Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:22:32 PM)
(This user has entered Romania) (IP = 70.225.42.13)
JKRende (Sep 17, 2011 8:22:45 PM)
(This user is now known as Sound of Silence)
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:24:32 PM)
(Any particular place you wanted to hem up old Grandpa there and speak to him? Or shall I just pick a time and place at the family estate and run with it?)
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:24:58 PM)
(Pick a spot and run with it :) Thanks)
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:28:25 PM)
*Late afternoon, the skies were clear, sunny, only the barest of nice big fluffy white clouds in the sky, and Sound of Silence was on top of one of the old battlements atop the central building looking out over the countryside. A great black stormcrow was settled on top of one of the adjacent crenalations where it was quietly consuming a dead rabbit with all the manners of a carrion bird - which it was - seeminging both of them oblivious to the other. Sound of Silence was wearing a black and red striped football jersey - football as we would call it Soccer in the US - and a pair of khaki slacks and hikers. He looked as casual as she'd ever seen him.*
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:32:34 PM)
*Dama was sensibly dressed in appropriate clothing to match her personal flavor while keeping attuned to customary clothing for Romania women. The children were both down for naps to which Tasha was over seeing for the time being. That wouldn’t be for very long for the afternoon as Tasha would otherwise have her hands insanely full with her own babe. Moving through the castle, and onwards to placed that were accessible, she came upon Sound of Silence and paused in her footsteps if only to consider leaving him to his privacy, backtrack back inside to look around elsewhere*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:33:51 PM)
*Sound of Silence was - well, he was not a low ranking garou, he didn't need to turn around to know she was there...* Come. The day is lovely. There is no reason to stay inside and this is one of the best views in the province.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:36:43 PM)
*Thoughtfully she approached, taking in his pose while lacing her slender fingers together so that both hands rested at her front. Deeply she breathed in the air then slowly exhaled* It is a most splendid day indeed, Sound of Silence-Rhya. I truly enjoy the beauty of this country. *all spoken in the tongue of the land*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:38:22 PM)
*He chuckled softly* Do you really? A great many of our breathren have left our homeland and never stepped foot in this part of the world. Some for generations. I am amused that you speak Romanian and have taught my great grandson. *He glanced over at her* Tell me, was that for my benefit, or something you had already begun?
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:41:16 PM)
*Comfortable designer heels padded her light stroll to shore up the distance between them though a respectful distance was maintain so that his personal space was not invaded by even the remotest of degree.* It was not for the sole benefit of coming to this land. In truth it was time for both of us to speak another language, one never knows when it would be needful.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:43:50 PM)
*He nodded* A wise choice. I speak no less than four without effort, and have a trick for the rest. *he gave a wry grin without looking her way* You know, at some point this castle will have to be passed along. I have to speak to Dalton of succession, and what he would do with such an inheritance.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:48:07 PM)
*Peering out what could be seen from their position she nodded to herself, maintaining the respectful space between them* I am sure the both of you will speak at length about it when such a conversation is due. *momentarily the kinfolk paused then addressed him* Sound of Silence-Rhya, if I may…I would seek am answer from you regarding the history of the castle
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:50:23 PM)
*The view was almost distracting, steep mountains and valleys to the east and north, a flat plain to the southwest, fir forrests above and mixed hardwoods below. It was enough to inspire poetry. Sound of Silence sighed and nodded to Dama* I will answer as best I can, what would you know?
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 8:54:58 PM)
*From the heavenly view her eyes focused on him while the question was posed* How long ago was it constructed? I suppose in general, I am most curious about all there is to know about such a wondrous place. *slightly her nose wrinkled for asking to know the details for surely he didn’t have that sort of time to spin the tale of the castle.* Or at least as much as you are willing to share.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 8:58:22 PM)
*he thought for a long moment on that one, then finally he turned* Follow me, I will talk as we walk, so I can show you. *And he headed for the door leading back into the central building* There was a castle here, though you would be hard pressed to call it a castle, in 1046 AD. It was built by a mortal - some say a Wizard or some kind - others say he was just a tyrant. Back then it was merely a wooden fence surrounded by ditches for defalade and stopping early cavalry. The rocky outcropping made charges on the walls all but impossible...
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:02:02 PM)
*Expecting a fairly basic answer followed by an inquiry of -why- such a curiosity burned on her belly, she blinked in surprised then wandered after him, again not invading his personal space nor taking up to walk beside him when that clearly was not due her. She listened, and soaked in her surroundings like a sponge*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:03:08 PM)
It was razed something around 1200 Cumans and Uzes, early Romanian tribes, got to warring and the fort - let's call it a fort - was burnt to the ground. The original builder was long gone by then, and the land was a camp and a small vilage for a few years. This castle, as near as can be determined, had it's lowest foundations laid about 1233 AD by a man named Uzbarach - who was Uzbarach The Dauntless - or to our tongues, Uzbar He-Who-Never-Tires Acha to the garou. He was an early Shadow Lord, very strong, a Philodox. We don't know how long it took to build the early castle, because the walls were not where they are now, but we know he was done sometime between 1233 and 1264 when the castle was mentioned by a Saracen traveler who's writings survived. *He led her down a long, narrow spiral staircase, not one of the main stairwells...*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:05:02 PM)
*when they got to the bottom they were below ground, the narrow archer's windows had given way to solid stone and masonry, and they came to a room only perhaps twenty foot square with a low roof* We are 2 stories underground. This was the original foundation, long since the land outside was built up to create this dungeon. under us is the very body of the mountain, hard granite. *He turned and opened a huge, thick iron bound oak door that looked like it may very well have been hung in 1233...*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:06:55 PM)
In 1274 the first floor was burried and the main entrance moved - originally the main hall was on the third floor, but the move was made to create a dungeon. *He walked into the hallway beyond, it was the classic dungeon, dark, dank, there were oubliette's in the floors, and iron gates stood open to individual cells.* Untold hundreds met their ultimate fate down here. It's a bit spooky, don't you think? *he turned to look at Dama. maybe guaging her reaction...*
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:07:32 PM)
*A soft smile touched her lips at the mentioning of Philodox. The castle had humble beginnings, she thought, growing with the years and the strength of those whom had called it home. She wandered along behind him, taking in the history lesson that will no doubt be passed along to the children.*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:08:39 PM)
*He stopped and reached down to open one of the iron cage grates set into the floor* do you know what an oubliette is?
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:10:07 PM)
A dungeon...of sorts. *curiously her eyes watched his action though did nothing to advance unless he desired her too do so*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:13:09 PM)
*He gesutred and turned on a flashlight. There was light down here, cast by small lights mounted along the surface of the roof - enough to see by. He shone the flash light down into the hole. it was a crypt like standing cell - only 5 feet tall, and 2 feet across by 3 feet wide.* An oubliette was a French invention - but these were added in the late 1400's by cutting them right into the bedrock. The word Oubliette literally means a "Place to be forgotten" They would lock a prisoner condemned to death into this square that was too small for most to stand in, too cramped to lay down or kneel, then forget they existed in here. No food. No water. No latrine. This box was originally cut into solid rock. The two or so inches of soil in the bottom of this Oubliette is literally all that's left of it's eventual inhabitants. Quite an unpleasant way to die, don't you think?
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:16:35 PM)
*The thought of skittering around in a dungeon wouldn’t be so bad if it were for the smaller creepy crawlers that had her shuttering lightly in an effort to dismiss them from her mind. Gathering herself she carefully bent enough to see the space then grinned almost wickedly* Unpleasnt though likely a deserving death.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:22:24 PM)
*He shrugged* who's to say. *he turned and started a slow stroll back to the stairs.* The Castle itselt expanded. I will show you roughly where the original walls stood, but between 1298 and 1460 he Castle expanded in ever growing rings and walls. Wallachia and Moldavia came and went, and in the 15th centure, around 1453 the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople and Moldovia and wallachia more or less got their acts together to deal with the Ottoman Turks. It was about that time that a man named vlad Tepes came into power in a rather convoluted little chapter of history in Transylvania. You know him as Vlad Dracul. He was nothing like that tripe Bram Stoker published. *He stepped out onto the castles main steps about that point.*
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:25:06 PM)
*Imagining the horror that a prisoner had to endure for likely weeks at a time, until death felt like sparing them another night of agony, she too lightly shrugged though followed in his wake.* Vlad. *the woman whispered, ever bending an ear too the information that he conveyed.*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:32:48 PM)
*he pointed* you see where the driveway there curves and it seems to have an odd angle across it? The shift in the patterns in the cobblestones? That's the original wall. In 1398 the wall was moved all the way over to where it is now, and the old wall partially demolished for the stones that formed some of the new wall's interior. *he pointed north* The stables were built in 1498, but burned to the ground in 1530 when the area was under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. You see, Stephen the Great kept the Turks from ever ruling Moldavia and Wallachia, but he died and when he did? The Turks finally got their way. So, 1541, the Balkan Peninsula was ruled by the Turks, but by 1600 that was slowly ending. *he pointed past the stables to a northern most Drum Tower* that tower was originally bult about a hundred feet closer, but in the late 1500's it was laid low and wound up being rebuilt with the wall moving out to where it is now. This led to two separate bailey's within the walls, so any invading force
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:33:06 PM)
Would have to fight through two walls.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:38:07 PM)
*The fascination expressed on her lovely face held no subtly too it. All the rich history clutched her attention tightly, keep her vision busily minding what was pointed out in finer explanation. Here and there she looked, hesitantly stepping forward to gain more a vantage point on where his finger directed. When the spots were witnessed at length she retreated to a more proper spacing between them and smiled* Incredible.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:41:42 PM)
*He thought for a moment then went down the steps and turned about to look at the castle. it's exterior facade was immaculate* The castle mostly stood as you see it, with the exception of the color - it had to be repainted and some damages repaired in 1945 after the end of the war - but it was mostly as you see it by 1600 and it has stayed thus ever since. Some interior remodeling has been done over the ages - such as adding electric lights and communications equipment, but this... *he gestured* Is in large part unchanged now for some 400 years. With one *other* minor exception. *he turned and headed for the drum tower he'd pointed out* One last and important thing. You see, the Russians came in 1945 too, and when they did they forced King Michael the First out of Romania. They stayed until Ceaucescu was removed in 1989 and Romania became democratic again December 22, 1989. *he smiled* I will never forget that night. Follow me...
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:42:28 PM)
*he led her into the drum tower, and the ground floor had a lovely hard wood floor covered by an old Persian rug* Like the rug? It dates back to the Ottoman Turkish Empire, 1549 to be precise.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:47:39 PM)
*Keeping apace she studied the sweeping view of the castle feeling extremely honored that he had gone into such depths in the history for her sake. How many kinfolk could claim that privilege? She couldn’t chance a guess so the scenery filled her vision before they moved on to the ground floor. Before she would even dare walk on the rug the heels were removed so that clean, bare foot would pass over it* It is beautiful...very, very beautiful.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 9:52:09 PM)
*he chuckled, leaned over, and pulled the rug back. There was a thick door there, with a heavy iron ring carefully built to be concealable. He leaned over, hauled it up, and there was one more spiral staircase* This goes down to a vault, if you'll follow, it's how the family stayed wealthy through the World War and through the Communist era. *And he decsended. About three floors down was a short hallway that ended in a solid steel vault door* There's a great many books and records on the castle in the library, but this part here... *he stepped up to the vault and carefully dialed in the combination, then hauled open the locks and pulled a foot - thick steel door to reveal a very LARGE room - easily 50 feet wide and as long. The walls were lined with various boxes and the occasional objet 'd arte.* This vault holds the foundation of our wealth. *he smiled a wry, calculating grin* I am deeply amused by the fact that Dalton doesn't *need* one red cent of it.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 9:59:25 PM)
*Gracefully the heels were slipped back into so that she could descend the stairs, perhaps wisely looking away as he dialed in the combo. A low whoosh of the door opening lent knowledge that it was okay to peer again in his direction. She gasped softly at the volume of things within the large space. The sum of monies, priceless art pieces, and various other objects outshined what God possibly had for his fortune. Desperately she tried to mask the surprise yet failed to do so, and looked away shamefully* Forgive me, Sound of Silence-Rhya. I did not mean to...react as I had.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 10:03:02 PM)
*he laughed* Relax. If I wasn't showing off a tiny bit I would be just .... gloating. *he swung the door shut* You should know these things. There are books about the castle and our family in the library, but *He spun the dial* Sometimes it's good to reconnect with one's roots.... *He turned and walked back up the stairs.* Will you remember my - albeit greatly shortened version of this - history?
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:06:52 PM)
I shall, Sound of Silence-Rhya. *she promised, leaving the space a few respectable steps behind him* I would like to read as much as possible from the library tough I can appreciate a verbal history as much as the reading. I am deeply honored for your time spent with me this afternoon. It has been a pleasure beyond measure…thank you again.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 10:10:27 PM)
*He shook his head looking back* I lost a lot of time with Dalton. I am remiss about that, but his father, alas, took it from me. perhaps a well deserved rebuke for the way I placed demands on him as a child - perhaps *not* - but I do not intend to allow my grasp on my remaining family to slide. I see no reason to withold anything from he or yourself - you are doing quite well enough without me - proof positive that you have you - how do American's say it? Your shit together.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:15:01 PM)
*Softly her amused laughter was shared with him on a nodding of her head.* It has been accomplished on the most difficult of terms, and we strive to maintain a steadiness for honor and more. *warmly the woman smiled* I should not take any further time from you. The children will awaken shortly. If I may be excused, I will leave you to further enjoy the beauty of the day.
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 10:16:16 PM)
*He nodded* I hope you found my little history lesson amusing and it answered your curiosity Dama. You have my leave of course to share what you learn in our library at will with Dalton. I would encourage it.
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:18:17 PM)
Thank you. I will share the information with him. *smilimg again the kinfolk waited for a dismissal so that he could go on about his day*
Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 10:18:49 PM)
*He nodded* By all means. Go see to those children. *he smiled and shooed her off politely and with good humor*
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:19:28 PM)
*Dipping her chin in respect Dama wandered off to the children*
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:19:35 PM)
(Ty so much for the scene!!!!!!!!!)
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:20:04 PM)
(Greatly appreciated it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!)
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:20:44 PM)
(Have a wonderful night :) )
Dama Fortman (Sep 17, 2011 10:20:52 PM)
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Sound of Silence (Sep 17, 2011 10:21:12 PM)
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