A commonly misunderstood concept in the Outer Planes is the power of belief. Many assume that it is one of the three great truths of existence. It is not. The three great truths are The Center of the Multiverse, The Unity of Rings, and The Rule of Threes. This truth must be first understood if one is to understand the power of belief. The greatest misunderstanding of the power of belief is a fundamental ignorance of the operations of that power. Many Planars think that belief is a simple thing, that a casual acceptance of a thing can make it true. This is incorrect, as may be easily demonstrated through the use of an example in the form of any of the gate-towns. All gate-towns ultimately slip through into the Plane they contain the gate to, an established fact. All residents of a gate-town have a casual acceptance of this fact; they are aware that someday their town will become part of another Plane. This casual acceptance does not move the gate-town, however. The town only moves when the belief of the residents in the nature of the "adjacent" Plane becomes strong enough for them to behave in a manner consistent with that Plane. This information allows us to present a very basic statement about the nature of belief. Belief alone does not carry power; belief which motivates a change in nature or action carries power. This form of belief is more dificult to maintain, and is analogous to the belief which priests maintain in their Powers. For this reason I will henceforth refer to belief which motivates a change in nature or action as faith, and will refer to the power of belief as the power of faith. The Rule of Threes calls for three types of faith, and indeed there are. These types of faith consist of faith in a specific entity, faith in a concept, and faith in a philosophy. Each type of faith carries the same amount of potential power. However, the power is less focused, and therefore harder to utilize,the further along the spectrum of faith one moves. Faith in a specific entity is, simply enough, believing in a single being enough to allow that being to change your nature or your beliefs. This type of faith is typified by faith in a Power, but it does not end there. Any being may recieve this kind of faith. Many skilled individuals, whether craftsmen or warriors, have this kind of faith in themselves when it comes to their specific fields of expertise. This faith, while small when measured against the faith the Powers recieve is sufficient to enable them to erform deeds which would otherwise be beyond them. Faith in a concept is believing in an idea enough to allow it to change your nature or actions. These ideas are the pure forms, the archtypes of existence. They include life, death, good, evil, and so on. For the Powers and the near-Powers, this type of faith represents a second source of power. The faith is not as specific to them as faith in them directly would be, but it is far more omnipresent. Any Power or near-Power may harness the faith in concepts which coincide with their natures. Mortals may also harness this source of power, inasmuch as they represent the concept that recives the faith. Faith in a philosophy is believing in a set of goals and ideals enough to allow them to change your nature or actions. A primary example of this is the Factions of Sigil and the Sects of the Outer Planes. This type of faith is the easiest for mortals to utilize, as it is the simplest to understand and to embody. All mortals have a particular pattern of ideal which they follow; their faith in this ideal energizes them, and allows them to persevere and continue to follow that ideal, even when it seems difficult. The Factions focus this faith, bringing together many individuals who accept the same goals and ideals. Because many accept the same goals, their faith reinforces and energizes the others who have the same ideal, as well as the individual. In summation: the power of faith is not one of the great truths of the multiverse. Despite this, it has an impact on all three great truths, and influences the lesser truths as well. An understanding of the nature of faith and the power it brings is essential to any who would study the multiverse.

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