Hi all. Iād like to introduce to you a new guild & community that Iāve started ā the Unseen Claw. If it sounds ominous, wellā¦ weāre not actually, just the campaigns! So, if a chaotic-good-fitting vigilante guild that gets in way over its head trying to deal with diabolical problems sounds like something that may be of interest to youā¦ then read on!
To start off with a TL;DR, we hunt the wicked, protect the vulnerable, defy the status quo, and maybe also do a few covert other things and operations that the local authorities shouldnāt hear about, but naturally all for the greater good. Thatās what being sovereign is about, after all ā freedom from constraint, liberty of choice, assumption of consequence. Are we monster hunters, cult breakers, covert operatives, or fighters for the oppressed? Well, kind of all at once! But thereās a lot more going on to the story than just carrying out these dutiesā¦
My general vision overall is establishing a stable & healthy space that, while on one hand is a RP guild for likeminded people who enjoy somewhat more ānicheā themes and stories ft. eldritch horrors and tormenting your characters with development, it also doubles as a community for those who may be looking for a well-adjusted and inclusive place where they find belonging and can have a merry time, both in our shared fantasy escapism hobby of RP and in our other OOC activities that we get up to together every now and then. The idea here is avoiding a rigid, tiered, ācorporatisedā system of a guild ā so, no events rolling out on a factory line, or imposing time investment quotas on anyone, or expecting hardcore dedication to something that is meant to be fun. Instead, I wish to create something that ultimately will feel more like a uniformised friend+ group ā a bunch of people who have a similarly-aligned notion on how they best enjoy the game and do so together.
Still reading? Great! Then here comes the more verbose phrasingā¦ which I am going to try my best to organise neatly, even though I kind of suck at formatting and there may be a lot to read.
So, letās start with defining IC vision and thematicā¦
ON THEMATIC SUMMARY
The Unseen Claw is a self-designated vigilante group with a habit of getting in way in over our heads trying to solve pretty big, evil, eldritch problems that we keep running into around the big wide world, with whatever means we have, even if sometimes unorthodox or unconventional. We prioritise our self-made principles, methods, morals and objectives before the rule of law and what the status quo may otherwise dictate. For this reason, Iād say we sit somewhere mostly in the chaotic good quadrant, and weāre probably best tailored to characters who, perhaps, may reject conventionality and the strict boundaries of the law; maybe they feel or are an outcast looking for a place to belong; maybe they are an exile, and looking for a new beginning; maybe they are disillusioned with the civilised, urban bureaucracy that never seems to get anything done ā but ultimately, they retain a good heart and genuine will to do the right thing: to help make the world a little bit better and fight the darkness in it with the rest of us.
Iām not going for a grimdark/dark RP theme, even though our campaigns may have heavier themes. I think it can get a little stale/mundane quickly if we just undertake a serious, brooding RP tone constantly. We will screw up, we will do stupid things, we will have very unserious moments and we should be able to laugh about it IC and OOC. Edgy is a flavour to be sprinkled in sparingly.
ON CAMPAIGNS, STORYTELLING, NARRATIVE
The campaigns are built around a fairly rich narrative of a high (sprinkled with dark) fantasy flavour that gives each participant a hand in steering its next chapterās direction, with a āmeta-themeā of overcoming great adversity and peril through even greater determination & hope.
To give a few flavour samples:
- Weāre currently preparing to investigate a solar (astral?) cult which is trying to establish a link with an entity allegedly forged of both Void and Light by using an ancient, poorly-understood, reality-breaking relic (weāre trying to find it before they do).
- We may have to investigate some abandoned Titan facilities that will definitely not (it absolutely will) feature some SCP-esque and experimentation-gone-wrong themesā¦ I think Dracthyr might really like (hate) this one, for no particular reason.
- There is also a possible Drustvar expedition about a missing painter whose works were a little more literally surrealist than would otherwise be normal, and connect to said solar cult.
The plots have reasonably high stakes & our RP style is focused less on complex, numerical D&D-esque systems (though some dice aspects nonetheless still exist), and instead more on creative storytelling & rule-of-cool. I basically want to reward creative, interesting thinking & writing over just being lucky with dice.
However, campaigns are not everything ā I am also a big fan of character development & exploration, and Iād like to give all players their chance to shine and pursue their own plotlines if they wish as well. Maybe we can even thread it in the campaign, who knows? I do not script any outcomes, endings, or paths ā we all write the story, in the end, and what I am doing can be seen more so as providing frameworks to work in, explore, and anchor in together. To me, a best-case scenario is one in which weāre all equally deeply threaded into one big, branching story weāre working on collaboratively, where both individual & campaign story can be explored.
ON CREATIVE LIBERTIES
I take - and permit - a reasonable degree of creative liberty in narrative and character design, whether thatās filling in the blanks of existing lore or creating some new facets that nevertheless can still be explained by means of canon lore. I am a fan of creativity and I am therefore more receptive to more niche/fringe/āexoticā designs, obviously provided theyāre not just done for the sake of a power fantasy and that they fit in with our thematic.
ON IC LAYOUT & ORGANISATION
The Unseen Claw is constituted of two halves that work in unity at all times, led by two key figures.
- On the Alliance side there is Riven, a disgraced infiltrator & technician formerly in service to a tyrannical organisation, who now deeply cares about righting institutional & systemic wrongs ā whether caused by bureaucrats, dangerous politicians, crime rings, or religious cults, and even if that may involve violent action.
- On the Horde side there is Korrei, who is the Elder of a Caravan of his own establishment dedicated to the cause, its doors open to everyone ā not just kin. In his past having been a victim to the Nazmani cults of Gāhuun, Korrei understands the severity of malevolence and wants to rid the world of similar entities.
Both of these branches call themselves the Unseen Claw, and the distinction only really exists because of current faction politics.
All of the members of the Unseen Claw start out as Softpaws, an initiation & trial role after which they can either specialise as:
- Fang ā a combatant prepared to follow the trail with the rest of the group and meet danger head-on.
- Stave ā menders and healers who look after the physical & mental integrity of the group.
- Braid ā a designation primarily aimed for traders, crafters, artists, artisans, or other non-combatant roles.
All members can be referred to as Claws, as a catch-all term.
There isnāt much else to add, because of course, like I highlighted above ā Iād like to avoid excessive hierarchisation and tiering. This is all to give a sort of thematic identity to it all. I am open to giving people more specialised IC roles, too, if it makes sense ā but theyāre going to be in the same ring with the rest of us, of course.
We are still working on IC quarters, butā¦ soon 
as they say.
THE CODE OF THE CLAW
Finally, as the law is not synonymous with morality, principle, or goodwill ā we adhere to the latter three over the former and weāve established a code that all members must ICly agree to, and it goes a little something like thisā¦
Codex of the Claw ā IC Rules
I. Inflict no harm unto those who inflict no harm.
II. The eradication of injustice prevails above the rule of law.
III. All for one, one for all; never wilfully abandon a fellow Claw in a time of need, always strive to work together.
V. Fight malice and corruption from where it springs; leave no kindling for wildfire.
VI. In every act of retaliation must be intent for resolution and peace, not cruelty.
VI. Be honest to your fellow Claws; seek to speak the truth to each other and donāt mislead.
VII. Share your waterskin with the parched; extend your shield to the vulnerable; do not turn a blind eye to suffering and hardship.
VIII. Do not marginalise those different from you; offer dignity first, save judgement for character.
IX. Rend your claw upon a site of victory; let the foe and the wicked dread its score.
Okā¦ so, what about OOC vibes?
I will say now that that the guildās members are all some flavour of queer, furry, or neurodivergent. Or all three, like the author of this post - or maybe part of other marginalised/fringe groups, identities, or minorities. I am highlighting this for good reason: naturally, I want everyone who considers joining us to be on board with our culture & atmosphere, and/or for others like us to be aware this is who we are and that this is the culture I will continue to foster.
With that said, I am striving to have a little more going on than just RP all the time; so, weāll be having OOC activities as well every now and then like game nights, or late night hangouts, or PvE content ā overall this guild will pretty much be treated as such: a community that, while built on RP, has a sum of other components that set a more socially-prevalent tone as well.
I do have a few OOC rules, whichā¦ I will format the same as the previous IC ones. These are, obviously, non-negotiables too.
The Unseen Claw ā OOC Rules
I. Zero tolerance for bigotry or discrimination or any apologia thereof. This is an openly queer space and you should already have a mindset formed around respecting everyone's identity and existence. Things like deliberate misgendering or misuse of pronouns are dealbreaker offences.
II. Usage of offensive, ableist, racially-charged, homophobic, transphobic language & speech is forbidden. In other words, be respectful to others.
III. No AI. Usage of generative AI technologies for any RP endeavour is strictly out of the question, for any purpose, e.g. if you use AI art for your character, you canāt join. Generative AI is harmful to artists, the environment, and to creativity.
IV. ERP & overtly NSFW sexual themes are not allowed. Not from a place of puritanism, but simply because these do not suit the purpose & designation of the group. Some suggestive content, jokes, egregious sailor insults and so forth, thatās fine ā but all within reason, personal boundary, and common sense.
V. Do not apply if you are under 18, this is an R-rated space.
VI. IC stays in IC, OOC stays in OOC, of course. Also, do not meta information for your characters without consent. Do not powergame, do not enforce outcomes upon others, common sense things.
Closing thoughtsā¦
Yes, I knowā¦ this was one hell of a wall of text. Sorry about that. I think itās better sometimes to be specific than leave things open for interpretation, and I hope itās given a pretty good idea of the kind of vibe & thematic Iām going for. That being said, if you -do- have any questions, just let me know! And if youāre interested in what Iāve laid out here, Iām very thrilled to know and I hope to hear from you, whether itās to join or whether you just want to hang out with us.
If you are a guild leader yourself and you think we could work together or become IC allies, I am definitely open for collaborations and Iād also love to hear from you!
You can reach me onā¦
Discord: kennec_
BattleTag: Ken#23262
In-Game: Saltclaw, Rustwing, Thornpaw [A] | Korrei, Isthareth, Oseri [H]
If you braved this mountain of letters, thank you for reading!