"Gray Maidens? Sounds ominous," whispers Erik to the group. "Though I agree - at least they're finally taking the threat seriously. Would have been nice if they'd listen before, however, when we first warned them."
Erik stands at the back of the group, however, and speaks in a low murmur. The last thing he wants is for that Gray Maiden to hear him.
"Erm. Should somebody get Kroft's attention?" It's clear Erik would rather not be the one.
"It might be better to talk to Kroft in her office. We don't want to spread the panic more than it already has, and we also don't want to piss off the Marshal... too much."
With these words Gwen makes her way towards the Field Marshal's office.
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Within the field marshall's office are the doctors from the court yard. Most wearing the beaked plague masks, but one is just wearing normal clothes.
"Ah, you are here. Meet Dr Davaulus, the queen has sent for him to help with the current situation. I am afraid that we are going to quickly be back into a situation similar to the riots, where my guards are fully occupied with containment tasks, and I will need to call upon you for more specialised work. I hope that will be possible?"
Yeah, we're always at your call and the payment has been... adequate I suppose. We have a lot of theories about how this plague came about - we think it was due to an abandoned plague ship sent to run ashore. I say this may be planned - maybe a bit of warfare even. Want us to go down to this plague ship site and dig up more information? I'll bet thats where we have the highest concentration of sick AND it will be among the poor predominantly - they can't afford to get decent medicine
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"That may well be a sensible plan, but for now, I think I need your skills available. The Dr here has been tasked with rooting out the cause, and will no doubt make use of your information."
The Doctor nods enthusiastically, and says "Yes, yes, I'm sure I will be able to make use of that. I shall send some of my doctors down there right away, with some of your guardsmen I hope, field marshal. In the mean time, shall we begin to discus our plans?"
This last is obviously aimed at the field marshal too. She nods, and takes a seat, indicating that you should also do the same.
Borden takes a seat.
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As everyone takes a seat, Dr Davaulus takes the lead and begins discussions. The meeting is long, and hours pass slowly with much back and forth between the Dr and The Field Marshal.
Kroft is guarded in her interactions with the Dr, and obviously wary. The other doctors remain standing behind Davaulus not speaking, and moving only to produce documents that he requires.
The only things of real interest to you, other than a new found loathing of officiation and bureaucracy, are the public notices, .
In amongst the talk of potential numbers of the dead, and treatment, and containment the part that interests you the most is talk of quarantining blocks of the city and limiting movement through districts.
At the end of the meeting, Davaulus takes Ishani aside in order to discuss his help with the Church of Abadar, and the field marshal takes the time to ask a favour of you.
"I have been hearing rumours of a rogue trader that with this outbreak go from being a petty crime to potentially something dangerous. I need you to investigate.
"Vendra Loaggri, owns a small perfumery called Lavender. It has moved from perfume to dealing in some elixir. Now she claims it cures this new disease too, which would be amazing if it were true, but seems impossible so soon."
Lavender, one of the better-known and noted perfume boutiques in Korvosa, stands amid a row of tightly packed shops just off of Summoning Street.
Owned by an opportunistic Chelaxian woman named Vendra Loaggri, the perfumery has always had a reputation for avant garde creations and brazen promotions—infamous memories of the “Free Imp with Every Purchase” stunt still linger among residents of the Heights.
Lavender’s Luxuriant Liniment is the everyday elixir of the common Korvosan. It wakes you up in the morning and calms you down at night. It soothes aching joints, tired feet, sore hands, and throbbing heads. It takes the pain out of cuts, burns, bruises, and blemishes. It smells like chastity, confidence, and respectability, and tastes like honeyed dewdrops over snow clouds. Most miraculously, though, Lavender’s Luxuriant Liniment dispels blisters, minimizes swelling, calms the complexion, and erases all symptoms of the common blood veil complaint.
In addition to Lavender, Vendra Loaggri owns two apartments situated behind her shop. One serves as her personal residence. The other looks condemned from the outside—its door even being boarded over with dusty timbers—but in actuality it serves as the laboratory in which she creates Lavender’s Luxuriant Liniment.
Borden conveys the knowledge contained in the spoilers to the group.
Basil endeavors to have a sour expression on his face when Borden reveals what he knows of Vendra Loaggri.
"She sounds more like a snake-oil-salesman making a quick buck from the desperate and needy, rather than someone with a true cure," Basil mutters darkly.
If true, and I had my own way, I would like to see her exposed to the plague, and then see whether she was willing to trust in the effectiveness of her remedy, or runs screaming to the clerics...