World of Warcraft®

First Post: Introduction & Guild Lore
Second Post: OOC Guild Guide - Part I
Third Post: OOC Guild Guide - Part II
Fourth Post: Character Ranks & Links

((I should add, only Part I is vital. Parts II and III are an OOC guide for guildies to stay on the same page, and Part IV is the crunchy formal stuff. ))

KINGDOM OF THE SUN
To many eyes, the Horde has always been a loose gathering of decimated races, united only because death is the reward for standing alone. Desperation binds the scattered nations together - a desperation born of mutual need, in a world already lost to war.

Among the Horde, tensions between the races have turned bitter in recent years. The Tauren tribes withdrew in suspicion of the new warchief's treachery, while the Darkspears retook their homeland in a storm of curved blades and dark magic, leaving them free to sneer at Orgrimmar's black iron walls. The Forsaken, always wedded to their own cause before any other, marched south from their sepulchral capital to wage war against the mongrel shapeshifters of Gilneas - trusted by none, they've been left free to unleash alchemical plagues against Hellscream's orders. And the Sin'dorei, once so valued by Thrall, have retreated deeper into their haunted forests, regarding their distant allies with a Fel glare still shining in their slanted eyes.

Of all Azeroth's wounded nations and sundered realms, few have suffered the same corruption and withering as Quel'Thalas: the once-proud Kingdom of the Sun. Even as the elven race rises anew in this age of unending war, their homeland still stands blighted by old scars and soured by lingering wounds. The Sunwell's rebirth leaves it as the fragile heart of a decimated race, at the end of the Dead Scar cutting Quel'Thalas to its core. The white spires of Silvermoon once more reach into clear skies of eternal autumn, but the Sin'dorei's forests are lands of bitter memory, and ghosts that refuse to fall silent.

And yet, the blood elves have passed the point of marvelling at their homeland's resurrection. Now, many are turning back to old rivalries and looking inward, clawing for power within the reclaimed territories. Among the many bloodlines devastated by invasion, war and betrayal, the A'lorai - House Bladesong - stands on the very edge of final destruction, ready to rise again or fall forever.

HOUSE BLADESONG
House A'lorai has never laid claim to great fame or fortune, nor has it ever wielded vast military might or political power. Its noble roots stretch back a mere handful of generations, when the bloodline ascended from the trader and crafter families to the ranks of minor aristocracy. Beyond that, its reputation has always been honest and humble: a bloodline known for its skilful craft at the city's forges, shaping blades for the elven soldiers sworn to High King Anasterian and the Sun Throne. Their renowned craftsmanship gave them their family name when they rose, with A'lorai translating into the Common tongue as Bladesong.

Like so many families, the house was ruined by the Coming of the Lich King, and the wars and treacheries that followed. They lost their fortunes, their lands, and what few vassals were oath-bound to serve. Half of their fallen lands are now in the possession of House Sunshard; the rest claimed by other rival bloodlines. The last living members of the A'lorai bloodline are the twins Aearien and Alyxandria.

Twins are rare among the Sin'dorei - and the Quel'dorei before them - so the birth of the brother and sister several decades ago attracted a subtle degree of attention from the city's archivist scribes. The bloodline's rise falls to them, and the allies they make during their service within the Horde. Some blood elves have taken well to Horde membership, serving with the other races in the many conflicts still staining the face of Azeroth. Others prefer to keep their blades at hand in the defence of their own embattled homeland - looking to their own interests over the woes of others. House Bladesong's leaders are, for better or worse, never shy in their allegiance to the Horde. It isn't uncommon for troll mercenaries or orc vagabonds to serve with the house's sworn soldiers, reaping the Ghostlands clean of foes as the bloodline seeks new lands to claim for their own.

Silvermoon's halls of power have never been so active, with bartering and betrayal in the great political game reaching an apex. Rather than pull together after the Third War, many ambitious elven lords and ladies use the city's unrest to further their own ambitions. House A'lorai now finds itself caught in the storm, needing to rise with the others, to stand above its rivals, or fall and be forgotten among the Rolls of the Dead.

With this new, aggressive drive, House Bladesong looks to the scarred Kingdom of the Sun and makes ready to carve a new place within those hallowed forests.

(An OOC guide, swiped from our guild forum.)

OVERVIEW
House A'lorai is a minor noble house, raised from traders and craftsmen, and of decent standing within Quel'Thalas.

In-Character, A'lorai elves aren't the generals, commanders and mage-lords of Silvermoon; nor are they the dregs, the scum, and the murderers found in the city's darker streets. They're minor nobility with a solid reputation, and as many drawbacks as advantages. Everything's in balance. It's pretty self-explanatory.

Out-of-Character, it's pretty much the same. Given with how WoW works - and the tendencies of its player base to glamorise their characters - it's worth treading carefully with a storyline like this. It's very easy to say you're a powerful and incredibly awesome knight-lord of the realm: you just type it into your MRP. That doesn't make it wise, and it doesn't make it cool or clever. It's usually one of the first things younger players do, or players who want responsibility over other people and characters. Sometimes, it's more of a reaction to other people: if everyone is a noble or a knight-master, the only way to exist without being ordered around is to be one, too. And lastly, some do it for reasons of realism - such as management of a guild along structural themes.

I've spent almost four years hating the idea of RPing nobility, so bear with me here. The A'lorai (family members, friends and those that serve them) are at the more "realistic" end of the spectrum, when it comes to examples of elvendom. They're drawn from the various tiers of Silvermoon society, rather than standing astride the political and military scenes like pointy-eared avatars of war. The same applies to the trolls, orcs, goblins, tauren and undead in the guild, too. It's not about lording it over other characters and exalting yourself by making others look weak.

When it comes to Ranks, some characters are going to be played as higher ranks than others. It's the same in every guild, and it's the same in every society. This isn't a storyline to be a tool about pulling rank, though. Be realistic IC, enjoy playing part of an awesome Fantasy societal system, but not at the cost of OOC douchebaggery, or denying other characters their freedom of choice and expression. The aim is to make characters that contribute to the theme, rather than rebel against it, or try to claim attention for themselves at the cost of other characters. After all, if rebellion is the ideal, then why would the character even be a member of the guild?


MORE HOUSE A'LORAI OVERVIEW - "But wait, there's more."
For anyone curious about the house's internal structure, here's a little more rundown after the initial stuff found in the lore post. The current leadership of House A'lorai rests on the shoulders of Aearien, twin brother to Alyxandria.

Twins are rare in Quel'Thalas, and as such, the siblings have always attracted at least a passing notice. That's never translated into fame or fortune - it's simply a moment of genetic interest among a race where twins are seldom seen.

Alyxandria is a veteran of the Lich War who turned her back on the Blood Knights, and now serves as a mercenary for the Horde. She avoids Silvermoon when she can, partly because she's considered little more than a political asset. With the elven nobility as devastated by the coming of Arthas as the rest of society, young and unwed noblemaidens are a prized commodity, especially those from honoured bloodlines, and Alyxandria is considered a treasure of immense value.

Alyx prefers to strive to bring the house's fallen glories back to life. She wants their family name restored to wealth and prosperity, with lands and titles once again. Her brother, the Lord of the A'lorai, is more hesitant.

Aearien is a failed Blood Knight, abandoning his training after being struck down by a sorcerous curse. He serves now as a scout for Sin'dorei and Forsaken forces in Lordaeron and the Ghostlands, using the work as training to recover his health and fitness. Like most Silvermoon lords, he dabbles in the gatherings and parties that take place in the Eversong, but has little affection for them, with his bloodline in ruins.

He's stricken with epilepsy as a fallout from the curse, which he keeps hidden as best he can (and controlled with alchemical reagents), and is in the unfortunate circumstance of ruling over a noble house with its lands lost in the last war, all its fortunes gone, and his only real asset being the opportunity to offer his sister's hand in marriage to another noble. He's avowedly against marriage himself, but faces the fact as a necessary reality in the coming nights.

He's not ashamed of the house's dire straits - many, many elven families lost just as much in the war - but nor is he entirely content to trade on past glory and remain impoverished. Aearien has a bastard, unacknowledged daughter called Laeliana, from a former love affair, long before his curse. He's still not sure what to do with her, if anything at all.

The A'lorai have several rivals - most notably the NPC House Dawnsong: a powerful, wealthy family led by Magister Lerithal, who was once a childhood friend to the twins. He is one of the lords petitioning for Alyxandria's hand in marriage, with the promise of solving the house's debts and losses once and for all, if he gets his wish.

(Part II of the guide)

QUEL'THALAS IN THE GUILD
In the storyline, there's a certain (obvious) emphasis on Quel'Thalas and Silvermoon, which comes with a degree of detail unique to the guild. Everyone sees WoW's cultures and societies differently, and <Bladesong> is no exception. For the sake of argument, while this doesn't apply to the whole guild, it's a useful angle to consider when dealing with A'lorai characters.

The elven kingdom is a paradoxical clash of paradise and cursed earth. The Ghostlands are still overrun by the Scourge, and Amani trolls still dwell within the wilds of the Eversong Woods. Where the elves control their territory, the lands are beautiful and harmonious. Where they've lost their grip, it's still a conquered homeland. Silvermoon is a bastion of grace and light in a wounded realm.

Sort of.

The city offers a pleasant veneer to cover a society thriving on arrogance. In the storyline, it's close to Rome, with its political infighting, warring noble families, and decadence throughout society. Magisters, knights and nobles have little trust for one another, and surround themselves with sworn allies to ward off treachery. Some noble families ardently support the Horde, just as many elves serve as Horde soldiers. Other bloodlines regard membership in the Horde as an unwanted, unnecessary allegiance, just as many elves swear only to defend Quel'Thalas, or serve in elven regiments rather than cross paths with the other races.

While there are only a few thousand blood elves left on Azeroth, that's only sharpened the edges of their society's treacherous tendencies. Murder is common in the wrong parts of the city, and the friction between the noble families results in endless political unrest.

Add all of this to the distance between the Farstriders, the Magisterium and the Blood Knights, and you've painted a tempestuous picture of a society at risk of pulling itself apart.


CHARACTERS IN THE GUILD
House A'lorai stands at its lowest point, ready to rise again or fall forever. That necessitates a certain degree of recruitment, as listed in the Lore post in the other thread. Essentially, an elven house's structure revolves around the notion of an inner council, above a loose gathering of soldiers and servants. That doesn't mean anyone is more important than anyone else, in the greater scheme of things. It all comes down to how much a player and a character wishes to contribute.

Direction: A character involved in the storyline, whether they're a noble courting Alyxandria or a low-born soldier serving in the house's patrols, should feel free enough to get involved or leave at their own discretion. The house's rise is an aspirational, slow process of bringing the bloodline back into order. There's no ferocious drive to recruit soldiers in order to have people to order around OOC, and IC-wise, it's a cautious process of making allies, gathering gold, and fighting the Horde's wars first and foremost.

Expectation: A'lorai characters may be assigned roles or given duties, but from an OOC standpoint, it's not about restricting people's freedoms or pulling rank to make Character X feel more powerful and important than Characters Y or Z. Realistically, respect would be shown to members of various tiers in society. That doesn't mean slavish obedience. No one is a slave. On the flip side, an oath of service is a solemn promise. The focus is on characters working together - among elven society and among the Horde's battles - to reforge the house's name anew.

Don't throw your weight around the city when dealing with characters outside the guild. Don't act high and mighty with them. It's not that kind of bloodline IC, and it's not that kind of deal OOC. That just leads to conflict and bad tempers with other people who - almost universally - will consider their characters richer, more powerful, and cooler than yours. They choose to play that way. Let them, and don't be a tool about it. If they outrank you, accept it as a point of society, not an injustice against you personally, and trust them not to abuse your character, just as others are trusting you not to abuse your influence over their characters.

It's easier to trust within a guild, of course. As an example (just because I play him, so I can use him as an easy example) in IC terms, Aearien isn't a fool. He's informal with his counsellors and hirelings, and while he makes every final decision on A'lorai matters, he's open to advice and argument until the last moment. He wants friends and trusted advisors, not minions. Even so, he has a noble's blindness when it comes to servants. Raised within the halls of wealth, he's occasionally unintentionally rude or ignorant about a servants' existence. His mind is elsewhere, after all.

GUILD SYMBOL
The symbol of House A'lorai is a golden tree on a field of deep crimson. The tree is leafless, depicted in winter, reflecting the losses of the Lich War and the corruption of the Ghostlands. The colours match the new cultural outlook of the Sin'dorei, now the kingdom has abandoned the white and blue of its Quel'dorei heritage.

RANKS & TITLES
House Bladesong's structure falls along traditional elven lines, with allowances made for the inclusion of friends and sell-swords from the Kalimdorian Horde. While the majority of the guild's members are blood elves sworn to service, there's little of racism or exclusion within the bloodline's ranks. Different titles exist, with elves taking more formal and traditional Thalassian ranks, and Horde members given their own titles.

There's no difference in rank and respect, whether a guild member is a front-line fighter, a quiet scholar with no love of bloodshed, or somewhere between the two extremes.

Lord
The current Lord of House Bladesong, overseer of the bloodline.

Scion
Acknowledged members of the A'lorai bloodline, granted authority over house interests.

Centurion
A steward and commander in equal measure, the Centurion is the Lord's right hand, and deals with the day to day management of all house resources.

Praetorian & Vizier
Trusted advisors and battle-captains from the Kalimdorian Horde are promoted to the rank of Vizier. Their words carry equal weight with the orders of the elven leaders, and they often oversee the actions of the non-elven mercenaries. Elven officers oathbound to service are called Praetorians, or - more informally - Bloodwarders.

Vassal & Freebooter
All elves in service to the house are considered Vassals, protected by the guild's blades and free to work their craft and trade as they desire. Similarly, all trolls, orcs, trolls, goblins and undead within the house's structure - who stand with the A'lorai but possess skills outside of battle - are termed Freebooters, and occasionally Retainers.

Mercenary & Sworn Soldier
Any elven soldier who swears an oath to House Bladesong is named a Sworn Soldier, tasked with patrols, guard duty, scouting and the destruction of the bloodline's enemies. Fighters from other races who join, either for honour or for pay, are called by the much less binding title of Mercenary.

Guild Forum: http://bladesong.guildportal.com/
Argent Archive: http://www.argentarchives.org/node/104055 (A little bare bones right now, but under construction.)

Please Note: Clearly, a guild for people who like reading immensely long forum posts. Jeez.

Please Note: Clearly, a guild for people who like reading immensely long forum posts. Jeez.

I did have to stop for multiple coffee breaks while reading.

A good idea nonetheless I wish you best of luck with this.

That's a mighty post.

So I'm going to stand here, offer a bump for the guild. Yes, we're actively recruiting. We'd like you to come on over and sign up on our website. We're a friendly bunch of folk.

Bump for some awesome roleplayers. Met a couple of them and I'm impressed. :)

12/03/2012 10:21Posted by Ahiruna

Bump for some awesome roleplayers. Met a couple of them and I'm impressed. :)

Strong, creative roleplayers; well-envisioned guild message; adaptable and innovative take on the lore to build engaging and well-rounded situations?

This, ladies and gentlemen; is how to make a guild.

Bump, indeed.

A solid mouthful, as always.

Best of luck!

Old Horde bump.

Many thanks for the kind comments, y'guys.

And, again, apologies for the immensity. The first post is the only really vital one; the rest is inner-guild jazz, I s'pose.

Random Note: There's a Silvermoon regular who started using the surname A'lorai in the last week, but for the record, he isn't affiliated with the guild. No biggie - just wanted to make it clear.

Solid guild concept, with a healthy dose of creativity, many good points were made in the OP text, i especially liked the part about power mongers, as in my view this is crippling to certain parts of rp when also done OOC'ly.
Excellent guild history, with much oppertunity for rp, and freedom of "movement" for its members.
The very best of luck to you, i hope the house will soon recapture lost glories, and rise like the phonix from the ashes.

12/03/2012 18:09Posted by Aearien

And, again, apologies for the immensity. The first post is the only really vital one; the rest is inner-guild jazz, I s'pose.

A forum post should be like a miniskirt - long enough to cover the details, short enough to keep it interesting.

/sagenodbump

Thanks for all the kind words thus far, folks. If you've got an alt or a main you want to drop in. Hop on over to our website and let us know. We like new people!

"Silvermoon had a wind problem. In the streets and alleys, not so much. But stood on the parapet of one of its many spires gave Ilathran several salty slaps to the face. Fresh sea air, unobstucted by mountains or land, traveled east from Northrend, giving Silvermoon's air a distinct smell and taste.

And the nose of Ilathran didn't give a damn. "The smell of death and blood was all well and good, but salt and spice wasn't that nice." The sentence made him smile, proud of his own tonguework.

A rusty squark came from behind him, as his Bone Gryphon was led by a timid stable boy, far too used to living and vaguely natural beings rather than the monster he was tasked to. With a 'Thank you' and two silvers, the boy took cover in the avairy, leavind Ilathran and his steed to saddle up, and take off.

From above, with its red rooves and white marble, Silvermoon looked like the Armies of the Scarlet Enclave. Sprawling, regimented and badly covering the cesspit it really was."

Gosh, so many nice words from you people. Cudos to you and hope to see you in game.

Also... Bumpsies!

Proof of the pudding is in the tasting they say...

I liked this guild so much - I joined it...

M

Looks good. Especially because of the guild name. Bump.

I shall bump, and shyly thank you all for the nice words. :) Thank you.

I have been bullied into bumping this thread, but for good reason. Great RP'ers, be sure to give them a try should the guild concept look right for you! You will not be dissapointed.