Then it hit me, a technical manual.
See, it seems logical to me that a race of intelligent constructs would get the most benefit out of a holy text if it was technical, filled with schematics and designs, and possibly, some stories of great warforged who slipped the bonds of their fleshy masters. This thought process led me to scour the assembled books of myself and my friends (among us, we have every 3.5 book ever,) to find all of the constructs.
Thus, I have compiled the Libri et Deus Apparatus. Loosly translated as "The Book of the God of Machines." In this spreadsheet, there are all of the constructs that include creation methods for creatures of the construct type, not including those whose consruction methods are listed as secret (such as the Maug) or those whose type is not construct (such as the Topiary Guardians, even though their creation includes the Craft Construct feat.) I only included constructs whose creation methods would be "readily" obtainable to a mid-to-high level spellcaster.
For game purposes, I figured such a book would give an intelligent construct a +4 racial bonus on any Craft checks relating to building or repairing constructs, and only a +2 circumstance bonus to anyone else performing those tasks.
The layout for the spread sheet is as follows: 1) Construct Name, 2) the book it can be found in, 3) page number, 4) caster/manifester level, 5) price to buy, 6) XP to create, 7) cost to create, 8) skill check to create, 9) materials/special requirements of construction, 10) spell/feat/caster requirements. Some of the entries will have a "-" in one or more columns. This signifies that either the entry for the construct did not specify, or it was not applicable. An example of this is for the Homunculi, they do not have a price to buy listed as they are never sold.
Ideas? Suggestions? Insane rants?
I'm not sure if it would be appropriate/allowed to offer to email the document to anyone who wants a copy of it, so I will wait until I get confirmation from a WizO before I make such an offer.
Edit: Spreadsheet layout info.
A spreadsheet, which exists in this world; and
A book, which exists in-game.
I don't really have any comments to make on the spreadsheet. It sounds like a useful reference if your players are going to be making a lot of constructs. That's never been a major factor in any game I've been in, so I can't see if you're missing something that absolutely needs to be there or not.
About the book, though...
My gut reaction is that giving an extra +2 just because the user IS a construct is a little odd. If you wanted to rule that a class that specializes in creating and interpreting mechanical drawings and whatnot, such as an Artificer, got a bonus, that would make a lot more sense to me.
It may just be that that's the way you want it to work, and I can think of a couple of ways to justify it, but it's sort of like saying that a human anatomy text would give a +2 to healing skills, or +4 if the user was human.
Also, I'm definitely not an expert in Latin, but the name looks wrong to me. My guess (which is almost certainly also wrong) is Liber Deus Apparati. (Online translators seem to agree with you, but I know I've seen "Liber" used in similar circumstances.)
Perhaps Libri is a plural?
My Latin is getting a bit rusty but Libri is the genitive case (i.e. of the book), (or it is indeed a plural, but then it means children, Latin can be ambiguous at times)
Liber Deus Apparati translates to Book God of the Machine.
Book of the God of the Machine would be: Liber Dei Apparati (Alternitively it can mean Book of the Prepared God, did I mention Latin can be ambiguous?)
Book of the God of (the) Machines would be: Liber Dei Apparatorum
Hah, who said studying Latin in High School was useless?
The above part part of my post made possible by University of Notre Dame and Google.
Rule-mechanics-wise I agree with Ptorquemada that an extra plus 2 for living constructs doesn't make all that much sense, but if it works in your game go for it.
Theologically I don't think living constructs necessarily would get more from a religious text if it was filled with diagrams and schematics (how many human religious texts contain anatomical diagrams?). On the other hand that the religious writings of the followers of the Becoming God contain a lot of diagrams makes sense. Personally I think none of the diagrams would be complete though. They are just snippets that have come to followers in dreams, visions and the like. The followers of the Becoming God hope that if they carry around and puzzle over the schematics long enough they will be able to make sense of them and work out how to build their god.
Book of the God of the Machine would be: Liber Dei Apparati (Alternitively it can mean Book of the Prepared God, did I mention Latin can be ambiguous?)
Considering the alternative meaning, wouldn't this be the best? ;)