One of the best parts of being a Grand Master is that you get a chance to watch over time as people develop into great leaders. You can pick out the people from the beginning normally -- they show the signs early on in their careers. That was the way it was with Duga Arkarso, especially. I've been watching him develop for the past year or so into one of the finest in the newest generation of Brotherhood leaders.

Duga is committed to everything he does; he is a rare breed that does what he says and finishes what he starts. From the time that I worked with him with Interclub Affairs to now as Consul, Duga has always impressed me with the quality of his work. He takes the time to make sure things are done properly, that everything is communicated and that no stone is left unturned. He has stellar initiative; Duga picks up projects that are left unfinished by others or that he sees are in dire need of work and pulls them through to the end. Two great examples are the recent Taldryan invitational and the Military Possessions documentation. The Invitational had practically been left for dead, but Duga wasn't going to let it fade away. He picked up the reigns and carried it through. The possession record was something that people had talked about for a long time but no one had taken the time to get going. Duga just did it. That's the type of person he is.

Taldyran over time has proven that it is a Clan that breeds fine leaders. From Mav, to Yacko, to Alanna, to Flech, to Shadow, to Kir, Pyralis and myself, the clan has a fine tradition of excellence. Duga is continuing that tradition well. He has settled into the Consul position well, getting through the overwhelming first few months and getting to a point where he is directing the clan with style.

But there is also another excellent tradition of Clan Taldryan -- winning. The recent win in the feud against Arcona is just fuel to the fire in awarding Duga, but no rec could go without acknowledging it. He did an excellent job of motivating the troops and getting them working. I'm proud that he has sustained a great legacy of Tal's.

For all of his great work over the past seven months, it is my honor to promote Duga Arkarso to the rank of Obelisk Exarch!

Congratulations, Duga!

-- Grand Master Jac Cotelin

Duga as been Prelate for the past 7 months. For 5 of those months he’s been Consul of Taldryan, and the previous months as Quaestor for Dinaari. During that time, just by looking at his record, one could see how active he’s been with the countless CF’s he’s earned. However, that is not why he should be elevated to Exarch. I’m not from Taldryan, but I’ve had the pleasure of working and talking to Duga in the past few months. Everyone has seen his hard work and dedication from his time running the ICTE, and that same work ethic has carried over to his job as Consul. He was a major player, if not THE major player in the recent Taldryan-Arcona Feud. The Feud itself was run without a real hitch, and enjoyed by the majority of both Clans. Results were released in a timely manner, with the event itself running in the specified time. He also led his Clan to victory in this Feud. He is tireless in his efforts to better the Clan, while also being “one of the guys” in terms of activity and attitude. He is a great Consul in the Dark Brotherhood, and is deserving of such an honour.

-- Dark Side Adept Halcyon Rokir Arconae

I've known Duga for quite some time now – it's been well over a year now, closer to two years? I had the greatest pleasure to work with him through the ICTE, then later when he took over interclub relations, and then later still through Clan Taldryan as Consul.

Through all of these positions, Duga has remained persistent. One example of his persistence is his uncanny ability to leave no e-mail left unnoticed. All good Consuls can communicate with their summits and membership on a regular basis. All good Consuls provide activities for their members to do and set an example for all to follow – both as a leader and as a fellow member. However, not all good Consuls continue to work tirelessly on their clan infrastructure. Duga, however, is not a good Consul. He is a great Consul. So he excels at even this difficult task. Duga has demonstrated that he is a master at staying on top of clan projects. This is, perhaps, the one quality I admire most about Duga. Through my interactions with him on various Envoy stuff, he would always address my emails via chat or via e-mail. When one of those email threads came up that required significant effort or thought, Duga would always revive it if discussion fell mute. Duga works to ensure that all aspects of clan management are being evolved with time. Nothing falls through the cracks. This is an ability at which I know of only one other person who can excel, and he's a Grand Master.

Duga demands teamwork among his summits and stands as an example of strong leadership. His internal reports have always been detailed and complete, full of objective material. Duga helped ensure a smooth-running feud between Taldryan and Arcona recently, picked up the ignored Taldryan invitational competition, compiled possession records for the entire DB, restarted the Taldryan FDG via the Military Development project, and led a variety of administrative duties as Consul, including a list of achievements he's completed as consul (http://www.taldryan.org/plans.php?position=CON).

Beyond that, Duga has been vocal on a variety of DB-wide issues, acting as a reliable representative between the Dark Council and the clan. He has added constructively to a variety of Dark Summit discussions, most recently including the EHDB Transfer Policy discussion.

Finally, Duga has done all of this on top of a very busy life. While Duga can't always be around 100% of the time, he is always able to catch up and finish backlogged work while advancing new projects for the Clan. He maintains constant communication with his summits and membership via IRC and e-mail, and is always very approachable on a wide variety of subjects. The fact that Duga is still here, in a position of tremendous responsibility, (and excelling at it) is a testament to his dedication and persistence as a leader. A promotion to Exarch is a befitting honor for Duga. Congrats!

-- Dark Jedi Master Acxodim Pyralis

Duga Arkarso is many things, a great leader, a valuable asset, a skilled gamer and most importantly a good friend. Ever since he joined the Dark Brotherhood and Clan Taldryan, I saw that there was something extraordinary about him. He always seemed interested in what was going on and always was willing to lend a helping hand. Uncertainty after the departure of Kir and Shadow left many of the old hands in Taldryan worried about its future, but the perfect choice was made for the new Consul and it was Duga. The experience he gained hosting the ICTE (the best host its ever had) and as Aedile and Quaestor of Dinaari have made him into the model member of Taldryan. He is always at the cutting edge, providing opportunities for members to advance, participate and most importantly, enjoy themselves and have fun. He has created an atmosphere of genuine enjoyment and cohesiveness in Clan Taldryan and I hope that he stays around for a long time to come.

-- Exarch freshjive taldrya

Duga's a great guy and a better leader and everyone knows it. Duga has brought a new life into Taldryan. After Shadow resigned nobody was sure who would be chosen to be Consul. Looking back on it, Jac and Kir made a great choice. He has brought back the swagger to our clan.

Ever since I first met him he has been one, if not the most active member I have seen. His gaming skills are extraordinary. I remember he played his way on to the Grand Masters Guard way back when. He is one of those guys that's always around and great to talk to. He is always helpful and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty when someone needs his help. That's one of those things that make him a great leader.

The first time I witnessed he leadership skills is when he took over the running of the ICTE and the Inter-club affairs for the DB. He always had people playing in the ICTE and we gained many new allies with Duga over Inter-club stuff. He is great at motivating people. That's another thing that makes him a great leader.

When Duga took the helm of the clan I can honestly say that no one was worried. Duga has been a shot in the arm for the clan. Under Duga this clan has flourished, and is better, if that is at all possible, under him. There's so much he has done, keeping members active, renovating the Tal site, so many projects in the works. He has and is doing a great job with the clan. If leading is to serve then Duga has served everyone in Clan Taldryan greatly. I am honored to be a part of this recommendation for Duga's promotion.

Templar Chaosrain

Duga Taldrya Arkarso, 2006-05-28 22:00:00 UTC