Magic Dolls
by ParzivalDemon Doll:
DOLL STATS: Armor Class 4, 4HD***, Move 120’(40’), Attacks: 4 (“toy” knife or spear), Damage: 1 hp per hit. No. Appearing: 1, Save as C4, Morale: None— relentless, Treasure Type: Nil, Intelligence 12, Alignment Chaotic, XP???
This 1 foot high tall doll appears to be a crude wooden carving with human shape, including arms and legs, and an exaggerated head covered in wildly unkempt black hair, staring black eyes, and an open mouth with sharp triangular teeth. It is dressed in crude, primitive hunting attire. The doll may also carry a knife, about 3-inches in length and very sharp, or possible a hunting spear roughly one and a half feet in length— also tipped with a very sharp spearhead. The doll is actually possessed by an evil spirit of murder. If it is ever alone in a room or chamber for more than 3 turns with only one living being (except for lowlife, abomination, or enchanted creatures), the doll will become animate, and will attempt to attack and kill the living creature, relentlessly hunting them. The demon doll is extremely fast, and capable of jumping distances of 6 feet, both horizontally and vertically, as well as climbing rough walls, vines, stairs, etc.. It can also hide in very small spaces, and move extremely silently, and will use such stealthy behavior to conduct its attacks. If its weapon is removed, it will seek a replacement blade, such as a hand knife.
It attacks as a 4HD monster. While its weapon (even a found one) will only inflict 1 hit point per strike, the creature moves so fast it can make up to 4 attacks per round. Since it delays any activation until its intended victim is alone, it will often strike when a person is unarmored and unawares— in these cases, the demon doll surprises its victim on a 1-4. If the intended victim is asleep, the chance of surprise is 1-5. A sleeping victim must make a save vs. paralyzation or take 4d4 damage from the attack!
The doll is preternaturally strong, and can batter its way through wooden walls, doors, furniture, chests, etc., or cut its way out of any cloth or leather container. It will escape from such things in one round if trapped. However, it cannot get through stone, metal, or heavy glass or ceramic (as a thick jar or pot). It can break through common window glass.
Once per day, the demon doll may cast magic jar on an intended victim; if successful, the victim’s soul will be trapped within the doll, while the doll’s demonic, murderous spirit will be possess the body of the victim, and will seek to kill the victim’s friends and loved ones, one by one. The possessed person will attack as the character class of the victim, with the victims current hit points, armor class, combat level and weapons (if any), but will not have any special abilities of that class, including magical spells, nor can it use any magical devices the victim might possess. However, the possessed victim saves as a 4th level Cleric, regardless of class or level.
While trapped in the doll, the victim will not be able to move the doll nor communicate in anyway, but will be a witness to everything the demon does while possessing the victim’s body. Destroying the doll itself will kill the victim trapped within it, as well as the possessed body. If the possessed body is killed while the doll remains intact, the demonic spirit will return to the doll, banishing the possessed soul back into the victim’s body. If the demon will attempt to murder its victim’s friends (party members) and family, if any are reasonably nearby, and then abandon the victim to their fate.
The demonic spirit is highly intelligent, and can use the possess body to speak (often to deceive potential victims) normally. However, any magic that detects alignment or evil will reveal the possessed body as Chaotic or evil in nature (depending on what the magic does). A possessed person will also radiate magic to a detect magic spell as if enchanted.
Since the doll and its possessed victim are enchanted, neither the doll nor a victim under its control can violate a protection from evil spell. Also, holy water will damage the doll or its possessed victim as it does undead.
(Inspired by the “Zuni” Fetish doll in Trilogy of Terror.)