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the-faramir · 5 months

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Niji-iro Midori: The Reluctant Ringmaster

Chapter 5: One Does Not Simply Walk Into Abberton

The Celestial Menagerie escapees fled through the night, but the journey from Escadar to Abberton was no short stroll. Abberton was over 30 miles away as the crow flies, and a direct path was not optimal for a rag-tag band of refugees without supplies.

Bufurug led the way, as he knew the Starstone Isles like the back of his hand. Even though he had reverted back to his natural form seconds after the escape, his short shoony legs took surprisingly long strides.Erol Korkut, a human, and Alyssa Sunmeadow, a halfling, both of whom had worked with Toby selling concessions, followed closely behind, still dressed in their work aprons. Next came Midori and Itty-Bitty, with Lyla Cadwalader, a gnome animal trainer, making great strides to keep up. Bringing up the rear, and guarding the company from behind, were Brondin Stonehammer, a dwarf security guard, and Stefano Xenides, a human rigger.

Bufurug guided the procession northward toward the river flowing down from the mountains that lay northeast of Escadar. "We'll need water if we want to make it there alive! Keep going along the eastern riverbank. It will lead us to the foothills of the mountains near the Erran Tower. From there, we should find a road leading northeast to Abberton. Let me formulate a plan for supplies—I know how to survive in the wilderness.

"For now, it doesn't look like we're being followed, so let's take advantage of the cover of darkness and press on as quickly as we can till sunrise. Keep quiet and save your breath, and we'll take a breather at first light."

After hours of hiking by the riverside without incident, the sun began to rise. Bufurug called for a rest. "It's plenty warm out still, so you all can take a nap by the riverbank. Lie on your backs and prop your legs up on a tree if you're aching from the march. I'll keep watch and prepare my spells in case we run into any trouble."

After a few hours with no incident, Bufurug quietly roused each of the team, one by one, most of them groaning at the early wake-up call. Midori's stomach gurgled in protest. "Hey, Bufurug. I hate to bring this up, but did anybody, ya know, pack any food?"

"No, no, Midori. None of us were prepared for the sudden escape. We'll have to forage for food." Bufurug turned his attention to the river. "Hey, you two, stop drinking! You need to go upstream some more for safety. And you, there! For the love of Erastil, if you're going to use the river as your latrine, do it downstream from where people are drinking!" Bufurug stomped off to assist, muttering, "Ugh, tenderfoots."

"Hey, Squirt!" Itty-Bitty, the seven-foot-tall, 300-pounds-of-muscle orc clown stepped over to Midori and gave her a hand up. She still wore her clown's greasepaint from last night's performance, and her pink-and-purple hair puffs were starting to sag. "I got a caramel apple if ya want. I been keepin' it in me pocket." She proceeded to pull the lint-covered treat out of a pocket in her gaudily patterned pants, trailing a few lines of softened caramel like brown cobwebs.

"Gah!" Midori reacted with revulsion. "No, that's fine, Big Sis. Ya had the forethought to pack a snack, so ya deserve to keep it all for yerself."

"All right. I always keep one in me pocket. Just in case. And the case is now." Itty-Bitty popped the apple into her mouth and pulled out the stick, tossing it into the river.

Bufurug gathered the company around him to discuss foraging. "Everyone! I know you are all tired and hungry. But rejoice! For Aroden has blessed this island, built the Erran Tower, and placed an aeon orb atop it to provide us all with the bounty of nature! A brief search should provide you with all the sustenance you need for the day."

"All we need?" Midori queried with a mischievous smirk. "Well, I feel a mighty need for some deep-fried tofu after all that runnin'. Let's see if Aroden provided us with some wild ‘tofudebeests.’ I'll try callin' one!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and bellowed out the guttural, annoying call of the imaginary creature that she had just made up.

Bufurug was not amused.

Midori looked over at him and stopped making her racket. "Yeah, I know. Can we forage up some soybeans and make tofu?"

Midori grinned hopefully at Bufurug.

"That's...no." Bufurug was somewhat frustrated, but willing to educate Midori. "First, the soybeans we eat are a cultivated crop. Even if we were to find wild soybeans, they'd be different. If we had the right soybeans, tofu is a whole process on its own. You make soy milk—"

Midori interrupted, "How in the hells do ya milk soybeans?"

"No, no, not that kind of milk. Once you have the soy milk, you cook it, and strain it, and add bittern or gypsum or lemon juice to curdle it. Then form and press it. We just wouldn't have the time or effort to waste on that. Plus, we have no equipment for food prep or cooking. We'll have to find fruits and nuts, rest while we eat, then go. We're too close to the Menagerie still to risk cooking fires, so no small game, either. They could find us, and then our escape would be for naught. I reiterate: no fires!"

Bufurug turned to address the team as a whole. "Anyhow, when foraging, be careful about which plants you touch, too. Remember, 'leaflets three, it's not TP; berries white, not a delight.' For that matter, don't touch any berries or fruit that you haven't eaten before. Well, don't eat any berries at all, just to be safe. Edible leafy greens could be confusing to those not in the know, as well. You should be able to find cherries, crab apples, apricots, peaches, and grapes this time of year. Maybe walnuts and figs."

Erol piped up, "I thought cherries were berries!"

"No, they're more closely related to apricots and peaches," Bufurug answered.

"One more thing. Most of you are unarmed. While you're out there, try to find fallen branches suitable to use as clubs or staffs. This land is full of dangers; we want to be able to defend ourselves."

During her foraging, Midori found a peach tree with a few ripe fruits and she started to pick the few that she could reach. She composed and sang on the spot a song about peaches and how much she loved them (which was mostly the word "peaches" repeated ad nauseam). She also came across a grapevine laden with fruit hanging off of tree branches beyond her reach, but she took one look and exclaimed, "Bah! Those grapes are probably sour, anyhow."

Over the next hour, everybody noticed that there was not very much fruit to gather. One by one, each of the comrades returned with meager handfuls of fruit, alarming Bufurug somewhat.

"I don't understand! There should be plenty of fruit to eat! What has happened to Erran? Have the gods forsaken us? Has Mistress Dusklight really kept me locked away from nature for so long that I haven't noticed what's been going on here?" He cast his eyes downward in shame. "Can I even call myself a druid anymore?"

Midori raised her voice in frustration. "We each have, what? A handful o' fruit? An' we need to go on a day's forced march on that? I...can't see how that can work out."

The reality of Midori's current situation and the circumstances in which she had left the day before hit her with full force. Tears welled up in her eyes and her voice began to quaver. "Mistress...no. Dusklight. Just Dusklight. She doesn't deserve to be called by a fancy title! She abused us all! She MURDERED Toby!" She sobbed twice, sniffled, then wailed in regret, "AAAAAAAAH! An' we just walked away without a fight!" Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees.

Erol and Alyssa approached Midori to comfort her. Itty-Bitty walked over to give her a side-hug and a shoulder on which to cry.

"They would have killed us all, kid," Bufurug reminded her evenly. "Never underestimate Dusklight. She is more skilled than she looks, and her cronies also have surprises up their sleeves. Not everyone in the Menagerie is there under duress. Some relish the thought of killing."

"Then we'll have to hone our skills and come up with surprises of our own!" Midori stood up, wiped the tears from her eyes with her palms, and steeled her face with grim determination. "I swear to Cayden Cailean, I will kill Dusklight or bring her to justice! Then all of our folk still under her control can be free!"

Midori started to sing.

🎶🎶🎶

Toby, you were my friend, my partner in crime We shared our dreams, we had a good time But then she took you away from me She made you pay too much for your petty thievery

Dusklight, you're a monster, you're a tyrant, you're a fiend You killed my Toby, you broke my heart, you shattered my dream But I swear by Cayden Cailean, the god of freedom and wine I will make you pay for what you've done, I will end your reign of crime

You think you're clever, you think you're smart You think you run your circus like a work of art But you don't care about the people you hurt You make them suffer, you treat them like dirt

But I'm not alone, I still have my friends We left your gods-damned hellhole, we made our amends We'll start our own show, we have a new goal We'll spread joy and hope, we'll heal every soul

I will make you pay for what you've done, I will end your reign of crime

🎶🎶🎶

Midori raised her fist and shouted, "Who's with me?"

Midori’s friends cheered in solidarity with her.

Stuffing her meager forage into her belt pouches, Midori muttered, "Well, I just lost my appetite. Sooner we get there, sooner we start trainin’. Let's go!" She ran off up the riverside ahead of the gang.

Bufurug tried to warn her, "Midori, hold up," but she was already on her way.

Midori nimbly ran around a copse of trees that hid the big bend in the river where it shifted from flowing from the east to flowing from the north. There, upon the riverbank, she discovered a wreck of a boat that must have crashed no more than a few days earlier.

"Hey!" Midori called out, "anybody here? Anybody need some help?"

Nobody replied except for Bufurug as he ran around the trees to catch up. "What happened?"

"A wrecked boat," Midori replied. "Musta been goin' way too fast, lost control, and crashed into the riverbank at the bend. No crew around. I see some crates. We should see if there's anythin' we can use." She sniffed the air as some of the others caught up. "Ugh. Something smells like rotting meat." As she walked around the bow of the boat, Midori found the source of the foul stench.

"Oh, no. Well, that'll be the captain." A corpse lay in front of her, his head dashed upon the rocks, his clothes torn, and the majority of his flesh eaten. A sword belt holding a rapier remained fastened around the waist. "Hmm. Ya won't be needin' this anymore."

Unbuckling the sword belt from the late captain's waist, Midori unsheathed his rapier to examine it. Rapiers were Cayden Cailean's weapons of choice. Finding this particular one to be in good condition, Midori smiled. "I shall call you...'Lightsnuffer,' and I shall use you to snuff out Dusklight's..." She twirled the tip of the blade while trying to find a word less awkward. "...light!" She grasped the rapier in her hand, awkwardly, and gave it a few clumsy swings as if she were chopping wood with a hatchet.

"I can help teach you how to use that," interjected Brondin, who had come up beside her, narrowly avoiding the swing of the blade. "I'll help train you when we get to Abberton."

The team started searching the wreckage. The hold in the back of the boat held several items, secured in place with a cargo net. Brondin and Itty-Bitty pulled back the net to let the others take stock.

Lyla called out, "Here's a keg! I'll bet it's beer!"

Alyssa added, "Oh, and a box of wooden mugs."

Bufurug pulled the lid off of a smaller crate. "Medical supplies! We can treat our cuts and scratches."

Midori pried the lid off of her wooden crate with a stray piece of metal from the wreckage. She detected muted scents of dried beef, tallow, spices, dried fruits, and baked wheat flour. "Iron rations? Survival food?" She rummaged through the crate to see how much was there. Reminded of how hungry she was, her stomach gurgled.

"Hey, everybody! Food! Over here!" She saw a few more crates with identical markings. "Enough for us all!"

As the others began to gather around, Midori opened one of the cloth-wrapped packages, exposing a stack of very thin cakes that were baked a light brown on the outside. She gingerly picked up one of the cakes and looked at it with a doubtful expression. "Ugh. Cram. Hardtack. Bland as ash. Or maybe we lucked out and it's halfling wandermeal?" She nibbled at a corner, and flavors of caramelized sugar, butter, vanilla, citrus peel, and cinnamon burst onto her tongue. Her eyes opened wide and she shoved the entire cake into her mouth, chewing noisily and attracting the attention of the rest of her comrades.

Lyla asked, "What have you found?"

"I dunno, I thought they were hardtack, but they turned out to be crunchy cookies and they're freakin' delicious!"

More of the group gathered around, some taking samples from Midori's stack.

"Yeah, ya know what? These taste like elven magic. Yeah, yeah, from those elves who live in those hollow trees, bakin' cookies and stuff. Y'know, the Keebluriel Elves!"

Midori's logic confused Bufurug. "The...what? That's not a real thing, Midori." Everyone else was used to Midori's nonsense, so they just shook their heads and went back to what they were doing.

After a quick meal of iron rations, Errol opened up the cask of beer and poured everyone a mugful. Midori stood up and cleared her throat, garnering everyone's attention.

"Clearly, this cache of supplies is a boon from Cayden Cailean! Praises are in order!" As everyone raised their mugs up into the air, she began to sing:

🎶🎶🎶

Here's to Cayden Cailean, Cayden Cailean, Cayden Cailean Here's to Cayden Cailean, he's with us tonight He's happy, he's jolly, he's blessed us, by golly! Here's to Cayden Cailean, he's with us tonight!

🎶🎶🎶

"So drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Everybody drank quickly, finding this beer to be the best they had ever tasted. They all returned for a second round.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, Bufurug advised "Load up your pockets and pouches with as much food as you can carry. We'll stick close to the river. Keep drinking more water than you think you need to compensate for the dried food. We should have more than enough to fuel a one-day hike to the foothills without stopping for foraging. When we get closer to the Erran Tower, we'll surely find better forage. The aeon orb, the stone circling the top, has been imbuing the land with magical energy for millennia, thanks to Aroden, and should be stronger near the tower even if it's starting to weaken out here."

"Did Aroden create the aeon orbs?" Alyssa asked Bufurug, "I hear he pulled the Starstone Isles right up from the sea floor so we could have a place to live."

"Well, no. Although Aroden created the aeon towers—the one here on the Isle of Erran and the others on the Isle of Kortos—he went to the Darklands down below us and liberated the stones from an underground jungle. That was the Orvian vault of Vask. The aeon orbs were being used to support the xulgaths living there."

"Xulgaths?" Alyssa had heard of them before. "I thought they only existed in stories our parents would tell us to get us to behave. Did they die out when Aroden took the orbs?"

"Oh, no. You see, Aroden left one behind for them. The xulgaths live on in the Darklands to this day."

Worried, the halfling replied, "Do you think they'd come up to the surface to take the orbs back?"

“That would not happen. Although raiding parties come to the surface from time to time, it seems that the passage of time has caused the xulgaths to...well, forget about the aeon orbs. I've heard that they barely remember any details from their formerly great civilization.”

The company managed to hike toward the foothills without incident that day, and they camped for the night in a small clearing near where the river flowed down from the mountain.

Midori woke to a quiet commotion in the camp. Bufurug and Brondin Stonehammer whispered urgently to each other while sounds of whispered communication came from the surrounding woods. "Could be bandits," Brondin whispered.

Brondin saw Midori stirring and walked over to her. "Midori," he whispered, "we find ourselves surrounded. Prepare yourself and draw your rapier. If they turn out to be hostile and they get close, stab forward at a face or torso if you see an opening. We're not sure who they are, but they could outnumber us."

Midori hissed, "Aw, man! I'm too tired for this! I have a better idea." She stood up, cleared her throat, and prepared to project her voice.

"Midori, no—!" Bufurug tried to stop her to no avail.

With her magically amplified voice, Midori let out a loud, long yelp that sounded like a cross between a dragon's bellow, a lion's roar, and a rooster’s crow. All those in the camp who were still sleeping scrambled to their feet in a panic. In the surrounding woods, the voices cried out and retreated into the distance.

"Midori, what in the nine hells was that?"

Midori shrugged and simply explained, "If you hear weird noises In the night, simply make weirder noises to assert dominance."

Bufurug addressed the company. "Bandits are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers. I suggest we break camp and move on. The Erran Tower is not far. Drink up, as we are leaving the river behind.

After everyone had a chance to prepare for the hike, the group left for the Erran Tower on a seldom-traveled trail through the forest. They arrived about an hour later, as the sun began to rise over the eastern horizon and started to burn off the fog.

Coming around a bend in the trail, the procession saw a large clearing that was home to the Erran Tower, a 300-foot-tall mudbrick pyramid with a flat top, above which orbited a large, glowing stone.

Bufurug instructed, "We have arrived. Fan out and gather fruit, but be mindful of your surroundings." The team found the produce to be slightly better than by the riverside, but not much. Bufurug lamented their situation, but directed the group to a road leading from the tower toward Abberton, going back into the woods and toward a bridge crossing a fog-filled dry creak bed.

As the group passed by the mudbrick tower, Midori remarked "What is that smell? Did something die in there? Glad we're not exploring the inside of that thing."

After hiking several dozen feet farther down the path, Bufurug held up his hand to signal the company to stop in their tracks. "Wait. Listen." Complete silence weighed down on the forest like a heavy blanket. "It's quiet. Too quiet," he whispered. "We're in danger. Prepare yourselves."

As everyone readied their weapons and glanced around the path frantically, Lyla pointed back to the entrance of the tower. "There!"

Erupting forth from the tower entrance came a small squadron of four reptilian humanoids with dull gray, scaly, mottled skin, wearing leather armor and tattered hides and armed with nasty-looking weapons. The one in the lead pointed at Bufurug and his team, exclaiming in Draconic, "Rotinivokari! Amid!"

Bufurug, incredulous, identified them. "Xulgaths? Here? Friends, you are in over your heads. You should run."

"Well, looks like it's showtime!" Midori drew her rapier and encouraged her friends. "I think we can take 'em. They don't look like much."

She shouted at the attackers, "Step right up! Step right up! Come and get yer ass-whoopin'! We're not afraid of a buncha rubes like you!"

"Midori, wait!" Bufurug tried to stop the impetuous kitsune, but was too late.

Midori charged toward one of the xulgath warriors with her rapier, thrusting forward to target his chest, but her blade only caught in his armor. Midori looked up into the warrior’s face glowering back at her. "Hehehhhhh, maybe I should be a BIT afraid," she admitted as she backed away, turned around, and ran back to the company.

"Stay back, everyone," Bufurug barked his orders at the group, "I shall handle this, myself!" He grasped a sprig of mistletoe hanging from his belt and began gesturing and chanting to cast a spell.

"Sruthán, leanbh, sruthán! Tá bálseomra trí thine! Sruthán, leanbh, sruthán! Sruthán an mháthair sin síos! Fire in the hole!"

Bufurug gestured as if he were throwing a ball, and a blast of flames erupted from a spot roughly in the center of the xulgath warriors' formation, engulfing them in fire. One xulgath was quick enough to duck and roll to the edge of the blast, swearing in Draconic and in considerable pain from his burns. The other three screamed in agony briefly, then went silent, collapsing to the ground.

Midori exclaimed, "Holy crap, Boof! I didn't know you could do that!"

"Second edition allows for it," the shoony druid replied.

Midori stared at him blankly. "What?"

"...nothing," Bufurug shrugged.

Bufurug sprinted toward the surviving xulgath, readying his makeshift staff for a strike. Stefano ran up alongside, fists at the ready. Once within range, Stefano slowed down and began to cough and heave from the xulgath's stench. Nonetheless, he let loose some punches, which the xulgath dodged easily. Bufurug, blessed with a shoony's snout, suffered no ill effects.

The xulgath quickly sized up his two opponents, then swung his club at Bufurug, hitting him in the shoulder. A follow-up bite and swipe with claws connected only with the air.

Bufurug shouted, “Athraigh an bata seo ina sail éille!” His staff darkened, hardened, and grew heavier as he spun it at the xulgath, connecting with one end and following up with a strike from the other end that struck the xulgath's head.

As he fell, the xulgath warrior shouted out in Draconic, "Letoclo udoka, yicari-xiiwiss!"

As Draconic was the de facto language Xa Hoi, her neighboring country when she was a child, Midori knew the language well. She translated, "'Help us, spinesnapper'? What...what is a spinesnapper?"

As if in answer, the slow, rhythmic sound of ponderous footsteps echoed through the forest. A much taller, uglier, and more muscular xulgath emerged from the tower and shambled down the forest path, wielding a large stone maul. He growled menacingly.

Itty-Bitty hefted her pruned tree branch and ran toward the new foe. "'GRRRRR' this! Yer not so big! Stay away from me friends!" As she charged, winding up her makeshift club, the much larger xulgath spinesnapper swung his maul to connect with her as she approached, knocking her back down the path, where she landed with a sickening crunch.

Reacting quickly, Erol and Stephano ran to Itty-Bitty's aid, pulling her to her feet. As the blow from the maul had fazed her somewhat, they walked her back to the rest of the party.

As the spinesnapper approached, Bufurug shouted, "Make for the other side of the bridge! I will hold back our foe!"

As the spinesnapper approached, Bufurug chanted once more “Ag siúl tríd an tine, tá cinniúint i mo lámha. Ag fanacht le tintreach a bhualadh!“ A lightning bolt shot down from a cloud that had just appeared above and connected with his foe. Now covered in soot with smoke rising from its scales, the spinesnapper shook his head to clear it, snarled, and once again moved toward the group.

Bufurug sustained his spell. “Buailfidh tintreach!” A second bolt struck the xulgath, but did not slow his approach.

Bufurug retreated halfway across the bridge then turned to face the oversized xulgath, slamming his staff onto the wooden bridge.

"You shall not pass! I am a druid of the Wild Order, keeper of the Isle of Erran! You shall not pass! Return to the underground shadows from whence you came! You shall not pass!"

As the spinesnapper stepped onto the bridge, almost on top of the shoony druid, Bufurug called down yet another bolt: “Buailfidh tintreach,” striking the xulgath, but also splitting the bridge in two, the tower-side half collapsing into the creek bed.

Bufurug toppled over with the spinesnapper, but managed to grab on to the edge of the bridge. The xulgath grabbed Bufurug's legs and struggled to pull him down as well. His fingers slipping, Bufurug called out to his allies, who were staring, dumbfounded, "Fly, you fools!"

From thirty feet away, Midori reached out, screaming impotently, "Bufurug!" Her companions grabbed her, wordlessly encouraging her to run.

Bufurug could hold on no longer and fell down into the fog....

...followed suspiciously quickly with a muffled thud and a cry of pain from the xulgath spinesnapper. Bufurug's voice carried lightly over the air, "I'm...okay."

The party ran over to the edge of the bridge and peered into the abyss. The fog had cleared out, revealing a ten-foot depth with Bufurug unceremoniously sprawled on top of his unconscious foe. "I guess it didn't have so much fight left in it and I finished it off with that fall. Somebody toss me a rope!"

After helping Bufurug out of the creek bed, the procession continued down the road. Eventually, they crested a hill to see a village about a quarter of a mile away. There was much rejoicing.

Midori caught a whiff of a breeze blowing toward them from the village. "Oh! Lamb, beef, chicken! Bread! Somebody's cooking!" She pulled her coinpuse off of her belt and examined the contents. "I still have the entire cash drop from my booth from the night we left. Looks like lunch is on Dusklight!" Midori ran forth to scout out the source of those wonderful aromas with half of her friends running after her.

"I must advise caution!" Bufurug warned. "Slow down and stay together. Don't attract any unwanted attention. We don't know who awaits us in the village."

Midori and the others stopped to let the others catch up, then Midori's nose continued to lead the group toward the local inn, a three-story building built on top of a rock outcropping. The sign above the door read, "The Miners' Den" and featured a carving of a shovel and pickaxe, crossed diagonally across the sign.

Midori opened the door and walked inside, looking about the sunlit foyer eagerly. The others filed in after her. The wide staircase on the right side of the room led downward into a stone-walled basement lit by torchlight. Smiling welcomingly, a human woman with blonde hair in a burgundy peasant top and a skirt stood behind the reception desk on the left, with shelves and racks of keys behind her, and an open hallway leading to the rest of the building.

"Hello, and welcome to The Miners' Den! Are you here for lunch?"

"Lunch! Yes!" Midori piped up enthusiastically, "Whatever you're cookin’, we can smell it from down the road. We gotta get some of that!"

Bufurug strode up to the desk and signaled for the front desk clerk's attention. "A hearty meal for eight, if you please; also water and a keg of beer. We have been walking some distance and could use something substantial to replenish our strength. The young lady in green has graciously offered to treat us all."

The clerk turned to Midori. "Oh, how nice! The crew downstairs can get you a family-style lunch spread and your drinks for..." She grabbed paper and quill to jot down the order. "Five silver even. Will you be staying in the inn for the night?

Midori reached into her coin purse, pulled out five silver pieces, and handed them to the clerk. "Oh, we—"

Bufurug interrupted: "That all depends on a few...variables. Once I've had a bite to eat, I was hoping to ask you a few questions before we finalize our itinerary."

The clerk replied, "Very good, sir! We have a washroom on the right at the bottom of the staircase before the entrance to the common room. Clean water from a hand pump from our underground well. I'm sure that you all would like to wash up first after collecting road dust from your journey." She opened the covering on a voice pipe installed in the desk, blew its whistle, and spoke into it: "Vruti, table for eight. Full service. Keg of beer."

The sound of multiple yipping voices speaking the Draconian language in the background came up through the voice pipe, along with a more clear voice speaking in common, "Yah, we can do that, Gwen. We set up now."

Hearing the voices in the background, Midori asked the hostess, "They speak Draconian? You got workers from Xa Hoi?"

The hostess smiled and replied, "No, they're locals. You'll see. And they're friendly. Now go on down and grab some lunch."

The party descended the staircase, stopped by the washroom to clean the dirt off of their faces and hands (except for Itty-Bitty, who reapplied grease paint to her face instead of washing it), then moved into the common room.

Before them stood a torchlit cavern strewn with wooden dining tables and chairs, some occupied with what appeared to be locals. Various hallways branched out from the room at odd intervals, interspersed with closed doors. At the far end of the cavern, a wide window with a counter opened into the kitchen, showing a cooking fire surrounded with rotating vertical skewers full of meat. However, the feature that most interested the party was the staff: all kobolds, standing two or three feet tall with long tails and sharp horns, each one with different colored scales. Cooks in white jackets and toques worked in the kitchen. A few servers in black aprons who carried large trays laden with food bustled around a large table set for eight.

Midori's eyes opened wide, trembling and sparkling. "Eeeeee! Itty-Bitty," she whispered as she elbowed her friend in the ribs, "those are kobolds? They're so damned cute!"

"Yeah, those are kobolds," Itty-Bitty replied. "Usually they run away or try killin' ev'ryone when ya find 'em. Never seen 'em serve lunch before."

"Ooooo! They're so cute I gotta punch somethin’!" Midori proceeded to punch Itty-Bitty in the arm, without inflicting any pain, of course. "Can I have one? Can I take one home?"

Overhearing this interaction, Bufurug hissed at Midori, "Those are people just like you and me. You can't 'have one.'"

"Well, I'mma ask 'em to join the circus with us, then."

"Midori, behave yourself.”

A green-scaled kobold in black pants, a white shirt, and a black bow tie approached the group. Midori raised her arm and pointed her index finger at him, her mouth agape, about to say something about how adorable his ensemble was with the darling bow tie and OH MY GODS ARE THOSE TEENSY LITTLE EMERALD CUFFLINKS? but Bufurug pushed her arm down and gestured to her to keep quiet before she could say anything.

"Welcome to The Miners’ Den. I am Vruti; I seat you at your table. We hope you are hungry. Food is fresh and locally sourced. Meat is hot off the skewers." Vruti gestured invitingly to the table. Seven of the group rushed over to throw themselves into seats, blindly grabbing what morsels were closest and tossing them either into their mouths or onto the plates in front of them, as was standard meal procedure at the Celestial Menagerie when the fare was more than simply stew ladled out into bowls. The other customers looked at them with various levels of disgust.

Bufurug spoke levelly yet firmly as he unhurriedly walked over to the eighth chair, "Friends, we are out in public. And in public, one is expected to adhere to at least a minimum level of table manners. Stop and look around you. These fine people are savoring their food, enjoying it. We are in no rush. We have enough food for all of us. Take a look at what is laid out for us. Pass the serving trays around the table in an orderly fashion. Put whatever looks good to you in a flatbread and wrap it up. Take small bites."

Looking around the table, the party saw platters of roasted red meats and poultry, smoked sardines, warm folded flatbread, chopped fresh or pickled vegetables, crumbled goat's cheese, and bowls of dips and spreads. Each setting had a mug of water and a mug of a pale, crisp lager, the remaining beer waiting to provide refills in the cask on a stand at the side of the table. After Bufurug's admonishment, they reigned in their impulses and behaved like civilized customers.

Midori had put a variety of ingredients into a flatbread, wrapped it up, and took a bite. The beef and lamb slices were flavorful and juicy, with a little crispiness around the edges. Tomatoes added more juiciness and pickles provided some crunch. The crumbled cheese and fluffy white garlic sauce added saltiness and sharpness. Altogether, it was a flavor profile that she had never tasted before in her life. "Whoa! This sure beats the mystery stew back at the Menagerie! Hey, Bufurug, why didn't we ever eat this stuff back there?"

"Well, Midori, economies of scale and the effort of preparing a meal for dozens of people who want to eat at the same time. It's different, here. We're paying for flavor and quality, and the kitchen crew has been working since morning preparing for this meal. The Menagerie had us maximize filling our stomachs while minimizing cost." Bufurug finished his wrap and drank down the contents of his water mug. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some questions for the hostess upstairs." Bufurug left the table while the others continued to eat and drink.

One of the kobold servers refilled Midori’s water mug and she thanked him in Draconic, “Si vinxa.”

Surprised, he replied, “Vs'shtak? Wux renthisj Vs'shtak? <Draconic? You speak Draconic?>”

“Axun,” Midori confirmed, “si yora svadrav si jahus vi sihe persvek Minkai. <Yes, I learned when I was a child in Minkai.>

The kobolds gathered around Midori and started asking questions in Common and Draconian simultaneously, not pausing to wait for answers. "Where are you from? Tir wux tepoha vi mrrandii? Tiric nomeno annish ekess qe lekiqa? Sjek ilfis kackic vi ticket ekess wer circus tir astahii mahhn gethrisj shafaer? Svabol tir kakalack siofme yth varmunch hefoc? What is the circus like? Kii tir yth rigluin kemir bras? Do you need more roasted chicken? Svabol shilta yth anku astahi? Svanoa tir jekivemivi xurwk suorraic? Kii ui coi relgra tourist zissknir sjek yth shilta ti jotop sva astahi? Svabol ui wer ultro di ir cha'sid svrakir?"

It is quite possible that Midori misunderstood some of these questions, but she tried to answer to the best of her abilities. And yes, she did need more roasted chicken.

Soon, Bufurug returned to let his comrades know that Myron “Thunder” Stendhal himself would be driving out to this village tomorrow on a supply run and would gladly offer a ride to the group.”Please, you’ve all had an ordeal, so get some rest and relaxation until mid-morning tomorrow. I’ve booked us a room with blankets and pillows for sleeping. Let’s gather again in the common room for dinner and breakfast.”

After lunch, more kobolds came through the common room with trays of artisanal jewelry to sell. Most of the circus folk turned down their offers, but Midori’s attention caught on a particularly striking black silk choker with a green gemstone. She had the coins available, which she had never had growing up in the Celestial Menagerie, so she purchased it right then and there.

On leaving The Miners’ Den with Itty-Bitty to go explore the village, Midori looked down at her tattered barker's outfit. "This won't do. I don't want Papa Thunder to see me like this after all this time. An' it reminds me of workin’ at the Celestial Menagerie. Let's go spend the day shoppin’!"

Itty-Bitty replied, "I dunno, Squirt. That’ll take all day."

"All right, how about a shoppin’ montage instead? There's always time for a quick montage!"

When they had found a suitable clothing store in town, Midori tried on several outfits in various colors and designs. She eventually settled on a peasant outfit with a green skirt and a white top under a brown bodice.

After their shopping foray, Midori and Itty-Bitty returned to The Miners’ Den in time for dinner.

The party sat at the same table from lunchtime, which was set with a dip made from fish roe and potatoes with flatbread on the side, fresh broiled fish and octopus, and spinach-feta pie. Carafes of house wine sat at both ends of the table.

After the party had eaten with minimal chatter, one of the kobolds led the group to the sleep chambers, where most everybody fell asleep almost instantly, exhausted from the past few days. Midori, however, stayed up to take a long, warm bath before turning in for the night, using up an entire bottle of shampoo in the process.

The next morning, they woke up to a breakfast of toasted bread, soft cheese, eggs poached in tomato-pepper sauce, and steaming mugs of black coffee. As Midori was finishing her meal, she heard a shout from upstairs: “It’s Myron’s wagon! He’s here!” She swallowed her last mouthful, gulping down some water, and threw some coins on the table, shouting “Thank-you-very-much-for-everythin’! The-food-was-great! I’ll-be-back-sometime-soon! Byeeee!” She then ran up the stairs and out the front door to where the wagon approached The Miners’ Den.

The wagon slowed to a stop and Myron stepped down onto the roadside.

"Papa Thunder!" Midori shouted as she ran toward Myron, tears streaming down her face. "I've missed you so much! How long has it been? The years have been such a clouded blur!" She jumped toward Myron into a tackle-hug that spun him right around as he hugged her back.

"Oof!” Myron exhaled forcefully. “Hello there, little kit! It's been a while, for sure. You were under Dusklight's influence for half of your life. I'm amazed that you were able to get away! She had threatened to kill you rather than let you come with me when I left. Bufurug told me a few details of your escape, but said that he'd have to regale me with the tale later."

"What, Bufurug?” Midori scrunched up her face pensively. “You just got here and he's been with us all night. How...?"

"Your friend has a hidden talent. He can walk the fire's pathway and transport himself between large enough fires to cover, well, pretty much any distance. He appeared in our cooking fire about lunchtime yesterday and gave me the basics. So of course I made plans to come out here straight away! You're family!" He gestured to the rest of the gang. "You're all family! Now that you've escaped Darklight's clutches, you're welcome to come live with us if you'd like. All of your skills would be a welcome addition to the Circus of Wayward Wonders!

"It will be like coming home. Over the last year, other escapees from the Celestial Menagerie have joined up with us: the Kanbali family, the Dwarven Throwers, Elizia Pumperknickle, the Flamboni Sisters, and some others. They'll all be immensely pleased to see that you managed to escape as well."

As everyone loaded into Myron’s wagon and they started on the drive to Abberton, Midori began to sing:

🎶🎶🎶

Now we're in the back seat of Papa Thunder’s wagon And he's driving to the Circus of Wayward Wonders And now we all know that this is where we belong And our new family’s going to be so strong

🎶🎶🎶

Chapter 1: We Are On a Diplomatic Mission to Absalom

Chapter 2: The Circus Arrives Without Warning

Chapter 3: Hi-Diddle-De-Dee, a Carny's Life for Me

Chapter 4: Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Chapter 6: The Circus of Wayward Wonders

#pathfinder #pf2e #extinction curse #character backstory #original character #kitsune

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