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

fingers. "First off, ye stay th' pike out o' it. Secondly, keep yerself th' pikin'
'ells out o' it. An' lastly... ye stay the bloody, pikin' sod-pike out o' it. If any
part o' th' War rolls yer way, let yer imagination give yer bum a kick an' run
as far an' fast as ye can. If ye can't run, then lies really still an' pray it passes
ye by." He paused for a moment. "'Cept, there's no place it don't touch an'
there's almost nowheres ye can run ta get away from it."
"If there's nowhere to run, why aren't their fiends fighting in Sigil?"
His expression seemed to soften, "Aw, now, cutter, look: they 'ave fought
here... a few times. Sometimes we get a lil' spillover from the Blood War.
Our Lady of Pain, bless 'er steel-ridden heart, puts out th' fires... some o' th'
time." He sneered. "There's been times, some horrifyin'
drizzle-on-yerself-ye're-so-sodddin'-scared-times, when they've smashed an'
burnt an' clawed their way through whole soddin' city blocks in Sigil afore
she decides ta clean house." He clucked his tongue and winked cynically. "So
she ain't always as keen on stoppin' the Blood War as it might seem, see?"
"Why don't the fiends just take Sigil?"
He laughed, but it turned into a sputtering cough. "Don't get me wrong now:
both th' tanar'ri an' th' baatezu want Sigil fierce. 'Tis th' most precious
stagin' ground in th' pikin' multiverse - th' Cage is th' City o' Doors an'
connects everywhere. Ye can't ignore it, an' if ye're servin' in th' Blood War
an' wanma win, ye gotta have it."
Ghysis coughed again. "'Tis just th' fiends aren't goin' ta get it while th'
Lady's in charge, 'tis all. She's tough as nails, 'er blades'll cut ye deeper than
any fiend's fang. An' that knots th' fiends' stems like ye wouldn't believe.
One quiet Lady, 'er 'ands tucked in 'er sleeves, 'oldin' back th' Blood War all
by 'erself." He laughed bitterly.
"I don't find it hard to believe that a woman can stop the Blood War," Grace
chimed, and instantly Ghysis looked mildly chastened.
"But fiends are still allowed in Sigil?" I continued.
"Oh, damnably certain. They can't brawl in th' streets... too much. So as
neutral ground, Sigil allows them ta rattle their bone-boxes without tryin' ta
murder each other. Sometimes they'll chat it up with each other 'ere. The
peace don't stay that way fer long, though..."
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