Honey quickly ties up the halfling woman and then searches her possessions. She removes all weapons, magic items, etc. from her.
She turns to the group. "So what should we do with her? I'd like to question her about where she came from and why she thinks Abberton is such a problem. She might be too crazed to provide answers but it couldn't hurt to try. Afterwards, I'd say feed her to the bear, but she may have some way to manipulate the animal, so cold steel might be a safer solution. I have no sympathy for this murderer."
Nemmia had on her person: hide armor, a key to Thunder's wagon, a rat hood (nothing magical. Just a rat hood), a +1 sickle, and a staff.
Finn collapses onto the ground as Honey ties up the old woman.
She turns to the group. "So what should we do with her? I'd like to question her about where she came from and why she thinks Abberton is such a problem. She might be too crazed to provide answers but it couldn't hurt to try. Afterwards, I'd say feed her to the bear, but she may have some way to manipulate the animal, so cold steel might be a safer solution. I have no sympathy for this murderer."
”She’s just some crotchety old crone looking for something to be mad about; I've seen it all the time and I'm frankly surprised someone like her didn't demand the ringmaster because of expired peanuts. Though…that doesn’t usually lead to murder…Whatever happens, I’m just glad to be alive, frankly.”
"You're right. At least we are all alive. I really need to rest, but I also don't trust taking our eyes off this snake of a woman. We should probably deal with her first. I doubt it will take long."
"Towns have sheriffs," Hush remarks. "Turn her in. Killing brings trouble to the circus."
P'oxtan rises to his feet, still slightly charred from the lightning, "Damned witch. She may be the one who was controlling the animals. A cursed practice."
Hush gives P'oxtan a nod.
P'oxtan rises to his feet, still slightly charred from the lightning, "Damned witch. She may be the one who was controlling the animals. A cursed practice."
”What? You mean the witch who was commanding hundreds of rats was controlling the animals? I had no idea!” The halfling makes several big gestures to punctuate his sarcasm.
Finn sits up from the ground and wipes the layer of sweat from his forehead. ”I wonder if there was any merit in what she was saying; even a...”
”...a...uh...Shoot! I’m running out of words to call her! Millie! What’s another word for a crone? Ah, whatever, I’ll stick with ‘crone.’ Even a crone like her doesn’t kill for no reason. Maybe—and don’t stab me for this—maybe we should ask her? Even if she did try to kill us, I’m not sure how well the sheriff would listen to a bunch of carnies—let alone ones that’re not all that good; you saw how we bombed that performance.
“And, uh...Honey?” Finn stands up and undoes the Calistrian’s ropework then re-ties the crotchety hag back up. ”Like this. See? Removes the slack.”
”Like this. See? Removes the slack.”
”I see. That’s much better.”
”If you want to take her to Abberton, fine. But what makes you think they won’t just hang her there? She is a murderer. My only concern is that we don’t know the extend of her abilities and that makes her dangerous even as a captive. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. At the very least, we should keep a constant watch over her. And probably keep her gagged if she can charm things.”
”Shall we wake her and see what she has to say for herself?”
”...a...uh...Shoot! I’m running out of words to call her! Millie! What’s another word for a crone? [...]"
"Beldam," Millie replies.
Turning to Honey, she add, "We're visitors. Whatever her punishment, it's not ours to decide. Leave it to the locals." She inclines her head at the halfling. "That doesn't mean you can't speak to her. Learn more of her accomplices and 'hermitage.' "
"Wake her up, question her, turn her in. It isss not iruxi justice, but I have learned that warmbloodsss ssseem to frown upon eating those who have taken the life of another."
"Wake her up, question her, turn her in. It isss not iruxi justice, but I have learned that warmbloodsss ssseem to frown upon eating those who have taken the life of another."
Nope. Not going to ask about that.
"Alright, then, if no one's stopping me...Man, I really need to get my own first aid kit..."
The halfling's eyes bolt open as she immediately begins squirming!
"You good for nothing circus people! Can't even die properly!"
She insists that the townspeople are wounding the environment and placing the world out of balance. She's a follower of Gozreh from the Hermitage of Blessed Lightning, which somebody in town can point you at if you wish to go there. She reiterates that she's been active in town recently, and she hints that there are many more aspects to her plans to kill or chase off the people of Abberton than just her attack on the circus. She refuses to be any more specific, preferring to take her secrets to the grave.
---
A few minutes after the interrogation, a disheveled looking man, with long, messy brown hair and a simple but elegant coat approaches the ringmasters. "Hey there." he says, a bit of southern-hick in his accent. "I'm the mayor of this town and, well, I'd like to speak with ya."
---
The mayor takes off his hat and holds it before him with both hands. "Thank you so much for agreeing to see me. My name is Jae Abber, and I'm the mayor of this town. I saw your show last night, and it was spectacular! Ain't nothin' quite like seeing people fly high above the sky and put themselves in all sorts 'a danger. But then, this mornin', I leanred that you and your people were attacked by someone from Abberton, or perhaps the Hermitage of Blessed Lightning? Our little town, it's been terrorized for weeks, since long before you showed up. I'm sorry you ended up all caught up in this.
"I can't see how anyone from our town would be involved in such villainy, but I can't believe anyone at the hermitage would do so, either. The hermits are kind, humble, and pious folk, devoted to Gozreh. Their master is a man named Harlock Hamdeel. He's a fine person, loves animals and nature and such, as you'd expect. Honestly, it's impossible to imagine him countenancing anything like what happened last night.
"But that doesn't change what happened, and that doesn't mean the town and the hermitage always agree. Abberton has had some challenges lately. There's been little rain, and the fields are dry. The heat has withered plants, and then we got a cold snap that froze what survived. The wind has pulled what's left of the topsoil into dust storms. Many of our wells have dried up, and the streams...well...I've never seen them so low. Some have vanished completely. Now, it's nature, and it goes in cycles, I know; many of us figure we just need to be patient. The rains'll come back. But some of the hermits have blamed us... for what, I don't know. it's like they think we've done something wrong. But we're just farmers. We rely on the land and nature just as much as they do, if not more.
"Over the last month, things have gotten really bad. Hemmema got attacked by a wild boar in the street. Abberton's miller, Seirah Hawfton, and her family have gone missin'. No one would blame them if they left town, I know, but maybe they were driven off? Normally I'd go to the sheriff with this; she's always kept us safe, but no one's seen her, either! And I...I...I...
"I heard how you protected innocent people here last night, and I thought, maybe, just maybe you could do for us what you did for them? If you could, I'd gladly speak to Harlock about the woman who attacked you, perhaps even get you admission to the hermitage so you could talk to him and see for yourself that they're completely harmless."
Finn listens to the hillbilly mayor, and with answers more questions arise.
”So, let me get this right. For the past so long you’ve been having a rather long dry season, and for some reason some in the hermitage blame the town for it? And this resulted in this horrific beldam thanks, Millie killing our ringmaster and wanting to do the same to the rest of us? That’s...a bit much. Yeah, they’re nature worshipers or whatever, but still. I think we do need to talk to this Harlock fellow. Do you have any idea, any whatsoever, as to why they would blame the town for this?”
"Well we were due to visit Abberton proper anyway. Maybe if we can help some of these people while we're at it, we'll get a nice turnout for our next show."
"I'm absolutely exhausted. I'm going to rest. Let's hit the town in the morning?"
"Well we were due to visit Abberton proper anyway. Maybe if we can help some of these people while we're at it, we'll get a nice turnout for our next show."
"I'm absolutely exhausted. I'm going to rest. Let's hit the town in the morning?"
”Seconded.”
Honey wakes up before dawn quite refreshed but still saddened. She quietly dresses and makes her way to the big tent. She begins her morning routine with stretches then eventually makes her way over to the trapeze pole. From the top, she looks down and frowns at the tattered remains of the safety net. Oh well. Just like the days back with the Celestial Menagerie. Undeterred, Honey practices her swings and jumps until she works up a good sweat.
She comes down and follows the stream southwest to the secluded wooded area to bathe. Honey makes sure to keep the camp wagons in sight just in case there are more dangerous forest animals. As a Calistrian, she's unabashed if someone were to happen to glance over.
Once clean, she heads to the central campfire to dry her hair and wait for the others to be ready for their trek to Abberton.
Finn awakens for the day, dressing up in some of the best clothes that he can find (he is a ringmaster now, after all) and makes his way out toward Abberton.
What's that person doing in the river...
Actually noticing Honey, Finn's face goes completely red as he makes his way away from the bathing Calistrian.
Right before everyone's about to leave for Abberton, Hush suddenly appears -- dressed, clean, and ready for the day. She gives the group an exaggerated wave and an absurdly large smile, as if she were pantomiming being happy and friendly, but it slips a moment later as she struggles to ignore the noise from the camp.
She starts to walk down the road, being sure to put a jaunty spring in her step for the locals she was sure to meet. Making 'friends' is good for the circus.
P’oxtan was up before dawn. Though his cold blood made him sluggish in the early hours, he thoroughly enjoyed an early morning soak in the river.
He recites his prayers to the ancestor spirits, to Snake and Gecko and the mighty Tyrant Lizard, to his namesake the Storm Father.
A simple breakfast of lightly seared meat is enough for him, and he heads to the animal pens. For the a few days before Thunder’s death he’d been working on, or more accurately with, a special project.
When he finally catches up with the group, he is accompanied by a bipedal, clawed reptilian creature. Feathers run along it’s spine and arms, while scaled and leathery skin covers the rest. The glint of predatory intelligence is clear in its eyes.
”Comradesss. Thisss isss...” He pauses for a moment before letting out a high-pitched warbling hiss. ”I sssupose you may not be able to pronounce that. She isss Amaqil to you.” The beast gives a slight bow to the party and P’oxtan pats the raptor and says, ”Clever girl.”
”Ssso, to the town?”
”Aww...it’s...cute...” Honey says. ”Does it like to be pet?”
Honey tentatively holds out her hand in front of the reptile for it to smell and hopes it doesn’t bite.
The well trained dino sniffs at Honey's hand a bit before accepting pets.
As the ringmasters begin leaving the camp, they hear a quick: "Wait!" in a stage whisper from behind. They turn to see the Professor huffing and puffing as he jogs up to the ringmasters.
"As you may or may not know," he says through labored breaths, "I run the sideshow here, known as the Sideshow of Everyday Marvels. We focus on showing how regular people can be extraordinary too. I took some liberties yesterday and had the people of the sideshow collect rumors throughout the town regarding the things I overheard from the mayor." He pauses as his face sours. Probably shouldn't have eavesdropped. Oh well.
"Let me know which of the happenings around town you're interested in, and I'll see if I can't find you an easier place to start."
The Professor fetches two identical twin sisters in their thirties. Hesper and Meitas, the Unjoined Twins, he calls them. The Professor spins elaborate tales of how the Unjoined Twins were separated at birth and never knew the other existed until very recently, they they met at the circus (a lie, as they grew up together). According to the Professor, the twins' lives have nevertheless seemed incredibly parallel as a result of bizarre coincidence. One married a miller named Smith, while the other married a smith named Miller. Each was cursed by a different witch on her wedding day: one sister for not inviting the witch to the wedding, the other for disturbing the witch with far too many invitations. Both have had four children; one had an eldest child drowned, but other's youngest child died of thirst in the desert. Both of these deceased children were named Tavi. The list of strange coincidences goes on and on--and grows with every telling. All of it, of course, a farce.
As the twins present their findings, they refuse to break character. Speaking by alternating who says one, one sentence at a time. They confirm that Hemmema, a polite grandmother who recently s9old her farm and moved into town, was attacked by a wild boar in the street.
"She ran, of course." says one sister.
"Who wouldn't!" shouts the other.
"And she's unhurt, thank goodness!"
"As for the boar, it's been spotted in an orchard on the east side of town."
"It's not alone."
"There's been a whole brood of smaller boars."
"Town says they're just as nasty and ill-tempered as their mother!"
Finn mindlessly twirls a coin through his fingers as he walks toward the orchard after listening to the Unjoined Twins, deep in thought.
”Boars, huh? Those are like pigs, right? Dunno much about pigs, ‘cept that they smell delicious over a fire! Didn’t really get to have much back at the Celestial Menagerie; who knew cats had a taste for pork, anyway?”
The halfling flicks the gold coin into the air before catching it and holding it between his fingers.
”Whatever the case, We oughta spend a day getting prepared and seeing what the town has to offer in terms of ‘merchandise,’ if you catch my drift. After the bear in the wagon, I’m not dying to a giant slab of pork.”
Honey continues to be surprised by the circus members who keep appearing and wonders who else she hasn't yet met.
"I don't know much about boars either. But there there is a possibility that another druid is manipulating them. It's worth looking into. If a druid isn't involved, perhaps we can appeal to their baser instincts. Food! What do boars eat? We can bring treats."
"I am totally down for a shopping trip, although even with the show's payout, I don't have much coin to spend. I would like to just get a chance to mingle and experience the locals a bit though. We could tour the local taverns. In a small town like this, I'm sure we can hit them all."
"I would like to at least replace the minor healing potion I used in the last fight. Or is Abberton too podunk to have even a minor potion supplier? I guess we'll find out when we get there."
Hush stops and crosses her arms. "Killer enchants animals. Killer uses unnaturally aggressive animals to kill. Killer admits she's not working alone. Bereaved hear of unnaturally aggressive boar attacking townsfolk. And... bereaved go shopping rather than look into it? People could die." She shakes her head, looking incredibly unimpressed. "Say so next time. I would've stayed at the circus."
The ringmasters spend the day scoping out the town and shopping.
Millie visits the shops, sure to put a pleasant smile on her face whenever she's noticed. She buys one minor healing potion, then wanders around the town unobtrusively while the others shop.
Honey's first stop is the Goldenlaws Church. From the Professor she knows that it is a Church of Abaddar but she draws a blank trying to recall any of their tenants. Regardless, she figures she can procure a healing scroll for the right amount of coin. She purchases two and continues on her way.
Once done there, she looks for a place to grab some food. The town has little such amenities so she is forced to visit the Mad Mug despite its poor reputation. She pays for some food scraps and dumps them into her pack to take with her.
During her travel around town, she is cheerful to the locals and politely inquires about Odlin's Orchard from anyone chatty.
With both a new cape and a new hat, Finn spends his time buying the first-aid kit he’s been griping so much about, and…nothing else…
Yes, somebody in town is capable of transferring runes. Sorry I missed that earlier.
As soon as he's able, P'oxtan looks for someone to transfer the rune from the sickle to a set of handwraps.
The ringmasters begin scanning the orchard, listening carefully for squeals and rasps, and quickly find themselves deep in the orchard, staring down the eyes of a large boar, as well as a few juvenile boars. The scratch menacingly at the dirt as the ringmasters approach, allowing for no time to attempt peace.
Initiative - the BOLD may act!
Active effects:
-----------------------------------------------
P’oxtan
Finn
Honey Wasp
Juvenile Boars
Hush
Boar (green)
"Well something buttered their biscuits the wrong way. After Bardolph the bear, I certainly don't wish to be gored today. Nice piggies..."
Honey moves up to the log bridge. She unties the string of a pouch on her belt and scatters a patch of caltrops across the fallen tree.
"Well something buttered their biscuits the wrong way. After Bardolph the bear, I certainly don't wish to be gored today. Nice piggies..."
Finn puts a hand over his chest and lets out an audible gasp. ”Excuse you?! That bear did absolutely nothing to you!”
The halfling smiles and waves off his over-exaggerated offense. ”A bunch of bores? How bore-ing! Ha!” Finn advances forward, standing right behind Honey’s dropped caltrops (for safety, of course).
”Let’s add some excitement to the mix!” I hope this works...
Finn draws out a throwing knife and tosses it into the air! In one fell swoop he reaches into his bandolier again and pulls out a second knife and tosses that one to his other hand as he catches the first one in mid-air! He proceeds to juggle the two daggers, throwing them in the air and catching them skillfully.
”Sweet Kurgess, that worked? I mean, bear witness to the debut of Finnace Cailean’s performance of the Bladed Cascade!” He switches to juggling both of the knives with one hand as he shrugs with the other. ”Oh who am I kidding. It’s pearls before swine.” He nudges Honey with the elbow of his free hand. ”Get it? Swine? Ha!”
P'oxtan motions to Amaqil, and the raptor charges forward, P'oxtan follows along.
Though P'oxtan isn't quite as fast as his feathered companion, he still makes it over to the boar.
His raptor, however, bites at the boar.
Finn walks forward and begins juggling knives! In battle!
P'oxtan moves as well, sending his raptor forward. The raptor takes a bite at momma boar, but the raptor finds only a tusk to munch on.
Honey then spreads caltrops across the log, attempting to keep the boars at bay should they try to cross the log.
The two smaller boars squeal angrily at the two newcomers and attack!
Both Amaqil and P'oxtan are gored once, but P'oxtan learns from his mistake and dodges the second attempt against him.
The juvenile boars then run away before turning around, feet scraping on the dirt.
Initiative - the BOLD may act!
Active effects:
-----------------------------------------------
P’oxtan (P: -6; A: -6)
Finn
Honey Wasp
Juvenile Boars
Hush
Boar (green)
Hush moves up to the edge of the dried river, climbs down it, and climbs back up the other side.
Hush climbs down the small ravine and climbs back up the other side with no issues.
Mama boar squeals loudly before attacking Amaqil!
The Boar squeaks in glee as blood spurts from the raptor!
The Boar then digs its tusks further into Amaqil, attempting to move it towards the pit!
But Amaqil resists, so it runs away.
Initiative - the BOLD may act!
Active effects:
-----------------------------------------------
P’oxtan (P: -6; A: -16)
Finn
Honey Wasp
Juvenile Boars
Hush
Boar (green)
”Well, that’s a shame. Caltrops probably aren’t gonna do much.” Finn takes a quick Leap over the caltrops. ”Nice try, though, Honey.”
Finn looks off at the nearby young boar and grabs hold of one of his knives as he moves to “play catch” with it!
The young boar jerks its head to the side looking for the thrown knife that is still in the halfling’s hand. Finn smirks as he grabs hold of the other dagger in midair and hurls it at the distracted boar! ”Fetch!”
”Bullseye! Or should I say ‘boars-eye’? Ha!”
Honey declines to cross the log yet.
"I'm sorry little boar." Honey says with regret before she casts produce flame and lobs a ball of fire at the same boar that Finn targeted (orange).
"Hang in there Dromaeosaur."
She also gives guidance to P'oxtan's companion, Amaqil.
P'oxtan and Amaqil charge in. Amaqil bites at the boar, trying to score a snack. P'oxtan leaps onto it with both claws, with one sinking deep into the boar's leathery hide.
20