Stepping into the Hunter's Guild again, Markus was almost amazed to see that there were even more people than before. Pushing his way through the gathered throngs of people, he made his way closer to Inkfingers' desk and waited for the four people Partied together to stop arguing with the little, blue man about their payment. After several minutes, the leader of the Party stomped off and took his three Party members with him. Markus moved through the vacated space and approached Inkfingers.

"Markus, wonderful to see you again," the Gnome greeted him with a genuine smile. "I take it that you spoke with whomever it was at the Church of Grindel that wanted to see you?"

"I did," Markus nodded. "And I accepted the Job they offered me. Kind of."

"What Job would that be?" Inkfingers asked as he prepared a sheet of paper. "I can make it an official Hunter's Guild Job and that will give you some support if they try to get out of paying you for your efforts."

"It's fine," Markus said. "They just wanted someone to take over leading the other Last Stars for their undead issue. Apparently, the Last Stars that they've had join already have complained because they've been trying to prepare, and they've gone on ahead and gotten themselves killed."

"Oh dear," Inkfingers gasped. "That's terrible."

"Yeah," Markus agreed with a nod. "Anyway, I'm here because I've got some questions that pertain to that Job."

"Ask away," Inkfingers told him.

"Is there some sort of Guild that crafter types join up with?" he asked the Gnome. "Specifically blacksmiths and alchemist."

"There is an Alchemist's Guild," Inkfinger nodded. "Many think it is a part of the Mage's Guild and they're wrong. That Guild is one that offers us all many useful and necessary items; if it were a subordinate Guild to another, it was long ago and has since gained enough influence and standing to be its own Guild. There is no such Guild for blacksmiths and the like."

"I see," Markus nodded. "I need to talk to some of the Alchemist's Guild's members about making potions and helping me motivate the other Last Stars."

"Why would you need to motivate your fellows?" Inkfingers asked.

"It's part of the problem that the Church has had in recruiting them," Markus explained. "They didn't tell them what sort of rewards to expect from completing the Job, didn't give them extra stuff to work toward, and that left the few that did sign up impatient and willing to go without support from the Church. If they know what they're efforts will reward them with, then most of them will be more willing to join and help."

"And having the Alchemist's Guild as an ally for this will motivate the other Last Stars?" Inkfingers asked.

"Yes and no," Markus told him. "If I can convince the Alchemist's Guild to offer classes and training that will teach those of us who want to learn alchemy, then that will motivate those people. If I can convince them to extend their services, then other people that don't want to learn alchemy or just want to make a connection with an accomplished alchemist will be motivated to help. If I can talk a bunch of blacksmiths into doing that too, then it'll go just as far, if not farther, to convince more people. Knowing a blacksmith personally for when you want to make a custom request will make it easier on someone than just walking up to them and making the request. At best, they'd tell the person to go away if they didn't want to do it, and at worst they'll laugh at them or attack them in anger. Having a personal connection that comes from having met someone before they try to hire you will make any of those interactions smoother."

"It will also lower the amount of deaths that will come from having angry Last Stars rampaging in the area," Inkfingers nodded as he considered what Markus was telling him.

"Anyway, I need to talk to the Alchemist's Guild and set up a meeting with a bunch of blacksmiths," Markus said, "but that's not why I'm here. I'm here to try to change the Job notice for the undead that the Church of Grindel is fighting. Is that possible?"

Before Inkfingers could answer, a hand snapped out from behind Markus and placed a sheet of paper on Inkfingers' desk.

"It is," a woman's voice told Markus. "It seems that you've got an idea of how you want to change things up already, so we'll be taking this request down until you've altered the Job's parameters and rewards. Just speak with Janus when you're done and he'll make things happen."

"Markus, it is my honor to introduce the Guildmaster of the Hero's Crypt's Branch of the Hunter's Guild," Inkfingers said. "Meet Darcelle Bright-sword."

"A pleasure, Sir Markus," the woman said as he turned to look at her. "Janus has told me about his new favorites from the Last Stars. I believe your friends' names were Axel, Pear, and Jim?"

"They are," Markus nodded, extending his hand to the serious Elvish woman with gray eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

"You have work to do, Little Marquis," she said, ignoring his hand and walking away. "Best not wait too long before you do it."

"Odd," Markus muttered to himself before turning to Inkfingers who watched him expectantly, pen in hand. "What?"

"What sort of alterations will I be making to this request?" Inkfingers asked.

"Let me read what's there," Markus said, taking the sheet and reading it.

Undead Terror: The Church of Grindel, God of the Dead, has found signs of Necromancy and Undead Hordes. Sign up for the Subjugation Force at the nearest Church of Grindel by speaking with the Paladins of the Long Sleep.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Reward: 2 Iron coins per confirmed Lesser Undead kill; 5 Iron coins per confirmed Undead kill; 1 Bronze coin per confirmed Greater Undead kill; 50 Bronze coins per confirmed Lich kill; 1 Silver coin per confirmed Phylactery destroyed.

"Okay," Markus muttered quietly to himself as he examined the request. "Let's see about adding something to do with contribution points. I'll need to work out what's there and how much it'll cost, but having specific items on sale for the contribution points would go a long way to helping others work out what they need and can get while there. I need to talk to Chess about this later. Can I take this with me?"

"So long as you bring it back later," Inkfingers nodded. "Just make whatever alterations and notes you want and when you give it back, I'll clean it up."

"Thanks Inkfingers," Markus grinned. "You're the best."

"Keep smiling at me like that, and I'll be anything you want me to be," the Gnome told him with a grin while fluttering his eyelashes at him.

"I'm off to see if I can talk to the Alchemist's Guild about this idea," Markus said, turning to leave and waving over his shoulder. "Then I've gotta make a stop later."

Looking at the large stone building that stood before him, Markus could see where people might have gotten the idea that the Alchemist's Guild and the Mage's Guild were related. The only buildings in the entire city he'd seen made solely of stone were the towers the Mage's Guild called home and this large blocky eyesore that he stood in front of now.

"Maybe hard, square angles were in when this was built," he muttered to himself as he pushed past the heavy, iron door.

"Hello?" he called out in the empty lobby space. "Is there anyone here?"

"Please don't shout," a Gremlin that had poked its head above the desk asked him. "The poorer alchemists don't have good success rates and they can be easily distracted. One wrong move and they can hurt themselves."

"Sorry," Markus apologized to the strangely well-spoken, green man with red stripes on his face. "I didn't know you were there and I didn't think there would be anyone here."

"There's always someone here," the Gremlin told him. "That's why it's the lobby."

"Right of course," Markus said. "I need to talk to someone in charge."

"Why?" the Gremlin asked.

"I need to discuss the broad strokes of a plan I've had with them to determine if the Alchemist's Guild will be willing to help," Markus explained. "It has to do with the undead the Church of Grindel is going after."

"Please wait here," the Gremlin asked with a slight huff as he jumped from his chair to the floor. "I'll fetch someone. Just be warned, if you're wasting their time, they will be angry. And they tend to throw out their bombs when they're angry."

"Great," Markus muttered sarcastically to himself as he watched the red-striped, green man that made Inkfingers look tall, wearing a three-piece suit practically run across the floor toward a door at the side of the room. "This is going to end great!"

"Markus," Willow's voice greeted him as he pushed into the uncrowded tavern a half-hour after their lunch rush. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you too Willow," Markus greeted her as he moved to the empty bar and sat at a stool. Silently he waited until Willow had finished wiping down tables and she came to stand in front of him.

"Haven't seen you since you came to pick up your friends and you all went to the Hunter's Guild," she said as she filled a tankard with ale and offered it to him. "They've spoken about you enough that I feel like I know you, but I don't think we've ever actually talked that much."

"You're right about that," Markus nodded to the Elvish woman. "It's the same with me, honestly. Axel talks about you enough that I know your father's name is Wulf, he owns a mine, and you made Pear's teacher practically quake in his boots when you first met him."

"That incident with Master Ripspell isn't something I like to remember," she said, her cheeks darkening as she blushed slightly. "If I'd known who he was from the start, I wouldn't have been so rude with him."

"It all worked out though," Markus grinned at her before taking a drink. "Unfortunately, I'm not here for the good drinks and the great company, I have a question I was hoping you could answer for me."

"What is it?" she asked as the door creaked open and someone walked in.

"Do you need to get that?" he asked her as he waved his now half-empty mug toward the door.

"No, he looks like he's here for you," she said. "Looks like a Priest of Grindel."

"Rankins?" Markus called over his shoulder. "That you?"

"Indeed, Sir Markus," Rankins' voice answered. "Shall I wait outside?"

"No, just pull up a chair or something, I don't think this will take long," Markus told him.

"Anyway, I need your help with something, Willow," Markus continued. "You know a lot of people around town right?"

"I'd certainly hope so," she nodded. "The Minotaur is well-known in the city and I grew up here."

"Could you gather a bunch of blacksmiths together for me?" Markus asked her. "I have to talk with them about something and since they don't have a Guild like the alchemists do, I can't just go to the Guildmaster and talk with them directly. If I had to go all around the city, then I'd never get it all done in time either."

"I can do that," Willow nodded, "but you're going to have to give them something to incentivize them to come. Maybe pay for their meals and drinks?"

"If you can gather them all here, then I can see about paying for whatever they order," Markus said. "How much would all that cost do you think?"

"Almost two Silver?" Willow suggested. "There's no telling really, they could be in a mood to drink and they'll run us dry of all the tapped barrels quickly, which would go closer to ten Silver, or they could just want some food and a few drinks, which is where the two Silver comes from."

"There's a lot of blacksmiths in this city," Markus observed.

"A fair amount," Willow nodded. "But the biggest cost isn't what they're ordering, it's renting the tavern for the night."

"I guess that makes more sense," Markus nodded. "You would risk losing quite a bit of money if you closed for a private party and there were almost no people."

"We're still a business," Willow agreed with a smile. "We can't risk not having enough to pay our taxes, workers, and suppliers."

"I'll see what I can do about the payment then," Markus told her. "Give me until tonight and I'll have a sure answer for you. If I'm back by then."

"My father will be back in the tavren then as well," she said. "He'll be the one to really be able to say 'yes' or 'no.'"

"Rankins, can you go back to the-" Markus began.

"Back to the Church and ask about their paying for the use of this tavern so that you can talk to blacksmiths and determine if they'll aid us with your plan to reward Last Stars that help with the undead threat?" Rankins interrupted. "It will be done, Sir. Now, before I set off, I've brought armor and weaponry for you as requested. Do you need some help putting it all on?"

"Thank you, and yes a bit of help would be nice," Markus told the priest before turning back to Willow. "Can we borrow a private room for this?"

"Of course," the Wood Elf nodded, gesturing to the door behind the bar. "Go up the stairs and take the first door on the right, it's my father's room."

"Thank you," Markus said gratefully to the woman as he stood and began to walk to the door. "Come on Rankins, I've still got some stuff I wanted to get worked out today."