Believers Of The Source

[*Mr_Otyugh]

Believers of the Source (Godsmen)
Philosophy: All life springs from the same divine source, ascending and descending in form as the cosmos tests it.
Factol: Amhar Vergrove.
Sigil HQ: Great Foundry (Lower Ward).
Home Field: Ethereal demiplanes.
Allies: Athar, Doomguard (temporary ally).
Enemies: Bleak Cabal, Dustmen.

WITHIN THE RANKS

Considering their extroverted natures, it’s no surprise most Godsmen join the faction to help others “evolve” and see their own potential. (A few ruthless bashers join assuming they can easily get ahead in the ranks within such a swarm of well-meaners.) Believers hate it when berks act apathetic or resigned towards the multiverse – they’ll tolerate bashers who become selfish and wicked, but not those who lack interest in self-improvement. [/li]

ROLEPLAYING THE BELIEVERS OF THE SOURCE

Despite their concerns for others, don’t call Godsmen softies. They insist a basher learn from his mistakes, and they won’t interfere in “life lessons.” Sure, a body can count on a Godsman to help out in a pinch, but the blood’ll never rob another of a learning experience. ‘Course, some lean on the notion that these lessons of the multiverse act as a forge, while failing to recognize that this forge usually equally on everyone. These bashers figure some sods have more potential than others, so they have no qualms about contributing to the tough “education” of those that come up short. So, bubbers wanting sympathetic handouts from these Believers had better look elsewhere. [/li]

ALIGNMENT

Having what looks like a compassionate outlook doesn’t mean a believer has to espouse the principles of goodness. Many Godsmen are evil (wanting to inhibit others’ progress toward godhood) or neutral (professing that non-interference in others’ lives allows the multiverse to do its best work). Lawful Godsmen view regulations as essential in the process of evolving toward divinity. “Follow the rules, and a body’ll pass all the tests the multiverse offers up,” they insist. Chaotic Godsmen evaluate all situations case by case. After all, giving one beggar a free dinner might give him the energy to play a pennywhistle for the entertainment (and coins) of passerby. Feeding another might just convince him to put off doing anything for himself yet one more day. Sometimes killing a sod is the best thing a body can do for him. Neutral Godsmen fall somewhere in between. [/li]

CLASS

A Godsmen has two preoccupations: his own progress up the chain of evolution and the progress of the rest of the bashers in the multiverse. ‘Course, no two will express these concerns quite the same way – it depends on a body’s area of expertise. Fighters think battle teaches a basher life’s lesson., so they press conflict on others to help them grow. Godsman paladins believe they evolve by helping others and expect those they aid to offer succour too. Rangers, biased toward beasts, frequently see their animal friends’ potential unmatched in sentient races. Godsman priests seek to emulate the divine evolution of their deities, yet they know that power leads to the Source. Druids trusting in the cycles of the natural world, believe these cycles will bring into a body’s life the appropriate level of testing and illumination. Believer wizards, frequently arrogant, believe magic is the key to evolution and pity those who don’t dabble in this art. Godsmen thieves think secrets’re best stolen and love forbidden knowledge. Bards know they can spark inspiration: After a heroic ballad, they want listeners to emulate the song’s hero. [/li]

RACE

Due to belief in the divine potential of every being, Believers of the Source welcome a diverse membership. Wemics, pixies, satyrs, bariaur, tieflings, dwarves, and half-elves mingle with one another and the odd erinyes, lammasu, githyanki, slaad or moon dog. [/li]

BELIEVERS OF THE SOURCE MEMBERSHIP

Believers want to drill into members that life is a forge, shaping personalities and spirits. Therefore, to join the faction, bashers have to take their turn at the forge. A body tells the guards at the Great Foundry’s main gate that he’s interested, and before he knows it, he’s sweating rivers in the wire-works or one of the others. If the Back-breaking labor doesn’t send them running, these namers can seek greater involvement in the faction by asking a more experienced member to sponsor them. Namers serve informal apprenticeships with these mentors, learning the rigors of Believers philosophy. But different mentors provide very different experiences: Some virtually ignore their charges, while others insist on daily lessons reinforced by assigned tasks. When a mentor considers his protégé ready for a factotum’s responsibility – to seek the inherent worth of all – he presents the namer to a factor for evaluation. The candidate then undergoes a series of tests: unusual puzzles or challenging tasks, specifically tailored to probe his fears and limitations. ‘Course, the factors don’t measure prospects against perfection. They just try to gauge the malleability of a namer in the multiversal forge. A similar test is administered at Ambar’s Palace to factotums chosen to advance to factor rank. [/li]

[*Mr_Otyugh]

OOC: What's this? Well this is a board in Great Foundry, where Godsmen members can handle their informing.

- Only those with Godsmen membership can see this In Character.
- Those whom are not Godsmen members will have to learn everything told here in game, in character or in story of some form.

Godsmen Board
"All life springs from the same divine source, ascending and descending in form as the cosmos tests it."

Creating a masterpiece:
- It can be just roleplayed item (non-game mechanical, but no god-moding either)
- Be it magical or non magical.
- For yourself or anyone else.
- It can be something made by crafting system.
- Be creative, this can be used to build up character.

The Believers of the Source attempts to create something extraordinary and special for competing with others or themselves.


Additional Information: READ ME!!!
Link One: The Factol's Manifesto: The Godsmen
Link Two: Mimir.net

[*Xndar]

After her initial experimentation with baptizing the forging process in the blood of the baatezu, Maelfina begins studying and experimenting with the reverse process, namely attempting to infuse abyssal characteristics into an alchemical silver creation. She begins the process by finding the most heat-resistant container the Great Forge has to offer, and making a trip to the abyssal Lake of Fire. Making a few trips herself and one with Mir and Liliara's help she is able to harvest some lava from the lake, as well as the skin from a Bar-lgura's face, the leg-bones of a Babau, and the blood of a cambion, as well as a block of stone carved from one of the floating rocks in the portal cave.

From the abyssal rock she slowly carves the head of a smithing hammer, carving abyssal runes and designs into either side, while shaping the leg bone of the Babau into its handle, reinforcing it with forged iron. Using iron pegs, she stretches the bloody Bar-lgura face-skin over the face of the hammer used to shape the metal.

(Craft Weapon: Mod: 27, Roll: 40)

She then fills the nearest workstation's forge with the lava she harvested from the abyss after stress-testing it to make sure she's not going to destroy the facility. Using this forge, she melts the ingots of alchemical silver she plans to use, while setting up the rapier mold on the bench. After pouring the molten metal out into the mold and letting it sit, she sets it to the anvil, first bathing her new smithing hammer in the cambion blood, before setting to work hammering the blade into shape. Once the blade is shaped and the edge razor sharp, she sets about the ornamentation, dipping her chisel into the remaining cambion blood, she carves abyssal runes, as well as markings of her own artistic design into the sides and guard of the rapier. The handle and pommel are carved from the remaining leg-bone and the grip fashioned from the remaining skin and fur left over from the Bar-l;gura's face and scalp.

(Craft Weapon: Mod: 27, Roll: 43)

[*Xndar]

*A note finds its way to Factor Ombidias*

Found a new recruit for the faction, a very skilled craftswoman and enchanter by the name of Vara Jornia. She seemed genuinely interested in our philosophy after I took her down to the Forge and gave her an introduction to it, and I have overseen her use of the forge a number of times.

Maelfina

[*Cenpuppie]

In the forge, a bronze skilled elf is seen frequently. Wearing only a two piece bikini and a smiths apron, she spends 10-12 hours day in the forge crafting weapons and armor.

She stops to take breaks occasionally and talks to the other members frequently while working, answering questions, giving advice and asking for pointers.

She also seems to be doing something else as well for many times she is piecing together various gems and essences.. one for each element, including positive and negative energy. After many hours of toil and hardwork, and spell casting the essences and gems condense into a glowing ball, about the size of soccer ball.

Satisfied at her work, she takes a long break and introduces the few members that lingers around in the wee hours of the night to her newest creation.. her latest step to bettering herself and her craft. A newly crafted conscious being..

**Later**

Ingots of pure mithril totaling a weight of 700 lbs are delivered to the Great Foundry. Paying for the rest of the shipment leaves Vara flat broke as she guides the movers to place the ingots near the foundry close to the center. After checking each ingot carefully and taking inventory of each bar, she pulls out her own notes and schematics, nodding in satisfaction. Time for this golem to get constructed to tells herself.

**Several Weeks Later

The golem sits layed out in a back room, the parts are completed but it rests unassembled. The core body, head, legs and arms are fantastically construct and showcase unbridled craftsmanship, however it has yet to be put together.

Fellow Godsmen that ask Vara why the golem isn't finished so close to completion is meet with a 1,000 yard stare before she responds. "There is something missing... And until i find it, it will sit pieces"

**Conclusion**

The 5 constructed golems are nothing like what she originally intended, however they are more than what she anticipated. 1 Main sentry semi intelligent golem coupled with 4 lesser intelligent ones. All will serve as sentries within her school. The main golem is minorly resistant to physical and magical attacks.. A process that took her some time to enchant the mithril metal. 2 lesser golems are highly resistant to magic with the other 2 are highly resistant to physical attacks.

All 4 golems are magically connected to the 1 main one, as their power cores are derived from it. The main golem commands the 4 lesser. On her way out with her new constructs, Vara shows them to her Factoum and Factol if he's around.. hopefully, she's a full fledged godsmen now.

[*Xndar]

*A second note finds its way to Factor Ombidias*

Have a potential applicant, the kobold I told you about. He...or she seems interested in the philosophy and is a hard worker. Will be bringing the applicant by the Foundry at the earliest convenience.

In addition, I was wondering if you would then have the time to answer a few questions regarding a project of mine I've been giving thought to.

Maelfina

[*Xndar]

Maelfina can be seen at her station in the Foundry more often than usual following her audience with Factor Ombidias. Unusually for her however, she seems to be singularly devoted to churning out, one after another, multiple copies of the most basic form of rapier possible. Those who know her work would easily recognize their simplicity to be well below her normal standards of work, although without fault nonetheless.

Factor Ombidias might come to the conclusion that it is her own independent way of seeking focus and a clarity of mind along the same vein as what is espoused by the Ciphers: acting through practice until thought is unnecessary, seeking a greater purity of mind and purpose.

[*Xndar]

After her...enlightening...chat with Factol Darius of the Signers, Maelfina settles down into one of the (relatively) quiet corners of the Foundry. She contemplates the revelations of that meeting, the inner certainty that the means and methods of completing her project lie within and at her fingertips giving her confidence.

Having practice channeling inner, supernatural energies in the past, the basic framework lies before her, but the source of what she intends to do seems more...elusive. The powers of her blood yearned to be used, to be unleashed on the world to fulfill their progenitor's purposes. Maelfina knows these are not the tools she is looking for, merely the gifts of another she takes advantage of...they are a part of her, yet not the source of her greatest strength or true being.

She delves past the physical, trying to get at the very core of her being...the spark of life that exists within her and the purpose for that spark, a coagulation of all she is. An absolute faith in her own goal, her reason for being, powering her efforts and spiritual exploration.

She prays to her own inner god, with faith that it will be answered.

[*Xndar]

*A team of workmen lug a strange and alien weapon-like object into the great Foundry, with Factotum Maelfina following at their tail. The object looks more like a giant spear than anything else, though the odd bits of machinery hanging off belie a different purpose than its shape would belie.

Maelfina begins tinkering with the device after it is settled at her workstation, ignoring nearly all other distractions while at work. First she attempts to ascertain how it functions, second whether or not she can repair this individual weapon, and third if she can reproduce it, if maybe in altered form.*

Research Rolls:

Craft Weapon: Base - 34, Roll - 54 (Nat 20, have screenie to prove) (Also, +3 to any actual repairs she does by virtue of her enchanted hammer)
Lore: Base - 23, Roll - 42

[*DM_Duke]

The Lightning Lance was a powerful peice of equipment. Over time she managed to repair its craft with a team of experts and discern that it functioned using a concentrated charge of electrical energy. This charge however required a great amount of power from a source of any kind, technological or magical.

However, the charge could be used to fire what was effectivly a ray or arc of lightning straight into an object with such force it would puncture a hole through it with no difficulty what so ever, leaving a molten glow around the hole area.

Reproducing the weapon would be a bigger challange, aswell as adapting it. While they had managed to discern how it worked, how to construct something equal to it simply wasnt within their materials in Sigil alone to produce. This would likley require the assistance of her contacts in other places, though even then, weather they had the materials to produce such a device was questionable.

From the Lore:
She could however discern that there was a connection between the material used to make the device and Mechanus. It is possible the weapon somehow origionated from the Plane, but what is more facinating is the implications of its design.

Such a device fires at such a speed it defies the speed of light. One could theorise such a device could be used in more utility matters for such a giant ship in other purposes, such as dimension or even time travel.

Could this be the first "clue" as to their foe?

It certainly left both sinister and revalating implications.