Orchid Marigold and Her Home

After weeks of travel from Volaire to the border of Tuatha, Otani and Poppy think better of trying to get through and turn direction, heading for Granny Orchid's. 

When they arrive at the little hidden village in the woods, there is a quiet over the small village. The usually peaceful village nestled into and a part of the woods, is quiet. Not peacefully so. But eerily so. The houses, usually wrapped in flowering vines and covered in green moss, are a sick brown color instead with withered flowers on the vines and dead moss on the roofs. The village wasn't a bustling place before but now it seemed deserted. No one wandering around and chatting with their neighbors. No smell of baked goods wafting through the air. 

Just quiet... And dead.

At the top of a small mound, separate but close to the village, sits Orchid's small home. The garden around it is withered and sickly. Any plant they attempt to touch, crumbles between their fingertips. The windows of the home are open, though there is barely a breeze blowing through the village. Poppy would recognize the smell of medicinal concoctions and alchemical solutions but something wasn't quite right there either. The smell was... Almost rotten.

"Who's out there?! EY!? State your business!"

The voice is gruff and familiar. Clearly, Orchid Marigold. 

The door to the home bursts open and a small red panda leaps out into the open brandishing a broom. She swings it side to side and roars.

"I ain't got nothin' for you! I-" The red panda freezes and leans forward, adjusting her glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. "All be. Is that-! Poppy!"

 

Poppy’s sad eyes seeing all the dead plants and worry over the silent village immediately melt into a large smile as bounds forward. “Grammy! It’s so good to see you!” She catches her in a warm, explosive, very fluffy hug before releasing and stepping back. “Grammy, you remember Otani.” She motions up to him. 

Otani nods once down at the small woman, standing only chest height on poppy due to her hunched form granted to her as reward for decades of making potions. “Hello small doctor.” His eyes scan around the village. “What happened? Last time this place was a bit more…” he thinks a moment, then turns his attention back to Orchid. “…well, welcoming.”

Poppy’s worry returns a moment as she looks to Orchid. She carefully reaches down and grabs a few half-dead withering ingredient flowers from the ground. Sniffing them carefully (herbal lore). “Grammy, we came for a few days of sleep and some extra herbs, but all the plants are dying. Where are all the people?”