Break the Mold
The call is put out for adventurers of any stripe to come take a look at some bodies gathered in the temple of Vardama. The suspect is one of the mages who escaped recently, but they need verification of identity and someone to eventually hunt down the suspect. Not to mention anything else that a member of the guild might be capable of thinking of in relation to the case that an ordinary Vardaman might not think of.
Which is how you've all been gathered in the temple down where the bodies are kept. Not exactly the most comfortable of locations, particularly with five bodies in the room covered with white sheets. Someone has been busy.
It's not a good day, really. Telamon's expression is dour as he enters the morgue, and his dark eyes are grim. Dressed in a pale gray tunic, laced up the front, over deep blue trousers tucked into black boots, the sorcerer would draw the eye in a more social atmosphere. But here, among the dead, his mien is somber, passing between the biers where the five bodies are laid out. A slow breath, and his fingers curling into a fist, the only sign of his anger.
Eztli wasn't certain of what help she may be able to provide in identifying bodies, but the small makari was willing to at least attempt something in order to help restore some modicum of peace to the city of Alexandria.
It was a job that the small makari was quickly regretting, as she stood close to the exit from where the bodies were being stored. "It's a vardaman temple, so at the very least, the chances of them getting up and moving is low?" They weakly chuckle.
Aeson stands close to the bodies, a kerchief held before his mouth and nose as he looks over the corpses. Interest lights his eyes as he takes in the scene, looking up and around at those gathered, but only briefly. "Is there any objection to taking a look?" he asks, seemingly eager to get to work. His motives are his own, his dispatchment from the guild coming with little information about his qualifications. Just a strawberry-blond man, wearing well tailored clothes, even if they aren't of the best materials.
If Telamon's mannerisms and clenching is noticed, Aeson says nothing of it. It's the joke of the Makari that causes a smile as the kerchief is taken away from Aeson's face. "Even the waking dead tell tales."
Mikilos nods politely to those gathered, looking with curiosity towards the remains. "Were they all found together? Where, when, and by whom?" The wizard is slightly terse, but tries to remain professional. Escaped Magi giving wizards a bad name.
MAC-B1G may not have ventured to this particular structure previously. It holds limited data on the biological interment center and held no cause to explore it previously. Now there is a call for forensic examination. The construct may be able to provide some analyses, especially as one or more mana-manipulating fugitive(s) are the primary suspect(s).
Its faceplate pans to the comment concerning spontaneous reactivation. "Query: This facility performs repairs?"
There's one Vardaman in the room with you, a young woman who is standing quite close to Mikilos. "Yes, you can examine the bodies." She sounds vaguely disapproving. Not necessarily of you, but of *something*. "They were found individually in various bodies of water or near water. Mostly by fishermen. One was found on the dock by an unsuspecting nobleman. He was not best pleased."
She looks at Mac. "Yes we perform some healing here. Are you in need of help?"
GAME: Aeson rolls heal: (2)+11: 13 GAME: Telamon rolls heal: (12)+24: 36 GAME: Mikilos rolls heal: (10)+3: 13 GAME: Eztli casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 11 DC: 16 GAME: Eztli rolls spellcraft: (12)+11: 23
"Ah yes. They do look as if they were recently dried from exposure." Aeson says of the bodies, peeking under one of the sheets. There is a detached, but interested tone. "I... don't know much about the situation surrounding this summons, so I don't know what it is I am looking for, or trying to decipher." his eyes coming up from the linen covered corpses to the others that arrived with him. "Am I to deduce that there is more to this than just a random call? Is there more known? A pattern? A suspect? A reason?" his inquiring coming rapidly, though his casual manner remains. Onward to the next body he goes. Peeking there.
Telamon is kind of fastidious, as he pulls a pair of white silk gloves from his haversack, slipping them on. Then he carefully lifts the first sheet, and he can't help but flinch. After a moment, though, he inspects the corpse. "He died of blood loss." He pauses, then inspects something. "But... this artifice limb... this wasn't something he'd had. It's new. They didn't let the stump heal up, just stuck it on there..." He glances over at Mac, and beckons to the war golem. "Mac, can you take a look at this?"
Mikilos makes an examination of the bodies with professional detachment, scholarly interest, and a fair touch of awkwardness, far more used to texts than actual bodies. Still, the more obvious troubles are at least, well, obvious. "Missing leg is the clear cause of death. Well, rather the resulting blood loss." He looks to Telamon. "Testing the leg itself, maybe?"
"Alright, hang on! Hang on, please. We're dealing with things potentially related to mages here, and I don't want anyone being blown up because some horrible person put explosive runes on the bodies or something." The small makari blurts out, taking a look away from the body as the sheet is unveiled.
"Reveal the weave of magic" they hiss suddenly, snapping their fingers and working up the courage to look. <Draconic> "That, well, if drowning is ruled out, that's good. There's, well, do any of you know any artificers who were held in the dungeons? There's artifice magic here, and I don't think it's just from that limb."
GAME: Mikilos rolls heal: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Mikilos rolls spellcraft: (3)+39: 42 GAME: Aeson rolls heal: (19)+11: 30 GAME: Telamon rolls heal: (12)+24: 36
"This unit does not require repair at this time," MAC responds to the Vardaman. Its data on biological processes is limited, but the comment from Eztli draws its focus to the indicated nonfunctional chassis. A large step or two is take towards before it begins scanning.
"We believe one of the escaped prisoners may have an accomplice or... protégée, but he was reported dead in the Arcanist's Dungeon incident." The Vardaman almost bumps into Mikilos while following him in his examination. "The pattern seems to be artificial limbs and prosthetics. Most of the people seem to have died of the... torture they endured."
GAME: MAC-B1G rolls craft/artifice: (15)+19: 34 GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+11: (1)+11: 12 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+11+6: (3)+11+6: 20
Aeson sighs as he looks at the second body, a hand reaching out towards it's eye until the warning about runes. "I.. I guess I have to learn by context." He states as the others continue their investigation, seemingly knowing one another. "A shame. This one died of shock. The surgeon was a butcher. Knowing more about artifice than flesh." a wince as his tone drops lower with his thoughts. "It's an insult. Almost." A pause as he looks to the Vardaman. "Not almost, this is correct. It was torture." Agreeing with those spoken words. "This was butchery. Experimentation." A sigh given as he turns to the others. "Mages? I didn't think mages specialized so much in artificry."
Mikilos glances to Eztli and nods, a blue light flickering across his eyes as he turns attention to the second body, frowning at the Vardaman's information. "Mmmmm, I'm out of practice. The effect on this one looks to me like Tashida's Hideous Laughter, but I'm not seeing any residue of the spell itself. The eye there is artificial. There's an enchantment on it, but I'll need a closer look to get any details." He looks to Aeson. "Most don't, but are always exceptions. And I've found a solid working knowledge of Artifice useful on more than one occasion. Professionally I don't care for it, but is handy on a practical level."
"I admit I don't know much about artifice," Telamon remarks. Inspecting the next body, he shudders at what he sees. His eyes flick up to Aeson. "It's not unheard of, but it is rare. A team of adventurers recently recaptured one who was adept at both wizardry and artifice, though his talents lay more in golemcraft than this kind of... modification." He nods stoically at Aeson's assessment. "I agree as well. This is revolting. Why perform such work in such a brutal manner?"
Eztli was trying to focus on the bodies as the next was unveiled, but instead of finding anything of note, their stare is focused on where the limb was removed so crudely. They turn to the wall they were near, one hand pinching the bridge of their snout. "Apologies, I think I just need a moment to recollect myself." They apologize.
"Observation: The device was designed and constructed with precision and expertise," MAC advises following its scan. "Device contains biological interface which failed. Hypothesis: Creator's intention is to combine organic and inorganic component. Creator possesses aptitude in one aspect, lacks in the other." Its faceplate traverses to Telamon. "Purpose of this intent and goal remain unknown."
The woman following Mikilos closely frowns at his blue-glowing eyes. "I'm sorry sir, but why are your eyes glowing?" She seems unhappy in general, but then she's in a room with five horribly mutilated bodies so that might have something to do with it.
GAME: Eztli rolls heal: (20)+1: 21 GAME: MAC-B1G rolls heal: (10)+1: 11 GAME: Mikilos rolls heal: (18)+3: 21 GAME: Aeson rolls heal: (9)+11: 20
Telamon sighs, and addresses the Vardamen following Mikilos around. "He's using arcane sight, miss. I've considered adding it to my repertoire myself." As Eztli turns to face the wall, his expression shifts, and he nods. "Take your time. This isn't easy, and it shouldn't be. They all had lives, now ended by whoever did this."
The half-elf squares his shoulders at Mac's comments. "Well, they're doing an absolutely atrocious job of it. Whoever this is may be good at artifice but they apparently aren't well educated in what makes a living person tick."
"Sometimes it's not about a set goal. People often do what they want, because they simply can." Aeson says, casting a glance to the third corpse and wincing. "Some of the most evil that is done, is often not done with purpose. But simply because the being doing it can, and was curious. Malice should not be attributed to what could just be indifference." He says, shaking his head. "As a surgeon, this... this is perhaps the most disturbing case to behold I have had." Speaking of this job. "I don't know anything about what's been going on to causes this, but this butchery is hard to not take personally." No comment coming about the third corpse. The metal bonded to flesh seems to speak for itself.
Mikilos smiles reassuringly. Well, he tries to be reassuring. It hits differently with blue light coming out of your eyes. "A side effect of an enchantment that allows me to detect magical auras. My apologies, I tend to forget it's there." Turning his focus to the third body, the wizard tsks. "Skin replacement? I suppose I can understand the armor aspect, but the loss of mobility... anyway, looks to me like the area there got infected after the skin was replaced." He ponders. "Do we know anything of who these people were? Is possible they signed up for.... Upgrades?"
"No, it's fine, I'll be alright. I don't like seeing dead people especially when their bodies have been, desecrated like this. Worse, this happened while they were still living." Eztli responds to the wall they were turned towards, pausing to take a long, deep breath before turning around to take a look back, and almost immediately regretting it. The sorceress' hand returns to their snout, and they swallow. "Gods, this one wasn't dead from this whole process, somehow. I don't know much about medicine, but somehow I don't think they died from the procedure. I think there's a secondary infection around some of the sites, and if I ever run into this person I'm probably going to burn him alive."
MAC-B1G does not appear especially disturbed by the mutilation, though may lack sufficient data to wholly appreciate the travesty of the work. The next, with the outer casing replaced in sections, is briefly scanned and examined. "Direct replacement of exterior casing solely for protection is inefficient. External armor exists in great quantities for use by biological units."
It then focuses upon Aeson. "Experimentation probable. Present examples classified as failures." After a pause to parse and collate other's comments, it adds, "Common traits among experiments may identify suspect, location, or selection processes."
The Vardaman picks up a clipboard near the door, taking reassurance from Telamon's words enough to give space. "They were two farmers, a midwife, a merchant, a lesser noble and his bodyguard. All reportedly healthy before they failed to show up where they were supposed to be and were later found near the sources of water where they were... discarded."
The Vardaman nods to Aeson. "As a cleric of the goddess of death, to have so many healthy people killed in such a way... it is hard not to take personally myself."
GAME: Aeson rolls heal: (13)+11: 24 GAME: Aeson rolls Knowledge/History: (3)+6: 9 GAME: Telamon rolls knowledge/local: (15)+13: 28 GAME: Aeson rolls Knowledge/History: (9)+6: 15 GAME: Eztli rolls knowledge/nobility: (2)+4: 6 GAME: Mikilos rolls heal: (8)+3: 11
"Out of all the bodies we have seen. This one is the furthest along in decay. It is perhaps the first, if not one of the first." He guesses, taking a good long look at this corpse instead of shying away like he had done the last. It seems the talk and discussion of the others have spurred him to press on. "Blood loss. Again, it is the inept hand that caused this. At least with the other corpses, some of them survived the experimentation." his scoff held back. "At least this monster learns from his mistakes." A pause as he looks between Telamon and Mikilos. "I wonder if this is a means to an end. What is the goal? I need to know what the augmentations do. Their purpose. Is there a plan? Or are they just replacements." his glance then settling on Mac. "Is there purpose to this chaos? Learning on those they abduct to refine the practice for those who will receive it eventually?"
Telamon actually offers Eztli a smile. "See now, that's the right perspective. I know the Arcanists -prefer- to have the escapees back alive, but you know... I wouldn't cry any tears over some of these bastards." He frowns. "Wait. You mentioned burning. Just jogged my memory, give me a second..."
The sorcerer folds his hands behind his back, walking around one of the biers. "That's it," he says suddenly. "Gearsmasher. Gnebbeets Gearsmasher. He was a gnome who went over the edge a few years ago, and was imprisoned for doing this very thing. Artifice modification, usually without consent." He furrows his brow. "Of course, there's a small problem. He's supposed to be dead. Burned to ashes during the breakout. But... people have faked their own deaths before. Or it could be he had an understudy. Supposedly Gearsmasher had more surgical skill than this, so the latter is likely."
Mikilos nods thoughtfully, frowning. "I'm sure the locations of the bodies is some sort of clue, but haven't a full picture just yet. Might be something to be learned from the replacement parts themselves. But first lets have a look at all of them." So saying, the elf turns his attention to the next body, examining a few moments before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Blood loss, I agree. Starting to wonder if the... killer, isn't organic themselves. They seem to lack a basic understanding of recovery needs." He considers. "Or perhaps they don't care? Finish the operation, anything after is irrelevant?"
MAC-B1G parses the data provided by the Vardaman concerning the inactive units then gives the last a brief scan before it addresses the query regarding hypothetical intent. "This unit possesses insufficient data to determine change in proficiency or technique regarding the biological alterat-" it pauses as Telamon provides a strong suspect and shifts contexts slightly. "Common factor: discarded in vicinity of water body. Hypotheses: Suspect is aquatic; Suspect established a facility underwater to avoid detection; Suspect utilizes a watercraft."
"So I think that rules out willingly going to this person." Eztli sighs, taking a pause to rack their brains for any relevant information. "I'm not sure if they were targeted for a reason, I don't know anything about it. Could be because no one would be too concerned for some time, even for a noble. But the fact they dispatched the bodyguard as well, either themselves or with help, means they're still a threat to a lot more people."
"I don't know if it's a good thing that they're learning. It means there might be more people still there."
"No, I get it, at least they're, wait, you have an idea who it might be? Or related to them?" The makari perks up instantly. "That's good! I think, hmm. We should see if there are any other missing person reports that haven't shown up yet. And maybe make some inquiries into metalworking shops or the artificer's guild, see if anyone has been making purchases?"
GAME: Aeson rolls heal: (6)+11: 17 GAME: Telamon rolls heal: (12)+24: 36
The last body is the more heavily decayed corpse of the noble's bodyguard. It's clear he died in a fight with something with blades but effort was made postmortem to remove his left leg from just above the knee. Whoever did it though was pretty impatient and seemed to have used an ax or some other brutal weapon rather than the surgical implements of later corpses.
Aeson winces at the last corpse, shaking his head. "Okay, I was wrong on the order... but true upon the learning." having to look away again from this corpse. "This was not torture. It was mutilation of a corpse." he says, stepping away from the bodies and turning his back on the others. "Oh, Spinner of Fate. What is it you want me to do here? Horrors witnessed and recorded? Or perhaps is it time to intervene?" Talking not to those around him, but something. Something unseen.
Telamon clamps his mouth shut, as if holding his breath. And he keeps doing it for an extended period, as he inspects the last body. His eyes glitter with distant stars and anger, as he examines the corpse, but only after he backs away does he start to speak. "That man died hard. But... they removed his leg, just like that first body. Very strange."
At Aeson's distress, he approaches the man, nodding at his prayer. "Do not fear. You do not carry this burden alone. You will have help to hunt down this purveyor of atrocities, should you be called to it."
Mikilos nods to Aeson's assessment, turning back to the previous corpses. "At a guess? They had a supply of parts, used them in trying to learn how to do so. The leg replacement on the guard was a failure, so they tried again. Maybe they have parts they want installed on someone important to them? Maybe they did it just to learn? I don't know. But I think I'm going to take a closer look at that eye. Might be able to learn something from the craftmanship."
"This one, yeah, you're both right, they weren't trying to do this with a living person, it was just, they were doing horrible things for, some reason." Eztli agrees, taking a look at the body just long enough before she had to turn away again. The makari taps one horn, and sighs. "Mister Lupercyll-Atlon, you said that Gearsmasher was said to have burnt to death? Maybe they were injured, and either they, or someone else is attempting to replace any limbs injured in the fire? And testing them on others, to make sure they'll function on someone already injured? Just, I can't see why someone would kill people installing prosthetics like this, but it's hard to understand a murderer in the first place."
MAC-B1G scans the final unit and takes far longer to generate any deductions or hypotheses before it vocalizes. "Unit defended itself, unlike other exemplars. Disassembly crude. Hypothesis: encounter unplanned. This unit least probable as intentional experimentation. Dismemberment inconsistent with intent to modify biological unit with improved function. Unit nonfunctional at time of removal."
There is a long pause for processing before it offers, "Expansion of hypothesis: combination of biological and nonbiological may include modification of inorganic units with organic components in addition to modification of organic units with inorganic components." If a human could have an artifice leg, could an artifice creature not possess a humanoid limb?
GAME: Mikilos rolls Craft/Artifice: (19)+33: 52
"It is not fear. Not exactly." Aeson offers in a softer tone. "It is being conflicted to my purpose in all of this." he states to Telamon's words. "I will do whatever I can to help, but I often don't know my role in the things I come across. A cloudy path I walk, and finding clarity is not up to me."
"I fear not conflict or adventure. Nor death or dismemberment." Aeson clarifies. "What is feared, is that I will not understand what I need to do when the time comes. Like now." a sudden pause coming to his explanation as a hand rises to his chest.
"I... okay." Again talking to that something unseen. "I understand. I will see this through."
Telamon scowls at Eztli. "A possibility, one I don't like. Though... I would expect more subtlety than this. If you're trying to get back to full strength, why simply dump the bodies out in the open? You run the risk of being discovered before you're back on your feet."
He looks up at the ceiling. "I need to make some inquiries," he says. "Some things here don't add up." At Aeson's words, Tel gives the man a grin. "Sometimes none of us know what lies around the corner. But that's what makes life worth living." He turns to the others, watching Mikilos inspecting the artifice eye, rubbing his chin at Mac's speculation. "Mac, are you and Eztli trying to compete for a copper dreadful book contract? Gods, that idea sounds horrible."
Mikilos leans over the body, uncomfortably close, though taking care not to touch. After a few seconds that crawl like minutes, he stands back up and sighs. "Beautiful craftsmanship in a terrible craft. And even worse to shove upon what I assume was an unwilling recipient. Anyway, I'm not recalling the details of the 'Gnebbeets Gearsmasher' you mentioned, but, the eye is marked with a G/G, in what I assume is a makers mark. I agree, is at least one piece to this puzzle we lack."
"I really don't know. Anything more I even consider would be just speculation. But they've shown they don't really think things through. Like, the third one, they survived but died to infection? If they knew what they were doing, they'd probably have been able to treat it, right? Not to mention the first one just, hacked like that." Eztli sighs, rubbing their forehead. "I'm going to be honest, I don't particularly like the idea of death or dismemberment, one time is, yeah."
The small makari shakes her head, and stands a bitt straighter. "It could be them, then? Maybe, someone should check in with the watch and the guild, see what has been said already. If the artifice on the bodies wasn't shared with others, then inquiring about them might make whoever did this aware someone is looking for them."
MAC-B1G's cyan optics pivot to Telamon. "This unit is unaware of competition. Hypothesis formed with available incomplete data. This unit deems the conceptual application of biological components to non-biological units to be ... illogical." This consideration is terminated in favor of Mikilos' discovery. "Identification of the suspect confidence increased. Query: What data is available concerning unit-designate Gnebbets Gearsmasher associations and facilities?"
The Vardaman woman looks uncertain. "I don't know anything about that. You should ask around a bit. That water angle sounded like it had some measure of a place to start." She shrugs. "Either way... Are you done with this room, or do you require the bodies for anything further?"
Mikilos hrmmms. "I hate to mention it, but we need to be careful of Survivors Bias. Or not survivors? These people died and were discarded. But were there others taken who still survive that we don't know about yet? A hundred missing people, five discarded dead. Though I think if were a hundred random people missing, someone would have noticed. But maybe a handful of others? Maybe none, we have no sure way of knowing." He looks to the Vardaman and shakes his head. "I believe that's everything here, thank you. Though if could get a list of where exactly the bodies were found, can look into that, thank you."
With the talk of names and investigation, Aeson's hand drops from his chest and slips into a pocket sewn into the breast of his vest. A book taken from it as a charcoal stick wrapped in thread is used to write when he cracks it open. "I will require access to the bodies. If it is allowed, I would need to examine them in detail. Perhaps we should remove the modifications, and dismantle them to further understand their goals." he states, turning back to the others.
"It seems I am called to work on this." Something having changed Aeson's mind, having found directions. "We will require the aid of an artifice that can help, though I turn to all of you to help acquire one if known. One of better repute." his mind ticking away. "I do not know any of you, but I am Aeson Armstrong. If you will let me help, I would do whatever I can to help catch the one who's doing this."
Telamon is peeling off his gloves. "Indeed. I'm not attached to any one theory myself... but I think at the very least the watch needs to monitor the docks and Tornmawr a little more closely." He heaves a sigh, but grins at Aeson. "If we find any leads, I'll arrange for a posting at the Guild and at the temples."
He turns to the Vardamen priestess. "I need nothing further here, Mourner. Please, make sure they are commemorated and laid to rest." Tel falls into step with Mikilos as the group begins to depart. "You know, the maker's mark on that eye could just mean it was one of Gearsmasher's creations prior to his incarceration. Maybe someone found a cache of his gear."
"Yes, if there's any reports on where the bodies were found, that would help a lot." Eztli nods, drawing a bit of blood from the side of their mouth as they bit down awkwardly. "It's hard to move a body through the city undetected, especially multiple like this, so if they are not careful, they may have tried to dispose of them as quickly as they could, close to where they were."
"I really hope that there was not more people taken , but that just gives more reason to find them, quickly." She adds. "Thank you for keeping them here and helping miss, I don't need anything else here. Oh, and name's Eztli, if there's anything I can do to help, well, I'll do what I can, alright?"
"This unit does not require further time for data collection," MAC informs the Vardaman. To the others, it adds, "This unit will inquire at the Artificer's Enclave concerning relevant materials acquisition." There is not yet a vetted or most-probably theory concerning this scenario, but the construct can contribute in what ways it is able.
-End