Leoren
03-25-2008, 01:28 PM
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r217/DMDyet/RavenCrossLogoLarge.jpg
Greetings Role Players of Twisting Nether! It is with great pride to announce the opening of <The Raven Cross> and its guild charter, a new and highly ambitious Heavy Role Playing End Game Guild that’s all about fighting for the Horde.
In war, the line between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ is blurry at best. Some remain entrenched in preconceived notions of morality, while those of the Raven Cross do not. If one had to define them within any moral compass, some might place them best in the ‘shades of gray’ than any extreme. They choose the freedom in their actions to do what they must.
At this time we are recruiting and actively interviewing interested applicants in game. We invite all players to read up on our guild charter while we continue to build our web site for those who would like to seek out acceptance into the guild or even those who would just like to get involved in some of the plots and stories we will be running as we are always looking to engage other interesting characters.
Officers to contact concerning the arrangement of an in game IC interview:
Leoren
Diomades
Yatokth
Anorah
Laras
Vynnce
Our website is: http://theravencross.guildportal.com/
Or reach us at MyRavenCross@gmail.com.
Summation of the Guild’s Goals:
• Role Playing: To have a rich, character driven role playing environment within the guild. Never having to surrender our role playing sensibilities while we pursue to explore the game in all its facets. The characters, origin and background of the guild all had a rich plot driven story leading into its existence, and we only look to further the storyline of the guild in nothing short of similar fashion.
• End Game: To tackle end game content as a closely knit team in organized fashion, encouraging and fostering the skills and expertise required to do so. Be it PvP in Battle Ground and Arena endeavors or raiding PvE content, we strive to always help each other as we push forward towards the goals we set in our schedules.
• World PvP: To have an active presence defending and attacking out in the World itself, answering world defense calls or even the in character Horde side Role Playing defense channel (/join TheBulwark) actively as a group. We’ve a strong sense of looking after our own, never leaving a man or woman behind or failing to visit payback on those who’ve grieved either ourselves or other members of the Horde.Index:
1. An Origin Story
2. The Creeds of the Raven Cross
3. The Ranks
4. Officer’s Guide
5. Role Playing Criteria
6. OOC Miscellaneous Issues
7. Plot Submission System
1.) An Origin Story:
Whispers of the blackened symbol against bloodied tabards have only just recently surfaced, the known deeds that follow in its wake ranging from noble to dark. Both defenders and butchers, bearers of the cross have been seen marching through Azeroth and the Outlands to the aid of Horde settlements and the ruin of the Alliance’s. When despair falls upon the Horde and its people, the Raven Cross answers.
Their origin remains largely a mystery, what rumors around them revealing their leaders comprising key rescuers of Leoren Evershine during the ‘Farstrider Square Incident’, and the former Blood Knight Champion himself. What else is known about them can only be gathered from what’s seen of them out in the field. Though few, the numbers that do bear the cross strike with a unity and fierceness uncommon for their size.
They are sovereign in their cause, answering to no government. Denying no race, creed or vocation, their members still capture the very essence of the Horde. Like the people they avenge, they are outcasts and survivors, rallying under a united symbol to fight the uphill battle for the lives, homes and honor of all their people against a world that reviles them.
------------------
Relevant background pieces:
Death of a Blood Knight ( The Trial of Leoren Evershine ) (http://wow-tng.org/showthread.php?t=8603)– The ‘Farstrider Square Incident’ in detail.
An Exiled Mind (http://wow-tng.org/showthread.php?t=9384) – The origin of the cross, a dark symbol from a memory long ago.
Sins of the Father (http://wow-tng.org/showthread.php?t=9335) – Forming of the fellowship.
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2.) The Creeds of the Raven Cross:
The Creed of Respect: “Regardless of race or calling, I shall respect my fellow bearers for their reasons, voices and decisions, for they are steadfast to the Raven Cross and its mission. I shall never confuse a voice of dissent with one of disloyalty. For as long as we hold true to each other, I shall trust them with my life.”
The Creed of Tenacity: “I will endure the hardships and strife, undaunted and unafraid. Through time, dedication and perseverance, I shall not falter where others flee.”
The Creed of Refuge: “I am as much my people’s strength as they are my own. We are beset by hatred on all sides, and for them I spill the blood of those who would trespass against us. If I can raise my fist in their defense, I shall. As I fight for them, I do so with my life.”
The Creed of Vengeance: “When the blameless and our brethren die, my blade will thirst for vengeance cry. Not of passion. Not of hate. But of justice we leave in its wake.”
The Creed of Unity: “I will never abandon any who bear the cross. United we fight. United we fall. Together we shall never recoil before adversity, and make our stand as one.”3.) The Ranks:
(( Note: The level cut offs listed are mostly symbolic of the amount of time and dedication a player should take with a character on the server and with the guild without demanding too much of a player who enjoys primarily the RP the guild has to offer. That being said, as a Heavy Role Playing guild with high ambitions for end game, the ranks reward diligence and skill in our players. ))
Initiation:
(( Expected Minimum Level of 20. ))
• Ascetic Novice – These are the humble beginnings which all aspiring members of the fellowship must tread. To be admitted they must prove themselves to have faith and intention to follow the guiding principles of the Raven Cross. The duration of this path of hardship shall be no shorter than a week to two. During this time their qualities and acclimatization to the other members can be determined.((This rank is mainly a testing ground for a player’s attitude and their role playing sensibilities.))
• Believer – Though not a bearer of the cross itself, these individuals represent a back bone of support which furthers the spirit of the movement where they are able to nonetheless. Even without being considered((This rank will be the makeup of alts, characters of family and friends or privileged characters that fight with the Raven Cross but for storyline or other reasons cannot actually take up the banner.))
Bearers of the Raven Cross:
• Bearer - Proven determined in the face of adversity, these individuals have overcome their trials and have earned their right to be bearers of the Raven Cross upon their tabards. From here out they are fully fledged members of the camaraderie, serving and treated as the soul, flesh and blood of the movement. These ranks represent the main fighting force of the Cross and those uphold its creeds.Honored Ranks, of the Raven Cross:
((Note: The character must have attained the level cap 70.))
Steeled by the most ardent of trials, these men and women are the finest in their fields. Only the strongest in their vocations among the Raven Cross will ever be considered for the honor. One must be invited by the Patriarch or a Prime Commander to rise to the name. This entails strict adherence to the creeds of the Raven Cross and greater adeptness in their calling. These ranks help oversee the development and growth of the main fighting force, constantly leading by example. While it means greater responsibility, it also results in greater prestige and consideration. Though separate in title, both wings work in unison towards the same flight.
• Crimson Lance – For those who have truly risen and continue to strive for the perfection of martial prowess, the title of the Crimson Lance awaits. Fierce and resilient, these champions represent the finest blades of the Cross in the fray of the ever present skirmishes with the Alliance.(( The PvPers. Those who attain this rank must have shown a dedication to player versus player combat, be it actively out in the world, in the battlegrounds and in organized arena. To be eligible, one must have the appropriate gear for their selected spec ( PvP inclined arena or honor gear stressing resilience in most cases ), the specifics to be determined by their class leaders and officers.
The benefits which follow this path incorporate greater priority in their selection for guild organized Battlegrounds, first pick selection for assistance in getting their weekly arena games and rating boosting from available officers. Furthermore, a Crimson Lance is eligible to sign up for our optional in guild Arena program, where we advise Lancers concerning proven arena compositions and strategies while assisting in the organization of such make ups with others who would be equally geared, suitable and dedicated. ))
• Ebon Vanguard – Proud and true to their calling, the Ebon Vanguard comprises those most skilled, prepared and hardened for some of the dangers beyond just the Alliance, where some are the greatest threats all the peoples of Azeroth have ever known. It is a path of discipline, perseverance and commitment to the advance – One blazing towards vestiges of powerful rewards to better safeguard the Horde and crush whatever threatens it.(( The Raiders. PvE End Game requires a lot of time and perseverance, constantly working to better one’s gear inside and outside of the raid itself. To attain this rank, one must show commitment to furthering this end, showing flexibility and exemplary effort to meet the requirements of the raid set out by their respective officers and class leads. This is the rank for those whose attendance is maintained to a high standard and who go above and beyond the call of duty to be the best they can be. This includes but not limited to:
1. Meeting their class spec’s requirements outlined by the class lead.
2. Seeking and having the best available enchants for their role.
3. Diligently bringing all their own reagents and raid buffs ( flasks, foods etc ).
4. Assisting those with their professions, offering their services freely to contribute to the advance.
By maintaining such a high standard of themselves, Ebon Vanguards will always have first priority to enter any raid and will always receive first priority in regards to guild resources to bolster their gear and performance. ))
On the matter of dual commendations:
Though rare, it isn’t unheard of when certain individuals excel where both the Crimson Lance and Ebon Vanguard do. When one does, they are recognized specially by the Commanders and earn their right to a dual commendation, where they may hold the title of one and partake in the benefits of the other as well.
Officers & Strategists of the Raven Cross:
((Note: A player who is recognized as a quality Role Player and who also demonstrates strong In Character AND Out Of Character leadership qualities will receive greater preference and consideration when excelling further into any higher positions)).
To attain excel any further, one within the honor ranks must be appointed by the Patriarch of a Prime Commander personally. Acting as the personal right hands of the Commanders, these Strategists and Officers are entrusted with the ability to recruit others into the guild to join the cause and oversee the development of the fellowship.
• Arbiter – The Arbiters have risen to a position of respect by virtue of their ability to lead and inspire those around them. As eyes, ears and voices of the Cross, they strive always to mediate relations between fellow guild mates and lend their voices to offer guidance and assistance to not only the leaders of the movement, but to all who bear the cross.
• War Maven – Masters of the skills and talents of their respective classes, the War Mavens are the foremost authorities of their vocations and serve as a leading example by virtue of their prowess and finesse.The Code of the Mavens:
They shall be responsible for helping train bearers of the cross’ skills and assist in planning the path to strengthen their equipment, as well as their own.
They shall always be ready to assist any of the Cross’ numbers in matters of their personal expertise, regardless of their standing or vocation.
They shall play a crucial role in determining acceptance requirements of potential members into the honor ranks.
They shall review the performance and potential of new recruits and members alike, and endeavor to foster motivation towards attainable improvements in equipment, experience and the training of talents.
They shall represent the members of their calling, informing others of their numbers’ needs in battle.
They may choose to surrender the mantle of the War Maven, should they feel unable to live to its name.
The Commanders’ Council, Leaders of the Raven Cross:
Prime Commander - The Prime Commanders form the head of the Raven Cross, all equal in their powers, duties and responsibilities. Encompassing all the expectations of those they command, they are the final word and authority of the fellowship. They must at all times strive to be the very embodiment of the values and principles of the Raven Cross. To be eligible to be a Commander, one within the Honored Ranks must apply themselves and prove by both exemplary service and exceptional leadership qualities.
The Patriarch - The Patriarch is different from a Commander only in name, the title serving as recognition of leading the very foundation of the movement. In any equally contested issue among the Commanders, the Patriarch must provide the final executive decision.
4.) Officer’s Guide:
To better outline what qualities we expect and look for in existing and potential officers, we narrowed it down to certain key qualities:
1. Maturity
Maturity doesn't mean you can't joke around or be silly. And it's not necessarily tied to a person's age. Being mature means you know when it's okay to joke around and when you need to take something seriously. It also means treating others with respect and doing the right thing regardless of whether you can get away with doing the wrong thing.
2. Generosity
This is the quality that will have an officer willing to share precious commodities for the good of the guild. But beyond just tangible offerings, the most important resource they can give is their time. A leader is required to step beyond the call of duty on many occasions, and will likely be needed aside to help resolve disputes or help tutor someone how to perform better at their class for example.
3. Good Communication Skills
Good communication is vital to any leadership function. Officers will need to be able to clearly express themselves on a number of issues whether it’s sharing game knowledge and tactics in an event, dealing with a complex set of loot rules or mediating disagreements.
4. Emotional Intelligence and Control
Given the massively multiplayer nature of World of Warcraft, emotions will come into play. Part of an officer's job is dealing with these emotions. To do that, you have to be able to put yourself in another person's shoes and understand where they're coming from and why they feel the way they do, whether they're angry, hurt, depressed, jealous, joyous or any and all of the above. Beyond that, you have to take these emotions into account when you're trying to defuse a bad situation. You have to do your best to resolve it without causing more bad feelings, but you also need to recognize when those bad feelings are inevitable and soldier on anyway. That's emotional intelligence.
Hand-in-hand with that concept is emotional control -- doing your job with compassion and care, even when you are the one feeling angry or hurt. Emotional outbursts happen, but an officer must endeavor to keep them private among the other leaders. Grievances can and will be dealt with, but causing a scene would only lead to further demoralization.
5. Game Knowledge
As the leaders of a guild, knowledge of the game mechanics in general and of their own class are a must. Leaders are also teachers, and understanding game mechanics surrounding PvE or PvP encounters are vital to impart knowledge needed by members.
5.) Role Playing Criteria:
Being a Heavy Role Playing guild we highly value quality Role Players. At the same time we don’t do such to the outright exclusion of those new to Role Playing or those still getting a feel for it. RP Elitism hurts and aggravates a lot of people. Not everyone is an experienced Role Player, taking that into account, we felt it important to outline the varying degrees of what we look for and encourage in our role players, from base expectations to beyond:
1) There is a rudimentary understanding of the In Character and Out Of Character divide. The character has a plausible RP name or at least can justify it In Character if it’s unconventional – The reason this being relevant at all is that an out of place name is disrupting to some Role Players’ atmosphere. The character must have the makings of a believable, living and breathing character.
2) There’s a firm understanding of the In Character and Out Of Character divide, and there is rarely an issue of one crossing over into the other. The character is believable and the player has a good idea of the back story and intentions of the character. The character is helped brought to life through emotes and well presented dialogue.
3) The character is a joy to interact with as a player. The player fully understands and respects the In Character and Out Of Character Divide. The character is often played out with colorful and descriptive emotes and the player has a firm idea of their character’s description, history, faults and motivating factors. Often these characters have a unique charm, attribute or element which really helps their uniqueness and believability.
Miscellaneous elements we encourage:
• Use of popular Role Playing add-ons such as MyRolePlay, FlagRSP or FlagRSP: While never a requirement, the use of these tools helps leaps and bounds for communicating to other Role Players.
• Uniqueness of a character: The fact is a lot of people do tend to Role Play similar archetypes of characters, which we respect entirely. However, when someone strikes us as unique and original, we recognize these characters and highly value their personal flair.
• Grammar, spelling and proper punctuation: This is a nit picky criterion but is still one considered. We highly appreciate those who do strive to improve the delivery and presentation of their story telling.
6.) OOC and Miscellaneous Issues Section:
Guild Chat is In Character (Out Of Character Channel provided): Our policy is that the guild chat should predominantly remain In Character territory. This is to make sure that Role Playing will never wane or take a back seat to the instance or raiding aspects of the game. We’ve also provided an OOC channel for our members to discuss meta gaming elements and just to have a place to relax from all the In Character plots going on.
Vent: We have our own Vent which all of our members are warmly invited to use. Obviously it’s all OOC discussion, but it’s a good place to come to get to meet some of the people behind the characters in the guild and for end game purposes it’s extremely useful for organizing raids and group PvP. You’re not required to own a microphone or speak should you choose, but being present in the channel to at least listen in on instructions and calls will be vital.
Issue on alts within the guild: This is a very contentious issue. Unless there is a good In Character reason for another of your characters to join the guild, this is generally not encouraged. This is purely because of the fact we prefer to avoid the Clark Kent/Superman dilemma: One being present to the exclusion of the other. While we will accept alts of our players into the guild provided they’ve been introduced In Character, the norm would be that only their main in the guild will be considered for serious promotion in the ranks.
7.) Plot Submission System:
While people run plots among certain circles all the time, we’ve implemented a means to allow people to get plot ideas out there so that we as a guild can focus on something as a group, and lend a greater audience to the tale. The basic idea is that anyone ( including outside the guild ) can approach us with a plot in mind and provided it’s something that’d be entertaining, we could dedicate times during our schedules to explore it.
If a submitted plot has been approved by a Story Planner that means we’d be more than happy to help incorporate these plots into weekly events or help organize characters’ involvement.
All submissions should be sent into MyRavenCross@gmail.com where our Story Planners (SP) can read over them.
These are the criteria that we as Story Planners looks for when determining guild support for a plot:
1. Fits the feel and lore of the World of Warcraft
2. Involves good drama.
3. Involves good structure
4. Allows scope for multiple players to be involved, not just the stars.
5. Minimal work for the SP
Let's look briefly at each...
Fits the general feel and lore of the World of Warcraft
The World of Warcraft is a high fantasy world, filled with much existing lore available in books and also on the Community Website’s Encyclopedia itself. It borrows certain elements from well known ideas, so there’s a flexibility to incorporate most elements into the lore.
Having a character or plot that might contradict the official story that Blizzard has already masterfully woven will likely only detract from the enjoyment of the plot as opposed to adding to it.
Also, steer away from anything too cataclysmic or unbalancing. You're welcome to run a plot that ends in a horrible death for your character, but it’s hard to expect the rest of the world to be changed to its core.
Involves good drama
By good drama, we mean something which people will want to see unfold! When thinking about plots you’ve been involved with in the past, try asking yourself some of these questions:
How did each plot unfold? What caused the events to happen? When did the events become publicly known? How did the events climax? What was the resolution?
You can keep going deeper. Who interacted in the events? How were they changed by the experience? Who else was changed by the experience? Where were the moments of tension?
The most memorable stories are those with characters who mean something to us, who undergo some sort of change because of the event they participate in. While some momentary entertainment might be gained from a plot of senseless mayhem or the like, a story that is about the people involved is much more engaging than a story about faceless events.
Who's going to be involved? How is this going to change them? What are the long-lasting consequences of this plot?
If you can answer some of these you can begin to see certain elements which make a plot irresistibly entertaining for all to be a part of. We highly encourage you to do so.
Involves good structure
Plots should have a beginning, middle, and end. For a really short plot, they might be all squished together, but they should be there nonetheless. A weak plot suggestion may be in the form of a single idea or concept. Lay down a track of how you think events will unfold (you must always leave room for the unexpected of course). Have an end goal in site, and know that when you reach that end goal that your plot will be over.
Keep in mind that a plot does not necessarily coincide with your character's story. For example, "I want to be a Death Knight" is not a plot. To be sure, there are great many plots that might hinge off the fact that you are slowly being corrupted into a Death Knight, but in and of itself it is not a plot. A character's story may consist of any number of plots that affect him directly or indirectly, woven into a single plot arch. A character's story goes on indefinitely, but a plot must have an end.
Also, be revelatory in your plot description. Don't tell us "the heirloom gets stolen". We want you to tell us who steals it and how. Things need to have an explanation for happening, even if those explanations are not apparent to the audience at large.
Some other pointers:
• Make plots flexible! Characters will act unpredictably, ignore what you find to be obvious plot hints, betray what they swore they never would. Don't build a plot that rests on the shoulders of any one or two characters doing specific actions etc. Make them adaptable, so they can be carried on and completed even if the unthinkable occurs.
• Avoid plot clichés. No need to list them here, most of you have seen them in action. And it's not just for the purpose of originality and creativity, there's also the fact that some characters you might find intrinsic to your plot will avoid involvement of it like the plague if they suspect if fits into a predictable plot type category.
• Be considerate. To player and characters. Just because you brought up the idea of the plot does not mean your main should be the center of the plot's attention. Make plots that bring other characters into the spotlight, even if it means making your character’s involvement, if any, hidden and unnoticed.
Opportunities for interaction
As the case are with many plots I’ve witnessed, some plots are going to be run in closed circles. But if someone’s looking for guild support of a plot, we as players who help assist a story’s development like to entertain as many people as possible. Plots which allow many people to get a piece of the action are awesome.
A related point - this is interactive fiction. There are many authors. You can only ever control a fraction of what can possibly happen. In general, we won't railroad players to make your plot happen exactly like you hoped. Your plot needs to be robust and flexible enough to adapt.
Minimal work for the Story Planner
Plots which say "I want my character to grow into a powerful hero and become loved by the people - can you work out the details?" won’t make us clap for joy.
Only you can tell your story. Give us a synopsis. Tell us what the key scenes are, and what happens. If you can convince us that we’d really like to sit down and watch that particular plot unfold, you’re gold.
Final Notes:
Plots that are well-built and follow the precepts set down in this charter are much more likely to get extended Story Planner support, because obviously when someone has put in the time to think something out carefully they are not going to abandon it half-way, making our effort worthless. A good story enhances the community as a whole, while a weak one just diminishes it.
It must be said that players are in no way obligated to create open, accessible-to-everyone plots. The reason we encourage it on the other hand is because it helps encourage folks to get involved which equates into greater engagement for all. That being said, not every story worth telling is possible to do for a mass audience. Obviously in these circumstances you might not have as much full on support from designated Story Planners given that only three or four might be aware of the plot as opposed to thirty, but our support will still be there if you ever need it for one reason or another..
I’d also like to stress, that we invite the Role Playing community as a whole to contact us in the same fashion if they’ve any ideas in mind. That being said, if you’re a Role Player who’d like to get involved feel free to get in contact with us at: MyRavenCross@gmail.com. Whether you just want to let us know about a character you have that’d be available for plots (Always looking for villains and anti heroes, yes - I'm looking at YOU Alliance!) or even submit a plot of your own we’d love to hear from you.
Greetings Role Players of Twisting Nether! It is with great pride to announce the opening of <The Raven Cross> and its guild charter, a new and highly ambitious Heavy Role Playing End Game Guild that’s all about fighting for the Horde.
In war, the line between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ is blurry at best. Some remain entrenched in preconceived notions of morality, while those of the Raven Cross do not. If one had to define them within any moral compass, some might place them best in the ‘shades of gray’ than any extreme. They choose the freedom in their actions to do what they must.
At this time we are recruiting and actively interviewing interested applicants in game. We invite all players to read up on our guild charter while we continue to build our web site for those who would like to seek out acceptance into the guild or even those who would just like to get involved in some of the plots and stories we will be running as we are always looking to engage other interesting characters.
Officers to contact concerning the arrangement of an in game IC interview:
Leoren
Diomades
Yatokth
Anorah
Laras
Vynnce
Our website is: http://theravencross.guildportal.com/
Or reach us at MyRavenCross@gmail.com.
Summation of the Guild’s Goals:
• Role Playing: To have a rich, character driven role playing environment within the guild. Never having to surrender our role playing sensibilities while we pursue to explore the game in all its facets. The characters, origin and background of the guild all had a rich plot driven story leading into its existence, and we only look to further the storyline of the guild in nothing short of similar fashion.
• End Game: To tackle end game content as a closely knit team in organized fashion, encouraging and fostering the skills and expertise required to do so. Be it PvP in Battle Ground and Arena endeavors or raiding PvE content, we strive to always help each other as we push forward towards the goals we set in our schedules.
• World PvP: To have an active presence defending and attacking out in the World itself, answering world defense calls or even the in character Horde side Role Playing defense channel (/join TheBulwark) actively as a group. We’ve a strong sense of looking after our own, never leaving a man or woman behind or failing to visit payback on those who’ve grieved either ourselves or other members of the Horde.Index:
1. An Origin Story
2. The Creeds of the Raven Cross
3. The Ranks
4. Officer’s Guide
5. Role Playing Criteria
6. OOC Miscellaneous Issues
7. Plot Submission System
1.) An Origin Story:
Whispers of the blackened symbol against bloodied tabards have only just recently surfaced, the known deeds that follow in its wake ranging from noble to dark. Both defenders and butchers, bearers of the cross have been seen marching through Azeroth and the Outlands to the aid of Horde settlements and the ruin of the Alliance’s. When despair falls upon the Horde and its people, the Raven Cross answers.
Their origin remains largely a mystery, what rumors around them revealing their leaders comprising key rescuers of Leoren Evershine during the ‘Farstrider Square Incident’, and the former Blood Knight Champion himself. What else is known about them can only be gathered from what’s seen of them out in the field. Though few, the numbers that do bear the cross strike with a unity and fierceness uncommon for their size.
They are sovereign in their cause, answering to no government. Denying no race, creed or vocation, their members still capture the very essence of the Horde. Like the people they avenge, they are outcasts and survivors, rallying under a united symbol to fight the uphill battle for the lives, homes and honor of all their people against a world that reviles them.
------------------
Relevant background pieces:
Death of a Blood Knight ( The Trial of Leoren Evershine ) (http://wow-tng.org/showthread.php?t=8603)– The ‘Farstrider Square Incident’ in detail.
An Exiled Mind (http://wow-tng.org/showthread.php?t=9384) – The origin of the cross, a dark symbol from a memory long ago.
Sins of the Father (http://wow-tng.org/showthread.php?t=9335) – Forming of the fellowship.
------------------
2.) The Creeds of the Raven Cross:
The Creed of Respect: “Regardless of race or calling, I shall respect my fellow bearers for their reasons, voices and decisions, for they are steadfast to the Raven Cross and its mission. I shall never confuse a voice of dissent with one of disloyalty. For as long as we hold true to each other, I shall trust them with my life.”
The Creed of Tenacity: “I will endure the hardships and strife, undaunted and unafraid. Through time, dedication and perseverance, I shall not falter where others flee.”
The Creed of Refuge: “I am as much my people’s strength as they are my own. We are beset by hatred on all sides, and for them I spill the blood of those who would trespass against us. If I can raise my fist in their defense, I shall. As I fight for them, I do so with my life.”
The Creed of Vengeance: “When the blameless and our brethren die, my blade will thirst for vengeance cry. Not of passion. Not of hate. But of justice we leave in its wake.”
The Creed of Unity: “I will never abandon any who bear the cross. United we fight. United we fall. Together we shall never recoil before adversity, and make our stand as one.”3.) The Ranks:
(( Note: The level cut offs listed are mostly symbolic of the amount of time and dedication a player should take with a character on the server and with the guild without demanding too much of a player who enjoys primarily the RP the guild has to offer. That being said, as a Heavy Role Playing guild with high ambitions for end game, the ranks reward diligence and skill in our players. ))
Initiation:
(( Expected Minimum Level of 20. ))
• Ascetic Novice – These are the humble beginnings which all aspiring members of the fellowship must tread. To be admitted they must prove themselves to have faith and intention to follow the guiding principles of the Raven Cross. The duration of this path of hardship shall be no shorter than a week to two. During this time their qualities and acclimatization to the other members can be determined.((This rank is mainly a testing ground for a player’s attitude and their role playing sensibilities.))
• Believer – Though not a bearer of the cross itself, these individuals represent a back bone of support which furthers the spirit of the movement where they are able to nonetheless. Even without being considered((This rank will be the makeup of alts, characters of family and friends or privileged characters that fight with the Raven Cross but for storyline or other reasons cannot actually take up the banner.))
Bearers of the Raven Cross:
• Bearer - Proven determined in the face of adversity, these individuals have overcome their trials and have earned their right to be bearers of the Raven Cross upon their tabards. From here out they are fully fledged members of the camaraderie, serving and treated as the soul, flesh and blood of the movement. These ranks represent the main fighting force of the Cross and those uphold its creeds.Honored Ranks, of the Raven Cross:
((Note: The character must have attained the level cap 70.))
Steeled by the most ardent of trials, these men and women are the finest in their fields. Only the strongest in their vocations among the Raven Cross will ever be considered for the honor. One must be invited by the Patriarch or a Prime Commander to rise to the name. This entails strict adherence to the creeds of the Raven Cross and greater adeptness in their calling. These ranks help oversee the development and growth of the main fighting force, constantly leading by example. While it means greater responsibility, it also results in greater prestige and consideration. Though separate in title, both wings work in unison towards the same flight.
• Crimson Lance – For those who have truly risen and continue to strive for the perfection of martial prowess, the title of the Crimson Lance awaits. Fierce and resilient, these champions represent the finest blades of the Cross in the fray of the ever present skirmishes with the Alliance.(( The PvPers. Those who attain this rank must have shown a dedication to player versus player combat, be it actively out in the world, in the battlegrounds and in organized arena. To be eligible, one must have the appropriate gear for their selected spec ( PvP inclined arena or honor gear stressing resilience in most cases ), the specifics to be determined by their class leaders and officers.
The benefits which follow this path incorporate greater priority in their selection for guild organized Battlegrounds, first pick selection for assistance in getting their weekly arena games and rating boosting from available officers. Furthermore, a Crimson Lance is eligible to sign up for our optional in guild Arena program, where we advise Lancers concerning proven arena compositions and strategies while assisting in the organization of such make ups with others who would be equally geared, suitable and dedicated. ))
• Ebon Vanguard – Proud and true to their calling, the Ebon Vanguard comprises those most skilled, prepared and hardened for some of the dangers beyond just the Alliance, where some are the greatest threats all the peoples of Azeroth have ever known. It is a path of discipline, perseverance and commitment to the advance – One blazing towards vestiges of powerful rewards to better safeguard the Horde and crush whatever threatens it.(( The Raiders. PvE End Game requires a lot of time and perseverance, constantly working to better one’s gear inside and outside of the raid itself. To attain this rank, one must show commitment to furthering this end, showing flexibility and exemplary effort to meet the requirements of the raid set out by their respective officers and class leads. This is the rank for those whose attendance is maintained to a high standard and who go above and beyond the call of duty to be the best they can be. This includes but not limited to:
1. Meeting their class spec’s requirements outlined by the class lead.
2. Seeking and having the best available enchants for their role.
3. Diligently bringing all their own reagents and raid buffs ( flasks, foods etc ).
4. Assisting those with their professions, offering their services freely to contribute to the advance.
By maintaining such a high standard of themselves, Ebon Vanguards will always have first priority to enter any raid and will always receive first priority in regards to guild resources to bolster their gear and performance. ))
On the matter of dual commendations:
Though rare, it isn’t unheard of when certain individuals excel where both the Crimson Lance and Ebon Vanguard do. When one does, they are recognized specially by the Commanders and earn their right to a dual commendation, where they may hold the title of one and partake in the benefits of the other as well.
Officers & Strategists of the Raven Cross:
((Note: A player who is recognized as a quality Role Player and who also demonstrates strong In Character AND Out Of Character leadership qualities will receive greater preference and consideration when excelling further into any higher positions)).
To attain excel any further, one within the honor ranks must be appointed by the Patriarch of a Prime Commander personally. Acting as the personal right hands of the Commanders, these Strategists and Officers are entrusted with the ability to recruit others into the guild to join the cause and oversee the development of the fellowship.
• Arbiter – The Arbiters have risen to a position of respect by virtue of their ability to lead and inspire those around them. As eyes, ears and voices of the Cross, they strive always to mediate relations between fellow guild mates and lend their voices to offer guidance and assistance to not only the leaders of the movement, but to all who bear the cross.
• War Maven – Masters of the skills and talents of their respective classes, the War Mavens are the foremost authorities of their vocations and serve as a leading example by virtue of their prowess and finesse.The Code of the Mavens:
They shall be responsible for helping train bearers of the cross’ skills and assist in planning the path to strengthen their equipment, as well as their own.
They shall always be ready to assist any of the Cross’ numbers in matters of their personal expertise, regardless of their standing or vocation.
They shall play a crucial role in determining acceptance requirements of potential members into the honor ranks.
They shall review the performance and potential of new recruits and members alike, and endeavor to foster motivation towards attainable improvements in equipment, experience and the training of talents.
They shall represent the members of their calling, informing others of their numbers’ needs in battle.
They may choose to surrender the mantle of the War Maven, should they feel unable to live to its name.
The Commanders’ Council, Leaders of the Raven Cross:
Prime Commander - The Prime Commanders form the head of the Raven Cross, all equal in their powers, duties and responsibilities. Encompassing all the expectations of those they command, they are the final word and authority of the fellowship. They must at all times strive to be the very embodiment of the values and principles of the Raven Cross. To be eligible to be a Commander, one within the Honored Ranks must apply themselves and prove by both exemplary service and exceptional leadership qualities.
The Patriarch - The Patriarch is different from a Commander only in name, the title serving as recognition of leading the very foundation of the movement. In any equally contested issue among the Commanders, the Patriarch must provide the final executive decision.
4.) Officer’s Guide:
To better outline what qualities we expect and look for in existing and potential officers, we narrowed it down to certain key qualities:
1. Maturity
Maturity doesn't mean you can't joke around or be silly. And it's not necessarily tied to a person's age. Being mature means you know when it's okay to joke around and when you need to take something seriously. It also means treating others with respect and doing the right thing regardless of whether you can get away with doing the wrong thing.
2. Generosity
This is the quality that will have an officer willing to share precious commodities for the good of the guild. But beyond just tangible offerings, the most important resource they can give is their time. A leader is required to step beyond the call of duty on many occasions, and will likely be needed aside to help resolve disputes or help tutor someone how to perform better at their class for example.
3. Good Communication Skills
Good communication is vital to any leadership function. Officers will need to be able to clearly express themselves on a number of issues whether it’s sharing game knowledge and tactics in an event, dealing with a complex set of loot rules or mediating disagreements.
4. Emotional Intelligence and Control
Given the massively multiplayer nature of World of Warcraft, emotions will come into play. Part of an officer's job is dealing with these emotions. To do that, you have to be able to put yourself in another person's shoes and understand where they're coming from and why they feel the way they do, whether they're angry, hurt, depressed, jealous, joyous or any and all of the above. Beyond that, you have to take these emotions into account when you're trying to defuse a bad situation. You have to do your best to resolve it without causing more bad feelings, but you also need to recognize when those bad feelings are inevitable and soldier on anyway. That's emotional intelligence.
Hand-in-hand with that concept is emotional control -- doing your job with compassion and care, even when you are the one feeling angry or hurt. Emotional outbursts happen, but an officer must endeavor to keep them private among the other leaders. Grievances can and will be dealt with, but causing a scene would only lead to further demoralization.
5. Game Knowledge
As the leaders of a guild, knowledge of the game mechanics in general and of their own class are a must. Leaders are also teachers, and understanding game mechanics surrounding PvE or PvP encounters are vital to impart knowledge needed by members.
5.) Role Playing Criteria:
Being a Heavy Role Playing guild we highly value quality Role Players. At the same time we don’t do such to the outright exclusion of those new to Role Playing or those still getting a feel for it. RP Elitism hurts and aggravates a lot of people. Not everyone is an experienced Role Player, taking that into account, we felt it important to outline the varying degrees of what we look for and encourage in our role players, from base expectations to beyond:
1) There is a rudimentary understanding of the In Character and Out Of Character divide. The character has a plausible RP name or at least can justify it In Character if it’s unconventional – The reason this being relevant at all is that an out of place name is disrupting to some Role Players’ atmosphere. The character must have the makings of a believable, living and breathing character.
2) There’s a firm understanding of the In Character and Out Of Character divide, and there is rarely an issue of one crossing over into the other. The character is believable and the player has a good idea of the back story and intentions of the character. The character is helped brought to life through emotes and well presented dialogue.
3) The character is a joy to interact with as a player. The player fully understands and respects the In Character and Out Of Character Divide. The character is often played out with colorful and descriptive emotes and the player has a firm idea of their character’s description, history, faults and motivating factors. Often these characters have a unique charm, attribute or element which really helps their uniqueness and believability.
Miscellaneous elements we encourage:
• Use of popular Role Playing add-ons such as MyRolePlay, FlagRSP or FlagRSP: While never a requirement, the use of these tools helps leaps and bounds for communicating to other Role Players.
• Uniqueness of a character: The fact is a lot of people do tend to Role Play similar archetypes of characters, which we respect entirely. However, when someone strikes us as unique and original, we recognize these characters and highly value their personal flair.
• Grammar, spelling and proper punctuation: This is a nit picky criterion but is still one considered. We highly appreciate those who do strive to improve the delivery and presentation of their story telling.
6.) OOC and Miscellaneous Issues Section:
Guild Chat is In Character (Out Of Character Channel provided): Our policy is that the guild chat should predominantly remain In Character territory. This is to make sure that Role Playing will never wane or take a back seat to the instance or raiding aspects of the game. We’ve also provided an OOC channel for our members to discuss meta gaming elements and just to have a place to relax from all the In Character plots going on.
Vent: We have our own Vent which all of our members are warmly invited to use. Obviously it’s all OOC discussion, but it’s a good place to come to get to meet some of the people behind the characters in the guild and for end game purposes it’s extremely useful for organizing raids and group PvP. You’re not required to own a microphone or speak should you choose, but being present in the channel to at least listen in on instructions and calls will be vital.
Issue on alts within the guild: This is a very contentious issue. Unless there is a good In Character reason for another of your characters to join the guild, this is generally not encouraged. This is purely because of the fact we prefer to avoid the Clark Kent/Superman dilemma: One being present to the exclusion of the other. While we will accept alts of our players into the guild provided they’ve been introduced In Character, the norm would be that only their main in the guild will be considered for serious promotion in the ranks.
7.) Plot Submission System:
While people run plots among certain circles all the time, we’ve implemented a means to allow people to get plot ideas out there so that we as a guild can focus on something as a group, and lend a greater audience to the tale. The basic idea is that anyone ( including outside the guild ) can approach us with a plot in mind and provided it’s something that’d be entertaining, we could dedicate times during our schedules to explore it.
If a submitted plot has been approved by a Story Planner that means we’d be more than happy to help incorporate these plots into weekly events or help organize characters’ involvement.
All submissions should be sent into MyRavenCross@gmail.com where our Story Planners (SP) can read over them.
These are the criteria that we as Story Planners looks for when determining guild support for a plot:
1. Fits the feel and lore of the World of Warcraft
2. Involves good drama.
3. Involves good structure
4. Allows scope for multiple players to be involved, not just the stars.
5. Minimal work for the SP
Let's look briefly at each...
Fits the general feel and lore of the World of Warcraft
The World of Warcraft is a high fantasy world, filled with much existing lore available in books and also on the Community Website’s Encyclopedia itself. It borrows certain elements from well known ideas, so there’s a flexibility to incorporate most elements into the lore.
Having a character or plot that might contradict the official story that Blizzard has already masterfully woven will likely only detract from the enjoyment of the plot as opposed to adding to it.
Also, steer away from anything too cataclysmic or unbalancing. You're welcome to run a plot that ends in a horrible death for your character, but it’s hard to expect the rest of the world to be changed to its core.
Involves good drama
By good drama, we mean something which people will want to see unfold! When thinking about plots you’ve been involved with in the past, try asking yourself some of these questions:
How did each plot unfold? What caused the events to happen? When did the events become publicly known? How did the events climax? What was the resolution?
You can keep going deeper. Who interacted in the events? How were they changed by the experience? Who else was changed by the experience? Where were the moments of tension?
The most memorable stories are those with characters who mean something to us, who undergo some sort of change because of the event they participate in. While some momentary entertainment might be gained from a plot of senseless mayhem or the like, a story that is about the people involved is much more engaging than a story about faceless events.
Who's going to be involved? How is this going to change them? What are the long-lasting consequences of this plot?
If you can answer some of these you can begin to see certain elements which make a plot irresistibly entertaining for all to be a part of. We highly encourage you to do so.
Involves good structure
Plots should have a beginning, middle, and end. For a really short plot, they might be all squished together, but they should be there nonetheless. A weak plot suggestion may be in the form of a single idea or concept. Lay down a track of how you think events will unfold (you must always leave room for the unexpected of course). Have an end goal in site, and know that when you reach that end goal that your plot will be over.
Keep in mind that a plot does not necessarily coincide with your character's story. For example, "I want to be a Death Knight" is not a plot. To be sure, there are great many plots that might hinge off the fact that you are slowly being corrupted into a Death Knight, but in and of itself it is not a plot. A character's story may consist of any number of plots that affect him directly or indirectly, woven into a single plot arch. A character's story goes on indefinitely, but a plot must have an end.
Also, be revelatory in your plot description. Don't tell us "the heirloom gets stolen". We want you to tell us who steals it and how. Things need to have an explanation for happening, even if those explanations are not apparent to the audience at large.
Some other pointers:
• Make plots flexible! Characters will act unpredictably, ignore what you find to be obvious plot hints, betray what they swore they never would. Don't build a plot that rests on the shoulders of any one or two characters doing specific actions etc. Make them adaptable, so they can be carried on and completed even if the unthinkable occurs.
• Avoid plot clichés. No need to list them here, most of you have seen them in action. And it's not just for the purpose of originality and creativity, there's also the fact that some characters you might find intrinsic to your plot will avoid involvement of it like the plague if they suspect if fits into a predictable plot type category.
• Be considerate. To player and characters. Just because you brought up the idea of the plot does not mean your main should be the center of the plot's attention. Make plots that bring other characters into the spotlight, even if it means making your character’s involvement, if any, hidden and unnoticed.
Opportunities for interaction
As the case are with many plots I’ve witnessed, some plots are going to be run in closed circles. But if someone’s looking for guild support of a plot, we as players who help assist a story’s development like to entertain as many people as possible. Plots which allow many people to get a piece of the action are awesome.
A related point - this is interactive fiction. There are many authors. You can only ever control a fraction of what can possibly happen. In general, we won't railroad players to make your plot happen exactly like you hoped. Your plot needs to be robust and flexible enough to adapt.
Minimal work for the Story Planner
Plots which say "I want my character to grow into a powerful hero and become loved by the people - can you work out the details?" won’t make us clap for joy.
Only you can tell your story. Give us a synopsis. Tell us what the key scenes are, and what happens. If you can convince us that we’d really like to sit down and watch that particular plot unfold, you’re gold.
Final Notes:
Plots that are well-built and follow the precepts set down in this charter are much more likely to get extended Story Planner support, because obviously when someone has put in the time to think something out carefully they are not going to abandon it half-way, making our effort worthless. A good story enhances the community as a whole, while a weak one just diminishes it.
It must be said that players are in no way obligated to create open, accessible-to-everyone plots. The reason we encourage it on the other hand is because it helps encourage folks to get involved which equates into greater engagement for all. That being said, not every story worth telling is possible to do for a mass audience. Obviously in these circumstances you might not have as much full on support from designated Story Planners given that only three or four might be aware of the plot as opposed to thirty, but our support will still be there if you ever need it for one reason or another..
I’d also like to stress, that we invite the Role Playing community as a whole to contact us in the same fashion if they’ve any ideas in mind. That being said, if you’re a Role Player who’d like to get involved feel free to get in contact with us at: MyRavenCross@gmail.com. Whether you just want to let us know about a character you have that’d be available for plots (Always looking for villains and anti heroes, yes - I'm looking at YOU Alliance!) or even submit a plot of your own we’d love to hear from you.