“What do you want, lord of nightmares?” Jack calls out to the masked man.

“Bring it to me! I know you have it Jack.” vibrating their skulls like an explosion, his voice echoes through the minds of all in the room. 

“Do not do that! I have no idea what you are talking about!” Jack exclaims as he holds his head in pain.

“Oh! You wish to play games then! Fine.” The Harvestman scans the room for a moment before landing on Vardinn.

He stomps his way over to him, leaving a trail of inky tar, that moves like it’s alive, in each foot step. As he snatches Vardinns’ arm he says, “you have until nightfall to return my staff and until then, I shall keep him!” in a blur too quick to react to, the Harvestman sinks into the ground, pulling Vardinn with him.

“Jack!? What was that? Who was that!?” Saga yells out as she rushes over to him.

“This is not good. That is the Harvestman. He is a follower of the Great Void. Gifted with incredible power, he became the Lord of Shadows and Nightmare. He was given a staff by the Great Void that increased his power to insane levels.” Jack says as they rush down the stairs and meet with Saga.

Calling out to the room, “I am so very sorry everyone, but it seems that the party is going to be cut short. We will reschedule so look forward to it!”

After a few minutes the room clears out and Saga continues their conversation. 

“So this staff is crazy strong and he thinks you have it?”

“Seems so, yes”

“Well? Do you?”

After a moment or so, “I do. In my defense, I didn’t steal it or anything.” He says as he holds his hands up.

“Okay, what happened?” 

“I was doing my usual rounds of the town and there it was, just lying in the street. No idea how it got there but I couldn’t leave it so I opened a passageway through the cane and stored it there.”

“Well, give it back.” She says as she flails her arms around in a frustrated and annoyed way.

“I’ve got a better idea, come with me.” Jack says as he leads her out of the room and down the road.

__Elsewhere__ 

Pure pitchblack darkness. It is like moving through honey, if the honey was both there and not. Vardinn pushes through, one step at a time, until he is pulled from the Darkness and into a dimly lit dining hall. It’s massive in scale, large enough to fit a few hundred people. Vardinn looks around until he meets the gaze of the Harvestman.

At the head of the room and at the largest and the oldest looking table. He motions for Vardinn to take a seat opposite him at the table. He approaches the table and sees a massive feast. 

“What do you want with me?” 

Silently, the Harvestman points to him then at his mouth. Without uttering a single vowel, Vardinn knew what he wanted. Sitting down at the table and grabbing the silverware, he draws a ‘Sages Runic Circle’ on the table.

“A truth spell? Really? Fine. ask away, elf man.”

“Is this poisoned or intended to hurt me in any way?”

Leaning forward the Harvestman clears his throat and says, “No. This food is only intended to help and sustain you. Happy?”

“Why did you take me and not any of the other guests?”

“You stood out like a sore thumb. An elf that deep in the Unknown? Had to be special so I took a shot. Now, eat.”

Eyeing him up and down, Vardinn picks his silverware back up, cleans them off and takes a bite. 

Swirling flavors and textures fill his mouth with the most delicious food that he has ever tasted. “Oh my! This is incredible!” digging in and forgetting where he is at for a moment until reality snaps him back.

“This is incredible. Thank you, but what do you want with me?”

“You? Nothing. You are nothing more than an assurance that I am returned what is mine.”

“And if he doesn’t hav…”

“He has it! I am connected to it and I know he has it. If he refuses to give it to me then I shall send you back. As my loyal minion of course.” he points to the food which has now become plates of fowl, blackened, and otherworldly food.

Vardinn launches up and begins dry heaving on the floor.

“Stop before you hurt yourself. It isn’t going to come out. I have gifted you a part of me as well as made you like me. It will take a few days to fully convert to one of us but you’ll thank me.” Harvestman  says as he looks down on Vardinn with monstrous glee. 

“You foul, vile, deceitful creature! I do not wish to become like you!” Vardinn shouts as he fills with a powerful rage.

“Don’t worry! As long as my staff is returned, you will remain as you were. You would only become mine if you were to stay here so you better hope Jack does the right thing.” he says with a sickening chuckle.

Vardinn leaps across the table, grabbing a knife as he does. He pushes the Harvestman to the ground and plunges the blade into his chest. Through clenched teeth he shouts, “I will not allow you or anyone, to force me to be something I am not!"

The blade sinks into his body as he and everything in the room vanishes. “Perhaps a few hours in the Void will calm that temper.” he says as Vardinn is left alone, once again.

__Back in Jacksville__

After returning to the Hall, “Everything is in place. Now for the bait.” Jack whispers to himself as he reaches down to the floor.

Rippling through the planks of wood and sinking into itself, the staff appears to rise from the floor. A massive wooden staff that breaks and branches off into a ribcage of a wooden skeleton holding a orb with a rotating ring around it. 

“It’s nearly time!” Sage calls out from the doorway as she arrives. “So that’s it? Decently cool looking at least.”

“Yes well, It is all we got. Were you able to contact Porter?”

“Yeah. he said that he will have it ready the second we call on him.”

“Good. Now all there is to do is wait. I hope this works.”