Category: Bleak Abyss Lore

Bailey Balloons’ Fantastical Circus – Setting Document

May 3rd, 2023
Bailey Balloons’ circus is a concept I developed as a one-shot for various members of both parties when not everyone was available for our regular game. Aside from one of the games, Catch the Dragon by the Tail, which comes from the Witchlight campaign, I designed all of the characters, the attractions, and the games. My group actually loved it enough that one of the prizes I offered was tickets for their characters to be able to go back!

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Setting:

The group does not remember arriving, but they come upon a set of circus grounds.

The grounds are planted in a large, open field of flowers, blooming as if it were the middle of spring, creating a rainbow of colors leading the group’s eye directly to the tents.

The main tent seems to reach into the sky, disappearing out of view – you cannot tell if it ever truly ends. Ornate flags and ribbons flow in the gentle, temperate breeze, and the sun saturates the deep tri-color pattern of the tent’s fabric. To either side of the main tent, there are two smaller turrets that support the main structure. The main entrance has the curtains drawn back, appearing open and inviting with a sign to the side, that reads:

“Welcome, weary travelers! Come and find yourselves in a marvelous world of dazzles and delights as you recover from the drivel of your daily lives! Bailey Balloon welcomes you to his Fantastical Circus, where our family is happy to delight you for days! Our show will begin in the evening, but while the sun is still high, come inside and enjoy a myriad of treats and trials! We would be delighted to meet you!”

NPCs:
- Bailey Balloon: Circus owner, demi god and the deity of entertainment, has Barnum internally, a large man with bright purple coat and hat, dark hair, and eyes that seem to be unable to settle on a color. Friendly, and extremely patient, but would not settle for much disruption.
- Barnum Balloon: Bailey’s other half, the deity of gambling, a man who appears like Bailey, but with a black and white color palette, as if from an old cartoon. When he is active, the circus is in black and white, and failing at a game causes the player to take damage.
- Peaches: A young woman with bright orange hair and fur, who appears to be part monkey. She has a long, prehensile tail, strangely shaped ears, and sharp canines. She appears to resemble a golden lion tamarin.
- Trix: A creature of unknown origin, who seems to be some sort of trickster. They take delight in mischief, and may pop up anywhere in the circus, though namely would be in the hall of mirrors.
- Crystal: A demi-god and god of dreams, manning the Fortune Telling booth. They are quiet, and do not seem to blink often. Their plush animals appear sentient and are moving things around the room and around the circus, if the players are searching.
- Morsul: A man that appears to be made of several types of candy, running any and all confection, food, and drink stands. Extremely happy, nearly unable to perceive negativity at all.
- Orvil: A large moose centaur with purple animalistic features. A sweet, southern man, happy to assist however he can.
- Goose: Obviously he would be at the circus. Come on. It’s temporary, but hey, work is work. In charge of Taking the Totem game, but may pop up elsewhere too.
- Chicken: A large creature with a demonic appearance, a large black body and the skull of a bird. They are incredibly friendly, and upon entering the circus are available for photographs or rides. They also are the ‘monster’ in the totem snatching game.
- Pompeii: The circus’s social media manager. Available at the front to give the party recommendations and introduce them to the games and features of the circus, while working.
- Oswald: A pumpkin demon in charge of the Ring Toss.
- Vel: A large drac with a velociraptor-like appearance, with strong hind legs and shorter forearms. The beast tamer for the circus.
- Winnipet: An extremely, extremely small Drac in charge of the CtDbyT game.
- Lyds: A gothic looking man with large black bangs and a high ponytail, wearing a dress that is worn at the ends of the sleeves and skirt. Appears constantly sleepy. Hosts Three Cups.
- Imori: A red-headed cyclops, perky and delighted to be there. She runs the Lion Taming game.
- Boop: A sentient Fjord Horse, who stands in when other game-masters are unavailable.
Games Available:
- Catch the Dragon by the Tail (Witchlight):
  - A perception check of 18 or greater to succeed in catching Ember, the fairy dragon. Succeeding first try is a large prize, second try is a medium prize, third try is a small prize.
- Ring Toss
  - Three distances for rings, with dexterity checks of 5, 10, 15, for a small, medium, or large prize
  - One super far ring, with a check of 18, for a special prize
- Lion Taming
  - Convince the black lion to perch itself on the podium. Animal Handling check with a DC of 17 or higher. Failure leads to the player being chased out of the ring. A win is a large prize.
- Take the Totem
  - A classic adventure puzzle. Player is let into a dark room with a single spotlight, and an idol sitting on the center. Stealth check (DC 10) to get up to the idol without being detected. Sleight of hand (DC 15) to successfully grab the idol. On a failed stealth check, players can try Acrobatics (DC 16) to still attempt to grab the idol before they are attacked by Chicken. A win is a large prize. Half success (succeeding one check but failing another) is a medium prize.
- Balloon Darts
  - Dexterity check (DC 10 for easy balloons, larger and lower, DC 15 for more difficult balloons, higher and smaller. Easy balloons are worth 1 point, hard balloons are worth 2. Player gets 3 throws, and needs 3 points for large prize, otherwise gets small prize. 5 points or more creates special prize.)
- Three Cups
  - An insight check (DC 17 or higher) to be able to identify which cup the crystal has been placed under. A success earns the player a small prize.
- Sword Fight
  - Hosted by Bailey.Contested Dexterity and Strength checks, as well as balance (dexterity) checks separately. Balancing on wooden posts low to the ground (not high enough for fall damage) while fighting each other with magic swords. Larger posts (DC 5) are in the center, while on the edges, they are smaller (DC 10) to encourage combatants to fight each other. Three rounds (if desired). The winner gets a special prize.
- Pie Eating Contest
  - Constitution saving throws, until there is only one player left. The winner gets a special prize. DC: 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20.
Features Available:
- Fortune Telling Car
  - Wisdom Saving Throw – Determines what, if any, questions you may ask, and whether your answer is favorable.
- Hall of Mirrors
  - Intelligence Saving Throw – Determines whether the experience is positive or negative, whether Trix appears small, human, or large, and what they tell you.
- Popcorn and Soda Stand
  - Constitution Saving Throw – DC 10 for regular, mundane food. A failed DC creates a negative or startling magic effect, a success over 20 produces a strong positive magic effect.
- Confections Stand
  - Constitution Saving Throw – DC 15 for regular, mundane food. A failed DC creates a negative or startling magic effect, a success over 20 produces a strong positive magic effect.
- Cotton Candy Booth
  - Constitution Saving Throw – DC 10 for regular, mundane food. A failed DC creates a negative or startling magic effect, a success over 20 produces a strong positive magic effect.
- Suspicious Food Items Booth
  - DC 18 for regular, mundane food. A failed DC creates a negative or startling magic effect, a success over 25 produces a strong positive magic effect.
- With a Backstage Ticket: Learning Tricks
  - A combination of Athletics, Acrobatics, and flat Strength checks. A small obstacle course where Bailey will teach anyone with a ticket some of their routines. Some of these abilities can translate into knowledge (advantage) in similar situations in BA.
Prizes:
- Small Prizes
  - A plush animal (player’s choice – cat, dog, bird, fox, snail, bear, horse, dragon, etc.)
  - A small figure of one of the circus animals
  - A commemorative drinking cup
  - A replica ringmaster hat
  - Fake vampire teeth
- Medium Prizes
  - A larger version of one of the stuffed animals.
  - A replica ringmaster vest
  - A foam weapon (that they are allowed to hit people with, for no damage)
  - A well crafted set of horns (demonic horns, ram horns, deer antlers, antelope horns, etc)
  - A coupon for free popcorn (or a refill)
- Large Prizes
  - The largest version of one of the stuffed animals.
  - A replica ringmaster jacket
  - A singing Bass
  - A Learning Tricks ticket
- Special Prizes (can be taken into BA if desired):
  - A small figurine of a bat, a crab, a snail, or a skink, that can turn into that actual animal
  - Music Marble – a small marble that you can launch into an area. Plays circus music loudly
  - Magic face paint – a single use item that allows you to disguise yourself.
  - A ticket to the circus (allows actual entry in the BA game)
  - IF A PLAYER WINS ALL THEIR GAMES, they can have a functional replica of the ringmaster’s staff, allowing them a very limited number of wild magic charges (3 or 5).
Monster Hierarchies – Spirits

May 3rd, 2023
- White Curse
  - A curse that surpasses the perception of time and space, as its own entity. While they can be communicated with, they do not have an understanding of right and wrong, and have existed for so long, that they only can perceive their rituals, and have lost any sense of humanity or even negative emotion that helped to create them to begin with. THey are benign, so Tari lets them exist, as long as they are being maintained. Wyatt’s field is an example of this. The curse is its own creature, existing peacefully during the daytime, and only operating at night, following a set of rules that can be understood and respected. If the field offers you a gift, you don’t take it. If you accept the gift, you attach yourself to the curse, and it absorbs you. This is no longer done in malice, the curse is not conscious of this effect.
- Grey Curse
  - An aging black curse. Depending on the amount of magic embedded in a curse at its conception, a curse will eventually hit a limit on its expansion, ceasing to grow, and instead, refining its energy. This is another transitional phase where the curse, if it persists, will eventually become a white curse. Grey and White curses are the source of many local tales, that mortals will describe as places with ‘odd feelings’ and ‘bad vibes’. These more stable, tame curses will often be used by demon lords as covers for their bases of operation.
- Black Curse
  - An evolved form of a personified curse that has lost their humanity. The goal of this curse is purely to feed, drawing on universal energy to expand itself. By being within range of the curse, a person is sapped of their energy and grows extremely negative and weak. The effects of this curse’s magic can cause people to turn on each other, to grow violent, and to inflict harm on themselves and others. This is a curse’s most active stage.
- Personified Curse
  - These are aggressive spirits that have evolved into more. They are in a precarious transitional place where they can evolve into one of two things – either a black curse, or a demon. At this point, the magic of the universe has begun to embed itself in the spirit, allowing them access to supernatural abilities that make them very dangerous to approach. A personified curse is difficult to reason with, but it is not impossible.
- Poltergeist
  - A specifically aggressive brand of spirit – where aggressive does not mean bad. Aggression can be the result of evil, but can also be the result of hurt, loss, and trauma, causing a spirit to desire violence. Different exorcists will handle these spirits differently – it is recommended that they are handled with kindness, attempting to resolve their pain rather than exorcizing. However, if a spirit is built on malice, it should just be removed.
- Active Spirit
  - A spirit that is more conscious, usually capable of some conversation. They hold varying degrees of memories about their lives, and may or may not be aware that they are dead. They can interact with the world, and are a level of intelligence that allows them to possess people. Because they are intelligent, they are capable of choosing to be benevolent or evil. Maxwell and Marc are examples of benevolent and malicious spirits. Malicious spirits at this stage are better exorcized.
- Fading Spirit
  - A weak spirit that is clinging to the mortal plane, but has forgotten why, or has very little to connect it anymore. They lose themselves often in time and space, confuse the present for the past, and are unable to always identify people. They do not usually need to be dealt with, as they are just more off putting than actually harmful. They are unaware that they are dead. Walter Henry appears to be this type of spirit. While he has a strong physical manifestation, he cannot separate the present from the past, and often loses himself, forgetting even events that have just occurred.
- Residual Energy
  - The energy left behind in a place that has been occupied for a long time. This is typically passive, no more than hearing footsteps upstairs, whispers in the halls, conversations that fade in and out. Sometimes, residual energy can affect the environment around it, but this is hardly something that needs to be exorcized.
Monster Hierarchies – Witches

May 3rd, 2023
Within the Coven:
- Coven Head
  - The most powerful witch elected by the coven. Power is not defined purely by strength, as it is for demons, but by a number of qualities. While the strength of their magic is a factor, a witch’s knowledge of magic, book learning, and their ability to problem solve. These witches, in theory, have their position until they die, and there is no specific type of magic that rightfully earns the position. However, the role can be revoked at any time, if the coven decides that their best interests are not being represented.
- Coven Councilor
  - Any one of a group of witches who are responsible for debating and supporting (or denying) the decisions of the coven leader. They are responsible for their respective clans, and are powerful, well educated witches in their own right. Again, there is no particular brand of magic for most of these positions, but the basic elements are always required to be represented, as they make up the majority of witches.
- Coven Intern
  - Apprentices studying specifically under council members. Their apprenticeship is not one new to magic, but rather, new to the laws of witchcraft, as they learn a special type of refinement. This position in the coven is a very fluid one, as these apprentices either succeed or fail after a determined amount of time.
Individual Witches
- Master Witch
  - What one would perceive as simply ‘a witch’. They are often older, and in all cases, more powerful than junior witches, and serve as mentors to apprentices, encouraging them to select an area of study and refine their magic. Master witches will usually have dedicated their lives to one particular magical subject, finding their own interest and pursuing it to craft a unique brand of magic.
- Junior Witch
  - What one would perceive as simply ‘a witch’. They have a decent range of magic in a particular subject, and a decent amount of power. They have just begun, or are in the process of, their journey to create an identity with their magic.
- Apprentice Witch
  - A young witch who has been taken by a mentor. Their powers are greater than that of a fledgling witch, but are often unpredictable at best. Apprentices that show great promise are graduated by the coven, and they will become a Junior witch. Some witches enjoy staying apprentices, helping older mentors with household duties, or their studies.
- Fledgling Witch
  - A young witch who has just discovered their magic. Since it can take some time for them to be found by their local covens, some fledgling witches grow up with little magic, or little control of it. Some are in this stage forever, if they turn down the Coven’s invitation, or do not attempt to advance their magical knowledge.
- Outcasts
  - Witches who have broken some sort of magical law, are studying a forbidden form of magic, or have rejected the Coven. They study on their own, isolated from other resources than themselves and their fellow outcasts. They are not actively hunted by the Coven, but contact with them is discouraged. They, sometimes, are called upon in times of great need.
  - Merlin and Lynala are outcast witches.
Monster Hierarchies – Demons

May 3rd, 2023
- Sin
  - The most powerful demon, rivaled only by the highest ranking demon lord. One sin may be able to be challenged, with significant effort, but as the personification of all of the universe’s evils and indulgences, they have power they wield far beyond anyone’s understanding.
  - Ashe, Milo, Huey, and Megan, are examples of sins.
- Demon Lord
  - The most powerful demons, second only to the sins. The only demon able to rival the sin would be the most powerful of the demon lords (Satan was formerly this demon lord). Demon lords are demons who have risen through the ranks of power, usually through manipulation or violence. Some demons maintain their feral nature from their origins, while others attempt to assimilate to the world, relying on more subtle tactics to gain power. They have consumed enough energy (magic, life force, and other forms of power) that they have become quite dangerous, and the more they absorb, the more infamous they become amongst their peers. All demon lords are aware of one another, and exist in a tentative truce that threatens to fall apart at any moment.
  - Morrigan, Dolly, The Shadow Lord, and Dierdre are examples of demon lords.
- Demon Prince
  - The direct descendants or chosen heirs of the demon lords. They are the demon lords’ preferred company, and are in charge of the lower ranking demons that work under the lords. Few demons are born princes – most have to earn the title. Princes can, and often do, fight amongst themselves to attempt to appeal to their lords and earn the chance to collect more power of their own. Many, but not all, have the goal of overthrowing their lords.
  - Holland, Estelle, Hadyn, Kumo, Kit, Cecil, Buttons, Emu, and Poppy are all demon princes.
- Demon Noble
  - Demon Nobles are right below princes, and will usually serve a prince or lord as their weapon, pet, or first in command. They can be created by demon lords, or they can be promoted from demon servants. They are in charge of day to day delegations for demons that are more socialized or manipulative, and are not often seen with more feral demon lords.
  - Sebastian Blade is an example of a demon noble.
- Demon Servant
  - Demon Servants are the last rank in a demon lord’s ‘family’, that will work in that lord’s house, or closest to the lord’s treasure. They are created by demon lords, using their blood. They are considered low ranking, but are powerful enough, or smart enough, to be of service. They are the last line of demons that declare their loyalty purely to a demon lord, and their usual goal is to slowly progress through the ranks, and be accepted as princes. Morrigan’s servants, and some of his furniture, are demon servants.
- Higher Demon
  - Higher Demons are the most powerful common demons that one would encounter in the wilds. Some higher demons are working toward the goal of becoming a demon lord, but others are content in their status, and take their place in the world indulging in its evils, haunting negative spaces, and participating in debauchery. They may have some information, but rarely if ever have direct contact with lords, or even princes.
- Lower Demon
  - Lower Demons are usually the direct servants of High Demons. They are just intelligent enough to be aware of the hierarchy, and often have just begun their journey towards becoming a lord. Their goal is, almost unanimously, to overthrow the higher demons they work under. Like some higher demons, a few lower demons are content in their status and simply indulge.
- Bestial Demon
  - Bestial demons have a bit of sentience, but are not as aware as lower demons. It is a feral demon beginning to develop intelligence, and recall its human sentience.
- Feral Demon
  - The most common type of demon, often found at haunted scenes, feeding on negative energy. These demons are created from intense negative emotion, or are produced from curses. Consuming enough power can evolve them into more intelligent demons, which can then begin to make their way up the ladder.

Category: Bleak Abyss Lore

Bailey Balloons’ Fantastical Circus – Setting Document

Setting:

NPCs:

Games Available:

Features Available:

Prizes:

Monster Hierarchies – Spirits

Monster Hierarchies – Witches

Monster Hierarchies – Demons