Illuwen takes the dandelion offered by Chase. He ponders it for a moment, looking around at the group, then blows the seeds away.

Suddenly, the memory of Zybilna giving him a cupcake returns. "Wait, you said this Zybilna had a chicken-foot tattoo? Below her eye? She was here! Back when we first came here, looking for Juniper! I haven't seen her since, I don't think, but it must have been her."

"Anyway, the staff area is straight ahead this way. If we're to find Mr Witch and Mr Light, that'd be the place to start." Illuwen leads the group down the thoroughfare towards the Big Top. As he passes the walking tree, he absentmindedly snatches at one of the falling seeds. (DEX: 22)

Lex makes a quick adjustment for the unexpected wind gust and catches the seed in his hand, only to find as he opens his fist that there is a gold coin in his palm.  He frowns and cocks his head confused, wrinkles his mouth in thought, then walks back to the others, pocketing the coin.

Rejoining them, he takes his dandelion, and twirls it thoughtfully as they head to their destination.  Along the way, he seems to focus back on the present, nods, and blows on the dandelion, watching as the tufts go flying off.

He does sort of mumble to the others as they walk, “Witch and Light didn’t seem to like us much last time we were here. Here’s hoping that’s changed, but I doubt they’re going to want to help us poke about the carnival.”

"We were trespassers last time," Scratch says, following Illuwen. "Surely the proprietors of such an establishment as this have kinder hearts toward those who have purchased tickets."

Chase's and Lex's logical hesitation presses on Scratch as well, though he tries to hide it. It may have been eight years ago, and so much has happened since then, but he also feels the pangs of apprehension at approaching the larger-than-life duo.

While leading the party to the Staff Area, Illuwen just nonchalantly reaches up and plucks a falling seed from the air almost as if he's done it before... [Roll a d8]

As the party passes through the thoroughfare, a merry tune spills forth from an instrument on the back of a brightly painted wagon. A monkey wearing a cloak covered with buttons turns a handle at the wagon's rear, sending music into the air from rows of golden whistles. As you watch, a goblin dressed as a ladybug toddles up to you, rattling a tin cup.

You hear from the monkey, "Spare a button if you please, I'll sew it next to all of these. I offer nothing in its place, besides a smile upon my face."

Chase halts as the goblin shakes the tin cup before her, her gaze drifting curiously between the rattling tin, the costumed goblin, and the rhyming monkey. “A button?” she says softly. “I cannot spare a smile, but a button—yes, that I can give.” With a fluid motion, she raises one claw to her blouse,  severing the top button. Then she drops it in the tip cup. The tabaxi follows the gesture with a playful bow, directed at both the goblin and the monkey.

2

Just as quickly as he had plucked it from the air, the seed disappears in Illuwen's hand. He is suddenly overtaken by a new personality trait until dawn: "I am easliy amused." Any conflicting character trait is suppressed in the meantime.

The goblin gives Chase a bow of his head and continues to shake his can asking for buttons.

Scratch watches the goblin, the monkey and Chase as he walks, ultimately deciding these two aren't truly in need, and so he ignores their pleas for buttons.

The party continues on following Illuwen to the staff area. As the party passes by the Big Top they marvel at the magnificent structure.

The roof of this tent reaches toward the night sky in three swooping peaks topped with spinning gold stars. Painted wooden panels on the tent walls whirl with colorful motion, displaying vibrant circus performances. the sound of music and laughter drifts out through the canvas door. At a passing glance you notice a Tiefling fire-breather who summons capering magma mephits and smoke mephits that eventually disappear. The crowd within the Big Top cheer after his performance.

Finally, you come to a tangled wall of thorns surrounding a cluster of wagons lit by lanterns. The caravan is barely visible through the thicket. As Illuwen approaches the wall, the thorns part to form an 8-foot-high, 4-foot-wide doorway. When the doorway is open Illuwen rushes you all through before the wall closes but 10 seconds later.

Enclosed by the wall of thorns is a circle of eight brightly painted wagons, one of which is a glass-enclosed water tank. As Illuwen knows, the fanciest of the remaining seven wagons belongs to Mister Witch and Mister Light. Sitting just outside their wagon is a human clown blowing bubbles though his pipe. Illuwen knows this man to be Thaco, a not so pleasant individual who only answers to Mister Witch.

As they continue toward the Staff Area, Chase remains surprised by how vast this place is, and how little they’d seen of it as kids. The tabaxi can’t help but stare at the tiefling fire-breather, clapping excitedly along with the rest of the crowd. Her enthusiasm only falters when she catches Scratch’s glance and his silent reminder: "Not here to have fun". Right. Zybilna. They needed to find her asap.

Her awe returns as the thorny wall parts before them, and again when they encounter the human clown puffing on something odd enough to produce bubbles instead of smoke. How remarkable! She hesitates, waiting for someone else to speak first. When no one steps forward, she raises a hand and offers a cheerful wave. “Hello! We’re here to meet Mister Witch and Mister Light. Could we speak to either of them?”

As they walk through the carnival, Lex is met with strange sensations mixed with the faint memories of their last time here.  He looks around at the folks enjoying themselves, all wearing the various fanciful wings, and looks away, thinking of how stressful not having those wings had been.  When they enter the circle of wagons, his eye catches on the glass enclosed wagon.  He tries to get a better look as they make their way to the cart for the two strange masters of the carnival.

Straight reroll if previous roll not available

Illuwen chuckles watching Chase's reaction to the thorn wall. He must've seen it hundreds of times before, but something about seeing it through her eyes brings him back to the glee he felt his first time here.

His smile fades when he sees Thaco sitting outside the wagon. "Always with the friggin' clowns," he mutters under his breath. When Chase greets Thaco, he stands back a bit, glad to let her take the lead.

Scratch's eyes are everywhere as the group of old friends pass through the carnival. He sees without seeing. The amusements slide by, and the interesting people and unusual occurrences are dismissed. He has spent many quiet moments considering what Chandler might look like now. As he has watched others and even himself mature, he has imagined the changes that should be happening to their missing dwarf friend.

He steps up beside Illuwen and ventures, "Chandler," he starts. The tabaxi still has a lot to discuss with the elf, but he braves this topic at least. "Have you seen any sign of him? Or heard anything since ... ?"

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

 

He steps up beside Illuwen and ventures, "Chandler," he starts. The tabaxi still has a lot to discuss with the elf, but he braves this topic at least. "Have you seen any sign of him? Or heard anything since ... ?"

Illuwen frowns and shakes his head. "Chandler's still missing? I thought he found his way home with you guys. No, I haven't seen him here." He pauses for a moment, then continues quietly. "I don't know, sometimes people just sort of... disappear. You remember that guard that helped us, Hurley? He's been gone for a couple months now and no one knows where."

Thaco looks at Chase and says, "Absolutely not! Mista Witch and Mista Light are far too busy right now. They are not to be disturbed!" He stands up from his seat in order to look bigger.

Looking closer at the glass wagon, Lex is amazed by this enormous fish bowl of a wagon. There isn't much else to behold about this wagon. Though, from the size of it, you can only wonder what aquatic creature may have come her in this thing.

Of course Thaco doesn't want to be bothered with them, Illuwen thinks. Maybe they can use his grumpiness to their advantage.

"Thaco, these are my... these are some adventurers. They're looking for the fey crossing they heard was in the carnival somewhere. If you could point us in the right direction, we'll be out of your hair and you won't hear from us again, I promise!"

"Or I could always call security and have them escorted from the staff area. There should be a guard somewhere nearby..." he says as he looks around for the patrol.

Scratch steps forward and places a forepaw on Thaco's shoulder kindly. Smiling, the tabaxi says, "We're not in any hurry to bother anyone. Do you know when the misters Witch and Light might be available? As Illuwen said, we're only seeking information your two bosses will surely have. As you are clearly the individual in possession of their schedule, it only makes sense that we ask you."

Chase steps forward, fixing Thaco with her most innocent, wide-eyed expression.

"We’re looking for help. You see, a friend of ours is in trouble!" Her concern briefly softens her features before shifting to an almost sparkly look of admiration. "Surely someone as kind as you wouldn’t hesitate to assist guests of the Carnival, right? Mister Witch and Mister Light would undoubtedly see it as a shining example of the exceptional service they expect from one of their finest workers!"