The Spirit Behind the Veil#

Summary#

A putrid and foul spirit that commands the undead, residing beyond the black veil in the Westermere Manor undercroft. It is an evil force from the ethereal plane that enthralls spirits and draws the dead to itself. Eleanor Gray escaped its control after being enthralled for an unknown period. Its name is too dangerous to speak. Source: 2026.09.29.

Notes#

• Described by Eleanor Gray as “a putrid and foul entity beyond that veil, an evil force, a spirit that commands the undead. It draws it unto itself.”

• It resides in the ethereal plane but reaches into the mortal realm.

• It is the reason the Curtains are “acting strangely” — portals between the ethereal and material planes are unstable.

• It is why spirits dying in Havenport are trapped in this place rather than passing on.

• Eleanor was enthralled by it for an unknown period before recently escaping its control.

• She has taken “great care to avoid its ire and attention” since escaping.

• She refuses to speak its name: “I dare not speak its name for it will invoke its wrath.”

• It is connected to the black veil: the veil seals off the undercroft and protects the space beyond from outsiders. Whatever is on the other side is the source of the veil.

• Eleanor asked Azrith if he would dare confront this spirit guardian and end its “putrid curse upon this land.” Azrith agreed.

• The spirit’s relationship to House Wulfhelm’s coup against House Westermere is unclear — Samantha said Wulfhelm killed her family, and Eleanor says the entity is behind the veil. Whether Wulfhelm unleashed it, encountered it, or was destroyed by it is unknown.

• Odine Dunmere’s natural 20 Insight revealed that the veil draws on what seems to be an alien, near-infinite necrotic power source. The only thing she has ever sensed more powerful is the thing that comes to her village in the Thornwood Vale. She told Ian she believes it is “a new, returned evil”. That is her own reading, unconfirmed. Source: 2026.10.06.

• Mauve said whatever lies behind the wall “has done a mighty fine job at concealing the truth that lies within.” Source: 2026.10.06.

• On 2026.10.13 the party crossed the veil and the trapped souls named their captor: The Warden of Death — very likely this same entity. See Black Veil for what lies beyond. Source: 2026.10.13.

Connections#

• Eleanor Gray: Was enthralled by this entity; escaped its control.
• Westermere Manor: The Curtain’s influence is causing the Curtains to behave strangely.
• Westermere Manor: The veil seals off the entity’s domain.
• House Wulfhelm: Possibly connected to the entity’s appearance in Havenport 15 years ago.
• Investigate the Pestilence: May be related — both involve corruption, death, and undead. The Wither appeared in Havenport around the same time as the Westermere fall (15 years ago).
• Westermere Manor: The gate she last used to enter this plane.