Brethren,

Most of us here only look at the words 'Exodus' and are reminded of a note in a wiki article, a question on a Shadow Academy exam, or something that the older members talk about. Maybe it doesn't mean much to you personally beyond the possibility to win a seal of loyalty. Maybe it means that you're looking forward to the Independence Games, and the chance to score some pretty fantastic medals.

It is important for us to understand why we had the Exodus, how it happened, and the repercussions felt even to this day. We would not be here today, if not for the Seven, for the Exodus.

Ten years.

It has been ten years since that day, when the Brotherhood broke free, since we left the Hammer, since we decided we would take command of our own fate.

They said we wouldn't last, that we'd come crawling back.

Things are quite different now.

Much has been said about the way things were in the past. Those who have lived it lament the loss of the good things while those too new to have been there are quick to remind them that it's a different era, and we have our own good things to celebrate. It's a great problem to have: to have existed for long enough that we have a generational gap of a sort.

Someone I respect very much (and recently have been arguing with) told me that We have had great things in the past. We have great things now, but they are different things, and we're all just trying to puch ourselves to greater heights. I think that's pretty much on point. We all have things -- great things -- to learn from each other. We're a Brotherhood, not a Patriarchy, after all.

As such, it takes all of us, every one of us, from the new guy who just joined and can't figure out what the heck an 'obelisk' is to the guys who have been GM for so long that they forgot that regular members can't translocate at whim. We're all needed. We are all valued, even if...no especially when we don't get along. We need the extra eyes, the extra opinions, the extra push to keep the brotherhood getting better...to keep getting ourselves better.

It's important work, even if the rest of the world doesn't get it.

The following members have been awarded for their loyalty to the Brotherhood, their work to make the club greater. They have received Seals of Loyalty, nominated by summits and dark councilors. I want to thank them personally for their efforts, and I hope that the rest of you take a moment to do so as well.

Solari

Fremoc

Taig

Shikyo

Shadow

James

Socks

Wun

Locke

Drodik

TR

Xen

Rian

Anshar

Evant

Dash

Atra (Xue)

Kalia

Marick

Valhavoc

Archangel

Alaris

Levathan

Tarax

Morotheri

Benevolent

Arion

Mav

Kazmir

Raken

Liam (Kal)

TL;DR: It's Exodus Day!

Thanks again, everyone.

--Muz