Ep. 103 Fade to Black

## Watch

Fade to Black | Khyber Shards #103 | D&D 5e Actual Play

—Eric

On the train, Pog and Shade fight with Demise. Meanwhile, Ari is being drank by Lucan. Mina calls for him to stop. The Dragonhawk magically teleports to the ship, joining the chaos up there. A fight breaks out between Lucan, Mina, Sam, and Kael, ending with Sam being grievously wounded. Ari wakes up from Esri's healing spell, and knocks the sword out of Lucan's hand. Immediately, wounds begin opening all over Lucan, who crumples to the ground. Ari grabs the Soul Blade and is overtaken by the intelligence in it.

Everyone manages to make it back to the ship, and the Dragonhawk is bargained down from taking Lucan, Mina, and the sword, to just Lucan. Malcolm steers them away from Zilargo.

## Synopsis

Esri, Pog, and Shade are still on the train with Demise. Shadowy energy radiates off of Demise into a terrifying image for Pog, and he flees, magically frightened.

On the ship, Lucan grips Ari by the throat. Mina calls for him to stop. Below, the Dragonhawk magical teleports to the ship, grasping the railing. They haul themself up. Seeing this, Shade casts Engangle on them. Kael attacks Lucan. Malcolm walks out from the helm, and orders Lucan off the ship. After a failed charm effect from Lucan, Malcolm calls Sam up.

Esri hurts Demise with necrotic damage, and she blinds Shade with a gesture. She's irritated with their behavior. Pog shakes his magical fear, and as he gets nearer, the echo reappears, this time slightly confused why it disappeared when Pog left. Esri hits Demise with some spores, causing confusion.

Mina points a wand at Malcolm and tells him to get them away from the train.

*"Little lady, I'm not the one who needs to be worried."
—Malcolm*

The long body of Sam bursts out from below decks, hissing lightning, and launches himself at Mina. He bites her, wraps himself around her, and starts to squeeze.

The Dragonhawk tries fleeing themself from Shade's vines, but can't get free. Shade, herself blind and not knowing where Demise is, heals herself. Over the communicator, she tries updating Ari on the situation, but doesn't hear a response. Kael goes after Sam. With a roar, Lucan turns and attacks Sam with the Soul Blade.

Pog wraps Demise in his arms and throws himself off the train, only to switch places with his echo and appear back on the train, Demise left behind.

Mina shoots a Ray of Frost at Sam, who uncoils from her and aims his lightning breathe at Kael, Lucan, and Mina. He rears back, opens his mouth, and lightning crackles between his giant fangs before shocking the three attackers. The Dragonhawk jams their quarterstaff between them and the railing and manage to tear enough of the vines to actually enter the ship. Lucan, enraged, lunges to Sam. He slashes across Sam and plunges the Soul Blade deep into him.

Pog throws his echo to the end of the rope, and switches places. He asks the Dragonhawk if they're there for or not for Lucan. They look confused, and say they're chasing him, so they guess for? Mina points her want at the Dragonhawk, having all sense of what's going on, and casts lighting bolt. Shade casts entangle on the rope, tethering a line from the ship to the train.

Ari awakens to this chaos, and casts Tasha's Mind Whip at the hand holding the Soul Blade. It goes skittering across the floor, and Lucan collapses. Wounds open up all over his body. Ari grabs the sword.

The intelligence in the Soul Blade charms Ari. He knows he must get the sword to the island of Farlnen in the Lhazaar Principalities. He has the capacity to charm as a vampire, and to bite as a vampire. He has regeneration, and can shapeshift like a vampire, and spider-climb. Ari tells Mina to stand down. She drops the wand and rushes over to Lucan, desperately trying to wake him up.

Malcom comes out of the helm, rage and tears on his face. *"What have y'all done?"*

The Dragonhawk tells them to hand over the sword. Ari and Shade tell them no; that's the whole reason they're here. The Dragonhawk considers, and says they'll have to take both Mina and Lucan into custody, then.

Mina tells them to stop, and Ari says they don't have a choice. Her hands start moving in somatic gestures. Ari grabs her hands, and she collapses in tears.

Esri finally makes it on the ship, and heals Sam. Dragonhawk tells them if they ever need help, go to the Ninth Wands and ask for them. They casts dimension door and leaves with Lucan.

Esri heals Mina and Shade heals Kael, and Malcolm, stroking the newly-awakened Sam, says they should be going. They head south towards the sea.

## Spells

* **Ari**
	+ Tasha's Mind Whip
* **Esri**
	+ Blight on Demise
	+ Confusion
	+ Cure Wounds on Sam
	+ Cure Wounds at 3rd level on Mina
	+ Healing Spirit
	+ Infestation
* **Shade**
	+ Cure Wounds on herself
	+ Cure Wounds on Kael
	+ Entangle on the Dragonhawk
* **Demise**
	+ Fear
* **Dragonhawk**
	+ Dimension Door
	+ Farstep
* **Mina**
	+ Lightning Bolt
	+ Ray of Frost

## Quotes

"I mean, taking twelve hit points is better than death, that's what I always say."
*—Eric*

"Esri has been confused for *hours*."
*—R.A. 0:07:08*

"Shade's confident she's helping."
*—Casey 0:36:07*

"Philip, you have made things difficult from a Kael standpoint."
*—Casey 0:38:28*