Book 2: The Carnival; Session 8

The Artifact

General Summary

The Mists

As a thick Mists surrounds the group and the insufferable heat and humidity of Souragne is replaced by rapidly dropping temperatures, the sounds of horse hooves upon the earth, the creaking of wooden wagon wheels, faint laughter, and screams of terror all meld together in the surrounding mists, creating an eerie melody. Sometimes these sounds seem loud and close by and others they are as distant as a whisper on the wind.
Shadows move in the mists, just beyond the glow emanating from the Lantern of Ezra. Visions haunt each of them as they travel through the mists wondering when their torment will end, when their feet will touch something solid, not this strange, unfamiliar and featureless ground that echoes beneath their feet.
When the Mists finally depart, they find themselves standing in an evergreen forest with a scattering of ancient, leafless oaks, their skeletal limbs reaching towards an overcast sky. Their boots crunched upon snow-covered earth as wolves howled in the distance and something large skittered in the canopy above.
Before they had a moment to collect themselves, a pack of wolves lead by a horse sized wolf with bones sticking out of its hide surrounded them as a spider the size of an elephant hovered silently above Norikami's head. After a hard battle, the group dispatched the wolves and giant spider and made haste through the forest as the sound of howling wolves could be heard in the distance.

The Fliers

As the group moves through the thick forest, it eventually leads out into a small deer path with every other tree posted with a flier. When they look upon the fliers, all but Kass experience horrific and realistic visions, then a free ticket of admission falls to the ground. The group expresses great concern about this and all but Kass decide that it is a very bad idea to visit this "carnival".

The Carnival

Of course, despite their desire not to attend the Carnival as the forest path ends and a clearing opens out in front of them, there stands the Carnival with a number of people wandering into the Carnival grounds. Just outside the grounds is the Fey Market and the group explores the Fey Market for a bit before handing over their tickets and going into the Carnival itself.

The Fey Market

After browsing the clothing at Stitch by Stitch and learning that the plain looking tunics can change to whatever the wearer desires, Kass trades her first happy memory for one of the tunics. The fey selling them seem very pleased by this transaction.
Amoiety brings the group to Dispel that Spell, a magic shop run by two small gnomes who sell almost any spell component one could require and a number of unique scroll cases, spell books, and inscribing inks. As Amoiety browses their wares, a tall dark hair man dressed in nobleman's attire purchases a number of items. The group asks the gentleman where they are and where the nearest town is. The man asks them where they are as he has been traveling with the Carnival for a few days and when they tell him they're in Barovia, he says that the nearest town is about a day's journey from the Carnival to the west.
Seeing as they needed a safe place for the night and fearing the many wolves in the forest, they decided to risk entering the Carnival.

The Carnival Grounds

After speaking to the barker Tindal, a tall, wiry man wearing a top hat and a high-collared black cape that sweeps the ground about potential jobs at the Carnival, Tindal says they should look for "Hermos", but does not provide any description beyond the fact that he's "hard to miss".
The group wanders the grounds, seeing a contortionist bend and twist their body into a glass box then disappear into a smoky mists and a large man who's face is hidden behind an executioners hood tie horseshoes into knots.

The Big Top

Seeing no signs of this "Hermos" or who they should be looking for, the group decides to attend the Big Top show.
The first show was "The Illusionist", a shadow elf with a lute. He played an eerie melody as shadow dancers moved behind him and he pulled shadows out of the mouth's of the patrons, bringing their fears and nightmares to life in shadowy form. During this performance, Amoeity casted a Hex upon the first patron who's fear came to life. The only person that seemed to notice was the man the group had seen earlier at Dispel that Spell purchasing various spell components as all other eyes were trained upon the spectacle before them.
The second who was "The Vampiress". The Vampiress flew through the air on leathery wings through hoops of fire and flew at the audience, hissing and showing her fangs.
The last show was the "Blade Brothers" who threw blades of all shapes and sizes between them in a blurry whirlwind. They threw these same blades between an audience member, cutting off their cape but leaving them untouched.

Madam Fortuna's Reading

As the group leaves the Big Top they are approached by three women dressed in black and white with skull-like face paint obscuring their features. The women are silent, only communicating to them in gestures, but eventually convey to the group that they should follow them and they are led to Madam Fortuna's vardo, which is painted with a bright red paint and golden trim.
In stark contrast to the outside of the colorful wagon, the inside is all shades of black and grey, a touch of blood red cloth in the tapestries that line the walls and the dark carpet upon the floor.
A table covered in a midnight black cloth is set up just beyond the entry, a figure obscured by the heavy shadows within sits behind the table beckoning you forward.
Madam Fortuna sits in the darkness behind the table. She is dressed in a dark red gown and black cowl lined with fine golden thread. She looks to be in her 80s, perhaps older, perhaps younger. It is impossible to tell. Her eyes are pitch black speckled with white dots of light reminiscent of a starry, midnight sky.
When the characters approach, she speaks to them from the shadows in a haunting, raspy voice.
“What is it you seek? A way home? Greatness to your name? Treasure to fill your coffers? Vanquishing evil? Fate is a fickle mistress and does not care for what you want. I may no longer see as you do, but it is clear to me that your Fate is now bound to forces far greater than you can possibly imagine. Would you like me to read the cards? Help guide you on your quest?”
The group agreed to have their cards read, though a few show surprise when Madam Fortuna ensures them it is free.
“The cards may guide you on this task you are not yet aware of,” She flips over a card from the deck she was just shuffling revealing The Mists, then says, “Permit me and I shall read them for you and we can shed some light on this Quest you must embark on.”
She passes the deck to each character, asking them to shuffle the deck until it “feels right”.
She places a card on the center of the table in front of you revealing The Artifact, “Ah, the Artifact. I see a protective shield, shattered into pieces and hidden within the Mists. Reforging it could stop a great evil, the shattering of the worlds as we know them.”
She places another card directly above The Artifact, revealing The Beast. “Howling wolves hide behind merriment and song. Where the wind howls as fiercely as any wolf lies a piece of what you seek.”
Directly below the Artifact she reveals the Innocent, “The cold wind blows on a desolate land where logic and reason cloud judgement and understanding. Seek out the innocent’s heart and you shall have your prize.”
To the upper left of the Artifact, she places The Broken One, “I see a dry, scorched land where a King with a broken soul seeks his salvation. That salvation is yours as well.”
To the upper right of the Artifact , she reveals the Wizard, “Magic can create, but it can also destroy. I see a land riddled with magics that were best left unexplored. There, the sleepless one locks themselves in solitude. They have what you seek.”
To the lower left of the Artifact she places the Transmuter. “A land fallen in an endless darkness, streaks of lightning the only relief from its gloom. Here everyone is of a single mind. Seek out she who would be Queen and you will find your prey.”
The last card she places to the lower right of the Artifact and reveals the Necromancer. “One lost of mind and spirit wanders the Mists. The land is as lost as they are. You shall encounter them in many times and in many forms. Only they can complete the forging of the Artifact. But beware, they may have other plans for it.”
When asked if this quest will also lead them home, Madam Fortuna is uncertain, but she says the quest is important. When asked why they should save a world that is not their own, she simply says "All worlds are connected. Save one and you save them all."

Hermos

Madam Fortuna points them to Hermos's wagon and the group meets and speak to the half-giant just outside of his home. After he questions them a bit on their skill with the weaponry they carry, he offers them a 100 gold each if they can help find and rescue their snake charmer, Pellarin from the Mirror Realm.
According to Hermos, Pellarin was replaced by a fetch (a duplicate from the Mirror Realm) and kidnapped by a wizard named Sarlandrilis who believes Pellarin is his son. Though the truth is a bit difficult to believe, according to Hermos Pellarin was once Saralandrilis's familiar and the wizard permanently changed him into his son after his real son passed away. Hermos stressed that they cannot kill the wizard as if he dies, his familiar will die as well.
Hermos said they had the fetch locked up and a wandering wizard was assisting them, but they needed skilled folks to brave the Mirror Realm while this other wizard kept the portal open. He said he could explain more after they rested for the evening.

Report Date

21 Nov 2021