Andrei and Kilava would follow, keeping away from the incorporeal girl if at all possible.
"Perhaps the doll is tied to the girl in some way. Seems plausible enough." Asric stays near the front as they approach.
"Hold one moment, please," he says, raising his hand to the others. He stares ahead at the hut and activates his detect evil ability.
Vyr moves with the party, trying to keep Gozrym and Asric between him and the hut.
Ragnar cautiously moves froward with the rest of the group keeping an eye out in the direction the the little ghost girl disappeared. This is a bit unsettling. Where did she go.?
The only route to the hut is the same direction the girl went. You start to make your way through the maze of ice blocks. You see here again and she says, "Please don't keep me here. It's so cold. I miss my mother." She looks towards you all.
"Well, who is keeping you here? Andrei inquired.
Diplomacy:
The girl moves away again behind some of the ice blocks out of sight.
The next time the little girl appears Ragnar will speak to her, "Do you know where we are? Who is trying to hurt you? Maybe we can help"
As we travel through the maze of ice, Ragnar takes a closer look at the ice blocks to see if he can tell if they're solid ice or if there's something inside.
Asric does not detect evil on the girl.
You follow along the ice blocks and you move around one and suddenly you see the girl again. "I don't want your stupid doll! I want to go home! Take me back!"
Ragnar is not sure about the ice blocks. You start to ask questions. She responds to the first one. "No, I want my mommy." and she runs away out of sight again.
"Child, who are you and who is keeping you from your mother?" he asks trying to approach her.
"If you would remain still, perhaps we can help you."
"I'm not sure it's wise to parley with a creepy spirit..."
Gozrym pushes on toward the hut.
Creed follows in the back of the line "Vosi you watch our back to make sure nothing stealths us from behind, I'll steer."
The girl stops and looks at Asric. "Nazhena, she's keeping me from my mommy!" She appears to be crying as she runs off around the corner again.
Vosi hides in Creeds backpack as soon as she hears the name.
Your party follows. You make your way through this maze of ice blocks, trying to get to the hill with the hut. You see the girl again. "I have to get away! And you should, too, before they see you. Run!" Her eyes seem to clear up as she finally recognizes you as someone other than her tormentors. "Flee, flee!" She says to you all and fades away.
Perception:
"Nazhena?" Andrei asked, glancing at Vosi, or rather, where she was hiding, "That name mean something to you?"
"Yes, she was mean to me. That's why I choose to go here with the others. But don't tell them that."
Creed says "Don't worry Vosi, she can't be mean to you anymore. Now let's go be mean to her."
"They who? Before who sees us? Don't tell who that?"
Others? Ragnar grips his scythe tighter and follows.
Your party moves on a bit more, however Gozrym, Rerdahl & Ragnar notice a chill wind stirring and flickering of movement int he blocks of ice. The three of you turn to watch these mini movies play out with no sound within the ice blocks.
You see a little girl with a woman, it looks like her mom as she is holding her hand and smiling. Another one shows the girl crying as someone is taking away her doll. You see one that displays a blonde woman yelling at girl and shaking her finger.
Moments later the three of you are frightened for a few rounds. Will DC 13 to negate.
Ragnar shivers as a chill comes over him.
That was a bit odd.
Andrei Will Save:
Kilava Will Save:
"I suppose she wants her doll back. I'd be happy to get it for her, if it makes things here settle back to normal."
"What are these images? Memories? More ghosts?" Something about the encounter fills him with a sense of fear and dread. Asric feels ashamed at his weak will.
"Well... this is all awfully creepy," Andrei said, observing the show, "Shall we investigate the hut?"
"Well... this is all awfully creepy," Andrei said, observing the show, "Shall we investigate the hut?"
"Yes, indeed. The sooner we get to the bottom of what is going on, the fewer nightmares I'll have in the coming weeks."
Your party makes your way to a path that is going up the hillside. You follow it to get to the hut.
A small hut stands here on four legs, each one a single tree trunk whose gnarled roots resemble the toes of a giant chicken. The hut is constructed of heavy logs with a patchwork roof of shaved bark shingles. Inside the hut's open doorway, a small figure sits on a carved wooden chair, staring across the clearing at the trail on the other side.
You find yourselves just outside of the hut looking in.
"Hmm. This is unusual."
Any knowledge checks about the figure?
Unfortunately it hasn't displayed anything that would identify it other than a doll.
Creed pulls the reigns to stop the horse and says "What the blazes is that? Vosi do you know what that thing is? Who is the lady in the hut? Is this the person who was mean to you?"
"Umm, what the hell is that?" Asric stares at the strange hut. He uses his detect evil ability on the figure inside.
Vosi hides in Creeds pack. "Is she gone? Yes Nazhena. She's terrible. Well the others like her, but I'm not like the others. I see through her." She makes her way out of the pack and at first glance she seems fine but once she gets a glimpse of the hut she hides again. "no no no no no, no no don't want anything to do with it" she whispers within the pack.
Vyr & Rerdahl both recognize that one of it's eye's is a gem, a blue one. You suspect magic is at play. Vyr seems to know witches of Irrisen often make dolls like this to do their errands.
"A common tool of the witches of Irrisen! What in the nine hells is it doing in Taldor? Careful now, witch magic is no laughing matter." Vyr then glances at Rerdahl, looking a bit sheepish.
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Rerdahl nods back at Vyr's words. "A witch's tool? Could be. I know some witches use poppets and other dangerous constructed tools. Let me take a good look at this thing...."
[ooc]Approaching carefully, watching for any danger . If no danger is noticed, casting Detect Magic and examining any aura the doll may have.
”The witches of Irrisen, eh?” Andrei said ”Well, is it supposed to be sitting all quiet like it is? Seems like it might be linked to all this strangeness that’s been going on... perhaps we should try destroying it?” he suggested, holding his starknife.
Creed chuckles "Might want to use our element of surprise before we see her. Vosi anything you can do to help us out?"
At the sight of the doll and strange hut, he grips his scythe even tighter, his teeth clenching with the strength of his grip on his weapon.
Ragnar mumbles quietly through his clenched teeth, "Irresen witches, dolls to run errands, huts with wooden chicken feet, winter in the summer in the south, fey creatures, ghosts in ice blocks . . . and that's just today."
Then realizing everyone is focused on the doll, Ragnar looks around for any sign of movement elsewhere.
Rerdahl begins to move forward. Nothing happens and he begins to cast detect magic but does not detect any.
The party see’s nothing alarming and the hut appears to be empty other than the chair and the doll.
Asric follows close behind Rerdahl, ready to strike if something funny is going on.