Aron was quietly drip-drying on the floor. It was a nice mansion and there were plenty of seats available, but the problem was, it was a nice mansion. What right did some homeless guy have to come in and drip seawater all over the upholstery? That was why he was stuck on the floor, drip-drying. Aron didn't know many things, but he knew a lot about money. Lowering the value of something was something he just didn't do.

In fact, the guards were loathe to let him in initially. A soaking wet bearded man jumped out of the lake and said he was there for the investigation team. Yeah, not likely. Sure, the mayor's daughter was hiring all kinds, but it necessarily mean Aron's kind of all kinds. 

They had a few problems with him, in fact. The first was the fact that he didn't have any money to his name (legally). The second was that he looked really shabby. The third and probably worst thing was that he smelled. He smelled like saltwater and fish. But hey, at least he didn't smell like sewer. 

Aron was eventually let in because he remembered to put his slip of acceptance in a water-proof leather case which he always kept on his body. The guards let him in, albeit reluctantly.

Aron was glad, but cold. He was surrounded by wealth, but he didn't want to take any of it. Aron was honest (somewhat) to a fault, and stupid. He wanted to make his own money himself, despite not being able to hold on to money that often. Quite a problem, especially because of his diet.

Aron felt something squirming in his boots earlier and fished it out only to find that it was, ironically, a fish. As the mayor's daughter explained the situation, Aron bit half of the fish, half paying attention. He bit up to the fin, but was careful to not let the blood get onto the floor. Blood had a bit of iron in it, at least. As he chewed the fish flesh, his teeth ground something hard. Judging by the taste, he could tell what it was.

[i][color=598527]A copper piece! How lucky.[/color][/i] Aron thought, biting down on the copper piece. 

It made a soft crunching noise as he chewed it. As he swallowed it down, he put the rest of the fish in his mouth and began chewing that. Then he pulled some scrap iron out of his pockets and put those in his mouth too. It was a little rusted, but not to worry! Aron's digestive system made tetanus completely ineffective. As he chewed the metal, it made an audible crunching sound. Aron didn't notice so much because he was thinking about money, and his hunger.

--------------------------------------

Ash, who had stood stock still until now, moved. He put his hand in his coat to extract a stack of papers. He began slowly walking out of the shadows while speaking

[color=00746b]"This is the information I've collected thus far."[/color] Ash said.

On the stack of papers, there was information about the sewers. What kind of creatures lived inside, abandoned branches of the sewers, when the tide came in and what people knew happened when it did. His report also contained reports from witnesses about the sinking buildings and phenomena occurring in Ebb. It even contained Ash's own conjectured links to each phenomena.

Immediately after he signed up for the commission, he went to collect information. However, there had been a disappointing lack of said information, and he had to piece together what he could.

[color=00746b]"The current source of the sinking phenomena is unknown."[/color] Ash said. [color=00746b]"The probability of city support structure instability is low, but not impossible."[/color]

He was slowly walking to the center table while explaining his findings.

[color=00746b]"An investigation team was sent in, but it's highly likely that they've perished."[/color] Ash said, reaching the table. [color=00746b]"Civil unrest is at a peak. Between the unexplained phenomena and the Ankou, it's likely that there's an unknown force acting on Ebb, and the missing investigation crew suggest that extreme force may be necessary."[/color]

As he finished his speech, he dropped the papers unceremoniously onto the table.
[color=00746b]"That is why we were hired. Mercenaries, assassins, travelers."[/color] Ash said, slowly walking back to his spot.

He stopped in a patch of wall half in the light and half in shadow.
[color=00746b]"Correct if I'm wrong."[/color] He said, leaning back onto the wall.