"Awesome!" Lucian says--a little too loudly. Clearly he is brimming with excitement over getting to look at a book... and have a reading lesson. That excitement dies slightly as he suddenly gets nervous again when Salem says he can't wait to meet other dusk elves. Giving an awkward chuckle Lucian rubs an arm and says, "W...well... I know Kasimir will like to meet you, but the others.... They don't exactly like me that much so I can't really speak for them. S....sorry..." He averts his eyes, wrapping his arms around himself in a form of self-comfort. If Salem knows anything about Dusk elves, he'd likely realize that Lucian doesn't exactly have the traditional look about him. Yes, he is a dusk elf, but his white hair along with some other small features don't really match the description.
"B...but Kasimir is really really nice. He would have let me stay with the others in the camp if I wanted, I just didn't want them to start... uh... well... giving him trouble because of me,"he ducks his head, deciding he should probably change the subject.
When they finally go to sleep, Lucian doesn't seem worried in the least about sharing the room with Salem. Though it is clear that he's used to meditating out in the cold based on the odd postures he adopts while in bed. He actually gets tangled up in the covers a few times and nearly rolls off a couple times too. He probably did fall off once while Salem and Daestra were sleeping, but he quickly got up and pretended it didn't happen.
He wakes up before the other two--at least that's what he thought would happen. He forgot that Daestra was an elf too, since he doesn't look like a Dusk Elf... well, he kinda does a little, but not really. That said, he's not used to being around someone else who needs minimal meditation instead of a full night's sleep like the humans around here do. Upon realizing that Daestra is awake, Lucian grins and rubs the back of his head (whilst sitting in a mess of sheets...) and says, "Oh... uh... G... Good morning?"
Then he sniffs the air a couple times, eyes going wide at the overwhelming smell of food. He stands up and attempts to walk out the room only to step off his bed and fall on the floor. Then he stands up a little too quickly, tripping again due to his blanket being wrapped around one foot. "Aaahhcckk!" He says, hitting the wooden floor hard before slowly and timidly looking over to Salem who is probably not asleep anymore thanks to all the noise. "Uh....heh...heh..." He scrambles to untangle himself and get back to his feet, "S...Sorry..." He rubs the back of his head, though he appears completely unfazed by the bruises he likely acquired by smacking the floor so hard... twice.
He looks pretty embarrassed as he heads downstairs, following his nose to the source of the wonderful smell. This might be a mediocre meal for Daestra, but for Lucian anything that is prepared in a kitchen is the best thing in the entire world. He happily jumps into a chair (in which he sits crosslegged) and rocks back and forth a few times while saying, "Whatever that is smells amazing!" He grins at whoever is in the room, anticipating what will probably be the most delicious breakfast he's ever had.
Ravna would read a bit of the book before going to sleep.
Ravna exits her private room and stoically breathes in the smell of breakfast.
Descending the stairs and entering the dining room, she gives Arthur and Ireena a polite smile before taking her place at the table. "Thank you both for this meal."
(Sorry for the short post, I've had a lot going on lately and just wanted to get something up.)
Salem looked to Lucian curiously. The other elves didn't like him very much..? He felt like he should ask, but part of him was reluctant and he decided it was for the best to leave that kind of question out for now. He had no real reason why he should pry into this elf's life. Not yet. Asking questions like that requires a certain level of friendship and trust didn't it? He really didn't know. He wasn't very good at making friends. It wasn't like it was something he was doing on a daily basis. He offered a small smile.
"Well I think they are missing out. You seem like a pretty good person."
He offered a small smile. He decided to let the subject drop on the dusk elves. At least Kasimir was kind to Lucian.
Sleeping wasn't exactly easy for Salem. This was different. He had slept in a bed before, but he never stayed away from the castle this long. Usually he was back after he was done with whatever he was doing in Barovia that day. Part of him missed the dark castle and all of the people there. When he did sleep he was plagued with nightmares about becoming the monster everyone said his father was. It wasn't like he didn't have nightmares before, but he always had a place to go when he had them at home. The cold safety of his father.
In the morning he heard the crash of something or as he would find out someone was falling. He sat up and looked over to Lucian and tilted his head off to the side. He hadn't seen anything like this before. The poor thing. He gave a small chuckle. It was probably best to get up and join everyone else now.
"Good morning Lucian. Are you alright..?"
He forced himself out of bed and stretched. When Lucian left the room he of course followed after him. How strange it was to wake up in a different place, but now that he was at least awake he felt a bit better now. Though it was strange that he was in a different place there was something that felt different. It seemed more pleasant waking here compared to waking up at home.
"It's the last real meal I think we can afford for awhile but it isn't much. Mordred did save money to hire help.. For you all for taking me to Vallaki."
She offers Daestra and Mordred a nod as well as she begins to eat herself. She seems a strike between trying to eat prim and proper and eating fiercely. Mordred himself dives right in.
Mordred sits up after finishing
"Good morning everyone, we should make preparations before heading out. We can meet at Lugdana's Gnoll, the hill at the outskirts here. If you need to shop only Bildrath has a shop if he's still in town that is. Any supplies here at the manor are at you're disposal as well."
OOC I never put what was in Van Rickten's guide to vampires did I? For those who read it I can put it up here in a post.
I forget if I did lol.
This is a chance for them to prepare at all.
Mordred and Ireena would probably pay them early if they asked for it too but if they don't need to prepare at all we can timeskip to Departing as well.
As each member finishes their food and a bit of small talk. They also have time to read Van Rickten's guide to Vampires.
(The following information below is the book itself.)
In some shadowed corners of the world, the vampire reigns as a fearsome predator. Beyond mere bloodlust, these creatures are cursed with a range of abilities and weaknesses that make them as enigmatic as they are terrifying.
Their bodies are resilient to mundane weapons, shrugging off blows that would fell most mortals and regenerating even grievous wounds in a matter of moments. They move with unnatural grace, their senses sharply attuned to the whispers of the night. But it is in their supernatural abilities that their true horror lies. They can bend the will of others to their own, ensnaring friend and foe with but a gaze and a whisper. They can shift form with the ease of thought, becoming bats, wolves, or even a sinister mist that creeps beneath doorways and through cracks. And those their fangs kill become vampire spawn—ravenous creatures with a vampire's hunger for blood.
These creatures are not wholly invincible, however, possessing a tapestry of strengths woven with fatal weaknesses. Sunlight and running water can end their cursed existence, and wooden stakes through the heart will paralyze them as they sleep. They recoil from the sight of certain holy symbols, and cannot enter a residence without an invitation. They bear neither shadow nor reflection, and must return to their coffins, crypts, or graves to rest by day.
It is said that the bloodlust of these creatures is an unquenchable fire that burns within their undead hearts. The young and newly turned are slaves to this craving, often losing themselves in a frenzy at the mere scent of blood. But those who have walked the night for centuries, as well as those with indomitable focus and will, may learn to temper this fire. Those who do so possess the rare ability to conceal their monstrous nature, retracting and exposing their fangs at will—a sign that the monster within is held at bay, if only while the vampire allows.
To create a new vampire, a vampire must fully drain the blood of its victim without killing it—a torturous and careful process that can often take multiple nights. For some vampires, this process is a practical means of creating fresh and powerful thralls; for others, it presents a sadistic opportunity to slowly break their victim's will. Some vampires in the latter camp may even appear as an intermittent predator in the night, haunting their target over days or weeks before finally ending their suffering.
Ends Note
They make their way through Lugdana's Knoll outside Barovia. Mordred looks around to not find Ireena among them he lets out a soft sigh.
"Where is she...?"
On top of the Knoll.. through the sea of tall grasses north of the village, a gentle knoll rises before them when approached. Borded on the far side by the clutches of the dark Svalich Wood. Plants with white, feathery flowers and a sweet, earthy scent seem to dance amidst the grass atop the hill, their leaves rustling in a whispering wind.
A lonely tree stands atop the hill, it's gnarled branches reaching skyward like outstretched arms. Beneath its shade kneels a familiar female figure, her gaze fixated upon the ground a dug up plot and an opened small chest in front of her.
"Awesome!" Lucian says--a little too loudly. Clearly he is brimming with excitement over getting to look at a book... and have a reading lesson. That excitement dies slightly as he suddenly gets nervous again when Salem says he can't wait to meet other dusk elves. Giving an awkward chuckle Lucian rubs an arm and says, "W...well... I know Kasimir will like to meet you, but the others.... They don't exactly like me that much so I can't really speak for them. S....sorry..." He averts his eyes, wrapping his arms around himself in a form of self-comfort. If Salem knows anything about Dusk elves, he'd likely realize that Lucian doesn't exactly have the traditional look about him. Yes, he is a dusk elf, but his white hair along with some other small features don't really match the description.
"B...but Kasimir is really really nice. He would have let me stay with the others in the camp if I wanted, I just didn't want them to start... uh... well... giving him trouble because of me," he ducks his head, deciding he should probably change the subject.
When they finally go to sleep, Lucian doesn't seem worried in the least about sharing the room with Salem. Though it is clear that he's used to meditating out in the cold based on the odd postures he adopts while in bed. He actually gets tangled up in the covers a few times and nearly rolls off a couple times too. He probably did fall off once while Salem and Daestra were sleeping, but he quickly got up and pretended it didn't happen.
He wakes up before the other two--at least that's what he thought would happen. He forgot that Daestra was an elf too, since he doesn't look like a Dusk Elf... well, he kinda does a little, but not really. That said, he's not used to being around someone else who needs minimal meditation instead of a full night's sleep like the humans around here do. Upon realizing that Daestra is awake, Lucian grins and rubs the back of his head (whilst sitting in a mess of sheets...) and says, "Oh... uh... G... Good morning?"
Then he sniffs the air a couple times, eyes going wide at the overwhelming smell of food. He stands up and attempts to walk out the room only to step off his bed and fall on the floor. Then he stands up a little too quickly, tripping again due to his blanket being wrapped around one foot. "Aaahhcckk!" He says, hitting the wooden floor hard before slowly and timidly looking over to Salem who is probably not asleep anymore thanks to all the noise. "Uh....heh...heh..." He scrambles to untangle himself and get back to his feet, "S...Sorry..." He rubs the back of his head, though he appears completely unfazed by the bruises he likely acquired by smacking the floor so hard... twice.
He looks pretty embarrassed as he heads downstairs, following his nose to the source of the wonderful smell. This might be a mediocre meal for Daestra, but for Lucian anything that is prepared in a kitchen is the best thing in the entire world. He happily jumps into a chair (in which he sits crosslegged) and rocks back and forth a few times while saying, "Whatever that is smells amazing!" He grins at whoever is in the room, anticipating what will probably be the most delicious breakfast he's ever had.
Ravna would read a bit of the book before going to sleep.
Ravna exits her private room and stoically breathes in the smell of breakfast.
Descending the stairs and entering the dining room, she gives Arthur and Ireena a polite smile before taking her place at the table. "Thank you both for this meal."
(Sorry for the short post, I've had a lot going on lately and just wanted to get something up.)
Salem looked to Lucian curiously. The other elves didn't like him very much..? He felt like he should ask, but part of him was reluctant and he decided it was for the best to leave that kind of question out for now. He had no real reason why he should pry into this elf's life. Not yet. Asking questions like that requires a certain level of friendship and trust didn't it? He really didn't know. He wasn't very good at making friends. It wasn't like it was something he was doing on a daily basis. He offered a small smile.
"Well I think they are missing out. You seem like a pretty good person."
He offered a small smile. He decided to let the subject drop on the dusk elves. At least Kasimir was kind to Lucian.
Sleeping wasn't exactly easy for Salem. This was different. He had slept in a bed before, but he never stayed away from the castle this long. Usually he was back after he was done with whatever he was doing in Barovia that day. Part of him missed the dark castle and all of the people there. When he did sleep he was plagued with nightmares about becoming the monster everyone said his father was. It wasn't like he didn't have nightmares before, but he always had a place to go when he had them at home. The cold safety of his father.
In the morning he heard the crash of something or as he would find out someone was falling. He sat up and looked over to Lucian and tilted his head off to the side. He hadn't seen anything like this before. The poor thing. He gave a small chuckle. It was probably best to get up and join everyone else now.
"Good morning Lucian. Are you alright..?"
He forced himself out of bed and stretched. When Lucian left the room he of course followed after him. How strange it was to wake up in a different place, but now that he was at least awake he felt a bit better now. Though it was strange that he was in a different place there was something that felt different. It seemed more pleasant waking here compared to waking up at home.
Ireena looks to Lucian and offers a warm smile
"It's the last real meal I think we can afford for awhile but it isn't much. Mordred did save money to hire help.. For you all for taking me to Vallaki."
She offers Daestra and Mordred a nod as well as she begins to eat herself. She seems a strike between trying to eat prim and proper and eating fiercely. Mordred himself dives right in.
Mordred sits up after finishing
"Good morning everyone, we should make preparations before heading out. We can meet at Lugdana's Gnoll, the hill at the outskirts here. If you need to shop only Bildrath has a shop if he's still in town that is. Any supplies here at the manor are at you're disposal as well."
OOC
I never put what was in Van Rickten's guide to vampires did I?
For those who read it I can put it up here in a post.
I forget if I did lol.
This is a chance for them to prepare at all.
Mordred and Ireena would probably pay them early if they asked for it too but if they don't need to prepare at all we can timeskip to Departing as well.
OOC
I think Daestra is as prepared as he can be haha, but yep all good with a timeskip. Don’t want to slow anyone else up
OOC: Same goes for Lucian!
OOC
Salem is ready for timeskip to leave town!
Just wanna make sure Ravna doesn't have any prep she wants to do first.
Sorry for the wait. I’m good with a time skip)
As each member finishes their food and a bit of small talk. They also have time to read Van Rickten's guide to Vampires.
(The following information below is the book itself.)
In some shadowed corners of the world, the vampire reigns as a fearsome predator. Beyond mere bloodlust, these creatures are cursed with a range of abilities and weaknesses that make them as enigmatic as they are terrifying.
Their bodies are resilient to mundane weapons, shrugging off blows that would fell most mortals and regenerating even grievous wounds in a matter of moments. They move with unnatural grace, their senses sharply attuned to the whispers of the night. But it is in their supernatural abilities that their true horror lies. They can bend the will of others to their own, ensnaring friend and foe with but a gaze and a whisper. They can shift form with the ease of thought, becoming bats, wolves, or even a sinister mist that creeps beneath doorways and through cracks. And those their fangs kill become vampire spawn—ravenous creatures with a vampire's hunger for blood.
These creatures are not wholly invincible, however, possessing a tapestry of strengths woven with fatal weaknesses. Sunlight and running water can end their cursed existence, and wooden stakes through the heart will paralyze them as they sleep. They recoil from the sight of certain holy symbols, and cannot enter a residence without an invitation. They bear neither shadow nor reflection, and must return to their coffins, crypts, or graves to rest by day.
It is said that the bloodlust of these creatures is an unquenchable fire that burns within their undead hearts. The young and newly turned are slaves to this craving, often losing themselves in a frenzy at the mere scent of blood. But those who have walked the night for centuries, as well as those with indomitable focus and will, may learn to temper this fire. Those who do so possess the rare ability to conceal their monstrous nature, retracting and exposing their fangs at will—a sign that the monster within is held at bay, if only while the vampire allows.
To create a new vampire, a vampire must fully drain the blood of its victim without killing it—a torturous and careful process that can often take multiple nights. For some vampires, this process is a practical means of creating fresh and powerful thralls; for others, it presents a sadistic opportunity to slowly break their victim's will. Some vampires in the latter camp may even appear as an intermittent predator in the night, haunting their target over days or weeks before finally ending their suffering.
Ends Note
They make their way through Lugdana's Knoll outside Barovia. Mordred looks around to not find Ireena among them he lets out a soft sigh.
"Where is she...?"
On top of the Knoll.. through the sea of tall grasses north of the village, a gentle knoll rises before them when approached. Borded on the far side by the clutches of the dark Svalich Wood. Plants with white, feathery flowers and a sweet, earthy scent seem to dance amidst the grass atop the hill, their leaves rustling in a whispering wind.
A lonely tree stands atop the hill, it's gnarled branches reaching skyward like outstretched arms. Beneath its shade kneels a familiar female figure, her gaze fixated upon the ground a dug up plot and an opened small chest in front of her.
OOC
Hey guys o.o