Leaf-On-Wind sees the pile-up of folks between him and the 'water-devils'. He glances to his right and then attempts to climb a tree to get a better vantage point.
Unfortunately, it appears he's missed his calling in life and should just go join the clowns already...
Clover stabs the blue imp in the gut and retreats back while summoning her badger to attack. Snowy hustles across the leaf littered clearing and bites into the imp's leg, worrying it and growling. The life seems to leave the imp's eyes, his skin fades to a translucent jelly, and then his body dissociates into a bucket full of water. The imp ends with a splash and the water is swiftly absorbed by the earth.
The remaining imp ducks under Nabi's strike.
Leaf-on-Wind tries to gain the high ground, but he appears to have chosen a rather smooth barked tree with no branches for a good ten feet. Unfortunately, he isn't able to get a fruitful grip on the trunk.
Encounter! Round 2/3. Bold may act.
Yellow Water Demon (currently in dim light radius)
Nabi (11/16 hp; wounded 1)
Rulean (5/17 hp)
--3--
Leaf-on-Wind
Clover (9/18 hp)
(Snowball: 11/16 hp)
Song-of-Air (11/14 hp; magic weapon (bow))
The bow feels light and easy in Song's hands. "Thank you, Rulean!"
Song continues to hum her song, and shoots twice.
Song-of-Air places two solid bow shots into the remaining blue imp. The imp-like being gives a shriek of pain. He seems to take a moment to appraise the numbers. "இதற்கு அவள் போதுமான கட்டணம் செலுத்தவில்லை!"
He flies back toward the stream where he dives into it and disappears as he swims away with supernatural speed.
The clearing has nothing of note other than the blanket covering the pile of leaves and the backpack that the blue imp had been holding open. The leaf pile contains no clues. It must have served as Nemmia's sleeping pallet. The backpack is damp and full of wet rocks, you gather that the imp was putting rocks into the backpack when you interrupted him. For what purpose? You can only guess.
One the front of the backpack is an embroidered patch depicting a leaf with a drop of water falling from the tip.
There is an exquisitely detailed map of Abberton and its surrounding environs. Not as detailed as a true survey map, but informative and valuable all the same. There are notes scribbled on the map, including notes about the Circus of Wayward Wonders. The notes describe the movements of you and your fellow circus members in disturbing accuracy. Someone was clearly spying on you for a significant length of time. Oldin's Orchard is circled on the map as is Hawfton Mill.
There are a handful of tasty nuts.
There is a blue and green feather with the tip of the shaft dipped in gold. A single arcane rune has been etched into the gold.
Status
Nabi (11/16 hp; wounded 1)
Rulean (5/17 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind
Clover (9/18 hp)
(Snowball: 11/16 hp)
Song-of-Air (11/14 hp; magic weapon (bow))
Looking at the backpack, Rulean says "Gozreh? Well those creatures did seem to be made of water rather than ichor."
He looks at the stream, and then the pack again. "Maybe it intended to sink this?"
He concentrates, trying to determine if there is any magic in the area.
"There is magic...take some time to figure out where."
Looking at the pack, he says "Let's check the obvious first. Someone take this and slowly move away."
With the rocks in it, the pack is quite heavy.
Leaf-On-Wind will help out with this 'trial and error' process of moving the bag around. He does have to take his time at it, because it is quite heavy and he doesn't want to pass out from exhaustion. "Do you think there's something magical in here, or maybe the bag itself?"
Just as Leaf moves slightly past the 30' mark, Rulean says "Stop!"
He concentrates a moment, then says "I'm not sensing magic anymore. It is either the bag, something in it, or both."
"I can continue concentrating if people want to dig through the bag and bring likely objects closer. I will call out when I sense magic."
Song helps sort, gently pulling out rocks and laying them before Rulean. "I have Read Aura as well, so if we find something magic, I can help you identify it."
After removing the frustrating number of stones, the prime suspect for the the magical aura is the blue and green feather with the tip of the shaft dipped in gold and etched with a single arcane rune. You find it is magical, indeed.
The backpack itself is mundane, as are the assorted nuts and the annotated map of Abberton.
An exquisitely detailed map of Abberton and its surrounding environs. Not as detailed as a true survey map, but informative and valuable all the same. There are notes scribbled on the map, including notes about the Circus of Wayward Wonders. The notes describe the movements of you and your fellow circus members in disturbing accuracy. Someone was clearly spying on you for a significant length of time. Oldin's Orchard is circled on the map as is Hawfton Mill.
As the adrenaline from the fight fades, your bodies signal to you that you need to rest.
"Seems we found all we are going to." He yawns. "Time to take the long way back to camp."
---
Once back at camp, Rulean makes sure whoever is on watch overnight knows about the snakes and to avoid that path.
You had heard the musicians begin playing some music to lighten the mood when you went set off to the woods. However, as you draw close to the edge of the woods, the music now sounds far more lively and there is a seductive quality to the notes.
The sound of pipes, fiddles, and horns echoes across the camp from the meeting fire, where members of the Circus of Wayward Wonders have been waiting for a proclamation that it is safe for them to return to their wagons. But now, everyone has formed two concentric rings, with the musicians on the inside, and everyone else dancing on the outside. Their energetic prancing seems incongruous with the weariness on their faces.
“Help us!” the Professor pants hoarsely, sweat pouring down his frail face as his limbs jerk in time to the lively jig.
Between the jerking, dancing rings of your friends, at the center, by the fire, you can glimpse two tiny fey creatures hovering on rapidly beating dragonfly wings. They each have the upper body of elves--one a man and one a woman--and the lower body of large grasshoppers. The man plays a fiddle and the woman plays a flute.
Status
Nabi (11/16 hp; wounded 1)
Rulean (5/17 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind
Clover (9/18 hp)
(Snowball: 11/16 hp)
Song-of-Air (11/14 hp)
Leaf-On-Wind does his level best to live up to his name, trying to skip up and over the first ring, then attempting to duck down to avoid the second ring. If he's successful getting there, he will then try springing back up to peer at the two bug-elf persons intently.
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Song-of-Air attempts to identify the feather.
"Huh. I've heard of Feather Tokens, but if this is one... I have no idea."
Then she moves into the group of dancers, whirling and calling out a square dance pattern to create openings for herself and others to join the dance.
"Allemande left, then allemande right
Swing your partner, hold on tight!
Now promenade to the front, and then to the back
Now, everyone rest to watch the jumping jack!"
She claps, giving a rest of the dancers a moment's breather as her brother cartwheels in.
"Round and round, watch him go!
Not too fast, not too slow...
Bow to your partner and say hello!"
But the music demands a faster pace, so she gives into it, still trying to keep the dancing steady.
"Allemande left, then allemande right
Swing your partner, hold on tight,
Now promenade, promenade... Let us inside
Now, everyone rest as I twirl and glide!"
Song turns and twirls like a dervish, attempting to reach the musicians in the center.
"These good folk are too tired to dance well, and so am I. But we could have an awesome dance-off in the morning if you let us! By the way... Have you ever thought about joining the circus and traveling around entertaining people?"
Wearily, Rulean mutters "Does it never end?"
He then attempts to make his way through the ring of his friends, tripping a couple if he thinks he can safely guide their fall. Might give them a rest...
Tired and grumpy, Nabi wasn't in the mood for dances and shenanigans, and barely tries to break the ring of revelers
The tengu siblings make their way deftly through the ring of dancers. Rulean manages to trip and safely guide some of his colleagues to the ground, but they get back up, driven by the otherworldly music. This distracts him and slows his progress toward the center. Nabi makes a half-hearted effort to shove her fellow circus folk out of the way and reaps rewards commensurate with her effort.
As Song-of-Air finishes her performance and emerges into the center, the two fey pause in their playing and clap excitedly. "That was amazing! Why didn't you perform in the circus? You should be top billing!"
"Where is Clover and Snowball? They were our favorite, but you would be our favorite if you had performed!" the female fey prattles on.
"Oh? Join the circus!" they both say in unison. Then they shake their heads. "No, no, no, no. Who would watch over our woods and bring the joy of music to weary woodsmen?"
As the two grigs become distracted speaking with--or rather at--Song-of-Air, the music fades and the dancers begin to fall out of the dance. Several fall to the ground out of relief, and more than a few simply fall from exhaustion.
"Clover and Snowball are amazing! I'll tell them that you are big fans!" Song keeps them talking, so that her teammates can walk exhausted people to their wagons. "I was a bit out-of-sorts today, but I hope to perform later. I'm thinking of trying out to be Ringmaster, to keep everyone excited about the show."
Entertaining weary woodsmen? Oh dear.
"I agree your woods are important! I've just been thinking about the timing of your performance. If you do it when everyone is ready to be entertained and then stop when they need to rest, they'll come back for more. And doesn't every artist deserve a following?"
She offers them a hand to shake. "I'm Song-of-Air, by the way. What may I call the two of you?"
Then Song yawns.
"I really do need to sleep today, but I'd love to talk shop with you tomorrow. Maybe we could offer you breakfast in the morning? It's simple circus fare at the chow wagon, but I'd be willing to share."
A bit delayed, Clover and Snowy come huffing up to the group.
"S-sorry! Guess I was more tired than I thought and we both fell behind..."
The halfling's voice trails off as she looks around and then takes in the sight of the two tiny fey.
"Oh, uh...hi? Who're you?" Clover finally mumbles a bit stupidly, unaware that Song had just asked the same thing. Though she knows she ought to be wary - she'd heard all manner of tales about trickster fey - she just can't find the energy to do it.
These fey seem sort of familiar...maybe read it in a book somewhere?
______________
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"It's Clover!" the two grigs squeal together as the halfling finally huffs and puffs into the firelight, momentarily ignoring Song-of-Air. "We are huge fans!"
"Oh! I'm Tarisia," the female grig says.
"And I'm Cannono," the male grig says. "We saw your performance with Snowy! You have such a bond. Oh, it was a delight to watch you play together!"
The two grigs start clapping excitedly and then pause and look a bit abashed. [b]"Um. We really like your performance tonight, too, Song-of-Air."
They look around at the exhausted circus folk being helped up and to their wagons. "Oh. We thought everyone was having so much fun," Cannono lamets.
"Me too. Now I feel bad," Tarisia says glumly.
Then they quixotically brighten with wide smiles. "But we got to meet Clover!" they cheer in unison. "Here. Take this. Remember. We're big fans!"
Cannono pulls a gently glowing fluorite crystal from his tiny sack and flies over to offer it to Clover.
Nabi (11/16 hp; wounded 1)
Rulean (5/17 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind
Clover (9/18 hp)
(Snowball: 11/16 hp)
Song-of-Air (11/14 hp)
After warning people about the snakes along the path, Rulean settles down and tries to patch up the wounds that people have before retiring for the night.
He manages to fix up all of Clover's and Snowball's injuries and most of his own.
"I'll have to try again in the morning on the other injuries."
Then he goes and collapses into his tent.
Song smiles. "It was lovely meeting you, Cannono and Tarisia! I hope we can jam again at some later time!"
Then she waves and too heads off to bed.
Leaf-On-Wind waves quietly to the two fae as Song heads to bed, and he heads on to rest shortly thereafter. He didn't have a lot to add and the stress of the night has been debilitating to his sense of balance...
"Oh...oh! Um, th-thanks," Clover remarks, suddenly feeling a little shy. "We're glad you liked it - and the other performances, too. Um, even though we proooooobably weren't at our best tonight, for, um, reasons."
She smiles as Cannono offers the pretty crystal to her. "Wow, this is so pretty! And you're sure you want me to have it?"
Assuming the two pixies are sincere, she carefully accepts the crystal and tucks it into her pocket. "Thank you very much! I'll treasure it always!"
The halfling is weary but certainly knows better than to potentially anger these two fey fans and so she's happy to sit and chat a little with the pair - if they hang around - while Rulean works on patching everyone up.
"It's...it's been a long day and the sun'll probably be up soon," Clover finally yawns. "I should probably head to bed with the rest...but it was really nice to meet you both, like Song said!"
Hopefully if we're nice they'll keep being nice and not prank us...
You say your good nights to the pixie pair--for Song-of-Air figures that Clover, being as fond of nature as she is, must be correct in her assertion--and move to quickly tend to wounds. While Rulean uses his erponic herbalism to tend to your wounds, those of you with esoteric learning try to make sense of the items you have recovered.
It takes only a few trials to figure out that the iron door key hanging from a string around Nemmia's neck goes to Myron's wagon.
Clover determines that the gold inlaid sickle bears a potency rune . Clover also recognizes the feather as a type of magical trinket called a feather token. This one turns into a holly bush. Now that you are not in a rush, you all realize that the bubbling concoction on the shelf in Myron's wagon is an elixir: a lesser bravo's brew to be precise.
The other circus folk bring you food. As soon as you see it, your stomachs growl for you have not eaten since before the audience gathered much earlier this evening. You break for your respective tents or wagons and try to get what sleep you can before dealing with what needs to be dealt when the sun inevitably rises far too soon.
Nabi finds the night unbearably cold and her blankets frustratingly wet.
A rooster crows as Sarenrae's light cracks the horizon. You figure it must be a runaway rooster from town, because nobody in the circus has a rooster. When you emerge from your tents and wagons, you find bonfire extinguished and in its place a pyre has been erected. A body is wrapped in scraps of tent cloth and laid atop the pyre. Another, smaller body is wrapped far less lovingly in an old blanket and outside the big top.
As Nabi wakes and runs her hands through her hair, she realizes that she is sweating.
Nabi: -3 hp
Song: - 1 hp
Song groans as the rooster crows. "Stupid noisy chicken!" She stumbles out of her tent, still wearing her night robes, and then pauses as she sees the burning bodies.
The pyres could very well be for Myron and that crazy druid who attacked them. But if that is the druid burning...
"Oh crap. That could be evidence for the Sheriff!"
Song glances around. Are there any circus people up, perhaps tending these pyres?
Many in the circus are already awake and tending to their morning ablutions, feeding the animals, and you see the Kanbali family working at repairing their nets.
Song still curses the rooster, and then checks in with the rest of the circus. She yawns and then greets everyone, speaking to each by name, and then goes to sit down by the Kanbalis. "Many hands make light work. Can I help you repair your nets?"
Rulean starts awake at the sound of the rooster. Bleary eyes peek out to find it is already morning. I stayed up much too late last night...
He quickly does his morning preparations and then comes out to help with any work there is around the camp.
After that is done, he does a quick exercise regiment while reciting various chants to Kurgess. The workout helps him clear his mind and fully wake, ready for a new day.
Nabi's night was rough, but for all the wrong reasons.
She awoke sweating, and instantly looked at the bites and scratches from the battle with the rats last evening
Surely I caught something... How could I treat that before it gets out of hand?
"Of course! Always happy for helping hands," Aditya says as the tengu makes her offer. The Kanbalis begin chatting with her even before she sits down. "The Professor had the roustabouts build the pyre before the sun rose. I don't think the old man has slept a wink. Nehali prepared Myron's body before she came to bed. We next to the feed wagon. Too scared-- the children were too scared to sleep in our wagon after that rat-lady and her swarm came out of it!"
"We were not!" Anushri scoffs at her father's assertion.
Despite the late night, Leaf-On-Wind was up before the dawn, and was with great care going through forms atop the 'cow' rock formation that was identified the night before. He's careful, though, to not wake the others as they rest. The acrobatic tengu also takes care to not interfere with any preparations or repairs that the rest of the circus is making -- this is a time for quiet recollection and focusing.
Once he is done and feeling a bit more centered than the insane events of the night before Leaf-On-Wind moves up to join his sister and the others.
If you proceed to leap upon the rock:
Leaf-On-Wind sees the armor and pick and the sculpted humanoid hand and makes a quick determination. If the rooster-bat is tough enough take out someone wearing armor and carrying a weapon it may be a bit beyond the tengu's current combat capabilities.
He carefully withdraws to the camp, but not before leaving a red scarf on a nearby tree or under a rock to warn folks of the danger.
When Leaf-On-Wind catches up with the rest of the circus he's missing his favorite red scarf.
Not long after the crowing of the rooster Clover peers out from her tent with bleary eyes and a serious case of bedhead. She blinks peevishly and looks around.
"When'd we get a rooster?"
For a moment, it's as though the events of yesterday were nothing more than a bad dream...and then her eyes settle on the pyre that's been constructed where the bonfire once was, and the body lying atop it.
"Oh."
The halfling rubs at her eyes and sighs. "Guess yesterday really did happen..." she mumbles before disappearing back into her tent to get properly dressed and ready for what looks to be another long day.
A short time later Clover emerges from her tent again, clothing and armor in place, hair brushed, and face washed. She meanders over to where the others have gathered around the makeshift pyre, Snowy following close behind.
"Mornin', guys. Anything I can help you do?"
"Leaf? Where's your scarf? It's chilly this morning." Song nags as only a sister can.
"I think I found our rooster." Leaf-On-Wind offers enigmatically as he watches the pyre, momentarily stalling the answer to his sister before shaking his head.
"There's a rock formation that looks like a cow. Around it are smaller rock formations that look like well-sclupted frogs trying to escape from the cow's area. Whoever designed the statuary had a rather twisted sense of humor, because there was what looked like a human hand in the rock debris. Some sort of rooster-bat made a nest on top of it, and apparently at some point beat one of the locals enough -- or was strong enough -- to end up with a set of heavy armor and a pick. I left my scarf near there to mark where it is to warn everyone away from that -- no sense disturbing sleeping rooster-bats, right?"
Blinking in surprise, Rulean says “So that rock really used to be a cow?”
Here I thought it was just a coincidence that it looked like one!
While you finish your morning meal, washing, and making sure that your fellow circus performers are holding up (all while being eager to head to Abberton to find the sheriff and warn the people), you notice the Professor who has been absent since you awoke come around the corner of the big top. He is followed by a balding Taldan man with a close cropped beard and mustache and dressed in plain clothes. The stranger stops at the edge of the tent as the Professor continues walking toward you.
Once he meet you, the Professor whispers hoarsely, "The mayor of Abberton would like to speak with you all. Rulean, Clover, Song-of-Air, Leaf-on-Wind, and Nabi. Where is Nabi?" He looks around for the Keleshite woman.
"A...a what? A rooster-bat??" Clover repeats, sounding perplexed. She tries to recall if she's ever heard of such a monstrosity before. "What on earth is going on around here? Crazy druids and devils and now rooster-bats?"
When the Professor wanders up to join them, Clover sighs and nods. "Figured as much...but at least no one's under arrest yet, so that's good at least. And I don't know...I've not seen Nabi; maybe she's still in her tent?"
______________
Nabi arrives, a little late ,whipping some crumbs from her lips.
You know she is slow on the morning, and enjoys her morning breakfast. Beside, she isn't too keen to face any authorities.
Reluctantly, she joins you, still moody
[b]I'm there. What's the fuss today?[b]
"Best if he explains, himself," the Professor answers Nabi. "He heard about how you took charge of the show after Myron died and came here looking for help. The town needs some help." He lowers his voice even quieter for him. "Besides, if you can help him, it could be good publicity."
Little does the Professor know that you had the good of Abberton in mind already.
Song prestidigitates Myron's red silk cloak clean, and wraps it around herself. If the Circus has been summoned, then the Circus best put on a show. "We'll want to deal with the rooster bat soon, but first... We'd better see what the Mayor wants and report all that has happened, including the threats on Abberton."
“I do hope nothing bad happened in town while we slept.”
Leaf-On-Wind blinks at Rulean's comment about the 'cow'.
"I don't believe so, but there's definitely some information lacking there. We should investigate it at some point, though -- We could always use the metal from the armor for something in the circus and the pick never hurts for helping prepare hard ground for tent spikes, right?"
After the mayor approaches with the Professor, Leaf-On-Wind stands by Song-of-Air, just in case there's some effort to arrest the carnival or the like.
Sensing a consensus, the Professor leads the five of you into the big top where you take seats upon assorted stools, crates, and stacked equipment. He steps out and returns with the man from Abberton in to stand before you.
The mayor holds his crumpled hat 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! But then, this morning, I learned that you and your people were attacked by someone from Abberton, or perhaps from the Hermitage of Blessed Lightning? Our little town, it’s been terrorized for weeks, since long before you showed up. I’m so sorry that you got caught up in this."
He continues, his speech pressured and hurried. “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. Honestly, it’s impossible to imagine him countenancing anything like what happened last night."
He sucks in a breath and presses onward. “But 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... 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!"
He breathes in rapidly between sentences as his speech continues even faster, as though he's self conscious about how long he's been talking. “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 missing. No one would blame them if they left town, 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 heard how you protected innocent people here last night, and I thought, maybe, 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 last night, perhaps even get you admission to the hermitage so you could talk to him and see for yourself they’re harmless.”
He takes a long deep breath after that expositional exhalation and then looks at you expectantly with big, blue, hopeful eyes.
"Do you know Nemmia? What can you tell us of her?"
"That's not a name I recognize, no. Who is she?" Mayor Abber answers.