Dungeon Noble - Squire

The more permanent structures of the Guilds were located on what Brad had told him was called Dungeon Row, the final street leading to the Dungeon entrance.

Jake had seen plenty of busy markets within Port Emerald, but none had quite the same chaotic air as what he saw before him.

In the distance, he could see a walled-off section of the city with gated access. A queue of armed and armoured Classers stood outside, waiting for their turn to pay the toll and access what Jake assumed was the Dungeon.

Between Jake and the queue was a long paved stretch of road that was filled with a bustling crowd and was lined with shops, taverns, inns and even a few temples.

Jake’s lip curled as he took in the three temples to the different Patrons of the Triarchy. He doubted they got many visitors from the locals.

Quashing his anger, Jake ignored the temples and instead admired the array of weapons and armour on display amongst the other Classers.

Anticipation burnt brightly in Jake’s chest once more. He might have some problems, but this was still what he’d wanted, and it was a damn sight better than being a Strovian orphan in a Triarchy-controlled city.

Feeling a bit more positive about it all, Jake looked around until he saw the Delvers Guild building and made his way over.

Heading over and walking in through the open double doors of the Guild building, Jake found himself in something equivalent to a tavern, not at all what he was expecting.

A roaring fire sat in a large hearth, and a dozen or more tables were scattered around what felt like a normal taproom. Well, apart from how heavily armed all the patrons were.

A few doors were scattered around the room, but this seemed to be the main area from the number of people present.

A few people stood behind a combined bar and table at the room’s rear. It was odd to see, but there was an obvious line where the bar stopped, and what Jake guessed was the admin area began.

One of the workers he could see was taking drink orders while the other two seemed to be assisting with paperwork for a young-looking person that Jake recognised from the queue at the Ascension hall.

Behind the admin side of the area was a framed job board, one that was littered with organised rows of notes. It was too far away from Jake for him to make out any details, but the amount of information there made him perk up.

The Triarchy would be coming to tax him eventually, so he needed to identify sources of income where he could.

Jake had no illusions about his combat potential, but there were always jobs that no one wanted to do, and he needed the money.

Eagerly hurrying forward, Jake got in the queue for the closest of the administrators and tried to make himself look as presentable as possible.

“Hi, welcome to the Delvers Guild. How can I help?” The administrator, who seemed just a little older than Jake was, asked when Jake got to the front of the queue.

“Hi, I’ve recently gained my Class, and I’m looking to join,” Jake said, surprising himself with how steady his tone was considering how his heart was pounding in his chest.

So much had happened in the last few hours, but underneath it all, Jake was still struggling to accept the fact that he had a Class.

“Oh, congratulations!” The man said enthusiastically, flashing Jake a warm smile. “Can I ask what sort of Class you have?”

“Combat,” Jake said, not entirely sure if he was lying or not. Dungeons seemed a big theme for his Class, and they were full of violence and death, so it sort of made sense.

“Fantastic, and why are you looking to join our Guild?” The man asked, pulling out a quill and ink pot before making a few notes.

“Honestly, I’m from an orphanage, so what you see is everything I have,” Jake said, flushing a little at admitting his lack of means.

“Not a problem; a lot of folks come to us for just that reason,” the other man said with a sympathetic smile. “We can supply you with a sword and some clean clothes as part of signing you on, though.”

“Thank you,” Jake said, relief sweeping through him at the mention of the free equipment. He’d heard that the association did such things, but it was still a relief to actually have it happen.

“Not a problem,” the administrator said, pushing over a piece of paper to Jake. “This is a membership form, we don’t charge you upfront, but there is a monthly fee of twenty Wyrdgeld starting next month, payable at month’s end.”

“Okay, let’s do it,” Jake said, signing his name and details onto the membership form. He hesitated a little at what name to use as he still felt somewhat wary after learning of his connection to a “noble” bloodline, but Jake eventually settled on the surname Chant, as that had been the name of his favourite custodian.

Attention - You are now bound as a member of the Delvers Guild. You are contractually obliged to pay twenty Wyrdgeld to them within 60 days and then every month thereafter. Failing to adhere to this contract will nullify your membership and remove your membership mark.

Jake shivered at the icy feeling that ran down his spine, but he was already starting to get used to these strange announcements.

Unlike last time, however, this message came with a pinching sensation on the back of his left hand. Glancing down, Jake saw a small tattoo-like mark had appeared on the back of his hand.

“Fantastic, that’s all done for you. Don’t worry about the mark; it’s just to identify you as part of the Guild. Here, we still have a few rooms free; you can stay here tonight,” the man said, passing Jake a metallic token and a key with a wooden tag with the number fifteen. “It’s free for association members, but the rest of the new Classers will be here soon, so take it before we fill up.”

Jake took the key gratefully, the part of him worrying about where he’d sleep finally quieting down. Putting the member’s token in his pocket, Jake waited as the administrator noted a few more things down before continuing to speak.

“Head over to the armoury tomorrow morning. The membership list will be updated by then. Show them your mark and explain the situation; they’ll sort you out with equipment. In the meantime, speak with Ari, the big guy over there. He’ll give you a brief introduction, and you can get a more complete one tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” Jake murmured, glancing over in the direction the administrator had pointed to see a big, muscular man sitting on his own in the corner.

“No problem. Come back if you need anything.” With a nod in Jake’s direction, the man turned to the next in the queue, asking them about a job they were working on.

“Excuse me, are you Ari?” Jake asked, approaching the big man he’d been pointed to somewhat cautiously.

“Ah, fresh blood,” the man said, looking over to Jake and giving him an appraising look. “Not one of those rich dicks either. You look like a local.”

“So what if I am?” Jake asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Hah, relax, kid. No need to be so concerned,” Ari said, waving away Jake’s question. “Just nice to see a local is all. Take a seat, unwind. I’m sure it’s been a big day.”

“Yeah, it has,” Jake said grudgingly admitted as he sat down. He’d had to queue at the Ascension hall for at least an hour or two, so his feet were happy for the rest.

“Don’t worry, only a few hours to go,” Ari said with a laugh, gesturing at the dimming sunlight coming through the windows of the building. “So, you already know my name. Guess that means you’ve signed up, right?”

“Yeah, I got my tattoo,” Jake said, showing Ari the back of his hand.

“Good, good. Now, focus on the tattoo and command it to disappear.”

Jake frowned before looking down at the mark and doing as he was told. Surprisingly, the mark did just that, seemingly sinking into his skin without a trace.

“Congratulations, you have command of your first soul mark,” Ari said with a slightly patronising smile. “You can make it appear or disappear at will, but keep it hidden most of the time. Easier that way.”

Jake nodded, not entirely sure what Ari was getting at but glad that he had control over whether or not the mark was shown.

“So, the admin guy said to talk to you. What now?”

“Hold that thought,” Ari said, holding up a finger as he got to his feet and strode over to the bar.

Jake took the opportunity to lean back in his chair, enjoying the chance to have such comfortable furniture.

“Here,” Ari appeared by his side with a tankard of beer, sliding it in front of Jake before retaking his seat and slowly sipping a second tankard. “Ah, that’s the stuff.”

Jake waited for a moment, but Ari simply kicked his feet up onto a nearby chair and sipped his beer.

“You were going to tell me about what we do next?” Jake prompted eventually.

“Hmm, oh, forgot you were here,” Ari said before chuckling at Jake’s expression. “Relax, kid, just messing with you. So, what have they told you so far?”

“I get somewhere to sleep and some food. That’s all, really.”

“Well, that’s the basics, but beyond that, we offer basic equipment, introductory training and a more experienced Classer to guide you and your group through completing your first Dungeon.”

“I see,” Jake said, restraining his urge to grin at the talk of equipment and training.

“Yeah, good isn’t it,” Ari said with a grin. “The Guild also has control of a few lower-tier Dungeons, and you can delve them for free if you show your mark. We also act as brokers if you need to sell anything special. Beyond that, the main thing that jumps to mind is that being part of a Guild is having a support structure at your back, and none of the other Guilds are quite like this one.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that the people here care, and that’s rarer than you might think,” Ari said, his smile turning melancholic for a moment before he shook it off. “Enough of that talk, though. You should go get some rest. We’ll have a meeting in the morning with all the new Classers. You can learn more then.”

“Yeah, maybe I should,” Jake said, Ari’s words making him realise just how tired he felt. The Ascension process had really drained him. An early night would be more than welcome.

Leaving Ari to his beer, Jake headed upstairs and found his room, the soft mattress of his bed lulling him to sleep almost as soon as he lay down on it.