Your group has been in Waterdeep for only a short time, and have been doing your best to avoid drawing too much undue attention to yourselves, so it came as quite the surprise when you were approached one mid-morning by members of the City Watch.
Residents scatter and clear the way as you're being lead through the streets en route to what the Watchmen will only refer to as a "meeting."
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You're promptly greeted by a raven-haired female introducing herself as Arvene Morrow, a Swordcaptain with the City Watch. Arvene is dressed in formal attire, including a darker cyan-blue dress coat over plum-colored breeches and many ornamental pieces, including a dagger at her hip.
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After everyone has been seated, and while you fill your plates and tankards, Arvene resumes in a soft, measured tone. "You must be wondering why you've been summoned," she starts. "So, I will get right to the point,"
"You may or may not know by now that the docks been quarantined." When she senses this may be the first you've heard of this, she goes on to explain that a mysterious disease -- which goes by many names, including Rat Pox -- is rampaging through the Dock Ward. "While we don't know much about it yet, it is believed to be magical in nature, and thus can’t easily be cured."
She allows this news to settle before continuing.
"Symptoms begin with a simple cough, but,..." she pauses briefly. "But, some of those afflicted have begun to grow rat-like features; including sprouting whiskers and hairy ears, growing fur and claws, and even tails."
She draws a deep breath, then resumes in a no-nonsense manner.
"Rest assured, the entire City Watch is focused on discovering the root of the outbreak and, hopefully, its cure."
"So, you must be wondering how this affects you. Two nights ago, in the cover of darkness, a courier arrived at our door bearing the seal of Jerald Brisby, a retired sea captain. In the message, Jerald claims he has top secret information about the truth behind Rat Pox... but the truth was too dangerous to share in writing, so he insisted upon meeting in person."
"He didn't show... and I fear the worst."
Arvene shares that Watchman Locks, a fledgling detective, has been able to track down the sea captain’s address, but it’s inside the quarantine zone. "Locks has already offered to venture inside, but it's too dangerous for him to go alone."
"That," she says with a bit of emphasis. "That is where you come in. I need you to accompany Locks to Brisby's residence and hopefully locate the sea captain with the secret."
"Can I count on you?" she asks.
---
Okay, we're off. This setup did require a wall of words, but hopefully that won't be the case throughout the game... but, with there being a lot of social interactions, and a lot of details to share, maybe?
Also, I did not have a chance to go through all the characters, or create the "footer" information that I include at the bottom of each of my action posts, but hopefully I will have this in place before my next update.
Well, have at it, folks.
