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	The Dark Knights of Nairen Guild
Main Page	Guild Protocols	Members

Unique Protocols:	This guild has established its own protocols that must be followed by all members as they role play their characters. In some places these protocols may be different than the customs and practices that are most common with other guilds. Players who have a character in this guild are expected to follow the protocols of this guild. A behavior that is deemed inappropriate or rude to members of another guild or the typical player of World of Warcraft, but which is explicitly identified as part of our guild protocols, is not intended by us to be rude and will be practiced as described herein. Those who insist on taking offense where none is intended, or who insist on trying to force their take on the proper way to play this game on the members of this guild should withdraw from this guild and join one that is more to their liking.

Rank Authority:	I served in the USAF back in the 70's, but i suspect that most players of WoW have not put any time in military service. Any militaristic organization requires its higher ranking members to accept additional responsibilities over those required of its lower ranking members. In return for discharging those responsibilities, the lower ranking members are required to show respect and deference to their superiors. Compliance with this principle is required of all guild members. 1. The horde are a hierarchical bunch... especially the Orcs. Proper role playing of your character requires you to adhere to the guild protocols regarding the rights and privileges associated with guild ranks. 2. Members of a higher rank have authority over any member of a lower rank. Any orders which are explicitly defined as such must be complied with when possible. Failure to do so is insubordination and will result in a fine, loss of points for advancement in rank, demotion, or... in gross cases... expulsion from the guild. Statements, comments, or suggestions from a superior guild officer which are not explicitly identifid as an order are not subject to this rule. 3. Members of a higher rank are expected to adhere to the FPGS at all times. Arbitrarily ordering members to perform counterproductive actions, or any such behavior that robs them of their overall enjoyment of a playing session is explicitly forbidden. However, as part of the role playing, higher ranking members are encouraged to give reasonable orders to other members at times and expect compliance. Such orders may require a short term service, such as fetching a trade good from the closest vendor, taking items to sell for her/him to clear inventory space, or any other reasonable service that does not require more than 15 minutes (or so) to accomplish. 4. When two members must meet for any reason, the lower ranking member is required to do so at the convenience of the higher ranking member. The higher ranking member may choose to require the lower ranking member to do all of the traveling, may specify a place where they are to meet, may create a party and require the lower ranking person to use the map to home in on her/his (possibly changing) location, or may choose to travel to the lower ranking member at her/his discretion. The lower ranking member is to do as instructed, even if that means they will be required to wait for the higher ranking person at some location for up to 5 minutes. If more time than that passes and the higher ranking person has not arrived at the roundezvous, the lower ranking person is free to skip the meeting without penalty and is not subject to any further orders to meet with that member for one day of real time. NOTE: There is one specific exception to this policy. The role of Guild Courier includes the responsibility to travel to each member in the performance of that duty, even if the courier is of higher rank than the member he/she is meeting. If that exchange is the only reason for the meeting, the higher ranking member is not permitted to require the lower ranking member to do the traveling.

Greetings - Chat:	1. Upon login a member is required to post a greeting to the guild chat channel. The greeting may be IC or OOC. This greeting is primarily intended to bring it to the attention of the online players that another member has come online. No specific format is required, but if IC proper respect must be shown to members of higher rank. "Yo, radar, what's up dude?" is perfectly acceptable. "Yo, Aglutis, what's up dude?" is not acceptable. 2. All members who notice the greeting are expected to provide a return greeting in guild chat as soon as possible. Those who are AFK, involved in combat, or who otherwise just don't happen to notice the greeting will not suffer any penalty for failure to respond.

Encounters - Guild General:	NOTE: We are role playing a miltary organization in a multi-cultural world. These rules reflect the differences between ranks, races, and classes in the game. They were made somewhat complex on purpose to give you something to have to remember and get correct. Just as i had to learn proper military protocol during basic training, it is your responsibility to master the specifics of the greeting protocols defined in this section and to follow them at all times. Failure to do so will result in a penalty of some sort within the role playing of the game. The exact form of that penalty will be determined by the person who did not receive the proper greeting. 1. Some form of recognition and explicit greeting is required when two members of the guild meet. The exact exchange depends on their relative rank within the guild and any of its sub-organizations, but both members are required to perform the associated protocol to express the appropriate respect for the other member. In general, the lower ranking member ir required to initiate the greeting by a specific outward display of deference to the higher ranking person, and the higher ranking person is equally required to return an outward display of respect for that member and her/his service to the guild. Note 1: Encounters in hostile territory may be interrupted by attacks. In that case, the players are expecetd to defend themselves, not stand waiting at attention while they are being killed. Note 2: Sudden unexpected AFK status due to the demands of real life, lag, lockup, or other server problems may make it impossible to initiate or return the greeting as required. Upon identifying this as the cause of the infraction, the issue will be dropped by the wronged party immediately. 2. A delay of longer than 1 minute on the part of the lower ranking member to initiate the greeting after the initial meeting will be considered a refusal to adhere to this protocol and subject the offending member to appropriate disciplinary action (usually a slap for the first infraction). 3. A delay of longer than 1 minute for a return of the appropriate greeting by the higher ranking person exempts the lower ranking person from further waiting, and will be considered a show of disrespect on the part of the higher ranking person. The lower ranking member is free to object to this treatment, or to choose to let it pass. If the lower ranking person does object and the higher ranking person's response is not satisfactory, the lower ranking person may choose to report the infraction to the Master. The Master will not look kindly on superior officers who do not show the proper appreciation/respect for lower ranking members. Severe penalties for such behavior, much greater than those for failing to initiate the exchange, are to be expected. Rank has its privilieges, but those privileges also carry a higher expectation of compliance with the guild protocols. 4. Some members who are role playing a character that is inherently arrogant, hostile, or bitter, or who has a bias against one or more of the horde races or classes, may choose to greet other members tersely and grudgingly, or delay until the last possible second before complying. That is encouraged as good role playing, but failure to adhere to the letter of these requirements will still result in the appropriate penalty. On the flip side, those who are playing such a difficult character must recognize that the higher ranking player may also be role playing a character who has her/his own biases, or one who doesn't appreciate the hostile demeanor of the subordinate character, and that the role playing of those attributes will probably affect the severity of the penalty he/she will assign for non-compliance. Fair is fair... if you choose to role play a difficult character you must understand that this will bring you more role playing difficulties in return. It is not a license to disregard guild protocols. There is no objective time piece available to settle matters of adherence to the 1-minute rule, so the judgement of the ranking member about how much time has elapsed will generally be considered the final authority in such matters. Remember that factor if you are playing a subordinate who wishes to push the limits on that :)

Encounters - Guild Rank Specific:	1. All members who are at the same rank and who are not part of any sub-organization of the guild which gives one authority over the other are to treat each other as equals in every way regardless of their relative class levels. Equal ranked members of the guild are to greet each other with a verbal greeting in guild chat or via a direct tell, a wave, a hug, or whatever expression of greeting seems appropriate to them. 2. When members of different ranks meet the lower ranking member is required to initiate an exchange of salutes with the higher ranking member, and then stand silently in place until the higher ranking member returns the salute. The higher ranking member in this exchange is required to return the salute. 3. Craft practitioners who encounter their Craftmaster are required to bow before her/him in place of any salute that may otherwise be required on either side. The craftmaster will salute her/him in return. 4. Members who encounter their Classmaster are required to bow before her/him in place of any salute that may otherwise be required. The classmaster will salute her/him in return. NOTE: It is not certain that the Classmaster role will be used in the guild. The need/usefulness of this role is still under consideration. 5. Clanmembers who encounter their Clanmaster are required to kneel silently before her/him until saluted and told to rise. NOTE: It is not certain that the Clanmaster role will be used in the guild. The need/usefulness of this role is still under consideration. 6. Members who encounter the Master are required to kneel silently before him until saluted and told to rise. 7. If multiple members meet simultaneously and kneeling, salutes, or bowing are required among one or more of them, each member is required to provide the proper greeting only the highest ranking member they encounter. In turn, higher ranking members are required to return but one greeting in these encounters. The single return greeting is considered to have been extended to all present members regardless of the exact recipient (if any) specified in the chat area. It's not an issue if the return greeting comes before every member has managed to greet the higher ranking person. Bottom line is that we want to have a proper greeting, but don't need 20 people who come together for a group all trying to salute each of the other 19. 8. Brief separations while in town or while adventuring do not require another salute, bow, or kneeling exchange when the members reconvene. It is up to each lower authority member to determine the correct meaning of the word brief in this context when deciding whether to reinitiate the appropriate greeting, but it is also up to the higher authority person to decide if that decision was in keeping with giving them the deference that they deserve. 9. The minimum penalty for not providing the proper greeting when encountering a superior will be a slap from the superior. Upon receiving such a slap the offending party is to kneel and ask forgiveness for their mistake even when kneeling is not a normal part of the required greeting between those members. The superior must accept this show of deference as a sufficient penalty for the transgression, and will signify acceptance of this apology by telling the offender to rise, but will not return a salute or other formal greeting as a reminder that such behavior does not warrant a return show of respect. However, the act of kneeling in recognition of the transgression is sufficient to avoid firther penalty for the one-time infraction. 10. Purposeful, repeated failure to comply with these greeting reqirements will result in severe penalties, including possible loss of rank, clanmaster position, classmaster position, or craftmaster position. Aglutis believes that the proper operation of the guild requires discipline, self discipline, and deference to those in authority. He also believes that those who cannot provide respect up the chain of command are not entitled to receive it from those above or below them in the chain. Members at the lowest guild ranks who repeatedly refuse to provide the correct greeting when encountering a superior will be dismissed from the guild. 11. These requirements are a bit complex, so honest mistakes on the part of lower ranking members will be tolerated with grace. Higher ranking members will be held to a stricter standard.

Encounters - Horde:	1. Always try to be helpful to all horde members when you have the time, resources, or mana available to do so, but do not be wasteful of non-renewable personal or guild resources. 2. If you initiate an offer to provide any services to non-guild members, you are prohibited from charging for the service unless the service requires resources that are extermely difficult to replace. In that case, you may request a reasonable fee to perform the service, but only the minimum amount necessary to cover the expected cost of replacing the consumed resource. 3. If requested by a non guild member to perform a service that will cost you only easily renewable resources, do so if it will not require more time than you feel you have to spare in general service to the horde. If explicitly requested to perform a service for a non-guild horde member that will require you to expend resources that are difficult to replace, you may request a reasonable fee for the service and the cost of replacing the consumed components, or require the player to provide the needed components. Do not accept requests to perform services if the required components will be needed in the near future to allow you to perform services for members of the guild who have reached (or are near to) the rank where they are entitled to depend on receipt of that service. 3. When encountering or passing by horde members you are expected to give them any buffs which are available to your class for bestowal upon other player. There is no down side for a character who receives such a buff, so there is no need to take time discussing it. 4. When encountering horde members, especially in areas that are remote, mages are expected to offer them free conjured food or drink appropriate to their level. 5. When encountering a corpse of a horde member, characters who are capable of performing a resurrection should ask permission of the character and if granted do so, unless using that ability at the time it will make them unable to resurrect a guild member who is waiting for that service. 6. When a horde member asks you to assist her/him in a quest, you should generally accept the request and provide the necessary assistance. You are permitted to refuse the request IF: the level of the quest is so far beneath you as to be a total waste of your time the level of the quest is so far above you that your chances for survival are slim you have had a negative experience with one or more members of the requesting party you feel that the player or her/his group's looting rules are grossly unfair you do not have time to assist them Once you have agreed to assist someone with a specific matter, you should not leave their party until the commitment has been fulfilled. If an unforeseen issue in real life requires you to leave before the mission is complete, explain the situation to the affected parties before leaving. 7. Upon completion of any service to a horde member, always close the conversation with the following sentence verbatim: "Speak well of the Dark Knights of Nairen." Members are encouraged to set a macro to facilitate this requirement. 8. If any players inquire about our guild, its up to you to give your own opinion in that matter or answer any questions that you have time to address. It is certainly hoped that you will also speak well of the guild, but you are not expected to say anything you don't mean. If the player inquires for more details than it is convenient for you to provide in guild chat, or asks about joining, send them to this web site for further information. 9. No member except Aglutis (at this time) should actively attempt to recruit strangers as new members to the guild. If you know a player or character from personal experience with them and believe they would be a good fit you are explicitly encouraged to invite them to check out the site, but don't be aggressive about it. 10. Members are explicitly prohibited from attempting to lure players into this guild from another guild. It is rude to the other guild to make this attempt, and we don't want the type of player in our guild who would arbitrarily desert a guild which depends on her/him. However, if a player volunteers information that indicates dissatisfaction with her/his current guild and asks about the possibility of joining this guild, you may also direct her/him to this site.

Encounters - Alliance:	*NOTE: We are considering a change to this policy, but until that is resolved the restrictions described in this section remain in effect.* 1. Members are absolutely forbidden to participate in any PvP activities in any areas not expliclty set aside for PvP encounters unless they are on a game-initiated quest that requires them to do so. I feel strongly that PvP activity is inappropriate in areas such as The Barrens or Tauren Mill and serves to grief other players more than anything else. PvP activity in these areas causes severe lag and can result in the temporary unavailability of quest givers. If we stopped giving them opponents, those who derive pleasure from PvP activities in these areas would take their need for PvP play to more appropriate locations. Malygos is a PvE server. The players who have selected this server have declared their preference in this regard. Members of this guild will respect that preference at all times. If you must participate in PvP play, go to one of the battlegrounds. 2. When you encounter an Alliance player in the wilderness, you may either great them positively or ignore them. Taunting or insulting them is expressly forbidden, as is returning any taunts or insults which you may receive from them. You are free to offer or accept a dual, but do so in a sportsmanlike manner.

ExtraGuild Grouping:	1. When playing in groups that include non-guild members, each group must work out its own method of looting that is acceptable to all members of that group. Guild members are expected to exhibit an exemplary level of fairness and generosity regarding loot obtained by the party when part of any such group. Doing so will enhance the reputation of the guild. We consider that more important than arguing over some item, no matter how rare or valuable it may be. 2. You should determine the looting rules for a party before or immediately after joining it. If they are not acceptable to you you are free to leave the party, but explain why you are doing so. 3. If a quest requires party members to obtain specific resources that must be collected and the resource is not provided simultaneously to all members of the party, you are expected to allow the other party members to accrue the resources first before you begin to collect them. This leaves the possibility that you will not get a chance to complete the quest, but that is better than the hard feelings that may be generated towrds you and our guild if the opposite occurs. 4. Our rules for consideration of other players do not require our members to assist those who choose to play in an unsportsmanlike manner, or who insist on playing with tactics that will get party members killed unnecessarily. If, after joining a party, one or more members of it engage in tactically unwise, non-sportsmanlike, rude, insulting or other unacceptable behavior, you are free to choose to leave that group immediately, unless that leaves the remaining members in an immediately precarious position. In that case you are expected to support the group members until the immediate danger is passed, but may then leave as soon as it is resolved. 5. If you consider an infraction sufficient that it will prompt you to leave a group inform the members that you are leaving, but if you choose to express your reason for leaving do not be preachy about it. Most people who engage in that kind of activity will not respond well to even the most polite criticism of their incompetence or rudeness, so don't feel obligated to provide an explicit explanation for your departure. 6. If, upon hearing your reasons for leaving, the offending member(s) express(es) a willingness to play with better tactics or more courtesy it is up to you to decide if you choose to give them that chance and continue with the party. If you do choose to stay with the party after an incident of this type, any subsequent infraction should result in your immediate departure from that group with minimal discussion. Do not engage in any long term bickering on the matter... simply leave.

IntraGuild Grouping:	1. When playing in groups that consist exclusively of guild members, the ranking member of the guild is to be set initially as the leader of the group. The ranking member may choose to appoint another member as the group leader at her/his discretion to allow that member a chance to practice her/his party leadership skills. 2. The group's leader is considered the tactical/strategic head of the actions taken by the group to complete its mission. Members of the group must adhere to the tactics specified by the group leader while the group is active, even if the group leader is of a lower rank than them. 3. If the ranking member of the group determines that the group leader is consistently making bad tactical decisions, he/she may remove that status from the ineffective leader and resume group leader status or assign it to another member of the group at her/his discretion. 4. If any party members feel that the group leader is consistently making bad tactical decisions, he/she may request permisson to leave the group. Permission for such a departure must be granted at the eariest possible time that will not endanger the remaining members. If such withdrawals drop the group strength past the point where it has a reasonable chance for success, the group leader is expected to abandon the mission. 5. All party-specific chat is to be done in the "party channel" (i.e. /p). Party members are required to watch the chat window for orders or discussion of tactical issues. 6. The default tactics for defeating groups of opponents will be as follows, though the group leader is free to override them for specific tactical purposes: if the group contains a hunter, the members are to wait for the hunter to mark the next target before initiating any attacks. this helps ensure all players know where to concentrate their attacks. the hunetr is expected to place such marks in accordance with any specific tactics specified by the party leader if the group contains anyone capable of ranged attacks, members who engage exclusively in hand-hand fighting are discouraged from moving into the aggro range of multiple opponents simultaneously. instead, allow someone to use their ranged attacks to pull as few opponents at a time as possible to be dispatched by the waiting group members the member with the highest possible Health/Armor should serve as the focus for the attacks of the enemy members. allow the less well defended members to sit in the background and support the attack if the front person is being attacked by multiple opponents, the supporting player(s) should draw some of them off her/him to minimize the simultaneous damage being taken by the tank, but only if they are confident that the pulled opponent won't obliterate them upon a command to 'run' from the party leader, all members of the party are to disengage ASAP and retreat to a place of safety for subsequent regrouping. each member is free to select their own best route for retreat. members of a group should provide support and assistance to every other member whenever possible, but if you determine that a situation is hopeless and that after killing its current target that you will then inevitably be killed you are free (and encouraged) to retreat from battle even when no retreat has been called by the leader, unless the leader has explicitly ordered you to remain members of a group who can perform resurrection are to be granted special protection by the other party members and have additional latitude in choosing to retreat when they feel it is appropriate. 2. The looting option must be set to "Free-for-All" to allow the closest person to loot each corpse. All items looted by that group are considered to fall under the normal rules for resource allocation within the group... regardless of who picks them up... even if the game system has allowed the players to dice for a specific item. 3. At the earliest convenience, each member of the group is to trade items as necessary to ensure proper final distibution of the loot from that session. If a question arises, the ranking member of the group is to decide the matter within the guidelines of the guild economic system. Members are permitted to discuss the matter with the ranking person and make a case for exceptions to the normal allocation, but are expected to follow the ranking person's ruling in that matter once it is decided. 4. The guild has a policy that each member is entitled to keep/use any item obtained during solo play regardless of the distribution priority for guild resources. A similar principle applies to group play. The ranking person is within her/his authority (and encouraged) to decide that a coveted item obtained by a group should go to one of the guild members who participated in the group instead of to a higher ranking guild member who did not participate, but each case should be decided indiviually where it is ambiguous. Players who do not like the decision of the ranking member of the group may appeal it to the Guild Master, but he/she is unlikely to override the decision of the group's leader except in the rarest of circumstances.

Demotions/Penalties:	Aglutis (and i) does not wish to spend his time disciplining the members or arbitrating disputes between members and the other guild officers, but will do his duty to the leaders of the horde races to ensure the smooth operation of this guild. Players are explicitly reminded that we are role playing here and that they have accepted the responsibility to adhere to the guild protocols at all times as a condition of membership within the guild. In any hierarchical, militaristic organization, violations of protocols would result in negative consequences for the person who commits them. This guild is no exception to that principle. Total compliance with guild protocols at all times should make you immune to any disciplinary actions, but some players may slip at times and need a reminder of their responsibilities. Other players may choose to purposely explore this aspect of membership in the guild and will purposely fail to adhere to some of the less critical guild protocols and take the consequences of that failure. Some players may adopt a persona for their character that causes her/him to test the limits in these areas on a regular basis. I explictly encourage any player to do so, as it seem to me to be in keeping with the nature of most of the horde races, but i do ask that this not be used as an excuse to constantly disrupt the operation of the guild. Players are expected to balance the independent nature of the horde races with their cultural inclination to submit to recognized authority. Aglutis will tolerate insubordinant behavior on occassion because he is not comfortable with his leadership role in this guild (as will be explained in the guild history section), but he will not tolerate blatant disrespect or repeated minor violations, especially if they occur in front of other guild members. At his discretion, any such violations may result in a public slap, a fine payable to the guild fund, loss of points accrued for guild advancement, a demotion in guild rank, or ... only for the grossest of violations which appear to indicate that the player is no longer a good fit for this guild ... immediate dismissal from the guild. Each craftmaster, classmaster, clan leader, and the leader of any party must determine for themselves the level of disrespect or disobedience they will tolerate from those they are supervising. Anyone who is in one of those roles is within their right to impose an appropriate penalty to those whose actions warrant it. In the real world, some leaders are more strict than others, and good role playing implies that we should have some variation in that regard within this guild. Orcs should be the least tolerant of disrespect, whereas trolls may not care about such matters at all. Players are encouraged to find the level of tolerance/intolerance that they feel is most approriate to their character, and play them accordingly when they are in a leadership role. Players whose characters abuse their leadership authority will find that no guild members choose to join parties which they lead, just as i understand that players will not choose to remain in this guild if i abuse my authority as guild master. Advancement to higher ranks requires members to lead parties of various sizes, and members are usually free to refuse to participate in a party. Those who cannot inspire people to follow them will have difficulty attaining higher ranks. Players who feel that their craftmaster or clan leaders have been unnecessarily harsh in handing out punishment may seek a reversal of their penalty from Aglutis, but should not expect him to arbitrarily overrule any such decisions by the guild's leaders. However, any clan leader or craftmaster whose subordinates are constantly complaining about her/his leadership to Aglutis may be replaced by someone who can ensure a more smooth operation of that area. Good role playing requires any character who has had a penalty imposed on them by an appropriate authority to pay the associated fine, perform the required disciplinary action, and/or accept the penalty with dignity. Failure to comply will result in further penalties and/or dismissal from the guild. On a personal note i ask that all players recognize that this is role playing. If you choose to role play a persona who will push the limits of the guild protocols, remember that i and the other players have chosen to play a character who will only accept a limited amount of such behavior. Have your fun, but if it results in a penalty take the associated punishment as a good sport and play along.

Participation:	1. This guild is intended for people who play the game regularly, but we recognize that real life has a way of pulling us from the word of Azeroth at times to address more important matters. Real life must always be anyone's top priority, but there's no reason that those who are still available to play should take a backseat in the game to those who cannot continue to do so. The guild economy cannot function properly if we are funneling resources to people who are not here to use them, and the guild crafts cannot operate properly if its officers are not available to perform their intended roles. The policies in this section address this issue while still respecting people's need to put many things in their lives ahead of playing this game. 2. If you know that you will be gone for an extended period of time, use your Public Note to indicate your absence and anticipated return date. Any player who does not sign into the server for more than 30 days and has not set their public note accordingly will be dropped from the guild. The assumption is that you have stopped playing completely at that point. If you do provide your best guess at a return date in your Public Note, even if you fail to return by that time, you will be retained for up to 90 days from your last play session. Absences longer than that are effectively a withdrawal from playing the game itself, and thus will be treated as a resignation from the guild. 3. If you do provide advance warning of an extended absence we do not expect you to justify it. It is not our business why you will be gone, so no explanation is necessary. But knowing that you are gone for a purpose and plan to return will allow us to hold your spot in the guild for the additional 60 days over the time we will hold it for people who vanish without warning. 4. Any player dropped from the guild due to extended absence may petition the Master for reinstatement upon their return. In most cases reinstatement at the previously held rank will be automatic, but we reserve the right to refuse reinstatement or to resinsta at a lower rank at our discretion. 5. Craftmasters perform an important service for all guild members, and thus will only be appointed from among players that will play often. If a craftmaster knows in advance that he/she will not be able to sign in to perform the functions of that role for more than 3 days, he/she is required to set their Public Note to indicate the length of their absence and to designate their temporary replacement. If a craftmaster fails to sign in for more than 3 days and has not set their Public Note appropriately, the Master will set it for them and assign a temporary replacement for the role. 6. Any craftmaser who knows in advance that he/she will be unable to perform their function for more than 7 days is asked to distribute any guild resources they may have in storage to other guild members. 7. Any craftmaser who does not perform their function for more than 7 days and who has not set their public note to indicate their temporary replacement is subject to immediate permanent replacement in that role. 8. Leadership roles are based on guild rank, level, and guild contributions. Those who play more will be the ones mosty likely to attain the highest values for each of these factors, and thus most likely to hold the leadership positions. It is probable that during a short absence of one of the craftmasters, another member will surpass them in the criteria used to determine the assignment of that role. In that situation, and upon concurrence of the more active player, the role will be transferred to her/him. This is not to be viewed as a penalty for the lack of participation by the absent member, but simply a natural result of the method we use to determine the craftmaster role.