home intro one two three four five six seven eight nine 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 appendix
The Ethereal Plane was dark and stormy, indeed! And the toxins in the air were so thick that the Baron could not breathe or cast a spell. Within seconds he was helpless, and he would have been dead within minutes, but the Djinn opened a second portal and carried them through.
The Djinn said, "This enemy of yours is both powerful and uncaring to do that kind of damage to the Ethereal Plane! But we are through, in Steinhortz manor, and now it is I who suffer. I will go into my home. Call when you need me." and the Dijnn swirled himself into the diamond.
The Baron was now an exposed spirit on the Prime Material Plane, a ghost of sorts, gasping for breath and aching -- the Ethereal toxins and his journey to the Elemental Plane of Air had both taken their toll. He wanted to curl up on the floor and sleep, but a soul without a body does not recover, so he started exploring his surroundings immediately.
The Baron was in a dark, foul-smelling room -- picked by the Djinn as a point of entry because there were few beings nearby. The Baron floated through walls. He found a cell with a pair of prisoners in it -- a poor thief or peasant who was near death from rotting away in this cell and a person of some bearing who's clothes looked new and who's limbs looked unaccustomed to the chains that held them. The thief was only hours from death by exposure, so the Baron occupied his body to get some recovery from his journeys.
The balm of soul-plus-body soothed him greatly. After a few minutes he was ready to become more aware of his surroundings. He noticed that the person of bearing opposite him was still restless in his chains and fretting. He looked to be new to the pits, which made him an interesting source of information about current events in the manor.
Through the peasant's body he looked up and said, "You are restless, my lord."
The man started; looked at him and said, "I thought you were dead."
"Nearly so, my lord, but not yet. What news from above?"
The man stared at him carefully. "You seem... odd... somehow. Why would you care about what's happening above?"
"Hope springs eternal, my lord."
"An odd phrasing for a peasant."
"An odd place for a noble to be, my lord."
The man looked at him even more carefully, and the Baron looked steadily back. Once again, something a peasant would not do.
"Can you help me?" the man asked.
"That depends on what you need." replied the Baron. This was good. His strength was returning, and he was getting information. This man was desperate, and likely powerful. The Baron needed to know more.
The man laughed, "That should be obvious! A way out of here!"
"Can you not bribe the jailer? Do you not have friends?"
"In times like these, friends are hard to know." The man had a thought and looked at the Baron closely again. He tried to wave his hands what the Baron recognized was an eldrich fashion, but the chains blocked the motion. He growled in frustration.
The Baron changed his tone, and he spoke as an equal, "I will not be in this body long. If you wish my help, you must speak quickly. Who are you, and what is happening above?"
The noble thought for a moment, and made a choice, "Very well. You don't seem to be a plant put here by my enemies, so I will tell you what I can.
"I am Gregory Steinhortz, Assistant to the Captain of the Guard. I've been tossed in this hellhole for being a part of a plot to open the manor gates to Rudy's minions. But I am innocent, and the real plotter is still at large.
He pulled hard at his chains again, "And that is what is so frustrating! The plotter is still loose, and I, his hunter, am chained up down here!"
"Who is this Rudy you speak of?"
"Rudy al Stienhortz... although I think he's going by the name of Johanne Porter these days."
"Tell me more about him."
Gregory eyed the peasant carefully. "First, tell me who you are, sir, and what you know of Rudy?"
"I'm sorry that I must keep you at a disadvantage, but my own position here is precarious as well. I will tell you that this Rudy al Stienhortz, or Johanne Porter, if they are the same, is causing great trouble up and down the valley, and... that he is a lich."
"A lich you say! That would explain much." Gregory thought a while on this. "So you have met Mr. Porter, whoever you are, and you have some idea of what you are dealing with."
"That I have, and I'm trying to stop him."
"Then you should know more of his history. Rudy was a rising star here in the Stienhortz family -- aggressive, brilliant, and yet very conservative as well. He was popular with the younger generations, and fit in very well with members of the 'old family.' He was given great responsibility early on. He was made Hunt Master of the Black Pass Forest. But a few years after gaining that title, he became obsessed with a peculiar project.
"This peculiar project first annoyed the old family, then angered them. They finally had Ludwig order his assassination. That order came to me. Given his popularity with the younger generations, I felt that this was a task better handled by an outsider. Rudy was worldly, he traveled out of the valley regularly. I did as well. And on one of my trips I contracted a first rate assassin to do a quiet job.
"This assassin gained Rudy's confidence, then killed him in a novel way: He poisoned a meal with a powerful, fast acting, nerve poison. Rudy was carted off to the hospital, and that was the end of the matter.
"Well... it should have been the end of the matter. But a few years later this Joahnne Porter shows up, and who's his personal secretary? None other than the master assassin!"
"Bob Packar!" blurts the Baron.
Gregory looks at him strangely, "Sarah Booles, actually, but I can see where there could be some confusion on that. But, you know much about Mr. Porter if you can make that connection. I insist on more information."
"I am an object of interest to Mr. Porter, and I'm looking for help dealing with him."
"Then you would be Baron Rostov. Welcome to Stienhortz Manor." Gregory waved his hands around as best he could, "I apologize for the rudeness of this place. We will do better next time, I'm sure."
"I'm sure you will."
"How can I be of assistance, Baron?"
"Are you aware of what Porter is attempting to unleash, and my role in it?"
"I now know he's attempting to open Nazadlan. This is why the elders had him killed. We aren't sure how he survived. And, no, I don't know your role."
"He did not survive. He's quite dead. He's a lich. This 'peculiar hobby' of his was apparently obsessive enough that his soul has lingered on the Prime Material. That neurotoxin death left his soul the perfect body to inhabit, so he's a very powerful lich, in spite of his recent transformation.
"Yes.... The perfect body.... That explains much. Who could have guessed? The death was so perfect otherwise.... In any case, we at Stienhortz Manor closed our doors early on to this Mr. Porter, but there has been treachery at every turn. We of the Steinhortz family think of ourselves as well versed in this 'fine art' of treachery, but Mr. Porter's webs of intrigue have put us to shame. We hold the manor only by our fingernails.... and now this!" Gregory shook his chains again.
"Who is the plotter?"
"I don't know. But my accuser is Jackov: a sick weasel of a being who hopes to take his inbreeding another generation at the expense of my love, Cecilia. Grrrr, shortsighted goblin maggot!" he shook the chains again, "Can you get me out of these!!"
There were footsteps coming down the hall. The Baron abandoned the peasant's body. If the jailer could not be bribed, he was likely possessed in some form, and the possessor might detect the Baron. The Baron backed into the wall and did his best to feel "rock-like", the jailer came to the door....
"Still a bit feisty, are we, M'Lord?" said the jailer as he eyed Gregory. Gregory shivered under his gaze; the Baron would have shivered, too, if he had a body and it wouldn't give away his presence. This was the Chief Jailer, and it was clear he had a passion for his work -- on the Ethereal Plane his soul was nearly invisible in it's darkness. He could be bribed, but it would be a deal with a hideous devil. That dark soul had a tough skin, as well. The man was not canny to eldritch ways, but he was nearly immune to them. The Baron had no idea how many eldritch-aware prisoners this man had dealt with, but it was clear they had no advantage when dealing with him.
Gregory was looking at him... eyes wide with way more dread than was warranted. "Stay away!" He said weakly; the Baron's guard went up.
"You need not worry... this time, M'Lord. The masters still have questions that need answers." It would have been a perfect time for a maniacal laugh of domination from the Chief Jailer, but none was forthcoming. The Chief Jailer simply walked off, which was even more chilling than if he had laughed.
When he left, the worry did not leave Gregory's face. The Baron reinhabited the peasant's body.
"You... you... you must move quickly." said Gregory through a haze of fear.
"I can see he is a dark man." said the Baron.
"You see nothing!" spat out Gregory. "He can take souls." he whispered.
"Super..."
"NOT superstition!" said Gregory, and his slumped body showed he believed what he said.
"What can I do?"
"Find the plotter, quickly." said Gregory matter-of-factly, and without hope. "My guess is you have an hour before the Chief Jailer begins his work." Gregory sighed, and slumped more, "I will put up no resistance. I see no hope once he starts. You must move quickly.... I will make my peace now." and he paid no more attention to the Baron.
home intro one two three four five six seven eight nine 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 appendix