The City of Everest

As you and Liza walked out of the Cunning Stunt and towards the guildhall, you made an effort to get a clear lay of the land. And one thing stood out for you: concentric circles.

The city seemed to be built in rings, with shoulder-high dry stone walls separating sections of the city from one another. Each section was only a few buildings deep but ran out far to the left and right from wherever you were standing. The buildings themselves were themselves cobbled together from stone, thatched roofs, and mud. In other words, the perfect stereotypical house for a medieval setting – if it weren't for the fact you were on a steep mountaintop with no trees or loose rock in sight to build these homes.

As you left the Cunning Stunt, you could conclude your temporary home was in the Commercial Ring of the city. Right next to the pub was a blacksmith, greengrocers, and a string of other shops selling god-knows-what. The shops themselves were unremarkable until you saw a bright green tinge in the hands of the smithy working their anvil. "Magic", you thought to yourself.

As you walked further into the city with Liza, you noticed the houses get steadily taller, shoddier, and just generally poorer. It seemed the cheapest housing was stuffed together in the middle of the city where there was less room. And as you walked further through the streets, you saw more beggars, labourers, and prostitutes come out to look at Liza and you. They eyed you carefully, but nobody dared to approach. A quick scan revealed all these characters as level two at most.

Finally, you found the most central circle of the city. "Here we are", Liza said, and you approached what could only be the Guildhall itself.

From the outside, you could see the Guildhall was old. Very old. Ancient, even – vines grew along its walls, paint peeled around the top, and stone had chipped away all along its bottom. It was the tallest building around, to be sure, but you're amazed the whole thing hadn't collapsed a long time ago.

In its heyday, the building would have clearly been the centre of Everest. You could see entrances for people on foot, space for horse-and-carriage, and even places for shops and markets. But that must have been long ago. The guildhall itself now seemed almost dead within Everest.

"But," you thought, "if there is anywhere that would give me answers to what I am looking for, this seems to be the logical place. Let's start here and see if anyone can help."