The Remembrance, Part 4
as chronicled by DL-Cobalt Pryde, Nova Colonel & Loremaster
Friday, Apr.10 3098 - Dark Legion Update
My Warrior Brethren, the newest Remembrance page finds us with a universe back in its proper order; thanks to the monumental efforts of our warriors (particularly the Khan and Kastowt) we are back in 1st place in all QTL categories, and by a substantial margin as well. Nicely fought, and well done, all!
We also extend kudos to Star Commander Demon-ds for his recruiting abilities. He has brought many new recruits (both official and potential) into our influence; it is hoped that a good percentage of these will pan out, make the cut and become full-fledged DL warriors. The Loremaster will elaborate on who these new recruits are, in the post-Sunday entry.
Legionnaires, after representing Dark Legion at last night's QTL meeting, it has become apparent that we will have to fight for the rules that we want in place, and fight against the one we deem ridiculous and overly complicated. I made our concerns known, as instructed by the Khan, and stood fast on those issues (despite some mocking and disparagement from the other so-called representatives). I sometimes forget that the people behind these avatars are children, and sometimes wet themselves, get whiny and petulant, as children are wont to do.
As we are heading into the holiday weekend, there will be many of us traveling hither and yon. Consequently, there may be slim attendance at the Sunday meeting; however, as some major announcements will probably be made I implore all who can to be in attendance (either Nova Colonel Shrapnel or myself will probably conduct the meeting, as the Khan will more than likely be in transit at the time).
Note: Page-forward and Page-back arrows have been added to the Remembrance pages, to ease back-and-forth movement between the various pages.
Sunday, Apr.12 3098 - Congratulations And Reflections
It's early Sunday morning as I write this; I've just been visiting the QTL record page, and I marvel at what I've seen there. Kastowt told me earlier in the week that he'd been inspired by what I'd written in these pages, and that Dark Legion would not trail in the QTL again. Apparently he's made that his personal mission, as he, Kodiak, OneEye and Shrapnel battled on through Saturday night and Sunday morning, piling up wins and SMUs. While CDW is not far behind, we do still maintain a lead over them; an even more remarkable feat considering that it's a holiday weekend, with many DL warriors on vacation and/or travelling. Well done, my Warrior Brethren!
I took some small part in the war festivities, and had a nice little streak going (6 wins in a row), until taking a defeat yesterday, with Lord Ancient as my wingman. I'd like to extend my admiration and appreciation to all the junior officers who are out there trying, gaining battle experience and improving with each war they participate in. Keep dropping the hammer on our rivals, young ones!
I'd also like to relate an incident that occurred yesterday, and sent me your feedback on it if you would.
One of our seldom-seen cadets turned up yesterday, and participated in a mock war that OneEye and I had set up (for experience purposes). So far out of touch had this cadet been, that not only did he take a mech far above his rank weight, but was still operating under MNL rules and specs. When I brought this to his attention (and as a senior officer I feel this is my place and my obligation), I got some fairly disrespectful remarks back from this cadet, intimating that he only gives as much respect as he gets.
This gave me pause to reflect; as I had gotten into an earlier mild dust-up with a CS, I wondered if maybe I was just irritable, or having a bad day. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that indeed, I'd been right. As long as the Dark Legion is in the QTL, we are on a mission; to do the best we can, fight with camaraderie, honor and spirit, and win the object of the competition (namely, plant our flag on Terra). To that end, the vast majority of us are out warring, practicing, playing, training, attending meetings, and in the downtimes staying in touch via email, or just hanging out in the DL battlehall. To those warriors new and old, my respect and fealty is owed and freely given. Does someone who only wears our uniform to have a place to play, who is only seen rarely and is content to languish in the cadet pool, who can't be bothered to make an effort to stay in touch or get to know the rest of us... does such a one deserve the same respect as the others?
Neg; not in the slightest, in my view.
Monday, Apr.13 3098 - Dark Legion Update
"Kerensky's Blood, but I hate this place..."
This unbidden sentiment, like an auroral flash of heat lightning, jumped through his mind, as he piloted his Marauder slowly through the twisting corridors. Only a degenerate Inner Sphere mind could conceive such a place as this, the BattleMech Gladiatorial Arena on Kufstein.
The entire planetoid had been designed as a prison world, for the incurably criminal minds in the IS. Due to the incredibly hostile biosphere outside the forcefield dome, escape from the scattered "correctional" facilities was virtually impossible; who would flee the relative safety of confinement to deal with poisonous atmosphere, unstable tectonic activity with its attendant potential for volcanic eruption, and lethal flora and predatory fauna? None ever had...
As he made his way slowly to the agreed-upon meetpoint, he mouthed a silent curse to Krasny Mundo, the mercurial and despotic warden-governor of Kufstein past; for it had been he, on some gleefully foul whim, who'd had this maze built, as a "recreational diversion" for his guards and other staffers. They'd spent many a year, running prisoners armed with crude edged weapons into the maze as "gladiators"; whoever emerged alive would be gifted with some small creature comfort to ease whatever sentence was left to them. Those who didn't... well, they were often left where they were killed, to serve as a spur to the next combatants who happened upon them.
Eventually, terraforming technology was introduced, the prison facility was relocated to an even more forbidding world, and the maze was converted by some wealthy investors to a mech combat ground. And now, in 3098, and after some spirited batchall bidding with 2 Shadow Hawks, here he was; sensors powered down (by batchall agreement), stalking 2 mechs of unknown configuration by sight-targeting only.
At least he'd been selected by the Khan as the wingman for this battle; as there was no finer mech pilot in the known universe, they'd stand a chance against any foe.
There! Up ahead, slowly creeping into view, were the "lostech" pillars at the center of the maze; the meetpoint that the Khan had tight-beamed to him on the secure comm channel. As he emerged into the clearing, he caught full sight of the Khan's modified TimberWolf; a gladder sight he'd not find on this desolate rock.
Suddenly the Timberwolf turned, powered up weapons, and ramped up to full speed; a sure sign that prey had been spotted. He kicked the Marauder's throttle up to full, and followed. Just then, emerging from a corridor to the west, was the blocky head and formidable outline of a 100-ton DireWolf, the biggest mech known. He could've sworn that he heard the Khan's snarl of battle echo his own, as both dove in tandem to the attack...
Sorry, fellow Legionnaires; sometimes the urge to fictionalize a battle just kinda takes over. This is just one account of the many battles that took place over the holiday weekend, that served collectively to pad our lead over the rest of the QTL. A huge round of applause to all who made it their business to make sure our lead is solid and complete!
The rank changes for the past weekend are as follows; the worthy Chico-Ne has been granted a leave of absence, and been given the rank of Nova Commander of StormRider Binary until his return to activity. Shrapnel has been promoted to Galaxy Commander, Cobalt was given the Nova Colonel, and Kastowt was promoted to Nova Captain. Announcements and arrangements will be made for the now-vacant Black Trident Binary NovaComm rank. May the Keshik maintain the standard set by its previous members!
The Loremaster would like to congratulate DL-GrimBoy, on successful completion of cadet training. I also extend a welcome to the new recruits; WireFrame, Nightwind Kain and SkyDeath; the path you've chosen is not an easy one, gentlemen, but its rewards are great indeed!
In less-happy news, the BloodCouncil completed the first Trial of Judgement, exiling Gunship1 from the clan. We regret the need for this, but it is the Way of the Clans.
Fight long, strong and proud, my Warrior Brethren - the way to Terra is open!
Thursday, Apr.16 3098 - A Look Into The Future
While we remain in something of a holding pattern (as least as far as QTL planet movement is concerned), were we to dust off our crystal balls and gaze into the Dark Legion's future, here are some things we might see...
A BloodCouncil with at least 3-4 new Bloodnamed warriors, charting the ritual course of the clan for the forseeable future
The newest members of the Keshik settling in, getting used to their new responsibilities (as well as contributing to the decision-making debates of the clan Kurultai
A Trial of Position or 2, as the younger warriors begin to hunger for higher ranks, and the right to pilot bigger mechs into battle (including the favored TimberWolf)
The end of the school year, which means more time for those currently burdened with same, to get themselves some quality online time, and hopefully the return of Chico-Ne to the active ranks
The new recruit class honing their mech skills, graduating from cadet status and fighting their way into the active ranks, and the subsequent re-opening of the StormRider Binary
Our Khan leading the clan ever onward, to greater heights and glory, over the smashed mechs and broken bodies of our rivals, both clan and InnerSphere alike
Rest assured; these are not flights of fancy by some overactive imagination. These things WILL come to pass.
In the meantime, we maintain a substantial lead over the rest of the QTL field, and with young ristars like Kodiak and recruits like DLr-Kain we can expect that lead to grow. The Loremaster also is eagerly anticipating the upcoming Trials of Bloodright, as Psiwolf, Shrapnel, Kastowt, BloodyHell and Kharn seek to engrave themselves permanently in the clan's future by striving for a Bloodname (will there be another Pryde in my house by sun-up Monday...?) There is also a Nova Commander position available; although no announcement has been made as of this writing, rest assured the Khan will not let the rank remain unfulfilled for long...
Tuesday, Apr.21 3098 - The Trials of Bloodright
Sibilant hiss/flash of argent and rainbow energy, chattering bark of Ultra autopunishment, sweeping arc of hordes of long-range guided death... and there, on the black marble altar at the End of War, lies a Name... and the Name remains, like the silken touch of Time's most ethereal Angel, just beyond your cramped and bleeding grip... elusive, tantalizingly close yet as ephemeral as the memory of your greatest pleasure gone by... will it ever come again?
A Bloodname; a clan Mechwarrior's greatest hope, greatest wish, greatest desire. Several of our deserving brethren were given the chance at a Bloodname this past weekend. And I, Bloodnamed and Keshik, was elected to stand in their way, to oppose with all my skill and prowess their claiming such a prize. 'Twas an odd conflict within me; warring against fellow Legionnaires, brothers at whose side I've battled countless times. A raft of emotions I felt, from one minute to the next; Pride, that I'd done what they now sought to do; Regret, that I must try to deny that which they cherished and longed for; Elation, for fighting particularly well during these Trials, and Anguish, at having fought well enough to deny immortality to one of our own...
Although emotion is not, strictly speaking, the Way of the Clans, we are but human, at the end of the day, and we feel what we feel. For those who succeeded, and won their Bloodnames; Seyla, I say, and well fought! To the rest, I say fear not; stand firm and keep your aim and honor true, and your time will come 'round again...
Nova Commander OneEye welcomed Galaxy Commander Shrapnel into House Hazen, and Star Captain Gunner did the same for Star Colonel BloodyHell, into House Roshak. The BloodCouncil, once 3 strong, is now 5. Seyla, brethren!
In other DL news, the most impressive DLr-Kain cleared recruit observations with high praise and flying colors; he now enters the cadet academy, with expectations for a fighting rank soon to follow. Well done, Kain!
The latest ToJ has been completed; we wish BloodyMoon a fond and honorable retirement, and remind all that he may apply for re-instatement whenever he wishes.
Due to pc problems and personal concerns, 2Fangs has been released from the recruit roster; he also may re-apply for entrance to the clan when things have settled down for him.
The melee for the Black Trident Binary Nova Commander rank has been set; participants are Star Colonels MysticWolf, Kharn and BloodyHell Roshak, on Sta. 4/25/98 at 8pm eastern. May Kerensky guide you all in this endeavor.
In a surprising (but not unwelcome) development, Galaxy Commander Shrapnel Hazen proposed the creation of the Oathmaster position; this was swiftly debated and ratified by all in attendance. As I understand it, the Oathmaster's task is to make sure any and all meetings (BloodCouncil, Sunday or Kurultai) run smoothly and efficiently, with some ancillary clan-ritual duties also. Although my business card is beginning to get rather title-heavy (big smile!), I was offered the job, and couldn't refuse. Once again, I hope to rpove equal to the clan's faith in me in carrying out the duties of this new office!
Sunday, Apr.26 3098 - Dark Legion Update
'Twas a slow week on Mplayer and in the QTL this past week, mainly because the QTL page was suffering server problems for most of the week. During such times both Nova Commander OneEye Hazen and I are of like mind, in using the time to expose new cadets and recruits to mock wars as training missions. I'm pleased to say we were able to do just that, involving DL-Kain and DLr-Thrax32 in Kufstein and Hainfield training wars. These should stand as helpful experience for them, once they graduate to the fighting ranks.
My intuition may be off on this, but I'm beginning to sense something of a loss of interest among the QTL groups. If the purpose of the league were to simply war with each other and try to outgain SMUs on the others, it'd be one thing. But all are long past ready to begin planet movement towards Terra, and this is just not happening. Were I the organizer of the QTL, I would drop any issue that remains a bone of contention amongst the groups, and get things going... now!
The Black Trident Nova Commander melee took place yesterday, with Star Colonels MysticWolf and Kharn participating. It should be announced officially tonight, but MysticWolf took the match, with a score of 5-1; both warriors were highly complimentary and gracious after the fighting was done. Kudos to both, on a well-conducted melee, and congratulations to the new Nova Commander!
Tuesday, Apr.28 3098 - Dark Legion Update
As spring struggles to throw off the last vestiges of winter, we find ourselves at something of a crossroads. We've waited fairly patiently for the QTL's original purpose to begin, for our DropShips and JumpShips to lift off towards Terra. We've had to satisfy ourselves with warring with the Houses and other clans, but that satisfaction is growing shallow indeed. How can one expect a league to grow, to entice new clans or warriors to join, when nothing ever happens? Oh, we can try to best CDW for the SMU lead 'til the cows come home, but if that's all there is (and is gonna be), then perhaps we should think about pulling up stakes and finding some other league to participate in. The league officials can whine about trying to make things easier on themselves, but the simple facts are these; the purpose of the QTL is for the clans to try to regain Terra, and the IS Houses (and whatever mangy mercenaries they can scrape together) to try to prevent that from happening. Well, since the league began in February hundreds of battles have been fought, but not much else...
This past Sunday's meeting saw the debut of the Dark Legion Oath of Allegiance, which all warriors present took and agreed to. This Oath, created to enhance and crystallize the history, unity and honor of our clan, will be administered to each new ranked warrior upon completion of cadet training.
This gathering also saw the BloodCouncil grace the Khan with a call to a Trial of Bloodright; unexpected but completely welcomed! If he is successful, a singular honor and a singular Bloodname will be his, and his alone, to wear...
A Star Colonel melee, to fill the now-vacant WolfSpire slot, will be conducted among the Star Captains, presumably sometime next weekend. Get your mechs together and your practices in now, warriors...
On a bit of a down note, an honorable retirement has been extended to and accepted by 2nd Mechwarrior Scuzz Fuddly; his college studies demand more time of him lately, and as we're forced all too often to say, real life comes first. We hope, in time, that his scholastic load will lessen to the point where he can rejoin us in the battlehall and on the field of honor. Good journey, brother...
On the other side of the same coin, a look at the recruit roster reveals some new arrivals... and some potential departures! The Loremaster usually waits until he sees these recruits actually in uniform before inscribing them in the Remembrance, so he'll have to be a bit mysterious for the nonce; more details to follow, as things firm up! I would, however, like to make you all aware of an up-and-coming cadet who, so far, looks like the total package. Once he gets a fighting rank, I'm sure the mark of Kain will appear on the thoroughly-kicked butts of many an enemy!
And we are rapidly approaching the DL gathering at Mammoth Caves in Elizabethtown KY on Memorial Day weekend. Though a gauntlet of lasers and autocannon fire bar the way, I WILL be there... how 'bout you?
Wednesday, Apr.29 3098 - An Intruder Among Us... But Not For Long!!!
The scenic beauty of the forest-edge setting, peaceful and serene, belied the seriousness etched upon the faces of each Dark Legion sibkin as they stood, lined up and at attention. They waited, eyes fixed upon the eternal nothingness common to the at-attention soldier, in their form-fitting black-and-silver drillsuits.
They'd been told that, on this, their first day of BattleMech training, that the usual sibko trainer would not "break them in" today; a visiting Nova Colonel had been granted that honor. The usual questions and concerns surrounding such an event were banished quickly from each sibkin, when the barracks door of their home-to-be swung open, and the officer in question stepped out, and headed towards them. With not a swagger, strut or stroll, but some organic melange of all three he approached, while they, trying to impress, went even more rigidly to attention.
The closer he came, the more each sibkin became aware of just how impressive this warrior appeared. While not an elemental, he certainly appeared large enough to give any one of them a fierce battle. Even as simply dressed as he was, in combat fatigues and well-worn field boots, the aura of authority and command was almost palpable. They'd heard that he was an elder of House Pryde, Bloodnamed in his first attempt, and as he loomed over them, that fact became obvious.
Without a word, he began slowly inspecting the sibkin line, meeting each eye briefly, scanning each one's poise and stance, revealing nothing in the process. As he passed, each one became aware of... how to put it? A hint, a ghost of a sensation, perhaps a precognitive whisper registering only on the fringe of the subconscious, that this was, indeed, what it meant to be a MechWarrior of the Dark Legion; this is what lay, possibly, in their future.
Some peripheral motion suddenly made each sibkin involubtarily turn and glance down the line; those in close proximity to the event would say the blow was too quick for even their genetically-enhanced eyes to follow. Like a flash of summer lightining, the Nova Colonel had thrown a brutal uppercut, lifting the unlucky devil he'd stopped in front of, and hurling him a good 3 yards away. He lay, sprawled on the ground, unconscious with an obviously-shattered jaw, as the Nova Colonel intoned in a voice that brooked no argument or debate, "He is not one of us..."
Indeed; not one of us. Every DL warrior in the room knew it right off the bat when the interloper came in. Whether some other clanner looking to play a joke, some poorly-informed IS spy or (most likely) some stravag freebirth surat, he came in wearing our uniform, claiming he "hadn't been around for 4 months"; that's why we didn't know who he was. What colossal gall!
Just a little fiction to entertain you, my Warrior Brethren, and a point to be made; know who your brothers and sisters are, know who our recruits and cadets are, know who is in your room at all times, and know when some savashri imposter dares to besmirch the Dark Legion uniform. And, most of all, let the imposter KNOW you know!
Saturday, May 2 3098 - A Bloodname Earned
"What an odd sensation", thought the Nova Commander as he rocketed free of the hellish heat and sparking malfunctions of his Timber Wolf's cockpit, out into the cool spring air. He managed to catch a glimpse of his severely damaged but salvageable Mech, cratered armor and all, drunkenly canted to one side but still standing. Then his ejection seat's chute deployed, and he lost sight of all but the cerulean sky...
He decided to lay on the hillside where the seat had come to earth, just to enjoy the cool of the day, and the satisfaction he felt at a job well done. The Khan had, of course, defeated him in the Trial of Bloodright, just as he'd defeated Nova Colonel Cobalt Pryde just minutes before. Both Mechwarriors knew it was folly to presume that they would prevent the Khan from succeeding; he was the clan's best warrior, quiaff? No, their objective was to put up the fiercest, craftiest opposition they could in the Trial, and let the battle take care of itself. And both had done so; there was satisfaction in that, and in the fact that, when the ceremony of Bloodnaming was complete, the clan would be led by a Bloodnamed Khan. As Kerensky had intended, that was the Way of the Clans.
A movement off to the west attracted his attention, and he turned his one eye that way. There, several hillsides away, he saw the Nova Colonel cresting the hilltop, and waving. Ah well, my reverie is over, he thought; time to head back to the Dark Legion compound, and get ready for the ceremony to come...
It is the Loremaster's unbridled pleasure to announce that our Khan was indeed successful in his Trial of Bloodright; he now stands among us, with the most honored Bloodname of all. All hail Khan WarKat Kerensky!!!
Sunday, May 3 3098 - A Day In The Life
The local ConStar adept recently dropped the following off at the Loremaster's office; Galaxy Commander Shrapnel Hazen was gracious enough to share a page from his journal of a recent JumpShip training foray with us all -
"The day began like any other, with a 0500 muster call by the Nova Colonel.
The loud blaring of his coarse voice was like sandpaper on a chalkboard. It was so annoying that one couldn’t help but get out of bed, if only in an attempt to silence the growls of the Bloodnamed warrior Cobalt Pryde. Even though I was his superior officer, as commander of the ranks it was his duty to perform the morning muster, and I couldn’t blame him for doing his duty. It was a duty he had performed on time every day for the past two years. It seemed as if he enjoyed this task, and just maybe he did it to spite the lower ranks, and to let them know that he was their superior officer.
We made our way to the mess hall like so many denizens of the ancient Terran film "Metropolis" and sat in our assigned seats, designated by both our ranks and our sibko numbers. As I walked past the window in the bulkhead, I could see that we were nowhere near any habitable worlds. The outside environment of deep space was only slightly more depressing and barren than the inside of our jumpship. While on missions, we lived for practicality, and any "frivolous" items would only slow us down on our path to victory. Little did anyone know that I had an "emergency morale aid package" stored away in the cargo bay, labeled as Ferro-Fibrous Myomer Actuators. Frivolity and celebration would have to wait until after we were triumphant in our campaign. I only hoped that the technicians wouldn’t need any FFMA’s this trip.
"Nutritional supplement #190 again?" squealed one of the Cadets. "We have had this every day this week. When are they going to give us some REAL food, instead of this mass-produced long amino chain JUNK?" The acrid, pungent smell of the field rations brought back memories of countless missions past. "They’ve probably been on the shelf for longer than I have been alive" he thought humbly to himself.
"Watch your mouth cadet, or you will be the one on KP duty for the rest of this mission" I muttered, half under my breath, not wanting to embarrass the new Cadet.
In my mind's eye, I could imagine the stalwart Cadet serving on KP for the next five weeks. He would wake up at 0300 every morning and probably be madder than hell every single day. As he put on his standard fatigues, he would curse his undisciplined mouth for what might have been construed as an obviously major breach of etiquette and conduct. As he strides down the cold narrow corridors to the only partially-functional kitchen, his every step would serve to reinforce this as a particularly effective punishment. He enters the kitchen, and without a word, he would begin to unpack the raw materials he would need to make the Béarnaise sauce for nutrition supplement #190. He would have to go to the back of the dusty stockroom to get the hydration kit that he would need for the meal. As he walked past the already aged cans, cartons, and containers, his steps would cause layers of dust to billow softly, as if to avoid his footfalls, only to resettle again in nearly the same place. He would climb the shiny new titanium ladder, and go up to the thirteenth row for the hydration kit. Only as he was climbing down, grabbing the rungs of the ladder to steady himself, would he see his reflection in the shiny metal, and the irony of the situation would hit him. The only new thing in the entire pantry, is something that you can’t eat...
"Aye, Sir!" he barked back at me, awakening me from my blissful daydream. As a young child, he had been taught respect and responsibility for his actions, and it had always served him well. This was no exception.
Such was the way of great rank in the warrior caste, and I was no exception. Supreme power demands supreme respect. This is what the Cadets are told in their basic warrior training. For the most part, the respect was well deserved, because, at least in most cases, any of the senior officers could defeat five or six Cadets in combat without even breaking a sweat. This was a respect that would save their lives on the battlefield. The easiest way for a new Cadet to become a dead Cadet, was for him or her to disobey an order given in the heat of battle. Even a small slip, like walking in the wrong place, could spell certain doom for the offending individual, or even worse, for his high-ranking mission commander. Five years from now, this Cadet would still be alive, but only if he followed orders properly.
We finished the daily meal in an orderly fashion and went on with the day’s business as normal. Practice for battle, debriefing session, practice for battle, debriefing session, Clan history and lore, practice for battle, debriefing session, personal time, sleep time. It may seem like a boring and dull lifestyle, but it breeds discipline and perseverance. "An ordered lifestyle will make one survive long after his undisciplined peers have died in disgrace," the Khan always says.
The one thing I knew I couldn’t say was, "But Sir, what is the point of outliving your enemies, if there is no fun: no PARTY afterwards?" I knew such direct contradiction wouldn’t sit well with our Khan, and not wanting to incur his terrible wrath, or to damage his honor, I always hold my tongue when he starts saying things like that. My tongue was very swollen this week
The next day went much the same as the previous one had, and so did every day for the next two cycles. Such is the way of Clan life: eat, work, play, and sleep. Everything in it’s place, and a place for everything. Like I said before, such is the way of Clan life, and it’s a darn good life."
We thank the Galaxy Commander for his contribution to the Remembrance, and for an honest look at an oft-overlooked part of clan cadet training.
Tuesday, May 5 3098 - Dark Legion Update
As the summary for last Sunday's meeting has been sent, I think I'll gloss over those subjects, and fill you in on what has happened since that day.
At last report, the Star Colonel melee goes on; the Khan's unique response to the Gunner/Mechsiren quandary was stymied by identical scores when both faced the SaKhan. When a result is known, the Loremaster will post it here.
There are also some ToP challenges in the air of late. Our young Star Commander Kodiak has challenged the veteran Star Captain Xenic to a ToP, the outcome of which we eagerly anticipate. The Loremaster hears rumblings that Kodiak is not the only junior officer with his eye on a higher rank; I will pass along the details as soon as they come into focus.
The recruit office revolving door continues to turn, with washouts leaving and new hopefuls coming in. 2 former SHs (MadDog9445 & StepinWolf) were turned away; former Khan MadDog has found haven with our rivals CDW (as a 1st Mech!) Another aspirant to a DL uniform is Stoned Wolf, real-life cousin to our newest member Star Commander Kain (newly-promoted this past weekend, fo rwhich we offer our congratulations!) But the biggest news in this area is the return of a prodigal son, former TGW stalwart Pahgo! The Loremaster can personally attest to his retaining his deadly warrior prowess, as I was on the receiving end of his talents last night! A hearty "Welcome Hone" goes out to you from all the clan, brother.
On the matter of recruits and cadets... those of you in either category should take note; the protocols for the maximum time limit on both rosters has been set at 3 weeks. In other words, recruits have 3 weeks to gain all necessary observations, and cadets have 3 weeks to arrange and complete training. Should you fail to accomplish this, then you probably do not have the time to make any significant contribution to the clan. In the end, everyone makes their own choices about what they devote their time to...
Although nothing is yet cast in stone, initial indications are that the QTL may be ready to get back on track, and (take this with a grain of salt, brethren!) might even be ready for planet movement, as at least one of the league organizers has re-surfaced. We are told the QTL page should be back up by the end of the week, and there is a meeting scheduled for 8pm edt Thursday. Any significant fallout from said gathering will be posted here.
That's all for now, my Warrior Brethren. Until the next entry, may Kerensky guide you!
Wednesday, May 6 3098 - An Observation Primer
Sometimes experience counts, and other times a new, fresh perspective is needed.
This axiom came to mind yesterday, as Kodiak and I were conducting observations on recruit DLr-Sarpon. In between combat sessions, Kodiak asked me exactly what he should be looking for in a new recruit, or potential member. It came to me then... that there is no "real" way to teach an officer how to observe a recruit. We all have generally gained our observation abilities by experience, going in with another senior officer when we were juniors, and helping to observe someone else.
Realizing that some of our newer officers may need some guidance regarding what to look for in an observation situation, I've put together the following hints and tips:
1. Dark Legion generally bases its admittance policies on personality first, and mech skill secondary (if that). Initially, a recruit should strike you as polite, respectful and attentive, willing to take advice and instruction. You should be able to discern these attributes fairly quickly; when in a DL room with a recruit, pay attention to what he/she says, how they say it and to whom. Most recruits who are jerks at heart usually can't hide it for long.
2. You may get an inside look at a recruit's personality when you tell them which mech to take,and which ws to use. Most will not have, say, ws1 Jenners (although they almost all have ws1 TimberWolves); see how willing they are to work with you on this issue (if they whine and complain about the mech or ws selection, that's pretty much a "red flag" to watch out for).
3. Spell out to everyone how the obs will proceed, step by step. A good sign in a recruit will be if he/she just "goes with the flow" and does what you tell him/her as best they can. The problem recruit will horse around, attack the wrong observer, not do as he was asked, etc.; another "red flag".
4. When it is your turn in the obs to stand down, zoom your camera-view in, and watch the proceedings from a distance. You can literally "observe" much about a recruit's skill level by just watching how they pilot a mech.
5. When the obs is done, try to be complimentary to the recruit, even if they played like crap. You might point out 1 or 2 things they could improve upon (assuming they didn't smack YOU around), but do not drown them in criticism. Your goal here is to bolster confidence, not wreck someone's hopes; unless of course they were complete idiots (THEN it's okay to wreck their hopes!!!)
By the end of a good solid obs, you should have a clear idea about whether you'd have this person as a wingman and fellow DL warrior. Please, please, PLEASE email the Khan with your obs, good or bad. It's a lot tougher to join Dark Legion than any other clan I know of, and there's a good reason for that; we're more than just a bunch of mech jocks hangin' out, looking for a fight and a good time. If you 've spent any time with us, you already know that, and finding people that can function and thrive in that 'family'-type group that we have is very difficult, especially with the influx of ill-mannered freeborn coming to Mplayer and Mech2 lately.
The bottom line when conducting obs is this; combat skills and mech-customizing can be taught, but personality cannot. Trust your instincts, and you'll be fine!
Friday, May 8 3098 - The Battle Rages Ever On And On!
It was, as it almost always was in Tinaca, a complete furball. A hellish conflagration swept back and forth through the wide-open streets and plazas, with munitions of all kinds and energies of all colors lancing and impacting in a whirlwind of explosive fury. The local citizenry had been evacuated, as per usual, and the accuracy of the combatants kept property and collateral losses to a minimum.
I shook the sweat off my head rather than risk taking my hands off the cockpit controls; I had a solid lock on my CDW antagonist, and in his battered condition a kill was not far off. That "sixth sense" that somehow manages to keep a kill total in the midst of this insanity told me that we were doing well; Star Commander Kodiak and I had at least traded kill-for-kill, if not better. The CDW I'd faced for most of this engagement had failed to do much damage with his vaunted autocannon prowess; the light gravity had enhanced my evasion skills, as had my prior experience and knowledge of this particular fellow's battle tendencies.
I could taste his 'Mech's blood in my throat as I closed in, focused with almost total tunnel vision on wiping one more foe from the field, when the call of 'Hold' pierced my berserker-rage. Reluctantly, I cycled the TimberWolf (the latest mod of my beloved "Fenris" line") down to idle; with adrenaline-stoked blood pounding in my ears, I awaited the kill-count. They had 5 and 1; we had 3 and 3. A tie! Next kill would win the day.
My wingman tight-beamed a status request as to my mech's condition; nothing but minor armor damage, I sent back. With his acknowledgement, the call to resume echoed as well. Before the 'Go' call had even stopped reverberating off of Tinaca's concrete canyons, I cut loose with all 3 LRM racks at my hapless foe; to my surprise, his response was to jet past me and off into the distance, in an obvious effort to avoid being the final kill. My own mech then rocked with the impact of LRM fire. Negligible, but I risked a quick glance at my assailant; the CDW Khan's Warhawk looked much the worse for wear, and knowing that Kodiak was in a fresh mech and bearing down on him with all due speed, I turned back toward my rapidly-dwindling target. Hearing the satisfying thunks that signalled a fully-recycled LRM rack, I fired once again, sending 40 points of depleted-uranium-tipped explosive death off in the darkness. Seconds later, a small firebloom appeared in mid-air almost 800 meters away, while simultaneously the targeted mech on my scanner winked out of existence. My 'Hold' call, booming over the "Fenris's" external speakers, was accompanied by the tinkling sound of ferro-fibrous fragments falling to the city's pavement. If it's possible to "hear" someone smiling at you over a comm system, I was sure Star Commander Kodiak was smiling at me, as I counted off the final kill for all to hear... and I was smiling right back!
Monday, May 11 3098 - Dark Legion Update
While we all know appearances can be deceiving, and if I've said "QTL planet movement is about to begin" once, I've said it a hundred times... unfortunately I have to say it again. In the QTL meeting, the major stumbling block ("factories") was removed, and another major stumbling block (Ace) plans to reduce his presence in the league over the summer, due to his impending nuptials. Thus, once CDW-MadDog and Seph get the page back in order, the DL JumpShips WILL launch, bound for neutral space... and eventually, Terra!
We offer our congratulations on 2 rank changes this week. The Star Colonel melee was finally resolved, with Gunner Roshak claiming the WolfSpire Star Colonel rank. A Trial of Position was also completed, with Kodiak earning the RavenWing Star Captain rank. Well done, both!
The unthinkable (yet almost inevitable) has happened; another DL imposter is running around Mplayer. Familiarize yourselves with the ranked officers and warriors, the cadets and recruits; that way, when some stravag surat comes walking in wearing our uniform, you call "it" on this matter right away... and in no uncertain terms. Nothing infuriates the Loremaster more (and faster) than seeing something we've all worked hard to earn (and which is viewed with such respect) get abused by some lowborn freebirth trash...
A happy (belated) Mother's Day, to all Dark Legionnaire moms out there (and to the one DL who IS a mom!); be proud of your sons and daughters, for no finer or more honorable MechWarriors are there than we!
Thursday, May 14 3098 - The Meaning Of The Word
The Doubleday Dictionary defines it as "A ruler or cheif, a title of respect". In the BattleTech universe, the person addressed as such rules the entire clan, and bears ultimate responsibility for the clan's fate, fortunes and future. He (or she) who bears this title is the highest of the high, in whose hands all authority rests, and who is due the utmost respect of those who follow his/her banner.
Why is it, then, that so many SPELL IT WRONG?!?!?
The title is "Khan", with a capital "K"; the same as Genghis Khan, or Kublai Khan, or any of the ancient Oriental or Arab rulers in our history. It sets the Loremaster's very teeth on edge, and raises the hackles on the back of my neck, when I see "khan", or worse yet, "kahn". As far as I know, "Kahn" is a very nice last name (if you happen to be of the Jewish persuasion), but it has NOTHING TO DO with WarKat's title. It's not that long a word; only 4 letters. Please, please, PLEASE make an effort to get this right!
While I'm ranting and raving here, I may was well address something else that bugs me; my own name. It's usually some moron freebirth, or half-witted rival clanner that does this, but is it really that hard to spell "Cobalt" correctly? As if a 6-letter word weren't easy enough, it's SPELLED OUT RIGHT THERE, UNDER MY AVATAR!!! It doens't get much easier than that!
Before I go stick my head in the freezer to cool off, I'd like to mention one more thing about names. I will ocassionally (more like, frequently) shorten someone's name when addressing them; "Shrapnel" becomes "Shrap", "Nogard" becomes "Nog", etc. If this bothers anyone, please let me know. While each officer of a rank higher than your own is deserving of the title "sir", few of us are usually that prickly about it. I was once in a room with 2 TGW officers, and addressed both as "sir" when I entered. The one said he hated being called "sir", while the other said that I was only showing the respect they'd earned (an opinion I completely agree with). As the saying goes, "Rank has its privileges."
That's it; I'm done. I'll put my soapbox away, and go grab a brewski and relax now... (sheesh! Give a guy a forum, and look what he does with it!)
Wednesday, May 20 3098 - "Even The Best Laid Plans..."
I've a cautionary tale for thee today, my brethren; so sit thee down, and prick up thy ears, as the Loremaster takes thee back to yestereve...
We'd finally acheived a successful planetfall, targets were scanned for and locked, and the battle joined. When I finally got a visual on the opponents, the motive behind their change in bid (a fairly severe drop from 600 to 500 SMUs) became clear. I'd seen this in a previous battle; evidently their new tactic in their ongoing (and essentially fruitless) efforts to defeat us consists of taking a missile-boated Nova as part of the battle wing. A fairly suspect notion, since a) carrying that many missiles in a Nova is sure to lead to quick internal explosions, and b) the Nova is not armored well enough to withstand more than 2 or 3 missile volleys itself.
Despite this not-surprising turn of events, I waded in, still uncertain as to where my wingman was. A mistake, as it turned out, since both enemy mechs fired upon me, making short work of my initial foray. Things began to fare better for me on my 2nd regen; while both were engaged with my wingman, I was able to target and punish both enemies from range with my LRMs. After 2 volleys let loose at each I closed to visual range, to see both enemy mechs severely damaged; close range attacks with my autocannon/medium laser combo finished off both.
After that, things went fairly well; I essentially traded 2 kills for 1 death once more, which gave me 4. At that point, a "Hold" was called; the enemy had lost his wing to lag. Not a problem, as the standard "next kill" would give me 5, if I got it. When the "Go" call restarted battle, I targeted the fleeing Nova quickly, and let 40 LRM bloodhounds run him to the ground. The .5 gravity let me drift after his failing mech, ignoring his feeble LRM-5 volleys. A point-blank salvo of my AC/energy array, and CDW Khan Draconis Rex went the way of the dodo, with shredded myomer fibers and ferro-fibrous fragments bouncing and glittering on the mined pavements of Outer Volta...
Unfortunately, my "spider sense" (that Zen awareness I normally possess that tells me who's getting the kills, and how well our side is doing overall) failed me during this war. Upon exit, I was shocked to see that my 5 kills were the ONLY kills we had; even more distressing was the fact that the enemies' combined total was 6! I suppose it smacked of arrogance, to presume that my wing had scored enough kills to give us a comfotable safety margin; certainly it was a tactical blunder in my part to not inquire about this with him before the battle ended. Ah well, a trueborn warrior learns from his mistakes.
Then something happened which put all that on the back burner; my monitor went out on me. I'd lost picture from time to time exiting NetMech battles from Mplayer before, but this time was different. Rebooting kept giving me momentary video, but then would black out again. Then it dawned on me; the video-card drivers I'd just installed were in conflict with the previous set of drivers, and the result was no video image. In the end I'd had to replace the old S3 video-card to get a picture, then delete all other video drivers and start all over, clean, from the beginning. Having spent an hour at least fiddling with this, I finally made my way back to Mplayer, where awaited my wing, apologetic and depressed. 'Tis of no moment, I consoled him; one war does not a campaign make, and tossing them this one bone would surely set them up for the next 10-15 times when we take their measure, and send them shrieking in defeat from the battlefield!
But a lesson was indeed learned, my Legionnaire brethren; even the mightiest of us is subject to the technological whims of our PCs. There isn't a mech made that can defeat or outwit a cranky video-card, or some defective drivers. Be forewarned, Dark Legion, and be cautious when installing new cards, chips, etc.; a test drop is not a bad idea after such a change to your equipment!
Thursday, May 21 3098 - The Gathering!
The heavily-armed and helmeted guards swung the VIP gate open, and a sleek limosine aircar drifted through, and headed towrds the spaceport launchpad. The car's pearlescent-black-with-red-highlight color scheme drew the attention of everyone in the area, as it swept majestically towards the DropShip.
The car slid to a silent halt, and the driver hopped out to open the doors for its occupants. First from one side, and then the other, two figures emerged; although clad in their ceremonial leather-and-fur clan garb, even the casual observer could easily discern that the two were MechWarriors. The aura of authority and command were evident about the two men, but that same casual observer might catch that all was not completely at ease with the two. As they both gazed up at the DropShip that would carry them into orbit, and thence by JumpShip warp off through space to some far-flung locale, a small frown of disapproval appeared on the brow of both men. The two then glanced at each other, gave a bemused shrug, and strode purposefully into the ovoid craft. Perhaps, that casual observer might speculate, that the prospect of traveling in a yellow DropShip did not exactly appeal to them...
Aff, the Dark Legion Gathering is at long last upon us, and my personal DropShip "Banana Boy" will be making planetfall, with SaKhan PsiWolf aboard, in Cave City, KY before sundown tomorrow. DL's finest will gather in conclave for the first time face-to-face (but not, we hope, for the last) at Mammoth Cave National Park, and may the weather cooperate with those bold enough to camp in the out-of-doors. All meetings normally scheduled for Sunday have been moved back one day, to Monday 5/25. War well in our brief absence, Legionnaires, and we'll see you all in the meeting-hall on Monday eve!
Monday, May 25 3098 - The Dark Legion Gathering
"To the Dark Legion, and to friendships, friendships that will endure."
With this toast (and 7 shotglass bottoms that kissed the evening sky), perhaps the greatest of the 1st Dark Legion Gathering's high points was reached. And, my brethren, high points there were a-plenty. From the time the Loremaster's personal Storm-class JumpShip burned in-planet to receive the SaKhan, to the time we reached planetfall again on the return journey it was a marvelous and touching conclave, one that I would not have missed for all the stars in the ThroneWorld's bright firmament.
Though I think myself modestly skiiled with the written word, I find scant few to describe what occurred during our stay near Mammoth Caves, KY. To say we ate, drank, toured, laughed, talked and so on, only gives those who weren't there the most mundane of images. To find that one's intuition about people that you've never met is accurate is a rare and rewarding thing. The ties that bound us before were deepened, and strengthened immeasurably. Confidences were happily shared, emotions freely expressed, tears were shed; perhaps the most telling insight I could give you is, with the return trip to the ThroneWorld less than halfway complete, I wanted to turn around and go back!
And, truth to tell, there were no extraordinary deeds accomplished, or decisions made (although plenty of clan business was discussed, much to the chagrin of our female contingent). The simple act of human beings, from disparate backgrounds and distant locales, meeting and bonding in a way that defies easy description; that, I think, is what made it so special. No longer will I look at the mplayer avatars of Khan WarKat Kerensky, SaKhan PsiWolf, Galaxy Commander Shrapnel Hazen, Nova Commander OneEye Hazen, CS-Skittle and HR-Sefra, and see just the picture or cartoon image there. The person, the essence, the soul of what that avatar represents will now be in evidence for me, as I'm sure it will be for everyone who was there. As we've said before, thus shall it stand until we all shall fall - Seyla...
2 regrets remain; that more of you could not be with us, and that it didn't last longer. However, what has happened once shall surely happen again...!
Wednesday, May 27 3098 - Arrivals and Departures
In the fullness of time, so the sages say, all things must come to pass; everything new must eventually age, and once in a great while that which has has seen many suns may shed its withered skin, and blossom forth anew.
With this philosophy in mind, we welcome back 2 who've been gone from the battlehall for far too long. The venerable veteran Chico-Ne, alongside the long-missing Kastowt, returned side by side this past weekend, and a better sight sore eyes never were blessed with. Although both currently wear the rank of Star Commander, the wise bettor knows that neither will dwell at that rank for long.
Indeed, with the departure of Lord Ancient and Gunner, along with recruits Unbeliver and PhatBoySlim, the Khan elected to re-arrange the ranks and fill most of the empty ranks that way. We congratulate Kodiak, Nova Commander of Black Trident Binary and newly-christened Oathmaster, Star Colonels Demon-ds and Nogard, and Star Commanders Pahgo and SkyDeth. With the upcoming melee (for Star Commanders) to fill the WolfSpire Star Captain rank, even these changes are not yet settled. I believe it may be some time before the Trials of Position and jockeying for higher rank are done.
You were promised photographic evidence from the Gathering, and so you shall have it... but not for a while. The Loremaster's holovid service will be unable to provide the necessary vids until next week; unless someone else plans to post some pictures, you'll have to be patient!
The next Remembrance entry should cover the fallout from Thursday's QTL meeting, where we decide what to do about our 'insurmountable' SMU lead, and whether to allow the league to be reset and start all over. One thing I believe I can state for certain; no matter what the outcome, irrespective of whatever backbiting or weaseling the others care to indulge in, the Dark Legion will triumph, and do it in style!
Sunday, May 31 3098 - The QTL
As expected, the QTL meeting of 5/28 began harmoniously enough (moderated by our own Oathmaster Kodiak), but rapidly bogged down into almost-uselessness. Unfortunately I was the victim of chat errors, and was booted off mplayer before it got nutty, but nutty it did get. CW-Seph adopted his usual defensive posture under simple questioning from the Loremaster about whether or not he could fulfill his claim of being able to caretake and fix the QTL page, for planet movement and such (the "boy genius" with apparently something of a self-esteem problem). Sad to say, that led to a complete meltdown later on in the meeting, and also to his quitting. Some decisions were indeed reached at the meeting; we look forward to the Oathmaster's report at the Sunday meeting tonight.
There was another meeting (called by CP-Clearlight) last night, which I attended. The essential outcome of this one was that all are now charged with trying to find someone who can fix the broken parts of the QTL page, and caretake the rest (unfortunately, our own GalComm Shrapnel, who is blessed with these talents, has not the time for this task). I may attempt to persuade Vador to work with us on this, as he is the page's creator. Another QTL meeting is set for 6/4, 9:30 edt.
Looking over the QTL stats yesterday, we've done ourselves proud, Dark Legion; we had a cushion of over 30 wins over the next closest clan, and a sizable lead in SMUs. Seems a shame to have all that go to waste (if a league restart occurs), but... what we've done once, we can (and will) surely do again!
The WolfSpire Star Captain melee is set for tonight, and the Star Commanders are set to rock! This is almost certainly the toughest line-up for a melee the Loremaster has ever seen; whoever claims this rank will certainly have earned it!
There may be other rank changes in the offing, as one who quit DL last week may have taken 2 with him; hopefully tonight's meeting will shed some light on the exact status of Mechsiren and GrimBoy.
Monday, June 1 3098 - Dark Legion Update
With the QTL at a standstill (again), there is little to report in that area, save to admire our stats; a lead of more than 10,000 SMUs and 30+ more war wins than the next closest rival. More's the pity, since it appears certain that those advantages will go unused, if the league is restarted and all stats reset.
There is good news to report, however. Our own Mechsiren has returned to the clan, and intends to remain with us. SaKhan Psiwolf now holds all authority regarding recruitment in his purview. Nova Commander Kodiak made a smashing debut as Oathmaster, conducting the meeting with experience beyond his years.
On the downside, as I mentioned at the meeting, melee attendance has become atrocious. Of the last 4 melees in memory, I believe 3 were decided by default, with only 1 warrior showing up. The Loremaster might speculate that, if rank advance has become so meaningless to the lower ranks, perhaps it might serve the Dark Legion best if rank advances were handled differently. Although advancement by battle is the Way of the Clans, this important facet of clan life seems to escape some of us...
