doa.gif (34105 bytes)

 

History

The Defenders of Aleria began many years ago in an MMORPG named Drakkar. Our first incarnation was a guild called Stormriders of Drakkar (SRD). It was originally made up of two members Shmoo and Viceal. The real start of the guild took place on a high wind swept peak when three members were added to SRD, Skurk, Kvasir, and Holt. From this beginning many members were added, but unfortunately without much forethought. Drakkar was much harder to progress in than EQ and this left a major gap in the membership of SRD.

Several members decided to start a new guild with the higher level players with the idea that we could bring SRD members up as they leveled. This group of players merged with the remnants of a guild named Big Game Hunters (BGH) and DOA was born. Soon after it's birth, DOA went through a major shakedown; several of the BGH members were not satisfied and left in pursuit of bigger and better things. Soon after this, we adopted the guiding principal that has stood DOA very well in the ensuing years and defines our guild.

We are friends first, last, and always. Everything else will take care of itself. SRD went on to find it's own personality and DOA expanded into a powerful and well thought of guild. We were lucky enough to add many fantastic members when another guild, Wrath, disbanded. Kodiak, Lago, and Kobar (Hastur) were among that group. With Drakkar pretty much at the end of its viability, we began to search for a new home for DOA. Meridian, Legends of Empyria, Legends of Kesmai, Drakkar2, UO and others were examined but nothing clicked. The several of us were lucky enough to get into the Everquest Beta. It was obvious very early on that this would be our new home. As soon as the game went live, DOA began to move into the Karana server, but when that server proved less than stable we relocated to the newly opened Bertox server. We were in the first wave of guilds tagged, originally based in Qeynos, and the rest is history. DOA'ers were present in the initial raids on the Plane of Fear, Participated in the first killing of Innoruuk in the Plane of Hate, and many of the early slayings of Nagafen and Vox.

 

Defenders of Aleria Guild Charter

  1. We are friends first, last, and always. All other concerns are secondary. With this in mind, help getting equipment or help with quests should never be a problem because we all want the best for each other.

  2. DOA is a family and families are not perfect. There will be arguments, bickering and probably some knock down drag out fights. All of this is DOA business and has no reason to be discussed outside the guild. You are expected to be 100% supportive of your guild mates in dealing with outsiders AND are expected to be 100% worthy of that support from your guild mates.

  3. DOA has no top and no bottom. All members, all classes, all levels are important to us. Please remember a lot of people thought you were pretty special or you wouldn't be here. How could all those people be wrong?

  4. There are activities in Everquest that are clearly recognized as "bad" or "antisocial". DOA members should never engage in these activities and when appropriate should intervene to stop these acts. "Kill Stealing", "Camp Jumping", "Purposely Training", "Hostile Spamming", "Name Calling in OOC's or Shouts", these are all examples of "bad" activities.

  5. When a fellow DOA member needs help, if at all possible try to render assistance. We all know how frustrating dying in a bad spot or eating a death in a difficult level can be. BUT, also think of your fellow DOA'ers when you ask for help. If help is available from a local Cleric, for example, don't have a guild mate spend 30 minutes getting to you for the rez.

  6. Merit loot is a concept that cannot be fairly implemented. IT ALWAYS devolves into some clique deciding who has merit. As an example, who has more merit, a Ranger that has been on a dozen Fear raids and spends half his time there dead and waiting for a rez or a Cleric that spends a week helping a friend that lost a ton of experience in a bad Fear raid recover their experience? Each raid that you attend buys you a lottery ticket for that raid. If something you can use drops, you have a chance of winning it. That's where it ends. Just because you have bought 10 lottery tickets previously doesn't make you any more deserving to win this time around. All DOA general raids will be a NEED BEFORE GREED lottery on all loot that drops. The NEED BEFORE GREED part is basically on the honor system. We all know how dumb luck strikes and you will win a great item that you equip that second and two days later you will score a better item. That's just life. It would be nice (and appreciated) if you could pass that equipment along to a guild mate, but there are just too many variables in the game to make that more than a suggestion. For instance you may have had to sell that great item you won last week to afford the better version you just found for sale. There will be times when we go on a raid for a specific purpose. Shaman and Monk players really need Fungi Tunics, for example. Don't be afraid to ask about a raid to get you a particular piece of equipment. I think we all love helping our guild mates as long as greed is kept to a minimum.

  7. As hokey as it sounds, DOA should strive to be a bright and shining example of how a guild of players should behave on our server. If you can, turn the other cheek. Just leave if a situation becomes intolerable.Name-calling and the like will never earn you any respect. If you can be calm and rational and work out an equitable solution, that's how you achieve greatness. And if you remain calm and well mannered when others are not and will not be reasonable, that's how you become a legend. This is not to say don't stand up for your rights, just pick where you make your stand. The street is a much better position than the gutter. And after all is said and done, you always have guild chat to rant and scream and tell all of us about the jerks you just had to deal with.

  8. DOA is comprised of three levels: The Guild Leader, The Council, Members at large. The council will be made up of four members plus two additional members per 40 DOA'ers. By adding council members two at a time, there can never be a tie that cannot be broken (Guild Leader breaks the tie). Other than the responsibility of keeping the guild running smoothly, the guild leader and council members receive no special perks or considerations.

    9. The Guild Leader represents DOA directly when dealing with the rest of the server. He or she has the authority to act in the best interest of the guild unilaterally. Of course, abuse of this responsibility will be dealt with strongly. The GL will break ties in council votes, deal with member disputes, and when necessary discipline wayward members. The Guild Leader is elected for life unless they resign or are removed.

    Council Members are responsible for dealing with membership applications, approving new members for their probationary period, and serving the membership at large. Any concerns about the direction of DOA, someone who has applied for membership, or someone in their probationary period should be should be brought to any council member to whom you feel comfortable talking. Council members are elected for life unless they resign or are removed.

  9. Leaves of Absence

This section is intended to deal with the inevitable occurence of the guild leadership being away from the game for an extended period of time. The guild is best served by having a leadership that is playing the game regularly, and is available to members within the game as well as outside of it on the web. In the event that the Guild Leader will be unable to have a major presence in the game for a period of time (due to illness, work, burnout, whatever), the Guild Leader will in effect temporarily swap positions with a Council Member of his/her choice. If this exchange continues for more than 60 days, then the acting Leader will resume his/her council position and a new Guild Leader election will be called. The former guild leader's status will revert to that of a regular guild member.

In the event that a Council Member will be unable to have a major presence in the game for a period of time (due to illness, work, burnout, whatever), that Council Member should select a regular guild member from the membership at large to serve as an "acting" council member. This member must be approved by the Guild Leader and Council by a simple majority vote. If this exchange continues for more than 60 days, then the acting Council Member will resume his/her regular membership and a new Council Member election will be called. The former council member's status will revert to that of a regular guild member.

Normal members experience no penalty for being "away" from the game for any period of time. It is encouraged however that before a member decides to take a break, or even retire from the game, that he/she notifies the guild membership that he/she will be absent. This is not required, but we are a group of friends, and we worry!

10. To Join DOA

  1. Complete the online application on our web site.

  2. A Council Member will contact the prospect to discuss membership.

  3. Two or more Council Member/Guild Leader will decide to temp tag.

  4. The new member will have a 30-day probation period. During this time they will have access to all our forums except the new member discussion area.

  5. At the end of 30 days the council will decide whether or not to admit the new member. If a member has a problem with a candidate, the member will express reservations to the council. If the council determines the conflict can't be worked out, then that person will not be admitted. Any member may explicitly deny an applicant membership through the council.

  6. The post in the new member discussion area concerning this member will be purged, the new member will be given full access to all the forums, and the new member will be added to our mailing list.

11. Unpleasant items.

Members, Council Members, and/or the Guild Leader can be removed in much the same way as new members are added.

  1. A member calls a vote.

  2. The council (minus the member being voted on if necessary) will hear the grievance and decide whether or not to proceed.

  3. A full report will be prepared by the council and sent to all members.

  4. As soon as feasible, a vote will be called. 80% of the at large vote and 100% of the council are required to remove a person from office or the guild, minus the person involved. In the event that an officer is to be removed from office and from the guild, this process will be carried out twice.

Home Page