Forgotten Freedom:48
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Terra: No way in hell is Captain Jarlot my father, Marish. You lose that bet right now.
Marish: Awwww....
Terra: And give me back Not-Walter. I don't like you tricking him into assuming his alternate form for that reason.
Marish: :weep:
Jarlot: Say what now?
Terra: Go look it up yourself, Mr. D&D. [SIZE=1]Whatever that is...[/SIZE] Use one of those Monster Manual things you claim to have.
(later)
Jarlot: (finding the entry on Half-Farspawn Broodling Kythons) Ok, I know that ability... that too... ah! Here we are...
- pause*
Jarlot: :yuck: EWWWWWW!!!!!
Satnak - Guess what, Jarlot (brutally gut-punches Jarlot) I'm still a lot stronger than you.
Jarlot - Wheeeze
Satnak - Now tell me how to unbind this thing's hold on me, or I'll give you a Kithle's skylight special, sans speed, precision, and quick death. Also I have a meld for Sense motive on so don't even think bluff.
Jarlot - How do you know about that.
Satnak - Apperently you made a few mistakes filling out my sheet, you turned me into a guy, you sick freak. On top of that I'm not a demi-god thats divine rank 0. I don't have divine ranks. Further more I'm not an aligned force I'm a conceptual force, DEICIDE if I was a demi-god it would the a demi-god of destruction, and deicide. I Had to figure this whole system out just to find out what you did to me, now fix it!!! Getting my focus wrong was one thing but fix the gender first; Marish keeps hitting on me, and I'm starting to like it!!.
Jarlot - OK bad mental image there, the fact that your face hasn't changed makes this worse somehow.
Satnak - Your darn right it does.
Jarlot - OK lets go over this thing and fix it.
A few hours later.
Satnak - Ok thats everything major fixed, but I should be taller.
Jarlot - Must have smudged it fixing your gender.
Satnak - Now Unbind it from me.
Jarlot - Thats Ketler's department, I dunno how to sever these safely.
Satnak throws Jarlot through the walls into Tifa's room.
Tifa - Out, kids.
Door closes, Roosevelt begins nailing boards over the hole in the wall.
Jarlot - Oh no.
Satnak - KETLEEEER!!
Ketler - Yes ma'am.
Satnak - Unbind this thing. NOW
Ketler - :eek: Yes ma'am
Satnak - I'll be looking over your shoulder the entire time.
On the foredeck a little after sunset.
Satnak - Finally that's done with no more papers messing with me.
Rikku, Yuna, and Paine wander on board.
R - Where are ...
Y - we gonna...
P - sleep tonight.
Satnak - Ugh, I forgot Tifa had you 3 sprats around these days. Lemme guess she kicked you out when the cpt. Fell in.
YRP - Yep/yes/yeah
Satnak - Gah, Nalfein its your turn at watch.
Nalfien - Fine :rolleyes:
Satnak - Okay your three. You can use the Spare rooms in my Suite.
YRP - YAY/Thank you/okay
Nalfien - Wait you get a suite?
Satnak - Most of the outsiders on board are more than willing to help me out with little projects like extradimensional rooms in exhange for not ever touching them with the arm.
Nalfien - Don't you have complete control of the zorching mechanisms, and it's capable of doing a fair number on humanoids too.
Satnak - Of course, just guys like Naz'roth get really weird vibes from it.
Satnak - a few rules, do not wake me up, do not eat the chili from the mini fridge, the spoons are fair game just wash them when you're done, if you have to do something messy, stay in the kitchen, and no waking me up. Yes I mentioned that one twice. Good night.
Satnak exits the lounge and locks the door to the primary bedroom behind her.
Nalfein is in Mickey's room, standing next to Volrath, along with Paine, Rikku, and Yuna.
P/R/Y: *humming the Jeopardy song*
Nalfein: Please!
Volrath remains comatose.
Nalfien: Come oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon *breaths in* Come ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon.
Volraths eyes fly open.
Volrath: Shut up!
Volrath picks up Nalfein and flings him through the nearby wall.
P/R/Y: *Begin humming various Rob Zombie songs*
Terra smacks her forehead.
Terra: Of course, Igor. He's encountered basically every evil thing in the known universe. He must have some knowledge of this thing.
Silver: Wait, Jarlot has a daughter? I'm a goddess of life, how could I not know this?
Crow: Soap-opera causality. Unexpected relatives show up. Like Tifa's trips. Your knowledge will just back-date itself.
Silver: Whew!
Crow: But what are we going to do about Satnak?
Silver: Why are we going to do anything?
Crow: Her deicide arm makes it nearly impossible for any interesting power villains to take on the FF.
Silver: But we aren't going to do anything about it.
Crow: Well, yeah. Who likes super-powered villains?
Silver: They have no style.
Amidst all the falling bodies descends a small black shape, only perhaps a foot tall, but with a tail twice its height. It floats until it comes to the level of the leader, above the stake and the girl. It’s possible to catch its shape if outlined against the dim light from the torches in the church above: two pointed ears on top of its head, a tapering muzzle, and legs and arms more like the limbs of a canine. The tail whips about, snapping in the air and sending small shockwaves down against those sitting around the arena. The creature opens its eyes, and there is a visible red glow.
Suddenly the creature has picked up the leader by his skull. It is a deadly situation for the leader: his neck is now supporting his entire body.
Creature: [COLOR=DarkRed]WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE THAT I CAN’T SEE? WHAT IS IT THAT I SEE THAT YOU CAN’T SEE?[/COLOR]
A look drawn from the depths of horror appears on the leader’s face, the same look that the dead bodies wear. He stops breathing. He’s dead before his neck stretches beyond living.
The creature lets the body fall. The leader’s companions edge back. Even the paladins below, veterans of crusades against foul evil, don’t move against the creature. But one lone priest, somewhere midway up the arena side near the leader’s box, stands defiantly.
Priest: Know, foul fiend—
The creature looks at the priest. The man crumples in mid-sentence.
Volrath and Terra sift through the tomes in his library as Igor stands nearby. Not-Walter stands guard at the door, growling at Nalfein as he pouts just outside.
Nalfein: C'mooooooooooooo-
Igor: I'm thorry, mith. But I haven't worked with him directly, so I don't know hith name.
Nalfein: -oooooooooooooooooo-
Terra: Anything you know would be most appreciated.
Nalfein: -oooooooooooooo-
Igor: From what I gathered, he ith indeed related to Glabrethu demonth. However, he ith more powerful and theemed to command them.
Nalfein: *deep breath* -oooooooooooooo-
Volrath: More powerful in what way?
Nalfein: -ooooooooooo-
Igor: The thhadow abilitieth mith Terrra'th brother dithplayed were one example. He liveth in darkneth and moveth freely within it.
Nalfein: -oooooooooooo-
Terra: Why would someone like this wait until now to come after me?
Nalfein: -oooooooooooo-
Igor: I can only athume you are needed for thomething thpethific. Thomething in which timing ith important. That, or he wath thimply unable to thearch for you for thome reathon.
Nalfein: -ooooooooooonnnnnnnn!!!!!
Volrath: It could be a Glabrezu/shadow demon hybrid. Often when two different types of demons crossbreed the child is more powerful than both of the parents. However they are unable to reproduce, keeping their numbers small.
Terra: I guess.
Naz'roth: a demon hey? must be of a newer generation. being trapped in a crystal prison does that to you, all the demons begin to stop respecting you. thats why I've always prefered devil's really. they know the chain of command, and only your equals or those slightly below you try to stab you in the back. just like politicians ( especially Labour politicians).
Tara: what;s the difference between Demon and Daemon?
Sa'vor: Demons are the personifcation of Chaos and evil, Daemons are more Lawful evil, but Daemons are always powerful. they're the ruling elite of the fiendish world. fortunately there's only six of them left, three of Naz'roth's power level and two of the lesser Daemons.
Slip: what about Asmodeus and the Dukes? aren't they Daemons?
Naz'roth: No, back in the day The Dukes were Devils, only a fraction of the power of one of the Daemon lords. they controlled portions of the world about the size of countries, Daemons controlled whole continents. The continent of Khorvaire was ruled by me, though i don't really count on being able to get it back. my time has passed
Tara: don't Daemons get reborn like demons and other fiends ?
Sa'vor: no, their power gets divided up to create millions of lesser fiends. sometimes their spirits are able to be housed in new bodies, similar to the method a Dracolich uses. somtimes the make pacts or bargains to return in a lesser state and slowly they regain their former power.
Slip: so where's the other two Daemon lords? the ones of equal power to Naz'roth?
Naz'roth: ones buried in Sarlonna, the Inspired and quori keep an eye on him. the other in Xen'drick, though their well guarded and we don't want them escaping.
Sa'vor: why? wouldnt they make great allies?
Naz'roth: let's just say they don't share my attitude, they want to take their lands back by force. and I doubt the Dragons would let them do that, they keep a close watch on me as it is.
Sa'vor: let's just hope we don't have to content with any of them. I have enough trouble stopping all us ubers from blasting each other apart as it is, and Kithle wouldnt be pleased if we started fighting. and Satnak's even moodier than usual with all the millions of Jarlots running about
Slip: what the crew need is a good fight, you know, an attack form an armada to unleash all their stresses and emotions. that or a party.
Tara: I thought it was a party every night on this ship?
Naz'roth: that was just the recruitment poster
Tara: stupid posters, lying to me all the time.
Nalfein is still trying to get into the libary.
Nalfein: COME OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!
Everyone is still ingoring him.
Nalfein: PLEASE!!!
Volrath: (sighs) Fine, bu-
Nalfein: [SIZE=4]YAY!!![/SIZE] :D
Nalfein then runs over to Volrath.
Volrath: I'll let you read it, but you need to get me something first.
Nalfein: [SIZE=3]ANYTHING!!![/SIZE]
Volrath: I need a Book of the stilled tongue.
Nalfein: OOOOOOK, wait a minute. That book is not even in this campaign setting.
Volrath: [SIZE=4]DON'T BREAK THE FOURTH WALL!!![/SIZE] Anyway, I can get you to the right plane, but it will take a day.
Nalfein: Okay, but I need to leave someone here that will make sure that you don't double-cross me.
Volrath: Who, I am your only friend and even I don't like you that much.
Nalfein: Oh, I got it covered. My winter wolf familiar will watch you.
Volrath: Wait, you have a familiar?
Nalfein: Yes, my winter wolf.
As he says this, a big winter wolf appears next to Volrath. Volrath takes a double take.
Volrath: :eek:
Volrath then jumps 3 feet in the air and lands on top of a bookshelf.
Volrath: When did you get that?!?
Nalfein: I have always had it. His name is Cuddles.
Cuddles: I told you, my name is spleen-eater.
Nalfein: Awww, you're so cute!
Volrath: :uh-huh: So I'll get started on that.
Nalfein: (Drums his fingers together) Exellent :plotting:.
A brawl breaks out in the bar.
Jarlot (entering at this most inopportune moment): What in Khyber is this? I get lost, decide I'm dying for a drink, and then I end up here.
Lucky and Roosevelt step out of the chaos like ninjas out of a cloud of smoke.
Jarlot: Why was I never informed we had a bar?
Roosevelt: I got you to sign the release form. Slipped it in with my last wood requisition.
Jarlot: Okay, I'm putting a stop to this RIGHT NOW!
Roosevelt: Had Weascal deck it out with all the legal nooses. They are god-binding.
Lucky: Besides, you've been getting a cut.
Jarlot: So that's where that extra money came from. But why do we have a bar?
Lucky: We—that is, the Lesser-Used crew—decided that with all the interdimensional portals opening up and lost of random beings wandering through that we could make a mint.
Roosevelt: And it keeps the weirdos off the regular crew's decks.
Jarlot: Well… Kithle and Satnak will be glad for that.
Lucky: We provide something for the crew to do besides get on each other's nerves. Mr. T and Bruce Ki are bouncers.
Mr. T: I pity da foo' who don't pay his tab.
Bruce Ki: I shall show you the error of your dishonoring that serving lady.
Lucky: Erk's the barkeep. When you don't have time to speak thousands of languages or cast a permanent tongues, a guy who gets along by gesture is perfect.
Erk rumbles something from behind the bar across the fight.
Lucky: We've got Jingo collecting from those who try to slip out. And Tony the Tiger is our cook.
Tony: It's GRRRRRRRRRRREAT food!
Cabin Boy: And I am here to help those who's spirits are broken regain.
Jarlot: Whoa! You dug out some seriously unused talent for this one.
Roosevelt: Even some of the regular crew come down here. Norbaz has a great singing voice. Ketler designed all our stills. Terra contributes ingredients. And Marish—
Jarlot: Trust me, I can guess. But how come I didn't know about it?
Lucky immediately starts sweating. But Roosevelt handles things in his usual blunt manner.
Roosevelt: Igor mentioned something to Tifa about the power of bars to hook desperate men up. That qualifies you. And we seriously don't want to mess with Tifa.
Norbaz mulls over a drink in the crew bar, Erk cleaning a glass boforeh him.
Norbaz: I just don't know... it... maybe that's why I keep coming down here. Maybe I'm scared to actually confront her about it... probably why I've been avoiding her the past two weeks.
(scenes of Norbaz seeing Andrea turn the corner towards him and clinging to the ceiling to avoid being seen... Hiding behind the mizzenmast, dissappearing, and doing other ridiculous & dangerous things to hide in these mundane avoidance situations)
Norbaz: Am I suddenly turning into a coward over this. Just because I'm worried I told her I respect and admire his skill, talent, and beauty? Bah! Maybe... maybe... If I wasn't so sure I would die I would have never written that letter. But... I need to say something to her, or at least know what her response is. Sigh.
The half-giant goes to the stage and picks up the mic... that which follows is some kind of Eberron equivalent of Frank Sinatra. Marish approaches Erk at the bar.
Marish: Well, has he gotten enough liquor yet?
Erk shakes his head no.
Marish: Well, give him this, I'll get Andrea down here and well see what happens.
Marish gives Erk a bottled labeled "Liquid Courage"
As Marish walks off Erk looks down at the bottle.
Erk: *Bah! "Liquid Courage"? He'll never forgive us or himself if I use this. Forcing someone to admit their innermost secrets when they don't want to is the surest way to make them depressed. But maybe…*
Erk grunts at Lucky and points to the bar. Lucky nods in understanding, taking up Erk's place. The Minotaur ducks into the bar's back room. When there he opens the secret door in a wine barrel (There's always a secret door in the wine barrel—Igor), stepping through into a dark room without walls or ceiling. In the center is a large book, the cover made of stone and carved with designs that are inscrutable to all but Erk. It basically says Puzzle God's Guide to Ways to Trick People.
Erk searches through the tome for about an hour. Finally he comes upon the entry he needs:
"Making a Very Competent Person Think They Have Courage"
Yes, this would be much better. And when it was over, Norbaz would know that he had made the decision himself.
Late one evening, a pair of grotesque bird-like humanoid forms fly about the ship. One lands next to a porthole on the lower decks while the other keeps watch. A Redshirt opens the porthole and begins speaking with it in a hushed voice.
Vrock 1: What news do you bring of the target?
Redshirt: She seems to be trying to stack the deck in her favor. Most of what we've learned indicates she has regained most of her memory and is using it in an attemt to fight back.
Vrock 1: So she does not intend to go peacefully. Master will be most pleased. He has always enjoyed the strong willed-type. Continue your reconaissanse.
The Vrock lifts off and the two prepare to return.
Vrock 2: Why do we need to come all this way? Why can't we just spy remotely?
Vrock 1: Master said the Psions on board would be alerted to such a thing, and we must remain as hidden as possible.
The bloody scream eminates from the ship. They look back and see Kanatash floating there, looking rather pleased.
Kanatash: Seems we caught on anyway...
Vrock 2: :censored:! (to his companion) We cannot be caught like this! GO!
Turning to flee, they see another form, this one is Terra.
Terra: :devil: Hi there.
They split up, trying to get back to the portal they arrived through. Kanatash easily out maneuvers his opponent and Psionically freezes him in midair. Terra throws a mindblade at hers, slicing off a wing, followed by an arcane blast that disintigrates him.
Kanatash: (shaking his head) Messy, messy, messy. You really need to have more fun instead of just killing them.
Terra: Just releasing some pent-up frustration. (looking at the still-frozen Vrock) What are you gonna do with your catch? Perhaps I could learn a few things...
Kanatash: I wouldn't suggest it. Most of what I normally do would probably drive you insane. Breaking a demon's mind requires a bit more effort on my part.
Terra: *shudders* Remind me never to get on your bad side...
Satnak - Hey when did Terra get soulknife levels? Is it part of this memory thing?
Terra: No, that's the second soul part. I just haven't been using it.
Satnak: Is this another one of those Narrative Element things? Or has Jarlot been messing with our 'character sheets' again?
Terra: Yes.
Satnak: "Yes"? That's not an answer!
Terra: AAAAHH!! Run away!
Pholly - The spines are still moving!!! That one just winked at me!!! SWEET TIRA MIRRON THEY'RE STILL ALIVE!!! SHE TOOK THEM APART BUT THE PIECES ARE STILL ATTACHED AND FUNCTIONING!!! Well except the lungs, those don't work well outside the body cavity.
Squrrel - Chirrup
Pholly - HIDE ME!!!
Squirrels swarm the mess.
Pholly - :eek: :yuck: :uh-huh: :mymy: :help: :shocked: :blink: :gah: :OMG! What a way to go.
Caralot: All right! The cleanup squirrels work. No more having to pick up the crew's leftovers.
Volrath: Terra, could you wait to fight your family, until I can join, when Nalfein gets back.
Terra: Well, I kind of want to do this on my own, besides you aren't really uber enough.
Volrath: Yes I am!
Terra: Last I checked your level was thirteenish.
Volrath: Not everyone posts their stats every time they level up. I mean, don't you think that something would have happened to my stats when I left the cocoon.
Terra: What are your levels then.
Volrath: Well sense you asked, Half-farspawn, Daelkyr half-blood Warlock 12/ artificer 1/ fleshwarper 10.
Terra: By the way what happened to those appendages, you grew?
Volrath: Oh, they stay under the skin when not in use.
Terra: I'd prefer not to know, what their use was, when you were coming out of Marish's room. *shudder*
Volrath: :angelhide
The Vrocks' screams emanate from Kanatash's room as he enjoys himself. Those attuned to Psionic energies can hear a loud *crack* as his mind snaps like a twig.
Vrock: Not the lemony freshness! Anything but the lemony freshness!
(a few minutes later in Terra's room)
Terra: Did you find out what their goal is?
Kanatash: Not really, no. Whoever they are, they're very careful. Those Vrock's only knew what they needed to and nothing more. They had picked up a few other things, but no detailed information about anything but their primary mission. It seems many of the precautions we use to keep each other in check have worked in our favor, stifling their ability to spy on us.
Terra: Well, that's good to know at least. Anything on who they might be, or where they hail from?
Kanatash: Nothing specific, all they knew is that their master is not from their native plane. Apparently, he arrived and began recruiting an army about 300 years ago Eberron time for some reason involving the planar wars. From what I gathered about him, Volrath's hybrid idea seem most plausible.
Terra: How could I possibly have missed this group so completely?
Kanatash: I don't think this cult even resides in Eberron...
Volrath, Nalfein, and Cuddles are in Volrath's room. Nalfein is standing in the middle of a sigil.
Nalfein: Okay, now are you sure this will work?
Volrath: ... kinda...
Nalfein: Oh, I'm just brimming with confidance.
Volrath: Ok now hold still.
Nalfein: Ok, wait, one last thing. Cuddles, go have your fun with the red-shirts.
Cuddles: Excellent.
Volrath: Okay, ready?
Nalfein: Yes.
Volrath begins chanting and the sigil starts glowing.
Nalfein's vision starts blurring and everything goes dark...
Call me Ishmael,
I, being a clerk in a small accounting firm in Fairhaven, decided that my talents didn't lie there anymore. I craved the adventure and romance of living the life of an outlaw. Sailing through the sky, raiding the cloud galleons, throwing caution to the winds and loving it. It sung to my heart sweet melodies of quintessence.
I heard by chance that a small airship was hiring deck hands. It was a name I had heard in passing as a pirate vessel, and thus I hurried over to the sky dock. The ship was, well, more like a small floating island than anything I'd ever seen sailing the stars. It seemed like there may have been an airship beneath all the haphazard piles of new construction at one point. It was roughly spherical in nature and had a humongously spiked keel. If I wasn't so shocked, I'd have laughed.
I spoke to the man I assumed was captain, Jarlot was his name. He was worse for the drink at the time, and seemed to confuse me for an aquaintance of his named "Sephiroth". He attempted to take a swing at me with a sword so ridiculously large that it could have replaced Our good queen Aurala's Dining room table! Fortunatly, the alcohol he had imbibed managed to blur his vision and he hit a pole instead. The pole was thoroughly destroyed.
After that a disturbingly cheerful girl came up to me and led me away from the drunkard captain, apologizing for his conduct and asking me what buisness I had with this fine vessel. I explained to her my ardent lust for adventure and desire to hire on as a cabin hand. She looked faint and suggested that I look elsewhere, but I stood firm. It should also be noted that no other ships in port were interested in me.
I was ushered to a small office, which what it lacked in decor was made up in the strangeness of the occupant. He was sort of transparent, and appeared to made of chaos itself. His eyes spoke of worlds beyond human comprehension. He introduced himself as Kanatash, and proceeded to ask me about my relations with animals, my parents, Jaela Daran, and many more. Then he asked me my opinion of "lemony freshness"; I was befuddled.
When the interview had finished, he told me to find myself a piece of floor to sleep on. In doing this, I lost my valuables to a strange half-orc named "Doog" or "Dooj"; He answers to both. He threatened me with an intimidating chain, with very prominant spikes, often spattered with gore. In the end, I found a place near a corner (a rare find) and managed to scrounge some rags to sleep in.
That is the story of my hiring on as a redshirt on the Forgotten Freedom.
Volrath walks up to Ishmael.
Volrath: Hello man, let me show you around.
Ishmael: Why a lad of your age, must be a cabin boy.
Volrath: I am no cabin boy. If you call me such again, you'll be wearing your feet as mittens. I'll have you know I'm the librarian. Now that I think about it, the library is probably where we should start.
Ishmael's vision blurs. When it clears, he sees a mess of bookshelves arranged in impossible angles. Each one of these bookshelves has an almost translucent plate of some material over it over it. On these plates are keyholes and unidentifiable runes.
Slip watches Terra as she paces on deck in the early morning. Sa’vor had asked her to keep an eye on her, but it was becoming increasingly clear that she was not the real threat. Even though she knew Terra could sense her, she got no indications she was unwanted.
???: Lana…
A haunting voice floats through the air. An elven man in black armor appears on deck a short distance from Terra.
???: My, how you've grown. And it seems you’ve killed Haru, as well. Quite the feat. (shakes his head) Stupid boy, always talking about the clan. No ability to see the grander scheme of things. He was a powerful fighter, yes, but an idiot when it came to strategy. I have-
Terra: (cutting him off) What do you want with me?
???: What? Not in the mood for catching up? It’s been centuries, my daughter. Don’t you want do give your daddy a big hug?
Terra: (coldly) Answer the question.
???: If I answer, would you consider coming peacefully?
Terra: No.
???: (chuckling) Headstrong, just like your mother. Very well. Our master granted me great power, and I promised your soul in return. He only got a taste before that foolish mother of yours got in the way.
Terra: (slightly unnerved by the straight answer) And the village? How did I get there?
???: So you ended up in a populated area? That was most unfortunate for you. It was the result of a resurrection spell gone wrong. The energies present in the summoning room mixed badly and sent you to the Material Plane in a kind of makeshift Wish spell. You wanted to get away, so it sent you away. And, so it seems, you wanted to forget, so you forgot.
Terra: Sent me to Material Plane? Where were we before?
???: You’re just full of questions, aren’t you? Our home is on the Plane of Shadow.
Terra: That doesn’t make any sense. There is no color in that plane, but I remember them vividly.
???: I believe that’s a side effect of you living here so long. The colorless nature of the Plane of Shadow is disturbing to those unaccustomed to it. Your mind simply filled in what it thought was appropriate.
Terra: I’ll have to take you word on that one. Still… why now? Why wait all this time to come for me?
???: We were unaware the resurrection spell had succeeded until you began traveling the planes with the Daelkyr half-breed. Unfortunately, the ritual must be performed under specific conditions. We left you to gain power here while we waited for our next opportunity.
Terra: What is this ritual? What do you hope to accomplish?
???: That I cannot tell you yet. Suffice it to say, our master wants to use you as his avatar, and he is most eager to finish what he started. Apparently, your soul was… oh, how did he put it… ah yes, “exquisite.”
Terra: I’m afraid I’m still going to have to disappoint you. I have no interest in becoming some demon’s new home.
???: You have little choice. Why do you think I would tell you all this so easily? Because I know you cannot refuse. I have but to speak my name and you will happily return to our master.
Terra: What does your name have to do with-
???: Halester.
A strong magical force assails her, emanating from her right hand. Looking down, the gem she had found in the cottage lay embedded in her right wrist. How it had gotten there was beyond her. The Ioun stone released its spell: Dominate Person. Slip uncloaks and tries to stop him, but finds herself unable to move. On the deck, she can see her shadow is being pinned by other shadows. Halester turns to her.
Halester: You thought I wouldn’t notice you? What, exactly, could you do with what you have learned here? It really only has value to my daughter. Our home is long since abandoned, and you cannot follow me, so you have no hope of either finding or stopping us.
Not-Walter appears from Terra’s cloak as she resists the spell and leaps at him, trying to defend his master. The shadows reach up and grab him as well, pinning him to the deck. As she starts to succumb, Terra manages a few words.
Terra: (strained) B-bastard. You won’t get away with this…
Halester: Ah, but I already have.
As the spell finally succeeds, Terra’s arms fall to her sides, her eyes expressionless. Halester turns to Slip and causes the shadows around her to rise. With incredible strength, they grab her legs and slam her through the deck. As she lay stunned, Halester walks up to Terra.
Halester: Now that that is taken care of… come, we have much to do.
He grabs her hand and they disappear into the nearest shadow. Several crewmembers run up on deck to investigate, only to see a distraught looking Not-Walter running frantically about the deck.
Nalfein's vision clears, and he finds himself in a hallway with one door next to him.
Nalfein: Oooooook, now where did Volrath tell me to go?
(Flashback)
Volrath: Ok, Nalfein, to get to Greyhawk, you need to get the ... got that?
Nalfein: (Tuning him out) Yeah...
Volrath: ...
(End flashback)
Nalfein: ... god dammit. (he puts his hands into his pocket) Wait, what's this?
He unfolds a piece of paper.
(In Volrath's handwriting) I knew that you weren't listening to me, so I put this in your pocket. Now to get to Greyhawk get the Greyhawk Campaign Setting book, open it up and hold on...
Nalfein: Okay. Now where is it...
He stands up and hears some people talking behind the door.
Nalfein: What in the...(he opens the door) Oh no, [SIZE=5]ITS A D&D CONVENTION!!![/SIZE]
Nerd: Hey, want to play D&D with us?
Nalfein: [SIZE=4]GET AWAY FROM ME!!![/SIZE]
As he says this Nalfein throws down a fireball and runs to a door on his right.
Nalfein: (once he closed the door) *huff* *huff* That was clos- (he looks up)... [SIZE=6]OH GODS, LARPERS!!![/SIZE]
Larper: Hey! A new guy! GET HIM!
Nalfein: HOLY CRAP!!!
He then runs back to the nerd room and locks the door behind him.
Nalfein: (to himself) [SIZE=1]Nerds are better, nerds are better.[/SIZE]
DM Nerd: You burned my Character sheets!
He then starts pelting Nalfein with his dice.
Nalfein: (starts runing) I AM SO GETTING VOLRATH FOR THIS!!!
He soon runs into a bookshelf, sending a cascade of pointy edges at him. One drops into his lap.
Nalfein: Ow...(looks at it) YES! GREYHAWK!
He opens up the book, and once agian his vision blurs and everything goes dark...
Allen's Log, Journeydate 02 On this day, I found an interesting tree that has brown fruit filled with a red nectar that tastes similar to blood. This may be because the tree's main food source is humans. Fortunately, they have recognized that I was no human after I managed to destroy several of them. I hope to soon forget about my troublesome times on the Forgotten Freedom, as I had felt my thoughts were being affected by the chaos on it. Inventing a giant pilotable warforged? What was I thinking at the time?
Allen's Log, Journeydate 05 I found a village today, filled with nearly naked women, all of which were at least as beautiful as the most beautiful women I had seen before coming here. Ironically, all of the men are homely, as though a curse was laid on this land, making the most beautiful women seek out the most homely of men. They do not seem to know what the Forgotten Freedom is yet, and also do not seem to know much of what occurs outside their land. It's as though this place was created only a few days ago, although the land itself appears to have existed the same amount of time as everything else in Eberron. Perhaps this is an example of something I read once, where things have appeared suddenly, and then have existed for years in the next moment. I shall continue my journey to this place the natives call Kanpai, perhaps it would be a good base for my operations here.
Satnak - TIme to crush these bastards. No one messes with our crew except us.
Sa'vor - The legion is ready
Death paper - The acorn knights offer their aid.
Kanatash - Why is the raving lunatic in charge?
Slip - Arm from your masters' worst nightmares ring a bell?
Lisa - I'm going too.
Satnak - Cute, she thinks I'm offering a choice.
Satnak approaches the spot where Terra dissapeared, and rips reality itself wide open.
Satnak - Battle stations people its time for an ass-whupping.
Sa'vor - she's gonna pull the whole ship through, isn't she?
Kanatash - Apparently.
Slip - can she do that?
Andrea - The girl can break just about anything, putting it back together when she's through tearing colossal portals in space-time is gonna be our job.
Tifa - I don't like that look in her eye.
Marish - I don't like HER.
Norbaz - THink about it, this ship's insane as it is, is the closest thing to a home she has, it's the same for a lot of us. She's an arrogant, demanding, bossy ***** who tosses us around like ragdolls. On the upside she is OUR arrogant, demanding, bossy ***** and we are HER ragdolls. There will be painful deaths this night.
Chalky - I will be taking notes, then.
Tifa - Jarlot, sweetie ,it just hit the fan.
Jarlot - I know, thats' why I'm gonna go get drunk and find my flamingo. I need a back-up weapon in case I get swallowed or something.
Ketler - I might almost have a specter of pity for this Halester guy.
Micheal - Save it, 'ficer.
Doog - I know that look, that's her "oh-ho-ho-ho you pathetic little worm you can only begin to understand the pain I'm about to inflict look"
The Forgotten Freedom dissapears from the skies of of Rberron and the world cheers its undoubtly brief respite.
The airship is now barely visible over the realm of shadows. The darkness shudders.
Halester - Oh crud.
Terra - I honestly didn't know she could do that.
Halester: I really hate that arm. They will not take you form me so easily, though. You have yet to fulfill your purpose.
Terra simply nods, and the two disappear into the very fabric of the plane as a full legion of Vrocks and Glabrezu decend upon the ship. By the time the demons are destroyed, there is no sign of either of them.
Satnak - Okay you wanna play that way huh? Jarlot, you're up.
Jarlot - Ok you bilge rats, its time to pillage, it'll be just like the old days before people learned to just leave their gold on the doorstep, leave no two stones standing, burn, pillage, and take everything thats not bolted down AND and already on fire, then smash that and take the pieces. They want time, let's not waste ours.
Crew Yo ho yo ho +random cheering (crew begins singing pirate songs in excitement)
Satnak - What do you do with a drunken sailor?
Mickey - Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
Micheal - It's a pirate's life for me.
Andrea - 16 men on a dead man's chest.
Devon - The shining sails and roaring gales... aAAAAAAHHHh boots
Hunter - And old Black Morgan said/you'll soon wish to be dead.
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