Terris Intel Report: The Varos Experiment

The Varos Experiment was a scientific endeavor sponsored by Alexander Marcus, aided by Confluence, the Aspis Consortium, and Project 9 (implicitly, this includes Akura Corporation, Jessel Kesh, and the unknown university of Uma Pencile). The goal was to mimic the Reform Project of the Stewards, which converts felony-class criminals into Ops members, but for accessing the virtual world of Golarion.
The program began in 309 AG at Lord Marcus' request, although we've never been able to figure out why. He pressured his underworld allies to offer up resources and funding, resulting in the personnel and setup on modern-day Varos. While we haven't discovered any concrete documents, based on circumstantial evidence, the agreement is loosely broken down by member below:

• Confluence offered up the death moon as the research location, and let Uma operate his lab on the Jasper. After dismal numbers from the existing mining teams, we believe Confluence personally offered up Chad as a potential candidate.
• The Aspis Consortium offered tremendous amounts of funding, and seems to have suggested Isra for the study. They imprisoned Mist there at the request of Dominic Altraeza, but we believe his presence in the study was simply circumstantial.
• Project 9 offered up their very own Uma Pencile to lead the research, and used their counter-intelligence units to contain information about the project. After Tesin Movahesh was labelled a criminal by the Solarions of Idari, it seems Project 9 recovered her, and changed her prison location to Varos.
• Alexander Marcus attempted to subject Ferro and Tera to the study, but they proved too troublesome. Alexander also had Lockette Endrinmaster committed to Varos, likely as a jab to the Stewards.

The project was maintained by the Warden and Uma Pencile, but later reports indicate that Corporal Gregar Taxus often checked in - both on Isra and the Aspis Consortium's investment. All entities reported to Lord Marcus, who had the final say on all matters.
Just before the end of the experiment, the Warden preferred Varos Mining Team 5 for their consistent performance, but Uma Pencile preferred Varos Mining Team 6 for their "astronomical" numbers. Alexander selected Mining Team 5 during the events that led to the destruction of the Jasper, but was unable to execute the remaining subjects due to interference from Caesura and Ferro.
It is unclear why the Chessboard Conclave had an interest in the Varos Experiment, or why Vaughn Blackblood deployed one of his most-skilled lieutenants to groom high-performers into successful teams. We believe the Centurion also had access to the Experiment, but as per our previous reports, his activities are often through a series of proxies, and thus are extremely difficult to track.
In the short time since the end of the Varos Experiment, the inhabitants have scattered across the Pact Worlds. Of note, Mining Team 5 has re-branded themselves as Phoenix Avirae, and are working directly under Lord Marcus. As detailed in an adjacent report, Mining Team 6 are now considered allies of House Terris, and have been registered as the Dream Team by the Starfinder Society registry.
We believe Varos Mining Team 1 is operating as an unnamed adventuring party on Mataras, using Zipper's local contacts to garner work. One of our agents confirmed that Varos Mining Team 2 fled aboard a stolen ship just before the Jasper exploded, but they have not been seen in the Pact Worlds since. Varos Mining Team 3 is assumed dead, and Varos Mining Team 4 was recovered by the BBP, and are serving the remainder of their sentences on Thyst.

Type

Report, Intelligence

Medium

Digital Recording, Text

Authoring Date

Gozran the 30th, 317 AG

Location

Varos

Signatories (Organizations)

• House Terris