Erin, Crimson Blades Private, Jin, Cranky Crimson Blades Sergeant, Gale, The Mighty Pupper, 2 Crimson Blades Lieutenant arrive, following Violet.

Atreke, a severe-looking scribe arrives, following Rinel.

Rinel limps into the House of Solace. She's still sniffling.

There is a makeshift lounge set up in the House of Solace. Some of the beds generally used for patients have been lined up like couches. Sir Jeffeth stands in front of them. They're all empty. There is a small table with a single pitcher of water on it. And a loaf of bread. As if the big man tried to scrounge up snacks real quick and that's all he could get.

Violet is pale and looks like she hasn't slept for a day or two, but she doesn't seem to be letting that stop her. She glances around the area and her eyes land on Jeffeth first, then Rinel. There is a frown at the limp and sniffling and she moves to the scholar. "Rinel?" She asks in a concerned tone.

Rinel smiles at Violet tearfully. "I'm fine. It's just the... the tower. It's all... I don't know why I'm crying. Hello, Sir Bayweather. May I please sit?"

Jeffeth gestures to the bed-couches and nods. "Of course, that's what these are here for." Jeffeth rumbles with a warm smile, going to clasp his hands behind his back.

Violet's face becomes grim and she nods a bit. She moves to sit with Rinel and turns a slightly uncertain glance on Jeffeth. "How are you doing, Sir Jeffeth?" She asks in an awkward sort of way.

A dutiful Valardin aide, Quiet, a Valardin champion arrive, following Katarina.

The big man smiles. "Not very well." Comes the chipper answer. "Quite terribly." Jeffeth answers, that broad smile not wavering. "But.." He just shrugs. "That's fine." Jeffeth murmurs with a softer voice. Beds that are normally reserved for patients have been laid out like couches in a semicircle surrounding Jeffeth. There is a stool with a single pitcher of water and a loaf of bread for refreshments. There are no glasses. Jeffeth stands at the head of the couchbeds facing the 'audience'. "Not many may come." He notes quietly. "Given the rain and the... Hour." He frowns and nods. "If anyone has questions I can start answering now."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Violet before departing.

Jared, an overworked-looking, nervous Apprentice Whisper arrives, following Bliss.

Rinel sits on a bed gingerly and winces. "Thank you for hosting this, Sir Bayweather," she says quietly. "Knowledge is comfort to the frightened."

Voss, an icy-eyed Northlands Malsatian, Brahm, a large iridescent plumed raven arrive, following Morrighan.

The next person to enter is Bliss Whisper, running her finger along the edge of a jabot she is wearing around her neck, shifting it to adjust as she takes a look over the people there. She gives Jeffeth a faint smile, and then instead of sitting on the beds around him, walks right up to the man to stand beside him, turning back to face anyone who might be coming in.

Violet nods once, her expression grim, as she watches the large man. "What do you know of what happened? Do you know who was lost?" Right to business it seems.

The big man nods to Rinel. "That's the hope." As Bliss joins him there is a soft smile to the Whisper. And as she stands next to him, the big man reaches down to take her hand in his. At the question from Violet, Jeffeth nods. "Yes. Unfortunately we lost a surviving member of the Metallic Order today. And with her, her Tower." The big man explains quietly to the group.

Katarina steps in, trailing after those who crowd into the House of Solace in search of answers. Her expression is one of shock when Jeffeth's words reach her eyes, lips immediately pressing themselves shut into a tight line.

As quietly as she can manage, Morrighan slips inside the House of Solace, her cloak drenched from the rain, but at leat she's mostly dry. Mostly. She enters, catching the end of Violet's inquiry, gaze curious, but remains silent. The dame meanders towards the back of the small group, lightly patting the side of the massive canine that pads along with her.

Violet's hands clench and her fist slams into her thigh. "FUCK!" She says with vehemence and anger. Her jaw clenches and she trembles for a moment. "Fuck..." She says more quietly. "That was my fear...my dark fear. Was she able to kill it at least?"

Rinel clasps her hands to her mouth. "No," she says, simply, as though her denial can somehow deny reality. Her tone is a broken whisper.

Shard stalks into the House. Her shoulders are a little hunched, her head just a little low, but her eyes are forward and they seem to study each person present with considerable scrutiny.

Turning her head slightly when her hand is taken by Jeffeth, Bliss looks down at it, then up to the man with a faint smile, before she looks out over the group. Her own voice is a little calmer than his, but the evening has clearly taken some toll on her as well. "Copper, the Mage of Second Chances, has given the ultimate sacrifice to protect the Compact. What exactly happened isn't known - but the world ended within the last day, and she fixed it, and stopped it from happening again. Seemingly giving her life in the process to do so." Her eyes look to Violet, and then she shakes her head once, probably to that last question.

Rinel begins to cry quietly, burying her face in her hands. Scholar overload.

Jeffeth glances to Violet and frowns. His gaze flicks to Rinel and then slowly back. "No." The big man repeats, "That does not seem to be the situation." The big man seems chipper and ebulient as ever, despite the situation. His smiles are warm, and while he's obviously not happy, he is not brooding either. A solemn warmth. Jeffeth winces a little over at Bliss and nods. "That might be a lot to process but in essence, that is what happened. Though I don't believe anyone has all the details at this time."

Violet's hands ball into fists and her anger doesn't seem to abate. Despite that she reaches out to pull Rinel against her and hug the woman. "Something woke up and tried to eat everything...right?" She glances at Bliss and then Jeffeth, her tone crisp and cool.

Arching a brow at Violet, Jeffeth tilts his head down. "It's waking up. And yes essentially that will be it's goal. The archfiend coloquially known as the Eater of Stories."

There's a glance from Bliss to Jeffeth, and then she looks at Violet and nods her confirmation. There seems to be little more for her to add to that.

Katarina remains quiet, lingering in the periphery of the cavernous hall. Her gaze drifts from the faces of those gathered before she eventually eases forward to come to stand beside Morrighan.

Shard listens quietly from the back. Her expression is stony, difficult to read.

"Well, we better not fuck up this second chance then had we?" Violet says very matter-of-factly. Then turns to the soothing of her friend, rubbing an arm gently. "I know, I know," She murmers quietly. "How can I help?" Is the next question.

Rinel weeps quietly into Violet's arm for a time, before composing herself somewhat. Tears still run down her face, and she speaks haltingly, but she is no longer incapable of speaking. "The herald is awake," she says, gulping. "The Archfiend's Herald. He... he lives within the Labyrinth. /Is/ the Labyrinth. I felt him waking yesterday."

Morrighan glances askance to Katarina with a certain grimness to her countenance, though dips her head into a brief nod. She produces a flask from within the confines of her cloak, promptly thumbs the lid open, and drinks heavily from it. Her brows arch questioningly at the Valardin, flask wiggling in offering.

"For now?" Jeffeth murmurs over to Violet with a light frown. "Tell people. Get the word out. Don't hoarde this information. The world needs stories and we need to tell them. Make sure everyone knows about Copper's sacrifice. Beyond that..." He frowns deeply. "I don't have any action steps at this time. I imagine the Compact as a whole will prepare ourselves, togehter. But we can only do that if all of us know and are aware." The big man states flatly. "So it's important to share."

The question of how people can help has Bliss thoughtful, before she says, "I think we all need to figure that out. Come up with ideas, plans, things we can do against him." Her eyes tick to Rinel. "The Scholars have their part - any knowledge we can find that he hasn't gotten to." Then the others. "There's also the castle. We need to know what Copper was doing when she was killed. We can remember her. That's - as awful as it is to say, that's better than it could have been. Not every Metallic who went against this thing was so lucky as to have that. And we need to push back on what it's done to us." She nods toward Jeffeth, then says, "Knowledge is our best weapon here."

a small twilit kingsnake arrives, following Macda.

Violet nods her head and says, "I think it might be an excellent time to hunt some cultists..." It's said in a dark way with her eyes flashing in the light of the lamps here. She pulls a hanky out and offers it to Rinel, saying something quietly to her.

Shard abruptly speaks up. "Humans have spent too long being ignorant, both of the dangers and the people protecting them from those dangers. We can't keep relying on them to keep us safe. There are less and less all the time."

Macda has no idea what's she walking into, and wanders in slowly. With a look suitably read to mean she's working through the rebellion stirred by being told to come, the princess does turn to speakers as the word 'cultists' elicit attention and the tonality of debate rises from aother. Now she's appearing more engaged.

Katarina reaches over, collecting the offered flask from Morrighan with a somber grimace. She takes a quick swig, turning her eyes onto Shard with their sudden outburst as she passes the flask back to the Redrain knight she stands solemnly beside.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

"You're absolutely right," Bliss says to Shard. "And even after we've started learning things, we've found ourselves too scared to share them. Too frightened to want to know what the world was really like. Caught up in our own things." Her eyes go back to the small group. "It can sometimes feel like too much, but we need to push back, and we need to do it now. I'm tired of sitting back and letting the world happen around me, instead of taking part in it. We find this thing's weaknesses, and we go after them."

There are a bunch of beds normally used for patients which have been set out for couches. There is a stool with a loaf of bread on it and a single pitcher of water with no glasses for refreshment. Jeffeth and Bliss stand in the front of the group fielding questions. "I think collaboration is key. Enthusiasm is important, and if there are cultists to hunt, well alright. But I think it's important to be thinking who in our lives can we share this with first? Arx needs less secrets to win this battle, and everyone in here needs to help start that." Jeffeth rumbles quietly. "Are there any other questions?"

Violet nods her head in turn to Shard's comment and then stands. "A good point. Very well then. Let me start by sharing something. I can sense the abyss and it's creatures. Even to some extent it's works. I believe, and have some evidence towards this, that I have been touched by the Sentinel. I have been looking for others similarly blessed by the gods, so we might understand and learn together," Her eyes scan the room as she says this. "So...if you know anyone, I would be happy to meet them and help them understand their 'gifts' even as I do mine." Then she sits again, her cheeks slightly pink.

Shard frowns toward Bliss. "Sometimes there's a damn good reason to be sc--" and then Violet's suddenly sharing things. She blinks once, twice, and shuts right up, though she's giving the other mercenary a careful, studious look.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

Jeffeth glances to Violet, blinking. Then to Shard, eyes slightly wide. The big man swallows hard. "As I believe Shard was going to say, there is good reason to keep something secretive I didn't mean to say..." He purses his lips, staring at Violet before just nodding. "Well. Alright. Thank you, Commandant, for sharing." He quickly adds, "There is no pressure or expectation for anyone to do what she just did, but in that spirit, I think we should all be ready to share with what we learned today. And we will honor Copper in that way."

Rinel laughs softly and rests her head on Violet's shoulder. "I don't think that's what they meant, Violet," she says. Her face is red and tear-stained, but it seems like the waterworks have stopped for now.

Rinel checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 9 lower.

Rinel doesn't say anything more.

"Things are changing. I've kept it a secret. But in these times...with the changes happening...I met someone through this who is also touched. It tells me the Gods want to play a part, and they have. But if we don't know about another, how can we work together? In the Metallics time this was common place knowledge. Yes, I realize the danger in speaking it. But there is also -safety- in sharing. And I trust a good deal of the people I see in this room." Her eyes falling on Jeffeth and Morrighan and one or two more.

Flanking Morrighan opposite of Katarina, it makes a sight growing more common. Macda leans in front of the taller knight and whispers loudly, in this case her trying to speak normally, "We only need Modi to arrive and declare this occultism now. Feel more like a night at the Salon." The princess rights her posture, in a blanket, and regards Jeffeth in the front as he speaks. She lingers long enough to hear Andry's footsteps and turn.

"Well," Bliss clears her throat, definite surprise in her eyes at what Violet has just shared. "I'm not saying we all need to expose everything. I certainly know my share of things I don't tell - discretion is a byword in my work," the Whisper notes. "However, knowing who our enemies are, what they are, gives us the first steps to try to figure out what to do about them, I think."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

Katarina loses a hushed noise at Macda that suspiciously sounds like a laugh. Her somber mien lightens marginally, though she seems content to maintain her silence and merely listen.

Violet doesn't seem bothered by the stares. Of course it may have been a bit impulsive, but she isn't backing down from the declaration either. She meets some gazes and there is a faint smile on her lips that is there and gone. "I didn't mean to derail, my apologies."

Clearing his throat Jeffeth looks around the group. "Well this doesn't have to go on too long. Does anyone have any more questions?"

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

"There is a difficulty," Rinel says. "The superstition behind not naming names is... more than a superstition. I... erm. I should probably wait for the Archscholar..." She twiddles her thumbs.

Rinel is bad at waiting. And at asking permission. "There have been traitors, within the Scholars. There have probably been traitors everywhere, but I /know/ there have been ones in the Scholars. When the Great Fire happened and the Archive was rebuilt, they were there. And they enacted a... a thing. A ritual that calls the attention of the Archfiend's foremost servant to whosoever names him, or his master. And that servant--well. He is the one who consumes." She twiddles her thumbs nervously.

Macda steps forward a bit to direct herself to Violet. "Baroness, please don't apologise." There was no telling what her raspy whisper was suppose to inflect. If it were to express anything more than the words, that was lost.

Violet glances at Rinel and there is no shock on her face at this. She only nods. "I was aware. There probably still are some hiding. In the Inquisition, the Scholars, everywhere. But don't worry, we'll hunt them down." Who is the we is left unsaid. There is a slight smirk, however, that curls her lips briefly and she turns to Macda. The woman is given a smile and a nod before she pulls her canteen out and takes a gulp of what smells like mint tea.

"They have people that serve them," Shard says flatly. "Openly and secretly. Not just that one."

"Everard Telmar and Addison Ashford should have taught us that the entire city is littered with traitors," Bliss says, venom in her words at that name and her right shoulder unconsciously rolling. "The more we can flush out, the better. But the point about the names is a valid one. Even Palladium inscribed his writings on these topics with runes of protection before putting their names to parchment. As far as I know, that art hasn't been recovered yet."

Andry lingers somewhere near Macda and Jeffeth wearing the colours of Solace, looking thoughtful while the others speak. "I don't know much about what is going on, but I know Gild tells me it's only through eachother that we can prevent ruin."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Shard before departing.

"But just to be clear." Jeffeth states hands raising in a forestalling gesture. "That the Eater is not the name. That is a colloquial term. You can say that." The knight explains softly before his little brother is speaking and a bright brilliant smile curls up his face if only for a moment. "Copper fell today, Andry." Jeffeth explains quietly. "One of the Metallic Order. Most likely the result of the Eater waking up. We are heading towards a very difficult time. So it's on all of us to spread this story, honor Copper and prepare for the times to come." The big man hangs his head for a moment letting out a breath. "Are there any more questions on anything?"

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Jeffeth before departing.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Jeffeth before departing.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Jeffeth before departing.

"Thank you, Sir Bayweather," Rinel says. "I think... I think I am going to go pray now. Lady Death must be grieving. Goodnight, everyone." She raises herself with unsteady effort and smiles at Violet before moving out.

Violet turns in her seat to look at Bliss. "I...actually know the ritual to protect writings. But...it costs...a lot," She says and makes a face. "It isn't runes, but it works."

Shard has gone quiet again, though there's a certain tension around her jaw.

Katarina is overheard praising Jeffeth.

Katarina is overheard praising Bliss.

Violet is overheard praising Jeffeth: Thank you for providing information in a worrying time.

A dutiful Valardin aide, Quiet, a Valardin champion leave, following Katarina.

Rinel is overheard praising Jeffeth.

Atreke, a severe-looking scribe leaves, following Rinel.

There's a small clearing from Bliss's throat, and then she nods at Violet. "A conversation for later, I think, Baroness. It's probably best if we wrapped this up for tonight."

Violet nods and stands up and stretches. "Of course," She says once done. "I for one need to sleep. Since I think I finally can. And then there is planning to do. Would you be able to come by for a drink sometime?" She asks of Bliss.

Morrighan glances askance, watching Katarina go, pensive while taking a long pull from her flask. "Costin' a lot is an understatement," comes a mutter from the dame, and she pulls her cloak about herself, not too enthused about having to go back out into the rain.

"She fell... today?" Andry runs his hand through his hair absentmindedly while he processes the information. "I thought they all vanished a long long time ago. Back during the reckoning when Lilah Shay gave everything she had on Solace Square."

Harlen arrives, following Duarte.

Voss, an icy-eyed Northlands Malsatian, Brahm, a large iridescent plumed raven leave, following Morrighan.

The big man nods to Andry as the event starts to wrap up. "I'll explain on the way home Andry." Jeffeth calls out. "If anyone has further questions pleas feel free to send me a messenger."