LegendThe Carnival of Ringmaster Grymm
Everyone wins a prize; the only question is what you give for it.
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Shapechange. Grymm can use an action to assume the form of a Medium or Small humanoid he has previously met. His game statistics remain the same, except for his size and appearance.
Soul Pact. Any creature that makes a bet or agreement with Grymm and breaks it must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 22 (4d10) psychic damage and become frightened of Grymm for 1 minute.
Mirror Soul. When Grymm is hit by an attack roll, he can use his reaction to force the attacker to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw; on a failure, the attack is redirected to a random other creature within 10 ft. of Grymm instead.
Multiattack. Grymm attacks twice with his golden whip.
Golden Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +7, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) psychic damage, and the target is pulled 10 feet toward Grymm.
Soul Theft (1/Day). Grymm targets a creature within 30 ft. that has 0 hit points. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die instantly while Grymm gains 30 temporary hit points.
The Story
The carnival appears where yesterday there was only an empty field, its lights a sickly green through the evening mist, a merry-go-round grinding in the silence with no music and no children. It smells of cotton candy, and beneath that, of something rotten. A man with too many gold teeth spreads his arms: everyone wins a prize, but what are you willing to give?
The carnival lives on stolen things: a name, a voice, a year of your life, a happy memory. Every attraction is a trap, every ticket a contract, and Ringmaster Grymm collects souls like raffle stubs behind a smile. The townsfolk who walked in yesterday now work the merry-go-round with glassy eyes.
You work your way through the carnival games, each with a prize that costs more than it seems, rescue the missing villagers from the attractions, and follow the trail to the mirror tent where the carnival's true nature dwells. Along the way you must choose what to wager, for nothing here is won for free.
In the mirror tent waits Ringmaster Grymm, the Soul-Collector, among a thousand splintered reflections in which his gold teeth gleam, each image a soul he won fair and square. The grand prize turns out to be his own place: whoever beats him risks having to inherit the carnival. Break his contract and the carnival dissolves into the mist and the stolen souls return; lose, and tomorrow the carousel turns in the next town, with you as its newest attraction.
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