Guild Charter
Guild Charter
Last Updated (Thursday, 24 December 2009 16:05) Written by Falkthorn Wednesday, 11 February 2009 23:31
Greetings from the Black Company!Welcome to our site, our headquarters in the rear of the combat zone. Our purpose for this body of information is to offer insight and information about our organization, for both the hopeful recruit and the potential employer seeking the services of mercenaries. All the information presented here is the culmination of years of work, gathered and evolved from our many trials and tribulations within the realms of video gaming, most specifically those of massive multi-player online role-playing games.
Guild History -
We take our name and guild model from the Novels written by Glen Cook, and we highly recommend reading them even if you are not interested in joining our Company. The novels were written over a period of nearly 17 years, each chronicling a major time period of the Company's existence, written in the form of the Annals of the Black Company. The Annals are written by the chosen Company Annalist, to capture the essence and spirit of Company life, so that that future Brothers are able to learn from the past, remember fallen Brothers and their deeds, and gather tactical information that has been battle proven to be effective against the Enemy of Our Employers. Our Division of the Company was started for the MMO Age of Conan. It was first started as a small friends-only guild but grew fast to be one of the leading factions on the Battlescar server. As most people know didn’t Age of Conan go to well at the start so the guild merged over to Warhammer Online and yet again become one of the leading factions. Later when Darkfall was released were a Division created for that game as well as it was to date the only game where the game mechanics truly would let a mercenary guild live up to its potential. Lately have the Warhammer Division been put to rest but the Darkfall go strong as ever and the Company are soon ready to embark on a new adventure in the coming MMO Mortal Online.
Mission Statement -
We are a Mercenary unit who accepts payment for doing anything our Employer's have no wish to do themselves, provided it is based in War. We do take Contracts from live players, a practice that has led to many lucrative and fruitful relationships within the communities we have been involved in and with. However, given that we are in a virtual world, we must make for allowances in the telling of our own story. We will always consider any major hunt or raid a "Contract" for the purposes of our Annals and the spirit of the long standing tradition that defines the Black Company.
Since the Black Company first began taking contracts, many years after embarking as one of the Twelve Free Companies of Khatovar, we have never failed or backed out of a Contract, though our employers have been known to be as treacherous as the Enemies they pay us to fight. This Tradition continues to this day and is the back bone of our Trust/Trust relationship with any Employer who enters into a Contract with us.
Organizational Hierarchy –
Our leadership billets are primarily based in accordance to the novels, with necessary additions that allow for not only game mechanic situations, but for the multiple games which our Brotherhood is involved with.
Officers
The Captain
As per the novels, at the head of the Company is the Brother known simply as the Captain. The Captain is the overall leader and has the responsibility to keep the Company alive in the different games in which the Company decides to embark, as well as the overall economical responsibility.
The Lieutenant
The Second in Command is simply known as the Lieutenant. A Lieutenant will also serve as leader inside the game when the need arises.
When the game mechanics allow for the breakdown of divisions, there will always be an Infantry Division and a Supply Division, each headed by a Division Commander.
All of the higher ranking Officers of the Company are voted in by the Officers, assuring that a dictatorship cannot occur, this is not our way, nor will it ever be our way. In the years since we began, we have elected several leading officers, and each time the Company endures, grows, prospers, giving credence to the system which insures that although soldiers live and die, the Company Remains. Regular Officers are elected because of their dedication to the Company and ability to inspire, encourage and lead fellow Brothers in battle.
The Standard Bearer
The Only Officer rank that is not elected by vote is the Company Standardbearer. The SB is the Brother chosen by the Captain to be his personal bodyguard and embodies all of the qualities that are inherent to one day receive a command post. The SB is a Full Officer and is called in to decide a tie breaker in the event of a deadlocked vote.
Commanders
The Commander of each Division are also Officers, which has the in game rank of Lieutenant. Sergeants are assigned their posts by the Commanders based upon performance and willingness to do what it takes to see the job done.
Each Division Commander can assign as many Sergeants as they see fit based on the number of troops available for each Division. Below the Sergeants are Corporals, then Brothers, and bringing up the rear are the Recruits. (As different games got different game mechanics is the structure of the officer ranks varying)
The Divisions –
As previously stated, when the game allows, there will be two divisions, Infantry and Supply.
Infantry is exactly that, the force that is our spearhead in and around the battlefield. Infantry consists of all frontline fighters, ranged support, siege specialist, scouts, and when applicable, users of magic. Infantry Division is broken down into squads and generally led by its own Sergeant. Squads are assigned based on time served and by skill specialty. The Infantry Division Commander will coordinate most raids, PvP practice, guard duties and training assignments. We support both PvP and PvE/PvM styles of play, as well as coordination of grouping, freedom for solo time, and the best in Newbie training regardless of experience.
Supply Division, the Backbone of any fighting force, provides nearly all equipment available in whatever game, minus those items that are only attainable as drop loot. We believe in securing the best of the best of any and all crafting professionals in order to maintain the highest level of readiness and to keep our hard earned money in our own pockets. All Company Regulars are required to simply post to the Forums and requisition any equipment they are in need of. The Supply Division Commander will coordinate the sharing, gathering, and storage of all Company assets and issue them accordingly.
Infantry Division assists in supplying Supply Division as it assists in supplying the Infantry Division with what it needs vice versa such forth and so on... All is given freely, No Questions, No Excuses.
Daily Life -
As we are a military unit, we behave accordingly with military traditions, such as; wearing assigned uniforms, using battle formations, and following protocols such as issuing supplies through proper requisition. This is all done without Ego or Drama, and done in the spirit of the Black Company.
If ego trips and drama games are something you enjoy, save yourself the time and energy and stop reading now if you are here to apply for recruitment. You will not find it here.
Freedom of Speech -
Freedom of speech is highly encouraged, though that does not mean you can say certain things and not face consequences. If you are a troublemaker, you will be removed. Racism and Bigotry Will Not Be Tolerated. Prejudicial states of mind are inherent in all people, this is to be understood, just use your best judgment and realize that some things are best left behind your teeth. For example, calling someone out for being a corpse camping shitbag would be a perfectly acceptable prejudice, in the eyes of most of the Brothers. Calling someone a faggot nigger kike wop will result in your immediate removal and banning for life.
Trouble is not defined by a person, but by the Company as a whole. No One person will pull rank and kick you for personal reasons, however, an Officer can decide if you are putting the Company in a compromising position with your words or actions. With this having been said, be forewarned to either have or grow thick skin when it comes to freedom of speech. We are not the Carebear Freelove and Hugs Association. We are a band of hardened mercenaries and play as such.
We are a PvP Guild at heart that enjoys immersion in a virtual world. If you choose to become a Brother of the Black Company, be prepared to act like one.
Guild Purpose -
In order to maintain the highest level of readiness for any situation, we firmly believe in the ability to communicate with one another by any means, on or off the battlefield. Not all of our Brothers are as close as some, but this is inherent in any organization. Our communication network consists of these forums, our own Ventrilo server and whatever each game can provide. We understand that not everyone wishes to use voice communication or post 100 posts a day to the forums, however, this a club of real players, of real friends who believe that the better we communicate, the more grand our adventures, the bloodier the battlefield with our enemies blood, the more gleam to our coffers. It's not uncommon to get phone calls in the middle of the night on our cell phones from the other side of the planet, but you risk your own health being the one making the phone call. You have been WARNED!
Company Meetings -
We believe in regular meetings, events and training exercises, all of which are posted and scheduled ahead of time to allow for maximum attendance. However, Grunts can be called out at any time for immediate response duty, ordered (asked really, nobody will ever tell you that you MUST come and do something now now now) to pull a guard assignment, yanked off R&R to hunt down a bounty or any number of duties that put money in our pockets and drink in our bellies. This is the life of a mercenary. It isn't for everyone, it isn't easy, but it is damn rewarding for lost souls and sell swords looking for a place in the world to call Home.
One Brotherhood, Of By and For –
Our main motto in the Company is, Of By and For. This means exactly that, that everything we do is for the benefit of the Company. We do not recruit Glory Hounds or Solo Kings. We are not a glorified chat room. Every action we take has the Company gain at its heart, Of By and For.
Though we are not all currently in the same game, we are in the same Company. Everyone is encouraged to get to know your Brothers regardless of the game you are in. Just because you are in Darkfall doesn't mean the Mortal Online crew aren't your Brothers. We are all under one banner for the same reason; this is the place we choose to call Home.
The only proofs of this that cannot be offered in words are these facts: Many Brothers have fallen onto hard times and not been able to pay a month on their account. They have had their accounts paid by the Company. The Domain Registration, the Website, and the Ventrilo server are all paid by The Company as a whole. When Brothers have left certain games, they donate their accounts as bots or to new Brothers who have proven their loyalty to the Company. This is just how we do things….Of …By…..and For. No Excuses.
If you aren't willing to commit yourself at this level of camaraderie, keeping in mind this takes time to build up this kind of trust with each other, the Company isn't the right place for you. Simply be honest with yourself and with the Brotherhood.
Disclaimer –
The guild charter presented above have not been written by us, but edited to fit our style of play and used as inspiration due to it again being inspired by Glen Cook and the Black Company. The original charter was written for www.black-company.org and were given to us with the blessing from the current Officers of that Company.
The author of the original charter wrote that charter for the .org Company, but later when not being allowed to resume command over the Company after he resigned the first time broke off and created his own Company, claiming the charter to be purely his due to him writing it. Although a very good writer, has his harassment border lined insanity when it comes to flame and discredit both the original owners of the Charter and ourselves for using a edited version.
“There are no self-proclaimed villains, only regiments of self-proclaimed saints. Victorious historians rule where good or evil lies.”
