Chapter 23: Long-awaited Bureaucracy
Gemore was built up the slope of the mountain shaped like a curling wave just about to crash. When Nathan had first climbed to the very top to swear the Adventurer’s Oath upon the Seal, he’d passed by the council chambers. They were built at the very back of the shallow cavern formed by the overarching stone of the mountain. At the time he’d thought them incredible works of craftsmanship, rivaling the best that Earth had to offer. The council chambers were an original construction of Old Gemore and had a swooping artistic architecture that pleased the eyes. Since then he’d seen dozens of examples of ancient architecture, including the Ascendent Academy itself. The Council Chambers were still equal to any of them in style, if not in size.
It was also definitely a dungeon at some point. Likely conquered when Giantsrest first established a colony out here to loot the surrounding ruins. Before their slaves revolted.
The guards on the building opened the front doors as he landed in the courtyard before the grand building. Off to the side was another gate, this one leading to the staircase tunneled out of the mountain that led up to the Seal. It was locked and barred.
Nathan nodded to the guards as he strode into the council building, finding a wide stone corridor inside took him deeper into the building before splitting to go in two directions. There were helpful signs stuck onto the stone, and Nathan followed them towards the central council chambers. He passed by clerks carrying scrolls or clay tablets. Glancing through an open door he saw a grand vaulted room with a defaced stone statue on the other side. It had been converted into administrative space, and the room was busy with people sorting through shelves to find old records.
He was interrupted by a crash as a clerk dropped her load. The woman’s eyes were fixed on the book in Nathan’s hands, her eyes wide and shocked. She looked up and met his eyes before blushing scarlet and turning to flee. He blinked at the interaction but decided not to pursue.
Likely a skill of some kind. Maybe it let her read some of what’s in here, or just told her of its value. I should have brought it in a dimensional bag if I wanted it to stay secret.
Soon enough he arrived at the council chambers proper and walked into the center of a surprisingly small room with a raised semicircular dais at one end. From the magical circuitry scattered around the room it was obvious that something massively powerful had once occupied the central space, and it looked like dozens of statues had once occupied the dias. But now that space had been filled by seven large desks. Behind each of them sat the council of Gemore, elders all.
Nathan knew Sudraiel and Herdin, but he didn’t recognize the other five. They represented the seven guilds of Gemore. Beyond the Adventurers and Crafters there were the Guards, the Villagers, the Farmers, the Gatherers, and the Traders. Three for Gemore, three for the villages and one to tie them all together. All of the Guildmasters were old and grizzled, and each looked down on Nathan with the weight of long experience.
Sudraiel was the first to speak. “The Antimage has returned with urgent words for us. But first, let us recall your deeds. You recently freed Halsmet and defeated the army sent to reclaim it. Then you became an Assassin to infiltrate Giantsrest, where you defeated a Questor and cast down the Ascendent Academy." She paused, looking around at the other councilmembers. Her words hadn't been intended for Nathan, but to remind the other councilmembers who they were dealing with. She turned her gaze back to Nathan again. "What more blasphemous secrets of Kalis do you bring to us?”