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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guilt Puppy" data-source="post: 850931" data-attributes="member: 6521">In a small monastery nestled among the Eastern mountains, and old man sits before a row of pea pods, cracking open each and examining them closely. The cracks around his wide eyes buckle and bend with concentration -- interrupted by a young monk's intrusion."Brother Eigan!"He sighs softly to himself: The young are always in such a hurry. "Yes, Brother Cort?""There's a messenger arriving! I think he might bring the new lenses you ordered.""Well then," he says, smiling, "I imagine it would be a good idea to go receive them." He hands over his signet, to prove the delivery.Moments pass, but the young man soon returns:"Brother Eigan! Should I take them to you directly, or should I put them in their handles first?""If you have the time, I would appreciate if you put them in for me. I've shown you how to do it proper?""Yes, you have. I'll go do that." And his feet are off, kicking up errant dust as they go.A dedicated lad, at the very least... If a little flustered...He returns to pulling out the individual peas, holding them softly, measuring them, comparing them. For every pod he writes meticulous notes about color, size, number...Such strange distributions... Clearly divided in some pattern --"Brother Eigan."Cort has returned. Concentration broken, Eigan turns to the young man, low on his patience."Yes? What is it?" His voice is hard, but still kind."MarSan... The messenger... He claims that MarSan is no more... That it disappeared into a great plume of fire..."The old eyes go blank as a thousand thoughts race through the cleric's head, pondering every explanation, sequence of events, anything to explain these words..."When you know more, find me quickly. I must prepare my things... I will leave immediately."Cort rushes off while Eigan moves briskly to his room, begins looking through his chests, rustling through all his worldly possessions. Arming himself, armoring himself -- slowly covering himself from head to toe with exotic finery, topped off and covered largely by his brilliant sun-white mantle, the face of Pelor embroidered intricately in its front. As Cort returns he is nearly finished, and as the two march through the halls he listens to all the young man knows -- and finally answering the young man's questions."Where am I going? To see Verdane, of course... You recall him from my stories, don't you? He's the first person I'd speak with to solve any mystery... I should pass by Towerkeep as well -- although I imagine Rynin will be along his way already."He stops finally, if only momentarily, at the gates, catching himself thinking aloud."Would you tell Father Tenshire I have gone, and apologize for me for not speaking to him directly... I don't want to waste a moment, and I worry besides that he would try to talk me out of it. Take care of yourself, and may Pelor see that you do well, Cort.""Yes, Brother, and I wish you good fortune as well."Eigan begins to step off -- then turns back, with one final thought."Oh, and you'll keep track of my peas for me, won't you?"After a detailed exchange of instructions for tracking generation by generation, Eigan is off travelling Westward, a prayer growing between each footstep.</blockquote>

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