the Minstrel of Bleak Fancy

Parents tell scary stories to their children about Eshes, the Minstrel of Bleak Fancy. As the tale is often told, Eshes was and is a rat catcher, who lured the plague-ridden pests away from the village with the pleasing melodies of his magical pipe. Eshes would lead them all the way into the river, where the rats would drown and bother the village no more. On one occasion, though, in a settlement known as Hollytook, the village alderman refused to pay Eshes the price that was promised. Furthermore, the alderman accused Eshes of bringing the rats to the village himself so that he could extort the village. Eshes, furious, appealed publicly to the folk of the village. The well-loved alderman, however, accused Eshes of slanderous lies, and was able to turn public opinion against the minstrel so strongly that the villagers formed a violent mob intent on murdering him for his perceived crimes. On the night of the full moon, the mob chased Eshes out of the village and into the surrounding wood, where they eventually beat him to death in the ruined remains of an abandoned watch tower. The minstrel was no more…or so they thought. 

Unbeknownst to Eshes or the mob, the night of the full moon had turned the abandoned tower into a crossing with the Plane of Shadow. Eshes was left dead in the gloom, while the anger of his spirit and the dark energies of the bordering plane were enough to reanimate him as a violent force intent on exacting his revenge. Eshes took this revenge upon the people and alderman of Hollytook, but when he returned to the Plane of Shadow, the minstrel remained unsatiated and full of fury. It is said that he often leaves the Plane of Shadow and visits other villages on the Material Plane, playing his magical pipes to lure children to their deaths, so that all who resemble those who wronged him might suffer as he did. The story is meant to confer two moral lessons — the first being that one should always pay their debts, for the consequences of not doing so will eventually catch up to you. The second lesson is that children should be wary of talking to outsiders, who cannot be trusted and may have nefarious intentions. And though most adults don’t believe it, the story is also true. Eshes makes visits to the Material Plane and spreads his influence slowly from village to village to inflict a steadily rising level of fear that reaches terrifying heights. 

 are sure to follow. Some of these greybairns followed Eshes from the Plane of Shadow, but others are the more recent, unfortunate victims that have been lured away from their families on the Material Plane and into the minstrel’s clutches. They wander in Eshes’s footsteps, hoping to take comfort in the haunting melodies of his pipe and inflicting fear into those who cross their path. 

A shadow crossing is a place where the Material Plane and the Plane of Shadow intersect. Shadow crossings may exist temporarily, such as during the night of the full moon, or on a permanent basis. A dark abandoned tower, like the one Eshes was killed in, may serve as a shadow crossing. Characters enter from the Material Plane, but exit the tower in the Plane of Shadow. An old cemetery or a single open grave might serve as another. Eshes is able to create shadow crossings at will by playing his pipe at any location he lingers at. These shadow crossings allow for the movement of 

 into the Material Plane, where they can find many victims. 

 have filtered through the shadow crossings created by Eshes, to the bewilderment of villagers on the Material Plane, who have never seen or heard such birds before. In most cases, the birds fly ahead of Eshes, coincidentally foreshadowing his arrival to any who hear their song. Hunters have noticed the angst warblers for their colorful breasts and have occasionally captured them as prizes, but the birds are almost always released due to the unpleasant feelings they cause when they sing. 

 named Wenner lurks under an old stone bridge, where a shadow crossing was created by Eshes. Wenner attempts to approach any who cross the bridge in the hope of conversation and temporary companionship, but those who learn of his presence make plans to avoid the bridge altogether. Wenner is familiar with Eshes the minstrel, as the two have had multiple conversations over the past years. He would be willing to share what he knows about Eshes to party members who could offer him companionship in return. 

 follow Eshes into the Material Plane and wreak misery upon any settlements they reach. Much of the reason why Eshes is able to persist in an area for as long as he does is because of the sullspera swarms — any who might have been able to muster the courage to confront the minstrel are likely to be afflicted by the malaise carried by the extraplanar insects. 

 can survive for years after just a single feeding, a necessity because of how rare emotional phenomena are on the Plane of Shadow. If given the opportunity, though, moodsworn will feed as frequently as prey is available. The crossings created by Eshes have resulted in numerous moodsworm descending upon local settlements to gorge themselves on the abundant fear in the area.

Eshes would prefer to engage the party only after a long, drawn-out game of cat and mouse, where he can lead them to the Plane of Shadow and fight with home-field advantage. In battle, Eshes uses his Cacophony ability as often as he can, and otherwise uses his Multiattack on targets with lower HP amounts if possible. Ideally, Eshes will be involved in multiple combats with the characters before he is finally slain — he uses his Auditory Chains and Nimble Escape abilities to disengage from combat, flee from the party, and regather himself for another confrontation. Eshes is likely to be accompanied by elder glooms or similar creatures that aid him in battle against the party. 

The spirit of an angry minstrel from the Plane of Shadow seeks revenge against the people who wronged him — and he is indiscriminate in his punishment. 

Eshes, the Minstrel of Bleak Fancy

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