Factions at a Glance (PWH)

Presented below is a quick look at each faction, expanded from the summaries that first appeared in The Factol's Manifesto. Refer to that product for more details about the factions, including the advanced abilities namers gain as they move up in rank. 
==Athar (Defier, The Lost)==
: Philosophy: The gods are frauds; the unknowable truth lies beyond the veil.
: Factol: Terrance. 
: Sigil HQ: Shattered Temple (Lower Ward).
: Home Field: Astral. (Athar clerics of the Great Unknown draw their spellcasting abilities from this plane.) 
: Eligibility: No priests of specific deities.
: Allies: Believers of the Source.
: Enemies: None. 
: Namer Abilities: Immune to certain faith-based spells: abjure, augury, bestow curse, curse, divination, enthrall, exaction, holy word, and quest.
: Restrictions: Can't accept aid (especially healing) from priests of specific deities. 
Archetypes: 
: BITTERLY BETRAYED: I've wasted my life worshiping false gods! Someone must pay. 
: STREET PREACIIER: Listen to me. The powers are frauds—I can prove it! Listen to me! 
==Believers of the Source (Godsmen)==
Philosophy: All life springs from the same divine source, ascending and descending in form as it is tested. 
: Factol: Ambar Vergrove. 
: Sigil HQ: Great Foundry (Lower Ward).
: Home Field: Ethereal. (Believer clerics who worship "the Source" draw their spellcasting abilities from this plane.) 
: Eligibility: Anyone can join. 
: Allies: Athar, Doomguard (temporary ally). 
: Foes: Bleak Cabal, Dustmen. 
: Namer Abilities: +2 to reaction adjustments with planars. 
: Restrictions: Can't be raised or resurrected; priests of specific deities suffer -1 to all saving throws. 
Archetypes:
: ACHIEVER: How can I improve myself today? 
: EGOTIST: I've passed tests other berks can't imagine; I'm well on my way to godhood.
==Bleak Cabal (Bleakers, The Cabal, Madmen)==
: Philosophy: The multiverse ain't supposed to make sense; there's no grand scheme, no deep meaning, no elusive order. The only truth worth finding lies within. 
: Factol: Lhar. 
: Sigil HQ: The Gatehouse (Hive Ward).
: Home Field: Pandemonium (in the Madhouse). 
: Eligibility: No lawful members. 
: Allies: Doomguard, Dustmen, Rev. League, Xaositects. 
: Enemies: Guvners, Harmonium, MercykiUers. 
: Namer Abilities: Immune to chaos, confusion, delude, feeblemind, Otto's irresistible dance, Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter, and other madness-inducing spells; gain a saving throw against ESP spells directed at them. 
: Restrictions: Has a 1 in 20 chance each day of being overcome by melancholia. 
Archetypes:
: PERPETUALLY DEPRESSED: Nothing means anything, so why bother doing anything?
: PERPETUALLY CHEERFUL: Nothing means anything, so why not do anything?
: PERPETUALLY MAD: Nothing means anything, so anything means anything! 
==Doomguard (Sinker)==
: Philosophy: Entropy is ecstasy; decay is divine. The multiverse is supposed to fall apart. We're just here to keep leatherheads from interfering. 
: Factol: Pentar. 
: Sigil HQ: Armory (The Lady's Ward). 
: Home Field: The negative quasiplanes (Ash, Dust, Salt, and Vacuum). 
: Eligibility: No priests with access to the spheres of healing or creation. 
: Allies: Bleak Cabal, Dustmen. 
: Enemies: Guvners, Harmonium. 
: Namer Abilities: All members, regardless of class, can use a sword with a + I bonus to their attack rolls. 
: Restrictions: Must fail a saving throw vs. speJI before magical healing will work on them. 
Archetypes:
: DESTROYER: Break it to bits; help entropy along! 
: WATCHER: Think long-term; promote entropy by acting in subtle ways. 
==Dustmen (The Dead) ==
: Philosophy: We're all dead—some more so than others. We explore our state with patience, purge our passion, and ascend toward the purity of True Death. 
: Factol: Skall. 
: Sigil HQ: Mortuary (Hive Ward). : Home Field: Negative Energy Plane. : Eligibility: Anyone can join. 
: Allies: Bleak Cabal, Doomguard. : Enemies: Society of Sensation, Sign of One. 
: Namer Abilities: Undead will not attack them. 
: Restrictions: Half normal chance of surviving resurrection. 
Archetypes:
: WIDE-EYED: No emotions, no dreams, no hopes to be shattered—it's bliss!
: SERENE: Fully satisfied ... comfortably numb. 
==Fated (Taker, Heartless, Coldbloods)==
: Philosophy: The multiverse belongs to those who seize it. No one's to blame for a poor sod's fate but the sorry sod himself. 
: Factol: Duke Rowan Dark.wood. 
: Sigil HQ: Hall of Records (Clerk's Ward). 
: Home Field: Ysgard (in Rowan's Hall). 
: Eligibility: No lawful good members. 
: Allies: Free League, Mercykillers (loosely). 
: Enemies: Harmonium. 
: Namer Abilities: Twice normal starting nonweapon proficiency slots; all categories open to all classes. 
: Restrictions: Can't accept or perform charity. 
Archetypes:
: STONEHEART: What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine, too. 
: THE DOER: I'll get what I want no matter what stands in the way. 
==Fraternity of Order (Guvners)==
: Philosophy: Everything has laws; most are dark. Learn the laws of the multiverse and you can rule it. 
: Factol: Hashkar. 
: Sigil HQ: City Court (The Lady's Ward). 
: Home Field: Mechanus (in the Fortress of Disciplined Enlightenment). 
: Eligibility: Members must be lawful. 
: Allies: Harmonium, Mercykillers. 
: Enemies: Rev. League, Xaositects. 
: Namer Abilities: Comprehend languages once per day; after 7th level, item (24-hour duration) once per day. 
: Restrictions: Can't knowingly break a law. 
Archetypes:
: THE SAGE: If knowledge is power, then knowing everything is the key. 
: THE MANIPULATOR: Master the laws of the multiverse, and you'll get whatever you want. 
==Free League (Indeps)==
: Philosophy: This ain't no faction, and nobody tells us what to do. Keep your options open; nobody's got the key to the truth. 
: Factol: None.
: Sigil HQ: Great Bazaar (Market Ward).
: Home Field: Outlands; informal meetings in Tradegate.
: Eligibility: Anyone can join.
: Allies: Fated (sometimes).
: Enemies: Harmonium.
: Namer Abilities: Gain +2 to save vs. charm; gain a saving throw vs. charms that normally allow none.
: Restrictions: No factol, no representatives, no rights.
: Archetypes: Any.
==Harmonium (Headheads)==
: Philosophy: Peace is our goal. But if it takes a little war to get others to see things the Harmonium way, so be it. That's how we'll reach our golden harmony.
: Factol: Sarin.
: Sigil HQ: City Barracks (The Lady's Ward).
: Home Field: Arcadia (in Melodia).
: Eligibility: Members must be lawful.
: Allies: Guvners, Mercykillers.
: Enemies: Free League, Rev. League, Xaositects.
: Namer Abilities: Charm person once per day.
: Restrictions: Disobedience requires atonement. Refusal is punishable by death.
Archetypes:
: THE BASHER: There'll be peace if I have to crush everyone's skull to get it.
: THE PREACHER: Think love, peace, and harmony.
==Mercykillers (Red Death)==
: Philosophy: Justice is everything. When properly applied, punishment leads to perfection.
: Factol: Alisohn Nilesia.
: Sigil HQ: Prison (The Lady's Ward).
: Home Field: Acheron (in Vorkehan).
: Eligibility: Members must be lawful; thieves and known criminals may not join.
: Allies: Guvners, Harmonium.
: Enemies: Rev. League, Sensates, Sign of One.
: Namer Abilities: Detect lie once per day; shocking grasp (wizards only); command (priests only).
: Restrictions: No immunity to the law; can't release a prisoner until he's been properly punished.
Archetypes:
: FANATIC: Guilty. The judgment is death.
: CRUSADER: Innocents must not be punished; the guilty must not be punished unfairly.
==Revolutionary League (Anarchists)==
: Philosophy: The status quo is built on lies and greed. Crush the factions. Break 'em down and rebuild with what's left—that's the only way to find real truth.
: Factol: None.
: Sigil HQ: Many safe houses throughout the city.
: Home Field: Carceri (in the Bastion of Last Hope).
: Eligibility: No lawful members.
: Allies: Doomguard, Xaositects (weak tie).
: Enemies: Guvners, Harmonium.
: Namer Abilities: Can pose as a member of any other faction without being detected. Restrictions: Can't hold office or own a business; must give 90% of all wealth to the faction or the oppressed.
Archetypes:
: REBEL WITHOUT A CLUE: Who needs a reason? Riot, loot, and burn it all down! THE MOLE: Worm your way into the heart of power and slowly destroy it from within.
==Sign of One (Signers)==
: Philosophy: The planes exist because the mind imagines them. Any Signer could be the one who creates the multiverse through the power of thought.
: Factol: Darius.
: Sigil HQ: Hall of Speakers (Clerk's Ward).
: Home Field: The Beastlands (in Signpost).
: Eligibility: Lawful good and lawful neutral members are unlikely at best.
: Allies: Sensates.
: Enemies: Bleak Cabal (especially), Harmonium.
: Namer Abilities: Gain automatic saving throw vs. illusions.
: Restrictions: Suffers -2 penalty to reaction and loyalty adjustments.
Archetypes:
: INTROSPECTIVE: Weigh it all carefully; improve yourself, and you improve the multiverse.
: EGOMANIAC: Don't cross me, berk, or I'll think you right out of existence!
==Society of Sensation (Sensates)==
: Philosophy: To know the multiverse, experience it fully. The senses form the path to truth, for the multiverse doesn't exist beyond what can be sensed.
: Factol: Erin Montgomery.
: Sigil HQ: Civic Festhall (Clerk's Ward).
: Home Field: Arborea (in the Gilded Hall).
: Eligibility: Anyone can join.
: Allies: Sign of One; occasionally Indeps, Guvners.
: Enemies: Doomguard; often Dustmen, Mercykillers.
: Namer Abilities: Infravision to 60 feet; gain +1 to saves vs. poison and surprise rolls.
: Restrictions: Can't refuse offers that lead to new experiences.
Archetypes:
: HEDONIST: Party, party, party! Pleasure above all!
: CONNOISSEUR: The rarest experiences are best; doing the same thing over and over is foolish.
==Transcendent Order (Ciphers)==
: Philosophy: Action without thought is the purest response. Train body and mind. to act in harmony, and the spirit becomes one with the multiverse.
: Factol: Rhys.
: Sigil HQ: Great Gymnasium (Guildhall Ward).
: Home Field: Elysium.
: Eligibility: Members must be at least partly neutral.
: Allies: Most factions.
: Enemies: Harmonium (suspicion).
: Namer Abilities: Gain -1 modifier to initiative rolls.
: Restrictions: Once an action is stated, Cipher must commit to that action (he can't change his mind).
Archetypes:
: HAIR-TRIGGER: Action, reaction. Why think about it?
: ZEN MASTER: Patience, grasshopper. With balance comes harmony.
==Xaositects (Chaosmen)==
: Philosophy: Chaos is truth, order delusion. Embracing the randomness of the multiverse, one learns its secrets.
: Factol: Karan.
: Sigil HQ: Hive (Hive Ward).
: Home Field: Limbo.
: Eligibility: Members must be chaotic.
: Allies: Bleak Cabal, Doomguard.
: Enemies: Guvners, Harmonium.
: Namer Abilities: Babble once per week.
: Restrictions: Can't participate in activities that require long-term organization or discipline.
Archetypes:
: CHAOSMONGER: Do the opposite of what everyone else does; be as loony as possible!
: TEASER: Chaos is the expected response; frustrate folks by acting (mostly) normal.