Orv is a true DB legend, without a doubt one of our most (multi) talented members and just generally a great guy. He's the only member in DB history to serve as both Seneschal and Herald (I'm rocking the sabers he made for me a decade ago), and we wouldn't be where we are today without his efforts over the years. Plus, his DB comics series is still hilarious, which is obviously worth EL3 all by itself.

Bork!

Lord Dacien Victae, 2024-06-05 12:59:40 UTC

Mango.

Howlader Taldrya, 2024-06-03 15:12:16 UTC

The Dark Council has two definitive 'hard skill' slots in Seneschal and Herald, and Orv proved himself more than capable of doing both, during times when we needed them.

Orv literally came to us in the heat of a major issue. Scriptkiddies had been running rampant through our site, SQL injectors were wreaking havoc, and the site had crashed literal days before a major GJW. We had to restore the site from a backup while implementing security changes that would patch those vulnerabilities and do it in an absurd timeframe. If that sounds intense, that is because it absolutely was. For a volunteer organization working for shiny pixels, it's even wilder. I'm only vaguely aware of how they had managed to save the site, but I will be eternally grateful for that. On top of that, he spent countless hours migrating old ASP code into the new PHP for the new site, working intensely to help ensure that we would have a shiny new site going into the future.

Throughout it all, Orv's sense of humor and whimsy persisted, and his comics helped bring much needed levity to the whole club in the coding courses he put forth on the Shadow Academy. Always calm and approachable, he never let really anything bother him, even though there certainly was enough in those days to qualify. As he pivoted to take up the mantle of Herald, it became increasingly evident that Orv is a man of myriad talents. His artwork in that role helped push the brotherhood forward with new and fresh styles that can still be seen in the site today.

As we take the time to look again at pillars of the club that have helped us get to where we are today, I am quite glad to be able to put words down in support of Orv being recognized again. He is an incredible member, a true renaissance man, and a genuinely nice person. May his mangos be few and his borks be loud. Thank you again, Orv.

Lord Muz Ashen Keibatsu, 2024-06-03 15:39:08 UTC

When Orvles took up Herald just over a decade ago, the office was in disarray. We had almost no files (old ones), no originals, no organization and certainly no request management outside of a mountain of emails. It was a few years before requests went through the website and long before apps like Trello were big. Splinter Orv hired a new crew and brought me on as Praetor (he may have been influenced by a 'totally radical' TMNT themed Powerpoint <3 ). I was assimilated into Bork society and found him to be, and still is, one of the coolest, most down to earth and funny people I've worked for in DB or RL. I would be there again in a heartbeat. He brought a whole new style of art with him that immediately screamed "fun", the results of which are still found everywhere on our website, email and his famous SA courses. Now while a fantastic artist he was, the Great Bork found many a mango with the organization side of Heralding, which we both kind of just stumbled through. He made a great and classic comic for tha–MOAR PANDA.

When I eventually succeeded Orv, he became a Magistrate to start an avatar "service" for DB, which included planning a generator of sorts as at the time we didn't have AI or HeroForge and whatnot. While that didn't come to fruition, he made dozens of artworks for it and dozens of personal avatars for members. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that his willingness and eagerness to turn around and work for me was absolutely amazing and incredibly humbling. I believe it to be at least partially why I am happy to do so for the next generation and even today. While it was Bubba that suggested it, Orv's fun and self-deprecating humor gave me the courage to push through my fears and out of my comfort zone to make and publish my own DB comics. I can't begin to express how grateful I am to have had him as a mentor, leader, and friend.

The visual styles of DB graphics have changed over the years with the contributions of the Heralds of the time. Orv's particular style and humor remains a treasure wherever it is found in some of the most random places of this storied club, including whenever the website hiccups (404) we get to see the little Orvlings trying to fix it, old humorous absurdities, is always family friendly and his work is still one of the first things a new member sees as they are joining us (oops, wrong one?) - it is that timeless. He even had his own character Orv killed for benefit of a GJW. He indoctrinated many into the Bork society and brought out fun in all aspects of it, infecting the club at large and making a wonderful, lasting impression.

In closing, Orvles doesn't always herdy dur mur flerpty floopin, but when he does, yer der shmer dor her der foomty, der shoopin flerprty dur!

May the Bork be with you always.

-Socks
VizCon, P:HRLD

General Socorra Tenebrosa Nhar’qual Erinos, 2024-06-03 23:22:37 UTC

I kind of sprouted all my mango seeds with the last promotion request, so I'll keep it short and sweet (like a mango) for this one.

We lucked out that Orv decided to rejoin us after reading our nicely worded recommendation that definitely wasn't a trap card, nope . Since returning what I think is like a week or so in change ago, Orv was able to update his CS, tweak his loadout, re-aquaint himself with the modern DB, and already floated some ideas for future competition ideas that could be a lot of fun. He's jumped into his first RP already, and continues to remind everyone that now gets the pleasure of meeting for the first time, or re-meeting him, how great of a member of the community he is and how his presence helps us all shine brighter.

I hope this means you'll keep sticking around to hang out with us, because it's been great having you back in Arcona and the Brotherhood!

-W

Lord Marick Tyris Arconae, 2024-06-05 01:20:00 UTC