The Basics:

A new take on factions. This server aims to add the intensity of a hardcore death ban server with the politics and end game fun of factions.

5-Day Death Ban.
PvP Enabled in all areas but the starting spawn
30-minute PvP protection for new players. This does not protect against mobs, falling damage, or other environment dangers.
Factions. Tweaked to maintain a hardcore experience but allow players who reach the "end game" to form alliances, raid enemy territory, and make a mark on the world. With a 5-day death ban, every decision is crucial.

Why Factions on a hardcore death ban server?

Prior to opening this server, I administrated on the KKMC hardcore server. However, I found that once players obtained diamond, the only real things left to do were explore the nether to get potion ingredients or head to spawn to try to kill new players or fight other players hanging out at spawn. In short, players got bored. While you can still hang around spawn and try to kill new players, Factions gives a late game purpose, and will add new challenges.

So should everyone join a faction?

A faction may not be for everyone. In the spirit of keeping the server a hardcore experience, Factions has been tweaked to give certain advantages that are offset by certain disadvantages

Advantages:

Players in a faction can claim land. This land will not allow other players to change blocks or access chests. This means your goods, so long as your faction has the appropriate power to maintain its land, are safe and you can build top side structures to your pleasure.
Players in a faction are immune to dealing damage to each other. A small but powerful advantage in group PvP.
You can use the /f sethome command to set a home in claimed faction land. You must be in a faction and have claimed land to use this. You may then use /f spawn and /f home. These commands have a 30 second warmup, which is cancelled if you move, sneak, or take damage. They then have a 5 minute cooldown until either can be used again.

Disadvantages:

Claimed land is visible on the dynamic map. Any player in the server can see where your land is. You will always have to be on your toes.
If you or other faction members die, your power level may fall below the amount required to claim land. When this happens, your land is free to be destroyed and your chests to be accessed. So with protection comes the risk of losing all your work.
There are no peaceful factions and no individual ownership in faction land. You can be infiltrated, and all faction members can change the claimed land blocks and access chests / use doors.

Not your style? Not a problem. You can remain factionless and build your home in the wilderness. The experience remains like any other hardcore death ban server. You can kill people in factions and roam the world as a lone wolf. If you decide to make a faction later on, you can.

So what now?

Join the server! The address is: smp.hcfactions.net

The Faction commands can be a bit complicated at first, but you have plenty of time to learn those while you try to survive the first few hours of hardcore (which is the hardest part). Once you get some diamond and are feeling more confident, you can lookup the faction guide in the subreddit.