Episode 1: Ierendi, The Tournament of Adventurers

Episode 1: Ierendi, The Tournament of Adventurers


The circus ship made it to Ierendi Island without incident. No pirates, no local authority spot checks, just smooth sailing to port. This is good news because the troupe has been sailing for days, no stops, no performances. The animals and troupe will appreciate this special engagement in Ierendi. Because they will be in port for a week, all will get an opportunity to stretch their legs and give various performances.

Madagast Circus--your circus--is scheduled to perform for a very special event, The Royal Tournament of Adventurers, the annual festival conducted regularly on Ierendi to choose the next King and Queen of the Island Kingdom. The King and Queen are chosen every year through this tournament, with the winners of the male and female divisions taking the throne.

Though Ierendi has a King and Queen, the real business of running the kingdom is done by the Ierendi Tribunal, a cabinet of representatives from the most influential aristocratic families in Ierendi. The King and Queen are mere figureheads.

Beside the tournament itself, the festival consists of a week long celebration. Different curiosities and wonders are brought to the island from many lands to entertain all who attend.

Madagast Circus is one of these wonders. Your troupe's ringleader, Master Ganesh Madagast, is a mysterious man of great renown and honor. In all the lands he brings you to, he never seems to have a shortage of connections or acquaintances about. He also seems to be willing to provide favors for just causes and sometimes is encountered by someone who he has an old debt to repay. Your ringleader's dealings sometimes result with your troupe getting involved in some ordeal. Luckily Ganesh has never got you into trouble you haven't been able to get out of.

Apparently the festivities have already begun with some port fireworks for the incoming guests.

The ship makes it to port just at dusk. But there is no immediate rest for your experienced troupe. All snap to work. The ship is prepared and the tent is raised in a matter of four hours. Hopefully tomorrow's first show will go as practiced and planned with no unexpected circumstances in this generally peaceful tropical island kingdom.



After the circus is raised aboard the ship, Ringmaster Ganesh addresses the troupe,

"Excellent work my family! We are now prepared for this wonderful week."

"As you know, tomorrow we put on the opening show. In honored attendance will be Ierendi's Tribunal members, the Kingdom's current King and Queen, as well as the six contestants of this year's Tournament of Adventurers. Our very special guests will view the show from our private balconies and be catered in our elite lounges."

"But our--handsomely paid--engagement here in Ierendi, does not end after our opening show. No, not at all. We have been chosen to aid in this year's tournament theme...the contests will be circus themed. We are tasked to train the adventures in the needed skills to compete as well as provide the arena for the event."

"I am putting Tasya, Anlo, Khyree, and Khali in charge of the contestants' training. Khali, the Tribunal thought it would be interesting that the contestant's first engagement of the week be a reading."

"I will leave it to you four to discuss and determine the best plan to train the contestants as well as to devise the tournament events. As the tournament is known throughout Ierendi to be facilitated by the great Madagast Circus, this must be a grand spectacle, an event never forgotten by this Island kingdom, such a grand thing that word of its magnificence travels to the lands beyond."

"Let's give a wonderful show tomorrow. Now let's get rest."

Upon that Ringmaster Ganesh starts to leave the circus floor likely heading to his quarters.

Khali is in one of her work outfits that consist of a long sleeve white shirt with loose sleeves, a tan leather vest with pockets, a skirt held up at the waist by a leather utility belt and sailor's boots. This is finished out with a maroon hooded cape with holes in the side for her arms to fit through. A small scabbard supports her dagger. Never know.....rats.

She replies with a polite curtsey "Of course, Ringmaster. The contestants may see me at their leisure." Of course, she fully anticipated this.

Tasya lands like the weight on the end of a long rope, having only finished assembling the rigging for the high wire acts beneath the big top, as the troupe's leader and ringmaster addresses those gathered on deck.

Tasya, or Tas, as most of her closest in the troupe refer to her, is a young Human female in her late teens. Slender, agile, and very fit, she has vibrant green eyes and light blonde hair falling just past her shoulders, with pink highlights. Her skin is a pale porcelain in complexion and she is quite comfortable dressed in the showy and often skimpy costumes that her performances require to unhinder her aerial movements.

Her current ensemble consists of a bodysuit and gloves in purple-blue and grey with accents of gold and silver.

"Very well, Greatfather." Tasya acknowledges Ganesh Madagast's wishes for her to be one of the four in charge of training the contestants for the competition. She lingers to hear any further instructions, then bounds off to leap onto the back of an equine horse-zebra hybrid she favors, named Stripe.

---

Tasya's First Night Performance

It is upon the rope, silk, harness, hammock, or trapeze that Tas feels the most alive. She goes through her routine with a racing heart and a genuine joy on her face, as she holds the audience below in rapt mesmerism.

As the harness is finally lowered from the roustabouts assisting in the rigging above, Tasya dismounts and slow struts sensuously from the ring. As she reaches the edge, the lights lower to nearly darkness and she is gone.

Her adoring audience erupts with applause...

Khyree folds her arms, listens, and nods to their leader's wishes.

One of the newest members of the Madagast Circus' traveling troupe, Khyree Vadis is quickly becoming one the crowd's favorites with her fire shows. She runs a hand through her asymmetrically cut natural black hair, with streaks of silver, and tips of red. Piercing dark gray eyes flicker over the gathering of performers and support crew, from a pleasing face of some exotic far away land. She sports multiple ear and facial piercings. Tribal tattoos cover her exposed upper arms, back, and chest. She is lithe, but strong of mind and body, having been trained in the ways of a martial monk.

Highlight of Khyree's performance

Anlo sat on the railing of the ship, one foot hooked on a baluster as he listened to the Ringmaster. He ran fingers through his short blonde hair when he heard he had been selected to help with training. He glanced over at his mother, then back to the Ringmaster.

No pressure, he immediately thought.

As everyone dispersed to go about their business, Anlo hopped down and pulled his hood up. He adjusted the bandolier of throwing spikes he wore as a means of fidgeting more than anything. His outfit wasn't as flashy as some of the others... over the years growing up in the circus, he had tried a variety of costumes but none of them looked right when you added all of the spikes. He eventually settled on functional. He wore clothes not unlike what a traveler would wear, but more brightly colored. His crimson cloak was slightly oversized, to billow and add movement as he performed. His boots, gloves, and belt all matched the brilliant red of his cloak. His breaches and tunic were a vibrant azure. Only his bandolier was "boring," in that it was traditional dark brown leather. But it had been a gift, and the sentimental value was far more important than the color.

Bright blue eyes looked out from the shadows of his hood, mind already at work for how he would teach these adventurers.

Opening day many scores of people line the dock in anticipation of Madagast Circus. Some stand in line excited to see Khaili, the fortune teller; one by one she provides them with readings until the show doors open and the circus is about to begin.

…

The show is splendid. Three memorable acts in particular deeply captivate the crowd:

During Tasya’s aerial routine, the audience remains mesmerized by her beautiful ascent to the top of the tent as she entwines her agile legs and body with the silk. Her final energetic and graceful descent keeps the crowd in silent awe through her dismount and slow sensuous strut from the ring. When the lights are finally lowered, her speechless audience erupts with adoring applause.

Khyree amazes the circus-goers by twirling fans of burning flames, stepping in and out of various blazing shapes while she spins them in spellbinding patterns around her. She also at various points in her routine hangs from a spinning ring while breathing fire toward her audience who gasp in fear and delight.

Anlo's performance grabs the audience’s undivided attention by combining acrobatics with precision weapon throwing. While he starts off stationary, by the end he is throwing spikes at multiple targets while swinging from ropes, being pulled skyward, and navigating a tightrope. While he throws, many in the audience can be seen involuntarily ducking and dodging in their seats as many of the targets that Anlo flawlessly lands are placed by the roustabouts between the crowd and master thrower. At the end of his act Anlo drops from the highest tightrope, hitting multiple targets during his fall with various weapons before landing gracefully into the safety net.

…

After the last act the crowd stands and cheers with thunderous applause; Ringmaster Genesh steps onto the stage for closing words. The crowd starts chanting "More!, more!, more!, more!..." Many chant while stomping on the ship deck and balcony floor boards.

Ganesh loudly interjects. "Gentle folk of Ierendi, do not be worried!" he booms attempting to quell the audience but also himself reveling in their delight. "There is more excitement and amazement in store for you on this circus ship during this week of The Tournament of Adventurers!...Your King and Queen will be determined here in this very circus ring, where each contender for the crown will test their prowess before your amazed eyes. They will be challenged…by the rope… by the blade…and by fire!!"

As Ganesh addresses the audience, two members of the king and queen's royal court walk on to the stage. Each rests a covered pillow on their forearm. They step to either side of Ganesh and lift the cover to reveal the Royal Crowns of Ierendi. Ganesh takes the crowns, one in each hand, and holds them up high for the audience to see. "Your successful King and Queen will be crowned here under this tent. Until then my friends, may Ierendi’s week long festivities continue!" The crowd explodes in roaring cheers. Ganesh gives the crowns back to the court members, and then leaves the stage; he heads to the lounge to mingle with and entertain the special guests. The show ends and the audience begins to exit the ship.

…

The tower lounges are one of the most extravagant parts of the ship, second only to the Ringmaster’s entertaining quarters. Here roustabouts–who double (and triple) as caterers, ship deckhands, and circus tent rousters–are finely dressed and cleaned up (as much as they allow themselves to be anyway), but they still somehow maintain an unkempt rough air as they serve and tend to the lounge guests.

Khali spent the pre-show time collecting a small horde of coinage by reading the fortunes of many excited circus-goers on their way into the ship’s bigtop. Once the show began she moved to the starboard port balcony lounge. She now sits in the balcony watching Ganesh excite the crowd with the royal crowns held high. When the show ends Khali sees Ganesh exit the stage and turns her attention to the lounge.

The fortune teller instinctually watches the activities of the guests who have been invited to the lounge. The guests currently in the lounge include the:

Ierendi Tribunal members
Current King Palfrit and Queen Mari
Admiral "Lady" Kai the King’s wife and High Admiral of the Ierendi Fleet
Lord Dede, Queen Mari's husband
Hector Octavion, Ambassador from Imperial Thyatis
Bartolomeo Fiori, Ambassador from the Minorath Guilds
Gherynid, Mage Representative of Honor Island (the self-governing island within Ierendi)
Five of the eight members of the Royal Court (the two not present, Manu and Moa, had presented the Royal Crowns on stage.)
Elandra Stormblade, Adventurer's Club Guildmaster
Thorne Wildheart, Safari Island's Wilderness Preserve Headmaster
Vance Ironclaw, Safari Island Adventure Arena Director

A rousty-server walks by with a tray and offers Khali a tasty bite on a tiny stick.

10 minutes or so after the show ends the six five tournament contestants, who had special ‘front row’ seats on the circus floor, make their way into the lounge, as does Ringmaster Ganesh. The sixth, Captain Zephyros "Swiftclaw" Sunblade, comes in a few minutes after. (I made a minor change here from the initial post)

Ganesh, entering the lounge from the ajoining guest quarters sees the contestants filing into the room from the other entrance. Gathering them together he brings them over to Khali.

"Khali, I would like to introduce to you this year’s six contenders for the crown. Of course, as the Ierendi tradition dictates, the current king and queen will compete as well to attempt to keep their crowns. But the Tribunal would like you to give each of these six contestants a reading. You may decide which order to take them."

Before Khali can address Ganesh or the contestants, a member of the Royal Court bursts into the lounge and exclaims,

"The Crowns, the Crowns they are gone! I found Steward Manu and Moa, who carried them, unconscious in the lower tower level. They were designated to meet me backstage and we were to return the crowns to the Royal Palace. But they never came. I headed to the tower to inquire here. But found the two unconscious with the crowns gone."

The room goes silent. Everyone looks at Ringmaster Ganesh...

Khali’s reaction is to reach into her pouch where she keeps her totems and cards and withdraws one of her decks. After a brief shuffle, muttering a word of prayer for guidance, she pulls out a single card. She studies it and shows it only to Ganesh. She speaks in a low tone so that only he may hear. "The culprit, or culprits, motivation is for material gains. The thieves know the crowns are a long cherished tradition. A ransom will most likely be forthcoming."

The audience clears from the circus deck quickly as there is not a post performance meet-the-troupe on the the circus floor tonight due to the fact that honored guests are being entertained in the tower lounge instead.

...

Considering that, Tasya and Khyree head directly to their personal dressing rooms in the costume area backstage after the show. A few other troupe members are doing the same. Rosalyra and Mariquette change in a shared room between Tasya’s and Khyree’s.

While changing in their rooms, Tasya and Khyree hear the voice of Caspian, the Rakasta lead roustabout.

"And this is the costume room. We’ll see how things unfold once you get to work with Khyree, Tasya, Arlo, and Khali on your events. You may need to change here too. I don’t know. But anyway, that’s about it for the circus deck. I’ll show you the way to the lounge."

…

After the show concludes, before he can make it to his quarters, Anlo’s parents approach him on the circus deck as the audience files off the ship. "You truly shine out there, Anlo my boy," says Anlo’s father. "Ringmaster Ganesh recognizes your importance to this circus so much he has selected you for this very important role in our Ierendi engagement." His mother adds, "We are very proud of you."

While he talks with his parents Anlo sees the roustabout, Caspian, leading the tournament contestant Captain Zephyros "Swiftclaw" Sunblade, another Rakasta, from the circus floor toward the backstage.…

In the lounge Ganesh quietly responds to Kahli.

"Your card may reveal the truth, Kahli. But none of this bodes well for the circus. If there are no answers, the people of Ierendi will blame the circus for this travesty. The culprit must be found for the sake of the circus."

Tasya shrugs into her coverup quickly and steps out to see what's going on and who is with Caspian, as they pass by.

Khyree towels off from a quick dip in the tub. She hears the sound of voices beyond the dressing rooms and touches her personal messaging device. "Are we receiving our trainees now? Should we make ourselves available?"

"Thank you so much!" Anlo hugs his mother, overjoyed at their approval. In many respects, it means more to the young man than the fact the ringmaster recognized him by tasking him with training these competitors.

"I'll see you both at the meet! I need to clean up!" And with that he's off to freshen up and change, still beaming from ear to ear. Once he's presentable, he begings to head to the meet while keeping an eye out for Caspian.

When Tasya peers out from her personal dressing room she, Caspian is gone. He and whomever he was speaking with had already exited the main dressing room.

...

Everyone (Anlo, Kahli, Tasya, Ganesh, Caspian, and Jin) hears Khyree's sending trinket question. Jin replies, "No not for training yet. Grandfather just wants us to meet them first in the guest lounge as soon as we can get there. I'm on my way there now from my quarters."

...

Anlo leaves his parents and makes his way through the exiting crowd to the pens and stables door under the general balcony. He walks through the animal area where some roustys are helping Rosa, the animal trainer, tend to the beasts after the show. Just as he makes it to the door at the back of the stable that leads to the troupe's quarters, Jin emerges through the door. "Oh, Hi Anlo," says Jin. "Did you hear my response to Khyree's question. Ringmaster Ganesh wants us to meet the contestants in the lounge. Heading there soon?"

Khali's stone is embedded in one of her many rings. She appears to rub her chin while sending a message to Anlo, Taysha and Kyree.
"The Crowns have been taken. Last seen in the lower tower. Can you investigate? Ringmaster and I will keep them entertained here in the lounge."

The Ringmaster should have overheard her. Best someone investigate the scene of the crime before evidence gets tampered with.

@RageRed,@JamaisVu,@MaJunior (Only their PC's get this message)

Sending Trinkets Uses Log:
Anlo: 4/4
Kahli: 3/4
Khyree: 3/4
Tasya: 4/4

Caspian: 4/4
Ganesh: 4/4
Jin: 3/4

Tasya looks to both Khyree and Anlo, then sighs and shakes her head. "I suppose we should do as she suggests. Would not want another incident of the circus troupe being made out to be responsible for such a crime. Accolades to accusations. A girl could get whiplash from it."

If Tasya and Anlo meet to investigate, they will find the still unconscious figures of Steward Moa and Steward Manu on the floor of the lower starboard tower, accessible from the stage.

In this relatively plain round tower-like area, there is nothing but a spiral staircase that leads upward to guest quarters on one side of the room. There is also a strait staircase on the other side that leads below deck. (One could walk a hallway below the circus floor deck, across the ship to the troupes' quarters as well as across the ship to the port side tower.)

There are tiny bits of glass near Moa and Manu, signs of a shattered vial. The two pillows that held the crowns earlier are on the floor nearby them.

A strong breeze of ocean air blows into the room from an open window thats about 2' X 4'. A thick curtain blows in the opening. The curtain has a few clean slices in it as if it was scraped by razor sharp claws.

"Shit."

Anlo, after a quick clean and change, is standing in a lower level and looking at unconscious stewards and empty pillows.

"Shit shit shit." Ok, first thing first, let's carefully pick up the broken glass in hopes it's a clue... then we can wake the stewards I guess?

Anlo will cut a piece of the curtain and gather the broken glass vial without touching it directly, wrapping it securely so no pieces slip out. He then kneels by the stewards and -- after double checking they aren't dead -- shakes them. "Steward! Steward! Are you ok? What happened?"

Khali is takes another look around, being sure to bow slightly to anyone who might be watching her.