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Close Topic Options[medieval] Circus - Page 2 of 3
You are threatened by rather large creatures - Page 2 - World of Medieval PBP RPG - Posted: 4th Aug, 2004 - 11:19am
28th April 2024's Text Adventure:
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Only the GM posts here.
Storyteller: JB
[medieval] Circus - Page 2
The Game Master says... Shade, bedazzled by the palm reader, says wistfully: "Will I be finding any treasure in the near future? If so can you tell me what kind of treasure?"
The woman looks into her crystal ball with eyes of an eagle and she places her hands around it as though there were something emanating from the ball that was keeping her from touching it. You look into the ball yourself but see nothing. She then looks up at you...
"You see gold, yes? Well I see that it will come, but not in the way you may think, it will suddenly happen, like how rain catches you on the dirt road."
She then looks into the ball again and raises her eyes...
"I will allow you one more question..."
Meanwhile, in the large tent:
Eissa freezes.
"Oops," she muttered.
Only she had meant for that word to be muttered, but it echoed round the tent (were words supposed to echo in tents?) and bounced back to her. "Oops," she muttered again, just a little softer, before an amazingly cheery smile pasted itself on to her face. "My," she remarked to nothing in particular, "it's, ah, wonderfully drafty outside, isn't it?" Eissa's eyes, as always, were darting around the surroundings, mindful to alight on anything of interest (many of these things) and keeping well away from the man and the woman. "Er, and the wind is, ah, rather, drafty? Strong!? Blown us in? Yes! Er, we were blown in by the wind. I, ah, think."
She wondered briefly if the fervent blush on her face was showing in the dim lighting, then decided that she couldn't be bothered to find out. What she did know was that her face was bright red again, and emitting heat like... like something that emits a lot of heat, her feeble brain shot back. "Er, that's, um, a very nice outfit you have, Miss. Er, Miss? Er, never mind that..." Her foot was tracing out patterns in the ground as Eissa shifted from side to side, hand darting automatically to her dagger. Althea's turn, she thought. I doubt I'll help here.
Althea curses herself for three kinds of a fool! Of course there would be folk in the tent before the show! She mentally slaps her forehead and tries to think fast. This man does not look the type to trifle with. Althea hears Eissa's "oops!" behind her and knows the youngster feels the same way as she does. How are we getting out of this one? Althea asks herself, and begins to stammer along with Eissa, the two of them tumbling words over each other's...
"Oh, sir! Beggin' your pardon, Great Sir! We.. er.. ah.. we were just.. well, we heard you were such a great Magician, sir, and we..er.. well, we wanted to see fer ourselves, don't you know, and how a great person such as yourself might live, we bein' humble folk, as you can see...." and similar blather as her eyes scans the tent and take in the layout of furniture, the decor, the items on tables and dresser tops for future reference. You recognize that everything is as is expected in a tent save for big cushions laid rather helplessly on a sleeping mat and a moveable table and chair with mirror used for make-up and the like. You cannot see much more than this, because the occasion and time do not permit.
All the while she is talking, her head bobbing and nodding in small bows, Althea is moving inch-by-inch toward the tent door, pulling Eissa along with her by a firm grip on her elbow. "We didn't mean yer no harm, great sir, no, sir, and that's the truth, and you, dear lady, beggin' yer pardon, miss.. er... well, we'll just be on our way and bother you no more, eh? Terribly sorry for the intrusion...."
The man peers at you with a brow that almost meets each other to show a displeased face.
"What manner of insult is this, I am neither ready nor willing for visitors - be out!"
He then calls some strang name which brings a couple of Circus workers into the tent to escort you out to which you are obliged so as to neither bring more attention or a sad demise to your future.
Eissa let herself be pulled away gratefully. Standing in a room with other people (gosh, that dress really was low) who asked hard to answer questions like 'who are you and why are you here' was never her forte. She was far more comfortable working in the dark, alone, without the help of others. Still, she was mightily grateful for Althea this once.
As she was being forcefully (but not objecting) pulled out, Eissa made a note of the man and the lady's features, not knowing why. It just seemed important that she remembered what they looked like. Then, as her cloak was somewhat covering her movements (tangling her up, more like) she waved a hand around, wishing to grab any small item that it might have come in contact with and praying that the two people didn't notice. Please, she thought, let me do something useful for a change, but the grasp at air tends to nothing more than give your fingers and forearms a brief flex.
Ice and Ariadne stop their little act of rage seeing Althea and Eissa returning out of the tent, but it is not sufficient for the workers who try to push them apart.
The crossed man parts the tent to view what is going on, the woman soon joins in, and then they both close the flap of the tent as though to ensure no one else bothers them.
Airmed, directed away from the performance tent by workers, figures this might be a good time to see if she may gain some time with the circus animals. Heaven knows she's more comfortable around four-footed beings than the two-footed cattle this event was attracting. Saying aloud to no one in particular, "I'd prefer to be in the company of animals for the interim. They're often better conversationalists, anyway." The man looks at her with a glance of 'whatever' as though his pay is not enough for this kind of conversation. She directs her nose skyward and sniffs deeply, trying to ascertain their whereabouts. She has an idea where they are, but how will she approach them seeing that they are positioned in a place where 'guests' are not to come in contact with easily?
All of you come to see that this place is not oblivious to the presence people and your group has become more noticable as though you were trouble makers high on ale and ready for damage.
GM: Say what you will do now.
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Storyteller: JB
Circus medieval
The Game Master says... The following happens at the same moment...
Eissa sighed. She hadn't been any use in the tent, and had failed to get anything useful for knowledge or anything else apart from a good look at a man and a woman in a really skimpy dress. Rather miffed, she flung herself down on the ground, mindful of the attention she was receiving and duly blushing hotly. Today had most certainly not been a good day.
Airmed thinks to approach a place where one of the animals is kept but has not decided where to go.
Ice storms off as if furious with Ariadne. Ice thinks to herself, 'Maybe I can use this false anger to my advantage. I will storm around the circus like I am fuming with anger. Perhaps people will be afraid to approach me and who knows what I might see.' The people watch Ice in a strange manner and do their best to avoid her. This brings even more attention to your group and you can see that some of the Circus workers are discussing your awkward movements within the encampment in a manner of suspicion.
Ariadne is very upset about all the attention the group got and she says,
"This is enough for me!, I'm going out to stand there and wait until the show starts, I will then sit down and see what this is all about."
Shade then asks the Palm Reader, "Will I be in any danger tonight?"
The woman peers into the glass ball and then frowns, she looks up and says in a sarcastic tone,
"Only if you were to kill yourself."
With a twist of her mouth as though she thought the question was a waste she then says,
"Anymore questions... only one gold piece?"
She then smiles in a way that makes you tingle inside.
Being denied entrance to the tent, Thorian begins non-chantly wandering the circus grounds, taking in as much as possible. He's careful to avoid any alcohol, because his poor health always makes him feel his alcohol for quite a while after he has taken it. He sees nothing unusual except that the from the point of view of strategy the encampment is well poised. Everything has seemingly been placed in its position for a reason or in other words it was not simply random thinking. He notices that there are smaller tents that seem to be the workers' temporary dwellings and they almost encircle everything.
Seeing Ice storm off in one direction, and Ariadne in another, Althea nods to herself. Good -- we should not look too much as if we belong together, she thinks.
Althea sighs in frustration and straightens her clothes. She hates being manhandled. Glaring over her shoulder at the guards, she holds out a hand to Eissa to aid her to her feet, but Eissa is so caught up in her failure that she did not even notice Althea's hand using her body as a human cane. Althea feeling kind of perplexed by the recent events says,
"Come, las. I need to think and wash the dust from my throat. Let's head to that food vendor and see what's available. We've apparently naught but time between now and the show starting."
Wimplo, stands guard and almost falls asleep.
A call can be heard from tent D.
"Come one, come all, the show be starting in one half hour and you do not want to miss it!"
By this time it is dark and only one moon shows dimly overhead. The air is rather chilly and you can see that people are glad to get into the warmth of the large tent as they move quickly towards it.
GM: Peoples, use the map to indicate EXACTLY where you are going. Simply stating a general location is of no help to the progression of the story. Thanks.
Storyteller: JB
[medieval] Circus RPG PBP Medieval World
The Game Master says... Wimplo looks at Ice and Aridane approaching... he has a look of regret on his face. He steps forward and then says,
"I have found favor with the spirits of the East wind and I have decided that I will best be venturing in the rituals of the rural Monks of the East"
He then takes off his equipment and drops it before you. You are both amazed! He then continues,
"I will not be needing this, the clothes on my back is all I shall take from here, do what you will with it, I care not."
He then walks off following the road towards the Village. You both look at each other and then at the back of Wimplo as it disappears into the night. You are unsure if this has something to do with the circus or if he was pondering this a long time before, but whatever it is you feel that it may be the last time you will ever see him. Nevertheless, your thirst for material items causes both of you to already start plotting the arrangement for who will get the 'gold'.
Inside the tent, Shade is ignorant of what is happening outside...
Shade answers the palm reader. "No that is enough." He then gets up and exits the tent only to find Ice and Aridane rummaging through Wimplo's equipment. He asks for an explanation.
Airmed heads to tent D and removes her backpack and takes a seat in the center of the third row. She checks to make sure the pack is securely closed, and places it on the floor between her feet. Feeling a tad uneasy, she reaches as if to wrap her cloak about her, then remembers it is in her backpack. She opens her pack, extracts her cloak and puts it back on. Feeling a little less vulnerable, she thinks to herself that her well-worn, trusty cloak may be more of an asset in use than sitting idle in her pack. Airmed once more secures her pack and replaces it between her feet.
Thorian sits looking to wager a pocket of gold. The person next to him looks like they might have a few gold pieces on them, he stops and wonders if this is the moment for a slide of his hand...
Eissa and Althea plans to visit certain areas, but there is not time for that, time has been spent, everyone is now ushered into tent D, you take your seats along with everyone else.
The opening act begins with a parade of the animals, some clowns and various tricks. About half an hour passes by and you find yourselves actually enjoying the show. The next act shows a couple of clowns playing the part of silly fools with a box. They are trying to get the box for themselves while doing dexterous tricks that causes the audience to laugh. One clown finally brings about a puff of smoke from the box placed squarely in the center of the dirt stage along with the words from the host of the evening...
"Be still, this be the smoke of a thousand rich men, and it promises you luck and prosperity... let its sweet incense gather around you"
Everyone claps at the suggestion of good luck.
The smoke seems to be a harmless light blue color which from where you are sitting, seems to have a pleasant reaction to those on the first row seats.
GM: You will need to say what you will do next. Ice and Aridane need to say who will get what from Wimplo's equipment (Wimplo is out of this game and the RPGer group for not participating without giving notice). Thorian needs to say if he wishes to pickpocket the person with who he is conversing.
Storyteller: JB
Page 2 Circus medieval
The Game Master says... GM: Before the scenario continues I want to point out that the temporary exchanges (where one character holds items for another) were taken into account, but not adjusted on the Stats sheet, so as it is now the Stats are correct save for those items which you may have home. The relevant acquiring of Wimplo's items have been updated. Keep in mind that all of this happened before all of you went into tent D. Ice does not find someone to take the new found equipment to her home, but she is able to convince a Circus worker to watch it for a gold piece which she gladly pays.
Airmed watches the opening acts with wary enjoyment. The animals were beautiful and impressive, the clowns predictable buffoons until - Wait... what's this burst of blue smoke?!? She immediately feels that familiar sensation of her innards twisting; an unconscious reaction to possible threat. Instinctively, Airmed quickly grabs the edge of her cloak and covers her mouth and nose. Now keenly aware of her reflexive action, common sense tells her to maintain this protective measure until safely outdoors once more. Her intuition tells her that the seemingly innocent portion of the program has passed. She must now remain fully alert as to what happens next.
Airmed briefly scans hers and the two rows in front of her. The crowd seems quite happy, yet the organs continue to churn deep within her belly. She reminds herself to take slow, steady breaths through the rough-hewn fabric of her cloak. Attention now focused intently on the stage, she watches every possible motion which unfolds.
The light blue fog surrounds her and she realizes that the scent it emanates is sweet to the nose and she begins to relax.
Ariadne is quietly observing the reaction of the people from this blue smoke on the air...she is thinking quickly and deeply....is it a drug? a type of rare gas?....this seems very fishy to me, she thinks. She knows she has to get out of there fast. She stands up quietly, almost unnoticeable and pretends that she is under the effects of the blue gas, smiles and balance her body from one side to the other but what she is really doing is holding her breath in order to not breathe that weird substance. She moves quickly towards the exit of the tent and starts breathing again as the gas has not reach her as yet. Ice tries to do the same. Ariadne continues her 'act' while Ice just insists that it is her 'right' to just go outside if she wants, but the Circus workers who are near the entrance are not allowing you to go outside. They smile and shake their head while insisting that you both go and sit down. Shall you follow their instruction? You both wonder while looking at each other for signs of what to do next...
Eissa positively squirmed in her seat. She'd never really enjoyed going to the circus to begin with, (all that shouting and everything) and would have much rather preferred to stay outside and grouch around. She'd found some of the acts interesting, needless to say, but most of the time she had been merely glancing from place to place. Half way through the show she had started to get interested, but had lost that half-hearted interest quickly enough.
Smoke of a thousand rich men... luck... prosperity... the words floated almost of their own accord to Eissa, who sat up immediately at the specific words of 'rich men'. Drugs? she thought rather blurrily, before seeing the blue smoke and finally waking up. Light blue? What in the name of- Smoke, Eissa knows quite well, is not normally light blue. The fact that the people in the front rows were smiling happily with expressions of somewhat-rapture on their faces did not help to quell her rising anxiety in any way.
What now, what now-Her mind very confused, Eissa started acting on instinct. Drugs = bad. Bad = not good. Therefore, look to see what other people are doing to stop this situation going from bad to very bad. The magician (Eissa had forgotten her name again) was covering her mouth and nose with her cloak. Eissa's own cloak was so thread bare that she doubted it would be of any help. Althea was watching. Finally, after a five second deliberation, Eissa made a decision. Should the smoke appear to have harmful side effects, she'd use the cloak (folded double) to cover her mouth and nose. If she felt any effects, she'd try to find a way out the tent. If there was one, that is... all this pondering is much more than the time allotted to her and she sees that the fog is already encroaching upon her space, she pauses, wait... this isn't bad at all. She feels kind of silly for her hesitation and deliberation and leans back and breathes deeply.
Shade is calm.
Manhandled twice in one day! What next? Althea sat, scrunched into the last few rows, fuming at having her plans foiled again by these over-zealous circus people. This would be the last time she visited a circus! Irritated and overheated from being packed into the crowd, Althea was not even really paying attention to the actual show.
Until the audience's laughter changed to ooh's and aaah's. Althea's head snapped up and she focused on the antics of two clowns around a box. It was emitting a blue smoke... which floated lazily around the heads of the patrons in the front rows. What in the world? She could see Airmed a couple of rows back from the dirt stage with an edge of her cloak over her nose and mouth. Good idea, lass, she thinks, and waits to see what is happening to other people down front. Althea feels unsure of what is to happen next as she breathes through her cloak.
The show continues with some beautiful young women bringing out a large box that is probably the size of a man and placing it on the stand that leads to the dirt stage. They then ask for a volunteer...
Ice and Aridane need to say what they will do in response to the Circus workers. You need to say whom among you will volunteer.
Storyteller: JB
Circus medieval
The Game Master says... Ariadne and Ice make an elaborate plan whereby Aridane fakes being sick to the point of vomiting and the Circus workers let her by as she regurgitates some of the last meal onto the ground.
Airmed, having been "under the influence" of various substances before, notices the sweetness of the blue smoke's aroma, and begins to feel slightly light-headed. She quickly triple-folds the edge of her cloak and returns it securely over her nose and mouth, praying that no further effects shall be experienced. The fog surrounds her... she feels well.
Seeing the smoke having it's affect on those around him, Thorian wraps his cloak around his mouth and nose, and starts thinking to deftly emptying the pockets of those around him. He starts with the person whom he had previously viewed with anticipation. Thorian is a relatively brand new thief and with a dexterity that was considered rather clumsy by his colleagues he attempts... his hand moves closer to the man's pocket, closer, closer, Thorian can anticipate the gold touching his fingers when the man suddenly stands up!
"What ye be doing? Thief! Thief!"
Everyone spins around and those in the immediate vicinity start to check their own pockets while looking panicky they mutter...
"My gold be missing!"
Those on the stage now look up at Thorian who by now is so flushed by all that is centered on him that he feels to run.
Althea tries to maintain her senses and not breathe too deeply.
By now Thorian's mishap has a attracted all the Circus including some of the workers. Even Ariadne and Ice become aware by the shouts that can be heard...
"Get him, get him..."
GM: Say what you will do now.
Storyteller: JB
[medieval] Circus
The Game Master says... Eissa jerked to attention. For some reason, the people in the circus appeared to be shouting. There appeared to be a slight disturbance a few rows below her. What had happened? She glanced around, startled, the blue smoke having lost its effect upon her. Surely she hadn't done anything wrong, had she? Out of instinct, she started blushing before realising that it wasn't her who had caused this. Wondering what to do, she turned to Althea. "Just what happened?" she asked.
Althea sees and hears the hullabaloo down front and sees Thorian in the midst of it all. [i]What now?[\i] she thinks to herself. Answering Eissa's question, she quietly speaks to both Shade and Eissa.
"Seems our friend Thorian has got himself in a bit of a pickle. Watch and wait. If we can help him, we will. If not, we'll try to get him out from where ever they take him."
Airmed, thinks to make a diversion but it seems the missing gold pieces from everyone's scripts seems to made a diversion of its own!
Thorian uses his quick thinking and turns his pockets inside out, in an attempt to make it appear that he too had been robbed,
"My gold is gone too! What's going on here!? What sort of witchcraft is this?"
Thorian points and yells toward the stage."
"What sort of trickery is going on? First that smoke makes me feel all light headed, next my gold is gone!"
The people on the stage looked shocked and start to look at each other in a scared fashion. The main man whom you assume is the wizard then appears and says,
"Be still, do not move, this is all a hoax by that man!"
He points to Thorian, but the people are now confused and start to check themselves realizing that their money is also missing they feel that one man could not have done this and they start to focus on the circus stage and the workers, but these are mostly children and old age Villagers, they know they are not soldiers of fortune to wrestle anyone for their gold...
The magician disappears behind the stage and the tent covering hides his escape path while there seems to be an immediate mob reaction by the crowd which believes itself to over power the circus and get back their stolen money.
People begin scuffling outside only to be met by some of the circus workers armed with torches and some with Circus animals.
Ice and Aridane, already outside, is witnessing this from a different view point and have the first advantage of movement. They see the wizard and his accomplice start moving to position 'I' where the horses are being kept. It seems that the Circus workers do not intend for the people to leave, at least not just yet...
GM: You have a crisis on your hands, you are not sure if this is how your day should be going, but nevertheless you see how the actions of one can change everyone's 'story'. Say what you will do now.
Storyteller: JB
[medieval] Circus - Page 2
The Game Master says... You seem to be distracted by all the events that are going on that you only manage to see the rare of two horses vanishing into the night at full gallop. You assume that it was the magician with some assistant, but you are not sure. The circus workers are in a state of confusion and some are hustling to get certain belongs and/or escape. Some are ensuring that the crowds remain in tent D using their torches or circus animals.
GM: Keep in mind that it has been many days since party order has been posted, it is unfair for those who want to join in the game to wait unnecessarily.
Storyteller: JB
[medieval] Circus World Medieval PBP RPG - Page 2
The Game Master says... You are threatened by rather large creatures of the jungle, some of which you have never seen before but nevertheless, you know they can deal out great damage to you especially under the commands of their master(s). You are instructed to get into cages, the cages which once held the same animals from which you now move away from in fear. You are locked up along with a few Villagers that seem to be more likely to cause trouble for the Circus workers.
During the night you view the tents being quickly dismantled and the wagons packed, in fact you have never seen a group move 'home' so quickly considering the size of all that they own.
A worker comes up to your cage, where all of you have been placed together and says...
"Just stay here til day break, they will come get you..."
Then with a smirk on his face he walks off with the rest of the Circus workers into the night. The ones left outside (mostly women and children) now cling to the bars of the cages where you and others are kept. Some of the men folk are angry and tell the women to make their way to the Village where they can implore the soldiers to come and rescue them.
Afraid, but willing a group of women with their children make their way to the Village...
GM: Say what you will do now... if anything.
TOPIC: [medieval] Circus