Creating a Guardsman
"So?
You too wish to join the Guards? Let me warn you. Our ways are harsh
and strict. We promise no wealth, fame nor longevity to our men. In
fact, we offer little more than food on the table, gear to help you on
the field and peers to aid you in your struggle. I will be honest with
you. Not many survive more than a few years within our ranks and even
fewer reach glory and fame. Working within the laws limits our men
geographically, as well as in their actions. Many die on patrols far
off at the borders of our lands. Others are slain in wars on our
homelands, and yet others are lost, never to be heard from again. That
is why we constantly need new recruits to fill the holes in our ranks.
The life of the guardsman is harder than that of most any other
profession."
- Recruiter Damien
The
game of Ultima Online is in itself a challenge to master. But here you
enter a medieval community with restrictions much greater, and so are
the challenges. Following strict rules you must survive in a world
where others do not follow them. You must prove yourself to your peers,
in combat as well as in leadership in order to gain ranks and respect.
You live in constant threat of dangerous powers, from within and
without of the Militia. Not all guardsmen are your friends. The
Magistrate, with its zealous Inquisitors will stop at nothing to expose
you as a Heretic and have you burned at the stake. And from outside the
constant menace of the Undead, the Rebellion, Bandits and Murderers
hangs over your head. In other words, a new challenge, and a new
community. If you still feel that serving as a Guardsman is something for you, then read on...
1. Reading the Tome
Before
you become a guardsman, you must learn as much as possible about us.
Read the website, and try to grasp it all. Everything after "Divisions"
on the left frame can be skipped for now, but the Roleplaying a
Guardsman page you should know by heart. As you are recruited, there
will be a test in knowledge of these pages.
"Beat thy thoughts to mould thy mind." - Adjudicator Lithargus
2. Creating the Recruit
Try
to come up with an interesting and creative personality and a
background for your character, but don't overdo the background, however you should keep in mind that there is an unspoken in character age requirement in place for Militia recruits, males are generally not permitted to join until they are 16 years of age and females will have to wait until they are 18.
Come up with a name of your own that sounds Britannian, like for
example Boris, Wrenthal or Robert. Stolen names are not allowed (e.g.
Rand Al'Thor, Gandalf or Mondain) and the name must have a capital
letter ("boris" is not allowed, however "Boris" is fine). Also, try to
avoid picking a name that is already in use in the Militia by having a
look at the Roster.
Your new recruit must start with at least 60 strength, to be able to wear
his coif. If you forget this, expect to be sent chopping wood untill
you are strong enough.
Skillwise pick something
down-to-earth to reflect your character's past. Any skills not related
to the "supernatural" (or dealing with reagents and the like) are fair
game. Guardsmen tend to mistrust users of such otherworldly skills as
alchemy, chivalry, magery, provocation, etc. These are skills for the
likes of heretics, con-artists and wytches! Those troublemakers
guardsmen have grown to dislike after long and hard service. Creativity
is rewarded here, don't be afraid to choose unconventionally.
"Us'll make men outta them!" - Captain Llew
3. Your guardsman
All
guardsmen in the Militia are unique characters (just as their
creators), but to make the roleplaying more enjoyable, they should have
visible traits. You must decide upon how your character speaks, acts
and create a personality for him or her. And foremostly, you must make
it visible so that others notice, and understand what kind of role you
are playing.
Note,
that because of the (evil) role of Elves in the religion of the
Guardsmen, your guard cannot be of the Elven race. Derivatives of the
Elven race (half elves, dark elves) are also forbidden. Basically all
races other than Human are mistrusted and might end up in lethal danger
merely based upon their appearance, so choose wisely. A creature
half-cat, half-man would surely be shunned by the majority of guardsmen
and hunted down by the Church. Dwarves have been accepted, but only
with permission from an Officer.
Check the section
Character Traits to get some funny ideas on how to roleplay your
character. Create at least five personal emotes for your guardsman,
which he often spends his time with. Try to make them as unique,
fitting and fun as possible.
4. The Test
Go
to Stonekeep (you may find it on this Map) and tell the
guardsmen you're a recruit. If there's a craftsman they may make you a
uniform and gear if you look trustworthy. You will now be given a test by an Officer
or trusted Guard; a set of questions making sure
you know how to roleplay a guardsman of the Militia. If you pass, they will forward you to a
recruiter, who will have you added to the guild and hand you your badge. Remember that all
guardsmen must show their character's skills on my.uo.com
in order to reveal those that do not hold true to the oath (using
Magery and/or advancing "unnaturally" fast in skills and statistics).
5. Final Comments
The Place of the Trainee: The Trainees are the working class of the
Militia. They are used to doing all the hard labours that the higher ranks
are excused from. They have little to no rights and are there only to
work under anyone who wishes to order them about. As you enter the
Militia you start from the bottom, and have a lot to learn. A good way
for a Trainee to become a worthy guardsman is to get someone to be your
personal tutor. With loyalty and quick learning you shall advance to a
more respected status soon enough!
"But Sir! I just made 200 arrows yesterday!" - Trainee Amos
The Alignment of the Militia: The
overall alignment of the Militia is Lawful Neutral. This means, the
guardsmen are not prima-righteous men of chivalrous morale standing and
noble attitudes. In fact, they are far from the knights in shining
armour they try to look like. One thing that does bind the men together
is their common distrust for outsiders. Guardsmen hold together
(although they can have disputes among themselves) and don't like to
mingle with others.
"Touch the stone. You are hereby a Trainee of The Guardsmen Militia." - Damien the Recruiter
