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As the circus prepares for the opening of the new show, Unset largely keeps to himself outside of rehearsals. Still questioning the wisdom in choosing him from among the performers, he takes to his usual tasks, driving spikes, moving set pieces, and cleaning up after the animals with great focus.
Though the fleshforged man has readily faced aberrations, dinosaurs, fiends, and undead, he now finds the prospect of confronting a host of paying spectators to be the greater test.
”First, Prism seeks out a scholar specialized in the study of these Obelisks, Unset, who has withdrawn from the outside world due to the scorn he receives for his appearance. The bright gnome has to convince him with the beauty of her performance that as much as he resents the world, it is beautiful, too.”
From behind the cut, wooden boards held upright with only a few strands of rope and trestles, Unset spies Prism taking to the center ring. The audience filled with smiles and awe as the gnome performs. He is pleased for her and for the circus, that all seems to be going well. It does, however, seem to add to his feelings of rising pressure.
Upon hearing his cue, Unset emerges through the artificial cave mouth hewn past boards painted like stone. The surge of light that strikes his eyes, causes him to squint, as he takes his first, cautious steps forward toward the sight of the crowd. Squirming beneath a set of embroidered robes, jaggedly snipped to resemble tattered, scholarly robes, the first-time performing does not even notice that the tassel of his loose-fitting, costumed cap has been snagged by a wayward splinter at the edge of the wooden cave’s mouth. As he makes his way past, the cap quickly slips off, instantly revealing the totality of his misshapen head and facial features to onlookers. A collective gasp resounds throughout the tent, but it is soon replaced by cries of laughter as the removed hat swings casually and carefree from the entrance of the false stone cave.Spying the reason for the audience’s sudden turn, Unset cannot help but grin. The show must go on! He concedes as a sleek appendage flies out from beneath his costumed robes and deftly knocks loose the cap as a second wiggles forward to catch it mid-air, returning the headgear to Unset’s head with a skillful flourish!
The crowd erupts in appreciation. Unset begins to take a bow, before Prism’s recitation of well-practiced lines snaps him bag into remembering his role. At first, he produces his lines in a slow, cautious manner.
"C-come s-seeking the knowledge of ole Unset, h-have ye?" he begins. "Then c-come, ye h-have, in vain. For though I once long studied the Millennia Obelisks, those that allow flora and fauna to sustain life, such days are now far behind me. Vowed, I have, ne'er to ponder their workings or gaze upon their structure for the sake of the world. Ne'er, at least, until I am once again convinced that I be in the presence of beauty--true beauty."
Focusing his attention from the audience to Prism, Unset grows more assured in his role as the gnome speaks her lines. His usually gravelly, low voice now sounds with dramatic tone.
”Bright though ye may be, Fair Gnome. I do not think there any way that ye could e'er convince me either to accompany ye or to resume me abandoned studies of the the Millennia Obelisks, those that allow flora and fauna to sustain life,” he bellows. ”For I have withdrawn from the outside world due to the ceaseless scorn I have received on account of me appearance. Resent the world, I does! And all who dwell within it, for the world judges only by what it sees and knows not beauty—true beauty!”
"Exhausted and at their limit, Prism and her friends accept the offer, but they despair at the choice of which Obelisk to place it. They look to the will of the people of Numeria to decide.”
As the opening show reaches its climax, Unset's eyes follow those of Prism as she gazes upon the obelisk set piece. By magic and design, the structure appears impossibly high, accessible by only a slender chord, a tight rope, joined to a metal hook near its peak. With only the hard ground lying beneath the chord, delivering a rainbow disk to its top would seem an impossible task. Prism begins the perilous balancing act, but then--as previously planned--she slips and begins to dangle above the heads of the crowd.
Then, Unset rushes into action. Slowly, and with pre-designated pauses, he begins to ascend the rope to rescue the wavering gnome.
Then, as Prism grabs ahold of an offered appendage, the two friends make their way to the crown of the obelisk-together!
"Shouldn't we do something to warn them about doppelgangers too? I think it's a good show, but -- do aliens even exist? I think making sure people know about real threats is probably more important," Rova worries. But as the others seem content with Niksi's plan, she allows herself to go along with it too.
She joins the others in setting up the scene, moving quickly along the ropes and ladders at the heights of the circus.
On the night of the show, Rova steps out with her usual confidence, knowing that she's importing information that will let people have a night of joy before The End, while also learning that they should live life as fully as they can while they still can. Since probably that won't be for much longer.
Niksi digs deep to make sure that the construction of the towers and the arrangement of faux-Numerian decorations matches her vision. She iterates and disposes of plans until she is finally happy.
During the actual performance, she arrives with a brand new costume, making herself appear to be a multi-legged, multi-armed construct. She focuses on making her presence as otherworldly and off-putting as possible as she enters, going with the idea that she is a robot based off the physiology of some unknown alien species, but she begins to integrate more recognizably human emotes and pauses as her character’s role changes to more of a sympathetic ally.
Opening night is a hit! The show is unlike any other that has played Kerrick and the townspeople are mesmerized. Unset's performance in particular has the audience in tears.
The professor comes around the next day with everyone's paychecks. "There was quite a bit in the till! Everyone did great work."
You do more shows over the next week and word spreads with rave reviews. The time arrives to start off for Matten Cleave, where the townspeople are awaiting your arrival excitedly, after hearing stories of your show in Kerrick.
Opper Vandy stops by as you are packing up.
"Well, I've got the farmer's help fund in place now! I haven't had any nightmares since I began the project so perhaps you've solved it!"
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Rova's still suspicious, but she supposes Vandy realizes they're on to him and won't cause any mayhem until they've left. Still, she's happy enough to put the port behind them and get to safer environs for their show.
"See Rova. He wasn't a shapeshifter!" She stretches eager to get on the road again.
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Opening night is a hit! The show is unlike any other that has played Kerrick and the townspeople are mesmerized. Unset's performance in particular has the audience in tears.
Ye like me! Ye really like me!" Unset cries in response to the accolades of the audience.
About four days into your journey, you are roused from sleep during the night to the sounds of some possibly inebriated people trying to keep quiet and failing. You see four humans, around 18 or 19, skulking around the camp. Two of them are trying to breaking into a locked wagon, seemingly looking for money, while two others are painting on the side of another wagon. They've gotten as far as "GO HOM."
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[i]Go hom ... do they mean High Preceptor Homani? They want us to go to heaven?[i]
Rova is confused by what these people want -- other than money -- but she knows how easy it is for religious folks to get misunderstood, and if these people are writing about the steward of Clarion, the third level of Heaven, well, it's easy to be misunderstood.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" she asks.
Thkrull trumpets in alarm at the intruders.
How dare they mark my wagon! Smash them!
Prism puts her hands on her hips. "That isn't yours. Go home and get some rest."
"What has you so upset, anyway? We're reasonable people, why not have a civilized conversation, rather than this nonsense?"
Niksi produces her waterphone and begins playing it as an unsettling undertone to her speech. ”I do not recommend lingering uninvited in a circus after hours, dears. Leave now with no fuss and I might be willing to let this slide. Just this once.”
Unset tries to sneak up on one of the trespassers and gently relieve them of their paint bucket.
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Thkrull continues to trumpet.
Unset steals the bucket of paint from a young woman causing her to run around, confused. The two trying to break into the wagon are startled by Niksi's disturbing music. The other young man jumps as Thkrull trumpets aggressively.
Prism's terrifying words strike fear into three of them and they take off running. The woman whose paint was stolen looks defiant and starts to draw a dagger, but her friends shout, "Come on, Anylla, let's go!" and she turns to run as well, making a rude hand gesture.
"People are willing to give their lives for anything these days. This world is more chaoric that the First World." Prism smiles. "I love it!"
"But where did they come from? Why are they trying to get us to heaven?" Rova wonders. "Maybe we should follow them and see?"
"No good to be had by followin' 'em, I suppose," concludes Unset, finding this apparent act of hate and prejudice to be no different than numerous incidents he has endured in the past.
Unset eyes the bucket, then the partial message on the wagon. Dipping an appendage into the bucket, he begins to paint over the letters, doing his best to make the fresh coat uniform.
"Not a bad color, it isn't." he concedes.
With the rest of the journey quiet, you make your way to Matten Cleave.
The mayor, Marta Lieschari, meets you as you arrive. "Hello! Opper Vandy wrote ahead about your coming. We are so excited to have your circus here! It all sounds very avant garde. I've got your paperwork here to sign and a space for you to set up!"
Wary of more doppelgangers -- the new mayor seems awfully familiar with Opper Vandy! -- Rova wanders around town to see what she can find out.
Prism signs the paper. "Thanks! It should be a great show." She looks around and begins inspecting the area for the tents.
Rova asks around about strange behaviors, disappearances, or deaths, looking for signs of a doppelganger. A farmer takes a swig of beer and answers, “A mean ol’ cuss named Currew up and died in his sleep about a year ago. The grocer’s delivery boy found him stone dead. No family and no will, so the place is just moldering out there.”
Prism reveals that she's a member of the circus and gets so inundated by questions from local children that she doesn't have a chance to do any sleuthing of her own.
Kennari joins Rova in talking with the locals.
Kennari asks around about the tower nearby. An older woman tells him, “The tower out there is called the Wellspring because a sweet water spring bubbles up at its base, though I heard it dried up. The best way to reach it is on a little footpath from Ferny. Otherwise you end up climbing
over half the fences in the district.”
"Might be good for some 'sight-seeing'." Prism offers. "While the others set the tent up."
Kennari can barely contain his excitement at the prospect of visiting the tower. "I couldn't agree more, Prism!"
"After those wayward painters be 'causin' trouble, do ye think the others c'n handle more of their like should they return, if the band of us ventures away f'r a time?" Unset inquires of the others with concern.
Rova thinks. "We have some pretty tough circus performers here," she says. "I think as long as someone knows they need to stay up, they should be fine."
Niksi mentions a trip out to Ferny, and one of the locals replies, “Ferny is a small village of shoonies. Their pipeweed
and hops are fantastic, let me tell you.”
You travel along the road to Ferny when you suddenly hear frightened howling coming from just over the next rise!
Prism takes off at a run. "Hurry, someone might me in trouble." She quickly rushes off to the crest of the hill to see what it is.
Atop Thkrull, Rova follows Prism in a rush to hear what the howling is.
She glances up, but not seeing Groetus' beautiful face, determines it's not likely to be werewolves.
Prism takes off at a run. "Hurry, someone might me in trouble." She quickly rushes off to the crest of the hill to see what it is.
"Whate'er it be, ye two'd best not be facin' on yer own, ye be," Unset calls after the sprinting gnome and running halfing, as he rushes after them, taking long strides in the hope of getting out ahead of the pair.
Seeing his allies rushing forward, Kennari casts a quick defensive ward then rushes after them.
You race toward the source of the noise. A tipped handcart is surrounded by scattered turnips. Two of these doglike people—known as shoonies—cling to the side of this overturned cart and shout for help. Several shoonies scramble about, seeking safety, as the furrowed ground of the surrounding grasslands is periodically broken by great, finlike protuberances that rise up in bursts of loose soil and then sink again as they travel in ever-tightening circles around the terrified travelers.
The creatures aren't currently visible, but the shoonies look very happy to see you!
Initiative!
Prism
Niksi
Creature 1
Creature 2
Rova
Kennari
Unset
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"DOLPHINS! NO, WAIT. LANDSHARKS!" Rova screams, though in truth she has no idea what they are because she's too excited at the moment to Recall Knowledge.
Prism continues to hoof it up the hill as she has no time to catch her breath. "Dolphins!? Let me see!"
Niksi rushes ip to the front with Prism and begins performing a protective song to steel the party against the oncoming foes.
You all see a massive creature, looking much like a land shark, surface from under the ground and take a large bite of turnips! It makes a face you can only surmise is disgust, then dives down below. The overall vibrations from underground make you suspect that there are two of them.
Initiative!
Prism
Niksi
Creature 1
Creature 2
Rova
Kennari
Unset
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The sensitive tips of Unset's appendages make contact with the ground.
The fleshforged man seeks the quickest way to the hilltop.
Easily scaling the cliff face, he rushes to the side of the distressed shoonies.
"Fear not, ye need!" he cries out in an effort to provide comfort. "We be here to fend off these creatures, be they dolphin, shark, or other!"
HP 123/123
AC 26 (27, plus physical resistance 1, when inspired)
Fort +16, Ref +19, Will +15 (+1 to all with inspire defense)
Focus Points: 1/1; Hero points: 3; Halfling Luck [][]
Battle Medicine: Rova [], Thkrull [], Kennari [], Niksi [], Prism [], Unset []; Reflection of Life []
Effects: Hunted prey (land shark No. 1), inspired (defense)
As Rova sizes up the land dolphin from atop her elephant companion, she pulls back the bow, preparing to fire an arrow the moment it emerges from underground again.
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HP 62/62
AC 21 (22, plus physical resistance 1, when inspired)
Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +12 (+1 to all when inspired)
Perception +12, Acrobatics +13, Athletics +14, Intimidation +10,
Effects: Hunted prey (land shark 1), inspired (defense)
Thkrull trots forward toward the shiny eyesore and the thing that smells of peanuts, confident in his superiority. He wonders if he'll get some turnips.
Rova wracks her brain for memory of land dolphins and comes up empty. She knows there are creatures called bulettes that get known as land sharks, but she hasn't actually seen one before to know if this is them.
Unset can sense approximately where the two creatures are underground!