Overview

Kage no Senshi is a fairly old guild, if a constantly-changing one. Its name literally translating to "Shadow Warriors" in Japanese due to many of the old members being anime fans, it has acquired much deeper meaning and methods in the time since its creation. Though its member have many pursuits, there are two principles that stand above all others. First of those is loyalty and dedication. The second is being different, experimental, and adventurous. If a player believes they can work alongside these principles, Kage no Senshi is eager to have them among us.

Like all old guilds, Kage no Senshi has had its share of troubles. Shortly after its founding, a renegade officer purged the guild, removing all but a handful of members before disappearing. With many of the oldest members feeling betrayed, the guild had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Over a year later, another cataclysm struck the guild: the guild master, the central member of any guild and a focus for much of the loyalty the guild prizes, was struck down by Three Rings for some unknown infraction. Reeling from the news, the guild shed members at an alarming rate. The officers knew they were in trouble and considered drastic measures, but in the end it was decided that the tragedy would not stop the guild. They resolved to continue for as long as there was any hope left.

The guild tries its best to uphold the twin principles of loyalty and adventurousness. Loyalty is critical in a guild like Kage no Senshi, as its unorthodox practices and structure require those who will not stop at setbacks. Adventurousness, on the other hand, is what makes Kage no Senshi unique. Its members all have their preferred ways of doing things, but all acknowledge the need to explore. There will always be new ways of doing things, and Kage no Senshi will be on the front lines of that exploration.

Currently the officer ranks include three players. Amaki is the nominal GM, with Canismaximus and Darkvictory as junior officers.

In practice, Kage no Senshi behaves day-to-day like many other guilds, running the Clockworks to acquire further wealth, equipment, and skills while generally working with other members on various projects. Occasionally the guild branches out into other fields as well. While not a player-versus-player guild, we are happy to accommodate those who prefer meeting other players in battle rather than the enemies before. The officers make an active effort to hold events, the stranger the better, and are very interested in the ideas of new members. There's a lot of serious discussion, along with an even greater amount of silliness. It's a group that values itself and its growth. Kage no Senshi might just be the sort of place you'll want to stay for your tenure on Cradle. We certainly hope that will be the case.

Recruitment

Kage no Senshi considers itself a middle ground between the super-elite guilds and the minor guilds, recruiting from players that show a decent level of competence and an excellent dedication to our principles. Our application process is fluid and holistic, but competitive. Our standards are based more on the needs of the guild and its current members and officers than on any abstract figure. With this in mind, we have an application that all potential recruits are required to fill out. Answer the questions with as much detail as you think is necessary. Applications should either be posted in this thread, or sent to one of the officers as listed above.

There are three "short answer" questions on the application:

• What have you accomplished in Spiral Knights so far?
• What guilds have you been a member of in the past, and why did you leave them?
• How did you hear about Kage no Senshi, and why do you want to join us?

Ranking

Promotion in Kage no Senshi is done holistically, much like recruitment. The primary requirement for Member rank is activity, as we expect all members of the guild to continue to improve themselves and explore the game. Veteran rank is determined based on a large number of factors, including adherence to the principles of the guild, and is a considerable honor. Officer rank is severely restricted, only given to a limited number of players at any given time who demonstrate everything the guild looks for in its members and function as core elements of the guild.

While in almost all cases promotion is passively determined by the officers, on occasion there may be voluntary tests for promotion. Those eager to prove themselves may be allowed to jump the line via this method, though it is known for its unforgiving nature. In the end, all promotions are earned, not given.

Upkeep

After some experimentation, the membership of Kage no Senshi has decided not to require donations from its members to pay for upkeep. However, donations are still highly encouraged given the team effort that is the guild hall. The guild keeps a record of which members have pledged donations and calculates maximum upkeep from this figure. Only when enough people have pledged will the guild hall gain new features. The officers alone cannot pay for everything, so participation is greatly encouraged.

As a minor incentive, people who pledge donations will be publicly listed:

• 5000 crowns/week: Abknight, Bloody-Nermy, Bluejaylai, Canismaximus, Eraiser, Isariss, Nickrome, Revpaco, Stelim
• 10000 crowns/week: Quazare, Soulber, Xionblade

We hope to see you among us soon.