Lady Annelise Leighton

Introduction

In the fanzine Quoth the Raven Issue 20, the Fraternity of Shadows (Real World) included a gazetteer type entry on Ghastria, giving further details on that domain, its inhabitants, and its darklord Marquis Stezen d'Polarno. Lady Annelise is the name and identity given to the previously unnamed mistress of King Oderic, the spellcaster responsible for placing his soul within the Portrait of Marquis Stezen d'Polarno. Unlike in canon to where she is deceased, Lady Annelise "lives" on as a ghost imprisoned in the world of art. She is motivated by schemes with the conflicting goals of either killing him or bringing him. One such scheme inadvertently ended with in the burning down of the Church of East Riding.

Background

Married to Baron Leighton, Lady Annelise was nonetheless both the mistress of King Oderic and of Marquis d'Polarno. She was both a poisoner and witch in the service of the king. Oderic was the only one who knew the latter two secrets. Using her magical powers, she she imprisoned Marquis d'Polarno's soul inside a painting.

Following the Pasques Massacre, Lady Annelise attempted to manipulate d'Polarno into making her queen. Stezen responded by emotionally poisoning her to death with umbral gray. She perished in a most excruciating fashion.

Although Lady Annelise died, her spirit did not rest, having been attached to an enchanted painting. However, Annelise discovered she was bound to exist within paintings, immortal and able to jump from painting to painting, yet unable to interact with the objects in the foreground, let alone anything the material world. Unless somehow freed, Annelise is unable to manifest in the material world.

One of Lady Annelise's schemes of revenge saw her leaking d'Polarno's secrets to the clerics of the Church of East Riding. the Marquis discovered her treason and razed the church.

Current Sketch

As always, Lady Annelise is driven by ambition. Yet she feels varying strong (and sometimes conflicting) feelings towards d'Polarno, resulting in plots to murder him, imprison him with her in the painted world, or some combination. Though rendered effectively immortal and able to transport between any painting in Ghastria at will, Annelise is nonetheless bound to the paintings of the island. Thus she must work through agents and patsies. It is unknown if destroying the Portrait of Lady Annelise would put her soul to rest or let her ghost manifest into the world of the Living.

One of Annelise's current schemes involves appearing as an incarnation of Ezra to the anchorites attempt to restore and appropriate the remains for their own use.

stats

ghost aristocrat 1/witch 11; Neutral Evil