Devils dance, while angels smile

Drunk on shadows and lost in a lie.

---

BLACK STONE:

Unearthed Vergence Temple, Northern Widreth, Solyiat
Kiast A, Kiast System, Nilgaard Sector
43 ABY

Anaya stood alongside Knight Allie Mhach and the rest of their retinue, still exhausted from their previous encounter, as the High Councilor returned to the proposed site of the new Jedi Praxeum. What they had found was something quite extraordinary, and the half-Sephi drank in the details, his ruby-topped cane tapping the bedrock flooring as he approached.

“What have we here? I sent a survey team, and they’ve already constructed us a temple, on top of some form of…” He trailed off as his senses reached out into the depths of the temple, attempting to pinpoint the exact center of the vergence.

Something reached back.

“It would seem that—” he began as he looked to Anaya and Allie, his senses honed in on the emotions of the small Kushiban and the unease of those around her after his appearance, “we are not alone in here.”

Several smaller creatures stirred, as if teased out by the arrival of more force sensitives. The first made a beeline for the exhausted Knight and Princess. Anaya latched onto the creature through the Force and threw it toward the ceiling with a telekinetic strike moments before the room erupted with the scent of ozone. A strong pull on the Force, amplified by the Force Nexus deep within the temple, rippled through the room as Masahiro’s left hand shot toward the airborne creature, white lightning tearing outward and ripping the creature apart before the calm demeanor of the Councilor turned towards the remaining creatures. His amber lightsaber igniting from within the ruby scepter that seemed to aid his gait only moments before.

A moment passed, Allie’s focus on the Sephi-Arkanian man who had strode casually in and utilized a Dark Side ability without a flicker of darkness over him as he marched into battle. This was what she wanted: to demystify it, to take it for herself, to tame it, claim it. She had chosen the right place.

Question:

The Fang, Dungeons, Solyiat
Kiast A, Kiast System, Nilgaard Sector
43 ABY

It had been a joint effort, collecting the information surrounding Celevon, coaxing him out of hiding, and apprehending him. He had laid a series of false leads, narratives, and ultimately tried to offset the likelihood of his involvement by taking part in a fight across the system mere hours after the assassination. Each step in his convoluted plans only led more Odanites to his trail and ultimately to his capture.

Sirra Werd’la and Velira Morvane retraced the man’s footsteps, finding a nest he had taken shelter in during his time on Burmessia. During their investigations, they found a series of documents and a dossier, which had alleged the Prime Minister’s involvement in a bio-weapons scheme. Confronting Celevon, the pair had believed they had convinced the wayward Jensaarai to return to Vatali Space for further investigation, though en route, he broke loose from his captors and made his way back to another haunt, the Outland Station. At the Outland Station, he fell back into routine bouts in the gladiatorial arena, his planned cover, until faced by the Warmaster of Odan-Urr United Space Command, a second strike. Their bout was quick, but furious, televised, with the Dragon of Kyataru laying her friend low with a threat to take his family jewels home in a jar, if not the rest of him.

Taken into custody for a second time, he was brought back into Odanite space, where he slipped his captor’s grip at the Anasaye Trade Station before he attempted to flee to his home, where he, quite literally, walked into the waiting hands of Jon Silvon, Turel Sorenn, and his waiting family. Further investigations by Jon and Turel revealed forged SenNet documents, but not their source. Celevon cooperated with the Sentinels, informing them that he had supposedly taken charge of the dossier from Empress Kaltani herself.

News of Celevon’s grief at losing his children with Morgan, a threat to the Empire, and the public secret of Celevon’s relationship with the Empress seemed to tip the scales, and Turel raised the spectre of holding off on immediately turning his wayward Brother-in-Law over for punishment, only for the Warmaster to darken the doorstep behind them once again.

---

Now the Shaevelian-Umbaran sat in a frigid cell in The Fang. Mihoshi had done him a kindness by turning him over to the one faction that wouldn’t immediately turn him over or thresh him for his actions, but would keep him in relative safety while investigations were handled by the others. The problem was that he was, for all intents and purposes, a prisoner. His trial and sentence were still a time off; this was more or less a protective detail to prevent retaliatory killing from the Burmessians, but it was also the Odanites’ attempt to prevent direct intervention from the Empire. If they could obfuscate and disseminate his whereabouts through third parties, those with less direct connection to either the Temple or the Empire, they could work with impunity.

What annoyed him more was the damned itch in his prosthetic limbs. They had fitted his prosthesis with restraining bolts connected to the individual cuffs he was forced to wear during his residency. The bolts lowered the strength output of his limbs, disabled weapons, and, unfortunately, also disabled the neural adjusters, meaning he could feel every damned movement. Attempting to remove the bolts or his cuffs would result in some rather uncomfortable electrotherapy.

Keep It Between the Lines:

Phase II of Weight of the World has begun, and thanks to both the individual votes and the combined votes from your activity, the results are in. The Doomsday clock ticks a minute closer to midnight. Much like I said in my last report, we continued with decent participation. Just under half of Odan-Urr Participated in the first Phase of our Campaign (24 out of 60). Considering that 40 members of Odan-Urr took part in a competition, gaming, or roleplay last month, that’s 60% of last month’s active participants. I’ll take it.

---

Phase II:

• Phase II Questionnaire:

As I explained last month, each phase will branch the overarching narrative, and comes with an attributed Questionnaire. The purpose of these questionnaires is to decide the path not only for the Storyline, but Odan-Urr going forward. Completing this questionnaire and completing at least 1 bin in the competitions for the phase makes your vote count. Each Bin you submit to, not competition, gives you an additional vote.

A few of the biggest questions we’ve received for years now, ever since our tenuous acceptance into The Brotherhood, have been, “What is Clan Odan-Urr’s Purpose?” and “What Defines Us?” This campaign aims to help tackle those questions by putting one of our biggest safety nets into question: The Vatali Empire.

After we fled New Tython, we were welcomed into a system with its own governance as refugees, drifters, and rebels against a larger force. We’ve leaned on the fence provided by the Nebula surrounding Kiast’s binary star system as a deterrent against most threats, and helped deal with threats to our hosts. They acted as a silent backdrop which, even during our narratives for the Consular Conclave and Guardian Corps., provided us with a stable hook narratively for why events mattered outside of the Temple, why they affected the Rebels, just how the populace was affected by what we did.

Now the question comes: “Are we going to keep being dragged into their conflicts, and if so, what kind of role will we take?” The Quermian Conflict was a precursor, dealing with the remnants of an old enemy. Returning to a conflict many of us already knew, but now it’s sparking something else, and you have to decide just what Odan-Urr is going to do in the emergence of this new conflict.

---

The Narrative (So Far):

Quermia was a predecessor to it all, and even before that, the Vauzem plot to overthrow the Vatali Empire during the Vatali Unsettled conflict years ago. Following the Quermian Conflict, as the Vauzem Separatists fled, one ship was forced into emergency shutdown in Kiast, where it listed into orbit of Kiast β, otherwise known as the territory of the Burmessian Republic. Aboard this vessel were nobles and officers from the Vauzem Dominion, who, unlike the rest of their crew, were afforded asylum by the Republic.

The Vatali Empire seeks the extradition of these criminals, through any means, which sparked a series of fierce debates between the Empress and the Prime Minister of the Republic.

Celevon Werd’a has been implicated in the assassination of the Burmessian Prime Minister, however, an investigation into the reasoning why is ongoing, with those closest to him concerned the action was taken under duress due to the recent loss of his children, others blaming manipulation at the hands of the Vatali Empress, Kaltani Anasaye, his on-again, off-again bedpartner (nobody tell Morgan).

In response to this assassination and the continued refusal to extradite either the Vauzem terrorists or Celevon Werd’a, Prince Vosen Anasaye, second in line for the Vatali throne and a Lieutenant Commander in the O.U.S.C. Navy has defied orders from the Warmaster and commandeered the First Fleet, parking them in orbit of Burmessia while he addresses the Burmessian Parliament as an envoy.

Elsewhere within the Empire, voices of dissent have begun to rise, across several different factions. From those who believe the Empress has taken too direct of an action against a foreign entity without consideration, to those who believe the power of the crown has been too-far eroded. Even more dangerous are the voices calling for revolution within the Empire’s borders, from the nebulous Tisto Kingang and his compatriots formerly governing Kaal City on Daleem to the meritocratic factions with support within the Conclave calling for direct action and proof of worth for every citizen of the Empire, opposing the recent addition of Houses Hoth, Bur’vak, and even House Tevil who bear direct lineage to the Vatali throne.

---

On Solyiat, a mysterious vergence has appeared at a site proposed for a new Jedi Praxeum as the Acolytes of Urr moved to remove themselves from the grasp of the Vatali Empire, further separating Clan Odan-Urr from their entrenched positions within the Empire. This vergence, a Force Nexus, seemingly held dark secrets and protections from an as of yet unknown source, but also a greater connection to the Force within its boundaries.

---

The Competitions:

I want these to be quick and easy each phase, and for us to have a bit of room to compensate and adjust for what you guys vote for. As such each phase will be done with the Art, Gaming, and Miscellaneous Competitions being done in 3 weekly batches, while the Fiction and Roleplay will be done for the full three weeks. The last week will give Jack and me some time to wrap up the grading, adjust our pre-mades based on what you guys voted for, and time to write the fiction for the next phase, as well as punch out the next Questionnaire.

Keeping these competitions simple and accessible is especially important to me as we will be coinciding with the ongoing Seasons (which share a similar ease of entry plan) and other events throughout the year. Remember, these competitions are designed to be **if* you can participate, and not designed for maximum participation.* Enjoy anything, or everything, at your pace and without pressure.

Scimitar of Lord Hoth:

• August

We’re going up! 40/60 took part in something last month, that’s one more member of COU taking part in something last month versus the month before, and ⅔ of the Clan actively doing something. These numbers also discount competitions such as Lord Protector or Scimitar of Hoth, to prevent us from recycling the same data each month, so we’re getting generally up-to-date information. Sometimes this data lags behind with competitions that have been running 1-2 months, but for these members to count, they do still have to be active elsewhere or at least signing in. So for the 1-2 cases of lagging data points, we’re still at an overall positive.

Promotions:

• Catamir has reached Novitiate 4!
• John Ward, a new member to Odan-Urr has clambered their way from NOV1 to Journeyman 1!
• Lethen Klotho, another new join, has climbed their way to Novitiate 3!
• Tallulah Duncape has likewise joined her friends and climbed to Novitiate 4!
• Corpzen was promoted to Novitiate 3!
• Zen was promoted to Journeyman 1, then again to Journeyman 3!

News Corner!:

• Season 1: Parabellum Midpoint Survey - Temperature Check on the Clubwide Seasons Format
• Parabellum Chapter 5 - LIZARD. LIZARD. LIZARD.
• [Seasons] Parabellum: Cycle 3 Delayed Start - Slight delay while the survey is underway!
• Voice Report #25: The one with Transformation Tweaks - Lizard. Lizard. Liz— Rules?
• Pazaak Submission Requirements (Updates) - Updated submission guidelines, remember kids, check your screenshots. Regent Report #5 - A Booster pack!
• Pro Bowl IX: Reliquary - FROGDOGS FOREVER!
• August Clan Update - CNS - Where Naga Sadow gives their Clan Update
• Vizsla Consul Report #4 - Drac Retires.
• Vizsla Consul Open for Applications - Last Day to apply 9/5/25
• The Lord of Salt - Down here, salt is a way of life. Congrats Drac!
• DB:CCG -Set 25 Release - And an update for the “A Better Tomorrow” Set.

Closing Thoughts from the CON:

Changes:

This month’s thoughts are going to be a little heavier than normal.

There’s been a lot going on, and if you’ve been paying attention you’ve probably noticed I took a bit more leave at the end of the month than normal. I had a prolonged death in the family, one of my cousins, a good man who spent a good deal of my childhood living with my family and was practically my older brother, suffered a second stroke and passed away just over a week later. We had to make some agonizing choices during that time, but it helped me to settle and refocus some life choices.

It’s long been one of my fears that the same thing could happen to me, as both an epileptic and having had a stroke myself in my early 30s, I am oftentimes concerned of the legacy I stand to leave behind through my friends and family. This brought me a bit of realization that realistically, the only things we have to leave behind are the memories and times we had with those around us.

Take a few moments and look around, reflect, think about those you care about and if you haven’t spoken to them recently reach out and talk to your family. You don’t know what things could be left unsaid. Don’t let yourself regret it like I am, if you can help it. This realization has also pushed me a bit more to make sure I give all of you, the friends I’ve made in this community, something more, good content, good memories, and a good environment for us and the next generation of DB members to enjoy.

Ever onwards!