Introduction

We finally have news on the start date for the Great Jedi War, the ACC preliminaries start in about a week, the DC is busy at work with plans for said war, and the club moves on. I hope everyone’s June has been going as well as mine has. I had a birthday in which Azmodius got me a stunt-grade lightsaber and I got a new phone that can play Force Arena without overheating. We also just got to see Iron Maiden and Ghost last night. It was a pretty awesome show, though I’m sad to say some of my favorite songs weren’t played. So yeah, pretty awesome month. Now let’s see what we have going on in the DB.

News and Events

The Great Jedi War looms ever closer as the hot summer days pass by ever so slowly. Too bad we can’t actually live on Aliso, where it’s a lovely autumn all year long (thank the Force that pumpkin spice isn’t indigenous to our planet). The biggest update this side of the galaxy is that the ACC preliminaries for GJW XII are starting in about a week. Next we’ll be seeing the start of the main course on August 1st, details here. Other than that, the club continues on as usual, just with an air of Great Jedi War anticipation and preparation included:

• The Combat Master has just released some changes to the way certain feats work as well as some very valuable information on the ACC and Great Jedi War XII. Details that I recommend you all read can be found here.
• Our beligerently busy Consul has also released a wonderful new Wiki Tribune report that I think you should all read, especially if you want to make any NPCs.
• Applications for the Praetor to the Voice have opened and closed so give a hearty congratulations to Atyiru on the position.
• As per usual, our fearless, feisty Fist has graced us with another fabulous report containing some details on the new Wargame system for the Great jedi War. Additionally, the Fist staff discussions on the future of Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes has reached a conclusion detailed in this supplemental.
• Let’s all congratulate our Rollmaster Arden on having his Letter of Reprimand remanded.
• Our fuzzy giant panda of a Master-at-Arms has woken up from his perpetual napping to bring us not one, but two reports. Give them a read for all the clubs recent medal/promotion changes as well as some info on the regulations for pre-Great Jedi War competitions, rosters, etc.
• This report from the resident Regent explains the direction the Regent office is going in and what projects they’re working on for us.
• Our diligent headmaster, Farrin, released his most recent report with an update to the Galactic History departments as well as an opening for the position of Magistrate. Additionally, the Diablo 3 course is being retired with details found here.
• The Herald’s most recent visually pleasing report can be found here as well as info on a new Warbanner form.

With all the busy bumble bees around the club, it’s best not to forget the goings on of the Clan. Aside from the rapid progress of the clan wiki work, the Manifest Destiny Quarterly comps are still under way. Manifest Destiny Quarter 2 is almost over and we should see Quarter 3 starting right after. We’ve had some great weeks so far but the activity seems to fluctuate a bit. Keep up the momentum and I’m sure we will all get to enjoy the privilege of seeing the clan progress fictionally.

Quaestor’s Words

This month, I want to talk to you about the ACC. Long-story short, the ACC is a fun way to really get in on the interactive writing. It’s also the best way to practice your writing in the DB. The judging in the ACC is more comprehensive and in-depth than any other fiction activity in the club. With the Great Jedi War XII preliminary rounds starting in about a week, I want to get my thoughts on this facet of the Brotherhood out in the open now. Learning the ACC is tough and frustrating. Even after you’ve completed the qualification requirements, you can still be learning the ins and outs of good ACC writing for a long time. Although learning the ACC is tediously painful, it can become immensely rewarding and fun once you’ve gotten the hang of it. Since it's right around the corner, I’d like to try and help you along the way before then. Follow me into the breach!

First thing one should keep in mind when participating in the ACC is the word count. A standard post is a minimum of 250 words long. You’d think that this wouldn’t have to be said, but it does. Make sure your posts meet the word requirements. Read the instructions to make sure it isn’t different for whatever reason and then just write that many words. Usually this isn’t an issue since most people I talk to in the DB seem to find themselves writing over the word count just because they have that much to write, however I’ve seen enough ACC posts, RO posts, and fiction comps with disqualified entries and posts due to a short word count. Second, keep in mind that your character can die. If you’re obviously lower ranked than your opponent, your character should die. Although the ACC course material can’t stress it enough, somewhere between reading it and writing a post, many of us forget that death in the story doesn’t mean you lose in the contest. The point is to write a better post, not win a fight. It’s practically guaranteed that you’ll lose points in realism and/or continuity if you only write for your character’s victory. Third, good grammar is essential. Not only is it better for your post on the rubric, but broken grammar can also make the other grades suffer as well. Poor wording or missing punctuation can cause the judge to misinterpret some of the wording in your post, possibly costing you points in other aspects of the grading. Fourth, manage your time wisely. The ACC is a timed activity and should be treated as such. You have to watch for your opponent to post and once he or she does, you’re only allotted two days to write yours. Make sure you have sufficient time set aside to write your posts and always give your proofreader enough time to proof them. A rushed proofread is an ineffective one. If you can’t manage your time, you’re undoubtedly going to struggle with the ACC, which leads me to my next and last point. Though I may make mistakes in realism and continuity, my biggest issue is that I often fail to post before the deadline and miss entire matches (I think I still owe Arden a match where I don’t TO). In fact, the low point in my ACC career would have to be the ladder from the Horizons event, during which I timed out of my match thanks to peanut butter.

I know, embarrassing, isn't it? I stayed up late in my apartment, trying to scramble together a post before the deadline, which was somewhere around 8 in the morning. Being a broke college student, I had a fridge full of condiments and no food so my midnight snack while I wrote was the last of a jar of peanut butter that I ate with a spoon. Well I finally passed out with two or three lines to go, setting an alarm to wake me up in time to finish the post. I woke up and rather than finish the post, I unfortunately spent the better half of the morning brushing the taste of half-rotten peanut butter from my mouth. By the time i could stand the taste of my own tongue again, it was well past the deadline. In my infinite stupidity, I told the Clan Plagueis IRC channel about it to defend my time out and now I’ll never live it down. Should have just taken my shame and kept my mouth shut. The moral of the story is DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! You never know what kind of horrible thing will get in your way. Also, don't eat peanut butter by itself and don't forget to brush your teeth before bed. Seriously thought I was dying for a second. The taste itself was borderline lethal.

In Conclusion

The ACC is what should be on everybody’s mind these days and it’s going to be a blast. I urge everyone to participate in the preliminaries. This is a part of the Great Jedi War and will count, even if you don’t make it to the ladder during the actual event. Seals, glory, and riches are for the taking and this is just the first taste. Get in on the action before it’s too late and earn more Furios Points (yes, they’re cumulative). Remember that anybody on the summit can, and gladly will, proofread your posts. I know I can’t wait to read all your wonderful battles.

See you next month!

Furios Morega

“It’s moments like these that remind me that I’m just an animal.”