The Council is a role-based kinship, not to be confused with role-playing. Over the last 12 years our guild (now kinship) has used internal Clans or Houses and various roles to improve organization, increase participation and promote depth of play.

Our long history in MMO's has helped us evolve an organization that while creative is also very productive and rewarding. Given the number of hours you invest in gaming, don't you deserve the best possible reality?

Guilds (or kinships) who define themselves too narrowly often loose site of important game elements or become their own obstacles to character or social development. We would rather promote a system that is more open and free-forming yet still well organized in order to maximize the gaming experience.

The Council is made up of 5 Houses that provide a distinct level of organization and game fulfillment. Each House is built around a theme that is intended to meet various in-game motivations.

House Of Order - Leadership / Organization / General Kinship Support
House of Trade - Crafting / Trading / Equipment Upgrades
House of Peoples - Casual and/or non-linear game-play
House of Steel - Raiding / PVMP / End-game content experience
House of Secrets - Light to Heavy Role-playing / Custom Quests / Lore and Exploration

Each Council House is led by a Patron or Matron who also appoints a Vice-Patron/Matron to provide leadership assistance. Various other roles exist within each House that support that House's mission and theme.

As a player you may join more than one house with different characters based on the criteria you establish for each character. For example, one character you designate as a trader may belong to the House of Trade, while another character may join the House of Steel to better meet raiding or pvmp goals. It should also be recognized that no House acts alone or in isolation from the rest of the kinship when an event or other activity has a material benefit to all members. For example, raids scheduled by the House of Steel are equally available to all members that meet the given criteria. However, each House may have specifically themed events, rewards and honors limited to their own members.

House Roles Summary

We use "roles" to add depth to our gaming experience in a variety of ways. Well defined roles provide for validation of play, recognition of membership and perhaps most importantly the means to deliver a strong and capable organization with real expectations of reward. By reviewing the roles we support you will see how well we recognize important gaming and socialization elements.

So that every member recognizes the expectations if any that come with each role, here are summaries of our kinship ranks and activity levels you will find associated with each role.

Kinship Ranks;

1. High Council Member - These are our officers of officers and highest rank within the kinship that includes all House Patrons, Vice-Patrons, all House of Order members and the Raid Commander
2. Council Member - All members with the rank of Officer or higher within the kinship.
3. Honored Member - These Member's receive special titles that recognize their service, accomplishments and/or reaching certain milestones. These members, while not officers, have access to special benefits.
4. House Member - any member of the kinship that belongs to any House.
5. Recruit - any new member that has not become a House member.

Activity Levels;

1. Very Active Role - These roles require a significant investment of game time and availability. Not to say you are fulfilling a role at all times and for the most part you will not be, however you are always recognized for the position you hold as in the case of House Patrons.
2. Active Role - Active roles are those that require a good investment of time and availability that is predicated on scheduling or the number of other members you have available to assist. A raid leader for example is considered "very active" before, during and after scheduled raids but may be a rather passive role when no event is taking place.
3. Somewhat Active Role - This type of role is typically played out when called upon to provide assistance or support based on pre-scheduled events or at specific intervals. A Raid Lt. supports the Raid Commander when available and in a subordinate role that effectively ends after the raid.
4. Less Active / On Call - This type of role is relatively casual but may become active as the person responds to specific member requests.
5. Casual or Passive Role - These types of roles typically do not require any specific time investment and are usually a designation for reference purposes. For example a Class Disciple is a casual role that designates you as being proficient in your chosen class. In this respect another member may ask you class specific questions that require little real effort. Casual or passive roles can be made more active by your own choice.
6. Honorary Role - These are titles given to recognize some type of achievement and have no expectation of service.
7. Role-playing Role - Role playing positions are decidedly active or passive based completely on your own ambitions.

Every role has well defined characteristics including a title, sometimes a uniform and/or equipment, house membership and sometimes a special rank or other designation. No member is ever forced to assume a role, other than honorary designations which are given for various accomplishments and milestones. Every member that assumes a role should always do so with full knowledge of any expectations. In every case a role should compliment that members own gaming motivations and sense of real fun. No role should ever be considered a "job" and if a member finds themselves in that position, they should resign and pass that role to another member.

House Membership and Recruitment

In order to join one of The Council Houses you must be a full member in good standing. This means that you will have completed your initiation period and have been formally accepted into the guild as a full member, designated by your in-game kinship status.

It is very important upon joining the kinship that you introduce yourself in our forums, register your character and review our Houses. We want you to belong to a House that best fits your personality and ambitions.

Each House has its own priorities and will reach out to recruit those members it feels are best suited. Ultimately it is up to the member to accept any House recruitment offer. Each House has a Herald who is primarily responsible for recruitment, though any officer within a House may recruit. The Patron of any house will always have the final determination.

House Dues

Each House is responsible for DUES! Yes Dues! Different Houses are taxed accordingly and each has an obligation to MILK its members for the cash! or we send Guido over with a box of nails and a blow gun.

Actually the goal behind dues is not only to help raise silver for the kinship but also to help brand each House and help its members establish a common bond of mutual reliance. The dues are not an evil monarchs collection plate, and all monies raised are used to support various charitable efforts within the kinship that includes purchasing houses for members, upgrading all equipment at every new level tier automatically and quite a few other benefits, not least of which is actually paying our traders to ensure that they keep providing gear and excel at their chosen trade. Patrons and officers within each House are restricted from covering all dues and each House must work together to make sure they meet their contribution each week. On average House dues should take no more than 1 group 1 hour to complete each week.