1. Arrival in Abberton

It is within the sixth hour of daythe circus arrive near the little town of Abberton where they decided to present their first performance, they used the winter break to prepare themselves installing and taking down the circus , preparing the show, to be ready on thi very first day.

Well, on tomorrow very first day, for today is mounting the circus and every one helped as much as they could, performers, handy men, even the Side Show of Everyday Marvels, lead by the Professor who presents in a small community strange creatures or people full of secrets and interesting stories and help to bring people to the circus.

It took the better part of an hour to set-up the camp to the joy of "Thunder" and all circus members. It is he, with th Professor", who decided to quit this horrible Celestial Menagerie, lead by an horrific she catfolk, Mistress Dusklight. Mistress indeed she treated sentient beings worst that animal and animal worst than sentient beings, and cruel, enjoying every bit of her corrupted power !

But today the proud circus of Wayward Wonders stand proudly in front of all Abberton, ready tomorrow for their first show.

"Aye aye, boss!" Martha slams her tankard on the table in vigorous backing of the ringleader's words, though managing to spill not a drop of the beer inside. The red-bearded dwarf swigs and continues, "We're right behind ya, every step of the way. Ain't that right, Litta?" she says, elbowing the furry-faced acrobat besides her with a friendly nudge.

Litta Straw has an enigmatic background, filled with rumor and suspicion. She came to join the Celestial Menagerie, aiming to be the lead acrobat, and perfecting her skills. Accidents abounded with some of the other stars, but her own involvement was never certain. Late nights in Dusklight the headmistress's tent, bruises and haunted looks, left her seeming like a victim as much as the others. Her fiery spirit dimmed, broken down by deprivation. Had she made some dark bargain, and if so with who? What price was she paying, and to whom? Rumours abounded about the relationship between the two catfolk.

In the new circus, the Wayward Wonders, she has once more dared to hope again. You could never tell that awfulness may have happened to her by her radiant smile when the spotlight is upon her. An easy performer, a natural showman.

In fact, it isn't too much of a stretch to call Litta Straw a wildly flamboyant performer. She's a tease with the men, a clown with the children, and a sister to the women, drawing them all into her orbit wherever she walks. Does she do her fair share setting up the tents? Well, what do you really want from her? Her bubbly spirit makes light work for many hands.

At the banquet, Litta lets out a long musical whoop, and laughs at Martha's exuberant tankard. She half-hugs the dwarf's shoulder, "The greatest show in the world! Whooooo!"

She stands up on her chair, feet dizzy from the rapid alchohol, and says, "We've the best performers!" she points at the knife-throwers, the juggler sisters, and the acrobat brothers, "We have the greatest spectacles," she points at the performers, Elizia, Alex, and Mordaine, "and we have the best support staff of any circus anywhere!" She slugs back her beer and falls backwards off her chair, somehow landing on her feet.

Happy to be away from his previous employer, this new circus felt like a breath of fresh air. He couldn't bear the mistreatment of the animals at The Celestial Menagerie, and the cruel Mistress Dusklight, who would have been more aptly named, Mistress Darklight. She was a vile woman, cruel, abusive and vindictive. Oboth had a sneaking suspicion that poor Litta Straw was subject to terrible evils at her hands and his heart bled for her, so much so that he had written a ditty in his head that he someday hoped to perform for her.

Nodding at Martha, his excitement and optimism begin to grow, buoyed by the alcohol and the infectious joy and anticipation of the rest of the crew. Thunder sure knew how to excite the crew as Oboth cheered and clapped.

But visions of his past swirled through his mind, a happening that he had no control over. These vivid memories presented themselves for his review at the most inopportune of times. He shoved them away, almost physically pushing them aside with a flapping hand as he drank more deeply from his cup to chase those demons away.

"Here, here to the best circus on earth!"

He wouldn't fail them. The animals looked marvelous, their coats brushed to a slick sheen. And even though it wasn't his job, he had begun to train a few of his favorites. Small tricks that he hoped someday to reveal at the most opportune moment.

Gray (a typical looking elf, dressed nicely, short hair, pointed ears, etc.), sits near the back, raising his tankard, but doesn't add anything. He's not a loner by any means, but he wasn't part of the old circus, so felt a bit guilty celebrating as heartily as the others.
Even now he felt his time could still be better spent triple checking attendance projections, and supplies, but Thunder insisted this dinner was for everyone. Gray was just happy that all the hard work he put into getting Wayward Wonders all set, off the ground, on the map, ready to run, or whatever metaphor you prefer, had paid off.
He supposed one night of revelry wouldn't hurt anything, everyone else seemed to be having a grand time. He tipped his tankard, and settled in for what was sure to be a long night. Circus folk were definitely hearty.

"We'll give the townies a show like nothing they've ever seen!" Martha hoots. Now this is her kind of crowd, bubbling with real energy and cheer instead of the forced enthusiasm they mustered under the reins of Mistress Dusklight. "Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I work my best with a full belly," she adds, flashing a grin all around. "What chow are we having tonight, cook?"

Rhea lifts her cup with the others. She has lived in the circus all her life with the Professor and hadn't he suggested that they broke off and form their own circus, she would have followed the call into the woods. Instead she sits here with a black parrot on her shoulder.
With it she started to see patterns and symbols everywhere. Even now, sitting within the circle of firelight is the healthy part of the circus, without the rot of people like Dusklight.
To her, Rhea was just another freak with different-coloured eyes. To Wayward Wonders, she is just family.

Gray says to Martha "I saw the cook with a bushel of sage and juniper, surely that means venison is on the menu tonight?

And so continue the evening in a great joy and great hope, a load well served meal of a big family.

New day began a little late, and a little slow, but things went smoothly and the day pass to the Fifth hour of day (1630h) here the spectacle start. The Circus of Wayward Wonders performs in an enormous tent capable of holding hundreds of people - and that's a good thing, as it seems the entire population of Abberton has turned out for the show. Many of the town's most prominent citizens, including the mayor, are among the throng jostling for seats, peering at the three rings that fill the center of the tent, and waiting excitedly for the show to begin.

Circus people people begin to wonder "Where is Myron?" ... "Anyone seen Thunder, the show is beginning?" ... 'Where is our ring leader?"

As the lights go down and the audience settles onto their seats, the circus's performers take their places backstage, awaiting their cues. Suddenly, several of the performers closest to the curtain that separates the three rings from the rest of the tent leave their assignments, gathering in a small crowd to exchange frightened whispers and hushed gasps.

The sky has started to dim outside the circus tents. Martha, from where she's leaning against a fencepost after an afternoon of setting up and ushering, notices the change in mood. She watches and, after the collected group of whispering folk still haven't disbanded, strides forward to approach them. "Ho, friends," she says in greeting, slinging a casual arm around the nearest person's shoulder. "What's the trouble here? You can tell Martha all about it."

At first, Oboth, who was standing in the wings readying the animals, was filled with excitement. The minutes before the show were always thrilling and a little unnerving. But when it became obvious that their ringleader was missing, he became very anxious and started stroking his feathered head, a nervous habit he developed as a youth and never lost.

"He's not here, Martha. Myron is not here and the show is about to start!"

The unrest is palpable. This won't do! Not on our first day!

Rhea makes a decision and goes up to the curtain between the audience, the rings and the show. From there so turns to face her circus family.
We will find Thunder, but the show has to start now! I will take the role of ring leader today.
Comfy? She gives everyone a second to answer if they are comfortable with this arrangement.
Then take your places, everyone!
She has done this since she was five years old, getting ready, hearing the announcers, all of this. I can do this. she thinks to herself.

She turns to face the curtain, but then a last moment of inspiration hits. She calls her familiar, the black parrot and with a spell conjures a red and green silk-like ribbon. When we enter, I will speak and you will fly around trailing this ribbon over the audience. Comfy?

Martha turns as the human takes on the limelight, drawing the crowd's attention to her. She nods at Rhea's direction, though not sure whether the woman could see her at all. Probably shouldn't distract her, the dwarf thinks a second too late. "I'm not wanted in the ring. When's your turn coming up, Oboth? If it's a while yet, come with me to look for the boss."

She addresses the huddled whisperers. "Come! The more we all know, the better an idea of where to look we'll get. Where is the last place you saw Thunder?"

Litta grits her teeth but her face is a mask of serenity, a performers false facade already in place.

She nods at Martha and Oboth jerking her head for them to go look, and approaches the performers about to go on. "Places everyone, we will do this, for Thunder! Okay?"

Gray chimes in. "Yes indeed, On with the show, as they say. I'm not needed out there, so I'll see what I can figure out back here."