Nightly business

Chapter 31: Nightly Business

/You know, some people may say that there are too many guilds to count, but I wouldn't quite agree with them. The problem with getting an accurate count lies not within the number, but much rather the constant founding and disbanding of new and old guilds. In addition, some guilds prefer to stay hidden, a guild of thieves, for example.

Now, there are however a few quite major guilds, one of those being the Merchants' Guild. Holding major sway in nigh every civilized city, this band of moneymakers has established a solid foothold almost everywhere. Unfortunately, to a lot of people, they are more like parasites, keeping a monopoly on real estate and only ever renting it out.

Additionally, they like to give out loans with incredibly high interest, which can often be repaid by selling a large chunk of ones business to them. These situations are obviously hard to prevent in smaller cities, though larger ones that have government controlled banks have less trouble holding out.

Next I believe I need to mention the infamous federation of mercenaries that calls themselves the Godseekers' Guild. A bunch of veterans, newbies, and general hardy travellers collected into a single hall made for celebrating, drinking, and exchanging information.

This guild is easy to join, oftentimes tight knit, and has a solid system of mutual reliance with receptionist and seekers. However, they are still mercenaries, and their ease of joining makes it an attractive start for bandits or thieves. Godseekers are oftentimes frowned upon in smaller towns, since these are generally more hostile to outsiders, but especially so in their case, since you really never know what you're going to get with one of this guild's members.

But one guild that has been very consistent in the quality of its members has been the Mages' Guild. A slightly misplaced name, since they foster practitioners of all schools of magic, also wizardry, witchcraft, sorcery, and everything else one can imagine. Yet, no matter who you hire from this guild, they are near guaranteed to be good at their jobs.

Unfortunately, with that consistency comes a high price in coin and patience, since many of these magical fellas are arrogant enough for a whole gang of drunken idiots. They also tend to look down on newer members and have a structure that sometimes is a little hard to comprehend, though some claim it is purposely made so to attract more brilliant people. In any case, it is complicated.

Of course, this doesn't conclude the guilds at all, which is why this should simply serve as an introduction: all guilds have their goods and bads, so choose carefully which one you want to join. One can also choose multiple of them, of course, though if a conflict appears, you might be expelled from both.

Now, this should be enough to conclude the introduction. Chapter 2 will deal with the intricacies of guild creation. If you want a detailed description and history of the major guilds, feel free to skip to chapter 4./

Chapter 1 of "Guild in Detail" by Gilbert Gildfried.

- - - - - -

The trial went rather swiftly. The family defended themselves, saying they did not know that their charrs were stretched, but that mattered little. They were stretched, and made more toxic, which was already enough for a full conviction. Without a maestro of the law from the Scholars' Guild, they never stood a chance.

The judge's wooden hammer struck down hard, as with its echoing snap, the whole family was sentenced to the gallows by midnight. But once more, someone had to come ruin Lucia's time.

Right then, shortly before the judge could strike down a second time, his hammer hit leather. The soft leather of a brown boot.

"WHAT'S UP!!!" Avery thundered out, easily sounding out above the judge's verdict as he stopped the hammer.

Lucia gripped her seat tightly then, so hard that a spiderweb of small cracks seemed to flow through the wood. She slowly got to her feet with the grace of an empress, but her face was contorted with wrath.

"A-"

But the man wouldn't let her speak.

"Hey there, high priestess. Long time no see. I would-"

"YOU DARE INTERRUPT ME IN MY COURT?!?!!" Lucia busted a vein as she screeched out at the man standing a few meters away from her, gazing down at her from the judge's seat. Meanwhile, the judge himself, a man of large stature was simply sitting by, maintaining an impassive mask as these proceedings went on.

'Why does it have to be in my court?' he silently lamented, but there was no taking it back. Most judges already resigned themselves to a fate such as this when Lucia entered the city they would work in.

"Kah, 'course. I interrupt whoever deserves it, madam. 'Scuse my rudeness, I'm a mercenary, as you lovingly call us, after all, and we aren't that good with manners, ya feel me?" Avery made sure to pick his words carefully, treading the line between provocation and respect. He knew this fury disguised as a lady had too much influence to openly insult.

Lucia stopped herself for a moment before speaking, the fiery rage within her settling back down into her stomach instead of up her throat. Its time would come soon, but it wasn't now. It wasn't here.

"First the merchants, and now your godseekers too? How far this country has fallen. This city has proven unable to punish the wicked when it is necessary, thus we have taken it upon ourselves to expand the tasks the Church of Order takes care of. Do you have any complaints?"

She forced her voice to stop shaking, forced her face to take an aloof look, one befitting her stature, but Avery saw it. He saw the hate bubbling underneath her eyes, the blood boiling in her veins. Good.

"Well, yeah, actually. We do, the merchants do, and the city itself does."

Avery paused to give Lucia's mind some time to mill. Not because he wanted her to think ahead, but instead, because she was so consumed by anger, she would certainly take his sentence as an insult. It was just too big of an insult for her to immediately fire back.

"YOU INSOLENT- Ahem. Hmpf. And why, please do tell, should this great institution listen to a meagre city's complaints?"

There it was. Avery nodded to himself as he opened his mouth again, only to pause for a fraction of a second before he let out a short laugh.

"Kahaha! Man," he held his belly while wiping a fake tear away, "you almost had me convinced! You sure you wanna risk losing all your glory and stature, all the trust the people have in you over one simple dispute? You should listen to a city because it's the will of your believers my guy."

"The will of the believers?" Lucia said sharply, partially to herself. Had she gotten too carried away again? No, not this time, certainly. "The will of the believers is the will of the church. They believe in our code, and our code fuels our actions."

"Well then, if that is so, you most certainly wouldn't mind a simple investigation into this trial? Us godseekers will be an impassive force, making sure both parties stick to the rules, meanwhile the mercenary and the local courts will investigate and present their evidence against you in court."

Silence.

The entire hall of justice couldn't raise their voices at this moment, the wind removed from their sails. They could only wait for the answer of their high priestess, for she was the only one to decide now. She was the leader they could turn to, and as they did, they saw she was biting her lip.

Fuck! He had played her! Played her like a fiddle!! Provoked her into arrogance. Made sure she felt so aloof he could rip the floor out from under her. There was nothing she could say against this. Were she to refuse, it would simply be seen as an insult to all other parties involved. If she agreed, the heretics might run free!!

Damn it!!! She couldn't risk the reputation of the Church in an entire nation simply for one family of wicked schemers!! RAAAAAAGH!!!

"Fine by me. You shall see for yourself that the church is correct, guild master." Lucia left with an arrogant 'hmpf' as she retreated out of her own court. She made sure to carry herself proudly, but anyone seeing her face would have to double check at its grimace.

Avery meanwhile simply smiled.

"We will see, high priestess." And with that, he jumped out of the same window he had come in through, dropping of some coin to fund the repairs. As soon as he hit the floor, he let out a sigh and crossed his arms behind his head, slowly walking back to the office. "Phew. Crazy fucking bitch."

Lastly, the spectators from the public, as well as the jury of fanatical believers took their leave, only the judge remaining as he slumped forwards in his seat.

"Lucky!" he muttered to himself. "I might not have to sentence people to death for this lunatic of a woman!"

Perhaps not all in the Church of Order were as bad?

- - - - - -

Lucia was fuming as she thought of what had just occurred. She had been right an properly played and humiliated by that arrogant, unsightly, dirty bloodmonger! That filthy swine of a human, worth less than the worst of heretics as a handler of bloodmoney! This gross, misguided sheeplet had-!

"M'lady, you requested my assistance?"

As always, Iris' voice was able to smother the fire in her.

"Yes, thank you for taking the time, Iris."

"But m'lady, it is my job to take the time to serve you," Iris said with a snicker, covering her mouth with her gloved hands.

Her voice was like a blanket to Lucia's heart, sheltering it from the fury and wrath deep inside of her, and instead enveloping it with a gentle warmth. The two of them had always been together, since they were children, and were closer than most sisters.

"I still appreciate it, so do allow me to thank you, would you?"

"Of course m'lady," Iris said with a smile, tilting her head a little, her black bangs swaying with the movement. "But what is it you called me for?"

"Ah, yes!" Lucia was quickly brought back from her musings of the past as she focused her attention on the maid in front of her, staring into her soft, pastel pink eyes. "Would you please prepare me some chilled tea and a bath?"

"Of course, m'lady! I shall be done in a moment!"

And with that, Iris was gone again, the silence in Lucia's bedchambers now weighing down much more heavily. She was disappointed with herself. Disappointed she couldn't serve the justice, the order she wished, and that she had not performed her duties well enough. She was disappointed to have disappointed others.

The air weighed heavy on her skin, making her open the large window she had. The cold, nightly breeze gave her some goosebumps, but her robes were thick enough to keep her warm. She stared at the moon for a while, the flames in her heart now chilled, as she waited for Iris to have things ready.

What might it be like to live underneath that big circle in the sky? To freely roam this world they called home? To see all of its wonders when one wanted, to do whatever one wanted? She would give much for that, indeed. Much, but not all she had. She wouldn't give up order for it, so she continued her watch silently, wishing for something she would never grant herself.

"The tea is done, m'lady," Iris said, setting it down on the nightstand with a small curtsy. "I hope you enjoy it. The bath will be heated by the time you are done." With that, the attendant turned around and began walking away.

"Iris?"

"Yes m'lady?" She stopped

"Would you perhaps stay with me a while?"

The maid spun around, taking her seat on the bed next to Lucia and softly petting her head.

"Of course, m'lady."

- - - - - -

Avery on the other hand walked back to his guild with a victorious glint in his eyes. He would send word to the city council and the merchants' guild, and officially register himself as the overseer of the whole story. It was troublesome, but it would earn him a couple favours and keep things civil.

He smiled to himself, his sunglasses hiding the sharp glint in his eyes. Oh yeah, it was all coming together.

He made his way back to the gloryhall in Stormbraver, stopping by a bakery in the red-light district. They were the only shops open at this hour and my man needed himself a loaf of raisin-bread after this encounter. Gotta recharge his batteries, ya know?

He chewed down as his thoughts kept churning. He needed to also give the Church of Order some benefits, couldn't stand them fully ridiculed by everyone. He'd need to keep the merchants back, make sure that those hounds, who were probably about to start frothing at the mouth, were well fed enough to not entirely devour the church.

He also needed to make sure the city council didn't abuse this opportunity to undermine the church, that wouldn't do for diplomatic relations. Could cause some wars, and this Nevarzahri Aristocracy he enjoyed livin' in had enough problems ongoing. Yeah, if he did all of that, he would sure curry some favour with all three of the other guilds.

Many people were thinking they might profit from this, but Avery knew it when he pushed open the doors to his gloryhall, his sanctum in this city. He knew it when he gazed upon all of the godseekers that were still in there, the receptionists that had todays night shift (nights were only open every second day because of staff shortage for now).

He knew it then, when he pushed the door open and received a cheer for a welcome.

The Godseekers' Guild would be the one to come out with the most profit from this venture. He'd make sure they did.

After greeting everyone, chatting people up, hearing some stories and making sure everyone was playing fair with each other, Avery headed back to his office.

He filed all the necessary documents, had them shipped to the right places, and made sure that the wheels of bureaucracy would begin their milling, slow as it might be. And then, he went back to all the other stuff he had to do as a guild master.

He signed off on promotions, fully solidifying them, making sure there wouldn't be any challengers. He put his own authority behind them, shielding his receptionists from any questions, as it was now fully on Avery's trust.

He made sure to document any special monster sightings, anything that was too dangerous h marked on his map to scout out over tomorrow. The investigation would start the day after at the earliest, so he had quite enough time to keep the landscape a little more safe.

When it came to the paperwork of finances, he quickly opened up the door to the main room and dumped it all onto the receptionists. He couldn't have them just spend their night shifts chatting in peace, could he now? No, no, those guys would also have to work for his backing. Mutual trust and help, ya know?

Then, he got around to inspecting new members, quickly browsing over them, making sure none of them seemed to sinister, afterwards he signed off a few plans of the guild to invest money, requested by businesses or suggested by some of the workers here.

And after all of that, he finally got around to some more paperwork, involving a report on anything special he had seen while he was out for the time. Phew, finally, all fucking done.

Avery hated all this paperwork. These folders and flyers, askers, receivers, payers, and leasers. It was obnoxious, nothing else

Avery sighed to himself again as he finally let his night come to a close, slowly sinking into the soft bed that he called his own.

"G'night guy. I'll see y'all tomorrow."

And with him, a quiet night fell upon Stormbraver.