You crept into the Witchlight Carnival as a child or youth and never looked back, earning a place among those who work behind the scenes to keep the carnival in business. As a hand, you work hard and party hard. The carnival has borne you to many fantastic worlds, circling back around to your home world once every eight years, but you know almost nothing about these worlds because you spend all your time in the carnival. You know the other hands well, but the carnival's owners-Mister Witch and Mister Light-remain mysterious to you even after all these years.
Maybe you joined the carnival to escape a dismal life at home, or maybe you were enchanted by the idea of visiting new places or the dream of becoming one of the carnival's star attractions. Now that you're older, carnival life has lost some of its appeal. The daily routine has grown tedious, the cyclical nature of the carnival's journey monotonous. The carnival no longer fills your heart with a sense of wonder. Perhaps greater adventures await you beyond the carnival's gates.
- Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Sleight of Hand
- Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit or one type of musical instrument
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A disguise kit or a musical instrument of your choice, a deck of cards, a carnival uniform or costume, one trinket (determined by rolling on the Feywild Trinkets table), and a pouch containing 8gp
Feywild Trinkets table
| d100 | Feywild Trinkets table |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cookie cutter shaped like a unicorn |
| 2 | Two yew rings linked together |
| 3 | Silver hand mirror with a nymph-shaped handle |
| 4 | Painted wooden key whose teeth change configuration every day at dawn |
| 5 | Delicate silver cameo with pictures of twin children opposite one another |
| 6 | Golden pendant charm shaped like a leprechaun |
| 7 | Tiny wooden box containing a croquet set sized for pixies or sprites |
| 8 | Tiny pair of sharp, iron scissors |
| 9 | Chess piece shaped like a dancing satyr wearing a bishop's hat and clutching a gnarled staff |
| 10 | Saltshaker shaped like a wizard's tower |
| 11 | Crystal orb that allows an elf who holds it to sleep |
| 12 | Pendant that shows the phases of the moon |
| 13 | Large iron fingernail |
| 14 | Tiny electrum whistle that only Fey can hear |
| 15 | Wooden jigsaw puzzle piece as big as a saucer, with a painted image of a jug on it |
| 16 | Spool of glistening silver thread |
| 17 | Sheet of music that goblins find upsetting when they hear it played or sung |
| 18 | Rotten ogre's tooth with the Elvish glyph for "moon" etched into it |
| 19 | Vitrified eye of a displacer beast |
| 20 | Tiny duskwood coffin containing the ashes of a troll |
| 21 | Old invitation to a banquet in the Summer Court, written in ink on vellum in Sylvan |
| 22 | Gossamer shawl that glows faintly in moonlight |
| 23 | Ball-and-cup toy that plays a short, victorious jingle whenever the ball lands in the cup |
| 24 | Sprite's skull covered in ink fingerprints |
| 25 | Silver fork with the outer tines bent sideways |
| 26 | A soot-stained sock in which a nugget of coal magically appears each day at dawn |
| 27 | Tiny wooden stool (sized for a pixie or sprite) that gives splinters to those who hold it |
| 28 | Tiny clockwork dragonfly that slowly beats its wings (but can't fly) when wound up |
| 29 | Toy unicorn made of wood, painted with bright colors |
| 30 | Pixie plushie that sings when you squeeze it |
| 31 | 1-inch-square painting of a sleeping elf |
| 32 | Thimble that helps you daydream when worn |
| 33 | Pumpkin cupcake that magically regenerates itself in its paper cup each day at dawn |
| 34 | Fake Three-Dragon Ante card depicting a faerie dragon |
| 35 | Teacup made from a varnished mushroom cap that magically keeps its liquid contents lukewarm |
| 36 | Rock that floats and is small enough to hide in your closed fist |
| 37 | Tiny bottle filled with rainwater collected from the Feywild |
| 38 | Opalescent conch shell that laughs when you hold it to your ear |
| 39 | Vial of viscous liquid labeled "Fomorian spit. Do not drink!" |
| 40 | Wax candle that roars and crackles like a bonfire while lit |
| 41 | Potted daffodil that sways when near a source of music |
| 42 | 8-ounce, glass wine bottle that magically reassembles itself 1 minute after being broken |
| 43 | Tiny wooden sylph figurehead from a model ship |
| 44 | Tiny pumpkin-shaped cauldron carved out of bog oak |
| 45 | Bar of soap that smells like something memorable from your childhood |
| 46 | Piece of orange parchment folded to look like a knight astride a unicorn |
| 47 | Tinted glasses so dark that they can't be seen through |
| 48 | 8-inch-long glass ant figurine |
| 49 | Piece of parchment bearing a child's drawing of an oni |
| 50 | Tiny hourglass without sand in it |
| 51 | Empty vial with corked ends at the top and bottom |
| 52 | Pair of green leprechaun boots tied together by their laces |
| 53 | Smoking pipe made from a tree root |
| 54 | Red cap that droops down to one's shoulders when worn |
| 55 | Mask that helps you remember your dreams if you wear it while you sleep |
| 56 | Notebook that shows what's written on it only when held upside down |
| 57 | Wooden top with four sides, each bearing the image of children enjoying a different season |
| 58 | Tiny beehive wig made for sprites or pixies |
| 59 | Wooden mouse figurine that squeaks when held |
| 60 | Stuffed oni doll with a creepy smile and one missing eye |
| 61 | Empty bag labeled "Candy" |
| 62 | Tinted glass monocle that makes things look green |
| 63 | Black executioner's hood sized for a pixie or sprite |
| 64 | Piano key carved from a satyr's horn |
| 65 | Tiny wooden lute with cat hairs for strings |
| 66 | Iron needle with an eye that refuses to let thread pass through it |
| 67 | Tiny sundial that casts a shadow only in moonlight |
| 68 | Wooden pan flute that attracts harmless local fauna when played |
| 69 | Silvered pinecone |
| 70 | Flask of spectral glowworms that change color to reflect the mood of the flask's holder |
| 71 | Wooden apple painted blue |
| 72 | Tuning fork that sounds the tone for the F key |
| 73 | Nunchaku sized for a pixie or sprite |
| 74 | Copper coin with a smiling satyr's face on one side and a satyr's skull on the other |
| 75 | Severed chicken's foot attached to a leather cord |
| 76 | Collection of baby teeth in a tiny wooden box |
| 77 | Pinwheel whirligig that spins even when there's no wind |
| 78 | Child's parasol covered in moss and leaves |
| 79 | Wooden magnifying glass missing its lens |
| 80 | Glossy mushroom with a red, bell-shaped cap that jingles when shook |
| 81 | Pouch of seeds that smell like home |
| 82 | Petrified robin's egg |
| 83 | Wooden spoon with a hole in the center |
| 84 | Paper wasp nest in a jar |
| 85 | Sprig of rosemary wrapped with ribbon at one end |
| 86 | Tiny, unfurnished dollhouse sized for a pixie child |
| 87 | Paintbrush made entirely of ceramic-even the bristles |
| 88 | Candlestick whose candlelight looks like a tiny, dancing fairy made of fire |
| 89 | Spectacle frames in the shape of butterfly wings |
| 90 | Set of false wooden teeth |
| 91 | Tiny book of fairytales |
| 92 | Rucksack in which one potato magically appears each day at dawn |
| 93 | Pixie's winter jacket lined with fox fur |
| 94 | Tasseled wine charm shaped like a sprite |
| 95 | Weak magnetic wand |
| 96 | 100-sided die the size of a plum, cut from coal |
| 97 | Glass slipper, missing its mate |
| 98 | Tiny dreamcatcher |
| 99 | Barbell sized for a pixie or sprite |
| 100 | Music box that plays a sprightly tune you remember from your childhood |
Feature: Carnival Fixture
The Witchlight Carnival provides you with free, modest lodging and food. In addition, you may wander about the carnival and partake of its many wonders at no cost to you, provided you don't disrupt its shows or cause any other trouble.
Suggested Characteristics
These tables, while optional, are well suited to Feywild-themed adventurers and are ideal for any character who has the Witchlight Hand background.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm haunted by fey laughter that only I can hear, though I know it's just my mind playing tricks on me. |
| 2 | Like a nomad, I can't settle down in one place for very long. |
| 3 | Good music makes me weep like a baby. |
| 4 | Wherever I go, I try to bring a little of the warmth and tranquility of home with me. |
| 5 | I have never lost my childlike sense of wonder. |
| 6 | When I have a new idea, I get wildly excited about it until I come up with another, better idea. |
| 7 | I live by my own set of weird and wonderful rules. |
| 8 | I can't bring myself to trust most adults. |
| d8 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Friendship. I never leave a friend behind. (Good) |
| 2 | Empathy. No creature should be made to suffer. (Good) |
| 3 | Wanderlust. I prefer to take the less traveled path. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Changeability. Change is good, which is why I live by an ever-changing set of rules. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Honor. A deal is a deal, and I would never break one. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Rule of Three. Everything in the multiverse happens in threes. I see the "rule of three" everywhere. (Lawful) |
| 7 | Obsession. I won't let go of a grudge. (Evil) |
| 8 | Greed. I will do whatever it takes to get what I want, regardless of the harm it might cause. (Evil) |
| d8 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I would never break my word. |
| 2 | I find magic in all its forms to be compelling. The more magical a place, the more I am drawn to it. |
| 3 | I do what I can to protect the natural world. |
| 4 | A trusted friend is the most important thing in the multiverse to me. |
| 5 | I can't bring myself to harm a Fey creature, either because I consider myself one or because I fear the repercussions. |
| 6 | The Witchlight Carnival feels like home to me. |
| 7 | I'm drawn to the Feywild and long to return there, if only for a short while. |
| 8 | I feel indebted to Mister Witch and Mister Light for giving me a home and a purpose. |
| d8 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I easily lose track of time. My poor sense of time means I'm always late. |
| 2 | I think the whole multiverse is out to get me. |
| 3 | I'm always operating under a tight timeline, and I'm obsessed with keeping everything on schedule. |
| 4 | I'm a kleptomaniac who covets shiny, sparkling treasure. |
| 5 | I'm forgetful. Sometimes I can't remember even the simplest things. |
| 6 | I never give away anything for free and always expect something in return. |
| 7 | I have many vices and tend to indulge them. |
| 8 | I'm always changing my mind - well, almost always. |
Contacts
Carnival Companion
Over the years, you have earned the friendship of another carnival fixture. Roll a d8 and consult the Carnival Companion table to determine whom or what you've befriended, or you can choose an option that you like. Work with your DM to flesh out this friendship. This companion hangs around you while you're in the carnival, but it won't voluntarily leave the carnival.
The DM can use the Witchlight Hand stat block to represent hands, performers, and animal trainers who serve as carnival companions. Statistics for the other companions appear in the Monster Manual.
Carnival Companion Table:
| d8 | Contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Old, cantankerous Witchlight hand |
| 2 | Young, impressionable Witchlight hand |
| 3 | Performer (such as an acrobat, a clown, or a musician) |
| 4 | Retired performer |
| 5 | Seasoned animal trainer |
| 6 | Old blink dog |
| 7 | Cheery sprite |
| 8 | Harmless, magical wisp of light (no stat block required) that has a flying speed of 30 feet, can hover, and sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet |
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