Overview
Chapter 5 slows the immediate chase into a saferoom reward and planning sequence, then pivots back into scouting. The chapter upgrades Mongo through growth, a tracking collar, and Donut's new pet-cloning spell. It also gives Carl and Donut unusual Earth rewards that deepen their emotional ties to home. By the end, the party has returned to the circus edge, seen evidence of dead crawlers, and started to treat the quest as a tactical investigation rather than a random fight.
Plot Summary
- Mongo reaches level three and visibly grows, becoming more dinosaur-like and less able to ride on Donut's back.
- Carl and Donut open their Silver Earth boxes, while Donut also opens a Gold Pet Box and receives a magical collar that lets Mongo appear on the map.
- Donut retrieves a spellbook and learns Clockwork Triplicate, which temporarily creates two clockwork duplicates of Mongo that behave independently before collapsing into parts and ash.
- Carl reviews Donut's current spell list, noting important growth such as Torch reaching a high level and Magic Missile approaching another milestone.
- Donut's Earth rewards include a cat tree, candle, and Earth Hobby Potion, while Carl receives a cactus, a set of Western novels, and his own hobby potion.
- The hobby potions give Donut Scutelliphily and Carl Cesta Punta, leaving both uncertain about the usefulness of the new skills.
- Carl experiments with explosives and smoke bombs, realizing that a Sapper's table and better materials would significantly improve his ability to build useful devices.
- Instead of immediately heading toward the medium settlement, Carl decides to scout the circus quest area while they still have daylight.
- Outside the saferoom, the group finds the map markers of three dead crawlers and realizes the circus lemurs may be using the bodies as bait.
- Mongo detects a stealthy lemur lookout above them, and Donut quietly climbs into position before pouncing on it, with Mongo finishing the kill.
- Donut reports more lemurs, circus tents, and giraffe-like creatures nearby, and Carl shifts from scolding her to treating her as a true partner in the scouting plan.
Characters Appearing
- Carl
- Princess Donut
- Mongo
- Mordecai
- Gordo
- Beatrice: mentioned or recalled.
Locations
- The Belly-Rubbed Pug
- Over City Ruins
- Grimaldi Circus Area
Items, Equipment, and Loot
- Silver Earth Box
- Gold Pet Box
- Earth Hobby Potion
- Mongo Tracking Collar
- Cat Tree
- Sea Breeze Candle
- Cactus Plant
- Sackett Family Saga Book Set
- Goblin Smoke Bombs
- Throwing Knives
- Poor Lemur Skin
Skills, Spells, Races, and Classes
Skills and Spells
- Clockwork Triplicate
- Scutelliphily
- Cesta Punta
- Bomb Surgeon
- Explosives Handling
- Magic Missile
- Torch
Races and Classes
- No major race or class entries identified.
Monsters and Bosses
- Former Circus Lemur
- Clockwork Mongo Duplicates
- Circus Giraffe
Achievements and Quests
- It's Elementary, My Dear Crawler!
Major Events
- Mongo reaches level three: Mongo grows larger and becomes more dangerous after the first circus encounters.
- Donut receives Mongo tracking collar: The Gold Pet Box gives Donut a collar that marks Mongo on the map.
- Donut learns Clockwork Triplicate: Donut gains a pet and minion spell that creates temporary clockwork duplicates.
- Earth Hobby Potions are used: Donut and Carl gain strange Level 3 hobby skills from their Earth rewards.
- Carl studies explosives in the saferoom: Carl tests the limits of his new bomb-related skills and identifies material needs.
- Party returns to the circus edge: The group leaves the saferoom to investigate the quest area rather than immediately travel onward.
- Dead crawler trap is discovered: Carl identifies three dead crawler markers and a stealth lemur lookout watching the area.
- Donut and Mongo kill a lemur lookout: Donut silently attacks the lookout and Mongo helps finish the kill, exposing more circus threats nearby.