Valtiere is a stalwart part of the Arcona Summit. While not flashy or loud, he leads with pride and carries himself with an air of excellence that encourages others around him to follow suite. While adjusting to his real-boy job after school, he still made sure to step fully into his move from BTL to Aedile. It's not an easy move in the midst of a war, but even when we selected him to lead Void Squadron he didn't miss a beat and rose to the occasion. He finished in the Dark Crusade as Arcona's 6th highest participant.

On top of this, his lighthearted attitude outside of his duty as Aedile is contagious. He supplements that with firm leadership and made a rather inspiring speech towards the end of Ziost when we needed to kick our members into high gear. His role in his teams Novae winning Ad Campaign Video shows his dedication to the club both in and out of character. Dedication like this deserves to be rewarded.

Thank you Valt for everything you do and continue to work towards.

Consul of Clan Arcona

Legend Wally, 2013-12-03 18:45:06 UTC

For my entire career in the Brotherhood, I have always stood by the principle that hard work will always be rewarded. In truth, anyone who is willing to put the time and effort into being a member or leader in this club has the unlimited potential to do what ever they set their mind to. Leadership, politics, skills; these are all things that can be taught. The one thing we can never teach, however, is hard work. Dedication. Heart. For these type of people, there are not enough awards, promotions, or commendations I can give.

When I think of the word heart, or of dedication to Clan Arcona, there is one member that always jumps to the front of my mind. Atyiru has, since the very second she arrived here, done nothing but give her best effort. It just so happens that her best effort comes with a diverse skill-set, the patience of a saint, and the wisdom of someone much older than her years. All of this together made her a quick member of the Arcona Summit just short of a year ago. Starting as just an XO, she quickly took the reins from her Battelteam Leader and stepped up in a huge way during the middle of a Dark Crusade planet-siege. As the Arcona Summit shifted, we were hit with her Aedile application shortly after- and I honestly had to do a double take. Where did this girl come from?? Despite being relatively new, we gave her a shot at Aedile, and as Cethgus will elaborate further on, she took the position and quite literally made it her own. Beyond her duties as Aedile, Atty has become a spiritual leader for Arcona. Her positive attitude mixes with her genuine good nature to make her one of the most approachable members in the club. I find myself dumping random tasks on her here and there, and never does she tell me "no" or try and deflect it to anyone else. Even if she is unsure of herself, she still says yes. Her desire to help others is just something that comes naturally to her. It's endearing on multiple levels and transfers to everything else she does as a leader in Arcona. If I had a nickle for every time she has said to me, "you never have to say sorry to me," I would have a lot of nickels (if they existed in SW, of course). Her simple presence and attitude alone has made my life as Consul bearable. Even if it comes down to little things like drawing a sketch of something involving the members of the Arcona Special Forces team as a reward for working so hard. Or even if it's joining #arcona_rp to interact with her members in character. Or proof reading pretty much anything that can be proofed (e-mails, letters to a friend, doctors notes, ect). There are so many things that she does on a daily basis that just come naturally, and as a sum they help create an environment in which others can learn, grow, and succeed.

For all of her kindness, Atty is the first person to jump to the defense of her friends. She will also be the first to crack a quip or switch into troll-mode if it somehow makes her friends smile. She also is a fierce competitor and tied for 3rd in Arcona for most Novae earned with 11 total. She kept pace with a Dark Jedi Master, her Consul's, and her Quaestor despite joining the club barely a year ago. Of those 11, 5 were gold, and a good bulk of her novae came from her writing. Known for her first 50-page fiction, she has since learned to slim her writing down a bit (we're making progress...I think we managed to get under 20 last round!) and continues to practice and get better. She represented as a member of Arcona's Special Forces for all 3 Chapters of Phase 2, and was a huge part of Arcona's ability to secure as many planets as they did.

And yet for all that, she has never once stopped to ask for anything. The only thing she has ever required was to be given a chance to help in some way. If I could clone even a portion of Atty's attitude to every member of not just the Clan, but the Brotherhood, I think we would all be better off. Thank you Atty for being awesome, and don't let anyone or anything ever get in your way. The stars are your limit, Squirrel, and it has been an honor and a privilege to be your Proconsul and Consul and to watch you grow into the leader and member you are today.

Consul of Clan Arcona

Legend Wally, 2013-12-03 09:01:02 UTC

I’ve had the rare pleasure of knowing Socorra Erinos for her entire time as a member in this club. From the very minute she arrived on the eve of Great Jedi War X, she hit the ground running and stormed her way forward. Her efforts rewarded her with an early chance at leadership and are a tribute to her quick rise through the ranks. I think a lot of people forget how quickly everything happened for her, and how well she adapted to it. We even forget that somehow she has never earned a Sacramental award. I plan to remedy that today.

For over a year, Socorra served Arcona as Quaestor of House Qel-Droma. Before that she served as an Aedile and before that a Battleteam Leader. She lead by example and was the most active member of the Clan in operations and events that fell between the GJWX and the Horizons Vendetta. Textbook, I know, but what Socorra brings to the table is so much more, however. Socks is passionate, fierce, and loyal to a fault. She has a unique ability to drive others to be better and challenges them to keep up with her, which is endearing in it’s own way.

Leading into the Dark Crusade, Socks helped place 2nd in the Avenger Run-On. After that, she continued to lead the way with multiple novae and ended up with a 77% participation ratio for the Dark Crusade (24 / 31). She ranks 7th in Arcona for total novae earned with 7, but 5 of those came as Gold entries. She was a member of the Arcona Special Forces team for all 3 chapters of Phase 2 and was a big part of Arcona’s conquest. It’s been an honor to work with her and watch her grow as a writer, artist, and competitor.

Her skills have advanced to the point that she was able to land a gig as Praetor to the Herald. Socks has jumped right into it with getting to work on the Warbanner queue, helping Orv assimilate back into his role on the DC. She is available and active on IRC and interacts with members of all units, dedicated to helping them communicate better with the Herlard office. She does this while also serving as an XO for Soulfire Battleteam and the Brotherhoods Forums Tribune.

For her dedication not only to Arcona, but the Brotherhood and its future, I award Socorra Erinos a Sapphire Blade in the highest honor I am able to give as her Consul and former mentor. Few members have made me more proud. Keep up the great work, Socks.

Legend Wally, 2013-12-03 09:01:08 UTC

Troutrooper has nothing left to prove at this point in his DB career. He honestly should be off on an island somewhere sipping fishy-collada’s and gettin caught in the rain. Still, before the start of the Dark Crusade, he joined up with Clan Arcona and right off the bat became a part of the family. Looking back at this past year, It would be hard for me to think that Trouty had been in any other unit besides Arcona. His loyalty and dedication to the Clan and it’s member shine as he has been friendly, supportive, and a fierce competitor to boot. As I got to know him more and more, I found it invaluable to get his opinion on certain matters. His fishy-sage-powers and ability to always (somehow) make light of a situation has been a huge part of my development as a leader and member of this club. While the recipients of a Sapphire Blade typically have shown consistent and long-term service to their Clan or Brotherhood position, Trouty has functioned as an unofficial Summit member in Arcona, offering advice and wisdom wherever he could. He has had a slew of young BTL’s (and often jokes about it) who he has helped with his presence and easy going attitude, and never lets anything drag him down. It is contagious, and the proper attitude of a member of the Brotherhood.

The Sapphire Blade also can also be rewarded for extraordinary amounts of activity in a large scale event. No competition to date has matched the Dark Crusade- and Trouty really showed why he has made it so far in this club with his efforts. Trouty bats a 28 / 31, 90% participation rate for the Dark Crusade, 5th overall in Arcona. On top of that, he was a member of Arcona’s Special Forces team for all 3 chapters of Phase 2. Over the course of the Crusade, Trouty has scored 11 total novae: 6 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze. His efforts have been nothing short of heroic, and Arcona would not have finished as strongly as it did without his help. I don’t want to count the pages of fiction he’s written, let alone ponder the word count he’s accumulated. It takes a special type of dedication to put out that level of work when you’ve already earned most of the clubs highest honors.

Thank you Trouty for rocking out with us this year. I can’t thank you enough for the help you’ve been as a friend and fellow member. Here’s to more and better times ahead.

Consul of Clan Arcona

Legend Wally, 2013-12-03 09:01:21 UTC

Dacien, Aedile of House Plagueis, and critical component to the very foundation of the Team Plagueis. It is with great honor that I recommend him for a Sapphire Blade, a recommendation that I do not take lightly and have given careful consideration. When looking at the awarding of a sacramental I look at three distinct areas of participation/contribution/impact on a personal, house, and DJB level. It is to Dacien’s hard work and dedication to these three areas to which I will speak.

After the tumultuous events that transpired during the second to last round of the Dark Crusade Dacien rose from the ranks to assume the mantle of leadership as the Aedile of House Plagueis. I could never truly articulate that he was the right man for the right job at the right time. House Plagueis needed a competent and capable leader who had the historical expertise and drive to propel the House through this time of crisis. Dacien raised his hand with complete understanding of the complexities of the situation and committed to giving a 100% of his time and effort to the cause. Preventing what many hypothesized would be the further degradation of House Plagueis. To complicate matters, as a veteran member of the DJB he was paired with a relative rookie to the organization to lead this effort.

With the odds seemingly stacked against the House and the new leadership Dacien led by example from day one. He immediately posted a report highlighting his intentions and expectations and from that point never looked back. Almost daily interaction on the Google Groups and IRC Dacien was a recruitment and mentorship powerhouse. He clearly understood the intent and guidance from higher and executed flawlessly. His contributions can be directly reflected in when looking at flow of members into the House. Following the aforementioned events 16 members left House Plagueis either through transfer or AWOL status. Following Dacien’s impressive recruitment efforts 15 active members transitioned in to House Plagueis. 15 active members who were and integral part of the stunning 2.93 participation ration that Plagueis earned the final round of the Dark Crusade. Furthermore, in the midst of numerous leadership initiatives Dacien completed 7 Crusade events, earning a Gold Nova in the final round when the team needed him the most. In addition, Dacien initiated, processed, and tracked, through approval, 9 Battlefield promotions and a combination of 11 merit/sacramental medals. To that end, Dacien is more than deserving.

However, recruitment alone, although impressive, is only the start. Dacien was a constant mentor to members both new and old. Always available to answer questions and address concerns, Dacien was a staple to the Google Group, sending timely and accurate responses on a near daily basis. This was a quality and accomplishment that I can state directly impacted and assisted the members of House Plagueis. Members were never left wondering what if he did not know the example he exhausted his resources to garner that answer. I have heard numerous accolades from the members of the House trumpeting the approachability and reliability when dealing with Dacien. In an all volunteer club, where numerous members are in different time zones and drastically differing real life constraints to have a staple of reliability and expertise is priceless. To that end, Dacien is more than deserving.

More so, Dacien was able to transition the integral support he provided into a motivational resolve that was contagious. He was a ever present voice of a can do attitude from participation to support at all levels. There was never a question if Dacien believed that House Plagueis would win the Dark Crusade, his every action reflected it. Every email, every update, and every message on IRC his expectations were clear. As a team, doing it the right way, driven by a spirit of healthy competition we would win the Dark Crusade. His brazen dedication the cause caught on quickly and the House Plagueis of old was reborn, stronger and with a Warrior’s resolve to the cause. To that end, Dacien is more than deserving.

When you view the performance of Dacien through the lens of DJB wide contribution his impact is readily apparent. At the end of the day a shared love of star wars, camaraderie, and healthy competition brought us to the DJB. That is in fact, the strength of the organization. Dacien understands this and executes his duty accordingly. Above the politics, he would just as readily reach out to or assist members of another House/Clan as he would his own in an effort to build the depth of the DJB team as a whole. In addition, Dacien was instrumental in the creation of a new House Plagueis website, ultimately constructing a helpful venue for not just our immediate members but prospective members to the organization. This effort is directly in line with recent/ongoing initiatives DJB wide for recruitment and advertising to build the team. To this end, Dacien is more than deserving

As Quaestor of House Plagueis I can without a doubt state the success of the House is a direct reflection of the selfless service and relentless effort of Dacien. He is a humble servant to each and every member and attributes all of his success, rightly so, to their efforts. However, a strong guiding hand during a time of need was just what House Plagueis needed. The right guy, for the right job, at the right time. To that end, Dacien is more than deserving of a Sapphire Blade. It is with great honor that I wholeheartedly make this recommendation and stand side by side with him in service of House Plagueis. Congratulations Dacien, I could not ask for a more competent, capable battle buddy and friend.

Montresor, 2013-12-02 19:03:30 UTC

Tra’an Reith began the Dark Crusade as the Quaestor of House Plagueis and worked tirelessly prepared the House to conquer all opposition. Even after stepping down from Quaestor, he continued to fight for his House, competing all 31 events, 10 of them as a member of Plagueis’ elite Special Forces team. He snagged an amazing 6 gold novae and 1 bronze, including a gold for his truly impressive effort in the team-based Battle Plan event on Kalsunor.

If anyone deserves a sacramental award, it is Tra’an.

Montresor, 2013-11-29 19:46:08 UTC

Brimstone is perhaps the most vocal and eager member of House Plagueis. Though his hard work for the House is not necessarily reflected in an absurdly-high novae count or a leadership tenure, Brimstone has become well known within the House for consistently doing more with less and always striving to bring victory to Plagueis. During the Dark Crusade, Brimstone participated in 18 out of 31 events, bringing home 3 gold novae and 1 silver. What’s more impressive is that he completed 14 of those events, winning 2 golds and 1 silver, without the use of a computer. For the first five rounds of the Crusade, Brimstone participated in every event that he could possibly complete using no more than a cellphone, an unprecedented feat.

Moreover, Brim’s constant, encouraging, and inquisitive communication with the House Summit and over the Plagueis googlegroup has helped to rally our membership. Brimstone helps keep people informed of deadlines, starts often-sprawling conversations that draw out members who otherwise might remain silent, and just generally does whatever he can to improve the House. Brimstone deserves recognition for his achievements, and this Sapphire Blade could not go to a more deserving Plagueian.

Montresor, 2013-11-29 19:44:38 UTC

Slagar is House Plagueis’ MVP for the Dark Crusade. His impact on the House’s overall performance was profound, from his unrivaled 16 novae (9 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze!) to his tremendous effort organizing teams, encouraging participation, providing advice, and proof-reading entries, no one else has done so much to bring House Plagueis is first-ever Vendetta win.

This Sapphire Blade has been earned several times over.

Montresor, 2013-11-29 19:42:26 UTC

Archangel succeeded in being the the biggest and baddest of the Scholae Palatinae efforts in the Dark Crusade. He participated in 27 events, the greatest amounts of any one in the house, beating the next closest by 5 events. He also had one of the highest totals of Nova earned in Scholae Palatinae with 2 Gold, 3 Silver, and 4 Bronze.

Outside of his own ambitious efforts, Archangel also was a leader among the Scholae Palatinae efforts. He was a consistent member of the Special Forces team. He kept a watchful eye on the Wikipedia Event as the resident wiki know it all. He made sure our Battleplan submissions were in line and of the best quality possible. He led and focused our Alien Swarm team making sure we knew what we were doing (leading to a first place win for our team). He offered his proofreading skills to anyone who needed them in the house. When ever anyone, HSPer or not, needed help with gaming he was there to give advice.

Pretty much, Arch has been boss throughout this entire year long Vendetta. Scholae Palatinae would most definitely never have done as well as it did without him. By way of thanks for his above and beyond efforts in the crusade, I recommend he be awarded this Sapphire Blade. Thank you so much Arch.

Lord Idris Adenn, 2013-11-27 16:36:44 UTC

Xen'Mordin has been an impressive leader on many fronts as Quaestor of Scholae Palatinae. Speaking of fronts, how about leading from the front? This is a man who has garnered seven Novae during the Dark Crusade, three of which are Gold from the latest round, and is continually setting the standard of competitiveness for his members.

Vendetta performance aside, I have been even more impressed with Xen's easy-going nature that only enhances my ability to work with him. The two of us have dialogued quite a bit over the last year and while Xen is passionate regarding his House and the issues, he is always professional. Moreover, he is helpful and courteous to members outside his unit, highly responsive to items Muz or I need from Scholae Palatinae, and all-around just a really mature individual who is a pleasure to work with.

Xen doesn't yet have a Sacramental award. I'm proud and honored to be among the fine members to recommend his first one.

Well done, Xen. Thank you for everything you do on behalf of the Brotherhood.

Raken, Deputy Grand Master

It's the work. Putting our heads down, sweating the details, getting work done is what makes the difference. While others stop after every achievement and spend more energy trying to make sure people see that they did something, the best of us channel that energy into something else. Something that means more. Something that will outlast them. Xenmordin has been that way. He pushes hard, fights for his people. He leads from trenches that he had to dig himself. And he does that without disenfranchising anyone. New members seeking answers find words of advice coming from him easily.

People who need help find him volunteering. Not only the people he is responsible for, but anyone who he crosses paths with. And he doesn't grandstand about it. He doesn't draw attention to it, doesn't make a big deal out of it. It's all about the work. And sometimes that can mean that he gets overlooked. It is beyond time that Xen be rewarded for his work, for his dedication, for his attitude. It is just a token of our gratitude, Xen. Thank you, for all that you do.

~Muz Ashen, Dark Lord of the Sith

Xen’mordin is an awesome leader and may definitely be set as an example for all current and future members of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, who are willing to become excellent leaders. He has been leading our House with extremely high dedication and devotion for almost 1,000 days at this point. There is merely nothing, which Xen would not do to improve our House in all aspects of its functioning and to create the most member friendly and activity boosting environment, with sole exception for immoral actions and unfair decision. He works hard on various projects, which are aimed to increase the activity of our comrades.

More importantly, Xen is always there, willing to provide me advice on various matters related to effective, efficient and members-oriented leadership. I can always approach him and ask him about something or ask him to review my ideas for the House. I am sure that he will never say “No” for the sake of just doing so, but he will provide constructive criticism and advice on what to improve in a given idea or solution, in order to make it suit the needs of our unit the best. I know that Xen has the same attitude towards every single member of our small community. Everyone may approach him and speak with him about various matters, both important for the House or a given member and small talk topics.

However, the praises above do not exhaust the awesomeness of Xen’Mordin. Above all his works for our House, he leads us by his own example. I would like to stress that his example is among the best in the history of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. Xen has participated in numerous competitions, including the HSP Summer Games, Independence Games and all Chapters of the Dark Crusade, which have taken place so far. He has been found among top 3 participants in many of these competitions. He has organized our work and pointed out important events during every Chapter of the Dark Crusade. His attitude and example have increased our own motivation to do our best to submit our own entries.

Certainly, you do not have to believe me on word. However, the record of Xen’s service, which is available on his dossier speaks for itself. Xen’Mordin has earned 4 merit awards ( 1 Seal of Loyalty, 2 Anteian Crosses and 1 Dark Cross ), 13 Seals of Reminiscence, 8 Novae ( 3 Gold Novae and 5 Silver Novae ), 6 Crescents ( 1 Crescent with Amethyst Star, 2 Crescents with Sapphire Star and 3 Crescents with Topaz Star ) and 2 Clusters of Ice. All these medals have been earned by Xen since his promotion to the rank of Sith Warlord on the 5th of March 2013. What is more, he has hosted five competitions – one for the Independence Games and four on House level.

I believe that all these merits make Xen one of the best leaders in the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. His zeal, dedication and never-ending energy, which are clearly visible in all he does for our club, ranging from casual activity through participation in various projects to fulfilling his leadership duties as the Quaestor of House Scholae Palatinae, make one of the most shining stars on the sky of the Brotherhood. That is why I am deeply convinced that Xen’mordin Vismorsus has more than earned his very first Sacramental Award. I am honored to be allowed to give my supportive voice to the recommendation for one of the most brilliant members and leaders of Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

Respectfully, KP Xantros HSP Aedile.

Raken, 2013-09-26 18:12:36 UTC