The Society of the Shining Hammer.

[The Celestial Engine]

Let's face it, Gond is a boring god. His dogma is flat, he has no real enemies, and doesn't do anything except build stuff.

The Shining Hammers are not Gondites.

Characters of virtually any faith and alignment are welcome in the Society. The only prerequisite is a desire to honor the Demiurge's Wondrous Machine by advancing civilization for the good of all. With all the power groups running around these days, there's sure to be fun and conflict in plenty. If you're interested in joining the Society, feel free to write me or Thou tun'st this World a PM or send us tells ingame!

[Thou tun'st this World]

Yes. It's ...

... i-it's ... hammertime.

... NO. No. I REFUSE TO SAY IT. I CAN'T SAY IT, CELESTIAL.

[Storms out.]

[Thou tun'st this World]

The Society of the Shining Hammer
- We Do What We Must Because We Can!

THRILL! as you descend into the shadows of subterranean ruins on an Indy-style archaeological expedition!

MARVEL! at the mysteries of Ymph as they are unlocked in the harsh glare of cold science!

UNVEIL! new inventions to change the face of Ymph forever!

TRANSFORM! the module with ICly designed and constructed houses, forts, siege machinery and more!

DISSECT! frogs and Stargazers!

SNUG! in the safety of your own hand-forged full plate!

LAUGH! as you share obscure metallurgical in-jokes with your fellow scientists!

BRISTLE! as a colleague accuses you of plagiarism in your most prestigious academical paper!

DRINK! alone in your study, rejected by the scientific community and ostracized from the world at large!

LAUGH INSANELY! at those who said it couldn't be done, said you were MAD!

REVEL! in your revenge upon of all mankind as you trigger your home-made Doomsday Device!*

CAKE! There will be cake at the end!**

THE SHINING HAMMER SOCIETY
- FOR GREAT SCIENCE!

* Please do not actually do this, as the DMs have threatened to sue.
** There may or may not actually be cake.

[Porkolt]

Strike hot iron and call forth sparks.
Strike a man and call forth fury.
To shape man or metal to thy will
Thou must strike with force.
- The collected sermons of Karras

The Hammer is the most blessed of the Builder's works.
'Tis both a tool for construction, and a weapon against thy foes.
- Hammerite book of lessons


Well, that's what this reminded me of anyway. Cool stuff!

[Thou tun'st this World]

Join the Society of the Shining Hammer - the PC faction singled out by Howland for praise!

[INDENT]"I'd like to promote The [Society] of the Shining Hammer as an example of a  good pc-initiative that successfully incorporates fresh, non-bland  points of conflict." - Howland

[/INDENT]

The SSH is not ephemeral or ad-hoc - it is here on EfU to stay, and to play a major role in the server story, and in the lives of the PCs who join it.

In the vein of historical equivalents, the Society is esoteric, and cannot be immediately understood from the outside. For true comphrension, it is necessary to delve deeper into its secrets. The Society has a very extensive cosmology and worldview, but one that is also subject to change and development by its members.

However, it is entirely up to PCs how far they want to go - and the faction is also designed to be accessible and enjoyable on the surface, as soon as is joined.

This faction is RP heavy, conflict heavy and intrigue heavy. One of its primary foci is to gather lore and unravel the central mysteries of Ymph.

All manner of PCs and alignments are welcome. The most probable IC way to become aware of the SSH is to encounter one of its public members in Mistlocke, or by coming across their writings in the library.

The publications of the Society are important to understanding the faction, so here is a brief selection of samples:

Introduction  
The Confession

Beliefs  
The Gignesthai

Esoterica  
The Chymical Wedding

Ethics  
On Violence

H'Bala
Eopitlyic Salvation

Druidism  
Adversus Druidae

And so on.

In conclusion: GIANT ROBOTS.

[Dash]

I endorse this thread.