Guilds
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: Guilds
Author: Elric Telamon
If you are a youngling who has just left his home to look for adventures, or wealth, or general fulfillment, you might already have a desire to join a guild.
Well, there are so many of them, it might be hard to choose the ones most appropiate for you. And choose you should.
Way too many young travellers do make the mistake of joining the first guild that offers to accept a new member.
Often, those younglings do not even invest the small amount of time necessary to look into the purpose, mission and rules of the guild.
And they might end up figuring out they´re in the wrong guild. Sure, it might be quite tempting to simply join any guild, on order to have companionship, support in training and battle, or even access to hard to get resources.
Yet, guilds are ( or at least should be ) about more than just that. A guild should be a group of people working to achieve the same goal. A group of people who trust and support each other... if you train together, or plan new endeavours together, there is usually plenty of time to get to know each other.
A guild does not necessarily have to be about friendship. After all, sometimes two guildmembers of the same guild might be very different persons who usually would not get along well.
Yet they have to ( and often can ) in the midst of a heated battle. You do not have to be friends, but you should be able to trust each other ( which should be mutual, and requires effort by both... you have to trust your companion, and you need to give him a reason to trust you ).
Whether your guild is a good one, or an evil one, it won´t work without trust and collaboration.
I have seen some guilds who hire as many players as possible, not caring about the individuals anymore, using them as what some people refer to as "meat shields".
( Or, as a more modern term, "cannon fodder" ) Is that what you want to be ? Is it really that important to be in the guild with the most members ?
My brother, Therin, is in a guild that consists of about 50 members. Which is not a really small guild, but certainly is not one of the biggest guilds.
However, that guild is built upon companionship, supporting each other, watchign each others back.
Therin told me ( and also told this tale in a global newspaper, supported by a lady he referred to as "Lava" ) that he is not afraid to face even the most horrible monsters with his guildmates, as he always is aware that they will watch as back, just as he watches theirs.
Some guilds have specific goals, such as hunting together, or hunting murderers, or supporting the community ( some of these focus on something they refer to as "role-playing". I don´t know what this term means, yet I hear its a quite enjoyable way of life in our world )
Before you join a guild, ask yourself...
What do you want to do ?
What do you expect from your guild ?
What do you enjoy the most ?
A guild is made up from its members, obviously, and if each member has different goals, i.e. some being great in fighting other warriors, while others enjoy trading way more,... well, it still can work, becaue some guilds do have members who are in the guild for fighting, while others are doing all the trading the guild needs to be done.
Yet, if the guildmaster wants all members to charge into battle, the trader might feel in the wrong guild, or, even worse, drop to the ground soon, unhappy about this development in his life.
I recommend to look into the rules of conduct that the guild you´d like to join. Ask yourself whether you can subscribe to these, and follow them.
Look at the requirements... do you really fit in ? Watch the conduct of some of the guildmembers... do you feel as if you wanna battle alongside with those beings ?
I recently went to the wonderful Gathering of The Guilds ( a great opportunity to get to know many different guilds in one place, at the Empath Abbey ) I saw one of the leaders of a rather popular guild ride by... he was greeted quite nicely by Lady Willa of Yew ( who welcomed all visitors at the entrance of the Abbey in her function as the mayor of Yew )
Yet, that "leader" chose to ignore her, almost riding her over with his beetle.
That, in addition to the atrociously colored clothes he was wearing made a certain impression, which might appeal to some, but completely appal others.
It seems as if a lot of people don´t seem to be aware that, as a member of a guild, you also represent the guild.
I would never steal, lie to or cheat another player, or try to backstab someone, as that might give my guild a bad reputation eventually.
If I was a member of a guild that thrives on stealing, murdering, betraying, I might do those things, and would try to act according to the goals of my guild.
So keep in mind that you do represent your guild. Some guildmasters pay attention to what they hear about the conduct of their guildmates, and expel those that try to ruin the guilds reputation on purpose, or by being thoughtless.
There are some guilds that require you to prove that you´re worthy to join them.
So it might even be an accomplishment to be proud of to join some of those guilds.
I always cringe at people who, once they have made it to Britain the first time, join the first guild they meet a representative of, just for the sake of being in one, never paying the slightest respect to the guild by even caring about what the guild is actually about.
I have to say though that the few guildmasters that accept just ANYONE, or are trying to get as many "meatshields" as they can, DESERVE members that don´t even know what the agenda is about.
So, to close this little tome, choose carefully, invest some thought and consideration, take your time to do some research, and keep in mind that being on your own sometimes is better than being in a guild you don´t fit in.
Safe travels !
Elric Telamon