Syn Kaek has established a precedence as being one of the greatest Master At Arms in the history of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. His service spans two tours of duties and it includes thousands of approvals and denials. Kaek conducts his duties as MAA with elan and flair that few others can pull off.
The measure of a Dark Council member is the work that they complete to improve the Dark Brotherhood. I have asked Kaek to complete several tasks since he has returned as MAA and he as completed all of them. It has come to the point that he has recently asked me, "What do I do next". I actually did not have an answer. This is the only time I have ever run out of tasks for a DC member.
Kaek is nearing his ten year mark in the DB and nothing can honor this achievement quite like the promotion to Dark Jedi Master.
Congrats!
Sarin.
Few members of the Brotherhood can claim to have here for 10 years - and in one month Kaek will join that small club. Even fewer members can claim to have contributed as much as Kaek - honestly who can claim to have been Master At Arms, Consul, Proconsul, Quaestor, Aedile, Rollmaster, Battleteam Leader, Eclectic Pedagogue, as well as holding multiple Praetor and Magistrate positions, and working on the Gaming and Dark Voice staff? When Kaek became MAA the first time, he grabbed the position by the reigns and dug in for some serious overhauls, becoming the assertive MAA the Brotherhood needed. He helped set and enforce standards which ensured our members remained satisfied with their experience, while at the same time maintaining the value of our promotions and medals. Kaek is an amazing administrator - he was born to bust bureaucracy. Kaek left the MAA position, only to return again this past year when the club was in need of an experienced leader. Since his return he has been a strong leader on the Dark Council, pushing through reforms and making sure the Brotherhood is ready for the future. In addition, he has gone above and beyond in assisting the Seneschal in identifying and combating the recent website issues - as well protecting members. Those of us who are lucky enough to call Kaek our friend have come to expect that level of dedication from him. However meeting and exceeding expectations has become Kaek's calling card - and for that I am proud to reccomend that he be promoted to Dark Jedi Master. Few have deserved it more, congratulations Kaek. -Justicar Kir Katarn
Many people apply for positions like MAA, thinking that they can do the job...that it doesn't take any particular skill to do the work. This is not true. It takes a lot to be able to look in a totally impartial way at everything that a Master at Arms has to approve or deny. It takes a remarkable strength of will to keep personal emotions out of it, and even more stoicism to apply everything in a neutral and consistent manner. Kaek does. His personality and skill make no excuses for the hard decisions that he has to make as MAA. He knows well what needs to be done, and does it. His vigilance is a necessary trait in a master at arms, and we are all lucky to have had him return to the office. Above and beyond this, Kaek is constantly looking for other manners to help improve the club. Having recently put together a consistent-cross clan promotion guideline proposal, he is working to help make sure that all of our new members are treated equally and fairly. Further, Kaek works toward the less administrative functions, edging his way into the fictional realities we've spent time weaving, working to help craft a more elaborate experience in this club. His dedication is top-notch, and I think that it's high time that Kaek be acknowledged as a Master of the Dark Brotherhood. Well done, Kaek. ~ Muz Sadow, DGM
When you look back over the history of the Master at Arms position, you should notice a stark contrast between the pre-Kaek and post-Kaek eras. When Kaek took over as MAA the first time after Khan stepped down, he immediately brought in a wave of positive and long-lasting changes to the position. Since then, the position hasn't been the same; Master at Arms is no longer a button-pushing job. It's an intense position that is active in a wide variety of policy and personnel decisions. Kaek changed the face of the MAA's role in the DB.
Sarin missed that first term of Kaek's, so when he approached me and asked if giving Kaek another shot at MAA was a good move, I responded with a resounding "YES." Kaek is perhaps the most pro-active and forward-thinking MAA we've ever had, and it shows with his dedication, activity levels and constant refinement of his role. I don't think anyone can argue with his performance as MAA this time; he's outshining even himself.
But, what I appreciate most about Kaek is the constant vigilance he displays. Not only is he pwning people who try to game the system, but he has the pwn assist when it comes to coding. With the recent SQL Injector attacks, Kaek has been the front guard of the DB, warning me when something goes wrong and fixing what he can when it does. In fact, Kaek has consistently been the first to give me the heads up about errors; he's been super helpful. We even have a secret code word that he can text me if the site is attacked ("DB TROUBLEZ!!!")
Kaek is a great asset to the club, and I'm glad that he's found extra time even with his RL commitments. Did you know that this guy is in Law School? He takes after the great ones.
Keep it up Kaek, and I will take you out hunting sometime.
-Jac
Kaek has served the Dark Brotherhood honorably for nearly a decade. In his time he has held the post of Master at Arms twice. His first tenure was typified by innovation and consistency. His second term thus far has been characterized by motivation and steadfastness in order to provide intermediate measures to ensure fair promotion standards for all members. This essentially creates a fair and fun place for members to spend their time.
Despite his veteran status in an environment where many long-time members have burned-out, lost interest, or otherwise left the organization, Syn Kaek has attacked his latest chance in a critical position with fervor. I am glad to see his interest held and renewed by our club and hope that he leaves another legacy of positive changes in his wake.
-Raken
Grand Master Declan Roark, 2008-09-27 14:21:21 UTC