Hello, Survivors.
In today’s Dev Note, we will begin to explore the stories contained within the Guild District of Remore.
Beginning: Formation of the Guild District
REMORE is a city that grew thanks to the power of the light provided by the Memolith. Because of this, order is maintained under the influence of the Church of Sol, and a strong pride in being a REMOREan has taken root. As a port city connected to the sea by the river, resources were abundant. Naturally, the city center came to house administrative institutions based on the Church of Sol, while the riverbanks on the outskirts became home to the Guild District, where production and commerce were centered.
However, being a port city did not come without drawbacks. Because outside forces frequently raided via the river, the people of REMORE developed fear and distrust toward outsiders. Combined with their pride as those blessed by the sun, a deep-seated hatred toward outsiders took hold in REMORE.
Therefore, the early Guild District was almost entirely made up of native REMOREan groups. Examples include the fishing guild that handled catch and distribution through the port, and the crafting guild producing various daily necessities. Though not necessarily wealthy or highly ranked, these guilds formed the middle class of REMORE, supporting much of the city’s market flow and livelihood.
In its early days, the Guild District was stable and centered on the native population. Being relatively close to the central administration’s influence, public order was well maintained. As a result, the Guild District became a lively area with a significant population.
Change: The Influx of Merchants
However, the peace in the Guild District did not last long. As REMORE gradually stabilized and the Church of Sol’s influence grew stronger, the ruling class of REMORE began to pursue better and more extravagant things. They desired more than the stable life REMORE had known so far.
Naturally, the eyes of REMORE’s upper class turned outward. Trade with outsiders gradually increased, and the influx of foreign merchants began. However, due to the deep-rooted hatred and discrimination against outsiders in REMORE, these merchants found it difficult to gain significant influence. The native guilds of REMORE united to enforce a kind of territorial control, and the merchants from outside could only maintain their position rather than expand their power.
The response of the outsider merchants was relatively moderate. They focused on only what was “permitted” to them and avoided provoking conflicts with REMORE’s native powers. In fact, they made efforts to improve REMORE’s discriminatory views toward outsiders and showed goodwill to blend in. Because of this, the guilds formed by these outsider merchants concentrated more on settling in rather than expanding their influence.
However, this fragile peace did not last long. With the arrival of Georg, an outsider merchant who would later come to dominate the Guild District, the order of the Guild District faced a massive upheaval.
Conflict: The Arrival of Georg, and What Followed
Georg, a merchant from abroad who came to REMORE, was both a brilliant strategist and the embodiment of greed. He arrived just as the Church of Sol was beginning a grand expansion of its ornate buildings. Until then, trade through REMORE’s port had been relatively small-scale, which limited the supply of materials needed for construction. Georg quickly identified this weakness and used his unique skills to take control of large-scale cargo distribution in REMORE.
As a result, Georg became a significant power within the Guild District. Naturally, the native factions eyed him with suspicion and unease. But Georg was not the type to stop at mere scrutiny. He aggressively expanded his influence, increasing the tension and opposition among the REMOREans. Eventually, the central authority began to push back against him, sending General Richard.
Richard is a proud REMOREan through and through. He could not look kindly upon Georg’s growing power as an outsider and began openly discriminating against him. For example, he tightened inspections on outsiders, especially Georg’s merchant group, to curb their commercial activities. But Georg was not one to back down. He hired mercenaries to build a private force and responded firmly to the central government’s and General Richard’s attempts to check his power.
Tensions around the Guild District gradually escalated, bringing the two forces to the brink of open conflict—an explosive situation ready to ignite. Soon after, a great tragedy unfolded…
Next week, we will return with a deeper look at the ongoing conflicts in the Guild District.
Until then and, as always, thanks for your patience!
REMORE