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You return to the Pathfinder Society with the rubbings and the tales of your encounter with Alystair Caskwater, Ambrus Valsin takes your report and looks upon you with pride. He is almost beside himself with joy as he looks over the Netherworld rubbings, Universe rubbings, and the three journal fragments of Alystair Caskwater. He is clearly happy and impressed by your ingenuity in the face of unexpected peril.
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REPORTED
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*** Q16 ***
From Ambrus Valsin's office you head to Eando Kline's. Kline briefs you shortly before sending you to the Vaults.
A massive dollhouse, nearly eight feet tall, stands on top of a short but ornately carved table. The legs and base of the table have crows, dogs, cats, and other similar symbols carved into every available surface. The dollhouse itself appears to be an extravagant representation of a house in the land of endless winter. Fake snow covers its roof, and sculpted icicles hang down, glistening.
Despite its formerly rich appearance, it is clear the dollhouse has seen better days. The fake snow and ice have yellowed with age. The paint, once bright blue and white, is dull and peeling. The wooden base has darkened with time, except in a few places where it has chipped and revealed fresh wood.
The most obvious feature, though, is the missing wall. Typical of a dollhouse, it would allow access to the interior of the house for play or observation. While the rooms and several dolls can be seen inside, it looks hazy and somehow off, as if something is interfering with the transition from inside to out.
As you stand in front of the dollhouse, you take some time to get to know your companions.
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Ofeus walks in and eyes the 8' tall dollhouse suspiciously...He quickly becomes lost in thought until more of his comrades arrive.
He instinctively has little trust for a dollhouse that is larger than he is.
He appreciates the carvings of dogs, cats, crows, etc.
At least the artist shows a consideration for the natural world.
Anything coming from Irrisen is serious business...
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Ofeus quickly takes note of the Gnome with blue hat. As she walks in, he cuts off the incessant chatter running through his troubled mind.
He assumes a proud and practiced posture as he attempts to greet her:
Greetings miss, I am Ofeus, Hydromancer from Outsea
He wears sea blue wizard robes adorned with all manner of aquatic beasts seemingly living together in harmony. His striking aquamarine pupils give her a once over as they attempt to pierce her depths, and he puts on one of his most enticing smiles despite his concern for this assignment.
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The gnome with a turban wrapped around his head inspects the inside of the dollhouse with interest. What for a strange gift. He then turns his head and notices Ami. [b]Oh, and I am Wizel Genius. Coming from where the genies are used to be met.[/] During this introduction he remains with his arms crossed over his chest, some rings on his fingers.
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Now that introductions are proceeding well, Ofeus allows himself to relax a little with a slight slouch.
Good to see that you are among us Genie.
Ofeus then turns back to Ami
I am happy to meet another devotee of water Ofeus replies with enthusiasm, but tries to hide it behind a practiced facade as his elven upbringing requires.
Hmm hydroKinetics? Indeed a rare treat to witness. I would be most interested in exchanging what we can. Perhaps we could do so at adventure's end?
Ofeus now turns his attentions to the doll house once more. Free from his frenzy of thoughts, he releases some spellcraft upon it for preliminary investigations.
Share the results with everyone.
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Ofeus muses with Wizel
According to the many dusty tomes I have devoured on the odd day, I think that Genies are the embodiment of inspiration. I would much prefer to be allied with one instead of drawing their wrath!
Ofeus' pointed ears seem to wiggle slightly when he draws emphasis on the to word "wrath".
He pats Wizel on the shoulders, and shares a moment of amusement with him.
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Several years ago, Irrisen welcomed a new ruler, Queen Anastasia. The former ruler, Queen Elvanna, was rumored to have been taken away by her mother, Baba Yaga.
As soon as Ofeus begins casting and investigating the dollhouse, you suddenly find yourselves teleported inside the dollhouse!
A tumbleweed trundles along the vast hall. A second look reveals this is not a tumbleweed but an oversized dust ball. This grand foyer is not as majestic as it once was. Large flakes of bright paint peel off the walls. Dust covers wooden carvings and ornaments that are all just slightly too large for the cabinets they sit on. A dry staleness fills the air. The most notable feature is the lack of an eastern wall. Beyond it, the Pathfinder Society Vaults are visible, albeit appearing much larger than they were a few seconds ago.
A stuffed sloth holding a broom smiles warmly as she approaches. "Hello, visitors. Guests. Friends. It's been so long since we've seen anyone else. My fellow workers have become hopeless over our lack of purpose, but not me. I knew someone would come eventually. You can help renew our reasons for being here."
A frown flashes across her face for the briefest second before she softens, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. "Or maybe you could even help us finally leave this place! The Warden wouldn't listen to me, but maybe she'll listen to you. Or better yet, you can help gather everyone, and show them there's a world outside. We'll need to enlist as many as possible to our cause to even have a chance of gaining an audience with The Warden, but I think it might work. That is, if you're willing to help." Her button eyes stare longingly at the open wall. "Forgive me. I am Sweeper, a janitor of sorts around here, not of much importance, but I know everyone and everything. Pleased to meet you."
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Ofeus rubs his temples at the disorientation of being teleported. Once he begins to focus on his surroundings, and meets sweeper he puzzles over what to do next.
He glances around the room at his fellow agents hoping to spot someone who is better at shoveling the windsong than himself. This environment must surely require someone who is more agile of tongue than himself.
With these thoughts, ofeus chooses to clamp his mouth shut for fear of inserting his foot.
Instead, he focuses his mind upon the details of The Sweeper. Clearly it is magical, but is it sentient?
Standing in the back of the group, Ofeus tries to be as quiet and inconspicuous as he can...
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Jeeves offers a smile to Sweeper.
"Hello Sweeper. I am Jeeves, butler. Could you tell us about the other inhabitants of the house, and the Warder?" he asks.
He can't help but also look over his shoulder toward the wall which would seem to be invisible from the outside.
"And do you recall who you were before you arrived in the house?"
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Sweeper is a poppet that's well, the janitor for the dollhouse. No offensive or defensive capabilities. The dollhouse is magical, so it stands to reason that the occupants are Awakened
From the inside, it appears the same as you initially looked in. You didn't get much time to do a thorough examination before you were suddenly sent inside.
Sweeper scratches her head. "Honestly, I don't know how long we've been here. It's kinda hard to tell. But I can introduce you to all the others, if you'd like. You can try to convince them to help you convince the Warden to let us go... I've looked through the wall. I'd really like to see what's out there...So, how about it?"
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Ofeus offers up a suggestion for addition consideration, but is happy to go along with our current task.
How do we know if the poppets can exist independent of the magic within the dollhouse? After all, they seem to have no understanding of the outside world other than the fact that they can see it. Just food for thought. Not necessarily true. What I can say is that the magic in here may only awaken the poppits when people enter the dollhouse. And perhaps they sleep otherwise?
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Hmm...It seems like this dollhouse is more like a prison. Why else would their keeper be called a warden? I find that idea very offensive.
Ofeus contorts his face in disgust as the word Warden seems to sink into his brain with more clarity.
One last question for you sweeper before we meet the others. If you cleaned the entire dollhouse yesterday, then why would you need to clean it again today? It would not be dirty today would it? Sweeper, could it be that yesterday was in fact a very long time ago?
Ofeus follows along with the rest of the group while interacting with the sweeper. He watches him for any type of reaction that seems out of place.
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"Well, if I don't clean daily, the Warden gets mad. Otherwise, what else would I have to do." Sweeper answers.
Sweeper leads you north, into what appears to be a kitchen.
The clatter of pots and pans echoes around the room as the bustle of a one-person kitchen rings out. The sting of fresh onions assaults the nose. A wooden toy poppet in a white chef's hat and apron busies herself with preparing a large meal. The refuse bin in the corner overflows with the remains of past meals that were never served.
"That's Chef Basil. She's quite nice as long as you don't get in her way." Sweeper whispers.
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Ofeus whispers back to Ami with an intrigued smile
Indeed!...I am very intrigued by what magic could accomplish all of this. Are the poppits themselves some form of punishment that was imposed on people from Irrisen? Or are the poppits not alive in the first place? Are they a lure to trap other people such as ourselves in some way?Perhaps we can put our heads together and learn more...
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At Jeeves' voice, Chef Basil suddenly looks up.
You recall from Pathfinder Training that poppets were originally designed to serve as companions or servants. They occasionally gain a greater spark of life, transforming them into independent, sapient creatures. You're not transformed into a poppet, btw, the magic of the dollhouse just made you their size.
"Oh! Have you been standing there all this time? Would you like some food? The ingredients, you mean? Oh they come from the cabinet. There's lots more there. Cooking is my sole purpose in life. The garbage? You could, but you don't need to. All I know is I'm supposed to cook. Where the food goes is not my concern."
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Ofeus' eyes suddenly sparkle when he recalls a bit of lore that may interest our friend who wields an apron...
ooo Basil... Ofeus waves at the poppet to get his attention.
At my home known as OutSea there are gorgeous freshwater fish long as my forearm I tell you. My father taught me they are known as Cyprinus Carpio. Come visit me there, and learn the elven way of preparing the most moist and flavorful fish you have ever tasted.
Ofeus smiles inwardly as his thoughts of home lift his spirits.