"Of course dearie, of course!"
The woman takes a seat behind her table and begins shuffling a deck of cards.
"I don't expect you to be able to make the zoo quiet, but if you could convince them to move my tent, that would be ideal." The woman then turns to Davreena. "The problem isn't really the zoo. It's when you are trying to give someone a proper reading and one of the animals calls out and disrupts the flow of things. It can be very distracting and ruin a perfectly good reading."
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"I understand," Clair replies while nodding her head, "So why don't we just move the tent right away? Will that anger someone?"
It won't solve the situation in the long term. Like when they go to another place, and they place her tent next to the zoo again...
"What's the name of the person we should see about about this, and where can we find this person?"
"The heads of the carnival put me here. I can only guess they wanted to punish me for some supposed transgression because they know how I hate this spot."
The woman places the cards across from her, looking at Clair. "Cut the cards."
Looking to Davreena, "I believe Almara is the type to hold grudges, so there is no telling what slight I might have made against her."
"I am the All-Seeing Hajeck. And let us get to these readings."
She proceeds to deal the cards in her special way, reading the Harrow deck quietly, lots of hmmms and ahhhs.
"A great beast will be of trouble in the dark of night. It will cause much more trouble than what it initially seems."
With that she nods and cleans the cards, shuffling them again before offering them to Sparkle to cut.
Outside the man with the hammer taunts Haru, "Come now lad, is that the best you can do? Or will your money prove you got what it takes to be King of the Carnival?"
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"A great beast... in the dark of night? Huh, I wonder what that means."
Clair stands up and walks to the tent's exit. "I'll let you know if I get any results by talking to Alamara," she says, and walks out of the tent.
Once outside Clair sees Haru stand next to a man with a hammer. Clair casts guidance on herself, and she walks up to them. "Mister, how much to swing that hammer?"
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Clair pays the man with the hammer with, probably, a silver coin. She picks up the hammer and turns to Haru. "This is how you swing a hammer," Clair says with a grin.
"Uhm... well, I was just warming up... Can I try again, sir?" If she's allowed to, which she probably is, Clair will pay another silver and swing the hammer a second time.
"Uhhhhh... once more..." And again.
"Just... one more try?" And... again...
"Hahaha! Bet I landed it this time!" Clair exclaims triumphant.
Pfew, took some effort though...
The lion head at the top of the pole lets out a boisterous roar as the mallet strikes.
"Bravo!!! We have the new Queen of the Carnival!"
With that said a man walks up and places a paper crown upon Clair's head and she catches sight of a woman who gives a smile at this and walks away, as if she was very happy to see someone win.
You learn that Almara started the fair over a decade ago and that she did so after something bad happened with an adventuring party she was a member of.
A few of the members of the carnival staff will point her out, letting you know that she is often on the midway, watching people play games and making sure all is going well.
This enormous tent is dwarfed only by the big top itself. The southern side has no wall, just at all curtain pulled across its front. A sign posted outside advertises that this area has been set aside for meeting the sphinx at limited times throughout the day. Just inside is a large metal cage with no floor and bars running across the top. A single large door is set on the north corner of the west face, secured by a heavy lock. Strewn about the grass beneath the cage are silk sheets and piles of cushions and satin pillows.
Two guards stand outside the door and nod, "Jherizhana will be on display in a few minutes."
After several moments of waiting the guards hear something from within and open the curtains and begin taking coins, a half of a silver for each guest, who wish to come in.
Within the tent, two more guards stand near a roped off area that contains a cage. Within the cage sits a majestic winged lion with the head, neck, and part of the chest are all human. The creature is smiling, sitting quietly as people enter, her hair is beautifully done and she wears ostentatious jewelry. "Greetings"
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Bo seems a bit bored with all the various doings, wandering around watching the festivities, although she does crack a smirk at the Harrow reader. "Last time I go free-lance or outside the Family without Kenzi..." she mutters to herself, "At least she'd liven the place up."
She's about to go explore the animals when the announcement for the Sphinx is made, and figures 'What the hell' - she pays the fee, and is pleasantly surprised by the actual Sphinx that is headlining the attraction. "Greetings, great Lady, she says, inclining her head respectfully.
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Since she has a few minutes until the show starts Clair decides she has time to ask the guards some questions. "Could you describe Almara, I'm looking for her? Do you happen to know where she is after the show?"
When the tent opens Clair pays the guards the money, and enters the huge tent. Once inside her eyes widen as a smile appears on her face. Clair bows in front of the sphinx. "Good day, lady Jherizhana. My name's Clair Vavassour, and it's an honor to meet you."
Pretty sure sphinxes are intelligent if they look like humans. Is she here because she wants to, or is she a captive used to make money?
You easily get pointed to Almara as she walks around.
There are no shackles, though she is in a cage, she looks comfy.
The smile seems very genuine.
Seems healthy enough.
"Greeting, Lady Clair. Well met."
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Davreena smiles in thanks then wafts out of Hajeck's tent. She heads across to Clair and Sparkle.
She murmurs quietly when no one else is near, "Almara's old party had something bad happen. The fortune teller didn't know what. Then she started this Carnival. Sparkle, the fortune teller told us that a beast will attack in darkness. Be careful."
The sphinx makes no moves to do much else. This appears to be just a viewing, the real show will likely be under the big top that evening.
The woman smiles, "You have been getting around my carnival, have you been enjoying yourself, my queen? Of course I have a moment for you of all people."
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Clair returns the smile. "I love it here! There have been so many fun things to do and see."
And I didn't pay for it with my money!
"I have a request from the All-Seeing Hajeck. She'd like a different position for her tent, because at her current position the animals make too much noice for her to concentrate on the harrow readings."
"Would you allow her tent to be moved? And perhaps you could take her position in account the next time you're somewhere and set up the tents?"
"Ladies, at this point, the carnival is laid out. We are only allowed a certain amount of space when we visit a new town. Unfortunately, none of my cast likes to be next to the zoo. As such, they each have to have their turn. Here, it is her turn. If you would like to assure her that at our next five stops she will not be next to the zoo, you may, but she knows that occasionally...you have to have the bad stop. Unless you are the main attraction. Which a Harrow reader will likely never be."
She smiles and nods, "I must be off, much to maintain. It was a pleasure speaking with you, and please, please come to the big top this evening!"
"Well, that is something at least. I will just have to accept not doing well in this town," the fortune teller says with a sigh. "If you need any further readings, I will do the next one on the house. I did say I'd give you a free one if you got me moved. I think that is a fair compromise. Now, move along, I need to work."
Means he closes the place of business where he works, followed by opening it the next morning. A quite miserable experience.
Much of the zoo is pretty mundane. Various creatures from all over Avistan, however, there are a few oddities. Three animated skeletons, a manticore that has had it's tail surgically removed, and a baby dragon.
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Haru feels compelled to stare at the skeletons for a moment, feeling anger well up inside him. "That's no way to treat one's ancestors." Stepping down to the manticore, he watches as Davreena examines the creature at a distance. "Your concern for the creature is noble. If I had a limb chopped off and forced to live in a cage, I doubt I would have a good temperment. Though if the creature preyed upon innocents, I would feel less sorrow for it's situation. I wonder what it eats?" Haru will take a look around for any signs, curious.
The manticore clearly eats meat. Fresh...bloody. Stains line the cage from his 'conquests'.
It looks at Davreena and gives a low growl and a nod. "Good day."