League of Innovation
Table of Contents
Who We Are
The League of Innovation ("Thinkers", as they are rather aptly known) are responsible for most of the newest technological advancements within Sigil. It was them who made possible the Planar Docks with which the Airships and Nautili are harboured and repaired. It was them who brought about the wave of artificial one-way portal technology that has allowed for better sanitation and law enforcement. This is not to mention the newest advances in steamworks and mass enchanting.
The League of Innovation are a collection of the greatest minds and tinkerers from across the planes. A place like-minded individuals can come and drive technological advancement and better understanding of the rules that govern the multiverse.
They are also teachers. Mentors. Guides. They help induct anyone who is willing to learn into the ways of the sciences and arcanum.
A word from your Factol...
Anything can be challenged.
Look at me - a Petitioner. Bound to the Plane of Chaos and Revelry. I can’t even remember how long for, or who I even was before. All I know is that I was content to wallow in hedonism, and slowly be consumed by that place.
One man made me see that Plane for what it truly was. What my status as a Petitioner meant for me:
Imprisonment.
That man changed my world. He taught me to challenge everything. That there is power in knowing "How?" and "Why?". He was an Artificer. A Tinker. He knew full well the power of invention and innovation… and he taught me everything he knew.
But not everything I know.
See, learning never stops. I stand here before you in this Great City of Doors as a Petitioner - an exile of the planes. I am free to move, to travel, and to learn as I please. But that is not true for everyone. Time is limited. All of ours is.
There is always more to learn. Always more to build. Always more to teach. But there will always be opposition - those dark powers who would hoard innovation and knowledge for their own greed and desire for control. They must be opposed at every turn, for they hold all of us back from reaching our true potential - our most divine of causes:
To Innovate.
A Thinker's Journey (Life in Academia)
Thinkers have perhaps the most structured and documented of regimes when it comes to bringing people into the faction and how they progress within it. As a brand new faction, they have a significant ‘artificial’ feel to them that is the result of self-proclaimed ‘smart people’ drawing up a syllabus and taking no criticism about it.
A test is required in order to enter the faction proper and become a Student (Namer). These tests are set twice per year, and have a 1gp suggested donation to partake in (it is non-optional for resits). They cover the absolute basics of all three departments - biology and healthcare, magical theory, and engineering. The aim is that the student will know which department to specialise into by the end of it, wherein they spend the rest of their time in the Faction studying in that area.
If the student passes the test, then they are inducted into the faction and poached by one of the three departments (unless they have a specific one in mind).
Student of Arcanum/Balms/Engineering (Namer)
Once properly inducted into the faction and their respective department, a Namer will be entitled to use the title of “Student”, or on especially formal occasions may suffix their name with either SA, SB or SE (depending on department). For example, Student Anna Shaker would list “Ms Anna Shaker, SE” on any patents for her newfound inventions.
Mentor of Arcanum/Balms/Engineering (Factotum)
Advancement to Factotum is achieved solely by the merit of one’s own studies. Each Department has its own set of exams and practicals that must be passed before one can consider themselves a Factotum. It is generally expected that a Factotum is well-studied in their field and knowledgeable about most things that their department considers to be “in their remit”.
A Factotum will be entitled to use the “Mentor” prefix to their name, or MA, ME or MB depending on department. (Eg, Mentor Anna Shaker or Ms Anna Shaker, ME).
Professor of Arcanum/Balms/Engineering (Factor)
Reaching Professor is a much harder prospect, as not only must you have demonstrated something new and innovative, but it must have somehow been shown to either have changed the course of history or to be having a noticeable impact on current events.
They do not specify in what way it must have changed the course of history. To the Thinkers, a major advancement in medical practice is just as good as a powerful weapon. They see only the creation itself, judging it in a vacuum wherein no morality or opinions are given any weight.
It is expected that a Factor is not only an expert in their department’s remit, but has a particular specialisation in which they are consider Sigil’s foremost expert.
A Factor will be entitled to use the “Professor” prefix to their name, or PoA, PoB or PoE depending on department (Eg, Professor Anna Shaker or Ms Anna Shaker, PoE).
Factol
The Thinkers haven’t yet had to elect a new Factol, as the current is still going strong. However, they have left sealed instructions on what to do in the event of their catastrophic phylactery failure…
Faction Mechanics & Character Options
Members born into the faction are raised with a huge amount of schooling and freedom of experimentation. A common experience of young Thinkers is to be pushed to pursue the heights of Academia in the hopes of surpassing their parents, or at the very least ‘living up to their legacy’.
The Faction is too juvenile right now for these children to be at the stage of taking the tests and joining the faction proper, but one can only assume they would have a much better chance at it, what with all the schooling and focus on the right topics.
If you are creating a character who has is already a member of the Thinkers, you may pick the following background at character creation. A list of suggested bonds within the faction and philosophical ideals is also presented below.
Background
All students looking to enter into the League of Innovation start off in the same place, studying the same courses. They undertake a mix of engineering, medical, and arcane learning in order to best determine what they are good at, and what they want to spend their time in the faction studying. After this, they pick a specialty and move on to become a Student in the field of their choosing.
- Skill Proficiencies: Any two from: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature or Medicine
- Tool Proficiencies: Any one from: Alchemist Supplies, Calligrapher's Supplies, Herbalism Kit, Physicker Tools, or Tinker’s Tools
- Languages: Any one
- Equipment: Three scrolls of parchment, ink and quill, a set of fine robes in your departmental colours, a set of common clothes, a pouch containing 5 gp, and your choice of either Alchemist Tools, Physicker Tools or Tinker's Tools.
Knuckle Down
You're an expert when it comes to studying hard, and have your own personal system for keeping notes and memorizing by rote. Once per long rest, when you make an ability check to gather information or study from books you may add 1d4 to the result.
d4 | Faction Draw (Ideal) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Knowledge, I’m here for knowledge, plain and simple. The Guvners are too stuffy and regulated… The best advances are born from the chaos of wild experimentation |
| 2 | Healer, I’m a healer by trade, and have come to the Thinkers to further my craft…and perhaps the field of medicine as a whole |
| 3 | Gremlin, I like to make things that go whizz, boom, clang and or pew. Thinkers let me experiment to my heart’s content |
| 4 | Dubious Scholar, The Thinkers have access to a great deal of resources, and don’t much care about this annoying ‘ethics’ thing |
d4 | Faction Study Buddy (Bonds) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Leoris Nightgleam, a down-to-Cage professor working on better construction methods |
| 2 | Widenose, a strange gremlin who never leaves the library |
| 3 | Anchor, a warforged looking to better understand themselves and find a way home |
| 4 | Legallis, a suspicious botanist |
Faction Restriction
Thinkers must never destroy, hide, nor make wholly exclusive any piece of arcane knowledge or technological innovation.
Thinkers pride themselves on being around to advance knowledge, no matter the cost or the price. They consider academic fraud, plagiarism, and destruction of notes to be heinous crimes worth expulsion at the very least.
Roleplaying a Thinker
Style and Flair
Faction colours consist of the secondary colours, each representing one of the three fields: Purple (the colour of Arcana), Orange (the colour of Engineering) and Green (the colour of Balms and Medicine). Members often wear the colours of their department as a point of pride.
The faction symbol is a convex triangle - kind of looking like a venn diagram that someone entirely coloured in. This represents the three fields of Innovation - Arcana, Balms and Engineering, with a single colourful dot to represent each within the symbol.
A "Good" Thinker...
- Pursues new discoveries and knowledge at all costs.
- Assists fellow Thinkers in their studies wherever possible.
Faction Powers
You gain proficiency with Calligrapher's Tools. Furthermore, when you see a creature cast a spell you may use your reaction to analyse the spell being cast and infer from it the caster's source of power and relative skill. Make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC of 10. On a success, choose two:
- You learn the level of spell being cast, and relative power level of the caster to you.
- You learn the exact spell being cast and what school it is from.
- Whether the caster is an Arcane or Divine caster, and if they draw their power from a patron or god.
- You may cast Counterspell (if possible) as part of this reaction.
For every 5 points you exceed the DC by, you learn one extra point of information.
You gain proficiency with Tinker's Tools. Furthermore, you may spend 10 minutes with your Tinker's Tools and a machine or piece of technology to study it. Make an Intelligence or Wisdom check with your Tinker's Tools with a DC of 10. On a success, choose two:
- You learn how that machine is operated.
- You learn any special keys, power source, or ingredients needed to operate that machine.
- You learn how innovative the machine is.
- You may identify whether or not the creator is known to you (in particular, if it is in wider circulation or patented).
- You leave no trace of your investigations.
For every 5 points you exceed the DC by, you may choose one more point.
On a failure, the machine is noticably damaged.
You gain proficiency with Physicker Tools. Furthermore, you may spend ten minutes with your Physicker Tools and a fresh corpse to study its internal workings and inform your companions of any potential weaknesses. Make an Intelligence or Wisdom check with your Physicker Tools, with a DC of 10. On a success, choose two:
- You learn any weakness that creature had.
- You learn any resistances or immunities that creature had.
- You learn the qualities of any natural weapons or attacks of the creature (including breath weapons).
- You learn the intelligence of the creature (and how socially organised they are).
- You leave no trace of your investigations.
For every 5 points you exceed the DC by, you may choose one more point. If you have multiple corpses available to you, you may roll with advantage.
On a failure, the corpse is very badly damaged.
You may add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to ability checks made with all artisan’s kits and tools that you are not proficient with.
Once per day, or by spending inspiration, you may do the following:
- Reduce the time taken to use Life Dissection to one bonus action, and ignore any failure penalties.
- Reduce the time taken to use Machine Dissection to one bonus action, and ignore any failure penalties.
- Use your Arcane Dissection without using up your reaction for that turn.
The Chant
History
One of the newest factions within Sigil, the League of Innovation came into life during the time of the Second Upheaval, initially as a union called "The League". With all the fighting, the city’s smiths, sorcerers and artificers had their work cut out for them. Unreasonable demand after unreasonable demand was enforced on them by the Harmonium in their bid to maintain the peace, driving many to exhaustion and burnout.
As such, all the city’s crafters got together and put their collective foot down. They unionised and went on strike, with the Sinker agent Thea Oberon orchestrating the absolute chaos that erupted as half the city’s creators stopped creating and demanded better.
There were negotiations aplenty, the details of which have been consigned to one of the duller textbooks in the back room of some dusty old library. Eventually the Hardheads were forced to give in to the demands - two weeks of strikes led to a colossal shortage in healing potions, ammunition, and charged items. They needed them working again - and so gave them what they wanted (for the most part).
When the doors of the Cage opened once more, several new material planes suddenly made their presence known. Exandria and Geth in particular brought with them whole reams of new technology. This kept the League of Innovation occupied for some time, integrating this newest tech into the Cage once they could get a handle on the logistics.
The Sacrifices we make for Progress
When a Planar Petitioner showed up in the Cage… the League got just what they needed. This petitioner - a high elf once, now a child of the planes - caused a great deal of ruckus when they first appeared. They should have been forever bound to their own Plane of Death, as all Petitioners are. And they were - it just didn’t stick.
So determined were they to find their missing lover that they pushed the boundaries of invention and necromancy to harness their Soul and allow it to move between the Planes. Such a feat made them very popular with the League of Crafters almost immediately, and soon they found a cult following within the League, eager to share in their inventions and understanding.
And that was that. Somewhere along the way this Petitioner rose to head of the League and renamed the union to something more befitting its true philosophy: the League of Innovation. When the case of Sigil vs Vakui resulted in the cementing of the Indeps as ‘not actually a faction’, there was a rush of applications for the new position.
The League of Innovation won the position - and the Petitioner was the first, and current, head of Sigil’s newest faction.
So… what now?
The League of Innovation has their enemies, that’s for sure. Within their faction headquarters occur some of the most radical innovations in magic and technology known… something that the other Factions look at with a mixed bag of disgust and envy. They are constantly fighting off spies and insiders from the Consortium, who look to profit off of their inventions before they are released or finished. Further, the Doomguard, Harmonium, Greeners, and Anarchists are all trying to get their hands on whatever can be weaponised before the others can; eager as they are for whatever advantage they can get in their petty struggles.
References & Inspiration
- Arcane's Piltover - For the general aesthetic
- Font Awesome - For the (placeholder) icon
- Geth - Home of the Oxventurers
- Exandria - See Critical Role