[MISSION] IN THE SHADOW OF THE DRAGON

[khuimods]

Characters: All! Those signed up to teams will have comment headers; there will be opportunities for non-teamed characters.
Date: Feb 15-28, running into the first week of March
Location: Around Aifaran
Situation: The Sentry has called on outside help from the Dreamfolk to deal with a challenging situation
Warnings/Rating: None yet, will be added as needed.


In the early morning hours of February 15th, a fire starts at city hall. The blaze burns hot and quick, but fire teams are able to put it out by the time the sun comes up. The Sentry holds a press conference that afternoon, sharing that the fire is determined to be arson. Witnesses describe someone wearing an ill-fitting Sentry uniform hurrying away from the scene.

The Sentry will announce that, due to the strain on their resources dealing with storm recovery, they are commissioning outside assistance to deal with a number of incidents similar to this one. Dreamfolk in particular are being called upon to once again use their unique abilities to aid the archipelago.

Those who report to the Verdant Sentry Headquarters are briefed on the situation: a contingent of the Sentry is departing Aifaran for the Zoech Lowlands to search for the people missing from Cape Averi. The outpost was found empty after the storm; at first this was presumed to be the fault of the Dreaming, but now they aren't so sure.

Those who choose to assist the Verdant Sentry will be given a small stipend and extended a certain degree of authority to act on the Sentry's behalf. The 'deputized' Dreamfolk will be responsible for investigating discrete incidents to help make up for the reduction in Sentry forces in Aifaran. They are being entrusted not only with these cases, but with the reputation of the Sentry itself.

Although they are requesting this assistance, the Sentry remain tight-lipped about Cape Averi beyond the bare-bones logistics. Their suspicions are not made public, and nor will they be shared with the assembled volunteers unless these investigations intersect. Abuse of this power will not be tolerated.

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OOC Notes: Characters will be provided with tools needed to conduct the investigation, such as gloves and basic forensics gear (fingerprint dust, evidence collection bags, etc). They will also be handed paperwork

If you did not sign your character(s) up for a team, you can submit a summary of what the character will look into and we will provide a reply as to the findings and effects. This will be a one-time thing for these characters in order to maximize the time for the main mission logistics.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[khuimods]

[astralera]

Era's Carbuncle has a very keen sense of smell (canonically Carbuncles are used as what essentially amounts to sniffer dogs at ports). Would this be of any use for Team 1? i.e. would it be able to follow the scent of an accelerant or whatnot to track down the arson?

[khuimods]

Era is welcome to use her Carbuncle to assist the investigation. The fire would likely make it more difficult to track individual smells - the overwhelming scent of burnt material would mostly mask any smell of the arsonist (and they wouldn't have left any clothing behind to use as reference, for example). That said, the arsonist themselves would probably smell like the fire, so that is a potential option to pursue. The trail wouldn't lead directly to them, but would lead to another clue (or clues) we can offer in the second infodrop!

The accelerant would be a little easier to sniff out. It's not a terribly uncommon substance, however. The scent of it would most likely be useful to identify if a suspect has some of the accelerant with them/where they're staying/if they got it on any of their possessions/etc.

[astralera]

Yes! That is exactly what I was thinking of, actually. That it would try to follow whatever trail smelled of fire and any accelerant and that didn't seem to make logical sense for an uninvolved party to follow.

question about the Skill

[afoolsgold]

How much information would it be possible for the Fool to glean from the records room using the Skill magic on his fingertips? It has allowed him to forge a connection with the turtle, but in the past he has been able to touch inanimate objects to learn about their history (kind of in vague geologic terms lol). I'm wondering if it would be possible for him to detect the presence of the turpentine through handling the remains of the records, and from there to sense the pine trees they were derived from. That might allow the group to ask some directed questions of the Sentry re: how turpentine is controlled and distributed.

[khuimods]

Sorry for the delay! As the turpentine would be partially decomposed, it might take the Fool a little bit of poking around to find a clean enough sample to work with, but he certainly would be able to. The arson investigators might take issue with him directly touching evidence, but they could also be persuaded and his fingerprints (as well as the rest of the team, as needed) could be taken to ensure they wouldn't accidentally be considered belonging to a suspect.

The turpentine is sourced from the woods just northeast of Beothe, up into the foothills of the Orolis Mountains. Sustainable forestry has been implemented in the archipelago since it's formation, and this particular batch of turpentine is from an area that's been preserved from timber cutting for several decades but still produces other resources. Turpentine isn't highly controlled, as it has many practical uses, but it's production is monitored as all forestry products are. The Sentry could provide information about the known producers, as well as contact information, so the team would be able to figure out who sold that particular bulk order. The trickier thing would be to then figure out who the suppliers sold to, as once the turpentine reached Aifaran the shopkeepers might not have such diligent records.

However, it is worth noting that since the can of turpentine was nowhere to be found, the Fool would be able to match the burn sample to its container if it were located, and potentially find further evidence on the container itself or nearby. Additionally, since turpentine is flammable it needs to be transported carefully to ensure safety. Shipments into the port of this and similar substances are tracked, and ships in the Shuyul Bay or coming through Ewai Passage have tighter travel restrictions and landing locations. Losses or theft would be noted but not necessarily pursued, depending on the quantity.

Let us know if you need any clarification or have any further questions!

Re: QUESTIONS

[unfavorableinstigation]

If Nita uses the Speech to try and communicate with the locks/lockers, would they be cooperative or generally responsive in saying who last used them?

[khuimods]

Sorry for the delay! The locks and/or lockers would be responsive to her query, yes. They wouldn't be able to provide a name, only a limited description. The person who broke in was unfamiliar, so either not an officer or not one that spent time in the evidence lockers much. She will get an impression of haste; whoever broke in went through the lockers quickly, but did not seem nervous.

Let us know if you need any clarifications or have any more questions!

[unfavorableinstigation]

Would the person have acted familiar with the lockers (a one-way familiarity, a "I know what I'm doing") and zeroed in on whatever they were searching for, or would that have been in any way deducible from their behavior?

TEAM 1 | ELSEYA HALL: RECORDS ABLAZE

[khuimods]

Miniplot leader: Liz
Members: The Fool (Liz), Miles Upshur, Era Ra, Sheena Fujibayashi

The fire at city hall is suspicion for reasons that go beyond just arson. Witnesses describe someone wearing a military uniform hurrying away from the scene. Odder still - an ill-fitting one. It's probably safe to say that whoever started the fire isn't a member of the military at all.

Investigators will be tasked with primarily determining the arsonist's motive, and if possible their identity.

Outside Elseya Hall (Meet-up Thread)

[afoolsgold]

It is no small irony that mere weeks after his impromptu visit to the city gaol, here the Fool stands as a deputized investigator into the arson at city hall. Perhaps someone higher up the chain of command has decided to make use of his penchant for troublemaking; he does appear exceptionally gifted at finding things that do not wish to be found.

He stands out amongst the Sentry loitering outside city hall, all flowing red fabrics and golden hair, and keeps his eyes peeled for the rest of the people tasked with pursuing this lead with him. The air here is heavy with the smell of smoke, mostly woody from paper but undercut with something more acrid.

[ninjainviolet]

It had been a long time since the Sentry had asked Sheena about her skills--so much so that they had actually started annoying her. She had told them everything she knew and never heard from them again.

Until a few days ago when a member of the Sentry had contacted her.

She had mentioned doing some investigating in the past almost in passing, but it appeared they had remembered. And she had no problem accepting the request. Now, she's moving along slowly, her eyes roaming the ground and the surroundings as she takes in the damage.

Halting outside city hall, she notices someone definitely not in a Sentry uniform and approaches, the ends of her huge pink bow flapping behind her. She had been told others were going to be helping and calls out to him as she nears.

"Excuse me, but are you one of the people who are looking into the fire as well?"

[astralera]

It takes Era longer to meet with everyone than she would have liked despite having left earlier. She is still learning her way around, and the locals are unfamiliar enough with her and her race that a few people have already mistaken her for a child. After the second time Era activates a glamour plate to shift her from her cloak to her cheongsam — she may not be the most shapely of women, but there is no mistaking her figure is for a child's when her clothes hug her frame.

Eventually Era also summons her Carbuncle. Its sense of smell is enough that it isn't hard to find city hall despite how turned around she had gotten. Tracing the scent of a fire is far from difficult for the nose of her companion. Once they arrive Era realizes her next predicament — she has no idea who she is supposed to be looking for. It is, honestly, more than a little overwhelming.

But she can help. She wants to help. So she shoves all of her discomfort aside and looks around for anyone who seems as out of place as she feels.

The records room (The Fool + Miles)

[afoolsgold]

The Fool is grateful that someone opened a window to let the smoke escape; the air is thick enough in this confined space as it is, and even with the aid of the mask he wears over his nose and mouth, his lungs ache. He takes a few delicate steps forward towards the stacks, cautious of where his feet fall; much of what has fallen to the ground is ash now, but in the event that any paper or records remain intact and on the floor, he would not wish to crush them.

Near the back of the room stand two cabinets largely untouched by the flames; inquisitive, the Fool approaches them. "This seems curious, does it not?" he asks to Miles over his shoulder.

[upshore]

"'Curious' is a word for it," Miles says, his voice muffled by the mask. Indeed, having such a stark difference between things that are burned and things that aren't is more than a little suspicious.

"You think they forgot to splash these with accelerant?" Miles jokes. 'Forgot', not likely. 'Didn't on purpose', possible, but weird.

[afoolsgold]

"You think they forgot to splash these with accelerant?"

"Yes, they are so easy to miss," comes the Fool's droll response.

He approaches the cabinets and considers them thoughtfully. "We will need a records finding aid to determine what, if anything, is missing here," he muses--and, in the meantime, tries one of the drawers to see whether it opens. Miracle of miracles, it does.

TEAM 2 | VERDANT SENTRY HEADQUARTERS: EVIDENCE THEFT

[khuimods]

Miniplot leader: Seal
Members: Pepper Potts, X, Nita Callahan, Kai

A Sentry station was broken into, and a number of evidence lockers ransacked. It will take at least a day to sort out exactly what was damaged and what is simply… gone. There is some suspicion that this was an inside job, thus bringing in outside help (with oversight, of course).

The ruling theory is that someone's trying to cover their tracks and ensure they can't be prosecuted, but the missing evidence is peculiarly spotty -- rhinn from this case, a broken lock from another, et cetera.

[lasergrenades]

This is Pepper's first real case since the storm - almost everything was put on hold to deal with the disaster. Her superiors are also aware of her recent losses, so it's possible that this is their way of easing her back into things.

The station is of moderate size, covering one of the districts outside of the city's center. It's quieter overall, with a small but dedicated group of officers. Some of them are quite new to the force, but none of them are completely green. There's coffee and tea and water available in the break room, and while these "contractors" are approved and there on official business, there will be at least some grumbling from the Sentry about having outsiders investigate them. The person Pepper greets at the front desk will probably be colder to her companions, but won't say anything truly nasty or get in their way.

After donning her uniform, Pepper heads to the Sentry station early to wait for the group to arrive. Someone points out a small conference room she and the team can take over, and Pepper promptly does so to begin reading over the extended dossier for this case. X and Kai she knows, but the fourth member of this impromptu team is new to her. Before they dive into the deep end of the investigation, a round of introductions is probably called for once they're all here.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Even with the exploring Nita's been doing around the city (and the Turtles in general, though she's made less progress on that front), she still has to make haste to get to the station.

/Excuse me,/ she says to the person at the front desk; explaining herself and her assignment, she heads on back with an additional /Thank you/ once she's been given appropriate directions.

Once she arrives at the conference room, breathing heavily, Nita takes note of everything in the room, the length of the dossier... and the unfamiliar person in front of her.

/Dai Stiho, she greets, making her way over to a chair that isn't quite the nearest to the door.

"I'm Nita. What's your name?"

TEAM 3 | OPARA CORE: TRAIN DELAYS

[khuimods]

Miniplot leader: Alex
Members: Gene Khan, Valdis, Draz'ohv'inadax
For once, the trains aren't running on time. This is a mystery until reports of vandalized and destroyed control stations come in. It's going to take some time to assess the extent of the damage, and of course: why would anyone do this?

[wrathfulkhan]

Gene's taken a little time off from the dojo, leaving it in the capable hands of one of his instructors for the day. There's a lot to investigate here, and he's relishing the opportunity to give his mind the workout. Not like this is a good thing, but if it had to happen, he might as well take advantage of his skills to help.

"Hm." He's scribbling on a pad of paper, taking down his initial impressions of the scene.

[redlightgreenlight]

When her SO had told her she was being assigned to an investigation, Valdis had not expected this. She followed Gene around, using her senses to find what he couldn't see. Her sense of smell might be the most helpful, so she took deep breaths, letting the air drift over her tongue and through her nose.

"Look for anything that might give off a scent of the person responsible," she said, "I will recognize it if we run into said person later."

Though scent might not be admissible in court.

TEAM 4 | KEHEL PARK: MANGLED MANUFACTURING

[khuimods]

Miniplot leader: Rivers
Members: Alice Liddell, Aly Haskell, Devin Parker

A metal fabrication factory in Kehel Park that produces a wide variety of loose parts, structural components for buildings, and heavy equipment was broken into and key equipment damaged. It's fixable, but the owners are impatient to find the culprit.

[wolfishflame]

Aly hadn't expected to be part of a police investigation, but she's here now, so she may as well get to it. There were some other people due to show up, but she hasn't seen them yet, so she's mostly just poking around and taking notes.

INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATIONS

[khuimods]

Reply here with a summary of what your character(s) will look into to receive information on findings and effects.