Kinniger duchy wasn't the most welcoming place, a fact easily discernable by anyone with more than two functional brain cells. Yet, Jakub hadn't turned down the offer presented to him. Jakub presumed his inviter to be of upper-class, possibly a noble. The stranger offered work in Jakub's field of expertise, the occult, piquing the male's interest. His curiosity recoiled as if tickled, prompting him to visit this dreadful place. Jakub researched the local area and its history thoroughly, finding it peculiar, if not slightly disturbing. Vampires supposedly prowled at every corner, preying on the living, both humans and non-humans alike.
Anyone else would've been discouraged, but not him, for Jakub had a refined taste in dark arts. That which repulsed normal men only worked as an intoxicant for him. His icy eyes trailed over the rows of buildings, glinting curiously at the sight of their unusual structure and arrangement. Towers of grey rising sky-high, embraced with granite battlements, seemingly made to endure the harshest of assaults. For a small duchy, Kinniger had its fair share of oddities. Its streets were far tighter than what one would usually expect. In retrospect, it must've been done on purpose to discourage the blood-suckers from finding refuge in an urbanized area. Jakub found the streets harder to navigate, much to his misfortune. It took him a fair bit of time to squeeze between the cold walls, each sapping heat from his already disgruntled frame.
His gaze caught glimpses of something mottled, a freshly repaired wall where the outlines of its cracks were still visible to a naked eye. He placed his hand upon it, observing as one grey leached into the other and each just as frigid without the sun's nurturing embrace. Jakub concluded that the wall had to be struck with devastating force to fissure so overtly, yet no man, at least a normal one, possessed the necessary strength to replicate the feat. In his confusion, Jakub let it be, strolling past the confused onlookers. They caught glimpses of his form, their distrustful gazes washing over him like an icy wave.
Soon enough, castle Kinniger came into view. A lavish structure for sure, but far more focused on the functional aspects than good looks. Jakub pocketed his hand, retrieving a letter addressed to him by the estate's owner, Kinniger Eberwolf. Jakub's digits traced the smooth parchment, taking in its texture. "This must be it," said the male, a tad absentmindedly. He took steps forward, attention locked onto the letter instead of the road ahead. Jakub would've certainly bumped into someone if not for a pair of armed guards stopping him at the entrance. A superficial inspection told him that they were battle-hardened men. He towered over the two, but they displayed no fear.
"Kindly state your business, sir," piped up the guard, arm raised and pointed at Jakub. He was just as surprised as his fellow guard. Seldom did such well-dressed people pass through Kinniger. It made sense to think little of fashion when you were at constant war with man-eating monsters and other such fiends.
Jakub unfolded the letter once more, showing the seal put on it by Eberwolf himself. "Work," came the voice of a not-so-enthusiastic man, followed by no manner of formal explanation as to what kind of traffic he was conducting.
Anyone else would've been discouraged, but not him, for Jakub had a refined taste in dark arts. That which repulsed normal men only worked as an intoxicant for him. His icy eyes trailed over the rows of buildings, glinting curiously at the sight of their unusual structure and arrangement. Towers of grey rising sky-high, embraced with granite battlements, seemingly made to endure the harshest of assaults. For a small duchy, Kinniger had its fair share of oddities. Its streets were far tighter than what one would usually expect. In retrospect, it must've been done on purpose to discourage the blood-suckers from finding refuge in an urbanized area. Jakub found the streets harder to navigate, much to his misfortune. It took him a fair bit of time to squeeze between the cold walls, each sapping heat from his already disgruntled frame.
His gaze caught glimpses of something mottled, a freshly repaired wall where the outlines of its cracks were still visible to a naked eye. He placed his hand upon it, observing as one grey leached into the other and each just as frigid without the sun's nurturing embrace. Jakub concluded that the wall had to be struck with devastating force to fissure so overtly, yet no man, at least a normal one, possessed the necessary strength to replicate the feat. In his confusion, Jakub let it be, strolling past the confused onlookers. They caught glimpses of his form, their distrustful gazes washing over him like an icy wave.
Soon enough, castle Kinniger came into view. A lavish structure for sure, but far more focused on the functional aspects than good looks. Jakub pocketed his hand, retrieving a letter addressed to him by the estate's owner, Kinniger Eberwolf. Jakub's digits traced the smooth parchment, taking in its texture. "This must be it," said the male, a tad absentmindedly. He took steps forward, attention locked onto the letter instead of the road ahead. Jakub would've certainly bumped into someone if not for a pair of armed guards stopping him at the entrance. A superficial inspection told him that they were battle-hardened men. He towered over the two, but they displayed no fear.
"Kindly state your business, sir," piped up the guard, arm raised and pointed at Jakub. He was just as surprised as his fellow guard. Seldom did such well-dressed people pass through Kinniger. It made sense to think little of fashion when you were at constant war with man-eating monsters and other such fiends.
Jakub unfolded the letter once more, showing the seal put on it by Eberwolf himself. "Work," came the voice of a not-so-enthusiastic man, followed by no manner of formal explanation as to what kind of traffic he was conducting.
