GM Frost's Q16 The Winter Queen's Dollhouse (Inactive)

Game Master Frozen Frost

"I don't like either implication..." Ameli shakes her head, looking over the torn sleeve of her coat to make sure the damage wasn't too bad, "Because something tells me we're going to run into giant bugs along the way... And I hate bugs enough at their normal size." She shudders a bit as she says this, looking around for a moment to see if she can't track down Sweeper.

"Some of you are wounded, did you want some bandages or was there some magical healing?"

Penny is otherwise happy to move on and investigate further.

I don't like the implications of the rats having avoided shrinking as they entered because it means we may not be restored to our normal size when we leave. I really don't want to try and adventure in this size. Zhayo contributes.

Zhayo would like to try and figure out how this happened.

Gracchus indicates that he could use some healing.

"Some of you are wounded, did you want some bandages or was there some magical healing?"

Penny is otherwise happy to move on and investigate further.

Ameli shakes her head to Penny's offer, "I think I'll be fine for now, but thank you."

Zayo can only surmise what Benkost just knows: the mice might have not been affected by the shrinking effect as to what happened to them when they get inside the dollhouse.

"I don't think anyone is hurt that much," Sweeper tells them, although she can see that Gracchus and Ameli have some wounds. It doesn't cross her mind that such wounds might have implications or whatever. She motions for them to enter the dollhouse's 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.

"She is Chef Basil. She generally nice, albeit a bit curt. She is really single-mindedly focused on her cooking, I can say." Sweeper describes the cook.

Their arrival has somewhat interrupted the poppet chef's routine. "What now, Sweeper? You even bring the new prisoners here? Can't you see, I must cook no matter what, as it is my only purpose in life, even if there are no prisoners left to eat. You interlopers should stop interrupting me and leav.." she says grumpily, but pauses and realizes they have new prisoners to feed.

"Oh wow, it has been so long we have new prisoners here!" her mood changes into cheery one. "Come, eat, here, help yourself with whatever food in the pantry!" she presents to them variety of foods on the table.

As usual, each PC can attempt a check once per NPC. The applicable skill checks and their DCs will be listed in the entry for each NPC. A success grants 1 Cooperation Point, a Critical Success grants 2, and a Critical Failure deducts 1 Cooperation Point from your efforts. The party can gain a maximum of three Cooperation Points from any one NPC, but gaining these three means the NPC has fully sided with you Pathfinders.

For Chef Basil: DC 11 Cooking Lore check to Recall Knowledge or a DC 13 Crafting check to Recall Knowledge impresses Basil with their understanding of her cooking; or DC 15 Society or Nature check to Recall Knowledge can convince Basil that many more fantastic ingredients are available outside the dollhouse; or DC 17 Deception check to Lie can convince her that the ingredients magically provided by the house simply are too bland for her skill. Other checks can be used, justified with your roleplay at DC 17. Creative solutions and Lore skills are encouraged for a lower DC.

Cooperation Points Earned for Chef Basil
Zhayo - ???
Orion - ???
Gracchus - ???
Pennypockets - ???
Benkost - ???
Ameli - ???

You are currently here on the Map.

"Greetings Chef Basil. You know this dish of yours reminds me of chicken soup that I tasted at Immenwood. The onions from there are cared for by druids and are said to have medicinal properties. They even say it is good for your soul!"

Medicine: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

And why don't you use some fire to sculpt your creations? It would be a very creative touch.

Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Bardic Lore (Cooking) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"There was a great cook named Basil
Who cooked til worn to a frazzle
But with ginger and thyme
and nice twist of lime
The meals could wonderfully dazzle!"

"This is a great kitchen, but lacks fresh spices, and there are so many mouths to feed at this great place called Thistletop - we could really use you!"

Food Healing: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Society: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Ameli samples the food, hesitantly at first, but then eagerly, tasting a little bit of everything on offer. A nicer meal than one would expect from a "prison" for certain... Though she couldn't help but feel it was lacking in some aspects. She rubbed her chin and moved to investigate the pantry in question, nodding along as she made note of the selection of ingredients and spices before rejoining the group.

"Indeed, indeed!" She agrees with Penny Pockets' assertion, tapping into her merchant heritage and practically leaping into a sales pitch, "The food you present here is delicious, of course, but it could be even more so! I've seen and tasted for myself the culinary wonders that exist outside these walls... Cumin and Cardamom from Qadira, chili oil and fish sauce from Tian Xia, Varisian fen peppers... The options are only slightly less endless than the possibilities they offer!" She argues animatedly, talking as much with her hands as her mouth.

Crafting to Recall Knowledge: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Zhayo contributes Your technique reminds me of the Golden Serpent in Absalom. It's a wonderous restaurant, and your food would work well there. You should come to Absalom and try to be a chef.

crafting 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Chef Basil is all ears to their talking. "You lot are quiet convincing. These wonderful places with variety of foods you are telling me are interesting, I may say." she nods as she tells them this.

"I actually know why you're all here. Sweeper has been prodding me lately, but I told her that cooking here is enough. With your insights though, I can tell that I might be wrong and there are more unique cuisine outside this place."

"And yeah, ingredients here, even though they all come from that cabinet with magic," she points to a cabinet in the corner, " they are not that really fresh."

"Having said that, I will join you to get out of this place."

Success in convincing Chef Basil!

----

Sweeper then leads you all to the second floor, this time she sends you to what looks like prison cells.

A set of cells line the northern wall, iron bars enclosing them from the long hallway. None of them appear locked as the bars hang open. The wooden beds lack straw or any type of sleeping mat and would be terrible places to sleep. A complete suit of full plate tin armor with a wind-up key in their back stands guard in the hall.

"He is Full-Plate." Sweeper points out at the suit of full-plate tin armor.

"Do you need to be wound up?"

Hello over there. Are you ok? Do you come with us? We are leaving this place.

Hmm. May I have permission to examine you, Sir Full-Plate? If you do not answer, I would think you may be damaged. If you are damaged I should examine you anyway.

Crafting to examine Full-Plate assuming no response or an affirmative response: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Ameli raises a brow at Sweeper's introduction of the apparent wind-up knight, looking them up and down as the others fuss with it, "He sure is." She muses, clearly amused at how literal their name was.

Orion keeps his distance and waits for a response from Full-plate.

Gracchus follows suite, though with an eye out for trouble

Full-Plate initially doesn’t react to Benkost and Zayo who approach them. When they do so...

"Oh, how sad it is that Sweeper does not like the Warden!" they lament to themselves, as if they do not hear Zayo, who is asking for their permission to inspect them. "So hopeless, that even I, who am becoming purposeless, am of no value on my own!" they pity themselves.

"Despite that, I must not upset the Warden, unlike Sweeper!" they continue, as if Sweeper is not with the group that just arrived.

Again, each PC can attempt a check once per NPC. The applicable skill checks and their DCs will be listed in the entry for each NPC. A success grants 1 Cooperation Point, a Critical Success grants 2, and a Critical Failure deducts 1 Cooperation Point from your efforts. The party can gain a maximum of three Cooperation Points from any one NPC, but gaining these three means the NPC has fully sided with you Pathfinders.

For Full-Plate, to get their attention: DC 14 Intimidation check to Coerce or a DC 12 Martial Lore check to Recall Knowledge allows you to act in the manner of a drill sergeant and remind Full-Plate of their purpose; DC 14 Lore check of any variety to Recall Knowledge can give Full-Plate examples of all the other purposes that might
await them outside; DC 16 Athletics check to Grapple, Shove, or Trip can display martial prowess and demonstrate to Full-Plate that you can deal with The Warden; or DC 18 Diplomacy check to Make an Impression will cheer them up with friendly banter. Other checks can be used, justified with your roleplay at DC 17. Creative solutions and Lore skills are encouraged for a lower DC.

Cooperation Points Earned for Full-Plate
Zhayo - ???
Orion - ???
Gracchus - ???
Pennypockets - ???
Benkost - ???
Ameli - ???

Lore check 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

"I notice that you are a guard,
A role held in such high regard,
But this place is run down,
The guests have left town,
It's time to come join this bard!"

"I bid you greetings from the Peoples Democratic Republic of Thistletop, a place that could do with a talented guard to keep the young goblins from well-intentioned mischief"

Potential employment as a Nanny/guard for Goblin children

"Soldier! Be on the altert! Your job is to protect this place from both enemies foreign and domestic!"

Warfare Lore +4

There is a lot of things awaiting outside from here. Some of them are thrilling. Imagine the Plan of Fire… no you can’t if you have never been outside from here.

Plan of fire lore: +4

Engineering Lore to talk to Full-Plate about examples of other positions or purposes similar beings/constructs/devices have fulfilled DC 14: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Sir Full -Plate, let me regale you of the Lore of the Justikan Empire, who developed all manner of Clockworks and Automatons for many different purposes. Perhaps among those stories you can find a purpose in the outside world that strikes your fancy. Perhaps even two on three for contingencies.

The fighter will attempt to show the creature how good he is at tripping with his dire flail.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 athletics
hero point
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Mercantile Lore: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Ameli once more finds herself agreeing with the goblin, nodding fervently, "Yes, assuming you don't remain at your current size when we leave this place, I'm certain there are many caravans that would pay a hefty sum to have a guardian like you. Really, what traveler in their right mind wouldn't love having a living suit of armor to protect them from bandits, wolves, and other such hazards on the road?"

Their diverse lores intrigue Full-Plate, and while they are focused on listening to their wondrous tales, they are caught off-guard and are tripped by Gracchus. Seeing that they seem to know more than Full-Plate, they change their mind on convincing the Warden.

"All right then, there is more to see outside here, I believe now. I think the Warden will understand if she listens to us." Full-Plate concedes and joins them.

Sweeper leads them again to another room, hoping to find another ally in the Storage area. This room may have been a lecture hall at some point but is now obviously a storeroom. Stacks of materials that could be used to repair dolls and toys are littered about along with other miscellaneous items.

"The prisoners would sometimes assemble here with Seamless. I wonder if he is here."

Perc 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Penny picks up an owlbear claw and a wolf fang "Was Seamless a wolf or a bear?"

Sweeper laughs, not sure if Pennypockets is asking a serious question or not. "Not sure what those are, but he is just like us. Follow me, let's check his office."

Sweeper continues to bring the group into another area. While the usual peeling paint and musty smell of the dollhouse is still present in this room, it is more meticulously cared for. Cabinets with stacks of neatly filed papers line the walls. In the center sits a spartan desk currently occupied by a cloth poppet dressed in simple, yet well groomed, merchants’ clothes.

"There you are!" Sweeper calls the Seamless' attention.

"State the business of your visit, Sweeper." Seamless declares, and finding she is with some of the poppets and visitors, "It looks like you have company."

"I think I know where this is leading, Sweeper. You know that I desire nothing more than to keep the dollhouse running in an orderly fashion. And I don't want hear your getting-out-shenanigans. I don't know what you did tell the others, but I have an important task here to do to keep this place neat and orderly. And you also know that I am loyal to the Warden."

Again, each PC can attempt a check once per NPC. The applicable skill checks and their DCs will be listed in the entry for each NPC. A success grants 1 Cooperation Point, a Critical Success grants 2, and a Critical Failure deducts 1 Cooperation Point from your efforts. The party can gain a maximum of three Cooperation Points from any one NPC, but gaining these three means the NPC has fully sided with you Pathfinders.

For Seamless: DC 14 Legal Lore check to Recall Knowledge can convince Seamless that he has a duty to fix the neglect the dollhouse has suffered, which must be done from outside; DC 16 Arcana or Occultism check can convince him that the magics of the dollhouse are breaking down; DC 18 Medicine check to Recall Knowledge or Survival check to Subsist can successfully persuade him that the deteriorating dollhouse is unsafe for long-term habitation. Other checks can be used, justified with your roleplay at DC 17. Creative solutions and Lore skills are encouraged for a lower DC.

Cooperation Points Earned for Seamless
Zhayo - ???
Orion - ???
Gracchus - ???
Pennypockets - ???
Benkost - ???
Ameli - ???

"Seamless, the house's magic is deteriorating. If any of you continue to live here, you will surely perish."

Bardic Lore (Legal) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

"This dollhouse has suffered neglect,
Something that you should have checked,
You need go outside,
or this place is fried,
And soon to be utterly wrecked".

"We can help you, but the place needs to be fixed from outside. You cant paint the outside from the inside"

This dollhouse is non consecrated. That might be issue with demons or even more powerful entities. You should leave to find a right place to live.

Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Arcana Check DC 16 regarding the magics of the Dollhouse: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

The magics of the Dollhouse are obviously breaking down. We were randomly shrunk and transported here, but we ran into a number of rats that made their way in but were not resized. This place will not last the way things have been going.

I actually have legal lore

Legal lore +4

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

"We've managed to get most of the other inhabitants of this place on board with the plan, I believe. As the others have said, at least establishing contact with the outside world would be beneficial to refurbishing this place and maybe turning it into something more than just a prison." Ameli urges, though she wasn't quite sure how to properly approach negotiating with this particular doll.

Orion and Pennypockets are enough to convince Seamless. It is no good to keep order if the place is indeed broken. Pennypocket's rhyming words highlight Seamless' focus on less important things at the moment. They aren't convinced, though, that demons will attack their place. They also believe what Zhayo tells them is true because they think that's how they get their prisoners, though they are not sure about the rats.

Having established themselves to convince Seamless, they ponder their combined statements for a while. "All right, then. I will join you. But I warn you that the Warden is not as easily convinced as me."

The group presses on with Sweeper leading them. They arrive at a display room. Miniaturized statues of dinosaurs, winter wolves, dire bears, and other large predators from the land of Irrisen are displayed here. They are each in menacing poses, fierce snarls of teeth and claws protruding at any visitors. What might have once been an impressive display is now rundown and pitiful. A century of dust and cobwebs has matted fur and clogged open maws. Painted eyes have dulled and peeled to make them look comical and lifeless. This once grand display room is now indicative of the failing of this former prison.

The statues are all dilapidated and in disrepair now. Sweeper says, "They used to be scary, so I refused to clean them, but now they just feel sad."

"The way to the Warden's office is there!" she points out to the stairway that lead's to the door of the Warden's Office.

A successful DC 18 Thievery check to Pick a Lock or Arcana check to Identify Magic opens the lock. Alternatively, a successful DC 20 Athletics check to Force Open throws open the door. If you fail to open the door at least once, Sweeper will rally the other Poppets to help, granting anyone a +2 Circumstance Bonus on further attempts.

Orion gets out of the way so that other teammates can have a go at the door.

Penny mumbles a small incantation Detect Magic - "Magically locked"

Penny fiddles with the lock (and a lockpick!)
Thievery 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

"Magically open!"

Penny opens the door and continues.

So let’s hurry up. He must be waiting for us.

The dwarf laughs himself at his own joke.

Orion is very impressed with Pennypockets and says "You are amazing! Let's go."

With the door easily unlocked, they enter and can see inside that in contrast to the rest of the dollhouse, this room is well taken care of. The paint is fresh and bright, plush velvet cushions line the sofas and chairs, and the opulent carpets are clean and free of dust. Sitting in the nicest overstuffed chair is a doll wearing a fine silk dress and a coronet of ice. She scowls as soon as the door to her room is breached.

“What chaos have you brought to my beautiful house? Why do you intrude here, turning my staff against me on your half-baked mission? And you, Sweeper, is this some scheme of yours? You never did know your place. Explain yourselves and do it quickly before I have you replace our missing prisoners.” she declares, though she is a bit worried seeing their numbers altogether against her.

A successful reduced DC 18 Deception check to Lie, Diplomacy check to Request, or Intimidation check to Coerce can change her mind. Only one PC gets to roll this only one attempt, but as the Warden is hearing you all out, the DC to Aid is only 15.

Knowing his local of diplomacy the dwarf looks at his fellow companions to see who will take the lead here.

Aid Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Aid Diplomacy (Hero Point): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
+1 to Pennypockets.

"I'm sorry to say but your... "Prisoners" are likely missing in part because of the neglect this place's exterior has suffered over the years." She states before glancing to Penny, letting the goblin handle the negotiations proper... Something she never thought she'd ever find herself doing, admittedly, but he'd proven himself reliable so far...

We all happy with penny going for it? I just don't want to hog things

"The Warden with a crown of ice
Made accusations that aren't very nice
The house magic's leaving
If you've trouble believing
Pop down and check out the mice"

"Your house is falling apart around your ears and the magic is breaking down, Warden, it is time to consider rehoming - or at least significant repairs"

Diplomacy 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 1 = 14
Heropoint! 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 1 = 23

Zhayo is fine with Pennypockets taking the lead, as Zhayo doesn't have any social skills.

Zhayo observes as Pennypockets makes the party's case.

diplomacy to aid: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
diplomacy to aid HP: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

"I urge you to listen to the goblin, who makes a lot of sense."

I just realized I don't know Pennypockets' gender

Fortunately for the group, Pennypockets, with the help of Ameli and Orion, delivers a cutting blow with his words and the Warden collapses in a heap of tears.

"I'm just so overwhelmed by how futile my time has become," she admits. "Every moment feels wasted, and I don't know how to find meaning anymore."

Finally, she agrees to lower the wall and allow everyone to leave.

"Everyone, leave! But I will stay." she declares to them in between sobs. She says no more, waving off any further questions between sobs.

The invisible wall briefly becomes a visible, translucent barrier before shattering and vanishing completely. The Warden’s willpower was the only thing holding the remaining wards together. When the party and the poppet residents of the dollhouse step out, the curse is broken, and the Pathfinders are returned to normal size. For many of the poppets, this may be a bit unsettling as it is their first time ever out of the dollhouse. It takes a few minutes for them to collect themselves, but they are hopeful and follow the pathfinders to meet Eando Kline.

Eando is incredibly surprised to see the Pathfinder accompanied by their new allies, and over the coming days, he speaks to each of the poppets. Now free and truly awake, the poppets eventually seek new purpose, perhaps with a little prompting from the Pathfinders; they remember the conversations of places to go and jobs to be had in the wide world of Golarion. One by one, they leave to find their way, or they join the Society and find roles fit for them.

The last one to leave is Sweeper. She doesn’t wish to continue being a janitor. What’s more, she’s found that, between her strange awakening within the vaults and her presence at the shattering of the old wards, she has an understanding of how to spread this to other dollhouse prisons. She wants to help in a more meaningful manner after Eando Kline informs her of the other dollhouses that Queen Anastasia has in her possession. Sweeper perks up and offers to go help free any other poppets who are still imprisoned, or otherwise help to take care of the dollhouses. She accepts a field commission as a Pathfinder agent and liaison to Irrisen. There are sure to be more poppets joining the Society’s ranks if Sweeper has anything to say on the matter.

-END OF QUEST-

I suppose I have always presented Pennypockets as male, I went with a fair amount of ambiguity though as 'goblins gonna goblin'.

"The dollhouse's magic has ended,
The Warden has now been befriended,
So I'll take my leave,
Try not to grieve,
Your company has been most splendid!"

Penny then takes a bow for the final curtain of this particular adventure and 'performance', "Rogues and vagabonds, I take my leave"

Ameli applauds Pennypockets' limeric and bids the group farewell as she sets out for wherever her next adventure takes her, "A wonderful adventure with a - mostly anyhow - happy ending! It was a pleasure working with you all, and until we meet again, farewell!"

The Chelaxian nods in a job well done.