"Sergeant Gonzalo, we're with the Volunteers. Saw your pamphlet."

"The... Volunteers? Volunteering to do what?"

"Right now, volunteering to guard you, Select. It's a shame on all Westcrown, them stringing you up like that, and we won't see it happen again."

"If you are volunteers, what is your means of support?"

"I think our lieutenant is funding us personally? Most of us are staying at his house, at least. Used to take donations, but now we tell people to just donate to the church, if they try."

"Do you have... some formal relationship with the Glorious Reclamation, or work for a lord, or...?"

"No. The church hasn't gotten back to us about putting a cleric or paladin in command. Lieutenant says that, as soon as they do, we immediately take orders from that person instead of him. Unless they're illegal orders. Until then, we listen to him and to heaven."

"Who... is your lieutenant."

"Lieutenant Taberner, Heaven's Army of Westcrown Volunteers. Not a Select or a Paladin."

"I know you already know, they'd tell you if there was another Select. But we're to always tell people that he's not empowered by Iomedae, when mentioning him."

"Which is entirely correct of him to have as a policy. Where is he from? How long have the Volunteers been a going concern?"

"He's a Westcrown man. Went off to be one of those adventurer types, but he's no foreigner. I don't know how long we've been around, depends on how you count. There's been volunteers trying to keep order in the streets since right after the war, but the lieutenant making it a proper holy order with vows and all is only a months or so."

"Does he have any contact with any arm of the Church about this?"

"No contact yet. Our understanding is that the church will get to one of his letters in time, but they are very busy with a thousand more urgent crises. Until then, we should try to catch sermons but not bother the church further."

"I... think I disagree with this assessment" you are OPERATING A PARAMILITARY FORCE "and am going to see if I can get you a paladin to join you at your headquarters and consult on what's occurred so far unless there is a reason I should not do this."

Please do, it would very much be appreciated. 

"There's no reason not to, that I can see. We can write down the address and directions to there."

Tragically de Luna has not been reassigned to Westcrown yet because they need a third circle paladin at the Wound. Blai wades into the crowded temple and comes back with a paladin.

"Sergeant? I'm Ser Goés with the Reclamation."

He was not expecting them to have a paladin ready right now, what with them being busy patrolling the city and the countryside and fighting several wars.

"Sergeant Gonzalo, Heaven's Army of Westcrown Volunteers. Good to meet you, Ser."

The other six men are silent but visibly excited. They're listening to the conversation, and it sounds like they're finally getting a real paladin!

"Might I ask you gentlemen to bring me to meet your lieutenant? The Reclamation's been doing peacekeeping in this very city as of recently and I should be able to put you in touch with the command once I know more about what to tell them."

Gonzalo nods. "Our orders are to meet with the Select and join his guards. But we can spare two to take you to our headquarters; doubt anything will happen that needs all six of us, right here and in daylight."

"I have a bodyguard assigned by the President of the Convention for the time being and would like to be thoroughly clear on how your outfit relates to the Church's official arms before accepting your services."

"Understood. He looks the other bodyguard over. "I expect Ser Goés visiting will clear things up, but to make sure I don't make a mistake reporting it."

"You have a bodyguard assigned by the president of the convention, and need to be clear on how our organization relates to the church before accepting us as guards. That sound right?"

"Yes. Relating to the church at all is not a prerequisite but relating to it in some unclear way I'd prefer to avoid."

Somewhat embarrassed. "Apologies, we should try to make things clear. We are not part of the church of Iomedae, or any good church. In no way do we speak for or represent them or the goddess Iomedae, our understanding of her will is based only on listening to sermons and reading the Acts. None of our members are empowered, and we would prefer people stop referring to us as the discount paladins. While we would like to be put in the chain of command of the church, currently we are an independent holy order fighting in the name of heaven and the city of Westcrown. In that order."

"That is the current state of our relation to the church, or lack thereof. Though it will probably change, if Ser Goés can put the lieutenant in touch with the Reclamation."