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<A day later, at Arthimus' Plaza. A crowd of people has gathered before the city hall while a man on a stage holds a speech>
Tobias Langer: THANK YOU, people of Serpent's End! I know you all have your doubts with how this city is run ... and YOU ARE RIGHT! The streets are not SAFE, the infrastructure is CRUMBLING, and money that should be used to improve our lives is instead wasted on QUESTIONABLE PET PROJECTS BY THE MAGES' GUILD! And all this because GREGOR PECK, the head of that guild, refuses to let a new mayor get chosen! He grabbed control of this fine city a long while ago and refuses to let go - NO MATTER THE COST FOR US ALL! And I personally will NO LONGER STAND FOR THAT!
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<Katharina and Shara are off to the side, observing the whole thing>
Shara: ... is that one of those council guys who are in her pocket?
Katharina: No, I don't think so. It sounds like he's actually running for mayor and I don't think the council can just pick one of their own.
---
<You can see Lady Violet sitting on a chair behind the man on the stage>
Katharina: What shocks me is that Lady Violet is SITTING RIGHT THERE, showing open support! I mean, people KNOW she is a crook, right? That's what I got from Halen and you ... it's an OPEN SECRET- everyone knows! How does that not INSTANTLY KILL THIS MAN'S CHANCES?
---
Shara: I dunno, Kat ... people know that, but she also hasn't really gotten convicted of anything, yet. And a lot of people like how she stands against your Guild, no matter what else she does.
Katharina: But ... we haven't DONE anything to these people!
Shara: What do you want me to say? You're an easy target! You've got no government at your back, nobody understands what you do behind closed doors ... and you already have a history of SHADY DEALS to keep afloat.
Katharina: ... is this about Goldhaven again?
Shara: With the GUILD and the BLACK FIST? It's always about Goldhaven.