Amethystra Pt. 02

Wolf grinned. "Must be extremely cunning, if that sign is accurate."

Hammer smirked. "It is."

"Keep it in your pants," Ravin said to Wolf. He chuckled in response.

"In good time," Hammer said, waving them onward. "I imagine you'll both have time to avail yourselves of Amethystra's many charms."

The trio walked southward, toward a bulge in the earth upon which a black stone tower rose high above the rest of the city, taller than the Tower of the Crimson Hawks. Eilis Street was the most beautiful walk in Amethystra. Each building had its own charm and its own offering unique from all the rest. All had one thing in common, though: beauty. No matter the offering—from stout plate armor to libations and tinctures, each product was designed with aesthetic appeal in mind. Moreover, though each building served its own purpose, offered its own aesthetics, they each came together to create an overall tapestry along both sides of Eilis Street that was its own beautiful work of art, constructed by the genius architects hired by the Amethystrans.

"I confess," Ravin said at one point, "that this must be the most elegant city I have ever had the pleasure of walking. My compliments to the King."

"It is not I that deserves your compliments, but my bride, the Matron Mother of House Torvirr. It was her vision and inspiration that raised this city from the ground up in a matter of decades."

"Decades?" Wolf asked, incredulous. "How old are you, man?"

"This year will mark my fiftieth winter."

Both Wolf and Ravin were silent at that proclamation, for Hammer appeared no more than half that age. Hammer only grinned. The street opened up before them, circling around a grassy area within which a fountain bloomed and music emanated from towering floral arrangements. The enchanted grove gave them all pause, and Hammer lead them to a sheltered sitting area.

"When you look around, what do you see?" Hammer asked them as he took a seat. His breadth consumed an entire bench, as did Wolf's. Ravin found herself a small chair, perfectly suited for her.

"Beauty," Wolf said. "Everywhere I look, my senses are consumed by some of the most beautiful works of art I have ever laid eyes upon."

"Look at the people," Hammer said as two men walked by.

Ravin did so, gauging them, measuring their stride, their gait, the way they carried themselves. She examined their garb, their equipment. Then she looked to others: a woman walked by with deep, dark eyes, clad in a robe as black as night and a staff that oozed magic. Then, an elf strode on, two swords on her hip and a bow on her back, each weapon of fine, if not exquisite craftsmanship.

"There is not a single citizen of Amethystra that has not proven their mettle in some way," she said. "Each of your people are capable, hardy, and intrepid."

Hammer nodded. "Many of them I have fought beside. If not me, then my friends. Aside from the standing military I employ, we have dozens of highly-skilled adventurers, warriors, mages, and such like. I encourage all of the citizenry to take up training in martial, arcane, or the divine. Even our chefs have some training in at least one discipline."

"So, what need have you for a monster hunting guild," Wolf reasoned, smirking despite his disappointment. Amethystra was a small facet in a much larger gem, of course, but he found that Amethystra was more suited to his sensibilities than the other, more stolid cities across the North.

"None at all," Hammer said, smiling. "Come."

Ravin and Wolf shared a disappointed look, but, as one, decided to take advantage of the hospitality. They followed Hammer until he turned down a much smaller avenue with no signpost. They walked for what felt like matter of heartbeats before a shifting, disorienting sensation overcame them. Ravin recovered quicker than Wolf, but her confusion lingered as they found themselves standing before the wide façade of a two-story building nearly right against the walls of Amethystra.

"There are some secret ways in Amethystra that I am privy to," he said, "as one of its founders. We have come to the western wall, far from the bustle and most beautiful parts of the city. This is Alagorn's Storehouse. Alagorn has recently passed away, and his assets were dissipated throughout the city, per his parting wishes."

"Well met," a handsome man said as he opened the front door of the building. He wore dark leathers, had a fine goatee and a mess of black hair crowning his head. He smiled warmly, but the many daggers on his person, openly displayed on his leather hauberk, breeches, and belt, belied a danger about the man.

"This is Tobias Silk. He has assured me that everything is order and will have documents for the two of you to review."

"Documents?" Ravin asked.

"We will require an official record of the Ravinwolf Hunter's Guild owning this property, of course," Hammer said with a wide smile. "Welcome to Amethystra. You will be granted lodging within the Horned Harlot for the next fortnight to get your affairs in order, and a mage from the Violet Tower will provide you with a means of magical communication to your associates abroad, if you do not already have such."

"You jest," Wolf said. "You made a show of how capable the people of Amethystra are, and now invite us to simply begin operations here?"

"It is not the people of Amethystra I am concerned with. The North is a wild place. Rumors you may have heard about how untamed this frontier is do not do it justice."

"There are four major stabilizing forces across the entire breadth of the North," Tobias added. "Rua'Corona, a city of elves west and north of here, is largely reclusive, and their patrols do not extend beyond their own claimed borders. Argentmoon is at the eastern edge of the Free Marches, and though their riders often patrol all the way to Rua'Corona's borders, they cannot overextend their resources due to threats further to the east and the constant presence of malevolent, monstrous creatures that roam the Worldwyrm Mountains. Amethystra is flush with seasoned adventurers—slayers of demons, dragons, giants, and more—but our influence is comparatively small. We number less than half the fighting forces of Argentmoon and Rua'Corona."

"The fourth," Hammer continued, "is the League of Mithril Axes. They are a dwarven contingent comprised of warriors from the four dwarfhomes across the Free Marches. Their leader is a close friend of mine, though we have not crossed paths in many years. The Mithril Axes protect us from subterranean threats primarily, but they have been instrumental in putting down every major insurrection in the last century."

"We know some of what you face in the Free Marches," Wolf said. "Yetis, ogres, giants. We have heard little of dragons or demons in the region."

"The Worldwyrm Mountains are full of dragons," Hammer assured them. "They rarely venture this far south, and they tend to pick at the farmlands when they do maraud. After Alluvamethystra perished, though, we anticipate more daring attacks from the Wyrms."

"We will be fully operational in a fortnight, no longer," Wolf assured Hammer. They clasped wrists and embraced as brothers.

"Come to House Torvirr tonight. Revel with us and celebrate. I am certain that this will be beneficial for all the Free Marches, and no small boon to your coffers," Hammer said.

"Speaking of," Ravin said, "how will you handle our contracts?"

"We are no major city," Hammer said. "We cannot afford to pay out for every goblin ear and orc tusk you bring us. I would prefer you aim your sights at bigger prey anyway. We will not pay as well as Argentmoon, Haven, or any other city you may have engaged in, but we will take no tax on labors that benefit the region."

Wolf seemed appeased, and Ravin, despite the promise of lesser coin, nodded. "A shame this is not our home," she said to Wolf.

The giantkin man nodded, smiling at her. "I could move."