Mechanist

Overview

Friends: City Watch, Nobility

Enemies: Order of the Vine, Hammerites

Symbols: The Gear, Karras

Entity of worship: The Builder, Karras

The Mechanists (Sometimes called the Order of the Gear) were an schismatic sect of the Order of the Hammer that came to full power after the Woodsie Lord devastated the Hammerites. The Mechanists were led by Karras, who was not only a genius but also a psychopath. Throughout the entirety of Thief II: The Metal Age, Garrett encounters numerous steam-based creations of theirs. Though mentioned in in-game texts, the Mechanists do not make a return appearance in Thief: Deadly Shadows, and it is unknown if they will return for Thief 4. The Mechanists took a keen interest in Karrath Din.

Origin of the Mechanists

After the Trickster died (and during the discourse of the Hammerite Order), a group of Hammerites began to show disdain for the teachings of the Order, believing that technological innovations should be put before other subjects. Karras was one such Hammerite priest who left the Order with about one hundred other Hammerites, including Cavador. Karras led the rebellious Hammerites and created a new Order that would be known as the Mechanists. Overtime Karras became insane and began to believe that only beings of a mechanical nature could serve the Builder. With this, he decided that he would kill anything organic being in the City. The plan would eventually fail and Karras was eventually killed at the SoulForge by the Necrotic Mutox.

Innovations and Technology

The Mechanists, despite their unpopular views, introduced a wide variety of technology to the city, including improved lighting and power systems systems along with automatic security systems. Their inventions and technologies were based on gears, steamwork, clockwork, and other similar devices. As weapons, the Mechanists used large maces instead of hammers, each with a head of a four-sided gear. The Mechanists were also creators of large mechanical spiders and clockwork sentinels that were used for combat purposes.

Ties with the Hammerites

Being a schism of the Hammerites, the Mechanists shared many similar tactics, beliefs, and technologies (albeit more advanced). Like the Hammerites, who hated the Pagans, the Mechanists hated them as well but with a fervor that even the Hammerites did not have. This hated involved a genocidal campaign that destroyed entire Pagan villages. Although they also used the Book of the Stone as their holy book, they relied more on the teachings of Karras. During the last year of Karras's life, Karras began writing a new scripture called "The New Scripture of the Master Builder," which contained Karras's plans to destroy organic life in the City. It is unknown if the hierarchy of their order is similar to the Hammerites, though mechanists refer to each over as "Friend", and no other priests other than Karras are seen in Thief 2.

Places of Interest

• Angelwatch Tower
• Eastport Mechanist Seminary
• KD Site
• Markham's Isle
• Soulforge Cathedral

Persons of Interest

• Karras
• Cavador

External Links

• A History of the Mechanists and their Downfall, Thief: The Keeper's Compound.

References