Very interesting choice of games as your 2nd to say the least! Congrats! Also, http://www.mortalonline.com might be something for you guys to follow. I know you have some seriously die-hard pvpers over there. They seem to have their stuff together alot more then DFO. Anyway, good luck with the multi-gaming guild thing. One question question, order or destruction?
I wouldn't say it would be our #2, I think we personally have something very special in the works for a future huge game ^^
The first part of our backstory has been made public so I feel I can share it here now with you all:
Chapter 1, The Magus
He awoke with a start, a cold sweat on his face. The images that had filled his head while he slept didn't disappear as he awoke. They swam through his head in a parody of a dream, images swirling and contorting, enough to drive one mad should he think about them too much. No, he admitted, this had not been just another dream, but a vision. A vision of the near future granted to him by his Dark God. The vision had also contained a message, though it had taken all his willpower to wrench it from the swirling mass of images. A cruel grin formed on his lips as he considered the message. It had been simple. A war was on the way, and he was to play a part.
He wondered, briefly, why he had been chosen to be blessed with this vision, but knew it was not time to worry about such petty nonsense. His God did not work in ways any mere mortal could possibly comprehend. Besides, he had to make his own plans.
Days passed in but the blink of an eye as he plotted his course. He poured over every last detail he could surmise from his vision as he drafted his plans for the coming war. The visions were not detailed, but rather painted things in broad strokes. To have delved any deeper, he was certain, would have broken his mind, twisting as much as they were. Only The Changer of Ways could understand these messages, embodied by Chaos as they were.
Finally his plans were complete. Now, he could set them in motion. He would need others to fight for him. He needed to gather an army.
The Magus left his tower and set out into the chaos wastes, searching for any and all that he could use to form his army. Only the strongest would do. He had to form an army that could survive the coming age. He used every method at his disposal to convince anyone and everyone whom he found worthy. At first, he promised glory, and power. Those who joined would find favor of The Changer of Ways, he promised. When this failed, he used blackmail, threatening them with the very secrets they held dear. If all else failed, the power of his magic and the anger of his God was usually enough to change their minds. Or they were left a smoldering husk, their sundered bodies adding to the desolate wasteland that they once called home.
In time, his army slowly, but surely, grew. While still small, those it employed were cunning and brutal. His Acolytes, as they came to be known, gathered at his tower, awaiting his next orders. They had heard of his vision and bowed to him as a Chosen of their Dark God.
Acolytes. He smiled at the name. He knew not who surmised the name, nor cared not, but he found it fitting. Yes, they were all acolytes to their great master, for when compared to the Wisdom and Knowledge of The Changer of Ways, a mortal was less than a mere insect, and so could but learn. Learn of his great plans for the world.
He was finally ready to begin his move, marching his Acolytes to the Empire, sending them to do his Dark Master’s bidding.
That night, however, he awoke again, the same, familiar, cold sweat beading down his face. He cursed under his breath for making a fool of himself, as he realized the folly of his own mistake. He had assumed he knew everything he needed to. Perhaps he did, at the time. He had not, however, known the true scope of the war in his vision.
This time, he had seen, vaguely, elf fighting elf as a dark armada from across the oceans lay siege to the white cities of their brethren. He had seen endless hordes of Greenskins flooding into the mountains over the bodies of countless Dwarfs. And the Hordes of Chaos, innumerable in number, laying waste to the cities of the Empire.
Normally, this would not concern him, had he not seen one, fatal, flaw. Though under siege by their mortal enemies, the forces of Order in the world were fighting back, and joining together as they were, had become powerful in their own right.
He looked out over the army he had gathered, and knew at once that it was not enough. He would have to gather others. He had an idea on how to do this, but he had to prepare.
It would take great concentration, and he would need to focus all his attention on it if he were to have a chance of succeeding. He couldn't be disturbed. Before he started, he appointed his best warriors to watch over the gathering flock. They would need tending to while he was working. The troops would need training in the arts of war and slaughter for the coming battles, and others would have to preach the greatness of their Master to the uninitiated. Yes, they would continue to grow, even while he wasn't watching. He took comfort in this as he began the next phase of his plan.[/QUOTE]
Also, the bridge to lead the backstory into the next part has been made public as well.
Interim, The Preparation
First, it was time to deal with the Greenskins, decided the Magus.
For this, he had a plan. He sent the best trackers in his Warband in search of one of the Greenskin, a Shaman. He had seen them in battle, and knew the power they wielded over their tribes. It was not a power of brute strength, like the Orcs that led the tribes. It was the power of words, and cunning, and the Magus liked this. He was sure he could corrupt their power for his own use.
While he waited on his hunters, he studied many dark ceremonies and spells of power and control until, at last, he was satisfied with his preparations.
His warriors returned shortly after with one of the green horde in their charge. A small goblin. A Shaman, just as ordered. He had it brought within his tower. Torturous screams could be heard for many days. Dark rituals and rights of such evil as should not be discussed were enacted as spells of manipulation and control were placed on the unwitting guest of the Dark Magus. When the rituals were finally complete, the unwitting pawn's memories of the event were destroyed, and the hunters were tasked with its return.[/quote]
i was a member of the Acolytes a long time ago for AoC back in Nov 06 but i just stoped posting on the forums and such .. then decided to play WAR instead then converted a bunch of my RL friends to play with me ...then saw you guys had a WAR branch...ohh well
Just wondering whether you guys are going to only play one race just Destruction in general
i was a member of the Acolytes a long time ago for AoC back in Nov 06 but i just stoped posting on the forums and such .. then decided to play WAR instead then converted a bunch of my RL friends to play with me ...then saw you guys had a WAR branch...ohh well
Just wondering whether you guys are going to only play one race just Destruction in general
my guild/group of about 20 RL friends are playing destruction in General but leading towards chaos..for the most part
you guys still plan to play an RP/PVP server or what ever it will be called in WAR?
We will definitely be on an RP server, but right now RP is all they have. If there are Open RvR RP servers, we may go there but we have not decided just yet. We have a completely different group of people running the WAR side than the AoC side though so we might have different thoughts on what is best for us as a guild in terms of servers.
The goblin woke up behind a rock a good ways from the Orc camp. A lucky fin’ too, he thought. If he had been lying closer to the camp, he probably would've woken up in a stew pot. He got up slowly as his body still ached all over. Wot ’appened? He couldn't remember... but he soon forgot about forgetting as he hurried back to the camp. He was the shaman after all. He had bigger things to think about!
"Oi! Where ’ave you been?!" asked a big Orc!
Almost magically, a reply sprang to mind. The goblin thought it a good one, so he used it.
"I was talkin’ to Mork. He was tellin’ me wot we is to do." replied the goblin.
The Orc paused. They were a small tribe, and their shaman had never seemed to be particularly favored before. But if this was true, it could mean they would have a good fight soon, thought the Orc.
"Oi boyz, da gobbo said he talked to Mork. Wotcha fink of dat?", he shouted to some of the others nearby.
A small crowd started to gather around the goblin, pushing and shoving each other to get the best position. A few fights broke out here and there. He was just about to begin telling the unruly crowd what he had seen, when a dark shadow fell over him. The goblin looked up to see a huge Black Orc towering over him, and he cringed. The Warboss had come to see what the fuss was.
However, being the Voice of Mork that he was, the goblin screwed up his courage and said the first thing that came to mind.
"Mork told me dat dere is soon gonna be a Waaagh!!! An’ he said we need to join it! We need to get da boyz togetha' an’ get ready to march!"
The Black Orc looked surprised for a moment. He had been expecting the goblin to have been caught being lazy or stealing food. Proclaiming the Will of Mork was not on his short list the little goblin might say. But, he is da Shaman, thought the Orc, and if der's a war, I wan' in! He decided to listen a little further.
"Talk now, before I decide to eat you," the Black Orc said.
"I saw a vision dat dere'll be a great Waaagh! A great Waaagh will be called! Mork ’as told me dat when da time comez, he will send me visionz tellin’ us wot we need to do for da Waaagh!!! Now, he sayz to get da boyz togetha an’ ready to move." The goblin seemed to gain more courage as he went along.
The Black Orc liked the sound of this. He hadn't had a good fight in a few days after all. As long as he got a good fight, he would do as Mork said, he decided.
We will definitely be on an RP server, but right now RP is all they have. If there are Open RvR RP servers, we may go there but we have not decided just yet. We have a completely different group of people running the WAR side than the AoC side though so we might have different thoughts on what is best for us as a guild in terms of servers.
We will definitely be on an RP server, but right now RP is all they have. If there are Open RvR RP servers, we may go there but we have not decided just yet. We have a completely different group of people running the WAR side than the AoC side though so we might have different thoughts on what is best for us as a guild in terms of servers.
ahhh..who is running the WAR branch
Onyx is the guild leader, myself and Mattlow ( WarCry.com Site Manager for the WAR part ) are officers. Feel free to stop by the forums and check some things out ^^
i didn't mean that in a bad way. i remember him ..pretty good guy
Yeah we should be alright since all of the higher ups have been in beta for some time now and we have been able to do some "for launch" planning based off of what we know. I think we will have an easy transition from forums to in game.
Also, feel free to drop by the forums and post a link to your guilds forums if it is up and running. If not you and your friends are free to hang out and chat on ours. Former Acolytes who didn't leave on bad terms are more than welcome to it ^^.
ohh yeah might be in there some time just keeping touch to see about what sever you guys will play on always good to have a powerful ally ...in a time of WAR
ohh yeah might be in there some time just keeping touch to see about what sever you guys will play on always good to have a powerful ally ...in a time of WAR
sweet deal ... our plan is to run two groups in open world RVR (of course going to hit max first) with a third group eather in instance PVP or or running behind us /crafting
but again its a while before launch and we will work out details in Beta/ few weeks after launch
we will keep in touch ... and we dont really plan on having a fourm since we all know each other in RL but if we decide to expand we will ,most likely, make one
The Acolytes are now currently up to 48 members fully dedicated to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, but we also have 4 people on trials still, and 9 members of our Age of Conan branch who will be joining us in WAR as well. This is a total of 57 members we know of who will be joining us in the lands of Warhammer with a potential of 61 currently.
To give some perspective we WILL be cutting off recruitment around 80 members who are dedicated to Warhammer. We want our guild to be large enough to do as we please in the world and have people on at all times but we do not want to get too large to the point where our members no longer have a voice within the guild. I personally do not expect recruiting to be open three months from now so if you were unsure whether or not the guild fits you or you were being too lazy to apply, feel free to stop by our forums, introduce yourself, or fill out an application. If you have ANY serious questions about the Acolytes feel free to either stop by our forums and make a thread with your questions or you can ask right in these recruitment threads and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE AND WIN BUT I DO ASK IF YOU WIN, AND ALREADY HAVE AN OPEN BETA ACCESS CODE FOR WARHAMMER ONLINE: AGE OF RECKONING, THAT YOU ALLOW ME TO GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
Prize
: A Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Code that grants you access into the Open Beta.
Rules and Instructions
: All you have to do is post on the Acolytes WAR boards which can be located at:
The catch is that the posts must be relevant to the topic or create your own topics that start a nice discussion.
How is the winner picked?
By Arkane, at random. On the day the contest ends, Onyx will assign each and every forum for the WAR branch a random number and give me the numbers. After I pick out one of the numbers he gives me, he will then assign each topic in that forum a number and we will do the same thing. Once a topic is picked out I will pick a random number based on how many posts are in the topic, and that is all there is to it.
Obviously, the more constructive posts you have the better chance you have of winning.
Additional winners will be chosen if we acquire more Open Beta keys.
Outsiders can also win the contest but clearly guild members of the Acolytes have a higher chance of winning clearly because they have access to boards non-members do not. Who cares though, it is a contest that anyone has a chance to win, right?
Why would we do this?
Simply because we have a group of people in the Closed Beta who ordered the Collector's Edition and don't need the Open Beta code and thought it would be a nice act on our part to give back.
When does it start, when does it end?
It starts right now and it will end on May 28th since the code must be punched in by July 10th I would like to have some buffer room.
The storm was finally starting to subside as the messenger rode through the gates of the manor. It had been a long journey, the road slick with mud from the heavy rain. The messenger was exhausted, but he trudged on. He carried an urgent letter from Lord Uthorin for the master of this manor, and just thinking about the punishment for failing to deliver this message on time was enough to keep him moving.
Steam rose into the cold air from the flanks of the dark steed he rode. Despite its elven heritage, it was heaving for air, the messenger having pushed the beast to its limits in his haste. He jumped down from the horse, not bothering to check on, or even unsaddle the animal. He had more important matters to attend to.
* * * * *
The small manor was lit by only a few candles and a blazing fire in the massive hearth carved of black basalt. The firelight illuminated the room, sending dark shadows dancing across the walls. Light reflected from the myriad of small jewels decorating an assortment of rings, necklaces and other trinkets that lay spread out across the desk that sat in the middle of the room. The thick red carpet that lay across the cold stone floor lent the room a certain elegance.
An elegant dungeon, the Lord thought with a smirk. He liked it that way. One of the human slave girls was chained to the wall, her pale skin gleaming in the fire light. She was accounted beautiful by many, and was, he thought, the perfect decoration for his room. She struggled against the chains, fire burning in her eyes. She had been captured in a recent raid, and had yet to learn the true misery such a place could offer. He would begin her training tonight, the Lord decided. He was gazing at the twisting and wreathing shadows the fire threw across her body when he heard the sounds of a visitor being lead into the room next door.
The door swung open and the messenger crept slowly into view.
"Stand over by the fire" the Lord commanded from the darkness at the other end of the room. "What brings you here? And make sure this is worthy of my time. You see, I'm very busy."
"My lord, Lord Uthorin sends a message for you." replied the messenger, water slowly dripping from his soaked cloak to puddle on the floor. He made sure to stand well away from the carpet.
The Dark Elf Lord’s eyes widened a bit in surprise at that, though he quickly concealed his emotions. What could Lord Uthorin want with him? He took the letter with a strange sense of urgency and quickly slit the missive open with a nearby dagger. He read the letter, eyes narrowing as he drifted deep into thought. He sat as such for quite some time, the messenger waiting patiently, knowing better than to move lest he be needed to deliver a reply.
The Lord read the letter vigorously one more time.
"As you know, Lord Malekith has decided the time is ripe for an attack on those vile usurpers. With the world going to war they will be weakened, leaving the way open for us to take back that which is rightfully ours. However, it seems there are those who are looking to take advantage of these times, and are working more for their own personal gain than for the sake of our Lord. I fear that Lady Arkaneth, in a bid to gain more power, is planning on forming an alliance with some of the Chaos Warbands that have been forming outside the borders of the human lands.
As I am sure you know, this is unacceptable. However, we need proof that she is doing this before we can stop her. My scouts report that there is much activity in the Wastes, with numerous new Warbands forming. All signs point to a large push by the Chaos armies in the South. I would like you to send some Emissaries to these Warbands. They should befriend them and try to gather as much information as possible. While it would normally be difficult to gain acceptance, I feel that our Emissaries may have a chance due to the upcoming conflict. I'm sure you may manage to find one or two Warbands that will accept Druchii aid in the coming battles. Have your agents report back to me with any information they find as to Arkaneth's plans, as well as any movements of the Chaos hosts. Do not fail me in this."
He was sure he was not the only individual to receive this letter. He had one very similar to it from Arkaneth locked and hidden deep in his office. He planned to use these two letters to his advantage when the time came, but for now, he had little to do but follow them and wait. His chance would come.
He began to write his orders.
* * * * *
The Lord watched the messenger race out of the gate, his reply in hand. He turned back from the window and summoned the Captain of his guard.
"I have a mission for you. We will need some volunteers for a trip." The Lord smirked.
How long has your guild existed(exact dates if possible)?
Our guild has actually been around for over two years now but our Warhammer division was formed on January 15th, 2008.
How many members do you have?
We are currently at 41 members. However, that does not include our current crop of applicants, nor does it include our Age of Conan members who want to play WAR either.
List three words that describe your guild and tell us why.
* Fun - No matter where we are, you will always find the Acolytes having a great time. We chat all day on a number of forums, IRC, and/or vent, and we are constantly laughing. We even practice other games together, and these often become a big conversation point within the guild, as well as a source of new jokes.
* Dedicated - You will find the majority of the people in the guild are willing to do what it takes to help the guild. Everyone wants the guild to do well, and so they really put a lot of effort into whatever they do. You can bet your bottom dollar that you will see Acolytes all over the game, doing things like hosting events, group trading, organizing groups, and tearing it up in RvR!
* Proud - This is easily understood once you talk to somebody who has spent even a minimal amount of time in the guild. Everyone is very proud of the work and effort that has gone into making this guild, and they continue to work hard at making it even better. We wear the Acolyte tag very proudly and have no problem representing our guild around the community.
What do you look for in a new member?
We want our members to be mature enough to not be a jerk, but at the same time be light hearted enough to make any time spent here enjoyable. We look for activity on the message boards, IRC, Vent, and in-game (once it is released), as well as overall attitude. We want members who are genuinely good people, and who are willing to put in the time in-game and out to help make the Acolytes one of the best guilds on the server. If you are fun, mature, and a team player who just wants to enjoy the game, we want you!
How important does the guild view role-playing?
The Acolytes are a "lite RP" guild, and as such, the only RP requirement is that your Character name be fitting for the world. For example, "Gorbad" would be fine for an Ork, while "Ikillnewbs" will not be allowed. However, a number of our recent recruits have been working to encourage everyone to try role-playing with a number of stories and character backgrounds posted to our forums. They are working hard, and the stories have been a joy to read so far. While by no means required, we would like to encourage everyone to at least give it a try.
What are you most excited about with WAR?
I think City Sieging has to be the most exciting aspect of WAR, but it is hard to ignore the way they work to make the whole game enjoyable, no matter what you like to do. From Public Quests to the crafting system, there should be something for everyone, and the Acolytes are looking to do our best, no matter what aspect of the game! We are also really looking forward to actually seeing all of our members, and the rest of the community, in game once and for all.
How did you find Only WAR?
Back then I think it was an internet search for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning forums, but it has been in my "favorites" for so long it is hard to tell.
Acolytes have just been spotlighted over at IGN as well!
1. What is the meaning of your guild’s name?
Redruum decided he wanted something unique but only be one word. It came about because he had felt it tied in well with how the beginning of Age of Conan takes place. In Age of Conan everyone starts of as a slave and is freed when the slave boat crashes. So, since the generic term of Acolyte is a follower, he then felt the name was appropriate because we were followers of revenge. We wanted revenge against all those that try to cause harm to us and anyone in the future that may try to cause harm to us. We all band together to accomplish our goals and make it known that no one will enslave or harm us again. So we are basically followers of victory and revenge against all those that try to harm us.
Now, to tie this in with the Warhammer branch. Basically, the generic definition for Acolyte is still follower. We are still able to use the revenge card because the Dark Elves are seeking revenge from the High Elves for kicking them out of what they believe to be their own land and they will continue continue to follow the word of Malekith until this feat is accomplished. The Greenskins would be willing to follow whoever for quite some time so long as there are going to be wars to wage and battles to be found to sate their blood thirst. Lastly, Chaos is following the Lord of Change, Tzeentch, in WAR and he simply is might slight changes and asking a small portion of his followers to band together and follow the Acolytes. See all the following? The Acolytes are all followers. The newer members may be finally the Ethereal, Erudite, and Enlightened, but they are all following the direction we think it best for the members. It goes both ways and we understand the Acolytes would be NOTHING without quality members.
2. What is the history of your guild?
The Acolytes were officially formed on April 11th, 2006, which means we just had our two year anniversary not too long ago. The guild was created for the upcoming game Age of Conan. Our AoC division has been featured all over the web on various forums and is likely the biggest Age of Conan guild out there so far. There is a lot of hype for them going into the launch of the game and one of our members who goes by the name Avery even won a trip to go visit FunCom! On January 15th, 2008 the decision became official for the Acolytes to branch out into another MMORPG called Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. The reason behind it was obvious. We needed to future proof the guild and there were more than a few current members who were interested in playing WAR. If the guild were just an Age of Conan guild and the game died or was unsuccessful, than all the members would leave to go play new games in new guild and then the Acolytes would be over. Opening the doors for multiple MMOs allows us to stick around for many years to come and since January of 2008 our Warhammer team has been hard at work recruiting a quality community along with making our presence felt outside of our own forums all over the Warhammer community as well.
3. How many people are in your guild?
This is going to be the first of a couple two part answers I would assume. In the Acolytes we currently have 399 total members. Of these 399, we have 43 people in the Warhammer division. Our division of the guild will be around 80 total members when recruitment is done, hopefully. While we want out guild to be big enough for all of our members to enjoy every aspect of the game, we do not intend to get absolutely huge, and we feel this is best for the guild.
4. How long has the core of your guild been together?
Well the core of the Acolytes based on our new forums has been together for quite some time. According to our dates we have two people who are still with us from 2005 and we have forty-five people who have been with the Acolytes since 2006. While the Warhammer side of the guild has been around since January 15th, 2008, we have three people who are only playing WAR from 2006, seven from 2007, and we had three people apply to the guild to play Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning on January 13th, 2008, two days before we even announced our Warhammer division. All of our Warhammer officers have been with us for at least five months now.
5. What style of play best describes your guild?
Well, according to our polls that we took it comes out like this so far:
PvE 12% PvP 40% Crafting 8% Balanced 40%
However, most people had voted before we got to see the crafting video, city siege information, and the information on Public Quests, Lairs, and instanced dungeons. It might be a bit different than that now with all the new information, but as you can see the majority of the Acolytes are balanced players who like to enjoy everything the game has to offer and with a lean towards the PvP.
6. How is your guild structured?
We have multiple roles in the guild and there is plenty of room for advancement. The way we are currently structured is as follows:
Ethereal - The Ethereal should be the person who is watching over the overall well-being of the guild, as well as making sure the guild continues to progress towards whatever greatness that can be achieve with the resources available.
Erudite - The Erudites are the foundation of the Acolytes. The rest of the guild can depend on the Erudites to be there for them whenever they need something. Once the game launches, each Erudite will have some sort of specialty, be it recruitment, battle plans, resource management, etc. The rest of the guild can come to that Erudite with any suggestion or complaints that they have concerning his/her specialty. All big decisions regarding the guild will be discussed between the Erudites and the Ethereal, though we will of course always take what the entire guild feels into consideration as well. Because the Acolytes are nothing without it's members!
Enlightened - This rank will take full advantage of the great natural leaders we have within this guild. Sub ranks among the Enlightened will help to improve and expand the overall leadership of the guild. For example, people within this rank may be primarily dedicated to the bookkeeping duties of a treasurer, assisting newer members with any questions they may have, or having the responsibility of planning and/or leading major raids or sieges. If they are very well versed within their particular game class they may be considered as class officers.
As you can see this rank will be quite crucial to the Acolytes! Of course the Erudites and Ethereal will be doing things like this for the guild as well, but we do not want any of our members to feel like there is nothing to do within the game. We have already established a decent sized membership, and we can only predict more growth along these lines. We are counting on the people within this rank to help us with the everyday workings and guidance of the guild.
Disciple - The Disciple is a veteran member of the Acolytes who has proven he/she has gone out of their way to make sure the Acolytes are the best they can be, and is consequently entrusted and expected to vote on key matters! It is a training ground for potential future leadership within the Acolytes.
This effort is demonstrated by participation in-game with other members and out-of-game in our forums, in our IRC, and in our Ventrilo chat, and other Acolytes events and efforts. Promotion from Adept to Disciple (and vice versa!) is regularly considered by the Ethereal's and the Erudite's, at least monthly.
Depending on the mechanics of each division of the Acolytes (each game we officially subscribe to) we shall also have certain Disciples assigned to other duties (eg. land masses we obtain through battle; etc).
Adept - The Adept is recognized as a full member of the Acolytes after the two weeks of recruitment time has passed and have made a good effort to be part of the Acolytes. Also, obtaining Adept status allows access to the guild resources within the guild bank.
Apprentice- The Apprentice is a person who has just joined the Acolytes and must participate in a two week recruitment period to display his/her loyalty to the rest of the Acolytes, as well as giving everybody a chance to decide if the new member would fit in well with the rest of the guild. This also gives the Apprentice time to decide if the guild will be a good fit for them before they become committed to it. The Apprentice will not have access to the guild resources at this time as a precautionary measure.
7. What part of WAR is most intriguing to the guild?
While the Realm versus Realm combat mechanic tends to be what attracts players to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, this is not the only draw for the Acolytes. We know RvR is going to be fun. It was in Dark Age of Camelot, so why would it not be fun again here? The way that they talk about the crafting system sounds awesome, and we would love to hear more and more about this. Not having specific recipes on a list in front of you, and having to do the guess and check method actually sounds very entertaining. On top of this, a lot of the guild functions and features sound truly amazing, and we can not wait to play with these in game. It's likely that many guild members will be nominating themselves to be the "Banner Bearer" of the guild because it sounds so awesome. However, the most intriguing feature of WAR for us right now has to be City Sieging. While they have told the public a lot about it, there is likely a lot more that they have yet to explain. Like a great story teller, they leave us wanting more and more.
8. What led your guild to play Destruction
Several factors led to the decision to play on the side of Destruction. At the time of the decision, the Destruction races looked far more appealing, and their armor seemed much more ornate and unique. We also felt that, years after launch, the underplayed side would be Destruction, because the general population tends to gravitate toward the "good guy" side. Also, looking at the pairings, Dark Elves are far cooler than the High Elves, Chaos easily wins over the Empire (it's CHAOS!!!), and honestly, you can never go wrong choosing a Goblin or Orc over a stinking, tiny Dwarf!
9. What are your guild’s main objectives for WAR?
The Acolytes main objective for the game is to be the best at everything we do, but we don't want to sacrifice having fun in the game in order to obtain that goal. We want to be a successful guild without that "elitist" tag. What we mean by that is that we feel we can accomplish raiding dungeons, sacking cities, destroying scenarios, crafting, and role-playing, while still maintaining a well-liked image by the rest of the community. We want people to go "Wow, there goes the Acolytes! They just got back from pillaging Altdorf!", but at the same time also say "Yeah, those are really cool guys, always interacting with the public and willing to help out". We want our allies to love us, and our enemies to respect us.
10. What country/countries is your guild from?
While the Acolytes will be playing on a US server, we have members from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, England, and Germany. We even have a member from Japan who thought the Acolytes were the best guild for him! People from all countries are welcome in the Acolytes, but they will have to purchase a United States version of the game in order to play with the guild.
11. What are some of your past guild accomplishments?
The Acolytes were originally founded as an Age of Conan guild, and later, a WAR guild. Since the games have yet to be released, so there is not much to say on that front. That does not mean, however, that we are inexperienced. For starters, our guild founder Redruum, who you interviewed from the Age of Conan side, played Anarchy Online for many years. The developers created a set of armor later in the game, which was named after his guild, which is quite an accomplishment. As for me, I was a member of a top 20 Dark Age of Camelot guild in terms of realm points. I was also an Officer in a top 8 Shadowbane clan for over a year. As such, I know what it takes on the battlefield to get the job done. However, I don't like to focus too much on the past, because you can have all the experience in the world and still fall flat on your face when a new game comes out. For now, we are just looking to do the best we can as a guild. On that note, current guild accomplishments we are proud of include, coming up with an awesome guild backstory, having a bunch of members join the Warhammer Closed Beta, and, of course, getting our guild spotlighted on this web site!
12. What seems to be the most popular class choice for your guild currently?
The most popular class choice for the Acolytes so far seems to be the Chosen followed closely by the Disciple of Khaine. It seems as though the guild is leaning heavily towards playing tanks and healers, which is awesome. In an RvR based game you would think the majority of the members in a given guild would prefer to play Melee or Ranged DPS roles. I think this is a great sign for us!
13. What is your guild currently playing?
Oh man, what a tough question to answer! The honest truth of it is that, because we are a multi-game guild, our members can be found playing all sorts of games. You can find the Acolytes playing games such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Multiplayer, Lord of the Rings Online, and World of Warcraft. We even had a league going for a couple of weeks for a game called Cal Ripken's Real Baseball! Somebody will mention a game over Ventrilo, and all of a sudden more than a handful of people have the game and are ready to play. We just enjoy gaming together. Also, we can't forget our main aim! We have a group of over ten people currently in beta for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning!
14. Are you still seeking members? If so how can they contact you?
Yes, the Acolytes are currently recruiting new members. At this time, we have a little over forty people in the guild. Currently, we plan on closing down recruiting at around eighty members. We feel this should give us a good amount of people logged in at any given time, which should make the game enjoyable for all members of the guild. Whenever you log on we would like to have at least a full parties worth of Acolytes online. There are multiple ways to contact the guild, but the easiest would be to register on our forums at http://www.The-Acolytes.com/. Once you register, go on over to the Warhammer section of the forums fill out an application. The application template can be found in the New Application forum. Other possible routes to find out more about the guild would be to make a thread on the public forums and ask your questions there, or send a private message to one of the officers.
15. Who would win in a fight Paul Barnett or a Pink Orc?
We believe that in a match up between Paul Barnett and a Pink Orc, several key factors would play a part in determining the outcome:
1) The Size of their Warband ....While the Pink Orc may be able to gather hundreds of other Greenskins ( Pinkskins?!! ), there are going to be thousands upon thousands of "Barnettics" when the game launches. These are borderline stalkers who would sacrifice themselves in the Battle for Barnett. I mean, before the game even launches Paul Barnett has 1666 "friends" on Myspace. I couldn't find the Pink Orc on there. ...Paul wins here.
2) The better WAAAGH!!!.....While Paul Barnett does have a great WAAAGH!!!, it isn't even the best on the staff. Orcs invented it so I would have to give the Pink Orc the benefit of doubt here......Pink Orc wins here.
3) Since these are two major factors in a battle, and the score is now tied, we had to come up with a third and final deciding point. Who would the Acolytes back? .....When it comes down to this it becomes an easy choice. Orcs are born all the time because of how they reproduce but Paul Barnett was born on January 15th, which is the same day ( many years later ) that the Acolytes Warhammer Division was formed! Because of this we would have to back Paul, and that alone should give him the victory.....Paul wins here.
Comments
I wouldn't say it would be our #2, I think we personally have something very special in the works for a future huge game ^^
The first part of our backstory has been made public so I feel I can share it here now with you all:
Chapter 1, The Magus
He awoke with a start, a cold sweat on his face. The images that had filled his head while he slept didn't disappear as he awoke. They swam through his head in a parody of a dream, images swirling and contorting, enough to drive one mad should he think about them too much. No, he admitted, this had not been just another dream, but a vision. A vision of the near future granted to him by his Dark God. The vision had also contained a message, though it had taken all his willpower to wrench it from the swirling mass of images. A cruel grin formed on his lips as he considered the message. It had been simple. A war was on the way, and he was to play a part.
He wondered, briefly, why he had been chosen to be blessed with this vision, but knew it was not time to worry about such petty nonsense. His God did not work in ways any mere mortal could possibly comprehend. Besides, he had to make his own plans.
Days passed in but the blink of an eye as he plotted his course. He poured over every last detail he could surmise from his vision as he drafted his plans for the coming war. The visions were not detailed, but rather painted things in broad strokes. To have delved any deeper, he was certain, would have broken his mind, twisting as much as they were. Only The Changer of Ways could understand these messages, embodied by Chaos as they were.
Finally his plans were complete. Now, he could set them in motion. He would need others to fight for him. He needed to gather an army.
The Magus left his tower and set out into the chaos wastes, searching for any and all that he could use to form his army. Only the strongest would do. He had to form an army that could survive the coming age. He used every method at his disposal to convince anyone and everyone whom he found worthy. At first, he promised glory, and power. Those who joined would find favor of The Changer of Ways, he promised. When this failed, he used blackmail, threatening them with the very secrets they held dear. If all else failed, the power of his magic and the anger of his God was usually enough to change their minds. Or they were left a smoldering husk, their sundered bodies adding to the desolate wasteland that they once called home.
In time, his army slowly, but surely, grew. While still small, those it employed were cunning and brutal. His Acolytes, as they came to be known, gathered at his tower, awaiting his next orders. They had heard of his vision and bowed to him as a Chosen of their Dark God.
Acolytes. He smiled at the name. He knew not who surmised the name, nor cared not, but he found it fitting. Yes, they were all acolytes to their great master, for when compared to the Wisdom and Knowledge of The Changer of Ways, a mortal was less than a mere insect, and so could but learn. Learn of his great plans for the world.
He was finally ready to begin his move, marching his Acolytes to the Empire, sending them to do his Dark Master’s bidding.
That night, however, he awoke again, the same, familiar, cold sweat beading down his face. He cursed under his breath for making a fool of himself, as he realized the folly of his own mistake. He had assumed he knew everything he needed to. Perhaps he did, at the time. He had not, however, known the true scope of the war in his vision.
This time, he had seen, vaguely, elf fighting elf as a dark armada from across the oceans lay siege to the white cities of their brethren. He had seen endless hordes of Greenskins flooding into the mountains over the bodies of countless Dwarfs. And the Hordes of Chaos, innumerable in number, laying waste to the cities of the Empire.
Normally, this would not concern him, had he not seen one, fatal, flaw. Though under siege by their mortal enemies, the forces of Order in the world were fighting back, and joining together as they were, had become powerful in their own right.
He looked out over the army he had gathered, and knew at once that it was not enough. He would have to gather others. He had an idea on how to do this, but he had to prepare.
It would take great concentration, and he would need to focus all his attention on it if he were to have a chance of succeeding. He couldn't be disturbed. Before he started, he appointed his best warriors to watch over the gathering flock. They would need tending to while he was working. The troops would need training in the arts of war and slaughter for the coming battles, and others would have to preach the greatness of their Master to the uninitiated. Yes, they would continue to grow, even while he wasn't watching. He took comfort in this as he began the next phase of his plan.[/QUOTE]
Also, the bridge to lead the backstory into the next part has been made public as well.
Interim, The Preparation
First, it was time to deal with the Greenskins, decided the Magus.
For this, he had a plan. He sent the best trackers in his Warband in search of one of the Greenskin, a Shaman. He had seen them in battle, and knew the power they wielded over their tribes. It was not a power of brute strength, like the Orcs that led the tribes. It was the power of words, and cunning, and the Magus liked this. He was sure he could corrupt their power for his own use.
While he waited on his hunters, he studied many dark ceremonies and spells of power and control until, at last, he was satisfied with his preparations.
His warriors returned shortly after with one of the green horde in their charge. A small goblin. A Shaman, just as ordered. He had it brought within his tower. Torturous screams could be heard for many days. Dark rituals and rights of such evil as should not be discussed were enacted as spells of manipulation and control were placed on the unwitting guest of the Dark Magus. When the rituals were finally complete, the unwitting pawn's memories of the event were destroyed, and the hunters were tasked with its return.[/quote]
i was a member of the Acolytes a long time ago for AoC back in Nov 06 but i just stoped posting on the forums and such .. then decided to play WAR instead then converted a bunch of my RL friends to play with me ...then saw you guys had a WAR branch...ohh well
Just wondering whether you guys are going to only play one race just Destruction in general
Destruction in general.
thats cool
my guild/group of about 20 RL friends are playing destruction in General but leading towards chaos..for the most part
you guys still plan to play an RP/PVP server or what ever it will be called in WAR?
Yup, Destruction in general.
We will definitely be on an RP server, but right now RP is all they have. If there are Open RvR RP servers, we may go there but we have not decided just yet. We have a completely different group of people running the WAR side than the AoC side though so we might have different thoughts on what is best for us as a guild in terms of servers.
Chapter 2 of 3!
Chapter 2, Da Orcs
The goblin woke up behind a rock a good ways from the Orc camp. A lucky fin’ too, he thought. If he had been lying closer to the camp, he probably would've woken up in a stew pot. He got up slowly as his body still ached all over. Wot ’appened? He couldn't remember... but he soon forgot about forgetting as he hurried back to the camp. He was the shaman after all. He had bigger things to think about!
"Oi! Where ’ave you been?!" asked a big Orc!
Almost magically, a reply sprang to mind. The goblin thought it a good one, so he used it.
"I was talkin’ to Mork. He was tellin’ me wot we is to do." replied the goblin.
The Orc paused. They were a small tribe, and their shaman had never seemed to be particularly favored before. But if this was true, it could mean they would have a good fight soon, thought the Orc.
"Oi boyz, da gobbo said he talked to Mork. Wotcha fink of dat?", he shouted to some of the others nearby.
A small crowd started to gather around the goblin, pushing and shoving each other to get the best position. A few fights broke out here and there. He was just about to begin telling the unruly crowd what he had seen, when a dark shadow fell over him. The goblin looked up to see a huge Black Orc towering over him, and he cringed. The Warboss had come to see what the fuss was.
However, being the Voice of Mork that he was, the goblin screwed up his courage and said the first thing that came to mind.
"Mork told me dat dere is soon gonna be a Waaagh!!! An’ he said we need to join it! We need to get da boyz togetha' an’ get ready to march!"
The Black Orc looked surprised for a moment. He had been expecting the goblin to have been caught being lazy or stealing food. Proclaiming the Will of Mork was not on his short list the little goblin might say. But, he is da Shaman, thought the Orc, and if der's a war, I wan' in! He decided to listen a little further.
"Talk now, before I decide to eat you," the Black Orc said.
"I saw a vision dat dere'll be a great Waaagh! A great Waaagh will be called! Mork ’as told me dat when da time comez, he will send me visionz tellin’ us wot we need to do for da Waaagh!!! Now, he sayz to get da boyz togetha an’ ready to move." The goblin seemed to gain more courage as he went along.
The Black Orc liked the sound of this. He hadn't had a good fight in a few days after all. As long as he got a good fight, he would do as Mork said, he decided.
ahhh..who is running the WAR branch
ahhh..who is running the WAR branch
Onyx is the guild leader, myself and Mattlow ( WarCry.com Site Manager for the WAR part ) are officers. Feel free to stop by the forums and check some things out ^^
you guys will go far with onyx...
Hmm?
i didn't mean that in a bad way.
i remember him ..pretty good guy
Also, feel free to drop by the forums and post a link to your guilds forums if it is up and running. If not you and your friends are free to hang out and chat on ours. Former Acolytes who didn't leave on bad terms are more than welcome to it ^^.
ohh yeah might be in there some time just keeping touch to see about what sever you guys will play on always good to have a powerful ally ...in a time of WAR
Sounds like a plan!
sweet deal ... our plan is to run two groups in open world RVR (of course going to hit max first) with a third group eather in instance PVP or or running behind us /crafting
but again its a while before launch and we will work out details in Beta/ few weeks after launch
we will keep in touch ... and we dont really plan on having a fourm since we all know each other in RL but if we decide to expand we will ,most likely, make one
The more the merrier.
The Acolytes are now currently up to 48 members fully dedicated to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, but we also have 4 people on trials still, and 9 members of our Age of Conan branch who will be joining us in WAR as well. This is a total of 57 members we know of who will be joining us in the lands of Warhammer with a potential of 61 currently.
To give some perspective we WILL be cutting off recruitment around 80 members who are dedicated to Warhammer. We want our guild to be large enough to do as we please in the world and have people on at all times but we do not want to get too large to the point where our members no longer have a voice within the guild. I personally do not expect recruiting to be open three months from now so if you were unsure whether or not the guild fits you or you were being too lazy to apply, feel free to stop by our forums, introduce yourself, or fill out an application. If you have ANY serious questions about the Acolytes feel free to either stop by our forums and make a thread with your questions or you can ask right in these recruitment threads and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Get those applications in before it is too late!
join before its to late guys
DISCLAIMER:
ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE AND WIN BUT I DO ASK IF YOU WIN, AND ALREADY HAVE AN OPEN BETA ACCESS CODE FOR WARHAMMER ONLINE: AGE OF RECKONING, THAT YOU ALLOW ME TO GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
Prize
: A Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Code that grants you access into the Open Beta.
Rules and Instructions
: All you have to do is post on the Acolytes WAR boards which can be located at:
http://www.the-acolytes.com/
The catch is that the posts must be relevant to the topic or create your own topics that start a nice discussion.
How is the winner picked?
By Arkane, at random. On the day the contest ends, Onyx will assign each and every forum for the WAR branch a random number and give me the numbers. After I pick out one of the numbers he gives me, he will then assign each topic in that forum a number and we will do the same thing. Once a topic is picked out I will pick a random number based on how many posts are in the topic, and that is all there is to it.
Obviously, the more constructive posts you have the better chance you have of winning.
Additional winners will be chosen if we acquire more Open Beta keys.
Outsiders can also win the contest but clearly guild members of the Acolytes have a higher chance of winning clearly because they have access to boards non-members do not. Who cares though, it is a contest that anyone has a chance to win, right?
Why would we do this?
Simply because we have a group of people in the Closed Beta who ordered the Collector's Edition and don't need the Open Beta code and thought it would be a nice act on our part to give back.
When does it start, when does it end?
It starts right now and it will end on May 28th since the code must be punched in by July 10th I would like to have some buffer room.
Happy posting and good luck!
Steam rose into the cold air from the flanks of the dark steed he rode. Despite its elven heritage, it was heaving for air, the messenger having pushed the beast to its limits in his haste. He jumped down from the horse, not bothering to check on, or even unsaddle the animal. He had more important matters to attend to.
* * * * *
The small manor was lit by only a few candles and a blazing fire in the massive hearth carved of black basalt. The firelight illuminated the room, sending dark shadows dancing across the walls. Light reflected from the myriad of small jewels decorating an assortment of rings, necklaces and other trinkets that lay spread out across the desk that sat in the middle of the room. The thick red carpet that lay across the cold stone floor lent the room a certain elegance.
An elegant dungeon, the Lord thought with a smirk. He liked it that way. One of the human slave girls was chained to the wall, her pale skin gleaming in the fire light. She was accounted beautiful by many, and was, he thought, the perfect decoration for his room. She struggled against the chains, fire burning in her eyes. She had been captured in a recent raid, and had yet to learn the true misery such a place could offer. He would begin her training tonight, the Lord decided. He was gazing at the twisting and wreathing shadows the fire threw across her body when he heard the sounds of a visitor being lead into the room next door.
The door swung open and the messenger crept slowly into view.
"Stand over by the fire" the Lord commanded from the darkness at the other end of the room. "What brings you here? And make sure this is worthy of my time. You see, I'm very busy."
"My lord, Lord Uthorin sends a message for you." replied the messenger, water slowly dripping from his soaked cloak to puddle on the floor. He made sure to stand well away from the carpet.
The Dark Elf Lord’s eyes widened a bit in surprise at that, though he quickly concealed his emotions. What could Lord Uthorin want with him? He took the letter with a strange sense of urgency and quickly slit the missive open with a nearby dagger. He read the letter, eyes narrowing as he drifted deep into thought. He sat as such for quite some time, the messenger waiting patiently, knowing better than to move lest he be needed to deliver a reply.
The Lord read the letter vigorously one more time.
"As you know, Lord Malekith has decided the time is ripe for an attack on those vile usurpers. With the world going to war they will be weakened, leaving the way open for us to take back that which is rightfully ours. However, it seems there are those who are looking to take advantage of these times, and are working more for their own personal gain than for the sake of our Lord. I fear that Lady Arkaneth, in a bid to gain more power, is planning on forming an alliance with some of the Chaos Warbands that have been forming outside the borders of the human lands.
As I am sure you know, this is unacceptable. However, we need proof that she is doing this before we can stop her. My scouts report that there is much activity in the Wastes, with numerous new Warbands forming. All signs point to a large push by the Chaos armies in the South. I would like you to send some Emissaries to these Warbands. They should befriend them and try to gather as much information as possible. While it would normally be difficult to gain acceptance, I feel that our Emissaries may have a chance due to the upcoming conflict. I'm sure you may manage to find one or two Warbands that will accept Druchii aid in the coming battles. Have your agents report back to me with any information they find as to Arkaneth's plans, as well as any movements of the Chaos hosts. Do not fail me in this."
He was sure he was not the only individual to receive this letter. He had one very similar to it from Arkaneth locked and hidden deep in his office. He planned to use these two letters to his advantage when the time came, but for now, he had little to do but follow them and wait. His chance would come.
He began to write his orders.
* * * * *
The Lord watched the messenger race out of the gate, his reply in hand. He turned back from the window and summoned the Captain of his guard.
"I have a mission for you. We will need some volunteers for a trip." The Lord smirked.
The Acolytes have been featured in a guild spotlight over at Only-WAR!
You can find the issue on their front page currently at:
Only-WAR
The permanent link can be found at:
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Acolytes get spotlight over at Only-WAR
What's your guild name, link, alignment and leader?
* Our guild name is the Acolytes.
* We can be found at http://www.The-Acolytes.com/
* Our alignment is Destruction
* The leader of our guild is Onyx.
How long has your guild existed(exact dates if possible)?
Our guild has actually been around for over two years now but our Warhammer division was formed on January 15th, 2008.
How many members do you have?
We are currently at 41 members. However, that does not include our current crop of applicants, nor does it include our Age of Conan members who want to play WAR either.
List three words that describe your guild and tell us why.
* Fun - No matter where we are, you will always find the Acolytes having a great time. We chat all day on a number of forums, IRC, and/or vent, and we are constantly laughing. We even practice other games together, and these often become a big conversation point within the guild, as well as a source of new jokes.
* Dedicated - You will find the majority of the people in the guild are willing to do what it takes to help the guild. Everyone wants the guild to do well, and so they really put a lot of effort into whatever they do. You can bet your bottom dollar that you will see Acolytes all over the game, doing things like hosting events, group trading, organizing groups, and tearing it up in RvR!
* Proud - This is easily understood once you talk to somebody who has spent even a minimal amount of time in the guild. Everyone is very proud of the work and effort that has gone into making this guild, and they continue to work hard at making it even better. We wear the Acolyte tag very proudly and have no problem representing our guild around the community.
What do you look for in a new member?
We want our members to be mature enough to not be a jerk, but at the same time be light hearted enough to make any time spent here enjoyable. We look for activity on the message boards, IRC, Vent, and in-game (once it is released), as well as overall attitude. We want members who are genuinely good people, and who are willing to put in the time in-game and out to help make the Acolytes one of the best guilds on the server. If you are fun, mature, and a team player who just wants to enjoy the game, we want you!
How important does the guild view role-playing?
The Acolytes are a "lite RP" guild, and as such, the only RP requirement is that your Character name be fitting for the world. For example, "Gorbad" would be fine for an Ork, while "Ikillnewbs" will not be allowed. However, a number of our recent recruits have been working to encourage everyone to try role-playing with a number of stories and character backgrounds posted to our forums. They are working hard, and the stories have been a joy to read so far. While by no means required, we would like to encourage everyone to at least give it a try.
What are you most excited about with WAR?
I think City Sieging has to be the most exciting aspect of WAR, but it is hard to ignore the way they work to make the whole game enjoyable, no matter what you like to do. From Public Quests to the crafting system, there should be something for everyone, and the Acolytes are looking to do our best, no matter what aspect of the game! We are also really looking forward to actually seeing all of our members, and the rest of the community, in game once and for all.
How did you find Only WAR?
Back then I think it was an internet search for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning forums, but it has been in my "favorites" for so long it is hard to tell.
Acolytes have just been spotlighted over at IGN as well!
Redruum decided he wanted something unique but only be one word. It came about because he had felt it tied in well with how the beginning of Age of Conan takes place. In Age of Conan everyone starts of as a slave and is freed when the slave boat crashes. So, since the generic term of Acolyte is a follower, he then felt the name was appropriate because we were followers of revenge. We wanted revenge against all those that try to cause harm to us and anyone in the future that may try to cause harm to us. We all band together to accomplish our goals and make it known that no one will enslave or harm us again. So we are basically followers of victory and revenge against all those that try to harm us.
Now, to tie this in with the Warhammer branch. Basically, the generic definition for Acolyte is still follower. We are still able to use the revenge card because the Dark Elves are seeking revenge from the High Elves for kicking them out of what they believe to be their own land and they will continue continue to follow the word of Malekith until this feat is accomplished. The Greenskins would be willing to follow whoever for quite some time so long as there are going to be wars to wage and battles to be found to sate their blood thirst. Lastly, Chaos is following the Lord of Change, Tzeentch, in WAR and he simply is might slight changes and asking a small portion of his followers to band together and follow the Acolytes. See all the following? The Acolytes are all followers. The newer members may be finally the Ethereal, Erudite, and Enlightened, but they are all following the direction we think it best for the members. It goes both ways and we understand the Acolytes would be NOTHING without quality members.
2. What is the history of your guild?
The Acolytes were officially formed on April 11th, 2006, which means we just had our two year anniversary not too long ago. The guild was created for the upcoming game Age of Conan. Our AoC division has been featured all over the web on various forums and is likely the biggest Age of Conan guild out there so far. There is a lot of hype for them going into the launch of the game and one of our members who goes by the name Avery even won a trip to go visit FunCom! On January 15th, 2008 the decision became official for the Acolytes to branch out into another MMORPG called Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. The reason behind it was obvious. We needed to future proof the guild and there were more than a few current members who were interested in playing WAR. If the guild were just an Age of Conan guild and the game died or was unsuccessful, than all the members would leave to go play new games in new guild and then the Acolytes would be over. Opening the doors for multiple MMOs allows us to stick around for many years to come and since January of 2008 our Warhammer team has been hard at work recruiting a quality community along with making our presence felt outside of our own forums all over the Warhammer community as well.
3. How many people are in your guild?
This is going to be the first of a couple two part answers I would assume. In the Acolytes we currently have 399 total members. Of these 399, we have 43 people in the Warhammer division. Our division of the guild will be around 80 total members when recruitment is done, hopefully. While we want out guild to be big enough for all of our members to enjoy every aspect of the game, we do not intend to get absolutely huge, and we feel this is best for the guild.
4. How long has the core of your guild been together?
Well the core of the Acolytes based on our new forums has been together for quite some time. According to our dates we have two people who are still with us from 2005 and we have forty-five people who have been with the Acolytes since 2006. While the Warhammer side of the guild has been around since January 15th, 2008, we have three people who are only playing WAR from 2006, seven from 2007, and we had three people apply to the guild to play Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning on January 13th, 2008, two days before we even announced our Warhammer division. All of our Warhammer officers have been with us for at least five months now.
5. What style of play best describes your guild?
Well, according to our polls that we took it comes out like this so far:
PvE 12%
PvP 40%
Crafting 8%
Balanced 40%
However, most people had voted before we got to see the crafting video, city siege information, and the information on Public Quests, Lairs, and instanced dungeons. It might be a bit different than that now with all the new information, but as you can see the majority of the Acolytes are balanced players who like to enjoy everything the game has to offer and with a lean towards the PvP.
6. How is your guild structured?
We have multiple roles in the guild and there is plenty of room for advancement. The way we are currently structured is as follows:
Ethereal - The Ethereal should be the person who is watching over the overall well-being of the guild, as well as making sure the guild continues to progress towards whatever greatness that can be achieve with the resources available.
Erudite - The Erudites are the foundation of the Acolytes. The rest of the guild can depend on the Erudites to be there for them whenever they need something. Once the game launches, each Erudite will have some sort of specialty, be it recruitment, battle plans, resource management, etc. The rest of the guild can come to that Erudite with any suggestion or complaints that they have concerning his/her specialty. All big decisions regarding the guild will be discussed between the Erudites and the Ethereal, though we will of course always take what the entire guild feels into consideration as well. Because the Acolytes are nothing without it's members!
Enlightened - This rank will take full advantage of the great natural leaders we have within this guild. Sub ranks among the Enlightened will help to improve and expand the overall leadership of the guild. For example, people within this rank may be primarily dedicated to the bookkeeping duties of a treasurer, assisting newer members with any questions they may have, or having the responsibility of planning and/or leading major raids or sieges. If they are very well versed within their particular game class they may be considered as class officers.
As you can see this rank will be quite crucial to the Acolytes! Of course the Erudites and Ethereal will be doing things like this for the guild as well, but we do not want any of our members to feel like there is nothing to do within the game. We have already established a decent sized membership, and we can only predict more growth along these lines. We are counting on the people within this rank to help us with the everyday workings and guidance of the guild.
Disciple - The Disciple is a veteran member of the Acolytes who has proven he/she has gone out of their way to make sure the Acolytes are the best they can be, and is consequently entrusted and expected to vote on key matters! It is a training ground for potential future leadership within the Acolytes.
This effort is demonstrated by participation in-game with other members and out-of-game in our forums, in our IRC, and in our Ventrilo chat, and other Acolytes events and efforts. Promotion from Adept to Disciple (and vice versa!) is regularly considered by the Ethereal's and the Erudite's, at least monthly.
Depending on the mechanics of each division of the Acolytes (each game we officially subscribe to) we shall also have certain Disciples assigned to other duties (eg. land masses we obtain through battle; etc).
Adept - The Adept is recognized as a full member of the Acolytes after the two weeks of recruitment time has passed and have made a good effort to be part of the Acolytes. Also, obtaining Adept status allows access to the guild resources within the guild bank.
Apprentice- The Apprentice is a person who has just joined the Acolytes and must participate in a two week recruitment period to display his/her loyalty to the rest of the Acolytes, as well as giving everybody a chance to decide if the new member would fit in well with the rest of the guild. This also gives the Apprentice time to decide if the guild will be a good fit for them before they become committed to it. The Apprentice will not have access to the guild resources at this time as a precautionary measure.
7. What part of WAR is most intriguing to the guild?
While the Realm versus Realm combat mechanic tends to be what attracts players to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, this is not the only draw for the Acolytes. We know RvR is going to be fun. It was in Dark Age of Camelot, so why would it not be fun again here? The way that they talk about the crafting system sounds awesome, and we would love to hear more and more about this. Not having specific recipes on a list in front of you, and having to do the guess and check method actually sounds very entertaining. On top of this, a lot of the guild functions and features sound truly amazing, and we can not wait to play with these in game. It's likely that many guild members will be nominating themselves to be the "Banner Bearer" of the guild because it sounds so awesome. However, the most intriguing feature of WAR for us right now has to be City Sieging. While they have told the public a lot about it, there is likely a lot more that they have yet to explain. Like a great story teller, they leave us wanting more and more.
8. What led your guild to play Destruction
Several factors led to the decision to play on the side of Destruction. At the time of the decision, the Destruction races looked far more appealing, and their armor seemed much more ornate and unique. We also felt that, years after launch, the underplayed side would be Destruction, because the general population tends to gravitate toward the "good guy" side. Also, looking at the pairings, Dark Elves are far cooler than the High Elves, Chaos easily wins over the Empire (it's CHAOS!!!), and honestly, you can never go wrong choosing a Goblin or Orc over a stinking, tiny Dwarf!
9. What are your guild’s main objectives for WAR?
The Acolytes main objective for the game is to be the best at everything we do, but we don't want to sacrifice having fun in the game in order to obtain that goal. We want to be a successful guild without that "elitist" tag. What we mean by that is that we feel we can accomplish raiding dungeons, sacking cities, destroying scenarios, crafting, and role-playing, while still maintaining a well-liked image by the rest of the community. We want people to go "Wow, there goes the Acolytes! They just got back from pillaging Altdorf!", but at the same time also say "Yeah, those are really cool guys, always interacting with the public and willing to help out". We want our allies to love us, and our enemies to respect us.
10. What country/countries is your guild from?
While the Acolytes will be playing on a US server, we have members from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, England, and Germany. We even have a member from Japan who thought the Acolytes were the best guild for him! People from all countries are welcome in the Acolytes, but they will have to purchase a United States version of the game in order to play with the guild.
11. What are some of your past guild accomplishments?
The Acolytes were originally founded as an Age of Conan guild, and later, a WAR guild. Since the games have yet to be released, so there is not much to say on that front. That does not mean, however, that we are inexperienced. For starters, our guild founder Redruum, who you interviewed from the Age of Conan side, played Anarchy Online for many years. The developers created a set of armor later in the game, which was named after his guild, which is quite an accomplishment. As for me, I was a member of a top 20 Dark Age of Camelot guild in terms of realm points. I was also an Officer in a top 8 Shadowbane clan for over a year. As such, I know what it takes on the battlefield to get the job done. However, I don't like to focus too much on the past, because you can have all the experience in the world and still fall flat on your face when a new game comes out. For now, we are just looking to do the best we can as a guild. On that note, current guild accomplishments we are proud of include, coming up with an awesome guild backstory, having a bunch of members join the Warhammer Closed Beta, and, of course, getting our guild spotlighted on this web site!
12. What seems to be the most popular class choice for your guild currently?
The most popular class choice for the Acolytes so far seems to be the Chosen followed closely by the Disciple of Khaine. It seems as though the guild is leaning heavily towards playing tanks and healers, which is awesome. In an RvR based game you would think the majority of the members in a given guild would prefer to play Melee or Ranged DPS roles. I think this is a great sign for us!
13. What is your guild currently playing?
Oh man, what a tough question to answer! The honest truth of it is that, because we are a multi-game guild, our members can be found playing all sorts of games. You can find the Acolytes playing games such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Multiplayer, Lord of the Rings Online, and World of Warcraft. We even had a league going for a couple of weeks for a game called Cal Ripken's Real Baseball! Somebody will mention a game over Ventrilo, and all of a sudden more than a handful of people have the game and are ready to play. We just enjoy gaming together. Also, we can't forget our main aim! We have a group of over ten people currently in beta for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning!
14. Are you still seeking members? If so how can they contact you?
Yes, the Acolytes are currently recruiting new members. At this time, we have a little over forty people in the guild. Currently, we plan on closing down recruiting at around eighty members. We feel this should give us a good amount of people logged in at any given time, which should make the game enjoyable for all members of the guild. Whenever you log on we would like to have at least a full parties worth of Acolytes online. There are multiple ways to contact the guild, but the easiest would be to register on our forums at http://www.The-Acolytes.com/. Once you register, go on over to the Warhammer section of the forums fill out an application. The application template can be found in the New Application forum. Other possible routes to find out more about the guild would be to make a thread on the public forums and ask your questions there, or send a private message to one of the officers.
15. Who would win in a fight Paul Barnett or a Pink Orc?
We believe that in a match up between Paul Barnett and a Pink Orc, several key factors would play a part in determining the outcome:
1) The Size of their Warband ....While the Pink Orc may be able to gather hundreds of other Greenskins ( Pinkskins?!! ), there are going to be thousands upon thousands of "Barnettics" when the game launches. These are borderline stalkers who would sacrifice themselves in the Battle for Barnett. I mean, before the game even launches Paul Barnett has 1666 "friends" on Myspace. I couldn't find the Pink Orc on there. ...Paul wins here.
2) The better WAAAGH!!!.....While Paul Barnett does have a great WAAAGH!!!, it isn't even the best on the staff. Orcs invented it so I would have to give the Pink Orc the benefit of doubt here......Pink Orc wins here.
3) Since these are two major factors in a battle, and the score is now tied, we had to come up with a third and final deciding point. Who would the Acolytes back? .....When it comes down to this it becomes an easy choice. Orcs are born all the time because of how they reproduce but Paul Barnett was born on January 15th, which is the same day ( many years later ) that the Acolytes Warhammer Division was formed! Because of this we would have to back Paul, and that alone should give him the victory.....Paul wins here.
The overall winner is Paul Barnett!