Greetings, from Strayhold

[TheStormKing]

I am Blackhawk, the Leader of Strayhold. I wish to inform you about our guild, and perhaps, chat in game if you like.

Strayhold is a guild here on Silverlode... You may have seen some of our members in game: Sheherazade, Andring, Rahne and Glasja, among others. I hope your encounters with them have been as enjoyable in passing as mine are daily.

On the old forums, you may have known me as Imzakhor, and I was espousing running a permadeath guild named Elder Servitor. Well, with the introduction of "nobody ever dies" idea, there was no real reason to continue this train of thought. Even so, we decided to create a guild, and Strayhold is it.

Aside from our friendships and adventures, we are a guild that shuns the auction hall as a method for gearing up our players. Purchasing ore in the AH is encouraged; purchasing Awesome_Axe_01 is severely discouraged.

*31May2009 Edit: due to some changes in LotRO, usage of the Auction Hall to purchase gear is now officially sanctioned in Strayhold, and actively encouraged. Please visit our site for a more detailed explanation of this change to Strayhold Policy.*

That is all for now, thank you for reading. I am not really looking to 'recruit' members here, just inform those of you on our server who we are, and what we are about. We will always remain a smallish guild, hoping to eventually retain a core of 30-35 players is a goal.

More than that, I hope to enjoy LotRO as much as I have always enjoyed Middle-earth, in all its forms.

Please, visit our website at http://kinship.strayhold.com, where we have forums dedicated to this wonderful game.

Namarie!

[branix]

I'm interested in the rationale for not purchasing better equipment in the Auction House. My first assumption is that you want your guild members to work hard on specific quests that give specific items. My second assumption is that your guild members are very lucky on drops or burgles and that you encourage them to share with their fellow guild members.

But I could be wrong with both assumptions so I'm asking.. why?

Thanks,

[TheStormKing]

Thank you for asking.

We as a guild adhere to two rules regarding gear:

Wear what we loot.
Wear what we make.

We do not wish to be outfitted in the result of simple purchases, where grinding for hours for silver pieces could become a goal.

We wish to be known inside our guild as promoters of advancement, which includes crafting, questing, and fellowing.

Being expected to 'hand over' gear for guildmates will never be required. I imagine kinship-auctions in Strayhold will eventually be highly utilized. Since being in Strayhold means that you agree to these terms, getting good crafted armor means that you will necessarily support others in guild performing crafts that you cannot.

Interdependence, and closer camaraderie, is sure to follow from that.

Thanks for reading... Maybe I see you in Middle-earth!

Visit our forums at http://kinship.strayhold.com if you are still curious.

[TheStormKing]

My first assumption is that you want your guild members to work hard on specific quests that give specific items.

Mostly true, except for intent. I would not require certain members to try for certain quests, just for the loot. In fact, in voice chat, I can usually be found asking for ideas, suggestions and requests for objectives nightly.

As guild leader, my only real job is taking that information, and deciding a nightly course of action... Or courses!

I generally lead the melee aspects of our fellowraids, as well. We have leaders better versed in other areas than I, as well.

[Arbogastex]

That's an interesting philosophy, I hope it works out for you, if it does it should really promote crafting in your kinship. Good luck.

Surely, your members will be able to sell on the open AH, though, right?

[Gynasis]

That's an interesting philosophy, I hope it works out for you, if it does it should really promote crafting in your kinship. Good luck.

Surely, your members will be able to sell on the open AH, though, right?

Actually It's not all that rare. I stick to this policy as well. To date I have not purchased a thing from AH and am not likely to ever do it unless the game changes. Everything I have was either quested, dropped to me or crafted by a friend. Gear turns over so fast buying at the AH seems to be pointless anyway. Anything my main can't use I mail to my alternates that are now swimming in gear they can't use for 10-15 more levels.

It's a personal choice but it works for me and I am sure it will for them.

[TheStormKing]

Yes, selling on the open market is quite alright.

I might point out that purchasing items is not disallowed. Anything we have looted/crafted in the past, is open for purchasing from the AH. Purchasing things like ore, ingredients, etc. is encouraged, and is in fact the purpose, in Strayhold, for gold/silver/copper.

[TheStormKing]

Strayhold is now actively recruiting.

We want good, strong players, with good, strong opinions. You will find we have some very knowledgeable players, who are willing to help you.

Our Kinship is about half full right now. We are looking for about 15-20 more solid people. If you aren't good at playing, that's OK, if you are willing to learn. If you are good at playing, I hope you are willing to teach.

Please head to our forum for more information.

Thanks for reading!

[TheStormKing]

/bump

The fact that we have not forced Angmar's unconditional surrender means I have not been recruiting effectively.

So, get in mah BELLAH! I mean guild. I mean kinship.

[lovebus]

good luck guys!

/bump

[gomo]

GL. that is a pretty cool philosophy. i hope it works out for you guys.

if your core members pick diff professions and you send each other mats it's very easy to steer clear of the ah for quite a while.

however, the artisan tier is rough because the gear isn't good enough considering the required mats. by the time your crafters hit master artisan, you'll already be 42 and ready for tier 5. =/

the only way around that is either to buy copious amounts of ore/hide/wood or to have a bunch of explorers farming mats for 1 person of each profession. although should your main crafters decide to quit the game/guild, you are pretty much screwed from that point on.

i won't even get into legendary books/pages. if you guys can manage to get all of your legendary traits without getting bent over on the AH, you'll have my utmost respect.

[TheStormKing]

I appreciate the sentiments! I haven't had much success getting acquainted with other guilds in game... Been doing too much just in guild or solo. Even so, look me up. If only to ask me "You guys have a Champion free?"

Strayhold is solo-friendly, for whatever reasons you choose. If you just want to be alone for the night/weekend/week, it's totally cool. You will still get guildies asking "wanna come to Garth Agarwen?" But they are simply requests, not veiled threats to come Help The Guild Or Else.

As we have shown to ourselves, getting together is when Strayhold really shines. We have good, experienced players, with good senses of humor in guild. Virtually all of our current roster were in closed and open beta.

Please, do send a tell in game. We would love to add 15-20 more players that share our ideals.

[TheStormKing]

I don't think I have received one in-game tell regarding this thread, or post on our message board regarding joining our guild. I find this strange, considering the recruiting success I had in my previous guild, in EQ1. Even so, I enjoy spouting off, so here I go again.

We have quite a few players from 20-43. Our minimum level is 15, but you will move up fast from there, especially since our craftsmen can make some serious critical-gear for you to slay Evil faster, regardless of your level. We are quite knowledgeable about the game as well, and are definitely not a "click RRRRRR" during FMs group. Wings of the Windlord... Good times, gooood times.

To Guildleaders: a Cabal of Leaders would make for a great experience. Smaller guilds, like ours and yours, would do well to find each other in game, to increase familiarity with other players, and perhaps increase the chances that we all can play with people that KNOW HOW TO PLAY, and be a pleasure doing so as well. Please post something regarding this on our messageboard. With enough interest, I will make a new section dedicated to Guild Leaders, where we can discuss issues, plan attacks, etc.

And yes I know, LotRO has kinships, not "guilds". I just like the word "guild" better.

Thanks for reading!

[HDiver]

Given your hilarious "Level ... and I hate this game" threads... I'm surprised you aren't getting more response. I'd be tempted, but I'm VERY happy where I'm at and don't intend to leave.

[Aurora]

Given your hilarious "Level ... and I hate this game" threads... I'm surprised you aren't getting more response. I'd be tempted, but I'm VERY happy where I'm at and don't intend to leave.

That's good to hear

But I agree with what HDiver said, considering your guild philosophy and those '...and I hate this game' posts, I am surprised you haven't had more interest.

I posted on your forums, maybe we can help each other out with fellowship quests from time to time

[ookiespookie]

I just wanted to give respect to Blackhawk for taking time out last night to travel to Combe to supply arms and encouragement to those of not quite as far along the path.

I also very much support and love the Wear what we loot, Wear what we make mentality and think that it gives a whole new dynamic and life to the experience.
I am thinking that I will try that.

[TheStormKing]

I just wanted to give respect to Blackhawk for taking time out last night to travel to Combe to supply arms and encouragement to those of not quite as far along the path.

I also very much support and love the Wear what we loot, Wear what we make mentality and think that it gives a whole new dynamic and life to the experience.
I am thinking that I will try that.

I appreciate the sentiments. I am an RP'er at heart, so the occasional "trip for RP" won't be avoided by me.

Aurora/HDiver, look for me in game, or look for thurbrand/sheherazade/colthorn, glasja, rahne/athran, who are officers. Let's get it going. I have some good ideas.

[TheStormKing]

Changed our recruitment thread on our own board.

Come join us, soon... We are going to live in Evendim, starting on launch night!

[Ozthorn]

The "don't buy gear on the AH" rule hasn't been an obstacle really. Folks are good about helping each other out, even with loot drops. My prime bow for a few levels was provided by a fellow member who looted it and thought "I bet Rahne could use this."

We provide each other with a lot of help with crafting resources and recipes, to the point that even secondaries are well provided for. But I've never been asked to give stuff away. It's just the spirit of camaraderie that has grown among the members.

I'm hoping we can bring more folks in, so that there's always people of various levels that can find others to team up with.

[TheStormKing]

If you don't have a kinship, well you've come to the right thread.

[TheStormKing]

And now we have a new HEADER IMAGE on our website.

ooooooooooooooo............... .

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh............... .

[Aeos]

woooooooooo

[TheStormKing]

Well, we finally have our "Token Loremaster" so we are going to have to find another reason to recruit more.

I think we need more girls in guild. Or guys. Whatever.

[f22raptor]

/bump

id love to say im interested, but im quite happy where i am. rather, i come to invite u to the silverlode alliance, a group of five major kinships with over 300 members. lemme know if ur interested

[TheStormKing]

/bump

id love to say im interested, but im quite happy where i am. rather, i come to invite u to the silverlode alliance, a group of five major kinships with over 300 members. lemme know if ur interested

Thanks for the offer, but I am more interested in growing our own guild. We have a loose alliance with Carpe Jugulum, and for now, that works for us.

We are small, skilled, determined, and willing. Anyone likeminded would do well to visit our message board, and see what we are about. If not to join, then to see what it would be like just to fellow together.