The BlackHand is a group of gamers which was founded in 1999 on EQ1, Saryrn Server. The Order has evolved over the last decade to become one of the most well established, stable and progressive gaming community's based within the MMORPG genre to date.

Our Core Principles

Applicants, Members, Officers and any other games specific rank of any branch within The BlackHand must follow the rules contained herein. You are required to read and understand these, including your branch specific rule set, which can be found within each game section.

I want to start by explaining that our community has certain rules which are somewhat different to other more modern guilds on the web today. We are a diverse and ever-evolving community, however we never veer from the three principles that The BlackHand was founded on:

Loyalty to The BlackHand above all else.
Advancement of both the greater whole and yourself.
Respecting and supporting your kin where possible.

Over the years these three principles have been the cornerstone to the success of our community, especially since we chose to branch onto multiple platforms under the same alias.

Never forget that regardless of the game you play, you are a TBH member and as such you are required to support those branches if you ever move to a new platform we support.

This is to ensure that wherever you choose to move with your gaming career, your effort and support is channelled into our continued advancement and progression of the greater whole.

The BlackHand is also not a democratic organisation. The administration, more commonly known as the 'Core' represent the leadership and as such, any changes and decision making are made by these individuals, based on personal experience and feedback from the membership. If you wish to raise an issue, do it constructively via the forums or by a PM through the website.

Finally, if you disrespect these rules you will be warned. Repeated offenses will likely result in a ban if it is blatant disregard for the core three principles or disregard for the rule set of the game you play on. If you are banned you will be removed from all aspects of the community to ensure our environment remains positive and order is retained amongst the community.

Your Rights As A Member

The majority of the TBH playerbase are very passionate about various aspects of both the digital and real world. On occasion a topic may arise which players may find offensive. Please remember The BlackHand is a community catering to an adult audience and as such members will not be pulled up for engaging in adult topics. Do not report conversations pertaining to sex, drugs or the use of inappropriate language to the Core as this is not a breach of our Code Of Conduct.

If a topic arises which you find distasteful, merely ask your fellow TBH kin to tone the topic down. The BlackHand also encourages people to be passionate and aggressive in attaining goals, but the line is drawn on both racism and sexism. These physical characteristics have no base within a community which focuses on friendship, teamwork and skill. Topics pertaining to political/religious viewspoints are considered ideological opinion and isn't a breach of our Code Of Conduct.

The TBH community strongly encourages free will and individualism over ideologies which restrict ones viewpoint and lifestyle. However, if a player targets another deliberately and uses terminology designed to cause malice, this is considered player harassment and as such, the offender will be issued a warning. The punishment will vary depending on the severity of the offense. If the insult is meant in jest this can be resolved with a simple apology and no action taken.

If you have a grievance with another TBH member/officer/leader you are asked not to create drama on public channels and contact a Core immediately. Contact an officer of your branch in game via personal message or through the website to notify them of the problem. In the rare event the issue pertains to a person within the Core, you can choose to escalate the problem further by sending a personal message through the website to a site admin containing the complaint and a screenshot of the incident. The latter is only to be used in the most extreme cases so consider this heavily before use.

The BlackHand Website

The website is navigated by pressing on one of the tabs at the top of the page to get to a game specific branch. If you for any reason cannot access the website then please indicate the exact reasons why, else state the things you can see by attempting. If you still have problems with accessing the website you contact the leadership of that branch or one of the officers.

No excuse will be overlooked if someone states they could not access a page if everyone else can. If indeed that person has not reported the problem in a proactive manner.

The same rules apply as courtesy on the forums as it does everywhere else in the TBH network. Make sure that if you choose to use “offensive” language on a friendly term, the target knows you well enough to receive it. If you are offended in any manner by what you are reading do not continue to read it. If it is a form of abuse, rest assured it will be dealt with in the appropriate manner.

Overzealous flaming of a guild member is picked up upon, and it is form of bullying, something which we will not abide, as it is counterproductive to the community's continued unity.

If an aspect of the community falls through this website is the fall back area for all TBH members. The website is the focal point of our community and is our primary source of information sharing and communication. If something needs to be addressed or you are unsure about a specific piece of information or update, please check the latest news for the latest changes and the forums.

Finally, we are primarily a European community, the official language within TBH is english and as such this goes both for the forums and in-game. Show respect for all, keep it english only.