Good evening, everyone, and welcome to another Dread Lord report. Tonight's report is going to be short and sweet, since I want us all to be concentrating on our war efforts. Let's get into it.

GJW XIII: Reminders and Links

Plagueians, we have officially completed Phase I of the Thirteenth Great Jedi War. We've been crashing ships, "protecting" families, chatting it up with the Principate's 5th fleet - what a time. Phase II will be starting Saturday, August 10th, or Friday, August 9th, if you're not to the east of the Prime Meridian. There is still a lot of time left to get event long competitions done - some easier than others - in order to complete the bins.

If you haven't noticed in the Telegram channel, TuQ'uan and I have been periodically updating our pinned message. Below, you'll find the nearly verbatim notes we've left to help you with all things GJW-wise:

"COOLDOWN WEEK DOESN'T MEAN COOL DOWN!

Folks, Phase I is officially over. But while we wait for Phase II, now is a great time to work on event-long comps. Post in the RO. Join the cluster race. Create a CS for Mav, or write a satirical short post for "War Were Declared." Join an audiobook and/or battleplan team. No matter how available you are, it is easy to get these bins done. Keep warrin'!

First, bookmark the official competition page!

It's not too late to join our clan-wide RO! [Click here to join our TG channel for it! - Log in to view join link]

And here's the actual RO link!

Don’t forget that if you want to do some gaming during the upcoming war, [you’ll want to join the DB Gaming chat in order to set up matches and stay up to date - Log in to view join link]."

Meanwhile, here are a few more links to news posts worth your while:

Fist Update 2.2: War Supplemental

Mav's Update: Phase I Complete

Where We Are: Participation Thus Far

One thing we have always pushed for in Plagueis is top notch participation in events, which includes completing all the bins in vendettas. During the past couple of vendettas, only few and far between have been able to achieve this; in fact, for the Twelfth Great Jedi War, only three Plagueians did every bin. This time, however, that may change drastically.

Thanks to Scudi, I'm able to present to you the current numbers, following Phase I:

Phase I

Phase 1 bin participation rate: 41.89%, or 62/148 possible bins entered.

Members who completed 4/4 Phase I bins:

• Furios Morega di Plagia
• Arden Karn di Plagia
• Ronovi Tavisaen
• TuQ'uan Varick
• Andrelious J. Mimosa-Inahj
• Scudi Ferria
• Ranarr Kul-Tarentae
• Muse Nashesir
• Gaius Julius Caesar
• Abadeer Taasii
• Brimstone aka Seabr'imsto'nedansr
• Khryso Mallus

In total, 12 Plagueians now have the chance to do every single bin in the war. That would put us at 33% - a phenomenal number. So I commend each and every one of you!

Event Long

Event long participation rate: 17.57% ,or 26/148 bins entered.

Total war bin participation rate: 29.73% (not including phase 2 bins because they haven't started) or 88/296 possible bins entered.

As you can see, we are closing in on a 30% overall participation rate. I'd like to see that grow. Even if you didn't complete every bin of Phase I - or even if you didn't participate in Phase I at all - you've still got two and a half weeks to make a mark for the Ascendant Clan. We can truly step up and show the rest of the Brotherhood what we're made of.

None of this awesomeness would have been possible without you, the members, as well as my phenomenal summit leaders. So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all. You can make me even happier by killing it in Phase II.

#AsktheDreadLord: GJW Edition

Wrathus asks:

What can we expect for the clan after the war? Like where do our sights lie?

I will say, right now, that after the GJW, we aren't necessarily slowing down. It is my goal to organize and present at least one major clan event every quarter, with a team vs. team bend. I also have a potential feud with another clan in the works (yes, a feud, not a happy romp in the meadow holding hands - hopefully, the Consul of Clan Adorable Dogs will say yes). Apart from that, gaming brackets (like for HotS) are on my docket, as well as more eccentric competitions like writing tournaments and single week events.

We will also be pushing the clan storyline forward, with tensions rising among the Force users and non-Force users, the latter of which are attaining more power. Other ideas for stories include: An offensive campaign against the Collective (depending on the conclusion of the latest war), coping with a natural disaster on Aliso, and more shenanigans with Naga Sadow.

Scudi asks:

What leader from either rl history or fiction would you most liken Ronovi to?

Winston Churchill. Churchill had a massive ego and was incredibly flamboyant, excitable, and reckless. Also, he drank copiously and had a romantic view of British imperialism. Hell, they'd almost be twins if it weren't for the lisp and the massive height difference. Oh, and the fact that Churchill's a dude.

who are your biggest influences as a writer?

(takes a deep breath)

Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Bram Stoker, John Green, Kurt Vonnegut, Harlan Ellison, George Orwell, Rita Mae Brown, Roald Dahl, Joseph Heller, Ray Bradbury, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Alison Bechdel, Stephen King, Brandon Sanderson, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien -

(another deep breath)

Jon Krakauer, Mary Shelley, Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, Eavan Boland, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Seamus Heaney, Edgar Allan Poe, Margaret Atwood, Lois Lowry, Lorraine Hansberry, William Shakespeare, Tony Kushner, Franz Kafka, Albert Camus, Salman Rushdie -

(collapses)

...Yeah, I'm kind of a voracious reader.

what's been your highlight of the war so far, either personally or as a leader?

Funnily enough, the run-on. It's been a long time since I've participated in a clan-wide RO, let alone organized one, and the enthusiasm has been tremendous. Sure, it's stressful, but fun. Just don't forget to do other comps as well.

Can you please tell Julius there's no secret plan to brutally murder him with knives on the 15th of March?

But that would be lying!

Can I move Korada Monastery a bit closer to New Raxulon to save time on the commute?

You've made your garbage-ridden bed - now lie in it.

Am I the only one who thinks Korada Monastery would make a great compound for a cult?

Scudi.

Does the budget allow me to spring for Kool Aid or am I stuck with Flavor-Aid?

SCUDI.

Arden asks:

What are Ronovi's feelings on insectoids? Asking for a friend.

She kind of has to drink herself stupid to deal with them. Normal-sized bugs are already not Ronovi's cup of tea...or whiskey, for that matter.

TuQ'uan asks:

with an alliance between the DB and the Principate looking like a distinct possibility, how do you see the possible relationship between the Principate and Plagueis shaking out? Could our assets cause a problem?

I could see, especially based on the survey results we got from the clan, a more manipulative economic relationship on our side. Plagueis isn't exactly a clan to be trifled with, and given its power along the Unknown Regions, the Principate might not be able to stop us from preserving our caste system (because that's what we'd portray it as to them, on a diplomatic level). It certainly wouldn't be a cheery alliance, with more of a focus on making the Principate rely on us more than anything else.

what’s with all of these NFUs on the summit?

Ronovi wants to force a different kind of legacy on Plagueis, due to the way she has been treated thus far as Dread Lord IC. To her, power is not merely confined to Force users - and seeing NFUs boss Force users around is fairly amusing to her.

is the power going to Ronnie’s head or is the stress becoming overwhelming? (Only options :p )

Tread carefully, Varick.

Abadeer asks:

how well would ic and ooc you get along?

I would be very, very intimidated by Ronovi if she were real...and probably also very attracted to her.

And if she asked me out for a drink, I'd politely decline.

Howie asks:

are you

a cat?

Wouldn't life be so much easier if I could say yes to that?

Conclusion

Two and a half more weeks of war, folks. Write. Game for clusters. Make 3D stuff. And above all, help us become First Clan.

'Til next time!