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Sabrina winces as she sees the barrage from Jory and Graz, not thinking even a beast this large could survive such a blow.
She gives a tearful cackle (extending the Misfortune Hex on Blue Rhino another round).
If the creature is unconscious (her Deathwatch should tell her) she casts Stabilize on it. If Red Rhino is totally dead she hexes Slumber on the blue rhino if it is hurt badly. If it is not hurt badly she hexes Herodotus with Fortune instead hoping to get some non-lethal damage on it so it does not perish with the next alpha-strike.
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Sorry about jumping ahead. Is it ok to pre-post actions before my turn in order to speed things along? I just figured you would resolve them in proper order.
Grasping a small handful of blunt arrows Herodotus pelts the red rhino in the throat multiple times. The rhinoceros begins to gag and hack as the arrows slam into it. After a moment the rhinoceros falls to the ground unconscious as it breaths heavily.
Jory turns his attention to the remaining Rhino Jory snaps a fast barrage of barbed arrows into the blue Rhino. The first arrow slams into the rhino's eye causing it to scream and buck in pain as Jory's remaining arrows line up in the beast's throat dropping it to the ground where it gurgles in pain.
Rushing over Sabrina is able to successfully stabilize both of the unconscious Rhinoceros before they bleed out from Jory's barbed arrows.
One of the staff from the menagerie that Graz met earlier rusges across the trampled garden of flowers to the half-orc.
Thank you for not killing them... He says in between breaths as he points south. ... invaders.... are at..... the Menagarie releasing every animal they can find a key to.
Sabrina
Graz
Herodotus
Heccan
Jory (38/59)
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A bit disappointed that his allies arrows took down the pair of mighty beasts instead of his own prowess, Graz looks at the zookeeper for a few moments, trying to gauge the import of his words. Finally, he shouts at teh others, "TO ME" and breaks into a run, headed for the place where he placidly watched the caged beasts before.
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As Sabrina tends to the wounded the group takes off south towards the Menagarie. The trip takes roughly 10 minutes to travel across the campus as the party encounters several wounded and confused allies and minor threats that seem to be pouring forth from out of nowhere.
A shifting mass of tents and canvas tarpaulins covering dozens of pens and enclosures of varying sizes is pressed up against the lodge’s western wall. Wagons bearing food and supplies brought in from the city are parked nearby. Other wagons contain caged enclosures like those that used in a traveling circus. Larger tents cover metal cages of enormous size. To the east, the grass is compacted from regular foot traffic to the training grounds.
Several of the exhibit animal already prowl the grounds of the menagarie as it seems the Aspis have already released quite a few of the animals. Several zookeepers lie dead on the grounds from a variety of wounds and dismemberment.
As you approach there seem to be two zookeepers left as one comes running up to you.
About time! They have nearly slaughtered all of us. They began releasing all of the animals onto the grounds. They headed off towards the Wall of Names to the north! The remaining zookeeper seems to be trying to soothe a dire lion from the cage door as the feral lion seems ill tempered and swats at the cage with it's massive paw.
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The two zookeepers stare at Jory with a look of absolute surprise as the zookeeper speaking with you holds his hands up into the air.
Wha...wha.. what are you talking about?
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers
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Heccan quirks a brow as he listens to the zoo keepers words. He takes a step away from the group and circles around them slowly, maintaining a safe distance and watches the pair as they interact with the rest of the party. He smiles to himself, sensing something is not right. Heccan stiffens when he hears Jory order the pair to stand down, realizing the dwarf had come to the same conclusion. From behind the pair, Heccan opens his mouth to speak but holds as the situation escalates.
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Sabina hesitates a bit, not sure what is going on...
"Better safe than sorry, this won't hurt you a bit and you won't be any worse off if you are who you say you are... a quick nap and we can sort this out."
Sabrina asks the Ancestors to Hex Slumber on the closest zookeeper.
This hex can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This hex ends immediately if the creature takes damage. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
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Quickly speaking with her ancestors Sabrina's eyes glaze over as do the zookeepers.
The zookeeper shakes his head as he glares menacingly at Sabrina. You should not have done that witch. The zookeeper says with contempt in his voice.
With the speed uncommon to the average dwarf Jory barrels past the zookeeper making a bee line for the man fumbling with the lock on the Dire Lions cage.
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers
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Sabrina recognizes these creatures for what they are.
Looking past their illusion Sabrina sees a creature who's upper torso is thatof a comely woman with cat's eyes and sharp fangs, while their lower body is that of a lion. Sabrina knows these creatures to be Lamia's.
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers
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Before arriving, Jory had insisted on Sabrina using his wand of mage armor as it was over 80% charged and would last as long as the scroll (1 hour).
As Jory sees Sabrina recognize the creatures for what they are, he skids to a stop well within the 110 foot range of his composite longbow. He steps five feet toward the zookeeper by the cage and unloads his arrows starting with his signature thistle arrows.
His first two arrows are low, but the next two seem on target.
ROUND 1 Jory
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Herodotus follows the rapid fire exchange, torn between the impulse to chastise Jory for his impulsiveness and his ingrained trust of other Pathfinders. But with Sabrina's revelation, all uncertainty vanishes, replaced with cold, unadulterated anger and contempt.
"And the Inheritor, hearing of the passing of the Herald, shed salty tears as she armored her soul with contempt; for the befouled one deserved nothing less and nothing more." he intones as he gestures solemnly and ponderously, invoking the somatic and verbal components of his spell as his wayfinder glows searing white.
He then moves to the side and lets arrows fly.
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Sabrina glares icily at the Lamia next to Graz.
"For the Ancestor's sake, SWING GRAZ SWING!!!!"
This is a mind-affecting effect. At 8th level the penalty increases to –4.
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Seeing Jory and Sabrina react so quickly Herodotus asks for divine favor from Iomedae herself as Graz, still a little confused by what is happening, moves into a better position.
Seeing that she was unable to put the zookeeper / Lamia to sleep Sabrina tries to confuse the creature instead.
Once again the Lamia shrugs off Sabrina's wild glares of hate and discontent as Herodotus sends a hail of arrows downrange at the zookeeper. The surprisingly agile zookeeper is struck by the first initial arrow but is able to dodge the other two with surprising dexterity.
jory follows suit and sends a hail of arrows at the keymaster. Two of his arrows follow quite short but Jory is able to correct his aim as he lines his remaining shots up while firing. His final two arrows slam into the zookeeper causing a small spurt of blood to trickle down his leg.
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers (Green -12; Red -26, 1 bleed 6 rnds)
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Heccan's eyes go wide as the situation was quite different than what he had originally thought. Seeing his fellow Pathfinder's attack, and given the general state of alert, he follows suit and attacks the zookeepers.
Heccan draws again from within himself, throwing his hands out, he unleashes arcane energy that slams into the closest lamia.
Heccan's eyes flare red and he continues to funnel arcane power at the nearest foe.
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Torrents of arcane energy pour forth from heccan's hands and slam into the zookeeper's chest, knocking the air from his lungs as he is left standing gasping for breath.
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers (Green -32; Red -26, 1 bleed 6 rnds)
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Graz swings his chain high over his head in a wide circle. The end of the chain comes around, slamming into the zookeeper's temple, knocking him to the ground unconscious and bleeding.
As the zookeeper hits the ground his form changes considerably to that of a creature who's upper torso is that of a comely woman with cat's eyes and sharp fangs, while their lower body is that of a lion.
The remaining zookeeper's form shifts to join the unconscious Lamia as he fumbles with the keys.
Once again the Lamia chooses the wrong key as it looks back to Jory and hisses as she holds her side that continues to bleed.
Shrugging off the barbed arrow the Lamia casts a spell as multiple images of the creature spring into existence all around it that seem to blur the real target, mimicking it's every movement.
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers (Red -27, 1 bleed 5 rnds; 6 Mirror images)
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Round 2
Graz growls in righteous anger as the first lamia falls to his chain. "I am game for all of them!" cries the fierce half-orc as Sabrina points out the multiples. The warrior lopes forward as fast as his heavy armor and spiked chain will let him, not pausing as the lamia foe spreads into a half-dozen multiples. Having seen this trick before, Graz knows what to do. "Just keep smashing them. One of those has to be the real thing."
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Upon seeing the zookeeper fall, Heccan's eyebrow raises and he look at the fallen creature with disdain. "Codes and Codicils! What have these villains aligned themselves with? " He shakes his head and hurries to join his comrades.
Once Heccan reaches the group he addresses them "Attack this creature at distance if able, I intend to show this thing the consequence of its actions. You will not wan to be near it when I do."
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Jory watches Heccan approach. "Why aren't you shooting your wimpy little magic missiles that always hit to pop these images? It can cast another spell again most likely. Now I don't think I'll hit the real one."
Jory fires four arrows at the creature (burn one ki and NOT use deadly aim as he wants to pop images).
Jory steps five feet closer.
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Jory's first two arrows snap by close to the Lamia as two of the images pop out of existence immediately. The dwarf's third arrow flies wide as the fourth arrow makes a beeline right for the correct Lamia.
The arrow punctures into the mid of the Lamia where the woman and lion seem to connect. With a snarl she tries the final key on the cage which seems to work as the lock falls off with a dull thud into the soft dirt below.
The Lamia turns on her paws and begins to run straight at Jory as the Dire Lion's cage door slams open. The large feline creature bounds out of the cage and begins sprinting right behind the Lamia with a deafening roar.
Sabrina
Herodotus
Jory
Graz
Heccan
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Zookeepers (Red -35, 1 bleed 4 rnds; 4 Mirror images)
Dire Lion
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Jory notes the change of circumstances with a grunt.
"Heccan, if you drop most of these last four images with those tiny force bolts, Hero and I can pincushion this b&^%& and Graz can flatten her after the arrow volley. Any alternative better take her out completely."
"Graz, you wait for last, we will try to clear the way so you make a beeline straight for this b(&^%h!!] And I think we want the animal asleep"
Jory delays until after Heccan and Herodotus go. He steps five feet forward and lets go his volley of four arrows at the lamia.
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"They are just a bit out of range for the Ancestors to affect them, however seeing all this archery I want to join in the fun."
Sabrina moves up a bit, drawing her loaded crossbow and firing in the middle of the lamias, hoping to at least hit an image.
When mirror image is cast, 1d4 images plus one image per three caster levels (maximum eight images total) are created. These images remain in your space and move with you, mimicking your movements, sounds, and actions exactly. Whenever you are attacked or are the target of a spell that requires an attack roll, there is a possibility that the attack targets one of your images instead. If the attack is a hit, roll randomly to see whether the selected target is real or a figment. If it is a figment, the figment is destroyed.
IF THE ATTACK MISSES BY 5 OR LESS, ONE OF YOUR FIGMENTS IS DESTROYED BY THE NEAR MISS.
Area spells affect you normally and do not destroy any of your figments. Spells and effects that do not require an attack roll affect you normally and do not destroy any of your figments. Spells that require a touch attack are harmlessly discharged if used to destroy a figment.
An attacker must be able to see the figments to be fooled. If you are invisible or the attacker is blind, the spell has no effect (although the normal miss chances still apply).