Tarax...many things can be said for Tarax. But let's keep it at this.
Tarax is a long and hard pillar of Taldryan, perhaps even the Brotherhood as a whole. Tarax is the kind of stand-up man that is not afraid to voice his opinion, he isn't a "yes man" that will just sit back and nod silently. He actively contributes on many levels for Taldryan. To shed a light on what I mean: I struggled with my health for a good month earlier this year, and Tarax (on his own accord) stepped up to keep things in Dinaari going in orderly fashion. Whether that was by hosting competitions, keeping other members informed, or - even on the most basic level - just being there as an approachable quasi-summit member.
I have gotten to know Tarax since the start of the Crusade a good year and a half ago, and I can honestly say that I am happy to know him, and that I often strive to be the same kind of person he is. Sometimes he'll complain about having to complete so many activities, but at the end of the day, my inbox is filled with emails from everything that he does. But he a standout member, a member you can count on, and a member who will contribute to every aspect of the clan with an honest integrity that many lack. I wish there were more of his kind in Taldryan. It may be a louder place then, and it's possible that it may sometimes give me a headache, but it'll be a place filled with people I can count on to keep Taldryan a healthy and fun environment.
Tarax, never change. You've deserved this award, and I feel that it is overdue.

Tarax...many things can be said for Tarax. But let's keep it at this.
Tarax is a long and hard pillar of Taldryan, perhaps even the Brotherhood as a whole. Tarax is the kind of stand-up man that is not afraid to voice his opinion, he isn't a "yes man" that will just sit back and nod silently. He actively contributes on many levels for Taldryan. To shed a light on what I mean: I struggled with my health for a good month earlier this year, and Tarax (on his own accord) stepped up to keep things in Dinaari going in orderly fashion. Whether that was by hosting competitions, keeping other members informed, or - even on the most basic level - just being there as an approachable quasi-summit member.
I have gotten to know Tarax since the start of the Crusade a good year and a half ago, and I can honestly say that I am happy to know him, and that I often strive to be the same kind of person he is. Sometimes he'll complain about having to complete so many activities, but at the end of the day, my inbox is filled with emails from everything that he does. But he a standout member, a member you can count on, and a member who will contribute to every aspect of the clan with an honest integrity that many lack. I wish there were more of his kind in Taldryan. It may be a louder placer, and it may sometimes give me a headache, but it'll be a place filled with people I can count on to keep Taldryan a healthy and fun environment.
Tarax, never change. You've deserved this award, and I feel that it is overdue.

I have known Tarax for a number of years, and have seen him in different situations. It is astounding how much he has grown over the years, and has truly become an integral part of Taldryan. Since Taldryan has become a Clan Tarax has been at the forefront of both activity and leadership. Although not in a specific role as leader, he has continued to push others to participate and motivate where he could. He is a veteran of the Clan, and acts in a manner befitting that status. His role in creating activity for the entire Clan with his little competitions is a great example of that.

Also, his own personal activity has been great. When called upon he is always there to help out the Clan, and has played important roles in some of the more recent wins that Taldryan has garnered. He is active in all sorts of manner, equal to many in this club, and is a mainstay on IRC. Her personifies this Clan, and we are lucky to have him.

Tarax has been a dedicated and loyal member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood for as long as I can remember. This dedication is often overlooked, but it should not be. Tarax is a constant force on IRC, a participant in all major events, a leader within his Clan, and one of the most active Dark Brotherhood members in term of news page commentary and visibility.

It is actually mind blowing that Tarax does not have a Sapphire Blade and this award is long overdue. Congrats buddy.

Trying to explain what Tarax means to Clan Taldryan isn't something one can easily do. I'm sure other people will list out the amount of activity Tarax generates for the Clan so that I don't have to. I'm sure other people will try to address just what it is that Tarax brings to us. What it is that he contributes. Some idiots out there might believe that Tarax is nothing more than a troll, that all he does is done to cause chaos and for his enjoyment.

Those people are only 20% right.

What Tarax is, beyond any other measure, is a motivator. His constant needling of the people around him and above him on the chain of command is nothing short of brilliant. He simply recognizes one simple thing: that in this place where we're constantly being told your shortcomings are okay because you're just a volunteer, motivation is key. If we're constantly being held to the standard that mediocrity is okay, we'll never grow. Tarax doesn't accept mediocrity, and he'll never allow us to simply sit on our laurels: he needles us until we grow, until we address our shortcomings, or until we rage-quit.

But that alone? It's not enough to justify the awarding of a Sapphire Blade, well, at least it's not enough to justify it to Tarax himself. Tarax doesn't compromise, which makes him a bit of an outlier in today's Dark Brotherhood, and along with not compromising, Tarax holds himself and others to a higher standard. He views what he does as nothing short of what an average member should do. Tarax doesn't think he's a standard that other people should aspire to, because he doesn't realize that his contributions, and activity, are far above what the average member does. He doesn't realize that, because that's how good he actually is.

The single biggest reason for Tarax to be awarded this Sapphire Blade is his self-sacrifice. Tarax is a servant of the Brotherhood. He serves it without any desire or need for recognition. He's recognized that ultimately, he's probably progressed as far as he'll go. But he still serves. He still constantly asks me for projects for him to work on. He asks me to help out with policy. He acts as a leader of men with no position to "justify" his leadership, because Tarax is a leader.

For the past few months, Tarax has been working on a guide to help new members understand and navigate the DB's Web properties better. He's been building this guide in his spare time, on top of all of his other commitments and activity. He's been building this guide simply because it might help us maintain a more accurate roster, and active membership. Most importantly, he's working on this not because someone asked him to, but because he saw the need and just stepped up to help.

Tarax deserves recognition for all that he does every day, and even more so for believing in his heart that he's not worthy of such recognition.

** thrust **

He is a black sheep, a permanent pariah. He asked no quarter of the bosses and none was given. He learned no lessons; he acknowledged no mistakes; he is as stubborn a Pole as ever stumbled out of Plagueis to take up the banner of Taldryan. He brooked no authority. He did what he wanted to do and he said what he wanted to say, and in the end he gave us the activity.

When thinking about writing this, it occurred to me that Tarax is an odd member. It isn't that he's a terrible human being (and he is), but rather, he exhibits all of the characteristics of a member far, far beyond his rank and positioned experience in the Brotherhood. He is able to advise our newest members on how things work (through his near constant IRC presence), and he offers both broad and specific policy and procedural advice to Adepts and Masters. Specifically, Tarax was an important part of the team that helped write (and proof) Taldryan's clanning document that was submitted and approved in early 2014.

In terms of raw activity - Tarax participated in all three major ACC activities this year (closed and open beta, as well as the Fading Light tournament), earning himself a buttload of Clusters of Ice in the process. He also participated in, was on the winning team (earning a Gold Nova), and was the MVP for the Fading Light run on. With that last distinction, Tarax earned himself the Sith Sword named Revelation. Finally, Tarax ran three clan wide competitions for Taldryan, driving further activity for our clan.

For his long serviced to Clan Taldryan and the Dark Brotherhood, Tarax should be awarded a Sapphire Blade. Congratulations!

To most throughout the Brotherhood, Tarax seems just a troll. For that matter, when I first returned to the Brotherhood, I thought this as well. But this last year working with Tarax has completely changed my mind. Tarax has shown himself to be among the most active members of Taldryan, and while his propensity to speak his mind and do as he wishes may not always earn him friends outside the Clan, he has earned my respect for his dedication to the Clan.

Tarax's accomplishments since the end of the "main phase" of the Crusades are many. To name just a few: he was on the recent winning team for the Fading Light Run-On and was the team MVP, he was a main writer in Taldryan's clanning document, he has maintained consistent activity in Brotherhood-wide events in the ACC(betas, and Fading Light), and he has participated in many Clan competitions. Tarax has always been an active participant at all levels of the Clan and House. Recently, though, Tarax has done more, and gone further. Seeing that both Kaz and I were otherwise occupied, both with illness and other commitments, Tarax offered to run several Clan competitions. During this period, Tarax continued to participate in competitions and assist in other ways as well, including constant communication to members through his presence on IRC and over email. It is not just that Tarax is a novae-winning member; it is also that he is committed and dedicated to seeing his House and Clan succeed any way he can.

Congratulations, Tarax! Now go name this one, too.