Espers United Company Charter

Introduction

This charter should be read and understood by all Company members. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact an Officer. If you are applying to join Espers United, please mention that you have read this charter (otherwise, it'll be the first question you're asked).

Mission Statement

Espers United is a Final Fantasy XIV Free Company on the Gilgamesh server. We are a group of game enthusiasts fostering a community for all player types to thrive, make friends and enjoy their XIV experience. We value teamwork, camaraderie and understanding and seek it out both in game and out.

Organization of the FC

Guildmaster

The Guildmaster works with the officers to maintain the Company. It is the responsibility of the Guildmaster to make sure everything is running smoothly and to step in when it is not. Any issues that cannot be resolved by the Members or Officers should be brought to the Guildmaster/

Officer

Officers are responsible for maintaining the Company and providing for its members. Officers exist to serve the company and its members, and not vice versa. Officers are promoted through a nomination and vote by other officers when a position is left vacant or the current officer is no longer able to fulfil his/her responsibilities.

The following is our expectations for Officers of the company:

• Be knowledgable - be able to answer questions
• Be courteous - be friendly and welcoming to members
• Be kind - help other members, whenver possible, whether directly or by organizing groups
• Be available - officers are chosen from people who are online frequently enough to assist the FC

Member

Members have access to some pages of the company chest, access to enter the house, and they have permissions to deposit gil. Members make up the general body of the free company and are an important part of the Company.

Members are promoted from Newcomer when the officers recognize the person as being a contributing member of the FC who embodies our expectations of members.

Members and ranks above who have not logged in within 60 days may be removed from the Company.

The following are our expectations for all Company members:

• Be respectful, inside the FC and out.
• Be helpful and generous. If someone needs help you can provide, consider providing it.
• Be a community. You will get more out of the FC, and Final Fantasy in general, if you speak and take part in conversations, so we encourage our members, whenever they're comfortable with it, to speak up and to get to know others.

Recruit

New inductees into the Company begin with the rank of Newcomer. Newcomers are expected to have read our Company charter before joining, and will have limited permissions until their trial period is over (e.g. company chest access and gardening).

Possible Newcomers may be questioned by officers to gauge their level of interest and fit for the Company. They are expected to read the charter before being accepted into the Company.

Communication

The primary means of communication with the rest of the Company is currently the Espers Website and the company board.

The Company has a Discord server provided free of charge to its members for them to use. Individuals wishing to use the Discord server for non-FC events (such as a Thordon run with a pick-up group) may invite others to connect to Discord, but are responsible for the people they invite.

Behaviour

As the Company’s core values include a welcoming, inclusive, and safe atmosphere, it is expected that all members of the Company will treat each other with respect.

Individuals asked to cease arguments or discussions by any other individual (be they an Officer, Member, or Recruit) should take their discussion private or end it. If an individual expresses discomfort or offense with a topic of discussion, individuals are asked to respect their feelings without demanding an explanation.

Excessive cursing, derogatory speech and antagonizing members is not acceptable.

Cooperate. The Company is built on a spirit of cooperation and mutual assistance.

Discrimination and Harassment Policy

Espers United has a strict, zero-tolerance policy towards harassment of or discrimination against all persons or groups. Under no circumstances will we accept behavior, actions, or language – in-game or out-of-game – which are discriminatory towards any person or group of people, in general or in specific. This includes discrimination based on race, gender, political affiliation, sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, or any other reason. We count among our members a wide and varied group, each of whom is expected to behave in a mature and respectful manner. If our members are unwilling or unable to do so, they will be asked by an Officer to leave, or they will be removed.

Disputes and Arguments

We are all human, and disagreements are bound to occur. Arguments and disagreements should be handled discretely, privately, and civilly. Individuals found to be disrespectful to other members will be dealt with; especially egregious cases may result in removal from the Free Company without prior warning.

An individual being disrespectful, derogatory, or insulting does not invite the same behavior to be reciprocated. In an event that both parties are being disrespectful, they will be judged individually, and punishment will not be limited to one individual. A defense of ‘he was mean to me first’ will not be well-received.

Whenever possible, members should take screenshots to show to Officers. He-said-she-said debates are difficult to moderate and benefit no one. A single screenshot of a single screen of conversation can save Officers hours of debate. If you are involved a dispute, document as much as you can to support the facts of the incident.

Sanctions

Officers are responsible for deciding how to deal with members who break Charter rules.

Officers have freedom of action, and can warn, demote, or even remove Members if necessary.

Removal will only be considered in the most severe cases, where it has been made clear that the individual has no intention of upholding the values of the Charter or respecting other people, including events outside of the Company that contribute towards a lessening of the Company’s reputation with the community in general.

Breaches by Newcomers or newer Members will be carefully considered, so as to determine if the issue was a result of a misunderstanding or lack of familiarity with the Company charter, or an unwillingness to abide by it.

Whenever possible, members should be educated as to the expectations of the Company, rather than being directly punished.

Officers have the freedom to use their judgement concerning anything not directly covered in the Charter.