Johannes uses **Detect Evil **on Plixican and John Smith.
He is reassured to detect nothing, and shares the good news with Crumlin.
Quentin tilts his head to one side to reveal the pommel of the two-handed sword at his back.
“What sort of crowd?”
Crumlin continues calmly (the man is a born orator!)
"I’m talking about the crowds that have gathered here, both to enjoy the Circus and to watch the Gladiator combats.
Now perhaps not all of you may have suitable Skills. But I mean things like:
- briefly entertaining the crowd in the Arena (e.g. music, juggling or teaching a Skill)
- repairing Circus equipment (wood, metal or cloth)
- healing wounded Gladiators
It’s a way of earning a few coins and finding out what your party can do."
“Mayor, do I take your meaning correctly that you do not have a specific task for this newly formed group right now, but that you may have plans for us in the future and that you wish to keep the party on call, so to speak? If that is the case then maybe the best way for us to get to know one another would be to talk to the Circus hobbit and see if we can’t find a job that would help us all get to know one another a bit better. I would gladly go and fetch him so we can talk to him as a group. I think we will be best served if we all work together rather than take individual odd jobs, but there is no reason that you all should leave the comfort of this fine tent.”
“As I said earlier, I have family in the circus, and it can be a fine life, full of wonder and some coin” with that Dorric plucks a coin seemingly from thin air. It is very basic slight of hand, but he likes to show of some of the little tricks he used to use when he was a professional circus performer back in his former life. “The coin never seems to last though.” He tosses the coin back into the air and it disappears. Again, simple slight of hand, but it makes him happy.
“It’s not the life I chose, but I wouldn’t object to a little time back with the circus folk until we can move on to more pressing matters. John Smith, you still seem strangely tense to me, even after I gave you that nice cup of tea. You must not be evil or the Palladin would have killed you by now. Maybe a brisk walk will do you good? Come, walk with me to see the hobbit and bring him back to the rest of the party. We can talk along the way and maybe I can actually learn something about you other than that you have a cat and are high strung.”
John replies, “Sure, let’s go. And thanks for the tea.”
Sneakerpuss follows along.
Dale will come along. If he knows tumblers, jugglers, and animal trainers, they’ll need some healing before long.
John Smith quickly scribbles a note to himself (about Dorric’s face. He realises that his Familiar will also remember this.)
As they walk, looking for the hobbit from the circus, Dorric attempts to strike up what he hopes will seem like a casual conversation with John Smith hoping to get to the bottom of what exactly is bothering him about the spell caster.
“John, I know why Dale and I are here, but what brings you to Freeport? In particular what brings you to the arena today? Are you from Freeport originally? Also, what kind of magic do you practice and how skilled are you?”
Sneakerpuss’ fur raises slightly when Dorric talks to John, but John makes no reaction and pauses before speaking, one of those pauses that seems too long. When he does talk, he says, "I use different kinds of magic, but mainly what I call ‘protect me magic’ and what I call ‘hurt them’ magic, the kind that inflicts pain and death on enemies.
Actually, I rather thought you, Dorric, would have known why I’m here. Don’t you know me? I swear we’ve met before; something about you is incredibly familiar, though your name does not seem familiar to me. Have we met before? And, what are you and Dale here for?"
As Dorric, Dale and John Smith head off to look for the Circus hobbit, Mayor Crumlin says to the others “Let’s keep the party together, chaps. And have a think about what you could for the circus!”
He stands up and politely ushers Johannes, Plixican and Quentin out of the tent.
As Crumlin leaves, he gives a piercing whistle and the small boy who was outside the tent earlier immediately re-appears.
Crumlin passes the boy a coin and the lad takes up a position (arms folded) in front of the tent.
Crumlin chuckles “Much better than a reserved sign”.
Johannes turns to Quentin and Plixican and says
"Looks like we’re in for a bit of a warm-up tussle in the Arena then. May I suggest we wait for the rest of our friends and then go see the Circus Hobbit to offer our services?
“I have never seen you before in my life, I would swear to it. Your cat doesn’t seem to like me much though, I will say that. Dale and I are here at the request of the Mayor, beyond that you know as much as I do. This magic of yours sounds dangerous, remind me not to make you mad at me.”
John nods, though it isn’t totally clear what he’s nodding in regards to. He says, “Is Dorric your real name? Or a nickname? And my magic is dangerous…all magic is. I wouldn’t worry too much unless you are very near an enemy I’m attacking. I would be willing to protect any of our groups melee fighters as well as myself, by the way.”
“Dorric’s my real name. It’s an old family name, belonging to my great great grandfather hobbit. I’ll watch out for magic. I don’t know much about it as it is. If I have a scroll I can sometimes cast a spell or two, but mostly I just do slight of hand. Fake magic, but very safe. Where do you think that circus hobbit got off to?”
“I don’t know. If you like, I can send Sneakerpuss off to locate him. You’d be surprised at what this fine feline can do.”
"That would be fantasic, please send him. You must tell me more about this amazing cat that will run errands for you. I like cats quite a bit but I can’t even get them to come when called to dinner. Also don’t think that I didn’t notice you dodge the question of why you are in Freeport. What brings you here?
Oh and Dale, feel free to jump into the conversation."
John Smith picks up Sneakerpuss for a moment and stares hard into the cat’s eyes. Following this, the cat meows and dashes off.
“Why am I in Freeport? To be honest, I’m not exactly sure. I’ve had a very odd last few weeks, to be honest, though I…would rather not share all the details yet. And to make things even weirder, I’m still quite sure that I recognize your face. So, for now, I’m here to follow along with whatever our groups plans are.”
Sneakerpuss soon spots the Circus hobbit nearby.
The showman is enthralling a crowd of locals with stories…
John relates the information Sneakerpuss reports to Dorric and Dale.
“I guess we better head over that way, then.”
Sneakerpuss resumes walking with John, swerving in and around this feet as he walks.
The ringmaster-hobbit stops what he is doing as soon as he sees the party approaching. “Splendid!” he says. “So you’ve decided, then? (By the way, I thought the Mayor might handle the introductions, but he’s a busy man. Sir Cuthbert’s the name, but you can call me Sir Cuthbert :D. ) What do you think you could do for me?”