They found their way to the Awakeners Guild. The building was subdued for the neighbourhood it was in. A two story building, constructed of stone, its door abutting the road. On either side the walls of the estates of the rich, either merchants or royalty, sandwiched the Guild. They made their way in, the doors opening smoothly and causing a bell to tinkle somewhere within. The entry hall was barren, a square room that felt crowded with the four of them and their packs. They saw no doors leading into the guild, just slits in the walls through which they could be observed. Hurnith, examining the room, quietly spoke to them. “Look above. A murder hole. We are being watched.” Martin frowned, looking at Hurnith. “Why? I thought the Awakened were appreciated and celebrated? This behaviour borders on paranoia.” Walking forward, facing directly into one of the slits, Kilia answered Martin, her voice loud enough to be heard beyond their small circle. “Not everywhere. Generally, the acceptance of Awakened varies by the level of threat any area faces. If, as we have been told, this is a low threat area, it means that the Guild may be tolerated but not face acceptance. In that case, political threats could well manifest as physical ones.” Martin was going to reply when the wall to the right of the door opened, revealing a short passage. They moved into it, following it as it turned left, opening into a more elaborate reception area. Along the one wall a fire burned providing a welcome warmth, on the other a heavily armoured door stood, clearly leading to the watch post looking into the entry way. The side facing that was taken up by a large counter made of a wood with a pronounced grain but almost black in colour, a double door leading further into the building on the other side of it. Behind the counter a Gwathur sat, her features a mix of fox and human. She looked at the four as they arrived, her face neutral, her hand resting on an orb that glowed slightly as they entered. The four started to walk towards her but were stopped by a barrier. Gwynneth closed her eyes, extending her sense, concentrating on following the mana around her. She could see the lines flowing from behind them, then pooling and cascading down, a waterfall of mana that surely represented the barrier before them. As she watched, she felt her mana sense overwhelmed as an explosion of mana swept over them through the barrier, temporarily cutting her mana sense off, as if a bright light had exploded and rendered her blind. To those watching with more mundane senses, a burst of light swept over them, a warm sensation accompanying it. It passed through them, leaving nothing but the lingering feeling of warmth. “Welcome to the Guild Hall of High Pass.” The receptionist finally spoke. “My apologies for the security precautions, but we need to check for both mundane and magical threats.” Gwynneth, still reeling from the effects of the mana explosion let the other’s drag her forward. Martin looked at the receptionist as they approached. Clearly, she was a Gwathur, and he assumed her to be a fox hybrid, though he wondered if that kind of comparison was accepted by them. Kilia examined the receptionist as they approached, then addressed her, asking, “Why the precautions, its almost as if we are in hostile territory.” The receptionist sighed, “Its politics and not something for me to get involved in. I am merely a receptionist, and the politics between the Guild and the city not my area of expertise. All I can say is that there is some tension and we have to take precautions.” She looked at them at their equipment and continued, “I would encourage you to make your residence in the Guild while you are here.” She hesitated a bit before continuing, “You may be at risk staying elsewhere.” Martin was taken aback. He had believed them safe, at least in the areas of the Fae realm that were attached by Gates to the Academy. Now it seemed that there was little difference between here and home, that just as the nobles made war on each other despite ostensibly being on the same side in the same kingdom, here those power took aim against the Guild despite them having a common enemy in the Dark. Shaking his head, he approached the receptionist, “So what do we need to do? We are here to help against the Dark. We are looking for jobs we can do.” The receptionist smiled at him, taking him for the wealthiest of the group, the multiple auras from rune enhanced equipment obvious to her and separating him from the rest. “You present the tokens you were given when arriving at the Gate to prove that you have observed the city regulations and then register with us. Simply state your name and Patron Power as attested to by the Academy. That is all. Once registered you have full access to the Guild facilities. Beyond this building we have numerous bungalows. You can either select having individual ones or a larger one to share.” Each of the companions came forward, presenting the bronze pendants they had been given when arriving and stating their names and affiliations. The receptionist smiled, “Thank you, as you have made yourselves known, so do I. I am Zir, Awakened of Lemo.” Behind him Martin heard Kilia mutter something but could not make it out, so he resolved to ask her later. They elected to take a shared bungalow. They pocketed the key she handed to each of them and moved to the door by the receptionist which swung open. They stepped through it and into a large common area, the floor polished wood, the room high enough that it took went up both floors of the building. A balcony wound around the second floor, doors coming off it, with stairs leading up on either side of the room. The room itself was filled with tables and chairs, with one a quarter of it giving way to a more comfortable sitting are with clusters of sofas and armchairs around coffee tables. Dotted around the room, fireplaces burned, making the room warm albeit stuffy. Another set of doors was opposite them, with an opening into what seemed to be a kitchen with people coming out with trays laden with food. At the far end stood a set of closed double doors. They made their way to one of the tables, taking a seat, listening to the conversation from the tables around them. From their over heard conversations, it seemed that the city management had changed recently, and not for the better. Brutal laws had come into effect, and a general atmosphere of wariness taking over. They also heard complaints of the corruption that had sprouted amongst the city guard. Their attention was diverted as a Fae girl, looking much the same age as them, approached, dressed in a simple blue outfit with a black apron. “Greetings, welcome to the Guild Hall. What can I get for you?” “What is available?” Gwynneth smiled at the girl who smiled back. “Well, there is the set menu that all those staying in the Guild Hall can have and costs nothing, or you can order from the menu.” She stopped, blushing, and quickly handing each one of the boards under her arm. “Sorry, only been here since yesterday.” They all carefully looked away, trying not to laugh as they looked at the menu the girl had forgotten to give them. The meal included for those staying at the guild was listed: Beef stew or rabbit stew, side order of rice or half loaf of bread. Martin looked at the rest of the menu, dismissing it as a possibility when he saw the prices. He looked over and saw Gwynneth frowning. “Why so expensive? I could eat in the best gourmet restaurants in my home realm for half these amounts!” The girl blushed again staring at her feet, “Taxes,” was all she mumbled? “Taxes? That makes no sense. How could the people here survive with taxes so high?” The girl looked uncomfortable looking everywhere but at them. “Special taxes on the Guild. Others don’t pay as much. But if you go to the restaurants out there and they see the guild pendants issued when you arrived, they have to apply the taxes, and then they are even more expensive than here!” She stopped realising her voice had risen and people were looking at her. “Sorry, but it makes me angry. Its just one of the changes the City Council has made, and makes no sense! The Guild has always helped to protect us, so why start persecuting you?” Kilia leaned over, grabbing hold of her hand and smiling at her, “Thank you. We know its not your fault. Just bring the standard guild meal for each of us.” The girl bustled off, happy to escape her embarrassment. The group looked at each other, realising the animosity of the city government was worse than they thought. Before they spoke a tall Fae woman approached them. Her hair was tied up tight into two tight braids that had been wound tight into circles on the sides of her head. Her clothing was fancy, a black silk shirt, buttoned to her chin, tucked into loose fitting black cotton pants, those in turn tucked into calf high steel tipped leather boots. At her side a rapier hung loose from a belt of red leather, though the scale pattern on it resembled nothing they had ever seen. A few of those seated at the tables around them nodded to her in greeting, receiving a raised hand in acknowledgement. She loomed over the table, looking down at the group. “Zir tells me that you are looking to help.” Kilia looked at her, voicing what they were all thinking. “Given the level of paranoia around here, we don’t know you. Why should we listen?” She knew she was being rude, but at the same time she felt justified, though she began to feel uneasy as she heard a gasp from behind her. Luckily the woman standing in front of her was amused, and not offended. “Why should you listen? I am Hiln Quart, the Guild Head. Most people do listen when the Guild Head speaks, I hope you will too. Come to my office upstairs when you are ready. Hopefully, seeing me there will cure your paranoia!” She turned around, walking away, Kilia sinking into her seat, trying to ignore the sniggers and stares of those around them. The meal was excellent, clearly trying to present a quality meal to the guild membersto raise their morale in a hostile environment. They ate, enjoying it, but wondering what the Guild Head wanted. Their conversation was speculation on what they could expect, but none knew enough about the politics of the city to guess at what would be said. The Guild Head’s office was in the centre of the balcony, its door made of mahogany, runes etched and filled in with an unfamiliar material. Looking at the runes, Martin could recognise them as runes of shielding. They took an unfamiliar cast and their inlay gave them power he could see radiating into the runes, but he did not know enough to be able know what they were meant to shield. He could guess, and his guess was simple: what was said in that room stayed in the room, none would be able to listen in. They entered the office and found it surprisingly spartan. A long desk was covered in neat piles of paper, little tags facing the Guild Head who sat in a plain wooden chair. On the other side of the desk five similar chairs were laid out. One was already occupied. The man short and wiry, his face rodent like, emphasised by his over large canines. He turned around and faced them as they entered. The Guild Head looked up as they entered, indicating with her head for them to occupy the four chairs in front of her desk. The four sat down, wondering what was expected of them, the youngest and newest of the Awakened Guild members in the city. The Guild Head leaned forward, elbows on the desk, her head cupped in her open palms. “Thank you. I am glad you put your paranoia aside and decided to join us.” Kilia felt her face heat up. The words and tone of the Guild Head were light, almost amused, but there was also an implication of her not forgetting. She would need to work to get past this set back, she just hoped she would be given a chance and not have her initial mistrust and rudeness count against her forever. “There is a reason you are here." She paused, seemingly reading their minds as she continued. "Yes, most of the members here are stronger than you. Those that are not will already be partied up with those that are. Many of the Awakened staff are stronger than you. You are freshly out of the Academy, your initial training period done but still far from shedding the mantle of apprentices and progressing further in the Academy, and Guild, hierarchy.” She lifted her head out of her hands, looking at each in turn. “But this weakness of yours, this newness and lack of attachment to any of the factions is what makes you so unique, and so useful to us. You have no allegiances in the city, just as you have no enemies. Very few even know who you are, and if you avoid officials and shopping where you need to show your pendants, very few will even know you are Awakened and Guild members.” As she fell silent the man beside her spoke. “My name is Djang.” He fell silent, waiting for a reaction. He started speaking again, clearly disappointed that his name, one that was cited with fear by many, was meaningless to them. “I used to run most of the cities underground. I controlled the pick pockets, beggars, the burglars and the enforcers. I even had a say in what contracts the assasins would take, and for whom, they could be exercised. “ He paused still waiting for a reaction. Only one of them showed the reaction he expected, the big human looked at him, appalled. He seemed about to speak when he fell silent as the Guild Head raised her hand. “Three months ago, assassins struck at me. They took me for dead, throwing my body into the main sewer line, expecting it to dissolve with the other flotsam and waste matter, never to be found. But I survived, my contingency item flaring, preserving my life while suppressing my life signature so anyone checking would think me dead. I made my way back, beaten, battered, on the verge of death and seeking a healer loyal to me. Imagine my surprise when I made my way to my home, peered in through the window, and saw myself sitting there, conducting business as usual.” The Guild Head spoke up. “We suspect that Djang is not the only one who has been replaced. How many of the council are implicated, how many judges, how many of the city guard?” She stared at them, looking into each of their eyes in turn. “This is what we need you to do. Investigate, find out who these imposters are. And when you do, if they are creatures of the dark as we expect, you are to kill them.”