Module Intro
Everyone in the fishing town of Ilsurian is excited when the legendary Umbra Carnival rolls into town - even if the show is run by members of the much-maligned Varisian ethnic group. With strange and exotic beasts, scandalous performances, games of chance, and all the other fun of a traveling fair, who could resist such an opportunity for entertainment?
Unfortunately for both the town and the circus, however, entertainment isn’t the only opportunity the carnival presents. A group of thieves and scoundrels has been waiting for just such an occasion to launch a campaign of theft and murder - leaving the strangers from the circus and the town to blame each other. With tensions mounting between locals and performers, Chelaxians and Varisians, Erastil's and Desna's followers and with the body count rising on both sides, it’s up to the PCs to uncover what’s really going on and find the culprits before the entire town erupts in a firestorm of ethnic and religious violence.
Owner of Braeton Inland Shipping he is a male Chelaxian in his early 40s - has a reputation as an honest, hard-working local businessman, owns over a dozen river barges and most of the dock slips in Ilsurian
His fleet serves settlements along Lake Syrantula and the Skull River. Has a wife and two children (Martim 10 and Summer 9). He is probably the most rich citizen and merchant in Ilsurian. He owns the largest estate in the town, the Braeton Manor, located on the top of the hill upon which the town was built.
Arhaneem is known to be arrogant and overreached, especially in his business dealings, refusing to deal with anyone with a lower social standing.
The town council frequently attempts to purchase his docks or build public docks to make travel and trade less reliant on Braeton haven't so far been successful. There are suspicions that Arhaneem's sister, Irriley Braeton, current head of the town council, has something to do with it.
She no longer lives in Braeton Manor which belongs to her brother.
Sheriff Feldane
Kyra Feldane has been the leader of the Ilsurian guards for the last 15 years now. She has a no-nonsense personality. She does her best to rise above the stereotypes the community harbors toward travelers and ethnic Varisians so she can mete out justice fairly.
Notes: Follower of the dead god Aroden. Boss and friend of Constable Huntington.
Robella Moncello
Owner of "Mistress Robella's Curiosity Shoppe", an import / pawn shop in the docks. She moved from Korvosa some 10 years ago.
Borvious Moncello
Another very prosperous Ilsurian Merchant (and husband to Robella Moncello.
Vea Semere
Owner of the Semere Arms weapon shop that forges quality weapons. She came in town 13 years ago and is one of the few half-elves in Ilsurian. She is an expert weaponsmith and enjoys creating every weapon as a unique work of art. She frequently gets orders for masterwork weapons from the wealthiest citizens and sometimes has the chance to collaborate on magic weapons. She is the only non-human member of the town council.
Filton Legg
The Ilsurian's resident drunk, but liquor wasn't the undoing of this failed fishermen, but narcotics. Filton lost everything to supply his habit.
Genthus Duggern
Owner of "The Patriot's Library" and self-assigned guardian of "Ilsurian true way of life", and very politically active.
More Info:
His public library purports to be a repository for books about Ilsurian's history and other topics of interest to its citizenry. But a few people realize he has carefully curated his collection to suit his specific interests. His most popular choice, The Annotated Annals of Ilsurian, comes from a previous, rigorous publication that Genthus personally expurgated and annotated to emphasize the martial successes of llsur and the town over diplomatic ones, and to oversell the danger that "foreign threats" pose to the citizens . Despite it's massive shortcomings, the Patriot's Library remains the only free public library in town. Many a citizen has become literate thanks to it s collection, and many parents find books for their children there-though the smart ones read first and check out books selectively. A cadre of Genthus's devoted followers, who call themselves the Truth Advocates, volunteer at the library and try to impress their agenda on it's patrons. The council has even contracted Genthus Duggern to print the minutes from the weekly meeting for public consumption (which some councilmen have complained have been subtly modified to match his agenda).
Though most Ilsurians believe the Varisians are the biggest scourge on their town, Genthus likes to fall back on the biggest bogeymen of Ilsurian, the one's who have been there since the beginning: the Korvosan nobles. Many of his tracts detail the shortcomings and cruel acts of specific nobles, with counterexamples showing how Ilsurian residents would never have such failings.
Genthus still describes Varisians as inferior to Ilsurians of Chelish descent, but largely depicts Varisians as objects of pity, not true villains. In his descriptions, he portrays them as people who will corrupt Ilsurians and degrade their way of life, if given the chance, but makes it clear that if Ilsurians simply stand up against these ne'er-do wells they have nothing to fear because they are far stronger in body and mind.
He has been pushing to be elected to the town council of late.
Archivin and Agnes Walder: Man and wife, both in their fifties, are Ilsurian's local moneylenders and pawnbrokers, and proprietors of the Locked Box (the closest thing Ilsurian has to a bank). he normally stays on the back of the store, doing all the administrative stuff while Agnes works the front, dealing with the customers. Archivin was murdered by a large creature halfway between Ilsurian and the Umbra Carnival.
Sister Esrelda Woodmere: Half-Varisian town cleric of Erastil, a strong defender of both her heritages, and a respected leader in the community. She was murdered in the Big Top Carnival tent with a garrote, but was mangled by the same creature that killed Archivin Walder afterwards.
Umbra Carnival Almara Delisen
Owner of the Umbra Carnival. Rumors say she was an adventurer, and retired after making a lot of money. Other rumors say she killed all of her adventuring group so she could keep all the loot for herself.
She is not very sociable and stays mostly out of the public sight.
Clerk Atepmo
Studious Osirian accountant and paymaster, Master of Accounts. He don't partake of the celebrations and shows, and dedicates solely to the organization and administration of the Carnival. And it's probably the most vital member of the Umbra Carnival for it.
Shoanti Champion
A Shoanti Woman only called "Champion" on the Umbra Carnival, she has lost two of the three last years to Fish in the Fight pit, to much delight of the locals. She hasn't said a word on all the years she has appeared with the Carnival on Ilsurian (some 6 years).
Nala
Orne's kid sister, hlaf orc, some 6 years old.
All-Seeing Hajeck
Resident Varisian Harrow Reader. She divined Orlin birth to her mother.
Berthold Flavion
Taldan noble, owner of the Travelling Circus
Ever eager to master new creatures, Berthold often travels between the carnival's destinations with only a small team of handlers, always watchful for new beasts and monsters to expand his displays.
Jherizhana the Gynosphinx: Large creature, supposedly captured and magically bound by Almara Delisen, currently the main attraction of the Umbra Carnival, in part because of her novelty, the potential danger and her dressing (or undressing) habits.
Creatures Skulk: The Nisku are a small group of skulks who live outside of llsurian. IMAGE)
