Rool — Session 01 (September 1, 2022)

The Hourglass Covenant & The Big Top

From last session recap (via Northwind): Mr. Witch + Mr. Light are not the original owners — acting “scared,” worried about someone finding out. A mysterious benefactor is involved. Glister + Gleam had a Sun & Moon themed act. Glitter is missing, but a shadowy figure was spotted.

• Went to the carousel — a woman holding a box looked flustered. Someone stole all the horns and the nameplates. The wooden unicorns refuse to run until their horns and names are returned.
• Solved the logic puzzle to restore the unicorns (see scan, page 2). Pairs: Alistair/Yellow, Archibald/Green, Bonnie/Purple, Edwin/Gold, Florence/Blue, Oswald/Silver, Winifred/Red, Winston/Orange.
• Once restored, the unicorns reveal info about the three hags of the Hourglass Covenant and their lairs: [-1 punch]
  • Bavlorna Blightstraw — lair in the Swamp of Hither
  • Skabitha — lair in a Hollowed-out tree in Thither
  • Endelyn Moongrave — lair in a mountaintop theater in Yon
  • Their lairs have overpowered and split Zybilna’s domain of Prismeer.
• Went to the Gondola swans. The swan Precis [?] offered her feathers. Swan’s name is Feathereens. The river was made by Northwind with a Blue Ribbon.
• Feathereens posed multiple metaphysical questions. Then shifted to the subject of love: the mime Candlefoot and the mermaid Palasha.
• Candlefoot was about to declare his love for Palasha but the words left him. Palasha was upset. Candlefoot has lost his voice.
• Palasha enjoys these conversations; has developed a friendship with Burly the Bugbear, who is a scholar. His brother Hurley is missing. Burly had asked the owners to search but they convinced him it would be unwise without leads.
• [+1 punch] Chris had his fortune read by an elderly lady. Alex had his read. Others too. When she finished, she disappeared.
• Went to the Shimmering Lake. Heard Palasha sing in her bowl — she controls the water to illustrate her story.
• Heard hecklers in the crowd — Kettlesteam. Chris intimidated her into stopping until the Big Top Extravaganza.
• Returned to the Calliope, being played by a monkey named Ernest. A prank involving an organ grinder, wine, and a leprechaun caused Ernest and the monkey to swap consciousness. Ernest is trapped in the monkey body. His assistant is a goblin named Marigold. Gave her a button.
• Rool’s fortune (green card): “I see you live without that thing which truly makes one feel alive…” The vision shows standing near a window, looking out at moths the size of wagons fluttering in an oversized bell jar. The house is built inside the bedroom of a giant.
• Filed into the Big Top as the show began. Mr. Light (a light elven figure on a rope over the ring) greeted the crowd; Mr. Witch stood off to the side. Over the next hour, acts rotated: Burly performing feats of strength; Palasha serenading the crowd; Candlefoot playing a silent game; a faerie dragon; troops of acrobats, clowns, and fire breathers.
• They called for audience volunteers. Alex matched strength with Burley. Rool volunteered to have knives thrown at him — not hit. Alex tried to Enthrall the crowd but they made their save.
• Chris approached Mr. Witch + Mr. Light. A surly Shadar-kai clown stepped in front to block him, smoking a bubble pipe. Chris persuaded him to step aside. Talked to Mr. Witch.
• At the end of the show: invited to return for the crowning of the Witchlight Monarch.
• Burly escorted them out. Alex asked about missing employees including Hurley. Burly took off his jack-o-lantern helm: many have gone missing, but the bosses haven’t investigated. They’re good guys, so whatever worries them must be extraordinary. While he doesn’t condone theft, if you got one of the owners’ items it would bind them to you.
• The Vane controls who is Monarch. The watch is attached to Mr. Witch by a chain — whoever tries to lift it must deal with that chain.
• Dirlagrona, Palasha, and Candlefoot could help. Stay away from Thaco — he’s not trustworthy.
• Chris talked to Mr. Witch + Mr. Light alone while the others talked to Burly.
• Group Persuasion Check — they admitted they weren’t the original owners. Things went well until recently; they lost contact with carnival patron Zybilna.
• There is a Fey Crossing in the carnival — a one-way portal. Can be opened later; some carnival creatures cross more freely. The crossing is in the Hall of Illusion.
• If they go through, they need to find their own way back. Those who sneak in with a ticket are robbed of something — that’s the deal. The hags discovered the circumstances by which the carnival changed hands. The arrangement should have kept people safe. The wings help them identify who had wings.
• Plan: meet after the Monarch crowning and get the means to cross.