Lockhinge Notes - Guild Row

On the way out of the Stone Quarter, there is a transition zone between the grandeur of the ancient, stone architecture and the tangled, wooden web of the Common Quarter. Here, the dry, cobbled ground meets solidly-constructed boardwalk, which then veers southward toward the waterfront and the rest of the mainstreet drag. If one doesn't follow mainstreet in that direction, and instead follows the boardwalk north and west, they would arrive at the unofficial district referred to as Guild Row. This area of the city is what turns into the "nice" part of the Common Quarter, but there is still a noticeable distiction between those bustling, upscale apartments and boutiques and Guild Row. Where plenty of residents and visitors fill the streets in the nicest parts of centertown, Guild row is even more well-kept and impressively-built, with stately, monolithic wooden buildings lining very wide and clean streets, but there is very little of the same everday traffic. These blocks have the feel of the sort of grand buildings that are appreciated from afar, as only local traffic is expected to be there. There is very little open and welcome to the public, as even the cafes and other establishments there seem to be expecting to serve those already working in the area. It is easy to feel as though one would be trespassing if they were to go there without business to attend to.
It's unknown if the avenue had been built so wide here because the architects had known the sort of power the guild buildings would be commanding and understood that they would need as much space around them as possible, or if it was just because they were likely built before anyone had known how little space the city would ultimately be restricted to. Regardless of the original intent, the roominess of Guild Row is obvious and only adds to the sense of portent to Lockhingeans who are used to cramped shadows and hidden corners. Northerners probably see it as a breath of fresh air, something more familiar to them than the rest of the city, but it's an atmosphere that is uncomfortable to many locals.
Guild Row is not only grand, spacious, and well-manicured, it is also closely watched. The security is high in the Stone Quarter and the civic center of the ridge, but not only is Guild Row as heavily policed as it gets in Lockhinge, but it has the highest density of private security and secret informants in the city. There is not nearly as much bold thieves' cant decking this corner of the city, as this is where the most careful performances of playing "by the rules" take place. Everyone is watching everyone else, and they all must play like they don't know it. The whole game must not only take place beneath the notice of visiting dignitaries, but not leave a scrap of evidence for rivals to covet and turn into weapons.
Some of the guild buildings are right next to each other, and some command their own block of space.