The Faction War
Encyclopedia
The Faction War is a book published by TSR
in 1998. Part of the Dungeons & Dragons
series. It was a published adventure meant for those who were playing in Dungeons & Dragons
s Planescape
Campaign setting, also published by TSR
.
s' control of the city. Instigated by the power-hungry Duke Rowan Darkwood, factol of the Fated, in a bid to dethrone the Lady of Pain
and rule Sigil
himself, the war spread throughout the city before the Lady of Pain
, with the aid of a group of adventurers (the players' characters), intervened.
#315 (January 2004) the result of the Faction War were as follows:
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
in 1998. Part of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
series. It was a published adventure meant for those who were playing in Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
s Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
Campaign setting, also published by TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
.
Synopsis
The culmination of several adventures leading up to that point, The Faction War brought an end to the factionFaction (Planescape)
The Factions are fictional philosophically based power groups in the Planescape campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Background:...
s' control of the city. Instigated by the power-hungry Duke Rowan Darkwood, factol of the Fated, in a bid to dethrone the Lady of Pain
Lady of Pain
The Lady of Pain is the fictional protector of the city of Sigil in the Planescape campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
and rule Sigil
Sigil
Sigil may refer to:*Sigil , a type of symbol used in magic*Sigil , a symbol that must be attached to a variable name in some programming languages*A seal...
himself, the war spread throughout the city before the Lady of Pain
Lady of Pain
The Lady of Pain is the fictional protector of the city of Sigil in the Planescape campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
, with the aid of a group of adventurers (the players' characters), intervened.
Results of the Faction War
In the Dragon MagazineDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#315 (January 2004) the result of the Faction War were as follows:
- The Believers of the Source, the Mercykillers, and the Sign of One were wiped out in the fighting, while the Bleak Cabal, the Dustmen, the The Free League, the Society of Sensation, the Transcendent Order, and the Xaositects disbanded (although many former members continue to hold the same beliefs as they did under faction rule). The six remaining factions chose to leave SigilSigilSigil may refer to:*Sigil , a type of symbol used in magic*Sigil , a symbol that must be attached to a variable name in some programming languages*A seal...
behind. All former faction leaders gave up their claims to control over the city, handing it over to elected civil servants.
- The Mercykillers were forced to split into two much smaller groups, the Sons of Mercy and the Sodkillers—two smaller factions which long ago joined to form the Mercykillers. The Sons of Mercy are concerned with redeeming and rehabilitating criminals, whereas the Sodkillers believe in simply exterminating them. Both remained in SigilSigilSigil may refer to:*Sigil , a type of symbol used in magic*Sigil , a symbol that must be attached to a variable name in some programming languages*A seal...
.
- The survivors of the Believers of the Source and the Sign of One merged into a completely new faction known as the Mind's Eye.
- The Athar fled the city to the base of the Spire, the region of the Outlands where all magic (including that of the gods) fails, to escape the wrath of the deities whom they defied. Their membership has declined due to the isolation of their new base.
- The Doomguard was decimated in the Faction War. Most of its survivors fled to the four Inner PlanarInner PlaneThe Inner Planes are the innermost planes of existence in the standard cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. They are the building blocks of the multiverse, the elements and energies from which all of the material universe is made.The Inner Planes, the material building blocks of...
citadels maintained by the faction on the borders of the Negative Energy Plane. The Doomguard now rarely leave their citadels, making forays outside only when some great act of creation (such as the formation of a new demiplane) demands a retributive act of destruction.
- The Fraternity of Order relocated to the plane of MechanusMechanusIn the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Mechanus, also known as The Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus is a purely lawful aligned plane of existence...
, where they already had several strongholds. The Guvners continue to delve into the laws of the planes and plot their eventual return to SigilSigilSigil may refer to:*Sigil , a type of symbol used in magic*Sigil , a symbol that must be attached to a variable name in some programming languages*A seal...
, which they still believe to be the fulcrum around which all worlds turn.
- The planar chapter of the Harmonium relocated to the plane of Arcadia. They have become less of a police force and more of a diplomatic body. The Harmonium now believes that the best way to spread order is to peacefully unite the Upper Planes under the banner of law rather than forced conversion to their ideals.
- The Fated suffered a great loss of face because it was their factol, Duke Darkwood, who started the Faction War in the first place. They've moved their base of operations to YsgardYsgardYsgard is the Outer Plane of Chaotic Neutral / Chaotic Good alignment in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is also called Asgard, Gladsheim or The Heroic Domains...
, but have otherwise changed little in their methods.
- The Revolutionary League retreated to the plane of CarceriCarceriIn the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Carceri is a neutral evil-aligned plane of existence...
, where most of its cells fell into disarray. Most of the remaining Anarchists seek to return to SigilSigilSigil may refer to:*Sigil , a type of symbol used in magic*Sigil , a symbol that must be attached to a variable name in some programming languages*A seal...
in force to become its new rulers. Other members of the League are appalled at the thought of ruling anything and have formed a splinter group, the Second Wave; these "Wavers" take the dissolution of the factions as proof that any political structure can fall and have spread to numerous planar metropolises to stir up rebellion.
External links
- Planewalker.com, the official Planescape fansite
- Map of Sigil
- TSR Archive Planescape product list
- The Acaeum's All Things Planar Planescape collector's product list and forums