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Fighting dolls were a type of wooden doll that were designed to be pitted in "fights" against one another. They originated in the Sembian capital of Ordulin, but increasingly became popular across the wider reaches of Faerûn in the 14th century DR, being played with as far away as the city of Waterdeep.[1]

Description[]

These humanoid-shaped dolls were made up of hand-painted, finished pieces of fine Sembian wood joined together, with heads that could be knocked off, and stood 1‑foot (0.3‑meter) high. Each was typically outfitted with a small, sharply pointed sword and thin metal shield. They were distinguished from other dolls by a long wooden stick, hinged and mounted on its back, that was used to manipulate the doll. These gave the dolls movement and thus their namesake capability of "fighting" other fighting dolls.[1]

A variation of these dolls made on the island nation of Lantan lacked these sticks, instead being semi-intelligent constructs of clockwork that could move of their own accord.[1][note 1]

Availability[]

Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold Sembian-made fighting dolls in pairs at a cost of 7 gold pieces, though discouraged purchasing them for any children under the age of 12 due to the sharpness of their included swords. The Catalogue also sold the clockwork variety for a time, though discontinued their sale after an incident that occurred in the city of Baldur's Gate.[1]

History[]

In the years following their creation, passionate fans of fighting dolls in Ordulin developed higher, more masterful levels of play with the toys. The city became renowned for these "battle-masters", individuals who had raised fighting doll bouts to the level of an art form.[1]

Sometime around the mid–14th century DR, a defective group of clockwork fighting dolls in Baldur's Gate that had been purchased from Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue staged a mutiny and escaped from their owners, running rampant through the city. Following this, the Catalogue's next publication included a note stating they had cancelled their next planned import shipment of said dolls and would be taking no further orders for them,[1] though would be continuing to sell other forms of clockwork toys.[2] The note also included a statement from Aurora, expressing deep regret over the trouble spawned by the dolls and that she was lending Baldur's Gate whatever resources she had available to ensure that they were all captured and destroyed.[1]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. While they are not stated in the original text to be constructs as such, the fact that the incident in Baldur's Gate is described as a "mutiny" implies a higher level of automation and intelligence above that of mere clockwork toys.

References[]

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