A new beginning? A rising from the ashes? Renewal and Rebirth? Spring Fever?

This has been a time of great change and turmoil in the guild.

It saddens me that so many have left so quickly and for so many different reasons.
Unfortunately some of those reasons have to do with how the guild and its members have conducted themselves as of late.
I am glad that a few have managed to rethink things and are giving us a second chance.
In time, I hope that we will earn the trust and respect of the rest so that they too may return to the fold.
Until that time, we as a guild have our work cut out for us.

There are a number of things that need to be addressed, some are of highest priority, others we have a little time to polish things up a bit first.

Top priority at the moment is
A new Second in command
I can not be on enough to catch everything that goes on in the guild [ almost a week sick didn't help ]
Mentors
I am bringing back the mentoring system from when the guild was new and applications were few but enthusiastic
This fell by the wayside with a change in the membership base and the number of applicants overwhelming the mentoring system as it was set up at the time.
I will be revising the application process in due time.
The mentor's rules of conduct, as first formulated by Darke, are well written and may not need much if anything changed.
What I will change is the assignment of mentors to specific members who need assistance in one or more aspects of guild life.
This means teams of 2 or more will assigned to each case until the issue has been resolved to everyones satisfaction.
Mentors can and will be assigned to more than one case since there will always be new members requiring at least an orientation period.

Next level of priority is
Rewriting the rules of conduct, and these will be segregated into two or more sections (to be determined)
Rules of Member conduct
Here is something that was not needed till now
This is conduct of all guild members so that they reflect the goals and aspirations of the guild
This includes interaction between guild members as well as those of other guilds and the player base at large
Role Play Basics
There will just be a set of guidelines for the mechanics of an RP session
There will also be laid out the do's, don'ts and a list of how to compensate when somebody goofs up during a session and breaks a rule of RPB
Role Play Storyline
OK, this one has not been addressed as yet but I feel that with at least a little Guild Master OR Story Moderator oversight, we can keep the confusion level and story telling styles from clashing too often or getting to a Monty Haul level of power or world shattering consequences.
My suggestion here is - lets not have stories which overshadow the main storyline of Mabionogi
Rules of Guild chat use
It has come to this due in no small part to the actions and repercussions of things said in guild chat in the last 24 hours
Guild chat will still be a free and open channel but there will now be limits on what can be discussed and when a topic is CLOSED
As part of those limits there will also be responsibilities
I am planning on the mentors to have the power to censure anyone breaking the rules, including other mentors, since nobody is perfect and everyone can have a bad day

As for the Ban Hammer
It has been used infrequently in the past but with just cause when it was.
As then, it will be now, there are two levels,
1 - kicked until a suitable grace period and mentor team approval based on what was needed to be addressed
2 - Black Listed - they do not exist and will be summarily defended against - there have been only a few and most of those the GMs got latter.

Lastly
The application process
I will be rewriting the application form / page for more clarity and ease of use for new applicants
This last bit is of lowest priority until we get the guild house back into some semblance of order.

I am opening this topic for everyones contributions and will keep a summary up with everyones contributions for each of the relevant sections.

summary

OK - to get this show on the road, here is something I dug up from another guild some may know of but wont admit to being associated with.
I think some of this can be used in our own rules and regulations BUT please, just not the chat speak, bad spelling or grammar like these guys OK? >.<

1. Do not make any trouble with others.
: Well, that's the most common rule for any other guilds as I believe.

2. DO NOT MAKE TROUBLE AT ARENA.
: Well, you know arena is made up with All those junkish* Drama.
I suggest you guys not go there. If you don't go there, then no trouble. Simple.
If I ever hear about bad news that you were at arena and blablabla..
that's bull. I won't listen no matter what happened up there although I don't know what
you did. So, I, please, don't want you go over Arena. If you like pvp, then wait till duel thing
comes out.

3. Be active!
: Being active is the way we prove our guild to others! Be active and be Senior members
We will tell you when 'New Senior Member' System comes out through guild board.

IF you can't be active since you have some busy schedule such as 'I have school, I have test
next week, I'm leaving town for a while with my family, I'm traveling, I'm grounded...(?)'

Then PLZ. Let me know if you can't log on frequently. EIther send me a note through game
or leave a message on the guild website. If you don't tell me about those reason for being
excused, I have to mark you as 'unactive'. after few more week, if you still don't send me
any reports, I have to kick you out from guild. HOWEVER, you can join guild back when you
come back.

4. NO SWEARING (So as abbriviation)
ex) A : F word you ! You [ Put all those swearing here ] !!
B : No, F word you ! You [ Put all those swearing here ] !!
C : Dude, my parents are being ***. ***! why the *** is this happening to me?
D : ST*U.
NO RACISM
NO RELIGIOUS ARGUMENTS
NO FIGHTING
NO HARRASSMENT/SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

It really is a good start Cap, but I think some things are kind of unneccessary...or is it unnesseccary....anyway.... I understand the non-active thing, and sence you said to notify you I think it doesnt need much adjustment, lets say people can post on the forums to that they are going away for a bit........ Make no trouble with others is a common rule upon all guilds.. if it gets to roudy, drop it.. or the two peopel talking that somehow started it take it to a private chat. Part of the no swearing thing is kind of un-neccessary I think... people will swear out of reaction sometimes. I would say no dropping the F-bomb, which means don't curse to frequently. Also peoples characters In-Character might curse because of the situation thats going on. I understand the no Racism, religious Arguements, fighting, and the harrasments for OOC and for guild chat.. there will be some of those IC because of the way peoples characters are and what they HAVE to do to get the plot going. For example... just last night Ravenger at the pub when we where celebrating the Lich's defeat, Rav kissed me to get J angry. So I would just say put a limit on it so it doesn't get too out of hand on OOC. The no PvP thing, I understand that, I've been there, lets just say if they go PvP just don't set a bad example for RPS and don't bring it to the Guild Chat.

Also, Gatemo, I read the Creed, I like it.

Like I said - it was their bylaws - I on purpose did not highlight that one (#3) .... I know people have outside lives (sec Real Life[tm] interuptus ... ... back) and interruptions.

As to the unsaid not being needed to be said - well, we had a not so great example of that earlier this week.
I think it best to lay down a solid set of ground rules and everything else as guidelines.

as to the swearing - people will have to go out of their way to get past the filters most of the time
- I think its a good idea - not Ban Hammer material maybe but a stern stare and a finger wag
Oh here is a thought - what are the native swear words and oaths? I highly doubt the F-bomb and the like even existed before we came here from other places.
Maybe those who are playing natives can research some Norse or Celtic oaths and such?

Hmm, all good point Cap. And, I'm sorry, I don't actually know the answer to your questions. I'm just trying the best I can to help out.

Progress report on my part so far and some things that still need work

• Have updated the Read This notice in registration
  
• Stickied a copy of the application form in registration
  
• Updated and amended the rules section - everyone has read the rules already right?
  
• Added a new officer post <- needs to be updated once we have people for positions again
  
• Mentor listing updated (for now) but the main body of the post needs revision here
  
• Writing Tips is in need of updating
  
• General Rules of Roleplay needs amending as does How to Roleplay

........................................

Cali - I don't expect everyone to have all the answers. Nothing is ever that easy.

The thing is, we first have to start asking the questions. Once we know the questions then we have at least a decent chance of developing good answers. Everybody knows a lot about something, so if everyone got together then we would know everything about everything ... well, as long as we kept talking to each other at least ...