"I was told that this was the place to get information?"

The Bartender looked the stranger in white up and down, "What do you want to know? Fair warning, it'll cost you."

The pouch of platinum hitting the counter quieted the Bartender's concerns, "I want to know how to start a guild." The room quieted down a little at that statement.

"That's all?," 2 platinum were taken from the bag, "Go down the street and get yourself checked out by a doctor."

"I'm not with them, not anymore." The last part was said under his breath.

The Bartender sighed, "Fine, but only because of the platinum. Go down the street, into the store called The hatter's store and ask for shoe polish."

The stranger grabbed the sack and flicked him another platinum, "Pleasure doing business with you."

"The pleasure was mine, and one free piece of advice, lose the white cloak!"

When he arrived at the Hatter's store, without the cloak, he was greeted quite warmly by a welcoming little woman, "How may I help you today sir?"

"I'd like to buy some shoe polish." He said, plastering a fake grin on his face.

Her welcoming demeanor faltered, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" The man behind the counter stood up.

He lost the fake smile, "I'd like to buy some shoe polish, please."

"Why don't you and me have a talk in the back alley? It'll be easier to hide your body there." The man's gravelly voice rumbled. The door bell jingled merrily behind them as they exited. "So how do you want to do this? Are we gonna fight or am do I need to get you some ice cream and talk to you about this decision?"

"I think I could do with some ice cream."

There were a couple of ice cream places in town, but the big man guided him to a little cart on the side of the road. "One mint chocolate chip and," he turned to look at his companion, "what flavor would you like?"

"Just plain chocolate for me."

He tapped his fingers on the cart's side twice.

After they got the ice cream they wandered away and sat on a bench a little ways away from the cart.

"Why do you want to start a guild?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"When you're strong enough to be appointed as security for that entrance you need to make sure people are safe." He looked down at his hands, "I failed once and that blood hasn't left my hands ever since."

"Everyone makes mistakes, that exactly why I want to start a guild. I lost my wife because the Church wasn't there to protect us. I, wasn't there for her. I was off in some godforsaken preaching about the values of praying every day and going to church every other. I don't want anybody to have to lose someone because their protection wasn't there when they needed It most."

"You were with the church?"

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"Yeah, pretty high ranking. They offered me another wife to stay there. They didn't tell anybody this to avoid a mutiny in the church."

"What rank were you, just out of curiosity."

"Senior priest."

The man jumped up, causing a few passersby to look at him. "A senior priest! Holy shit! There's only what 20-30 of those?"

"There were 27, now 26. I can't use my magic anymore since I left, but I don't need it. I've got something better though, steam power."

The man stopped his pacing to look at him, "Steam power? Never heard of it."

"It's something I developed in my spare time."

"Well I guess we can head back now."

"Why? I haven't even finished my ice cream."

"Well, when I got your ice cream I went to that guy, and he's an ally of the guilds, helps us weed them out. He put something in your ice cream to make you more talkative."

They walked back to the store talking about lighthearted stuff, what their favorite season was, or who their favorite musician was. The lady was standing there, tapping her foot impatiently, when they returned.

"I thought I told you don't do the ice cream anymore, just beat them up and send them in their way."

"Now, can I buy some shoe polish?"

With a sigh, she signaled for him to follow her to the back of the store.

"If you tell anybody about this all the guilds will put you on their blacklists."

"Duly noted." He replied with a non-caring attitude.

They walked to a non-suspecting crate in the back.

"Go through this and it'll take you to the hall."

He leaned in to look at the box to figure out what she meant, when she kicked him in the ass, sending him through with her cackling.

It took him a second to come too, but when he did it took his breath away. The Hall was a massive cathedral like building with windows that gave light to the enormous room.

A hand gripped his hand and pulled him up, "Who sent you here?" he asked.

"Some lady in the Hatter's store, I asked her for some shoe polish and she sent me here." He replied, dusting himself off. Taking a look at the man, he was surprised to see what looked like a lizard given human features.

"Ah, that would be Helga. Normally she comes through with them, but you must've pissed her off somehow. How is Horace by the way?"

"He's fine, we got some ice cream and talked. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you?" he asked, not meaning to be rude.

"I don't mind at all. I get asked that a lot surprisingly, the church doesn't necessarily like my kind. So it makes sense for you not to have seen someone like me before." The lizard explained, gesturing towards the throng of people in the hall where he could see multiple different species. "What's your name?"

"My name, is Sazamanthius, but I like to go by Po-boy."