Remnants of Hope
About Our Community
Established in June 2009, Remnants of Hope (RoH) first began as "The New Jedi Order" in the Star Wars Galaxies MMORPG. Since its inception, the community has grown and expanded into other games. Currently, RoH is an international community that enjoys gaming with mature and respectful friends. We have established a leadership structure, core values, organizational objectives, and various characteristics one would expect to find in a socially-developed organization that is primed for long-term growth and stability.
RoH is built on a foundation of integrity, maturity, and respect for others, and our commitment to these tenets has helped us grow, evolve, and survive as a community. Over the years, we have found that it is not what game you play, but with whom you choose to play. In keeping with this, our guild motto became "Light from the few can be a beacon to many."
Our community is built on principles of respect, tolerance, fairness, inclusion, equality, kindness, and enjoyment.
We routinely elect individuals into key leadership positions and involve our members in direct votes when significant changes are made to the way we operate as a group.
We are not limited to a single game. Our members play a wide variety of games, and our structure is designed to support membership should they wish to establish Remnants of Hope as a presence in those games.
While democratic values underlie our structure, our form of interaction with each other is designed to be efficient. We have taken great care to ensure that our general desire for fairness and equality does not hinder our ability to function as an online gaming community.
Charter Objectives
First and foremost, this defines the way in which our organization operates. We have collectively agreed on unbiased and fair methods to approach the management of our community. The resulting policies and procedures detailed within this document are for all to see, remember, and follow. We wish to be transparent to all who seek to join our community by making this document publicly available.
As with any community, disputes and conflicts do occur. The presence of this Charter ensures that we are capable of reaching an amicable resolution to all such conflicts. Our members agree to respect all outcomes reached through the use of this charter.
Key Concepts
- Separation of Powers. There is not a single individual in Remnants of Hope that controls all aspects of the community. We have purposely employed the use of checks and balances that are designed to guard against abuses of power.
- Two-Tier Structure. This concept permits us to create branches in various games that function independently, but which are still unified under a single banner. That central body is our 'Community', and the individual games that we play are satellite groups, called 'Divisions'. This charter is focused on defining the higher levels of RoH, whereas Divisions are largely left to their own devices, with a few key exceptions.
- Balancing Bureaucracy with Fairness. It is not our desire to create a bloated or convoluted system of procedures, but we do recognize that a lack of established policies may compromise the level of fairness that we strive to provide for members. We have designed RoH with the intent of striking a reasonable balance between these two considerations. We strive to maintain a balance between fairness and excessive bureaucracy in the way we operate.
- Binding, but Amendable. Every member of RoH must adhere to all rules detailed within the Charter. As times change, however, RoH must also change. Members may seek to make modifications to the Charter, and if sufficient support is obtained, the Charter can be amended. In this way, the Charter is a living document designed to adapt to our members' needs.
Organizational Structure
Remnants of Hope has two distinct levels of structure: Community and Division.
Community Structure
The High Elder is the elected representative and speaker of the community, and is the head overseer and moderator thereof. The High Elder is expected to keep the community running successfully. The High Elder is expected to be an active advisor to the community leaders on all matters of discussion.
Responsibilities
- Hold full tier one root access to communications platforms (information technology managed by or on behalf of community leadership, a Division, or a Department) along with the Web Admin and Treasurer.
- Direct supervisor and advisor to the Elder Council, Community Manager, Web Admin, Treasurer, and Division Commanders.
- Should hold a game’s Guildmaster/Leader title if active in the game. If the High Elder is not active in said game, the title will pass on to an Elder Councilor or Division Commander.
- May approve expenditures requested by the Web Admin as outlined in the Web Admin section of the Charter.
- Will act as the tie-breaker in Elder Council decisions.
- Looked upon to provide guidance and wisdom for members and leadership alike.
- Uphold and enforce the Charter and Code of Conduct in-game, and in our VOIP when necessary.
Restrictions
- Not allowed to simultaneously fulfill the role of Elder Councilor, Web Admin, Community Manager, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Department Officer.
- Prohibited from being in a real life/online relationship with any Elder Councilor, Community Manager, Web Admin, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
Attainment
The High Elder is elected by the community once every six months in accordance with the Election Procedures. Applicants must be a member or above to be eligible. A member with an active disciplinary restriction is ineligible for this position.
Removal
The High Elder may only be removed from their position through one of the following scenarios:
- Defeat in an election.
- Vote of No Confidence.
Any Member is entitled to initiate a motion of No Confidence in the High Elder by contacting the Elder Council. Once the motion is received, the Elder Council must create a vote among the Division Commanders and Elder Council. At least half (50%+) of the Division Commanders and Elder Council must approve of the motion for the Vote of No Confidence be brought forth to the community.
If approved, the Elder Council (with the help of the Web Admin) will temporarily limit the High Elder's administrative access on communications platforms during this time. The Elder Council will then create a poll that will last for exactly seven days and be accessible to ALL members of the community. Trial Members are not eligible to vote.
For a Vote of No Confidence to pass, it must meet the following vote requirements:
- The number of participants in the vote must be at least 60% (sixty percent) the number that voted in the previous High Elder election.
- The number of approval votes must be at least 70% (seventy percent) of the total voters.
If the Vote of No Confidence does not succeed, the motion fails and the High Elder retains their position and administrative rights restored. If a Vote of No Confidence succeeds, the Elder Council will initiate and carry out an emergency High Elder election.
Should a process of removal for an Elder Councilor or Division Commander already be in motion, another removal process may not be started until the current one has ended in order to prevent the possibility of retaliatory removal processes.
The Elder Council is a team of 4 (four) members that is charged with resolving disputes; making policy and disciplinary decisions as a group; conducting all election, legislative, and Vote of No Confidence polls; reviewing member-submitted policy changes; assisting the High Elder with communication platform management; and ensuring the Charter and policies are upheld.
Responsibilities
- Hold tier two administrative access to the communications platforms for the purposes of moderation and management.
- Make decisions on issues of discipline.
- Create and enact policies in the best long-term interests of the community following the Amendment Policy.
- Manage member proposals following the Amendment Policy.
- Will hold the Guildmaster/Leader title in-game if the High Elder is not active in said game. If an Elder Councilor is not active in said game, the title will pass on to the Division Commander.
- Uphold and enforce the Charter and Code of Conduct in-game and on communications platforms when necessary.
- Will be the acting Division Commander if such position is temporarily vacant due to the resignation or removal of the prior DC, until a new one is elected.
Restrictions
- Not allowed to simultaneously fulfill the role of High Elder, Web Admin, Community Manager, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Division Officer. With Division Commander and Community Manager approval, an Elder Councilor who is also an Assistant may serve as a temporary Department Officer during a Department Officer leave of absence for a maximum time period of two weeks.
- Prohibited from being in a real life/online relationship with any High Elder, Elder Councilor, Community Manager, Web Admin, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
Attainment
The High Elder appoints the Elder Council. The High Elder must accept applications for a minimum of 48 hours. Applicants must be a member or above to be eligible. A member with an active disciplinary restriction is ineligible for this position.
Upon selecting a candidate for the Elder Council, the High Elder must send the candidate's application materials to the Division Commanders. The High Elder must allow Division Commanders a minimum of 48 hours to review and discuss the candidate's application. Any Division Commander who believes the candidate should not be appointed to the Elder Council may call for a veto.
Veto Procedures:
If the High Elder recommends a candidate for the Elder Council who any Division Commander believes to be unqualified for the position, that Division Commander may call for a veto vote. A successful veto will meet the following requirements:
- The vote must be called within 48 hours of receiving the candidate's information from the High Elder (or longer if specified by the High Elder or if extenuating circumstances will prevent one or more Division Commanders from reviewing the information within the set timeframe).
- Once a Division Commander has called for a veto, all Division Commanders must vote or recuse themselves within 48 hours.
- A majority of Division Commanders must vote in favor of the veto.
Failure to meet the above requirements will result in the veto failing and the appointment of the candidate to the Elder Council at the High Elder's discretion. If all requirements are met, the veto passes and the candidate may not be appointed to the Elder Council until a new vacancy and application process takes place.
Removal
There is no limit to the amount of time an Elder Councilor may serve in the position, but the High Elder can remove an Elder Councilor if the High Elder deems them no longer suitable or active enough for the responsibilities of their position. The High Elder must inform the community of this decision and state the reason(s) for removal.
Members of the community can make a petition to the High Elder for removal of an Elder Councilor. The petition must have at least 35 unique signatures. The High Elder will review the petition and give their decision within five days of the petition send date.
Should a process of removal for the High Elder, Elder Councilor, or Division Commander already be in motion, another removal process may not be started until the current one has ended in order to prevent the possibility of retaliatory removal processes.
The position of Community Manager is intended to be purely an administrative role. The Community Manager oversees the Membership application process, as well as the membership roster. The Community Manager fulfills a deeply trusted role, as they are expected to be intimately familiar with the Remnants of Hope recruitment process.
Responsibilities
- Hold tier two administrative access to the communications platforms for the purposes of moderation and management.
- Provides administrative oversight for the entirety of the recruitment process.
- Permitted to remove Members from the community should they fail to meet the minimum standards established by the Activity Requirements section of the Charter or post in the Departure Thread in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
- In the event of a tie during Stage One votes among the Recruitment Officers, the Community Manager is authorized to act as the tie breaker.
- Uphold the Charter and Code of Conduct in-game, and on communications platforms when necessary.
- Ensure the Remnants of Hope Recruitment Policy is being followed and carried out accordingly.
- Communicate any concerns regarding divisional recruitment to the Division Commander and Recruitment Officer.
- Ensure the membership roster is up to date, administering yearly/bi-yearly roster purges as necessary.
- Expected to train all new Recruitment Officers, Division Commanders, or temporary proxies in the recruitment policy and process.
- Expected to facilitate meetings as needed with the Recruitment Officers.
- Expected to provide a monthly report to the High Elder on the state of recruiting process, concerns, and training.
Restrictions
- Oversight on recruitment is restricted solely to ensuring compliance of our recruitment policy as mandated by the Charter. Not allowed to direct a Recruitment Officer, Divisional Officer, or Division Commander to vote a certain way during any stage of the recruitment process.
- Cannot vote in Stage One of the recruitment process unless a tie breaker is needed.
- Not allowed to simultaneously fulfill the role of High Elder, Elder Council, Webmaster, Treasurer, Division Commander or Divisional Officer.
- Prohibited from being in a real life/online relationship with any High Elder, Elder Councilor, Web Admin, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
Attainment
The High Elder appoints the Community Manager. The High Elder must accept applications for a minimum of 48 hours. The High Elder will seek the opinion of all Division Commanders on each application prior to any decision being made. An applicant must be a member who has served or is serving as a Recruitment Officer to be eligible for this position. A member with an active disciplinary restriction is ineligible for this position.
Removal
There is no limit to the amount of time a Community Manager may serve in the position, but the High Elder can remove the Community Manager if the High Elder deems them no longer suitable or active enough for the responsibilities of their position. The High Elder must inform the community of this decision and state the reason(s) for removal.
Members of the community can make a petition to the High Elder for removal of the Community Manager. The petition must have at least 35 unique signatures. The High Elder will review the petition and give their decision within five days of the petition’s delivery date.
The position of Treasurer is intended to be purely a managerial role. The Treasurer performs a set of clearly defined duties involving the security of our guild finances.
Responsibilities
- Hold full tier one root access to the communications platforms, along with the High Elder and Web Admin, for emergency purposes only.
- Maintains the Treasury Report, with a monthly reconciliation to the High Elder.
- Manages community expense payments and purchases.
- Manages access to our financial account(s).
- Maintains the security of the community funds.
Restrictions
- Not allowed to simultaneously fulfill the role of High Elder, Elder Councilor, Web Admin, Community Manager, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
- Prohibited from being in a real life/online relationship with any High Elder, Elder Councilor, Community Manager, Web Admin, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
Attainment
The High Elder appoints the Treasurer. The High Elder must accept applications for a minimum of 48 hours. Applicants must be a Member or above to be eligible. A member with an active disciplinary restriction is ineligible for this position.
Removal
There is no limit to the amount of time a Treasurer may serve in the position, but the High Elder can remove the Treasurer if the High Elder deems them no longer suitable or active enough for the responsibilities of the position. The High Elder must inform the community of this decision and state the reason(s) for removal.
Members of the community can make a petition to the High Elder for removal of the Treasurer. The petition must have at least 35 unique signatures. The High Elder will review the petition and give a decision within five days of the petition’s delivery date.
The Web Admin is the head of the Web Team, leading a team of Web Specialists. This individual reports directly to the High Elder and acts as a bridge between the Web Specialists and the High Elder. The duties of the Web Admin are authorized to be fulfilled by any member of the Web Team during periods of absence. The same privileges and restrictions will be applied to the Web Specialist when performing in this capacity.
Responsibilities
- Hold full tier one root access to all communications platforms.
- Maintain all communications platforms.
- Oversee major and minor updates such as new features, site coding, theme changes/updates, group colors, group title bars, etc.
- May request funds from the Treasurer when approved by the High Elder with the following restrictions:
- Purchases over $25, purchases with recurring fees, or multiple purchases under $25 within a one-month period must obtain community approval.
- Receipt/Confirmation of purchases must be included in the monthly report to the High Elder.
- Notify the community of all major changes to communications platforms and of all purchases and their costs. - Maintain all passwords for RoH and its Community Services and set password policy for the community.
- Share the root password for RoH servers and any change to it with the High Elder and Treasurer.
- Share all other web-related and Community Services passwords and any changes to them with the Elder Council and High Elder.
- Provide appropriate security to RoH user groups - Root (tier 1) for High Elder, Treasurer and Web Admin; Admin (tier 2) for Elder Council and Community Manager; and Design Access (tier 3) for Web Specialists.
- Change passwords to Community Services on a semi-annual basis or when a member of leadership steps down or leaves the community.
- Set up or alter usergroups and permissions in accordance with the Charter.
- Ensure that all services are functioning properly and correct or delegate reported issues to the Web Specialists.
- Ensure that the Web Specialists are actively monitoring the Bug Tracker.
- Perform database overhauls, such as pruning of table content, for the purposes of cleanup or size management.
- Appoint Web Specialists to the Web Team after ensuring there are no disciplinary restrictions in place.
- Submit monthly change log reports to the High Elder detailing every major and minor action done by the Web Team in regard to communications platforms.
Restrictions
- Not allowed to access or tamper with the site administrator logs in any way, moderate communications platforms, or make non-IT-related announcements.
- Not allowed to make modifications to the Remnants of Hope motto or logo without community approval.
- Not allowed to simultaneously fulfill the role of High Elder, Elder Councilor, Community Manager, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
- Prohibited from being in a real life/online relationship with any High Elder, Elder Councilor, Community Manager, Treasurer, Division Commander, or Divisional Officer.
Attainment
The High Elder appoints the Web Admin. The High Elder must accept applications for a minimum of 48 hours. Applicants must be a Member or above to be eligible. A member with an active disciplinary restriction is ineligible for this position.
Removal
There is no limit to the amount of time a Web Admin may serve in the position, but the High Elder can remove the Web Admin if the High Elder deems them no longer suitable or active enough for the responsibilities of their position. The High Elder must inform the community of this decision and state the reason(s) for removal.
Members of the community can make a petition to the High Elder for removal of the Web Admin. The petition must have at least 35 unique signatures. The High Elder will review the petition and give their decision within five days of the petition’s delivery date.
Assistant to the Web Admin, Web Specialists specialize in various aspects of web development and server administration. They may fill in as acting Web Admin during periods of absence.
Responsibilities
- Hold role-specific access on the discord to perform their duties.
- Maintain all communications platforms.
- Monitor and assist in resolving Bugs and Suggestions posts.
- Perform minor updates such as site coding, theme changes/updates, group colors, group title-bars, etc.
- Submit Change Log Reports detailing every major and minor action done regarding communications platforms to the Web Admin monthly.
Restrictions
- Not allowed to access or tamper with the site administrator logs in any way, moderate communications platforms, or make non-IT-related announcements.
- Not allowed to simultaneously fulfill the role of High Elder, Elder Councilor, Community Manager, Treasurer, or Division Commander.
- Must be a full Member.
- Must not have an active disciplinary restriction.
Attainment
The Web Admin will post a thread about the vacancy. Each applicant can be given an application and/or interview depending on how the Web Admin wishes to appoint the new assistant. In order to be eligible the following requirements must be met:
Upon selecting a Web Specialist, the Web Admin must send a notification of the appointee to the Elder Council 48 hours before an official announcement on the discord is made. While approval is not required, this ensures that the appointee meets all eligibility requirements. The Elder Council may require Web Specialists to sign a separate Code of Conduct when receiving additional communications platform privileges.
Removal
The Web Admin reserves the right to remove a Web Specialist for any reason at any time. The Web Admin must provide reasoning to the High Elder, Elder Council, and Web Specialist before removing the Web Specialist. Web Specialists can also be removed immediately by the Web Admin, Elder Council, or High Elder if there is a clear violation of the Charter.
This is the basic-level position for applicants who were successful in completing their trial for membership and is intended to be a long-term position for the vast majority of our membership. Members function as voters during movements to amend the Charter, when Votes of No Confidence are initiated, and during High Elder/Division Commander election processes. Members interested in playing multiple games with Remnants of Hope are granted the ability to pass freely between divisions as they desire.
Privileges
- Authorized to attain the rank of High Elder, Elder Councilor, Web Admin, Treasurer, Web Specialist, Division Commander, Divisional Officer, or Divisional Assistant.
- Granted a single vote during Charter Amendment votes, the election cycles for High Elders and Division Commanders, and during Votes of No Confidence in the High Elder or Division Commanders.
- May request to join any division without having to go through the application process again.
- Authorized to propose amendments to the charter through the Charter’s Amendment Process.
- Access to communications platforms.
Attainment
Granted by their respective division leadership through successful completion of their membership trial.
Removal
Members can be removed by the Elder Council in accordance with the Discipline Policy.
A Trial Member is someone who has submitted a formal application to join Remnants of Hope and whose application was accepted by the Community Recruitment Team. They must then complete the trial process in order to be considered for membership.
Priveleges
- Access to communications platforms.
Restrictions
- Trial Members do not possess many of the privileges granted to Members. They cannot participate in votes (High Elder elections, Division Commander elections, Votes of No Confidence), create proposals or suggestions, or enter into leadership or assistant positions.
Attainment
Must submit an application to Remnants of Hope and be granted Trial Member status by the Community Recruitment Team.
Removal
A trial membership may be terminated for any reason by the Recruitment Officer during Stage Two of the trial process, which will result in an immediate dismissal from the community for the applicant. Upon reaching Stage Three, a failing vote made by the Division Commander and all Officers for the division applied to will result in an immediate dismissal from the community for the applicant. Trials found in violation of the Code of Conduct are subject to immediate dismissal by RoH leadership.
A friend is one who has joined the community, but has not submitted a formal application to join Remnants of Hope. Granting and revoking the rank is up to the discretion of the Elder Council.
Privileges
- Access to non-divisional portions of other communications platforms.
- Access to divisional PUG voice channels upon invite
Restrictions
- Friends cannot participate in any votes, create proposals or suggestions, or enter into leadership or assistant positions.
- Friends cannot join Divisional in-game Guilds.
- Friends playing Divisional games will be treated as guests during Divisional events; Members and Trial Members will be granted priority for event attendance.
Attainment
A Member must send a Private Message to the Elder Council on the Discord explaining their relationship to the individual and why the member wishes to associate the person with RoH.
If granted, the Friend must sign the Code of Conduct thread within 72 hours of the rank being granted.
Removal
Friends found in violation of the Code of Conduct are subject to immediate dismissal and ban from the community by the Elder Council.
A pre-trial applicant is someone who has submitted an application to join Remnants of Hope through an in-game guild finder and has been added to the in-game guild by the division's Recruitment Officer. A pre-trial member is not considered part of the community as a whole. The pre-trial member must apply to the community officially as soon as possible but their pre-trial phase can last no longer than 7 days. It is encouraged that division leadership push any pre-trial applicants to apply to the community officially as soon as possible.
Priveleges
- Access to discord PUG channels only (upon invite). No other communication platform permissions. No website permissions.
Restrictions
- Pre-Trial applicants do not possess many of the privileges granted to Members. They cannot participate in votes (High Elder elections, Division Commander elections, Votes of No Confidence, Proposal Vetoes), create proposals or suggestions, or enter into leadership or assistant positions.
- The pre-trial period may last no longer than 7 days from the time of application. This is to be tracked by the division's Recruitment Officer in whatever means they choose to use.
- Any events joined during this phase are not counted towards any future trial objectives.
- If an official application to RoH is not received in 7 days the member must be removed from the in-game guild.
- If a Pre-Trial applicant is dismissed from the in game guild due to hitting the time cap, they are still allowed to apply formally to the community.
- Pre-Trials are restricted to the division they applied for until making a formal application and becoming a trial member.
Attainment
Added to the in-game guild by the divisional Recruitment Officer via the in-game guild finder tool. It is imperative that the Recruitment Officer review the CoC with the pre-trial member.
Removal
A Pre-Trial member may be terminated for any reason by divisional and community leadership, which will result in an immediate dismissal from the community. Pre-Trials that haven't applied to RoH within the 7 day limit must be removed. Pre-Trial members found in violation of the Code of Conduct are subject to immediate dismissal and ban from the community by the Elder Council.
Divisional Structure
The Division Commander is the elected representative and speaker of the division, essentially the Guild Leader in each game. The DC is the face of the community in the respective game and the representative of the division in matters of policy changes.
Responsibilities
- Ensure the division is functioning properly and up to community standards.
- Uphold and enforce the Charter and Code of Conduct.
- Oversee and delegate tasks to respective officers; ensure all departments run efficiently.
- Submit monthly division reports to the Elder Council.
- Act as the bridge and voice for the division with the Elder Council.
- Required to vote on Stage III Trial Member acceptance threads for recruitment.
- Must maintain in-game requirements (including subscriptions, if applicable) to retain the Guildmaster/Leader rank.
Attainment
Elected by the community once every six months. Must be a Member or above, and if a subscription is required to maintain guild amenities, must hold that subscription. No active disciplinary restrictions allowed.
Removal
May only be removed through defeat in an election, Elder Council action for a clear Code of Conduct violation, or a Vote of No Confidence following the same process as the High Elder (requires 60% turnout and 70% approval).
Divisional Officers are specialists that help maximize certain game aspects for the member base. They support the Division Commander and are expected to police the guild and help moderate members.
Responsibilities
- Organize events and activities within the division.
- Provide an engaging environment for their Division.
- Appoint Divisional Assistants.
- Uphold and enforce the Charter and Code of Conduct.
- Required to vote on Stage III Trial Member acceptance threads.
- If going on a Leave of Absence longer than 3 days (1 day for Recruitment Officer), must appoint a current Assistant or request the Division Commander as temporary replacement.
Attainment
The respective Division Commander posts a vacancy thread. Applicant must be a full Member, active in the respective division, and have no active disciplinary restriction. The DC must notify the Elder Council 48 hours before official announcement. Recruitment Officer candidates must have prior experience as Recruitment Officer, Recruitment Assistant, or Division Commander.
Removal
The Elder Council can remove a Divisional Officer for a clear Code of Conduct violation. The Division Commander may remove a Divisional Officer with 24-hour advance notice to the High Elder and Elder Council. Members may petition for removal with at least 10 signatures.
Assistants are Members chosen and removed by the Divisional Officer. They are not part of the formal leadership structure but serve an important support function. You may be an assistant for multiple departments.
Responsibilities
- Assist their Divisional Officer in overseeing and managing respective tasks.
- Carry out events in collaboration with fellow assistants and Divisional Officer.
- Work in tandem with the Divisional Officer for day-to-day activities.
Removal
Divisional Officers may remove an Assistant for any reason, sharing that reason with the Assistant and notifying their Division Commander, Elder Council, and High Elder. Assistants are tied to the Divisional Officer — when a Divisional Officer resigns and a new one assumes command, all previous assistants are automatically removed and may reapply.
Election Procedures
Elections are a cornerstone of Remnants of Hope, held regularly for High Elder and Division Commander. The Elder Council administers elections and they must be carried out exactly as written. At the beginning of each calendar year, the Elder Council is required to publish a schedule of election dates.
Basic Election Process
- The Elder Council announces the election cycle at least one week before proceeding, including a timetable of all major milestones.
- A seven-day application phase begins. Nominated individuals must accept the nomination before the end of seven days. Nominations are sent to the Elder Council via private message.
If the current High Elder or Division Commander wishes to pursue another term and no other applications are submitted, they are considered re-elected, bypassing the Q&A and voting phase.
- A five-day Q&A phase follows immediately, during which all eligible voters may pose questions to all candidates. Questions must be directed to all candidates; candidate-specific questions may be submitted privately to the Elder Council.
- A seven-day voting phase follows immediately. All eligible voters are entitled to vote for their desired candidate.
- Results are tallied. A candidate must accumulate more than 50% of total votes to win. If no candidate reaches 50%, the top two candidates enter a five-day runoff election.
- Upon election of a new leader, the previous leader's privileges are removed and the new leader's privileges take effect after announcement and orientation.
Elected Position Details
Term Length: 6 months
Eligible Candidates: Members and above
Eligible Voters: Members and above
Term Length: 6 months
Eligible Candidates: Members and above
Eligible Voters: Members and above active in that division
Emergency Election Procedures
Employed immediately when an office holder resigns or is removed before their term expires. Emergency elections follow the same basic procedures with these differences:
- No required advance notice before beginning the application phase.
- Application phase: 4 days (instead of 7).
- Q&A phase: 3 days (instead of 5).
- Voting phase: 5 days (instead of 7).
- The newly elected holder's term begins immediately after voting concludes and orientation has occurred.
Code of Conduct
1. Communication and Discussion
All RoH communications platforms are subject to the Code of Conduct. We do not allow threats or discussion of violence, drugs, or pornographic or sexually-suggestive material. Trolling and mean-spirited content of all kinds are unacceptable. Any discussion of potentially contentious topics must be conducted in a mature, respectful manner. Members must moderate any foul language and never use it in an insulting fashion towards another individual.
2. Malpractice
Remnants of Hope operates under the rules of all games we are involved in. Violations of those terms of service — including hacking, illegal monetary farming, or harassment — constitute a violation of our Code of Conduct. Do not use any RoH communications platform to organize illegal activities.
3. Respect and Tolerance
Remnants of Hope promotes a stress-free environment and is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism. We foster an authentic sense of belonging regardless of gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, first language, national origin, religion, disability, age, or neurodiversity. It is mandatory for all members to show respect and tolerance at all times. Elitism is not tolerated. Harassment of fellow members may result in immediate removal. RoH is a PG-13 community.
4. Naming Policy
Upon joining RoH, you are expected to represent a professional image of our community. Account and character names are another expression of communication, subject to all the same limitations listed above. Do not take or imitate the names of other members. This policy applies to our website, VOIP, and any of our games.
5. Using Discretion With Issues
The Elder Council and Officers are happy to address member concerns, provided they are brought up through confidential discussion through Discord Direct Messages. Failing to use proper discretion with issues may result in disciplinary action.
6. Expectation of Officers and Leaders
Representing the community as an Officer is a privilege requiring great responsibility. All private discussion between officers and any issues or complaints submitted by members should not be shared with non-officers. Abuse of power — including excessive use of moderator tools or using the position to intimidate or coerce members — will result in discipline and removal.
7. Administrators and the Use of Chat Logs
While administrators may have potential access to logs or private messages, it is strictly prohibited to view these for any reason. All logs are automatically deleted. Any administrator found to have attempted to view logs or member private messages will be immediately and permanently removed from the community.
8. Activity
Members are expected to maintain a reasonable level of activity. Characters within divisional games idle for longer than 90 days may be removed from their respective guilds. Members going inactive may be removed from Discord. However, even if your account is removed due to inactivity with no outstanding disciplinary strikes, you will always remain part of RoH and can contact divisional leadership to be reinstated.
9. Leaving / Rejoining Policy
Members are encouraged to speak with leadership before leaving. If a member decides to leave, they must wait 30 days before reapplying and will need to fill out a new application and restart the trial process. Former members wishing to apply sooner than 30 days may request a waiver from the Elder Council.
10. Multi-Guilding
RoH is your guild home. As an RoH member, you are expected to represent RoH through tabards, guild tags, or however your game shows membership. You may participate in other guilds for specific activities, but you are expected to act consistently with your commitment to RoH. If a Division Commander has specific expectations about multi-guilding in their Division, they may publish them after Elder Council approval.
11. Streaming and Public Posting of Communications
Members who choose to stream or publicly post content involving Remnants of Hope (RoH) activities are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that respects the privacy, consent, and comfort of all participants.
- Members must obtain explicit consent from all identifiable parties whose voice or written communications will be publicly broadcast or posted. Consent must be obtained prior to the public sharing of such content. If any participant does not provide consent, their voice or communications may not be publicly streamed or posted in any form. Members must notify their respective Division Commander prior to publicly streaming or posting content involving RoH activities. This notification does not replace the requirement to obtain participant consent.
- Any voice or communication channel that is being streamed or otherwise made public must be clearly labeled to indicate that it is LIVE or publicly broadcast. This ensures that any member who joins the channel is aware that their participation may be publicly shared. Guild chat, officer chat, party chat, raid chat, and private messages must not be publicly displayed, broadcast, or posted unless explicit consent has been granted by all affected parties. Such communications should be hidden, covered, or otherwise excluded from public content.
Responsibility for compliance with this policy rests with the member creating or sharing the public content. Failure to adhere to these standards may result in corrective or disciplinary action in accordance with the Remnants of Hope Code of Conduct.
12. Discipline
Members who violate the CoC will be disciplined in accordance with the Discipline Policy. Trial Members and Friends, however, are subject to immediate dismissal for any Code of Conduct violation. All discipline is kept completely confidential, with the exception of member removal, which will be announced without specifics.
13. Unstated Guidelines
This Code of Conduct covers the most common concerns in online gaming, but it is impossible to cover every possible situation. Anyone accepted into our community is expected to maintain a good sense of maturity and avoid actions that are likely to cause controversy. This document is subject to change, and members are responsible for maintaining knowledge of the rules and keeping up with changes.
Discipline Policy
All members are required to read and follow the Code of Conduct. The Elder Council uses a 'three strikes' system where consequences escalate each time an infraction occurs while already under probation. Each warning comes with a minimum 6-month probation, extendable at the Elder Council's discretion.
A CoC infraction without any current disciplinary measures receives a warning with a minimum 6-month probation. The EC will document the discipline and notify the member of their infraction and probation length. This first warning does not automatically remove the member from a leadership position, but the EC reserves the right to do so if the offense is deemed serious enough. Exception: if the offending member is the High Elder or on the Elder Council, they will be automatically removed from their position.
A CoC infraction while already under a warning receives a second warning with a minimum 6-month probation. The member is advised that any further infraction will result in removal from the community. A second warning will automatically remove the member from any leadership position, and they will be unable to run for any leadership position until probation has expired.
A CoC infraction while already under the second warning results in removal from the community. The member will not be allowed to reapply for a minimum of 1 year, and then only after review and approval by the EC. For removal, the Elder Council will share a short post without specifics outlining which CoC policy was violated.
Moderation Policy
Community moderators include: High Elder, Elder Council, Community Manager, Division Commanders, and Department Officers. All moderation should include a PM to the party being moderated with the reason for the action taken, with these exceptions:
- If a duplicate thread or post is made — no PM necessary; the duplicate may be merged or deleted.
- Moving posts to archives or trash.
- If the message does not fit a channel's clearly outlined, specific purpose.
If the moderation involves a Code of Conduct violation, the member's Division Commander and the Elder Council must also be included in the PM. A screenshot of the moderated message must be included. This PM is to be sent immediately after moderation.
Voice Chat Moderation
- For voice communication issues, first ask the disruptive member to stop.
- If that fails and no moderator is present, reach out to any community moderator for help.
- For simple audio issues (background noise, static, etc.), move or mute the member.
- For disruptive intentional interruptions, mute the member and file a moderation report to the Division Commander, Elder Council, and High Elder.
- If you mute a member, remove the mute when the event ends. For serious CoC violations, the mute may remain active with an explanation in the moderation report.
Rank-Specific Requirements
- Divisional Officers: Must PM the affected member, EC/HE, and the Division Commander of the respective game when moderating a potential CoC breach.
- Division Commanders: When moderating within a different Division's portion of a communications platform, must also PM the Division Commander of the respective game.
- Community Manager: Must PM the affected member, EC/HE, and the Division Commander of the respective game.
- Elder Council: Must PM the affected member and document the action in the Elder Council Discussion Discord forum. The remaining Elder Councilors and the High Elder will review.
- High Elder: Must PM the affected member and document the action in the Elder Council Discussion Discord forum. The Elder Council will review.
Amendment Policy
Modifications to our codes are enacted in one of two ways: by the Elder Council introducing changes, or by members proposing modifications for the community.
Council-Driven Amendments
- The Elder Council discusses the amendment amongst all Elder Councilors and the High Elder, with optional inclusion of Division Commanders, Web Admin, and/or Community Manager.
- The finalized policy is provided to the community via an announcement for no less than 3 days. Members may suggest alterations or call for a veto.
- If a veto is called for, the Veto Policy takes effect and the amendment is frozen until resolution.
- If the review period passes with no or minor changes, the amendment takes effect. If substantive changes result, an extra 3-day review period is provided.
Member-Driven Amendments
- Members are encouraged (but not required) to post their amendment suggestion in Discord general chat for public feedback.
- The amendment proposal remains open for three days before voting begins. On the fourth day, a poll is opened for seven days.
- For a member-driven amendment to pass, it must meet the following requirements:
- At least 60% of the number that voted in the previous High Elder election must participate.
- At least 70% of total voters must approve.
- If requirements are met, the amendment passes to leadership, who have the opportunity to use the Veto Policy.
- If the amendment passes the Veto Policy stage, it becomes official policy.
Veto Policy
Veto of Council-Driven Amendments
Members may call for a veto of any council-driven amendment. The Elder Council must open a 3-day veto poll. A successful veto requires at least 60% of previous election voters to participate and at least 70% to approve the veto. If the veto passes, the amendment is immediately removed. If not, the amendment process continues.
Veto of Member-Driven Amendments
If leadership finds a member-passed amendment detrimental, the Elder Council and Division Commanders have 3 days to call for a veto. A successful veto requires at least 75% of currently-filled EC and DC positions to approve. If the veto passes, the community has a 3-day window to call for an override vote requiring 60% turnout and 90% approval to pass. If the override succeeds, the amendment becomes official policy.
Recruitment Policy
Logistics: The Tools at Your Disposal
The Recruitment Spreadsheet
The recruitment spreadsheet tracks accepted Trial Members and their progress. It must be posted in the division's Recruitment channel on Discord. Required fields include:
- Applicant's Discord Name
- Applicant's In-game Account ID
- Trial Start Date
- Trial End Date (two weeks from start)
- Whether accepted or denied (with reason for denial)
Guild Advertisements
Advertising may be done through official game forums, Reddit, popular fan-site forums, zone/map chat blasts (with discretion), and public events sponsored by RoH. Every advertisement should include a link to our front page and direct potential applicants to apply.
Process: The Procedures for Recruitment
The application is posted in the #recruit-new-application channel in the Recruitment section of Discord. The app is approved or declined by the Recruitment Officer or assistants of the applicable division.
Membership is determined solely on following community rules of conduct. Each division may set their own objectives. At a minimum, objectives must include:
- Joining the in-game guild for the division applied to.
- Posting an introduction.
Additional trial objectives may be added at the Recruitment Officer's discretion, aimed at gauging activity, integrity, maturity, and loyalty. If a Trial Member is unable to complete all objectives within the 30-day period, an extension may be offered. If no extension is granted, the trial ends and the applicant may reapply after at least seven days (completed objectives do not carry over).
After the trial period, a vote is held in the applicant's Discord thread. Each divisional officer is given one vote. Once a member is accepted, the Recruitment Officer posts in the #recruit-rank-change-request channel for the Community Leader to update their Discord rank. After one week, if a Trial Member has completed all objectives, they may move on to Stage 3 at the Recruitment Officer's discretion.
Miscellaneous
Trials Swapping Divisions
If a Trial Member seeks to swap divisions within their first week, they should contact their original Recruitment Officer, who will then communicate the request to the new division's Recruitment Officer. The Community Manager will move the trial thread, copy the new division's trial objectives, and update the title. The Trial Member's time is officially reset and all objectives restart with the new division.
Recruitment Assistants
Recruitment Assistants may maintain and update spreadsheets, invite Trial Members to the in-game guild, conduct reviews, perform in-game promotions, keep up with Trial Members in-game, monitor trial objective progress, and help keep recruitment tools up to date.
Recruitment Officer Meetings
It is encouraged that all Recruitment Officers and the Community Manager meet as needed to maintain good communication between divisions.
Division Creation & Dissolution
Division Proposal Process
Division proposals are distinct from Charter amendment proposals. Proposals should be well-researched and professionally written. At a minimum, they must address:
- Game Information: Setting, overview, max group size, aspects of play, type of game, implementation timetable, links to media.
- Community Support and Playability: Why this game is a good fit for RoH, available guild activities, benefits to playing as a community.
- Structure and Organization: How to structure the division, nomination for Division Commander (who must accept prior to submission), recruitment function, and any required website modifications.
- Activity and Sustainability: Evidence of sustainability, member interest, and daily activities available.
Division Creation Process
The decision to create or dissolve a division rests wholly with the Elder Council. New Division Requirements include a dedicated leader, a detailed proposal, and interest within the community.
Submitted via DM to all Elder Councilor members. If requirements are met, the Elder Council makes a public announcement. If inadequate, it is returned for revision.
Members have up to one week to post alternative proposals. A community topic is created and left unlocked for at least one week. The first Division Commander of a newly-created division is appointed by the Elder Council, though an election may be initiated if multiple candidates emerge.
The Elder Council reviews all submitted proposals to determine if they justify creating a division. This stage typically takes no longer than one week.
Division Commanders and Officers seeking the new DC or Recruitment Officer positions must provide two weeks' notice. Applications are accepted for no longer than one week. Standard eligibility requirements apply.
The Elder Council appoints a Division Commander or holds an election. The new DC and Elder Council then confer on the Recruitment Officer selection. An application and trial process must be established before recruitment may begin.
Division Dissolution Process
Division Validity Requirements
For a division to remain valid, it must maintain at minimum: a Division Commander, a Recruitment Officer, and at least one Divisional Officer. If any of these positions are unfilled or the division fails to maintain them, it will be subject to dissolution.
If there is decreased activity or Division Validity Requirements are not met for more than two weeks, the Elder Council will vote on the state of the division. If the majority votes to consider dissolution:
- The EC invites the Division Commander and Officers into a private discussion to share concerns and gather feedback.
- If leadership agrees the division has run its course, it will be closed. If they wish to continue, they have one week to develop an action plan.
- The division enters a four-week probationary period with weekly updates to the EC.
- At the end of four weeks, the EC may remove probationary status (if recovered), grant a two-week extension (if progress is shown), or dissolve the division (if insufficient recovery).
If a Division is Dissolved or Moved to Casual Status
- A section within the Casual section of Discord will be created, and all division-specific posts moved there.
- The in-game guild and resources transfer to the former Division Commander.
- Recruitment templates will be updated to reflect the game's new status.
- The Division Commander, Officers, and Assistants will be returned to Member status.
- Members who do not participate in any other officially supported games will retain their community membership.
- The former division may be reinstated in the future by going through the Division Creation Process again.