The Saving Grace is relatively quiet. The patients are being seen to, the recovery ward is only sparsely populated, and by and large, things are, well. Quiet. A table full of refreshments has been set out. Tea steeps in pots, while there are pitchers of water nearby holding slices of cucumber and lemon, another with orange slices and mint. A circle of chairs has been set out, a large rolling board with plenty of chalk is standing nearby as well. Reigna is adjusting the laces on her aeterna master's robes, hands clasped as she waits for everyone to arrive and get settled.

Once it looks like a good number of people have arrived, Reigna looks around the room, "Thank you all for coming. I wanted to provide a space for those who went to Eresport could report what it was they saw, so that we can, together, discuss a course of action as to how to proceed next." She looks around at those gathered, her attention resting on Olivia for a moment before she says, "Physician Olivia will be speaking about some of the plants she found and there will be an opportunity for questions to be asked as well. Now, who would like to speak first?"

Floofus, the fluffiest Graypeak Mountain Puppy arrives, following Ajax.

Oswyn has helped himself to some tea and he's sipping it from time to time as he squints at those present.

Olivia raises a hand, "I... guess I can go first..." She looks around nervously.

Gilroy has just come in on Gretchen's heels, though when Reigna looks for a volunteer he steps forward and raises a hand. "Since I was the only trained healer who went into the hut to look at the diseased woman I can speak as to her degenerating condition."

Slowly yet surely, Ajax trudges into the hospital proper, his white furball in tow with him as his brown eyes shift around the area with a mild curiosity.

Standing in the back with Rukhnis, Rysen glances at Olivia, and then turns to listen to Gilory as he begins to speak.

Thea listens quietly

Ender, a Silver Gyrfalcon arrives, delivering a message to Rysen before departing.

Rukhnis stops just behind and to the side of Rysen as she enters with him, bowing respectfully to those already gathered in the hospital lobby. Her gaze shifts keenly around the room, pausing for a just perceptibly longer amount of time on Olivia, then continuing on to observe each other person in turn. Having apparently completed her visual assessment of the room and everyone and everything in it, she clasps her hands behind her back and looks on with the usual impassive gaze.

Reigna nods and gestures to Olivia first, "Alright, Physician Olivia, you can speak to your findings and then we will hear from Healer Gilroy." She looks to the latter and offers a smile before returning her attention to Olivia. "Go ahead, Physician."

Uncharictaristic, perhaps, Jacali is sitting somewhere rather quietly, legs neatly crossed, hands clasped in her lap, weirdly vacant smile on her face. For her part, it seems like she's come to listen in on what has happened, and how others plan on moving forward from here.

Radhilde stands nearby to observe after getting herself a spot of tea, her eyes go to Reigna as she speaks then shifts over to Olivia as she takes a slow sip from the vessel held.

Olivia digs around in her satchel for a moment and pulls out a few jars. An odd purple flower, a piece of the stem, a piece of the root and some soil. Odd looking soil. "So... we found this flower. There was some of these flowers at all the houses in the village. I can tell you without a doubt. This is not a native flower to Arvum." She hands the jars out to be passed around.

Gretchen sits back I her chair, crossing her legs and otherwise just listening. Mostly listening. She's also just playing with the pearls around her neck idly, "Don't open the jars," she warns as they're offered around, "After you hear Master Gilroy speak you're not going to want to contaminate yourself with any of that."

Leaning forward a bit as those jars are passed out, Jacali seems more than a little interested in the contents, gloved fingertips moving to grip at the lid of the jar as though she'd open it, but pauses as Gretchen speaks. She squints, staring down at the contents, huffing out a soft sigh, releasing her grip but still holding to the specimen. "Are these partin' gifts, ey? Door prizes?" The woman in red questions, "Just wonderin' if'n we might keep 'em." A beat, "Y'know... for proper study?"

Still standing, Rysen accepts one of the jars, and gazes down at the flower inside, studying its shape and what remains of its color. After a moment, he hands it to Rukhnis, a look of concern on his face as he continues to listen to Olivia.

Radhilde also takes the jar when it is handed over, her eyes studying the plant within as her head tilts most curiously. She studies it for some time before she passes it along and her gaze shifts over to Olivia once more.

"No." This is Reigna's answer to Jacali's question, her dark gaze holding steady on the woman seated there, her expression closed. "Until we understand more about any connection between this plant and the events in question, it would be unwise to allow the plant to be spread around the city." She looks to Olivia and asks, "Beyond being foreign, was there any additional information you would like to share with us?"

Rukhnis eyes the jar and its contents with distrust as it's passed over to her. After observing the flower narrowly, she looks up to Olivia again and asks,"Have you discovered just what the relation is between the flower and the strange soil in which it is growing? Did the flower cause the soil to be changed? Or was the soil placed there for the plants to grow where they otherwise could not? And which is the malign thing, the flower or the soil? Or both?"

Gilroy nods to Olivia and Reigna and finds himself a place to sit down, then reaches into his pocket, pulls out a hard candy on a stick and pops it into the corner of his mouth.

While the large man known as Ajax remains standing, he does eventualy shift closer to Gretchen and Gilroy, listening into what's shared with a furrowing of his thick brows.

Olivia nods, "Yes please do not open the jars, but I do not think them dangerous Lady Gretchen. I touched them and I am fine. I can also tell you that they have no... medicinal or toxilogical purposes." She shakes her head at Jacali, "These are my only samples. From what I can tell they are mostly decorative. Perhaps like a lingering herald of something that came? My main concern is the strange soil they grow in... or they turn the soil in to that. It is not clear. My prayers were answered and the ground at the vilage was... reverted... but... we burned the place down... so I can not know more at this time... without actually growing this plant, but that was not a decision I planed to make alone. Furthermore.... the lack of spiders I found concerning. It was not just they were gone, but all traces of them ever having been there were. As if they vacated weeks ago. I do not know much, but I feel like this is a sign that what ever death we faced is not endorsed by the Queen of Endings."

Jacali looks back to Reigna as she's held in that gaze, pale lips pursing before she heaves a sigh and passes the sample onward to someone else without breaking eye contact with the Master of Physicians. She then slouches in her seat, arms crossing huffily over her chest as she returns to watch and to listen to those speaking on matters most dire. Her brows crease as Olivia's words continue, and despite her selfish sorrows at not being able to better examine the thing herself, there is an interest there. "Whhooof, she aren't gunna be none too happy 'bout that..." She mutters more to herself than anyone else.

Oswyn does take a look at any plant speciments that come his way, turning the jars in his hands and holding them up. Then he passes them along, making his way along the edges of the group to come to a halt by Gilroy. Spying Ajax, he nods to the sellsword.

Gilroy looks around. "Me now?"

Rysen's frown deepens, and he crosses his arms beneath his black mantle. Turning to Rukhnis he says quietly, "Why Eresport of all places? Even if every structure has been burned, I would like to visit one more, at least. There must be some reason why they all returned to that location - why the flowers only appeared in that village."

Olivia curtseys to Gilroy and heads off the floor heading back to the room

"We arrived in the town of," Gilroy glances around, looking for a volunteer, "Tinytown," he supplies after a second, but that's PROBABLY made up, "to find most of the population clearly deceased. Many had blood on their mouths and arms, along with some minor defensive wounds and what looked like blood and skin under their fingernails. There were also a number of dead animals around. The assumption was made that they had attempted to eat the animals. We found a house that was locked up and realized that there were people hiding in there. They appeared to be bandits, not judging, and eventually they allowed us in. According to their story they came to Tinytown because they'd heard something unusual was happening. When they arrived they were attacked by the townsfolk. One of their number, a woman with the expected physicality of banditry, was laying on a table with a number of wounds that did not, at first blush, seem too bad. Per the bandits she had taken numerous scratches from the attacking citizenry. However on closer inspection the wounds were clearly infected, though the infection wasn't one familiar to me. She went in and out of a hallucinatory state. Eventually I decided, along with that of the person who had come in to protect me should things turn bad, that the best course of action was to quickly send her on her way to her next life with as much dignity as possible. This part is very important, so please listen closely." Gilroy pauses her to pluck the candy from the corner of his mouth and gesture with it. "This is a tale of tragedy and horror, the likes of which I am certain you will agree was quite unsettling. It was at this point, as we were putting the poor woman to her final rest, that we heard that Lady Olivia had fallen into a well. I did not get to see it. Needless to say, I was distraught." Gilroy sets his hand on his chest, closes his eyes and breathes in deeply. "As Lord Rysen attempted to free her from the well, she fell in again. Still, I missed seeing it happen. Heartbreak." He shakes his head and looks back to the others. "The sun set and then all the corpses of the townsfolk stood up and started charging us like angry, territorial wolves and we fled because none of us wanted to get eaten. We camped nearby and when we went back the next day we set to creating pyres. Among those who had risen was the woman I had seen euthanized. She had had her throat opened and said opening verified by two individuals well-versed in open throats, but there she was, among those who had risen when the sun fell. So I don't think this can be chalked up to anything explainable without referencing the supernatural. Also, as we were putting together the pyre," Gilroy pauses here, for a moment looking pensive, then pops his candy back into his mouth, "Lady Olivia fell into the well again, and this time I did get to see it, and it was as funny as you might imagine."

Kaia, the guard have been dismissed.

Krissa, the golden, long-haired cat have been dismissed.

Rukhnis shrugs one shoulder slightly at Rysen and replies quietly, "Perhaps it was meant to serve as a test, or a warning. Or simply to spread fear. Or perhaps all of these things. It is a spot close enough to be noticed by those in Arx if it is for warning or fear, or close enough to spread the plague of undeath here if it is a test that has met with success."

Olivia smirks from the back. "Yes master Gilroy it was sooo funny having a dead child grab my skirts."

"It's the simple things," replies Gilroy.


"Really?" Jac questions of Olivia, "... don't seem it would be."
Her attentions then shift back to Gilroy, settling back into her chair as she takes a moment to reflect on all that has been shared. "Were the animals tainted, then, or was they just eatin' 'em after they..." Her hand rolls in an airily dismissive gesture, "... y'know. I dunno how it spreads, me, aren't a scholar in that regard, I'm not."

Rukhnis snorts at Gilroy, sounding almost vaguely amused. Surely not really, though.

Rysen can't help but grin morbidly at Gilroy's narrative. "Two individuals well-versed in open throats," he repeats with a chuckle. "Gods, Gilory," he says under his breath, and runs a hand through his hair.

Reigna's eyes sweep the room, focusing specifically on those who were not there. This is clearly not news to her, but then, that is likely expected. Gilroy's addition of the tales of Olivia's woes does have her fighting a smile, but she does clear her throat and put on her serious face. "Was a tally taken of the dead prior to the burning?"

Oswyn squints at Gilroy as he speaks, glancing in Olivia's direction and squinting at her, too. Then he just sips his tea, brow furrowed, clearly troubled by the news.

Rysen nods to Reigna. "I can't recall the exact figures - but it was probably close twenty eight or so. I believe Lady Gretchen or Harlex may have a more accurate figure."

Rukhnis checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 26 higher.

Rukhnis clears her throat quietly and offers, "I believe there were thirty-two corpses in total scattered about the village, as well as the children in Lady Olivia's well. I do not believe we burned more than twenty-eight, the day that we returned."

Rukhnis checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Rukhnis's left eye twitches the least little bit as Olivia seems to be leaning in to say something to her, and her gaze acquires just the faintest dark smouldering look.

Rysen glances at Rukhnis. "Hmmm..." he says softly. "I'm almost certain we burned every corpse we found in the village; I even pulled a few that we'd not seen before from the houses. Are you suggesting some are unaccounted for?" he asks Rukhnis.

Reigna frowns and looks down at a parchment held in her hand, "That would track with the information I acquired from the Iron Guard. The population was last counted as thirty-seven individuals, though that count was over a year ago." Reigna is equally quiet as she looks around the room. "So at worst, we have up to nine unaccounted people. Or bodies."

"How..well traveled, was the village?" Ajax wonders outloud, his voice rumbling as his brown eyes shift between Rysen snd Regina, yet, despite his rough demeanor he seems to at least trying to be coming off polite.

Rukhnis looks to Rysen, spreading her hands in a small gesture of acceptance or uncertainty. "It did not seem we overlooked any that were there, though I suppose there is always the possibility. Perhaps there were some that pursued us which did not return to the village."

Oswyn reaches up to rub the back of his head. "Did you, um... clear out the well? Maybe some of them are down there?" He's wincing.

Olivia chimes in there was three in the well.. I got two of the children out of the well... I don't know what happened to the third that rode my skirts up."

Glancing over at Ajax, Rysen says, "the village had roads leading in and out, and it's surprisingly close to Arx. The Guard had been there before we arrived, and I assume they had sent word to those nearby to keep clear, but I'm not certain about that."

Shifting his view to Oswyn, Rysen says, "We gathered every body we could find, in all the places we could think of. If some escaped the pyre, it is likely they were not in the village, or were very well concealed. I made a few extra passes myself."

"They didn't travel far from the village," Gretchen adds, still toying with the pearls around her neck, "They returned there rather than following us. If we missed any they would still be there I'd bet."

Olivia hmms, "Or they got up and left since they did not have bait in the house any more. Or the looters lied to us."

Oswyn nods, squinting at each person in turn as they speak. His thumb idly traces a chip in the surface of his teacup.

"Only one way to find that out." Ajax's head bobs in a small nod, looking between Gretchen and Olivia, "Expect the worst, hope fer the best." his hand moving to rub the back of his neck before he seems to lose himself in thought.

Holding up a hand, Reigna says, "The first order of business is to see if we can locate the missing bodies. At least four, or as many as nine are out there. We also need to figure out... what is causing this." Reigna looks to Olivia, "Your commentary about the missing spiders strikes me as strange as well and definitely worth looking into." She looks to Rysen, "Lord Rysen, you said you burned down the village -- did you burn just the bodies, or the buildings as well? Perhaps a journey back to the village might provide context or clues?"

"Hope for the best," grouses Gilroy, "but fully expect that at some point Clan Shitstorm decided to raid the town and now the woods are filled with ambulatory corpse shavs."

"The bodies were place on pyres and burned. The village itself should still be largely intact, and I absolutely think a return to the village would be useful, Marquessa," replies Rysen to Reigna.

Olivia nods to Reigna, "I should also like to return to the village. I need to run further tests since my prayers... I have many questions."

Reigna nods to Rysen and takes a deep breath before looking to the others, "Then it is agreed. We will be sponsoring another expedition to the village of Eresport in efforts to investigate the potential causes of this occurrence and see if we can locate the missing bodies. I believe it would prove helpful if we invited a Harlequin along, or petition Father Aureth for someone to be sent who might be able to speak with greater authority on evidence of the Queen's displeasure."

Rysen frowns deeply when Olivia speaks of her desire to return, and nods in agreement with Reigna. "If some power exists in Arvum that can trample on the Queen's domain, we should be prepared for dangers greater than looters."

Oswyn's head bobs in a nod. "That sounds like a good idea. The Harlequin, I mean. Well, the, um, the rest of it, too. Of course." He clears his throat gently.

"It is worth noting," interjects Gilroy, "that the town is called Eresport because it's on a river. It is likely people stop by for trade, or it would be Eresville rather than Eresport. All it would take would be some merchant running into one of our missing nine, getting a scratch and running back on his boat thinking, shit, I gotta tell the Physicians in Arx about this, and the entire city is in danger. So we should probably figure out a way to put A permanent quarantine on the town."

"An excellent point, Healer Gilroy. I will send a message to Archduchess Regent Jaenelle Velenosa, as she is the minister of Infrastructure and the village is close enough to Arx that it falls under its purview. I will have a quarantine zone set up. If you are willing to return to the village, please let me know at your convenience. I would like to get the trip organized in the next week. Time is of the essence, after all." Reigna looks thoughtful as she looks from face to face, "Thank you all very much for your participation and information today. Before I close the meeting, are there any additional questions?"

Rysen nods in agreement with Gilroy. When Reigna asks about questions, Rysen shakes his head. His eyes shift toward Rukhnis, but he says nothing.

"I have no further questions which are likely to be answered before another expedition to the village is made," Rukhnis replies. "And while I do not know that I may be a great deal of use, I would be glad to offer whatever assistance I am able to whenever the next trip is made." She grimaces faintly. "I do not like unfinished business, particularly of such a dire kind as this."

Olivia shakes her head, "No questions Marquessa, but I hope room can be made for me."

Tilting his head to Gilroy, Ajax nods, "That's what has me worried, if there roaming or if they infected some merchant and then they hit the great road." he offers a bit quiety to the man.

Reigna nods to those assembled, and she asides to Rukhnis, "From all reports you were extremely helpful on the last expedition. I am profoundly glad to have your continued participation." She looks around the room and says, "Since there are no more questions, I call this meeting adjourned. My thanks again, to all of you."