Cynil blinked once, then again. Thoughts slowly twirl in her head, very slowly. She had remember flinging up her hand to ward off things flying though the air. She looked around and what meet her eye was nothing she expected or was prepared for. Rayne was on the ground a wide pool of blood surrounded her head. Her companions stood around focused on Cor still with his hammer in his hand. There must have been a fight but Cynil could see no other bodies, or opponents anywhere. Obviously they had departed somehow.

It took a moment for Cynil to realize something was not right. The way the others were standing, and an palpable uneasy silence. Cor stood warily almost defensively in opposition to rest of them by his stance.

Cynil search the room for Conall. He stood near Cor with weapon in hand, his face a dark mask, very unlike him. What was going on. "Conall," she called out in concern, "what is going on?" She starts to move over to where he stood so stiffly. Then she stopped the feeling od disease even more intense. There was something wrong and somehow she hadn't the slightest idea what it was so she stood there and waited for someone to explain.

The elven enchantress met Cor's gaze coldly, "I have already agreed to your terms, but my warning to you remains. Do not take to long in reviving our companions that you slew, prove your words with action. You say you know the key to this test, then take us out of this place and revive our companions. I grow tired of your arguments."

Cynil is even more puzzled by the elven Enchantress's words and tone of anger. Of course Cor will raise their companions--that was Cor. Cynil turned and looked around to the others from Conall to Cor to the others of her now companions. The strange Maggot was down as well, as was the Warrior Kenji Three dead What had happened while she was out of things. What had happened to her and them, and with Cor because there was something wrong there, it was palpable.

Not knowing and knowing she did not know what was going on., Cynil moved to the side, away from the verbal confrontation towards Maggot, lying prone on the ground nears to the fallen Rayne. Rayne's head had been crushed from a sideways blow. Life had fled with that blow so Cynil dropped down beside Maggot to determine his injuries. He was also dead. She looked up to the broken mirror and wondered what happen to Maggot. He to was dead beyond her ability to recall. suddenly was surprised to see a dark sword on the ground hear Maggot she looked more carefully iat it and Maggot's body. The last time she had seen that swords it was embedded in Maggot's flesh. A thing of Evil it was. She dare not touch it now it was released from Maggot.

For Cynil her return from stone once more to flesh brought with it a sense of wrongness as she gazed around the room seeing for the first time the sights of two party members fallen, Maggot and Rayne, and two party members missing, Kenji and Ulthok. But the sight that confused her the most was that of the surviving party members facing the Knight Cleric Cor in a semi-circle almost as if to mark him as an enemy. Her cries to her lover Conall for the moment unanswered she decided it could not be true and quickly moved to the side of Rayne to check for life but to her dismay found her dead.

Shaking her head, her eyes almost in tears, she next moved to the still form of the Ranger/Bard Maggot also to find him dead, the strange evil sword once a part of him no longer so. As she gazed upon its gleaming black hilt and almost as new leather sheath she felt the pull of its hunger to be held.
However her will stronger then the swords pull she knew it for what it was a thing of evil never to be held by her hand.

While Cynil looked to the party’s dead, the standoff between good and evil, the party on the side of good, Cor the lone side of evil, the test seemingly almost forgotten, seemed to stretch on. With first the words of Alasdair a change of sorts was mayhap proposed.

"My friends, what you see before you is an abomination of the Cor we all once knew. He has lost the goodness that once radiated from him like the sun. That fact is equally despicable and factual. However, as much as I wish it were otherwise, we must give our word to the creature he has become. And we must agree on this quickly, for it is only a matter of moments before another unknown danger arrives. I have a feeling the Amber Spirits will not long let us live as we are."

And then the words of Siréne did follow,

"I have already agreed to your terms, but my warning to you remains. Do not take to long in reviving our companions that you slew, prove your words with action. You say you know the key to this test, then take us out of this place and revive our companions. I grow tired of your arguments."

Clear it was that not all of the party were happy with this proposed so-called ’Truce”, and Cynil newly returned to flesh totally unaware of it. However with Cor having the only spell of any real use in saving the two dead party members, killing him was a risk. For Cor, or rather the Possession inside him, the intent of its actions and words were not on combat, but more so on escaping the mountain and the glass prison it had been forced into many ages ago by the Grand Mage Allanan. However the Possession, not ready yet to use his/Cor’s lone Raise Dead spell, did try to think of a way to impress his sincerity to the party his willingness to avoid a fight, and it quickly came to him thanks to the words of the Elvin Enchantress.
His manner subdued but dangerous he spoke once more.

"I see that already the forces of 'good' seek to circumvent the offered deal. The pact tendered was that I would give the secret to exiting this room immediately and not take any direct action to harm any of you in return for your pledge not to attack me. The two dead would be raised at a later time. Now you refuse to agree and push to have me raise the dead immediately. If I do so what collateral do I have other than your obviously dubious word that you will honor the pact? Those who are alive must pledge to abide by the offered pact or the deal is forfeit." Cor waited a moment and then added, "I will give you a hint as to the key to this room."

Then quickly before it would seem as if he were attacking he turned, flinging the left half of his bipennis axe at the mirror he had gazed into.

In this small window of time a number of things took place……………….

Haila having had enough of Cor’s falsetto words had moved slowly back into the shadows of the room. Her intent was to quickly cast the spell of Melf’s Minute Meteors against the yet standing 3 mirrors, but her words turned into a stunned silence and then a scream of pain The first, the stunned silence, came as she caught sight of the samurai Kenji’s legs disappearing into the Amber Shadows directly to her side.

The second, the scream of pain, came as 4 dark ghostly claws seemingly of the same non-substancual Amber Shadows were instead shown to be of substance as they drove into her back and side from behind. Her strength weakened, her health lowered by 6 points, the attacks also brought forth the realization that the laughing Shadows were real!!!

The Shadows now finally revealed as the threat they wore took on individual forms and the once laughter turned to screams of unholy death attacked from the area’s of the room controlled by them, catching the party totally by surprise. It was at this moment that Cor’s flying axe struck the mirror he had gazed upon causing it to explode violently. The shards of the mirror, like that of Maggots black mirror, flying in all directions to hit everyone of the party all taking some form of damage all.

However ironically, Haila now in the grasp of two Amber Shadows, was protected from such damage with the shadows themselves appearing to be unharmed by the flying once magical glass.

Conall was the first of the party outside of the shadows area’s to find himself under attack by 3 of the semi humanoid shapes. Though taken by surprise, his armor yet did save him from 2 out of 3 attacks, but the 3rd did strike true causing him a loss of 3 health and a point of strength.

Cynil having her flesh anew was lucky to only have to deal with the attack of a single Amber Shadow. Already close to the ground she dropped prone and the Shadows attack did miss. Her next actions her own thanks to being of flesh not stone.

Alasdair and Althena never far from the other found themselves to be facing 5 of the ghostly undead creatures. As three attacked the Paladin sensing him to be one of those and two attacked the Valar descendent the fight was on. Moving back to back it was that each took 1 hit from a black claw and both felt the strength of the other drop by a point and the loss of 2 points of health for her and 4 points of health for him.

Siréne herself no stranger to such creatures was also taken aback. Having been totally focused on Cor, her carefully controlled anger, in check she was unprepared to defend herself from the attack of two of the Amber Shadow type creatures. The first missing badly slipped into the attack of the second throwing it off balance and into the Elvin Enchantress. Thus though saving her from damage, nonetheless did grace her with its touch causing her like the rest of the still living party to lose a point of strength.

The last of the living creatures in the room the now evilly possessed Cor thought himself safe from the Shadows attack, after all was he not evil too. However this thought of protection lasted only for a brief moment as the last 4 remaining Amber Shadows dove towards him.

The first two missing, the third hitting, and the fourth gaining nothing but a touch of armor. Cor found himself with the loss of 1 point of strength, 4 points of health, and the realization that he too was a target of the Shadows within this room, perhaps even the main target.

The test of this room once more brought to the fore it was now a time of fight or die instead of a time of truce or consequences.....................

(DM OOC: Ok all here’s my 1 week delayed post sorry about the wait some times computers have a mind of their own .

Ok here is how it stands.

Alasdair/Althena vs. 5 Amber Shadows.
Conall vs. 3 Amber Shadows
Cor/Possession vs. 4 Amber Shadows
Cynil vs. 1 Amber Shadow
Haila vs. 2 Amber Shadows
Siréne vs. 2 Amber Shadows
Kenji-Unconscious body taken by the shadows
Ulthok-Missing( perhaps due to the Shadows??)
Maggot-Dead
Rayne-Dead

Ok next post next Sunday and on a non game note please keep Dragon Mistress in your heart and thoughts and send her a well wishing everyday so that she can return to us healthy and ready to kick some evil ass!!.)

Cor was a bit surprised the amber shadows were paying him so much attention; at least for a moment he was. Then it made sense as he knew the key to the room. Ignoring the shadows he launched his axes once again targeting two more of the mirrors. "The mirrors are the key, we must destroy them quickly!"

Cynil scoops up Rayne''s sword and ducks and darts towards one of the mirrors still intact mirrors trying to avoid the Amber shadows attacking the party. She smashes the mirror with all she strength. If that does not work she will change into an elephant again. That form has proved very useful febore and smashing things seems appropriate to the elephant's abilities.

It's all well and good to destroy the mirrors, but someone's got to keep us all alive while we do it.
Alasdair pulls his holy symbol out from his tunic and projects his faith into the insubstantial existence of the undead before him. "In the name of Odin! Return to the hells from which you came, and leave the living to the All-Knowing and his Valkyries! We do not fear you, and utter destruction is all that you will find here!"

(attempting to turn undead to keep the shadows away from his love and the rest of the party while they break the mirrors. If he is able he would also like to take a swing at the nearest one, though I believe that would be another action... I've been out of 2nd edition for a while so please forgive me.)

Conall stood stock still, his blade still in hand, and his eyes still on Cor. Alasdair came to him and whispered in his ear, Conall took it in with quiet mouth and open ears. The real Cor was still inside the abomination... very well. But still, it did not justify the keeping of an evil beast within his body. Whispering back, in the same low tone to Alasdair, he says, "That may be, and believe me friend, if I knew a way to free Cor of the evil which plagues him now, I would. However, what you must realize is that I would rather see Cor dead than under evil control, and I know that Cor would rather have it that way too. If worse comes to worst, I am prepared to fight Cor to the death... But I intend on making it at least an honourable fight. Should it come to pass, I ask you not to fight beside me, but if I fall to continue my quest."

At this point, Conall heard something from behind him that he did not expect to hear. A faint, silken voice had called out his name. It was none other than Cynil. His love, who had been stone, was now calling to him. He turned his gaze from Cor for the first time since their initial exhchange of words.

"Cynil!"

Conall rushed to her side, taking her into a firm embrace, feeling the warmth of her skin, hearing her breathing, feeling her heart beat. She was back. "Cynil, Cor has been corrupted. He is no longer the good Cor we know, but he has instead been replaced with a denizen of evil. I want you to agree with what he says for now so that you don't put your life in danger. I will find a way to get our Cor back, don't worry. But I don't want to lose you again."

As Cor hefted his axe to throw it, Conall immediately placeded himself in between Cor and Cynil, should she be the target of the attack. But as the axe whizzed and hit the mirror, shattering in, he felt almost a sense of relief, as it did not target anyone.

((Will post this week's later today. Just figured I owed some action.))

Conall was caught by surprise as the shadows attacked, clawing out to him, becoming alive. Well, almost alive that is. They were some of the foul undead, seeking to destroy him and the others. Well, Conall wasn't about to let that happen...

((OoC: Okay, I'm not well versed in activation of class abilities and stuff for 2nd ed, so I'll post my two scenarios here, Option A being first option, Option B the second.))

Option A
Looking at the shadows which faced him, Conall knew that all undead were evil in their hearts, and he sought protection from them. Focusing the holiness in his heart, he thrust his sword in the air, calling on the divinity of the gods to activate his Protection from Evil ability to radiate an aura against the shadows which attacked him, then moving toward the mirrors, as he agreed with the corrupted version of Cor, the Mirrors were the answer to this room.

Option B
Conall knew that fighting the shadows would prove pointless. They would swarm them. The mirrors had to be the answer, as much as he hated agreeing with the corrupted version of Cor. Charging up, he left his shadows behing him, swinging his sword at one of the mirrors in an attempt to break it.

As the last words of Siréne's statement left the she elf's lips the room exploded in chaos. Cor's retort seemed an odd herald for the ominous figures that now loomed over one and all. The strange amber creatures swarmed the room to surround each of them. Siréne found herself facing two of the beasts. The moment she felt the icy touch of one of them Siréne knew what it was she faced. Shadows, creatures who in death had become not more than a vapid echo of the living. Much of her magicks would do little against such a foe, but still there spells born of the unseen world to which not even the undead were immune.

As she stepped back from the shadows Cor once again called out, this time his words urged them all to destroy the mirrors. Something clicked in the enchantress and she knew he spoke truth. Everything pointed to the mirrors and it made sense that they were source of it all. She only needed a way to see herself safely to the mirrors.

The path came to her and Siréne smiled at the irony of what she was about to do. Calling magick to her the enchantress let words and gestures give power form. In but a few short breaths the elf was surrounded by glamoured doubles that mirrored her every action. Not wasting a moment Siréne unsheathed the long blade at her side and rushed to the nearest of the still standing mirrors.

((OOC: Casts Mirror Image))

The end of this test was anti-climatic in the sense that it all happened so very fast. One minute Amber Shadows had the party on the ropes, the next the way out was revealed, the mirrors were all destroyed, and the party was safe once more...... Or was it, as evil yet stood within their ranks......
The first of the those to act this round was the evil Cor. Knowing what had to be done to pass this test and seeing that he too was a Shadow target, he let both of his axes fly. Their target the last two mirrors and not having to worry about armor or movement the axes both struck true. The last two mirrors exploded sending hundreds of amber lit shards of glass in all directions. These hundreds of tiny to medium sized shards sliced through both Amber Shadows and party members alike. In the case of the Amber Shadows they found themselves ripped apart, the magically lighted shards acting as if blessed left not a Shadow remaining.

However the shards had no preference about targets and each of the still standing party members and Cor were also hit by quite a few of those same pieces of magical glass. But unlike the Shadows no member took enough damage to kill them, though one or two came close, and when all had settled down found a doorway open to the east, and the room bathed now in a normal white light. For all intents another test passed, the mirrors destroyed, and the way out found. However the issue of the missing body of Kenji, the whereabouts of Ulthok and an evil Cor yet did the surviving 6 party members face.......


(DM OOC: Ok as I rolled for initiative and Cor acted first this round, it was his axes that destroyed the mirrors before any one else could respond. Thus no spells were cast and the actions posted were not undertaken. Check your character sheets in the Q/A Character Thread to see how badly hurt you all are.
Ok next post next Sunday as normal, and good posting everyone keep it up.)

Cor's axes shattered the remaining mirrors and brought the room to a well received silence. "Well, I have kept my bargin for the room; the test is passed. Perhaps you will want to investigate a bit to find your missing companions before we leave this relatively safe room. There seems to be some healing and such required and I shall show my continued good faith by raising one of the two fallen. Alasdair, your choice as to who will be raised if you please." Cor waited.

Without a moments hesitation Alasdair made his decision. "Return Rayne to our side." His reasons would remain his own, for now. "Though I expect you to keep your word, and not allow any of the evil that has so infested you to bleed into her returning spirit."

"As Rayne is your choice I shall raise the other. Befoer you protest I never said I would raise the one you pickes but simply asked your choice. Your wanting Rayne raised would have been enough for me to chose the opposite but I am not stupid and will not raise the only person who makes my skills unnecessary quite so quickly." Cor began his casting.

Alasdair frustratingly accepts Cor's words, as having one ally back is better than none at all. Once the spell is completed he moves close to Cor and ushers Maggot away towards the rest of the group. Calmly he waits until everyone else is out of reach of the betrayer and speaks once again.

"I accept the return of our ally. However, by so doing you have broken your word. You have lied to us. Did you not say that all of your spells of such power were used up? If you are lying about something so vital, then we can have no faith that you will not betray us once again at a later time, likely when it matters most, and send Maggot and more of us spiraling into the afterlife." He speaks matter of factly, with no sign of emotion on his face whatsoever.

It matters not if we slay him here, or he continues on. Though I am the hand of Odin, if I fall others will take my place and pursue him. His choice has already determined his sentence. It is only a matter of time.
He steps back and speaks over his shoulder to Conall, keeping his attention on Cor and ready to draw his weapon at any time.

"Conall, as Cor is your teacher, and means more to you than the rest of us, I leave his fate in your hands. If there is to be a duel due to this lie and betrayal, so be it. I will keep my word to you. But the choice is yours."