Once every eight years, the fantastic Witchlight Carnival touches down on your world, bringing joy to one settlement after the next. Its owners, Mister Witch and Mister Light, know how to put on a good show. But there’s more to this magical extravaganza than meets the eye!
The carnival is a gateway to a fantastic Feywild domain unlike anything found on the Material Plane. Time has not been kind to this realm, however, and dark days lie ahead unless someone can thwart the dastardly schemes of the Hourglass Coven.
The displacer beast looks at them with a guarded curiosity. "Sabotage is an interesting thing to propose. I will caution you that some things go missing from the Witchlight Carnival ... and never come back." It can speak perfectly understandable Common, although the voice is rather sibilant and a little disturbing. "Some things that are Lost may be Found, while others are gone forever. You may have to just live with that."
While Dirlagraun is distracted talking with you, the older of the two boys hanging off of it picks up a mirrored ball from the Lost Property wagon. With a quick hiss the displacer beast snatches the ball back with a snarl and a flick of its tentacle, causing the young boy to dash away in fright. The smaller boy continues to hang off his neck, tugging repeatedly on the wooden keg bound on its collar.
The unique Witchlight Hand curses in some unknown language, then gives you all a long-suffering look. "Please, I can't leave the wagon, or the little boy. If you could, please collect Viro. Their mother is fetching food and drink, and left the kids in my care."
If you decide to help out, it would be a Wisdom (Perception) check to search after the boy.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
Quill snaps out of her tunnel vision by the nudge from Shiloh, but she is spellbound as she listens to the displacer beast. Her ears twitch as the kids keep up their antics. "Yeah, I can track her down. Did she tell ya where she was going?"
Shiloh nods to Dirlagraun and says, "Of course. I don't want to see any child lost--not after what happened to me here long ago." She puts her hand on Quill's shoulder and points. "I think he just ran off in that directions."
She begins running off after Viro, trying to see where he went, stopping to ask people if necessary.
Following the group, Quill listens to inquiries with other guests and keeps an eye out for a woman of Viro's description without her own tykes tagging along.
The team quickly jog after the crying boy, but he hasn't gone far. Shiloh walks right past, but Quill's keen eye sees the young lad has tucked himself the cart of a candy stand, with his skinny legs sticking out. Viro is more startled and worried than truly terrified of the big displacer beast, and is easily led back to Lost Property.
Dirlagraun is clearly relieved and grateful at the swift return of Viro, as the younger brother hadn't even noticed his absence. In a moment their mother returns with food and drink, collects her children, and thanks the big blue guy with a strong hug.
Noticing that Dirlagraun tears up a bit as the boys are led away, it reveals that many years ago, its own cub vanished from the Carnival without a trace. The beast gently caresses the small, mirrored ball that Viro had touched without permission, and shares that it was the favorite toy of its cub - Star. It couldn't prevent its own cub from going missing, but it could at least spend its days making sure the offspring of others are safe.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
Shiloh nods sympathetically. "I'm something of a lost cub myself. And I think we may know what happened to your cub. When I was a child I snuck into the carnival without paying--well, without paying money. I paid with the loss of any memory of my home. I can only imagine what my parents thought--they surely believe me long dead. We've discovered that it doesn't seem to Mr. Witch and Mr. Light that are taking these 'payments.' Rather, it's some hags in a corrupted part of the Feywild doing so, ones with some sort of hold over Mr. Witch and Mr. Light, though we don't know what that is yet. They seem like the sort who might have snatched your cub as well. We were wondering if you might have any clues about how they're controlling Mr. Witch and Mr. Light."
The beast shrugs at Quill's comment. "If you had, most of my kin are more interested in hunting rather than socializing. It probably would have gone badly for you, so perhaps it is a good thing that I'm your first."
It thoughtfully stares at the mirrored ball that once belonged to its cub as Shiloh speaks. "I hadn't known. I thought they were hiding something, they must be so to ignore all the small tragedies that follow the Carnival. Hags controlling the Feywild ..." it stops for a minute. "It could be something as simple as allowing us free passage, for we have no other way to travel. A princeling would demand payment or favors, a toll to travel the road. Hags have much darker desires." The two tentacles extending from its shoulder lash the air, perhaps in anger.
"Perhaps Mr. Witch and Mr. Light cannot fight back, but maybe they could provide a path for you to? If they know how serious you are. I can't imagine them being happy about such an arrangement."
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
Shiloh nods. "That makes sense." She looks at her companions who work for the carnival. "What do you think? Should we try meeting with Mr. Witch and Mr. Light again?"
"Yes!" Quill nods emphatically. "With everything we learned, we could frame ourselves as champions to act on their behalf. My old company used to reel in special contracts like that."
