I am honoured to be recommending Esca for his elevation to the rank of Equite 3. He has been a hard working individual and has been constantly active since his last promotion. Proving himself to be a dedicated and active member of Clan Arcona and House Galeres. Always stepping up to the plate and working well with members of the Clan, influencing them in various leadership positions that he has been part of. Stepping up time and time again and putting these need of others before himself countless times.

Since his last promotion he has been heavily involved in competitions all over the brotherhood, this has included House Operations, Clan Operations, Multiple Rounds of the Dark Crusade and Fading Lights. He has competed in a total of Seventy-Nine Competitions these have been everything including, Fictions, Graphics and Gaming. For all of his effort he has managed to achieve Two Crescents with Ruby Star, Seven Crescents with Amethyst Star, Ten Crescents with Sapphire Stars, Twelve Crescents with Emerald Star, Ten Crescents with Topaz Star, Four Crescents with Quartz Stars and Five Legions of the Scholar. If this wasn't impressive enough he continues to show his willingness to adapt to different areas of the Brotherhood. During the events that he has participated in he has managed to achieve quite a few Seals, these have been in the form of Two Seals of Duplicity, One Seal of Darkness, Two Seals of Pain, Four Seals of Reminiscence and Three Seals of the Crusader.

Esca is the type of guy that doesn't limit himself to just one part of the Brotherhood, for as long as I have known him he has been constantly playing games, these can be in the form of Diablo 3, Destiny and ToR he is always trying to get people involved in different ways and make sure that they enjoy themselves while playing the games. This has seen him rack up a very impressive One Thousand Two Hundred and Ten Clusters of Fire, as well as getting a total of Nine Pendants of Blood. On the complete flip side of this he has participated in Run-Ons as well as being involved in the ACC seeing him continue to take Sixteen Clusters of Ice for his writing work. He has also picked up One Scroll of the Dark side and Two Scrolls of Indoctrination.

Esca continues to expand himself in terms of knowledge, this has been in the form of the Shadow Academy, Esca has continued to put in effort taking over Twenty-Five courses inside the Shadow Academy, this has seen him gain tw Pundits, Two Mavens and One Savant for all of his time and effort. He also offers things for other members, during his time since his last promotion he has been involved in the Organization and running of a total of Eleven competitions, varying in type but all offered for members to take part in and enjoy, seeing activity increase not only in his Battle team but also inside of the House. Constantly looking at ways to improve member experience during his time in the club.

Since his last elevation he has continued to serve in a variety of different positions, these are in order of position as follows: PCON of Plagueis for Two Month, Preator to KHP for Six Months, QUA of House Exar Kun for One Month, AED of House Satal Keto for One Month, Aedile of HOO for One Month, Rollmaster of House Exar Kun for One Month, Battleteam Leader of Requiem Squadron for One Month, Battleteam Leader of Soulfre for One Month, Battleteam Leader of Ravana Squadron for One Month. Battleteam Leader of Nightawk for Seven Months. Showing his ability to lead in a various set of positions. He has served each position with dignaty and pride giving each position everything he has got and for all of his hard work over this time he has managed to earn himself Three Steel Crosses, One Antiean Cross and Two Dark Crosses.

Since taking over the position of Battleteam Leader of Nighthawk Esca has continued to expand the activity of the team. Making sure that every member is an involved part of the team getting to have a say on the development of Nighthawk. He has also continued to work on making sure that the team is informed with what is going on, working on newsposts and report to keep all of them informed on everything from simple House competitions, to Fading Light events. On Top of this he has been getting involved in updating the wiki page and allowing the team to have input on what turns and twists take the team forward in the future and expand their background story. He has also been a huge input inside of House Galeres Run-On, Helping Atty run the event coming up with fiction and the plot twists, driving his team threw it with passion and fire. With Esca’s continued presence I cannot see a brighter future for this house as well as for Nighthawk as a team.

Congratulations Esca you have more than earned this elevation to the rank of Equite Three. I cannot think of a more driven and passionate person about this club. Esca stands up for what he believes in and will continue to do so. Thank you for all your hard work Esca and I look forward to seeing what you do in the future.

~Cethgus Quaestor of House Galeres

Zanet Xox, 2014-11-09 19:24:51 UTC

Better known to us as Esca, Arcia Cortel is an excellent example of Leadership within Arcona. Not only does he work well with his team, who are all highly motivated, but he also works well with his fellow Battleteam Leaders, as well as the upper summit. Under his leadership, Nighthawk have only continued to grow, writing their own excellent casual Run-On, as well as posting large amounts of content in the Galeres Run-On and have also achieved an average of 2 submissions per member in the Fading Light III Vendetta.

, 2014-11-09 19:21:35 UTC

I am supremely honoured to being chosen in writing a recommendation for Arcia’s promotion. Most of us know the guy as a down to earth, mellow, comical and intelligent person. But when you look past the persona, you see the fabric of a true leader beginning to form and weave. He becomes diligent, focused, unbiased and a strong foundation to Galeres. Nighthawk would certainly never be the Battleteam it is today without this man. On a personal level, I know he can take a lot of pressure, he knows when a mistake or a fault was made but Arcia doesn’t complain. He finds the faults, assess them, and fixes them immediately. Among being a leader, a mule, a commander and an author, he is by far one of the wisest teachers. Congratulations on the EQ3 promotion sir, you are the icon of an Obelisk Exarch.

Qor Kith, 2014-11-09 19:22:03 UTC

I am sure that plenty of these recommendations have included Esca’s accomplishments, the competitions that he has competed in and won, the competitions he has (co)organized, the SA courses he has passed and the medals, seals, and degrees that he has earned. While all these accomplishments are important, the thing that sets Esca apart is his dedication to his team. He is committed to the success of all of his subordinates. He embodies the qualities that make up a great leader.

Esca has the ability to see the potential in a crew member and build on it. BT projects, such as the Nighthawk wiki overhaul that we are currently working on, are split up among the crew according their skills and their availability to perform the task. He leads by example and puts in twice as much work as he expects from the crew. This work ethic inspires the crew to perform at peak efficiency. Of the almost 46,000 words in Operation:Revival RO, nearly 21,000 are written by Nighthawk members and 8,000+ of Nighthawk’s words were written by Esca. His post move the story along and include nearly all, if not all, of the participants.

In his communications with the team Esca is upbeat and jokes with the team. This keeps the crew happy and encourages them to put their spare time into projects, competitions, and DB gaming. The competitions that Esca runs are creative and entertaining to participate in and do an excellent job of building a strong fictional history for the Nighthawk and her crew via the Hawk Tales Series. The team is also encouraged by Esca ensuring that their work is recognized either in his report and by recommending them for medals and promotions.

While Esca’s accomplishments are plentiful, his real impact is in the people he leads. I cannot offer enough praise for him. He is always open to suggestions and ideas from the crew. I wholeheartedly recommend that Esca be elevated to the rank of Equite 3.

Antar Locke, 2014-11-09 19:23:23 UTC

It’s easy to overlook the efforts of a Battleteam Leader, especially in a unit like Arcona. While some will debate their effectiveness in other units, Batteteams are very much a cornerstone of Clan Arcona--one of many gears that help us function at such a high level day in and day out. Today I get to speak about Nighthawk Battleteam, and more specifically the man who has been its guiding hand for the past 8 months.

Arcia Cortel, or Esca as we all know him, had been somewhat of a journeyman before landing in Arcona. A few questioned if he would stay, or integrate with the rest of Arcona. After his first month of being back, those questions faded rather quickly as he jumped right into the wiki articles that needed help, offered his hand at adding Graphics where we needed them, and general bonding with the membership. Esca was a big part of Teroch’s initial pitch to get Nighthawk made into a team. His enthusiasm for the project helped give me confidence in giving the team a shot. And so it was that Nighthawk was initiated and challenged to earn the ship that would bear their namesake and make the whole thing work.

And they did. Nighthawk absolutely dominated Operation: Sojourn, and they let that momentum carry them forward. For his resilience, Esca was made Battleteam Sergeant, and slowly started to take on more and more responsibility. Dash then had to step aside, and told me that Esca would be taking over. Most people know Dash, and know that he doesn’t put blind confidence in a lot. And in truth, I had questions as to how the team would hold up after its veteran founder. As they had once before, those questions died quickly as I watched Esca take the reins without missing a beat. He kept the momentum going directly into the Fading Light Vendetta.

In the first round where everyone scrambled to form teams, Esca made sure to keep the Nighthawk crew together. This was one of the first times I really saw his knack for leadership.

Beyond that, Esca has (since taking over the job back in April) been the prime example of a Battleteam Leader not just in Arcona, but in the Brotherhood. He energized the team with timely, detailed, and well written reports, encouraged the members to not only be active in Arcona activity but BT-specific competitions that helped build teamwork. He is a constant presence on IRC and makes himself available to not just members of his team, but any Arconan who might have a questions or need help.

Esca is selfless, a trait that many members, let alone leaders, posses. He is the first person to question a move I make, typically, but does so in a curious manner instead of being accusatory. Each instance, it’s typically in reference to another member, not about himself. He believes in fairness across the board and doesn’t compromise on this ideal. He is efficient with how he operates and doesn’t dilly-dally and his ability to get things done motivates everyone around him to do the same.

We are lucky to have Esca as part of the team. He has a bright future as a leader in Arcona, and is part of the new generation of Arconans that I look forward to seeing take control after I’ve stepped down or moved on.

Thank you Esca for letting me sleep better at night knowing you’re around. Thank you for all the countless small things you do that go unlogged or noticed by the stat-sheets.

Oh, and Congratulations on a well deserved, overdue promotion ;).

Exarch Marick Tyris Arconae, 2014-11-09 19:23:51 UTC

This is supposed to be the part where I say nice things. Justified nice things, not just fluff. It’s the part where I highlight the services and accomplishments that add up to earning those nice things I’m supposed to say. Where I tell you, staffers, leaders, members, brothers, sisters, and anyone else reading this exactly why Esca is getting his promotion. But I’m not going to do that--at least, not as traditionally as I would.

Mike, you’re not one for surprises or a lot of fanfare. You’re a pretty simple guy, in a lot of ways, and you’re grateful for simple, true things (like still having all your fingers despite the “Mr. Twitch” title), and you think I use way too many adjectives as is. So, while I’m supposed to mix in mentions of how you’ve had twelve different leadership positions, one of which included seven months of being the best damn Battleteam leader I’ve seen yet, and about your crazy amount of competition participation, and all the placings you’ve earned, I’m really here to just say a few short things.

I’m honored to call you my friend. I really am. I’m proud to have your confidence and to be able to confide in you. It’s a pleasure working with you--and by working, I mean complaining while we do fictional jobs. You’re an incredibly hard-worker, a fantastic mentor, and a wonderful writer and artist. You’re a great leader but also a humble one. You’re also probably already bored reading all this, but you have to deal with it and take all the praise.

I really could go on and on. There’s a lot to say, but I’ll limit myself to this: thank you. You’ve been fantastic, and you deserve this. More than this. Congratulations, brother, and beautiful dreams.

Master Ruka Tenbriss Ya-ir, 2014-11-09 19:22:59 UTC

Esca is a godsend. He’s more than just a BTL, even though “just a BTL” means a heck of a lot in Arcona. He’s the single most reliable member of the Clan, unfailingly consistent in his reports, his IRC presence, and his efforts at leading and motivating his battleteam. He has had tremendous success as a leader, to the point where he serves as an example to BTLs in both Houses, and helps out wherever he can.

Esca is one of the first to step up to the plate whenever I put out the call for volunteers for a project to improve Arcona, and his own observations and ideas have served as the foundations for some projects streamlining our communication and cooperation as a Summit. He puts his range of talents to good use not for himself but for Arcona, and for Nighthawk, and has become one of the senior statesmen of our Summit since April. He knows what’s going on beyond our borders, and he takes an active interest in Arcona’s Clan-level policies.

The leaders that you can trust completely to handle their responsibilities without any prodding -- knowing that they won’t make a mess of things, do anything immature, or just wander off the reservation -- those are the leaders that you grab onto and never let go. Esca gets the job done without any help from above, and for that, I thank him.

Esca’s individual achievements speak for themselves. His BTL leadership is among the finest I’ve seen in my seven years in the Brotherhood, and Nighthawk is fortunate to have him at the helm. His service transcends his team and his Clan, and can be extended to the entire organization. By being one of its most active, dedicated leaders, and by continually mentoring and motivating younger members, Esca is taking a hand in the Brotherhood’s future.

We should all thank him for that. For your sustained excellence and dedication, Esca, please accept my congratulations on this promotion. You’ve more than earned it, brother.

Legorii Arconae, 2014-11-09 19:24:11 UTC