Gentlemen, Ladies.

I want to start off this report by saying thank you, to everyone who put in their best effort in the past 3 months of the Crusade. There is nothing more that a Leader can hope for then to see his/her fellow Clouse members putting their core to the grinding stone and putting forth submissions for their unit. It is truly an honor to serve among members who, through busy Real Life, will put time aside and put forth entries for a completely voluntary club.

Not everyone is as worthy enough to say that they fight for Taldryan, but those who do are granted that right, with the assumption that they give their best. The Dark Jedi Brotherhood is a very different place then when I joined over 5 years ago. And I know there are some oldies who have been in the club well over a decade that are grinning at such a newbie as me saying how much things have changed...

But it's true.

There are some things that are viewed in a completely different light then they once were, and with that means that we cannot stagger and become complacent by doing the same ol' things. We need to adapt, and we need to encourage each other to grow more, to do better and to raise the bar for what is now considered the Standard Taldryan.

This is not something I say lightly. Pushing that bar higher will require each and every Taldryanite to force ourselves to do MORE, and to become the best. We first need to push ourselves, and then we can start pushing each other for excellence.

How do you start? It's not easy, but it's a simple idea that will spring you forward when acted on.

Some things to charge yourself with: Character Development You'll hear this word thrown around sometimes, but far less then you would have some years ago. Character Development is a key way to keep yourself interested in DB fiction. If you're constantly trying to better your Character, then you will want to implement various current Brotherhood events into your Character's Wiki. You'll want to read the Voice's fiction updates to see where things are going, and then you can have some background on writing how your character fits into the current DB cannon.

Ways to work on your Character Development: 1: Update your Wiki (If you don't have one, start one HERE ), and keep it updated. This is not something you have to update every day, but should be done on a regular basis. 2: Update your Character Sheet, and make it realistic the character you write and the character on your DBWiki. 3: Compete in official DB Fiction events and write your character as realistically as possible in fictions. Don't try and make them better then they are, or at the same level of power as someone multiple ranks ahead of you. You should also make sure that you keep your stories as realistic as possible, so that you can add portions of your fictions to your wiki. 4: Get feedback from other members. There are loads of members who have their head in the right place fictionally. Use that to your advantage and ask for proofreads and realism checks. Get feedback, and use it.

Support and Challenge Your Fellow Tallys It's extremely important to back up your Brothers and Sisters in what they do, just as much as it is important for you to be recognized for what you do. If you get promoted, you want to shout it off the rooftops. Do the same when you see other members getting what they have earned. Back each other up, put yourself out there and help people with developing their character. Build relationships that will be active when there is a Vendetta running, when there is dead-time in the Crusade.

Ways to work on supporting each other: 1: Get on IRC. This cannot be stressed more. #taldryan is the #1 way to get connected with your fellow Tallys. Always has, and until a better client comes out, always will. There is nothing quite like being on IRC in the last few hours of a Vendetta such as the Crusade, hammering out your last minute events. Then once the deadline is over, you all get to take a big sigh with each other and talk about how much you are ready for a break. =P 2: Email. Much like IRC, this is a must. Most of you are pretty good at reading emails - and I'm going to be honest - there are a lot of you who could do a lot better at responding to emails, too. Like I stated previously, precious time is being put into this club. Someone who put the time into writing an email deserves a response. Obviously this does not mean you have to respond to every email you see, but it doesn't mean you should just sit back and watch from the sidelines. 3: Be available. Make it known that you are around if someone wants to or needs to have someone proofread a fiction for them. Or if someone wants your opinion on what they should request for their Custom Saber. Or if someone is looking for gaming partner. Maybe it's you who needs someone else' help? Don't take your Housemates for granted. 4: Motivate each other. I touched down on this some earlier, but it cannot be stressed enough. What's the point of playing on a team if no one supports you and your endeavors? Be that higher standard and go out of your way to make others feel appreciated, and wanted. Do that, and you will find this club %100 more fun then it ever was.

Do Something For Your House, and for the Dark Brotherhood. We are all here to have fun and experience something unlike anything else out there. This club is run on a special kind of fuel: creativity. Make it your goal to be creative in whatever you do. Don't sit back and hope someone comes up with a good idea, and then when no one does complain that you are getting bored of the standard activities.

Ways to be creative and have more fun: 1: Be active in day-to-day DB activities, and make your voice heard. This can be done by talking on a regular basis with your House Summit, by getting on IRC and picking the GM's brain, by putting together a proposal for a new set of competitions on the off-months of the Crusade. Is there a better way of creating graphics for a Vendetta event? Email it to the Taldryan Google Groups. do you think that there should be fiction in the opening of the Quaestor's report, PM Rian on IRC or shoot him an email. 2: Keep busy, and ask. For those of you who are Lower Equites, ask for things to do around the House that you can work on and have some creative freedom. For those of you who are mid-rang Equites, ask about getting an apprentice to work through their Journeymen ranks. For those of you who are Elders, ask about some Wiki articles that you can bang out. You Journeymen already have a task to complete: Getting your Knighthood. There is a requirements list for you to work through (found HERE ). Part of that list is looking for tasks to complete given to you by the House Summit. Ask, and you will receive. 3: Build relationships and build the DB with those relationships. Some of the best moments in my DB career have been working Co-Cooperatively with other members; some in Tal, and some in the DB. A portion of today's Journeymen/lower Equites will be the future leaders of this club. What better then to know that you'll be the Tal QUA in a year from now, and a chum from Naga Sadow who hangs out in #tal with the rest of the guys also becomes a Leader over there? Right there you have established a HUGE leg over all of the other units in the DB. Good things will come to those who are willing to try new things and embrace new ideas.

I've probably drawn this out way too long, but these ideas are, as I said, simple. Some of them take work to do, but they are simple ideas that don't take much to initiate.

Moving on, I wanted to say that while we are waiting for the results of May's Crusade event, Rian and I have begun sorting out proper rewards for everyone who has been active this month, and the past 6 months as a whole. It will probably be another week until these rewards start flooding your inboxes, but they will indeed be there. I cannot promise there will be something for everyone, but if you were even remotely alive, you will get something.

Please recognize the following members and their rewards, promos and welcomed new Taldryan member! ** Primarch Alaris Jinn** has transferred to Taldryan from House Plagueis. Welcome aboard, Mr. Jinn. I hope you find what you are looking for in Taldryan, and that you find it as warm and welcoming as i have. Nero Inferni has been promoted from the rank of Protector, to Guardian! Congrats mate, and enjoy your first dossier Warbanner! GRD Nero Inferni earned 42 CF's. Well done, sir. SWL Quejo snagged 81 Clusters of Fire. Good... but think you can get more? ;) DJK Orion Aries Rial earned 84 CF's this past month. Can ya dig it? I know I can. Haretik was promoted to Novice, earned his first Pendant of Blood and snagged 253 Clusters of Fire... Wow dude... just WOW. Tal pwnage at it's finest. Draco Sangria was promoted to the rank of Jedi Hunter. One step away from Dark Jedi Knight my friend. ONE SMALL STEP FOR... okay, you get the idea. Well done! DJM Pandala D. Howlader snagged himself a Dark Cross... but he ate it. He also won 7 Clusters of Fire and a nice crescent. NOV Halcon Vizer was welcomed into Taldryan earlier this month and promoted from Apprentice to his new rank of Novice. Congrats! JH Armagedon went and earned himself a total of 40 Clusters of fire for ToR'ing. OT Talon Drear learned and earned a Shadow Academy Dark Maven of Flight. This guy is teh pwnsauce. Go Tally! DJM Keirdagh Taldrya Cantor "Yacko" won 6 whole Clusters of Fire.

Finally, and sadly, we have 3 transfers out of the House. Alanna Taldrya, Shadow Taldrya and Halcyon Taldrya have all transferred out. Mad props to them and best wishes as they carry on with their RL life. The only reason I'm not crying right now is because I know that they will be back...

... they always come back.

Okay, so that's that. Last thing on the agenda.

Halfway through May's Crusade event, I came to a decision and notified the Taldryan Summit of my wishes to resign from Aedile of House Taldryan. My initial term as AED of Tal has gone on longer then had been anticipated, and I have loved every minute of it. But, my time to step down has come, and I am at ease with this notion.

I received one hell of an encouraging response from the Taldryan Summit with my notice of leave, and that in itself was another big sign that it is indeed time for me to step aside.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this past tenure as Aedile. Rian is one hell of a dude, and his ethics are what makes him who he is. Taldryan has the best at the helm, and with my resignation, you can rest assured that whoever succeeds me will indeed be the best candidate for the position and will surpass my reign by a tenfold.

A big thanks to the Journeymen and Equites who have been promoted and awarded in my time as Aedile x2. You guys are the driving force behind me, and I love to see you all advance and hone your skills as the wonderful Taldryans that you are.

I have been a Leader in Taldryan for nearly 4 years now, starting in House Ektrosis of Clan Taldryan as Rollmaster, then working my way up to Aedile, then Quaestor. Then Vodo asked me to become his Aedile when Taldryan was downgraded to be a House, and shortly after I took the reigns as Quaestor of Taldryan. After almost 2 years as Tal QUA, I stepped down for my successor Rian to take charge and have been AED of Tal since.

There are many things that I know I could have done better, but in the end, I have no regrets. My time was spent with Tal, and that's more then I could ask for. And no, I won't be leaving Tal just yet. I think I shall stick around a bit. Thanks all for putting up with me as long as you have. =P It's been a great ride leading you all. And don't worry, I'll be back at the helm within a couple of years... promise. ;)

With all of that being said, Rian and I will be opening up applications for AED shortly. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading my final report as AEDx2!