Forgotten Freedom:49

Last Plot -- Plot Line Home -- Next Plot

---

Ishmael feels reality fold in on itself.

Ishmael: What was that?

Volrath: Probably something Satnak did. Now this way to the good-aligned crew member area.

In front of them is a hallway containing three door.

Volrath: There's Lisa, Aerith, and one spare room.

Ishmael: Well, this is disheartening... (awkward silence) Why have you been guiding me? On this trip alone, I saw you eat twelve redshirts. This relative kindness seems completely out of you nature.

Volrath: I had a bet with my new "sister in-law". She thought I couldn't do even on single unselfish deed.

Ishmael: How much did she bet?

Volrath: 5000gp.

Ishmael: But isn't it the gold motivating you. That would mean this doesn't count.

Volrath: ...Damn her! I'm going to-(pause in mid-sentence) Terra's in trouble.

Volrath runs off leaving Ishmael in one of the only safe places in the entire ship.

---

???: What is the situation?

Halester: The Deicide managed to enter this plane, bringing the entire crew with her. I felt it best to retreat at the time.

???: That is unfortunate. We may have to use her earlier than expected. Take her back and begin exterminating the pests.

Halester: But master! She may break out of my enchantment!

???: That is why I'm asking you to do this while she still obeys you. Forcing her to kill off some of her friends may break her. We need a willing subject for the next phase, and because of those pirates, we don't have time to break her in the proper fashion.

Halester: ...as you wish.

Back on the Forgotten Freedom, the battle suddenly becomes much harder. The random attacks have begun to coordinate, attacking the more vulnerable crew and avoiding Satnak at all costs. Unnoticed, Halester stands a ways from the ship, directing the assault. Terra appears inside the ship, wreathed in a black aura that seems to turn light itself on its heels. Two half-dragons attempt to subdue her, but are stopped dead in their tracks as she pins their shadows to the ground. They stand there frozen and helpless as she walks past them.

Halester: (telepathically) What are you doing, Lana? I told you to kill all who got in your way!

Terra hesitates, her will trying to reassert itself, but she is unable to disobey his command. She summarily beheads the first one and guts the second. They fall to the ground as she releases her hold on them and continues down the corridor.

---

Satnak - FIGHT ME!!!

Various minions - NO WAY IN HELL.

Satnak - Well, then pay the price.

Satnak - Jumps from the Forgotten Freedom to the surface of the shadow realm and slams into the ground with incalculable fury. An entire city simply disintegrates under the force of the shockwave.

Minions - Oh crap, there goes our homes.

---

Halester - Did I mention I hate her?

---

As Satnak seeks a nice hill to jump back to the FF from, she comes upon a medium-sized keep.

Satnak - Lets see if anyone is home.

As she explores she fins a lavish home with a few easily dispatched gaurdians and Traps. She find in the center an armory With a suit of Mithril full-plate with adamantine spikes and a wicked gauntlet for the right hand.

Satnak - Nice I'll take it. Ooh and this Ruby is nice.

As satnak leaves the keep in her new armor the ruby glows and the keep vanishes.

Satnak - hhhmmmmm

She places the ruby on the ground, steps back and thinks of the keep. It reappears only now centered where she set the ruby. Once again she enters, but finds no guardians and the traps sre still non-functional. Again she enters the treasury and finds the ruby. This time she pockets it and leaves to find a nice hill.

Satnak - Good a spot as I'm gonna find for now. *Leap* Hey guys, miss me?

Crew - YES!

Minions - NO!

Satnak - Die, then.

Satnak begins one of her famous rampages. Now with new sound effects in addition to previous masterpieces such as "My spiiiiine" and "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH", this new version comes with "Oh gods the spikes" and the ever popular "that doesn't go there you psycho bitYEAAAAARGH"

---

Halaster - She stole my entire freaking house!!! I really truly hate her.

---

Volrath floats over to the darkness enveloped Terra.

Volrath: Terra, what's wrong?

Terra responds by taking a swing at him.

Volrath: What the hell?!

Terra continues to attack.

Volrath: Terra, I refuse to hurt you.

His attempt at kindness is met by a blast of psionic energy that tears all the muscle and skin off of his right arm, leaving only bone and sinew. A second blast hits him square in the chest. It burns off the top layer of flesh, to reveal a tangled mess of aberrant organs, puss, and slime. With this, Volrath begins to fall.

His vision blurs, and he finds himself in a field of white. In front of him is an adolecent girl. Sprouting from her back are transparent feathery wings.

Girl: Hello, little brother.

Volrath: Are you? ...Am I?

Girl: Dead, no silly. I'm just a construct of your mind, to help you. The real me is back in the Clinic for the Metally Distressed.

Volrath: So I'm not dead either.

Girl: No, remember you will always exist. You still have a purpose, right now that is to help your friend. She'll have to overcome this herself, but you can do something to help. Remember father's essence.

Volrath: When am I going to snap out of this thing.

Girl: Well, you're going to hit the ground in 5,4,3

Volrath: Nice

Girl:2,1

Volrath is rudely awakened as he hits the shadow plane's surface. A dark energy flows over him and blackish-green flesh knits over his wounds. He then transforms into a giant sepentine dragon, bearing only one wing and three bulbous eyes. The creature begins tearing swaths through the armies of minions.

---

Jarlot: I need a drink.

Halester: Greetings, Captain.

Jarlot: What the Hell....

The Captain has stepped on a pentagram surrounded by EVIL looking marks

Jarlot: That can't be good.

Halester: I'm going to seperate your evil side from your good side and use him as a minion.

Jarlot: Since I'm a Seren, I'm going to revert to the Holy Lingo of my People for when we ride the waves. DUDE, that is SOOOO not a cool idea.

Halester: HA! Do you think that I care what a....

• Thunder claps in the sky as demonic children's laughing fills the air while the sun is blotted out by a massive storm, a choir of dread music fills the air*

Jarlot: You know, when I tell people I'm the child of the Demon Dragon Queen you THINK they'd listen but....

• a one winged angelic version of Jarlot emerges from the shadow*

Halester: Huhhhhhh....

Jarlot: Exit... stage left. YOINK.

Shadow: I give you thanks, Halester, for freeing me and giving me a physical form... pathetic to my true form that taking over the body prepared for me should be. I promise you that when I have cleansed all life from the Realm of Eberron that you will be the last to die for this dignity.

• lifts his hands as a GIANT flaming sword appears*

Halester: Fascinating.

Aerith: Oooooohhhh dear.

Tifa: What's wrong?

Aerith: Well the Thing I was sort of sent here to prevent has sort of happened.

Tifa: Wait... the Demon Dragon King of Khyber has been reborn?

Aerith: Yeah, sorta.

Tifa: Sweet... two Jarlots!

Shadow: I smell... prey.

Andrea: Stop right where you are!

Shadow: Interesting.

Andrea: Don't think for a second that you're going to do anything on this ship, Demon. We've faced down Sutekh, we've been to Xoriat, we've fought the Dreaming Dark, and we've had to survive with Kanatash onboard for years. You're just a Mirror of Opposition reject of Jarlot! So I suggest you realize that Satnak can just will you away or Terra feed you to beetles and just go away.

• Shadow stares at the binding circle he's about to walk into*

Shadow: Tell me Andrea, how long have you been in love with Jarlot....

Andrea: That's ridiculous, I'm not in love with... GET HIM, MARISH!

Marish: ROWR!

• The Cat girl shifter leaps upon Shadow's back and tries to push him into the circle*

• He doesn't flinch*

Shadow: If you'd but expressed your feelings little necromancer then he might have realized his love for Bianca was a hopeless cause so long as she was merged with a Solar. You could have found peace, instead you sent your cat to live vicariously the sensual pleasures. It's a pity, really...

• Shadow picks up Marish off his back*

Marish: Rowr?

Shadow: Parting is such sweet sorrow.

• Shadow then snaps Marish's neck*

Andrea: GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

• Andrea falls to the ground*

Shadow: You could say that I'm different from the other threats. I know you all intimately... and I'm much, much, much smarter than you all.

• Andrea stared upwards, barely able to breathe*

[size=4]SLICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE[/size]

• Andrea's body falls to the ground dead*

Jarlot: Damn it....

• he fell to his knees as he struggled to get up, feeling the death of his friend through his bond with the monster*

Jarlot: You'll pay for that you bassssstard.

Shadow's Voice: This is just the beginning.

---

( Sa'vor sees Volrath's body transported away, and he smiles. time to unleash the powers of the warlock once more. a certain doubt fills him, this one should be played careful, he didn't want to end up like Volrath)

Sa'vor: Terra, you're perhaps close to what I might call a friend. but that won't stop me form bringing all my magic to stop you.

(Terra throws back her head and laughs, She readies a blast of energy. but Sa'vor's already predicted it, he dispels it. then before she can strike again, Sa'vor forces all his will into Terra's mind, breaking the barriers within. he sees the Form of Halester, and the power Terra now holds. more than a match for him. Sa'vor grimaces. Terra forces Sa'vor from her mind and shatters the protections on his own, reversing his attack. Sa'vor drops to his knees, he'd expected this. Terra begins to sift through memories, trying to find a weakness, they flow past her in a blur, the emotions, all that's portrayed. Hate, Anguish, Pain, Torture, Loathing, Seething pain, Envy. She hits a mental wall.)

Terra: well, well well, perhaps this is one of the many secrets that you hide from us. I wonder, could it be somone you love? a bit of magical law? the secret of time? perhaps even your greatest fear?

Sa'vor: you'll have to cut me down Terra. for i'll fight on until every bit of my essence is consumed.

Terra: *evil laugh* very well.

( a huge wave of power crushes the barrier, and an image appears. it's one of Slip.)

Terra: this is your great secret? that you have affection for her? how pathetic. were you sealing away your own emotions? afraid of rejection? no, it's not that. you're protecting her, how very noble. well, looks like your protection has ended.

( Sa'vor grimaced, secretly he reached into the deep eldritch power within him, the pools of psionic might, the vaults of arcane power and the cells of Divine devotion. he drew them up, and unleashed what he had kept at bay for so long. a Wave of Hatred and anger poured from the hiden sections of his mind, from his very soul itself. and darkness covered Sa'vor. deeper than anything the lane of shadows had seen. With a Tsunami of will Sa'vor forced Terra out of his mind and knocked her to the floor. Terra looked up and saw Sa'vor's face. the runes and Dragonmarks on his body glowed with black light, the runes on Sa'vor's armour glowed ruby red. and from his back sprouted a pair of black featherd wings, like an angel's)

Sa'vor: I'd like to finish you off, but I have other things to do.

( he spread his arms and and black fire wreathed his form. Sa'vor then closed his eyes, a burst of Unholy energy and the same black fire that surrounded Sa'vor burst from him. in a four mile radius only the crew of the Forgotten Freedom stood, along with Terra and the Unharmed Halester. Sa'vor reached out his with his mind to find Slip. she was gone. Sa'vor smiled, he'd find her, and when he did, death and unholy vengance would follow. Sa'vor Projected one thought to Terra: Who's afraid now? . with that Sa'vor spread his new feathered wings and crashed through the deck of the Forgotten Freedom. he took wing, flying into the black sky of the plane of shadow.)

Satnak: Come back here, you traitor! ( Unleashes a burst from the arm, Sa'vor manipulates the energy so it strikes the ground just by Satnak's feet. then he vanishes).

Naz'roth: this is not good...

Tara: what? what's happened?

Naz'roth: they really shouldn't have done that

Tara: what's going on? where's he going?

Naz'roth: he's time jumped. about three hundred years ago. he's planning something, and it's big. they really should have just killed him, it would have been simpler.

Tara: how so?

Naz'roth: well, Sa'vor has this habit of bottling up and concealing his emotions, imagine all that hate, anger and frustration collecting up for about thirty years. of course Sa'vor turns it into magic, as a resource to be used in extreme situations. that Sa'vor you just saw, well, while I was on Shavarath they had legends of Sa'vor's time there. they called the being, either the wander or when it was like this The Black Angel. they say how each of the three sides attacked it, viewing it as an enemy. then they say that it drew of its inner hatred and became this Black winged angel. it struck out, obilterating the forces and raising their corpses as undead monstrosities. it sent out waves of fear and dread before it and feasted on the blood of demon, devil and angel alike. though, Sa'vor was no where near as powerful as he was about a week ago, now on the other hand, with these vast but limited reserves he's going to cause absolute havoc, when he returns, he's not going to be the Sa'vor you know or love even fear. he'll either have doubled his power and calmed down, perhaps even become more serene. or he'll be a ravaging creature that possessing nothing of the self restraint he had before, he'll unleash his power and bloodlust on friend and foe alike. all that will be left will be ash.

Jarlot: well, no use being afraid now. Sa'vor's not one to give in to his inner feelings. he'll use them as a tool.

Naz'roth: you don't get it, do you? the Sa'vor you saw jsut now is unpredictable at best, he'll begin to train up and prepare for three hundred years. he'll keep bottling up his anger and hatred and then he will be truly as a god. the only one i think that could stop him before the anger and hatred of three hundred years ran out would be me, or Kithle.

Ketler: so it's like Russian roulette but with the capability of destroying everything that exists?

Tara: exactly

Andrea: well, we have a while to figure that out, let's just get on with finding Terra.

Dooj: might as well, I've got nothing better to do since the Demon armies are dust.

---

Crow: :eek:

Silver: Oh, great, now Andrea has to decide between Norbaz and Jarlot.

Crow: Oh myself! They killed Marish!

Silver: I seriously hope not. Where else are you going to find quality catgirl jokes?

Crow: I go with Norbaz.

THE MASTER OF NON-EXISTENCE: YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY GETTING SICK OF THIS WHOLE "THE PLANE OF SHADOW IS EVIL". SICK, SICK, SICK! OKAY YOU TWO, TIME FOR THE ULTIMATE MERGER OF MY CONCEPTS. THE SON WILL HAVE TO WAIT.

Silver: Goodbye commentary…

Crow: …hello action scene.

Silver and Crow: And who's the son?

On board the FF, the Random Entity from Non-existence is not doing anything. There is a warp in the fabric of reality, and then Silver and Crow combine with the Random Entity from Non-existence. They create a creature formed of the most basic essence of many things that people hold evil, yet aren't: chaos, cold, death, darkness, etc. Its form looks vaguely like an oriental dragon covered in fur and sporting the head of a canine, but this is only an appearance.

Its voice echoes infinitely.

Dragon: Wake, children of the shaows! It is time to take back your home from those who obey only their minds!

The Plane of Shadows begins to warp and ripple like the surface of an ocean.

Dragon: Too long have you been a source of fear! Now is the time to protect the world!

Great living shapes coalesce from the fabric of the shadow plane, resembling creatures such as bats, mice, and all others that depend upon shadow for life.

Dragon: I am coming for you, demon. The essence of darkness seeks you out. Deep Black seeks you. Are you ready to learn?

Deep Black dissolves into the shadows around him, appearing as a huge storm cloud above the battle on the Forgotten Freedom. The creatures of shadow draw upon their innate powers of deception, confusing the demon hordes. Spell resistance and Will saving throws are no use, for these are the simple tricks of creatures who must do this every day to find food and survive, yet multiplied infinitely by the mirror nature of the plane of shadow. In addition Deep Black flies among the hoards, showing them what true chaos is. Many descend into a catatonic whimpering as their minds cannot understand oblivion.

Crow splits off Deep Black for a second.

Crow: Hey, guys! It doesn't count if you do it to a demon!

The crew gets that gleam in their eye.

Demon horde: Hey, wait! We're supposed to be the cruel—AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!! NOT THE POETRY!!!!!

---

Fair Reader, I have reason to believe that I have had both my most fortunate moment in my life, and my most unfortunate, in the space of several hours. Volrath, the librarian and apparently far older than his boyish visage of 13, had taken it into his mind that I should be shown around the ship. Nice fellow, wouldn't say a word against him. The place he decided to start me off in was the library. Normally I love libraries, but this one had geometry that never measured up to Eberronian standards. This Non-Euclidean, monstrous mausoleum of lexicon had shelves haphazardly placed, in no relation to gravity!

Volrath, as he walked me through the aisles, kindly explained that there were three classes aboard this ship, the "ubers", the most powerful crewmen with the least morals, the "scum", the crewmen with either more morals or no power, and the "redshirts". He himself was of the uber class (or so he claimed), and I was a lowly redshirt. Redshirts' main duties included doing what they were told and dying in the line of duty from what I understood of his speech.

At that moment, he decided that perhaps he couldn't do this, because of a bet, for a rather large sum of money. He left me in a safe dimension, without food or water. I was scared when around lunchtime I realized this. And then the shockwaves began (I learned later that a crewman, the Deicide, had destroyed the better part of a plane). This somehow shot me out of the library, while still in the dimension and through Kanatash, who was walking into the library. He was bored, and threw me over the edge of the Forgotten Freedom for my impertinence.

Luckily, the Forgotten Freedom had been enlarged extremely recently, and I rammed through the wall, into a woman's boudoir. Silence, the room's occupant, took the whole issue quite calmly, and frankly, far more leniently than I expected at that point. She explained that she once worked her way throught the ranks to becoming one of the "scum". She looked favorably on my efforts, and despite her awkward syntax, was a very well-spoken young lady. She also told me that I had "like, a chance in hundred billion" of surviving to be among the "scum" class. I thanked her for her honesty, her kind words, and forthrightness, and walked out the hole in her wall in daze. I wonder if all of her piercings hurt?

It seems the redshirts are kept in line by three people. A half orc with a Xen'drick accent, Klaz Dingbo, seems to act as a dictator over the downtrodden slaves that make up the redshirts. He holds sway with his mysterious "Jaela Picture" (I've no idea what this is a codename for). His right-hand man is a drow, Vrin the pirate drow, who follows Herr Dingbo with a strange black box. Their favorite trick is to walk up to someone and spend several minutes talking about their distinctive features, and then punch them. The third is Doog, or Dooj, the half-orc who robbed me on my first day.

On another note, I do believe that Kanatash is experimenting with new torture techniques. Cries of "AAAHH! NO! THE PINE-SCENTED GOODNESS! ANYTHING BUT THAT! YAAAARGH!" and "AIIIYIIIIIEEEEE, THE BANANA BONANZA! NOT THE BANANA BONANZA!" have been heard rather frequently. Hmmm, I do believe that there is slightly more floor space tonight... I wonder why?

---

Volrath in his new form has run out of suitable demon prey. (all of the remaining ones being too weak for it to even be sporting) His form seems to fold in on itself, over and over again, until it was the size of a coffin. At which point it burst open, to reveal a very tired and falling Volrath.

Again Volrath finds himself in a field of white

Girl: You did good.

Volrath: Thanks.

Girl: 8,7,6,5,4,3,2

Volrath: Not again.

Girl:1!

Yet again Volrath slams into a surface, but this time it is the Forgotten Freedom.

---

Sa'vor three-hundred years ago is laughing evilly. Unexpectedly he finds himself confronted by a small fox-like creature, black, with a long tail. It opens its red, glowing eyes and stares at Sa'vor as if the über's mind and soul are no more than simple pictures.

Creature: [COLOR=DarkRed]What would you do, Sa'vor, to have your family back? What would you give to restore the House of Vol in time? Would you destroy those who hated Errandis? Would you kill elf and dragon alike until only those who could accept a half-dragon lived?[/COLOR]

Sa'vor unleashes a simple blast of destructive energy. The creature disintegrates, but it's voice remains.

Voice: [COLOR=DarkRed]How do you see them, Sa'vor, those who could not accept a half-dragon……………?[/COLOR]

---

Nalfein opens his eyes as the darkness clears. He shakes the clouds from his eyes, when he looks up he sees a door.

Nalfein: Wow, I landed really close. Now I wonder what’s behind the door.

He tries the door, but it’s locked.

Nalfein: Da*n, now where’s my spell book.

He reaches into his front pockets, one has his spell book, the other has another piece of paper.

(again in Volrath's handwriting) Okay, Nalfein, I know how to get past this door. Yes, I know where you are. All you need to do is cast Greater Dispel magic then knock to open the door. But there is a problem. Past the door is an Arcana Loth (A.L). Now, I know that it will most likely kill you, but I put something into your far back left pocket that will help.

He reaches into the pocket and pulls out a mace with a reptilian head at the end of it. Instead of spikes are horns from the creature. After Nalfein looks at it for a moment, he spots a sticky note.

(Note) If you break this, I will make you experience more hells then exist on this plane or any other.

Nalfein: Ooook...

He casts the spells, and then slowly opens the door. He sees a humanoid jackal wearing a plain robe. Nalfein looks past him to see what its reading and sees its copy of Book of the Stilled Tongue.

Nalfein: Well great.

The A.L hears him and turns around with a staff in hand.

A.L: How dare you enter my sanctum! You will die for this puny mortal.

Nalfein: I am not leaving without that book.

A.L: Then you shall not leave here alive.

The A.L fires a barrage of Magic Missiles at Nalfein.

Nalfein: Dimension Door!

As he disappears the Magic Missiles stop where he was.

A.L: Dammit!

The A.L looks behind him expecting Nalfein to appear behind him, then all of a sudden Nalfein appears right in front of the A.L, and slaps the shoulder joints and the hip joints, then casts dimension door again.

A.L: Son of a-

Before he finishes Nalfein appears above him and slaps the sides of the A.L's head, and disappears again. Nalfein then appears behind the A.L, slapping the back of the shoulder and hip joints and then tries to use dimension door again, but the A.L figured that Nalfein would be back there. So he had started to swing his poisoned claw behind him even before Nalfein had appeared. The claw connected right after Nalfein had slapped him, and the claw tears a huge hole up the side of Nalfein's leg. Nalfein is thrown to the side from the impact while screaming in pain. Right before he hits the ground the magic missiles from the start of the battle come and blast him across the room. When Nalfein realizes that he is moving fast toward the floor, he throws out one of his hands to try to soften the impact, but he is moving so fast that a large chunk of flesh is torn off his hand. He tries to scream but hits the floor and all the wind is knocked out of him.

Nalfein: Well *hacks up some blood* that could have gone better.

As soon as the A.L starts approaching him, Nalfein looks up at it and smiles.

A.L: Why are you smiling? You have lost and I have won. Now I am going to cause you so much pain that you will wish for death.

Nalfein: (still smiling) God you’re stupid.

As he says this he hold out his hand and closes it. The A.L is then caught up in a huge explosion of fire.

Nalfein: You didn't even notice that I was laying delayed blast fireballs on you. You’re supposed to be smart, shame on you.

A.L: YOU BASTARD! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!

The A.L starts to lift up his staff to jam it into Nalfein's injured leg. Before he can, Nalfein takes the Mace with his good hand and flings it at one of the A.L's legs. As it wraps around the leg, Nalfein pulls back as hard as he can. The A.L, caught by surprise, is thrown down and hits the spot on the floor where Nalfein's hand first hit, then a large cloud of brown gas start to encircle the A.L.

A.L: HOW?!

Nalfein: 2nd edition Hoard wilting spell trap, bit*h!

As the A.L finally dissolves, Nalfein breaths a sigh of relief.

Nalfein: Finally.

He then casts healing spells to get rid of the poison in his leg and to close up the rest of his wounds. He then stands up and relocks the door, then he slumps to the floor, falling into a deep sleep.

---

Journal of a Redshirt...

Apparently, the good captain Jarlot has gone insane. I am told by the rest of the redshirts that this isn't an entirely uncommon occurance. Last week he was fighting off multiple personalities, claiming to be a bat shifter, someone named "Chuck Norris", and someone named "Mr. T". And before that he made one million Jaela Daran Clones and somehow managed to make them "ninja". I wonder what that means?

However, one thing I'm finding out onboard this ship is that knowing too much is rather deadly. I came to this realization when I had the misfourtune of walking in on one of Kanatash's torturing experiments. I shall not go into detail, but he was extremely interested in some of the properties of limes.

This time, he is ranting and claiming to be something called Shadow. Aerith, the joyful young woman who greeted my inquiries, seemed somewhat depressed. I gather that this time Jarlot has killed Marish, who I only saw once, and Andrea, whom I never had the pleasure of meeting. Apparently this is also a common occurance. Doog, or Dooj, is apparently on his 25th or 26th body. He can't recall. So it seems likely that both the dead parties will be up and around in a few days.

One bastion of sanity is the Keel. John was awakened when Ketler, the ship's artificer (whom I never had the honor to meet), got extremely inebriated and started fooling around with a wand of awaken. The result is John, the awakened dire keel. Apparently he is supposed to be the item that makes the keel-hauling actually painful. He has ten-foot adamantine spikes that are nailed to him, that are enhanced against all humanoids, and he can cast a variety of spells, most notably the legendary Bigby's Crushing Tactical Nuke. Despite his reason for existence he has found peace and inner strength. It is hard to describe the feeling of rightness one gets when he speaks to help people. He has an almost deific quality, of the limitless perfection. The rest of the redshirts tell me it's a phase every redshirt goes through, listening to the keel out of their own free will.

I have finally completed a satisfactory defense system around my corner. It uses rope trick to transport the interlopers into a small extra-dimensional pocket, and then fires three fireballs simultaneously into the pocket, immolating any of the redshirts and possibly some of the scum who were foolish enough to try to enter my abode without my permission. If anyone can break that defense, frankly, I'm already dead anyway. The good news is I can begin to think about furnishing my domain!

This led me to some of the scum's rooms. I was surprised and bemused at finding a stuffed bear sawing wood. I surmised that it was some kind of golem or similar construct. I was fortunate in Klaz's inadvertant comment about this sentient. It appears that anyone who has slighted it in the past has found an abnormal amount of splinters run their way. I was eavesdropping, so the comment wasn't directed towords me. I heeded its warning anyway. Unfortunately, it appeared to be in a bad mood and offered me the option of leaving or dying a slow, splintery death. I opted for the former.

Apparently one of the scum has noticed that I exist. A young man named Devon has asked if he could read me his poetry on the morrow. I, being a conoisseur of poetry, heartily agreed. I do hope it is good. As a side note. It appears that Jarlot is coming my way. I think I must run now-

---

Surviving her encounter with Sa'vor, Terra continued through the ship. Halester's voice egged her on, but she felt less and less inclined to do so. She could hear another voice, seeming to be her own, frantically trying to stop her. Ignoring it, she turned the corner to see Lisa with her sword drawn, having just smited one of the remaining demons.

Terra (inner): Don't you  :censored: ing dare...

Halester: Do it! Strike her down like you have all the others!

Lisa turns to see Terra staring at her. Uncertain of what to do, she tries to speak to her.

Lisa: You're not like this, Terra. Please, come back to us...

Terra sneers softly and forms a mindblade. She attacks Lisa, striking her sword as she defends herself. Terra pulls back and strikes again, this time swiping at her sword. The blade shatters, a shard cutting Lisa across the cheek. Terra pulls back for the death blow, but stops only centimeters short of her neck. Lisa glances up at Terra and sees a look of pure fury across her face. She soon discovers it is not directed at her...

Terra: [SIZE=1]Unforgivable...[/SIZE]

Lisa: What?

Terra: (closes her eyes and shakes her head) [SIZE=1]Unforgivable...[/SIZE] Unforgivable...

Lisa: Are you okay?

Terra: [SIZE=6]ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE!!!![/SIZE]

In a blast of fury, a good 50 foot radius of the ship around Terra is vaporized (sans Lisa). The shadows reach up and carry Lisa to the floor below as Terra disappears in a rage.

---

Jarlot: I need all of the power you can give me...

Aerith: Shouldn't you join the others in fighting him?

Jarlot: Shadow can't be beaten by numbers.

Aerith: Real life doesn't work like that...

Jarlot: Real life doesn't include epic levels. I need to get powered up before Volrath discoveries Andrea has been killed.

• On the deck of the Forgotten Freedom*

Ketler: YOU MURDERER! YOU KILLED MARISH!

Shadow: I'll kill far more before I'm done here. You could perhaps prolong your pitiful little life by agreeing to serve me.

Ketler: GET EM, GUYS!

• Michael, Stupid, Doog, and Lisa charge Shadow*[/b]

Shadow: How pitiful....

• Shadow makes an explosive rune on Stupid's head before the back of the warforge's head was blown out before his parts were scattered across the deck*

Doog: DIE!

• The half-orc before his club was causally blocked by an offhanded blow from Shadow. Shadow's blow then blocked Michael's own blade that he used to deflect Lisa's swordsmanship before casually backflipping and throwing all three to the ground.*

Shadow: The fools in the Quori and the Daelkyr and the Lords of Dust think that they rule this world. I'm here to prove them wrong.

Doog: EHHH SHUDAP! I've finally got a Ketler invention I like.

• Doog lifts up a minigun very similiar to the one from Predator*

Doog: See you in the Deadlands anyxhole!

• Shadow is fired upon by the minigun that RIPS into the ship and deck as five thousand rounds pour out while the ammo fires for nearly half a minute*

Shadow: I'm afraid guns don't work on me. My skin's a little thick for them....

• Shadow waved his sword as an artificial windstorm was generated that sent Doog flying over the edge of the Forgotten Freedom*

Michael: DOOGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Shadow: Oh please Michael, like you care about what happens to that pitiful half-orc? You couldn't care about his feelings enough to let him down even as you futilely lusted after a woman who could never love you.

Michael: SHUT UP! HE WAS MY FRIEND!

Shadow: Accent on the was....

Michael: You may look like Jarlot, but I doubt you've got his pain tolerance! I'm going to send you to a Hell that you won't be able to escape!

Lisa: No, he's mine!

• Lisa charged even as the armored Shadow grabbed her sword blade between his fingertips*

Shadow: And if it isn't the false paladin? The one whom makes love to a man she feels nothing but a vague attraction for even as she indulges herself with the druid whose connection is far stronger because... she feels some need to make up for the excesses of her church?

• Shadow's eyes stared into her*

Shadow: Perhaps I will enjoy showing you the pleasures Michael never could...

Lisa: I... I... GET OUT OF MY MIND!

Shadow: Yes, as if I'd ever lower myself to sleep with trash like yourself.

• he brought back his flaming katana to impale her even as Michael then stepped in front of it as the Blackguard stared, his unholy sword shattering along with his unholy armor as he fell backwards into Lisa's arms*

Shadow: Hmmm... apparently he did love you. Curious.

• The Demonic Half-God then causally sheathed his blade as he walked away, Michael bleeding horribly from his burning wound as Lisa held him*

Shadow: Who next?

Q'Barra

A chicken coop

Doog: *spits out some hay* Ah hell....

---

Satnak - I can't fail again.

I am mortal, I am wrath, I am pride, I am vainity, I am sloth, I am lust, I am envy, and I will not be denied.

Realm of shadows, seek your home in the heart of mortalkind, all who do not aid will be destroyed.

UNBIND THE SECOND KEY.

THe dark energy of the shadow plane whirls around Satnak and cracks appear in the crater where she struck earlier. A great rising column of shadow pours forth, as the initial surge dies a black shining sphere is revealed. The core of the world of shadows.

Satnak - With this I will save them or destroy this world trying. I may not have guaranteed our victory, but at least they will lose.

Satnak - Leaps into the skies once more and into the orb.

---

Shadow - What's this a bug.

Squishy - Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap

Shadow reaches for the little aberration, and his arm is thrown clear off by a flicker of movement.

Satnak - THIS ENDS NOW!

Shadow - if it isn't thHURK

Satnak - SHUT UP, Squishy get these people to the infirmiry and tell Aerith to get to work.

Stalks off holding Shadow by his busted guts, and arm.

---

Jarlot - THis feeling can't be anything but trouble.

Satnak enters

Satnak - AERITH INFIRMIRY,

Aerith dashes off to the med ward with a look of abject terror.

Jarlot - What happened to you?

Satnak - I've discovered the essences of light and darkness as they exist in every mortal heart and soul seperate from good and evil. I failed to protect so many, and now I have your little friend.

Jarlot - What did you do to him?

Satnak - Kanatash does not have the required vocabulary to describe it. Now KISS AND MAKE UP!

The enraged deicide mashes the reemnants of Shadow into Jarlot and whatches the chaotic wheeling energies recombine into Jarlot.

---

Lisa's bed at the infirmary

The still sheathed sword of Sutekh flies into its owner's hand and revives her.

Lisa - What the- You (glares accusingly at the now unsheathed blade in her hand)

Sword responds with empathic calls to be used against the darkness overwhelming the ship and to aid the call of the heart.

Lisa gets up grabs her repaired gear and takes up her warhammer in her other hand.

---

Satnak - I will find you, Halaster, and you, demon, you can't hide from me any longer. Lisa, you're up already' good, make sure no one else dies here, follow once you have the ship secured, the captain is gonna be out for a while. With Shadow down I don't know what's gonna happen to slip, but it's gonna happen soon, so Sa'vor's reaction should follow. Terra is down there trying to fight what's happening, and Volrath has been captured.

And again Satnak leaps to the surface this time disappearing utterly and none can tell where she lands.

---

Halaster - this is fear

---

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