Q: Ultima Online? This UO thing?
A: Yes, this is an online role-playing(rp)/player versus player(pvp) game created by Origin roughly 6 years ago. Based on the games-saga "Ultima" by Origin systems, very little of the lore made it into UO, even less since Origin was bought by Electronic Arts (EA).
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Q: Okay, okay, so what is it YOU do?
A: Good question actually, I don't think we know ourselves at times. What we do NOT do is PvP or player-killing (PK'ing). We play UO together on several levels, we go hunt for monsters like many other guilds, yet we're not really "big game hunters". We do hunt bigger creatures if our group is large enough and the hunters experienced enough. But hunting is an option, not our core.
We have crafters in our guild, yet we aren't a craftsman guild.
Often we sit about and talk, about all kinds of things. Can be real life stuff, can be about UO.
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Q: Real life things? So you aren't role players either.
A: Oh, we can. If we wish to. B* isn't a role playing guild, but most of us are role players. All chars and players have their background stories, they all have their faults and quirks. All of our chars can happen to be "in char", playing their role. We don't DEFINE us as a role playing guild. However, we do interact with other RP guilds and approach them in the appropriate manner.
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Q: Oh, so you don't touch RL in the game then?
A: Sure we do. Some of us found friends, some more, some hate one anothers guts. Some are in close contact via the phone, all around the globe. We have members from all over europe and the northern american continent.
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Q: Ah! But what if I am german and speak little english?
A: Even though Drachenfels is a shard mainly populated by germans, Blackstar is an ENGLISH speaking guild. We speak english, and we expect you to speak and understand english. We have accpeted mainly german members before and found out that it, sadly, did not work out.
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Q: So if you do everything and nothing, then what do you want from your members?
A: First and highest: Respect. And quite a lot of that. Begun by respect for your fellow clansmen, to the respect for the officers, before the stone and the meeting. Respect towards other players and their playstyle. In return for that, you can also ask for respect.
Pride in your Clan. If you can't be proud of your Clan, what CAN you be proud of?
Be honest. If you are insulted, hurt or offended by something, speak up !! Make sure that anger doesn't build up.
Try and help. If you can, offer your help. This will surely make others remember you when you need help.
BE ACTIVE! This is something we can't stress enough. B* can only be as active as every single member, so please do be active. The more, the better. We have our own IRC channels, we're around on ICQ and we're often in-game.
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Q: What type of players do you cater for?
A: We encourage role players. We definitely do NOT accept people with negative karma with the only exception of Poisoners and Necromants. This way we exclude Thief’s, Murderers and many griefers. Those who are found to play "dirty" face serious punishment. This goes back to one thing alone: We wish to defend our good name as honourable people. If you wish to join a negative karma character, or a "Doom Only Thief", the officers will need to agree in union to this. This char will then be under special observation by us.
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Q: What rules do you abide by then?
A: We generally go by the "Codex Blackstar". "A brotherhood in arms in a common duty of loyalty and honor." Being fair to one another and others. Don't give in to provocation. Do never PK or steal/loot others (unless to help someone who got killed). And if tension arises, go talk to any of the officers or junior officers to find a way out.
Also, players will find that we wear a guild uniform, as one of the few guilds on Drachenfels these days. We're proud of the colours of our Clan and we wear them at all times. For more info on the uniform and other rules, please have a look at the rules and ranks in the Officers' Hall, Khan and SaKhan in special.
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Q: Are you taking any new members?
A: Not always. If you wish to know if we currently are accepting new people, head over to the entry form in the Officers Hall, SaKhan's Office, and find out for yourself.
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Q: Do you regularly hold events?
A: Sadly no, as we're a rather small guild. It depends on how many active members we have in the Clan. In the more active phases and when more people are around, we indeed hold events. Mostly in-clan and with the Clan's friends, but also "outside" events where we hold events in which other guilds participate. The more active the Clan is, the more our officers work out events.
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Q: Wow, you really have that many players in the guild?
(Q. Can i have more than one person in the guild)
A: Not all the chars that are in B* represent one player. Some have more then one char in the clan, many of them have their crafters in the guild. Basically you can join with as many chars as you wish as long as others know who you are and can identify you.
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Q: Basically?
A: Yes, some limitations are made. The officers decide on those.
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Q: And who are those?
A: The officers are the Guildmaster (Khan/Khaness) and a kind of counsel, chosen by him or her. B* is not a democracy, so the Khan is the sole 'ruler', guided by the officers. They include a first officer and lead warrior/ lead mage.
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Q: So do you all get together sometimes in game?
A: Yes, we have a meeting day where we expect all members to come. It's on a set day in the week and can be found on the calendar and can be asked about from the officers. Visitors welcome if they get introduced before the meeting :]
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Q: How about RL meetings?
A: I myself, Rayar, have allways encouraged those. I have met a few of the guild in the past and am allways looking forward to meet new people. Also, sometimes I like to call up a member to talk to them. I belive a RL bond makes being online friends only so much nicer!
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Q: Meeting day? How does that look?
A: Once a week we gather at our Clan's tower and discuss changes in the Clan, in UO and general happenings. Also we have the clans promotions then.
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Q: Sounds good, how do I get promoted?
A: Promotions are ceremonies that have more of a community-feeling then anything else to give. They simply mark your progress in the guild and make sure that the Clan takes notice of you and will not forget you. Its a kind of a safety line to make sure we stay in touch.
Your final promotion is a matter of the Khan and the Officers.
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Q: How long between Promotions before the next is open to me then?
That depends on how active you are and what the rest of the Clan feels about you. It can also happen that you do not get promoted because too little members are around, or because meetings did not take place (like around common holidays).
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Q: Do you take taxes?
A: No, B* does not raise a Clan tax. However, clan hunts often get a share of the gathered gold for the clan's fund. This is to finance common goods such as material or it can be loaned to Clan members.
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Q: Can I have chars in other guilds as well as in B*?
A: That depends if you can still devote your time to B*. We do ask for a LOT of your time and if you slip into "inactiveness" you will be reminded of this. Several B* have chars in other guilds, some have chars in factions for excample.
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