//------------------------------//
// Mission Orders, 01-20-1005 
// Story: The Gilderoy Expedition 
// by PaulAsaran 
//------------------------------//



From the Office of Sir Long Reach,
Rear Admiral, Her Highness’s Northern Royal Air Navy
The Crystal City

To: Decadent Design,
Captain, H.R.H. Aurora Dawn

In Summer of the year of 1004, an expedition led by one Lord Gilderoy of the University of the Low Rock Aeries entered the Frozen North. The purpose of this expedition was the retrieval of ice cores in the Matti Ths Aioniotitas glacial formation. This expedition, consisting of seventy-two souls of great diversity including griffons, zebras, diamond dogs, and one kirin, was expected to return to civilization before the coming of winter. In this they have failed, and there has been no contact with the expedition since December 13.

To date, the Council of Feathers has sent two further expeditions into the Frozen North in an effort to discover and, if necessary, rescue the Gilderoy Expedition. Both were forced to turn back due to being unequipped to handle the aggressive terrain and weather of the Matti Ths Aioniotitas. The Council thus sent an official request of aid to Equestria and the Crystal Empire.

Her Royal Highness Princess Cadance, in her magnanimity, hereby requests that the Aurora Dawn, being the only operational vessel of either Equestrian or Imperial fleets designed for arctic climates, proceed to the coordinates provided in this message’s accompanying data packet to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing expedition and, if necessary, render aid and rescue. Should rescue not be possible or feasible, the Aurora Dawn is to investigate and report as best it is able the fate of Lord Gilderoy and his team.

With Her Highness’s blessing and well-wishes,
Rear Admiral Long Reach,
January 20, 1005