There are few people in Arcona I would call âdevotedâ. There are even fewer people in Arcona I would call âpassionateâ. There are yet fewer members that I would deem âvitalâ. And there is one man I would call âinspirationalâ. That man is Invictus. He embodies all of the aforementioned and so, so much more. Invictus joined our summit in July of 2011. He was a new face in Arcona, and we were all weary. We didnât know what to expect. And we were consequently astonished. In the past 9 months he hasnât stopped. He just keeps going, and going, and going. Any time anyone needs help inside or outside of Arcona, Invictus is there. Any time someone needs something proofread, needs a hand with writing a report, needs someone to bounce off, anything you can think of, Invictus is the man to which people turn.
I will, however, let his list of accolades speak for itself, before I continue with a more in-depth discussions of his abilities:
14 Clusters of Ice; 2 Legions of the scholar; 3 Crescents with Quartz Star; 7 Crescents with Topaz Star; 7 Crescents with Emerald Star; 7 Crescents with Sapphire Star; 3 Crescents with Amethyst Star; 3 Crescents with Ruby Star; 3 Bronze Novae; 4 Silver Novae; 4 Gold Novae; 9 Dark Crosses; 4; Anteian Crosses; 2 Steel Crosses; 3 Seals of Memory; 2 Seals of Retribution; 5 Seals of Return; 23 Seals of Decimation; 2 Seals of Loyalty; and a Grand Cross of the Dark Side.
This would be a truly remarkable list for any individual, but one who has taken a 2 year hiatus and returned to lead a House and helped lead a Clan to victory in the previous GJW? It exemplifies an amazing level of dedication and activity. But this is only the icing. The cake is yet to follow.
Let us begin with his tenure as Combat Master, something for which he has yet to be awarded. As Combat Master he hosted multiple successful DB-wide competitions, including one of the first successful team-based ACC competitions, Dark Betrayal. He also revised the rules of the Combat Center, most of which survive to this day. In addition, he redid the fighting styles, not just rewriting the styles and creating a half dozen new ones, but changing the format of them and how they are treated (which are still used). He spearheaded a project that weeded out character sheets which had been approved previously that violated a variety of ACC rules (non-SW races, use of armour, use of fighting styles and lightsaber styles for which they failed to meet the requirements). Finally, he also oversaw the ACC during the sixth GJW. With over 300 matches, it is the second largest ACC event in the Combat Centres history. It follows, therefore, that an individual willing to put this much time an effort into the DB in its entirety deserves recognition.
Similarly, Invictus served as Aedile of Marka Ragnos of Clan Naga Sadow, as a Magistrate to the Oracle, and as a staff member of the Dark Voice. As Magistrate to the Oracle and a staff member of the Dark Voice, he worked extensively on both writing articles for the Dark Voice and editing those of others to ensure high quality and timely publication, something for which it was known at the time. As Aedile of Marka Ragnos, he helped completely revise and reorganize the Disciples of Ragnos into a fully-functioning fictional framework in which the members at the time took a great deal of pride. He also helped oversee the Battle for Inos, an intra-Clan Feud between HMR and HLK, and lead HMR to victory. Moreover, he also ran the Naga Sadow Times during my tenure in CNS (http://nagasadow.org/times/issue5/issue5.html). This was all within the standard tasks of promoting activity, awarding members for their dedication and general House administration tasks associated with the running of a House.
Invictus is also currently serving as a Magistrate to the Seneschal. He has been fixing various bugs, and completely a large list of tasks set by Orv to restructure the code-layout of the entire DJB website. Itâs a huge task, and I feel it deserves recognition in such a recommendation. Especially considering Invictus is able to juggle his responsibilities as a Magistrate to the Seneschal as well as his extensive list of tasks as a Quaestor. It truly is a testament to his capabilities.
However, his most prestigious list of achievements thus follows. That is, his tenure within Arcona and House Qel-Droma.
Invictus hit the floor running in the position of Aedile under Marick. He quickly undertook a vast amount of work. Namely, the reformatting of the Qel-Droman base â Port OlâVal â left unfinished by the previous Aedile, Dralin. He set to work on rectifying the issue unfinished by the previous Aedile, such as awarding the membership, addressing the membership with what they wished to see from the House and providing a significant amount of activities for the House membership to participate in. He was everything and more we couldâve hoped for from an Aedile who was working under a Quaestor with a temperamental and often unstable work structure.
During the war, Invictus was a veritable bastion of activity. He showed his true colours in his true dedication to the Arconan cause and his sheer volume of activity. He participated in a total of 23 events, earning 3 Bronze, 4 Silver and 4 Gold Novae. This is a true feat in itself. But he still went further. He was a key proofreader for the Clan; he was the go-to guy for everything fiction and/or ACC; and he was relentless in trying to help Arcona not only continue to function well, but to exceed in its war effort. He was on every day helping members develop their abilities and be the best they could possibly be, without want for reward or recognition. All he wanted was for Arcona and House Qel-Droma to do well. He was a true inspiration in the war effort, and I fear, should Invictus not have been around, Arcona would not have fared nearly as well.
Since the war, Invictus has been intrinsic in a number of House and Clan wide projects. Namely, the Arcona Family Feud and Project [Redacted]. Within the family feud, Invictus was instrumental in the coding of the scores sheet, whilst also participating in a number of the competitions. Without him the results would not have come out as quickly, if at all. He was a saviour for both myself and Wally. Similarly, without his proof-reading and input, the fiction releases for the Family feud would not have been nearly as polished and/or interesting. With the help of Socks, Heâs running a project to rewrite all of the Qel-Droma wiki articles, fleshing them out significantly. Then, there is Operation: [Redacted]. The Qel-Droman Summit and selected membership are completely reinvisioning the history and nature of House Qel-Droma, to give it a consistent fictional framework that will go a long way towards buy-in from the membership. Currently, most of Qel-Droma has a strong sense of being Arconan. But it does mean that they compete little in House Competitions in comparison to Clan ones. Invictus is determined to get the members to show pride in their House in order to rectify this. The project itself is staged as a series of team competitions (also forcing members to get to know their fellow Qel-Dromans), which winning entries in each competition being used as that basis for that particular area. The current one, for instance, is to explain why Qel-Droma is named after a fallen Jedi who turned back to the light. While there is, historically, a reason for this, it isn't one towards which the current membership feel any passion or dedication. So, Invictus giving them the opportunity to make it their own. He is also currently utilizing the same format, as part of [Redacted], to revise the politics, economy, and overall culture of House Qel-Droma. So far, it has been highly successful.
He has also been intrinsic in helping members in their transition from TOR to the DB proper. A huge amount of these individuals were primarily interested in TOR, and understood very little of what the DB was all about. Invictus eased them through that transition, giving them help when and where he could. The result is that members such as Scelestus, for example, have begun participating in much more than just TOR. Indeed, they are beginning to form the core of the house. Invictusâ ability to engage these members is a testament in itself, but he has also been significant in bringing back a number of members. Chief among these is Zakath, who participated heavily in the Arcona Family Feud and moved to take the head of Shadow Gate Battleteam.
Similarly, Invictus has been key in training up our budding new DJK Socorra. As Aedile of Qel-Droma, Socorra has flourished. And Invictus has been a large part of that process. He has guided her, helped her and pushed her in her success. I attribute at least a modicum of her success to his fantastic ability to lead.
Fundamentally, Invictus has changed the nature of House Qel-Droma. It was once the underdog house. It was once the laughing stock of Arcona. It was p***ed on by Galeres on a regular basis. Then Invictus came along and reinvigorated it. He injected passion, dedication and true inspiration into the house. Now, Qel-Droma is the model House. Galeres is struggling to keep up with it. And I attribute that for the most part to Invictusâ leadership ability.
Invictus has not only served successfully as Aedile or above for over sixth months, as denotes the promotion requirement, but he has set the bar much higher than many would conceivably be able to attain. He has been one of the best members of the Summit I have ever seen and I am so glad that he gave us the opportunity to hire him. He is more than deserving of a promotion.
Congratulations and well done, Vic. We love you and you more than deserve this promotion. Keep it up.
~Wuntila Zratian Entar Arconae,
Consul of Clan Arcona.
I've had the pleasure of getting to know Invictus over the course of the last half-year after hand-selecting him to be my Aedile as I prepared House Qel-Droma for the approaching war. Invictus wasted no time in getting right to work, even before his transfer had been fully processed. He integrated into the ranks of Arcona seamlessly, and if I hadn't known otherwise I'd have thought he'd been here his entire career. I think that's something that should not be overlooked considering his long history in the DB. He has bounced around from different Clans and Houses, has served as every summit roll at one point in his career, and even had a stint as combat master. He shares his experience with his members in a non-egotistic way, always putting others before himself. He is not only a talented writer, but helps with graphics and even serves on the SCL's staff and assists with coding. Since arriving in Clan Arcona as Aedile, he has accumulated 31 Clusters of Fire, 23 Seals of Decimation, 6 Clusters of Ice, a Seal of Loyalty, Grand Cross of the Dark Side, 9 novae, and 3 Dark Crosses- two of which where results of heroically fixing glitching in the DB site's code. Were Vic truly shines, though is his ability to get things done. I've never worked with anyone else that has the ability to line up a set of tasks and make sure they get done in not just a timely manner, but at a high quality as well. Every night before signing off to go to bed, he would ask me, without fail, "Is there anything you need me to do? Anything I should add to my check list?" His drive and work ethic are unlike anything I've ever seen from a DB member, leader or otherwise. He has also been a loyal friend and brother, helping out in any way he can. During the War, he really showed his true colors when despite working a tiring 9-7 job everyday, he would stay up until 4 in the morning, diligently checking and proofreading his brother and sister's writings while turning out his own mountain of work. This is clearly evident in his top 3 placing in the ACC, and his net collection of 9 novae and 23 seals. There were honestly times where I had to order him to go to bed. That's dedication...
...I wrote that 2 months ago. In the time since all of that, Vic has been a bastion of activity and a positive role model to all our new members and leaders. He is on IRC almost daily, and has maintained flawless e-mail turn around. He has taken on his shoulders the burden of continuing on the work I had started in redefining House Qel-Droma as a unit, in terms of it's history and other fictional facets. He is heading up Operation [Redacted] which has gotten nearly all of the active Arconan's involved and participating in working towards improving the House Qel-Droma Wikipedia pages, giving them re-writes, additions, and even more depth. He's turned it into a fun way of assigning the members "missions" and giving deadlines to help promote progress, but not in way that cracks a proverbial whip and forces people to write against their will. He is also very active in the TOR community, and has been a strong represenative of the clan in the game, working with helping to integrate new members who joined just for TOR and trying to get them involved with the rest of the DB. As mentioned previously, he has never once stopped being an amazing asset to his clan mates and myself. He's accumulated over 200 CF's, while also still maintaining a constant IRC presence, and active level of leadership.
He has earned a place in my heart as one of my closest friends, and there is no one else I think deserves this more than him. His hard work and dedication to the club should be something that every member in the DB uses as a measuring stick. I believe that Invictus has more than earned the rank of Equite 3. His service to Arcona erases any doubts of the old "what have you done for me lately" question, and his track record of work and accomplishments since his last promotion more than bolsters my belief in his escalation. Congratulations Invictus, no one deserves this more than you. It's been a long time coming.
-Marick Arconae,
Proconsul of Clan Arcona.
Going back a little bit, like Tim and Wally, I worked with Vic nearly every day of the GJWX, where he taught me much of what I know of the ACC. He took time out of writing his own posts to mentor me and give me the confidence I needed to continue in it even though all of the odds were against me as a PRT. In the end I took 4th place, right behind Vic's 3rd. I never would have thought it possible, but with his guidance it became a reality. It didn't stop there though. Vic continues to be a good friend and great counsel for all things Brotherhood even now. I know that if I ever need anything, he is always there, no hesitation.
One of the top reasons why I applied for his Aedile position is that Vic demands excellence but gives excellence in return. That is a work ethic that I admire in him. Whether it's for HQD, Arcona, or the Brotherhood as a whole, Vic works incredibly hard and the fruits of his labor are always top-notch. Vic is a constant presence in Arcona and in the Summit. His email turnaround is remarkable and his IRC habits even while at work are commendable. I became a leader under his House three months ago, and it has been everything that I expected it to be. Vic doesn't mess around. He gets work done and done well, and tells you exactly what he expects from you and when, and normally it is something that he wanted to do himself but simply had to delegate. That alone makes it worth doing, because his own heart was in it. But that is like everything he does. Whether it is wiki articles, coding, or competition entries, his full effort will shine in it, and inspire the same in others. The great mark of a leader is one that leads by example, and Invictus owns the copyright on this. It is my pleasure to recommend him for this promotion to show appreciation for them.
-Socorra Erinos,
Aedile of House Qel-Droma
Invictus has been with us only a short time, but it stands to his ability that he's already a QUA and one of our integral summiters. His abilities are myriad, and he's always willing to dip his toe in any avenue of DB activity, and always with the aim of helping Arcona grow even greater. He's approachable, funny, easy to talk to, knowledgeable, and looks a tiny bit like gollum. All of these facets lend themselves well to leadership in the Brotherhood. He's spearheading our everpresent Wiki audit, he's participating in the CHL (and excelling); he's a name on TOR, and finds time to lead his house excellently. There is little more one could ask for in a Quaestor. Well, there is, and he provides it: he's able to take being part of the Arconan Summit (no mean feat, considering the number of diverse personalities encompassed within) without batting an eyelid, and keeps up with the banter as if he's been part of it all his life. I've yet to see a member of Arcona slide more seamlessly into the group than Invictis, and I'm immensely glad he's part of our prestigious unit. Thanks for joining the good fight, Vic, and I hope to see many more years of your activity, companionship, and leadership.
Dash
What can be said about Vic. I've known the poor sap for years, you should pity him for that. In all that time, however, I have noticed several things about his character as a person. I've been asked to do something I rarely ever do. I have never felt my words held much merit, but Vic changes that. Vic treats most people as an equal and is more than willing to help others understand. Can I say he's driven? Definitely. Passionate? Absolutely. Ill-tempered? Rarely.
When I think of ideal members of the Brotherhood, Vic has always stood apart. He is more than willing to share his passion with others. More than willing to share his boundless knowledge with those who ask for it. These are things that make someone great in my mind. These few aspects of true character carry a lot of weight with them. Those who know me, will freely admit that I'm not the easiest person to impress. But, Vic is one of the few for whom I will give voice to these thoughts.
If people were to ask me who I felt were the true leaders that I've come across, Vic would be one of them. He's a hard-ass, no doubt. But, he is compassionate and will find the heart of the issue and work with those involved to resolve it. Is he a pain? Some days, but that is the mark of a leader. One cannot lead without being a servant as well. I've always seen that Vic had the ability to lead, but he had the heart to know when he needed to help. The mark of a true leader is not how they lead, but how they serve.
Without members, a leader is nothing. Qel-Droma is stronger for Vic ability to lead, but the members themselves are stronger for having him to serve. Everyone always say the whole "I can thing of no one more deserving." I'm not going to feed anyone that line, but I can tell you that Vic has earned his stripes and proven his mettle time and time again.
He goes out of his way to make sure everything is running smoothly, he is online near constantly to assist anyone who needs it. People like Vic are hard to come by in this organization. People like him are the reason I'm still around. Without members like Vic, not only would Arcona suffer from the loss of heart, but the Brotherhood would as well. Someone like Vic is not the most deserving. Not one deserves ANYTHING given out by their superiors. However, Vic has earned it. He works in a position that he expects no thanks for his work. He expects nothing in return because he knows that the purest form of accomplishment isn't within the promotion or within the number of medals one attains.
The purest form of a job well done is seeing that things will continue. That things will flourish and become something more even after one is gone. Has Vic earned this? I say yes. He truly has. I have not personally seen anyone work nearly as hard to maintain the standards he has set for himself and his House. He has raised the bar and Qel-Droma has risen to meet it.
This behavior is contagious and I continually find myself in awe of the man's sheer tenacity when it comes to seeing things to completion. I find myself wanting to strive to match him. That is the mark of someone who was born to lead in any capacity they choose. Vic inspires those around him to be better than they are, to be everything they can be. Even if they only have a few hours to participate, so much can be done in only a few hours.
Vic is a model. Someone to shape yourself after. I firmly believe that he's earned this and that he will continue to earn his keep no matter what he does after his time is over. In life and in our organization, few people are suited to the task of leadership. Fewer still embrace it with the gusto that Vic has grappled with his position.
With that said, I join my words with those in the request that Vic be elevated in rank. It is the least we can do to pay him back for the tireless, thankless service he renders for Arcona and for the rest of the Brotherhood. Our lives are truly enriched by knowing Invictus. He is a true friend and a loyal comrade.
~Balthier d'Tana
-Aedile of House Galeres, Clan Arcona
Iâve known Invictus for coming on seven months now and boy, has it been an interesting time. Vic joined us just before the 10th GJW, proving to be a fantastic asset to Qel-Droma and Arcona. Contributing to Arconaâs dominance in the ACC during the war, not to mention helping to push the RO to 2nd place, Vic proved that he was the right choice as Aedile, silencing all of his critics in one fell swoop.
Since then, he moved into the Quaestor spot, and began to systematically strengthen Qel-Droma, making it a bastion of activity and talent. Developing Project Redacted to redesign HQDâs origins, he has galvanised the members into contributing to their fictional lore. Add to that, training Socorra up as Aedile to be one of the future leaders of the Shadow Clan. As well as that, he and I are working together, strengthening the ties between the two Houses.
Vic may be abrasive at times with the constant Sangâs mom jokes, but to be honest, I would miss the bugger if he wasnât around. Invictus came to us from Naga Sadow; a stranger, but now he is one of us. Heâs an Arconan through and through and Iâm proud to call him a friend. We all know Vic deserves recognition for his dedication to Arcona and the Dark Brotherhood., so well done Vic, youâve earned it mate.
-Sanguinius Entar,
Quaestor of House Galeres.
Itâs impossible. Itâs absurd. Itâs absolutely outrageous that a member like Invictus, with his state of service to Arcona, has yet to make it to the third grade of the Equites. Starting with his arrival in Arcona just prior to the Great Jedi War, he made himself useful to us in numerous ways right from the instant his transfer was approved. Not only did he submit regular reports and does he have a steady online presence, but Invictus has also been the driving force behind many of our leadership programs. Additionally, he has spent some time mentoring students.
Within the Great Jedi War, Invictus was once again an absolute godsend. Not only did he break the ACC in half, fighting nearly two dozen matches and getting second place for his efforts, but he has also participated in Battle plans, Wiki teams, his own fiction and a host of other activities, all in addition to helping out with the general war planning for Arcona. Hell, his planning in the tenth Great Jedi War was compared to my own in the Ninth â except that cannot possibly be true, because Vic has repeatedly proven that as a leader, he is my superior in every imaginable way. As a Quaestor, he has had ample time to prove himself in that respect. Heâs quick to understand, heâs innovative, and heâs capable of compromise while still pursuing a driving vision. With coding skills in addition to writing, leadership, and the ACC, he has also shown himself to be a remarkably flexible man, capable of quickly adapting himself to any leadership situation.
If I said I expected great things from Invictus, that would be too little and too late. Heâs already exceeded all of that, and as such has, in my opinion, earned the rank of Sith Battlelord several times over.
-Tim
Darth Aeternus, 2012-04-18 19:59:14 UTC