A deep furrow, accentuated by thick eyebrows, creases the ghost's weary brow. He doesn't look away from his work. "I am Trent. Now, please, leave me to my work."

He continues hammering on a strangely-shaped iron cage.

"I cannot find the iron cage!" he shouts. "Some fool must have taken it! When I find out who did it and where it is, that fool will sorely regret having removed it from my shop!" END

"Art thou blind! Canst thou not see that I am a smith?" He doesn't seem the sort for idle conversation.

Anger radiates from the large ghost in almost tangible waves. He looks up from the cage and you see that the light of fire isn't coming from the forge, it's coming from his eyes. "I build this cage to destroy that bastard, Horance, who took my wife from me."

For a moment, you think he is going to strike out at you, then he unclenches his fists with a heavy sigh and returns to his work.

His whole body tenses as you speak.

"Horance..." The word comes out like a curse. "I will see his foul spirit burn before mine eyes. Then I will laugh as he cries out pitifully for mercy." For some reason you think that you'd rather avoid hearing that laugh.

One hot tear slips from the ghost's eye and falls on a heated piece of the iron cage. It sizzles, and then is gone.

"Rowena was my life, mine only joy in this world." His voice is almost tender, but then he returns to his guttural tones. "He killed her and took that joy from me. Now I am only a hollow shell of a man, burning with hatred."

"In an attempt to steal her away from my side, the evil fiend sent his undead minions to bring her to the dark tower. The mindless creatures slew her as she struggled." The ghost turns to you in anguish, "I could do nought to save her... the sheer numbers of skeletal warriors bore me to the ground as she was bereft of life."

Insane determination flickers in the big ghost's eyes, "For this I will never forgive and never forget.

He holds up one hand as you say the name of his late wife. "Please, do not say that name. It takes from me a little of mine Hatred, which is all I have now. Wouldst thou rob me of the one thing that keeps me alive?" It would seem that he is unaware of the fact that he is, indeed, no longer alive. An odd expression crosses his face.

"I gave her a music box for our wedding, and now it is all I have left to remember her by." His tone changes.

"Do thou see what thou hast done?! I cannot work when I think of her!" He returns to his work with renewed passion.

You notice the music box he spoke of sitting nearby.

You hold out the ring to Trent. At first he ignores you. Then, recognizing the ring, he takes it from you and holds it before him. Something in him snaps and his huge frame slumps forward.

You let the ghost cry for a while, and when he finishes, you see a remarkable change in his appearance.

The flames that once burned in his eyes are now gone, replaced by a deep shade of blue. He looks like a new man, or rather, ghost as it were.

"Forgive my behavior, <AvatarName>. I know not what came over me. I remember flames, but they burned no hotter than mine own Hatred." He looks pained at the memory.

"Thou hast seen her? Thou hast seen Rowena? And she still cares for me. Well, all the more reason to finish this Soul Cage. We must free her from Horance's vile sorcery."

If he heard you, he ignores the fact as you take your leave. You truly feel pity for this deeply wounded spirit. END