The Carnival of Fear

Qenshii Ai GIF

The Carnival of Fear - Wandering Domain of Wonders. Resplendent with bright banners, calliope music, and the smells of rich food, the Carnival promises visitors a surreal wonderland where any dream is possible. Garish fliers appear before the Carnival's arrival, promising marvels, terrors, and a brief escape from the gloom of daily life. But nothing in the Land of the Mists is beyond suspicion, and the wise know strangers are intrinsically dangerous.
The Carnival doesn't exist to entertain its visitors. Rather, it's a traveling domain, capable of visiting other domains and lands beyond the Mists. Visibly marked as outsiders by birth, circumstance, intention, or talent, the Carnival's troupers trade their unique performances for coin and whatever else they need to survive. Although these entertainers are well intentioned, sinister forces travel in their wake. The longer the Carnival tarries in one place, the greater the threat to the performers and visitors. So the Carnival travels constantly, lest the troupers endanger the lands they visit.

• Fliers advertising the Carnival's impending arrival appear mysteriously in communities before it appears. The Carnival doesn't contribute to their production or distribution.
• Two silver pieces buy a ticket to the Carnival, while the Big Top's shows, the Hall of Horrors, and sideshows have their own entry fees.
• The Carnival wanders endlessly, never staying anywhere for more than a few weeks. Most settlements welcome this traveling diversion, but tragedies follow its path.
• Merchants unaffiliated with the Carnival follow its travels and set up shop alongside it. Known as the Litwick Market, this collection of tents and booths is filled with strange vendors and stranger goods.
• Those seeking an escape from a place or their current lives can join the Carnival. As long as travelers are willing to work and contribute to the community, they're welcome to stay as long as they like.

The Carnival encompasses only a few hundred square yards. A handful of horses and exotic pack animals transport the Carnival's two dozen wagons from site to site.
One of the Carnival's oldest performers, Hermos the Half-Giant, handles the Carnival's day-to-day operations. Hermos is a mountain of muscle half again as tall as most human adults. His deliberate manner and coolheaded demeanor earn him the respect of the Carnival's troupers. Other senior or charismatic figures hold influence over cliquish groups of performers, but few dare openly contradict Hermos since he's favored by the Carnival's leader, Isolde.
The Carnival's arrangement varies depending on where it sets up, but always includes a thoroughfare of games, food, and sideshow stalls leading from the ticketing gate to the Big Top.

Big Top

Standing at the Carnival's center is the Big Top, its largest tent. The Big Top houses spectacular shows, from acrobats and displays of magic to beloved plays. Three coppers buy a visitor admittance for as long as they like, with performances of varying quality running from sunrise until midnight.

Sideshows

Lurid banners with exaggerated art and the calls of barkers advertise the Carnival's unusual performers. For 2 copper pieces, visitors enter a tent and watch a performer's show.

Parent Plot

The Witchlight Carnival

Related Characters

• Isolde
• Mister Light
• Mister Witch
• Naali Tianis
• Zybilna

Related Locations

• Fairgrounds