"Hellsgarde" by C. L. Moore (1939)

Originally appeared in Weird Tales November 1939.

Plot: Jirel goes to the haunted castle Hellesgarde in search of Andred's treasure to buy back her men from Guy of Garlot. Andred, the lord who was murdered there hundreds of years ago is said to haunt the place. When she arrives she finds the place is not so empty. It is inhabited by Alaric and his retainers, all of which possess a weird taint. They capture Jirel and force her to stand on the blood stain which marks where Andred died. His ghost appears briefly in a cyclone of angry force. Jirel is locked up for the night but kills her guard and escapes. She returns to the spot where Andred died and summons him, this time leaving her body and travelling to a dark place where he keeps his treasure. Jirel returns to her body to find Alaric and his kin lying about, sated in some way. They have feasted on the undeath of Andred's ghost, devouring him. Jirel is allowed to leave with the treasure, which they do not want, but Alaric warns her not to open the small leather box. She decides she will give it to Guy of Garlot and let him open it.

Monsters:

Alaric and his kin - these people look human but carry a taint, even their dogs.

Andred's ghost - the angry spirit of the slain lord appears to molest Jirel but dies even in death.

History: This tale was the last of the Joiry stories, appearing five years after the first. It feels different in tone from the rest but contains a real neat idea. Moore moved away from Fantasy to write Science Fiction with her husband Henry Kuttner under several pseudonyms. Jirel of Joiry never inspired direct pastiches the way the Conan stories did. Moore's dreamy adventures are harder to copy. Her spirit certainly wasn't forgotten though for characters like Red Sonja owe most of their inspiration to Moore, not Howard.

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