Aerylle : Grey elf and Assistant Librarian at the Library of Sensation where she works with Lirai. Born on the Prime Material Plane in the Grey Elven city of Imej to a well-to-do family, but has since relocated to Sigil after an unpleasant incident involving her sentimental life. Is currently romantically involved with Min and, in time, has grown to form strong bonds with Shesayne. She is, on the whole, reserved, quiet and formal, though this is in large part due to her upbringing and the constraints of elven modesty.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Astrid : Mysterious, eccentric human mage. Somehow implicated with Min, Shesayne and Isolde.

- First appearance: Book II, Chapter 4

Cirily : Aasimar and Elyszara's adopted sister and lover. Born of a celestial firre and a mortal man, she was adopted by Nerissa, Elyszara's mother. She is in a longstanding relationship with Elyszara, though she disapproves of the latter's brash hedonism. She is refined, caring and artistic.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 3

von Dassau, Sigismund Pandulf : Reformed arcanoloth demon who now manifests as a tall, thin humanoid with the head of a snarling, fiendish Dobermann (as opposed to the jackal head standard amongst arcanoloths). Quit the demonic yugoloth hierarchy, where he was an influential potentate, for unknown reasons. Bureau Director of External Security at Sigil's Civic Security Department. Eidetic memory and brilliant intellect have to be kept occupied through the constant reading of books. Writes academic articles with limited success and is a wine expert. He is also a sadistic, pedantic sociopath who cares nothing for Isolde and less for everyone else in the Multiverse. Still, this is a notable improvement from his previous existence.

- First appearance: Book I, Chapter 1

Elyszara : Aasimar and daughter to the ghaele knight, Nerissa. Born from a celestial being and a mortal man, she is renowned both on her home plane of Arborea and in Sigil as a legendary beauty and an even more legendary hedonist. Sublimates her anxieties about mortality and her role in life through wanton sensuality, narcotics and alcohol. Although romantically engaged to Cirily she has eloped with numerous other protagonists, including Syf, Min and Virginia.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 3

Friyya : Paladin of the Order of the Radiant Path. Haughty and beautiful, she is Syf's beloved and the object of much admiration at the Order, though her decidedly feminine preoccupations and sub-par physical prowess have caused Isobel to target her during training. Conversely, she is naturally intelligent and studious. Came top of her Consecrated class in the final doctrinal exam. Fiercely devoted to Syf and her sisters-at-arms, though she frequently bickers with Marséna.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Ingeborg : Initiate Priestess of the Order of the Radiant Path. Prefers to be called Inge. A brilliant student, she sought Ithunn's favours and was, ultimately, rejected. She appears innocent, quiet and introspective, but she is far more clever and manipulative than she lets on.

- First appearance: Book I, Chapter 6

Isobel : Vice-Commander of the Field Army of the Maiden in Sigil (human). Fierce and highly feared paladin at the Order who acts as a field commander and instructor to novices and young paladins alike. Violent, androphobic with a sharp tongue, though she is convinced that what she does is for the good of her charges and the Order.

- First appearance: Book I, Chapter 1

Isolde : Secretary and Personal Assistant (human) to S.P. v. Dassau. Highly intelligent but extremely frustrated in her work. Was a highly promising student, but was forced to quit her academic work for unknown reasons. She has become Dassau's factotum and the victim of his eccentricities, something that has exacerbated her already cruel, if not outright sadistic, tendencies.

- First appearance: Book I, Chapter 1

Ithunn : Novice of the Order of the Radiant Path. In her final year of training, Ithunn is widely considered to be the most brilliant prospective blademistress at the Order since Syf. She is sensitive about her birth and past in the Hive, where she briefly worked as a seamstress, something which caused much friction with Friyya. Currently romantically engaged to Verden and seeking to juggle the requirements of her training with her emotional life.

- First appearance: Book I, Chapter 4

Lirai : Air Genasi (the daughter of a sylph and a mortal) Assistant Librarian at the Library of Sensation and Aerylle's colleague. Romantically involved with Isolde. Outwardly refined and intellectual, she has a secret masochistic bent and enjoys being dominated.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 2

Marséna : Paladin of the Order of the Radiant Path. Born in the sun-kissed world of Mareterra, she came to the Order as an outsider but was rapidly accepted and readily admired for her innovative and brilliant fencing skills. Was romantically engaged to Virginia, though the relationship ground to a halt when Virginia declared that she could not fully commit yet. Sensitive and sensual, Marséna has all the passionate, fiery emotion of her harsh, but beautiful homeland.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Min : Tiefling and daughter of an unknown demon and an unknown mortal. Fiery-haired and fiery-tempered, none in the Sigil's slums, the Hive, can match her natural agility and skill with the dagger, just as none can match her effortless seduction of any woman or girl who catches her eye. Was romantically involved with Shesayne, but their relationship was more friendship and sisterhood than formal romance. Outwardly cold and enigmatic, Min is fiercely protective of Shesayne and Aerylle. Used to be an excellent thief, but has now branched off into magical item retrievals so as to spare Shesayne from living a life of violence and bloodshed. Although she is currently romantically involved with Aerylle, her passions are boundless and she is careful not to mistake love for fidelity...

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 2

Shesayne : Half- Moon Elf and Min's best friend and on-and-off lover. Criticised by her elven mother for her immodest dress and un-elven attitudes as well as her reluctance to study or make herself useful, she found solace with Min, creating which no force in the Multiverse can break. She is fast-talking, irreverent and always, apparently, happy. Was romantically involved with Marséna, but eventually split up, acrimoniously, and is currently searching for her true love whilst never neglecting her enduring relationship with Min and her budding affection for Aerylle.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Syf : Paladin of the Order of the Radiant Path. Emblematic, devoted paladin. Widely reckoned to be the finest warrior in the Order after Isobel - though Marséna would dispute that - she is fiercely devoted to her sisters-at-arms and to her cause. Romantically engaged to Friyya, though she briefly eloped with Elyszara - a transgression which has since been forgiven. Was the subject of hero-worship by Ithunn, though she turned down the novice's romantic advances.

-First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Talilissa (Lily) : Drow (dark elf). Once the daughter of a prosperous and extremely powerful noble House in a drow city on the Prime Material Plane, she was exiled when her House was destroyed by its rivals. In Sigil, she was on the verge of perishing from exposure when Virginia saved her. A romantic bond has since formed between the two. Although she has the raw ambition and casual cruelty of her race, Lily is also highly intelligent and very adaptable. Openly defers to Virginia in hierarchical drow fashion and has developed a firm friendship with Shesayne.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Verden : Half-Wood Elf. Voluptuous, dangerous and always ready to deploy her thieving skills, Verden was an integral component of Min and Shesayne's thieving outfit before the latter quit that career in favour of a more honest living. Verden remains pragmatic and unflinching in her view of life, though her recently renewed relationship with Ithunn has brought out her more caring, sensitive side. She is somewhat insecure and hates being patronised. Instinctively dislikes, and is disliked by, Aerylle.

- First appearance: Book I, Chapter 7

Virginia : Paladin of the Order of the Radiant Path. Calm, maternal and tolerant, Virginia has been appointed Squad Leader, somewhat to Syf's chagrin, and is widely considered to have excellent leadership skills and judgement. Romantically engaged to Lily, though she was previously Marséna's beloved. The latter relationship never quite died and was rekindled when she visited Mareterra together with Marséna. She is an easygoing, unprejudiced person who, however, has a keen sense of mission, though her approach is missionary rather than crusading. She is the object, from afar, of Isolde's hatred.

- First appearance: Preludes, Part 1

Glossary of Terms for the Benefit of Readers of my Fiction

Most of these terms are derived from the D&D canon and, specifically, the Planescapes campaign setting. This Glossary is a brief clarification with those who may not be too familiar with D&D mythology and the cant - that is, the vernacular language of Sigil.

Aasimar : The offspring of a union between a celestial (an immortal inhabitant of the Upper Planes), vulgarly regarded as 'angels' or 'devas', and a mortal. This term often includes the descendants of such unions which manifest certain supernatural or particular traits several generations removed from the original union between mortal and immortal. Subsantial community present in Sigil. Elyszara and Cirily are both aasimar.

Anarchists : see Revolutionary League.

Arborea : An Upper Plane, strongly aligned towards chaos and good. A utopia of sorts, where the deities of the Elven pantheon reside.

Arcanoloth : A very high-ranking caste of yugoloth demon. Normally manifests as tall, gaunt humanoids with the head of a jackal - or, more rarely, a war dog. Bureau Chief S. P. von Dassau is an Arcanoloth who has chosen to manifest with the features of a Dobermann, as that particular species of war-dog is known on many Prime Material worlds.

Artemis : Goddess of the Olympian Pantheon. The Virgin Huntress who is always accompanied by a full complement of nymphs and dryads. Priesthood and militant religious orders are composed entirely of - primarily human - females who are required to abstain from sexual contact with males. The Vigilant Maiden is a belligerent aspect of Artemis.

Arvandor : The specific realm of Arborea inhabited by Elven deities.

Athar (Godless) : Radical atheist faction, currently banned in Sigil in the wake of the Faction War. Extreme hostility to religious orders as well as a degree of moral relativism/nihilism is exhibited by many members. Used to congregate around the Shattered Temple of the dead god, Aoskar. Currently finance subversive activities through numerous illegal enterprises.

Cant, Sigil : Vernacular dialect of Sigil's lingua franca. Originally a thieves' code, it has since evolved into a form of slang generally intelligible with standard Sigil common speech. Use of cant is considered an unfailing indicator of lower-class origins. For a basic cant vocabulary, visit: http://nwsigil.tripod.com/lexicon.htm

Dawnlands : Domain of Arborea shared by a number of elven deities and the Vigilant Maiden.

Department of Civic Security : After the suppression of specialised Factions which once ruled Sigil by providing civic services (in particular the Harmonium for security, the Mercykillers for the prisons/penal system and the Fraternity of Order for the Law Courts and the Hall of Records), the closest thing the city has to law enforcement. Poorly staffed and funded - its primary activities, far from preventing petty crime, human or narcotics trafficking - is crushing the discontents of over-crowded urban life. Often outsources less pressing matters to para-military organisations such as the Radiant Path.

Eladrin : The elven equivalent of angels. Beings of light and goodness who take on noble, elven forms and dwell on the Plane of Arborea, acting as knights, soldiers, poets and retainers for the Elven gods. Whilst they prefer to take on the form of impossibly beautiful mortal elves, their true shape is that of living energy, which they assume to strike down only the most wicked of opponents. Nerissa, Elyszara's mother and Cirily's adopted mother, is an Eladrin.

- Ghaele: high-ranking Eladrin caste. Charged with leading the defence of the realms of the Elven gods. Broadly comparable to landed knights. Elyszara is half Ghaele.

- Firre: moderately high-ranking eladrin caste (just below Ghaele). Poets, bards and artists. Cirily is half Firre.

Elf, Drow : Dark elves. Black-skinned, silver haired inhabitants of the lower, cavernous depths of many worlds. Worship the Spider-Queen Lloth (or Lolth in some dialects) and are governed by noble Houses which are constituted by extended family groups which administer corporations and trading syndicates. Known for being highly matriarchal - males are extremely hard pressed to reach positions of power and influence in drow society. Most meaningful social relations are between members of the same sex. Talilissa (Lily) is drow.

Elf, Grey : Highly cultured, erudite and advanced race devoted primarily to scholarship, magic and the arts. Known to be the most refined and intelligent of the surface elves. Insofar as grey elves themselves are concerned, their society is highly egalitarian and most city-states are extremely decentralised magogracies ruled by a benevolent council of economic, social, religious and arcane interests. Aerylle is a grey elf.

Elf, Half : Most frequently the products of unions between elves and humans. Vary widely in terms of appearance and outlook. The highly cosmopolitan nature of Sigil makes the half-elven community quite substantial, though they are often subject to extensive social discrimination in both human and elven areas.

Elf, Moon : Civilised, advanced elven sub-race usually ruled by feudal aristocracy. Noted for their artistic sense. Large community present in Sigil. Shesayne's mother is a Moon Elf.

Elf, Wood : Primeval elves who still inhabit the virgin forests that existed at the moment of Creation. Very much in touch with the oldest of elven gods, such as the Forest Mother. Society is primitive by elven standards: tribal, fully democratic treetop villages which often have no knowledge of metal-working are the norm. Large community present in Sigil. Often looked down upon by other elven races, Grey Elves in particular. Verden's mother was a Wood Elf.

Genasi : The descendant of the union between a mortal and an elemental spirit (sylph, salamander, naiad etc.). As with aasimar and tieflings, the elemental taint can last several generations after the original union. Lirai is an air genasi (descendant of the union between a mortal and a sylph).

Lady of Pain (Her Serenity) : Distant - presumed divine - ruler of Sigil. Tolerates little external intervention in Sigil's affairs, though "Her" rule is loose and there are few, if any, indications of her activity in daily life.

Mareterra : "Mother Earth" in Overnhat. Advanced, civilised Prime Material world dominated by humans. Generally subdivided into city-republics. Culture, language and ethnic makeup comparable to Occitan, Catalan, Tuscan or Sicilian on some other Prime Material worlds. Marséna is originally from Mareterra.

Mark, Sigil : Official currency of Sigil - sometimes referred to as a "gold piece" when in its most common (1 Mark) coin form.

Multiverse : All the dimensions of existence - more generally: the Outer Planes, the Prime Material and Gate-cities like Sigil taken as a cosmic whole.

Ortho : Advanced, civilised Prime Material world dominated by humans. Generally organised into socially rigid, stratified rural-military estates. Culture, language and ethnic makeup broadly comparable to Gothic, Scandinavian and East Germanic on some other Prime Material worlds. Substantial demographic pressure generated by constant war has led to extremely substantial migration to Sigil and elsewhere. Ortho humans are known as an industrious but intolerant people. Syf, Friyya, Virginia, Ithunn and Inge are all of Ortho stock.

Overnha : Moderately powerful city-state on the world of Mareterra. Ruled by a merchant oligarchy; peasants and small artisans constitute the bulk of the population and are legally relatively emancipated. Language is Overnhat.

Paladin : cf. Knight. In the case of the Radiant Path: A militant order of elite warriors with extensive doctrinal/religious training that allows the more intellectually talented to act as priests as well as fighters. Training begins in early adolescence and ends around full adulthood (normally five years). Life, while not monastic, is quite regimented.

Pantheon, Elven : Gods of the elves. Notably - Hanali Celanil (Ynnaeli, Issinaeli, Celana etc. in various elven dialects): goddess of love, beauty and sworn/bonded relations, portfolio includes reproductive as well as non-reproductive love; Sehanine Moonbow (Sehaine, Shesayne, Silenna etc. in various elven dialects): powerful creator goddess associated with twilight, the Moon(s), the cycle of life, fate and creation.

Planes : Areas of existence tied to the will of goddesses and gods. As a consequence of their strong divine affiliation, they reflect moral and philosophical extremes and are the homes of "angels" (Upper Planes) and "demons/devils" (Lower Planes).

Portal (also Gate) : A wrinkle in time and space that allows instantaneous travel between two points. Stabilised by magic and often the pathway of highly lucrative trade.

Prime Material : Worlds in Crystal Spheres. Inhabited primarily by mortals.

The Radiant Path, Order of : Militant organisation of paladins (knights) and priestesses who worship the Vigilant Maiden. Dedicated to the protection of the innocent - especially women and children - and the eradication of constraints upon personal liberty and dignity. Members are bound by a code of conduct (Founding Axioms), required to live communally and must foreswear romantic involvement with males of any race. By contrast, romantic relations - especially within the Order itself - with good-aligned women are encouraged to build esprit de corps.

Retrievals & Disposals (industry) : The high degree of magical and psionic concentration in Sigil frequently creates problems associated with hidden/forgotten enchantments, curses, artefacts and trapped extra-planar entities. A number of small industries have sprung up to deal with the problem and thus make it safe for urban surveyors and re-developers. Low level operatives work under hazardous conditions and are, as a rule, poorly paid. High staff turnover rate.

Revolutionary League : Radical, anarchist/socialist faction which includes institutionally and philosophically disparate groups with a common grudge against established authority. Strongly supported in areas, such as the Hive, where the gross inequalities of wealth and social class are most evident. Thrives on the widespread social discrimination of such marginalised groups as tieflings and half-elves. Activities are often highly illegal and extremely violent. One of the Civic Security Department's foremost priorities.

Sigil : The "City of Doors". Very large and highly cosmopolitan metropolis - verging on a pre-modern megalopolis. Growth underpinned by extremely high density of extra-planar portals which link Sigil to virtually every other world and plane in existence. Central government is laissez-faire, concentrated on business interests. Climate and temperature control are magically determined and neutral as possible (equal share of daylight/dark hours to allow activity for diurnal/nocturnal species; temperature generally on the cool side of temperate). Law enforcement is haphazard and poorly funded.

Society of Sensation : Non-political faction associated with the discovery and preservation of the numerous sensory experiences the Multiverse has to offer. Have mastered the technique of recording memories in a most vivid fashion in order to transmit sensations to interested parties. Most of the repository of their extensive exploration and sampling of the Multiverse can be found at the Library of Sensation.

Tiefling : The offspring of unions between mortals and beings from the Lower Planes (demons, fiends etc.). As with aasimar, the supernatural taint (different hair/skin/eye pigmentation and/or enhanced reflexes/strength/senses and/or fiendish traits such as horns/tail/reptilian eyes etc.) carries on to later generations. First generation unions are often referred to as cambion (male) and alu-fiend (female), subsequent unions with mortals yield what is commonly agreed to be a tiefling. Min is a second or third generation tiefling.

Vigilant Maiden : Militant aspect of Artemis - worshipped individually as a minor goddess on a number of Prime Material worlds. Portfolio includes: bladecraft, archery, protection, sacrifice, femininity. Often represented as idealised human female with breastplate, spear, longsword and bow. Accompanied by female warrior spirits (cf. Valkyries etc). The Radiant Path is dedicated to the Vigilant Maiden - the Path in question alludes to her mysteries, which remain secret to all but the most senior clergy.

Ward : Administrative sub-division of Sigil. The Hive Ward, for instance, is infamous for being an extended slum/working class quarter where new arrivals to Sigil congregate. The Clerk's Ward is the administrative centre, just as the Temple Ward and the Lady's Ward are the religious and social centres of city life respectively.

Yugoloth : Species of fiend sub-divided into numerous castes. Dominate the fiery, infernal plane of Gehenna.