Lady's Grace, cutters!

 Shadows over Sigil - The Eternal Boundary

 

What is this about?

13 years ago I started a campaign with my roleplaying group, set in the Planescape setting - mainly in Sigil, City of Doors, but also on various planes. We started in 2011 and the campaign is still running. Since writing is a great passion of mine - both professionally and privately - I started to write down the game nights, as single chapters of a novel. A novel with many parts, should I ever get that far. Our group decided to share our story publicly as well - so here it is.


What to expect?

There is one major story arc that spans the entire campaign and is also ongoing. But each part also has a smaller, connected storyline, some of which is based on the original Planescape adventures and some of which came from my ideas as DM. The main characters are on the one hand the OCs of the party members, on the other hand some of the NPCs of the Planescape setting books or NPCs created by myself.


Is the campaign in accordance with Planescape canon?

Yes, for the most part. Obviously we are playing DnD 3.5, which means that everything that happens refers to the old Planescape setting books, not to the new 5e edition that is coming soon - which we are nevertheless very excited about. Possibly parts of it will find their way into our campaign. But since a large part of the story was played before fall 2023, the original Planescape setting is the determining factor here.

Long before Magic the Gathering was part of WotC, as a DM I integrated individual MtG worlds into our campaign because the wonderful Planescape setting allows it so beautifully. For example, one of the OCs is from Kamigawa. Funnily enough, by now it's even canon.

I also "smuggled in" some minor elements from other settings. For example, factol Sarin is not a paladin of Cuthbert, but of Iomedae from the Pathfinder setting. These were minor changes at the time that sprang from my personal taste, but basically have no major impact on the story itself.

Parts of the story are also inspired by the well-known Azrai campaign, which had a great wiki, that unfortunately exists no longer. The one or other Planescape veteran might remember it.


Will there be regular updates?

That is planned. I will try very hard to keep the story going and update it regularly.


Do I need to know D&D / Planescape to understand the story?

That is definitely helpful. In the story itself there is no introduction to Sigil and the planes, the factions etc.. That said, knowing the setting at least a bit will definitely help to follow the story, understand hints etc. However, I think and hope that even readers inexperienced with Planescape will be able to appreciate the story - they will just feel a little more clueless. ;)

After this somewhat lengthy introduction, let's take a quick look at the main characters before the first chapter. On the one hand the OCs of my players:

Naghûl Ka'Tesh usually refers to himself as a tiefling, as he possesses elven and fiendish blood. However, he was created as a chimera on Kaefondéra, a small island of the Prime Material World Toril. Therefore, he also possesses orcish and other heritage, so far unknown even to himself. As a warlock, he was supposed to lead an army whose goal was to wipe out an entire dwarven city. However, he felt remorse, so he maneuvered his army into a deadly trap and fled through a wandering portal, together with a few trusted chimeras. But immediately after Naghûl stepped through, it changed its exit and he was separated from his friends. He himself ended up in the City of Doors, more precisely in Undersigil. He spent several decades there and found a safe retreat in the Dead Nations. The lich Hargrimm proved to be a mentor for him to survive in this new environment. Gradually, Naghûl explored Undersigil and the Hive, where he met the sisters Raralia and Morânia some fifty years after his creation. He quickly developed romantic feelings for Raralia, an alu-fiend. However, it did not come to a lasting romance, it remained a temporary affair. During this time, Naghûl also joined the Society of Sensation. Together with other friends, Naghûl and the two sisters went on many adventures in the planes, but also on an island called Terra Equilibrium on Toril. There, Naghûl shared a common path especially with Morânia, the two fell in love and eventually married - giving Naghûl true stability in his life. The Sensate also thought it would be a good idea to start a double life as a musician in Sigil. He became the Blue Jay to stick out his tongue to society with his band Aucupium. In the process, he was joined by his friend Sgillin.

Naghûl is of medium height and slender, but quite athletically built. He has light blue skin and dark red hair, which he wears about shoulder length. His amber eyes and two strong, curved horns complete his appearance.

In order to lead and influence troops, Naghûl was created with charismatic appearance. He can be charming as well as threatening, lie one's head off and assume different roles with a snap of his fingers. His emotions are very powerful, which is not always to his advantage and can lead to rash actions here and there.

Sgillin was born in the harbor quarter of Athkatla, one of the major port cities of Faerûn. His mother was a human prostitute and died when he was ten years old - the equivalent of a five-year-old human child. He never met his elven father. As a street urchin, he soon came into contact with the local thieves guild and was trained there as a spy and thief. At the age of thirty, he signed on a ship and left Athkatla. In the following years he served on various ships and joined several mercenary groups, first as a jack-of-all-trades, later as a scout, spy, thief and archer. His dealings with the mercenaries and their pleasures, the fighting, the killing and the certainty that there is no tomorrow, shaped his worldview and character for a long time. At the age of eighty, on a scouting mission in the Misty Forest, Sgillin met the human ranger Amon who, despite his young age, had a remarkable wealth of experience, foresight and, above all, wisdom. With him, Sgillin shares a deep friendship. Amon was Sgillin's moral compass for a long time and he visited him again and again in the Misty Forest at irregular intervals. At the age of 126, Sgillin reached the island of Terra Equilbrium in search of a creature who had once been Amon's nephew Caraid. Unfortunately, he was unable to stop what had taken possession of Caraid, despite a direct confrontation. To this day, Sgillin has not gotten over this loss. Nor has he yet returned to Amon, as he cannot bring himself to tell the old man about it. In his search for Caraid, Sgillin also came to Sigil, which both fascinated and repelled him. But like with any good drug, he ignored the side effects: He visited the City of Doors more and more often, but was also glad each time he was able to leave. Sgillin fought in various wars against the threats to the island of Terra Equilibrium and after some time joined a druid coven, where he met his companion and so far only great love, the weretiger Lereia. Since this time, a deep friendship also connects him with Naghûl and his wife Morânia.

Sgillin is about 5'9" tall, wiry yet muscular and wears his long black hair shaved off at the sides. He is a ranger and very good archer, has a preference for mead, women, fights, taverns and tattoos, and likes to take risks, often without regard for his own well-being.

Lereia comes from the Prime Material world of Toril. When she was barely three years old, she was infected with the curse of theriantropy by a white weretiger. Her parents, overwhelmed with the situation, abandoned her outside a remote Eldath monastery. The monks took her in, offered her love and compassion and helped her control the curse through meditation. She became especially close to her foster father Elevius and her teacher Elias, from whom she learned unarmed martial arts. She also traveled frequently with the half-elf Roandir, who taught her much about life in the wilderness. As a weretiger, Lereia has sharp senses and can climb and swim very well. At the age of twenty she left the monastery. Two years later, her path led her to the island of Terra Equilibrium, where she joined a druid coven and met her companion Sgillin. From time to time she accompanies him to Sigil when he has business there.

The pretty young woman is small and delicate, but femininely built, with a fair complexion and long, snow-white hair that she often wears braided. Her light blue eyes appear clear and calm like a deep lake. In emotional moments or just before transformation, they turn turquoise and the pupils become cat-like slits. Her clothing is practical, sometimes even revealing, to allow her to transform quickly. On one thigh and both forearms she has black tiger stripes and her movements are graceful and catlike. Due to her high metabolism, she eats a lot and has a relatively high body temperature.

Lereia had a happy childhood, but the fact that she was abandoned by the people who were supposed to love her unconditionally weighs on her to this day. Therefore, she is afraid of rejection or losing loved ones and holds on to them very tightly. Of warm, compassionate and gentle character, she sometimes seems reserved, almost shy. She is usually calm and composed, but can also be cheerful and enthusiastic. The need to roam in the wild is in her blood and if she doesn't have the opportunity to do so for a longer period of time, she can react quite irritably - as well as if she herself or people close to her are threatened. Then her animal instincts show. Lereia used to suffer greatly from the curse, but she overcame it through inner strength and determination. It seems that she is slowly learning to accept herself.

Kiyoshi was born on the Prime Material world of Kamigawa in the small village Takayama. His father Yamato was a miner in the nearby mines, strong in stature but gentle in disposition. Kiyoshi had always looked up to the gentle giant who lovingly cared for his children. It was a black day for the family when Yamato died in a mining accident. From then on, the mother Nanami had to take care of Kiyoshi, his older brother Tsubasa and his younger siblings Mariko and Makoto alone. While Tsubasa joined the Ashigaru of the daimyo and became an archer, Kiyoshi followed in his father's footsteps and began working as a miner at the age of ten to help support the family. Since Mariko was given to the Okina monastery as a sister, only his brother Makoto was left to work in the fields. But overall, the small family was able to live a relatively carefree life. Even when the village was once attacked by robbers, a samurai happened to be nearby who defeated them and then refused to accept the gold offered. A drastic experience for the young Kiyoshi, who now aspired to live by the virtues of the samurai himself, even if he would never become one. The Kami War changed everything. At the age of fourteen, Kiyoshi was drafted and after only two weeks of training on the spear, was sent to the front, along with his brother.

During this time he grew into a 5'5" tall, muscular man with black hair and an angular face, who learned to hide his true feelings far behind his dark brown eyes. This gave him an almost stony expression, in a world where everyone always seems to smile kindly after defeating the Oni. A deep seriousness emanates from the man who survived the Kami War, unlike his brother Tsubasa, his village and, to his knowledge, his mother and sister. After the turmoil of the war, he was accepted into the service of the new daimyo and served there to save his face and bring honor to his family. However, the horrors of the war had changed him. The carefree boy who wanted to become a samurai had been replaced by a soldier withdrawn even by Kamigawa standards. Kiyoshi does everything he can to live by the rules and traditions, leaving his place of service only once a year to visit the collapsed mine on the anniversary of his father's death. Recently, his daimyo sent him to Sigil, where Kiyoshi joined the Harmonium.

Jana Wetter comes from the Prime Material world of Toril. She does not know her parents, because she was simply dropped off as a newborn in a wicker basket at the gate of a convent. Because the convent was very remote and therefore babies were rarely left at the door, Jana always had a sneaking suspicion that one of the nuns might be her mother. However, she had never been able to spot a suspect. The convent was located in the far north of Faerûn, but the religious community there was an obscure sect that worshiped several goddesses, including Loviatar. Even the slightest misconduct was therefore punished with draconian chastisements, which included the cold environment in particular. At the end of her youth, Jana was kidnapped by a vampire who was preparing her as a vessel for a necromancer's soul. She managed to escape, but this involuntary arcane treatment gave rise to her witchcraft powers. The monastery, however, had disowned her as a result and after some detours she reached the island of Terra Equilibrium, where she met Naghûl and Morânia. They showed her the portal to Sigil, the City of Doors. There she now lives in a small apartment in the Hive, taking care of the prostitutes in the Gatehouse District, whom she supports financially. Influenced by negative experiences in the monastery during her childhood and adolescence, Jana has developed a deep-seated dislike for the gods in general, which eventually led her to the gates of the Shattered Temple, to the Athar.

Jana is a human woman in her early thirties, slender and of medium height. She has shoulder-length blonde hair and is certainly pretty to call, but seems unaware of it. She usually wears a dark gray or black robe of simple, sturdy fabric. Unlike many witches or mages, she does not seem to have a familiar.

Raised in a monastery, Jana learned to read, write and draw as well as singing, cooking and herbology. The latter she developed into certain alchemical skills. Unlike her magic, which she casts purely intuitively, Jana learned alchemy systematically and scientifically. Little, on the other hand, does she seem to know about matters of etiquette. While Jana is generally friendly and outgoing, she can sometimes appear suddenly absent-minded and even slightly confused. Then she often gets tangled up in her own words.

And on the other hand, the main NPCs in the first part of the novel:

 

Erin Montgomery is the current factol of the Society of Sensation, or Sensates. She also bears the sobriquet Darkflame. She was born in the realm of Tir na Og in the Outlands, where she was a priestess of Diancecht, the Celtic god of healing, by the age of only thirteen. However, due to an incident with a Tanar'Ri army, she had to leave her village when she was seventeen years old. She traveled the planes for ten years, her path also taking her to the Prime Material. Then she came to Sigil, accompanied by her lover, the half-elf Da'nanin. Only four years later, Erin was factol of the Sensates.

Erin is of medium height and remarkable figure. Her clear, fair complexion and copper-colored hair combine with her bright green eyes, attractive features and an inner fire to make her an unforgettable sight. Yet, despite her so engaging appearance, she does not display the vain behavior seen in many a Golden Lady of Sigil. Still, Erin's clothes are a sight to behold, especially since her factolship. In typical Sensate manner, she likes to change through the most diverse colors, shapes and styles - but she does so with an elegance that is unparalleled. Her flair for fashion is as unerring as her flair for politics.

In her early thirties, Erin Montgomery has seen and experienced more than some planars three times her age. She combines two qualities extremely useful in Sigil: she is beautiful and very intelligent. In addition, she has a remarkable flair for politics and intrigue. Envious people claim that she only holds her office because she is beautiful enough for it. But those probably speak ill of her only because they have had shameful experiences in negotiations with her. This woman holds office confidently and sovereignly. Kind, charming, always honestly concerned about her faction members, thirsty for knowledge and new experiences at all times - and yet calculating, intelligent, politically skilled to manipulative and uncompromising when necessary. And this may be only the surface. What aces this woman has up her sleeve, what trump cards she could play, what she knows about whom and how far she would go, all this even close confidants can only guess. Not for nothing does she bear the unofficial title of "Sigil's second most powerful woman". She is currently the undisputed master of the Kriegstanz.

Sarin is the current factol of the Harmonium. The paladin of Iomedae hails from Ortho, the faction's Prime Material homeworld. He could have made a career there quite easily, but he made an unusual decision for an officer on Ortho: Sarin decided to go to Sigil. On the homeworld, he would have had an easier time in some respects. He knew Sigil would be a rough posting compared to one on Ortho - and that he would arrive a near Clueless. And he still wanted the Cage. This fact ought to tell even a leatherhead one thing: Sarin is tough and not the factol of the Harmonium for nothing.

The paladin is an attractive man, tall, broad-shouldered, about mid-forties. His black hair, dark eyes and tanned complexion give a hint of his origins in the southern region of Iironda, as do his clothes and his weapons, two scimitars. When on duty, he usually wears his distinctive armor, made of the particularly hard red steel. He has a smooth, deep voice that can effortlessly fill a lecture hall or the streets of the Cage.

The factol's appearance attracts attention and so does his personality. He can be quite friendly and charming - when he wants to be. But even when he is displaying his sterner, more unapproachable traits, his magnetic character commands respect. He believes steadfastly in the cause of his faction and would do anything honorable, lawful and good to advance the goal of peace and harmony. Since Sarin is very active in Sigil, residents see him in the streets with some regularity. He makes it a point to keep up with the current social climate and trends of Sigil. The paladin expects discipline, obedience and a high sense of duty from faction members. He is direct and straightforward, but very fair with his subordinates. If they should ever have to deal with him off-duty, the factol is quite approachable on a personal level. This stern, yet friendly demeanor has helped him gain popularity not only in his own faction. Without a doubt, Sarin is one of Sigil's most outstanding leaders. Moreover, there is one characteristic about him that sets him apart from most other factols: He is married and has a family. His wife Faith is a priestess of Iomedae, and together the couple has nine children. The eldest daughter, Marinda, is seventeen.

Terrance is the current factol of the Athar. Born and raised in Elysium, he was a high priest of Mishakal and patriarch of Conclave Fidelis, one of her largest temples. But one day he awoke to the hidden dark: his own abilities had helped him solve every problem he had faced - no divine power. With a serene smile, Terrance acknowledged this new knowledge and no longer worshiped Mishakal as a goddess. A man of integrity, he resigned as high priest. He came to Sigil, joined the Athar and quickly became popular among the Lost. His positive attitude as well as his broad education and knowledge of medicine and herbalism won him recognition. Then, when he proved that he could work clerical miracles through belief in the Great Unknown, he quickly rose in the ranks of the faction. He has now been a factol for almost twenty years.

Terrance is a human in his early sixties. His hair has already turned gray, and the wrinkles that have crept into his face in the meantime reveal a lot about his facial expressions: they are, above all, those typical laugh lines around his eyes and mouth. His blue eyes are still bright and alert and reflect his feelings quite openly. Terrance is often dressed in dark blue, silver-embroidered robes that make him clearly recognizable as a priest. However, it is rumored that he sometimes travels incognito in the alleys of the Hive in far simpler clothing and a dark cloak. Terrance possesses the strong charisma of a high priest, a dignity, sovereignty and natural authority that is difficult to resist.

Terrance is one of Sigil's friendliest factols. He feels great confidence in the multiverse and in existence itself. Many Athar embrace bitterness to themselves like a lover. Terrance, in this dark sea an island of quiet serenity and moderation, is a welcome change and relief. While many Athar hate the gods, Terrance judges them on a more individual basis, acknowledging that some are good and some are evil. And while he respects the good ones, he rejects the evil ones. Towards his faction members, he is kind, helpful and gracious. Since being quick-tempered is not in his nature, though, he is usually calm even when dealing with opponents. In doing so, however, he displays a quiet but unmistakable cynicism, which often accompanies him in other ways as well.

Ambar Vergrove is the current factol of the Believers of the Source, or Godsmen for short. He was born in Fayrill in the Outlands, and his elven mother Galina raised her half-human son alone in the woods. There, Ambar had a happy childhood. When he grew up, he met the elven maiden Caye, who had gotten lost in the forest during a journey. The two fell in love, but when Ambar asked her father Florien for her hand in marriage, he was brusquely refused. Caye was a prince's daughter and Ambar was not worthy of her status. She followed him into the woods, though, where they were secretly married. They lived there happily for a while, but one day Florien sent his guards to bring his daughter home. A fight ensued, which ended so unhappily that Ambar's mother Galina and his eight-month pregnant wife were killed. He himself was brought in chains before Florien. Accused of kidnapping Caye, Ambar replied: "I accuse you! I accuse you, murderer of my mother, slayer of my consort and unborn child! I accuse you of killing my happiness, of defiling my home and robbing me of my future. Dare you deny me?" When the young man made Florien aware of his guilt, the latter became inconsolable. He had never meant for Caye to die and was shamed by Ambar so greatly that he gave him a casket filled with gems and begged him to depart forever. Ambar, with nothing left to loose, took the treasure and complied. For the first time, the young half-elf left Fayrill and traveled through the Outlands, guiding travelers safely across the plane and investing his wealth wisely in profitable ventures. Eventually he met the Believers of the Source, went with them to Sigil and caught the eye of factol Curran. He became her advisor and deputy and eventually her successor. He has now been factol for just over twenty years.

Ambar's elven heritage is evident in his slender figure, while his human one makes him taller and more muscular than an elf. He wears his red hair shoulder length and mostly loose, sometimes tied back by two thin braids over his temples. His eyes are the color of fresh, young leaves. When he feels like it, Ambar likes to wear elegant, distinguished clothes, but then again he wears the simple, practical robes of a ranger.

Ambar is a talented bow maker and goldsmith, learning the former in Fayrill and the latter in the Great Foundry. But above all, he is a gifted bard who has a suitable song ready at any time. The mastery of almost every known instrument and a wonderful singing voice contribute significantly to his great popularity. Many of his songs are known and loved not only in the Foundry, but also outside of it. Ambar is considered cheerful, light-hearted, humorous, charming and witty. He seems to have overcome his past.