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The contents of this document are the property of its author (Name withheld for reasons of privacy and security) and for use exclusively for the "The Black Company Guild and Gaming Organization" presently residing at TBCHQ.org.  Absolutely zero reproduction of any part of any version of ""The Black Company Guild and Gaming Organization Charter" and its attached files, on any media other than TBCHQ.org, is authorized to anyone at any time for any reason, without the express written consent, payment of at least one pound of flesh and one million dollars.  Copyright - 2004-2015

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Table of Contents

I.       Introduction
II.      Vision Statement
III.     History
IV.     Chain of Command (CoC)
V.      Special Duty Billets
VI.     Methodology
VII.    "Of, By, For" - The Motto of The Black Company
VIII.   Communications Network
IX.     Applicant's Recruiting Information
X.       A Message from the Captains
XI.      Misc - Copyright Information

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Greetings,

Welcome to the off-world encampment of The Black Company MMO Gaming Organization (Guild), or as we call it simply, TBCHQ.

If you are seeking the services of mercenaries and are not concerned with the pleasantries, feel free to forward to the Vision Statement.  While we do recommend reading the Charter in its entirety as it will offer a greater understanding of the tenacity of those you wish to hire, we do understand completely that Time is Money.

In keeping with long standing tradition, this Charter serves as the first body of work that gives insight into who we are and what we are here to do, for both the hopeful Recruit and the potential employer seeking the services of mercenaries.  As is also our tradition, we keep our History alive through the Annals of the Black Company, embodied in this site, in order to remember, learn, and offer guidance to our future. All that we were, are, and will be can be found here, to stand as testimony that we were here, that we were a part of something much older, greater than ourselves.

Though our previous deployments led us onto multiple, simultaneous theaters of operation, we now operate within one MMORPG at a time.  Our members are mostly from the U.S., with several EU members of long term and prestigious standing.  The short version of our basics information:


NA Based (East to West Coast Time Zones) - EU/AU Welcome, 21+ Age, Discord and Forum Usage Mandatory

Beyond the Bastion, awaiting those who seek to join our ranks, lies a rich history wrought from years of trial and error, experience and toil. With the understanding that The Black Company itself is the main character presented here, we Welcome you to our camp. 

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Our Mission: Seek and carry out lucrative Contracts requiring precision military operations.

The Black Company is first and foremost a mercenary army which wages the wars our Employer's have no desire nor strategic capability to accomplish themselves.  

Our Method: We are a guild-based massive multiplayer online role playing (mmorpg) gaming organization that has taken the setting of Glen Cook's The Black Company series, to establish a militant, mercenary methodology for recreation and immersion within fantasy/sci-fi based virtual worlds.

Throughout the years, we have enjoyed many successful contractual relationships within the player communities, expanding both user created content and our own coffers.  Through this experience, we have learned well that expecting full-time player employment is unrealistic at best.  In order to keep the Company operating with a purpose, we must make allowances for the telling of our own story.  Given the special nature of modern gaming communities and the number of mercenary guilds to be found, we maintain our Annals with all aspects of notable content. 

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In 1984, author Glen Cook published the first of The Black Company novels, titled by the same name. Described as "gritty" and "realistic", the no-nonsense "in the trenches" narration of then Annalist and Physician, Croaker struck a cord which quickly became popular among real world military and fantasy enthusiasts alike.  A mercenary army which takes commissions for doing that which their Employer will not, the Company had seen hundreds of years of previous work and history before we are introduced to them while in service to the Syndic of Beryl.  Soon after, they accepted a Commission from one of the world's most unimaginably powerful sorceresses, Soulcatcher.  This began a tumultuous journey into empirical intrigue and grand scale warfare where the tell tale signs of the bad guy are anything but clear. 

The Black Company has since become synonymous with some of fantasy's greatest Anti-heroes, upholding a Company wide philosophy of non-morality.  Dark and sinister deeds often become the tool and trade of those claiming the path of good while so-called evil doers are quite often the far lesser of the two.  The Black Company stands firmly in between these two factions, casting shadows upon only those seeking to find them.  To quote One-Eye, the Company's longest living Brother from his own Annals, "Whom among the dead will recount which side was to blame for their ultimate achievement?"

A total of ten novels were written over a period of nearly 17 years, each written in the form of the Annals of the Black Company, from the viewpoint of several different Annalists. The chosen Company Annalist's primary function is to capture the essence and spirit of Company life, so that that future Brothers are able to learn from the past, remember fallen Brothers and their deeds, and gather tactical data tested under practical application.

After many moons of out running/tinkering/flat out getting owned by deep Reds on Baja, pre-tramm Ultima, many of us found our way to Rubi-ka, RK1, of once game of the year, Anarchy Online. Several of us were well known among both Clan and Omni alike as prominent members of The Mockers and Shadow Company.  As times, games, and people are forever changing, we began to search for a new purpose.   The core of what remained, dedicated to the proposition that our own journey had only just begun, set forth to pound ground toward creating an entirely new experience for ourselves.

Our MMO Gaming Chapter of Glen Cook's The Black Company began on April 1, 2003, in front of The Cup in West Athen, Rubi Ka. 

Since that day, we have explored and/or campaigned in the usual rogue's gallery of MMO games.  With each campaign, we continue to hone our skills and broaden our knowledge base in all areas of operation... Supply, Infantry, Recruiting, City building, Politics, and Diplomacy, building on the collective knowledge of each capable Brother.  We rely on synergy to create the solutions for the individual and the Company alike.  Tried and Tested, we live and die by our Brother's Sword.

Not surprisingly, we are not the only ones to favor this incredible creation by Glen Cook.  There are several guilds bearing the name of variations of the original name, across many popular games and fantasy venues, each a separate club/organization unto itself though some with shared histories, and many without. 

To Note:  Unfortunately, our Charter and Motto have been plagiarized on several occasions, for which there are no avenues of recourse save openly addressed reproach.    Additionally, due to a shared lineage by former members, we occasionally cross paths with former members and there are invariably accusations made by those for whom the past cannot be kept in its place.   In spite of the necessity for drama inherent in many gamers and guilds, the notion that we are at war with any other TBC guild/organization/club is not propagated nor shared by the members of our organization.   If there can be one thing said about any of the organizations, let it be said that we all exist to have fun, in our own ways, on our own terms; none can argue that each of us has achieved this in our own estimations.   Let it be stated here, for the record, that while there are other guilds which may appear similar by way of their Charters, all outside and objective review of each has shown that while you can put on the uniform, you can never achieve the results without first having the ability and desire to honor the original works by Glen Cook.   We have each gone own separate ways, down much different paths, each for our own reasons.   

We have remembered and honored all the events that have lead us to our present, both the good and the bad.   Perhaps the old wounds will one day heal, friendships will be remembered, respect can be restored.  Then again, as many are wont to spit into the campfires,  "With friends like that...".  As One-Eye once told us after a long night of Whatnot: "wish in one hand, shit in the other...see which gets filled first".   While we respect One-eye's wisdom, there are times when we're happy he is wrong.   


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The Black Company novels make note of the Captain, The Lieutenant, Sergeants, and at times, generic "officers", without further defining these roles or personalities, leaving the reader to use their own experience to fill in the blanks.   Bearing in mind that the novels were never meant as a blueprint for guild building, we have adhered to the structure described in the novels as canon,  adding and subtracting Ranks and Duties as necessary for each game of Deployment.   In addition, while ranks and insignias vary by branch and country, we have created our own in keeping with our experience and what works, though largely influenced by the United States Marine Corps. From the top down:

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• The Captain
  Description: The Black Company Senior Officer ultimately responsible for ensuring the success of, by, and for the Company through the creation of Company-wide and Division specific General Orders, policies, SOPs, and strategies via direct command and/or delegation of assignments to those evaluated as best suited to the job.
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors. Historian Badge.
  Duties: Include but not limited to:
• Dictate Company-wide and Division specific General Orders, policies, SOPs, and strategies
  
• Procure and negotiate Player Contracts
• Maintain a working network of communications and contacts in order to understand and predict global server and game trends
• Promotions and Assignments: Coordinates and/or assists in the selection, assignment, and promotion the following ranks and billets:
  
• Selection and assignment of the Lieutenant and Standardbearer
  
• Coordinate with the Lieutenant for the Selection and assignment of the First Sergeant and Master Sergeant
  
• Coordinate with the First Sergeant for the Selection and assignment of the Infantry Division Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO's)
  
• Coordinate with the Lieutenant and Master Sergeant for the Selection and assignment of the Support Division Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO’s)
  
• Recruiting - Sets and oversees Company wide Recruiting Policy and SOP's.
  
• Coordinates with the Lieutenant and First Sergeant  to oversee the completion and final assessment of Recruit Training
  
• Create and coordinate Company events
  
• Create entries and maintain coordination of all events via Operations Calendar (OPCAL)
  
• Equipment Issue.  Will coordinate with the LT. to arrange for all assignments required to obtain raw materials for manufacturing and/or mission objectives
  
• Issue a State of the Company Report every six months.
  

• The Lieutenant
  Description: Second In Command.  Chief of Staff and senior advisor to the Captain.  Coordinates the training, compliance and execution of all General Orders, policies, SOPs, and strategies issued by the Captain, either by direct involvement of duty or by delegation through the Division Senior NCOs. As the Captain is the cerebrum of the Company then the Lieutenant is the brain stem, ensuring that the Infantry and Support Divisions are acting in accordance with Company methodology and mission statement.
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors. Chosen by the Captain. Having served as an NCO of the Company.
  Duties: Include but not limited to:
• General oversight of the Captain's Vision down to the ID and SD personnel and operations.
  
• Create and coordinate Company events
  
• Create entries and maintain coordination of all events via Operations Calendar (OPCAL)
  
• Planning Company Events and Combat Training Schedules with the First Sergeant.
  
• Coordinate planning Support Division Material Acquisitions events and Combat Support events with the Master Sergeant.
  
• Ensure the operational readiness of the Company through the ID and SD Senior NCOs
  
• Coordination and oversight of the completion and final assessment of Recruit Training with the First Sergeant
  
• Coordination and oversight of the collection, storage, creation, and disbursement of all Company assets.
  

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• First Sergeant - ID
  Description: Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of Infantry Division. Charged with the day to day operation and management of Infantry Division, its NCOs, Soldiers, and Recruits and ensure their compliance with Company goals and policies along with the NCOs. Works closely with the Lieutenant on the capabilities required of Infantry Division and the equipment and combat training required to reach those capabilities. Often simply referred to as "First" or "1SGT".
  Qualifications: Brother with Full Colors. Having served as an NCO.
  Duties: Include but not limited to:
• Coordinates with the Lieutenant and Master Sergeant on what it needs needs from Support Division for mission accomplishment.
• Maintain accurate ID rosters
  
• Update Activity Status and Personnel profiles for Recruits and Infantry Division
  
• Assess the participation and activity levels of ID personnel and Recruits through the NCOs
  
• Issues Command Orders to ID NCO's for completion of PVP/PVM missions as assigned and/or required for Company
  
• Tracking personnel progression and item procurement for operational readiness
  
• Execute the Recruit Training and Combat Training programs laid out by the Lieutenant and Captain.
  

• Master Sergeant - SD
  Description: Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of Support Division.  Charged with the day to day operation and management of Support Division, its NCOs, Soldiers, and Recruits and ensure their compliance with Company goals and policies along with the NCOs.  Works closely with the Lieutenant on the capabilities required of Support Division and the equipment and combat training required to reach those capabilities. Often referred to as Top, but only by those Brothers in good graces)
  Qualifications: Brother with Full Colors. Having served as an NCO
  Duties: Include but not limited to:
• Coordinates with the Lieutenant and First Sergeant on what SD must accomplish, and what it needs from Infantry Division.
  
• Maintain accurate SD rosters
  
• Update Activity Status and Personnel profiles for Support Division
  
• Assess the participation and activity levels of SD personnel through the NCOs
  
• Issues Command Orders to SD NCO's for completion of PVE/Resource/Asset Gathering missions as assigned and/or required for Company and Brother progression
  
• Administration and assignment for distribution of all available supplies to applicable personnel as assigned and/or required for Company and personnel progression
  
• Execute the Support Combat Training program laid out by the Captain and the Lieutenant.
  

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• Staff Sergeants
  Description: Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) tasked with the creation, leading and coordination of Brothers in the field.  The designation of Staff Sergeant is assigned to NCO's who are Veteran Soldiers of the Company.
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors. Having qualified for Veteran Soldier. Assignment approved by a Senior NCO and Officers.
  Duties: Include but not limited to:
• Creation and Leading of Squads (Teams) for completion of Orders/Missions as assigned and/or required for Company and Brother progression
  
• Coordinates with Field Commander (Raid Leaders) for completion of objectives
  
• Work with the Senior NCOs on tracking of progress of Brothers in the Company.
  
• Training of Recruits and Brothers in all areas of Class and Company knowledge
  

• Sergeants
  Description:  Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) tasked with the creation, leading and coordination of Brothers in the field.
  Qualifications:   Brother with Full Colors.  Assignment approved by a Senior NCO and Officers.
  Duties: Include but not limited to:
• Creation and Leading of Squads (Teams) for completion of Orders/Missions as assigned and/or required for Company and Brother progression
  
• Coordinates with Field Commander (Raid Leaders) for completion of objectives
  
• Work with the Senior NCOs on tracking of progress of Brothers in the Company.
  
• Training of Recruits and Brothers in all areas of Class and Company knowledge
  

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• Veteran Soldiers
  Description: Veteran Soldiers are those Brothers who, by proving their worth through Duty and adherence to Company values, demonstrate that they are best fit to guide Recruits and Soldiers alike in all matters of Life in the Black Company.
  Qualifications: Serve no less than twelve months on Active Duty, accrued on Deployment. 
  Duties: All Duties of Soldiers
  Privileges: Increased contract pay to E3.  Applicable for Retirement.
   

• Soldiers -
  Description : Regular Company Members, the Grunts of both Infantry and Support Divisions.  The Backbone of the Company, doing what needs to get done.
  Qualifications :  Be voted to Full Colors by the RRB
  Duties : Including but not limited to :
• Read and participate in all Active Duty Boards and Wikis, All Hands Bulletins, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
  
• Consistent participation in Company events and operations
  
• Take full advantage of all offerings of the theatre of operations (Game of Deployment) with the express purpose of passing their knowledge on to the Company. 
  

• Recruits
  Description : Recruits are not required to know how to "be Company", but to learn and become Soldiers of the Black Company.
  Qualifications : Complete the application process and receive a majority vote by the RS5.
  Duties : Including but not limited to :
• Learn and be Company. Read and learn the TBCRD and Company methods.
  
• Demonstrate a dedication to the Company and to earning their Full Colors.
  
• Read and participate in all Active Duty Boards and Wikis, All Hands Bulletins, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
  
• Consistent participation in Company events and operations
  
• Take full advantage of all offerings of the theatre of operations (Game of Deployment) with the express purpose of passing their knowledge on to the Company.
  

To allow for the interjection of real world circumstances into our mmo gaming lifestyle, we have two membergroups which are applicable for those who have earned their Full Colors.    Recruits needing extended time away from the Company will be dismissed without prejudice.

• Leave of Absence
  Description: LOA status is available for those Brothers who cannot be active in Company life for whatever reasons.   These Brothers are Inactive in any capacity.
  Qualifications: Brother with Full Colors
  Duties and Privileges: They do not receive full forum access, but do retain access to the RnR Section of the Member Forums where their Notice of LOA Must be submitted prior to going LOA.   
  

• Retired Veterans
  Description: There are times in every Soldier's Life when he must make a decision to lay down his arms, for his own reasons.    Those Brothers who attain Veteran status are given a pass to Retire, placing them into a special membergroup that will save their account from deletion.   In order to maintain this account, you are required to be either an active member of the community in the Commons, or at the very least, visit the site at least once every six months with the understanding that perhaps one day, you will once again ride out with the Company for new adventures.   Any Retired Account not utilized once every six months will be deleted.
  Qualifications:  Having qualified for Veteran Soldier. Having requested Retirement.
  Duties and Privileges: Their account will be preserved in so far as the forums are visited at least once every six months.
  

Rank selection is always done by one single factor: Duty.  An Officer is Not a Person. An NCO is not a Person. A Rank is a List of Duties. When you can longer perform those Duties, you are no longer applicable for that rank. This insures that each Brother does their part, the ranks have room to grow, and we learn by taking in all the knowledge we possibly can from all sources.  While the Company belongs to all of us, those who put in the time to learn the needs of the Company are best fit to lead it.  We are All Grunts, some of us just have more paperwork.  At the end of the day, service to the Company is all that matters.

Each Division will maintain a separate identity under the single Standard of the Black Company.  You cannot build an army unless you can equip one.  Infantry members can rest assured knowing they are going to into battle with the best equipment to be found anywhere and the Support grunts know they are able to ply their trade by using the most sought after rare ingredients.  Support feeds Infantry feeds Support feeds Infantry and so on. Years of experience with this method have forged an unbreakable bond between these two entities which not only provide for the most involvement in Company life, but serve to further the needs of both by serving the whole.

Infantry Division: If you aren't toiling over a workbench all day or gathering supplies to go back and toil, you are Infantry.  Each combatant will work with his squad and team to build tactics and routine to maximize efficiency. The life of a grunt can be filled with excitement and adventure, but can also be tedious and trying. We officially support all styles of play, from PvP to PVE, while maintaining that any Brother seeking advanced PVM content (if applicable) is responsible for their own time and involvement with game developer "Forced Content".   We will practice and experience PVP/PVE through User Generated Content missions, exercises, scheduled events and practice sessions, as well as the day to day spur of the moment adventures.

Support Division:   Every Brother is a basic infantryman, however some wish to serve the Company with a commitment to providing for the Company.  We centralize our entire crafting capability by keep a central storage location for all supplies, as well as for distribution to the Brothers.  We do Not buy and sell among each other in the Black Company.  We issue all equipment that can be traded freely, at no direct cost, to those Brothers who have earned those supplies by assisting the Support Division to gather them. Simply put, we take care of our own by assuring both crafter and fighter alike have continual purpose and outlets for their chosen professions.

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• The Annalist
  Description: The position of Annalist is an Administrative Billet. A traditional and critical role in how The Black Company operates by sharing our wisdom, experiences and unique outlook with fresh blood and those around us.  The Annalist will select and train one Apprentice Annalist to carry on the work in times of absence or retirement.
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors.  Earned and Awarded the Historian Badge, earned by completing the reading of all Official "Glen Cook's The Black Company" novels available to date.  Demonstrated a clear understanding and command of the English language, both in spoken and written forms, demonstrated by submission of an original Black Company work of fiction worthy of entry into our Annals.
  Duties:
  
  • To keep, maintain, and record the Annals of the Black Company, through the use of our Forums and Wiki in order to further our History with objective documentation.
    
  • Write narrative literature to further the tradition Company writers starting with Glen Cook and continued by our guild Brothers since our organisation's inception in 2003.
  • Maintain the Log of Brothers by adding all new Recruits to the Log upon acceptance into the Company and to record their exit out of the Company into regardless of their path of departure.
    
  Privileges: Confers several privileges outside of the holder's assigned rank, included but not limited to otherwise restricted access to information and secure areas of the forums for the express purpose of objective record keeping, as well as to inspire the expansion of our Annals for future generations of Brothers to Learn and Become.
  

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• Standardbearer
  Description: "The Standardbearer" is an Honorary Billet granted to a Brother with Full Colors who embodies our philosophical values and adheres to our methodologies to such a degree as to be an example for one and all. Traditionally, the Standardbearer is considered to be next in line for an Officer's Commission, either through the position of Annalist or otherwise. This is not, however, etched in stone. 
  
  According to the Annals, the Standardbearer is the Keeper of the Company Standard, a black Lance of purported magical properties upon which is hung the banner chosen by the Company at that time.  For many centuries now, this has been the Death's Head insignia adopted from the Taken, Soulcatcher.  Most often called "SB" or "The SB".
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors. Position exclusively chosen by the Captain.
  Duties:
  
  • Official bodyguard to the Captain
    
  • Bearer and protector  of the Company Standard
    
  • Act as a liaison between the rank and file and the Officer Corps, given the SB's close proximity to the Enlisted ranks as well as the Officer Corps grants a distinct advantage to observe and interact with all Brothers of the Company regardless of rank and/or billet.
    

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• Lead Recruiter
  Description: Charged with creating and developing plans and strategies to bring in Prospects for the Company.  Just as every Brother is a basic infantryman, each Brother accepts the privilege and honor of assisting in Company growth by accepting the responsibility of being a basic recruiter.  The position is meant to represent a Brother with a passion for bringing in new blood to the Company, interacting with all aspects of the community, in and out of game, to achieve this purpose.
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors. Have served no less than one full term on the RRB. Appointed by the RS5.
  Duties:
  
  • Direct and train Company Recruiters in how to develop Prospects
  • Work with the Captain and Lieutenant on Recruitment Strategies and Process
  • Promote the Company within the community to encourage recruitment
  • Discuss recruitment into the Company with prospective Applicants (Specs)
  • Officiate the recruitment process from Spec to Applicant to Recruit, managing all requisite paperwork from application to archive
  Privileges:
  
  • Holds the rank of Sergeant or Staff Sergeant dictated by their Time in Service
  • Appoint Company Recruiters with the approval of Senior NCOs of their division assignment

• Company Recruiter
  Description: An Official Recruiter for the Company.  Just as every Brother is a basic infantryman, each Brother accepts the privilege and honor of assisting in Company growth by accepting the responsibility of being a basic recruiter.  The position is meant to represent a Brother with a passion for bringing in new blood to the Company, interacting with all aspects of the community, in and out of game, to achieve this purpose.
  Qualifications:  Brother with Full Colors. Have served no less than one full term on the RRB. Appointed by the Lead Recruiter and Senior NCOs of their division assignment.
  Duties:
  
  • Promote the Company within the community to encourage recruitment
  • Discuss recruitment into the Company with prospective Applicants (Specs)
  • Officiate the recruitment process from Spec to Applicant to Recruit, managing all requisite paperwork from application to archive

• Recruiting Section Five (RS5)
  Description and Duties: The Recruiting Section Five is comprised of the Captain, Lieutenant, First  Sergeant, Master Sergeant, and the Lead Company Recruiter.  The RS5 will review all applications and TBC10Q's to decide which Applicants are qualified to proceed with recruitment into the Company.  The final decision on each Applicant is decided by a majority vote via the 10Q.
  

• Recruit Review Board (RRB)
  Description and Duties: The RRB is the administrative section charged with voting on Recruits who have completed The Black Company Boot Camp (TBCBC), having earned their first applicable promotion to Soldier of The Black Company and awarded with Full Colors, entitled to all the rights, privileges, duties therein.
  
  The RRB is comprised of the RS5 in addition to four volunteer appointed Brothers who have obtained Full Colors.  The Company authorizes three Review Boards per calendar year with each appointment serving a term of four months, beginning on JAN01, MAY01, & SEP01.
  
  Appointment to the RRB is prioritized by the time of submission of an application. If there are volunteers waiting to fill a seat, then there is a limit of a single term. Those with the least time served with Full Colors are replaced first by the number of volunteers waiting, and if there are four volunteers waiting in the queue, then all four seats are replaced for that term. The date of entry onto the board has no effect on the length of time served on the board.
  

• Recruit Review Board (RRB) Member
  Description: A completely voluntary position for Brothers. Members will vote on Recruits completing Boot Camp and are ready to receive Full Colors.
  Qualifications:  Served six months with Full Colors on Active Duty.
  Duties: Voting on each and every sponsored Recruit is mandatory. The RRB term is rescinded if the member misses a single vote or resigned if on an extended LOA of more than two weeks is required. The next volunteer in line may choose to take their place or wait for the next full term with no penalty, then offered to the next in the list.
  Privileges: Sponsoring a recruit to a vote for Full Colors and awarded a badge for completing a full term.

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We base our methodology of operation on the lore established in Glen Cook's "Annals of the Black Company" series of novels, which is to say we operate as a military-based mercenary army.  As stated in Section IV - CoC, the novels were never meant as a blueprint for guild building.  We began with the foundation established in the novels and built outward from there to create a working guild model adapted to the eclectic walks of life that make up any collection of human beings from around the world.  That said, we will use all appropriate precedents from the novels when establishing any new operating procedure.

More often than not, those who sign up to kill people for money, have a dark past or a truly noble reason for doing so.  Your past is yours and yours alone, as is your morality.  Having stated that, keep in mind a military organization has rules, structure, orders, and Duties. We wear uniforms, hold formations, conduct ceremonies, behaving accordingly as a military. We salute the highest ranking Officer while outdoors.  We do mission briefings and debriefings. 

We play each game to which we are deployed in its totality to fulfill our goal of being “The Black Company”. As stated in our Vision Statement, we are first and foremost a PVP guild that specializes in taking Contracts to work for other players and player organizations.

In order to build and equip an army, an army must work as hard off the battlefield as when upon it. Thus we fully engage in all areas of non-pvp combat. These include, but are not limited to Player versus Environment or Monster, game originated missions, quests, raiding, gathering and crafting alongside our Brothers.

If this sounds dull and more like work, you will do well to bear in mind that in our case, Duty means playing games. Orders means we're going out to gain experience, build skills, gather gold or simply go on an adventure. Rules means work in groups, know your formation roles and position in the team.  It means above all else that you are here to Have Fun within the framework the Company offers.  Skepticism is to be expected for newcomers who may be used to carrying the bulk of the load while others are allowed to slack.  Those who do not pull their weight are quickly sorted out and discharged.  Rest assured, you will not be alone in your endeavors.

This is Lore Play in a Fantasy Environment and should be treated as such at all times if it is to be truly enjoyed.  We all have either jobs, spouses, or kids that offer plenty of hair loss; we log in to relieve stress, not create it.

So every now and then when someone barks, "HEY MOOK, YOUR FUGGIN ARM BROKE?", it means you didn't salute an Officer.  Occasionally, a team leader will need to call out "CAN THE CHATTER!!" or "Silence!!".  This doesn't mean we've set out an order to you as a person to obey the whim of a maniacal megalomaniac what seeks to dominate your mind and body.  It means we're about to engage The Thing That Needs Killing which requires coordination and teamwork for success.  While we are fond of the occasionally humorous clusterfuck, we more enjoy getting our rewards for accomplishing our missions.    We are not the International Freelove and Hugs Association. We are a military-based mercenary unit and play as such.

We maintain a regimented Duty Schedule (Calendar of Events) available to Recruits and Above.   This Company enjoys a high level of activity on its forums (Annals), allowing for All Hands to gain access to Company Events and Status.  We encourage All Hands to not only attend, but to Create your own events as well.  All Hands, Recruits included, are assigned Squad and Field Command billets as needed and practical.  As with Everything in Company life, while there is a time and place for Everything and Every Type of input, you cannot know what you're made of until you test your mettle as a Leader in Battle.   In short, don't expect to sit back and be bossed around like a robot; you are expected to be an Active Thinking Weapon, a Professional Soldier.

We enjoy being our characters, we enjoy our own selves as well.  This is why we claim to be a Lore Playing Guild rather than a Role Playing Guild. It is acceptable to discuss whatever you wish with the understanding that when we are on a mission/adventure, we use the appropriate channels for the appropriate communication. To put it simply, there is a time and place for everything.   

As we maintain a policy of Freedom of Speech, be aware that the real world can and will be discussed amongst the Brothers.   We do not discriminate on the topics.   We understand that for most people, most guilds, this generally refers to religion and politics, two topics which most guilds avoid at all costs for a variety of reasons.   While we will not disparage any other group for creating rules against such topics, each person who joins the Company should be aware that you will be exposed to those subjects at some point in your Company career.   You will also see nudity and graphic images of violence.   As a matter of course, you will find those with whom you disagree, perhaps vehemently, perhaps only slightly.  At no time is attacking a person for their beliefs acceptable in any form.   You are, however, free to state your own beliefs and thoughts on any subject, so long as you bear in mind that you are likely to encounter someone for whom the opposite viewpoint is a matter of culture, lifestyle, upbringing and/or choice.   

Any debate or response to any opposing viewpoint regardless of medium is simply this:  Attack the subject, not the speaker. 

If your cultural, political, and/or religious views are important enough to you that other people believing differently, behaving differently, speaking differently, bothers you, you probably won't fit in.

There will come a time when communication and camaraderie fails.  It can and will happen whenever more than one human being coexist in the same place.   We're all human and on some days, we are not at our best, to ourselves or others.  We understand, shit happens.   We have a well established protocol for these times:

It is our belief that nobody needs to be told to take personal issues to private channels.   As adults, you are expected to handle your own personal issues.  Should you ever find the need for a moderator in order to establish a starting point for conflict resolution, simply ask Any Brother to stand in.  Officers do not hold the reigns on personal behavior and preference; this right and privilege is endowed upon you by your creator, whosoever you believe that to be.  You alone can choose to be here as you alone choose how you will behave.  Simply put, the Company Officers and NCO's are not babysitters, are not your personal counselors.  Be an adult and communicate with each other to solve your differences.   

If you become a problem for the Company on a regular basis, you will be discharged. 

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"OBF" - "Of the Company, By the Company, For the Company" - This phrase was adapted from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, for The Black Company by its founding Captain, who once played as the character named Tekerton. 

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

We found this to be the ultimate definition of what it means to give yourself over to an entity that embodies the term "synergy".  When we say OBF, we are saying that, in keeping with Glen Cook's statement that the Black Company is the main character in the story, the Company itself is held higher than any one person.  We give all to the Company first, then consider the individual.   Most importantly, it dictates that though the Company is headed by its Officers, it is the men and woman from which the Company is comprised who ultimately dictate the direction and livelihood of the collective.

Armed with this indelible credo, we set out to accomplish something extraordinary, all those years ago, in the world of online gaming guilds.  Through the distinguished acts of our Brothers, we hold firm that we did indeed succeed.  Our very existence is a direct homage to the types of deep interpersonal connections that have been present throughout the history of man, who's bonds are only forged in the fires of war.   Be that as it may, we hold that whether in the form of an army, a fraternity, a guild, or a family, a common Purpose has shown its ability to define a community so often that we take this for granted in our daily lives.  We continue to Choose to call attention to this common bond of unity and we define this by use of the word Brotherhood and coupling it with the declaration "Of By For".

In its purest essence, this means quite literally, that each and every thing we do, every decision we make, regardless of personal loss, must be measured and found to wholeheartedly provide for benefit of the Company.  It means that sword you just ran through the face of our Client's enemy was forged by Company hands, of materials collected by Company hands, for use by Company hands.  It means we are as self-sustaining, all-encompassing, and damn hard working.  We do this not simply because we want and choose to, but rather because we must.  For a Brother of The Black Comapny, to experience online gaming in any other way has been explored, measured, and found utterly lacking in cohesion, purpose, and passion. 

Brotherhood is about the Brothers, not the flag you fly. If you aren't sure what this all means, you probably won't fit in. 

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TBC Forums: Since the dawn of mmo guilds, there have been guild leaders who have gone stark raving mad attempting to get their members to participate in the Guild Forums.  The Black Company has found a solution that simply works:

If you don't participate, you forfeit your membership.  No hassle, no pestering, no threats, no hair pulling. As with all aspects of Company life, You alone made the choice to be here.   

Each member must have a valid, active email address in order to receive notifications of Company events.

Our Forums are an integrated part of our COMMNET (communications network).  Organized recreational activity clubs are Never formed or maintained on the play field.  For every organized team you will find an office somewhere, whether they call it the Clubhouse or the Office, each and every one has a place where formal and informal meetings and announcements are made and posted.  This guild is no different. 

In order to make the most of this line of communication, you are assured freedom of speech and a lack of hostile moderation.   Your posts will only be edited by you.  Posts in the wrong section will be moved to the appropriate section, but your threads will never mysteriously "disappear".  Old threads are archived, not deleted or hidden to save face.   New recruits have as much right to speak their minds about their ideas as do the Veterans. While there are always things in the works not every pay grade has access to, rest assured your input is always valuable when it is utilized and filtered properly through the CoC.

While we practice true freedom of speech, when you begin acting like an asshole, have no doubt a resident member to whom Common Sense and Decency are innate will notify you accordingly.   Remember: What you say is largely dependent on how you say it.   

All that we were, are, and will be can be found here, meticulously documented in order to claim the rights of an actual organization.  The following sections are examples of what can be found on the member boards:


Bulletin Boards:  We maintain a regimented, updated, and event specific boards for various incoming information.  The following items are but a few examples of what can be found on these boards are: All changes and/or introduction of policies, notification and briefing of events, and promotions.

Divisional Operations Boards:  We maintain a board specifically for each Division, Infantry and Support.  While each board has their own sub-sections for divisional coordination and debriefing, each is designed to discuss all events before and after they happen, to learn, to teach, to better ourselves by reviewing our strengths and weaknesses.

RnR:  We maintain a board specifically for Rest and Relaxation, for bullshitting while just being Yourself.

The Annals: We maintain a complete history of our Company, to include stories written, rosters, Service Record Books for each member, biographies, and debriefs.   We are the sum of our collective experiences and strive diligently to maintain an accurate, impartial account, for good or bad, for the benefit of present and future generations.

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In addition to the discussion forums, TBCHQ has several other software applications which serve the Company to create an atmosphere and the actuality of professionalism and organization:

Events Calendar: We utilize and maintain a Calendar for all Company events, for use by all members regardless of rank to encourage all hands participation and maximize attendance.

Rosters: We maintain active and current Division/Class/Rank Rosters, to easily identify who is who within the Company.
 
Training WIKI:  We maintain a WIKI specifically for the gathering and dissemination of all knowledge regarding our active theater of operations, no matter the source be it in house or off site, of each profession and area of content.  The sum of the Company's wealth of knowledge of what we know about the game we are deployed to can be found here in order to train Recruits and Veterans alike.

Automated Forms: Forums are designed for discussions.  WIKI's are designed for dissemination of information.  We employ the use of custom built forms to handle the processing of information in order to disseminate it to the appropriate personnel in a uniform and timely manner.    From Recruiting, Equipment Requisitions, Mission Briefings, to After Action Reports, this portion of our customized infrastructure is built to ensure that we not only are able to maintain a high level of efficiency and professionalism, but to allow us the freedom to do what we're here to do in the first place:  Have Fun playing games.

Media Center: We have a full featured media center which hosts all manner of images, video files, any type of files for downloads, and any other type of files utilized for Company operations as well as entertainment.

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Voice Communication Programs (VComms) : It is our belief that the typical usage of VComms ruin true immersion for the majority of the game experience, creating disruptions in the lines of communication vital for military operations from large scale invasions/sieges to the most clandestine of small unit field operations.   We cannot define in words what True Immersion means to each individual.  We can say that, for many of us, being force fed a cacophonous din of inane, redundant, banalities for hours on end does not equate to "having fun".   Simply put, we aren't interested in listening to a play by play of every single moment and event in your game or real life.  We utilize our VComms primarily for tactical purposes in order to attain a high degree of efficiency and mission success.

The clear present and future of MMO gaming is the offering of Player Vs. Player content.  While some teams can indeed work independently without much verbal communication, the practicality controlling multiple teams while coordinating with several others across several guilds, has dictated that TBC create its own voice comm network and system of use.   While we maintain a strict discipline policy while voice comms are in use, you can expect that those upon whom you rely to cover your ass will treat you as human as you are willing to act.
 
During field operations, you will be assigned to a Squad with a corresponding channel.  The Field Commanders will communicate solely to the squad leaders, the squad leaders can then communicate with one another, then relay orders accordingly to squad members who coordinate solely on the squad level, leaving each squad to communicate independently from the entire Field Unit. In stark contrast to nearly all other VComms most gamers are exposed to, you will not be placed into a single room, told to shut up and be cut off from vital communications with your unit, or be exposed to chaotic blathering.  This allows for each squad to use its strengths to bolster that of the other squads while supporting and executing the global goals set forth by the Field Commander.    The tactical capabilities of both the Company and Discord are brought to bear, resulting in a vastly increased level of success.

As a result, We believe that our "Characters" are allowed to experience the roles that we as Gamers seek to experience with them. We get to be Recruits, Sgts, Tops, and Commanders, rather than Steve, Joe, Habib, Chan, Tyrone, Ed, Edd, Eddie, and Crystal.   It takes a quick mind and steady attention span to keep up, to stay sharp.  We know it isn't for everyone.  This is Not the  Free Hugs and Love Association....this is The Black Company.  You either really want a guild experience like this or you don't.

For a large part of our history, we have done without VComms in lieu of Text Channels.  We have experienced success in situations where others swear voice comms were needed to win, executed with grace, precision, and adherence to orders while relying upon the instantaneous results of drill and training.  We have found that practice and camaraderie, Drill and Training, are more than sufficient to create adventure and assure success in the most epic of scenarios.   

As a result, when not using voice comms for tactical purposes, we heavily endorse the use of text chat both in game and in Discord channels to enhance our gameplay immersion.  Bear in mind that this is largely in reference to "dungeon crawls".  We realize this isn't the best solution for every single person who joins the Company.  Due to these rather distinct policies, we also provide "RnR" (Rest and Relaxation) rooms for general off duty chatter. 

In addition to the Voice capability of the Discord, we also utilize the Text Chat function, much as many people use IRC servers.   To supplement the use of this function, we have a special room set up which is globally muted to allow for complete freedom from the afore mentioned inane banalities.   

If you aren't sure what this all means, you probably won't fit in.

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Most Importantly: We are hiring Soldiers. We are hiring those born with the instincts of a Killer. We're hiring those who seek to kill and get paid for it, in that order. If you want to spend your time running around solo all day, do not apply.  If your main goal is to harvest, trade, and craft, do not apply. This isn't to say we don't do these things in TBC, simply that they are tertiary aspects of our guild experience.

If you want to learn how to become a skilled combatant and put those skills to use on a daily basis to kill for money, to murder the crap out of those our employers wish to send back to the mud, TBC just may be the place for you. You have to have it in you from birth. We cannot teach you to have the need for combat, to be ruthless, cunning, and bloodthirsty. We'll teach you the skill if you bring the desire. We'll demand your best while we give you ours, all in service Of By and For the Company.

You may be brought into the guild as a Prospect during the course of being introduced to the Company. You have been invited to join the in-game guild on a temporary basis, but you have not officially joined the Company. You are expected to complete your path to Recruit status within two weeks of being accepted. Until you officially start your Application process as described below, you will have no access to Company forums or materials.

In order to qualify:

1. You must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.  While we realize there are mature teenagers and early twenty-something year olds, we have to draw a clear line in the sand, providing a greater range of social compatibility for our established community of adult gamers.     

As serious as we are about our Company and our gaming,  the real world comes first in all matters of  Family, Jobs, or any other aspect of Real Life which adults accept and understand as the meaning of maturity and adulthood.  While there are always exceptions, we have found that those beyond their teenage years are statistically more ready to accept this as a Fact of Life.  If you cannot accept that, if you need that explained any further, stop reading now as this is not the guild for which you are seeking. 

Be Advised:
In very rare cases, the age requirement has been overlooked.  Those who have accomplished this have proven themselves in the field to demonstrate maturity beyond their years as well as the ability to adapt and thrive in an environment of adults that are often nearly twice their age.  Again, this is an extremely rare occurrence.  Do not expect to bypass this rule because you "think" you are mature.  The only way this is going to happen is if you are invited to check out the Company by way of reading the Charter.  If you find yourself here without being invited, you will be held to the age requirement rule without exception.

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2.  You must Read the Charter in Full.   Take your time to give it a thorough, honest reading.  It defines the Company in both spirit and operational methodology.  What you are reading within this document is precisely who and what we are, what we have to be in order to honor the legacy of The Black Company.  If after reading it you should then decide that you subscribe to its philosophies, believe you can and are willing to adhere to our Way, you are clear to proceed in the application process.  Failure to read the Charter, to understand the Charter, to agree to the Charter, will become apparent very early on, resulting in non-compatibility between the applicant and the Company.  Ultimately, this will result your dismissal.

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3.  Once you are ready to begin the process, register here on the forums using your in-game  main character name and an active email address which you use on a regular (preferably daily) basis.  Your email address will not be posted publicly nor used for any other purpose other than communication with the Company. 

Be Advised:  Any Applicant Account registered which violates the naming conventions will be deleted.   

We do not accept any Applicant with the following name types:

        *  Names which include numbers:  (Examples:  Slick69, Hung1)

        *  Names of popular fictional characters: (Examples:  Gandalf, Drizzt, JamesBond)

        *  Names of any known Black Company character: (Examples: Croaker, Raven, Dominator)

        *  Names which are not names:  (Examples: xxxBadToTheBonexxx, TehKillz, Poopydiapers)

        *  Names with alternating capitals: (Examples:  cLeVeRnAmEGuY, MyNaMeIsCoOl)

Be Advised:  We do not have a minimum level requirement nor do we require you to be of a certain class.  You come to TBC as you are, we mold you into a TBC Soldier and find the best way to put your skills to use in the ways that best serve the Company as a whole.   

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"Gentlemen, this is.. Raven. He wants to join us. Raven isn’t his birthname. Doesn’t matter. The rest of you lied too. Introduce yourselves and ask questions." - The Captain, The Book of Croaker (TBC, Book 1)

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While we will not dictate what your name should be, we can dictate what it cannot be for consideration for membership.    We encourage everyone to create a name for yourself that means something to you personally.   While this is not "Role Playing" in the commonly referred to fashion, remember that we are playing mmoRPG's, so make a name you want to go down in the Annals as somebody worth remembering.   If you absolutely feel the need to name yourself G@nD@doEsItryt369 or IkeelJoo, you probably won't fit in.

Once completed, you must begin your journey with the Company by becoming an active member of our forum community through participation in the Commons.  There will you find any number of posts which reflect the common interests of the Company, ranging from video games, to politics, to social observations, Boobs, etc.  While responding to the existing threads is a good start, it does not give adequate insight as to who you are as a person.  In order to further our understanding of each other, you will need to create your own posts, sharing your own interests.   

Establishing your presence in the The Commons is the first necessary step to demonstrate your ability and willingness to proceed.  Each potential applicant is required to spend an undetermined period of time reading and posting throughout The Commons.  This may be a week or several weeks, depending on your level of activity and commitment to entrenching yourself within our community.  This will allow you the time required to make an informed decision about your gaming future by allowing yourself and the Company the opportunity to interact with one another.   

As your real life, private information is yours and yours alone, you may wish to divulge whatever else you choose, at Your discretion.  We strongly advise that you do not share any personal information about yourself or your family that can be used by data miners and/or anyone whom you may know in the real world which may seek to do you any harm.

Be Advised:
All Active Duty Military should adhere to military regulations and common sense not to divulge your whereabouts as well as any information, regardless of how seemingly insignificant, detailing any aspect of present and future deployments.  Any information posted by AD personnel which appears in our public forum which violates this rule will be removed immediately and you will be notified via private message.

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4.   If/When we deem that you are ready to proceed, your membergroup on the forums will be elevated to "Applicant 1".   Once this occurs, you will be able to complete the formal TBC application. Read the entire form before filling it out and hitting the save button.  As a general rule anywhere in life, never sign Anything until you have read it in full.  It is imperative you understand that to which you are agreeing.

Be Advised: Read every line of the Application carefully, with purpose, so that you fill out each section properly.  If you sign your name where initials are called for, we will deny your application.  If you place your initials where your name is called for, we will deny your application.   We understand that many people will find this silly and nitpicky.  Understand that should you be accepted into the Company, we will be spending hundreds of collective man hours training you as well as providing you with an untold amount of in game items at the Company's expense, all of which is procured Of, By, and For the Company.  If you cannot, will not give the Company a few minutes of your time and attention in order to fill out the application correctly, we will not invest our time and assets in you.

   


Understand first and foremost that Denial of Recruitment at any stage in the process should not be taken personally.   There have been many people whom have applied which we found to be quite affable.  Even so, through the course of our recruiting process, they have either admitted to or found to be willing participants in activities which equate to unacceptable gaming practices for our Company and our methodology.  Sometimes these are simple differences in social behavior while other times they were blatantly exploiting game mechanics, placing the hard work of every single member of the Company at risk for loss of time and money. 

Each and Every single Recruit and Brother has been through this process in one form or another.  We pride ourselves for our long standing traditions of excellence which far exceed that found within the average gaming guild, such as many of you may have come to know them.  We are a Gaming Organization comprised of Dedicated Gamers, as tight knit as your local organized sports team, bowling/pool/dart league, etc.  It takes work and dedication from every single member on deck to make it work.  We get there, one way or the other.

We make no secret nor qualms that ours is a time consuming process.   It begins with your willing participation on the forums, but it does not end there.  To endure this process is to show that you are serious about your gaming and desire to have fun in a way that rewards your hard work with equal dedication from your fellow members. 

Be Advised:  If you cannot dedicate your first two weeks of time to complete Recruit Training, do not apply.   Be honest with yourself and with the Company.   TBC is a lifestyle choice.  If at any time you feel as though this is a burden or a hindrance to your sense of fun,  this is not the right guild for you.   Any extended absence during your first two weeks of Recruit Training will result in disqualification.

If you complete the application correctly, you will be notified via Private Message here on the forums with a verification of receipt and approval, a link to the APPLICANT PROCESSING STATUS REPORT.  You will then be placed into the Applicant Membergroup giving you access to the TBC10Q Form. 

If you do not complete the application correctly, you will first receive a notification of denial via your email on record, then your forum accounted will be deleted.   There will be no further contact on behalf of TBC.   We strongly advise that you accept any rejections like an adult and move on without further contact or incident. 

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5.  If/When you complete the TBC Application correctly, your membergroup will be elevated to "Applicant 2", granting you access to the TBC10Q.  The TBC10Q (Ten Questions) has been designed over many years to provide the Company with insight into not only what type of person you are, but what type of gamer as well.   Answer each question with full honesty in as much detail as you are willing and able.  The purpose of our rigorous application process is to ensure that you will be a match for the Company.  It behooves both parties when the Company is likewise a match for you.   If you are dishonest with us, you are first and foremost being dishonest with yourself.  There are no "right" and "wrong" answers per se,  in the sense we are going to judge you personally or morally.   Again, these questions are designed to determine your play style and whether or not they serve the good of the Company. 


After you have submitted your responses, they will be automatically posted to our member forums for a panel of Company Recruiters to review and vote upon.   This method is Tradition and has served us well for many years.  It ensures that one or two people are not making the sole decision on whom with the rest of the Company should be playing.   While we are not a democracy, consensus must be reached at some level in a gaming organization as to which members are allowed in and to remain. 

If you are voted for approval to continue, you will again receive a Private Message here on the forums with instructions on how to continue, detailed in the next step below.    As with each step in the process, you are to reference the APPLICANT PROCESSING STATUS REPORT for updates. 

If it does not work out for whatever reason:  You will first receive an email of denial and your forum accounted will be deleted.   There will be no further contact on behalf of TBC.   We strongly advise that you accept any rejections like an adult and move on without further incident. 

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6. Agree to and understand the Purpose of Recruit Phase: A probationary period is required in order to offer both applicant and Veterans the opportunity to learn one another without undue expectations.  While there is no set time for this phase, those who have read the Charter and understand the philosophies behind it, will find themselves awarded their Colors in good time. If you find that you do not enjoy Company life, simply take your leave by way of a PM to any Officer in order to document the Roster, no questions asked, no drama to endure on either end. 

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7. Agree to making The Black Company your exclusive guild in the Game and Server selected for Company Deployment.  We do not allow part time participants to join our ranks.   While we cannot dictate what you do with your account, the Company can, will, does dictate which type of gamer fits the profile for unit cohesion.   

If you choose to lend your account to anyone:  Notify the Company so that we may remove your character(s).  "You" the person, not your account or friends or relatives, is being allowed into the Company.  Only those willing to dedicate their in-game time to experiencing it Of, By, and For the Company are qualified and accepted.   If you do not agree with this policy, you probably won't fit in.

Given that policy, we believe every one should experience the multitude of characters available by taking advantage of any available character creation slots to experiment.  Certain games offer only one character per server.  In those cases, these rules apply to those with multiple game accounts. 

Once your main character is a confirmed decision for you, use the following guidelines

• All Members must recognize one character as their "Main".
• All Characters Must be registered with the Company to receive validation and benefits.
• When applicable, Recruits are allowed 2 characters total in guild (1 Main, 1 Alt).
• When applicable, Brothers and up are allowed as many characters in guild as they wish.

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8.  Recruit Training and Review

If your application is accepted, you will need to meet with a Company Officer in order to officially accept the offer of Recruitment.   At this stage, your VCOMM account will be set up for you and the log in information sent to you by Private Message here on the forums.   Know that we do not allow open access to our VCOMM, that each account is set up individually with permissions applied to each account.  You can arrange for this meeting by replying to your notification of acceptance and arranging for a time to meet with the Company Leadership.

During that meeting, you will be formally invited to join the Company as a Recruit.  Upon your acceptance, you will be formally invited in-game through VCOMM, bringing you on board officially within the game.   You will be directed to a Welcome Post created for you not only to welcome you into the Company, but which includes links to all the required reading for new Recruits.

You will be assigned to the forum membergroup "Recruit", allowing access to certain sections of the member forums, as well as the TBC WIKI,  which contain all the information required for you to become indoctrinated in the ways of the Company itself.  These sections, known as the TBCRD (TBC Recruit Depot) and Boot Camp, are not required to be memorized verbatim during the first two weeks.   You will be required to learn how to access this information.

Take your time, learn at your own pace.  Ask questions.  Participate in Company events on a regular basis.  Only by combining all the written information with the practical application of experience can one be expected to learn our ways. 

At the end of your first two weeks, you will undergo a Recruit Progress Interview (RDI), conducted live via VCOMM by a Senior NCO and may be attended by any Company Officers available. While this interview may initially be seen as a PASS/FAIL test, do not think of it in such cut and dry terms. The purpose of the RDI is to measure your progress in learning the ways of the Company. We understand that this may sound restrictive and not very much like fun. You must understand that to learn the Company is to take part in what we do on a daily basis. By taking a few moments a day to read and then applying those principles and Standard Operating Procedures toward your daily game time, you will learn at a pace which is conducive to having fun in the Company way.

Those who demonstrate a working knowledge of the information presented in the Boot Camp and SOP sections and/or the ability to access that information in a timely manner will be approved to proceed.   

Those who demonstrate they have taken neither the time nor the interest in learning the information presented in the Boot Camp and SOP sections, both in terms of the RDI and in game through practical application during Company operations will be dismissed from the Company.

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9. Recruit Path to Brotherhood

At this stage, you will have successfully completed your RDI and have a fundamental understanding of how the Company operates.  You will know where and how to find the information required by all members to perform as required by the Charter and all basic Standard Operating Procedures.

The first step reading and comprehension of all Standing, Combat, Logistics, and Operational Orders.  These Orders are your guide to daily life in the Company as well as your insight into short, mid, and long term goals.  They will not detail every single aspect of the Company's plans at any given time.   Much of the information compiled of, by, and for the greater goals of the Company are disseminated on a "Need To Know" basis.

Regardless of what or how much you know about our game of deployment, understand that TBC operates in our own way, with our own tactics, learned by our own experiences.   While we will always take in as much information created on the outside as well as what comes to us through new members, we do not make it part of our official program until it has been field tested and approved by the Company. 

You will have six weeks to undergo Company training through to completion.  If real life interferes with your training schedule, we will make allowances on an individual basis.   As clearly stated in Item I, Section VIII., real life comes first, always.   This does not mean, however, that you will be given a pass if you are unable to commit the full scope of time required to be a TBC member.   At any time during your Recruit Phase you find that your real life obligations become too great to continue on, you simply need to notify an Officer and take your leave of the Company.  You will not be looked down upon or treated in any other negative way.   We will consider your re-acceptance when and if your real life obligations have been reconciled with your game time.

Once you have proven yourself through your Recruit Phase, you will then be measured in totality by the Company Veterans for all aspects of your training, both in terms of TBC Training and Game Deployment Training.   You will be voted upon by the Company Veterans for final approval and acceptance into the Brotherhood of the Black Company.   There is no set time for Recruit Training.   Some will take longer to complete the program than others.  Others still will not complete it all. 

Be Advised:  If you are not accepted for Full Colors upon your first voting, you will be re-evaluated in several weeks, up to a maximum of three times.  If you have not gained the confidence of the Company and/or have proven you simply are not a match for the Company, you will be dismissed without prejudice. 

If you are accepted, you will be awarded Full Colors, with all Rights, Privileges, and Duties.

You will also then be awarded all applicable Medals and Awards.

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10. Continue to be a Regular Participant in Company Events and Forum Usage.  You get out of the Company, what you put into the Company.  We document everything we learn in these Annals to be easily found at your leisure.  While we all eventually have questions about the game, keep in mind much of what you seek will have already been found and documented in several places, including our own advanced training materials contained within the TBC Wiki, our forums, countless fan sites, and of course the official game forums.  We encourage all members to take an active role in the Official Forums of our chosen game, with regards to increasing our global knowledge and understanding of the game, recruiting and advertising our services.  If you aren't sure what this all means, you probably won't fit in. 

Again, Be aware the entire Recruiting process itself may take several weeks to complete.  During that time, do not PM anyone asking for a status update.  Do not ask in the IRC.   Be yourself, use Common Sense, and you will see your CURRENT STATUS listed here in the thread titled APPLICANT PROCESSING STATUS REPORT. You may also elect to utilize the NOTIFY function in that thread, so that it emails you when the information in the post has been updated. 

Thank you for your time, patience, and your candor, in advance.  Good Luck, Better Skill.

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Recruits who qualify will earn the privilege to take their place as Brothers with Full Colors, proving they are a vital section of the backbone of the Company by doing what needs to get done regardless of personal loss, Of By and For the Company, on the field of battle or the blaze of the forge. 

Simply put, earning your Colors means you have proven yourself to be a dedicated Black Company Regular, making the Company your Home. 

Qualifications for Full Colors:

• 1. Have completed no less than 60 days as a Recruit.
• 2. Completed Recruit Training.
• 3. Undergo Field Testing to implement all TBC Training, Techniques, and Methodology.
• 4. Receive a majority vote of Acceptance by the Recruit Review Board.
• 5. Take the Oath to the Black Company.

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"There is one thing," I said. "You come over here and do it, you're going to have to take the oath to the Company, same as anybody else. Meaning you can't pledge yourself to any higher loyalty." - Croaker, Shadow Games

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Table of Contents - I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI

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The attachment below is a reprinting of our original Organization Charter, authored by one of our founders (Name withheld for reasons of privacy and security), dated in 2003, written expressly to designate the formation of an online gaming organization.  The theme of the organization centers on Glen Cook's original, copyrighted novel, "The Black Company".   Any passages or quotes from his novels/works are duly highlighted with appropriate typesets and attributed to Glen Cook.

We present it here to demonstrate the growth of our organization, in terms of both success and failure. Remembrance of our History and Traditions are the cornerstones of all we were, are, and will become.  In the case of this early version of our Charter, we are reminded ever so clearly that mistakes can be corrected, that we don't always get things right the first time and that when we allow ourselves to remember that, in the words of Glen Cook himself, "The Black Company is the main character", we can never lose.  This original Charter was written during our earliest period of formation and demonstrates the tenets of cult building, not those of a gaming organization.  We do not recommend you try this at home or for your own guild; the results are rather disastrous.

Unfortunately, this version of our Charter has been plagiarized on several occasions.  The only recourse we have at this time is to continue republishing our copyrighted material in the hopes that future thieves will refrain from willful plagiarism. 

NOTICE: This Legacy Charter is no longer in use and should Not be referenced in any way for practical application. We have not, past and present, or will ever allow for any republication of any part of this copyrighted material.  To quote the author, "Burn it".   Odd words for an Annalist, but there you have it.

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Friedrich Nietzsche's poem, written so long ago, is not a hymn, per se.   That matters not to the Brothers of this outfit.   Dems is Orders.   Henceforth from the time your eyeballs are graced with these words, you will hear them in your core, in your heart, as Gospel sung by gilded Angels, covered in the Blood of our Honored Marks, accented by seductive, wicked crooked grins, punctuated with fangs of sanguine ivory.   These words are to your heart, the finest ever intonation, third only to "Of By For", and second only to "The Black Company" itself.

Let the world hear our proclamation that this creed is Ours, not by property rights, but by the Law of Life by those who choose to Truly Live it.   

Read it, Learn it, Share it, Love it, Live it.     We present you now with one of Nietzsche's crowning achievements, a hallmark of genius and inspiration to many, worthy for only the rarest of creatures what take proud strides across this improbable, ridiculously amazing rock within the impossible expanse of ever expanding possibilities.
 

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'Why so hard?' The charcoal once said to the diamond; 'for are we not close relations?'

Why so soft, O my Brothers, thus I ask you: for are you not - my Brothers?

Why so soft, unresisting and yielding? Why is there so much denial and abnegation in your hearts, so little Fate in your glances?

And if you will not be Fates, if you will not be inexorable: how can you Conquer with me?

And if your hardness with not flash and cut and cut to pieces: how can you one day - create with me?

For all Creators are hard, and it must seem bliss to you to press your Hand upon millennia as upon wax,

bliss to write upon millennia as upon metal - harder than metal, nobler than metal. Only the noblest is perfectly hard.

This new law-table do I put over you, my Brothers: Become Hard!



Nietzsche, The finale to Twilight of the Idols, 1888