<p>Since the day I have joined the Brotherhood and at least Taldryan there have always one Leader besides Shaz’air Taldrya, Krath Epis Vodo Biask Taldrya.

Vodo Biask Taldrya was the current Aedile of House Ektrosis when I joined the Dark Jedi Brotherhood and the first Person I have made contact with, giving me advices on how life works within the Brotherhood. From that point on he was the person I have talked most with when I got problems or needed advice until he stepped up to the Position as Aedile of Taldryan.

During the time as Consul of Clan Taldryan he managed to keep the members active with various Competitions like his “Who got the skillz” competition (a 4-week long competition where he gave us tasks to fulfil in different fields of actions like connecting dots in the Clan-Wiki or flash-gaming) and lead the Clan through the last Rite of Supremacy as well as the AWOL-check this summer together with the rest of the Clan/House Summit.

After the downgrading of the Clans to Houses he stepped down from Consul of Clan Taldryan to the position of Aedile of House Taldryan and just now stepped down from the Summit to a regular member giving a “fresh-blood” the chance to make his place as leader of this great house.

Overall I can only tell that Krath Epis Vodo Biask Tadrya is one of the greatest Persons I have ever met within the Brotherhood. And I hope he will stay within the House for as long as possible as a member who can advice all future leaders if there is a need for it. --- DJK Rian Aslar, Tetrarch in Taldryan --- <br>

Every member of Taldryan, new and old, has met Vodo at some point. He's a hard guy to miss with all the work he does, and he's one of the hardest workers Taldryan has ever seen. He has shown tremendous loyalty to both Taldryan, and his duties as a whole these past six years for the Brotherhood. When I first joined Tal three years ago, Vodo was my Aedile. He served in leadership almost constantly up until his recent retirement. Three years? That's a long time to lead. He got me started, and made sure I was more then welcome in the House. While I wasn't the... best, member back then, I appreciated every little thing he did for me. When I left, he continued to be friendly when others weren't. I made some pretty bad choices in the Brotherhood, but instead of putting me down Vodo was always kind. Sincere. When I came back to Tal the first time (yeah yeah. :P) and took on Battle Team Leader of Hex, Vodo returned to mentoring me on what to do, what not to do, how to handle situations, what was expected of me. Everything vital that a leader should know. But it wasn't just me that he mentored, no. Instead, he also helped along other members of his House, and Clan as a whole (while we were a Clan, that is); Sidarace, Tirano, Zasati, and even Lokasena. Hell, he even served on the Shadow Academy staff for at least a year. Vodo had an impact on us all, and helped shape the members we are today. While some of us aren't around any longer, those that remain are great members. When I came back... Again... Almost a year ago, Vodo was there again. This time serving as Consul. It didn't surprise me in the least. When I took on Aedile of Ektrosis - a position he himself held when I first joined - he was one of two members that I looked up to for advice on everything leadership, and he was more then happy to help me. We worked closely on a couple projects, including the re-haul of the Kr'Tal System; Taldryan's Home. I talk to him every time I see him/have the chance. If anyone should be considered my 'master' within the Dark Brotherhood, it's Vodo. I wouldn't have made it these three long years without him. Therefore, it is my greatest privilege to be one of the several members recommending Vodo Biask Taldrya for a Ruby Scepter. Congratulations, Vodo. You've earned it buddy. --- SW Zaren Morgoth --- <br>

Vodo rocks. thrust --- <3 Shad --- <br>

Vodo joined Clan Taldryan a few months before I took over as Consul. At the time, Taldryan was in a major slump, and it was going to be my challenge to boost the Clan back to it's former self. Luckily, I was surrounded by active, motivated, and talented members who were eager to help the Clan in any way they could. Vodo was one of those members. Over his years in Clan Taldryan, he has been a constant active force, first seeking to learn, then to participate, and finally to lead. During his time in Taldyran, Vodo has successfully served as Tetrarch, Aedile, Quaestor, Proconsul, and Consul - literally every step of the leadership ladder, a feat few people can match. During his time as a leader, he instructed countless new and existing members in the ways of the Brotherhood and Clan Taldryan. He lead the Clan successfully through both major competitions and normal day-to-day activities, always seeking to educate and motivate his members. The Ruby Scepter is given to Brotherhood members who have demonstrated excellent abilities as a mentor - Vodo has spent years mentoring innumerable members of Clan Taldryan as he moved through it's leadership ranks. I can think of no one who deserves this award more than Vodo. --- JST Kir Katarn --- <br>

Vodo was brought onto the Clan Summit by myself after having served with distinction in Ektrosis. I needed someone who knew the Clan and would be able to work with everyone, as I knew I would not be in the position for any extended period of time. As such, he was a natural selection to take on the Consulship during what would become a trying time in both the Clan and the DB as a whole. Although things could have completely fallen apart, Vodo managed to keep the Clan together and push everyone to within a hairs-breadth of claiming the last RoS after we had been written off as past our prime. On top of that he continued to be a figure to look up to, an example of the changing culture that tried to be inclusive, rather than exclusive. The job of Consul is in many ways a thankless one, but Vodo did it with aplomb, the Clan (and now House) still going strong and a vital part of the DB. He has continued with Taldryan legacy of excellence and has passed on the baton to a younger generation that he has helped mold into productive members of the club. Congratulations Vodo, and well deserved

--- DJM Halcyon Taldrya, Voice of the Brotherhood --- <br>

If there were to be one member that embodies what Taldryan stands for in its ethic of how hard work and respect always come first, how building relationships with members in Taldryan and the Dark Jedi Brotherhood should be first nature, how mentoring a younger generation in the ways of this same ethic and training future leaders should be your goal no matter how much work it takes, that member would be embodied wholly by Vodo Biask Taldrya. Rarely are there members who serve from the ground up like Vodo has; starting at Battleteam Leader followed by Aedile (which he did twice), Quaestor all in House Ektrosis, and then branching out from the House Summit into the Clan Summit as Proconsul and finally serving as Consul for nigh-a full year.

All of these positions spanning the amount of over three-years, only a short time in between these positions did he ever take a break from leading. Vodo took the idea of leading %100 serious, never letting something slow down his pace, and there was rarely a time when I saw him slow down from his laborious duties – duties which he considered normal and completely unquestionable. These duties are compromised of in his three years of service; running competitions for his unit, reports ranging from 2-3 a month, announcements to his House/Clan in between reports, running Run-Ons, planning and allowing members to work on projects for their promotion requirements, working with members on their promotion requirements, keeping morale in his Unit on the high, mentoring members to eventually be in the shoes he was in, working on projects for the House/Clan’s back-stories as well as his own character fiction in which he aided members in developing their own characters. The list goes on, and were it not for formalities sake I would elaborate even further.

This member has served as not just a leader, but a personal mentor to many in Taldryan, and that same mentorship reaching out to others in various units. Within Tal’s grasp Vodo took many members under his wing, ranging from Zaren Morgoth (Anubis), to Tirano Yamayura, and Myself. Each of the members stated have held positions in leadership and have given their own spin on mentor-ship to other members. On a personal note, I myself was trained in the ways of REAL Leadership by none other than Mr. Biask. Were it not for his strict and well thought out training on how to lead by example and with integrity, I would not be where I am now: Leading Taldryan as he has done himself.

Average Merit medals are not so hard to come by with a little push and some gumption to get things done, but a Ruby Scepter is another matter. This awards does not come into the hands of those who have not slaved effortlessly for an extended amount of time and through many eras of slow/busy activity. Nor is it even considered plausible to be given to a member of average or even above-average standard in leadership and what it truly means to be the leader of a Clan/House by being that Mentor and Guide that is so lacking in most leaders today. If I had one inchon of doubt that Vodo was opposite of those things I just mentioned, then I would not be writing this recommendation right now. Having served for a small time myself and now in the seat of Quaestor of Taldryan, I have an understanding of what it truly takes to do what Vodo did so effortlessly and flawlessly for so long.

It is not enough to say that Vodo was a great leader or a great mentor or a great friend; as he was and is more than that. He truly is one of the few deserving of the title as a Son of Taldrya, along with the greats: Duga, Kir, Jac and Alanna. Vodo shares something with the members just mentioned and that is the need for quality and excellence in everything he does, whether it be personal or at a large scale for the DB. Stepping down from Consul showed his maturity in realizing his time was not to continue leading at the forefront, rather to take a seat back and let others take over where he had so loved to be.

I would issue for Vodo to take a step back and view the vast and imoveable amount he has done for Taldryan, and ultimately the Dark Jedi Brotherhood; but that is not Vodo, nor will it ever be. He saw mentoring and passing on the torch from the day he stepped up into leadership as part of his job – which should be the inital attitude EVERY leader should take. Anyone striving to have an impact on their surrounding and the DB should look no further than Vodo Biask Taldrya, Krath Epis and standing Son of Taldrya, former Consul, Proconsul, Quaestor, Aedile, Battleteam Leader, Eclectic Pedagogue, holder of 3 Seals of Loyalty, and friend to tons within the DB, mentor to dozens. If Vodo is not deserving of this Ruby Scepter, then let myself and everyone else who wrote up these recommendations throw in the towel as the worst judge of character EVER.

Vodo, you're truly an inspiration, and I'm glad to say I was around for the Rein of Vodo. I hope this is a good enough award for your efforts, it will be near impossible to put a dent into what you've accomplished, lord only knows how much you've really done. I only hope to aspire to the amount you have done in the past 3 years.

--- Quaestor of Taldryan, Shaz’air Taldrya, 9193</p>

Darth Aeternus, 2010-09-16 20:36:26 UTC