Do the Mechanists just disband after Karras' demise at the breath of his creations?

[Malkavian American]

Like the title says. I mean I know Deadly Shadows was made by a different company and all, but they certainly remember the events of the Metal Age, just you never see any past mechanist influence in Deadly shadows at all. Like whatever happened to some of their buildings like that fancy metal tower, or some of their machines?

[thirdkeeper]

I don't believe DS is a continuation, it was meant as a stand alone title.

[Malkavian American]

Yet it mentions the events of the Dark Project, and the Metal Age in books you find either among the hammers and the keepers. The Pagans in their note to you even mention Viktoria, Garret's betrayer in the Dark Project, and late ally in the Metal age.

[thirdkeeper]

References were made, but they didn't continue the story lines created by the first titles.

[Malkavian American]

References were made and apparently their technology lingers. Same world different time, probably mostly different dev's if not all, and a different time that apparently didn't continue going on too a different style than medieval cobblestone streets as well as mansions and plenty other places lacking as much security as the previous age.

[Bankai9212]

Well with Karras gone and no one else worked with him or understands how any of them work. They just disbanded they were mostly made up of hammer rights anyway.

[Malkavian American]

What? Did Karras never teach a successor or leave any blueprints in case he were to somehow die himself? Very least someone might even take up inventing.

[Bankai9212]

Far as the game goes no, Karras was more or less a recluse he didn’t really trust anyone. As for blue prints maybe, but Karras used a whole factory to mass produce and the only things in there are machines and people converted to machines. If I were to wager what would happen is Hammers got there hands on them and burned them.

[ElfPrince1937]

No, Deadly Shadows is not a standalone title; it is very much a continuation. There are multiple reference in-game that indicate this.

As mentioned above, there are books by the Keepers, for example, detailing the "First Two Dark Ages," referencing the events of Dark Project with the Trickster and Metal Age with Karras and the Mechanists--the events of Deadly Shadows are specifically prophesied to be the "Third Dark Age" to come, which will see the fall of the Keeper Order next.

In addition, the Pagans specifically mention that Garrett was trusted/valued/cared for by Viktoria (who sadly dies at the end of The Metal Age). So yes, Deadly Shadows can be considered the third game of the original "trilogy."

In regard to Karras and the Mechanists, it's mentioned several times throughout the Metal Age that the Hammerites consider him a "false prophet" and a heretic who's corrupting their teachings of the Builder. As seen in a book found in the final mission, even a few of the more moderate Mechanists--likely those who originally defected from the Hammerites--start to become unnerved by his increasingly-extremist teachings of "all things flesh must die, everything must become machine."

So it's actually kind of easy to believe that with Karras' death and no one of equal charisma--or just passionate shouting--to lead them, the Mechanist Order collapses at the end of Metal Age, with many of the Mechanists rejoining the Hammerites, hence the Hammerites being a faction in Deadly Shadows.

[Malkavian American]

Plus, some mechanist inventions still do linger as well, such as those gramophones.

[Oregano]

Originally posted by thirdkeeper:

References were made, but they didn't continue the story lines created by the first titles.

Did you even play Deadly Shadows? It literally gives continuity to the sequel hook at the very end of The Metal Age. After Viktoria's death in Soulforge, Garret finally decides to stop running away from the Keeper prophecies and asks Artemus to show him what the Keeper books have to say about his future. Deadly Shadows continues that storyline by having Artemus contacting Garret to inform him that the Keeper council accepted his request to see the Keeper books. Deadly Shadows entire storyline is about developing Garret's character growth that we saw at the end of The Metal Age.

As for OP's question, one of the redables in the "Of Brethren ... And Betrayers" mission mentions a so called "Hammerite Heresy Trials", so chances are that every Mechanist was sentenced to death after the events of The Metal Age.
https://thief.fandom.com/wiki/Keeper_Library:_In-game_text#KCdictionary

[Malkavian American]

Think I read that book. You'd think though still there'd be a few that escaped punishment though, right? Maybe holed up in some factory somewhere with some still active robots to keep them safe.

[thirdkeeper]

Originally posted by Oregano:

Originally posted by thirdkeeper:

References were made, but they didn't continue the story lines created by the first titles.

Did you even play Deadly Shadows? It literally gives continuity to the sequel hook at the very end of The Metal Age. After Viktoria's death in Soulforge, Garret finally decides to stop running away from the Keeper prophecies and asks Artemus to show him what the Keeper books have to say about his future. Deadly Shadows continues that storyline by having Artemus contacting Garret to inform him that the Keeper council accepted his request to see the Keeper books. Deadly Shadows entire storyline is about developing Garret's character growth that we saw at the end of The Metal Age.

As for OP's question, one of the redables in the "Of Brethren ... And Betrayers" mission mentions a so called "Hammerite Heresy Trials", so chances are that every Mechanist was sentenced to death after the events of The Metal Age.
https://thief.fandom.com/wiki/Keeper_Library:_In-game_text#KCdictionary

You're absolutely right, I'm sure. I only played through once, it was a long time ago
and I don't remember much except for the asylum the pirates den and the hub section.
I was disappointed by the games mechanics, and I'm not sure why I missed so much of
the story.. - but I appreciate the correction and apologize for the misinformation.

I've been looking for someone to take charge of the Thief 1&2 Crew, as I don't have
the time to manage it anymore. With your knowledge you seem like a prime candidate.
If you're at all interested or can recommend anyone knowledgeable and responsible
who might be - please let me know.

- Thanks for the feed - ! 8 )

[ElfPrince1937]

Originally posted by Malkavian American:

Think I read that book. You'd think though still there'd be a few that escaped punishment though, right? Maybe holed up in some factory somewhere with some still active robots to keep them safe.

Doubtful; not only do we see Karras' robots actually breaking down in the final cutscene of Metal Age--implying that he probably pulled some kind of deadman's switch maneuver but the mention of those Heresy Trials also directly implies that the Hammerites would have done a mass purging of whatever Mechanists were left alive by that point, Spanish Inquisition-style.

And even then, few Mechanists would have been left, considering the only guards Garrett encounters at Soulforge all have the same scripted dialogue as the Servants (literally begging for death), implying they were no longer human by that point.

[Malkavian American]

I just thought the robots themselves got damaged by the rust gas, or their power source got snuffed out, maybe ran outta' fuel. As for the heresy trials, I can still imagine some mechanists still escaping, either some giving up the new religion but still at least some few trying to work to bring the machine cult back.

[ElfPrince1937]

Originally posted by Malkavian American:

I just thought the robots themselves got damaged by the rust gas, or their power source got snuffed out, maybe ran outta' fuel. As for the heresy trials, I can still imagine some mechanists still escaping, either some giving up the new religion but still at least some few trying to work to bring the machine cult back.

Even if some survived, they would be in the minority, as during the events of Deadly Shadows, we clearly see both the Hammerites and the Pagans growing in strength again to the point where they are easily able to openly wage war against each other in the streets (which is what happens toward the end of the game).