Raiders of the Lost Art - Part 1

Situation

A group of museum curators and private donors have hired Theseus to retrieve a remarkable find. The last painting of Friar Fraser, a monk who lived in Fapovo after seeking refuge from a wild lifetime of magic mushroom and peyote abuse in the 1970s, has been definitively placed in the flooded town of Zborenov. The painting is reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. However, Fapovo is a lawless and disreputable place, and it is dangerous for even the most intrepid art historian. Instead, these art nerds have hired Theseus to serve as both personal security in Fapovo and as an armed force to search the town for the lost painting. We are to retrieve it, protect our clients, and extract from Fapovo.

Unfortunately, the key insight that led to the painting's discovery was the public release of a series of old auction records from Fapovo's pre-revolutionary days. Fraser was well known as one of the leading lights of the island's controversial 'Psychobilly' art movement, known for its disturbing imagery, and a household name in Fapovo at the time. Consequently, Fapovo's own criminal gangs are likely well-informed about the value of the painting and have likely already mounted an expedition to retrieve it themselves.

Our clients have assured us that while the gangs have assuredly reached the flooded town ahead of us, they will have trouble finding the correct painting without our clients' specialized expertise. The valuable artwork's subject matter is supposedly Friar Fraser's most treasured possession, which remains shrouded in mystery to the general public.

Friendly Forces

• Theseus Inc.

Enemy Forces

• Fapovo Syndicate

Objectives

Close personal security is being handled by a second Theseus security team, callsign 'Aegis'. They are currently staying with our clients in a hotel in the major port city of Botana, near where the Theseus team has deployed. The clients will be linked to us via satellite phone, and will want pictures of any paintings found to verify their provenance before confirming retrieval.

Friar Fraser's last painting is located in the flooded village of Zborenov. A breached dam 20 years ago during the early days of the Fapovo revolution consigned it to obscurity and, fortunately for us, likely protected any art on display from being looted. While the approach to the village can be accomplished overland, searching the village itself will require both securing the area and using underwater equipment.

Primary Objective(s)

• Find, confirm, and retrieve Friar Fraser's last painting
• Return to Theseus' base camp with the painting

Secondary Objective(s)

• Put Friar Fraser's masterpiece on display at TAC HQ

Equipment

Ground

• 4 x Arcadian GT
• 2 x Arcadian GT (M134 Minigun)

Air

• N/A

Special

• AR-2 Darter Recon UAV
• NATO Rebreather, Fins and Goggles in Special Arsenal

Intelligence

Area of Operations