THE SILVER SWORDS GUILD: RULES OF PLAY...

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ROLE-PLAYING INFORMATION, TIPS, & GUIDELINES: (Mainly for those new to rping)

1. Please try to keep up-to-date on current guild plots/storylines (SL), (by checking this page).

2. Please try to remain In Character (IC) during role-playing (RP) sessions. (Instances do not really count as RP sessions unless you are with only your guild).

3. /me (will create an action text) Great for stating what your character is doing.

4. If you do not want to use /me to indicate character action, please use another form of indication: such as * * or : : or ^ ^ brackets around the action text.

5. Please indicate all Out Of Character (known in short as OOC) chat by using double brackets around all OOC text: (( )). Out of Character refers to chat which you are making as a player, not as a character.

6. Please keep OOC chatter on guild speak to a minimum - unless of course you have questions, etc. If OOC chat is going on in guild speak, please use OOC brackets (( )).

7. Most of all, please know your character. This is a role-playing guild and sometimes things will be said in action that a character may not entirely be able to do (by WOW standards)..however, make sure it is within reason for your character. Mainly, be practical..everyone wants to have a good time rping, so rules of WOW may be bent, but please don't power game!

8. When it comes to rping fight scenes outside of duels, please know the limitations of your character. Let another person land a blow or two..no one has perfect defense. Be reasonable.

9. Develop a sense of who your character is. If your character is two-dimensional, you will experience less fun when role-playing. Give your character a history, personality, etc. In example: How does your character act? Is he/she good or evil? Does he/she value his/her own life over all others, or is he/she more interested in protecting the innocent? Would he/she hold a grudge, or easily forgive? Perhaps he/she feels no responsibility to others, but couldn't forgive an insult to his/her own honor. Does your character have unusual mannerisms? Is he flashy and full of bravado, or silent and reserved? Is he a smooth talker, or gruff and terse? Is he spontaneous, or does he carefully judge his actions first? Finding creative ways to demonstrate the qualities of your character is what role-playing is all about!

10. FYI: Putting words all in caps is considered shouting. Please don't type all in caps. Caps can be used to emphasize individual words or phrases, just be careful not to annoy others by emphasizing too much. Putting asterisks around single words can also be used for emphasis.

11. DON'T ROLE-PLAY OTHERS! If there is one resounding problem with real-time role-play, it is a player who attempts to play the actions of another player's character. It may be amusing to you to squish an insolent newbie, or kill someone who made you the butt of his joke, but it's not permissible in a role-playing environment such as this. Character strength makes no difference. This is something you need to recognize, as a player, as you role-play. Always restrict your role-playing to what your own character is doing. These are all examples of incorrect role-playing: (We'll use a few guild characters for references):

Saphera : *sticks out her leg and Dwaine trips and falls*
Saphera : *Dwaine gets impaled by my sword*
Saphera : *knocks Dwaine over*
Saphera : *Dwaine dies*

Circumstances may dictate what is acceptable and what is not.
Here are some "right" examples:

Saphera : ::Growls and stabs at Dwaine with her sword::
Saphera : ::sticks out a leg to trip Dwaine as he walks by::
Saphera : ::tosses a rock at Dwaine::
Laryssa : ::threatens to turn Dwaine into a sheep::

Basically, talk in OOC to who you are rping with - especially if you are unsure of an action. This helps solve most problems before they begin.

12. FINAL FYI: Imagination is the lifeblood of role-playing. If you don't want to be creative, you won't have fun, and chances are good others won't have fun playing with you, either. For some, creativity comes naturally. Others have to work at it. If you're having trouble, try using interesting references you come across during the day as new ideas to play your character on. Books and dramatic movies can be good material for the creative mind. Like exercise, keeping in touch with creativity will make role-playing ideas come to you faster and allow you to play with more vivid detail. If you're not having fun, you need to stop right away and determine why that is. Most commonly, people forget to laugh when they lose. Role-playing is about being your character the way you envision him/her. If something's impeding your ability to have fun, stop doing it, avoid him/her, or simply ignore it. It'll save you a big headache.

On the other hand, you should never insult another player's role-playing. Maybe they're just learning, or perhaps they don't type as well. Maybe they're not as fluent or have a large vocabulary. It doesn't matter. Good role-playing comes from a desire to play a character, not a bunch of large words that half of the readers have to look up. Nobody should ever ask another player to stop role-playing. If a player has, in some way, violated a rule with his character, it's best to whisper him or her and inform them of the rule, and ask them politely not to do it again.

In this game, your character's enemies should still be your player's friends. Never resent a player for something his character says or does. Remember, someone always has to lose. Don't be afraid to let it be you, now and then. It's not worth getting red in the face because someone isn't playing along with you the way you want. After all, it's only a game.
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GENERAL GUILD INFORMATION

CURRENT GUILD RANKINGS:

General------------------------------------Shadow Lord
Leutenant
Honor Gaurd------------------------------Shadow Knight
Knight
Squire
Page

General - is the leader of the Silver Swords.

Shadow Lord - is a rank added for storyline purposes. This is the leader of a sub-group within the guild. However, only the Shadow Knights are aware that this person exists. The rest of the guild is currently oblivious to his presence. At one point in history, he was a powerful dark paladin. A few years back, he battled his arch nemesis..a powerful Arch Mage named Memnon. This battle took place in the land of Duskwood. At the end of the long and hard battle, Memnon found himself alone and Faileas still had two of his closest minions at his side. However, Memnon had one last trick up his sleeve. As Faileas's dreadblade slid into the mage's chest, he cast one last spell. Faileas had only enough time to cast a defensive spell in his favor before the land of Duskwood viewed a brillant display of magic. The spell Memnon cast should have killed the Shadow Lord, but instead it cast him into the Plane of Shadows and nearly salyed both of his surviving loyal subjects. Instead of death, Faileas and his two subjects lost great portions of their power and skills. Now that the world thinks him dead, he secretly works to regain the powers he lost...

Shadow Knight - these are the few people that General Saphera took into the guild after a battle in Duskwood destroyed their leader and most of their numbers. They are a chaotic group which operates seperately from the rest of the guild. Saphera hopes some day she can bring them within the fold of the rest of the guild and change their darker ways. They follow their Shadow Lord - Faileas, and secretly plot their rise back to power...
(This rank can only be gained by talking to Saphera and demonstrating good role-playing skills. This group will be very active in storylines and future role-plays).

Honor Gaurd - these are the elite members of The Silver Sword guild. These members have proved themselves to be both loyal and upstanding.
(This rank is for the officers of the guild. They make decisions and storylines. They have the power to Demote/ Promote/ and remove and invite people to the guild)

Knight - Most of the guild is composed of this rank. These are the troops of the guild. The honorable knights.
(This rank is reserved for the players that understand and know how to roleplay, Most of the members will be at this rank. This rank is also a position in the guild that has the first bit of responsiblity for the player. You are responsible for helping new members understand the method of roleplaying.)

Squire - Those in the guild that are still advancing in rank and learning the ways of the world.
(This rank if given to players that have just started roleplaying and are not sure how to roleplay. It is also given to the players that have just got off probation.)

Page - Those who are new to the guild and are just learning their prospective fields of training.
(This Rank is given to players that are on Probation. Probationary period last for 60 days, a probationary member can not be removed from probation early by any officer other than Saphera or Faileas, so please do not ask an officer to do so before 60 days. After 30 days probationary members may access the Vent server. IF PROBATIONARY MEMBERS DISGRACE OR VIOLATE RULES OF THE VENT SERVER ANY TIME DURING THEIR PROBATIONARY PERIOD THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BACK ON IT FOR 60 DAYS PERIOD)

Please be aware that the promotion, demotion, and/or removal of guild members is a joint decision involving all the guild officers and the guild leader. The guild also has a strict "Three Strikes your Out" Rule. Officers of the guild will keep a running tally on corrective actions that result in a strike. A guild officer, when reprimanding a member, will inform that member if they have received a strike or not. Please remember that a strike against a player is an Officer's last resort. The guild does not like to give these out and will only do so when absolutely necisary.

Strikes will be removed from a members record after a 6 month period of no additional strikes.
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VENT SERVER: ACCESS RULES AND CONDUCT

Please be aware that we are sharing the vent server with our Horde counterparts. Therefore, when logging into the vent server you will notice that there is stuff for the horde as well as Silver Sword sections. PLEASE LOG-IN TO THE SILVER SWORD SECTIONS IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT HANG AROUND THE HORDE SECTION!!!!!!!

1) We are allowed to have up to 6 people on the vent server at any give time.

2) Generalized chatting of any nature is ok UNLESS an instance or a raid is taking place.

3) The vent server will not be used for role-play purposes.

4) If someone is offended by a discussion that is taking place, the discussion must cease.

5) If there is an under-aged player is logged onto vent, then the matter of discussion must be appropriate for the young player's age (NO MATTER HOW MATURE THAT PERSON MAY BE). No profanity, no sexual inuendos and/or content.

6) If the Horde leader, who owns the vent server is in need of all the of remaining vent slots, you will be asked to leave the server during that time with no arguments or discussion. There is no exceptions.

::::SPECIAL NOTE::::

If the owner of the vent server (the Horde Side Leader) has to ban you from the vent server "which is not something he likes to do", there will be an immediate meeting in regards to your removal from the guild. The gentleman who is letting us use his vent server is a patient man and for him to take that action means you have done something seriously offensive and wrong.
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RULES FOR PLAYERS THAT ARE MINORS

All Minors that are part of the guild will be subject to different rules than the other guild members. Because the guild role-plays may deal with adult content in some scenes, we have particular rules that minors must follow. Please be aware that as a guild we reserve the right to refuse a minors participation and/or membership into the guild.

1) Please act mature.

2) Upon gaining membership into "The Silver Swords" you will be asked to provide an Email or a way to contact your parents other than by phone. We must have a way to contact your parents so that they can be aware of our guild and how we work.

3) If your grades slip because of to much activity in World of Warcraft you will be put on a suspension from the guild. During your suspension you will not be allowed access to the guild activities (Runs, Raids, or Role-plays). You will be allowed to come back once your parent(s) have contacted one of the officers and stated that your grades have improved.

4) Minors are not allowed in mature scenes and role-plays.

5) Minors will be on a 90 day probationary period instead of a 60 day probationary period. Minors will not have access to the vent serve until after their first 70 days.

6) Minors are subject to a "Two Strikes Your Out" rule (unlike adults that have a "Three Strikes Your Out" rule). That means you get one mess up - the second time someone has to speak with you it will result in your removal from the guild.

All the above rules are put in place not to be mean or to to keep minors from joining the guild, but rather to protect the guild from possible lawsuits and other repercussions.

OFFICER EMAIL ADDRESSES

Saphera: lochlynn_eve@hotmail.com

Meluandru: Lifestreamfreaks@yahoo.com (or) Pcexalted@yahoo.com

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CURRENT STORYLINES:

A brief synopsis of what has already transpired and where we are now...

Saphera, General of The Silver Swords was recently taken prisoner by an evil Warlock named Redcroft. Apparently this was done in restitution for her inadvertent thwarting of his business dealings in Darkshore which cost him both money and time. The warlock had also learned that Saphera had become a close ally to his mage brother, Airamin. Despising his brother and wanting vengeance for the plans Saphera had foiled, he encountered her and her fellow Draenei mage, Laryssa outside of Stormwind. In the following battle, Laryssa was nearly slain and Saphera was overpowered and taken prisoner. Once the Silver Swords learned from Laryssa that Saphera had been taken prisoner, they worked to try and free their leader by meeting with the Warlock on several occasions at Stormwind's Old Town 'ig and Whistle Inn'. However, no matter how much bargaining the guild members offered the Warlock, he refused to accept their deals. So Saphera stayed captured within Redcroft's Jaedenar fortress in the dark lands of Felwood. Secretly, Laryssa, sent a communication to the warlock requesting a private meeting with him at 'The Blue Recluse Inn' in the Mage Quarters of Stormwind City. The warlock agreed to the meeting and a deal was struck between the two. Having learned that Laryssa was his brother Airamin's beloved, the mage agreed to free Saphera in exchange for Laryssa's loyalty to him. Laryssa would be his. She would leave The Silver Swords and would not communicate with them. Most of all, she would spite her lover, Airamin. The Warlock would rather bring pain to his brother by taking Laryssa as his own then torture and kill Saphera. Laryssa agreed to his terms, she would do anything for her friend and leader's freedom. So, as Redcroft looked on, she arrainged a meeting with fellow guild mate, Darilyn, explained that she had made a bargain for Saphera's freedom and turned in her guild tunic to him. Redcroft then told Darilyn where the guild could find Saphera. Sadly, while this had been going on, Saphera had managed to escape from Redcroft's fortress (with the help of the mage Airamin). With barely any armor and weaponry, she fought her way through the corrupt land of Felwood until she reached Talonbranch Glade..an alliance post. She collapsed just outside the safety of that place, her wounds and the illness she had gained from the corrupt creatures she'd fought along her way had become too much for her. However, the guild soon found her and managed to bring her back to health and back to Stormwind. Now that she has completely recovered and learned of her friend and fellow guildmate's sacrifice, she is hell-bent to break the deal between Redcroft and Laryssa...

Current Plots

((These are FYI's for OOC purposes only))

The Shadow Lord Faileas has re-emerged in the land of Azeroth. While most of his powers were striped away, he is working hard to regain them. Secretly planning to overtake the guild in the future, him and his minions work to find out the weaknesses of the guild's leader and it's members. Faileas has recently discovered that Saphera's twin brother is still alive (unbeknownst to Saphera) and is currently working on manipulating him for his own dark purposes.

Note

((Please feel free to use any and all plot information provided to enhance your gameplay..and if you would like to conduct any in game role-playing based on these storylines, please contact Saphera. Also, if you have any plot ideas for your characters or role-playing ideas for the guild in whole, please let Saphera know!!))