Hear, Here:

The orc smiles at Marrin's performance, humming along  as she plays.

 “Normally, I’d say 30 gold for a nice one like that, but after that performance, I’d say it’s better being played than sitting on the shelf. I can let you have it for 20 gold.”

 Almiraj Ring Toss:

The harengon laughs as all three of Jan’s rings go wide.

 “As hard as it looks, isn’t it?” the carnie says. “How about one more go?”

Chapters and Verse

The tabaxi wraps up Ethel’s purchases and smiles.

“That squid and black dragon ink is not inexpensive my friend. Many a wizard would be quite happy to get some at the price I’m charging you for it. It moves so smoothly across the page that a spell almost writes itself.”

 (It will cut down the time to scribe a spell by 25%)

They pause for a moment and finish tying up the paper with a ribbon, thinking about the last question.

“Ah, yes. Mister Desbiens,” the tabaxi says. “He didn’t say but he did mention meeting up with a Mister Hammerdasher somewhere in the Lintoll.”

"Sure, why not!"

14

20

22

Jan flicks out the rings in quick succession, a satisfied smile on her lips.

"Just took getting a feel for it I guess!"

(Please roll one d8 for Jan)

6

Almiraj Ring Toss:

The harengon collects the rings from the now stationary almiraj.

"Congratulations," he says. "You've a good eye. Now two rings, that gets you . . . "

He dips down below the counter of his booth and you hear banging around and what sounds like a chest opening and closing. Eventually the furry ears appear back over the top of the counter, followed closely by the rest of the carnie.

"Here you go," they say with a flourish.

He places down a thin wand on a thinner velvet bed for Jan to take.

"What's it do?", Jan asks, picking up the wand and examining it.

((Assuming he tells her.))

"Ah! Don't need it myself, but it'll make a fine gift for a friend of mine! Thank you!", Jan says, turning over her gloved left hand to reveal a miniature almiraj trinket before closing her fist and revealing an empty hand.

((Presuming Marrin has 20 gold-))

Marrin puts on a bit of a show reinspecting the lyre but ultimately says,

"I do need one, and this certainly nicer than what I can get in town. I'll take it."

She'll give the orc the money and a parting smile, commenting,

"Tomorrow I'm sure you'll get do something a bit more exciting, thanks for your help!"

She'll then step out and look for the nearest game of chance skill she can play while she waits on Ava and Ethel, possibly the gnome poetry?

Marrin has little trouble finding the Gnome Poetry contest tent, just past a fortune teller's stall, but she is putting distance between herself and the others.

Inside the open tent, Marrin find several fairgoers laughing as a woman she had seen earlier in the park steps down off a low stage. Someone on stage recites a limerick as the woman leaves.

"There was once a Lich so wicked,
A king sought to have him kick'ed
Off o' this mortal realm
But his foes he did overwhelm,
Such a dangerous Lich, so wicked"

In the middle of a stage is a very dapper gnome, dressed in a three piece suit. On the gnomes back are a pair of sparkling wings, attached by straps.

“Come come, there must be more, I can hear the low hum. Sound the chime, it’s time to rhyme! You bring the poem! We’ll bring the gno-em!”

The gnome spots Marrin.

"In my assessment, here comes a worthy contestant." The gnome says, to some laughter and a couple of groans. "Fancy a go, lass?"

Bowing solemnly to the bookseller, Ethel takes her package and departs.

"Now, Avaria, I believe you had some interest in the fortune teller?"

((Oh, thank goodness this is a forum game. Quick rhyming is not my strong suite, but should be Marrin's! Going to have to dig deep into my 8th grade poetry roots.))

Marrin comes up and gives a little bow to the gnome and then the small audience before projecting

"I'm no stranger to doggerel duels, though what are the rules? I call out new verse, with no time to rehearse? Or do I name the style and you respond to the trial?"

@Marrin

Avaria watches the tabaxi, wondering why they are giving her odd looks..

Insight  7

but seeing as she really has no clue, she is happy once Ethel is ready to go. 

As her friend mentions the fortune teller, she shrugs, "I don't know, thought it might be fun if you don't mind?  I wondered where the others trailed off."  and she heads towards the fortune teller area.

((I think Jan would return to the bookseller's area once she's won at the ring toss and wait for Ava and Ethel, if she can be fairly sure they were still there?))

Avaria can’t make head nor tail of why the tabaxi seems different to her now. Maybe it was something she asked about.

 With Ethel’s package of ink and paper stowed away, she and Avaria step out of the bookshop and almost bump into Jan and Ula.

 The group don’t see any sign of Marrin as they make their way to find a fortune teller. They do pass one tent mentioning a Gnome  Poetry contest and hear laughter coming from within.

 Nearby, Avaria spots another tent with hooded lanterns hanging out front.

 A neat sign by the entrance reads “Calypso Akimbo Fortunes”.

 An elderly woman steps outside of the tent and says “Thank you” to someone inside.

 “Just remember, the fresher fruit is safe this time, my dear,” a voice from inside replies.

 As the group stand outside that same voice calls again.

 “It’s easier if you come on inside so Tia can get a look at you.”

Hearing the voice from inside, Avaria smiles at her friends, shrugs, then heads inside the tent.

Jan will follow.

Earlier...

"Ethel, I won this wand at the ring toss, it allows casting if minor magical trickery, mostly the sort of thing that I've already picked up. I thought you might be able to put it to better use than me, if it's of a sort of magical frivolity you've not studied. Don't know how much goes into wand making, but thought you might want to study it too... if you could bake some magic into wands instead of scroll... I don't know if that's too big of an ask, but the idea sounded like something you'd be maybe into..."

Jan's awkward gift giving ends with her thrusting the wand at the other woman.

((I will give it my best shot tomorrow!))

In Calypso Akimbo Fortunes - Avaria, Ethel, Jan and Ula

When Avaria, Ethel, Jan, and Ula step into the tent, they discover what looks more like a wood frame home than a canvas tent. The room is lit with an extraordinarily large number of candles. They’re on small tables, shelves, and burning brightly on candelabra. From the ceiling hang glass balls filled with liquids and gaseuous clouds, wrapped in rope and leather. Small glass cases shine in the light, some housing small skulls, others what look like shrunken, desiccated animal carcasses.

In the middle of the room, wearing a golden dress, long hair in brown dreadlocks stands a smiling woman.

“Come, come closer. Show Tia who you are,” she says.

She moves closer to meet you half way, twirling Avaria around in a circle to get a good look.

“Now, the unpleasant part first,” Tia says.

She starts to explain the pricing, but then catches sight of the black cards Avaria and Jan have.

“Ah, I see. First one’s on the house then. Sit, sit.”

Tia all but pushes Avaria into a chair and gestures at the rest of you to do the same. Though looking around, you don’t see any other surfaces clear enough, or sturdy enough to act as a chair.

“Hmm, let me see dear,” Tia says, holding Avaria’s hand. “There’s a touch of destiny about you. Hmm, about all of you.”

She takes out a small black pouch and pours out a collection of small bones, a gray feather, and some other small odds and ends.

She casts them on the table that now sits between Tia and Avaria.

“Yes, be wary of unseen serpents. Always good advice.”

She casts the bones on their own again. Looks at the results closely and looks quickly up at Avaria and the rest of the group.

“No, no, no. Tia Dalma doesn’t need this in her life,” she says. “Why don’t you all go try the snail races. You don’t need these parlor tricks.”

((Okay, here are three goes that will hopefully do it, otherwise I will need to take another run later tonight!))

(2, 4, 6, 8, 2)

Freedom,
a tricky idea
where each step is so clear,
but still, somehow, leaves you filled with
unease

Performance: 16

(The Fib)

Up,
No,
Down there,
To the left,
About there just some…
Perfect now don’t stop scratching!

Performance: 15

(Quintilla)

The song called to her very soul
it opened her eyes and her dreams
but songs have oft dangerous themes
with a sinister hidden toll
and the song gave less than it stole

Performance: 19