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Hey you! Yes, you <Player name>! If you can read this, you've probably been summoned to This Realm by some Godlike-being from another world (or 'Realm' as we call them here), right?

_Well, welcome to Guild Astra, Starling (that's what we locals call you folks summoned beyond the stars around these parts,Other-Realmer! Fancy, isn't it?) ! As ordained by the Gods, you're finally here to begin your holy quest! _

Don't just browse through the rest of this message on your Mind's Eye (you can also recall this message later) you'll want to know more about working with us,Guild Astra, "Beyond the Stars!" before you enter these doors ahead of you (Push or pull, but don't slam them open, the Sacred Senate will smite you-too bad if you didn't read our warning)!

_Blessed By And Holder of The Divine Mandate of the Sacred Senate*, Holder of Her Imperial Majesty's Warrant of Appointment, Affiliate Guild of the Knights of the Realm Guild Alliance, Merited By The People's Senate of Arassa,10 time Recipient of the Starling Association's Beneficience and Amity Award and 20 time recipient of the Realm Guild's Adventurers' Excellence In Heroics Award, here stands the Guild-House of Guild Astra ,"Beyond the Stars!" , Dornedragh chapter, established in 7th A.S.* _

Guild Astra is the only adventurer's guild with Realm-wide support for local and Starling heroes across the Five Empires, 9 Kingdoms and 2 Senates, including free Revivals, Lost Party Retrievals, full coverage for Guild Astra affiliated inns* and temple* stays, quest insurance and enhanced Class and Skill development for every quest! Each guild member is afforded free Adventurer training as well for the first 3 ranks, and discounted weapons and armour from the highly-lauded Argin Forge (Melding Mithril, Magic in Magnificence). Guild Astra also offer all sorts of quests for all ranks, skills and classes, all insured for!

As the original Starling Guild, Guild Astra also offers the best Starling services, including free Realm-Assimilation assistance for Starlings* who have been summoned to this Realm for the first time, constant, stable and direct communications Realms-wide with Other-Realm and local deities of This Realm for 'Deity-Chosen/ Blessed Hero' Sacred Starlings. Guild Astra is also the only Adventure's Guild to provide Starling currency , weapons and other realm magick/mana conversion. Our friendly guildmasters and staff are always on hand to provide you with assistance and directions for your next quest or dungeoning adventure, class-change, skill-reassignment and more!

Why wait any longer? Step forth <Player Name> beyond these doors and Go Beyond the Stars!

*Age of Starlight, our current era in This Realm. As you can tell, it was founded when the first Starling was summoned to This Realm. You can learn more about Our Realm in detail besides what was provided by your Deity in your Mind's Eye using our Realm-Assimilation service and or Library located on the Third Floor

*1: Assimilation services offered to first-time Starlings (i.e. summoned to This Realm for the first time) only

*2: Does not include deities who have left the Sacred Senate, please consult your local temple for active Senate Gods/Goddesses. Certain Other-Realmer deities with counterparts in the Sacred Senate of This Realm may not be recognized by This Realm's religious authorities.

*3: Guild Astra affiliated inns will display the Astra symbol, but certain affiliated inns will only be partly covered by the Guild, please consult with your local Guild Astra receptionist and innkeep for more details

*4 Guild Astra will only provide full Revival, Exorcism and Purification Coverage if the temple is affilated with deities of the Sacred Senate. Guild Astra will not provide any coverage for any adventure-related services performed by heretic* *, Dark* * *or non-Sacred Senate affilated temples (please consult your local Sacred-Senate temple for more details)

* * Temples renounced and or forbidden by the Sacred Senate and Guild of Temples

* * *Temples/Churches dedicated to worship of evil/deities of Darkness (excepting temples dedicated to deities who preside over safe passage in the night and slumber)

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There was a muffled , dull 'THUD' , then the sound of a spring recoiling accompanied by a drawn-out yell as some poor Starling bas- er, wretch, (who probably skipped the rest of our Guildhouse's all too long welcome message) was sent flying from the Guildhouse's gilt mithril doors. Poor bast-, er, Starling was definitely more than halfway across the city at this point.

How could I tell? Simple, I'm Ladan, your ubiquitous guild clerk (Questkeep in guild jargon) and I've spent the last three torturous years toiling here at Guild Astra. Locals and colleagues call me "Ladh" and most Starlings simply refer to me as "Oi!" , "Oi NPC", "Yo" , "POS", "Fatarse", "(Silent gestures and irritable foot-tapping)" among other unmentionables.

I smirked as my fellow guild clerk, Asulei, groaned and leaned against the "Quests" counter, a formidable, black-marble affair enhanced with all kinds of defensive spells (even then you could still see gauges from certain irate adventurer weapons if you looked hard enough).

Poor girl, I was on clerical duty today and she'd have to deal with that adventurer's ranting later...well, whenever they'd stagger back here from across town. Or maybe not, her red hair was beginning to burn bright blue and her ears were starting to elongate. Right, time for a quick colleague checkup before she blew her Hyuman cover.

It was Guild policy for all front-facing staff like Questkeeps to maintain hyuman forms or guises when on so as not to shock Hyuman guests, especially Starlings. (A ridiculously unnecessary one: our Guildhouse is smack in the middle of Dornedragh, "Town Founded by Dragons", and home to many non-Hyuman ethnicities as well, such as myself and Asulei).

I slid her an ampoule of Buzzup energy elixir across the polished desk, smirking. Buzzup and my coworkers were the only 2 things nowadays that helped me through the long, gruelling days of Questkeeping.

"Yup, another Real-Loy Kenjins, probably didn't bother reading the rest of the welcome message."

The wispvul glared at me before snatching and snapping the amber vial in two, downing its tart liquid in a huff. Her foxy fur, composed of blue flames, flared brilliantly before she fully regained her hyuman countenance once more.

"Puh-fwaah, that's the stuff... Oh, come on, Ladh, you know we still got to deal with that Starling when they come back in, and we all know how upset they can get..."

"You're welcome for the Buzzup- don't think I've seen your original foxy form in a while now, did you get enough sleep last night?"

Oop. Her glare returned, and though hyuman this time, was still too sharp for comfort.

"Ya t'ink I could sleep wi' tha tavern new open marketin' right cross downstairs from m'den, yer fat cloud-moggy?! and it's "Li-roi Jen-keens", fer Lenguesa's sak-!"

Oh carp, not again...

A tiny, balding hyuman with feathered wings had suddenly materialized before Asulei and removed her mouth. Literally, there was simply skin on her face where her lips used to be. It then slid the shut and protesting lips in between the open pages of the heavy tome it bore and closed it firmly. Not wanting to have *my* mouth removed too, I bowed before the small hyuman, a divine messenger of the Language Goddess, Lenguesa. Flapping its wings strenuously struggling to keep itself and the tome afloat, it then addressed me in a thin, reedy and very exhausted voice.

"By dec(pant)- By decree of the Goddess (pant) of Wor(pant), Words Spoken, Mot(pant) Mother of Lang(pant pant) Languages, Lenguesa, for the mis-use (pant- prithee, spare me a mo(pant)moment, (pant) ... there we go) of Her Holy Loquaciousness 's Sacred Name, this heathen shall be punished by Golden Silence until the breaking of new dawn. That is all."

There was a small explosion as it disappeared in a noxious cloud of green.

I sighed, patting Asulei on the shoulder. "I'll let the Guildmaster know and take care of Quest Desk today- maybe take a break now and work on parchmentwork and the archives when you're ready?"

My colleague could only nod in what I could only assume to be flaming tears, as she had reverted to her original firey, vulpine form.

Poor Asulei...poor me. Sulfa was away, adventurers were beginning to pile in, and I would have to deal with the bast-, er, idi-, er headstrong Starling from before when they manage to make their way back to the Guildhouse.

"Oi, NPC, how long does it take for you to load and serve players?!"

Right, speak of Starlings. No time for self-pity, work had already begun. Damned arrogant Other-Realmers adventurers... Hissing inwardly, I put on my best grima-er, smile to greet the hyuman decked out in ridiculous and unwieldy mana-jewel encrusted gear. Not only that, they were all attack-focused mana jewels...while all her equipment was defensive...and incompatible with any of the stat-boosting jewels or her Class...whyy?!

Well, with Asulei out of commission, at least I still had Buzzup to see me through the shift. .. hopefully.

"Sssso ..sorry, *miss*, thankssss for waiting., how can I help *you* today?"

"Miss yourself, dumbass...what's a fatarse dude like you doing behind the Quest counter? Sure you shouldn't be selling elixirs and potions in the lobby?"

B*tch! I'll show you a merchant...a merchant of deat-ouch! Damnit, the Oath of Hospitatlity!..if only we weren't under this pesky Divine Oath... I need to quit this job, and soon...

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