Dex Save from Marrin please.

Dex save: 25

Avaria frowns. “If anyone is playing bait, it’s going to be me.”

Ethel frowns harder.  "No.  I am the least physically imposing of the lot of us.  Let them have me.  It should keep them relaxed and off their guard."

"To be clear, my plan wasn't to let them have the bait, but for someone to lead the last guard somewhere that we can possibly jump them and neutralize them. But you have a point... If I'm a lone guard, I'd still think twice before tangling with Ava solo.", Jan muses.

(Ethel frowns harder?  Like its a contest?  that so made me laugh)

Ava reluctantly agrees with them, "Yeah.. but then we'd know how smart they were"  she grumbles, but lets Marrin or Ethel go.

Marrin frowns not at all, she's still trying to have a good time.

"Go with the clown distraction, Ethel!"

No one can tell if Jan is frowning, or how hard if she is.

Marrin jumps up and touches the floating bubble.

Unlike the other one that transformed into a collection of butterflies, this one bursts in a shower of sparkling, glowing globs of light (like the bright sparks from a sparkler, only bigger, and lasting longer) that rain down.

Marrin manages to dodge to the side avoiding the sparks, as well as avoiding the now gravity beholden clown who falls gracelessly onto the bench below. The clown lands on his feet, releasing a loud honk in the process.

Those around ooh a the sparkles and laugh at the honk.

Two more clowns float about in giant bubbles above the crowd. Autumn Noon begins walking to the center of the ring, as the bubble cannon is wheeled away.

Marrin laughs and claps as well at the clowns escape, noting that ONE of her companions has used the distraction to scamper away. Whichever one that went, she knows it was the right choice.

She then shifts her attention to helping the clown back out or to wherever they'd like to go before looking to Noon.

((Jan will have tagged along behind Ethel or whoever has peeled off, pointing out the guard they are seeking to lead off.))

Avaria begrudgingly lets Ethel head off with Jan, but before she goes, "No, we are not letting them have  you."

She sticks with Marrin, but keeps an eye on Ethel as she tries to watch Noon.

Ethel nods and begins making her way to the exit.  She does her best to act as natural as possible, not trying to be stealthy.  

[This doesn't come up much in RPG games, but are there porta-johns at the Lintoll?  There must be something like that, right?  If so, Ethel will behave as if she is headed off to use the facilities, without a care in the world.]

((Something like a row of outhouses manned by a sad looking trainee wizard constantly using the prestidigitation spell.))

Ethel, followed by an invisible Jan, makes her way towards the exit. A small sign points the way to the WCs. In passing before you had noticed a few rows of small, rainbow coloured tents behind the big top.

Jan, with freedom to look around and not be seen doing so, notices the one guard follow after Ethel immediately. And from down the main lane of the Lintoll, she spots the other guard, this time with two more townguards, coming towards them. Ethel, and the four guards all looking to converge on the colourful port-a-tents.

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Inside the big top, the cannon has been removed, the crowd has settled back down some what and a soft silvery-blue spotlight illuminates Autumn Noon.

"Thank you all for coming tonight," Noon begins. "As is customary, before the crowning of the Lintoll Potenate, we like to invite those of you in the audience to try out your hand at entertaining the crowd. You know we're not stingy with prizes."

As those still in the tent puzzle over what the crowning of the Lintoll Potenate might mean, dozens of hands shoot up in the crowd, some people jumping up, trying to attract attention.

Noon points out a young girl, perhaps 10 or 11 years old.

She steps out quickly and confidently and turns to the crowd. Her voice starts out a little softly, but as she gets going either her confidence increases, or the magic of the big top helps out, the strength and power of her voice grows.

Soon the entire audience is clapping along to lively sailing song.

"Ethel! Three more incoming!", Jan hisses in her friend's ear, looking back to see if the rest are following.

"Don't look, but maybe we head of this way instead? I can change into someone else and make myself visible if we need to."

((Not sure left/right, but she'd give Ethel appropriate directions.))

Marrin is absolutely one of those up on their feet vying to entertain, potentate or not.

She'll give the girl her due and then nudge Ava and whisper,

"Ringer. Honestly, you gotta have them."

Ethel continues on towards the WCs, ostensibly oblivious.  

"No.  We will get to the bottom of this, now.  Stay hidden and don't interfere, unless I mention Noon's name.  That will be the sign that this has gotten out of hand."

"I don't see the others... damnit. Might just be you and me... Alright, I'll intervene on Noon's name."

Inside the Big Top

The girl has the crowd hanging on every note and word of her song. With Marrin's sense of songs and performances she's got a sense the song the girl is singing is likely about half over.

Rainbow Port-a-Tents

Two, slightly inebriated, Lintoll guests exit a purple tent and a pink one. The one leaving the pink tent sees Ethel, tries to focus on her but doesn't succeed entirely. He ends up saying "I wouldn't go in that one for a while if I were you." 

The pair proceed past what is now a semi-circle of the four towns guards behind Ethel. With no one else in sight, one of the guards clears his throat.

"How about you come with us?" the guard says. "The mayor would like a word."