#anywhere

Out of the dreaming, and heading towards the Ducal hold, it's a bit open for Araignee's tastes, that great sculpture in the park

"Let's get the lay of the lannd, so to speak"

Zara nods.

And the lay out is.. rigid. A sidhe woman in armor patrols in circles, with a fae hound, lookin like a dog walker to any mortals, but clearly on a patrol in circles about the hold entry. There is a troll thane on a park bench, but actually scanning the area

"They are still very much on alert."

"Yes.." Magnus frowns "And the patroling knight is a Gwydion. I've met her. I have a way in... never used it this way before but it seems to work"

He approaches her "Dame Orya," He bows

Zara follows, a meek, forgettable shadow.

"Sir Magnus? " She says surprised, the dog sniffs guardedly "This is not a good time for an emissary from any barony, we have a situation , the hold is closed off from diplomatic business"

Zara smells of dead things!

The dog snurfles

"Ah, a pity... I was hoping to show off pictures of my daughter..." He pulls out some hard copy photos "Take a look"

"Oh how lovely, you use an old style camera? That's wonderrful..." She takes them and gushes. Now distracted

A good scritchy for the good girl, before Zara slips inside.

And Zara is in... she doesn't know this hold as well, with it's surreal latices and levels

Her friends are sent out to explore, while she skirts along a hallway - her nose in a book! She isn't reading, but she appears to be.

Taps soon come in frantically Help. One sister says //A compulsion says the other

Zara redirects to find her friends.

They are gathering in an orderly march, amid several dustbunnies, and other random chimera... a small sidhe childling girl guiding them with a wand "Chimericus gatherus"

"Sorry guys, we got rules..." the sidhe girl says

Zara scoops up her ladies.

"Hello?" the ggirl turns looking ..

but does Zara hide and risk missing a sister?

"Hello." Placidly collecting them.

"Oh, hello." the girl approaches "Begging your pardon, but I'm under orders to put ALL the loose chimera into the same room. It's an IMPORTANT Job"

"They are not loose. They are mine."

"Oh.. hmm this is a quandry. I am Baroness Echo.. uhm.. are you new to the hold?"

Zara nods. "I shall make sure my ladies do not cause any trouble."

"Well, okay, I don't want ANY Chimera hurt. They're dreams too" She says

Zara smiles. "Aye. They are very special."

"Yes, now the rest of you keep going intto the big safe room NNOOO eating each other" Echo fusses at them

And they obey, but the spiders are now released, Echo looks over at Zara "Bad things have happened. You miht want to find a safe room for yourself"

"Big safe room? Is something happening? I am a good hider..."

"There was a terrible murder" Echo says "I'm nnot supposta talk about it to strangers"

Big eyes!

"Death is an abomination!"

"It IS" Echo says "It's like the worstest thing EVER"

"But why are we hiding? Is the.. is the murderer loose?"

"No, she's far away.." A frown "MAYBE... but something feels wrong. There's too many mysteries"

"Oh?"

"You need an Eiluned, they are some of the best at solving mysteries."

"I am an Eiluned" the girl twitches a bit and whispers "i's making me CRAZY. Why would Gilly poison the namer here in the hold ? She could have given him a drink anywhere"

"Oh, that is very odd."

"Annd why.. " Echo paces "was there a hole to the room?" She points in the direction of the tower

"Why make a hole AND poison? Aye."

"...And how did a satyr make a hole?"

"Maybe a magic treasure? The namer had a lot of them... but only he, Gilly, the lady Leanhaun and his apprenntice would have acess normally "

"Maybe his apprentice would know the treasures, then?"

"Which one would make a hole, at least..."

"His apprentice is sequestered in his room. He's really upset, he was ready to become an official namer, really close to retiring but nnow he feels bad ad to top it off, the book he was supposed to get was lost"