Welcome to the New Year! You guys haven't seen an official update from me in months and it's been long overdue. This is January's Activity and Rollmaster Report.

Activity Report

Incoming and Outgoing

Jaek Kaeth (Arcona), Tiberius di Cloud (Naga Sadow), Tur'el Sokar (Rogues), and Kal Vorrac (Rogues) have all stepped out of the House. We wish them good luck in the rest of the Brotherhood!

Xathia Edraven Erinos (Rogues), Celevon Edraven (Arcona), Ronovi Tavisaen (Dark Council), James Roberts-Brannigan (Rogues), Gaius Julius Caesar (Rogues), and Khan "Imperius" Kunar (Rogues) have either joined or reentered House Plagueis. Welcome!

Award Lists

Promotions

Evoroth Stigaryl: Protector, Guardian#### Competition Awards

Cluster of Fire: 132 in November, 313 in December, 216 in January (so far!)
Alaris Jinn di Plagia (33), Arden Karn (5), Celevon Edraven (4), Evoroth Stigaryl (38), Khan "Imperius" Kunar (25), Solus Gar (269), Teylas Ramar (177), Xenithius (46)

Legions of the Scholar:
Kant Lavar, Furios Morega (September 14 to 20)
Nite Dawn, Evoroth Stigaryl (October 26 to November 2)
Nite Dawn, Alaris Jinn di Plagia (November 3 to 9)
Kant Lavar (BTH - Trivia Week 2)
Solus Gar (G+ Hangout Trivia)

Crescents:
Diamond: Kal Vorrac
Ruby: Vessicant, Arden Karn, Eiko, Kuro Kogarasu
Amethyst: Alaris Jinn di Plagia, Teylas Rama
Sapphire: Silent, Arden Karn
Emerald: Telum Vas Umbra, Vessicant
Topaz: Evoroth Stigaryl

Seals of Affliction: 131

Merit and Sacramental Awards

Seals of Loyalty: Alaris Jinn di Plagia, Kal Vorrac, Solus Gar

Amethyst Kukri: Solus Gar

Grand Cross: Kal Vorrac
Steel Cross: Gaius Julius Caesar, Arden Karn
Anteian Crosses: Vessicant, Furios Morega, Alaris Jinn di Plagia
Dark Crosses: Tra'an Reith (2), Furios Morega, Tur'el Sokar, Celevon Edraven, Rediir, Kuro Kogarasu, Celevon Edraven

Shadow Academy

Classes Passed: Evoroth Stigaryl (1), Gaius Julius Caesar (11), Nite Dawn (1), Solus Gar (3), Arden Kar (1), Teylas Ramar (1), Garloaf (1), Xathia Edraven Erinos (1)

Degrees Earned:
Evoroth Stigaryl: Dark Maven: Philosophy
Solus Gar: Dark Maven: Service, Dark Savant: Leadership and Communication, Dark Savant: Service, Dark Savant: Tactics and Combat, Dark Sage: Law

Rollmaster Report

Maybe, someday, I'll add a few paragraphs of report fiction to these reports -- but for the time being, let's just jump in.

AWOL Check

As of my last check, we have 38 of our total 67 members reporting. You've seen my emails listing the names of people who haven't responded yet. If you know those people personally and can get a hold of them in some other way, please remind them. Korras has announced that the AWOL Check will remain open for the next week and will close January 21st. Get it done.

Competition Spotlight

With Dark Crusade on its way, there are a number of ways to get your name into the field. As Kuro already pointed out, the Shadow Academy is running a search through the corrupted Shadow Academy courses. Find the five hidden messages and send them in. If you're still on your way to Dark Jedi Knight, get out and participate even if you don't think you can win a Crescent for getting the answers first.

The Herald is running a graphics competition where you need to design a practice target your character would use. Sketch something on printer paper, open up Photoshop or GIMP, and warm up your camera or scanner so that you can submit before the end of the month.

After these competitions conclude, we are headed into a loooong adventure. If you haven't read up on the plans for the Dark Crusade, you need to stop and read Muz's latest report so that you're caught up to speed. Do it right now.

You should be as excited for Dark Crusade as I am. I cannot wait to get into the trenches with you guys. If you need my help over the course of the next twelve months, you know where to find me.

Activity Spotlight

In the next few months, I'll be developing an "Activity Spotlight" that highlights easy ways for Journeymen to net the next few rank requirements and for everybody else to brush up on skills, uncover a new activity, or just stay active.

I've got a small stock of ideas that I'll be working from, but I would love to hear thoughts from you guys as I go. The invitation will be open -- just shoot me an email with your ideas.

The Plagueian Path

"How will Master-Student relations exist under the new Plagueis? Will it be a matter managed largely by Summit oversight, or will it be centered around autonomy for the membership itself? Will there be any sort of system to vet new Masters and find them Students?" - Kal Vorrac Imagine with me a training center. Imagine this center is packed with Plagueians of all ranks and species training and vying for the attention of the Summit, Elders, di Plagia, and any possible masters. This is the beating heart of the world that I, as a character, will continue to deal with every day I hold the Rollmaster's position.

If you haven't been Knighted yet, imagine training, exploring Plagueis through combat and philosophy and all the studies of a Sith, Obelisk, or Krath. Imagine not understanding your own limits yet, collecting battle scars and rivals and allies and insight as you progress. You want my attention, the attention of my peers on the Summit, the attention of your future or present master.

Why the imaginary descriptions? It's much more organic.

To be straightforward, I will not be managing the Master/Student system tightly. Ideally, this should run itself as a part of a healthy community and will look less and less rigid -- and more and more like a community of mentors and friends eager to share community with one another.

That means autonomy, not automation. I will not be randomly assigning students to masters or the other way around. If you are not interested in being a student and would rather make the trek to Dark Jedi Knight alone, you can. If you don't feel like building a relationship with a student and would rather focus on competitions, you can. I don't suggest doing it this way, especially for Equites looking for advancement, but it can be done.

Masters, you will be asked to pick your students. Students, you will always have the right to request a master from me -- and then I'll speak with your chosen master before making things official. I don't want this to be an exercise in Summit dictation. I want active masters to be aware of new people, seek them out, and train them. In our imaginary training room, I will not force an Equite or Elder to enter that training room and pick a student out of raw obligation. That's not going to help anyone out and may actually drive a student out of the House or out of the club. I want interested and able Equites and Elders. I want motivated Journeymen. Yes, this is an ideal -- but it's one that I think we can foster as a group.

Question Time

Future rounds of "Question Time" won't be strictly "Ask-the-RM." Instead, next month, I'm going to open all the questions you guys ask to Tra'an and Solus as well. Ask one of us or any of us, but the answers will be pulled back into this report. It'll be "Ask-the-Summit," even if the answers are only posted in the Rollmaster's report.

"There has been an increase in members of the DJB coming to Plagueis and they bring special knowledge and experiences that are unique and could help this House. How would you go about using this asset, and apply it to your role?" - Telum Vas Umbra It depends on the member and their talents. I can tell you upfront that I'm not the guy running a bunch of projects in the House. That's the kind of thing that Tra'an and Solus have on their plates. My aim is to meet, greet, and help members figure out how they can fit into the Brotherhood. If they have a specific skill like graphics work or coding, I'm very prone to put them in touch with the Herald or Seneschal, respectively, besides starting conversations with the Summit about where we as a House can use those talents and then reward that member for their work.

But it's not a formula that I work through. I try to stay available for everyone and specifically talk to every new member who comes in the door, either through a transfer or from a new signup. When you hang out with people, start chatting about what they like and don't like, how they want to progress, you find out things about them that surprise you. And when you have the chance to offer opportunities related to those interests and goals, that's where "using the assets" happens.

"What are a few things that us regular members can help with to get the younger members more active? Is there anything that can be done from our standpoint to ensure we are retaining members?" - Gaius Julius Caesar Be active yourself. And that doesn't mean firing off competition entries and earning awards, frankly. Those are things that will earn you a reputation outside of the House, but what you're asking about here is really how you can help internally.

The goal here is to be a community where people want to spend their time. This goes for Plagueis and for the entire Club, regardless of unit. If you're having fun in a way that (a) doesn't offend or exclude new members and (b) is public enough that new members are allowed to join in, then they'll want to stay.

Think of your circle of friends while you were in school. Now think of the other circles of friends that you didn't hang around. What made you hang out with your friend circle? Likely, it was a group where you had common interests (like Star Wars), common activities (like competitions), and where you felt included somehow. You identified with that group -- the same way that all of the long-term active DB members identify with the Brotherhood and with other people in the Brotherhood.

Be nice to other friend groups. Even the ones you think are all idiots. Even if you don't care what that group thinks of you, the fact is that your actions have repercussions well outside of their immediate goal. Make it a nice place to hang around, and people will start sticking around. I haven't found a better formula than that (yet).

"How do we help those, like myself, get more active when we are limited on time, computer access, real life, or all the above?" - Seabr'imsto'nedansr There is no magic fix. I can't make you active.

I can keep communicating with you, sharing opportunities for light competitions (like flash games, trivia, and identification-type events) and encouraging you to participate in the House. Even if that participation is only replying to House emails, it helps build community.

You have to want activity, though. I can't make you active by emailing you any more than I could make you active by showing up at your house and pushing you to participate. Like so many other things in life that are "extras" -- things like hanging out with friends, going to see a movie, exercising, volunteering -- you need to carve space into your schedule. You have to want that activity or the results of that activity.

I hang around the DB because this is a friend group for me. I don't have to drive across town to hang out. I don't have to spend money to see movies or participate in an activity. I just get to hang out and chat with my friends and other volunteers who are or have been leaders in the club. I can play video games with my friends here, either across the river or across the country or across the world. And all of it costs me nothing but the time I want to invest in it.

So, why do you want to be active? Once you know what you want and why you want it, make it a goal. You also might decide that you're not that invested in the club and you don't want to carve any extra time out to hang out with strange people online. That's fine too. You can continue to do what you're doing.

It's a new year. What you do with it is completely up to you.

Closing

Most of you saw the long line of New Year's resolutions that I asked for a few weeks ago. So that they're cemented in stone and so that you don't forget them, here's the list:

Arden: Maintain activity, recruit more people, and stay sharp in the ACC.
Eiko: Communicate effectively and frequently.
Evoroth: Explore the ACC, branch outside of SWTOR.
Gaius: Make a difference in the Brotherhood.
Silent: Get laid.
Solus: Plagueis Raid Group, supporting the Summit.
Telum: Rewritten history and purpose.
Teylas: Plagueis Raid Group.
Tra'an: Present fascinating fiction, create a supportive environment, and expanding and embracing open communication.
Vessicant: Challenge every Journeyman in the ACC for training.
Xathia: Help people get into ACC, continue preexisting awesomeness.

I love what I've heard from you guys -- I especially love resolutions like Silent's that mix a touch of humor with a load of reality. Even when they hold the risk that he'd find real life more appealing than hanging out with a bunch of internet folks, I want to support every goal I heard.

I want to be your best wingman ever, specifically when it comes to these goals. So, two weeks into January, how are you doing? Most of you were rather sharp with your resolutions: definite, achievable marks that you will either pass or won't pass. Gaius just wants to make a difference, and while that's a nebulous goal, it's still a good resolution. His resolution is like mine -- it's not an achievement as much as a routine mindset to keep active and engaged in the House. And that's fantastic.

I will keep up the pressure on these resolutions. You deserve to achieve them. I'm impressed with how generally un-selfish these goals are, and I hope you achieve them because they will benefit all of us. Well... most of them anyways.