In Search of a Guilder

After dining with Provost Benjy Bellingham and his wife Tella, we decided to go to the inner city to find a guilder. We needed to find our way to the tunnels, where we could find clues to the location of the Centenarch. Only members of the guild were allowed to go there.

In the inner city, we found a stall where we could buy healing potions. As we replenished our supplies, Tiny noticed someone trying to pick his pocket. He alerted the rest of us, who turned to confront the thief.

The thief was a young Gnome, perhaps just a child. He quickly fled, and Carlagnios followed in pursuit. The young Gnome had not gotten very far before he ran into a dead end. He turned around to see Carlagnios approach him -- an huffing, angry Dragonborn.

"What are you doing, kid?!!!"

The young Gnome wet himself in fear. He reached into his vest, pulled out 5 silver coins, and threw them on the ground.

"Please, sir, let me go! I won't do it again! I just wanted to buy some food."

Carlagnios' heart softened, although it was impossible to tell from his demeanor. He pulled out some rations from his pack.

"Here!" he bellowed, hurling the rations at the young Gnome. "Take this, and don't ever steal again!!!"

The rations caught the young Gnome squarely in the belly, and the force knocked him to the ground.

Carlagnios turned and walked away. He rejoined us and explained what had happened.

We still needed to find a guilder. Ryn offered to find out. He spoke with some people near the corner and found out that there were different offices for the guild around the city. The more powerful groups of "treasure hunters" could go to the better guilds and get better guides.

In order to get any guide, we would need to have someone vouch for us. We were strangers in this world and were not well known. (I suppose that I should be thankful that they did not know of my defeat in the town of Sour Well.)

We decided to ask Benjy to vouch for us. When we arrived back at the mage's school, Benjy was teaching one of his classes. We waited outside for him to finish.

While we were waiting, Kale started to stare at the tower in the distance. As he watched the inverted teardrop hanging above, he noticed three tiny specks landing on the teardrop. They seemed to be humanoids riding Vulture Drakes. Perhaps they were visiting someone who lived in the teardrop.

Benjy walked down the steps toward us. "So, you need an introduction to the guilders?"

"Yes," we replied.

"Some guides are more experienced than others. The more experienced guides know about the more dangerous areas in the lower city, Lordahl. But the more experienced guides are also reluctant to take novice 'treasure hunters' through the tunnels to these areas."

"What sorts of 'treasures' are in these tunnels?" asked Kale.

"Mostly artifacts from the time before. The guild master purchases the most interesting ones. It seems that the inhabitants from the time before lived in a Gilded Age. They created strange artifacts. A treasure hunter once found a singing rock..."

"Is there some way we could be vouched for? Some way we could be introduced to some more experienced guides?"

"Perhaps you should start with a simpler guide from one of the lower guilds?"

We did not believe that we could find the Centenarch by starting there. It would take too long. Perhaps there was a way for us to demonstrate our power and experience? Some sort of play to show our strength?

Benjy pondered for a moment. "I do know someone in a middle guild. He was a former student of mine who dropped out and joined the guild. His name is Pican. He is in the guild office in the inner city, below ground."

We made our way to the guild office. The guard at the door eyed us suspiciously.

"I don't know you," he declared.

Firinne quickly stepped forward and said, "We're here to see Pican. Benjy sent us."

"I don't know Benjy," he muttered. But his demeanor changed as he spoke to Firinne. "We do have a Pican here. Let me get him."

He returned with a man who looked quite unkempt. The man's face had a hangdog expression. He introduced himself as Pican.

"Benjy sent us. He said that you could vouch for us."

Pican looked skeptical. "We're all booked up now. We have no time to waste with novices who don't know how to fight."

"Well," Firinne said, "I have a VERY big sword and I'm VERY proficient with it." She drew her Berserker Bastard Sword to demonstrate her point.

"We've killed people before," Garg declared, glaring at Pican.

Pican lifted his palms up toward us and stepped back. "I believe you. I believe you. Let me check if there's anyone available."

He went back into the room, and we heard a faint buzzing of voices. Tiny, with his incredible knack for perception, whispered to us, "He's asking if anyone can take a bunch of novice treasure hunters down to the tunnels." Firinne scowled.

But Pican did return with a guide. Our hopes were high until they came closer and we saw the person who would be guiding us.

He was a Halfing (like Bran) and wore orange leather armor. His head was full of dense, dark hair. And he introduced himself as Guppy.

"Guppy?" Carlagnios sneered in disbelief.

Garg gave Guppy a skeptical look. "Have you really been in the mines before?"

"Yes," replied Guppy, "about a dozen times."

Tiny turned to us and whispered, "He's not right in the head." He turned back to Guppy and asked, "And when you were down there, did you find anything?"

Guppy cleared his throat. "Look, I'm the newest person in this guild office. So, I get to guide the treasure hunters that are less experienced. Most of the groups that I've led have been smaller than yours... In any case, I can take you to an interesting area."

Kale interjected, "Well, we're looking for something more specific. We're interested in the literature of the old world."

"Well... I do know of a school down there," Guppy replied. "Are you the mage of the group? Do you know how to make light?"

Kale scoffed and projected a glowing ball of light on Guppy's nose. "Do you want me to conjure something else on your face?"

"N-no," Guppy answered. "We can go now."