Ah, first Clan Profile of 2007, embarking on a new year, gazing into the future of the Universe, ripping a whole in time and words. Well, perhaps I over exaggerated a tad, just a tad. It is a new year though, and I am pleased to say I have been talking to some awesome clans that will grace this blog each Monday. The first up on this list-o-awesome is Sword of Laban. Fairly recently the battle rifles behind the blog, the TTL Gunslingers spared off with SoL in a Clan Challenge. Check out the recap on the Clan Site. It was a great challenge and we all had a ton of fun. To gather more information I had a chat with The Goof and KilaMOMjaro. It was a little different format and a tad more casual. Enjoy.

• How and when did your clan start up?

KilaMOMjaro: I had a vision one night….the rest is history! Actually something about two noobs from Chicago and two geniuses from Cali….
The Goof: The CA guys are smart. Good call. It actually started with a thread on the Bungie forums, where one Pink Steel was looking for other gamers with the same values, blah blah blah. I, in fact, still have a link to it in my favorites but sadly it seems to no longer be valid. Just another example of the Man trying to keep us down.
KilaMOMjaro: They’re just jealous
The Goof: Anywho…I started talking with Pink, and along with his friend Blue Steel Esq and my partner-in-crime Heat Exchanger, we decided to start a clan for Halo 2 together. Officially, it was November 17th, 2004 that Sword of Laban was born.

• What meaning does your clan’s name hold?

KilaMOMjaro: It’s a Book of Mormon reference…go for it!
The Goof: This is a great question, and relates to the first story – Pink’s post was titled MORMONS! That’s what caught my eye first, as I’m always up for picking on them (being one myself :) ). It wasn’t a ploy to convert the world or anything like that, but rather a way to find other gamers who had similar values. We talked for a while about what to name the clan; something that sounds cool, but at the same time easily recognizable by other members of the Latter-Day Saint faith (aka Mormons). The Sword of Laban was a sword owned by…Laban! (Who saw that one coming?) In the Book of Mormon, a man, Nephi, was commanded by God to cut Laban’s head off with his own sword, the Sword of Laban.
KilaMOMjaro: We should interject at this time that Pink is indeed a MALE
The Goof: That’s still up for debate…
KilaMOMjaro: Tru dat
The Goof: As for the name, that’s the brief, and somewhat morbid, story. No one should take my explanation as an accurate synopsis, as I’m no scripture scholar. Also, we’re not here to push religion on anyone – you just asked for the explanation!

• How many people call your clan home?

KilaMOMjaro: As of this very moment there are 1067 registered community members….1053 of which are WoW gamers. ( big :wink: ) Seriously though….I haven’t checked the clan number lately! Well for H2 that is…plus we have transcended Halo…our people play a lot of game-types these days.
The Goof: It’s hard to get an exact count, and we’ve gone up and down in numbers of Halo 2 players (expanding to 7 clans at one time, and then deciding it’s too many for us to worry about). Add to that, as MOM said, the other gamers and it is rather big. H2, though, has roughly…uh, I’ve got no idea.

• How do you go about luring and screening recruits?

KilaMOMjaro: The luring part is a breeze! SoL just sends TRINITY (the women OL’s) out and after each MM game the FR’s come pouring in. :) If they don’t keep the rules, they’re gone. Actually anyone who is interested and wants in…gets in! As long as our basic rules are kept. If there’s a problem generally after a warning or three, a gamer will straighten up or leave.
The Goof: Too true, MOM, too true. We have 3 basic rules, that can be summed up as follows:

1. Don’t swear


2. Don’t cheat


3. Respect other gamers

If someone wants to join us, and is willing to follow the rules while with SoL, that’s pretty much it. We really try to create a friendly, and family-oriented (even though we allow Vuel in) gaming atmosphere.
KilaMOMjaro: Which answers the next question!

• What are some unique by-laws that your clan enforces?

The Goof: OK, cut that last statement and paste it here…(Why don’t you tell me these things before I look like a fool? I can do that by myself, without your help, thank you very much!)
KilaMOMjaro: That’s the point!

• What do you do to build camaraderie in your ranks?

KilaMOMjaro: I’m a member of several Clan forum communities and play H2 with them as well…and honestly our community just feels more comfortable! We never flame you on the forum… much…for posting something ridiculous or in the wrong place. On LIVE our people really protect each other, and even our most competitive gamers play customs with us lower-class fraggers. :) We do have a genuine family-feel. And even if someone disappears for awhile…...Queue Goof.
The Goof: ahem They always come back. (Even the ones we don’t necessarily want back looks at Grant) :grant:
KilaMOMjaro: Hey now!
The Goof: Oh carp. I forgot you’re kind of close to him…
KilaMOMjaro: Goof refers to my son…clan member number 1, Grantly Pantly. I’ll overlook that statement.

• What is the best way to get booted from your clan?

KilaMOMjaro: That’s easy! Insult me or any of the other women at SoL. I think we’ve only had two, and it was for extreme verbal abuse. Have we booted more than two?
The Goof: MOM’s hit that one on the head. Don’t mess with the Beauties of SoL. I believe there are only two or three banned for such conduct. You can say anything you want about anyone else. Especially Vuel. :)

• What game types does your clan prefer?

KilaMOMjaro: I have no idea…I only play when there’s a lunar eclipse.
The Goof: Oh, I know the answer! One’s where Vuel wins!
KilaMOMjaro: I think there’s too many of us to pin it down!
The Goof: We do have some unique game-types, some more popular than others, that many like to play, such as Black Hawk Down, Fight Club, Arnie’s Pizza Shack – if you don’t like Slayer, we’ve got that covered, too. The majority is Slayer, though.

• What is your poison/passion: Matchmaking? Customs? Challenges? MLG?

KilaMOMjaro: We have a split group in a way…we have our uber-1337 gamers who are very competitive and very good. But even they like customs with the rest of us! We just have too much fun Cept poor Goof…he hates it when we chat it up too much in pre-game :) What do you think Goof?
The Goof: I think you all talk too much, and don’t play enough! Time is money, and I have neither!
KilaMOMjaro: Its fun to talk! I will STILL never forget the game where Gooose, Grantie and Knaughty had us all laughing so hard we couldn’t see through our tears to shoot anything!
The Goof: I’ll always remember the time when Heat and I got someone to FINALLY play a matchmaking game, instead of customs…
KilaMOMjaro: Ahh yes…I was too chicken…you baptized me by fire! literally! On burial mounds….

• What is the closest game your clan has had in a Clan Challenge?

The Goof: We’ve had Clan challenges?!@?
KilaMOMjaro: LOTS! Where are you??? I asked Vuel Egham, one of our uber-competitive clan members :)…he says Oddball against Winged Warriors 4:58 to 5:00 minutes!

KilaMOMjaro: And we’re done! Sum up this interview Goof…
The Goof: In short, SoL is a community of close-knit members who came together with similar values. The SoL community has blossomed to include more than just Halo, and continues to grow in other directions as well (look for the next SoL Campout some time next year!). Finally, we are always open to anyone who wants to join up in competition or fun, and most importantly, are above selling out to Corporate America and refuse to drop names just to make people happy, even though others may have begged and whined for the opportunity to see their names plastered all over the internet, just as many of our friends have taken a similar stand.
KilaMOMjaro: lol…nice! Thanks Goof! And thanks Dweezle! (say “hi” to Moon Unit for me ;) )

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Thanks a lot for the awesome info. I sure did learn a lot more about you all from it. Be sure to drop by their site and give them a visit. While you are there DO NOT miss the thread selling fudge. As a consumer of said fudge, I can say it is top notch and Fudge-tacular. Yeah, that was a tad cheesy…

If you know a clan, or are in a clan that would like to be spotlighted in the Clan Profile then send me an email at tiedtheleaderblog@gmail.com and tell me about it. Hope everyone enjoyed this week’s profile. Stop back next week for another great clan.

Posted by Dweezle