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For all the notoriety Connlaoth had, getting their troupe inside had been a rather uneventful affair.
The soldiers had been polite enough and no one had needed to be marked, as not a single member of their troupe was a mage, and many had seemed curious about their group. Which was understandable and, in fact, was exactly why they'd set out to try their luck in Connlaoth. A group of traveling performers, none of which possessed a lick of magic, would be far more impressive in a place without magic than in a place that had it. Their art was often a tough sell in Serendipity and Adela, though Adela, at least, was a little more receptive. But here, people could appreciate tricks and illusions done not with any vile magic, but with sleight of hand and dance and pure athleticism.
They had figured that Uthlyn would be their best starting point, city of knowledge and all that, and so that is where the group headed. They parked their wagons--ten of them, most of them serving as cages for exotic animals though a couple carried their supplies--just outside the city. There they moved their wagons into a circle to create a natural "stage" at the center, set up their simple props and equipment, and sent a couple of their crew into the city to spread the word.
People came in a trickle at first, but word of mouth doubled the numbers as stories spread of flexible acrobatic twins, sword-swallowers, fire-dancers, and horses that did tricks. They didn't have a large crew; most of their members were proficient in multiple areas. The sword-swallowers also fire-danced, the horses were the same ones that pulled the wagons, and one of the twins was an illusionist. And most of them were at least quite skilled in the art of pick-pocketing.
Perhaps it wasn't as fancy or as impressive as other acts elsewhere, but it was something, and it was different. And they at least had a few animal species that were quite exotic, including a fledgling gryphon and a full-grown tiger.
Then there was Iris.
Iris had always been a bit of an oddity in the group, for she didn't actually perform as the others did. Or at least, not in the same way. Set apart from the main area, out of the way of swords and horses, she had set up a little table beneath a shady tree. An old cloth covered it, decorated with tassels, and an assortment of crystals and runes and carved bones were laid out on it, as well as a deck of Thanati Fuiyun cards. Just as her table was eclectic, so to was she, her white and lilac hair decorated with little beads and bells that were also woven into her colorful skirt. A shawl was draped over her shoulders.
None of the colors she wore matched, either. But that didn't bother her. Her cloudy eyes were proof of her blindness.
But blind or not, she could tell the future and read fortunes, she claimed. It was a gift from Ansgar, this sight. Though He had taken her eyes, He had given her a new kind of vision in return!
Some people were uncomfortable with this, finding it too close to witchcraft even though she didn't bear the mark. Others, curious, were drawn in.
And even as Iris played her role, she paid close attention to what was going on around her. She knew she was pushing boundaries here.
But she was used to that.
The day wound down, and evening approached, and her troupe prepared for the final show that night. Iris, having nothing better to do, returned to her table and called out, "Fortunes! Get yer fortunes! Fortunes a-plenty, learn yer future, find yer soul mate! Past-life readin's, too! Fortunes!"
