Grave Flowers - An Interesting Little Blue Flower

Grave Flowers - An Interesting Little Blue Flower, an unofficial study written by Risa Tuulo'duin 2/09/630

[Published by the IPCS on the 26th of Fellnight on the year 631]

## Discovery

Small little blue flowers have been dotting up next to homes, in farmlands, and all along the countryside. The invasive plant has no real tracable origin other than perhaps the speculation that is from "outside of this realm".

These flowers, if rustled or smelled, give off a sweet but deadly odor. So aptly named Grave Flowers, these seemingly harmless plants hosue the ability to make those that handle them fall into a deep sleep akin to that of death.

When they first began to bloom against Ardeas great stone walls, I ignored them, thinking they were yet another delicate flower with a late blooming season. However, a lat evning walk along Harths icy roads told me something different.

I inspected the flowers, realizing I had never quite seen them before. I had noted their small clusters of shaggy looking petals, along with their unique bright blue colour. Though, while I stood hovering nearby a patch of them that had blooned someones windowsill, I found myself becoming quite groggy. It was a tiredness I had never quite felt before. My mind was awake, as was my body, and I knew this feeling wasn't from a simple walk. I quickly came to the realizaiton that this weed had a poison to its pollen, and I needed to expel it from my system as quickly as I could.

## Research

After cleaning myself from the sweet but deadly flower, I decided that it may be wise to research this seemingly new species so I may figure out how to get rid of them. I searched through endless books on Aetherals flora until I found a short but buried warning about them from the Council. It warned not to interact with these flowers, for they cause you to fall asleep on contact. I quickly found other small warnings, most of which exaggerating the flowers affects, claiming that if one stayed in too-close proximity of them for a long enough period, they may experience the "Ba Kaima" (Dead Sleep or Sleep of the Dead) in which nothing wakes the victim despite their still being alive.

I continued my research further by asking some of my more experienced colleagues, but, alas,
they too were at a loss. One recommended that I handle them with gloves and informed me that when dried of powdered, the flower's effects become lessened.

So I donned my equipment -- a heavy wool mask that covered my face and nose, goggles, think leather gloves, and a sturdy wooden pole for uprooting them -- and began my work of clearing them from the many nooks and crannies of Aetheral.

## A Sort of Conclusion

It appears that every part of the flower causes the grogginess effect to different degrees, with an especially concentrated poison within their petals, which leaks out in the form of clear sap when the flower is damaged. It has been said that this poison is concentrated enough that, even with a delicate handling, those that pick them may still experience exhaustion. It has sbeen mentioned that throush mashing and condedsing the sap, these petals may even be used as a deadly poison that can be snuck into food or drink, giving some validity to this claim of Ba Kaima.

When dried, the flowers do have a lessened effect, and even more so when powdered, though, I do not recommend breathing in or ingesting said powder without diluting it first, for it may not be as deadly as the liquid condensed form, it will still cause immense sleepiness that can prove weakening through increased exposure.

These flowers even have an effect on animals, which I have been doing most of my study around.
Animals will not eat or interact with them, but when the flower are tested on caputred rabbits, the effects are similar to that in people, though to a lesser intensity. It's unknown at this time if certain animals have any resistances to it, however, Humans, and possibly Dwarves, tend to have less adverse effects.

With proper safety precautions: gloves, masks, goggles, and a digging tool, these flowers can be handled without a problem, though it is always wise to be wary of these things, especially while going on a walk through town or hunting in the woods. These Grave Flowers are taking over Aetheral's fields and forests rapidly, and their origin, growth patterns and requirements, as well as the full extent of their poison still remains unknown.

If you, reader, have any information regarding these flowers, do not be afraid to reach out to me. I am willing enough to pay for it, as well as any help in their (careful) removal.