It was a sunny but cold morning. We were crossing the river in the forest and suddenly I could smell it... ehh, that sweet smell of stardust. Definitely, somebody was smoking it. We hid behind the rock near the river and took a look around. An old wizard was sitting on stump and smoking a pipe, made of krakens tooth. I've seen sailors selling those pipes in the narrow cobblestone streets of old harbour. Each one is a masterpiece. Sailors are crafting them during the long nights on the sea.
"I could offer you a nice smoke of stardust, if you wouldn't be hiding behind the rock," said the wizard.
"Damn, how did you see us?" I asked.
"For Krons' sake, I'm an old wizard," he laughed. "The river nymphs are whispering me each and every name of those crossing the river."
The old man stretched out his hand offering me a pipe. I spotted a tattoo of a raccoon beneath his sleeve. "Tell me about this racoon," I asked.
"That's a guild tattoo," said the old wizard. "We call ourselves "Racoons of the North"," he added. "You see, young Hjordis, everyone should pick a guild in Splinterlands. Some choose big and mighty guilds, but I didn't like the idea of spending my days in an underlying guild of some bigger or better guild. I was not looking for McDonald's or Walmart. I was looking for something special. A journey. An adventure. And then I found this rune... It said "Two daydreamers - Garinho and Plakanc - falsely accused for griffin poaching, decided to leave the northern Racoon village in order to escape the trial. They needed a wizard to open the portal and Plakanc remembered he had met one during his summer internship in unicorn slaughterhouse. Once mighty warlock "DS" was spending his days in a nursing house for old wizards at that moment and he was more than ready for a journey. The trio is heading south to chase their dream…" I knew that it was the guild I'm looking for. They had their story."
"Can you take me there?" I asked.
"I can accompany you. That's a two day walk," he said.
And we started our odyssey. The old man told me about the brawls, buildings, other members and tavern. But most important - about the soul of the guild. My application was accepted and now I'm a proud member of "Racoons of the North". Better racoon than dead! Who knows what the next day will bring here - in the mighty land of Pretoria?
To be continued...