The older Sith watched his apprentice's victim slump to the ground in front of him. Zednich had completed his trials and constructed his own lightsaber. The young Plagueian showed no remorse when Valhavoc had ordered him to slay the captive, never wavering from his goal. His anger had tempered him into a fine instrument of warfare, rage increased his strength and prowess beyond the capabilities of a normal human.

"Very good my apprentice. There is hope for you yet," the Correlian commented.

As Zednich powered down his lightsaber Val approached him, no doubt the Journeyman though the captive was his final trial. They always did. Stopping a few paces from his apprentice the Fist looked him over a final time.

"You fight with rage Zednich, but that is not the only emotion in our arsenal. Tell me, have you mastered your fear? Can you bend it to your will or when pressed will you succumb to it?"

Horrifying memories and thoughts assaulted Zednich's mind. His platoon screamed for his help while he lay unconscious on Athiss as a deranged Jedi stalked among them killing each one. Suddenly he was watching as the mine his father worked in on Garnib collapsed, crushing his father's body, eyes blankly staring into the void. His trial on Iridoniato ended with another student retrieving the relic and him failing to prove himself at the Shadow Academy.

The Jedi Hunter dropped to a knee, grasping at his head, "No... that's... that's... not what happened. The relic... was mine..."

"What if you had failed then Zednich? What if next time... you make a mistake..."

A vision entered his mind of his mother's farm on Taanab, a group of Jedi and Soldiers had tracked him there. A fight ensued, Zednich mercilessly slayed them all... only to find his mother was killed during the battle. The former Lieutenant roared with rage, and ignited his lightsaber. His Master followed suit, and continued the mental assault as their duel began.

Sabers clashed and furniture turned into projectiles as the two clamored across the richly decorated office. Valhavoc's cruel smile constantly taunting him, just as the implanted memories and visions chipped away at the Jedi Hunter's psyche. Slowly Zednich was learning to turn his fear into a weapon, to twist it to strengthen his own attacks.

The pair locked blades, faces inches apart. The journeyman was entirely focused on his opponent. Suddenly his master leapt back from him. Zednich's moment of surprise gave way to the realization that the Fist's desk had just been thrown into him, pinning the human to the opposite wall. Zednich's lightsaber leapt from the floor to Valhavoc's hand as he approached the younger man. Unsure if the test was over Zed pushed the desk off of him and stood ready to engage his Master yet again, unarmed.

Valhavoc stopped an arms reach from the man and spoke a single word, "Kneel."

Zednich complied, bowing his head to the floor of the decimated office.

"Now rise, as a Dark Jedi Knight," Zednich lifted his head to find Valhavoc's gloved hand, with the lightsaber Zed had carefully constructed resting in his palm. As the Knight grasped his weapon the realization of this new larger world he had entered began to sink in and he smiled.

---

Zed has torn through the final requirements for his promotion like a hurricane. Since he joined just over six weeks ago he's jump right into the DJB and never looked back. He has already earned two merit awards, six Crescents, and one Gold Nova (for his first fiction, written within days of joining) after participating in a staggering seventeen total competitions. Zed continued to show he was not content to merely participate in events, but wanted to organize and create opportunities for other members to participate as well. He set up "The Battle of the Bakers" (creating the most realistic Star Wars Christmas Cookie) and "Darth Poe" (comedy focused poetry about the Force) events for members to participate in.

Zed has made the Shadow Academy his second home completing a total of 43 courses, including both Leadership Courses, and earning four Dark Maven Degrees. At Rank 4 in the Shadow Academy Society he shows no sign of slowing down. Currently he's one course away from earning a Dark Savant in Writing and Philosophy as well!

Zed has expanded on his character background by completing his character's Wiki Article and gaining approval of a Wiki Staff member for it. This did not sate his desire to dive further into character fiction however, writing a 3,000 word fiction which was approved by his Summit and myself, and earning a Dark Side Scroll for contributing a ACC venue in the Voice competition which completed earlier today. Zed has his character sheet completed (until he gets this promotion!) and ready to begin taking the battle to the other writers of the Brotherhood in the ACC as soon as the Open Beta launches.

Congratulations Zednich Wolfram, on your promotion to the final step in your Journeyman career! You've earned yourself your own Lightsaber on your Dossier, and access to some pretty sweet new Robes. Continue on the path you've begun, maintain activity within your House and the Brotherhood, and keep a positive attitude. These will be the keys to entering the ranks of the Equites, and become a full member of the Sith Order. Well done!

-Valhavoc, Fist of the Brotherhood

Valhavoc, 2014-01-06 01:48:03 UTC

Rhiann Baenre, you continue to impress. You're growing more competent each day and you will surely rival the Dark Council when the time is right. You have met the requirements for promotion, and a recommendation has be filed. Your accomplishments include:

• Begin to outline character history for eventual posting on the Brotherhood Wiki, as approved by House leadership or Master
• Participate in 3 competitions (currently 3/3: Pazaak Party, Weekly Sadow Trivia - Week VI, Name That BT)
• Have been awarded 10 Clusters of Fire (currently 15/10)
• Logon to IRC and visit Clan channel

I will continue to watch your progress, Rhiann Baenre, but my direct intervention in your promotions must come to an end.

You will go far within this Brotherhood.

May the Force guide you, Protector,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-05 23:30:11 UTC

Seridan Brehevik, you continue to impress. You're growing more competent each day and you will surely rival the Dark Council when the time is right. You have met the requirements for promotion, and a recommendation has be filed. Your accomplishments include:

• Begin to outline character history for eventual posting on the Brotherhood Wiki, as approved by House leadership or Master
• Have an approved character sheet on record
• Logon to IRC and visit Clan channel
• Pass 8 Shadow Academy courses from the (Journeyman Hall) department(s) (currently 10/8: 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, DJBWiki: An Introduction)

I will continue to watch your progress, Seridan Brehevik, but my direct intervention in your promotions must come to an end.

You will go far within this Brotherhood.

May the Force guide you, Protector,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-05 22:06:43 UTC

Dark Warrior222, you have successfully passed the Test of Lore and earned the rank of Apprentice. While you may currently be on a shuttle to House Taldryan, I will continue to follow your progress with great interest.

May the Force guide you, Apprentice,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-05 20:25:46 UTC

I know that there is not much else I can add to what Vaar has so wonderfully written. Yuriko has worked hard and steady to get to this next stage. She in my opinion has earned the right to carry a lightsaber just from the seven hundred forty one cluster of fire. Since her return from the rogues she has been steadily working with her Master, Vaar to get to Dark Jedi Knight. Congrats Yuriko on making DJK!

Teu Buhkari Sadow, 2014-01-05 14:52:29 UTC

I can't describe the feeling that is seeing someone join the Dark Jedi Brotherhood and helping them along their journey from Initiate to Knight. It's such a mind-blowingly incredible process. You get to meet someone, learn about them, where they're from, what kind of person they are. You invest your time and your friendship in them so that you can help them grow and learn, which is something I can't describe with words. I've watched this wondrous journey from start to finish and it's been a blessing of an experience.

When Yuriko first joined the Brotherhood, it was as a shy new woman who wasn't sure whether to speak up in a channel, didn't know how to play TOR in terms of end-game flashpoints and operations. However, here she stands, ready to take up the mantle of a Knight of the Brotherhood, of someone who has learned our crazy ways and embraced them fully, has forged friendships and bonds and learned so much - she's out-geared me, beaten me at everything that we've competed in or at the very least fought me to a stand-still. She's a better TOR player than I am, that's for sure. To see her participating in the Clan, in the Brotherhood as a whole despite her initial hesitation in doing so, is wonderful. That is the mark of someone you want to make a Knight.

I watched her join House Shar Dakhan when she first joined the Brotherhood formally, and I was there with her - I brought her onto Tenebrae as Battleteam Leader when I first established it. I worked with her a lot early on as I took her on as my student after we became friends through constant use of Teamspeak. She and I beat TOR down. We raided, we did warzones, we did flashpoints, we levelled characters. We pulled together literally over a thousand Clusters of Fire between ourselves just with the work we did together, and it was such an insanely incredible ride. We had to work hard to get there. We competed for gear, both being Marauders. We experienced the ups and the downs that was a gaming guild, as many do - we're just people, after all. People come and go, life happens every now and then. Yet, despite all that, she got interested. She participated in the Dark Crusade, despite being very unconfident as a fiction-writer and managed to earn a Silver Nova for a writing event for the Dark Crusade. She participated in the Independence games and won a Silver Nova for gaming there, too. Heck, she ran an event with me in the Independence Games, which is an amazing feat for someone who didn't normally run with the Brotherhood as a whole. She participated and it made me so incredibly happy to see her come to love this club in the same way I do.

Then we both took breaks, for various reasons. Life gets in the way. When we both came back, to Marka Ragnos, the first thing she did was look at the promotion guidelines and devoted herself to getting to where she wanted to be. She set herself the goal of attaining Dark Jedi Knight, and here she is, not long after. She took to her goal and crushed it, in the finest traditions of our beloved Clan. This is someone who, in her own way, is a real member of this Clan and this Club. She has met and made friends here that have lasted a while - so many of her friends have caught up with her again and it's so amazing to see the bonds that she forged have not been broken. People welcomed her with open arms back into the guild and gave her some serious warm welcomes when they recognised her name. This is what the Brotherhood is, and what it stands for - great people, no matter who, where, or when you are. It makes me so incredibly happy to see her rising up through the ranks and being recognised for her efforts, as well as the fact that people know her name, withstanding the test of time.

What is she doing now? What has she done to earn this promotion? Well. More than seven hundred Clusters of Fire, two competitions run (one of which is hands down my favourite right now), plenty of time in rank, GMRG rank of IV, a small stack of competitions participated and placed in with most of those being Novae, two merit awards given for participation and excellence in doing so. You cannot deny that Yuriko's prowess as a gamer has extended into the Brotherhood. She's performed when asked, stepped up to the plate and absolutely hit it out of the park. Her skills are impeccable... even if her obsession with pink and shiny things does occasionally get in the way.

She might not be a perfect model of a glory-seeking member of the Brotherhood. You won't see her in IRC. What you will see is a member of the Brotherhood who adores what they do, who loves it with every fibre of their heart and soul, and chases what they do with a passion. Yuriko is a gamer, first and foremost. Check her dossier. She's got more Pendants of Blood than most FIST staff. She's got more Clusters of Fire than entire battleteams, even whole Houses, put together. You look at her gaming record and you'll see her up there with the talents of the likes of Cethgus and Valhavoc - and they're both FIST staff. She's the kind of person you want to play TOR with, to get to know. If you want to talk to someone about gaming, about being a good TOR player, then you talk to Yuriko, because it's what she does, what she loves, what she's good at. Where her strength lies is somewhere many of our members have long since forgotten, so I am thankful that someone is still keeping the flame alive in something I love with a passion, with an inherent part of my own personal experience here in this club. It's nice to see someone care about it as deeply as I do.

Rise a Knight of Sadow, Yuriko Mortehana, and rise with my thanks. Thank you for letting me take this journey with you. Thank you for sharing my passion, my insanity, my pushing and prodding and the rollercoaster ride of emotions this brought on for the both of us. Take up your new lightsaber and stand tall amongst us all. You've earned this more than words can express.

Congratulations, Yuriko!

Vaar Mai, Master, Aedile of House Marka Ragnos.

Battlelord Mateus Kelborn, 2014-01-05 14:52:08 UTC

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

• Logon to IRC and visit Clan channel

I have recommended you for immediate promotion.

Congratulations, and may the Force guide you, Novice,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-05 08:10:23 UTC

Ioned Devrael, 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,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-05 04:23:42 UTC

Xeipha, you continue to impress. You're growing more competent each day and you will surely rival the Dark Council when the time is right. You have met the requirements for promotion, and a recommendation has be filed. Your accomplishments include:

• Begin to outline character history for eventual posting on the Brotherhood Wiki, as approved by House leadership or Master
• Participate in 3 competitions (currently 5/3: Dozen of Games II, Dozen of Games II: Round 4 - Curve-Ball, Caption Time! New Years Caption Contest #1, Caption Time! New Years Caption Contest #2, New Year Resolutions)
• Participate in 5 competitions (currently 5/5: Dozen of Games II, Dozen of Games II: Round 4 - Curve-Ball, Caption Time! New Years Caption Contest #1, Caption Time! New Years Caption Contest #2, New Year Resolutions)
• Logon to IRC and visit Clan channel

I will continue to watch your progress, Xeipha, but my direct intervention in your promotions must come to an end.

You will go far within this Brotherhood.

May the Force guide you, Protector,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-05 02:26:18 UTC

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

• Pass Dark Brotherhood Basics Shadow Academy course
• Participate in 1 competition (currently 1/1: Pazaak Party)
• Have been awarded 5 Clusters of Fire (currently 8/5)
• Logon to IRC and visit Clan channel

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

May the Force guide you, Acolyte,

CCL Solari Headmaster

Master Windos, 2014-01-04 23:54:25 UTC

It has been some time since Defender Ryan Neale last saw an increase in power. During this time has seen him working through a steady flow of participation in various competitions including the Dark Crusade. He has found success in many instances landing himself crescents as well as a Dark Cross. In addition to all this great work, he has shown an interest in leadership at the Shadow Academy, and been active socially on the House mailing list. It is for all these reasons that I feel that Defender Ryan Neale is ready to take the next steps and be awarded the rank of Padawan. I look forward to seeing you continue to develop Jedi, as a guardian of peace and justice.

Lord Nevan Taelyan, 2014-01-04 23:42:44 UTC

Ryan has, without a doubt, been one of the most active members in the Knights of Allusis battleteam ever since I took the helm as BTL. He has won second place in Season 3 of Knights of Allusion, and while it may seem of little significance, the fact that he gave his best to write a good fiction for that competition shows me he is a valuable member. Experience comes with time, but the drive to make it happen is what matters now. Apart from that he has, within the free time that he has, stayed in contact with me about his duties always asking "What's next?". For his dedication and hard work I would like to recommend him for the Padawan rank. Congratulations, Ryan.

Governor Tierra Suha'sen, 2014-01-04 23:40:59 UTC