In one of the odder stories I've come across in a while, GamePolitics is reporting that the Religious Society of Friends (you know them better as "Quakers") has annouced the beta launch of their new MMORPG, named World of Peacecraft.

From the official Quaker press release:

The Quaker United Service is pleased to announce the beta-release of the new MMORPG "World of PeaceCraft," the first massive online game for a Christian religious denomination.  Full of fun quests and adventures, the WoP will extend traditional Quaker values and historic testimonies -- such as their work to end the slave trade, protesting against war, and worshipping in silence -- into an immersive, 3D environment.

Not just for Quakers, the game promises to be inclusive of those from other faiths and spiritual traditions.  WoP CEO Thad Thomas promises that "whether you are a Buddhist, Muslim, Jew or just a curious agnostic, you will find much to do and enjoy in World of PeaceCraft."

Call me crazy, but I have a feeling that only a small number of the 10 million subscribers of World of Warcraft have been dying for quests that entail worshipping in silence. 

There's a little more detail provided as to the nature of the quests:

You begin in 17th Century England... preaching against the evils of war and unjust rule, meeting in clandestine locations to avoid persecution, and facing beatings and imprisonment at every turn.  Then you are transported to the early 1800s in the United States, helping shepherd escaped slaves to freedom as part of the Underground Railroad. Later quests involve you in the women's suffrage movement, the civil rights movement, and the anti-death penalty and anti-war protests of today.

World of Peacecraft will be available for PC and Mac in December. No word yet on the required tithing subscription fees, but it might be the first time your MMO habit could be tax deductible.

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