Huge lily pads rest on the surface of a pool glistening with phosphorescent algae. Giant dragonflies use the lily pads as landing platforms, buzzing loudly overhead with wings as brilliant as stained-glass windows, and alighting briefly to drop off and pick up excited passengers.
Near the entrance, a small, smiling tree turns your way and beckons you over. A red squirrel clings to its leafy canopy, peering at you suspiciously.
@Northwind, a @Prismeer native, is a carefree @Treant sapling. @Northwind's squirrel companion, @Red, sizes up guests while keeping at least one beady eye on Northwind’s acorns. @Red is the beneficiary of a druid’s @Awaken spell.
Riding a dragonfly costs 1 ticket punch. There are eight giant dragonflies, which are trained to fly their riders in a lazy figure eight around the carnival’s thoroughfare, at a height of 20 feet. A character who tries to steer their dragonfly off course must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to do so. Any characters who succeed on the Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to redirect a giant dragonfly might benefit from it in chapter 4 (see area M20).
As the characters’ first ride begins, shouts of alarm erupt from a nearby lily pad. A giant dragonfly has just taken off prematurely with a patron on its back: a middle-aged dwarf with a bright blue beard sits unfastened in his harness. @Kettlesteam, a @Kenku warlock, used a @Speak with Animals spell to panic the dragonfly. Characters can spot @Kettlesteam before she slips away with a successful Wisdom (Perception) check contested by @Kettlesteam's Charisma (Deception) check. See “Catching Kettlesteam” in the chapter lore if the characters try to confront her.
A character can calm the startled mount and guide it back to a lily pad with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. The carnival’s mood rises by 1 step if a character succeeds on this check. If the characters fail to rescue the dwarf, he tumbles from the dragonfly’s back; luckily, his fall is cushioned by a tent awning, and though he isn’t badly hurt, the mood of the carnival lowers by 1 step.
@Northwind is terrible at keeping secrets. If questioned about the carnival, the treant loudly whispers the following bits of information, preceding each with “I’m not really supposed to talk about this, but …”
“@Mister Witch and @Mister Light aren’t the carnival’s original owners, y’know. They’re not even from the Feywild! But it matters not an inch! We’re all one big, happy family here!”
“The carnival can’t run without Mister Witch’s @Witchlight Watch —I hope he never loses it!”
“There’s nothing @Mister Light likes more than a sea of smiling faces—if the carnival’s happy, he’s happy!”
@Northwind doesn’t know about @The Hourglass Coven or what has become of @Prismeer or its archfey ruler; it thinks the domain is still thriving under @Zybilna's rule.