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A game of strength, something Arthrax could definitely enjoy with his limited imagination. He steps up after the other two, flicking a copper to the strong man.
Having gotten a measure of the game and the weight of the mallet, he flips another copper to the Ulfen and tries again.
Arthrax growls in frustration, but decides to save any further coins as the unwieldy hammer produces a worse result the second time.
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Dolph laughs at Misforstått's misunderstanding. "Ah, you are just full of pickles and beets today, aren't you, Misbegotten-in-the-Head-Horn-Man. The Son of a Shepherd has cared for his Great Nano and foreseen the curds of his father's vats, so a farmer's strength."
Dolph sees the various people attempting the mallet game.
"Ah! Dolph will show you the strength of a farmer, the strength of his dwarven ancestors!"
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Evanstar's first swing sends the puck straight to the top, causing the lion's head to roar as the strongman says "Congratulations lass, ye've won the game!". Convinced that she can still do better, Evanstar gives it another swing. This time, the lion's head emits such a thunderous roar that the entire carnival hears it, causing a small crowd to form. Misforstatt steps up next and has identical results, causing the lions head to roar the first time and then emitting a thunderous roar on the second. By now a good crowd has formed and they cheer heartily for Misforstatt. Arthrax is up third and wins the game with both swings. However, neither swing gets the quite-so-thunderous roar that Evantar and Misforstatt recieved on their second swings. Still, the crowd cheers Arthrax on as he causes the lion's head to roar.
Dar'erthan is up next and his first swing isn't quite strong enough. The puck only goes up 3/4 of the way, causing the lion's head to merely meow like a house cat as it licks it's lips. This draws a good laugh from the crowd as the Strongman says "Not to worry, lad! Give it another try, you can do it!". Prompted on by the strongman, Dar'erthan does indeed give it another swing, this time sending the puck straight to the top and getting the crowd to cheer again as the lion's head emits yet another roar. Dolph is up last, and his swing causes the lion's head to roar so loudly that the crowd takes a step back in alarm right before they go wild and cheer! Before the group moves on, the strongman presents Evanstar, Misforstatt, and Dolph each with a paper crown, saying "Congratulations! With these crowns, I dub each o' thee kings and queens o' the carnival! Ye now only have to pay half price to get into the sideshows!"
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As you continue to make your way down the street lined with tents and merchant stalls you hear a barker call out to the crowd "Step right up folks, step right up and get a chance to see the lovely Madame Masque and her equally lovely twin sisters! Just put one copper into the pot and, if you can spot the similarity in the sisters, you win the pot!" As he sees you all approaching, he shouts out "Well well, it seems we have carnival royalty among us today! We'd be honored if the kings and queen of the carnival would honor us by being part of the game." Fresh off you victory at eh strongman game, you humor the barker and decide to play the game.
Paying the one copper, you enter the tent to find three raised runways meet at a point like an arrow beneath a brightly colored pavilion tent. Where the runways meet sits a tall, rectangular box covered in mirrors. Off to one side is a raised speaker’s podium. Posters on makeshift signs depict an attractive woman in a provocative gown and silver mask, with the words “The Lovely Madame Masque” in bold print. Once the group and another two dozen or so people are inside the tent, the barker introduces Madame Masque, who emerges from the tent to wave silently at the crowd.
Madame Masque is a shapely woman in a provocative Varisian costume gown of red and black silk held together by ribbons. She is adorned with all manner of scarves, necklaces, earrings, and other decorative costume pieces, but her face is concealed by a finely crafted silver mask showing only her playful brown eyes. She remains mute, but nods and waves to the crowd. Madame Masque struts down the center runway and poses for 1 minute, flirting silently with the crowd. She then saunters to the mirrored cabinet, steps inside, and closes it behind her. After a flourish from the barker, the cabinet is opened to reveal three different Madame Masques. Each figure walks down a different runway, while four guards prevent anyone from grasping at them. Each Madame Masque appears to be wearing an entirely different costume from the original. As the three sisters take their place, the barker calls out "All right folks, each of these three lovely ladies is wearing something identical that the original was wearing moments before. You have 1 minute to figure out what that something is. Go!"
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"But, can you imagine how effective she would be as a field agent if we could combine her hips, your abs, Arthrax's arms, my tail, and ..." The tiefling lists more characteristics. You get the sense that he's not very interested in Madame Masque's eye candy--just the utility of her features. It's the same initial interest he had in as Evenstar or Groot.
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You may find, Misforstatt that the sum of the parts is greater than each individual part. Especially when put together so eloquently as these sisters. See those jewels and the dresses, the way they sparkle and catch the light as they dance. A beauty to behold, certainly not a specimen to pull apart. Sir Bellringer, you might need to use a handkerchief, you seem to be spilling your spittle, its running down your chin." He holds his wooden sign of Sarenrae, as he speaks his words. His eyes taken by the flickering of the light, he studies the women with intensity.
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"Ah! That must be her secret! She was spliced with lupine characteristics!"
The alchemist considers this revelation for a moment. Then he asks Dolph, "Or do you detect coniferous characteristics about her?"
His eyes widen as he realizes, "Or do you think she has been combined with both lupine and coniferous abilities?!? Insidious!"
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Arthrax is completely clueless while he stands and drools. Evanstar, Misforstatt, and Dar'erthan have a pretty good idea which item is the same, but they're not quite sure. Doplh regonizes it within seconds of the game starting and calls out the blue silk ribbon that each is wearing on their left arm. The second that Dolph shouts out the item, two of the ladies vanish in a puff of smoke. The remaining lady walks back to the mirrored cabinet where the real Madame Masque reemerges. Both compare the item in question, demonstrating the game is not rigged. Madame Masque then walks down the runway toward Dolph and slowly pulls the blue ribbon from her costume, allowing it tumble into the his grasp. Onlookers regard Dolph with envy, and Madame Masque gives the winner a final flirtatious over-the-shoulder glance before disappearing into the tent.
As the crowd dispereses, the barker makes his way over to give the dwarf his winnings of 1 sp before saying "well, there you go! Thanks for playing and enjoy the rest of your day!"
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Evenstar rolls her eyes as they leave the venue.
"Maybe an arm-wrestling match between me and that harlot'd put her in her place!" Evenstar says as they leave, evidently upset at all the attention the woman was receiving for all the wrong reasons.
"I'd like to check out that dragon! Fearsome combatants, I hear!" the barbarian says to change the subject.
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A portable fence of wooden posts and rope cordon off this section of the circus. Several wagons constructed to serve as animal cages line the perimeter, with an occasional haystack piled between them. In the center of the area is a large tent whose wall flaps have been lifted up and tied off to allow easy viewing. Within this tent can be found all manner of wildlife, from the mundane to the most exotic. They even have a manticore that's had it's tail spikes surgically removed! But the biggest attraction by far is the cage labeled "Baby Dragon" for inside sits a large lizard looking bored and flicking it's tongue.
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Arthrax looks at the tiefling curiously, wondering what he is about to say. Following the finger, he nods. "It's not that big, I know. When you think of dragons, even babies, you think of these huge things that cause terror and can kill a hundred knights with a blast of their fiery breath. This, this right here looks barely more than a common lizard, although a larger one than I've seen." He chuckles, shrugging.
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"A garlic eating dragon?" Dar'erthan muses quizzicly, confused by the Dolph's words.. He looks long at the dragon, "There are worst terrors in the sands, or so I am led to believe, worms who devour whole caravans. Still it must be well fed to not breath its foulness on us all." Dar' seems quite impressed by the exhibit, though wonders why a dwarf and tiefling should question the zoo's prize asset.
When the group move away, Dar quietly asks Misforstatt, "Why did you blurt out it's not? when you saw the baby dragon."
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The second Evanstar starts to raise her voise, one of the guards taps her on the shoulder and says "Excuse me miss, but I believe that someone has requested your presence outside." before physically escorting her out of the tent. As soon as you're outside, the guard says "I beleive that the gentleman looking for you went that way." He then stands in front of the tent, blocking Evanstar from returning back in.
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After being removed from the travelling circus, the group makes their way over to the sphinx's tent at the request of Dolph. With luck, you arrive just as the guards start allowing people to enter an enormous tent, dwarfed only by the big top itself. The southern side has no wall, just a tall 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. Atop these cushions and sheets sits a creature with the body of a lion, the wings of a falcon, and the head and torso of a beautiful human woman. She lounges in the center area with no regard for humanoid taboos concerning her state of undress, giving you an indifferent look as you approach.