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

and a chin stained with juice, I prodded the merchants for clues. All things
flowed to them from the rest of the ward, and eventually I'd find someone
who would know something about the Tower.
Working at a furnace in the corner was a young boy with pale, yellow skin.
His clothes were dirty and in need of mending, but he pumped the bellows
to maintain the heat while the shopkeeper busily pounded away at a heated
ingot.
"Greetings."
The boy turned and gave a half-smile as he set down his work. "Hail... do ya
need some help?"
"Yes, I have some questions..."
"Aye, aye, I'd be pleased ta help ya if I could..." The boy looked grateful not
to be toiling over the furnace. "Th' name's Lazlo. What is it I can answer fer
ye?"
"Can you tell me about this ward?"
He nodded. "Oh, aye, this here's the Lower Ward. Common folk live here,
like me an me Da." His eyes widened a bit and he looked excited. "Do ya
know why it's called the Lower Ward?"
"It's the portals, isn't it?"
He nodded, "As it's reckoned, the ward's got a mess of portals ta the Lower
Planes all riddled through it like cheese, so it does, so I s'pose that that's
why the name stuck." He smiled proudly.
"Why are there so many Lower Plane portals here?"
He shrugged. "It's a mystery ta me as it is ta you, cutter. Not sure if there is a
reason fer the Portals as much as just circumstances. Could be the Lady's
will, could just be chance, s'pose." He shrugged again.
"What can you tell me about the Lady of Pain?"
Unlike others, Lazlo didn't shrink back at the mention of her name, "Don't
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