Synopsis 12 - Circus World

Active Characters - Voxen, Alvar (Chisai), Brianna, Asher
Active Cohorts - None
Inactive Characters Present- None
Inactive Cohorts Present- None
Inactive Characters Not Present - Ulrich, Rorrick, Brock, Schoon-chee
Inactive Cohorts Not Present - Elayne
NPCs Attached to Group-  Vi

Notable NPCs - Ellenzenara, Gena, Baldar Guz, Balbag, Magellas Fume. 

Brock’s airship landed east of Asbravn, in an open area surrounded by woods. Brock had to stay on board, and the rest of the group travelled west to the city. Along the way, the party consisting of Brianna, Asher, King Alvar Hochiko, Vulcan, and Voxen on horseback passed hundreds of excited families on the roads heading toward Asbravn.

At the city limits two Riders in Red Cloaks approached and sounded to Brianna and Asher, who had saved Asbravn from a rampaging Hydra. Yeager Ford was the name of the Sergeant. They met with Voxen and Alvar, who noted his kingship. Of course.

The town was besieged on all sides by invading excited children and their families. Circus World paraphernalia was being marketed within the City Limits by all sorts of merchants. The Inn and Tavern had no vacancies. Some party members tried to gather information at the Tavern but just received general information.

The party decided to head to the location of Circus World, 30 miles due west of Asbravn. Upon arrival at Circus World, the adventurers beheld an enormous colored tent rising high into the sky. Scores of wagons and tents lined up about the attraction, and hundreds of people formed lines at the ticket booth.

Asher got in line for the party, and after a hefty wait he finally arrived at the booth. A human inside the booth offered tickets for 1 Gold Piece, and various items such as a Circus World Flask, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Cotton Candy. They also sold tickets for 10 gold that included a stay in the Circus World Inn. He ordered the tickets and handed them to the party. The tickets were highly ornate. As they were handing out the tickets, Brianna was sure she saw something as it was being passed to her. She looked at the ticket, and there was a moving image on it, showing different attractions at the park. But she had thought she saw something, but did not want to believe it. The party took their tickets to the Clowns in near the entrance, the ticket sliding through a slot and coming out a stub with a flourish of magical glitter. The party then began to make its way through the entrance.

Upon passing through the entrance to circus world, the parties gear (minus some special items like Alvar’s sword) completely changed into fashionable wear. Weapons and items that were not ornate were no longer visibly present. Voxen was afraid he was exposed and turned outside, having to buy another ticket before entering. Thankfully, his disguise was not altered inside of Circus World.

2 Stone Golems guarded the main entrance, holding steady as the party went by. Alvar and Vulcan checked in at the Inn, and made their way back to see the Strongman show. Inside the circus ring there stood a strongman carrying two elephants as if they were feathers and performing other feats of incredible strength. After that the ringmaster announced to behold the Cart being pulled out into the ring. The small cart was pulled by a small pony. It stopped near the center of the ring and twenty clowns took turns jumping out of it.  Then they all got back in, and the cart was pulled off to the preparation room. The Ringmaster stood out into the middle of the ring, and unlike the vile creature Brianna, Vulcan and _______ saw inside of Voxen’s mind when they were being controlled by Balbag, this was a much kinder looking man. He announced a break until the next show.

The party went to the Zoo and saw many different types of creatures, including Bears, Manticores, an Ice Devil, Dire Wolves, Dire Tigers, a Dire Bear (wearing a specific collar), a Behir, a Remorhaz, a Leng Spider, Trolls, Yetis, a Gorgon, Elder Fire Elementals, Gorillas, Elephants, an Empty Cage and a Couatl that was about to convey a message to Brianna before a Master came along and interrupted.

The party then went back and saw the Aquarium, which was a new exhibit, that had a Megalodon and a Giant Squid inside of an immense rotating tank.

The party made its way to the Freak Show Exhibit where they immediately saw a Great Cyclops caged in a barren cage attached to a stone column by a chain.

Then Brianna noticed something that cleared up what she saw on the ticket earlier. It was Aunty Gertrude, a Night Hag witch. She immediately became frightened, even more than Voxen who had been nervous up to this time. She went back into the hallway and waited in the relative safety of not being near Aunty Gertrude.

The party came into the Freakshow and saw the Cyclops up close, Asher staring down the huge giant. The Cyclops began to stare at Asher. There was staring. The Cyclops, frustrated at the staring, looked away and Asher declared himself the winner.

The party went and retrieved Brianna, and Brianna went to Gertrude’s cage where Gertrude appeared to be knitting a sweater. Without looking up, Gertrude said “Hello Brianna, I was wondering if this was your size.” After a brief discussion, Brianna asked how Gertrude was, and the Night Hag could only grunt through clenched teeth that she was ‘Fine, and being well taken care of.’

There were two skeletons, one very tall and one very short, and they seemed to get along together in one of the cages. There was also a Dire Rat King, a freakish monster in one cage.

Ellenzenara, the Bearded Elven Lady in the Freak show, was in a cage at the far end of the room from where the party entered. The party made contact with her and learned of the Puppet Master, who once part of the Freakshow but had escaped and was helping to free the others in the circus. The party was also able to determine that the Freak show cast was under some sort of spell that made sure they did not reveal their captivity.

In one cage was a large Flesh Golem whose nameplate said, “Frank & Stein’s Monster,” who appeared to be scared of the circus clowns. He said they were NOT friends. But then Voxen stated he was a friend, and flashed his other form to Frank. Immediately Frank’s face lighted up and he said “GENA!” And went on to talk about how Gena was a friend but there were many who were not friends.

The party headed to the Circus show again when a small puppet appeared in the hallway. It led the party nearer to the Inn where the Puppetmaster appeared. The Puppetmaster appeared to be a humanoid with all black leather clothing. He informs the group that Baldar Guz does not have control over the Stone Golems, that they are ‘pre-programmed’ to keep everyone safe. The clowns are not safe from this effect.

They adjourn to the inn where the Puppetmaster reappeared and they continued to talk about the Forest beyond Circus World, which connects to 3 other Circuses. A portal there used to allow Kami in to entertain the masses as clowns, but the actions of Baldar Guz caused them to become Oni, and now these evil creatures enter the Forest beyond though the Puppetmaster admits it does not know about the purpose of the Oni.  

Remembering the incident with the Coatl, Alvar reaches out and connects with the Coatl in a mind blowing (called 20 on a D20) chance that the Coatl was reaching out at the same moment. It points out where Magellas Fume is buried.

The party heads towards the Aquarium and climbs atop the feeding area and finds caves behind the aquarium. They search through the caves and locate Magellas Fume’s crypt, in which they decide to take on a quest to locate Oni substance to prove to Magellas’ ghost that Oni have taken over the Kami.

The mission doesn’t last long when the party decides to attack some Oni near the Aquarium and they easily provide proof to Magellas. Magellas turns the Stone Golems against the Oni, and the party heads back to the Freak show.

In the Freak Show, the party lets out the caged persons except Brittany the fat lady because she was a horrible person. Frank is released, then Frank charges Gertrude’s cage and frees Gertrude who immediately disappears.

Balbag appears and takes over one of the monsters in the Freak show and attempts to attack the party when Gena appears and stabs Balbag through the heart.

The Cyclops departs towards the zoo to retrieve his Dire Bear and the party heads towards the preparation room to enter the Forest. Frank comes with the party, and Gena is helping people escape.

The party encounters a large force of Oni and a battle ensues. 

XP - Combat 3000
Session XP - 2500

Synopsis 10 - The Sword Coast - Baldur's Gate and Beyond

Active Characters - Voxen, Alvar (Chisai), Brianna, Peck
Active Cohorts - None
Inactive Characters Present- None
Inactive Cohorts Present- None
Inactive Characters Not Present - Ulrich, Rorrick, Brock, Schoon-chee 
Inactive Cohorts Not Present - Elayne
NPCs Attached to Group- Peck Godfrey

Notable NPCs - Garrick Godfrey

The smoke had cleared. Voxen, Alvar, and Peck stood there and looked at each other. Atop four nearby shanties stood 4 humanoids dressed in Red clothing, red masks with Studded Leather armor. They each drew a flaming sword from their scabbards.

One of the enemy ordered Alvar to give up his sword, but Alvar simply said, " You will have to pry it from my cold dead hands." The enemy attacked. Voxen called a small storm that hovered over an opponent a moment before letting down a bolt of lighting that the enemy dodged. Brianna went to work healing damage from the explosion that tore apart Pecks house. One of the enemies overswung and lost his sword (rolled 1;3) near Alvar, where reaching it would cause an Attack of opportunity. Voxen turned into a small flame elemental which stunned the enemy in front of him. Alvar, mustering his strength and skill, sliced completely through en enemy, (Crit threat, 20, 20, Crit) Alvar's sword smacking the enemy's sword and it landing in the chest of another enemy that Peck had moved to attack. After the last enemy fell, 8 more Red suited enemies appeared nearby.

Then a hail of arrows and crossbow bolts filled the sky, and the Red enemies fled. New characters, dressed in dark clothing and running through the shanty town chased the opponents towards the north. 

Jerome was up at this point, and two shady characters approached. One, a female Teifling with a pointed tail and the other a human. They answered some of the questions and provided a map of the sewer system to Peck to help him get to his fathers estate. 

The party went to a temple of Tymorra, called the Lady's Hall to get healing when Chanthalas Ulbright, the resident Cleric, gave a tome to the party. The tome was the Tome of Understanding. What luck, in the temple of the Goddess of Luck. 

The party crept through the sewers to the estate of Garric Godfrey and came up through a ladder into a closet in the basement of the estate. Peck went to investigate and located a dead body. It was one of his fathers trusted bodyguards. It appeared his had clawed at his forearm repeatedly, but otherwise died from wounds. 

Peck went up and scouted above and saw another of the bodyguards. He lured him into the basement where the party was able to disarm his armlet, deciding it was the cause of the strange behavior. The party went upstairs and lured another bodyguard into the basement and disarmed her armlet as well. 

Then the party went to investigate upstairs and soon there were more bodyguards, both Garrick's personal and a large group of hirelings that were working for Xanthad. Voxen stayed below and fought the horde while the others raced upstairs and confronted Garric and his last bodyguard.

The bodyguard was put to sleep by Brianna and after Peck questioned his father, his father was (supernaturally) able to break through his mind control to remove his armlet. Once this happened, the Shadow Daemon recaptured his host and attacked Peck with a Wicked Dagger. Peck was laid low, and the enemy continued their attack on the rest of the party. 

The dagger was broken and the Shadow Demon was released. Voxen turned into a Gorilla and charged the Shadow Demon through the wall of the estate into the sunny outdoors, where the Shadow Demon was powerless. 

Garrick Godfrey was saved but very weak. Peck was healed and the party found out from Garrick where Xanthad was. The party went to Duke Eltan of the Flaming Fists where a mighty army was formed to attack the Godfrey Warehouse and defeat Xanthad. 

As the army marched toward the warehouse, a cracking sound emitted from the Warehouse and soon the roof fell in, a swirling vortex sucked in the entire area around the warehouse. The party stood and watched until the vortex disappeared and the dome shaped purple sphere faded out of existence. 

The party decided to use their Staff of Teleportation to teleport to their camp at Ulcasters and gather anyone who wanted to come and then teleported to the 245th layer of the Abyss. 

XP - Combat 2500
Session XP - 2000
Bonus XP was issued during or after session

Synopsis 9 - The Sword Coast - Baldur's Gate Haunted by the Past

Active Characters - Shoonchee, Peck Godfrey, Sa'ar, Alvar (Chisai), Voxen
Inactive Characters Present - none
Inactive Cohorts Present - none
Inactive Characters Not Present - Ulrich, Warrick, Galdroon, Rorrick, Briana
NPCs Present - none



As the party traveled towards Baldur's Gate, Peck gave some rough description of the city.

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Little Calimshan - 

Little Calimshan is often the loudest, liveliest, and most chaotic place in Baldur’s Gate, aside from the Wide. The scent of cinnamon and the sounds of exotic, reeded instruments often slip over its encircling walls and draw the curious toward adventure and mystery. When visiting Little Calimshan, it is best to enter during the day through one of the district’s arched
gateways. After dark, most of the doors to the outside and many within the district are closed and barred to impede the neighborhood’s plague of burglars. Thieves still move around after dark, prowling above the streets along the district’s thick walls and crowded
rooftops, but at least their paths are made more difficult and visible.

The Clown Masks - 

Outside of Little Calimshan was a salesmen selling Clown masks. The Masks Voxen had seen before.  

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The Oasis - 

A dingy bungalow in Little Calimshan. Its proprietor, Ibiz, slathers his blotchy face in heavy, pale makeup. The effect is disturbing rather than pleasing to the eye. The heavy Calishite human greets characters from the establishment’s veranda and grandly motions them inside, where he offers cushion seats and tea and casually probes the newcomers’ interest in gambling, poppy dreams, and tender liaisons.

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Upper City - 

The Upper City exudes wealth. Its buildings shutters and doors bear vibrant colors and are smartly maintained. Its streets are wide, and its terrain is nearly flat. At night, the magic lamps that hang from ornate arms extending streetward from most buildings keep its
avenues well lit. Rain runs off raised roads into drains, rather than pooling or flowing down streets, and sewers carry away waste. Flowering plants that hang from windows and climbing walls—and a ban on smelly businesses—help to sweeten the Upper City’s air.
Every Upper City citizen is either a patriar; a servant of a patriar often coming from a proud line of retainers to the nobility; a Watch member, often also a hereditary post; or an affluent business owner. Upper City establishments serve the patriars and other wealthy customers almost exclusively. This part of the city has few inns and no public taverns. Patriars do their drinking at home, in private clubs, or on overnight soirees into the Lower City. Few doors in the Upper City are open at night, and the streets are devoid of activity except for Watch patrols.

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The Elfsong Tavern - 

One of the most well-known establishments in Baldur’s Gate is located a few blocks from the Basilisk Gate in Eastway. The name of this tavern comes from
its unearthly tenant—a disembodied elven voice whose song occasionally fills the tavern. The singing isn’t loud enough to disrupt conversation, but it is clear, beautiful, and lamenting. The ballad’s lyrics make clear that the ghostly lady is lamenting a lover lost at sea, but no one is sure how she came to haunt the tavern. The song often moves folk to tears, even when they can’t understand the archaic dialect. Many customers frequent the tavern just to hear the melancholy ballad. During the song’s infrequent occurrences, a customary hush overtakes the crowd, and any noisy patrons find dangerous looks leveled at themselves. Customers are expected to be armed, and the known custom is that all patrons need to watch their backs except when the sad lady’s singing. Elves hearing her song for the first time often appear stunned. By tradition, the bartender silently serves a first-time elf customer a free tallglass of elverquisst. First-time customers of any race who weep upon hearing the song usually find regular patrons putting comforting arms around them. By tradition, music of an sort is not sung or played in the tavern. The ghostly lady has the audience to herself. The Elfsong Tavern’s ground floor is a taproom that serves hearty, salty meals and saltier snacks—to encourage drinking, of course. Blue-glassed lanterns with blue flames (a Felogyr’s Fireworks product) light the dark interior. Several cramped, twisting stairways lead from the taproom to upstairs meeting rooms that can be rented by the hour. Staffers politely ‘warn occupants when time is running short. Alan Alvth, the tavern’s handsome, graying proprietor, has run the establishment for decades. His half-elf mother’s elven blood has kept him living longer and looking better than full-blooded humans his age. Myth continues his mother’s tradition of offering patrons an informal, secret banking service. He provides an extension of sorts on bar tabs, enabling customers to deposit money or take out loans, if Ayth trusts them enough.

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The party entered into the city from the northeast, landing in Little Calimishan during noontime. They ran into Pecks old friend and teacher, Jerome, who was not happy about Pecks new 'heroic' friends. He tried to get Peck to leave and help him start thieving again, but Peck declined.

The party went to the Oasis in Little Calimshan where the party discussed plans while Alvar was approached by an escort. 

Later they traveled into the city and went to the Elfsong Tavern where they discussed events with a high level party who apparently had been thrown back into an alternate universe. 

Thorgrim Toolbearer - Dwarven Fighter/Barbarian/Rogue
Alimural - Elven Sorcerer
Jack - Human Monk

The high level party teleported out, and soon another group entered the Elfsong. They had sharp features like those from Kara-Tur. After a challenge by Alvar, they immediately left. The party followed and caught the men ascending the wall infront of them. 

The party was able to capture one of the men, and took them to Peck's house (which was considerably secure). They began to question the man and soon the learned that the scroll on him had a secret. That if it was spun on the air an image would appear. Alvar spun the scroll and saw a moving image of himself. Pecks old acquaintance arrived at this time, Jerome, who questioned why the party had the man at all. He said he came alone. 

During the conversation, the door was knocked on and it was a friend of Jerome who insisted they leave quickly because enemies were nearby.

Then all of a sudden, the poorly made house exploded around them. When the dust cleared, the party stood and looked about.

On top of some nearby rooftops were men dressed in what appeared to be red. 

Schoon-chee reached out her hand and a few of the party members teleported away with her. 

Session XP: Each player 2000 xp. 

Hero Points in Forgotten Realms Campaign

Awarding Hero Points

Each character begins play with 1 hero point, regardless of her level. In addition, whenever a character gains a level, she earns an additional hero point. Aside from these basic rules, awarding additional hero points is up to the GM. The following options are just some of the ways that a GM might award additional hero points.

         New Session - Every Session a character receives a new TEMPORARY POINT that must be used by the end of the session or lost. 

Character Story - I prefer awarding experience for this.

Completing Plot Arcs - Definitely possible

Faith - Temporary only (will fade within 1 in game hour), but I will roll (DC20) to see if your God has heard your call for aid. Your class level will be added to the roll, and a cumulative -1 for each attempt after the first.  

Group Service: I prefer awarding experience for this.

Heroic Acts: Definitely possible

Return from the Dead: When a character dies, she does not lose any hero points she has accumulated. If she died with no hero points remaining, she gains 1 hero point when she is brought back from the dead through powerful magic, such as raise dead or resurrection.

Maximum Hero Points: Characters can have no more than 3 hero points at any one time. Excess hero points are lost. 

Using Hero Points

Hero Points can be spent at any time and do not require an action to use (although the actions they modify consume part of your character’s turn as normal). You cannot spend more than 1 hero point during a single round of combat. Whenever a hero point is spent, it can have any one of the following effects.

Act Out of Turn: You can spend a hero point to take your turn immediately. Treat this as a readied action, moving your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. You may only take a move or a standard action on this turn.

Bonus: 

If used before a roll is made, a hero point counts as a roll of a Natural 20 on a D6 (this is a change from the normal +8 bonus on the roll), and may NOT be made for Critical Threat checks.

If used after a roll is made, the re-roll receives a bonus of +4. 

You can use a hero point to grant this bonus to another character, as long as you are in the same location and your character can reasonably affect the outcome of the roll (such as distracting a monster, shouting words of encouragement, or otherwise aiding another with the check).

Extra Action: You can spend a hero point on your turn to gain an additional standard or move action this turn.

Inspiration: If you feel stuck at one point in the adventure, you can spend a hero point and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the hero point is not spent.

Recall: You can spend a hero point to recall a spell you have already cast or to gain another use of a special ability that is otherwise limited. This should only be used on spells and abilities possessed by your character that recharge on a daily basis.

Reroll: See bonus, above.

Special: You can petition the GM to allow a hero point to be used to attempt nearly anything that would normally be almost impossible. Such uses are not guaranteed and should be considered carefully by the GM. Possibilities include casting a single spell that is one level higher than you could normally cast (or a 1st-level spell if you are not a spellcaster), making an attack that blinds a foe or bypasses its damage reduction entirely, or attempting to use Diplomacy to convince a raging dragon to give up its attack. Regardless of the desired action, the attempt should be accompanied by a difficult check or penalty on the attack roll. No additional hero points may be spent on such an attempt, either by the character or her allies.

Cheat Death: A character can spend 2 hero points to cheat death. How this plays out is up to the GM, but generally the character is left alive, with negative hit points but stable. For example, a character is about to be slain by a critical hit from an arrow. If the character spends 2 hero points, the GM decides that the arrow pierced the character’s holy symbol, reducing the damage enough to prevent him from being killed, and that he made his stabilization roll at the end of his turn. Cheating death is the only way for a character to spend more than 1 hero point in a turn. The character can spend hero points in this way to prevent the death of a familiar, animal companion, eidolon, or special mount, but not another character or NPC.

Synopsis 8 - The Sword Coast - Ulcaster's School of Magic Part 2 - Dungeon Crawl

Active Characters - Shoonchee, Brianna, Peck Godfrey, Galdroon, Sa'ar, Alvar (Chisai)
Inactive Characters Present -  Rorrick, Brock (Umberto), Voxen
Inactive Cohorts Present - Elayne
Inactive Characters Not Present - Ulrich, Warrick
NPCs Present - Elayne (Alusair just departed to Cormyr)

The party was still under a section of Ulcaster's School of Magic. Active characters decided to rest in a Dry room (3) and they have set up a watch. Sa'ar was on duty when suddenly a Ghost appeared sitting at one of the tables. The Ghost was a female, her arms were trying frustratingly to read a book that rested on the table before her. The apparition’s arms simply passed through the book as if they didn't exist. Sa'ar waked Brianna and they began to check if the Ghost wanted anything. The Ghost simply said  with its finger to her Ghostly lips, "Shhh." After another attempt to assist the ghost, Brianna was suddenly attacked. The party was awoken and the Ghost let out a Fearsome howl, terrifying some party members. Alvar was able to keep the Ghost very busy and the party eventually defeated it. 

The Galdroon and Peck then went down to area 4 and found a small box with White Powder inside of it. Galdroon dabbed a bit of the powder to his tongue. Then Peck rubbed the outside of the box and it said "SP gathered from Dragon Droppings." He could not decide what it was so he brought it to Briana who identified it as Salt Peter.

The party continued to Area 6 where they opened the door to find a Ghostly Cleric and 3 of his Wood Golem Orderlies. Pack was invited inside to sit on a cot and the Ghostly Cleric kept checking on Skeletons in the other beds. When he came around to one bed, that Shoochee and Ru-ee were hiding under, he detected her, and had her get on a bed. Peck tried to get up but was held down by the orderly. 

Out of nowhere, Alvar charges the Ghost in the room, despite the other party member's attempts to stop him. Soon after everything went to chaos. Galdroon was shooting fireballs into the room, some party members were fleeing in fear, Alvar was nearly killed from attacks from the three Golems (not to mention Galdroons fireball). 

Sa'ar came to the rescue by dealing sustantial damage to the Golems as they marched forward, all the while Brianna healing and doing what she can to help the party. As the final Golem was about to attack, it was brought down be Sa'ar's murderous arrows. 

As the party regrouped, Peck went ahead and up a winding flight of stairs into a Alchemical laboratory with a massive door blocking the exit. A mystery ensued, and the party was able to determine what had happened and and complete the mystery (don't want to give too much away).

The party was finally outdoors in the late afternoon, looking at the Ulcaster's School's Ruins.

The party split up, some characters remaining behind to clean the area and repair it for use as a stronghold.

Synopsis 7 - The Sword Coast - Ulcaster's School of Magic - Dungeon Crawl

To Dagger Falls

Active Characters - Shoonchee, Rorrick, Voxen
Inactive Characters Present - Peck Godfrey, Galdroon, Sa'ar, Alvar (Chisai)
Inactive Characters Not Present - Ulrich, Warrick, Brock (Umberto), Brianna
NPCs Present - Elayne (Alusair just departed to Cormyr)

The party begins underneath the Barracks at The Last Outpost... where Sa'ar and Shoonchee convince Voxen that the Zhentarim, despite their evil ways, are also responsible for the livelyhood of many non-evil people. If The Last Outpost did not exist, then the Bedines of the Anauroch Desert (which was once a lush jungle but has been receding over centuries) might not have food to feed their children. Rorrick explained the fight would be brought to the immediate issue, Xanthad the Beholder and his planar slave trade. Voxen then agreed and Shoonchee teleported the party away.

A gentle grove nearby (3 miles) Dagger Falls was the target of the teleport. The party traveled east on the River Tesh then northward around the Walled City of Dagger Falls to The Red Rock Tavern.

Kessla, HElf CG Brd 6, was inside making a stew for her patrons when she saw familiar faces, and others not so familiar enter the Tavern. She greeted the party warmly and introduced herself to the new members. The rest of the tavern was joyous to see the Heroes of Dagger Falls, the party that not only defeated Colderan the Mage whose dream-fever was killing townsfolk, they also saved dozens from the Red Dragon who attacked during a flight of Dragons (1356 DR), and finally freed the town from the control of the Zhentarim and returned it to it's rightful owner, Randal Morn. In the corner, practicers of the 'Ways of Umberto Eskobar' ceremoniously read the 'Escobar's Rules of Law'. Voxen, disturbed with the happenings of late, went to the bar and began to drink. 

Shoonchee went off to see about Brock, but reported back that Brock had not been in his house for some time. 

After some conversation, Shoonchee had Roo-ee head to the Dagger Falls Keep (formerly Constable Tren's tower)  to get Brianna, who had been in town studying about the Planes. Initially, Roo-ee went to sneak past the Watchful Guard at the keep but was seen entering. Then the chase was on! Guards rushed and raced after the swift Fox as she jumped over the lazy guard dog, who never moved, and ran up towards Tren's old office that had the towns library in it. Roo-ee jumped through the door and Brianna was startled as Roo-ee wrapped his tail around her head and stared at the door. The guards rushed in, and Brianna explained that everything was fine. Sabine, Brianna's familiar, was jealous of the cuddling but was relieved when Roo-ee jumped off and lead Brianna away. 

As the party was heading to a back room to discuss the plan, Brock came in from outside and joined the group. 

After they assembled in the meeting room, Voxen inebriated, Peck went to to gather thoughts on the situation. Xanthad the beholder was ferrying slaves to the 6th Layer of the Abyss.  Xanthad was the name of the person who Bart L. James saw written in Garrick Godfrey's books. The name, when he asked about it to Peck's father, he was immediately fired. Then where does Master Morbius (Its Morbius, time had morphed it to Morpheus but henceforth it is Morbius) fit in? Why was he ferrying the party members west along the Anauroch desert? Is Garric Godfrey complicit? What about Peck's Guild he belonged to before he was captured... would they know anything? Would they think he a deserter? 

As they discussed the situation, it was clear what needed to happen. They needed to go to Baldur's Gate and search out Xanthad, and stop him from his vile plans, whatever they were. Peck warned that Baldur's Gate is unlike any place the party has ever been, Rorrick confirming this. He warned the party may see things that would infuriate them, and warned that Shoon-chee could be captured and sold as a 'novelty'.  This infuriated and confused a drunken Voxen... Peck explained that strange creatures and animals were sold in Baldur's Gate in the black market. A very dangerous place to cause trouble or be a knight in shining armor. 

The party slept and the next morning made their way to the keep tower, where they met with Randal Morn who could only provide some Precious Gems for trade. Schoon-chee and Brianna discussed any Magic Circles that existed near Baldur's Gate, and Brianna recalled one she read about in a place called, Ulcaster's School of Magic. 

Shoon-chee once again teleported the party, this time to a small dark room with dim light shining through cracks in the ceiling. The Magic Circle beneath their feet, the party saw the room in great disrepair, the doors falling off the hinges. The casters began immediately casting Mend repeatedly and repairing things in the room. Just before the door was repaired, one of the party members saw something through the crack in the door. A small group of party members consisting of Brock, Brianna and Voxen went out to scout the area and check for danger. The other party members stayed back and began cleaning the room, preparing it as a safe-haven. 

Across the hall, the party was attacked by a Mimic, and during the fight it was ambushed by a Ghost. Upon search the party found a hidden room and upon entering it,  discovered a study. They entered the room and went down a flight of stairs.The party was then ambushed by Cloakers hiding on the ceiling. After the defeat of the Cloakers, the party discovered 3 spellbooks, 7 potions, and 3 scrolls.

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Spellbook 1
5th Icy Prison, Mind Fog, Nightmare, Symbol of Pain, Telekinesis, Transmute Rock to Mud
4th Animate Dead, Fire Trap, Firefall, Hallucinatory Terrain, Phantom Chariot, Rainbow Pattern, Shadow Conjuration, Symbol of Laughter, Terrible Remorse, Wandering Star Motes
3rd Anchored Step, Disable Construct, Keen Edge, Magic Circle Against Evil, Sands of Time, Summon Monster III
2nd Accelerate Poison, Delay Pain, Silent Table, Web

1st Delusional Pride, Reduce Person, Shield, Stone Fist

Spellbook 2
5th Cloudkill, Permanency, Wall of Stone
4th Charm Monster, Phantom Chariot, Phantom Steed (Communal), Share Senses, Wandering Star Motes
3rd Pellet Blast, Share Language (Communal), Silver Darts, Stinking Cloud
2nd Blur, Buoyancy, Dust of Twilight, Entangle, Fiery Shuriken, Knock, Mount (Communal), Reloading Hands
1st Adhesive Spittle, Alarm, Corrosive Touch, Discern Next of Kin, Grease, Ki Arrow, Mount, Stumble Gap, Summon Minor Monster

0th Telekinetic Projectile, Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Bleed, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue, Spark, Haunted Fey Aspect

Spellbook 3
5th Hungry Pit, Teleport, Wall of Sound, Whip of Centipedes
4th Dimension Door, Enervation, Phantom Steed (Communal), Rainbow Pattern, Ride the Waves, Secure Shelter, Solid Fog, Summon Monster IV
3rd Loathsome Veil, Phantom Driver, Seek Thoughts, Sleet Storm
2nd Create Pit, Cushioning Bands
1st Corrosive Touch, Floating Disk, Grease, Mirror Strike, Protection from Evil, Stone Fist, Summon Minor Monster

0th Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Bleed, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue, Spark, Haunted Fey Aspect

Oil of Flame Arrow (cr, 750 gp)
A cloudy serum, contained in a crystal flask.

Oil of Light (cr, 25 gp)
This smoky liquid causes motes of white light to appear when used.

Potion of Displacement (cr, 750 gp)
This smoky yellow elixir causes shadows to appear darker when used.

Elixir of Swimming (250 gp)
A smoky scarlet serum, contained in a glass bottle sealed with wax.

Elixir of Swimming (250 gp)
This watery black oil causes flames to flicker wildly when used.

Oil of Arcane Mark (cr, 25 gp)
This smoky draught smells musty.

Oil of Magic Weapon (cr, 50 gp)

This swirling red admixture causes the air to become still and cold when used.

Scroll of Cure Serious Wounds (cr, 375 gp)
Scroll of Divine Power (cr, 700 gp)

Scroll of Flame Strike (cr, 700 gp)

===================================

Using the law of Symmetry - Brock immediately walked across the hall and bashed down the other secret door. Inside the room descended down as the other room, but this room had a seriously cracked ceiling and it had become full of water. Voxen, immediately worried, casted Ball Lightning into the water.

Side note: What happened next was awesome, but not according to the rules. I initially believed the Ochre Jellies inside were immune to electricity damage and duplicated every time they were hit, and that was it. The whole rule, "Slashing weapons, piercing weapons, and electricity attacks deal no damage to an ochre jelly. Instead the creature splits into two identical jellies, each with half of the original creature’s current hit point total, rounded down. A jelly with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points." In my case the 2 Gelatinous Cubes were destroyed utterly, while the 5 Ochre Jellies split into two for seven rounds. 

So, per my version:

First round 10 Jellies.
Second Round 20 Jellies
Third Round 40 Jellies.
Fouth Round 80 Jellies.
Fifth Round 160 Jellies.
Sixth Round 320 Jellies.
Final Round 640 Jellies. 

Well that escalated quick. Realizing the party had doomed itself (again, not in keeping with the traditional rules) I came up with a few quick ends. Seal the door, Escape, or my last thought, destroy the already crumbling ceiling. I had Galdroon come up with the idea, because he is smart. He came to the groups aid, sending the massive crushing damage down onto the 640 Jellies, destroying all but 6! These were probably special Jellies that the Mages experimented on over the years, and will not be seen again. 

And that is where the party left off.

Campaign Experience Points and New Characters

Experience Points

Experience points in our campaign use the MEDIUM tree:

______________________________________________
LEVEL       EXP      FEATS      ABILITY SCORE
1st                 ---      1st
2nd           2,000
3rd            5,000     2nd
4th            9,000                       1st
5th          15,000     3rd
6th          23,000
7th          35,000     4th
8th          51,000                       2nd
9th          75,000     5th
10th      105,000
11th      155,000     6th
12th      220,000                       3rd
13th      315,000     7th
14th      445,000
15th      635,000     8th
16th      890,000                       4th
17th   1,300,000     9th
18th   1,800,000
19th   2,550,000    10th
20th   3,600,000                       5th
______________________________________________

The total experience points for the session is broken down as such:

Combat XP

Total Combat XP divided by number of Characters Present during the combat.

Example: 

Player 1 has 2 level 6 characters in combat
Player 2 has 1 level 6 character in the combat with a level 2 cohort
Player 3 has a single character, level 6
Player 4 has a single character, level 6

6000 xp is awarded.
There are 5 characters present (the Cohort is not included)

Cohorts - A cohort does not count as a party member when determining the party’s XP. Instead, divide the cohort’s level by your level. Multiply this result by the total XP awarded to you, then add that number of experience points to the cohort’s total. If a cohort gains enough XP to bring it to a level one lower than your level, the cohort does not gain the new level—its new XP total is 1 less than the amount needed to attain the next level.

Each of player 1's characters receive 1,200 xp, they both have to take 1,200 xp each, and cannot share this xp or aggregate it to a single character. 

Player 2's character receives1,200 xp. The cohort divides his level by the characters level (2/6 = .33) and multiplies it by the xp awarded ( .33 x 1,200 = 400). The cohort gets 400 xp. The cohort can get this XP only if he is present in the combat.

Players 3 and 4's characters also receive 1,200, each.

Session XP

Session XP is divided into the number of Players Present during the session.This experience can be divided among any players, and any cohorts gain xp according to their Leader as mentioned above. 

Example

10000 xp is awarded to the 4 player characters.

Each player gets 2,500 xp. 

Player 1 gives all 2,500 to his main character trying to push him faster to level 7. His alt character receives only the combat xp mentioned above. 

Player 2's character receives all 2,500 xp and his cohort uses the same math as above, and the receives 834 xp.

Player 3 has a cohort that did not contribute in the combat but is working on miscellaneous projects 'in the rear' (he is not idle). He still gets 834 xp.

Characters and Cohorts 'in the rear' - The character or cohort may be fixing damaged equipment, working on potions, earning money through profession, or researching some manual that is important to an effort of importance. He also may be waiting to heal party members on their return, guarding the stronghold and managing any followers.

Player 4 has a second character (actually his main, that is 'in the rear') and he decides to share the xp with that character. He chooses for his main to receive 2,000 xp, and his Alt which was in the combat, receives only 500 xp. 

Bonus XP

Any bonus xp issued may go anywhere, to any of your characters. That is up to you. Even to a cohort (as long as he does not breach his limit)

Session Average Level

Any final xp awards to a lower level character are adjusted by +20% per level. (Cohorts never make this adjustment)

New Characters

When adding a new character to the campaign, that character's level starts out equal to the lowest level character you already have, with 0 xp over that level. 

  
New Players

When adding a new player into the campaign, that player's character's level starts out equal to the level of MOST of the characters currently in the campaign.  

Planescape - A Guide to Sigil, City of Doors

Planescape - A Guide to Sigil, City of Doors

gathered from various resources on the web (you know who you are, and thanks)

Description

Sigil is built on the inside of a hollowed-out donut. Gravity works there in such a way that you can walk all the way up the side to the ceiling. So if you are on a Sigil street and look up, there's city above you.

There is a hovering luminescence above the buildings that creates day and night, though much of it is the gloom of twilight (Noon is known as "Peak", and midnight is known as "Anti-Peak"). There's no moon or stars, obviously, but the twinkling lights of the city above create a similar effect. Brownish rain is frequent and fog in the streets is common.

Important Things to Know 

Sigil is Run by The Lady of Pain
She is around 15 feet tall with blades growing out of her face. It is rumored that she was once a demon lord. She doesn't speak, she just drifts down streets and those who engage her suffer her gaze, which causes cuts to begin to open on their body. She also has the power to send enemies to The Mazes.

The Mazes
A wasting maze that is a demi-plane, a copy of Sigil and in the Ethereal plane. Things can get in to a maze, but they can't get out. Food and water appear. The prisoner knows there's a portal out but can't find it or activate it.

"Powers" Not Welcome
Gods/demon lords/primordials are physically unable to step foot in Sigil. Their priests and proxies come to Sigil to try to figure out a way to remedy this.

Factions 
Sigil is full of factions devoted to all sorts of things. I find it hard to keep them all straight.

Portals 

The City of Sigil is full of portals in all sorts of weird places. Each portal has a gate key, which can be things like a rose from a specific mortal world, or a sword - often the gate key is connected to the plane the portal leads to. Portals are the only way in and out of Sigil. Often, a person will accidentally activate a portal and stumble into some other plane or world.

Nobody knows how to make a portal, except maybe the Lady of Pain. Even wish spells can't make portals.

There's three types of portals:

• Permanent Portals: These don't change, they always go to and from the same place.
• Temporary Portals: Disappear after being used once or twice.
• Shifting Portals: These portals move on a schedule throughout the city. It might be in an arch in one section for a few days, and then in a merchant's house for a week. It will take a PC to one plane like the Shadowfell for a few days, and then to the Elemental Plane of fire for a week.

The Law

The Lady of Pain doesn't care about murders or theft.  She only cares about things like:

• Someone killing a dabus.
• Someone trying to help a god or demon lord enter Sigil.
• Rebellion against her rule.

She might show up and cut you up or send you to the Mazes. If not, you might still have to deal with the factions.

The Harmonium

Three factions have taken it upon themselves to form a "wheel of justice". The Harmonium makes the arrests, The Fraternity of Order conducts the trials, and the Mercykillers carry out the sentences.

• The Harmonium- They paladins and fighters who wear red armor. They believe that to create universal harmony, everyone has to think and act like they do. They use shifter's manacles on their captives - shackles with a magic effect that prevents teleporting and causes those who try to teleport to take d10 damage. They wield planar man-catchers with the same spell effect.
• The Fraternity of Order- They search for order in all things, and they are obsessed with learning the laws and loopholes of the universe.
• The Mercykillers- These people think "mercy" is an excuse created by the weak and criminals. Every crime must be punished according to the law - there is no such thing as "extenuating circumstances". They can cast detect lie once per day. They run the prison of Sigil.

Court 

If a PC has to go to court, they can hire an advocate for 100 to 1,000 gp (usually a tiefling or devil). Often the advocate can bribe an official or work out a blackmail scheme to the PCs' benefit.

• Punishment for lesser crimes are usually fines.
• Thieves are whipped.
• Blasphemers (those who dare openly worship the Lady of Pain, for example) have their tongues pierced with a red-hot poker.
• Those who tamper with portals suffer Strappado (ugh).
• Deserters, embezzlers and murderers are hanged.

Public Executions

Death by wyrm

It goes like this. The Mercykillers bring out the condemned in a two-wheeled cart. Citizens pelt them with rocks. They are brought to the Petitioners' Square. The prisoners get to make a short final speech, which the crowd buys meat pies and pamphlets.There's three methods of execution:

• By the Noose: The victim pays the executioner to set the knot to the side of the neck for a quick death.
• By the Sword: This form of execution is for people of status who did something like not paying taxes or libeling the Lady of Pain. The executioners use two sword/cleavers, known as "Scythe" and "Raven" to behead the victims. Fun fact: If the victim isn't dead after three slices, he or she is pardoned and set free.
• By the Wyrm: This one is rare and considered a public holiday. The victim is usually a traitor to the city or a dabus-killer. The victim is tied to a post and fed to the Mercykiller Wyrm.

The Mercykiller Wyrm The Mercykillers have a "mascot", a pet wyvern with stubby wings (it can only fly for a minute or two). It has a venomous bite that causes delirium, which makes it easier to extract confessions from people. The venom is a main ingredient for potions of truth.

Most of those who are executed are put on pikes and displayed. The worst of the executed criminals have their bodies placed in iron cages where the city's ravens pick at their remains.

Other Things That Make Sigil Different 

Money Merchants accept any coins, as long as they are made of gold or silver. So your PCs will likely end up with money from Krynn, Toril, and who knows where else in their pouch. "Sure it may be minted in the likeness of hideous Juiblex, but gold is gold."

Razorvine from the 5e DMG, page 110

Razorvine- This stuff grows in Sigil. It's a vine with black leaves that are a sharp as a blade (it does "2d3" damage if touched!). It grows fast - a foot per day. It becomes dull and brittle if cut.

A Dabus

Dabus - Blue-skinned humanoids who hover and make repairs on the city and trim razorvine. Some may be agents of the Lady of Pain. They communicate by creating hovering symbols above them (these symbols are known as "rebuses"). The Helm of the Dabus is a magic helmet allows the wearer to communicate as the dabus do - with rebuses. Only one of these is known to exist.

Most people get around on foot (there's not many horses) or by sedan chair. It is literally a chair that fits two people, carried on the backs of four burly humanoids.

Cranium Rats- Sigil has a lot of vermin. Rats, wererats and cranium rats. Cranium Rats share a group mind. The more there are in a swarm, the smarter they are. 100 cranium rats in a swarm have a 20 intelligence. Swarms have spells, can use the mind flayer mindblast power, and even gain magic resistance when the swarm nears 100 rats. It is believed that they refer to themselves as "The Us" and that they wage war with Ilsensine, god of the mindflayers.

Two Special Spells for Sigil

• Warp Sense: This is a level 2 wizard spell that lasts 1 round per level. Range: touch. The recipient can concentrate and see portals. He or she can then roll (Arcana?) to see if they can sense where the portal leads and what the key is.
• Surelock: This is a level 4 priest spell. Casting time: 1 hour. Duration: 1 day/level. This spell protects an area against planar portals.

Locations in Sigil 

The city is divided into wards. I am going to describe each ward and list a few interesting locations.

The Lady's Ward

The richest and safest section of Sigil. Home to the Barracks, the Court, the Prison and the Armory. There's a statue of Bigby here as well.

The Prison: Home to the Mercykillers.

The City Court: Judges hear cases here. There's a vast library of laws.

The City Barracks: Home to the Harmonium.

Fortune's Wheel (inn/tavern): A major social hotspot, owned by Shemeshka the Marauder. It is divided into a few sections:

• The Dragon Bar: A vast common room/tavern. There's this huge carved dragon head that can breathe a black cloud on unruly patrons.
• The Dicing Cup: Where wealthy people gamble large sums of money. It is watched over by an invisible mage and two gargoyles. There's an albino musician named Estrella with silver hair who often performs.
• The Bear-Baiting Room: There's a pit on the map. I have no idea.
• Fortune's Wheel:  The minimum bet is 10 gp.  You spin the wheel and hope it lands on a gold square. Most of the squares are black and pay out nothing. The mage's prize is a relic imbued with arcane power.
• The Azure Iris: An inn on the top of the building with magically warded rooms to prevent scrying or eavesdropping.

The menu includes Abyssal Beef (5 gp), Divine Dogmeat (3 gp), Hangman's Ham (2 gp).

NPCs

Shemeshka the Marauder- There is a massive article on her in Dungeon Magazine #205. She is an arcanaloth (or raavasta) involved in everything from slave-trade to ownership of devil festhalls. She specializes in selling secrets and is an amoral liar/manipulator. She actually wears a sort of crown of razorvine on her head.

She runs The Mutual Trade Association and the Knights of the Cross-Trade and has a hand in the the Order of Master Clerks and Scribes, the Runner and Escort Guild, the Entertainer’s Guild, and the Adventurer’s Guild

Lissandra the Gate-Seeker- This woman is a mage formerly from the Forgotten Realms. She keeps a log of portals, and is known to question people who emerge from portals to describe the other side, and what the portal key is. She tracks shifting gates, trying to predict patterns. People pay her for portal information. She always has her protal lo book with her, and it is protected by multiple magic traps. She's a 9th level wizard. Here's her stats: Str 11; Dex 15; Con 12; Int 17; Wis 15; Cha 16.

The Hive Ward

This is a grim and poor place, full of thieves, pawnbrokers, secret slave markets and the insane. There's even gladiatorial pits. There are a lot of demons and devils here, quietly waging the blood war in back alleys. The entire ward is home to the Xaositects, a faction of the insane.

The Mortuary-This vast complex is home to the Dustmen, who inter the city's corpses here. It is said to have portals to every plane. This is the place that Planescape: Torment begins in.

The Gatehouse Night Market- Thieves sell goods to fences, who sell the stuff to other people who ship it out of Sigil. You could come here to try to buy back something stolen from you.

Smoldering Corpse Bar (tavern): This bar has a poor wizard hovering in the air, on fire. He is cursed. This is an awesome location overloaded with cool NPCs, including Dak'kon the githzerai.

Fell's Tattoos- Fell is a dabus that everyone avoids. He makes magic tattoos which could be a really cool magic item for your PCs.

The Slaughterhouse- This place features pit fighting in a cage. People sit on tables on scaffolds that line the walls, allowing them to watch the fight as they eat and drink. There's even an "elevator" with a rope and pulley system. The place is guarded by a minotaur bouncer named Vaargh. A popular drink is viperwine: A poisonous tanar'ric concoction demons drink. It is deadly to all except for demons. (This location appeared in the adventure "Nemesis" in Dungeon magazine #60).

NPCs

Kylie

Kylie- She is a tout (a guide to the city), a whip-smart tiefling and an NPC featured in a number of Planescape products. She seemingly knows everyone in Sigil and wins people over with her irrepressible spirit. She has a pet named Dib. It's an ethyk (a cute, furry little one-eyed rabbit/raccoon creature). Kylie specializes in knowing things people will pay to find out. She prefers to be paid in magic items

Lower Ward

This area is home to the city's craftsmen. It is full of warehouses, smoky mills, forges and workshops. There are a lot of portals here.

The Great Foundry- Home of the Godsmen. They make anything that can be fashioned out of iron.

The Friendly Fiend- A magic shop run by A'kin the Friendly Fiend (see below).

The Parted Veil- This is a bookshop on Forgotten Lane which is a tremendous resource. There is a secret back room that nobody is allowed to go in except the owner, and in it seems to be any book a person could want. The front door has a magic mouth that utters inspirational messages whena customer enters. The walls and floors are made of old books. The place is run by a gnome named Kesto Brighteyes, who thinks the gods are weak and undeserving of worship. He is assisted by Cleve, a bodak who somehow retained his mortal memories and disposition. Cleve was a paladin from Krynn who was slain by demons of demogorgon.

The Ditch- The only large body of water in Sigil, a foul and reeking morass that corrodes corpses within hours of being dumped. Wererats gather here to receive orders from their leader, Tattershade. Metal refuse is dumped here by the dabus.

Society of the Luminiferous Aether- A gentlemen's club for working mages. Only members are let in by the doorman - Gamnesto the Vile, a bound gehreleth. The place has a library and a list of portals and keys that work in Sigil and the planes. Membership fee: 10,000 gp!

The Face of Gith (tavern) - A githzerai establishment. They drink silently and sullenly. There's a sealed blob of primal chaos from Limbo here that some spellcasters can shape it into images and creatures to amuse the patrons.

The Ubiquitous Wayfarer (tavern)- This tavern is popular in part because people believe it holds over two dozen portals (all activated by obscure portal keys, of course). The proprieter is a middle-aged woman named Riaen Blackhome who belongs to the Fraternity of Order. There's a magical statue in the center of the taproom that "...depicts a barmy old wizard with a long beard". It speaks a new riddle each week. The Wayfarer is 2 stories high and it is known as a friendly and safe place. Meals are filling if not fancy.  This location is heavily featured in the Planescape adventure "Dead Gods", by Monte Cook.

The Black Sail(tavern/inn)- Fused to the tavern is the hull of a galleon that has a gargoylish figurehead and a soot-stained sail. The establishment is ill-kept. There are tables in the middle of the room and curtained-off booths. The innkeeper is a brooding thief named Zaren. Salja Slitterknife, a tiefling waitress, sees a lot. She happy to sell information to people for 100-400 gold. Her brother, Llisian is a thief. This place appears in "The Eternal Boundary" adventure, as well as two Chris Perkins Dungeon magazine adventures - "Umbra" and "Nemesis".

The Styx Oarsmen (tavern/inn)- This inn prides itself on accepting the more exotic beings of the city, although you can't get in here without a password. Most of the patrons are demons who come here to meet and do business. The Oarsmen is a dark, dangerous place run by a githzerai named Zegonz Vlaric who has one arm frozen in a clawlike pose. He was crippled by "do-gooder" adventurers and hates them. Unseen servants keep the place tidy. There's a secret room in the back for clandestine meetings - you'll need to pay the bartender 100 gold for access. The bartender is a marilith named "Marilith" who mixes three drinks at a time. The place is secretly owned by Rule-of-Three, who is usually in disguise as a githzerai scholar. A chicken bone may be used here to gain access to a portal to the Abyss. 

NPCs

A'kin the Friendly Fiend-A raavasta who always seems a little too happy. He is connected to Shemeshka as both a friend and an enemy. She has burned down his shop 3 times in the last 100 years. Some think he is a spy for demons or devils, reporting on the Lady of Pain.

Rule-of-Three

Rule-of-Three- He is a cambion who may be linked to the demon lord Graz'zt. He often disguises himself in the form of a githzerai. He gives three answers to every question. He also insists on being paid for information with three payments, like one gold, one silver and one copper or a joke, a proverb and an insult.

Clerk's Ward

Home to bureaucrats, sages and scribes. Clerks, shopkeepers and moneylenders live here. There's a 200 foot tall statue called the Trioptic Nic'Epona (a 3-eyed horse). Each of the statue's eyes are made of a certain type of gem. If you hold a similar gem in your hand and step on the base of the statue and speak a command word (which is only known to a few dignitaries), you will teleport to Elysium, Celestia or a Prime Material Plane.

The Hall of Records- Home to the Fated and the hub of Sigil's financial world. In the adjacent Hall of Information, there's this door with nine levers. Pulling them in the right sequence gives you access to a vault full of good stuff: piles of gold from fees and bundles of documents that implicate Sigil officials in all sorts of crimes. Pulling the wrong sequence of levers sucks you into the negative material plane.

The Hall of Speakers- Home to The Sign of One. This is where the factions debate laws and feud with one another.

The Streetsweeper's Yard- A junkyard where dabus gather the refuse collected from the city's streets into huge, stinking piles. The dabus watch over this place, but it is known to be home to otyughs, cross-trading bandits and diseased giant rats. There's a portal here to duergar mines in Acheron that opens on its own once a week. The dabus use it to throw trash in. (This location is from The Great Modron March, page 118)

The Whole Note Inn (Inn) - Menu - Carceri Snails (7 sp), Poached Stirge Eggs (5sp), Glorium Ox (8 sp), Goat Filet in Strawberry Sauce (6 sp), Pickled Eel and Mustard Pie (6 sp), Boiled Shank of Bebelith (5 sp).

Brothel for Slaking Intellectual Lusts- A brothel with workers who converse with the patrons. There's a secret area where the workers have these sensory orbs that contain their thoughts and feelings.

Civic Festhall- It's a concert hall, opera house, museum, tavern, and faction headquarters of the Sensates. It has these public and private sensoriums, where you can touch a magic stone and experience things like: frightened exhilaration, sheer wonder, lycanthropy and supernatural lust (!).

Curiosity Shoppe- This place sells tons of cool items. It is run by a cold alu-fiend with blue skin and yellow eyes named Vrishika. The magic items in here are awesome and unique. There's a rune-covered ale stein that keeps drinks ice cold, a monster jug (with a monster trapped inside) and a chocolate quasit - a quasit magically turned to chocolate.

NPCs

Estavan the Merchant Lord- An oni merchant lord. Ostentatious, manipulative and merciless. He often wears a red silk kimono and a gold necklace.He lives in an office building with a sign that depicts a caravan passing through a series of portals (the symbol of the Planar Trade Consortium). Estavan is never seen outside of his office - many think that there's a portal in his office to a secret headquarters of the consortium.

Jeena Ealy- The most popular author in Sigil. She writes true life adventure books. She hires freelance adventurers for research. She is planning books on the river styx and the beastlands. Some works include:

• Death in the Norns: Adventures in the Outlands
• In Darkest Sigil: Chronicles the horrid conditions in the Hive.
• Other books include a history of the blood war, and a study of yugoloths.

The Guildhall and Market Wards

There are permanent portals here to cities of the planes. This is where you come to buy stuff.

The Great Gymnasium- Home of the Transcendent Order. This place has baths, steam rooms, massage tables, etc. It's a place for people to relax, and also a neutral ground for hostile parties (weapons and spells are not allowed in here).

The Flame Pits- This bath house is run by a sharp-tongued githzerai named Laril Zasskos. This place has exotic baths: lava pools for elementals, scouring whirlwinds, rank ooze, and pure water.

The Great Bazaar- Home the the Free League, a great place to buy stuff and get information.

Imel's Happy Tongue- A restaurant that sometimes sells cheeses: Warrior's Cheese (2 gp), Bytopian Red (1 gp), Tiefling's Delight (2 gp), Death Cheese (made from catoblepas milk! 20 gp).

Ensin's Discount Elixirs- Ensin, a mage, brews potions with cheap components. No refunds! He makes concoctions such as:

• Potion of Small Animal Control (50 gp) - 1 to 4 rats, etc.
• Potion of Limited Invisibility (50 gp) - Only works at night or in a dark room.
• Potion of Limited Healing (30 gp) - Heals d6 damage
• Potion of Blue Hue (10 gp) - Turns you light blue.
• Potion of Drowning Resistance (75 gp) - You can breathe water for 10 minutes

Zakk's Corpse Curing- Mhasha Zakk is a taxidermist that will stuff anything. It's a good place to dump a body or make a little extra money. She pays 2 gp for a dog or cat, and 20 for a man-sized creature (or a man).

Alluvius Ruskin

Tivvum's Antiquities- I am using material from Dragon Magazine #414 - "From the Attic of Alluvius Ruskin". This store is in a tower with green marble walls. It is known as good place to buy portal keys and is run by Alluvius Ruskin, a tiefling, old and frail. Some keys: Ice made from water of the river Styx, a balor skull inlaid with gems. The place also has some awesome magic items:

• Mimir- A small skull made of metal that can give you information on the planes.
• Karach Armor: Githzerai armor made from chaos matter of Limbo. It has no speed penalty despite acting as chain, scale or platemail.
• Spellsoul Blade: A blade that allows you to store a piece of your soul in it. You can use it to deal different types of damage (fire, lightning, etc.). You can store it and recall it from an extradimensional space.
• Modron Toy: You can use this to summon a modron, or open a portal to a "pocket dimension bounded by interlocked gears". You can rest in there, though if you spend more than 8 hours in there, you're either dumped out or sucked into the lawful plane of Mechanus. Time flows differently in the pocket realm. The DM rolls a d20, and the result indicates whether time flowed faster or slower while you were in there.