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Applicant ABC
Welcome to The House of Black Star!
You have now entered the rank referred to as “Applicantâ€. Applicants come in all forms. You may be completely new to the world of Anarchy Online, played AO for years or someplace in between. Regardless of where you fit in this range, it is important for you to review this text carefully so that you can gain an understanding of our organization and your role in it.
A. I’m in... Now what?
When you joined The House of Black Star you probably noticed the many “Welcomes†that you received in org chat. The people that greeted you and other members of the org are your new guild family. Your org mates are your life line in AO. When all else fails, you can depend on having a network of close friends to talk to about game matters and whatever other social topics you wish to discuss as well as people to team with and assist with quests. Use the org chat channel as much as possible and try to be as active as you can. Keep in mind that if you don’t use org chat the other members will not be able to get to know you and you will not be able to get to know them. Saying “Hello†and “Good night†are even the simplest of things that you can do just to let others know that you are alive.
B. What the first thing I should do when I join?
If you’re new to AO (or never been in an organization) the first thing to do is to get an understanding of how org chat works. Once you’re comfortable there, come to the website at External Link and register for our forums. There is a New Members section made just for you! Post a bit about yourself and say hello to the org in that forum area. The forums are a great way to communicate with others that may not play during the same time that you’re on. Being in a different time zone doesn't mean that you’re in a different org. It’s important that everyone gets to know you so keep up to date in the forums as well as
being active in day to day org chat.
C. What do I need to know about The House of Black Star’s Chain of Command?
The House of Black Star’s Chain of Command was put in place to provide a method of providing help and guidance for all members. The leaders of The House of Black Star have been rewarded their rank based on performance in the org and not just because they are friends of the President or some other unfair method of choosing leaders. There is a Unit Leader (UL) position for every profession. Every profession is assigned to a specific division (Storm, Medic, Artillery and Support) and there is one Unit Commander (UC) position per division. Additionally there are four Squad Commander positions and three General positions that all report to our President. As an applicant, it is especially important for you to get to know your Unit Leader or (if the UL position is vacant) the next highest ranking officer in command (HROC). Take a look at the CoC chart and find out the name of your UL or HROC and send them a /tell in-game letting them know that you’re a new applicant under their command. Your UL or HROC is your primary contact for issues/concerns you may have regarding the org and also for advice regarding your profession. In the event that your UL or HROC isn’t around, keep in mind that all House of Black Star leaders have the responsibility of helping members and feel free to contact another leader for assistance.
D. I’m having trouble(s) in the org and I’m thinking about leaving. What should I do?
House of Black Star is organized in such a way to provide an environment of open communication and team spirit. If, however, you find that you’re having issues in the org you should first speak to your HROC. If the problem you are having is with your HROC then be aware that the President, has an open-door policy. This means that at any time you are welcome to speak to the President directly and confidentially about any problems or concerns that you are having. This isn’t meant to circumvent the CoC but only to provide a method for applicants/members to communicate concerns that they may not be comfortable expressing to their HROC. Also keep in mind that Generals are essentially back-up for the President. So in the event that The president is not around, you can contact a General directly and confidentially (with the exception of sharing information with the president). It is the ultimate responsibility of The president and his Generals to make sure that the org runs smoothly and that member issues are addressed and resolved.
It is important that you communicate your issues before making the decision to actually leave the org.
E. How do I get promoted from an Applicant to a Unit Member?
House of Black Star is not interested in having members that are rarely online or not active in the org as a whole. That being the case, you can consider your applicant status as a sort of trial period. Being an applicant gives you the opportunity to get to know House of Black Star and for House of Black Star to get to know you. If everything works out, from both sides, your applicant status will last no longer than one month. Active applicants are promoted to Unit Member at the monthly Main Meeting which is held on the first Sunday of every month. A promotion to Unit Member means that you are a full-fledged member of the
organization. Membership has its privileges and responsibilities. Being a member means that you can expect even more assistance from your fellow org mates and also that you are expected to provide assistance to others as well. More details on what it means to be a Unit Member can be found in the Unit Member ABC.
In Summary:
You have now entered the rank referred to as “Applicantâ€. Applicants come in all forms. You may be completely new to the world of Anarchy Online, played AO for years or someplace in between. Regardless of where you fit in this range, it is important for you to review this text carefully so that you can gain an understanding of our organization and your role in it.
A. I’m in... Now what?
When you joined The House of Black Star you probably noticed the many “Welcomes†that you received in org chat. The people that greeted you and other members of the org are your new guild family. Your org mates are your life line in AO. When all else fails, you can depend on having a network of close friends to talk to about game matters and whatever other social topics you wish to discuss as well as people to team with and assist with quests. Use the org chat channel as much as possible and try to be as active as you can. Keep in mind that if you don’t use org chat the other members will not be able to get to know you and you will not be able to get to know them. Saying “Hello†and “Good night†are even the simplest of things that you can do just to let others know that you are alive.
B. What the first thing I should do when I join?
If you’re new to AO (or never been in an organization) the first thing to do is to get an understanding of how org chat works. Once you’re comfortable there, come to the website at External Link and register for our forums. There is a New Members section made just for you! Post a bit about yourself and say hello to the org in that forum area. The forums are a great way to communicate with others that may not play during the same time that you’re on. Being in a different time zone doesn't mean that you’re in a different org. It’s important that everyone gets to know you so keep up to date in the forums as well as
being active in day to day org chat.
C. What do I need to know about The House of Black Star’s Chain of Command?
The House of Black Star’s Chain of Command was put in place to provide a method of providing help and guidance for all members. The leaders of The House of Black Star have been rewarded their rank based on performance in the org and not just because they are friends of the President or some other unfair method of choosing leaders. There is a Unit Leader (UL) position for every profession. Every profession is assigned to a specific division (Storm, Medic, Artillery and Support) and there is one Unit Commander (UC) position per division. Additionally there are four Squad Commander positions and three General positions that all report to our President. As an applicant, it is especially important for you to get to know your Unit Leader or (if the UL position is vacant) the next highest ranking officer in command (HROC). Take a look at the CoC chart and find out the name of your UL or HROC and send them a /tell in-game letting them know that you’re a new applicant under their command. Your UL or HROC is your primary contact for issues/concerns you may have regarding the org and also for advice regarding your profession. In the event that your UL or HROC isn’t around, keep in mind that all House of Black Star leaders have the responsibility of helping members and feel free to contact another leader for assistance.
D. I’m having trouble(s) in the org and I’m thinking about leaving. What should I do?
House of Black Star is organized in such a way to provide an environment of open communication and team spirit. If, however, you find that you’re having issues in the org you should first speak to your HROC. If the problem you are having is with your HROC then be aware that the President, has an open-door policy. This means that at any time you are welcome to speak to the President directly and confidentially about any problems or concerns that you are having. This isn’t meant to circumvent the CoC but only to provide a method for applicants/members to communicate concerns that they may not be comfortable expressing to their HROC. Also keep in mind that Generals are essentially back-up for the President. So in the event that The president is not around, you can contact a General directly and confidentially (with the exception of sharing information with the president). It is the ultimate responsibility of The president and his Generals to make sure that the org runs smoothly and that member issues are addressed and resolved.
It is important that you communicate your issues before making the decision to actually leave the org.
E. How do I get promoted from an Applicant to a Unit Member?
House of Black Star is not interested in having members that are rarely online or not active in the org as a whole. That being the case, you can consider your applicant status as a sort of trial period. Being an applicant gives you the opportunity to get to know House of Black Star and for House of Black Star to get to know you. If everything works out, from both sides, your applicant status will last no longer than one month. Active applicants are promoted to Unit Member at the monthly Main Meeting which is held on the first Sunday of every month. A promotion to Unit Member means that you are a full-fledged member of the
organization. Membership has its privileges and responsibilities. Being a member means that you can expect even more assistance from your fellow org mates and also that you are expected to provide assistance to others as well. More details on what it means to be a Unit Member can be found in the Unit Member ABC.
In Summary:
- Learn how to use/be active in org chat
- Go to External Link to register and present yourself
- Read and review the different areas on the website
- Find your closest helper (your leader)
- Stay and have as much fun as you can
- Be a part of the society called House of Black Star!
