[ORGANIZATION]The Dark Empire: Promotional Thread

[Sangwa]

I have been referring to IC behavior as well, when commenting on the behavior. I consider OOC behavior a topic not to be discussed under a Guild Thread, while IC behavior will certainly motivate some people's choice. Hence why I usually discuss IC behavior without discriminating which it is.

I think Earl meant IC behavior as well, considering he most probably hasn't had any relevant personal contact with any of the players.

It could change in the future, dependent on the effort of religious characters within.

So Parallo should keep trying to convert all your family?

Keep? Hmmm.

[Parallo]

Oh, so you don't know about it then? Ahh, alright. Forget everything I said... *sinister laugh*

[Garile]

*puts the 100th laanxsymbol from Laanx Parallo gave her with the rest of them*

The position for Yayelle's religious schooling has already been filled but he keeps at it.

*smiles and closes the garbagecan again*

[Sangwa]

I have improved the topic post, to add more to the story, making it a little bit more extensive, but adding an important part of the past and additional references that make it less egocentric. I've also made some visual changes, but nothing too important.
Unfortunately these decisions had to come of own volition, considering the poor job everyone does at criticizing this thread.

[Sangwa]

Sorry for the double post, but it is necessary to keep this updated.

Anyway, the Dark Empire has improved mechanisms that haven't been mentioned yet. These are the simple Member Pages (click on the member's name to see his description) and the Honorable Mentions. The first serve to keep record of our members' recent and not so recent background and habits and the second exists to gratify our members for their feats.

Another curiosity is our Join the Cause! page, which has an Aspirant guide and explains why and how you can join.

Well, I hope you find these fun. And if you have any ideas on how to improve any of them, do tell!

[Velh Krome]

Looks well organized and deeply structured, nice!
What I struggle with though is, whats it all about at all? (No sorry, I didnt read through all the 28 pages)

The Dark Empire is meant to be a sub-society among Yliakum's?
Why would one want to join? To maintain "Order, Unity and Power", to train, and for the plain sake of being a part of a guild meant to be grand? Or just because it's that old?

To sum it up:
Icly you are based on a family-clan. The clan grew and meanwhile is meant to be that big that it also needs a guard to "watch over the Empire's safety". It has its own department of traders and scholars, and even an intelligence agency. It also seems to have outposts.
The latter one, does one have to understand it like it just bought a piece of land, built a watchtower on it and uses it to watch out, like one would use his farm, private property-like?
I am asking this because it still feels as if the Empire was trying to undercut the Octarchy and its power. I am quite sure this is not the case, at least its said "The Dark Empire respects the Government and abides to the common law.". But I could imagine that people picture the Empire as a shady association, so feel free to clear it up.
Basing it all on a princess, kings and queens, monarchy: Isnt that a bit off the setting?

So, your departments.. people join the Scholars for studying for the sake of studying ("to attain greater levels of enlightenment."), the Guards for guarding ("a Guild created to protect the Dark Empire's brethren and their ambitions."), the Traders for trading and crafting ("Imperial Trades' main focus is to create and manage the Dark Empire's economy." and the Agency for investigating.

Dont get me wrong: Reading through the promotional threads already provides very decent atmosphere and quickens my appetite to know more! The whole conglomerate undoubtly will do greatly for roleplaying, and having a deep feeling of a well figured background-story!
But I am sure I am not alone, wondering: Is there any other goal, any purpose other than exisiting for the only reason to exist? What's the Empire aiming for, besides remaining alive and 'being there'?

[Sangwa]

Thank you! I'll respond the best I can.

What I struggle with though is, whats it all about at all? (No sorry, I didnt read through all the 28 pages)

Hehe. Just read the Topic post. It makes no sense to read through all 28 Pages. The topic post clearly states what the Dark Empire is about: an attempt to create a community out of hardworking ambitious individuals.

Why would one want to join?

All you said. The search for glory is usually what moves heroes and the chance to succeed at a career motivates other adventurers. But obviously the main goal is to extend the Empire and its culture. In my opinion it seems more gratifying than fighting good or evil just for the sake of it. Certainly people have different opinions though! Some even want to simply be peaceful.

I could imagine that people picture the Empire as a shady association, so feel free to clear it up.

Our current outpost was bought and the Empire is usually ready to help the Hydlaa community. Based on this, I think only irrational people would consider it shady... If you keep in mind that we've been around since always and keep abiding to the law.

Is there any other goal, any purpose other than exisiting for the only reason to exist? What's the Empire aiming for, besides remaining alive and 'being there'?

This is what I thought you were getting at. Good! A pertinent topic.

For starters, keep in mind that every guild's first goal is existing and being alive.

Besides that, the Empire's purpose is to provide a cultural and motivational base for characters and then goals for them to achieve. These goals obviously target the Empire's success.
All our Forces ("departments" as you call them ) have works in progress and some of these tasks (accessible to most members) promote team play. From the beginning I've seen Guilds as working associations, and I believe we make our Imperial Guilds serve that purpose just well.

I hope this has answered all your questions... If not, do insist! I appreciate that you've taken enough time to analyze this organization and give your thoughts.

[RoberetGoldsmith]

But I am sure I am not alone, wondering: Is there any other goal, any purpose other than exisiting for the only reason to exist? What's the Empire aiming for, besides remaining alive and 'being there'?

Couldn't help but remebering the saying , Empire for Empires sake

[Hwnae]

It also seems to have outposts.
The latter one, does one have to understand it like it just bought a piece of land, built a watchtower on it and uses it to watch out, like one would use his farm, private property-like?

We bought a guildhouse in Hydlaa, completely legal. We call it an outpost because in our character's minds the world of Yliakum is larger than the current game and for our Empire's ambitions the guildhouse is a sort of outpost, an embassy in the capital city of the first level. We're assuming that in the future, when more land is available guilds will be able to own multiple properties.

But I could imagine that people picture the Empire as a shady association, so feel free to clear it up.

How do you imagine people picturing the Empire as shady? I honestly don't get that. It minds it's own business, it doesn't wage war against anyone and doesn't enforce anything on anyone who isn't a member. It's goals are order and lawfulness, among others ... now how can any of that be shady?

[Velh Krome]

Okay, thanks so far!

Just read the Topic post

Of course I did.

I think this one here could be a central remark:
"In my opinion it seems more gratifying than fighting good or evil just for the sake of it."
Considering the well figured and deep background, history and all, "to create a community out of hardworking ambitious individuals" surely is a very valid approach.

But, and please dont take it as an offense now, what makes the Empire unique, I mean, whats the difference between the Empire and any guild without a specific purpose, other then being a group?

Two more questions still left:
1. Are you still roleplaying to base on a princess, rooting on monarchy?
2. Having a guard, what type of are your enemies? As you apparently are a non-offensive, peaceful community, why would one want to attack you at all? Is the Empire meant to be that huge that it needs a strictly organized army to defend itself?

And as a sidenote, to be around for long, abiding the law, doesnt necessarily mean to be honest, it may also mean one can hide and cover certain activities poperly;)


EDIT (having seen Hwnae's):
Oh, no no, I referred to a (abandoned?) fictive outpost around the bdroad-ruins.

Hm.. I am not sure if "shady" is the proper word for what I mean. To put it differently, the Empire may appear as an organisation not opening their purposes. So maybe one could wonder about honesty and lawfulness (Octarch's law that is) due to ignorance. Sangwa may call it irrational, but so can for instance be fear, while still being justified though.

Thanks for your patience.

[Sangwa]

But, and please dont take it as an offense now, what makes the Empire unique, I mean, whats the difference between the Empire and any guild without a specific purpose, other then being a group?

I'm not sure what you consider a specific purpose... As I see it, we have one of the most specific purposes around: to improve the Empire's culture and to acquire land for it.

What makes us unique? Firstly, unlike most guilds, our background has not appeared from thin air. Most of it has actually happened, under one form or another. Second, we have a specific culture (laws, conduct, etc.) and we strongly promote our members' creativity in improving it.
Third we are the first successful organization separating into several guilds. Our guilds work like one entity, which doesn't happen in any other organization or alliance that I know of. Fourth we are the oldest player organization around, which simply means that anyone joining the Empire will join a very stable organization. Fifth, we now keep records of every Imperial Character, so our players will even have a public, stable place to have their characters' recorded.
There's plenty of stuff that makes us unique! I could start naming some systems and peculiarities from each Guild, but that would take too long.

1. Are you still roleplaying to base on a princess, rooting on monarchy?
Our story states that a Princess founded the Empire which is now run by Sangwa Greenmoon. I hope this answers?

2. Having a guard, what type of are your enemies? As you apparently are a non-offensive, peaceful community, why would one want to attack you at all? Is the Empire meant to be that huge that it needs a strictly organized army to defend itself?
Our characters have noted jealousy and other strong sentiments similar to hatred directed towards the Empire. Another reason is the fact that we are planning on exploring the Labyrinths and other lands not taken by the Government.

And as a sidenote, to be around for long, abiding the law, doesnt necessarily mean to be honest, it may also mean one can hide and cover certain activities poperly;)

It does makes us more trustworthy than any other organization around... If not, tell me what's their trick *winks*

Additionally, your post does not sound offensive at all! It's exactly what I want to see around my guild thread.

[Velh Krome]

Wow, very nice post, Sangwa! Thanks, that answered all my questions 

[Phinehas]

I have just a couple things to add, as a bystander.

For one, the Empire was here first... So just because there may be other similar guilds(in your opinion), you can't blame the Empire for that. It's the other guilds that are similar to the Empire, not vice verse... It'd be like the Webster dictionary for being similar to other dictionaries... It was here first, the other dictionaries got their idea from it, not the other way around...

Secondly, I for one, am glad that the Empire isn't one of those guilds whose purpose has to do with a single, specific storyline or plot. They're not a cult dedicated to some unknown(made up) god, they're not the remnants of a city who fought a great monster(that never actually existed), they're not a family group that came from another world and is trying to make a new life for themselves... Those are all guilds that by their very striving to be original are unoriginal and cliche. The Empire, on the other hand, is at first glance a little mundane, but on closer observation more original than the vast majority of other guilds here for the very reason that they didn't feel the need to make up some weird story to justify their existence.

[Sangwa]

With the Empire's amazing growth many policies, rules, laws and conducts have come to pass that needed to be organized into one document, so every Imperialist or anyone interested in the Empire could access the core of its order.

For this purpose we have designed the Imperial Constitution. Through it one can fully understand the Empire, its Forces, its Guilds, its people and its structure.


With this document making our structure available we hope we will get more critiques and opinions to tune it further. Reflecting what happens in the Empire itself, the Imperial Constitution is meant to evolve through the years, without boundaries.

[Parallo]

5.2 looks like great potential for fun rp. I hadn't noticed that one before.