Mountain Guide

Eirwen observed the enthusiastic woman approaching them. Sturdy leather armour, with fur covering the gaps to help keep her body warm. Long, silver-dyed hair in multiple braids, held at her back through a loose scarf. Likely to prevent anyone from using her hair against her in combat, while still being able to show it off. On her left side a curved blade, designed for slashing. It was an excellent sword, and at first glance it would hold a Verglas edge quite nicely.

After Red had a quick chat, which Eirwen pretended not to eavesdrop on, he brought the woman over to greet her. "Miss Snow, this is Fang. She was born in the mountains and often works as a guide in these parts, teaching newcomers how to best navigate the wilderness. Given how I haven't been around here for a while, perhaps you could hire her to help supplement my knowledge."

In the unnamed twelfth Flameheart territory, plenty of people make a living despite not having an active ruling noble. Every year, more people come here, in an attempt to leave their past behind. Some come to prove themselves, discarding their name and letting only their skills and mind speak for themselves. Others come for business, aiming to profit from the natural riches to be obtained here.

One thing all these newlings and travellers have in common, is that they will have a hard time navigating the physical and social wilderness. This puts them at risk of being taken advantage of, not to mention of running into a threat they cannot handle. But for those in the mountains, they prefer when people survive. So they banded together and will recommend so-proclaimed mountain guides.

To become a guide, one needs a lot of experience, as well as a good personality. Someone who knows how to handle bad customers, and who is perfectly willing to kill if needed to protect themselves and their charges. Who knows the lay of the land, where the monsters hide, where profits can be made. To be recommended by many, they must have proven themselves in a large variety of areas.

And most importantly, they must be a capable teacher. Because an escort may keep you safe, but a guide can teach you how to keep yourself safe. If a guide isn't able to teach their charges, they will never be able to integrate properly into the lawless yet wilful society of those that dwell in the mountains.

There have been times where a guide didn't make it back. If this happens, the people guided had better be able to explain exactly what happened. Because to those in the mountains, the guides are how they keep their new people safe. To betray a guide is to betray the mountains. And to betray the mountains, is to seek death. The only way to stay safe as a community here, is to grant no mercy to those that endanger it. So proceed with care.