Avalon's five day 20th anniversary 'week' is drawing to a close, as the

night settles across North America and is well advanced over Europe. I'm

pleased by the effort, quality and quantity, poured into the gemquests

by those deities who've run one (or more) and those individuals who've

played them through. Some of you must be very in need of sleep; or be

snoring away as I write this after the weekend's exertions. Congratulations

are in order for all the gemwinners: Edgtho, Orinoko, Ithikul, Sajora,

Tukar, Salvador, and Cadmus. I will be speaking to each of you about the

forthcoming Ordination and divine realms and some other private matters

not for public consumption. For you seven, and India and Kiarn perhaps,

the sands eliminations await.

There is one more divine gem to be quested - the diamond of magic, source

of eternal mana - and this will occur during the week. When the diamond

quest is complete we will have the complete contenders list for the Anniversary

Ordination. The sands elimintation will probably have a prelim round prior

to the weekend but for the most part, they will accompany the Amethyst

gemquest (the Ordination itself) on the weekend of Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd

of November. Fortune be with all those who contend in earnest!

One final word to all of you Avalon players, mortal and deity, discerning or

stubborn or insane enough to be part of this world some two decades after

its inception, and over 21 years since I first put pen on paper to begin

the design - and to the thousands over the years, some remembered, most

obscured by the passing years - thank you for entrusting your finite

stock of hours-to-live to Avalon, and do not think your time, your

commitment, the ingenuous efforts struggling to succeed - in a land

created to engender conflict and encourage emotional extremes; do not think

Avalon's most precious resource, its players, go unappreciated. The

sight of as many Avalonians this past week, playing out their diverse

lives, as at any time in the 20 years previous: 'tis a wonderful thing. I

suppose it also suggests my sentiment is shared, for no more sincere

demonstration would be possible than these past five days. I hope this

interlude has been, at least for most, an enjoyable experience. As I prepare

to light the fuse on what may become the Second Divine War and will certainly

rouse many to new heights of passion and holy conflagration, I have a sense

the best (and worst) is yet to come...

So raise a glass, wheresoever you may be, to Avalon and twenty glorious

unpredictable years; and to decades yet as we chase the grim reaper

together!

Written by my hand on the 6th of Paglost, in the year 1247.