"Well, I don't know," says the clerk. Both of them were making convincing arguments to let them in for a lower fee. Both were halflings, and it was true that they were the size of a child.
Yumbulika flashes a warm, grateful smile at Nbazi for his support. She could always count on her fellow halfling for quick thinking and a clever word. Given his experience in the marketplace, and that his family are professional traders, she recognizes that he would make the better haggler, so she lets him take the lead and instead plays fulcrum to his lever.
“Well, if you don’t want our business I’ll find some place else to spend my coin,” she smiles before turning and walking away, off towards the lepers. There she gently flips a silver to one of the unfortunates, respecting his warning to keep her distance. “Hello hello! Beautiful day to begin the dry season, isn’t it? And the carnival seems busy with lots of people, so this is a good place to beg. Has the carnival been here long? I’ve heard they have peculiar creatures and exotic shows in there—have you noticed anything strange?”
“Well, if you don’t want our business I’ll find some place else to spend my coin,” she smiles before turning and walking away, off towards the lepers. There she gently flips a silver to one of the unfortunates, respecting his warning to keep her distance. “Hello hello! Beautiful day to begin the dry season, isn’t it? And the carnival seems busy with lots of people, so this is a good place to beg. Has the carnival been here long? I’ve heard they have peculiar creatures and exotic shows in there—have you noticed anything strange?”
Diplomacy (gather info with a silver donation): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
"Yes, we have," said the leper. "They have giant elephants with two tusks, a snake man, a tiger man with twisted hands, a female werewolf, and two dragons."
"Well! We can't leave those dragons entrapped!!! Those are my people!"
"They have giant elephants with two tusks, a snake man, a tiger man with twisted hands, a female werewolf, and two dragons."
“Those sound exotic indeed, though they could do without the snake man.” Yumbulika gives an involuntary shudder. “Thank you for the news, and good fortune to you.” The halfling bids the leper adieu and then wanders into the carnival, peering into every cage she comes across as she searches for the tiger man.
Baz, growing impatient with the haggling cuts to the chase, "Look, either your gonna do good business and let us in for 5 silver, knowing we have 2 strongmen that will undoubtedly cause you too get much more than 2 extra silver in profit, or you charge us 7 silver and we don't participate in any events. Either way we'd like to go in." he says showing a handful of 5 silver in one hand, while holding 2 more hidden in the other hand.
Inyoni speaks up in reply to all the raksasha chatter.
"We're going to hope the talk of a raksasha is just lies and exaggerations. But yes, if it turns out to be true, we won't be freeing it. I really doubt they could even keep such a thing confined against its will at all. Unless there's some other, equally surprising thing about this traveling show that hasn't been mentioned yet."
Her tone of voice suggests she's not terribly impressed by the circus, and that's part of what worries her.
Baz, growing impatient with the haggling cuts to the chase, "Look, either your gonna do good business and let us in for 5 silver, knowing we have 2 strongmen that will undoubtedly cause you too get much more than 2 extra silver in profit, or you charge us 7 silver and we don't participate in any events. Either way we'd like to go in." he says showing a handful of 5 silver in one hand, while holding 2 more hidden in the other hand.
diplomancy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
"Fine," says the ticket master. "You can come in for five silver." He felt like he was defeated by Nbazi's rhetoric. He took the five silver and gave them seven tickets to the Carnival. And inside what a wonder.
Kugu hops on into the circus and tries to examine everything all at once.
"WOW...I did not realize slavery was legal in these civilized lands. We should be careful that we do not end up in one of these cages!"
“Thank you Baz.” Yumbulika gives her fellow halfling three silver—one for herself, one for Kugu, and one for whichever of Mongo and Ukube prove strongest.
Inside the carnival, she walks ahead with Kugu and helpfully corrects his mistake. “I think you’re a slave only if you’re put to some kind of work. If you’re just sitting in a cage then you’re a prisoner. Don’t worry, I get words mixed up all the time too.” She points at a creature in one of said cages as her eyes momentarily turn into thin vertical slits in a sea of yellow. “Hello, hello,” she greets the beast in a hypnotic whisper. “Have you been in the circus for very long? Have you seen a rakshasa or any elephants or dragons here?”
"No no no, don't worry about it you can buy food later if you want to pay me back," Baz said to Yumbulika looking at all the wonders, he replies to Kugu, "Its possible they are paid to sit in the cage and be gawked at... but we should be able to find that out simply enough....". He takes a good look around the immediate area to see if he can Identify anything that might be sentient in a cage or on display.
She lets out a small sigh as everyone heads into the carnival, following after as Nbazi covers the cost of entry. Haggling was never really something she understood herself. Just pay what the person asks, it's not worth the trouble. If they're trying to rip you off, just steal it back later. Even still, she followed along, taking everything in. Like Nbazi, she focuses on trying to find anything that shouldn't be in a cage. Whether that be because it should be dead, or because it should be free.
"Also, I don't think it really matters if they keep like... literal animals. The issue is they're keeping things that are too dangerous or are being enslaved."
Inside the carnival, she walks ahead with Kugu and helpfully corrects his mistake. “I think you’re a slave only if you’re put to some kind of work. If you’re just sitting in a cage then you’re a prisoner. Don’t worry, I get words mixed up all the time too.” She points at a creature in one of said cages as her eyes momentarily turn into thin vertical slits in a sea of yellow. “Hello, hello,” she greets the beast in a hypnotic whisper. “Have you been in the circus for very long? Have you seen a rakshasa or any elephants or dragons here?”
The beast, who is an African wolf, responds: "There are three dragons here. I've seen a Raksasha, he is the master of beasts."
"No no no, don't worry about it you can buy food later if you want to pay me back," Baz said to Yumbulika looking at all the wonders, he replies to Kugu, "Its possible they are paid to sit in the cage and be gawked at... but we should be able to find that out simply enough....". He takes a good look around the immediate area to see if he can Identify anything that might be sentient in a cage or on display.
K(local): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
K(planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 20
You notice that there is a fiendish lion in a cage. His fur is demonic red and he has red eyes.
Mongo looks around for cute animals.
Mongo, you find a blazing orange bird in a cage (it's an Archaeopteryx).
She lets out a small sigh as everyone heads into the carnival, following after as Nbazi covers the cost of entry. Haggling was never really something she understood herself. Just pay what the person asks, it's not worth the trouble. If they're trying to rip you off, just steal it back later. Even still, she followed along, taking everything in. Like Nbazi, she focuses on trying to find anything that shouldn't be in a cage. Whether that be because it should be dead, or because it should be free.
"Also, I don't think it really matters if they keep like... literal animals. The issue is they're keeping things that are too dangerous or are being enslaved."
Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Knowldge Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
You find two Oliphants tied by rope.
"There are three dragons here. I've seen a Raksasha, he is the master of beasts.”
“Oh oh!” Yumbulika exclaims. “Thank you! Do you know where the Raksasha is? And what do you mean that he’s the master of beasts? Is … is he dangerous?”
To Inyoni and the others she relays the news in a sidelong whisper. “It sounds like those men at the bar were telling the truth. This wolf has seen a raksasha here, along with three dragons.”
"Three dragons!? What colors? And where?"
Although she's unsure, not really knowing much specifically about them, a search for a rakshasa has to begin somewhere.
"I think one of the men mentioned a tiger with twisted hands. That's a strange way to describe a tiger don't you think? Saying 'hands' instead of 'paws'? I think it would be a good possible rakshasa."
Ukube happily tags along with the group, taking in the sights and generally appearing to be in a great mood.
"Some of these beast are fearsome and dangerous all right. I've encountered many like them on expeditions in the deep jungle. Are you sure you want to set them free?"
Easily distracted, he looks around to spot the mentioned contest of strength or other forms of entertainment.
Ukube happily tags along with the group, taking in the sights and generally appearing to be in a great mood.
"Some of these beast are fearsome and dangerous all right. I've encountered many like them on expeditions in the deep jungle. Are you sure you want to set them free?"
Easily distracted, he looks around to spot the mentioned contest of strength or other forms of entertainment.
There is a place where the strong may test their skills. It happens to be a beautiful scale. That the strong just need to take a hammer and use it to hit the pedestal, and the strength of your hit will cause a mechanism to ride up the scale. The strongest can hit the bell and cause the bell to ring.
Ukube happily tags along with the group, taking in the sights and generally appearing to be in a great mood.
"Some of these beast are fearsome and dangerous all right. I've encountered many like them on expeditions in the deep jungle. Are you sure you want to set them free?"
Easily distracted, he looks around to spot the mentioned contest of strength or other forms of entertainment.
"Not everyone, but if they were imprisoning Zinn, they could be imprisoning other sentient beings. Lets just see what else the Carnival has to offer." He says watching Mongo approach the test or Strength.
"Yes, we don't need to release everything right now. Better that we make a good plan for it!"
Mongo wants to hit the thing!
All he has to do is wait his turn, and then use the hammer to see his strength rating.
She slips back to the party after not finding the possible prisoners or slaves. Just a pair of Oliphaunts. Sighing slightly, she made a small hand gesture at hearing everyone's suggestions. "The more valuable the prize the tighter the security. The smarter the prisoner the stronger the prison. Odds are wherever these dragons are, they're someplace that'll be difficult to reach. Considering they only used rope for the Oliphaunts... If need be we can make a distraction."
Yes, it is. :) DC 10.
Kugu walks among the various displays and shakes his head.
"I do not understand the reason for this...this...place. These animals belong in their homes not here."
He looks to his friends for perhaps an answer.
Mongo picks up the hammer and slams it down, like he's driving in a spike.
Strength check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
The mighty Mongo makes the bell ring!
“Hello, hello?” Yumbulika repeats herself to the African wolf, not sure if he understood her through her magic spell. “Do you know where the Raksasha is? And what did you mean that he’s the master of beasts? Does he control all the animals here somehow?”
Inyoni waits with Yumbulika to see if she can get any more information from the worlf.
“Hello, hello?” Yumbulika repeats herself to the African wolf, not sure if he understood her through her magic spell. “Do you know where the Raksasha is? And what did you mean that he’s the master of beasts? Does he control all the animals here somehow?”
Thanks for the reminder.
The wolf replies, "The beastmaster here is a Rakshasa in disguise. He has taken the form of a fat, burly man. In this carnival, he watches all the animals and makes sure we are fed. He keeps dragons here too."
Yumbulika shares the wolf’s information with the others, adding her own thoughts at the end. “It seems odd that those strangers at the bar would describe the Rakshasa as an attraction if he’s in disguise. Who would come here to see a fat burly man?”
She then addresses the wolf again. “Thank you, thank you. Does the Rakshasa treat you well? Or does he cause any problems for the animals or the dragons?”
"He can be both. Show himself to the public as the main attraction, as well as be the Beastmaster in another persona. It provides a convenient way to get around while still letting people think he's contained." She mumbled to herself, starting to feel a bit nervous about this whole thing. She didn't necessarily know what a Rakshasa is, but it sounded like it was going to be rather dangerous.
Inyoni continues to hold her tongue about what the wolf is telling them, but what she's heard so far makes her blood run cold.
She then addresses the wolf again. “Thank you, thank you. Does the Rakshasa treat you well? Or does he cause any problems for the animals or the dragons?”
*snip*
Again, thank you for the reminder.
"He treats us well for the most part, but he keeps the dragons in magical boxes of steel," the wolf explains. "He only lets them out as the main attraction. Most people haven't seen a dragon before, so they are warned to keep their distance."
Baz approaches Yumbu and asks, "Find anything yet? So far all I found was a pair of Oliphants." watching her talk to the wolf. "still finding it easy to talk to animals I see. Maybe we can get him to expose himself for what he is? It's dangerous, but the city wont allow a Rakshasa to operate so close if they know what he is. When is his next show?" he leans his head over to Zinnath and says "Steel boxes? Sounds familiar eh?"
This is turning out to be quite the adventure, maybe even one to rival Jatembe and his followers....
The mighty Mongo makes the bell ring!Mongo picks up the hammer and slams it down, like he's driving in a spike.
Strength check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Ukube gives an impressive nod before taking the hammer from Mungo.
"Not bad, not bad...now watch this!" he says, full of confidence.
Either the beer or the bravado, or a combination of both, gets in the way of a perfect swing. While the bell does ring, it's clearly not as loud as Mungo's
"Bah...easy...best out of three?" Ukube says a bit sheepishly.
Zinnath bounces his head up and down, and responds back to Nbazi, "very familiar!"
Zinnath bounces his head up and down, and responds back to Nbazi, "very familiar!"
You were in a magical steel box. But it was smaller, actually. You were fed and watered, but not allowed to go outside. Nbazi freed you after procuring the special, magical key and unlocked your box. He was unable to unlock the boxes of the other dragons.
The mighty Mongo makes the bell ring!Mongo picks up the hammer and slams it down, like he's driving in a spike.
Strength check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Ukube gives an impressive nod before taking the hammer from Mungo.
"Not bad, not bad...now watch this!" he says, full of confidence.
Strength check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Either the beer or the bravado, or a combination of both, gets in the way of a perfect swing. While the bell does ring, it's clearly not as loud as Mungo's
"Bah...easy...best out of three?" Ukube says a bit sheepishly.
The crowd barely gives you a cheer, unlike the one they gave Mongo.
Zinnath bounces his head up and down, and responds back to Nbazi, "very familiar!"
I guess the first thing to do would be to figure out where the other keys are? I don't think we'll able to just break them out without them," he says, then hearing the bell ring a second time he looks to Mongo and Ukube,"although maybe I'm wrong, Those 2 can probably break anything if they put their muscles to it." he says with smile.
"So the animals want to be here? I find that strange, but as long as they are not held against their will I suppose that is OK."
The frogman continues to wander the stalls and booths of the circus with Yumbulika and the others.
Yumbulika nods at Baz and relays what she has just heard from the wolf to the others. “I’m still surprised that most people can’t talk to animals, or at least think they can’t. I think the problem is that they talk too loud and scare them. You just need to speak softly and gently so that they understand.” she explains in her usual whisper of a voice. “Though I guess magic probably helps too.”
The halfling turns to face Kikina, though her words are available for all her companions to hear. “This rakshasa doesn’t sound that bad at all—I think it’s probably just a big misunderstanding. After all, he treats the animals well enough and there don’t seem to be any complaints. Maybe he thinks dragons are all evil and dangerous—the way we were assuming rakshasas are all evil—and he’s just trying to protect the visitors. I’m sure if we just explain the situation to him everything will be fine fine.” Her small head bobs up and down as if convincing herself of the tiger-man’s inherent goodness.
She thanks the wolf again, then looks back at Baz. “Most animals don’t have a good sense of time—or at least, they’re not familiar with clocks—so it’s probably best to ask a humanoid when the next show is.” Ignoring the possibility of a stealthy breakout (or perhaps not so stealthy, if Ukube and Mongo are involved), she opts for a direct approach. Seeking out the nearest circus employee, she asks “I’ve heard you have dragons here? Could you tell us where they are, and when the next showing is?”
Once they've moved away from the wolf, out of range of hearing, Inyoni voices her concerns.
"Rakshasas are inherently evil in nature, but subtle in their dealings. Any kindness that might be apparent only masks its scheming on a deeper level. If it is true there is a rakshasa, and it is free to roam in the form of a man, this is very dangerous. It is something beyond our capabilities and we must not confront it. But, I must also ask, how do we know the wolf is not the rakshasa?"
"It has never been my intention to destroy the rakshasa, only to find out if there is one, and if so, whether it is securely confined in some way. If it were confined, I would leave things alone even though it makes me uneasy. If it is here and it is not, I would warn someone who might be able to deal with it. I cannot hope to myself."
To the group: "And free my cousins, right?'