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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 1372430" data-attributes="member: 9255">STRIKEFORCE: MORITURISEGMENT 037“Plans, Plots and Passage”  “Except for Megamania, I could fly us to a ship if we saw it” offers Jean.“Of all the thoughts, that seems the best.” Concurs Christina.“You have been very quiet Jim…have you any thoughts?” asks The Captain.“It still bothers me that we can’t just jump “home” then retry but with either a plane or motorboat.”“Admittance of higher tech resources is to be extremely limited for one.  Each time we use a planar jump it may alert the agents of Darqueness of our actions.  Also, this specific plane blocks most planar jumps.  It is only through a deal that Infiniti has with the Dark Lords that we are able to leave…once.  If we try this again, we may be trapped here forever allowing the Darqueness to form a new body and regain the strength he needs to start his destructive ways again.” Clarifies Christina.“oh” is all he can say.“Captain Bennaton-  how often can a ship be seen near here?” The Captain asks the leader of a ship that was wrecked offshore here about 6 days ago.“If we could see beyond the mists around this island. I would think once every few days.”“Thankyou.  Jean, Christina and Vander- what can we do to see beyond the mists?”“I have a few means to communicate with them at a distance but nothing else” answers Jean. “Nothing much here” adds Christina.Vander merely nods a grim no.“Jim- your spot up on the mountain side- we saw over the mists there-“ remembers Christina.Jean smirks with a new suspicion.  “If we can see over the mists there, then a fire there could be equally seen also by them.  A fire I can help with.”“No one ever asked but I have a means to see further away.  I have my US Government issued made in China binoculars.” Replies Jim suddenly feeling useful and the center of the conversation.The heroes set to work to create a signal fire.  Watches are planned and Jim shows each how easy it is to use the binoculars. The red gaunt hand once more waves over his scrying water.  The mists part ever so slowly.  Once parted, an island with mists can be seen.  With a slow curling of the fingers, the image of the island comes closer then pierces the mists then reaches the beach.  Then a path following the heroes is followed rapidly through time until the image rests on a village with insectiod creatures.  These creatures and the five agents of Infiniti are hard at work cutting wood and moving it to the top of a hillside.“Still ever so resourceful Captain Stevens.  Very well.”The gaunt and clawed hand circles rapidly then forms a mist.  The figure gives a mock clap over the scrying water and now the image is of the Sea of Sorrows.  The scrying moves quickly over the waters and reveals several ships.  All are close enough to be seen soon.The gaunt red skinned figure reaches for a small chest.  It opens it and inside is a wooden image of an armor-plated shark.  He holds it up over the water and thinks about the hunger…the drive.  Soon, he is thinking about the hunt and…the metal man?“Go my deadly ally…go and find the metal man.  Go and find Vander Stormbringer of Athas”Captain Bennaton is on watch along with his surviving crew.  He marvels at the instrument the wild child has given him to see with.  It is similar to a tool of his but much lighter and clearer.  He is tempted to take them and bring them to an artificer he knows in Mordent.  He shakes the thought off.  He looks up again and tries to see to the east.  A ship!  He calls for one of his men to call to the Champions and another to light the wood.  The woodpile that is still small and may not be seen in daylight.  It is lit and goes by…unseen.The crew looks for the champions but only find Megamania and the Captain.  Neither can fly nor reach the ship.This happens two more days in a row.DAY 9Jim is sitting on the hillside…looking at the stars again.  It is the Captain’s watch.  Everyone else is sleeping…or so he thought.  “Hello Christina…and Jean?”“Jim….do you trust me?” asks Christina.“Suuuuure….why?”“The ships fear this area and seem to travel by only by day.  Perhaps due to the Jaws of Sorrow.  We are uncertain.  We need to create a means to be seen.  We need to create a light source that can be seen even at the sun’s greatest strength.”“Yup…I follow you so far.”“I …..I want to test if you wield it.   If you wield Spellfire.”Jim’s face loses all emotion.  Doubt rises in its place.  “And how do we test this?  Jean gonna zap me a dozen times?”“If possible” Jean says looking away.  She fears what may happen if Christina is wrong.“F*** that!   What if you’re wrong?!?!”  Jim tenses up and prepares to roll down the hill into a run.“We’ll start with easy stuff.  Things that are not harmful.   We’ll try to lower the temperture first maybe try to caste mage armor on you a few times.”“What does the Captain think of it?”“He…he dosen’t know.”“Oh this is getting better and better…….”  He stands up.  Looks at the ground in deep thought shrugs and sighs.  He looks at Christina and her pleading but nearly crying eyes.  Jim melts and gives in.“Remember- immediately let us know if anything hurts or we need to stop.”  She leans up close to him.  Gives him a soft kiss on the cheek and rapidly moves away.  He is standing in an opening with Jean about 25 feet away.“What I am about to caste is called “Lesser Cold Orb”.  It is intended to cause frost bite and chill one to their bones.”“Wonderful.  Love it.”“I will hit you will one.  I will pause before continuing.  Tell me when to stop.”“Heh-   sure” then under his breathe- “but what if I’m dead?”Jean’s eyes well in tears.  She hates casting her magic to harm another.  This is insane but she trusts Christina.  She also has seen Jim absorb or ignore two of her flight spells already.  “Here we go…”Jim pulls his mask on over his face.  He doesn’t want anyone to see his face.  He sees a circular ball of white followed with crystals shot from Jean’s hands.  As it hits him, he feels not cold but warmth.  A few moments later another wave of warmth then another then it’s all utopia.  His body is warm and tingly. He doesn’t see Jean and Christina look at each other and give a solemn nod.  A small series of iron rods are pulled from Jean's deep component pockets.  The first Lightning bolt rips into Jim and shakes him.  Then another…and another…and another….The Captain hears the first crack of lightning and looks down to only see Jim being hit by Lightning.  Over and over again.  Then an electrical globe engulfs him and it melts away.  He is screaming now and drops to his knees.  Smoke rising from his tattered clothes.  He calls to Vander whom also heard the repeated lightning strikes and came to the higher point to investigate.“STOP OH FOR THE GODS SAKE STOP!” screams Christina as she rushes between Jean and Jim.  To avoid striking her Jean redirects her last Electric Orb into the woods causing several trees to splinter or shatter and fall.“……what have we…done…?”Jim lies there like a puppet with its strings cut.  Elderich energy leaks from his eyes and mouth…just like a deep internal wound would leak blood…..The ground is hot and burnt around him.  The sandy soil now broken glass from Jim’s body falling onto it and Christina’s rushing to him.Fearful she reaches to check for a heart beat…..heat and light rises from his body……”…what have I done….?”</blockquote>

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