Sideshow of Everyday Marvels

### Goals

To celebrate the idea that anyone can be fantastical, interesting, and extraordinary

### Active Years

4719 AR-Present

*"Welcome one and all, to the Sideshow of Everyday Marvels... The most unusual of the usual folk you'll find from around the world!"*

*-The Professor*

The Sideshow of Everyday Marvels is a group of NPCs from Extinction Curse. No dehumanizing freak show, the Sideshow of Everyday Marvels instead aims to uplift people and show that anyone can be extraordinary.

## Character Traits

### Born

4670 AR

During the creation of The Circus of Wayward Wonders, Myron Stendhal and the performers agreed to refuse
to encourage the spectacle of putting bodies on
display for sensational titillation. Rather than leave the circus without a sideshow, The Professor gathered a group of normal people (and a talking dog) to create a sideshow to embrace normality. The members are as follow...

### Gidarron Elbus (The Bearded Man)

A 6-foot-tall, broad-shouldered man with long brown hair, a full beard, and thick mustache that thoroughly obscure his features, Gidarron is skilled at portraying accents and mannerisms from all across Avistan. The Professor claims the “Bearded Man” is an exact double of a significant political figure who must conceal his identity and live on the run. Assassins want to kill him and rival agents want to kidnap him for their own nefarious purposes. The Professor tells exciting stories of the Bearded Man’s many narrow escapes, but he will not confirm which important figure Gidarron is purported to look like; the Professor teases several potential candidates (the most common being the missing Gyr of House Gixx), and Gidarron is swift to adopt matching accents and mannerisms as needed.

## Character Traits

### Tahala Roadwatcher (The Tattooed Woman)

Tahala is a middle-aged Shoanti who left her quah, or clan, in Varisia years ago, acting upon omens she received. Like many Shoanti, Tahala is bald, fit, and covered in complex tattoos—notably the roc that spreads across her back and several resembling gemstones. She normally wears a simple cloak with a hood, revealing each of her tattoos before explaining what the illustration represents. A gifted storyteller, Tahala does more than show off her elaborate tattoos to sideshow gawkers; she has wise and witty stories to tell, each with morals about caring for the earth, revering ancestors, and other aspects of Shoanti spiritualism. Tahala sees her position in the Sideshow of Everyday Marvels as an opportunity to enlighten as well as entertain.

## Character Traits

### Born

Tian Xia, 4687 AR

Identical twin sisters in their thirties, Hesper and Meitas enjoy the traveling life of the circus. The Professor spins elaborate tales of how the Unjoined Twins were separated at birth and never knew the other existed until very recently, when they met at the circus (a lie, as they grew up together). According to the Professor, the twins’ lives have nevertheless seemed incredibly parallel as a result of bizarre coincidence. One married a miller named Smith, while the other married a smith named Miller. Each was cursed by a different witch on her wedding day: one sister for not inviting the witch to the wedding, the other for disturbing the witch with too many invitations. Both have had four children; one had an eldest child drowned, but other’s youngest child died of thirst in the desert. Both of these deceased children were named Tavi. The list of strange coincidences goes on and on—and grows with
every telling.

### Cubby (The Dog-Faced Dog)

This large male beagle was just a puppy when he was the subject of an awaken animal ritual that gave him human intelligence and the ability to speak Common. Cubby is offended by the idea that he might “belong” to anyone, but the Professor has been his best friend for years. According to the Professor’s outlandish tales, Cubby has traveled the world; survived uncounted amazing adventures; and dined with heroes, villains, religious leaders, and monarchs. Cubby doesn’t dispute anything the Professor claims, but he’s also quick to lavish praise on his traveling companions. The dog therefore comes across as lucky, brave, and humble. He enjoys encouraging others to live their lives to the fullest.

## Character Traits

### Alignment

NG

In late 4719 AR, The Professor, a circus veteran and former member of Mistress Dusklight's Celestial Menagerie, was invited to rejoin some of his former coworkers in the Circus of Wayward Wonders by Myron Stendhal, and accepted, meeting with them and practicing for a month. During this time, he set up the Sideshow of
Everyday Marvels, a sideshow which was intended to celebrate rather than ridicule. He gathered several mundane performers and storytellers, and set them to work in the sideshow.

After the murder of Myron Stendhal, the Sideshow were among the performers wrapped
 up in a fireside jig by the grigs, Tarisia & Cannono. They witnessed
the Wandering Three's battle with Nemmia and her defeat at their hands. Following this, the performers (who all look relatively mundane compared to the rest of the circus) went to spread news in Abberton and uncovered various strange rumours. Gidarron accidentally entered The Mad Mug, a roadhouse and home to a criminal gang. He only barely managed to avoid a severe beating at their hands and left quickly. Tahala found there was a severe wasp infestation at a local mill, and found it hard to believe that this otherwise fine mill would simply be abandoned. The twins found tale of a local old lady who was almost killed by a savage wild boar, and Cubby stated there was a weird smell coming from the local Church of Abadar. The Wandering Three took note of these clues, and went off to investigate further, uncovering deeper mysteries connected to them.