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.

I w...would object
. Says Galen.
No off..offense but how do we even now this... this gentle... gentlefae is the creator of such barrier?
As he says that Galen picks a Hex stone from his backpack.
Not to m...mention the fact that I have the means of dispelling this barrier myself. So perhaps we may negotiate different terms. Terms more favourable to our party, as the balance of power has su..suddenly shifted.

"is that a hex-stone?" squeaks the pixie. "oh, how clever! Do you know how to recharge it?"

Galen toys with the ston in his hands, looking at its shiny surface.
Enlighten me.

"I'm glad to tell you, if you'll agree to help with a simple thing I need … you'll profit from helping me, beyond this knowledge!"

"thank you!" The pixie emits a piercing shriek, barely audible, that makes your ears hurt. The shimmering barrier vanishes.

"you may recharge a hex stone by immersing it in running water under ice, until the ice thaws. the water washes out the spell from the stone."

Fey flutters around as fey talks. "my liege wants an old sword that's hidden … well, not hidden, we know where it is … but it's in a part of the Wood that my liege and folk don't go. also the sword is too heavy for me to carry. if i lead you there, can you get it and then bring it to my liege? it is with other treasure too, and you could take that."

"we just don't go to that part of the Wood, is all."

"also, i can't carry a sword."

Galen pushes the Hex stone against the invisible barrier, until its shimmer fades away completely. Then he suddenly turns around, as if forgettign something.
Galen thanks the pixie with a bow.
I agree with uh... Bran he says without indulging too much into eye contact. Never been much his thing, anyways.
Just a brief visit to Aja, and then we will devote ourselves to the ta.. task of helping our...
And then he scratches his head. My lady, c..could we have your name? I think it is pro...proper behaviour, to introduce ourselves.

"names for name, sir," the pixie says. "as good faith, my name is Oliloila."

"but what if you were to wander off after a will o wisp, and all your friends had my name still? that would be no fair trade," says the pixie.

Greetings Oliloila, my name is Galen
Then, pointing to the path: Shall we?
Yeah sorry for the mess... was it glass-like? That's how I imagined it. But if it's invisible it can't shimmer, can it? Whatever, you got my meaning :D

You follow the path toward Aja's cottage with the pixie buzzing along beside you. "And you go by the withered oak tree," fey says, "over the top of the triple hill, along the path of white stones. The white stones really are the key thing, you can follow those. Just into the darker part of the Wood and you'll find the door of the vault, beneath a heavy-looking hill. You'll know it by sight."

Aja is sitting on a bench outside the cottage, smoking a pipe. He seems oblivious to the fact that he was briefly imprisoned by a shimmering bubble. Do you clue him in?

"Aja!" says Aja. "For sure am I. And you? How is you? Would like some tea?" He looks at the pixie, squints. "Hello little folk."

The pixie squeals:"Hi!"

"Aja," says Aja, "think I that the sword might be an ancient weapon of the fey king's lineage. Sure that one who brings it to the liege's court will win renown. The darker part of the Wood is well known for trolls and dragons, so be cautious. Not with you I won't go … sure?"

"Dragons and trolls, eh?" To his credit, Lucius seemed to regard that warning seriously, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of grass. "What do you suggest we prepare?"

"Aja," says the goatkin man, "think I you need some dragonbane. Folk say it ward away the fire lizards, they despise the pleasant scent." He shrugs. "The trolls, don't I know what can you do about them."