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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1779886" data-attributes="member: 1210">From the Ashes5/15/370 O.L.G., 4 p.m., Horbin’s room in the Halls of Healing, Var, Dorhaus“Two years,” Horbin the MFKG Holy says in wonder.He aches.  He is naked, save for a thin, moth-eaten robe that he has retrieved from his closet.  His thoughts are a blur.  He has died.Shaking his head to clear it, he asks, “Why did you wait so long?  Didn’t the others tell you that I...”  He trails off.  “None of the others came back either,” Ten Buck Tom moans.Despair and fear fills Horbin.  Dead, he remembers.  Not just me.  All of us- we all died in Bile Mountain.  His fists clench.  I can’t believe it.  We all died!  And now... can I bring them all back?  Do I have the money to purchase the diamonds?“I was tricked, too,” the bard adds.  “One of the Marii tried to trick me into attacking the real Marius.  If he hadn’t warned me, I probably would have destroyed myself against him.”  He hesitates.  “A lot has changed,” he adds grimly.Over the next hour, Horbin gains a smattering of knowledge about the last couple of years.  The war has ground on, Malford is apparently somehow communing with the fey and is developing closer relationships with Ketzia, Marius is leading troops on northern Valonia... Chaos has a strong hold on a few strongholds, including Dorhaus, northern Valonia (the Great Redwood Forest), Forinthia itself and the Delphinate.  Elsewhere Law has tightened its fist.When Horbin dresses in new priestly vestments and steps outside he is amazed.“It’s so green,” he says, awed.  Indeed, Var is no longer merely speckled with life.  Now trees thrive everywhere, as large as if they had been growing for decades or even, in some cases, centuries.  Ten Buck Tom explains that Malford’s negotiations with the fey and the druids have born some degree of figurative fruit.The cleric’s thoughts turn to the problem of diamonds- 25,000 gold pieces in diamonds for each of his friends.  How do I come up with such a huge amount of money?  He mulls the problem over- at least the supply has probably renewed itself since the party bought all the available diamonds in the area.“I would recommend the Delphinate,” Tom suggests.  “Many of your old allies are there now, including Estelias.”Horbin nods.  “All right, that sounds like my best bet.  Thanks, Tom!”  He claps a hand on his cohort’s shoulder.  “You’ve really come through for me.”***5/16/370 O.L.G., 11 a.m.“Horbin!”  Till grins and embraces his old friend.  “I’m so glad you’re alive!”“Till,” Horbin murmurs happily.  “I’m glad you’re still alive, too!”The two friends catch up on old times.  Till is a layman, but he is taking on more of the administrative functions of the church.  His talents lie not in the channeling of the holy energies of Dexter, but rather in the manipulation of numbers and the ordering of supplies.  We all do what we are made to do, Horbin tells himself, and burgeons with pride as Till relates all that he has accomplished for the Halls of Healing over the last several years.But the important thing to Horbin is that Till is alive, free, and happy to see him.  Any burn of anger or resentment that he felt after his long imprisonment by Marius has faded.  Marius, thinks Horbin with a silent curse.  One of these days we’re going to have to finish our business with each other.  ***5/18/370 O.L.G., 6 p.m.Horbin fingers his new symbol of Dexter.  The clerics and clerks of the Halls of Healing are very glad to see that he has returned; several had left over the last months.  In fact, there are few Galadorians of any description left in Var.  They are not unwelcome, but many of the locals think of them as troublemakers and potential traitors.  The open society of Var has begun becoming insular and isolationist.  Horbin sighs unhappily.  Well, he’s certain Malford didn’t mean for this to happen; but he can’t control the way his people think, and even if he could he wouldn’t.  After all, that way lies the path of Law and oppression.Dragging himself from his reverie, the cleric thinks, It’s time to start trying to get things done.  I’ve taken a few days to settle in and find out what’s going on.  Now it’s time to act.  He casts a sending to Estelias.Greetings, Estelias, it is I, Horbin the MFKG Holy.  May we meet?  If so, when?A few pulse beats later comes the reply: Horbin, I will meet you tomorrow at dusk.  Leave yourself open to scrying.Horbin takes a deep breath.  Another day he has to wait- but that’s fine.  What’s a day, after all, compared to almost two years?Estelias in the Delphinate?  Bizarre.  Things have changed indeed.  I only hope she can help me get the diamonds I need, Horbin the Holy thinks.Next Time: How will Horbin pay for the diamonds he needs?</blockquote>

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