After you've played for a while and you've grown to know the land you'll probably be wanting to join a clan. Hopefully. Now joining a clan is a big step, though it might not seem that way at first. Basic tips for those interested in clans are:

Read. There are lots of helpfiles linked to how clans work, what is expected etc as well as files on the clans themselves. It seems like a pain at first but you'll be better off if you read the files before jumping in feet first.

Consider the rp factor. Clans are considered almost completely IC, but what exactly does that mean? Well for example, sitting in a safe room and talking to a member of a clan you're at war with about OOC stuff just isn't the way to do things. Gossip and off mud chat programs are better for that anyway.

You will be expected to have a good description and history as well, if you do not your clan will suffer punishment for it. This is roleplay on a slightly more serious level, a 5 minute description that looks like a 5 minute description isn't going to do you any favours.

Clans fight over land from time to time, you will have to roleplay in a manner that shows how you feel about the opposing clan. In addition, when a war takes
place you will be expected to pkill people you might like OOC, you have to be able to separate OOC and IC in these sorts of situations.

A degree of seriousness is needed. It's ok to roleplay a day when your character does something they wouldn't normally, maybe having a celebration with their IC friends and getting drunk. It happens to the best of us. ;) In clans however acts like that are rare and you may be expected to take part in serious decisions that will affect the clan, you need to know when to be serious and helpful to your clan.

"Clan hopping" could get you into trouble. It is an act where you join and leave a number of clans in a short space of time, it isn't very consistant rpwise and your former clans could take a very dim view of you after that. A serial clan hopper will most likely not be taken seriously IC after that and may never be able to join a clan again. You are warned.

Being pkill and/or part of a clan leaves one last touchy subject, corpse looting. As Mist equipment stays on the body after death there is no longer the worry of it being taken. Most people choose not to remove anything from someone they have killed, and those that do tend not to take anything of real value. It may be different elsewhere but that is elsewhere. ;) Think very carefully before you corpse loot, you may well find yourself very unpopular all of a sudden...

Joining a clan is a big step, take care when making it and you will reap the benefits.