Act 3 - Carnival on Ice

[Trogdor]

"Does that answer the bunch of you?" Celevan asks, closing his book and placing it on a shelf. "Just give us a few moments to bundle up against the cold and we'll be ready to join you." He smiles at the kids. "But let's hold Suli back as a surprise, shall we? We don't want to steal the thunder of the carnival shows, do we?"

[Grimbold]

Torias sits up on his bed as Torrak races out of the room. He shrugs, shakes his head and wonders at his brother's behavious. "And they say I am the younger one." he mutters to himself. He rubs his eyes, tired from sleep and working on the old scrolls. Yawning, he gets out of bed and dresses, and then goes out to the others, throwing a glance at his new breastplate in the corner of his room. He has carefully painted some runes on it.

[Muskrat]

Dreams shakes her head as she watches Torrak run around the house screaming, exactly like a small child. She supposes that it's all right that he takes on the role of the fun-loving uncle, just as long as others of them play the parent. She bundles up, strapping her daggers, short sword and rapier on. She doesn't have the sense that going armed is unusual in a frontier community like this and she would not care to be confronted by a scheming Payday without weapons.

[Wayloss]

Syrronas finishes bundling up against the cold, he draws back his ponytail and wraps a scarf around his face He mutters briefly to himself about having to learn the protective enchantment against the cold, but it is muffled. by the scarf and quickly lost in all the din of the children.

[Vardaen]

Edgrin smiles at Syrronas answering his question, "I thought adventuring was hard work, try keeping four kids under control in this town." He shakes his head with a smile, you can see he is enjoying himself, but he's tired. "I'm happy that you are all coming, will take some strain off me. Ha, if my mother could see me now."

The group bundles up against the cold and a few weapons are taken, but this is a carnival and time of fun, so things like bulky armor and dangerous materials are left behind. You head out of the house with the kids leading the way skipping and jumping (save for Griet who isn't excited or jovial at all). The three kids are teasing each other, throwing snow balls, and generally being children as you move up north out of Falcon's Hollow.

Edgrin speaks softly to anyone that listens, "Poor Griet hasn't gotten over her ordeal. Nessa said she used to be a source of joy, now she just wakes up in the night screaming sometimes." He shakes his head, "Its all I can do some nights to get her back to sleep."

You leave out of Falcon's Hollow north gate and head up the Foam River, not far,the carnival is set up just far enough to be on the outskirts so as not to cause trouble with the locals.

Gaiety and laughter cut through the cold wind, and even the sky-shy sun peeks its face from around the gathering winter clouds. Children squeal with delight and gasp in awe of the sights, sounds, and smells of Quinn's Carnival. The Titan's Wheel creaks and groans as a burly lumberjack tests his might with a hefty spin, a family rushes giggling into the sprawling ice maze to the north, and dozens of happy skaters flit about the rinks atop the frozen river. Carnival dolls are handed to wide-eyed townsfolk as prizes and a menagerie of freakish creatures and glowing lanterns beckons the curious. Garish skirts and scanty veils call others to a different breed of voyeurism altogether. Treats and wonders abound for young and old to enjoy, and for a time the early winter is forgotten in joyful revelry.

Adjacent pairs of rickety podiums tacked together from pieces of apple crates form raggedy ticket booths that mark various entrances to the carnival. Eager-faced fair goers cram about them, gleaning wonderment from faded posters promising stilt-walkers, terrifying rides, and all manner of freaks. Tirelessly working the booths, baggy-eyed carnies busily hawk tickets to various events and do their best to direct the stream of excited townsfolk. A crowd of unwashed beggars shielded from the winter's harsh kiss by nothing more than tattered rags huddles by the entrance to the carnival, pleading with passersby for a few meager coppers or a bit of food to see them through. Many are children or old men and women fallen on hard times (not hard to do here in Falcon's Hollow). A good number are maimed from lumbering accidents or crippled by a horrible bout with plague or pneumonia. Rich merchants turn a blind eye to the haggard indigents, pretending not to see or hear them at all, and lumberjacks snarl, guffaw, or even kick at the dirty beggars as they stroll into the carnival to spend their coin on games, shows, and other frivolities.

Map

I'm going to update locations on the map as you explore the carnival, but here is the overall map of the area. I'll post this to the map thread in OOC as well.

OOC

So I'd like to keep the group together just for the start, but then I assume people or pairs will split off and explore various aspects of the Carnival. Have fun, this is a chance to play up some aspects of your character outside of a Dungeon Crawl -- which we have have enough of for a time. Just about everyone from Falcon's Hollow will be here and I'll be mixing them in and out, etc. We can split into other threads once we get going.

[Trogdor]

Celevan is more content than he's been in a while. The children's laughter is contagious, and even causes a rare smile to break out on the elohim's face. But clouds come in to obscure even this bright sun. Griet's troubles weigh upon him, as does the fate of the beggars he sees outside the ticket booths.

"Here kids," he says, pulling a handful of coins from his pocket. "This is for the people not as fortunate as us." He nods toward the beggars. "We all remember what it's like to be cold, hungry, and afraid, don't we?" He gives the coins to the children, not paying too much attention to who gets what. "Go over and give these to them," he says. "Try and spread it out as much as you can. They should all be able to eat a warm meal, at least, if we're to see the carnival."

Then, as the kids are over giving away the coins, he leans it toward Dreams and the dwarves. "This has me thinking. With what we've made, we could see about renting a house or even a barn or warehouse to form a shelter for those out on the street. Fill it with tables for the day so that we can give them some hot meals, and have bedrolls that can come out at night so they can sleep somewhere warm. I'll bet we could even get some of the poor unfortunates to run it for us. Keep the place up, cook the meals, that sort of thing. What do you all think?"

OOC

Give the kids a handful of coins - say 10 gold, 16 silver to distribute.

I was thinking we could try and find another house that could be another halfway house. Only this could be for crippled men, widows, and orphans. The gods know that the Lumber Consortium isn't helping them. And we're the closest thing to rich philanthropists that this town has.

[Muskrat]

Dreams looks at the beggars at first curiously, then with shock as she registers what they are. No Elohim community would allow any of its members to live like this. She can only nod at Celevan's suggestion. "An excellent idea. I mean, I knew human communities had beggars ... but it's one thing to read about in books, it's another to see it. I had no idea it was so awful. Yes, let's help them out as best we can." She glances at Syrronas surreptitiously, wondering why on earth the Thelonite elves would want to ape human customs if this is how humans live. After she recovers from her shock and her mind starts working properly again, she says to Celevan, "We may offend Mr. Kreed if we do so and face more trouble from Payday, but I think that's a risk worth taking. And I would think the rest of the community would be grateful to us."

Dreams looks at Greit and says to Celevan, "I think maybe she might benefit from some individual attention." The Elohim paladin walks up the little girl and kneels down next to her, so their eyes are about level. "Hi Greit. Is there anything in particular you want to see here at the carnival?"

[Eanwulf]

Torrak enjoys the carnival at first, waiting patiently in line and teasing the children playfully. Then he spots those wounded and destitute. The monk's stomach immediately begins to twist and turn with revulsion. Not at the poor folk in front him mind you, but at the notion of someone leaving them outside in the cold to freeze and die. Without uttering a word, the bald-headed monk immediately leans over to Celevan and whispers sympathetically in his ear. "Blue!? I have 400 gold lad. See what you can set up and it's all yours!" Now smiling in great admiration of the elf's sense of compassion, Torrak promptly reiterates. "It's all yours..."

[Grimbold]

Torias walks along, taking in the new sights, sounds and scents. He also gives the beggars some money, but his mind is somewhere else. "Blue, I agree, we should do that, but right now, I would like to see what they have on offer here - perhaps some things we have not seen here yet and which we won't see here for many years once the caravan has left.Things that might aid us in our search."

Display

Offer 10 gold to the beggars. Then Torias is on the lookout for anything interesting that is on sale, like books, anything magical, anything unusual.

[Vardaen]

OOC

3 Day on Wayloss

The kids grab the coins from Celevan and then Torias they move about the crowd handing out silver and copper coins. The nearly two dozen beggars, some showing signs of having suffered from the Blackscour Taint, others with maimed arms or legs from lumber accidents and others just too old or too young to look out for themselves anymore are all very grateful for the money. Some will try and buy new winter clothing, others food or drink, and a few will try and get tickets into the Carnival, or unfortunately buy beer or spirits; such are the follies of Falcon's Hollow.

Torrak offers Celevan 400 gold to set up a refugee house, and the idea of being some benefactors in the little town lifts everyone's spirits and makes you all feel a bit important and useful. Yet Gunner draws you back to reality, "Can we go into the carnival now?"

You can't deny the young man, and so with the beggars disbursing behind you you buy a handful of tickets each, some are used to just enter the carnival grounds, others will be to see the various events or games. So to be the safe side you get a handful each.

OOC

Most events and sights are a few copper. Counting the kids, etc, and to make it easier so you don't run back and forth, you each spend 1 gold on tickets and are covered for any basic carnival event/tent unless its a special case.

I'll update your sheets. Those of you donating to the beggars please update your sheets.