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Although though it seems intriguing, but Armagile first pass Foals of Szuriel quickly with Read Magic...
as he's great interest is Castrovel and everything related. So Hunter decides to look closer at Castrovelian Orb first. But he feels some other artifacts related to a Magic Warriors?
Regarding all around, things with system, Armagile feels it is not his or his faction priority to regulate so unnatural places like this. Maybe his body language could be read, but now Hunter just growls softly.
And fury likes to hide and smell things around, so in the end, it was run by museumkeepr pretty nice.
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As the group settles in to begin their investigations of the various items, the Foals of Szuriel stone exterior suddenly shatters, revealing a trio of preserved nightmares intent on destroying all living creatures around them. Only Olnik beats them to the punch.
Olnik <Need DC 23 Fortitude save at start of turn or be sickened 2>
Orange Nightmare
Solomon
Yellow Nightmare
Griss
Armagile
Fury
Red Nightmare
Argoni
Salaish
Nigel
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Olnik's intent on the ogre, so surprised by the nightmares that he gasps ... right as the smoke swirls around him. He begins retching as he stumbles out of the cloud.
◆ Stride
◆ Retch
"Blasted shorthairs of Torag!" Olnik says between wheezing, as he leans against the wall. He bangs his drum in a tune to inspire the troops.
◆ Cast a Spell: inspire courage
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Olnik stumbles out of the smoke coughing, but the drum beat intensifies. The first foal pushes past the frozen ogre statue, damaging it with its fiery hooves and ends up next to the hapless barbarian, gnashing its teeth into his arm.
Olnik <sickened 2>
Orange Nightmare <concealed>
Solomon
Yellow Nightmare <concealed>
Griss -15 damage
Armagile
Fury
Red Nightmare <concealed>
Argoni
Salaish
Nigel
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Никогда такого не было и вот опять!
With a sigh, Solomon says something in his native language and politely touches the hem of his hat, as if saying goodbye to the otherworldly stallion and walks back behind the crystal. There he intones a few words mentioning the name of Nocticula and a ghostly dagger appears in the air next to the enemy.
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Solomon retreats slightly before launching the ghostly dagger which finds no luck.
The second foal plows through the tapestries, singeing them with flame before settling in to try to take care of Olnik, but snapping the wall instead.
Olnik <sickened 2>
Orange Nightmare <concealed>
Solomon <Need DC 23 Fortitude save or be sickened 2>
Yellow Nightmare <concealed>
Griss -15 damage <Need DC 23 Fortitude save at start of turn or be sickened 2>
Armagile <Need DC 23 Fortitude save at start of turn or be sickened 2>
Fury <Need DC 23 Fortitude save at start of turn or be sickened 2>
Red Nightmare <concealed>
Argoni
Salaish
Nigel
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Hunter protects his future actions while the cat moves into battle, but it cannot penetrate the vile hide of the beast.
The final foal snaps out at Hunter, then turns to kick out at the halfling next to him, before launching itself into and through the statuesque ogre, collapsing it into a dozen scattered pieces.
Orange Nightmare <concealed>
Yellow Nightmare <concealed>
Armagile <freedom of movement>
Fury <sickened 2>
Red Nightmare <concealed>
Griss -15 damage <Need DC 23 Fortitude save at start of turn or be sickened 2>
Argoni -20 damage
Salaish
Nigel
-----------------
Olnik <sickened 2>
Solomon
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"Whoa!" Argoni winces as he is kicked and then he opens his eyes to see the ogre ice statue destroyed. "Oh man, that's not good..."
He refocuses on the rampaging foals, trying to get a better look at them. He really can't see one at all, so he shift to another and pulls out a frost bomb. He hurls it over one of the foals, showering the area with frost.
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As the racket mounts in the other room, Salaish rolls her eyes and mutters: "Nigel said the Foals react to living creatures, then brought us right down to them with no precautions. Let me guess: it's the Foals." She sighs, then turns away from the Castrovelian orb to go help her allies out of whatever mess is happening over there. As soon as she sees the foal in the opening, she stops in her tracks. "Whoa. Wish I was wrong." Quickly she begins shouting out the lyrics to a song, boosting her pals' defense against the scary baby horsies.
She *really* doesn't want that thing any closer to her, but she also wants to find a way to make this situation less scary, so she casts Roaring Applause on it.
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Griss launches into action with a swing of his flail. A frosty explosion fills the air, as much as Salaish's bolstering song. Her spell is just as successful, causing the nightmare to piaffe in place. Slightly amused with that, Nigel activates his Boots of Speed and races to the amethyst column. "We must protect the exhibits, I'll do what I can, you kill the beasts!" With a touch of his ring - a fleeting protective glimmer surrounds the column.
Olnik tries to rid himself of the smoky inhale, but only manages to force his sonic spell out through hefty coughs. Solomon's dagger silently slices away in the background of the melee.
The lead foal prances in place for a bit then takes to the air, rising straight up and over the barbarian. It tries to clomp at the amethyst column as it passes over, but Nigel's ward absorbs the flames before it dissipates. The foal pauses over the gnome and tries to snap her up. The one just behind bites the dwarf with a crushing force before whipping around and galloping down the way, setting the tapestries aflame and thus beyond repair.
Orange Nightmare -32 damage <concealed, 5 feet up>
Yellow Nightmare -12 damage <concealed>
Armagile <freedom of movement>
Fury -6 damage <sickened 2>
Red Nightmare -1 damage <concealed>
Griss -15 damage <rage, sickened 2> roll AOO vs orange from spell or its movement
Argoni -20 damage <shield>
Salaish
Nigel
-----------------
Olnik -41 damage <sickened 2>
Solomon
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The druid grows into an ancestral beast to counter the threat and swipes out around the column, connecting with a left hook. Fury tries desperately to cough out the smoke, but cannot.
The slowest foal takes to the air as well and floats over the barbarian, this time scorching the column as it passes. Nigel roars in frustration.
Orange Nightmare -32 damage <concealed, 5 feet up>
Yellow Nightmare -28 damage <concealed>
Armagile <freedom of movement, animal form>
Fury -6 damage <sickened 2>
Red Nightmare -1 damage <concealed, 5 feet up>
Griss -15 damage <rage, sickened 2> you get an AOO vs orange from spell or its movement before your other actions
Argoni -20 damage <shield> <Need DC 23 Fortitude save or be sickened 2>
Salaish <Need DC 23 Fortitude save or be sickened 2>
Nigel
-----------------
Olnik -41 damage <sickened 2>
Solomon
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Catching a quick glimpse of the foal dancing, Salaish chuckles as she sustains her Roaring Applause spell, quickly regretting it as the smoke fills her lungs. She hacks violently to clear them.
She holds her breath to avoid breathing in the ashy fumes. Rats! I can't cast Sound Burst without damaging the artifacts. Instead, she steps back to hopefully get out of reach of the nearest foal.
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Griss takes a chunk out of the nightmare as it dances in front of him, then lets out a bellowing cough that puffs out all the smoke from his lungs. He gives chase to the applauding equine but only manages to strike it again when it dances in place once more. Argoni manages to connect with the electric bomb and Salaish manages to keep her spell afloat between productive coughs.
Nigel's ring activates again to shore up the damage to the column and he turns to see the havoc to the south. "Kill or restrain them before they destroy all the masterpieces!"
A weakened Olnik moves into the fray and finds the perfect place to blast with sound, yet only one foal rears in pain. Solomon's dagger continues its dance and one cut runs deep.
Still confounded by the strange spell, the befuddled nightmare prances again and digs deep into the alcove that contains the shield then falls unceremoniously to the ground from lack of effort to continue flying.
Its partner in the other room takes two quick kicks at Fury before taking aim on the newly repaired column, ruining Nigel's handiwork yet again.
Orange Nightmare -83 damage <concealed, slowed 1>
Yellow Nightmare -57 damage <concealed, flatfooted, 5 feet up>
Armagile <freedom of movement, animal form>
Fury -18 damage <sickened 2>
Red Nightmare -1 damage <concealed, 5 feet up>
Griss -45 damage <rage>
Argoni -20 damage <shield, sickened 2>
Salaish <sickened 1>
Nigel
-----------------
Olnik -41 damage <sickened 2>
Solomon
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Hunter pursues but cannot finish the blow. Fury is able to recompose somewhat. The farthest foal drifts to the ground, snarls - and grinds it fiery hooves against the Eloquent Page of Ytarn, eager for its impending destruction.
Orange Nightmare -83 damage <concealed, slowed 1>
Yellow Nightmare -57 damage <concealed, flatfooted, 5 feet up>
Armagile <freedom of movement, animal form>
Fury -18 damage <sickened 1>
Red Nightmare -1 damage <concealed>
Griss -45 damage <rage>
Argoni -20 damage <sickened 2>
Salaish <sickened 1>
Nigel
-----------------
Olnik -41 damage <sickened 2>
Solomon
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*Why* are the foals trying so hard to destroy all the artifacts? What's their beef with inanimate objects? Salaish wants to ask this question aloud, but decides that holding her breath is more important. She also wants to get out from under this dad-blasted foal, but that might end the spell she cast earlier. She sustains the Roaring Applause spell, since it seems to be slowing down the orange foal at least a little bit, then expends some of her precious air to cast Electric Arc.
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Griss swings wildly, downing the one before him but not able to connect with the monster hovering above his head. The investigator's strange bomb does something good, though unseen. Salish's arc surges down the hallway, tearing through both remaining nightmares. Nigel watches as the dwarf's sound burst shakes the walls and Solomon's dagger as it races in and rips apart the hovering foal which crashes to the ground, just missing those below. With a vengeful glee in his eyes -- Nigel races straight toward the last foal and reaches the Page of Ytarn, repairing it just as the creature rears back once again.
Orange Nightmare -107 damage <destroyed>
Yellow Nightmare -116 damage <destroyed>
Armagile <freedom of movement, animal form>
Fury -18 damage <sickened 1>
Red Nightmare -31 damage <concealed>
Griss -47 damage <rage>
Argoni -20 damage <sickened 2>
Salaish <sickened 1>
-----------------
Olnik -41 damage <sickened 2>
Solomon
Nigel
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Hunter awaits the creature's return. Fury hacks some more...
The remaining Foal of Szuriel scrapes the Page once more to foil Nigel's protective spell before launching in the air with blazing hooves to reach the column. Griss can't quite spot it through all the smoke. As it turns the corner, Hunter is waiting with a collapsing bear hug that grips it in mid-air. Solomon's dagger returns with a purpose (and this time with a brave accompaniment from the bard).
Red Nightmare -51 damage <concealed, 5 feet up, grabbed, flat-footed>
Solomon -6 damage
Griss -47 damage <rage> Need Reflex save at start of turn
Argoni -20 damage <sickened 2> Need Reflex save at start of turn
Salaish <sickened 1> Need Reflex save at start of turn
-----------------
Olnik -41 damage <sickened 2> Need Reflex save at start of turn
Armagile <freedom of movement, animal form> Need Reflex save at start of turn
Fury -18 damage <sickened 1>
Nigel
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Hunter roars as he caught his foe, now holding the horse tight! He demands Fury to approach and help him!
...but the leopard can not find a proper angle in this narrow place to bite horse' leg.
Primat punches foe once also
...likely missing as so much small fellows around and chaose already brought in the vault.
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"That's it! Hold it from moving!" Argoni dodges some of the fire and looks up at the nightmare right above him. The halfling pulls out a tanglefoot bag, hoping he can take advantage of the looming target. He leans over and tries to retch to get rid of the smokiness in his lungs, before hurling the bomb straight up.
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The barbarian steps and finds the hovering beast for an initial strike, but the other swing whiffs through the cloud. Argoni mucks up its legs and Salaish's arc zaps just enough. Olnik can't quite hit the dread equine with a flung rock. Armagile maintains a grip as Nigel wards the column just in case he cannot hold.
"Do not let go, spawn of Da’Tunga!" the curator shouts to Hunter, recalling a tale from long, long ago.
The singular foal struggles against the gorilla form, finally breaking free and turning its flaming hooves against the column, but to no avail (thanks to Nigel's quick thinking).
Red Nightmare -84 damage <concealed, 5 feet up, -10 speeds>
Solomon -6 damage
Griss -53 damage <rage>
Argoni -26 damage <sickened 2>
Salaish -12 damage <sickened 1>
-----------------
Olnik -47 damage <sickened 2>
Armagile -7 damage <freedom of movement, animal form>
Fury -18 damage <sickened 1>
Nigel
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Although Solomon's dagger cannot fight through the smoke, Griss lands a final devastating blow that drops the last Foal of Szuriel.
Red Nightmare -117 damage <destroyed>
Solomon -6 damage
Griss -53 damage <rage>
Argoni -26 damage <sickened 2>
Salaish -12 damage <sickened 1>
Olnik -47 damage <sickened 2>
Armagile -7 damage <freedom of movement, animal form>
Fury -18 damage <sickened 1>
Nigel
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As the smoke clears over the smoldering carcasses, Nigel hops around them to finish up securing and repairing the remaining relics.
"Well that was too close for comfort. I apologize for putting you in that situation. Perhaps all the extra warm bodies set the Foals off. It's usually just me down here."
Once he finishes, the curator gathers everyone up as you begin to heal.
"Let's retire to my office. I'll get the overnight crew down here to clean up this... mess."
----------------------------------------------
Back in his office, Nigel sits down at this desk and pours himself a cup of water. He fiddles his fingers on his desk then breaks the silence.
"You must have the worst impression of me. Not just from today but from the countless times we have relied on the Society to "contain" events here."
He glances away in embarrassment.
"The time has come for me to confess. What you might chalk up to mismanagement of the museum is not due to my incompetence at all but because my motivations run counter to the interests of most of the Blakros family. My wife and I are deliberately squandering her family’s resources. Revenge for the sinister secret that allowed her family to rise to prominence, and we wish all involved to suffer for their centuries of misdeeds."
He reads the quizzical looks on some of your faces and continues.
"For more than 500 years, the Blakros family accumulated a vast fortune thanks to a contract known as the Penumbral Accords. This agreement allowed the family access to the Shadow Plane, allowing the Blakroses to access trade routes inaccessible to other merchants in Golarion. However, this unfettered access came with a heavy price. As part of the Penumbral Accords, the Blakros family provided shipments of slaves to the Onyx Alliance, an organization led by the mysterious shadow creatures known as kayals. Furthermore, once every decade, the family surrendered the eldest Blakros daughter as a sacrifice to their shadowy benefactors."
He wipes his brow.
"Now, in recent years, the Penumbral Accords came to an end (thanks in no small part to the Society's efforts on our behalf), and the Onyx Alliance fell under new leadership — that of Sarnia Blakros, one of the Blakros daughters given to them as a sacrifice. In my wife’s eyes, the recent reversal in fortunes does not nearly absolve her family of centuries of their sins. So, working with Sarnia and the Onyx Alliance, we strive to hit their family where it hurts the most, deliberately losing them gold and prestige."
He sits up in his chair.
"So, this now leads to all of you. You can recommend removing me as curator but that would just mean fewer repercussions for a family who spent generations sacrificing their own kin for wealth. I humbly beg you to allow me to continue to aid the newly righteous Onyx Alliance and not report me."
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Armagile tryin to find remains of Foals of Szuruiel both with Fury befor calm down. Gorilla return to the masked half-human. Hunter feels uncomfortable after tranformation... among walls. He sniffs the air full of smoke and shadows, tryin to feel the prey.
Aslynn. I see your shadow
He prefers to leave the hall soon and heal up freinds with berries and weeds. Although wild pair follow
- Hrhrhmmmkh. Sarnia Blakros. But she is just a gang made alpha with tongue, not leader. And wo are these kayals?
I do not understand your resources thing and you schemes are a mistery for me. And to be honest, Nigel, you are right - you are an awful meseum curator. But as Society member who may be bored in a large city like this - this is always a pleasure to clear the mess becuse its the only time I visit museums.
Armagile slaps the curator shoulder once again, sending a signal that his report not gonna as bad as it could.
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Olnik hacks until he's finally clear of the fumes and illness clogging his lungs, then clasps his wayfinder of rescue and points toward Griss (once he's stopped raging). The wayfinder of rescue glows with a soothing light that flows toward Griss, healing him for hit points of damage.
He then then casts several soothe spells on himself, exhausting his supply of healing magic.
Once up in the office, Olnik listens to the explanation and says, "But ... when we arrived at your home, there were a group of these Onyx Alliance warriors, these kayals I presume, at the scene of an attack on your wife. And you're saying that you and she are in league with them? Or are these rogue Onyx Alliance agents?"
"And you say the Onyx Alliance has turned around. Have the slaves been freed, then? Instead of harming the Blakros family, it seems like you should try to make restitution to those who were harmed, or to their families or descendents, as best you can."
He clears his throat, a slight rasp from the cloud of smoke still lingering ... or perhaps he's playing it up for effect. "Of course, ample hazard pay built into the budget for the Pathfinder Society would no doubt also be warranted. And perhaps some greater care can be taken with the artifacts, and bring us in earlier, to advise on storage and security before things get out of hand. Hire some additional full time staff who are specifically charged with " He motions to the soot that still covers his clothes. "But, seriously, man, be more careful in the future."
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Argoni studies Nigel to see if he's hiding anything else. "So many of these 'accidents'? Are simply a way to destroy Blakros resources and possibly their reputation? Are you actually doing any real research or are you worried that if you discover anything, they could use it against the Onyx Alliance?"
He thinks about this for a moment. "This is a pretty dangerous game, given how powerful these artifacts are. So would you have wanted the foals to destroy the rest of these? It would have deprived them from the Blakros family. I suppose you need to seem competent enough for them not to just replace you."
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Salaish joins Olnik in a coughing contest before heading back to Nigel's office. She's fuming. Badly enough that she doesn't trust herself to speak for a while. Lying cheating risking *our* necks for their personal vendetta...
Forcing herself to take deep breaths, Salaish eventually gets around to thinking about the solution, not just the problem. With a final calming breath, she begins with a sigh. "<sigh> We appreciate that you have shared that with us, Nigel. Honesty is what will help you the most in this investigation. We will take your intentions into consideration. Now, Olnik has a good point. Have you tried any other avenues to make amends for those heinous acts, besides using up the Blakros's money?"
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Nigel withstands Hunter's hidden compliment.
The curator's eyes freshen at Olnik's first question. "Yes, well, my wife had the idea that you might find sympathy for her if she staged a bit of a "burglary". She harbored hope that she could set the stage of our victimhood (or at the very least stall the investigation). She did instruct them to use kid gloves, hopefully the fight did not hurt too much. Besides, the generous funds we'll need to gather for all the raise dead spells should be just compense for the untidy matter."
"But rest assured, the newly-led Alliance is very much in league with our goals. They have completely changed their previous stance on all manner of illicit deeds and dealings. Dhrami and I are but two raindrops in a rather large bucket. My hope is that through direct financial pressure, the Blakros family can evolve as well. Sadly, it is the only language they are fluent in."
"As for the museum, of course, I am wholly cognizant of my duties. Yes, there is still plenty of "real" research to be done. There are still hundreds of relics here to be categorized and studied and even registered at the Forae Logos -- per the Founding Law of Absalom -- and I will do my best to do so with minimal danger to myself or my staff. I promise to only involve the Society if it is truly out of my league or control. I fully trust the Society's collective skill and expertise with wit and sword. I will certainly need both in the future. This is a dangerous pursuit at its heart, after all. It is a fine tightrope to walk, but my toes are limber."