[center][b][h2]High District, Lenkik[/h2][/b][/center]

[hr]

The Guild of the Inquisitors was nestled into a rarely-visited corner of Lenkik’s high district. From the outside, it was a large building of quite exquisitely designed architecture, though being among many others of its sort, it still managed to be unassuming. Unlike other guild halls, there were no markings on the outside to indicate its purpose. Nothing to make it stand out. If someone was important enough to have legitimate business with the Inquisitors’ Guild, then they would be able to find them. 

Through the entryway was a large chamber with a vaulted ceiling. Not an uncommon feature for high-class Ascendancy architecture, but what was notable was how bare it all was. In other guilds or businesses, they might adorn the walls with murals, paintings, or carvings. The owners might bring in statues for decoration or arrange proper sitting areas in their lobby. For the Inquisitors, though, their lobby felt like an almost uncomfortably large room of fine, but plain white marble, with just a single desk at its center. 

Aside from Kolvar and the soldier, there were just three others in the spacious room. In the back, standing on either side of the closed doorway leading in to the rest of the building were two Inquisitor guards, a Glen and a Tekeri. They were what the average person tended to think of when imagining an Inquisitor, as they were the ones who served their guild openly in a defined role. They both wore a full suit of steel laminar armor, including helmets with full masks, engraved with a visage of their own respective species. On the mask, emblazoned at the center of their foreheads was the insignia of the guild: an eye with two pupils, one looking backwards, and another forwards. Both guards carried halberds and stood like statues without so much as acknowledging the new arrivals. 

Behind the desk was a Tekeri man of unremarkable build and stature. His feathers were immaculately clean, his beak and talons polished, and he wore the kind of fine jewelry that was common to high class Tekeri, but he otherwise had no uniform. The only thing identifying him as a member of the Inquisitors’ Guild was a small, simple medallion with their insignia, which was identical to what any other member of any rank would wear. Sometimes to the irritation of outsiders, it was often difficult to understand exactly who one was dealing with when interacting with members of the guild. Aside from Inquisitor Guards, they wore no uniforms and almost never identified their rank. Their organizational structure was a mystery to anyone outside their guild, and if they were not serving a public-facing position, they would almost certainly not wear the guild insignia. Anyone could be an inquisitor, and the Tekeri man in front of them could have been anything from a prominent officer, to a secretary. 

The Inquisitor did not greet them, but rather waited for one of them to state their business. “Spearman Major Baraw of Lenkik.” He began, presenting his rank insignia for the Inquisitor to inspect. As they had shapeshifted to return to Lenkik quickly, it was the only one of his belongings he had been able to bring with him. “I am here on the order of Nellara, Castigator of the City of Lenkik. I am presenting a formal, [i]emergency[/i] request for the services of a Guild Thought Mage.”

The Inquisitor did not speak a word in question of the order. To make an emergency request for a Thought Mage was an order that carried considerable weight, as did the consequences for making such an order frivolously. “Wait here.” He said firmly before promptly turning around and heading through the doors behind him deeper into the building. 

The wait was quiet, and perhaps awkward, but it was certainly not long. It was hardly more than five minutes before someone returned, though it was not the Tekeri. Rather, it was a pair of Inquisitor Guards, both Glen with polearms like the others guarding the door. One took a step forward towards Kolvar and Baraw. “Walk with us, and do not deviate from our path.” She warned the pair. 

Heading deeper into the Guild Hall, one of the guards walked in front, while the other walked behind the pair, though the two Glen still walked in perfect step with one another. The hallways were as plain as the lobby; just undecorated marble. Whether or not every room was similarly unremarkable, though, they could not know, as [i]every[/i] single door they passed on the way to their destination was closed tight, usually with a guard at its side. There was no way to know if this was normal for the Guild, or if they only took extra precautions when they had visitors. 

Although none of the doors seemed too different from any other, the Guards appeared to know just where to bring them. One of the Glen opened the door and ushered the pair inside, then both followed them in and closed it behind them. 

This room was one with far more personality than any other they had seen thusfar. It actually looked like it was someone’s home, and quite a nice one at that. There were beautiful paintings decorating the walls, expensive furniture, and a wonderful view of the city out the window. Aside from the Guards who had followed them in, there were two other guards who had already been present. One was a Tekeri, while the other was an Iriad: a notable rarity outside of their homeland, though none of their expressions could be seen behind their masks. 

At a large table in the center of the room sat another individual. This time, a S’tor. He was roughly middle-aged with dull red scales, and by the fact that he was unarmored and unmasked, was clearly not one of the guards. In fact, the light smile he gave as his guests approached showed more emotion than every single other person they had met since they had arrived. He wore a vibrant violet robe, with silver embroidery. He was not built like a fighter, but he was still a S’tor. Even an untrained S’tor could still physically overpower  any other of Kanth-Aremek’s intelligent species. “Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you both. I am told that I am to be assigned to assist our Castigator. Please, tell me what you need.”