Files and Council reps alike now finally saved or at least so far so good... Randu flies back a bit further "I suggest we do as she says."
And yes, he does a head count
She watched Randu lead the public counsel away to safety.
She was damaged, the heat had melted some of her out synthetic flesh, on her face and hands. Where it has been exposed. She held her chard hand up and flexed it to check it was still working. She had turned down her pain receptors, so it was not so much of a distraction. She ordered her ninite blood to start repairing the burns.
The fine filigree of her circuitry tattoos flared into life, glowing blue, and her flesh was soon normal once more. She brought her hand down.
Then from her belt, she took out what looked to be a perfume hand pump spay bottle. She Sprayed a fine mist over her clothing. That too was soon mended.
Now hole and dressed once more in her uniform of a comrade Detective. She survived the on-lookers to the burning building.
Criminals would often hand around to witness the outcome of the crimes.
Across the avenue, poorly hiding among a terraced garden, Sapphire spots a trio of men that look quite out of place, to say nothing of how suspiciously they act. They whisper among themselves, clearly agitated, and gesture towards the Palace of the People's Council. While all would be welcome to walk the Liberty District, it is undeniable that they look more at home working the docks - or the lumber camps of Darkmoon Vale - than browsing civic landmarks.
Once they notice you looking in their direction, they also look to be on the verge of running away.
She walks over to Randu and the others.
Whiper "Do not look, the three men, across the avenue, by the tree on the terraced garden. We need to apprehend them"
At Sapphires mention of the men he merely nodded and moved towards the bushes to break line of sight. Once that was done he crouched low and searched the direction she had nodded trying to find his quarry. He began to move torwards the three men. While catching all of them would be great they really probably only needed one and he didnt think they could outrun him if her got close enough.
She walks over to Randu and the others.
Whiper "Do not look, the three men, across the avenue, by the tree on the terraced garden. We need to apprehend them"
A whisper "I might be able to hold one with a spell"
The three men are too distracted by Sapphire to notice Rrruh slip away. Using the crowd of representatives as cover, he slowly creeps across the street and nears the terrace, only about ten yards removed from the men's position.
Randu decides best to try to help out and make his plan a reality. He closes some distance, then casts, hoping to snare which everyone looks least nervous
Suddenly very alert, the Consortium men spot Randu's approach and begin their escape. However, one of them does not get very far.
As his two compatriots turn and run to flee down an avenue beside the terrace, the third is frozen in place by Randu's spell.
The other two don't even stop to try and help him.
with a scowl he takes off charging towards the closest one fleeing. He leaps into the air with a flying knee trying to take him down.
Rrruh's attack nearly knocks the wind out of the fleeing Consortium goon. His legs and coordination fail him, and he tumbles to the cobblestones.
As the other deal with the suspects, Sapphire keeps on marshaling the government to safty
Sapphire's efforts lead the People's Council and keeps them out of the way as a combined arms effort of town guards, Eagle Knights, and volunteer firefighters descend upon the plaza to combat the fire roiling within the legislative building.
Although the third man slips away, vanishing down a twisting alley between a counting house and Abadaran shrine, thanks to the efforts of Randu and Rrruh the other two suspicious men have been apprehended. One stands like a statue, under Randu's spell, whilst the other cowers at Rrruh's feet.
Randu does his best to tie each man up, and strip them of weapons, "Stupid way for grown men to make a living, you two."
She could not see the one that got away, but now the ruling council was safe, Sapphire went over to inspect the detained suspects.
"Gentlemen you have been placed under arrest for suspected involvement in the arson attack in the people's council building. Until such time as your innocence can be ascertained. You will remain in custody. By order of the agents of the people's council. That being us, failure to comply with lawful orders given to you at this time may result in a langer incarnation and punishments."
That was the legal stuff out of the way, now to brass tacks as they say.
"Gents, I must, however, warn you, We are a civilized society but this can of attack may lead to a mob mentality in the public. Mobs so like their very public and grizzly deaths. So, you should ask yourselves, how committed are you to the cause, and how loyal are you to your employers."
"Do I make myself clear"
Sapphire's threat is punctuated by the crush of bodies at the scene: agitated and incensed politicians, stalwart Eagle Knights, and brave volunteers responding to the scene. This ensures that the two apprehended men feel very alone right now.
Each man practically shoves the other aside to jump at the opportunity to seize his own salvation by turning on their employer. They jockey for your attention, alternately offering descriptions of who hired them, where they were hired, how much they were paid, and any other details they can think of that might save their skins.
Randu is quite happy to help encourage answers!
The men, who describe themselves as out-of-work dock hands, confess that they were hired by a man in the Portside District. They were hanging around one of the dockside saloons just yesterday, waiting for a ship's captain or merchant to come around recruiting men to load or unload cargo. Instead, they were offered an unbelievable sum to pose as petitioners in order to enter the government building, then rearrange the furniture to block the exits to the assembly hall.
"We were told it was part of a stunt to send a message to the councilors!" he insists, on the verge of tears. "We don't know how the fire started! It weren't us! The guy who hired us; he musta done it!"
"What's the man look like? How tall, so on?" He says irritable
"You thought it was going to be a stunt to scare the legal government of this land and city? You can not be that stupid. Nor will the courts believe you are that stupid. I'm a writer of stories and I don't believe you are that stupid."
The darkfurred catfolk slowly began to pace back and forth his tail slowly lashing back and forth as he was lost in thought. Who would have benefited from something like this happening had it succeeded.
"He looked like Death on legs," the fearful patsy blurts.
"He was tall and lean and pale. Really pale! With a really sharp face. His nose was like a hatchet blade," he adds, gesturing from his own nose for emphasis.
Fear elicits a very detailed description from the men. Fortunately, their descriptions are uniform, suggesting accuracy in their accounts. Thus, you are confident that you could identify the man who hired them if you managed to track him down.
Talking with these men of questionable ethics makes it clear that, regardless of the nation, the promise of money possesses an uncanny power to transform the average person into a genuine idiot. Of course, the connection between money and poor decisions is further reinforced when one of the hired men, unprompted, produces part of the payment that was given to them in advance.
This would suggest that the man who hired them is either a Chelish agent or an employee of the Consortium with close ties to Cheliax.
There is only one saloon in the city, located in the Portside District, where such coins would likely be passed along without incurring the scrutiny of the authorities or concerned citizens.
She looks at the coins
"Chelish mintage, clearly distinct from the Andoren or Absalomian coins that are more common in Almas and other Andoren settlements. So you where employed by a Chelish agent or an employee of the Consortium with close ties to Cheliax."
She nods to the others.
"I know where these can be spent"
Then she looks around for uniforms then calls out.
"GURDS!! take these two into custody, and no visitors outside of myself and others of the Enforcers, The charge is treason."
She shows them her stamp of office.
"Now I must go talk to the congress and assess"
All hope and courage vanishes from the faces of the apprehended men. Their pleas grow incomprehensible as they are hauled away by Eagle Knights at the scene.
Andira Marusek, along with a few of her fellow representatives, and even an aide to the Supreme Elect Codwin himself, soon gather around the party to hear what you have learned - and eager to discuss the next course of action to assure both security and justice for Andoran.
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"General Marusek and other Representatives, I respectfully suggest we publicise this as just an accident, a fire that simply started in the kitchens and got out of hand until put out."
She look at each face and says in a low voice.
"No one dead and none where harmed here today. Keep the fact it was internal and that we have the paperraters in custody to ourselves for now. This is unless you want mindless mobs rooming the streets reeking havoc and vengeance on any poor soul they suspect. Which is probability precisely what the Chelish agents and Consortiums planed to destabilise our democracy. If they had fully succeeded."
She held up her hand before they object.
"General Marusek set us the task of investigating the Consortium off her own back and funded by her alone, this was done because she suspected that kind of thing was going to happen. And I for-one thank her for her foresight."
She went on.
"Representatives it's clear now that an underground terrorist organisation with deep links to both crime groups and the old nobility is working for Cheliax. That it is in fact a Cheliax weapon aimed at the very heart of our very nation. And this day has struck deep Representatives, the question is what are we going to do to counter it"
She nodded at the General
"I know you all must have a few subjects in mind who are a little too close to Cheliax, criminal gangs or old aristocracy. Now is the perfect time to bring them in and start putting some pressor on them. See what oozes out of bad blood. While I and my fellow agents act at once on the lines of enquiry we now have. Act so that WE can stop this Cheliax terrorism."
Now she made her bid.
"To that end I ask that you the Representatives here to form a security ad-hock standing committee. That under the standing
defence of the realm measures and powers. You approve the creation of an official anti-terrorist unit of the constabulary. Commended by General Marusek. With oversight form the justice for Andoran. If you vote and agree now. Then we can act at once, under the laws of the land with the powers and resources need to defend it. So I ask, what say you?"
She waits on their response.
Before she begins her pitch, Sapphire notes that there is no one standing among the representatives and aides, or lurking on the edge of the group, who should not be there. Between the honor guard from the legislative building and the responding Eagle Knights, your impromptu assemblage has solid security.
Supreme Elect Codwin's aides are immediate taken with Sapphire's oratory, and their report to the executive of the Andoren legislature comes with a ringing endorsement for the investigator's proposal.
The rest of the representatives are just as receptive to the idea, giving Sapphire their consideration based not just upon her recent heroism but also her surprisingly adroit speaking skills.
While it may take a little time for an official commission to be authorized, Codwin I uses his authority to call for an emergency vote to at least temporarily mobilize a security committee. The supreme elect shows some reluctance to name Marusek as the chair for the committee, but his voice is greatly drowned out by the other representatives who think the former general is a perfect candidate.
She bows deeply as they are endorsed as Andoran's anti-terrorism unit.
"I thank the commission."
Then to General Marusek
"We have a line of investigation to follow committee chair Marusek, what are your orders?"
The halfling seems baffled Did I just get conscripted? something in the contrary nature of him , the anti authoritarian wants to prrotest, but no point in that. He tempers it, and listens. If he doesn't like the orders, well by golly he can improvise, or even quit.
For now, Andoran needs him
The dark furred silent (usually) feline monk watched the impassioned speech by their strange friend to the government officials in curiousity. This was very strange he should be taking notes there was a story here... So distracted by what was happening it took a moment for him to realize whom it was happening too. He blinked at the assembliage when they named them official and he could only chuckle and glance to Randu.
"Big damn hero now for sure you are Randu. An agent of Andoran."
He said with a nod his tail slightly lashing. He didnt mention he too was named an agent. It sort of ruined his "impartial" storyteller vibe he had been trying to emulate.
"We have a lead of whom was responsible for this attack on the senate here. Perhaps our first official move should be to go there and see if we can't find out more information. I don't suppose the uh.. local constabulary has an expert of criminal sorts we can borrow for a bit, mayhap a half dozen stong lads and lasses as a back up unit to uh... keep an eye on the place in case anyone tries to abscond from it?"
A legacy of her time as a military commander, Marusek opts of decisive action. Thus, she orders you to immediately investigate your lead before any potential Chelish agents can flee or destroy evidence.
She is wary about recruiting any of the constabulary from the Portside District; whether this is because of the time needed to send the order or because she fears corruption in their ranks, you cannot be sure.
Emerging from the bucket brigade of uniformed soldiers comes Corporal Beckett's familiar face of youthful enthusiasm. Snapping into a saluting pose, she volunteers her service for the mission - and it comes with the same confidence as though she were offering an order to the former general.
Marusek also assigns a pair of Eagle Knight cadets to you. She vouches for their integrity, since she personally vetted their applications to the Eagle Knights. She apologizes that she cannot provide more hands at the moment until the situation at the legislature building is resolved.
However, retrieving a feather token from her pocket, Marusek offers to have a contact meet you at the Portside saloon and help with investigation once the scene is secure.
No talking to an qual she nods at Rrruh's words.
"Good plan Rrruh"
And when the Marusek backs the op she smiles.
"How dose this sound Rrruh, we go in twos. myself and an Eagle Knight cadet out back, Randu the same with anther, comes in the side door. You and Corporal Beckett go in the front. Once we have the place locked down, we signal for the Commander."
She did not like using the word General for Marusek, this was meant to be civilian not military law enforcement. To the knights she hands agent badges.
"Put these on once we are there, they show others who you are. It also give you the right to use deadly force should the need arise, but be mindful, we don't want a blood bath we want information."
Then to Rrruh
"Your plan, you want to take the led on this Agent Rrruh?"
The Eagle Knight cadets are both human. The first introduces himself as Cadet Featherstone, and the second introduces herself as Cadet Darry.
They accept the proffered badges with a mix of curiosity and reverence. Even if they don't yet fully understand their new assignment, they recognize that it carries significant weight.
"That sounds as good a plan as any Miss Sapphire."
He offered with a feline like smile. The truth was, he wasnt sure if it was a good plan or not, but it was... well a plan. Besides Most folk ignored him once they realized he wasnt going to eat them. Perhaps he could get some good intel this way.
"Hey Corporal, you uh... got some sort of clothing that isnt as uh... well military like? I want to be able to slip in and get a lay of the land before any thing sweeping happens."
He asked,
"Big damn hero now for sure you are Randu. An agent of Andoran."
"Mmmph, you seem to forget your own impressive part in this, friend. I'm just a very small halfling after all"[/B]
As ideas are suggested and plans made by both the others, he shrugs "Seems sensible."
"Good, Cadets Agents I agree with Rrruh, let's look a little more normal and less official. So let's get you some more fitting cloths on the way there. Cadet Agent Featherstone you'er with me."
The grounds of the Palace of the People's Council include a few outbuildings that went untouched by any smoke or fire that damaged the central legislative building before being contained. Enough extra clothing can be readily commandeered from these outbuildings for you, the cadets, and the corporal to disguise yourselves as gardeners, handymen, or other laborers.
Locating other disguise options might cost you valuable time.
With a cloak over her clothing, and hiding her sping-crossbow she waits until eveyone is ready.
"Good, I would say you all good the part, so if everyone happy how about we set off. Rrruh once we get there let us know where we need to be stationed so you have space to infiltrate. Agent Featherstone if you'er ready let's go."
Randu probably looks like a gardener, a fine halfling traditional trade.
Your unit, now effectively disguised, marches south through the city streets towards the southeast. You cross from the prestigious, gentrified Liberty District into the rougher Portside District.
"Portside is home to Almas' robust foreign trade industry," Agent Darry explains along the way to provide a background briefing. "Much of the district's business is overseen by the Supreme Elect's ministers. Unfortunately, recent mergers between importing and exporting houses have led to concerns about Chelish nobles and merchants gaining footholds in the city. It seems those fears may be well founded."
The innumerable jetties and wharves, lining the great Andoshen before it empties into the Inner Sea, are thronged with porters loading and unloading cargo from the ships and skiffs that have put into port. Towering warehouses, stout counting houses, and other logistical buildings of commerce hem in these docks on the more solid ground of the district. Of course, interspersed among these professional buildings are a great many taverns, saloons, pubs, and other venues.
There is a moment when Corporal Beckett almost blows your cover, pausing to gawk like a tourist as she points at the grand lighthouse seated upon a small, rocky island out in the river. Standing near the lighthouse's foundation is a weathered brass statue of a stern-faced woman, hunched over a desk, furiously writing upon reams of parchment.
"Sightseeing later. Don't act suspicious," Agent Featherstone rebukes her.
You make it to the target without incident. The dockside saloon does not even bear a sign offering its name, seemingly content to be just as nondescript as it is dingy. For now, you remain removed from the building to make preparations without drawing attention prematurely.
Rrruh frowned at the agent Featherstone when they rebuked Corporal Beckett. Her knew the young corporal's mettle...unlike the agents.
"sightseeing is fine, its part of our cover."
He replied his tail lashing. He adjusted the sleeves on what appeared to be a dock workers standard garb.
"After all, we are but lowly new dockworkers seeking valuble employment yes yes?"
He began smiling at the Corporal.
Sapphire unlike the others had a harder problem blending in. As an none biological her looks always seemed off. She dropped into a shop and got some smocked glasses to hide her eyes and the cloak covered the rest.
Looking at herself in some slivered glass, happy most of her form was hidden.
Sage, Randu's familiar, has to keep his distance. A disguise is somewhat ruined if you have a huge owl on your shoulder. An extra pair of eyes might help though.
The halfling keeps his eyes open
Sapphire's extra flair for disguise ensures that even her more noticeably unique features do not betray her during the infiltration portion of this mission.
Sage takes flight and he blends right in among the seabirds that throng along the docks. All the laborers are too busy with their work to notice an owl standing out amid gulls and terns.
The crowds of dockhands and sailors, coming and going like the tides, create too thick of a curtain for Randu to spot anything of use. On the other hand, Sage perches upon a roof just behind the target saloon. He ruffles his feathers, signalling to Randu that he has spotted something at the rear of the building.
Randu carefully makes his way towards the rear of the building to see for himself
Pushing forward into the building he does his best to not do more than make a standard cursery look around.
"Gar bless me britches Penelo uh...pea. I'm thirstier than a galley full of uh herbs."
He began slapping corporal Beckett's back. He gave his best innocent catfolk smile... you know the one only showing a little teeth.
"Your turn for the first round eh? say hello to the tender while i go make us some new friends. Its rough being new to a place eh?"
He said loudly enough to be overheard but not too loud. At least he hoped so. He had read a book like this once. He hoped he wasnt overplaying their hand.
Rrrruh strolls into the nameless dockside saloon with Beckett, and he immediately feels eyes burning upon them. There are only a handful of patrons inside - he counts three at one table, a lone man off at a side table, and the barman - but none of them appear very welcoming towards the newcomers.
Rrrruh can easily read their mood. These are very insular men who don't take kindly to outsiders. He can also tell that they do not buy into Rrruh's ruse; they do not believe for a moment that the disguised catfolk and soldier are mere dockworkers.
Fortunately, as best as Rrruh can tell, they presently view the pair as university students "slumming" it in the Portside District, rather than suspecting that you are government agents.
...
With Rrruh and Beckett inadvertently creating a distraction inside the saloon, Randu need not worry about any eyes looking out a window and seeing the top of his head passing by as he sneaks around the back. Even though the urban setting is as dissimilar to his usual setting as possible, the frontier cook evades notice from even the many people passing by around the building.
There are no windows at the rear of the saloon, but through the battered and cracked door he can hear muffled voices and the soft sounds of items quickly being stowed in a satchel or valise.
He tries to open the backdoor crack a bit more to peek in and listen
Round the sides of the biulding, Sapphire looks for possible exit points, should those inside seek to flee.
"Agent Featherstone, position here, I'll be over there, if things start to go bad inside we go in alright"
After a quick circling of the saloon at a distance so as to not arouse suspicion, Sapphire takes note of three exit points: the front entrance, a side door for loading goods, and the rear door where Randu presently prowls.
Randu finds the occupants within the backroom far too distracted by their work to notice as he cracks open the door. He spots two humans in the center of what looks like a private if cramped meeting room. One of them is the arsonist who escaped the scene back at the Palace of the People's Council, leaving behind his two accomplices who were caught by the party. He is pleading with the other man, begging for help and clearly panicked as things have spiraled out of control.
The other man, dressed like an upperclassman slumming it in this saloon, remains coldly indifferent to his plight and focuses on packing away sheafs of parchment and thick old tomes into his traveling valise.
"I should not be surprised you failed," he says in a deep, even-toned voice. "This was very much a long shot. If nothing else, we have sent a message. My underlings will handle your payment."
The well-dressed man gestures to a corner of the room out of Randu's line of sight. He can hear a shuffling sound as some manner of gibbering creature begins to creep forward.
Randu memorizes the man's features, and peeks in a bit closer if he can, he wants to see what this threat is. Hopefully it won't see him. I may regret this but i want to make a full report, or maybe know what I hit with lightning
Randu is all but invisible, and he is very grateful for this as the "underlings" of the well-dressed man reveal themselves.
In the dim light of the saloon, draped as they are with ragged cloaks, the three creatures could be mistaken for stocky, hunchbacked men. However, as they doff their flimsy disguises, their terrible nature becomes clear.
Amid their roiling waves of fatty flesh, half-formed limbs reach out for the ill-fated arson accomplice. Their dripping, tumorous faces utter terrible, guttural howls that blend with the man's terrified shriek.
But these sounds are sharply cut off, and an unnatural silence dominates the back room as the well-dressed man completes the casting of a spell.
If they were summoned by or contracted to this well-dressed man, then this proof of consorting with devils strongly suggests that he is a Chelish agent.