Graven Images
The snow is coming down particularly hard as you reach the home of one Amrynn Quilen’Maeral. The knock upon her door has yielded you an answer of a young-looking half-elvish woman of some remarkable beauty. She has long curling black hair and a delicate build. Yet her pale, pale white eyes suggest that she is perhaps... lacking her sight. This is further reinforced by the long stick that she carries in her hand with her to her door and the very confused look on her face as she peers out into the winter cold.
"I was not expecting any delivery." Her voice has a gentle cast to it, a delicateness that is remarkable and she looks at the group of you without comprehension. "Who is there? Hello? Is that you Sabin? Have you come by unannounced again?" She sounds almost hopeful.
By the time the group got here, Telamon's temper has cooled. But there's a little thought in the back of his head that he might go pay a visit to that obnoxious Stormgardian ass at a later date. For now, though... there's work to be done.
When they are greeted, Telamon switches on the charm, his smile shining even if Amrynn can't see it. "Lady Amyrnn?" he inquires politely. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I am known as Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon, and I come with compatriots seeking answers to a mystery."
"Please, may we come in? I don't wish for you to catch cold, and I know not all of us are as inured to the snow as my wife and I."
GAME: Telamon rolls talky: aliased to diplomacy+5: (5)+36+5: 46
Verna is girded enough against the cold and wind via multiple layers and a stout cloak (and possibly a touch of magic), but that does not imply that she wishes to hold conversations in the snow. In fact, she much prefers to avoid the current snowfall when feasible. Well aware of Telamon's gifts for conversation, she gladly follows his lead. Which is to say that she leaves him to make the initial contact and possible introductions.
Cor'lana blinks as she looks at the woman. There's a number of similarities between them. Curly black hair, delicate build... It's only a sheer act of grace that keeps her from blurting out what's on her mind. (That, and she's pretty certain her mom never had another kid. Maybe someone else on the Branfeax family line, though?)
"You gonna talk, or did a cat steal your tongue?" Pothy asks on Cor'lana's shoulder in a very quiet whisper into Cor'lana's ear. Cor'lana's Grandfather wasn't available, and he wanted to come along with Cor'lana on this adventure.
"Shhh," Cor'lana says at Pothy, rolling her eyes. Then she smiles more brightly at the toymaker. "Yes, hello. Pothy really wanted to meet you!"
Pothy stares. "Hi. You make toys of me. I want a cut of the profits, lady. And by a cut of the profits... I mean snacks."
"Pothy want a cracker?" Skyler interjects, and without waiting for an answer stuffs a bit of tack into Pothy's mouth. He beams at the toy maker, and says, "Love your work, ma'am. I've one of your large stuffed Pothies I.. err.. acquired. It fits my old armor!"
It's said with utmost sincerity and good humor, and while the others might be alarmed at the utter lack of thought in his eyes...
Well.
She's blind, right?
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 1d20: (4): 4
Carver does not join in with the rush of greetings, instead standing awkwardly near the rear of the group. Deathless is tied off nearby in case an expedient retreat is needed but she does not look like she's here to fight. Martial skills against a blind toymaker, who might be a victim herself, is a bit callous.
Which sort of leaves her to twiddle her thumbs, with nothing to track and nothing to shoot, just to shiver quietly in her heavy furs and hides as snow dusts from head to toe like gently falling tears. She makes note of Pothy's increasing cynicism with a helpless shake of her head.
The woman looks a bit confused. Not by Telamon, he seems nice enough, but rather by Pothy and his demand for snack-benefits and the way he cuts off from hard-tack at the end. She smiles a bit uncertainly in Skyler's general direction. It's a somewhat familiar sensation with Cor'lana standing right there.
"Yes, yes. Please come in." She motions for you all to follow her into her house and it's...
It's a really rather lovely little house. If one has a thing for stuffed animals that is. They're everywhere. Big ones. Small ones. Ones as big as your head. She leads you over to the hearth with all the familiarity of a seeing woman and motions for you to make yourselves at home on her couches and chairs of which... there's enough space as long as you don't mind sharing with more plushies.
"So, how can I help you?" She inquires politely, sitting down in a rocking chair close to the fire place and smiling gently.
GAME: Skyler rolls Perception: (15)+8: 23
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Perception: (10)+23: 33
GAME: Carver rolls perception: (5)+15: 20
GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (7)+33: 40
Telamon gives Pothy an exasperated look, before nodding gratefully to Skyler. He clears his throat. "Sorry. Yes. That was Apotheosis, better known as Pothy. He has opinions, mostly revolving around snacks." The half-sil sighs, before following Amrynn into her home.
Which is... full of stuffed plush animals. It's not really daunting, just odd. Slowly, Telamon takes a seat, setting aside a small plush duck. He steeples his fingers, before speaking. "Lady Amyrnn, I would like to discuss certain plush animals and dolls that have been making the rounds here in Alexandria. As I understand it, you have been enchanting them to speak little phrases, perhaps to move a bit as well?" The sorcerer tilts his head quizzically. "I admit I'm unfamiliar with the processes you're using."
The (former) sky pirate glances around the shop appreciatively, and sincerely says, voice a little awed, "Ma'am, you are an *genius*." He moves in, running fingers lightly over a plushie goblin dressed in brown robes with big ears that looks suspiciously like a certain child.
Disney don't sue please.
He grins when he sees a giant teddybear on a settee, and sits down pulling it's head into his lap... And leans back, frowning slightly. One hand pets his new lap friend, while the other waves at the gathered... and points up while miming 'WHAT THE HELL?' at the ceiling.
Verna blinks at the plethora of plush presences occupying the residence. "You have a lovely home and no small amount of talent in your craft," she offers in gratitude, salutation, and genuine sentiment. She adds to Telamon's statement that, "There are some concerns that your efforts may have been corrupted in some manner on a portion of your works."
Cor'lana looks terribly bemused by Pothy as she also takes a seat next to Telamon. She's an old hand at sitting and cuddling with plushies. When one grows up a lonely child... "He's just trying his hand at his usual demand," she bolts onto Telamon's explanation. "But he _is_ quite flattered by how realistic the plush toys were. Until... Well, they started attacking people. My husband, my sister-by-bond, and my friends, Skyler and Carver." A frown settles onto Cor'lana's face. "Naturally..."
She would say something else, but then Skyler gets her attention, and Cor'lana's eyes go up to the ceiling to investigate.
"Naturally, I am flattered by my depiction as an incredible warrior, _but_ it's not really true to life," Pothy says. "I'm not nearly so bloodthirsty. _Most_ of the things I have eaten in my years of existence were already dead."
"Wait, what?" Cor'lana whispers in horror at Pothy's comment.
Carver, the last one in, closes the door with an apologetic look toward Deathless. Who seems mostly unperturbed in his many blankets.
When the door latches shut, she exhales and turns to take in the room, and its caucus of the governmental body of get some friends. Her honey-shaded eyes sweep one way and back across the host who stand in quiet, soft contemplation of all types and sorts.
"Okay." Oh, hey, there's a horse. She goes to inspect the craftsmanship with gusto.
"Is that child talking about eating living things?" The woman asks in mild horror. She blinks, staring in the general direction of Pothy with a stark amount of terror. "Why would a child be eating living things? Wait... Pothy... The *bird*?"
She seems to relax considerably and breathes out a sigh of relief and she shakes her head. "You had my heart going for a moment! I thought he was a child!" The woman laughs and chuckles. "I use a blending of my own unique magics. Tailored spells if you will. I couldn't tell you why they might go awry... They never have before. I've been doing this for years."
GAME: Telamon rolls detectBS: aliased to sense motive: (9)+29: 38
Skyler continues to mime, this time rolling his eyes and putting his hands together in prayer, and jerks a thumb towards a door into another room that he'd passed by. He then shrugs with an exaggerated confusion, before cocking his head to see if the silent statement he made hit.
Meanwhile, cool as a cucumber, he's speaking. "Now if you think about it, he *is* a raven. They famously eat corpses, but in the end, don't we all? I bet eyeballs taste like candy."
He then makes a vaguely mystical wiggling of his fingers held out, like he's casting the world's *strangest* spell before he waggles a hand as if to say 'halfway?'.
GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (11)+33: 44
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Perception: (15)+23: 38
GAME: Skyler rolls perception: (16)+8: 24
Telamon glances up as well, almost in unison with Lana. Weird. His eyes widen slightly, but he gives no sign anything is amiss. Instead, he looks thoughtfully at Amrynn. "I'm afraid so. He can speak when he wants something, and having it sound like a noble child just makes it sound stranger."
His eyes flick to Skyler again, and then he remarks, "I do find it worrisome that these creations are turning aggressive. Could someone be tampering with them after they leave your hands?" Smoothly, the half-sil turns to look directly at the door Skyler is pointing to, his starry eyes glimmering.
Skyler adds to the charades, making a tying motion before pointing up and then at the woman.
Verna regards Telamon's not-quite-spell somatic gesture with some mild confusion, though this is cut short by a frown at the notion of consuming corpses. While technically truth, it is disconcerting all the same. "Understood," she notes, likely to the hostess. "I did not expect it to be an issue with your work, but possibly abuse by a third party..." Her words trail off as she follows Skyler's pointing to the door and brows arch in curiosity.
While she is not adept at charades (it is far too chaotic and unregulated compared to other nonverbal methods of communication), that two seem to be indicating something unusual has her attention. Having not yet taken a seat, she steps towards the door in question whilst making a point to glance to the plush menagerie along the way. Sightseeing, as it were?
Carver lowers the doll she was inspecting as others all sort of convene around a clue, lifting one brow in question as she follows their gaze to these mysterious yet to be revealed.
GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/religion: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Verna rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+24: 31
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Knowledge/Religion: (8)+11: 19
GAME: Telamon rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+13: 20
Cor'lana's lips purse together in thought as she tries to interpret Skyler's pantomiming, brows furrowing together lightly. She's never been great at charades. Hell, she didn't even recognize half of the lewd hand gestures that she'd seen when she suddenly (much to her dismay) rocketed to fame as the 'Seductress of Alexandria' after a certain incident. But she looks at Telamon after a moment of thought, something passing between them.
Pothy, meanwhile, has other plans. He hops off of Cor'lana's shoulders and gets on the ground, right in front of Cor'lana's feet. "I like spiders," he says, as a complete nonsequiter. Seemingly. "They're crunchy. I have found that they're best when their legs are lightly battered and then fried." He starts tip-tapping his little talons around the floor, not leaving far from Cor'lana's person. "Skyler's got a point about eyeballs, too. They're slimy yet satisfying! Unless they've been left out for some time, then they're kind of mealy."
Amrynn seems quite uncertain what to make of the conversation going on at the moment (crunchy eyeballs and all). "It is possible... that someone is doing something to the dolls after they leave my home... I would not know would I?" She seems sad. "I have been enchanting them for a long time, and it would make me very sad to have to stop after all this time. The children love them so..."
"Could you do something about it perhaps? I mean... You or someone?... I would hate it if the toys had to stop." She looks at the group of you hopefully.
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Perception: (19)+23: 42
GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (13)+33: 46
GAME: Skyler rolls perception: (19)+8: 27
GAME: Verna rolls perception: (10)+29: 39
GAME: Carver rolls perception: (15)+15: 30
"Really? Always wanted to try one, but my tutors back home were always like 'don't put that in your mouth' and 'cannibalism isn't okay'." Skyler continues to prattle on in respond to Pothy, although he's carefully easing the teddy bear off his lap, gentlying turning it's head into the sofa. Don't look at this, sir! Look away, you innocent stuffed animal. He's quiet as he moves to join the crowd, frowning at the altar exposed.
He doesn't seem to recognize it, shrugging and turning back to eye the others, raising an eyebrow that's equal parts asking if they have a clue what's going on, and half asking if they're going to hit the blind lady. "I'd had to see an artist no long able to fulfill the lives of the people around them too, ma'am." And his eyes suddenly widen, and he squeaks, "THE FUCK?!" And kicks the nearest stuffy, a life-sized green child in brown robes that may or may not be Murder related. "What kind of evil bitchery and wizardry is this?!"
GAME: Telamon casts True Seeing. Caster Level: 20 DC: 26
"That's why we're here, Lady Amyrnn." Telamon gets to his feet, apparently to move around and think a bit. In reality it's to sweep his eyes back and forth, before casually sliding a hand into his haversack and drawing out a two foot wooden rod carved with runes.
Figuring Skyler's actions are a sufficient distraction, he wordlessly draws an arcane pattern in the air with the rod... not saying a word. The energies are subdued, silent, but suddenly his eyes go completely black and filled with stars as he augments his senses.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Aftershock has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Aftershock to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
GAME: Skyler refreshes special ability pools.
Verna notes the altar, which seems rather typical to her. She lifts a hand to briefly clasp The Scales about her neck and dips her head in reverance before turning to their hostess. "An investigation into these matters is precisely what brought us here. Are you in mourn-" She only expels part of the inquiry before gobber-facsimile yeet-by-feet occurs, leaving her blinking.
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 29.
It is now Telamon's turn! Ravenstongue is next!
GAME: Telamon casts Telekinetic Sphere. Caster Level: 20 DC: 29
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+6: (3)+6: 9
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 21.
It is now Ravenstongue's turn! Corpsdoll is next!
Telamon's gaze lingers on Amrynn, glowing, and something twitches in his countenance. Disgust. "I know not what you are, but I know you don't need to be causing trouble." His fingers move in a smooth pattern, as he chants, "Dimma sa, ellag namsita, gur irhandi!"
There's a crackle of light as a pattern of lines forms a sphere around the blind woman. As ghostly as a soap bubble, and harder than any steel. "You toy with Amrynn's flesh, but you are not -her-." His voice has the snap of anger, cold and stern.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+sorcerer+4+2: (17)+20+4+2: 43
GAME: Ravenstongue casts Haste/Quicken. Caster Level: 20 DC: 29
GAME: Ravenstongue casts Overwhelming Presence. Caster Level: 20 DC: 33
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 18.
It is now Corpsdoll's turn! Carver is next!
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20: (3): 3
Well, things have gotten out of control. Pothy flaps onto Cor'lana's shoulder as the sorceress quickly assesses the situation. "Okay," she murmurs. "Let's try this..."
She quickly incants a spell of quickening magic, letting it rest on herself and her allies in a shimmer of invigorating magic. Then comes the bigger spell. She takes a breath and intones one single word, echoing with magic power as she focuses on the many, many dolls around them: "Behold!"
"Behold _what_?" Pothy quips. "See, it didn't even work! They're constructs, you silly goose; how are you going to do your corset magic to them?"
Cor'lana's lips wrench into a look of bemusement. "I wasn't going to--" Then she shakes her head. No use arguing with Pothy.
The Corpse, drawn on strings of light is revealed for the thing that it is - which is a corpse rather than a woman. She looks pretty well preserved but Telamon's magic has stripped her of her illusion of liveliness and now she stands trapped in a bubble impotent in her efforts.
Meanwhile the dolls... The dolls are climbing off the shelves. The couches. The chairs. They're coming to life all around you. The Murder-doll is looking particularly murderous as it grabs a cleaver.
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 17.
It is now Carver's turn! Skyler is next!
GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/religion+4: (16)+3+4: 23
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2: (1)+18+-2: 17 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2: (11)+18+-2: 27
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2: (2)+18+-2: 18
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-7: (5)+18+-7: 16
GAME: Carver rolls 2d8+6: (10)+6: 16
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 9.
It is now Skyler's turn! Verna is next!
GAME: Skyler used a Alchemist's Fire.
GAME: Skyler rolls ranged+1: (10)+7+1: 18
GAME: Skyler rolls 1d6: (4): 4
Carver snarls, as the creature is exposed. All the charm of the simple, kind, lonely little toymaker made abominable. She slips to her left with a sudden dip and sweeps her bow into her hand, rising to her full height and aiming over the shoulder of the corpse. Her arrows seem to clip through one of the threads. "She's a doll. Cut the threads." If she was more media savvy, she'd understand the narrative richness of the toymaker being a toy herself.
It escapes her sadly. Instead, "I will remove your blight."
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 7.
It is now Verna's turn! Telamon is next!
"This is *not* okay, ma'am!" Skyler protests, already reaching into his coat rather than attempting to draw the sword across his back. Is it a dagger? A scroll of some mighty and arcane spell? Perhaps a vial of poison to drink to put an end to his misery? No. Instead, as sorcerous power fills him and speeds up his limbs, it's a narrow bottle with a long, cloth-wrapped neck perfect for gripping. Inside is an mixture of various chemicals, all with a faint reddish tint.
Have an eye is spared on Cor'lana's proclamation, though, and he offers up helpfully, "Gotta reach in and lift them to make the most of a corset, m'lady. Fluff the puppies, y'know?" Beat, and his eyes widen as the Baby Murder gets a cleaver. "Shit fire, who the hell gives a kid's stuffy a *cleaver*?!" The alchemist fire is thrown at the doll, "Seriously, like what the *fuck*?! Can we *burn* the threads?!" And his hand hovers, as if prepared to draw another vial, or his sword.
GAME: Verna casts Holy Aura. Caster Level: 19 DC: 25
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 29.
It is now Telamon's turn! Ravenstongue is next!
GAME: Telamon casts Magic Missile/Quicken. Caster Level: 20 DC: 26
GAME: Telamon rolls sorcerer+11: (13)+20+11: 44
GAME: Telamon casts Frigid Touch. Caster Level: 20 DC: 23
GAME: Telamon rolls Melee+1: (5)+16+1: 22
GAME: Telamon rolls 4d6: (10): 10
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 21.
It is now Ravenstongue's turn! Corpsdoll is next!
Oh, Halls no. Not only the (presumed) murder of an aged woman who crafts toys for the joy of children, but a layperson of The Harpist? And then proceeds to desecrate her remains?! "You shall face Her judgement!" her voice lifts. "Until then, She shall gird and ward all those under Her gaze!" Silver light envelopes all of the guests, dimming to lingering lustrous glow that readies to brighten in the presence of evil.
Telamon sees Carver firing arrows, and decides the ranger has the right idea. "Let me see if I can help with that," he says, triggering a swift barrage of magical darts that... pass harmlessly through the glimmering strings. "Son of a..." Tel grits his teeth in anger, before focusing again.
Weaving away from a plush anthropmorphic turtle trying to grab his arm, he incants another spell, a ghostly blue light appearing around his hand. When the turtle lunges again, he meets it with his hand, turning it to a frozen block which topples over with a distinctly unimpressive thud. "Careful with that fire, Skyler!"
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Knowledge/Religion: (17)+11: 28
GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 20 DC: 25
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 18.
It is now Corpsdoll's turn! Carver is next!
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+20: (11)+20: 31
"There's nothing _to_ lift and fluff!" Cor'lana replies to Skyler with a bemused frown. "I'm not the buxom knockout that my mother was." But then she looks at the woman locked in the telekinetic sphere, and she recalls something.
"Altars to Thul sometimes are hidden as altars to Vardama!" Cor'lana declares. "This woman isn't being held against her will! She gave herself willingly to Thul to be puppeted for his purposes! We have to defeat her!"
To that end, Cor'lana murmurs another spell, a magic circle of protection emanating from her around herself and her close-at-hand allies. "Verna, I hope you have something for this!"
With an explosion of power Telamon's spell tears open, releasing the corpse of one Amrynn Quilen’Maeral. One-time devotee of Thul. One-time powerful spellcaster. One-time crafter of dolls. Now, it seems that her god has decided that someone or something is to control her body, because it is moving quite of its own volition.
The dolls are blown over in the gust of power, but they all pick themselves up again. Including the flaming one.
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 17.
It is now Carver's turn! Skyler is next!
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2+4: (11)+18+-2+4: 31
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2+4: (11)+18+-2+4: 31
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2+4: (20)+18+-2+4: 40 (THREAT)
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2+4: (9)+18+-2+4: 29
GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-2+4-5: (13)+18+-2+4+-5: 28
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 9.
It is now Skyler's turn! Verna is next!
GAME: Skyler rolls ranged+1: (5)+7+1: 13
"Get out of my face," Carver's hiss is full of hatred distilled. "Get out of our city." Louder. More brash. Punctuated by the rapid fire release of silver-tipped arrows fletched with white feathers, hints of snow still clinging to their tips. "/Piss/ off our /world/." The last shot leaves the soul-mangled doll's hand bereft of its divine threads.
GAME: Skyler rolls ranged+1: (14)+7+1: 22
GAME: Skyler rolls 1d6: (1): 1
GAME: Skyler used a Alchemist's Fire.
GAME: Skyler rolls 1d6: (3): 3
GAME: Aftershock advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 7.
It is now Verna's turn! Telamon is next!
"I'm good with fire!" Skyler says reassuringly to Telamon, "I've been working on it since I'm suppose to wrestle that one guy while we're on fire!" Okay, so it might not be *that* reassuring.
Verna's blessing is met with a sigh, and he grins tightly at Telamon, "See? Her Holiness all but demands we burn this place to the ground!" Out comes another vial of alchemist fire and he snickers as he adjusts his grip and then throws it at the sham Amrynn (The Shamrynn if you will), intent to conk her over the head and splatter the napalm all over her.
Behind him, Baby Murder raises her arms, and then abruptly crumbles into a fiery corpse as the napalm-like alchemical fire finishes her off. Murder, but was it a crime?
GAME: Verna casts Consecrate. Caster Level: 19 DC: 19 GAME: Verna rolls will+2: (6)+24+2: 32 GAME: Verna rolls will+2: (15)+24+2: 41
Just when the mourner thought the situation could not became any more blasphemous, Cor'lana reveals her epiphany. Verna blinks in surprise, but has nothing but trust in her sister-by-bond's insight. "She -what-?" All pity held for Amrynn evaporates. In fact, her focus turns away from the puppeted corpse completely, and to the altar. To think a moment prior Verna, herself, was reverent to such a false idol. No, a blasphemous abomination that cannot be allowed to remain.
A vial of blessed water is retrieved from her satchel whilst her other cluches at her Scales. She splashes the water at the altar as she calls out, "You are denied, here, Seller of Souls! The Harpist and I shall not suffer your presence! Your Dread Breath shall linger no more! You-" As the holy waters begin to sizzle and spit upon the edifice, Verna's words and swing pause. A presence; unseen, but certainly FELT, if perhaps only by her. She was not expecting such an immediate rebuttal, and certainly not from -"YOU!"
The nemesis. The very Black and Frozen Dream that convinced her, decades past, of her calling to The Harpist. She steels herself and resumes her steps and the annointing of the altar. "Upu hold no contract here! You cannot deny Her Judgement! Away with you!"
The sizzling becomes a boiling, which then suddenly erputs into a geyser of silvery steam.
The dolls fall silent. The corpse falls to the ground unanimated by the light that had emanated from the altar. Thul's altar. Inside the altar - later - you'll find a diary. You'll find that the woman had been praying to Thul to grant life to her creations. That she'd made the villains because she found kinship with them. That she created dolls because they were empty vessels like the ones that Thul filled with life. That she wanted to be closer to her god. That she wanted in the end to be filled with his power. Puppeted by his power at the end of her life.
In the end, she was granted her wish. She has been dead for almost a full year without anyone being the wiser. Making dolls. Filling them with animation. Only the last few months have the animations been getting stronger. Filling with Thul's purpose. Filling with evil.
Now she's dead, and she'll be staying that way. And so too will her dolls.