Since his last promotion, Troutrooper has steadily contributed to the progress of Tarentum and now, fortunately for us, House Revan. He has a long history of benefiting the entire club through his work, but recently has focused on seeing his particular unit succeed. Though often quiet, when he is asked, or when necessary, Trout puts forth effort like no other. Without him, Tarentum nor Revan would have enjoyed the competitive success they have in recent Vendettas. By example, over the last two and a half years Trout has earned 18 Seals of Pain, 11 Clusters of Fire, 6 Seals of Unity, 3 Gold Novas, 2 Bronze Novas, 2 Seals of Remembrance, Silver Nova, Seal of Loyalty, Crescent with Ruby Star, Crescent with Topaz Star, Dark Cross, and the Steel Cross.

So complete and dominant were Trout's efforts on behalf of his clan during the Eighth Great Jedi War, he was awarded Second Hero finishing before all competitors save one. While with us in Revan we have witnessed first-hand this steadfast dedication to his unit. Trout has participated in nearly every event of the Rite of Supremacy including Round 1 Fiction, Round 2 Fiction and Graphics, and the Finals Fiction event. He also placed 5th in Round 1's Fiction event helping us defeat his former clan. This swing clearly illustrates the value of having such a talented member as part of one's organization. Were it not for his efforts on our behalf, we would not have made it out of the first round.

Not only has Trout helped us succeed in competition, but he was also one of Revan's original founders. He has dutifully and skillfully turned his talents to helping us establish and explore our new lore and mythology. Revan has an interesting concept of an identifying tattoo only visible to our own members through the Force. Trout helped us develop this concept and wrote out its formal description. We of Revan feel very fortunate to have him with us and would like to show our appreciation and give our thanks with this honor. Trout is more than deserving of this hallowed rank and we could not be more thankful he chooses to spend his time here with us. ~ Raken, Independent House Revan

Dark Jedi Master, a rank that requires outstanding achievement in the Dark Brotherhood that can only be compared with the top 10% of our members historically. What makes a Dark Jedi Master? Perhaps a member who has submitted Dark Brotherhood changing work in the form of the Antei Document? Perhaps a member who has excelled not only as a Dark Council member, but also as a Second Hero of a Great Jedi War? Perhaps a member who has regularly served as adviser to Grand Masters and Deputy Grand Masters for the last decade? Perhaps a member who desired to see the Dark Brotherhood change and helped develop and form an Independent House that could win the first Vendetta it ever participated in? This is Troutrooper.

Trouty is a writer with few peers, a creator of new content and lore of the Brotherhood, and a leader with few peers. What makes Trouty's leadership remarkable is that he has done it without serving in a position, something that so many require. Trouty serves the Brotherhood daily be providing a calm and stable influence that mocks those who throw fits or those who embarrass their House/Clan. When House Revan recently encountered our first series of setbacks, Trouty was the first to lend a calming hand and influence on what could have degenerated into the standard fit shown by so many Clans in the past.

Trout's most recent achievements, a capstone to his most impressive career, include setting up and helping establish House Revan lore. His talents at creating new and fresh content are second to none and he will continue to provide quality to the Dark Brotherhood as a whole for years to come.

Trouty is truly deserving of this elevation. ~ Sarin, Sith Lord

It’s been awhile since I was called to write a recommendation but when asked to write this small token I couldn’t help but agree; a member who has done so much deserves recognition. During my tenure as CON of Tarentum a person transferred to the Clan of whom I knew very little but what I’d heard from my associates however this ignorance did not last as Troutrooper, the member in question, threw himself into the workings of the Clan integrating himself fully and contributing much during and after my time in charge. His run on output was prodigious, fiction of quality churned out; often for no material benefit only to further the Clan’s fictional standing and history. The Sixth Great Jedi War came and went and with it TT excelled himself earning plaudits for his work and gaining a significant percentage of Tarentum’s overall points.

His attitude towards the Club was refreshing during a period of dejection amongst many and was a contributing factor in Tarentum’s renewal after a disappointing war. Not only did this help his clan mates but he too was an excellent ambassador for the Clan to the Club at large and helped restore our image to those who had become jaded.

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help and assistance during the months I was CON and for the two years of aid and succour you provided Tarentum. Congratulations on a well earned promotion and may you remain for many years a part of this Club to entertain us with your fictions and other works. ~ Welshman

Although I have not had the opportunity to work with Troutrooper recently, I know him well and have worked with him extensively in the past. Troutrooper was my Praetor when I was Grand Master. In that role, Trout excelled. He served for over a year as my go-to guy for side projects and advice. He was level-headed and reliable. I trusted TT to be within my inner circle of advisors; a group that is not easily entered into. Many of the contributions that I made to the Brotherhood were completed in part because of this man's role as my assistant.

I cannot speak fully for Trout over the last few years. However, I can speak fully as to the rank of Dark Jedi Master. The elite of the elite of the Brotherhood hold this rank; these are individuals that show skill and resolve beyond description. They serve over a long period of time and always enjoy putting the Brotherhood's labors ahead of their self interest. A DJM is a person who we uphold as the best of the Brotherhood, a person who deserves to be written about and remembered.

Troutrooper is just that. He is a member that I know deserves to be recognized. He is a member who is among the elite in our organization. He deserves this. And frankly, had I the ability to skip him over DA, he would have been a DJM three years ago.

This is a promotion I fully support because for years, Troutrooper has fully supported us. ~ Jac Cotelin, Sith Lord

There have been, in the Brotherhood, a handful of writers whom I’ve read and looked at with not only interest, but the kind of study that is normally devoted to Faulkner or Steinbeck. These writers give the Brotherhood pieces of work that are more than just flashes of action or heavily verbose soliloquies that would fit in with the literature of more than one hundred and fifty years ago. These writers are, for lack of a better term, real writers. They engage the reader. They make the reader think. They force them to look at the world that they’ve written, the world that they’ve borrowed, the world that we live in through their coke bottle lenses. They don’t always win, when they rightly should, because their pieces are too challenging. Which is a shame, but it in no way detracts from their skill.

Troutrooper is one such writer. His writing inhabits that strange simplistically complex nature that is the hallmark of Modern English Literature. It doesn’t borrow from insipid and inane scifi or fantasy genres. While the subject matter borders on the inconsequential, he presents his work with both clear purpose and dizzying subtext. On the surface, his work looks very plain, very ordinary. A cursory read through gives you nothing. You have to read his work in detail, to really delve into why his writing is so captivating. He makes excellent use of detail, not by going into detail, but by withholding it. He gives you just enough to show you what is going on without burdening you with superfluous trinkets of diction. And his word choice is cautious and planned. His words are there for a reason. They change the tempo of a sentence, they set up a scene and denude another.

For one who is such a Master of his craft, I have always failed to fathom why he has not been celebrated even a fraction as much as he should have. In the last GJW, I saw him come second to me with a superior piece. A reason that I still cannot divine. And so, I offer up this humble recommendation as both an apology and appreciation. What better way can our organization honor someone who has such incredible command of the written word, capable of standing side by side with the likes of Shaitan, Sirrus and Darkfyre, than to recognize his Mastery by making him a Dark Jedi Master? ~ Maxamillian von Oberst-Tarentae, Consul, Clan Tarentum

Subtlety and surety is another mark of those who know that they do not have to cause havoc to get stuff done. As an advisor for the Dark Council for the better part of ten years, Troutrooper has long been considered a mitigating voice and a solid ear on projects in the brotherhood. Yet, while he works diligently behind the scenes, he also finds the time to bring his a-game during vendetta events. Trout came to us late from the hammer, and lost DJM when he did so, a sacrifice that he felt was needed for his own sanity and for our advantage. I am pleased to say that today, we restore to Trout the very well-earned rank of Dark Jedi Master. ~ Muz Ashen, Dark Lord of the Sith

Lord Muz Ashen Keibatsu, 2010-02-22 14:11:13 UTC