PAXLAIR ALLIANCE

NOTE (June 10, 2006):  The PaxLair Alliance information here is OUT-OF-DATE.
The construction and operations of Alliances in the PaxLair Community has changed.  Cities and Guilds can now create and join their own Alliances inside and outside the PaxLair Community.

About the Alliance | Rules of the Alliance | Alliance Members | Guild Search | Character Search

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

-Margaret Mead (1901 - 1978)

 


PaxLair Alliance Meeting held in Felucca, July 12, 2005

Welcome to the PaxLair Alliance!  Here you will learn more about our Alliance and its purpose, concepts, tenets, membership, and plans for the future.  PaxLair is a very open community reaching across the entire Realm.  Due to PaxLair's neutrality as a government, we welcome people and guilds of all walks of life with one primary simple rule.  Respect.  See Rules of Alliance for a complete discussion.

PURPOSE:

The PaxLair Alliance is more than a mechanical connection of guilds; it is a group of friends working closely together for a variety of reasons.  These reasons can include:

  • Role-playing
  • Participating in and/or operating the "virtual" PaxLair government
  • Protection of PaxLair locations (consentual and non-consentual defense PvP)
  • Combatting Evil or Good (consentual PvP)
  • Adventuring into monsterous lands (PvM)
  • Rapid communication by a variety of methods
  • News about your achievements as an individual or guild
  • Developing skills (such as PvP, PvM, crafting, taming, barding)
  • Crafting and enhancing items for friends
  • Creating or participating in a variety of events (like tournaments, plays, and weekly 'games')
  • Creating and participating in "player" quests
  • Participating in "Event Manager" quests
  • Linking establishments together (like player-towns, pubs, rune libraries, museums, quest buildings)
  • Selling and buying wares at various locations or within the alliance
  • Integrating your building into a town atmosphere giving it a special purpose (like a pub, library, meeting hall, quest garden, main forge for the area)
  • Finding a guild that suits your interests
  • Participating in the larger communities throughout the shards
  • And above all, getting to know a wonderful community of friends and companions.

CONCEPT FOR THE ALLIANCE:

Many years ago when PaxLair started at its city location in Felucca northwest of the Compassion Shrine (January 19, 1998), PaxLair immediately became a melting-pot and cross-road for many guilds and people.  PaxLair, started by The Band, quickly embraced many guilds and people.  Therefore from the start, PaxLair was destined to be a community-town, not a single guild-town.  This concept continues today and services many locations on many facets of Chesapeake.

Some words about mechanics: the difference between then and now has to do with some mechanical features created by the gods.  We have the ability to communicate better across the guilds (alliance 'chat'), enhanced storage abilities in buildings (secure 'guild' containers), and the capability to 'war' a guild as an alliance for a pre-determined amount of time (consentual PvP guild-wars).  Alliance members can also attack each other without interference from non-Alliance people (this has pros and cons, see more below).

We still do not have the ability to 'connect' buildings together through a 'town stone', thus allowing more integration of buildings in a given area which could enhance management of friend and ban lists, better communication between buildings instead of relying on guild/alliance 'chat', combined secure storage for the "town" in different buildings, placement of items between buildings (like gardens, chairs, and table), and many other possible features.  Such a capability was discussed with the gods long ago and is hopefully still a consideration.

Our intent is to use these new alliance capabilities to the maximum extent possible for role-playing, cooperation, and community-building.  We will press the limits of these capabilities through experimentation, management and leadership, and all around fun.  When we encounter problems, we re-group quickly and decide on a course of action.

The PaxLair Alliance, with its variety of people, is a continuation of this 'melting-pot' of long ago.  There are many opportunities for people to set and achieve their goals within the Realm and try many new things.  All is simply a matter of a person understanding the different guilds in the Alliance, becoming involved with that guild that peaks their interest, and stepping out with others to do more than they could do before.

A word on the ability to attack people within the Alliance:  In the old days, when Orcs, Wraiths, Vampires and more had evil 'role-played' presences in PaxLair, there was limited ability to have 'role-played' combat without interference from outsiders.  The town streets would quickly convert from this 'role-played' situation to a 'non-consentual PvP' one where all people (good and evil) had to combine forces to combat the outsiders.  This dramatically detracted from the town environment and the goals of the good and evil townsfolk.

Now, good and evil 'role-players' in a single alliance can have 'consentual PvP' anywhere on the shard (except limitations caused by outsiders still engaging us in Felucca, just like the old days).  Since it is assumed Alliance members work together, cooperate, and have respect for one another, the 'consentual PvP' abilities within the Alliance should not be a problem.

However, if some people in the Alliance violate our tenets of respect and cooperation and use the 'consentual PvP' feature to 'gank' our own alliance members, then we have problems.  Such problems are dealt with quickly and strictly by the Guildmasters in the Alliance and the Mayor of PaxLair.  We are hopeful this type of situation is a rarity, but we are prepared if it does happen.

We will take on the tremendous opportunities of this Alliance with open eyes and creative ideas.  The PaxLair Alliance will continue to mature in concepts as we actively become more involved in quests, adventures, 'role-played' situations, and all things that member guilds and people desire.

TENETS OF THE ALLIANCE:

te·net (tnt)
n.
An opinion, doctrine, or principle held as being true by a person or especially by an organization.

(reference: http://www.dictionary.com, May 21, 2005)

The primary tenet and rule of the PaxLair Alliance is respect.  Without respect, the alliance falls apart.  There are times when some people may not like others very much or even hate them, but the idea of respect is to "feel or show deferential regard for other people" and to "avoid violation of or interference with a rule or law".  Respect of each other, and of our rules, is paramount if our community and this Alliance are to succeed.

Another tenet is cooperation.  An alliance by its very nature is designed to enable and foster cooperation between people with similar or even different interests.  We will always do our best to provide a good environment for this cooperation to blossom.

A final tenet is participation.  A group, guild, or even an alliance doesn't really exist unless the people participate.  Participation in the PaxLair Alliance is voluntary of course.  We know that people participate at different levels; their time is limited or they have many different interests outside the Alliance.  We also know that people participate in the Alliance if there is something to do and there is value in doing that something.  Therefore, the Alliance must have Value.  If the Alliance ceases to help people do things they want to do, then there is no need for the Alliance.  So participation levels also serve as an indicator on the health of the Alliance.

MEMBERSHIP IN THE ALLIANCE:

An alliance does not exist without members.  An alliance can become unmanageable and fraught with problems if membership is not selective in some way.  We do not intend to make the PaxLair Alliance an elitist alliance of any sort.  All alliances have some sort of selection method.  Our intent is to make this Alliance stable and good for all people involved.

First of all, if anyone (guild or person) desires to become a member of the PaxLair Alliance, you need a recommendation from a PaxLair official (various people in the guild [Pax]) or from the leadership of an Alliance member guild.  You can contact these people in the Realm, or via other means, to express your interest and make your case.  Recommendations are then made to the Mayor of PaxLair.  The Mayor listens to the recommendation, asks questions, and thinks it all over.  He then tells the rest of the Alliance members what is proposed and his recommendation so he can get feedback within the Alliance.  The Mayor then makes his decision.

If a person or guild can not get a recommendation into the Alliance or is turned down from the Alliance, we always respect their interest and tell them our reasons.  We maintain respect and objectivity throughout this entire short and effective process.

Alliance guilds have the choice to leave the Alliance for any reason and at any time.  Some may leave because they prefer to be in another alliance.  Some may leave because they wish to 'war' a guild or an alliance (e.g., the Kaar Barashaul Orcs [ORC]) in an event that requires special 'war' mechanics.  Entry back into the PaxLair Alliance simply involves explaining things to the Mayor of PaxLair.

Alliance guilds may split from time to time into smaller guilds.  Such decisions are made purely by the members of the parent guild.  If the entire parent guild was in "good-standing" within the PaxLair Alliance before the split, then it is assumed each of the split-guilds also remain in the PaxLair Alliance.  PaxLair government tries to stay out of member guilds' issues and decisions unless they adversely affect the Alliance.  PaxLair Alliance leadership may have to weigh in if a parent guild splits on bad terms; there may be problems having both split-guilds in the same alliance.  Such matters are dealt with as quickly as possible through mediation, negotiation, decisions, and respect.

We currently have one PaxLair Alliance led by the Mayor of PaxLair who is also guildmaster of the PaxLair [Pax] guild.  There could be opportunities for multiple PaxLair Alliances, driven primarily by 'game mechanics' rather than a split of community interest.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN "ALLIANCE GUILDS", "PAXLAIR CITIZEN-GUILDS", and "BUILDINGS IN PAXLAIR LOCATIONS".

PaxLair Citizen-Guilds came about when PaxLair first started long ago.  Certain guilds focused their energies on living in and developing PaxLair as a town, city, and now larger community.  Citizen-Guilds are held to high standards of conduct within the PaxLair community and are very trusted guilds regarding their membership and decisions.  Throughout the Shard, Citizen-Guilds put their first priority on the advancement and stability of PaxLair as a community.

PaxLair Alliance Guilds form a less stringent construct than with Citizen-Guilds.  Alliances came about with the abilities for guilds to bond together with certain additional 'mechanics', like defense of PaxLair locations and rapid communication for quests and adventures.  Alliance guilds, who are declared as defenders of PaxLair locations, are generally on-call for emergencies within PaxLair locations, but also as desired throughout the entire shard.  Alliance Guilds put their first priority with their Guild, then the Alliance.  They follow rules of their guild and Guildmasters.  It is fairly well established that Alliance Guildmasters will follow overall rules and guidance from the Alliance Leader (Mayor of PaxLair) as things relate to the overall Alliance.  When something conflicts between the guild rules and alliance rules, then the Guildmasters and the PaxLair Mayor arbitrate solutions.

Citizen-Guilds and Alliance Guilds are separate entities.  Just being in the Alliance does not make that guild a Citizen-Guild.  And just being a Citizen-Guild does not put that guild into the Alliance.  Some guilds may be both, though.

Buildings in the physical areas of PaxLair locations are not all considered part of PaxLair.  Therefore, depending on the house, the building and its residents could be Citizens, Citizen-Guilds, Alliance Members, neutral area residents, or enemies.  PaxLair strives to keep a good listing of which houses are part of PaxLair, but it is usually incomplete.  Just because someone puts a sign up saying it is part of PaxLair does not make it so.  The Mayor of PaxLair or his Viceroys must declare the building as part of PaxLair.  Building owners have rights to how they maintain their ban lists, friendships, and accesses.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE:

The future holds the measuring-stick for the PaxLair Alliance.  Over time, we will learn the mechanics of a large alliance with diverse interests.  We will challenge the Alliance in many ways, from adventures to diplomacy, from combat to quests, and from intra-city cooperation to inter-city cooperation.

A larger aspect to consider is how multiple player-towns may work together through Alliance mechanics.  Generally, each player-town has their own alliance.  As such, we will have to figure out good ways for cross-town and cross-alliance cooperation.  In the past, we've had Embassies in different player-towns.  Perhaps those need to be developed once again.  We are certain there are many ways to cooperate beyond one alliance's boundaries and look forward to the challenge.

-- Winfield, Mayor of PaxLair
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 July 2006 )