View source for Sigil

{{Otheruses4|the [[Cosmology|planar]] city|the personal rune used by [[wizard]]s|Mage sigil}}
{{Plane
| image             = Sigil-5e.jpg
| caption           = A view of Sigil from the Spire.
| name              = Sigil
| othernames        = The Cage, City of Doors
| symbol            = Outlands.png
| demonym           = Cager
| natives           = 
| languages         = 
| basicrefs         = <ref name="PWH-p9">{{Cite book/Planewalker's Handbook|9}}</ref><ref name="ICGS2e-p4-5">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|4-5}}</ref>
| type-GW           = Realm
| shape-size-GW     = Torus<br />Diameter: {{SI|5|mi|k}}<br />Circumference: {{SI|20|mi|k}}
| gravity-GW        = Objective directional
| time-GW           = Normal
| morphic-GW        = Divinely
| element-energy-GW = None
| alignment-GW      = {{Alignment grid|off|off|off|off|on|off|off|off|off}}
| magical-GW        = Normal
| layers-GW         = 
| layer-number-GW   = 
| location-GW       = the [[Outlands]]
| refs-GW           = <ref name="DMG3.5-167">{{Cite book/Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5|167}}</ref><ref name="MotP3e-p147-151">{{Cite book/Manual of the Planes 3rd edition|147-151}}</ref><ref name="DMG5e-p67-68">{{Cite book/Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition|67-68}}</ref><ref name="ICGS2e-p6">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|6}}</ref>
| type-WA           = [[Demiplane]]
| shape-size-WA     = Recursive (torus)<br />Diameter: {{SI|6.4|mi|k}}<br />Circumference: {{SI|20|mi|k}}<br />Thickness: {{SI|1.5|mi|k}}
| gravity-WA        = 
| mutability-WA     = 
| element-energy-WA = 
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| magical-WA        = 
| layers-WA         = 
| layer-number-WA   = 
| location-WA       = 
| refs-WA           = <ref name="MotP4e-p25-29">{{Cite book/Manual of the Planes 4th edition|25-29}}</ref><ref name="MotP4e-p9">{{Cite book/Manual of the Planes 4th edition|9}}</ref>
| type-WT           = 
| shape-size-WT     = 
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| layers-WT         = 
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| refs-WT           = 
| inhabitants       = yes
| deities           = 
| locations         = yes
| organizations     = yes
| settlements       = 
| usethe            = 
| useon             = 
}}
'''Sigil''' ({{Pronounce|SIG|il|refs=<ref name="PCS2e-SB-p4">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|4}}</ref>}}), also known as '''the Cage''', the '''City of Doors''',<ref name="PWH-p9" /> or, less commonly, the '''City of Secrets''',<ref name="MotP4e-p25-29" /> was a floating city in the center of the [[Outlands]] and the self-proclaimed center of the [[multiverse]] in  the [[Great Wheel cosmology]].<ref name="MotP3e-p147-151" /><ref name="PWH-p10">{{Cite book/Planewalker's Handbook|10}}</ref> A major hub for interplanar travel, the city contained multiple ''[[portal]]s'' to every single plane, as well as to numerous locations in the [[Prime Material Plane]].<ref name="MotP3e-p147-151" /><ref name="ICGS2e-p4-5" /> It was considered a [[demiplane]] in the [[World Axis cosmology]].<ref name=MotP4e-p4">{{Cite book/Manual of the Planes 4th edition|4}}</ref>

{{quote
|Ah, the Cage. Nexus of the planes. You've gotta hate it…
|[[Trykk]]<ref name="PWH-p9" />
}}

==Description==
{{quote|This city has more political intrigue than [[Waterdeep]], the people are more arrogant than [[Westgate]] merchants, and the air's more foul than a [[Zhentil Keep]] sewer.|[[Joel|Joel of Finder]]<ref name="tym-p16">{{Cite book/Tymora's Luck|16|2}}</ref>}}
Sigil was located in the Outlands, hovering above the immensely tall landmark known as the [[Spire]] that stood at the plane's center.<ref name="PWH-p10" /> From the Outlands, it was possible to see Sigil hovering atop the Spire as the mountaintop vanished into nothingness.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="DMG5e-p67-68" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p15">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|15}}</ref>

Sigil was shaped like the inside of a torus. According to official measurements by the [[Harmonium]], the city's primary diameter―that is, the ring's diameter―was {{SI|5|mi|k|long=yes}}, with a circumference of {{SI|20|mi|k|long=yes}}.<ref name="ICGS2e-p6" /><ref group="note">The Harmonium's measurements are inconsistent with the ratio between a circle's radius and its circumference in Euclidean geometry, but could be possible in a [[wikipedia:Hyperbolic geometry|hyperbolic geometry]].</ref> Later measurements put the primary diameter at approximately {{SI|6.4|mi|k|long=yes}}, with the same circumference as the Harmonium's measurements, and a secondary diameter―the ring's thickness―of approximately {{SI|1.5|mi|k|long=yes}}.<ref name="MotP4e-p25-29" /> Despite these attempts at measurement, the city did not have a fixed size and its dimensions could be changed at will by the [[Lady of Pain]].<ref name="ICGS2e-p6" />

[[File:Outlands2e.png|thumb|left|230px|''A view of the [[Spire]] and Sigil from the [[Outlands]].'']]
The city's location and geometry was considered by most sages, in particular the inhabitants of the Material Plane, to be impossible.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p58">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|58}}</ref> Although all [[magic]] was completely impeded at the center of the Outlands,<ref name="PWH-p10" /> it worked normally within Sigil,<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p20,22">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|20,22}}</ref> with the exception of spells that involved planar travel.<ref name="MotP3e-p147-151" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p54">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|54}}</ref> There were many hypotheses that tried to explain Sigil's location and existence. Although they varied wildly, one of the more popular explanations posited that the Lady of Pain was behind the city's existence and properties.<ref name="PWH-p9" />

The city did not fill the entire inner surface of the torus, but just the outer portion of the ring. For that reason, the city was recursive only in one direction, along its major circumference. Even though it was not a completely closed surface, it was impossible to see outside of the ring from any point within the city. If one looked up, the far side was visible, as the gentle curvature caused any point in the city to resemble the bottom of a valley. The edges of the ring were lined with solid buildings that had no windows outside, so the only way to try to see what lay beyond the edge was to climb a rooftop. Those who did reported that there was nothing to see beyond the edge―not empty space or a vacuum, but nothing at all. Those who jumped over the edge disappeared into a random plane.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p59">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|59}}</ref>

As a result of this unique geometry, Sigil had no sky. The city was kept lit by an intrinsic luminescence of its air, which waxed and waned creating the appearance of a 24-hour day-night cycle. The brightest moment in the cycle was referred to as "peak" and the darkest point was referred to as "antipeak". Time was measured by counting down the hours before peak ({{SmallCaps|b.p.}}) and incrementing them after peak ({{SmallCaps|a.p.}}).<ref name="ICGS2e-p12">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|12}}</ref> As a result, most of the time the city was illuminated only by a hazy twilight. The equivalent of full daylight only lasted for about 6 hours, from 3 {{SmallCaps|b.p.}} to 3 {{SmallCaps|a.p.}}, so even creatures that were sensitive to bright light were comfortable in Sigil most of the time. During the six darkest hours of the cycle, light coming from [[lantern]]s on the opposite side of the ring gave an illusion of a sky filled with stars.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p59" /> Clocks in Sigil did not have numbers and were marked with 24 1-hour segments, with the daytime hours and peak on top and night hours and antipeak at the bottom.<ref name="ICGS2e-p12" />

[[File:Sigil-4e.jpg|thumb|250px|''A [[dragonborn]] appreciating the architecture of the City of Doors.'']]
The city was crowded with buildings that squeezed over each other with very small living spaces. New buildings, courtyards, and streets were constantly being built, changing the city's landscape and turning old structures into underground crypts. Sigil's architecture was marked by its iron spikes and bladed fences, serving both as protection against intruders and as a stylistic choice. Stone gargoyles were also typical decorations.<ref name="ICGS2e-p6-8">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|6-8}}</ref>

Weather on Sigil alternated between foul-smelling smog, frequent chilly rains, and somewhat clear weather. The haze from the city's myriad chimneys was a near constant, often reducing visibility to about {{SI|10|yd|long=yes}}, or even down to {{SI|5|ft|long=yes}} in the worst cases. When it rained, it was common for the water to mix with the walls' and the air's impurities and turn to a brown drizzle. After it rained, the city air cleared out for a while, with light breezes and a pleasant cool temperature.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p59" />

==Cosmography==
According to its own inhabitants, Sigil's central position in the Outlands, at equal distance from the each of the [[gate-town]]s that led to the [[Outer Planes]], put the city itself at the center of the planes, at least according to some interpretations of the Great Wheel cosmology. Most sages agreed that, since the multiverse was infinite, there was no true center,<ref name="PWH-p8">{{Cite book/Planewalker's Handbook|8}}</ref><ref name="FDD2e-p56">{{Cite book/For Duty & Deity|56}}</ref> but nevertheless Sigil was generally acknowledged as one of the most important places in the multiverse.<ref name="PCS-PGP2e-p4">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/A Player's Guide to the Planes|4}}</ref>

It was impossible to walk into and out of Sigil from the Outlands or any other location.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p15" /> It was also impossible to enter or exit the city, or even observe it, via [[spell]], [[magic item]], or any creature's innate abilities.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p54" /> Although spells like ''[[plane shift]]'', ''[[gate]]'', and ''[[astral projection]]'' were incapable of entering or exiting Sigil, the city was not completely cut off from the [[Astral Plane]], so spells such as ''[[raise dead]]'', which required access to the Astral, still worked. Teleportation within the boundaries of the city also functioned normally. Like all locations in the Outer Planes, Sigil was cut off from the [[Ethereal plane]].<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p54" /><ref name="PHB-PGP3e-p142">{{Cite book/Planar Handbook|142}}</ref>

The only way in or out of Sigil was via its innumerable ''[[portals]]''.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p54" /> Any bounded opening (a doorway, an arch, a barrel hoop, a picture frame) could possibly be a ''portal'' to another plane, or to another point in Sigil itself. In addition, ''portals'' could be permanent or temporary, linking to fixed or shifting locations.<ref name="ICGS2e-p8-11">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|8-11}}</ref> Thus, the city touched all planes at once, yet ultimately belonged to none. Those characteristics warranted Sigil the other names it was known for: it was called "the City of Doors" for the sheer number of ''portals'', but was also called "the Cage" for the difficulty to enter or exit the city.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="MotP4e-p25-29" />

==Government==
[[File:Lady of Pain 2e B.png|thumb|230px|''The Lady of Pain hovering over the streets of Sigil.'']]
The ruler of Sigil was the mysterious Lady of Pain, who reigned from her seat of power known as the Throne of Blades.<ref name="ICGS2e-p23">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|23}}</ref> Her power controlled all the ''portals'' in the city and prevented all [[deities]] and [[archfiend]]s from entering it. The Lady did not otherwise concern herself with ruling the city directly; she typically only interfered when something threatened the stability of Sigil itself or crossed one of her few but unforgiving edicts, which amounted to keeping the peace and refraining from worship of her.<ref name="PWH-p9" />

The Lady was an entity of inscrutable motives, but she was known for being swift and merciless when dealing with threats to her and to the City of Doors. Those who crossed her, even accidentally, risked being flayed to death or teleported to extradimensional labyrinths known as the Lady's Mazes, never to be seen again.<ref name="PWH-p9" /> Tales also existed of would-be usurpers to the Throne of Blades who ended up imprisoned in [[Agathion]], the fourth layer of [[Pandemonium]].<ref name="ICGS2e-p23" />

Although the Lady of Pain did not act directly in the everyday management of Sigil, her will was enforced through a number of servants known as [[dabus]], who simultaneously served as the Lady's eyes and ears as well as keepers of the structure of Sigil. Like the Lady, the dabus did not interact much with Sigil's inhabitants or travelers. It was considered wise to leave the dabus be, since antagonizing them incurred the risk of bringing down the infrequent but harsh wrath of their mistress.<ref name="PWH-p9" />

[[File:Dabus-2e.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''The dabus, silent caretakers of Sigil.'']]
The dabus also constantly repaired and reshaped Sigil, recycling materials from one structure to build another. They were believed to be the only ones who truly understood the inner workings of the city, and some even speculated that the dabus were the true rulers of Sigil.<ref name="ItC-p6-8">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|6-8}}</ref><ref name="PCS-MS2e-p10-11">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Monstrous Supplement|10-11}}</ref> It was believed that the dabus dwelled somewhere in the crypts in the city's underground.<ref name="ItC-p6-8" />

Thanks to the Lady's strict forbiddance of open large-scale conflict, Sigil was a true neutral haven to all visitors. It was a location where no wars were waged and even the fiercest opponents, such as an [[angel]] and a [[fiend]] or a [[devil]] and a [[demon]], could be seen sharing a drink and momentarily setting their differences aside.<ref name="ItC-p52-54">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|52-54}}</ref><ref name="ItC-p61">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|61}}</ref>

Nevertheless, Sigil was hardly peaceful; the Lady of Pain did not concern herself with day-to-day crime such as murder or petty theft. Only threats to Sigil, and, by extension, to the Lady herself, were met with direct action by her and the dabus.<ref name="ItC-p63-64">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|63-64}}</ref> This lack of direct oversight and the need for personal maintenance of law and order gave visitors and Cagers the feeling that Sigil was constantly on the brink of anarchy.<ref name="DMG24e-p192-193">{{Cite book/Dungeon Master's Guide II 4th edition|192-193}}</ref>

==Trade==
Sigil was a prime destination for travelers as well as a center of trade throughout the multiverse.<ref name="MotP3e-p147-151" /> Its merchants accepted the standard currency from anywhere on the planes.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p69">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|69}}</ref> Most shops and stalls tended to concentrate on the [[Great Bazaar]] in the [[Sigil/Market Ward|Market Ward]], but there were numerous street markets throughout the city that operated part-time. Day markets traded mostly in food and housewares, whereas night markets offered a larger variety.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|76-77}}</ref>

The city did not produce any usable natural resources and had to import even the most basic items, such as food and raw materials. In order to survive, the city capitalized on its most important asset: its sheer amount of ''portals'' and the fact that it was one of the most frequent stops for planewalkers going anywhere in the multiverse. For that reason, the first priority in Sigil was to accommodate for its visitors' various tastes during their stay. There was an enormous assortment of inns and taverns that catered for just about anyone.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p69" /> Such places were usually highly specialized and each tended to evoke the atmosphere of a single location.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />

With this large flux of travelers often looking to trade their wares, Sigil was famous for being the place where anything could be found for sale. Goods from several worlds in the [[Prime Material plane]], such as [[bronzewood]] from [[Oerth]] or [[Fire Wine]] from [[Toril]] were available there, as well as exotic items from all other planes, so it was common for travelers to look for those goods in Sigil first, before venturing to their proper places of origin. The city also offered a vast array of services supporting traders, travelers, and residents alike. Many people offered their services as bodyguards, mercenaries, and bill collectors.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p69" />

Many [[wizard]]s also set up shop in the city, taking advantage of the variety of items that passed through. Sigil was famous for its [[magic item]] production, as items created within the Cage were considerably more resistant to planar effects that weakened magic enchantments. However, prices were considerably high for such items, and their sellers often only kept small businesses that could be difficult to track down.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p69" />

===Services===
Services offered in Sigil included:<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />

* [[Tout]]s, or unofficial city guides. It was highly recommended that [[planewalker]]s new to Sigil employed a guide, lest they be taken advantage of or mugged. Since there was no central agency or any regulation of the profession, such guides could be little better themselves, either serving to persuade a traveler to the side of their faction or simply robbing their "customer" once their backs were turned.<ref name="PWH-p10" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />
* [[Factotum]]s, the city's official guides. Regulated by their respective factions, they guided visitors through not only the city's mazes, but its convoluted politics as well.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />
* Public transportation. Sigil had no horses, so unlike [[Waterdeep]]'s [[dray]]s and [[hire-coach]]es,<ref name="WDH5e-p170-171">{{Cite book/Waterdeep: Dragon Heist|170-171}}</ref> its transportation system consisted of [[sedan chair]]s that could hold up to two people each. The service did not extend to the entire city, as some dangerous areas were avoided by sedan chair pullers.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />
* [[Courier]]s, hired to deliver messages around the city. It was a dangerous job, so the service was not entirely reliable.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />
* [[Light boy]]s, street urchins who offered escorting services via [[wand]]s of ''[[continual light]]'', since Sigil did not possess streetlights. They were familiar with many of the city's intricacies, so they could act as unofficial guides as well.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p76-77" />

==History==
Sigil's origins were unknown and clouded in mystery and legend. Some speculated that the city had been built by the Lady of Pain herself,<ref name="PWH-p9" /> while others maintained that Sigil had been built by the dabus. They were believed to be the city's first inhabitants, since there was no record of a time where they were not present in the city. This hypothesis was also favored by the unique level of care the dabus demonstrated toward Sigil, constantly repairing it and silently watching over it.<ref name="ItC-p14">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|14}}</ref>

In its distant past, the city was administered by guilds, with over fifty warring factions wrestling with each other for power and control. In the event known as the [[Great Upheaval]], the Lady of Pain limited the number of official factions to fifteen, handing control of the city to the factions instead of the guilds. This new arrangement lasted for six centuries.<ref name="PHB-PGP3e-p143-144" /><ref name="FW2e-p64">{{Cite book/Faction War|64}}</ref>

During the period in which control of Sigil was in the hands of factions, the years were measured from the beginning of the rule of certain factions' leaders (known as "factols"), typically those of the [[Fraternity of Order]]. Local inhabitants were accustomed to the constant changes in the city, so they did not pay too much attention to the timing of historic events.<ref name="ICGS2e-p12" />

At an unknown time, a plot to free [[Malar]] from his imprisonment by [[Talos]] in the [[Land of the Hunt]] in the [[Colothys]] layer of [[Carceri]] resulted in an artifact known as the ''[[dreamlink]]'' spreading a corruption of the wild nature of the [[Beastlands (plane)|Beastlands]] into several Outer Planes and into Sigil itself. The effects, which included intense increases in aggressiveness from animals and other creatures, threatened to spread from there to the entire multiverse.<ref name="SW2e-p4-5">{{Cite book/Something Wild|4-5}}</ref>

{{fq
| text   = This city tolerates your faction no longer. Abandon it or die.
| source = Proclamation from the Lady of Pain at the end of the Faction War<ref name="PHB-PGP3e-p143-144" /><ref name="DMG24e-p192-193" /><ref name="FW2e-p114">{{Cite book/Faction War|114}}</ref>
| float  = 
| width  = 
}}
632 years after the Great Upheaval, in the 130{{th}} year of Factol [[Hashkar]]'s rule,<ref name="FW2e-p64" /> the simmering political tensions between the fifteen factions for supremacy of their worldview escalated to open hostilities, triggering a bloody internal conflict known as the [[Faction War (conflict)|Faction War]]. The war ended with the complete disbanding of all factions by the Lady of Pain, with some of them being extinguished, others moving their headquarters to other planes, and others becoming underground organizations.<ref name="PHB-PGP3e-p143-144" />

Some time after the Faction War, the [[lich]] [[Vecna]] attempted to ascend to the status of [[greater deity]] and orchestrated an invasion of Sigil, from where he hoped to control the entire multiverse.<ref name="DVD2e-p3-4">{{Cite book/Die Vecna Die|3-4}}</ref> The Lady of Pain expelled Vecna from the city with the help of adventurers, but the invasion caused a great disturbance in the multiverse. Following his defeat, the Lady of Pain strengthened Sigil's defenses and reorganized the planar structure in order to repair the damage and to prevent such an event from ever happening again.<ref name="DVD2e-p149-151">{{Cite book/Die Vecna Die|149-151}}</ref>

==Notable Locations==
* The [[Hall of Concordance]] was an embassy of [[law]], dedicated to the signing and enforcement of contracts. The hall offered the possibility of having the [[kolyarut]] engrave a contract onto a sheet of [[gold]] that was installed on a [[marut]]'s chest. The marut then became bound to ensure that the contract was fulfilled to the letter.<ref name="MTF5e-p213">{{Cite book/Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|213}}</ref>
* [[Imel's Happy Tongue]], an inn and tavern known for its periodic menu specials that featured food from all the planes. The favorite item in its annual "Cheeses of the Planes" was the Torilian [[Death Cheese]].<ref name="FDD2e-p9">{{Cite book/For Duty & Deity|9}}</ref>
* The [[Prime Exotics]] shop specialized in selling small animals from the Prime Material plane, including [[rabbit]]s, [[squirrel]]s, [[hedgehog]]s, and [[miniature giant space hamster]]s.<ref name="ICGS2e-p126">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|126}}</ref>

===Wards of Sigil===
[[File:Sigil - Jason Engle.jpg|thumb|250px|''The wards of Sigil.'']]
Sigil was divided into six wards. Although the boundary between wards was not clearly marked on the city's streets or maps, it was usually easy to identify a ward based on the general upkeep and packing of the buildings, as well as the type of business conducted there. Counter-clockwise around the ring, the wards of Sigil were the following:<ref name="MotP4e-p25-29" /><ref name="DMG24e-p194-201">{{Cite book/Dungeon Master's Guide II 4th edition|194-201}}</ref><ref name="ICGS2e-maps">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil/Maps}}</ref><ref group="note">The wards are presented in a different order in the ''[[Dungeon Master's Guide 2|Dungeon Master's Guide II 4th edition]]'', with the Lower and Hive wards exchanged and the sequence said to be in clockwise order. Since this contradicts all other references, including the city map given in the same book, we assume that this was an error.</ref>

;[[Sigil/The Lady's Ward|The Lady's Ward]]:
: The richest and most exclusive section of the city, home to the elites of society and of its government.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p79-81">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|79-81}}</ref>
;[[Sigil/Market Ward|Market Ward]]:
: The main location for purchasing goods and services. It was famous for offering items from numerous planes and worlds.<ref name="PHB-PGP3e-p144-146">{{Cite book/Planar Handbook|144-146}}</ref>
;[[Sigil/Guildhall Ward|Guildhall Ward]]:
: Usually counted as part of the Market Ward. Home to the traders, craftsmen, artisans, guild members and other members of the middle class.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p88-89">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|88-89}}</ref>
;[[Sigil/Clerk's Ward|Clerk's Ward]]:
: An affluent district, home to most of the city's lower-rung bureaucrats and middlemen.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p84-88">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|84-88}}</ref>
;[[Sigil/Hive Ward|Hive Ward]]:
: The slum and the ghetto, home to the poor, the rogues, and the unwanted dregs of the city.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p82-84">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|82-84}}</ref>
;[[Sigil/Lower Ward|Lower Ward]]:
: An industrial district, clogged up with the smoke from the foundries and from the portals to the Lower Planes.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p81-82">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|81-82}}</ref>

==Inhabitants==
Sigil had a population of about 50,000 permanent residents, with a much higher number of temporary residents and visitors that resulted in as many as 250,000 people found in the city at any given time. The population included members of virtually every species found in the multiverse.<ref name="MotP4e-p25-29" /><ref name="DMG24e-p186">{{Cite book/Dungeon Master's Guide II 4th edition|186}}</ref> Long-time Cagers and natives usually felt uncomfortable in open spaces or locations where they could see a sky and the horizon, as they were accustomed to the absence of those features in Sigil.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p58" />

{{fq
| text   = Hey, is this [[Waterdeep]]?
| source = [[Rking]] of [[Faerûn]], a Clueless<ref name="PCS-PGP2e-p31">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/A Player's Guide to the Planes|31}}</ref>
| float  = 
| width  = 
}}
The population of Sigil spoke in a characteristic slang known as the [[cant (Sigil)|cant]] that often confused newcomers.<ref name="PCS-SB2e-p95-96">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|95-96}}</ref> They tended to hold inhabitants of the Material Plane in contempt, referring to them as "Clueless", "Outsiders", or, more politely, "primes". Despite their banter, Cagers―and planars in general―held a cautious respect for primes, since they acknowledged that a certain amount of power was necessary to reach Sigil from the Material Plane.<ref name="PCS-PGP2e-p8">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/A Player's Guide to the Planes|8}}</ref>

Before the Faction War, Sigil was home to 15 extraplanar factions that struggled with one another for power and prestige but generally did not engage in open conflict. The Lady of Pain tolerated the existence of these factions, so long as they did not interfere with her or her nebulous goals. Several factions even served useful purposes, such as the [[Guvners]], the [[Harmonium]], and the [[Mercykillers]], which served as the judges, jury, and executioners of Sigil, respectively.<ref name="PWH-p9" />

[[File:rhys in sigil-5e.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Guildmaster Rhys in Sigil overseeing in dismay the training of new recruits.'']]
Following the Faction War, other organizations took over administrative roles in the city. An Advisory Council was formed by prominent citizens to keep the peace, often hiring adventurers to deal with threats. It was led by [[Rhys]], former leader of the [[Transcendent Order]]. The role of jailers was assumed by a group known as the [[Sons of Mercy]], founded by a former member of the Mercykillers. Trade was regulated by the Mutual Trade Association, formed by guild leaders and led by [[Shemeshka]].<ref name="DMG24e-p192-193" />

The city did not have a lustrous vegetation, and its only park had been overrun with squatters. The only remaining plant life was [[razorvine]], a rapidly growing plant that originated in the [[Lower planes]] and was considered a hazard. The darker alleys were crowded with [[rat]]s and [[cranium rat]]s, [[rot grub]]s grew on garbage heaps, and [[bat]]s nested on higher places. The city's underground was inhabited by [[wererat]]s.<ref name="PWH-p9" /><ref name="PCS-SB2e-p59-61">{{Cite book/Planescape Campaign Setting/Sigil and Beyond|59-61}}</ref> The city also had two native species of birds: [[pigeon]]s with a gray-green coloration and large [[raven]]s with gray bodies and black heads and wings, known as [[executioner's raven]]s.<ref name="ICGS2e-p6" />

===Notable Inhabitants===
* [[Saddam Hasan ibn Arvalas]], a [[wizard]] from Toril and former pupil of [[Trobriand]]. A member of the Fraternity of Order, he was the owner of the [[Hands of Time]], a shop specialized in the construction and repairs of [[golem]]s and other automata.<ref name="ItC-p54">{{Cite book/In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil|54}}</ref>

==Rumors & Legends==
Sigil's very existence and purpose were a mystery. Some maintained that it had been built by a deposed duke of the [[Nine Hells]], while others suggested that it was the byproduct of an insane [[demigod]]'s dream, and some even speculated that it had been put together by scattered bits of the Outer Planes shortly after their creation.<ref name="PHB-PGP3e-p143-144">{{Cite book/Planar Handbook|143-144}}</ref> Another line of reasoning posited that Sigil was a prison for the Lady of Pain herself.<ref name="DMG5e-p67-68" />

It was also rumored that an unkindness of [[wereraven]]s inhabited the city's underground.<ref name="ICGS2e-p6" /><ref name="CoS5e-p242">{{Cite book/Curse of Strahd|242}}</ref>

==Appendix==
{{fq
| text   = We can excuse the fact that you slaughtered two [[yugoloth]]s before you realized where you were, outsider, but you pronounced the name of our fair city 'Sijil.' not 'Sigil,' and there can be no excuse for that!
| source = [[Rastina Tollin]] of the [[Guvners]]<ref name="PCS2e-SB-p4" />
| float  = 
| width  = 
}}
===Notes===
{{Notes}}
===Appearances===
{{Appearances
| adventures          = ''[[The Great Modron March]]'';''[[Tales from the Infinite Staircase]]'';''[[For Duty & Deity]]'';''[[Faction War]]'';{{Duapp|55|Umbra}};{{Duapp|60|Nemesis}};''[[Vecna: Eve of Ruin]]''
| adventure refs      = ''[[The Sword of the Dales (adventure)|The Sword of the Dales]]'';''[[Tomb of Annihilation]]''
| novels              = ''[[Masquerades]]'';''[[Finder's Bane]]'';''[[Tymora's Luck]]''
| novel refs          = ''[[Conspiracy]]''
| films               = 
| film refs           = 
| comics              = 
| comic refs          = 
| gamebooks           = 
| gamebook refs       = 
| video games         = ''[[Planescape: Torment]]''
| video game refs     = {{BGapp|SoA|III}};''[[Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark]]'';''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir]]'';''[[Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms]]''
| board games         = 
| board game refs     = 
| card games          = 
| card game refs      = ''[[Blood Wars]]''
| organized play      = ''[[No Place Like Home]]''
| organized play refs = ''[[The Guns of Azzagrat/The Brigadier|The Guns of Azzagrat: The Brigadier]]'';''[[Revenge of the Cult]]'';''[[The Laws of Luck]]''
}}

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Sigil by night.jpg|''A view of Sigil in the dark hours close to antipeak.''
Lop3.jpg|''The cryptic leader of Sigil, the Lady of Pain.''
Planescape campaign poster viewinsigil reducedsmall.jpg|''Sigil viewed from a high vantage point.''
Sigil streets 5e.jpg|''Streets of Sigil.''
Undersigil.jpg|''[[Undersigil]] underneath the [[Clerks Ward]].''
</gallery>
===References===
{{Refs|2}}

===Connections===
{{Sigil factions}}
{{Outlands}}
{{Cosmologies}}
[[Category:Demiplanes]]
[[Category:Locations in the Outlands]]
[[Category:Locations in the Outer Planes]]
[[Category:Locations in the Great Wheel planes]]
[[Category:Locations]]
[[Category:Settlements]]
[[Category:City-states]]
[[Category:Metropolises]]
[[Category:Locations on Yggdrasil]]
[[Category:Good article nominees]]