SESSION EIGHTEEN “Shadow Slain”

As Gruff wrestles with Thonos, dark shadows fill the room. From the swirling darkness created by the figure in the mirror, several dark, insubstantial spirits emerge. Each seems to be the ghost of an armored warrior whose form drifts in and out of view. The clank of chain armor and creaking of leather can be heard, but the sounds are muted and distant, echoing strangely.

Ewald throws the mirror face down onto Thonos’ bed as two of the shadow slain ghosts rush him. In the undead creatures’ hands gleaming weapons of ice coalesce. Their eyes glow with the same icy light. After the first couple attacks Ewald realizes that these creatures are expert warriors. Moreover, he quickly learns that mundane weapons can’t hurt them. Hard pressed by two of them, he hears Gruff cry out in pain and sees Telg ineffectually attempting to battle another of the shadows.

Outside, Tristan and Rory are quickly approaching the scene. Their first inkling that the plan isn’t going perfectly is the sounds of fighting from within Thonos’ house. Their second and more solid clue are the two Shadow Slain that appear on Thonos’ roof. An icy spear from one of them nearly guts Tristan who barely manages to turn aside the spear with his shield. Instead he takes a shallow wound in the hip and readies his sword.

Inside, Ewald is managing to hold his own with the aid of a Magic Weapon prayer, but can’t seem to land a telling blow. Gruff is eerily silent. When Council Woman Geeza’s head lands near Ewald’s feet he flinches and grits his teeth. When Telg cries out in pain he begins to worry. When he sees Thonos break for the door he yells out in anger but can’t follow.

On the path outside, Tristan and Rory engage the two enemies, one with an enchanted sword and the other with flaming spheres. Tristan has more luck. Through expert sword work and good shield defense he manages to cleave the Shadow Warrior in two, sending it hissing back into whatever void it came from. They both see Thonos burst from his doorway. As the traitorous Apprentice sees Rory he cries out, “STOP THE WIZARD! HE AND HIS FRIENDS ARE ATTACKING THE KING!!!!” before sprinting off across the bridges and deeper into the deserted village.

The other Shadow Slain neatly dodges Rory’s flaming attacks. When it sees it’s undead brethren destroyed it seems to make a decision. With supernatural speed it streaks away toward Billy’s house. Hearing the battle still raging within Thonos’ house Rory comes to a decision. He once more pulls out the Dragon’s rod and activates it.

Time once again stops.

Unlike his first attempt, this time Rory seems to have more control over the strange magic. He doesn’t collapse with pain. His hair stays the same length. As before, everything hangs motionless and frozen in time. He notices with some alarm that the spinning bit on the rod seems to be moving faster.

After unfreezing Tristan they both move into Thonos house and unfreeze Ewald, Telg and Gruff. Their Trulla friend appears unconscious but otherwise unhurt. Rory guesses that it might be something like the Enfeebling necromantic effect at the Grotto, only stronger.

After they calm down Telg and explain the Rod’s power they all run quickly to Billy’s. Inside they find the frozen tableau of the Shadow Slain attacking several Trulla warriors who are desperately guarding their King. Unfreezing Billy and his warriors, they move the Trulla King into the back room along with the warriors and position themselves for killing blows. Ewald enchants his and Rory’s weapons. With a thought and the command word, Rory restarts the flow of time.

A great axe, a Bastard Sword and a magical broadsword all slice through the enemy at the same time. Unfortunately, the starting and stopping of time seems to end all spells so Ewald and Rory’s blades pass through the Shadow with no effect. Fortunately Tristan’s sword functions perfectly and he marks another imaginary mark on his blade as the second Shadow falls.

Heading to the door, Tristan and Ewald await the coming of the other Shadows. Rory waits inside and watches carefully, but almost not warily enough. Only a cold breeze on his neck warns him in time as a Shadow Slain appears behind him. Even the cold wind isn’t enough to keep the enemies frozen spear from tearing a deep gash down his back as the Kirith Syvani rolls aside.

Tristan steps inside at his friend’s cry and pushes the creature back with a flurry of blows. Another of the creatures attacks Ewald outside, whose Shield of Faith and new magic weapon prayer combine to hamper the Shadow. Other Trulla warriors are now joining in. Although they can’t do much to hurt the enemy, they do manage to knock it’s weapon and hamper it’s attack.

The Shadow facing Tristan and Rory seems to sense Billy’s presence and turns to race toward the back room. Rory scrambles for his belt and pulls a scroll out, quickly sending a pronged bolt of lightning into and through the creature. Though it’s effects on the incorporeal undead aren’t as spectacular as he hoped, it does momentarily pin the creature to the wall and shatter it’s icy spear. Biting back the pain from his wound, Rory has a moment to doubt his decision as the creature turns, a new spear forming, and charges him once more.

Ewald fights a desperate battle with his own opponent. Some blows are only kept back by his enchanted armor, which he has opportunity to be thankful for more than once. He is damaged by the enemy nonetheless. But eventually he gains the upper hand and takes his axe to the shadow, destroying it.

A momentary peace settles on the scene. Rory, Tristan and Ewald regroup in Billy’s house.

Tristan refuses to let his guard down. Looking to the others he asks, “Where’s the other one?”

They share a look, and do the math, realizing with some amount of dread that there is indeed one more undead Shadow yet to go.

Minutes pass. When nearly a quarter candle has passed without sign of the enemy, Billy sends a group of his warriors to search for Thonos and signs of the Shadow. They return with word that Thonos was found dead in the village. Rory and Ewald go to see.

As Billy and Tristan await their return, the fifth Shadow attacks. Tristan, weary and injured, meets it. The two exchange blows and each takes wounds in turn. More of Tristan’s blood is shed as the thing’s icy blade sinks into his leg. Tristan’s blade bites into the Shadow. Sensing perhaps that it might not complete it’s mission if it continues the fight with Tristan, the Shadow breaks off and slips into the back room.

As Tristan limps after it, Billy’s valiant warriors create a living wall of flesh around their King, sacrificing themselves in an attempt to keep it’s icy spear away from Billy’s hide.

Rory and Ewald race back through the village at the sounds of warning. Trulla warriors fall. Tristan enters the room. The Shadow plants it’s spear through one of Billy’s warriors and into Billy’s chest. Tristan cuts it from behind. Ewald jumps in and with a well placed swing, his axe parts the thing’s shadowy head from it’s shadowy body.

Checking on Billy, everyone is relieved to find that the tough old goat’s injury is far from fatal. Tristan and Rory are badly injured, but not beyond Ewald’s ability to heal.

Guards are set as one of the clan healers is sent for. Rory and Ewald describe how Thonos was killed. Apparently disemboweled and eviscerated by the Shadow. Gruff has yet to awaken from his stupor, Rory begins to doubt his earlier prognosis and looks into Gruff’s condition more closely.

After a few hours rest, Ewald performs some healing rituals and mends the worst of Rory and Tristan’s injuries. Although there seems to be some strange resistance, he also heals Billy’s wounds and Telg, who suffered a deep wound to the arm.

While attending to Gruff, the Trulla healer finds a pouch of dark jewels which she hands to the others. Rory remembers the jewels from the Altar statue in the Daagar stronghold. Seeing that they glow with a bit of magic he hands them to Ewald. Knowing of their friends greedy nature, and fearing for his well being, Ewald checks for the taint of evil on the gems, and finds a slight aura of it on the stones. Tucking them back into Gruff’s bag they make a note to warn the Trulla when he awakes.

On the subject of Gruff, Rory begins to piece together a possible reason for his continued coma-like state. On Thonos corpse they found an ivory bracelet that detected as evil necromantic magic. Though he’s not sure, Rory thinks he can sense a link between the bracelet and Gruff’s condition.

It is here that we leave our heroes, far from free of danger, but at least momentarily resting.