Well, well gentle reader, and it has been a while and a while since last we met. I wasn't even planning on continuing this diary at all, but then Sadraz made some comment about how I should, so I thought I would after all. To be honest, I doubt if anyone reads it, so I just wasn't going to bother. I musn't shrug, just in case you-know-who reads it, but a shrug would pretty much sum up the mood.

Lots has happened since last I wrote. Moved to New Zealand blah blah blah. Had a long break from the game, which probably did me good. I'll try to remember a few of the things that have happened since I was playing again. I'm bound to miss piles of stuff but that's OK too. Sleipy still kills quite a few giant vermin, and the old Island panther, but mostly not. He's almost a full pathfinder, and can open Snagglewood and all the marsh paths. But still a long way from passing the third circle test :(.

First of all, you must notice my nice new outfit, all in black, with a disgusting blue belt still. Dearest Baba bought it for me, isn't she sweet. With her in red, we make such a handsome couple! Well, and of course her belt is really black now, cause she's a super-duper fighter type in the 500th circle, so you can tell this is an old picture. Eventually (maybe) he'll get a gold belt to go with the black, and then Sleipy will be in the Na Gralam colours, which will keep the old fellow happy. As far as a gold belt goes, mind you, the Bards will drive me crazy first I think. If I hadn't promised Baba I'd do it I would have blown them off ages ago. Well, actually, I promised Phineas as well, so I'd do it for him too. But really, some of those Bards need their bloody heads read. They just don't get it. Restrictions on what Bards are allowed to play! No non-guild music! Fees for use of the Bards' Field! Curiouser and curiouser. I must admit, I won't cry if Bardship becomes impossible to achieve (although Sleipy will miss that lovely gold belt).

Luce and Prue. Witches. Ugh. They got Sleipy good I'm very much afraid. Fallen in the Lily pond, when along comes wicked Prue and drags off Sleipy on a chain. Drags him all over, but finally takes him to the cookpot in the gnome camp. I was sure that was the end for Sleipy, to be a witch's dinner. But I guess she wasn't all that hungry, and merely dragged him off to the marsh to rifle through his pockets. Finally caught in the Savannah, poor old Sleipy was saved, but at such a terrible cost! *Gasp, shudder*.

		Just so you know Gentle Reader what it's like clanning when few others are, take a look at this. I believe out of 20 in the land or so, 18 were fallen at noids. Ack. Not even Axell could save us. Sleipy has to play a lot during these times now, 'cause of the time difference. He misses his old friends a lot actually, as he so rarely sees them now. He hasn't seen Michael for a long time, or Syndir, or Manx, or ....... The list could go on.

Sleipy got into Knightly trouble after the fracas with the witches too, was expelled from the Order, and had to be reinstated at the Grand Assembly. He gave one bloody thousand bloody coins to the West bloody Foundation, had to run laps of GMV, and talk to the bloody Hermit. Damn. Sadraz had better look out if *she* ever steps out of line, let me tell you. So anyway, Sleipy had a few chats with the Chief, which wasn't so bad, and managed to get the cash. Not that the West Foundation ever spends any of it. I suspect corruption and graft at the heart of that organisation, and I will find out sometime. I mean to say, they have collected how many thousand coins? 20,000? Something like that. And how much have they disbursed? Bugger all. This is very very smelly indeed.

Anyway, the Knights had a Grand Assembly and all, which turned out to be not so Grand as lots didn't show up for it. We knighted Desmodus, which was long overdue, and Sleipy gave a wee speech. All most exciting no doubt. Cazlar was made the Knight of the Shield. Losing Maenygh to game boredom was another blow, as he was one of Sleipy's oldest friends. Sleipy has lost West and Maenygh; only Cazlar is left of his squires now. Most recently Goric has signed up with Sleipy, and the wonderful Sie'Limpa did too. So Sleipy is pretty well squired now, so to speak, what with Nesse and Nikolai also. Don't see Nikolai much though.

Sadraz is going great guns with the Knights. Mostly, one suspects, 'cause she's so good at being bossy. Slyph and Marfisa will not now rejoin, as they plan to form their own Knightly Order. To be honest that's a bit disappointing, being such a strong implied criticism, and something that will weaken the concept of Knighthood so much. Well, nothing to be done about it except grit Sleipy's teeth and carry on as usual. The Knights have been a real struggle ever since they began. I often wonder whether it's really worth it.

The Beauty Pageant was a total disaster. Those piccies are on my other machine, so maybe I'll put some up later. The event itself went off reasonably well, but it sparked a hell of a fight between me and **** (name deleted for reasons of anonymity). All my fault mind you. The only time I've ever become angry at something in-game. I don't really know why I got riled that time. Maybe I've finally reached puberty and have a hormonal imbalance. Could be. Anyway, I'm afraid it seems to have had some lasting ill-effects, as A*** and L*** seem to be permanently pissed, both with me *and* Sleipy. Not to mention some of Sleipy's clanmates. I regret that greatly.

At times like these, one realises that, in fact, Clan Lord is much more than just a game. One makes real friends there, even though you never meet them face-to-face. And when something screws that up you realise that you have lost an awful lot more than just a role-playing opportunity or a computer icon. Which is, of course, precisely why Clan Lord is so addictive. Ah well. If that were the only thing for me to regret in my life I'd be in pretty good shape. You don't get to be 87 without doing a few dumb things, and I've done more than my fair share.

May 10 or so.