Session 4 - The Red Claw Circus Massacre
General Summary
The Party, having just finished their conversation with Headmaster Merle Ambrose, left to go spend the day as they pleased. They eventually wandered into the Firecat Road marketplace. There, they did their shopping. After a while, they noticed a commotion taking place at the Nincomsoup, and found a bunch of entertainers getting the attention of the people there to invite them to see the Red Claw Circus.
BASS met Alice Tylwyth and, pegging her as an adventurer, invited her and her friends to come participate in a dueling tournament they were hosting, with the chance to win prize money. Accepting the deal, Alice gathered her friends and they went off to try their luck.
The group arrived with an hour to spare before the meet-up time, so they wandered the fairground for a bit. Beast and Ziva Jinx spent time talking with the show animals, who were bored but otherwise not terribly unhappy. Ziva also made a scene trying to sell some of her poisoned goodberry candies, much to the misfortune of those she suckered into buying them. Jesse wandered around for a while and Pyrus went off to play (and cheat at) carnival games to win prizes.
Alice and Beast both went to get their fortunes told by Madam Sybil, a half-orc fortune teller that seemed to be the genuine article. Alice was told that danger stalked her with a smile, a traitor from her past before meeting the party, and was told that her choices in dealing with that threat could potentially resolve her family issues. Beast was told that he carried something valuable, but that returning it to the city of gears would force a choice between what he is and what he could be; he was also given a clue to his past, saying that the city of gears was "a home both new and old." This revelation stunned Beast.
During all of this, Alice, Ziva, and Jesse noticed that a number of people in the crowd seemed emotionless. Jesse tapped into his divine senses and realized that there were hundreds of weak undead around. But, seeing as they weren't attacking or doing anything too suspicious, Jesse took no action.
Eventually, the group was gathered up by BASS and told the rules of the duel. They were given numbers and brought into the tent. However, right as they were about to start, several hooded figures set off the attack. All of the emotionless people split into boneless masses of flesh and animated skeletons, though a few exploded to reveal carrion crawlers. The Party fought alongside BASS, ultimately defeating the undead around them as well as killing two of the cloaked mages (who'd all tried to run the moment the chaos started).
In the aftermath, discussion between BASS and Beast revealed that the latter was a very old combat model of Warforged that had had its manufacture discontinued more than 80 years ago. Bass also revealed that Beast was "one of the classics," and wished to get a look at him. Finally, BASS realized that Beast had a damaged memory chip, and so offered to give Beast an examination, inviting the party over to his place the next day.
Rewards Granted
The party earned 100 gold from Matreous for saving his life.
Pyrus found the Charm of the Elder Warlock as one of the prizes offered by the Red Claw Circus's "Play Stupid Games" tent.
Report Date
30 May 2021
Primary Location
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