(The format doesn't allow typical paragraphing, so deal with it) [[Downfall of Destruction was formed after combining the guilds Downfall and Exiles of Destruction. We are a guild mainly consisting of 80's who are just starting to get our feet wet in the world of raiding. DoD is full of friendly and helpful people, and unlike other "raiding" guilds, our main priority is not to get geared out and be raiding nuts. We want everyone to feel that they have a part in this guild and want to make sure that everybody gets to participate in raids/instances. Thank you all for being a part of DoD, Lelanie]] That description is from March 2007 and lots of things have changed since then. People have come and gone like a mad revolving door, for many reasons, and unfortunately it's usually drama that destroys a guild, but that's also usually because the members are so focused on game play and being the best geared gamer that they don't take time to get to KNOW the other members and when shit hits the fan people split in droves. I've watched it happen MANY times in every other guild I've been in, and let it be known from the word "go" that we have more than our share of drama here but we work it out and if people leave because they decide to let someone else's behavior dictate their own, then we're probably better off without them. If you gquit in a huff don't expect to be chased down and begged to come back - those days are long over after having it blow up in our faces time and time again. Each person is responsible for their own actions and we don't play victim here, and the best thing you can do if you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or your tampon is a size too big is to not even bother logging on because no one wants to deal with anyone else's issues in a place where people come to escape their own reality and have FUN. Keeping it fun is the number one priority here and people will ALWAYS matter more than this GAME, so if you're not down with that, there's the door. Also, real life takes precedent over the game and guild semantics, so if THAT bothers you, refer to previously mentioned door. We sport a guild name over our head that has no meaning anymore, and it stays that name because we cannot change it unless we start fresh. I tried that a few months ago and it was a big clusterfuck that turned into a dramafest, but it also purged a big portion of the drama fountains and things are much better in many ways although I consider it a failure of sorts anytime anyone leaves the guild, but I don't take it anywhere near as hard or personal anymore. I'm all but numb to it as are several others who have been around since we started this monkey outfit. There aren't many original founding members and there are ZERO people who were Downfall before the merger. EoD lead by yours truly pretty much invaded and displaced Downfall because we're like the Island of Misfit Toys from Rudolph and don't exactly fit in smoothly in typical guilds. We're all a bunch of sarcastic (read "intelligent") smartasses who love to fuck with each other and that's how we make it through the day; while having fun the entire time, and we slowly but surely grow in size like a slow rolling snowball. The long termers that are weeded out from the droves of flash in the panners who are just passing through - and typically beat a hasty retreat - "stick" to the core and we accomplish more and more from lots of repetition and exposure, and the end result are conditioned experienced true raiders who don't flip and wipe when things go wrong. We don't do it all. We don't know it all, but what we DO do and know we do better than most, because everyone here contributes to the cause or are shown the door, so we end up being very good at what we do, but not in the top fastest progressing guilds on the server. This is a learning guild so if you're going to be a part of it you will have to have patience when new people are learning the ropes. If we're not moving fast enough for you than get the fuck out :) We don't need negativity and criticism, because many people are just fine and comfortable right where we are and one selfish person's opinion is not going to make or break us. Give respect and you get respect - not the other way around. Keep your give/ take seesaw ever so slightly tilted toward "give" and things work much better. No one likes a mooch but at the same time rudeness and disrespect will not be tolerated, because this isn't a gang of stupid kids in an ego contest. This also isn't a meat market, so if you have THAT idea you might as well leave now and save yourself some embarrassment. Any kind of inapproriate behavior toward the opposite sex is a BIG no no and let your reading this serve as your one and only warning. People put up with that bullshit in real life and they certainly don't want to log in and face it here. If you're lonely than make friends...assloads of cool guys and chicks here, but don't crowd anyone to their point of being uncomfortable or heads will fucking roll, I promise, and I'm not talking about "Sav's wrath". This entire guild will cut you to ribbons if you pull that stupid shit. THINK before you act and you'll be amazed at how much easier a time you have. Play nice and no one gets hurt. One last item about our oddball name. Downfall of Destruction is much like a merged mutation as far as the name goes, and has no meaning anymore, so don't refer to us as Downfall for short. We are not "Downfall", nor are we Downfall of Destruction because there is no Downfall left in the equation. We are DoD. Pop quiz next week. Kick ass and have fun. ~"B"/Blaine (Savana)