Event History

I’ve known Muz since I joined the DJB. We joined into the same house only days apart. Ever since, I’ve seen great things coming from his hands. Sabers, robes, medals, GJW’s, RoS’s, etc, etc. you name it, he’s done it. Not only that, but over my time in the DB, he’s been the most easily approachable Grand Master I’ve seen. And not just to me, but to everyone, from the lowest APP to Dark Council.

As Grand Master, he’s taking his task seriously. His main goal is member retention, something that is working. Compared to last year, more members have reached DJK. Besides that, he has run several major events, like a Great Jedi War, and a Rite of Supremacy, and has done so successfully even with very little help.

What more can I say? Muz is the pwn. When the call for the Golden Lightsaber came up, the vote was unanimous. Everyone was in favour. I think that says enough. I deal with many awards in my office of Master at Arms, and many medals I sometimes dispute, but when the highest award possible comes up, there is no question about it being earned or not.

Muz, it’s a pleasure serving with you, and I hope that it will be for a very long time to come. ~Korras, Master at Arms.

I don't need to sit here and talk about how amazing Muz his or what he has contributed to the Brotherhood. We see it every time we log in to the site. We see it in the lightsaber construction tool, the robes on our dossiers, the new dossier set ups, and with recent Vendettas. Muz's devotion to making this club a better place by any means necessary can be seen through the fact that our gaming hosts are active and the site continues to function. We see it in new storylines that include members throughout the Brotherhood and new ideas that excite people for what's to come. As a member of the Dark Council, his devotion to maintaining solidarity throughout leadership and ability to rally all of us to perform at our absolute best is one of the things that makes him such a valuable asset to this club. For these reasons and for so much more, I cannot think of a better award to present to our Grand Master than the Golden Lightsaber. Congratulations, Brohim and thank you for all of your work. We truly appreciate it. -DA Shikyo Keibatsu Sadow Herald of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood

The Golden Lightsaber's description is as follows: "The recipients of the Golden Lightsaber have displayed the greatest forms of ability, service and sacrifice for the Brotherhood. Others pale in comparison to what the holders of this award have accomplished." Muz "Hamak" Ashen embodies ultimate ability, service, and sacrifice all in one. The man dedicates himself fully to this club in ways that continue to stun me. Muz is ALWAYS present and responsive to communications; he goes out of his way to give people on of a leader's most prized possessions - his time. Without batting an eye, Muz fields questions, responds to contributions, weighs suggestions with a level head, takes critiques and criticisms, and is a friend.

Communication and his ability to enter into meaningful dialogs with the membership is only the tip of the iceberg. The guy is a constant source of artistic prowess. The dude can write. He is chock full of ideas that will be a boon to the club (my god, I wish I could code as fast as he thinks). Muz continues to ask himself and others how the club can be improved and molded into a more enjoyable place to be...he is never content with keeping things as they are...that is an amazing attribute. A stagnant club is a dead club, and this guy not only keeps us moving, but improving as we go.

Do others pale in comparison to what this recipient has accomplished? Absolutely. Muz, you have the most difficult job in the Brotherhood and you wield its power with excellence. Keep up the amazing work...you have earned this award twice over. -Orv Dessrx d'Tana Arconae, Praetor to the Seneschal

I've always known Muz to be the Grandmaster of the Brotherhood. I joined shortly before he actually became it, but in my eyes he's been the GM. The man has done wonders for the Brotherhood, including the reinstatement of the GMRG, constant graphical enhancements, possessions, fictional storyline updates, and created/judged two Vendettas. But within the last year, Muz created the Spoils of War Vendetta, a vendetta that he had to grade by himself without the help of the DC since they were taking part in it. Nearly nine months later, Muz was at it again with another Vendetta for the Brotherhood to take part in, but of course had the help of the DC this time. Between those two vendettas, he had dissolved the Tribune of Gaming, and the Tribune of Fiction. He recreated them into the Fist and Voice of the Brotherhood, Dark Council level positions that replaced those two Tribunes. With reinstating the GMRG to the Brotherhood, Muz created robes and weapons for each rank, but shortly after did the same thing for the ACC, creating their own set of robes and lightsabers since some members are more talented writers than they are gamers. Although this is only a few things, these actions have changed the Brotherhood, and more over Muz has earned this Golden Lightsaber. Congrats my friend, and thank you for all your hard work and continued efforts for the Brotherhood. ~ Fremoc Pepoi, Fist of the Brotherhood.

Never before in my DB career have I seen such defiance of expectations and such measures of going above and beyond to improve and perfect the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

Since his elevation to Grand Master, Muz has led the Brotherhood through two Rites of Supremacy, one of which he graded and judged solo. He has assisted in the reform of the clans to houses knowing full well it was a controversial sacrifice, and he has replaced an inefficient 3 Tribune system with the Voice and the Fist of the Brotherhood who both ultimately have spurred on a revival of writing and gaming. He has reformed the unit powers, directed various changes to the dossier, approved Odan-Urr as the first light house of the Brotherhood, written dozens of pages of fiction, reformed clan/house military systems, and is now working on the upcoming tenth Great Jedi War.

I'll be using plenty of words to compliment Muz's work, but I think it can all be embodied into one single interjection: DAMN. If I were to list the top ten most productive and successful leaders of the Brotherhood, Muz would be in the top three. He has done nothing but work since he received the job. I'm sure other recommendations will spout insane amounts of praise for various projects he has begun, continues on, and has finished. I myself have named only a few of the accomplishments that Muz has demonstrated to the club at large. But above all, I consider Muz a mentor and an ally, a role model to look up to should I wish to further progress in the Brotherhood.

Muz has had to put up with a lot, and I mean, a LOT. The fact that despite that, he still continues to take time to help leaders like me who are begging for advice and consolation is really a blessing. There have been many times when I have felt down and out about my leadership - I've dealt with many highs and lows, and sometimes it's difficult to handle. Having seen it all, Muz knows how to ground leaders like me and help re-adjust our priorities. He is all about progress, even if perhaps to obtain that progress, we need to take a few steps back in order to rediscover our fotting.

You truly deserve the gold lightsaber, Muz. I see no one else in this club at the moment who is more worthy of it. You have been a paragon of achievement, success, and progress in the Brotherhood, and I can only hope that you continue your tenure with soul, zeal, and passion. Congratulations, Muz, and thank you. ~Ronovi Tavisaen Tarentae, QUA of House Tarentum

Muz has been Grand Master for nearly two years. In many cases such an award is given only when a GM stands down to signify the service the have performed for the club. However, I do not think it will begrudge anyone to hand this award to Muz "early". In these 2 years he has managed to keep afloat on all DB matters, mostly without the benefit of an active right-hand man. He has overseen the entire gamut of Vendettas, from GJWs to RoS', introducing comics as a new form of storytelling for the DB.

He has ushered in brand new Houses, the first truly unique entities the DB has seen in over a decade (Plagueis being only an amalgamation of two previous Clans). At the same time has has also taken the necessary steps to see the DB through rougher times of activity, streamlining the leadership positions as well as focusing the Dark Council's energies on projects such as the Grind Path, to help with the continued development of newer blood.

His own personal talents have also not languished, his tireless efforts continuing to bring us new robes and lightsabers. He has also been working on our own "head selector" while also plugging away at creating custom images for the eventual use in our possessions system. This work alone would outclass most any member in the club. To continue it while still managing to actually lead the club is astounding. He has also continued to write fiction for the club, continuing the DB storyline in between Vendettas.

So much has gone on in the last few years, it's hard to remember everything. However, the club continues to run as it ever did, new developments always in the works. Muz continues to work, never faltering in his activity for this club. He has gone full-bore all this time, without any hint of slowing down. For managing such a feat, this award has been more than earned by him. Congratulations!~DJM Halcyon Taldrya, Voice of the Brotherhood

The Golden Lightsaber is traditionally awarded after a Grand Master's term. In Muz's case however, we said screw it. What better way to show our appreciation than while he's still in office, rather than wait until he's retired? The man reshaped the Brotherhood as we know it from an outdated club to a modernized forum for all Star Wars fans to come together and have fun. Nearly every new feature has Muz's signature on it. I called the vote for Muz's GLS for a few simple reasons. His work as Herald has carried over to his term as Grand Master, with literally thousands of images created. He's one of the few Grand Masters that have a useful skill, and he leads by doing; rather than delegating work out. Projects long forgotten have been reborn, and released or are nearing completion. The Grind Path alone was of Muz's design, as he proposed it originally to Aabsdu and myself in the Spring of 2009. It has since taken shape into a giant project with hundreds of man hours being put into it. During his first few months as Grand Master, ran Great Jedi War 9 nearly by himself. This comes with the territory, but Muz is truly selfless in his love for this organization and what he does for us. Projects like Possessions, Prestige, the face generator, countless pages of Vendetta fiction, and several other secret projects that I'm not aloud to shed light on at this time, are all a possibility because of the work being done by Muz. I've been working with Muz for over two years now, since my appointment to Praetor to the Headmaster. He's always been a strong advocate of the Shadow Academy and what we do. The training of new members is an important priority that others sometime put on the back-burner. This is not the case with Muz, as he's our strongest supporter. I've watched the Academy grow from a place that veteran members say is a just a place for Journeymen to take exams; to a society in of itself. Muz appointed me as Headmaster 7 months ago now. In that time he's been an outstanding mentor and friend that I've grown closer to as time has gone on. I can honestly speak for his character when I say that he's our best hope for survival as we enter the new decade. As a member of the Dark Council, I have the extreme honor of knowing Muz, and one day when I look back at my time as Headmaster, I will think fondly of the support and friendship that Muz has given me personally; making my job so much easier. It is with this that I am extremely honored to recommend that Muz Ashen be awarded the highest award we have in our club, the Golden Lightsaber. Congratulations, you've earned it. ~Taigikori Aybara Dupar; Headmaster of the Brotherhood

Taigikori Aybara Dupar, 2010-12-25 15:56:16 UTC

2 years of complete commitment, despite a RL commitment littered with reasons to step down. Sarin is the quintessential Grand Master, shirking excuses and sacrificing for the better of the Brotherhood time and time again, displaying a selflessness that would put any other member of the DB to shame. Furthermore, his time has been the most productive I've ever seen the DB undergo with club-wide reductions in antisocial behaviour, the best GJW the DB's seen and fantastic improvements to the website. His influence is undeniable and the mark he's left with set a benchmark of what's to be expected of our leaders. Without a doubt, Grand Master Sarin deserves the best the DB can give in gratitude for such a brilliant tenure. Arcona's thanks definitely go to him for the bright future the DB now sees, due in large part to his patience, guidance and vision. – Sashar Erinos, Consul, Arcona

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I fully support awarding Sarin a Golden Lightsaber, and not just because he's a retiring Grand Master and I want to give him something nice. The "GM" rank for life thing is pretty nice. No, the Golden Lightsaber truly means something special, and it should remain that way. The award description refers to the Golden Lightsaber as being given to members who display the greatest form of ability, service, and sacrifice. I'd say this fits Sarin to the letter.

Though I'm sure others will bring this up, Sarin skillfully led the DB while on active military deployment… in a war zone; along with his family growing with the addition of not one, but two kids. Somehow, with all that, Sarin pushed the Brotherhood forward, either through his own direct efforts or in his delegation of duties to others.

On a more personal level, I have always appreciated the free reign that Sarin extended to me as both Headmaster and as Consul of Tarentum. It is because of his trust in me, and his support, that both the Shadow Academy and my clan have grown and rebounded. I didn't know Sarin that well before he became Grand Master, but over the past two years, I've gotten to know him better, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to work with him for the betterment of the Brotherhood. I'm thankful for his service, and grateful for what he has done for everyone in the Brotherhood. - Anshar Kahn Tarentae, Consul, Tarentum

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While I joined during the time of Jac Cotelin as Grand Master, almost all of my Dark Brotherhood career as a leader has been under the tutelage of Sarin. First coming to Clan Plagueis, he helped me through the ranks as Aedile and Question, and then Proconsul, before leaving me with Consul when he moved on to Deputy Grand Master. Since then, however, he has always stayed a role model mentor for me as a leader, something he does extremely well. He not only helped me as a Consul, but as Headmaster, and I have been extremely gifted with the opportunity to work with Sarin over the past two odd years. His work in the Brotherhood is not limited to Grand Master, but is perhaps most visible there on a large scale. He oversaw the greatest Great Jedi War ever, and oversaw its sequel, which we can only hope is Dark Knight-ish in nature. He oversaw the revamping of the Brotherhood website and character sheets as well. None of these were minor things, either, but major changes felt by all, and everyone can proudly say that they were all changes in the positive. Without Sarin, I would not be the leader I am today, in responsibility and position, and while Grand Master for two years, what Sarin did will last a lifetime, and I, personally, am grateful for all he has granted not only the Brotherhood but me. Thank you for all of your hard work, dedication, and motivation of me when things started to look grim ~ Aabsdu di Plagia Dupar; Headmaster of the Shadow Academy

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Grand Master Sarin has sacrificed his personal time and energy to ensure the Dark Brotherhood's continued success and growth. Over the last two years he has worked selflessly to improve and continue the strong traditions of the Dark Brotherhood. Sarin's presence has been felt throughout the club, his vision resonating from the Star Chamber all the way down to the newest Apprentice. I am honored, on behalf of Clan Naga Sadow, to recommend Grand Master Sarin for the Golden Lightsaber. - Robert Sadow. Consul, Naga Sadow

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The recipients of the Golden Lightsaber have displayed the greatest forms of ability, service and sacrifice for the Brotherhood; others pale in comparison to what the holders of this award have accomplished. And sacrificed, Sarin has. Since his return from the Emperor's Hammer, Sarin has proactively sought to do good within our club. This is not a recommendation for a mere two years as a Grand Master, but a long, hard-fought tenure as a leader and role model within our club. This is an achievement award. Since his sojourn from the dreaded Emperor's Hammer, Sarin has been an integral part of the Dark Brotherhood's growth, accountability and attitude. Not only did he provide a level of professionalism that we sorely lacked, but he brought a greater sense of unity and organization to his position and, thus, the club. Whether it was the project matrix, spurring new members to share ideas, asking for feedback from all sources or the occasional pat on the back for a job well done... he has done it all with heart; for the betterment of the Brotherhood. Thank you for the blueprint to something special, Sarin. You have instilled a new set of values in our leadership and your disciples will flourish within our club. Eternally. - Braecen Kaeth, Consul, Plagueis

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In an old recommendation for lowly pre-GM Sarin, Jac said of him, "Sarin has been a great Consul, and I look forward to seeing what will come from him next." At that point I don't know if any of us – Jac included – knew the truly prophetical nature of that statement. I should start by acknowledging that I have been given a gift – during my time in the Brotherhood I was able to directly serve under the two greatest Grand Masters this club has ever had – first Jac, and then Sarin. To begin with some honesty...initially I was hesitant with Sarin. I knew him to be a solid leader at the Clan level, but his style was different...so I waited and watched...and I was quickly and easily converted. Sarin approached his position with a personal drive and work ethic most of us find impossible to fathom. Consider this – Sarin achieved his success while on military deployment halfway around the world, while working 12 hour days, and while raising two children. Who amongst us can claim that sort of success? I certainly cannot, and I would be hard pressed to think of anyone who can approach that level of dedication. Now some people may say that it is easy to praise an outgoing GM merely with flowery words...so let's take a moment to examine the record of Sarin's achievements...He presided over two of the most successful and groundbreaking Vendetta events in Brotherhood history in the Rite of Supremacy and the Eighth Great Jedi War. In the afterglow of the Vendetta's he completely restructured the fleets of all of the Clans and the Dark Council, bringing us forward in the Star Wars timeline and proving his commitment to our canon. That commitment didn't stop at fleets, for he then continued the fictional development of the Brotherhood in a way that roused the spirit and inner child for many of the members, who became eager to read the newest plot updates. In practical matters he brought a new leadership style into the Brotherhood – he brushed past the typical internet drama as if it didn't exist, he forced accountability onto our leaders, and gave insightful assessments of our achievements, abilities, and pitfalls. He was the embodiment of teamwork, driving forward on tasks himself while simultaneously guiding all of us forward towards the successful accomplishment of our goals. In addition, the Brotherhood's website got a very popular facelift during his time as Grand Master, and the Dark Covenant was modified to make it more member-friendly and protective. Finally, his crowning achievement – the development and release of the new character sheets. These encompassed an amazing amount of work – Sarin made the expansion of the force powers a personal pet project and achieved a beautiful result, while at the same time monitoring and guiding the development of the order disciplines, hand-to-hand combat styles, and overall attributes and structure. These character sheets were the first step towards a new type of activity for our club, and Sarin brought it all together. Throughout these many accomplishments, and innumerable others which I haven't mentioned, Sarin maintained a positive attitude and a love for Star Wars that was a daily reminder of why we all originally joined this club. Personally, Sarin pushed me to be a better leader – when I had become lax in my work, Sarin pointed to how I could achieve more; when I occasionally became bitter or angry, Sarin lent an ear to listen and also offered valuable insight and perspective; and when I just wanted to talk with a friend, Sarin kindly obliged. The Golden Lightsaber is awarded for ability, service and sacrifice – Sarin showed many of us how to truly embody all of these, and his example will benefit the Brotherhood for years to come. If anyone has earned the right to carry our most cherished honorary, it is Sarin. Thank you for everything Sarin, and above all I am grateful to be able to call you friend. - Kir Katarn, Justicar

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I'll make this short-and-sweet, as I think what the man has done speaks for itself. Since getting the gig of GM Sarin has overseen two Great Jedi Wars, a Rite of Supremacy and the creation of a complex Character Sheet that included updated force powers and a Discipline system. However, what I most enjoyed under his reign was ensuring that leaders were made accountable for their actions. There has always been instances of leaders thinking their "above" everyone else, or just plain being inactive and letting others suffer because of it. Sarin has taken those leaders to task, removing them when they are no longer a contributing member to the club. If that was the only thing that Sarin was able to contribute during his time as GM it would be enough, but that was still only one piece of a larger whole. The club continues to grow in new and different directions because of what he has put in place. Thanks for everything, and hope to have you back in fighting form soon! - Halcyon Rokir, Sith Lord

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The Wiki, The Antei System, Force Powers, Character Sheets, Rite of Supremeacy: Second Darkness, GJW Eight: Incursion, GJW Nine: Unification, New Website Layout, Clan Artifacts Update, Order Discipline System.

The above sound familiar? You might say, “Hey, that’s the club I belong to!” but you would only be half-right. It is the club Sarin helped build for you. He has had a hand in virtually everything over the last two years of his service as Grand Master, before that his service as Deputy Grand Master, and before that his service as Consul.

Sarin has produced, guided, led, improved, and inspired so many different things in the club it is difficult to grasp because they have become fundamentals of everyday use. We have become accustomed to the advances he has ushered in and would have a difficult time imagining the club without. We are accustomed to using a professional quality service for free because of Sarin’s work to give us the best product possible.

But I mention these things for those who might not know Sarin, or realize how much of what you enjoy in this club has benefited from his involvement. Everything mentioned represents only a portion of what Sarin has done for all of us. There is another facet of his role as Grand Master not as easily quantified as the projects and innovations listed above and it is one in which Sarin has excelled and raised the bar for the Grand Masters that will follow him.

The fictional Grand Master is a terrible and cruel dictator. He is immensely powerful, sage in the ways of the Force and brooks no dissent or challenge to his authority. Supremely confident in his ability to rule with an iron fist from an iron chair, he crushes any who stand in the path of his vision.

The real-world equivalent is very different, or at least, should be very different. Some who have held the position in the past treated it as though they actually were that terrible dictator, unable to divorce the fictional concept from the reality. But what we have seen over the years when it comes to administrating or belonging to this club, is that the person with whom the title “Grand Master” is associated with needs to act as a diplomat, not a dictator.

This is where Sarin has done his best, and least seen, work. This is where Sarin has set the example for not just Grand Masters—not the terrible fictional creatures, but the people behind them—and anyone at any level in any position who wants to lead, administrate, contribute to, or otherwise endeavor to run this club. We have seen the members respond. We have seen people change their methods and model it on Sarin’s example.

Projects are great. Website features are really nice. Fancy names to describe simple things are fun. But when you see one’s behavior positively influenced by someone giving their best effort in every category of what they do, then you truly have something of worth.

A great many do not understand this necessary altruism. If confused, they can simply look at Sarin’s conduct and service over the years and see what he has achieved and, as a result, what we all have achieved. Too many have treated this club as an ego-gratifier, a cult of personality. They have sought recognition for deeds and actions worth little of it. They have lauded themselves with title and station far beyond their merit. They are perplexed and angry when not appropriately recognized for their deeds.

But if they were to pause briefly, examine the Golden Lightsaber on Sarin’s dossier and read what his peers have witnessed, then they might find there is more to leadership than litanies of titles and Force lightning. - Raken, Praetor to the Grand Master

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What is the difference between a great Grand Master and a mediocre one? I've asked myself this question many times, trying to distill from what I have seen the essence of what needs doing. It is not being in the right place at the right time. It is not being lucky enough to be in command when the game companies saw fit to grace us with the best that they had to offer in a way that we can use it. It's not just throwing money at problems until they go away.

So what is it? Is it working hard and long hours despite whatever real life obligations may compete for your time? Is it engineering and drafting together the perfect storm of councilors? Is it setting a no-drama standard and making examples of those who deviate? Or is it some cocktail of all these things?

I have sat at Sarin's elbow for more than 20 months, watching with keen interest, learning what lessons I could. And I think that it is not only the combination of that mad mixture of talent and planning, but also a genuine interest in the club, a real concern for how well it does. And his work ethic and attitude has set such an example that we've had an unprecedented amount of cooperation on the DC where before there would be constant bickering. His strength emboldened all of us, kept us all on task and goal driven. These are things that I wish to emulate, that any leader should seek to capture and chain to their will.

Now, people speak fondly of the era of Khyron, of the days before there was a real database, when we had a few hundred members and we're grappling beneath the stairs to build a fraction of what we have now. People call these times the Golden Age of the Brotherhood. I would disagree. I think that with the intense level of progress we've made, the depth of programming we have available, the immersiveness of what we have provided... this will prove with time to be a truer Golden Age of the Brotherhood. And I can think of no better reward for the man that I follow the footsteps of than a Golden Lightsaber. - Muz Ashen, Grand Master

Lord Muz Ashen Keibatsu, 2009-03-08 14:00:34 UTC

On behalf of a thankful Dark Council I am honored to award Grand Master Cotelin his second Golden Lightsaber. The Golden Lightsaber is the pinnacle of Dark Brotherhood awards and only 9 members in our history have earned one. Grand Master Cotelin is now the first Dark Brotherhood member to earn two.

This award should not come as a surprise to anyone. Jac has sacrificed his personal time and energy to ensure the Dark Brotherhood's continued success and growth. Over the last two years he has created multiple upgrades to our website, safeguarded it from MYSQL injector attacks, and now released coding that will ensure our continued customization of this complex website.

Personally, I would like to thank Jac for all of his work. Jac has served as my closest confidant and friend during my reign as GM and I am overly joyed to grant him this award.

Grand Master Declan Roark, 2008-12-13 18:34:19 UTC

I have been in this club for almost ten years now, and in my time I have yet to witness another person with the character of Yacko. How do you honor that? How do you tell the new members about this great guy who left such a huge impact on the club? How do we let Yacko know that he will be missed?

Here today, we do so by awarding him a Golden Lightsaber.

Bloodfyre said to me the other day that when he is gone he wants people to say of him "yeah, he was a great guy, you should have known him, and he did some pretty cool stuff too." I think when I will look back at the DB in a few years, I will say that about Yacko. He has been a truly driving and innovative force in this club. From his time in Taldryan as an amazing Quaestor and Proconsul, to his ascent to SHW and eventually to Justicar, Yacko has displayed an uncanny ability to lead and inspire others. He is simply one of the most gifted members I have ever met in this regard. He has a no-bullshit attitude that inspires confidence in his abilities and motivates those around him. That is something that is truly rare, indeed.

Beyond that, Yacko has a one-of-a-kind personality. He is hilarious when you get to know him. Despite years of taking hits from him, I still laugh when he cracks a joke at my expence. He's always been a good friend to all, has been able to give great advice and knows when the problems are just too dumb to even deal with. I think those who know him well would agree with me that his antics will go down in the history of the DB as some of the best. Yacko has always been simply amazing.

Over the last two and a half years, Yacko has been our Justice system. We took it for granted for a long time how much he actually did to keep things afloat in that regard. It is painfully clear now how important Yacko has been - his retirement leaves a gaping hole for us to attempt to fill. I am greatful that he has done this for so long, and only hope that he will be around in some capactity for a long time.

Yacko is a great leader, and a good friend. He deserves all the honors we can bestow upon him.

Congratulations on the GLS, Yacko, and thank you for everything. Don't go far -- we miss you already.

Jac Cotelin, 2005-09-19 22:00:00 UTC

Dark Greetings to you all,

This week has been a fantastic time for the DB. One year from our split, we have shown to be a successful organization that can carry on with stability and excellence. The Independence Games are in full force, the Dark Voice has been released, a new system has been announced, and the Loyalty of many has been awarded. With that, it brings us to the time for this week's last announcement, and it's my favorite yet.

When you look back over time at what people do, it's hard sometimes to remember all of the details; to put things into words and recognize them accordingly. So many have given to this Brotherhood over time and their hard work has been rewarded through our different systems of promotion and medals. However, there are some members that give without want of anything in return. They are unselfish, genuine and committed to the betterment of this Brotherhood. Often it can be months and even years before some of these people are recognized, a fault of this organization that today I hope to start correcting.

Since the first days of the brotherhood, the office of Grand Master has been the hardest and most time-consuming position of perhaps any online organization created. Grand Masters deal with everything that there is to deal with. From moving through the basic promotion and position approvals, to solving the different problems that emerge daily, the Grand Master's job is never done. For this reason, most Grand Masters don't make it more than nine or ten months. The position has a high tendency to burn out members and make them need to leave.

In the history of the Dark Brotherhood, it is unheard of for a Grand Master to sit on the throne for two and a half years. That span of time in the past would have normally seen up to five different Grand Masters, however, our current Grand Master has kept the position through thick and thin, setting a record for length of term in the process. Our Grand Master's legacy to this brotherhood is one of stability. His quarter decade in office have kept the Brotherhood will steady leadership. His Dark Councils have not seen a great deal of turnaround, the Consuls are lasting longer and longer, and the DB is seeing its members stay for the long haul. Without that stability, and without that leadership, who knows where we would be.

Well, without his leadership, we would still be under the stark control of the EH today. Our Grand Master's great wisdom this time last year led to the group of Seven developing the greivances. His leadership during that time brought success to our split. We would all be remiss if during this week of Celebration we did not recognize that. All of the changes and the progress in the past year would have never happened were it not for his daring.

Our Grand Master does more than most people know. His handling of political issues between people and clubs takes the pressure off of the Dark Council to get their jobs done. His approach of delegation and trusting his leadership has proven to work fantastically. No Grand Master has the time to micromanage a club, and our Grand Master has found a way to keep the momentum moving by taking care of certain things and delegating others. For instance, his constant talks with many people keep the flow of information to the Dark Council steady. He is always there to discuss ideas and approve final proposals. He is always there for advice when needed. He can always keep calm in the face of adversity.

Further, he has remained our Grand Master even through real life situations that would have taken anyone else away. Moving 3000 miles, getting married and trying to deal with a new way of life would bring any other person away from the Brotherhood.

Stability, ladies and gentlemen. That is the name of the game. The Brotherhood's greatest need, and Grand Master Firefox's greatest accomplishment.

We would not be here were it not for Firefox. So many people, myself included, gain our strength through him. He is the right leader at the greatest time in the history of the brotherhood, and for that we here today recognize him.

Firefox, your friends, allies and members all support you and appreciate what you have done. You are the greatest to ever have taken the iron throne.

Firefox, today I act in the name of the entire Brotherhood when I say "Thank you"...

...and present you with your Golden Lightsaber!

Congratulations, my friend, His Eminence, Lord Jac Ae-Sequiera Cotelin Taldrya-Cantor Grand Master Emeritus, Deputy Grand

, 2004-04-17 22:00:00 UTC

Excellent work as MAA and being best EH Roster Person ever - Khyron

, 1998-10-30 23:00:00 UTC

Service to the Brotherhood - Khyron (aka. being a kick ass GM!)

, 1997-10-16 22:00:00 UTC

Service To the Brotherhood - Khyron

, 1997-10-16 22:00:00 UTC

Excellent work for the Brotherhood - Jac

, 1997-08-31 22:00:00 UTC