Welcome to a world of dreams and aspirations, this is a place of soft sensations and warm feelings. Here is a world of innocence and carefree ways. This is the Nursery, one of the most fortified places in the Stonehaven Fortress. All the little ones of the household spend their days here under the watchful eye of the Impa' and the head school Master Max Gabriel.

Of all the places in the Keep that are warded and kept vigil over, one of the most closely guarded and tended is the Stonehaven nursery. Here, all manner of race and class are kept watch on, from the Impa’ cubblings to the Lady's own children. All are tended to and taught with the utmost care, honing traits they already possess and learning new skills.

Built to soothe the senses and as a work of art it is opulent, the nursery is place of enchantment with pieces of craftsmanship depicting sylvan scenes and scenes from fairytales. The Elven craft folk built and made most of the pieces of furniture. The architectural wonders that line the walls were masterly carved by Dwarven hands. The main chamber shaped like an oval from which small round chambers radiate much like a bee's hive. The walls are paneled in rosy, pastel blue, peach, and rich azure marble. Along the ridges of the walls, a fringed motif of silver acorns and bronze flowers drapes over along the corners of walls like a like ivy growth. From among the foliage faces of life like Faes, nymphs, and sprits peek out to regard the world below of coos and giggles.

This is where all little ones start their journey into the world of schooling. The newborn are kept in their own private chamber of soft soothing illumination and pulsating beat of in imitation of their mother’s womb, which they left behind not so long ago. Imperial knights, members of the family, and Imp’ all bring their offspring to this place to be nurtured with love and knowledge. Once weaned from the nursery womb like environment, they move out to the big world of six month olds where they delight in a world of exploration induced by crawling, wiggling, or flying. Once they are a year old, they join the ranks of the toddlers. This is where the fun starts and the nursery staff is kept busy non stop as little ones start to try out there developing abilities and gifts courtesy of their parents’ genetic code. Butterfly nets are very popular among the staff for chasing down would be flyers! Once, they reach the age of three, they are slowly weaned to enter the world of preschool and out of the nursery. School age children move out of the nursery to start their private course of study with tutors or the Shards.

They are taught in almost all things to prepare them for the schooling they will receive after their nursery tenure is done, from projects that stimulate the imagination, to learning the various races and phenotypes that inhabit the Keep, to the beasts and flora that surround them, to the beginnings of understanding each other's languages. Each child's interest is equally important. On certain days, lessons are devoted to one child's main interest to maintain their love of it; thus, allowing the other children to experience and learn from not only the teacher, but from each other. Learning is not just catered to a structured curriculum but to what the interested child can show them, be it music, art, construction, magic, or any other subject.

Photograph copyrighted to Anne Geddes.

While the Teacher's lessons are vital, they are no more important than the Impa’ Nurses. They maintain the basic daily operation of the Nursery, prepare meals for each child based on each individual need, prep the pads for naptime, and to setting out the books for reading. They are ever vigilant in watching the children during playtime to insure there are no injuries (and are immediately on the scene with gentle care if there are), and many other things very easily taken for granted.

At the door near the close of the day is Ma' Tirezz, or Mazz to the children. She is a trusted Impa’ Nurse who maintains an important role; the safety of the children after the close of the Nursery. Each parent of each child has a small crystal, attuned only to him or her. Mazz has a larger crystal, and before the parents can enter, they must touch their crystal to Mazz's, think their name and their child's, and the crystal will glow blue. If it does not glow, the magic of Mazz's crystal alerts one of the nearest Guardians to trouble. No exceptions are made, even for the Lady of the Keep.

Photograph copyrighted to Anne Geddes.

At least once a week, there is The Story. It is quite different than regular stories, which are told every day while the children read along with the Teacher. The Story is told with all the children sitting in a big circle, and as the Teacher spins the tale, lifelike illusions move along with the story in the middle of the ring.

Smaller animals, safe ones, are sometimes brought in for Nature lessons. For the bigger animals, the more dangerous ones, Illusions are used, very similar to The Story ones, but much more realistic.

Beneath the surface of cute innocent faces; however, are very advanced minds for ones so small. The little ones have even developed their own hierarchy, claimed their own territories, and are very wary of any new children that are brought in. All are eventually brought into the fold, but positioning is almost decided their very first day. They have their own ringleaders for planning, saboteurs, lookouts, decoys, spies... all in all they have their own little world. So be wary, travelers into the Nursery. They know where you are....