Soulbound doll

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Soulbound doll
Soulbound doll
(Creature)

Soulbound dolls are sentient soulbound constructs imbued with a fragment from a living, or recently living, creature's soul upon their creation. These dolls posses none of the memories of the creature from which their soul fragment is drawn, but do retain and exhibit a limited measure of that creature's personality, and have free will.213

Appearance

Soulbound dolls can be constructed from many different materials, and as a result vary widely in general appearance. Most bear an item of value, always of exceptional craftsmanship, and a given doll is often crafted to resemble a form that holds significant meaning to its creator.2

Abilities

Though slight of frame and strength, soulbound dolls possess various abilities that are as different from one another as their physical appearance. These abilities usually take the form of a deceptive mental assault, though some examples have been known to inflict direct physical harm4 with unexpected force empowered by their soul fragments.13 They can also harness their power to cast a single spell of greater power based on the personality of their donor's soul.13

Ecology

Soulbound dolls are subservient and loyal to their masters. They have a tendency to exhibit behavior similar to that of the creature from which their soul fragment was drawn, yet usually have no knowledge of why they act in such ways.2

The extraction of a soul fragment can be performed near or shortly after the donor's death; a living being's soul can also be extracted, but the process is almost always fatal. The fragment is sufficiently small that the soul is not impeded on its way to the River of Souls and can still be resurrected.13 Nonetheless, most Pharasmins consider the creation of soulbound dolls as disruptive to the cycle of souls and destroy them in service of the Great Beyond.13

Soulbound dolls often serve as guards, and their intelligence allows them to oversee other mindless constructs.13

Known soulbound dolls

The knowledge necessary to create soulbound dolls appears to have developed in many different regions of Golarion.2

Mwangi fetish dolls
Typically constructed of wood, these dolls often serve as guardians to the peoples of the Mwangi Expanse.2
Pestico's daughters
Treated as daughters by their creator, the doll maker Vadid Pestico, these constructs are generally known for their manners and good behavior.2

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Logan Bonner, et al. “Monsters A-Z” in Bestiary, 304. Paizo Inc., 2019
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Nicolas Logue & Mike McArtor. “Bestiary” in Edge of Anarchy, 85. Paizo Inc., 2008
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Logan Bonner, et al. Soulbound doll” in Monster Core, 318. Paizo Inc., 2024
  4. Nicolas Logue & Mike McArtor. “Bestiary” in Edge of Anarchy, 84. Paizo Inc., 2008