#elsewhere

"Oh, naughty."

She gently boops its nose. "Mayhaps I shall teach thee tricks."

The creature is startled. It has failed before. It has been hunted. It has been attacked. Some have run from it. But Booping? It has never had a boopped snoot!

(Charisma plus Animal Ken or Kenning)

/roll 7 (kenning)

Yup. It is stunned, and falls back on it's little haunches. The large eyes up look up again, but this time in mild confusion.

1122 taps "We could use its eyes for a stew?"

"It lives here. No need to hurt it."

Still hungry, it starts up the eyes again, but Zara is ready and can boop again before it does if she wishes.

Boop! "Later." There is tunnel to explore!

And it sets down again quite confused but slightly affectionate to the strange girl. Earl could share stories with it!

Off she goes, moving along. This does not feel like a trod so will not likely go into the dreaming proper, and yet, it must be close otherwise how would it hold up with a river overhead?

Magic, of course.

Still, it is different, and she notices signs of life in the tunnel, nothing quite fully sentient or sapient. There are odd mushrooms growing out of cracks, some of which glow very faintly not that she needs such. There's lichen, including some LICHen, which is lichen that has put its soul elsewhere to keep it safe.

The River - her River - is not far from Earth Runes proper, and the magic of the Hold is bright.

And she realizes that's where this is heading, towards the hold! She has a Secret Tunnel all the way up to Coradel's hold? Of course it's not needed, but what's that got to do with anything. SHE has a secret tunnel where she should not! The forbidden made fact.

And that is when the very queen observation, the woman who prides herself on sluagh senses, falls into a pit!

If she had a voice, she would squawk. Instead, it's a rather surprised huff.

She has plopped into a chair, and is at some table. A Rabbit Pooka with Twitchy whiskers and one eye constantly twitching even more gapes at her. He's in victorian garb, as is the Boggan with the oversized hat. Wait, is that a dormouse?

"Oh bother."

If she looks down at her own voile, she sees it has changed. Dear lord, would any decent sluagh be caught in the Alice outfit?

"At last, our savior has arrived," The Mad Hatter grins, "Welcome to Wonderland, Namer! Did you think the title let you skip certain duties?"

"Call of Duty, Namer Edition" The March Hare looks about.

"....Excuse me?"

"Truly, I believe you are mistaken good gentles. I have no duty here. I would take my leave now."

"You can't take leaves, it's summer not autumn! " The Hare is stunned. The Hatter tuts, "easy friend, easy. Look, your tunnel bumped against OUR section of dreams... so you are bound by the laws of Wonderland"

A smile appears nearby "The hatter is lying."

Zara purses her lips. Alice, at least, was actually a very sensible girl.

She looks around, trying to spot cakes, or a "Drink Me" vial.

She does find some eat me drink me options. Rules of Wonderland after all.

Cakes and drinks. Oh, and some truly amazing teas.

She quietly pockets the vial and a cake - useful to have.

(Dex plus Larceny or stealth)

/roll 8 explode

And easily stolen. Perhaps even the Cheshire didn't know.

"No I'm not," the Hatter lies, "She's totally bound by the laws of Wonderland and must use her naming powers to save us all and defeat a force we don't like. That's democracy"

Zara does not FEEL a geasa, compulsion, or oath of any sort.

"Tt."

"Yes,, two teas," The Hare nods, "Tea for two, and Tues for Tea... but about that enemy?"

"Oh yes, the Enemy," The boggan with the big hat says "Someone has changed the name of the Queen of Hearts and she's worse than ever!"

"They want you to change it back," The smile is now a cat head.

"I have no duty for this. Indeed, to change a Name is a serious thing. To kidnap a Namer... well, surely, none of you are that foolish."

"If you wish to hire me, well."

A long look, unblinking, with a single arched brow.

The dormouse has hidden instead a cup at the mention of kidnapping charges.

"KIDNAPPING? We never nap kids" The Hare assures. Three young goats escape from under the table and the March Hare shrugs.

The Mad Hatter cheerily says "We'll pay you in exposure! Pictures or Radiation?"

"No."