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"You will be fine, Mu Long! At least you're in a nice basement to probably do some cataloguing work. I was dropped in the middle of nowhere for my first assignment. Listen, when you're done with your cataloguing work, come find me and we'll have lunch at Uncle Gnimish's coffee stand. I'm sure he's got some nice new treats and some more stories to tell!"
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An older and much wiser voice answers, "I shall see if my business with Rhaegal will be done by then. It's not often that he's in the Grand Lodge so I need to finish whatever I need to while he's here. Tell you what, nephew, if you enjoy your first assignment, I'll see if I can invite Grand Uncle Rhaegal to have lunch with us. I'm sure he will be more than willing to teach you a thing or two about being a druid."
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The young kobold reaches the bottom of the steps, his brassy scales taking on a brownish hue as he looks back. Upon getting the "go ahead" gesture from HT and Jinlong, his back straightens and he marches into the room.
"Greetings an well met, fellow Pathfinders! I am Mu Long Dragonkin. I am related to Huang Tong Dragonkin, who is my older brother. We trace our lineage back to our uncle, Jinlong Dragonkin, who is named for the famous Pathfinder Adventurer Rhaegal Dragonkin! You are fortunate you have a great Dragon in your group today!"
Your adventure begins in front of a dollhouse located within the Pathfinder Society Vaults beneath the Grand Lodge in Absalom.
Collectively, you were previously briefed by Eando Kline. He informed you that the apparent toy (now before you) was given to the Pathfinder Society by Queen Anastasia of Irrisen, and that all anyone knows is that it was a relic from former Queen Elvanna, a less than scrupulous ruler. The dollhouse is magical in nature, but it is unclear what its purpose is.
The dollhouse has been in the Pathfinder Society Vaults for some time, but the Society was unable to look into it until recently due to other pressing matters. After an incident with the night hag Aslynn, a steward noticed that the house was affected, and Eando decided it was time to investigate it. He apologized for not having any further information for them, as yours is the first group to look the dollhouse over properly since it was stored in the vaults.
After giving instructions to make whatever preparations may be needed to examine and catalogue the dollhouse, Eando sent you down here to the vault where the dollhouse is stored as a party. Eando noted that he doesn’t expect trouble, as the dollhouse’s magic has been completely dormant, though he warned that any good Pathfinder should still be prepared for trouble, just in case.
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What appears to be a large, golden-scaled dragon squeezes into the vaults, though on two legs like most other Pathfinders. He wears a breastplate, crossbow and adventurer's pack, all seeming a bit to small. He looks down - far down - upon the 'great dragon' who was speaking as he entered, but declines to comment on the statement.
While one might expect the new arrival to be majestic, he is more morose. "Good day," he begins with obviously forced cheer. "You can call me Zak. This is but my second job since joining the Pathfinders, and I hope you will help me to learn. My other half, Mark, will make an appearance when he sees fit, and not a moment before."
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A dreamy-eyed half-elf arrives, casually walking. The sudden sight of a large dragon startles him at first, but he quickly relaxes upon spotting the Pathfinder badge. Though it’s his first time meeting a dragon among their ranks - creatures he’s only ever heard of in tales as cunning and dangerous - he manages a polite smile and nod.
"Vamir Zylven. I hear we’re to investigate a dollhouse, yes?" he says, his tone curious and measured.
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.
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A woman steps lightly into the Vault chamber, the soft tap of her boots echoing faintly against the stone walls. She pauses a few paces from the dollhouse, tilting her head as her pale blue eyes study its intricate exterior. Drawing a soft breath, she murmurs, almost to herself, a musical note that hangs in the air and seems to resonate with the dollhouse’s frame.
"Ah… this is no ordinary dollhouse," Lirien murmurs as she moves with the grace and poise of an elf. Then, lifting her gaze to the rest of the party, she smiles faintly.
"I am Lirien Glint, at your service. I’ve spent my life learning to listen to what music—and magic—have to say. It seems we are entrusted with a rather curious task, perhaps together we can uncover what secrets this little house hides."
Her eyes flit over the dollhouse again, curiosity sparkling
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Looking to make the most of his first mission, Mu Long walks up to the elf.
"Greetings, smoothscale! I am Mu Long Dragonkin! I come from a prestigious lineage of Dragons. My brother, for example is Huang Tong Dragonkin. Our uncle is Jinlong Dragonkin. We trace our name from the famed Pathfinder Adventurer Rhaegal Dragonkin. You should find yourself fortunate that you have Dragons in this party protecting you!"
He takes another deep breath before continuing "So what do you find so special about this dollhouse?"
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Vamir studies the large dollhouse, letting his eyes trace the outer walls and peer into the miniature interior but not touching it from fear of unleashing whatever dormant magic it contains. Lacking any magic to confirm whether its lingering energies are really harmless, he keeps his lips pressed in silence for now, choosing to trust Eando’s assurance to them. He searches his memory for anything he might know about Queen Anastasia or the land of Irrisen.
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“Fortunate indeed. It is not every day one is graced by a dragon’s presence… let alone an entire lineage of them.” Lirien’s eyes warm with polite humor as she inclines her head toward Mu Long.
Her brow furrows as she steps closer, the soft glow of her eyes reflecting the faint shimmer coming from the dollhouse’s open side
“As for what’s special about this—it’s not the craftsmanship, nor the age, though both are noteworthy. It feels like there’s a veil… a boundary. Like something is interfering with the transition between the inside and the out”
She closes her eyes for a moment "Let me recall what I know…", she murmurs softly, strumming a quiet note on her lute to focus her thoughts.
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A human with metallic silver hair enters the room next. He wears the robes of a travelling monk and has the holy symbol of Apsu on a rope around his neck. Seeing so many with dragon heritage gathered a small smile appears.
"Well met, cousins. We will surely have Apsu's blessing for this mission with so much dragon blood on the team. Call me Faethor."
"I just returned from Irrisen. I'm afraid I was a little too busy chasing frost goblins to learn much about the area though."
Zak sees ice shimmer on the roof of the dollhouse and the icicles sparkle as if they are real, despite the worn nature of the rest of the house with faded paint and loose pieces. The rest of you can see several small dolls inside the house in various rooms.
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"I remember that several years ago, Irrisen welcomed Queen Anastasia as their new ruler. The former ruler, Queen Elvanna, was rumored to have been taken away by her mother, Baba Yaga." Vamir shares with them.
"Why were you chasing the frost goblins in Irrisen? And have you, by chance, seen the Queen?" Vamis asks Faethor with curiosity.
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Lirien’s fingers pause over her lute strings as the others speak of Irrisen. For a moment, her eyes lose their sparkle, the way frost dulls a polished mirror.
“Queen Anastasia…” she murmurs, almost to herself. “Hard to believe it’s been years already.”
She glances at Vamir, her voice soft but certain. “And I’ve heard the same rumors as you, Vamir… that Elvanna was taken by Baba Yaga herself. Strange as it sounds, it fits—the way she vanished, the fear she left behind. I suppose some things are too dark to ever be explained fully.”
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"Oh yes, she was personally overseeing the engineering project the pathfinders were called to give our opinions on, a lovely woman," Faethor replies to Vamir. "The goblins stole some of the materials for the project. You know, typical activity for a Society outing."
To Zak he adds, "It was a very cold place, I would not be surprised if they had all manner of ice magic."
The small dolls as well as the interior of the rooms look to be covered with a bit of a haze, enough that it's hard to see much detail on anything inside the dollhouse.
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"I think we should deconstruct it, yeah?" Vamir suggests, the idea clearly intrigues him even as a passing thought.
"Let me take a look at how this thing is put together." He rubs his palms together, ready to begin his inspection of the massive dollhouse. He starts by tapping along the frame, listening for differences in the sound. Then he runs his hands along the outer walls before leaning in to feel the interior floor, which sits right at his eye level.
As soon as Vamir reaches for the dollhouse, you all feel your surroundings shift. It happens with little fanfare; one moment, you are standing in the vaults, and the next you are somewhere else. The experience is a bit jarring and leaves you disoriented for a moment.
The group is now standing in a grand foyer. 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 (slide 4) 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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"Wha-" is all he gets out before the group finds themselves inside the dollhouse. Mu Long looks around, almost in a panic, wondering if he did something wrong.
"I didn't do it! I didn't touch anything! I'm going to be expelled from the Society and this is only my first day!" he wails. "I'll be a disgrace! The Dragonkins will disown me!! What will I do afterwards!!"
Ignoring Sweeper, he rushes at the eastern wall, hoping to dive back out, forgetting that he's shrunk down to half his size...
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Lirien blinks as the room shifts around them, she steadies her lute in her hands, taking a slow, deliberate breath as her eyes take in the oversized foyer and the stuffed sloth that greets them. “Well…” she murmurs, letting a faint, melodic chuckle escape, “this is certainly… unexpected.” Her voice carries the soft cadence of someone trying to soothe both herself and the group.
“Mu Long,” she says gently, letting her fingers strum a few comforting notes on her lute, producing a soft, shimmering chord. “Take a deep breath. You didn’t do anything wrong. The Society won’t expel you for… well, being shrunk by a magical dollhouse.”
She offers him a small, wry smile, her tone laced with warmth and humor. “Step carefully, keep your wits, and try—just try—to enjoy the adventure. Panicking won’t fix anything, but staying together might.” She reaches a hand out toward him in encouragement
Her eyes follow the open eastern wall, then return to Sweeper’s gaze. “A pleasure to meet you, we would be glad to help...lead the way, if you would.”
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Before he can react and pull his hand away, Vamir is suddenly transported to an unfamiliar terrain.
"Woah!" he exclaims as he reorients himself and instinctively draws his weapon in case there are any hostilities. Spotting a stuffed sloth that appears harmless, he keeps his blade in hand but questions the strange entity with cautious vigilance.
"Who are you, and where are we?" he asks while scanning the surroundings.
When his eyes catch the familiar Pathfinder Society Vaults beyond where Mu Long is headed, he strides toward the sight for a better vantage point, not even pausing as the dragon rushes ahead, likely desperate for an exit. Passing the stuffed sloth without waiting for an answer, he suddenly freezes.
"What the...?!" The realization hits him: they are inside the dollhouse, made clear by the enlarged view of the vaults outside.
He turns back toward the stuffed sloth, anxiety creeping into his voice.
"What are we doing here?!" he demands, followed quickly by, "And how can we get out of here?"
Mu Long tries to get out the quickest way he can see. After all, the dollhouse is open to the Vaults, right? He barrels right at the opening, trying to flee.
Unfortunately, the dragonkin slams into an invisible wall, bouncing him back onto the floor of the foyer.
Sweeper gasps. "Oh, you didn't hurt yourself, did you? I should have warned you!" She trudges over to help Mu Long to his feet.
"There's no getting through the wall, at least not that way! If we destroy every other wall, maybe we can just walk around it though. Ha ha." She waits to see if anyone else appreciates her joke. "I’m just kidding, that’s a terrible idea and wouldn’t work anyway. The same magic that keeps you from leaving through that opening applies to any windows too. Oh, and to some holes that need repairs! I’m sorry everything’s in such a messy state. I try my best to keep it clean, but there’s only so much I can do. Anyway, what were we talking about? Right! Leaving! The only way I can think of is to get The Warden to allow us to pass."
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Mu Long bounces off the wall, which seems to knock some sense back into him. He hears Lirien's advice and takes a deep calming breath. Immediately, he feels better. Seeing the proffered hand, he takes it and follows his new friend.
Hmmm. For a Smoothscale, she knows what she's doing. Maybe that's how HT and Uncle Jinlong got their start!
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"Well, this is new," a small, vaguely translucent six-armed figure who wasn't there a moment ago says casually. "You do get to the most interesting places, Zak." it adds, brushing spectral fur away from its eyes.
The creature looks at the Pathfinders. "The questions you were about to ask. No, I am not from the dollhouse, nor do I know anything about it other than what you were all discussing. My name is Markennerie, but Zak here calls me Mark. You might call me a memory from Zak's past, given shape, and like a memory, sometimes I can be called, while sometimes I arrive unbidden. Anything more will have to wait until we are better friends."
Sweeper is delighted to see little Mark. "Hello!" She tentatively tries to poke at the tiny spirit before she hears Faethor's comment.
The janitor gives him an odd look like the human has said something she's never considered before. "I mean, I think I would like to leave. Cleaning up in here has gotten boring, and I can see there is a world on the other side of them walls. There must be things to do out there, but this house is the only place I’ve ever known."
The stuffed sloth pauses again, thinking. Then she nods. "No, I’m sure I want to leave. The others, well, it’s not so straightforward. I can tell you that none of them are happy here. Most of them liked their old jobs, but with no prisoners to take care of, we’ve all become a bit lost; forlorn, even. Still, everyone is afraid of The Warden. They keep pretending to do their work, just to keep her from lashing out at us."
"If we convinced everyone that we were all going to stand up to her together, they might listen. The strength of the whole team standing together could be just the push they all need, and it might even be enough to get her to listen. Ya know what? I think this will work. Now all we have to do is convince everyone to join us."
Sweeper looks at the group with their armor and weapons on them. "You don't know what the dollhouse is? The Queen used to send people here to hold them -- people who she couldn't just get rid of. The magic here would contain them and render any magic they had useless."
But over time, I think the Queen has lost interest. We haven't had any new prisoners is a long time, and one day we woke up and the ones we had were simply gone. With nothing else to do, most of us have continued to do our jobs. But I always thought it might be nice to see the outside."
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Bren stroked their chin pondering the situation.
Presumably, when you say Queen, you mean Queen Elvanna? She got replaced by Queen Anastasia a while back. If that's the case, maybe that's why you don't have prisoners any more. Do you know how long ago they vanished? Still .... if there are records, the Warden would have them.
And yes, the Outside is interesting. You could become a Pathfinder, like us - and there are tax benefits plus a rather nice income - assuming you survive the dangers.
So, how many 'others' do we have to convince?
They used their psychic powers to get a 'feel' for the place, even attempting to poke into alternate realities.