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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Feb 28, 2023 21:03:03 GMT -5
Adventurers across Zeinav City were being tasked with investigations. Vandalized artwork and priceless cultural artifacts were being reported en masse. Socket had traveled to the desert area in search of new arcane knowledge and a good place to experience different types of storms. While in the city, the call went up and it seemed that many were joining in, including the automaton.
According to the report given to them by the coordinator, they were to meet up with another individual and begin investigating a museum's disturbance. Apparently a vandal had come through during the closing hours the previous evening and defaced several pieces before being confronted by security. The culprit managed to evade capture, but left behind bits of evidence pointing to their likely identity.
The city often proved difficult for the construct to navigate, it's many buildings creating a cavalcade maze for any would-be assault to break itself against, while also providing access to it's many municipal features for the knowledgeable. After taking several wrong turns, and asking a few startled locals for directions, Socket arrived at the museum in question and approached the ticket vendor.
"Pardon, I am with the investigation and would like to report in to begin work." They handed the writ over with the pertinent information and waited patiently, watching the crowd stroll by and observing anyone whom might have been acting oddly.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 4, 2023 12:23:31 GMT -5
Normally, a bit of healthy vandalism and graffiti was good for a neighborhood Fish thought. A little bit of crime just shows the vibrant diversity of the community. But recent events have gone too far in Fish's opinion. To the bird there needs to be an important balance, too much crime means more guards and people are more wary. That is bad business for a bird who deals in sneaking and thievery.
They would need to get to the bottom of this and set things straight. Fish was the crime boss here, or so they thought, so it would be up to them to get the vagrants in order. Fish headed towards the Dusty Refuge to start their investigation. It seemed the vandalism spread out from here like a web, so it stood to reason the culprits might be hiding in here somewhere.
Fish perched atop a roof to watch people pass by, looking for any clues or anyone who might be sloppy enough to out themselves as one of the Scorched Ones. That would make this job a lot easy, but Fish wasn't holding their breath. Realistically, almost anyone in the Refuge could be a member. Thankfully, these were Fish's streets so they knew them well and where to start this search.
They notice the construct approaching, a curious sight. There weren't many like that and they seemed to be asking after the same thing Fish was....interesting. Fish hops across a few roof tops to get closer and listen in.
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 4, 2023 22:06:38 GMT -5
Whilst waiting for the attendant to return, Socket noticed the Kenku hopping from rooftop to rooftop. They tracked the sounds of movement, 'ears' swiveling about to discern the pattern from the overall din of the bustling streets. After a few minutes, the attendant returned.
"Right this way if you please, the curator will see you. Please try to keep your questions brief and concise as this tragedy is strenuous on us all." The tall gentleman stated.
"Very well, I'll do my best, thank you." Socket replied, following the man through the lively displays of art and craft. A few of the pieces had been covered and cordoned off, most likely the vandalized paintings. The museum was lavishly decorated, it's interior in stark contrast to the weathered, aging building that housed it. Likely the building itself was historical, and it's interior was well kept as a result.
The attendant handed an older, portly lady the writ Socket had carried with them. Her plump, aged features studied the writing through round, wired glasses for a few moments.
"You've come on orders to investigate this mess have you?"
"Yes, miss. As stated in the letter, I'm here to try and bring this mess to a conclusion."
"I see, and what could I possibly do to help?"
"Two things would be helpful. First, the ability to examine the crimes directly, as often criminals like to 'mark' their works. Second, the permission to question both yourself and the staff working when the incident occured."
"Hmmm... The first is easily done, the second might be difficult as we were closed and the city watch is responsible for overseeing the building's safety at night."
"That does indeed present a difficult challenge. Also, I was told there would be another person I'd be working with, have you come across them yet?" Socket asked, glad to have the cooperation of the museum in question.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 5, 2023 12:34:54 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm sorry, they seem to have found a better job they said. But I am sure you will do fine, you seem more than capable." The woman gave Socket a smile and led her forward to the crime scene.
The display room had been cordoned off with rope, but it is opened up for the construct. It seemed to be a collection of pre-collapse artifacts and items. Most of them are smashed and the word LIES is scrawled all over the walls multiple time. Whoever did this clearly had some sort of personal grudge...or perhaps this was more of the knee-jerk reactions to the aftermath of the Sol Stone event. People angered that their past seemingly meant nothing.
The woman gives Socket one last time before leaving them behind to survey the scene. During this scan of the room is when a bird-like creature would appear at the construct's side, unheard before their arrival.[1]
"Fish is not the intended help, but Fish can provide better assistance than most." They sign up to the construct, doing their ritual 'let's see if this person understands sign language or will Fish have to resort to the written word?' Either way, they offer their help to Socket.
1. Silent Step
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 5, 2023 15:27:43 GMT -5
While surprised by the sudden appearance of the avian, the construct took note of their attire. Watching the ritualistic dance, the bird gave a sort of sign that Fluency translated. In order to invoke surprise in what they thought to be a Kenku, Socket signed back in their own way 'Very well, I'll accept your help.'
Taking stock of the vandalism, the automaton scanned over the various works, around their displays, searching for any signs of who or what might have done this. Moving in a very feline fashion, Socket surveyed the scene from several angles and searched through the room in a seemingly erratic pattern. At first, the evidence was erratic and seeming to have been the work of a large group. It took some time to filter through the comings and goings of patrons vs. vandals, but once the construct had the trail, they did a fabulous job following it about the room.
Along the trail, they checked waste bins, shelves, under chairs and any other small spaces for clues. Eventually, they found a scrap of cloth, a torn pocket of some kind with a pamphlet in it. Looking it over, Socket could read it just fine but wasn't familiar with the group... Scorched Ones... some sort of cult? a religious sect? That would explain the harsh reaction to recent events, and meant things could escalate if not dealt with.
"Is this recognizable? Can you take us to them?" Socket said, figuring the avian could understand, but possibly had a hard time vocalizing back.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 6, 2023 19:03:58 GMT -5
"Fish can take you to some, but whether or not it is the culprits, Fish cannot be sure.....They have many safe house in Zeinav City." Fish turns to leave before turning back again realizing they had neglected to inform Socket who this 'them' was.
"Scorched Ones, mysterious cult or string of bandits depending on who is asked. This vandalism fits with their main objective....and the stupidity to leave behind incriminating evidence fits with their competency."
Well, Fish's stance on them was made pretty clearly known. They didn't know much more than that, but it was enough to at least go on as Fish led Socket back out into the Dusty Refuge. Fish had noticed the uptick in activity matched up with whatever happened in the desert, but from what Fish knew those events just proved Fish was right. The gods were dumb and people were better off without them.
"Look out for any signs of soot, two diagonal slashes in the bottom right corner of a door frame means it is a safe house." Fish knew where some of them were, but safe houses changed often, so it wouldn't hurt to have Socket also on the lookout as well.
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 7, 2023 22:09:00 GMT -5
"I'll be sure to watch for those signs, thank you for the information." Replied the construct, following Fish through the city. They paced the Kenku as much as possible, but still managed to hop about, checking doorways that weren't always visible from the street. Zeinav's Market Districts were renown for their wares and talked about even in the Marsh Flats, so it was no wonder the area was full of places one could get lost, turned around or run headlong into some seedy business enjoying the fattened pockets of the inexperienced.
It took quite some time for the pair to work their way through the maze like streets, and Socket was glad to have a guide who knew them well. Along the way, the construct noticed the crowds of merchants and patrons began to thin out. Quiet desolate alleyways, ramshackle buildings with cracked walls and drooping rooves, broken or missing panes of glass... they were leaving the polite part of town, the 'face' so to speak. This is where Fish shined, navigating the run down streets and buildings as if it were no more than an afternoon stroll through a garden.
Each door was checked as stealthily as the pair could, trying not to bring attention to their destination or themselves. Down an alleyway will fallen boards and a growing pile of broken bottles and refuse, Socket spotted the markings Fish spoke of at last. The construct looped around the area before rejoining Fish.
"Two streets in our direction of travel, there is an alleyway to the left that had a door marked in the way you explained earlier. Have you seen another in the area?" They asked as the pair walked, quietly so the sound wouldn't carry itself to prying ears, and draw the ire of prying eyes.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 8, 2023 21:50:37 GMT -5
Part of the maze of Zeinav City was the markets, but Fish always had a suspicion the streets were made like this to funnel the idiots away from the crowd and make them isolated targets. There was almost a criminal nature to the very design, which is probably why Fish thrived here.
Fish checks the few warehouse doors they knew of, but it seemed they had been abandoned. Understandable. If they were going to be making themselves more known than shuffling things around would be the best way to buy themselves time. Fish looks over their shoulder when Socket points one out. There we go.
They hop over and give it a glance before looking around. "It's tucked away which is sensible...It should at least be investigated. We may be able to find some information in there about movements or find someone to question. Fish knows of one other in the immediate vicinty, but we should not pass this one up."
The kenku circles back around with Socket as they keep to their casual walk. At the door Fish presses an ear to it trying to hear any talking on the other side.....Nothing. Fish prefered hearing something, at least if there were people in the room Fish knew what to expect.
"Ready weapons." Might as well be prepared. Fish flicks out their lock picking tools and begin to start working the lock open, with a click the lock comes loose and Fish slowly opens the door.
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 9, 2023 22:55:41 GMT -5
While not having a traditional weapon to ready, Socket understood what Fish was saying. The bird man had a keen sense and solid skills, which made the automaton wonder what their own profession was. Prying might come later, if Fish was willing to share for curiosity's sake. The building didn't seem like anything special, tucked in between so many other dilapidated wrecks, and that made it powerfully useful as a hiding place. At the click, Socket's outfit shifted, becoming a full body suit complete with headpiece to conceal the automaton as best as possible.
As the door swings open, Socket inspected the interior as best they could. There were no apparent traps in the doorway, though the dingy light of a neglected set of oil lamps could be seen further in. Silently, they entered the building and began the long process of checking each room for traps and clues. Much of the space seemed empty, to their relief, though signs of life could be seen by a careful observer. About halfway down the hall towards the light source, Socket stepped into a side room carefully. Inside was a pile of outfits that had been stained and damaged by the group's vandalism, as well as supplies to try again in the near future.
'This is definitely the right place... let's head further in and see what's to find.' Socket signed to Fish, listening for the sounds of movement and life from outside.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 11, 2023 11:17:39 GMT -5
Low light wasn't a problem for the bird, having lived and worked in low light enough their eyes adjust to it well. Plus the bevy of shadows provided by the lack of light was a benefit as well, plenty of places for them to duck into and disappear if need be.
From the looks of it, this was just a supply depot for the cult. Just supplies and equipment that gave no real information other than this was one of their hideouts. Fish hops past a few break rooms and sleeping areas, ramshackle bunks and makeshift tables strewn with the random litter of people living in hiding.
At the end of the hallway there seems to be an office or at the very least a door that has been well maintained, unlike the others. Fish looks over the door before noticing a tension wire up top. A trap....and a signal this was actually what they were after.
"Can Socket grab Fish a crate? Fish is too short to reach the trap to disarm it and too small to grab a crate big enough that would help Fish." They look back to the automaton, one more drawing out their lock picking tools and pointing out the trap.
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 12, 2023 2:10:00 GMT -5
Nodding, Socket moved off to find a suitable crate. A quick search of the open rooms on either side didn't yield a crate, but there was a small table that probably served as some kind of smaller writing or sampling station. Gently, Socket picked it up and brought it back to Fish, setting it down in front of the door with enough space to hop over it and through the door if need be.
Watching the deft way Fish handled the situation made Socket curious about how they'd obtained such skills to begin with. The building was strangely vacant, making the automaton wonder if the group they were after had been tipped off, or if this was just a routine part of their operations. While the soft ticks and clicks of a lock being picked were going on, the construct silently wandered the rooms, taking note of their size, position, and features. Something was odd about this place, it didn't seem to fit the building it was housed in.
After walking the area a few times, Socket figured out the trick. There was an extra space that wasn't accessible from any areas they'd seen so far. Returning to Fish, the construct conveyed the information and warned caution as there were probably security measures in place to protect said area.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 14, 2023 19:13:51 GMT -5
Fish nodded, it was a good assumption to make. Trap aside, there were bound to be more things on the other side of this door. They work on the trap mechanism, hearing the soft unlatching thunk after a moment. As they swing the door open, across the way the pair can see a lanten hanging from a wire.
Following the line of the lantern down, the room was line with a lot of explosives. Enough to really explain why they were called the Scorched Ones. There were enough explosives here to incinerate the entire block.
There was a desk in here and some other filing cabinets, but there would have to be some careful searching to their steps. Any wrong move could send them both of them to the morgue if anyone bothered to sweep up the ashes.
"Fish would like to finish the search as soon as possible and make this some one else's problem."
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 15, 2023 2:28:01 GMT -5
'I'll search for evidence, could you check for a hidden door? Once we have said evidence and the final room is open, I'd like you to turn the evidence in to authorities, and let them know someone is going after the group.' Socket returned, signing their reply so as not to make noise. A wave of the hand, and Socket stepped up as if there were a staircase instead of a doorway. Gliding a few inches above the floor, the automaton carefully and quietly started sifting through the heap of papers, files and other items around the desk.
One stack seemed to be a cipher, and a ledger detailing where the group had been purchasing it's alchemical goods. Another revealed a list of known members in the area, as well as potential recruits... this was either very sloppy, or deliberately misleading. Digging deeper into the various documents, Socket found their records to be thorough and well organized. Whoever had been keeping tabs of this information noted many circulating copies, monthly edits by each level of management being passed along, as if this were some form of public records keeping and a member would have been participating in legitimate governance.
It was neither Socket concluded. Someone in this group believed they had reasonable cause for what they were doing, and that those actions were congruent to the local government. Whoever was leading this group had enough cunning and charisma to manipulate such a situation and destroy the lives of others by tricking innocent people. The automaton gathered up a box of the most important pieces, names, places, plans... perhaps the authority could stop it from happening again...
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Mar 18, 2023 10:14:58 GMT -5
The cipher and the ledgers are interesting to the little crime lord, but this was not the time or place to take a real deep dive into those. Deciphering things takes time, time they did not have in the current moment. They do note the same concern that Socket does, this is more than just a group of religious fanatics committing random petty crimes. There is a plan here.
Fish packs the remaining books and ciphers into their bag, giving the room another passing look around. There were a few spots where a hidden room could be, but was it worth the risk of moving things? There's few ways they could hide a door then conceal behind boxes unless one person was left behind and they just hoped that person didn't mess up and set off the explosives.
"Fish doesn't think there is a hidden room. The plan seems to be if someone unaware came in, the trap would drop lantern and burn the evidence along with whoever came in here. It was a trap assuming guards would find them first, not people who know what to look for."
There likely was never anyone here, this was all one big trap. And now that Fish thinks about it, this evidence could just be a trap or lie as well, but that's for the guards to figure out. For all intents and purposes, Fish saw their role as being done here.
"Any hidden door likely leads to the sewers and whoever started this would be long gone. Fish votes that the risk of setting off a more well hidden trap is not worth it if the evidence has already been collected."
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Post by Sumnes (Baelethir) on Mar 18, 2023 10:59:49 GMT -5
'Very well, I will concede to your assessment of this situation Fish. Let's get out of here and turn this into someone else's responsibility.' The automaton replied, gathering up what they could and sneaking back out of the building. Fish was adept and aware of the situation in a way that Socket couldn't be. It was clear they'd spent a great deal of time here, in the midst of the people of this town, and the construct was merely a visitor to the city. Careful to not set off any traps, the pair made it back to the streets.
Thinking it wise to split up here, in case the safehouse was under watch by other members, Socket suggested to Fish they meet up outside a guardhouse, taking separate routes. If either one got ambushed, the other could still bring a portion of their findings. This quest had a weirdness to it that the automaton struggled to understand, a pattern they couldn't quite put to words or definition. This cult of fanatics had it's roots deeper into the city's underbelly than most were aware of, and those connections spread an unknown amount, possibly to other cities and providences.
The construct walked along the evening streets, very few people other than themselves had been on the road. A few drunkards late to get home to their spouses, but no one suspicious followed the automaton back to the guardhouse. Hopefully Fish had made it safely, or would be making it safely shortly. Handing over the documents, Socket thanked the guard and waited outside for Fish to appear.
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