Disclaimer: This report is ridiculously huge. You've been warned.

House Plagueis Quaestor Report

August 6th, 2010

Adapt. Ascend. Avail.

Introduction

_The Sith Battlemaster stepped into the Throne Room of Plagueis with his head held high, casting a glance about at the assembled Dark Jedi there. From those in armor and flight suits to those in the more formal Officer uniforms and traditional Dark Jedi robes, from young and inexperienced to the veterans, all fixed their eyes firmly on him. Kal di Plagia Vorrac made an effort not to smirk as he mentally picked out the minions, collaborators, and pupils he had within that group. Most of them fit one of those three areas.

Walking up the black obsidian steps to face the Throne of Plagueis, Kal looked upon it for a moment. Dressed in his black military uniform, crimson sash adorned with medals of the Brotherhood and lightsaber hilt on his belt, he cut a striking figure. The image was completed by his black cloak, which swirled as he turned and sat within the seat. His student and Aedile, Vivackus, was the first to kneel to the new Quaestor. He was followed by each of the Dark Jedi there, even if some meantit less than others; all of them could sense that this was a time of purpose and advancement, and all were willing to strive for more power. Letting his emotions of pride and ferocious ambition spread to them all in a showing of Dark Pride, he smiled as his eyes took on the red-rimmed sulfuric yellow hue of the Sith.

He was sure to get straight to the point. "We've got work to do."_

News

Let's get down to business. First and foremost, every Clan in the Dark Jedi Brotherhood has been downsized to House status. While this does come as a shock and has disgruntled several former Leaders and members, but know that this is for the best. As Clans, we clearly didn't have enough members with both the skills and the activity to fill our Leadership positions. Also, this new change gives the refined Summit, that being Quaestor, Aedile, and Rollmaster, a much better chance to repair and reforge this club. To all Leaders and other active members within Plagueis, rest assured that the House of Ascendancy has a place for you. You'll literally have the chance to shoot, slash, and tear your way toward importance and stardom within our fine House.

With the Reform to Houses comes the passing of a face we all know and love. Alaris Jinn di Plagia was a great Consul of Clan Plagueis, and has made a few key changes as Quaestor of House Plagueis before choosing to step down. We thank him extensively for his service and for everything he did for us, as Leader, as member, and as a friend. Congratulations on your engagement, bud, and we can't wait to see you step up in our Navy!

In his place, I rise to become the new Quaestor of House Plagueis. For those who don't know me, I'm Battlemaster Kal di Plagia Vorrac. I've been here for over four years, five in February, and in that time I've spent maybe one month total outside of Plagueian rosters. I've seen Clan Plagueis rise and fall, and now, I've seen the birth of House Plagueis. With the knowledge I've gained, the skills I've honed, and the cooperation of all of you, I know we can take the Plagueis we knew before and turn it into the greatest House this Brotherhood has ever seen.

Read on for plans, events, and other cool stuff!

Jusadih Military Regime

The Jusadih Military Regime is, fictionally, the government our House has established in the Jusadih System. During an event called the War of Ascension, we used new Military forces to take out rebellious feudal forces and our old nemesis before setting the new regime down. By acting as Officers within the Military, we keep our true loyalties secret. By training our forces at select areas and indoctrinating them to serve faithfully, we prepare our forces to be augmented and commanded by Force users, or as we've called them since GJW IX, Foxtrot Uniforms. More on all this will be released over the next few weeks.

Right now, here's what you need to know. Our Military is divided into four Branches:

Army: The ground forces of our Military, they see intense action, deal with and employ heavy ordnance and get the glory when all is said and done.

Navy: Our fleet of capital ships, they patrol our system and engage in space battle. Many of our most tactical minds will find a home here.

Intel: Stealthy missions, dark tasks, and cruel efficiency are the calling cards here. Assassins, saboteurs, and thieves make up this shadowy group.

Corps: Aerial acrobatics, heated dogfights, bombing essential targets, aided by the Force. People who like flying are most welcome here.

We need every member of our House to choose a Branch. The Quaestor(me) and the Aedile are the Supreme Commander and Lieutenant Supreme Commander of the regime, and thus oversee every Branch with assistance of the Officers therein. If you're a member of House Plagueis, email myself and my Aedile, Vivackus Kavon di Plagia, with your Branch of choice. Be forewarned! Anyone who doesn't choose a Branch in the next couple of weeks will be sorted automatically between the four Branches.

Future Plans and Developments.

Adapt. Ascend. Avail. This is our new Motto. It has a very specific meaning, one I will explain to you. The Reform is a huge change, challenging all of us and giving many people a lot of work to do. What will the House of Ascendancy do? Adapt. We'll accept the march of progress and alter our House's inner workings to cope. Ascend. True to our name, the Ascendant House, we'll not only get used to these changes, but we'll use them to improve and grow strong. Avail. The new skills we gain will help us to dominate the competition and come out on top within the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. This is our new way of thinking. This motto has meaning, and we will use it in our rise to the heights of dominion.

Earn and Succeed. This is the promise I make to every Plagueian from now on. If you want a promotion, a medal, a Military rank, or anything from us, you will have to earn it. I will shower active and dedicated members in every prize I can. I will hand out assignments and duties of import to members like candy, provided they show me that they deserve them. If you don't at least communicate with us and make an effort, you won't get any special notice. If you do try and you work hard, you can only rise to the top.

Communication. Our focus for the next month or so within House Plagueis is to get in touch with one another. Hit me and the other Leaders in the House via email or mIRC and we'll chat with you, give you advice and help to form a friendship with you. Chat with one another, get to know your Housemates. Try out our competitions, help each other out in them. Get onto mIRC, reply to email chains, or give the Message Forums a spin. Whatever form it takes, before we can rise to the top, we need to come together. Help me and yourselves out with this.

This is a big one, just so no one's caught off-guard. Once the Military Branches are filled with our members and we've made some key changes to the system, I'll be unveiling something that will never happen again: O-11 Appointment. O-11, or Officer Rank Eleven, is the highest rank short of Supreme Commander and Lieutenant Supreme Commander within our Military. Each Branch has one, they being our Grand General, Grand Admiral, Directorate General, and CAG Marshal. With the system in shambles, we'll be appointing members that we know are skilled and experienced, members we know will do the extensive jobs before them, and members we can definitively trust to these four positions. This is not a free ride to the top. In addition to the credentials we'll need above, they'll be the main hands in helping Viv and I as we repair our Military Merit System, get our members into place and active, and plan out a major event.

Major events, I should say. Yes, we have three goals for the immediate future as far as events go. First on the agenda will be a Military Reboot. Our Military Merit System's ranks have been obsolete, meaningless, and inaccurate for far too long. The only way to correct this is to fix the Military System so that it works for you, our members, and to reboot the entire system. Everyone's point counts will be reset during the event and they will be given a one time only chance to earn huge point scores for participation and victory in the competitions and games that go on during that event. The ranks they will earn will set their place in stone as Officers of the Jusadih Military Regime and will dictate which of our Forces they command fictionally, as well as what jobs they will have to do in and out of fictional works. Word to the wise: activity now will give you a head start on the competition, so service your guns and take a shot at success.

Next up, I plan for a House-to-House event between Plagueis and another of our Brotherhood's mighty Houses. This will foster friendship, healthy competition, and interactions between all DJB members. This event will either be cooperative or competitive, depending on how things progress. I have very little for details on this aside from confirmation that it will happen, and that active and progressive members will be included on planning and development talks. Are you an active, progressive member? Well, if so, you'll have no problem with giving me a headache from all the awards I have to give you for participation.

Following this, an event that's been in the works for some time now. In the past, Clans Exar Kun and Satal Keto, later merged as Clan Plagueis, faced a foe called the Crimson Tide. In the final event against the Tide, they organized the Feudal leaders and rebellious citizens of our home system, Jusadih, into the Jusadih Independence Coalition or JIC. We defeated them in the War of Ascension, which destroyed the Crimson Tide and left a power vacuum in which Plagueis held uncontested control over the system... until now. For when the Tide was utterly destroyed, the Coalition was merely broken and scattered, and will soon return to face us under the control of newer, much more deadly masters. Prepare your sabers, your powers, and your best skills for an event with a New House Enemy!

The last topic on the discussion board for plans: Strike Teams. This is how we will refer to our Battleteams in-character from now on, though I'll call them Strike Teams regardless as I'm big on fiction. You'll notice that our members have been emptied from the old BTs, and that they've been replaced with four new groups. Each will correspond to a Military Branch, and they are as follows:

Task Force Malgus: A commando unit of Foxtrot Uniforms, this elite Army group is aptly named after a man who once led the destruction of the Jedi Temple.

"Silent Scream" Command Crew: Commanding the very vessel mentioned, the CR90 Corvette Silent Scream, these members will undertake special missions for the Navy.

Codename: Stygium: Named after the crystals found in advanced cloaking devices, this specialized Foxtrot Uniform cell will perform missions that regular Intel can't ordinarily handle.

Grim Squadron: Flying for the Corps, this elite group of fighter pilots will combine the Force with ace skills to overcome aerial challenges and protect key starships in wartime.

These groups are not above the regular Military Merit System, nor do they outrank them automatically. Rather, they are specialized Strike Teams intended for irregular duties and unorthodox missions. If you wish to be part of a Strike Team, let us know and we'll see if you fit the bill for these special tasks or not. However, before you can even think of joining them: Pick a Branch!!!(/nag)

Competitions and Events

Right now, House Plagueis and the Dark Jedi Brotherhood are packed with competitions and events for all members.

Competition Center: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competitions.php?all=1

From the Voice of the Brotherhood(Writing):

[Voice] Load the Can(n)ons #1: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5179

[Voice] Other Realms, Part One - Fiction: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5175

[Voice] Other Realms, Part One - Graphic: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5176

[Voice] Operation Junkyard: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5137

[Voice] Report Lyrics: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=4978

From the Fist of the Brotherhood(Gaming):

End of Year Gaming Awards: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5118

Star Craft 2 Time: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5173

RC Smash Up: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5143

Bash the Gaming Staff: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5155

Entire DJB:

#Tarentum Trivia: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=4761

The "Write" Stuff: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5168

House Plagueis:

Road to Perdition: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5171

Code Breaker: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5180

What Are You Made Of?: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5186

[PLA] Jusadih Armed Forces Profiles: http://www.darkjedibrotherhood.com/dbjedi/competition.php?id=5183

Side note: Anyone wishing to host a competition or undertake a separate project, get in touch with your House Summit, the Quaestor and Aedile. Also, be on the lookout for even more competitions coming soon.

War Room

For some time now, Clan Plagueis has maintained a Summit Channel where assorted Leaders could plan, strategize, and work toward a common goal. However, with the Reform, we're down to three positioned Leaders in the House. That means that a standard Summit channel is pointless, and that the overall potential we need to tap wouldn't be around anyways. Furthermore, using a Clan Summit Channel would be odd because we are no longer Clan Plagueis, we are House Plagueis.

For these reasons, I am hereby closing the Clan Plagueis Summit Channel.

Fear not, for there's something new, and it involves our dedicated members. From now on, Plagueis will have the War Room. To help set our Militant mood and for any fictional needs, this room will be styled as places like Omicron Platform, our space station, or the NSD Ascendancy, our Flagship. Here, the Summit will speak with active, influential, and eager members about many topics. It will be passworded. Sorry, folks, but unless you're Dark Council or a member of House Plagueis, or involved in planning events between our Houses, you won't be in the War Room.

Even better, during major events like Vendettas or House Feuds, we'll be able to use the War Room as our strategic House channel. In those times, its password will be changed and all Plagueis members will be encouraged to idle there. They will recieve and trade help, advice, and encouragement from their fellows. They will also help us plan and coordinate effectively to come out on top.

The channel is #War_Room. For the password, contact myself or Viv.

Special Mention

While logistics and data will be largely kept to Aedile reports in House Plagueis, this section of my reports will detail the achievements and successes of members that have shown excellence and drive. These members have gone above and beyond the call of duty, and have truly embodied our motto. Everyone, congratulate them for their stellar work!

First on the list is an up-and-coming Journeyman, Guardian Azazel Kain! In the time since my Quaestor Appointment, he has repaired our TIE Interceptor article on the DJBWiki, advised us on the projects before the Starfighter Corps, reached Guardian rank, and earned a Dark Cross! Also, he has shown the initiative to run a competition, the Road to Perdition! To top it all off, he has managed to Qualify in the Antei Combat Center! Such a thing is a major achievement! Great work, Azazel, and keep it up!

Next up is Jedi Hunter Unus Domus! While he is my student, Unus continues to push the limits of activity and set a standard. Just recently, he has repaired the DX-9 Stormtrooper Transport article on the DJBWiki, as well as the Omicron Platform article and the Z-95 Headhunter article! He has also earned several assorted medals, including a Dark Cross, for his efforts! Finally, he is running the Code Breaker competition in the hopes of increasing Intel Branch interest! Exceptional, Unus!

Our last major participant on the list tonight is Dark Jedi Knight Octavia Kuga! She has stepped up to the plate, volunteering to help improve and promote the Starfighter Corps! Next up, a major achievement, she has Qualified for the Antei Combat Center! Such an achievement shows great skill and a will to learn. Good job, Tavi!

Now, because it deserves special mention, I have something to say to everyone. We are still House Plagueis, the Ascendant House, the House of Ascendancy. What we endeavour to do now is to take our old systems and policies seen in Clan Plagueis and adapt or advance them to the new structure. This will use the Military Merit System and several other old policies, but they will be renovated and refreshed to work better. Not everyone will be for these changes. Change is unstable, risky, and frightening. That said, the Reform in and of itself shows that we must all adapt, or the Houses and then the Brotherhood will surely crumble. Anyone who wishes to discuss these changes, dispute my claims of benevolence, criticize or vent is free to do so, but I must stress that it should be private between myself or another Summit member and you. I love House Plagueis and I love the Brotherhood, and my aim is to improve them both. If you feel you can help me do that, or do so better... speak up.

Food for Thought

"Great effort springs naturally from a great attitude.

• Pat Riley
  

Conclusion

I won't give a complete summary here because if I did, it would pretty much be another report. So, here's what we all need to take home from this.

-Main directive: Communication. Get to know people in our Summit, our House, and the DJB as a whole. Get on IRC, send emails, and use the forums.

-Army, Navy, Intel, Corps: Choose a branch, then email me at [Log in to view e-mail addresses] and Viv at [Log in to view e-mail addresses] with your choice.

-Competitions: Lots to do, try anything and everything that catches your eye.

-New BTs: Explained above. Ask about membership once you're in a Branch.

-Military Reboot: Activity pays off, now and in the future. Try to do the most you can now and it'll help your standing when everything's back in working order.

-War Room: Also explained above. Ask me and Viv about the password.

-Special Mention: Great work Azazel, Unus, and Octavia!

-Conflicts: Speak to me or Viv about any disputes or questions you may have with the changes we're enacting, but do so privately by email or private message on IRC.

Adapt. Ascend. Avail. May the Force serve you well!