Niruk watches the goliath strip and wade into the waters and then return. His eyes rove over the damage to the giant's frame. Shaking his head, he gives a low-pitched sigh. "Damnation friend. Who...What happened to this to you? You look like you tussled with a demon or a dragon! I don't want to pry but how did you survive and who is this Kind Man who told you how to get healed? They must be a powerful healer indeed!"

Giving another shake of his head he joins the gnome in the boat. "We would definably benefit from his being healed and in full possession of his fighting might. I would put a priority on that if we start negotiating rewards form this Mr Light."

"A demon of a dwarf," Corlack replies, giving a quick glance to Boris instinctively. "It was a solid hit. Left for dead, but Corlack strong. I found The Kind Man much later. He gives jobs, and then reads his book on how to heal. Nothing work so far." Corlack finishes the last bit with a shrug of his left shoulder. "It's ok. He mentioned magic waters, so I wanted to try. We can continue."

Ahem. Is the bird edible? It looks like everything is edible!
Gork licked his tounge, punched a ticket and got into the gondola.

Feathereen laughs and then gets very serious, "You look edible too bud."

When everyone is all aboard she begins paddling out into the stream and...(I will update again tomorrow when I have the book)

Taking a closer look at Corlack, Boris scratched his beard, dislodging a piece of a cupcake from earlier. "Hum, I think I might have an idea or two to patch you up. Not sure If I have the right items with me right now but let me ponder it a bit." the Dwarf said, as they boarded the gondola as his ticket was magically punched.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:02, Wed 27 Apr 2022.

The carnival fades away as you disappear into a bank of silver mist. It seems as if you stay within this, and soon illusions light it up, brilliant and beautiful of the things you found interesting when you were young. Each person's experience is unique to them.

Feathereen is erudite and haughty. She asks you several metaphysical questions as you travel, "What is joy?"
"How do I know you exist?"
"In worlds so full of magic, is time an illusion?"

---

Davik replies and feels quite confident he got the answers correct, "Gnomes love playing pranks on each other. You cannot know I exist, but since you cannot, you also cannot know that I do not. Time is a construct. Do I win?"

---

Feathereen giggles, "Sure little gnome, you win, you all win just for playing, but I would like to hear everyone's answers, I enjoy these debates and deep thoughts very much."

Dom considers, "Joy varies from being to being. What makes you joyful you must discover for yourself.

"You don't.

"Nope, time is simply another dimension, after Length, Breadth and Depth comes Duration."

Boris let out a belch as he was deep in thought, snapping out of it. "Well now, joy depends on the person or even a creature. Dogs express pleasure when their master returns home. Lovers beam when they are near each other. Many enjoy the pleasure of others in their company. Still others enjoy wading in the blood of their foes. Joy is based on the needs of the creature, at that specific moment." he said.

"As to how you know, or do not know, if I exist, that is based on your observations. While we might be ghosts, we exist currently since we are interacting with each other, by at least two of our senses. We each can hear each other, and our eyes believe that we see each other. In addition, our bodies feel the motion as we ride in this gondola, as we can touch the water." Boris said as he dipped his hand into the water.

"As for time being an illusion, Yes. I have heard of powerful spellcasters that can stop time itself, and yet still able to interact with their world." the dwarf said.

"Joy is middle of combat, striking your opponents with your greataxe." Corlack says as he looks down at his ruined right arm, remembering when he could wield such a weapon.

"Uh I'm here, so I'm real."

Corlack's left hand scratches his head when the third question is asked.

Feathereen is deep in thought to your responses, but before everyone gets a chance to reply she changes the subject.

"So how do you like the carnival so far? Where are you from? Have you run into the mime called Candlefoot? He's got a tragic backstory. He wasn't always a mime. No no. He was trying to propose to a mermaid here in this very river. He was so nervous that the words suddenly left him with a gasp! GASP! and then he never spoke another word since. HEY PALASHA??? YOU HERE????"

You see ripples in the water and soon enough a beautiful mermaid pops her head up out of the water. "Hey Feathereen! Hey guys in the gondola! If you happen to run into Candlefoot you could try telling him I won't say no, maybe that will give him the guts to try asking again, and maybe he will get his voice back."

I'm like from all over the place. Joined in with a group called Looters and we have been righting wrongs all over the sword coast.
Gork shrugged while he eyed the mermaid suspiciously.

"Carnival is nice," Corlack says as he adjusts his wings. "I'm from Icerim mountains, you?"

Corlack nods to the mermaid. "A voice is important. Carries your words, express courage. We shall help him if we can."

"Born and bred in the best city of the world, Waterdeep. You can have everything there if you got the right incentive you know."
Gork rubbed his left index finger and thumb together to prove his point.

"Waterdeep sound good," Corlack says, deep in thought. "Lots of deep water there? Why they like thumbs and fingers?"

Palasha begins singing and the water begins to dance, taking shapes into magical sculptures that whirl around her as she performs. A crowd gathers at the dock to watch it, everyone seems to enjoy it.

Suddenly from somewhere in the crowd, "Absolutely horrendous!" It sounds a bit like Simon Cowel.

Then from another spot in the crowd, "Get lost!"

And then a third heckler from another area, "Booo!"

You can see Palasha getting more and more nervous, but at the third jest she stops singing, all the water sculptures crash, and she dives into the water.

The crowd murmurs and frowns and begins to disperse, and you have no clue who the hecklers were. As you watch, flowers begin to wilt and the bright starry sky begins to darken with clouds. Feathereen sighs, "Oh no, do you see how the crowd's mood and the carnival itself suddenly lowered so visibly? This is one of the curses on the Carnival. Whenever something goes wrong it affects everything."

You better continue on to the big top and talk to Mr. Light before things start to get worse.

"Fingers? No fingers my man, but this means money. Now let's make this party better." Then he continued singing in a rap tone.
"
We just wanna party
Party just for you
We just want the money
Money just for you
I know you wanna party (yeah)
Party just for free
Girl, you got me dancin' Dance and shake the frame
We just wanna party (yeah)
Party just for you (yeah)
We just want the money (yeah)
Money just for you (ooh)
I know you wanna party (yeah)
Party just for free (yeah)
Girl, you got me dancin' (girl, you got me dancin')
Dance and shake the frame (ooh)
This is Pandemonium
Don't catch you slippin' now
Don't catch you slippin' now
Look what I'm whippin' now
This is Pandemonium (woo)
Don't catch you slippin' now
Don't catch you slippin' now
Look what I'm whippin' now"

20:12, Today: Gork rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  performance.

Oddly enough, the clouds part and the flowers bloom again.

The mood has been restored.

MOOD!

Corlack grabs his warhammer and hits it against his makeshift shift in tune with Gork's song.

"Great song looter!" He exclaims after it concludes. "It seems the Fey Wildians enjoyed it as well." He adds while glancing about at the blooming flowers. "Strange place this."

Boris nodded his head as he listened to the tune, impressed with the quick change of mood. "Maybe rework it in your mind for a good battle song." he said.

Gork bowed.
"Yes yes, gentlemen will do, will do. This fine tune bears the fine tuning of the Luters. Now I suggest we make our way to the Big Top to see the top hat.

"A feywildian who runs a carnival is sure to know the land well," Corlack says as they walk. "Surely he will know a way to Candlekeep."

Without further delay you continue to the Big Top. The roof of this tent reaches toward the night sky in three swooping peaks topped with spinning gold stars. Painted wooden panels on the tent walls whirl with colorful motion, displaying vibrant circus performances. The sound of music and laughter drifts out through the canvas door.

As you enter a clown dog barks at you, "Big Top Extravaganza tonight at midnight! Prepare to be delighted!"

Davik barks back, "Woof! What time is it now? Bark!"

"Why are you barking? It's 4pm."

You look up at the stars. "So it's always nighttime in the feywild?"

"Yeah. Duh."

---

You enter to see Colorful orbs of light dance in the lofts of the tent while magic spotlights highlight performers. Spectators watch the acts from rows of tiered wooden seats encircling the ring. In the middle of the big ring is a top hat just sitting on the floor doing nothing. Everyone holds their breath to see what's going on. It suddenly flips over, and a halfling contortionist begins climbing out to much applause.

Davik claps too, "I was expecting  a rabbit to come out but this is much much crazier! And not even magic, that halfling is really bendy. Come on, we gotta find Mr. Light, he's probably backstage."

Following Davik you find the backstage guarded by two stagehands who bicker over the appeal of the acts while sharing a bottle of pear cider.

They haven't noticed you yet, and there is room for even Corlack to sneak past them, or you could try something else. What do you do?

Dom blinks at the dog, "I don't think that's what they mean by 'carnival barker'. This place seems designed by someone that's heard stories of carnivals, but never seen one."

Corlack follows along with the group, often turning so he can face and take in a scene with his good eye. He follows the dancing lights as best he can, he laughs at the talking dog. When the contortionist comes out of the hat he slaps his thigh with his good arm and yells encouragement. He is loving the carnival and everything in it.

At one point he turns to Dom and says, "I've not seen or heard of a carnival before. Is this not good? How could it be more good? I think it could not be more good."



When they reach the backstage, Corlack attempts to walk straight in, completely unaware that this might not be allowed.

Dom shrugs, "Good, bad, it's all a matter of perspective, really. I'm just saying it's different."