Overvew Origins of Orcish Clans Leading a Clan/Guild Building a Clan
-Four Pillars -Clan Development -The Heart of the Clans
Final Note
Overview
Ok’moragosh, WrA!
I just want to say this….
The Mag’har and Zandalari are coming!
As excited as I am to finally see these two races playable (I liked the Zandalari of vanilla and fawned over brown skinned orcs in Burning Crusade), I’m more excited at what their presence means for the Horde. With their arrival comes a new age of clans and tribes in the Horde! As a long time Horde clan, tribe or the occasional warband player, I am overjoyed by this realization. With that, I’m also horrified.
Interacting with clans hasn't been quality experiences for those who are outside looking in, especially in recent times. More often than not orc clans come off as pushy, arrogant, xenophobic and short-tempered, leaving something to be desired in the RP or just leaving a bad taste in the mouth of those unfortunate enough to see the worst sides of it. But there are good aspects to it as well. Aspects I hope this guide will help foster and build up for the greater community at whole to experience.
This guide was created using a lot of my own personal experiences and knowledge that comes from 14 years of tribal/clan RP and a total of 21 years of roleplaying. I have ran a few clans and warbands over the years and so have experienced a lot of trial by fire, failed experiments and hit and miss concepts and ideas. So I hope that my own thoughts, opinions and experience helps future chieftains develop their clans. I have always advocated for fostering cultures in clans, going as far as assisting in developing everything from names to building the entire clan. Yes, I'm all too happy to promote rival clans for the sake of diversity. I'm also hoping that it will be the harbinger of a new dawn for clan RP.
If you have anything that should be added or any constructive criticism, I implore you to let me know.
Also, a big thank you to Burskrim (Stormhowl), Renrik (Scaleborn) and Vullk (Grimskull) for helping me write this. Their assistance and input really put it all together.
Taken from https://wow.gamepedia.com/Orc#Origins_and_early_history
Formation of the Orc Clans
When the ogres revolted against their ogron masters, the hierarchy of survival on Draenor was dramatically altered and the two greatest threats to Gorgrond's orcs — the gronn and the ogron — were eliminated. By the time of 800 years before the Dark Portal, the orcs, no longer confined to their underground caverns, began forging permanent settlements on Draenor's surface for the first time in generation. The orc population exploded, and overpopulation and lack of prey to hunt became a serious issue. Tensions between families simmered, but before war erupted many orcs migrated out of Gorgrond in search of new land to settle. Those who remained in Gorgrond formed the Blackrock, Laughing Skull, Lightning's Blade and Dragonmaw clans. Those who migrated east found themselves drawn to Tanaan Jungle, where they adopted a savage, superstitious mindset. Those who kept their sanity became the Bleeding Hollow clan, while those who lost themselves to dark impulses were exiled and over time formed another, smaller clan known as the Bonechewers. The orcs who journeyed west of Gorgrond settled in the icy Frostfire Ridge. The Frostwolves and Whiteclaws learned to adapt to the environment, while the Thunderlord clan instead sought to dominate the land. In the south, three clans settled in the mountains and plains of fertile Talador: the Burning Blade, Redwalkers and Bladewinds. Finally, the Warsong clan migrated farther southwest and roamed the plains of Nagrand, while to the southeast the peaceful Shadowmoon clan formed in Shadowmoon Valley.
Modern Clans
The days of the clans are long since over. The internment camps saw to that. The only clans that were not enslaved and placed in the camps were the bulk of the Warsong, Frostwolf, Blackrock and Dragonmaw Clans. The rest either devolved into cults, like the Burning Blade and Twilight Hammer, or were dissolved and separated between the camps.
The Frostwolves, led by Thrall, Warsong, led by Grommash Hellscream and Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer, would later free the orcs from enslavement and create the New Horde, a Horde not brought together by different clans by one that consisted of all orcs, regardless of their origins. With Orgrim's death he passed on the mantle to Thrall. Thus began the ‘Horde’ minded orcs who stepped away from clan mentality.
In Cataclysm the Dragonmaw would rejoin the Horde under Warchief Garrosh Hellscream. In Mists of Pandaria the remnants of the Blackrock Clan joined his regime as well. Thus all remaining clans on Azeroth were part of the Horde. It is unknown what the fates of the other clans are but it is believed that the Warsong, Blackrock and Dragonmaw were widely dissolved and absorbed into the Horde or were killed off during the siege. This left the Frostwolf as being the last clan on Azeroth and their position in the Horde is tentative, given that Drek’thar has refused to assist the Forsaken or their leader, Sylvanas.
As it stands, before the Mag’har arrive in Azeroth, the Frostwolf Clan is the last clan standing.
Orcs between the ages of 1 and 30 are more likely to have the Horde mentality, exception to those born in the aforementioned clans. Those over thirty could possibly remember clan life but they've been fighting almost non-stop since they were freed from the internment camps, having been there for almost a decade. The majority of the orcs are roughly between those ages, with a good chunk of them being old, grizzled and tired veterans. Clan life is a return to simpler ways and how families and bonds form. So the age of clans may be dead but many orcs are feeling the calling to them, both young and old alike.
Why is this information relevant? In order to know what you’re going to create, you’re going to have to know where it all began and the history of the clans between then and now.
Edit: Mag'har Clans
After unlocking Mag'har, it's doscovered that the clans were dissolved some time after the events in Legion. How long after is still unclear but it was long enough that there are unblooded Mag'har running around, which means they've been gone for at least 13 to 15 years minimum, as orcs do their blooding and Om'Riggor at 13.
With that said, unlike the Horde orcs, Mag'har still honor the old clans and try to preserve their lineages but most have adapted to the, for lack of a better description, Mag'har Horde mentality.
There are several questions you should really contemplate before buying a charter. If you don’t then you’re only going to wind up wasting time and effort that could have been focused elsewhere. Like real life or playing with a more established group. Leading a clan requires dedication, commitment and investment. I'll touch more on that in a moment. Here are the questions you should really think about.
Am I ready and able to start this group?
Running a guild is an undertaking and a personal investment, especially when you’re just starting out. You have to be active and around as often as possible for your guild to thrive. If you don’t have the time or passion to dedicate to the guild and it’s development, you really can’t expect others to do the same.
Why do I want to do this?
If your answer is anything other than “Because I want to”, “Because I can” or “Because I want to be da boss”, then you’re off to a decent start. Creating a guild for selfish reasons will only end in disaster for you and others who you have conned into being part of it. A guild shouldn’t be made to fit your agenda, but to share a community with others. Roleplaying, raiding, social. No matter the type of guild, they all share that fundamental aspect.
Some good answers to this question are:
I want to do this because….
….no other guilds offer what I’m looking for. Good chance others out there feel the same and are looking for something similar. ….I want to utilize the knowledge I’ve gained from being part of other guilds to build a new community. …..I want to create something fun and unique. Some people are drawn to this aspect alone and want to experience. …..my experience in other guilds has left me yearning for a better community. There’s a lot of good guilds out there but there’s two to three times as many bad ones. Sometimes you have to create the atmosphere you want to be in. Just don’t let it suffocate you.
Will my group offer anything to the community at large?
I’ll tell you now, you’re going to be stepping into a world of competition where every guild out and about is trying to suck up new members as quickly as possible, clans are no exception. You’ll also be contending against veteran clans who have been established for a long, long time. Not to mention all of the other upstart groups trying to do the same thing you are. What will separate your groups from the others?
Am I capable of doing this?
This goes hand and hand with the first question but is also different. Being ready and able is different than being capable. The thing I’ve enjoyed most in my 21 years of running such groups is that being a guildmaster can give you real world training if you allow it. It can teach you general leadership skills, tact and how to handle conflict. You can learn employee and time management skills. Amongst many other skills. Sure, you don’t need that knowledge going in but it helps a lot. It will be a lot of trial by fire and a lot of pressure but it will be worth the investment you put into it.
How will I handle officers?
There will come a point when you will need officers. There is no getting around that. You will not be able to lead alone after reaching a certain point. Even with a small clan, you'll need at least one reliable officer. Don't promote officers too quickly or promote too many. You'll want to screen them, make sure they can follow the clan's customs and uphold the rules and traditions of it. Be sure to test them thoroughly, give them duties that will test them before making them a fully fledged officer.
Leading a guild is not for the lighthearted or the casual player. It takes patience, passion, dedication, hard work, adaptability, investment and, I cannot stress this enough, commitment. If you don’t see yourself leading for months, possibly years, I implore you, just find a guild to play with. Guildmates will follow your example. If you’re not active or committed to the guild, you can’t expect others to be either.
First thing you have to realize in making your clan is that the Age of Clans is dead. The bulk of the Horde is made up by grizzled veterans who have long since forgotten the clan lifestyle or those too young to remember it. Only exceptions are the ones born to the the clans who only recently rejoined the Horde.
Yes, there have been hundreds or thousands of player made Nounverb Clans that have risen and fallen in the last fourteen years. But few have withstood the test of time. Most forget that the age of clans is gone, an archaic institute in the sands of time. But of course, there are those fossils like myself who persist because we love the clans. We love the concept, the history and the lifestyle. This is all for you all who cherish the clans as I do!
So let’s get to the good part. I'll be breaking this section into three parts. The Four Pillars will cover the fundamentals of a clan, Clan Development will cover the steps to take to build the clan and the Heart of the Clan which, as the name states, will be the very heart of the clan which everything else stems.
Part 1: Four Pillars
The Four Pillars ate the fundamentals of any and all clans. Although each clan has their own version of these and each Pillar has a different meaning to them, they each have the basis of the Four Pillars in common. All are equally important despite how they are listed here. And all should be equally considered when developing your clan.
Tradition
Although clans share a few base traditions, such as the Om’Riggor and most adhere to the same honor system, all clans have a unique aspect that they’re known for and is reflected in their name. All clansmen are expected to adhere to these traditions, no exceptions. I will expand on this more in the Clan Development section. Spiritualism is also part of clan and orc cultures. From simply honoring and respecting the ancestors to revering the elements and spirits. All clans have some form of spiritualism. It's a good idea to determine how much or how little this aspect plays a role in your clan.
Honor
All clans have some sort of honor system that they uphold, though that translates differently to each one. Some have a loose idea of what honor means, some have really strict principles regarding honor. View this as a sliding bar between having little Honor to having Strict Honor. It’s important to know where your clan will sit on that bar.
Discipline
Another aspect with a slider bar concept but this one goes from Anarchists to Strict. Some clans have no regards for discipline, other than simply listening to the chieftain. Some have a loose hierarchy that is more community dependant or ran but still fall under the chieftain’s command. Then there are those with an airtight pecking order from Chieftain to clansman. It’s important to determine how loose or tight your infrastructure is in regards to ranks and elders.
Community
This is likely the biggest base point for all clans. The clan is not the chieftain. Yes, the chieftain creates it. Yes, the chieftain designs its traditions and rites and internal aspects. Yes, the chieftain upholds all of that and runs the clan. However, it’s the community that truly makes up the clan. No matter how it’s organized, no matter what aspects it has or lacks, the community is what truly makes the clan. The clan is family and anyone wishing to join under its banner should be blooded and made part of that family. Without the community, the chieftain has no clan.
Now we get to the fun part: building the clan itself! After determining if you’re able to start and lead the clan and after pondering the Four Pillars, the next step is just to start creating it. Let’s start with the second most important detail in its design.
Naming the Clan
The most common method in naming a clan is [Noun][Verb]. It’s simple, it works and there’s a few canon clans that support that method. However, you don’t have to follow that trend. Verb-Noun, Color-Noun, Noun-Nature, Nature-Verb or any other format can work. The most important thing about the clan isn’t how the name is constructed but how it’s represented.
The Darkfang Clan probably isn’t about rainbows and butterflies. The Reaving Iron Clan probably isn’t making deadly cast-iron cookware. The Heavy Metal Clan probably isn’t singing K-Pop. The point is to make the name reflect what your clan is known for. Frostwolves were known for their wolf breed, Blackrock lived in a mountain made of black rocks, Warsong clan had amazing vocals, Shattered Hand were half as handy as the other clans, Bonechewer clan did just that and the Flowerpicker Clan…..well….we don’t talk about the Flowerpicker Clan.
Make a list of 5 names. If you have trouble then feel free to use a random clan name generator. Or heck, look me up and I’ll be more than happy to brainstorm with you. Once you have five names, decide how they will be represented by the clan. Don’t name the clan after your character. That’s a bit arrogant. Alternatively, you can make your clan’s name a title and pass it from chief to chief like the Stormhowl decided to do.
Examples:
Darkfang Clan - A reclusive clan that dabbles in shadow, fel and necro magics. Likes to hang out in Desolace.
Snarling Bear Clan - A group of primalist nature worshippers who call Ashenvale home.
Bucktusk Grin Clan - A group of nomadic raiders, known for their hand to hand combat and love for a good fight.
Wave Rider Clan - A clan that finds the sea more comforting than the land. They have their own port in Stranglethorn.
Blackwind Clan - A nomadic tribe that travels around, taking what they need of the land before moving on.
Once you have decided on a clan name and how that name is reflected in the clan’s theme and culture then it’s time to build on that.
Clan Culture
This is where you will separate yourself from the typical Nounverb Clans. Most stop at the previous step, ‘This is our name. This is what we do.’ But clan development needs to go beyond that if it’s not only going to survive but flourish as well. There is a lot that goes into this process. Fortunately this guide is here to help to streamline the idea for the clan.
What does my clan name mean?
Just reiterating on the previous topic. You’ll want to have the clan’s name reference the primary aspect about the clan and what makes them unique.
What kind of clan do I want to lead?
Is the clan like the diplomatic Frostwolf? Do they favor battle like the Warsong? Perhaps they are industrial like the Blackrocks? Or are they a mix of one or more clans? Maybe they’re unique and don’t have a niche that they fall under? This is important because it will draw in roleplayers and potential clan members of a similar mind. So if you’re more neutral oriented, a warmongering character likely won’t mesh well.
Who can be in my clan? Who can’t?
Most clans are orc only. There is nothing wrong with that. However, some clans are known to adopt other non-orcs into the clan, if it suits the clan’s culture. Primary examples would be those clans that had ogre members, like the Twilight Hammer. However, you can break it down a bit more. As long as you can explain why the race or class can or cannot join, other than them just being that race or class, then include it in your clan’s bylaws.
For example, the Stormhowl do not allow the practice of fel, shadow/void (excluding loa) or necro (excluding spirit) magics, with arcane being near taboo. This is because those forces are corruptive and harm those around the user, including the land itself. Fel and necro magics also dampens or severes connections to the nature and elements, connections that are heavily ingrained in the clan’s cultures.
All clans had a Blooding or Coming of Age Ceremony, known canonically as the Om’Riggor, in which the potential member was given a task to complete in order to become a member of the clan. Most conducted a simple hunt in which the member brought back a vial of blood for an elder to sample. Shattered Hands and Bleeding Hollow practiced ritualistic scarification and removed a hand and eye, respectively. Lightning Blade orcs had to stand on a mountain in a thunderstorm with an axe raised high and survive three lightning strikes.
From there you open the door for any number of rites or rituals the clan can do, all of which caters to the overall clan theme. From honoring the spirits to conducting prayers to applying war paint/blood/ash before battle. Does each rank require some sort of trial? Is there a set of rites or trials they have to complete to become veterans or officers?
Using some of the previous examples, here are a few ideas to demonstrate what the rites might entail.
Darkfang Clan - Rip out a tusk and use it to summon an imp to bind.
Snarling Bear Clan - Hunt down a bear and use the resources to create armor and weapons.
Bucktusk Grin Clan - Survive a handicapped beating from a superior, resulting in a few lost teeth.
Wave Rider Clan - Survive on a raft for a week without food or water.
Blackwind Clan - Raid a settlement alone and take as much as possible before leaving.
Once their rites are completed then they are now part of your clan. Let me put emphasis on this. They are part of YOUR clan. No matter their origins, no matter which clan or tribe they come from. They are now a blooded member of a new clan. Clan loyalty was very important in the age of clans and changing between was highly frowned upon. They took pride in their banner and clan and were quick to knock down anyone who insulted or challenged them. They were that clan more than they were an orc. That hasn’t changed and it shouldn't. Emphasis on that fact: they are now members of your clan, your family and all previous ties are severed. No more Warsong, no more Frostwolf. They are kin to your banner now.
What ranks will my clan have? How many? How important are they?
On a very base level, clans only have a few ranks. Unblooded (those underage or potential new members), Clansman (the bulk of the clan. Most had a job to tend to but were all warriors in the clan), elders (including the chief’s council and second-in-command) and the chieftain. But some clans have more of a militaristic infrastructure and those have a division between clansmen, such as grunts, wolfriders, etc.
Do I want to include roles? If so, what roles do I want?
This is purely optional but helps the immersion into the clan’s lifestyles. These include trainers, cooks, speakers, Ritesmasters and basically any job that breathes life into the clan and helps the clan’s community in some way or another.
I touched on this here and there throughout the guide, regarding the clan theme, name and what it’s about. This section is reiterating and emphasizing on those ideals as they are the key to setting your clan apart. This aspect is what I’ve always referred to as the Heart of the Clan.
The Heart of the Clan is the centerpiece in which everything else revolves around. It’s the unique soul of the clan in which all other cultural aspects with stem from. Using my own clan as example, the Heart of the Clan for the Stormhowl is our Ok’moragon or the method in which we honor the spirits. It’s a greeting, it’s a prayer, it’s a warcry. It’s who the clan is as a collective. Ok’moragon comes from the clan’s Ok’moragosh, a phrase that means “Spirits smile upon [me, us, you, your’s].” The Ok’moragon was developed to honor the spirits, to have them smile upon each task we take and give us their blessing.
Disclaimer: This document was written from a combination of lore and personal experiences and opinions. This next section is purely my own thoughts and advice. Some may find it offensive and to those I apologize. I will welcome constructive criticism and feedback.
Don't become entitled.
Just because you make yourself chieftain or others choose you to enter the role, doesn't mean anything to the greater RP community. Chieftain just means you are leader of the clan and not that everyone around you has to respect that. I can tell you now, if you go around walking on airs because you're "da boss", it's going to reflect poorly on others outside the clan as well as give the clan a bad reputation. Be a person worth following, set the example of how leaders should behave and treat others, in the clan and out. This advice can be shared with all guild leaders top, not just chieftains.
Don’t be a Nounverb Clan.
A Nounverb Clan is a derogatory term for a new clan that really doesn’t offer anything. It mostly just exists to take up space, horde members (pun intended) and has no goals or ambitions outside of low-brow beating things. They are the typical ‘Zug, zug, ME SMASH’ type of clan. The main goal in this guide is to get people as far away from that as possible. A lot of clans these days are those types. A select few have been moderately successful but most disband as quickly as they’re made.
Don’t be a Nounverb Clan.
Don’t be a Harem Clan either.
What is a harem clan? These are clans people make so that their character can take all of the female members as their mates and use the males as slave labor. This will only end horribly for the clan and all of those involved, including you. These groups are far from the pinnacle of quality RP and after very frowned upon by the greater community. Some might be into it but it’s better to just stay away from this kind of theme and atmosphere.
Encourage creativity, discourage lorebreaking.
You can get really creative in how your clan develops but try to keep it within reason. Fostering the same mentality within your clan and allow members the room to grow as characters while also keeping to the confines of the clan’s system. It’s very doable.
Lorebreaking is different than lorebending. Lorebreaking only harms the greater community around you and creates a very poor RP atmosphere. Newer roleplayers will mimic such behavior, thinking it’s acceptable but it’s not. You may pay your $15 like everyone else but do you know who also pay subscriptions and monthly fees? People who go to gyms, some libraries, various clubs and other such businesses and institutes. If you walked into those places and misused their equipment and resources, you wouldn’t be there for very long.
Unfortunately this is the virtual world and we are literally unable to just toss someone out. So it’s up to the community to reach out to those who are being destructive to it, intentionally or not, to help educate and encourage people to become better players and roleplayers by discouraging them from such behavior. The worst thing you can do as a member in such a community is sit back and say nothing, watching it slowly descend into a RP cesspool. Takes a moment to look over at the Old Republic, Elder Scrolls Online and other MMOs that have suffered similar fates.
Now some light loreBENDING is fine. If you can explain why your character is one way, likely against the norms, or can do something unique (other than them just wanting special attention drawn to the character) then that can be worked with. But it has to be within reason. You’ll also have to consider how the world around your character would react to them as well.
Foster a welcoming community.
Try to get your clan involved in everything you do. Make each new member feel welcome and important to the overall group. Listen to them, have them join in the discussions and encourage them to help the clan grow and prosper and even shape the clan as needed.
Remember they are as much members as you and your officers. Yes, you and the officers may lead the clan but you’re all in the same boat together. The worst thing you can do is make it feel like it’s the members vs officers when it comes to internal matters. So encourage your clansmen to get together, not just for RP, but for PvE and/or PvP content as well.
Clan immersion is a beautiful thing. Do not be afraid to make it as immersive as possible. Create positions that help it feel like a living, breathing entity. Do research into real world clans and tribes. Germanic tribes, viking clans, even samurai clans can be utilized. Finding out how the lived and survived and even incorporating their ideals into your clan can increase the quality and experience of those who come to call your clan home and family.
Emphasize on what it means to be a clan.
Something I can’t stress enough is that when the character is blooded into the clan, they become a member of THAT clan. They are no longer Frostwolves, no longer Dragonmaw, etc. Until the Mag’har bring over the remaining clans, the only clan that exists these days is the Frostwolf Clan. The others are gone. Players may take pride in originating from the others but they no longer have loyalty to them. So when someone joins your clan emphasize that they are being blooded as kin to you and your’s. This is called clan loyalty and pride.
Create a website.
I discourage people from using applications to join a guild. People are stressed out enough outside the game, constantly applying for and not getting jobs they want. But a website is still a good tool to have and invest in. Here you can properly organize all of your clan's information and keep it all in a place that's readily accessible to both guildmates and non-guildmates alike. You can refer people to the website to review all of your rites, traditions, plans and so on. Encourage them to look over it before officially joining the guild so that they know exactly what they're gettong involved with.
Don’t let elves into your clan.
Alright, I said it. This isn’t an elf bashing segment. This isn’t me going off on an elf hate speech. This is more about racial perspectives. The Horde Elf societies have been living posh, clean and catered lifestyles for the last few hundred to few thousand years. Blood Elves have only been a part of the Horde for only a few years in Azeroth time. Nightbourne are fresh additions to the Horde. Neither race, individually or as a whole, are suited to joining a clan that probably doesn’t bathe very often, is likely nomadic and never stays in one place for too long, literally has no luxuries or comfort and struggles just to survive. A clan has no greater mission or objective or goal than simply surviving. The elves are only open to living that way because they’re really only humans behind the screen, living in a world that is becoming increasingly open to change and diversity and thus bringing that mentality into a world that is bigoted, hate filled and on the verge of nuclear fallout. They would not make such a drastic change in their lifestyles after hundreds or thousands of years living a life where even the peasants are taken care of….unless the peasants become wretched.
That and it’ll bring you negative attention from other clans and they’ll will make fun of you and take you through Horde High School all over again and won’t invite you to other clan things. Trust me, you’ll want to eventually be part of other clan things.
Final Note
That’s it for the guide! I hope someone out there finds this useful and helpful. If you ever need someone to toss ideas around with or just would like feedback or, heck, I’ll even help design the whole clan if you want, then shoot me a whisper or message in game.
And for a shameless plugin, feel free to check out my clan’s website. It’s a good example of the kind of creativity and depth you can put into designing it. We have a minor dialect, elemental patrons, a whole spirit-honoring system and so much more. I’m very proud of it and hope the information here and there helps foster more clan cultures in the coming days!
Ok’moragosh, WrA!
Vuraka Stormhowl Chieftess of the Stormhowlers stormhowl.enjin.com
Woo. Let me tell you. That was a bit of a pain to type up and transfer to the forums here. I'll like come back and clean this up a bit more later but it'll have to do for now.
Again, I really hope someone out there finds all of that useful. Thank you for taking the time to read it! I know there's a lot of information there so I do appreciate you doing that.
Very good and detailed post about Clans and how to run them. Hopefully the influx of clans will be positive for the RP Community, and not turn into a !@#$ show and/or die out in the coming weeks after the launch of BfA.
With Mag'har on the way, the population of green skin orcs will fall drastically. So, consider that when making an orc character ;P
Nicely done, and thank you for putting this together. I just started this Orc character, and while I don't plan on creating a clan myself, this was still very helpful!
I just read over this entire thing and found it very useful. Back on Moon Guard Hordeside before it dried up, I used to lead a Thunderlord Clan based guild. It was small, but I loved it. It only had about seven members on at once, but when we were all together, mounted on Gronn-Back, it was like a Thunderlord War Party, ready to spear anything that stood against us.
Some very well-written tips and advice in here, but also a few things I disagree with. Not much, just a few, but it's all subjective as a fellow long-time RPer and Clan-Oriented player (can't get me enough of dem Clans, though usually of the old Horde races / Tauren variety!). I'll be discussing only the really major thing I disagree with here.
That said, the part I fundamentally disagree with is in regards to the encouraging creativity but discouraging lorebreaking section and I hope you will hear me out about my reasons!
While the advice is sound if you are speaking particularly within the confines of your guild/group, which by its very nature needs a set of standards and baseline agreement in regards to lore / solving disagreements IC and OOC / etc...
I think that is the only place one has the authority to do so. It is never good or wise to try to police the entire community, especially under the guise of "educating and helping" them. I do not think you meant anything malicious by saying that, so do not get me wrong! But many people will use those reasons to bully others to get them to conform to their personal standards, whether right or wrong.
Blizzard's lore is amazing in a lot of regards, and a hot mess in others. It contradicts itself in multiple places, retcons things, and often shows one thing in game questlines but says otherwise elsewhere. People will argue until they are red in the face about which version is correct and the truth of the matter is...sometimes, all the interpretations are considered "correct" and "incorrect" until more information comes out.
Case in point, druids have argued since the dawn of WoW's launch about whether or not they can speak in animal forms and there has been proof on both sides of the issue.
I am also of the camp, though, that the lore is insane and there are more things you CAN do than CANNOT do, especially after so many years and what we've been given to work with.
While you made a mention about people coming in to use tools incorrectly and getting kicked out, I do not find it an apt analogy. It's more like the lore is an open sandbox and some playground equipment works fine and some is horribly broken, but no one pays attention and tells you you're not using the monkey bars incorrectly if you climb over the top instead of swinging on them, because it's not up to them to determine how you have your own fun with the tools/equipment provided to you.
I always caution away from attitudes that end up leading towards elitism, but in the same breath encourage people to find people they enjoy playing with and want roughly the same things IC and OOC and just avoid those who would not mesh with your desires.
Unless a person actively desires criticism and education about their character's story, it is not really our place to correct them and I definitely disagree the worst thing a community can do is sit back quietly....I would actually argue the worst thing a community can do is decide it knows what's best for everyone else and make them conform because they say so. The whims of the community and what is allowed/isn't allowed change year to year, to be honest.
All that said, I think it is important for people to weigh the pros and cons of what you are hoping to play and what you are hoping to get out of your roleplay. I honestly do not care if someone breaks the lore, but I expect those people to find other like-minded folks to play with and allow me the option to opt-out. It might mean you have less people to play with, but some people like that just fine.
In the same vein, if you do want to be more acceptable to a community at large, you do need to know what they accept/tolerate and try to make your character fit within those standards reasonably.
To me, it is all a matter of what you want to get out of the RP and finding the group (whether the community at large, or just a handful of friends) that meet those needs.
There is no over-arching community GM who lays down the rules and makes sure everyone is conforming. It's more like the park I mentioned, where some people are playing soccer, some are drinking, some are playing fetch with their dogs, and some are trying to read quietly on the bench.
You are all welcome to be here, and you're welcome to tell someone they are playing frisbee golf rules wrong, but they're also just as correct if they choose to ignore you for saying so. It's why D&D works best in small groups with a lot of house rules, so much is interpretation in terms of lore and roleplay that it's important to realize we're all just fanon characters with different perceptions who stress value on different things.
Whether it's short or long posts, wordy or simple posts, lore-compliant or lore-breaking characters, fantasy-oriented or sci-fi-oriented, everyone's got their own preferences.
That's just my two cents on the one section, and I know I tend to be an outlier when it comes to this. I used to be hugely elitist in RP and I actually look back on who I was, whispering people unsolicited about the fact their night elf was born incorrectly "on Teldrassil"...or even having people whisper ME telling me something I was doing was wrong (even when it wasn't, but the Iknowbest attitude they whispered me with stuck with me even after all these years!). I have become more tolerant of sharing my space with my neighbors, even if we disagree, and just focus on finding people I mesh with and that has served me well!
To end on a positive note, my favorite parts you wrote are about the traditions and heart of the clan, information on how much time and dedication it takes to run a guild (not for the faint-hearted, or busy! been there, done that!), and the really helpful background information you've given about the history of orc clans from the past to the present. I don't play orcs, so I found it very helpful!
I hope even if we agree to disagree on the one section, that you know I do not intend any malice with my post! Just presenting my own take on the matter. I hope your guide will help bring in a good era of clans going forward in the future! I miss when they were abundant!!! :)
Once again, thank you all for reading! And your kind words!
Telupi, don't worry. I'm not taking your words as an attack or anything meant as ill will, quite the opposite! That was one of the sections I was expecting someone to point out and have issues with. I will agree about having to disagree on the section though I don't wish to spark a debate over it or dig further into the matter. That is a thread all on its own. I do thank you for taking the time to type that up.
I miss when they were abundant too. And all of them had unique things about their clans, not unlike the ones I made up as examples. They were diverse, they didn't always get along but they knew how to set aside their differences and come together when needed. They didn't go out of their way to usurp, undermine or tarnish each other's reps. In the worst case, they just gave those they really didn't like a wide berth. I would like to see a bit of that return to the future clans.
Again, thank you and the others. Your responses mean a lot to me!