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Keeping to the rule of threes, there are three distinct layers in Sigil, these being:
Sigil: As we all know and love, no need to expand.
Gilis: The sewer system and fresh water seepage.
Ligis: The underworld.
Here the Sewer systems run and the wells are sunk. In this model, most of the sewer systems run towards the river that was mentioned earlier in a question posted to the PS list. Hence the reason why the river expands and increases in volume. The river is placed between the Hive and the Lower Ward. This river is a foul smelling one near its end. The river moves from the outer layer (Sigil) to the sewer level (Gilis). The river enters the rock and is dispersed. In this way the water seeps back along the level, is filtered and effectively cleaned, re-dissolves trace nutrients and is available in the wells of Sigil. A small portion of the river wraps around, back to the edge and reappears as the small trickle of water seen on the map of Sigil. Voilą, conservation of water. The world is one of slime, stench and weird creatures. Sewer systems are traversed to reach the underworld, and although there are passages directly to Ligis from Sigil, they are a well kept secret. Most people wishing to reach Ligis must pass through Gilis, the sewer world. A dangerous, dank, dark world. Treasure would be limited to items dropped through the sewers/storm drains that have been collected by a monster of sorts. This place is not a dungeon clean 'n glean adventure place and should not be allowed to become so.
Home to the "others". This is an organised world of layered 'realms'
Each layer could house a different "feel" and depends on the particular GM.
Passages to the underworld can be directly from the "surface" or from the
sewer world. They can go to any layer and some layers are not interconnected.
[The concept could be limited to just one 'realm' to those who do not like a
bag of holding type approach to the size of the underworld]
One of these 'realms' is an underground city "below" the streets of Sigil run
primarily by the Free League and the Revolutionary League. "Below" is put
in quotes because, although part of the city is located inside the great
doughnut nexus of the Multiverse, the cities' tunnels actually exist on
different planes through permanently open portals. This is explained in
more detail below.
DM's are encouraged to expand on the city in any way they see fit for,
like the planes, it is potentially infinite.
It also gives the Free League and the Revolutionary League much
greater breadth and depth of activities inside Sigil (as well as a "home
base" which they lack upstairs for obvious reasons).
Derinkuyu, the underground city of Free League, encompasses the
only places an Indep. and an Anarchist might call home. Seething below the
feet of the masses in the Lower Ward (and sometimes the Hive), the denizens
of, and visitors to, Derinkuyu buy, sell, trade, eat, scheme and gamble
with the multiverse. What, you might ask, makes this unique? The markets
and Taverns in Sigil provide the same services and you don't have to go
under the bloody ground to get them.
No, berk, what makes Derinkuyu special isn't that they offer many
more things that you couldn't get in Sigil if you looked hard enough. What
makes Derinkuyu special is that they offer these things TAX FREE! That's
right, no more bowin' to the Hardheads, the Takers and the Guvners down
here. As a result, Derinkuyu houses more that its share of Anarchists,
Indeps, lawbreakers, smugglers and knights of the post. Because Derinkuyu
avoids the hassle of dealing with the collectors (most often the Harmonium
doing the business for the Fated) this underground city boasts the most
intense concentration of illicit business in the city. The traders in
Derinkuyu make some serious jink.
Origin
Few in Sigil know how Derinkuyu came to be. Some say great rats
dug these tunnels at the commands of Druids. Others claim that Derinkuyu
arose from Mazes made by the Lady of Pain herself, and still more say it
was built by Baatezu Pit Fiends in an insane attempt to gain the upper hand
in the Blood War. And there's truth to all these tales. The upper levels
of the city do indeed resemble the mazes of the Lady of Pain (to any berk
whose ever survived a maze!) and many passages throughout the city have
scratches and gouges that look like they may have been carved by the teeth
of cranium rats. Further, one notable section of the city's cave and
tunnels is lined with peculiar, evil-lookin' runes and the bones of fiends
are found in the walls' cement.
The Real Chant
But the Dark of these tales is much more bizarre and hideous. The
passages in Derinkuyu ain't merely below the streets of Sigil (a feat made
possible by the Lady's mazes) they also pass in and out of many realms of
existence through permanently open portals. Halls that appear to have been
constructed by Baatezu fiends are actually in Baator! Those passages wind
under the ground on one of the nine hells buried so deep that the fiends
have forgotten they existed (luckily I suppose). Other passages lead to
the Outlands, places in the Prime Material Plane, the Astral, Pandemonium,
the Demi-Plane of Shadow and many more.
Moving through the city, a berk could never know that the passages
were not just randomly constructed under the streets of Sigil, though the
architecture does seem a little bizarre (but that's just commonplace for
the City of Doors). Passing through the portals doesn't even tickle and
spells like Warp Sense that detect portals work not at all - or rather they
seem to find portals everywhere making them essentially useless.
Furthermore, detection spells (magic, evil/good, ...etc.) get very messed
up and monster summoning spells seem essentially random (but that just
depends on where the room or hall really is.) 'Course this really does
help the blokes trying to sell a portal key to Pandemonium: so few berks
actually know where any of the useful portals really are.
The halls and rooms that make up the city have mostly been
forgotten by the denizens of the planes they exist upon (with a few
exceptions). Indeed, the makers of Derinkuyu purposefully choose ancient
and abandoned areas in order to expand the city (though not all turned out
to be quite as abandoned as they thought.) This does not mean that all
sorts of creatures might not stumble upon them, but chances are slim and
most would be so lost by the time they find the tunnels that not even a
deep gnome could lead the way back. (However, the Githyanki are not nearly
so naive: they know of the passages leading to the Astral Plane, and they
intend to find them - see below for details.)
As far as the citizens of the city are concerned, however, their
home lies below the streets of Sigil, in the Great Doughnut, and that's all
there is to it. Everyone has heard at least three rumours (all with a bit
of truth to them) about how the city was formed. Fact is, the citizens of
Derinkuyu might not even care that their precious city shifts in and out of
the multiverse: "We're still making a pile of jink!" (This attitude, of
course, is similar to Californians permanent denial of the possibilities of
potentially devastating earthquakes.) The high-up men in the city do have
the knowledge and most are preparing for the day when a horde of fiends
comes crashing through the halls. But that day is a long way off, not
worth the worry, and now it's time to gather some gold (and sway some
beliefs!)
Indifferent Wholly Supportive Entirely Against
----------- ----------------- ----------------
Athars Fated (unofficially) <-> Fated (officially)
Godsmen Free League Dustmen
Bleak Cabal Anarchists Fraternity of Order
Doomguard <-> Doomguard Harmonium
Signers Sensates Mercykillers
Xaositects <-> Xaositects <-> Xaositects
Table 1:Opinions of the Various Factions Concerning the City: A
quick summary of the opinions of the various factions concerning the
existence of the city. Most opinions are self-explanatory: if the city
somehow furthers their ambitions, they are all for it (e.g. Sensates =
pleasures from the multiverse, Anarchists = hidden places to spawn
rebellion). If the existence of Derinkuyu affects their beliefs not at
all, they are indifferent, but if it goes against their beliefs then they
may personally abhor the city or actively attempt to undermine its
existence (e.g. Harmonium = not under their rightful control, Guvners =
does not follow the laws of the city!) Some opinions, however, deserve
explanation. The Doomguard find the city tends to build upon the chaos and
decay of Sigil but they are not always sure of its success. Since the
Fated collect the taxes in Sigil, they officially rebuke any attempts
to avoid paying, but unofficially many Fated look forward to the incredible
trading and dealing opportunities afforded in Derinkuyu.
Entrance Level
These are the various entrances to the underground city. All are
patrolled by guards hired by those who live in the tunnels. These guards
include indep mercs, anarchists, takers, sensates and doomguard (basically
members of any faction that tend to resist the laws of the Guvners) and
they tend to be guards in Derinkuyu 'cause the jink is good. But since
most all of them have an underground hovel of some sort, they tend also to
be very protective of the City.
Each of the 15 main entrances are near or in some old decrepit
building in Sigil hidden in either the Hive or the Lower Ward (DM's
choice). The entrances are magical in nature and are able to shift when
the need arises. In their stable moments these entrances are found in
trapdoors, on walls, in closets...etc. (The doors have been granted a
minor intelligence that allows them to react to dangerous situations and
shift to appropriate places [ed note: We can figure this bit out as we
go]). To prevent attack, the guards literally collapse the building on
top of the entrance and the entrances then realize its time to shift (fact
is, berk, the entrances change about once a month anyway inside Sigil so
that only by word of mouth, and the right contact for the right price, can
you find out where an entrance is!)
Guards: 2 at every entrance
Warriors armed with swords or spears, 2nd to 4th level.
Races: Human, Tiefling, Bariaur, Githzerai, Elf, Tiefling
Factions: FL, SOS, DG, FA, XA, AN
Armed with swords, spears, daggers
Armor leather (AC 7) or chain (AC 5) no shield
All have horns which they can blow with 3 effects:
1) draw other guards, 2) collapse the building, 3) alert those below.
Ventilation Ducts
Many of these ducts lead out of the city into various building
chimneys and move as randomly as the entrances. Good air flow and
ventilation are critical to the health of Derinkuyu and are well guarded
and protected as a result. The ducts tend to blend in with chimneys for
exhaust and all sort of tubes and pipes for intake. [Ed. note: suggestions
appreciated on this detail.] The Ducts have filters that clear poisonous
air and smog. Spells allow clear air to penetrate but nothing else and
protective magical shells (cast by 7th-9th level magic users in case anyone
tries a Dispel Magic) prevent the vents from getting covered.
Ideas to Consider
Below I present some very rough, general ideas I have for the
city. I think I will keep one level pretty much as a place for Merchants,
eating, gambling...etc, and I describe some of these places below
(suggestions always welcome!). This will be the level I shall concentrate
on, but the rest of the levels are yours to create! Everyone should take
their own section (level) and develop it to the fullest extent. Later we
can connect our sections and decide what their relationships are as well as
what is the appropriate level for them in the city. I'm not convinced that
the Merchant's row..etc. should necessarily be on the first level, for
example. And the city need not necessarily be organized by strict levels,
but may be expanded in various directions. Even though the halls and
passages twist through the multiverse, I want to map them eventually as if
they were an entity running under Sigil. But I do have some ideas that I
might like to incorporate into the scheme of the city and I hoping that
people can fit them in along with the rest of the level that they design.
I have listed these ideas below (and it is a very flexible list) :
1) Mazes of the Lady of Pain (some of the walls have been broken
down for easier access, 2) Fiend tunnels, 3) Rat Tunnels, 4) Living areas
for somewhat "normal" people, 5) Anarchists headquarters, 6) spaces for the
high-up's, and 7) the Church. These are mentioned haphazardly below and
can be included in any way people see fit [and not at all if the idea is
deemed generally cumbersome and silly.]
Merchant's Row, Kitchen, the Dugout & Hardcore
All sorts of goods are bought and sold here, many of which are
quite "hot". Kitchen serves up all sorts of spicy food, much of which is
unfamiliar to primes, especially that meat-like thing... And what IS that
green stuff? About a third of the food moves. The merchants row boasts
all sorts of shops selling fine cloth, baskets, all sorts of metal
trinkets, rope, skins, basic equipment you might find in Sigil, but also a
great deal of bizarre equipment from the multiverse. Weapons room: Lots
of fancy engraved stuff (some magical) that goes for high prices, but not
as high as you might expect! Most of it illicitly gotten, and some shops
sell rather weird and exotic stuff like bolas made from fiend organs (don't
ask which!), sickles carved of __ horns, Harmonium halberds with the
Guvners' seal...etc. Other rooms are mostly devoted to magical stock:
practically every type of magical component you could think of. Planars
also sell scrolls, rings, rods, orbs..etc. all of which they claim have
great powers. The last part of the market sells all sorts of miscellaneous
stuff including food and odds and ends from all over the planes.
Guard Quarters
At any given time the place holds between 5 and 15 guards, weapons and
belongings. The guards are relatively disorganised - you try to get a
bunch of Free Leaguers and Anarchists to march in line and you'll soon
figure out why! Thus the city is less than airtight and the laws are few
and weakly imposed. If you want protection in the city, you pay for it
(private guards are plentiful) but don't ask the guard to bail out your
butt unless you got the jink.
These guards are paid to insure Derinkuyu stays a place of commerce
not under the control of the Hardheads and the Guvners. They protect the
merchants that pay them, but the customers better know the score. When the
need arises they can work very efficiently under the orders of the only
basher they truly trust to lead them: The Captain, Bautal Lok.
The Captain Bautal Lok is the undisputed commander of the guards. To
clueless primes, he appears a thinnish human with a sharp white beard
(really a Githzerai). He is sullen and quickly spoken and recognises
Clueless on sight. He regularly patrols the city looking for weaknesses and
is particularly suspicious of strangers who have "lost their way"
especially Githyanki. From his room, the captain controls the location of
the various entrances and can change them at will. A series of crystals
are locked within a very secure chest hidden behind an illusionary wall.
Most in Derinkuyu think Bautal is just enjoying his retirement as
he deserves, doing a little guard duty and earning a bit o' extra jink.
But here's the dark of it: The Captain knows there ain't no better way for
Githyanki, the arch enemies of the Githzerai, to enter Sigil than through
the portals found in Derinkuyu. Thus, every bleeding (or soon to be
bleeding) Githzerai in the City of Doors is under a wicked and deadly
threat. The portals in the depths of the city offer many passages into the
Astral Plane and you can bet the Githyanki are looking for them right now.
Some portals also open to Limbo, and the fortresses of the Githzerai - yet
another great reason to protect the place.
In Lok's most extreme nightmare, he imagines an invasion force
stepping through one (or more) gate from the Astral Plane (home of the
Githzerai), through another directly into Limbo. Consequently, the captain
has established wards and posted guards on any gate to Limbo that he can
find (and the Astral as well). Lok knows that he may be the only thing
standing in the way of a "yanki" (damn yanki's!) invasion, and that makes
him a bit of a hard case.
(One more idiosyncrasy of note: Lok has a real soft spot (and an
open purse) to hunting parties organizing rrakkma to hunt illithids (mind
flayers). He even takes part on a few himself and can tolerate the
company if he finds them competent enough.)
The captain contacts and keeps tabs on his guards through a variety
of magical means and small spies: Magic Mouths that spread the alarm,
Clairaudience and Locate Object spells help him in this way. He also has a
variety of small non-humanoid minions that do various tasks and run errands
for him.
Captain 7th lvl. Fighter/9th level thief
AC 0 Bracelets of Defence -3 AC, Dex bonus
THACO 14 (+2 rapier, +2 daggers, +1 hand crossbow)
DAM/ATT. 1d8+2, 1d4+2, 1d4+2
Special Abilities
HP 56
The Takers Room
Heavily guarded, this incredibly posh room is the abode of the
taker, the "official" leader of the Indep city. I won't have to say much
because no one gets in here, there is just a mystique about the place. [Ed
note: another personality I plan to expand as well as the gourmet in the
kitchen...etc.]
The Kitchen. This place seems to be greatly respected, as are the smells
that emanate. All sorts of little beasties are cooked and prepared in
these rooms, and exotic spices from around the planes come here. [ed note:
working on a menu! Suggestions appreciated.] In fact, there are several
doorways to alternate "universes" that go out the cabinets and mercs are
paid some very high wages to go and find certain food items. Whether they
be the cumquats grown in the outlands, the earthworms of limbo, or spices
found in the beastlands (no to mention some game) you can get it out these
cabinets. Best kept secret of Sigil, cause only one who goes out, can come
back in! Who keeps this place afloat? The customers.
The cooks are a select bunch that prepare for many tastes: humans,
tieflings, elves, dwarves, gnomes and several unnamable beasts who look
curiously like baatezu and tanar'ri, plus a bear-like thing. The "Gour"
(gourmet - the head chef) is a tiefling male wearing a permanently
bloodied apron. He has a mean temper and some soft smiles; in other words
he controls the kitchen with an iron fist.
The Dugout
This place is one of the most intense taverns in Sigil. Since it
belongs to the indeps, everyone comes in here to enjoy the incredible food,
the strong drink and to gamble away all their grok playing strange games
from across the multiverse [Ed note: A list will be made of the various
games]. There's always music being played by one or another bard, and
jugglers and magicians abound. Lots of serving waitresses and waiters of
all races circle the tables, most having a bad attitude and some tough
protective clothing (not to mention a few daggers stored up their sleeves).
Who comes? All sorts, but of particular mention are some high-up Guvners
who escape to gamble all their money and get particular ironic comments
from everyone around (especially chaosmen, takers, indeps and
sensates).
Hardcore
Because of the intensity of the smells and the evil, most fiends
and friends eat and drink in this room. Their attitudes preclude mingling
with the other planars, which means some blood gets spilled 'bout once a
day in a blood war dispute. However, the "peace" is usually kept by a few
stronger creatures who are well paid and equipped to monitor the activities
in this room [Ed note: Need to find some pretty strong bouncers for this
task]. (They tend to kill those who blood.)
Administrative Area
Several takers reside here and keep the place running
smoothly for fences, thieves and mercs to take their wares. They pay well
for good quality. Actually, these "players" consist of 4 wizards who ply
their skills to figuring out what good quality is exactly.
Anarchists' Abode
[Ed. note: This area should be deep in the city and
anyone is welcome to design such a place; just let me know.] What better
meeting place for the Anarchists, than the deepest level of the hardest
place to find in Sigil? The furniture in this room consists of several
file drawers and cabinets plus a long table. The table is covered with all
sorts of maps (mostly of areas in Sigil) and all sorts of notes and
writing. Outside rooms are all devoted to revolutionary guards who
regularly rotate among the rooms. Like many other revolutionaries, these
berks are willing to die before letting their secrets out, but they do have
a lot of secrets. They also have ways of starting magical fires to take
all of their secrets with them. Other rooms are blocked by some heavy duty
Iron doors that are further concealed by illusionary magic so that there
appears to be no doors.
Further, the "exit"has 3 escape routes to various parts of the city
which are activated by stones engraved with magical runes, and these stones
are imbedded in the palms of the "SIX". The SIX are the revolutionary
leaders who primarily control the leagues activities around the Derinkuyu
and Sigil (by special appointment from the Factol of course.) These berks
are quite powerful and consist of the six main races and various classes.
But what's the secret to the success of these Anarchists? Though
most of it remains mysterious, many factions in Sigil are rumored to give
them money and assignments to scheme on the other factions.
The Church
This room has doors, literally to all of the planes and to many worlds in
the prime material plane. These doors pulse and glow continuously with
eerie magic. Special keys are needed for either entering or exiting any of
the doors. Often priests come to this room to pray directly to their Powers
into their home plane.
The Chalex
Deep in the bowels of Derinkuyu wind the dark passages known as the
Chalex. Built ages ago below the desolation of Maladomini, the 7th layer
of Baator, they still glow with a faint bronzish light fuelled by the magic
of deeply gouged runes - a testament to the power and skill of the fiendish
sorcerers who carved them. A permanently portal to the layer stands open
at the junction where the passages meet the rest of the city guarded only
by a deadly reputation (usually enough for most berks who sport a fondness
for their epidermis), a simple illusion, and an enchanment barring
Tanar'ri.
Chant is these tunnels represent the finest blend of architecture
and wizardry of the Baatezu and were built for Lord Triel, the fickle,
slug-like archduke of the layer before he became quite so fickle. In those
days, just after the 'fall' of Triel from the cliffs of Mt. Celestia, the
baatezu worshipped him in all his might and ugliness and performed
magnificent and unparalled works in his new cities. In very shot time,
however, Triel's inconstancy became known and the most accomplished of his
builders fled to other layers and to other Lords (perhaps to construct the
Iron Tower of Dispater) where their great works might not be so readily
forgotten and might bring them greater reward. Some addle-coves claim
these tunnels lie under the very first of the cities commissioned by Triel
but only a leatherhead would trust the chant sown by these sods. Fact is,
no basher alive and sane knows the dark of these tunnels and even Triel has
certainly forgotten they exist.
Why then, if they are long forgotten, are they so feared? Two
reasons: 1) they lie under one of the most consummately evil planes in the
Multiverse and 2) whatever dangers still lurk inside have been there a long
time. Rumors of powerful undead, baernolths, fiendish magic and deadly
traps keep most berks from even being curious. The most superstitious of
sods never even mention the word 'chalex' for the bad luck it brings - bad
luck perhaps in the form of a local Baatezu that might put 'em in the
dead-book for spilling the dark on racial secrets.
© 1996 by M. Jones (Ligis) and S. T. Kelley (Derinkuyu)
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