Naatalu finds Elizia and has her investigate the body. She is a bit hesitant at first, but wants to help find Myron's killer. "I've...never dealt with a dead body before..." she says as you lift the sheet over Myron's snake bites. She takes a quick look, "That's definitely a viper bite...strange. Vipers all the way over here, near a crowd? That's not normal. I wonder if they were ensorcelled."
Naatalu perks up at the reminder.
Eliza, if we had those vipers could you match their bites to those on the body?
He looks to Zec to produce the bag.
Zec clambers behind some hay bales and brings out the sack of vipers they contained earlier.
"It does seem suspicious that there are multiple viper invasions in one night. Rats can be summoned too. Do we have any summoners in the crew that we know of?"
Elizia takes a look at the vipers in the bag, "Yes, those are definitely venomous vipers that could have caused something like this." she uses her skills to calm the vipers down and pet one, "And they certainly aren't summoned...can I keep them?"
Zec isn't aware of any summoners at the circus from the months of traveling together. If anyone can summon, it's not part of an act, nor have they revealed such a skill.
Naatalu nods emphatically. Yes, yes you can keep them! I'd much rather they be in trained hands that we trust!
"If there are potentially other venomous creatures around, I should go check on the animals. I don't want any of them to come to harm." Zec hurries off to do just that, keeping a wary eye out for anything unusual or threatening.
Elizia responds to Naatalu and Zec, "I have numerous other venomous serpents in my wagon, but not vipers. These weren't from my collection."
She thinks for a moment, "If the snakes were being controlled, I don't know anyone here that has that ability."
Elizia's statement agrees with what you know of your circus. You know everyone here and no one you're aware of has the ability to command animals either.
The Circus of Wayward Wonders includes many performers, along with numerous roustabouts, hangers-on, and family members. The entire group travels in wagons of various sizes; some are small and drawn by a single horse or mule; others are much larger and are pulled by teams of horses or oxen instead. The circus also includes several animals, from Elizia’s snakes to assorted camels, bears, and even elephants. Some of these animals are kept in or near their owners’ wagons, but others follow along with the wagons and must be corralled when the big top is up.
The circus camp consists of two dozen mismatched wagons parked on a grassy field broken by a meandering stream. A large, communal fire burns near a deep pond formed by the stream. Even if the circus performance was successful, the mood in the camp is subdued. The performers huddle together by the fire, nervously watching the camp and jumping at shadows.
As Zec heads towards the center of the camp to check on the animals, she rediscovers numerous rat tracks. Most of these tracks are near the ringmaster’s wagon (area A2), Bardolph’s wagon (area A3), the edge of the woods (area A4), and the Kanbali wagon (area A9). They also lead to and from the performers’ entrance to the big top.
Naatalu riding around on Clovis the Corgi and listening to Zec's indications of the tracks is surprised at how many wagons they lead to.
Wow. That's a lot of our wagons. Perhaps the rats were trying different wagons until they found their specific victim... but maybe we should be sure and check each for more vipers!
|
Drake takes a moment to get close to the vipers in the sack, attempting to see if he can distinguish their scent well enough to potentially detect more of their kind. (Imprecise scent, 30'). (((I don't think of snakes as having much odor at all, but I'm hardly an expert)))
"While I appreciate the enthusiasm, I'm currently leaning toward a bit more caution, especially when dealing with potentially controlled venomous snakes. Back in a moment. He trots off to his wagon to retrieve his rapier and hatchets before joining the search of the wagons.
Zec is confused by the pattern of rat tracks.
"Perhaps we should provide support while these folk check their wagons to see if there is damage inside or any other clues?"
Drake can tell that the vipers inside the sack are the same that bit Myron. There are three vipers and three scents, meaning you've found the venomous culprits but not the mastermind.
Naatalu would like to check the wagons other than Myron's, so we can be sure there aren't about to be more victims.
Zec tags along with Naatalu and Drake, thinking that if there are a bunch of rats that maybe they can help. Plus they are generally curious about what will be found.
Bardolph is the circus’s bear, and he has been something of a beloved mascot ever since his previous owner and caretaker, the Great Fortunato, was robbed and killed in an alleyway in Escadar. Bardolph is one of the animals you rescued from Mistress Dusklight’s clutches.
Bardolph continues to live in Fortunato’s old wagon and still knows all the tricks that make up his act, so he can perform with minimal direction from the circus folk. They consider Bardolph part of the family and akin to a giant pet.
The wagon is large and decorated with faded paintings depicting Bardolph dancing, balancing on a ball, and menacing the Great Fortunato, armed with a whip. There is a large door in the rear of the wagon; it has no lock, and each side of the door boasts a thick and well-chewed length of rope (Bardolph clasps this rope with his mouth to pull the door open and shut).
You know Bardolph has been resting for a week after suffering a foot injury in another town.
Naatalu first knocks out of courtesy, and then calls out for fear of surprising Bardolph. If there is no response he will open the door, but not enter, only look inside for signs of the bear.
Nothing looks odd here. The rats did not appear to have entered the wagon.
Naatalu knocks and receives a threatening growl in response. Bardolph is clearly not happy about something.
Naatalu grimaces at the responses and turns to Zec, silently urging him on to check on Bardolph.
"Hey, Bardolph, it's Zec and Naatalu. Just checking in on you as there is some weird stuff happening and some rats running loose. How are you doing big guy?"
Zec calls through the closed door.
Bardolph growls aggressively before recognizing the voice and calming down. When you open the door, you see a bit of panic in his eyes and realize he probably would have attacked you if you didn't talk to him first.
The inside of the wagon, which has been emptied of all furniture and instead layered with countless blankets, smells as one would expect a bear den to smell. An owlbear claw hangs from a dreamcatcher in the wagon.
There are tracks around this wagon, but the rats did not enter the wagon itself.
Naatalu nervously enters the wagon behind Zec, smiling sheepishly at the bear and tip-toeing what seems like a mile around it in the small space.
Zec speaks soothingly to the bear, watching him carefully, trying to ascertain if this is his normal grouchy demeanour, or if there is something troubling the ursine performer.
Zec is unable to determine the nature of the bear's issue. Other than his injured leg, there are no signs he has come to physical harm, and it is easy for you to tell that any issues he is experiencing does not stem from that injury. From these signs, you determine that the issue is mental in some way.
On hearing Zec state that the problem is in the bear's mind, Naatalu scans the interior of the wagon for magical effects, just in case.
No residual magic lingers here.
"I wish I knew how to help, Bardolph. Perhaps we will work on our communication skills together when we have the luxury to do so."
Turning to Naatalu, the hobgoblin adds, "We should probably leave him be for now and investigate the other sites of rat tracks. Where to next?"
Naatalu nods at Zec and backs out of the wagon.
Okay, which one next? Maybe Myron's wagon?
He gingerly takes his place atop his trusty corgi, ready to ride off in that direction.
Myron's personal wagon is parked very near the pond, right in front of the meeting fire. A colorful banner on each side of the wagon advertises the Circus of Wayward Wonders in large capital letters, surrounded by images that depict some of the most famous acts in the show (including Drake and Naatalu's acts, as well as some of the NPC acts, such as the Feather-Fall Five, Elizia and Mister Tickles, and Mordaine the Magician).
Three steps affixed to the wagon's rear lead up to a red door with a golden knob. The door is locked, and the key isn't on Myron's body.
Naatalu hops off of his corgi and produces his thieves picks. He looks back at the rest of the group and grimaces.
You know I would only do this in the case of an emergency situation.
It takes Naatalu a bit to get the lock open, and one of the picks breaks, but the lock eventually yields to you.
Drake does not smell any matching scents to the vipers from before.
The interior of the wagon is lit with an everburning torch that emits a golden hue. There are 2-foot tall plants with large stalks that droop heavy with pollen pods. The air inside the wagon is thick with sparkling golden pollen, and the moment you open the door, the same substance sprays from the plants inside the wagon.
* 2 = 16
The poison spray immediately overwhelms the poor wizard and may prove to be quite fatal.
Initiative Order, Bold May Go!
Map Slide
Naatalu, Dying 3, Will save vs pollen
Pollen Plants
Rhoxl
Drake
Zec
"Drake, pull him away from that stuff" Zec shouts, as they start to wave some mistletoe over Naatalu and chant something in a strange language.
Looking at the pollen that has settled over Naatalu, Zec tries to identify it.
Zec isn't sure what these plants are, but she can tell that there are four pods spraying pollen.
Naatalu becomes stable but takes a –2 status penalty to Perception checks and saves against mental effects for hours.
Rhoxl drops down from atop the wagon and wordlessly gets to work snipping the pods off the plants.
Drake rushes in and out with no issue. Unfortunately, this leaves Rhoxl as the only one the plants can attack and he realizes he wasn't successful in disabling a pollen pod.
*2 = 16
Once again, the strange plants claim another victim as Rhoxl goes down in a blast of pollen.
Initiative Order, Bold May Go!
Map Slide
Naatalu, Dying 0,
Rhoxl, Dying 2, will save vs pollen
Pollen Plants, Red, Orange, Yellow, Gray
Drake
Zec
Rhoxl groans in pain, lungs on fire.
"Not again..." some unintelligible mumbling is heard from the hobgoblin as Zec brings up the mistletoe and then changes to the strange chanting heard earlier.
"Drake, help!" Zec calls before taking a large breath of clear air and holding it. They move in, prepared to help drag the big lizard away, but mostly focused on closing the door as soon as Drake has Rhoxl clear.
As Drake runs in and drags Rhoxl out, he also finds that he has grabbed an everburning torch engraved with the phrase “See what you want to see.”
Combat Over!
Being so close to the center of camp has the advantage of being around other circus members, including the medic. Juxian, the circus' resident doctor, rushes over to treat Rhoxl and Naatalu.
10 minutes later, you're both conscious and ready to toss alchemist fires into Myron's wagon.
The batty sprite blinks awake. Wha... what happened. I thought I had that lock under control and now... here I am.
After several moments of explanation from the group, Naatalu starts to view Myron's wagon with a sideways glance. There's no way he managed in that thing. Somebody must have set this up, and I'm guessing it's the same somebody who loosed vipers on our ringmaster.
He starts to look around at the other wagons, and gets a worried look.
We need to take stock of who else has entered their wagons. There may be more traps lying in wait!
Naatalu looks around to see who is outside of their wagon, near the caravan or in the big tent, and who might be in their wagon, safely or otherwise.
As you return to the central campfire, you look around to determine who is potentially missing. To your surprise, everyone you can think of is gathered somewhere around here. Asking around will lead you to the same conclusion: most circus workers are too scared to return to their personal wagons until the camp is determined to be safe.
No, you're right. We still should. All of the wagons. But this time I'd like to work at a distance. I really don't want to be laid out again like last time.
This time, when they approach the wagon, Naatalu stands at least 20' back and to the side. He conjures a mage's hand to approach and tug on the door...
The rustling of leaves can be heard as hundreds of redeyed rats scurry about the foliage. The rats surround a halfling woman wearing a headdress in the shape of a rat’s head, its open mouth framing her face. She takes a step out of the wagon and addresses you.
“Isn’t this a pretty sight,” she cackles, twisting her grip on a gnarled staff. “I had hoped to murder more of you while the whole town was watching. That would have frightened them away from here for good! But a bigger slaughter might be even better; the foolish farmers and poisoners of Abberton will discover your rat-chewed corpses. No one will know how it happened, but everyone will whisper that nature is taking its revenge. And it is, through me! I’ll wager most of the town will be gone in a week, and the rest will fall easily. Then, perhaps, the land can heal from the cancer known as Abberton.”