[center][h1][color=#9A42AD]Tsak Vlos[/color], [color=ed145b]Aurora[/color], & [color=f26522]Miizel[/color][/h1][h2]Ft. The Dungeon Master[/h2][/center] Aurora, Miizel, and Tsak make their way to the Hall of Illusions to see that not much has changed in this area. Candlefoot is back at his post of punching tickets for the attraction, and he waves in greeting to the three of them in greeting. Aurora waved back to Candlefoot while walking up to him. [Color=ed145b]"Hello Candlefoot, glad to see you in goods spirts. Has anything weird been happening around here? I've heard there have been disappearances around here. I seem to remember seeing a little girl in tattered cloths wearing a pig mask in here but couldn't find her. She was talking to the halfling that had proposed to his girlfriend earlier."[/color] She knew she was being pretty blunt and straight forward about the matter, however time was of the essence. The sooner they could resolve the disappearances the sooner they may be able to get more information from the owners. Tsak was following Aurora, both curious as to what the hell she was talking about, and keeping caution on the homicidal gnome. Using her wings, she would quickly catch up, moving beside Candlefoot to briefly help stamp tickets as she awaits for his response. Miizel walks up and presents his ticket as well. [color=f26522]“To build off of what she said, Feathreen mentioned that Hurly was last seen over here.”[/color] He said, glancing inside the Hall of Illusions. Candlefoot answered Aurora's question, "[color=6ecff6]I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone disappear. But, then again...I do often try to stay away from the Hall. We all try to give this place a wide berth. Something about the Hall hasn't felt...right. Hurly's disappearance certainly confirmed it,[/color]" [color=f26522]“Is that so?”[/color] Miizel asks with a raised brow. [color=f26522]“Well, I’ve certainly felt something strange while inside. I was drawn to a particular mirror but upon closer inspection there wasn’t really anything different about it. I’ve even tried touching to see if it was a portal or gateway but nothing.”[/color] [color=ed145b]"Has it always had an odd feeling or is it a more recent thing?"[/color] Aurora paused remembering the halflings emotional state when the girl was seen. [color=ed145b]"Do you know if Hurly was sad or had any regrets?"[/color] Tsak frowned deeply at her fellow Fey before adding her bit, [color=#9A42AD]"Ever since the Mr's became... stricter, about the tickets, its had this... odd, even unnerving feeling about it..."[/color]. She would look down, focusing on the punching for a but, [color=#9A42AD]"I've never liked in there, got lost as a little girl and was too scared to go back. Luckily goblins are willing to do most anything for a little coin or ink..."[/color] [Color=ed145b]"How long ago did they become stricter about the tickets?"[/color] Aurora looked towards Tsak curiously. [color=#9A42AD]"Hmmm...."[/color] Tsak thought on it for a bit before replying, [color=#9A42AD]"As far back as I can remember to be honest. I have heard that the big shift happened when I was a little girl... twenty or so years maybe?"[/color]. [color=f26522]“Getting lost in the Hall…” [/color]Miizel’s eyes glaze over as he seems to recall an event from the past. It was just for a moment because soon after he blinks and his eyes refocus. Turning back to Tsak and Candlefoot he asks. [color=f26522]“Who’s the oldest member of the Carnival? Maybe we could ask them about it after we’re done inspecting the hall.”[/color] Aurora noted Miizel's lost in thought expression when Tsak mentioned getting lost in the Hall. She made a mental note to try to learn more about what happened to him later. It may even have some to do with his initial aggression towards the carnival owners earlier. His follow up question about the oldest member of the carnival would possibly be a good lead to follow later.[color=ed145b] "Besides both the Misters of course."[/color] She thought it would be a good idea to clarify a Candlefoot most lilt didn't know about the meeting with the owners earlier. [Color=ed145b]"Also any knowledge of Hurly's behavior or mental state before he disappeared. I know I have already asked about if he had any regrets, but I think a person's emotional state may have some to do with this mystery."[/color] Candlefoot seemed to be thinking things over when it came to the question. He answered Aurora first, his tone saddened, "[color=6ecff6]Hurly...Life at the Carnival wasn't easy for him. He was brusque and short-tempered, but I can't blame him. The poor guy keeps trying out to perform at the Big Top, but...his auditions keep falling short. So, Mr. Witch and Mr. Light give him menial tasks for his job at the Carnival. Still...I just can't fathom him leaving his brother behind...[/color]" He then looks to Miizel, and answered "[color=6ecff6]The oldest members of the carnival would have to be...Dirlagraun, I think?[/color]" Miizel scratches his beard as he listened to Candlefoot’s explanation. [color=f26522]“What if he didn’t leave but was instead taken?”[/color] He mumbles absentmindedly. [color=f26522]“How old is Dirlagraun? If she’s over a 100 she might be of help.”[/color] "[color=6ecff6]I'm not sure. It's rude to ask her age, you know? But I have heard that she used to serve a high elf family in the Summer Court as a nanny,[/color]" Candlefoot answered Miizel. Aurora nods to Candlefoot. [Color=ed145b]"Thank you for your help."[/color] she turns to Tsak and Miizel. [Color=ed145b]"Shall we head into the hall to where I saw the girl?"[/color] Tsak would frown towards the older Fey before looking to Aurora and nods, [color=#9A42AD]"I'm ready to move on"[/color]. Miizel would look at his companions and motion with his hand. [color=f26522]“Lead the way.”[/color] Aurora leads the other two into the hall, after getting her ticket punched again if necessary, heading for where she had seen the girl talking to the halfling. As the entered the general area she turned to the gnome.[Color=ed145b]"We should be getting close. Is this area familiar to you?"[/color] Stroking his beard, Miizel looked around the area and thought for a moment. [color=f26522]“I’m going to be honest. It may sound strange but this entire place, the Hall of Illusions, is very familiar to me but I just can’t put a finger on it. If you’d like I could take you the place where I went to earlier. It had an eerie feeling to it. Like it was hiding something.” [/color] He pauses and looks at the elven woman. [color=f26522]“I don’t think we’ve actually introduced ourselves, my name is Miizel.”[/color] He gives a slight bow as a greeting. [Color=ed145b]"I'm Rory."[/color] She looked around the hall but seeing anything. [Color=ed145b]"Well this was fruitless. Maybe I was just seeing things"[/color] Aurora frowned deeply remembering how her older sister would chide her for ridiculous stories she would tell. Most of the stories were true and came from Rory roaming the halls of their home, following visitors as well as servants. She shook her head to clear the thought from her head. [Color=ed145b]"I suppose we can try multiple mirrors and see if we can get something to happen. That or we can head off to try to earn the monarch crown."[/color] Tsak was extremely hesitant, almost anxiety ridden, when she approached the hall. She never came here, usually preferring to give a free tattooing to some goblin or pixie then come close to this place. It took a moment after the other two entered for the Fey to collect herself before reigning herself and stepping into the hall of mirrors. [color=#9A42AD]"Well... seems empty... we should go elsewhere..."[/color] The Tattooist would reach into her pant pocket, pulling out her needle and gently tapped the tip as she continued, [color=#9A42AD]"No creepy pig girl here..."[/color] [color=f26522]“Well, I could always take you to that mirror which gave me a strange vibe.”[/color] Miizel suggested. [color=f26522]“Perhaps you could take a closer look at it, maybe find out what I haven’t been able to.”[/color] His tone was hopeful. He had learned not to expect much but maybe these folk could figure out what he couldn’t and put a pin on the thing that he was feeling. [color=f26522] "Though if you all prefer to go somewhere else then I won't force you."[/color] Aurora noticed how nervous Tsak was about being in the hall. [Color=ed145b]"I would be ok with going to see the mirror, Tsak if you want you can go wait by Candlefoot. It's pretty plain this place makes you nervous. My main concern right now however is if this is just some wild fantasy we are chasing."[/color] When Tsak nodded her approval, Miizel began to lead through the halls. Thankfully his feet still remembered the way there so it didn’t take too much trouble to reach the mirror. Once they arrived, he turned around to face them. [color=f26522]“Well, this is it.”[/color] He said, shivering involuntarily. [color=f26522]“The moment I stepped into this place earlier, I was drawn to this specific mirror. Couldn’t figure out why exactly but maybe you would be able to gleam something from it.”[/color] Aurora took a small vial out of one of her pockets and downed the contents before searching the mirror that Miizel pointed out. The mirror seemed like a normal mirror as she touched it. Even pushing on it did nothing. [Color=ed145b]"This seems like any other mirror here...."[/color] She says while a frown crosses her face. [Color=ed145b]"Are there spells that can reveal if something is magical or not?"[/color] Upon hearing Rory ask if using magic was possible, Miizel couldn’t help but groan and slap his forehead. [color=f26522]“I’m so stupid. How could I forget.”[/color] He turns to look towards the two with him. [color=f26522]“Give me 10 minutes.”[/color] He closes his eyes and begins reciting incantations under his breath. After 10 minutes he says one final word and opens his eyes to reveal that mirror in front of him, as well as every other one around them was lit up. Nodding his head he says. [color=f26522]“Right, so all the mirrors around us are magical in nature. I’m gonna try something else. Give me 10 more.”[/color] Without waiting for a reply, his hands begin to move in front of the mirror he was drawn to. Another 10 minutes pass and once he says the last word and does one more hand motion, information about the mirror floods his mind. He involuntarily takes a step back, eyes wide.[color=f26522] “Holy shit.”[/color] He turns towards his companions, his tone becoming more excited.[color=f26522] “Sorry for taking so long but, this mirror is different. All of the ones around us including this one is enchanted with illusion but the thing that makes this different,”[/color] He points at the one he just identified. [color=f26522]“Is that it’s also a portal. I don’t know where it leads to but we need a password or a passphrase in order to make it work.”[/color] [Color=ed145b]"I wonder if the owners know about the portal. Whatever exists on the other side may be responsible for the disappearances. Hurly having been turned down for a performance in the big top, and being given menial tasks probably made him feel not wanted. Maybe that's part of the what the entity is drawn to. Not just sadness but a feeling of not being wanted. I don't think we'll be able to draw it out but at least we know where to look if another disappearance happens."[/color] Aurora knew to some degree how Hurly felt. Nothing she did was quite enough for her parents or sister. Xander however was the one family member who seemed to take Rory as she was, though even he still left. Granted it was to pursue his own path as he insisted that she should. She shook her head to refocuse on the matter at hand. [Color=ed145b]"Tsak do you think anyone else may know about this portal?"[/color] Tsak blinked, now intrigued with what they found. She would move up to the mirror, running a hand over the frame. [color=#9A42AD]"Prismeer..."[/color] she would look up at Aurora with shock and amazement on her face, [color=#9A42AD]"the Mr.s should know... Do you... do you think it's one way?"[/color] Aurora shook her head Tsak. [Color=ed145b]"I don't have much experience with portals . It could be one way though I do not think it likely. We likely won't know unless we know how to activate it anyway. Miizel says it requires a password and I doubt it is something easily guessed."[/color] As he stares at the mirror and tries to think of what the password could possibly be, he suddenly remembers something. When he had first visited the carnival he had gotten caught and the one of the owners said a phrase. It was likely to fail but he had to try. Leaning in he whispered. [color=f26522]“The carnival goes round and round, the multiverse is our playground. Nothing's free and nothing's lost. Every visit has its cost.”[/color] To no one’s surprise, nothing happened. Well it was worth a shot. He turned around and asked. [color=f26522]“I suppose, it’s best not to waste any more time. Where do you guys want to go next? We could go ask Dirlagraun for some advice or go around and,”[/color] He raises his hands and wags his index and middle finger. [color=f26522]“Spread some cheer.”[/color] With an agreement murmured amongst the trio, they leave the Hall of Illusions. As the group leaves, Aurora thought she saw something in the corner of her eye. A shadowy figure...with a crescent moon? When she looks towards that figure, it's not there. ...Was it just her imagination?