Reiner

You can find me at the same tree
In the forest of the dead
The same day every year
When the leaves grow red
- Sea of trees, Annisokay

## Description

### Physical

Reiner continues the pattern of height among the sentient undead the Third Family has come into contact with. The man is tall, standing around an easy 6'4". His hair isn't rather long albeit a bit a kin to a mane one sees on an animal as it falls to about shoulder length, jet black in color. His eyes are one of if not his most interesting features. A dead give away to his lineage if one is smart enough to recognize it. His left eye is golden in color with a vertical pupil much in a way a cat's looks. His right eye is a striking green with a pinpoint pupil. His build isn't what anyone would consider muscular. Reiner is rather lean like a fox or some other lithe creature.

Reiner tends to wear black leather armor that is wreathed in shadows almost as if it dims any light that happens to come into contact with him. His left arm has long since been missing due to an incident involving a transhumeral amputation. The skeletal remains of his original arm were reattached at some point, but the muscle and sinew never grew back.

### Personality

> *"Learn all you can, and keep hidden that which you know. Reveal what pieces you must, but never the whole."*
>
>

He constantly places himself in a position to learn all that he can while understanding that knowledge is a double edged sword. Knowledge is power and power corrupts.  While the ideal of corruption does not bother him, Reiner knows that if the knowledge he holds access to ever were to be leaked it would spell disaster. Reiner plays almost everything close to the chest, keeping what he knows to himself unless it is absolutely necessary to share. For that he holds most at arms length, coming off as cold and silent as the Grave. Sometimes he is a man of action rather than words when it suits him most. Too many moving parts makes a plan go awry. While this works well, it tends to leave the Vampire in trouble more often than naught. Yet he is not without his tricks to remove himself from sticky situation, as naturally a spell caster is one to do. However his are never without lasting consequences for those whom stand in his path. Favoring spells that bear lasting effects long after any fight is over.

## History

### Before the Story

At this time the party only knows Reiner tends to spend majority of his time in the Dominions of Dread, Barovia in particular as he serves some sort of purpose to the Darklord there. Wither that is due to boredom or other more nefarious reasons remains to be seen.

### With the Third Family

The gray wastes of Hades

It was a rather unorthodox request, but whom is one to deny one's mother in law when asked. Arriving from Barovia to help train a portion of an adventuring party that Tasha found herself playing Hostess too. While he was rather less than delighted, Reiner took Thea and Fuego into one of the smaller rooms as his lesson was less direct and more.... Tactical. Without so much as a warning Reiner cast forcecage on Thea, locking her inside it with one way out. Giving the pair of them an hour to escape the cage before Z let loose his attack. Needless to say, the pair attempted everything from the inside and the outside. Even attacking Reiner directly to no Avail. The advantages of being a war caster set the scale for real danger. While Reiner never intended harm, it was simply better they not know and the stakes appear to be very much a threat. While he needed to remind them several times that trying the same method over and over was the pinnacle definition of insanity.

They failed regardless.

Reiner dropped the control of Force cage mere moments before Z unleashed his breath attack, skimming across the top of their heads. Giving the paid of them a much needed reminder of the power of ones words over violence and that complex solutions are not always the answer. The simplest answer is that which is often the most over looked.

Ryder however was off enjoying his own romp helping Nesyrn.

The final portion of their lesson involved a rather garish fight against a man named Soren whom much akin to Reiner, played his part close to the chest that nothing is always as intended. The fight that ensued was nothing more than to test to party for the task ahead. A potentially fatal fight against the dragon queen herself Tiamat.

The group then managed to travel to the realm of Avernus, the first layer of the nine hells. Taking their time to prepare and plan, while they were discovered as Tiamat emerged from her dimensional prison. Their intentions to remove another potential ally to the Root of War and avenge Kiara's late party. While all did not go as intended the party as a whole managed to survive the fight. While it did bring out the worst in Reiner, a hard blow causing him to unconsciously shift into his Lycantrope bat form in an act of self preservation for a time being before it was reversed.

Once they returned from the fight Victorious, Reiner declined traveling with the Party for the time being to the Dagda's cabin home. However he offered them a gift for their success with his last remaining spell slot.

> "A Tower of Luskan once planted on solid rock now drifts East, fleeing from the Obsidian Born Lord.
>
>

> Among the rocks of the City of Shadows you will find the Stone, which holds fast the doors of the Broken Weave, and he that Sundered it."
>
>

Perhaps it was for the better, as they would travel to meet with someone Reiner could not consider friend. Yet unknown to the party, he'd followed enough to end up trapped for the time being along side the Third family in what could only be described as a psuedo dread realm. It was neither in nor out of time but among the void.

However before he'd made his presence known, Reiner shifted to his hybrid form to preserve his identity along side the others.  The invisibility broken by surprising the party by offering to Rylan to be the currency exchange as Barovian coin was at least easily in the same age range. Barovia itself trapped in a strange loop of sorts.

With the party now equipped with clothing more appropriate, they discussed and decided to investigate the mines. Which should have been long old and collapsed. Standing open and thriving, Reiner pointed out that he if anyone were to be hiding anything it would be lower, past the point of new dig sites. An for that the group took the express rout to the base of the mine. Along the ride down, he and Thea noted they should be well under water by now  as they passed below the table some time ago.

However the Cavern which they found themselves in did not disappoint, Water filled and playing temporary home to a new born Dragon turtle. Which now takes residence in Brioche's pet bag of holding until they can get them to a safer location. The Dragon had been caught up in the magic which called this place out of history and lay attracted to the leylines.

## Relationships

### Other Characters

Vecna: For those who were paying attention during the battle with Oghma, Nesyrn took matter's into her own hands concering luring the god out into the open for conflict. Reiner provided the perfect bait once it was revealed that he is none other than "The Undying Prince". His father is none other than the god of secrets. He is known as the Master of All that is Secret and Hidden, the Arch-Lich, the Chained God, the Maimed God, Master of the Spider Throne, the Whispered One, the Dying King, the Lord of the Rotted Tower, and the Undying King. Not to mention the most powerful Lich in existence. For the time being the party can consider Vecna a ally as the end of the world is bad for buisness.

"Vecna does not wish to see this Root of War fool prevail."

The nature of their relationship is unknown to the party at this time outside of lineage and patron.

-Redacted-: *"So that's what she would look like with dark hair"*

Nesyrn: One of the few mortals in his life he considers an ally of sorts. He knows enough of her personal life to know that Nesyrn's wife would be rather upset if he does not make sure she not only comes back alive and in one piece but would be in a world of trouble if he did not at least stay for dinner.

-Redacted-: Another very powerful Demilich

-Redacted-: He's taken something, which Reiner intends to retrieve.