"Welcome," said William. "I've been waiting for you."
Boran nodded in greeting. "Thank you William. I have some thoughts about the guild..."
William took out two items from his inventory. "These are very valuable items," he said. "This is a Rare Essence—a valuable material that drops from dungeon bosses and sells for 5000 gold in the market. And this is a Guild Formation Certificate, worth the same amount."
"These..."
"Yes," said William. "Exactly what you need. Worth 10,000 gold in total. The exact amount needed to establish a guild."
Boran looked at William carefully. "You're not saying you want to give these to me, are you?"
"Actually, that's exactly what I'm saying." William stepped forward. "But of course, with one condition."
"I'm listening," said Boran, with a cautious tone in his voice.
"I told you about the Crimson Lion guild." William's eyes gleamed.
Boran nodded. "Yes. You said they were one of the oldest and most powerful guilds."
"I am... let's say, a representative of theirs." William twirled the items in the air. "You will tell every player who wants to join your guild about the Crimson Lion guild. You'll tell them about our history, our achievements, our power."
"Is that all?"
"No. When the time comes, representatives from the Crimson Lion guild will visit your guild. They will invite members they see potential in to join our guild."
Boran frowned. "So you want to use my guild as... a recruitment pool?"
"Don't think of it that way," William said in a soft voice. "Think of your guild as a school. The most successful students graduate and move on to larger institutions, right? It's a natural process. You know that joining Crimson Lion is almost everyone's dream. Plus, we'll handle the advertising for your guild."
Boran nodded thoughtfully. "What about my members? What about their decision?"
"It will be entirely voluntary," said William. "We won't force anyone. We'll just offer the opportunity. Think of your guild as a river, and Crimson Lion as the ocean. Some waters want to flow to the ocean, others prefer to stay in the river. Both are natural."
Boran looked at the corridor, watching people entering and leaving their rooms. "What if I refuse?"
William shrugged. "Then I can't give you these valuable items. But think about it, Boran... This agreement could benefit both you and your members. You'll be able to establish the guild, and your members will have access to bigger opportunities if they want them. I'm offering you this opportunity because I see potential in you."
Boran took a deep breath. "Do you have any other conditions?"
"No. Just this. You'll promote Crimson Lion and allow representatives when they come. That's all."
"Is the agreement indefinite?"
"One year," said William. "We can renew the agreement after a year. I think it's fair for both parties."
Boran remained silent for a while. The offer was tempting. It would take a long time to gather the gold needed for establishing a guild anyway. And William was right—this agreement could benefit both himself and his members.
"I accept," he said finally.
William smiled and handed the items to Boran. "A wise decision. Trust me, you won't regret this agreement."
Boran noticed the gleam in William's eyes as he took the items. There was something in that look—as if William was placing pieces of a game that Boran couldn't see.
"There's one more thing," said William. "I want you to fully understand Crimson Lion. It's important that you provide accurate information to members. We don't need to discuss this yet, but when you start accepting members, you'll need to know. We'll arrange a meeting then."
"I understand," said Boran. "I'll establish the guild now."
"Good luck," said William as he entered his room.
Boran looked at the items in his hand. He would now have a guild. But had he made the right choice in accepting William's offer? He put that thought aside. Now he needed to focus on establishing the guild.
Boran walked into his room with tired steps and lay down on his only possession, an old mattress. While watching the cracks in the ceiling, he took off his ring and whispered, "Boney, come." A blue light shone from the ring and Boney Stark appeared.
"Can you light the candle?" asked Boran.
Boney Stark wearily picked up the candle from the floor, using the flame in his eye to light it. After Boran thanked and dismissed him, he took the Guild Formation Certificate that William had given him.
The certificate was written in an old style, with gold-gilded edges. It bore the official seal of the Crimson Lion and contained the agreement terms in detail:
"GUILD FORMATION CERTIFICATE
This certificate grants permission to establish a guild under the following conditions:
Guild Founder: [Blank Space]
Guild Name: [Blank Space]
Establishment Date: [To Be Automatically Filled]
Establishment Location: [To Be Automatically Filled]
GENERAL CONDITIONS:
Guild can accommodate minimum 1, maximum 50 members (upgradeable)
Guild leader can transfer leadership to another member at their discretion
Guild name change requires 5000 gold
In case of guild dissolution, all guild treasury will be distributed among members according to their shares
New features unlock as guild level increases
SPECIAL AGREEMENT TERMS:
Guild agrees to promote the Crimson Lion guild for one year
Crimson Lion representatives will be allowed to meet with guild members
This agreement is based on voluntary participation and no coercive measures can be applied to members
Agreement duration: 1 year (With extension option)
Guild may be closed in case of agreement violation
Boran took a deep breath after reading the certificate.
"Use," he said aloud. A guild creation screen appeared before him in blue light:
[GUILD CREATION PANEL] ▶ Guild Name: ▶ Guild Emblem: ▶ Guild Slogan: ▶ Entry Requirements: ▶ Membership Type:
Open (Anyone can join)
By Invitation
By Application
▶ Guild Features: □ Guild Chat Channel □ Guild Storage (100 slots) □ Guild Log □ Guild Quests □ Guild Combat System □ Guild Level System
▶ Guild Boss Battles:
Weekly Boss Events
Monthly Boss Events
Boss Loot Distribution:
DKP (Dragon Kill Points) system
Contribution-based distribution
Auction system
Boss Preparation Requirements:
Minimum equipment level
Required spells/abilities
Required potions
Boss Strategy Archive
Tactical guides
Role assignments
Failure analyses
▶ Guild Hierarchy:
Leader (1 person)
Assistant Leader (max. 3 people)
Advisor (max. 5 people)
Senior Member
Member
Novice
▶ Guild Rules: [Specify at least 3 rules]
▶ Guild Economy:
Weekly Dues: [Set Price]
Guild Treasury Distribution: [Set Percentages]
Member Contribution System: [Active/Passive]
Boran stared at the screen for a long time. These options would form the foundation of the guild he had dreamed of. He began to carefully consider each option.
First, he thought about the guild name. The name should be both powerful and friendly. He touched his finger to the screen and began to write:
"New Dawn"