Sigil

Sigil, the City of Doors, is a singular nexus at the heart of the multiverse—a strange and paradoxical metropolis that defies conventional understanding. Floating above the infinitely tall Spire at the center of the Outlands, yet somehow not truly in the Outlands, Sigil exists in its own space, a self-contained plane shaped like a great torus, or ring, with the city built along the inner surface. From any point in Sigil, the curve of the city rises above and around, making the skyline a surreal loop of buildings climbing toward the center of the ring.

Sigil earns its name as the City of Doors due to its defining feature: it contains an unimaginable number of portals—magical gateways that lead to virtually anywhere in the multiverse. Any archway, doorway, window, mirror, or even mundane threshold might be a portal, provided the correct key is used. These keys can be physical objects, specific actions, spoken words, or even particular states of mind. As such, Sigil is the ultimate crossroads, attracting travelers, merchants, scholars, spies, and exiles from every corner of existence.

Despite this chaotic convergence of planes and peoples, Sigil is remarkably orderly—and that is due to the enigmatic and all-powerful presence of the Lady of Pain. She is the city’s absolute ruler and protector, a silent, floating figure wreathed in blades and shrouded in mystery. No one commands her; no one truly understands her. She speaks rarely, if at all, and her will is enforced without question. Worship of her is strictly forbidden, and those who attempt it often vanish into the Mazewalks—twisting extradimensional prisons—or are flayed by her mere gaze. Her presence alone ensures no deity may enter Sigil, and even the most powerful beings tread cautiously within her domain.

Sigil has no sun, moon, or stars. The city’s illumination cycles through dim light and brighter periods in a way that mimics day and night but originates from the inner curve of the ring itself. Its architecture is wildly diverse, reflecting the countless cultures that pass through, and its streets wind in baffling patterns that often seem to rearrange themselves.

In essence, Sigil is the beating heart of planar travel—a neutral ground, a melting pot, and a city perched on the edge of everywhere. It is as perilous as it is wondrous, ruled by a silent force and defined by its infinite doors to the unknown.