Behind the Banner is a series that shines a light on Albion's many diverse guilds, from fierce PvP warbands to tight-knit social communities. Each episode delves into the identity, playstyle, and goals of a different guild, offering a glimpse into what life is really like behind the banner.
- Guild Name: Graymane
- Alliance: US Border Patrol
- Guild Leader: CorpPorBoom, FreeSandwichDay, Yungcricket, Glxay
- Date Founded: September 2023
- Size: 100-150 active members
- Primary Language: English
- Server: Albion Americas
- Discord: discord.gg/graymane
Tell us about your guild.
Graymane started out as a small group of IRL friends running static dungeons, group dungeons, and daring lethal-zone roams in search of high-quality resources and unsuspecting victims. By spring of 2024, we had become a small-scale ZvZ guild, battling with similar-sized blobs around Bridgewatch Portal. By late summer, we had grown in size and strength, moved to Fort Sterling, and found ourselves with Hideouts and territories in deep Outlands zones like Drownfield Fen.
We stayed in the Fort Sterling area for several seasons, fighting for territories, castles, and outposts in many epic battles. At our peak there, we owned four Hideouts and three territories, reaching Gold in Season 27. Along the way, we allied with well-known guilds, and fought against them too. Militant and Assassins Greed both come to mind, as we’ve been friends and bitter enemies with them at different times. Such is the changing tide of war in Albion.
These days, Graymane is known as a chill, non-mandatory guild made up mainly of North American 9-to-5’ers, logging on after work. But don’t mistake “chill” for uncompetitive. We hold our own and have earned some epic wins.
Why did you choose this name? Is there a story or meaning behind it?
Our founding GM was JoetheGray, so the guild name was simply an extension of his own.
What sort of activities do you focus on?
Our main focus is small-scale ZvZ, typically in the 20-30 player range. That’s large enough for most castles and outposts, and when it comes to territory fights, we join forces with allies and friends to form a formidable zerg. We’re not a cluster-queue guild, though. To succeed in small-scale ZvZ, you need a strong economy and the right skill specialization, so we also spend off-timers on the activities that support it: ganking, Static and Avalonian dungeons, Roads, and economic play. The Depths have been especially popular with our members this season!
What sort of members are you looking for?
We’re not too picky, but if you’re a working adult with a job or family, you’ll likely be a good fit. Willingness to work on different meta builds and learn ZvZ is very important. “Non-mandatory” doesn’t mean “non-contributing,” and we’ve had to remove a few leeches who took advantage of safe Hideouts and territories without helping to claim or defend them. We welcome players from all over the world, but high-strung or easily upset people won’t thrive here.
Where is your guild primarily located?
Right now, we’re between cities. After several seasons in Fort Sterling, we let our Hideouts and territories go, and decided to try other areas. We spent a few bloody weeks in Bridgewatch and are currently roaming from Lymhurst. We’ll settle on one soon, drop Hideouts, and fight for new territories.
Do you have any rivalries or ongoing quarrels with other guilds?
Assassins Greed was our first alliance, and it didn’t end well. The breakup happened before I joined (I came to Graymane on May 2, 2024), but during my early days in Graymane, the relationship was still acrimonious, to say the least. Over the past year, though, we’ve patched things up. I feel their GM, Murphy, is like me. He tries to lead people rather than drive them, which keeps a guild healthy long-term, and their track record supports that. This season we’ve fought both against and alongside them. They’ve been the best “enemies” we’ve ever had.
What are some of your most memorable battles or activities?
Our best win has to be allying with Militant to crush the HANG alliance (led by KingAnkio). It was a small-scale battle, but this five-minute, 28-kill, zero-death shellacking after days of verbal sparring was incredibly satisfying. Beyond that, we’ve fought countless battles for territories in Fort Sterling and Bridgewatch. Win or lose, we enjoy the content and stay positive, always trying to learn from each engagement.
What does your guild do for fun?
We enjoy adult activities like playing blackjack in our Discord (not for real money, of course), and creating our own minigames ingame. We’re not a roleplaying guild, however – one real-life spouse is enough! It’s also much easier to say “Hit that!” than to yell “Onward to the enemy, upon yonder hillock!” Deleting clumps is our kind of fun.
What is your guild's approach to the game? Do you have any core values or beliefs that guide how you play together?
We try to keep things respectful and treat each other like family. Sure, we’ve had our times when things have gotten heated or stressful, but at the end of the day, we try to be respectful and let everyone have a voice and offer opinions, solutions, and suggestions.
What are your goals for the future?
Our immediate goal is to find a zone that suits us, plant a new HQ, and start competing for territories again. Our long-term goal is to continue being a force to be reckoned with in the small-scale ZvZ community.
Anything else to share about your guild?
We’re a community, not a dictatorship. I think that sets us apart from many guilds, since we invite input from everyone and make many decisions by community vote.
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