The characters receive an invitation to meet privately with Mister Witch and Mister Light when the carnival’s mood reaches either end of the track (see “Tracking Mood” in Chapter 1: Witchlight Carnival) or if the characters impress Mister Light during the Big Top Extravaganza (see “Timed Events” later in the chapter).
Witch and Light send Burly the bugbear (neutral good) to fetch the characters:
A bugbear wearing dungarees, fairy wings, and a helmet made from a jack-o’-lantern approaches you. “Follow me,” he growls. “Management wants to see you.”
With a wave of his hand, Burly creates an opening in the wall of thorns that surrounds the staff wagons (see “Staff Area” earlier in the chapter) and leads the characters through it. If questioned about the nature of the meeting, Burly insists there’s nothing to worry about. If the carnival’s mood is good, he adds that his bosses are in high spirits. Additional roleplaying notes can be found in the bio for Burly.
If the characters follow Burly, read:
The bugbear leads you to a circle of wagons. Leaning against a particularly ostentatious wagon is an aging clown with a painted grin. He puffs on a bubble pipe and glares at you as the bugbear, ignoring the clown, opens the wagon’s door and ushers you inside.
The clown is Thaco, a human Witchlight hand (chaotic neutral) and over-the-hill carnival attraction. Additional roleplaying notes can be found in the bio for Thaco.
A flamboyant elf grins from ear to ear as he welcomes you into the wagon with a theatrical bow. “Please come in, it’s a delight to meet you all! I am Mister Light, and this is my associate, Mister Witch.”
He gestures to a stocky elf lounging on a bunk. Mister Witch nods to you and doffs his top hat.
Mister Light gestures toward his scepter—the Witchlight vane—and explains that it picks up every nuance of emotion in the carnival. If the carnival’s mood is good, Light expresses his gratitude for the cheer that the characters have brought to the carnival so far. If the carnival’s mood is bad, he expresses his regret that the characters aren’t having a delightful time and notes that, in turn, they’re spoiling everyone’s evening.
Witch and Light are eager to learn the characters’ reasons for visiting the carnival; if the characters are motivated by the “Lost Things” adventure hook, Witch and Light dimly remember the characters from when they visited the carnival as children.
If the characters attack the carnival owners, they’re swiftly restrained by Burly and Thaco, who try to knock them out and dump them outside the carnival. Characters who overcome the carnival owners and their guards are begrudgingly taught the secret incantation to reach Prismeer (see “Through the Looking Glass” later in the chapter).
If the characters have come to the carnival seeking lost things, Witch and Light express their regret but make it clear that they’re not responsible for those losses, claiming “forces are at work on the other side that are entirely beyond our control.” Mister Witch adds, “The wheel of time turns ever on … what’s lost is lost, what’s gone is gone.”
If they are questioned about conversations that were overheard (see “Witch and Light’s Wagon” in the "Staff Area" section and “Catching Kettlesteam” later in the chapter), Witch and Light admit they’re not the carnival’s original owners and took over management through an honest pact with the owner of another carnival.
If asked about Kettlesteam, Witch and Light say she’s “a disgruntled guest and troublemaker whose fey patron, Zybilna, dwells in the Feywild domain of Prismeer.” They add that Zybilna is also the patron of the Witchlight Carnival, but Witch and Light have had no contact with her for some time. Throughout the conversation, Witch and Light never mention the Hourglass Coven.
To end the meeting, Mister Witch takes a quick look at his Witchlight watch, then nods to Burly to escort the characters from the wagon. If the carnival’s mood is good, Mister Light offers each character a gift as they exit: a balloon animal of their choosing, crafted by Thaco, “a clown of few words but many talents.” Thaco fashions each balloon into whatever creature is asked for. Each balloon animal is tied with a ribbon and floats magically in the air.