POLITICAL DIVISIONS

Active ("Destroyers")
This fraction represents the viewpoint of the majority of the Doomguard factioneers. The current Factol, Pentar, is a member of this camp. The Destroyers whole-heartedly believe in the fact that the point of the multiverse is to fall into one large blob of Entropy. In fact, they feel that things are not moving along fast enough, and so take every opportunity to speed up the natural progression of Entropy. These factioneers fulfill the stereotype presented by the Harmonium and are the ones responsible for the various random acts of violence and destruction attributed to the faction. (While not a universal truth, the majority of Active Doomguard are of Evil alignments.)

Guardian ("Sinkers")
This fraction of the Doomguard is the second largest camp within its ranks. These members, while still desiring the multiverse to end in Entropy, are content to let things contine at their present pace. Thus, Guardians will usually stand by and let people try and fix things, as they know that the repairs will themselves decay in time. But this does not mean that they do not act to protect their beliefs. If members of this camp hear of an event that will (in their estimation) serve to slow the overall pace of Entropy in a given area, the Sinkers will be just as destructive and militant as the Destroyers in their removal or prevention of that event. Note that I purposely chose one of the common nicknames for the Doomguard faction to represent this fraction. In my viewpoint, the Guardians are the factioneers that are still true to the faction's original philosophy. It is only through the actions of recent factols that they have swung more towards being Destroyers in terms of the public eye. (The majority of Guardian Doomguard are of Neutral alignments.) [The Doomguard PC of my campaign, Chakan, is/was a member of this fraction.]

Slow ("Regulators")
The third and final fraction of the Doomguard is definitely the smallest portion of faction in terms of members. The Regulators, while still desiring to see the multiverse decay, think that things are moving along far too quickly. They fulfill their beliefs by working to counteract large acts of Entropy - these Doomguard are content to let things fall to pieces a tiny bit at a time. This minority often works at cross-purposes to the other two fractions of the faction; but there are occasions when the Sinkers and the Regulators unite to put a damper on a particularly nasty plot of the Active camp. (Most of the Slow Doomguard are of Good alignments.)

THE RANKS

Doomguard
Members of the Doomguard use the name of their faction to refer to their Namers. This tends to cause some confusion when dealing with non-factioneers. The main difference lies in the grammatical usage. When a factioneer uses it as a form of address (as in "Doomguard Wiley") or a singular reference (as in "one of our Doomguards will assist you"), it always refers to someone of Namer status. When a member is referring to the faction as a whole, the article 'the' is always used in combination with the word ("Your actions have angered The Doomguard"). Doomguard serve the faction mainly in a behind-the-scenes, support role. They are most often found performing non-critical, or menial, tasks such as accounting, provisioning, and scribing.

Doomsoldier
This term refers to one of the two Factotum ranks within The Doomguard. Surprisingly, the vast majority of factioneers are actually of this rank. Given the faction's focus on the progression of Entropy, as well the rather strict entrance requirements, it is very hard to find people who only partially believe in Entropy and remain Namers. (Lately, the rank of Doomguard has become something of an honorary rank given to non-members who are supporters of the faction in some way. This has created an artifically large number of Factotums for The Doomguard.) Doomsoldiers are truly the rank-and-file of the faction. They act as sentries, infantry, and touts. Occasionally, they will act as a courier or messanger.

Decay Knight
These factioneers hold the second (higher) status of Factotum within the faction. This is usually as high as the average member of The Doomguard will rise in terms of rank. The higher ranks require the individuals holding them to be rather exceptional in either ability or dedication; the average person just can't cut it. Thus, along with the Doomguards and the Doomsoldiers, the bulk of the faction membership is filled out by the Decay Knights. These Factotums are the ones that get most of the work done within the faction. They are most commonly found leading squads of Doomsoldiers. Decay Knights also act as elite guards, trusted messangers, and covert agents. It comes as a surprise to most that this rank actually has the most freedom to act besides the Factol. (Thus, most PCs are going to quickly rise to this rank and most likely stay there.)

Entropic Champion
Although only the lowest of the three Factor ranks within The Doomguard, it is the rarest and most highly respected position (other than being the Factol, naturally) in the faction. This is because to become an Entropic Champion is to essentially personify and embody some aspect of Entropy. It requires an incredible amount of devotion (as well as no small amount of skin) to achieve this rank. Thus, it is a rare event and a high honor to be promoted to this status. Unfortunately, being made an Entropic Champion also marks the end of all political advancement for the Factor so honored. This is because the only way to stop being a Champion is to either accomplish your dedicated task (only five Champions have done so in the entire history of the faction) or die in the attempt. Entropic Champions serve as the ultimate shock troop in the faction's activities. Anything they do is directly related to their, and thus The Doomguard's, personal goals. When not acting as a lone crusader, they can quite often be found in command of large groups of Decay Knights and Doomsoldiers.

Nernstrom
This is the middle of the three Factors for The Doomguard. Those factioneers who do not have the drive (or the desire) to become Entropic Champions are promoted to this rank instead. However, while becoming a Nernstrom does not officially end one's political career, it is almost as universally a dead end as the previous rank. This is because there are only a limited number of the next higher status (Doomlord), and promotion can only be obtained upon the death (or dismissal) of those top Factors. Nernstroms serve the faction as low level administrators or overseers of one kind or another. Thus, they serve as assistants to the Doomlords, or govern lesser outposts. (A good example would be the marilith Jaranda who rules Gallowsgate in The Abyss; this type of position is considered a Nernstrom.) But hust because they are more governmental than most other Doomguard, don't think they are any less capable in a fight - after all, they had to spend time at all of the lower ranks to get where they are. [Trivia: I derived the name of this rank from the title of the Third Law of Thermodynamics - also known as The Nernst Theorem. For those who are not scientists or engineers, the 3rd Law describes the relationship between the Entropy in a system and that system's temperature.]

Doomlord
This is the highest rank that one can achieve in The Doomguard without becoming the Factol. Like Nernstroms, Doomlords are administrators but they control the faction's most important resources. Thus, there are only five such Factors: one for each of The Doomguard's Inner Planar Citadels, and one for the Armory. While all Doomlords serve as advisors to the Factol, the one who runs the Armory is usually the most influential as he is in the best position to always have the Factol's ear (and thus, the most desired position). The Doomlords also tend to set and enact their own personal agendas within the broad outline of faction policy which is dictated by the Factol. Without a doubt, these Factors (and the Factol) are physically and politically the most powerful members of The Doomguard. (The Manifesto states that the Doomlords undergo a transformation ceremony of some sort and thereafter wear masks. It also states, off-handedly, that the Doomlords in charge of the Citadels are greater Doomlords and that other, lesser, ones exist. Thus, given how I've played the Armory's Doomlord, he would be classified as a Lesser Doomlord - which makes the position all the more interesting given the increased access to the Factol.)

Factol
Obviously, the status of Factol is the highest rank within The Doomguard, and the person who holds the rank is chosen from among the five Doomlords. The Factol interprets the faction's core philosophy and dictates policy based on that interpretation (usually with input from the various Doomlords). Although the position is referred to simply as "Factol" (even by factioneers), there have been attempts by past Factols to give the rank a more pretentious title. Several examples include "Lord of Entropy", "Entropy's Hand", and "Consumer of All". Such things usually only last as long as the Factol who coined the phrase.

As TSR repeats throughout the source material for the Planescape setting, the factions are more than just social organizations - they are "philosophers with clubs". In a nutshell, this means that the factions are perfectly willing and able to act on their beliefs, working to bring about their stated goals for the multiverse. With The Doomguard being portrayed as one of the more militant and active factions, I'm sure that they've developed some specialized items and skills to help them achieve their goals.

The Player's Guide to the Planes and The Factol's Manifesto list a good starting point for ideas. All members of The Doomguard learn how to use a sword, regardless of class or racial restrictions. Factotums gain the ability to Sift an object's remains in order to learn what destroyed it. And Factors gain the rightfully feared ability of Entropic Blow - a focused burst of Entropy which severly damages a creature or object with an alignment diametrically opposed to that of the factioneer performing it. Over the course of the campaign, I've added a few new things the the faction's aresenal. In addition to the Doomguard specific objects I've created, I'll also use this section to talk about how I view the stated goals of the faction, as well as a few of the plots I've created to allow them to get there.

TRINKETS AND TOYS

Lesser Sinker Whistle
This is a signal whistle crafted from vulture bones. It typically has 1d8 charges. When blown, a large, skeletal vulture appears. It willingly serves the user of the whistle as a flying mount. This item essentially casts Bloodstone's Spectral Mount. Only the blower of the whistle may ride the beast. The vulture appears with bit, bridle, and one saddle. It is AC 0, but only has 15 hit points. The person riding the creature CAN engage in limited combat if they have a lance or some kind of missile weapon. (Since Lesser Whistles typically function at 6th level, the vulture will have a MV 24 and duration of 6 hours.)

Greater Sinker Whistle
This is a signal whistle crafted from Vrock bones. This device typically has 1d4 charges. The object works as the Lesser version, save that it duplicates Bloodstone's Spectral Steed. In this case, the vulture is able to carry the use of the whistle and passengers. The creature appears with bit and bridle and enough saddles for all riders. (These items typically function at 12th level, thus creating a steed of the following statistics: AC 2, 22 hp, MV 48, lasts for 12 hours; can carry the user and 4 other passengers, for a total of 5 people.)

Entropy Spike
The Entropy Spike is a magical weapon created by The Doomguard which is second in power only to the Entropic Blade. Physically, the Spike resembles a slim throwing dagger which is a "frame" of Tanar'ri Red Steel filled with a cold, dull black material. This material is actually a solid form of Entropy. These daggers are a one-shot weapon of massive damage. Upon impact, the Spike detonates in an effect which is a combination of The Doomguard's Entropic Blow and the Flame Strike spell. All creatures (and certain objects) in a 10' diameter and 30' high cylinder are affected as if they had been struck by a Blow. Note that the rules of the Blow still apply with regards to maximum damage and alignment. There are three advantages to this weapon which make it highly prized by The Doomguard: 1) the user need only hit the target, or even the immediate area around the target (thus, eliminating the need to roll at least 5 above the required to-hit number); 2) more than one target can be affected; 3) magic resistance does not apply as the damage comes from pure Entropy rather than magic.

Path Magic - The Doomguard's Domain
The Doomguard's Domain is the name given by factioneer wizards to a collection of spell paths that fit well with the militant and generally destructive nature of the faction. (All of the spells listed in these paths can be found in the Wizards' Spell Compendium volumes. For those without this reference, please download my Path Magic article elsewhere on this site - it lists the original source books for the spells in question.)

Archer's Road 1: Catapult 1: Magic Missile 2: Melf's Acid Arrow 3: Flame Arrow 3: Melf's Minute Meteors 4: Acid Bolt 4: Missile Mastery	Breaker's Road 2: Shatter 6: Disintegrate 9: Crystalbrittle	Lance Path 3: Icelance 4: Thunderlance
Road of Staves 2: Decastave 2: Firestaff 3: Icelance 4: Tenser's Staff of Smiting 4: Thunderlance 4: Thunder Staff 5: Magic Staff 7: Create Soundstaff 8: Blackstaff	Road of Swords 1: Scatterspray 1: Catapult 2: Bladethirst 2: Whirling Blade 3: Sand Sword 4: Enchanted Weapon 4: Tenser's Flaming Blade 6: Tenser's Transformation 7: Mordenkainen's Sword 7: Chromatic Blade 9: Black Blade of Disaster	Whip Path 3: Whip of Pain 4: Forcelash 6: Vampiric Lash 7: Khelben's Warding Whip

THE ROAD TO RUIN

Although the faction believes that it is the duty of everything to decay, the majority of The Doomguard deals with the Entropy of the physical world. While they certainly enjoy burning a barn, pulling a tower down brick by brick, or simply watching wooden beams rot, the creations of sentient creatures isn't the faction's only concern. Entropy is also at work in the "natural" world. Wind slowly wears away mountains; rivers eat away at their banks; termites consume trees. Admittedly, it is primarily the Guardians and Regulators who pay attention to such things, but there are a few Destroyers who take pride in helping Nature futher along the path to destruction. (In my opinion, this is where Pentar's concerns lay before she became Factol and obsessed with the Great Modron March. She is a Ranger, after all.)

In addition to these "small" natural concerns, a few of The Doomguard are interested in Decay and Entropy on the planar scale. Thus, while The Doomguard as a political entity hates The Harmonium, they would applaud the shifting of the third layer of Arcadia if they ever found out about it. Thus, the Sinkers as a whole pay great attention to the sliding of the gatetowns in the Outlands. It would shock a few self-righteous Upper Planars to learn that the shift of their gatetown into the appropriate plane was helped along by The Doomguard. This planar level of decay also serves to explain the faction's interested in the Inner Planes and the creation of the entropes.

The physical realm is only part of the story when talking about the state of Entropy. The Doomguard is also interested in the decay of less tangible things - gods and ideas, for example. The more militant members of the Athar occasionally form temporary alliances with the Sinkers in their attempts to perform acts of physical harm upon a power's temples, realm, or servants. Less suicidal members prefer to run a slander campaign against the powers, or mere mortals. The ruin of a person's reputation is often just as satisfying as the physical destruction of their house. The few fiends who are members of the faction prefer to continue with their corruption of mortals; after all, isn't a descent from good to evil a form of decay? A very small number of factioneers are working with The Sign of One to try and either imagine an object out of existance, or else to try and do away with the very concept of an object. (Which would be a greater coup for the faction... the destruction of every chair in existance, or the destruction of the very idea of a chair so that none would ever exist again?)

In addition to the physical and metaphysical realms, members of The Doomguard are also interested in the mental realm as well. The Bleak Cabal sees a fairly regular stream of Doomguard visitors who've come to enjoy seeing people's minds slip away. On occasion a fight does erupt as members of the Destroyer fraction attempt to speed along the mental the decay, at direct odds to the Bleakers' efforts to help the poor sods. And it's a good bet that a few of the residents in the Gatehouse were put there through the deliberate actions of a few of the more cerebral members of the faction.

IRONS IN THE FIRE

The Great Modron March
The faction's obsession with this event is documented in The Factol's Manifesto. As this was the only information I had with which to work at the time, this major goal is the basis for most of the Doomguard-related plots in my campaign. Originally, the climax of the game was going to be The Doomguard attack on the March (and this was planned long before TGMM product came out). I pieced together many of the pre-made adventures in the various products to form a long build-up to this major battle. There were to have been several recon missions, such as capturing modrons and spying on several locations among the gears of Mechanus. Also, part of this build-up was to have been the module In the Abyss. While everyone seems to think it's a weak product, I found it quite salvageable - especially when you lead up to the events over the course of months. Now, while the attack on the March was going to be the main plot, there were two main subplots that had direct impact on the campaign.

The first subplot involved a bit of political in-fighting between the various fractions. The Manifesto implies that Pentar has become nearly obsessed with the faction's plans for the Modron March, and has been spending more time on preparations for the attack, and less on the actual governing of the faction. As such, I decided that the Doomlord of the Armory (Bendon Mawl) would take it upon himself to take care of such administrative things in order to keep the faction running. The conflict comes in when you consider how I have the allegiances of these people setup. Pentar is quite obviously a member of the Destroyer fraction. It's under her guidance that the majority of factioneers belong to this camp. Mawl I decided to make a member of the Sinker fraction. Thus, he finds the active preparation for the attack on the March disturbing and he was taking subtle action to try and slow down Pentar's progress. While this never quite came fully out during the game, much of the faction missions assigned to the PC were initiated by Mawl and were without the knowledge of the Factol.

The other subplot was Pentar's preparations for the faction's assualt. When I started the campaign, I decided to place the next Great Modron March as occurring in two game years from Day One. Given that the March was this close, Pentar and her Destroyers were quite eager to get their hands on any weapon that could tip the balance and let them succeed where other Factols had failed. This naturally lays the groundwork for the events of In the Abyss. Some of the early missions for the PCs were to deliever drafts of plans for the Ships to the faction's Tanar'ri contact (the marilith Jaranda, high-up of Gallowsgate). Also a part of this subplot, I tied in a request/creation of my Doomguard player. For some reason, he wanted to have his character starting the campaign hunting an infestation of Astral Predators (Y'Liens). (Yes, these are a knock-off the Aliens from the movie series of the same title.) As part of the background of this plot, the PC let himself get talked into bringing any and all news of these creatures directly to the Factol.

As it ended up, events dictated that he "succeeded" in his personal quest. He located the nest, and actually captured some of the creatures. And thus, directly due to the actions of the PC, The Doomguard has acquired a new weapon against the Modrons - one that could finally tip the balance in favor of the faction. In the foundations of Citadel Exhalus, there is now a "farm" of the Y'Liens. Factol Pentar has 'cut a deal' with the Queen of the artificial Hive so that she (the Factol) can use her (the Queen) brood against the Modron March. Somehow, the mental image of Y'Lien Paratroopers being dropped from a Ship of Chaos scares the beejeebies out of me...

Plaguemort
This was really a single adventure I ran - my heavily modifed version of "Recruiters" from The Well of Worlds. For those that don't know, the adventure revolves around the immediate possibility of this gatetown sliding into the Abyss. As I briefly mentioned previously, The Doomguard enjoys seeing gatetowns slide as such events are Entropy at the planar level. However, as a twist, I decided that my Doomguard PC was told to go to Plaguemort and help to prevent its slide. I did this because of how I viewed the previous major plot. In order to construct the Ships of Chaos, the faction needed near constant communication and trade with the Tanar'ri. While individuals could use regular portals to get back and forth between the Abyss and the Armory, cargo would have to use the normal trade routes - which pass through the gatetown. I figured that Pentar had cut some sort of deal with the Arch-Lector and, with the March so close, didn't want to waste time having to make a new deal with a new government in a new gatetown.

Faction Friction
I never really went anywhere with this idea, beyond how it impact the March plot. In the back of my mind, I had the idea that the attack on the March might be the straw that broke the camel's back with regards to the coalition of the fractions. The disruption of the March obviously horrifies the Regulators, while the creation of the Ships of Chaos and the use of the Y'Liens finally put things over the edge for the Sinkers. If I ever got to run my version of TGMM, I'd have a large Doomguard assault on the March occur, but then I'd have it quickly lose momentum as the members of the various fractions turned on each other. One nice twist on this plot comes directly from the Manifesto - it states the Pentar is well aware of this internal conflict and is secretly encouraging it by doing nothing to smooth things over.

(As an addendum, this idea of Faction Friction can play quite nicely into the Aftermath of Faction War. Now that most of the Destroyers have been killed in the fighting, the Sinkers or possibly even the Regulators could come to the position of leadership. Either way, the faction will probably pull in on itself and narrow its views. Which leads right into the next plot idea...)

Inner Planar Soup
This is a plot idea that appeared much too late for me to do anything about it. Specifically, the idea comes from the PSMCIII in the entry on the Entrope. Seems that some Destroyer wizards were engaged in a little genetic research and created this creature for the purposes of mucking up the Inner Planes. For those DMs that plan to not only run FW but also keep going, this is a good place to start from for any future Doomguard events.

Turning Chant into Screed
This is an idea that's best used by DMs on parties that don't contain any Doomguard player characters, and has PCs that are checking the grapevine for news and rumors. Imagine a group of Doomguard who set themselves up as information brokers, but are actually collecting information and distributing distorted versions of it. Much like in that old party game "Telephone" (where a message gets whispered around a circle to see how closely the end version matches the original), the brokers make sure that the rumors take the next step down the degredation pipeline. (An NPC I created, and is listed below, is based on this idea.)

This is something of a catch-all section. As you might guess, the bulk of this part of the text will deal with the people of The Doomguard; specifically, the NPCs I've created as well as my take on the ones that TSR has provided in the source material. I've also decided present a lot of the rough notes (in a more polished form, of course) I made concerning how to role-play the various types of factioneers, as well as some character templates for making NPCs that are truly a part of The Doomguard.

IT TAKES ALL KINDS...

All Classes
The most important thing to remember when role-playing a member of The Doomguard is that your character, at some level, is dedicated to the cause of Entropy. While this is best left to role-playing, you should also take a few NWPs (or purchase some skills for you S&P fans) to help show your character's focus on decay and ruin. Some of the best ones to take are the various "creation" skills (Blacksmithing, Engineering, Carpentry, etc.). This might seem to be a paradox - creation in a faction dedicated to destruction? However, remember that if you know how to put something together, you also know how to take it apart.

Warriors
Given the stereotypical view of the faction, the warrior group would seem to be a logical choice for the most popular class of its members. It is true, given the class' excellent combat skills (and high hit points), that the Warrior does make the best "front man" for The Doomguard. The "generic" Fighter can fulfill a wide range of roles in furthering the goals of Entropy - raider, sapper, siege specialist. They are best suited for direct or large-scale actions, and usually in pursuit of the goals of the Destroyers fraction. For a warrior with a longer view of Entropy, the Ranger is a better choice. Their focus is on Entropy in Nature as well as the interaction of such with the rest of the "civilized" multiverse. This, of course, tends to put rangers into the Sinker or Regulator camps. (Factol Pentar is an obvious exception to this general guideline. But, given her "illegal" alignment, I suspect that she might have been a Sinker before becoming Factol, and has since let her views become corrupted by the vast power that she has at her command.) It would seem that the paladin would be the worst possible member of The Doomguard, given that the very nature of paladinship appears to be at odds with the core philosophy of the faction. That was my view, too, until recently. Then Greg Jensen of the Planescape Mailing List created the Doom Paladin kit. With this information, the idea of a Doomguard Paladin no longer seems quite as strange. Based on Greg's description, Doom Paladins would be almost exclusively within the Regulator fraction of The Doomguard. Paladins are probably most comfortable acting as diplomats to the Upper Planes or being something of a public relations officer.

Rogues
Although not as handy in a toe-to-toe fight as a warrior, the many knights of the post are still always welcome among the members of The Doomguard. The focus of a rogue within the faction should be Entropy on the personal level. Where warriors are better suited to bringing Decay to large targets, Thieves work best in one-on-one situations - especially if assassination is involved. Thieves also serve the cause by scouting for targets that are in desperate need of attention by the faction, as well as moving personal property around. (Sometimes Entropy is best served if an object is found in someone else's hands, rather than being stolen and kept by the faction.) This brand of rogue can also work as a sabateour; sneaking in and advancing Entropy right in the heart of something. Bards, on the other hand, seem to be just as out of place as Paladins. But, just like those Champions of Good, these entertainers can serve The Doomguard in their own way. Bards are often better at obtaining information than a "generic" thief, as their focus is dealing with people and information. This type of rogue can also "assassinate" someone by defaming their character in public (public opinion is just as important in the game setting as it is in real life). Bards can also use their "way with words" to bring a large group of people together and incite a riot. And, like the paladin, bards can also play a role as diplomat or spin doctor.

Priests
Priests are in the minority of the class distribution within The Doomguard. This is mainly due to the fact that not many gods can accept the fact that their faithful, while loyal, are merely waiting around for them to crumble and die. While a few of the more violent or evil gods of decay, disease, or destruction (such as Kali or Nerull) can see fit to allow their supporters to join The Doomguard, most of the religiously dedicated factioneers follow Philosophies or Forces, rather than actual Powers.

The Force of Entropy
Can use all armors and shields; Allowed Battle Axe, Bows (all), Cestus, Club, Hand/Throwing Axe, Javelin, Mace, Morning Star, Swords (all), Spear, Trident; Major Access to spheres of All, Chaos, Combat, Elemental; Gains +2 to saves versus all Elemental or "Decay/Entropy" spells; Can transfer Entropy as per the Doom Paladin kit.

The Philosophy of Decay
Can use all non-magical armors and shields; Allowed Dart, Dagger/Knife/Stiletto, Lasso, Sword (Khopesh, Short), Whip; Major Access to spheres of All, Chaos, Charm, Healing (reversed), Necromantic (Reversed); Minor Access to spheres of Divination, Protection (reversed), Sun (reversed); Cause Fear 3x/day; Immune to Disease/Decay; Command Undead; Cause Disease 1x/week; Lay on Hands (reversed) 1x/day.

Also, a rare few Druids are members of The Doomguard. All are either Regulators or Sinkers. These priests are interested in the natural progression of Entropy in Nature, free from any unnnatural influence. Regardless of their focus, most priests tend to play a supporting role in the cause of the faction.

Wizards
Spellslingers are the second most popular class among faction members. This is mainly due to the class' sheer versatility. The huge number of spells potentially available to the class allows for a wide range of options in the pursuit of Entropy. Naturally, Battle Mages are favored more than other types. But Transmuters (change things to a more disorded state), Wild Mages (magic itself has succumed to Entropy), and Illusionists (trick others into doing your work for you) also find support and use. Wizards are also important to the information war. Many spells can be used to gather intelligence on beings or places that is nearly impossible to get by any other method. And don't forget the research into new and more powerful toys to aid in furthering the philosophy of The Doomguard. Being a touch more intellectual than the rest of the faction, spellslingers quite often end up as planners and strategists.

Psionicists
Mindbenders are the rarest of the classes within the faction. This tends to be due to the classes inward focus and philosophy of personal development. (Most find it hard to fully commit to a philosophy which calls for the decay of their source of power - themselves.) However, a few psionicists call The Doomguard home. Because of their generally meditative and philosophical bent, most belong to the Sinker fraction. While any flavor of mindbender could work within The Doomguard, the best fit to the faction mold are either Kineticists (manipulation of matter) or Telepaths (manipulation of the mind). (One interesting idea might be to play a Clairisentient. The focus of this type of psionicist would be that of a faction historian, or researcher - someone who finds out how people and places have been killed/destroyed, and then work on replicating the process for future use.)

ROGUE'S GALLERY

Factol Pentar [Source: The Factol's Manifesto]
Even if the PCs never interacted personally with her, Pentar is still a driving force behind the early part of the campaign. She is clearly obsessed with the Great Modron March, and possibly (more than) a little insane. (This is the impression given by the description presented in the Manifesto.) In the rare instances that the DG PC of the game interacted with the Factol, I played Pentar as both distracted (wanting to get back to her endless preparations) and "helter-skelter" (violent, mood swings, sudden changes of subject). Essentially, someone intelligent and dangerous. At the start of the campaign, the next March was only two years away and her preparations had just gone into high gear. I used this background as the justification for the events of In the Abyss as well as the motivation for some of the missions Chakan (the DG PC) was sent on.

Doomlord Bendon Mawl [Source: The Eternal Boundry]
This NPC was originally a generic high-up of an unspecified faction in the module The Eternal Boundry. He was intended to be a DM's tool and placed in whatever faction the majority of the PCs belong to. Since I only had two faction player characters, and one was an Indep, The Doomguard was the only possible choice. (However, this resulted in a bit of rewriting of the module since it wouldn't be too exciting for Eliath to return from "death" as a Sinker when everyone involved is already on that side of the fence.) In the course of fleshing him out, Bendon Mawl became the main point of contact for the PCs during the campaign. I co-opted Ely Cromlich's position (the day-to-day running of the faction) and Spragg's actions (the covert opposing of Pentar's direction for the faction) and turned him into one the faction's most powerful members.

Bendon Mawl (Pl/Tf/W10/LE) is the [Lesser] Doomlord who is charge of all of the operations of the faction's headquarters in Sigil (The Armory). Given this position in Sigil, it was only natural that he assume the day-to-day leadership of the faction once Pentar withdrew to focus on her personal preparations for the next Great Modron March. As the administrator of the Armory, and the de facto leader of the faction, Mawl is well aware of Pentar's plans for stopping the march. And, like her, he thinks she has a good chance this time around. But, the Doomlord is concerned about the future of the faction after the attack on the March. As a member of the Sinkers, he doesn't like the very active, and violent, turn the faction has taken under Pentar's leadership and obsessions. So, while he faithfully serves, Mawl is also taking steps to preserve the faction - without Pentar's presence. The tiefling is treading a careful line very near to the border of treason. He hopes to bring the faction back to its original philosophy by ensuring that the vast majority of Destroyers are at Pentar's side when she attacks the March.

Bendon Mawl is a tall, slender middle-aged tiefling spellslinger of ruddy complextion and angular features. His large, pointed ears (simlar to those of a bat) poke out through his dull crimson hair, while his coal black eyes carefully study everything, anticipating its eventual decay into a mass of Entropy. Mawl favors conservative dress: grey wool pants, low black leather boots, grey silk shirt, black wool vest (with the Doomguard symbol embrodiered in red over the heart), tortoise shell shoulder plates, red ascot around the neck. The tiefling is never found without his Doomguard-forged broadsword of Tanar'ri Red Steel or his Wand of Negation.

Mawl is a cautious, if ardent, believer/follower of Entropy. He consideres all possibilities and seeks to prevent the less desireable paths of Entropy from occurring - but encourages others. As a Sinker, the tiefling takes great enjoyment in watching the natural, unhindered progression of Entropy. In his office, he has a "living shrine" to the process - a goblet of wine and a cheese sandwich which sit on a shelf and slowly turn to vinegar and mold. Bendon Mawl is also a student of legends and myths of items and places of power. His office is littered with papers, books, drawings, etc. (It is through this hobby that the legends of the Isle of Black Trees came to light and thus led to the events of The Eternal Boundry.)

Nernstrom Jazvid
Jazvid (PL/Tf/B8/NE) is one of the rare Nernstroms who is not in charge of a permenant installation. Instead, he serves The Doomguard as their star diplomat. He understands the politics of the Lower Planes very well, and is in charge of all of the faction's dealings with the fiends. (At present, he is instrumental in keeping the Tanar'ri of Twelve Trees focused on the construction of the Ships of Chaos.) When he's not sealing a deal with something in the Lower Planes, Jazvid can be found either digging up information of use to the faction or else attending a meeting of the City Council in Sigil's Hall of Speakers. (He is only called in to represent the faction when their is some piece of legislation pending that Pentar wants to have garunteed passage - or failure.) In between assignments, Jazvid calls the Outlands gatetown of Rigus home.

Jazvid, at first glance, appears to be a normal half-elf that's either been rolled in coal dust or else has just returned from a week's vacation on the Plane of Ash. His tiefling nature gives him a speckled, dusty look. His silver-blond hair has "flecks" of black and grey on the strands. His skin appears as a moderate tan coated with a grey layer of dust. The whites of his eyes are also speckled. The irises themselves are iridescent (ranging from glossy black to metallic greens and purples). Jazvid's normal speaking voice is soft and breathy - being no louder than a loud whisper. Oddly, his singing voice can reach normal volumes. His normal attire is finely tailored clothing that is either brand new (at the start of a cycle) or quite worn (at the end of a cycle). When entering a dangerous situation, he uses a suit of Baatorian Green Steel Chain Mail; weapons are Short Sword and Dagger. (He owns three sets, one each made from Baatorian Green Steel, Iron, and Silver.) Regardless of the situation, Jazvid always carries at least one of the musical instruments in which he is trained ("the bones", the clarsach (small harp), or the bagpipes).

As a bard, Jazvid performs songs, gathers information, and deals with people on a regular basis. As a Doomguard, he seeks to further entropy. His specific slant is the decay of people's minds/thoughts/opinions and information in general. While he takes the long view of entropy, he's not adverse to giving it a little push now and again. His pursuit of Entropy is somewhat unusual. After he's found a rumor/piece of information (and given a copy to the faction), he will help the Entropy of the item. A rumor will be exaggerated to the next step; info will be made slightly more mistaken than it was. He does the same with songs. Any song he doesn't like will be recorded and then changed slightly - an acceleration of changes that would have taken place of decades of playing.

His true love is working with (over) people. He uses his Ring of Human Influence as well as his bardic abilities to full effect to help the entropy of the human(oid) mind. He will use ESP to find out what someone thinks, and then get that person to like him either through his natural charisma or the magical charms of his ring. Once done, Jazvid will then fast talk and suggest that the person think something else. It doesn't matter if he does it to one person at a time, or with a whole crowd during a concert.

Nernstrom Jaranda [Source: Planes of Chaos]
Jaranda is a Tanar'ri who runs the town of Gallowsgate in the first layer of the Abyss. She is briefly mentioned in the sourcebook for PoX. The town is only described as being a favored port for the Tanar'ri in the Blood War. With the use of my Planar Metals system, I knew that The Doomguard had to be getting its supply of Tanar'ri Red Steel from somewhere. So, I decided to use Gallowsgate as the transfer point between the faction's Sigilian operations and those in the Abyss (both for the shipping of the metal as well as the various supplies for the Ships of Chaos). Given this decision, it became necessary to flesh out this member of the faction.

Jaranda (Pl/Tanar'ri/Marilith/CE) is one of those rare planeborne that willingly associates herself with a faction. However, the fiend has been promoted to this rank not so much for her actions on behalf of the faction, but more for the resources the marilith is able to provide. The main resource the fiend brings to the table is her burg itself. Being a busy port for tanaric naval actions, the faction is able to ship goods (specifically, the ore for Tanar'ri Red Steel) into and out of the Abyss under the cover of all the activity. Also, the faction uses the town as a testing ground for both new weapons and new battle tactics. After all, the barmy marilith doesn't mind if a small army sacks her town - as long as it has her permission, of course. The other reason for her rank is pure internal politics; Ely Cromlich is her lover.

Jaranda is a typical marilith - female human torso with six arms and a long, serpentine body. Her human features are distinctly African in nature (tight, black, curly hair; dark skin), while her scales are black with green and red patterns. Her favored selection of weapons is a light crossbow, two bastard Swords of Sharpness, and a pair of shields. However, Jaranda usually prefers to be Shapechanged into human form - that of a tall, lithe, muscular woman (think Grace Jones). In this form, she prefers to wear/carry only a knee-length kilt made of poisoned throwing knives. In either case, she also always wears a large, tanar'ri red steel medallion emblazoned with the symbol of The Doomguard.

Personality-wise, Jaranda isn't much different than other tanar'ri of her kind. The main difference between her and others is that she is more open to "diplomatic negotiation" and "haggling". Unfortunately, this means facing her in single combat. The marilith is reasonably fair about such things - there is no such thing as cheating, and if you win, she will more often as not stick to her end of the bargain. Although someone who actually does manage to win should get out of town as quickly as possible; the rest of the burg's inhabitants are as progressive as their high-up.

Decay Knight Hugh Phagus [Source: In The Abyss]
Hugh is a good example of what I consider a "major expansion" NPC. The source module lists him as a name and one line of statistics. I knew I wanted run the module right from the very start of the campaign; thus, I introduced Hugh in the beginning of the game. This would make his changed personality more shocking, as well as give the party some more motivation to help him during the course of the adventure. So, to accomplish this goal, I turned a minor window dressing into a full-fledged NPC - one of the party's favorite, as it turned out.

Hugh Phagus (Pl/Hu/F7/NG) is a well-known, and well-respected, factor of the Sinker fraction. He has caught the eye of both Doomlord Mawl and Factol Pentar; he stands a good of chance of being promoted to Nernstrom. Prior to joining The Doomguard, Phagus was a resident of Rigus (i.e. professional soldier). The man started his career in the faction as a street agent in Sigil and sometime partner to Chakan. It is through his association with Decay Knight Chakan that he has gained his reputation. At present, he is the garrison commander for Pentar's Y'Lien colony in Citadel Exhalus.

Hugh Phagus is a man fast approaching middle age. However, he keeps his body in top physical condition and is a no-nonsense, professional. He keeps his black hair cropped short and his face clean-shaven. Hugh's personality matches his speech - a dead-pan delivery with a monotone, fast, clipped speaking voice (think Joe Friday). When not wearing armor, Hugh favors the fantasy equivelant of a three-piece suit. At all times, he wears a worn and faded fedora made from dark blue felt. This hat is his personal shrine to Entropy - he wears until it literally falls apart, and then he buys a new one to start the process over. Having a background as a professional soldier, he keeps his arms and armor in top condition. He wears Chain Mail and wields a Sabre and Main-Gauche (all are made from Exceptional Steel). He also carries an impressive, customized Heavy Crossbow (doubled, extra pulley, and strength options). This weapon is especially deadly in Hugh's hands as he is a specialist with the weapon.

Prior to his assignment to Citadel Exhalus, Hugh was one of the more active members of the Sinker fraction. His adopted area of Entropy whose pace he sought to maintain was the murder rate in Sigil; specifically, the actions of mass murderers. Hugh managed to cultivate many contacts in the Harmonium and Mercykillers which allowed him to pick up information on these miscreants. The Decay Knight would sit back and follow their progress, doing nothing until they (in his estimation) "exceeded their quota". Then he proceeded to track them down and kill them. Actually, the "art" of murder is something of a hobby to Hugh. (Purely clinical interest, naturally.) He has an impressive collection of notes concerning the habits, patterns, mental state and the like on every known case of mass murder that has ever happened in Sigil. As a result of these notes and his research, Hugh is often able to determine the cause of death merely by glancing at a corpse. This intense interest also allows him to Sift organic remains; an ability normally restricted to Doomguard clerics.

"This is the city - Sigil. There are over one million sods here. And one of them is always killing another one. That's OK. But sometimes, one will exceed his quota - that's when I go to work. My name's Hugh. I'm a Doomguard. I work in Homicide."

Decay Knight Curly [Source: In The Abyss]
Curly is another "expansion" NPC. I created him for exactly the same reasons as those for Hugh Phagus. However, he was only a secondary character to Hugh; thus, he doesn't have near the amount of work put into him.

Curly (Pr/Hu/F5/CE) is a member of the Destroyers fraction and fully believes that military action is the way to accomplish the faction's goals. This factor is most often found leading Doomsoldiers and Doomguards on Pentar's "entropy raids" in both Sigil and other parts of the multiverse. While he also has come to the attention of the faction high-ups, he has no desire to rise any further in rank. He loves to "get down and dirty" in the trenches.

Curly's big, bad and bald. (What else would you expect with a name like his?) This man is the stereotypical career sargeant. Curly's gruff and abusive, but has a very sound mind and keen powers of observation. He is somewhat rare among the Destroyers in that he actually can see and consider the "long view" and "The Big Picture" with respect to the progression of Entropy.

Decay Knight Tavis "The Reaver"
Tavis (Pl/Ba/Pr5/CE) is both an oddity and a loose cannon. The first because she is an evil bariaur; the second because she cares little for procedure or mission goals - the barmy bariar wants only to go out in a massive blaze of Entropy and take as much as she can with her. Tavis has been promoted to the rank of Decay Knight not due to any personal ambition, but only through being very effective in the right place at the right time. This "luck" has put her in the position of being able to rescue Chakan as well as being instrumental during The Doomguard's efforts to keep the gate-town of Plaguemort in The Outlands. She is presently being considered as a liason with the Abyssal town of Gallowsgate. Tavis rivals Pentar for being the poster child for the Destroyers.

Tavis is a creature both beautiful and dangerous. Her hair is auburn and hangs down to her waist - it is bound back by a pair of black and white ribbons, with a single eagle feather. She wears a thick silver chain around her neck. Her pelt is also auburn, but a darker shade than her hair. She wears Bronze Plate Mail on her torso and Chain Mail barding on her hindquarters. The faction's symbol is displayed prominently on both armor and barding. Her weapons of choice (besides the sword) are mace and javelin. She is a priest who reveres the Force of Entropy.

Recently, Tavis has begun to reconsider her goal of being ground zero for a massive act of Entropy. Her time during the near-slide of Plaguemort exposed her some of the "glories" of the Abyss. The bariar is now trying to befriend Jaranda and find out if there is anyway she can be transformed into a Armanite Tanar'ri.

Doomsoldier Voltaire [Source: Josh Rintamaki]
Voltaire (Pl/Tf/Mu6/LE) is one of the faction's "on call" mages. When large amounts of real estate or people need to experience Entropy, he's the one the Destroyers call. This tiefling is a lot closer to blue dragon than fiend - and he puts this electrical affinity to good use as a specialist mage (Invoker).

Voltaire has long black hair, yellow reptilian eyes, blue skin with very small scales, and yellow teeth and fingernails. He wears Exceptional Steel Chain Mail which has been coated in black enamel and wields a Long Sword and Whip (both made from Exceptional Steel). It would appear that this tiefling has a blue dragon among his ancestors. In addition to his physical appearance, his biology (half damage from electrical attacks) and personality also mirror this creature.

Doomsoldiers Talbott and Tobey [Source: Corey S. Gurley]
Talbott and Tobey are a pair of fraternal twin tieflings born and raised in Sigil. Both are members of the Destroyers, but are among the more sedate of that fraction. They prefer to let things crumble around them, only getting involved in promoting entropy when a certain project or goal interests them.

They are nearly inseperable twins, but no one can figure out why, because they seem to HATE each other. On more than one occasion, they have actually gone into earnest combat with one another. Talbott seems to derive significant pleasure from making Tobey uneasy and angry by commenting on her demonic arm, and she, being the more violent of the two, usually strikes back with the selfsame arm in anger. They constantly make little verbal digs and cuts at one another, and their relationship seem to be falling apart day after day, yet they still stick together. Part of this is because The Doomguard, who see the decay of their relationship as Entropy, make a conscious effort to keep them together by assigning the two to the same tasks. They make a good team, though, and seem quite capable of getting their jobs done.

Talbott (male, Rogue, Chaotic Neutral)
He is lean of build, so his musculature is not immediately apparent. His limbs are long and thin, but he carries them with a definite dexterity and smooth grace. When he carries them that is… more often than not he sits in some tavern (The Tenth Pit in the Lower Ward is his favorite), draping himself over whatever furniture is present for seating. He has several tiefling features: his ears are very long and sharply pointed, somewhat like narrow, hairless rabbit or donkey ears; a long, thin reptilian tail; a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

Talbott dresses in ragtag clothing which is always a bit too big for him, so it seems baggy. Usually, this consists of a worn, faded shirt or jerkin, over which he wears leather armor, the whole covered with a wrinkled tunic and, usually, a long faded greenish-gray coat which is left unbuttoned and falls to his knees. His long, brown trousers hang loose over the edges of his knee-high leather boots. Tucked in his belt are a shortsword and dagger, neither terribly impressive. His main weapons, however, are his two cutlasses, which uses simultaneously in a peculiar fashion. One is strapped to his back, the other across the back of his hips, parallel to the ground. When fighting, he holds one normally, the other inverted, blade down, and uses it to block and make quick elbow blows and stabs. He is very skillful with his blades. The cutlass he keeps on his back, which has a guard like a grotesque face, is called "Armiteur" and is a +2 weapon, and when it scores a good hit, jolts the recipient with a flesh and bone disruptive surge of magic (save vs. Death or suffer 1d6 extra damage).

Talbott's third eye (which is capable of Detect Magic) is usually not visible, for he wears a leather helm over his head. The helm falls to his brow and give his otherwise unobtrusive, handsome face a rather grim look. The front is adorned with a metal plate which covers his forehead and third eye, leaving only a slit open for the eye to see out of. The sides of the helm fall long and loose, with holes cut for his ears to poke through (the overall effect is similar to that of a W.W.II fighter pilot's headgear). The helm is +2, and allows him an attempt to disrupt an opponent's action.

Talbott, though a fighter and rogue, has for much of his life been very interested in some forms of alchemy, and has sort of self-taught himself some chemistry. See, though he ended up pursuing a career as a fighter of sorts (mostly due to his DG involvement), he actually has a very academic mind, and therefore, though often idle, reads from time to time, and analyzes situations with a more distinguishing eye then he seems to. He often thinks, but he rarely acts. Only when something catches his fancy or displeasure does he actually do anything about it. He'll tell a berk that being so idle lets him FEEL the entropy all the more.

Because of his dabbling in alchemy, Talbott can perform some degree of chemical concoction, including primitive gunpowder (though it is expensive and difficult, and therefore rarely made). He occasionally manufactures what he likes to call Deathpacks: some gunpowder, lamp oil flasks, crumpled parchment, wood shavings, and ten or twenty caltrops all mixed together in a backpack. Light on fire and throw for best results. Due to his sister's influence, he has also mastered some arts of a mechanical nature, including trap building and such.

Tobey (female, Rogue, Chaotic Neutral)
She shares her bother's build… lean and slim, with a musculature not at first apparent. Like Talbott, her eyes are rather large and rusty red in color. Unlike Talbott, her ears are only slightly pointed and not long at all. Her face is not unpleasant, but there is a wicked gleam in her eyes that only disappears occasionally, when she is tired, upset to the point of resignation, or amused. Her hair is unkempt and spiky, raven black, and pulled into a pony-tail loosely bound in the wrappings of a leather cord. Close observers will note one of her tiefling features, raven-like feathers growing from places on the back of her head, blending in with the rest of her hair. She usually has a pair of large-eyed goggles strapped on, shift up on top of her head.

Tobey dresses, again like her brother, in loose, baggy clothing. Her loose breeches are tucked into metal-clad, leather boots and behind her greaves, the knees of which are crafted into elongated, moaning faces. She wears a thick leather breastplate and shoulder armor over a loose, gray-green shirt and jerkin. She keeps a hood tucked into her shirt, but only uses it when thieving. She tends to carry herself casually, though she has a definite quickness to her manner. She seems to drape herself where she sits. There is a dark, shadowy side to Tobey that can't be defined, but is felt by those who see her nonetheless.

Almost immediately noticeable is the large metal and leather gauntlet Tobey wears on her right hand, which is connected to a forearm-encasing metal greave. The whole seems a little big for her hand, but nonetheless fits well. The fact is, Tobey's right forearm and hand are another tiefling feature… greenish-brown and rough skinned, with a hand sporting long, thin, clawed fingers connected to a slightly smaller than normal palm. Tobey is quite embarrassed and sensitive about her arm, thus, she keeps it covered, and becomes defensive and/or angry with if anyone brings it up or asks about it. She does, however, use the gauntlet in brawls as an effective bashing weapon.

Tobey carries a cutlass, like her brother, as well as a dagger, but rarely uses either. She is a master archer and prefers to use her light crossbow, which is never far from her. Originally made by an inventor in Sigil named Fisk (she stole it), it is a mechanical specialty and slightly enchanted; named "Gervasse" it is a +2 weapon and automatically recocks itself after being fired. She carries a couple of quivers full of bolts, including some magical ones with some peculiar effects. Other special and magical items include: a folding grappling hook, a grappling hook arrow, her breastplate (high quality - 50% weight and +2 AC), and a number of special trapbuilding and thieving items.

Tobey's ever-present companion is a large Executioner's Raven, which is her loyal pet and friend. The two share an almost empathic relationship, so the raven is something like a familiar to her. Its name is Ingraham.

Tobey is mechanically gifted. Since she was young she has been fascinated with mechanical devices of every conception, and familiarized herself, through tinkering and experience, with many of them. As she developed into a promising thief, she became very competent with locks, and is something of a master in the department. She can also repair, and more importantly, skillfully sabotage more types of common machines (ever hear about the big breakdown at the Great Foundry?… she, supported by her brother, was responsible for it).

Due to her mechanical inclinations (strange, considering her chaotic mentality), Tobey is almost as interested as Pentar in the Great March, simply because of the mechanical nature of Mechanus. She has therefore been actively pursuing, until recently, the capture of a modron or two. Unlike her brother, Tobey more actively seeks to create entropy… thus her occasional, seemingly pointless, sabotages.

Tobey serves two purposes for the Doomguard; her ability as a saboteur, and her skill as an archer. She has, on occasion, been used to assassinate people. Though she prefers the former practice, she is equally at home with the latter, and has even been known to comment on how powerful it makes her feel to know she holds the life of another in the sights of her bow…

Doomguard Falcatta [Source: In The Abyss]
Another "expansion" NPC for the purpose of eventually running the module.

Falcatta (Pr/Elf/F4/T4/CG) is a newly inducted member of the Doomguard. She has not yet had a chance to prove herself, and thus is a bit over-eager in her assignments. After she's got a few missions under her belt, and some recognition from her superiors, she should calm down and prove to be a stable member of the faction. Presently, she is a member of the Regulators, but her recent assignment with Hugh Phagus may push her into the Sinkers.

Falcatta has strawberry blond hair cut spiky and short and silver-gray eyes. She is graceful and curvy. This young elf has a terminal "Yes, Sir! Can Do!" attitude. Falcatta wears close fitting leather armor and favors darts over the faction's sword.

Authored by: Ken Lipka E-mail me: krlipka@yahoo.com

Return to NPC Overview Page