The next few booths showcase odd curios, trinkets, jewelry, and an apothecary selling all manner of ointments, remedies, and cures.
Weed finally makes out the oddly sized trio looking over the wares of booth set up in front of a wagon.
with a sigh of relief....weed makes his way to them
“Weed! Changed your mind bout the carnival?”
aye Grim...in a manner of speaking....however....I bring news of interest of strange events in town....
Weed recounts his story of the shadowy figures....
Well should we attempt to find these fellows?
not sure they were fellows....more shadows
“Well done Weed, keep yer eyes open for any like ‘em here at the carnival. If we don’t see nothin’ here then we’ll head back to town and look more there.”
On to the wagons and then the tent.
Most of the wagons that are set up are selling various exotic and strange food stuffs, delighting the visitors and creating some thick lines.
A series of three wagons are set up with three raised runways meeting at a point like an arrow beneath a brightly colored pavilion tent (not the large central one). 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.
Do we know purpose of box with mirrors?
Is some sort of show about to start?
From what Grimm can discern the set-up appears to be some form of betting game of chance largely based on the participant's perception. Multiple people put money into a pot and the first person to answer the question successfully wins half the pot with the house taking the other half of the money. If no one can successfully answer the house keeps the entire till.
Rodion is interested in seeing how the game goes. He would like to see a couple rounds.
Grim will observe with Rodion.
Eterran gazes with wide wonder at all the new things this fair has to offer. Splitting his time between the game and the rest of the crowd.
Once thee carnival barker has recruited enough players (about 15) a shapely woman dressed in a provocative costume gown of red and black silk held together by ribbons emerges from the tent. The woman, clearly Madame Masque, 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 quiet, but nods and waves to the crowd.
Madame Masque struts down the center runway for several moments, silently flirting with the assembled players before sauntering to the mirrored cabinet and stepping inside. The cabinet quickly closes and after a few moments it reopens, revealing three different Madam Masques. Each figure walks down a different runway and they all wear entirely different costumes from the original. The barker tells the players that one of the Madames wears a single item of the original and the first player to correctly identify what it is will be the winner. After about a minute of futile guessing by the participants two of the Madames vanish with a poof of smoke. The remaining Madame walks back to the mirrored cabinet where the real Madame Masque reemerges and shows the crowd a teal colored scarf with small silver disks on it that the other Madame also has. The remaining Madame then disappears in a poof of smoke, and the remaining Madame Masque saunters lasciviously back to her tent to await another band of players.
Move on to the tent if nothing nefarious was observed. Do we think there were multiple women or was this magic at work?
You don't see anything nefarious (unless you have an anti-gambling bias); your best guess is that the act is using some form of illusion magic.
The party slowly pushes its way through the masses towards the large tent.
This enormous tent is dwarfed only by the big top itself. The southern side has no wall, just a tall curtain pulled across its front. The curtain has imagery of many fantastic creatures, but most prominent of all of them is a series of sphinxes. A sign posted outside advertises that this area has been set aside for meeting a 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 well armed and armored guards stand near the neatly painted sign that says that the sphinx is available at midday and midafternoon (about 2 hours from now); otherwise there is an evening showing. The guards block any entry into the tent.
“Anyone want to wait round for the sphinx or should we head to town to see bout these shadows?”
Ooh, I'd like to see a sphinx. I've never seen one before. Of course, there's a lot of things I haven't seen. hehehe, but I'll meet you late if you'd like.
Let's see the sphinx!
“Okay, okay, we’ll stay ‘n see the sphinx.”
The party grabs some fair food to munch on while they pass the time and wait for the mid-day sphinx show. After almost an hour has passed, the party's growing sense of boredom is broken as screams and cries of terror reach your ears from the area of the zoo.
“Might be Eterran’s giant lizard decided he’d had enough, let’s go.”
Head to the zoo.
Let's go check it out!
Head off towards the zoo at a rapid pace.
Rodion runs with his party
The party rushes towards the sound of the commotion, pushing through the streaming push of people frantically running away from whatever is going on. You arrive in the zoo area to see a frightful sight: the massive lizard's chain has snapped and it is rampaging among the members of the crowd that were not lucky enough to escape.
As well as several bystanders, one of the handlers can be seen lying on the ground, badly bitten, his leg broken open and bleeding. None of the other handlers are in view. If nothing is done soon those that are injured will die and the lizard will continue to cut a deadly path through the Carnival goers.
Roll your initiative before you take any action.
I'm going to pop my rage and attack.
Rodion summons an Eagle to attack the lizard (out of level 1 spells):
Grim will try to get within 30’ of all the injured and channel energy.
Assessing the situation the party (mostly) springs into action. Eterran's axe bites into the massive lizard, but not as deep as he would have expected. Rodion's summoned ally hits once but can't scratch hard enough to do any damage. Grimm heals and stabilizes the wounded. Weed continues to assess the situation.
The four-legged foe focuses its fury on those that would dare oppose its reign of wanton destruction.
On Eterran:
On eagle:
Weed acts first and can act twice this round (once for the delay, once for the current round).
Eagle HP: -3/7
The Eagle presses on the attack:
Rodion fires an Acid Dart at the beast:
Weed slides in under its attacks on his companions...
and attacks again
Eterran please put your HP total in your post so Grim can decide whether to heal or attack.
-12/18 hp
rage round 2
Cure on Eterran.
+2 for Fey Foundling!
-5/18
Rodion channels his inner Dax and has no impact on the fray. :) Weed's delay throws off his combat rhythm and he misses twice. Eterran cuts into the lizard again as Grimm heals him.
An infuriated lizard gnashes at Eterran:
On bird
“Try’n dodge outta the way Eterran!”
Heal Eterran again.
I'm trying Grimm!
Attack!
-2/18 hp
Bird disappears...
Rodion summons another dart:
Weed and Eterran smash the beast with strong blows, Grimm heals Eterran, and Rodion blasts an acid dart into the dirt. The savage creature's attitude abruptly changes and it whimpers and rolls onto its back exposing its belly.
“Good lizard.”
Any lizard handlers in the area?
Does Rodion know what this action means for lizards?
Rodion thinks that the lizard is showing submission after getting walloped by the party. The only handler in sight is the one with the badly wounded leg, that after Grimm's healing now tenuously holds on to consciousness.
Just making sure . .
Are there any signs of foul play with the chain?
Channel energy by wounded handler.
“Can you git up now and handle the beastie?”
The battered handler looks at you gratefully-Thanks much, mister. No telling how much damage Bessie here would have done if you folks hadn't stepped in. The man coaxes 'Bessie' back to its feet and starts guides it back into its holding pen, cooing soft words and promises of food and treats.
The remaining injured slowly rise to their feet, healed by Grimm's divine powers. As friends and family 'bravely' return to the scene to check on their loved ones, a low growl of anger begins to lift from the assembled crowd. Cries for the lizard beast to be put down can be heard, while others demand compensation for their troubles and hurts. The energy of the assembled folk is quickly working its way towards violence and unless something is done there will soon be a lizard lynching or worse.
The lizard handler looks anxiously at the party, hoping for another miraculous save.
With all this chaos occurring, haven’t any of the carnival folk beyond the lizard handler bothered to show up?
Perception roll for Grimm.