Aporeu chronicles Issue 348: Elys Dio Veni: Unearthing corruption

Stories from the adventurers

This issue

A rather prosaic report of a mission on Elys Dio Veni. The writer certainly seems to rate his own capabilities rather highly.

Elys Dio Veni: Unearthing corruption

Dear Adventurers, I humbly request your aid. It seems the Naveed Crime Family has gotten their hands on one of my most precious friends. (It doesn’t help she’s the sister of an important diplomat. So I’m not under any pressure.) But I have obtained some information about her whereabouts. Please help me free her.
Dallian Straffy

Zarnak

Mission details
Chronicle Date: Sangatsu 26th, 529 AE
Report Author: ‘Zarnak’
Mission Title: ‘Unearthing Corruption’
World: ‘Elys Dio Veni’
Tier: Bronze
Client: ‘Dallian Straffy’
Party composition:
‘Zarnak’ - Githyanki gish. Party leader, arcane expert.
‘Florence’ - Human cavalrist. Inexperienced, poor equipment maintenance.
‘Zuus’ - Orc-blooded savage. Primitive shamanistic magic of some utility, in dire need of education on the use of metal equipment.
‘Ander’ - Halfling. Role and purpose unknown. Moderate proficiency in social infiltration.
‘Kasulik’ - Defective automation. Poorly designed, requires thorough refurbishment.
Briefing
Client is a human male, young adult. History of criminal activity as part of ‘Sand Capuchins’ gang. Currently resides in home demesne belonging to Djinni ‘Myanmar’. Djinni assumed to be highly powerful and unpredictable, caution is advised in interaction with Djinni.
Client requests extraction of hostage ‘Radjah Zima’ - human female, blood relation of high-ranking diplomat. Hostage is being held by criminal organisation ‘Naveed Family’.
Primary objective: Extract hostage and return to client.
Auxiliary objective 1: Spare life of Naveed Family member ‘Gabriëlla’ - human female, former associate of client and deliver message to her.
Auxiliary objective 2: Inflict severe damage to Naveed Family personnel to discourage further hostile action against client.
Mission execution
Party embarks to mission location ‘Avastra’ - medium-size city, technology level primitive, organized crime rampant. Transportation secured from Djinni in form of animated carpets. Transportation speed adequate, comfort and safety features severely lacking.
Two potential avenues of enemy base infiltration are presented:
Option 1: Infiltrate from below by traversing sewage tunnel network. High level of enemy presence expected.
Option 2: Locate enemy base front on ground level.
Subterranean infiltration deemed too high risk. Ground-level search for alternative entrance to enemy base initiated.
Party commences interrogation of local shopkeepers. Ander, Florence, and the automaton take point, to no effect. Approach too soft, indirect, proves ineffective.
Zarnak exercises executive leadership to rectify mistakes of incompetent party members. Zarnak orders Zuus to assume supportive role; brutish orc-blooded countenance effective tool for intimidation.

Local meat vendor proves susceptible to intimidation, betrays loyalty to Naveed Family with minimal effort. Zarnak takes lead in social infiltration strategy for gaining entry and facilitating surprise assault. Ander attempts to provide support in the form of flimsy cover. Party assumes false identity of fabricated rival gang ‘Shadow Snakes’. Cover story lacks finesse and basic research, but proves adequate due to combination of enemy incompetence and improvisational abilities of leader Zarnak.
Infiltration strategy successfully leads to visual verification of hostage location, as well as achieving proximity to enemy leader. Complication: Enemy leader is auxiliary objective 1 target ‘Gabriëlla’. Standard tactic ‘sow chaos in enemy ranks by eliminating leader first’ no longer desirable course of action. Leader Zarnak successfully identifies and executes new optimal strategy by isolating enemy leader and launching arcane area effect surprise attack on grouped bodyguards.
Combat ensues. Cramped quarters provide excellent choke point and kill zone for area effect magic. Otherwise useless automaton Kasulik serves as moderately effective bait for attracting and clustering enemy troops. Primitive fire-based magics of savage Zuus are of some use, but effectiveness pales in comparison to damage caused to enemy forces by superior arcanist Zarnak.
Cavalrist Florence, of mediocre utility in unmounted state, engages enemy leader in single combat. Clearly lacks combat experience in comparison to opponent, but at least manages to distract enemy leader for some duration.
Recent modifications to armor of Zarnak prove effective against physical attacks, but vulnerable to electricity-based arcane assault of enemy spellcaster.
Enemy force proves more powerful than anticipated, several party members are incapacitated, restored to combatitive state (barely) by rudimentary healing magics from Zuus and Ander.

Party achieves upper hand. Enemy leader attempts escape. Party members panic and utilize lethal force in attempt to prevent escape. Leader Zarnak reminds subordinates of Auxiliary Objective 1 and personally secures non-lethal capture of enemy leader.
Enemy spellcaster utilizes enchantment spell to induce forced sleep state, proves momentarily effective. Setback is easily rectified and enemy spellcaster eliminated.
Minor complication occurs due to poor equipment management by Ander. Liquid naively assumed to be curative potion instead appears to be poisonous. Florence and Kasulik waste valuable medical resources in effort to fix this unacceptable mistake.
Party coerces now-captive enemy leader to secure release of hostage. Party returns to client with hostage and enemy leader. In accordance with local tradition, party is forced to participate in celebratory feast and frivolity. No further ink needs to be wasted on describing the asinine and dangerous antics of Djinni Myanmar.
Objective review
Primary objective: Completed. Hostage returned to client unharmed.
Auxiliary objective 1: Completed. Enemy leader Gabriëlla brought to client and subjugated. Target assimilated into client’s following.
Auxiliary objective 2: Completed. Forces of Naveed Family severely diminished, forged reputation of fictional organisation ‘Shadow Snakes’ useful tool for discouraging retaliation.
Conclusion Expertise and leadership capabilities of Zarnak proved vital in compensating for inadequacies of party members and maximizing utilization of minimal party member qualities. As a result, mission can be considered extraordinary success.

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On the next issue:

Gielinor: In search of the Myreque