Several options appeared in front of me along with more explanations about how my new contracted summonings would work. I sort of wished that Tzes’zod was here to advise me on the contract options, but I’d rather have him devote his full attention to delaying Gary. Turning my attention to the task at hand, I tried to put the pending fight with Gary aside.
Contracted Summonings.
Your class ability allows you to enter into direct summoning contracts with other individuals and organizations. Initially, your contract choices are based on your past interactions, and several of your past contacts have been sent contract offers for you to consider. Each offer will state the job expectations, compensation, level of threat, and estimated time of summoning.
As you gain higher Tiers and Ranks, additional information may become available for each contract. In addition, you may unlock the ability to ask confirmation questions of your prospective employer.
Once you have decided on the contract you wish to pursue, you will have a short time to prepare. Part of these preparations will include selecting the minions from your barracks that you wish to bring along. With many of these initial contract offerings, you will have the option to base yourself in that area and set it as a Designated Return location.
After this initial contract, you will be required to locate and negotiate new contracts on your own. Contracts can be found either in the city of Somhagen, at a designated representative of the city, or through an interface in your personal space once the tenant dispute is resolved.
Your personal space now has an option to open a portal with Somhagen. You will be restricted to the tiers of the city that correspond with your current Tier, and some areas will remain off limits. This link to Somhagen will only be active for a short period after you complete a contract. At times, during longer summoning contracts, the option to return briefly to your personal space, as well as access Somhagen, may become available.
Please review the following summoning contract options.
- Gorma Etvart Enterprises (GEE) has offered to secure your services for an extended period of time.
Summoning purpose: Equipment testing.
Threat level: Variable between Low to Extreme.
Compensation: 10 gold per day, an annual pass to their amusement park, and the selection of 2 items from a designated equipment storage location.
Other Considerations: The compensation and equipment offers are only valid for the individual being summoned. Should the contracted summoned individual perish during their contracted period of service, GEE will be absolved of any financial obligations.
Additional Contract Enhancements: The contracted individual will have full access to local GEE facilities, including entertainment, training, and communication.
I’d worked for this goblin corporation twice now, once to protect a train, and recently, to test their amusement park rides. It sounded like they wanted to wrangle me up for another go at their amusement park. Given the casualty rates during my brief time testing the rides there, I had no desire to return and risk my life needlessly. That being said, the desire to find out why that one goblin was named Jeff almost made me accept the offer.
Before my resolve could be swayed by the mystery of Jeff, I moved to the next contract offer.
- Clayton and Eleanor Yon.
Summoning Purpose: Personal Protection.
Threat level: Extreme.
Compensation: 15 gold per day, a choice of 1 item from their shop inventory for each week of employment.
Other Consdierations: There is a high likelihood of conflict with the being known as Gary. Should you become involved in a direct confrontation with the being known as Gary before the tenant dispute has ended, current negotiations in that dispute will cease and your tenant will be free to seek control of your personal space through other means.
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That was a hard no. As much as I wanted to help the Yon’s, taking this contract would put me directly in the path of Gary and pretty much assure my death. I quickly shifted my attention to the third option being offered.
- Headmaster Glorine of the Starveil Tower Academy.
Summoning Purpose: Instruction as a Temporary Adjunct Professor.
Threat level: Low, but variable based on your actions.
Compensation. 15 gold per week and retention of some teaching materials from the curriculum you will be using.
Other Considerations. This position provides full room and board, as well as access to the academy training facilities and dungeons during the semester. Should you improve your Tier and Rank through training during the semester, additional compensation may be offered commensurate with any added skills or abilities that might enhance your teaching proficiency.
It took me a moment to remember who Headmaster Glorine was. I had met him during a summoning where I was called to participate in a duel between two students. If I remembered correctly, I had gained a summoning link with the headmaster during that summoning, though that link was likely voided out when my class evolved.
I’d never thought about teaching, but a position for a semester in a school of magic might be intriguing. The mention of training facilities and dungeons were also a big draw. It meant I could ramp up my Tier and Rank in relative safety if the threat level on the contract was accurate. This offer was the frontrunner, but I had one more in the queue to consider before I made my final decision.
- Heart of the Forbidden Glade Dungeon Core.
Summoning Purpose: Core shard relocation.
Threat level: Moderate.
Compensation: 100 gold upon successful completion of the assignment. You will also be granted several consumable items of common power and a single rare item compatible with your class.
Other Considerations. The duration of this summoning is variable and dependent on you finding a viable location for the new core shard. Should the summoning last for more than 30 days, additional compensation may be negotiated at that time. If you cannot come to an agreement on compensation, you may receive the promised compensation and end the summoning without penalty.
I remembered the dungeon and found helping to defend it a very interesting experience. Despite that, it sounded like I was going to be tasked with planting a new dungeon or relocating whatever a core shard was. Helping friends move was not something I enjoyed.
Looking over the four options one final time, I quickly eliminated one and two, leaving the choice between the academy and the dungeon. Of the two, I realized that I was most interested in learning what the teaching position would be like. I also had a gut feeling that I might learn something to help me in the coming fight with Gary.
You have accepted the contract offered by Headmaster Glorine of the Starveil Tower Academy. Your contracted party will be notified of your pending arrival and a portal will open in your personal space momentarily. Please make any preparations you need and select the two minions you wish to accompany you on this summoning.
A menu popped up listing my three available minions. I thought about the various options, and since I was heading to a magic academy, it stood to reason that the threats I might face would be magical in nature. That made the drone a good first pick. Given that my life was indeed on the line now with each summoning, I added Elida as my second pick.
Something tickled in the back of my mind and a new system prompt appeared.
Your chosen minions are now linked directly with you. You may summon them at will during this contract, though if either is destroyed, there will be a substantial delay before they can be resummoned. The Summoner’s Copy class ability allows you to choose a third minion to accompany you on this contract. Pick one of the following.
- Somhagen Guard Sergeant.
- Infernal Warrior.
- Merchant Cart Vendor.
I was being given three options from my last summoning, which had been my contracted summoning with the Yon’s. Their shop was in Somhagen, which was probably where the system was getting the guard option from, and they were merchants which explained the vendor. I could only assume the Infernal Warrior was something linked to Gary’s appearance during the summoning.
My first thought was to select the Infernal Warrior, as it might give me some insight into how Gary fought. The fact that it was going to be tier three, rank zero to match my rank meant it would be substantially less powerful than Gary. I considered the cart vendor as well. It was the wildcard option, though given where I was heading, it might not be all that bad a choice, given the lower threat level.
I had a solid warrior in my drone, and from the sound of things, Elida had improved greatly as well. Since this was only a low threat summoning, I was going to roll the dice on the cart vendor. It was my first foray as a Contracted Summoner, so I may as well use the experience to learn about the summoned minions without combat classes I would likely start to have access to.
You have selected the Merchant Cart Vendor. This minion will match your current Tier and Rank as it is added to your loadout. Please select any additional items and enter the portal to your destination.
The glowing blue portal opened in its usual spot as I verified that I had everything in my loadout. I also brought all my existing funds, just in case I could buy something at the academy that might help me against Gary. Stepping into the portal, I prepared myself for the first adventure with my newly upgraded class.