RKB bio - as written by Elijah

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Ludwig
Journeyman
Posts: 64
UO Shard: Great Lakes
Character Age: 0
Guild Affiliation: RKV
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RKB bio - as written by Elijah

Post by Ludwig » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:01 pm

The history of the RKB is often disputed… often argued over… often questioned. One thing is certain, the RKB is better today that it was yesterday… and it’ll be better once again tomorrow. In fact, this is due largely to the grand members that wear our name above their heads and those who will join ranks with us in the days to come. It is for these members that I write this… those who want to know a bit about the heritage of the guild they call home.

My time with the RKB began about a month or so after the guild’s creation. No, I didn’t play any part in the creation or original organization of the RKB. In fact, the majority of traditions of the RKB were started before my arrival. The guild was created by a man named Marcus. He had some grand ideas which included one of the most amazing that I’d ever come across; he wanted to achieve a level of success and catch the eye of the ‘powers’ of the Great Lakes shard, the Seers. From my perspective, he wanted to gain access to the use of the Trammel Castle British, lockdowns, secures, and all else that came with the use of a building. We logged on and off at that Castle and had roleplayed uses for each room therein. We adopted it as our home, in hopes that one day it would truly be ours.

These visions evolved and our guild was populated with some great people. Brandor was one of my favorites of these early leaders. I enjoyed watching some others as well… Sparhawk, Avaris Stonesoul, IronMike, as well as countless others who I’m remiss in naming here. We had Prince Ryan, Prince Warlord, and who could leave out Princess Nikki? In the early days of the guild, we had a separate guild for new members and trainees named the RSB. Marcus led this group and was dubbed “Chancellor” Marcus. The troops of the RKB were led by Avaris Stonesoul and he helped train the men alongside of Marcus. Avaris was dubbed “First Knight” and he led the “Army of Britannia,” a group which, as you know, still functions as the core of our guild today. At that time, we also had the “Mage Brigade” which also still serves in today’s RKB organization.

The RKB grew very very quickly and we spent a good deal of time as one of the Top 10 most populated guilds on Great Lakes. We grew so quickly, in fact, that most of our members didn’t know one another and animosity grew within our ranks causing arguing, bickering, and at times even player killing of guildmates. Behind the scenes, there was a council being formed… a council of Elders. I was never a part of this group but at least three of these Elders have spent countless hours explaining their involvement to me so I feel somewhat confident knowing that these great leaders could have taken the RKB to new heights. In actuality, they did, even though at the time even their existence was called into question.

To sum up a long story, these Elders were disbanded as a group and most of them left the RKB after their first and only meeting. Upon losing such good leadership, things began to spiral downhill fast. The troops were getting restless and an idea was developed to try and regain the team spirit and enthusiasm that had existed only days before… the idea… The Dragon War!

A new guild was formed named the Black Knights of Britannia (BKB) and it’s roster was filled by a large number of RKB members. Some of our most dedicated (and most talented) fighters became BKB members and they took up residence in Blackthorn’s Castle. We now occupied the two most prominent buildings in all of Britannia and the Army of Britannia was about to embark upon an epic battle… brother against brother… and take on the Black Knights. This idea brought fire into the eyes of the members once again and before long, the first battle was planned. This first battle, however, would be the last. The war went terribly wrong and the sizable force of young and inexperienced members of the RKB was decimated by a small but talented force of the BKB. Along with this humiliating loss, members of each group began lashing out at one another… completely out of character and completely out of line.

Within hours, the guild that was once one of the most promising young groups in the entire realm became a miserable shambles of broken soldiers. Soon after, as the criticism and voices of doubt began to become stronger and stronger, the leadership crumbled. Marcus disappeared and Avaris was left to rebuild what was, just weeks before, a formidable enemy of evil. The troops continued to flee and the dissention became even greater when one of our own guildmates began killing our youngest and weakest members. The most frustrating aspect of the whole mess was that Avaris was nowhere to be found… the killer remained on the guildstone and remained at large to continue his killing spree. This went on for days and days.

Finally, with this being the last straw, Avaris was ready to turn over the reigns to someone else. Somehow it was determined, in a manner of which I’ve never known, that I would be the next leader of the RKB. I had never led a guild before and the responsibility was one that I wasn’t sure I could handle. As with all things I do, I set out to give it my best effort and I began to enlist the advice of others who had proven be great people and trusted friends. Ariakas, my squire, was always my biggest supporter. Apollo was a great friend and played a behind the scenes role that will likely never be known. Delphinia was a voice of kindness and support throughout, and our Princess Nikki became a wonderful friend who’s support was unmatched.

Although Marcus and Avaris were both still members of the RKB, neither was really ever seen on a regular basis and I soon learned that they had left. They rejoined with some of their old compatriots in forming a new guild, calling themselves “The Noble Houses of Britannia,” or TNB. This group seemed to utilize most of the same ideas that had turned out so badly in the early days of the RKB and it was destined to fail… not because of the ideas but because of the people involved. To this day, these same people recreate the same ideas over and over again. They, just like in the early days of the RKB, always gain huge popularity and quite a following. Time will tell if any of their endeavors is ever a success. I do wish them well but I’ll refrain from ever joining in their efforts. Some lessons are learned the hard way… but they’re lessons not soon forgotten.

Soon, upon hearing the news that the “Old Guard” was finally gone, never to return, some of my best friends and most respected allies began coming back into our ranks… Prince Ryan returned… Rincewind returned… Marzinek returned… Sparhawk returned… IronMike returned as IronMage… and Brandor returned as Prince Matthew. To show that the RKB was a place of rules, regulations, and not a club for friends, I made each of these trusted friends go through the same process as all of the other new recruits. Each of them earned the respect of their new peers just as they had done with the old. This set a precedence of hard work and dedication prevailing in the RKB over hand selecting just those who belong to the correct social groups.

Over time, the RKB began to grow once again. This time, we took a more conventional route and, after lengthy discussions with Skye and Outy of the TUR guild, we decided to create our own player run village. I donated my personal house to the efforts and thus was born Newcastle Peninsula. Only a day after I moved in, I found that my neighbor’s small tower had collapsed and his belongings were strewn across the landscape. I sent word to a dear and trusted friend, Cerebus, that a parcel of land had been deserted and he should come and build anew. He traveled to the peninsula and together we built the second home on the newly formed Newcastle peninsula.

It was deemed that Newcastle peninsula needed a story… a history if you will. Although fictional and having never really happened, a story was written:

“ Upon hearing the news of the Royal Knight’s defeat by the likes of the Black Knights, Lord British removed the entire Army from his Castle and sent them away to be imprisoned in the dungeon Wrong. The massacre was an embarrassment to our Lord and, being noble and honorable, we went along peacefully and accepted our stay in the prison cells.

Our time there, however, gave us a new resolve. We may have lost our home in the Castle British but our strength and honor were still alive within us. After Lord British calmed and his popularity with the people restored, he set the RKB free. With only the clothes on our backs, we set out, together, in search of a parcel of land we could call home.

Just west of the dungeon, we fell upon a rough stretch of land that appeared to be the neck of a peninsula. We made our way further westward and found a land so infested with vile creatures that only an army could survive. We continued to traverse the lands and found, upon this peninsula, an area that would make a wonderful spot for a home.

We set out to hunt the creatures of the land and then began to cut wood and gather sandstone in order that our “new castle” could be constructed. Upon it’s completion, we hung a sign in front of the building that read, “Newcastle Town Hall.” Thus, the Newcastle peninsula was born.”

Over the years, more than six parcels of land have been developed and the village of the RKB, Newcastle, has grown. Many members are due thanks for this process… Sparhawk, Ariakas, Cerebus, Odin, A Beer Elemental, Luke, Lyndsey Flamefist, and countless others. Newcastle continues to grow and flourish as one of Britannia’s most populated player run villages. As a side note, the warring division of the RKB, the RKR, owns three homes together on a small island in a remote part of the Feluccan seas. The RKB remains a strong and healthy group of people who enjoy playing together, fighting together, and living together. Newcastle peninsula is testimony to that effect.

Newcastle and the RKB gained the attention of the Seers while they were still part of our realm soon after it began to grow. We became the spotlight guild in a few Seer quests and we played a part in numerous others. There are two books locked down in the first floor office of the Newcastle Town Hall, both of which were created and locked down by a Seer character in the Sarielle quest. There are paintings that show the Lamp of Balance being locked down in our headquarters as well. We also have paintings that show hordes of deamons that invaded our home, killing many but finally being send away by our swords. We miss those days of investigation and intrigue developed by the Seers and we’ll always cherish the memories we have of their fine imaginations. A large chunk of our heart was removed the day the seers were sent their own ways. That chunk will remain with them forever.

We’ve enjoyed many games over the last few years, most of which have been played within our guild. We had RKB Faction wars where we chose teams that wore different colored cloaks and then set out in an all-out war against one another to try and conquer the other teams and return their cloaks to Newcastle. We’ve held Arms Tourneys which pitted our members against one another to determine a champion of both single and group challenges. We’ve had Ladder Challenges where lists of members could challenge others on the list to a duel, all the while trying to move up a rung on the ladder and enjoy time at the top. As I stated earlier, we like to play together. We also enjoy playing with our friends and many of us have spent a lot of time working with people like General Nero of the OSS. His guild is the premier roleplaying factions guild on Great Lakes and we’ve tied into them for a lot of great resources on roleplay, on the virtues, and on factions and PvP warfare. This is but one example of many of the great relationships we have with guilds across the realm.

Along with a long list of friends, we’ve also developed an extensive group of enemies. Some of them are great roleplayed enemies like the Bloodrock Clan and others are those much like ourselves, groups of honor, who have had quarrels with us over the years. Contrary to popular belief, the RKB is a self-sustaining group that generates our passions from within. We don’t rely on others to give us strength or lead us. Most of our quarrels with others in the past have been because we haven’t played along with the wishes of others. Groups who demand control typically haven’t worked well with the RKB. We always welcome coordination and joint efforts with others but the RKB isn’t controlled by anyone, from either inside or outside of our ranks. Some people lash out as us when we don’t do as they demand and thus we’ve been the recipient of a few of these tirades. I’m certain we’ll be the target again at some point in the future but, as always, we’ll stand our ground and persevere.

We’ve had our struggles since I assumed control of the RKB, some have been large, others small. All guilds, I believe, go through similar ordeals and they make you stronger along the way. Today, the RKB is stronger than it has ever been. We have worked together to create a ranking and leadership structure that is sound and will withstand the test of time. We have a group of guilds operating under one banner, all of which have very specific roleplay fundamentals. We have just about everything available to our members that the realm has to offer. Do you like to play an honorable warrior? The RKB Army of Britannia might be for you. How about a mage of courage who stands up for the poor and the innocent? The RKB Mage Brigade sounds like a good home. You’re a tamer you say? We have the RKB Wilderness Corps and you’ll fit right in! You roleplay a monk and you’re a pacifist at heart? The RKB Clergy might just be the group you’ve been looking for. Our Commander General Lyndsey Flamefist can help you find your way into one of these groups.

We don’t just stop there, there’s much much more in the RKB. If you’re a person who like intrigue and investigations… hunting down the criminals and seeing that they’re brought to justice… well, I believe you might enjoy the Royal Britannian Kilted Police (BKP). Their leader, Alec DeLeon, is one of the realm’s premier police officers and he can show you how to get started. You like to fight other players and sometimes do things that aren’t necessarily commonplace for a Royal Knight? Get in touch with Aryn, he leads our covert operations and secretive military force, The Royal Knights of Redemption (RKR). Maybe you’re but a craftsman, tinkering and smithing are the highlights of your day. IronSmith leads a conglomeration of craftsfolk who play a support role to the others mentioned above. His group, The Royal Craftsmen of Britannia (RCB) can make anything you can break, they can cook anything you can eat, and they can stir up any concoction that you can quaff. Something damaged? Call upon IronSmith or one of his fine crafters and a repair is what you’ll get.

I put pen to paper to write this essay for a number of reasons. First, as a semi-retired old General, I don’t get involved much in the day-to-day operations of the RKB. We have established a chain of command and leadership that is second to none and I give full authority on most every topic to the leaders who have earned the spots in which they sit. I am mostly used for reference these days… and thus I set forth to make a document that could be useful for you. Second, we have some younger members who may or may not know about the history of our guild. It’s my job and the job of those who have stood alongside me to educate you on who were are and also where we’ve come from. Third, there are people in the community who have heard of the RKB only through the mouths of others or from what they’ve read on public forums. Although they may never see this or read it in it’s entirety, I thought it wise to write an accurate depiction of who we are so that they might understand.

In conclusion, there are those out there who’ll dispute these words or lay challenge to who we are or where we came from. I’d ask you to take their challenges at face value and test my words with those who have been with the RKB from beginning until today… our Prince Ryan… or our IronMike. Test my words with other longstanding members of our guild like Rincewind or Sparhawk. I’ve actually invited those who contest me to submit documents telling their stories or how they remember certain events… all to no avail. I have spent the last two years of my life working with some great people in order to make the RKB the guild we have all dreamed about. As a group, we have succeeded. All hail the RKB!

(written circa '01 or '02)
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ICQ: 27176393

Ludwig
Journeyman
Posts: 64
UO Shard: Great Lakes
Character Age: 0
Guild Affiliation: RKV
Contact:

Re: RKB bio - as written by Elijah

Post by Ludwig » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:21 pm

As for myself, I was there when Elijah joined in '00. We met on my character Erich A Zann, (then a macer). We were busy having a rough time with trolls, ettins and orc lords. He asked me to join the RKB with him and we ran, literally, from Yew to Britain to do so.

During the first part, yes, we did nothing but spar in the training grounds in the castle, and us grunts were told to log in and out of the castle. RP was good, but at the time, numbers was best, and perhaps that was the inital down fall.

At anyrate, the depiction of the Dragonwars is correct.

As to the the re-enstatement of a new leader... I was not present for the conversation, but yes, Elijah was chosen. I do have a small satisfation in saying Erich A Zann was squire to Avaris Stonesoul (which I took as the greatest of compliment), then knighted by Elijah.

At this time I took a personal break from RKB... Probably 4-6 months and returned after talks with Elijah, and brought in a new character, Ludwig Van Foltz.

I, personally, thought him a "secondary" character, but he actually ended up with a true role to play in the guild. A Clergy was wanted, and Ludwig was a man to help fill that role. He possessed the blind devotion, and leadership to put the clergy, and Newcastle on the map.

But that is my own horn tooting in the wind.

Soon after, my comp crashed and I was forced to leave UO.
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TobyMarin
Noob
Posts: 1
UO Shard: Balhae
Character Age: 0

Re: RKB bio - as written by Elijah

Post by TobyMarin » Thu Jan 12, 2017 5:26 am

thanks a lot for this bio! I think you have worked hard for this topic!
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