Courtyard > Enemies > Mechanists Greetings, apprentice. Come to see our little rogue's gallery, have you? Yes. Well, after all - why not? It's important to know about those that might harm you, and there are certainly enough individuals in the City who would wish to harm us. The ones who don't know about us see as a threat, and the ones that do know of our existence - well, sometimes I think they almost see us as trophies. At any rate, best you'd learn their weaknesses before they find yours.

Mechanists

Classification: Human Location(s): varies Variations: Soldier, Priest, Servant Known Weaknesses: sword, dagger, blackjack, arrows, mines, gas

Description:

Less than a year after the Dark Project incident, the Order of the Hammer experienced a schism which has affected it to this day. One of the Hammerites' chief inventors - a man by the name of Karras - left the Order along with several others to form their own faction called the Mechanists.

Still devoted to the Builder deity, the Mechanists (pronounced "Mek-uh-nists") embraced technology and innovation at an alarming rate. Karras invited any Hammerite who wished to join into his new Order of the Gear, and many did so. The original Order of the Hammer found its number greatly decreased and its factories underworked. Having effectively decimated his former masters with a single blow, Karras then opened the ranks of the Mechanists to any who wished to join. The ranks of the new order swelled and Karras found himself at the head of a private army.

In the nearly three years that followed, the Mechanist logo became a common sight throughout the City as many flocked to support Karras and his "wonderful" creations - creations that included the Builder's Children, Watchers, and Sentries. Karras rewarded his staunchest supporters with examples of these creations, and soon Mechanist devices could be found in many areas owned by the City or its wealthy.

The threat of the Mechanists was not solely with their devices, however, but also with the members of the order themselves. Members of the Order of the Gear exchanged their former hammers for a new weapon - the mace. Lighter than a hammer yet just as deadly, this allowed the Mechanists to swing faster and strike with greater impact. In addition to this, the Mechanist innovations included the crossbow - a small bow carried in one hand which fires arrows automatically and at great speed.

The Mechanists were seen in three primary variations - the Soldier, the Priest, and the Servant. When Karras invited others to join his new Order of the Gear, he extended the invitation to women as well as men. Thus all variations of Mechanist could be found in both genders. We will discuss them here briefly, with an example of each:

	Variation: Female Soldier The Order of the Gear invited females into its rank as well as males. These women found themselves holding equal status with their male counterparts - something unheard of within the City. Make no mistake, however - the female soldiers of the Mechanists could be just as aggressive and deadly as any male - perhaps more so in some cases.
	Variation: Male Priest Those who achieved priesthood within the Order were trained in the art of magick and its various uses. These members carried no weapon but could be just as deadly when attacking intruders with magic projectiles. Priests of the Order were often easy to distinguish from soldiers or other ranks, as the priests wore long flowing robes and garments.
	Variation: Male Servant Our agents entering SoulForge just before the death of Karras encountered a new kind of threat - Mechanists which had apparently undergone the Servant process. These soldiers were utterly devoted to Karras and his ideals, and protected the fortress along with a legion of Children, Watchers, and Sentries. This variation was seen in both genders, and all carried the traditional Mechanist mace.

Weaknesses:

Mechanists were susceptible to the same weapons and tactics as any other human. They could be slain with blade or arrow, knocked out with a blackjack, or killed with explosive force. Of course, the latter tactic is quite noisy and may alert others to your presence. Keep in mind, of course, that anyone slain by sword or arrow occasionally cries out when struck.

Threat Assessment:

After the actions of Karras and his plan to posion the City were made public, the popularity of the Mechanists (and, as a side effect, the Hammerites) dropped almost immediately. These days the Order of the Gear is a rather shameful subject to speak of, and many would rather forget that Karras ever existed. The order itself ceased to exist shortly after the death of Karras, and many former Hammerites returned to the Order of the Hammer to accept whatever penance awaited them and continue their service in the name of the Builder. Since the order no longer exists, Mechanists are no longer a threat in the City. During the events of the Metal Age, however, the Mechanists were assigned a very high threat level.

Return to the Compendium dae Hostilis