#anywhere

And into the lodge the Houseless knight goes

A curt nod, and Dagmar diverts to the footbridge.

Kerri follows right behind her, smiling, and saying, "Will you care for another coffee, Sir?"

"No." The door closes behind her.

Kerri, having had the door closed in her face, opens it and follows.

And Dagmar goes to inform the Farmhold

*****************

"I guess so close to the lodge I can risk a portal passage or two but.." Earl nods at Zara's skill

"But.... let's try something else first?"

Zara fishes out her lockpicks.

"I'll keep a look out" He glances about 'standing guard' while she works

Like making lace, this is an operation requiring delicacy and a light hand...

Wait, what's this? There's something on the otherside of this lock. She can open it, but she'll have to move fast or something on the other side will drop to the floor.

Eyebrow. That's not standard.. but she'll adapt.

It is not standard. Does she unlock and try to grab /intercept whatever will fall? Or look for another way?

What is her sense of the "something"?

She listens carefully and... wait, is that a bag of Marbles that will open if it hits the floor?

Yup. Catch it.

And catch it she does, a click, fingers flick, and the door opens a crack and her hands dart forward and catch a net bag of marbles. One of them is a BIG Glassy with a ship inside it

Huff. Siv.

Earl looks just a bit amused. And whispers "She knows you makiing noise would ire you jjjjust a bit" Then he sobers "And shame on her"

"Feh!"

And.. in they go?

And in thhey go

Zara has been here before, and every little has changed. There appears to be no security guard posted. The cameras are off. It is dark save for bits of light through the windows. Zara's eyes see perfectly well.

But it's big enough that the prize or clue or challenge could be anywhere in here.

"Where to?" Earl whispers

"Mm.."

A sniff - smell of Siv?

mmm to the left

That-a-way

She smells something else odd too...something magical.. not Bronte... more potent. Dragon?

"If Siv gets me arrested mundanely, I swear..."

Feh"

Then he blushes

And they move towards the scents as Zara finds... a chess board

Eyebrow.

"Nocturnus?"

And a note on itYour memory will now be tested, you must lose to win. But you can't lose like yourself dear Zara, you must lose like him. Your victory you must recreate, from the losing side. Of Pennons battle contemplate, move the pieces night dragon side

It is chimerical, this note, this chess board...

but the message is clear "She can't expect you to remember Nocturnus gambit in the game?"

"That is exactly what she expects."

"Siv wasn't even existent when that happened."

"Then how did she... " He looks intrigued "Did she talk to a dragon just to learn about the match?"

"I don't even know how, he rarely leaves the deep dreaming..."

"Still, it was one of your most amazing moments. Pennons champion against a dragon" He looks at Zara proudly

"Aye..."

"Would you like to play a game?" he asks

"That is what she is asking, but it was four years ago."

"It can't be the same board ,can it?" He looks it over.