Get to know the CO's leaders, Part Two: Corf Ferno

[Caden Graka]

Praefectus Corf Ferno is one of the original founding members of the Crimson Order (SWG-Naritus) and is currently serving us as our head of diplomacy among other functions.

About me

Star Wars Galaxies was the first, and so far, only MMORPG that I have ever played. Being a long term Star Wars fan I’d kept an interested eye on SWG throughout its development. I wasn’t entirely sure how such online games worked but I decided to give it a go and signed up with an Imperial PA called The Imperial Guard.

I started off right at the bottom of the ranking structure but, over a few weeks and months (all of this pre-launch), slowly moved up to becoming a squad leader and, eventually, to becoming attached to the planning for TIG’s proposed city of Haven. My role was to plan the defensive arrangements and structure for the city.

When launch came, I was delayed in getting ingame as I had to wait for a copy of the game to make its way across the Atlantic to me in England and this took several weeks. During this intervening period TIG shifted servers from its planned home and set up shop on Naritus. However within a few days of finally entering the online world (by dial up modem no less) I was part of a group which included Cadenath Graka which split away from TIG to setup our own PA.

We called ourselves the Crimson Order and found a nice home for ourselves on Naboo and I was placed in charge of the CO’s military forces in a 2nd level of command that included Cadenath Graka and the deadly Rodian Jaboota Retan.

This situation continued for a few months before the head of the CO went largely insane and fled the game having destroyed our PA Hall. We were able to replace the hall and remain as a PA and it was decided by the members to place myself in command of the newly reorganised CO with Jaboota and Cade taking roles as close advisors.

The CO entered something of a golden age, based largely upon the dedication and perseverance of our members. Guild membership swelled exponentially as we moved to create a true fortress on Naboo known as Crimson Keep. This city would become the scene for some of the largest and longest running battles on the server.

After several years of command I stood down from running the CO in order to concentrate on finishing my Masters degree but would serve a second term as leader in the coming months before retiring fully from my leadership position and, as SOE washed away all that SWG had once been, from the game as well.

I still look back on my time in SWG and on the honour of being able to lead some wonderful members with a great deal of pride. At our peak we had well over 60 constantly active members and organising and running a guild that size was a small job in itself. The fact that myself and the other battalion commanders were able to pull it off is testament to how well the CO model and philosophy works.

The fact that we are gathering together again for SWTOR proves that it also endures.

In the outside world I’m studying for a PhD in First World War history at a university in England where I also teach and lecture to undergraduate students. I’m an aspiring science fiction / fantasy writer, and a few years ago wrote my first full-length novel (still looking for a publisher and/or agent though). I often wrote stories during SWG of the CO and their exploits and fully imagine me doing the same as SWTOR unfolds.

Questions and answers

What was/is your best MMO experience and opportunity to date, and a particular instance in your gaming experience that you will never forget?

The Crimson Order decided to reinvigorate the Galactic Civil War and drew up a series of plans stretching from the immediate future to a more long term view. Our first step was to cleanse the planet of Naboo of all Rebel owned faction bases (this was at a time when faction bases led to control of the planet) and fully secured it for the Empire.

We then moved to phase two. We contact a selection of the best and most powerful Imperial Pas on the server and laid out careful plans for the invasion and capture of Tatooine.

We mapped out the planet, located all of its Rebel faction bases and then started the clock to zero hour.

The invasion of Tatooine is my enduring memory of SWG. We went all out for it. Hundreds of Imperial soldiers all boarded player owned spacecraft to form a huge Imperial armada that entered Tatooine orbit and then landed on the planet to begin the assault.

The reaction of the Rebel players as they began to realise what was happening was wonderful as they were caught flat-footed and left trying to defend strongholds that had already been flattened as we moved off to the next target. The battle would stretch into weeks and then months.

That is my favourite memory.

At least until SWTOR gives chance to replace it.

Why have you been a member of this guild for so long?

Simply put because I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. I’ve built up connections and friends here. I know how they work and they know how I do. The system works. I feel incredibly comfortable amongst a group of people who share my ideas of how a guild should work and should be run.

Guilds should provide stability and entertainment for their members. The membership does not exist to support the higher ranks. The higher ranks exist to provide for and protect the membership.

That’s what the CO is all about.

When did you first meet Titan?

Titan was my Gnort/deity. Back when the holocrons were given out as a present to all members (it was part of the path to becoming a Jedi) I checked mine and was told to become a creature handler. Titan was the first creature I trained. Over time he grew to become a feared warrior and overlord, not just of the CO, but also of the Galaxy as a whole.

He also once applied the deathblow to Cade in a small duel.

Just saying.

What’s the deal with your hair?

Now look here, this is what happened. When I created the character of Corf, I decided to avoid some of the more generic hairstyles, so as I flicked through them I came across one that looked a bit different, but still cool. It had a slight fringe that carried out forwards a little bit but that was fine. I could live with it.

I had, however, forgotten to rotate the character on the avatar creation screen and didn’t know that there was a large bald area on the left hand side of my head.

I only became aware of it when other players began pointing and laughing. However by this point I’d become rather attached to it.

My hair made me slightly different; it had become an integral part of my being.

So there.