The Fraternity of Order are a faction believe that the multiverse can be defined by a series of rules. And once you know and understand these rules, you can exploit them.
History[]
- 856 BFHR: The Fraternity of Order becomes an organized group, establishing the rules for chartering a faction. Accordingly, since they were the first chartered under their own rules, the Guvners consider themselves the first and oldest faction. (Other factions may disagree.)[1]
- 574 BFHR: The time of Fraternity of Order Factol Jaretta. "Anarchists" are mentioned in Guvner records during this time, who may or may not be the same group as the eventual Revolutionary League.[2]
- 1 YFHR: Fraternity of Order Factol Lariset the Inescapable spends several months sequestered in research before vanishing from her quarters. It's assumed she ascended to a higher level of power. Hashkar becomes the new Factol of the Fraternity of Order.[3]
- 100 YFHR: Ghuntomas of Thorn, a member of the Fraternity of Order, pens Ever-changing Order, an obtusely-written treatise on how chaos and order paradoxically work together. He's later kicked out of the faction for his heretical views.[4]
Previous factols:
Philosophy[]
Everything has laws; most are dark. Learn the laws of the multiverse and you can rule it.
The Guvners divide laws into three rough categories: Rules define what individual people do, Laws define societies and the natural world, and Great Axioms are laws governing the multiverse and empowering the gods. Guvners seek to discover all the Great Axioms, but even the highest-ranking Guvners usually only know a bare handful.
Role[]
The Fraternity of Order affinity for rules and laws makes them perfect for running the High Courts, the seat of Sigil's legal system. They write the laws and adjudicate over criminal trials in the courtrooms (as both judges and lawyers). The Harmonium enforce the laws, and once a criminal is deemed guilty, they're passed on to the Mercykillers to carry out the punishment.
Membership[]
The Guvners require at least a few hours of service each week from every member of the faction. Accordingly, faction ranks are usually based on the court system.
Namers are typically titled Aides, particularly during their work in the courts. Aides must follow the orders of any Administrator, unless that order conflicts with another ongoing task.
Factotums are titled Administrators. In order to become an Administrator, every 100 days a series of tests is issued, which an Aide must pass. One of these tests is being able to demonstrate a special ability based on their understanding of a loophole in the multiverse. Loophole powers may take months to discover.
Successfully passing gives the new Administrator an A10 ranking. Ranks then proceed up to A1, with a new test available every 100 days (a particularly good score may result in advancing two ranks). Lower-ranked Administrators may feel like glorified Aides. Higher ranked Administrators may have Aides of their own to supervise.
Administrators of all ranks serve as legal advisers as well as attorneys.
Benefits: Administrators of at least 5th level gain a limited ability to manipulate probability: 1/day they may gain a +1 to an attack roll, damage roll, or saving throw, or a -1 bonus to roll against a proficiency or ability score, or adjust a percentage roll by 5%. Additionally, they may give a -1/5% penalty to an opponent's roll. These bonuses and penalties gain an additional ±1/5% every three levels.
Factors are known as Bureau Chiefs, and serve as judges. Similar to the test to become Administrators, A1-ranked factotums may take at test in order to become a Bureau Chief. However, there are a set number of Chiefs, and advancement can only happen if an existing position is vacant.
Bureau Chiefs are rated from B5 to B1. Lower-ranked Chiefs supervise lesser bureaus, which are often part of larger bureaus. B1s supervise the Star Bureaus, which have been around for centuries: Record-Keeping, Research, Internal Affairs, Planar Affairs, and Prime Affairs. B2s may supervise Ad Hoc bureaus, which are technically considered temporary, despite some of them having been around for a century or more, such as the Bureau of Courts, which assigns court duty to faction members.
Known Bureau Chiefs:
- B2 Jamis of the Ad Hoc Bureau of Courts[6]
Background Information[]
References[]
- 2nd Edition
- Planescape: Planescape Campaign Setting, p. 22, A Player's Guide to the Planes
- Planescape: The Factol's Manifesto, p. 68-77
- Planescape: The Planewalker's Handbook, p. 66
- Planescape: Planescape Campaign Setting, p. 22, A Player's Guide to the Planes
- 3rd Edition
- Dragon: Dragon Magazine 315, p. 46, The Exiled Factions
- 5th Edition
- Planescape: Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse, p. 24, Sigil and the Outlands
- ↑ Planescape: The Factol's Manifesto, p. 69
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Planescape: The Factol's Manifesto, p. 114
- ↑ Planescape: The Factol's Manifesto, p. 77
- ↑ Planescape: Tales from the Infinite Staircase, p. 113
- ↑ Planescape: The Factol's Manifesto, p. 76-77
- ↑ Planescape: The Factol's Manifesto, p. 72
| Planescape Factions | |
|---|---|
| AD&D 2nd Edition | |
| Pre-Faction War: | Athar · Believers of the Source · Bleak Cabal · Doomguard · Dustmen Fated · Fraternity of Order · Free League · Harmonium · Mercykillers |
| Post-Faction War: | Believers of the Source + Sign of One → Mind's Eye |
| D&D 5th Edition | |
| Ascendant Factions: | Athar · Bleak Cabal · Doomguard · Fated Fraternity of Order · Hands of Havoc · Harmonium · Heralds of Dust |
| Minor Factions: | Free League · Incanterium · Ring Givers |
| Nowhere: | Coterie of Cakes · Revolutionary League · Undivided |