Introduction

A Message from the Quaestor

Happy New Year ladies and gents! I am so looking forward to the great things we are all going to do this year! I really feel like 2019 is going to be a defining year for HQD in moving forward within the ranks of Clan Arcona. We have some big things planned for you and I can’t wait to see where we take our story.

The final round of Shadowport in Shambles is about to start within the next couple of days and I’ll be sending out a message on Telegram, and over email to let you all know when the final comps are live. Use this as an opportunity to make your mark on what will be a large storypoint for the House moving forward.

I wanted to also say that I know that with the holidays there was a dip in activity, but I am happy with how this past month went for us. I continue to be very proud of this House.

Finally, if anyone wants to take some time to help with possible House related tasks, let Lucine and/or I know. This is very important for those of you looking to get out of Journeyman Ranks. Stepping up to help shows us your desire to be a leader in HQD. I now pass things over to our Aedile!

A Message from the Aedile

Hello, darlings! January is the month when we focus on our plans for the new year. As you are thinking about your new year’s resolutions, don’t forget to spare some thought for your plans and goals within the DB! As you ascend higher in the ranks, it becomes more and more difficult to reach the next rank. At a certain point, just doing competitions (though very important) is just not enough.

So take some time to consider potential leadership positions within the club. Leadership is a great way to learn more about the DB, and the things that are necessary in order for it to function. It allows you to meet new people, and is also helpful in achieving that elusive next rank.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to consider some story goals you might have for your character. Great fiction doesn’t write itself, and a little planning goes a long way!

Well, enough from us. On to the report!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. House Fiction Update
3. News
4. Awards, Promotions and Transfers
   
5. Competitions
6. Ask the Deadly Duo
7. Featured Fiction
8. Featured Art
9. In Closing...

House Fiction Update

Nar Shaddaa
One Month Ago
36 ABY

Xzehar Lethror worked with methodical slowness as he broke down and cleaned his Synergy S-5 Oathbreaker. Above all things he prided himself as a professional, and a professional did not neglect his tools. He breathed slowly as he worked through the familiar routine, picturing in his mind’s eye the final moments of his last job.

The soft sound of recorded orchestral music played from the nearby datapad as the Falleen went about his detailed work. His hands glided over the exposed mechanics of his rifle, touching them with the sensitivity of a lover's caress. This weapon was like family to him, and he treated it as such.

Nearby, his datapad vibrated three times, indicating an incoming message and interrupting his music. He ignored it for the moment, instead focusing on reverently reassembling the sniper rifle. The Falleen reached over and grabbed a nearby tumbler of whiskey and drank it down, signifying his task's completion.

When the ritual was complete, he retrieved the datapad and glanced at the interface. The message contained the details of his newest job. Someone was targeting a small group of people to send a message, and was willing to pay a handsome price for his services.

He slowly flipped through the dossiers of the intended targets, nodding slightly to himself. Yes… this would be an interesting job indeed. Satisfied with the data, he carefully packed his sniper rifle in its case. It was time to pay a visit to Port Ol’val.

Here you go, the fiction update precluding the final round of the Shadowport in Shambles comps!

You can read the rest of the fiction here!<-

News

• *RoS: Meridian Wrap-Up: The results are in! Arcona placed second in the RoS! Well done to all to participated. You can find out more about the statistics related to the war here. You can find out how many credits the clan’s got for placement here. Finally, if you haven’t already, be sure to fill out the DC’s survey pertaining to the event.

• Clan reports!: Hot off the presses! If you haven’t already, here’s a little light reading for you. We’ve got Kordath’s Consul report, Lee’s Voidbreaker report, and Q’s Galeres report.

• For all you gamers out there, the Fist has a new report out, with lots of crunchy gaming updates!

• Jobs!: Interesting in acquiring more responsibility within the club? Look no further! Here are some great opportunities!

  • Magistrate to the Fist
  • Combat Master
  • CSP Rollmaster
  • Tal PCON

Awards, Promotions and Transfers

We are extremely happy to welcome Uji Taimeke, and Mako Henymory Into our House. Let's make sure that these two fine Arconans feel welcomed in their new home!

Strategos

• 2 Seals of Fury

Timeros

• 1 Bronze Nova
• 8 Clusters of Graphite
• 6 Seals of Fury

Uji

• Anteian Cross!!!
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 79 Clusters of Fire
• 85 Clusters of Earth
• 6 Clusters of Graphite
• 12 Seals of Fury

Rhylance

• Sapphire Blade!!!
• 1 Silver Nova
• 2 Bronze Novae
• 1 Crescent with Diamond
• 3 Crescents with Ruby
• 10 Crescents with Amethyst
• 1 Crescent with Sapphire
• 1 Crescent with Emerald
• 13 Clusters of Ice
• 4 Clusters of Fire
• 20 Clusters of Graphite
• 26 Seals of Fury

Lucine

• 3 Clusters of Ice
• 16 Clusters of Graphite
• 14 Seals of Fury

Tali

• Grand Cross!!!
• 3 Silver Novae
• 29 Clusters of Ice
• 20 Clusters of Graphite
• 23 Seals of Fury

Zujenia

• 1 Bronze Nova
• 1 Crescent with Amethyst
• 1 Crescent with Sapphire
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 16 Clusters of Graphite
• 13 Seals of Fury

Edema

• 1 Seal of Fury

Magik

• Steel Cross!!!
• 3 Clusters of Ice
• 16 Clusters of Graphite
• 11 Seals of Fury

Adem

• 2 Seals of Fury

Leeadra

• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 4 Clusters of Graphite
• 7 Seals of Fury

Kelviin

• Steel Cross!!!
• 1 Bronze Nova
• 1 Crescent with Sapphire
• 12 Clusters of Fire
• 7 Clusters of Graphite
• 8 Seals of Fury

Garloaf

• 3 Seals of Fury

Eilen

• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 4 Clusters of Graphite
• 6 Seals of Fury

Luka

• Anteian Cross!!!
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 4 Clusters of Graphite
• 8 Seals of Fury

Malfrost

• Steel Cross!!!
• 1 Bronze Nova
• 8 Clusters of Ice
• 37 Clusters of Fire
• 4 Clusters of Graphite
• 16 Seals of Fury

Scarlett

• Anteian Cross!!!
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 16 Clusters of Graphite
• 14 Seals of Fury

Emere

• Promotion to Courier!!!
• 5 Seals of Fury

King Krag

• 6 Pendants of Blood
• 2 Clusters of Earth

Blithe

• Dark Cross!!!
• 12 Clusters of Fire

Competitions

We’ve got some great comps going on! Make sure you do something on this list!!!

• The final round of the Shadowport in Shambles will be going live over the next few days! Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of the Qel-Droma fictional development!
• The next round of the Selen Development Project is live! Be sure to check out these competitions and help us to expand Arcona’s fictional universe!
• One Epic Year of Trivia: A quick trivia comp run by our own evil doctor! A new trivia comp every week.
• Darth Vader Winter Puzzle Series: Puzzles centered around the Sith Lord himself.
• DJB Speed Dating 2: A fiction comp centered around member romance
• FIST Quarterly Gaming Challenge: Four separate gaming and flash gaming comps sponsored by the FIST team

Check out the Competitions Page for even more exciting competitions!!!

Ask the Deadly Duo

• Leeadra asks a few:

How many bodies is too many bodies?

Lucine: I suppose it depends on the state of the bodies…

Rhylance: So long as they are properly disposed of...

Could we get a new design for the Voidbreaker uniforms? These are beginning to look a bit drab.

Lucine: Absolutely, darling! Please let me know your preferences for color, fabric, and design. I will try to get something chic and fashionable for ya’ll. But please, keep in mind that all final approval for the design must be given by out beloved Consul, and he has a very different fashion sense than I do.

Rhylance: Looks over budget sheet Please do not go overboard...again.

How were your holidays (IC and OOC)?

Lucine: IC, they were calm and quiet. OOC, they were calm and quiet. All is right with the world.

Rhylance: The holidays were not uneventful.

Do you feel that Kordath needs to wear pants more frequently?

Lucine: Yes. Absolutely.

Rhylance: As we are a civilized lot, yes.

How do you feel about our newest and most wooden member of the house, Uji?

Lucine: I am absolutely thrilled that he is branching out into a new House! Though he is the type that occasionally goes against the grain, he may have turned over a new leaf. However, since he is certainly not a stick-in-the-mud, I think he will fit in fine here. I sincerely hope that he experiences significant growth in his time among us.

Rhylance: I have heard that his bark is far worse than his bite. If this is true, then I see no reason to not be happy that he has uprooted himself, and planted his feet within our walls.

• Tali has a couple:

When was the last time you experienced awe or childlike wonder? What caused you to feel this?

Lucine: I experience a sense of awe on the rare occasions when my plans all go according to plan. It is truly a thing of beauty.

Rhylance: Opening up a new experiment will always fill me with wonder. The intricacies of my test subjects are a true work of art.

When did you last have a faux pas? What happened and how did you recover (if at all)?

Lucine: A faux pas? What is that?

Rhylance: If you are asking of my past mistakes, you will find none.

What was your favorite Sithmas / Lifeday gift and from whom was it?

Lucine: My favorite Sithmas gift was a charming dinner and dancing date with a new beau. It was quite lovely.

Rhylance: For Sithmas I received a new set of surgical scalpels. These were much like my current ones except for some reason, they were made of rainbow coloring, and have an Arconan sigil upon them.

Related, did you brighten someone's day with a Sithmas / Lifeday gift of your own? If so, care to share to whom and what did you get them? ;)

Lucine: Well, I must confess that I went above and beyond for one particular gift. But a lady does not kiss and tell.

Rhylance: Wwell, I must confess that I went above and beyond for one particular gift. But a gentleman does not kiss and tell.

Is it true that upon receiving a Sithmas hat, along with a small box containing matching unmentionables, Lucine achieved complete redness from the hair tips to her neck?

Lucine: And just how did you hear about that?

Rhylance: Looks on in fascinated amusement, and takes notes.

Vill you be able to attendt the Babylek's name-giving ceremony? If so, will you bring a gift for the li'l 'un?

Lucine: Of course! I have found an absolutely darling set of designer baby clothes. (OOC: Tali, you are a bad, bad man.)

Rhylance: I will send you a nice fruit basket. I here representation of seeds and bearing fruit makes for a fun time.

• Techsketch asks some questions:

Who's your favorite superhero / supervillain?

Lucine: My favorite superhero is Bat Girl (Barbara Gordon, thank you very much) or Thor. My favorite supervillain is the Joker.

Rhylance: My favorite superhero...I’m more of a villain person, of which the Joker reigns supreme.

What's your favorite Weird Al song?

Lucine: My favorite Weird Al song is Amish Paradise. However, if we’re being honest, I am more of a fan of Doctor Demento, particularly the Dead Puppies song.

Rhylance: Talk Nerdy To Me, holds a special place in my heart.

You have to undergo a change of species for... reasons. What do you become?

Lucine: Hmm…. Chiss. I am told that blue looks great on me.

Rhylance: This sounds like an intriguing experiment. Human would be my preference. I am told I would look great with red hair and porcelain skin on me.

Would you endorse a certain ferret-operated taxi service around the local area? (Yes, that bike behind me works, the rusted scrap metal is totally just for show.)

Lucine: I think we can work something out, for the right price.

Rhylance: I could use another driver, just do not be late like the last one.

I hear a strange rumor that Lucine is actually slightly less pretty than we think she is, but she uses her mind trick ability to make everyone think otherwise. I hear another strange rumor that she uses this mind trick to help Arconans misremember or forget what experiments Rhylance has conducted on them. Can you comment on these rumors?

Lucine: Someone is filling your head with filthy lies. I am exactly as gorgeous as I appear to be. Furthermore, I have no reason to make Arconans misremember experiments that Rhylance conducts on them because he does not do that anymore.

Rhylance: Members of Arcona are safe from my knife, unless it requires saving their lives.

• Kris Jael asks:

What type of dressing would you put on your Porg Salad?

Lucine: Hot bacon dressing.

Rhylance: A nice balsamic vinaigrette would taste lovely with Porg meat.

• Uji asks us

How do you feel about fires on Ol'val?

Lucine: That depends on the size of the fire. We are in an environment with limited oxygen.

Rhylane: Too expensive to clean up. I would prefer fire kept to a minimum.

How do you feel about people starting fires on Ol'Val?

Lucine: Again, that depends on the size of the fire, and my ability to punish them for setting fires on Ol’val.

Rhylance: Do not do it. Period.

How do you feel about Blaster fire on Ol'Val?

Lucine: That depends on who is doing the shooting.

Rhylance: If they have my permission, I am fine with it.

Is there a list of people we're not allowed to shoot?

Lucine: Anyone who is not loyal to House Qel-Droma, or to me.

Rhylance: Hands a very short list

Scratch that - is there a list of people we're supposed to shoot?

Lucine: Anyone who is not on the previously mentioned list.

Rhylance: Hands a much much longer list

• Leeadra asks in response: Can I be on the list of people Donny isn’t allowed to shoot?

Lucine: I do believe you already are.

Rhylance: I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of such a list.

• Skar asks: Can I be on the list donny can shoot for funnies?

Lucine: Since you asked nicely, I am fine with Maaz using you for target practice.

Rhylance: I can just shoot you for the fun of it.

• Xenna asks: What is the flash point of Rattataki fur?

Lucine: This sounds like a science question, so I will defer to Rhylance on this one.

Rhylance: By my calculation the answer to this is…did somebody move my research journals again?

Featured Fiction

Our very own Malfrost has submitted this month's featured fiction, entitled: An Echo

Give it a read and support our fellow members!

Featured Artwork

A big thanks to our very own Tali who submitted the following picture as our Featured Art for this report!

In Closing…

Let’s kick off this new year with a bang! The upper Summit has some fun ideas rolling around, and I can’t wait to work you you lot. If you have any questions, make sure to message Lucine([Log in to view e-mail addresses]) or myself([Log in to view e-mail addresses]) by email or on Telegram(@Rhylance, @LucineVasano).

Good day to you all!