The Shadow Academy, like the Brotherhood, is steeped in history. For an unpublished Dark Voice article, Ood Bnar compiled interviews from those Headmasters he could get in touch with, to ask their views of the Shadow Academy then, now, and soon-to-be. This is that article...


The Shadow Academy today is an institution of this Brotherhood, firmly hinged onto the entire organisation. However, has it always been like that? And better yet, how do the Headmaster Emeriti think back on their time as headmaster and what do they think of the current Academy? Armed with these questions and more I went out and sought these wise members out to see how they feel about the Academy then and now. Nineteen Headmasters have come and gone since the creation of the Shadow Academy:

1st: HM Ronin
2nd: HM Maehel Goatboy
3rd: HM Dev
4th: HM Tycho
5th: HM Whafro
6th: HM Menacer
7th: HM Wraith Calin
8th: HM Kumba
9th: HM Shups
10th: HM J'lek Arcanos
11th: HM Mejas Doto
12th: HM Arion Aquillarum Sunrider
13th: HM Troutrooper
14th: HM Mage
15th: HM Acxodim Pyralis*
16th: HM Kaiann Yetaru Entar*
17th: HM Spears Tarentae*
18th: HM Anshar Kahn Tarentae*
19th: HM Aabsdu di Plagia Dupar*
20th: HM Taigikori Aybara*
21st: HM Ronovi Tavisaen*

* Post-Exodus Headmaster

Interview with Dark Jedi Master Mejas Doto

DV: How do you experience the current state of the Shadow Academy?

Mejas Doto: My experiences in the Shadow Academy ended when the Iron Throne forced me from office many years ago. I have never returned and am unlikely to in the near future. As the Guardian of Arcona, I have almost completely retired to the Shadow Realm.

DV: Your predecessors are almost forgotten, passed into legend. Why do you think you are still remembered?

Mejas Doto: Firstly, standing against the self-appointed Deputy Grand Master and working for the Brotherhood above all others. Ultimately this was what forced me from the Office of the Head Master, but unlike many, I can say that I left with dignity and pride. Secondly, with regards to the evolution of the Academy, creating choice and offering various faculties to the members of the Brotherhood. While this was never fully realised, the Order and General Studies were established during my tenure as Head Master. Those who succeeded me more than surpassed my initial vision; and with our political freedom through the Exodus also came our intellectual freedom. The mass of students who pass through the Academy each year astounds me - it is through choice that this has all been made possible. I hope my initial offerings provided a foundation for others to build upon.

DV: You've been a member of this Brotherhood for a long time now. How, in your eyes, did the academy evolve over the course of that time?

Mejas Doto: The Academy has been one area of the Brotherhood that has continually grown and prospered with time. Head Master Shups provided me with my entry into the Academy, first as his Magistrate then as his Praetor. He helped reinvigorate a stifled Shadow Academy, he encouraged change and helped me to see the benefits of the development of his office. It was his inspiration that brought me to office and gave me the confidence to push my own agenda. Since then the Academy course range has grown, Pyralis enlisted the Envoy's to facilitate Journeymen in the transition from Academy to Clan and as time passes, the Academy's alumni grow and grow. The Apprentices of today are the Head Masters of tomorrow and evolution seems to be the life-force of the Shadow Academy.

DV: As one of the Oldest Headmasters, how do you look back at your predecessors?

Mejas Doto: Kumba was fun - he even had me demoted to APP from GRD after I cheated on the old SA examination! Head Master Shups was a huge inspiration and an excellent role model. J`Lek Arcanos was my puppet, he was useless and fortunately Grand Master Chi-Long recognised who was pulling his strings! As for the Brotherhood's very first Head Master, Ronin, he was probably as effective a Head Master as he was a Fleet Commander...

DV: How do you think the Academy will evolve during the next few years?

Mejas Doto: More courses will be offered, Head Masters will come and go, and all will try to reach the pinnacle that this Arconan has set for them. Few will manage - but the Academy itself will continue to go from strength to strength.

DV: Have you got any words of wisdom for future Headmasters or the Brotherhood at large?

Mejas Doto: Head Master, Quaestor or anything else. The most important thing to remember is that you are here to serve the members, not the other way round. Our Brotherhood has grown since the Exodus because of this very reason. It must remain paramount to any and all who hold office, for if this is forgotten, then our Brotherhood too will slip into the Shadows to slumber with me...

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Interview with Arion Aquillarum Sunrider

DV: How do you experience the current state of the Shadow Academy?

Sunrider: Recently I have had the opportunity to work closely with the current Headmaster and his Praetor on a fairly large SA project.Ê Both of them impressed me with their enthusiasm for the Academy, as well as the sheer number of ideas they have for its continued development.

DV: Your predecessors are almost forgotten, passed into legend. Why do you think you are still remembered?

Sunrider: Honestly, my tenure as HM was brief and unremarkable.Ê I'd just as soon be forgotten on that count.

DV: You've been a member of this Brotherhood for a long time now. How, in your eyes, did the academy evolve over the course of that time?

Sunrider: Primarily since the Exodus, the Shadow Academy has become significantly more important to the DB.Ê The introduction of Dark Side Degrees and continuing growth of the course offerings are the biggest examples of how the Academy has grown over the years.

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Interview with Krath Pontifex Troutrooper

DV: How do you experience the Shadow Academy at this moment?

Troutrooper: I experience it from afar... No, I do not partake of the Shadow Academy these days only because my interests lay elsewhere. I had my time running the Academy... The courses are excellent, but again, none match my current interests.

DV: For what feat does the Brotherhood, in your eyes, remember your term as Headmaster?

Troutrooper: I will be most remembered for leaving the position. My tenure was brief but productive. I oversaw the release of more courses than my predecessor and his predecessor combined. But truly, I left the position to take another position in the Emperor's Hammer, a position in which I "oversaw" the most dramatic changes the Brotherhood has ever known. Had I remained as Headmaster, the situation may have been different (by a lot or a little, I don't know). Ultimately, I did what I set out to do as Headmaster. People can remember my tenure however they want; I will remember it as fruitful and solid.

DV: You've been a member of the Brotherhood for a long time now, how did, according to you, the Academy evolve over the course of those years?

Troutrooper: In ways I never could have envisioned. Other near-ancients and older members may remember this: for many years, graduates of the Academy joined their clans as Guardians. True story. Certainly moving the Academy during Exodus was major, but all Brotherhood institutions made spatial and philosophic changes then. I think the most important change in the Academy since my arrival is older members' attitudes towards it. Early on, Equites and above viewed the Academy as "kiddie fun land". Today, people return to it periodically to expand their knowledge of the Force and enjoy doing so. The stigma of returning to the Shadow Academy in Equite robes is past as the utility of being more in tune and adept with the Dark Side far outweighs any feelings of embarrassment.

DV: After which Headmaster did you model your rule? Who was your rolemodel?

Troutrooper: I am my own fish. I don't model my behavior on anyone. If forced, I would say I modeled my rule on my predecessor in that I strove to be better than him, more active, more involved. I had managed another training academy, so I was prepared (as best as anyone) for the task.

DV: How do your think the academy will evolve during the next few years?

Troutrooper: Don't know nor will I proffer any guesses. As I said before, I do not meddle in the affairs of the Academy. Any guess is deleterious: if the Headmaster does not follow the path of my guess, people will question the path he chooses needlessly; if the Headmaster does follow it, people will say he is unoriginal. Besides, the watching the Shadow Academy evolve and develop in ways I never thought possible is far more enjoyable than prognosticating on it.

DV: Do you have any wise words to say to future Headmasters or the brotherhood as a whole?

Troutrooper: The role of Headmaster does not mean grading exams and micromanaging courses. The Headmaster is a Dark Councilor; his responsibilities are much more far-reaching than being a glorified professor.

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Interview with Obelisk Primarch Mage

DV: How do you experience the Academy as it exists at this moment?

Mage: I haven't done anything of note with the Shadow Academy in years. Every so often, I drop by the site to see what has changed and evolved. I remember being very proud of the fact that the courses I either developed or assisted in the development of (in particular, the original, long-standing Obelisk Core) were still around.

DV: Looking back at your work as Headmaster. What is, in your eyes, the achievement you'll be remembered for?

Mage: The Shadow Academy was a struggling institution when I took it over. I was the last Headmaster to serve under the Emperor's Hammer, prior to the Exodus - when my Praetor, Pyralis, stepped in afterwards, the split was soon to follow.

Achieving much of anything in that time was difficult. However, during my tenure, the number of courses available through the Shadow Academy grew exponentially (from only a handful to almost two dozen), the site was redesigned for the first time in several years, and we assisted a record number of Apprentices. We also expanded upon the Master-Student Program (first instituted by Troutrooper) significantly.

Overall, I hope that my term was recognized as something of a turning point for the growth and success of one of the most important Brotherhood institutions, despite it being a period of instability and difficulty.

DV: You've been a member of the Brotherhood for quite a while. In your time with us, how did, in your eyes, the academy evolve?

Mage: When I first joined the Brotherhood, the Shadow Academy was something of an afterthought. Very little heed was paid to the value of the courses, and few people did anything beyond what was required of them to gain elevated status.

The Academy has grown and changed in a phenomenal number of ways. It is a core component of the Brotherhood, and the success of the entire Brotherhood really rests on the successful recruitment and retention of new members - a duty that aligns well with the role of the Academy.

DV: What Headmaster was your rolemodel, after whom did you model your rule of the Shadow Academy?

Mage: This is a hard one (I'm pretty sure we're talking about roughly 6 years ago...). I emulated leadership qualities of people who I found brought strength to their Houses, their Clans, and the Brotherhood. The assistance of Mejas Doto, Troutrooper, Khobai, and several other way-back-in-the-day people made everything I did possible. Truth be told, my Praetor, Pyralis, also contributed significantly to how I tried to grow and shape the Academy.

DV: How will the Academy evolve during the next few years, according to you?

Mage: I'm not close enough to the SA, or to the DB in general, to gauge with any accuracy what "will" happen, but I can speak to what I would hope for.

I was very young when I was the Headmaster - likely one of the youngest DC members ever, to date (I started as Headmaster at age 13, if I recall correctly, and turned 14 during my term). I made a lot of decisions based on somewhat rash assumptions. The Shadow Academy's greatest weakness has always been inconsistency.

Change is a good thing - of that, I have no doubt. Change for the Academy was a necessity. What I found when I left the position, however, was that nothing was sacred - everything that I, or anyone before me, had worked to accomplish, someone would later strip the Academy of. Even simple contributions were needlessly, perhaps even foolishly, tossed aside.

What the Academy needs, more than anything, is a strong, unbreakable set of principles - a guide book for all Headmasters, course teachers, and other contributors. I won't go so far as to say that the SA needs a further check or balance to control the Headmaster, but a well-founded system of organized expectations would serve it well.

DV: Do you have any wise words to contribute to future headmasters or the brotherhood at large?

Mage: It's been a while since I contributed much to the Brotherhood. I don't know what has or hasn't changed, who is or isn't still around. I don't know what people will think of my opinion at this point, since I was really just an over-eager kid when I was Headmaster.

If I can offer any advice, for whatever it might be worth from someone who has learned and lived a lot since, it's that you need to take on this position and the duties it comes with for the right reasons. Do it out of real, honest enjoyment of the club. Do it for the sake of helping people find camaraderie within the club. Despite how this may deviate from the desired ambience of the Brotherhood, people come to the club for fun, and for friendship. People want relationships with other like-minded people, and this is a fantastic avenue for that. If it's going to mean anything, though, it has to be fostered and nourished by the whole Brotherhood, but most notably the Shadow Academy.

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Interview with Dark Jedi Master Axcodim Pyralis

DV: The Dark Voice couldn't get in touch with this Headmaster but seeing as he is the Headmaster that led the Shadow Academy through the Exodus we've compiled views on his rule by his contemporaries.

Dark Prophet Darth Vexatus: Acxodim Pyralis took over the Shadow Academy shortly before the Great Exodus. It was a time of great change throughout the Brotherhood and the Shadow Academy was no exception during its move from Eos to Lypsair. In particular Pyralis oversaw the implementation of Project Dark Fury which saw major changes in the way envoys of the clans interacted with students of the Lyspair academy. The effects of Dark Fury are still felt to this day on the Society of Envoys. However, ore than anything else, Master Pyralis will no doubt be remembered most of all for helping spearhead the Exodus as one of the Seven during his time as Headmaster.

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Interview with Dark Jedi Master Spears Tarentae

DV: Looking back at your work as Headmaster. What is, in your eyes, the achievement you'll be remembered for?

Spears Tarentae: During my time as Headmaster we received a record number of new members as well as exams taken. We saw extraordinary activity by the members within the Academy at this time, which is what I am most proud of.

DV: You've been a member of the Brotherhood for years now. In your time with us, how did, in your eyes, the academy evolve?

Spears Tarentae: The Academy has become easier to access over the years, with a wealth of resources available to new and old members alike, as well as a diverse selection of courses to entertain and enlighten our members.

DV: After which Predecessor did you model your rule as Headmaster? Who was your Role-model?

Spears Tarentae: There was no role-model for my rule as Headmaster, while I served as Praetor to Kaiann I was unsatisfied with his work and his rule. The majority of my rule was spent increasing the ease of access to the Academy expanding its resources and beginning the site reconstruction which was completed during Anshar's term.

DV: How do you think the Shadow Academy will evolve during the next few years?

Spears Tarentae: That depends greatly upon our members and Headmasters current and future. If it progresses with our members needs it will have a bright future ahead of it.

DV: Do you have any words of wisdom for future Headmasters and the Brotherhood in general?

Spears Tarentae: Our members are our most important resource; the Academy is here to serve them. Your number one priority should always be to make the Academy work for the members and not the other way around.

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Interview with Dark Jedi Master Anshar Kahn Tarentae

DV: How do you experience the Shadow Academy as it is at this moment?

Anshar Kahn Tarentae: My experience with the Shadow Academy is one of transition. Since I became Headmaster, there have been many changes at the Academy. Some are small and others are large, but every change is something that aims to improve the Shadow Academy , and thus the Brotherhood as a whole. I would dare to say that no project at the Shadow Academy is ever truly complete. Continual updating and revision should be done as needed to keep the Academy relevant with the rest of the Brotherhood.

DV: Looking back at your work as Headmaster. What is, in your eyes, the achievement you'll be remembered for?

Anshar Kahn Tarentae: This is a question that is hard to answer. Fictional Reality is by far the largest project I personally designed and oversaw; it is the first major step in developing the image of the Shadow Academy beyond a collection of walls and random tests. Obviously, the redesign of the Shadow Academy was finished during the early part of my tenure, but the plans and much of the work was done under Headmaster Spears and by others. As Spears' praetor, I contributed my opinion and as Headmaster I oversaw the completion, but it was hardly my project.... In the end, if I'm remembered for being active, dedicated, and working hard on the overall improvement of the Academy, then I don't need to worry about any particular achievement.

DV: You've been a member of the Brotherhood for a very long time now. In your time with us, how did, in your eyes, the academy evolve?

Anshar Kahn Tarentae: The Academy has changed a lot. Back when I first joined, the Academy got you up to Guardian and then put you in a clan. There was a limited number of courses and I'm quite certain that the Headmaster and his praetor and magistrates (assuming there were any) did all the grading. Also, you didn't have a choice in what courses you could take.

Of course, I saw the development and expansion of course offerings, something that continues to this day. I saw the revamping of the Envoys and the hiring of course teachers (now called Eclectic Pedagogues, thanks to my vernacularly challenged predecessor Pyralis). The Shadow Academy was one of the last institutions of the Brotherhood to adapt to the multi-order format. And, of course, we can't forget that the Shadow Academy has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times.

There's been a great deal of change and I'm sure there will be more.

DV: After which Predecessor did you model your rule as Headmaster? Who was your Role-model?

Anshar Kahn Tarentae: I don't think I can say that I had any one specific role model. In all things, I make a habit to observe those people around me. By doing this, I can identify those things that I like or dislike and modify my behaviours or plans accordingly. I can ask myself questions like "why didn't that work for them? Can I improve upon it?" I've seen and worked under so many Headmasters that I can say with little doubt that they've influenced me in some way.

As for the here and now, Spears did have the biggest influence because he was my direct predecessor and I worked for him as his Praetor. But, "role model" is probably not the best term to use.

DV: Do you have any words of wisdom for future Headmasters and the brotherhood in general?

Anshar Kahn Tarentae: The Shadow Academy cannot be allowed to stagnate and be that place just to take a few exams. New courses are great, but if all you're doing is adding new courses, then you're not really doing anything special. Constantly evaluate the needs of the Brotherhood and add and remove from the Academy as needed.

Being Headmaster, indeed being in the Brotherhood, is what you make of it. But, people don't like lazy Headmasters, so come prepared to keep moving and trying new things.

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Interview with Dark Side Adept Aabsdu di Plagia Dupar

Taigikori: How do you experience the Shadow Academy as it is at this moment?

Aabsdu: After stepping down as Headmaster to focus on personal development within the Force, I remained attached to the Shadow Academy as a Magistrate to Headmaster Aybara, helping out with the development of new courses and overall general advisement. I am also currently serving as Professor of a Department, although that is a temporary position while certain things are settled out. So, I'm still working with the Academy, but at the same time I am slowly pulling away from direct representation and starting back on my personal journey as a Sith and follower of the Force. Even once I do those things, however, I will attempt to remain close to the Shadow Academy.

Taigikori: Looking back at your work as Headmaster. What is, in your eyes, the achievement you'll be remembered for?

Aabsdu: The reorganization of the Shadow Academy was a major moment in its history, porting things into a departmental system, and I would say that the transition was very successful. I was also Headmaster during some of the most turbulent periods in recent Brotherhood history, coming into the position while in exile and having to help in the reclamation of Antei and in turn Lyspair. The Shadow Academy was rebuilt after being wrenched from the hands of the monstrous Yuuzhan Vong. All during this time, however, we continued to expand the selection of coursework as well as the degree system, the latter of which I would say I am most proud of. Whether there is a specific accomplishment of my leadership that I will be known for I do not know, but I am confident that when looked upon as a Headmaster I will be seen as one who did his duty and left the Shadow Academy in a better place than when I entered it.

Taigikori: What was, in your eyes, the low-point of your time as Headmaster?

Aabsdu: During exile from the Antei System, having to run the Academy from on board the Arcanum was a challenge, but it worked out in the long run. The period during which the Academy was being reconstructed on Lyspair was also particularly slow, but again, in the long run I would say the Academy is in a better position than when I started.

Taigikori: You've been a member of the Brotherhood for some time now. In your time with us, how did, in your eyes, the academy evolve?

Aabsdu: While I have been involved with the Brotherhood for many years now, I still joined after many of the more tumultuous changes to the Shadow Academy took place, so when I first got involved it did not look all that different than it does now, save for the departmental system. The biggest changes have probably been concerning the dark side degree system, as well as the number and type of courses offered in the first place. The Academy is also much more active with members and with the rest of the Brotherhood than it use to be, and is continuing to improve there as it moves forward.

Taigikori: After which Headmaster did you model your rule as Headmaster? Who was your Role-model?

Aabsdu: The only Headmaster I seriously studied under or knew much of was Anshar, so he definitely had the biggest impact on how I did things when I first came into the position. I would argue, however, that after being the position for a time, I developed my own style of leadership very different from Anshar. This developed even more as I worked with Taigikori and started training him to eventually replace me. So now, I would say that the Academy as well as the position of the Headmaster in general is very different from when Anshar was Headmaster.

Taigikori: How do you think the Shadow Academy will evolve during the next few years?

Aabsdu: I have all the confidence needed in Headmaster Aybara that the Shadow Academy will take the numerous projects I started but was unable to finish, along with projects of its own, and continue to change things for the better. The Academy has had its rough times, but it is still one of the largest sources of knowledge known to the Brotherhood, and a great source to develop oneself in the Force and the workings of the Dark Side. I don't know exactly what will happen, but I look forward to finding out.

Taigikori: Do you have any words of wisdom for future Headmasters and the Brotherhood in general?

Aabsdu: The biggest thing to remember is that the Shadow Academy is not just about taking courses and, even now, earning degrees. It is about learning more, expanding your knowledge, and then putting that knowledge to use in the rest of a member's Brotherhood career. Headmasters should keep this in mind when they are concerning where they want to take the Academy and what its focus will be. The Academy is no different than any of the houses, it should always have an active role in Brotherhood affairs.

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Interview with Primarch Ronovi Tavisaen
Conducted by Ood Bnar on behalf of Headmaster Solari

Ood: How do you experience the Shadow Academy at it is at this moment?

Ronovi: Hah! The Academy. That damned place. I ain't even allowed to step into it. You honestly think that piece of stained glass stuck in a robot would let me in after my little stint? He's still dealing with those artifacts, too. Damn it. So, my experience? Nothing! Got any other questions, big boy, or are you going to get me another glass of whiskey?

Since my stint as Headmaster, I haven't exactly delved back into test-taking. The Shadow Academy, while I was Praetor and then Headmaster, provided ample opportunity for me to enhance and add to the facility itself. Because I was so administratively involved for about two to three years (a year and a half as Praetor, nine months as Headmaster), I've now taken a role of distant observer of the place. Unless Windos wouldn't mind having me hobble along as Professor of the Dark Sage of Writing course. Teaching that class was always fun.

Ood: Looking back at your work as Headmaster. What is, in your eyes, the achievement you'll be remembered for?

Ronovi: Saving the Academy from that [Horizons] plague a little while back. I mean, that was after I was about to blow it up, but it was still for the sake of saving it. I mean, really, when you've got people turning into muscle masses with no new brain cells, sometimes complete obliteration is the only way to purge. Oh! And I'd like to be remembered for nearly gutting Benevolent, too. That guy had a lot of nerve.

A lot of what I did in the Shadow Academy revolved around maintaining the status quo, much to the chagrin of myself and my superiors. I honestly didn't accomplish a lot of huge steps in a different direction. However, if I really thought people would remember something, it's my audacity to work with Solus Gar to create the debate exams and the Shadow Academy Debate League. The league is something I sincerely hope evolves and becomes more complex as time goes on. Hell, I would love for it to have its own arena, similar to that of the ACC. As I see it, it's an amazing opportunity for newer and older members to practice rhetoric, create good cases for their decisions as leaders, and just have fun with the debate format.

Ood: What was, in your eyes, the low-point of your time as Headmaster?

Ronovi: Low point? Low point? The only damned low point was when Muz marched in and told me to get out! He pretty much stripped me of my title, man! Made me feel puny. And let me tell you, Ronovi Tavisaen does not like feeling puny. Just because I took advantage of some damn holocrons. How else does he expect me to get stronger? Unless he doesn't want me to. Conspiracy much?

I would say the last month or so of my tenure, surrounding Horizons. Basically, it was a low-point that culminated in my resignation. It wasn't that I was making a mess, per say, or causing problems; it's that I simply wasn't doing enough, or I wasn't doing the things that were desired of me and instead focusing on other projects that weren't deemed as significant. My superiors had a lot of really great plans for the Academy that either I wasn't willing to take on or I simply thought I didn't have the capabilities to take on. It was also a month in which, coupled with the stress of my real job, I ran my mouth a little bit regarding my genuine feelings, opinions, and suggestions toward certain actions taken by Brotherhood units or members. It put a lot of people off and painted me as an individual not exactly to be taken seriously. Needless to say, my PR was in bad shape and I was very close to ruining a lot of friendships with my mindset. Resigning was really a chance for me to step down from the pedestal after so many years of trying to lead others. It was a good decision, I think, especially since it allowed me to re-focus on my writing.

Ood: You've been a member of the Brotherhood for some time now. In your time with us, how did, in your eyes, the academy evolve?

Ronovi: Oh, it hasn't. Unless you count the new disciplinary measures I brought in with me. That one Trandoshan apprentice will never feel anything down there for years. But evolution? Don't make me laugh. It's all the same stuff. Books, artifacts, classes, discussions, near-death experiences because we're Dark Jedi teaching Dark Jedi. I mean, if it ain't hormones, it's adrenaline or jealousy getting in the way. But really, since I first came onto Lyspair, stuff's been borderline the same. Well, save for the new names for instructors. I always thought Eclectic Pedagogue as a name was a bit...much.

The model itself hasn't really changed at all, save for Docents and Professors taking the place of EPs, but the course repertoire certainly has. There were a lot of exams cut, but a whole lot more exams added. Honestly, the way I see it, I think the class list could be trimmed even more. I cut Clan History courses from the Academy because all the information was already on the Brotherhood wiki, and the idea of taking on exams that need to be periodically updated every six or so months is a tiresome, unnecessary strategy for instruction. The Academy, as it stands, is in dire need of an evolution, one that doesn't expect the same pasting-in-new-exams-and-degrees method that I fell into. In a sense, it's the same as it was five years ago, but with new exams.

Ood: After which Headmaster did you model your rule as Headmaster? Who was your Role-model?

Ronovi: Which Headmaster? That's easy! Taigikori, man. He was my boss back when I was Praetor, and he was one crazy motherf---er. But he got stuff done, and he had his head fixed forward instead of down at the ground. That, and we once had a drinking contest and I totally won. Didn't thrill him, but he can't mess with an Epicanthix of my size after that amount of alcohol consumption. As for role models? Well, my master was Doni Tzu, who really tried the whole enigmatic approach that didn't exactly psych me up. So honestly, I didn't really have a role model. Just people I decided not to kill.

Taigikori was a Headmaster who I saw as really keen on moving the Academy model forward. As far as I can tell, as Justicar, he's still trying to do that. He let me know himself that once he left Headmaster, it'd be very difficult for him to let the Academy go, and he still wanted to be involved in much of its proceedings. If that sort of involvement is done the right way, that's admirable. So I definitely tried to model my rule as Headmaster after him, even if I didn't necessarily succeed at it. As for role models in the Brotherhood, I started in Tarentum and was able to see Anshar work, so I sort of modeled my Consulship after him in terms of mega-fiction updates and attempts at re-modifying the system. In the end, though, I found a lot more colleagues and friends to look up to than mentor types.

Ood: How do you think the Shadow Academy will evolve during the next few years?

Ronovi: You don't want to know, man. You really don't. I mean, can you trust that Shard running the Academy? I don't like the looks of him. I can sense something's off with him. He's hiding something. And I don't think it's a something that Dark Jedi would appreciate. If he keeps behaving like a damn lightie in my eyes, the whole Academy's going to crumble. And who will be to blame for that? Not me and my prism collection, that's for sure.

I think Headmasters like Windos have an ample opportunity to escape the tempting confines of adding and tweaking exams to create a more member-accessible structure to the Academy. I sincerely hope that the Grind Path will be up and running by at least next year, and after that, who knows how much media we can include in the model. I think instructional videos would be fantastic. I think game-like exams would be wonderful. I think all of that's possible, and I think that's the direction the Academy will and should take in the next few years. If done right, the idea of the Academy is very good, but it can't just feel like you're back at school.

Ood: Do you have any words of wisdom for future Headmasters and the Brotherhood in general?

Ronovi: Watch your back. Trust no one. You never know who might waltz in and shiv you. Whoever's Headmaster after this Solari guy, you better hope the place's not turned to the light side. Seriously, does no one else see that? No one? This isn't an interview about the Academy any longer, is it? It's just me ranting? I'm done, man. Pass me my bottle, turn off the lights, cut the recording. I'm done.

Headmasters - do not be afraid to go beyond your presumed role. Do not get comfortable doing the things that have always been done. You are a producer, not a consumer. You need to think about innovation and revolution for the model, and then you'll be making a world of difference to the membership. To the Brotherhood in general: Please do not hold back in your opinions about the Academy. They will all be different, and sure, they might all be taken with grains of salt. But if your voices aren't heard, nothing gets changed. In the end, stay awesome, guys.

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