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

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Registered Servant <strong>of</strong> the Dustmen, either by Graffiti, Malicious Attack,<br />

or by Posting Notices, will constitute FELONIUS ASSAULT and the<br />

Perpetra<strong>to</strong>r will <strong>be</strong> Answerable for the Vandalism <strong>of</strong> Said Servant." - By<br />

Order <strong>of</strong> The Hall <strong>of</strong> Speakers -<br />

"WANTED: Able-bodied person willing <strong>to</strong> investigate a matter <strong>of</strong> the<br />

utmost importance <strong>to</strong> the Dustman <strong>cause</strong>. Will <strong>of</strong>fer suitable<br />

compensation upon successful completion <strong>of</strong> said task. Interested parties<br />

inquire with Initiate Norochj, Gathering Dust Bar."<br />

"Looks <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> good jobs, Morte."<br />

"Yeah, ones that actually pay. You know, more than a nice stroking <strong>of</strong> your<br />

conscience," He tilted in the air, intrigued, "We could make a few hundred<br />

commons from that Dustie one... if you're barmy enough <strong>to</strong> deal with 'em,<br />

that is."<br />

As an afterthought I glanced over the graffiti. It ran from obscenities about<br />

the Dustmen <strong>to</strong> slogans glorifying what <strong>appear</strong>ed <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> local gangs. One<br />

piece <strong>of</strong> graffiti caught my eye... someone had carved the name "Pharod" on<br />

the corpse's left arm, then slashed an "X" across it.<br />

"Pharod?" I whispered.<br />

As <strong>be</strong>fore, the zombie jerked its left arm upwards and pointed far <strong>to</strong> the<br />

west... and <strong>do</strong>wnwards. I waited, stunned, until the arm fell back <strong>to</strong> its side.<br />

"He's... under Ragpickers square?" I didn't expect an answer, though a nod<br />

would've helped, "The guy must've burrowed deep in there. No wonder he's<br />

so damn hard <strong>to</strong> find.<br />

The walls <strong>of</strong> the Mortuary were rust-red. It was the shade <strong>of</strong> metal aching<br />

with the weight <strong>of</strong> centuries, a body ever dying but never dead, ever rotting<br />

but never renewed. The sharp fumes <strong>of</strong> formaldehyde had <strong>be</strong>en rich in the<br />

air, the floor speckled with blood and bodily fluids lazily wiped away, leaving<br />

a grotesque blush <strong>to</strong> the s<strong>to</strong>ne. The shelves and <strong>to</strong>ols had <strong>be</strong>en as<br />

dust-covered as the Faction’s namesake.<br />

Here though, the Dustman architecture, <strong>of</strong> shattered bricks stitched<br />

<strong>to</strong>gether with mortar, showed a new side <strong>to</strong> <strong>death</strong>. The floor was laid in a<br />

pattern <strong>of</strong> razor-sharp s<strong>to</strong>nes <strong>of</strong> a mourner’s blue-gray veil. The tables and<br />

counters were dull in the pale light <strong>of</strong> the bar, polished as they were. Where<br />

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