Lost Mine of Phandelver

VANZAREN looks at the doll
Wisdom (Perception): 13 vs. DC 15

...but it appears to be nothing other than a child's plaything (OOC: item added to Vanzaren's inventory.)

Vanzaren exits the Lionshield Coster and stands among the cluster of tents right outside. A hideous-looking old woman limps out of one of the tents dangling a seashell necklace from her outstretched, gnarled hand. "Greetings, young one..." she caws, "...have ye any painful memories ye'd like to forget? Tell Hagatha your dirty little secret and I'll imprison it within one of my magic shells...as long as you wear it around your neck, you'll forget all about that terrible thing you did..."

If Garet follows Vanzaren outside, he begins to sense illusion magic coming from the tent on the east side of the path across from the Lionshield Coster. A gleeful satyr sits at a low table inside the tent, surrounded by what seems to be scores of empty ale tankards.

"Listen lady I'm not..." Vanzaren stops for a moment. "That wasn't my fault... so just..." he takes a shaky breath, "where's the Ringmaster?"

"Not your fault, eh? Of course not, I'm sure it wasn't my dear," says the crone in a mockingly conspiratorial tone, "All the more reason to forget...whatever it was that wasn't your fault, yes? As for the ringmaster, I know not her whereabouts...I am not a member of this traveling troupe, I only follow in their wake hoping to find gatherings of poor souls looking to relieve themselves of burdensome memories of things that were not their fault either..."

Rigel is close on Vanzarens heals when he is met by the crone.  The ranger wipes away any left over expression of mirth and tries to project an aura of intimidation as Van questions the old woman.

Since Marcon is,  more or less, followingl in the wake of Rigel at least, he stood back and watched what little he can of the exchange in concern and confusion. Which for now, he would let things play out in silence, but tried to stay at least a little tense yet ready to act if called upon to assist in some way.

"Looks like you have brought friends with you," says the old woman to Vanzaren nodding towards Rigel and the others as they approach. "Perhaps they have unwanted memories they wish to block out, hmm? What say you friends of, uh...this colorfully dressed one here - any regrets worth shedding? Childhood traumas? Recurring nightmares? Failed romances? Successful romances? Accidental deaths? Come, tell Hagatha...we'll melt away your worries..."

Marcon scowls and started to bear his teeth with fists clenched into tight balls at his side.  But then, there is a shudder, a squeezing of the eyes shut, and a shake of the head out of the farmhand.  Following a deep, steadying breath, the ex-farmhand reopens his eyes and crosses his arms. "Thanks, but no thanks lady. Even if /I/ thought ya had that sorta power, I ain't one to try and throw that sorta stuff away... no matter how much it hu-... it bothers me sometimes." He admits calmly. "'cause ya ain't really moving forward, or ever gonna move forward if try and pick and choose what sticks with ya like that."

Ronk shakes his head as he passes the woman. "No thanks. Meditation works fine for me, I was hiding when my parents were killed, and pretty much all of the deaths I've been involved in have been intentional..."

"See look," Van smiles and gestures to the group. "Not interested... and neither am I," he adds, before stalking off in search of the circus master again.

Rigel just silently shrugs at the woman and moves on.

"As you wish dear!" Hagatha calls out after the party as they depart, "perhaps ye just haven't yet seen anything terrible enough worth forgetting...but you will! Yes...yes, you will..." 

As the party makes their way back towards the open-air market at the center of town (now covered with tents, street performers and regular townspeople - who don't look like Phandalians) a large explosion followed by a column of fire erupts near the town green to the east. When the smoke clears, an enormous big top tent stands in its place.

"hmm th..they really were m..magic" says Garet just before explosion erupts 

Marcon quirked a brow at Garet's comment. Yet just before anything can be said on the matter, the sudden explosion has him practically jumping out of his skin for a moment, prior to then reaching for the newly acquired warhammer. ".... Well... Not sure if I'd call that convenient or not, but... there's our next destination, I s'pose. We prolly aughta hurry over there before whatever show they got in mind comes up, if'n we're to talk to the ring master."

"Agreed." says Rigel as he quickens his pace to keep up with Van.

With Vanzaren in the lead, the party pushes towards the direction they saw the explosion. They approach a smaller tent that does not appear to be "open for business" and then the tent flap is drawn back from the inside revealing a darkened interior and a desheveled-looking man with a clown-painted face (but otherwise mostly normal attire) holding a dimly burning lantern. He locks eyes with Vanzaren and places a finger to his lips signaling silence (or secrecy) and then beckons the wizard in with several apparently urgent "come here" hand-signals. The fearful and serious look in his eye almost seems to communicate that he needs the party's help as much as his desire to help them.

(OOC: any Wisdom (Insight) checks made by the party would reveal that this man seems genuine and non-threatening.)

EDIT: Garet sees a strong aura of abjuration magic emanating from the entire tent where the man is standing. None of the other tents he has passed by since casting his spell have given off this kind of magic, which is mostly protective in nature through the creation of magical barriers, negation of harmful effects, harming of unwanted trespassers and/or banishment of creatures to other planes of existence.)

Vanzaren looks around before stepping into the tent.

Rigel follows Vanzaren, his senses on high alert.

Ronk lets out a worried sound and grips his spear a bit tighter as he follows the others into the tent.

"v..Van t..this tent is f..full of m..magic" Says Garet worried about all the things happening around them "I can sense it ..but o .****y t..this one" adds while looking around

Marcon immediately squinted at the man, not at all trusting him the least. (Insight: 12(for flavor)) However, between most following immediately inside and then... genuine seeming concern in the man, the farmboy falls in line after the rest. Though Garet's last words and worried tone eventually processes enough in mind for Marcon to ask on the way inside, "The good kind then, I hope. If not, best be on guard then, I s'pose."

(Forgot the disadvantage for that check, but seems it won't matter.)