Post by Stix on Nov 17, 2005 11:29:25 GMT -5
Faction Philosophy. According to these folks, the multiverse is known by the senses - the only proofs of existence. Without experience, without sensation, a thing isn't. If a sod can't taste the soup, then it ain't soup. The only way to know anything for sure is to use the senses.
Look, it ain't that hard to understand. Which is real, a description of a rose or the rose itself? Only a barmy'd choose the description, which ain't real. It's got no smell, no thorns, no color. Picking a rose, that's real, and the way a body knows is by experiencing it. The senses are the only way to know the universe.
So some berk'll ask, "What's this got to do with universal Truth, the meaning of the multiverse?" Well, the chant is no one's going to know the big dark until they've experienced everything - all the flavors, colors, scents, and textures of all the worlds. Only when a body's experienced the whole universe does the great dark of it all finally get revealed. It may seem like an impossible task, but there just might be a way to bob the problem cheat the multiverse, as it were. It just might be that the multiverse doesn't exist beyond what a body can sense. The answer to what's over the next hill just might be "nothing."
Given that, the multiverse has limits, and a body can try to experience it all. A being's got to savor the intensity, explore the complexity. Don't just guzzle the wine - find all the flavors within it. Before a sod's all done, he'll learn the differences between Arborean and Ysgardian wine, know them by vintage, and even by the hand of the vintner. Only then do the secrets of the multiverse start to make themselves clear.
Primary Plane of Influence. The Sensates are strongest on Arborea, a plane of great beauty in all things. In Sigil, their headquarters is naturally the resplendent Civic Festhall.
Allies and Enemies. The Sensates and the Signers, both egocentric factions, do share points of agreement concerning their philosophies, and they often cooperate in their activities. Sensates are cordial to Guvners and Indeps, intrigued by their descriptions of things far away. However, they're opposed to the philosophies of the Doomguard, which sees worlds only as decaying objects.
Eligibility. The Society of Sensation is one of the most liberal of all factions. Anyone, of any race, class, or alignment, can join.
Benefits. All Sensates have highly attuned senses. They have infravision to 60 feet, regardless of race (if they already have it, the range is extended by 60 feet), and they gain a +1 bonus to all surprise rolls and saves vs. poison. Additionally, a Sensate has a 10% chance to detect lies by observing body language (20% against members of his own race).
Restrictions. While not to the point of foolhardiness, Sensates are fascinated by new tastes, smells, and so forth. Whenever possible, they'll seek out new experiences. In practice, they can't refuse offers that could lead to these - a new wine, an exotic flower, or whatever. Only when faced with obvious deadly peril will they shun such temptations.