Quote from Weathervision >>

Alright the party finds a quite spot behind a stall and stashed the pocket watch

Valrieth prefers not to split up.  If we were able to stash the watch safely / secretly in the Portable Hole, then she is in favor of going to straight to Mr. Witch and Mr. Light as a group.  Just pretend that it's unrelated.  We talked to them before about Kettlestream, and we could just go back and ask them about the missing children we've been hearing about.  We can offer to help with their search if they tell us everything they know.  She doubts that they'll volunteer any information to us, so it's probably going to lead to a revelation about the current circumstances.  Maybe we'll even find out the details of why this item is so critical to running the carnival.  ("Why such an urgent search for this thing, but there's not a similar search when children go missing?")

But we'll just have to be stubborn and say that we know what was stolen and that it was hidden within the Carnival grounds.  We can ensure that they get it back in time, but they have to tell us what they know about the missing children and the Hourglass Coven first.

Val is willing to help again, but if we need to use persuasion, then Finley should probably be the lead again.  He also still has that 1d4 bonus that he could still use.

(The other option would be to go talk to some of our other allies within the carnival first, but now that the heist is done, it's not clear whether they could or would do anything to help.)

The party can head to the big top tent to see Mr. WItch and Mr. Light

Hisashi gestures to the big top, "Les do dis, have a chat. Get some answers"

Gan-Re nods at Hisashi and says 'Let us go and seek some answers. A child is still in danger and there is no time to waste.'

The party heads to the big top tent and Mr. Witch is fuming mad and Mr. Light is quite angry as well.

What do you do?

Gan-Re is clearly agitated and impatient. However he holds himself together and nudges Finley to proceed. 

Quote from Weathervision >>

What do you do?

Valrieth walks directly up to Mr. Light and says, "Hello again.  I guess you remember me?  We've been hearing about children who have gone missing at the Witchlight Carnival, and then we saw that the carnival enforcers are out again tonight.  Has someone else gone missing?  Tell us what you know about the missing children, and we'll help find them and hopefully bring them back before they're lost forever.  We'd like to help."

Mr. Light says "We know nothing about loss children and this is not the  best time. We need to find what was lost."

Mr. Witch looks like he wants to crush something as he clenches his fists "Have you seen my pocket watch?"

"Lots o' things goin' missin' 'round here it seems, children, watches, Zybilna.." Finley says, standing next to Val with his thumbs hooked through the top of his belt, "Perhaps we could help find th' watch and ye could help us in return, aye?"

"Perhaps we can, but that is neither here nor there unless you have found the watch" says Mr. Light

Mr. Witch lets out a grumble.

Gan-Re says 'There is no time to waste. What assurances do we have that if we find the watch, you will give us the information that we seek?'. Gan-Re tries to gauge how truthful the answer is.

Insight 15 (game-log)

"Either help find the watch or leave the carnival your choice" Says Mr. WItch

Gan-re gets the sense that they will keep their mouths shut unless you use some leverage.

The party will need to leverage what they have to force them to talk.

"Ah'll put it this way then, if'n ye want th' watch back, tell us what ye know about Zybilna and th' missing children. Ah were tryin' ta be nice about it, but am tired of it." Finley finally says, holding up a coin that projects a static image of the watch being taken by a kenku, "We know where it's at, but answer our questions first, aye? They don't hear from us, they'll be gone with th' wind. Now tell us what ye know."

Quote from Snievan>>

"Ah'll put it this way then, if'n ye want th' watch back, tell us what ye know about Zybilna and th' missing children. Ah were tryin' ta be nice about it, but am tired of it." Finley finally says, holding up a coin that projects a static image of the watch being taken by a kenku, "We know where it's at, but answer our questions first, aye? They don't hear from us, they'll be gone with th' wind. Now tell us what ye know."

Valrieth is initially confused by the image that shows the kenku taking the watch, but she tries to cover her surprise. 

Val tries to help Finley: "If you won't tell us what you know, then I guess we will leave the carnival.  But I believe that the Fates brought us here for a greater purpose.  Destiny is written in the Stars for the those who can read them.  I predict that without our help, you will not recover Mr. Witch's watch until the moon is full."

(The moon was waxing crescent at the start of the campaign, so if the lunar cycle is similar to Earth, it should still be another 7+ days until the full moon.)

Gan-Re adds truthfully ‘We have dealt with the Kenku before and if you provide us the information we require then we should have no problem retrieving your watch.'

Finely please roll deception with advantage as Val is helping.

(Deception is a 14 in the game log)

"Alright well Zybilna created this carnival long ago and the missing people are probably somewhere in Prismeer. Taken by the Coven. Everyone and the entire carnival would be gone if we defied them. So we tolerate the coven. Now get the watch before we decide to become less friendly." says Mr. Light.

He holds his scepter and the smile he had on earlier is now gone. You can feel the tension in the air as you stand before 2 beings that seem ageless and most likely has lived several centuries.

Gan-Re gives Witch and Light a stern look, impressed but unbowed by the transformation. He says 'We will retrieve your watch. But to rescue those who are missing we need a way to reach this Coven. Can you provide this or point us to those who can?'

Gan-Re tries to remember any stories that mention The Coven

History 15 (game log)