So, after several years of working very hard to avoid linkshell ownership on the Carbuncle server in FFXI, things came up, stuff happened, and lo and behold: Auspice Linkshell, born April 16, 2009.

So scary....

Anyway!

In the last few days, several people have asked me for my thoughts about creating a linkshell. The conversation usually has gone something like this:

Me: So, yeah. I started a linkshell.
Not Me: OMG Lyc! A linkshell? What were you thinking???

Well, as weird as it might sound, the first thing I was worried about had nothing to do with whether our little troupe of 18-20 merry toons could actually manage to kill things with things to get more things--that'll happen on its own in time, np. Nah. Me, I was worried about making a website.

Because...website. Very important. And here's me with zero artistic ability. Ugh.

So in order of importance, this is what I was thinking:

1. Crap. I have to name my linkshell something so I can get a domain name.

This was easy. I just asked around and got some fabulous suggestions. The only problem was that there were so many excellent ideas to choose from. I'm still a little sad that we didn't call the shell xxxzzPWNZERzzxx, and the name "Condominimum" was very tempting. In the end, though, Auspice won just because (a) it's in the auto-translate system, and (b) it has its very own icon.

Seriously, can you blame us?

2. Crap. I need to put up the site now. Crap, crap, crap.

Again: Lyc = zero artistic ability. I do have a desk job, though, so I spent a day dealing with free forum options when nobody was walking by and looking over my shoulder. I quickly discovered that it's not all just about picking a template and letting people with design ability do your work for you. For one, you need a banner. Since Drgynfyr had told me straight up that I couldn't make the linkshell pearl pink, I decided that maybe I could get my pink fix in by using this:



It didn't go over well. Plus, I'm still having nightmares about evil giggling tarus. Creepy.

3. Crap. Massive banner fail. Now what?

So, in the interest of linkshell unity, I spent a day going out and looking for screenshots. With a little help from Drgy and Lucky, I eventually got a decent shot (what we're using right now), and could focus on more important things, like:

4. Crap. I have to organize events and make sure people don't go all /emo on me.


I still haven't figured out this one. But I did learn that the secret to making sea farming fun was to avoid Jailer of Temperance at all costs. Maybe next time we might even get JoFort to drop something useful! (Though I'm pretty sure a couple of you will be very cute with your big axes.)

So yeah, btw. We haven't decided about our application requirements yet, but I'm pretty sure one of them will be, "Doesn't need a Temperance Torque." (Anybody have any First Virtues for sale cheap?)