Introduction

Greetings, Qel-Dromans!

Well, a lot of things over the last few weeks.

Our Proconsul stepped down, so be on the lookout for Atyiru putting out a call for applications later this week.

The Winds of Change ACC tournament is winding down. We don't have final tallies as of yet, but it's currently looking like six or seven out of the top ten participants will wind up being Arconans, which makes me immensely proud of every one of you. And a huge congrats to our very own Lucine who looks like she'll be taking 3rd place! Congrats, Lucine! That's amazing.

As you no doubt already know, the War was delayed. What does this mean for us? Not a whole lot, honestly. We're running a War Games-style competition for HQD (if you haven't done so, you can check out the competition below) to help sharpen everyone's skills. Make sure you get out there and make your fellow Qel-Dromans work for every point they earn.

And last but not least, we finally got our first look at Arx, the new Brotherhood homeworld. Again, you can find more details below. Go check it out, especially the snazzy map our resident Wookiee mechanic made!

And now, on with the show…

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Projects
3. News
   
4. Competitions
   
5. Promotions
6. Quiz the QUA
7. TL;DR
8. Aedile Alley
9. Crescent Leaderboard
10. Closing Words

Projects

Everything was sort of put on hold with the expectation that a war was coming up. Now that we have a few weeks, we're going to see what we can eke out here. In particular, I'm working with the rest of the Summit on the Arconan Order of Battle to bring it in line with the Fleet Reset. If you have any questions or suggestions on this, drop me a line.

And before someone tells me that's easy…

News

Brotherhood

• Raise it up to Fistdom

  • No more will we subscribe to the radical cluster races! (We’ll still have them). We will conquer new ventures of gaming competitions in new and invigorating forms! Team Drac has been putting their heads together, or joining the voices within his, to come up with interesting comp ideas that break the current common mold.
  • If you are interested in helping the gaming community out on the next level, then keep an eye out for the next call for Magistrate applications sometime around August 15th.
  • The official voice channel for gaming has changed from TeamSpeak to Discord. Check out the info here and get the join link from within!

• But Hark! The Grand Master speaks!

  • Immersive story environment for members, an ‘Enemy’ with all the fancy snazziness we have, increased recruitment awards, XP promotion system for Equites, new Graphic society, and a Sacred...Cow review? Read the report for more info! Also, announces the hold on the GJW.

• All the coding achievements!

  • A couple new competition Archetypes for ACC and Bracket, additional Character Slots, Alts and NPCs, snapshots, and a new Warbanner Request Form are some of the updates the Seneschal has made. Check out the upcoming projects!

• Arx: the new Capital Planet

  • The Dark Council are no longer floating about in space! The Brotherhood has settled down on the Planet of Arx in the similarly-named system. Go read about all the BAMF new wiki’s, info, etc. Our very own Wookie made the maps of Planet Arx, so take a moment and give him a round of applause because hawt damn they are beautiful!

Dem wiki articles though…

Competitions

House

• War Games
  • The BTL’s of Shadow Gate and Voidbreaker have joined together to bring this friendly competitive event to the Battleteams of Qel-Droma. May the best team win, or both teams? We’re friends, right?...Right? (Go wild, folks!)

Just remember guys, be polite to your Qel-Droman frenemies.

Clan

• Cards Against Arcona: the Sequel

  • Yes, you heard correctly. This comp is solely focused on fattening up our deck of CAH awfulness. If you are a CAH fan or enjoy similar themed things, go submit your ideas. Good ones will be added to the card pool and become available for future ArcCAH games. Ends the 10th.

• Arcona Gaming Domination

  • Our sister House has resurrected the gaming drive once again. Pazaak, JA, and more, grab your devices and a buddy to start raking in some points in support of Galeres’ event.

Brotherhood

• Art 4 Arx

  • With the Dark Council settling into their new home, Arx, the Herald has issued a call for art! Try your hand at several localities with the opportunity of having the entry(ies) displayed upon the relevant wiki pages.

• Waiting is the Worst Part

  • This competition is organized by our fellow Arconan, Kordath. Have a fiction itch you need to scratch? At a loss of what to do with war postponed? Go and support our peer!

Additional competitions can be found in the Competition Center.

Promotions

We've had three big promotions in the last few weeks, and I couldn't be more proud of each one of you!

• Tali has entered the Equites!
• Our illustrious Aedile is now an Equite II!
• And last but not least, Jono earned his elevation to Equite II. Congratulations, I know you've been looking forward to it for a while!

Quiz the QUA

Atty

• Please explain why macabre is pronounced so stupidly and why sock gnomes are a menace
  • Because we have the freedom to pronounce things awesomely in the US. Internationally, it's pronounced it like "me-ka-bra". Also, because it's French.
    • Fun fact, it's thought to be from a play about the slaughter of the Maccabees. Sorry, Wally.
  • They're only a menace to those who wear socks. So you don't have to worry. Get over it.
• Any future fictional plans for HQD?
  • Well, we've had a lot happen recently. We completely wrecked Port Ol'val, meaning the members of Shadow Gate and others who live there have a much rougher existence in their future. No more shiny toys everywhere, much more scrabbling by on the edge of nothing. There will be some plot points that tie into that (goodbye casinos and brothels around every corner!). We also have Voidbreaker stretching their weeks. I'm holding off on making too specific of plans until we see how they develop, so we can make sure they're incorporated into the overall thrust of the House plot.
• Any advice for our kids who got their first taste of the ACC in the prelims (or otherwise)?
  • Stay strong. Don't get discouraged by a few losses - even if you don't agree with how the judgements came out - and don't get cocky from a few wins. The ACC is an ever-changing, ever-evolving system. Also, I hope everyone had a helluva lot of fun. If not, do yourself a favor and sign up for another match for fun, maybe with one of your fellow Clanmates. See how it feels to ACC without the pressure. You might surprise yourself.

Atra

• Is Sins going to continue? If so, how is it going to relate to both Houses and how will the plot updates happen compared to the competitions themselves?
  • This is a good question. Atty & I discussed it, and here's what she had to say:
    • I think it would do well to reiterate that we're trying to tell a long story. It's like a book. If you're reading the first half, not everything is going to make sense yet. It's not supposed to be episodic/self-contained per episode, but a slowly unfolding plot over the whole event, told from multiple perspectives in an effort to round out the story and to present new POVs that best show what we're trying to convey. Not just your usual "here's the Sith or pirates this time and they want money pew pew now they're dead and here's a fiction of just your Summit members". On the relating to each House, it's going to keep doing so one way or the other either by showing how each house and the clan is affected by or reacting to events.
  • I agree with her on all of her points. If you haven't read what has happened up until now, a lot that should make sense already simply won't. Beyond that, some of it shouldn't make sense yet, but will in the future. That being said, I think the bigger question I've heard is "How does this affect me?" How does a plague on Eldar or Selen affect an assassin on Port Ol'val or a soldier stationed aboard the Nighthawk? The answer is, "That's up to you." If your character has connections to the rest of the Dajorra system, it's obviously going to impact them. But let's say they don't. Let's say your character is sitting pretty on Ol'val, with no ties to anyone elsewhere. That doesn't mean the rest of the Clan - and the Dajorra system itself - isn't affected.
  • As for the Houses, they've already been affected. The Nighthawk was destroyed, then reorganized. We've seen some of the fallout of the general Fleet Reset within Sins, and we'll see more of that in the future (particularly how it impacts Gal). HQD's home, once full of ritzy casinos and brothels, high class bars, and a secret Phantom Complex the size of a small town, has been rekt. It's still being rebuilt, and we'll see more of that happening in the future. No longer will it be a fancy, top-of-the-line space station that somehow manages to stay secret because reasons. We're busy redecorating it, and remaking it into something that makes more sense and will give us more freedom in the long run. I, for one, and very excited to see how that plays out long-term.
  • Finally, a big part of Sins of the Past isn't just what happens to the individual members - it's what happens to the Clan as a whole and the culture they are rooted in. How these events have a wider impact on Selen, Dajorra and Arcona's very nature is something we've already started to see - and will continue to see as the story continues to unfold. When all the dust settles, neither Arcona nor Selen will be the same.
  • In regards to competitions, we'll be doing those a bit differently in the future. For anyone unaware, I think what Atra is referring to is the fact that the competition prompts tied closely into the plot updates - but we continued to release plot updates with the potential to affect the prompts throughout the run of Sins III. We had several people (after Sins I and II) who said they wanted to see "meatier" plot updates throughout, and we really didn't anticipate so many people having issues addressing the prompts without letting the plot updates interfere with their submissions. As a result, many people felt the need to rewrite their fictions (sometimes multiple times) to reflect the plot updates that were released. That's on us as organizers. We didn't anticipate how one change would reflect the other aspects of the competition series. It's definitely a misstep we've learned from and will take that into account in the future Episodes.

Xenna

• If you were a box, how would you think outside it?
  

• What's the difference between a duck?
  

• Why is that thing looking at you?

  • What are treeants?

• How would you move a mountain using only a spoon?

Kelviin

• If you were a hamster, what sort of spots/fur would you have?
  • Like this guy right here.
    

Juliana

• What advice would you give for a primarily short story writer to transition into making longer fictions?
  • Outlines. They're awful. Horrible. A pain in the ass. They'll also let you write both longer and better than you have in the past. They force you to think about what's actually important to the characters and plot, so you don't get bogged down in minutiae. Seriously, try it out.
• What techniques do you personally recommend for not only drawing the reader in but also keeping them fully engaged throughout the story?
  • Think about what makes people and events seem real, rather than contrived. Characters are more often interesting because of their faults, not despite them. Likewise, events never work out exactly as anticipated, and fiction should reflect that.
  • In addition to the above, language itself can play a big factor in this. The words you use, how you structure your sentences, can make a huge impact on the reader. Not only can they convey things about the POV characters themselves, but short, choppy sentences feel different to the reader than methodical ones, or meandering ones. You can use this to reinforce the tone and pacing of your writing. Make them match, and you'll do a much better job of drawing in your audience.
• What tips do you have for people who struggle to write dialogue?
  • Avoid adverbs whenever possible. Some writers use them to great effect, but most writing is weakened by it. Consider the following two snippets.
    • "This Huttslime again," Terran said wearily.
    • "This Huttslime again," Terran sighed.
  • The second one works better for the reader, doesn't it? It's more active, and more definite, while also being shorter. Dialogue should feel real and be easy to read, but it also shouldn't feel repetitive. Too much "He said", "She said" will make it extremely repetitive. Avoid that when you can. Note: the adverb suggestion applies everywhere in fiction, not just in dialogue.
• What books would you personally recommend for writers looking for examples to hone their craft on?
  • Stephen King's "On Writing". King often gets undervalued. People know him more for the mediocre movies based on his stories than for his writing itself. He has a truer voice - especially when it comes to emotions and motivations - than most writers you'll ever read. He really understands people, and he understands how to build a plot around characters. Does he meander at times? Sure. Do his topics seem banal or even controversial? Often. But I truly think he's one of the great American writers of the last 50 years. Hearts in Atlantis, Lisey's Story, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The Drawing of the Three, Different Seasons…they're all amazing. In "On Writing" he talks about how he writes (both technically, and creatively), in an accessible way, while also showing how his life has affected his work (and how yours can do the same).
  • If all you're looking for is examples to read (rather than books on how to write), I'd recommend Brandon Sanderson, KJ Parker, Scott Lynch and Matthew Stover. Plus, obviously, Stephen King. Seriously, he is so underrated.
    • Sanderson is interesting because I'm pretty sure he's a robot. No one human could consistently turn out high quality fiction at the pace he does. The man writes 1000 pages worth of fiction (normally a long novel, a short novel or novella, and a YA novel) every year. Seriously, every year. It's insane. And while his prose may not be the equal of (for instance) Rothfuss, it's still really good, and his worldbuilding is unparalleled.
    • KJ Parker's writing is extremely odd. I honestly don't even know where to start describing him. His novels are intricate, his characters are well fleshed out, and the methodical way his plots evolve and narrow until there's only one inescapable conclusion that nonetheless surprises you is a spellbinding experience. Note: for all that, his writing can be...dull. The stories and characters are great, but I'm not a fan of him as a wordsmith. Still, this shouldn't turn you off in and of itself.
    • Scott Lynch writes the Gentleman Bastard series. Imagine the movie Ocean's Eleven. Now imagine it takes place in a fantasy world with pirates, highwaymen, and the occasional bit of magic. His characters are all unique and exciting with their own distinct voices and his plots always come to surprising conclusions. He's not as fast a writer as Sanderson or Parker, so his bibliography is much shorter. Nonetheless, I highly recommend checking out The Lies of Locke Lamora. You won't be disappointed.
    • Matthew Stover. I've never read anyone who can write combat better. I hesitate to open with that line, because it shortchanges just how good he is with digging into his characters' emotions and motivations, but in the DB combat writing is a big deal. So if you think you'll ever have to write combat, I highly recommend reading him. His book Heroes Die is phenomenal, but he's also written several Star Wars novels. I would suggest starting with the Revenge of the Sith novelization. It's a significant improvement over the film, and more than once it gave me literal chills while reading it. So did his NJO novel Traitor (about Jacen during his captivity at the hands of the Vong). His books seldom have what you might call "happy endings", but the endings they do have certainly ring true, and that too is one of his gifts.

TL;DR

So, what did we learn? We have three new Equites, continuing the long line of bamf Arconans. The ACC still might as well be called the Arconan Combat Center. There's a lot of shake-ups going on the DB at the moment, and war is still on the horizon. In the meantime, keep your blades sharp and your wits sharper, boys and girls. You're going to need them.

And at this point, I'm sure you're all saying…

Aedile Alley

Good evening, my Goatateers! Zuj, Zuji, Zujenia here with some words to say. You have all been out there rocking some activity and a large number of you had participated in the ACC preliminary event. Well done to Lucine, Tali, Legorii, Timeros, Skar, Adem, and Terran!

I would like to remind all that we do have an Arconan War room where one can support one another. When GJW resumes, we’ll be ready! In the meantime as we wait, keep participating the competitions that you love, the ones that you don’t, the alright ones, etc. Challenge your skills and seek out some advice or insight from your peers. And most importantly, have fun! You all are wonderful and keep up a peaceful presence in our House, well OOC-wise that is. :P

If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask, even if it’s just to share a chit chat. My door is always open. Keep rocking this Asteroid, Qel-Dromans!

~ Zujenia

Crescent Leaderboard

Below you will find the numbers used to determine the scoring and the leaderboard itself.

• Diamond: 7
  
• Ruby: 6
  
• Amethyst: 5
  
• Sapphire: 4
  
• Emerald: 3
  
• Topaz: 2
  
• Quartz: 1
  

Member	Points
Kelviin	18
Lucine	17
Terran	16
Strategos	14
Tali	13
Adem	3

Closing Words

Before signing off, I would like to take a moment to thank the amazing ladies I have working with me. Zujenia, Lucine, Leeadra - you make us shine. Work continues to be crazy since my promotion. In fact, this is what I feel like most nights:

Despite that, Zuji, Lucine and Lee do an incredible job keeping the ship afloat, getting things done, and generally making me glad I've been blessed with such a great Summit.

And to every one of you Arconans out there: keep kicking ass. I know you can't help but be brilliant!

Augur Terran Koul
Quaestor, House Qel-Droma