"I think what our fairy friend here is saying," Speedwell chimes in, "is, who are you and why did you want us here? Is someone in trouble?" He pauses for a moment, trying to see if he can make sense of what the bard is trying to tell them. "I mean, listen, I know that you artsy types like to get creative with how to deliver a message, but I for one would benefit from being told plainly."

“My friends call me Tumblestrum.” She says with a smile, adding, “You may do the same.” She then looks around and adds, “You’re all here to find what you lost. And maybe do some good along the way. But the night is still young, as are your songs. Go. Go enjoy the carnival and continue what you’ve started. Mayhaps we’ll meet again before the night is done. But if not, I’m sure you’ll be well on your way.” She then strums a beautiful chord on her lute and in a flash she is gone.

What would you like to do?

  Inif lets out a hmph, "And I thought I talked in riddles..."  Inif puzzles over the magic of the bard's disappearance, whether illusion or teleportation.

Inif, somewhat unsatisfied with the explanation, changes the subject, "Well, shall we head to the Mystery Mine?  Anywhere else you all wanted to go?"

Autumnleaf shrugs, patting her stomach. "Some food or simple games would be nice, there should be plenty about with only a punch as the price."

Speedwell feels uneasy, and his facial expression shows it. He’s not satisfied to just ignore the weird things going on, but he also doesn’t know where to go from here. “Sure,” he says as if his mind is somewhere else entirely. “The Mystery Mine sounds good.”

On to the Mine!

Propelled by magic, mine carts laden with fairgoers trundle into an opening carved like a dragon’s mouth. The carts reappear moments later on the far side of the attraction, with the passengers expressing a mixture of bewilderment, fear, and excitement.

Near the entrance, a male dwarf dressed like a wizard shouts, “Unlock the mysteries of your mind in the Mystery Mine!” He has bushy eyebrows, wears a pointy hat, and holds a large clockwork contraption shaped like a giant eye. He gestures you all to look into the eye, as he stamps your cards, before boarding one of the mine carts to ride through the mine.

As you strap in and begin the ride you start by passing through the dragon’s mouth, the ride then plunges them into an illusion-filled demiplane of undulating hills, corkscrewing trees, and prismatic skies. Through the ride Illusory forms of the your worst fears launch themselves at the mine cart. One for each character.

Please describe what, and how, your character's fear would manifest through ride. As you ride, please make four DC 12 Wisdom saving throws; one for each manifestation, with one at disadvantage for when you see your own fear. Any saves you succeed on mean your character laughs the fear away, any that fail and your character is compelled to scream as the illusion terrifies them to the core.

 Autumnleaf laughs through one of the manifestations, though her usual grin is strained from the start, and as each go by it grows more strained as she screams in fear. When her own manifests, it does so as a void. Dark and cool and quiet, and you feel for a few brief moments as if you are far more alone then you could have ever imagined. Autumnleaf doesn't quite scream, instead curling up and repeating a phrase in Sylvan over and over again until the ride comes to an end, which can be understood by those who speak it as

Inif sits in the front of the cart, "Fear is the mind killer, but I have mastered my fear."

As the cart passes through his companions fears, Inif senses his fear is looming as the landscape changes to the windswept plane of Limbo.  A nefarious frog-like creature, with spiked horns and vicious teeth materializes in the cart's path.  Inif leans in to his companions, "A death slaad- very nasty in real life.  One killed a number of my brothers."

Whatever cool demeanor Inif presented quickly vanishes when they come within arm's reach of the death slaad.  The illusion of the creature becomes too vivid of a reminder and he begins to scream hysterically  "NO!  YOU WILL NOT TAKE ME TOO!!!"

Giovani attempts to comfort his allies. “Remember where you are. You are with friends.” 

There’s a moment where the darkness becomes white light. Armed and armored men, monsters, wizards flit into existence and strike at Gio, faster than he can respond or defend himself. Chains appear around his wrists and his ankles. He takes wound after wound, and his limbs grow heavy… helpless… 

 Giovani finds the fears of the others strike his own deep-seated fear. He shouts and screams, and struggles against the cart. 

 As the party progresses from fear to fear, Speedwell goes back and forth between screaming and laughing it off. 

The deep sense of being alone in Autumnleaf’s fear grips Speedwell in an unexpected way. He has spent countless nights alone in the wilderness and grasslands of his home area, but he has never felt alone so completely before. For the first time, he felt as if he was the only living creature in existence and the thought, feeling, and experience was utterly terrifying for him. 

Gio’s Wizards make Speedwell chuckle as they dart here and there and fling their spells at Giovani and the rest of the party. 

Then, the party is bright into Inif’s nightmare, and a new terror grips the small Harengone. He can’t help but feel what Inif is feeling. He imagines this terror frog coming into his burrow and murdering his own family and burning down his grasslands home. He can’t help but to scream out in anger and fear. 

Finally, the view turns black and there is a reprieve from the rest of the terrors before a lush, beautiful open grassy meadow comes into view. The sun is shining through partially cloudy skies, finches flit here and there, and dragonflies rest on reeds growing out of a nearby brook that can be heard burbling along with the other peaceful sounds of nature. 

At first, it’s amazing. Then, a family of deer dart through the meadow, clearly in a panic. Flocks of birds eject from the trees into the skies and follow the direction of deer. There’s an acrid smell of fire and the ground begins to rumble. Then, in a flash, the party is standing in the charred remains of a meadow and forest. The brook is dry and the mud underneath it is hard cracked clay. The trees are still smoldering, and the sky is a mix of black clouds and a purple and orange sunset with the screams of an elder brain dragon flying near enough to see its terrifying features as it burns everything in its path. Speedwell, possibly emotionally spent on Autumnleaf’s and Inif’s fears is surprisingly calm. It’s as if he has imagined this fear and lived inside of it many times  before. 

Inif responds during his companions' fears.

With his countless hours of mediation, Inif is at peace in Autumnleaf's Void and finds a strength in its absoluteness.   When the Void clutches Autumnleaf, Inif reaches out to touch her hand.  He chants in Sylvan

Inif is shaken by Giovani's Army. A lone tear seeps from his eye at the horror and violence. "The price of ambition does not pay the cost of mercy."

Inif sees the simple truth of Speedwell's Dragon.  "With fire and death, comes growth and life. It is the cycle."

“I appreciate your insight, Inif,” Speedwell responds. “This total destruction of nature truly is my greatest fear, but you’re right. Under the right circumstances, death acts as the fertilizer for new growth.”

As you all emerge from the mine, you take a few minutes to come back to reality a bit. The wizard watching you all to ensure that everyone is ok. Once it seems you are, he says, "Facing your fear will allow you to be ready for anything you face later on!" He then heads back to the front of the line to let the next set of guests through. ((Everyone gains 1d8 to add to your net CHA based roll while in the carnival)). As you look around, the smiles and laughter of the other guests let you release what fears you encountered, and are now ready to continue.

What would you like to do?

"What next," Speedwell asks. "If I'm being honest, I kind of want to get to the bottom of what's going on here, but I'm not sure where to investigate next."

"I wonder if we would get the attention of Misters Witch and Light if we started causing a little trouble," he says aloud, but almost more to himself than anyone else.

Autumnleaf takes a little longer to pull herself together after the mine, but when she hears Speedwell she shakes her head emphatically. "No no no no no, none of that sort of mischief, that's not the way. If the attention of Mr's WitchLight you want, then let us try to spread joy throughout the rest of the day."

Looking around the carnival, Autumnleaf can tell that the overall mood tonight is quite high compared to most nights. Though she's seen more joy, it doesn't happen often.

Inif pulls out the carnival map again.  "Let's see, where haven't we been?  Snail Racing, Bubble-pop Teapot, Silversong Lake, Gondola Swans, Carousel, and the Feasting Orchards."  

Inif turns to Speedwell, "I'm in agreement with Autumnleaf.   I keep hearing this idea of 'spreading joy' and making mischief seems to go against it.  Perhaps after we do we what can to bring happiness and before the night is done, we'll visit the staff area and gauge their happiness.  If something is amiss, I'd expect the workers might notice."

"How about the snail racing?"

Autumnleaf nods, patting Inif on the shoulder. "That's the spirit, friend of mine. I still suggest we sup at the Orchard, but anything is fine."

“Snail racing first, then feasting. Never know when your stomach won’t agree with any swings in a saddle.” Gio looks around at who might be around and watching, like the Tiefling? from before.