001 - Blood in the Big Top

Sister Bridie is walking through Eltro and sees an enchanted circus tent. The goblin proprietor is barking outside, and invites her in. She pays a silver for admission. While she talks, there is a little man behind her who is very impatient. She says, "may the wind always blow in your face" as a passive agressive reply. He steps back a bit and keeps to himself.

Rafael and Goosifer are inside the tent already. There is illusion magic all over, and the crowd is full of chatter and wild speculation. The main stage is floating with levitation magic. Goosifer is honking excitedly but settles down as they wait for the show to start.

Outside the tent, Elysia is mistaken for one of the tabaxi performers and gets hurried into the stage entrance for the first act. It seems to be an instance of mistaken identity, but she goes along with it.
The show is about to start, and then the magic kicks up a with a flourish of light, the goblin ringleader Rag Whizzlewick introduces the Cirque Mystique.

The illusions flash and surge, and there is a parade of goblin workers and acrobats. Among them is a pseudodragon, breathing blue sparks instead of fire.
(The party makes WIS saving throws. Goosifer and Rafael feel loose and entranced, absorbed in the sights and sounds)

Elysia is pushed on stage, "You're up! You're up!!" She looks around but is rushed, can't take in too much detail. She waves over Rag and once he approaches, she explains that she is not the performer. "Something is wrong here." Rag thinks she is another tabaxi, Doreen, but after taking off the mask he sees the mistake and escorts her to the stands, muttering something about tabaxi looking pretty much the same to him.

Doreen appears and juggles, and then a tame displacer beast is led around as the crowd cowers.

As the show goes on, Goosifer notices two purple goblins rappelling down from the ceiling as purple smoke spreads from somewhere. The ringleader Rag seems surprised, although it's hard to be sure under his mask.

Two more purple goblins emerge from seats in the stands.  Rafael tries to trip one on its way by, but just stubs his toe. Goosifer takes a bite out of the goblin's leg as he goes by.

Initiative!

Combat turns continue as Rag's reinforcements, two goblins, block the exit. He asks everyone to search for the thief.
Everyone peers around and Goosifer even kicks up a cloud of dust, but it seems like the ambushers are gone.

Rag is unharmed but scared when the party checks on him. He calls the attackers The Purple Tricksters.
He explains the mask was The Mask of Mischief, handed down over generations.
The mask made the circus what it is.
Rafael asks him, "Have you run into these guys before?"
Rag says his clan, The Green Mischief Mongers, knows them. They've been after it for a long time.
Elysia asks, "Why do they want it?"
He says it's for its power. This is serious. Untold consequences. He looks unwilling to say more, as if he's holding something back.

The party does some very brief introductions. None of them are real chatterboxes but Rafael seems to be the least shy so for the moment he acts as a leader.

Rafael suggests offering recovery services, since he is low on funds and Mr. Whizzlewick is a seemingly successful businessman.
Rag offers 50 gold pieces each for helpful info for recovering the mask (geese don't need money), and (after a little clarification) 100 for recovery. He also gives Rafael a driftglobe to help with the darkness.
Rag's bodyguard suggests starting at some ancient ruins at the base of the Oros mountains where the purple trickster members have been seen.

The sun is setting. The group was in the tent longer than it seemed.

They decide to head further along the road and set up a little camp. Rafael and Goosifer have a bad hunt and catch nothing, but at least Goosifer is able to wash off the blood in a stream.
Elysia finds some meat and shares it. During the hunting, Sister Bridie makes bread over the fire. Goosifer falls asleep on her lap.

Everyone beds down. They sleep and wake up as LEVEL 2.