Greetings Brethren,

It is no secret that right now we are very few in numbers, in respect to active and able members.  Over the last several months I have been devising a way for us to better accommodate our smaller numbers, and even utilize it to usher us into a new era, and help get us on the right track.  Before I go on, I would like to make it known that none of these ideas or my contention are done with bad blood towards Vexlore.  This is simply an alternative put to you, the House, and it will be up to you to decide which ideas and model will serve us best.  Vexlore and I both have the good of the House as our top prerogative.  If you choose to continue as we are currently, I will happily return to serving in the capacity I have been as of late.

Cobra’s first followers were known as the Shadow Cabal.  This small, elite band of Serpents studied the Shadow Codex rigorously, learning the ways of the Shadow that we are taught today.  It is my goal to become more like our roots, and once again be a close knit brotherhood studying Mastery of the Shadow as a whole, and not in Sects.  The Sects are a wonderful idea, and would certainly provide an admirable structure for a large House with many participating members, however that we are not.  It is my firm belief that we do not currently have the amount of bodies necessary to fill all of the leadership and aide positions for all of our Sects, and then still have members left to actually participate and progress.  So I propose a consolidated model, one I feel will urge us to work much more collaboratively, much more as a Brotherhood in the Shadows.  I propose that we condense all of our current Sects into one elite organization, and that we adopt our forefathers’ name for it, the Shadow Cabal.

The Cabal will be ruled by the entire Shadow Council sans the Ebony Benefactor, whose duties will remain the same.  In this model, we have three ruling members of the Shadowsnakes working together to bring the Cabal into fruition and seeing to its progress.  There are many advantages to this, the foremost being that dormancy or reassignment of one ruling member in the House will not cripple an entire Sect for an indeterminate amount of time as we scramble to recover.  This will help create a continuity of progression House-wide.  On top of this, it will also provoke a new level of communication between leaders and members alike that I believe we currently do not have.  In my observations, there is currently nothing prompting House leaders to communicate on a constant basis about their plans, work and progress.  I feel as though this is a hindrance that will be solved by this new model.  Our House leaders working under one organization will make it essential for communication and continuous work.

Now I would like to describe the mechanics of the model for the Shadow Cabal.  Combat, theft, and espionage will still be specializations in the Cabal; however the entire structure will be one of a tiered progression system.  I feel this is the best route because it will be an easy way to track members’ progression through the Cabal, and to help reward them fittingly.  To rise in the ranks, and achieve new tiers, members may pick goals or challenges from any branch of the Cabal, and earn a decided number of points depending on difficulty and quality.  This will take time to balance and perfect, but I have utmost confidence in our abilities to do so.  Progressing members in the Cabal will no longer have to commit to just one Sect, but they will have the liberty to rise through the House with a unique blend of accomplishments depending on their own particular tastes: be it a straight combatant, or a stealth based infiltrating assassin, or a cutthroat thief, or a hunter collecting shards and experience.  The combinations are limitless as the Shadows, and I feel that this is more along the lines of what Cobra envisioned when he broke away from the Serpentlords; an organized unit of brothers and sisters learning Shadow Mastery from our beloved Codex and mentors.  In my opinion, the Sects are inherently divergent, independent entities.

After seeking aide of other members to devise the most balanced template to start with, this is what it looks like.  Remember that this will be a work in progress, and will be maintained and perfected by multiple minds working together, and that this is a rough skeleton to be modified and added to as we begin to work on it.

Ways to earn Cabal Points:

COMBAT ACHIEVEMENTS:
Winning a level-restricted FFA/Rampage - 2 Points
Winning an unrestricted FFA/Rampage – 5 Points
Joining the Quisalis Mark – 7 Points
Killing an enemy of the House/City – 3-7 Points (depending on profile)
Taking part in City raid/defense – 1-2 Points
Leading a City raid/defense – 4-5 Points

THEFT ACHIEVEMENTS:
Successfully robbing an Adventurer – 3-5 Points
Theft from a Public Temple – 4 Points
Theft of a Shop -  5 Points
Theft from a House Hall or Non-Public Temple – 7 Points

INFILTRATION ACHIEVEMENTS:

LEVEL ACHIEVEMENTS
Attaining Level 70 – 2 Points
Attaining Level 75 – 2 Points
Attaining Level 80 – 3 Points
Attaining Level 85 – 4 Points
Attaining Level 90 – 5 Points
Attaining Dragonhood – 10 Points
Attaining Levels 101-above - 2 Points per level

PROPRITARY ACHIEVEMENTS:
Donate forged/stolen goods to the House/City war fund – Scaled
Making Noticeable Strengthening Trips to the House Icon – 3-5 Points
Donating forged/stolen goods to the Hatchling equipment stock – Scaled


MISCELLANEOUS ACHIEVEMENTS:
Gaining entrance into an approved Order – 5 Points
Transcending a class skillset – 5 Points
Transcending Weaponry/Riding/Survival /Avoidance – 3 Points
Transcending Vision/Tattoos – 2 Points
Transcending Minor Skills – 0.5 Points Per
Becoming a crafter – 2 Points
Noteworthy donation for House Shop – Discretion of Shop Keeper
Gaining City-Rank 3 – 2 Points
Gaining City-Rank 4 – 3 Points
Gaining City-Rank 5 – 4 Points
Gaining City-Rank 6 – 5 Points

SEAFARING/SHIP ACHIEVEMENTS


As you can see from the template, points can be awarded for virtually anything that gets our members participating and accomplishing.  The points will need to be modified, and the ranks will need to be devised.  However I feel as though this model should be perfected by everybody, working together.  The only way to properly balance and perfect this system will be through trial, and collaboration.

I have been a Shadowsnake for many years; the House has always been my life.  After years of service, I would like my chance at serving as your leader, and using this model to inspire friendly competition among us, and ceaseless progression towards greatness.  I thank you for listening, and implore that you vote for whatever you feel will be best for the growth of the House, whether that be Vexlore or myself.  I will trust your judgment and either step back and continue to serve as I have been, or lead you as your new Shadow Matrix.

From the Shadows,
Kiba Mercadia