## Fiction Update

Instead of bringing in a full fiction update here, I'd like to direct people to the Dark Crusade II fiction update on the main site that was posted a few days ago: Fiction Update. There's a nice little shout out to Plagueis contained therein, and it's nice to see us popping up in the official plot updates. In addition, I think all of our various RO's teams are making Plagueis plot updates that are pretty sweet, and would encourage everyone to follow along. ## The Dark Crusade

The second round of the Dark Crusade is currently ongoing (see the Dark Crusade Website), and I'm happy to say that we're already doing really well. We're only four days into the competition and already showing 18 entries tracked. This is actually one more entry then we were tracking at this same time last round, and there is one less event to enter this time. While this might look good, don't let it fool you into a sense of complacency, don't allow it to let you let up even a little. Right now we need to buckle down and start doing better then we already are.

Yes, we buried all our current competitors in the last round. Yes, we're on track to keep doing as well. This round, however, is different. Our major competition is likely to be CNS. You're probably thinking "Yeah, but we beat the pants off of CNS last round", but things are different this time around. Last round CNS only had sixteen entries in the wiki event. This round the Run On is taking the place of the wiki, and CNS is the clan of the Run On if ever there was one. Right now they have twenty-seven entrants signed up for their Run On teams. Our fiction entries between the two events might have dwarfed theirs last time, but this time there's only one fiction event. Add to that the fact that there is still a gaming event, a place where CNS has a lot of possible members to participate, and we're at a disadvantage compared to round one. CNS is the sleeping giant that has the potential to wake up, so we need to keep pouring on the entries. We cannot let up at this point, we've got another planet to win. And if that planet just happens to host Naga Sadow's personal fortress and we take it away from them, so much the better.

Just like last time, I'm going to give full text versions of all the event prompts. As far as these events go, they're a little bit more of a challenge than what we saw last round. That was to be expected. The fiction prompt is a bit more of a soul searching exercise. The graphic calls for something a bit more open ended than last time. And the Shadow Academy course requires a bit more effort to solve. On that last one, don't forget that you've got the entire internet at your disposal. As the event prompt says, this exam is about Frequency Analysis. I doubt the guys doing code breaking work sit there and stare at the code until they break it, and neither should you. There are resources out there in the vast reaches of the net that can help you along, so be sure to make use of them. #### Fiction: Heroes Die

Hatred warms you on a chill night. The bitterness you harbor keeps nearly everyone in your life at arm's length. But there are those close to you. Even the darkest of us have known affection, even love. We use it. Like fuel, it is consumed and pushes us to the heights of victory and success, or sometimes, the pits of despair and defeat. Yet we love. There are those closest to us whose loss would see us consume worlds should their life returned be possible at the expense of everyone and everything else. Think of this person. Now watch them die. In the skies over Khar Delba. In the snow. On the ice. In the mud and blood slurry of war, they die. And you must go on. Deal with this loss. This emotion. Explore your character and discover what they would do.

For the sake of canon and the impact of your story, whomever you choose to die will not truly be dead. Your character will "see" the flash of an explosion, their fighter crash, their vehicle consumed, etc. They will feel what they fear.. this person's death. So near to death will they actually be, your character would swear they felt the life leave them in the Force. But don't plan any funerals just yet. They live. What we'd like to see is the emotional impact of this event. Sith deal heavily in emotion yet we rarely see more then anger in our fiction.

This fiction event is to cover the mission detailed above in any way that you see fit. There is a minimum 750 words required, but no maximum. Submissions must be emailed to [Log in to view e-mail addresses] by 2359 pm EST 15th March 2013. Winning entries will be made canon after a vetting process. #### Gaming: The Battle for Khar Delba

Khar Delba presents a moderate threat profile, with pockets of stronger resistance. Indicated hostiles include war beats of ancient methodologies and corrupted initiates. The terrain makes the hostiles more dangerous, and urban tactics may need to be deployed. Space presence is minor, with one dilapidated space station in low orbit, but several anti-air batteries to threaten our landing craft. Destruction of enemy spaceborne assets is critical. Securing the landing zone for prefabricated garrisons are of primary concern.

This gaming event can be team or 1v1, but you may only engage enemies deployed to another planet. Only gaems against members from Arcona, Taldryan, and Scholae Palatinae will count. The standard Rites of Combat apply. #### Training: Encryption

Students of the Shadow Academy put on a good show during the campaign for Krayiss II and Nfolgai, demonstrating that it is possible to complete educational pursuits during times of military activity. The Headmaster hopes for this trend to continue, and as such a course has been authored as an introduction to Frequency Analysis. It is hoped that this course will enable members to better solve mono-alphabetic enciphered messages. It is suggested that all members take this course, and that those who show great aptitude by accurately and swiftly completing it will be rewarded.

Email [Log in to view e-mail addresses] with the subject line "Training [Khar Delba]" to receive a link to the Cryptography course. Include your name, dossier pin, and unit name [House and/or Clan] in the email. Read the notes and complete the exam like you would a normal Shadow Academy exam. This event will be judged on the score you achieve on the exam, ties will be decided based on the time it took for you to submit your exam after having received the link to the course. <h4 style="color:#236066;">Graphics: Relics of Battle

Many battles spanning the history of the galaxy have occurred on the snows of Khar Delba. From the rivalry between Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh to the occupation of Warlord Zsinj, there are weapons, armor, and various technologies scattered across the frozen wasteland. In an effort to become more self-reliant, the Brotherhood requires these technologies for its own research to developing weapons to help the war effort.

Design and artifact that you may have discovered on one of the ancient battlefields or perhaps hidden deep within a temple. It can range from Naga Sadow era to something a little more recent. Images must be a minimum 500 pixels by 500 pixels. Submissions must be emailed to [Log in to view e-mail addresses] by 2359 EST 15th March, 2013. Winning entries will be made canon after a vetting process. <h4 style="color:#236066;">Run-on: Echoes of an Empire</h4>

Your team has been honored to serve as the initial expeditionary force on Khar Delba. Armed with your special equipment, weapons, and munititons, you look forward to uncovering the lost mysteries of this great planet. Entering Khar Delba's atmosphere your team's shuttle encounters unusual turbluence and your flight systems malfunction. Sabotaged by traitorious elements within the Dark Brotherhood, your shuttle free falls through the dark Khar Delba sky on a collision course for the planet's surface. Your team's combined strength in the Force provies a last second buffer and prevents the catastrophic death of all on board.

Exiting your crippled shuttle your team is faced with the stark reality of a damaged communication array preventing contact with Dark Jedi Brotherhood forces. Your talents in telepathy are also muted due to the overwhelming taint of the Dark Side of the FOrce on Khar Delba. Unable to make contact with the Dark Brotherhood, your team begins movement towards your original rendezvous location. During your trek you become acutely aware of the growing presence of the stalking herd following your movement and their thirst to consume Force users. The Sith War Behemouths charge your team as you realize your situation is much worse then you had realized. Your team is not the only Dark Jedi on the planet.

Full rules and ramifications will be posted to the news site. <h2 style="color:#ffb400;">Gaming Updates</h2>

If you missed it, the Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast servers for the DJB have been changed. The original server provider killed the old servers without so much as a howdya do, and so they've been replaced. You can find the details, including the new server addresses, here.

Additionally, I'd like to remind everyone about the rules for setting up matches. All matches must be set up in #dbgaming, and this doesn't just mean paying lip service to that requirement. Don't set up your matches in PM and then just pop into #dbgaming long enough to "officially" set up your match for three seconds. I haven't heard of anything of this nature happening with anyone from Plagueis (or anyone specifically), but there's been talk. As such, I want to offer another pre-emptive reminder to everyone in Plagueis: The gaming staff is watching. <h2 style="color:#ffb400;">Crusade Rewards</h2>

I know that Tra'an mentioned rewards for the last round of the Crusade, so check out the cool toys we got in his report. I would, however, like to reiterate that the Summit is still watching and will be looking to hand out some nice shinies at the conclusion of this round. This is your chance to really impress everyone that would have a hand in writing those recommendations, so don't pass up this chance. People that enter everything they can will get noticed, and those that go above and beyond to provide help or encouragement to their fellow Housemates will be recognized on top of their own entries. Short Version: Do good things, we give you good things. <h2 style="color:#ffb400;">In Closing</h2>

I've said it before, I'll say it again. We have an opportunity here to prove that our success in round one of Dark Crusade was not simply an aberration. Go out, be active, and make Plaguies synonymous with activity and success!

Here it is: Your Moment of Zen

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