News

It's a shame that I have to wait until almost the end of the month to wish you all a happy new year, but that's how the schedule works. If you've been on top of it, none of this news will be new to you -- but that doesn't mean I'm not going to repeat it all over again for you!

Brotherhood

The word has been out for a few weeks now -- Snoke, Rey, and the rest of the crew are common knowledge, and the impact on the Brotherhood has yet to be felt. The transition to accomodate the new movies is one of the next things on the radar.

Clan

There are a whole ton of things to do in Plagueis right now. Competitions are everywhere, and you should get into them. Anything less would be squandering the resources given to you. There's even a competition that awards you for being in a bunch of competitions, which is one of the most meta things I've experienced in a while.

And beyond competitions, there are other ways to stay active and get involved, there is a joint Run-On that started in the past week, run by both of Plagueis's quaestors with the intent of getting people moving and stories flowing. This will be an ongoing project -- we'll throw it into pause for the Feud, and then launch back into it once we're on the other side of...

Yes, I said Feud. February will be a bloody month of Darkness-on-Lightness, Plagueis vs. Odan-Urr dance-off. Or something like that. Details are still coming out (even I'm in the dark!) and with Restoration still so fresh in our minds, is there any doubt that our Feud will be a fantastic one?

House

With so much happening on the Clan level, the House is relatively quiet. I want to specifically congratulate the flood of new and active folk who have been filling my inbox daily with their awards, exams, and promotions -- and given that kind of presence, I'm looking forward to a new year of momentum harnessed for good.

Battle Team

Also nothing specific at the BT level right now, but that doesn't mean that we aren't batting around the idea of specific competitions favoring our dear Apostles.

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Projects

Yarnspinner

There are a glut of competitions right now, so Yarnspinner has been held in reserve. Launching more light fiction and poetry competitions into a field that is already saturated with them seems like a poor idea.

This project has been pushed to the post-Feud window.

Dusty Attic

Darkblade has reported success in his war against the lingering errors of the Wiki. While nothing stays fixed forever, this round goes to us.

Project will be reopened after the Feud for review and updates based on Clan events and Brotherhood fictional changes that need to occur.

Voices of Muur

If you didn't read the report so far, I can't help you much here. "Voices of Muur" quickly turned into "Voices of Plagueis" at the behest of the Clan Summit, and Drac and I have been shepherding the reservations and posts in the Clan-wide RO entitled "The Tides of Darkness" ever since.

Don't believe me? Stop in the thread to see what your bretheren and sisteren are doing-en.

Project launch completed, with more stages yet to go as the RO continues to develop and build around its participants

Sphinx's Riddle

This one's a secret, remember? As a personal project, it was held up by the transitions happening in my real life, but it did have some notable strides this month.

Project is still in development, but shows some promising signs.

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Recognition

Promotions

Aesher: Novice

Lo-Kain Vamielaga: Novice, Proselyte, Neophyte, Acolyte

Gad Rane: Hunter

Areticus Altainatus: Knight

Kul'tak Drol: Knight

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Final Thoughts

"Kneel," Ophelia hissed from the corner of her mouth at the Zabrak.

The small assembly on the bridge of the NSD Preeminence had little in common with itself, a smattering of colors and patterns out of place in such a spartan environment. Aside from the officers performing their daily duties, the figures standing on the sleek floor were silent and still. Even without the formality of decor, Eiko's tense words built the kind of tension that was expected of a Knighting.

"Kul'tak Drol, you have sworn yourself. You have been chosen by this House, this Clan, this Brotherhood for a litany of purposes, but I will remind you of only one today. Your name will never be untangled from me, from your master, from your brothers and sisters in arms, from the battlefields where you will fight and where you may eventually die. Your name is now mine, and mine yours," Eiko stepped forward to the kneeling Zabrak. "When you rise, you will rise as a Plagueian, a Muurian, and a Knight. Now, rise to join your master -- and to complete your training."

The Zabrak stood taller when he finally reached full height, drawing the weight of the hood back over his horns and letting his teeth glint through parted lips.

---

"I'm honored by the invitation," Areticus bowed slightly at the entrance of the Quaestor's quarters. "Forgive me. You didn't seem the type for something as banal as personal communication."

Eiko took a moment to release the pressured latches that kept his mask in place, then gently removed the metal facade and placed it on the table in the entryway. "You have earned my attention. But, and I hope you will forgive me as well, this is far less personal than it seems. It's congratulations, for Knighthood and for entering a wider, more dangerous world than the one you left.

"Oh," Eiko continued, turning back to address Areticus over his shoulder, "and you misjudge me. You and I are clearly of the same cloth, though it seems that you consider yourself more of a trickster than a merchant of secrets. But those are just shades of meaning, and I, for one, have been starved of a good game of Dejarik lately. Do you play?"