Greetings my fellow Odanites and onlookers from the Dark Side,

Lots of exciting developments in the Clan so let’s get started...

The featured art this month is another Ka Rolding commission, this time it’s for Arcia/Esca. While Esca isn’t a COU member, this piece really captured the tragedy of New Tython’s loss. #fightback

Between Light and Dark

This is the final weekend for the Phase I competitions!!

Be sure to give yourself plenty of wiggle room on those last minute submissions in case of technical difficulties. No late submissions. I know we’ve been somewhat lax during Clan internal things but come vendetta time it’s pencils down when the clock strikes 2359 UTC.

If you haven’t already be sure to check out A’lora’s Phase I announcement for the Feud.

Read the fiction updates here!

Also, we’d love to hear your feedback on everything relating to the feud or the Clan in general. We have a form for that! This will help us shape Phase II of the feud and future Clan events.

Summit Feedback Form

News

• Herald Report - In case you missed it Vorsa is now an NPC and our beloved V’yr is playing a new character in Morgan Sorenn. Also, sexy new threads because the Herald office loves us.

• Gaming Update - Stay up to date on the latest Rites of Combat and PVP rules. Handy info for the feud.

• ACC Championship - Hey, the Grand Master's Champion is a Jedi. #humblebrag :P

• New TOR Telegram Channel - For all your LFG needs

• Help the SA - Find an error in an SA course? There’s a form for that!

Visions of the Future

No Turel soap box topic this month but I have some updates on where we are heading. First, in addition to our new system we will also receive an updated fleet to replace what was lost with New Tython. We’re sticking with the “Rebels” theme for the military going forward so expect traditionally Rebel/Republic units like X-wings and Mon Calamari capital ships.

Speaking of the new system, the House and Clan planets are coming along nicely and the proposals will go out for public review sometime toward the end of the feud. We have tried to incorporate as much input as possible into creating the new system but not everyone will be happy at first. I’m confident we will make this new system our own, just as we did for New Tython. And these new worlds are really just a starting point and canvas for you to paint new masterpieces with.

The final bit on future plans I’d like to share actually comes as an answer to a #askTurel question I got.

Liam - #AskTurel Will COU continue to use the KUDF, or will it be replaced with a simpler, more streamlined system now that we don't need to worry about fictional back story from New Tython?

Okay so the new military. First, the K.U.D.F. will no longer exist. It was a product of New Tython and will be long remembered as part of that era. The new Clan military will have a new name appropriate to our new system and chapter in Clan lore. Now before you march to the comment section hear me out. We are not throwing the proverbial baby out with the bath water. What I and the eventual military team will do is carry as many of the individual units and NPCs forward as possible into the new military. So legendary COU units like TDUC and the Chosen will live on in the new military.

One thing I’ve learned in my time in Brotherhood leadership is that Clan military units are really NPCs. The best ones have a distinct character and a history just like an NPC would. So not only will we carry the history and character of as many of our existing units as we can we will build any new units with the same detail, diversity and care that the units of the past were made with. Military units are fictional props and we will make them the most interesting and engaging props we can.

Another principle which will guide the new military is accessibility to the membership. Having the best Clan military toys in the Brotherhood means little if we can’t get them into the hands of members to use in their stories. So in keeping with that a few decisions have been made, first permanent player character command of Clan units has been abolished. We will work something out to recognize those who pour creative effort into making things for the Clan but nobody owns our military units. They exist for all the membership. Second we are subdividing the Clan military to push as many assets down to the House and team levels for lower level leaders to use in their unit lore.

Going forward we are looking at not only creating units with character but also organizing them in a hopefully clear and simple to understand way. So here is a proposal (it’s only a proposal) for how the new military will look:

The graph was hastily put together but you get the idea. So the Clan military will have three components, the Army, Navy and SenNet. If it’s on the ground, Army, if it flies Navy, all the secret squirrel stuff, is SenNet. All answer directly to the Consul and Proconsul. With me so far? Some Clans like to create a half dozen sub commands which makes their military nigh incomprehensible (I’m looking at you Arcona :P). We’re doing Army, Navy, SenNet. Ground, Air, Spies. Simple.

At the sub-unit level it’s even simpler. For the purposes of the Clan military each House will function as a Joint Task Force, which is a fancy way of saying everything under one roof. Ground units, Space units and Sentinel Network assets will be broken off from the Clan and assigned to each House. Once a unit is assigned to a House/JTF they answer to the Quaestor and then to the Clan leadership. The goal here is to make things as simple as possible and to get as many toys into the hands of as many people as possible. The beauty of structuring this way is the individual units themselves are plug and play. We can move units between the Houses or the Clan on the fly and even adjust the makeup of the individual Houses based on their fictional direction. Say Shan is doing more in space and Hoth is doing more on the ground stuff, we can adjust the mix.

So that’s my proposal. The TL;DR here is that going forward the new Clan military will 1) have the same level of character and history as before 2) be built for simplicity and 3) be built so the average member can have as much access to the Clan toys as possible for their personal fiction.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or drop us a line.

Competitions

• Between Light and Dark - Phase I ends Sunday! Don’t wait until the last minute. Also use the week break to work on your Multimedia/Battleplan entries.

  • Phase I Fiction
  • Phase I Gaming
  • Phase I Graphics
  • Phase I Puzzle
  • Multimedia
  • Battleplan

• GOREFEST!! - Gorefest is going on right now so get those double clusters!

• Dungeons and Krayt Dragons - Shameless plug for my fantasy crossover comp. Drop DB characters into the fantasy universe of your choice. I look forward to reading all the hilarious entries.

• A New Order’s Rending - This Voice sponsored fiction comp offers bonus CIs and a chance to strike a blow for the resistance!

• Why so Serious? - Draw your character participating or falling victim to an April Fool’s prank. Still Crescents up for grabs here!

AskTurel

Atra - #askTurel are we no longer besties because I'm the Inquisitorius' right hand?

V’yr - #askTurel if Trump wins, wanna come over and live with me? :P

Why wait? buys a plane ticket <3

Wally - #askTurel Do you want to hide some bodies...? (They don't have to be in one piece)...

No but I do need to securely store some rolled up "carpets" that might seem heavy and or leaky but I assure you they are just luxury carpets and not dead inquisitors.

Korroth - #askTurel what kind of effects will our collective placement in the Feud have on COU's fictional development?

It will change the phase II and epilogue fictions. Also, Mav has indicated the winning Clan will likely get dossier candy of some kind for all its members.

As far as our long term Clan lore the heroes of the feud will get some kind of fictional kudos.

Atty - #askTurel how do I regain my honor?

:P

Len Eode - #askTurel are you pleased with the Feud so far?

I'm pleased people are excited about it and enjoying it as much as they are. I can't wait to start grading your fabulous entries. Please keep giving us feedback so we can improve future phases and future Clan events.

Zoso - #askTurel How many do we need to get GW2 going around here?

There's no set number but the Fist published a guide on how games get approved.

I’ve also started this handy thread on discourse to share your Guild Wars 2 names in game.

Tisto - #askTurel how should some more active in the galaxy characters deal with trying to keep the new system hidden? I ask completely randomly and this query has nothing to do with me being a professional swoop racer

By doing their "high profile activities" away from the new system :P

TL;DR

• Phase I of the Feud ends this weekend! Don’t wait until the last minute!

• The new Clan system and military are being built with you, the member, in mind.

• We want your feedback!

Closing

That’s it for now, I look forward to grading your feud entries.

Your humble servant,

Turel Sorenn Proconsul, Clan Odan-Urr