The Valley of Headless Men
The heavily graveled sand of the half-frozen beach crunched beneath Kurt's dark brown hiking boots as he stepped off of the boat's gangplank. He and his team still had a long ways to go before reaching the Nahanni valley. A large snowfield and winding forest paths unfolded before him as his vision adjusted to the distant tree line.
Unfastening the collar of his charcoal gray insulated jacket, he felt the cool air snake around his neck and grasp it. He needed to make sure any sweat on his body was dry before continuing, lest he develop hypothermia. So he toughened up and let the cold in on the spot, shaking out his wiry frame and wiggling his toes as he unfastened his jacket.
Not only did he wear a dark blue fleece sweater beneath the insulated coat, but beneath that he also wore a pair of long Johns. He didn't intend to get more chilled than was necessary. Even if he did have a small amount of natural insulation thanks to the junk food he had grown accustomed to, he wanted to make every effort to keep the cold out.
Walking forward a few steps, Kurt stretched every muscle he could force to wake up after the long boat ride. Even his reddish-brown beard felt like it needed exercise. Scratching it thoroughly before running his hands up his sideburns and into his short hair, he realized he wasn't wearing his toboggan. Reaching into his coat pocket, he withdrew the dark blue item and slid it atop his scalp, rolling it up above his ears. He liked blue. Maybe it was just because brought out his eyes, as they were the same color, but he always felt like he looked sharp in any shade of it.
Squeezing his elongated nose with one hand, he could tell the cold was already leeching warmth away from him. The cartilage of both his nose and ears already felt numb. He figured he had best head back into the cabin of the boat. Kurt turned, re-fastening the buttons on his jacket before shoving his hands into his trousers, which were black, cargo-style insulators, and walking back up the loading plank and onto the boat.
The boat wasn't the optimal means of travel in this kind of weather, but it was the only thing they could get in the town they left from. It was a large fishing boat. The kind that fisherman used to stay out on the water for days or even weeks at a time. It had some storage space, a kitchen, and some bunks, but it wasn't comfortable, so it was good they could leave it behind. The anchors were set and there was little chance of anyone coming out this far above the sixtieth parallel just to steal an old fishing boat.
As he stepped back onto the deck of the boat, the dogs all grew excited. They began shaking their rear ends wildly and licking their lips or yawning. There were twelve of them, Huskies, all healthy and strong enough to pull for the team. Two team members could ride each sled, and the dogs would be divided amongst them on the sleds.
Kurt reached down to the canines and gave most of them a scratch on the head as he walked by. He would head back to the cabin of the boat and see if the rest of the team were ready to go, as well as pack the remainder of his gear.
"Nahanni valley." Kurt spoke as he stopped just outside the cabin door. He looked to the far East where the massive mountains surrounding the valley stood with god-like presence. "The Valley of Headless Men." He scoffed quietly at the nickname before opening the door and heading inside.
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This roleplay will basically have limited spots. There are only 12 sled dogs to take us to the valley. With 2 people riding each sled needing at least four dogs, that means there can be only six players including myself.
This RP will have survival, mystery, and psychological themes. The team will have a small amount of weapons to survive and hunt with, but we won’t be preparing to kill everything we see so weapons are basic and ammunition is scarce.
With that said, the weapons and equipment of previous groups that entered the valley may be found. This equipment may date back a hundred or even a thousand years when nomadic tribes were in the area.
To point out and clarify some things: This roleplay will take place in a fictional version of the Nahani Valley, a very remote area in the far North, surrounded by massive mountains and sheer walls of ice. The valley itself however is said to be a geothermal epicenter of hotsprings that cause the entire area to be almost tropical. Very rare flora and fauna are said to reside here with some species highly endangered or outright on the extinct list (officially).
We will play the role of a group of researchers and explorers who are not only mapping the area, but also conducting scientific research on the valley, despite the horrifying legends the valley is known for. As such, I will be adding information about what we find as we go. Also, this RP will be mid to high casual. I want at least a paragraph, unless the situation calls for a one liner.
So in short: Survive, research, (insert plot devices), go home…maybe.
I’m open for any questions. Source material is located here:
http://raven-talesoftheweird.blogspot.com/2011/02/valley-of-headless-men.html