Mike Fossum's Application (Approved)

1. Character Name (this will be your name on the site and forums):*
Mike Fossum

2a. Class (Jedi Consular, Jedi Knight, Smuggler, or Trooper):*
Trooper

2b. Advanced Class (if decided):*
Commando

3. Please describe your knowledge of Star Wars. The more detailed the better: *
My knowledge of Star Wars is only what I've learned from the films, from Wookieepedia (specifically KOTOR-related info), and the SW:TOR website. I prefer the Original trilogy, specifically ANH and ESB, the ones Gary Kurtz worked on. I'm especially grateful that the developers for TOR have taken so much inspiration from the original films. I haven't read any Star Wars books because I don't know where to start. I've heard it's a mixed bag. Some things I've heard about the EU make me anxious about exploring it, such as Luke's over-the-top force powers, the Vong invasion, the resurrection of the Emperor, or Sidious, and Luke turning to the dark side and back again. While I'm aware of these things from the EU, and I recognize them in conversation, I really prefer not to think about it much. As far as TOR goes, It's set in its own time frame, which frees us from the tyranny of official canon, and encourages us to invent our own personal story. I look forward to doing just that.


4. Please tell us about your other guild/MMO experiences. If there is more than one guild/experience, please include all of them. If you left your last guild, please tell us why you decided to leave. If you have used more than one name, please list them all.*
Guild Name (Reason for leaving if applies): Crypt Friends (I'll quit WoW before I leave that guild.)
-Game: World of Warcraft
-Name: Aqualad, Fossum, Carso
-Level: 85, 85, 85
-Server: Destromath
-Class: Druid, Warlock, Mage (respectively)
-Race: Troll, Undead, Human (respectively)

5. What type of role do you wish to take within the guild? How do you plan to be active? Please be specific.*
What type of role? I guess the answer is all of the above. I plan to take an active role in all aspects of the game. I am used to being a team player and succeeding at high levels in both PvP and PvE. My server is PvP type, not RP, so there aren't many people who enjoy RPing, but I will definitely embrace and enjoy participating in RP in TOR. I'll be rolling on a RP server whether or not I'm accepted here. I am capable of taking leadership roles as well, but I prefer to let others lead unless refusing to accept leadership would cause harm to the guild. I'm a very loyal member. Once I find a home and a group of friends, I stick with them through the good times and the bad.

6. Why do you feel the Army of Light is a good fit for you?*
The Army of Light seems like a well-organized guild with a friendly, welcoming community, all of which are huge draws for me. Good organization generally forecasts success, and I plan on being very successful in TOR. I want to be free to RP without being scoffed at. I want to make lasting friendships. I also love the name. It sounds like a real faction that would fit right into the SW universe.

7. What do you expect of the guild? Please be specific.*
I've never asked or expected any guild to do for me what I ought to have done myself. I'll pull my own weight and then some. I only expect to be included, as long as I am able to contribute to the guild's community and success.

8. Age* (Must be 16+ - only truly exceptional Applications from sub-16 year olds will be considered):
23

9. Time Zone:*
GMT-6 (US Central)

10.Role-Play experience/expectations. Can you give us some examples of Role-Playing you have participated in before. When it comes to expectations, give us an example of what would be fun to participate in, what you are looking for, etc.*
My only true Role-Playing experience has been playing D&D with some friends of mine. I wasn't a regular participant, but I did join in when I was invited. It was surprisingly easy for me to get into it and enjoy myself. I was a chaotic neutral human fighter for a while. Eventually I decided chaotic good was more fulfilling. In TOR, since I'll be playing a trooper, I would LOVE to be part of a squad of troopers and go out on dangerous missions together. We could even conduct an entire campaign involving multiple squads and a realistic command structure with squad leaders, platoon leaders, all the way up to the unit CO.

11. How can you benefit and help the guild? Please include any skills or talents you have that you would
enjoy doing within the guild. How have you helped your previous guild(s), if you have previous experience?*
I am experienced with high end PvE and PvP. I will be more than able to contribute to the guild's success in any endeavor. In my current guild (Crypt Friends), I have posted 100% raid attendance and I rarely foul up. My quantifiable performance is consistently above the average. Though I am not the top performer much of the time, I do sometimes top the healing meters (I currently play a healer). I like to think I do more for the raid by being cautious and executing the strategy correctly than by putting out the biggest numbers. I also contribute to vital guild resources that help us with progression, such as making flasks for the raid or helping guild mates gear up their alts. Unfortunately, my guild has just suspended its heroic 25man raid activity because of attendance problems, but I'm proud to say that I went down with that ship. This guild has been around for five years. It isn't going anywhere, and I know we will be back to heroic progression soon enough.

12. How do you define a quality member?*
A quality member is a selfless member. S/he puts the success of the group before his/her own interests, and for the most part, only pursues his/her own interests insofar as they benefit the guild. That isn't to say s/he does not strive to be the best, however. Being the best tank, healer or damage dealer, for example, directly benefits the guild's interests. It's all about the REASON for pursuing that level of performance. S/he truly enjoys fulfilling his/her role as a cell in the larger organism that is his/her guild.

13. How did you find the Army of Light? Did someone recruit you? If so, please let us know who.*
I spent a long time sifting through different guilds that matched my ideals and preferences. This is the only guild that I thought was worth applying to and joining before launch. No one recruited me.

14a.Have you visited our website and chat room, and familiarized yourself with the, Charter, Mission Statement, and Rules of Conduct? (You must answer in the affirmative and please prove that you have)*
Yes, I have. I understand and embrace that I will be expected to participate actively in the Army of Light community; that this is a Role-Playing guild and her members are expected to contribute to the RP atmosphere. I've read through the rules for ventrilo, chat, forums, membership, and the guild FAQs.

14b. Do you pledge to fulfill them, most notably to uphold the virtues of Maturity, Honor, Respect, Personal Ethics and No Drama?*
Absolutely and wholeheartedly.

14c. The Army of Light wishes to have members who take the concept of Commitment and Loyalty very seriously. By applying and if accepted, you are taking an Oath to both the guild and your guild-mates here. Is this something to which you can commit?
I don't swear oaths. My yes means yes and my no means no. It's a Christian thing, sorry if that puts anyone off but I don't mean it to sound contemptuous in any way. I definitely will commit to abiding by the rules, and I'll do my part to make this community a great experience for everyone.

15. Would you say that you embody the qualities of Respect, Honor, Loyalty, and Maturity? What are your definitions of these four words? Please don’t just answer yes or no, let us know why you think you possess these qualities.*
Respect: This typically means giving credit to experience, knowledge, or authority. in another sense, it means treating others with dignity, always recognizing them as individuals just like yourself.

Honor: This word is thrown around so much that its meaning has nearly been lost. Having honor means you do the right thing at whatever cost to your own interests.

Loyalty: A loyal person won't jump ship at the first sign of trouble. S/he will stick by your side as long as you'll allow it, and maybe longer.

Maturity: This stat doesn't have a cap. Some virtues are binary, you either have them or you don't. Maturity is growth in every sense of the word. If you ever find yourself thinking you've "reached maturity," that probably means you aren't very mature. It's a constant struggle to forsake your childish selfishness and pride.

The more I pursue these qualities, and indeed all good virtues, the more I become aware of how far I fall short of achieving them. Truthfully, I don't embody any of the four virtues I've discussed here, but I know they are valuable. I simply do my best to display them always, and when I fail, I dust myself off and try again.

16. Tell us about a time you offered assistance to someone who did not ask for it but clearly needed it. If you have never had this experience, tell us what you would do if faced with that situation?
Last week I showed some foreign exchange students which bus they needed to get on so they could get to Kroger. I can't remember where they were from, somewhere in Africa. Maybe Zimbabwe? Anyway we couldn't understand each other very well so I had to walk with them instead of just giving directions. If you want an example from a MMO, I play a healer in WoW and I like to run around with player nameplates on, so I can heal random folks when they're low on hp. I like it when I can do things to help people without them knowing about it, that way they don't feel like they owe me anything.

17. Role-play Scenario (please tell us how you would handle the situation): You are leading a group of 3 others through a forest on a remote moon to destroy an enemy communications relay. Up ahead in a clearing, you happen to spot a small Sith camp. Your group has not yet been spotted by the enemy. You are reasonably well supplied for your mission, including armaments. The clearing containing the Sith camp is not necessarily in your direct path to reach your original mission objective. Attacking the camp could alert the guards at the relay. However, attacking the relay without first dealing with the camp could mean enemy reinforcements from the camp. What wouldst thou do?
In character?... /gameface
I'm not takin' any chances. Anyone think NOT killing the enemy's a good idea? Didn't think so. Now take out that camp!... and take whatever supplies they've got. Then we'll go blow up the comm relay. (OOC) It isn't wrong to kill an enemy. All killing is not murder just like all sexual intercourse is not adultery. One ought never to be ashamed of killing an enemy in war.

18. In more than 50 but less than 200 words, please describe your personal character and the type of person you are (We wish to get a good feel of the type of person that will be becoming a part
of our guild family - a very important question!)*
I value personal integrity over most things, integrity meaning that one's beliefs match their words, which in turn match their actions. For example I don't mind jerks if they're unabashed about it. If you're going to do me some kind of injustice, own it. I can respect that. I won't hold you in contempt. Just don't try to convince me, or yourself, that what you're doing is right or good.

I truly enjoy being a cog in the machine, as long as that machine is doing something worthwhile. It doesn't really matter what part I am, though I do prefer to work at the highest level that my ability allows. It's more fulfilling that way.

Though I may seem overly contemplative or too professional in this application, I'm really not as boring as you might think after reading through it. I'm a really down-to-earth, approachable guy. I'll only talk philosophy if someone asks me to. I have tons of hobbies and interests and I want to hear about yours.

19. Tell us a little about your in-game character*

-Character Name:
Mike Fossum

-Character Physical/Mental Features:
Mike Fossum is chaotic good. He acts on his own moral compass pretty much regardless of circumstances. If exposing corruption is going to cause a little bit of havoc, well, it was bound to happen anyway, he just sped up the process. If the rules of engagement get between him and his conscience, he'll take the reprimand. His superiors hate it when he does things like this, but pretty much every time he disobeys orders, it results in a crucial victory, so they just look the other way and curse under their breath. In battle, he's a bit reckless. His comrades aren't sure how he's still alive. He's not a genius or a superman, he just sees his objective and gets it done.

-Character Biography:
Private Fossum fit into the Army right away. He might as well have been issued a rifle along with his birth certificate. In basic training, his drill instructor caught him shining his bunkmate's boots after lights out. When asked why he did it, he said "because they looked like dung, sir!" The DI made him a squad leader.

Once he passed basic, Fossum was assigned to a standard infantry unit, where he became a bit of a hero to the guys in his platoon. His CO just thought he followed his orders too well. "You tell him to secure a bunker and he just goes and does it... Then you find out they were keeping some hostages in there, and he just took it anyway... killed the Imperials and brought the hostages back to base. That was a delicate situation and he just goes in there and does what we told him to... son of a bitch."

Fossum's MO never changed. He's always managed to turn complex predicaments into simple objectives and just get it done, much to the surprise and disgruntlement of his superiors. As much as they disapprove of his recklessness, everyone knows that the Republic could use a few more guys like Fossum. The top brass knows that too, and that's why Havoc squad exists. That's the unit for troopers who do their job a little too well. It was only a matter of time, really. The chief of staff has already heard a few stories about this guy. Now he's got his eye on him. Maybe he's got what it takes... guess we'll find out.


20. What is your registered user name on swtor.com?* (Please note that you should have applied at our Guild HQ as a part of this Application process by this point.)
Aqualad

Looks good. Although you should change your forum name to you ingame name to avoid confusion.

Korvus Starlight wrote:

I dare you to click on the Robot core.

I did it. Do I regret it? I dunno, but My roommate sure does.

lol, good to have another trooper around.

good to see a trooper. everything looks good, so i think your probably get in

Mike Fossum wrote:

Korvus Starlight wrote:

I dare you to click on the Robot core.

I did it. Do I regret it? I dunno, but My roommate sure does.

Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccee!

Mike Fossum wrote:

Korvus Starlight wrote:

I dare you to click on the Robot core.

I did it. Do I regret it? I dunno, but My roommate sure does.

Well said. 'SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!' And the app. looks pretty good. Also your a trooper, which we like.

YES, FINALLY, we have a new Trooper! I will be super mad if you don't get in, my friend! We need more of you!(Troopers, I mean)

Cormac Darjay wrote:

YES, FINALLY, we have a new Trooper! I will be super mad if you don't get in, my friend! We need more of you!(Troopers, I mean)

And you personally too.

I like you guys already. Sure hope I make the cut.

I think you will, you seem pretty reliable.

Tal Core Starknite wrote:

Cormac Darjay wrote:

YES, FINALLY, we have a new Trooper! I will be super mad if you don't get in, my friend! We need more of you!(Troopers, I mean)

And you personally too.

We could always use more of me! And welcome, Mike.

Greetings Mike,

Your Application is now Under Review by the Recruitment Council. You will receive a reply shortly, usually within 48-72 hours.

Thank you for your interest in The Army of Light.

Warmest regards,
Grand Master Jephos Mispir
Founder of The Army of Light

GL mte, If you need any help you can PM me

Good luck Mike, its been a while since a trooper applied.

Greetings Mike,

Your Application has been Approved.

Your next step upon the Path is to pass your Trial Membership.

You will need to:
- Post 15 meaningful posts on the Forums
- Post an Introduction of yourself (RP) on the Forums
- Create a registered Forums profile, complete with avatar and SW:TOR contact name
- Obtain an avatar for use in our Xat chats (primary room is our Citadel Chat)
- While in chat, make your name [AL]Recruit Mike Fossum
- Re-familiarize yourself with the Guild Rules, with emphasis on Core Values and RP atmosphere
- Register with the guild on the SW:TOR site at http://www.swtor.com/guilds/5501/army-light


After you have been here a minimum of 1 week and have done all the aforementioned, you must then interview with myself, Supreme Master Caliber Mispir, or General Bren Durron to pass into Full Membership.

With that successfully completed, you will report to the Trooper branch leaders (General Bren Durron or Lt. Colonel Berto) for general class branch training and to General Bren Durron or Master Vyynn Randos for Squadron/Platoon assignment. Squadrons will act as your home within your home and help acclimate you to guild life and try to answer any questions you may have.

You will also wish to visit these Forums frequently, as much of our information is passed through this medium including news, polls, debate, etc.

In addition, we foster an Open Door Policy here at the Army of Light. Should you ever have a question or difficulty, or simply need to talk over an issue, please send me a PM here on the Forums.

Best of luck to you.

Warmest regards,
Grand Master Jephos Mispir
Founder of the Army of Light

Yes, a new Trooper!

Welcome to the AL.

Congratulations and welcome to the guild Mike!

Welcome.

not surprised. Welcome

Thanks to everyone for such a warm welcome. I look forward to befriending all of you.

Once you get full membership, Mike, you'll be well on your way on up in The Army of Light Trooper Branch.

Gratz man

Welcome aboard soldier! great to have you amongst our ranks.