Propelled by magic, mine carts laden with fairgoers trundle into an opening carved like a dragon’s mouth. The carts reappear moments later on the far side of the attraction, with the passengers expressing a mixture of bewilderment, fear, and excitement.
Near the entrance, a male dwarf dressed like a wizard shouts: Unlock the mysteries of your mind in the Mystery Mine! He has bushy eyebrows, wears a pointy hat, and holds a large clockwork contraption shaped like a giant eye. With a sweeping bow and a twinkle in his eye, he continues:
Step right up, brave souls and curious minds! Behold the All-Seeing Eye! Peer within, and it shall peer right back—deep into your dreams, your dreads, your delicious little doubts!
He beckons to the nameless dwarf as she approaches, and croons in a conspiratorial grin.
Face it if you dare, and the Mystery Mine shall take you on a ride unlike any other. Or… if you'd rather keep your secrets close and your fears unprodded, you're still welcome aboard. Just… don’t blame Zephixo if it feels a touch tame.
Zephixo chuckles, tapping the side of his nose, and returns to his loud claxon voice:
The choice is yours, dearies. Terror or tedium: step right in and see!
G'Reginald
The dwarf reaches for his sixth cupcake, but looks taken aback, his eyes wide, as he is asked politely if he wants the remainder of the cakes on his plate. His stares at the gnome for a few moments, but then squints and smirks as he slowly pops the cupcake into the gap between his beard and moustache.
18 seconds gone The Dwarf: 6 cupcakes Greginald: 5 cupcakes Tall-Dark: 3 cupcakes Grandmama: still on her first, and trying to strike up a conversation with Tall-Dark.
Mulligan
Leaving the exhausted halfling girl in the care of the colorless carnival worker, Mulligan ventures into the Hall of Illusions. As soon as he enters the tent, he immediately notices the noise from the outside crowds has been silenced. Indeed, there is almost no sound at all, apart from a distant echo of sobbing. The relative lack of sound also augments the eerie sight that greets Mulligan's eyes: a long row of tall identical mirrors, all facing the same way, forming a one-way corridor with the tent wall, curving out of sight.
Mulligan can't help but look into the first mirror, as it faces him directly. The image within is certainly familiar as one would expect, but something is not right, and it takes a moment to notice. Are his eyes playing tricks on him, or was the reflection like that all along? Mulligan is looking at a reflection of himself, only as a teeny-tiny baby!
The next mirror is similar... as Mulligan's eyes focus on the image, it seems to resolve gradually until he isn't sure if it changed before his eyes, or if it was there all along and he just couldn't see it. It is again a tiny version of himself, but this time a teensy bit older. It soon becomes obvious that each mirror in turn displays a reflection of the viewer at a slightly later age or time of life...
I'll leave it to you to describe what Mulligan looks like as a baby/child/etc... and then we will see what happens after that.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
In the mirrors Mulligan is... quite different than he is now but quite ordinary for what he is.
Mulligan doesn't exactly recognize himself as a baby. Not really. Who knows what they look like as such a small thing? It is more recognizing the blanket he is wrapped in. He still has a small piece of that blanket, in fact. Stuffed in his backpack. It's way in the bottom where he doesn't much stumble upon it. When he does see it... Well, it's hard. It brings back happy memories. Which is nice but also painful... Knowing the memories are in the past and of people and places basically gone to him forever... But yeah, baby Mulligan is as pudgy and smily and babyish as any baby. He'd be quite photographic, if photographs existed...
Much the same goes for child Mulligan. Oh the blanket is gone - stashed away in his bedroom if he recalls - because he is just old enough to not think of himself as a baby or needing babying. So the baby blanket is gone and the look of Mulligan is starting to form. He is still not himself quite yet but one can see him starting to emerge if one is familiar with him and knows where to look. Those eyes are definitely O'Menihan eyes, the grin is subtle but yeah, that'll become a mainstay in the years to come... But child Mulligan still has so much potentialities about him. The framework is there but he could still become almost anything, really...
Kid Mulligan is happy and carefree if the reflection is anything to go by. This would be pre-teen Mulligan, the him that his parents are forming out of the clay that is him. The family is lucky enough to be lucky enough. They work hard for a living but aren't living only to work. This means they have time to spend with their child, to love him and mold him into a good kid... eventually a good man, if luck holds out.
The smallest time gap is next. It didn't take long at all for pre-teen Mulligan to turn into teen Mulligan. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and that is true enough. True enough to be a saying, anyway. But sometimes the apple bruises when it falls. And there's another saying - One bad apple can spoil the bunch. This too is true enough to be a saying. And the bruise upon Mulligan came not from falling from the tree but by visiting the carnival... He had forgotten about that but seeing the reflection now? It all seems pretty clear. Teen Mulligan is taller, lankier. Not bad things to be, really. But he is also darker. Not so happy. Definitely not carefree. Teen Mulligan may have an instrument in his hands, a gift from his parents to try, in some small way, replace what he had lost... But music or not, Teen Mulligan was a lot quieter and much more sullen than the previous reflections. There was a distance growing between Mulligan and others. Friends, of course, but also family. A distance that nobody really knew how to travel across. Communication just seemed to end over night with no explanation anyone knew of... not at the time. And with each words left unsaid the chasm between Mulligan and the world grew wider. Where once potential seemed to emit from the child there was now a growing darkness... Not of evil but of distance and and a dying warmth and connection.
Mulligan found himself reluctant to continue on... Perhaps he was better off not remembering? Not confronting? Chasing what is lost is perhaps a folly best set aside?
But there is still that echo of a sob. A sob that perhaps he can help soothe even if he doesn't have the words to do so... So he continues on.
The dwarf is about to head up to the departing passengers to ask them what the ride was like when she sees that the one running the ride is a fellow dwarf! Excited about this, she turns on her heel and heads over to him. She returns the grin and gives a little curtsey, grabbing the edges of her apron. "Why good evening sir Zephixo! My name is..." her eyes go wide as she drops her apron and stares at the dwarf dressed as a wizard. She quickly recovers, covers her mouth politely as she coughs and tries again, her face a little flushed.
"My apologies, I meant to say, my name is..." and she stands there stupefied that she can't remember her name. "I.. can't remember? Isn't that the stupidest thing you've ever heard? I think I need to sit down." She looks for the closest seat, and if its the mining cart, that's where she sits.
The nameless dwarf pushes past the amused dwarf worker, staggering unsteadily as the confusion of not knowing her own name makes her head reel. Dizzily she finds somewhere to sit. Someone sits next to her. Two more sit in front and two behind, and the minecart in which she sits starts to move, gliding toward and then into a dragon's mouth.
The confused, nameless dwarf plunges through the air toward the ground, undulating hills of bright green and hot pink rising up on either side and then falling away. She careens through forests of corkscrewing trees, twisting and turning. She rockets into skies of prismatic chaos, blinding by exploding stars and whirling orbs. All the while, creatures of storybook horror leap out of the gloom toward the minecart.
The other minecart occupants scream in terror or delight, but for some reason the wild landscapes and freakish apparitions do not scare the nameless dwarf, and she watches them come and go impassively, her thoughts still occupied with her missing name and the cause of her lingering disorientation.
However, one sight does disturb the dwarf. It isn't wild and flashy, and it doesn't leap out at her. It is a small frog-like creature, with long spindly arms and large round eyes. It seems to be sitting on the seat in front of her, between the two front passengers, and certainly wasn't there at the start of the ride. The creature calmly turns and looks over the back of the seat, directly at the dwarf. Her gaze locks in return, and a creepy shiver washes over her, but in another flashing turn of the minecart, she looks again to see the creature has vanished. It doesn't seem possible, but the other minecart occupants make no sign of having seen the creature.
After what seems like minutes, the minecart emerges into the fresh air and bright lights of the carnival. The other five occupants chatter excitedly about the thrilling ride and the wonderful and frightening sights. There is no sign of the frog-creature.
Please make a Wisdom saving throw.
Mulligan
Mulligan continues to make his way down the hall, glancing at the reflections in the mirror which continue to grow older. He notices that the sobbing sound has stopped, and he can now hear soft voices echoing through the hall. Before long even those sounds stop, and save for a faint metallic 'tink', Mulligan is walking in silence.
The corridor bends endlessly, and the mirror images gradually approach Mulligan's current age. Suddenly the monotony is broken by a sight up ahead: on the ground in front of a mirror just ahead, there lies a ring. A single, simple engagement ring. Moving ahead to pick it up, Mulligan deduces that it lays before the mirror that represents the 'now', the reflection of his current age. However, no such image exists in the mirror before him...
Instead he sees a verdant green forest, with towering trees and lush undergrowth. Sunshine washes through the canopy like golden rain, dappling the leaves and bark with glitter. Music floats through the air - not as sound but as visible shapes and colors, and flowers bloom and change hue as the song wafts past.
Among all the magical scenery are two figures, who turn and look out of the mirror at Mulligan. One is the halfling, whose tears have caused his butterfly face-paint to streak and run. The other figure is the strange girl in the pig-shaped mask, who Mulligan saw earlier in the carnival. They are holding hands, and walking deeper into the forest, but before they disappear from view, the halfling turns and mouths the words:
Tell her... I'm sorry.
And in a moment the vision fades and Mulligan stares into an ordinary mirror holding only a reflection of himself as he now is.
Rowan
Welcome to the Witchlight Carnival!
It's exactly the scene that Rowan has come to see, but even better than he imagined. Colorful tents and wagons are lit by bright twinkling lights, outshining the stars overhead. Giant dragonflies whir overhead trailing streamers, huge bubbles with delighted patrons inside float above them, while a low mist curls over the ground from a lazy, sparkling river that encircles the site. Through a floral archway, Rowan glimpses wondrous and vibrant creatures - brightly-costumed stilt walkers, dancing faeries, and painted performers - rarely could you find such an astonishing variety of fantastical folk, with dwarves and elves and gnomes mingling with centaurs and fairies and countless other unusual beings - and everywhere there is laughter, pixie dust, and the wistful tune of a whistling calliope.
Perhaps this is the opportunity that Rowan has been waiting for his whole life: the chance to become a star! Time after time he has tried to showcase his talents at taverns, fairs, and markets; and time after time he finds himself rejected - but not dejected! His chance will come, and what better chance than a carnival that travels between worlds! At least that's what the rumors say.
Rowan is surprised to see so few people waiting in line, until it occurs to him that these are stragglers - latecomers! Was he late again?! He had planned to be early, but alas... Not to worry, there was still plenty of carnival to be had. Hoisting his lute higher onto his shoulder, the elf approaches the ticket booth, where an ancient-looking goblin perches on a high chair. He peers at Rowan quizzically through a spyglass, then lowers it and calls out:
Greetings, fair fairgoer! Nothing's free and nothing's lost, every visit has its cost. Eight silver for a fun-filled night. Nikolas Midnight doesn't bite: Step right up!
G'Reg laughs heartily as the dwarf smirks at his attempt, almost too heartily, drawing attention as his mage hand creeps over to rest under the dwarf's chair ready to pounce.
G'Reg takes his 6th cupcake and takes a large bite chewing slowly as the weight catches up to him, he forces it down but then looks at the rest trying not to let the dread show on his face
The dwarf and the gnome eye each other as they each down another cupcake. G'Reg struggles with this one, and has to grit his teeth to force it down. On the positive side, the dwarf looks like he is also starting to struggle, and his cheeks bulge suggestively before he recovers his composure and reaches for the next cupcake...
G'Reg failed his CON save on cupcake #6, and takes 1d8 custard damage. I'll let you roll that.
21 seconds gone The Dwarf: 7 cupcakes Greginald: 6 cupcakes Tall-Dark: still 3 cupcakes, starting 4th. Grandmama: still on her first, and asking the MC if there is any tea to go with it
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Taking a few breaths to calm herself, the dwarf saunters up to the wizard dwarf, "Excuse me. Your ride, though exhilarating, had this creepy little frog on it that appeared in front of me, stared at me, then disappeared! It was all quite unnerving, do you know anything about this? Why it would choose me to do this to?"
She hopes for some answers as so far this carnival was becoming quite overwhelming. She looks at the coat she still holds in her hands and is almost a bit nervous to try it on. She also thinks back to the disappointing owl and then a question pops up, "Also, when's the Extravaganza?"
Rowan can’t keep the smile from his face as he looks inside the entrance to the carnival. He’s positive this is where he belongs.
But the limited crowd waiting to get in does bother him. He addresses the goblin and gestures at the stragglers.
”Do you notice that time is just always wrong? It doesn’t run how I feel it should. Sometimes it’s fast and other times it’s slow. Yesterday I waited for hours for my father to show up but then today everything is too fast. I’m on time but the world got here first. You get that, right?”
Rowan pauses and looks at the goblin for a moment, waiting for an answer but after what feels like hours, Rowan gets tired of waiting and continues on.
”Did you say your name was Nikolas Midnight? Why would I think you bite? I didn’t until you mentioned that you didn’t. Now I wonder if you do. Is that common in the carnival? Biting I mean. Anyway, this is incredibly exciting. I feel like I’ll explode with excitement. And the flowers have been blooming exceptionally well as I walked here. Did you see?”
Rowan gestures back behind him and at a few bright flowers in healthy bloom.
Then he pulls his lute off his back, banging it against his longsword as he does. He strums a few notes. Then he looks at the goblin, smiles, bows, and begins to play.
Performance (20-1=19)
He surprises himself with how well he actually manages to play. The notes flow seamlessly together, building and sweeping, and dipping and soaring as all of his pent up emotion flows into the strings.
Finally he stops and looks up at the goblin again.
”My name is Rowan Birch and I’m here to audition for a spot in the carnival. Who do I see about that?”
with the dwarf showing pukey promise G'Reg enacts his plan, with the sixth cupcake down he moves on to his second, lifting it above his head and bellowing out, "oh how sickly sweet and thick your body, six of your brethren have fallen but still I hunger!" And the mage hand moves from it's resting place below the dwarf to tug at the back of his shirt through the chair, hopefully not enough to be noticed but enough to put that extra amount of pressure on the dwarf's stomach. Finishing his distraction G'Reg devours his seventh bringing him neck and neck with his most fierce of competitors.
Although he tries to hide it, a look passes across Zephixo's face when the nameless dwarf mentions the creepy frog. He tries his best to cover it, but she knows a cover-up when she sees it. (Passive Insight)
Ah, yes of course, all part of the ride. Every patron sees different things, you know. You must be... scared of frogs, yes?
Zephixo seems relieved to answer a simpler question, and replies in a more theatrical voice, while holding out a small plate of food: The Big Top Extravaganza will commence at midnight. Would you like a Euphoreo cookie?
Looking around from her current location, the dwarf can see that the closest major attractions are the Snail Racing, the Pixie Kingdom, the Bubble-Pop Teapot, and the Hall of Illusions. Besides more food, clothing and trinket vendors, there are also a few carnival games, including Goblin Wresting, Catch the Dragon By the Tail, and Outstare the Cyclops.
Rowan
It occurs to Rowan that the aged goblin at the ticket booth is a special kind of goblin called a 'nilbog'. He's not sure where he's heard that term before.
As there is no one in line behind Rowan, Nikolas Midnight listens patiently to the elf's prattling about time and biting and such. He even theatrically holds a small earn horn to his pointy ear as he listens to Rowan play the lute. Despite this, his praise is genuine:
Not bad, young sir. You've certainly got the makings of a showman, which is what we are after, and a touch of something special about you. I have two things for you: good news and a piece of advice.
The good news is that anyone entering with an instrument has had their ticket paid for by a music lover who wishes to remain anonymous...
With that Nikolas hands Rowan a small envelope monogrammed with "E.T.", inside of which is a carnival ticket.
That ticket is good for eight attractions. Now the advice: Your best chance is to volunteer to perform at the Big Top Extravaganza. That's at midnight. In the Big Top. If you're good enough, you'll get to meet the Owners, Mister Witch and Mister Light. You're also welcome to join in with the music at the Feasting Orchard.
The goblin then hands Rowan a set of fake wearable dragonfly wings and a map, and concludes with a smile:
Best of luck to you, young elf. Enjoy the carnival.
Once through the entrance archway, Rowan finds himself at the central point of the carnival, with two loops extending out to his right and to his left. A large calliope sits on a wagon in front of him, fluting jolly music out across the carnival, and operated by a furry monkey of some kind. Beyond that is the Big Top.
Aside from the large attractions that Rowan can see marked on the map, there are a plethora of smaller stores and stalls, wagons and tents, offering different distractions. (None of these are shown on the map). There are Chucklehead Toffee Apples being sold, next door to an Outstare the Cyclops challenge. There is someone dubiously selling magical rings, beside a vendor of Eveningberry wine. Two small stalls grab Rowan's attention in particular though, and promise to appeal to his taste for the theatrical: One has a sign advertising Gnome Poetry Contest, and another is a Puppet Theatre.
G'Reginald
Reginald manages cupcake #6 no problem, while the dwarf struggles again with his own cupcake #7. But he's tough, and still holding it together. G'Reg see him balk again as his clothing is tugged tight, but the hardy dwarf shrugs off the tightness and continues to eat...
24 seconds down. Dwarf has eaten 8, Greg has eaten 7, Talk-Dark is halfway through his number 4, and Granny is still on number 1. Both Greg and the dwarf have taken 6 custard damage each. It's neck and neck.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
The dwarf tucks away the information about the Extravaganza, but frowns at the dwarf. "You aren't telling me the whole story. No, I'm not afraid of frogs. Now tell me what is going on, spill it."
As for the cookie, she stares at him, not trusting to look away as she grabs one and puts it in her pocket. She doesn't want a repeat of what happened after the owl, at least not at the moment.
NO! Mulligan mouths back in return to the halfling. Come back! She was bespelled!! No sound comes from him at all, of course, besides the sound of his fists beating upon the mirror as he tries to keep the attention of the wanna-be-groom.
Come back. She was bespelled. She was not laughing at you. She is devastated you are not by her side.
These words Mulligan attempts to place in the mind of the fella as he walks away. He's no idea if they can reach him or not but he tries. Trying is all he can do. ((I'm guessing it doesn't work though...))
Once the mirror shifts back to just a mirror, Mulligan punches it for real in frustration. Not a dramatic pounding upon it for show but a real wanting to shatter the damnable thing punch. (Nat 20 for 23 to hit... for a whopping 2 damage.) It is only then, having struck out in hopeless frustration, that he remembers the ring. The ring he saw on the ground in front of the mirror. He crouches down on his haunches and reaches out for the gold jewelry, taking it up with a slow respect... What now, he thinks to himself. What do I tell her? Do I tell her? Perhaps I can just sneak out the back and not have to deal with it at all.
But no. That wouldn't do. That would be worse than he own loss. He knows not knowing is worse. You would almost think not knowing you lost something... someone... would be better but nope. Anyway, with a shake of his head he tries to clear his thoughts away and find his way back to the front of the Hall of Illusions, gold ring held tightly in his hand.
Rowan takes the ticket, pausing to look at the letters E and T on the envelope for a moment first. Then he smiles and nods at Nikolas Midnight.
”Thank you for the advice. Now midnight. Is that my midnight, your midnight or maybe Misters Light and Witch’s midnight. Hmm. Though maybe here it will all be the same midnight. Wouldn’t that be something.”
Rowan takes the ticket out and begins walking into the carnival before the goblin can answer.
As he does, he repeats several words to himself as if rehearsing the sound of them.
”Nilbog, Nilbog. Hello mister Nilbog. Hmm. No that would be rude. E.T. Mister Midnight. The Extravaganza. Oh look at the monkey.”
Rowan watches the monkey for a moment before taking out his ticket and walking into the Puppet Theatre, singing to himself as he goes.
”I’ve got no strings to hold me down, to make me fret, or make me frown.”
He looks back at the monkey then at the other sights and laughs, wondering where that bit of song came from.
Greginald keeps the pressure up, literally, as the mage hand pulls ever so slightly more upon the dwarf's shirt, he eyes the dwarf as he takes the next cupcake steadily, catching up to the dwarf but not without consequence! (Con save 9, 8 custard damage!) Greg considers throwing in the towel, another cupcake might just finish him off but as both him and the dwarf are neck and neck he watches how the dwarf fares with number 8! Before thinking about diving in again.
Zephixo looks around to see if anyone is nearby, then leans in close. Look, I'm nae supposed to say anythin', he whispers, dropping the act and speaking in Dwarven. Tha' creature... its a thief! It be takin' things from them who enter withou' a ticket. But have no fear, if ye paid to enter th' carnival, it'll leave ye be. What's yer name, lassie? Ye could'nae tell me earlier. Ye didn't sneak in without payin' did ye?
Mulligan
The mirror takes the blow, which probably would have been sufficient to shatter an ordinary mirror, but leaves it unscathed. Just as Mulligan reaches the entrance to the Hall, he is met by the halfling girl, who has entered alone, and who looks to Mulligan returning alone with a fearful expression. The monochromatic operator remains just outside, but visible.
G'Reginald
Tall-Dark finishes his fourth cupcake, but he looks like even with his slow pace, he is starting to flag. The dwarf receives another tug, and although he blanches at the extra pressure, he maintains his composure and down his 9th cupcake. G'Reginald swallows his 8th cupcake, but again has to engage significant intestinal fortitude to keep it down...
27 seconds down, and the dwarf is still up by one. Dwarf has eaten 9 cupcakes, and still only taken 6 custard damage. G'Reginald has eaten 8 cupcakes, and taken 14 custard damage.
Rowan
Rowan's first stop is the puppet show. The tent is dimly lit, but lights appear on the small puppet stage as the show begins. The act is a variation on a familiar theme, featuring classic storybooks characters, but with extra magical special effects that are never seen in ordinary puppet theatres.
The short play proceeds as follows: A group of heroes known as "Valor's Call", led by the mighty paladin Strongheart and the wise wizard Ringlerun, are commissioned by the famed mage Mordenkainen to hunt down the evil witch Iggwilv. Their efforts are frustrated by a team of villains called "The League of Malevolence", led by the nefarious sorcerer Kelek, who covets Ringlerun's magical staff, and his fearsome bodyguard, Warduke.
Rowan is transfixed by the performance, especially the skilled operation of the puppets, who act so life-like, and the amazing effects. In addition to Strongheart and Ringlerun, the heroes include the stoic priestess Mercion, the good-natured rogue Molliver, and the gruff dwarf Elkhorn. The villains are aided by Zargash the cleric of evil, Zarak the orc assassin, and a witch named Skylla. All are familiar characters from fables which Rowan is familiar with.
Just as the puppet show is building to its climax, there is a disturbance in the tent. Rowan hears some muttering from behind him, at which point the theatre is interrupted by a horrible screaming noise coming from the stage. At the same time, a ghostly hand glides across the stage and begins tugging at the puppet strings, yanking them free and causing the puppets to fall to the stage. Spectators either stand up and complain about the disruption, or flee the tent altogether, causing chaos.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
The dwarf's eyes go wide as the implication hits her. She shakes her head emphatically then pulls the ticket she purchased this time from her pocket and shows him. She responds in dwarven, "No sir! I paid this time!" She looks down sheepishly as she continues, "The last time I was here I snuck in and yes, something very important was stolen from me."
She looks up, renewed hope in her eyes, "Do you think I could find him and get it back? I'll pay for it! I need it back, its so very important to me and my family. Please."the dwarf pleads with the man.
She sighs heavily, "My name? I apparently traded my name for this beautiful coat. I have no name to tell you."
Mulligan slowly hands over the ring to the bride to be, a sad frown upon his face and his head gently shaking left to right.
I was not fast enough. He stepped through a mirror. Led by a girl in a pig mask. By the time I reached the mirror it changed and was just a mirror again. He had dropped the ring, and he said to tell you he was sorry...
As Mulligan is putting these words in her head, his eyes move to the silent, colorless mime who runs the "ride" and tries to study them to see if he seemed to know what was going on or not, even though he had "heard" none of it (Insight: 5) but he sees the Carnie as a blank slate and difficult to read, specially from this distance.
Mulligan leads the halfling outside, towards the mime. He eyes the worker the whole time to see if they show anything or offer anything by way of explanation, for he really has none for the woman. He considers trying to read the man's mind, to try to Detect Thoughts running through his head, but he decides he should best save that effort in case he sees that girl in the mask again... ((I assume this looked like the same pig-masked girl Mulligan had seen earlier?))
Rowan almost misses the commotion. He's so entranced by the production, as well as how the names of the various characters sound when he says them. For much of the performance, he's been whispering Iggwilv to himself, though more often than not it comes out as EggWolf. "Beware of Eggwolf the witch."
When he does register what's happening and sees the ghostly hand, he immediately looks around for the mage or other spellcaster who has conjured it. Rowan has always been fascinated by magic though he has never had the talent to control it himself. But he recognizes it readily enough.
Perception to spot a spellcaster controlling the hand: (12+4) = 16
Ah, I ken what ye say, says the dwarf soothingly. Yer voice for the coat, that be just a loan then. But I dinnae ken what's become of yer other valuables. Them thieves come and go, and we are told to ignore 'em, but whence they come and where they go, maybe only Witch and Light know it.
Zephixo glances around again, and then leans in even closer and whispers one more piece of advice: The centaur at the Carousel. She knows more than she can say...
And with that he offers no more, but returns to his job of calling to carnival patrons to enjoy the Mystery Mine...
Mulligan
The halfling girl takes the ring without a word, and slumps down on the ground speechless, too shocked to even cry. Mulligan could be wrong, but he thinks the music from the calliope, audible across the whole carnival, has taken a slightly more mournful tune. Looking to the colorless carnie, Mulligan has no difficulty reading his expression. Tears stream down the young man's face, and he begins to mime his thoughts openly...
points at the halfling - THIS OCCURENCE counts on his fingers - MANY TIMES rubs his eyes - SAD
points at the Hall - THIS PLACE shivers and bites knuckles - SCARY
he gestures to people around - PEOPLE makes an explosion with his hands - GONE? POOF? snatches at the air - TAKEN
points to himself - ME holds hand just above ground - SMALL tiptoes - SNEAK waves all around him - CARNIVAL points at his clothes and skin - ??? holds a coloured banner to his chest then rips it away - COLOURS GONE
points again to the Hall of Illusions - THIS PLACE
Rowan
Spinning around to where he heard the voice, Rowan sees an elderly male gnome making somatic gestures with one hand. There is something ... not right... about the gnome, who notices the elf looking at him, and laughs with a decidedly odd laugh for an aged gnome - more like a teenage human boy's laugh. The gnome then turns and darts out of the tent into the crowd, faster than any elderly gnome should be capable of darting, leaving the chaos behind him.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
With the puppet show about Eggwolf now being clearly over due to the disconnected strings, and with Rowan always loving a good chase, Rowan leaps up and races after the 'elderly' gnome, letting his fleet wood elven strides try and close the distance.
"Was that part of the show?" Rowan calls after the gnome. "If it was, I don't think I understand the meaning. What does pulling the strings out symbolize?"
Athletics (if necessary to leap obstacles and try to close the distance): (18+6) = 24
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The dwarf
Propelled by magic, mine carts laden with fairgoers trundle into an opening carved like a dragon’s mouth. The carts reappear moments later on the far side of the attraction, with the passengers expressing a mixture of bewilderment, fear, and excitement.
Near the entrance, a male dwarf dressed like a wizard shouts: Unlock the mysteries of your mind in the Mystery Mine! He has bushy eyebrows, wears a pointy hat, and holds a large clockwork contraption shaped like a giant eye. With a sweeping bow and a twinkle in his eye, he continues:
Step right up, brave souls and curious minds! Behold the All-Seeing Eye! Peer within, and it shall peer right back—deep into your dreams, your dreads, your delicious little doubts!
He beckons to the nameless dwarf as she approaches, and croons in a conspiratorial grin.
Face it if you dare, and the Mystery Mine shall take you on a ride unlike any other. Or… if you'd rather keep your secrets close and your fears unprodded, you're still welcome aboard. Just… don’t blame Zephixo if it feels a touch tame.
Zephixo chuckles, tapping the side of his nose, and returns to his loud claxon voice:
The choice is yours, dearies. Terror or tedium: step right in and see!
G'Reginald
The dwarf reaches for his sixth cupcake, but looks taken aback, his eyes wide, as he is asked politely if he wants the remainder of the cakes on his plate. His stares at the gnome for a few moments, but then squints and smirks as he slowly pops the cupcake into the gap between his beard and moustache.
18 seconds gone
The Dwarf: 6 cupcakes
Greginald: 5 cupcakes
Tall-Dark: 3 cupcakes
Grandmama: still on her first, and trying to strike up a conversation with Tall-Dark.
Mulligan
Leaving the exhausted halfling girl in the care of the colorless carnival worker, Mulligan ventures into the Hall of Illusions. As soon as he enters the tent, he immediately notices the noise from the outside crowds has been silenced. Indeed, there is almost no sound at all, apart from a distant echo of sobbing. The relative lack of sound also augments the eerie sight that greets Mulligan's eyes: a long row of tall identical mirrors, all facing the same way, forming a one-way corridor with the tent wall, curving out of sight.
Mulligan can't help but look into the first mirror, as it faces him directly. The image within is certainly familiar as one would expect, but something is not right, and it takes a moment to notice. Are his eyes playing tricks on him, or was the reflection like that all along? Mulligan is looking at a reflection of himself, only as a teeny-tiny baby!
The next mirror is similar... as Mulligan's eyes focus on the image, it seems to resolve gradually until he isn't sure if it changed before his eyes, or if it was there all along and he just couldn't see it. It is again a tiny version of himself, but this time a teensy bit older. It soon becomes obvious that each mirror in turn displays a reflection of the viewer at a slightly later age or time of life...
I'll leave it to you to describe what Mulligan looks like as a baby/child/etc... and then we will see what happens after that.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
In the mirrors Mulligan is... quite different than he is now but quite ordinary for what he is.
Mulligan doesn't exactly recognize himself as a baby. Not really. Who knows what they look like as such a small thing? It is more recognizing the blanket he is wrapped in. He still has a small piece of that blanket, in fact. Stuffed in his backpack. It's way in the bottom where he doesn't much stumble upon it. When he does see it... Well, it's hard. It brings back happy memories. Which is nice but also painful... Knowing the memories are in the past and of people and places basically gone to him forever... But yeah, baby Mulligan is as pudgy and smily and babyish as any baby. He'd be quite photographic, if photographs existed...
Much the same goes for child Mulligan. Oh the blanket is gone - stashed away in his bedroom if he recalls - because he is just old enough to not think of himself as a baby or needing babying. So the baby blanket is gone and the look of Mulligan is starting to form. He is still not himself quite yet but one can see him starting to emerge if one is familiar with him and knows where to look. Those eyes are definitely O'Menihan eyes, the grin is subtle but yeah, that'll become a mainstay in the years to come... But child Mulligan still has so much potentialities about him. The framework is there but he could still become almost anything, really...
Kid Mulligan is happy and carefree if the reflection is anything to go by. This would be pre-teen Mulligan, the him that his parents are forming out of the clay that is him. The family is lucky enough to be lucky enough. They work hard for a living but aren't living only to work. This means they have time to spend with their child, to love him and mold him into a good kid... eventually a good man, if luck holds out.
The smallest time gap is next. It didn't take long at all for pre-teen Mulligan to turn into teen Mulligan. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and that is true enough. True enough to be a saying, anyway. But sometimes the apple bruises when it falls. And there's another saying - One bad apple can spoil the bunch. This too is true enough to be a saying. And the bruise upon Mulligan came not from falling from the tree but by visiting the carnival... He had forgotten about that but seeing the reflection now? It all seems pretty clear. Teen Mulligan is taller, lankier. Not bad things to be, really. But he is also darker. Not so happy. Definitely not carefree. Teen Mulligan may have an instrument in his hands, a gift from his parents to try, in some small way, replace what he had lost... But music or not, Teen Mulligan was a lot quieter and much more sullen than the previous reflections. There was a distance growing between Mulligan and others. Friends, of course, but also family. A distance that nobody really knew how to travel across. Communication just seemed to end over night with no explanation anyone knew of... not at the time. And with each words left unsaid the chasm between Mulligan and the world grew wider. Where once potential seemed to emit from the child there was now a growing darkness... Not of evil but of distance and and a dying warmth and connection.
Mulligan found himself reluctant to continue on... Perhaps he was better off not remembering? Not confronting? Chasing what is lost is perhaps a folly best set aside?
But there is still that echo of a sob. A sob that perhaps he can help soothe even if he doesn't have the words to do so... So he continues on.
The dwarf
The dwarf is about to head up to the departing passengers to ask them what the ride was like when she sees that the one running the ride is a fellow dwarf! Excited about this, she turns on her heel and heads over to him. She returns the grin and gives a little curtsey, grabbing the edges of her apron. "Why good evening sir Zephixo! My name is..." her eyes go wide as she drops her apron and stares at the dwarf dressed as a wizard. She quickly recovers, covers her mouth politely as she coughs and tries again, her face a little flushed.
"My apologies, I meant to say, my name is..." and she stands there stupefied that she can't remember her name. "I.. can't remember? Isn't that the stupidest thing you've ever heard? I think I need to sit down." She looks for the closest seat, and if its the mining cart, that's where she sits.
The dwarf
The nameless dwarf pushes past the amused dwarf worker, staggering unsteadily as the confusion of not knowing her own name makes her head reel. Dizzily she finds somewhere to sit. Someone sits next to her. Two more sit in front and two behind, and the minecart in which she sits starts to move, gliding toward and then into a dragon's mouth.
The confused, nameless dwarf plunges through the air toward the ground, undulating hills of bright green and hot pink rising up on either side and then falling away. She careens through forests of corkscrewing trees, twisting and turning. She rockets into skies of prismatic chaos, blinding by exploding stars and whirling orbs. All the while, creatures of storybook horror leap out of the gloom toward the minecart.
The other minecart occupants scream in terror or delight, but for some reason the wild landscapes and freakish apparitions do not scare the nameless dwarf, and she watches them come and go impassively, her thoughts still occupied with her missing name and the cause of her lingering disorientation.
However, one sight does disturb the dwarf. It isn't wild and flashy, and it doesn't leap out at her. It is a small frog-like creature, with long spindly arms and large round eyes. It seems to be sitting on the seat in front of her, between the two front passengers, and certainly wasn't there at the start of the ride. The creature calmly turns and looks over the back of the seat, directly at the dwarf. Her gaze locks in return, and a creepy shiver washes over her, but in another flashing turn of the minecart, she looks again to see the creature has vanished. It doesn't seem possible, but the other minecart occupants make no sign of having seen the creature.
After what seems like minutes, the minecart emerges into the fresh air and bright lights of the carnival. The other five occupants chatter excitedly about the thrilling ride and the wonderful and frightening sights. There is no sign of the frog-creature.
Please make a Wisdom saving throw.
Mulligan
Mulligan continues to make his way down the hall, glancing at the reflections in the mirror which continue to grow older. He notices that the sobbing sound has stopped, and he can now hear soft voices echoing through the hall. Before long even those sounds stop, and save for a faint metallic 'tink', Mulligan is walking in silence.
The corridor bends endlessly, and the mirror images gradually approach Mulligan's current age. Suddenly the monotony is broken by a sight up ahead: on the ground in front of a mirror just ahead, there lies a ring. A single, simple engagement ring. Moving ahead to pick it up, Mulligan deduces that it lays before the mirror that represents the 'now', the reflection of his current age. However, no such image exists in the mirror before him...
Instead he sees a verdant green forest, with towering trees and lush undergrowth. Sunshine washes through the canopy like golden rain, dappling the leaves and bark with glitter. Music floats through the air - not as sound but as visible shapes and colors, and flowers bloom and change hue as the song wafts past.
Among all the magical scenery are two figures, who turn and look out of the mirror at Mulligan. One is the halfling, whose tears have caused his butterfly face-paint to streak and run. The other figure is the strange girl in the pig-shaped mask, who Mulligan saw earlier in the carnival. They are holding hands, and walking deeper into the forest, but before they disappear from view, the halfling turns and mouths the words:
Tell her... I'm sorry.
And in a moment the vision fades and Mulligan stares into an ordinary mirror holding only a reflection of himself as he now is.
Rowan
Welcome to the Witchlight Carnival!
It's exactly the scene that Rowan has come to see, but even better than he imagined. Colorful tents and wagons are lit by bright twinkling lights, outshining the stars overhead. Giant dragonflies whir overhead trailing streamers, huge bubbles with delighted patrons inside float above them, while a low mist curls over the ground from a lazy, sparkling river that encircles the site. Through a floral archway, Rowan glimpses wondrous and vibrant creatures - brightly-costumed stilt walkers, dancing faeries, and painted performers - rarely could you find such an astonishing variety of fantastical folk, with dwarves and elves and gnomes mingling with centaurs and fairies and countless other unusual beings - and everywhere there is laughter, pixie dust, and the wistful tune of a whistling calliope.
Perhaps this is the opportunity that Rowan has been waiting for his whole life: the chance to become a star! Time after time he has tried to showcase his talents at taverns, fairs, and markets; and time after time he finds himself rejected - but not dejected! His chance will come, and what better chance than a carnival that travels between worlds! At least that's what the rumors say.
Rowan is surprised to see so few people waiting in line, until it occurs to him that these are stragglers - latecomers! Was he late again?! He had planned to be early, but alas... Not to worry, there was still plenty of carnival to be had. Hoisting his lute higher onto his shoulder, the elf approaches the ticket booth, where an ancient-looking goblin perches on a high chair. He peers at Rowan quizzically through a spyglass, then lowers it and calls out:
Greetings, fair fairgoer! Nothing's free and nothing's lost, every visit has its cost. Eight silver for a fun-filled night. Nikolas Midnight doesn't bite: Step right up!
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
G'Reginald's journey
G'Reg laughs heartily as the dwarf smirks at his attempt, almost too heartily, drawing attention as his mage hand creeps over to rest under the dwarf's chair ready to pounce.
G'Reg takes his 6th cupcake and takes a large bite chewing slowly as the weight catches up to him, he forces it down but then looks at the rest trying not to let the dread show on his face
(Con save 7)
G'Reginald
The dwarf and the gnome eye each other as they each down another cupcake. G'Reg struggles with this one, and has to grit his teeth to force it down. On the positive side, the dwarf looks like he is also starting to struggle, and his cheeks bulge suggestively before he recovers his composure and reaches for the next cupcake...
G'Reg failed his CON save on cupcake #6, and takes 1d8 custard damage. I'll let you roll that.
21 seconds gone
The Dwarf: 7 cupcakes
Greginald: 6 cupcakes
Tall-Dark: still 3 cupcakes, starting 4th.
Grandmama: still on her first, and asking the MC if there is any tea to go with it
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
The dwarf
Taking a few breaths to calm herself, the dwarf saunters up to the wizard dwarf, "Excuse me. Your ride, though exhilarating, had this creepy little frog on it that appeared in front of me, stared at me, then disappeared! It was all quite unnerving, do you know anything about this? Why it would choose me to do this to?"
She hopes for some answers as so far this carnival was becoming quite overwhelming. She looks at the coat she still holds in her hands and is almost a bit nervous to try it on. She also thinks back to the disappointing owl and then a question pops up, "Also, when's the Extravaganza?"
ROWAN
Rowan can’t keep the smile from his face as he looks inside the entrance to the carnival. He’s positive this is where he belongs.
But the limited crowd waiting to get in does bother him. He addresses the goblin and gestures at the stragglers.
”Do you notice that time is just always wrong? It doesn’t run how I feel it should. Sometimes it’s fast and other times it’s slow. Yesterday I waited for hours for my father to show up but then today everything is too fast. I’m on time but the world got here first. You get that, right?”
Rowan pauses and looks at the goblin for a moment, waiting for an answer but after what feels like hours, Rowan gets tired of waiting and continues on.
”Did you say your name was Nikolas Midnight? Why would I think you bite? I didn’t until you mentioned that you didn’t. Now I wonder if you do. Is that common in the carnival? Biting I mean. Anyway, this is incredibly exciting. I feel like I’ll explode with excitement. And the flowers have been blooming exceptionally well as I walked here. Did you see?”
Rowan gestures back behind him and at a few bright flowers in healthy bloom.
Then he pulls his lute off his back, banging it against his longsword as he does. He strums a few notes. Then he looks at the goblin, smiles, bows, and begins to play.
Performance (20-1=19)
He surprises himself with how well he actually manages to play. The notes flow seamlessly together, building and sweeping, and dipping and soaring as all of his pent up emotion flows into the strings.
Finally he stops and looks up at the goblin again.
”My name is Rowan Birch and I’m here to audition for a spot in the carnival. Who do I see about that?”
G'Reginald's journey
with the dwarf showing pukey promise G'Reg enacts his plan, with the sixth cupcake down he moves on to his second, lifting it above his head and bellowing out, "oh how sickly sweet and thick your body, six of your brethren have fallen but still I hunger!" And the mage hand moves from it's resting place below the dwarf to tug at the back of his shirt through the chair, hopefully not enough to be noticed but enough to put that extra amount of pressure on the dwarf's stomach. Finishing his distraction G'Reg devours his seventh bringing him neck and neck with his most fierce of competitors.
13 on the con save!
18 for spell attack mage hand
The dwarf
Although he tries to hide it, a look passes across Zephixo's face when the nameless dwarf mentions the creepy frog. He tries his best to cover it, but she knows a cover-up when she sees it. (Passive Insight)
Ah, yes of course, all part of the ride. Every patron sees different things, you know. You must be... scared of frogs, yes?
Zephixo seems relieved to answer a simpler question, and replies in a more theatrical voice, while holding out a small plate of food: The Big Top Extravaganza will commence at midnight. Would you like a Euphoreo cookie?
Looking around from her current location, the dwarf can see that the closest major attractions are the Snail Racing, the Pixie Kingdom, the Bubble-Pop Teapot, and the Hall of Illusions. Besides more food, clothing and trinket vendors, there are also a few carnival games, including Goblin Wresting, Catch the Dragon By the Tail, and Outstare the Cyclops.
Rowan
It occurs to Rowan that the aged goblin at the ticket booth is a special kind of goblin called a 'nilbog'. He's not sure where he's heard that term before.
As there is no one in line behind Rowan, Nikolas Midnight listens patiently to the elf's prattling about time and biting and such. He even theatrically holds a small earn horn to his pointy ear as he listens to Rowan play the lute. Despite this, his praise is genuine:
Not bad, young sir. You've certainly got the makings of a showman, which is what we are after, and a touch of something special about you. I have two things for you: good news and a piece of advice.
The good news is that anyone entering with an instrument has had their ticket paid for by a music lover who wishes to remain anonymous...
With that Nikolas hands Rowan a small envelope monogrammed with "E.T.", inside of which is a carnival ticket.
That ticket is good for eight attractions. Now the advice: Your best chance is to volunteer to perform at the Big Top Extravaganza. That's at midnight. In the Big Top. If you're good enough, you'll get to meet the Owners, Mister Witch and Mister Light. You're also welcome to join in with the music at the Feasting Orchard.
The goblin then hands Rowan a set of fake wearable dragonfly wings and a map, and concludes with a smile:
Best of luck to you, young elf. Enjoy the carnival.
Once through the entrance archway, Rowan finds himself at the central point of the carnival, with two loops extending out to his right and to his left. A large calliope sits on a wagon in front of him, fluting jolly music out across the carnival, and operated by a furry monkey of some kind. Beyond that is the Big Top.
Aside from the large attractions that Rowan can see marked on the map, there are a plethora of smaller stores and stalls, wagons and tents, offering different distractions. (None of these are shown on the map). There are Chucklehead Toffee Apples being sold, next door to an Outstare the Cyclops challenge. There is someone dubiously selling magical rings, beside a vendor of Eveningberry wine. Two small stalls grab Rowan's attention in particular though, and promise to appeal to his taste for the theatrical: One has a sign advertising Gnome Poetry Contest, and another is a Puppet Theatre.
G'Reginald
Reginald manages cupcake #6 no problem, while the dwarf struggles again with his own cupcake #7. But he's tough, and still holding it together. G'Reg see him balk again as his clothing is tugged tight, but the hardy dwarf shrugs off the tightness and continues to eat...
24 seconds down. Dwarf has eaten 8, Greg has eaten 7, Talk-Dark is halfway through his number 4, and Granny is still on number 1.
Both Greg and the dwarf have taken 6 custard damage each. It's neck and neck.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
The dwarf
The dwarf tucks away the information about the Extravaganza, but frowns at the dwarf. "You aren't telling me the whole story. No, I'm not afraid of frogs. Now tell me what is going on, spill it."
As for the cookie, she stares at him, not trusting to look away as she grabs one and puts it in her pocket. She doesn't want a repeat of what happened after the owl, at least not at the moment.
Insight: 23
NO! Mulligan mouths back in return to the halfling. Come back! She was bespelled!! No sound comes from him at all, of course, besides the sound of his fists beating upon the mirror as he tries to keep the attention of the wanna-be-groom.
Come back. She was bespelled. She was not laughing at you. She is devastated you are not by her side.
These words Mulligan attempts to place in the mind of the fella as he walks away. He's no idea if they can reach him or not but he tries. Trying is all he can do. ((I'm guessing it doesn't work though...))
Once the mirror shifts back to just a mirror, Mulligan punches it for real in frustration. Not a dramatic pounding upon it for show but a real wanting to shatter the damnable thing punch. (Nat 20 for 23 to hit... for a whopping 2 damage.) It is only then, having struck out in hopeless frustration, that he remembers the ring. The ring he saw on the ground in front of the mirror. He crouches down on his haunches and reaches out for the gold jewelry, taking it up with a slow respect... What now, he thinks to himself. What do I tell her? Do I tell her? Perhaps I can just sneak out the back and not have to deal with it at all.
But no. That wouldn't do. That would be worse than he own loss. He knows not knowing is worse. You would almost think not knowing you lost something... someone... would be better but nope. Anyway, with a shake of his head he tries to clear his thoughts away and find his way back to the front of the Hall of Illusions, gold ring held tightly in his hand.
Rowan
Rowan takes the ticket, pausing to look at the letters E and T on the envelope for a moment first. Then he smiles and nods at Nikolas Midnight.
”Thank you for the advice. Now midnight. Is that my midnight, your midnight or maybe Misters Light and Witch’s midnight. Hmm. Though maybe here it will all be the same midnight. Wouldn’t that be something.”
Rowan takes the ticket out and begins walking into the carnival before the goblin can answer.
As he does, he repeats several words to himself as if rehearsing the sound of them.
”Nilbog, Nilbog. Hello mister Nilbog. Hmm. No that would be rude. E.T. Mister Midnight. The Extravaganza. Oh look at the monkey.”
Rowan watches the monkey for a moment before taking out his ticket and walking into the Puppet Theatre, singing to himself as he goes.
”I’ve got no strings to hold me down, to make me fret, or make me frown.”
He looks back at the monkey then at the other sights and laughs, wondering where that bit of song came from.
G'Reginald's journey
Greginald keeps the pressure up, literally, as the mage hand pulls ever so slightly more upon the dwarf's shirt, he eyes the dwarf as he takes the next cupcake steadily, catching up to the dwarf but not without consequence! (Con save 9, 8 custard damage!) Greg considers throwing in the towel, another cupcake might just finish him off but as both him and the dwarf are neck and neck he watches how the dwarf fares with number 8! Before thinking about diving in again.
The Dwarf
Zephixo looks around to see if anyone is nearby, then leans in close. Look, I'm nae supposed to say anythin', he whispers, dropping the act and speaking in Dwarven. Tha' creature... its a thief! It be takin' things from them who enter withou' a ticket. But have no fear, if ye paid to enter th' carnival, it'll leave ye be. What's yer name, lassie? Ye could'nae tell me earlier. Ye didn't sneak in without payin' did ye?
Mulligan
The mirror takes the blow, which probably would have been sufficient to shatter an ordinary mirror, but leaves it unscathed. Just as Mulligan reaches the entrance to the Hall, he is met by the halfling girl, who has entered alone, and who looks to Mulligan returning alone with a fearful expression. The monochromatic operator remains just outside, but visible.
G'Reginald
Tall-Dark finishes his fourth cupcake, but he looks like even with his slow pace, he is starting to flag. The dwarf receives another tug, and although he blanches at the extra pressure, he maintains his composure and down his 9th cupcake. G'Reginald swallows his 8th cupcake, but again has to engage significant intestinal fortitude to keep it down...
27 seconds down, and the dwarf is still up by one.
Dwarf has eaten 9 cupcakes, and still only taken 6 custard damage.
G'Reginald has eaten 8 cupcakes, and taken 14 custard damage.
Rowan
Rowan's first stop is the puppet show. The tent is dimly lit, but lights appear on the small puppet stage as the show begins. The act is a variation on a familiar theme, featuring classic storybooks characters, but with extra magical special effects that are never seen in ordinary puppet theatres.
The short play proceeds as follows: A group of heroes known as "Valor's Call", led by the mighty paladin Strongheart and the wise wizard Ringlerun, are commissioned by the famed mage Mordenkainen to hunt down the evil witch Iggwilv. Their efforts are frustrated by a team of villains called "The League of Malevolence", led by the nefarious sorcerer Kelek, who covets Ringlerun's magical staff, and his fearsome bodyguard, Warduke.
Rowan is transfixed by the performance, especially the skilled operation of the puppets, who act so life-like, and the amazing effects. In addition to Strongheart and Ringlerun, the heroes include the stoic priestess Mercion, the good-natured rogue Molliver, and the gruff dwarf Elkhorn. The villains are aided by Zargash the cleric of evil, Zarak the orc assassin, and a witch named Skylla. All are familiar characters from fables which Rowan is familiar with.
Just as the puppet show is building to its climax, there is a disturbance in the tent. Rowan hears some muttering from behind him, at which point the theatre is interrupted by a horrible screaming noise coming from the stage. At the same time, a ghostly hand glides across the stage and begins tugging at the puppet strings, yanking them free and causing the puppets to fall to the stage. Spectators either stand up and complain about the disruption, or flee the tent altogether, causing chaos.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
The dwarf
The dwarf's eyes go wide as the implication hits her. She shakes her head emphatically then pulls the ticket she purchased this time from her pocket and shows him. She responds in dwarven, "No sir! I paid this time!" She looks down sheepishly as she continues, "The last time I was here I snuck in and yes, something very important was stolen from me."
She looks up, renewed hope in her eyes, "Do you think I could find him and get it back? I'll pay for it! I need it back, its so very important to me and my family. Please." the dwarf pleads with the man.
She sighs heavily, "My name? I apparently traded my name for this beautiful coat. I have no name to tell you."
Mulligan slowly hands over the ring to the bride to be, a sad frown upon his face and his head gently shaking left to right.
I was not fast enough. He stepped through a mirror. Led by a girl in a pig mask. By the time I reached the mirror it changed and was just a mirror again. He had dropped the ring, and he said to tell you he was sorry...
As Mulligan is putting these words in her head, his eyes move to the silent, colorless mime who runs the "ride" and tries to study them to see if he seemed to know what was going on or not, even though he had "heard" none of it (Insight: 5) but he sees the Carnie as a blank slate and difficult to read, specially from this distance.
Mulligan leads the halfling outside, towards the mime. He eyes the worker the whole time to see if they show anything or offer anything by way of explanation, for he really has none for the woman. He considers trying to read the man's mind, to try to Detect Thoughts running through his head, but he decides he should best save that effort in case he sees that girl in the mask again... ((I assume this looked like the same pig-masked girl Mulligan had seen earlier?))
ROWAN
Rowan almost misses the commotion. He's so entranced by the production, as well as how the names of the various characters sound when he says them. For much of the performance, he's been whispering Iggwilv to himself, though more often than not it comes out as EggWolf. "Beware of Eggwolf the witch."
When he does register what's happening and sees the ghostly hand, he immediately looks around for the mage or other spellcaster who has conjured it. Rowan has always been fascinated by magic though he has never had the talent to control it himself. But he recognizes it readily enough.
Perception to spot a spellcaster controlling the hand: (12+4) = 16
The dwarf
Ah, I ken what ye say, says the dwarf soothingly. Yer voice for the coat, that be just a loan then. But I dinnae ken what's become of yer other valuables. Them thieves come and go, and we are told to ignore 'em, but whence they come and where they go, maybe only Witch and Light know it.
Zephixo glances around again, and then leans in even closer and whispers one more piece of advice: The centaur at the Carousel. She knows more than she can say...
And with that he offers no more, but returns to his job of calling to carnival patrons to enjoy the Mystery Mine...
Mulligan
The halfling girl takes the ring without a word, and slumps down on the ground speechless, too shocked to even cry. Mulligan could be wrong, but he thinks the music from the calliope, audible across the whole carnival, has taken a slightly more mournful tune. Looking to the colorless carnie, Mulligan has no difficulty reading his expression. Tears stream down the young man's face, and he begins to mime his thoughts openly...
points at the halfling - THIS OCCURENCE
counts on his fingers - MANY TIMES
rubs his eyes - SAD
points at the Hall - THIS PLACE
shivers and bites knuckles - SCARY
he gestures to people around - PEOPLE
makes an explosion with his hands - GONE? POOF?
snatches at the air - TAKEN
points to himself - ME
holds hand just above ground - SMALL
tiptoes - SNEAK
waves all around him - CARNIVAL
points at his clothes and skin - ???
holds a coloured banner to his chest then rips it away - COLOURS GONE
points again to the Hall of Illusions - THIS PLACE
Rowan
Spinning around to where he heard the voice, Rowan sees an elderly male gnome making somatic gestures with one hand. There is something ... not right... about the gnome, who notices the elf looking at him, and laughs with a decidedly odd laugh for an aged gnome - more like a teenage human boy's laugh. The gnome then turns and darts out of the tent into the crowd, faster than any elderly gnome should be capable of darting, leaving the chaos behind him.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Rowan
With the puppet show about Eggwolf now being clearly over due to the disconnected strings, and with Rowan always loving a good chase, Rowan leaps up and races after the 'elderly' gnome, letting his fleet wood elven strides try and close the distance.
"Was that part of the show?" Rowan calls after the gnome. "If it was, I don't think I understand the meaning. What does pulling the strings out symbolize?"
Athletics (if necessary to leap obstacles and try to close the distance): (18+6) = 24