Feymark game

You've been looking forward to lunch with Aja. As the four of you hustle along the narrow trail toward his cottage, you're eager to see him.

Then you come to a shimmering translucent wall that blocks the trail. You can see the cottage a hundred yards ahead. But the wall blocks your progress.

Bran and Hazel observe that insects avoid the wall and leaves and branches, blown by wind, appear to bounce from it. It's hard to tell how high or wide it is, as it fades to invisibility at angles other than straight-on.

Galen approaches the shimmering wall timidly.
"wh..what is this?" he asks to no one in particular.
Very slowly and carefully, he stands close to the wall, merely inches away from it. He smells it, looks at it, tries to sense it. Then, he unsheathes his dagger and prods the wall very gently.

The dagger point slides sideways on the shimmering barrier. A barely perceptible squeaking noise as it does so.

The barrier continues, curving slightly to the right, well off the trail. After at least twenty yards of difficult going in the underbrush and mud, you have a vague sense that the barrier might entirely surround Aja's cottage. Do you continue?

Lucius ponders. He has never heard of a spell that can simply dispel other spells. But maybe a spell of opening could breach the barrier. Or … there is some kind of a fairy stone that can swallow a spell. What's that called? He can't recall.

"three," says a charming voice nearby, "i want to hold him hostage for your assistance."

Looking around, you see a pixie hovering well out of your reach, feir diaphanous wings are a faintly-audible blur. Feir face is small enough to be unreadable at this distance.

The pixie giggles, like a tinkle of silver bells. Glittering dust puffs around fem as fey do.

"If you'll promise to help me I'm glad to remove the ward," fey say.

"Promise!" the pixie insists with what you can only characterize as a pouty tone.