Swamped

"Have you tried the sandwiches here? Surprisingly good. Wouldn't know it from the cheap ingredients they buy." They grab one lying on a table. "Never thought I'd see the day old man Flame asked a wizard for help, though. Things must be lookin' real bad."

"How did you," you begin, but they're already interrupting.

"Got a little ether detector. Pretty rare tool, but useful in my line of work. Got to know when magic's at play. What's the situation, then?"

"A woman was ordering criminals to mix up something foul-smelling, apparently with plans to release it into the city. Another woman, who looked just like her and called her 'sister', came in and attacked her with the help of some swamp beasts. Then something strange happened and she's frozen in midair. I'm concerned that the plan may still be in motion, even with the ringleader incapacitated, and I hoped to ask her 'sister' some questions, but that isn't really an option right now. Oh, and I have a hunch the acting troupe may have some involvement, but nothing concrete. And when I confronted the thief, I got my things back, but also this note."

You think that covers most of it.

"Okay, the foul-smelling mixture might explain all the masks I've been seeing around lately," the informant muses. "And that lady's sister is probably the 'swamp rider' the town council keeps talking about in their letters. The thing you described sounds like magic to me, so I'd expect you to know more than I would. If you're stumped, I'm more stumped."

They pace around a bit.

"Now, I have some ideas for what to do if the plan really is still going. Gonna have to move fast, though. So let me just give you my quick thoughts on the acting troupe and the note, and I'll get on that, and you see what you can do from here."