Hello, Plagueis, and welcome to your Wrath’s fifth Proconsul report! It has been a hectic month or so for me, as I’ve gone back to teaching at my local high school and doing some independent writing. Still, there’s a lot to cover in this report, so let’s jump into it all!

Pro Bowl Results

The Pro Bowl among Plagueis, Taldryan, and Scholae Palatinae wrapped up at the end of August, and what a Pro Bowl it was! If you would like to see the full results, just click around this area to get a more in-depth list.

Thanks to your participation and enthusiasm as you worked with your teams, the total number of submissions we received during the event surpassed 800. Team ARQ took the overall win with 2343 points, and our very own TuQ’uan Varick was number one overall, garnering 217 points and just edging out Furios Morega di Plagia and his 207 points.

I don’t know about you guys, but seeing that this was my second Pro Bowl, I had an absolute blast. It’s incredibly invigorating to see so many members of the club come together and take part in a large-but-easy-going-and-friendly competition. Please be sure to, if you haven’t already, thank Alaris Jinn, Xen’Mordin Palpatine, and Teylas Ramar di Plagia for organizing and judging our event. They did a tremendous job giving you a variety of fun competitions and games to enjoy.

So! What’s next for Plagueis? Read on, my friends.

The Song Of Discord

Hey, everyone - remember that clanwide run-on we started a couple of months back? Well, it’s now going into Month 3, with a potential third plot post in the works! See how you can handle some disgruntled slaves as they begin to suspiciously break their conditioning, and feel free to post!

I do want to give a couple of tips in regards to writing your post if you’re stuck. First of all, don’t feel like you have to spend so much time setting up and establishing your character in the plot. I do notice a lot of repetitive, “Dark Jedi Bob hears about the slave problem from his headquarters/parlor/ship. He reacts to it. Then he ponders it some more. Then he talks about it with someone else. And then he ponders it further.” These are called set-up posts, and they don’t actually offer much in terms of plot or character development. I’d encourage you to be bold and feel comfortable in launching your character into the thick of the action - especially if the plot is moving forward and time is elapsing. The story does not slow down for anyone, so be sure your posts match the passed time and dates, too, so we don’t have moments of, “The next day” followed by, “Remember what was happening the day before where I left off?”

Another thing to keep in mind is that your character doesn’t have to be in the know about everything. Certain writers can fall into the trap of omniscient character, rather than omniscient narrator. It’s okay for you as the writer to know what’s going on, but it creates more intrigue if your character doesn’t have all the information. Having your character always prepared and always knowledgeable defeats the potential for drama or higher stakes, and as a result, your character isn’t challenged and won’t develop further. Get creative and have your PC step into a situation that they not be fully ready for - it creates conflict, builds suspense, and energizes the reactions and decisions that your character subsequently makes. Trust me - it makes the storytelling waaaaay more interesting.

Okay! That’s my little cluster of commentary about run-on writing. I certainly won’t ramble about anything else while I’m at it, so -

Oh, wait. No. Let’s talk a little bit about the future of Plagueis’s lore!

The Future Of Slavery?

There has always been some slight confusion and maybe even consternation regarding the existence of slavery in our clan. For some units, that’s all we’re known as: “the dark slave clan.” And sometimes, being boxed in like that can make our characters seem inflexible and our storylines stale.

I want to remind you all that 1. We are far more than just a few elements of our lore, and 2. We have ample opportunity to continue to develop our clan’s history in an organic way. Your Dread Lord and I are both of the opinion that we have a lot to offer in terms of fiction and structure. Neither of us will ever cram change for the sake of change down your throat. That’s why we want everyone to contribute to Plagueis as a whole and feel like they are involved in its development.

That being said, will we see our slavery model modified or even eliminated after this run-on? Probably not eliminated, but keep in mind, "slavery" can take several different forms as any unit adapts. Many would claim that a feudal system - which involves some kind of serfdom and is already ingrained in the structure of Plagueis itself - isn't much different from enforcing any other type of indentured servitude. Honestly, we just have to see what happens as you all navigate the run-on's storyline. Some things are open-ended, and the end result may surprise everyone, including your fearless leaders.

I also want to reiterate that being a clan solely on the dark path is more complex than we think it is. Too often, we construe “dark side” as “we’re so evil, mwahaha.” But recently, your Overseer reminded Arden and me of a report he put out when he was Consul, and I want to share an excerpt from that here:

The biggest problem about the dark/gray/light dynamic is the misconception that exists as to what both “evil” and “good” actually are in Star Wars. This has been further entrenched by how many others see the "cartoon" villain[...], the latest of a long line of "dark = evil asshat" morality systems. The "dark side" doesn't have to be Snidely Whiplash, mustache twirling villainy any more than the light side has to be Dudley Do-Right going off to save Nell. Often times the dark path has been pigeon holed into being the side where you will go out of your way to kick a puppy just to kick a puppy because puppies are cute. Yeah, some people in the dark might be that person, but most wouldn't be. Dark and light are both more nuanced than that.

Click here to see the rest of Teylas's commentary, under the section title, “What is evil?”

I would also highly recommend listening to Episode III of the PlagCast, which also goes into detail as to what defines evil. You can click here to be immediately taken to that episode.

Karness Muur "K"ataclysm?

As TuQ'uan has been settling in as KM's newest Quaestor, he now has a new Aedile to work with. Azmodius Equesinfernum has stepped down as second of the house, and while we are sad to see him go, we know how much of a dynamo and fantastic leader he was throughout his time in the hot seat. Thank you for everything, Az, and we hope you continue to be an active part of the clan!

In the meantime, we needed a new Aedile for Karness Muur, and we got one. If you haven't done so already, please congratulate Tahiri Thorn Morte Tarentae on becoming our newest member of the summit! She has shown a strong presence in our clan, serving as both a mentor and a friend for Plagueis. She is going to do a fantastic job, and we're all rooting for her!

Awards and Accolades

It’s time for the obligatory list of awesomeness that we Plagueians have accomplished over the past month! Shout out to everyone who participated and placed in the Pro Bowl. Y’all did a great job, and your clan summit is being very mindful of your achievements.

Kelly Mendes

• 597 Clusters of Fire
• 2 Pendants of Blood
• 7 Clusters of Ice
• 6 Clusters of Graphite
• 2nd Place: “Chronicles of Plagueis - The Song of Discord - Month 1”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] PvP Gaming”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Cluster Race”
• 2nd Place: “[FIST] Hearthstone - BRAWL”
• 2nd Place: “ [FIST] Lucioball”
• 2nd Place: “[FIST] 2018 Monthly Gaming Challenge - August”

TuQ’uan Varick

• 407 Clusters of Fire
• 6 Clusters of Ice
• 6 Clusters of Graphite
• 7 Scrolls of Foundation
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Cluster Race”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Cluster Race”
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Flash Game #2”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Infinites”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Propaganda”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Hunt the Darkest of Jedi”
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2 & 3] Lucioball”
• 1st Place: “Clan Plagueis Presents: Pro Bowl III - An event of Clans Plagueis, Scholae Palatinae, and Taldryan”
• 1st Place: “ [FIST] Lucioball”

Arden Karn di Plagia

• 359 Clusters of Fire
• 2 Pendants of Blood
• 3 Clusters of Ice
• 6 Clusters of Graphite
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Lyrics”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] PvP Gaming”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Hunt the Darkest of Jedi”

Azmodius Equesinfernum

• 15 Clusters of Fire
• 6 Clusters of Graphite
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Poetry”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Jigsaw”

Furios Morega di Plagia

• 15 Clusters of Fire
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 6 Clusters of Graphite
• 1st Place: “Chronicles of Plagueis - The Song of Discord - Month 1”
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Flash Game 2”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Graphics”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Jigsaw”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Word Search”
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Jigsaw”
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Flash Game”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Cryptogram”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Word Find”
• 3rd Place: [Pro Bowl Week 2 & 3] Lucioball”
• 2nd Place: “Clan Plagueis Presents: Pro Bowl III - An event of Clans Plagueis, Scholae Palatinae, and Taldryan”

Brimstone aka Seabr'imsto'nedansr

• 38 Clusters of Earth
• 3rd Place: “Jezzball Blowout”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Word Search”

Taranae Rhode

• 6 Clusters of Fire
• 3 Clusters of Ice
• 3 Clusters of Earth
• 3 Clusters of Graphite
• 2nd Place: “Dozen of Games II: Round IX: Epic Coaster”
• 2nd Place: “Dozen of Games II”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Word Find”

Tahiri Thorn Morte Tarentae

• 3 Clusters of Graphite
• 1st Place: “August #2 [Trivia]”
• 2nd Place: “Dozen of Games II: Round X: Constellations”
• 2nd Place: “August Trivia”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Graphics”
• Passed Consular Legends SA exam

Silent

• 12 Clusters of Fire
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 6 Clusters of Graphite

Ra’gnar

• 1 Pendant of Blood
• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 6 Clusters of Graphite

Obsidian

• 3rd Place: “I am your nightmare”

Wrathus

• 3rd Place: “Chronicles of Plagueis - The Song of Discord - Month 1”

Thanadd Mawgath

• 16 Clusters of Fire

Dralin Fortea

• Passed ACC Combat Studies SA exam
• Passed Galactic History 101 - The Era of the Old Republic SA exam
• Passed Galactic History 102 - Twilight of the Galactic Republic SA exam
• Passed Galactic History 103 - Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire SA exam
• Passed Galactic History 104 - Ascendance of the First Order SA exam
• Dark Maven - Galactic History
• 50 Clusters of Fire
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Flash Game”

Ronovi Tavisaen

• 5 Clusters of Ice
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Fiction”
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Comic”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Flash Game #1”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Infinites”
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Bring in the Memes!”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Jigsaw”
• 2nd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 3] Cryptogram”

Zuser Whuloc

• 3 Clusters of Ice
• 3rd Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 1] Fiction”

Gaius Julius Caesar

• 2 Clusters of Ice
• 1st Place: “[Pro Bowl Week 2] Hunt the Tally”

Closing Thoughts

It’s time for another good idea, bad idea session! This time, however, I will be focusing less on leadership specifically and more on membership behavior. As much as this club has drastically changed (for the better) when it comes to the interactions we have with others, there are a few old habits that haven’t died, especially with the introduction of the newest Star Wars movies. So here’s a sort of blatant reminder of how we do things here in Plagueis.

Be open-minded to others’ opinions and different ideas for story direction.

Double down on your beliefs and treat all disagreements like they’re wrong.

We all have certain opinions about things. How good the films are, how we’re treating the EU vs. official DB canon, how our leadership is pushing the Brotherhood forward (or maybe you think it's moving backward. I don't know your life). Like I said earlier, change that is natural and makes sense should be welcomed and embraced. Change in and of itself is not a bad thing, per se, so don’t always act like people who believe in change are simply trying to rock the boat.

You are allowed to have different opinions. Communicate those opinions. Have a discussion. But please, please don’t shut anyone down. People who disagree with you aren’t necessarily wrong (with a few exceptions. Just a few, though), so make sure you give them the space and forum they deserve while sharing their ideas. Change should come gradually with multiple people’s consent, but don’t always be surprised or offended if the progress that happens isn’t what you expect.

Open-mindedness not only is necessary as a leader, but also as a member in general. So let’s keep that...well, in mind.

Have a great night, everyone, and hope you’re all looking forward to autumn as much as I am!