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• Adrian Silverstrength (Human Paladin)
• Buppido Diinkarazan (Rock Gnome Cleric/Wizard)
• Sephrenia (High Elf Cleric)
• Ragnaroc (Aasimar Warlock) 
• Don Kannin (Half-Elf Ranger)
• Korra (Air Genasi Rogue)

• The party awakens in their rooms in the Nightshade Inn and decide to head downstairs
• Downstairs, a very well dressed man stands out; his pale skin almost giving the appearance as if he might be dead, however

• Datura Stramonium introduces himself when he sees the party and explains that some of his employees saw fighting among the party; forcing people to leave and such. To ensure there’s no hard feelings and that every customer is satisfied with the experience at the Carnival he offers each of them an exclusive ticket to the VIP after show at the Big Tent which is normally not accessible by the general public

• He then emphasizes, “And bring no weapons. You will be searched. The weapons may make some of the more… exotic animals feel threatened. And if you have any pets of your own, also do not bring them. The animals seen in the VIP show are… dangerous. And if they sense or smell an animal that they associate with food or danger, they may act erratically. I am sure you all understand,” he says with a coy, challenging smile.
• Buppido looks at the man and bluntly asks, “Are you some kind of undead?”
• Datura Stramonium smiles, “Me? Oh, the skin color. No I am not. I rarely get out, however. I come from an island where the sun does not shine much.” He then takes his bow and turns to Adrian and opens his closed palm. “I have something for you. Your heart aches and misses a loved one. I want to give you something to take that pain away.”
• He then reveals a ring in the palm of his hand that wasn’t there a moment ago; a ring with a gem in the center shows the reflection of Isabella moving about. Adrian asks, “What’s the catch?”

• Datura explains, “No catch. I understand you were dragging your companions away, and had a bad experience. I want to make up for that. Slide the ring on – think of her – and she will be able to hear you voice.”
• Sephrina whispers, “Be wary of gifts from strangers. Remember our dwarven cleric and the necklace.”
• Datura hands Adrian the ring and smiles, “Hope all of you join us tonight for the VP show. It’s sure to be a show like no other.”
• As Datura leaves, Adrian casts Divine Sense and senses a fiend nearby
• Sephrenia asks for the ring and uses Concentrate and has a vision of Datura, speaking to a woman and saying, “Go find her.” The woman teleports away – and suddenly Sephrenia can see the woman approach Isabella’s shop and speak to Isabella – shaking her hand – and pricking her with a small needle before excusing herself, rounding a corner and teleporting back to Datura where she hands him the small blood sample and Datura uses some form of magic to infuse the blood into the red ruby in the ring.
• Sephrenia shares her vision with Adrian and explains that she believes it may be cursed; but she has a spell that should free him if it is (Remove Curse)
• Adrian thanks her and goes up to the room and leaves the ring there and heads back downstairs
• Sephrenia adds, that he should be concerned, that they knew exactly who his significant other is
• Adrian explains as Datura was leaving he sensed a fiend, however, Sephrenia, Buppido and Korra all heard theme and nod and agree he had a strong carnival theme about him
• Adrian rolls his eyes, lifts his hands and roars, and says, “I said fiend.“
• Everyone nods a universal, “Oh.” And then Bupiddo wonders aloud, “So… is he an undead fiend?” And thinks back; and he’s heard of a demon lord, Orcus, who has raised countless armies of undead; that range from normal undead, to giants, to even other demons
• Ragnaroc sighs, “We should just release the dragon the little one over there found in the cage,” as he thumbs in the direction of Bupiddo, He adds, “We release the dragon; it attacks the fiend, we kill the fiend – and if we have to – the dragon as well, when they’re both in a weakened state.”
• Sephrenia adds, “I admit, the idea of an undead fiend seems rather terrifying.” This reminds Adrian of his former companion’s fate – the severed fingers – and how they’d fought Orcus, Demon Lord of the Undead’s minions at Spire’s Edge and how none of his current companions were there for that battle – all the others have left. And one of them, if the severed fingers and head were any indication – at least one of them was dead.
• The party agrees that they will go ahead and attend the VIP show; and that they will observe and attack if needed – the issue would be – how would they smuggle their weapons inside?
• Ragnaroc mentions he can cast invisibility on the weapons; Korra could levitate it, and attach it to a balloon, and one of them hold it – and act like they’re just bringing a balloon in
• Buppido adds that they should strap the weapons to Ms. Claws, turn Ms. Claws invisible, and levitate Ms. Claws
• Ragnaroc notes that he can also make a second person invisible, and Adrian mentions they should make Korra also invisible, so that if something goes down, she could get a free sneak attack
• The party attends the VIP big top show and take their seat among about forty people
• When the show starts, the party notices that the big top has a large opening at the top – and in the center of the big top are ten young adults, who seem to be about 18 years old, which rings true to what the innkeeper had told them
• The young carnival workers begin working the crowd, which immediately begins cheering and chanting – and one of the carnival workers shouts, “I present to you – Searscale!” And just then a massive gust of wind fills the entire interior of the big top as a young, adult red dragon lands in the middle.

• The carnival workers welcome VIP members to come out and pet the dragon; which several of the party members do; including Bupiddo who climbs on its head, and Ragnaroc who shouts, “Now I get why no one wants to leave!”
• They also bring in a number of other exotic animals, such as a Behir, Chimera, among others
• Everyone also notices, that it seems these young adults seem to be casting spells, to control these animals; Buppido notices that they’re casting magic and decides he will cast Counterspell – which counters the spell when Lily is casting; but the others – namely, Glory – casts her spell – to regain control of Searscale
• The party looks around, and notices the crowd is going wild believing this was supposed to happen; that it would look like that they’d lost control of the fearsome red dragon, but regained it
• The party fails to notice something happening around them
• So, Adrian, Korra and Ragnaroc suddenly feel much weaker (DM Note – 1 point of Constitution was siphoned from them as it will slowly become clear that the way some of the young adults are positioned in the big top – are doing a ritual)
• The names of the employees running the carnival are –
  • Bella Donna (Carnival Employee)
  • Caladium (Carnival Employee)
  • Challa Lily “Lily” (Carnival Employee)
  • Clematis “Clem” (Carnival Employee)
  • Datura Stramonium (Carnival Owner)
  • Dogbane “Dog” (Carnival Employee)
  • Gloriosa Lily “Glory” (Carnival Employee)
  • Hemlock “Hem” (Carnival Employee)
  • Hen Bane “Henny” (Carnival Employee)
  • Maikoa “May” (Carnival Employee)
  • Toloache “Tolo” (Carnival Employee)
• As well as a Cyclops named Malick
• Dungeon Master’s Note – All the children/young adults as well as the Carnival Owner, are all named after lethal flowers and plants
• Adrian and Korra, perhaps because they’d felt weakened, take notice that people in the audience, despite cheering vigorously, look exhausted – and as if their facial features seem thinner
• The party begins to notice a thin red glow – and a pattern – in the center – and at each point – one of the young adults is standing – and it becomes clear – there’s a ritual being cast that’s siphoning off – not just energy, but life force

• The party then notices – as they watch more closely – that Tolo, May, Dog and Cali all seem to be gripping some invisible tarp – and tearing at something
• Buppido points out, “I think they’re opening a portal of some kind.” And then notices that the majority of the audience has been rendered unconscious.
• Korra notes that she’s not sure what may happen, but this has definitely been to the best show she’s ever been to. Buppido agrees that this has been the best show he’s been too – but he’s not keen on being abducted – which, so far – everything the innkeeper mentioned seems to be true
• Buppido says, “I am not down with getting my soul sucked out.” And does a surprise round of Fireball landing it in the center
• And surprisingly – most of them seem fairly unaffected – and their true forms are revealed –

• And a battle begins!
• Hem runs up and slashes Adrian’s face as the few people still conscious cheer, thinking this is a part of the fantastic show
• Henny runs up to Ragnaroc and attempts to claw his face, bringing his sharp talons raking down Ragnaroc’s face; which Ragnaroc then unleashes Hellish Rebuke, which Henny only takes half the damage (being resistant to fire damage due to their nature)
• The party notices that Cali, Tolo, Dog and May don’t move and continue “ripping at the fabric”
• When Don Kannin goes; Ms. Claws is currently still invisible, forcing Don blindly searching for his weapon (Note I mentioned that Ragnaroc can simply cease thinking of the Invisibility spell – but he didn’t say anything, so I made Don do a Dexterity Check at Disadvantage)
• Don frantically reaches around – but does not find where Ms. Claws is
• Korra whispers to Ragnaroc, “Before you drop Invisibility – allow me to make my attack.”
• Because Korra moved to speak to Ragnaroc, as Don is reaching for his weapon, he pokes Korra (who is also still invisible) in the eye – causing her next attack to be at Disadvantage as her vision is blurred (Critical Fail for Don’s Dexterity Check)
• Ragnaroc drops Invisibility on Ms. Claws, and then casts Eldritch Blast on Henny, who’d clawed him in the face, landing a Critical Strike with the first hit, also doing Maximum Damage – however, the second shot misses
• Buppido manages to land Fairy Fire on a few of the Carnival Workers as he realizes a large majority of his normal spells are fire based, which these creatures seem to be immune to
• Korra – since her first attack would have been Disadvantaged due to being poked in the eye – decides to go with something that will for sure hit – and launches Magic Missile at Tolo, May and Dog – striking each of them
• Clem then rushes Buppido and casts a spell which Buppido manages to avoid
• Glory rushes to Malick’s side and touches his arm, and it’s as if Malick suddenly comes alive and joins the combat (his initiative is 1)
• In the meantime, Adrian grabs Demonbane from Ms. Claws
• Adrian and Sephrenia definitely identify that there’s some kind of plane tearing happening between the four in the center (Cali, Dog, Tolo, and May)

• Korra and Ragnaroc – especially Ragnaroc – clarify – that it’s not just any planes they’re opening up a portal to – but to the Plane of Hades, where demons and demon lords rule
• Korra then notices that the cheering dies down further, as it seems the last few remaining patrons who were cheering, suddenly collapse, and orbs leave their bodies and fly into the gaping hole
• Henny manages to successfully charm Ragnaroc; and Ragnaroc looks at Henny with utter admiration; suddenly seeing Henny as the most beautiful man in the world, and that for some reason, he lusts after Henny’s attention – and more. And with Ragnaroc charmed, Henny then kisses Ragnaroc for Critical Damage (doing a total of 48 points of damage) which sends Ragnaroc crumbling to his knees
• Malick then moves next to Korra and tries to swing his massive club at her; and thanks to her Cloaks of Displacement, the Cyclops misses; but when both of his massive clubs pound the ground; it leaves a small hole and even nearly shakes Korra off her feet; she knows if he manages to land a hit, it’s going to potentially be fatal
• Ragnaroc manages to roll a Natural 20 on his Death Save (giving him 1 hit point), at which point Henny had broke the Charm on Ragnaroc believing Ragnaroc to be dead and moves towards Buppido
• During the time Ragnaroc is on the floor, he sees a hand come through the portal – and a load roar

• Despite knowing that they are fire resistant, Buppido launches another fireball to at least attempt to damage them; but most of the succubi and incubi are able to avoid the majority of the fireball damage (resistant for half, then successful saves, so 1/4 the damage)
• Several more rounds go by, Sephrenia gives a heal to Ragnaroc, but the Carnival Children don’t show any indication of going down (though Adrian manages a Critical Strike and kills Henny) – and the ritual continues – as a demon becomes clearer – and after several more rounds – a demon, still ethereal in appearance – but appearing to be on the Prime Material Plane and solidifying slowly …