The streets of the Guild District were as busy as one could expect once the day had gotten underway. Patrons of the different Halls milling about, merchants galore no doubt visiting the halls in order to file orders or ply their wares to the patronage. Activity so abuzz that as Soren and Syr made their way along the busy walkways, the Alf was almost falling behind with how much she was getting caught up in looking around at everything, while Soren smoothly waved through the crowd with all the practiced ease of a longtime resident.

“So, where in the district is the Silver Scale at?” asked the Alf, Soren pocketing his Deck.

“Time for another lesson about the city,” Soren chuckled, Syr giving a bemused look. “The typical Lagunan city structure follows something of a hierarchy of its own.”

“So, like the Guild Association?”

“Similar idea, different context. The structure basically goes like this: City, Districts, Wards, and Streets.”

“Ahhh… so the city as a whole, the larger districts, more specific wards, and then the streets within them.”

“Exactly. So, to specify it, right now we’re in the Ward called Mercenary Cove. Most of the Guilds, like Amber Dawn, which operate here are a lot more of the generalist types… I should explain guild classifications first or else this isn’t going to make any sense.”

“I suppose this is the more complex version of the summary yesterday?” Syr let out a musing trill as Soren nodded. “Hahaha, alright then, enlighten me o’ experienced one.”

“Hah. Alright…”

As Soren went on to explain, Guilds under the Grand Guild’s oversight did not merely divide into the individual Halls and the groups they associated with following such. As it were, each Hall also fell under a classification that served as a quick tell of their aims of activities and who they were likely to associate with, there being three classifications a Hall could be placed within.

A Hall such as the Amber Sky was, for example, known as a Mercenary Guild. Its generalist nature meant that the Hall associated with many organizations and people in whom they hired and the kind of Freelancers they sent to work. Freelancers that did a little bit of anything, either filling out spots in Jobs from other Halls they couldn’t or being the vanguards more specialized groups followed suit from. Hence the usage of the now antiquated title of “Mercenary” for them, as they were perhaps the closest sorts to that old role, since their Freelancers were sent far and wide on their tasks and routines.

The second type happened to be what the Silver Scale fell under, known as an Investigator Guild. Where Mercenary Guilds were generalists, Investigators were… well, investigators. Primarily slanted towards taking jobs purporting to research and discovery and other kinds of introspective works, these Guilds were the ones that often found themselves working with the more business-oriented side of the Association. Freelancers employed by such Guilds, while assuredly capable, were often the ones more intent on digging into things long-term opposed to being wide reaching.

The third type was the Guardian Guilds. If Mercenary Guilds were the vanguards, Guardians were the soft-spoken back row among Freelancers. Guardian Guilds were a sort that tended to be a lot more specific in their operation, working with their home locales as extra defense and protective measures rather than running out and finding their glory in exploration. By Soren’s account, many members of Guardian guilds tended to be former soldiers or those who found association with the military, with the convenience of being able to operate in situations state forces such as the military or police forces could not.

“Makes for quite the setup,” Syr mused as the brief lecture ended. “The spearhead vanguard of the Mercenaries, the inquisitive Investigators to dig into what they discover, and the backline Guardians to ensure the regular folk aren’t caught up in the mess.”

“Has to have some kind of structure,” Soren mused. “Of course, you do have some less… official types. You know, things like the Hunter Guilds set up at Frontier borders and the like. Official but a bit too specialized and regional to be considered normal stock.”

“Well, sometimes things have to be suited to their specialty after all,” Syr mused. “So, how much further until we find your friends at this Silver Scale place?”

“Well, considering the place is run by folks from Vanira, let’s say they ain’t hard to find. We call that Ward Evergeen Row.”

“Is that… oh.”

Syr went quiet as their walking finished on reaching another split in the road. What stood out was the fact that every building on this street was of the same nature-weave architecture Syr knew from Vanira, creating its own web of branches and pathways that would have otherwise been of the same stylings as the other roads with more mixed architectural stylings. If they wanted to make it deadly clear the kind of people who primarily occupied it, they certainly knew how to do it.

“Well… certainly reminds me of home,” Syr commented as they began moving down the road, “Just… busier. And minus the rays of sunlight coming through the branches… and the smells of the forest. It’s sort of there.”

“Ahahaha! Well at least it’s a bit of a reminder. We call this particular road Ainsel Avenue. Name should be familiar.”

“Named after the Ainsel Woods region, right?” Syr chuckled. “The same part of Vanira where the College is located. Not a bad choice. Though Ainsel is known for its silverwood trees. And not much of…” her voice trailed off as they approached a quite large tree-building further down the avenue. “Consider myself corrected.”

The building that rose before them stood out against the others by simple way of its outer look. A shell of shaped wood that gleamed like silver, coursing upwards into wide branches that merged into the walkways above them, even higher then into a treetop covered end to end in dark blue, faintly glowing leaves. The doors into the building matched the dark blue of the leaves, elegant and natural in shape as people flowed in and out through them into the warm light within.

An entire building formed of silverwood.

Found in the Ainsel Woods of Vanira, silverwood was well known in the homeland of the Alfs for its strong conductivity to aether, making it a prime material to use in their weaving arts. In fact, Syr could boast to her staff having been formed of the very material, hence its excellence as a magical catalyst for her spellcasting. But rare was it to see a building formed entirely out of the magical wood. Syr usually saw it as an inclusion to construction, meant to facilitate the flow of aether rather than form the entire structure itself. Clearly, the one who had commissioned the thing must have possessed rather deep pockets and a visionary idea to go with it.

“… such a waste of money…” Syr droned, Soren suppressing a snicker as the Alf’s face stilted. “I mean it’s beautiful, of course! But… why would one use so much silverwood to do it? I understand it must be an aesthetic, considering the name and all but…”

“Let’s just say the Scale’s proprietor is, uh… extravagant, I suppose. He’s a mogul from Summerset so uh… yeah.”

“Ah… I’ve heard people from the Summerset Archipelago are prone to such things… what with the Archipelago being controlled by the Mariners.”

“Well, stereotypes tend to have a nugget of truth in them. Let’s not waste more time than we have.”

Syr nodded and followed Soren in as they merged with the entering group to the hall. And immediately, the Alf was hit with a very different atmosphere than that of the Amber Sky.

Where the Amber Sky gave off the homey sensation of a warm, energetic tavern bustling with activity… well the activity certainly remained the same, but the mood was far different. Syr would compare the atmosphere to more of an institutional one. The interior in fine whites and blue accents, giving a pristine, clean feeling to the entryway and foyer beyond as they entered. Counters and boards that were natural yet sleek in form, crowded yet orderly as Keeper1s went about their business and groups of the resident Freelancers looked over their jobs.

The same activities yes, but Syr found the mood was far more businesslike. Where The Amber Sky was filled with as much casual chatter as it had been business talk, the conversations Syr’s ears pricked up on were far more direct and clinical in tone. There was some light banter to be found, but it was clearly of much more personable nature rather than coworkers making friendly small talk. Everything else was entirely focused on reports from those at the counters or discussing job details as people looked through their Decks for the information on them.

“Well, this is quite the familiar feeling,” Syr hummed, her ears drooping as she sighed. “It’s like being back in the College. Wonderful.”

“Ahh don’t worry, it only looks all stiff and pristine… though they’re sure as Gehenna not as rowdy as Amber Sky. No flying chairs this time.”

“Oh, so is that what happened over at that rowdy joint when you got back?” As the two were moving from the foyer and into the wider central room, both ended up almost jumping when that voice spoke. And as the owner chuckled, Syr noted the scent of flowers as well.

On initial impression one almost thought the new arrival to be a Dynor, but it became quite clear that wasn’t the case when Syr took note of the wolf ears atop the arrival’s head and the bushy tail swishing out from around his waist. A man standing a bit taller than Soren, his fair face a shade darker than the half-Alf’s, his mess of long black hair making a natural frame for his sharply shaped ruby eyes. Syr even caught fangs peeking out from his lips as he snickered.

He was dressed in blue and white attire Syr vaguely recognized as Far Eastern in nature, the Alf assuming from the nation of Yamato by the layered tunic and loose pants.

And as if to match the ears, a bushy tail swished out from the man’s waist, which confirmed what he had to be to Syr.

“A Henyo?” breathed the Alf, the new arrival giving a chuckle.

“Surprised Miss Alf?” snickered the wolfish man. “We’re not common folk to see, so I can understand your surprise. Not a lot of Henyo who leave Yamato. So, feel free to be impressed!”

“Oi,” Soren cut in with a quick elbow jab to the other Freelancer’s side. “Pardon the wise ass. This is a friend of mine who’s a member here.”

“Always a pleasure to meet someone Soren runs into,” said the Henyo, giving a slight bow of his head. “And do forgive the bit of rudeness. I just happen to get a bit of amusement out of mystifying people since we Henyo are so rare outside of our homeland. I’m Tenzo Ito, an onmyoji from Yamato. A pleasure.”

“Syr Fleyldis, from Vanira,” Syr bowed her head in return, recognizing the gesture. “I’ve heard a bit about Yamato’s onmyo arts, but never seen them. They’re quite different from sorcery, from what I know.”

“Oh ho, quite so. Buuut, I’m sure this isn’t a stop out of curiosity for foreign magicks. You must be a newcomer trying to find the Guild that suits you,” Tenzo laughed when Syr’s eyes went wide. “Don’t worry, it’s an easy tell! Newcomers always end up doing the rounds of the Guild District with a veteran to find which Hall will best suit their intended activities. It’s not unusual to see in the least. Still… definitely a Richie going by that jacket.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I’m going to keep hearing that a lot, aren’t I?” Syr sighed, her ears drooping as she hung her head. Soren gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“It’s just part of the culture,” chuckled Soren, the trio finding a table in the foyer of the Hall. “Take it as a friendly bit of hazing.”

“Hazing that’ll last until someone warrants a thunderbolting through a wall,” commented the Alf, chuckles coming from the other two. “Anyway, how about rather than continuing to crack smart remarks at my expense, we get to business, yes? As you’ve guessed, I’m a prospective Freelancer looking to start work for… reasons of my own. From the basics I know, among the Guild types I know a Guardian guild won’t suit me.”

“So, you want to know whether you should join with Mercs like Soren…” mused Tenzo, “Or work with us smart-aleck Invests. Wakkata?”

“…hm?” the Henyo chuckled at the Alf’s confused stare.

“It means ‘I got that right?’ in Yamatan. I’m guessing you don’t speak it, eh?”

“Well… aside from Alfish and Common, I can speak in various Fae languages and… Draconic,” Syr pressed her fingers together as the Freelancers gave her curious looks at that last mention. “That one was for… other reasons besides my studies back in Vanira. So… no, unfortunately Yamatan is not among my linguistic catalogue.”

“Eh, can’t blame you for not. Not like you see a ton of Yamatans out and about anyway, the tongue hasn’t spread a lot. But let’s do what you said and get to business. You need to know which Guild type is better suited for your needs, and we can provide the answers to your questions,” Tenzo gesture between him and Soren as he spoke. “So, ask away!”

“Alright… so, as I understand it, say… in regard to the investigations of things like ruins and other derelicts from before the Dark Ages, the task of the initial dive is done by Mercenaries, who are usually more equipped to handle unknown threats… where then it’s the Investigators who handle the follow-up delves, finding unknown rooms and extracting artifacts. Yes?”

“Ehhh, it’s bit more complicated than that,” said Tenzo, tilting a hand back and forth. “We tend to use joint teams for the initial dives into a place. Mercs keep the nastier sorts away, Invests clean thing ups and open up the stuff in the way if the Mercs ain’t got the tools. More efficient that way. But for follow up checks…”

“Those tend to be handled by the Grand Guild itself,” Soren continued. “It’s something of a case-by-case basis though. Say… if we’re talking Ascian-era ruins from say, the Dynor kingdoms of the time, those are usually safe enough to be managed by the group that found them to begin with. Now say… if we’re talkin, I dunno, Ascian ruins shoved somewhere nobody would look or smack in the middle of the Frontier regions, management of investigation trips are a bit more tightly controlled because of how many unknowns go into finding one of those places.”

“Fair enough…” and yet there was a hint of disappointment in the Alf’s voice. “Considering the technology that is usually in those ruins, it does make sense there would be tight regulations on exploring them… especially considering the war twenty years ago. I doubt anyone wants a repeat of what incited it.”

“Of anything the aftermath of the war made regulation on Ascian relics even tighter,” Tenzo remarked. “Well… relics that ain’t the Ars Machina anyway but that’s an entirely different conversation.”

“You’re talking about the people born from the Cradles, right?!” Syr shot to her feet, her hands slamming to the table in her burst of energy. “They’re another of the biggest mysteries from the empire! More advanced than any kind of auto-mech made today, living beings with their own souls despite being ‘born’ through entirely different means!”

“… ohh she’s that kind of newbie,” Tenzo mused, Soren rubbing the back of his head. “You must’ve spent a lot of time around those uh… what were they called again? Those folks the Alf’s have do uh…”

“The Recordkeepers,” said Syr, still electing not to sit down. “Alfs, be them Vanalf, Saeralf, or Svartalf, who’s jobs it is to record history as it is. No bias, no coloring of events from the perspective of one side versus another. History as it truly happens… which as you can imagine means the blank space that is the entire Ascian Empire has driven some almost mad trying to learn the truth of.”

“Wouldn’t there have been Alfs who were alive during those days?” Soren said, Syr nodding. Tenzo also took a clear interest in the topic shift.

“And that’s what makes that historical gap so infuriating to them. The eldest Recordkeepers know they were around during the Ascian’s reign, and yet that’s all they can recall. And anything we’ve managed to dig up from the ruins scattered across the world are barely helping us piece anything together since the data is either to corrupted or we just can’t crack it… a shame Descendants are so hard to find, since they’re the only ones who can even activate their technology.”

“Yeah… rare as hell,” Soren looked to the side with a stilted chuckle, Tenzo giving a poor whistle.

“… are you two playing something off?”

“What? Nahhhhh…” Soren chuckled again as he looked the other direction. Syr didn’t look convinced at all. “But, anyway, since this is about the kind of place you want to join, how about we stick to that topic? Let’s start with what it is you want to get done as a Freelancer anyway. Wanting to investigate Ascian ruins is one thing,”

“I mean I would simply be lying if I said that wasn’t my main motive for wanting to become a Freelancer,” Syr sighed, letting a hand come to rest on the table, her fingers starting to repeatedly tap across it. “However, while it’s a desire born out of my curiosity as a scholar, but… I also left the forests because I want to see more of our world as a whole. Perhaps it’s just a fault of my culture and all, as we Vanalfs are known for our bouts of wanderlust.”

“So, the Alfs I know here have said,” chuckled Tenzo. “It just seems natural to meet your people being out and about because they got too antsy staying in their fancy study halls and what not.”

“Call it a consequence of being long lived,” Syr chuckled. “When you have so much time on your hands, sometimes the urge to get out and spend a decade or two doing something new just strikes one… which really puts some things into perspective with us compared to others who don’t live quite as long.”

“Well, I’d at least advise not taking a few years to decide on this,” Soren mused, Syr sticking her tongue out at him. “I suppose the other thing to consider is how much action you wanna see. Invests spend about half their time helping research groups, since unlike us Mercs their jobs aren’t usually as high in the intensity. It does however mean we get to take pretty extensive trips. Like my last job: I was out in Vanira helping some eggheads from the College with some Drake tests. They needed somebody with good combat skills to make sure the things didn’t get too uppity.”

“Heh, and who better than one of the SSA’s esteemed Sword Saints?” Tenzo smirked at Soren, who proceeded to clear his throat. “But, as he said, the intensity you want to get involved in is certainly a factor. It’s not unusual for Freelancers from different guild types to join the same job, especially the more dangerous sorts that require a diversity of skills to manage, but those are admittedly not the most common sort… though they also resultingly pay quite well.”

“Hmm… so, occasional big action but steadier periods of research… or more chances to get out there and see more exotic things,” Syr shut her eyes as she started to think. And to the amusement of her two discussion partners, her ears started twitching as she descended deeper into her thoughts to parse through things.

Syr could, first off, see where the line between the two types blurred with one another. The initial impression still held true, but now it was clear the added complexities of actual Freelancer work meant that the on-paper statements were a bit blended together. Of anything that made far more sense than some strict divide in specialties. When it came to digging into the unknown, whether it was merely finding it to begin with or delving further into that find, it would require a lot more than being good in a fight or smart behind the desk.

So, it truly came down to a simple matter of her desires in the long term. And even then, she still wasn’t sure of any finer workings she simply couldn’t be told of since she still wasn’t a Freelancer herself.

But… the answers I’m looking for go a lot deeper than just a few sets of ruins to research over a long period of time, cracking an eye open, Syr glanced to Soren as he and Tenzo were holding their own inane banter while waiting for her to think things over. Those eyes of his… they’re just like his… and what Brother told me about that man… if these two have the same kinds of eyes, then maybe…

“Hagh… well I wasn’t expecting to have an easy time with this,” Syr let out a sigh, Soren and Tenzo chuckling. “I’m afraid I’m going to need a bit more time to settle on what type of Guild that fits my needs. I did pay for three days of board at the Amber Dawn anyway… and more if I need to.”

“Well, we’re not going to try and pressure you or anything,” Tenzo remarked. “It’s better for newcomers to take time with their decisions rather than rush in all bullheaded… that’s how people get killed in this line of work.”

“Not even gonna sugarcoat it, huh?” Syr tilted her head while Tenzo chuckled.

“Well, if we’re done here, I actually got some business to take of in another part of town,” Soren stood from his chair, adjusting his sword as he did so. “The old bull is gonna be up my ass if I don’t bring this puppy in for maintenance. Syr, if you wanna stick around with this fox and ask more questions about how these folks work, feel free. He’ll treat ya’ fairly.”

“Going to abandon the fair maiden now?” Tenzo snickered, Soren rolling his eyes.

“Trust me, the last thing this girl needs in a place like this is a bodyguard.”

“Well, I do hope you…” Syr trailed off as her ears flinched, the other two raising brows at her sudden reaction.

“Well now, isn’t this an eclectic duo to see?” a low yet chiming voice broke the sudden tension.

Greeting the trio – though seemingly unaware of Syr at the moment – was a male Alf. Standing tall but slim, wearing the elegant robes of a scholar in warm forest greens and browns with contrasting portions of white. The man’s golden hair, marked by several near-iridescent streaks, being kept in a clean, slicked back quaff, and like Syr had the pale skin of a person who spent most of his time indoors. And despite the Alf’s youthful expression, his eyes bore the wisdom of one far older than his appearance would let on.

“Master Rhodri!” Tenzo remarked, the elder Alf giving an amused grin. “What’s bringing you out of the office right now?”

“I was simply heading out to meet up with a few of the other Guild Masters, the usual business,” Rhodri’s deep trill had a relaxing effect to it, his manner of speech bringing to mind a friendly grandfather. “And it’s a pleasure to see you gracing our Hall today, Sir Ragnvald. What brings you here?”

“Just showing a newcomer from Vanira around,” Soren gestured to Syr. “About to head off to Bellows Street before the old bull calls me up.”

“Ahaha, ah yes. Sir Emberstone is quite the type, especially if it involves his prize creations,” Rhodri chuckled as Soren groaned. “Now as for this… oh.”

Rhodri paused as he laid eyes on Syr, the younger Alf giving a polite bow of her head.

“Hello there,” Syr began, “My name is Syr Fleyldis. I’m a graduate of the College. Looking to join the Freelancers for… I suppose a mix of scholarly reasons and my own wanderlust.”

“Ahh, a College graduate,” if Rhodri’s pause had been for any reason, whatever it was passed without much further notice. “Then do allow me to apologize for my brief surprise. I seem to have mistaken you for someone else, how foolish of me. Age seems to be getting to me. I am the Guild Master of this Hall, Rhodri la Zirconius, a pleasure to meet you, Lady Fleyldis.”

“Please, the honor’s mine,” Syr chuckled, though one could catch a brief crack in her voice. “It’s not every day one gets to meet a former member of the Council of Tempests such as yourself! I was unaware you’d left Vanira to become the Master of a Freelancer guild.”

“Ahaha, admittedly I had only taken up this position within the last twenty years. The former Master was a close associate of mine and the Hall’s proprietor, and he retired to settle down. It has made for quite the experience, compared to my old days on the Council,” Rhodri then looked to Tenzo and Soren. “So, I assume then Lady Fleyldis here was being given the typical go around of a newcomer, yes? Has she settled on what kind of Guild she plans to join?”

“Still figuring that out,” Syr admitted. “I’d like to give it a bit more time. Plus, I’m still eager to see more of the city. Even though I’m sure I’ll have ample time once I do decide.”

“She’s gonna be a boon for whatever place she does join,” Soren chuckled, leaning on the table. “Wasn’t even here a day and she helped me deal with an escape Armaros Drake that got smuggled out of the Forests. College grads ain’t ones to mess with.”

“Well, as a fellow graduate myself, I can assure you the Sorcerer’s College has more than earned it’s fame,” Rhodri mused. “And while the choice is of course up to you, Lady Fleyldis, a part of me does hope you decide to join us in the Silver Scale. I assure you that despite the… let us say familiar air you may find, we’re not quite like the College despite our association with them.”

“I’ll be sure to keep it in mind,” Syr then stood, adjusting her skirt and jacket. “Soren, I’d actually like to see this district you’ll be heading too. I do need to see if I can’t find a place that could maintain my staff as well. I assume it’ll be necessary.”

“… not a bad thought actually,” Soren put a hand to his chin. “I’d actually bet old Dómhall knows someone who’s good for spell catalysts. Alright, sounds good. Let’s get going! See you around Tenzo! And hey, Master Rhodri, if you get a job needing an extra Merc, you know who to call!”

“I’ll be sure to keep you in mind,” Rhodri gave a wave as Soren and Syr departed, also catching the Alf giving a brief glance backwards before she hurried after her escort. “Quite an interesting pair…”

“Uh… Master Rhodri?” Tenzo spoke up. “You realized something about that little miss, didn’t you?”

“Ahaha, please, if someone noticed something, I’d assume it was you. Tell me, what impression did you get from her?”

“Well… it was different of course, still getting used to the kinds of energies Alfs give off. But… I’d also say I found something about her aura familiar. Like… an aura that reminds me of one of the Mikos of my homeland.”

“I see… I suppose that only makes sense.”

“Master?”

“Let’s leave it be for now. We’d only be getting in the way of something if we dug too much,” Rhodri held a finger to his lips. “Let’s let the little miss go about things as she wishes, yes? I’d hate to spoil her fun.”

“So, you do know something!”

“Let’s say I do, and it gives me a vested interest in seeing that girl prosper here,” Rhodri’s tone was a bit playful, but also clearly saying he wasn’t about to say more than that.

Knowing he wasn’t going to get anything else, Tenzo elected to also leave the table, heading off towards the bulletin board and greeting a few of the others standing near it.

As Rhodri turned to make his own leave, the man let out a chuckle as he stepped out, able to spot Soren and Syr still departing from the street on the upper paths.

“Good luck… Priestess of the Winds.”