Mission:Crimson - Extract the Circle of Thorns informant

Extract the Circle of Thorns informant

Briefing

One of our informants needs help, Character. He's been discovered, and stands a good chance of being captured and killed by Malta Group agents. Normally you'd expect me to mention some crazy complication at this point, and you are correct in this assumption. You see, this particular informant is a member of the Circle of Thorns. Even so, he still needs protection from the Malta Group. Can I count on you to extract him?

• Extract the Circle of Thorns informant

The informant's name is Dyaomesk, and he's been very helpful in keeping tabs on certain Malta Group operation. The back story on this one gets a little strange. Indigo will give you some of it, she's the one who located and recruited him in the first place. Your first step will be to meet with her in person so she can brief you properly.

Meet with Indigo

Unnecessary Solicitation

Your first step will be to meet with Indigo in person so she can brief you properly about Dyaomesk and this situation.

Mission Objective(s)

• Meet with Indigo

Indigo

Briefing

I'm sure Crimson told you the bare basics and nothing more, Character, so I'll give you a bit more background. The informant is a member of the Circle of Thorns called Dyaomesk. He claims to be some kind of ancient sorcerer-ghost, but a lot of people claim to be a lot of things, and I've only ever seen him walking around in a body. Ghost or not, the danger he's in is real. After I discovered him, Dyaomesk and I worked out a little arrangement where he provides information to me, and in exchange I make sure our mutual 'friends' never find him. Unfortunately, it looks like they were able to locate him despite my efforts. Operatives have infiltrated Oranbega, the Circle's underground city, and are trying to catch Dyaomesk. I need you to get him out of harm's way.

Dyaomesk's affiliation may be distasteful, but the information he's been able to provide for use against those 'friends' of ours has been extremely valuable, and he's saved a lot of lives by keeping tabs on what they're up to. Losing him would be a major blow to our efforts.

Protect Dyaomesk

Unnecessary Solicitation

Indigo is right about Dyaomesk. He's not her sole source of information, but he can keep track of some pretty weird stuff. Protecting him from the Malta Group is a top priority.

Mission Objective(s)

The oppressive weight of the ancient ruins of Oranbega is somehow thrown off-balance by the harsh smell of cordite and C4.

• Protect Dyaomesk
  • Find Dyaomesk

You arrived in Oranbega only to find that Dyaomesk had already escaped the Malta Group's agents.

Enemies

Malta Operatives

Notable NPCs

• Heretic Green Epsilon (Malta Gunslinger)
• Circle Mystic (Captive)

Malta Operatives

Before Combat

Malta Operative 1: You know, I feel like I'm being watched down here.

Malta Operative 2: This place is creepy enough without you saying that all the time.

Combat Start

Malta Operative 1: Great. I prefer a stand-up fight!

Heretic Green Epsilon

Before Combat: What do you mean we can't find him? Peel off the robes till we know we got him!
Combat Start: So, Character, are you ready to die?

Circle Mystic

Upon Rescue: I am not the one you seek, but I will tell you of him.

Dyaomesk has fled

The surviving Circle sorcerer you saved from the Malta Group attack in Oranbega told you: 'I am not the one called Dyaomesk, for he has fled this place in his foolish panic. He sought protection from these outsiders with other outsiders. This lack of faith in the power of the Circle betrays a traitorous cowardice, and in one we once trusted to work our will in the world above. He is shunned by us, and forbidden this place until the world of mankind has perished. He has chosen his protectors, and shall profit or perish by that choice.' 'You may go safely from our halls. I can see that you work with those Dyaomesk made his deals with, and we shall honor them.'

Ambush! After exiting this mission, you will be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Meet with Indigo

Unnecessary Solicitation

You better go and get debriefed by Indigo. She may have an idea of where to find Dyaomesk before the Malta Group can.

Indigo

Briefing

It looks like Dyaomesk saw the attack coming and had already escaped before you even got there. Dyaomesk has always been kind of skittish, I suspect that he didn't quite trust you. Now, he has no choice. It seems that the Knives of Artemis were doing the clean-up work for our 'friends', and they've got him cornered in an old section of a graveyard. This could the be last chance to get him out of danger. You've got to get him before the Knives of Artemis can.

Ambush! After completing this mission, you will be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Save Dyaomesk

Unnecessary Solicitation

Whether he's called Dyaomesk or Diomeds, he's a useful resource that needs protection. We're counting on you, Character.

Mission Objective(s)

Somehow, you're not surprised to find out a fleeing Circle Sorcerer would seek safety in a graveyard.

• Save Dyaomesk
  • Find Dyaomesk

You rescued Dyaomesk from the Knives of Artemis and the Malta Group.

Enemies

Knives of Artemis

Notable NPCs

• Sister Circe (Knives of Artemis Hand of Artemis)
• Dyaomesk (Captive)

Ambush! You will fall to the blades of the Knives of Artemis! You will be ambushed several times while on this mission.

Dyaomesk's story

After you rescued him from the Knives of Artemis and the Malta Group, the Circle of Thorns sorcerer Dyaomesk told you: 'This would likely have gone better had I stayed the course and hid in Oranbega. It was their fault that this all happened! I only did my job. I was ordered to observe the outside world, and stumbled onto your 'Cold War.' I met Roger Vrabel and learned of his Titan project, and though I thought of the plan myself, the Circle were the ones who gave me approval to carry it out. I took a body and offered my services to help him hunt down other mages for this group. I intended to provide him the average and funnel the best along to the Circle for our own use, all the while working to indoctrinate Vrabel into our service. Sadly, Vrabel could not be subverted, so I falsified my own death and returned to the safety of Oranbega. But now that the aliens have broken our wards, I knew it was only a matter of time before I was found. The Circle kept sending me out on missions! It was unfair! They must have known I would be found out. I knew they would try to hunt me down. Your associates found me first and promised some measure of safety in exchange for information and further spy work.' 'Now it seems that it's all been brought down upon me. I must remand myself to your custody and prepare myself for any indignity I must now suffer to save my existence. Oh, to have fallen to such a sorry state due to the incompetence of others! I must use your vulgar modern vernacular to properly compound insult upon indignity and state: This blows.'

Ambushes

Combat Start: You will fall to the blades of the Knives of Artemis!

Sister Circe

Before Combat:

Find the magus. This ends tonight.

Combat Start:

This is our hunt, Character. The only place you have here is as additional prey.

Dyaomesk

Upon Rescue: I am Dyaomesk. I owe you my thanks, and more.

Debriefing

Dyaomesk can be difficult to work with, Character, but you came through like a star. Well done, very professional. Indigo is hard at work pulling the final strings right now, but we should be able to get Dyaomesk into a secure situation soon. I think MAGI wants to use him to cross-check the information they've gotten from another Circle traitor they've got under wraps. Fortunately, we have secure channels of our own in there, so we should still be able to get intel from him. All in all, a very satisfactory conclusion.

If you were paying attention, you'll understand why Malta wanted Dyaomesk so badly. He was there back in the days of Vrabel's old Project Titan, and he knows secrets he still hasn't told any of his employers. Just because he's some kind of ghost doesn't make him immune to their techniques. Malta's got some mages of their own, some of whom Dyaomesk probably taught back in the 60's. What concerns me is that the Circle was obviously trying to get their hooks into Vrabel back then, and while it didn't work against him, I have to wonder how many people they did get? The Circle likes taking over secret societies, and intelligence agencies worldwide are secret societies of a sort. Really, really powerful ones. Now that's a thought to help kick up your paranoia.