A Cleansing Reign: A Walk Among Thorns has started at Outside Arx - Lyceum near The Roseward - Edge of the Roseward - Volkov Forest.

The group manages to hire Pyotr, a skilled scout has been hired to guide the group through the worst of the foliage, also making a makeshift system of waystones to make sure they aren't lost, going in.

But then, going further in, they realize something feels off. The tree barks seem odd, the soil doesn't rustle when they move... The scout seems fairly alarmed about this.

Inside the Volkov Woods there is a stretch of forest where everything seems off. From the rubbery feel of the soil underneath to the scales on the leaf of a shrub, everything seems wrong and twisted, just off somehow.

It takes several hours of walking by foot through heavy vegetation that one starts to get a good notion on why. Out there, in the center, is a tree. It is not like other trees, it is not even remotely natural. The trunk seems to expand and contract, like a lung, while a branch reaches for an unconscious but very much alive rabbit, a bright yellow bulbous bloom spreading its petals only to engulf the rabbit hole. With a squelch, blood leaks out of the petals as the flower opens again, only to discard a pile of bones on the soil. It looks more like a cocoa pod now that it wraps in on itself.

All of this with an indistinct buzzing in the background, one that is just low enough not to be caught by keen ears, without concentrating, but ever present, and bound to be noticed, sooner rather than later.

And the scout is nowhere to be found.

Brigida checked perception + survival at difficulty 35, rolling 25 lower.

Rane checked perception + survival at difficulty 35, rolling 17 lower.

Brigid checked perception + survival at difficulty 35, rolling 0 higher.

Roran checked perception + survival at difficulty 35, rolling 23 lower.

Thorn checked perception + survival at difficulty 35, rolling 0 higher.

Brigida grimaces as she makes her way with the party, looking incredibly sour faced indeed. Oswald trots alongside her, nod wishing to be far from the Archlector. "I hate this place so much already."

Thorn checked perception + alchemy at difficulty 20, rolling 20 higher.

The Keaton commander held the longsword in his hand, but kept it low and pointed to the ground. He kept close to those without weapons, shepherding them as much as they would allow themselves to be. The tip of his sword was used not to hack at the foliage, but to push it aside in an effort to make the journey easier for those in fabrics that were sure to get caught on brambles and thorns. "As do I, Archlector." That dark brow of his was almost perpetually knit as it swept through the woods, looking for another out of the ordi--no. Anything that actually seemed natural. That would be what was out of the norm in such a place as this.

"Is it like this at Acorn Hill?" Lora has finally wondered. No matter how often she comes into this part of the Volkov Wood it never seems to improve; it only gets worse. So, anyway, does her expression suggest, the color having slowly leeched out of her face until what's left is slightly ashy, though that might be a trick of the peculiar, gloomy overcast rendered by the tangled vegetation, her complexion not helped at all by the greenish light.

The marquessa has brought along a detail of soldiers from the Roseward; a handful of them are armed with crossbows, others with pikes, all with swords, as if no one really has any idea what to expect this time. They don't look any happier about being here either, and when one of them spots the flower-eating-rabbit show he pauses, stumbling over a root, and almost knocks over one of his companions.

Roran travels a lot. A solid pair of sandals on ones feet and a bag of supplies, will travel. The Archlector of Lagoma pairing up with everyone at some point during the journey, chatting and conversing as they go. "I am confidant, Blessed, that we ccan fix this situation. This wouldn't be my first time" No, no it's not. Nothings bringing this man down.

Thorn frowns, her nose twitching a little and holds up a hand. "Ummm... be very careful. I can smell it, there's a herb or something here, a quality to that plant that will put you to sleep or at least to stupor."

A body in full armor, it was a mixture of leather and mail dressed up in such a way as to allow ease of movement. Strapped across back was a longsword and in hand a barbed tipped polearm that was currently lowered as her feet moved soundlessly through the foliage with keen eyes looking about, " She's right. " Came softly, gaze narrowing and nostrils twitched, " I would also stay back from it as it could be the pollen and in some cases that is known to shoot out from certain species of plants." Glancing about at the others, " It also couldn't hurt to keep your movements as quiet as possible, voices low as I'm not sure what sensors trigger it." Thinking upon Acorn Hill and the fact something like this might be at it's core put a chill rippling down her spine but it would explain her missing men - wait, speaking of missing men, " Where is that scout you had hired?"

Though Katherine's choice in attire does not lend itself to hiking long distances on foot, she makes it to the heart of the woods with nary a scratch nor rash to complain about. At least her hair is tied up and her body is free of any adornment. The young woman hovers close to her cousin, Brigid, but does not dare disrupt her ease of movement. Well-known for pleasant, casual conversation, it is unusual that Katherine has assumed an air of reserved silence during this journey, speaking only when spoken to, or otherwise to react to some oddity or other -- of which there are plenty. She pauses in step when the rabbit is summarily consumed with one swift action. Instinctively, and honoring Thorn's caution, she moves away from any of the flora encroaching upon their position.

Oh yes, that scout.

Speaking of that scout, one might notice a branch of the tree suddenly but slowly face their direction, the leaves rustling after it does so. The scout, hidden behind a tree, seems to have something pulsating upon the back of his neck, like some wicked sort of leech. He stumbles forward, nearly smacking into the shoulder of a soldier, just as he starts to make his way to the tree.

Then the ground rumbles a little, as a few small creatures of indistinct shape start to unburrow, and they're crawling towards the group. Their color is similar to the thing upon the scout's head. Suddenly, the scout lurches forward, stumbles and lies down in the grass near the tree, even as the branch hangs low enough that a bloom nears the man, starts opening slowly...

It might be a good idea to flee. But to where?

Thorn checked wits + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 5 lower.

Roran checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 14 lower.

Brigida checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 18 lower.

Katherine checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 12 lower.

Brigid checked wits + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 9 lower.

Katherine checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 6 higher.

Roran checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 42 higher. Roran rolled a critical!

Lora checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 6 higher.

Thorn checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 8 higher.

Brigida checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 3 higher.

Brigid checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 4 higher.

Brigida checked command + intimidation at difficulty 15, rolling 43 higher. Brigida rolled a critical!

Lantern in hand, Roran's eyeballing those leech things something fierce, especially with unprotected toes. But he lifts the light a glance around. "Waystones." He turns it in that direction, keeping his voice low. "There, a trail, it's a little faded, but they seem to clear of them.... swiftly now. Lets not become... a second breakfast hmm?"

Thorn is quiet in her movements through the plants out of habbit rather than effort or choice. Her attention it would appear is more on the plants than what ever else is going on, her hand staying into her bag to pull free a small vial, apparently intent on taking some plant samples. It is because of this that she doesn't seem to notice the bugs immediately, trying to carefully manauver plant into vial without touching or breathing too much. Only when she straightens does she blink and notice the man down. "Oh, oh no that's not good."

Brigid checked composure at difficulty 10, rolling 14 higher.

This is far, far from good. In fact, "It's gotten worse," Lora finally decides. There might've been more to the sentiment, to her observation about what has become of the wood, but then she spots Pyotr, or what's become of Pyotr, and falters for a moment, drawing in a breath as he shambles toward them. "Can that maybe be burned off if him? Before it does anything worse?" Worse. Like what? More of those leech things coming out of the ground? One of the plants scooping down to eat him up? Roran's suggestion seems to be a good one. "Grab him," she directs her soldiers, "quickly. Then we need to go." Evidently she's ill-inclined to leave anyone behind.

Brigida mutters things under her breath about the filthy bugs and considers smushing some under her staff. Oswald the pig however seems unwilling to get closer than necessary to them. I pray we do not enccounter what I did at Highhill."

Thorn frowns and looks over Lora quickly to ensure she's not in a bad position before she moves to try and help poor Pyoty, "Salt, does anyone have salt perhaps?" She asks, pulling off her coat to wrap it around her hand before reaching for the man.

A deep breath vibrated and hummed through her, much like the plant life and disgusting lurking leeches that seemed to shoot out to subdue but calm was her persona as she waited to both see what the plants would do should Lora's soldier's near it's dinner and her body was poised to throw that wicked polearm should it be ready, " Did we come here today to merely take a look or is there a solution that needs to be tried?" Ears went to Thorn's suggestion but her attention was sighted on anything vicious.

Rane checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 17 lower.

Rane checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 7 higher.

Katherine checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 10 lower.

Katherine checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 11 higher.

Brigida checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 18 lower.

Brigida checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 5 higher.

Thorn checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 27 higher. Thorn rolled a critical!

Thorn checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 2 lower.

Katherine shoots a wary glance toward Brigid. "What horrors lurk upon our own lands, I wonder," she says breathlessly, taking a step in the direction of the waystones that Roran has so helpfully pointed out. She is there to support in any way, but not at the expense of all lives present, even her own!

Well, one of the soldiers does as Lora bids, followed by another. They don't move too far before they suddenly start to collapse near the tree, but the leech-like beings just crawl right past them.

Instead, a snake with bark for scales about the size of an anaconda drops down from a tree, opening a maw twenty sizes as big as its body as it swallows the soldiers whole. One of them wakes up, and fangs the size of a dagger sink down on him as he screams in pain, blood squirting out of the creature's mouth and staining the rubbery ground with blood.

Fleeing the scene to the faded trail leads to a safer place, however. A place where there is a mound in an elevated part of the forest, with blackened, but utterly harmless worms burrowing in and out of it.

Brigida begins a steady mantra of prayers to the Forest God, praying for at least a glimmer of his protection here upon the travellers.

Lora checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 5 higher.

That was not at ALL what Lora was expecting when she sent the soldiers to help their scout and she stands quite still for a few longish seconds as the enormous snake descends from the tree, as its mouth opens impossibly large. She's still staring when its fangs sink into the man, but that seems to shake her from it and she turns, gathering her skirts up so that she can flee up the trail along with everyone else at a slightly more hurried, harried pace.

Once in a far more safer - relatively- place, Roran turns to Brigida, putting his head close to the other Archlectors and talking quietly.

Rane's eyes went wide at the display and ensured that the others had fled before him, keeping that sword at bay and ready to follow once the running had commenced. "Well, I don't think this is /entirely/ like Acorn Hill.."

Thorn jumps back cause snakes falling. Her eyes widen a bit, "Ohhhhh I want one." She mutters before she catches herself and shakes her head backing up with the others.

Brigida slaps Roran's hand to get his attention, "Fire maybe. But for now while we are here in this horrendous place? We should pray. Join with me."

It was difficult for her to leave, hand tightening on the grip of her weapon as if she wanted nothing more than to cleave that creature in two. But then she realized that Lora was...in skirts?! That put her into gear and her voice, a rumbling admittance to her cousin, " No, this is not quite like Acorn Hill at all. But perhaps, the way the plants attack is a bit like it."

Brigida checked mana + theology at difficulty 45, rolling 51 higher. Brigida rolled a critical!

Roran checked mana + theology at difficulty 45, rolling 14 higher.

Thorn can pray. That's not too much to ask. She joins Brigida in a prayer to Petrichor for the sanctity of the land.

As Brigida and Roran pray, each member of the party feels a kind of peace; the soil beneath them looks normal, rather than odd and rubbery, for a moment, their lungs fill with pure air, and their skin feels utterly and completely warm to the touch, as if graced by the midday sun.

Of note is that the plants around them almost seemingly recoil from the group, as if their mere existence is repulsive to them, completely anathema. Whereas there was a buzzing in the background, after they fled the tree, now there is none.

Her words are quiet but rising in volume as she prays. A prayer for Sanctity, for Protection and above all praising the one who truly holds Dominion over this place.

"Petrichor! King Stag. Forest Lord. Hear me in this darkest of places. Cast your eyes to us and shield us from those who defile your lands."

Prayer does seem to be the order of the day, and while Lora may not be an archlector - or even a godsworn - she's not entirely without piety; she, too, will join the prayer, though it's more the kind that comes with wide-eyes and wary attention to the wood than it is with a bowed head.

"Blessed lady of change, brightest in my heart and mind." Rorans voice calls out in tandem with Brigida. "help us to guide the forest and it's people through the changes for the better or the worse that has been wrought upon it. Let them find the strength to endure what is put before them and emerge upon the other side, renewed in thier faith. Reward their devotion and their desire to embrace this change, offer them your blessings as you offer us yours and make their path more comfortable."

Thorn's leans down and presses her palm flat against the earth, almost petting before she smiles. "We'll take care of you," she whispers before she straightens.

Once prayers are murmured to their gods, Katherine's racing heartbeat begins to steady, her rapid breathing slows, and her anxiety recedes. The peaceful aura descends upon her, and she welcomes it like a blanket of warmth and comfort. Even she begins to offer up her own whispered prayers, eyes fluttering shut as she does so. However, it is an awkward thing, being that she's still so out of her element here in these corrupted woods.

With the blanket of safety they feel comfortably over them, there stands a challenge, still. That mound, with the worms. Well, the worms have since crawled away, somehow, buried deep beneath the soil where the blessings of the Gods can still reach, but not right now, not while the land is Blighted.

Still, that mound looks like a hurried burial, or perhaps the aftermath of a creature dumping the remains of their prey inside a ditch.

Lora checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 21 higher.

Brigida checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 10 higher.

Katherine checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 9 higher.

Thorn checked wits + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 14 higher.

Brigid checked wits + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 1 higher.

Rane checked wits + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 10 lower.

Roran checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 8 lower.

Taking up a stance just on the border of that safe haven, the tranquility that pulses through her settles like a shimmer on her skin and renews her spirit. Not relenting in her duty both to seek answers and protect those who can not protect themselves she represents Limerance in her resolve, foggy blues inspect the retreating overgrowth as it burrows back into alien woods. Glancing down to where the soil is soft, inspection grants her the sights of an appendage reaching out but she doesn't exactly make a move to go touch it - not with potential bun eating anacondas about.

The prayer helps, surely. It doesn't necessarily restore any of Lora's color but some of the greenish cast goes away, and maybe it helps that the pace slows a bit. It's when she catches sight of the mound that she draws to a halt again, mouth twisting a little as if she's possibly gotten a taste of the foulness that lingers in the air, suffusing it like bitter pollen. "I don't suppose anyone wants to volunteer to go see what that is," she puts forward this time, as an opportunity. A choice to go visit the mound, rather than something that will be ordered into the mouth of an unusually sized snake.

Lora checked charm + manipulation at difficulty 30, rolling 20 higher.

Katherine places her hand over her mouth to hold back the rising scream as that appendage has been so suddenly spotted. She takes a healthy step away from its grasping fingers, as though believing its assumed attached body may burst from the ground at any given moment. As she does so, her body knocks into something sturdy: Rane's armored backside, no doubt. For a brief moment, panic consumes her, but a glance backward in his direction confirms that no, he is not another source of murder. At least not to her. Perhaps to the grasping hand, though. Once she is sure that she has the Keaton soldier's attention, a finger is pointed down to the gross hand so that he can be aware of it.

"Sure, I'll do it," a soldier, an archer, tells Lora. But he grumbles something like 'this better be worth a raise', as he makes his way to the mound. And a Keaton's soldier likely goes there with Katherine's incentive, too, as they actually kneel down and, after a brief conversation, pry a journal from the dead man's hand. Further inspection by the Roseward soldier reveals what's under the mound.

A corpse, the skin bitten off, with remains of muscle and bone showing through. It looks recent, and he's wearing the robes usually worn by a traveling Godsworn Scholar of Vellichor. A holy symbol of his patron god is in his other hand, but the book, that book, has a quill dangling from it.

It might be interesting to take a read.

Brigida looks thoroughly unimpressed by the sighht, her face twisting in disgust as she scarcely misses a beat in her prayers to Petrichor, giving a reassuring mantra throughout.

The commander, too, felt that wash of serenity and warmth pass over his flesh. It caused him to relax in the best of ways. He shared a quick look with Brigid to see if she could find anything else that was out of sorts. And the muffled shriek, and the bump from Katherine, Rane looked back quickly and spotted that golden, wild-eyed lady and gave her a soft, reassuring look. He gave her a nod and turned back to follow along, and slightly in front, of the archer. He picked up the tome and gave it a quizzical look, but brought it back to Brigida and Roran. "Our deceased friend bore the symbol of Vellichor." Rane held out the journal to them for their inspection.

Brigida checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 47 higher.

Katherine checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 4 lower.

Lora checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 20 higher.

Thorn checked perception + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 8 higher.

Brigid checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 1 higher.

Rane checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 6 lower.

Roran checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 15 lower.

Thorn looks at the journal curiously, "First sundraw now...." She looks up and around, "Oh there it is." She points to a batch of the plant just over yonder near the mound and heads out there quickly while pulling more containers out of her satchel for samples.

"Poor man," Lora murmurs of the dead man. "Many have died here. Not just when the Thornweaver came with the swarm, but they continue to come, and they continue to die." For reasons that are now wholly and awfully obvious. She has a read through the journal and then passes it off, attention shifting to Thorn as she goes to begin cutting samples. "Sundraw?"

Brigida spots it clearly the Frosthope and she pauses in her prayers before she points at it. "That. We need to take as much of that as we can out of this place. Someone gather me some to take to the Lodge of Petrichor to help cultivate."

Roran continues to pray, words to Lagoma still spilling forth from his mouth, hands grasping the lantern.

Familiar, as she herself is very much in touch with the flora and fauna of her homelands, she watches as Thorn carefully tends to the batch, " Can you perhaps do anything to help bolster it? It looks like it's struggling to try and fight back against the blighted ground." Lips them fumble over the words that were read aloud, " If he was buried here, trying to find out where the buzzing is coming from which I can only guess at being an insect source that will probably prove just as disgusting as the leeches...what buried him? And better yet, Marquessa Lora, you mentioned something in the works that might be able to fight back this sort of invasion?"

Thorn is already on it, "I need some for my exorcisim kit too." She crouches down and starts to collect samples without destroying the whole mound. "I'll tell you about it later Marquessa, I need to find some to plant out here I think it will help." She looks over the remaining plant, inspecting the roots and then looking up to make sure sunlight and rainfall are not hindered where it is."

Once samples have been collected, one can likely tell that the sun has since shifted westward, the afternoon bathing them with a nice, healthy warmth. Nevertheless, if they follow the trail, they will find a worn out sign, indicating that a village known as 'Honeydew' is to the right of what must have been a fork in the road.

There's a slow nod from Lora toward Brigida. "I might recommend the new Lodge nearer the Roseward. It might cultivate best there, as the climate is closer here than it might be closer to Arx." She leaves digging the frosthope up to those better acclimated to plants, and frowns a tint, tiny bit. At Brigid's question, however, she nods. Slowly. "There's an alchemical formula useful for killing some of the vines that infest these places, but it requires the... well. The blood from the vines themselves to make. Before we go back we might want more samples of that as well." The question of what buried the man is harder to answer, so she makes no attempt.

Thorn smiles a little as she straightens, "That was part of my plan I was going to propose to you Marquessa, a lodge here. But I will try to grow some in the garden back in Arx as well." Oh more samples. She nods to Lora and goes to get some samples of the vine, taking care to put gloves on first.

At the order of Brigida, Rane was ever ready to begin the task given from one of the Faith. He sheathed his blade and started about the task of gathering plants as wholly as he could muster by digging up and around the roots.

Watching Rane and the others collect samples, attention shifted to the patch with the hopes that it would remain strong and it endeavored her to perhaps seek out more near Acorn Hill. A glance to Katherine, " Would you perhaps like to take a rooted sample or two? See if we can start it's growth in our temporary home." A glance towards the path and sign, " Shall we away to Honeydew?"

Brigida nods her head, "Send one to the Lodge near here to cultivate and prepare some for me to take back to Arx. I daresay Mistress Petal might be able to work some wonders with this plant."

'Do we have the time to bring him back with us as well?" A gesture to the mostly buried man, by Roran.

Katherine has already begun to collect what samples Rane is digging up from the ground, carefully holding them so as not to damage the roots further than is necessary. At Brigida's comment, Katherine turns and smiles graciously, though it is evident that her nerves are still rather rattled, the events of the afternoon taking their toll upon her body and emotions. "Yes, we'll grow as much as is possible, though we'll have to keep these samples alive just long enough to clear our own lands. Then we'll see what can be successfully cultivated." Those samples are handed off to those with the capability to keep them safe, though if she must, she will carry some for the remainder of the trip cradled carefully in her hands.

Lora tilts her head at Roran. "Of course we do." Another task for the soldiers she's brought, albeit a grim one. More than grim even, given the nature of the corpse they've need to retrieve, and the general lack of, erm, shovels. As for the plant, "With a bit of effort it might be more broadly cultivated. If it is, as the journal describes, so useful, it might be a boon to many."

The warmth in their skins seems a little diminished, as time passes, though the soldiers are able to carry the corpse with grim, resolute expressions.

Oh, and the buzzing. That buzzing commences once again, almost inaudible for now, just a bothersome distraction.

Thorn keeps alert as they head down the path, listening for the sound, any sign of it getting louder or closer.

Now that the digging was done, he had his blade pulled once more in his right hand while still carrying a pair of frosthopes in his right. Once again, he swept his gaze out through the foliage and flora, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Brigid checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 34 higher.

Brigid moves with a graceful sweep down the path, alert like a hound does she keep her senses tuned in as the buzzing picks back up, " Soldiers and fighters out, those who do not possess the skills stay towards the inside please as we move towards the town."

Katherine follows the group up the path, plant tucked close and cupped by her enclosing hands. The buzzing is there, like a fly at the ear, annoying and frustrating to endure. If she were a braver woman, she might allow herself to follow it wherever it may lead. But she is not, and instead does precisely what her cousin has bid her to do. She follows the lead of those with martial capability, towing the line, and keeping a keen eye out for any hint or sign of danger that may appear.

The buzzing is fair annoying, and the only way it seems Lora can think of to counter it is with some humming of her own. It's very soft, almost under her breath, the tune one that will probably be worse than the leeches for anyone who happens to be close enough to hear her. She stays comfortably in the middle of the group though, the Roseward soldiers fanning out along the outer edges of the group to watch the plantlife with profound suspicion as they follow whatever remains of the road.

The village itself was one of the first struck when the Thornweave came, with the Knights of the Swarm.

The houses, built mostly of wood, were ruptured in half by trees that still hang the belongings and the bones of the former inhabitants. The ground is littered with rusty steel weapons and armor, bits and pieces here and there that imply a detachment of soldiers was actually riding through the area and tried to defend it against an army.

Then, there's the grisliest thing of all in this ruined village: a pile of corpses, surrounded by trees, with vines wrapping around them. Transfixed atop this pile is a spear, the butt of the spear visible and bearing an inverted symbol of Petrichor's.

The buzzing has grown more intense, and the air here is cold.

Thorn stops and actually puts a hand on Lora's shoulder to stop her too, her eyes widening a bit. "Careful." As if that needs to be said.

"Should have brought Blessed Hamish." Is Roran's perhaps not so appropriate comment as they come to the center of the town and spots the grisly scene before them.

Thorn says, "We should burn it all.""

Brigida actually growls in anger at the sight before her. "I want that down. I want that broken. I want that gone. Now!" The Archlector's voice is deathly cold.

Brigid checked composure + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 20 higher.

This was a sight he was much more familiar with, having seen something so startlingly similar at Acorn Hill. He gave Katherine and Brigid a private look and once again sheathed his blade. Already was he worked and pulling corpses down, removing bodies from spears and other impaling implements.

Oh, Lora doesn't have to be told to be careful. She's seen this - or something like this - before but it really never gets any easier. There's no simplicity that allows for composed endurance of this. What there is, however, is sorrow. Adamant, profound. She inhales a shallow breath and almost gags on it, before her attention turns to Brigida, and then to Roran. "Will it burn?" she inquires.

Rane checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 18 higher.

Something tries to lash out at Rane, but he manages to step back just in time. Then, in a blur of motion, it disappears again.

Thorn jumps and her daggers are in her hands, looking around hyper alert, up and down to look for tracks near Rane or disturbed signs at the tree line.

Katherine enters the village and glances toward the poor souls who not only died to so horribly to defend it, but were so also so disgustingly used to taunt whomever might encounter them. "It will burn, but it also may grow back," she comments, and as if sensing some may inquire, she follows up with, "Brigid and I attempted to burn these same vines when we visited Acorn Hill, but it was a very temporary measure, and did nothing but relieve us of our pain."

Thorn checked perception + survival at difficulty 45, rolling 16 lower.

"Careful, Rane." It was that singular warning that she gave knowing he was quick enough to decipher it as she herself stepped forward towards the blasphemous spear where it protruded sickly from the collection of bodies intertwined with the vines and in a stand of trees. There is very little fear in the Dragoon, having seen the destruction of her own house in such a manner it did little to shake her. " I can toss it i- " The movement catches her eye as Rane dodges, " It might be enough to remove that decrepit symbol."

'what did you do there? At the last instance of this happening? When you initially burned it." Roran inquires.

Thorn shakes her head and frowns deeply. "How did you get rid of it then?"

"I don't think you can get rid of them," Lora murmurs, though it is not especially without hope; she looks up and up some more, toward the sky, and then turns her attention back toward Brigida again. "Perhaps you would pray to Petrichor for us. For the land, here. This was fertile farming land once upon a time, judging from the name. Maybe it hasn't wholly forgotten what it should be."

Katherine frowns to both Roran and Thorn. "We buried our dead with the time that we had to do so, but everything grew back immediately after we left. Our home is as yet unclaimed by the vines. We're here," she says, nodding her head to the baroness, "because we have not yet rid our lands of this infection. We hope to find an answer, a solution, and to help House Di Fidante reclaim their own in the process." Eyes shift, and a wan smile is shared with Lora.

Brigida gets a small bouquet of snowdrops from a leather satchel of Petrichor's offerings.

Brigida checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 2 lower.

Thorn thinks on Katherine's words though trying to focus is difficult given how much her mind is screaming at her to get the hell out of their. Grey eyes scan the town's ruins. "Did you try performing the primium cleaning ritual there Baroness?"

" Burnings are a healthy way to keep the forest from becoming too wild and overgrown, it can cause fields to also be resown when the soil is mixed with the ash. " A tilt of her head as she stands near the bodies and the spear waiting to remove it, checking for any movement, " It could help to do so along with this prayer."

Brigida checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 3 higher.

Lora checked mana at difficulty 5, rolling 30 higher.

Thorn checked mana at difficulty 5, rolling 15 higher.

Katherine checked luck at difficulty 5, rolling 1 higher.

Brigid glances towards Thorn briefly, " No, we did not. "

With the bodies now off the spear and laid in a neat line, he pulled at the weapon plunged into the earth and managed to get it to budge, but only slightly. With Brigid's arrival, he motioned her over with a shift of his head. "Give me a hand with this, hmm?" He waited until she was with him and together, the tugged at the spear and managed to pull it from the ground.

Thorn gahs loudly and puts a hand to her head. "Ouch. Fuck. I think you may want to try that. Or I could try preforming an exorcism." She grimices and squeezes her eyes shut. "Can any one else feel that?"

Brigid checked strength + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 18 higher.

Rane checked strength + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 17 higher. Rane rolled a critical!

Roran takes Master of Questions figurine autographed 'LG' from Backpack with mats in it.

The soldiers that accompanied this expedition are probably not thrilled about being on permanent corpse detail but they move to move bodies. It's fair grim work. All of it. Lora meantime joins in the prayers again, soft alto voice underpinning the lot until the end when she winces, visibly, a hand coming up to her temple in a gesture not unlike Thorn's. "Yes," she answers. "This is the deeper problem. -Why- it is still a problem, so long after the source moved on."

Katherine joins in the prayers, though her eyes shift around the space with watchful curiosity. She hopes to see some physical change in the area as the ritual commences.

Roran checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 7 higher.

Roran checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 14 higher.

Roran checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 9 lower.

Thorn checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 30 higher.

Lora checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 2 higher.

Brigida checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 11 higher.

Brigida checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 24 higher.

Roran checked luck at difficulty 10, rolling 7 higher. Roran rolled a critical!

A glance to Rane as they both are overcome with a feeling of calm, a brief spout of sunshine was this effect and it caused the rare curve of a smile as that abused symbol being broken seems to shift something immaterial. " Burn the bodies here and don't waste time offering them to the earth." Was her suggestion, waiting to see what the prayers might hold given their removal. Taking a step back does she glance towards the others, keeping an alert stance as her feet find solace with the ground and that otherwordly grace seems to find root in every fiber of her being. On her lips does she begin to pray, it is a thing she used to hear in her sleep and it might sound like gibberish to others.

Lora checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 1 higher.

Thorn checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 4 lower.

Thorn checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 3 higher.

Lora checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 9 lower.

Brigid checked mana + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 26 lower.

Lora's eyes are bloodshot and she cries a single tear of blood. She also feels a little sick to the stomach, but it passes. 5 inflicted and Lora is harmed for minor damage.

Brigid bleeds out from her ears and she feels the urge to vomit. When she does, it's black blood. 20 inflicted and Brigid is harmed for moderate damage.

With those around him beginning a ritual of prayer and supplication, Rane once more when about the dirty, dark task--despite that brief sensation of levity and cheer at the breaking of the spear--of tending to the corpses and piles of disarray.

Thorn tries to focus past the pain on the ritual, on calling on Petrichor to cleans the Earth and purify the land here, trying to sort of motify the callings she knows to suit the situation.

Thorn feels a moment of headache, and some blood trickles from a nostril. 3 inflicted and Thorn is harmed for minor damage.

Roran prays. Silk robes a littel road weary, but as the bodies are removed from the piple and people attempt to deal with that spear, Roran moves around the immediate area, the flame of Lagoma kept close in his hand as words spill in a torrent from his lips, never stopping, calling on Lagoma to assist those here in this changed for the worse place, that the transition it will go through shall find ease, and protect those who urge this change for the better.

Brigida checked mana + theology at difficulty 40, rolling 29 higher.

Brigida does not move. At all. She plants herself rigidly in front of the herectical display and prays loudly, both hands on her staff, gripped tightly.

Brigid checked willpower + occult at difficulty 40, rolling 8 lower.

Slickly does the black blood rise and slip over her tongue with the tang of oil, it halts her momentarily as her head swims with the trickle that slithers from ears down pale neck. As her retching calms the Baroness of Acorn Hill takes a breath, eyes close for a moment to gather was resolve she can but lips continue on in their silent movement.

As the ritual to purify Honeydew begins, the buzzing grows more intense, and one can actually spot terrifying, horribly mutated Cicadas staring out with bright red glowing eyes at them from the perch of many trees. They seem somehow stuck, however, by some kind of higher force, even as Rane and Brigid remove the spear, causing a brief moment of peace amidst the unease.

The sun is setting in the horizon, but the ritual grows strong; the lamp with the eternal flame sways as the wind blows, before it is forcibly removed from Roran's hand by an unseen force. It smacks onto a tree as the fire trepidates and finally consumes the entire tree, the cicadas on it trying to fly out but somehow unable to, even as fire burns and consumes their bodies, leaving only ash. A single cicada flies out as it does and lands atop the corpse pile with the vines, catching fire, burning them in a pyre that crackles and illuminates the entire fallen village.

Roran's prayers falter in a moment as the flame starts to die out, but Brigida's prayers seem to take the lead even as rain starts to fall, the soil beneath them hissing as if dissolved by acid, the smell of petrichor so intense and undeniable that it seems as if a filth on the floor starts to fade away, the air itself easier to breathe, even as Lora sings her rituals, as Thorn tries to abjurate the Abyss, as the figurine of Laric Grayson catches fire in ritual sacrifice, only to dissolve entirely and finally a ring of fire appears around the village, burning down several of the trees before dying down, all at once.

Fire and rain are anathema to each other but not here, both purify, both dissolve the darkness around them and as Abyss-tainted insects and plants start to dissolve and burn away, there is a flash of green in the surroundings, before they are wreathed in darkness once again.

Helpfully, a soldier has come with a torch and another brought a lamp. Their way to the Roseward is clearer now than it was before, almost as if an unseen hand was guiding them out.

Their work is not yet over, but they have made important discoveries. Now, to Acorn Hill. What secrets does it hold?

Roran checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 6 lower.

Thorn drops down to her knees and literally kisses the earth with a sound that's half crying half laughter. "Thank you."