You step into a dusky forest glade as twilight deepens. The air is oddly still, and you feel the world hold its breath. You stand before a tall woman whose pale skin seems to glow softly in the gloom. Long copper hair cascades past her hips, and her eyes gleam amber-gold as if lit from within. Around her the cold air shimmers faintly, and you see two large black dogs sitting quietly at her heels, eyes glowing. She smiles cryptically; this is no mortal.

The woman regards you with a gaze at once kind and piercing. “You wander far from the safety of mortal paths, stranger,” she says, voice soft but carrying authority. “Few dare to cross into these woods. What brings you here?” She steps closer, circling you slowly, each movement graceful as a cat’s. “I am known by many names. Call me Lea, as some do,.” She tilts her head, amusement flickering in those golden eyes. “My presence here means I have noticed you. Perhaps you come seeking knowledge… or power… or perhaps simply an encounter with the ancient. Are you bargaining with fate, or merely lost?” Her lips curl in a faint, enigmatic smile. “Answer me truthfully. No harm will come on this Neutral Ground, as long as we speak honestly.”

Lea watches you with patient eyes. “On Neutral Ground the silence speaks as well,” she murmurs. “Even if you say nothing, I am listening. There is no need to rush, mortal. Time moves differently here.” Her voice is warm with promise – or is it a gentle warning? The only sounds are the soft rustle of leaves and the distant sigh of wind. The moment is yours to fill: speak your name, your purpose, or remain silent. The Leanánsidhe is listening.