Realistic or Modern W I N T E R L I G H T (Closed)

[Klimino Zepehphor]

Joseph grunted as he pulled his jacket tighter around himself, the snow drifting silently down all around the utterly alien like village. Never had he seen a place like this but in games and stories.


“how....quaint.” he said, feeling uneasy. “but nerve wracking.” he added, uttered under his breath, as his eyes fell on the large walls surrounding the village.


No one built walls for no reason, and in a place as....primitive, as this, he assumed wildlife might still be an issue. Something that did nothing to put him at ease.


As he stared forward following their guide, he patted his backpack, feeling the warmth of the heaters keeping his 'friends' alive. “not much longer, damnable cold.” he grumbled yet again to himself.


As they left the confines of the village and entered the dark calm of the winter nights woods, Joseph only felt more uneasy.


“anyone received a sword from an old man yet? Otherwise this quest might go horribly wrong.” Joseph said to the group, more to ease his own nervousness then any attempts to raise a laugh.


He was completely out of his element, to all and every degree, and it was already messing with his head a bit. Darkened woods all around, unfamiliar territory, surrounded by people he hardly trusted, he was already disliking this trip, though it was no ones fault but his own he was here he could hardly complain.


Patting around his backpack, he pulled out an extra pair of socks and slipped them on over his hands.


“note to self, Poland is cold in wintertime.” he rolled his eyes at himself and pushed his glasses up his nose as he quickly picked back up his normal pace. The last thing he was going to do is be at the back of the pack, hardly a place he felt safe at this point in time.


“hope the labs got power already hooked up, otherwise ill be up all bloody night.” he added to his pile of grumbles as he stared out at the darkness of the forest, seeing as there wasn't much else to look at.


He also hoped for a hot drink, though one should only ask for so much he felt, unless they wish to use up any favors the universe somehow owes them.


Not that he was religious, but it never hurt to be careful, something any microbiologist should be, considering releasing a highly contagious virus would never be something you want to be remembered for by your colleagues.


“and something im thankfully not known for.” he chuckled to himself, as he kept trudging forward.

 

[Solemn Jester]

Grey got down as soon as possible greatful to get some fresh air even if that air was freezing his lungs. "What a quaint little set up they have here." He heard someone mention something about a sword and quest and laughed a tad bit."Hmm the cold must actually be getting to me I actually laughed at that." He dressed for the cold luckily his big black coat enveloping him as if it intended to smother him. It was very fluffly so it tended to make him stick out he despiesed his mother even more for making him wear this. He had put his notebook up in his bag and waddled through the snow."Hmm I do enjoy this style they have going for them so old school I suppose." The cold didn't seem to bother him much although nothing ever seemed to bother him being as he so rarely showed emotion. He noticed the wall."Hmm wonder what they were trying to keep out,",he thought to himself as he continued with the rest of the group. (Going to bed so yeah night)

 

[Diminium]

The engineer was relatively disturbed by this man and his broken english.


Jeff was relatively warm with all his clothing layers, yet Duster seemed to be freezing, even with his heavy jacket. Rope Snake agreed, trying to crawl down his collar, and Duster didn't try to stop him. "So we have to hike a mountain to get to the castle?" Jeff half-shouted over the howling wind, to a curt nod of a response. Jeff was beginning to regret his decision to come along, and Duster already looked like he'd have more fun jumping off of a cliff. The walls gave him a feeling of being trapped. He was sleepy and horribly jet-lagged, passing trees being battered by the icy winds. Duster had gotten out his cane to minimize dragging his foot in the tall snowbanks. He gripped it with bare hands, his knuckled blue and white with the cold


All Jeff wanted was a hot chocolate near a fireplace where he could read in his pajamas.


All Duster wanted was sweet relief from the cold... and sleep... And for Rope Snake to please stop trying to climb up his back.

 

[Nepty]

They came to a long covered bridge, that spanned a long stretch of rushing water far below. It looked to be nearly a forty foot drop. Wilkas nodded his head. "The Zimno River. Very fast, very deep. Watch your step." The bridge creaked and groaned under their feet, and Wilkas exposited. "Zimno means 'icey' in polish. The river flows down from a cave high up on the heights." he pointed at a gap in the trees, were a distant crag soared. He stamped his boots on the old wood. "This river has very few fording places. I know of one, and the locals have two more deeper in the woods. The bridge site is around six hundred years old, but the old baron's great great grandfather had this bridge restored around the time your country was declaring independence from british rule. Hasn't been fixed since then." He pointed to an area where the rotting side rail had fallen away. "Local legend says that spurned lovers throw themselves from this bridge into the water." He leered horribly at them. "Try not to spurn each other. It wouldn't do to have more ghost stories around, and I'd have a time explaining it to your headmaster."


(This stuff's just here so I have stuff to do haha. Not railroading or anything, just killing time and providing some exposition)

 

[Solemn Jester]

Grey looked down at the deep cold and dark waters known as the Zimno river."How ridiculous a name," he said wondering if the river had any nicknames. He stared at its waters wondering if he would end up in that river. He had no lover but he was almost certain that plenty of people here had spurned each other. He laughed at the word."Hehehe spurned what a word may we go I'm beginning to catch a slight breeze." Damien said eyeing the rotten part of the bridge." I hope the rest of this place isn't as rotten as this bridge, "he mummbled to himself. (Ok really must go now lol night)

 

[Klimino Zepehphor]

down, down far below, the faint movement of the rushing waters caught Josephs wide eyes.


It was...an odd sensation, as he stayed in the middle of the swaying bridge, staring into the abyss, hand clamped tight to the railing. It was like looking through a microscope in a way, but much less safe.


Slowly, he turned his head to Grey, blinking for a moment as his thoughts straitened themselves out. “one calling themselves Grey hardly has room to insult anything elses name.”


he slowly turned his attention back to the river below, ignoring whether or not he had gotten a reply. He would like to get a water sample sometime he felt, see what would stare back at him from a world even farther away then this drop appeared to be.


Suddenly, he snapped out of it, realizing he had fallen to the back, the nearest person at the end of the bridge where they were headed.


Quickly running to catch up to the back of the pack, he couldn't help but stop next to the more rotten part of the wood chip off a sample into a dish, before giving one look back across the thing and getting back on his feet, leaving it behind him as he melted back into the group, his mind a flurry of thoughts and emotions about this strange new world he had put himself into.

 

[Solemn Jester]

(Grey is his Nick name not actual name he doesn't call himself that others do ok night)

 

[Nepty]

After nearly half an hour of solid trudging, they arrived at the castle. Appreciative oohs and ahhs from some were mixed with snorts of derision from others. The latter got some pointed glares from Wilkas.


They had rounded a bend in the path, and now the fortress stood before them. A freezing moat circled the fifteen foot stone curtain wall, fed from a stream, and pouring off the cliff drop to the left. Turning to mist long before it hit the valley floor.


The castle and keep itself was a formidable redoubt. Emmanuel placed its design as norman, from the twelfth century. Norman castle building technique had spread to the rest of Europe by that point, so that didn’t bother him at all, unlike some of the other discrepancies he had noticed about this valley’s past.


The castle was dark. Wilkas scowled. “Verdammit,” he muttered as they tromped over the lowered drawbridge. Why he was switching over to german for some reason, no one knew. “The generator’s not on,” he pointed out. “And I’d bolted the doors before we left. Give me a minute.”


He fished a remote of some sort out of his coat of many pockets and trudged through the snow –now nearly a foot high, to the huge double doors, and iron portcullis, both of which were down. The students watched warily and the sound of swearing in Chechen, polish and german carried over from where the man stood, banging away at the buttons on the remote.


“What’s he doing?” asked Toma.


“Search me,” muttered Quisley.


Finally, they heard a loud beep, and the portcullis ground upwards, giant metal spikes retracting into the ceiling. Everyone piled into the foyer of the gate, out of the snow and wind. Wilkas nodded to seven cut-holes cut in the ceiling above them. “Murder holes,” he explained.


“I know what a murder hole is, mister,” said Emmanuel, rubbing his hands, and looking warily up at the dark pits.


“What’s a murder hole?” asked Nina. “Because that name sounds…dangerous.”


Emmanuel shrugged. “Holes cut in the floor above a gatehouse. If a castle’s gate was breached, defenders would shoot arrows or pour boiling oil or water down through the holes on anyone inside the foyer while they tried to get the gate open.”


Nina shuddered. “That sounds like a horrible way to go.” She stepped out from under one of them, back into the snow outside.


“There were a lot of bad ways to go back then.” Emmanuel spoke over Wilkas’s ever-present swearing as he struggled with the gate lock. He pointed down at the distant lights of Stary Miasto. “They’re pagans down there. Pre-christians. They used to roast knights alive in their own armor, before shrines to their gods, if the chronicles of the teutonic knights are to be believed.”


“Teutonic knights?” asked Duster. “Weren’t they like a bunch of germans?”


“Yeah,” said Emmanuel. “That’s why I came here. By all rights, the people living here should have been converted to Christianity or exterminated, considering the teutonic knights had an old monastery in this valley. It’s a mystery.”


Their heads all turned when the gate’s tumblers clunked, and Wilkas pushed the door open. “Ah, there we go.” They stepped into the dark, snowy courtyard of the castle, cold stone walls all around. “I’m off to fire up the generator. Feel free to explore. There’s no central heating, so if you don’t want to freeze, I suggest stopping off by the woodpile and getting some firewood for your hearths.” The chechan slouched off to a door in the wall and stepped inside.


“Man, this place is dark,” muttered Heydan.


“Hold on there.” It was Melanie. “You said those people living in the valley used to…eat people?”


Emmanuel laughed. “No, no, Romuvans never ate people. They just hated Christians and so they liked killing them painfully. And with good reason. The Teutonic knights were pretty brutal. Like I said, it’s weird how they’re still pagan. Their culture was thought to be totally wiped out.”


Willem laughed. “Maybe they were protected by their gods?”


Everyone chuckled, but Emmanuel felt some of it was rather forced.


The history lesson was interrupted as, with a massive clank, the lights all over the castle sprang to life, and the dull hum of the generator starting up began to reverberate throughout the castle’s walls.


Emmanuel brushed some accumulating snow off the top of his head. “There’s a lot of mysteries buried in this valley’s past,” he said, “But right now we should probably work on getting to our rooms and getting unpacked.”


As they spoke, Wilkas tromped back outside. “I’m going to bed now. I’ll see you all in the morning.” He handed them their housing arraignments. “There’s more people than we planned for, so you,” he said, pointing at Heydan, “Will have the old Baron’s great room. You,” he now indicated Lena, “Will have to sleep on the couch in the great hall.” As for you,” he jerked his thumb at Melanie so forcefully she took a step back, “find some place to put down a sleeping bag, or sleep with someone else. The baron’s old trophy room’s still empty, if you don’t mind stuffed animals.” Without another word, the irate man hobbled off to the southeast tower, where his rooms were. Melanie watched him go. She could have sworn she had seen something bordering on utter contempt in his eyes when he’d looked at her.


(You are now free to wander wherever you wish. If you want to investigate an area in depth or anything, just shoot me a PM and we can collab it)


Housing

 

[Cashdash25]

Jessica brushed the snow from her heavy parka and stamped it out of her boots. "Cold, dark, surrounded by impenetrable forests, middle of a blizzard and heated by fireplace? This place feels like home already." She quipped. Sighing boredly she unzipped her backpack and pulled out a case of Czech beer she'd snuck out and bought while everyone else was asleep. "Who wants beer?"

 

[Diminium]

Duster put his cane away and unzipped his coat, hoping to get a fire going soon. Rope Snake didn't make an appearance.


Jeff grabbed his bags and jerked his thumb towards a long spiral staircase. "I guess we'll have to share. I'll find sleeping arrangements... Where there's the biggest possible fireplace." He finished, hauling his luggage with him until he eventually disappeared up the stairs, and Duster had a chance to really look around the castle. It was grand, albeit slightly disrepaired.


He was mostly hungry, and when Jessica largely offered the group alcohol, he decided that he would wait and see what everyone else did. He remembered the last time he had gotten drunk; it was disastrous, and it ended with him in the hospital because he thought it would be smart to climb up to his roof to try and stargaze...


...On a cloudy night.


Long story short, he had fallen off the roof with his lack of sense and fine motor skills.


Rope Snake peeked out of his collar, and Duster took the opportunity to seize him, as nobody wants a snake down their shirt for too long. Duster had to let him constrict his bad leg however, because for whatever reason, he refused to slither around on the floor, which struck him as odd. It also struck him a bit concerned.


So instead, Duster flipped open the clips on the massive case that, through a miracle, he (with Jeff's help) managed to get here somehow. His double bass, a gorgeous deep red. He needed some form of entertainment here. He pulled it out of its cosy home, not opting to grab any sheet music. He instead grabbed the bow. He didn't spot any seats, and it would just paninful to drag it around, so instead he stood, it was just barely taller than him. He placed his calloused fingers over the strings and touched up the tuning pegs, making sure it wasn't off key. A low, soulful rumble echoed through the main room.

 

[Pretzel Heart]

What was that about?


Melanie wanted to make some sort of retort - something snappy, something clever, like the others had been bandying about on the ride over, but somehow she managed to keep her tongue. After all, the only one she needed to impress was Lior. At least the castle had held up to its legacy and was as impressive as promised. Thinking about all the history it safeguarded made her want to smooth her hands over the ancient stone, voyeuristically imploring it to tell her its secret lore. But everything else had been a disaster, and she was beginning to wonder just what she had gotten herself into. Or, rather, had been wondering for the past over-24-hours since their journey’s start. “Study Abroad” was starting to seem like a grave misspelling of “trip to Hell.”


But she had kept her mouth shut through it all because deep down she knew it was her own fault, leaping into things just under the deadline so that she could follow Lior with barely any research ahead of time. And now he could scarcely bring himself to look at her. How had he become so full of hate? Where had she gone wrong?


With a small sigh she decided that dealing with weird groundskeepers and a sleeping bag for the rest of the semester would be worthy trials if she could just get through to Lior.


"Stuffed animals don't sound so bad, it'll be just like my bed at home." Even she wasn't sure if that was meant as a joke, but it made her feel better. "And having a couch for a semester is a bit much, don't you think?" Although they had been sitting next to each other, Melanie and Lena had failed to make any meaningful conversation in the van. But she figured that with all the hostility she'd better start getting friendly somewhere, and the other girls all seemed nice enough. If one of them were Christian at least they'd have some common ground. [ @Tylor guillory ]


“Did you say something?” It was the first time that Lior had spoken the entire trip, and Gavin almost started, not realizing that he had been musing aloud.


“Just maybe we’ll get to know each other, is all,” Lior studied what they assumed to be a Scottsman, though they would admit that sometimes they got the Irish and Scottish dialects mixed up. He seemed nice enough, if a little quiet. Lior could deal with quiet. He was also disheveled, which Lior could deal with less.


“I’ll take a beer,” Lior replied to the American’s offer. She had made quiet an impression on the van, and Lior admired her spirit if nothing else. Almost everything they had come to love about Americans imbued in one fiery communist. At least the arguing had distracted them on the ride up. Sitting in such close vicinity to an obviously edgy and out-of-place Melanie had made Lior think that distraction would be impossible. They had to admit, it seemed a bit much to ask of American university students to trek through all this just for a study abroad, but it was going to be an experience like no other, and Lior themselves wasn’t at all bothered by the traveling or hiking or strange village or even the snow. If anything it would all make for great novel fodder later on. If they ever got started on writing said novel, that is... [ @Cashdash25 ]

 

[The Town Weirdo]

((Okay sorry didn't get any alerts , really sorry! Doing post now I was asleep and at school when all this happened))

 

[Nepty]

W I N T E R L I G H T (Closed) | RpNation.com - Best Roleplay Forum


(Hey, that's fine, just in the future post OOC on the OOC thread, if you could)


(Link above)

 

[Cashdash25]

Jessica passed the man a bottle before taking one for herself. Twisting off the cap she took a swig."Come on ladies, don't be shy, drinking age here's eighteen."

 

[admiral9]

Emmanuel and Willem followed the group inside as they removed their coats, Emmanuel didn't waste much time when Jessica showed some alcohol she brought and he went straight for it. "Two bottles please, and your room number if you would." he inquired as he took a seat next to her.


In the meanwhile Willem had decided this would be a good time to strike a conversation up with this potential buddy called duster.


"Hey man, names Willem, you're Duster right? You seemed like an alright guy back there, not that that's particularly hard considering some of the dipshits we got on this trip."

 

[Diminium]

Duster had finished tuning his bass again as Willem had came over and decided to strike up a conversation. He chuckled, "I am indeed Duster."


Rope Snake uncurled from his leg and brought its head closer to Willem, flicking his tongue in and out several times before going back to the grip on his owner's leg.


"I do agree though. It amazes me some of the people they selected." He pondered, thinking back to the squabble on the bus. "I've been called quite alright by several people, and a moron by several others, often both."


He flipped his instrument around and inspected the back.


"Willem. You're from Germany then? I have an uncle who lives there. Pleased to meet you!" He smiled, reaching out a hand. "Duster. Duster Callan. Psychology major."


@admiral9

 

[admiral9]

"Bit more west dude, I'm from the netherlands, although I do have some roots in Germany." He said as he shook Dusters hand


"Willem van der Vaart is the full name, WW2 History major, if you were to ask anyone else though I'm just a silly old nazi." he continued with a smile.


"I hope we can get along and you wont be as pretentious as a certain someone or as biased as a certain redhead." He said while looking at the guilty pair.

 

[Cashdash25]

Jessica handed her Brazilian companion a pair of beers, "I'm on the second floor, across from the stairs." She said quitely, smiling slyly, "Midnight, don't be late or I might have replaced you by the time you get there." A subtle reminder that their current arrangement was temporary. A curt jab from Willem attracted her attention to him and the guy with the snake. "I'd tell you to bite me, but I'd enjoy that too much." She shot back, tipping her bottle back for another drink.

 

[admiral9]

"See you then, I'd call you hot stuff but you're still cold as ice." Emmanuel whispered back with a similar smile, he opened a beer and shared a swig with her after which he stood up and made his way to his buddy.


"Here's your beer dude, and make sure to thank that certain redhead." Emmanuel said as he threw Willem a beer, after which he turned to duster.


"Yo, names Emmanuel, history major like Willem here only specializing in medieval history, how you doing?" he said as he too reached out his hand. "Wheres your room anyways, if its on the second floor we could hang out later." he went on.

 

[Diminium]

"My apologies. I sometimes tend to jump to conclusions."


He twirled his bass around, before putting both his hands around the neck.


"I don't find myself as the pretentious type. Pretention and narcissism go hand in hand, and then you end up looking as self-absorbed and sad as Kanye West. Poor Fool."


Willem's friend came over, and introduced himself as Emmanuel. Duster gave his hand a hearty shake.


"My friend'll be back soon, so I'm not entirely sure where the sleeping arrangement is, but you guys are cool, and I enjoy playing for cool people!"


He lauched into a waltz bass, a simple 3/4, adding in a melody that filled the room with a pleasant, rich ambiance, like he was playing in a suit for a dinner party, and not for some college students.


Jeff came downstairs, subtly snaping his fingers in time. He held up an ancient skeleton key. "We're sleeping in a spire closest to the library. I'll carry up our bags, but you're in charge of fire." Jeff said, pocketing the key. Duster nodded, not wanting to risk messing up the time by talking.

 

[Aevum]

Hayden was out of his element. The entire trip he kept mostly to himself except for the van ride to the village, where he struck out trying to have a conversation with the Polish version of the terminator. Wilkas had stonewalled Hayden with curt answers, and at times only grunts.


However there was the one time Hayden mentioned football, which earned him a sideways glance and smirk from the tour guide. They spoke for all of about 10 minutes before realizing the were speaking about two completely different sports. At any rate, considering being stuffed assholes to elbows in a sardine can on wheels, and the commotion going on behind him, the trip could had been worse.


That lions mane of his was wrangled into a pony tail, and the tips of his redeeming ears tucked into a stocking cap. The native Floridian has come slightly unprepared, despite the flannel and heavy leather jacket with jeans, this was a different kind of cold. It was biting, with pins and needles gouging with every gust of wind.


The castle was a much welcomed sight. His spidey senses tingled. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.


"Did someone say beer?"

 

[admiral9]

The pair of historians in the making were enjoying the music, it really was a nice place here. Beer in hand, fireplace to sit by and some enjoyable tunes to listen to from a newfound friend. They didn't want to interrupt him so aside from humming along not much else was said, Willem was preparing some additional snacks for when the song was over, he had brought out a bag of chips along with a couple of chocolate bars, he liked his snacks and liked sharing them too... this too made him wonder if a grocery store even existed here and if his supply of snacks would last.

 

[Cashdash25]

"Sure did muscleman." Jessica replied to the large southerner, "I like to keep the party going," She said pulling a bottle from her backpack and tossing it to the athlete beforing taking another swig from her own. "You wanna party?" She asked with a wink.

 

[Aevum]

An athlete he may be, but smooth he is not. The projectile beer bottle caught him off guard, bouncing off his hands in his first catch attempt, launching him into a spastic juggling act, before ending in a crouched position, bottle caught in his vice grip, although upside down.


Exhaling, he straightened, smiling at the pretty and always flirtatious Jessica.


"I don't think we've been properly introduced yet," he said to Jessica, but loud enough for anyone else who cared to listen.


"I'm Hayden Vick. Back at AU you could typically find me locked away in the archaeology departments basement. And after that trip, I think we could all use a nice party."


Hayden rose the bottle in thanks to Jessica, before twisting the top off. With a hiss, foam deluged out of the bottles mouth, Hayden once again had to mimic an epileptic seizure in an attempt to seal his lips around the bottle, hunched over, boots and pants now beer laden.

 

[Solemn Jester]

Grey was walking long with the others observing the house contently a fake smile on his face as always." Hmm my house is still bigger but no where near as fancy,"he said as he entered and removed his huge black coat and tossed it down with the rest of his stuff. He couldn't help but get the feeling they were at the Beginning of a horror movie. He laughed at the thought of that."Oh that would be just my luck I decide to go on a trip with a bunch of people I don't like just to observe there loud obnoxious and crude behavior and I end up dying,"hd thought to himself the idea now stuck in his head. Grey wasn't much of a movie person really but he did appreciate a good horror movie. Listening to people scream as the killer gains on them before ultimately taking them to there bloody end. Trying to put the pieces together for the movie to see if you know who the killer is, or what for that matter. Anyways this entire trip gave him that vibe with its old out of the way dark creepy ways. Grey heard Jessica mention beer and turned to her."You know while I'm all for a little fun I think thats a bad idea. Wouldnt want anyone going on and doing something stupid just because of a little buzz." (@Cashdash25 )He then went on to say." Does anyone else get the feeling where in some sick twisted persons idea of a horror movie? If so you better watch out the slut always dies first...hmm either her or the jock....or sometimes they say the African American fellows die first. Just a warning though." Grey had said the word slut with much more venom than he had intended to."Hmm I'm picking up there attitude,"he said to himself still walking. He then heard the Scottish guy mention rooming near one another. "Yes it seems so I don't really have any issues with that I'll sleep where ever. As hard as that may be to believe my family may be rich but I wasn't as pampered as some think,"e said glaring at all those who thought him spoiled or snobby or any of the many other things they had called him because of his family. He disliked his family enough without them egging him on.(@Pretzel Heart )