(G538 14/10/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT) YI10 / HAR4

 

 (G538 14/10/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT) YI10 / HAR4

[The Fenrir Simulacrum, Corhim Sparkledingle and Fangornio the Barbarian have completed their mission for Lavinia and are returning to Yag Island from Sasserine on board the Blue Nixie. On the journey Corhim pays another visit to Harmony. He gets there by using  a magic ring given to him by Orimander, a gnomish wizard. He has already recovered the  Coral Gem, the Crimson Gem and the Peach Gem on behalf of his patron - Mr Honeycutt. ]

DAY 592 (15th Marpenoth) (October)

On the evening of the first day of sailing Corhim retired to his small cabin and activated his ring that teleported him to Harmony. As always he arrived at the square used by the local wizards as their landing pad.
From there he went to the shops and bought some magic ink and four potions of Cure Light Wounds.

After that he went to his house and sent Polly out to see if Mr Honeycutt was in need of any further assistance.

As he sat and ate an evening meal with Mr Scamper and Fantta Mr Honeycutt appeared. He was happy to see Corhim as he had located the next gem he needed - the Emerald Gem.

He believed this gemstone was in the possession of a thief who was somewhere in the Circus of  Illusions, an entertainment mainstay of Harmony. Mr. Honeycutt said that someone of Corhim's  talent and charm could easily infiltrate the circus as a performer. When Corhim fell for his patter Mr H then handed him another healing potion and whispered “Watch out for the clowns.”

They arranged to meet in the nearby tavern when the deed was done. It was not too late so Corhim took Fantta along to see what was going on at the circus.

The Circus of Illusions was a massive big top tent in the heart of Harmony. The circus served as an entertainment venue every weeknight and weekend, featuring magic acts, bard performances,  illusory animals, trapeze artists, and more. In recent weeks, the magic sparkle of the circus had been less sparkly. Even the big top’s red stripes appear faded.

It cost them 1 silver piece each to get a stamp on their hands to gain entry into the circus  grounds. They went to the main tent and saw a raised wooden stage complete with curtains and  a backstage area where actors and other performers could change and prepare for their shows.  Benches surrounded the front of the stage, and behind them were hay bales for audience members to sit on while they enjoyed the shows. At the moment a sword-swallower was entertaining a small crowd of locals.

They bought some caramel apples then took a look around some of the other tents that were laid out in the grounds around the main tent.

The first one they came to had a wooden sign outside reading “Magnifico the Great” in florid, painted letters.  Two unshaven clowns stood either side of the entrance, one picking his teeth with a broken chicken bone.  The clowns were stopping anyone going into the tent.

The next tent they came to was that of Imelda the circus strongwoman (a human). For some reason Corhim thought it would be funny to insult her and said to Fantta, 'look, it's a half-orc!'
'Is it?' asked Fantta in all innocence.
'Yes of course! Look how ugly it is!'
Imelda did not see the funny side and aimed a kick at his backside.

They ran on to the next tent where they found a refined looking nert called Rubina the Ringmaster.
She was looking over the upcoming schedule of events for the next couple of days.
There was a desk, two wooden chairs, a small table, and a sofa.

She was a nice lady and treated everyone well as long as they respected her. Corhim was in a funny mood (well a fairly normal mood for a gnome I suppose. Most gnomes love to play trick on people and tease them - usually people they know though) and was not being respectful.
'Are you the bearded lady?' he asked.
'How very dare you!' she said and nearly kicked him out, but he smoothed things over and they had a chat.

She mentioned Magnifico’s pet rat, Finster, who Magnifico was now featuring in his magic act.  She thought it was a horrid beast and she didn't like its little smirk and beady eyes.

'Oh, I'm a wizard!' declared Corhim. 'I've battled boat loads of vampires with my mighty power and all that!'
She wasn't sure she believed his boasts, but was prepared to let him do a performance if he wanted as a sort of audition.

Corhim continued to wander around the tents and came to the abode of Filippo Fleetfinger. He was a morose bard, who knew nothing about the Emerald Gem, but who was sad about the colour outages and was currently writing deeply emotional poems about them. He’d noticed that Magnifico had seemed odd lately and he was a bit revolted that  Magnifico’s once tasteful show now seemed dedicated to his awful rat.

Filippo’s tent was filled with instruments and littered with pages of his heartfelt poetry.

Finally Corhim found himself back at the tent of Magnifico himself. The entrance was still guarded by some tough looking clowns though and he was not allowed inside.

So he had another walk around and encountered several mimes who acted out scenes that seemed to back up what he had already heard i.e. Magnifico's rat was a wrong 'un!

He found himself exasperated at all their antics though and gave one 10 gold to speak to him, but the mime just pocketed the money and remained silent. Still, he managed to deduce that the mimes thought the rat was a demon of some kind.

Thinking he might need extra help he went back the tent of Imelda the Strong Woman.
'If you are not a half-orc, are you the bearded lady?' he asked cheekily.
Imelda threw a cup at him.
'You are very rude!' Fantta hissed at him.
'Well something must account for her ugliness!'
'Feck off!' yelled Imelda as they beat a hasty retreat.

Having hardly made a success at that he went back to the other tents and ran into Magnifico himself. He was a tall human, dressed like a peasant's idea of what a wizard should look like, all sequins and stars and a tall pointed hat.

Corhim started with some cheek. 'Oi! I hear your performances are below par! All the rat stuff and stuff! I'm hear to show you how it's done!'

Magnifico stormed off to his tent and Corhim followed. He didn't detect any magic on the man, and kept up the "unintentionally rude" act (if it was an act?) until Magnifico went inside.

Corhim caused a fuss outside the tent, so-much-so that he and Fantta were
kicked out of the circus entirely!

So, they had to pay again to go back in, in disguise this time. Corhim as a yellow cleric and Fantta as a green bard.

They went back to talk to Filippo and told him everything they knew.
About the Emerald Gem, the rat being a demon, et al.
'Will you help?' asked Corhim. 'Cause a distraction so we can get in Magnifico's tent?'
'How do I know you are not just looking to rob the place?'
'The mimes told me!'
'Yes, I know what they think of that rat, but I just don't trust you.'

Corhim tried and tried to convince Filippo but he was just too much of a dodgy scamp to come across as trustworthy. Suddenly he remembered his Lorekeeper Pin and showed it to the bard.
'Oh well, in that case!' smiled the bard. 'I see, this makes more sense now. Very well, I will provide your distraction.'

Filippo did a spontaneous reading just outside Magnifico's tent which drew a crowd and allowed Corhim and Fantta opportunity to sneak inside.

Inside the tent was a small table with two chairs, surrounded by the tools of Magnifico’s trade: a top hat, silken handkerchiefs, a cabinet with a false back, a deck of playing  cards, a crystal ball, a large mirror in an ornate frame, and a white dove in a cage.

Magnifico was there, with a rat, which when it saw them, turned into an imp and attacked. Corhim may look like a wimp, but he was a powerful wizard so between him and Fantta they easily defeated it. Magnifico, much to their surprise did not fight and just cowered in the corner.

The ratty imp body dissolved into a hissing bubbling goo that quickly evaporated into dust.

They took a proper look around the tent, but didn't find anything unusual or hidden. The most interesting thing was the large ornate mirror. Detect Magic showed that it was magical.

Corhim tried shouting at it but nothing happened. The crystal ball was not magical but he tried shouting "show me the gem!" at it anyway.

Fantta warned that some clowns were trying to get in, so Corhim cast Glitterdust out the tent flap to keep them busy for a minute or so.

He turned to Magnifico. The man didn't look all that happy so he tried a Charm spell on him, but it failed. Fantta grabbed him up off the floor and gave him a shake. 'Where is the gem!' demanded Corhim.

'I don't know what your talking about, unhand me you scoundrel!'

'Er boss!' said Fantta holding some angry clowns back from the tent flap.
Corhim cast Glitterdust again and the clowns all staggered back.

Feeling that time was running out, he nervously touched the mirror. The surface rippled so he pushed his hand through. Next he stuck his head through but it was all dark. He stepped all the way through then saw in the darkness a box on top of a table. Neither could be moved. He went back out and searched Magnifico's pockets (after Fantta had smacked his head off a tent pole!).  Corhim found a key and took it back to the box. Inside was the Emerald Gem!

More clowns arrived and captured them, but by then the city guard had arrived too and not long after that Mr Honeycutt turned up and sorted the whole mess out. He had hoped that Corhim could have been a bit more stealthy, but he hadn't burnt the place down or anything so it could have been worse.

They went back to Corhim's house and he told Mr H of their adventure, and the old fellow scribbled down copious notes in his black notebook.  Corhim painted himself and Fantta in as good a light as he possibly could, but I expect Mr H was used to Corhim's exaggerations by now.