Session 11: The Bazaar of Sails Report
General Summary
The party discussed amongst themselves about how to deal with Toymaker: do they go prepared to kill him? Aroldus said that they weren't wanting to kill Michael Sounders, but that they feared it might end up being the only option. Ms E preferred the direct approach and wanted to kill them outright.
They decided to send Amir Sahar back to Felio Gallus and inform him of the dolls being responsible for the death of Doctor Elbourne and Samirabo; he would also inform the Investigator that they planned to track down the Toymaker, and that it might end in violence.
Aroldus wanted to find other vendors of children's toys, and so they found their way to the shop of Danurah. She was selling parchments and crayons - so Aroldus bought some crayons and asked about where to purchase a doll. Danurah didn't know the precise vendor, but mentioned having seen several children with shiny new dolls coming from the stalls further to the west. Caernwold spotted a man and two children, one of whom was carrying a doll-sized box with a fancy monogram on it - so he stepped in to ask them if they knew where to buy a doll at. The man said that his youngest, Septis, had insisted on getting a doll at a stall down Ferrier's way to the west. The man gave them rough directions as to where the stall had been located at.
Ms E was concerned that the child had purchased one of the killer dolls, but Aroldus used their magic and did not sense anything amiss - though Ms E was still concerned and got the man's name (Hirrus Iulian) for future reference.
Upon reaching the vendor's stall, they found that it was actually staffed by a Varisian named Lucian Ripnu. Ms. E emplored him that they must go and meet with Michael directly, mentioning that they had saved his life previously. Lucian indicated that visitors were not allowed in the workshop, but said that they should go have a drink at the Old Fang, and that he would fetch Michael to meet them there. The party pretended to agree, but wanted to follow him and find out where Michael was at.
After tailing Lucian into the Capital District and near the golemworks, they observed him disappear into a nearby building. Ms. E snuck in first, going down the stairs leading to the basement. After the people talking in the basement heard her, she stepped out and confronted Michael and Lucian directly.
When Michael learned that there were others outside, he killed Lucian and then talked with Ms E, waiting for her companions to join in. After Ms E told Michael how much they knew, about the Watcher, and let slip that others were not present that were a part of the group (IE: Atalia, Amir), he attacked.
During the fight, Michael was dealt several wicked blows by Ms E. After the last of them, he staggered backwards and began to retch - eventually, vomiting out a strange, brain-like creature which should have been far too large to fit inside of his mouth or throat - an Intellect Devourer. Michael's body fell to the ground, lifeless, and the strange entity vanished while several dolls around the workshop animated and began their attack.
Quick thinking by Caernwold and Aroldus kept the thing from immediately escaping, forcing it to use several more spells to regain its stealth before it disappeared into the night. Aroldus' acid attacks on it did leave behind some residue that might yield information, if brought to the right sort of specialist.
The dolls were put down, the dollmaker is dead - and now the thing IN the dollmaker could be anywhere. Or anyone.
