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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 902003" data-attributes="member: 1210">The Return of Horbin the HolyLet's backtrack a couple of days, shall we?Horbin the Holy felt great reservations about joining the attack on the Forinthian fleet, but he didn't think he could do much good in Pesh City at that moment either; things were too dangerous. There was just too much fighting going on, and it was really unclear to him who's side he should be on. As they headed to sea, Horbin attempted to call upon Dexter's blessings- and failed.He stopped in mid-air (they were all under a mass flight spell), shaken. "I..." he gasped. I've always justified the things I've done by the fact that Dexter's granted me his spells for everything I've done. Now... now he isn't granting me his blessing!Horbin the Holy spoke a word of recall and vanishes.Horbin’s sanctuary is in Var.  He appears there profoundly shaken by his failure to call upon Galador’s blessing.  I’ve done something wrong, he thinks dreadfully.  Immediately he communes to seek guidance.What must I do to restore the blessing of Galador?  You may not fight Forinthia.Can I continue aiding the innocent without fighting Forinthian forces?  Yes.What is the power at the center of the Temple of Elemental Evil?  Felenga, the Dark One.What manner of creature is he?  Horbin sees a horrible vision of an undead creature with tatters of hair and skin stretched and yellow on its skeletal frame.  From its head sprout long, wicked-looking horns.  Two muscular, coppery-colored tentacles sprout from his shoulders.  Its eyes burn with scarlet pinpricks of light.Is he a lich?  Yes, but not just a lich.Does that mean his soul resides in a container of sorts?  Yes.Where does he keep it?  Unknown.Does anyone besides him know where it is?  No.Is he expecting us?  No.Is he currently planning anything against Dorhaus and its people?  Yes.Is he getting help from those outside the Temple of Elemental Evil?  Yes.Who is his main contact?  Most have been summoned.Who is the highest-level citizen of Dorhaus that he deals with?  Lardo Princehold.What manner of creature is Lardo Princehold?  Half-orc aristocrat.Where is Lardo now?  The town of Ludron in the Prince’s Hold.Horbin thinks long and hard.  It seems to him that the Temple is on everyone’s hit list.  He thinks it’s important, and so do his questionable allies.  But some of them are good people, and even the other ones might change; and they do often work for good ends... take Bile Mountain.  Plus, Horbin needs allies.  He certainly can’t attack the Temple by himself.  That would be suicide.  And he has no idea where his other old adventuring buddies are- he hasn’t seen Krunkshank or Droidi or them for years.* So he spends a couple of days in prayer and then casts a sending to Sybele, asking if she’s ready to attack the Temple.  She’s the key one, after all; as long as her daughter hasn’t been found the party’s likely tied up.  This is on New Year’s Day, and to Horbin’s great surprise and pleasure, Sybele’s response is full of joy; her daughter Jezebel has been recovered from Marius, and Sybele and the others are indeed ready.In only an hour Orbius has retrieved the cleric, trumping back to Var and then greater teleporting back to Mabrack’s Castle with him.  The party compares notes; “Where’s Lester?” Horbin asks.“Uh, he’s on the road to the Temple of Elemental Evil right now,” Orbius answers.  This is news to everyone else.  “The Galadorians could only rescind the geas if he immediately goes to overthrow the Temple.”“Good news for everyone,” Horbin remarks.  “That involves someone named Felenga...”“Oh no,” says Orbius.  His face drains of color.“Uh, who’s Felenga?” Horbin asks.  “I know he’s some kind of lich- but more.  What do you know about him?”“By Dexter, haven’t you heard all these stories from Lester?” Orbius cries, and proceeds to tell them a bit about the universe they live in.*See my old story hour for Horbin’s previous tales.Next Time: A tale from Lester’s past!</blockquote>

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