Chapter One: Outbreak

The captain looked at you up and down and he let out a weary sigh.

"I am certainly not answerable to you ma'am. Given your behaviour back at the site of the crime, you can understand why I would doubt your motives. Now, what business brings you in this direction?" he asked you. You made your way through the city for a number of hours, travelling on the canals several times before you came to an area where the buildings were made roughly and almost seemed to be built over each other. There was little in the way of planning to these buildings, as it appeared the inhabitants simply expanded them as they required. There was a strong smell of urine and gods knows what else on the street, with trash piled in dark corners. The few people that were making their way through the streets universally seemed to wear heavy cloaks that concealed their features but you saw the flashes of weapons catching the moonlight under their garb.

You passed what seemed to be a raucous tavern and as you passed, there was a crash as a man was thrown through the window of the establishment. Laughter and yelling drifted out into the street but no one seemed concerned, least of all the man who had been thrown through the window, who appeared to be out cold. You looked up at the sign that swung in the light sea breeze, the chains creaking, The Guided Abyss. You continued on your way, until you came to the city walls, here there seemed to be a number of rough warehouse buildings pressed up against the walls. They seemed like they were slightly better constructed and less ramshackle. The windows were shuttered and the few that were not seemed to broken.
You strained to remember but could not recall any similar events in the city's recent history. There was a loud thump and you jumped slightly. You saw that it looked like Elisabeth had decided to join you, she reclined in the chair across from both of you with her feet up on the table. At her gesture, a server came forward and dropped tankards in front of each of you and next to them was a small glass containing an amber liquid. You saw that Elisabeth had a similar tankard and glass in front of her, she dropped the liquid into the tankard and drank deeply before looking you both over.

So what brings you to fine establishment this evening?" she asked with a small smile on her face,"You certainly don't look like my normal patrons."

You read my mind! :D

Margaret lets out a deep sigh, knowing there's no way she can convincingly lie to an officer of the law. But she's come this far, so she might as well get everything out in the open.

"Captain, my interest in these people is much the same as yours. I am a researcher into supernatural phenomena, and the question of whether or not they were truly able to produce the reported effects is of professional interest. I do not wish to lose track of them before I've had a chance to speak with them."

She takes a breath, some of her anger returning. "I am also a lawyer, and I know for a fact that performing acts of 'magic' is not grounds for arrest under any jurisdiction. Their detainment is clearly unlawful. Not only that, but your subordinate officers have now drawn their weapons on a civilian, and threatened violence! Your badge does not allow you to act outside the law, captain, in fact it holds you to a higher standard. If you won't release your captives, and you won't permit me to follow unmolested, then I insist that you detain me as well, and I will happily see you in court."

Elisabeth looked you over briefly before gesturing at the drinks in front of you,"I might have heard something, I might not have too. Either way, it seems rude to discuss it if you aren't joining me for a drink."
They are ramshackle certainly and if there was a poorer more destitute side of the town you were in it but the buildings seemed structurally sound enough or at least the foundations did. You imagine cyclones and other intense tropical would be fairly common in Esterwyn, given its coastal location and while these building would no doubt take a battering, they seemed like they would stand against a fair to middling storm at least.