About Marrach Faol

Welcome to the web site for Clann Marrach Faol, Napa Valley’s premier guild!

Thank you again for visiting our web site! Whether you’re a visitor, curious about who we are, or a potential member looking for a new home, we hope these pages answer your questions.

Who are we?
Marrach Faol is an Ultima Online guild on the Napa Valley shard. The name of the guild itself comes from the name of the Ducal castle in which we reside. The castle’s name (Marrach Faol) comes from the gaelic words Marrach (Enchanted castle which kept one spell-bound), and Faol (a wolf). The castle’s name is a play on words of the name of its founder Aedilwulf (old Anglo-Saxon for ‘Noble Wolf’)

The guild itself is primarily a hunting and adventure guild – although we support a huge range of activities across all of the facets. We owe a good portion of our success to sticking to a set of core ideals that have helped shape us as a group. Chief among those are teamwork, respect for others, and pride in our organization and doing our best to continue the tradition of excellence our guild has established.

For over ten years now, we have built a reputation of integrity and mutual respect on our shard, and it is through the efforts and honor of our individual members that that reputation continues to grow to this day.

We believe that a group cannot thrive without giving members the opportunity to try new things and to succeed. Thus, we give all members ample opportunities to run events, take on leadership roles, and enjoy new and exciting opportunities in UO that they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to do. No place can this be seen more than in our hunts. The hunt is central to our culture – it’s where we come together, and where we build the camaraderie and trust that make us a strong guild. To facilitate this, we currently run several hunts per week, affording members a wide array of times and venues.

We do not believe in a strict hierarchy of set leadership roles. While members will be rewarded with advancements based on their proven leadership, we also give newer folks the opportunity to take on the mantle of leadership for a hunt. In addition, the groups you hunt with may change every time we form up. This ensures folks get to meet as many guildmates as possible, and forge bonds of trust between eachother.

While unavoidable, we also do not believe in playing the political games. Within the walls of the castle, all members are treated with respect and equality – from the ten year veteran to the newest player. And when the time to form up is called for the hunt, all know to show their respect and honor, and to follow the guidance of those appointed above them for the evening, just as they would expect the same respect when it is their turn to lead.

The result has been a close-knit guild of comrades in arms. We’ve worked together, fought together, and in some cases died together. But through it all, rocky patches included, know at the end of the day that we could count on eachother. We work hard, and play hard. And we understand as a group that our goal is to have fun, but also understand that fun must be tempered with discipline, humility, and respect.

What do we do?
We hunt, adventure, participate in quests, do treasure hunts, and in general just have a good time with our guildmates. There are always folks around the castle it seems, and it’s pretty easy to do a pick up hunt if you’re looking for someone to adventure with. One of my beliefs as a Guildmaster is that consistency and organization are critical to the success of a large organization. Our events are scheduled, and our organization well defined. Our hunting parties are also organized with a dynamic hierarchal leadership set in place that not only keeps the hunts under control, but also gives members the opportunity to prove their leadership skills and advance within the guild.

Do you do PvP?
The main guild is a non PvP Guild. However, we do recognize that many of our members pursue the Justice Virtue, and members are given a great deal of freedom in this regard. We also have an RPpvp order (The Bear Clann) where members who want more PvP can participate in an order that caters to that. In both of these cases, we temper this flexibility with a strict adherence to our core ideals.

Do you have Ranks? Can I choose my own Title? How do I advance within the guild?
All of these questions and more can be answered in the Organization section of the web site. However we will add a dose of caution and philosophy along with that. First, many potential members express their goals in advancement in the guild, or in attaining a leadership role. We’ve found that the poison of almost any group is to make too many ‘chiefs’. Thus, our promotees are limited to 30% of our Players (not Characters, including alts). Second, advancement in Marrach Faol only comes through proven leadership, dedication, respect, and humility. Sometimes members are shocked that they are selected for promotion. And that is exactly how it should be. The member that does good for the group without a thought to their own position, and proves their loyalty without expectation of reward is the kind of individual that does well within our group. So we would say that if you feel your guild life will remain unfulfilled if you do not attain a senior role, then this is not the guild for you. It is far more challenging to be a good follower than a good leader. And only through understanding the skills of followership can any person start on the path of leadership.

Can I join with just one character? Can I join with all of my characters?
Once accepted, members may guild all characters they wish. We impose no restrictions or requirements either way. Some members join with a single character, and others join with their entire account, or even with multiple accounts in some cases. Some slowly add alts over time. This is a very personal decision and one we hold a great deal of respect for.

So how do I sign up?
If this sounds like the kind of organization you would like to be involved with, take a look at our Rules section. Once you have done that, go ahead and head to the Joining section and follow the instructions there! Remember, not everyone that applies is accepted to the candidate stone. Not every candidate becomes a member. It’s a long journey, and certainly not for everyone. But for those that have followed the path, it has been worth the journey.

– The High Council