by: Taea

The Valverde Marshes region of Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa is a terrible place to be fighting a war. Mud grabs at your boots, mist coats your visor and toxic swamp gasses weaken your immune system. Southeast of Paludos, brave AFS soldiers man a tiny post that sits smack dab between two hotly contested Control Points. Swarming with Bane and never safe for a minute, this post offers several missions for the brave who can make it through the mud in one piece. It’s a dirty war, but someone needs to fight it.

Under the Radar: Before heading down to this post, visit Warrior Dikah. He waits in a nearly destroyed Forean village known as the Far West Watch at -523,222,-176. An AFS dropship was supposed to be delivering supplies several days ago, but hasn’t shown up. The latest radar data shows the ship may have gone down somewhere to the east. Locate the downed ship, recover the black box and deliver it to Lt. Kiang. Look for the dropship and crate holding the black box at -51,216,-366. Beeline to the Lieutenant in a watch tower at -116,230,-319. She completes Under the Radar with 5400 credits and choice of Chaingun, Shotgun, Virulent Injector or Sonic Cannon.

Under the Radar – Part II: Lt. Kiang is concerned about what she found on that black box. The Bane are massing in far larger numbers that was previously thought. The large base to the east needs to be infiltrated, and the crew in the downed dropship may have found a way. A small Control Post nearby may provide a way to hack into the Bane network through their computers, and find troop movement information. The computer you seek is right outside the CP at 101,226,-289. Take the data and fight your way back to Lt. Kiang in her watchtower. The information you brought will help the AFS find a better way to attack the Bane bases. You’ve earned your reward of 7400 credits and choice of new boots.

This Calls for Destruction: Kiang has studied the information you brought in, and thinks that destroying the communication array will halt further invasion by the enemy. The best way to do this is to upload a virus to the computers in the area outside the main base, and destroy the generator that feeds the area. The virus would then be uploaded to the main computers during the restart. Follow your mission markers and look out for the squads of Bane with the nasty Pulse Rifle wielding Machina. Upload your virus, blow up the generator, then make your way back to Lt. Kiang for 5400 credits and choice of Mech Legs, or Stealth/Bio/Graviton Vest.

Mortar Madness: Sergeant McDonald at -125,224,-311 has a big problem with the big mortars out in the marsh. The mortars are tearing apart the troops, and they need to be taken out. Head east and destroy 3 of the monsters. The mortars are found along the Bane fortification walls in the east, along a north to south line. You have to watch out for plenty of roaming Thrax, Kael (in all their patch 1.6 glory) and some big nasty Striders that try to interrupt your work. When you have destroyed 3 mortars, hightail it back to McDonald and snatch your 7200 credits reward, and choice of Stealth Legs, or Motor Assist/Hazmat/Reflective Helmet.

The Core of the Matter: Sergeant McDonald overheard you talking with Lt. Kiang earlier. Since you’ll be making a trip out to the Bane Base in the east, the Sergeant wants you to pick up some supplies. Find some boxes with new power cores in them, as the AFS can use them to power up weapons and machinery. The crates with the power cores are found all over the Bane Base in the southeast. You can take the shortcut transporter in Retread City if you completed Highway Robbery. Gather 2 cores, then return to Sgt. McDonald for 7600 credits and choice of Graviton Helmet or Bio/Mech/Stealth Gloves.

Data Disaster: Information came in to Sgt. McDonald that a nearby AFS outpost was overrun, and the Bane may have taken vital data on AFS operations. That data must be retrieved, and then purged from the enemy computers. Fight your way into the Bane CP at 166,232,57. Upstairs you’ll find the Bane CommLink terminal from which to take the data, and then it’s back to McDonald for his reward to you of 5550 credits and choice of Mech Vest, or Reflective/Hazmat/Motor Assist Legs.

Need a Little Help Here: Archer Thoung is a Forean Ranger stationed at a tiny outpost at -127,220,-341. The marsh sickness gets to everyone out here, and regular doses of a special medical concoction keeps the troops healthy for a short time. The latest delivery was ambushed by the Bane, and the medical supplies were left out to rot. You need to locate the supplies, retrieve what you can and then administer the medicine to the troops out on watch. The large crates holding the Medical Booster Packs are found in a Bane outpost where Overseer Nelg lives at 170,224,55. With injections in hand, locate Pvt. Brady, Archer Zui, Warrior Dahn and Elder Nez for inoculations. You will find mission markers for all the sick AFS soldiers on your map. When you are done, return to Archer Thoung to her gracious thanks, and a reward of 5550 credits and choice of Armor Modification Recipe.

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