Episode 1 - Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate

[Mr. Handy]

I think we should definitely regroup and stick together. I'll use my flashlight.

[Snapper]

OOC:   Definitely want to regroup.

[Mephistophilis]

OOC:   FYI Harry, Max, and Dirk all have Nature 10% so it doesn't make any difference who rolls (with a bonus dice). If you fail roll me a 1d8 please.

[CrackheadC.]

"You guys all set? We just gotta blow the sucker apart and stuff him in a mirror right? Typical, everyday stuff. For sure. Let's do this, guys!" Dirk preps his firecrackers for a quick bang if needed and then leads the charge towards Charlie, Darren, and the smoke creature.

I'll do the honor for our nature roll,
1d100

Fail as expected,
1d8

[Mephistophilis]

The three of you run into the darkness after Charlie, and Darren, and whatever was chasing them. Dirk catches glimpses of movement through the mist and urges everyone on. You slip on wet grass and skid across gravel paths that appear through the fog. Never catching sight of the others.

After a few minutes Dirk slows down, he's disorientated, not sure where he's going or where he came from. None of you are. All around is just blackness. Then he glimpses something and tears off again, the other following close behind, all coming to a complete halt as you find yourselves staring up at a wall of criss-crossing latticework, stretching up into the darkness.

Now you've stopped you notice there's an odd smell in the air. Is something burning?

Bonus die: 1d10 8

[Snapper]

"OK, OK, we're a bit lost. Let's keep a bit of distance from that horrible roller coaster though."

"Let me see if I can figure out which way is back to the merry-go-round, at least."

Max took a few steps back from the lattice then pulled out his compass.

OOC:   What direction is the party facing when they are looking at the lattice?

[Mr. Handy]

Harry compares the reading of the compass with the map he memorized to try to figure out where they are.

[CrackheadC.]

Dirk pants for a few moments to catch his breath, "You're right, we might be a little lost. There is no way this is the same struts as last time is it?" Dirk eyes the latticework suspiciously, keeping a safe distance.

"Hey... does anyone else smell that? Shit did I light something?" Dirk checks his pockets and jacket to make sure his lighter and firecrackers are still there, "smells like something is burning to me."

[Mephistophilis]

The compass indicates that the latticework is to the south of them. Harry thinks the most likely place for them to be is around the southwest of the park, near the Dodgems. He bases this on the map where the rollercoaster runs all around the perimeter of the park, but there's a stretch that seemed to run horizontal for a way.

Dirk checks all his pockets. There's nothing on his person that seems to be on fire at least. But that burning smell is getting stronger. It's acrid and your eyes water.

[Snapper]

"Let's just head due east until we find the main path again. Where we were before. And let's go now, something is burning."

Max oriented the compass to due east and pointed the way with his flashlight.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes," says Harry, following. "That'll take us back to the merry-go-round, and from there we can try again to track down the others."

[CrackheadC.]

"Yeah, let's go. Max, I think you better be in charge of finding our way from now on." Dirk says with a shallow sigh after getting them lost.

[Mephistophilis]

Following Max's compass, it's easy enough to find your way back to the carousel.



Apart from the mirrors you smashed or took with you it seems to be the same as you left it. But no sign of Charlie, Darren, and whatever that was chasing them.

You try not to look directly into the mirrors but even out of the corner of your eye you can still sense that swirling grey movement across the glass.

On the far side of the carousel the fog thins out for a few second and there's a flash of colour. The red of a balloon, being held by a child. They turn towards you all, look towards you. They're wearing some kind of red and white clown outfit, like the child you saw through the fence. It is difficult to tell from this distance but they seem to look at you with an expression of recognition, although you can't make out who they are. And as you take in their whole appearance you realise that while they hold a red balloon in their left hand, floating in the air like it's filled with helium, their right shoulder ends in a bloodied stump. They wave their left hand at you, still holding the balloon's string.

On the back of your neck you can feel something. Like a breath of wind. But warmer. Like someone breathing rapidly onto the back of your neck. You freeze for a moment. Then do the only thing you can do. You turn slowly and look behind you, all three of you together.



Standing very close is a man. Dressed as a clown. He has red hair and a red clown nose. His skin is covered in thick white makeup with black teardrops penciled under the eyes. And in his left hand floats a red balloon. His face is almost like a mask, but it creases into an awkward smile and croaks out a short laugh followed by rasping words.

''Welcome to Funland. So pleased you made it.'

[Mr. Handy]

"Where are the others?" demands Harry.

[Snapper]

"Aagh!!"

Max jumped back a couple of steps and without really thinking, pointed the mirror at the creepy clown man.

[Mephistophilis]

In response to Harry's question the clown looks at him and tilts his head to one side. 'You lost your friends Harry? Don't cha worry, I'm your friend Harry. It's me, Mr Fun, but you can call me Perry, cos we're friends.' He holds out the length of string in his hand, 'Don't cha wanna balloon Harry?'

As Max jumps back and points his mirror at the clown, the clown moves. Or, at least, he's no longer near Harry but is standing in front of Max, much closer. Rasping right into Max's face.

'That's right Maxy boy. You got the right idea. Gotta give up your lies if you wanna be free.'

The smell of the clown's breath is...hard to describe. Like old books, musty. A little bit oily. Not unpleasant necessarily but not right coming from a person.

Harry looks at his hand. He's holding the string to a red balloon that floats above him. But Mr Fun is still holding his own red balloon as well. He can't remember taking the balloon, but there it is.

There's something familiar about the name of Perry the Clown. From the depths of your memory you recall something about a clown with that name who did shows and readings down at the Northfield Library. Not that you ever saw him, that's not really the sort of thing you did when you were young. But you remember someone saying he got kicked out of the library. You can't remember the exact details but something like telling the little kids there's no Santa. Asshole!

There's something familiar about the name of Perry the Clown. You recall seeing a Perry the Clown doing shows and readings down at the Northfield Library, he was a bit weird. Awkward. But it must be some kind of Northfield tradition because your mom told you that there was a clown there when she was young as well, she said they might have been called Perry too. But you think the Perry you saw got kicked out for saying inappropriate stuff to the children, at least, that's what your mom said.

[Mr. Handy]

"This is a missing time phenomenon," says Harry clinically, as if it weren't happening to him personally. "It's one of the commonly reported symptoms of alien abduction."

Know roll (35% stat) about the clown:
d%

[Snapper]

Terrified, Max shoved the mirror towards the clown's painted face. "You get away from us!"

[Mephistophilis]

The clown turns his head to the side again in a slightly quizzical movement. The expression doesn't change until he opens his mouth in a vague approximation of a smile, revealing sharp little yellow teeth. 'I just wanna help ya Max.' He holds out one of his hands. 'Here, have a balloon,' and when Max looks again he's holding one too. A mirror in one hand and a red balloon in the other.

[Snapper]

Max backed away towards the others as fast as he could, head swiveling between the clown and the balloon.

"What is going on?! Who the heck is this clown, and what's with the balloon?!"