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Walter Bernhard     The Forest of Eternal Night is a place where darkness is practically tangible. It smothers all normal light sources, with only occasional beams of moonlight penetrating through the blackness and the thick foliage. It is an unnaturally quiet forest, and yet also one filled with menace. When there IS sound, it's never pleasant. A torch might cast some illumination, or it might simply make one a target for whatever dwells here. It's hard to say. After traveling far enough, however, any explorer would suddenly encounter a barrier. And depending on if they are welcome or not, they may be pass through... Or simply be forced back.

    In this case, the lone explorer would find the jarring sensation of distorted space and warped time bending around him to be an indicator of allowing passage. And a path winding ahead of him through the darkness, with the hint of strangely-colored flames flickering outside of a cabin...

    ...And a castle standing tall above it.
Soma Cruz Soma Cruz decided he had played enough ALO for the day. Some outside time was necessary, and so he hit a warp. He exited into the Forest of Eternal Night. Many would be unnerved, Soma just frowned slightly.

As he moves through the dark forest, he sticks out like a sore thumb, dressed in brilliant white as he is. Soon enough, the castle looms before him, blocked by the barrier. It, too, feels familiar. It admits him, but whether or not it is because the castle's lord allows it or because of his own power is hard to tell. Maybe both.

Soma, first, heads towards the cabin and raps on the door.

"Jeez, feels like I've been here before."
Walter Bernhard     In response to the knock, a man's voice calls from within, "Yes, yes. It's open. Come on in." The door is indeed unlocked, if it is tried. And inside is a tan-skinned man with with white hair, beard, and moustache, in a blue and gold outfit. He's standing behind a counter, with shelves behind him lined with bottles and beakers and boxes and so on. He looks very sharp of mind, and keen of sense. It would be hard to imagine he didn't alreeady know someone was coming before Soma even knocked.
Soma Cruz Soma enters, his mode of dress /obviously/ out of place. Except the fur collar, that is totally in place here.

He enters the cabin, looking about. He idly wonders if there's any relation to Hammer.

"Sorry to intrude, but this looked like the first stop before the castle and I figured I'd poke my head in. I'm Soma." He pauses a moment.

"Who does this castle belong to, anyway. It feels...familiar."
Walter Bernhard     The man behind the counter raises an eyebrow, though more at Soma's words than his appearance... As unusual as the latter may be. "You came here without knowing that? Well, 'Soma', my name is Rinaldo Gandolfi, and the castle belongs to Walter Bernhard. As does the forest you have entered. You were permitted to enter the forest, so he must have taken a liking to you. But, forgive me for saying so, only the brave or the foolhardy enter the Forest of Eternal Night without very good reason."

    Rinaldo pushes off of the counter, straightening up and moving out from behind it. "You won't be able to leave easily now. Not until you've either slain Walter, or died trying. Though... The barrier has been acting differently of late. You wouldn't be the first who has come and gone if you manage it. Perhaps the lord of the castle has chosen to let more hunters challenge him..."

    He strokes his beard as he looks Soma over. "My role is to provide for the hunters who come. To aid them in the hunt. Walter feels it makes his 'game' more fun that way. Unfortunately, thus far, no aid I have rendered has allowed any of them to succeed."
Soma Cruz Soma nods once at Rinaldo's words. A vampire. That explains a lot.

"I'm kind of surprised that no Belmonts have gone in and dealt with it," he says, a smirk crossing his face. "Maybe I should have brought Julius with me. Vampire Killer would make short work of him."

Some shrugs, shoving a hand in the pocket of his jeans. "Regardless, he's not here, and I'm going in. Any tips? Beyond 'Don't do it, it's really stupid'?"
Walter Bernhard     Rinaldo nods somberly, acknowledging that Soma is apparently familiar enough with the workings of vampires to have surmised the nature of the castle's lord. He frowns thoughtfully, however at something Soma says. "Belmont? You don't mean Baron Leon Belmont, by any chance? Are you an acquaitance of his or his family?" He folds his arms across his chest and says, "As far as advice goes, I would recommend stocking up on supplies... And being on the look-out for more within the castle. Many hunters have gone before you, but taking weapons and armor from a moldering corpse is unlikely to benefit you much. There are, however, mystical relics to be found within Bernhard Castle, and Walter himself leaves tools for hunters to use to incrase their chances." He shakes his head and moves back around the counter.

    "In the end, however, it has not made enough of a difference. Traps and monsters are everywhere. And to reach Walter himself, you will have to defeat his Gatekeepers. Powerful monsters who bar the path to his inner sanctum." Rinaldo leans on the counter again as he looks towards Soma. "If you feel numbers would improve your chances, and you are able to come and go through the barrier, then by all means recruit aid. Neither I nor the castle will be going anywhere any time soon. Otherwise, I would only recommend to keep your wits about you and to never be afraid to come back here to rest and resupply if things aren't going well."
Soma Cruz Soma wobbles his hand. "Sort of. I think. I'm...not from around here, exactly. I'm familiar with his family. Julius is a...cousin, I think."

Lie through your teeth, Soma!

"Anyway, thanks for the advice, I'm going to head in and check it out." Soma tips an imaginary hat and exits the cabin, heading for the drawbridge.

In preparation, he pulls from seemingly nowhere a massive, gleaming white two handed sword. It feels Holy.