Guild:Rose of Sharon (Khadgar US)

Rose of Sharon
STRENGTH & HONOR!

About
Rose of Sharon (aka RoS) is a guild on the Khadgar US server.

Our Members
We have roughly 325 members as of now, with everything from level one to sixty. We have a lot of great and committed members who are leveling fast, and simultaneously helping the weak and the poor. Our guild welcomes all people - we have a bit of everything.

Our Name and Cause
The name was considered for our guild for a long time. "Rose Of Sharon" is something that shows up in pop culture (Bob Dylan, Killswitch Engage and others that people have told me about), but is originally from the Bible. Song Of Solomon 8 is the chapter. It refers to the person of Christ, and is one of His names. Since I am a Christian, I believe He is the Son of God, sent to Earth to die for our sins. The Rose Of Sharon refers to the fact that he deserved honor and glory as King Of The Universe, but He laid His perfect life down in the most shocking and horrific way by dying on a cross for the sins of mankind. We don't require you to be a Christian to join, we just thought it worked for our original vision of a sacrificially humble and noble guild, and it sounds medieval like "The War Of The Roses" at the same time. The point of the guild is to have fun with other people in the imaginary Warcraft world, and to do what we can shedding our life's blood to win the war against the Horde.

We also are a "Robin Hood" type guild in the sense that we're always looking out for the weak and the helpless and we'll do whatever it takes to help them. We never turn down someone just because they're weak - if anything, we look for such opportunities. We have already been on one raid, and have plans for many more. We also have plans for guild tournaments and quests. We also have guild meetings when we can schedule them.

Any questions can be directed to Rose of Sharon Homepage where a link to RoS's forums can be found.

Rose of Sharon Guild Code
Guild Code: An explanation and statement of who we are and what we aim for.

[TRUE HONOR is not due to those who have received but to those who have given]

This is the law of humanity. There is the superficial L60 elite awesomeness, but the L60 guy who's very helpful and generous to the rest of the guild will be Honored above that L60 ... specifically by those he helped and all those who applaud his noble actions. Actions speak louder than words!

[NO CURSING, NO OBSCENE TALK]

Cursing & Obscenity: First of all it is vulgar and offensive, PERIOD. This includes every form and isn't excusable when broadcast guild-wise. Secondly, we want the guild experience to be welcoming to younger players, and especially to be comforting for parents to allow them to join us.

Racial & Religious references: Let us be sensitive towards others - it's funny how in this day and age common courtesy and respect has been long forgotten. Whether a person be Jewish, Asian, Christian, Hindu, Black - whatever. Please respect their orientation. This includes taking the Lord's name in vain "god-damn, jesus, jesus christ," and all racial and religious slurs.

Sex: This should be obvious. There shall be none of this - slurs, orientation, participation, innuendo, insinuation... even talking about it. It's a medieval MMORPG for crying out loud. This is strictly prohibited and you have been warned.

Illegal activities: Do not... REPEAT... DO NOT, mention, talk about, or reminisce about such things. Realize that some ears are very little. Realize also that some hearers may be required to report you to the proper authorities. Realize that mere association could put some others in jepoardy by simply hearing and NOT reporting you - whether it be legal or even career oriented <-- some members may be employed by the government, social services, or have a job in a *sensitive environment.* Plus, we at the Rose seriously look down upon illegal behavior.

[BE MATURE]

Asking for help: This is HUGE. If you ignore this section you will eventually end up blacklisted by us, and we don't want to do that any more than you want it to happen. This means NOT spamming guild chat, and not asking other people 10,20,30 levels ahead of you to sacrifice their game time before you have looked for an equal level or region-local group. A mature expectation for help realizes that 99% of the game can be done as is, and guild help by higher levels is a privilege and an honor and the exception for special class-specific or red-elite quests. This does not mean higher levels won't blow off steam by helping you with tasks here and there - but that choice is for them to make when they see you looking for "normal" help, and not something you should expect or demand. The guild has its own motivations for helping others - do not take advantage of this helping environment and become a thorn in the side of the Rose. No begging for money or power-leveling (mounts are different, but do not expect to get the full cost if you have 1 gold at level 39 - in other words, start saving now). You may ask for help, but consistently being needy is begging, and therefore frowned upon. Just because someone has been playing the game for six months more than you have, doesn't mean you don't have to progress at the same pace they did - this is what the game is about anyway - finding and meeting challenges, not getting something for nothing.

Guild chat discussion: Some off topic discussion is allowable, but please refrain from continuing OT discussion and silliness. No spamming includes not saying the same thing over and over again - realizing that if no one answers your question, it's not because the guild hates you or is ignoring you - most likely, they have no idea how to answer your question, or they are busy trying to save their own life or that of their friends. Take guild-irrelevant stuff to private chat. It would be best for an officer or any member to put this to rest with a 'please take this elsewhere.' Officers are expected to use the officer channel only for issues that must be brought up in private and called to the guild leader's attention - the officer's group is not a ROS club or clique.

Spamming: Examples of spamming - repeating macros or comments more than twice - using excessive punctuation or leet talk or all caps - or interrupting a game-related conversation with something entirely irrelevant or intended to harass.

Flirting with the rules: No joking about or circumventing the rules. Take 'Sex' for instance. One could possibly broadcast "men have gnards," or "this is gay." Don't be walking the perimeter of a mine field. You will be harshly reprimanded, and will most be probably kicked.

Being a brat: Mind games, pretending to be someone else, intra-guild vices, or provocative behavior (taunting, putdowns, etc) are looked down upon as immature. Remember, we are family and we cannot expect to be respected or taken seriously if we're embroiled with internal strife and dissension. Be humble. Own up to your own actions and take responsibility for them when you're in the wrong. It doesn't help if you're proud, stubborn, or self righteous within a family setting, and it sure won't be fun.

[HELP THE WEAK]

Principle: The meat of who we are. We aren't WoW snobs who disdain low-levels and 'poohpooh' the thought of recruiting or helping them. This can be a temptation when you're at the top - but it is the height of arrogance and conceit - fight that notion with all your might! You will be expected to have a helpful mindset. Remember that helping the weak will win their hearts, loyalty, and love. It is 100x better to bring trusted friends and compatriots into a battle - rather than a bunch of maxxed out guys who are concerned only about themselves and their leetness. Being helpful also brings respect and honor to the guild. Not just a large guild that people see, but a "cool guild that I want to be a part of." Eventually, we will be too big to take on new players - but that should be cause for remorse, not gloating.

Application: Everyone - pay attention to guild chat, all of the forums, and the guild list, and look for that lonely player off in Duskwood who has no friends in the game - a little water for a thirsty person goes a long, long way. Officers are expected to be the supreme example of this - any officer who gloats over his position, or consistently reminds people he is an officer, or looks for opportunities to bash or abuse is violating the code of the Rose, and stands to lose his position.

[STRENGTH AND HONOR!]

Semper Fi or Requiescat In Pace: Last but not least - if you follow these things, you are expected to remain faithful to the guild as long as you play on our server and our game. A guild takes months and months and backbreaking work and planning to build - you are cheapening the meaning as well as your participation in the guild if you leave on a whim or after a few weeks. If you were guild leader of ROS for a week, you would start to realize how little gameplay time the guild leader actually gets and how much of his time is dedicated to keeping the group intact.

Those who have been in the guild for a long time are expected to provide clear and adequate reasoning as to why you must leave - and if you do, do not expect to be welcomed back - we are a dedicated group that exists based on member's participation, not a commercial magazine subscription to be picked up and tossed at will. Guild hoppers, traitors, backstabbers, and people who judge ROS too quickly or do not have the patience to roll with the guild as it changes and grows - are not worthy of participation or the quality of the guild we have worked to build. When you hear another guild has taken down Onyxia or you see many of their members wearing purple-rated gear - don't think "how can I get out of this and join them?" Think, "what can I do personally to make ROS better?"

This does not mean that if you leave, you will never, ever get back in - but every time you leave, especially for petty or selfish reasons, or disappear on another server without communicating, by not explaining to the guild leader why, it diminishes your chances of being seen as a worthy or trusted player in the future.

[RoS' Member Statement of Joining]

I testify to the Code of the Rose of Sharon and to my fellows within the guild that- ...I understand that true honor lights upon those who have given and follow the virtue of self sacrifice, compassion, and generosity. ...I understand that obscenity and cursing is ignoble and not worthy to pass my lips ...I understand and commit to helping the weak, and building honor and respect on our server, and helping forge a guild, unified in battle and heart.