Welcome to one of the reports of all time. (I'm supposed to do these, yes?)

Shinies made by my awesome staff

Listen, when you have a Staff like this, you gotta brag, alright? And I'm about to brag.

Syrena Valkar aka Kav

Kav is doing great in the staff learning new things, specifically what it means to be on a short deadline and what it means to work on challenging art that she hasn't done before during her education. I'd like to encourage you all to follow her example. Step out of your comfort zone.

Seals

Seals is rocking it alongside Kav. She'd doing a wonderful job learning how the staff works and doing a great job with handling new challenges as well. She also created most of the Warbanners this year which is no small feat.

Vailhanz

This will come as no surprise, but Vailhanz (aka Bruno) has been the rock of our team. He has the most experience and is always willing to assist and hop in to help. Great work, buddy, and thank you.

Absetees

Lex and Jazzy had to leave the staff due to RL responsibilities. They were a great help and great staffers for the work they did and I thank them for it. They're welcome in my staff any time.

For now I won't open new magistrate positions. We don't have enough work at this moment, but when the work peaks again I will probably open a spot or two.

Plans for Life day

I'm sure you've all seen the comps Thran is running and that you're all eager to much on those. Along with that you can expect a Herald Holiday this year with dossier art made by the whole staff. Robes, weapons, accessories to your heart's content. We are celebrating 30 years so the art will be thematic. Mare to come in December!

Fiction - Shroud Syndicate

There have been a few question in fiction chat about the heading of the Shroud Syndicate so I'd like to post a bit of an FAQ for all of you so you get the answers (hopefully). Let's start:

---

What is the Shroud Syndicate anyway? What was it meant to be initially and how has it evolved?

The Shroud Syndicate is the fictional part of the Art Society we have in the club. You know Art club? :D

Star Wars leans heavily into the criminal "element" in its setting so the initial idea was to create a starting point into that world. The Shroud Syndicate was always meant to be a setting for you as the player to use and explore in your own way through your characters. It's purposefully vague for the most part precisely because you're meant to fill the voids for yourself and enjoy the elements you want to enjoy.

---

Is the Shroud Syndicate supposed to be pirate-coded? I thought they were pirates.

This is a misconception folks have because my character, Morgan, is a pirate and the founder of said organization (and perhaps other reasons I'm not aware of).

No, the Shroud was meant to touch upon the "Outlaw" elements of Star Wars: crime, piracy, smuggling, gangs, a good whistling cowboy soundtrack during a midday shootout. It's meant to be anything you want it to be, illicit or not. If you've played Star Wars Outlaws (which i recommend) then you probably understand.

Is your character a pirate? Sure, they'll fit in, but so will the booze smuggler, the gang member, the adventurer scoundrel, and the legitimate freelancer who does cargo runs for legitimate businesses (Syndicates very often have fronts that act as their legitimate counterparts). That's a good way to look at it.

---

What's the future like for the Shroud syndicate?

I'm planning on expanding the setting, mainly through new locations, organizations, NPCs, etc. I'd like to make it a richer and more diverse ground for your characters to interact with. You can help by participating in future RP sessions, fiction comps, graphics comps, and other ways: If you have any ideas you'd like to share, send them to me and we can discuss.

Closing

I'm proud of my staff. That's all. Love you guys, keep on being awesome.

Showcases

In this section I will show off some art from members and some music for you to enjoy.

Featured artist: Edema R'uh-Kalinor

Edema is very active in the Art community through photography. It's always striking, always eye-catching, and always is beautiful locations. I wanted to showcase that art doesn't come through the pencil, or through the stylus, but through the eye of the beholder. Here are a few lovely photographs posted in Art chat.

Featured music: Two Mix - Just Communication

(Yes, I built a Gundam and am listening to Gundam. Sue me.)