The carousel operator rummages around and produces a clay pot of gold paint and some paintbrushes. She then puts up a chain and sign that reads, “Closed for Essential Repairs”.
Ben carefully adds the missing letter to the two tags. It fits, but nothing seems to immediately happen. There are two more pairs, each with a partially-worn name:
Cad strolls over and claps Bob on the back. "Couldn't match Edgardo, eh? No reason to look so hangdog -- I'm sure you did the Carnival proud," he says, mistaking Bob's physical discomfort for disappointment. "But look here! I won this spider at the guessing game! Nigh on impossible, but I nailed it on the first go! C'mon Edgardo! You've got him beat!" Cad is beaming with enthusiasm.
Ben finishes lettering the four worn nametags with his gold paint. Nothing obvious happens. The carousel operator (who introduces herself to Ben as "Diana") suggests that Ben take a free ride on the carousel, to mechanically activate the unicorns, and perhaps entice them to speak.
After making sure the paint is dry, Ben agrees and mounts Fortune's mate, "Bold", hoping the experience will encourage him to find his destiny by being a bit more daring and less resigned to a quiet life as a stonemason.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The ride starts up as normal. Ben begins to slowly make a circuit upon "Bold". The unicorn seems as lifeless and mechanical as before. But then a small voice begins to tickle the inside of Ben's mind.
Thank you, sir, for restoring our names. You, too, have lost something. I will tell you three secrets. Here is the first one: The thing you are looking for is in the possession of a hag. A hag named Bavlorna Blightstraw.
Enjoying the simple ride again, Ben is almost shocked to feel the voice in his mind. He listens intently doing his best to commit the words of the secrets to memory.
”Welcome back, Bold, thank you,” he thinks, awkwardly trying to use this nonverbal form of communication.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Feeling quite heady, filled with jam and custard, Edgardo fights back the urge to share with everyone the total quantity of custard that currently resides in his stomach. Swallowing hard he reaches for what could be his final cupcake. He vaguely hears a cheer from the crowd as the sugar once more rushes to his head as he sinks his teeth in.
The voice from the wooden unicorn continues to tickle the back of Ben's head.
You're welcome. Here is a second secret for you: Bavlorna’s lair is a rambling cottage on stilts in a fey swamp. I hope you find this information helpful.
Edgardo, Bob, and Cad (Feasting Orchard)
Cake 8: Edgardo downs his eighth cake without trouble. His teenage opponent tears into hers. CON save: 8
...and begins to gently choke on it before finally swallowing it. She begins to turn a bit green. Custard damage: 4
...Nevertheless, she continues. She doesn't look like she can take much more, but then Edgardo is not doing very well, either.
Bob, Cad, and the swinging gnome continue to watch the contest as it nears its conclusion. The hefty halfling has mumbled his apologies and left. The baby-faced referee monitors the action with a huge smile.
"Does this hag Bavlorna have the things and people the others have lost, or just what I lost?" asks Ben, "and is there anything else I can do for you other than give you your names back?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Cake 9: Edgardo downs his ninth cake, having found his leporine digestive system not incompatible with large quantities of custard and cupcake glazing. His opponent looks uncertainly at her ninth cake. CON save:14
...and then downs it in a single bite. Bob, Cad, and the swinging gnome applaud at this spectacle. An old musician comes over to pipe her bent flute.
Cake 10: Edgardo should roll his next CON save...
----
Ben (Carousel)
The voice responds, She has many things. She has your friend Alyeira's voice, and her young ward's brother, and many other things besides. And that is your third secret. I can tell you no more. You have done enough for us. Thank you!
The ride concludes. Diana takes down the sign, and lets a new batch of riders onto the platform.
His mind spinning from the revelations, Ben concentrates on remembering the details as he heads off to find the others that should be at the feasting table...
Those at the feasting tables see Ben coming towards them, though he has his head slightly down and seems to be mumbling to himself as he approaches.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
(( Sorry - I didn't know you were waiting on me! In my post regarding the heckler I had made a contingency to just move on to the staff area if I didn't punch anyone, but it wasn't clear. ))
Unable to identify who was heckling the poor Mermaid, Horatio continues on towards the staff area.
Ben joins Edgardo, Bob, and Cad in the Feasting Orchard, to watch what may be the final round of the cake-eating contest.
Horatio makes his way behind the Big Top to the Staff Area, only to find a tangled wall of thorns surrounding it. A caravan - a cluster of wagons lit by lanterns - is barely visible through the thicket. The 20-foot-high, 5-foot-thick wall of thorns looks theoretically passable, albeit slowly and painfully (and with lots of Dex saves vs. piercing damage) but there are no obvious openings.
Just within, Matilda and Alyeira are having a quiet conversation with Burly the bugbear. Also nearby is Colin, rummaging around the Dressing Room. (Horatio may get glimpses of both from where he is, although he can't overhear much.)
It is the middle of the night. Brilliant stars fill the night sky.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Edgardo
It dawns on him. Ten cakes. Ten! Even a ravenous rabbit has limits, but he was almost there. With what feels like a custard filled arm he reaches for the frosted minicake.
Cad is mesmerized by Edgardo's seemingly bottomless stomach. He hears a chant start up and turns to see Ben stoking the crowd. "ED-GAR-DO! ED-GAR-DO!"He takes up the chant, pounding on the table and stomping his feet in time.
Ben (Carousel):
The carousel operator rummages around and produces a clay pot of gold paint and some paintbrushes. She then puts up a chain and sign that reads, “Closed for Essential Repairs”.
Ben carefully adds the missing letter to the two tags. It fits, but nothing seems to immediately happen. There are two more pairs, each with a partially-worn name:
STONE and M - - S
STITCH and - - N -
Cadwallader:
Cad strolls over and claps Bob on the back. "Couldn't match Edgardo, eh? No reason to look so hangdog -- I'm sure you did the Carnival proud," he says, mistaking Bob's physical discomfort for disappointment. "But look here! I won this spider at the guessing game! Nigh on impossible, but I nailed it on the first go! C'mon Edgardo! You've got him beat!" Cad is beaming with enthusiasm.
Ben:
”Ah, more sayings! ‘A rolling STONE gathers no MOSS’, and ‘A STITCH in time save NINE” says Ben triumphantly! Let’s name these unicorns!
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Ben (Carousel):
Ben finishes lettering the four worn nametags with his gold paint. Nothing obvious happens. The carousel operator (who introduces herself to Ben as "Diana") suggests that Ben take a free ride on the carousel, to mechanically activate the unicorns, and perhaps entice them to speak.
Ben:
After making sure the paint is dry, Ben agrees and mounts Fortune's mate, "Bold", hoping the experience will encourage him to find his destiny by being a bit more daring and less resigned to a quiet life as a stonemason.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Ben (Carousel):
The ride starts up as normal. Ben begins to slowly make a circuit upon "Bold". The unicorn seems as lifeless and mechanical as before. But then a small voice begins to tickle the inside of Ben's mind.
Thank you, sir, for restoring our names. You, too, have lost something. I will tell you three secrets. Here is the first one:
The thing you are looking for is in the possession of a hag. A hag named Bavlorna Blightstraw.
Ben:
Enjoying the simple ride again, Ben is almost shocked to feel the voice in his mind. He listens intently doing his best to commit the words of the secrets to memory.
”Welcome back, Bold, thank you,” he thinks, awkwardly trying to use this nonverbal form of communication.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Edgardo
Feeling quite heady, filled with jam and custard, Edgardo fights back the urge to share with everyone the total quantity of custard that currently resides in his stomach. Swallowing hard he reaches for what could be his final cupcake. He vaguely hears a cheer from the crowd as the sugar once more rushes to his head as he sinks his teeth in.
CON save 13
Ben (Carousel):
The voice from the wooden unicorn continues to tickle the back of Ben's head.
You're welcome. Here is a second secret for you: Bavlorna’s lair is a rambling cottage on stilts in a fey swamp. I hope you find this information helpful.
Edgardo, Bob, and Cad (Feasting Orchard)
Cake 8: Edgardo downs his eighth cake without trouble.
His teenage opponent tears into hers. CON save: 8
...and begins to gently choke on it before finally swallowing it. She begins to turn a bit green. Custard damage: 4
...Nevertheless, she continues. She doesn't look like she can take much more, but then Edgardo is not doing very well, either.
Bob, Cad, and the swinging gnome continue to watch the contest as it nears its conclusion. The hefty halfling has mumbled his apologies and left. The baby-faced referee monitors the action with a huge smile.
Cake 9: Edgardo should roll his next CON save...
Ben:
"Does this hag Bavlorna have the things and people the others have lost, or just what I lost?" asks Ben, "and is there anything else I can do for you other than give you your names back?"
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Edgardo
CON save 17
((Will post this evening))
Edgardo, Bob, and Cad (Feasting Orchard)
Cake 9: Edgardo downs his ninth cake, having found his leporine digestive system not incompatible with large quantities of custard and cupcake glazing. His opponent looks uncertainly at her ninth cake. CON save: 14
...and then downs it in a single bite. Bob, Cad, and the swinging gnome applaud at this spectacle. An old musician comes over to pipe her bent flute.
Cake 10: Edgardo should roll his next CON save...
----
Ben (Carousel)
The voice responds,
She has many things. She has your friend Alyeira's voice, and her young ward's brother, and many other things besides. And that is your third secret. I can tell you no more. You have done enough for us. Thank you!
The ride concludes. Diana takes down the sign, and lets a new batch of riders onto the platform.
Ben:
His mind spinning from the revelations, Ben concentrates on remembering the details as he heads off to find the others that should be at the feasting table...
Those at the feasting tables see Ben coming towards them, though he has his head slightly down and seems to be mumbling to himself as he approaches.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Horatio:
(( Sorry - I didn't know you were waiting on me! In my post regarding the heckler I had made a contingency to just move on to the staff area if I didn't punch anyone, but it wasn't clear. ))
Unable to identify who was heckling the poor Mermaid, Horatio continues on towards the staff area.
Ben joins Edgardo, Bob, and Cad in the Feasting Orchard, to watch what may be the final round of the cake-eating contest.
Horatio makes his way behind the Big Top to the Staff Area, only to find a tangled wall of thorns surrounding it. A caravan - a cluster of wagons lit by lanterns - is barely visible through the thicket. The 20-foot-high, 5-foot-thick wall of thorns looks theoretically passable, albeit slowly and painfully (and with lots of Dex saves vs. piercing damage) but there are no obvious openings.
Just within, Matilda and Alyeira are having a quiet conversation with Burly the bugbear. Also nearby is Colin, rummaging around the Dressing Room. (Horatio may get glimpses of both from where he is, although he can't overhear much.)
It is the middle of the night. Brilliant stars fill the night sky.
Edgardo
It dawns on him. Ten cakes. Ten! Even a ravenous rabbit has limits, but he was almost there. With what feels like a custard filled arm he reaches for the frosted minicake.
CON save 5
Edgardo, Bob, Cad, and Ben (Feasting Orchard)
Cake 10: Edgardo digs into his tenth cake, and easily downs it.
His opponent attempts to follow suit. CON Save: 21
...and succeeds as well. She gives him a nod of grim determination.
Cake 11: Edgardo should roll his next CON save...
Ben:
Seeing the contest, apparently in its later stages, Ben starts cheering for Edgardo. He tries to fire up the crowd, too.
”ED-GAR-DO…ED-GAR-DO…ED-GAR-DO!”
Persuasion: 22
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Horatio:
Considerate of the thorny hedge, Horatio calls out to the others he sees. "Hey, I need to talk to the owners please."
Cadwallader:
Cad is mesmerized by Edgardo's seemingly bottomless stomach. He hears a chant start up and turns to see Ben stoking the crowd. "ED-GAR-DO! ED-GAR-DO!" He takes up the chant, pounding on the table and stomping his feet in time.