ADVENT: Organizations
The Pantheon
"It's time we stopped relying on XCOM to solve our Ethereal problems."
- Commander Laura Christiaens
Proposal 0216
Latest Revision: 1/10/2017
Designation: Anti-Ethereal Special Forces Division 3 – "The Pantheon"
Program Type: Special Forces; Anti-Ethereal
Authors: Kwon Seul-Gi, Command Strategist; Leo Booker, Tactical Squad Commander; Catena Sabella, Tactical Squad Commander; Arend Veldpape, Tactical Squad Commander; Jude Davies, Public Relations and Unit Communication; the Commander of XCOM; Elizabeth Falka, Director of ADVENT Intelligence; Kyong Suk-Chul, Minister of ADVENT Public Relations; Keith Watkins, Chief Overseer of the Oversight Division
INITIAL PROPOSAL: As the war has continued to progress, it has become apparent that this war will not be decided solely through armies and the mounted corpses of ally and enemy alike, but solely through the victory or defeat of the Ethereals themselves, as well as enemy psions who are likely to emerge, and any additional threats of similar power.
The Ethereals are the symbol of the power of the Ethereal Collective, and should such symbols be defeated, tarnished, or killed, the political authority and power of the Ethereals continues to deteriorate, and forces the Imperator and other Ethereal leaders to focus additional efforts on ensuring their own allies are placated or otherwise contained.
The political ramifications of eliminated Ethereals are obvious, and more to the point, increase our own chances against the Ethereal Collective. The issues arise from the fact that Ethereals have proven to be notoriously difficult to kill, with the only known Ethereal death coming at the hands of XCOM, and we now know that this particular Ethereal was among the weakest of his kind.
In nearly all engagements with Ethereals – particularly the Battlemaster – the most optimal outcome has been forcing a retreat of the Ethereal in question, which only results in them learning and applying the lessons to future conflicts. Merely forcing an Ethereal to retreat should not be considered successful – especially as it has come at the cost of thousands of soldiers, damage to cities and infrastructure, and being forced to divert attention from other fronts.
Additionally, many of these forced retreats have come after significant support from outside forces, particularly that of XCOM. While we certainly value XCOM as allies, we should realize that relying on them to handle problems such as Ethereals is a weakness we need to correct as soon as possible. XCOM may and will not always be available, and should we be on our own, we have little choice but deploying untrained and unspecialized soldiers and hoping Ethereals can be overcome through sheer numbers.
This is not how we kill Ethereals.
Thus, we propose the creation of this unit whose purpose is to ultimately be able to face, counter, and kill the Ethereals of the Collective. They will be composed of the absolute best our species has to offer, and take advantage of the strengths of our species – specifically our numbers. There are only a very few Ethereals.
There are many, many Humans ready and waiting.
BATTLE ROLE: Simply put, handling Ethereals and other significant targets of interest. Upon the sighting of one or more Ethereals they will deploy to handle them, with the squad composition being expanded, reduced, and otherwise modified depending on the Ethereal in question. In cases such as the Ethereals, the entire Pantheon will remain on-standby to provide support if needed.
In addition to handling Ethereal-level threats, they will also participate in standard operations where special forces are necessitated, and given their capabilities, they will likely prove to be a significant force multiplier and allow for XCOM to potentially focus on other areas of interest. As the Pantheon is not expected to be a large unit, the absolute reach of it will be limited, although this is because their primary objective is the handling of Ethereals, with standard combat operations coming secondary to this stated goal.
POSITIONS: Due to the primary objective being the elimination of enemy Ethereals, the majority of these positions will require some degree of high psionic potential (typically Magus-class or higher) to adequately handle equally or greater powered Ethereals. However, not all positions require psionic affinity or revolve around it.
All positions were designated and decided upon the formation of this unit, and while there is room for further expansion of the Pantheon at a later date, this provides a completely solid core from which to recruit and later build on. All callsigns were designated after all individuals were recruited for their main positions.
While there are positions which are focused around psionics, there are more traditional roles which have been adapted to better fulfill the ultimate goals of the Pantheon. It should also be noted that callsigns do not reflect anything about the operative in question outside of their position. Also do not expect complete historical accuracy as the callsigns were decided upon by the unit themselves, and did not consult professionals.
The positions are as follows:
COMMAND STRATEGIST – CALLSIGN 'ATHENA': The Command Strategist will be assuming responsibility for the planning, strategy, and execution of operations as well as being the designated manager of the Pantheon and responsible for coordinating with other ranking military ADVENT officials, and assisting with deployment compositions and loadouts. This is not a combat role, and as such psionic affinity is not a requirement. They will observe operations and make adjustments and suggestions as necessary, as well as taking into account greater ADVENT operations. A background and experience in military strategy and special forces operations is a requirement.
There are three positions that are Tactical Squad Commanders, and these will be the individuals who lead Pantheon squads on the ground and have authority on the tactical level. Each Tactical Squad Commander currently is specialized in leading a particular squad composition, and as such will be distinguished through their call sign.
TACTICAL SQUAD COMMANDER – CALLSIGN 'ARES': Tactical Squad Commander ARES will primarily specialize in compositions where a maximum amount of immediate and sustained damage is necessary, and there is no concern for collateral damage or restraint. ARES should be a highly experienced soldier with training in multiple weapon types, explosives, and blitz tactics. ARES will undergo extensive genetic modification and a psionic affinity is required, no less than a MAGUS-class. Any discipline is permitted, and ARES will be allowed to determine custom loadouts including melee weapons and experimental technology.
TACTICAL SQUAD COMMANDER – CALLSIGN 'KRATOS': Tactical Squad Commander KRATOS specializes in a balanced squad composition, where some restraint is called for, while also not being a stealth or lightning operation. KRATOS specializes best in operations in support of allied positions, as they will coordinate fully with current ADVENT forces for maximum effectiveness, and is capable of working and synergizing tactics well regardless of unit composition, and using them to their fullest potential. KRATOS will undergo genetic modification, and a psionic affinity is required with the same criteria. Weapon loadout rules and restrictions are the same as ARES.
TACTICAL SQUAD COMMANDER – CALLSIGN 'NIKE': Tactical Squad Commander NIKE specializes in directed and extremely focused combat operations where there should be little attention attracted and a minimum of possible collateral damage. They primarily work in quiet or stealth operations with only the targets designated as the ones who should be removed. They should not primarily engage in direct combat unless forced due to botched operations. They are under the same requirements as the other Tactical Squad Commanders.
ELITE DYNAMO PSION – CALLSIGN 'ZEUS': The designated Dynamo Psion of the Pantheon will be drawn from among the most powerful psions currently within ADVENT. They will be primarily drawn from the Military Branch of the PRIEST Division, or the PRIEST Division generally if no suitable candidates are found. They must have a minimum LEVIATHAN-class Trask Level, and be trained in at least two sub-disciplines of the Dynamo psionic discipline. They will receive genetic modifications as necessary.
ELITE TELEPATH PSION – CALLSIGN 'DIONYSUS': The designated combat Telepath of the Pantheon will be drawn from the same pool as other dedicated psions. If possible, they will also be drawn from ADVENT Intelligence and the allowed pool is wider for this position than some others. A high Trask level is also a requirement, also being a minimum of LEVIATHAN-class. They will need to demonstrate proficiency in weakening Ethereal-level defenses, and will be tested through Aegis and XCOM psions.
ELITE TELEKINETIC PSION – CALLSIGN 'HERACLES': The designated Telekine of the Pantheon will be drawn from the same pool as other dedicated psions, although unlike other dedicated psionic combat roles, the minimum Trask level will be MAGUS-class. In return for this lowered requirement, candidates will be required to demonstrate advanced and delicate uses of telekinesis to showcase mastery of it. These tests will be tailored to best exploit the candidate's psychological profile. This is currently the most difficult position to be accepted to.
ELITE AEGII PSION – CALLSIGN 'HESTIA': The designated Aegii of the Pantheon will be drawn from the PRIEST Division pool in all categories, and require a minimum Trask level of LEVIATHAN-class, as well as having to showcase capabilities to ADVENT Oversight as well as Aegis to ensure that mastery is sufficient. The psion must be proficient in offensive and defensive uses of Aegii psionics.
PSIONIC STEALTH SPECIALIST – CALLSIGN 'MORPHEUS': This is a highly specialized subset of psionic training which utilizes psionics to enhance stealth capabilities. While psionics is not expected to completely supplement traditional stealth techniques and technology, it must play a significant roles that directly enhances the effectiveness of the individual in question. TELEPATHY is the required discipline for this position, with a minimum Trask level of MAGUS-class. Other disciplines may be considered if a viable stealth application is proven.
EXPLOSIVES AND DEMOLITIONS SPECIALIST – CALLSIGN 'APOLLO': This position will be responsible for managing, employing, and researching all things related to explosives and other high-volume methods of solving issues and overcoming obstacles. They must specialize in explosives, bomb defusal, architecture, or electronics to qualify. In combat they are permitted to utilize as many explosives or equipment as possible. They are required to be a psion of any discipline – TELEKINETICS and AEGII psions are preferred – with a minimum Trask level of MAGUS-class.
TARGET ELIMINATION SPECIALIST – CALLSIGN 'ARTEMIS': This position is responsible for the dedicated elimination of certain targets at the expense of all else. They are expected to place themselves in positions of optimal exploitation, and be able to swiftly and accurately eliminate targets using whatever means are necessary. Psionic affinity is required – DYNAMO and TELEPATHY psions are preferred – with a minimum Trask level of MAGUS-class.
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND UNIT COMMUNICATION – CALLSIGN 'HERMES': This position will be the primary assistant to the Command Strategist, and ensure communication cohesion with other ADVENT military units and officials, as well as handle any sort of public relations which arise in relation to the Pantheon. Backgrounds in marketing, public relations, public speaking, and administration are preferred, and psionic affinity is not required, although it would provide additional benefits.
INTERROGATION SPECIALIST – CALLSIGN 'HADES': This position is responsible for managing the interrogation and treatment of all captives brought in by the Pantheon, or performed on the battlefield itself. They will perform interrogations as they see fit, and forward all relevant information to the Command Strategist and Oversight Division before ultimately turning over captives to the Oversight Division. The Interrogation Specialist has the authority to interrogate any individuals currently being held by ADVENT with this only being contramanded by the Oversight Division, ADVENT Intelligence, or the Peacekeepers. They must have a background in interrogation, psychology, or alien studies, as well as psionic affinity. They must be of the TELEPATH discipline, and have a minimum Trask level of LEVIATHAN-class.
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER – CALLSIGN 'ASCLEPIUS': This position is responsible for all medical issues and matters for the Pantheon, and will primarily use their capabilities exclusively for the Pantheon although if needed will assist other allied forces as well. They must be trained battlefield medics, and have psionic affinity. Any discipline is permitted – TELEPATHY and AEGII psions preferred – with a minimum Trask level of MAGUS-class.
SQUAD ARMORER AND QUARTERMASTER – CALLSIGN 'HEPHAESTUS': This position is responsible for ensuring the Pantheon is properly armored, weaponized, and outfitted for operations. They handle all logistical matters and coordinate heavily with the Command Strategist and Tactical Squad Commanders to ensure that each member can be outfitted to their exact specifications. They will coordinate with ADVENT Engineering for custom equipment, and additionally be responsible for maintaining it. They will oversee a dedicated staff to assist in maintenance and creation of Pantheon-tier equipment. They must have experience in design, architecture, metallurgy, or weapons design. Psionic affinity is not a requirement.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: Recruitment will primarily be drawn from existing ADVENT personnel within the Military and PRIEST Division as applicable, and it will be exclusively invitation-only. Training itself is to be kept to a minimum, as the Pantheon is to be a collection of the best of ADVENT and they are expected to already be the best at what they are.
As such, training will largely focus on unit synergy and coordination between members. Prior to acceptance all candidates will go through specialized tests relating to what their role would be. These tests are tuned to their specific strengths, weaknesses, and psychological profiles to determine how they will perform under pressure and in situations the Pantheon will likely face.
Candidates will be flagged by a combination of combat records and scouts handled by the Command Strategist to seek out and identify potential talent. Potential recruits will be shared with the respective individual whose position candidates would qualify for, to get feedback and potential selection from. Should a member of the Pantheon plan to retire or otherwise leave, they will first recruit their replacement and in the event they are killed before a replacement can be chosen, they will have overseen or designed tests required for achieving the position to ensure that worthy successors are chosen.
TECHNOLOGY AND ENHANCEMENT: The Pantheon, due to their elite status and small size, will have access to custom-made and designed weapons, armor, and equipment from ADVENT Engineering within reason. This will be coordinated by the Armorer and Quartermaster, and each soldier will be able to tailor their personal loadout and kit – potentially multiple of such – to their own personal strengths and depending on operations.
All members of the Pantheon will undergo genetic enhancement to increase all physical attributes, including strength, speed, eyesight, durability, and organ redundancy. These modifications may be additionally modified and enhanced as improvements are researched and developed. All members of the Pantheon must submit to this enhancement, as such enhancements will be necessary for facing Ethereal-level enemies.
Pantheon soldiers also have access to usage of prototype or currently developing technology. It should be noted that such equipment may be unstable and that risk is assumed by utilizing it, and equipment which is unstable and poses a danger to the user and others will not be permitted if exceptionally dangerous. In most other cases the utilization of prototype technology is permitted.
AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS: Pantheon soldiers have complete local authority on the battlefield, although they will likely not be interfering overmuch in general combat operations, but if assistance is requested by a member of the Pantheon, cooperation is expected. They have the authority to request backup or assistance, though this allowance is not unlimited.
As noted earlier, they have access to interrogate or question any captive of ADVENT or those identified as risks or threats by ADVENT Intelligence, the Peacekeepers, or the Oversight Division. This can only be contramanded by the Oversight Division, ADVENT Intelligence, or the Peacekeepers. Valid reasons for refusal must be provided, as must the Pantheon provide valid reasons for interrogation. The Pantheon is not permitted extrajudicial authority and all captives must be turned over to ADVENT Intelligence or the Peacekeepers upon completion of interrogation.
Due to the sensitive nature of the work of the Pantheon, as well as the fact that the majority of individuals are psions, all members of the Pantheon are subject to the Manchurian Restraints, and are required to have the Restraints updated if necessary.
CONCLUSION: Upon deployment, the Pantheon will prove to be a highly specialized and dangerous tool of ADVENT which will serve to act as a hard counter and answer to the Ethereals, as well as a major force multiplier for any other combat operations which require special forces. This kind of unit is necessary both due to the caliber of enemies we face, and to ensure that we do not become reliant on outside forces such as XCOM to handle threats we cannot.
We do not anticipate this being the only such squad, and should the war progress, more will be developed, but until that point the Pantheon will serve as the shield ADVENT will use to protect Humanity from its most dangerous threats.
Recording of Pantheon soldiers after official recruitment
[Leo Booker]: "So how many are we altogether?"
[Arend Veldpape]: "Fifteen altogether, and not everyone is here now. I've got the names here."
[Myrtle Steele]: "Missing our Command Strategist it appears."
[LB]: "Nah, she's just busy making sure everyone gets here on time. Then it's hard training until the next time the Ethereals show up."
[Catena Sabella]: "Can't wait."
[Harold Rivers]: "It's really amazing just how much stuff XCOM has on the aliens. Their whole dossier on Quisilia explains a lot."
[CS]: "That he's a lying, trolling cunt?"
[Irisha Artamonova]: "But an entertaining one."
[AV]: "Think it's a whole reason why they put together this little group. XCOM has too much information. Shouldn't become reliant on them."
[MS]: "Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Commander directly have input into the formation of this unit?"
[HR]: "Yep."
[LB]: "And was also responsible for the whole callsign gimmick."
[AV]: "What callsign gimmick?"
[CS]: "Don't knock it Leo, I think it's neat."
[LB]: "Well, the Commander has a thing for mythology; supposedly writes entire contingencies and protocols named off mythological figures. So he put forward the suggestion that all of our callsigns be Greek deities."
[AV]: "Huh."
[IA]: "Speaking of that, have we gotten our callsigns yet?"
[LB]: "Not yet."
[CS]: "Has Kwon explained how that's going to work?"
[LB]: "No, I actually think she's planning on just letting us pick them out. They're just callsigns, we still have real positions."
[MS]: "So, why not start picking them out?"
[LB]: "Eh, sure. Why not? We can hash any disputes out later when everyone is here. First come first serve and all that. From what I'm aware of, there's enough deities to go around. Any objections?"
Affirmation of 'noes'
[LB]: "Alright, picked mine out. Ares."
[CS]: "God of War, how original."
[LB]: "Hey, it fits. You seen my record, do you think there's a better one?"
[CS]: "Nah, you certainly look like an Ares. Hopefully smarter than he was."
[LB]: "I resent such accusations."
[IA]: "Alright, my turn. Zeus."
[AV]: "See, I think there might be an issue there. Namely that Zeus was not a woman, even if he certainly liked them."
[IA]: "Yeah, well tell me there isn't a better fitting name when you have an eighty-eight Trask level and can level a city block. If someone else would like to show they are a better Zeus, please step forward."
[LB]: "Gonna be a bit odd, Arend, I agree, but she has a point. Besides, these are callsigns. Not like they're going to replace our real names. Might even throw the aliens off if they hear them. They hear 'Zeus' and expect a flying bearded man shooting lightning, and instead they get a little Russian woman."
[IA]: "A little Russian woman who can turn you into sludge."
[LB]: "Point taken. Arend, you picked one?"
[AV]: "Nike."
[MS]: "Interesting choice."
[LB]: "We're not trying to get sponsored here."
[AV]: "Ha ha, hilarious."
[CS]: "It's more creative than yours. At least you didn't insist that wasn't one of the gods."
[MS]: "Goddesses."
[CS]: "Whatever."
[LB]: "Nice. I assume we don't have an issue with designating our esteemed Command Strategist as Athena?"
[CS]: "Nope."
[IA]: "No."
[AV]: "Not from me."
[LB]: "Thought not; think she'll be flattered. Myrtle, you go. I'm very curious to hear what your pick is."
[MS]: "Want to guess?"
[CS]: "As our Interrogation Specialist, probably something suitably threatening and foreboding, so…Cronos?"
[LB]: "Cronos was a Titan."
[CS]: "Aren't Titans technically gods?"
[LB]: "I'd prefer we keep it simple. Titans are not gods."
[IA]: "Thanatos or Dionysus, Myrtle."
[MS]: "Close, but no. Hades."
[CS]: "Damn it, it was so obvious I was sure you weren't going for it."
[IA]: "Gonna be very scary when the aliens here Hades is coming to talk to them."
[CS]: "Would aliens even know what Hades is?"
[AV]: "I feel that is unlikely."
[LB]: "Possibly something the Commander didn't think through. Not much use in giving us callsigns of gods if the aliens aren't even going to know what they mean."
[CS]: "They sound cool though."
[LB]: "And we all know that is the metric we should strive for."
[MS]: "Ah, lighten up a bit. This is fun!"
[LB]: "Just teasing. Catena, you're last for today."
[CS]: "Kratos."
[IA]: "Sorry, who?"
[LB]: "I don't think that's legal."
[CS]: "Oh, have the mythology police said otherwise?"
[MS]: "Who the hell is Kratos?"
[CS]: "The other and much better God of War."
[LB]: "He's not even a real god!"
[AV]: "Oh wow, this guy is a piece of work."
[CS]: "Leo, are you really going to contest adding a made-up god to a group of already made up gods?"
[LB]: "Well, at least at one point they were worshipped by real people."
[MS]: "Ohh…that Kratos."
[IA]: "I'm still lost."
[CS]: "I'll tell you the story later. It's a good one."
[LB]: "Make your case to Kwon, I guess."
[CS]: "You're just mad you didn't think of it first."
[LB]: "If I had known we were relaxing the standards for what did or did not classify as a valid god, I might have made a different choice. Maybe."
[CS]: "Think a little more outside the box, alright? C'mon, let's get something to eat. Haven't had anything since I got here."
[IA]: "Agreed there. And you can tell me what the deal with this apparently made-up god is."
[CS]: "Be happy to, let's go."
Recording ends
Operation: False Gods
Division: ADVENT Special Forces Intelligence
Report Author: Zar'melodias'dathyasith
Authorization: Zar'Chon
To the Zar'Chon,
Your commissioning of a report on the newly unveiled ADVENT special forces unit appears to have been a timely event, as this unit appears to be extremely relevant to future operations against us and more to the point, is more important than we originally assumed. Upon review, I wonder if ADVENT is intentionally attempting this kind of blatant misdirection or if they don't actually intend for this to be a question of legitimacy.
We have, nearly twice now, fallen into the initial trap of assuming that ADVENT is producing ceremonial units or otherwise solely or primarily for the purposes of propaganda. We assumed such with the Order of Terra until we saw them in action and have rightfully concluded that they could be effectively used against us. This special forces group which we initially wondered if it was a fake unit or merely some kind of ceremonial gimmick was an extremely dangerous assumption from what has been discovered.
The Pantheon: The official name of the unit is the "Anti-Ethereal Special Forces Division 3" or otherwise designated as the "Pantheon", named for the assortment of Greek Mythology, which was once a religion widely practiced in their history. This relevance comes from the fact that each member of the Pantheon has a callsign named after one of the Greek deities, which tends to relate to their function within the unit.
Some are easier to determine than others, and while we have not been able to determine the exact size, or callsigns of all members of the Pantheon, the ones we have managed to identify give some clue as to their role and function within the organization. Disturbingly, all of them appear to be exceptionally trained, managed, and outfitted with armor and weapons which are not utilized elsewhere in ADVENT.
I would also like to draw attention to the fact that this is, according to official ADVENT documents, the third such division. Which means that there are at least two other "Anti-Ethereal Special Forces Divisions" that we have found no prior indication of. Given that it has taken until now for the Pantheon to be deployed, it is possible that they are holding the previous two in reserve to surprise us in the future. While we won't be as surprised anymore, the fact that we have no indication as to the composition of these other two units is extremely concerning – as well as the fact that there could be more.
Purpose of the Pantheon: Current observation of Pantheon soldiers and interception of unclassified documents appear to state that the Pantheon, true to it's official name, is intended to serve as an anti-Ethereal task force and is designed solely for taking down Ethereals and other major enemies of note. It was perhaps only a matter of time until such a unit was developed, but it is clear that ADVENT is intending to give these soldiers the best possible chance they can against Ethereals.
From what we have learned, all of the Pantheon are powerful psions – Magus and Leviathan-class on their Trask Scale – in addition to being seasoned and experienced soldiers in their own right. They appear to come from a wide range of military backgrounds and positions, and are only allowed in through extreme vetting and testing. These are the best of the best of ADVENT psions, and that should be concerning especially as we don't know the full extent of their reach, size, or capabilities.
It is reasonable to expect that the Pantheon will not just be performing anti-Ethereal operations, but also assisting ADVENT in more standardized special forces operations. Considering the effectiveness of ADVENT special forces on unprepared defenses, a unit of the caliber of the Pantheon is estimated to be a highly destructive and dangerous force we should not attempt to take down without adequate preparation.
A secondary function of the Pantheon appears to also be an attempt for ADVENT to wean itself off dependence of XCOM in handling threats like Ethereals. The Pantheon is the first serious attempt at ADVENT trying to develop an XCOM-caliber squad capable of facing threats they specialize in. I would not look too deeply into this, as there is nothing indicating ADVENT-XCOM tensions, but considering that the Commander is rumored to have been involved in the creation of the Pantheon, either these rumors are false or the Commander supports ADVENT being less dependent on XCOM.
Known Pantheon Personnel: We have managed to identify some members of the Pantheon and subsequently performed additional research into them to determine if there was any additional information to be gleamed. They are as follows – do not assume this list to be complete:
Kwon Seul-Gi – ATHENA: Finding information on this woman is more difficult than expected, as she was originally part of North Korean Special Forces leadership, though her exact role is unknown. Given her age (of 45) we can assume that she is not participating in any combat operations currently, and maintains a solely leadership role. We have not precluded previous experience in North Korean special forces, and her experience is likely what has landed her in this position.
Currently we do not know her location or strategies, although as the Pantheon is deployed more, I suspect patterns will begin to emerge, but with only one operation, there is very little we can reliably determine other than that her resume indicates that she is a dangerous and experienced woman. Athena was a goddess of wisdom, intelligence, strategy, and battle, which is a fitting designation for a command role.
She is currently not married, but has a son who is currently serving in ADVENT. We are actively attempting to locate him.
Leo Booker – ARES: As we have learned, this has been one of the most decorated and proficient soldiers in ADVENT. Booker was a United States Navy SEAL for ten years before later being transferred to the Lancers when ADVENT was established, and after he was found to be a powerful psion, transferred briefly to the PRIEST Division before ultimately being transferred to the Pantheon.
He has participated in nearly every major conflict during this war, and has over three hundred confirmed kills, and a good portion of those were in hand-to-hand combat. Navy SEAL training itself is especially intense, and has trained him in multiple variations of tactics such as asymmetrical and guerrilla warfare.
Interestingly, Booker appears to maintain a number of connections he established during his days as a SEAL, primarily within intelligence branches, which now are ADVENT Intelligence. He is likely using these contacts to cross-check what ADVENT officially gives him. He's been described as somewhat cocky and overconfident, but his record certainly backs up any perceived arrogance.
He's appeared to take the role of a squad leader, as he was seen giving orders to other Pantheon members during combat. He incorporates a mixture of melee, ranged, and psionic attacks in combat and is highly aggressive during it. We will need additional data to build a proper predictive model.
His designation as Ares fits well, as Ares was the God of War, and there is not a better fit for this particular soldier.
Irisha Artamonova – ZEUS: There is very little that could have indicated that this woman would eventually end up in such a prestigious unit. She was a Russian soldier prior to the invasion, and was not particularly noteworthy until she was tested for psionic potential and found to be one of the most powerful Human psions to exist, and was later taken away from training.
We are not exactly sure what happened during this period, but she has now emerged as one of the most destructive psions employed by ADVENT. Unlike many on this list, she is married and we have been unable to locate her husband and assume he is under ADVENT protection somewhere else. We are actively investigating.
Her designation as Zeus is curious, as Zeus was widely recognized as the 'leader' of the Pantheon not to mention male whereas she clearly is neither of those things. So it is likely the designation of Zeus refers to her destructive capabilities and not her leadership capabilities.
Catena Sabella – KRATOS: This woman has had quite an interesting and atypical career which led to this point. She was a former Olympic archer who after several unsuccessful runs joined the Italian military as a sniper and by all accounts performed well. She participated in several major battles in this current war, and prior to her awakening as a psion, was supposedly rumored for possible recruitment by XCOM.
However, instead she was recruited into the PRIEST Division, and later was clearly recruited into the Pantheon. She is an extremely skilled telekine who uses a bizarre combat style which incorporates a mixture of telekinetics, chains, and short blades which we cannot identify any possible match even among Human historical records.
Her choice of callsign is similarly bizarre, as Kratos appears to be not just a fairly minor god of only tangible relation to her position, but is also some kind of fictional creation for a video game (a Human form of entertainment) which is also a god, and I doubt that ADVENT would incorporate something like that into their professional military, though there is an open question of what Kratos is being referred to here. Further complicating things is that the fictional Kratos is also a god of war, which seems to invalidate Ares, and overall is merely a confusing aspect of an already odd woman.
She is currently not in any known romantic relationships, though keeps in touch with her parents. We are actively attempting to locate them.
Harold Rivers – DIONYSUS: This man appears to be an extremely powerful telepath, according to the limited information we were able to collect on his first 'official' appearance in combat. He supposedly was capable of preventing telepathic attacks on allied forces while simultaneously managing to mind-control an entire mob of compromised civilians before subsequently killing them with a thought. No footage has been recovered, but eyewitnesses and reports paint a very clear picture of the telepathic might of this person.
Prior to this Rivers was a psychologist who ran a private clinic before the war. After the subsequent rise of ADVENT, and deployment of the PRIEST Division, he applied and was found to have high psionic potential. There is no record we could access from this period onwards, and it appears he has been in intensive training ever since application. He was in a relationship with another woman prior to enlistment, and we are presuming that they have kept in contact, as she had disappeared roughly the same time he did.
The designation of Dionysus is a curious one, and I am not sure how well it fits as this god appears to primarily be the god of wine of all things. Madness and insanity are the only link I can find, but oddly enough it appears that the wine is the priority. It could potentially be translation issues, but I remain baffled as to if there is some deeper connection here. Perhaps this is intentional.
Romolo Fabian – APOLLO: This appears to be among the more 'conventional' of the Pantheon as this man is clearly an explosives expert, he carries a healthy assortment of grenades, a grenade and rocket launcher, and has degrees in electronics and architecture, as well as training in explosives, bomb defusal, and structural sabotage.
He was a pyrotechnic before joining the Italian military, and carried over all of his skills to his job before leaving shortly before the war began. Upon the formation of ADVENT he reenlisted, and was in consideration for possible Dragoon recruitment before his psionic potential was discovered and he spent time within the PRIEST Division training, and subsequently moved to the Pantheon.
Here he fulfills the role of explosives expert, and is a dangerous telekine for good measure, as he uses his psionic skills to direct his explosives more precisely, as well as using both psionics and explosives more conventionally which proved very effective in his first official operation. He has no family he is close to, nor is he engaged in any romantic relationships.
His callsign appears to only be marginally related to what he does, as the only connection we can make to Apollo is that the sun is bright and hot, like an explosion. Beyond that there seems to be very little tangible connection, and I doubt that there is a deeper meaning here since it's very apparent what he actually does.
Conclusion: In short, the Pantheon is a dangerous entity we need to watch closely, and all Ethereals must be informed of the possibility that this group will be deployed against them. While they may dismiss the group initially, they should keep in mind that this group was heavily involved in taking down Isomnum, and they were fighting Bringer forces – and winning – which alone says a lot about their capabilities.
If nothing else, being aware of our enemy is essential to defeating them. And before this ends, we will need to defeat the Pantheon completely.