"Hi Diana." Navi offers a friendly smile. "Would you like to ride the carousel with me?"

Having noticed the centaur donning her professional mask, she felt genuine empathy which reflected through her calmer tone and gentle hovering. "It's okay to be sad sometimes." She assures. "Sometimes we all just need a little TLC. 'Tender Loving Care'." Blue hues look from Diana up to the worn paint and flickering lights of the Carousel. "Sometimes, we just need that little nudge to get that spark back, and a little work to really make it shine it's brightest." Reaching out, the little fairy touches a few of the bulbs in question and tightening others.

(Spell: Mending)

"Sometimes it's hard to ask for help," Navi returns her hands to herself and begin to fidget. "or even accept it when it it offered." Her cheeks deepen in hue, as if she were self reflecting. "Sometimes we need to be honest with ourselves..." Having weaved a crown of flowers, she looks to Diana and reaches out to offer placing it on her head. "And remind ourselves it's okay to ask for help." The little fairy then offers a sheepish, yet warm smile.

(Spell: Druidcraft again)

Navi takes a deep breath before she shares something with Diana she hasn't said out loud before. "Ever since my last visit, I've been so terribly lost..." She seemed almost pained at the admission she was making, the truth she was facing. "Imagine. A guide, who's whole job and purpose is to provide direction to travelers, lost. All the time. It's like my sense of knowing where to go, vanished." She blows a deflating raspberry with her lips. "So, I was fired." Literally and figuratively. Gesturing with her hands, the little fairy mimes 'something' (her) hurled from the sky, crashing into the ground. "So... I'm here to see if I can retrace my steps... Maybe find myself... what I lost..." Without her job, she was even more lost, trying to find her way back, or learn how else she can be helpful.

After a bit of a pause, Navi blushes a little, her light growing in warmth as she gathered up a little more courage. "I'd love to hear your story... And maybe we can be friends who help each other?"

(Spell: Guidance)

(Editing to fix some spelling errors/missing dialogue. So recording the rolls in case they re roll)
(Persuasion w/adv: 18 + 3 guidance)

Persuasion w/adv: 11 + 3 guidance

Despite Faelan's initial uncertainty, he finds that his paws remember the controls almost perfectly, and he takes over operations like an expert. Seeing that the ride is in good hands/paws seems to put Diana at ease, and she relaxes and listens with rapt attention to Navi's words. The little fairy's sincerity, wise words, and innate magic all combine to break the shell that Diana has been hiding within for a long time, and she opens up and pours her heart out to Navi...

Not many people know this, but... I'm not actually a centaur. I'm just a human who... made a bad deal. I used to be a knight, and in my last battle I was separated from my warhorse. I searched everywhere... to no avail. Finally, in my desperation, I was persuaded to seek help from a hag named Granny N... <Blech!>

Diana's stomach suddenly heaves violently, and she coughs up a large glob of brown goop onto the ground.

Ugh! I'm so sorry. Tree sap. It's been so long since I talked about this that I forgot: the bargain I made forbids me from speaking about some of these things. I'll have to be careful. Anyway... I traveled to a magical fairy land and met Gr... the hag, begging her to reunite me with my horse. Well... you can see the result.

Diana stops for a few moments, the sadness in her eyes almost enough to break Navi's tender heart. But the non-centaur continues: I wandered for a long time in fear and shame until I met Mister Witch and Mister Light, who allowed me to join their Carnival, and I've been with them ever since. So, I know you mean well when you say it's good to ask for help, but I'm afraid that... after what happened to me... I just don't think I could ever trust anyone who offers to help ever again.

But just now you said that you lost something. Here, at the Carnival, once before. I think I know the reason why. It's because of the Hour... <Blech!> Oh my stars! Again, I'm sorry! ... It's because of the hags. I don't know why they're involved here, but I see their minions sometimes... lurking in the crowds or corners. And I hear of things going missing. I doubt there's anything you can do to help me, but perhaps... perhaps you can help others, so they don't suffer the same misfortune as you and I. I'm sorry I can't tell you more.

She falls silent, her attention returning again to watching Faelan at the helm of the Carousel, and then to the Carousel itself. Suddenly she turns back to Navi and says with excitement: But maybe the unicorns will! Maybe... if you could learn their names - all of them - they might trust you enough to talk to you, and perhaps even answer your questions.

Navi looks around for the unicorns Diana is referring to, but can only see the eight wooden unicorns on the Carousel, magically animated for the purpose of the ride.

Faelan careful stops the Carousel, and helps any rider that needs help getting off the wooden unicorns, and opens the gate so the next riders can get in. He goes briefly to Navi and Diana. "Sooo... What's cookin' ladies?" He senses that Daina's mood has changed.

"Oh my..." Navi blurts when Diana 'blech's, giving her getting pats and runs against her back. She'd listen intently to the woman's story, so much so her brows would knit in her concentration. Indeed her facial expressions would reflect that of heartbreak for Diana's outcome, however there was also appreciation for her share and the information she could provide. The fairy did her best to stuff that away in her noggin for when she'd need to regurgitate it. Hags, minions, unicorns, "Oh my!"

Eyes ping wide. The little fairy could barely contain her excitement, and immediate distraction, at Diana's offer to, "Talk to unicorns!? Learn their names?!" She practically vibrates in efforts to keep herself cool. "O.M.G.s!" She gasps, then covers her mouth. Navi takes a deep breath. "Yes, please!" She squeaks.

Navi zips over to Faelan in her excitement, hovering much too close and he'd have to go cross eyed. "Hey, listen!" Boop. "Did you hear that, did you hear?" Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop. She'd unable to help herself, bopping him in he heat repeatedly in her enthusiasm. "We get to learn unicorn names and talk to them! Weeeeeeeeeee" She spins. The fairy clearly loved unicorns.

As Navi shares the good news with Faelan, Diana trots over to the Carousel to speak with the customers that Faelan has just admitted through the gate, explaining to them that the Carousel unfortunately needs to undergo some essential maintenance, and inviting them to come back later. There are a few groans but everyone accepts the inconvenience with good-natured compliance. Diana then trots back to the wagon and rummages around until she locates a small vial of paint and several brushes.

The unicorns' names used to be written on their bridles, but they mostly wore off ages ago, and no-one remembers them. Perhaps you can figure out what they are supposed to be. If you do, then please restore them with this paint.

------------------------------------------

Zeg helps Flynn get himself back together just as the call goes out from the Feasting Orchard that the 'Faerie-Cake-Eating Contest' is about to begin. Piles of cupcakes are brought out on trays and stacked on nearby tables, and the delicious aroma of berry custard wafts out as contestants start to line up to test themselves. It seems there are a lot more people flocking in to the Orchard at the moment, as evidently the Carousel ride across the way has temporarily been closed. Zeg and Flynn both recall that the Carousel is where their new companions were headed. Do they go to the Carousel to meet them? Or do they succumb to the smell of berry custard and try their luck at the Cake-Eating Contest?

"Zeg. Do y'wanna do a scan of the crowd to see who you can see then head to the carousel? Flynn asks still disturbed with his conversion with the 'not gnome'

Zeg looks around for a second like he would be able to see the gnome walking away at that moment.  He then looks back at Flynn.  "Uh, no.  Sorry, I didn't see a gnome. Did you talk to a gnome?  That's cool.  It looks like the gnome gave you something to think about anyways."

At that moment the smell of berry custard hit his nose and Zeg took a deep breath in.  A cake eating contest!  Why not, he thinks to himself.  At the same time his stomach gurgles with hunger.

"Let's do this first.  I'm hungry and that berry custard smells amazing!" 

Zeg doesn't really even wait for an answer.  He heads for the cupcakes.  "I'm going to try my luck." he tells Flynn. 

Flynn laughs.and follows Zeg.  As Zeg gets ready a look of concentration and pain crosses his face and his eyes become unfocused

Deep down in the Witch Light Carnival, on a midsummer eve.  There were more cupcakes than ones ever seen. Was about to leave but to my surprise. My owl companion leapt with a hunger In his eye. As he sat down ready to go. I pity the competition oh so well.  Go go Zeg go Go go Zeg go.... 

Repeats the last 2 lines to get the crowd into it

Inspiration to Zeg

Apologies  to Chuck Berry

Faelan is by Daina's action, and he helps asking the customers to come back another time. "So, ya saying that gotta look at each unicorn to find out their names?" Faelan asks slightly skeptical, but he does a quick look at one closest to him to see if he can find any clue.

Persuasion: 18.

(I meant Perception on the roll above.)

Bolstered by Flynn's inspiring rhymes, Zeg struts confidently to the contestant table to have his ticket punched. Two other punters also join: one is a rather weedy-looking but excited human male, and the other is a stocky female dwarf with a rather smug expression on her face; however Zeg doesn't seem intimidated and settles in to a chair as a plate of cupcakes is set before him. A carnival hand offers each of the contestants a lightly-waxed large decorative bib to wear across the front of their clothes as the hawker begins his opening spiel...

Courageous competitors! Keen candidates of cupcake acclaim! You will have sixty seconds to consume as many custard-laden cupcakes as possible. Whomever devours the most, will win this spectacular specimen. The hawker holds up a small cupcake, identical to all those on the table, but with some kind of special glittering frosting. Gird yourselves, brave souls! On my mark! Three... Two... One... GO!

Zeg begins eating cupcakes, and finds with a quick glance that the other contestants seem to be keeping pace. One cupcake, two cupcakes. On the third cupcake, the dwarf eats hers without a care, although the human seems to be struggling. By the time Zeg and the dwarf are downing their fourth cupcake though, the human tries desperately to choke it down, but disaster strikes. His eyes widen, his face contorts, his stomach heaves, and custard spews from his mouth and splatters all over his party bib.

Oh my! Someone can't hold their custard! One down, two to go!

We are fifteen seconds in, and it is time for cupcake #5. Zeg, please make a CON saving throw. I won't tell you the DC, but you may peek at the spoiler above and use the human's rolls as a guide on whether or not you think you need to apply Flynn's Bardic Inspiration (d6) to the roll. 

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Faelan hops over to the closest wooden unicorn and searches along the leather bridle, looking for the name that Diana mentioned. At first it doesn't seem like there is anything written on it, but Faelan's keen eyes eventually find something: just across the nose-piece there are some small sections with slightly less decoloration, as though they had been less exposed to the elements. Perhaps these had previously been protected with paint. Looking even more closely, Faelaen think he can make out two letters: B and D, although there is enough space in between for two more letters.

Now that Faelan and Navi know where to look, please each make an Investigation check to see how much of each of the eight names can be detected, and what to make of them.

Zeg digs into the cupcakes relishing the gooey goodness.  He gets a bit concerned when the human drops out.  But he's feeling good and the custard is oh so yummy.  He bites into the next trying to keep it down.

Con save 5

Zeg feels the custard coming back up and looks to Flynn for a moment and feels the inspiration he gave him.  Maybe it will be enough!

Add Bardic Inspiration roll 4

“Mmhmm!” Navi responds to Faelan, flickering with excitement. She zips over to see what her brain can formulate out of the puzzles that are their names. 

Investigation: 9 + guidance: 3 

"Well... There is a B... Then there is a D..." Falean wracks his brain with suck puzzle.

Investigation: 3

Faelan and Navi excitedly race around to all eight unicorns, peering closely at the weathered leather of the bridles to discern as many of the faded letters as possible. Both come to the same conclusion: that the unicorns are named in pairs, and that one comes before the other. The four pairs of names are:

FORT - - -
B - - D

PR - - -
- ALL

ST - N -
- - SS

- TIT - -
- - N -

---------------------------------------------

As delicious as the custard is, Zeg barely manages to keep cupcake number five on board, and feels some mild pain in his gizzard. The dwarf on the other hand doesn't seem fazed, but glances over and notices the little owlin's exertion, her smug grin widening as she reaches for cupcake number six.

Zeg takes 6 custard damage. Please make another CON save for cupcake #6.

Navi scratches her noggin as she squints really hard. Her brows knit as she tries to think of words that could fit. Her expressions flicker from hope, to hopeless, from determined, to doubt, from inspired, to unsure. “Can I buy a vowel?” She blurts, mostly to herself.

”Fortune?” The little fairy squeaks a first guess, eyes flicking to Faelan and back. A part of her was timid about getting the names wrong. How would she know if she was right? How many attempts did she get? Would she offend them and not get to talk to one if she gets them wrong?

Zeg let's out a bit of a belch and reaches for the next cupcake.  Things are rolling around deep inside him but he is determined to carry on.

Con Save 18

The owlin might be small, but he's tough. Chugging down his sixth cupcake, he seems to have gained control of his regurgitation reflex for now, and succeeds in keeping it inside. The dwarf swallows her sixth cupcake also, although the smirk is less smug as she sees Zeg keeping pace. The dwarf reaches for cupcake number seven, the facial expression more determined than ever. She raises it to her open mouth, pauses.... and then lowers it again, her expression contorted and her complexion pale. Her mouth closes, one hand rises to cover it, but it is too late! With an almighty dwarven heave, six cupcakes worth of custard erupts from her cake-hole. The party bib is far too inadequate for the torrent, and custard splatters all over the dwarf's tunic as a cheer explodes from the crowd.

Behold! cries the compere. We have a winner! And what an unexpected victor! Good show, gluttonous greedy-guts! Felicitations to our feathery friend! Salute our strong-stomached Strigiform! On and on the plaudits come, and the crowd seem to be loving every moment. A half-dozen spectators move forward and lift the little owlin high, as the Master of Ceremonies presents Zeg with the coveted cupcake of champions.

Zeg, you can restore any hit points lost to custard damage.

Flynn can see several people in the crowd exchanging coins following the contest. He also can't help noticing that the music from the calliope at the Carnival entrance, audible throughout the venue, has changed tune again, and sounds even more perfect in its harmonies and tone. 

"Well done my little friend. Shall we go find the others and expound on your exploits" Flynn chuckles.patting Zeg on the shoulder.  "Hmmmm the tune has changed again, such melodies I almost have it just on the tip.of.my tounge"   Flynns fingers on his left hand absent-mindedly moving on the chanter of his pipes