GM Enchanter's page

Welcome back, everyone! Let's play with dolls!

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.

Feel free to attempt an Irrisen Lore check or a Society check to Recall Knowledge about the nation or its leadership.

UncleFroggy and Lilythium, could you add yourselves to the RPG Chronicles signup so I have all your info?

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.

Welcome everyone! Feel free to introduce your character. Feel free to post any purchases and other preparations your characters made before proceeding to the vault.

We'll start next week after the website shutdown!

Eando Kline sends word for the following Pathfinders to assemble at the Society Vaults to examine a old dollhouse.

Bren Neri
Faethor Silverbrow
Zaxykebronuanni
Vamir Zylven
Unclefroggy's PC
Lilythium's PC

Please dot (add a post) in here and then delete your post to add yourself to this campaign.

Please also post your token to the slides and post your position in the marching order. The slides are also linked at the top of the page.

No Pathfinder Provisions for Quests.

I just signed up but I'll bow out if a third level is too high.

3rd level should be no problem.

Pathfinder Quest #16: The Winter Queen's Dollhouse

A Pathfinder Society Quest designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters, playable in 2-3 hours.

Written by Brite Cheney

Sign up here. Four seats open with two other seats reserved.

We will start after the site upgrade next week.

Done!

Lancyn, your new Chronicle is up!

Chronicles are here!

Angela and Lancyn, if you want to roll day jobs, I can regenerate your chronicles.

Please roll for your dayjobs.

Having searched the area and found the Testament of Geb, you activate the token and within several seconds you are whisked back to Absalom. The gnome, Tethis, is startled by your appearance in his lab, but quickly greets you and then sends for Ambrus Valsin.

Soon, the Venture-Captain arrives as Tethis is retrieving the Chalice of Undeath for you to drink from again. Ambrus watches as each of you drink from the Chalice again to restore you to your non-undead selves, while he examines the tome you brought back.

"Good work. This is much better off in our hands than lying around Geb. we'll place it in the Vaults for safekeeping. What happened to Heth?"

The old man blinks his eyes open and then nearly nearly dies again from the disgusting gore covering him. "I'm alive! I'm Alive!"

When you are ready to return, you have the magical token to teleport you back to Absalom.

Among the rubble of the room and the altar, you find a phylactery and a wicked scythe, both inscribed with magical runes of Urgotha.

And of course, you retrieve the book that you glimpsed earlier. Testament of Geb

My thoughts are with you Valen.

That was a pretty epic ending to the fight! Bear with me to recap the game details, as I'm that enamored with it right now.

On the face of it, Lancyn's attacks failed, and Golthwur was going to take the swallow damage again despite his stabilization. Even min damage would have killed him.

But a careful check revealed a real bit of teamwork in the numbers. Failing Khorshid's spell (finally!) makes the target unable to act and prone. After a dive into whether or not a worm (which is immune to being tripped) can be prone, it would seem that the spell doesn't trip you, just makes you prone. And I believe worms and snakes can be knocked flat out of position and in a more vulnerable state.

So the prone lowers its AC by 4. Combined with Angela's aid, Lancyn's roll of 3 just manages to beat the AC by 1. And of course, his smite damage is enough to kill the worm! Talk about lots of little things adding up at just the right moment! Even Golthwur's stabilization means that you don't have to worry about him dying straight away. If any one of those doesn't happen (even if Angela only provided a +2 instead of a +4 for aid), that final strike would have failed.

Whew! Congrats! Feel free to post aftermath reactions, but I will wrap this up and get your chronicles out by the end of the week.

**Begin cutscene**

Khorshid weaves the last of his spells at the grave worm who has managed to ignore all of his previous magic. His plea to save Golthwur isn't amusing to the party, but something about the mental image of Golthwur not dying is amusing to the worm. Suddenly, the worm begins making a gravelly sound. At first you think it might be retching, but you suddenly realize it's some form of laughter! The worm convulses and wriggles on its side as it wheezes. Inside and unseen from the party, Golthwur stops bleeding, but the stones and muscles will continue to batter him soon.

Lancyn, taking advantage of the moment, lunges forward to hack at the worm again. Once more his sword, imbued with Iomedae's divine fury, drives at the worm. It's a clumsy attack, and it likely would simply bounce off the worm's hide. However, with Angela's previous harrying of the worm forcing it into position and now with it rolled on its side, the Paladin's blade finds a soft spot on the worm's underside and rips another gaping wound. The worms shrieks in horrible pain even as it keeps laughing. The laughter causes convulsions which rip open the wound even wider against Lancyn's sword. All at once, the worm's shrieks turn to breathy moans and then quiet silence as it stops moving completely. From the nasty, gaping wound, an unconscious old wizard's head and shoulders fall out. He's covered in blood, guts, and worm juice, but he's breathing shallowly, and pretty much in one piece.

**End cutscene**

Congratulations! Quite a fight!

Party Status:
Lancyn -4
Khorshid -20
Golthwur -42
Angela -16

The worm turns its attention to the paladin who is tearing huge holes in it. It tries to bite at him and slam him with his huge body. Lancyn, however, is no wizard and he shows off his martial skill by evading and knocking sides the worm's attempts.

Inside the worm, Golthwur continues to be battered by stones and the worm's internal muscles. Taking a stone directly to the head, he falls unconscious.

Bite vs Lancyn: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
Slam vs Lancyn: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20

Golthwur swallow damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (6, 5) + 10 = 21

Round 3:
Lancyn -4 (smiting, aided)

Round 4:
Khorshid -20 (aided)
Golthwur -42 (swallowed, grappled, dying)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -65 (stare)

**Battle Map**

Botting Angela. Also, the worm gets an AOO on Khorshid when he casts his spell.

As Khorshid casts his spell, the worm spots him weaving magic and lashes out. Fortunately for the gnome, it strikes the last of his images instead of slamming into him.

Angela takes the opportunity to harry the worm with her spear again to help both Lancyn and Khorshid.

AOO: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
Image? (1=Khorshid): 1d2 ⇒ 2 Image destroyed

“This type of enemy has weak points here, here, aannnd here!” +1 Longspear, Aid another, studied: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 2 = 17

“This type of enemy has weak points here, here, aannnd here!” +1 Longspear, Aid another, swift: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 = 24

Round 3:
Khorshid -20 (aided)
Golthwur -21 (swallowed, grappled)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -65 (stare)
Lancyn -4 (smiting, aided)

Lancyn hacks at the worm, tearing another gaping wound in it's side, though one of his strikes just bounces off a bulge in the worm's skin. As the bump moves, he realizes it could be part of Golthwur inside, who is trying to cast a spell, but the violent motion of the worm and the rocks inside make it impossible.

The worm seems to ignore Khorshid's spells again, even as he makes the beast sparkle and glitter.

Round 2:
Lancyn -4 (smiting)

Round 3:
Khorshid -20 (1 image)
Golthwur -21 (swallowed, grappled)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -65 (stare)

**Battle Map**

Lancyn, is that final +4 aid from Angela? She rolled a nat 1, so she failed on her aid to you. It might matter, just asking for a friend...

Angela misses the worm as she tries to help Lancyn, but her stab does help Golthwur as he's held by the jaws.

Despite the help though, the worm easily gulps down the wizard in its mouth. Golthwur is suddenly battered by stones in the worm's gullet.

Swallow Whole vs aided CMD: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (10) + 22 = 32
Bludgeoning Damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (5, 4) + 10 = 19

Round 2:
Lancyn -4 (smiting)

Round 3:
Khorshid -20 (1 image)
Golthwur -21 (swallowed, grappled)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -43 (stare)

The worm turns towards Khorshid at first, but then seems happy with his Golthwur chew toy.

Round 1/2:
Lancyn -4 (smiting)
Khorshid -20 (1 image)
Golthwur -2 (grabbed)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -43 (stare)

**Battle Map**

Golthwur is no match for the worm's jaws as it holds him tightly and his spell fizzles.

Lancyn, on the other hand, simply tears into the worm, his sword sizzling as it cuts through the undead flesh.

Round 1/2:
Lancyn -4 (smiting)
Khorshid -20 (1 image)
Golthwur -2 (grabbed)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -43 (stare)

**Battle Map**

Round 1/2:
Lancyn -4
Khorshid -20 (1 image)
Golthwur -2 (grabbed)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -15 (stare)

**Battle Map**

I actually think you still had your images up from the last fight, since we only took 4 rounds in between.

The worm's tail crashes through one of the Khorshid's images, seemingly showing that it does have some visual senses.

Round 1:
Khorshid -20
Golthwur -2 (Need DC15 Fort Save)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -15 (stare)
Lancyn -4

**Battle Map**

The grave worm twitches with multiple antennae and rotten feelers extending in all directions. Just because it's undead though, doesn't mean it's slow and the worm heaves towards Golthwur in a flash, biting down on the fire-flinger. The worm grabs the wizard in its jaws and he feels a rotten undeath all round him.

The worm's tail lashes out the other way towards Khorshid, knocking into him. The rotting stench threatens to overcome him.

Bite at Golthwur : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20 hit
Damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 2) + 7 = 13
Fort Save DC 15 vs disease

Slam at Khorshid: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25 hit
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Fort Save DC18 vs paralysis

Round 1:
Khorshid -30 (Need DC18 Fort Save)
Golthwur -2 (grabbed) (Need DC15 Fort Save)
Angela -16 (displacement)
Grave Worm -15 (stare)
Lancyn -4

**Battle Map**

The worm barely even notices Khorshid's spell, though it does seem to react a bit to his stare.

Round 1:
Khorshid -20
Golthwur -1 (12 temp hp)
Angela -16
Grave Worm -15 (stare)
Lancyn -4

**Battle Map**

Golthwur realizes this is a giant undead, rather than a vermin or beast. He remembers seeing a drawing of something similar called a Grave Worm, but not much more. Either he wasn't paying attention to the text, or it was just a drawing without much more information. Yeah, that must be it.

The wizard casts a ball of fire at the worm and it explodes on it. The worm shrieks and it's hundreds of teeth shiver in pain. It does seem that fire works.

Khorshid, does the worm also get a 50% chance to avoid the Hypnotic Stare too, or is it just for other effects while it's under the effects of Hypnotic Stare? Also, what's your spell DC?

Round 1:
Khorshid -20
Golthwur -1 (12 temp hp)
Angela -16
Grave Worm -15
Lancyn -4

**Battle Map**

Party Status:
Angela: 29/45
Golthwur: 36/37 (12 temp hp)
Khorshid: 27/47
Lancyn: 54/58

After Golthwur casts from the scroll, the room shakes violently and suddenly the around the altar bulges up and explodes in a shower of dust
and mud. A gigantic worm emerges and shrieks at the Pathfinders.

Round 1:
Khorshid -20
Golthwur -1 (12 temp hp)
Angela -16
Worm
Lancyn -4

**Battle Map**

I agree it'll work. Go ahead and roll the temp hp.

Round 3:
Khorshid - Wait for Infernal Healing
Lancyn - Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - ID potion/Cast False Life

Khoshid continues to heal from the demon blood, while Angela uses the inflict wounds wand. Golthwur finds a potion of Inflict Serious Wounds, and then casts the false life scroll.

Round 4:
Khorshid - ?
Lancyn - Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - ?

Round 1:
Khorshid - Looting/taking items
Lancyn - Giving wand/Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - Getting items/Cast Detect magic

Round 2:
Khorshid - Casts Infernal Healing from wand
Lancyn - Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - ID Staff/scroll

In the first moments of calm after Heth goes down, the Pathfinders loot his body, finding several items. Angela begins to heal her wounds, while Lancyn readies for whatever their doom may be.

Golthwur realizes the staff is not magical and turns his attention to the two scrolls. He finds a scroll of blindness/deafness and one of false life.

Party Status:
Angela: 19/45
Golthwur: 19/37
Khorshid: 25/47
Lancyn: 54/58

I'll let you ID two items a round if that's all you're doing.

Round 1:
Khorshid - Looting/taking items
Lancyn - Giving wand/Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - Getting items/Cast Detect magic

Round 2:
Khorshid - ?
Lancyn - Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - ID Staff/scroll

Round 3:
Khorshid - ?
Lancyn - Ready for Action
Angela - Healing
Golthwur - ID scroll/potion

Angela is going to heal for as much time as you can get, but do any of you others want to try for anything else? If it depends on what the items are, I will start determining what will happen.

Round 1:
Khorshid - Looting/taking items
Lancyn - Giving wand/Ready for Action
Angela - ?
Golthwur - ?

Feel free to give me more than a single round at a time too.

On him, you find a potion, two scrolls, a wand, a staff, a ring, and a cloak, as well as a spellbook and spell component pouch.

As the rumbling continues, the Pathfinders seem to have only moments before Heth's foretold doom appears.

Give me 6 rounds of actions that you wish to do. We're not exactly in tactical rounds, so I'll be more liberal with what you can do, although with the ground shaking, the whole space counts as difficult terrain.

Note: I'm asking for 6 rounds of actions, but you will likely not get them all. I'd like there to be a bit of uncertainty to just how long you have.

Sounds like we're all agreed. Let me consider how I want to do this. I'll give you a few rounds before all hell breaks loose. You can choose to use them how you see fit.

Ok, I'd like some input on how you want the game to proceed. I'm very aware that this has dragged out longer than expected.

As written, the next encounter starts immediately. However, I'm willing to delay that by an undetermined number of rounds if you just want to skedaddle. Heth has told you something is coming and you see the book you came for (thanks to Angela's super perception, you auto-suceeded there). And the next fight may be brutal with just four of you and Khorshid's abilities mostly mind-affecting.

If you want to stay and fight, I'm game. I'm giving you a small window to opt out if you want. You would forfeit some of the gold rewards (because you can't search and loot everything), but I like having the choice here because there's little story point in this last fight.

We'll call it there.

With Angela's help, Lancyn cuts down the former Pathfinder with two vicious swipes. As the worms fall and scatter, Heth laughs and screams at you. "You're too late! What I wasn't able to do in my pathetic life as a Pathfinder, I've already finished in undeath! Your doom is coming for you!"

The ground shakes and rumbles again, this time more sharply. In fact, the altar that Heth had been at conducting a ritual cracks and then actually explodes outward. Stone and debris goes flying, along with some items that were on top of the altar. Angela also spots an old tome hanging out of the now-broken stone.

See discussion thread on how you want to proceed.

Angela retreats, but continues to harry Heth to help Lancyn take him down.

“This type of enemy has weak points here, here, aannnd here!” +1 Longspear, Aid another, studied: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 2 = 17

Heth steps around Lancyn to reach out to Khorshid. "Two can play with fearsome dread!" The chill of the living dead fills Khorshid with dread.

Grave Touch (shaken): 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 5 - 2 = 14

Round 7
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind) -31
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement, aiding Lancyn (+4))

Round 8
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp) (shaken)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

The worm creature catches itself before it falls to the slick ground and then bats away Lancyn's attacks. Therefore, Heth is not expecting Golthwur's staff to smack him on the back of the head. Still, the worms absorb most of the blow and the necromancer turns to sneer at the old man.

Round 6
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind) -37
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement)

Round 7
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

Botting Angela

The halfling secretary steps back and continues to harry the necromancer with her spear.

“This type of enemy has weak points here, here, aannnd here!” +1 Longspear, Aid another, studied: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 = 21

Heth gives up on trying to assault the mages and steps back to cast another spell. He points a finger at Khorshid and a blast of fire shoots out at him. As he does, Angela skewers him with her spear.

Scorching Ray Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 Miss
Fire Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 3, 1) = 13

Angela AOO: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 2 = 28
Piercing Damage, studied: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 = 7

Round 6
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind) -34
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement, aiding Lancyn (+4))

Round 7
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

Finish him off!

Heth writhes as the acid sprays over him, although it means most of the flames miss. While, Heth doesn't seem perturbed by Angela's position, her helpful pointers certainly show Lancyn where to attack. Lancyn's sword carves into the necromancer. The worms do their best to wrap around the blade, but dozens of them drop to the floor.

Round 5
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind) -35
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement)

Round 6
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

Khorshid, how long does the Shaken last?

Heth snarls at the Paladin as he proves too nimble for the necromancer. The worm creature then steps towards Golthwur, rasping at him. "Come old man, embrace death!" Yet, somehow the old wizard is also too nimble for him. The worms to seem to teem and multiply, effectively healing some of Heth's wounds.

Slam (shaken): 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 2 = 9
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Haste Attack (shaken): 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 2 = 4
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Round 5
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind) -13
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement, aiding Lancyn)

Round 6
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

He can't even hit the wizard...

Botting Angela

The halfling stabs with her spear as Heth rises. Unfortunately, the necromancer simply bats it away. Then she tries to help Lancyn strike a better blow by simply harrying Heth with the spear.

AOO - Poke ( +1 Longspear), studied: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19
Piercing Damage, studied: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 = 9

“This type of enemy has weak points here, here, aannnd here!” +1 Longspear, Aid another, studied: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 2 = 16

Round 5
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind, sickened) -16
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement, aiding Lancyn)

**Battle Map**

The worms burn, though Heth is able to twist away from the minor flames. He is blocks Lancyn's strikes with his staff, and then when Khorshid stares him down, the necromancer merely laughs and dismisses the idea of more acid.

Round 4
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind, sickened) -16
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement) (Can take AOO)

Round 5
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

The worms squirm as the acid covers them and Heth makes a scream sound like ripping paper.

Botting Angela
Angela, seeing the creature on the ground, studies Heth for a split second and then jabs at him. The spear pierces several worms, but they seem to close up over most of the wound after she pulls it back.

Poke ( +1 Longspear), studied: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 = 24
Piercing Damage, studied: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 = 9

The worms that comprise Heth shift and the former Pathfinder is suddenly standing again, though it gives Angela and Lancyn a quick opening. The necromancer turns to the Paladin and tries to reach out for him, casting a spell, but Lancyn easily avoids the hindered reach.

Melee Touch (shaken, sickened) vs Lancyn: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 5 - 4 = 10

Round 4
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind, sickened) -15
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4 (Can take AOO)
Angela -31 (displacement) (Can take AOO)

Round 5
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**

Khorshid, you can also go at the top of the next round.

Round 3
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11
Heth (hasted, shaken, blind, prone) -8
Golthwur -18
Lancyn -4
Angela -31 (displacement)

Round 4
Khorshid (2 images) -23 (3 temp hp)
. . Riding Dog -11

**Battle Map**