A certain silence appears to have fallen over the lands. It's as if everyone, and everything is waiting. We've yet to hear any news either from the council of mages or from the clerics at Branishor. There has been some news from Albertus, though. Jaltz contacted him about raids in a place not seen before, with demon skirmishers in the western mountains trying to attack Jensen in his shrine. Apparently Albertus sent a reply to the effect that it was a raid, nothing more or less, and was not considered to be connected with anything else.

I'd spent some time farming, but the immediate reason I'd seen for needing funds did not turn out to exist. But I have since hunted wraiths as I found myself in need of a packful of potions. As I hunted, I mulled over a few conversations from recent times.

What is my purpose? Well, the word has a number of meanings. It could mean my immediate aim, which at that precise moment in time was to make ten more kills, which would attain a goal I'd set myself for those few marcs of farming. Or it could mean a longer-term objective, the aspirations I had for my life. And that's more difficult to answer. I know what those aspirations were, but they no longer seem possible or realistic. And the word has another meaning too. It can mean a justification as in the purpose for which I was intended. And that, to me, was always closely intertwined with aspiration. As for my life in the lands, I can answer the how, but not the why. Were my steps led to this place, I've sometimes wondered. Certainly, it was my belief that a certain meeting was brought about by a kindly fate once I and the other were here in the lands. Other than that, I can do no more than any other rogue - but certainly I shall do no less.

The subject of perceptiveness was brought up ... and to that the only response I could give was that perceptiveness is different from acceptance, and far different from understanding.

I recall discussing quite a while ago whether others should be judged by their words or their deeds, if they are contradictary. That point was, I think, never resolved. Such things can't be measured or analysed, our interpretation of both may be subjective - words might be misunderstood, the reason for actions not realised. Still, it's something upon which to ponder.

And there are lists ... they've been looming large recently. Firstly, somebody commented that perhaps I shouldn't speak with them, though who or why is not relevant here. I told them that I had a list of those eligible to decide who I do or do not speak with, and that the only name on that list is my own. As for other lists that may or may not exist, a couple of friends coined the word Pallalistophobia - which so far as I can tell is an acquired fear of rogues making lists of names. !