Grievances and Fears in the Cage

Life in the Cage is a complicated matter.  Even the status quo is barely fathomable to outsiders.  And for those who live within it?  Somehow, it all makes sense.  But, what does it mean in the end?  What of the factions, the arising guilds, equally escalating tensions, the general struggle?  Only time will tell.  Should the visions of the Cage’s seers be true, many of those elements in the dark won’t matter anyway.  Their influence won’t last, but their damage will be done.

Author’s Note: These are drafts that have languished for a while.  Needless to say, maybe I’ll continue to make these.  Dunno.  I’m back here because some old fans reached out.  In the meantime, enjoy a heated rivalry, unusual crimes, a rally from Hell, cults and an homage to In The Mouth of Madness.  As always, all of this is through the notes, letters and thoughts of The Cage.

Musings on the Cage – Days in the Life and More

The Cage, Sigil, an ever lively place full of surprises and wonders.  Joy can be found amidst struggle and sorrow.  Wonders are as common as fears.  It is a place of variety, it is the center of the multiverse.  For your curiosity, I have obtained letters about fae glamour, angered tree men, a murderous conspiracy and the Hag Countess’ campaign from the Cager side.

[Editor’s Note: Because in the end, would I lead you astray?  Certainly not!  Read onward, friends.]

Author’s note: The season of holiday stress is over once more.  Ah, splendid.  Anyway, I felt creative once more.  And with that, more little blurbs and bits on the day to day around The Cage and beyond… with the added touch of a known friend  Why?  Because I will always love Sigil (at least the version less touched by Hasbro and their ilk later in this Year of 2023.)

Other note: this was written before the horrible OGL mess.  Fight for OpenD&D and don’t stop.

Musings in the Cage – Yet More Letters and Words from Sigil

The every day shuffling of feet against strange streets, the low murmurs of passersby, the ambience of a city infused with all means of reality and planes, the true center of the multiverse.  This is Sigil, a place of many stories… even stories as small as snippets from conversations and written word alike.  There is no seeming end to what one can learn from a little perception and a day’s worth of wandering.

Author’s note: What, a post by me? And it’s not just announcement? Could it be? Yes and no. I’m still somewhat retired from gaming creations for now. I’m less burned out on the idea of writing updates and ideas for this page. It was fun and worth picking up again.

More Politicking and Intrigue of the Fey – Part 3

Outlaws, Oddballs and Cultist Fanatics

Seelie, Unseelie, Four Seasons and a few minor houses.  There is more from there.  And by all means, all of them scheme and dream.  All of them seek to triumph over the rest.  And worst of all, to see one of them fully succeed would spell the end of the fey.  Even those devout to Rhiannon would bring about their queen’s deepest fear.  In the end, the politics and ways of these creatures are too alien to fully understand.  How would they avoid absolute destruction?  How would they rebuild?  It would take a lot of speculation to imagine how pieces would be picked up by such truly unique creatures.  But, a mix of Real Speak and Chant alike has been formulated into some well crafted notes.  So, by all means read ahead and dare to discover how much of it is actual truth.  Normally, I strive for truly gripping information that holds the tests of scrutiny.  But, for cabals and corridors this deep, such endeavors are impossible.  Perhaps I have been mislead by rivals?  It is the fey way, after all.

Author’s Note: The last of them, at least for now.  These remaining sects, like the three before, hold less overall political power and tend to be less centralized.  However, most of them are some level of crazy, even by fey standards.  Also, huge shout-out to The Piazza forums.  Their ideas helped really bring this to life.

A Day in the Planar’s Life – Of Sigilian Happenings

More day-to-day life with the Cage.  Turbulence looks to be a recent norm, but life finds a way of adapting or addressing such matters.  Those who aren’t content with being clueless eventually find their way here, lest they give up or fall.  Life ain’t easy, but many have carved a niche out of it.  Plenty either just use others or get ahead in some other negative way, but that ain’t the city as a whole.  Plenty of bashers take the honest and noble route, even some Hardheads and Guvners really are good at heart.  Likewise, Signers and Ciphers can ante up good too.  And should one need the aid, new means are emerging.  Bleakers have their kitchens, plus some barmies wanna try to help others like them to help keep the Gatehouse from clogging so bad.  So, life here.  It is what it is.

Author’s Note: I always find myself coming back to this font of inspiration.  Sigil has been a favorite of mine.  I’ve been musing on making my own planar hub.  As a previous picture would tell you, perhaps something with more Grimjack inspiration.

Planar Explorations, by [REDACTED] or “The Narrator”

“I hate this Ramon DeLeon, barmy liar has brought many to their dooms!  My brothers feel it’s in best interest to visit the bard, as well as his monastery friends in due time.  I lack the muscle of some compatriots, but I can only hope my word craft and reason is enough to get this menace to stand down.  And if he doesn’t, may his long ears be ripped off his head!  Now, where’s my wine?” – Gerard Claude Dupois, Renardois-folk Lupin of Petite Renardie

Where’s a primer to go to learn all there is upon the planes?  Why, to Sigil of course!  And where from there?  Well, competition has floundered in the claws of a beast named Ramon!  His biased words paint a different story of the planes, bringing glory to some and chastisement to others.  But, be assured there are far stranger truths than those cooked up by some hairball hacking mutant with a knack for storytelling.  And within such stories, many things are best left alone.  Because of his foolish idealism, a racial war begins to boil… not unlike that of the gith.  But, enough tearing of one’s fake character.  It’s time to explore the planes with a tighter focus and sense of scrutiny.  Dare you discover what truly happens within realities beyond?  Of course you do, that’s why you’re here!

Now, who might I be?  Why, the Narrator, of course!  Do you think I’m like the Editor?  Because you shouldn’t!  I’m far more charming and more elaborate.  No cryptic absurdity here, only the upfront truth and the deepest of dark you can muster.  Besides, he seems to have given the city the laugh for a while.  Good for him, I say.  You work hard, you eventually catch a break.  So, why can’t you see me?  Well, disclosing such information is dangerous.  Surely, you can understand this.  So, let us not waste too much time.  Turbulence and conflict bubble and ooze around the cage, especially in these trying times.  Methinks another age of upheaval is upon us.  But, whose to say?  I surely can’t, I’ve moved onto other business after ages of merc blood-work.  But, onto other matters then.

Author’s Note: Yup, split post.  Unrest still hovers over the greatest city in the multiverse.  And as one can assume, not all like the traveling bard.  Some think he’s a foul swindler even!  But, what other stories can be told of the planes?  Plenty, I can tell you!  Also, I wanted to explore an even darker look at the fey.  I don’t care for Disney takes on Faeries, give me gothic style aliens any day!  And yes, it overtook the post.  And once again, The Evil Dead inspired something for me to work with.  In addition, we have strange elementals, trade war, a sentient astral pocket and a drifting piece of New Jersey!  Also, as the name might imply, one of my greatest inspirations for Planescape content is the Grimjack/Mundens/Cynosure universe.  Science-fantasy hodgepodge, multiversal antics, a grim mercenary tone often used, lots of it already felt Planescape, even if it predates the setting by around a decade.

Barmy Kips and Dark Locales – More Curiosities of Sigil

Oh, so you’re in need of a tout?  Yeah, I could do that.  What’re in the need for, chummer?  You gave the jink tip, so I’m all bone box gab.  Juggling Monk Way holds the chant on good eats and bub, little cost.  You gots yourself 3 different taverns, all good options.  What’s next, yes?  Oh, Easy workin’s.  Aye.  You can help patrol against Cranium Rats.  Yeah, office right down where I’m pointing.  There’s also the labor yard, a bit more north in the Hive here.  They need bashers to haul bunches o’ junk, probably for trade.  But, real thrills?  Follow me down this burned alley, I gots something that’s a real once in a lifetime treat!  Promise ya that!  Haha.

Author’s Note: Continued influence from Eberron, the High Society and the near-end of the Antorek metaplots.  And just below, things deep in UnderSigil.  I know I brought that blasted mad dragon and his fey helpers back, but this is what happens when you port Mutant Plants and Mutant Animals from Gamma World into AD&D… among other things from Gamma World.  The Bathysphere is from that too, as well as some planar weirdness.  More is on the way, as things have been split up once again.

More ramblings in the Cage – A collection of letters and notes

Welcome to the Hall of Records. Surely, you have business, right? As well as rightful good means of being here. We’re quite busy, we don’t want free-lookin’ eyes peering and bobblin’ about! So, speak quick and have the right goods ready. Yer jink’s no good here, so don’t bother with that. As is, we’re in the midst of something rather heavy. Last thing we need is some busy-bustin’ basher bouncing about.

Author’s Note: This was fun, let’s do it again!  Ravenscape crossover, Simpsons references, all sorts of strangeness.

In Which Calamity Reigns – More Planescape Lore

“To the Armory, CHAAAAARGE!.”

“Those Anarchist twits, sparking more violence within The Cage.  They think they’re turning the people against the factions, all of them…  Not quite.  It all plays into our hands.  Besides, this has lead to our greatest dabbling, remote shops to distribute weapons from The Armory better!  Tuck them under the Legals’ noses, give ’em the laugh at the right moment!  The smell o’ fresh blood wafting along the Lower Ward smog, ain’t it just grand?  Besides, nasty things are brewing in the planes, it’s best for the locals to arm themselves.  Bloody shame with those pirates though, I wish they were working for us…” – From the letter of a Sinker, commenting on recent “acceleration” within Sigil

Horrible things transpire across the planes, but what do they mean?  Likewise, dread things from realms unknown have found their way into The Cage.  The few paranoid greybeards within The Dark point towards The Demiplane of Dread and its machinations.  But, they can’t say for sure and can’t say why.  Through the Prime Fabric, a version of Terra languishes at the wrath of the planes beyond too, something that should be impossible.  As it is, rising tensions within Sigil point to something grim.  Some figure that Factol Darkwood is up to something, but he has been on the hush since violence against any faction/non-guild has been on the rise.  Even laws passed and enforced by the “lawful three” have been subverted and sometimes abolished by outside forces.  The Lady, as always, has remained silent until her call to action draws near.  In the meantime, both Anarchists and Indeps are getting much of the heat of the blame, alongside various Guilds of the Guildhall and Market Wards.

Author’s Note: This post is all about two themes: darker things in the planes… and war.  By war, I mean urban warfare, world war, proxy war, war of ideals/words and war over technology.  But also, we have more Planescape content, as well as potential “Ravenscape” material.  As always, references galore!  This includes some personalities in real life.  Shout-out to The Foxy Bard of Renaissance Faire performance fame.  I still say if you toss on a monocle, you could rock a Harkon Lukas cosplay!  Mind you, Lukas was an inspiration for my character too.  Also, this one is a smidge rougher based on looks at an apocalyptic Earth, as well as uproar in the Cage.  Keep an eye out for many, many callbacks throughout the post.  I love to self-reference.

Letters, papers and scribbles of the Cage – Words throughout Sigil

The Cage brings plenty of types, from all walks of life. If they can actually take the time, they drop being Clueless and are one of the regulars… so to speak. Those who complain otherwise are quick to forget that their ancestors were likely Primers. None the less, take a walk around and you’ll see and read plenty. It’s more than enough to tell one where the Chant may lie or where one can get a solid bub glass, maybe a cut of quick jink. So, welcome fair travelers. And welcome to my services as a faithful Tout.

Author’s Note: I wanted to do a quick one-off. Basically, letters, ads and more from Sigil in the style of stuff seen in the books.