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Post by Tokrochiru on Jun 8, 2016 20:20:50 GMT -5
This is a collection of dossiers collected and annotated by the former detective hired to work Missing Workers Case. The majority of these dossiers contain information on events, items, locations and people involved in the Missing Workers Case, but there are a few dossiers that are irrelevant. These "extras" are from previous unresolved cases that the detective worked on before his retirement. Norman Salm Occupation: CEO and founder of Salm Industries Aliases: Mister Salm Age: 32 Birthday: October 1st Sex: Male Height: 5'9" Weight: 195 lbs. Physique: Thin, Average Appearance: A blonde-haired, green-eyed, light skinned man of average height and weight. Possesses a somewhat thin, angular face. Posture seems to always be either upright or slightly back-leaning. Never slumps forward. Species: Human Elemental Affinity: Water General Personality: Noble, Persuasive, Adamant, Generous, Narrow-Minded Norman's a dreamer. A guy with a vision that keeps him hopeful and in high spirits. One would think that someone with his work-load would have at least a slightly more serious temperament, but no. He's an optimist who doesn't ever seem to get exhausted, no matter what challenge he takes on. I can see how he managed to build such a successful company; he's both a brilliant businessman and a pleasant person to be around. However, I sometimes wonder if that attitude of his is going to screw him over at some point. I can't tell if his cheery demeanor comes from sheer confidence or naivete. Norman has made it very clear to the public that he's a strong supporter of human-akma cultural integration. This earns him praise from fellow pro-integrators, and ire from pre-war conservatives. While he's unbiased race and species, I've heard more than a few sourly spoken rumors about his lack of respect for tradition. If these rumors are true then it's likely that, were it up to him, the entire world would likely be composed of one big melting pot culture. Personally, I don't buy into it. The Silverfern tribe welcomed him with open arms into Skaldra, and he hasn't torn down any villages yet. Some of the more xenophobic tribes might consider him to be a blight on the region, but those tribes are in the minority. I have faith in his character, if not his unrealistic goals. Relationships: Norman in general seems to be on good terms with his staff as well as the cooperative native tribes of Skaldra. There are a few select relationships that are particularly worth noting. He confides closely with the oh-so-reputable mercenary Duster. He's pretty much Norman's main go-to guy for difficult physical tasks. It might be easy to come to the conclusion that Duster acts as his personal thug, but from what I've observed, Duster's assigned activities have more to do with recon and monster hunting than bodyguard duty. Also of note is the amount of trust he places in another mercenary named Mars, who's apparently some sort of half-breed. I'm not entirely certain what sort of connection the two have, but given Norman's strong belief in Akma-human integration, he might view Mars as a living symbol of racial unity. I'm hoping that's not the case, since that'd be a very special kind of racist. Alignment: Most likely Lawful Good Likes: Wine, hiking, books, socializing, cooking Dislikes: Laziness, mediocre food. Raiment Description : I've mostly observed Norman wearing business clothes while inside and a down jacket while outside. Pretty standard fare for someone in his line of work. Estimated Parameters: Vigor: E Constitution: E Parkour: E Mana: B+ Karmic Paradigm: Unknown Background Notes: His birth certificate claims he was born to a pair of foreign archaeologists in Skaldra. There are some who say he's a full blooded native, but given his appearance and the lack of evidence to support that theory, I don't believe it. At an early age, he displayed ample magical talent. He wasn't a child prodigy, but he had potential. Unfortunately, his parents reportedly died from frostbite while venturing out into the deeper parts of Skaldra. He was temporarily adopted by the Silverfern tribe until he was old enough to travel outside of the region on his own. He attended school and managed to impress his instructors enough to be given a scholarship at the JX City High Arcane University. He graduated at the top of his class and created Salm Industries. Salm Industries started out as a small-name construction company, but its influence expanded as Norman and his hired mages invented some revolutionary incantations that exponentially increased the speed at which modern buildings could be constructed. I say "invented" but it was really more of a rediscovery. The incantations technically existed before the Eight Hour War, but almost all the spellcasters capable of using them were killed in the attempted genocide. Salm Industries merely recovered the missing pieces necessary to cast the spells again. While Salm Industries expanded rapidly, the average temperature in Skaldra gradually dropped. The region was slowly, but surely, becoming less and less hospitable. A worker under Norman's employ discovered that a new type of anomalous growth in the region, now called Geist Trees, had tremendous potential value as a renewable magical power source. Norman looked into the matter personally and cut a deal with the Silverfern tribe, promising them access to a wide variety of company assets in exchange for permission to cultivate and harvest crystals from the trees. Since then, relations between Salm Industries, the Silverfern tribe, and several other groups indigenous to Skaldra have improved. The Silverfern tribe is practically another arm of the company now. Salm eventually set up some regional headquarters in Skaldra, and he's traveled and forth between JX City and Agria swiftly, making heavy use of 2-way teleportation pads. Relevance to current cases: A number Norman's employees have gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Norman wants the issue resolve ASAP, for the sake of the company and to ease the minds of the populace. Theme Song:
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Post by Tokrochiru on Jun 9, 2016 5:47:22 GMT -5
Selatia Jaelle of the Seventh Caravan Occupation: Mercenary, former Jaelle Caravaner Aliases: Sel Age: 26 Birthday: February 22nd Sex: Female Height: 6'1" Weight: 203 lbs. Physique: Average, voluptuous Appearance: Dark skin, long blue hair, intricately applied makeup and indulgent amounts of jewelry are what makes Selatia stand out in a crowd. She has a somewhat odd lack of scars for a successful mercenary. Out of all the mercs I've met during my investigations, this woman has to be the least grizzly one I've ever seen. Species: Human Elemental Affinity: Water General Personality: Social, Sedulous, Thoughtful, Nurturing, Irritable I'd call Selatia vain and egotistical if she didn't have as much confidence in her companions as she does in herself. She participates in a variety of self indulgent activities during her free time, but she seems to get more enjoyment out of helping others relax and have fun than she does simply entertaining herself. She's the kind of person wants you to feel as great about yourself as she does of herself. To that end, she's surprisingly nurturing, which makes her quite popular amongst her peers. Relationships: Selatia is fairly popular amongst her fellow mercenaries thanks to her lovable quirks and the effort she puts into her work. She sometimes speaks to Norman casually, but it wouldn't be accurate to call the two friends. Selatia has some sort of vitriolic friendship going on with Duster. I've heard her complain about how she hates his stoicism. That said, she always seems to walk the extra mile for him, even when he doesn't ask for it. Selatia also very friendly with Mars, and makes an active effort to spend time with him whilst both on and off duty. I suspect that she may be romantically infatuated with him, but she hasn't declared as such to his face. Something's holding her back. Is Mars is already in a relationship? Alignment: Most likely Chaotic Good Likes: Being pampered, tailoring, practicing incantations, drinking, reading, occasional partying Dislikes: Pie, sour candies Raiment Description : When she has the opportunity to enjoy warmer temperatures (not very often), she wears thin and loose silk garments. These garments reflect the style of the culture she was raised in, with lots of flashy colors and unsubtle water wave patterns woven into the fabric. However, since she works in Skaldra, she can more often be seen wearing fur jackets of varying colors on the cold spectrum. Estimated Parameters: Vigor: E Constitution: D Parkour: C- Mana: A Karmic Paradigm: Aristotle Combat Capabilities: Selatia is a clever trickster. She excels at causing distortions and illusions with her magic. It's less about the spells themselves and more about the way she uses them; she can make a dirty coin on the ground the most distracting, seemingly important thing in the room if she wants to. I should know. I've seen her do it. When a drunken rookie merc attempted to pummel a construction worker for 'looking at him funny', she picked up a dirty penny, threw it towards his face and cast a spell that strengthened the light reflected off of it from the nearby lamp. This created a temporary source of blinding light that shined right in the merc's eyes, blinding him. She took the opportunity to restrain him with some sap-rope. I believe I should emphasize that she accomplished all of this with nothing but a low-level light spell (something even the most untalented of magi can cast), a coin, and some rope. Selatia isn't physically imposing, nor is she the most powerful wizard in Skaldra. She doesn't need to be. Her ability to use magic spells in creative ways and her unmatched guile make her one of the most slippery magicians I've ever met. Background Notes: Rumor has it that Selatia used to be a thief. I can confirm that this is far from the truth. Selatia was raised by Jaelle caravaners, which are often assumed to be thieves by the racist and the ignorant. Jaelle caravaners are nomadic merchants, and shrewd ones at that. I'm not certain why she left her caravan. She never spoke of it. However, breaking away from the caravan is generally looked down upon. Ever since the Eight Hour War, the Jaelle caravans have taught their youth that staying with one's family until death is of paramount importance. Maybe she just wanted to see the world? I can't do anything but guess. Relevance to Current Cases: None, but I'd like to ask her out to dinner sometime. Theme Song:Battle Theme:
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Post by Tokrochiru on Jun 9, 2016 17:19:54 GMT -5
Duster Occupation: Mercenary Aliases: Dusty Age: Unknown Birthday: Unknown Sex: Male Height: 6'6" Weight: 229 lbs. Physique: Highly muscular Appearance: Long, messy black hair, olive skin, and black eyes hidden underneath a metal headband. Wide jaw, narrow chin, and broad shoulders. Underneath his jacket, Duster looks like he ought to be lifting weights and posing for magazines marketed towards meatheads. He's imposing to be sure. Species: Claims to be Akma. What variety of Akma he is I haven't a clue, but he doesn't match up with any of the humanoid Akma genotypes that I'm aware of. Elemental Affinity: Unknown. Duster has thus far displayed no talent for magic, making it difficult to gauge what his affinity might be. Quite curious, given that most combat personnel rely on magic in some way or form. General Personality: Straightforward, Loyal, Cunning, Generous, Stoic Stoic, but not unkind. Duster can easily come off as either a thug or simply slow during everyday conversation. Those who aren't intimidated by his physique often find his mannerisms dopey. However, looking back at his accomplishments, it's fairly clear that he at least has a very good grasp of everything necessary in order to fulfill his duty as a mercenary. I doubt he's some sort of crouching moron hidden genius, but he's smart. And clever. Especially clever. Not that he displays this cleverness in battle. He more often than not simply rushes into battle without a plan. Strangely enough, this seems to work well for him. Magivideo footage has shown him shrugging off dozens of bullet bouncing off of his bare skin. He doesn't wear any magical equipment specifically designed to shield him against such things, making it all the more bizarre. Regardless, in battle he more often than not takes the simplest and quickest route to victory. His true intelligence shows itself when he's on the prowl. Duster seems to have a natural gift for tracking down difficult-to-find people, monsters and objects. He's also displayed competence setting up traps whenever he's tasked with bringing in someone or something unconscious rather than dead. One understated aspect of Duster's persona is how willing he is to give his fortune to others. This is a trait he and Norman have in common. Neither of them cling tightly to their purses, especially when it comes to those they are in close contact with often. Relationships: Duster keeps mostly to himself. He doesn't actively seek social communication with anyone save for a few select individuals. He's on good terms with his current employer Norman Salm, as well as his most recent peers Selatia and Mars. While he still doesn't speak very much, at the very least he seems comfortable engaging in recreational activities with them. Duster and Selatia have a vitriolic friendship, while he and Mars seem to be able to relate to each other on a personal level. Alignment: Most likely Neutral Good Likes: Spending time with Selatia and Mars. Beyond that, I haven't got a clue. Maybe he enjoys his work? Dislikes: Bread Raiment Description : Duster wears his namesake most of the time. A violet duster jacket with torn sleeve and several rips and burns in various spots on the leather. He also wears fingerless gloves, and a rather peculiar metallic headband that shields his eyes halfway. Estimated Parameters: Vigor: B+ Constitution: A Parkour: D Mana: E Karmic Paradigm: Achilles Combat Capabilities: (The following information regarding Duster's combat style was co-written with sergeant Kule Jarran, combat training expert under the employ of Salm Industries' security department) Almost every successful mercenary in this day and age has to rely on spellcasting to some extent in order to be good at his job. Duster manages to throw this idea out the window in exchange for what should be a clumsy, innefective fighting style. Not only does he not to use spells (not sure if he's incapable or simply refuses to) in combat, but his fighting style is clunky and unrefined as well. If my old martial arts instructor met him, she'd probably compare him to a pregnant hippo. And yet, somehow, his method works. Some might argue that he doesn't need skill. His skin is practically bullet-proof. However, his capabilities extend beyond his raw strength and durability. While his moves are slow and licking in finesse, there's a bizarre logic to them. Having fought alongside him several times, I can tell that he's an expert when it comes to examining his opponents' physical weaknesses and exploiting them. He seems specifically gifted at determining where a creature's vitals and soft spots are located, regardless of its species. He might stumble a bit in his actual attempts to stick it where it hurts, but never let it be said that he doesn't know where to strike. Background Notes: No one knows where Duster came from, and he refuses to talk about it. Official documents say that he's a "waster" (someone who grew up in hostile, wild lands populated by dangerous bestial akma), but I've yet to find any evidence to support this. What is well documented is his record as a mercenary. Dozens upon dozens of successful contracts that would normally require an entire squad, if not multiple squads of mercenaries to complete. "Why hire an entire company when one man can get the job done just as well?" That's the way he's advertised himself, be it intentionally or unintentionally. He's earned the ire of other mercenary companies as a result. For the past several years, Duster has worked faithfully for Norman Salm. Others have reached out for his services during this time, but Duster seems adamant on only assisting Norman and the construction of Agria at the moment. Either Norman is paying him VERY well to keep him exclusive, or Duster has some sort of personal reason to stay in Skaldra for the time being. Relevance to Current Cases: Duster's hunting skills have not turned up much when it comes to locating the missing workers. This is particularly upsetting. If Duster can't find where they are, then their tracks are being incredibly well disguised. Theme Song:Battle Theme:
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Post by Tokrochiru on Jun 21, 2016 23:54:52 GMT -5
Mars Grisk Occupation: Mercenary Aliases: "Scarlet" Age: 29 Birthday: February 10th Sex: Male Height: 6'2" Weight: 216 lbs. Physique: Well-built Appearance: I'd say he's human if it weren't for the slit, cat-like red eyes. He has an impressive physique, which is fitting for his line of work. Black-colored armor protects the vitals on his body at most times. His hair reminds me a bit of Duster's, and like him, he also wears something around his head (in this case a red headband). Maybe it's a popular look amongst mercs. While the two most likely have some similar taste in fashion, Mars' hair isn't nearly as overgrown as Duster's ridiculously unruly mane. The colors he wears, green and black, are supposedly the colors of Alten Valtz. Considering he also wears their emblem on his chest, it's easy for anyone who knows their mercenary bands to recognize that he was member before their destruction. Species: Half-Akma supposedly. It's true that he has some non-human features, but his medical records, specifically blood tests, are inconsistent with those gathered from other human-Akma halfbreeds. He is very definately half-human, but I can't quite pinpoint what the other half is. I find it tempting to compare him to Duster once more regarding his murky origins. Could be a coincidence, but some further investigation is still warranted. Elemental Affinity: Earth. General Personality: Out of the Big Three under Norman's employ, Mars is the most balanced emotionally and socially. He's somewhat shy and introverted, but hardly stoic. I see him more often petting cats than I see him making friends. It's usually business first with Mars. He's polite, if a bit awkward, and prioritizes his duties as a mercenary above most things. I say "most things" rather than "all else" because there are records of him occasionally putting his conscience and morals before his job. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. He seems particularly sympathetic towards the sick and needy. As detached as he tries to be, he can't quite remove his personal feelings from his work. Mars seems to have bizarrely, almost preturnatural instinct. He's been documented to predict events moments before they occur even when no evidence of the upcoming event is present. I'd almost say that he has precognition, but the amount of people who have true precognition in Ardenia number less than a dozen. Relationships: What friends Mars has he values greatly, though he is rarely the ice breaker in such relationships. Norman can be credited for introducing him to Selatia, and Selatia can be credited for introducing him to Duster. However, while the comradery the three have was initiated by Selatia, Mars is the one who keeps them together. In the context of their friendship, Mars plays the unlikely role of mediator. This is a unique circumstance for Mars, as it seems to be the one situation where he displays any leadership skills. Aside from his fellow mercs, there are two other people that Mars has bonded with. The first is his boss, Norman Salm. Some financial records I managed to dig up show that Norman has spent a great deal of money on a single person's medical expenses. These medical expenses pertain to a woman named Fiona Osfina, who is the only remaining Alten Valtz mercenary aside from Mars. I believe that Mars feels indebted to Norman for caring for Fiona, and that connection has evolved into a unique bond. I wouldn't call it friendship so much as a mutual, deep respect for each other. Were Mars more outgoing, the two would likely be more chummy. Fiona is the closest thing Mars has to a family. When Mars isn't working or engaging in recreation at Selatia's insistence, he's doing whatever he can to care for Fiona. I haven't been able to uncover much information regarding their relationship, but it's clear the two are close. Alignment: Chaotic Good. While courteous, Mars has shown little respect for protocal in his job, sometimes. Since Norman normally allows him to operate with great freedom, this isn't much of a problem. On occasion, Mars has completely disregarded laws in order to do what feels 'right' to him in the moment, but since Norman himself is a very morally driven person, he turns a blind eye to these incidents. Likes: Animals, Quiet, Campfires. Mars has an affinity for nature that none of his colleagues share. Given his apparent love of nature, it's no wonder that he's practiced with Earth magic. Dislikes: Crowded areas, Sweets, Werewolves. A werewolf is responsible for wiping out his entire mercenary band, save for him and his comrade Fiona. His resentment towards them is understandable. Raiment Description : While Alten Valtz is no longer a recognized mercenary band, Mars carries the group's spirit with him wherever he goes. Donning its signature black-and-green colors and bearing their symbol on his armor, he maintains the appearance of a Valtz merc. Estimated Parameters: Vigor: B+ Constitution: B+ Parkour: B Mana: C- Karmic Paradigm: Achilles Combat Capabilities: From researching his fitness test results, combat evaluations and mission reports, I've determined that Mars is a very versatile warrior. He's strong, he's tough, he's fast and he can cast a few deadly spells. He's almost the ideal mercenary. However, what stands out the most isn't his raw combat skill, but his bizarre tendency to receive the best possible results from any action he takes. Mars seems to have this bizarre talent for taking big risks and rolling the dice well every time. I'm not one hundred percent sure how he does it, but given how many times he's gotten out of situations by the skin of his teeth, it has to be more than just coincidence. I believe this might have something to do with the "preturnatural instinct" I've mentioned in his personality/psyche eval. Background Notes: Mars was raised by the mercenary band Alten Valtz. Alten Valtz was a very informal organization that didn't make extensive use of bookkeeping, so their history can only inferred by the contracts they've accepted and completed. Gathering information on them was a bit of a chore, since I had to travel to four different cities just to collect different records of their deeds. The fruits of my labor show that the band was likely competent and skilled, but not extraordinary. Tragically, the band was almost completely wiped out by a starved Werewolf while fulfilling a contract in Skaldra, leaving Mars Grisk and Fiona Osfina as the only survivors. Fiona was permanently crippled by the werewolf and Mars was traumatized. The Skaldran natives of the Silverfern tribe were kind enough to care for them after the incident. If it weren't for them, the two of them would have likely died of frostbite. I think that this terrible event has pretty much all but defined Mars' life. He wears the Alten Valtz insignia on his armor as if he was still a member. This, combined with the amount of effort he's undergone to care for Fiona makes it clear to me that he hasn't gotten over the incident. It's pretty understandable. If the people that raised me were slaughtered right in front of my eyes by a hulking monster, I wouldn't be quick to forgive and forget.
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Post by Tokrochiru on Jun 23, 2016 16:42:52 GMT -5
Case #2031: Skaldra Vanishings Client: Norman Salm Case Opening Date: 2/7/XXXX Pay: 500,000 JX credits up front. 2,000,000 upon successful completion. Holy shit. Subject of Investigation: Salm Industries workers, people and phenomena in Agria and the Skaldran region. Reason for Investigation: Over the last several months, employees of Salm Industries have been disappearing inexplicably. Internal investigations, while technologically advanced, does not have the expertise necessary to solve the case. Norman has done his best to keep the public calm and blissfully ignorant of the true implications of these disappearances. The subjects need to be found before the Agrian citizens have reason to panic. Investigation Details Victims: (PRE-INVESTIGATION) Kreig Varlan (Akma, Male), Hular Vong (Akma, No Gender), Jared Chase (Human, Male), Miles Tedrith (Human, Male), Valerith of the Deep (Akma, Female), Keiji Yamamoto (Human, Male), Galma Hadroth (Half-Akma, Female), Alejandra Vessil (Human, Female) (DURING INVESTIGATION) Ingrid Gharrot (Human, Female) ... Consistencies: All disappearances occurred while victims were outdoors. Log:2/7/XXXX: Investigation begins. Examined site of last disappearance. A JdV-born woman named Alejandra Vessil. A skinny, athletic woman with a penchant for sass. A hard worker. Disappeared sixteen miles south of Agria while measuring the temperature of the local area. Girl had a group of assistants with her, none of which saw her disappear. Grilled each of them for clues. They remain potential suspects, but I personally doubt they had anything to do with it, given the reports I've read on the previous disappearances. Assuming this one is connected, they likely have nothing to do with it. I'm more worried about how Alejandra managed to vanish amidst a group of SIX other people without any of them noticing. ...... 2/15/XXXX: Another disappearance. Investigation of previous disappearances delayed for the time being. ...... 3/12/XXXX: Three vanishings in one day. Dammit. 3/17/XXXX: Another disappearance. This is getting out of hand. ....... 12/29/XXXX: I'm no closer to getting to the truth of the matter. I've tried everything. I've LOOKED at everything. I even brought a a high wizard from Rovenheim to help out, and all he could give me was a bunch of nonsense on how the lack of magic smoke intrigued him or something. Case Status: Unresolved I've been an investigator for over thirty years, and I've never had a case as infuriating as this one. Seven months of absolutely nothing. It's infuriating. This was supposed to be my last case before retiring. I wanted to end on a high note. I wanted to solve something grand, so I'd have something to tell my grandkids while I settle the lazy life in JX. Looks like I'm going to have to settle for a tale about "the one case I could never solve". At least I still got payed up front. Maybe I'll donate the money to the grandkids' college fund. Maybe that way I won't feel like this whole endeavor was a complete failure.
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