#this would have been a good warsinger story

[janto-nassimi]

DR-SAL-11-12-A-SB2 (Faceless and friends up to no good!)

This file has been submitted immediately to the Shining Blade and Ministry Guard. There is paperwork attached requesting it be sent to the Ash Legion by way of Brandy Emberslice. Similar paperwork suggests members of the Blade and Guard share this intelligence with trusted assets and allies, and others who may need to know for Kryta's security.

The file is an addition to DR-SAL-11-12. The heavy scent of pipe smoke clings to it.

Date: 80 Colossus, 1330 AE

Persons involved: Exemplar Janto Adega Cadell, investigating officer, herein designated in the first person; Maddie Newman, victim; Tyrinnis Sylvante, witness; Magnolia (a sylvari), witness; The Figure, person of interest; [There are also the identities of several other people redacted, listed as victims]; [The name of an asset is redacted]

In the early evening of 80 Colossus, I received a report information me MADDIE NEWMAN had been reported missing. As she was a witness in a previous case [DR-SAL-11-12-A-SB1 and DR-SAL-11-12 for reference. The facts tie into this report as well] I assisted with the search.

Her parents informed me she had been playing outside, but told them she met a woman who wore purple and could summon butterflies. The information was similar to facts within DR-SAL-11-12-A-SB1, wherein NEWMAN reported speaking to a woman who wore pink and conjured butterflies. The woman in pink, THE FIGURE, is a person of interest in the DR-SAL-11-12-A-SB1 murder investigation.

I canvassed the neighborhood, and searched for NEWMAN myself, but found no leads. I enlisted the help of an asset, and acquired a means of tracking NEWMAN with a Queen Jennah doll she owned.

The ritual led me to a yard hidden near Archen Street, where NEWMAN lives. There, I found a mesmer's portal. I am unaware if I would have been able to see it without the tracking spell. Recalling THE FIGURE may have used a mesmer portal to enter a basement and commit murder in the previous case, I pursued.

Inside the portal I found a strange hallway wherein 9 women were held captive by some form of mesmerism or chronomancy. Employing a powerful orb left to me by Tindorin, a deceased military liaison from the Grove, I was able to free the women. It appeared as though two immediately were lost to time, others seemed to age, some only a little. All of the women had appeared as young adults or late teens when held.

Freeing the women took some time, and I noticed my tracking spell fading, and feared something was happening to NEWMAN. I enlisted the freed women to take my communicator, and instructed them on how to contact my order, and call for backup, and how to then contact a sylvari, MAGNOLIA, for aid, as she is the most powerful magic user I know. It seemed to me any mesmer capable of doing what I had witnessed must be very powerful. I sent the women to escape, and pursued.

Another portal took me into a doorless tower overlooking a lighthouse via a single window. In the room as an assortment of toys, a bed, a dollhouse with 9 dolls, and a 10th doll missing a head. NEWMAN was present with no others. She informed me THE FIGURE had brought her there, and came and went with portals. She informed me she had been taken to visit a charr as well. I will discuss those details later.

I was unable to find a means to escape, an attempted to deploy my Clockwork Portal Device out the window, but a sphere of magic made it vanish. Unsure what would happen if I used the device with NEWMAN, I saved it as a last resort.

Eventually, THE FIGURE arrived. She is a pale woman in her mid to late teens, who wears pink and colors her hair pink. Due to her apparent mastery of mesmer magic, and the age of some of her victims, I do not believe her to be the age she appears to be.

She called NEWMAN to her, but I picked NEWMAN up and shielded her. THE FIGURE told me she planned to eventually free NEWMAN, but told me she would need to take a new “doll.” She began to channel a large spell, and I tried to redirect her, but she wore a wild look, and refused to speak with me. As the spell seemed nearly complete, I shot her.

With her dead, NEWMAN and I appeared on Archen Street. Though I imagined her to be distracted by the channeling of a spell, I was not convinced I had shot the real mesmer. However, the body remained. I have not witnessed a mesmer's illusion to remain once they are dead, or once it has taken a wound that should be lethal.

The body was taken by Shining Blade. NEWMAN was returned home. MAGNOLIA and SYLVANTE witnessed the body and my return. Some of the freed women were being aided by SYLVANTE, others had fled. MAGNOLIA helped agents of the Shining Blade search for the women, and bring those who could be found to safehouses.

I was interrogated by [redacted].

ATTACHED:

There is another item that must be discussed, which I will write about more frankly.

In the tower room, NEWMAN presented me with a charr doll given to her by a charr who wore black. He said the doll didn't have a face. In light of that, and a package delivered to me by an “A” and reports of The Faceless delivering packages to harass residents of Divinity's Reach, I believe the charr mentioned to be Apophan, the believed leader of a cult believed to worship dragons, or likely any power they can latch onto.

Be advised I also reported evidence of The Faceless infusing beasts in Gendarran Fields with bloodstone, and setting them against children.

This organization is responsible for numerous attacks on Kryta and her citizens, and scores of murders. They have attacked the Ministry Chambers, civilian gatherings and parties. They have backed the misdeeds of other entities, such as the Nightmare Court when it attempted war on the Grove about five years ago. The Faceless also backed Okeer and his Omni Corp when he manufactured the Black Lung Plague and unleashed it.

Intelligence over the past five years names Apophan as a former Flame Legion shaman. His blood has been known to corrupt those who come into contact with it, and control them. The agents of The Faceless are known to work to insinuate themselves into society, and its orders. They are particularly adept at appearing without warning, and vanishing without warning.

Apophan has been confirmed to be harmed greatly by water magic, and it has been speculated, but not confirmed to by knowledge, that air magic works as well. Fire and earth magic seem to do little to him. I have personally witnessed a necromancer enter a spiritual form with the aid of my [redacted] and inflict near mortal wounds. Other beacons of life force may provide other necromancers similar results, but that is speculation.

Apophan murdered former Ministry Guard Commander Thomas Cyril, and ministers. He is known to be especially fond of targeting those in positions of power and authority. He tends to fixate on people, and is skilled at escape. I found a good, old fashioned steel sword the best way to gut him, personally.

As The Faceless act in the shadows, and are known to trade favors, shared intelligence is often the best means to deal with them. Be wary of false intelligence planted by their agents.

I am available to share information in person about encounters with the Faceless in Kryta

It seems likely The Faceless are related to the murders investigated in DR-SAL-11-12-A-SB1 as well.