I realize that a number of you are concerned, or at least curious about Alnilam and where she is, why she isn't posting.

As most of you are aware GMs, for the most part, are volunteers. And in that capacity there is always that risk that real-life will intrude from time to time on a GM's time they can commit to the game. Also as most of your are aware, Alnilam is not only a wife and a mother, but she is also a movie and stage actress by trade, as is her husband (which also means she needs to do an extensive amount of travel.)

Well, unfortunately Alnilam has hit a point in her life where her commitments to her family and her work (theater work is primarily night-time work) have forced her to request an indefinate leave of absence from the staff.

We of course granted that, and we too wait with baited-breath for her return. However, I had dinner with her a couple of weeks ago and as much as she misses the game, misses you, and misses the staff...things are just so busy in her life right now, that she feels it is unfair to the game, the staff, and you to hold out any dates or any commitments that she will return anytime soon, or even return at all.

Alnilam is a very special friend to me. Those of you that know her, know she is the sweetest, kindest, and most caring individual God has probably ever placed on this earth. She was my assistant for many years, she took care of me in a number of aspects when my "chores" in the game just seemed to be over-whelming, and she herself eventually worked her way up to the SGM staff, becoming an extremely valued member at that level.

I miss her very much already...and I probably always will miss her if she doesn't come back. She could make me laugh at the drop of a dime, and I knew I could always depend on her when I needed someone to help me with something.

I don't want to believe she is not coming back...I didn't want to believe she was really going to be gone as long as she has....and that is probably why I have taken so long to even write this post. I apologize for not being more prompt concernining that.

But the fact of the matter at this point in time is, she is on leave, and we have to move forward. Alnilam did have a staff for the cleric's guild. A great staff, and that staff is continuing to work on Cleric Guild issues, using me when a management decision is reguired. Alnilam has made herself available for email and phone calls in the event they, or I, need to talk to her.

From that staff will eventually emerge a Cleric Guild Guru when we (I) face the fact that Alnilam is not coming back (if she doesn't) and that person has sufficient experience and positioning on the staff to handle the position.

Consequently I believe there will only be a subtle impact on the guild itself, but as always when there is a change in the quarterback, you might see some deviation from prior position on some things as different leadership always explorers new ideas, or has ideas that are different from the previous leadership.

Continue to post here, continue to submit your ideas. The Cleric staff is reading the boards, and that is one of the reasons I am here writing this. They came to me and said, "We know you don't want to Brett, but you have to tell them what is going on."...and they are right.

Regards,

Treveri Worksmaker,
Senior Game Designer,
DragonRealms