completing SM Eternity Vault in TOR

(Converted from Cluster of Earth)

Kelvis Xavier, 2012-11-23 20:32:06 UTC

There are few who entirely embody the term: activity. There are fewer who can amalgamate such activity with leadership. And there are yet fewer who can do both, and still remain a humble, back-room worker. Scelestus is a shining example of that. This man has been a veritable force since his ascension to the Arconan summit, striving only for the very best for Qel-Droma.

Scelestus has, throughout his tenure as Aedile, ensure that all members are awarded on time, and in an appropriate manner, that reports are released regularly, that members are kept in check and informed should they require help, and, most importantly, served as an invaluable supporting body for Socorra. You see, a significant amount of what Scelestus does is behind the scenes work. Whether it is writing up individual emails to the membership to try and spur on activity (whether for a particular event or not) or whether it is him writing out detailed expositions into the future of Qel-Droma and planning the next stages of development, Scelestus is always on time, and always on the ball with regard to what needs to be done.

On top of that sits his activity record. As an independent - but not exhaustive - example of his activity we can look at his record in Horizons. He participated in a total number of 10 events, for which he was awarded a Bronze Nova in one. This is the same amount of events as his Quaestor, both of whom made it their goals to put the house before their own personal progression and success. This is the mark of a true leader. Of a true Arconan.

It states on the wikipedia that: "The Steel Cross is awarded for extended service to one's House or Clan, such as duties that aid a Quaestor or Aedile as well as being a mentor to others. Activity over a period of some time that goes above and beyond what is considered normal can also be rewarded with this award."

Well, Scelestus has done more than 'aid' his Quaestor and Aedile. He has been the very foundation upon which his and his Quaestor's success rests. I dare say, without his administration work, Qel-Droma wouldn't be soaring ahead of Galeres as the top performing House in the Clan. Similarly, Scelestus has done more than 'been active over a period of some time that goes above and beyond what is considered normal'. He has devoted himself to the smooth running of Qel-Droma on a daily basis, without want for reward or progression.

Today he said to me: "I am yours to serve, and I only want the best for Qel-Droma and Arcona as a whole." I feel this sums up more than anything else the amount of absolute, unfaltering devotion Scelestus has displayed for Qel-Droma and the Clan as a whole.

It is for these feats, among many others, that I request Scelestus be awarded with a Steel Cross.

Congratulations, Ben. You've earned it.

~Wuntila Entar Arconae, Consul of Clan Arcona.

Wuntila Zratis Entar Arconae, 2012-11-23 16:44:44 UTC

People often speak of legends. They are seldom correct in their choice of words. The Dark Brotherhood is replete with outstanding members of great skill and achievement and though they are honored as such, few—very few—are indeed...Legendary.

In my time with the Brotherhood I have known but one.

When I first met him he was known as Sarin. Now he is known as Pravus. By either name he is a man who has served the Brotherhood with every action of his career. He has led. He has followed. He has guided. Sarin has always done so by setting the example both members and leaders should strive to emulate. And what better example to follow in one who has reached not only the summit of leadership within the club, but that of membership as well.

For my friend Sarin is not only a gifted leader, but a fierce and talented competitor. Most recently he has again set the standard for myself and many others in Clan Arcona. During the Arcona event Trials of Loyalty Sarin finished second overall in a Clan as rich in talented, competitive members as any in the Brotherhood. Through his efforts—efforts which forced me to significantly raise my own standards to even be competitive with him—Sarin single-handedly led our team to victory.

Now, on a club-wide scale, Sarin has once again led Arcona to an impressive victory in the Horizons Rite of Supremacy. His outstanding personal commitment to this event again inspired not only myself, but many other members to push themselves to their utmost. For the majority of us, this type of effort must be brought out. For Sarin, this is where he begins.

As a competitor, Sarin is effectively a one-man army. His personal scores often appearing more like a collective unit's effort rather than that of one man. But his competitive prowess is not what makes him what he is. It is more than that. It is by challenging us to match his impressive efforts in both quantity and quality of work that Sarin the member sets a standard as high as Sarin the leader.

Raising one's self alone to greatness does not a legend make. Anyone can do this. However, inspiring others by one's example and deeds, now that is truly Legendary.

– Raken, Deputy Grand Master.

I don’t feel I can follow truly Raken’s extremely well-written and inspirational exposition into Sarin’s efforts as a member of the Brotherhood. Instead, I will attempt to display how much Sarin means to Clan Arcona, the Arconan membership and the Arconan Summit.

Since Sarin joined Arcona in May 2011, he has been a bastion of activity. Most people think that Grand Masters sit back, relax, have a nice cocktail and watch as everyone else scurries around trying to achieve half of what they have in their long, fruitful careers. Who could blame them if they did? And some, quite rightly, do. Sarin, however, does not fall into that category. He is, for all intents and purposes, one of the most active individuals in Clan Arcona. And I’m not just saying that. Since joining Arcona, Sarin has contributed just over 2000 Clusters of Fire to Arcona’s total. This is a staggering figure. And what is more, he has done all this without being a primary gamer. No, he is still one of the most active all-round participants Arcona has to offer. Raken has already described his work in the previous recommendation, but suffice it to say that, whenever Sarin decides he wants to win, its almost a certainty that he will. And that victory is always for Arcona, not for himself. I could jabber on for hours about the minutiae of his success as an individual member, however, I feel it would not be conducive to his efforts as a whole.

Indeed, Sarin has stepped up to the plate to represent Arcona and even taken a position as an advisor on the summit. He has shrugged off any adversity, and has stepped up as one of the fundamental arbiters of Arcona’s continued success in leadership. Whenever anyone needs any help, any proof-reading, any guidance, Sarin is always the first to offer his services. Seldom do you find someone so willing and so patient than Sarin. Especially considering his previous accolades within the club. Still, he steps up, guiding the younger members, even at times when he himself is under pressure.

It states on the wikipedia that: “The recipient of a Sapphire Blade has shown consistent and long-term service to their Clan or Brotherhood position.” Sarin has done more than that. Sarin has contributed so significantly to Arcona that I feel the term ‘service’ doesn’t do him justice. He has provided more than a ‘service’ to Arcona. He has become part of the family. And I feel the only way we can truly award him for being so integral to Arcona’s success is by way of recognition and reward.

Thank you for doing what you do Sarin. You have no idea how much we appreciate it.

~Wuntila Entar Arconae, Consul of Clan Arcona.

There really isn’t anyone like Sarin. When he first came over to Arcona, after the closing of IHR, we were of course honored to have one of his esteemed reputation among our ranks. For a lot of the time he was here, from me being a simple Quaestor to then becoming a Proconsul, he was always there, looming like a dark protector. It seemed to happen over night, something strange and magical. This legendary Grand Master suddenly popped up on the radar. I watched him slowly step back into the spotlight, as if he had never left. It’s hard not to be intimidated by one of Sarin’s reputation. The first time he messaged me on IRC, I almost crapped my pants. Once you get past that perceived shroud of terror that seems to surround his name, he is actually one of the coolest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with in the DB. He is thoughtful, respectful, is not afraid of anyone or anything and will always stand up for something he believes in. It’s truly inspirational seeing someone speak their mind so openly, but with poise and precision not just raw emotion. I’ve been fortunate to get to game, write, and work more closely with Sarin over the past few months, and I can say without doubt his influence on Arcona’s attitude in general has been monumental. He inspires those around him to arms, leading not just by example but by simple words. He has been invaluable to the development of Arcona by bringing in talent like Raken and Troutrooper, both dragged in from retirement. He has gifted us with Valhavoc, who has now been appointed a part of our Summit and one of Arcona’s brightest young stars. He has also brought in Montesor, another promising gamer who is helping aid in Arcona’s dominance. Sarin has become as much a part of Arcona as any of the other household names.

For this, and everything he has done and continues to do for the sake of others and for Clan Arcona, I honor him with my voice of support for a Sapphire Blade.

-Marick Arconae Proconsul, Clan Arcona

Wuntila Zratis Entar Arconae, 2012-11-22 10:28:14 UTC

Celahir is a pillar of Arcona. He is, for all intents and purposes, one of the primary reasons for Arcona’s continued success, and I am honoured to be writing out a recommendation for him. Wally has taken the liberty of detailing in great detail what Celahir has achieved over the years in Arcona. Consider this a preamble.

I remember Celahir’s first words when I joined the Clan back in ‘09 as a lowly little DJK, “If you need any help, my door is always open.” And consult him for help I did. An awful lot. Celahir had recently been made Proconsul of Arcona, and the way he led was not necessarily a new way, but it was an effective way; he approached members in need of guidance, and always sought to help people, whatever their woes may have been. This may seem like an obvious thing, but it is often forgotten in the grand scheme of Brotherhood’s hierarchy and bureaucracy. I like to think of Celahir as an innocent within such a political picture. He is only in it for the people. That’s all for which he’s ever been in the leadership game. To help others, not himself. It was this caring mentality that brought him the position of Consul on the back end of Dash’s two-year tenure. And it was this caring mentality that helped him succeed in such a role. He revolutionised Arcona, and set the foundation of what Arcona is today. He was the beginning of the new, revitalised, reshaped Arcona, and I am not afraid to admit it. Through the struggle and strife of declanning, through the internal fractures and fissures, Celahir remained cool, calm and collected, rallying his troops behind the single banner of Arcona, and displaying a truly remarkable sense of guidance and authority in the face of chaos.

Since his tenure as Consul, he hasn’t forgotten his mantra. He still pops up to help the summit out, and he’s always offering his services in coding. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see as much of him as we’d like due to real life constraints, but when we do see him, he never ceases to amaze. Sapphire Blades are generally awarded for ‘long-term service to an individual’s Clan or Brotherhood position.’ Well, Celahir has given his all to Arcona for two years. He has displayed an unfathomable amount of talent, and has never wanted for reward. His ‘positions’ in Arcona have been many; from Aedile, to Quaestor, to Proconsu, to Consul, however I think his true ‘position’ in Arcona is that which I mentioned at the beginning. He is a pillar, an example to all, a representative of what one should expect from the first Clan of the Brotherhood. A first Clan sculpted by Celahir himself.

He strives only to help his peers, and in that, he outdoes the lot of us. In an official capacity, Celahir has more than displayed long-term service to his position and/or Clan. In an unofficial capacity he has done so much more.

Irfan, you’ve more than earned it. Thank you for being you.

Keep it up.

~Wuntila Entar Arconae, Consul of Clan Arcona.

I feel like this award is long, long overdue. It’s hard to bring the past to the fold as the Brotherhood is very much a “live in the now” mentality. We would not have a now, though had it not been for the hard work and sacrifices of leaders that came before us, though, and it for that reason we honor something that should have been done a long time ago. Celahir Erinos is as much a part of Arcona as the letters that combine together to create the existence of the word. He has been here ever since I landed 3 years ago, and was always someone I looked up to as both a member and a leader. I had the pleasure of serving under him, and he was part of the reason I was made a Battleteam Leader in the first place. It is because of him I started my career with the Arconan Summit, so It would be silly of me to say I would be here had he not been willing to take a chance on me. I got to work with him in my first run as a summit member, and watched him handle what was probably one of the hardest things in the world for a leader to endure - de-clanning. It was a major hit to most of us, even though I was still new and didn't fully grasp the magnitude of it. In short, Celahir was at the head of Arcona in it's darkest hours, and somehow managed to keep us from losing ourselves in self-pitty. In a time where we hit our lowest low, and with the world dumped on his shoulders, Celahir shouldered it, and kept us strong and together. He helped me gain confidence in myself as a Battleteam Leader, helped me draft Reboot 2.0, which is still the standard in which Battleteams are treated in Arcona. A lot of the things he did were more subtle, but still highly enjoyable - he created the Arcona Quote Database, which stores our most humorous antics, and always finds a way to keep us cheerful. He was part of the massive driving force of the team that got Arcona re-clanned.

He was ready to step back up to bat when called on to become Quaestor of Galares, when we finally regained our Clan status. It was then that I got to work with him as an equal, his counterpart Quaestor in House Qel-Droma. It was a great feeling knowing that he was right there with me, and was extremely helpful in my growth as a leader.

Sacramental Blades are given for extreme dedication to a Clan. That is why I feel that Celahir is long overdue this honor. His continual work with the Arconan Website, maintenance/administration of the Clans Message Boards, are only small examples of what he does behind the scenes as a coder for the Brotherhood and Arcona as a whole. Most recently; he really stepped up with running Operation: Rolling Thunder, a clan-wide internal event that drew in a very impressive number of entries and provided members with much appreciated activities to participate in. He was awarded a Cythraul (Arcona's unique in-character pets that are awarded as a symbol of achievement) for his work with the Clan, and continues to work behind the scenes with improvements towards Clan Arcona. I have no doubt that Celahir will go down as one of Arcona's best. His heart is unmatched, he cares about every member, and puts everything he has into anything he does.

For this, I am honored to award Celahir a Sacramental Blade. Congratulations, brother, you more than deserve it :).

-Marick Arconae

Celahir Erinos is more deserving of recognition than anyone else I know currently in the Brotherhood. Time and time again, he's been overlooked in favour of flashier, louder flavours of the week who often fizzle out inside a year, but his commitment to Arcona has been felt from the first day he transferred in, a bright-eyed Journeyman from Tarentum. I must admit, I never thought I'd see the day when he was Consul, but he proved himself time and time over, leading them through the darkest period since GJW 7, never wavering in his commitment to the esteemed Shadow Clan. Since then, he's been quietly brilliant. Chugging away behind the scenes, and what's more, people like him. He may not be the most visible leader Arcona's always had, but he has a good, lasting friendship with every single person of import in that Clan and, as Marick said, it is a heinous offence that he has been overlooked this long. Traditionally, Sacs are given out for lasting commitment over a long period of time, or spurts of pure brilliance during vendettas. Celahir has done both, and deserves this and much, much more. Well done, little brother. Keep on showing them how it's done ;) - Dash

I've worked with Celahir twice now, both times as his Aedile. His right hand man. The first time, it was when he took over from Legorii as Quaestor of House Qel-Droma. Under his leadership, HQD slowly became the powerhouse it is today. Our combo reports were the talk of the Clan...and of the DC. Namely after Muz told us to be less rude. But, people actually looked forward to reading our reports. Strange that...But I digress. Celahir helped me with my confidence as a leader, giving me projects and confiding in me on multiple issues. Alas, I left our partnership then to take over as Quaestor of Galeres. Where I then worked with him as a peer, organising competitions and encouraging the membership. The second time I worked with Celahir was once again as his Aedile. This time for House Galeres. Celahir once again relied on me, trusted me and generally made me work harder and harder. I thank him for it, because it enabled me to actually deal with the responsibility and be able to work under pressure. Under him, both Qel-Droma and Galeres were strengthened. Qel-Droma especially. But Irfan has done so much more for Arcona and the DB. He served as Consul for a time, as well as doing coding work. Celahir is a friend, a compatriot and an example of the selflessness that is expected from a truly great Arconan. As such, I'd like to thank him for his efforts, his dedication and his awesomeness.

Sanguinius Tsucyra Entar Quaestor of House Galeres

Ah Celahir, the man who can do it all. Honestly, I think I have seen him participate in almost every field within the Brotherhood both competitively and in terms of leading and helping out, and the thing which truly sets him apart from many of us mere mortals is his ability to do things well. He doesn't do things half-heartedly, instead throwing himself into everything that he can do. Be it competing to a high level in a wide variety of events, to offering his expertise in coding to those both within the Clan and to the Brotherhood as a whole, he has been an outstanding member whose dedication deserves a fitting reward. A nice guy in the bargain, Celahir really is an example to everyone of what the ideal member looks like; fun, willing to get stuck in and more than capable of offering help to those who need it.

Irfan, this is just a small part of the thanks that we can all give you, but I hope you realise that you have more than earned this. Congratulations my friend, keep on trucking.

-Nadrin Erinos Arconae

Most of Celahir's accomplishments came before my time, but I'd like to mention those that I had seen or been a part of. The day I joined, the Test of Lore had problems and I was getting pretty frustrated with it, so I came onto IRC for advice. I wasn't expecting much - being a former codemonkey I know these things take time, people have to be dragged online to fix problems or they don't have necessary permissions, etc. Well, to my surprise, Celahir PMd me shortly after I hopped on, and he fixed it right then and there. No waiting, no teeth pulling, no running around in circles or wading through red tape. Even though I had been frustrated nearly to the point of just giving up on the place, after talking with Celahir and watching him fix everything on the spot, I was extremely impressed with the dedication that he had and it reflected on everyone in DB. Working with him made me want to stick around and find out more and meet more people.

The stars (or the code) must have been aligned that day because I ended up in Galeres right under Celahir, my Quaestor. I quickly learned that his dedication above was merely par for the course. It was a really crazy time, just before GJWX, and everyone was getting into war-mode. School had also started for many, including Celahir. But yet he managed to make a crapton of time for me to teach me about DB and Arcona, Galeres and Soulfire. I was fairly high-maintenance, so that was no easy task. The Arcona Summit tends to help each other out with new members, tag-teaming on different subjects or just helping in general, and Cel was no exception. He was a friendly face, always willing to chat or answer questions. A year later, he still is, in fact.

During the war, Celahir was a monster of activity, not just in the events, but in motivating his members to participate and being there for them if they need help or if problems came up. Seeing this dedication in action inspired me to participate for sure. Leaders lead by example and he did this very well, and helped secure a first place win for Arcona. It was my first war in the DB, and he helped make it an excellent experience, so much so that I am still here a year later and helped Arcona rock the next one. Thank you for all you've done, Cel, you deserve this award and more. :)

~Socorra Erinos, Quaestor of House Qel-Droma

Celahir’s Sapphire Blade is long overdue. Others have already spoken about his abilities as a leader, so let me instead add some of the personal things we have worked on in the past. When I first met him as a Brotherhood member in ‘09, the Great Jedi War was in full swing. Things were tight and scary, and we all needed to do everything we could if we were going to pull it out. Irfan came to my attention first and foremost when he helped us parse some of the new rules put in place mid-War, helping us find a way to eventually create a tactic that gave us Team Gaming and with it, the War. More than his leadership, it is those flashes of brilliance that I appreciate more than anything in Irfan, and what makes him such a valuable member. In the Tenth Great Jedi war, it was Celahir who had all Star Wars books downloaded and ready on his computer, searchable on a moment’s notice in case it was necessary for the codebreaker (it was). When the prestige system was introduced, it was Celahir who helped discover much of its inner structure (including uncovering serious flaws that we managed to get fixed). He likewise was one of the people on the forefront of creating many of our promotion documents. Being a coder in addition to a general problem solver, and a nice guy to boot, Celahir has again and again proven his long term value as a member. For this, he deserves a Sapphire Blade.

-Timeros Caesus Entar Arconae, Rollmaster Arcona

Wuntila Zratis Entar Arconae, 2012-11-22 09:57:39 UTC

For coming joint second in an imprompteau trivia

Batu Nix, 2012-11-21 17:38:45 UTC

For coming joint second in an imprompteau trivia

Batu Nix, 2012-11-21 17:38:45 UTC

For coming first place (through a combination of hilarity, speed and intimidation) in an imprompteau trivia held tonight

Batu Nix, 2012-11-21 17:38:44 UTC