Team 1 - The Smelters Cooperative

Team Breakdown

Vallejo Lopez (Bulwark) Joshua Lopez (Warrior) Jonatan Lopez (Scout) Marsiella Marin (Sapper) Urbinte Torres (Medic)

Overall Report

Successfully cleared the Grasses challenge. Suffered no casualties in expedition to the wreckage nor in exploring the wreckage for the key out. One interaction recorded between the team and the large Infected type A. Avoided further contact after Warrior and Medic sustained injuries.

Scout evaded capture from small Infected type A and fended off assaults from small Infected type B while exploring the submerged zone for intelligence on the keys whereabouts.

Of note is the strategy employed in the final stretch of the event suggested by the Bulwark, with the Bulwark and Sapper fabricating walls to bottleneck Infected type A through a narrow hallway while the remaining team searched for the key.

Also of note was their varied use of magical items. Sapper employed full use of the Lethargy Field Bulb to break swarms off into chunks and then alternated with the use of the Oil and Sparks function on their issued Pipe to coral the enemy towards the designed funnel.

They were the second team to successfully find the key, with a longer time being owed to a methodical thoroughness of the Warrior, Scout, and Medic’s search.

Notes

It was expected from their history that the Bulwark would slot into a leadership position naturally. Their attitude towards being directed is more hostile when directed by strangers (as shown in the interaction between Bulwark and Urbinte prior to their encounter with the large Infected type A. Questioning their authority was more capable from the Warrior and Scout due to their familial connection.

The Warrior and Scout appear to be a packaged deal, working off of one another to accomplish tasks in a given situation. The Warrior sustained injury in fending off large Infected Type A to avoid having the Scout sustain potentially fatal injuries during their surveyance process. The Scout remained serious from that point onward, maintaining morale with jokes and quips but otherwise focused on the task at hand.

The Sapper was professional and inventive with their use of the limited magical items present in any Sapper kit. Their creative application of magical items where not expected is understandable given their history working under a machinist. There is history between the Sapper and the Frontline trio, although their relationship to one another is inconclusive. Regardless, they maintained a neutral and professional rapport, if tensed by some sort of previous interaction not in the event.

The Medic was outspoken and consistent with questioning the level of risk taking the Bulwark was engaging in. After sustaining injuries with their large Infected type A interaction, their demeanor soured to a point where the Bulwark felt it more expedient to split the team up into a smaller cohort and direct all failures of the mission to their leadership, making the Medics interactions with the Warrior and Scout more amicable while searching for the key.

All candidates show competency with their roles. The Bulwark holds experience from prior ventures out on Anhalar but does not play well with others when in the leadership position. The Warrior and Scout appear to operate better as a unit. It would be recommended if these candidates were chosen for the expedition that they be chosen together. The Sapper is gifted in their use of magical items and served as the linchpin in actualizing a lot of the plans posited by the rest of the theme with a creative application of their kit. Provided they’re given tools beyond their current toolkit, their addition to the expedition would be highly recommended. The Medic is competent in their injury dressing skills but holds a dour attitude until addressed in a roundabout manner.

Team 2 - The Naturalists

Team Breakdown

Irizarry Ciellago (Medic) Nemesio Estrada (Bulwark) Valeria Soto (Scout) Adan Guerrero(Sapper) Bastien Ortiz (Lancer)

Overall Report

Successfully cleared the Grasses challenge. Suffered no casualties in expedition to the wreckage but suffered two casualties and sustained multiple injuries across the remaining three units while exploring the wreckage for the key out. Two interactions recorded between the team and the large Infected type C. The Team Scout and Bulwark were the casualties sustained in the expedition.

The first interaction with the large Infected type C was protracted due to the behavior of the creature’s hunting method; it stalked and tracked the team at every moment and made mobilizing their Scout to survey ahead a dangerous prospect.

The Medic provided the group with breathing room by creating a cocktail tincture that temporarily incapacitated the large Infected type C. Of note was the Medics use of their familiar, aiding the Scout in their task of surveying ahead or fending off small Type A infected when moving through the wreckage.

The second interaction with the large Infected type C was an ambush at an inopportune moment; the team sustained light injuries moving through a hazard laden hallway and had stopped to dress injuries. Infected type C successfully picked off the Scout, emboldening the creature to engage in combat with the team.

Of note was the Bulwarks' use of Kinesis to mitigate the impact of assaults by the creature by manipulating the landscape. Their constant interference with redirecting aggression away from the vulnerable units of the team was commendable.

The use of another cocktail created with the combined efforts of the Sapper and Medic, using the Lancer to deliver the payload into the large Infected Type C while the Bulwark maintained the creature's attention was an exemplary display of cooperative problem solving.

The Bulwark succumbed to their injuries and was recorded as the second casualty. The Medic carved out the glands in the large Infected type C that produced pheromones and carried it with the unit until the key was found.

They were the fourth team to successfully find the key. The time taken to engage with the large Infected type C likely cost the team the likelihood of expediently acquiring the key.

Notes

Although falling into a natural leadership position due to their expected expertise, the Medic engaged in a cooperative style of team governance that sought to utilize the experiences of the other members towards the goal of finding the key. Their flexibility towards approaching problems with the assumption that someone in the team will have the skill set or tools necessary to handle the problem is commendable.

The Bulwark was courageous and forward thinking with their prolonged second encounter with the large Infected type C and would slot into the expedition very well. They were capable of acquiring and retaining the attention of the creature while sustaining minimal injuries. It was fatigue and the accumulation of these injuries over the course of their expedition in the wreckage that sundered the individual.

The Scout and their surveying skills did not stand out beyond the average. Their level of skill might be affected by the dogged pursuit experienced by the team during their exploration through the wreckage and must be taken into account of their assessment.

The Sapper was equally unremarkable aside from their inventive use of Sapper tools with the Medics alchemical concoctions to fashion an explosive. Discussions on the payloads form and the concoctions interaction with the shell of the device suggests a passing understanding of alchemy.

The Lancer, on initial view, did not appear to be engaging with the mission with any level of severity. If this is a stress management behavior or a personality trait remains inconclusive but it belied an intuition towards avoiding the brunt of environmental hazards and evading clustered interactions with small Infected type A. This intuition manifested in light manipulations to have the team move through certain hallways over others and point out oddities in the environment as to have other members take credit.

Team 3 - Undying Legion

Team Breakdown

Delores Cienmiedos (Warrior/Valkyr) Alexander Cienmiedos (Lancer/Einjar) Giorgio Cortez (Scout) Eloisa Flores (Sapper) Jana Lopez (Bulwark)

Overall Report

Successfully cleared the Grasses challenge. Suffered no casualties in expedition to the wreckage but suffered three casualties while exploring the wreckage for the key out. The remaining two members of the team sustained negligible injuries. Two interactions recorded between the team and the large type B Infected. The Team Scout, Bulwark, and Sapper were the casualties sustained in the expedition.

The Warrior took on a mentorship role with the rest of the team and drafted a plan of engagement before the team entered the wreckage. Of note was the Warriors strategy of pairing the Scout and Bulwark together while having the Sapper utilize their Pulse technique behind the remaining units to avoid ambush.

Although taking precautions in avoiding engagements with small Infected type B and proactively searching for tracks of the large type B Infected, the team was attacked. To specify, the Bulwark and Scout were hijacked by the large Infected type B with their isolated initial interaction and used to infiltrate and sew discord with the remaining units for the creature to opportunistically take advantage of.

The second interaction involved the remaining unit members being led into an ambush with small Infected type B and the large Infected type B lying in wait. By virtue of experience and abilities outside the purview of the Vanguard, the Warrior and the Lancer successfully eliminated the small type B threats while repelling the psychological warfare of the large Infected type B. The Sapper utilized their toolkit to shirk the control effects off the Scout and Bulwark but failed to do so, succumbing to a physical attack obscured by illusory techniques.

The Warrior and Lancer slayed the large Infected type B with a decisive approach before slowly exploring the rest of the wreckage. Their method of defeating their opponent was through the use of their reliquaries, tools associated with the Order of Tempered Souls.

They were the fifth team to successfully find the key. Based on the Warriors previous limited history in infiltrating and destroying Nests, it was expected by the examiners that their experience would make searching for the key trivial. Instead, the Warrior took this as a learning exercise for the Lancer and the remaining units while exploring the wreckage.

Notes

The full history of the Warrior and Lancer are classified by Elder Nero. For more information on their abilities as a Valkyr or Einjar respectively, refer to Elder Nero for access or research these materials within the Annals. It is highly recommended they be added to the expedition because of their observed competency.

The Bulwark and Scout were unable to show their full potential due to a mismatch of physical competency against psychological opponents. Using the information from the first event as a reference, their capacity to manipulate their Soul is high but was trained for purely offensive efforts. To that end, it is not recommended they be considered for the expedition.

The Sapper was expedient in deploying and reusing magical items within their toolkit, specifically taking the toolkits of the Lancer and Warrior to fashion makeshift traps and alarms for the team. Although competent with their tools, their natural Soul technique abilities are average. They are recommended with the condition that they be given a wider array of magical items to take advantage of their strengths.

Team 4 - The Equalists

Team Breakdown

Damiello Gutierrez (Bulwark) Federico Castillo(Sapper) Paulina Ortiz (Scout) Estefania Medina (Warrior) Osana Herrera (Medic)

Overall Report

Successfully cleared the Grasses challenge. Suffered no casualties in expedition to the wreckage but suffered one casualty while exploring the wreckage for the key out. The remaining four members of the team sustained debilitating injuries. Five interactions recorded between the team and the large Infected type D. The Team Bulwark was the casualty sustained in the expedition.

There was no clear hierarchical structure moving the group towards one objective; the team functioned under a voting system initially, choosing directions after deliberating on the pros and cons of each direction. After a vote was placed, the Scout would survey the route ahead and report back with information and a second vote would be held to have the team explore the surveyed route or choose the alternate route.

This method of organization was beneficial in their avoidance of small Infected type B and environmental hazards held in varying locations however it made spur of the moment decisions much more difficult to act upon.

This hesitation is best exemplified with their first two interactions with the large Infected type D. Their initial interactions were met with all party units sustaining injuries and a lack of a coordinated assault when the Warrior and Sapper attempted to engage the creature directly.

After the second interaction with the large Infected, the democratic structure shifted to a leadership structure, with the Sapper leading followed by Warrior, Medic, Bulwark, and Scout. With breathing room, the group decided to split their focus on locating the key or information on the key’s whereabouts while tracking the perimeter of the large Infected Type D hunting grounds.

The Sapper, Warrior, and Scout searched for the information while the Bulwark and Medic patrolled their makeshift base of operations. A third interaction with the large Infected Type D occurred wherein the Bulwark sustained heavy injuries in repelling the creature's advances to their base of operations.

Upon returning to the base with information on the keys whereabouts, Sapper and Warrior suggested baiting the large Infected Type D to an area for final confrontation.

Combining their efforts, traps were laid around an arena that would lock the team in with the large Infected type D as best they could. Using the Scout as bait, the creature was led into the arena where a unified team properly engaged in combat.

The team was successful in grievously wounding the large Infected type D, however the creature escaped the arena. The rest of the group gave chase while the Bulwark lagged behind, succumbing to their injuries from the fourth interaction.

The remaining units located the large Infected Type D’s nest and eliminated the threat, sustaining moderate injuries that left the Warrior incapable of moving forward. Although not a casualty, the Warrior was left behind while the remaining mobile units located and retrieved the key.

They were the sixth team to successfully find the key. The rapport held by each unit with one another suggests a connection irrespective of their disparate histories within Ileah. The choice to delve into the wreckage through democratic votes aided in their near complete avoidance of hazards and small Infected type B, but greatly lengthened their expedition time and likely cost the team their Bulwark due to prolonged interactions with the large Infected type D.

Notes

The mastermind of this team was a combined effort between the Sapper and the Warrior. Although constantly hostile with one another, this hostility is suggested to stem from a rivalry that unexpectedly pushes the other to outdo the actions of their rival.

The Sapper and the Warrior share an analytical mind with a keen eye for setting up advantageous landscapes (as suggested by the plan in their fourth interaction with the large Infected type D) but their method of operations diverge from this point. The Sapper is quite patient in waiting for scenarios to line up before executing a plan, informing a risk assessment expected from their profession. The Warrior is opportunistic, taking advantage of opportunities when presented even if not in an ideal position and being heavy handed with their response. Both have egos so it is suggested that if chosen for the expedition, that a unit in the expedition be tasked with keeping said ego in check lest either unit become conceited. Both are recommended for the expedition.

The Bulwark stands out for exemplifying the stereotype of a ‘cowardly hero’. Although a frontline unit and maintaining a body to match, they are averse to engaging in combat, preferring to wield a tower shield their length and width and merely engaging in defensive operations. Their method of attack involves rudimentary Kinesis manipulation and reserved Soul reinforced jabs and hooks with their right arm but otherwise they do not carry an offensive weapon and have no knowledge in using magical items. Surprising is their effectiveness in maintaining the aggression of creatures and mitigating injuries. They are recommended conditionally; if the expedition expects a more offensive Bulwark, this is not the unit to use.

The Scout showed an advanced level of competency in detecting environmental hazards and in navigating the wreckage. Their use of Sense made them keenly aware of shortcuts and passageways that would circumvent the obstacles presented to them and their advanced use of Sight meant they could operate in darkness and avoid detection from small Infected type B. They are recommended for the expedition.

The Medic was competent in dressing injuries sustained from the team's engagements with the large Infected type D and their alchemical background was fundamental in delivering debilitating injuries to the creature when setting up traps for the fourth interaction.

Team 5 - The Misfits

Team Breakdown

Jesus Miguel - El Hombre Poderoso (Warrior) Antonio Cancio (Lancer) Rafaella Cruz (Scout) Salvia Rojas (Sapper) Eduardo Aleman (Medic)

Overall Report

Successfully cleared the Grasses challenge. Suffered no casualties in expedition to the wreckage but suffered four casualties while exploring the wreckage for the key out. The remaining member of the team sustained debilitating injuries. One interaction recorded between the team and the large Infected type A. The Team Warrior, Scout, Sapper, and Medic were the casualties sustained in the expedition.

This unit was non-standard in their approach to exploring the wreckage. The Sapper was tasked with using an Ethereal Tether magic item to connect each unit to one another before they split up into two teams of two and one team of one. The Warrior and Sapper went in one direction while the Medic and Lancer split apart from the Scout once the opportunity presented itself.

They were the only team to discover the boundaries of the wreckage, a limitation from employing the use of the Statue of the Grasses and this discovery made their search for the key more defined in their eyes.

The two unit teams engaged with numerous small Infected type A before finding information suggesting large Infected type A was present in the wreckage. Although capable of covering a lot of ground while inside, their units suffered casualties by being overwhelmed with their engagements.

An example of this is the Scout acquiring a debilitating injury with their initial engagement against the large Infected type A before succumbing to a mob of small Infected type A searching for the unit. Another example of this is with the Warrior and Sapper attempting to overpower the large Infected type A once their emotions clouded their judgement, resulting in two additional casualties with the large Infected type A sustaining enough injuries to become a non-threat for the remaining two units.

The final casualty from the Medic occurred when the remaining units discovered the location of the key and were immediately swarmed by small Infected type A in their ideal hunting grounds. The medic purposefully pulled behind with alchemical concoctions in hand to provide the Lancer with enough time to acquire the key before becoming overwhelmed with threats.

They were the third team to successfully find the key. It is surprising to see a team with enough courage or foolhardiness to purposefully split the party as to cover a wider area in their search for the key. It is a tactic best employed with more units but one that gave them the advantage in finding the key as quickly as they did despite their heavy casualty rate.

Notes

Starting with the Warrior, they were the ones to suggest the use of the Ethereal Tethers magic item to maintain open communications with the other units despite the distance. Listening into their communications, it seemed that the Warrior was the heart of the team, alleviating tension and maintaining high morale for each unit.

They were also impulsive in seeking retaliation for the death of the team's Scout, purposefully placing the mission secondary to fulfill their primary goal of vengeance. If this impulsivity can be tempered with other members of the team, a recommendation can be warranted.

The Lancer was competent in their offensive role and employed the use of alchemical concoctions provided to them by the Medic to block off passageways with oncoming pursuers or eliminate multiple threats with a disorienting fire. Their previous experience as a Courier informed their alacrity and spatial awareness abilities, making them the ideal unit to find and acquire the key. They are recommended for the expedition.

The Scout was useful to the rest of the units by providing a mental map of their route through the Ethereal Tethers magic item and informing the rest of the team how to avoid triggering the effects of various environmental hazards scattered within the wreckage. Although capable in this regard, they were incapable of performing a proper Shroud technique and thus were ambushed by the large Infected type A. This inability to Shroud alone is enough to avoid recommending this unit.

The Sapper was offensive in their use of magical items to confine and create an ideal arena for the Warrior to confront the large Infected type A. With a mind for traps, they were able to offset the approach of small Infected type A long enough for the Warrior and the creature to exchange lethal blows with one another. The Sapper lacked forward thinking however, not creating an escape point under the assumption that the Warrior would overcome their injuries and in turn, being overwhelmed by small Infected type A. A limited recommendation is suggested if their aptitude for forward thinking is tuned.

The Medic was uncharacteristically offensive and proactive with their approach in the expedition, crafting alchemical concoctions to deter or eliminate small Infected type A. There is not enough data to provide a recommendation or not, but their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the goal of the mission is something to be considered if chosen for the expedition.