Brethren of Galeres,

I want this report to be about redefining who we are, what we stand for, and how we are going to get there. I think that, at times, it is easy to drift from the core of what we have established in Galeres towards things both frivolous and irrelevant. We chase easy, instead of inspiring. We coast, when we can set the standard. And we fall victim to the rigors of tradition - repeating what was done before us, simply because it was done before us. But that is not who we are.

We are the First House of the First Clan. And we got here, by focusing on those things that inspire and motivate us. We focus on our strengths and draw ourselves to either participating in activities that we find enjoyment in or we find ways to create content that we would enjoy and know others would, as well. We got there by sharing the load as a team. Our members drive the content, our leaders support the members, and we all support one another. One House, One Family.

How Members Support Galeres

Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. - Francis of Assisi

A lot of people forget that we advocate a simple mission statement in House Galeres: do what you find fun! We want you drawn to activities and competitions that will help you charge your batteries, give you energy, and make you excited to come back the next day. We want you to avoid things that suck the life out of you, make your weary about being a member, or cause you to avoid your fellow Housemates out of shame or disappointment. Pursue that which charges you, avoid that which drains you.

Do not misconceive this simple message, though. This is not a justification to do nothing. Being a member of a Battle Team or a House means you have sworn an oath to support your fellow members of that unit. And you must always support the Clan. Find the competition, or activity, that you find most enjoyable a chance. Some months there may be a desire to do “all the things” and some months may come across “meh” to you. Find one or two things you can do each month to participate in. While the competition may not be everything you want, it will help drive the unit’s participation, assist in upgrading the Crescent level for the competitions top placements, and give the event organizer a boost in confidence (that they very likely will return when you run an event of your own).

You Are A Leader Too

Fun fact: our leaders are members, too. And we want each of you to be a leader, as well. We do not require you to do the daunting, sometimes tedious work that our leadership team embarks on a daily basis. We do, however, want you to continue driving forward the Battle Teams, House, Clan, and Brotherhood. Each person has to step up and help at different levels. Some of you will provide quick & easy competitions at the Battle Team Level, others will have more thought invoking competitions at the House Level, while our best & brightest will produce content for the Clan and Brotherhood.

Join the fight today. Talk to your BTLs about fun competitions you can run for your teams. Talk to your QUA & AED about interesting competitions for the House and Clan. And always strive to build something special for the Brotherhood; sometimes a singular event, sometimes massive events. We want you to leave your mark on this place, because it is as much yours as it is ours.

Special thanks to everyone whom has stepped up in the past several months to be a peer leader:
* Wuntila Arconae
* Ernordeth Puer-Irae
* Celahir Erinos Arconae
* Mateus Kelborn
* Riverche
* Vivibelle Baenre
* Nath Agrona
* Zednich Wolfram
* Xenna Azara
* Kharoc Garrlan
* Rins'zler Sang-Kalinor
* Shawnathan Do'Urden

How Leaders Support Galeres

We call it The Galeres Way. It is something we have branded, employed with great efficiency, and strived to make relevant in our words and actions. At its simplest method, we put you in the driver’s seat for creating content for both the Battle Team and House. Our Battle Team Leaders create content for the Clan and Brotherhood. And our House Leaders provide support and guidance to break through barriers (sometimes violently) to enable everyone to do that.

Could the BTLs provide their own BT competitions? Yes. Could the QUA and AED provide their own House competitions? Yes. We have stepped up in these areas in the past and we are not afraid to step into these arenas in the future either. However, we want you to get the credit, glory, and experience. By allowing members to provide content, we can help shape rough outlines into polished, well thought out ideas. We can help you frame large competitions and their sub-competitions in advance of submittal to the Master-At-Arms Office. And we - certainly - can help you promote your event to get those much needed submissions.

You are the future leaders of House Galeres. You are the future Champions of a Great Jedi War. Grab your destiny, it’s waiting for you.

This Week In Arcona

Saturday, September 10th:
* Arcona Mystery Night (1am GMT/9pm EST/6pm PDT)
* Host: Zujenia ([Log in to view e-mail addresses])
* Telegram Chat: Clan Arcona

Sunday, September 11th:
* Diablo 3 Social Gaming Night (4pm GMT/12pm EST/9am PDT)
* Host: Aexod Burgoo ([Log in to view e-mail addresses])
* Telegram Chat: Diablo 3

Thursday, September 15th:
* Destiny Social Gaming Night (9pm GMT/5pm EST/2pm PDT)
* Host: Ernordeth Puer-Irae ([Log in to view e-mail addresses])
* Telegram Chat: The Tower

Friday, September 16th:
* League of Legends Social Gaming Night (NA Servers)
* Host: Braecen Kaeth ([Log in to view e-mail addresses])
* Telegram Chat: House Galeres

Featured Wiki Article of the Month

There is a great deal of history & lore in Clan Arcona. A lot of it was written before you or I were an active, participating element of the House or Clan. My goal is to share the most powerful pieces of this lore with you each month, so you can better immerse yourself in the Star Wars Universe. This month, I am highlighting an article entitled Shadesworn.

“Shadesworn” is the name given to the members of Clan Arcona by the denizens of the Dajorra System. The etymology of the distinction likely came from the unwavering loyalty that the Force-sensitive members of Clan Arcona swore to their Shadow Lord/Lady. The population look to those wielding the Force as protectors and demi-gods, while they see their mundane counterparts as paragons of skill and ability. The addition of non-Force-using Shadesworn to the ranks of the upper echelons is a new tradition, but even without the Force to guide them, these Shadesworn have earned a place beside their Force-sensitive compatriots. This lends them even further merit and respect among the rest of the mundane troops.

The Message

Ultimately, this club is to bring people together. This House exists to give you the opportunity to explore new things without the risk of failure (you have our unconditional support). And we are all part of that social contract. I have your back. Ninj has your back. Warp, Mord, Celahir, and Ernor… they have your back, too. Be brave. Use the trust we have in you to try new things, find new skills, hone old ones. If you fall, we will catch you.

Do you have an idea to improve your Battle Team? Your House? The Clan? Feel free to send your leadership team an e-mail to outline it, prepare to discuss, and watch it become a reality. Do you want to give back to your House? E-mail your leadership team, so we can assign you a project relevant to the direction and growth of your unit. We will help share our vision, provide what resources we can, and follow-up at agreed upon times to see your progress.

As always, I am very excited by the tremendous effort and courage of our members. I hope you continue to put yourself out there: do competitions you aren’t entirely comfortable with, tackle challenges you never thought you could overcome, and - most importantly - have fun while being the best.

I am, your servant,

Braecen Kaeth
Quaestor of Galeres