Argint notes no one that sticks out. A head investigator shouts orders, mostly pertaining to the cleanup of the rubble on the street. A blue-skinned tiefling- that appears to be an engineer, is scanning an oversized blueprint of the Tower, and quietly appraising the damage.
No one save the elf healer seems to be of any special note. The general sounds are a hushed, subdued drone of murmurs, with the head-investigator's high screeches occasionally breaking the monotone.
The middle-aged human, his hair greying to a dull hue that matches his eyes, walks purposely to over to the tiefling. Crossing his arms thoughtfully over the insignia of the Harmonium on his chest, the factotum stands on the planetouched's right side, surveying the tower plans on a whole, while noting anything striking or noteworthy. What is the extent of damage? Infrastructure and inventory are my main concerns... His steely gaze only flicks momentarily to the tiefer's face to reinforce his matter-of-fact tone with a grit determination.
Search: 18
Spot: 11
He'd be doing some comparisons between the map and building as well.
Without looking up, the blue skinned character absentmindedly responds in a lazy voice:
Well, as you know, there were a series of delayed blast fireballs placed circularly around the anterior support-beam.
When the fireballs were triggered, the beam fell, causing the partial collapse of the anterior wing, as well as the immolation of the Archives.
He finally makes eye contact with Argint. Three dead, twelve wounded, two missing. Doesn't seem like the intention was murder, though.
Frowning as he takes it all in, the swarthy gentleman nods. "A fair assessment...what is the condition of the Archives? Did any manageable percent of the information survive?
DP...
Sense Motive on tiefer: 8 ..was trying to read his feelings on the matter.
Sorry bout that. Figured the Disguise check would do.
Bluff: 17
He shakes his head in frustration. By the Nine! This has become a quite a fiasco. 'Right Groke,' as one might say...
Sighing, the factotum waves his hand. Guess there isn't anything new to garner from this...carry on. He turns away briskly and steadily lopes off to find the healer.
The fiendling doesn't show much emotion, more concerned with the facts than feelings. Although he does give Argint an odd look when asked about the Archives...
No....as you know, the documents and tomes in the Archives were completely burned - just as they were in the previous attacks. There might have been a few books that were not completely burnt, but none of any real value.
OOC: Ben, next time you morph into someone else and initiate dialogue, can you plz make a Perform/Bluff/Diplomacy check (whichever seems most appropriate).
The healer is not difficult to spot, she is near the base of the now collapsed anterior support beam with a notebook and pen out, furiously writing.
A young half-elf, also a Harmonium, measures her steps to move quietly and unobtrusively to the healer's side, appraising the other's mannerisms and nature as she slips closer.
Disguise: 15 (why, ye accursed dice, why!)
Move silently: 17
Hide: 21
If Argint isn't noticed, he'll take ten (for a result of 22) to adjust any flaws of his new look.
If unnoticed...
Search(notebook/lady): 18
Sense Motive: 11
Spot: 11
Listen(for any mumbling on the lady's part): 6 (struck deaf and shoddy by the dice gods!! 
)
It's odd to say, but "she" is sizing up the healer. Looking for a physical description of the lady and her gear.
The writing on the notebook is small, though Argint can discern the general idea: mostly she is taking notes on the spells effect - how it seemed to weaken the beam, which then collapsed on itself. It also notes the pattern of especially dark burn marks around the beam - which is circular (like the beam itself). Nothing else of note is gained byArgint looking over her shoulder at the notebook. She looks too lost in her notes to take note of him.
A fluted voice attempts to hesitantly interject into the lady's scribing. Ma'am?
The half-elf pauses politely before continuing. Ma'am, I was sent to ask what sort of magic you felt induced the damage...the figure seemed apt to mold its body; any leads on racial or craft origin? The young elf's sapphire eyes sparkle with deference and awe at her superior.
Bluff: 24
Diplomacy: 24 to gain acceptance/favor with superior
Knowledge(Local): 8 On healer's name.
The elven healer stops her note taking to match the sapphire eyes with her own.
Neh..neh. Even the canny archmage is in the dark. Anyone's who's caught a skeg of the perpetrator knows that it's using more than fingerpaints.... Though no one comes up with anything but slaad stories about it.
She looks down at her notes. Then back up with a furried brow
Why would it be trying to burn (or maybe steal) Sigilian leafers. The thing- whatever it is, has got worms though- no one knows what it steals, because it burns everything in its wake... so no one can track it down.
OOC:
this chit's a little heavy on the 'cant;
fingerpaints = illusions
Slaad Stories = unlikely tales
worms = brains
Concern furrows the soft features of the half-elf. This perpetrator follows the same routine...how much time is between each of the bombings, Ma'am??
Knowledge(arcana):13/Spellcraft:19 Typical ward spells that would've been in use in such a compound
Dusties were the first, then two days later (yesterday) the Guvners. Now us. We're beginning to wonder if there's any connection between these and the Dustie murders. It's ful glooming, and the authorities are hotter than a balor's breath about it. They don't want Sigil turning into a bad neighborhood.
Typical ward spells that would protect the Archives include Protection from chaos, Detect Chaos, Alarm, and Glyph of Warding. From what Argint can gather, either the creature bypassed the wards, or wasn't chaotic.
Not chaotic--seems a proper assessment for such an orchestrated event
The rate is increasing...how much time between the strike on the Guvners and us [looking for hours, if possible]? Are we getting any more hassle from the Xaositects of Indeps?? I'd figure they would rejoice to see us burning.. The sour expression on her face denotes the depth of her disdain for such anarchic sods.
Bluff: 24
Neh, i'm not sure about the timings, though the the rigs were always the same- burn the leafers using fireballs, and the shifty dipper runs out, then seeps into the ground.
I'm not sure about the Chaosmen either. She seems unwilling to discuss the subject. Scrip it, is there anything else ye wanted?
Her tone of voice making it clear that she wants to get back to her notes.
The half-elf nods reverently, "No, Ma'am. I have all I need."
The girl walks away, only to glance back after a moment or two to see if the lady isn't paying attention. Returning to the crowd, the half-elf becomes a short elf with blue eyes, her orange silk robes bearing the symbol of the Harmonium. The healer walks through the entrance of the compound.
I know. "Evil." 
Take ten on the check; Cha save 6..wow, gotta love the rolls tonight. lol.
22 total on the Disguise, I gather.
The dust begins to settle, both literally and figuratively. Peak approaches soon. The Cage is calm on the outside, but an air of turbulence hangs thick.
The dust begins to settle, both literally and figuratively. Peak approaches. The Cage is calm on the outside, but an air of turbulence hangs thick.
Whichever is first, so I guess the compound's outer area, headnig for the tower entrance unless something/someone hinders me.
Search: 13
Spot: 11
Listen:20
A few standing investigators are scuttling about. Several guards man the Area, though simply nod when they see Argint. About a dozen muscle-bound human workers, along with 3 characters that obviously look like magic-users comprise the cleanup crew by the disfigured steel beam. No one in particular sticks out.
The "healer" will continue inward, looking to find her way to the top and survey the destroyed archives as best she may. She mutters quietly, deep in thought. This sure wriggles my worms...just right Groke!
Best way to get a pattern down is to repeat!
Bluff: 27
Search(inside tower): 24 (nat 20. woot!)
Spot: 17
Enter the archives. Not quite on the second level, but more like the Mezzanine. Dying embers still survive from the original blast. Charred books, ashes that used to be shelves, a partially collapsed ceiling, and an overall blackness dominate the very large room. The soot in the air still stings the lungs, and makes the eyes water. Not surprisingly, no one is in the undesirable room. There are several charred desks still standing (though just barely). Telltale lumps on the blackened desks were probably where books used to rest.
Then Argint sees it.
A blackened, humanoid body slumped over one of the desks in the far corner. Burned to death.
Did the Hardheads miss this body? Argint remembers the blue tiefer mention that there were several dead, several wounded, and two missing - was this one of the missing?
It wasn't that hard to spot, and Argint knows that the Hardheads are not careless in investigations --- especially if several of their own are involved.
Double post
Steeled by a life of hard living--and one who has torched a person or two in a fight--the "healer's" face only bears the grim look of knowledge. Right Groke! Do ye have something to tell, dead'un?
The healer takes out a simple flask and piece of cloth, dabbing whiskey onto the rag. She then carefully removes some soot from the face to see if she can better determine the race or identity of the burnt corpse..
Spot and Search checks in above post(we were working at the same time. lol).
Where have I last seen roasted bodies...wait, I was the one cooking them. 
Argint is looking for clues to cause of death and of the assassin...roasting a body can easily mask a true killing.
Edit: Maybe they have bad search and spot modifiers? Ok...bad jokes over.
Sense Motive on the crime scene to discern any (other) oddities (sleuth's gut feeling): 15
Knowledge(local): 26 (another nat .20)
Argint doesn't see anything that would lead him to believe that fire would not be the cause of death. No unusual indentations on the body. Although the posture is strange- slumped over on the desk. An explosion probably would have sent the victims flying, or falling backwards. It is unlikely to find a body slumped over. It could be that this person died before the explosion... or maybe even afterwards (though the former seems more likely)Nonetheless, there are no other signs of "unusual" activity.
Another check above (gotta work on that edit thing. lol)
Oh yeah...with a touch of hickory BBQ, that'd be a great picnic entree.
Putting on a pair of leather gloves, the healer gingerly raises the corpse more upright, careful to ensure neither the table nor the body collapses into ash.
Touching the brittle, charred body gives even brave Argint chills. The slightest movement makes it emit sounds like feet walking on brittle twigs.
The front of the body looks the same as the back - unrecognizable and hideously charred. Even after dabbing the face, or the side that might be the face, nothing that can be distinguished from ash is removed -Argint only succeeds in creating a dent in that side of the head, and sprinkling more ash onto the charred table.
He then comes to the realization that the body may not necessarily be slumped over, but rather the other way around - sprawled on the table, as if it was thrown - face up. Seeming a more feasible hypothesis than the slumped-over one... though Argint tries again to reason the possibilities in his mind. Lost in thought, Argint thinks he hears another cracking sound... he KNOWS he heard it. A sound like feet walking on something brittle.
The body moved.
No. The sound came from behind. Looking behind there is no one in sight.
But someone else is in the room.
OOC: Activate detect magic, focusing on the area through this next charade.
Bluff to act innocuous to the noise: 31
Readied action;
hide(hand on mace, which is lurking in the robes): 11
Hope my bluff helps. lol
Search: 8
Spot: 25 (nat 20)
Listen: 25 (nat 20 again!
Sighing, the healer stands and stretches her "cramped" legs. Eh, bessy, ye don't be scarin' yerself. This ol' sod has bit the Dead Book by now...aye, an' a whole can of others down the stairs... She slowly looks around the room as though trying to get her bearings in the sooty environment.
Amazing rolls, unlike my 2 on move silently- which is why you heard the noise
Residual clusters of the fire magic from the original bombing are still in the room. There are also random, minor arcane emanations from some of the ashes of the burnt books. The walls of the room, and probably the entire tower, are laced with several defensive enchantments.
Most interestingly there is a very powerful signal of illusion about 10 ft from where Argint stands, close to the corner between the wall and ceiling, as if something is perched up there. According to Argint's best hypothesis - "Improved Invisibility."
As Argint looks further into it (though certainly not making it obvious), his spell fails, and she sees the room once more without the aid of Detect Magic.
What I'd do for a bag of glitterdust...wait. I might have one.
The healer opens a side pouch, mumbling to herself. Now where did I put that notebook...All this fingerpaint is blockin' me."
Gotta love the double-language yer lady inspired...
Bluff: 17 (crushing all three sticks of chalk into dust, but make it look like he's searching for gear...surely, its hard to tell inside the bag
Listen: 12
Spot: 24
Search: 24 (nat 20)
I admire bloods who are heavy on the cant.
Argint still sees nothing, and hears nothing else. But he feels the air shift - not quite a gentle breeze, but more like the result of someone or something moving.
"Well, better get some bloods in here to cart this'un off... As she nears the area where the person last stood, the healer stumbles on some of the debris, scattering fine powder over the area between the last spot and the door. "Bloody fingerpaint! Got it all over my hand!!
OOPS.
Bluff: 32
Spot: 23
Listen: 8
Search: 9
The glitterdust scatters over the area scintillating about for a few seconds, then finally settling. What's revealed is the shape of a straight-pointed bird, possibly a crow almost a foot long, perched on one of the shelves.
Immediately, it begins to flap it's wings - both to fly away, as well as shake the dust off.
Figure it's not a "real" creature...here's a diplomacy check: 22
Handle Animal (if not): 19
Bluff: 30 to disarm any fears
Readied action
"Hold there, Nessy! I won't harm ya...why ye be hiding? The healer cautiously steps in its line of flight, while holdling arms outstretched from her sides. She clearly appears to be hospital and concerned for the hidden creature.
To no avail, the creature flies off into the new day, slowly but surely shedding off the glitterdust.
Using readied action..
Disguise: 29
The healer sheds into a figure of leather and crimson scales. The snout bears the horny adornments of the draconian parentage as the half-dragon thrusts its wings with determination.
Roaring into the air after the fading creature, muscles releasing the tension that Argint built up in preparation, Klar'si'nar swings two clawed hands in an attempt to seize the escaping creature..
Gotta love the small to medium humanoid discrepancy...a young half-dragon should fit the HD cap, too.
I only gain the fly speed and appearance, nothing else (that I know of).
Grapple: 11
Initiative: 18
The bird attempts to fly faster, but is nowhere near as fast as the half-dragon.
Just as Argint is gaining on it, it disappears - glitterdust and all. Leaving Argint hovering above Smith street.
Knowledge Arcana: Teleport Without Error
Glad it didn't use any other abilities, between Teleport Without Error and Greater Invisibility...
The half-dragon banks and rotates over the damage surveying from the sky...his scales morphing to match the rusty hue of the sky, hoping to see innocuous to the Harmonium below.
Disguise: 26 (forgot I get to add the +10 circumstance due to disguises nature)
Hide: 24
Move Silently: 28
Search: 11
Spot: 8
Listen: 6 (just enjoying the breeze )
No one below seems to notice the hovering Doppleganger.
It is clear that the powerful spellcaster didn't want to fight Argint. But why was he/she/it at the ruined Archives?
Enjoy the breeze, but I hope you hear it, despite the 6
What's that?? I couldn't hear you.
What to do...what to do! So many options.
Side note: aren't ooze mephits amorphous, able to slither through cracks??
Argint ponders over the queries, wondering over the mixed ends before he drifts back down to the Seers guild, promptly returning to his elven state. He walks inside and heads upstairs.
Disguise: 29 (+4 due to familiar form)
Looking for an old friend, if possible. I want a guy whose canny of the shady deals of Undersigil and the sewers.
Side note: aren't ooze mephits amorphous, able to slither through cracks??
You're absolutely right. But is the liquid 'woman' an ooze mephit?
Argint knows of several bloods at the Styx Oarsman Bar (L16 on the Map on the intersection of Ironmonger Street and Brandy Lane) who would know some darks of Undersigil. Although they are not exactly 'old friends' as much as they are fiends.
The other Cagers that Argint knows either personally or through his personas would have common knowledge, but nothing that Argint himself wouldn't know or wouldn't be able to conjecture by himself (ie. it's dangerous down there)
Argint doesn't know them personally, but they would have information about Undersigil. If they would divulge that information willingly or truthfully is another matter.
On second thought, Argint slips to the cobble spot where the oil residue seeps into the ground. Tipping his head with a canny smile at anyone nearby, his figure dissolves into a dull grey liquid and into the dark tunnels below.
A wiry, midnight black wererat slips into the shadowy domain of the sewers, peering into the gloom around.
Yep. I'm going ooze mephit and then into a rat man.
Disguise checks: 18, 22
Search: 12
Spot: 19
Listen: 17
Hide: 14
Move Silent: 10 (nat 1...Squeek!! )
Damn, what a move!
Argint finds himself in a very dark, square room with septic water in the middle and elevations on one which may walk on at the sides. There are four circular tunnels that lead out of this particular chamber; one on each side of the square.
The water, which is a mixture of sewage, and runoff from the nearby foundry, is highly volatile - the acrid vapors assult the Doppleganger's senses, both of sight and smell. It's very dark, and impossible for Argint to see down the tunnels. The walls have some kind odd variety of red fungus - likely from the lower planes.
Argint was lucky enough to land on one of the elevations on his way down. Touching the 'water,' or the fungal walls of the chamber would not be a good idea.
OOC: -4 on Search, Spot.
Make a Fortitude save starting at DC 15 (and adding 2 after ever failed save) every 5 rounds, or take 2 temporary hit pts and 1 temp constitution damage from the strong vapors if the save fails.
The only sound is that of 'water' streaming down from one tunnel to the other; passing in transit through the square chamber.
Teehee! This is why shapechangers make me grin.
At least I'll smell like a wererat if I keep this up.
Ouch! Don't want to make this my kyp... 
Fort: 22 (nat 20 shew...
Disguise: 32 (nat 20)
Repulsed by the feral odor, Argint slips back into the gooy stature of the ooze mephit, utilizing its lack of sensory organs to his benefit. The grimy Multhorp slides along to a conjuction of the tunnels and tries to accertain the destinations of the vile waters.
Knowledge(local): 18, 24, 11, 20 One for each, if necessary
I think it doesn't have a nose...I hope so. If not, I'll deal with it.
Argint knows that the sewers beneath Swordhold and the Foundry district carry off a lot of Foundry waste. He isn't sure where the tunnels lead, though he thinks that he may have heard rumors about portals in the sewers that lead the waste out somewhere to the Outer Planes.
Directionwise - one of the tunnels is pointed towards to the Foundry, the other directly away, whereas the remaining two seem to branch off to the sides. There is no telling if the tunnels are straight, or if they curve or loop around. One thing is certain - straight or not, the tunnel closest to the Foundry should eventually lead to the underworks of the Foundry.
Not many denizens brave the sewers beneath the foundry. Or so it seems.
Knowledge(Local):7 direction of Mortuary and Hall of Speakers from this area above ground (nat 1; no clue. )
Multhorp slithers along the tunnel leading away from the Foundary for a good ways before "surfacing" into the streets of Sigil, finding a suitably dark alley to morph into a rugged tiefling, named Ashie.
The dark fiendling whistles a tune, called "My Fair Lady," a half-pun, half-praise (of the good natured sort, not religious of the bladed mystery. His gate is headed away from the smouldering ruins behind him.
Had to cameo my mentor and friend, Ashenbach, the true tiefer tout of Sigil! [edit: I purposely mispelled the short form to keep it out of copyright infringements and generate my own flavor for the character. ;)]
Headin for the Mortuary.
Without incident, Ashie walks past the bustle of the Foundry, through the Central District. He knows he's in the Grey District when the building breaks over the horizon, studded against the Cage's landscape like a Jewel on the pommel of an valuable sword. Words cannot describe the haunting beauty of the structure.
The streets are less crowded, and more silent in this district -paying homage to it's dark, but beautiful center.
The silence is broken by a young human newsboy crying out in the distance:
Hardheads Attacked in the Lower Ward by the Silver Mistress!! Read All about it for just five jink cutters!!!
Twiggin the pic!
The tout smiles at the haste of information in the Cage. No real need for a rag...
Sobering with the lifeless colors, Ashie slips swiftly by the boy and only nods, askin' absently. "When did ya get your load of rags? Slipping off after the boy gives him the only information he needs.
Argint scans the crowd of onlookers and investigators for anyone out of sorts, seemingly privy to information, or appears to know what they are doing.
Search: 21
Spot: 13
Listen: 19
Gather Info: 22
Sense Motive: 13
If he feels no one is watching him, he'll walk into the crowd of Harmonium and shift appearances to look like a nondescript human of the Faction (whatever rank would put him at moderate level without too many responsibilities/people pestering him...cannot think of it right now).
Disguise: 29