I did a lot of collaboration with Jim Groves to share certain elements between our adventures...such as the characterization of Nazhena and Nadya. We both wanted to do Irrisen justice with as much flavor as we could cram into our individual chapters.
As I vote Nadya to be my favorite NPC ever published, you succeeded overwhelmingly in my opinion!
Command Spell: Approach! Be behind the other PCs so that you have a conga-line of attacks on the Sprite. =^-^= I was most amused when a PC used this on one of the sprites. (One escaped. But then, the group did horribly against the Atomie, never once thought to roll sense motive...)
I did a lot of collaboration with Jim Groves to share certain elements between our adventures...such as the characterization of Nazhena and Nadya. We both wanted to do Irrisen justice with as much flavor as we could cram into our individual chapters.As I vote Nadya to be my favorite NPC ever published, you succeeded overwhelmingly in my opinion!
Wonderful. Thank you. (Going to be brief since this is not my chapter)
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The interactive map of the Boarder Wood strikes me as a bit weird, in as much as whilst it is possible to toggle-off the encounter locations doing so also removes the names of the various parts of the wood, which PCs may possibly know whilst leaving the path they will follow marked on it. Can't help thinking that is the wrong way round.
Has anyone been able to produce a version of the map with the path and encounter locations removed, but the place names, Red Run Gorge etc., still there?
The interactive map of the Boarder Wood strikes me as a bit weird, in as much as whilst it is possible to toggle-off the encounter locations doing so also removes the names of the various parts of the wood, which PCs may possibly know whilst leaving the path they will follow marked on it. Can't help thinking that is the wrong way round.
Has anyone been able to produce a version of the map with the path and encounter locations removed, but the place names, Red Run Gorge etc., still there?
For something like that, I take two full screen screenshots, one with the labels on and another with the labels off. Then I take both screenshots into Pixelmator (Photoshop or Gimp will also work), put the no labels screenshot into a layer and then the labeled screenshot in a layer above that. Next, I get the eraser tool, select the top layer and just delete the unwanted labels exposing the unlabeled screenshot below. Finally, merge the layers, crop, resize, and you're done.
Are Radosek's ice spears enhanced by the Pale tower as it is made of ice. I would assume yes...
That makes them very nasty. But I also assume they damage the elementals?
Are Radosek's ice spears enhanced by the Pale tower as it is made of ice. I would assume yes...
That makes them very nasty. But I also assume they damage the elementals?
That's how I treated them. Yes, it does make them particularly nasty. They're pretty much guaranteed to trip their target.
The ice elementals would certainly be immune to the cold damage from the ice spears and they cannot be tripped. The conjured ice is magical so I guess the elementals can't ice glide through the spears so I guess they would take the piercing damage... I suppose.
An electrified spontaneous immolation caused an early end to Radosek's career so he only got to use the icicle wand once. :(
Now, are the ice spears cast at CL 5? (2 spears?) or am I understading the text wrong?
Now, are the ice spears cast at CL 5? (2 spears?) or am I understading the text wrong?
The icicle wand is a wondrous item with CL 5 so it would cast 1 spear since the ice spears spell effect is "1 ice spear/4 levels". This is further explained in the description text of the spell: "You may cause a number of ice spears equal to one spear for every 4 caster levels you possess...". It takes being CL 8 to get a second spear.
Hey everyone. Recently ran the 4th session of this campaign and my PCs have reached the Pale Tower. The various occurrences in the game have raised several questions that I am looking for help with.
My PCs have thrown me some curve balls!
Apologies this is a long post...
Context:
PCs successfully bluffed their way in by telling the guards that new of their appointment hadn't got back to the tower yet. Guards bought it (rolled badly), however one was sent to go and inform Radosek of his guests arrival.
PCs stood around muttering nervously to each other but still waited out. Guard came back with knowledge that the PCs had lied. Guards and troll attack (and Radosek knows the PCs are there)
PCs carve there way through the ground floor (guards are particularly feeble at this point although captain put up a good fight)
Viking fighter is first up the teleporter
Q1 - Does the Key stay in the teleporter so all the people downstairs can use it. Or does a key only work for one person. I ruled it stayed until removed.
Fighter had a furious exchange with Mierul (Viking was not at session where she met the PCs). Mierul told him to leave as he was an intruder to the place where she had been given guest right. Viking amusingly tried to justify the slaughter of all the guards.
Before he could kill her the Paladin appeared, and vouched for Mierul. I ruled she would not be stupid enough to fight 4 people so she took the chance to escape
Q2 - What do people think she will do now. It says she is Elvanna's spy. Would she go and report the raid in Whitethrone? I'd like to make her a recurring character (especially as the Paladin believes her to be non-evil)
Q3 - I had trouble with the Spriggan encounter. It says it casts Scare and chases the fleeing foes out of the room and then attacks. Why would it do this just because someone entered the kitchen? And what if it cast spell (and save was passed) asked the PC to leave and they left voluntarily (which the solo wizard did). I had the Spriggan act as written but only use non lethal and the go back to the kitchen...
Q4 - What is the Doppleganger's motivation. Unless I missed something it does not clarify whether or not it is paid or enslaved by Nazhena.
The Party saw through the deception but talked to it and gave it the choice to either leave or help them. I figured it would likely die alone in the cold so would help the party. But would it help them? Or would it fear White Witch repercussions?
I wanted to acknowledge and respect my groups sudden and surprising departure from the 'Enter room and kill everything in it' mentality
Q5 - The Party wish to capture Radosek and use the doppleganger to impersonate him.
How does he communicate with Nazhena whilst she is away? It is not clear (he does not have an attentive mirror).
Book 2 mentions Nazhena loses communication with the tower and so becomes suspicious. If the duplication of Radosek is successful then this will never happen and it would seem a chunk of the encounters in Book 2 will be not applicable anymore?
Q6 - How much loyalty does Jairess have to the tower. I am anticipating them defeating her and her surrendering. Would she assist the PCs? Would she leave alone into the wilderness? Or fear the witches too much? It is not clear what her motivations are either
Once again sorry for the very long post
1. Regarding the teleporter keys, that was answered on page 1.
2. in my campaign, Meirul was subdued and locked in her bedroom. That night, she awoke, broke the window in her room, and climbed out. On her way back to Whitethrone, Nazhena learns of Radosek's death. Having no further need of the forlarren, she snaps the sliver of ice in Meirul's heart and she dies instantly on the frozen plains of Irrisen.
3. Spriggan's are nasty and I didn't have him hold back at all. His scare spell only affected one PC and he was soon to be wolf bait in a couple rounds.
4. Being able to impersonate a high noble in Taldan society? That motivation enough for a doppelganger. Impersonating the white witch's apprentice, however, is an interesting twist.
5. Irriseni mirror sight is detailed in the book's appendix and you should read it entirely. Nazhena can cast the spell with a known person as the intended target and be routed to the closest mirror within sight and Radosek can do the same in reverse.
This poses an interesting situation if Radosek is dead and replaced with a doppelganger. Nazhena's mirror sight spell would fail if she tried to cast looking for Radosek but would succeed if she cast on the known location of the summoning room. If doppelganger Radosek was in that room Nazhena would then know that she's talking to an imposter.
6. Jairess is there because it's a job and she gets to be close to her birds. With Radosek gone, she'll likely do what any other adventurer does and go hang out at the local tavern until the next job comes along.
The witch in my campaign is also a sylph so Jairess is, like, so totally stalking her now. They'll either be BFFs or frenemies but I haven't decided. She refused to give up any of her weapons, armor, or valuables to the PCs and nobody pressed the issue so there's no hard feelings but you never know with sylphs.
Thanks for the help.
A couple of points-
Have I missed something about the mirror spell. I thought it was viewing only and not speaking?
Also isn't Mieurel an agent of Elvanna and not Nazhena? Radosek's death should not really mean her death. Although I will need to think what elvanna's response to the raid on the Pale Tower would be. I imagine it would make the PCs lives harder in whitethrone
The mirror sight spell is viewing only but where's the fun in that?
I guess they write messages on paper or on slate with chalk.
Yes, you're right about Meirul being Elvanna's agent, not Nazhena. Regardless, Meirul's dead in my campaign and her fate was sealed the moment she became winter-touched. I wouldn't question Queen Elvanna's actions if I were you. It is as her highness desires. :)
Ansel, you mentioned earlier that you were going to have the floors be slippery near the pool, how did that end up playing out?
Rule wise I was planning on implementing the Hewn Stone Floor from Dungeons section of CRB with the charge/run requiring an acrobatics check, as the floor was carved out of an icicle, and then the soldiers would put gravel on the ground to help with traction.
And the Chutes in the first area (courtyard) cannot be climbed, right? They should be about 22 ft high with a length of 5 ft.
Ansel, you mentioned earlier that you were going to have the floors be slippery near the pool, how did that end up playing out?
It never did. The party snuck past the entire first floor skipping those festivities. The barracks eventually emptied out when Radosek ordered everyone to the second floor to defend the tower.
Eventually, the PCs went back downstairs and engaged the water elemental close to the front door. There was no other combat inside after that. They then engaged the troll (and used the elixir of fire breath to good effect) and eventually the two remaining guards near the gate (one had been sent away on patrol earlier). They were fumbling with the ranged attacks (I gave the guards cover from their positions) so I let them use pitons to climb up the chutes. The winter witch simply frostfooted it up the walls directly and tossed a rope down.
I added an extra overnight encounter to tie up some loose ends with the Pale Tower guards from Waldsby. The PCs had left them all tied up and under guard at Nadya's house (there was endless debate on the matter but the lawful good cleric wouldn't allow unarmed prisoners to simply be executed). They broke free, lit Nadya's house on fire, went to the temple and ordered the elder to heal everyone, beat him up, ransacked the general store for provisions (offending Milivsa who trusted her lover), and burned the blacksmith's shop down for conspiring with the PCs. Iziamir and Tula, suspecting any retribution would be swift and brutal, had already hidden elsewhere and were able to muster enough help to put the fires out at Nadya's (minor damage, repairable, but it looks worse than it really is) at the expense of their own house burning down.
The guards and their sergeant made the 3 hour trek to the Pale Tower with one of their number succumbing to the cold en route. When they arrived, frostbitten and fatigued, the sergeant ordered two guards to slaughter all the dogs in the kennels to prevent the PCs from escaping easily and to hopefully draw them out of the tower while the rest would hide out and try to sneak upstairs. The plan worked but one of the guards tasked with killing the animals, a man named Brimir Rós, had reservations about the task, started an argument with the other, and then eventually put a sword through the other guy after the third dog was put down. He fled and was eventually found later.
The PCs eventually ran into the sergeant and his guardsmen's ambush while trying to piece together the mystery (following footprints, seeing the dead dogs, one with a sword still in it's neck, and the guard who had a sword through his back). They fight, the sergeant and his men are killed, and that was that.
After Radosek's death and closing of the portal, they are approached by Brimir who surrenders to them asking for either mercy or a quick death. They make him return to town and help repair any damage the guards had done but the Waldsby residents won't have him so they end up letting him go. When they ask him where he'll go now, he mentions that he's heard rumors of a "resistance group" in the capital. I guess we'll see what happens now.
Now, are the ice spears cast at CL 5? (2 spears?) or am I understading the text wrong?The icicle wand is a wondrous item with CL 5 so it would cast 1 spear since the ice spears spell effect is "1 ice spear/4 levels". This is further explained in the description text of the spell: "You may cause a number of ice spears equal to one spear for every 4 caster levels you possess...". It takes being CL 8 to get a second spear.
Well CL1 is level 1, so a CL 5 (which happens to be the same level required to cast it) would be 1/4 so wouldn't it go up at 1, 5, 9? Or do CL not start until your first time you are permitted to cast the spell?
Well CL1 is level 1, so a CL 5 (which happens to be the same level required to cast it) would be 1/4 so wouldn't it go up at 1, 5, 9? Or do CL not start until your first time you are permitted to cast the spell?Now, are the ice spears cast at CL 5? (2 spears?) or am I understading the text wrong?The icicle wand is a wondrous item with CL 5 so it would cast 1 spear since the ice spears spell effect is "1 ice spear/4 levels". This is further explained in the description text of the spell: "You may cause a number of ice spears equal to one spear for every 4 caster levels you possess...". It takes being CL 8 to get a second spear.
Rule of thumb is you always round down when multiplying (or dividing). Technically, you have zero spears from 1-3rd levels and get your first at 4th level. But since you can't possibly cast it any earlier than 5th level, it's a moot point.
And if Valsstoi is delivering Chill Touch or Frostbite, can Radosek use his wand without losing the charges of his touch spells?
I would be interested in any more detailed opinions of NPC motivations.
Doppelganger:
As mentioned above my PCs are talking the doppelganger in helping them by impersonating Radosek.
But would it really do this?
The Doppelganger bio says they prefer to be power behind the throne (but also mentions young ones practice by ruling goblin tribes)
Would the Doppelganger know that Nazhena will be able to easily see through the ruse (with likely fatal results)
Or would it temporarily use the opportunity to do as it pleases in Waldsby?
And regarding it's shape changing - can it change into anyone it has seen once? Or does it have to have touched them? Because I assume Nazhena would not have put herself in a position where the Doppelganger can impersonate her?
(A side rules question : Do Doppelgangers gain any languages when they change. Because this would be a hindrance to any plans if they don't)
Mierul:
It is looking like she will get out of the Pale Tower alive in my game.
DO people think she would try to report the PCs raid to Nazhena? Or perhaps to her master Elvanna (who is of course preoccupied)? Or just escape with her own skin.
I'm intrigued at the prospect of bringing her back in Shackled Hut (perhaps as a leader of a Winter guard patrol, or maybe somewhere in the maze at the end)
Feedback:
As mentioned above my PCs are talking the doppelganger in helping them by impersonating Radosek. But would it really do this?
No. Gardhek would be crafty enough to pretend to help them, but then betray them or escape at the first chance presented to him, even disguising himself as one of the PCs, if necessary.
Would the Doppelganger know that Nazhena will be able to easily see through the ruse (with likely fatal results)...or would it temporarily use the opportunity to do as it pleases in Waldsby?
Gardhek would fear Nazhena (or any White Witch) would be able to see through his ruse...whether he thinks she has some kind of connection to her apprentice or can read his mind. Conversely, he'd suspect he'd be unable to fool her just based on the more intimate knowledge she'd have of Radosek. After all, she's lived with him far longer than Gardhek has known him. So, the doppelganger would be loathe to try and fool someone as powerful and close to Radosek as Nazhena.
And regarding it's shape changing - can it change into anyone it has seen once? Or does it have to have touched them? Because I assume Nazhena would not have put herself in a position where the Doppelganger can impersonate her?
I believe it can change into anyone it has seen. No need for touching. But any fool who tries to mimic a White Witch is pretty much signing their death warrant the moment someone finds out.
(A side rules question : Do Doppelgangers gain any languages when they change. Because this would be a hindrance to any plans if they don't)
No. Not unless they're one of the more powerful doppelgangers rumored to exist which can acquire the skills, memories, and abilities of the creature they mimic. In Gardhek's case, he's denied that ability.
Mierul: DO people think she would try to report the PCs raid to Nazhena? Or perhaps to her master Elvanna (who is of course preoccupied)? Or just escape with her own skin.
Escape with her own skin first. Send warning to Nazhena via an intermediary. And then report straight to Elvanna (or one of her minions) that outsiders have assaulted the Pale Tower near the last known location of the Black Rider.
I'm intrigued at the prospect of bringing her back in Shackled Hut (perhaps as a leader of a Winter guard patrol, or maybe somewhere in the maze at the end)
You could also bring her back much further down the line, if you wanted...particularly if she entered Elvanna's backdoor into the hut and then went looking for the PCs...charged by Elvanna to hunt them down.
Or, just for fun, you could have her become a recurring NPC, always popping up in unexpected places. First Whitethrone, then Iobaria (after traveling there on her own), and then probably in the final adventure.
But that's just my two cents,
--Neil
I made extensive use of my forest flip mat for a lot of the small encounters. I'd drop it on the table and tell the players, "Choose. Choose the location of your ambush."
They'd set up their minis in a marching order somewhere on a trail and then something nasty would drop out of the trees (or would BE the trees).
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Hella nooby question but this is the first Paizo AP I've GM'd.
How do you award Story Awards? Do you give each PC the whole thing or split it up like after an encounter? Do you split the ones that say "as if you had defeated him in combat" but give the whole thing when it doesn't, such as the award given to the PC's for returning Lady Argenta?
Here's a question: If you're not using XPs and instead just level PCs up when the AP recommends it, what do you use in place of XPs for the Story Awards?
Sometimes the XP Story Awards can increase the speed of leveling. While you're not going to go past level 17, how quickly you get there can change. For example:
That story award doesn't happen if you don't take that path. But without XPs... what reward should players get?
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The satisfaction of a job well done.
No, seriously. Story rewards like that usually seem to be rewarding the PCs for "doing the right thing". So, if you run players who are playing the good guys, they might not expect anything more. Well, players always expect more treasure. And you might give them a cash reward from their benefactor, or a magical bauble from the old lady they saved, or maybe one of the PCs picks up a significant other or something. But on the whole, it seems to me that those moments are meant to be the reward in and of themselves.
Plus, they usually come with treasure anyway. The loot-hungry can gorge themselves on that.
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If you're leveling by fiat, I'd keep track of how much optional story XP is around and just keep it in mind and adjust when you plan to level them as needed.
I'm leveling my PC's by semi-fiat. I track all the XP that could be gained throughout the adventure and level them when appropriate. This way, even if they do something smart or stupid that avoids a large chunk of encounters somehow, They aren't penalized so badly that I risk TPK's later.
I suspect that if there is a situation like RotRL where their option is XP or loot, I'll let them have one or the other and expect that the loot makes up for the lost XP.
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I'm leveling my group by fiat, as I usually do, and there is never any complaints about lack of rewards. I have heard on may occasions that it frees them up to explore the story and setting without needing to worry about hunting for XP.
I just choose points in the story that I want to advance them a level. In this adventure I leveled them after the lodge, once they stepped through the portal and will level them again after the pale tower. the adventure as a bit of a leveling point while in Waldsby but I liked the earlier point of gaining the mantle. This put them at level three a little sooner than the adventure intends but not majorly so, plus, 3rd level grants a few more options than 2nd so letting the players enjoy that level a little longer than normal isn't so bad.
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I could use some advice and if this has been covered upthread I apologize, I have been keeping up with the topic but may have missed this.
The party just gained access to the Pale Tower and made a major ruckus in the courtyard, alerting the entire tower to their assault, then took their sweet time going inside. It seems only logical that the occupants would fall back to defensible positions and attempt to hold them off. They certainly won't just be sitting around doing their thing, such as reading in the library.
I am thinking the second floor corridor and dining hall is a great place to hold up and wait. The guards on the first floor have not been encountered yet and I am thinking they have been called upstairs to assist in the defense while the water elemental delays the party downstairs.
The dining hall looks like a good killzone with the guards, under Orlov's command, using the table as a barricade for the main corridor and tables from the library to barricade the door to the south. The kitchen can be barricaded from the other side by Mig with Mierul, Jir, and Lask in there with him. I'm not sure what to do with Gardhek. Probably just keep him in his room, or move him upstairs with Radosek.
I'm not concerned about potential lethality for the party, there are six of them at 3rd level and it's their own fault for not coming up with a better strategy anyway.
What do you guys think?
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Yeah, I should also mention that I hate leveling up mid game and won't do it. We only get to play every other week for a few hours because we're all busy and have families and such. I won't waste 20 minutes to level instead of playing. Like Joshua, I'll probably end up letting them level after the Winter Portal because I'm not sure we're going to get past that next week.
But yeah, if they're close I'll let them level early to keep the pacing up.
One thing I have done is tell players "you will be leveling up in this game. Please give me the leveled-up information now so I can have it ready for when you reach that point in the game." That way when the leveled-up encounter happens I can e-mail them PDFs of their new character sheet or with the tabletop version hand them their new character sheet and have them use the new stats.
Mind you, they still have to rest up to use new spells (though I will allow the clerics to use the new spell slots for spontaneous healing if needed).
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Whilst xp are up for discussion;
Back at the lodge there is a reasonable chance that Rohkar will manage to slip past the characters and use a scroll to raise five bandits they have already killed as zombies. Do the PCs earn xp for these zombies or are they just a "part" of Rohkar's xp value, as if he had cast a Summon Monster spell?
Does the fact that it's a scroll make a difference?
Is there an "official" ruling that covers these situations somewhere?
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I'm pretty sure the use of a scroll, being part of the NPCs gear, makes it part of his abilities just like summoned creatures. I looked back through the lodge encounters and it looks like this is the intention in the writing as well. The zombies can be raised but are not listed with a stat block and XP value.
Traditionally, you wouldn't assign extra XP for the animated zombies from Rohkar's scroll. However, if your PCs are a little behind on XP (by missing or skipping some encounters)...or, if you're playing a slower XP progression to stretch the story out a bit...you could certainly rule otherwise and give them the extra XP. Some of the encounters which follow the lodge (especially the winter portal) will be hard on the PCs and a little bit of additional XP (if it gets them to a new level in time) could help increase their chances of surviving vs. a potential TPK. It really just depends on how savvy your players are.
But that's just my two cents,
--Neil
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Hey love the interactive maps...was wondering made sense to leave the titles on the maps when you look at it in player view? Seems unneeded in my opinion. Also getting rid of the red line on the Border Woods map would have been nice in player view. I used it to sour of track progress visible to the players as the moved through the area. All in all it is a great addition and really helps people like me that play online
Alright so maybe I misunderstood the mantle of the black rider, I had my players swear to the black rider that they would fulfill his duties to Baba Yaga, lest the world come to an end. My inquisitor of Erastil and Paladin of Torag refused to deal in any way with the witchcraft and actually moved away from the area. (Not very honorable, but that Paladin's actions are no longer in question as his head is dangling from an invented Nemesis' belt). I have also had... maybe a couple of deaths. How should I change up the hut/mantle for those who enter the campaign as characters without the mantle/the inquisitor who refused to have anything to do with the witchcraft? (Should I move this to a different GM reference thread?)
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I decided to modify Thora slightly by increasing her Charisma to 11 and providing her with a level of Sorcerer and some spells to improve her effectiveness to spook the players with. I hope you guys enjoy this - mind you, the level of Sorcerer does NOT increase her CR, and I ensured the spells would not be deliberately damaging, especially as I figured the Witch behind her wouldn't want to provide this child who insulted her with even a modicum of real power.
Anyway, here's Thora, mk.2:
Thora Petska CR 3
XP 800
Female Guardian Doll Sorcerer 1
NE Tiny Construct (cold)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +2 size, +1 natural)
hp 26 (4d10+1d6)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4; +1 vs mind-affecting effects
DR 5/magic; Immune construct traits (+0 hp), ability damage, ability drain, bleeds, cold, death and necromancy effects, disease, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, non-lethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning; SR 14
Weakness susceptible to mind-affecting effects, vulnerability to fire
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee Dagger +8 (1d2-1+1d6 cold and paralysis/19-20/x2)
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks doll's dagger (dagger) (dc 12)
Spell-Like Abilities Alarm (3/day), Charm Person (3/day), Levitate (1/day), Light (3/day), Mage Hand (3/day), Open/Close (3/day), Prestidigitation (3/day), Ray of Frost (At will)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1):
1 (3/day) Ventriloquism (DC 11), Grease (DC 11)
0 (at will) Ghost Sound (DC 10), Dancing Lights, Breeze, Drench (DC 10)
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TACTICS
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During Combat Thora casts levitate to rise into the air so she can more safely cast spells, using charm person to create allies to prevent others from attacking her. If forced into melee combat, she casts frostfall and then attacks with her doll’s dagger, hoping to catch paralyzed opponents in the supernaturally chilled area of the spell.
Morale Thora fights until destroyed.
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Statistics
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Str 8, Dex 17, Con —, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 12
Feats Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative, Nimble Moves, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +5, Escape Artist +5, Fly +7, Intimidate +5, Linguistics +3, Perception +5, Stealth +15
Languages Common, Hallit, Skald
SQ bloodlines (fey), laughing touch (3/day), soul focus
Other Gear Dagger, Sapphire, 600 GP of Valuables
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Special Abilities
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Construct Traits (+0 HP) Constructs have many immunities, no Constitution, and a bonus to HP based on size.
Damage Reduction (5/magic) You have Damage Reduction against all except Magic attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Doll's Dagger (Dagger) (DC 12) (Su) Creatures struck by dagger take 1d6 cold and paralyzed 1d4 rounds (Ref neg paralysis)
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Fey +2 to save DCs from spells of the Compulsion subschool.
Immunity to Ability Damage Immunity to ability damage
Immunity to Ability Drain Immunity to ability drain
Immunity to Bleeds You are immune to bleeds.
Immunity to Cold You are immune to cold damage.
Immunity to Death and Necromancy effects (Ex) You are immune to Death and Necromancy effects.
Immunity to Disease You are immune to diseases.
Immunity to Energy Drain Immune to energy drain
Immunity to Exhausted You are immune to the exhausted condition.
Immunity to Fatigue You are immune to the fatigued condition.
Immunity to Non-lethal Damage You are immune to Non-Lethal Damage
Immunity to Paralysis You are immune to paralysis.
Immunity to Poison You are immune to poison.
Immunity to Sleep You are immune to sleep effects.
Immunity to Stunning You are immune to being stunned.
Laughing Touch (3/day) (Su) Melee touch attack leaves target able to take only move actions.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Nimble Moves Move through 5' of difficult terrain/round as if it was normal terrain.
Soul Focus (Su) The soul bound to the doll lives within a focus integrated into the doll or its apparel, typically one of the doll's eyes or a gem embedded into its neck or chest. As long as this soul focus remains intact, it can be used to animate another doll, usi
Spell Resistance (14) You have Spell Resistance.
Susceptible to Mind-Affecting Effects (Ex) The weakened conviction of a soulbound doll's soul makes it susceptible to mind-affecting effects, despite the fact that it is a construct.
Vulnerability to Fire You are vulnerable (+50% damage) to Fire damage.
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The soul of Thora Petska inhabits the porcelain guardian doll inside the hut, watching over the trail to the winter portal. The doll wears the same dress Thora had on when Nazhena Vasilliovna took her to the Pale Tower, but she is no longer the little girl who brought laughter and joy to her family. The doll’s face is that of an old crone, though it retains Thora’s flaxen hair, and it still bears a strong resemblance to the girl’s countenance when she was still alive—enough that the PCs can recognize the similarities between the doll and the phantom girl they encountered in area M1. Far more unnerving, however, are the doll’s mismatched eyes—one a blue gemstone, the other a small round mirror the size of a coin, reflecting the world around her. The gem acts as the doll’s soul focus, retaining all the memories the construct experiences, but the mirrored eye serves an entirely different purpose, allowing Nazhena and her apprentice, Radosek Pavril, to scry on the doll’s location with the Irriseni mirror sight spell (see page 73). When the PCs first encounter Thora, Radosek is using that spell to look through the guardian doll’s mirror. Although the winter witch cannot do anything to the PCs at this time, this early glimpse of the PCs enables him to easily recognize them when they encounter him later in the Pale Tower (see area Q20).
Thora is compelled to defend this pass into Somir Valley from those she doesn’t recognize as servants of the Pale Tower or Queen Elvanna. Initially, she lets the PCs approach her hut, remaining silent if they examine her, pretending to be a normal doll. When the PCs aren’t directly observing her, she uses her spell-like abilities, casting light, mage hand, or prestidigitation to make the area seem haunted in the hope of frightening them away, or she speaks to further unnerve them, growing utterly silent again if they turn to face her or try to talk to her. While she defends herself if attacked, Thora otherwise allows the PCs to move beyond the hut and through the ward at area M3. She then follows after them, tirelessly pursuing the PCs wherever they go in an effort to slay them. She prefers to attack at night, when her darkvision gives her an advantage, but she doesn’t hesitate to face the PCs during the day, if necessary, to prevent them from reaching the winter portal.
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A second level of Sorcerer would improve her CR to 4; with my group I just gave her the Advanced Template prior to the Sorcerer level so that she'd be a threat to level 4 characters. Given her varied abilities, she'll likely have the PCs swatting at shadows before they realize what's up.
Originally I was going to give her the spell Magic Aura but I realized this might not work on her - it's a range of touch, and does not state it can be used on the caster. So I figure she had a Magic Aura put on her prior to being established in here so that if anyone casts Detect Magic, she'll just appear to be an ordinary doll.
Heh heh heh.
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I don't know that it's entirely specified. For my game, I did not have snow there much at all. More like a light dusting. That meant I was able to describe there being a lot more snow later when they went back that way after bringing Lady Argenta to Heldren to really get the feeling that the winter weather was spreading.
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It's enough snow that at the first encounter within the woods itself, the entire region is Difficult Terrain. Personally I think they didn't think things through. For instance, it's described as constantly snowing but by Thora's Hut there is a message written in the snow. It should have been covered up within minutes. Likewise, there shouldn't be a trail if it's snowed for 24 hours straight since it was last used. (This is why I've used Rokhar as a method of bringing the party to the Winter Portal - he knows the way and used this knowledge to negotiate from being killed.)