an additional save if the duration of the effect has
not expired.
Normal: A creature under most compulsion effects will not carry out an obviously self-destructive command.

Deny Edict [General, Faction-Dependent]

You refuse to bow to the will of others.
Factions: Athar, Free League, Revolutionary League.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, Slippery.
Benefit: You are immune to compulsion effects unless the caster level is four levels higher than your character
level.

Descend the Chain [General, Faction-Dependent]

With enough understanding of their own position on the road to divinity, some Seekers develop the ability to
temporarily shift to another state of being. The faction is currently divided on the use of this power; those who
practice it argue that by becoming a lower life form they can appreciate aspects of this stage of existence they
otherwise would not, while its opponents argue that by embracing descent they distract themselves from the
lessons of this life.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisites: Wis 19, Cleanse Impurity, Harness Divinity, Sacred Form, Control 15 ranks.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability shapechange once a day as a sorcerer of half your character level. Unlike
the spell there is no duration; instead, changing form requires a Control check (DC 15 + HD of the creature) and
upon changing form you suffer 1d6 points of temporary Wisdom damage. Every two rounds afterwards you take an
additional 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom damage until you resume your normal form or drop to 0 Wisdom, at
which point the effect ends. Creatures typically immune to ability damage still suffer
the damage when using this ability. For creatures such as undead that don't heal
damage naturally, magical restoration may be necessary to remove the ability
damage.

Destruction Embraced [General, Faction-Dependent]

Many members of the Doomguard opt to deny magical healing, choosing not to stave
off their own internal entropy. Some even believe that they gain some sort of karma by
doing so, and manage to avoid additional entropy. Those who “heal” themselves on a
regular basis only invite entropy to grind harder against them, much like building a
sandcastle against the waves.
Faction: Doomguard.
Benefit: You gain a luck bonus equal to 1 + 1 per four character levels to add to
saving throws and Armor Class, but you must resist any healing spell or effect cast
upon you, attempting a saving throw and using spell resistance if possible. In addition,
you may not cast spells with the healing descriptor or use magic items for healing or
you lose this feat for a week.

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Detached [General, Faction-Dependent]
Some Bleakers seem to think if they don't care as much, the universe won't hit them as hard. Surprisingly enough,
they're often right.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisite: Wis 15.
Benefit: On any round you have chosen to perform no more than a single standard action (or have been forced to
due to a “manic-state”), you may add ½ your Wisdom modifier as a luck bonus to all saving throws for that round.

Disenchant Factioneers [General]

You know enough about the factions that you can find logical holes in their beliefs that will shake the faith of all but
the wisest members.
Faction: Free League.
Prerequisites: Wis 17, Cha 17, Insult Factioneers, Surprise Factioneers, 12Knowledge (factions and guilds) 12
ranks.
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a Knowledge (factions and guilds) check (DC 30) to come up with an
apparent flaw in the philosophy behind one faction. Shouting the remark allows you to “disenchant” any member of
that faction within 60 feet that can hear you from their beliefs for a short period. The targets may make a Will save
(DC 10 + ¼ character level + Wisdom modifier) to resist the effect. The effect lasts for 1d6 + Charisma modifier
rounds, during which time they cannot use any faction-dependent feats or class abilities. You may use this ability
once an hour and the same target can only be affected by it once a day.

Disruptive Aura [General, Faction-Dependent]

You are a conduit for chaos itself, and those around you who do not welcome randomness find it difficult to utilize
their memories and training. This phenomenon manifests as an overall sense of uneasiness and an inability to
keep one’s mind from wandering. While those affected may not initially recognize the source of the disturbance, or
even that they’re being interfered with, they eventually come to instinctively feel repulsed by the Xaositect
responsible.
Faction: Xaositects.
Prerequisites: Cha 15, Divert Pattern, character level 9th.
Benefit: Once a day as a standard action, you are able to emit an aura capable of disrupting the thoughts and
actions of those near you. Anyone within 10 feet of you suffers a -1 competence penalty to skill checks for every
two points of your Charisma modifier and must make a Concentration check to cast a spell (DC 10 + spell level).
This ability lasts one minute, though it may be extended indefinitely if you choose to maintain the effect through
concentration (which requires a standard action each round). Other Xaositects and chaotic outsiders are immune to
this effect.

Divert Attack [General, Faction-Dependent]

Some wily Chaosmen learn to disrupt the patterns of
combat training, fooling somebody into making a major
mistake or into accidentally striking a friend.
Faction: Xaositects.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Cha 13, Divert Pattern, Dodge,
character level 6th.
Benefit: Once per round if an attacker you have applied
the Dodge feat to misses you with an attack, you may
redirect that attack to a target within 5 feet of you and
within the attacker's reach. The attacker must then reroll
the attack against the new target, retaining the effects of
any feats or abilities applied to the initial attack. This is a
supernatural ability.

Divert Pattern [General, Faction-Dependent]

You know how to sow chaos in others, briefly infecting
them with raw randomness.
Faction: Xaositects.
Prerequisite: Cha 13.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability random action
3/day as a cleric of your character level. Unlike the spell,
however, this is not a mind-affecting effect, and thus can
affect undead, constructs, and other creatures typically
immune to the effect. This ability does not function
against a target under the effect of protection from chaos.
The save DC is Charisma-based.

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Empathic Awareness [General, Faction-Dependent]
With experience many Sensates begin to perceive more than just their own feelings. Through an extension of their
natural senses, the most sensitive and empathetic are able to key in on the impressions subconsciously expressed
by others.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisites: Alertness, Extraordinary Sense for two senses.
Benefit: By concentrating upon one creature you can begin to discern their aura. The manner that you read the
subject’s aura depends on what extraordinary sense you possess; someone with an improved tactile ability may
need to touch the subject, while someone with an improved ocular ability could gradually perceive the color of the
subject’s aura visually. Make a Wisdom check against DC 13 to perceive the aura. The DC increases by 1 for every
5 ranks of Bluff the target possesses. If you fail the roll at any time you cannot use this ability on the same target for
the rest of the day. The amount of information you glean depends on how long you focus on the subject.

1st Round: The mental state of the subject; whether they are angry, sad, excited, joyous, distracted, and so on.
This cannot be used to reveal if someone is lying.
2nd Round: The cause of the subject’s primary emotion; if it’s in the area, you know the exact source though not
the reason, otherwise you know something elsewhere has the target’s attention.
3rd Round: Whether the subject is good or evil.
4th Round: Whether the subject is lawful or chaotic.
5th Round: Whether the subject is suffering from some form of insanity or under the effects of an enchantment or
illusion spell or effect.

You cannot do anything else while concentrating, and if your contact with the subject is broken, the effect ends.
This is a supernatural ability.
Special: Sensates do not have absolute control over this ability, and it has been known to flare up on its own at
times, especially around creatures with intense emotions. For instance, a Sensate might suddenly get a glimpse of
a murderer’s aura after bumping into them, perhaps even learning of the killer’s target! The DM determines if and
when it activates on its own.

Empathic Insight [General, Faction-Dependent]

Ask any real Sensate and they’ll tell you that to feel something is to truly know it. Those who have fully extended
their senses out to the multiverse find that the greatest of secrets are often waiting to be told to those willing to
experience them.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisites: Alertness, Empathic Awareness, Extraordinary Sense for two senses.
Benefit: You gain vision as a spell-like ability once a day as a sorcerer of your character level. Unlike the normal
spell, you may only use this ability on things that you have experienced with one of your extraordinary senses, and
the results often come as intense sensations and experiences rather cryptic legends. There is no experience cost
for this ability.

Entropic Blow [General, Fighter]

Most Sinkers learn sooner or later how to bring entropy to their enemies with a single blow, making Doomguard
members some of the most feared warriors in the multiverse.
Faction: Doomguard.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +3.
Benefit: Once per day you can declare a single melee attack to be an entropic blow. If the attack hits it inflicts 1d3
of temporary Constitution damage in addition to the normal damage. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted.
Against inanimate objects or creatures with no Constitution score the blow simply inflicts additional damage. This is
a supernatural ability.

Entropic Understanding [General, Fighter]

Everything has a weak point – not that most bashers outside of the Doomguard have figured that out yet. Many
Sinkers realize this, though, and figure out how to hit even amorphous creatures effectively.
Faction: Doomguard.
Prerequisites: Int 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +5.
Benefit: Choose one creature type that is normally not subject to critical hits (such as constructs, oozes, plants, or
undead). You may now inflict critical hits on these types of creatures with your attacks normally. This does not
enable sneak attacks, favored enemy bonuses, or other abilities that do not affect creatures not subject to critical
hits.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you take this feat, it applies to another type of creature.

156
Evaluating the Outcome [General, Faction-Dependent]
While all Guvners agree there is a rule to determine every outcome, no one goes their life without encountering a
situation where something just didn’t go as it should have. By recognizing these anomalies, however, some
Guvners are actually able to correct the results.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Probability Manipulation, base Will save +5 bonus.
Benefit: Upon observing the outcome of a single action, you can determine whether it should or should not have
succeeded based on the evidence at hand. Upon observing the act performed you must immediately explain as a
free action why it should or shouldn’t have worked with some possible, if improbable, explanation. You may then
may add or subtract your Intelligence modifier from the check after you know whether it was successful, thus
possibly changing the result. You may only use this ability once per minute. This is a supernatural ability usable
three times per day.

Exceptional Immunity [General]

During your ongoing quest for experiences, you have exposed yourself to several different harmful substances,
helping you build up a strong and robust immunity.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisites: Con 13, Alertness, Extraordinary Sense (Taste), Craft (Alchemy) 6 ranks.
Benefit: All ability damage caused by disease and poison that your character suffers is reduced by 3 points.

Expanded Dead Truce [General, Faction-Dependent]

A few Dustmen have enough loyalty that they choose to take on additional responsibility by expanding the terms of
the Dead Truce to protect not just themselves, but their companions as well.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisite: Dead Truce.
Benefit: You may expand the Dead Truce to a number of targets touched equal to your Charisma modifier
(minimum 1) so long as they stay within 60 feet of you. You may withdraw the Dead Truce from any of the targets
as a free action on your turn. If you or any other characters under the expanded truce initiate a hostile action
against an undead creature, the truce is broken for all of you.

Extended Cipher Trance [General, Faction-Dependent]

You’ve learned how to prolong your trances.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Cipher Trance, Concentration 2
ranks.
Benefit: Your trances last an additional 5
rounds.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times.
Each additional time you take this feat, your
trances last an additional 5 rounds.

Extra Cipher Trance [General, Faction-

Dependent]
You’ve learned how to draw upon the power of
the Cadence several times a day.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Cipher Trance, Concentration 2
ranks.
Benefit: You gain two additional trance uses a
day.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times.
Each additional time you take this feat, you gain
two additional trance uses per day.

Extraordinary Sense [General]

For most Sensates, the normal range of
sensory feelings just doesn’t suffice. Through
time, training, and experience the Sensate
learns to hone some of their senses into fine
instruments that they can use to better know the
multiverse.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisite: Alertness.

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Benefit: Choose one of the following senses to be permanently enhanced: auditory, tactile, taste, ocular, olfactory.
Selecting auditory, ocular, or olfactory doubles the range and clarity with which you can use that sense, while
improving your tactile or gustatory ability refines those senses to an unnatural degree. No matter what sense is
chosen, you have unnatural precision when using it and you are able to perform feats such as focus in on a
conversation across a crowded bar room, recognize someone by their unique smell, distinguish the individual
components of a liquid, or read a parchment by feeling the ink marks. Though the complete capabilities of
extraordinary senses are left up to the DM, the following benefits are innate in addition to those listed above.
Auditory: The miss chance granted to targets by concealment decreases by 20%.
Gustatory: You automatically detect traces of poison in anything you taste, though this may be enough to suffer its
effects and you do not necessarily know what type of poison is present. In addition, you are able to identify a potion
or other substance with a Craft (Alchemy) roll without the use of alchemical equipment.
Tactile: You gain a +2 to Search checks to find secret doors or nonmagical traps when feeling around an area.
Ocular: You can see four times farther than normal in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. If you
did not already possess it, you also gain low-light vision.
Olfactory: You gain a weaker version of the Scent ability. The ability is identical in all respects except that the
detection range is reduced to one-third its normal range. Though you can track by smell, all attempts at tracking
with this ability suffer a –5 penalty. If you possess the Scent ability your detection range is doubled and you gain a
+5 bonus to tracking.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, choosing an additional extraordinary sense each time.

Eye for Injustice [General]

You have an uncanny ability to realize when someone has committed a crime.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) you may make a Sense Motive
check to determine if an individual has knowingly committed any crimes in the past 24 hours (DC 10 + number of
hours since the crime was committed). If the criminal is actively trying to hide their crime from you, add their
Wisdom modifier (if positive) to the DC. This check does not reveal the exact crime, but it does reveal its
magnitude, allowing you to differentiate between a petty thief and a murder with some accuracy.

Eye for Treachery [General]

Your sharp mind and innate distrust of others gives you the uncanny ability to discern when an individual has
hostile intentions.
Region: Carceri.
Prerequisites: Wis 17, any nongood alignment.
Benefit: By being constantly suspicious of those around you and reading the subtle body language of an individual
within 30 feet you can determine whether they have plans to harm you or your companions in the near future. Any
character in your presence attempting to hide their hostile intentions makes an automatic Bluff check against a DC
equal to 11 + your ranks in Sense Motive once per encounter, giving you a chance of recognizing a betrayer even
among trusted friends. You do not gain any hints as to the nature of the plot.

Faction-Free [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your sense of independence fuels your ability to resist bullying by faction members.
Faction: Free League.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all saving throws against faction-dependent abilities.

Faithless Blessing [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your lack of belief in the position of deities makes it more difficult for divine magic to affect you.
Faction: Athar.
Benefit: You gain a +1bonus on all saving throws vs. divine spells.

Faithless Miracle [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your denial of the powers is such that you can completely disregard divine magic.
Faction: Athar.
Prerequisites: Faithless Blessing, character level 6th.
Benefit: You gain Spell Resistance 5 + your character level against divine magic. You cannot voluntarily lower this
spell resistance; even beneficial spells must overcome it.

Finder [General]
You have a talent for finding lost things, and picking the useful and notable out of a seeming mess.
Region: Nathri.
Faction: Xaositect.
Benefit: You gain a +2 luck bonus to Search checks and can search a 10'x10' area in one round.
Normal: It takes one round to search a 5'x'5' area.

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Focus of the Modron [General]
You are able to block out all nonessential data and focus on a single task.
Region: Mechanus, Modron Outcast, Zenythri.
Prerequisites: Int 15, any lawful alignment.
Benefit: Once per day by stating your actions for a single round you enter a trance and increase the likelihood of
performing the actions successfully. One round is needed to enter and leave the trance; during the trance you are
unable to react to your surroundings (giving you a -5 penalty to AC) or change your specified action. On the second
round you perform the stated action and are able to make a number of rerolls on checks equal to your Intelligence
modifier. These rerolls may be used for any roll related to the specified action including overcoming spell
resistance, damage rolls, or checks to avoid being distracted.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, gaining an additional usage of the ability each time.

For Justice [General, Faction-Dependent]

Calling upon the greatest principle in the multiverse, many Sodkillers are capable of making telling blows against
those who stand in the way of justice. Though they must endure great pain to achieve this end, the satisfaction of
destroying criminals is justification enough.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Cha 13, Eye for Injustice, Might Makes Right, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: Once per day you may declare your next attack to be in the name of justice. If you know the target is a
criminal then by making yourself a conduit for the law's wrath you double the damage dealt by your attack,
including all bonuses, whether you’re attacking with a weapon, casting a damaging spell, or causing a house to fall
on top of someone. This only applies to one target, even when used in conjunction with an area effect. If the attack
dealt damage to the intended criminal, you take damage equal to the amount inflicted before being doubled. This
damage cannot be resisted by any means.

Functional Wings [General]

You have modified your wings to successfully carry you with some adequacy.
Region: Modron Outcast.
Prerequisite: Character level 6th.
Benefit: You gain a fly speed of 30 ft. with poor maneuverability.

Grab Magic [General, Faction-Dependent]

The fact that most people are unable to steal magical effects from others only means that whoever gains such an
ability has every right to use it. Fortunately, your acceptance of this basic axiom has given you a head start in
developing this supernatural ability.
Faction: Fated.
Prerequisites: Sticky Fingers, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks.
Benefit: By making a touch attack against a target creature, you may attempt to steal a spell effect that is currently
affecting the target, such as bull’s strength or blur, so long as you have a Charisma score high enough to cast a
spell of that level. The target may resist with a Will save (DC 10 + ½ character level + Charisma modifier). If the
save fails, the spell is transferred to you and the target is no longer affected. If the target has several magical
effects operating at once you may choose any one of the spells that you are aware of. You can even take harmful
effects if it suits you to do so, though you may not make a saving throw to resist the spell and spell resistance does
not apply. Instantaneous and permanent effects, or those from geas/quest-like spells, cannot be stolen by this feat.
This is a supernatural ability.

Great Finder [General, Faction-Dependent]

You possess an intuitive knack that borders on the supernatural, finding potentially valuable lost possessions when
it may ordinarily seem impossible.
Region: Nathri.
Faction: Xaositect.
Prerequisite: Finder.
Benefit: Once a week you may spend an hour searching a public locale or wilderness region and happen upon
random “treasure”. The DM rolls on the table below to determine what type of treasure is found and then rolls again
on table 3-5 of the Dungeon Masters' Guide to see what you find (reroll any results of nothing). The level of
treasure found is considered equal to half your character level (rounded up) and the exact item is determined by
the DM. This may not be used in desolate areas, at the DM's discretion.

Roll (%) Type of

Treasure
01-50 Find Items
51-80 Find Goods
81-100 Find Coins

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Greater Cipher Trance [General]
While it’s not the final step of the Cipher path, few reach this exalted state, much less ascend beyond it. Typically,
the factol of the Ciphers is often the only member that has come this far, but occasionally a few members have
reached this point simultaneously. Those that attain this level are known as Masters of the Spirit.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Wis 17, Cipher Trance, Combat Reflexes, Improved Cipher Trance, Concentration 10 ranks,
permission from the DM.
Benefit: As Improved Cipher Trance, except you gain a +6 to Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma as well while in a
trance state and you gain an additional trance use a day.

Greater Dead Truce [General, Faction-Dependent]

You have cultivated your relations with the dead and can enforce the terms of the Dead Truce not only upon
mindless undead, but upon intelligent undead as well. While not physically restrained from harming you, intelligent
undead feel a subconscious affinity for you because of your belief and respect for death itself, and choose not to
hurt you.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisites: Dead Truce, character levels 6th.
Benefit: Intelligent undead will not take hostile actions or impede you in any way unless you make some form of
hostile action against the creature’s interests, at the DM’s discretion. Looting a mummy's crypt, for example, would
almost assuredly qualify as a hostile action even if you don't attack the mummy itself. At the DM's option some
particularly powerful intelligent undead may resist the Dead Truce by making a Will save (DC 10 + ½ character
level + Charisma modifier).
Special: Greater Dead Truce can only be used with Expanded Dead Truce if the shared targets possess the Dead
Truce feat.

Hardheaded [General, Faction-Dependent]

For you, "hardhead" isn't just a nickname – you dedication to order is such that even magical forces cannot impair
your judgment.
Faction: Harmonium.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, character level 6th.
Benefit: You become immune to charm spells and effects unless the caster level is four levels higher than your
character level.

Harmless [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your meager demeanor makes others view you as inconsequential and unwilling to harm you.
Faction: Ring-Givers.
Prerequisite: Wis 11.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability sanctuary 3/day as a cleric of your character level. The save DC is Wisdom-
based.

Harness Divinity [General, Faction-Dependent]

In studying the doctrine of the Believers of Source you have come to recognize divine potential within yourself, and
have even begun to access your latent power. How you perceive it is up to you; many view it as a spark of divine
flame that can be channeled while others simply manifest their desires on the multiverse through force of will.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisite: Wis 11.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like abilities cure minor
wounds and cause minor wounds each once a day as
a cleric of your character level. The save DC is
Wisdom-based.

Helping Hand [General, Faction-Dependent]

For whatever reasons, you have devoted your life to
helping others in need. Your dedication and the quality
of your cause can be felt by all those you help.
Factions: Bleak Cabal, Ring-Givers, Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisites: Heal 6 ranks, base Will save bonus
+3.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Heal checks and cast
spells of the healing subschool at +1 caster level. In
addition, your class level is considered to be one level
higher for class abilities such as lay on hands and
wholeness of body.

160
Heretic’s Strike [General, Faction-Dependent, Fighter]
Your confidence in the flaws of the powers enables you to bypass whatever protections they use to shelter their
followers.
Faction: Athar.
Prerequisites: Condemnation, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: Your attacks ignore deflection and enhancement bonuses to AC granted by divine spells such as shield of
faith, magic vestment, and holy aura.

Honed Spikes [General, Fighter]

Through age and practice, you have learned to use the blades which line your body as a weapon in their own right.
Region: Bladeling.
Prerequisites: Martial Weapon Proficiency (armor spikes), character level 3rd.
Benefit: Your metallic spines have sharpened to the extent that they are considered armor spikes for the purposes
of grappling. These spikes can be enchanted through use of magic fang and similar spells.

Hyperactive [General]
Those that achieve the proper level of mania may be far from sane, but they can react with frightening speed.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisites: Manic-Depressive, base Reflex save +4.
Benefit: Any day you are in a "manic state", you gain the benefits of haste for 10 rounds. These rounds do not
have to be consecutive. This is a supernatural ability that you may activate as a free action on your turn.

Illusion Perception [General]

Your belief that reality is merely a backdrop for life’s tests allows you to easily look beyond what your senses
perceive.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Benefit: You automatically get a Will save against illusions, whether you interact with them or not, even if there is
not normally a save granted.
Normal: Many illusionary effects require you to interact with the illusion or purposely attempt to disbelieve the
effect before receiving a save.

Imbue Equipment [General, Faction-Dependent]

You can imbue an item with a spark of your divinity, making it an extension of yourself and granting it magical
properties. Such weapons have strong mystical ties to their creators, and can be a bane or blessing depending on
who wields them.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisite: Skill Focus (Craft).
Benefit: You may create magical equipment that corresponds to your Skill Focus (Craft), such as Craft
(Armorsmithing) or Craft (Weaponsmithing), as if you had the appropriate item creation feat so long as your
character level equals the prerequisite spell caster level. You may use spell-like abilities or scrolls (which are
consumed in the process) to create specific enchantments. You do not need to be able to activate the scrolls but
must be able to read the magical script.

Improved Cipher Trance [General]

Ciphers that advance farther along their path eventually gain guidance from
their trance states, hearing the pulse of the multiverse surrounding them. Those
that attain this level are known as Masters of the Mind.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, Cipher Trance, Combat Reflexes, Concentration 7
ranks.
Benefit: As Cipher Trance, except you also gain a +4 to Wisdom and +4
Charisma while in a trance state and you gain an additional trance use per day.

Improved Energy Resistance [General]

Choose one form of energy to which you have a natural (not spell- or item-
granted) resistance. Your inherent resistance to this kind of energy is more
effective than normal.
Prerequisite: Naturally resistant to a form of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire,
sonic).
Benefit: Your resistance to that type of energy increases by 5. For example, if
you are an aasimar, you normally have acid, cold, electricity resistance 5. You
could use this feat to increase one of those resistances to 10; the other two are
unaffected.

161
Improved Entropic Blow [Fighter, General]
The entropic blow, even with its devastating quality, can be refined further. Some have gone beyond the simplest
version of the technique, applying their own experience and knowledge to the strike.
Faction: Doomguard
Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, Entropic Blow, base attack bonus +8.
Benefit: As per Entropic Blow, but you inflict 2d3 points of temporary Constitution damage in addition to the normal
damage. This ability supersedes the Entropic Blow feat.

Improved Outsider Turning [Divine]

Choose an alignment subtype with which you have Outsider Turning. You are now able to banish or command
Outsiders of that alignment subtype.
Prerequisites: Wis 19, Cha 19, Extra Turning, Outsider Turning, ability to turn or rebuke undead.
Benefit: If you have at least twice as many levels as an outsider you have turned has Hit Dice, the Outsider is
banished back to its home plane. Outsiders so banished cannot return to that plane for at least one day. If you
would rebuke Outsiders of that alignment subtype, you command them instead. Controlling Outsiders is very
dangerous; almost all are free-willed and have some measure of power, and very few would forget the arrogant fool
who forced them to act against their will. Perhaps even worse, more powerful Outsiders may wonder what has
happened to their subordinates or witness the commanding itself, and decide to step in.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, choosing a new alignment subtype with which you have Outsider
Turning each time.
Outsiders that have changed alignments face the extra risk of being turned by multiple sources, and return to their
home plane when banished. Thus, a fallen archon would be banished back to Mount Celestia, and could be
commanded by a lawful good or lawful evil caster.

Improved Razor Storm [General, Fighter]

The accuracy and intensity with which you expel your metallic spines makes them exceptionally deadly.
Region: Bladeling.
Prerequisite: Character level 3rd.
Benefit: The damage dealt by your razor storm ability increases by 2d6 and the DC to avoid it increases by 1.
Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time the character gains this feat, their razor storm
ability deals an additional 2d6 piercing damage and the DC increases by +1.

Improved Sift [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your connection to the forces of entropy is so strong you can witness the events leading to a target’s destruction.
Faction: Doomguard.
Prerequisite: Sift.
Benefit: When using the Sift ability, you perceive the object's destruction as if you were there by making a
successful Wisdom check (DC 12 + one per month that has passed). If you succeed, you can witness the events
prior to the destruction of the object for one minute plus an additional minute for every two points by which your
check result exceeds the DC. If you wish to witness the destruction of an object that occurred years or centuries
ago, you must spend ten minutes concentrating on the object and make a Wisdom check as before, except the DC
increases by one per century that has passed since the object’s destruction. This is a supernatural ability.

Improved Turn Resistance [General]

You have a better than normal chance to resist turning.
Bonus: You are less easily affected by turning attempts than you normally would be. When resolving any type of
turn/rebuke attempt, add 4 to your character level to determine your effective Hit Dice.

Incorporate Madness [General]

Some Bleakers learn special techniques to relieve others mentally, but at the cost
of their own psyche.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, Touched in the Head.
Benefit: As a full-round action, you may attempt to absorb a mind-influencing
effect affecting someone. You must touch the target and make a Will save
against the effect’s original DC. If you make the save you gain the effect as if it
had targeted you originally with the remaining duration. The original target is no
longer affected by that mind-influencing effect. If the target is under multiple
effects, you absorb the most recent effect placed on the target. The benefits of
Touched in the Head do not apply to effects absorbed through this feat. At the
DM’s discretion, some effects may simply be beyond your ability to absorb. This
is a supernatural ability.

162
Infiltrator [General, Faction-Dependent]
You are able to flawlessly disguise yourself as a member of another faction or guild.
Faction: Revolutionary League.
Prerequisites: Bluff 5 ranks, Disguise 5 ranks, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 5 ranks.
Benefit: You may convincingly pose as a member of another faction or guild. While so disguised, you receive a +5
bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks to convince others you are a member. In addition, you receive a Will save
against any spell that would expose you, even if that spell does not normally allow a save. Apply your Charisma
modifier to this save, in addition to your Wisdom modifier like a typical Will save.

Insight of the Barmy [General]

Every so often, while simply reflecting on the nature of something, you are led by your madness to make
astoundingly accurate conclusions.
Region: Limbo, Pandemonium.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisites: Insanity 1, any chaotic alignment, permission from the DM.
Benefit: Once per day you may focus your thoughts on one particular person, object, or event and gain some
hidden insight into its significance or purpose. Studying an individual might reveal that they are not as they seem,
perhaps under the effect of a spell to hide or alter their nature, or that they have a hidden agenda in relation to
recent events. Examining an object may reveal its significance to its owner or how it can be activated. Considering
a recent event could reveal any number of factors that led up to event. You must make a Wisdom check (modified
by your Insanity score) against DC 18. Each additional point by which your check result exceeds the DC.

Instant Chaos [General]

Throwing careful formula and long procedures to the wind, you’ve learned how to manifest chaos in the blink of an
eye.
Faction: Xaositects.
Prerequisites: Chaos Infused, Combat Casting, Quicken Spell, any chaotic alignment.
Benefit: You may use the Quicken Spell metamagic feat on one chaotic spell once a day without preparing it
ahead of time, using a higher level spell slot, or increasing the casting time.

Insult Factioneers [General]

Your knowledge of the factions provides you with a brilliant repertoire of witty and insulting comments that will get
the attention of the most hardheaded faction member.
Faction: Free League.
Prerequisites: Wis 15, Cha 15, Surprise Factioneers, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 9 ranks.
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a Knowledge (factions and guilds) check (DC 25) to come up with a
very insulting comment to one faction. Shouting the insult allows you to enrage any member of that faction within
60 feet that can hear you into attacking you on their initiative. The targets may make a Will saves (DC 10 + 1/3
character level + Wisdom modifier) to resist the effect. Targets who fail their save go into a frenzy and go out of
their way to attack you to the best of their ability until you have fled
or are unconscious or dead. Spellcasters may still use spells to
attack you, and this ability will not prevent someone from running
for their life or defending themselves. You may use this ability once
a minute, and the same target can only be affected by it once a
day, though a target that makes their save may still be affected by
another use of the ability.

Intrinsic Value [General, Faction-Dependent]

You realize that the cost of a material does not determine its worth,
and you can find value from even the least expensive objects.
Faction: Ring-Givers.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, Eschew Materials.
Benefit: You may replace costly spell components (those costing
more than 1 gp) with similar objects worth ¼ the price for your
spells.

Intuit Pattern [General, Faction-Dependent]

Everything has a system - a pattern - of Orders it abides by. By
understanding groups of small Orders, you’ve learned how to
decipher even the most esoteric languages.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisite: Int 11.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability comprehend languages at
will as a sorcerer of your character level.

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Joint Operation [General, Fighter]
Though on your own you may have difficulty with adversaries that are fleet of foot, your training with fellow faction
members makes it difficult to evade you when you are working as a team.
Faction: Harmonium, Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisite: Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: When you and another character threaten the same opponent from opposite borders or corners, you are
both considered to be flanking that opponent and the target loses any Dexterity bonus to AC even if it has an ability
that would typically deny prevent this, such as Uncanny Dodge or Hive Mind.

Kill Count [General, Faction-Dependent]

Most Sodkillers measure their own worth by their prowess in combat, finding inner power when they defeat a
worthy opponent.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Cleave, Killing Blow, Power Attack.
Benefit: For every opponent on which you land a killing blow in combat with equal or higher Hit Dice than you, you
gain a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum +1) for 24 hours or until
you rest, whichever comes first.

Killing Blow [General, Fighter]

Unlike many misguided “champions of order”, you know that death is the only true arbitrator, and you make sure
your opponents are dead before they hit the ground.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Cleave, Power Attack.
Benefit: When you gain an extra attack due to the Cleave or Great Cleave feats, you may apply it to the same
target you caused to drop with your last attack (typically by reducing it to 0 hit points), striking it while it’s truly
vulnerable rather than applying it to a different creature. The target is considered prone, and if you kill it you gain an
additional cleave attack if you have Great Cleave.
Normal: When using the Cleave or Great Cleave feat, you must target a different creature rather than the one you
just caused to drop.

Know the Guilty Heart [General, Faction-Dependent]

Many Martyrs have kept the Mercykiller talent for discerning between truth and deception, and some can literally
hear the guilt buried in even the darkest of hearts.
Faction: Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisite: Sense Motive 12 ranks.
Benefit: You gain the ability to hear guilty consciences in the words of others. If you succeed at a Sense Motive
check with a -5 penalty against a target’s Bluff check you can hear whispers of the dark deeds that weigh on their
mind. The target doesn’t actually say anything different; you merely hear the underlying guilt as a soft voice while
they speak. This ability only reveals the crimes that the subject believes to be wrong; an extreme Anarchist would
not necessarily reveal horrible acts committed as part of the revolution because they believe them to be just acts,
but most evil individuals would reveal their crimes because they know them to be wrong and for whatever reasons
simply don’t care.

Lightning Justice [General]

The Mercykillers were fond of spells like shocking grasp and lightning bolt for
dealing with criminals, and the Sons of Mercy maintain the innovations the
Mercykillers made with this type of magic.
Faction: Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisites: Empower Spell, Spellcraft 10 ranks.
Benefit: Add +1 to the DC for all saving throws against spells that deal
electricity damage. In addition, you may use the Empower Spell metamagic feat
on one spell with the electricity descriptor once a day without preparing it ahead
of time, using a higher level spell slot, or increasing the casting time.

Lockdown [General, Fighter]

Through your experience in capturing offenders against order, you’ve learned
how to restrain opponents in the blink of an eye.
Faction: Harmonium.
Prerequisites: Quick Draw, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: When you have an opponent grappled, you may attach a restraining
device (such as manacles or collar) when succeeding at an opposed grapple
check instead of pinning or damaging your opponent. You do not need to have
the device ready - you merely need to have it within reach after beginning the
grapple.

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Lord of the Dead [General, Faction-Dependent]
You are one of the rare Dustmen so in tune with the undead that you can command their legions to do your bidding.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisites: Dead Truce, Greater Dead Truce, Leadership, any nongood alignment.
Benefit: When calculating the level of undead cohorts or followers you use the creatures’ Challenge Rating instead
of their ECL, allowing you a much larger following of undead than normal. You must be at least four levels higher
than your undead cohort’s Challenge Rating, however, no matter how high your Leadership rating. In addition, most
Leadership modifiers do not apply when calculating the level of undead cohorts and followers. The leader’s
reputation is still taken into account; however, a reputation for cruelty provides a +1 modifier while a reputation for
fairness and generosity gives a -2 modifier. The other modifiers listed in the DMG do not apply.
You may enlist unintelligent undead you create or encounter with a command, provided they are not under the
control of another power. Intelligent undead must be convinced to join your cause, but most are unusually
complacent and you gain a +4 bonus to Diplomacy checks to persuade them to aid you. Undead commanded in
this manner do not count against any limits on the number of undead you can control at any one time with the
command undead ability, spells, or similar powers.
Special: If you wish to have living creatures in your army as well as undead, you must have the Expanded Dead
Truce feat or they must have the Dead Truce feat, and the living creatures must be members of the Dustmen or
similar organizations.

Love Thy Weapon [General, Faction-Dependent]

The majority of Sodkillers see their weapons not only as an extension of themselves, but as their most valuable
feature. Your belief in your weapon’s worth and knowledge of its capabilities has made it an exceptional weapon for
its kind.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Cha 13, Power Attack, Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +8.
Benefit: You gain the spell-like ability greater magic weapon 3/day as a sorcerer of your character level and usable
only on weapons with which you have Weapon Focus.

Manic-Depressive [General, Faction-Dependent]

You suffer from a mild manic-depressive condition, where the oppressive meaninglessness of the universe often
either brings you low or drives you to bursts of desperate energy.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Benefit: At the beginning of every day when you awaken, roll 1d20. On a result of 1 or 2 you are depressed and
can only perform a single standard action per round for the day, but you gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Will
saving throws. On a roll of 19 or 20 you are manic, gaining a +2 morale bonus to any attack rolls, a +2 bonus to
caster level, and a -1 circumstance penalty on saving throws. At the end of any day you are depressed or manic,
you may attempt a Will save against DC 20 to return to normal. If you fail, the state continues, but if you succeed,
you need not roll for the next day. You may choose to forgo this save and continue on with the state. If you ever
suffer through three consecutive days of madness (either a manic state or depression), you must make a Will save
(DC 15) or progress further into insanity. Every consecutive day of madness past the first three requires another
Will save with a cumulative +5 to the DC. A failed save means you gain an Insanity score (see below).
Special: Upon failing the Will save you gain an Insanity score equal to ½ your character level. For spellcasting
purposes (determining bonus spells and DCs), you use your Wisdom score plus your Insanity score in place of
Wisdom alone. For all other purposes, such as skill checks and Will saves, use Wisdom minus Insanity in place of
Wisdom.

In addition, once per day you can see and act with the clarity of true madness. Use your Insanity score as a
positive rather than a negative modifier on a single roll involving Wisdom, such as Listen check or a Will saving
throw. You must choose to use this power before the roll is made.
Players are encouraged to work with the DM to develop an appropriate manner to role-play an Insanity score. The
type of mental derangements that characters develop differ widely, and only characters with very high Insanity
ratings should resemble the stereotypical frothing at the mouth madman. Insanity is detrimental when interacting
with other people, however, and the mechanical effects should not be the only consequence.
Being treated for insanity requires a Bleaker with at least 8 ranks of Heal to treat the character, making a Heal
check at the end of each week of treatment (DC 15 + the patient's Will save bonus without Insanity modifiers). Each
consecutive successful weeks of treatment allows the patient to lose one from their Insanity rating. A failed week of
treatment results in temporary Wisdom damage equal to the patient's Insanity rating. Treatment cannot be
performed while the patient has Wisdom damage of any sort.

Note: This feat continues to affect you after you gain an Insanity score. Each time you fail the Will save, your
Insanity score increases by ½ your character level.

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Memory Log [General]
You maintain a complete record of all your experiences since venturing out onto the planes.
Region: Modron Outcast.
Benefit: You remember everything that your senses detect with perfect accuracy, allowing you to review every step
of your life in detail. As a full-round action you may recall a previous event and make a new Appraise, Listen,
Spellcraft, or Spot check to notice or identify something you may have missed before. You may only remake a
check once per hour for each scene in memory. You also remember exactly anything you’ve heard, and it is also
nearly impossible for you to become lost as you can simply recall how you reached your current position.

Mental Conditioning [General]

Instead of simply deconstructing a target’s beliefs, the skilled Anarchist leaves their captive with just enough faith to
pass within their faction while implanting commands deep in the target’s subconscious to be enacted at the
Anarchist’s choosing.
Faction: Revolutionary League.
Prerequisites: Counter-Indoctrinate, Diplomacy 15 ranks, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 15 ranks, any nongood
alignment.
Benefit: To use this ability you must successfully use Counter-Indoctrinate to remove a subject’s loyalty to their
faction. Afterwards you must spend at least eight hours a day attempting to indoctrinate the target through various
methods of brainwashing, after which you make another Diplomacy check opposed by their Knowledge (factions
and guilds) check as described for Counter-Indoctrinate. Each day your check succeeds you may instill one
command in the target’s subconscious, to a maximum number of commands equal to your Charisma modifier
(minimum 1). While the target can be programmed to do anything, even suicidal actions, each command must be
relatively simple, no more than a sentence or two. The command can be activated by anything ranging from a
certain amount of elapsed time to hearing a particular tune. The commands may remain dormant for years and
each can have its own trigger.

Special: The target does not remember much of their imprisonment and nothing of the conditioning itself, and may
truly wish to return to his faction or begin a new life elsewhere, at the Anarchist's choosing. Regardless, a sharp
mind can detect the subconscious impulses embedded if they are looking for mental influences and make a
successful Sense Motive check against DC 30. Being treated for conditioning requires someone with at least 8
ranks of Heal who makes a Heal check at the end of each week of treatment (DC 15 + the patient's Will save).
Each successful week of treatment removes one imbedded command from the target. A failed week of treatment
results in either 1d4 temporary Wisdom damage or premature activation of the commands, at the DM’s option.
Treatment cannot be performed while the patient has Wisdom damage of any sort. If the individual treating the
subject also has Mental Conditioning they automatically succeed at removing one command per week of treatment.

Merciful Strike [General, Fighter]

You are capable of putting your very soul into a single strike in order to subdue your opponent.
Faction: Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, base attack bonus +8, smite ability.
Benefit: You may use one of your smite attacks to make a blow capable of incapacitating a target immediately. You
do not gain the normal benefits of a smite attack. If the attack hits, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 +
damage dealt) or be knocked unconscious for 1d6 minutes. This effect does not work on creatures immune to
nonlethal damage, such as constructs and undead. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted. If you or your
companions then kill the incapacitated character, you lose this ability for a week.

Minor Loophole [General, Faction-Dependent]

In understanding the multiverse, the Guvners learn the laws of reality, and how to get around them. One of the
most important steps in a Guvner’s rise through the Fraternity is learning how to exploit the lessons learned and
create their own loophole in the laws of the multiverse.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisites: Int 15, base Will save +3 bonus.
Benefit: You may research loopholes in the laws of the multiverse, allowing you to duplicate an arcane spell of a
level equal to half your character level (maximum of a 4th level spell) as a spell-like ability cast by a wizard equal to
your character level at the time you gain this feat.

You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier + 1d4. The DM should roll and keep
track of this number secretly. After you use it that number of times, the multiverse seals that loophole off and the
ability may no longer be used.
Special: Upon taking this feat, you automatically learn one minor loophole. To learn a new loophole, you must
research it for a number of weeks equal to the level of the spell, expend 1,000 gold per week of research, and
make a successful Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 10 + spell level). You may never learn a loophole duplicating the
same spell twice.

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Multiversal Socialite [General]
You are intimately familiar with the inhabitants and cultures of the planes.
Faction: Fated.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Charisma-based skill checks with the natural residents of any planes with which
you have a specialty in Knowledge (the planes).

Natural Alpha [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your physical strength combined with your self-confidence lends weight to your words, and it is clear to all
Sellswords that you were born to lead.
Faction: Sodkiller.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Cha 13.
Benefit: You add your Strength modifier to Intimidate checks along with your Charisma modifier. In addition, you
may add your Strength modifier to Diplomacy checks targeting other members of the Sodkillers, along with your
Charisma modifier as usual.

Natural Protomatter Secretion [General]

Rare nathri possess the unusual ability to actually create protomatter from their own bodies, perhaps one of the
oddest adaptations to be seen among residents of the Misty Shore. Planewalking nathri use this to craft anything
ranging from food to minor adventuring gear.
Region: Nathri.
Benefit: After spending about a minute concentrating and making a successful Constitution check (DC 20), you
can create about a cubic foot of protomatter that oozes out of the barb on your hand. The protomatter will only last
a few minutes before dissolving unless a Control check is made as normal to craft it into something.
Special: You may only take this feat as a 1st-level character.

Numb [General, Faction-Dependent]

Like most of your brethren, you see emotions as a sad remnant of your previous life and have striven to give them
up so that you may move closer to True Death.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisite: Iron Will.
Benefit: You become immune to spells and effects that alter your emotional state including antipathy, calm
emotions, fear, symbol (hopelessness), Tasha’s hideous laughter, and any spell that grants a morale modifier. This
does not apply to effects that alter your outlook or inflict madness, such as charm person or confusion.

Oathbinder [General, Faction-Dependent]

You recognize the value of someone’s word, even if they do not, and ensure the multiverse itself recognizes the
promise so that it is not broken.
Faction: Ring-Giver.
Prerequisites: Cha 15, Return of Favors, Control 3 ranks, character level 6 th.
Benefit: Whenever someone makes an oath in your presence, you can make a touch attack on your next action to
enforce that oath. You must declare the use of this feat before making the touch attack, and you suffer 2 points of
temporary Constitution damage (or Charisma, if you do not have a Constitution score) when doing so, as you are
using your life force to enforce the oath. Unlike normal ability damage, this can only be healed through rest, not by
magic. If the target fails a Will save (DC 14 + your Charisma modifier), they are bound by their own words as if
affected by a lesser geas spell cast by a sorcerer of your character level. You can only attempt to enforce the same
oath once; if the target makes the save to avoid performing some action you cannot try again, even if the oath is
worded differently. You may only have a number of oaths enacted equal to twice your Charisma modifier; if you go
over this limit you choose which oath to release. This is a supernatural ability.
Note: An oath can be as simple as, “I promise not to hurt you,” or as elaborate as, “By the blood of my forefathers, I
swear to track down your brother’s killer and bring him to justice before the
rising of the next full moon”.

Oathmaster [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your ability to ensure that someone’s word is upheld is such that none would
give their word lightly around you.
Faction: Ring-Giver.
Prerequisites: Cha 17, Oathbinder, Return of Favors, Control 6 ranks,
character level 9th.
Benefit: As Oathbinder, except you suffer 4 points of temporary Constitution
damage and the target is affected by qeas/quest unless they succeed on a Will
save (DC 16 + your Charisma modifier). The target cannot be made to make
the oath under duress; otherwise the feat functions as Oathbinder.

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Oblivion Awaits [General, Faction-Dependent]
Some Dustmen have spent so much time considering Final Death that it is reflected in their eyes. Those meeting
the gaze of such Dustmen are unnerved and frightened, and later say the Dustmen’s eyes imparted a great desire
for death, while others whisper they saw their own fate in the next life reflected, and it was terrifying.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, Iron Will, Numb, Vision of Death, Intimidate 9 ranks, Spot 9 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a gaze attack that inflicts the effects of a scare spell on non-Dustmen within 30 feet (DC 13 +
Charisma modifier) so long as you are only making a single move-equivalent action per round. This is a continuous
effect that does not require a standard action and cannot be turned off. As a standard action you may focus your
gaze into a fear spell directed at one target (DC 15 + Charisma modifier). If the target succeeds at the save against
the fear effect, they become immune to it for the rest of the day. If they fail, they become panicked and flee for three
rounds. This is a supernatural ability that does not work on unintelligent or undead creatures.

One with the Wild [General]

You are recognized as a distinguished part of the natural order.
Regions: The Beastlands.
Prerequisites: Wis 15, Cha 15, any nonlawful, nonevil alignment.
Benefit: Animals and plants recognize and trust you as a creature of the land, and will not attack you unless you
threaten them first. Even creatures summoned or dominated must make a Will save (DC 10 + ¼ your character
level + Charisma modifier) in order to harm you. You may grant this protection to a number of people traveling with
you equal to your Charisma modifier for 24 hours. If anyone violates the truce it is broken for all members and
cannot be reinitiated for another 24 hours.

Outsider Turning [Divine]

You can channel moral or ethical energies to turn or rebuke a particular type of outsider.
Prerequisites: Wis 15, Cha 15, Extra Turning, ability to turn or rebuke undead.
Benefit: Choose one alignment subtype. You may spend one of your turning attempts to turn outsiders of that
subtype. Turning outsiders does not require the channeling of positive or negative energy as turning undead does.
Instead, the character draws on divine energy and their own faith to ward against the outsider. An outsider has
effective turn resistance equal to its Charisma modifier (if positive). It is impossible to turn or rebuke outsiders on
their home plane. If you share the outsiders’ alignment, you rebuke outsiders of that subtype instead of turning
them. For example, a chaotic evil cleric who took Outsider Turning [Good] could turn any good outsider. If that cleric
also took Outsider Turning [Chaotic] he could rebuke chaotic evil outsiders, and turn chaotic neutral outsiders.
Special: Any feat that applies to turning undead can be used in conjunction with this feat to turn outsiders. You may
take this feat multiple times, choosing a new alignment subtype each time.
Outsiders that have changed alignments face the extra risk of being turned by multiple sources. For instance, a
risen tanar’ri can be turned as a good creature, and can be turned as a chaotic or evil creature because of its inner
nature.

Parting the Veil [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your devotion to the greater forces in the multiverse has brought new revelations on the mysteries of the planes,
allowing you to manipulate divine energy more fluidly.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (religion) 9 ranks, access to a domain.
Benefit: You no longer need to prepare domain spells, you may spontaneously choose any of your domain spells
of the appropriate level to fill your domain spell slot.

Planar Knack [General]

You are able to grasp fundamental aspects of particular planes, so survival in those environments poses little
trouble for you.
Faction: Fated.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Control, Planar Expertise, and Survival checks on any planes with which you have
a specialty in Knowledge (the planes). In addition, Planar Expertise is now a class skill for you.

Pocket of Order [General]

Your spells temporarily nullify chaos in a small pocket of space, removing any chance.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisite: Any lawful alignment.
Benefit: This feat is applied to spells with the lawful descriptor. For one round per level of the spell an area
centered around the destination of the spell in a 30 ft. radius has all random chance removed. All die rolls are
determined by their average value, using the table for the feat Static Spell. The effect does not take place until the
next round, so any initial saving throws to resist the spell are rolled as normal, and does not move afterwards, even
if the spell was centered on an individual. For the duration of the effect events are predictable, even average.
Individuals operate according to skill alone, leaving no room for flair or inspiration.

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Point Finger [General]
You are a master of verbal deception, and can make others seem dishonest or inept with your quick wit.
Faction: Revolutionary League.
Prerequisite: Bluff 4 ranks.
Benefit: When making a Bluff check to lie, you may subtract a number from your Bluff check up to the number of
ranks you possess in the Bluff skill and target somebody within 60 ft. That person receives a circumstance penalty
equal to the number subtracted from your check to their next Bluff or Diplomacy check in that encounter.

Portal Sense [General]

You are able to anticipate the dangers that lie before you through a portal.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, Planar Expertise 9 ranks, ability to see inactive portals.
Benefit: When you determine whether the destination of a portal is dangerous you also become aware of the
nature of the threat. You know what type of terrain the portal leads to and whether there is a danger from natural
hazards such as fire, extreme cold, poisons, magical effects, dangerous plant life, and so on.

Power of Denial [General, Faction-Dependent]

Some Visionaries regard the multiverse as merely an extension of their will; it exists because they believe it so.
While this theory is incredibly egocentric, its proponents have provided proof in the past by ignoring whole objects
out of existence. Though such power is held only by the most experienced Visionaries and former Signers, you
have begun to master the basic principles, and with concentration can disbelieve an object long enough to pass
through it.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisites: Illusion Perception, Control 6 ranks.
Benefit: By meditating for at least one minute and making a successful Control check (DC 10 + the object’s
hardness) as a standard action you may ignore the existence of one object and be considered insubstantial with
regards to it. A check must be made for every 2 inches of thickness, or every 5 feet for anything nonsolid; every
successive roll increasing the DC by 1. If you have touched or otherwise interacted with the object, you have
greater difficulty disbelieving it, and the DC increases by 4. While concentrating, you can only move at half speed,
and anything that disrupts your concentration, such as a loud noise or being hit by something else, ends the effect
unless you make a successful Concentration and Control checks against the same DC. You cannot use this ability
to evade attacks of any sort, and lead or magical wards (even those that prevent interplanar access) are
impenetrable.

Precondition [General]
Due to some anomaly encountered upon leaving Mechanus your reflex protocols have made some unusual
adaptations to respond to specific situations in a quick and efficient manner.
Prerequisite: Modron Outcast.
Benefit: Choose an action that your character will perform in response to some external stimulus. Neither stimulus
nor reaction is interpreted by your character, meaning you cannot make differentiations such as friend or foe, or
what specific reaction would be best. For example, a modron outcast that witnesses someone drawing a weapon
may immediately cast its highest-level spell or may attack the speaker upon hearing a word or expression. The
stimulus and the reaction should be loosely based on some past experience of the character. For example, perhaps
the last individual to use a particular phrase turned out to be leading the party into an ambush. The modron
outcast’s reaction can be anything that can be performed as a standard action, and is always the same reaction for
the same event, even if it may not be appropriate at the time. The modron outcast acts immediately, even if it has
already made an action in the round; the character's initiative order doesn't change.
At 4th level, and every three levels afterwards, the DM chooses an additional stimulus and reaction for your
character. These preconditions should not be used as a punishment, however, and the player and DM are
encouraged to work together to invent reactions that are both logical (in your character’s mind, anyway) and not
abusive.
Special: You may only take this feat as a 1st-level character.

Probability Manipulation [General, Faction-Dependent]

In your quest to understand the intrinsic laws of the multiverse, you have learned how to “bend” the laws affecting
an outcome.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisite: Int 15.
Benefit: You may choose to add a +2 or -2 to any attack roll, damage roll, caster level check, or skill check made
by a character within 60 ft. of you as a free action at any time during the round. To use this ability, you simply must
observe the action about to be performed and comment on the statistical probability of it succeeding. This ability
must be used before the die is rolled and may be used a number of times per day equal to half your Intelligence
modifier. It can only be used once per round.

169
Protomatter Substitution [Metapsionic]
You are able to use your psionic powers to manipulate ethereal protomatter in the same manner as you manipulate
ectoplasm.
Prerequisites: Control 3 ranks, Ethereal Plane as a specialty for Knowledge (the planes), ability to manifest
powers.
Benefit: When on the Ethereal Plane or any plane that borders it you can manifest powers that use ectoplasm
normally, replacing the astral ectoplasm with ethereal protomatter, allowing powers such as astral construct to
function on the Ethereal or Inner Planes.
Using this feat does not add to the power point cost of a power.
Normal: Powers that draw ectoplasm from the Astral Plane do not function on planes that are not adjacent to it.

Punish the Oppressor [General, Faction-Dependent]

Often the only way to convince others not to take advantage of you is to illustrate the inevitable consequences of
their actions. Calling on the multiverse to make sure what goes around comes around, you can answer force with
force alike without lifting a finger.
Faction: Ring-Givers.
Prerequisites: Wis 11, Harmless, character level 9th.
Benefit: If someone attacks and deals damage to you and you have not participated in the combat until that point
you may choose to deal the same amount of damage to them. The damage is inflicted in a backlash of energy that
leaves the attacker with strong reservations about harming you further. They must make a Will save (DC 15 +
Wisdom modifier) or treat you as if you were protected by a sanctuary spell for the next hour. This is a supernatural
ability usable once a day.

Purity of Form [General]

Most Martyrs share a common animosity toward all forms of undead and strive to protect themselves from falling to
such unnatural and vile creatures.
Faction: Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisites: Great Fortitude, any good alignment.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against the special abilities of undead creatures and against spells
that use negative energy. These bonuses overlap (do not stack); for instance, you only gain a +2 bonus from this
feat against the energy draining ability of undead. In addition, you cannot be made undead by any means short of
divine intervention; you are immune to the create spawn special ability possessed by some undead creatures,
cannot be turned into a vampire, and cannot have your body transformed into an undead abomination.

Purity of Spirit [General]

Martyrs with true hearts have less to fear from the powers of vile fiends, as their very spirits can shrug them off as
the abhorrent sorcery they are.
Faction: Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, any good alignment.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against the special
abilities of evil outsiders and any evil spells. These bonuses overlap (do
not stack); for instance, you only gain a +2 bonus from this feat against an
unholy blight spell cast by a fiend.

Renowned Commander [General, Faction-Dependent]

Tales of your deeds have spread your name far and wide through the
ranks of the Harmonium, giving you the respect and privilege reserved for
the faction’s true heroes.
Faction: Harmonium.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, Leadership, Seasoned Officer.
Benefit: You no longer suffer a penalty to your Leadership score for
purposes of attracting a cohort because you have a familiar, special
mount, or animal companion, and the death of a cohort or follower does
not give you a penalty so long as they died fighting for the ideals of the
Harmonium. Finally, you gain the privilege of being able to call on the
Harmonium for aid in some suitably heroic endeavor. This aid comes in
the form of four to five experienced Hardheads no more than 2/3 your
character level, who will serve under you for the duration of a single
mission. You may only call upon such assistance once a year and with
sufficient cause provided to the Harmonium leadership. During such a
period you are charged to ensure their safety and wellbeing, to say
nothing of your duty to educate and inspire them to rise higher in the
service of justice.

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Return of Favors [General, Faction-Dependent]
The Ring-Givers don’t make it through the multiverse merely on the good will of others, they have the Unity of
Rings on their side to ensure that even the most selfish individuals tend to feel that they owe the Beggars for any
favors given. Thus, whenever you give a gift or do a favor for someone else, they have a chance of becoming
bound to owe you a debt.
Faction: Ring-Giver.
Benefit: You must make the recipient aware that you would appreciate or expect some sort of return at the time the
gift is given and the recipient cannot be forced to accept it. If the recipient accepts the gift they make a Wisdom
check (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier), whether they intended to make it up to you or not. The recipient must
make this check once a day for a number of days equal to your character level. Should they fail the check at any
point they are bound to owing you a favor in return.
The favor owed you is relative to the value of your gift or favor. For instance, giving a magical item worth $20,000
gold to someone would cause them to owe you an item of similar value or obligate them to perform some sort of
service of equal value to you. Likewise, if you saved someone’s life they would owe you a life debt of sorts, and
would be required to save your life in order to settle their debt. You may refuse to take the payment, in which case
the debt is not absolved, though the DM may rule in certain situations that the individual has made up for their debt.
Under some circumstances you may force someone who owes you a favor to pay up in some desired fashion. You
may only do so once per debt. Upon making the request make an opposed Charisma check. If you succeed, the
individual must do as you ask. If the request goes against the subject’s nature or requires them to give up
something of large personal value they gain a +4 bonus to their check. If your request is likely suicidal, directly or
indirectly, they simply do not need to listen to you.

Riot Leader [General]

You are exceptionally good at riling up a crowd in order to disrupt the social order.
Factions: Revolutionary League, Xaositects.
Prerequisites: Leadership, Bluff 7 ranks, Diplomacy 7 ranks, any nonlawful alignment.
Benefit: Given at least an hour of public speaking you can make a Diplomacy check (DC 25 + modifiers listed
below). If you succeed, you attract a number of additional temporary followers determined by your Leadership
score. These followers must hear your speech and must be of chaotic alignment. After attracting them to your
cause, you may then direct them to instigate a riot or otherwise cause chaos for at least an hour and possibly
longer at the DM’s discretion. After the first hour, the additional followers are no longer under your command and
will act on their own.
Use of this feat will likely attract the attention of local authorities, and repeated use may draw the wrath of
organizations such as the Harmonium. In a worst-case scenario, you may even warrant the attention of inevitables
or celestials.

Modifier Example Circumstance

+5 If current plane is strongly good-aligned
+5 If current plane is mildly law-aligned
+10 If current plane is strongly law-aligned
-5 If current plane is strongly evil-aligned
-5 If current plane is mildly chaos-aligned
-10 If current plane is strongly chaos-aligned

Sacred Form [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your body is a temple, a vessel of divine potential. Though the purpose of each life is to learn and change through
experience, there are certain aspects that must remain pure and unmolested if you are to continue your ascension.
Therefore, you have chosen to manifest your divine power to shelter yourself from unwelcome alterations to your
body.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Prerequisites: Wis 17, Cleanse Impurity, Harness Divinity.
Benefit: You become immune to petrifaction and polymorph spells and effects that change your form such as
baleful polymorph, flesh to stone, and reduce person. This does not apply to transmutation effects that do not
cause a physical chance in form, such as slow, or to transmutation effects that would destroy your form completely,
such as disintegrate. Any abilities you possess to change form are unhindered.

Scapegoat [General]
You know how to blame others for your deeds.
Faction: Revolutionary League.
Prerequisite: Bluff 6 ranks.
Benefit: You receive a +10 bonus to Bluff checks when implicating someone for something they didn’t do, and
spells cannot determine whether you are lying about who is responsible.

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Seasoned Officer [General, Faction-Dependent]
Those that dedicate their lives to the Harmonium cause establish a level of respect with their faction that many
would envy, and serve as a shining example to those who follow.
Faction: Harmonium.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, Leadership.
Benefit: You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to Charisma-based skill checks with Harmonium members and receive
a +2 bonus to your Leadership score if all your followers and your cohort are members of the Harmonium. In
addition, when you lead a cohort or followers into battle they gain a +2 competence bonus to attack rolls and Will
saving throws if they are members of the Harmonium.

Self-Reliance [General]
Face it, the only way to survive in the multiverse is by being able to take care of yourself. You’ve realized that you
can never truly depend on anyone else, so you’ve learned to be much more self-sufficient.
Benefit: You receive one extra skill point every level, starting with the level at which you take this feat. You spend
extra skill points in the same way as those received each level for your class, and may not purchase more ranks in
a skill than your normal maximum rank in that skill. You do not retroactively gain skill points for previous levels.
Special: You can select this feat multiple times. Each time it is taken, you gain an extra skill point per level.

Sensorium Scholar [General, Faction-Dependent]

You have spent much of your life in the Society experiencing every sensorium made available. This supplies you
with a wealth of knowledge not your own, even things unknowingly recorded from the original donors’ psyche.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisite: Must have gone through every sensation available at a sensorium.
Benefit: You are able to make all Knowledge checks as if you have ranks in them, enabling you to recall more than
common knowledge without training. You may still only roll a Knowledge check for a given subject once, though if
you spend a sufficient amount of time in a sensorium you may be able to try again, at the DM’s discretion. In
addition, you gain a +1 bonus to all Knowledge checks.
Special: In order to maintain use of this feat you must experience every sensation available at a different
sensorium at least once a year. Failing to do so results in losing the benefits of this feat until you fulfill this
requirement.

Sensory Touch [General, Faction-Dependent]

Experience is not a one-way path; we all open ourselves to new states of being through interaction with one
another. Thus, most Sensates are taught how to feel the pain of others in exchange for their own wellbeing.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Benefit: Once per day you may transfer a number of hit points of nonlethal damage equal to your character level
from yourself to another living creature at the rate of two points healed per point taken. You may also reduce a
creature’s level of fear or fatigue by bearing the increase yourself. For instance, you can reduce a panicked
individual to frightened by becoming shaken, or someone who is exhausted can be reinvigorated if you choose to
become exhausted instead. You can use this ability to bring yourself past the normal limits of hit points, fear, and
fatigue, but taking such an extreme burden knocks you unconscious for at least one hour. Either use of this ability
requires a touch attack as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity.

Servant of the Unnamed [General]

Through secret means, you have become initiated in the unnamed pantheon that watches over bladeling society
and are now a vessel of their will. You are haunted by vivid dreams, whispers in the wind, and other omens sent by
that of which you do not speak. You hear their commands, the tasks they require you
to perform. You can only begin to understand the purpose of your orders, which
range from mundane to suicidal, but you know that there is a grand scheme
according to which you move, and to refuse them is a fate far worse than death. But
you gladly fulfill your duty, knowing that you are being watched, guided, and
protected.
Region: Bladeling.
Prerequisite: Permission of the DM.
Benefit: Once a day, should you undertake an action that will surely lead you to
certain danger, the voices strongly warn you of the threat. Once a week, should you
fall between -1 and -9 hit points, you will immediately stop bleeding and regain
consciousness. Finally, once in your lifetime, should you be slain in the service of
those left unnamed, you will reawaken alive and safe in a haven of the DM’s
choosing. In exchange for this protection, you will occasionally be called upon to
perform strange tasks as described above. Disobedience results in loss of this feat
at a minimum, though in all likelihood that will be the least of your troubles once the
powers that be decide to punish you for your disloyalty.
Special: You may only take this feat as a 1st level character.

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Sift [General, Faction-Dependent]
Your affinity for entropy gives you insight into its manifestations, allowing you to divine information on what
destroyed a given object or killed a creature.
Faction: Doomguard.
Benefit: By taking a full-round action and making physical contact with a destroyed object or dead body, you can
automatically tell what caused the object to break apart, down to the type of damage and what sort of implement or
spell was used to inflict it, though not what specific object or person inflicted the damage. For example, you may be
able to identify that a greatsword or necromancy spell killed the target, but not the specific greatsword or the
caster’s identity. If the destruction was magical in nature, a Spellcraft check is required to identify the spell as if the
Sinker were witnessing the spell being cast.

Sinker Swordsmanship [General, Fighter]

Members of the Doomguard are well known for their love of swords, and every citadel trains in the usage of myriad
types of swords. Some of the best swordsmen in the multiverse hail from this faction, and many learn how to use
their techniques for a wide variety of blades.
Faction: Doomguard.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with simple and martial weapons, Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: Choose one weapon-based fighter feat that you possess such as Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, or
Weapon Specialization. This feat now applies to all swords with which you meet the prerequisites of the feat.
Swords include bastard swords, falchions, fullblades, greatswords, longswords, short swords, rapiers, scimitars,
and any other weapons at the DM’s discretion. For instance, if you took this feat with Improved Critical then you
would gain the benefits of that feat for all swords, whereas if you took this feat with Weapon Specialization it would
only apply to swords with which you also had Weapon Focus. You are considered to actually have the feat for
purposes of prerequisites.

Siphon Spell Slot [General, Faction-Dependent, Wizard]

If another spellcaster hasn’t used their spells already, the energy might as well go to someone who will put it to use.
Furthering your skills of magical theft, you can slightly replenish your magical abilities by draining another’s.
Faction: Fated.
Prerequisites: Grab Magic, Sticky Fingers, Knowledge (arcana) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks.
Benefit: By making a touch attack, you may restore a previously cast spell (or gain the ability to cast an additional
spell that day, if you cast spells spontaneously) by absorbing the magical energy from your target. The target may
make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your character level + Charisma modifier) to resist the effect. Otherwise, you may
take a spell slot from your target up to two levels lower than the maximum spell level you can cast. If the target
prepares their spells, they choose which spell is lost. You may use this ability once a day. This is a supernatural
ability.

Slippery [General]
You live for freedom, and avoid capture at all costs.
Factions: Athar, Free League, Revolutionary League.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all saving throws against
mind-affecting spells and effects, and a +2 bonus to Escape
Artist checks.

Spectrum Enhancement [General]

Few creatures in the multiverse can match the capabilities of
the Sensate who develops their vision to this extreme.
Though it stretches the physical capabilities of any form, the
unique experience is normally enough to attract any true
Sensate.
Faction: Society of Sensation.
Prerequisites: Alertness, Extraordinary Sense (Ocular), Spot
15 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a minor form of x-ray vision, giving you the
ability to see into and through solid matter. The vision range is
5 feet, allowing you to view everything within that range as it
were in normal light even if there is no illumination. X-ray
vision can penetrate 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal,
or up to 3 feet of wood or dirt. Thicker substances or a thin
sheet of lead blocks the vision. You may activate this ability
as a standard action. For every round that this ability is active
you suffer 10 points of nonlethal damage as the strain on your
eyes and mind takes its toll.

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Static Spell [Metamagic]
Your devotion to the principles of order allows you to lace your spells with the structure of law and remove any
variables from the equation.
Prerequisite: Any lawful alignment.
Benefit: This feat adds the lawful descriptor to a spell. Furthermore, all die rolls are determined by their average
value rather than being rolled for random effect. To determine the results for damage, duration, etc., multiply the
values provided by the chart below by the number of dice normally rolled and round down. Thus a fireball that deals
8d6 fire damage would cause 28 points of fire damage.
Die Result
D3 1.5
D4 2.5
D6 3.5
D8 4.5
D10 5.5
D12 6.5
D20 10.5
D100 50.5
Special: This feat cannot be applied to spells with the chaotic descriptor.

Steady Decay [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your refusal to tamper with the natural progression of decay likewise ensures that your fate is not ended
prematurely by less enlightened individuals.
Faction: Doomguard.
Prerequisites: Destruction Embraced, character level 6th.
Benefit: You become immune to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects.
However, you also gain a bonus to saving throws to resist spells of the healing subschool equal to half your
character level.

Sticky Fingers [General]

You understand that everyone is entitled to whatever they can seize; thus stealing from others is a natural way of
life for you no matter what your profession is.
Faction: Fated.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Sleight of Hand when using it to steal from others, and Sleight of Hand becomes a
class skill for you.

Strengthened Transmutation [General]

Recognizing the benefits magic provides in improving your combat abilities, you’ve focused on ways to use
transmutation more effectively on yourself.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (Transmutation).
Benefit: You cast transmutation spells on yourself at +2 caster level.

Structured Mind [General]

Some Guvners restructure their memories as a “memory castle” of sorts, rendering their thoughts relatively
resistant to magical attacks or intrusions.
Faction: Fraternity of Order.
Prerequisite: Base Will save +2 bonus.
Benefit: You gain +2 bonus against spells or effects that read, damage, or otherwise remove your mind such as
confusion, detect thoughts, feeblemind, insanity, or the psionic powers mind seed or mind switch, but not spells that
influence or control it such as charm person, suggestion, or dominate person. Furthermore, you are adept at
resisting possession, either from a special ability or a dominate spell, and may make a Will save once an hour at a
-2 penalty to free your mind.

Surprise Factioneers [General]

Your knowledge of the factions allows you to catch them off guard with unexpected comments about their
philosophy or faction.
Faction: Free League.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, Cha 13, Knowledge (factions and guilds) 6 ranks.
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can make a Knowledge (factions and guilds) check (DC 20) to come up with a
particularly shocking comment against one faction. Shouting the comment allows you to “shock” any member of
that faction within 60 feet that can hear you as the spell daze. The targets may make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ char.
level + Wis modifier) to resist the effect. You may use this ability once a minute, and the same target can only be
affected by it once a day, though a target that makes their save may still be affected by another use of the ability.

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Talents of the Past [General]
You have awakened vague memories of a past life, allowing you to learn some skills with inexplicable ease.
Faction: Mind’s Eye.
Benefit: Choose two cross-class skills. These skills become class skills for you.

The Stuff of Legends [General]

You possess a physical prowess typical of the Asgardian warriors on the plane of eternal battle.
Region: Bariaur, Chaond, Ysgard.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Con 13, Endurance.
Benefit: Add your Strength modifier in addition to any other bonuses to the checks and saves listed under the
Endurance feat. In addition, add your Constitution modifier to your effective Strength score for purposes of
lifting/dragging, carrying capacity, and Strength checks.

True Name Lore [General]

You can understand the rudiments of True Names, allowing you to research and use the True Names of creatures
against them.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks, base Will save bonus +4.
Benefit: You can use the True Name of a creature to bypass its magical obfuscations, cast teleportation spells on it
without being included in the effect, to gain bonuses to attack rolls, spell penetration checks, and certain skill
checks against it, and can target it in a true name ritual (see True Names in Chapter 5).
Note: Players should find out from the DM whether True Names will be incorporated into the campaign before
taking this feat. This is only a basic approach to True Names; DMs and players are encouraged to expand upon
this system, or look to the Tome of Magic for detailed rules.

Touched in the Head [General]

There’s no more room for additional madness in your head – you already have your share.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, character level 9th.
Benefit: You are immune to confusion or madness effects (including spells from the Madness domain) such as
confusion, feeblemind, insanity, Otto’s irresistible dance, Tasha’s hideous laughter, and other spells and effects at
the DM’s discretion.

Turn Immunity [Epic]

Your stature within the planes grants you immunity to the turning attempts of lesser beings.
Prerequisites: Cha 25, Improved Turn Resistance, natural Spell Resistance 20.
Benefit: You are immune to any type of turning/rebuking attempt,
though you can still be banished by spells of sufficiently high-level
casters.

Twitch [General]
You have an innate sense of danger and can quickly respond to
hidden threats.
Region: Carceri, Khaasta, Tiefling.
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Improved Initiative.
Bonus: You are able to make a partial action as normal during a
surprise round in which you normally could not act, even if you are
unaware of the attackers beforehand. You may act immediately after
the first attacker’s actions, provided you recognize the threat.

Unit Tactics [General, Fighter]

Your faction has heavily emphasized safety and teamwork in the
heat of battle and you know how to take advantage of the shared
training you have with your comrades.
Factions: Harmonium, Sons of Mercy.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +3.
Benefit: You gain a cumulative +1 circumstance bonus to attack rolls
and AC against a target for every character with this feat (including
yourself) threatening it. Thus, if three individuals with this feat were
threatening the same target all three characters would gain a +3 to
attack and AC against that opponent. You do not gain any bonuses
or count towards granting other characters bonuses if you are
immobilized.

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Unhealthy Fixation [General, Faction-Dependent]
Your insanity gives you a strange insight into the conditions around you.
Region: Pandemonium.
Faction: Bleak Cabal.
Prerequisite: Insanity 1.
Benefit: You may add ½ your Insanity score to your Wisdom for purposes of Wisdom-based skill checks all the
time, rather than only once a day.
Normal: Your Insanity score is subtracted from your Wisdom for purposes of skill checks.

Unlikely Event [General, Faction-Dependent]

Randomness is the natural state of the multiverse, and you welcome the unusual occurrences that come with it.
Faction: Xaositects.
Benefit: On any d20 roll with the potential for an automatic success or failure, a natural 19 or a natural 20 is
considered an automatic success, and a natural 1 or a natural 2 is considered an automatic failure. This does not
increase the threat range of weapons.
Normal: On a d20 roll that has the potential for an automatic success or failure, a natural 20 is considered an
automatic success, and a natural 1 is considered an automatic failure.

Unwritten Destiny [General, Faction-Dependent]

Your belief that you are not bound by the chains of fate ensures that you are not bound by magical contracts and
that none can divine your future.
Faction: Fated.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, character level 9th.
Benefit: You are immune to geas/quest and lesser geas, as well as other spells and effects that would force you
into a magical contract, including the Ring-giver feat Return of Favors. Furthermore, attempts to divine your future,
such as through commune or contact other plane, always return inconclusive answers.

Vision of Death [General]

Some Dustmen become so attuned to death that when they look at other creatures all they can see is the creature
slowing decaying and dying, as if Death itself has given them an idea of its schedule.
Faction: Dustmen.
Prerequisites: Wis 11, Spot 6 ranks.
Benefit: As a move-equivalent action you can look at creatures within 30 feet and determine how close to death
they are as the deathwatch spell, or you may focus on a single living target and determine its hit points.

Walk the Predefined Path [General, Faction-Dependent]

Many Ciphers develop an uncanny knack to reach their destinations despite all obstacles, relying on the Cadence
to guide their every step rather than concerning themselves with the details of the trip. While members of other
factions may think they’re missing the most important part, the multiverse always requires they make up for this
shortcut at some point.
Faction: Transcendent Order.
Prerequisites: Cadence Whispers, character level 9th.
Benefit: Once a week you may roll a d20 against the difficulty chosen for Cadence Whispers. If you succeed, you
gain one use of find the path as an extraordinary ability that must be used immediately. However, upon activating
this ability you automatically incur a geas debt as described in Cadence Whispers. Such quests may be more or
less difficult than the original journey would have been without the use of find the path.

Well-Lanned Cutter [General]

While the Free League offers little in terms of material aid, the prevalence of Indeps throughout the planes makes it
much easier for you to find helpful friends pretty much anywhere.
Faction: Free League.
Prerequisites: Gather Information 6 ranks, character level 6th.
Benefit: Upon taking this feat you gain a gain a reliable contact in a specialized field (baatezu sociology, black
market portal routes, etc. ) or position of knowledge (such as within another faction or religion) for every three
character levels. This individual may or may not be a member of the Free League, but will help provide you with
information related to their area of expertise. Contacts are normally of lower level than you and tend to stay in one
region, though the DM may allow you to earn more prominent contacts through role-playing. Contacts will not likely
help you beyond providing some bit of information and particularly powerful or fiendish contacts may require some
help in return. Maintaining the contact is your responsibility, and the DM is free to role-play the character as they
see fit. If you lose a contact, you do not automatically gain a new one.
Special: You can select this feat multiple times. Each time it is taken, you gain an additional contact for every three
character levels. If you leave the Free League you may or may not maintain your contacts, depending your
relationship with them, at the DM’s discretion.

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Wild Spell [Metamagic]
Channel wild energy into a spell, giving it potential to be weaker or stronger than normal.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Spellcraft 9 ranks, base Will save bonus +4.
Benefit: A wild spell has a randomly modified caster level and has a chance of triggering a wild surge (see Wild
Magic in Chapter 5). Unlike other metamagic feats, Wild Spell does not need to be applied to a spell when it’s being
memorized and does not increase the casting time or level of the spell.

Wounding Martial Strike [General, Fighter]

You know how to hit your opponents where it hurts and how to leave your mark with each blow.
Faction: Sodkillers.
Prerequisites: Int 15, Weapon Focus with specified weapon, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: Each time you deal damage with the specified type of weapon, the wound it inflicts deals 1 point of
damage per round thereafter in addition to the normal damage the weapon deals. Multiple wounds from the
weapon result in cumulative bleeding (two wounds for 2 points of damage per round and so on). The bleeding can
only be stopped by a successful Heal check (DC 15) or the application of any cure or other healing spells.

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 Chapter 5: Magic
It pained Dillan to see what had become of his home. Once the small burg had exemplified the best of
Arborea, its small homes dotting the lush valley and tall trees towering above to form a canopy of leaves that
protected them from the worst of the plane’s weather. Animals and children would run throughout the
underbrush, their imaginations presenting them with untold wonders under every rock and behind every bush.
Even during the hardest times the town’s folk, whether man, woman, or spirit, would gather at night to dance
and sing together around blazing fires. The Athar had formed the hamlet as an oasis for those seeking a
peaceful home away from the manipulations of the gods and their followers. Their lives weren’t easy, but no
day was wasted, each was worth living.

That blithe energy had fallen away, however, and the air became choked by bitterness and hatred. The
passion which filled their hearts turned to jealousy and rage. What had started as a small feud between lovers
had grown to consume the whole village, turning family against family and dividing the town. Now a wall split
the valley and its residents, sitting like an open wound across the realm’s face. A necessary evil, as if looking
at the ugly gray stone was better than seeing those on the other side. The poison infecting the town had
become so intense that now the whole valley was on the verge on shifting to another plane. Arborea was
rejecting them, and no one could say where they’d end up. The whole matter only divided them further. In his
desperation to find some resolution, Dillan had even sought help from the pantheon’s that dwelled nearby, but
their clerics had been turned away. The gods had no interest in easing the pain of those who had rejected
them.

A hand on his shoulder made Dillan jump. “Hey.” He turned around to look at Alan, who smiled at him
reassuringly. “That gloomy look doesn’t suit you. Trust me, its going to be alright.” Alan pulled him close and
their lips met, softly at first but then passionately as their arms locked around one another. When they parted,
tears were sliding down Dillan’s cheeks. Alan leaned forward to kiss them away, then said “You must have
hope, they need us to be strong.”

Dillan shook his head, “But does it have to be this way?! Do you really need to-”

“It’s my right to choose, my freedom to give. You must believe in what we do, Dillan. The gods would rather
see our people suffer, and our friends have forgotten what it is we fight for. If we don’t trust in each other, in
the principles we have tried to live our lives by, then the magic will fail and everything will be for naught.”

Dillan nodded slowly, his fingers tracing the silver blade in his hand. Alan lifted his chin up into another kiss
and the two fell onto the bed of wild grass and scattered leaves. They lay there together making love, all
barriers between them falling away, letting their passions consume them completely and mixing the grief of the
last several years with the intensity of their bond. And in an instant it was over as Dillan buried the dagger
deep in Alan’s chest, streams of blood pouring onto the ground. Tears soon mixed with them, tears of grief and
joy, of sorrow and blind hope. Sobs wracked his body and his cries sent birds in the forest flying in all
directions. Yet magic filled the air, and everything around the couple seemed to become energized, as if
witnessing their act had roused the valley’s spirits.

His lover motionless beside him, Dillan turned to look again at the village they had called home, gazing at the
wall as if it would fall apart before his eyes. Doubt filled his mind. Was the magic enough? Could a sacrifice
freely given, an act of passionate love and devotion, make up for years of rage and hatred? Would it be worth
it? Was their belief great enough?

At the bottom of the valley several birds settled onto the wall, and as their claws scratched at the stone
several large chucks fell to the ground.

Magic on the Planes

The planes are magical, plain and simple. Every piece of ground and every planar creature ever to live has a
bit of the planes’ magic in them. The laws of science developed on some Prime worlds just can’t completely
define the multiverse; the supernatural and the contradictory are part of life. Some newcomers might smile
blissful at this notion, patting their spell book or grasping their holy symbol, pleased that the magic they rely on
so heavily is all the more prevalent on the planes. Things simply aren’t that easy, however, and every
spellcaster needs to know the ways of things if they’re going to survive the first trip beyond the City of Doors.

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Many planes have their own unique alterations to magic that are best read about rather than discovered first
hand. Most of this information can be researched or bought, but per the Rule of Three, there are three axioms
that are relatively universal across the multiverse and should be considered before casting a spell:
Dimensional Relations, Planar Natives, and Spell Alterations.

Dimensional Relations
In the end, virtually all of the planes are connected: the
Inner Planes connect to the Prime Material through the
Ethereal, the Prime Material connects to the Outer Planes
through the Astral, and the Outer Planes connect to the
Inner Planes through the Ordial. That isn’t to say all the
planes are accessible from one another, however. Primes
don’t recognize this because the Prime Material connects
to both the Ethereal and the Astral Planes (and they know
nothing of the Ordial); but the Inner Planes have no direct
access to the Astral, and the Outer Planes have no
connection to the Ethereal. When someone casts a spell
that creates a connection to a plane that isn’t bordered by
the current plane, the spell simply fails. For example,
casting etherealness on the Outer Planes isn’t going to
work; there’s no Ethereal Plane to connect to. The same
applies to casting astral projection on one of the Inner
Planes. That’s why every spellcaster should have an
understanding of the cosmology and dimensional
relations before venturing out on to the planes.

Dimensional relations are not quite as restrictive as you

might imagine. It only applies to spells that affect planar
boundaries; thus summoning, banishing, and divination
spells work normally in most parts of the multiverse. In
addition, because the Pseudo Planes are coexistent with
the entire multiverse, spells that draw on the Planes of
Dream, Shadow, or Time operate as well.

Extradimensional spaces are a special case. These tiny

pockets of space are hidden from normal senses and can
be found on just about any plane, with the exception of
the Astral Plane due to its unique nature. Table 5-1 has a
list of spells from the Player’s Handbook that are affected
by dimensional relations. Apply the same principles to new spells and powers from the Expanded Psionics
Handbook and Planescape Campaign Setting.

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Planar Natives
Everyone has a home plane, the place where
they were born, one of the few places they’re
considered native. While traveling through the
multiverse most creatures are considered
extraplanar and become susceptible to certain
magical effects. When a creature is on its home
plane it’s not extraplanar, however, and therefore
becomes immune to spells and effects that target
extraplanar creatures, such as the ever-popular
protection from evil and banishment spells.
Banishing tanar’ri to their home plane just isn’t
going to work when their already in the Abyss.
Nor will a gate or planar ally spell cast by
someone on the same plane grab them, as those
spells must reach out to other planes.

Other creatures have stronger connections to

their home plane, and gain strength when on their
territory or gradually lose power after an extended
time away. Petitioners are a good example of this
property; while on their home plane most
petitioners are immune to necromantic spells of
any kind as their soul’s connection to their home
plane cannot be altered. Some exemplar are
weaker on certain planes or cannot even leave
their own, perhaps due to conflicts between their
nature and the energies of other realms. And
while there’s no question deities are strongest
within their own realms, some people go so far as
to argue they become weaker the farther they
travel, which is why they so rarely leave their own domains (such speculation is normally attributed towishful
thinking by the Athar, however).

Another important note to remember is no creature is considered extraplanar on the Border or Pseudo Planes,
due to their unique connection with the Cardinal Planes. In addition, no spell can banish anyone from Sigil.

At first thought, it might seem an obvious choice to memorize spells to banish extraplanar creatures while
traveling on the planes. However, it doesn’t take long to realize that most of the creatures planewalkers meet
while traveling are on their home plane already, and it’s the planewalkers who are the extraplanar creature.
Furthermore, spells like holy word can become a real double-edged sword when they accidentally banish your
companions! Thus, spells that affect extraplanar creatures are often only at their full potential when used as a
defense for one’s own plane. On the other hand, spells that prevent planar travel such as dimensional anchor
can be very handy in avoiding banishment. Table 5-2 has a list of spells from the Player’s Handbook that affect
extraplanar creatures.

Variant: Predetermined Banishment Effect

Most banishing spells and effects do not specify where the character ends up after returning to their home
plane. This is not normally important in the case of NPC’s, but it may become more of an issue for player
characters. Instead of selecting a random location, the DM may decide that the character is banished back to
their hometown, which will more than likely have some portals nearby allowing the character to reunite with
companions reasonably quickly. An even softer approach is to banish characters back to the location they
were on before going to a plane, such as the other side of a portal. While this option may make it easier on
players, it also weakens the purpose of the spells, and can potentially lead to situations where banishing a
creature becomes pointless or traveling through one-way portals is no longer a great concern.

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Spell Alterations
Spellcasters have to be mindful of the schools and types of spells they use on different planes. Every plane
treats the schools and subtypes differently; spells and spell-like abilities may be enhanced, impeded, limited,
or altered in some other way depending on where they are cast. These effects are not even constant for a
single plane; various layers or realms of a plane may alter how magic operates in completely different ways.
Most spell alterations are based on the nature of the plane or that of the presiding deities, and can be
overridden by gods or particularly clever mortals. Of course, some spell alterations can be quite beneficial, but
overall it’s better to have an idea what the outcome will be before casting the spell.

Like most things, belief is often the biggest factor in how magic is affected on the planes. There are a
countless number of ways different spellcasters can achieve similar results, but in regions where one
paradigm of magic is dominant other methods of magic will often become limited. For example, the planars of
Ysgard mostly worship the Asgardian Pantheon, which has since time began used the lore of runes as a
source of power and wisdom. Furthermore, Ysgard is a plane of hard work and perseverance; life there isn’t
easy unless you’ve put in the effort to make it so. Thus, you can expect spells that create something for
nothing to have trouble functioning, but incorporating the rune lore (and thus adapting to the predominant
belief) might improve a spellcaster’s chances of performing spells successfully. Another more poignant
example is the Abyss; rumors hold that either the Abyssal Lords or the plane itself twists all magic so that it
can bring about only evil results, making it extremely dangerous for spellcasters who do not make some sort
of deal with the local demons.

There are four categories of magic traits. The first three are the most spread throughout a single plane and
unlikely to change, while the last can change from realm to realm or over time.

Enhanced Magic: Particular spells and spell-like abilities are easier to use or are more powerful in effect on
these planes. If a spell is enhanced, certain metamagic feats can be applied to it without changing the spell
slot required or casting time. Spellcasters on that plane are considered to have this feat for the purpose of
applying it to that spell.

Impeded Magic: Particular spells and spell-like abilities are more difficult to cast on these planes, often
because the nature of the plane interferes with the spell. Impeded magic planes may stop spells based on
their school, subschool, descriptors, or level.
Individual spells are rarely impeded on a plane-
wide basis, but they may be impeded in the realm
of a god or other powerful being. To cast an
impeded spell, the caster must make a Spellcraft
check (DC 15 + the level of the spell). If the check
fails, the spell does not function and is lost.

Limited Magic: These planes only permit spells

and spell-like abilities from certain schools,
subschools, descriptors, or levels to be cast.
Other spells and spell-like abilities simply do not
work.

Altered Magic: These planes have specific and

unique changes to certain spells based on their
school, subschool, descriptors, level, or by the
spell itself. The changes can be as minor as an
additional visual or auditory effect, the
requirement for a certain type of material
component, or the spell could produce a
completely opposite effect than what was
intended. Planes with altered magic represent the
greatest hazard to spellcasters, and are good
reason to give pause before casting spells on a
plane you’re not familiar with.

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 Magical Items

Whether arcane, divine, or psionic, magical items carry their magic within. Yet magical equipment is still
affected by dimensional relations and spell alterations, particularly any which simulate spells. Take a ring of
invisibility to a plane where illusion spells do not function and the ring won’t work either. More importantly,
some magical items may attract attention from the natives of a plane. An unholy weapon brought onto the
Upper Planes is a beacon of evil to the celestials and deities there. Spells or equipment that can be used to
hide magical auras are especially useful when carrying such items.

Variant: Altered Magic and Spell Keys

For simplicity, most planes are only listed with the enhanced, impeded, or limited magic traits. The planes
are far more complicated, however, and the gods often interfere directly in how spells operate. Rather than
come up with a daunting list of rules for each plane, we leave it to individual DMs to invent unique
alterations as befitting the region and the story. Specific spell alterations have the potential to add an extra
degree of excitement and surprise to an encounter on the planes, and most of all they can develop the
character of a plane. Used to an extreme, however, they can become a nuisance to players and a
distraction from the other aspects of an adventure. DMs are encouraged to use altered magic as a tool to
add depth to each locale and as a way of getting spellcasters to really think about their magic paradigms.
When using altered magic keep in mind that the planes are highly morphic, and it’s possible that a spell
alteration that existed the day before no longer applies, particular when it’s only a hindrance to the players
enjoying themselves.

When using the altered magic trait, the DM may decide to introduce spell keys. Spell keys attune the
caster’s spell to the magical forces of a plane, allowing spells to operate normally when they would
otherwise be altered. Like portal keys, they can come in nearly any form, such as drawing a rune in the air,
whistling a tune, or offering a sacrifice, and are normally based on the specific plane and spell.

Spell keys come in two types: general and specific. General spell keys allow spellcasters to use a school,
subschool, or descriptor of spells correctly, such as allowing abjurations to operate correctly in the Abyss or
making summoning work in Baator. Specific spell keys are tied to a single spell and region, for instance
allowing power word: kill to work on Mount Celestia. Using spell keys may require extending the casting
time of a spell and cannot be negated by metamagic feats. Thus, a spell key that requires playing a flute
cannot be used with Silent Spell, and one that requires tracing a rune cannot be used with Still Spell. They
also cannot be used in conjunction with magic items to attune their magical effects to the plane.
Nonetheless, spell keys are highly prized by spellcasters on the planes, creating a market for those willing
to sell their secrets (or make them up). There aren’t spell keys for every situation, however, as it seems
some planar absolutes just cannot be bypassed.

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 True Names

It is said that long ago when the multiverse was first formed the deities agreed that everything in existence
would be given a True Name – not just what it would be called, but what it was. The True Name would define
its innermost characteristics and its place in the multiverse. Thus True Names held tremendous power not
only over its owner, but also over every part of the multiverse it touched. Some theorize that the gods meant
to keep the Names among themselves, using them as a means to categorize and comprehend their many
creations. Somehow knowledge of True Names landed in the hands of mortals, however (some attribute this
to a spiteful chaotic deity), and mortals soon began mastering as much of their use as they were able.
Whether the legend is true or not, knowledge of True Names has long been a valuable commodity on the
planes. While those capable of understanding them are quite rare, the power they possess is enough to keep
most planar creatures at least nominally interested in rumors concerning them.

In truth, True Names are actually only the most basic representation of a much grander pattern, a language
intimately tied to the fabric of existence. So complex and powerful to surpass even the complete
understanding of the gods, most mortals are only able to grasp the smallest details of the language and must
take the True Names Lore feat to comprehend its usage. Even the Fraternity of Order has only a very small
collection of Names despite centuries of research and cataloging, and that is only available to those of the
highest rank. Some theorize that all magic is based off this system, and that the greatest archmages are those
who have begun to perceive the entire multiverse as an expression of this language. Outsiders often have a
better grasp of True Names compared to mortals, and most know their own and maybe even the Names of
their servants. The gods, on the other hand, are believed not to possess such Names, though if they did they
surely would have gone to such extreme lengths to remove any record of them for the point to be a moot
point.

Despite being an intrinsically lawful facet of existence, there is little in the way of codified knowledge regarding
True Names. There seems to be enough flexibility in their use that scholars cannot agree on what they are
capable of given the knowledge of those who use them. Some individuals believe that living creatures aren’t
the only things to possess True Names, but inanimate objects, ideas, and even events in time do as well. One
of their only universal traits seems to be the fact that possessing a True Name gives you profound knowledge
and power over what it represents. Thus, mortal spellcasters often seek them out in hopes of binding more
powerful creatures to their whim, though it’s never that easy.

It bears repeating that few individuals ever discover True Names, let alone devote themselves to
understanding them. At the same time, their use is often at the center of legends where individuals seek out a
True Name for truly epic tasks, or in even more remarkable tales the heroes achieve wisdom and power by
coming to understand their own Names. Most adventures pursue rumors of True Names without ever coming
close to the power they seek, however, while merchants selling rare tomes of lost Names by the dozens
abound on the streets of major planar cities. Point being, players should not expect to see them used in every
campaign, and they are best used as plot elements by the DM. If a player is considering taking the True
Names Lore feat they should discuss the matter with the DM to determine if True Names will be used in the
game and if the character will have the time necessary
to study them.

Learning True Names: Understanding True Names is

only the beginning, actually acquiring one is where the
real difficulty comes in. Discovering True Names is best
handled as its own adventure or fit into a long-term story
by the DM. Learning any Name is an extraordinary event
after all, and should come as a result of great effort and
sacrifice. Characters will likely have to gather individual
fragments over time by combining several different
methods and leads. Syllables of a Name may be slowly
put together by examining every aspect of someone’s
life, from their origin and past actions, to their personality
and motivations, and even their connection to people
and places in the multiverse. Few people understand
themselves well enough to know their own Name,
however, and such understanding can take a lifetime to
achieve. Therefore most adventurers also explore places

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such as the Astral, Dream, or Shadow Plane where lost lore or ephemeral knowledge can sometimes be
found, or brave alien regions such as the Hinterlands or the Far Realm in hopes that wisdom can found in the
madness there. It may also require bargaining with exemplar or even deities, though such deals always come
with a high price. In the end, such endeavors almost always bring the characters closer to understanding the
person representing by the Name, and that fact alone often dissuades researchers, for being able to know the
minds of creatures such as archfiends can be enough to draw someone into their dark ways. Even after
completing learning a True Name characters are likely to attract attention from those who would steal such
knowledge or who seek to ensure no one else possesses such power. Simply put, the more powerful the
individual represented by the Name the more likely other planewalkers, exemplar, and other forces will be
interested in how that power is used, to say nothing of whoever the Name belongs to.

If the DM feels that a particular True Name can be found through occult research and there is sufficient time to
allow for such an endeavor, they may instead allow characters to simply put forth the money and the time
necessary. In this case research typically requires access to libraries and other consultants costing at least
1,000 gold and the use of the legend lore spell every week, for one week per 2 HD of the creature (modified
as the DM feels appropriate). At the end of this period the character must cast commune or contact other
plane and then make an appropriate Knowledge check against a DC equal to 10 + the creature’s Hit Dice
(again, modified by the DM). If successful they have discovered the True Name, while failure means the
research must begin again from scratch. The only Names that have survived with any regularity are those of
various fiends, which often end up landing in the hands of arrogant prime wizards. Naturally, most fiends
spend a great deal of resources tracking down and removing any evidence of their Names, though a few are
bold enough to use such knowledge as a lure for unprepared wizards.

Using True Names: Knowing another creature’s True Name grants a great deal of power over them, and it is
for that reason exemplar go to such lengths to protect their Names. Typical powers granted by knowing a
creature’s True Name include:
-The ability to ignore magical obfuscations such as mislead and nondetection, and use of a scrying spell
always succeeds against the creature.

-The ability to cast teleport or greater teleport on the creature without being included in the spell.

-A +4 insight bonus to attack rolls, Armor Class, and saves against the creature’s abilities.

-A +10 insight bonus to Intimidate and Sense Motive checks against the creature.

-The creature’s spell resistance (if any) is at half strength for purposes of resisting the character’s spells and
spell-like abilities.

Merely speaking someone’s True Name sends pulses through the fabric of existence. A creature whose Name
is spoken can sense something tugging at their soul with a successful Wisdom check (DC 20). A creature that
is familiar with True Names recognizes that someone has spoken their Name and may attempt to use scrying
to find the speaker, though the attempt is treated as if they have no knowledge of the target. True Names can
be spoken in a planar binding or similar spell to call a specific creature, denying the target a Will save or spell
resistance to resist the spell and giving the caster a +6 bonus to Charisma checks made to give the creature
orders as part of the spell.

The ultimate manipulation of True Names lies in a powerful ritual involving multiple rhyming verses. The
speaker must be within 30 feet of the target and begins by calling out the target’s True Name and arcane
words that describe its nature, a process which takes 3 full rounds. The speaker must then say a number of
rhyming verses dependent on the desired effect and make a successful Knowledge (arcana) check for each
effect (see Table 5-3).

Unless otherwise stated each verse requires one full round to speak, must be heard by the target, and allows
a Will save (DC 10 + speaker’s HD + Charisma modifier) and lasts as if cast by a 20th level caster. The
speaker knows whether an effect succeeds, and may combine and retry effects, continuing as long as they
can feasibly do so at the DM’s discretion. Any interruption ruins the ritual, and frees the target from any of its
effects. Because of the rhyming verses, it is advisable to prepare the ritual ahead of time and to have
protections against interruptions. Having the creature restrained, such as through a magic circle, is also very
helpful.

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 Wild Magic

Few schools of the arcane are held in such awe and fear as that of wild magic. Drawing on chaos itself,
practitioners of wild magic tap into a primal force of creativity and destruction greater than the most powerful
archmages. Yet the power it grants is also what frightens away most would be wild mages and draws the ire of
others, for even the most skilled wild mages are playing a game of chance, and the consequences are rarely
limited to the caster alone.

No one is quite sure where or when wild magic was first discovered. It has been practiced on dozens of prime
worlds as well as isolated parts of the planes for millennia. Confounding any attempt to understand its origins
is the fact that the techniques used and results achieved with wild magic vary widely from place to place.
Indeed, one of the main characteristics of wild magic seems to be that it can be approached from any angle,
and numerous methods have been noted on the planes by those who research such things. It cannot be said
that there is any “correct” form of wild magic, though some are certainly more powerful (and dangerous) than
others. It should come as no surprise that the Xaositects have long demonstrated an affinity for wild magic,
and the majority of wild mages on the planes are found among that faction, though the idea of it being widely
taught among its members seems highly unlikely. The tanar’ri also seem to enjoy finding creative uses for wild
magic in the Blood War, and several other organizations have attempted to gather information on the various
types of wild magic practiced on the planes, including the Bleak Cabal, the Fated, and the Fraternity of Order.
Though wild magic is inherently chaotic, spellcasters of any alignment may use it, and indeed many lawful
spellcasters study it in the hope of pinning it down in concrete principles.

The rules for wild magic described here are a basic and free form approach that can be used on its own or in
conjunction with another variant system. While wild magic is theoretically capable of just about anything the
caster or the DM imagines, it is most often used to modify a normal spell in hopes of enhancing its
effectiveness. Learning to use wild magic in this manner requires taking the Wild Spell metamagic feat and
may involve studying under a wild mage. Unlike most metamagic feats, it does not need to be applied to a
spell when it’s being memorized and does not increase the casting time or level of the spell. The player simply
chooses to channel chaos into their
spell at the time of casting and rolls a
d20. Compare the results of the roll to
the Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells
table in Chapter 1 of the Player’s
Handbook and add the modifier to the
caster level of the spell (minimum
caster level 1). Thus a wild spell is
equally likely of being stronger or
weaker than it would normally be. If the
range of the spell becomes too short to
reach its target it simply fails in the
case of a targeted spell or activates
prematurely in the case of an area-
effect spell.

Wild Surges: If the player rolled a 1,

5, 10, 15, or 20 then chaos has
infected the spell and a wild surge has
occurred. Wild surges cause
uncontrollable alterations to how the
spell functions by changing its
effectiveness, giving it strange side
effects, or transforming it into a
different effect entirely. Wild surges
can be beneficial, harmful, or just plain
random and are the primary reason
why wild mages are regarded with fear.
To determine the nature of a wild surge
the DM secretly makes a wild surge
check by rolling a d20; the higher the
result the more beneficial it is to the

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spellcaster or their allies, the lower the result the more detrimental it is. The exact effect can be just about
anything, though wild surges are often more dramatic the higher the level of the spell being cast.

No extended list of effects can truly capture the variety of wild surges, Instead, the DM is encouraged to come
up with wild surges on a case by case basis as appropriate for the characters and the theme of the story.
Having a character suddenly sprout flowers from their hair or start speaking gibberish adds some humor to the
game, but it probably isn’t appropriate if the game’s theme is horror or the characters are at the climax of the
story. Purely mechanic
effects, on the other hand, rob wild magic of its flavor and encourage players to view it as just another type of
magic. While requiring the DM to come up with wild surges requires more work, with some practice a DM can
learn to use wild surges as minor plot devices while being able to ensure wild magic doesn’t become
unbalancing or disruptive. At the same time, keep in mind that this is wild magic, and there are bound to be
some strange and unusual outcomes to wild surges. There’s also nothing wrong with holding off on deciding
how a wild surge manifests; maybe the effect was too subtle for the characters to notice immediately or
maybe the forces of chaos are hanging over the caster’s head waiting for an appropriate outlet. A little
suspense can go along way to add to the thrill of wild magic. See Table 5-4 for a few examples of wild surges
for a generic spell.

Chaos Taints and Epiphanies: Whenever the DM rolls a 1 or 20 on a wild surge check an extreme wild
surge occurs in the form of a chaos taint or an epiphany respectively. Chaos taints are acquired when a
spellcaster loses control over the chaotic energies and becomes a victim of the very forces they are
attempting to channel. The spell itself may or may not work, but either way the wild mage has paid the price
for experimenting with such power. Unlike most wild surges, chaos taints are detrimental effects that stay with
the caster permanently, marking them with strange physical transformations or cursing them with supernatural
ailments. The caster’s skin might change to the color and texture of stone, they may be accompanied by a soft
wailing and cold wind wherever they walk, or they may feel the uncontrollable urge to yell hysterically
whenever they sense magic being used on them. There’s no telling how a chaos taint will manifest, but they
always serve as a hindrance to the mage or set them apart from their peers. Like most wild surges, the
severity of a chaos taint is often based on the level of the spell being cast. In the end it’s up to the DM to
determine if there are any mechanical benefits or penalties for a given chaos taint. The character must find a
way to live with their new condition as nothing short of wish spell can remove a chaos taint.

Epiphanies, on the other hand, are about the best thing a wild mage can hope for. Instead of losing control of
their spell the forces of chaos opens the character’s eyes and allows them to view the multiverse in a
completely new light. For an instant the character realizes how limited their perceptions have been and just
how much reality bends to their will. Though not a miracle or wish spell per se, seemingly impossible events of
good luck occur and the DM may even decide to ask the player for input as to what they would most desire as
an outcome of the wild surge. A Harmonium patrol may suddenly round the corner and decide to help the
characters subdue an opponent, a balor pursuing the party may find its wings breaking apart as if made of
dust, or a portal may spontaneously open where there was none before. Others may mistake the events as
mere coincidence, but the wild mage knows the truth. Epiphanies may even remove the effects of a chaos
taint, though this happens rarely and can never remove more a single one chaos taint. Just as chaos taints
can be harsh awakenings to the perils of wild magic, epiphanies are an addictive taste of what it can
accomplish.

New Spells

In addition to the new spells provided in the Planar Handbook, several

spells are provided below that are suited for a Planescape game, with
special attention made to spells used by the factions. This is certainly
not the limit of such spells, but should provide some inspiration for
DMs and players to invent their own spells unique to the planes. Of
special note, a few of the spells described below require the caster to
actually share the beliefs of a faction in order to function, as it wouldn’t
make any sense for them to work in the hands of someone who thinks
their ideas are nonsense. While they do not actually require faction
membership, players and DMs should keep their characters beliefs in
mind when choosing among these spells.

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Baatezu Bane
Evocation [Chaotic, Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target: One baatezu
Duration: Instantaneous (1d4+1 rounds); see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes; see text
Many weapons and spells have been crafted as a result of the Blood War. When baatezu bane is cast upon a
baatezu the creature's unwholesome ichor begins to churn and seethe. The target suffers 4d6+6 points of damage
and is stunned, unable to act in any way, for 1d4+1 rounds. This spell affects only baatezu, but due to its specific
nature the caster gains a +6 bonus to spell penetration rolls.
Created by a cambion researcher, this spell was developed specifically to harm baatezu and is given freely by the
tanar'ri to any spellcaster that wishes to learn it. In fact, rumors tell of special tanar'ri strike teams that break into
libraries and wizards' towers all over the planes in order to leave this spell behind. If anyone thinks such
organization is beyond the tanar’ri, they’re badly underestimating the length they will go to wipe out their ancient
enemy. Material Component: A bit of baatezu ichor, flesh, or bone worth at least 10 gp.

Barmy Touch
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One humanoid creature
Duration: One day/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
A favorite tool of Bleakers who want someone to see the multiverse through the eyes of the bottom wrung of
society, barmy touch inflicts a type of dementia upon the target. The effects of this spell are not normally
immediately apparent, though others may notice a slight shift in the target’s demeanor. You must choose the type of
insanity from the list below at the time of casting.
Fugue: The target experiences memory lapses after periods of stress (such as combat). They act normally during
the events themselves, but later cannot remember anything they did or what happened, leaving disturbing blank
spots in their recollection.
Hysteria: The target acts with extreme emotion to stressful situations, provoking outbursts of anger, frustration, and
melancholia. Naturally, this often makes the situation worse and increases stress levels, prompting even stronger
reaction.
Paranoia: The target experiences delusions of persecution and becomes extremely suspicious of others, believing
that those around them are spying on them or otherwise have ill intentions towards them. Even friends and loved
ones are regarded with distrust, and the
smallest incidents can cause the target to lash
out.
Object Fixation: The target becomes obsessed
with an object in their possession of the DM’s
choice. They consider it the most important thing
in all of existence; they may believe it is the
source of their power, a relic of immeasurable
worth, or literally what’s holding the multiverse
together. Any attempts to take the object from
them will undoubtedly provoke extreme anger.
Visions: The target is haunted by voices and
images that only they can see. The nature of
these visions are up to the DM, but they are
normally erratic and disturbing, sometimes
giving voice to the target’s subconscious
thoughts while other times seeming to guide
them towards some very important truth.
Material Components: The scales of a green
salad worth at least 100 gp.

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Beckon
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Current plane
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
As lesser beckon except the spell reaches out to a target anywhere on the same place and lasts one hour per
caster level. Furthermore, the compulsion is accompanied by a vague sense of your direction, which the target can
follow to find your location even if you move in the meantime. The spell ends once the duration expires or the target
moves within 30 ft. of you.
Material Components: A silver bell worth 10 gp and a handful of dirt from your location.

Beckon, Lesser
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
With a word and a brief motion of your hand you send a mental signal to an individual that you know. The target
gets the unmistakable impression that you want them to come to you immediately. This spell does not actually force
the target to find you or impart whatever reasons you have, it only makes it clear that you want them to come.

Blessed Forgetfulness
Enchantment [Good, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 4, Pal 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This archon-created spell serves a high purpose: to ease scarred and injured minds. Blessed forgetfulness
removes any madness suffered from contact with the howling winds of Pandemonium, the terrors of the Lower
Planes, or similar painful memories. In effect, the memories are dulled and become less painful for the target to
bear. It does not cure the effects of magically induced insanity or feeblemind spells, however.
Material Component: A few drops of holy water.

Bone Craft
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: S, F, M
Casting Time: At least 4 hours; see text
Range: Touch
Target: Two large or smaller corpses; see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Though the Dustmen are hardly a martial order, they must often go to great lengths to defend their strongholds
from thieves and darker creatures seeking the bodies and souls that come into their care. This spell was developed
in order to help them create more powerful undead guards. Bone craft grafts two corpses together into one,
referred to as the composite body. When animate dead is cast upon the composite body a skeleton or zombie more
powerful than normal is created. This procedure can be performed multiple times, adding more corpses to the
composite body to create a progressively more powerful undead minion. This spell is one of the faction’s most
guarded secrets and is only taught to its dedicated members; anyone that leaves the Dustmen is expected to
destroy any copies of it they may possess

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This spell improves the animated creature in several ways. Its total number of Hit Dice is equal to the highest of the
two base creature’s Hit Dice plus half of the second’s (rounded up) plus 1. Furthermore, after combining three
corpses of the same size a composite body one size larger is produced with the increased natural armor and
natural attack damage appropriate to its size. Thus, grafting three medium corpses with 1 HD each and using
animate dead upon it would create a large skeleton or zombie with 5 HD, and grafting three large corpses with 5
HD each would create one huge skeleton or zombie with 13 HD. The two corpses that are to be fused together do
not have to be the same size; a medium corpse could be added to a large composite body and its size would only
increase once enough medium corpses had been added to it.
The composite body automatically possesses all weapon proficiencies, feats, and subtypes that the base bodies
would have once animate dead was cast upon it. You may also choose to give it any natural attacks of the base
creatures, such as claw or bite attacks. More importantly, every use of bone craft allows you to grant the composite
body two abilities from the list below. This is the true utility behind this spell, for with the proper grafting and
stitching the undead creature created can threaten even skilled warriors. These abilities are cumulative over
multiple castings; using bone craft to add a third corpse to composite body would allow you to add two more
abilities in addition to whatever it possessed.
Additional Feat: The body gains a feat of your choosing that it meets the prerequisites for. It cannot take any feats
which require class abilities, Intelligence, or anything else inappropriate at the DM’s discretion.
Extra Attack: By adding an extra arm, maw, or tail the creature may make an extra secondary attack each round. It
suffers penalties to its secondary attacks as normal, which can be reduced by the Multiattack feat.
Improved Movement: By adding an extra leg you increase the creature’s base speed by 5 and grant it a +2 bonus
to Jump checks and to resist tripping.
Special Abilities: With the DM’s permission you may invent unusual abilities of your own. For instance, a zombie
may be able to fire its hand at a target as a projectile, or a huge skeleton may be able to grapple medium or smaller
creatures and trap them within its hallow chest. The DM may decide that such special abilities constitute two or
more choices in terms of this spell.
Bone craft can only be used to combine a number of corpses equal to the caster’s Intelligence modifier into one
composite body. Each use requires four hours of surgery plus an additional two for each time the spell has been
used on the bodies before. For instance, grafting four skeletons together would require four hours for the first two,
six to add the third, and eight to add the last.
Material Component: A variety of tools, ointments, and other chemicals worth 500 gp.

Celestial Refuge
Abjuration [Chaotic, Good]
Level: Clr 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
There is likely nothing more that the eladrin despise than seeing a free spirit shackled and chained. By evoking
their protection through celestial refuge, you can gain some aid in escaping capture from anyone pursuing you with
hostile intention. This spell is only useful among crowds, however, for it draws the attention of nearby nonlawful
creatures and implores them to defend your freedom. While it does not cause them to fight on your behalf or do
what you say, people nearby are likely to challenge any pursuers and create
obstacles for them, particularly if the pursuers have bad reputations. Celestial
refuge even draws on the sympathy of evil individuals, who see an
opportunity to disguise their own ill deeds while striking at those who might
be just as oppressive to them someday.
Material Component: The tear of an eladrin worth at least 20 gp.

Chain of Command
Divination [Lawful]
Level: Clr 6
Range: Current plane
Target: 1 creature under your authority/level
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)
As lesser chain of command, except you can establish links with a number of
creatures under your authority equal to your caster level. Each creature
included in the link can speak to all the others, though you may choose to
limit who can talk through the connection. If anyone other than you breaks
the link everyone else connected may continue speaking.

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Chain of Command, Lesser
Divination [Lawful]
Level: Clr 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Current plane
Target: One creature under your authority; see text
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will save negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
The Harmonium face the daunting task of maintaining a strict hierarchy as
their organization spreads across the planes. This spell was designed to help
alleviate the burden of maintaining communication between different bases
across vast distances and relies heavily on their conception of status and
authority. Lesser chain of command allows you to establish a telepathic link to
anyone you know within an organization you belong to and who is ranked
below you, so long as they are on the same plane as you. This mental
channel is two-way and allows the creatures to communicate regardless of
language. Both individuals can break the link at any point, and if either moves
onto a different plane the connection ends. You can only contact individuals
who recognize your authority over them, though their personal opinions of
you do not matter. Naturally this spell cannot be used by those within loosely
organized groups such as the Free League or the Xaositects, and even the
unofficial status granted by the Transcendent Order is not enough. On the other hand, most religious organizations
are structured enough to use this spell.

Chains of Water
Transmutation [Water]
Level: Drd 4
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One large or smaller size creature
Duration: 1 round/level; see text
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell animates a source of water nearby into forming strong bonds that wrap around the target, grappling and
pinning them. The target can free themselves by with a successful grapple check against your base attack. The
spell ends and the water falls to the ground if the creature avoids being caught or breaks from the chains.
Focus: There must be at least a tub’s worth of water within range of this spell.

Communal Strength
Abjuration [Good]
Level: Clr 4, Pal 4
Components: V, DF
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature/3 levels; see text
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
While it may be the duty of heroes to protect the weak, together even the meekest can prove their mettle against
those that threaten them. By casting this spell upon willing individuals, you bestow a greater form of the spell shield
other upon another person within range. The subject gains a deflection bonus to AC and a resistance bonus on
saves equal to the number of volunteers, not counting the caster or the recipient. Furthermore, half of the damage
taken by the recipient is absorbed and spread equally among the volunteers as nonlethal damage. For example, a
9th level cleric casting communal strength can bring three individuals together and bestow their strength on a fifth
individual, granting them a +3 deflection bonus to AC and +3 resistance bonus on saves. If the recipient took 20
points of damage, 10 points of that damage would be split as nonlethal between the three volunteers at 4, 3, and 3
points. For the duration of the spell the caster and the volunteer can take no other actions and must be in a suitable
position such as linking hands or kneeling down together and praying. While they must remain within range of one
another, though the recipient of the effect may move up to a mile from the group before the spell is ended. As soon
as a volunteer takes as much nonlethal damage as their current hit points they fall unconscious, weakening the
effect but not ending the spell.

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Cubehopper
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Area: Two cubes in the same layer of Acheron
Duration: 1 hour/level (D); see text
Saving Throw: None
The cubehopper spell opens a temporary gate between 5 to 50 feet in diameter connecting any two cubes in the
same layer of Acheron, providing quick and safe transportation for small raiding parties. The gate lasts until a
number of creatures equal to the caster's level have passed through or until its duration expires. Leaders of
Acheron's orc and goblin armies are notorious for using this spell to escape routs and massacres.
Material Component: A chip of iron from each of the cubes connected by the gate.

Curious Courier
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Drd 2, Rng 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 minutes or longer; see text
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Correspondence can be incredibly difficult on the planes, and though many courier services exist they are often
stationed in the largest cities, leaving smaller towns and villages with little reliable contact with the rest of the
multiverse. This simple spell creates a small personalized flying creature capable of delivering a prepared message
nearly anywhere on the planes to someone you have met. This creature is a tiny chimerical beast unique to the
caster based on their personality and other characteristics, enabling the distinguished eye to recognize the author
of any curious courier delivered a second time. The chimera is always capable of flying and possesses a limited
plane-shifting ability that allows it to cross into coterminous planes, assuming nothing prevents planar travel. Thus it
could move from one of the Outer Planes to the Astral and from there to the Prime Material Plane or any of the
other Outer Planes, or continue through the Prime Material Plane to the Ethereal and Inner Planes. The creature
has an innate sense for the location of the recipient provided they are not disguised by magic and will eventually
reach them assuming they are not in an area warded against interplanar travel and the creature is not intercepted
by someone who knows to be looking for such a messenger. The caster does not know the state of the curious
courier once the chimera departs and it may take several weeks before the recipient receives the message
depending on their location, making this spell slower than traditional couriers. The exact time is equal to 4d4 days
plus an additional 1d2 weeks for every planar shift necessary to reach the target. Once the message has been
delivered the carrier simply evaporates.
The casting time depends on how long a message you wish to write, but it is always at least 1 minute.
Material Component: A blank sheet of parchment which the message is written on during
casting; thus this spell cannot be used to deliver existing documents or other objects.

Curst Word
Abjuration
Level: Clr 9
Components: V, S, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature; see text
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Your admonishment banishes one creature to the prison-plane of Carceri. The target is instantly transported to a
random location on Carceri and is barred from leaving through use of spells or portals, which only result in them
being teleported elsewhere on Carceri. Nothing short of freedom, miracle, mordenkainen’s disjunction, or wish cast
in the presence of the affected creature can break the enchantment. Should the creature find some other means of
escaping the prison plane the spell ends, but even the River Styx only seems to allow those affected by this spell to
escape on occasion. You can only target a creature with fewer HD than you with curst word. If the target has
committed an act of betrayal that you know of it receives a -4 penalty to its save.
XP Cost: 50 XP per target's HD.

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 Dead Life
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Clr 8
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: One humanoid creature.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial and Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Despite any illusions to the contrary, the Deaders know
that this multiverse is but a shadow of true life, and that
everyone here is already dead. Only individuals that
believe this philosophy may use dead life, for it removes
any pretense of life from the targeted creature, bringing
body and soul one step closer to True Death. The
Dustmen rarely use this spell, for their respect of Death
cautions against such tampering, but many among the
faction also hope to have it used upon them in the belief
that it will bring them closer to enlightenment and Truth.
The effects are determined by which saving throws the
target fails. If they fail the Fortitude save, their body is
transformed into something similar to undead creatures
such as vampires. They grow cold and pallid, their sense
of touch and taste are dulled, and their emotions wan to
the point of being passionless and stoic. Their body no longer requires rest or sustenance, neither of which
provides any of the pleasure they once did, and they neither grow nor heal
naturally, meaning their body can become riddled with bare patches of skin and open wounds. Only negative
energy provides the means to heal damage, but positive energy now has the opposite effect. The target becomes
immune to morale effects, sleep effects, fatigue, exhaustion, ability drain, and energy drain, but gains none of the
other advantages possessed by true undead.
If the target fails the Will save, their soul is altered such that they can truly be considered one of the undead. They
can be turned or rebuked as normal, they are affected by spells that target the undead, and upon dying their soul is
destroyed and cannot be restored by raise dead or reincarnate. Furthermore, the target’s alignment moves one
step closer to evil. The only way to undo the effects of dead life is through miracle, wish, or some other
extraordinary means.
Material Component: A vial of blood that has been placed upon an altar within an unhallowed region for at least a
week. The blood is smeared upon the caster’s hand before touching the target (the caster has no risk of using this
spell upon themselves unless desired).
XP Cost: 1000 XP.

Debunk
Divination
Level: Clr 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target: One creature representing a religion; (see text)
Duration: 1 hour (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No
One of many tools wielded by the Athar against the gods, debunk directs you to evidence that a religious figure is a
charlatan or has ulterior motives. This effect manifests as a pulling toward some object on the same plane that is
damaging to the target’s reputation, such as evidence that the local priest is using community money to pay for
their gambling addiction, or something that suggests the disease cured by a wandering cleric was actually brought
with him. This spell does not do all the work for you, it’s up to you to use the evidence found and convince any
detractors, but it generally provides the first step to bringing down any servant of the gods in the eyes of their
supporters.
This spell does not by any means determine guilt, for its possible to be directed towards seemingly incriminating
evidence even when the target is truly innocent of any wrong doing. The fact that debunk can lead someone to
damaging evidence whether the target is guilty or not is a sore point for some Athar, but the majority opinion
remains that so long as it turns people against the gods, such moral qualms are a small price to pay.
Material Component: A religious symbol of the target’s professed faith given to the caster by the target, which is
then broken into four pieces during the spell.

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Detect Spell Alteration
Divination
Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Drd 2, Rgr 2, Wiz/Sor 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You; see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You can determine the local spell alterations on a single spell that you have memorized. It will not tell you the full
criteria for the alteration, only the effects on the spell in question. For instance, when using detect spell alteration
on a memorized fireball while on the Plane of Fire it will not inform you all fire spells are enhanced throughout the
entire plane, only how the fireball spell itself is affected. It will provide full information on the alteration of that spell,
however, so that if an extra component is needed you know what the component is and if the
spell will only operate during certain times of the day you know when those times are.
Material Component: A magnifying glass worth 100 gp.

Dream Conduit
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Unlimited
Target: One living creature; see text
Duration: (D) See text
Saving Throw: Yes; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes; see text
Powerful spellcasters realize the potential the Region of Dreams has as a conduit to minds throughout the
multiverse. Most living creatures access it when they sleep, thus those capable of moving through different
dreamscapes can interact with others across impossible distances. This spell enables you to enter the dreamscape
of an individual by naming them and holding an item personal to them. Upon casting dream conduit you enter a
trance as your mind projects into the Plane of Dreams and waits for the target to go to sleep. Once in the target's
dreamscape you can speak and interact with them normally, take part in their dream, or try to influence the
dreamscape yourself. See the psionic power dream watch for more information on influencing another’s dream.
While nothing you do can physically harm the target, you can affect them with nondamaging spells of 4th level or
lower provided the spell targets a single creature and
is not from the schools of Conjuration, Evocation, or
Transmutation. The target receives a saving throw
as normal and immediately realizes what is going on,
though as part of their dreamscape you can attempt
to disguise your identity. If they fail their save the
spell affects them normally, though it does not
activate until they wake up. While the target is
unable to respond in kind they are free to force
themselves awake at any point, which also ends the
spell.
If the target is awake when dream conduit is cast
you can choose to wake up (ending the spell) or
remain in the trance until they go to sleep. You are
unaware of your own surroundings or of the activities
around you while in the trance. While physically
defenseless, any sort of disturbance, such as a loud
noise or being targeted by a spell, breaks you from
the trance and ends the spell. The duration of this
spell is however long it is before the target goes to
sleep and then wakes up. Creatures who don’t sleep
or dream, or are somehow isolated from the Plane of
Dreams, cannot be targeted by this spell.
Focus: An item of value to the target, such as a
family heirloom, or something from their body, such
as a sample of their hair or blood.

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Dimensional Tether
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One willing creature
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No
This spell creates a shimmering green thread around the waist of the target, trailing back several feet before
disappearing. The spell keeps its target tethered to whatever plane they happen to be on, providing the same
effects as dimensional anchor. In addition, should the affected creature walk through a naturally occurring portal the
thread tautens and the creature may not go more than 5 feet past the portal's exit. However, the tether allows the
target to backtrack through such a portal, even if it normally goes only one direction, providing an excellent means
of determining a portal’s destination with reduced risk. As it works only on willing targets, dimensional tether may be
dismissed by either the caster or the subject.
Material Components: A few strands of climber's rope.

Earth Thrust
Transmutation [Earth]
Level: Drd 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target: One creature or two creatures no more than 5 ft. apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex partial
Spell Resistance: No
By placing your hands upon the ground you call upon the earth to erupt at the feet of your target, sending pillars of
stone rushing forth and throwing them into the air. The targets take 5d4 bludgeoning damage and if they fail the
Reflex save they are thrown 20 feet from you and land prone on the ground. This spell cannot target any creature
more than 15 feet off the ground. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the target’s move, the opponent and the
obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the opponent breaks in the space adjacent to the obstacle
(assuming it does not break).

Ecstatic Decay
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One corporeal creature or object
Duration: 1 round/2 levels (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial (object) and Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell rapidly decomposes a creature’s body while overwhelming them with exquisite pleasure unlike anything
else in the multiverse. If the target fails their Fortitude saving throw they
are affected by a slow disintegration process, taking 1d6 points of damage
per round (maximum 10 rounds). A target reduced to 0 or fewer hit points
by this damage is entirely disintegrated, leaving behind only a trace of fine
dust. Objects, constructs, and undead take 2d6 damage per round instead,
but are immune to the secondary effect described below. Having failed
their Fortitude save, if the target then fails a Will save the decay is
accompanied by feelings of immense pleasure that stuns the creature for
the duration of the spell as it writhes in ecstasy. Many a Doomguard
spellcaster has become addicted to this sensation, and the spell is
frequently traded between the Doomguard and the Society of Sensation.
Ecstatic decay does not affect objects constructed entirely of force, such
as a wall of force, unless they have specified HP scores. It also fails to
affect magical effects such as a globe of invulnerability or an antimagic
field.
Material Component: A pinch of dust from the remains of a disintegrated
creature.

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Exalt
Evocation [See text]
Level: Clr 7, Drd 7
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 8 hours
Range: Touch
Area: Up to 10 ft./level radius emanating from the touched point
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell taps into the energy of a plane and draws it to the surface as a well of power. There is no initial physical
change, but exalted sites tend to morph and grow over time as the plane’s energy collects in the region. Such
domains are highly sought after and often fought over, for they provide several valuable effects to those who share
traits with the plane.
First, spells and spell-like effects that share an alignment or energy trait with the plane gain a +2 bonus to their DC
and are cast at +2 caster level. Furthermore, all attacks are considered aligned based on the plane for purposes of
bypassing damage reduction. For example, within an exalted site in Ysgard all attacks would be considered chaotic
and good against creatures vulnerable to those alignments, while chaotic and good spells would gain a +2 bonus to
their DC and be cast at +2 caster level.
Secondly, you may decide to intensify any of the plane’s special features within the exalted site. This makes effects
such as the impassioning nature of Arborea or the winds of Pandemonium ever stronger, and adds a +4 bonus to
the DCs of any saves to resist the effects. You can also create permanent localized magical or weather effects
appropriate to the region. For instance, you could summon a violent blizzard that never abates on the frozen
wasteland of Jotunheim in Ysgard, while on Acheron you could make the area seem an ideal battleground, drawing
armies to a hotspot of war for no reason other than it amplifies the plane’s violent characteristics. Players are
encouraged to come up with their own implementations, though each exalted site should only have one enhanced
feature and shouldn’t provide more than a minor bonus, if any.
Finally, creatures that linger in the area gradually take on the philosophy of the plane, temporarily moving one
alignment step closer to that of the plane every hour until they leave the exalted site. Individuals may begin to act
out personality characteristics attributed to the plane within minutes; an exalted site on Carceri should make people
paranoid and treacherous, while one on Arcadia may cause people to seek perfection and harmony in everything
they do. The exact effects are up to the DM and should be role-played.
This spell can only be cast on the Inner and Outer Planes. You may shape the boundaries of the affected area as
you please, limiting it to a single structure or shaping it to fill a lake or cave, etc. When you use exalt it has the type
of the current plane’s alignment. Miracle, mordenkainen’s disjunction, wish, and the psionic power neutralize area
(see below) are the only means to destroy an exalted site.
Material Components: Herbs, oils, and gems from the plane worth at least 5,000 gp.

Extradimensional
Awareness
Divination
Level: Clr 2, Drd 3, Rgr 2, Sor/Wiz
3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft.
/level)
Target: A circle centered on you
with a radius of 100 ft. +10 ft. /level
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You sense the use of spells using
the transitive planes for travel in the
area. You sense the use of the
spells whether you can use them or
not and may identify them with a
successful Spellcraft check as if
you were witnessing the effect.
Specified spells include those
mentioned in Table 5-1: Spells
Affected by Dimensional Relations
and possible others determined by
your DM.

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Faction Press
Illusion (Phantasm)
Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute or longer; see text
Range: Touch
Target: A piece of parchment
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Designed by members of the Free League to facilitate communication between their members without drawing the
attention of the Harmonium and later stolen by the Revolutionary League, faction press disguises a message so
only members of a determined faction can read it. Such messages are often posted in blatantly public places such
as along building walls or wherever they’re likely to blend in with other city advertisements. This spell involves you
writing two messages on the parchment: one for the intended readers, and another that everyone else sees. If
successfully dispelled by dispel magic, the secret message disappears leaving only the one intended for the
general public. A true seeing spell reveals the hidden message, however. The casting time depends on how long a
message you wish to write, but it is always at least 1 minute.
Material Component: A blank sheet of parchment which the message is written on during casting; thus this spell
cannot be used to deliver existing documents or other objects.

Find Planar Paths

Divination
Level: Brd 4, Drd 4, Rgr 2
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
You can direction and distance to any planar paths or borders leading to coterminous planes as well as planar
paths or portals leading to adjacent layers of the current plane within 1 mile per caster level. You gain a general
sense of the plane or layer they lead to, but this spell does not provide information on traps, portal keys, or other
impediments.

Genesis, Ethereal
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, XP
Casting Time: 1 week (8 hours/day)
Range: 180 ft.; (see text)
Effect: A demiplane coterminous with the Ethereal Plane, centered on your location
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Ethereal genesis creates a finite demiplane within the Ethereal Plane. At first the demiplane plane grows in radius
at a rate of 1 foot per day to an initial maximum of 180 feet as it
quickly draws substance from the surrounding ethereal vapors.
Once your demiplane is created, you can travel directly to it using
plane shift, some other spell, or a permanent link that you arrange
for separately.
You determine the environment within the demiplane when you
first cast ethereal genesis, reflecting most any desire you can
visualize. You determine factors such as atmosphere, water,
temperature, and the general shape of the terrain. This spell
cannot create life of any kind, nor can it create construction such
as buildings, roads, or dungeons. Likewise, you cannot create a
demiplane out of valuable or rare material, such as silver or
uranium. You can’t manipulate the time trait on your demiplane;
such power is beyond a spell even of this level. Beyond these
restraints, what you are capable of when creating your demiplane
is up to the DM. Once your demiplane reaches 180 feet in radius,
you can cast this spell again to gradually add another 180 feet of
radius to it, and so on.
XP Cost: 1,000 XP.

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Gift of a Second Chance
Necromancy [Good]
Level: Clr 4, Drd 4, Pal 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Dead creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
The Sons of Mercy believe that even the most vile individuals possess a spark of good within them, it has merely
be buried by the pain and suffering that has lead them to the path of evil. It is a shame then that so many evildoers
must be killed, their souls sent to the Lower Planes where they will become tools for the true faces of evil. This spell
is one solution; if cast upon a creature within three rounds of their death their soul is not reborn on its rightful plane
as a petitioner or exemplar, but instead is later reborn as a mortal with another chance. Of course, the target may
turn out just as dastardly as before, and gift of a second chance operates just as well on a virtuous person. The
Sons of Mercy dismiss the idea of this spell being used against good individuals as unlikely, however, and freely
teach it to others in hopes that they can stem the tide of evil souls making their way to the Lower Planes. Whether
such tampering will provoke retribution from the fiends or the gods themselves remains to be seen. This spell
cannot be used on Outsiders or petitioners.
Material Components: A clear crystal worth at least 100 gp.

Hagan’s Supervising Eyes

Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target: One creature or area/2 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Designed by a Fated businessman who suspected his employees were slacking off once he had gone home for the
evening, Hagan’s supervising eyes creates several floating orbs about half a foot large that will observe targets of
your choosing and come alert you to any unauthorized activity. Each “eye” must be assigned to watch an individual
or area and be given instructions no longer than a few sentences describing what you want to be alerted of. The
constructs will follow your orders to the letter and are different colors so that you can differentiate them, but they
possess little intelligence or interpretative ability. Furthermore, the eyes have only mundane visual and auditory
capabilities, meaning they are able to see if a door opens or if a targeted creature speaks but cannot sense magic
or see into coexistent planes. When one of your instructed conditions is met the construct instinctively flies to your
location, alerting you to what happened by projecting a short recording of what occurred into your mind. The eyes
will automatically flee to you if attacked, though they are incredibly fragile and shatter upon taking any damage.

Howl of Pandemonium
Conjuration
Level: Brd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 0 ft.
Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation centered on you or a cone-shaped emanation 60 ft. long
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level; see text
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enables you to channel the screaming winds of Pandemonium through your body and out through a
numbing howl that incapacitates anyone nearby. The scream can either be focused into a 60 ft. cone or let out in a
30-ft.-radius; all creatures in the area are automatically deafened by the sound and suffer a -2 circumstance penalty
to attack rolls and saving throws while within the area. Verbal communication is impossible and all sound-based
effects are negated by the winds, including abilities such as a banshee’s wail or spells such as sound burst. The
spell also mimics the effects of a gust of wind, though the winds are not as strong and a creature of any size can
move towards you by making a successful Will save. You cannot move or take any other actions while maintaining
the spell. In addition to the above affects, creatures with Hit Dice less than the caster's must make a successful Will
save or be affected by a confusion spell. Creatures of 2 Hit Dice or less who fail their save are driven into a
catatonic state that lasts for 2d6 hours. The effects suffered from the spell linger after the winds cease, lasting a
number of additional rounds equal to the rounds the creature was within the spell’s area. Petitioners and other

197
creatures native to Pandemonium are unaffected by this spell.
Though howl of Pandemonium was initially developed by Cabalists, it quickly found its way into the spell books of
mages elsewhere. As befits their philosophy, the Bleakers simply didn't care who learned the spell.
Material Component: A pebble from Pandemonium, which must be consumed by the caster.

Impassion
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text.
Spell Resistance: Yes
Attributed to the elves of Arborea, impassion instills in the target an emotion of your choice, such as anger,
sadness, or love, and rouses it to a fiery level. You cannot choose how the emotion manifests or how it is directed,
though if attempting to invoke an emotion opposite of what the target is currently feeling they receive a +2 bonus to
the Will save to resist. This does not bestow any mechanical effects, but the target is likely to act rashly or make a
scene, and players should role-play the affects. Many Sensates use impassion to help others act on feelings they
normally do not exhibit, while Xaositects simply like to shake things up.

Inspire Obedience
Enchantment (Charm) [Lawful, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 3, Pal 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell causes you to be viewed as an exemplar of law, instilling fear and respect in all humanoid creatures that
see you and fail a Will save. Anyone in your vicinity will be weary of even considering criminal activity, let alone
starting trouble. Inspire obedience does not allow you to control nearby creatures, but affected creatures are
inclined to obey you if only to avoid trouble and extra attention. Anyone who wishes to conduct some sort of illegal
activity in your presence or directly challenge your authority must win an opposed Charisma check. Attacking an
affected creature does not end the effect, but they are able to defend themselves and fight back normally.

Kiss of the Succubus

Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One humanoid creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
With one kiss this spell causes the target to become obsessed with
you. Their thoughts increasingly stray to you, making it difficult for
them to focus on anything else for more than a few minutes. The
kiss must be administered in a seductive manner, and cannot be
done so during any sort of combat. Once affected the target reacts
to you as if under the effects of charm person, and after the first
hour they begin to feel as if you are whispering in their ear
wherever they go. This is in fact true, as you gain the ability to
speak to them and hear their response to you no matter how far
apart you are. While you do not gain any of their sensory
information you can verbally guide them to do as you like,
assuming you can convince them. The downside of this effect is the
target feels so strongly about you that they may act unpredictable
at times, particular if they believe you are being threatened or if by
being excessively helpful they can earn your further favor.

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Light of the Soul
Divination
Level: Clr 3, Pal 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Only individuals who share the Sons of Mercy’s belief that all souls have a spark of good in them may cast this
spell. Light of the soul enables the caster to actually see a soft luminance given off by the souls of creatures, even
their own. The strength of the light depends on the morality of the individual, and thus may be used as a vague
gauge of the virtue of those within sight, with the typical person of good alignment casting a light that provides
illumination 5 ft. around them and evil individuals possessing only small flickers. This light can be seen through
darkness spells of equal or lower level, though any spell or effect that conceals a person’s alignment causes them
to be portrayed as someone of neutral alignment. At the DM’s option the light given off by extraordinary pure
individuals may actually be blinding to users of this spell.

Mental Cell
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 hour/level (D); see text
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Many of the confused and deranged individuals tended to by the Bleak Cabal are a danger to themselves and to
others. When the madhouses are full or the Bleakers don’t have it in them to sufficiently restrain someone, mental
cell is used to ensure the target remains relatively harmless until something more permanent can be arranged.
Targets that fail their Will save find themselves trapped where they are, in an area approximately 30 ft. wide. No
matter what direction they move or exit they take, the target finds themselves back where they started within a few
seconds. This is normally used to restrict an individual within to room, but it may be used outdoors as well.
Of course, this effect is entirely within the target’s mind and nothing stops someone from leading them from the
area, which ends the effect. Likewise, the target can still see and interact with individuals around them, even
participate in combat so long as it does not require leaving the area designed by the mental cell.
Material Component: Nail clippings from a madman.

Mind of the Hunted

Divination
Level: Rgr 2
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
By tasting a sample of a creature’s blood you can gain a glimpse of their thoughts when the blood was shed. This
can provide a variety of information such as who the creature was fighting, where they may be have been heading,
or some other priority they had on mind. The Sodkillers use mind of the hunted frequently to ascertain where one of
their bounties could be hiding or to discover some indirect way of striking at them.
Material Component: A small sample of the creature’s blood no older than a week.

Moment of Travesty
Transmutation [Evil]
Level: Clr 9
Components: V, S; see text
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Area: Creatures in a 5 ft./level radius
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates and Will halves; see text
Spell Resistance: No

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One of the cruelest weapons known, moment of travesty was designed by members of the Doomguard who
recognized destruction not only as a physical force, but saw its effect in moments in time and space where tragedy
strikes and lives are shattered. This spell creates a pocket in time where everyone in range, including the caster, is
sealed off from the multiverse and trapped in a single agonizing moment that stretches on for eternity.
The spell can only be cast within a minute of a suitable dramatic event, such as when a beloved friend dies, an
individual is stripped of all their worldly possessions, or someone is betrayed by an intimate companion. If the pain
is not suitably great, or the individuals suffering all make successful Will saves, the spell fails. Characters that make
a successful Will save are not caught in the moment of travesty and anyone who is apathetic or actually happy
about what happened gain a +4 bonus to the save. Those that fail the save seem to disappear and cannot act for
all intents and purposes. Though anyone who enters the area afterwards is unaffected and cannot see or interact
with those who are, a feeling of uneasiness and great sadness pervades the locale. Use of detect magic reveals
the lingering aura of the spell, but like imprisonment most divinations spells cannot locate those in the time pocket
and freedom is the only method of freeing them (though the caster does not need to know the individuals affected
and everyone is released). Even upon being freed those affected suffer 3d6 points of temporary ability damage to
their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as the agony of the moment catches up with them, though a successful
Will save halves this damage.

Mournful Mutter
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: 1 minute/level (D); see text
Target: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Mournful mutter is only effective if cast upon a creature in the Ethereal Plane. This spell causes the vague
memories of mourning spirits that have passed through the mists to haunt the target, surrounding him with barely
audible murmuring. The mutterings are not normally coherent, but the target, as well as anyone within a one foot of
them, can easily sense overwhelming sadness, loss, and pain in the voices. The sound seems to come from the
ethereal vapors of the plane, and as soon as the target leaves the Ethereal Plane the spell ends.
Although not overtly harmful, the murmuring never ceases and instead continues to distract the target. Targets of
mournful mutter incur a -2 circumstance penalty to all actions while the muttering continues.
Material Component: A coffin nail and a mourner’s cowl.

Move Fire and Magma

Transmutation [Earth, Fire]
Level: Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Duration: See text
This spell functions like move earth, except it pushes fire and magma to a nearby location. Normally the element
must be moved in natural patterns – the flame or molten rock can't be moved up into the air, but must flow along
surfaces. On the Elemental Plane of Fire or the Paraelemental Plane of Magma, however, the element can be
moved in any direction the caster desires. If the fire moves to an area of nonflammable material – such as sand,
silt, and so on – it extinguishes naturally, while shifting either substance into a sufficiently sized body of water
effectively eliminates them.
Neither fire nor magma will fill the emptied area until the spell expires; thus a spellcaster can use move fire and
magma to create a safe zone in a hazardous environment. The affected area remains free of fire and magma for at
least 10 times the casting time of the spell. Once the duration ends the fire or magma moves back into the area if it
would naturally do so.
Material Components: Several small chunks of coal and a small bag of wet sand.

Obfuscate
Abjuration
Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Area: Up to 10-ft. radius/level emanating from the touched point
Duration: 1 week/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

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This spell shields an area and anything within it from divination effects of your choosing, effectively granting the
effects of nondetection and obscure object while also countering spells such as find traps, find the path, and speak
with dead. Furthermore, events that transpired twenty-four hours before obfuscate was cast and for its entire
duration are similarly blocked and cannot be learned about by spells such as commune, contact other plane, or the
psionic power destiny’s trail (see below). Anyone attempting to use such spells or powers must make a successful
caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 15 + your caster level for them to succeed.
Obfuscate does not interfere with divination effects that predict the future, such as augury, divination, or moment of
prescience. It also does not stop someone of learning about an obfuscated location indirectly. For instance, a
caster could use contact other plane to discover where a group of adventurers is headed even if their destination
was under the effects of obfuscate, but as soon as they were within this spell’s radius no further information could
be gained.
You may choose to exempt certain spells from this protection for convenience or in order to avoid undue attention.
Thus, you could choose to allow detect spells to function normally while still negating scrying attempts. You may
also manipulate the shape and size of the spell’s area up to the maximum radius determined by your caster level in
order to ensure certain areas are undetected.
Discern location does not instantly bypass obfuscate, but grants a +4 bonus to the caster level check.
Material Components: Seven incensed candles worth 50 gp each which are lit around a diagram representing the
target area drawn on the ground in dirt or with chalk or ink. The melting wax of the candles is poured along the
diagram’s outline and then the candles are blown out one by one.

Planar Union
Divination
Level: Clr 8, Drd 8
Components: V, S, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour; see text
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Concentration; see text
Perhaps the only forces more knowledgeable and powerful than the gods are the very planes upon which they
dwell. This spell allows you to merge your mind and soul with the current plane in order to seek secrets or
enlightenment, though at great risk. At its most basic level, planar union provides answers to four types of
questions. You can learn where someone or something is on the plane, or get a sense of what’s happening at a
specific location. It can provide you with knowledge of how to reach a destination on a plane. It also allows you to
speak with echoes of petitioners and exemplar that have merged with the plane. Finally, the spell may reveal how
the plane (and the forces it represents) it perceives a situation or what it desires from it. You may ask multiple
questions, but each question beyond the first requires an extra hour of concentration, but you do not need to pay
any additional experience cost (see below).
Though everyone experiences this connection differently, in many ways it is like seeking insight from a hurricane.
Any response comes not in words, but as symbols and impressions that speak of things much grander, and which
could easily overwhelm the most stalwart mind. On the other hand, a plane knows virtually anything related to its
domains and unlike when consulting exemplars and deities there is virtually no chance that answers you receive
are tailored to some ulterior end. Bear in mind that such absolute forces do not perceive the affairs of finite
creatures as we do, and that morality and ethics may very well be considered straightforward and objective when
from a mortal perspective they are anything but.
While you can learn much by skimming the surface as it were, true enlightenment is found deeper, where even the
planes begin to touch something bigger. There may be nothing that cannot be discovered by those willing to risk
the journey, whether of past or future, mortal or god, practical or philosophical. You can ask virtually any question
and expect an answer, though not necessarily in terms you comprehend and what you do glean is still filtered
through the perspective of the forces comprising the plane.
This requires the same amount of time, but delving so deeply into such primordial forces is not without its
consequences. Caster’s returning from such a sojourn may loss some of their sanity, develop strange illnesses, or
even experience changes in alignment or beliefs. Particularly valuable or dangerous questions may result in the
caster disappearing for days or weeks only to reappear in different parts of the plane later, not necessarily
remembering all that transpired. A few may fall into a stasis for extended periods of time, unable to be roused
prematurely by anything but the most powerful magic.
The exact effects are up to the DM and should be appropriate to the information the caster seeks; this spell serves
as a doorway to truths otherwise unattainable but is by no means the easy route. For example, legend has it that
one priest of great power sought the origins of the multiverse itself through use of planar union, only to fall into a
death-like coma from which he has not awoken. Though five centuries has passed, a sect within the Fraternity of
Order maintains vigilance over his torpid form in anticipation of the day he rises with an answer even the gods
might not have.
XP Cost: 500 XP.

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Plague-Mort Affliction
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: One zombie
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No
You infect the rotting meat of a zombie with a special type of disease said to ravage the carrion of the Abyss’ former
gate-town. The zombie's belly swells and a sickening stench surrounds the creature, accompanied by traces of
yellow gas that can be seen dragging on the ground behind it. Any creature that enters the zombie's threatened
area must make a Fortitude save every round against the spell's DC or contract the zombie plague disease
detailed below. A creature in a grapple with the zombie takes a -6 circumstance penalty on their saving throw.
When the zombie is destroyed an explosion of contagious gas bursts forth from its belly, instantly covering a radius
spread equal to twice the zombie's reach. Every creature within the cloud immediately takes 1d4+1 points of
Constitution damage and contracts the zombie plague disease; a Fortitude save halves the Constitution damage
and negates the infection. The plague cloud remains in the area for 1d4+1 minutes before dispersing and provides
a small area of concealment. A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the cloud in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph)
disperses it in 1 round.
Zombie plague disease:
- Infection method: inhaled, Fort save DC is equal to that of the plague-mort spell.
- Incubation period: 1 day.
- Damage: 1d4+1 temporary Constitution damage.
Material Components: A mummy's kidney and a dose of black adder venom worth at least 120 gp.

Protomatter Infusion
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
It is well known by those who spend much time in the
Ethereal Plane that the protomatter that infuses the
plane can serve as an enhancement to illusory
spells. This technique consumes a small amount of
stable protomatter in order to increase the realism of
Illusion spells you cast, adding a +2 to the DC of any
nondamaging Illusion spell for the duration of the
effect.
Material Component: Half a square foot of ethereal
protomatter.

Repudiating Gaze
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will partial
Spell Resistance: No
Drawing on the half-truths and dark secrets of the
Shadow Plane, this spell transforms your eyes into
black orbs that exude some unquantifiable quality
which causes all who look into your eyes to question
their faith and beliefs. This ability must be used as a
gaze attack against a single creature; if the target

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meets your gaze they are automatically shaken. Furthermore, if they do not make a successful Will save the
darkness seeps into their soul and makes it difficult for them to call on the resolve necessary to perform acts of
faith. Any time the affected creature attempts to cast divine spells, turn undead, or use Faction-Dependent feats
they must make a successful Wisdom check at DC 10 to avoid a momentary lapse in faith. Failure means the target
must take another action that round, though they do not lose use of a spell or ability. Those who have felt the
chilling effects of this spell often blame its design upon the Bleak Cabal. This is not the case, however, for even the
Bleakers espouse that there is value in acts of charity, while this spell inflicts upon its victims the suspicion that
there is nothing worth
believing at all. Disavowing gaze does not affect Outsiders or other similar creatures at the DM’s discretion. The
effects end once the spell expires.
Focus: Every use of this spell requires you to offer a secret of some value to you to the shadows by speaking it
aloud in a clear voice. Whether anyone hears you is not important, but it cannot be spoken in a region affected by
silence or anything similar.

Seal Portal, Lesser

Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One intraplanar portal
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like seal portal, except that you can only temporarily shut down a portal and it must be one that
links two points on the same plane and layer. A sealed gate displays the seal of the mage who cast the spell. If the
caster has no personal sigil, their face is displayed instead.
Material Component: A bar of steel worth 25 gp.
Notes on Using Seal Portal :It is important to remember that in Sigil, the Lady of Pain's will over portals is
absolute. No portal can be warded against Her wishes. In addition, it's worth pointing out that while seal portal can
affect the portals of the gate-towns, Mount Olympus, and Yggdrasil, such a seal probably isn’t worth the caster’s
time and effort. It is virtually assured that the rulers of the gate-towns retain spellcasters who can cast remove such
barriers given time, and the portals of the Great Road are too widely used to remain shut for very long. As for
Mount Olympus and Yggdrasil, those planar pathways are sacred to the Olympians and the Asgardians
respectively, and no sane mage wants to tempt divine wrath by closing off the gods' portals.

Spirit Guard
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: An object or area no larger than a single room
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No
Popular among the Dustmen, though by no means limited to them, spirit guard summons the spirit of a dead
subject and binds it to a specified object or location no larger than a single room, effectively making them a ghost
with the targeted point as its haunt. The spirit is magically charged with protecting its haunt but is otherwise free to
do as it pleases, though it cannot attack the caster or anyone else the caster specifies and is incapable of traveling
more than a few feet from that which it is bound to. Initially, most conjured ghosts are both very confused and
angry, and it’s up to you to explain the situation as they see fit.

The level and capabilities of the summoned ghost depend on the body used, though spirit guard cannot be used to
bind a spirit of greater character level than the caster and if the spirit makes a successful Will save it cannot be
called at all. Upon performing the spell you decide whether the ghost may move on to its next life after a
predetermined length of duration of time or when a condition is met. Dispel magic cannot negate the effect but
break enchantment cast upon the haunted object severs the ghost’s tie to it, freeing it to do as it pleases for a short
time before passing on. Likewise, destroying the haunt permanently forces the spirit beyond.

Material Components: This spell must be cast over a largely intact body that has been dead no longer than a day
unless spells such as gentle repose have been used. An opal worth 20 gp per HD of the creature is placed within
its chest during the spell and then ground to dust over the targeted object. The body falls to dust whether the spell
succeeds or fails.

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Supremacy of the Passions
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Chaotic, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Creatures in a 40 ft. radius spread
Duration: 1 hour
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Creatures caught within range of supremacy of the passions find their inhibitions and restraint weakening to the
point that they have difficulty controlling themselves and are inclined to act on every impulse. For the duration of
the spell any time one of the targets is put in a situation where they can do something that would make them feel
good but they wouldn’t normally do because of that pesky conscience or other circumstances, they must make a
successful Will save to prevent themselves from doing it anyways. A passerby may throw rocks at a Harmonium
patrol, or a diplomat might say what they really think, consequences be damned, and so on. The exact results vary
depending on the nature of the affected creature, though even the most honorable and kind person feels their most
petty and base feelings rising to the surface.

Talking Door
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: One door
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Favored by wizards that require some intelligent yet disposable guard, talking door transforms a normal door into a
sentient construct, face and all. The awakened construct has some limited ability to move, including opening the
door or holding it shut and manipulating locks. Thus it is quite capable of keeping intruders out, even those skilled
in picking locks or using magic, though it can still be broken through. Upon creation you choose a password that
the construct responds to; it must obey the commands of whoever says the password, at least for a little while, and
it is incapable of speaking the word and thus giving it to others. On the other hand, treating the talking door cruelly
or being too strict with it is likely to encourage it to strike back any way it can, and nothing prevents it from helping
uninvited guests from guessing the password.
Knock and dispel magic have no effect on the talking
door, however break enchantment and greater dispel
magic can destroy the effect. The threat of oblivion is
sometimes enough to convince a talking door to help
intruders, or to at least delay them until their master
returns.
Material Component: A lock of good quality or better.

Tanar'ri Tribulation
Evocation [Evil, Lawful]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One tanar'ri
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
In response to baatezu bane, the denizens of Baator
crafted a spell that targets their hated foes the tanar'ri.
Unlike their Abyssal counterparts, however, the baatezu
carefully protect this spell from falling into the hands of
other spellcasters, supposedly afraid that the tanar’ri will
be able to develop a resistance given the chance to
study it.
Tanar'ri tribulation can be cast upon a tanar'ri of any rank
– even Abyssal Lords. By drawing forth the raw chaotic

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power from within the tanar’ri the spell ravages its body as well as its senses. The target suffers 3d8+8 points of
damage plus one random disability determined by a 1d6 roll:
1. The tanar'ri's eyes are damaged and the creature is permanently blinded.
2. The tanar’ri is continuously racked with pain, giving it a –2 penalty to attack and damage rolls for 1d4 hours.
3. The tanar'ri's ears are destroyed, inflicting an additional 1d8 points of damage and rendering it permanently deaf.
4. The tanar’ri suffers an additional 2d8 points of damage and one of the creature's limbs withers and becomes
useless.
5. The magic inflicts an additional 2d8 points of damage and the fiend cannot use any innate spell-like abilites for
1d10 rounds.
6. Roll twice, disregarding rolls of 6.
This spell affects only tanar'ri, but due to its specific nature the caster gains a +6 bonus to spell penetration rolls.
Material Component: A bit of tanar'ri flesh, bone, or blood priced at 1 gp or more.

Touch of the Styx

Enchantment [Evil, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 4
Components: V, S (see text)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Touch of the Styx causes the subject to lose all memory of the last 24 hours unless a successful Will save is made.
There is no way to restore this memory except by relearning what occurred from the accounts of others or through
spells such as winged memory. In addition to the verbal and somatic components, this spell requires that the caster
have touched the true waters of the Styx sometime in their life.

Transmute Element to Paraelement

Transmutation [See text]
Level: Drd 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: One 5-ft. cube/2 levels
Duration: Permanent; see text
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No
This spell transforms all nonmagical quantities of one of the four basic elements (air, earth, fire, water) in the area
into one of its two paraelement compounds with the following effects: Smoke: Transformed from air or fire. This
creates a finite cloud of smoke that eventually dissipates. Anyone who breathes in the smoke must make a
Fortitude save against the spell’s DC or suffer the effects of smoke inhalation.
Ice: Transformed from air or water. Creatures at the edge of the targeted area can make a Reflex save to avoid
being immobilized within the solid ice, but those closer to the center are
automatically caught. Anyone immobilized can break free with a
successful Strength check against the spell’s DC. If the resulting ice
takes 20 points of damage it shatters. It will melt within an hour or two
under direct sunlight, or faster if more heat is applied.
Ooze: Transformed from earth or water. This creates a patch of slimy
muck which is equivalent to a deep bog for purposes of movement,
cover, and penalties to skill checks. Creatures at the edge of the
targeted area can make a Reflex save to avoid sinking into the mire.
Magma: Transformed from earth or fire. This creates a pool of sluggish
lava which deals 2d6 points of damage per round of exposure or 5d6
points of damage per round someone is immersed in the lava. An
additional 1d6 points of damage is incurred for three rounds after
exposure. Creatures at the edge of the targeted area can make a Reflex
save to move onto safe ground.
Unless otherwise stated the resultant paraelement remains until a
successful dispel magic spell restores its substance – but not
necessarily its form. This spell has the element traits of the
paraelement’s components. For example, transmute element to
paralement is an earth and water spell when used to transform water
into ooze.

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True Speech
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell was developed by an unknown member of the Society of Sensation decades ago and has since
gradually spread throughout the faction as the ideal form of communication when discussing past experiences (or
just about anything else). Once cast, your words carry with them the sum of your sensual experiences about the
topic, causing those who hear you to feel and know the memory as well as you do. Talking about the expedition you
made to the jungles of the Beastlands fills the minds’ of listeners with an image of the scene, its smells and sounds,
even the humidity of the air. The sensations conveyed reflect your feelings about the subject, not how the listener
would feel in the situation, though they may certainly have their own reactions to the experience. Thus, describing a
rare and delicious fruit conveys to your audience its smell, texture, and what it tasted like to you. Recalling a bloody
battle field brings the memory to life in their mind, perhaps as a coldly calculated act of conquest or a moment of
anguish and repulsion. The impression is so vivid that a few seconds describing the scene is enough to familiarize
the listener as if they had been there, which can be useful for spells such as teleport.

Vile Temptation
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Evil,
Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Vile temptation temporarily removes
all conscience or restraint from the
target; they act on their most basic
instincts and desires without thought
of morality or consequences. During
this time they are highly suggestible,
but also unpredictable. While this
spell is most commonly used to
seduce those of good alignment with
the joys and freedom of evil, the
effects are much more profound on
those who are already evil, as they
have darker desires to begin with. It
does not work against Outsiders.
Players should role-play the effects of
this spell while keeping in mind that
even feelings of friendship and
companionship are dulled. On the
other hand, individuals of lawful
alignment are bound to be more civil
and surreptitious in seeking their dark
desires than those of chaotic
alignment, and people are bound to
do what will satisfy their urges the
fastest rather than just blindly make
trouble for themselves.

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Volund’s Confounding Problem
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Lawful, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Supposedly one of the Fraternity of Order’s foremost mathematicians developed this spell because he required
assistance in solving a theoretical equation that was too complex for even his brilliant mind. The purpose of the
spell was to utilize his students’ minds to perform a portion of the computations required. Unfortunately the effort
failed, as the targets of the spell were not able to keep up with their own thoughts and forgot the progress made
once the duration expired regardless. Though Volund himself was content to file away the effort as a complete
waste, others within the faction saw more practical applications. Volund’s Confounding Problem forces the mind of
the affected creature to become obsessed with an incredibly complex series of mathematical computations. This
results in the target being distracted, unable to focus for any length of time. Though it does not prevent them from
acting in dangerous situations, such as combat, it does make the use of magic and psionics difficult. Any time the
affected creature attempts to cast a spell or manifest a power they must make a successful Concentration check
(DC 10 + spell/power level). Furthermore, the target suffers a -10 circumstance penalty to Concentration and a -5
circumstance penalty to skills involving Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
Material Component: A sheet of paper containing the beginning notes of the problem Volund was attempting to
solve.

Vrock's Screech
Evocation [Evil, Sonic]
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, M
Range: 0 ft.
Area: 30-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/2 levels
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
This Abyssal spell mimics the power of the true tanar'ri for which it is named and takes it to cruel new heights. Upon
casting the spell the caster begins to cry out a high-pitched screech that sends nearby creatures grasping at their
head as their ears begin to rupture. Creatures within the area of effect must succeed on a Fortitude save every
round or be deafened and stunned for one round. The intense pain as the targets ears begin to burst and bleed
also inflicts 2d6 nonlethal damage each round; the target takes half damage if they succeed on the Fortitude save.
The caster is unable to perform any action that requires speech while maintaining this spell. This spell does not
work against tanar’ri.
Material Component: A single vrock feather priced at 1 gp.

Wastequake
Evocation [Earth]
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 20 minutes
Range: 1⁄4 mile
Area: 50-ft./level-radius spread
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Reflex partial; see text
Spell Resistance: No
Designed to work only on the Grey Waste, the wastequake spell is the province of powerful mages who have
turned their skills to the Blood War. It is not clear who invented the spell first and it does not truly matter; both the
baatezu and the tanar’ri now use it to devastate legions of lesser fiends. Similar to the earthquake spell,
wastequake sends shocks through the ground and opens fissures to devour all those unfortunate enough to be
within its range.
The wastequake lasts for three rounds. During the first round, the ground begins to ripple; any creatures standing
on the surface must make a Reflex save or be knocked off their feet. Casting spells requires a Concentration check
(DC 20 + spell level) while the effect persists. During the second round the shocks worsen, automatically knocking
everyone to the ground as gapping wounds tear through the soil of the Waste. All creatures within range must
make another Reflex save (DC 16) or be pitched into the chasms. Any creature that failed the Reflex save on the

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 first round suffers a -4 penalty to their saving throw in the second round. To make matters worse, pressurized
yellowish gas begins shooting out of the cracks in the ground giving anything beyond 10 feet total concealment.
During the third round the rifts close and the quakes cease, though the gas persists until dissipating at the
beginning of the next round. Any creature that fell into the chasm suffers 15d6 points of bludgeoning damage and is
buried beneath the surface at a depth 10 feet per caster level. Those that survive must make their own escape from
the bowels of the Grey Waste. Wastequake is specifically designed not to damage fortifications or other permanent
structures, although it consumes tents and impromptu huts, and any vehicles less than 10 feet long likely fall into
the chasms. Thus, fiendish spellcasters have little to fear when using this spell within their own territory. After all,
what’s the loss of several dozen lesser fiends so long as the stronghold stands?
Material Component: A handful of soil from the Grey Waste that the caster shakes in one hand while casting the
spell.

Weight of Entropy
Transmutation
Level: Brd 4, Clr 4, Drd 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One solid object
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The Doomguard know that everything is just waiting to fall apart; weight of entropy just moves the process along.
This spell finds a weak point in a nonmagical object and corrodes it further. Locks become brittle, blades shatter
when used, even ceilings collapse under the pressure. You must merely point at the target and the spell deals 1d10
points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d10) to it. Any unattended nonliving matter of 5 cubic feet or smaller
can be targeted; thus the spell affects only part of larger objects or structures and cannot be used on constructs or
objects being carried by another person. Though the targeted object does not simply explode or fall apart on its
own, virtually any applied force is enough to destroy it, and in the case of objects that serve as support (such as a
roof or wagon wheels) gravity can be enough.

Whispering Runes
Illusion (Figment)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: One parchment
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Developed by the Athar as a simple means to spread their philosophy, especially among those who cannot read,
this spell creates a talking pamphlet capable of reading its contents to whoever holds the enchanted parchment up.
The caster may program it to speak any of the languages that they know, and the whispering runes automatically
chooses an appropriate language for the person holding the parchment.
Material Component: The caster must burn a feather or bit of fur from an animal capable of speech and sprinkle
the ashes on the parchment to be enchanted.

Winds of Death
Necromancy [Air, Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 8, Drd 8
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Effect: Line-shaped gust of severe wind emanating out from you to the extreme of the range
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
You draw upon the winds of the Negative Energy Plane to create a severe blast of air (approximately 50 mph) that
originates from you, affecting all creatures in its path. Any creature in its path must make a Fortitude save or suffer
2d6 points of temporary Strength damage, and a Will save or become panicked for 2d6 minutes. In all other
aspects, this spell resembles a gust of wind spell. Winds of death can be made permanent using a permanency
spell (required caster level: 15th; XP Cost: 3,500).
Focus: The skull of a djinni noble.

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Winged Memory
Abjuration [Good]
Level: Clr 4, Pal 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Another curative spell designed by the archons of Mount Celestia, winged memory negates the effects of modify
memory and touch of the Styx as well as restores the memories of any creature affected by the rivers Lethe or
Styx. Alternatively, this spell can be used to help the target recall something forgotten or buried in their memory,
even moments going as far back as their birth.
Material Component: A few drops of holy water on the recipient of this spell.

Psionics

While not as common as magic, psionics are nevertheless prevalent across the planes. With well known
races such as the githyanki, githzerai, and yuan-ti traveling across the multiverse, and even the lesser known
duegar, nathri, and thri-kreen making their mark, there are sizable number of naturally psionic races
throughout the Great Ring. The most infamous masters of psionics, the illithid (better known as mind flayers
among primes), terrorized the Astral and Outer Planes long before they descended in any great number to the
Prime Material Plane. One of their gods has longed resided within the bowels of the Outlands, and the
loathsome creatures travel through Sigil on occasion.

As a whole, practitioners of psionics are held with a little bit of awe, as it’s believed their power comes just a
bit closer to controlling the fabric of the multiverse itself in the same manner as belief. This is only further
substantiated by the number of psions within factions such as the Mind’s Eye and the Fraternity of Order,
which both expose their own ideas on mastering all of reality, as well as the Transcendent Order, which claims
to be closer to the multiverse than anyone. Perhaps because of its difficulty channeling aligned energy,
psionics are most common on the Outlands and the Astral Plane, as well as the stranger Region of Dreams
and Far Plane. On the other hand, there are considerably less psionic creatures on the Ethereal and Inner
Planes, likely because of the lack of access to astral
ectoplasm and the training required to manipulate ethereal
protomatter instead.

The Planescape Campaign Setting treats psionics as the

same as magic, though this isn’t necessary if the DM
wishes to use the Psionics Is Different variant rule. Thus,
the rules in this chapter and throughout the rest of this
book that discuss spells also apply to powers. The new
powers below are acquired as normal, but address life on
the planes and the influence of the factions in particular.

Astral Hospice, Psionic

Metacreativity
Level: Psion/Wilder 4
Components: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: See text
Duration: 1 day/level
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 7
As astral hospice (page 93 of the Planar Handbook), except
as noted here.

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Astral Slide
Psychoportation (Teleportation)
Level: Psion/Wilder 2, Psychic Warrior 1
Components: Auditory and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: Psion/Wilder 3, Psychic Warrior 1
On the Astral Plane time and space are but perceptions to be circumvented. Astral slide allows you to move from
one spot to another as a standard action regardless of obstacles, teleporting to a location within line of sight and no
farther than your walking distance. You can carry along any size load, but cannot bring creatures other than your
psicrystal with you. Movement caused by use of astral slide does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This power
only works on the Astral Plane, and is very common among the githyanki that patrol the plane.
Augment: If you spend an additional power point each round you may teleport as a move action.

Beckon, Psionic
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/Wilder 4
Display: Visual
Power Points: 7
As beckon (see above), except as noted here.

Create Color Pool

Metacreativity
Level: Psion/Wilder 3
Components: Mental and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One created Color Pool
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 5
There is some debate as to whether this power actually creates a color pool or draws a preexisting portal to you.
The effect is the same either way, as a one-way color pool leading to the first layer of an Outer Plane of your
choosing appears in the position you indicate. Once it has appeared the color pool persists indefinitely. This power
may only be used on the Astral Plane.

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Destiny’s Trail
Clairsentience
Level: Psion/Wilder 3
Components: None
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 5
Members of the Transcendent Order have largely come to grips with the idea that they are but parts of a much
greater tapestry that defines fate and reality. By examining individual threads and their relation to the big picture of
a scene, you can determine the people that were involved in certain moments in time. You must have a specific
event in mind, such as someone’s murder or the last time a particular portal was used, and must be at the location
where it occurred. Upon using destiny’s trail you learn the names and faces of the people directly involved. In the
case of the murder, this would include the victim and any attackers, witnesses that might have interfered, and so
on. In the case of who used a portal last, you would learn of the last group to pass through the portal, the
individuals who provided them the information to use it, anyone they were journeying to see, etc. This power does
not relay information about people that had no effect on the event, such as witnesses that did not interfere and
were not seen, and it does not distinguish the motives or roles of those involved, meaning that you would have to
investigate on your own to determine who was a witness and who was an assailant. It also does not inform you of
who was involved in earlier events leading up to the specified moment, such as why the victim was heading to a
particular pub, but subsequent uses of this power can be used to glean more such pertinent information.

Dream Beast
Metacreativity
Level: Psion/Wilder 6
Components: Mental and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect: One created dream beast
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 11
This dangerous power draws merges everyone nearby into a dreamscape and creates a monster of sheer
imagination and horror to attack those within. The strength and abilities of the creature are at the discretion of the
DM but are powerful enough to qualify as nightmarish to those in its presence. You do not control the beast but can
make it ignore any target of your choosing so long as you concentrate completely on the power, doing nothing else.
Once lost, concentration cannot be regained and you and your companions become targets of the monster’s wrath.
Anyone “slain” by the creature falls unconscious and drops to -1 hit points, but is then ignored by the creature
unless healed.

Dream Conduit, Psionic

Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/Wilder 8
Display: Visual
Power Points: 15
As dream conduit (see above), except you can only target the creature with powers from the Disciplines of
Clairsentience and Telepathy.
Augment: If you spend 5 additional power points you project both body and mind into the target’s dreamscape and
will appear beside them as soon as they wake up.

Dream Watch
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/Wilder 3
Display: Olfactory and visual
Manifesting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: One humanoid creature
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: Will negates
Power Resistance: Yes

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Power Points: 5
When used upon a sleeping individual this power allows you to enter a trance and project your mind into the
dreamscape of the target. While your perceptions of time and space are heavily distorted within the Plane of
Dreams, minds are often at their most vulnerable in their dreams and are highly suggestible. Simple statements are
often interpreted as true and can shift the course of a dream, taking you and the target through corridors of
memories or bringing guarded secrets and emotions to the surface.
Furthermore, with enough time and persuasion you may implant thoughts into the creature’s subconscious,
changing the way it looks and conceives of things. For instance, you could implant feelings of suspicion in the
target towards one of their companions or give the idea of traveling to a particular place to see the sites. The more
subtle the suggestions the more likely they are to manifest when the creature wakes up, whereas thoughts that it
finds nonsensical or completely contrary to what it believes are bound to be forgotten or ignored. You must make a
successful Charisma check opposed by the target’s Wisdom check in order to implant suggestions. The creature
receives a +5 bonus to its check if the suggestions contradict what it knows and believes.
The target does not initially realize that anything is different about its dream but pushing too strongly, either by
trying to influence the dream repeatedly over a couple minutes or fighting the dream’s progression, will eventually
rouse the creature enough to be aware that it is dreaming and that something is wrong. When someone has
realized that they are dreaming their control over the dream is nearly absolute, though they mind remains
somewhat muddled. You are unaware of your own surroundings or of the activities around you while in the trance.
While physically defenseless, any sort of disturbance, such as a loud noise or being targeted by a power, breaks
you from the trance and ends the power. Creatures who don’t sleep or dream, or are somehow isolated from the
Plane of Dreams, are immune to this power.

Faceted Attack
Psychoportation
Level: Psychic Warrior 4
Display: Visual; see text
Manifesting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Personal
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 7
Existence is an illusion, and so to are its limitations. This principle of the Mind’s Eye is the basis of this power,
which allows you to briefly exist in multiple places at once so long as no two aspects of yourself are farther apart
than the power’s range. You may exist in a number of additional places equal to the number of extra attacks
granted by your base attack bonus, with each aspect gaining one of these attacks.
For example, a psychic warrior with base attack +11 could exist up to two additional places and grant one attack at
+6 and the other two attacks at +1. Thus, you could make a full attack while spreading your attacks against multiple
distant opponents or even flank an opponent on your own. On the other hand, each aspect can be attacked and
you suffer all the damage incurred normally.
Appearing in a square next to an opponent does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Force Substantiation
Psychoportation
Level: Psion/Wilder 5
Display: Material and mental
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 9
This power mimics the effects of the dimensional anchor spell (page 221 of the Player’s Handbook) and has the
added effect of drawing the targeted creature from any coexistent planes, such as the Ethereal or Shadow Planes,
onto your current plane. For the duration of the power the targeted creature cannot use any abilities that would
allow them to enter other planes, though other abilities, such as a ghost’s incorporeal nature, remain unaffected. At
the end of the power’s duration, the target creature remains on the current plane unless they have some means of
returning on their own.
Augment: For every three additional power points you spend, you can target an additional creature within the
power’s range.

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Ignore Sensation
Clairsentience
Level: Psion/Wilder 1, Psychic Warrior 1
Display: None
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 1
You completely ignore one of your senses. Though your body still receives the sensory input and may react
accordingly, your mind does not register it and you do not suffer from sensory overload. Thus, sonic effects do not
deafen you nor does extremely bright light blind you, depending on which sense you ignore. You may even prevent
yourself from feeling the pain of wounds or torture. Members of the Mind’s Eye frequently use ignore sensation to
bypass their own perceptions of the multiverse and rise above them, and at the DM’s discretion this can power can
ease use of some of the Mind’s Eye feats described in Chapter 4.

Living Memory
Telepathy
Level: Psion/Wilder 6
Display: Material
Manifesting Time: 8 hours
Range: Personal
Effect: One psionic construct
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 11
This power transforms an appropriate recording device into a receptacle for your memories and
even your personality. Any small object that is normally used to hold knowledge, such as a book, a sensory stone,
or even a mimir, can be used. The object becomes a psionic device capable of relaying anything you know to
whoever wields it. The Fraternity of Order has used this power for centuries to spread and catalog their
accumulated knowledge, but it is also used within the Society of Sensation and the Revolutionary League to pass
along experiences and information.
You have some leeway in the manner in which the device speaks, what activates it, and how much information it
contains. A book could be seemingly blank unless someone speaks to it or writes in it, upon which ink appears on
the pages in response, or it could simply talk aloud and hold a conversation in any language you know. Likewise,
you may decide that it is only active when someone is holding it or says a specific phrase, or you can set it always
be “on”. The DM has the final say on what is possible with the device, but players are encouraged to be creative
and give any such objects a personal touch.
By default, the created device stores all your memories and personality in words, but it may be used to convey
images or even project experiences directly to its handler. You can also withhold as much information as you like
when manifesting this power, limiting the device’s knowledge to specific topics, time periods, hard facts, or just your
personal opinions on certain topics.

Neutralize Area
Psychokinesis
Level: Psion/Wilder 7
Displays: Auditory and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 round or 1 hour; see text
Range: 0 ft.
Area: 40 ft. radius emanation
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates or none; see text
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 13
Though practitioners of psionics are not as adept at manipulating aligned energy as divine or even arcane
spellcasters, they possess the remarkable ability to negate such power when they encounter it. Neutralize area can
be used to cleanse nearby creatures of any such magic or delve into the land itself to destroy blessings placed
upon it.
You choose to use neutralize area in one of two ways: an area dispel on creatures within range or a targeted dispel
of effects such as hallow that are cast on the area. Neither applications affect spells or powers of 9th level or
higher.

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Area Dispel: Each creature or object within the area that is the subject of one or more spells that charges them with
aligned energy has all such spells dispelled if they do not make a successful Will save. Spells affected include align
weapon, cloak of chaos, dispel chaos/evil/good/law, holy aura, magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law, protection
from chaos/evil/good/law, shield of law, unholy aura, and similar spells at the DM’s discretion. Spells that emanate
from a specific creature, such as magic circle, are only dispelled if the source of the emanation is within this
power’s range. Spells that have an instantaneous duration, such as dictum or hallow, are unaffected.
Targeted Dispel: Any consecrate, desecrate, exalt, hallow, or unhallow spell in the area is dispelled. This application
requires one hour of manifestation time and does not have any effect on spells cast on creatures or objects in the
area.

Neutralize Outsider
Psychokinesis
Level: Psion/Wilder 5, Psychic Warrior 5
Display: Visual; see text
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One Outsider touched with alignment subtype
Duration: Instantaneous (1 round/level); see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 9
This power draws aligned energy in a stream of beaded light from a touched Outsider to you, dealing 10d4 points
of damage if the target has one alignment subtype or 10d6 points of damage if it has two. Furthermore, if the target
fails their Fortitude save their spell-like and psi-like abilities suffer a -5 penalty to their save DC for one round per
level. Multiple applications of this power do not result in cumulative penalties.
Augment: For every additional power point you spend, this power’s damage increases by one die. For each extra
two dice of damage, this power’s save DC increases by 1.

Perinarch, Psionic
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/Wilder 4
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: 1 round/level; see text
Saving Throw: None (object) and Reflex negates; see text
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 7
As perinarch (page 101 of the Planar Handbook), except as noted here.

Planar Perinarch, Psionic

Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/Wilder 9
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: 1 round/level; see text
Saving Throw: None (object) and Reflex negates; see text
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 17
As planar perinarch (page 102 of the Planar Handbook), except as noted here.

Planar Bubble, Psionic

Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/Wilder 7
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation from touched creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Power Resistance: No; see text
Power Points: 13
As planar bubble (page 102 of the Planar Handbook), except as noted here.

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CHAPTER 6:Merchandise of the Planes
If you have the jink and the desire, someone out there is willing to help you. With a little bit of searching you
can find just about anything for sale. Merchants set up shop in the Grand Bazaars of Sigil and Tradegate, or
travel from place to place, selling their wares. While prices may fluctuate wildly in some areas, they tend to
follow the same patterns in the markets of the cities; with the availability of portals, scarcity or abundance for
one area is the same for almost everywhere else. The pricing information given in the following sections can
be considered the standard for Sigil, the gate-towns of the Outlands, and many of the population centers of
the Outer Planes. The Transitive and Inner Planes, and the less accessible areas of the Outer Planes, usually
have higher prices, unless the material in question is in abundance there.

Equipment
Weapons, armor, supplies, and services of various sorts can be purchased in many areas of the planes.
While a lantern from Baator and one from Arcadia may have superficial differences, they are basically the
same, and can be purchased for around the same price. The origins of masterwork items are usually more
obvious; a sword forged in the Dwarven Mountain is easily recognizable to those familiar with such things.
Almost all merchandise that can be found for sale in the planes is of planar manufacture, rather than imported
from the Prime; planars don’t go there unless they absolutely have to. On the other hand, those who know
where to look and who to ask can find even rare antiquities from the Prime that turn up on the market.

Armor Description

Bariaur Armor: Most armor, even magical ones, won’t fit bariaur and thus many instead use barding instead.
Of course the planes host a variety of exotic races, and bariaur are hardly a rare sight on the planes, so many
smiths carry armor specially crafted to fit their quadruped form. Such armor provides the same amount of
protection as humanoid armor, but costs and weights s good deal more. Most bariaur prefer to wear light
armor since it doesn’t limit their natural speed. Medium and heavy armor reduce their speed to 30 ft.

Modron Armor: Modrons are unable to wear normal armor due to their non-humanoid form. They may,
however, have special plating made for them, consisting of flat sheets of metal with holes for the modron’s
face and arms either strapped on by leather or bolted into the metallic parts of the modron’s body. Because
modron outcasts are all the same size the fitting process is simple, though such bashers are too rare for
anyone to have premade armor in stock. Adding or removing the armor requires about two hours and
someone with at least basic knowledge of modron anatomy. Modrons do not suffer from fatigue when
sleeping in their armor.

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Robes, Amun-thysian: These gem-encrusted robes are highly prized by Sensates. They are sewn in the
desert realm of Amun-thys on the third layer of Arborea, stitched with fine gold and dyed a royal purple. While
the gems and stones certainly weigh the robes down, the sleeves have only the smallest, lightest gems sewn
in, allowing arcane spellcasting without much trouble.

Sealskin: A waterproof armor consisting of tanned and stitched sealskins. Perfect for cutters who are visiting
watery locales and don’t want to worry about being weighed down or getting metal armor rusty.

Weapon Description

Bariaur Horned Helm: Bariaurs that don horned helms are able to make charge attacks capable of inflicting
grievous wounds. The helms can also be enchanted as magical weapons, and enable bariaur that do not
have a horn for some reason to make charge attacks.

Kooth: The kooth is the khaasta’s ritual weapon, two crescent blades in a 45° angle to each other on a 10-
foot pole. The length of the kooth gives it a reach of 10 feet, and those proficient with the weapon are able to
swing the blades and slide their hands along the shaft in order to seamlessly strike adjacent foes. The kooth
is a double weapon. You can fight with it as if fighting with two weapons , but if you do, you incur all the
normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons, just as if you were using a one handed
weapon and a light weapon. A creature wielding a kooth in one hand cannot use it as a double weapon. Due
to the size of the pole and the weight of the blades, anyone with a Strength score 15 or lower is unable to
wield the kooth without dropping it or accidentally hitting themselves.

Planar Armor Material

Industrious cutters of all races create and build with most any material that comes to hand. From the forges of
dwarven petitioners to the arsenals of the Blood War, from the armories of the celestials to the laboratories of
the githzerai, the spirit of invention and the thirst for battle come together in a hundred ways.

Acheronian Clearsteel: This transparent metal is found on certain cubes on Acheron, and is forged into
weapons of war, just as everything else there is. Clearsteel is no harder than ordinary steel, but weapons
forged from it are virtually transparent and Spot checks to notice them have a base DC 20, making them quite
handy as concealed weaponry. Those who can get their hands on large quantities even use clearsteel
instead of glass for windows, doors, tank screens…and other such applications. The market price modifier for
clearsteel weapons is +1,000 gp.

Astral Driftmetal: A rare mineral mined from the floating corpses of the powers found on the Astral Plane,
astral driftmetal is similar to iron. It is not very malleable, however, and only shields, breastplates, and heavy
armors may be forged from it. Such equipment has the unique property of being effective against incorporeal
attacks 25% of the time, as if it had the ghost touch property. Astral driftmetal armor weighs 5 pounds more
than ordinary armor but is otherwise the same. Many planars find the thought of digging into the bodies of
deities to be a heinous act and will confront anyone discovered to be wielding or selling the material. The
Athar, on the other hand, actively encourage their members to make use of the metal as a sign of their
disdain for the powers and proof of their failings. The market price modifier for armor made of driftmetal is
+1,000 gp. Astral driftmetal has a hardness of 12 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness.

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Baatorian Green Steel: This metal comes from the
wastelands of Avernus, the first layer of Baator, and has
seen much use during the eons of fighting in the Lower
Planes. Green steel is lighter than normal steel, and is
readily worked into razor sharp edges. The yugoloths
have taken the opportunity to spread the weapons
they’ve acquired throughout the planes, though they are
still rare outside the baatezu armies. Piercing or slashing
weapons crafted with the green-flecked ore have an
increased damage range, as if they were one level lower
on Table 7- 4: Tiny and Large Weapon Damage on pg.
114 of the Player’s Handbook. Banded mail, chain mail,
plate mail, and scale mail are the only types of armor that
can be made of green steel, and such armor has an
increased armor bonus of +1. The market price modifier
for such armor is +3,000 gp; weapons made of green
steel have a price modifier of +2,000 gp. Baatorian green
steel has a hardness of 12 and 30 hit points per inch of
thickness.

Bronze: This metal hardly unique to the planes, as most

prime worlds discover the secret of bronze working at
some point, and eventually find it is decidedly inferior to
iron and steel. It still sees use, however, in the realms of
certain pantheons such as the Greek, Egyptian,
Babylonian, and Sumerian. These cultures certainly know
that better technologies exist, but choose to remain a bit backwards, perhaps because artisans are able to
sculpt the bronze into pleasing designs embossed on the armor. Bronze is softer than steel, and weapons
made with the metal have a -1 penalty to attack and damage (with a minimum damage of 1). Bronze has a
hardness of 9 and 20 hit points per inch of thickness. Weapons with wooden hafts, such as axes and spears
have the hardness and hit point values listed in the Player’s Handbook.

Entropium: Crafted in the laboratories of the githzerai, entropium is created in a process that alloys iron with
the chaos-stuff of Limbo. It is heavier than ordinary iron, but can be used to create armor that shifts with the
movements of its wearer, allowing for greater flexibility. Light entropium armor is considered medium, weighs
2 pounds more than normal, medium armor is considered heavy, weighs 5 pounds more than normal, and
heavy armor weighs 10 pounds more than normal. Shields made of entropium weigh 2 more pounds than
usual. The armor check penalty increases by 2 for Strength-related skill checks (Climb, Jump, Swim, etc.),
while it decreases by 2 for Dexterity-related skill checks (Balance, Hide, Tumble, etc.). Arcane spell failure for
entropium armor is decreased by 10%, to a minimum of 5%, and the maximum Dexterity bonus increases by
+2. Only armor and shields crafted of metal may be created with entropium. Entropium has a hardness of 15
and 40 hit points per inch of thickness.

Item Market Price Modifier

Light Armor +750 gp
Medium Armor +2,000 gp
Heavy Armor +8,000 gp
Shield +750 gp

Gehennan Morghuth-Iron: The yugoloths mine this metal from the volcanic reaches of Gehenna. It is
difficult to forge, and creates shoddy, pocked, and pitted weapons that have a – 1 penalty to attack and
damage. However, morguth-iron is highly toxic, and when made into slashing or piercing weapons the metal
poisons its victims with every strike. The target must make a Fortitude save at DC 12. The initial damage is 1
point of temporary Dexterity; the secondary damage is 1d4 points of temporary Dexterity. Rumors abound of
particularly potent samplings of morghuth-iron, though such weapons are confined to the ranks of higher
yugoloth. Such weapons are very rare beyond Gehenna, though some are being sold to the baatezu and the
tanar’ri. The market price modifier for a weapon made of morguth-iron is +4,000 gp. Gehennan morguth-iron
has a hardness of 9 and 20 hit points per inch of thickness.

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Karach: This is a shifting metal used by smiths in Limbo and its gate-town of Xaos to create magical and
psionic items of various sorts. It is notoriously unstable and difficult to work with. The githzerai are the
undisputed masters of the strange chaos-stuff, using it to create objects of mysterious power wieldable by the
most dedicated warriors of that race. Lesser blacksmiths, those that get their hands on it anyway, are only
able to create weapons and armor that make use of some of the transmuting properties of the metal. Karach
is considered a masterwork material for crafting purposes, and the blacksmith must have ranks in Craft
(karach weaponsmith), Craft (karach armorsmith), and so forth.

Weapons forged with karach are deadlier in the hands of wielders with strong wills. If the user of a karach
weapon has psionic abilities or a Wisdom score of 16 or more, the weapon has a natural enhancement bonus
to attack and damage as well as the ability to change shape. As a free action once a round the wielder may
change the type of damage dealt by the weapon to piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning. In the hands of anyone
else, the weapon functions normally and retains its current form. Karach armor functions similarly, providing a
natural enhancement bonus to AC and shifting to better deflect certain types of attacks. As a free action once
a round the wielder can choose piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage and gain damage reduction
against that attack. These bonuses do not stack with any other enhancement bonuses. Thus, a karach (+2)
sword enchanted with a +3 enhancement bonus effectively has a +3 enhancement bonus. In an area where
magic does not function, it still retains its natural +2 enhancement bonus.

Weapons and armor fashioned from karach are treated as masterwork items with regard to creation times,
but the masterwork quality does not affect the enhancement bonus of weapons or the armor check penalty of
armor. Karach has a hardness of 15 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness.

Solanian Truesteel: Manufactured by dwarves under the

watchful eyes of Moradin on the fourth layer of Mount
Celestia, this iron shines with a pure silver gleam and does
not need an alloy. Weapons forged of truesteel are
commonly awarded to those who have proven themselves
brave and just, and have a natural enhancement bonus of
+1 on the confirmation of a critical hit. The market price
modifier for a weapon made of truesteel is +1,000 gp.
Solanian truesteel has a hardness of 11 and 25 hit points per
inch of thickness.

Ysgardian Heartwire: This metal is mined by the dwarves

of Nidavellir in Ysgard. It is a fine, flexible metal, unsuited for
creating armor itself, but small sections of heartwire mail can
be added to chain shirts, chain mail, and heavy armor to
reinforce vital areas. This gives the armor a +2 bonus to AC
solely for the purposes of the roll to confirm a critical hit. The
market price modifier is +1,500 gp for a suit incorporating
heartwire.

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Adventuring Gear

Backpack, Waterproof: A backpack made from specially treated sealskin. While closed, water and other
non-caustic liquids will not damage its contents. It is crafted by Amarillis Silverthorn of the island of Elshava in
Arborea, though merchants often export them across the planes. Such backpacks made for small creatures
weigh ½ a pound.

Bottle, Bytopian: By the unique properties of the plane where these bottles are created, Bytopian bottles are
capable of storing two liquids at once without them ever mixing. The gnomes create bottles in a variety of
shapes and sizes capable of storing 1 pint of each liquid.

Chain, Hiter: A finely wrought chain from the city of Jangling Hiter in Baator. It may be delicate and gleaming,
massive and cold, or fashioned any number of other ways, but regardless, it has a hardness of 12, 10 hit
points, and can be burst with a DC 30 Strength check.

Chest, Waterproof: Distributed by the Sealskin Slicker of Arborea, this chest stores the same amount of
goods as an ordinary chest (2 cubic feet), but is specially constructed and lined with tanned sealskin,
preventing non-caustic moisture from entering it while sealed.

Harness, Bariaur: A specially designed frame backpack for bariaur. It can carry up to 90 pounds worth of
weight and has a volume of 3.5 feet x 3 feet x 1 foot.

Harness, Bariaur (Waterproof): A bariaur harness that has been created from sealskin.

Myconid Spores: The myconid mushroom folk of Mechanus sell their pacification spores to outsiders. They
come in tubes that can be blown upon a target as a touch attack with a range of 10 feet. The victim must
make a Fortitude against DC 14 or be pacified for one minute. Pacification is similar to being dazed, but the
target can make partial actions that do not involve attacking. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.

Rope, Celestian: Woven from translucent silk produced by metallic spiders of Mount Celestia. This nigh-
invisible rope has a hardness of 10 and 5 hit points, and can be burst with a DC 26 Strength check. It
provides a +4 circumstance bonus to Use Rope checks.

Saddle, Bariaur: This undignified device is based on the bariaur harness. Though bariaurs do not like to
mounted, some carry them in case they have to transport a two-legged creature quickly, such as when
carrying a wounded companion from danger. It functions as a packsaddle, allowing the bariaur to carry
possessions as well as companions.

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Storage Container, Modron: A device commonly used by modron outcasts to carry things consisting of a
metal and leather box affixed or strapped to the modron’s back. It can carry 100 pounds of weight and has a
volume of 1.5 feet x 3 feet x 1 foot.

Storage Container, Modron (Waterproof): This is a waterproof version of a modron’s container, using
sealskin instead of ordinary leather.

Voidlens: This handheld lens measures three inches by three inches. Their only use is in revealing the
product of voidmarks.

Voidmarks: Chalk-like sticks that can be used to make invisible markings. Such writing can only be seen by
voidlenses or by any magical effects that reveal invisibility. Many vendors claim they come from the Plane of
Vacuum, but in actuality they originate from Tir na Og in the Outlands, where they are known as marker bits.

Class Tools and Skill Kits

Lute, Baatorian: These lutes create sounds rarely heard by mortals, and are highly prized by collectors of
both instruments and devilish knickknacks. Playing one gives a +3 circumstance bonus to Perform checks on
natives of Baator, and a –3 circumstance penalty if the listener is a native of the Abyss. Their rarity increases
the market value.

Mechanical Clock: For those who need to keep precise time or enjoy the novelty of doing so, there is no
better device for timekeeping than a mechanical clock from Rempha on Mount Celestia. Once set and
wound, it will keep perfect time for longer than the lifetime of many creatures. It signals the hour with a
delicate chiming.

Musical Instrument, Arvandorian: These finely crafted musical instruments (mandolins, flutes, hand
chimes, and so forth) are masterwork items, giving a +2 circumstance bonus to Perform checks. The
instruments are especially appealing to elven ears; the circumstance bonus to Perform checks is increased to
+3 when played for elven listeners. Instruments created for small creatures weigh half the normal weight.

Clothing

Belt, Modron: This is an ordinary belt, but fitted for the modron outcasts’ large cube frame.

Fishskin Suit: Stitched together from the skins of underwater creatures and coming with webbed gloves and
fins for the feet. This increases the wearer’s swimming
speed to one-half their normal walking speed as a move
action or three-quarters their walking speed as a full-round
action. The suit also gives the swimmer a +2 circumstance
bonus to Swim checks.

Living Cloak: This thick fur cloak is actually a living

creature of some sort, supposedly from a prime world of
little repute. The cloak clings tightly to the wearer when
worn, but remains comfortable as it creates a symbiotic
relationship between the body heats of the cloak and its
wearer. Not only does it provide the benefits of cold weather
outfits, it provides a +2 circumstance bonus to saves
against cold effects.

Sealskin Outfit: If you’re traveling underwater, and don’t

want to risk destroying your clothes and other possession,
sealskin outfits will keep you modest. Particularly baggy
outfits can be purchased to wear over another outfit or light
armor, protecting them from moisture. The suits will not
cover robes, cloaks, backpacks, and so on. Outfits for small
creatures weigh 1 ¼ pounds.

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Food and Drink

Fortitude save DCs have been provided for those using the optional intoxication rules from the Arms and
Equipment Guide. Drinking an entire alcoholic beverage (a mug of ale, a glass of wine, a jigger of hard
spirits) requires a Fortitude save. The second save within the same hour is at a –1 penalty, the third –2, the
fourth –4, and so forth. Failing the save costs 1d2 points of temporary damage to Dexterity and Wisdom. If
reduced to 0 Wisdom, the drunk slips into unconsciousness. Reduced to 0 Dexterity, the bubber remains
conscious, but is lying on the floor incoherently. If brought to both 0 Dexterity and 0 Wisdom, the sod may
suffer from alcohol poisoning. In such a case the bubber makes another Fortitude save, with a DC
determined by the most potent drink he’s had. If failed, they take 1 point of temporary Constitution damage
every 10 minutes. The only way to stop it before the individual dies is to purge his stomach. The bubber
recovers 1 point of Dexterity and Wisdom damage each hour after the last drink. Neutralize poison will negate
the damage alcohol causes, but the hangover lingers.

Bytopian Cheese: There are three varieties of Bytopian cheese: blue, red, and white, all made from goat’s
milk on the plane of Bytopia, and each has a delicious, unique flavor. The blue kind glows softly in the dark,
and the flavor becomes spicier and tangier, encouraging merchants to double the price when selling it at
night.

Fire Fruit: Grown on the Plane of Fire, a fire fruit burns with a soft flame while fresh and most vendors tend
to serve them with tongs. If the flame is doused right before eating, the taste is unrivaled by other fruits. Even
then, if eaten by someone without fire resistance 5 or more, the fruit is like poison. The eater must make a
Fortitude save against DC 20 or take 1d10 points of Constitution damage. The eater must save again at DC
20 in another minute or lose another 1d10 points.

Giant’s Wine: Made in Arborea with enormous grapes crushed by the feet of giants. Quite potent when drunk
by smaller folks. (Fortitude save DC 15.)

Glacial Blue Wine: A bluish-white wine made by the elves of Alfheim. (Fortitude save DC 12 for elves;
Fortitude save DC 16 for non-elves.)

Green Fields Tea: The halflings of Green Fields grow these famous tealeaves.

Green Fields Tobacco: This flavorful tobacco is a favorite of halflings and connoisseurs.

Heartwine: This is the slightly heady and sour wine brewed in Curst from razorvine. It is popular with
gourmands in Sigil. (Fortitude save DC 12.)

Mushroom Wine: Made with fermented fungus by the dark elves in shadowy Svartalfheim, it is popular with
many subterranean races, including dwarves and gnomes. (Fortitude save DC 12.)

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Rations, Arvandorian: These delicious rations are produced by the elves of Arvandor. Dried venison cured
with berries and herbs and flaky bread make up the largest portions. Rations for small creatures weigh ¼ of a
pound.

Rations, Undersea: Undersea rations are similar to their terrestrial counterpart, consisting of dried undersea
plants such as kelp, and dried fish, abalone, and the like. They are made in places such as the Elemental
Plane of Water and the underwater farms of Tir fo Thuinn in the Outlands. They are mostly eaten by those
who come from those places, or by those who are traveling through them. Rations for small creatures weigh
¼ of a pound.

Sheela’s Gold Cider: A cider made with apples from Sheela Peryroyl’s orchards in the Outlands. The
fermented version is quite potent, although it is a favorite of the smaller sorts, like halflings and gnomes. The
Greencage across from the Civic Festhall has a plentiful supply of it. (Fortitude save DC 13.)

Livestock and Related Gear

A variety of beasts roam the planes, and several have been domesticated by intelligent planars. Aside from
ordinary horses, riding dogs, chickens, and so on, below are listed some of the more notable planar animals
used in planar society.

Astral Streaker: These astral birds have become common in Sigil and beyond. Their intelligence, homing
instincts and loyalty make them great messengers.

Boar, Spittle: An amiable boar from the Outlands. While it can serve as a mount as well as a draft animal,
the drooling beast is far too cowardly to be trained for war.

Cow, Sand: A lumbering cross between a bull and a camel. It can operate as draft animal or mount.

Ethyk: A lemur-like creature from Bytopia, it has the ability to increase the aggression of others. This
aggression is always directed away from itself, as well as its mate and young. In the wild, it functions primarily
to cause predators to seek other prey. When trained, ethyks can use its ability to increase aggressions at its
master’s commands. Trained ethyks regard their masters as a relative, so any aggression will be directed
against others. They were barred from the Hall of Speakers long ago, and many other buildings and towns
disallow them. An ethyk takes at least one week to acclimate to a new master. They also have some agility
with their hands, and can be trained to retrieve objects or tie knots.

Hound, Aoskian: A trained, fully-grown Aoskian hound, perfect for guarding your case. As with all Aoskian
hounds, they are only found in Sigil and cannot use portals.

Hound, Spectral: These vicious dogs of the Astral Plane are most famously bred and used by the githyanki,
but some other planars with the jink keep them as well.

Pony, Arcadian: Arcadian ponies make useful draft animals, pulling carts, carriages, and cabs in Sigil and
elsewhere. Unfortunately, they will not accept riders.

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 Magical Items
It comes as no surprise that magic and enchanted devices are integral to the planes. While magic items are
hardly as common as dirt, and many inhabitants of the planes go their entire lives without handling one, they
are more prevalent than they are on most worlds of the Prime. Many have their origins on the planes, and
some are almost never found in the mortal realms of the Prime Material Plane.

Potion Descriptions
Oil of Stone Integration: This oil is applied to the user and their possessions. They are then able to pass
through stone and earth as if they were air. In addition, stone weapons and creatures composed of earth
(such as earth elementals) are unable to touch the oil-soaked user. Likewise, nothing coated with the oil may
move or hold any stone or dirt objects (though clever individuals may pick up a non-stone object to
manipulate stone objects). A creature coated with oil does not sink through stone and earth unless wishing to
do so, and unattended objects will not sink unless pushed. One flask contains enough oil to coat one
Medium-sized creature and its possessions or an equivalent area. The effects last for one hour and cannot be
removed before that without the use of magic.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisite: Brew Potion, merge into stone; Market Price: 750 gp.

Ring Descriptions
Ring of the Bariaur: The ring of the bariaur resembles the ring of the ram, but functions quite differently, and
is much rarer. It is only useable by a bariaur, and when worn allows the bariaur to wear any magical item
usually prohibited by his or her shape. Shoes, boots, leggings, armor, and so forth are transformed into
objects that fit on the bariaur. As long as the bariaur wears the ring and the items, the transformation stays in
effect. If either is taken off, the items reverts to their original shape and falls from the bariaur, without causing
harm to either the object or its wearer.
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisite: Forge Ring, enlarge; Market Price: 8,000 gp.

Wondrous Item Descriptions

*Amulet of Superiority: These amulets were created by fiends to allow their lesser members a fighting
chance in the Blood War. When worn, an amulet gives the wearer’s attacks (whether melee or ranged, armed
or unarmed) the ability to bypass damage reduction as if they had a magical enhancement bonus.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, greater magic weapon; Market Price: 8,000 gp.

Baku’s Trumpet: Though not truly the instrument of the baku, or trumpet archon, these horns produced on
Mount Celestia possess the ability to paralyze any who evil creature that them with it’s piercing and beautiful
notes. Evil creatures within 100 feet of the trumpet when it is
sounded must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be paralyzed for
1d4 rounds. This item can be used three times per day. Anyone who
is evil and attempts to play the trumpet not only fails to do so but
must make a Fortitude save against the same DC or be struck mute
for 1d4 days.
Caster Level: ; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, ; Market Price: ;
Weight:

Boots, Chillfoot: These boots were created by a halfling cobbler in

Sigil. Wearing them in a normal environment is uncomfortable, as
they make a body’s feet quite cold. If worn in an area where there is
great heat, however, they provide excellent protection for the
wearer’s feet. The bearer can walk on burning coals or the hot
surfaces of certain planes. They provide fire resistance 12 for the
wearer’s feet only, and they do not provide the wearer any protection
from sinking in lava or the like. Of course if a sod’s hit by a red
dragon’s breath or a fireball, the boots do absolutely nothing for the
poor berk.
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, resist
elements; Market Price: 500 gp; Weight: 1 lb.

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Bottled Breath: These clear bottles produce an infinite supply of clean fresh air. The user must simply
uncork the bottle and drink from it as if it held liquid in order to take in the air, enabling someone to survive
indefinitely in areas that otherwise lacks breathable air. The bottle must be corked again each round or it will
lose its magical power.

Chains of Light: Originally created in Arcadia, some say these chains of pure light were first forged from
sunlight by the power Reorx himself. When used to bind any creature of evil alignment, they glow with the
intensity of a daylight spell. Any creature with a chaotic or evil alignment (including the bound victim) that
looks upon the chains is affected as if by a cause blindness spell. All others may look at the chains and what
they bind without penalty (unless otherwise susceptible to the effects of daylight).
If the bound creature attempts to escape the chains will either burn or freeze them, depending on which is
more harmful. The chains cause 1d2 points of damage the first round, 1d4 the second round, 1d6 the third,
and so on until they reach their maximum of 1d12 points per round. This damage ceases immediately once
the creature stops struggling. Escape Artist checks and Break attempts are at a DC of 40. If broken, the
chains become useless.
Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, daylight, holy smite, holy aura, creator must be good
and non-chaotic; Market Price: 36,000 gp; Weight: 5 lb.

Fiend Globe: Supposedly the creation of the baatezu lords, a fiend

globe is a small hollow ceramic ball measuring no more than 3
inches in diameter. When shattered (which is easy to do), it
summons a fiend from the Lower Planes to do the bidding of the one
who broke the globe. The fiend issues forth from the remains of the
globe, appearing as close to the shattered globe as possible. This
works even on planes and in areas where summoning fiends would
normally be forbidden (but not in areas where magic is not working,
such as dead magic zones or an antimagic field). The fiend
obediently serves its new master for one hour (doing literally
anything in its power that is asked of it), at which point it is returned
to its home plane. A globe may only be used once.

When a globe is broken, roll on the following table to determine what

fiend appears:
Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, gate; Market
Price: 7,650 gp.

Horn Caps of Battering: These are 1-inch-long brass

caps that fit on the end of a bariaur’s horns. They add a
+6 circumstance bonus to any attempt the bariaur
makes to break an object by ramming it with his or her
head. Both caps must be worn for the magic to be
effective.

Mark of Invisible Alignment: Marks of invisible

alignment come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but
the most common form is a simple gem shaped like a
tear. When a mark is placed on the user’s forehead, it
adheres to their skin and becomes invisible. The mark
masks the wearer’s alignment; the various alignment
detection spells reveal nothing, as if the wearer were
neutral. Effects that rely on the wearer’s true alignment,
such as holy smite, still function normally however.
Detect magic reveals the mark’s aura, but the only way
to see it is with a true seeing spell, which also reveal
the wearer’s true alignment. Only the wearer or a
targeted dispel magic can remove the mark, which
reappears and slides off the wearer’s forehead.
Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item,
nondetection; Market Price: 8,000 gp.

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Mimir: Also called Wells of Knowledge or Speaking Skulls, mimirs are a minor magical device composed of a
unknown silvery metal used by planewalkers and clueless alike because they answer questions spoken to
them, assuming those answers have been recorded into the device. They are effectively encyclopedias that
provide information quickly and without requiring any reading as the mimir will answer the question as best it
can with its knowledge (which is about an hour’s worth of talking), sounding much like an erudite lecturer. The
device only works when left to float in the water or air, rather like an ioun stone, where it will remain until
grabbed. Mimirs are commonly skull-shaped, but are also found as stars, disks, leaves, and other mundane
shapes. For some reason the devices only work on the Outer Planes, and if brought elsewhere any answers
comes out as gibberish. A feeblemind spell cast on a mimir will cause it to do the same, and they are also
stopped by silence spells.

While commonly found for sale in Sigil and the gate-towns, no one knows where mimirs originate. Attempts to
recreate them without using the strange metal have yielded imperfect results, and to date no respectable
blood has claimed responsibility. Standard mimirs are programmed with information regarding the Outlands
and will answer questions regarding that plane, even the asker’s general distance from the Spire. Since a
mimir can be purged of its original content and new information instilled, folk settle for using existing ones to
record whatever information they’d like.
Market Price: 2,000 gp; Weight: -.

Planar Mancatcher: This device is a long pole with a set of spring-loaded, sharpened jaws at the end of it,
designed to snare sods that can plane shift or teleport. The Mercykiller faction developed the mancatcher
long ago, and watchmen in many planar towns keep these handy for catching gith and other slippery
bashers.

To use one, the wielder makes a touch attack, which gains a +2 enhancement bonus. If successful, the jaws
clamp tightly around the body of the target. While caught, the target loses any Dexterity bonus, though the
trapped creature can make an Escape Artist check against DC 30, but suffers 1d2 points of damage with
each attempt. Alternatively, the victim can attempt to break free with a Strength check against a DC of 30,
which inflicts 1d4 damage per attempt, and destroys the device if successful.
While held the victim is affected as if by a dimensional anchor spell. If the victim attempts to use any effect
involving planar travel they are jolted with a strong burst of magical energy which causes 1d10 points of
damage, and they must make a Fortitude save against DC 30 or fall unconscious for 1d3 minutes.
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisite: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, inflict moderate wounds, bull’s strength,
dimensional anchor; Market Price: 40,000 gp; Weight: 20 lb.

Portal Trap: This device is in the shape of a small ball of lead ½ inch in diameter. If the command word is
spoken (sometimes etched in tiny printing on the ball itself) and it is placed within the framework of a portal it
will explode the next time a creature passes through that portal. The portal need not be active to set the trap.
The ball explodes with the force of a fireball cast by a sixth-level caster, causing 6d6 points of fire damage on
both sides of the portal, with half the diameter blasting each side and possibly destroying the portal frame.
Should such a thing happen, those attempting to pass through the portal emerge from the side they entered.

Though the portal trap may not be disabled, it can be dispelled, and if removed from the portal where it has
been planted while the portal is inactive it ceases to function until placed in that same portal.
Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, fireball; Market Price: 4,000 gp;

Seeker Stones: These handy devices are a pair of perfectly clear peridot
balls that can be used to guide their user to the corresponding stone. The
bearer simply speaks the command word (which is invariably carved into
the bottom of its matching stone) and a glowing arrow appears in the
center of the ball pointing toward the other stone. The other stone does
not need to be active for its mate to home in on it, though if they are more
than 10 miles apart or on different planes nothing happens, and even
after being activated the stones will deactivate after reaching this limit.
The arrow grows larger and brighter the closer it gets to its companion
stone, until finally when it gets within five feet of the other stone the effect
ends. The stone can be deactivated by speaking its command word in
reverse.
Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, locate object;
Market Price: 8,000 gp; Weight: 7 lb. per stone.

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Thought Recorder: These flat copper plates are six inches on a side. If pressed to the user’s temple for five
minutes, the image of what they were thinking about at that time appears slowly on the plate. This image
remains until someone else records an image. The origin of these plates is unknown, but they have appeared
from time to time in Sigil.
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, silent image, detect thoughts; Market Price: 1,000 gp;
Weight: 1 lb.

Zadisband: A novelty item popular as a gift in Sigil. It is a simple leather headband or armband, but it
continually hums a soft, melodic tune. Owners often tire of the humming after a while and find someone else
to give it to. Tales of regifting zadisbands are a small joke among Cagers.
Caster Level: 1st; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, ghost sound; Market Price: 8 sp;

Ships/Vehicles

Some planewalkers rarely step foot on a vehicle; where portals and spells can transport a body from place to
place instantly, and on with planes that operate under different rules than the Prime, vehicles may seem more
trouble than they’re worth, especially when too large to fit through the average portal. Regardless, vehicles
abound on the planes, used mainly by merchants who need to transport goods from town to town. Of course,
every vehicle known on the Prime appears somewhere on the Great Ring; ships and boats sail the Oceanus
and the Styx; caravans trek across the plains of the Outlands and the fields of Arcadia, and so on.

Some planes are more difficult to travel than others. Those who spend time on the Elemental Plane of Air
need to find a way to get about, for instance. Some use spells and magical devices, while others ride winged
beasts trained for such work. A few may utilize gliders of various sorts, such as the flying harness. The
inhabitants of Carceri have developed ways to travel between the spheres of that plane, resulting in some
unique vehicles not seen elsewhere.

Though few planewalkers ever own anything larger than a carriage, many learn the basics of how such
devices operate in order to be prepared should anything go wrong. A rare few even aspire to own one or
more vehicles, whether to form merchant caravans, carry legions of mercenaries, or commit the occasional
act of piracy. The biggest difficulty such bashers face is defending their vessels while away, as they make
good targets for knights of the post and very few vehicles can trek safely across an entire plane.

Vehicle Descriptions
Ethereal Cruiser: Huge vehicle; Profession (sailor) +2; Spd fly 70 ft. (average); Overall AC 3; Section hp 30
(hardness 5); Section AC 3; Rigging 40 hp (hardness 0); Ram 6d6; Face 30 ft. by 10 ft.; Height 10 ft.; Crew 4;
Cargo 5 tons (Spd 60 ft. if 2 tons or more); cost 15,000 gp.

Ethereal cruisers are built and sold in the Shipworks of Freehold City in the Ethereal Plane by the Etherfarers’
Society. They are a convenient way to transport cargo across the Deep Ethereal, and serve as a quick form
of travel as well. Ethereal cruisers are built similarly to terrestrial water vessels, but because of the plane
where they operate, they function similarly to airships. The ship is constructed mostly of Prime-harvested
wood, with many key components crafted from stable etheric protomatter.

The cruiser can carry up to six passengers, in addition to its crew. There is a cabin at the stern, and a below-
deck hold for cargo. Ethereal cruisers move by the power of glowing solid ether sails that are unfurled from
masts situated along four axis points of the craft (both above and below the deck on either side of the ship).
The cruiser trails out a 600-foot long strand of protomatter as an anchor. If the rigging takes damaged equal
to 50% or less of its total hit point value, the cruiser’s movement is reduced to 35 feet. If the rigging
destroyed, the cruiser is no longer operational.

If an ethereal cruiser ever leaves the Ethereal Plane, its protomatter sails and anchor quickly evaporate.

Flying Harness: Large vehicle; Profession (pilot) +2; Spd fly wind 40 ft. (clumsy); Overall hp 20 (hardness 5);
Overall AC 4; Ram 2d6; Face 5 ft. by 15 ft.; Height 5 ft.; Crew 1; cost 400 gp.
Flying harnesses are wing-like harnesses of light wood and stretched skins developed by the mages who sail
the winds of the Elemental Plane of Air. They operate like other hang gliders, but the travelers on the Plane of
Air need not worry about finding a good spot to cast off from due to the gravity traits of that plane.

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Freki Brothers Longship: Colossal vehicle; Profession (sailor) +2; Spd wind x 15 ft. (nautical poor), oars 20
ft. (nautical average); Overall AC - 3; Section hp 135 (hardness 7); Section AC -3; Rigging 40 hp (hardness
0); Ram 8d6; Face 70 ft. by 20 ft.; Height 10 ft. (draft 5 ft.); Crew 50 (40 rowers); Cargo 50 tons (Spd wind x
10 ft. or oars 15 ft. if 25 tons or more); cost 30,000 gp.

The Freki Brothers of Glorium are some of the finest shipwrights in the realms, even if the only things they
build are longships, which are usually used to reach Ysgard. Their superior construction increases the
handling, speed, and durability of the longship. The deck can hold two light catapults or ballistas.

Hot-Air Balloon: Huge vehicle; Profession (pilot) -4; Spd fly wind x 20 ft. (clumsy); Overall AC 3; Section hp
20 (hardness 5); Section AC 3; Rigging 20 hp (hardness 0); Ram 1d6; Face 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Height 5 ft.; Crew
1; cost 1,000 gp.

Hot-air balloons see use in a couple of places on the planes, most commonly the Elemental Plane of Air and
on Carceri. The inhabitants of Bytopia also use hot-air balloons, typically to transport goods between the
opposite layers of that plane. Balloons are filled with heated air, causing them to rise from the ground. The
pilots of passenger balloons use a small flame to fill the balloon, and then the pilots use the winds to sail the
balloon. Such balloons have room for one passenger in addition to a pilot.

The balloons of Carceri are made from the skins of various native creatures (or the skins of petitioners or
hapless travelers, according to the whispers heard in certain pubs). The skin balloons offer a non-magical
mode of travel between the orbs that float in that dread plane’s atmosphere. The gnomes of Bytopia, on the
other hand, fill balloons with heated air and then tie them up with stout ropes. These balloons are strapped to
cargo spheres, made of either wood or steel. One ton of cargo is the maximum for one sphere. The balloons
are let go, and when they reach the point where gravity reverses, the sphere descends to the surface, where
it is retrieved. There is obviously no piloting of such a contraption, but barring outside interference, the
balloon will reach its destination. Metal spheres are sometimes used in case something bursts the balloons
prematurely, sending the sphere plummeting to the ground. Wooden spheres have 20 hit points and a
hardness of 5, and travel at a speed of wind x 20 feet. Metal spheres have 60 hit points and a hardness of 10,
and a speed of wind x 10 feet.

Fortifications/Buildings

From the astral fortresses of the githyanki to the redoubts of the powers themselves, the multiverse sees an
endless variety of homes and strongholds, some of which exist in the most unusual locales and others that
have survived from ages long forgotten. One of the most well-known and peculiar sights are the walking
castles. These stronghold have legs shaped any number of ways (chicken legs, spider legs, and so on) fully
capable of crossing large treks of land. This is a common feature of mage strongholds in the Outlands,
enabling the spellcasters to move their kip with the shifting of the border rings that project from the spire,
ensuring their magic continues to operate. To ensure that their castles can still walk in magically suppressed
areas around the Spire, some lucky sods have been able to get divine powers to bolster the effect, allowing
some strongholds to continue moving as close as 200 miles from the spire. Of course, there’s no listed cost
for a god’s grace, but powers have ways on collecting on debts.

Walking strongholds are a variation on the crawling stronghold detailed in Stronghold Builder’s Guidebook. A
cottage with chicken legs costs an extra 14,500 gold pieces and moves at two miles per hour, or 48 miles per
day. To outfit your average-sized tower with enough legs to run around at the same speed costs 58,000 gold
pieces. Without divine fiat, a walking stronghold has its magic impeded at about 500 miles away from the
Spire. The magic ceases to function at all about 300 miles away from the spire. Mages suddenly finding
themselves in an area where the magic is impeded should run their fortresses away from the spire quickly to
prevent any chance that their home will tip over. The stronghold can also sit down and wait ’til the border
rings shift in its favor again.

Fortification Descriptions
Planar Wards: This is a set of carved marble-like white stone blocks, from four to eight in number. The
blocks are set up in sequence surrounding the area to be locked. A command word activates the wards,
emanating invisible walls that prevent portals and gates of any kind from opening within their boundaries.
Spells involving planar travel are likewise disabled as if by a zone of respite, though nothing prevents
creatures from physically entering the warded area.

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Each block is carved with two numbers, and is about one-foot wide on each side. The first tells the user
where in the sequence of wards to activate it, and the second is the number of blocks in the set. Blocks from
one set do not work with the blocks of another set, and if someone attempts to use blocks from different sets,
the magic is drained from all sets involved. The placement of the blocks determines the overall shape and
area of the ward; they can be arranged up to 60 yards apart, in any pattern desired. The wall extends 60
yards above and below ground while arcing over to create a dome.

Speaking the deactivation command while in the warded area dispels the wards permanently. The wards also
dissipate and fail a month after activation. Once dispelled, the blocks are no longer magical.
Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, seal portal, zone of respite; Market Price: 10,000 gp;
Weight: 2 lb. per block.

Shift Snare: This magical wall augmentation operates similarly to planar warding, but with the added feature
of sending any would-be interloper to another place entirely. When designed, the shift snare for the
stronghold space is given a destination point within ten miles. The target may make a Will save against DC
24 to escape the snare; those who succeed are simply affected as if by planar warding. Those who fail the
saving throw are whisked to the predetermined location, appearing there instantaneously (and probably with
some surprise).
Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, seal portal (MotP), zone of respite (MotP), gate;
Market Price: 45,000 gp per stronghold space or freestanding wall.

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