"Making an Order Official: Interview with GM Naiph"

by Sharyn

 

There are many things that I enjoy about being a Staff Writer for Waerd Ave; one of my favorites is getting to speak with so many interesting GameMasters. This month I was lucky enough to captu... err... meet with GM Naiph. I got to sit and discuss Official Orders in great detail with her.

There are many types of groups active in DragonRealms, some official and some unofficial. Both have a place in the lands we play in. Official Orders have many rules and regulations that they are required to follow; unofficial have only the rules that the group members set on them. Both are great role-playing assets in the game. For those of you considering having a group you belong to try to become official, you won't want to miss this interview.

Without further ado, I give you GM Naiph.

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Sharyn: GM Naiph, I am glad that we have the opportunity for this chat. I know that you are very busy so let me get right to the first question. What do you look for when making a decision about making an Order Official?

Naiph: There are many things that I look at while deciding to make an Order Official or not. The first question I ask myself is, "What purpose does this serve?" The Order applying for sanctioning should have a very clear and precise purpose that fits an in-character setting and provides a benefit for Elanthia. An Order should not mimic another Order's purpose, nor should they plagiarize another Order's hard work.

At that point I look at technical attributes such as: I look to ensure that the applying Order meets all of the Guidelines for Sanctioning and that the charter and bylaws do not violate those guidelines at any point. I look at whether the Charter and Bylaws circumvent or support the POLICY.

Third: I analyze the grammar and presentation of the document. For presentation, organization is the most important part. A perfect Charter and Bylaws should keep like thoughts with like thoughts, break down individual responsibilities and read smoothly with as little redundancy as possible. For grammar, I look to ensure that the Charter meets the standards of development for DragonRealms including genre, spelling, punctuation and verbiage.

Sharyn: What advice can you give someone who is thinking of starting an Order?

Naiph: The best advice I can give is to be certain you have a dedicated group of people that possess a lot of patience. Becoming official is often a time-consuming, nerve-wracking procedure because there are a lot of tedious things. Though those tedious steps are only applied with the sanctioning process, if the group cannot work through whatever changes need to be done, it will be an unenjoyable and frustrating experience.

Secondly I would advise someone to find others to work with and share the responsibilities. Though it is often easier to do things on your own, and sometimes quicker as well, if you have a group of folks with the same goals and dedication, the work becomes ten times easier.

And last, I would advise someone to be familiar with how the system works by reading POLICY and the Guidelines for Sanctioning. Both documents will provide essential basics on what will be expected from an Order and what would need to be met to become official. These expectations help Orders plan accordingly and in the long run will keep an Order alive and thriving for many years to come.

Sharyn: Once a group is ready to begin writing their charter and bylaws, what is the best starting point?

Naiph: I feel that the best starting point is sitting down with the guidelines and making an outline at first. Pencil in which parts of the organization fit with which parts of the guidelines, and outline what would flow together the best. After someone has developed a rough outline, I'd suggest at that point picking up a section that is comfortable and just tie together the notes jotted down, add in some in character wording and some detail, and slowly tie all the different parts of the document into one large whole.

Sharyn: What has been the most common mistake made on in an organization's charter and bylaws?

Naiph: By far there are two common mistakes, the most common being disorganized presentation and the second-most being not including the details of the Guidelines for sanctioning.

Sharyn: Is there a limit to the number of "Official" Orders that will be recognized?

Naiph: At this time there are no plans to limit the number of Official Orders. However, as the number grows it will become more difficult for new Orders to begin due to the requirement to have a specific and unique purpose.

Sharyn: How many Official Orders are there at the moment? Is there a large waiting list to become official?

Naiph: There are six official Orders at the moment with another pending review.

Sharyn: What benefits are there for a group that is thinking about becoming Official?

Naiph: The benefits include such things as a building the Order will lease for its members' private use, GM support of their purpose when and if applicable, and GM assisted events. In addition, we have some shops planned for Orders and many other ideas we have been discussing for long-term benefits.

Sharyn: Once an Order becomes Official, are they official forever or do they have rules that they have to follow?

Naiph: The Guidelines for Sanctioning state not only how to become official but how one remains official. In essence, all Orders work off a point system, and doing deeds that pertain to one's purpose accumulates these points. Points are subtracted for not maintaining the requirements expected and for individual behavior problems. If an Order falls below a minimum total, they will be given a period of time to bring their status back up to acceptable. If they do not bring their status back up in that time period, they will go through a process of penalties, up to and including the loss of sanctioning. If an Order loses its sanctioning, it must start over at ground zero again to regain it.

Sharyn: What is the most exciting thing about being an official Order?

Naiph: I feel that the most exciting thing is the support that is given after they are official. Most times the Orders are fashioned from a small group of people that have been role-playing a concept, a goal, an idea, etc., for a long while and have wanted some notoriety for their endeavors. Not necessarily GM notoriety, but just the simple fact that someone has recognized the hard work they have put into role-playing. By becoming official the founders can actually feel that they have made an impact, they are visible within the lands, and that all that hard work has finally paid off with something positive.

Sharyn: What are the biggest differences between being an "Unofficial" and "Official" order?

Naiph: The unofficial orders will not receive GM support, they will not receive any sort of membership device, and they will not receive any special building beyond what any standard player has access to. In sum, an unofficial order will only have the support and recognition that they work to achieve on their own.

Sharyn: Why should a group become Official?

Naiph: Becoming official is a personal choice, hands down. Not all folks want to follow the rules laid forth, they don't want to have to -work- but they want a group to pal around with, hang out with and just have fun. However, in the long run, a group that becomes official has benefits allotted to them that help maintain their functioning and help ensure that the Order has the potential to be a life-long part of DragonRealms long after the original players may have left the game.

Sharyn: Well, GM Naiph, Thank you very much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to talk to me. I greatly appreciate it!

Naiph: You are welcome Sharyn; it's been my pleasure! I hope what I have said
offers a little insight.
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As you can see, becoming an Official Order isn't all fun and games. It begins with a lot of hard work done by dedicated people, and the hard work continues long after you become official. While it is "work," it's also worth the trouble. Many good times can come from working hard with a group of friends toward an ultimate goal. Hopefully, with the wise words of GM Naiph, you find the process of becoming official much less daunting. Good luck to you all!