Circles of power,
Gathered by Earth,
Welcomed by Gold,
In strife and in mirth.
Focused by Crystal,
Guided by Light,
Showing the way,
By day and by night.
Wrought in Iron,
Strengthened by Steel,
Together we stand,
In wrack and in weal.
Hidden in Shadow,
Explored by Wood,
We Circle together,
For the greater good.
(Poem by Maxikyd)
Section 1: Overview of the Circle:
NAME: Keepers of the CircleCAPITAL SETTLEMENT: Keeper's Pass
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Good
GOAL: Maximize freedom of choice and foster advances in all areas while respecting the principle of Non-Aggression.
ACCEPTED ROLES: Combat (PvP and PvE), crafting, diplomacy, education, exploration, harvesting, role-playing, settlement management, trade; everything is open except those roles that violate the principle of Non-Aggression.
The Eight Rings:
In addition to this charter, each Ring of the Circle functions under sub-charters that serve as living documents to govern each Ring.The militant arm of the Circle, the Ring of Steel has the purview of Conflict. Conflict is an integral part of life, and the members of the Ring of Steel are those dedicated to the martial aspects of war. Members of the Ring of Steel are called upon in times of war to protect the other Rings as well as to honor martial contracts on behalf of the Circle (guard duty, aid in war, etc).
The Healing arm of the Circle, the Ring of Light has the purview of Aid. Aiding those who need it is a principle that advances life. HOWEVER, this does not incur a mandate for members of the Ring of the Light to help anyone at any time; they retain their right to choose who and how to aid. Members of the Ring of Light willfully provide healing and mediation in time of conflict to both the Keepers of the Circle and her allies.
Section II: Definitions for this Document:
Member: the individual out of game controlling the character(s)
Section III: Organizational Structure:
Each Member may have only one character holding the rank of Warden or higher. All other memberships (be it with one or more characters) are limited to Keeper only.The Inner Circle - This group, made up of the Guardians plus the Sentinel and the Watcher, is tasked with overseeing all aspects of the Circle and represents the leadership of the Circle as a collective.
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Sentinel - As the central representative for the Keepers of the Circle, the Sentinel sits at all Circle meetings as both facilitator and mediator, ensuring an equal voice among all participants. The Sentinel also serves as a Chief Representative of the Circle to all outside organizations, serving alongside other Ambassadors, Consuls and other envoys when present, with signatory authority to bind the Circle to agreements. This Member holds no membership in any one Ring as he or she must serve as the voice of all Keepers regardless of Ring without bias, but may participate in Ring discussions.
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Watcher - The Watcher oversees implementation of all decisions made by the Inner Circle to ensure results are gained in a timely fashion. In the absence of the Sentinel, the Watcher serves in the Sentinel's place and bears all of the Sentinel's powers and responsibilities as needed. The Watcher also heads a group of Wardens responsible for guiding and welcoming Initiates, known as the Wardens of Welcoming. This Member holds no membership in any one Ring, as he or she must serve as the voice of all Keepers regardless of Ring without bias, but may participate in Ring discussions.
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Guardian - As the elected representatives of each individual Ring, the Guardians are the primary voice for the Ring in the Inner Circle. With general direction from the Sentinel regarding the Circle's policies and goals, the Guardians are responsible for the organization, structure and activities of each Ring. This Member may not hold membership in any other Rings, as he or she must serve as the voice of all Keepers in the represented Ring without bias, but may participate in Ring discussions.
Warden- These senior members of the Circle work to accomplish the goals provided by the Inner Circle. The number of Wardens are divided evenly among the Rings based on the number of overall membership. A rank of Warden may be required for some Ring positions as determined by that Ring's sub-charter. Each Member may hold a rank of Warden in only one Ring.
Keeper - Keepers form the base membership of the Circle and have access to a majority of the resources and benefits of the Circle. They serve in one or more Rings, working to accomplish each Ring's specific goals under the guidance and support of the Wardens and Guardian. Each Member may hold the rank of Keeper in multiple Rings, but membership in a Ring is not required in order to participate in most Ring-related activities.
Initiate - Any individual wishing to join the Keepers of the Circle is welcomed as an Initiate. After an Initiate indicates which Ring he or she wishes to join, a Warden from that Ring (or an available Warden from another Ring if none are available from the chosen Ring) agrees to a Sponsorship. Initiates then undergo a waiting period to allow for sufficient screening and familiarization. During this time, the Initiate is encouraged to participate in activities in-game and in the forums, and the Initiate may also need to fulfill any Ring specific requirements to join that Ring. The Ring of Shadow uses this waiting period to clear the Initiate of any security concerns. Once the Initiate is cleared, the Sponsor presents the Initiate to the Watcher's Wardens of Welcoming to determine if the Initiate is ready to be presented to the Guardian to be accepted as a Keeper. Membership requirements for each Ring are specified in each Ring's sub-charter.
In game, each of the rings are paired together in 4 Companies.
Keepers of the Circle comprises the Ring of Gold, the Ring of Shadow, and any who have not chosen a ring.
Defenders of the Pass comprises the Ring of Steel and the Ring of Crystal.
Observers of the Pass comprises the Ring of Light and the Ring of Wood.
Crafters of the Pass comprises the Ring of Earth and the Ring of Iron.