The next morning I check out the guild library. Last time I was here was when I first met Lak and Teckar. There is a small desk in the corner with a guild worker busily working away with some paperwork. When I step in she looks up and asks if I am planning to use the library. "Please do all your reading in this room and don't bring books outside the room. If you damage the books you will have to pay a fee." She shows no signs of indicating that she can help me find books. Probably more of a guard dog than a librarian.

Marka previously told me that all guild branches have a small library to encourage members to learn. The access is free for all members. No wonder Marka told me to learn my letters. Too many dumb hunters not seeing this room for the goldmine that it is. The books look to be organized by profession, and sub categories. Hunting is the primary category with multiple sub categories. The first book I read has to be from one of these sub categories.

Lifting a massive old book onto the nearest reading desk, I read the cover. "The great book of beasts". Page one is an introduction. There is a short definition of beasts; beasts also called monsters by some, all have a mana crystal. Some theorize that the beasts have a mana crystal instead of a soul storage, which in turn has lead to theories on differing soul types; Humanoid souls, animal souls and beast souls. Unlike animals, beasts should all have the possibility of developing magic skills. The mana in the mana crystal is what charges these magic skills. The main theory on why there aren't more beast with magic skills is that most beasts don't live long enough to develop these skills. Most of the theory is based on speculation, due to the lack of empirical data.

Seem like the writer of this book takes facts serious. There are few absolutes and more about different theories. I note some useful definitions and distinctions. Humanoid is the general term for all humans and demi-humans. Demi-humans is a term including various elven races, beast kin and other human like races without a mana crystal. Looks like they got a category for all others. This book is clearly written from a human perspective, with humans at the top of the ladder.

The only demi-humans I have seen were at the slave market, and considering the chat I had with Lawra, this must be the case for all human lands. I better find some maps to get an idea of the layout of the world. Leaving the book on the desk I look for a section on maps. At the top of one of the shelves I find a small section. As soon as I open them I am reminded of archaic maps from back home. The best I can get is general direction of nations, forests and mountains.

I can see the mountain range I needed to get through to get to civilization. The maps are mostly blank beyond them I couple of the maps note passes through the mountains. Both show the one I used. I guess I should be able to trust the location of the other passes as well. It seems hunters rarely go beyond the mountains. There is a string of frontier villages from north to south on one of the more recent maps. On the old most are missing. With regards to human settlements, I need to trust the newer maps.

I check my menu map to see if I can duplicate the map. The menu map has already been updated with what I consider trustworthy. It is still a rough map, but as I travel to these locations I should be able to improve the map. The largest map indicate that I am in a kingdom called Lythia in the western part of the continent. The map also covers fragments of a large empire to the south and another kingdom to the north. A large north-south river, splits the Lythia kingdom in two, with a second large river forming the eastern boarder. I can't find any world maps or even a map of the continent.

I look to be in the north-western corner of the kingdom in a town called Lago. South east is a larger city, and south west is a fortification noted as the Duke's residence. Far to the south right before another mountain range that goes east west from the first large river into the wilderness is a large swampy area, just noted as the large southern swamp. The north-south river is aptly named the great northern river, and the second river the north-east river. It must turn east at some point outside the map, as all I can see is the north pointing part.

After looking through the maps, I return to the book. I skip to the first beast I know, the goblin. They really defy what is normal by not even being a natural hermaphrodite, but more of a parasite. They all have male reproduction organs, and all they need to reproduce is a suitable environment to lay their seed. Can't really call it fertilized sperm, as fertilized egg is more correct. Looks like the goblins attack females of other races to fill them up with their own embryo seeds. No genetic material seems to be taken from the female. I guess genetic diversity is not an issue for goblins. They must all carry the full genetic spectrum of the goblin race with them.

I continue reading about goblins to compare with my own experiences. There is even a list of preferred targets by the goblins with regards to reproduction. Surprisingly, humans are only second. Female orcs are at the top of the list. The reason listed to justify this is that orc female can easily carry large litters of goblin offspring. I guess they are not looking for beauty when they reproduce, but rather probability of increasing their numbers.

I continue reading about other beasts in the book for the rest of the day. As daylight fades I head downstairs to the common room of the guild. It is already getting rowdy. Too rowdy for Marka. "Brute, I need a guild approved beat down done." Brute stands up and head towards the guy Marka is indicating towards. The poor soul about to face Brute is a novice hunter being nasty towards a group of females in the common room.

As Brute drags the guy by his collar to the indoor arena, I find myself next to Marka. "So what is this guild sanctioned beat down." Marka, as professional as always gives me a by the book answer. "When hunters misbehave the easiest way to get them to respect the guild rule is to commission a stronger hunter for a beat down. There is always someone stronger that the guild can call on to keep other hunters in line. It is often used by the guild prior to affecting the trust rating, or in some cases to emphasis the trust ratings importance." I nod with approval, it is an effective way of policing a bunch of independent rouges. I hurry to the arena to see what happens next.