1) BSRM? Who the bloody 'ell is BSRM?

• And why do you want a shrubbery?

  Brave Sir Robins Men's motto is "RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!"... We are a guild who doesn't take itself too seriously (except, of course, in matters concerning Spam. Spam we take VERY seriously.). Our members are mostly older - some of us even have children - so we are online playing whenever our busy lives allow for it. We were primarily founded on the idea that there's safety in numbers - especially in "Raids" & "Instances". Additionally, a major credo of BSRM is that SPAM IS ambrosia, and all should hail & praise its glory. Cheese is nice too, and if you have SPAM AND cheese, well then, now you are really talking. Oh, ohh, and also a nice cabernet. Yes, yes, a thick slice of SPAM, a good Munster, and..... ((ack, ack, choke, choke)) (The management of Brave Sir Robins Men would like to take this opportunity to apologize for the above interruption. The off-target views expressed above are NOT those of the management of Brave Sir Robins Men.) (Except, of course, the comments regarding SPAM. Naturally we didn't mean the SPAM part. SPAM IS ambrosia. And the cheese part is O.K. too. Yes, yes, of course we like cheese too. And with SPAM; nirvana! But all that rot about cabernet- well that is right OUT.) Membership: We are no longer accepting applications without a referral. If you have a referral please submit an application. If you are interested in obtaining some absolutely fabulous recipes for SPAM, might we direct you to www.hormel.com. I personally recommend the SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, eggs, bacon, & SPAM, with a nice slice of SPAM on the side. Truly fantastic! (Spam is a registered trademark of the Hormel Meat Co. It is also the food of the Gods, and if you slice it just right, it goes great on Rycrisp crackers with a slice of Stilton cheese on top. Or you can use just regular Danish blue, but I really suggest going the extra step and getting the Stilton. You won't be sorry.)

   

2) Yes, yes... the above was very amusing. But, really....

• ....who ARE you?
  BSRM.  An anarcho-syndicalist collective.
  
  Introduction:

  Brave Sir Robin's Men is one of the few "Old Guard" guilds still active on Uther – a World of Warcraft server. The guild was formed 3 month after World of Warcraft went retail, and remains home for several of it's charter members. Brave Sir Robin's Men has attempted to remain a guild that supports casual players while still enabling more active player access to a wide range of content including small group raiding.

  World of Warcraft:

  Raiding: Currently, we offer the opportunity to experience 25 man content through an very active alliance. At times we do muck about with "retro raiding" (Pre-BC and BC).

  In guild you will also find a diverse population of characters who are craft masters in assorted professions and are generally more than happy to contribute occasional assistance to upcoming crafters. We also have a guild bank with tiered access.

3) OK, so you're an anarcho-syndicalist collective. Can I assume that I get to set my own...

• ... Code of Conduct Rules?
  Code of Conduct:

  O.K., and now we come to the delicate matter of the bill... well, actually not the bill, but a matter I'll put under the category of "maturity issues". As much as I think it's not necessary to say any of this... I'm going to say it anyway. That way no one can say, "but you didn't tell me:"

  Imagine this... You've had a rotten day, your head is splitting, you're about ready to put your fist through the monitor, and you've got a guild instance dungeon scheduled in an hour or two... What do you do? You’re going to have to answer that one for yourself but personally - knowing my aggressive personality – I’d reschedule the instance or let the instance leader know I needed to bow out. I know, I know, you’re saying "Duh!" - but we’re only human. I think it’s important to acknowledge that sometimes we can all have an off day.

  However some of us may be having more than an "off day". Some of our fellow gamers actively engage in "schadenfreude"; the mischievous delight in the misfortune of others. I think we've all probably seen examples of this type of behavior... Corpse camping Horde Quest Givers, spamming other players with duel requests, and emote abuse - to name a few... There are a lot of things I will ignore and tolerate but abusive behavior is not one of them. If you derive great pleasure from upsetting those around you please take a moment to type /gquit the next time you log on. It will save you the embarrassment of having one of the guild masters kick you from the guild once they have enough complaints logged against you. On the other hand, if someone is making your life a living hell - know that we stand behind you, and that if they belong to a guild we will report their behavior to their guild master.
  
  Having gotten that off of my chest, I'd like to address an even more serious issue - one with real life ramifications... On occasion there are individuals out there that are predatory, and what may have began as a casual flirtation can become sexual harassment. This one works both ways ladies and gentlemen... I want you to know that should you be harassed, or engage in harassment, I will gleefully assist the party being harassed in filing a Sexual Harassment complaint with Blizzard once enough evidence has been obtained. We're all adults (well most of us) and we all know that Blizzard will take what actions it needs to in order to protect themselves - which I can only assume would be banning that account and address.

4) An anarcho-syndicalist collective with established rules!? Madness! I suppose next you'll be telling that there are...

• ... Consequences?
  Consequences:

  Three instances that will result in automatic dismissal from the guild:

  • Sexual harassment: Which will be defined as unsolicited comments of a sexual nature that continue after a request to desist.
  • "Ninja’ing":  Which will be defined as willfully ignoring group loot rules, obtaining loot in direct violation of loot rules, and disbanding from group after receiving said loot.
  • Recruiting: BSRM is not a recruitment venue for other guilds.

  For those who exhibit habitual disregard of fellow players there is a "Three Strikes" policy:
  

  1^st Strike – Documentation, intervention (screen shots and a "private chat")
  2^nd Strike – Documentation, reminder, intervention (screen shots and a "private chat")
  3^rd Strike – Dismissal from the guild.

  Here’s a brief list of some of the offences that would fall under the "Three Strikes" policy:

  • Corpse Camping Horde quest givers
  • Spamming duel/or join request with the intention of interrupting game play.
  • Spamming emotes with the intention of interrupting game play.
  • Sexually explicit* subject matter in guild chat.
  • Offences reported from to us from individuals outside of guild (not including "ninja’ing" – see the section addressing automatic dismissal) – abusive behavior, violating loot rules, etc.. (Keep in mind this is not arbitrary we do investigate a complaint by talking to the offended party as well as one or more witnesses if available.)

  *Sexually explicit is defined as depictions/descriptions of sexual intercourse and/or masturbation. Please note: This is not intended to address innuendo. Innuendo is the antithesis of explicit .

5) Consequences! Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system! Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help! Help! I'm being repressed! Next you'll be telling me you have an...

• ...Attendance Policy?
  Attendance Policy:
  

  World of Warcraft: members who are inactive, in game, for 60 days or more will be "awarded" inactive status. This policy will not apply to alternates on an active member's account.

6) I thought BSRM was an autonomous collective? It sounds to me more like a dictatorship: a self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes are repressed by the ruling elite.

• I suppose you have DKP and other Loot Rules?
  Concerning Loot:

  BSRM does NOT, nor ever will, use DKP.  BSRM encourages a policy of NBG, or Need Before Greed. What this means is if the character you’re using for the run needs the item treat it as a "Need". If your alt needs the item please be courteous and treat it as a "Greed". If you are hosting an event we ask that you post the loot rules prior to making the first pull.
  

  
  For our allied runs into raid instances we ask that, unless otherwise told by a raid leader ahead of time, all members please pass on ALL epic items.  Epic items will be rolled on after everyone has passed, and it has been opened up to the specific classes, or moved on to off-specs, etc.  On boss battles PLEASE do NOT run up to the boss after it has been defeated and tap the body!  Allow the raid leader to do that.  Wait until all loot has been distributed before taking your badges / emblems.  And PLEASE turn auto-loot OFF before coming to a raid instance!  It is far too easy to forget and accidentally pick up an epic item that does not belong to you.
  
  As for specific rules beyond those listed above, there really aren’t any. Feel free to make up your own – but make sure you post them! Loot disputes, and complaints that occasionally filter in to us from hosts outside of the guild, are adjudicated by one of the officers after a thorough inquiry into the incident.
  

7) Next, no doubt, you'll tell me there are ranks in BSRM. And how d'you get that, eh? By exploiting the workers! By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma!

• So... are there guild ranks in BSRM?
  Ranks:

  Bloody Peasant (Recruit):
  
  Okay this one is obvious. It’s an interim holding spot for individuals who have just joined. The way you move out of this category is by playing. The more you play the sooner you move out. (However, no matter how much you play if you "sprout two heads and grow fangs" there might be an issue with moving up to member.) This rank can see the guild bank but has no other access.
  
  Vorpal Bunny:

  A very special rank for Junior Guild Members. This rank can see most guild bank tabs, can withdraw 1 item daily from visible tabs, but cannot deposit.
  
  Squire:
  
  What can we say – you’re a member at this point… You have the ability to change your player note. This rank can see most guild bank tabs, can withdraw 3 items daily from most visible tabs, and can deposit to all visible tabs.

  Kniggit:

  Kniggit's are member’s who’ve been active with us for six months or more and have remained active weekly (note: Kniggits who have not logged in for 2 months or more will most likely be moved into Squire rank. Former Kniggits who return to active play will be returned to Kniggit rank after one month active status.) This rank can see all guild bank tabs, can withdraw 6 items daily from most visible tabs, and can deposit to most visible tabs.

  Monk of Antioch:

  Designed to be populated with individuals who are actively involved in 10-25 man raid content. Monk's have access to the "Raiding" bank tab as well as a generous repair allowance. This rank can see all guild bank tabs, can witdrawl 6 items daily, and can deposit to most tabs.

  Robin's Minstrel (Officer):

  This is a support role. A general category for guild officers. Many serve in Council. The Council consists of those individuals willing to act in an advisory role as well as arbitrate during disputes. They are also occasionally asked to place votes when a player requests re-admittance to the guild. Knights of the Round Table have access to Officer chat and can view and edit officer notes. This rank can see all guild bank tabs, can withdraw 12 items daily from all tabs, and can deposit to all tabs.

  Village Idiot / Liege Lord (Officer):

  Administrative role.

8) Ooo.. Officers! Well la-de-da! I suppose some Lady of the Lake granted them power. Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing titles is no basis for a system of ranking.

• Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. Just what do these "Officers" do?
  Officers:

  These community leaders are team-oriented individuals who have shown themselves willing to sacrifice their immediate goals to benefit others. These individuals are active on the web site, Ventrillo users, and active in guild chat. Most importantly, an Officer is an individual who treats others with respect and endeavors to maintain a positive online environment. All officers can host events.

  
  It is vital that officers be highly visible members. This means they are actively online, in guild, and attending guild-wide events whenever possible. During those times that an officer is offline for an extended period of time arrangements can be made to retain current rank on hiatus status. Otherwise officers who choose not to make arrangements will be demoted after three weeks of inactivity with the option to be reinstated upon return. Reinstatement will be awarded based on whether or not the officer was in good standing when absenting him/herself.

  
  Council
  Council members represent the needs of our individual members. Besides individuals who have joined Brave Sir Robin’s Men on their own, this guild has been blessed by the introduction of cohesive units from existing guilds. Individuals and groups have a Council member assigned to represent them. Questions, concerns, or suggestions concerning guild policy and/or disputes should be directed to a council member.
  
  Currently serving:
  Baz - Team UK
  McHawkman – general members
  Si – General members
  Tauramandil
  Shadowspawn
  
  Guild Leader:
  Think of this as a glorified secretarial position. Guild Leader's spend a lot of time scheduling events. Drumming up enthusiasm for said events. Answering questions. Representing BSRM when there is an issue with another guild. Advising members on legal recourse and collecting evidence if there has been a ban-able offence. Keeping records of raids (loot and attendance). Planning (or coordinating) real world activities. Filling in for any officer that may not be in attendance. Maintaining the BSRM web site. And last but not least, maintaining a guild bank.
  Currently serving:
  Cienwen
  McHawkman
  

9) OK, this 'ranking' & 'officer' stuff seems a bit over the top. I mean, if I went 'round saying I was an officer just because some moistened bint had lobbed a title at me, they'd put me away!

• Is there some way I can speak directly to someone? Do you have a Ventrilo Server?
  Ventrilo:

  We have a private ventrilo server. Aside from being used for instance runs this ventilo server can also accomodate casual groups and guild chat. Please feel free to use it at:
  
  Server Host: cobalt.typefrag.com
  Server Port: 38899
  Password: To avoid issues in the past of ex-guild members and random people using our Vent server, please ask an officer for the password.

  If you do not have Ventrilo, and you wish to utilize the guild server, download the client program at www.ventrilo.com