Two hours passed in festivity. Everyone was enjoying themselves, eating, drinking, and playing around. A gaggle of children could be seen running through the halls, ducking under tables, and hopping over chairs as they chased one another. Three wyverian men stood on a stage, dressed in bright colors and playing their practiced instruments. The crowd cheered whenever a song ended, taking massive swigs from their drinks.
Meanwhile, Velk, Sylas, and Ash sat at a small corner table, away from the larger crowd. As they ate, Velk excitedly talked about his eagerness to explore the world and finally begin his adventure, with Ash included, of course. Since neither Velk nor Sylas was fluent in Lynian speech, Ash couldn't contribute much to the conversation. Occasionally, he would add a 'word' or two here and there.
Occasionally, someone from the guild or those who knew the boys would stop by to initiate a conversation. Most didn't stick around long, wanting to talk to others or explore the place. However, there was one man whom Velk believed had taken an interest in Sylvas. He was a young-looking wyverian with long black hair, tall pointed ears, and a sharp jawline. Both the wyverian, who introduced himself as Xientas, and Sylas got along nicely.
Xientas turned out to be a rather pleasant guy. He and Sylvas had started a conversation about carapaceon wyverns and the various uses of their hard shells. Velk understood that carapaceon wyverns were a specific class of wyverns that resembled large crustaceans, featuring hard shells and exoskeletons. They typically had pincers or claws and occasionally used poison to incapacitate their foes.
Both Velk and Ash found it challenging to follow the conversation, so they somewhat tuned out the 'nerd' talk. Velk enjoyed learning new things, particularly anything that could aid his future hunting, but once they began using terms he had never heard before and could not grasp, he sat in silence and watched the time pass by with glazed eyes.
When the clock struck noon, two large doors in the center of the room were pulled open, revealing a wide passageway leading underground. The passage was located between the two sets of stairs ascending to the second floor. Although the hall was expansive, it couldn't comfortably accommodate more than five hundred people; therefore, beneath the guildhall lay a vast underground auditorium that functioned as the de facto disaster hideout.
Two guild receptionists began ushering people down while Velk and the others watched silently from the side, waiting for their turn. Many others were also entering the guildhall from outside, only enlarging the mass. Once the crowd was somewhat cleared, the trio made their way through.
It wasn't a very long passage, but it took some time to reach the bottom due to the number of people trying to cram in. Once there, however, they entered the large auditorium that could easily accommodate a large population. After all, it was initially designed as an escape bunker.
In front of everyone stood a large platform. On the platform sat a very short, old wyverian, resting on a lavish gold pillow with a walking stick on her lap. She wore a fine purple and red silk robe that spread extravagantly across the floor before her, emphasizing her seniority in the guild. Her ears were long and pointed, but her earlobes sagged under the weight of large crescent earrings. Her hair was a wise grey, styled in a bun with sticks.
Velk had seen this woman a few times. She was the appointed guild master for the Rak-Al-Faar district. Guild masters, or guild managers—a step below—were responsible for overseeing a village and its surrounding region for the guild. They directed hunters and promoted them to higher ranks within the guild. This woman had been the lead spokesperson for the last two rallies that Velk attended, which explained why he recognized her immediately.
Rows of stools filled the auditorium, parallel to the stage, with many already occupied. The seats were divided into two colors: red cushions near the platform for guild members and blue ones in the back for guests. Above the ground, fancy-looking platforms were attached to the walls for guild officials and VIPs, providing a better vantage point and more comfortable seating.
"We should look for somewhere to sit before it starts." Sylvas tugged at Velk's shirt to draw his attention. The room was noisy, making it hard to fully hear what Sylvas said, but Velk caught bits of it. He simply nodded at Sylvas and began guiding him toward some available seats.
Once they sat down, other guests quickly surrounded them. After a few minutes had passed and most everyone had found seats, a gong rang out, instantly silencing the room with a few hushed whispers. The guild master remained relaxed on her pillow, waiting for everything to begin. Once the room was quiet, she patted down her dress and stood up from her lofty cushion with a wide smile.
She stared at the crowd and cleared her aged voice before speaking. "Welcome, people of Rak-Al-Faar. It brings me great joy to see your bright and beautiful smiles each time a rally comes around." She smiled widely, her grin stretching from ear to ear.
"Today, we are here to discuss the new rules and regulations enacted by the Hunter's Guild, which we are required to abide by. We will also talk about the latest findings from our hunter and scholars teams, reward decorations for those who deserve them, and honor those who have recently passed. . . . Let's begin."
The gong was struck once again before the guild master called upon a woman standing off to the side, carrying a couple of scrolls. Once the guild master had the woman place the scrolls at her feet, she bent down and snatched one of them. She unrolled it, cleared her throat, and began, "Let's see here. . . ah. . . ." She started reading from the scroll while occasionally looking up to explain in detail, ensuring that everyone understood everything.
The scroll detailed the Old World and a prohibition the guild had placed on the hunting and capturing of two protected species in the region of Minegarde. Many of the guild's regulations were established to prevent hunters from targeting certain monsters in the Old World for a limited time. Since they were based in the New World, such rules lacked significant relevance.
The Old World had achieved a delicate balance within its ecosystem, mainly due to the substantial population of humanoids residing there. This 'delicate balance' had yet to manifest in the New World for several reasons, resulting in almost no restrictions on the hunting of aggressive and unruly monsters wherever they appeared and threatened villages.
There were also a few other aspects, such as events occurring in the capital and various quests requiring elite hunters to fulfill. Many districts lack the quality of personnel necessary to keep themselves well-defended and supplied; therefore, they seek assistance elsewhere.
Once the guild master finished reading the first scroll, she delicately placed it down and picked up a second scroll with her dainty fingers. This new scroll listed locations discovered in both the Old World and the New World. Every district receives the same information and shares it during their rally every three months. While nothing was new for the Old World, the New World had many fascinating discoveries to be learned and discussed. It was estimated that the New World was many times larger than the Old World, so it would take many years to explore it thoroughly.
The guild master treated the second scroll just as she had with the first before picking up a third. This third scroll detailed newly discovered wyvern species and any observed subspecies or variants. It described an oddly colored Baggi that was slightly more robust than usual. Velk was familiar with what a Baggi was, primarily because it had been mentioned multiple times in the beginner books he owned.
Velk knew the baggi was a social bird-type wyvern that could put other creatures to sleep using its saliva. Although the sleep it induces does not usually last long, baggi are quick, making it nearly impossible not to become baggi food if you fall victim to the attack. This new baggi was orange instead of the standard blue and possessed a more potent sleep sac, allowing its saliva to be more effective. Once a male baggi grows old enough, it increases in size and becomes a Great Baggi; this is almost always followed by an attempt to overthrow the current alpha of the pack. If the orange baggi had been allowed to grow, it might have become an Orange Great Baggi or another unique name.
Sylvas was intently listening to the guild master's words. This was definitely his thing; he loved reading and discussing monster variants. Velk enjoyed it, too, but would have preferred to see the monster instead of just hearing about it. It doesn't help that the monster is already dead, and another one probably won't be seen for a long time, if ever.
Moving on to the fourth scroll, it described the newly discovered plant and animal life. While Velk found little of interest, the information was valuable to others in need. Many may not remember everything mentioned here, so a concise version is recorded on paper and displayed on the guildhall walls for members to revisit if necessary.
The fifth and final scroll detailed new potions, equipment, edible food, and enchantments that were either created or discovered. Long ago, an ancient civilization was wiped out due to their experiments on wyverns, which earned them the creatures' ire. While it is not publicly known what ultimately destroyed them, it is hypothesized that their actions disrupted the world's 'all-important balance," leading to destruction at the hands of the very wyverns they had experimented on. This is why the Hunter's Guild emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance and respecting nature and its denizens.
Numerous ruins were left behind after the fall of the ancient civilization, many of which have been explored and studied thoroughly, providing considerable knowledge to the Hunter's Guild. This knowledge enabled them to create powerful weapons for hunting wyverns. They held recordings of Elder dragons and various enchantments they would inscribe onto their gear. Thus, unique weapons and armor granted "skills" to their users.
Many 'new' inventions were found in ruins and were recreated for use by the general populace. The ruins also imparted various techniques for predicting when monsters would attack a settlement or migrate to new regions.
After the guild master finished with the scrolls, she summoned the woman to collect them and called some men to bring out additional cases and scrolls. This time, rewards were set to be distributed to the fortunate hunters and guild staff. This was an exhilarating moment for those not solely scholars or academically inclined.
The guild master began reading the names on the scrolls and called individuals to receive their rewards. The rewards varied based on each person's role and contributions. Hunters, for example, could earn rewards such as zenny, weapons, armor, charms, decorations, medals, or individual titles, along with advancements to their guild cards. In contrast, scholars, engineers, and guild receptionists typically received zenny, trophies, and occasionally a title, although titles were rare and few between. Generally, the rewards were what would be appreciated by each recipient.
One by one, everyone watched as guild members approached the stage to receive their rewards. Their feats were almost always publicly announced to the spectators. There was one man whom Velk did not recognize, who had successfully slain a dangerous Nargacuga nicknamed "Shadow Stalker." He had encountered it during an expedition tasked with exterminating or driving off a Rathian, which had been causing problems for the surrounding villages.
The man was promoted to a High-Rank Hunter after returning with the Nargacuga and delivering it to the guild for rewards. This promotion drew a great cheer from the crowd, as it was rare for a hunter to achieve high rank, and high-rank hunters were always valued. He was also rewarded with a new title, "Shadow's Bane." Hunters can obtain titles based on the achievements they have made for themselves. Ordinary hunters tended to get pretty lame nicknames, if at all, but once they reached high rank, they became a lot more creative and noteworthy.
After distributing the rewards, everyone was returned to their seats, and the stage was cleared. It didn't take long for a group of men and women holding various guild cards to come onto the stage and surround a blue fire placed by a well-dressed man. The guild master stepped forward to address the crowd.
"We will now move on to the final section of this meeting, where we will honor the deceased by sharing their stories and highlighting their achievements. May the Sapphire Star always guide their path."
Everyone, including Velk, Ash, and Sylvas, suddenly stood to show their respect. A man or woman would approach the fire one by one, holding the fallen member's guild card. Since bodies were often not recovered, burning the guild cards instead became a tradition. They would stand in front of the blazing blue fire and recount the tale of their deceased friend before throwing the guild card into the flames. Occasionally, the death was due to old age, and no friends were available to honor the passing, so the guild would rely on a knowledgeable receptionist to share the story.
The funeral was not easy for many in the crowd, as most people know each other in small cities like this one, and the family of the deceased guild member almost always attended. Even if the person had been dead for three months, it brought back memories, and cries of grief echoed throughout the crowd as friends and family shared their stories. Velk knew a few of the fallen, but it did not affect him much since he never got to know them well. Alas, it's the natural cycle of life.
After the funeral, which felt like an eternity, had passed, the guild master stepped forward to give a goodbye speech to everyone going home. She then proceeded to discuss the upcoming event. It was announced that they would hold a race while the new aspiring hunters were being recruited. The hunters and other willing guild staff would have to clear five laps while running through the city. During the rally, multiple traps and obstacles were placed throughout the roads.
The race track had been cleared of citizens to ensure their safety, but they were permitted to remain off to the side or in their homes to watch the event. Again, anything goes. The guild members were allowed to attack one another, doing everything in their power to win, as long as it did not endanger property or life.
The reward's never mentioned until after the event's over, and there are occasionally prizes for more than just the winner. So, even if the participants know they cannot win, most still join for participation rewards. If you set up a trap ahead of the other racers and prevent them from advancing for a while, you might be rewarded for your quick thinking and creativity. Of course, this will likely earn you the disdain of many participants briefly, but grudges are rarely held among the common folk.
Velk could not watch the event, but he was excited nonetheless. Today was the day he would finally become a hunter and begin his adventure. After the guild master dismisses them, he is supposed to find a guild receptionist and sign up for the recruitment test along with Ash. If both he and Ash pass, they can create a bond together through the guild, thus becoming hunter and palico.