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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 1433753" data-attributes="member: 5808">Part the Thirty-FourthIn which: Dennis philosophizes; Reyu’s opinion of humanity drops another notch, and Anvil keeps his diplomacy skills well-hidden.Thatch and Anvil go to find Neville while the rest of the party waits outside, out of the way of the continuing reconstruction efforts.Dennis shakes his head.  “Never thought I’d see the day.”“That someone would try to blow up the Mages’ Academy?” Lira asks.“Well, that too.  But I meant that the Temple of Justice would put six people to work investigating the death of a dockworker.  People like that—people like me,” he quickly amends, “get killed every night.  Just get left in the gutter, maybe someone comes and buries them, maybe not.  If Immobile didn’t think this was somehow related to his cases, Randall Cheswick would just be one more disposable person.”Reyu listens in undisguised shock.  “But—” she stammers, her Common unequal to the task of articulating her revulsion of the concept.“It’s nice that you don’t think so, Reyu,” Dennis assures her.  “But, life just isn’t as valuable for everyone as it is for important people.”Reyu was never predisposed to think particularly highly of humans.  Watching the machinations of their justice system has not improved her opinion.  Still, she had thought her opinion had reached the point where at least it could fall no further.It’s probably just as well that Thatch and Anvil return about then.“What did Neville say?” Essela asks.“He knows nothing that will assist the workings of Kettenek’s Justice.”  Anvil replies.Taking no chances, the group locates Hadass and sits down with her en masse.Hadass is, as it turns out, an Ebisite.  (The Empire of Ebis is located North of the Darine Peninsula across the narrow straits of Dar Thane.)  Although she has adopted Pykosian standards of dress, her dark skin and hair stand out amid the—by and large—fair adventurers—that, and the fact that she’s bundled from head to foot in a large shawl.  Although it is only mid-autumn, the girl is clearly used to warmer climes. Anvil takes point on the questioning.  “We are here to speak about Amelia.”“Why don’t you just leave her alone?  Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”“Ketteneck’s Justice—”Lira steps forward, cutting Anvil off.  “We’re worried about her,” she reassures the girl.  “We don’t want anyone else to get hurt, least of all Amelia.”  Lira tries to look as non-threatening as possible.  Given her stature, it’s unlikely she could look threatening if she tried. Hadass softens a little.  “I don’t know anything that could help you.”“Tell us anything,” Lira suggests.  “Does she have a familiar?”“Is it creepy and evil?” Thatch whispers to Dennis.Hadass shakes her head.“Does she ever talk about the people who hurt her?”“Not really.  She’s pretty quiet.”“You are her friend, are you not?  Surely she would confide in you.”  Lira shoots Anvil a withering look.“If she did, why would I tell you?”Reyu, standing quietly in the corner, speaks. “We know what happened in Dar Aego.  She needs help.”Hadass hesitates, and Lira tries again.  “We don’t think it’s her fault, but we have to find out what’s going on before it gets worse than it is.”A long pause.“Sometimes, when she wants to be alone, she goes into the sewers.  I don’t know what she does down there.”(to be continued…)</blockquote>

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