COMPLETED: Investigation of the Phantasmal Circus

Greensward is the only fertile land West of the Silverstream and has a rich farming district. On the outskirts of this farmland rumors of a Phantasmal Circus arise. Chad approaches Aethelin and Ostreliea because he and his crew are about to leave the city for a while and won't be able to look into these rumors. The party is intrigued by the rumors and agrees to cover the bounty.
Upon picking up the trail they head to the farming district not quite sure what they're looking for. After a couple of hours sitting beside the road several children walking by ask what they are up to. In response the party asks if they know anything about a Phantom Circus, after some back and forth between them they agree the party is asking about the Red Circus and that another friend knows more about it than them. They lead the party to a small hamlet and the kids call out for Jimmy, an older child that claims to know more. He explains that he found this really cool rock that told him to start a fire, and lets slip he may be some sort of arsonist. He's pretty easily convinced to show the party where exactly the rock is and lead them there.
Once at the place there at the crossroads sits a frustum stone with worn edges and barely legible text. On each of the 4 sides in Elvish, Dwarvish, Draconic, and Infernal are the words "The Great Flame called us. May this Kindling Light this Great Nation Ablaze". Jimmy says all he did was light a fire here and then that night the Red Circus appeared. So the party does just that, and after just a moment after lighting a small bushel of dried grass and twigs the whole stack is engulfed in sparking red fire. With the fuel consumed faint echoes of an accordion hangs in the air.
With the setting sun and the rising fog from the hot fields shimmers of a red tent begin to take form. Only in complete darkness does the full tent emerge and look nearly tangible, to mark the entrance to the great tent two torches burning with red without fuel are staked into the ground. They enter to find two performers, one a juggler and the other a burly man playing the accordion, each in ceramic masks that obscure the entire face. The stands are filled with similarly masked patrons. In the middle of the tent stands a lithe, gaunt figure standing nearly 8 feet tall addressing the crowd without words, then turns to the party and invites them to sit and enjoy the first performance. They dance in symbolic movements of fires rise to greatness and fall, about birth and rebirth, about the ebb and flow of life, who's really to say. After the dance they invite the party to either enjoy more of the show or attend them in their dressing room to discuss some business.
Naturally intrigued they follow this figure to their dressing room, which is bare save for a single dresser and a mirror. Now that they are much closer, they notice the figure wears a mask like the others with raven black hair pouring out of the top edges. "I am Sombria , master of the troupe, I have asked you back here because it is evident that you possess some skills that I require." Their voice light and airy but with a gravitas, awestruck the party asks what they mean. Sombria relays what they believe are the skills each member of the party has that makes them special, before moving onto the topic of thieves making off with several items precious to them. "Would you be willing to retrieve these items for me? I will make it worth your while." Pious doesn't miss a beat before agreeing, while it takes some convincing for the others. None seem capable of arguing out of the deal before they'd each agreed.
Sombria a calls forth an Imp that goes by Hestor to act as a guide to these thieves. Mess asks why if they know where the culprits are that they don't pursue them their self. To which they respond "Astute question but suffice it to say that I am bound to this place" this does suffice Mess and they receive this Imp. Sombria gives a brief description of each item, a compact mirror, a velvet purse embroidered with gold, and an emerald amulet. The party is off put by this place and wants to get out of there fast. Just before leaving the masked man playing the accordion gives them a farewell "God speed in doing the master's bidding"
Without delay the party determines and tracks down the first target Hestor offers them. They travel passed the boarded windows of the hamlets of the farming district, passed the guards at the edge of town and passed the final set of guards to the castle district where the Temple of the Nine resides. Hestor claims that they seek a Blue Dragonborn that worships Desna. Araz directs them to a relief holding the shrine of Desna, a typical empty alter with butterfly iconography. At it foot lay a Blue Dragonborn in prayer.
Pious approaches cautiously looking over the garment of the Dragonborn, he discovers what might be the pocket containing one of the stolen items. After successfully picking their pocket he retreats to the others thinking their first job was complete, but then the coin purse erupts into red flames and appears again in the hand of the blue Dragonborn. Shocked he addresses the party, "Who are you to steal from me?" "Who sent you?" The party rather straightforwardly tells him that Sombriahas sent them, and that they may need to use force to return what was lost. Just before the Dragonborn can accept an honest challenge, Araz grabs him from behind restraining him, and they make their way towards the exit. However along the way they are stopped by a priest who insists they let the worshiper go. The party refuses until two paladins approach to enforce the priest's petitions.
After being released the Blue Dragonborn addresses the party that there is something he wishes to show them in the gardens. He pulls out the coin purse once more before incanting some spell and the purse alights again with red flame. Then he turns to the party before reciting the words to yet another spell, and suddenly he strikes out at the players and a fight ensues. The party blunders in the confusion and Araz and Mess get seriously injured. Aethelin and Pious try desperately to make an opening for the others but occasionally the attacks are deflected by a scarlet blaze. After a long battle Araz is able to put the Dragonborn to sleep however even in sleep they are unable to remove the coin purse from their body. The decided to put the body in their bag of holding and get back to SombriaASAP.
With the body completely out of sight they were able to get back out of town to the Red Circus. Sombriawas once again addressing their audience without words, they seemed enraptured. "I see you have returned, did you bring that which belongs to me?" the party pulls the surprisingly still conscious Dragonborn from their bag of holding. Sombria rests their hand on the air above its head pulling it up like a human puppet master and materializes a mask just like everyone else's to place back on its face. After setting the creature back down it shuffles silently to it's seat in the crowd. Pious asks what are those masks? "They are their new faces, one must have a new face in order to truly enjoy the circus" "Will we get a mask?" "Only if you fail to keep your word". Mess sits alongside the now enraptured Dragonborn but its focus was completely fixed on the circus playing out before them. It was much like any other circus with trapeze, jugglers, clowns, terrifying animals, and oddities seen nowhere else, these however all wore those blank white masks and made no noise.
Rushing out of the tent agian they made their way for some rest at the Brazen Hearth. Araz needed a drink and asked Maeve Grimjaw what her first drink was. She seemed far off but snapped herself back in order to fulfill her customers order. She returned with a mug of grog which barely touched Araz's lips before he claimed his usual non-alcoholic drink. The party gathers round thinking about how they might find out more concerning Sombria and their Red Circus. Leia asks Maeve but she deflects to Clive Celaden their resident lore expert.
Clive approaches their table, Pious brings up a Red Circus, which doesn't fire any warning flags within Clive but he adds a follow-up question "Who is the master of this Red Circus?" "Sombria" but before Mess can finish he is silenced by Clive who activates some spell that causes his eyes to brim with gold. He suddenly grabs Hestor, in cat form, and slams him to the wall "Does this creature know any of your names!?" the party was unsure "when, exactly, did this creature begin following you!?" they said sundown and Clive casts a spell pulling some white cloud like substance from the head the cat before dropping it to the floor. Clive orders the cat to leave but its rebellious and forces Clive's hand, all he does is reveal a black scroll on a red rod before the creature obeys his orders.
Clive ushers the party into a sound proof booth demanding the party reveals all that took place within the Red Circus. A look of gloom crossed his face but before he could continue Maeve enters. Clive assures her that she needs not burden herself with this and that he will let her in later on what's going on. After she withdraws he says with grave intent "You must fulfill your end of the contract. Sombria is the Fey God of Lights and with Fey creatures one's word is enough to seal a contract, and since each of you have accepted, unless you desire to end up like all those others then you must reclaim those stolen items." "Deals are very tricky to get out of but it's not impossible that an alternative will reveal itself, I will also look into this." He gives the party further instruction not to reveal their names to Hestor for ones true name to a fey is a powerful tool. After which he allows the creature back in.
They pick up in the morning asking Hestor who was next. He guides them to a hermit on the outskirts of town. The amiable man asks them for coin and is humbled that the party is so generous to give him 3 GP. His face is scarred exactly the same as the dragonborn they had met earlier. He does attempt to hide that he is in possession of any stolen artifact however once pressed he gives up this deception. Pious wracking his mind tries to find some way for them to retrieve the item without taking the thief back to Sombria. Something the old man said gives him an idea, the mirror is bound to his body, perhaps taking a portion of the body back would be enough. Asking for a knife he agrees as he's been thinking along the same lines, however didn't have the implement to attempt a trial. The party is wary about giving him a weapon and take his hand before he can convince them otherwise. With hand in hand they are indeed able to claim the compact mirror.
Libertas Dacia follow Hestor to their 3rd and final target, they have apparently been gathering some people together to form a pirate crew. The rumors turn out to be true and they decide to audition for a position on the crew. At the gangway they are stopped and forced to come up one at a time to the bosun of the ship who asks them a series of questions. Each fail in their own way save Pious who is allowed in to see the captain. At which point he drops all pretenses of joining the crew and demands the return of the stolen amulet. With a nod the boson leaves and the first mate throws and axe into Pious' chest. A fight breaks out but the captain abstains allowing her crew to do her fighting, that is until Araz provokes her with Shatter. Coralimm exits her cabin and begins dispatching any attacker she sees. She exhibits the same countering effect that the dragonborn had and is truly a one person army. This time it is her crew's turn to hold off their attack, and while the battle was hard fought and most of the party were nearly killed they reduced her low enough that Araz could put her to sleep. Her crew looked on waiting for any provocation, Pious explained they were just taking a hand and they let them proceed.
They disembark the ship and meet Hestor at the end of the pier. He lets them know that their 3rd target is just a little ways further down. Obviously confused, the party tries to determine what he means. Hestor recounts the two trinkets he remembers back to the party and says that the third one is here in Wharfside as well. After some back and forth Libertas Dacia follows Hestor to the last mark. A crowd is gathered outside the rundown seaside chapel and there are rumors of a murderer that has trapped themselves inside. Probing further into crowd they learn that the guards have been sent for and that there is a man carrying some strange box, that cast everyone out. Suddenly the party is recognized and volunteered to the clergy to carry out the investigation.
The clergy know that adventurers aren't free and try to dissuade them, Mess assures them that they are an interested party and will investigate on their own. Mess and Pious sneak through the quiet chapel, before the shrine to Gozreh a man kneels in a pool of his own blood, not 2 feet from him the familiar mask of the Red Circus. Near him lay an accordion and Mess takes him for the greeter at the entrance of the circus. He asks him if he's well, the wounded man ignores his question expressing relief that it was a member of Libertas Dacia. He explains that there may be a way to dissolve Sombria's first contract thus making any further contract in the region void. The man is too tired and injured to make much more conversation than that, and they leave him in the care of the clergy.
With this new information they return to the Brazen Hearth where they fill in Clive on what has happened. The wounded man made mention of the First Flame in reference to Sombria's original contract, they speculate it may be The Spire. Clive Celaden congratulates them on the deduction but assures them that the light from The Spire burned even before the Great Calamity which is the proposed event that Sombria protected Greensward from in the first place. Clive believes he could find some more out in the way of information but it would require some time. The party decides that they will take an early rest so that they can confront Sombria again rested, but before the sun rises.
They arrive at the frustum about 3am and begin the summoning ritual, with the sun already down the veil lifts quickly and they gain access. There is only the juggler this time to greet them, the great ring is empty though the crowds are still pack to the brim. They look around for Sombria and find them in their dressing room, quite surprised to see them. Sombria apologizes for Hestor had informed them that the party wouldn't arrive until the following day. Again in the great ring Sombria stands to accept the gifts as part of some ritual, again the trinkets are presented and burst into flame before being consumed into their body. After the final trinket of the contract is absorbed Sombria continues to burn red flames solidifying into a cloak and billowing their hair. "Now it is time for me to present you with your gifts however I know not your talents, won't you dance with me that we might know each other better." red smoke billows out from the crowd and coalesces around the party filling them with years of experience "While you are within my domain hold nothing back, do your best it has been so long since my fans have seen such a dance" wrapped in the flames of the court the cheers, chants, and songs of it are made clear to them.
Supported by the songs of the Court of Lights the party could fight without fear and so could Sombria. Bound by honor they bow however Libertas Dacia accepts no such honors and stuck them mid bow. Sombria evaluating them takes their time in combating each of them individually until they have gathered some insight on which gifts would best suit each member. The party pushed Sombria more than they had expected though they never pulled out all the stops. After dispatching each in turn they all gathered again in the great ring for the presentation of the gifts. Five flames bounced between their hands and Ostreliea stepped forward to accept a gift, Sombria quickly shuffling 4 of the flames behind them threw one in the air which manifested a large pelt cloak, "The Formless Mantle, crafted from the flesh of a shapeshifting demon". Next was Araz which they had given to them a history lesson "there is another lost possibly dead god of the orcs one who infused them cunning and craft, Marduk. This is a piece of the armor, the Gorget of Marduk, that he once wore before his and his followers utter destruction." Third was Pious with a quick slash through the air the flame turned into a pitch black blade "a puny insect of the shadow plane had the gall during one of my visits to turn me away. This weapon they wielded, the Shadowmeld Rapier, perhaps will fair you better." Mess received the penultimate gift "The Vertebrae of Ankou, a troubled soul which gave up their humanity to better control the dead." Lastly Sombria presented a long bow nearly the height of their wingspan to Aethilin, "A poor explorer stumbled into Queen Titania's gardens, if it weren't for the gardener they would be dead now for they cast the writhing plant out. Eventually it was shaped into this feral weapon, the Stranglethorn Longbow."
Before they could leave Sombria presents them with another contract, of course without any details beyond that it would be similar to their first. The party all step outside to better discuss the plan, concluding not to accept any further contracts from Sombria. To Mess upon relaying their decision is thanked once more with "This will likely be the last time our paths cross go with peace."
Exhausted the party returns to the Brazen Hearth, surprising Clive Celaden who inquires how the encounter went. In the midst of their conversation Viola Willamay rushes downstairs looking like they are ready to go on a journey, the two of them say their goodbyes in celestial cluing the party in to not listen too close. It is at this point they notice that Maeve Grimjaw is missing, they recognize the barman as their usual buser. Maeve is out on personal business this morning and will likely be back by lunch.
Finishing up their conversation with Clive, he divulges that he has found the entrance to the first flame, however it requires a vestige of flame which didn't make sense to him. Piecing it together they determine it may be the flames from the trinkets, thankfully there is one left with the man at the church in wharfside. Another problem is that the entrance lies in the courtyard of the count's manor, Clive has an answer for this however as Maeve will likely have little trouble getting them through the doors.
While most of the party rests and takes time to attune to their new items, Mess would like to validate the claims Clive was making. Without much fuss Clive hands over the material that brought him to his conclusion. First a tome containing requisition orders for a vault to be placed beside and beneath The Spire, next a few other work orders in celestial and gnomish for series of contraptions that seemed illegible for the Mess. Then there was a journal kept in common by Holly Hamapus recounting the last days before the triggering of Valdifitz Emis' machine. She expresses fear that it may result in the destruction of the whole kingdom within its borders, however in consulting with Erastil it seems his opinion is that the Judgement of the Gods was just and that the people would suffer. Her final page reads that she has found another that would make a deal for the protection of Greensward. There is another triangular stone which Mess is unable to derive any information from.
After Maeve Grimjaw returns they inform her that they are going to need access to the Count's courtyard and Clive Celaden thinks she'd be able to do it. Her only response "Yeah I could do to hit something right now, one moment." She goes to dress herself for combat returning in plated gauntlets, winged greaves and pale green body wraps, but most prominent is a blood red stole wrapped about her neck. She escorts the party to castle district receiving glances from many of those on the streets. Begrudgingly the guards at the manor portcullis are forced to hail the group approaching, waving the party back Maeve states "I am Maeve Grimjaw, Senechal of the Ruby Court and I have business beyond this gate for the good of Her Empress." This was clearly a formality because a runner was already halfway to the manor before the portcullis was raised.
Approaching the middle of the courtyard House guards escorting a well dressed elderly man intercept the party, requesting to know the nature of the visit. Maeve again presents her title stating that she is escorting these young adventurers to their quest's destination. The butler is well mannered enough and is even about to let them proceed before a barely dressed Count emerges stating that he won't allow orcs, elves and half-devils on his property. Maeve clearly annoyed again restates her title stating that as such she is acting on behalf of the Empress and Her Empire. The count tries to pull rank but is miraculously talked down by reminding him that his money comes from the safety of the people of Greensward. He offers a bargain that Maeve will stay to account for any damage that may be incurred and allows the party to proceed.
Reluctant to leave Maeve with this repulsive man she assures them they will be fine and should continue. Upon approaching, Brumm reveals from his pocket a small music box which bursts into flame sinking into the metal circle which splits to reveal a spiral staircase into the dark recesses below. Libertas Dacia plunges downward, for 3 or 4 stories until reaching a large quarter sphere room capped on one end by a gilded iron door nearly 15 feet tall. Pious tries kicking it but is struck by a divine bolt flattening him. Without touching the door again they notice two small reliefs that contain levers, which when pulled together open the main door. Inside is another spherical room the top nearly 40 feet high, in the middle an oddly obscured red flame. The obstacle revealed by incandescent bulbs to by a series of rings spinning at incredible speed to create an impenetrable barrier. Around the room lie 4 recessed exits.
The party decides to make their way clockwise around the room, the first room is titled "The Greatest Weapon" within lie racks of weapons each with their own labels as well, and in the middle sits an intricately carved stone sculpture of a robed figure with outstretched hands, a plaque at it's feet reading "Bring to me the greatest weapon, coveted by kings, ruiner of warriors, and ender of all battles."  The party looks around for weapons that might meet the description, however none seem to fit exactly.  Mess tries to take a glaive labeled "Cutter of Worlds, Ender of Realities" but a voice in his head beckons him to leave the weapon behind, which he heeds. 
Stumped by the riddle Pious and Araz move on to the next room labeled, "Dark Stair", which is a smaller room containing a mostly enclosed stairway.  Written on a plaque above the doorway to the stairs reads "In times of trial, the path we see can blind us to the path we must take."  Within the stairs are dark even to those with dark vision, Araz sends lights ahead of them and they begin to ascend.  Minutes into the endeavor Araz turns back to find himself back at the bottom in mere moments.  They try again with one of them outside watching noticing that the structure rotates in such a way that any inside would never be able to reach the top.  They try jamming the works but the machine keeps moving on.  Finally Araz goes forward on hands and knees without light to reach the top.  On the top floor there is a solitary pillar mounted by a lever.  Once pulled the sound of gears cease in this section of the chamber of the first flame and 3rd inner ring slows to a stop bridging the gap between the 2nd and 4th ring. 
Still stumped by the first room Libertas Dacia moves onto the third room titled, "A Matter of Perspective."  The floor in this room comprises of bronze hexagons with four large bronze discs, on the far side of the room mounted to the wall is a podium with 4 dials on it's face each with every letter of the alphabet.  Leia steps onto one of the discs and a portion of the hexagonal tiles raise up from the floor a transparent material fills the gaps as more tile are revealed from below.  Araz steps on another disc and more tiles raise while others fall, seeing that there are four discs they get the others into place.  With all 4 discs depressed each member of the party while looking through the array of tiles and transparent material can read one word, "peak", "bank", "flake", and "fall".  Having only 4 dials Pious is unable to put in each word so there must be some association between them.  Araz shouts "SNOW", Pious plugs it into the machine and pulls the lever, the tiles come back to rest on the floor and the 2nd ring slows to a stop.
Before returning to the first room they stop in at the last titled "Reflections".  Within is a dark chamber save for the 2 lights near the entrance, directly in front of them is a dark frame rising from the floor, housing a mirror.  Their reflection is shown in the mirror however the doorway is not visible instead a dark wall matching the back of the chamber is present and sitting just there is a podium with a single lever.  Mess tries to find it in the reflection and pull it however there seems to be no effect, on closer examination of his reflection the eyes suddenly stop following the movement of their original.  It asks "What is our name?" "Promessorem" "Correct" the reflection's head moves freely from mirroring that of it's maker "What do we desire?" "Revenge" "YEsss" the creature unpins it's arms and torso from that of the Tiefling that watches it's unnatural movement.  It bends close to the mirror "What do you fear?" with only a seconds hesitation "failure" "You speak true" the creature walks itself to the lever in the mirror and pulls it, the lights in the room dim as the reflection begins reflecting true once more.  The inner most ring comes to a halt.  Brumm begins walking the perimeter of the final ring trying to make out what is there.
Back at the first room they review 3 items they had chosen before.  Araz picks one at random and places it in the hands of the statue, suddenly quickened the blade lunges at Araz which he barely dodges.  He retreats out of the room thinking the weapon wouldn't follow, this turned out to be wrong as if flung wildly in his directing piercing him.  The team is able to break whatever magic brought it to life and it found it's place on the shelf.  Pious now thoroughly convinced that nothing in this room will satiate the statues' desire places a single gold piece in the hand, a moment passes in nervous tension before the final ring begins to slow to a halt.
Now with clear view the red flames are following the shape of wings fully extended out of a humanoid figure, their form so burnt that nothing remains to identify them and the fire has bore deep trenches through their skin.  Brumm hurries back with a large bar "Help me!" and plunges the bar into one of the four chains holding this figure in place.  Pious helps and Mess runs to get another bar, together they break the first chain.  A woeful scream drips from the figure, they're still alive, in fact the sizzling of blood has always been there but they refused to believe their ears with what captured their eyes.  Slow slaps of applause break this sombre moment as the figure of Sombria looms in the entrance of the chamber.
"You've done so well to find this place.  I did expect our paths to cross again but even I could not have foretold it to be so soon.  Now the question remains will you stand in the way of what rightfully belongs to me or will you stop me"  Mess tries to buy some time "Were all the souls you collected from Greensward not payment enough?"  Pious and Brumm get into place to remove the next chain "This is the soul that was agreed upon as payment, and what is a mortal soul to that of an angel?  It appears you will attempt to stop me from claiming what's mine, then let us dance once more.  Let's hope your tales don't end here."  Sombria take a deep bow as Pious and Brumm strike at the chain missing only by an inch.  Araz shatters one of the chains just in time to see Sombria blur past him coming to an abrupt stop their hand piercing through Brumm, seeing the light in his eyes "Pathetic you had thrown away my flame for what?" before driving their other hand through his chest, throwing his body back to the earth in a gout of flames which catch Pious incapacitating him.
The others try to collect themselves in order to complete the task before them.  Aethilen manages to get an arrowhead in the gap in the chain weakening it enough for Mess to finish the job. Ostreliea chills the final chain down which puts too much strain on the links breaking them.  The final chains disappear into embers and with them the flames subside from the figure.  "My... You've actually done it, then this dance will have to come to an end."  They take one final bow before disappearing in a pillar of red fire leaving a haunting warning on the air "I will keep close eye on your tales, young flames."