In the
Planescape RPG The Factions are interplanar organisations each based around a single philosophy. While belonging to a faction is not mandatory for
Planewalkers, most Planewalkers in the
Outer Planes of the
Multiverse do belong to one or another. Much of this information comes straight from the Planewalker's Handbook; a very good RPG source book now sadly out of print.
Philosophy: Each Faction is based around a single philosophy, interpretations of each philosophy vary widely, but the basic idea is displayed for you to make up your own mind.
HQ: Each Faction has a HQ in Sigil, each Faction also has a stronghold somewhere else on the Planes, the location of such strongholds are recorded here.
Archetypes: Included for each Faction are quotes of extreme factioneers, this should give you some idea of what the faction is about.
Faction Descriptions
Athar (Defiers, The Lost)
Philosophy: The Powers are frauds; the One true god lies beyond the veil
HQ: The Astral Plane
The Bitter One: I've wasted my life worshipping those frauds. They're gonna pay!
The Street Preacher: Listen to me! The Gods are Frauds! They're no better than you or me, we must search within to find the one true Power!
Believers of the Source (Godsmen)
Philosophy: All life springs from the same divine source ascending and descending in form as it is tested. If you live your life well you may ascend to godhood in your next life, if you don't, well there is a lot to be said for life as a maggot...
HQ: Ethereal Plane (Clerics of 'The Source' Draw spellcasting powers from this plane)
The Achever: How can I improve myself this fine day?
The Egotist: I've passed tests other berks couldn't dream of, I'm well on my way to Godhood.
Bleak Cabal (Bleakers, Madmen)
Philosophy: The Multiverse aint supposed to make sense. There is no grand scheme, no deep meaning. If there is a truth stop traipsing to far off glades or mountain tops for arcane scribblings and look inside your own skull.
HQ: Pandemonium
Perpetually Depressed: Nothing means anything so why do anything?
Perpetually Cheerful: Nothing means anything, so why not do anything?
Perpetually Insane: Nothing means Anything so Anything means Nothing so Nothing is Everything and Everything is Nothing....
Doomgard (Sinkers)
Philosophy: Entropy is ecstasy; decay is divine. The Multiverse is supposed to fall apart, we're just here to stop leatherheads from interfering.
HQ: The Borders of the Negative Material Plane
Destroyer: Hey, lets break it to bits, help Entropy along!
Watcher: Think long-term work quietly, do a bit here, a bit there. Work behind the scenes and soon the whole stage'll come crashing down.
Dustmen (The Dead)
Philosophy: We're all dead, just some more than others. We explore our state and remove our tethering passions, and ascend towards the purity of True Death.
HQ: A specially enchanted fortress in The Negative Material Plane
The Wide Eyed Dead: No emotions, no dreams, no pain... Oblivion is bliss.
Serene: Fully Satisfied...comfortably numb.
Fated (Takers, Coldbloods)
Philosophy: The Multiverse doesn't belong to anyone unless someone takes it. If someone ends up loosing out cause somebody else took something its the sorry sods own fault.
HQ: Ysgard (Rowan's Hall)
Stoneheart: What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too just as soon as I can get my hands on it!
The Doer: I'll get what I need even if heaven and hell stand against me!
The Fraternity of Order (The Guvners)
Philosophy: Everything has Laws; most are Dark. The Laws rule the Multiverse, Learn the laws and you rule the ruler.
HQ: Mechanus (The Fortress of Disciplined Enlightenment)
The Sage: Knowledge is power, right? So what if you know everything?
The Manipulator: Master the laws of the Multiverse and find the loopholes!
The Free League (Indeps)
Philosophy: This aint no Faction! If you want a fragging philosophy go find yer own cause I'm not going to sodding give you one! Now sod off you Addle-Coved, Leatherheaded Tord Brain! (Each Indep agrees on his philosophy with his DM)
HQ: None, though influencial Indeps often meet in the trademarket of Sigil to discuss matters of mutual concern.
Archetypes: Anyone not interested in joining a faction.
Harmonium (Hardheads)
Philosophy: Peace is our goal. We are willing to fight and to die to bring peace to the Planes.
HQ: Arcadia
The Basher: Make peace not war or I'll kick yer ass!
The Crusader: I hate violence as much as the next man, but answer me this, would you like your children to live in a world conquered by the Tanar'ri? My answer is no, and I'm willing to fight to stop such a thing happening while I still live and breath.
The Mercykillers (The Red Death)
Philosophy: To Err is Human, To Punish Divine.
HQ:Archeron (Vorkeham Citadel)
The Fanatic: I am the Judge. I am the Jury, You are the Accused. You are the Dead.
The Crusader: Justice is to do what is right. Innocents must be protected, must never be harmed and must always be considered. The guilty must be punished, but not unfairly, and never if it endangers the innocent.
The Revolutionary League (Anarchists, Anarchs)
Philosophy: The present system is corrupt and everyone knows it. The only way to make the world better is to remove the system and start again from the bottom up.
HQ: Carceri (the Bastion of the Last Hope)
Rebel without a Clue: Reasion? Who Needs one? Burn! Loot! Riot! Burn it All!
The Mole: Worm your way into the heart of power and destroy it from within.
The Sign of One (Signers)
Philosophy: You see the world but the world is what you see. If you did not see the world it would not be as you see. What is, is only as you imagine it. If you did not it would not be. You are the Multiverse, You made it. It is yours.
HQ: The Beastlands (The Village of Signpost)
Introspective: Be calm, improve yourself within and without and you improve the Multiverse. Do not let your imagination rule you, instead you must rule it.
Egomaniac: Don't Cross me Berk! Or I think you out of existence!
Serene: Welcome to my Multiverse. You're just how I imagined you'd be.
Society of Sensation (Sensates)
Philosophy: How can you understand something if you have not experienced it? Can a man truly understand what it is like to ride a dragon by studying airflow and draconic biology? Or must he first find a dragon to honour him with its services? The senses form the path to truth, for the multiverse does not truly exist until you sense it.
HQ: Arborea (the Gilded Hall)
Hedonist: Party! Party! Lets get those Senses Rocking!
Connoisseur: The rarest experiences are the finest and offer the deepest insights, one must seek them out wherever they lie in the Planes.
The Transcendent Order (Ciphers)
Philosophy: Action, body and thought, these are your substance and path in this reality and any other. When the three become one, then and only then will you join with the Multiverse.
HQ: Elysium
Hair-Trigger: Action Reaction, why the set order? Yes I know you didn't lay a finger on me, but you were thinking of it weren't you?
Zen Master: Patience Grasshopper, first you must paint my fence.
Xaositects (Chaosmen)
Philosophy: Chaos is truth...most of the time... the rest of the time it is an over grown jellybean but, hey, I don't have anything against jellybeans personally. Embrace the randomness of the multiverse! Learn its Secrets! Eat its Jellybeans! Be its frogs! just so long as they're indigo of course. Now about that jagling that crossed the road....
HQ: Limbo of course
Chaosmonger: Do the opposite of what everyone else does! What do you mean why? Because its ChAoS!
Teaser: Act sane. They expect you to act chaotic, so confuse them. do the opposite, be totally ordered (most of the time).