Martyr’s Mercy, Koffe

With me leading the way much to Torgin’s dismay we found the guild building quickly. The downcast look he kept giving me said it all he wanted to explore the city. Too bad, we have a prior and extremely important appointment to make. He looks so sad right now it's kinda pathetic and disturbing to look at, his face is not made to make that kind of face, I’ll take him sightseeing later.

“HALT HERPTONS, STATE YOUR BUSINESS!” A crass man in full plate armor called out to us as we approached the entrance to the guild. He looked down on us and slowly walked down the stairs.

The way he’s looking at us is a little concerning. Maybe it won’t be so bad. We’re supposed to be here. When he gets down, we show him our invitation and go on about our business. Shouldn’t be too much trouble, just wait till he arrives easy.

“Didn’t you cold bloods hear me? State your business for being in front of the adventurers guild.” He still had that tone of superiority to his voice and he was very clearly looking down on us. Just my luck that the first human I run into might be a survivor of the Cooga incident, their people are the only ones with a reason to hate Herptons, please let me be wrong.

“Yo Jackson, are you messing with new recruits again.” At the sound of that voice the armored man in front of us froze in place, and started shaking.

“Ca..Ca..C..C..Captain Glint I was just asking these recruits what they were doing.” The now terrified guard stammered as the massive grey furred bear-kin walked out from the shadows of the entrance. How did we not see him, he’s huge. Just judging by his size I’d have to say he’s a cave bear.

The apparent captain just stood there after making his presence known glaring at the plate wearing guard, Johnson, with his large milky white eyes. Wait milky white is this captain blind.

“Hahaha” the massive bear laughed. “Yes, little Herpton I am blind, but because of this all of this my other senses have grown to the extreme. Including a unique ability to hear the thoughts of the people around me.”

Well, that was kind of him to explain his abilities, not many people do that anymore.

“You are correct young one, but someone must keep the old ways alive. Now then can I assume that the two of you are Rahzen Ouse and Torgin Skec, the new aspirants to the dungeon division of the Adventurer’s Guild.”

After he finished speaking me and Torgin both answered at the same time “Yes sir we are.”

“Good, now then both of you follow me. The entrance ceremony is about to start. Trust me you don’t want to miss it.”

We followed Captain Glint through the entrance into the guild. It's amazing to behold. All around us are paintings of the former Guild Masters. All of them were depicted here from Martin Getty in his polished silver mail to the current master Aloe E wearing a brilliant rainbow robe. I wonder where her painting is? Ah there she is Roslyn of the Crimson Wastes, she was regarded as the most ruthless bloodthirsty Guild Master to ever run the guild.

“Checking out the portraits of the past leaders are you. Good learning from the past can help alter the course of the future. And just so you know out of all the former leaders Roslyn is still alive to this day. How she’s lived so long none of us know but her actions and power are the reason this guild building is named in her honor. But that's enough focusing on the past we have arrived. Go take your place amongst the other aspirants. It will begin soon.”

With those words Captain Glint left us in front of a set of marble double doors. This is it. Now is our time, me and my buddy Torgin we’re gonna make our mark on this guild one way or another.

As soon as we walked through those doors, they shut behind us and we found ourselves in a room packed with other races as far as we could see. It’s so loud I can barely hear myself think. But why do they have everyone just standing here? What exactly are we waiting around for?

As if in response to my unsaid question the lights went out and people started to panic.

“What's going on?”

“What's with the lights?”

“Who's the chump that wants to fight? I’m right here, come on.”

Voices called out left and right. That last dumb voice asking for a fight was Torgin. I’d know his voice anywhere.

Soundly a hoarse voice called out. “Silence aspirants! Everything is as it is supposed to be.” A light illuminated a new figure standing at the very front of this room.

“Since you have all arrived, we may now get down to business. First off, I am Anaranjado Amarillo Azul and I am the Dungeon Delver Section Leader for this guild location. It is with great pride that I welcome you all to your home for the next five months.”

This is what I have been waiting for.

“Now some of you seem confused. Allow me to make it perfectly clear. This is the dungeon branch of the guild. We deal only in training our aspirants for diving into the merciless pits of torture and horror that are dungeons. All one hundred of you will be taught how to properly fight as a team of five and how to attempt to survive a dungeon's depths.”

That last sentence of his got the talking started up again. I guess being told that you may just end up dead after this training is a wakeup call for some. Yet others hear this and only seem to stand taller, theory are the ones taking this as a challenge.

“Pay close attention for I will not repeat myself. To be a member of the Adventurer’s Guild is a lifetime commitment. Before you are officially a member you are aspirants. To become a trainee, you will swear a binding oath to your God to serve the guild to the best of your abilities. To those who wonder why we require such an oath is simple, the Adventurer’s Guild is the sister organization of the Inquisition and just like them we take our orders directly from the Gods themselves. We owe no allegiance to any county. No king, queen, duke, lord, or town mayor may order us around. As such we are free to go anywhere, we want but if the Gods require us, we must answer. The Inquisition protects the masses from the monsters within while the Adventurer’s Guild protects them from the monsters outside. Now with that said those of you who truly want to stay make your oath and approach me.”