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Depending on who's talking, a bod will be told that the Factions are either the lifeblood of the planes - or they're the worst blight upon them. Fact is, the Factions are massive groups of bodies who all join together under one 'core ideal' even if they don't always see exactly eye-to-eye. Chant is the Factions have been around as long as the Cage itself, but no bod rightly knows. A little over 600 years ago there used to be a few dozen Factions and the members would dual it out in the streets - enough so it endangered Sigil itself before The Lady herself issued the following: "By the order of the Lady of Pain, there will be but fifteen Factions in Sigil. Organize thy colors by a fortnight hence - or die." Thousands were said to have died in less than two weeks; but from that chaos came the current 15 Factions of Sigil.

Factions on Sigil: Planar Legends

Factions play a very large part of the main storyline narrative on the server and characters are expected and heavily encouraged (but not required) to join a Faction that best aligns with their ideals and beliefs once they become familiar with Sigil. By joining a Faction, the character trades a portion of their freedom and agency to become part of a massive organization that will allow them possibilities they would not otherwise have, and will also offer them backing and protection when the character inevitably falls on the wrong side of some powerful organization. Because of that tradeoff, it's important to align your character with a Faction that best matches their ideals and your long-term plans for the character; a good Faction fit can see a character swiftly rising to strong and moving RP, and a poor fit may well result in the character seeming 'stalled' or a 'layabout'.

Since joining a Faction is a massive choice and a semi-permanent commitment for a character, it is a server requirement that the player have at least one character at level 15 before joining a Faction. This is meant to give new players a chance to best learn the server's culture and how Factions come into play with one another. A Faction is an enormous group and each encompass a wide array of ideals -- it's vital to remember that the individual characters in a Faction do not represent the Faction as a whole and are only a small part of the thousands and thousands of members each Faction has total.

Leaving a Faction, Joining a Sect, or remaining Factionless

A member can leave a Faction, but it is very rare. First off, a Faction is meant to be a group that aligns with the ideals and beliefs of a character -- and it's pretty unusual for someone's core beliefs to just up and change. Leaving a Faction also tends to leave a bad impression on not only the abandoned Faction, but all of them - a character who can't commit to what they pledged to as a lifelong ideal is a character that's at best viewed as unreliable and hard to trust... or they could be viewed as an outright traitor to be executed on sight. Anyone who leaves a faction is known as a 'Stag', and that reputation is hard to shake. Leaving two Factions is all but unheard of, and only the most foolish would try 'Faction-hopping' and not expect a brutal ending at some point.

A Sect is another option for a character to join - and they can be an enriching option. Sects are organizations in the Outlands - much larger than a guild but far smaller than a Faction, that are generally far more rigid to an exact code of beliefs or ideals instead of the general 'umbrella' of beliefs a Faction has. Sects generally have few players in them and are less prone to receiving DM attention, but if an ambitious or driven character joins a Sect, they will often find that they can make much more rapid effects than within a Faction. Of course, staying in the spotlight as a Sect when the Factions are the true narrative and source of power in Sigil is a difficult task; but far from impossible.

A character can also choose to never join a Faction or a Sect. This is not a suggested gameplay option. Much of the server's roleplay is based on belief and philosophy through interactions with Factions. The Renown System is based on Faction or Sect membership, and a character without either would only gain Renown through DM Grants. Furthermore, as a character advances and becomes more known and attracts more attention, without the backing of a group as powerful as a Faction or Sect, they will likely find themselves lacking allies who can truly help them.

Faction Ranks

Each Faction other than the Indeps, Xaos, and Revolutionary League have the following ranks, although the 'title' of each rank can vary between Factions.

Namer -> Namer II -> Namer III -> Factotum -> Factotum II -> Factotum III -> Prefect -> Factor -> Factol

The vast majority of everyone in a Faction - PC and NPC alike, are between the ranks of Namer I and Namer III. A Namer is a member who has pledged lifelong membership to the ideal and core beliefs, but they are often little more than those who pay 'lip service' and serve to pad out the numbers of the Faction and to provide a small drop of 'cosmic power' into the Faction through the fuel that belief provides. Factotums are those who are much more dedicated to the Faction as a whole - they are seen often speaking and actively abiding by the core and extended beliefs of the Faction, working to further the Faction's goals, and actively helping to recruit new Namers to the Faction. For every several hundred Namers in a Faction, you can expect to find perhaps one Factotum. Prefects and Factors are those who are seen as ideal and leading members of a Faction. They are known to be core examples for others to live by, and, in the case of Factors, are known to be almost an ideal version of some aspect of the Faction's belief and identity, or are those who have personally helped shape a Faction's identity over time. Most Factions have perhaps one Prefect for every one thousand or so members, and one Factor for every several thousand. Factols are the single leader of a Faction; their word is law and they shape and meld the Faction's identity according to how they believe it to best align with the ideals. The word and power of a Factol is like that of a leader of a real-world country. (Note that a player cannot become a Factol).

As members of a Faction progress through the ranks, they give up increasingly more of their freedom and agency to better adhere to the overall core identity of the Faction - in effect, they wield more power and influence within the Faction and Sigil as a whole, but their own goals often take a backseat to the needs and desires of the Faction; unless of course, they happen to align - which any ambitious member tries to make happen as often as possible.

Alignment: Faction and Sects

Much of Planescape's belief system will often break down to Law vs. Chaos more than the traditional Good vs. Evil. It's not uncommon for Good and Evil (briefly) to work together for a common goal; whereas it's very rare for Law and Chaos to work together for much of anything. A character will often find that if others are 'Good' or 'Evil' has little overall bearing in Faction-eligibility whereas 'Law' and 'Chaos' often come into play. Sects, on the other hand, can often be more concerned with matters of Good and Evil on top of Law and Chaos due to their more limited and rigid belief systems.

Triad of Order	Triad of Despair	Triad of the Spirit	Triad of the Self	Triad of Independence
Harmonium	Bleak Cabal	Society of Sensation	Believers of the Source	Athar
Fraternity of Order	Doomguard	Transcendent Order	Fated	Free League
Mercykillers	Dustmen	Xaositects	Sign of One	Revolutionary League

Sects

On planes where the factions don't hold as much sway as they do in Sigil, other organized groups with wide-reaching philosophies take their place. These groups are called sects. Some are former factions that fell in importance or membership (perhaps because of the Great Upheaval). Others are just groups that espouse the ideas unique or limited to a particular plane or realm.

Anarch's Guild	Children of the Vine	Converts	Epicureans	Dispossessed
Guardians	Liminalists	Mathematicians	Merkhants	Opposition
Order of the Planes-Militant	Ragers	Ring-Givers	Verdant Guild	Vile Hunt

Quick Overview

• Athar

("Defiers", "The Lost"), who deny not only the gods' right to pass judgment over mortals, but their very divinity. They claim that the gods (whom they call "powers") are powerful but have limits and do not deserve worship. Instead, Athar priests channel divine power from what they call the "Great Unknown", or what they believe to be the true divine force behind everything. Their headquarters in Sigil is the Shattered Temple, the former temple of the dead god Aoskar. The Athar are broadly derived from real-world atheists, agnostics, and Deists.

• Believers of the Source

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

• Bleak Cabal

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

• Doomguard

("Sinkers"), who believe in the sanctity and inevitability of entropy. They see the decay and destruction of the universe as necessary; for once it is destroyed all imperfections will be gone with it, paving the way for a perfect new world. Their headquarters is Sigil's Armory, where they forge weapons as tools of destruction.

• Dustmen

("The Dead") believe that both life and death are false states of existence, that there is a state of True Death which can only be accomplished by denying one's emotions and physical wants and needs (a conception similar to oblivion, but also conceivably to Nirvana). Their headquarters is the Mortuary, where Sigil's dead are interred or cremated. Their philosophy is closely related to acosmism, with a more death geared ideal. The faction shares similarities with Buddhism and with the Stoics as well.

• Fated

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

• Fraternity of Order

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

• Free League

("Indeps"), who reject the other factions and their bureaucratic, hierarchical dogmatism; in fact, they don't consider themselves a faction at all. For this reason, they don't have a factol or an official headquarters, though Sigil's Great Bazaar serves as an unofficial one. They believe in individual freedom as the highest good and could be considered similar to libertarianism.

• Harmonium

("Hardheads"), who believe that peace and stability can only be established under one rule — theirs. The planar faction known as the Harmonium is actually just a small part of a much larger political entity which rules over the entirety of the Prime Material world of Ortho. In Sigil, they serve as the city's police force, and their headquarters is the City Barracks. They are related to present day authoritarianism, particularly religious evangelicalism and fundamentalism. It is strongly advised that visitors to Sigil never, under any circumstances, use the term 'Hardhead' in front of Harmonium members.

• Mercykillers

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

• Revolutionary League

("Anarchists"), who believe that social order and man-made laws are inherently corrupt and must be destroyed—though none of their members can agree on what, if anything, should replace them. Like the Indeps, they don't have a factol or a headquarters, though they have many safe houses and secret meeting places.

• Sign of One

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

• Society of Sensation

("Sensates"), who believe that accumulating experiential knowledge through the senses is the only way to achieve enlightenment. Their headquarters is the Civic Festhall, which features an endless series of entertainments and a library of magically stored experiences. They are remniscent of ancient Epicurianism, as well as the more modern empiricism.

• Transcendent Order

("Ciphers"), who believe that by tapping in to the 'cadence' of the planes and acting through pure instinct they can achieve a higher state of being. Their headquarters is the Great Gymnasium, where members can train to improve their bodies and minds. Their philosophy could be considered similar to Taoism, and its offshoots, such as Zen Buddhism.

• Xaositects

("Chaosmen"), who believe that the only truth is revealed in chaos. The Xaositects have been quite accurately described as being "totally off their rockers, every one of 'em." Their headquarters is the Hive, which is the most disorganized part of the Sigil ward of the same name. Some may consider their philosophy a slight twist to accidentalism, but a far more relevant parallel is the Cynics (Greek κῠνικός "dogs") of antiquity. There is even a gang of Xaositects called the "Starved Dogs Barking" featured in Planescape: Torment. Compare with real life discordianism.