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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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perchance?"<br />

My hands still searched my <strong>be</strong>lt, even though I knew I had <strong>not</strong>hing, "Great...<br />

I'll go look for one, then I'll <strong>be</strong> back."<br />

A quick trip <strong>to</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the merchants at the marketplace got me what I<br />

needed. The young lady didn't ask for coin: the battered tankard wasn't<br />

something she could sell. It was covered in dents, and the handle looked like<br />

it was about <strong>to</strong> fall <strong>of</strong>f.<br />

"Uh... this looks like it was used on someone's skull." She just smiled slightly.<br />

Meir'am nodded as I presented the sorry mug and plucked a fish from her<br />

pole... it twitched as she grab<strong>be</strong>d it, then started lashing about as she <strong>be</strong>gan<br />

<strong>to</strong> twist it like a rag. She wrung it until bluish-black ichor <strong>be</strong>gan <strong>to</strong> trickle<br />

from the fish's gills. When your tankard was almost full, she relaxed her grip<br />

and threw the twitching fish in<strong>to</strong> a sack at her side.<br />

I smiled, "Thanks, Meir'am. Good business <strong>to</strong> you."<br />

"Aye, ye as well."<br />

As I turned, I bumped in<strong>to</strong> a man in long black ro<strong>be</strong>s and a pale face. I<br />

tensed instinctively. He looked <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the same people in the<br />

Mortuary, a Dustman, but unlike them, this man looked confused and was<br />

glancing about. When he spotted me, he raised his hand <strong>to</strong> attract my<br />

attention.<br />

Well, as long as he couldn't call the Mortuary guards on me, I should <strong>be</strong> fine.<br />

"Can I help you?"<br />

The man seemed relieved that I was speaking <strong>to</strong> him. He bowed slightly.<br />

"Thank you for hearing me, traveler. I am known as Ash-Mantle, one <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Dustmen sect. I was wondering if you could direct me... I <strong>do</strong>n't know the<br />

area very well, and I'm looking for a certain establishment, a bar, that those<br />

<strong>of</strong> my sect frequent. Do you know <strong>of</strong> such a place?"<br />

I raised an eyebrow, "'Sect'? Don't you mean 'faction'?"<br />

The Dustman nodded. "Well, yes, faction, I meant faction... sect, faction,<br />

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