I've known K'tana - now Maenaki Dalevi'in - for nearly four years. She joined the Brotherhood just before the beginning of the Dark Crusade - and despite that tumultuous beginning, she's kept with us all these years. I'll get into her statistics shortly, but before I began, I wanted to take a moment to look back over her time in the Brotherhood. From literally her first Brotherhood email about the then-upcoming Dark Crusade ("Looks like I've got to get my shit together and work harder, then I already have, to get some ass-kickery ability…") to her most recent, responding to a run-down on current and upcoming fiction competitions ("Yaaay! So much stuff! DO ALL THE THINGS AND HAVE ALL THE FUN!") - hundreds in total - she has remained overwhelmingly positive, dedicated to self improvement, and committed to giving Arcona, and the Brotherhood, her all. If there's a way to accomplish a goal, she'll work hard to find it. If there isn't, she'll work even harder to make one. That's simply her nature, and that attitude, as much as anything, is what has brought her forward to this day.

Kat, you've spent the year since your last promotion in leadership positions - eight months as Battleteam Leader of Shadow Gate, and the past four as my Aedile. In addition to putting up with me, you've (co-)organized five competitions, and participated in fifty-five, placing in twenty-three of them. In the process, you've earned yourself sixty-one Clusters of Ice for the 25,000 words of fiction you've written, and passed three Shadow Academy courses. You've also earned a Dark Cross for contributions to the ACC's Venues 2.5 project. None of this, however, encapsulates or characterizes your contributions. It's not your personal activity - which has been stellar. It's not the competitions you've won - which have been numerous. It's not even the projects you've worked on - the Venues, or the ongoing House Qel-Droma wiki revamp and Recruitment Drive. It's what you do every single day.

You're a leader. And a truly gifted one at that.

I watched you turn a ragtag group of idle veterans and fledgling newbies into a fighting force that I have no doubt could trounce any other Battleteam in the Brotherhood. I watched you take note of a bright but inexperienced Journeyman and nurture her into a Battleteam Leader that is increasingly confident, talented and fully capable of taking on nearly any job in the Brotherhood. I've seen you adopt misanthropic members, slowly fan their flame for the Brotherhood, and bring them into the fold that is Arcona, helping them to become productive members. For all your footle and bombast, I've seen how much you care about your fellow members, and how much time and effort you spend reaching out to them, including them, and truly making them know that they matter. I just hope you know that you do too.

In the time I've known you, you've grown into a talented writer, a fierce competitor, and a loyal friend to everyone around you. You don't issue orders, you break new paths and set an example that others want to follow. In the past year and a half of constant leadership, you've shown everyone around you exactly why you deserve this promotion.

I've seen much in the seventeen years I've been a member of the Brotherhood. But I've seen little that fills me with as much pride as writing these words:

Congratulations, Battlelord. <3

• Terran Koul, Quaestor, House Qel-Droma of Clan Arcona

Terran Koul, 2016-12-11 04:45:39 UTC

Maenaki has proven to be one of the best decisions our Summit has made in the last year. The reluctant Battleteam Leader was asked by her Quaestor to step into the role of Aedile and has flourished ever since. Maintaining her daily presence on Telegram, she possesses a positive attitude, resolves disputes between members with ease and has become a surprisingly wise council for her Summit as well.

Further details will be covered in other recommendations, but her efforts to revitalize the Qel-Droman Wikipedia articles have been of tremendous help for our members, all while also training her subordinate, Zujenia, to continue the success of Battleteam Shadow Gate. Overall, Maenaki impresses day by day with her efforts. Qel-Droma and Arcona are both better for her presence, something for which we cannot thank her enough.

Congratulations on your promotion.

Uji Tameike
Shadow Scion of Arcona

Fist Uji Tameike, 2016-12-11 04:44:36 UTC

It’s not every day that an undead unicorn meets a majestic living one that will accept them into the herd. Katicorn has been a great influence in not just my DJB career and experience, but in so many others’. Kat brings her own pumpkin spice, snark, and style to Arcona that may or may not be highlighted in all caps. Since Kat’s, or Maenaki’s, last recognition, she has come from being an amazing BT Leader to a BAMF CrocAedile. From a massive attack on HQD’s and Arcona wiki articles to her own personal comp history, she demonstrates a dedicated, driven work ethic and a investment into this club. Maenaki has written 24,726 words of fiction within the last 12 months and 4,563 words within 5 RO posts, but has numerous more unsubmitted ones. She has participated in 55 competitions, earning her multiple crescents and clusters. She’s even earned a Scroll of Indoctrination for recruiting a new member who shares her jiggly/wigglypuff passion. Despite being entangled knee deep in wiki and helping maintain a welcoming environment in her units, Mae has even managed to squeeze in a few SA courses. Equally impressive is Kat’s commitment to her wards. She has done exemplary job supporting her apprentice, Juli, as she revitalizes her interest in the DJB.

It goes without re-summarizing why Kat/Maenaki deserves a promotion. She has, perhaps against her initial intent, become a leader worth looking up to for both old and new Shadesworn generations. Not to mention being my partner in crime for increasing the female leader population (Go ArcQuartet! ;) ). Kat, I look forward to working with you and interacting with you on a daily bases. Solid gold star work.

o---

• Zujenia, Battleteam Leader, Shadow Gate of House Qel-Droma

Proconsul Diyrian "Diy" Grivna, 2016-12-11 04:44:52 UTC

I have had the great pleasure of watching Kat — Maenaki, as her new character — rave, rail, and curse leadership, all its forms and functions, and anything remotely related to it, swearing up and down she would never get involved, never ever ever. I call this a great pleasure because irony is delicious and Kat has grown into one of the most responsible, thoughtful, dedicated leaders I have ever had the privilege of working with in this club. Watching her not just grow up, so to speak, but grow into the role, to such a degree that Battleteam leader just wasn't enough — she had to step up to Aedile and keep strutting too — has been nearly as rewarding an experience for her fellow summiteers graced with her insight as it has been for her members blessed with her care. There is no one on my summit, or I daresay many summits, that will fight harder for her people or go to bat more readily than Kat. There are few as willing and able to handle the most difficult or tumultuous of situations with a wisdom and grace well beyond her years, well-earned over her lifetime. Kat's reliability is not just in the completion of her typical duties as an Aedile, from Wiki revamping to recommendation and report writing, but especially in her ability to connect with people and approach them from a point of view no one else can quite manage. She's tough, and she's loud, and she's brutally realistic, but she's also kind and unbridled in her compassions, and it's these things that really shine in her efforts to reach out to anyone around her in need.

Her spirit and efforts are what make her invaluable, but they also make her commendable, and for that we commend her today. Welcome to the ranks of the Equite III's, TabbyKat. I know you never expected to make it here or to be doing what you are now, but I hope you know that we are all very grateful.

Atyiru Caesura Entar

Consul of Clan Arcona

Master Ruka Tenbriss Ya-ir, 2016-12-11 04:45:13 UTC