In our second installment of The Peerage of Siege Perilous interviews, I have asked the newly appointed leader of Siege's largest guild to share a moment with us. Reuggan has only been the leader [GIL] for a few weeks, but a member of Siege Perilous for much, much longer.
[SPHS]: What was your first experience with Ultima Online?
Reuggan: I started working with Az (still do) in the Fall of 2000. He was playing at lunchtime and I would watch. He finally got me to start playing probably in the Spring of 2001.
[SPHS]: What brought you to Siege? How long have you played here, and how frequently do you play now?
Reuggan: There were four of us that played together on Europa: Az, Becca, Izabo and myself. We didn't really interact with anyone else, which was fine for a while, but I started getting bored. I came to Siege and the first thing I went to was Story Night in the CWS tavern. I was hooked after that. I loved the RP and the characters there that night. That was in the Fall of 2006. I usually log in at least once a day, even if just for a few minutes to do a trade order or see what's going on.
[SPHS]: Who are your in-game characters if you have more than one account?
Reuggan: I just have one account.
[SPHS]: Aside from lower population, what are the biggest changes you've seen here since 2006?
Reuggan: A lot less roleplay, such as guilds like VMP and KSS. There used to be more frequent events, such as Story Night and Fight Night. I am probably missing some others. That is why we try to keep doing at least some events.
[SPHS]: In the last month, what did you spend the majority of your game time doing?
Reuggan: I have been spending the majority of my time doing trade orders to support Yew. It's tough to keep up with the cost of the trade deal. I will not be running for re-election in June, in case anyone may be interested in running.
[SPHS]: If you could pick one player who is no longer on the shard that you could return, who would it be and why?
Reuggan: There are many people that come to mind, but the first person that popped in my head was Shalimar. She was the first person I met on Siege and helped me and many others get started here.
[SPHS]: If you could permanently REMOVE one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
Reuggan: I think Babydoll mentioned this, but lowering all of the fees for things (vendors, trade deals, etc.) It's hard to keep up with the costs as the population has been decreasing.
[SPHS]: If you could permanently ADD one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
Reuggan: Turn on Treasures of Tokuno or some kind of easier way to get items. I wish we didn't have an item based game to begin with, but we do, and we need more ways to get items.
[SPHS]: Who is your nemesis, and why is it Malloc?
Reuggan: I don't feel like I have many enemies. I just try to lay low and stay out of confrontations. Although Malloc now owns the castle that I built with my own hands, so hmmm.
[SPHS]: You are dropped into an IDOC brawl and have time to grab one item. What item would you wish to grab above anything else?
Reuggan: Probably something like a seahorse or another hard-to-get deco item. I tend to like things that most others probably don't care about.
[SPHS]: What do you use your Siege bless on the most?
Reuggan: With a normal suit, the Scholar’s Halo. With a junk suit, Hawkwind's Robe.
[SPHS]: To date, what has been your best day on Siege?
Reuggan: When I placed my own castle. I was running around Skara and found a spot that I could place a keep. Several years later, Shakespeare said that a castle would fit there if the neighbor would move their house 7 tiles. Well, my neighbor just happened to be Becca, and she took everything out of her castle and moved it over 7 tiles so that I could place mine. She went above and beyond for me, and she does for everyone in the guild.
[SPHS]: Which players do you interact with the most?
Reuggan: I do hunts with Becca, Az, Hoffs, Sarah, Torin and various others most days.
[SPHS]: Are you in a guild, and if so, how many other players are in it? What guilds were you in before this one?
Reuggan: I joined Gilfane in May 2007. I'm not sure how many people we have, quite a few. After I completed my training in NEW, I joined CWS and was in that guild about 8 or 9 months before moving to Gilfane.
[SPHS]: What are your plans as the new leader of GIL? Are there specific responsibilities that come with that title?
Reuggan: Not any specific plans. Just work with my council and be the face of the guild. Probably no radical changes, but maybe a few subtle ones.
[SPHS]: GIL are very methodical about identifying and attending IDOCs. Is this an aspect that you participate in much? What is the basic approach that you use as a group?
Reuggan: I personally don't do IDOC's, but we do have a large group that does and they all have their assignments. I don't want to give too much away, though.
[SPHS]: Fair enough
[SPHS]: For those unfamiliar with GIL, can you explain the house system? What does each house represent? How are players sorted into houses?
Reuggan: The house system is sort of like a mini-guild inside the guild. Each House has their own leader and members have their own titles, based on skills or special abilities. House Silvanus is a PvM house (and the best one, since it was me who formed it ). House Nemesis is the PvP house and protectors of raids, etc. House Silverwood is a PvM house with a slant towards the "more aged" population. House Vorrak is a PvM tamer house. Vernia is the crafter house. Each house has their own story about how they were formed. If you want to read about them, you can see it here Gilfane . When you join the guild, you can pick the house that you think you would fit into the best.
The Houses also get ranked periodically, based on population, completing tasks, etc. The top House is the Ruling House. The leader of the Ruling House is 2nd in command, behind the Keeper. All of the house leaders, and a few other selected members, comprise a leaders' council of sorts that vote on policy, diplomacy, etc.
[SPHS]: Are there any misconceptions about Siege / GIL / Governships that you've heard and would like to correct, both for potential new to Siege players and existing players?
Reuggan: I would say to just keep an open mind about people. Some people don't like everyone in Guild X because of one person. I try to judge people by my personal interactions with them. A guild is full of like-minded people, but they are still individuals.
[SPHS]: If you could give one piece of advice to new or returning players to Siege, what would it be?
Reuggan: I would say try some new things. Don't get stuck in PvP/PvM, Mage, Warrior, etc. My favorite thing to do now is Treasure Hunting. Maybe you will find an activity that you fall in love with and keep the game fresh.
[SPHS]: What was your first experience with Ultima Online?
Reuggan: I started working with Az (still do) in the Fall of 2000. He was playing at lunchtime and I would watch. He finally got me to start playing probably in the Spring of 2001.
[SPHS]: What brought you to Siege? How long have you played here, and how frequently do you play now?
Reuggan: There were four of us that played together on Europa: Az, Becca, Izabo and myself. We didn't really interact with anyone else, which was fine for a while, but I started getting bored. I came to Siege and the first thing I went to was Story Night in the CWS tavern. I was hooked after that. I loved the RP and the characters there that night. That was in the Fall of 2006. I usually log in at least once a day, even if just for a few minutes to do a trade order or see what's going on.
[SPHS]: Who are your in-game characters if you have more than one account?
Reuggan: I just have one account.
[SPHS]: Aside from lower population, what are the biggest changes you've seen here since 2006?
Reuggan: A lot less roleplay, such as guilds like VMP and KSS. There used to be more frequent events, such as Story Night and Fight Night. I am probably missing some others. That is why we try to keep doing at least some events.
[SPHS]: In the last month, what did you spend the majority of your game time doing?
Reuggan: I have been spending the majority of my time doing trade orders to support Yew. It's tough to keep up with the cost of the trade deal. I will not be running for re-election in June, in case anyone may be interested in running.
[SPHS]: If you could pick one player who is no longer on the shard that you could return, who would it be and why?
Reuggan: There are many people that come to mind, but the first person that popped in my head was Shalimar. She was the first person I met on Siege and helped me and many others get started here.
[SPHS]: If you could permanently REMOVE one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
Reuggan: I think Babydoll mentioned this, but lowering all of the fees for things (vendors, trade deals, etc.) It's hard to keep up with the costs as the population has been decreasing.
[SPHS]: If you could permanently ADD one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
Reuggan: Turn on Treasures of Tokuno or some kind of easier way to get items. I wish we didn't have an item based game to begin with, but we do, and we need more ways to get items.
[SPHS]: Who is your nemesis, and why is it Malloc?
Reuggan: I don't feel like I have many enemies. I just try to lay low and stay out of confrontations. Although Malloc now owns the castle that I built with my own hands, so hmmm.
[SPHS]: You are dropped into an IDOC brawl and have time to grab one item. What item would you wish to grab above anything else?
Reuggan: Probably something like a seahorse or another hard-to-get deco item. I tend to like things that most others probably don't care about.
[SPHS]: What do you use your Siege bless on the most?
Reuggan: With a normal suit, the Scholar’s Halo. With a junk suit, Hawkwind's Robe.
[SPHS]: To date, what has been your best day on Siege?
Reuggan: When I placed my own castle. I was running around Skara and found a spot that I could place a keep. Several years later, Shakespeare said that a castle would fit there if the neighbor would move their house 7 tiles. Well, my neighbor just happened to be Becca, and she took everything out of her castle and moved it over 7 tiles so that I could place mine. She went above and beyond for me, and she does for everyone in the guild.
[SPHS]: Which players do you interact with the most?
Reuggan: I do hunts with Becca, Az, Hoffs, Sarah, Torin and various others most days.
[SPHS]: Are you in a guild, and if so, how many other players are in it? What guilds were you in before this one?
Reuggan: I joined Gilfane in May 2007. I'm not sure how many people we have, quite a few. After I completed my training in NEW, I joined CWS and was in that guild about 8 or 9 months before moving to Gilfane.
[SPHS]: What are your plans as the new leader of GIL? Are there specific responsibilities that come with that title?
Reuggan: Not any specific plans. Just work with my council and be the face of the guild. Probably no radical changes, but maybe a few subtle ones.
[SPHS]: GIL are very methodical about identifying and attending IDOCs. Is this an aspect that you participate in much? What is the basic approach that you use as a group?
Reuggan: I personally don't do IDOC's, but we do have a large group that does and they all have their assignments. I don't want to give too much away, though.
[SPHS]: Fair enough
[SPHS]: For those unfamiliar with GIL, can you explain the house system? What does each house represent? How are players sorted into houses?
Reuggan: The house system is sort of like a mini-guild inside the guild. Each House has their own leader and members have their own titles, based on skills or special abilities. House Silvanus is a PvM house (and the best one, since it was me who formed it
). House Nemesis is the PvP house and protectors of raids, etc. House Silverwood is a PvM house with a slant towards the "more aged" population. House Vorrak is a PvM tamer house. Vernia is the crafter house. Each house has their own story about how they were formed. If you want to read about them, you can see it here Gilfane . When you join the guild, you can pick the house that you think you would fit into the best.
The Houses also get ranked periodically, based on population, completing tasks, etc. The top House is the Ruling House. The leader of the Ruling House is 2nd in command, behind the Keeper. All of the house leaders, and a few other selected members, comprise a leaders' council of sorts that vote on policy, diplomacy, etc.
[SPHS]: Are there any misconceptions about Siege / GIL / Governships that you've heard and would like to correct, both for potential new to Siege players and existing players?
Reuggan: I would say to just keep an open mind about people. Some people don't like everyone in Guild X because of one person. I try to judge people by my personal interactions with them. A guild is full of like-minded people, but they are still individuals.
[SPHS]: If you could give one piece of advice to new or returning players to Siege, what would it be?
Reuggan: I would say try some new things. Don't get stuck in PvP/PvM, Mage, Warrior, etc. My favorite thing to do now is Treasure Hunting. Maybe you will find an activity that you fall in love with and keep the game fresh.
