I started the Northern Elsweyr storyline (I had done the rage of dragons/halls of collossus preview quests) and one of the first things is Abner Tharn sends you off to check 3 surges of magical energy. Turns out it was Cadwell.
I was surprised to get a -5 rapport with Zerith-var from talking to Cadwell. And I mean, he is an insane but cheerful undead and Zerith is a necro warrior but still, one might have thought that anything a zone quest asked you to do, the companions would be neutral about. Pretty sure zone stories ask you to steal things sometimes and law and order-minded companions didn't boo and hiss when you did what the quests required.
So what is up with Zerith-var and Cadwell?