Session 0: The Lost Night at the Witchlight Carnival
General Summary
One summer two spirited teenagers—Amaru and Laila—discovered an owlbear cub named Juniper. The little creature tumbled into Laila’s arms, forging an unbreakable bond. That summer, they reveled in Juniper’s playful antics, racing through sun-dappled woods alongside Amaru’s loyal dog, Cracker.
But fate took a curious turn one moonlit night. Juniper dashed toward a nearby carnival, her curiosity aflame. Without hesitation, Amaru and Laila followed, bypassing ticket booths in their impetuous pursuit. There, at the wagon of a whimsical clown named Candlefoot, they found Juniper. Candlefoot revealed that Juniper already had an owner, but his heart softened. He allowed the children to spend the night playing carnival games with their beloved cub, creating memories that would linger forever.
Yet beneath the carnival’s twinkling lights, shadows lurked. Gaps in their memories hinted at lost moments. Amaru’s ability to write vanished, and her sense of direction waned—a curse that plagued her for years. Laila, too, suffered losses: six inches of height and her cherished stuffed pixie doll, Persephone.
Caught by the carnival’s enigmatic owners, Mr. Witch and Mr. Light, the children faced expulsion. But their tearful pleas moved the carnival masters. They granted a bittersweet farewell to Juniper at Candlefoot’s wagon. And there, by flickering lanterns, Candlefoot spun a haunting tale:
"Long ago, there lived a nasty old woman named Baba Yaga. She mader home in the swamps, inside a hut that trotted about on chicken's legs. When she needed to travel far, she took to the air in a giant stone mortar, which she steered witha giant stone pestle. She was Horrid and cruel. Her magic was so powerful that the morning, the day, and the night all answered to her call.
Baba Yaga had three wicked daughters, each crueler that the last. She gaver her eldest daughter the power over the past, so she could so regret in th hearts of mortals. To her younges, she gave the power of the future, so she could foretell tragedy. To her middle daugter, she gave the present, so she could trick people who wer to caught up in themselves.
But Baba Yaga also had a fourth daughter, born not of her blood, and as beautiful as the night. The other daughters hated her, but Baba Yaga showered her with gifts and taught her wicked secrets. In time, she ran away from the hut and took all those secrets with her. It's said that Baba Yaga and her daughter's still hunt her across the skiy. When you go to bed, you might hear the voices, whistling on the wind."
After that they were escorted out of the carnival. Though tragedy struck again on their way home as they were ambushed in the darkness of the woods. Being children they stood no chance of defending themselves against the multiple attackers. The fight was brief and they were both rendered unconscious and when Amaru awoke she found herself bruised and alone in the woods. It seemed the attackers were only interested in taking Laila. Amaru quickly tried to run home for help but without her sense of direction she quickly became lost. This would become a regular problem for her over the next many years never being able to find her family again.
And now, eight years later, destiny beckoned. The Witchlight Carnival reappeared, drawing Amaru and Laila back. Their quest: to reclaim what was lost and unravel the secrets of the Witchlight Carnival.
Report Date
01 May 2024
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