“Yeah, I would like to find that out too. I am kind of worried because Mr. Tosien said in school that you usually get a feeling for what your trait is. I still haven’t,” Laina told her father. Looking at him with worry in her eyes.

“It is not always that easy. Many people do, for example, my trait - discern organic integrity - lets me figure out if and where there are weaknesses in organic material. Almost at a glance, which makes it pretty obvious.

“For most people with similar traits, it is easy. Your mother for example had it differently. Her trait - productive - was not obvious to her and still isn’t. Her trait affects people around her, making them more effective in their work.

“Other traits only come into effect when in a certain situation. Danger sense, Intuition, and perfect recall just to name a few.”

Continuing their conversation about the various types of traits, effects, and specific situations for traits to work they moved towards one of the larger buildings in town.

According to Narder most of the large buildings in town had been constructed in the past twenty years. Especially around the central plaza of the town, most buildings exceeded five stories easily.

The plaza, which was usually a place for trade in the form of an open market was directly adjacent to one of the dukedom's administrative buildings - commonly referred to by being called town hall. The rest an assortment of various stores for convenience products and more recent industrial goods.

The building they were headed to was placed adjacent to the town hall and took up an even larger footprint.

The keepers municipal building had long since changed in layout and means of being powered. Where a few long decades ago people had to infuse the keepers with Flow to make them function, research of more heretical institutions had given mankind the option of using electrical power to do the same.

It also gave rise to a lot of speculations on the relationship between Flow and electricity but most testing had ended in severe lacerations or death, to Laina’s knowledge.

Father and daughter approached the building with steady steps, the black smoke escaping reminding Laina of the stories she had heard about keepers.

Most said that the beings were benign, sent by the gods to guard over humanity. Others revered them and others again, mostly the educated figured them to be a fascinating development. A testament to the powers of old, back when Flow was more readily available among humans.

Before humans had murdered each other for a minuscule chance of gaining access to the gift.

Narder picked up on the trepidation in his daughter's steps and put a comforting arm around his daughter.

“It isn’t as bad as people say. I have been four times already, and it is only slightly disorientating. You know what to expect, right?” he asked in a comforting voice.

“Mhhm, both mom and Mr. Tosien have talked about it,” she responded slowly. Taking some time to respond he looked up with squinted eyes and a thoughtful expression after hearing the less than eager response.

“Life isn’t easy. No, wait let me phrase it differently. The keepers are a great opportunity for us more common folk. They allow us to make the best out of our situations. They guide us without any malevolence towards the best we can be.

“They might not be familiar, even scary but they do not mean you harm,” he said trying to alleviate his daughter's worries. Though she only huffed in response.

When they had reached the gate a bored-looking man greeted them.

“Greetings aspirants. My the keepers smile on you. What are you here for?” he began.

“The class keeper is currently occupied and is going to be for at least another hour. ‘Parently few got the prompt today. There are a few people currently using the skill keepers but you shouldn’t have to wait too long. And I will need your names for the census.”

“I assume the trait keeper is free then. That works well for us, we are here to get our daughter's trait analyzed. It’s a bit cryptic,” Nardar responded after having given their names.

“Ohh, is that so, care to share,” the receptionist asked.

“Hmm, oh sure. I can do that. It is…” Laina responded before being interrupted by her father.

“I think we will wait until we find out what it actually is about.”

“Suit yourself. Go on then,” he said and moved back into his small gatekeeper house.

The two entered the building after walking up the cobbled road. The hallway which they entered was rather short with a tall ceiling clad with several people high windows to let light in.

Addorning the hall were several rooms each with a sign stating which type of keeper could be encountered within. Before Laina could become worried by the atmosphere in the building, caused by the dark walls and lack of furniture Nardar led her to the room corresponding to traits.

With a gentle push the door opened and both stepped into the room.

The doorway was long, taking several steps to traverse.

While Laina approached the singular metallic throne in the room Narder had turned around and locked the door.

“Just sit down on the throne and close your eyes. You will get a prompt and you just have to accept it,” Nardar instructed his daughter.

Following her father’s advice she moved to the throne. Preparing to touch it she remembered what she had been told.

That it might me slightly uncomfortable to touch the throne due to the method of empowerment.

After a zap rushed through her body, supposedly a sign that it was electrically powered she turned to sit on the throne.

It was was cold to the touch and increadibly hard. The smooth surface had a heaviness to it, though she ignored that and closed her eyes.

Would you like to elicit the advice to Keeper Intrinsic?