Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

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.
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Muskrat
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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by Muskrat » Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:22 pm

Shiloh continues to play her fiddle to cover for the others, while they find a discrete place to move the kenku, somewhere they can speak with him without being observed. Once the others have made their get away, Shiloh will follow after with plans to cast Charm Person on the kenku.

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by ManWithDoor » Mon Aug 22, 2022 3:16 am

The Kenku was clearly afraid for his safety, so the aggressive actions make his mind harder to manipulate into thinking of you as friends. However, Shiloh is good at what she does, and the spell sticks.
Shiloh casts Charm Person (Wisdom Save, DC 12). Target gets Advantage because of clear hostilities: 5 & 11 = Failure! For the next Hour, he thinks this was all a misunderstanding or something.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by Muskrat » Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:38 pm

Everyone, remember in 5E, Charm Person is not mind control. It just leads the enchanted person to regard the caster as a friendly acquaintance.
Shiloh unties the kenku's bonds and says, "Sorry about that. We needed to get you out of there quickly because we thought there was some danger and we didn't have time to explain. To clear things up, we need to know why you've been playing pranks at the circus. Could you explain to us what's going on?"
Persuasion 5

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by ManWithDoor » Sat Sep 03, 2022 11:14 pm

The birdman ends the illusion on himself, losing the appearance of a person and looking like a kenku again. He rubs his wrists where the bonds were, irritated but understanding. "Rougher than you needed to be, seriously. We may know each other, but we're not best friends. Talk next time." He is snippy, the magic not being mind control but at least shading his reactions positively towards you. Shiloh's good people skills help smooth out the remainder.
Shiloh Persuasion: 15+5 = 20, Success.
"Sure, willing to share why I'm pulling pranks and causing problems. My Patron, Zybilna the Archfey, rules the Feywild domain of Prismeer." You can practically hear the capitalization of patron, and he doesn't look like an artist or the like, so he is likely a warlock of some sort. "I haven't felt her presence in some time, and Witch and Light keep giving me the cold shoulder when I ask about it. They travel the Feywild at will, so they must know something."

He lets loose some curses. "I snooped around their wagon recently. I heard Light say 'Someone is going to find out about this! They'll shut us down!', and then Witch firmly replied 'We agreed to this pact. Our hands were forced but our eyes were open. We let the Hourglass Coven take what it wants, and in return, we stay in business. That is what you want, right?' I'm hoping the chaos I cause until they're forced to spill what they know about Zybilna and Prismeer."
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by RorytheRomulan » Sun Sep 04, 2022 2:23 pm

Quill's ear twitches. "There's an Archfey mixed up in this? 'Take what it wants'... Like, people?"
Can Arcana help with knowledge about how the Hourglass Coven makes pacts, and what they bargain for?

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by Muskrat » Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:35 pm

Shiloh runs a hand through her hair. She had thought that Kettlesteam was simply being cruel, but now that she understood his motives ... she sighed. That didn't excuse the pranks he was playing on innocent people. "It sounds like your motives are reasonable. But what you're doing--you're not getting at Witch and Light, but innocent fair-goers. I have my own issues with the fair. I snuck in as a child without paying and, in lieu of that, they took all my memories of my home. I could be just down the road from where I grew up and not even know it. I came here hoping to find a way to recover my memories. Sure, I should have paid, but that's an extreme way to punish a child. So I'd be willing to help you if you can help me. Maybe we can find a better way for you to find out what's going on?"
Persuasion 5
Shiloh glances uneasily at those of her companions who work for the circus. She turns back to Kettlesteam, "Give me just a minute to talk with my companions." She ushers them out of tent and, out of earshot of the kenku, she whispers to them, "I know those of you who work for the circus think something odd is going on. And what Kettlesteam is saying seems to fit with that. I'm thinking of laying all out cards on the table, telling him that he's under a spell--he'll know that anyway when it wears off--and offering to work with him to solve this mystery. What do you think?"

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by RorytheRomulan » Tue Sep 06, 2022 12:07 pm

Quill turns and glances at the Kenku, still trying to remember if she's heard anything about the Hourglass. She looks back at the others. "I guess he's got a good reason for it. He should be told that one of his pranks almost got somebody disappeared, though. I guess that means we'll be snatching Witch's trinket? If he gives Candlefoot his voice back right now, then sure. Candlefoot can't be very helpful if he can't talk to us."
Arcana 21: How does the Hourglass Coven make pacts, and what do they bargain for?

I could go for that idea. Kettlesteam doesn't seem to be plotting the Carnival's downfall. But if he can't be convinced to stop causing mischief, we will probably have to detain him and let the Carnival decide what to do with him.

Candlefoot was one of the three people Burly mentioned might be willing to help us steal the watch. That's why I want his voice to be returned, and then we could go visit him. But I could make do with just convincing Kettlesteam to join up, since he'll probably undo all his pranks once he hears from his patron again.

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by Bohemond » Tue Sep 06, 2022 6:25 pm

"We should also try to find out what this Hourglass Coven is," Jack replies. "The was a girl in a pig mask back at the hall of mirrors who was offering to the halfling if I remember correctly. Whatever is powerful enough to make an Archfey disappear and force something from Mr. Witch and Mr. Light seems pretty dangerous."

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by Muskrat » Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:07 pm

Shiloh nods in agreement. "Yes, one of our conditions for working with him should be that Kettlesteam set right the harm he has done." She looks at those who work at the carnival. "But I hope that you will also support me in asking Witch and Light not just to restore my memories, but to find a less cruel way to deal with those who do things like sneak in without paying."

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Re: Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival

Post by ManWithDoor » Sun Sep 11, 2022 6:03 pm

Quill is no regular sellsword happening to be on holiday. Perhaps it is due to her gnome heritage, or a mentor, or just personal interest, but she is unusually knowledgeable about magical lore. Even with that, she does not know who in specific the Hourglass Coven are, she vaguely remembers perhaps hearing the name in connection with Baba Yaga. She is the mother of all witches, perhaps the most powerful female sorceress to ever live, a powerful Archfey, and mother of hags. She doesn't know if Baba Yaga belongs to the coven, founded it, fought it, destroyed it, or whatever else. Just that they're connected somehow.
Quill - Arcana (giving Advantage): 7 or 19 (choosing 19 of course), partial Success.
Kettlesteam looks unhappy with Shiloh's scolding about his methods, but has no good defense of his actions. The people he has been 'pranking' were not deserving of such, just a means to the end of indirectly blackmailing Witch and Light. The bard is confident she can push him to at least release Candlefoot the Mime's voice, and perhaps aid whatever plan you cook up instead.
Shiloh - Persuasion (giving Advantage): 15 or 15 (somehow, going to choose 15), Success.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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