These rules are the standard by which all members of Clan Steinhammer shall be judged. Failure to comply with the following Code of Conduct/Policies will be cause for disciplinary action or removal from the Clan.
1) Respect your heritage as a Clan Steinhammer dwarf: In-character (IC) in all public, guild, and party channels and forums, except where otherwise designated as OOC.2) Respect your membership in the Clan. Every word you speak, every action you take, is a reflection upon every dwarf in the Clan. Your reputation is our reputation; handle both with care. Honesty, loyalty, and integrity are the cornerstones of this guild.
3) The needs of the Clan outweigh the needs of the single dwarf. Clan Steinhammer succeeds when we help and respect each other; it doesn't succeed when we don't. You don't have to like every single one of your guildmates, but we must get along and respect one another.
4) Actions that cause disgrace to fall upon the Clan are strictly prohibited. These include but are not limited to: dishonorable conduct; blatant disrespect and disobedience to the elders of the Clan; cowardice, either morally or in battle; actions that may be considered traitorous to either the Clan or to dwarfkind; dishonorable harassment toward ally or foe, which includes gloating or boasting in-game or on any message boards. It is also forbidden to call out or taunt another guild in a public forum other than that guild's own website, and if so, is only permitted in an IC fashion.
5) Clan Steinhammer expects a certain degree of participation from its members. If you’re online/logged in as your Steinhammer dwarf, and there’s a Clan event going on, we expect you to attend. The intent is to encourage the support of your guildmates who have taken the time and energy to create events (hopefully that are worth attending!). By no means do we expect everyone to attend every event, but we do expect Clan members to show their support on a regular basis, barring special circumstances.
6) The Greybeards and Silverbeards are the Elders of the guild. It is extremely infrequent for them to issue a direct order, but when it is done, it is expected that the order will be followed.
7) If you have an issue or a complaint, please contact a Greybeard, Silverbeard or the Thane before complaining about it to someone else. The Elders are there to help you resolve such matters.
Personal Responsibility
There is a strict policy regarding personal responsibility for one's actions. We do not approve of anyone allowing a person other than the character's original player to run said character while in this guild. We approved YOUR application, not your brother's, not your buddy's, not your girlfriend's. Without exception, you will be held responsible for all actions of your character, whether it was you or someone else playing at the time.Discipline/Removal
Removal from the Clan is a distasteful task for all parties involved. However, any dwarf found in violation of either the Clan’s Code of Conduct or its Policies, or acting in any fashion deemed to be dishonorable or disreputable, may be subject to disciplinary action or removal from the Clan. The Council of Elders (Greybeards, Silverbeards and Thane) shall make all decisions in regards to such matters.AWOL (Absent Without Leave)
If your Clan Steinhammer dwarf goes 21 consecutive days without making an appearance and without communicating that a long absence is forthcoming, then he/she shall be removed from the Clan. If you know that your work/vacation is going to keep you away for a long period, there is a thread on the website where you can let the Elders know that you’ll be away. Also, merely logging in your dwarf once every three weeks does not constitute active membership, and will be grounds for removal.Ventrilo/Teamspeak
We strongly discourage the use of Ventrilo/Teamspeak, as those systems invariably ruin immersion in an RP environment while also creating cliquish interaction among the few who are utilizing it. While these systems can be of some benefit in certain tactical situations, it has been proven beyond doubt that neither Vent or Teamspeak are somehow “needed” in order to achieve success on the battlefield. We relish the opportunity to prove, time and again, that imaginative thinking and a higher level of teamwork are our preferred solution to any gaming challenge. Use of Vent/Teamspeak is not prohibited (it's your monthly fee, after all), but please understand that the overwhelming majority of Clan Steinhammer does not use those systems and is philosophically opposed to their use.Alt Characters
There is a Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy for alts within Clan Steinhammer. Unless it is in pursuit of a specific RP scenario, we don’t want to know who your alts are. Discussing a guilded alt in the OOC channel means that one of your characters will be removed from the guild. This is an RP environment; if you wish to have your alt guilded within the Clan, then your alt should have a distinct and different character than your main. All of your alts will be expected to complete the same Beardling/Longbeard requirements as your main. If you are of Stonebeard rank or higher within Clan Steinhammer, it is prohibited to have an alt who is an officer in any other guild on the same server as the Clan.The All-Dwarf Challenge
This is an all-dwarf guild, now and forever. With that philosophy comes a unique set of challenges that we shall face as we attempt to conquer dungeons and certain battlefield situations. Other self-proclaimed all-dwarf guilds eventually cave in and allow other races in order to address perceived class imbalances; that will never be the case with Clan Steinhammer. While each of us has different individual goals that we seek to achieve, if your personal goals are not compatible with the philosophies and challenges that you’ll face in an all-dwarf environment, perhaps the Clan is not for you.Powergaming
At some point or another, most of us will get caught up in trying to quickly gain some levels or obsess over a piece of gear. No problem. But if your preferred playstyle is such that you're always compelled to be the first one to max level, to always sport the slickest gear, to only engage in quests that further your personal advancement, then it is almost certain that the Clan is not for you. We're not passing judgment on anyone else's playstyle, we're just saying up front, the Clan is probably not a good fit for the dedicated powergamer.Alliances
Clan Steinhammer is always willing to work with other guilds in the pursuit of specific short-term RP goals/events. However, the Clan will not endorse or join any blanket alliance with other guild(s). This does not mean we are anti-social, isolationist, or anti-community; nothing could be further from the truth. From small events staged by other guilds, to the defense of our lands, to large scale server wide events, we are eager to support all such activities.However, the decision to become involved in such events is at the sole discretion of the clan's Council of Elders, without exception. It is strictly forbidden for any Clan Steinhammer member to pursue or conduct un-authorized negotiations with other guilds (Order or Destruction).
Q: Do you have to be a dwarf to enlist in Clan Steinhammer?
A: Yes.
Q: Will the Clan ever allow non-dwarves?
A: Absolutely not. We thoroughly enjoy the challenges that are derived from playing in an all-dwarf environment.
Q: Is the Clan a roleplaying guild?
A: Yes. No matter what other aspects of the game you enjoy (PvP, PvE, whatever), you will be expected to roleplay if you decide to join the Clan. We are in-character in all public channels, party and guild channels. There is a single out-of-character channel for OOC use.
Q: Is Clan Steinhammer more focused on roleplaying (RP) or Player vs. Player (PvP)/Realm vs Realm (RvR)?
A: Most of the Clan has a very strong background in RP/PvP environments/worlds. Many of us are dedicated to both philosophies and do not emphasize one at the expense of the other. We like to RP as dwarfs, but make no mistake, we also like to fight.
Q: What about Player vs. Environment (PvE)?
A: Many of us enjoy a good dungeon crawl or the take-down of a boss. We heartily welcome those who enjoy the PvE playstyle, and look forward to adventuring alongside them.
Q: Is the Clan a powergaming guild?
A: No. Powergamers and the Clan don't mix terribly well, generally because the priorities aren't compatible. We're not passing judgment on the powergaming style, but players who focus upon rapid advancement of levels and accumulation of fine gear don't seem to gel with the Clan's more laid back approach. For most of Clan Steinhammer, the journey is the adventure, and that means many of us tend to be slow and pokey with our level advancement. That philosophy tends to frustrate the powergamer who's looking for guildies who are equally eager to max out levels, reach end-game, or get that epic drop.
Q: I’ve never roleplayed before. Will the Clan accept me?
A: Willingness to learn is all that we ask. For those who are making an effort, you will find that the Clan is a very friendly environment for the budding roleplayer.
Q: Do you only recruit certain classes/do you have class quotas?
A: No. If we have 50 ironbreakers and 1 runepriest, and you’re an ironbreaker, you are welcome here.
Q: Sounds good, what server are you on?
A: Ostermark. ((Core RP))
Q: I’m interested! How do I join the Clan?
A: The first thing you need to do is read every word in the “Charter” and "Policies" sections of this website. It will take you less than 10 minutes, but a thorough reading of that section will be very helpful in learning about Clan Steinhammer. If you like what you see, then we invite you to register on our forums, you can find out more HERE.
