June 14... with this date it is exactly one year since I was appointed Headmaster. But before I look back at this year and forward to the next, I have a current business to resolve and it is the EP for the Obelisk Core course. I had two applications and it was a toss-up between a previous Headmaster - Mage - and one of my most reliable staff members ever - Kir Katarn.

I didn't make this decision easily, but in spite of Mage's merit, I'm giving this to Kir who wants to expand his involvement in the SA. This should also be considered a reward for being one of the very few Envoys who constantly keep me updated and are never neglecting their job.

Congrats Kir and sorry, Mage.

And now for the nostalgia moment. One year in the Dark Council and one year as Headmaster. HM has been a position with a large amount of fluctuation and on the other hand, the roster of past HMs read like a who is who of active members, may they have stayed with us or in the EH. The names Kumba, Shups, J'Lek, Mejas Doto, Troutrooper, Arion Sunrider, Mage and Pyralis are all known for more than just having been HM and it's an honor to continue that line.

When I took over the Shadow Academy, it was already working extremely well. Pyralis had left me with Dark Fury - the cornerstone of our "new member" training - mostly working and in place and the graduation rates were already on the rise. Under Mage and Pyralis, the Academy had also seen the beginnings of an expansion away from just being a short but necessary phase in Apprentice training towards an institution accompanying you throughout your Brotherhood career. My goal was to build on this great basis and improve it - offer more courses and provide a further increased speed and probability of graduation from the join form to the Clan.

Today, one year later, the number of courses has grown from nine to twenty-two, graduation rates have risen from 30% to 60% and the time from joining to becoming a Clan member has gone from around 4-5 days (or 7-10 days pre-Pyralis!) to under 2. In terms of sheer stats, 1,630 passes (4.45 per day) and 238 failed attempts (87.26% pass ratio) also speak a clear language of activity throughout the Brotherhood, especially when one considers that these 1,630 passes reflect 56.58 percent of all passes currently on file for the Brotherhood membership (2,881).

Several changes to the rank and promotion system for junior members have been undertaken to achieve these results.

Besides the core Academy work, I have also taken charge of developing the Brotherhood role-playing system and run the second issue of the Independence Games which finished just recently with over 800 submissions.

So, what's for the second year ? You can be sure I'm not done yet :)

• Completion of the roleplaying system

• Rounding off the course selection of the Academy

• Changes to the Envoy system to further improve the "staying power" of new initiates. This will however not happen before Rebirth tho as it'd be a major coding hassle otherwise.

• Using the possibilities of Project Rebirth to further improve the attractiveness of the Brotherhood to new members. I have some substantial changes in my drawer here.

• Developing the fictional layout and location of the Shadow Academy

• Working a rough competition plan I have in my drawers into something... major.

...and of course, you'll see me around with more ideas all over the place.

Before closing, I specifically wish to thank one man - and that man is Pyralis. Some of you may associate the change of the Headmaster position from a "hit approve" job to a place where things are actually done with my name, but this is at most partially true. The seeds were planted by Pyralis and, old man, I hope that when you read this lines, you know that what I'm doing is keeping alive what you taught me in early 2003. You're still my master even though we have the same rank now.

And with that, I'll leave you with a thought to everyone: You may feel that you can do better in a different position. But then, the position indicates what you must do, not what you can do. Don't see what it is today, see what you want it to be. And even the lowest Trooper or Tyro can make a change. It's not the rank or position that defines us - we left that behind when we left Eos. It is the people, and if you all make the best out of what you are, the Brotherhood will prosper beyond belief.

On to the next year, and give me some reason to write an even more optimistic report on June 14, 2005 :)