The Fraternity of Order

Most Sigilians likely only encounter the Fraternity of Order in their role alongside the Harmonium and the Mercykillers keeping order within Sigil, serving as a cornerstone of the criminal justice system. In that duty, they direct the operation of its entire court system, the lowest courts overseen by the faction while the highest courts are judged and ran by members of the Fraternity itself. However, they do much more within the city than merely try offenders, even if most of their duties are invisible to the citizenry. They keep all judicial records of Sigil going back to their very founding, as well as all historical and governmental records of same, though as of late the Fated has increasingly pushed to take hold of this role and the Fraternity archives. They track the portals of Sigil, providing one of the most reliable resources for records on shifting portals (for those that can gain access to them).   Afar, they similarly serve in supporting roles for any number of organizations. They run the workings of Automata, fully managing its bureaucracy from top to bottom. From the Fortress of Disciplined Enlightenment, they watch the gears of Mechanus, charting their turning across the decades. Anywhere where there is government, they offer their services as advisors and clerks, and anywhere there is study, they offer their services as researchers and philosophers. Across the planes, from Inner to Outer, Fraternity members can be found, all means towards the faction's ends: the understanding of systems and structures at all levels, in hopes that by identifying patterns through observation, cataloging, and collation, they can truly know reality.

The planes are governed by laws. Laws can be learned. Learn the laws and you rule the multiverse. That is our goal.

- Factol Hashkar

History of the Fraternity of Order

The Guvners have a long history, but not one full of passion, color, or heroic deeds. Their history fills volumes, but reading it could bore a rock to sleep. 'Course, don't think the Fraternity of Order has no events of interest in its history. Faction members simply analyze past events, dissect 'em, and discuss 'em until even discovering an entirely new plane'd seem mundane. They boil the greatest deeds down so much, they make a basher think the feat follows so logically from previous events, even a barmy could've done it. The Guvners' records go back at least a thousand years, maybe more. For starters. the Fraternity of Order became an organized group 982 years ago. At that time, the members established the rules for chartering a faction in Sigil; eventually the other factions had to follow suit. The Guvners. therefore, consider themselves the first faction, since they were the first chartered under, current rules. Other factions disagree. Anyway, the Guvners easily survived the Great Upheaval. They record everything that happens to them, have regular meetings, and naturally take minutes at every one. Fact is, minutes from a meeting held 900 years ago yesterday are still moldering in a vault somewhere on Mechanus. The Guvners also keep a lot of other reference material; by conducting research in any field, they believe they can uncover previously unknown (or unrealized) laws. They've been right more than a few times, they say: some Guvner studying weather, monster biology, and, say, mining processes might come up with a realization that uncovers a pertinent discovery.   The Guvners record all such findings in one of their vast legal tomes. 'Course, they consider these their most important records, so they sort and classify and organize and duplicate them. These volumes of Rules. Laws, and Axioms become their history of the discovery of law and illustrate the overall history of the faction.   Though a body'd be hard-pressed to tell from their records, the Guvners have done a lot of great things — for themselves, for the Cage, and for all who revere law and order. While they make a lot of rules to govern themselves, they do not make laws to govern others. After all, the other factions would rebel if they didn't get their say, and the Lady of Pain wouldn't like that. It's ironic that one of the Fraternity of Order's highest Rules forbids them from creating laws for Sigil on their own.   Still, the Guvners keep track of all the laws that are made (or discovered), in Sigil and on other planes. They also keep track of all sorts of legal precedents and interpretations of the laws. This duty makes them great legal advisers, advocates, attorneys, and judges. Though they can't make city laws, they do keep the mechanism of law well oiled and moving. See, the Guvners are the ones pushing the other factions to codify procedures and adhere to existing rules. This behavior renders the faction very valuable to Sigil and the Lady. Many times, a Guvner's memory and interpretation of the law have kept the peace or aided others in great feats.   As any blood knows, though, simply knowing a law or announcing it won't make other cutters obey. For example, the Anarchists and Xaositects are notorious for ignoring laws. These groups consider the Guvners repressive, as do the Bleakers and the Doomguard. The Sinkers find themselves in the difficult position of disliking the Guvners while getting on well with the Mercykillers — who work closely with the Guvners.   At one time, the Fraternity of Order saw to law enforcement themselves, but they didn't seem forceful enough for the job. Now, they work with the Harmonium and the Mercykillers to form the wheel of justice in Sigil. The Guvners know the laws and tell them to other cutters, like the Harmonium. The Hardheads, in turn, look for law-breakers and arrest them (as well as other sods whom they think broke the law). The Fraternity of Order holds trials for alleged criminals, with a Guvner as judge. (Often they also serve as prosecutor and defender, in addition to providing the legal staffs of both sides, the court recorders, and so forth.) Anyone convicted of breaking a law the Guvners hand over to the Mercykillers for punishment.   This system proves self-governing, because the members of each faction in the wheel must obey the laws or find themselves arrested and subject to trial just like anyone else. 'Course, most Guvners find loopholes to avoid conviction....   The Fraternity of Order's position in the judiciary process makes faction members pretty powerful. Though they'll never consciously commit a crime, any Berk can see that a group with a convenient law or precedent to suit every occasion can get 'most anything it wants. If the Guvners' philosophy of control through knowing the law really reflects the dark of things, they'll one day run Sigil — the entire multiverse, given time. And faction members never try to hide that goal, either. That's one of the things that makes folks so peery of 'em.   Some Guvners'll even tell a body they've already run things — a few times! They say that whenever a couple of faction members recognize one of the Great Axioms, they make changes that alter the multiverse on such a fundamental level, it becomes something else. 'Course, nobody realizes there's been a change, because they've been altered as well. Poor berks see the new state of the multiverse as absolutely normal. Naturally, the fundamental nature of the alteration prevents anyone from actually proving it ever happened.

Faction Philosophy

"Order is present in all things. Even in the middle of what some scholars might deem "chaos", there is the presence of order, an underlying scheme to it all. We of the Fraternity of Order know this. We know that the multiverse is based on law, rules that govern everything that we know. Every action can be traced back to the exact laws of the multiverse, as we all operate within the constraints and boundaries of these laws, of Axioms as they are more commonly known. Once we have determined the exact rules that govern the multiverse, we will know all and be able to do anything. Because once you know how to work within the laws, you know how to work outside the laws. Once you know the loopholes of reality... then you truly are the most powerful being in the multiverse."
"All natural laws can easily be reduced to one unifying formula! By the elimination and addition of variables into the equation, we near perfection. And once we know what does and does not fit into the final equation, we discover the meaning of the multiverse! Are you not SEEING THIS?"   "Sigil is the Practical Center of the Multiverse for all intents and purposes. Here, the laws of Sigil affect the laws over everywhere. It can be said that the laws of Sigil serve as a focus for the laws of the multiverse. Who creates the laws of Sigil? Nobody, they have been set in place at the beginning of time. It is simply our job to discover and interpret them. Pundits might say that we create and legislate them, but this is a falsehood that is misconstrued by all those who do not understand the perfection and clarity of law. We simply discover the truths that we are intended to find."

Within the Ranks

Most Guvners strike a cutter as bookish types, those wiling to study and adhere to hundreds of rules and laws. To prove they’ve learned the laws, faction members must pass tests, which earns them the admiration of their peers and the opportunity to rise through the ranks.

Roleplaying the Guvners

Two basic types of bashers join the Guvners: those looking for knowledge and those looking for power. To most of 'em, the two quests amount to exactly the same thing — remember, knowledge is power, berk.   Some faction members enjoy delusions of power beyond reason, but they fail to get far. See, such megalomaniacs have lost their sense of order in their fanatic ambition. While many Guvners seek knowledge with fervor, the ones that rise through the ranks are those governed by a sense of order. They don't hunger for the power of knowledge, but accept that it will come.

Alignment

A cutter's got to be lawful to join the Guvners — and pass the right tests, of course. Good characters respect the laws as they are, while evil ones thrill in twisting them legally whenever they can.

Class

Most members of the Fraternity of Order are wizards, since that profession encourages research: all specialties appear in the faction's roll, though Guvner wild mages seem less wild than most and concern themselves with learning the laws and patterns of chaos (such as they are). A lot of the remaining Guvners are priests, usually of a power representing law and order, justice, or a related topic. Warriors seem somewhat common, and the rare Guvner rogue might be a bard or a thief who lawfully tries to thwart other thieves.

Race

Though a character's race makes little difference to the Guvners, many humans and dwarves join. Half-elves and tieflings seem uncommon (they don't take well to strict rules), bariaur rare, and githzerai almost unknown —they like rules even less.

Faction Membership

The Guvners have their share of namers: berks who pass the initial tests (covering laws and general knowledge) but don't strive to learn after their acceptance. They join just to belong to a faction. These namers, or Aides, are the smallest cogs in the Fraternity machine and perform the faction's mundane, day-to-day tasks. Their superiors assign them duties, but they may request assignments as well. Often, high-ups encourage Aides to go on adventures to gain first-hand knowledge, as long as they write full reports on their return.   'Course, factioneers can't always go having off on adventures. The Fraternity of Order also requires at least a few hours of regular duty from each and every Guvner every week. Aides serve as assistants to factotums, or if they're lucky, to higher-placed Guvners. (No namer has direct regular contact with the factol himself though.) Most namers work their hours as file clerks, research assistants, and court recorders. Some have more menial tasks, like cleaning or guarding the City Court. Aides all must follow the orders of any factotum, unless these orders conflict with a current, ongoing task.   It's a cinch that being at everyone else's heck and call encourages Aides to become factotums or, to use the Guvners term, Administrators. To earn this promotion, an Aide must pass a series of tests, offered every 100 days. (An Aide can fill out a form requesting to take the tests early, though.) Passing the tests makes a basher an Administrator of A10 rank. (A1 is the highest.)   Low-ranking Administrators feel like little more than glorified Aides, as they merely assist faction high-ups. Some of these Administrators do have managerial tasks, like supervising the Shifter's Logs, accounts of how Sigil's various shifting portals are used and by whom. (Only factotums and higher can see these secret logbooks, and sometimes they send namers to stake out more important portals, to gather logbook data.)   Factotums of higher ranks, A5 to A1, might serve as assistants, too, but usually they have their own Aides to supervise well. These high-ups spend most or their time at faction headquarters (either in Sigil or on Mechanus). Some conduct research missions, provided they first make the proper requests with the correct forms through appropriate channels. Within the court system, Administrators of all ranks serve as attorneys, both prosecutors and defenders, as well as legal advisers.   Factotums each have a superor. Sometime a higher-ranked Administrator serves as supervisor, but often it's a Bureau Chief: a factor in the Fraternity. Though some factotums might serve as assistants to the factol, they do so under orders from a Bureau Chief and must respond to both the orders of the factol and of the Bureau Chief. Administrators advance by taking tests once every 100 days. An exceptional score can get a body promoted two ranks instead of one.   Advancement to Bureau Chief naturally requires a test. However, bashers get promoted only when a Bureau Chief position is vacant. Only occasionally does the factol create a new bureau that needs a chief; most A1s have to wait for a Bureau Chief to retire or die. The faction's got way too many middle managers, especially ranks A3 to A1, 'cause they have no place to advance.   The factol assigns an A1 both knowledgeable and lucky to become chief of a Bureau. The ranks of Bureau Chiefs start with B5 and work up to B1. B5s supervise lesser bureaus, many of which form parts of bigger bureaus. B1-level Bureau Chiefs run the Star Bureaus: Record-Keeping, Research, Internal Affairs, Planar Affairs, and Prime Affairs. These five bureaus have existed for hundreds of years. 'Course, a few other major bureaus, the Ad Hoc Bureaus, have B2s or B3s in charge. Though technically these bureaus are temporary, some have been around a century or more: one, the Bureau of Courts, assigns faction members court duties. Some Bureau Chiefs, usually level B5 or B4s, do not have bureaus of their own. They serve as judges or functionaries of the Bureau of Courts.   To become factol of the Fraternity of Order, a cutter first must serve as a B1 Bureau Chief. When the position of factol opens, the B1s vote one of their number into the position. Should a tie arise, Guvners extend the voting to Bureau Chiefs of all ranks. The vote counters eliminate the candidates with the lowest vote totals until a clear winner emerges by plurality vote.   The position of factol seems unlikely to open in the near future. See, Hashkar has held the job for 127 years and shows little sign of slowing down. However, not all factols leave the position by dying. A few have retired, stepping down to honorary B1 status. (A retiree saves as chief of a bureau with no functions and no functionaries besides himself, allowing the former factol to dodder off into senility.) Some factols, including Hashkars predecessor, disappeared without a trace, despite efforts of the faction's best Investigators.

Primary Plane of Influence

The cog-wheeled plane of Mechanus, where everything aspires to perfect order, is the stronghold of the Guvners. In Sigil, their headquarters is the City Courts.

Allies and Enemies

Allies The Harmonium and Mercykillers are obviously friendly to the Fraternity of Order, seeing as how they create the Triad of Sigilian Law and finish the Rule (or, as the Guvners might say, Axiom) of Threes. The groups stick together, vote together, and work together in their relentless desire to bring law, order, and justice to Sigil.   Enemies The Xaositects and Revolutionary League are diametrically opposed to the Fraternity of Order. While the Xaositects are completely against the base tenets of the Fraternity of Order, believing the multiverse is chaos while the Fraternity believes that it is law, the Anarchists oppose the Guvners on principle. First, the Fraternity of Order is all about structure, and the Anarchists are about tearing said structure down. Secondly, the Anarchists know that the Fraternity of Order is the staple of the other two factions of order: without them, the Harmonium would get more aggressive and the Mercykillers more brutal. Finally, the Fraternity of Order is a faction. These are three things counting against the Fraternity, and their Courts often find themselves the target of Anarchist subterfuge.

Eligibility

The Fraternity of Order is open to all classes and races, but because of its highly structured view of life, all members must be lawful in alignment.

Faction Abilities

Since Guvners tend to understand patterns easily, they can cast comprehend languages once per day. A Guvner of any rank, namer through factol, can cast identify once per day, too, upon reaching 7th level.   'Course, Guvner high-ups enjoy additional special abilities. Administrators of at least 5th level gain a limited power to manipulate probability. Once per day, the Guvner can tinker with the laws of chance to gain an advantage. The character can give himself a +1 bonus to an attack roll, damage roll, or saving throw (or adjust a percentage roll by 5 percentage points). At 5th level, the Administrator can change proba-bility for a foe, too, inflicting a -1 point or -5 percentage point penalty to an opponent's roll. This modifier improves a point (or 5 percentage points) per three levels. So, 8th-level characters can adjust a roll by +2/-2 points (+10/-10 percentage points). Guvners of 11th level or higher can ad-just a roll by +3/-3 points (+15/-15 percentage points).   To become an Administrator, a Guvner has to show he understands a loophole in the laws of the multiverse. In fact, the test to ascend to factotum rank requires a Guvner to demonstrate a special ability based on the understanding of such a loophole. This ability comes only after months of adventuring or research.   Loophole abilities vary widely according to a character's personality. A warrior might learn how to draw on elemental fire to temporarily turn his sword into a flame blade: a thief, by learning how shadows all meet on the Demiplane of Shadow, might learn to step into one and teleport to another shadow. DMs decide the powers' parameters by following a few guidelines.   First, the ability should be no greater than that of a spell a character of the Guvner's experience level could cast. For instance, the fire power mentioned previously resembles the 2nd-level spell flame blade, which a priest of 3rd level or higher can cast. So, the warrior in the example must be at least 3rd level to gain such a power. In addition, a Guvner must conduct the same amount of study and spend the same amount of money to gain a loophole ability as a spellcaster expends researching a spell of that level. After spending the needed time and money, the Guvner has a percentage chance equal to his Intelligence plus his experience level to get the ability to work. Sound tough? Well, gaining a loop-hole power should be hard — DMs might require extraordinary feats (such as adventuring well) before granting a power.   Second, the ability won't work forever. The character can use it up to once per round, as many times per day as desired. But, every time the Guvner uses it, he risks a 10% cumulative chance that the loophole in the laws of the multiverse closes. For example, the first time a thief uses the ability to teleport between shadows, it works fine, but he has a 10% chance of losing that power permanently thereafter. If the thief has not lost the ability, he can apply it a second time, then afterward has a 20% chance of losing it. The DM should make the check while the ability's in use: though a loss won't prevent the current use of the power, a roll of 01 to 05 causes the loophole to close catastrophically. A character can thus use a single loophole ability up to 10 times — after that. the chance of the loophole closing is 100%. However, clever Guvners use their power to manipulate probability to adjust the percentage roll for loophole closure, possibly gaining a few more uses. Even with the probability adjustment, however, a roll of 01 to 05 fails.   Finally, a Guvner can gain only gain a limeted number of the powers. Typically, a character has one power per five levels. (The few, exceptions include the factol himself, which has never gained a single level. PCs should never become exceptions, though.) Once a power is lost, the character might gain a replacement one day, at the DM's discretion, but only with extreme dedication.   A loophole ability's not a spell and does not affect how many spells a priest or wizard can cast.

Restrictions

Guvners believe in laws, though the rightness or wrongness of them often makes little difference. A Guvner won't knowingly break a law, unless he or she can find a legalistic loophole to avoid the penalty.

Faction Life

The Fraternity of Order lends itself to scholars and bookworms. Almost all the members of the faction are involved with knowledge of some sort or another. Some pour over legal texts, trying to divine new laws. Others take their act to the interpretation of the law, becoming advocates or judges within the City Courts of Sigil. Others write detailed treatises about the nature of law itself within Sigil. Some travel through the city, observing actions and reactions between various forces in order to create cohesive hypothesises about natural law in Sigil.

Notable Faction Members

Name	Rank	Race	Class	Gender	Description
Factol Hashkar	Factol	Dwarf	None	Male	The Factol of the Guvners
Bureau Chief Jamis	B2, Bureau Chief of the Ad Hoc Bureau of Courts	Human	Cleric 10	Female	One in charge of the City Court
Lady Nancias Garabutos	B1, Chief of The Fortress	Human	Wizard 11	Female	In charge of The Fortress