Ishka Game, Worker's Revolt, IC

[Felyndiira]

Serin:

Illusions are always tiring; after I dismissed my minor image, I briefly scanned the riot zone for anything that looks remotely out of place before following Intheras to the exported workers. As the elf interrogated the workers, I stood near the back to listen to their replies. "Yeah, I was just stepping in to help my friend," or "I don't know what happened. I just felt like jumping in:" it's how most errors of humanity begin and end, and I feel a bit sorry for these innocent people. Many of them were simple, unwitting pawns to an act that is beyond their comprehension...and, at least for now, beyond ours.

I decided to try a strange act, if only to break this tense scene. "Inthie!" I plead, running toward the gray elf as if we were long time acquaintances, messaging him to play along with the act. "Sorry about being so late. Are you still working on the case? You really should rest for a bit, you know - get a bit of trance and eat something. I know how much you're devoted to the job, but it'll really take a toll on you."

Before the elf has a chance to respond, I turned to one of the small groups and, almost - and very carefully avoiding - falling on her knees, begged them to spill anything they know. "Um," I whispered, maintaining a facade of desperation as I turned toward the workers and to the crowd in general, "if you know anything about this, please, I'm begging you, please tell us. Inthie's only a contractor, but he's been working night and day on this case, and it's really eating into her health. I...I've been trying to tell her to eat or anythi...I...Inthie's really important to me. Please, if you can help her solve this case..."

It's just an act, but I almost threw a bit of a tantrum.

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Spot check on the riot area/warehouse before I leave: (1d20+5)[11]

Bluff Check: (1d20+11)[12]
Diplomancy on the workers to get them to tell me something relevant: (1d20+17)[36]. I don't know what level of hostility, etc., they're currently at, so I'll leave that part up to you. Remember that I still have my Child's Plea feat.

Note, I've used the message spell to tell Inthie about this beforehand, so he should at least be aware of what I'm doing.

[shaddy_24]

Baldor and Dota

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Alidahashih looks back up as Baldor continues the questioning. "Well, there's been a whole bunch of fights the past two weeks. Usually fights are just a loud argument, a bunch of yelling, then the overseers jump in and break it up. The last few weeks though, there's been actual violence.
I only saw one of them, between this big, bulky human and this small zombie. The two of them were arguing for a while, the human seemed the more agressive of the two, yelling at the zombie about something. Only got his job because he was undead, something like that. I was on one of the catwalks, so I got a nice overhead view of it. The overseers had just noticed it, and were heading in when the zombie just threw himself at the guy. It was a short fight, the human had a huge advantage, it looked like he knew how to fight, knocked the little guy out right away.
He didn't get fired over it, since he technically acted in self defense, but the undead workers threw a fit, saying he caused the fight by pushing the other guy into it. There was a lot of protest that he was only keeping his job because he was living, so they compromised and he had a week suspension. Just got back today, actually."

Intheras and Serin

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Most of the workers look fairly ashamed when Serin jumps in and pleads for help. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything." "I'd help if I could." "I didn't mean to make your job harder. Sorry." For a moment, it looks like you're still not going to get anything out of it.

Then a figure pushes through the crowd. A tall human woman, she looks the two of you over before sighing and moving forward. "Fine, if you're going to guilt trip me about it, even though I'm pretty sure you set that up." She glares at Serin for a moment. "I was just flying in when the fight broke out. The fight really did just start out of no where. One moment there was nothing, then suddenly a huge crowd just came running out and started fighting. Everyone else suddenly joined in, and I flew back up out of the way. I kept an eye on it and I saw the people that started it disappeared into thin air as soon as the riot was really underway."

Allie

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Checking the crate, the ingots is a pound each, and there looks to be nearly a hundred of them in the crate and around it where they fell out. You recognize them as merchantile ingots, used for large purchases.

[Zipding]

Intheras
Intheras looks at the woman as she tells her tale, writing it down the entire time. When she mentions the part about the people starting the riot disappearing, the elf has a quizzical look on his face.
"They disappeared? Did you see them do anything before they disappeared? Something like cast a spell or hide in something?"

[ForzaFiori]

Do you by any chance know the name of this human? The route to a safe and simple solution my lie through him. Baldor asks, hoping the elemental wasn't growing bored with this.

[Parlity]

Before searching the other warehouses, Allie flies out to report her findings. She finds Intheras and Serin in the open area.

Intheras looks busy, so she asks Serin, "Serin, do you have a moment?"

[shaddy_24]

Intheras, Serin, Allie

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The woman shakes her head. "They simply faded away."

Baldor and Dota

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"Suvod, or something like that."

[ForzaFiori]

Thank you for your time. I'll be sure to mention your cooperation to the authorities. It should look excellent on your record. Come on Dota, let's find Suvod.

Baldor leaves the elemental to go look for Suvod. First, however, he finds the group that the Watch sent in, and lets their Sargent (or whoever is in charge) know that the MI would be very appreciative if the Elemental was let off with a slap on the wrist, due to his help in figuring out what is going on. Once that is done with, he goes to find the supervisors of the warehouses, asking them if they know a human worker named Suvod, and if so, where he can be found.

[Zipding]

Intheras
Intheras finishes writing down what the woman was saying before he closes the notebook and places it in a pocket in his robe.
"I thank you for what you did, that was indeed helpful towards the investigation." He looks at Seren and Allie and motions for the door. "I think that it is time to meet with the others and share our information with them."

[Parlity]

"Very well." Allie flies out the door.

[shaddy_24]

All of you gather together again near the manager's offices, sharing the information you've gathered.

Abi-Alaku describes his introduction to the head of the Order and Watch squads sent down. He details the information they gave him. There's a small number of workers with criminal histories, but none involving hate or agressive crimes. No arrests have been made so far, though Watch patrols have broken up two fights between workers off of the work site. The workers were told to break it up, and no charges were pressed.

OOC: Check under all the spoilers, though you're free to play out your characters sharing information.

[Parlity]

Allie

Sharing information, Allie says,
"I found about 100 mercantile silver and gold ingots inside and spilled out of a crate labeled Hammers in the first warehouse. I have not searched the other warehouses."

After hearing the information, Allie says,
"Should we question the workers again knowing this new information? I wonder why people would hide silver and gold ingots in a crate."

[ForzaFiori]

Baldor shares his information with the others. I talked to the fire elemental that was trying to keep the fight going. He claimed to be foggy on the details, as though he wasn't really controlling his thoughts. Perhaps magic users are involved somehow. Also, he gave me the name of one of the humans who have been involved in the previous altercations between the living and undead workers.

[Zipding]

Intheras
The grey elf listens to Baldor and Allie while they explain what happened with their investigations.
"With the help of Serin, I was able to get something as well," he begins. "There was a worker that saw some of the people in the riot disappear when it was fully underway. Do you think that this human could be a worker that disappeared during the riot?" The last question is directed to Baldor.

[ForzaFiori]

Possibly. Or perhaps he is simply a pawn of them. However, I think they are related. If I was trying to start full scale riots, I would get the help of people who already have problems, either by diplomacy or force.

[Felyndiira]

"Don't forget illusions!" Serin added, though with perhaps too much vigor for the situation. Calming herself after a few seconds, she added, "Disappearing workers would mean that someone cast an illusion of sorts to take advantage of mob mentality, since it would make little sense to waste resources and put actual plants there. It's consistent with the elemental not being in control of himself."

"Someone's trying to start a conflict here, and it seems we're dealing with at least one magic user with enchantments and illusions," she added with a dry laugh, sneaking a glance at Dota. "Really, not the type of enemy I'd like to have at all."

[shaddy_24]

You all set out again. Allie goes to continue her search of the warehouses, while the rest of you start hunting for Suvod.

Checking with the overseers nets you nothing. It appears he checked in, but he's not among any of the workers gathered together. It's not until one of them tracks you down and gives you a casualty list that he's found.

"Suvod Heranch. Resident of North Commons, worked as a hauler in warehouse 3. One of seven dead after the riot. He was killed by multiple claw wounds along the stomach and throat. More wounds were on his arms, they look like defensive wounds. He's the only one of the dead with claw marks, and there aren't any workers on this shift with natural claws.

There were a total of sixty injuries requiring medical attention. Mostly bruses and concussions. Of the other six deaths, two look like they were trampled by the crowd, three were beaten badly and died from head trauma, and one had a cart overturned on him and was crushed."

Meanwhile, after more searching, Allie finds drops of blood forming a trail that goes deep into warehouse 3, before it disappears in one of the back corners.

[Parlity]

Allie hovers, looking into the dark corner.

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She has darkvision 60' from binding truthseeker goggles.
Spot (1d20+7)[13]

[The Anarresti]

"I wonder if our friend Suvod ran afoul of any groups, such as the Allience. Personally, I suspect the wild: they have the motive to attack the most delicate and yet most important underpinnings of our city: supply lines and peace between the living and the dead. Also, claw marks sound like their style. Could we look into if Suvod was once a member of the Wild, but turn traitor? Or if he was once a member of any of the multitiude of underground factions? Does anyone have any leads in this area?" Abi addresses his questions to the group as a whole. Thinking back, he says:
"It would be prudent not to split up if we are venturing into the below-board areas of the city."

[ForzaFiori]

I may be able to call in a few favors at MI to get a background check. I might could even find an alliance member if push came to shove, and their still hiding where they were when they first formed, which is unlikely.

[shaddy_24]

Allie

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Checking in the corner, you find nobody there. There's no place to hide, no where for anyone to have gone. The only thing you notice is a large circle of ground that appears to have been swept clean.

[The Anarresti]

Abi-Alaku

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Gather Information Check: (1d20+4)[11] This is to find any contacts.
Urban Survial: (1d20+9)[20] This is to safely find a contact or a place where they could be. If it isn't applicable, just ignore it. (I'm not totally sure where Urban Survival is applicable, if the DM could clarify I would appreciate it)

[ForzaFiori]

Baldor checks in with a few of his associates at MI, looking to run a background check on Suvod. He hopes something strange will come up, something that gives them a lead in.

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Gather Info: (1d20+12)[28]

Turns out I DO have ranks in it. I was thinking of another character.

[shaddy_24]

Abi-Alaku and Baldor both split off to do some checking up on Suvod. (5 or more ranks in Urban Survival will synergise with Gather Info for the purpose of checking up with contacts.)

Abi-Alaku

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Unfortunitally, none of your contacts seem to be in the area. Your search comes up with no new information on Suvod.

Baldor

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You get lucky with the background check. While Suvod himself has no criminal history, he's been noted as a contact to several people who do, so there's some information on him. He runs with a small gang, though up to now there's no evidence of them commiting any crimes. The name list of the known gang members contains no one with a criminal history, but it catches your attention that there's a large number of undead among them. In fact, the majority of the gang appears to be undead, including another name you recognise from the incident reports.

The rest of you continue your questioning of the workers and looking into the list of incidents. All of the workers involved are on suspencion or different shifts though, so you can't interrogate any of them, though you do hear of the fights from other workers. It appears a lot of them started in ways similar to the one between Suvod and his opponant. One worker would bother another until a fight broke out.

Int or Wis check DC 15

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You notice from the reports that most of the fights start rather abruptly, just before the overseers arrive. Is that merely a coincidence?

[Felyndiira]

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WIS Check: (1d20+5)[21]

Serin:

"I have a question, if that's okay," she pleaded again, this time to the overseers. She was sure, now, that the workers themselves were not at fault for this incident. There had to be a third party that was willing to plant trouble. What would they gain, however, from all of these seemingly random riots? Was it simply for the money - the gold and silver hidden within the storage room - the ones that the water girl had described?

It couldn't have just ended there. The timing was a bit convenient for a simple robbery. If someone truly just wanted the silver, why stage so many riots and attract even more attention to the area, to the point that your crime would be easily discovered with one wrong turn into an overseer? Perhaps the overseers themselves were in on the scheme. Perhaps, just perhaps, someone was putting on a display for the rest of the world to see.

"Mr. Abi wanted me to ask you something, mister." The girl was careful not to reveal her inquisitive nature as she posed her questions, hiding her words under a playful smile. "He wants to know if you know who started the other fights, and if they were always an undead and a man. He also wants to know if you can find out who the zombie that fought with Mr. Suvod was. Would those questions be okay?"

Perhaps it was biased of her, as a devotee of St. Kresnik, but maybe - just maybe - there was a slightly deeper component to this troublesome little ruse. Her face remained jovial, but she silently crossed her fingers behind her, hoping that her apprehension is nothing more than an unfounded fear.

[shaddy_24]

The overseer Serin questions looks uncomfortable for a moment, but when he sees her pin, crouches down slightly get get to eye level with her. "Yes those questions are okay. Well, all of the fights I know of were between an undead worker and a living one. They were always different workers, since most involved in a fight were suspended. I believe Suvod was one of the first coming back to work on this shift, while the one he got into a fight with, Emsul, is off for another few days. His suspension was slightly longer because he responded to Suvod's insults." The overseer shakes his head at that.

[The Anarresti]

Abi-Alaku
The bard racks his brains, trying to think of a reason for these riots.

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(1d20+3)[9]

[tonberryking]

Dota herself seems, pardon the phrase, a fish out of water, though she tries to follow the logic. Clearly someone's using magic or curses or something beyond her warrior's scope. "If someone's using magic to throw things out of order, it'd have to be a powerful wizard or...um sorcerer or warlock or whatever they call them right? she asks to the closest compatriot who'll have the patience. I mean to make everybody so mad like that, right? That's pretty powerful. But if someone's that powerful already, what do they gots to gain by messing up trade? Do they wanna sneak something in? Are they just evil? Why'd a magic user even care?"

[Zipding]

Intheras
The grey elf thinks over Dota's question about spellcasters causing all of the problems.
"I'm not sure, I think that some of the other types of spellcasting, particularily arcane, have some mind control, but those are difficult spells to learn. Generally mind affecting spells don't work on undead or creatures with no minds. I think if it is a spellcaster, it might be one of the higher workers or perhaps an overseer with some background in some sort of teachings in casting spells," he explains. "Man, this is just starting to get confusing."
Int Check: (1d20+4)[23]
Wis Check: (1d20+2)[11]

[Parlity]

Allie takes out her paints to draw a cloth and a bottle. She takes a sample of the blood and places it in the bottle.

Putting away her paints and tucking the bottle in her bandoleer, she continues searching the warehouses.

[ForzaFiori]

Baldor, floating up on the end of Intheras' explination, adds a small foot note. Actually, a spell caster's mind control would work on many of the undead in Ishka. It is only the unsentient undead that are immune. My self, as well as all the other "thinking" undead, are just as vulnerable as either of you. A magic user could have provoked or controlled either side. Oh, and speaking of undead, I have a new lead. Seems our friend Suvod used to run with, amazingly, an undead gang. No proven criminal activities, but a few guys that are on watch lists. It also shows that he's perfectly fine with undead, so the fights become even more out of the ordinary.

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INT check: (1d20+2)[8]
Wis check: (1d20-1)[9]