<B>From Consul Kir Taldrya Katarn: </B><BR> Sharad Taldrya Hett recently resigned from his position as Proconsul of Clan Taldryan. Although I generally dislike retirement awards, I think this is a very special case and therefore I am writing this recommendation with the other leaders of Taldryan. Sharad has been in the Brotherhood for over four years. He spent all four of those years as a loyal member and leader of Taldryan. Fresh out of the Shadow Academy, Sharad joined Taldryan and immediately became one of its most active members. He soon became the AED of Dinaari, first of the many leadership positions he would hold. Throughout his years in Taldryan he would serve excellently as AED, QUA, and PCON. He spent more than 2 years in leadership positions in Taldryan, mostly as PCON. While in these positions he competed in and created countless competitions, built numerous websites for competitions, houses, and has built/maintained the Taldryan website for a very long time. The Taldryan website is the best Clan site in the Brotherhood, offering tons of useful information and features for Tal members. In this manner he demonstrated unparalleled invention in the Clan. Now you might be thinking that invention alone does not warrant a Ruby Scepter, but I’m not finished. Another important part is instruction. During his time in Taldryan Sharad has always been one of the Clan’s most talented multiplayers. In a continuing effort to better his Clan, he has constantly taught these skills to uncounted numbers of young Tal members. He has also taught many members (most recently ben) how to create websites in everything from HTML to PHP. This covers the area of instruction! Last of all, we come to mentorship. Throughout his time in the Clan he has personally taken it upon himself to mentor many of our most loyal members. A short list would include Swiper (who he also recruited, now a long term member and former QUA), Shadow (who he kept from quitting the DB after 1 week, now a very successful QUA), and me (when I returned to the DB, helped make me the CON I am today). I could go on and on about Sharad, but let me just say that other than the year he spent as OHC (one of the most successful in DB history), Sharad has dedicated most of his time to bettering Taldryan. Be it through instruction, invention, mentorship, loyalty, or countless other qualities he brings to the table, Sharad can honestly be called one of the Taldryan’s most successful members (and considering the company that puts him in, it’s a great compliment). Ruby Scepters are rarely given out, and I feel that Sharad is one of the few members who truly deserves one. The description reads, “Given for achievement and/or contributions in the area of instruction, invention, and mentorship to one's Clan or Order.” If there was any member in Taldryan who fits this description, it has been Sharad for years. Now that he’s done with school and ready to move into that scary “real world” place where people work, it is understandable that he won’t have the time to serve much with us anymore. I wish you good luck you’re your wife, family, and friends, and I hope this quaint fictional representation of our appreciation of your service is enough. Congratulations Sharad! ~CON Kir Taldrya Katarn<P>

<B>From Quaestor Shadow Taldrya: </B><BR> So it's finally happened... after almost, if not more than four years in the Dark Brotherhood, more than three of which I have served under him, Sharad Hett is retiring more or less once and for all. While I've never really been a fan of the "Quitting = Medal" thing, Shar is definitely deserving of more than what he earned during his time in the DB. Since shortly after I joined Sharad has always been my teacher within the DB. He was the first to take the time to teach me how to play JK, even how to set up my keyboard and mouse to play better (joysticks are teh suck) After that he taught me about leadership. I was only a Jedi Hunter when he first took the reigns of OHC and left me in charge with House Dinaari. To say I had no idea what I was doing would be a huge understatement. But, he helped. He kept me going my giving me advice and helping me with my ideas. It's also his fault I got caught up in the politics of the DB and EH :P M:OHC was the first step to my learning the harsh and mostly annoying ways of the DC, no offense guys, and of the EH CS. Was that ever not fun :P But I wasn't the only one Shar taught. At the very least everyone in Dinaari has had something to learn from him and his actions. At the very most he touched most of the Obelisk Order at one point. He offered an almost endless amount of ideas and competitions that were pivotal at the time when Jedi Knight was all but dying and Outcast was still some time away. My most vivid memory would be the competition he ran - Feel the Force. It was probably one of the best run Rites of Supremacy I have ever been a part of. And the activity was astounding. There were at least 10 people with more than 1000 points and so many others that were in the high hundreds. And that was still with just Jedi Knight when the entire Order was near extinct. That accomplishment alone was worth more than anything he got from being OHC. Hell, the only thing he got out of OHC was a re-promotion to the rank of Warlord after Chi had him HCIed. For his time these past 9 months or so as Proconsul, Shar has been a driving force. Together with Kir they were probably the most active CON/PCON team seen in the last 4 years. He created and maintained both the Dinaari and Taldryan websites. Always updating and changing things to make both sites better for the members to use. He helped push all of Taldryan during any competition, from the lowly MP nights to the Great Jedi War. All with the same drive and determination that most can't comprehend. Even with all that, Sharad was a good guy and a good friend. Lately I've been looking through my ancient logs and seeing the nights we'd stay up in #dinaari with a few others and just talk and joke til like 3am. Those are probably my fondest memories of the last 4 years of my life. The times spent hanging out in #dinaari. It's a hard thing to say goodbye too and it's been a long time since there's been such a night. I've made friends with a lot of people in the DB but none that could keep up with me and surpass me with insults and jokes and comments. Any time he's on IRC he keeps the conversations going and without that the DB is just nothing. Shar, for all this and more I hope you get this medal. Though it's just a fictional representation of all you've done, it's the best we can do. I know you've moved on with real life, and your school and wife... and I wish you the best.<P>

<B>From Aedile Benevolent Whiner: </B><BR> In the time I've spent in the DB, Sharad has constantly been a pillar of Taldryan, and the DB as a whole. In his time as our PCON, Sharad has time and time again stepped up to ensure Taldryan is the best it can be. He created both Taldryan's and Dinaari's websites by himself, a task few could match. He cares for all the members he is responsible for, using his experience to guide them through the confusing parts of a young member’s career. I can attest to this personally. Sharad was the very first DB member that spoke to me through email (even clearing up a very early confusion that Dinaari was indeed part of Taldryan). More recently, it was through his work on the Dinaari website that I learned PHP, a skill that not only helps me in my DB duties, but one I may use later in my own personal life. As well, he introduced me to Jedi Knight, a game that utterly confused me the moment I got it. It is a testament to Sharad that you don't hear about the work he does for other members. I'm positive that if you spoke to any member in Taldryan about Sharad, you'd hear of a time when he has helped them in some way, as he has helped me. Sharad has made many contributions to the instruction of our clan. Sharad has provided his own inventiveness as a way to better our clan. Sharad has made himself a mentor to his clan. This is the least I can do to thank him for all his work. Thank you Shar.<P>

<B>From Quaestor Dark Sabre: </B><BR> Sharad has always been a pillar of activity, but not only is he one of the most active competing and MP'ing leaders, but he's one of learning as well. He's often taught different skills to people in the Clan; from the simple teaching of IRC basics and the more complicated graphics and website instruction, he's always helped out and taught something whenever he could. He also made layouts for websites, coded the entire Taldryan site which is unique to the other Clan sites and mentored several people (including myself) to become leaders. I've always considered Sharad to be important not just to Taldryan, but to the Brotherhood. It's the people like him that have made the Brotherhood what it is today.<P>

<B>From Aedile Nexusmage:</B><BR> Sharad was the first person in the DB that I really found some common ground with, and the first I noticed might be pretty cool. When I talk with him on IRC, he always has a good sense of humor and makes even the most awkward situation comfortable. He has always seemed to just be there for each and every member, working hard to make sure they feel welcome and helping them in any situation. He spent countless hours creating and perfecting the Taldryan website, and he is always among the first line of members to help Taldryan in every competition or activity that would aid it. I believe that ever since Sharad has been here, he has been at the very heart of Taldryan; helping it to grow and continuing it to be such a dominate force in the Brotherhood. He's a great member, an independent thinker, an outgoing and compassionate leader, fiercely loyal, a good friend, and he's even kind of sometimes a good person; I believe this is the very least we can do to show our respect for someone with such dedication, loyalty, and love for this clan, and the Brotherhood.

, 2005-01-13 23:00:00 UTC