Sigil
A Primer for Cutters Who Want to Keep Their Skin Intact
Welcome to the Cage, berk. You’ve already walked its streets, felt the weight of the Lady’s gaze, and survived your first few days in the City of Doors. That makes you luckier than most. But luck only gets you so far in Sigil—knowledge keeps you breathing. Here’s the dark of it, everything a blood needs to know to navigate the multiverse’s most dangerous city.
The City of Doors: Where Everything Meets
Sigil floats at the absolute center of the multiverse, perched atop an infinitely tall spire in the Outlands. The city is shaped like a ring—a massive torus—with buildings built on the inside of the curve. Look up, and you’ll see the city arcing overhead: neighborhoods, towers, smoke from ten thousand chimneys, all hanging above you like a stone sky. There’s no sun or moon here—the city glows with ambient light that shifts from something like dawn to something like dusk, but it’s never truly dark.
Why “The City of Doors”?
Portals. Thousands of them. Maybe millions. Every archway, doorframe, window, or even a barrel hoop could be a portal to somewhere else in the multiverse. The Outlands, the Nine Hells, Mechanus, the Prime Material—anywhere belief has power, there’s a door to it in Sigil.
The catch? Most portals need a key to activate. Not a literal key (though sometimes it is)—it could be a thought, a gesture, a specific word, or even carrying a dried rose. Without the right key, a portal’s just a doorway. With it, you could step from the Hive Ward to the heart of Mount Celestia in a single stride.
Why “The Cage”?
Because no matter how many doors there are, you can’t leave unless you use one. No one flies out of Sigil. No teleportation magic works to get in or out. The Lady of Pain controls every entrance and exit, and she doesn’t take kindly to gods, would-be conquerors, or anyone who forgets their place. Call it the Cage because once you’re here, you’re stuck until you find the right door—or until the Lady decides you’ve overstayed your welcome.
The Lady of Pain
You’ve seen her. Even if you haven’t seen her, you’ve felt her. The Lady of Pain is the silent, absolute ruler of Sigil. She’s a towering figure with blades orbiting her head like a crown, her face hidden behind a cascade of razors. She never speaks. She doesn’t need to.
What She Does
- Protects Sigil: No god, demon lord, or archdevil can set foot in Sigil without her permission. She’s kept the city neutral for as long as anyone can remember.
- Enforces Balance: She has no faction, no philosophy, no agenda that anyone understands. She simply is.
- Punishes Threats: Cross her, and you’ll be flayed alive by her shadow, which cuts deeper than any blade. Or worse—she’ll trap you in a maze, a pocket dimension of infinite corridors designed specifically for you. No one who enters a maze ever returns.
What NOT to Do
- Don’t worship her. She’s not a god, and she doesn’t want followers. Those who build shrines or pray to her tend to vanish.
- Don’t look directly at her. If she floats by, avert your eyes. Curiosity has killed more than a few cutters.
- Don’t threaten Sigil. If your plans involve conquering the city, becoming a god here, or upsetting the balance of the planes, expect her blades.
- Don’t ask questions about her. Seriously. The Lady doesn’t answer, and those who dig too deep tend to end up in mazes.
The Dark: She recently closed the city. Every portal sealed, nothing in or out. That’s rare—some say it’s only happened a handful of times in all of history. Whatever caused it, it’s a sign that something big is happening, and the Lady is watching.
The Wards: Sigil’s Neighborhoods
Sigil is carved up into six major districts, each with its own flavor, dangers, and opportunities. You’ve already walked through most of them. Here’s the lay of the land.
The Hive Ward
The worst Sigil has to offer. Crumbling buildings, razor-sharp streets, and folks who’d sell their own grandmother for a handful of coppers. It’s loud, it’s dirty, and it’s dangerous. The Hive is where the desperate, the damned, and the dangerous all end up.
Key Locations You Know:
- The Mortuary: Faction headquarters of the Heralds of Dust (Dustmen). Where the dead are processed, prepared, and occasionally wake up screaming. You started here.
- Smoldering Corpse Bar: A seedy tavern lit by a perpetually burning corpse hovering over a vent. It’s a melting pot of planars, mercenaries, and criminals. Morte hangs out here now, and it’s a good spot to hear the latest chant.
- The Night Market: A shadowy bazaar where anything can be bought or sold—including things that shouldn’t be. Three rules: No names, no receipts, no refunds.
Survival Tips: Keep your wits sharp, your coinpurse hidden, and your weapons close. The Hive doesn’t forgive mistakes.
The Lady’s Ward
The polar opposite of the Hive. This is where the rich and powerful live—gorgeous manors, pristine streets, and quiet dignity. Megastructures rise like monuments to wealth and influence. It’s beautiful, but cold.
What You’ve Seen:
- Peaceful, almost unnervingly so. Few people walk the streets—most travel by carriage or magical conveyance.
- You witnessed Amod Ka (a Mercykiller Bloodhound) interrogating Fellik, a ghostly petitioner, about the whereabouts of his fugitive father. The Mercykillers don’t take kindly to interference.
Survival Tips: Don’t make trouble here. The authorities respond fast, and they don’t ask questions first.
The Lower Ward
Forges, foundries, and factories. The Lower Ward is the industrial heart of Sigil, where portals to the elemental planes provide raw materials and planar engineers craft impossible machines. It’s loud, smoky, and always busy.
Key Notes:
- This is where most goods are made, from mundane tools to powerful magical items.
- A good place to find work if you’ve got skills, or to buy equipment if you’ve got coin.
The Clerks’ Ward
The bureaucratic center of Sigil. Records, contracts, deeds, and legal disputes all flow through here. The Fated (Takers) and other factions with a love of paperwork keep things running—or at least, they claim to.
Key Notes:
- If you need something official, this is where you go.
- Be prepared for red tape, fees, and clerks who treat every transaction like it’s the most important thing in the multiverse.
The Market Ward
The beating heart of Sigil’s economy. If it exists, you can buy it here. Goods from across the planes flow through the Market Ward’s endless bazaars, auction houses, and trading posts.
Key Locations You Know:
- Fortune’s Wheel: A massive casino run by Shemeshka the Marauder, the Queen of the Cross-Trade. She’s a raavasta (a fox-like fiend) with a reputation for knowing everything and owing nothing. Deals made at Fortune’s Wheel always come with strings attached.
- A’Kin’s Shop: A’Kin is a merchant who deals in magical curiosities and rare items. He’s friendly enough, but his prices reflect the rarity of his wares.
Survival Tips: Haggle hard, but don’t cheat. Reputation matters in the Market Ward, and a bad one will follow you.
The Guildhall Ward
Where Sigil’s factions and guilds make their homes. This is the political center of the city, where the twelve ascendant factions jostle for influence and power.
Key Notes:
- Faction headquarters dominate the landscape.
- This is where you go if you want to join a faction, hire specialized services, or get involved in the city’s political games.
Belief Shapes Reality: The Power of Philosophy
Here’s the dark of the multiverse: belief is everything. On the Outer Planes, what you believe literally shapes reality. A plane of pure chaos exists because enough beings believe in chaos. A plane of absolute law persists because order is eternal in the minds of those who dwell there.
In Sigil, this truth is unavoidable. The factions aren’t just social clubs—they’re competing philosophies about the nature of existence, and their beliefs have real power.
Why Does This Matter?
- Actions Have Weight: What you do, what you believe, who you are—it all matters. Every choice you make ripples across the planes.
- Petitioners Are Proof: When mortals die, their souls become petitioners (like Fellik) on the plane that matches their alignment and beliefs. They’re living (sort of) evidence that philosophy shapes fate.
- The Factions Compete: Each faction believes they’ve found the truth of the multiverse. They’re not just debating—they’re fighting for the soul of existence itself.
The Twelve Ascendant Factions
After the Faction War (a conflict that nearly tore Sigil apart), the Lady decreed that only twelve factions could operate openly in the city. Here’s the chant on the ones you’ve encountered—and the others you should know about.
Factions You’ve Met
Heralds Of Dust (The Dustmen)
- Philosophy: “Life is an illusion. True existence begins only in death.”
- What They Do: Run the Mortuary, process the dead, and seek to transcend the “illusion” of life.
- Notable Members: You met their remnants in the Mortuary, including Jex.
- The Dark: They believe death is the ultimate truth, and they’re willing to help you reach it. Don’t expect warmth or empathy—they’ve already moved past such “mortal concerns.”
Mercykillers (The Red Death)
- Philosophy: “Justice is absolute. Every crime deserves punishment.”
- What They Do: Hunt fugitives and exact vengeance. They believe in perfect justice—an eye for an eye, a life for a life.
- Notable Members: Amod Ka, the Bloodhound who threatened Fellik.
- The Dark: The Mercykillers are relentless. They don’t forgive, they don’t forget, and they don’t show mercy. Cross them, and they’ll hunt you to the ends of the multiverse.
Harmonium (The Hardheads)
- Philosophy: “Peace through order. Conform or be forced to.”
- What They Do: Enforce law and unity across Sigil and the planes. They maintain order through force and believe everyone should follow their vision of peace.
- The Dark: The Harmonium often works alongside the Mercykillers to enforce the law in Sigil. They’re rigid, uncompromising, and believe that the ends justify the means. Resist their “peace,” and you’ll be made an example of.
Other Major Factions
Athar (The Defiers)
- Philosophy: “The gods are frauds. They’re just powerful beings, not true divinities.”
- What They Do: Reject divine worship and seek the “Great Unknown” beyond the false gods.
Bleak Cabal (The Bleakers)
- Philosophy: “The multiverse has no meaning. Accept the madness and find your own purpose.”
- What They Do: Run Sigil’s insane asylum and care for the mad. They’ve embraced the chaos.
Doomguard (The Sinkers)
- Philosophy: “Entropy is inevitable. All things decay, and we should embrace it.”
- What They Do: Celebrate destruction and the natural decline of all things.
Fated (The Takers)
- Philosophy: “You make your own fate. Take what you can, and damn the consequences.”
- What They Do: Control Sigil’s bureaucracy and tax collection. They believe in self-reliance above all.
Fraternity Of Order (The Guvners)
- Philosophy: “The multiverse operates on laws. Learn them, and you control reality.”
- What They Do: Study planar law, magic, and the rules that govern existence.
Free League (The Indeps)
- Philosophy: “Factions are for berks. Think for yourself.”
- What They Do: Refuse to join any faction. Fiercely independent.
Hands Of Havoc (The Anarchists)
- Philosophy: “Tear down the old structures. Only through chaos can freedom be born.”
- What They Do: Undermine authority and sow disorder.
Mind’s Eye (The Seekers)
- Philosophy: “Perfection is achievable. Seek enlightenment through discipline.”
- What They Do: Pursue personal and universal perfection.
Society Of Sensation (The Sensates)
- Philosophy: “Experience everything. Only through sensation can you truly understand existence.”
- What They Do: Collect experiences—often in magical stones called sensoriums—and share them.
Transcendent Order (The Ciphers)
- Philosophy: “Action without thought. Become one with the rhythm of the multiverse.”
- What They Do: Train their bodies and minds to act instinctively, without hesitation.
Key NPCs You’ve Met
Morte
A wisecracking, floating skull with a sharp tongue and a sharper wit. He helped you escape the Mortuary and now hangs out at the Smoldering Corpse Bar. Despite his humor, there’s a sadness to him—like he’s seen too much and is trying to forget.
Parisa
Your guide through Sigil’s early days. She knows the city well and has connections across the wards.
Shemeshka the Marauder
The Queen of the Cross-Trade. A raavasta (fox-like fiend) who runs Fortune’s Wheel casino. She deals in information, favors, and secrets. Never make a deal with Shemeshka unless you’re prepared to pay more than you bargained for.
Verdax the Resonant
An ancient, sentient bell trapped in Sigil. Verdax hums with knowledge and cosmic awareness. He’s asked for your help in establishing a connection to Annam, the god of giants, in the hidden realm.
A’Kin
A merchant who deals in magical curiosities. He’s affable and knowledgeable, though his wares don’t come cheap.
Amod Ka
A Mercykiller Bloodhound. Cold, efficient, and relentless. He’s hunting a fugitive named Valder and won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in his way.
Fellik
A ghostly petitioner who returned to Sigil from Mount Celestia to find his father, Valder. The Mercykillers are using him as a lead.
Planar Cant: The Language of the Planes
If you want to sound like you belong, you’ll need to pick up the local lingo. Here’s a primer on the most common planar slang.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Berk | A fool, idiot, or clueless person. “That berk just walked into a portal!” |
| Basher | A fighter or tough guy. Can also mean “person” in general. |
| Cutter | A sharp, capable person. Someone who knows the score. |
| Blood | A veteran, someone experienced and respected. |
| The Dark | The secret, the truth, the inside information. “Here’s the dark of it…” |
| The Chant | Rumors, news, gossip. “What’s the chant?” |
| Barmy | Crazy, insane. “He’s gone completely barmy.” |
| In the Book | Dead. “He’s in the dead-book now.” |
| Cross-Trade | Illegal dealings, black market. Shemeshka is the Queen of the Cross-Trade. |
| Peery | Suspicious, paranoid. “Don’t get peery on me.” |
| Bubber | A drunk. “That bubber’s been at the bar all night.” |
| Kip | Home, a place to sleep. “Let’s head back to the kip.” |
| Pike It | Forget it, let it go. “Ah, pike it. Not worth the trouble.” |
| Screed | A long, rambling lecture. Also a famous Sigil tout (guide). |
| Tout | A guide or informant. “Hire a tout if you don’t know the way.” |
| Prime | Someone from the Prime Material Plane (often used condescendingly). |
| Planar | Someone from the Outer Planes. An experienced traveler. |
| Petitioner | A soul that’s died and been reborn on an Outer Plane aligned with its life. |
| Put in the Dead-Book | Killed. “If you cross the Mercykillers, they’ll put you in the dead-book.” |
Portal Mechanics: How to Not Get Lost Forever
Portals are Sigil’s lifeblood, but they’re also its greatest danger. Here’s what you need to know.
How Portals Work
- Portals Are Everywhere: Any opening could be a portal. Archways, windows, mirrors, even a circle of rope on the ground.
- They Need Keys: Most portals require a specific key to activate. This could be:
- A physical object (a flower, a key, a coin)
- A phrase or word
- A gesture or action (spinning in a circle, whistling a tune)
- A state of mind (being angry, being calm)
- They’re Not Always Obvious: Some portals are one-way. Some only work at certain times. Some lead to deadly places.
How to Find a Portal’s Key
- Hire a Tout: Guides in Sigil make a living knowing portal locations and keys.
- Ask Around: The Market Ward is full of folks who’ll sell you the dark on portals—for a price.
- Experiment (Carefully): Trial and error works, but it’s dangerous. You might end up in the Abyss.
Important Notes
- The Lady Controls the Portals: She can close any or all of them at will. When she sealed the city recently, every portal stopped working. That’s power beyond comprehension.
- One-Way Portals Exist: Just because you can step through doesn’t mean you can step back.
Social Rules in Sigil
Sigil is a dangerous place, but it has rules. Break them at your peril.
- Respect the Lady of Pain: See above. This isn’t negotiable.
- Don’t Start Fights in Public: The Harmonium and Mercykillers will come down hard. Sigil tolerates a lot, but open violence draws attention.
- Honor Your Deals: Reputation matters. Break your word, and no one will trust you. In a city built on information and favors, that’s a death sentence.
- Mind Your Business: Sigil is full of secrets. Poking your nose where it doesn’t belong can get you killed—or worse.
- Know Your Place: Fiends, celestials, modrons, and stranger things walk Sigil’s streets. Treat everyone with a baseline of caution until you know what they’re capable of.
Final Thoughts: Surviving the Cage
Sigil is a city of infinite doors and finite mercy. Keep your wits sharp, your beliefs flexible, and your eyes open. Trust the wrong person, and you’ll end up in the dead-book. But navigate it right, and you’ll find that the City of Doors holds more opportunity than anywhere else in the multiverse.
Remember: In Sigil, belief is power, knowledge is currency, and the Lady is always watching.
Stay sharp, cutter. The planes are waiting.
This document reflects what your characters would reasonably know after 13 sessions in Sigil. As you explore further, you’ll uncover deeper secrets, hidden factions, and truths that even the oldest bloods in the Cage don’t fully understand.