Code Of Conduct

Member Responsibilities

1) Personal Conduct. At all times, you as a member are a representive of the Black Jackals. Tempers may flare in the heat of battle, and 99% of the time, everyone realizes it is just due to the heat of battle. However, keep in mind that your behavior reflects on us all, especially when grouped with non-Jackals, and a pattern of dishonorable or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. We cannot vouch for every player in other allied guilds, and a member in another guild who is a jerk to us is not cause for us to start behaving as such. We may break our alliance with that guild on such grounds, but that is not for an individual guildmember to decide.

2) Stay informed! Be sure and visit the Black Jackals website often and also read up on the message board. Both locations will help keep members in tune with what is going on in the guild..Even if it doesn't affect you directly this will contribute toward a healthy guild.

3) All uniforms are completely optional. However, members able to wear an emblem are strongly encouraged to emblazon their cloaks and shields. Class officers may also recommend a particular color scheme. Keep in mind dressing as your individual class will help other guild members identify you 'on sight' as a particular type of Black Jackals member. This is strongly encouraged on official guild raids.

4) Problem resolution. It is our guild's position there is NOTHING worse than a fractured guild. It is strongly recommended a guild member uses the hierarchy within the guild to solve their problems, but if a member strongly feels appropriate action has not been taken by their superior(s) an "open door" policy exists with all of the Officers. If there is a complaint regarding the performance of a particular officer, at any member meeting or on the message board report your dissent. If dissent with the Officer is high enough, that particular Officer will be encouraged to step down. Responsibility of demotion and /or removal of Officers rests solely with the Guildmaster.

Member Etiquette

The Black Jackals try to abide by some very simple rules. These rules were designed with the intention of giving guild members a great deal of say within the guild. They will help to cover anticipated problems ‘unorganized’ guilds tend to have with their members, and are not in any way intended to reduce the fun the game play system allows. Our guild encourages members adventure together without excessive arguments, and without being totally unorganized (which is where most guilds fail).

1) We recruite new members based on their character as a person, not their class level or experience with DaoC. New players are encouraged to read and post to the general and class-specific board to get help while learning the game. While we are all willing to answer questions on game mechanics (how do I….), you should direct such questions to your class officer, if possible. Questions on character development (should I train this….) should also be directed to the class officer. However, new players are also expected to do their homework on gaming websites such as Stratics, IGNVault, and Magicalrealm.net as well.

2) Dont annoy other members. Asking other people questions every 5 minutes (or less!) can be quite annoying! Other members may be playing the game, at their keyboards, or in a group or chat window and not seeing your messages. If you suspect this, try a /tell. Expecting a response immediately assumes that other players are waiting to respond to your message in chat.

3) Don't complain in open chat. The last thing anyone has time for is a whiner. Yes we all go thru some hard times in our adventuring. If everything went your way all the time, it wouldn’t be an adventure..

4) Try to arrange your own adventures. People who lead within the guild will be the first to be promoted. There may not always be something going on that eve, and if that is the case it may not be up to the guild to entertain you. If there are no groups available when you log in, organize one.

5) Lend a helping hand. If someone asks you for a favor and you know it's not a big deal... help them out. A little kindness toward fellow Black Jackals is what this guild is all about. This is especially true for “hand-me-downs”. Any magical items no longer need, as well as other decent level-specific equipment, should be donated to your classes “class vault” via your class officer or the Warchest officer.

6) Avoid confrontation. If you don't get along with a certain member it is BOTH members' responsibility to be civil. Bite your tongue. We don't all get along in the real world either, so just do the adult thing and let other members be, regardless of who was wrong. If you can't get along the officers will see to it the problem is solved for you. Unfortunately this usually results in the removal of both players.

7)The officers do not always have the answer. When a guild member approaches them with a problem the officers often ask 'And what did you do to resolve this?'. Try to develop a working relationship with members instead of antagonizing them. It may, after all, be a guild member you don't always get along with who gets killed or hurt trying to resurrect you.

8) If you are sincerely unable to help someone, just say so. Ignoring a problem in chat will only lead people to feel their guild has abandoned them. Since we’ve all been through this, lets help each other out.

Removal from the guild

The saddest time for us as a guild is the last resort of having to remove a member. If you are having a problem with another member serious enough to warrant that members removal, please (confidentially) speak with a Membership Council officer and raise the issue with them. If the Membership Council officer can solve the problem, he/she will attempt to do so. If the council officer believes the offending Black Jackal’s member is a problem that council officer will raise the prospect of a Membership Council vote.

A hearing will be held upon the request of the member in question at a time pecified by the membership council. Since this is an act of great consequence, removal of a member will require a ¾ majority of the Membership Council officers vote. Note that it is the Player, not just the character, who is being considered for removal.