Sigil awakens

[Lattice of Pain]

Running a 4e campaign using Planescape as a backdrop. Always loved Sigil and the near infinite possibilities provided by it. Somewhat saddly, the campaign arc if followed will lead to it's destruction, and the freeing of the Lady of Pain into the multiverse, but Hey, they don't call it the 'Cage' for nothing :)
My question is: As DM, am I going too far off field by radically altering Sigil? The ''Truth' in my campaign slightly changes the events of the Dawn War, and the identity of the Lady herself.

Thoughts?

[Inevitability]

The fluff in the books is just fluff. It is provided to help people who can't think of something. Alter it as you please.

If sigil was build by elder evils and is in fact a summoning circle for their servants, then you're not using the fluff provided in the book, but replacing it with your own ideas. There's nothing bad about that.

However, if your players expect to be playing a default planescape campaign, you may want to inform them that they aren't. Don't be specific, just say that this campaign will not use the default fluff.

[Kurald Galain]

Yes, you are going too far off, and if WOTC notices they will revoke your DM'ing license...

...oh wait :smallamused:


Seriously though, consider whether your players are already very familiar with, and fans of, the Planescape setting. If yes, then I would not recommend this plotline. If they're not (and in my experience, most players aren't that familiar with Planescape), then it should be totally fine.

[Zaydos]

One of the big things about Planescape was not setting stuff too hard in stone. I mean you can get a good bit pinned down by looking through various books, but some of the things are supposed to be mysteries so the DM can use them how they want.

One of these things is Sigil's origins and purposes. If your dealing with people knowledgeable about Planescape you might want to make sure to foreshadow more, but it's definitely not too far field (cant already tried to say that the dark of the matter was that Sigil was a cage for the Lady of Pain at some point).

Last time I ran Planescape the Great Wheel got turned into a centrifuge, and Asmodeus was an incidental casualty.

[Ashdate]

Running a 4e campaign using Planescape as a backdrop. Always loved Sigil and the near infinite possibilities provided by it. Somewhat saddly, the campaign arc if followed will lead to it's destruction, and the freeing of the Lady of Pain into the multiverse, but Hey, they don't call it the 'Cage' for nothing :)
My question is: As DM, am I going too far off field by radically altering Sigil? The ''Truth' in my campaign slightly changes the events of the Dawn War, and the identity of the Lady herself.

Thoughts?

I don't know why you think the inevitable destiny of Sigil is to be destroyed, and the Lady freed. The Lady of Pain has spent quite a bit of time ensuring that Sigil remains intact, and by some accounts, many of the crises in Sigil were subtly nudged along by the Lady to her own benefit. If the Lady ever wished to be free, it's hard to imagine that--given her power--she could do so (indeed, one of the 'villains' in the Planescape: Torment video game was specifically trying to free her, and got mazed for her efforts. She's clearly not interested).

I would be skeptical to alter the Lady; the role she plays in the setting is an important one, but as a force of nature rather than as an NPC with any particular backstory, goals, or motives. She obviously wishes to keep Sigil in one piece, much like the sun wishes to revolve around the earth.

That said I suppose you could alter the identity of the Lady, but for what purpose?

[Lattice of Pain]

I don't know why you think the inevitable destiny of Sigil is to be destroyed, and the Lady freed. The Lady of Pain has spent quite a bit of time ensuring that Sigil remains intact, and by some accounts, many of the crises in Sigil were subtly nudged along by the Lady to her own benefit. If the Lady ever wished to be free, it's hard to imagine that--given her power--she could do so (indeed, one of the 'villains' in the Planescape: Torment video game was specifically trying to free her, and got mazed for her efforts. She's clearly not interested).

I would be skeptical to alter the Lady; the role she plays in the setting is an important one, but as a force of nature rather than as an NPC with any particular backstory, goals, or motives. She obviously wishes to keep Sigil in one piece, much like the sun wishes to revolve around the earth.

That said I suppose you could alter the identity of the Lady, but for what purpose?

Maybe destroyed is a bit strong, but altered definitely.
Inside Sigil the Lady is a force unlike any other, yet so powerful a denizen that she holds no influence in the realms beyond the torus. My thrust to the story is that the Lady was contained during the Dawn War, by the combined efforts of the Gods, and maybe the Primordals too. She is an unplayed force in my game, but setting in motion events leading to her eventual release. The players are currently level 8, and I do not expect the full measure of events to happen till lvl 16 or so, with the aftermath potentially running well beyond if they enjoy a madman throwing the boss dice. :)

Side thought: I have a Npc, who is for all intents and purposes a Skritt from Guild Wars 2. Comic relief and Plot thread, he likes the 'shinies'