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As Hector listened, he felt like he barely understood what Rasalased was trying to say, but if nothing else, it definitely seemed important. "...You've seen that type of thing happen before, I take it?"

"Of course," said Rasalased. "Even for non-servants, the confrontation with the self is all but inevitable. The weight of decades or even centuries of experience, knowledge, and responsibility--it will instigate one form of change or another. You have already seen this, too, have you not? With that sheep of yours."

Ah. Hmm. "Leo had his mind messed with by Ettol, though."

"Perhaps. Or perhaps he merely had his existing traits amplified. It seems reasonable to me that the so-called God of Impulse might be able to prey upon one's weaknesses in such a way."

Not a very comforting thought. Hector wanted to ask Ras about Ettol again, but he recalled him saying that he didn't know about him beyond the name. Better to stick to more immediately relevant and useful subjects, Hector figured. "What's your opinion of Abbas Saqqaf?"

"Names mean little to me, Young Hector."

"Oh, uh... the current head of Hahl Saqqaf? You know the name Saqqaf, at least, right?" Which brought another question to the forefront of Hector's mind. "Hey, what Hahl did you belong to, by the way?"

"You ask questions faster than I can answer them."

"Er, sorry..."

"I was born to Hahl Duxan."

"Oh. So Lord Hasan Duxan is your direct descendant, then?"

"No, the main family branch has deviated many times for a multitude of reasons."

"Ah..." Hmm, maybe that was a dumb thing to say.

"But yes, I am familiar with Hahl Saqqaf. How strange it is that they now hold so much power over my kin. I remember when they were naught but an afterthought among the Hahls. The weakest and most easily forgotten, by far."