38

Walking out of H’Rull’s you take a look at the sky. The Watchtower is so tall you can probably see part of it from anywhere in the city, and you can imagine that, provided the right parts of it be covered by low clouds, it might not always be clear which direction the root lies. Today it’s sunny out, so you have a pretty good idea where to go, and set out on your way, reminding yourself to look ahead of yourself on the ground as you go.

As you move deeper into the city in the particular direction you think your destination is, the streets change around you. Buildings look older, sturdier, and bigger. Stone blocks become increasingly prevalent as construction material, and outward protruding storey are nowhere to be seen. Windows are huge on average, and usually high up, with big wooden shutters. Smoke of every colour but black white or grey billows out of certain chimneys. The front doors of many houses have metal plaques with inscriptions etched into them. Upon close inspection, you discover these are headquarters of the various Guilds. Many are meaningless to you, perhaps dealing with specific aspects of the life of the city you wouldn’t know of as a mere peasant. But some evoke some familiar melds of trades. The Guild of Stone Masons, for instance, or the Blacksmiths. There is even one for the very profession you currently are seeking: the cobblers. The Peacekeepers must be on a point up in some sort of hierarchy. This is confirmed when you turn a corner and stumble upon the Watchtower. The foot is covered in doors of all sizes, each with haphazardly maintained inscriptions indicating the department they lead to. The biggest is a set of double-doors, with a faded painting of a half-moon between them. Beside a very large knocker, is a rusting plaque where you can just barely read the word ‘”wizards.” And right next to that imposing entrance is a ladder leading two steps upwards, to a white door with “Peacekeepers” roughly painted on in black. You have reached your destination.

Turn to 81.