In addition to the bounty paid for the capture of the werewolf, you were all given three free nights stay at the town's best inn to rest up and recoup from your fight. Complete with free dinner and several rounds of drinks being bought for you by grateful locals who kept requesting stories of the beasts capture.
The morning after you collected your bounty, you are all woken up by the sound of a fleet of circus wagons arriving, complete with performers parading around the moving wagons to gather up attention. All of Ilsurian becomes aware of the carnival as they make their way through the town, the sounds of music, singing and animals roaring from the wagons as the colorful carnival performers shout our the coming attractions as they head toward the empty fields on the other side of the town.
A few townspeople wander out to the fields where the Umbra Carnival sets up, hoping to nose around and get a sense of this year’s attractions—a common event tolerated by the circus as long as the locals stay out of the way. When you all make your way down to the common room of the inn for breakfast, the serving maids tell you how lucky you are that you happen to be in town at the just the right time to catch the carnival and throughout the meal they'll chat with each other and any of you about the wonderous attractions and performances they witnessed over the past years. If any of you choose to wander by the fields, you'll get the same treatment as the locals, tales of what is to come during the carnival's stay in town, sharp instructions to stay out of the way as they put up tents and warnings to not sneak any peeks as the performers warm up.
The following day, circus folk hold a parade that marches through town in a spectacle of sights, music, and drumming. Banners and streamers herald a procession of clowns, stilt walkers, and tumbling acrobats, all of whom wave to the townspeople. Carnival barkers call out to people on the streets, promising thrills, chills, and delights for people of all ages (at the modest price of a few copper coins). The entire procession is a formal declaration of the carnival’s opening, and seeks to draw out the curious and idle to follow along to the procession’s end, the parade grounds.
As you enter the parade grounds, you see and hear the barkers continuing to call out the carnival's attractions while various performers in full costume wander about, also trying to get attention for their various acts.
You see the path that runs east here from the midway toward the traveling zoo. To the south are booths with pavilion tent tops that provide shade for the games of skill and chance played beneath. Behind them are circus wagons, some clearly only for transportation and equipment, while others are attractions and portable shops for merchants. To the north is a gigantic tent erected on tall poles with a stage curtain pulled shut across its front.
Upon the carnival’s arrival, Ghandy scarfs down her breakfast in a very unlady-like fashion. She smiles at Jasmine with a half-full mouth of potatoes and food-mumbles in excited glee, ”The're here!” Although her message seems perfectly clear in her head, to anyone listening, it probably sounds like a mumbled, high-pitched squeal.
Swallowing her potatoes, she rushes out of the inn to watch their procession. She keeps a keen eye out for the acrobats and any dancers and attempts to mimic their moves.
She laughs at herself when she trips while attempting the unfamiliar dance moves.
The following day Ghandy is so excited for the parade. When she sees the opportune time to enter, she giggles and looks to her new companions to join her and enter the parade. With a wave she laughs, ”Com’on, it’ll be fun.” She dances and spins and laughs all the way to the carnival grounds. Once there, she looks around to see if her friends have joined her.
Her destination is the Big Top and the acrobat show, but if she walks past any games of chance, she’ll see if Lady Luck is on her side.
Jasmine wanders the Carnival and buys a Apple pie Beaver Tail to snack on as she walks about.
Eventually reaching the Midway to check out the games.
Ghandy wanders about for a bit until she sees Jasmine head toward the Midway and the games. She follows and rushes to catch up with her new bestie to take her chance with Lady Luck.
"What are you eating there, Jasmine? Smells delicious."
"Oh it is delicious, Can't get Beaver Tails anywhere, but a carnival.
Though I wonder if all this carnival food will require a work out later to keep my figure.
As you can't really tell how fatten they are until a day or three later."
Ghandy laughs at Jasmine being weight conscious. "This is why we dance and travel," she says and emphasizes it with a pirouette and bow. "Now, let's find a wheel to spin or a ball to toss."
Several carnival wagons form a rough horseshoe with the open end facing the parade ground. A variety of brightly colored tents and stalls fit inside that horseshoe, hosting a multitude of games and locals enjoying them.
Right inside the entrance to the midway is a heavy, long-handled mallet leaning against a 3-foot-wide and 12-foot-high wooden tower crowned with a stuffed lion’s head. At the base is a lever attached to a puck that slides up and down a pole running the length of the tower up to the lion’s head. An Ulfen strongman with a talent for calling out and challenging passersby invites carnival-goers to demonstrate their “power and passion” to him by “taming the savage beast on yonder pole.”
Right after the game of strength is a stall set up with two tables inside of it. One contains 4 rows of narrow necked glass bottles, each with a random assortment of coins within it. On the other table is set up a small tower of tin cans. The Varisian man tending this tent is holding a small wooden hoop in one hand and a small wooden ball in the other. He calls out to those passing by that they get one throw per copper to knock over the tower to win 5 copper or one copper per hoop throw and you win whatever is in the bottle you can throw the hoop around.
Next up, 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.
The barker in front of the tent calls out and explains the game to the crowd in front of him. This game of chance that challenges the skill of Perception. Unlike most midway games, multiple people play this one together, forming a betting pool. The winner takes half of the proceeds (an average of 1 sp) and the circus keeps the other half. As soon as a minimum number of players are gathered, he then 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.
The game is simple but challenging, calling on the power of observation. 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 wears an entirely different costume from the original, but one wears a single piece of jewelry, item of clothing, or flower only the original wore. All three are illusions. The crowd has 1 minute to call out the matching item, and the first to correctly guess wins—or the players run out of time and the house keeps the pot.
Set outside of splash range of the other attractions sits a dunk tank featuring a very attractive young Varisian woman dressed up in a mermaid costume. Unlike the other games featuring monetary awards, the prize for dunking the mermaid is a kiss from her. Judging from the length of the line, it is a rather popular attraction.
The next tent looks more like a collection of rugs sewn together to form a patchwork tent. A banner over the entrance of the tent depicts a hand with an open eye in the palm of it with the words "The All-Seeing Hajeck" written under it.
Though not a game of chance, Madam Hajeck's tent has been set up in the Midway. An older Varisian woman with streaks of grey running through her thick hair, Madam Hajeck professes to be a fortunes teller of various means. Whether by crystal ball, palmistry or Harrow reading, she claims to be able to tell the future of anyone who puts coin in her hand.
Ghandy hears the challenge of the strongman and walks up near the wooden tower, then looks at Jasmine, ”What do you think?” she lets out a giggle and raises her arms while she bends them at the elbow to flex her muscles. She approaches the strongman, ”I’ll take you up on that challenge big man if you agree to go in that dunk tank later. Maybe you’re the beast that needs to be tamed.” She winks and laughs again as she grabs the mallet. 'Lady Luck be with me'. she whispers.
With a sultry pout, she looks at the strongman, "Ah, so close." She hands the mullet back while making eye contact. "Maybe later you can show me the proper way to swing it."
She quickly turns to Jasmine and laughs. "Wanna try next? Or maybe we should find Selkyon."
Raziel follows after the others, too serious to simply enjoy any of the festivities - he is curious and pauses momentarily in front of each of them for a few moments to observe, but shows absolutely no intent of participating.
The cowl of his dark, hooded cloak is pulled over his head as usual, and he slides along silently after the enthusiastic Ghandy - admittedly if looking close enough one may find a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips, as he follows the Desnian around.
"Oh it is delicious, Can't get Beaver Tails anywhere, but a carnival.
Though I wonder if all this carnival food will require a work out later to keep my figure.
As you can't really tell how fatten they are until a day or three later."
"Beaver tails? That sounds nasty Jasmine..." - he frowns.
Jasmine replies to Ghandy
"Sure why not, All that Barmaid work also builds up the upper body some."
Jasmine takes a swing in her usual attire which hides her musculature.
Jasmine replies to Raziel,
"They aren't real beaver tails, it's just the pastry is in the shape of one."
Jasmine adds with her thoughts
Oh they are so good, I want another, but I wouldn't want my assets to get any bigger then they already are.
Stupid family curse of beauty.....
"Better that" - Raziel chuckles - "Nice swing" - he adds.
Coming back from the travelling zoo, the armoured silhouette of Selkyon walks side by side with a human couple, dressed in simple clothes. The woman is rosy-cheeked and quite pregnant. She is resting a tired hand on her large belly, and occasionally pauses to catch her breath and stretch her back. The man is burly and walks with his hands buried in his pockets, with the distinct air of someone who thinks that coming to the Carnival at all was a bad idea, and that he'd rather be sitting comfortably in his living room, while his wife enjoys some quiet activity that will not have him worry about her toppling over or twisting her ankle. Between them is a brown little girl, no higher than her parents’ knees, that toddles forward while sucking on a piece of brioche. Her inquisitive gaze avidly takes in her surroundings, and she seems particularly interested in the brightly coloured pavilion of Madame Masque, before her parents take a look at the signs and hurriedly tug the child away in the opposite direction.
Confused by the sudden and unexplainable reluctance of grown-ups to let her satisfy her curiosity, the child looks close to throwing a tantrum as a sign of protest, when the lion's roar provides a welcome distraction. Noticing Gandhy, Jasmine and Raziel, Selkyon picks up the toddler and joins them to the game of strength, while the child's father helps his wife to sit and relax in a shady spot.
"Having a good day?" he greets the group with a smile. It's the most relaxed he's ever seemed. "That was an impressive, Jasmine... But I think you might have a worthy challenger."
Suddenly aware that she is being talked about, the little girl hides her face in the crook of his neck. Yet, she is still peeking at the group, torn between shyness and natural curiosity.
Ghandy cheers on Jasmine with jumping and clapping as her bestie finds the mark. "It must be those 'Beaver Tails'",she laughs.
"Hey Raziel". Ghandy turns and smiles. "Have you been following us? How about giving Lady Luck a try? There's a mermaid over there looking to by rescued".
Over Raziel's shoulder, Ghandy catches Selkyon approaching. She is surprised to see him with a young child. "Well hello little one. Arn't you adorable. Selkyon, who is this lovely lady?"
The Ulfen strongman cheers loudly after Jasmine causes the lion's head to roar so loudly that it can be heard all over the carnival. He moves up to her and places a bright yellow paper crown atop her head.
"Congratulations m'lady. For such a feat of strength, accept this token from the carnival to show our respect."
Several young men standing near the wooden tower at now being good naturely made fun of by the young ladies they are with about being outdone by a woman. It's clear that none of them are wearing paper crowns.
You all hear a sudden chear go up followed immediatly by a splash as some lucky young man successfully dunks the "mermaid".
A young minstril of both Varisian and elven heritage strolls through the Midway with a lute, alternating between singing merry songs of winding roads and inviting the crowd to visit all the attractions the carnival has.
Jasmine tries her hand the ring game
"Nuts, I missed"
Jasmine tries her hand the hoop game again
"Seems I'm not lucky with Rings tonight."
"Hey Raziel". Ghandy turns and smiles. "Have you been following us? How about giving Lady Luck a try? There's a mermaid over there looking to by rescued".
"Huh... Not following... I was just..." - he begins to reply, then looks back at the 'mermaid' - "No, I don't think so" - he smiles - "Not my thing"
After speaking with her companions, a minstrel comes along reminding Ghandy that there are so many other fun things to do. She moves along and plays some more games.
Making her way to the next game, she hands a couple of coppers to the attendant and takes a hoop and a ball. She quickly throws them both and horribly misses. "Hmp," she pouts in feigned frustration. "Should take my time, next time." She shrugs her shoulders then blows a kiss to the attendant as she walks away.
Making her way to the next game, Ghandy waves to her companions to join her, ”We need a few more players for this game,” she shouts as she approaches ’The Lovely Madame Masque’
As the game ends Ghandy just shake her head, "I must be too distracted with all that's going on." She laughs off another failed game, "Well, this carnival is sure getting its money's worth from she," she shakes her head but dances on to the next stand.
She moves on to the dunk tank and giggles. Then shouts and waves, ”Com’n Raziel, mermaid kisses on me.” 'Make this one count she whispers to herself as she eyes the target.'
Ghandy jumps and claps in victory and waves over her half-orc companion, "Hey Raziel, I got something for you." she laughs.
'About time' she thinks to herself.
Making her way to a patchwork tent, ”Hmmmmm,” she ponders. ”The All-Seeing Hajeck,” she whispers to herself, ”This could be fun” She smiles and glides through the opening.
Jasmine goes to the Madame Masque event and
Sees the answer Quickly with the answer
"It's the hair pin."
The Varisian mermaid take another trip into the water as Ghandy's throw hits the trigger plate dead on. Her head pops back up out of the waterby the front edge of the tank, a bit confused by Ghandy seeming to give her victory kiss to her companion, but willing to oblige whims of the winner.
Ghandy (and whoever enters the tent with her), the first thing you notice is that the patchwork theme of the outside of the tent is even more prevalent inside the tent, nothing seems to match or even really coordinate with each other. Multi-colored handwoven rugs overlap each other on the ground, a small table painted bright blue sits in the middle of the tent with two mismatched wooden chairs on either side of it. Various scarves of every color imaginable are strewn over anything that doesn't move. In fact, it is almost possible to mistake the All-Seeing Hajeck for a mound of scarves seated upon one of the chairs. Her patchwork skirt seems to be made out of the remnants of old scarves, you think her blouse is a light grey, but it can barely be seen for the amount of scarves draped around her neck and waist.
The Varisian woman will motion Ghandy towards the chair, "Please, have a seat my dear and ask me whatever you want. All knowledge can be had for a price." On top of the table lies a cloudy, quartz crystal ball and a deck of harrow cards. A pair of candles on either side of the crystal ball and light through the doorway are the only sources of illumination inside the tent.
Jasmine confidently and correctly states the hair pin is the same trinket worn. Impressed by the quickness of her answer, Madame Masque walks on the runway towards Jasmine and slowly pulls a single, lavender scarf from her costume, allowing it to flutter softly into Jasmine's grasp.
Onlookers regard such a winner with envy, and Madame Masque gives the winner a final flirtatious over-the-shoulder glance before disappearing into the tent.
"Ask anything I want, huh? hmmmmmm," she thinks for a moment with her eyes raised in a pondering gesture. Then she looks at the fortune teller as a smile crosses her face, "Why so many scarves?" she laughs. Immediately, she puts her hands up, palms outward, "Wait, just kidding." she lets out another giggle. She brings her hands back down and wrests her forearms on the table. Looking back at 'The All-Seeing Hajeck', she asks, "Where should I travel to next?", Ghandy leans in, excited for the answer.
Raziel feels clearly self conscious as Ghandy puts him on the spot, but he forces himself to step forward and approach the mermaid.
He cannot avoid staring perhaps for a bit too long at the attractive woman - "Hi.. I am Raziel. You are beautiful" - he manages a smile.
Jasmine puts the ribbon on the tail of her braided hair which hangs over her left shoulder.
Jasmine thinks to herself
"What game to play next?
Though I'm now tempted with more carnival food.
Darn it, I don't want to gain more weight, I already have enough fat in those areas."
Jasmine goes and buys and starts eating a poutine.
and adds to her inner monologue
"Well I could work it off a bit later, ........ Hopefully......"
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“This is Ruby,” Selkyon replies to the cleric. “Granddaughter of a fearsome warrior with whom I've had the honour to travel. Say hello to Ghandy.”
“Hi,” comes the timid response. Ruby squirms in Selkyon's arms, and as soon as she sets foot to the ground, she waddles to the game of strength, eager to have the lion roar again. The elf stays at her side, helping her taking the hammer and lifting it. He lets her give a few swings of her own, before instructing her to “give it all she has”, applying his own strength to the swing.
"See? You're almost as strong as your grandpa," he says to the little girl, whose initial disappointment turns into childish pride.
By the time Ruby finally gets tired of trying of the lion, the group has scattered, disappearing within Madame Masque's tent. To distract the little girl, Selkyon takes her to the game of hoop and ball, where she is tasked with the crucial role of guiding his arm while he takes his aim.
Unfortunately, between Ruby's advice and Selkyon's own unfamiliarity with hoops, it goes about as well as expected.
"Jasmine, have you tried this game?" he calls out to the half-elf. "Ruby and I are looking for help to win."
In the background, Ruby's mother, who looks like she hasn't lost a second of the exchange, is almost toppling over with laughter at the sight of the duo's "prestation". Ruby, however, does not laugh, with all the dogged seriousness of a four-year-old who is starting to see the games as a personal challenge that she can't keep losing.
At the dunk tank, the "mermaid" gives Raziel a wide grin. "I don't get many shy ones like you." She'll take the initiative to reach out and pull you in for a quick kiss, before returning back to her bench.
Back in the tent, Hajeck gives a little chuckle at Ghandy's question. "Little one, such a question is subject to the whim of The Lady of the Winding Roads. On the day that you are set to leave from this town, you will see a bright yellow butterfly. If you travel in the direction that the butterfly flies off in, you will end up where you need to be."
With a smile plastered on his face, Raziel moves back to join the others - he cannot avoid looking back at the mermaid though. Multiple times...
"Hi Selkyon" - he greets the elf - "Well met" - and bows to the woman and child who accompany him.
Ghandy looks at the fortune teller intently, listening to every word and nuance. ”Yellow butterfly?” she asks, with an emphasis on yellow, 'Desna must have changed her dress,’ she thinks to herself.
Ghandy stands and hands over some coin, then bows and offers a prayer, ”Thank you for the insight. May Desna bless your dreams.” She leaves the patchwork tent and looks around.
”Ah, yes, the Big Top. Lets go see when the good shows start. Then the zoo. Maybe I’ll find a bright yellow butterfly on display,” she whispers to herself as she shakes her head and laughs while skipping toward the Big Top.
Jasmine wanders to the big top while eating her poutine.
Ruby's mother waves at Raziel from afar, once she manages to overcome her fit of laughter.
"Hello, Raziel," Selkyon greets him. "Ruby and I have been trying to win at this game. Would you like a try?"
He gives another copper to the Varisian man, and takes another hoop to try again:
This time, it actually lands quite successfully on a bottle, and Ruby lets out an excited cry of victory.
Raziel can be fairly certain that the mermaid winked at him during at least one of his glances back at her.
At the hoop stall, Ruby is asked to hold out her hands as the man in charge of the game upends the bottle, spilling the contents out into her hand. A piece of taffy wrapped in brightly colored paper and 6 coppers fill her tiny hands.
At the entrance to the Big Top, a barker stands outside announcing that the tumbling act is starting soon.
"Oooh, a tumbling act," Ghandy jumps and claps excitedly. "One ticket please!"
'Maybe I can learn some new Varisian moves', she thinks to herself.
She looks around to see if any of her companions are in view and waves them over.
Raziel can be fairly certain that the mermaid winked at him during at least one of his glances back at her.
´Should have asked her name...´
"Hello, Raziel," Selkyon greets him. "Ruby and I have been trying to win at this game. Would you like a try?"
"Huh, no thank you" - Raziel replies, perhaps a bit curtly - "You keep at it"
As Ghandy waves at her companions, other carnival goers begin to stream past her, attracted by the barker's cries of the upcoming performance. Parents dragging their children away from the zoo area, groups of young women now sporting authentic Varisian scarves just bought from the winding Market and people debating the authenticity of the attractions at the Sideshow.
Raziel moves over to join Ghandy - "Huh... Thanks for the mermaid 'gift' - he nods at her with a hint of a smile, then moves to get a ticket also - "What are we watching this time?"
Ghandy sees Raziel respond to her wave as a flood of people enter the tent. She smiles at his 'mermaid gift' comment, "Hope it was wet," she laughs.
"The Tumbling Act is starting soon," she says excitedly. "Let's hurry before all the good seats are taken. We'll save some room for the others."
Not offended by Raziel's refusal, Selkyon picks up the cheered up little girl and brings her back to her parents.
"You didn't have to," the man says in a gruff tone implying that he does seem to mean it. He takes Ruby in his arms, as if worried that the Carnival may hurt her.
"Oh, what the heck," the woman says gaily. "I haven't laughed like that in a long time. I can't wait to see what this Tumbling game is about, before we go home," she adds, too quick for her husband to formulate an objection, and with a side glance that informs him that no objection will be accepted, and that her compromise is non-negotiable. He deflates.
Following the group, the four of them head to the Tumbling Act.
When you enter, the few benches that have been placed around the performers ring have been filled and you jostle around a bit for good positions to stand and watch the show.
Brightly clad performers in hues of purples, greens and yellows are bowing to the crowed before they begin their routine. They perform a standard tumbling act as they warm up, before moving on to more challenging contortions and hand balancing acts.
Right at a moment when everyone is holding their breath while a very limber performer is balancing on another's head while on her head and doing a split at the same time, loud cries are heard from outside the tent. You can make out people saying something about a baby dragon being on the loose.
The comotion of the crowd outside is enough to cause the performers to lose their concentration and tumble to the ground right as some of the carnival goers from outside rush in to escape whatever is on the loose.
"Oh my!" Ghandy gasps as she brings an open palm to her mouth.
She quickly makes her way to the performers to assess if any of them are injured. Then looks around for danger, while fingering her Star hidden within her dress.
Ghandy, you think that the acrobat who fell off the top may have a few bruises from her fall, but other than that, they both seem to be okay.
Raziel slips outside to try and understand what all the commotion is about.
"Put something cold on that and keep it elevated and immobile for a few days." she says, looking the injured tumbler in the eyes. Nodding her head, she stands up and moves toward the Big Top's opening.
"Now by Desna's good tidings, what is going on?"
Star in hand, she peers through the opening in an attempt to determine what is happening.
It appears that one of the zoo exhibits has escaped both its cage and the zoo area and it currently causing a fair amount of havoc in the Midway. The ring and ball toss game stall has been knocked over and items from it are scattered across the ground as people run to get out of the animals way.
The animal in question appears to be some large type of lizard and looks to be roughly ten feet from the tip of its snout to the end of its tail. A number of carnival workers are in the area with nets and sharpened poles, trying to figure out how to subdue the thing while one of the sideshow attractions (a humanoid with ears big enough flap like wings) hovers around pleading for them not to kill the poor thing.
Half the carnival goers are fleeing back to the town, calling for the city guard while the other half are cowering behind anything sturdy enough to provide cover while crying out for someone to kill the thing. Not being able to run while in her costume, the mermaid is currently stuck cowering in the water tank.
Selkyon escorts Ruby and her parents outside amidst the generalized panic and chaos. The toddler has begun crying, and her mother is hurrying along laboriously. It's pretty obvious that they won't outrun the beast.
"Go around the Big Top, and hide behind the tent," Selkyon quickly instructs them. "Don't show yourself. As soon as you can, get back to the city."
Eyeing the lizard, he walks towards the beast and the humans that still hesitate to attack it. Without getting too close, he attempts to calm down the confused beast, in case it can be approached peacefully.
"What is that?" Ghandy whispers to herself.
Then she sees Selkyon approaching the creature and hurries up behind him and touches his shoulder, "May Desna be with you."
Selkyon feels Ghandy's magic running through his veins, as he attempts to tame the beast.
Not knowing what else to do, Ghandy notices the mermaid's plight and runs over to her and attempts to assist her to safety whether by carrying or pulling her or getting her out of her costume. Seeing her half-orc companion eyeing the scene, she shouts in his direction. "Raziel, come help your new girlfriend. You can play the hero card in your 'Damsel in Distress' deck."