New Guild Idea [Seeking Opinions before adding to registry] - [A] Tomes of Secrecy [Name is open to change]

I've had this idea for a long while (over a month, at the very least) and have planned out pretty much every aspect of it - never acting on it incase the same problem occurs that had with my other guilds (i.e. stupid idea and/or giving up too early). As mentioned in the title, the planned name is "Tomes of Secrecy" - because 'tis vague, but gives a general idea about the guild. As you can see, i am not good at Guild Names.

It is, ofcourse, going to be an RP guild. To quote a passage I wrote a good few months ago (I think it was last Christmas, to be honest) describing it is:

A "Secret Society" of Higher Learning/Intellect, True Neutral in Alignment, Independent. Hires people of all backgrounds in an attempt to learn everything there is to know. Confidential, sometimes even stooping so low as to use "illegal" methods (i.e. Warlocks, Shadow Priests, Chaos generators etc.) to further their studies if the ends justify the means (they have no taboos on what knowledge they learn). Beliefs of Intellectualism - holding intellectual pursuits in the highest regard. Trying to hide from those that may seek to limit such knowledge, these people take great risks in order to learn that which is forbidden, alongside that which is not.

I've planned my Guild Meetings to be at 5pm GMT (6pm Realm Time, I believe) at Aerie Peak (that is, ofcourse, if the Dwarves agree that Aerie Peak is too far outside of Khaz Modan to be severely monitored 24/7 , and assuming it isn't used for any other purpose) on a Friday, and my planned Guild Tabard:



My Guild Website would be, ofcourse, my own.

Now, the two most extensive parts, Rules and... *shudders* Ranks...


1) As is obvious, we are a law-abiding guild - thus, any caught breaking the World of Warcraft policies will face an almost instant kick (if severe) or another form of punishment if needed. Yes, this includes the all-important RP policy - but due to it's outdatedness currently, some rules (i.e. using General purely to find storylines) will be overlooked; on the otherhand, disrupting RP and such would be treated very severely.

2) Those who seek to tarnish the Guild's good reputation (or lack of it, currently, as the Guild is not yet founded ) will be swiftly and severely dealt with. This is referenced to both OOC (i.e. being a jerk, rumours of "ninja'ing" etc.) and IC (Being the super-vampire-son-of-Illidan-and-Jaina...). As such, as a member you are obliged to report such occurrences (preferably, with screenshots to back up your evidence) and stop such idiocy in it's tracks. Remember, never allow an injustice to go unpunished! On the topic of "friendly banter", anything viewed as ridiculous is allowed - but anything considered to be provocative in any way is denied. That includes, as I've seen in some cases, boasting how great the Horde is to the point of claiming they could allegedly take over every Alliance capital simultaneously for 4 days straight and actually talking with full seriousness. I won't name names.

3) Problems with fellow members should always be taken up with the Guild Leader. I don't seek an OOC dictatorship, but it seems (in my eyes) that such a structure is the only way to prevent officers kicking random members willy-nilly without informing it with a higher up, nor seeing it from a neutral point of view. As such, I will fulfil that role of a "neutral party", siding with no-one and seeing things from both sides of the story so that arguments can mostly be ended without a Guild Kick. ICly, this rule affects no-one - as we are more or less a "community", with no specific "leader".

4) I know people who tolerate cyb0r/ERP. I am not one of them. If any member is caught doing such activities, they can be prepared for a swift kick or, in extremely rare cases, very severe punishment.

5) Although not necessary, it is advised you form an alter ego and/or separate identity for your guild self; so as to prevent the easy tracking of members if the guards had any interest in us/there was a traitor in our midst.

6) To avoid any knowledge leaking out to others, always make sure your area of work is cleaned and/or left exactly the same as it was before you arrived. (ICly)


Rank 1) Scientific Studies

The following rank contains scholars of Engineering, Alchemy, Botany (Study of Plants), Biology, Archaeology (Study of the past), Mineralogy (Study of Rocks), Geology (study of Azeroth overall - i.e. Exploration, climate studies etc.), Mathematics, Zoology (Study of Animals) and Physiology (First Aid).

Rank 2) Cultural Studies

In this course, we will be studying the societies of a variety of races - Human, Dwarf, Gnome, Night Elf, Draenei, Worgen and the Horde as a whole. Other than racial studies, this course also offers training in criminology (the study, and solving, of crimes), so-called "heretical studies" (which include both extremist cults of worship and the Holy Light - focusing on the communities surrounding such religions rather than the religious concept itself) and study of of the Aristocracy (including study of "high culture" - i.e. Art, Literature, Music, Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Riding).

Rank 3) Magical Studies

In the following course, there will be the chances to study various forms of Enchantment, Arcane Magic (Is grouped together with Fire and Frost Magic etc.), Nature Magic (i.e. Druidism), Fel Magic, Geomancy, Light Magic, Necromancy (grouped with Shadow Magic also), Rune Magic, Shamanistic Magic and Voodoo Magic.

Rank 4) Linguistics

In this course, scholars who have researched the following languages can be found: Common, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Darnassian, Draeneic, Worgen, Thalassian, Orcish, Gutterspeak, Zandali, Taurahe, Goblin, Eredun (Warning: Will cause Fel Corruption and, in most cases, insanity), Draconic (very rare among scholars, thus, we may limit the number of scholars who supposedly have "learnt" this if the number gets too high), Kalimag (same conditions as Draconic), Ursine (A.K.A. Furblog), Tuskarr, Nerglish (As a scholar of this, this is the one and only language you are not allowed to be skilled at speaking. As a scholar of this language, your job is to attempt to understand and/or translate this unusual language pattern. Be prepared to never succeed, as this is the one language course in which you may learn nothing whatsoever ).

Rank 5) Crafting

For this course, we seek Scholars of Blacksmithing, Jewelcrafting, Leatherworking, Tailoring, Architecture, Cooking and Cartography.

Rank 6) Religious Studies

As a Scholar of this course, you are required to find out as much information as possible about the following Religions - The Holy Light, Elune, The Titans, The Shadow, The Old Gods, Demon Worship, Loa, Tuskarr Gods, The Earth Mother and The Dragon Aspects.

Rank 7) Combat Studies

This course is for the more aggressive of scholars, training in arts such as Swordsmanship, Blocking, Archery, Dual-Weaponry, Gunnery, Throwing Weapons, Axemanship, Blunt weaponry, Two-Handed weaponry, Pugilism, Polearms, Stave Fighting and Wandmanship.

Rank Leaders

As a "Leader", you are not necessarily more knowledgeable than the other scholars - and, therefore, should not flaunt one's power. As a leader, on the otherhand, you need to be more diverse than others in the skills found in each course. To elaborate, say that an apprentice on a Linguistics course knew very basic Gnomish, Dwarvern and Thalassian, he would beat his competitor for the spot even if his competitor knew Gnomish and Dwarvern to the highest level - due to the fact that the amateur had minor knowledge of Thalassian. Ofcourse, I have more-or-less ruined the point of the example, as only those above a certain threshold (considered "intelligent" enough at their chosen choice) can join, therefore, you need to have some knowledge of the subject at hand before joining - This is in no way a "school" of sorts.

The job of these people (along with the scholars) is purely to gather and record knowledge, teaching other members about their profession only if they wish to do so in their spare time. This knowledge will be recorded into books (preferably using GHI, but can also be RPed out as long as the person describes what's in the book), and handed to the Grand Scholar (Or, in the ordinary Scholar's case, the Leader of his sector - who will hand it to the Grand Scholar) - who will applaud the Leader's Sector and inform the other Scholars/Leaders of the sector's accomplishments in the next meeting.

Rank 9) Grand Scholar

This rank is, quite frankly, superficial - it is the Guild Leader rank, but offers no huge IC benefits other than keeping the members in check, being able to change Rank (from Leader to Scholar), being able to announce achievements and punish other members if they misbehave. Overall, the worst that can happen if you insult the Grand Scholar ICly is a simple slap on the wrist. OOCly, on the otherhand, is a different matter. If you were to insult the Guild Master OOCly, you will get a few chances to stop - but as Guild Masters, we are obliged to maintain the peace and, because of which, we have the power to stop any possible disturbances of said peace via administrative means. In normal circumstances, calling another member an "F***ing F***er" will result in a kick either way; but doing so to a Guild Master is literally asking for a kick. As such, you will never find The Grand Scholar swear at you OOCly, nor even go as far as insult you. At the most, they can kick and ignore you if they find your language obscene or inappropriate.

No "Etular go to RP" option ?

Interesting, I was just about to start something similar with my Warlock alt myself. Though that one was a more 'evil and sadistic' research organisation.

May join you with this instead.

First thing you learn when doing guilds, keep the ranks simple.

Having 9 ranks will simply make it too "advanced" if you know what I mean?

I forgot to write the serious answer /facepalm

The idea of a pure neutral organization is brilliant, but don't expect people to put much efforts in reading, studying and learning. Find some aims to pursuit instead, by any means necessary, to give your organization a real purpose, yet giving a great importance to knowledge. Seeking power is a classic, but it could be everything you want.

As for the guild organization, stick to Lenin:

Strong leadership
Good executive
Clear aims
Strict discipline
Flexible organization

Might be interested in this on my priest. Although as previously mentioned, I don't think people (the players of the characters) can be bothered to put a lot of energy into learning stuff about this and that. A clear IC goal might be advantageous instead.

Also, no philosophy? :<

Sounds pretty good, but I somewhat agree with Zinkle and Ben. With your aim being so broad, and each rank relating to an entirely different field, you might do well to have some central focus to tie it all together.

Thumbs up for the concept though.

I wouldn't be interested to join but I would be interested to make contact with such a guild. Definitely something to contact.

Bennedict wrote:Having 9 ranks will simply make it too "advanced" if you know what I mean?

Indeed. The problem is, how do I lessen said ranks without losing in various possibilities?

Dahian wrote:
May join you with this instead.

If you want to, I see no reason why you should not. As a member, you mean?

Zinkle Figgins wrote:
The idea of a pure neutral organization is brilliant, but don't expect people to put much efforts in reading, studying and learning. Find some aims to pursuit instead, by any means necessary, to give your organization a real purpose, yet giving a great importance to knowledge. Seeking power is a classic, but it could be everything you want.

It is pretty hard to think of an aim for a guild set out like a secret society, yet run like a university other than "To teach already-learned scholars more knowledge". Then again, as you say, a secret society must have an aim - otherwise, it just becomes another "school" that is, for some reason or other, "secret". Then again, the original concept was, admittedly, to allow free knowledge even in the more forbidden subjects. To seek more power, however, would be against the entire ethos of a "neutral" guild, in my eyes, as the destruction of "good" for little reason would most certainly tarnish the guild to a reputation of being "evil"; not to mention a lack of reason for why a group of scholars completely unconcerned with Alliance/Horde ties, concerned fully about knowledge, would seek more power... Then, ofcourse, I point to these various "community" guilds that tend to succeed relatively well - which is, more or less, where I got the basic guild administration template from.

Zinkle Figgins wrote:
Strong leadership

Which I plan to have OOCly, slightly lax ICly due to my character's style.

Zinkle Figgins wrote:
Good executive

*ticks box*

Zinkle Figgins wrote:
Clear aims

Probably the only box that remains unticked, as I'm somewhat unsure of what aims can be extracted from such a guild. What do scholars want to do other than learn more? What would they, as a group, seek to do with said knowledge?

Zinkle Figgins wrote:
Strict discipline

*points to above "Rules" section*

Zinkle Figgins wrote:
Flexible organization

*ticks box*

Chase wrote:
Also, no philosophy? :<

It has an overall, group Philosophy of Intellectualism. Also, it has a course on Beliefs.

you could just go:

Student:
Adept:
tutor:
Master.

and have the different lines of research be chosen by each and every member. though just set up a form of guidance system of a tutor/master assisting the others into proper research.

Amaryl wrote:you could just go:

Student:
Adept:
tutor:
Master.

and have the different lines of research be chosen by each and every member. though just set up a form of guidance system of a tutor/master assisting the others into proper research.

I would. The problem, however (as I tried to stress above), is that there are no specific "students". This idea isn't a "school" in which people are "taught", but a group of those who are already proficient in a certain area to use their knowledge to gather further information externally to share with the Guild. Therefore, the reason why when people asked "Aims?" I said "To gather as much knowledge as possible". Ofcourse, that is very vague and unspecific.

Innitiate, Adept, Senior, Master.

Fix't.

Is this a new title for a Harry Potter movie? Find another name xD

As a member of course. I shall contact you in game when I can, sounds very interesting.

Would be rather interested in 'contacting' the guild, can bring some fun RP

Marogg/Helanie wrote:Innitiate, Adept, Senior, Master.

Fix't.

More accurately, I would prefer it if all the members in the guild were the same rank (other than the Leaders and Guild Master), as that was somewhat how i planned out the structure of the Guild. So, at the very least, I could easily change the Ranks to:

Scholar
Leader
Grand Scholar

Ofcourse, if 3 ranks is considered "Too Basic", I could try to come up with a fourth rank...

Arathoran wrote:Is this a new title for a Harry Potter movie? Find another name xD

No doubt. I need another name. Why do you think I posted the "plan" before the final "Guild Idea" in the registry? Any name choices would be highly appreciated, as I want something vague enough so that people don't know it's motives at first glance, yet descriptive enough so that it doesn't sound like an new Harry Potter movie. Secondary Name Idea: "The Wandering Scholars"?

Etular, two things: don't limit yourself into the Good-Neutral-Evil scheme too much; don't underestimate the points I told you.
Beside that, with a clear concept, a couple of good partners and some hard work you'll be able to do everything.

I don't want to be the boring one here, but there is already GAIRDAS. Why making another guild of studing while there is already one ?

Zinkle Figgins wrote:Etular, two things: don't limit yourself into the Good-Neutral-Evil scheme too much; don't underestimate the points I told you.
Beside that, with a clear concept, a couple of good partners and some hard work you'll be able to do everything.

I'll try hard not to fall into the Alignment pitfall, thanks. I merely used it as a basic label so that people didn't naturally assume "You dabble in Fel Magic, so you like to kill people?" or "You have scholars in "the light", so you must be a religious fanatic guild?". I do have a pretty clear idea of the concept of the guild/it's aims, but not necessarily how to find a progress-able secondary aim that could draw in members. Reading this topic's posts, it seems I have one partner currently - assuming he joins with the idea when I plan to set it up. As for Hard Work, we can only hope - knowing me. I'll work my hardest.

Elloa wrote:I don't want to be the boring one here, but there is already GAIRDAS. Why making another guild of studing while there is already one ?

Firstly, just to clarify, I'm in GAIRDAS currently and know of it's structure/concept - the planned guild has a completely different concept that I will elaborate on in the "Thirdly," section.

Secondly, (which is the part that even perplexes me) is "Why have such criticisms not appeared for The Archline University?". In my eyes, that guild and GAIRDAS are pretty much the exact same, "studious", guilds. The differences? The concepts and thoughts surrounding them.

Thirdly, which I have stressed throughout this topic; These are not "students", this is not a "school", therefore, we don't "learn" or "study" - we gather and use information already at our disposal via our knowledgeable "scholars". ICly, we assume that our members are already well-learned and studious already, and are (therefore) a specialist already in their chosen field. For that reason, I've denied anything suggesting that we have "amateur" members of a profession, "beginners" of a profession or other such people in our guild as, quite frankly, the guild would refuse applications of such people. The guild is, to say the least, very selective with the knowledge their members already know. Compare and contrast with GAIRDAS/Archline University/Any other idea, which involves the "student" to require being taught - in this guild, there is no teaching of any sort going on. Rather, a community that seek to gather information (scholars searching for more knowledge, rather than students working from the ground up) for the sake of Intellectualism (until we get an actual aim). Then, ofcourse, there is the whole "We aren't 'For the Alliance'!" and "We allow forbidden practices" thing. Whilst GAIRDAS may have Demonology, they don't allow the open practice of Fel Magic, nor the open recruitment of skilled scholars in Fel Magic. Same with the likes of Chaos Generators, Shadow Magic and various other practices, due to the fact that the Alliance laws disallow their use. The guild, being independent, ignores such laws if doing so would add to their benefit.

By the way, don't worry - I'm not picking on you in specific. I'm just slightly ticked off at the countless questioning of the exact same (or similar) thing by others, only to reply with the exact same answer.

Also, to GAIRDAS, my apologies if my idea on the Guild Concept is in any way incorrect (as far as I am aware of the guild, I haven't made any mistakes in regards to it). Feel free to correct me, Blinkie, with severe criticism if I'm wrong in any way.

Etular wrote:[These are not "students", this is not a "school", therefore, we don't "learn" or "study" - we gather and use information already at our disposal via our knowledgeable "scholars". ICly, we assume that our members are already well-learned and studious already, and are (therefore) a specialist already in their chosen field. For that reason, I've denied anything suggesting that we have "amateur" members of a profession, "beginners" of a profession or other such people in our guild as, quite frankly, the guild would refuse applications of such people. The guild is, to say the least, very selective with the knowledge their members already know. Compare and contrast with GAIRDAS/Archline University/Any other idea, which involves the "student" to require being taught - in this guild, there is no teaching of any sort going on. Rather, a community that seek to gather information (scholars searching for more knowledge, rather than students working from the ground up) for the sake of Intellectualism (until we get an actual aim).

Alright, at the end of the day this is your guild, your choice and your idea, so go for what you'd like to see.

But. if we're talking about -RESEARCH- groups. as in the real world, in regards to science etc. They are one based on an university. Two contain people with a lot of knowledge. and three, there is still a gradation into what people know in what people do research in.

Over there there is still a very clear difference, Between Master research, promotion research. and Post-doc Positions. this is not about school this is about Research. before you stop and argue against anyone oppering the "uni" type thing. I suggest you seriously read about Research groups. as in the scientists that actually perform scientific research via the scientific method. and extrapolate a guild idea from that.

Since it is not the case that what that 4th year student working on his master thesis so he can graduate is doing is actually common knowledge for the high-professor of the group. If its a good research group it will be a completely new thing. or a new twist that improves an old thing.

so read up on it. it might help you make this idea more concrete.

cheers,

(I apologise if you're already aware about this, but since your age state your 15 you might not be, and I figure that this might then actually be interresting info

Amaryl wrote:But. if we're talking about -RESEARCH- groups. as in the real world...

...

so read up on it. it might help you make this idea more concrete.

Once again, as I've argued in other threads, it's not the real world we are talking about. Not everything has to strictly adhere to what goes on in reality. If you have an idea which you can flesh out and fit within the setting, is there really any need to look to our own world so we can mirror it in a fantasy game? RP, after all, is about imagination.

Personally, the distiction between this idea and other exisiting guilds (which, to be fair, I'm not too knowledgable about) seems rather clear. It's not a school or a reaserch group, but a society comprised of people highly knowledgable in subjects citizens of the Alliance can't normally study in the open. The goal of someone joining might not even be to further their studies or learn new things specifically, but maybe simply to discuss the forbidden lore they know in an intelectual manner without being burned at the stake. You don't join because you want to do research; you've already done the research, now you want to share it with people who won't kill you.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on the above, Etular, but it sounds as if you know what you want to do for the most part, so just go with it already.

Millana wrote:
Personally, the distiction between this idea and other exisiting guilds (which, to be fair, I'm not too knowledgable about) seems rather clear. It's not a school or a reaserch group, but a society comprised of people highly knowledgable in subjects citizens of the Alliance can't normally study in the open. The goal of someone joining might not even be to further their studies or learn new things specifically, but maybe simply to discuss the forbidden lore they know in an intelectual manner without being burned at the stake. You don't join because you want to do research; you've already done the research, now you want to share it with people who won't kill you.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on the above, Etular, but it sounds as if you know what you want to do for the most part, so just go with it already.

Just to clarify, the above description is completely correct - and this person has described it far better than I possibly could, in my eyes. Bravo, brava.