Manifest Fantasy

Chapter 7: Armstrong Base

Authors Note:

READ AHEAD: Chapter 8 is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!

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Henry received his card, flipping it over. It felt smooth and cold, clearly made of some metal or new compound. It had his name, current tier, role, other identifying information, and an empty slot for a picture. It seemed rather out of place for what he imagined to be medieval fantasy, but like the case with the advanced plumbing, he welcomed the amenities.

After the distribution of ID cards, Taldren gave the team a nod. "I must attend to other pressing matters of the Guild. Mira Lenton here'll assist you with the rest of your rewards and formalities," he said, gesturing towards the clerk.

Mira explained, "These will be yer official Guild IDs. Keep 'em close during yer quests; they prove yer part of the Guild and show yer Tier. They'll also let ye pass through gates and roads without payin' tolls."

"And for yer outstanding performance in the Minotaur quest, the Guild has seen fit to award ye handsomely," she announced, handing them a sealed envelope. As Henry broke the seal and unfolded the document inside, he was taken aback by the sum – 40,000 lumens credited to their Party account. The money constituted significant capital to kickstart their operations, a welcome head start.

"This coin will serve ye well in yer future endeavors, whether for gear, supplies, or gatherin' information. They've been added to yer account, which you can access with the Guild IDs. And with the grand deed ye've done, the Guild's also given ye access to special places and knowledge here. Ye'll be able to use our best training grounds, get yer hands on quests not open to just anyone, and seek advice from those who know the lay of the land best."

Ryan whistled softly. "Well, ain't that somethin'?"

Isaac looked over the envelope's contents. "More than just somethin'. I can see why so many locals wanna become adventurers."

After handing out the rewards for the Minotaur quest, the clerk paused and sifted through her papers before looking up again. "There's more, ye see," she said with a hint of excitement. "For yer bold actions savin' the Arcane Scholar from those fenwyrms out in the Grenden Plains, he's made sure ye get full credit for that quest. And the way ye handled those bandits? The Eldralore Knight Order's recognized that too – they're givin' ye credit for puttin' an end to their menace!"

She handed over another set of envelopes to the team. "Inside these, ye'll find our thanks in more than just coin. There be letters of high regard from the branch leaders of our Guild. They'll mark ye out for special missions, a true mark of honor for ones such as yerselves."

Henry analyzed their contents, containing his pride and amusement as he flipped through the papers. Like the first envelope, these also contained receipts of lumins being added to their guild account. However, these also contained the letters of commendation that Mira mentioned – tickets necessary in a society of nobles such as this – and slips that seemed to be vouchers. Henry looked up at the clerk. "Thank you for these," he said with a nod. "Can you tell us more about these vouchers?"

"Those slips can be traded with our trusted vendors here or those who stand with us. They'll fetch ye free or discounted gear and supplies of finer make, the sort not usually within reach of newcomers."

Henry accepted the envelopes, the vouchers between his fingers feeling like keys to a treasure trove of possibilities. He knew their firearms were extremely potent in this world; an enchanted sword or bow seemed redundant for their kind of work, likely more valuable as research artifacts than practical tools.