All,

Today it is my distinct privilege to acknowledge the work of three of our greatest assets. Today we honor our Order Leaders for their service to the Brotherhood.

The position of Order Leader is one of the most difficult within the Brotherhood. It is one that involves more initiative than almost any other position in the DB. The members that hold those positions never really have a specific set of duties that they are outlined to do. Sure, they have some, but most of their activities and work comes from a desire to further the Order, not to get simple jobs done. The Order Leaders are forced to think outside of the box, create new and exciting competitions, develop fiction that both corresponds with canon material and gives a fresh edge to their order. Further, they have to work with the most people outside of GM and DGM. The Order Leaders are charges with making sure the clans have good activities for their order's members, they track and approve of promotions, and they work actively with all of the Dark Council members on things that relate to their order. It is a truly diverse job that often doesn't offer a lot of guidance.

The Brotherhood now is especially blessed to have three truly amazing Order Leaders.

Bloodfyre as the longest serving of the Order Leaders is the one with the least recognition. Truly, I have done him an injustice by not rewarding his work and efforts more often. There are things that I have thanked him for, and I think he knows we appreciate that are simply not shown on his dossier, and that is something I hope to correct today. Bloodfyre was the person that single handedly brought about the current tournament system. He devised the point scales, he made the item lists and he got the program off the ground in an effort to diversify the gaming activity of the DB. Really, one could say that Bloodfyre kicked the gaming areas of the DB into gear with that. Beyond this, he has been one of the lead voices as a proponent of Allegiance. He has helped bring the game to life twice now -- something that is very much a credit to him. Most recently, I have seen contributions from BF in the way of his SHW handbook, the Sith History, the new Sith CORE and plans for the Advanced CORE in the SA, and plans for his Order's powers. These are all things that are essential to the growth of the Sith Order, and I am quite pleased to see progress in that area.

Most importantly, though, Bloodfyre is an instrument behind the scenes of almost everything in the DB. He never withholds a comment, never fails to read a document, never has a moment where he isn't spitting out an idea. He has a goal in mind of what he feels the DB can and should be and BF isn't going to rest until it's done. It's an admirable quality that I believe all members should have. And beyond that, Bloodfyre is a damn good friend to all.

So Bloodfyre, in recognition of all you do, I hereby bestow upon you the Silver Sash. Congratulations, my friend.

When someone mentions to me Telona's name, the first thing that comes to my mind is consistency. She is a steady, consistent leader. It's a quality that is hard to have in this organization. Real Life can always manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but Telona seems to have that balance mastered in a way that I wish more people could emulate. She has well-organized events that always run smoothly. There are times that I forget what is going on in the Krath Order because I don't hear any problems coming my way -- there simply aren't any to grab my attention. Things like the Debate Competition, the Writer's Corner, the ACC Vendettas and of course, the monthly topics are run so well that I need to have practically no oversight on what is going on. I enjoy that, and I think the members enjoy the organization and consistency as well. Telona has also taken to expanding the fictional realm of her order. Just recently, I reviewed a very thorough history document and another document detailing the past KHPs. Telona and her staff always do an excellent job with things like that, and I think in the end it will pay dividends for the DB.

Telona is an amazing member and has done a ton in the last half of the year to expand her Order and the DB's activity in general. I don't know where we would be without her.

Telona, as recognition of your hard work, I hereby welcome you to the ranks of the Elders by elevating you to the rank of Dark Side Adept!

Last, but not at all least, is our Obelisk High Commander, Korras. There's so much that one can say about the work done by Korras, and I'm sure that no one can cover saying it all. Korras, is a person that genuinely cares about those around him. He has a rock solid integrity, and it shows in everything he does. Korras has a good way of keeping in touch with and connecting with people -- that, I admire. It's a natural ability to inspire confidence and lead that has shown especially in the RoS. For months before the RoS he talked about finding the fairest way of scoring the results and worked tirelessly to try and find a way. Since the inception of that competitions he has stuck to his rules and has kept the playing field level. He has made sure that people know what and how to do the things they need to advance in the RoS. The results have been thorough and on time and I think that Korras has made a competition that is truly amazing. The war game is something that can overwhelm a lot of people and discourage a lot of graders, but Korras has delivered in every aspect of the event. I have been amazed at the activity levels of the RoS, and I think Korras deserves a lot of the credit for making a great competition.

It has only been a short while since I promoted Korras, but I don't feel that a medal at this time would be appropriate. He has earned my respect as a great leader by showing what he is capable of through the RoS. I think he will only get better from here on out -- plenty of time to earn medals.

So Korras, I welcome you to the ranks of the Elders as well. Congratulations, Dark Adept.

Congratulations, and thanks, to the three of you. May you continue to do great service to the Brotherhood!

Jac Cotelin