Under Darkness [AU]

[Tethras Clan]

Varric begins to look around for alternate entry points, hidden keys or levers, that sort of thing. Wynne takes a few moments to check her bond with Rhys- thankfully intact- while Aveline and Silence fan out to guard the group.

Zevran, on the other hand, simply walks up to the gate and knocks on it. "Hawke? Mind if we pop in?" he calls into the garden.

[GamesMaster]

A snow-white ermine comes bounding out from under a hedge; it rushes up to the gate, using one paw to steady itself as it lifts its little nose and sniffs at Zevran. Interesting reaction.

[Tethras Clan]

"Why hello, mon amie," the merikos drow says with a grin. He kneels and slowly pokes a finger though the gate to allow the ermine better access to him. "I had no idea that mon faucon ruse had such a love for critters. Or gardens for that matter."

Varric laughs softly, glancing at Aveline. "He's right... you think you know someone and then you find out they like the outdoors," he whispers to the paladin, who rolls her eyes.

[GamesMaster]

The ermine nips him -- but only gently. It pulls back a moment later, however, freezing in place as the shadow of a large bird overhead crosses its path. When the shadow has gone, the padlock vanishes as well, leaving the gate ready to be pulled open. 

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran beams at the ermine. "Thank you little one." He starts to stand, then gives the critter a thoughtful look. "Can for a ride or do you have other matters to attend to?" he offers, lowering his hand to give the ermine a way up to his shoulder.

[GamesMaster]

The creature happily climbs his arm, coming to rest on his shoulder, looking for all the world like a little scout up in a crow's nest. 

The path before them leads into the garden a good ways before a large fountain blocks their view. To their left and right, however, entrances into the hedge can be seen: little chambers, likely, judging by the regularity with which openings can be seen. Interesting. 

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline, in the front of the group, steps forward to inspect the fountain. Varric takes the chance to close his eyes, creating a mental map of the territory they've covered- he's curious as to whether the proportions and layout is realistically consistent.

"Any suggestions on where to go, mon ami velu?" Zevran asks his passenger.

[GamesMaster]

The ermine looks at him, beady little nose twitching. What? It's an animal, it's not going to give him the answers. 

The fountain is straightforward: a series of basins, with a dragon rampant on the top. A familiar fountain, actually: Aveline's seen it before, in the Bazaar. This one is new; the one in reality is old, weathered and tarnished with time. Beyond the fountain, paths lead away in all four cardinal directions, leading to more rows of hedges; down each direction is another fountain or statue, each different, but familiar from Nyra. And from the looks of it, this place is massive.

[Tethras Clan]

"I believe in you, Mister Wiggles," Zevran says gravely.

"You do realize that the creature might just be her concept of a ermine?" Wynne asks curiously.

Zevran gasps with playful shock. "Don't you listen to the mean old lady," he whispers loudly.

Aveline sighs a little. "Should we just pick a direction?" she asks Varric, otherwise ignoring the byplay of the two behind her. "I don't see anything that even hints at a map or anything of that sort?"

"Well... the oak statue with the funny birds on it is from a place just a few streets from my house. It's as good a clue as any," Varric replies with a shrug. "Need more data points to start guessing at patterns. This Delve might just be... exploratory maybe."

[GamesMaster]

Past the statue, the landscape changes somewhat; the walls stop being made of hedges and begin to be made of brick, with ivy hanging down them. At least the scenery is different in different areas. Good thing they have Varric along, as you could very easily get lost in here. 

There's a promising lead when Varric doesn't recognize a statue of a horse from Nyra, but when they get up close, Aveine points out she's pretty sure she's seen it before: in Golden Shores, when she came to help put down the remainder of the demons there. 

Finally, bored, Zevran slips into one of the side chambers. It's a flower garden, but it's not a typical one; there's a ton of green ivy and foliage, but the blooms are all common, run-of-the-mill dandelions. Oddly enough, while many of them have gone to seed, many more are still in full bloom. They all look great, in raised beds for ease of sniffing. 

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran wanders over the puniest, weakest flower that's still struggling to live and looks around. If this is a garden, then there should be gardening supplies and tools, no? At his side, Silence sniffs the flowers warily. Scents strange here. Flat. Fake. Don't like place. Good Scratches smell right. Father and Metal Alpha smell right. Old Wise smell right, maybe. Not as sure. Everything else wrong. Need watch pack.

[GamesMaster]

There aren't; however, as he's poking around, he finds a little door hidden under some ivy. A secret passage? 

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran considers it a moment. "Get ready to howl for help," he informs Silence, then uses the tip of one his daggers to nudge it open a little.

[GamesMaster]

It opens into, oddly enough, a hallway. It's made of brick, with ivy running down the walls, but there's definitely a ceiling here, not open sky like the gardens. Weird. There's a number of doors to either side, and it looks quite long; after a good distance, it seems to be full of mist, preventing him from seeing to the end of it. 

[Tethras Clan]

"This is probably something I should get the others for," Zevran muses. "But... in dreams, things often vanish when you look away," he muses again. "Ah well, nothing ventured, nothing licked, no?" Silence huffs softly, wondering why he's pretending to debate this when he's already walking down the hallway and about to reach the first set of doors.