Ladies and gentlemen!

Tarentum, and our kin of the Brotherhood. You’ll notice, I did not release a report last month. There were things in the work that I really wanted to touch on publicly. So, as some of them have happened, I decided just to delay the report. You’ll find some of that information in the News section further down.

Prior to that, I do have a current release of Clan fiction for everyone. It’s helping to set the stage for our storyline and a new series of events. However, before I delve into that, I’d really like to draw some public attention to two very noteworthy promotions. As Consul, I really get to help reward some truly remarkable people. These are literally just the tip of the iceberg (meaning, more are coming), but they definitely deserve some top billing.

First, I’d like to congratulate our newest Warrior, Magik! Magik has been around for a couple of years now. He has been an active member of the Clan, and like many of you, he has truly become a pillar of activity, and one of the many of you who are, quite literally, the foundation for what Tarentum is fastly becoming. Tarentum Momentum remains a real, tangible concept, and it is because of you all. Including Magik. Congratulations, Warrior Magik! I’m so proud of your dedication and perseverance, pally.

Second, recently promoted to Warlord, Scion “Firebird” Altera! Many of you know Scion as both a leader in Tarentum for several years now, as well as one of those “mid-level managers” who is quickly becoming a solid, veteran voice of experience, patience and leadership. If I can draw some correlations, Scion is quickly becoming like Anshar Kahn. Anshar originally joined Tarentum because his friend, Dranik, had accidentally been placed in Tarentum instead of Arcona. Anshar later came to us, and history followed along. As Anshar became one of those mentors and voices we should all listen to, so is Scion now among those valuable advisers to this Clan as a whole, and to this Summit. He has recently taken a bit of a sabbatical to become a new father and focus on being a daddy instead of a Sith, but we appreciate all of his work. He continues to advise and recommend on a near-daily basis, and is trying hard to provide valuable insight and promote changes that will benefit all of us.

Rax and I are continually going over our roster and looking for reasons to promote or reward all of you. Kromtal is helping us by keeping an eye on our valuable new recruits and Journeymen. Ranarr and Thanadd (and their AEDs) have a dedicated watch in their respective Houses. We are building things to come, but we know you all are working your tails off to provide fun and friendship, and to help build up our little corner of this fantastic Club. We want to express, as a joint Summit, our thanks to you for making Tarentum what it is. This truly is a family. You are all kin to me. And this is definitely my favorite Clan of the Brotherhood (not just because it’s my own Clan, though). Each of the other Clans has some amazing members, and I have a deep and abiding respect and love for each of them. But Tarentum is something else. And you guys make this place special.

Thank you for all that you are, Tarentum.

Rejuvenation 2017
Chapter One: The New Pantheon
The Corsair Complex
Koros, Yridia system

Rax Von-Klug, the Proconsul of Tarentum, had called a gathering of leadership. Both he and the Consul, Sith Bloodfyre had arrived first, though not together. The Rollmaster, Kromtal Stormfyld, had accompanied the Consul in transit. Thanadd Mawgath, the nightmarish Quaestor of Mortis had arrived shortly after, followed by Ranarr Kul and his Aedile of Liath from their new home on Eden. The endless one, Darth Aeternus had come last. Those who had attended were certainly both the public leadership of Tarentum, as well as those who were noteworthy power players on any level. Noticeably absent, however, were Anshar Kahn and the powerful Havok. They had not responded to the Proconsul’s messages, and were not in attendance. Rax made a mental note to inquire of their absence.

Rax had skipped the pleasantries and social formalities and had gotten straight to business. However, his words were lost upon the Ghost Dragon. Sith had quickly felt himself slipping away from the present, from the physical location they occupied, and knew the power of the Force was drawing him away. It was a familiar feeling. His first conversation was with an old friend.

[A new age. A new council. And yet, it all feels the same, doesn’t it?]

”What is your kind’s old adage? You’ve referred to it before.”

[‘The more things change, the more they stay the same’?]

”That sounds about right. What is it you need? I’m sure there’s a purpose to this interruption.”

[A message. A warning? I’m not sure. Only a thought to pass on. Tarentum is bound by tradition. In binding yourselves so, you bind yourselves to doom. Respect tradition, honor it, but cut yourselves away from nets that will drown you in your oceans. Move onward and upward, Sith Bloodfyre.]

”Is this a threat?”

[Can it be? Can anyone threaten Death itself? Take it for what it is. Avert your own doom. Find your own path. Steer Tarentum towards its own fate, a new fate, and you will be successful.]

”I certainly hope so…”

[Trust in this knowledge, my old friend. Tarentum will live forever. For now, you must return…]

The small gathering had continued in his apparent absence. Though his physical body had remained, the Consul of Tarentum had certainly been elsewhere. That old voice that followed him everywhere. That visitor, that guest that was closer to him than almost any other. Could he be called a friend? Perhaps. It mattered little. No label needed to be applied. Sith had drifted away from the gathering of powers, and now he had returned. And the mighty Darth Aeternus was speaking.

“War is coming,” the Sith Lord was stating fact. “The Force shows me nightly. Fires burn. Corpses litter the fields around us. Tarentum must fight. All of the Clans will be swept away once more. It is time to cull the weak and hone the strong in bloodshed. To prepare for war, we must engage in battle.”

“Mighty words, Lord Aeternus,” the unholy voice from the Quaestor of Mortis, a creature only called Thanadd Mawgath. Many referred to him as “The Death Knight.” It was an appropriate moniker. He was covered in black leather and armor, and his voice had an eerie, nightmarish quality to it. As though his words were echoes of pain and despair that echoed from ravaged vocal cords. There was never pleasant conversation with the dark creature that commanded Mortis. “Teach us. Inspire us. Expand us. But never underestimate us. We are prepared.”

“Few are prepared for war,” Aeternus countered, “without perpetual conditioning. Perhaps you overestimate your powers, Warrior. Your master is a Dragon, but you might be a lizard. I will not allow Tarentum to fall behind and be washed over in the seas of this coming war.”

“See if I overestimate, Lord Aeternus!” Mawgath grabbed for his lightsaber, but unseen hands of the Force latched onto the nightmarish creation of Sith Bloodfyre. Mawgath was frozen in place, only able to turn his eyes to his master and maker. He knew well the icy hands of the Ghost Dragon upon him.

“This will cease immediately,” Bloodfyre spoke, but his eyes were on Aeternus, though his powers held his creation in check. “Our Lord Aeternus speaks the truth. No one is ever prepared for war, except towards the very end of any conflict, if we are lucky to survive the ebb and flow of destruction. War prepares us for war, and we have been complacent. However. We are strong. We survive. We are oblivion. So we will see this conflict through. My Lord Aeternus, you and your students will filter your knowledge and training throughout Mortis. Your services are noted and appreciated, old friend.”

Aeternus met the gaze of the Consul of Tarentum, but there were no other outward signs of acknowledgement from the powerful Lord. Mawgath was seething with rage. The creature of darkness was still held in check for another long moment before his maker released him. The Death Knight looked to his master for further insight, but Bloodfyre’s attention seemed fixed on Aeternus, and then to Ranarr Kul, the fierce yet jovial head of Liath.

“What progress do we have with the syndicates? Have your mercenaries secured our holdings in Eden?” Ranarr shrugged slightly, but gave a definitive nod of his head in answer to the Consul.

“My guys have established a beachhead, more or less,” Ranarr’s throaty growl rumbled as the Cathar spoke. “We’ve got about three square blocks of Eden under our control. Our warehouses are filled with our vehicles and ordnance, and our operations are running smoothly. We’ve got the Grey Wolf running smoothly. It’s a fun place to relax and have a drink. The locals seem to love the dancing girls. So we’re making money for Tarentum. People know they can hire a hunter, or even their own private force, for the right price. It’ll help fill our coffers and pay for what we do, and pass on more than enough as contribution to the Clan from your brothers of Liath.”

“And the syndicates?” Sith pressed again.

“They’re not giving us trouble, if that’s what you’re after,” Kul answered. “They’re after… unity, I think. The commission is pretty blunt in what they want, and what they offer. We have a place among them. I sit on the commission. I’ll represent Tarentum, and Liath is an equal there.”

“And your Viata allies are with you on this?” Rax spoke up and grabbed the attention of the Cathar. “Or have they set up their own operations away from you?”

“Liath is united in everything,” Ranarr stated firmly, a wry grin on his face. “Whether Force-user, bounty hunter, mercenary, or run-of-the-mill Sabacc cheat. The Viata are Liath. First. Last. Always.”

“Of course they are,” Rax countered. “But do they share in your operations, or are they more focused on the Force training of their members? I’m looking more for an accounting of their readiness for battle.”

“We’re all together in our warehouse district. They have their own space, but we’re all together They can come train with his Lordship, if you want.” Ranarr shrugged again. “They train how they train. It’s not my deal. But they’ll be ready to kick some ass when the time comes. They’re no Jedi bootlickers. They’re ready to kill and maim as needed. They just don’t seem to care about being grim and gruesome. No offense intended.”

Rax smirked, but he could tell that others among the small leadership counsel probably didn’t find the humor in Ranarr’s statements on the same level as he did. The Proconsul turned to the Quaestor of Mortis now, the dark creation of the Ghost Dragon. Mawgath sensed the mighty Proconsul’s eyes upon him, but the Death Knight focused solely upon his master, his maker. The Sith Master was certainly focused upon his creation, but the dark robes of Sith Bloodfyre always shrouded his face in blackness. All except for that tip of his nose, his mouth and chin. The lowest portion of Bloodfyre’s face could always be seen, as though the light itself could touch his skin, but was repulsed by the man’s eyes, his gaze. Mawgath focused on Bloodfyre’s lips. He had never dared meet the eyes, the gaze of his master.

“How are negotiations proceeding with the Quarren delegates?” Rax asked the question, but it was obvious that the Death Knight was answering his godly master, the powerful Consul of Tarentum.

“The Quarren visit frequently,” Thanadd answered, his voice like the fractures of glaciers. “An understanding began, now stands firm. There is a ceasefire for many weeks now. I meet with their officers… they speak with their prince. Truce is inevitable. They demand we relinquish the deep, but give up their aim on the Sea of Darkness. They give it wide berth. All things are prepared for a final treaty to be signed by them, and by us.”

“The Castle and Yridia are in capable hands, Mawgath,” Rax nodded his approval. Bloodfyre never moved. “Mortis represents our goals under the waves, and to the Quarren well. I will continue to monitor your progress there. And, if you require any additional resources, advise me at once.”

The Death Knight didn’t seem to acknowledge the command, but Rax was becoming familiar with the odd relationship between the Ghost Dragon and his apprentices. The Proconsul’s words had been heard, and his commands would be followed. There was no doubt about it. Everyone knew the authority of Rax Von-Klug, and Thanadd Mawgath would never dare challenge the command of his maker’s chosen Proconsul.

“Before you all depart,” Sith now turned to Rax, and then his gaze fell upon each member of their little gathering, “There are other matters to speak of. Beyond the coming conflict. Beyond the menial events of our daily lives. There are still those in Tarentum who will deny this, and who will potentially fight this, because of where it will lead us. And though there may be some lost along the way, this is the road to truth.

“The Sith King is no more,” Bloodfyre continued, in an abrupt switch of topics. “The hand of Khyron is gone from Yridia. Whether that means that Justinian Khyron has gone to Oblivion, I cannot say. Nor do I care. The Sith King has not held sway in Yridia for some time. Nor will he again. Long live the King, wherever his power has moved on to. The Obsidian Throne is no longer his. There is no longer a ‘prince by grace of our king’ in Tarentum. We are no vassal to the lost Lord. The Hound of the Sith King has wandered away. Khyron’s chief agent, Master Zero, has never returned since his last departure. The Mad One may relay his missives elsewhere, but we are our own masters now.

“As we travel onward from here,” Sith met the gaze of each man, “know that there will be enemies who believed us isolated and protected by the hand of Khyron. We may be met by those who will now see us as weak, unprotected. We are not. Our Proconsul had reached out to both Anshar Kahn, as well as to our Lord Havok. We will reach out to them as well, and demand answers as to why they have not joined us. There is a new pantheon of gods, as it were. Tarentum will meet each challenge as we always have. We will fill Oblivion with the bodies of our enemies. We here are the gods of Tarentum.”

So if you read the above fiction, we’re beginning a new chapter in things. Or, rather, continuing the story that has been progressing. For a long time, Tarentum has held itself as the vassal of Khyron, and Yridia one of the holdings of the Sith King. No longer. The powers of Khyron have faded, and Tarentum is following its own course. Perhaps enemies that Khyron’s myth has held at bay will now be coming for us. Only time will tell. The story is changing. Yridia is changing. And I want to go over some details.

First, the Wiki needs to be updated. This is a huge undertaking. Tarentum’s Wiki entries obviously need to be brought back into line with where our story is going. This will be a process. Most of what is happening will mean entries are wiped clean, and information will be presented anew. That means that, for the near future, Clan and House reports need to be the resource and site of information for all things Tarentum. Additionally, Telegram (specifically, our Clan channel) is a place to get that information. Talk to people. Share ideas and understanding. But the story is moving along, and we want people to be able to follow along with us.

Second, the Yridia system is changing. As I’ve hinted at in the above fiction, there’s now two main sites of Clan activity and power: Eden City (on Yridia IX) and Castle Tarentum (on Yridia II). House Liath is based out of Eden, and House Mortis is based in the undersea castle on Yridia II. More bits and pieces will show up in the future, but for now, all of Tarentum will focus on those two locations.

For Liath, this means a gritty, tough, seedy place where criminal syndicates reign, commerce flows, trade in and out of the system commences, and life resembles what we might have seen in the belly of Coruscant in some of the films. There are only vague hints at it, because Liath gets to really refine and redefine what Eden is. It’s your playground now, Liath.

Mortis gets to have Castle Tarentum. The undersea home of Tarentum is a place of darkness, hidden under the waves, but not away from the public eye. There is a huge population of Quarren inhabiting the waters of Yridia II. There have been skirmishes between the two populations, but there is now a state of truce between us and them. Will it last? Only time will tell, and only you get to decide, Mortis. It’s your sandbox now.

Along that line, you’ll also notice there’s no more Teams. Everyone has not only been rolled back into the above-named Houses, but all Teams were eliminated on the roster. However, they still remains in fiction. I believe the Teams concept as a roster section is outdated and needed to be removed. We don’t need pyramidal levels of bureaucracy. Instead, we want flavor. We want those things to continue in our stories. If you’re not involved in one of those flavorful concepts, talk with your fellow Clanmates. We’ll spice everyone up a bit.

Third, the power structure in Tarentum is adapting a bit, both fictionally and functionally. It’s no secret that Sith Bloodfyre literally sees himself as a god. He wholeheartedly sees himself as the physical embodiment of Death. In a sense, that means he really doesn’t consider most things important or worthy of his attention. So, in a way, we’re taking a flavor of other cultures (you can probably guess which). Bloodfyre sees himself as a god, with his Proconsul running the daily operations and command needs. Rax is running things on a lot of levels, or things are being turned over to him. And, the House Quaestors are like his chief lieutenants.

What does this mean real world? Rax, Ranarr and Thanadd are capable of taking care of plenty of things personally. If you have something to ask, issues to be taken care of, hit them up. These wonderful gentlemen are anxious and ready to help you. Or, if not them, their wonderful Aediles for Liath (Etah) and Mortis (Tahiri). Fictionally, it means Rax is a sort of potent pseudo-shogun in the Clan. The military chain of command is overseen by Rax in fiction. The buck stops with him. I hold the power to overrule him, but really, would I? Gods don’t debase themselves with such simple things. The House Quaestors answer to him, and it had better be a world-altering experience for them to bypass him and come directly to me for most everything (Thanadd being an apprentice qualifies as a bit of an exception, though).

The real exception to this will be new recruits and those who still need to make it to Knighthood. Kromtal is your guy when it comes to getting you to Knighthood, and seeing you properly awarded for all of your efforts. He’s there as a resource, an aide, a mentor and a guide along the path to Knighthood. If you need anything, hit hit up immediately. Put him to work. He is glad to be there for you, and he wants to see you succeed and continue to the highest echelons in the Club.

Stuff like this will all be fleshed out in the Wiki through the update process. We’re likely going to be cutting away a lot of information that is old and outdated, but again, we need something for now. My reports will serve to help answer questions as much as possible.

To Wrap It Up

Tarentum is an evolving family. It’s a concept and facet of the Brotherhood that should always be growing. We certainly have our shortcomings. Everyone does. But we survive, we challenge ourselves, and we grow. No failure is worthless, unless we do not grow from it. I can spout adages all day. I just want us all to realize, this Clan is ours. It’s what we do with it that counts. This Brotherhood is a wonderful Club. I mean it when I say, I have spent pretty much two decades here, and stay here, because this Club is a powerful place. There’s great people here. I have a profound love and respect for this Clan, for each of you that make up this family. I have a deep and abiding admiration for the other Clans and their members. Not only the other CONs and leadership, but each of my friends.

One of my closest friends outside of Tarentum is Shi Kensei, the Stone Sword Saint. My man Shi is one cool cat, and I love him as a brother. I stay in Tarentum because you’re my family, but I like stretching out to the rest of the Club. Foster friendship and understanding. Get to know the rest of the Club. Nurture it. Feast upon all that it has to offer. It’s a great place for leisure, entertainment, and a good, core group of people who will share in your triumphs and lift you up in your moments of despair.

Enjoy this Club. Thank you for the family, Tarentum. This is the era of our greatness. Tarentum Momentum! It’s a real thing.

TL;DR
- Magik and Scion were promoted!
- The story moves along!
- Questions answered about Wiki stuff.

Have a great weekend, Tarentum. I love you guys!

-Beef