Sigil: City of Doors

Journal Entry –

In my attempts to address the issue of not being able to manipulate arcane conjurations, it seems I have been somewhat successful. Somewhat being the key descriptor in the above sentence.

My teacher has been most displeased with my failures to conjure even simple animals. It is true that I can read the incantations accurately, just as I can research and define the various aspects of the study spells she has assigned. But for some reason or another, I just cannot seem toe keep the arcane pattern in my mind. In her frustration she often claims that I am too old to have been taken on as an apprentice and that is the reason for my shortcomings.

Being that I am considerably taller than the elf, I am tempted to comment that she should avoid using the word short in my regard, but I am not that foolish. After all, or at least as the story goes, Lady Kylara cast for a lighting bolt blasting her last bedmate though that large standing mirror in her room when he miss spoke another womanÂ’s name.

That brings me to my point, for this journal entry at least. The mirror.

My master assigns me various mundane tasks as part of my education in her service. One of course, is cleaning. As I have been taught, I create the various chemicals desired, and then use them on a dally basis to maintain the appearance of her home. When I first endeavored upon this adventure and accepted the task of being her servant to be accepted as a student (I was raised as a butler, after all), I had expected that aspect of the task to be unchallenging. Lady Kylara lived in a relatively small three-story tower, when compared the Cissack estate, was really much of nothing. No insult intended, of course.

That may have well been my first lesson. Not only should one not judge a book by itÂ’s cover, judging a sorcererÂ’s abode by itÂ’s external appearance is at best, unwise. Maintaining the appearance of the LadyÂ’s home was more than a full time job. But I digress.

One of the many objects that I was to not touch happens to be the afore mentioned mirror. Being curious by nature, as often most individuals are, I of course investigated this mirror to the best of my ability. One of my first discoveries was that the arcane aspect to which it was connected was, of course, conjuration. What escaped me at the time was that its demeanor was conjuration-teleportation specifically.

Having acquired a scroll of similar effect from the Lady’s private library (a story for another time, perhaps), I decided to make the attempt to overcome my ‘short-coming’ as she would put it, by attempting to use the scroll as a guide to understanding, effecting and hopefully controlling the mirror.

The result were, well one might describe them as explosive.

I awoke here, in this place. My education refers to planar location as Concordant Opposition, and that as one comes closer to the center of the plane, all things magical, divine and even alchemical cease to function. And yet, I am here in this city that that contrasts accepted teaching and traditions.

The local inhabitants, many of whom are particularly exotic, refer to this city as “the Cage.”

Journal Entry –

After spending some time exploring, as well as dealing with bats in exchange for coin, or jink rather, to pay for my stay at an inn, I have discovered many things. Of particular use was a fellow human who refers to himself as mere a Sage. From him I have learned about the Lady of Pain who apparently is an all-powerful creature who denies worship and maintains this city whoÂ’s proper name is Sigil, city of doors. I have also learned that the city is in fact at the center of concordant opposition, which is more commonly called the Outlands, and the once referred to shifting form of this central location has become a great mountain or spire instead of other shapes, such as a great tree or another more esoteric creation.

I have also learned that the designation of ‘city of doors’ is more of a reference to great many, if not uncountable, number of planer gates spread throughout this city. These gates, or portals mind you, supposedly connect to every aspect of every plane in existence, as well as the uncountable different versions of each of these planes. That is to say, there are many different Prime Material Planes much like, and much unalike the one from which I came.

It is also worthy of note, that with the exception of the Lady of Pain, no truly powerful creature is allowed direct access to Sigil. At one time I might have referred to such creatures as gods, being that is the commonly accepted lore of my home-plane as the locals call it. But now, due to this experience, I feel the term inappropriate. For the reality of my situation is elegant proof that the teachings of old are flawed, if not in fact self-serving. Perhaps my Master Kylara was subtlety alluding to this in her lectures on planer cosmology.

Journal Entry –

I have an acquaintance of an orcish mage, and I must say, I find myself quite comfortable in his company. Her refers to himself, and me for that matter, as a scholar. Not wanting to offend, I have not pressed for additional information as to his background, being that to date, he has carried himself in such a manner as to be deemed worthy of friendship. There is one thing though, like the teachings of my home-plane, he does favor and use a battle axe. That is though, not to suggest that he is in anyway a hopeless barbarian savage bent on nothing more than his own destruction. He is an educated man.

I have found, in fact, a great many of the exotic inhabitants of the Cage to be quite amiable if not outright friendly. Some act as home-plane stereotypes might suggest, but more often than not, the stereotypes are proven incorrect. I have had conversations with half-demons and half-devils, business transactions with mind flayers, even the occasional giant or drow.

I of course have had no particular aversion to any sentient beings, as the former majordomo of Cissack estate, such views would have been complications to the appointment of my, duties considering the nature of the families business enterprises. As it turns out, this “open point of view” that served me well in the past, continues to be productive in this new situation.

Journal Entry –

It would seem that my studies are accelerated here in the Cage, for when I first came here; I was barely able to cast forth the simplest of arcane effects. Now, more complicated spells have become quite possible, where as the lesser incantations that were once difficult for me, are now simple matters of rote. I am, of course, in no way a master, and would prefer to avoid physical conflicts, but I am finding that my talent grows here much more quickly than expected. Of course, the matter of conjuration still endures.

Journal Entry –

I have begun visiting other planes. Though I have spent some time exploring the Cage, and there is still yet much more to discover and understand, IÂ’ve taken my first steps into traveling. It has occurred to me that I could attempt to look for a portal that might retunes me to my home-plane, but for now, I must admit that the idea holds little intrigue for me. There are too many possibilities to be examined, to be understood, and perhaps even mastered here in the Cage.

I have been to the battlefields of the Blood War (a war that I was not even aware of, and would seem to dwarf any such historical conflicts of my home-plane), and a plane my orcish scholar friend refers to as the “Burx”. In looking through the books that are available to me, the locals refer to it as part of the Beast Lands.

It was during one of these adventures to the Beast Lands that several new companions were met, and adventured with. A fellow human from a home-plane where civilized men apparently wear skirt-like leather armors and are extremely fastidious in their appearance was quite interesting. He and I have in fact teamed up to work together again on different occasions since our first journey. He has even gone so far as to explain what his faction is, and what that means to him.

I too have begun to look into more specifics regarding factions. It is my understanding that they are not unlike religions, or perhaps better out, ideological philosophies. It is a tenant that these ideological philosophies, factions, have the ability to shape reality itÂ’s self should there be enough minds actively believing the same thing.

The concept itself is somewhat daunting, if not unbelievable, and yet when one compares the idea to the basic concept of spell casting, there are distinct similarities. In order that one can cast forth a spell, one must study and maintain a complex series of, for lack of a better term, ideas. My former master used to teach these ideas as arcane equations. By the use of mental rigor and patterned thought, an arcanist is able to cause changes in the physical world.

If one applies the same concept on a much broader scale, which would seem appropriate regarding the generally broader scale of Sigil and the planes connected to the Cage, it is not a great leap to consider the concept of belief impacting physical reality. It is this same concept that supports the idea that deities derive their divine levels of power from mortal belief or worship.

Personally, I find the concept of providing power to a deity through worship distasteful. I never have been one for going to temple, it always just seems so very hypocritical to me and with this new, well new to me, concept, it would seem that the very idea of god-hood to be somewhat of an illusion, a self serving illusion at that.

I have read that the dead bodies of past gods litter the astral plane. Given time and study, I should make efforts to look into that belief.

Journal Entry –

This is just a brief note, though worth mentioning. In my explorations of the city, as itÂ’s peoples, I have come across something that is rather surprising to me; a paladin not hell bent on the destruction of arcane casters. In fact, this particular paladin has been quite generous with me, either by selling me mage goods that are of great use to myself at extremely low prices, or in fact, actually making gifts of these items to me.

I suspect he is a greatly skilled warrior traveling planes and places presently beyond my imagination, and that these items may not be of great value to him personally. Or perhaps he is attempting to demonstrate his faith in the deity he has committed himself. In either case, the idea of a paladin not making an overt attempt upon my life for being an arcanist is certainly a new experience.

Being kind to a mage would not be considered acceptable behavior from a paladin on my home-plane.

Journal Entry –

Today I had the pleasure of discovering yet another new plane, well two in fact. Though the first one I chose to no explore, due to a very kind warning posted quite near the entrance portal. It would seem this first place was in fact the realm of one of the self-proclaimed deities. The deity of the goblinoid peoples, whoÂ’s name escapes me at the moment, clang-something-or-another. In either case, I am glad to have found the area in my explorations, and will make note of it for later endeavors.

The second new plane, or demi-plane rather, was the paraelemental plane of ice. In order to travel there I ended up spending what savings I have managed to acquire to purchase a ring that helps one to endure cold. Upon this journey I had the pleasure of working with another orc, whom I had met in passing during earlier travels. As an odd twist of fate, he happens to hail from the same family of orcs that my scholar friend is a member. Those this orc was less educated than my friend he still demonstrated an exceptional wit, particular in the matter of combat tactics. It is my hope that I will get the opportunity to work with him again.

Journal Entry –

I had an interesting conversation with a Dustmen, or woman rather, about her home-plane, or world as she would call it. In the place that she hails from, there were no deities as per say, with the closest approximation being that of their great Sorcerer-Kings. The story goes that the home-plane was effectively divided into two warring nations and that this war had been carried on for generations. The length and depth of the conflict was such that those born into one or the other nation were raised in an ideology of utter hate and disdain for the peoples of the other nation.

In the end, the Sorcerer-Kings sought the assistance of powerful extra-planer creatures with which to hopefully bring the war to an end by totally eradicating the other side. One nation had made arrangements with the TanarÂ’ri, the other with the Baatezu. As those of a planar background might suspect, the Sorcere-Kings were successful in their endeavors.

The war between the war between the two nations of that particular home-plane have ended, with but a single survivor, the woman who told me the tale, and her former home-plane is now akin to the many other battle fields of the Grey Wastes.

I did point out to her, that in effect, the side to which she belonged has effectively won this conflict for if she is the only survivor her opponents were in fact decimated. With this the dustmen gave her only indication of emotion, and smirked, slightly.

I do not recall to which side she once belonged, those of the tanarÂ’ri or baatezu? I imagine it is no matter. She did suggest that the former Sorcerer-Kings that once ruled the plane would be, by now, suffering in the hands of the Abyss or the Nine Hells respectively. I cannot help but wonder if that was their plane all along? Perhaps this was a means to an end so that they themselves might become powerful lower planar creatures.

Journal Entry –

I have been spending time on the para-elemental plane of ice. Several of the creatures are fairly slow moving, and with the added fleetness of foot that the generous paladin I have mentioned before sold to me, if I am careful, I can often stay out of their reach. An occasional undead creation is useful as well.

I have also, as a member of a larger party, stepped into one of the nine hells. I am able to penetrate most of the creaturesÂ’ natural resistance, yet some seem to be immune to particular spells (self-note; research baatezu more thoroughly).

I have also noted a possible mistake in my chosen paths of study. As I have attempted to progress the proficiency of my evocation abilities, as well as the general effects of other arcane areas, I seem to have increased my own limitations. Now, in addition to having issues with conjurations, I canÂ’t seem to make heads or tale out of new illusion spells. Oddly those, which I knew before, are still quite within my abilities, but new examples of lesser or greater circles have become as baffling as conjurations.

I have learned that it may be possible to undo this path of learning, but it would be particularly costly. The mythical river Styx is in fact, not a myth. But unlike the lore I was once taught on my home-plane, the ‘dark’ here as plane walkers would put it is, that if one sips a tiny amount, only half you your memory is truly taken, and that the remaining half can be taken back by the drinker with his own effort.

If I do this, I will be falling back far behind my orcish friend. I doubt it will end our friendship (self-note: see the subsequent notes on name, description etc of the person you have met – it’s in the Toril lore book in your room. That would be room #3 in the inn). Then again, it would seem that due to his greater knowledge and personal experience with being a plane walker has allowed him to surpass me anyway. An interesting thought. Anyway it is not a contest, more of a personal journey.

With that in mind, perhaps I should try this experiment and save the further specialization until after understanding ninth circle spells.

Journal Entry –

I have been spending more time with a greater variety of peoples in my travels of late, a dark warrior, a female warlock and oddly enough even a nymph. It was the latter who took the time to show me two new planar connections in sigil, both to areas that are of course appealing to a spirit of nature. One of which whose portal lies directly across the way from the very room in the inn that I have been renting. Ironic, isnÂ’t it?

In either case, both locations are effectively unpopulated, and do not offer a direct means of advancing my study. The may be useful as vacations spots, as it were, so they are at least worthy of note for later investigation.