Frequently Asked Questions About the Army of Light

What is the Army of Light?

The Army of Light (AL) is a pre-launch guild for the upcoming BioWare title, Star Wars: The Old Republic (SW:TOR). It has a medium-plus (RP) atmosphere and will focus on both Player-vs.-Player (PvP) and Player-vs.Environment (PvE) in-game. The AL is open to all regardless of race, origin, belief, culture, religion, political affiliation, time zone, country, local area, gender, or experience. However, a strict dedication to the Republic and the guild are required for membership; individuals should be friendly, mature, respectful, and like-minded.



What Server will the Army of Light Call Home?

Based on the limited information released by BioWare, the AL will be on a Role-play server based in the US East. However, all play styles and all time zoned individuals are welcome, as we are a diverse group and will participate in all aspects of game play. We are completely prepared for the Guild Phase 2 Roll Out when it happens in relation to Allies, Adversaries, and Server placement.



How was the Army of Light Founded?

The foundation began to fall into place in late January of 2010. Dissatisfied with poor leadership and environments lacking in both maturity and dedication, Master Jephos Mispir struck out to see where the Force would lead him. He began to understand the fundamental flaw within the Republic – the allowance and even welcoming of Imperials and practitioners of the Dark Side. Therefore, he recruited his son, Caliber, and long-time friend Master Zin Koon to assist him in creating a new Republic stronghold, free of the corruption and impurities that plagued so many others. Together they laid out the framework for what would ultimately become the guild, and shortly thereafter the Army of Light was officially established in February of 2010.



What does the Army of Light Offer?

The guild provides a sanctuary and a home for over 200 citizens of the Republic. Membership makes one a part of one the oldest, most established, and highly respected organizations in the entire SW:TOR community. The popularity of the AL Recruitment Thread on SW:TOR’s official website is almost unrivaled. In addition to the large support network of experienced administrators and Class Leaders that is available 24/7, the AL is hosted on a professionally purchased and maintained web domain that features full chat rooms, deluxe forums, private Ventrilo voice server, and an interactive environment.



What other Features does the Army of Light Provide?

The AL maintains its own Wiki listings and periodically releases member-created guild Podcasts, Newsletters, and recruitment videos. The guild also maintains presences on other popular massive multiplayer media such as Star Wars: Empire at War (EW), Star Wars: Galaxies (SWG), World of Warcraft (WoW), and Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO). In addition, the AL Social Council (ALSC) coordinates social activities for members and allies designed to provide an enjoyable, stress-relieving, community-building atmosphere. These include game, trivia, and movie nights, chat room “DJs”, role-playing scenarios and storylines, and contests.



What does it mean that the Army of Light is a “Role-play” Guild?

This means that we choose to act as our in-game personas more than we choose to act as individuals sitting at keyboards. The reason is so that we can more fully immerse ourselves in the Star Wars universe and better enjoy our time spent here by “living the fantasy” as opposed to simply playing a computer game. This philosophy affects everything from our behavior and language when interacting with one another to our titles and the guild chain of command. Besides, who’s never dreamt of being a lightsaber-wielding Jedi, an indomitable Trooper, or a dashing Smuggler?



Does this mean that you must write fan-fiction about yourself or participate in online scenarios? And does this mean you won't be questing, raiding, or participating in other PvP and PvE activities?

Of course not. We encourage member participation in all such Role-play activities from the chat rooms to the forums, and we will certainly have many in and out of game events, but that is not the definition or limitation of a "Role-play Guild". We will be actively hunting Imperials, questing, gearing up, experiencing the game's story, and working towards end content. In other words, we will fully be participating in PvP and PvE activities -- we'll simply be doing it in character with other like-minded individuals and guilds. There is something for everyone and those of all play styles. We encourage fans of one style over another to branch out and to always respect the other types.



What is the Army of Light Academy?

The AL is committed to education and continuous learning. The Academy has both a practical and a role-play benefit to it. Classes are held on a variety of subjects such as Leadership Training, Galactic History, Planets and Species, Ways of the Force, and Guild Etiquette to name a few, and are taught by experienced members and leaders of the guild. In this way, the members’ knowledge of the Star Wars universe is expanded, information valuable in-game is shared, members earn rank and prestige, and the AL community is strengthened. Running concurrently with the Academy is the guild’s Class and Mentorship programs, including the Jedi Master-Padawan system, the Trooper Boot Camp, and the Smuggler Corps.



What other Councils and Agencies does the Army of Light Possess?

In addition to the Social Council and the Academy, there are a fully developed Diplomatic Corps. (ALDC) and an official Recruitment Council (ALRC). Led by Guild Ambassador Master Mai Skyblade, the ALDC is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships and alliances with other guilds, crafting necessary treaties, and identifying and solving any issues that arise for the AL in the SW:TOR community. The ALRC is headed up by Grand Master Jephos Mispir and Master Caliber Mispir and is responsible for maintenance of the guild’s Application Center, SW:TOR Recruitment Thread, reviewing applicants, and seeking out new recruits. New Councils and Agencies are in the development stages and are planned to be released closer to game launch.



Who Leads the Army of Light?

The Army of Light is led by the guild’s High Council (HC) which is headed by Grand Master Jephos Mispir. Supreme Master Caliber Mispir is Second-in-Command (2IC). Most seats on the HC come with term limits and are filled by guild-wide election. In addition, the Jedi, Trooper, and Smuggler Class Leaders each maintain permanent seats on the Council.



What is the Army of Light's "Open Door/Open Floor" Policy?

The AL provides official feedback avenues for members to make their ideas known for suggestions and recommendations to improve the quality of the guild. All members also have full access to speak directly to the Grand Master via our Forum's Private Messaging system. We believe that communication is the lifeblood of a successful guild community.



What should I know about the Army of Light Chat Rooms?

All Guests and Members are expected to adhere to proper behavioral etiquette while in chat. For a complete listing of Chat/Guild Rules, please visit our Citadel Chat page on the website. Members should wear their guild tags and titles at all times. Proper format is “[AL]” following by title followed by name, with no space between the tag and title. Potential new recruits are asked not to adopt AL tags or rank until their application is processed and accepted. Class Leaders will be denoted with a golden icon to the left of their names in the chat listing – these individuals have full chat administrative powers. A white icon indicates a person of some responsibility, usually a High Council member, within the guild who has been granted partial chat administrative powers. Should you have a question or concern pertaining to the guild or one of its members, please speak with someone from one of these two groups. Non-administrative members and guests in good standing will be indicated with a blue icon. All other guests will be indicated in green and will not be able to read or participate in the chat. Individuals banned from the chat possess a brown icon and offline individuals are red. Please note that individuals aligned with the Empire and certain other determined guilds are ban-on-sight.



How do I Edit my Name and Avatar in the Chats?

Both can be accomplished by clicking on your name as it currently shows in the chat room. A box will appear next to the word “Name” that will allow you to edit your name as you wish. To load an avatar, click on the “Use Your Own” button towards the right. You will need to have a free PhotoBucket account which will allow you to upload the picture you wish to use from your computer. Once uploaded, select the picture so that a blue frame is outlining it, then click “Use this Media”. At the end of all your edits, click “OK” at the bottom of the first window to save your changes. Please note that as a part of successfully completely the terms of Trial Membership, all individuals in the AL must have an appropriate non-generic avatar, guild tags, and title. If you need assistance changing your avatar, obtaining a signature, etc. in the guild forums, please contact an administrator for help.



How does one Apply for Membership to the Army of Light?

Click the ‘Join’ button at the top of the website. This will take you to the AL Application Center which is located on our Forums. Copy the application questions into a new thread. The title should simply be [your name]’s Application. Members of our Recruitment Council will then review it and typically respond to you in 48 hours or less. Applications will only be approved if they are well thought out, not overly brief, and have proper grammar and spelling. While you wait, you are welcome to tour our forums and website further or visit our Citadel Chat to interact with our members. Recruitment Council leadership is best able to answer any questions you may have – they are: Grand Master Jephos Mispir and Supreme Master Caliber Mispir. Please check back on your application thread for updates and/or additional instructions. Please note that Applicants are generally limited to those 16 years of age or older.



What Type of Person is the Army of Light Seeking to Recruit?

The Army of Light is seeking those who are dedicated, mature, and willing to exclusively support the Galactic Republic and the guild. While we do not wish to limit potential recruits before the actual application process is complete, there are major requirements that must be met: maturity, honor, commitment, and respect. These are defining characteristics that all AL members must possess as lack of these traits is not tolerated. As stated earlier, the Army of Light is an equal opportunity guild.



Are There any other Requirements for Membership?

Members are to be of the highest personal character. A deep dedication to continuous learning, integrity, maturity, humility, and loyalty is mandatory for membership. No member (or their alts) may belong to any other guild on the same Server while a member of the Army of Light. We wish to have only the finest gentlemen and ladies who embody respect and a sincere willingness to role-play as forthright and upstanding defenders of the Galactic Republic. We believe hard work, contributions to the guild and the greater good, maturity, selflessness, and activity should be rewarded. We strive to eliminate injustice, tyranny, evil and threats to our peace, security, virtue, and way of life.



How does Another Republic Guild form an Alliance or Formal Friendship with the Army of Light?

All Republic guilds may visit our Forums and fill out a Diplomatic request form there. You are also encouraged to visit our Citadel Chat and speak with Ambassador Master Mai Skyblade or any ALDC Representative. To be considered, your guild must be strictly affiliated with the Republic and not contain, welcome, or host any persons of an Imperial class. While we do not expect our allies to be long-tenured or massive in size, or to share many of our policies, we do expect them to hold to the principles of mutual defense, honor, respect, maturity, and personal dignity, and be willing to join the same server as the Army of Light at game launch. Formal Friendships can be with Republic guilds of any server.



Where can Additional Answers be Found or what if there is a Technical issue?

Additional information can be found on our website and in our forums. You may also visit our Citadel Chat and pose your question or concern to an Administrator. E-mail inquiries can be sent to calibershrix@gmail.com and jephosmispir@yahoo.com.