As a member that has spent the better part of two decades in the Brotherhood, please take this statement in that context: Dracaryis Sunstrider is by far one of the best leaders and members I have ever served with. He has spent every day since his last promotion 8 months ago serving his Clan in various leadership capacities, most often doing far above the expected. If we had 10 Dracs in Plagueis, it’s likely that Teylas and I could both retire tomorrow and not have to worry about a thing. Given that we only have the one, instead we “just” get to sit back and be amazed at nearly every turn with what he has accomplished in personal activity and unit leadership, every day thinking how lucky we are to have him.

In the realm of personal activity, Dracaryis hasn’t let leadership responsibilities get in the way of excellence. Even with fewer opportunities to compete while serving as a Quaestor and Rollmaster, he still was able to participate in 41 competitions (including 9 in our Forged Alliances event with Tarentum and 8 in our Between Dark and Light feud with Odan-Urr). His entries have earned him nine crescents for his placements, split between 1 diamond, 1 ruby, 3 amethyst, 3 sapphire, and 1 emerald. As a prolific gamer, he’s also captured 266 clusters of fire, 843 clusters of earth, and four pendants of blood. Additionally, even though he tries to tell everyone he’s not talented as a writer (his second place finish in fiction during our feud notwithstanding), he has earned 5 clusters of ice between an ACC match and his fiction entries. And, I assume in the spirit of leaving no stone unturned, he even completed a pair of SA exams as well. Suffice it to say, Drac has really filled up the “stat sheet” as they say in sports.

With that slew of activity, it’s a wonder he finds the time for his various DJB positions. Where some others might prioritize personal accomplishments at the expense of genuine leadership, Drac is a person who makes time for both (while prioritizing his leadership responsibilities above all others) and shows that leadership isn’t about status, it’s about service. He’d just taken over House Ajunta Pall at the time of his last elevation, and he spent the next six months being the best Quaestor a clan summit could ask for. He filed his monthly reports like clockwork, drove activity from his members, and most importantly helped train his subordinates to go on to bigger and better things. Under his leadership, House Ajunta Pall generated high amounts of activity, out performing House Karness Muur in all competitive metrics. In addition, he provided the guidance and training to ensure that almost every subordinate he oversaw went on to other, higher positions on the summit. His first Aedile, Kelly Mendes, ascended to the position of Clan Rollmaster. His next Aedile, Taranae Rhode, has now moved on to lead House Karness Muur as Quaestor. Kalon Entar, though not inexperienced in the Brotherhood before coming on as Drac’s BTL, was helped to adapt to the idiosyncrasies of Plaguies while serving there and was eventually named to take over Ajunta Pall as Quaestor when Drac moved to clan Rollmaster himself. It may be easy to wave away that level of advancement by saying that Drac was simply blessed with good people. Chalking it up simply to the people themselves, however, does a serious disservice to Drac’s mentorship. There is no doubt in my mind that Drac’s leadership experience, honed to a fine point long before he reached the Brotherhood, have made better leaders out of the people he’s worked with (both up and down the chain of command).

When he transitioned to Rollmaster, Drac was given the herculean task of overseeing the uptick in new members that had come in with the release of The Force Awakens. Given what he had brought to other leadership positions throughout his time here, it was no wonder that Drac’s work paid great dividends immediately. Drac has successfully overseen the advancement of three members to the rank of JM4 since taking over the Rollmaster job two months ago, with a fourth only awaiting time in grade for his advancement. More than that, though, Drac has done more as a leader than simply what is simply mandated by his position. During our recent Feud with Odan-Urr, Drac really stepped up as a major player on the Clan summit as the event overlapped with heavy work times for the rest of us (I myself was away coaching my speech and debate team at nationals for the final ten days of the feud, for example). He made sure energy remained high, and more importantly oversaw the team events (both in helping people find teams and leading a team in each event himself) that, given the close score, ended up being the key to Plagueis emerging victorious in that event. His performance during the feud alone resulted in a Steel Cross being awarded, as much for his leadership as his individual activity.

At it’s most simple, we would not have won that feud were it not for the hard work Drac put in, both during the event and in the months beforehand creating productive members and training our next generation of leaders. I’d say that our performance there should allow Drac to take a “victory lap” as a culmination of the previous 8 months of work he’d done, but saying that implies a sense of finality. I know that Drac is nowhere near done, and that this promotion request will not be his last, it is merely another step along his road. He may no longer be a Warrior in name, but I know that he will continue fighting to make the Brotherhood and our Clan better long after he’s moved on from that rank.

Selika Roh di Plagia

Master Selika Roh di Plagia, 2016-05-09 20:04:05 UTC

I've known Drac since he transferred into Plagueis some time back. He was funny, kind, and interested in helping out. That Journeyman who was just someone else became a constant friend, adventuring in the worlds of Destiny and D3. As he rose through the ranks, he was someone that I also spent time with, discussing promotions, competitions, battleplans, and all manner of things. I always found him insightful, competent, and capable. I was incredibly please to see him rise through the ranks as quickly as he has.

In his time as Quaestor of House Ajunta Pall, Drac proved to have a handle on the membership. His communication and work ethic quickly produced results, not only in member retention of newer members, but in terms of their investment into the unit and into Plagueis as a whole. He's exported members to fill holes in House Ajunta Pall, and even was able to make a recommendation for his own successor when he accepted the position of Rollmaster in Plagueis.

I can go on and on for days about how Drac is a kind, competent, thoughtful, caring person, and how those traits manifest in his leadership. Dracaryis Sunstrider is the epitome of what it means to be a long term, successful leader in the Brotherhood. I am pleased to be able to recommend him for EQ2.

I can only hope that he will stay with us for a long time. I look forward to what he brings with him in the future.

Tra'an Reith di Plagia

Reaver Tra'an Reith di Plagia, 2016-05-09 20:00:16 UTC

I'm thrilled to see Drac continue onwards into the Equite ranks. From standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him as duelling Quaestors, I know his infectious enthusiasm for motivating those around him. From working with him when he became Rollmaster, his personal attention for the newest members of the Brotherhood, his level-headed approach to conflicts, and his always-present support and counsel mark him as one of the best leaders that I've had the pleasure of interacting with.

He intuitively grasps that the best leaders in our club need to be selfless, supportive, and consistently engaged -- traits that I know have brought him success outside in the real world and are essential to building the Brotherhood up as a club and community. As Quaestors, the two of us worked dilligently to separate the in-character and out-of-character conflicts of the Clan, fostering community over conflict. While I had the good fortune of working with one of my favorite mediums (writing fiction) to achieve our ends, Dracaryis admitted that he felt out of his wheelhouse and still put his fingers to keys. It's almost as if Dracaryis thrives outside of his comfort zone, where the unpredictable and exciting parts of life happen.

As someone who has worked alongside him, Drac is the type of leader who will be in the Brotherhood for years, and he highlights the best parts of online community and opens them up to other members. He competes in a wide range of fields and produces content at a high level, for his own entries and for Clan projects. He offers his time and effort to others so that they can enjoy what the Brotherhood has to offer. He meets exclusion and divisiveness with the steadiness of mind and professionalism that I've only seen in a handful of other people, either in real-life or online.

I can gloat about how awesome Dracpool is, knowing that he'll deny all of it and still deserve more.

Welcome to Equite 2, and may you not pause to question it for a single moment.

Eiko

Seer Eiko, 2016-05-09 20:01:04 UTC

Draccles! There for me as I moved into the AED position of Ajunta Pall and still there for me and everyone else as he moves into the RM position. Always ready with advice, ready to answer any questions and just all-round good guy. Thanks for all you've done for Plagueis and still continue to do, Drac. Congratulations on your promotion!

Taranae Rhode

Envoy Taranae Rhode, 2016-05-09 20:01:46 UTC

Around some parts, members refer to you as Uncle Drac. This is a mark of the inherent trust that your members bestow upon you, as your experience, enthusiasm and sheer activity inspire others through your example. I think it is a testament to both your real life and internet experience that you are another successful member who leads from the front, showing other members what they are capable of in every instance possible.

Drac, there are people in this organization who have an immense presence. You, however, are a piece of the solid foundation of your Clan and the greater DJB. Uncle Drac being around is synonymous with a lively and entertaining Brotherhood. Furthermore, Drac is also synonymous with a ridiculously good work ethic and an unwaverable ability to always have fun.

Cheers to you, Drac. You earned it.

Laren Uscot

, 2016-05-09 20:02:26 UTC

I am honoured to be recommending Drac for his elevation to the rank of Equite 2. Since I stepped into the position of FIST, he has been eager and ready to help. This had made the transition one of ease and consistent progress, something that the FIST office needs on a daily basis to continue to develop for the betterment of the Brotherhood.

Drac is an active voice on my staff. When building up the Division, his input saw a balanced system come into play, being worked on quickly and efficiently to get it ready for members to use. Once this was completed, I set Drac the task of making sure that Wiki pages were up to date and relevant to the changes that had taken place inside of the FIST office. Drac was quick to write up the changes in a GDoc that were coded and ready to go and send them my way, as well as picking out any Wiki pages that needed to be looked over by other FIST staff or altered in any way. This has saved valuable time and made it easier to navigate what work needs to be done in the FIST Office.

Drac continues to set the bar in competitions, giving members a huge selection of competitions to enter into a month. Since I joined the staff, he has hosted a total of twenty-nine gaming competitions. Each month I see him throw himself into the work load that is mobile gaming and just go crazy for it. As part of my staff he represents the Office to a high level, always active on Telegram to help members out with any concerns and give his opinion on any changes that will be taking place to the gaming rules. Drac is a key member in this team and one that I am happy to have. Reliable and always working to a high quality, he is one of those members you wish there was more of.

For all his hard work inside the FIST office, I am happy to see him elevated to the next rank in the Equites. Thank you for making my time as FIST easy, accepting me and working straight away. Without your support it would have been a harder time, keep up your brilliant work, man. Congratulations.

Cethgus Tiberius Entar

Cethgus Tiberius Entar, 2016-05-09 20:02:58 UTC