Great Upheaval

The Great Upheaval is an event that happened in Sigil's past, 503 years before Factol Hashkar's reign.

There were previously approximately 50 factions -- some sources say 49, some say over 50 -- and with them each claiming their own slice of the Cage. During this time, power in the city was largely in the hands of the guilds, with factions being merely philosophical organizations. Eventually the factions broke out into all-out war. The Lady of Pain appeared before each factol with dabus to deliver a message:

“

By order of the Lady of Pain, there will be but 15 factions in Sigil. Organize thy colors by a fortnight hence — or die.

”

Inside two weeks, 34 factions dissolved, and Sigillians joined the remaining 15. Some refused, or didn't make the change fast enough, resulting in a purge of over 17,000 residents. Most joined up with the most "non-faction" faction, the Free League, hoping to wait there for the whole thing to blow over. This shift made the Indeps the largest faction of all time with a million members. Within 50 years, however, that number had dropped to 20,000.

With the factions consolidated into 15, they found their power likewise consolidated, and began edging out the guilds for control of various parts of the city. One initiative was banning any faction member from membership in a guild, a move which reduced the numbers and strength of the latter. Eventually the factions took over. A handful of the larger guilds still exist, but at a fraction of their former strength.

Factions

The following factions are known to have survived the Great Upheaval. Most predated it, but a few were formalized as factions during the Upheaval itself as factions desperately tried to make sure they got out on top, and Cagers tried to find a home among the survivors:

1. Athar
2. Believers of the Source
3. Bleak Cabal
4. Doomguard
5. Dustmen
6. Fated
7. Fraternity of Order
8. Free League
9. Harmonium
10. Mercykillers
11. Society of Sensation

This leaves four positions unknown.

Anarchists have existed for a long time, but it's not sure when they were formalized as the Revolutionary League. Xaositects didn't arrive in Sigil for another 479 years. The history of the Sign of One and Transcendent Order are uncertain.

The Zactars and Communals existed in the period between the Great Upheaval and the present, but it's not certain if they were around as early as the Great Upheaval.

Background Information

• The discrepancy in faction numbers pre-Upheaval may be because some factions, like the Free League, do not consider themselves to be factions. Alternately, the number of factions may have been measured by the Fraternity of Order based on who had formally registered themselves. Some factions (Free League, Revolutionary League) would definitely not have done so.
• The "Great Upheaval" is also occasionally used by denizens of Ravenloft to refer to the Grand Conjunction, an event which shook up the structure of the demiplane's domains in 740 BC (125 YFHR).