Down the Rabbit Hole

Greetings! It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time goes by. Blade’s office was once just a pile of boxes, but now it has a LOCKED, well stocked fridge of Rancor Tequila (looking at you Kylex) and plenty of comfy furniture. And of course, an inbox begging for mercy after Starfall hit it. But anyways, I have a few big things to cover this month. First, plenty of news on our recently finished clan wide competition, code named ‘Starfall’. Second, another look at some of Excidium’s emerging story developments, particularly a focus on the variety within the House itself. Third, I love bragging about all of you.

Lastly, I have a few special introduction. The House has a new member! Everyone welcome Brax! Excidium is glad to have you and I look forward to helping you thrive.

And now, onwards!

The Order Campaign: STARFALL!!!

Last month, our Consul Xen’mordin and Proconsul Elincia Rei hosted a clan wide event named ‘Starfall’. It is still being judged but I have plenty to say about it nonetheless. I’ve harped before on story and its importance to the development of our Clan and more particularly our House. Therefore before we get underway, if you haven’t already please read the fictions released for ‘Starfall’:

Read backstory here.

Did you read it? Please read it.

How about now?

Alright, so I am going to assume some of you didn’t read it. Here is a short summary and a bit of perspective. Our Clan has been trying to establish an empire for some time. Our enemies have mostly been from within but in Starfall we ventured forth to Aesirus to claim a critical Kyber crystal mine. The only weapons at our disposal were our own characters. No help from a military or orbital strikes. Just Excidium and Imperium against Aesirus and the company in charge of the operations, SoroSuub. House Excidium played its part of course and for a nice sum I might add. We snuck informants into the mining facility, discovered the location of the Kyber crystals, laid some underground mines for good measure, and took a stab at taking over the entire mining colony for the glory of Clan Scholae Palatinae. All without damaging the goods too much (hopefully).

Now, the final fiction isn’t out yet but based on the above and the knowledge of what Kyber crystals are used for we can make some deductions and start a rumor mill in the process. XD First, ask yourself one question. ‘What could I do with that many Kyber crystals?’

• Arm a lot of clan members with lightsabers
• Create a weapon of mass destruction
• Decorate the Imperial Palace

The last one is unlikely. I am personally hoping for a superweapon that defies the laws the physics. We are trying to expand an empire after all, not win first prize in a decoration contest. Though, we could use said superweapon to destroy the opponent’s decorations and thus win…

But seriously, I am super excited to see what Emperor Xen does with this loot, assuming no one pilfers it. Not only that but not everyone in the Clan is a loyal imperialist. I wonder what some characters cough Blade cough would do knowing that Xen could make a weapon out of it… All speculation though. We get to eagerly wait for the last fiction update to find out more!

Now I want to shift gears and congratulate everyone on a job well done. You are all awesome people, so cheers! Some high points I’d like to call out.

• A good job to everyone who participated and helped develop the Clan story further. You may or may not realize it but it has such a big impact. Thank you.

• It looks like Excidium has the advantage in participation. This wasn’t a House Feud, but I take pride in the fact that we put forth a good showing. Special Recognition to our heavy hitters: Lucyeth, Alara, Jorm, and Shadow.

• Excidium had a good number of placements in the competitions and the overall standings. Special Recognition to Bale, Alara, Zehsaa, Shadow, and Jorm for your first round placements!

• Thank you for your wonderful entries. I urge everyone to check them out after they are done being graded. Round one results are already out. (many of which will be shown off below in our spotlight) Give yourself a pat on the back and admire all our wonderful creations from both Excidium and Imperium.

House Projects

A (Slightly) New Look for Excidium - Revisited

You have all had time to digest the new House structure of Excidium and along the way you have provided some useful comments. Please see the amended diagram below.

Changes Made:

• I have modified Excidium’s purpose to eradicate OR neutralize threats. We are not a House full of assassins, so it only made sense that we broadened our scope a bit. What can neutralize mean? Many, many things. Use your imagination.

• The role of ‘Enforcer’ has been added. Again, these are general roles and you can paint outside the lines but this is one common theme that was brought back for inclusion. In the past, Excidium has always had them and they serve a purpose. What do they do? Well, when subtle means don’t work someone has to get their hands dirty…

• ‘Mission board’ is the new name for the place where we all get our jobs (unless someone directly hires you).

Some Requests:

• I need more name ideas for the ‘Mission board’. What we have works but I feel like we can do better.

• MOAR FEEDBACK! I haven’t heard back from everyone yet so I am hoping there are no questions, but if you do have some feedback for me please pass it on. I want this to be as collaborative as possible.

So continue to think about how your character makes their mark on Excidium because before you know I’ll be asking everyone to write fictions about it. ^^

Variety is the spice of life

One thing I want everyone to embrace is the fact that we are not all the same. You might be thinking 'Duh, of course we aren’t' but I really want this to show in our fictions. An easy example of this is when a lot of people come off as 100% behind whatever crazy mission the Emperor has us executing. I’ll stretch that to say that after reading every wiki article on the Clan there were no known acts of treason in the Empire until Blade Ta’var came along, who has vowed to take it down. Not every character is that drastic but we are Excidium not a horde of stormtroopers. I urge everyone to really flush out exactly what drives their character past blind loyalty. If they are 100% loyal, that is fine but try to think of a good reason behind it. Here is a teaser at what I mean.

Sith-Faced Joe’s: Ohmen, Judecca

Sith-Faced Joe’s was usually a crowded affair but tonight it was particularly crowded. The latest operation on Aesirus was complete and everyone was out celebrating. One group in particular was staging a particularly vigorous conversation. A ragtag group of Excidiacs sat around a large circular table, vigorously banging their glasses together.

“For the Empire!” A large man in imperial dress shouted in a toast. Several around the table joined in but a few gave rather half-hearted attempts as they raised their glasses at the last minute. The Imperial downed his drink, slammed it on the table, and frowned at them.

“You have an issue with that?” The brutish man growled.

“Settle down, Ralph. Not everyone bleeds Imperial colors like you do, but we still all fight for the Emperor.” A diminutive rodian countered in a clipped Coruscanti accent.

“Like you can talk, Seth. You are only loyal because we let you do your research projects.” The imperial eyed the loose lab coat with annoyance. What kind of outfit is that?!

“We all have our reasons for being loyal, Ralph. Becoming angry about it won’t change the fact.” Seth stated in a cold tone. Ralph merely shook his head and directed his attention at a female intelligence agent.

“Tess, back me up.”

“The Empire provides me a safe place to live and pays me well enough to raise a family. I don’t have any complaints.” Tess relaxed in her seat and continued to sip her drink.

“Gah! Not you too.” The imperial enforcer leaned forward and stared her down. She merely shrugged and continued drinking.

“Claus?” Ralph asked in desperation.

“Depends. Feeling Lucky?” The Assassin laughed as he spun a chance cube on the table and smirked. The Imperial shook his head in defeat and took a deep sigh.

“At least none of you are a dirty rebel.” Ralph balled his hands into fists until his knuckles turned white.

Everyone murmured in agreement, chief among them a human named Victoria. She had also been one of the loudest to cheer for Ralph’s toast. Little did they know she was one them. A rebel down to her core that hoped one day to make the Emperor’s life a lot more difficult. Patience.

Wiki Updates!

Plenty of change has happened with regards to Excidium and one of the tasks high on my radar is to have it properly recorded in the DJB Wiki. I have done an exhaustive read of the Clan Lore and made a note of all Excidium references. What’s left? Some needed updates. Now everyone knows I love the DJB Wiki, but this amazing experience is too good to not share. Therefore, I am calling for willing volunteers who would like to work with me to ensure the voice and spirit of Excidium is well represented. As a bonus, this would count as helping out in a House project, which is particularly useful to Equites or those aspiring to become one.

Now for those who are scared, I understand. I really do. But together we can beat the DJB Wiki and we have Dek Ironius II, who won the DJB-wide Wiki competition, to help us out. It’s like a strange adventure park with plenty of weird neighbors.

Tacitus Athanasius

There are some big things going on in the battleteam right now but first I want to give a shout out to its newest member Kylex, who recently passed his trial to join Tacitus Athanasius. He wrote a decent sized fiction for it, which everyone can read here. Special thanks to Alara Deathbane for writing a follow on fiction of decent size as well. (You can read all of it at the link above). Overall, it was a trial well executed by Shadow and Alara. Well done!

Now, some serious battleteam development opportunities are currently available. Shadow and Alara have put together a series of competitions under the title ‘Legacy’ that will explore the legacy your character leaves behind on Tacitus Athanasius. I’ll be saying more about them below in the competitions section but I urge everyone in the battle team to participate as much as possible. This is your chance to expand the storyline of your team and make your mark on its lore! Don’t pass up this wonderful opportunity. All of these competitions end in two months so you should have plenty of time. ^^ Do all the things!!

Interested in all the excitement? JOIN TACITUS ATHANASIUS!

If you have any specific questions about the team, reach out to Shadow Nighthunter or Alara Deathbane.

Recognition

Great job everyone! A lot of people participated this month and together we turned out a solid team effort. So give each other a pat on the back. You deserve it.

• Kylex promoted to Hunter!!

• Brax promoted to Novice!!

• Shout outs to some heavy hitters this month! Great job Lucyeth, Jorm Na’trej, Alara Deathbane, and Shadow Nighthunter! #Proud

• Several Excidiacs placed during the first half of Starfall. A big congratulations to:

  • Poetry: Alara Deathbane for placing first, Jorm Na’trej for placing third, and Blade Ta’var for placing fourth!
  • Fiction: Bale Andros for placing first and Blade Ta’var for placing third!
  • Graphics: Blade Ta’var for placing second, Alara Deathbane for placing third, and Zehsaa Hysh for placing fourth!
  • Flash Game: Zehsaa Hysh for placing first, Shadow Nighthunter for placing third, and Jorm Na’trej for placing fifth!
  • Alara Deathbane for placing first in trivia!

• ACC fights! I continue to see these and I love it. Keep it up! Recently we had two ACC fights. Cyris Oscura vs. Marick Tyris was a Elder showdown. I highly recommend that you read it. The second matchup was a good old Excidium vs. Imperium as Kylex took on Lexiconus Qor ! Even better, Kylex won! Links to both ACC fights are posted in the Member Spotlight so give it a read!

• Congratz to Zehsaa Hysh for the most Clusters of Graphite in Excidium!

• Congratz to Bale Andros for the most Clusters of Ice this month in Excidium!

• Shadow Academy Star: Kylex did a wonderful job in the Shadow Academy this month, earning himself a Dark Maven Lore! Special mentions go to Arron Saylos and Brax. Congratz!

• Society Rank Promotions!

  • Blade Ta’var to INQ Rank X
  • Kylex to SA Rank V
  • Kylex to INQ Rank II

• Lastly, I want to recognize everybody for your efforts and accomplishments. Every bit adds to this community and I want to thank all of you for taking some time to ensure the craziness of Excidium reigns supreme. You’re the best.

Competition Spotlight

A Clan event just ended, but rest assured there is plenty to occupy your time and more is coming. For now, here is a quick summary of ongoing competitions. For the full list, please look here. Remember to check out all the tabs!

House Excidium Sponsored:

• Legacy: Your Story by Shadow Nighthunter and Alara Deathbane: Write a fiction about a mission that led your character to a revelation about who they are as an assassin. It is also recommended that you include how Tacitus Athanasius had an impact on them or what it means to be part of Tacitus Athanasius.

• Legacy: Your Greatest Success by Shadow Nighthunter and Alara Deathbane: Write a fiction about your character’s greatest mission to date that will thrill future generations of assassins to come, so that they learn from your legacy!

• Legacy: That One Target by Shadow Nighthunter and Alara Deathbane: Create a picture of that one target that your character will always remember. Perhaps this target is from one of your Legacy fictions (Your Story, Your Greatest Success).

• Legacy: The Ballad Of... by Shadow Nighthunter and Alara Deathbane: Write a poem about your character for the ‘Hall of Memories’ to hold so that future assassins can listen to tales of your greatness.

• Legacy: The Wisdom I Leave You by Shadow Nighthunter and Alara Deathbane: Write a fiction where your character passes down your knowledge into a holocron for future generations. Maybe it’s bits of advice and maybe it’s a warning, but wisdom is one of the best things to leave behind…

• Beware of Cackles in the Dark by Shadow Nighthunter and Alara Deathbane: Write a fiction where your character survives Dathomir and its shadowy inhabitants.

Clan Scholae Palatinae Sponsored:

• The Cocytus Empire Imperial Anthem by Elincia Rei: Write our Imperial Anthem. Winner gets theirs song by Alara! 5 DAYS LEFT

• The Cocytus Empire Imperial March by Elincia Rei: Write our Imperial March. We sorely need one. 5 DAYS LEFT

• Here There Be Clowns! by BTL Shadow Nighthunter: A fiction competition about clowns. Yes, clowns. Write yourself meeting them and your character’s reactions OR write your character eliminating the clown menace. 9 DAYS LEFT. (Die Clowns, Die)

• Oops, wrong universe by Kylex: A fiction competition with an interesting twist where your character ends up on the USS. Enterprise Medical Bay. How would your Star Wars character react? (I can’t wait to have Blade meet an Orion...)

DJB Sponsored:

• Scarlet and Darkblade’s Puzzle Party: Puzzles every two weeks. Give it a try!

• The Thirteen stories: This collection of fiction prompts has you simply responding to a quote and writing how your character would interpret it. If any quotes speak to you it is an excellent opportunity to write about how your character view it. I recommend this one.

• What would you do for a Klondike bar?: Your character’s favorite dessert has been discontinued. Write a fiction depicting what your character would do to get just one more… 3 DAYS LEFT

• Explain a DB plot badly: There has been a recent trend on Twitter where people #explainafilmplotbadly. Summarize one of the following major DB events in a single sentence in the style of the #explainafilmplotbadly hashtag. Summaries must be one sentence and should separately indicate which event is being summarized. #explainaDBplotbadly

Member Spotlight

We do so much more than just the numbers that are tracked on the website. We are a community and I’d like to take this time to show off some awesome things we’ve done as a House that don’t quite fit anywhere else. Thank you for your contributions!

Graphics

Selfie Time featuring Zehsaa and Bale by Zehsaa Hysh. Awww

SoroSuub Home on the Range by Zehsaa Hysh

Brax, our new Nautolan by Brax

Zehsaa dresses up for Halloween by Zehsaa Hysh

Fiction: Tales of Craziness and Mayhem

• Bale Andros’s Starfall fiction for ‘Hunting for that Bling’. A great story and a highly recommended read!

• Blade Ta’var’s Starfall fiction for ‘Hunting for that Bling;. (Even includes some new Excidium stuff)

• Lucyeth’s Starfall fiction for ‘Hunting for that Bling’.

• Alara brings home the gold in Starfall Poetry! Click on her name to read her entry.

• A wonderful Starfall poetry entry by Jorm. We’re digging! We’re digging!

• Kylex’s Trial for Tacitus Athanasius featuring writing by Kylex and Alara

ACC fights: Such Tension. Much oww. Wow.

• Cyris Oscura vs. Marick Tyris

• Kylex vs. Lexiconus Qor

Gaming

It’s Halloween time!----Floof is Hungry. Tramp Stamp (see red circle). Pony Cuddles.

DJB News

• Possession Open Beta is here! Everyone go buy stuff here and here. More links are in Evant’s latest report here.

• Marick Tyris to VOICE!

• Evant to REGENT!

• Dracaryis Sunstrider to FIST! (Also known as #GoodGuyDrac)

• Atra Ventus to Combat Master!

• More Possession Info from the Regent. Take a look here!

• Rogue One info here.

• New Discipline: Scoundrel! More info here.

• New Discipline: Ace! Who wants to fly? More info here.

• Fiction updates and more info from the VOICE here. Highly recommended you take a look!

Conclusion

Another report has come and gone. Again, kudos to everyone for all the hard work you put into this month and Operation Starfall. I think we stand a good chance at putting a lot of Excidiacs atop of the leaderboard. We also discussed some minor tweaks to House Excidium and the addition of an ‘Enforcer’ role. In addition, I presented a sneak peak at the tensions that can exist within the Clan or the House. Lastly, Tacitus ‘Legacy’ events are live so check them out in the competitions page. All of these are great for character development. If you skipped to the end and missed any of the above, go back and read it. It’s important. Why? Fiction is an adventure that requires active participation. The more you know the more tools you have in your writing toolbox. Join in the adventure as we go down deeper into the rabbit hole.

Reminder: Continue to explore how your character leaves their own mark on Excidium. Talk to the rest of the House about how the details might look. Apply this to your stories and complete your character sheet if you haven’t already. Lastly, reach out to myself, Shadow, or Alara if there are any competitions you would like to see but haven’t got the chance to participate in yet.

To the Future of Excidium!

Desktop Telegram

[CSP Chat - Log in to view join link]

Clan Feedback

Ask CuddlyBlade!

Alara asks: “Boxers or briefs? Commando? What do you prefer?”

Blade: Blade would prefer briefs. It is more of a tease than the others.

Wally asks: “if Blade had to decide between killing a single child to prevent a war where thousands would die, would she do it, even though the act of killing the innocent would put her on her own "bad" list? :)”

Blade: Damn you, Wally. Such a deep question. :D As it stands right now, Blade couldn’t kill an innocent child to prevent a war. It has no connection to anything bad. It didn’t protect a bad guy. A complete innocent in short. She couldn’t and would find another way to prevent the war. It would be easier to kill an adult that might have some dark spots to them.

Wally asks: “Does Blade prefer downfeather, or memory foam sheets/bedding and how does she handle when forced to go camping/away from home?”

Blade: Memory foam sheets/bedding. No need to be poked by feathers. ./

Archenksov asks: “Who gives the best cuddles? (besides Blade)”

Blade: This thing!

Archangel asks “What was the first thing you bought on the possessions page and why?”

Blade: Priorities first...Stun Cuffs. So many uses for them ^^.

Archangel asks “YT-2000, YT-1300 or YT-2400?”

Blade: YT-2000. Plenty of room to have fun while someone else flies the thing. Massage Time!

TL;DR

• Operation Starfall

• House Projects

• Tacticus Athanasius

• Such activity, much wow

• Competition Spotlight

• Member Spotlight

• DJB News

• Final Thoughts

• Q&A Time!

Signed with Pheromones