Aboard the AVG Nighthawk, Cresh shift was just winding down in the early hours of the morning as the bridge began gearing up to be taken over by Aurek shift. End of day reports and systems checks were being ran per the normal routine as the Chief of the Boat paged the Captain for final hand off of the bridge command. Minutes later, Arcia Cortel emerged from the turbolift and signed off on several datapads accepting the reports the previous ship had created.

Several minutes later, the bridge was bustling with activity as Aurek shift took over the ship as Arcia pinged the ship’s internal communications array.

“Bridge to Quartermaster Skar, report to the bridge immediately,” her tone was direct.

After waiting what felt like an eternity, the lift doors hissed open and a near out of breath Kaleesh stumbled in, signs of a quickly squared off uniform apparent on his clothing. The bridge was sparsely populated at this point, which brought confusion to the young man’s face. Clearing his throat, he sounded off as he approached the Captain.

“Quartermaster Rrogon Skar, reporting as requested, Captain.”

“About time you show up,” Cortel smirked. “Follow me.”

She rose from her chair and paced back towards the turbolift as the doors hissed open and she waited for the junior officer to join her. Once doors closed, the lift made a slow descent into the lower decks of the ship before stopping on Deck 5, but the doors did not open. Skar was beginning to ask if the doors were malfunctioning when Arcia turned to him, her expression dark.

“Stay here.”

With that, she manually accessed the controls and opened the doors, making her way through the corridors and into the ship’s hangar. Skar paced back and forth through the cramped space of the lift before his communicator pinged to life.

“Rrogon Skar, your presence is required within the hangar. Report at once,” Chief Naradas of Security barked.

Not knowing what was going on, the Quartermaster pried the doors of the lift open and set off after the Captain, trying to sort out the situation. As he turned corner and the bulk of the Hangar was open to him, he froze.

Lined in perfect ranks was the majority of the ship’s crew, all in uniform with a clear path between them ending with Captain Cortel and Commander Teroch Erinos. Teroch waved the other man forwards to join them as the crew began to stomp into the deck with one foot causing an echoed ‘clang’ to pass through the Hangar. Skar, with wide eyes, approached the crew and the Captain as she began speaking loud over the noise.

“Quartermaster Rrogon Skar. We, the crew of the Nighthawk, have gathered here today for a very special occasion. One that does not happen often aboard this ship, but when it does, it happens on very high praise.”

Skar stopped in front of Arcia and Teroch, standing at full attention, still not grasping the full idea of the situation before him as Cortel continued.

“Your tireless efforts and constant dedication to your Clan, your House, your crew have not gone unnoticed. You are always readily available to take on the tasks placed before you and show no signs of failing any time soon,” Arcia cleared her throat and smiled as she spoke even louder. “It is with great pleasure that I have been given authorization by our Summits to offer the appointment of one Rrogon Skar, Jedi Hunter to the rank of Dark Jedi Knight! Hoorah, Skar!”

The crew sounded off, “Hoorah, Skar!”

---

I am honoured to be recommending Skar for his elevation to the rank of Dark Jedi Knight. He has been an outstanding, active and driven member of House Galeres, Clan Arcona and the Brotherhood as a whole. Keeping himself motivated he has managed to complete all requirements set forth by the Master at Arms as Andrelious has expanded on.

Since joining Arcona he has been a well focused part of this Clan, if anything a little uneasy on his feet to start with but that soon changed. As time progressed so did this member, he began to integrate himself into a battle team as well as developing his character inside of the Brotherhood. What I always find inspiring is to see newer members like him continue to progress inside the House, since he has been under my leadership he has always been asking for work. Driving himself to find new ways to progress the house and bring new and creative ideas to the table.

For all of his hard work since his last elevation we welcome him to the last Journeyman rank. Congratulations on all of your hard work and effort Skar, I look forward to seeing what more you do in the future. Keep up the great work bud.

Quaestor of House Galeres

Cethgus Tiberius Entar, 2014-06-06 13:10:23 UTC

The time has come for Rrogon Skar to join the ranks of our many Dark Jedi Knights. His dedication to reaching this milestone has been impressive.

First of all, his competition activity has been excellent, with him taking part in no less than ten competitions, these being Sentence Run-On, Mass Effect 3, Crusadeology, Advertising Campaign, Ziost - Gaming Event, Maximum Brevity Series 4: 40 Long Years Later..., Caption That Doge #1, Caption that Doge #2, The Most Dangerous Bounty Hunter Game, Maximum Brevity Series 10: The morning after..., also managing to place in two of these. Additonally Skar has shown an interest in gaming, earning 201 Clusters of Fire since joining.

Skar has been helpful at a Clan level too, completing a project to list when every member of Arcona was last given a promotion and/or a medal, thus saving the summit a great deal of time in collecting that information themselves. He has further demonstrated an interest in leadership by passing both Shadow Academy leadership exams.

He has also written over 6,000 words of character fiction, showing a keen interest in character development.

Finally, Skar has both earned a merit medal, this being a Anteian Cross, and held the rank of Jedi Hunter for the requisite 28 days.

Congrats, Skar. Enjoy the lightsaber.

Clan Rollmaster, Arcona

, 2014-06-06 13:09:03 UTC

Skar has been active ever since joining Battleteam Nighthawk and hasn’t complained once about the tasks laid before him. It is that consistent attitude that is commendable and allows a member to finally move out of the Journeyman ranks and gain their saber at long last.

I just want to say great job on your work, Skar and keep it up.

Congratulations, Knight!

Battleteam Leader of Battleteam Nighthawk

Rear Admiral Arcia Cortel, 2014-06-06 13:10:18 UTC

For over 2 years Retden has been a member of Taldryan, and during that time he has been an active participant within the Clan. During those years he has performed the multitude of tasks required to move up within the ranks. He has participated in over 30 competitions, more than double the amount required of him. In those competitions he has managed to earn himself 3 Novae and 12 Crescents. His activity within the Shadow Academy has earned him 4 ranks within that Society. Overall his activity has earned him 2 Dark Crosses, and he continues to do what he can, when he can.

This day has been coming for quite some time. It has not bee the fastest or most direct route, but it has been steadily moving forward. There have been many obstacles placed in front of him over these 2 years, but we are now here to congratulate Retden on becoming a Dark Jedi Knight!

Lord Halcyon, 2014-06-05 01:29:01 UTC

Ah, Retden. I have longed for this day!

Retden has been a stalwart member of Taldryan (and the Brotherhood) for a little bit over two years - and in that time he has participated in dozens of competitions. including those from the Dark Crusade (where he was an important part of both our first place winning advertising and run on teams), the 2013 Independence games, and the Horizons Rite of Supremacy. Retden is no stranger to placement either, he has earned a full dozen crescents of various types, as well as two gold novae (for the previously mentioned Dark Crusade involvement).

He has remained an active member of Taldryan for these last number of months, and it is time to recognize his commitment to his unit as well as the Brotherhood as a whole, and has earned the rank of Dark Jedi Knight according to the promotion guidelines. Congratulations Retden!

Howlader Taldrya, 2014-06-05 01:21:59 UTC

River has been an active member of the DJB for the past ten months since becoming a Dark Jedi Knight. In that time, she has been a regular participant in gaming, competitions, operations, and has earned multiple clusters, and crescents for those activities. Friendly and engaging, she has also earned a Grand Cross for her overall performance in the Dark Crusade, a Steel cross for her performance in Operation: Soujourn, and earned a Dark Cross for participating in the ACC Closed Beta. The closed Beta was an important part of testing the new ACC, which is now seeing it’s largest event with over 70 participants. River took the time to be one of the few who stepped up to help us test that system. I can name a dozen veterans and Elders in this organization who couldn’t be bothered with something like this. Even with no past experience in something like the ACC, River was willing to test waters and try things out--all for the sake of helping the Brotherhood. It is incredibly rare to see that type of dedication in a Knight, let alone the veterans of this organization.

River also recently stepped up to take on a position that would help make changes to the forums for the club. This required time and research, as well as sending out an email to the Dark Summit--a collection of all the clubs leaders. She handled the concerns, feedback, and questions of the Dark Summit like a professional and did not baulk under the duress of veteran members. The latter is worthy of note because while the new Forums have not been activated yet, River has shown the maturity and poise we expect of not just our Equites, but the leaders of our organization. She has gone above and beyond the call of what we expect from our Knights.

For this, and much more, I elevate Riverche to the rank of Krath Priest. Keep up the good work, River.

Consul of Clan Arcona

Legend Wally, 2014-06-04 15:27:22 UTC

River is one of those humble, unassuming members so easily overlooked, but so utterly vital to the health of the Brotherhood. She has been consistently active since joining us in Arcona, and has been an excellent team player. I don't think she was well-known outside of Arconan circles prior to being selected as Forum Tribune, but her selection came as no surprise to those who've worked with her in the Clan, and who know how capable and diligent she truly is.

Her work in Arcona prior to her selection was extensive, and it was the interpersonal and leadership skills that she developed within her battleteam over ten months of consistently high activity that made her such a desirable choice. Already, she has displayed those skills in interacting with the Dark Summit and liaising with Brotherhood coders, demonstrating a maturity typically well-beyond the Journeyman pay grade. River has been a fixture both in Arconan competitions and in Brotherhood-wide events, blending quantity and quality in a manner that distinguishes her from most Dark Jedi Knights.

It's been a great pleasure to get to know River in the time we've shared in Arcona together, and I'm thrilled to be recommending her for this promotion. I have high hopes for her continued development as a leader and an innovator in the club. Congratulations, River, and thank you.

Legorii Arconae, 2014-06-04 15:25:52 UTC

I am honoured to be recommending Riverche for the elevation to the ranks of the Equites. She has been an active and dedicated member to the Brotherhood, participating in anything and everything that has come up recently, and driving herself to understand the site better and continue to enjoy it and bring enjoyment to others.

Riverche has continued to expand her knowledge of the Brotherhood as well, though at the rank of Dark Jedi Knight most members will forget to continue to expand their knowledge. She has taken nineteen exams as well as earning herself the Dark Pundit - Vendetta, showing that she still has been expanding her own knowledge. This is indicative of the self initiative that has continued to keep her going. On top of this, she has been a huge part inside of her battle team. Soulfire Strike team has benefited from having a member that keeps up activity and is willing to get involved in everything that she tries.

For all of her hard work and effort I am proud to see her step out from the Journeymen ranks and into the Equites. Congratulations Riverche you have earned this. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to seeing what you do in the future!

Quaestor of House Galeres

Cethgus Tiberius Entar, 2014-06-04 15:26:18 UTC

Riverche's activity during the recent Operation being run by Arcona was nothing short of exemplary. Despite being hard-pressed for time, she managed to bring herself to enter 10 of the 11 events, and even felt guilty that she had missed one. The sheer fact that missing an event led to an apologetic message shows what sort of member River is; one who strives for constant improvement and activity. She is the sort of member that makes it easy to be a leader, because she more or less directs herself. The events that she participated in (poetry x2, graphics x3, rage comic, a fiction, gaming, run-on and scouting report) were not just token entries to ensure participation, but in each case she put in time and effort to make sure that what she submitted she was happy with and was the best that she could do.

Riverche has been able to help me with leading Soulfire by being there to listen, helping me to understand the relationships she and the other members would have with each other and a whole manner of other little things that you can't really quantify. Her drive to succeed and be active is something that can sometimes be lacking in other members, and it's something which is very much valued within this club. Riverche deserves to be rewarded for the work she has done, and I can think of no more fitting reward than this elevation that we give to her.

Congratulations River, you've more than earned this.

Battleteam Leader of Soulfire Strike Team

Nadrin Erinos Arconae, 2014-06-04 15:26:46 UTC

One of the coolest things about the Dark Jedi Brotherhood is the constancy and continuity of its community across the Clans, in that its foundations remain relatively unchanged over the years. This makes it easy for members to come in and out, their levels of activity varying appropriately with the demands of their real life situations, and the amount of leisure time that they have available to dedicate to our crazy little hobby. Sight is one of our members who has taken full advantage of the continuity of the Brotherhood community, finding himself welcomed into a new home in Arcona, fitting right back into the tapestry of new friends and old that sustains us.

Sight has been a true model of activity and personal leadership, representing one of the crucial ingredients of success in any Clan by being enthusiastic, friendly, and helpful toward all. He's the rare mid-level veteran who knows what he wants out of the club, and does what he enjoys, serving as an example to fellow members of what the organization is really about.

I'll cede the true cataloguing of his achievements to his Summit leaders, and instead thank Sight for being, above all, a friend. Leaders are commonly asked to walk a thin line between fluff and commendation in their promotion recommendations, but in Sight's case, I can say with conviction that his friendliness, on IRC particularly, makes Arcona a more fun place to be, improving the DB experience for everyone. That, ultimately, is what we should seek to award amongst our members -- activities and achievements that make the club more fun for all of us.

Congratulations, Sight, and thank you for the important contributions you provide to Arcona and the Brotherhood. It's been awesome getting to know you, and I look forward to continuing to do so.

Proconsul of Clan Arcona

Legorii Arconae, 2014-06-02 13:51:32 UTC

Sight’s promotion to Knight took place while within the confines of House Odan Urr. There he was one of their most active members, constantly placing in competitions, assisting on projects and pushing others to learn more about the DB. He then decided to change things up a bit.

Since joining us from HOU, Sight has been a force to be reckoned with for some of our more tenured members. Dark Crosses, Crescents, CoFs and Pendants flood the inbox eachweek with his name attached to them. Every night you can find him gaming or offering insight to junior members on what they can do to get that next elevation or award, which is something to expect from an Equite. With his drive to 100% everything he does and his strong willingness to help others, there comes a time where you realize his own elevation is the only thing worthwhile.

I commend you for your efforts, Sight, and I look forward to seeing a great deal more from you in the future. Congratulations on this advancement within the ranks.

Welcome to the Equites.

Battleteam Leader of Nighthawk

Rear Admiral Arcia Cortel, 2014-06-02 13:49:45 UTC

Sight is an older soul to this club, but he comes back to join our ranks now as a whirlwind of exuberant energy. One of the first things he said to me was that he’d stayed up all night doing the coding courses in the SA, and I had to do a bit of a double take. Sight’s relentless. He earns savants, he games, he competes, all like crazy.

But he’s not just interested in himself. He constantly chats and interacts with his Battle team members and clanmates. He approached me personally expressing his longstanding wishes to be a mentor to others. Since then, we’ve set him up with a student, as our Quaestor can tell you, and it’s been nothing but brilliant. For being recently returned, Sight has been simply amazing. He deserves Equitehood, and more, for all his efforts. But for now, welcome, Sight. Congrats. You earned it.

Aedile of House Galeres

Golden Envoy Abbey Atty Attiter Ann, 2014-06-02 13:50:33 UTC

I am honoured to be recommending Sight for his elevation to the rank of Equite One. Since his last promotion he has been an active and steady member of the Brotherhood as a whole. As well as making himself known inside of Clan Arcona and House Galeres helping not only boost activity inside the House but inside his Battleteam as well.

He has been a constant active gamer, making his presence known as well as helping others inside games, including doing mob killing inside of Diablo 3. Helping others get gear and always being talkative to those around him with the game. For all of this gaming work he has managed to earn himself an impressive 683 Clusters of fire. As well as four pendants of blood showing his dedication towards the gaming community as well as expanding his experience and knowledge of the Brotherhood.

His activity and passion for competitions has also helped him inside of the Brotherhood, managing to place in sixteen competitions. Earning himself a Crescent with Diamond Star, four Crescents with Amethyst Star, six with Emerald Star, two with Sapphire, two Topaz and one Quartz a very impressive list of medals considering the amount of work he has done for competitions. Participating in a total of 35 amount of competitions, keeping a steady drive and making sure that he participates in everything possible, having a steady level of activity inside of the club.

He has recently begun teaching his own student helping mentor someone up the Journeymen ranks. Developing another member inside of the Brotherhood and helping them understand the club and how it works. Showing his devotion not only to his developing himself but helping others develop themselves inside of the club. For all of his work he has also managed to take in three Dark Crosses, showing his drive.

I am proud to be writing this recommendation for Sight he has been a steady member inside of House Galeres. For all of his constant hard work and his drive he has shown he is ready to step up to the Equite Ranks. Congratulations on this elevation Sight, I look forward to seeing what you do in the future. Keep up the hard work.

Quaestor of House Galeres

Cethgus Tiberius Entar, 2014-06-02 13:51:04 UTC

It seems that not a day goes past where I do not hear about you, Strata. Your superiors have sent glowing records regarding your accomplishments, which include:

• Pass Dark Brotherhood Basics Shadow Academy course
• Register on the DJB Forums
• Pass 4 Shadow Academy courses from the (Journeyman Hall) department(s) (currently 10/4: DJBWiki: An Introduction, Essentials 1: History, Essentials 2: Departments, Essentials 3: Paths & Orders, Essentials 4: Ranks, Essentials 5: Organization, Essentials 6: Medals, Vendetta 1: Foundation, Vendetta 2: Submission, Vendetta 3: Fiction and Graphics Tips)
• Pass 8 Shadow Academy courses from the (Journeyman Hall) department(s) (currently 10/8: DJBWiki: An Introduction, Essentials 1: History, Essentials 2: Departments, Essentials 3: Paths & Orders, Essentials 4: Ranks, Essentials 5: Organization, Essentials 6: Medals, Vendetta 1: Foundation, Vendetta 2: Submission, Vendetta 3: Fiction and Graphics Tips)

An expedited recommendation for your promotion has been transmitted to the Master-at-Arms.

May the Force guide you, Disciple,

SWL Dacien Victae di Plagia Headmaster

Lord Dacien Victae, 2014-06-03 14:41:03 UTC

I am delighted to announce that Lexiconus is now eligible for promotion to the rank of Jedi Hunter. Since joining only a few weeks ago he has proven to be a perfect example for any Journeyman to follow.

Firstly, he is now a regular in #arcona, where he is among the more talkative members, often starting or joining in with all sorts of topics of conversation. He has also been seen on the DB's voice server.

His competition activity has been second to none, having already taken part in no less than six competitions, managing to place in two of these. Also impressive has been his activity within the Shadow Academy, allowing him to not only obtain the 3rd rank within the SA Society, but also passing both leadership courses, showing a potential interest in future leadership.

Character development has also proven important, with Lexiconus writing over 2,000 words of character fiction.

Finally, he has been at the rank of Guardian for the requisite 21 days.

Congrats, Lexic. Now push on for that saber. ;)

Clan Rollmaster, Arcona

, 2014-06-03 12:59:11 UTC

There are a few in the club whose names live on long after they are gone. Their names, to an extent, become part of Brotherhood legend. Their efforts and deeds on our behalf stand the test of time. Purchased through toil, their labors of love elevate them into rare company. I have the pleasure of knowing a few of these men and women and the honor of calling them friends. One such, whose name I know will live on long after his service, is Valhavoc.

Simply, Val needs to be an Elder. He has smashed his way through every rank and position he has been given as one possessed. And though I cannot make him an Elder, yet, I can get him as close as some of us will ever come.

Sith Warlord is the pinnacle of the Equite population. These ones have shown devotion beyond the norm and proved themselves ready for the ultimate step to Elder. Val has shown that he belongs among them. Underneath the hood of his usual ease and humor is a workhorse engine constantly hitting on all eight cylinders. Below, I'll enumerate some of what he has accomplished as Fist since his last promotion.

Since October Val has run the popular Gorefest gaming competition. Ever on the lookout for ways to entice members to get together and game, he also proposed the idea of the Grand Master's Royal Guard Progress Bar. Further in the realm of the GMRG, and I will not spoil it, Val has devised another great "meta-game" for GMRG members to delve into and earn awards. But you will see more about that in the coming months.

Val also took the initiative to redesign the way the GMRG rank structure functions. This was a very popular change and offered our busy members "safe ranks" for the first time. No more losing all that hard work due to real-life crushing one's time to game. Val saw the complaint our members had and took action.

Venturing out beyond the GMRG changes, one notices Val's comprehensive reformation of the Rites of Combat, the "rules" which govern all our gaming activity. Historically, these were somewhat complicated and over-involved. Val has streamlined the RoC so that it is straightforward and accessible to our members new and old alike. Again, we can see the pattern emerging of our membership desiring change and Val quickly and thoughtfully responding to that desire.

Val was also left a sizable mess to clean up following the departure of the previous Fist. Namely this was in the area of the only Star Wars Massively Multi-player Online Roleplaying Game available to us, Star Wars The Old Republic. As one who plays ToR, I was able to witness his efforts to restore the Guild and viability of this platform first-hand.

Across the whole of ToR, Operations, Flashpoints, etc., Val cleaned up and simplified what awarded Clusters of Fire and what did not. He reorganized the Guild rank structure, called for Unit Representatives from each of our Clans and Houses to aid members in enjoying and maximizing their ToR experience, and purchased a new and dedicated TeamSpeak server not just for use with ToR, but all our gaming platforms. I even tried to pay for this so he would not have to and Val has yet to give me his PayPal info. The man simply wants to help in every way he can and asks for nothing in return.

I say often, "The work is the reward." Val embodies this. He enjoys what he does. Val is truly a subject-matter expert in his chosen field. He loves gaming and loves coming up with ways to make it more fun and accessible to all of us.

Such is the example of his recent organization of a Brotherhood Guild for the wildly popular Diablo III. Val adapts to what members want and need and he does it quickly. Another example of this can be seen in his constant push to provide mobile gaming opportunities for our members. He recently developed a support structure for the fun and challenging Star Wars Assault Team mobile application. He is constantly on the lookout for more mobile platforms he can work into a format that makes them available for our members. By doing this, he allows them to benefit from the synergy of doing what they enjoy normally and reaping benefits on the club-side of things.

What really sets Val apart though, in my mind, are his constant works outside of his chosen office. Val is a gifted organizer and has an eye for detail. He has helped us immeasurably throughout the challenging Dark Crusade event far beyond simply running gaming. He has contributed to every discussion we have had, pointed out improvements, and discovered flaws where we otherwise would have missed them. He has covered down on judging when and where we needed it and was often the first to ask for more work to do.

Val has also contributed greatly to our ongoing Possessions System work. He is constantly among the first to respond with feedback and ideas to our email exchanges and makes himself available virtually 24/7 to bounce ideas off of. Email, IRC, WhatsApp. Val is always there to help out.

He also was a key part of our Prestige redesign that went live recently. Val worked up much of the re-balanced values and helped sort the logic behind making everything as fair as possible.

Did I mention he somehow found time to mentor Zednich to Dark Jedi Knight?

As anyone can see, Val continues to revolutionize the way we handle gaming as a club. But beyond this, he continues to prove himself as a valuable Councilor even outside his own position. Besides perhaps Herald and Seneschal, I cannot think of a DC job for which Val is not qualified. Moreover, Val is one of our most trusted members. He has earned it, and our respect, time and time again.

But if I keep going, he'll never get promoted. So I will just say, thank you, Val, for everything you do for the club and the rest of us on the DC. It would be a darker place without you, partner.

Congratulations on Sith Warlord!

-Raken, Deputy Grand Master

Raken, 2014-06-03 04:50:07 UTC

I recently contacted the Deputy Grand Master and Grand Master requesting the elevation of our Fist, Valhavoc. My recommendation was based on a long and lengthy list of Val's accomplishments over the past 8 months. Simply put, Val has updated, rewritten, and improved nearly every single gaming aspect of the Dark Brotherhood. Val's work has streamlined the submission of CFs, clarified awarding criteria, and reinvigorated the GMRG.

We should also not overlook Val's steady and consistent contribution following the epic meltdown of his predecessor. A normal, consistent, and thought provoking human being is exactly what the Dark Council needs more of.

Thanks for all you do!

Grand Master Declan Roark, 2014-05-29 15:36:59 UTC

Valhavoc is one of the most responsive Dark Councillors I have ever had the pleasure to know. During my time as Aedile and Proconsul in Plagueis, I witnessed Val quickly and directly addressing questions and concerns raised by my members, clearly taking their suggestions to heart. He also took the time to mentor Zednich, providing goals and guidence and coordinating with the Plagueis Summit to move Zed through the ranks and ensure he was appropriately rewarded for all his work.

In the month since I assumed the mantle of Headmaster, Val has rewritten or edited three seriously out-of-date gaming-related exams, consulted with me on the future of gaming-related Shadow Academy degrees, and assumed the responsibility of being Professor of the brand new Department of Gaming Studies without missing a beat. As FIST, Val goes above and beyond, taking a "Whole Brotherhood" view of his position -- an ideal for the Dark Council.

This promotion is fully earned, and I'm sure it's only one more stepping stone for a bright career. Congratulations, Val!

Lord Dacien Victae, 2014-05-29 16:38:29 UTC

The importance of the Fist to the Dark Brotherhood cannot be overstated. Gaming has been one of the two primary sources of activity for this club from the beginning.
The efforts that Valhavoc has made to re-invigorate interest in gaming have been tremendous to observe.

Working with other members of the DC for feedback and additional input, he completely revamped the GMRG rank system to encourage people to game more, without artificially restricting them on how quickly they could advance.

He runs the monthly Gorefest competition.

He was instrumental in keeping the Prestige revamp discussion alive and moving in the right direction, so that we could properly award people not just for their participation and performance in competitions, but also for how much they give back to their Battle team, House, Clan, or to the DB as a whole.

He made sure that when the expansion for Diablo 3 was released, the rules for awarding Clusters of Fire were awarded as quickly as possible to avoid a sudden imbalance in how people could accumulate them.

And he's consistently trying new games out as platforms for DB activity to see if it's something that will catch our interest.

In short, he's making it easier, and hopefully more fun and more rewarding, to play games within the DB community.

How could we not reward that?

Congratulations on your promotion to Sith Warlord, Valhavoc!

Master Gavriel Kadesh, 2014-05-29 17:22:40 UTC

Since being appointed Fist of the Brotherhood, Valhavoc has been working non-stop to revolutionarize anything gaming-related in our club. From the GMRG to the Cluster of Fire calculation tables, from Diablo 3 to cell-phone games, there is not a single gaming-related aspect I can think of that hasn't seen Valhavoc's touch of improvement. And it doesn't stop there: Going beyond his call of duty as Fist, Valhavoc has contributed to numerous other projects, which include, but are not limited to, the recently completed Prestige rework, the Possessions System, several Shadow Academy courses, the Old Republic Guild, and even mentoring a student to Knight.

Valhavoc, this promotion is fully earned, long overdue, and well deserved. Thanks for all your work!

Ascendant James Lucius Entar, 2014-05-30 13:48:07 UTC

I'd never gotten to write a promotion recc for Val before, which I am more than happy to remedy right now. He was my Aedile and the best one that anyone could ever have. He seriously works and plays hard. I watched this man blast through ranks at record speed and I knew one day he'd even surpass me because of how dedicated he is. He was supposed to be my successor too, but he went from new QUA to Fist in all of 5 minutes and all I could do was shout at him because I had already stepped down! But as Fist he went on to do great things as my fellow Councilors have explained. I expected it though, his work ethic is incredible and he brings a maturity to the position and the club, both of which is admirable and hopefully emulatable by others. I seriously missed working with him, so being on the DC and getting to collaborate with Val again has been wonderful. Thanks for all you do Glenn, and congratulations!

General Socorra Tenebrosa Nhar’qual Erinos, 2014-06-02 15:01:21 UTC

There are those who take a job and do the work. They show up on time, do as they're told, keep their head down, and refuse to make waves. Stable, reliable, consistent. These are some of the good traits. Some of the lesser ones are beurocratic, risk-averse, and narrow. There is a time and a place for that.

The Dark Council is not that place.

Since taking up the mantle of the Fist of tjhe Brotherhood, Valhavoc has acted much as the name implies. He gets ferocious when he sees people abusing our systems tot heir own end. Downright brutal. His love for this place, his devotion to all of us to fight so hard, to care that we all get a fair shake is central to how he operates. He takes that fire and he drives us forward with it. He is constantly refining our policies, not only in his area of expertise, but also any time that we brong anything to the table of Dark Councilors. He weighs in, without fail, turning his formidable mind and impressive experience, in the real world and in the Brotherhood, to bear on the situation at hand. He is unafraid to question why we do things. He is not complacent with what we have already done, seeking to improve, even if by inches.

He may be a younger member as far as time in the club goes, but he has more than earned his stripes. Holding down any dark council gig is hard enough. Just doing what you are told is difficult sometimes. It is the mark of a man to seek higher, to push further, and work harder than he has to.

Valhavoc, I am glad to know you, and even happier to have you on my Dark Council. Please accept this promotion as a token of our esteem. Thank you.

~Muz Ashen, The Lion of Tarthos

Lord Muz Ashen Keibatsu, 2014-06-03 02:31:35 UTC

You're already beginning to make a name for yourself, Galen "Osiris" Orillian. I have heard reports from House Qel-Droma that you have managed to:

• Pass Any Shadow Academy course except (test_of_lore,advancement_survey)

I have recommended you for immediate promotion.

Congratulations, and may the Force guide you, Novice,

SWL Dacien Victae di Plagia Headmaster

Lord Dacien Victae, 2014-06-02 22:06:19 UTC

Galen "Osiris" Orillian, you have successfully passed the Test of Lore and earned the rank of Apprentice. While you may currently be on a shuttle to House Qel-Droma, I will continue to follow your progress with great interest.

May the Force guide you, Apprentice,

SWL Dacien Victae di Plagia Headmaster

Lord Dacien Victae, 2014-06-02 20:08:07 UTC

To Whom It May Concern: Today I have the privilege of giving my voice to the call of our newest Knight. Since joining the DJB back in mid-December Black Eagle has worked ceaselessly to become a full and involved member of this club. It has been a great opportunity to work with him as his master and Quaestor. And now at the end of his trials, I am thrilled to say he has reached the point where he is more than ready to be Knighted.

It takes a lot of work for a member to reach this point, and for many, it is enough to push them away. Black Eagle has instead worked hard every day to prove himself. At the time of this writing he has participated in 16 total competitions, ranging from House level competitions such as You Smuggler and Knife in the Dark, to DJB Wide ones such as the FIST’s Monthly Mobile gaming. He participated in the first round of the Fading Light Crusade Epilogue by helping one of HSP’s two teams successfully finish the run-ons. He was one of the major participants in HSP’s latest round of the Looking Home Campaign. Of these he has earned both a Crescent with Amethyst Star and a Topaz Star. I know in the future Black Eagle will continue to show this drive of activity across levels of the club. As a knight he will continue to carve out a name for both himself and for HSP. He even helped with the LHC as part of his summit task, both by working to keep activity up on the run-ons, but by also keeping track of everyone who was participating and who did enough to earn Clusters of Ice. This made both Koryn’s and my lives easier so we could focus on grading instead of also worrying about a lot of the bookkeeping information we needed. His efforts have also netted him a nice shiny Dark Cross as well.

Over the last six months, he has also run several competitions of his own. The most recent one, “Who is the Prankster King?” was a DJB wide competition. This has given him continued insight into the club, something he can use going forward to bring even more competitions to both HSP and the DJB as a whole.

Black Eagle is also well studied from efforts in the Shadow Academy. Not only has he earned things such as the Dark Maven in Flight Studies, he has passed both Leadership Studies and Fundamentals with flying colors (97% and 100% respectively). And unlike so many other who I have seen take this exam, he did so without having to take it several times and work with a leader to figure out how to reach a passing score. Black Eagle has a good head on his shoulders and is someone I believe can someday be an effective leader.

All of this shows Black Eagle’s commitment to the club and his resounding successes as a member. But the DJB is also a major roleplaying club. With approval from the T:W, Ben, his character history Wikipedia page is a solid foundation from which he can continue to develop the character of Black Eagle. He has a rich history full of betrayal and has left it open enough that moving forward he will not be continually bogged down by the past. As part of his character development he worked incredibly hard on finishing and over 3000 word story as part of his trials. This was something he admitted he had never done before and he really got into giving a fun and interesting story about some of Black Eagle’s recent adventures here in the club. In this case it revolved around rescuing his twin brother and learning the secrets of his true parentage.

All in all, Black Eagle is a very kick ass member. Whether it be chatting on IRC or slaying it with competition participation, he is a very welcome face and new life here in Scholae Palatinae. We are all very glad that the Beagle is here and involved as a member of our tightknit little family. The Empire only endures due to the efforts of members like Black Eagle. To Black Eagle I say this, welcome to Knighthood, things are just getting started. Drinks are on you!

Lord Idris Adenn, 2014-06-02 17:47:20 UTC

Black Eagle has been a staple on IRC, in competitions, and in the Shadow Academy. I have personally graded a large amount of his SA tests, and am impressed with his overall knowledge of the subject matter. He is a great addition to our crew on IRC, and has submitted to numerous competitions for Scholae Palatinae. He is one of the best in our new breed of Dark Jedi, and we're proud to have him.

Much deserved promotion to Knight. Well done!

Archangel Palpatine, 2014-05-28 03:52:57 UTC

Beagle has been an excellent addition to Scholae Palatinae. His work ethic is excellent as shown by the number of SA courses completed, competitions competed in, and his interaction with the other members of Scholae via IRC and email communications. This last part is important as it shows that the member actually is becoming a part of the group. That is what the Dark Jedi Brotherhood is about: community.

I congratulate Black Eagle on his attaining the rank of Dark Jedi Knight, and I hope to be able to write more of these recommendations in the future.

General Kell Palpatine Dante, 2014-05-29 18:31:11 UTC

Black Eagle is one of the most dedicated members of our House. I have seen his development in recent months. He has became a really active member and he continues to develop his skills. I believe that Black Eagle is ready to become the Dark Jedi Knight and move beyond the Knighthood. Congratulations!

Adept Xantros, 2014-05-31 07:34:49 UTC