There are two types of teachers in this world. Those who teach in order to gain notoriety, and those who teach in order to be replaced. Aim to be the beard that seeks to bring about his own end, not live forever.

The Bearded Tome: Chapter 14, Verse 55

Headlines that you need to know

• Gathering Darkness: Delayed
• Fading Light: New Information!
• Welcome DGM Pravus/Sarin
• Congrats Voice Mavlick
• Taldryan Diablo 3 Competition Now Running

Gathering Darkness: A Plague Upon Both Your Houses!

So, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. The final round of Gathering Darkness was intended to start last weekend, but unfortunately, as you can all surely notice... it didn't. I picked up a pretty nasty virus over the weekend, so I wasn't really down for much of anything, and I'm still sort of trying to get myself settled into my new digs. Still waiting on a new bed and mattress to arrive in the meantime, so sleep hasn't been that great anyways.

Never minding that, the plan is that I will have the final round out, with its fictional updates and plot twists ready by this weekend. The last round is going to be a simple Fiction event. So, we can look forward to that.

Fading Light Update

Fading Light you say? Sure do. As you know, we're currently approaching the end of the semi-final round where Shad, Halc and I are all vying for the chance to represent Taldryan in the finals. It's almost over, I've written both of my posts, and Shad and Halc are both in the process of writing their final posts right now.

To tie into this though, we have recieved an update from the New Deputy Grand Master, and after consultation with the Dark Summit, we have official "hard" dates on when the next round of Fading Light will be taking place.

• Fading Light Nicht Ka will be starting on Friday October 10th, 2014. (Likely at GMT, but will confirm)
• It will run for Approximately 3 Weeks Start to Finish
• There will be a Fiction, Trivia, Graphics, Gaming, and a Puzzle event
• The Unit who Wins Nicht Ka Outright will recieve a facsimile of Warb Null's Lightsaber, which is essentially from what I can tell a massive fricken saber. This blade will become a relic for the Unit who owns it similar to Revelation has already become for us.

Anyways, that's what I know about this for now. If I learn anything new? You'll find out when I do.

There's a new DGM in Town

As you can tell, our new DGM Pravus has hit the ground running in his newoldnew job. I haven't formally congratulated him on the gig yet, but I really want to. With Pravus/Sarin I expect we're going to see the Brotherhood vaulting forward into the new era of Star Wars at a speed we haven't even contemplated yet. I pride myself on being a massive geek, but Sarin puts me, and probably 75% of the DB to shame when it comes to geek cred (I have heard rumours of the most epicly awesome of mancaves backing this up).

Regardless, Sarin's been doing his best to keep the Summits involved in a lot of decisions already, and that has opened up the gates for everything. The more the Summits get to talking, and the more new ideas flow, and the more quickly progress comes.

I'm extremely excited right now to be a member of the Dark Summit, and I hope that Rian and I, as your representatives on it, will do you justice. As always, if you have any comments, concerns or ideas you want to bring to us, or the Dark Council... feel free to approach Rian, Howie and myself. This is your club. You get to have a voice. Use us as your mouthpiece :)

Mav appointed as the new Whooping Cough

Along with the appointment of Sarin to DGM, there was a hole left in the Voice's chair. Well, somehow, despite him having a super nasaly and annoying one, Mav has been tapped to take that position. Yeah, that Mav. Former AED of Dinaari Mav.

Personally I don't see it :P

Kidding aside, I've had the pleasure of knowing Mav for what feels like forever. I basically taught him everything he knows, even if he somehow refused to learn the Yacko basics of diplomacy and tact, Never could get that lesson to stick. Despite the amount of grief I give the guy, I know Mav is probably one of the most skilled operators in the DB, and we're all extremely lucky to have him as Voice. I hope everyone will pop on over to the thread where Muz announced him and share your congratulations if you haven't already.

Did someone say Hackathon?

Yes. Yes they did. Hackathon, that new, fantastic idea brought upon by our new Quaestor in Dinaari, Rax Von-Klug. Howie and I recently took the plunge and added Diablo 3 to our gaming arsenals, and with a recent resurgence in activity in the game, thanks to a new patch opening up seasons and (apparently) other cool stuff, we're having a bit of a test run for a new kind of gaming night in Taldryan.

• The Hackathon

Just pop onto IRC or battle.net, and find your Taldryan brethren and start slashing up some monsters in the name of all that is holy and not demony. Yeah. Demony.

Rollmaster's Corner

Hello all! A few pieces of news this week. First, I’d like to welcome Omega Kira to Taldryan (and Dinaari!) He’s taken to the DB like water, and he’s already hit Protector, and is well on his way to Guardian, Jedi Hunter, and Dark Jedi Knight! You can find him in #Taldryan, as well as doing all the things. Also, I’ve taken him on as my apprentice.

Additionally, I will be going to the motherland for a wedding this weekend, and from the haphazard schedule I’ve been given, I will be pretty much doing wedding stuff all weekend. Therefore, if any of you guys need me? Well, it may have to wait until Monday. That, and ask Halc. Always Halc.

I’d also like to offer my congratulations to newly minted Sith Warrior Zoron! He’s a hell of a guy, and I know I will be able to offer further congratulations to him in the coming months. When you see him, please do the same.

Journeymen Activities

Below are the highlights of our journeymen the past week!

• Protector Omega Kira was promoted to both Acolyte and Protector this week! Additionally, he earned the Vendetta and Essentials Dark Pundits, and completed Comms 1: Discourse Forum, DJBWiki: An Introduction, Gaming 101, Gaming 103, Gaming 201, Graphics 101, DB Basics, Advancement Survey, ACC Fundamentals Shadow Academy courses!

Competition Roundup

Taldryan Competitions

• Taldryan Demon Hackathon – Rax of Dinaari is running a Diablo competition on the 11th (starts today, site time wise) – most CFs wins!
• Gathering Darkness 04 — Cannons to the Left – The ACC component of Taldryan’s Gathering Darkness!
• Gathering Darkness 05 — Cannons to the Right – The gaming component of Taldryan’s Gathering Darkness!

Brotherhood Wide

• Speed Sporcle Challenge #3 – Hosted by our very own Zoron! Answer trivia questions on sporcle!
• GMRG Gorefest: September 2014 – Another GMRG gorefest, starts September 19!
• Monthly Mobile Gaming: No One Dies Today! (Apple Users) – An iOS friendly mobile competition!
• DJB Star Wars Celebration Q&A – Ask questions for Star Wars Celebration in Florida!
• Reach Level 20! It is... your Destiny – A new Fist competition, console gaming for the new game Destiny
• Visions of the Future – A fiction competition hosted by Sa Ool of HOU!
• Everybody Hates Chiss – A competition about doing terrible things to a member of the Chiss species
• [MAA] Name That Metal! – Help the MAA name new medal addons!
• Sweet Emoji – Another Twitter competition!

Just a final thought here folks. I realize I have been a bit out of it over the past month and a half. Frankly August is the busiest month of summer for a lot of us, and mine was killer, then I moved house, and ended up getting sick. All of these things have piled up and I haven't been as completely on the ball as I'd have liked. Real life happens, and we all know it. Thankfully, I have an awesome team around me to help shore up my inadequacies (when they happen, and I refuse to admit to any specific instances for legal purposes). Really, more than anything I'd like to thank Halc and Howie. These guys always have my back when shit hits the fan. You two are the best.

That all being said, life is starting to settle down for me, and I'm getting that spark back. So, look out for in future guys, it's gunna get crazy up in here.