The Bards' Guild - Guild Regulations

Guild Regulations

The guild has a simple set of common-sense regulations that each bard is expected to follow:

Bards are expected to compose their own music. Do not transcribe, arrange, translate or otherwise use music from other worlds in the lands. Also, do not let others compose music for you.
Bards may play the music of other guild members (i.e. bards and questers), as long as proper credit is given to the composer.
Do not play music of non-guild members. If you are unsure if a person is in the Bards' Guild, you can check by asking for the secret guild handshake [OOC: equip your instrument and type "/use /who <player name>"].
The exception to this rule is when a bard is counselling a hopeful while in the Bard Guild area (counselling should never take place outside of the Guild area).
Bards are expected to be courteous. Please ask before playing in the lands. Give fair indication that you intend to play so that those who do not wish to hear can move away.
Instruments are the property of the bard that Hendrux made them for. If another bard lends you an instrument, make sure to return it. Instruments should not be given to non-guild members, although since orga drum and pine flute can be played by any exile they are the exception to this regulation.
Bards are expected to play their music responsibly. Do not abuse the ability to play music (examples: playing the same note or small set of notes repeatedly to test your music range, or playing the same small group of notes repeatedly to annoy another exile). Members that use their instruments in a irresponsible, malicious or harassing manner will face suspension.

Guild members that violate guild regulations could face consequences from an official reprimand to suspension from the guild. In extreme circumstances the offending bard could face banishment from the guild.

OOC: From a technical standpoint, the fact that we can create and perform music for others in-game is remarkable. For years after Clan Lord came out, that feature was unique. However, such a feature is easily abused, and other games that have implemented music systems without membership requirements have resulted in mostly arrangements of real-world music and little original music. Any abuse of this feature could have dire consequences for the future of music making in the lands. Thus, the Bards' Guild is particular about its membership.