12 years is a long time to remain the same in anything. The same job, the same home, the same club. 12 years at the same rank, in a club like ours, is especially long. We have very few members who have remained active, who care, and who are dedicated to the Dark Brotherhood's long term success, but Hades can be counted as one of them. I think we are very fortunate as a club that we have members who are willing to remain dedicated, despite not always seeing forward progress or upward mobility in their "fictional" careers. In that, I think we are very fortunate to have Hades with us and I think we are even more fortunate to be a part of his long overdue promotion to Battlelord.

Congrats.

GM Pravus

Grand Master Declan Roark, 2015-11-01 16:56:41 UTC

My first experience with Hades was in "opposing" teams, as I was a founding member of the notorious Mystics of the Black Arts, he as a founding member of the Wizards of the Crypt. They sought to prove that more than the Mystics could represent the greatness of Gladius and Tarentum. He was dedicated, motivated, stubborn, but friendly and happy. That has never changed. His tenacity and concern for all were the main reasons I chose him as Aedile when I was first gifted to serve as Quaestor of Gladius, and it has been the start to a long, historic period of service.

Hades remains a valuable member of the Clan. He still participates in comps throughout the years, steps up to serve in leadership when called, and is slways in touch and helps promote friendly communication and bonding within the Clan. He may not make waves within the Club, but his ripples reach everywhere. People know his face, and they know he's here because he WANTS to be, and he participates for the joy of being a Star Wars fan, and friendly Club member. When you are active in a Club like this without the "carrot" of promotion in front of you, it stands as an example for the rest of us. Hades is a paragon of attitude and friendship we all need to seek after and perpetuate.

You are, and always will be, one of my longest-lasting friends, Hades, and it is always a pleasure to share in this history and family with you. Congrats, pally. More than many others, you deserve every recognition this Club can offer.

-Beef

Master Zsarion Bloodfyre, 2015-10-31 16:49:42 UTC

I have known Hades longer than I have been in the DB. We first met trying to out-post each other on the (long-defunct) EH AOL Message Boards. In all these years he has never stopped caring, never stopped helping, and never stopped being active. Hades has been a constant in Tarentum, and the DB in general, and this promotion is long overdue. I unequivocally add my voice to these others in recommending this.

Warlord Pel Tarentae, 2015-10-31 17:20:48 UTC

The Master-at-Arms’ staff hates lists in recommendations, and it’s completely understandable why. However, if they’d indulge me for just a second I have one list I’d like to share: Battleteam Leader for five months; four times as Aedile (for 28 months total); twelve months as Quaestor; and three tours on the Recruitment Staff for thirteen months total. This, to me, indicates a leader regularly willing to step up when his Clan and his Brotherhood need him to serve, and it is one of the many reasons I believe that my friend and Master, Hades, deserves a severely long-overdue promotion to EQ3. The expectations for elevation to that rank are one year minimum of sustained activity and three months of leadership, and over the past twelve years of service to Tarentum he’s more than met those requirements.

More than all of the other metrics that we use to gauge whether a member is worthy of promotion, the thing that has always stood out to me about Hades is his loyalty to his Clan. As anyone who has worked with or over Hades can attest, he can be cussedly headstrong and, I’ll admit (and I’m saying this with love!) he can be a bit difficult at times. What I’ve learned about Hades in my time working with him, though, is that his heart is always in the right place: Tarentum. It’s a trait I wish more people throughout the club shared. Hades, my friend, I’m proud to finally help get you what you should have earned long ago. Thank you for everything, amigo… now, you owe me a Cuban sandwich!

Battlemaster Farrin Xies Consul, Clan Tarentum

Adept Farrin Xies Tarentae, 2015-11-01 05:22:58 UTC

“This promotion is not a reward for past efforts so much as a renewed commitment to continued excellence going forward.”

I used to write those words whenever I granted a promotion but it rings more true with Hades than with anyone else I’ve written them for. I first met Hades in the EH when I was a CMDR on the Sov and he was a brand new recruit. That was back around 1997. We’ve been inseparable ever since. He and I both led squadrons and wings to greatness back in those days, and he’s the one who brought me over here to Tarentum after a hiatus while I was in college. He was EQ2 when I joined up in 2007 and he was still EQ2 up until now. In well over a decade he has never considered leaving Tarentum and he never made a big fuss about the rank. For Hades, it has always been about raising Tarentum up and not about his own medals and ranks.

Ironically, I believe it is his loyalty to Tarentum that is to blame for keeping him at EQ2 for so long. Most others would have sought a DC position or moved to another Clan after a couple of years without a promotion, but Hades is Tarentum through and through. His involvement in projects and as a leader is very apparent within our Clan, but he hasn’t been so concerned with making a splash outside of Yridia.

Hades has held many leadership positions within Tarentum up to and including a stint as Proconsul, but even without a position he is a leader in Tarentum and any Tarenti you ask will certainly agree. He’s always here on email and Telegram posting pictures of food and making everyone hungry. He’s always up for reviewing writing or playing a game or just talking shop with all the other old farts in our Clan. He always has the time to help the younger members be successful. He has been part of numerous projects over the years in Houses Gladius, Kaerner and Tarentum, in particular the projects related to our military which has always had a keen interest in. As we all grow older we have to be more picky about what we have time to participate in, but when Vendettas roll around Hades is always one of the top participants and one of the most vocal people urging everyone to do more, and to do better. He’s not above doing the hard work, and he’s proven time and time again that he’s a Tarenti or nothing. This has been a long, long time coming and is well deserved. Congratulations, buddy!

Scion Tarentae

Scion Tarentae, 2015-11-01 05:23:36 UTC

Hades is a great member of Tarentum, his relationship with the Clan is part of his history as much as Hades is a part of Tarentum’s history. He is the Master of Scion and Farrin, the former Quaestor of House Tarentum and the current Consul of Clan Tarentum. If that not speaks for itself then we should consider that Hades was a leader of House Gladius and House Tarentum while young future leaders where up and coming. I speak of Ronovi, Solari, Egregious, Caesar and Samael and many more. They’ve all served under Hades, while he was either a Aedile of Gladius for three months in 2008 and then Quaestor of Gladius for another year before stepping down and giving his seat to Scion and serving as his Aedile again for eight months, for a total of almost two years of continuous leadership of House Gladius. Hades also served as Aedile of Tarentum for eight months from august 2014 and yes, during his time, Gladius or Tarentum have been through various DJB wide events like the Ninth Great Jedi War, Rite of Supremacy, Horizons, Independence Games and the Dark Crusade. Beside participating in all of this major events, he motivated his members to do the same.

Tarentum might not have ever been in the top three but the work behind the participations can’t be denied. He lead his units by example, earning two Novae, one Pendant of Blood, twenty six Crescents of various types, thirty one Clusters of Ice and was reward for his loyalty and service with two Seals of Loyalty, one Dark Cross, two Anteian Crosses, and one Grand Cross since his last promotion.

He has even been a Recruitment Staff member since its beginning and has helped shape the various social media channels for the Club for as much as ten months.

We have here a member that has served his unit and the club as a whole, is active on chatting channels and is a trusted presence of the Clan, a veritable elder of Tarentum that has shaped its history and continues to do so at the moment.

I think this promotion is long overdue and I hereby congratulate Battlelord Hades!

---

Signed,

Battlelord Frosty Romanae Tarentae

Rollmaster of Tarentum

Frosty Romanae Tarentae, 2015-11-01 05:24:19 UTC