Escher Von Preshlow

Torture

(Context: This is much later in the campaign. Two weeks after Escher first met the party, his feelings for Ash, the werewolf developed dramatically, and he officially joined the party to conspire against Strahd. Unfortunately, the party also allied themselves with Rudolph Van Richten, a famous vampire Hunter. And, while they were able to convince Rudolph not to kill Escher, they could not convince him not lull Escher into a trap and use him as bait in a futile attempt to destroy Strahd on his own.) 

Escher's head lulled back, his neck unable to support it. The blue light fading, teeth clenched. He stared straight ahead, refusing to accept what was happening. His muscles felt locked in place, despite being a cut string marionette lying in Anastrasya's arms. He stared past her chin, up at the horrifically familiar castle ceiling cobwebs and yellow lichen.

Volenta giggled, still revelling in the adrenaline of the fight. The scarlet blood of two vampire hunters dripped from her claws. Ludmilla flexed her fingers, the use of her magic seized them. But not as badly as she had seized the Vistani woman, she smirked proudly for her accomplishment.

Echoing footsteps frantically made their way down the nearest staircase from the floor above. Ireena bursting the door open, but being careful not to cross the threshold into the teleportation room. The woman's furious, anxious expression fell upon the blond in the arms of the bride, and it felt for a moment like her heart had stopped.

Sensing her presence, Escher attempted to speak, but black blood filled his lungs, Van Richten's stake piercing more than just his heart. A gurgle housed in the back of his throat was as much as he could muster whilst lying at this angle, and it only earned him a mocking, pitiful glance downwards from the most ruthless of Strahd's consorts.

"He's adorable, isn't he?" Anastrasya pouted, as if speaking about a small child.

Ireena's mouth hung open, unsure of what to say, eyes darting around the room- at the golems that would immediately prohibit her from helping the second she attempted to step through the doorway. She watched instead, helplessly as Ana carried the bard to the farthest end of the room, brushing past the red velvet curtain and onto the balcony overlooking the torture chamber. Strahd turned then to her.

"You might not want to be here to listen to this, my Tatyana."

"Screw this, you intend to extend such cruelty to everyone who has been kind to me?"

The vampire lord lowered his head, like a bull about to charge.

"If it is necessary."

"To what ends?!"

Strahd exploded. His impatience reaching its end, he grabbed the woman by her throat and pushed her back, away from the brazier room and into the spiral staircase behind. The choked, shocked that he would be so violent against her... he never had before. Strahd pushed his face ever so close to hers, spitting as he spoke.

"To make an example. To show everyone what happens if they betray me." He leaned in even closer, he was emotional, oddly so, and probably revealed more than he intended in his next sentence. "To provide a standard to which I treat those who attempt, in matters of the heart, to lead me astray."

Ireena froze in fear. She knew it was over. Her time had run out. She'd been counting on Strahd's obsession with her, with pleasing her, to keep her and her friends safe. But now- Strahd was willing to do whatever he wanted just to instil terror in those around him. Keeping her safe was no longer his priority. It was winning. And he would do whatever that meant in his eyes. She felt her stomach drop as she realised this meant Ismark was in danger again, that there was nothing she could do for Escher.