)Your wanderings have taken you into the mountains, to an unexplored territory veiled in a dense fog. After wandering aimlessly for several hours, you begin to think that you are lost. After you begin to consider finding or calling for help, you discover that someone (or something) has flattened out a crude path through the rocky terrain. You decide to follow it for back of a better lead, and continue on for another hour or so before you began to make something out in the distance. The angular architecture appears to be a castle of some sort, made of a dark material. You break into a run, hoping that whoever (if anyone) is inside the castle can direct you on a safe path home.
As you approach the castle, you see that it is nestled within a high-altitude valley. Oddly, the valley itself displays all of the qualities of a temperate forest. Perhaps, you figure, due to the surrounding peaks providing sufficient rain and humidity. The castle itself is made of a dark grey stone, and seems to be around three stories tall not counting the four towers at each corner of the otherwise square structure. It sits within a small lake, the only passage to its front door being a small drawbridge made of a grey wood. You cross the bridge carefully, its deep, groaning protests to your weight voicing its threat to drop you into the cold abyss. As you reach the solid ground that supports the small palace, the large, iron doors press inward, parting just enough to allow you passage.
You step in, surprised at how dark the surroundings are. As your eyes adjust to the lighting of several large braziers, you make out the great hall of sorts. Ivory statues and strange coats of arms are the only decorations in the room, both depicting strange, avian figures and harpy-like humanoids bearing skeletal armor and skull masks. Deep crimson carpets line the stone floor, and the staircases on either side of you that lead to a balcony-like second floor. As you settle back on what lies before you, your eyes widen as you notice the stone-and-ivory throne that rests in the center of the room, and the woman upon it. She is clad in a simple, form-fitting white dress, laying heedlessly over the arms of the furnishing. Her scarlet hair falls from her shoulders in cascades as she turns to look at you from behind her skull mask, which has been embellished with bronze horns and feathers of various avian species. As she shifts her frighteningly pale and delicate body into a more ladylike position, the bone bangles binding her wrists and ankles clatter with a tribal sound. You are almost startled by the haunting quality of the voice that fills the room as she speaks. "How rude of me to not be prepared... It is not often we recieve visitors, and you've come at quite an unpredictable time. I am Akuji, clan Rin. I assume, since you appear so fightened, that you are here simply because you have become lost in the mountains?" You nod, wondering if you should be worried when her expression becomes a strange smile. "That is understandable. Well, do not hesitate to stay here and rest for a few moments. There is a simple path out of the mountains a few miles through the valley. It is, however, a long trek, and you are quite a long way from civilization, so I presume you must be tired. Do not hesitate to visit one of my children..." She pauses, indicating the balcony overlooking the great hall, "It has been some time since they've had their own company. Each room is marked with their name, and I'm sure they will not hesitate to tell you about themselves if you ask."
You thank the woman for her hospitality and ascend the stairs, looking at the three rooms. One is labled "VLADIMIR," another "PHONEUS," the next "JARA," and the last "CALUM." As you begin to approach the closest, you hear the haunting song of a voice echo into the great hall once more. "Oh, and several reminders. If you hear music coming from Vladimir's room, be sure to cover your ears. Speaking to Phoneus will prove rather fruitless, as he cannot speak the human tongue. Be cautious when entering Rajani's room, as she is very prone to spread disease. And please do be careful when going out to the courtyard. I've warned you, therefore I cannot be held responsible for what happens to you if you're not cautious."
Tapa. Do not mess with it. Lest Jara conveniently remove your face for you.
