Delvers of the Deep Rings, a guild along Alledha's Way

[Eraamion]

Adventurers and mercenaries arriving to Ticker square through the ring gate of Alledha's Way would pass a small house on their left, opposite the Prospectors' Hall, with a wooden signboard above the entrance door. On the signboard, a black raven is painted, its eye the color of sapphires, holding a single coin in its beak.

Inside, heavy scent of cigar smoke assails the visitors, mixed with diverse fragrances of reagents and arcane concoctions. Rows and rows of arcane scrolls are categorized neatly on the shelves, into schools and circles. Some of them, pristine, bear the midnight blue seal of the shoppe's grumpy proprietor, while the others, a majority of them, are of varying quality and seals, some even slightly scorched or dirtied. Vials of different sizes and hues line the counter, their properties a mystery. Jewelry and arcane trinkets are displayed in opened cases all over the small room, protected with wards of abjury.

From time to time, larger artifacts and weaponry appear laid on the ground and placed against the walls. A small animated broom slowly sweeps dust among them, avoiding even the tiniest of scratches. Those of sharper ears hear quiet bubbling and sizzling coming from behind a locked door. The attention of the visitor, however, soon turns toward a black raven perched on the counter behind the vials, watching blinklessly with its stormy sapphire eyes.

PAY THE DOORRRRKEEPERRR, SUMMON THE MASTERRR, the raven caws in its strange, humanlike manner, when found there alone. Other times, it offers words of great wisdom. BLURRR ORR DIE, HASTE AND SURRRVIVE. However, with its dwarven master behind the counter or talking to his associates in the rear room, the raven contents itself with caws of encouragement, greeting the visitors, or praising their mercantile skill with ill-concealed malice.

Gone the mercenaries, gone the barricades; after the sacking of Tickertown by the Copper Torcs, Ravenshylde Emporium has returned to its humble roots - a nondescript house with the signboard of a groat-holding raven, the damage swiftly repaired through the proprietor's magics. Alledha's Way is now monitored by the Copper Torc enforcers and the offering of the shoppe has been calibrated carefully, seemingly addressing the dire supply needs of the weakened conquerors, whose officers pass by, able to dispense the vast plundered wealth.

A Toyfolly squad scurries into the basement, guided by the raven familiar. Before their visit, the grit and sweat residue of mercenaries still lingers. After, steam and hum, as if from augmented alchymies, pervade the space, enabled through the ingenuous instruments laid out on the cots, now turned into makeshift tables.

One day, a woman in the armor of Copper Torcs is seen entering the Ravenshylde Emporium and talking to the dwarven proprietor, leaving with her purse lighter and her potion bag heavier. Their words did not reach the bystander outside, but soon thereafter the dwarf, packed for travel, walks around the square, bidding the fellow merchants wishes of prosperity before walking out of the Open Door and toward the deeper rings. A whisper soon arrives through the bronze baubles.

Hearken ye. For thine trades and affairs with mineself, ye may now reach me in Towertop and the planar Crossroads for deliveries of draughts, wands and scrolls and sale of thine finds of worth. 'Twas Ordyn Ravenshylde.

While the coming days may see the erstwhile associates walk in and out of the shoppe, the lack of the proprietor's presence, the dust that is allowed to settle, and the unsentimental notice at the entrance mark the end of a certain era.

Closed.

A period of turmoil ensues, and with war coming to a close and peace restored, relations in Tickertown reconfigured. The victors' imperious decrees draw the merchant-wizard of Ravenshylde back from the deep rings, fighting for his reputation and survival. At last, at no small expense and effort, both are preserved, and the dwarf dons the blue and gold of the newly formed Weavers' Guild. His wares are offered in a humbler ambience and at many places as he travels and plunders between the rings; among the wares, an increasing number of relics containing divine sparks or emanating strange auras.

[Eraamion]

Life returns to the once-shuttered shoppe. First with a sapphire-eyed raven perching imperiously on a faded signboard, then with occasional inspections of dwarves and men bearing the dark blue and brown colours of the Delvers. At last, the Toyfolly gnomes arrive and begin the refurbishments with their usual prodigious precision, widening the doorways and installing spacious cupboards and crate pens. A surly gold dwarf, whom the locals would recognise from the past times, comes to inspect the progress, his hand of gold feeling the texture, thickness and worth of the materials.

At last, the signboard is repainted, showing now the sigil of the Delvers' Guild. Plunder is brought in and stored safely, and the Delvers present in the 99 walk down into the barracks to claim their bunks. The raven familiar of Ravenshylde flies over Alledha's Way when not hunting for human carcass and flesh, cawing at any larger caravan or affluent merchant to draw their attention toward this guildhall of Tickertown's foremost plunderers.

Heark'ye. The Delvers' Guild hath now opened the guildhall in Tickertowne, where Ravenshylde Emporium once was. Come ye conduct thine affairs and order thine delving and recovery commissions, and peruse the plunder from deep rings. Ye guildmembers, find me to receive thine keys.

Inside, Delvers come to sign in after their travels into deeper rings, and handle affairs of plunder and groat between their bouts of rest and leisure in the nearer rings. Various artifacts, items and crafts are on offer, as well as services provided by the Delvers' Guild. Next to the roster, the mandate and tenets of the guildmembers are available for perusal

[Eraamion]

The Knaves' robbery in broad daylight compounded with the Delvers' almost permanent presence in deep rings has given the guildhall an air of shabbiness and decrepitude, with the only new thing to be found being a parchment with angrily written list of plunder, slapped on the entrance door. A sapphire-eyed raven regularly flies from the direction of deep rings, replacing the parchment and tearing the old one apart with its sharp beak, the arcane ink still glistening with freshness as the passersby read its contents.

Ducal Curator's Robes, Ducal Singer's Gloves, Planar Magic Mushroom, Bloodtusk Draconic Channeler's Robes, Celestial Crown, Wizard's Mantle, Hollow Goblin Safety Vest, Chalice of Lost Heroes, Guardian's Helm, Abyssal Greaves, Stone of World Distortion, Smelter's Gauntlets, Ducal Guard's Longsword, Ornate Staff of Silence, Ancient Aegis, Bloodtusk Guerilla Leather. Arcane wands to order. Flawed White Ioun Stone, mighty green ash of greater restoration, Barbed Blood Wrap, Bloodborn Battle-Rager Wrap, Wand of Stoneskin, a rock to turn stone to flesh, Gutripper Dagger, Mercenary's Deadly Shamshir, Swaggerer's Cinquedea, Potion of Greater Spiritward, Bloodtusk Dragon Channeler's Neckcords, Bloodtusk Ring, Hollow Goblin Aphrodisiac Tunic. Shield of the Sturdy Soul, Balanced Sickle, surplus fullplates forged in Tickertowne, eyes of dead wyrms. Hunter's Band, Hollow Goblin Garter Belt, Hired Man's Bracers, Grey Wolf Skin Pelt.