Young Writers Society

The Northern Carnival Camp (Camp NC) is a small camp in the fjords of Norway, Europe. It is known for its unique activities, involving people of all ages, expertise of the leaders and a marvelous carnival which concludes the three weeks people spend at the Camp. It's a peaceful, friendly place, hidden from civilisation - although close to a village where all the supplies come from. Stepping in is often described as stepping into another era or another world, and people who visited it in the past have only nice memories to share.
And now it's your turn, having bought or won your way in, to observe all these virtues people speak about, with your own senses.

Except, the Virtues lured you there.
And the Sins are coming.

Depending on your role - look below - you're either one of the people running the show, or one of the participants. You can be of any age and gender. The Sins are siblings, and so are the Virtues. The humans can be in any relationship with other humans, or have none at the beginning of the story. We're closing at 15 slots - the rest shall be either NPCs or too young to even be around, or not even born yet. Please keep in mind that, while your character might be impersonation of one of the Virtues or Sins, it doesn't necessarily make them approve of or live in accordance with all the others - they all still have personalities of their own. Similarly, if you're a human and a vessel-to-be, it doesn't mean you're already any kind of representation of the Sin or Virtue you're a vessel of - you can have absolutely nothing in common, at least in the beginning. Also, as a relevant side fact, once the Sins or Virtues make their way into the new vessels, and transfer their memories and full powers, the mind of the human who used to be in there will be pushed back inevitably.
The future vessels of Pride, Sloth and Greed are accompanying their Sins respectively, having been raised by them and taught to control their powers and to become the perfect vessels. For more information, see below and the DT.

Sins and Virtues:
You've lived on Earth for centuries, influencing billions and walking amongst them in your human form - your vessel. But vessels don't last forever, and there comes a time every couple of centuries when your mind and memories have to be moved into a new body. By tradition, the Sins find and train their future vessels, while the Virtues observe them and let them grow on their own before taking them; however, the two sides are leading endless battles, among themselves and against each other, and there's only three siblings left on each side. The vessels trained by the dead Sins are now as scattered around the world as those of the Virtues, and it's only them - now with developed powers - who can serve as vessels for the fallen Sins and Virtues. It's on Pride, Greed and Sloth - and Humility, Kindness and Chastity - to find these new vessels for their lost brothers and sisters, before they too need to switch to the new vessels, and the memories of their siblings, which they are guardians of now, get lost forever. Of course, this is the goal of the opposite side.
When a vessel dies, before getting the memories of the Sin/Virtue, a new one is born, but it doesn't necessarily happen right away.

Humans with full powers:
You are the vessels for the Sins and Virtues who died, but that is not something you know. You've felt something strange happening for years, and one day, finally, you suddenly realised how powerful you are. That you can control others, to a degree, make or see things change or happen if you wish for it - but still, you don't know why, you can't control it, and you don't know if you're the only one. You might know of the concepts of the Sins and Virtues, you might even connect your own abilities to one of them - but really, who would ever believe it if you talked about it?

Humans with dawning powers:
You are the vessels for the Sins and Virtues who still live. If you are the future vessel of a Sin then you will have been raised by your Sin from a young age, and probably have a close relationship to them. They have taught you how to control your powers as they appear, so even though you are not very powerful you are in complete control.
If you are the future vessel of a Virtue then you've started to feel that something is off; hints of abilities you didn't possess before, rarely controllable and completely unexplainable. Maybe you still have families or friends, maybe you even go to school or work, and these strange powers are starting to stand in the way of you living your normal life. Then again, maybe they came at the best possible moment, and your life is finally turning the way you want it to be.

Limitations of the powers:

Character Slots:

Character template:

Code: Select all

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Sin/Virtue:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]History:[/b]
[b]Power(s):[/b]
[b]Relationship to other characters:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]

Rules:
- No godmodding, no Mary/Gary Sues no killing characters without permission, no douchiness.
- Plot with the others. Don't make random major plot twist without discussing it first in the DT (or pad).
- What Aria and Alv say goes.
- Cursing, gore and sex scenes are allowed, but those scenes should be fairly faded out, and if your character curses it has to suit their personality. Taboo stuff is fine as well, as long as it's in character.
- This SB requires you to collaborate not only when writing your post, but also when you're making your profile (at least if you're one of the sins/virtues). The sins and virtues will have known each other for a very long time, and they are bound to have a lot of history with each other. The human however do not need to know each other at all.

Drew Ambrose | Developing Kindness

Mom had just arrived to pick me up from my visit with Dad again, and they were arguing about something or other. Dad wanted to send me to a camp in the mountains for the summer, and Mom didn’t want me to go. I kept on eating, completely ignoring them.

But something in the back of my head spoke to me. Just a vague feeling. Maybe I should go. I listened a little to the way Dad was describing the camp. On the mountains by the lake, plenty of log cabins. It sounded a lot like the quiet place.

The quiet place was something I created in my mind when I was upset. My therapist, Mr. Ismet, had suggested it to me, but I decided what it looked like. It was my dream someday to live in a real life version of the quiet place.

I said quietly, “I want to go to the camp.”

Mom and Dad both turned to look at me, and neither of them said anything. After a long quiet moment, Mom finally said, “Look at me when we’re talking, Drew.”

I looked up, but I wasn’t really seeing her. I was seeing a cabin in a sunny grove in the woods, with a trickling stream flowing past. There was a goat grazing out in front, a couple chickens sticking close to the house, and a sheep in a pen. There was a kitten frolicking in the garden alongside the bunny I had when I was six, before Lee let it loose. No dogs. Dogs were loud and they made my head hurt. No people either. People were also too loud. I knew inside the cabin there would be the materials for everything I liked to do, like a kitchen and a library. Every single little detail, down to the spiderweb that stretched between two tines of the porch fence, was chosen by me. I frowned and changed it a little. I like mountains. Now the cabin was much higher up in altitude, and the stream had mini waterfalls. The quiet place.

I blinked and abruptly the quiet place disappeared. Mom shook her head, as if she were a dog shaking off something wet. “Honey, the camp is far away, and rather expensive-”

“I said I’d pay for it,” Dad cut in.

“Fine. She can go if...if her therapist says yes to this harebrained scheme of yours.”

A smile broke out across Dad’s face, and he was shaking a little, as if he was trying to keep from laughing. “That’s fine with me. Promise to her you’ll let her go if he says yes.”

Mom hesitated for a moment, then said, “I promise.”
******************************************************
“He said what?” Mom shouted.

“Mr. Ismet said that the trip to the camp would be good for me, and that I should go. Isn’t that what I just said?”

She sighed and grabbed the phone. “Mr Ismet?....What was your answer to Drew?....About the trip?....You really did say that, didn’t you?....I’m sorry for bothering you...Goodbye.” Mom turned and called to my sister. “Lee, honey, I need you to drive Drew to summer camp and stay and camp with her, okay?”

My older sister crossed her arms over her chest. “Not okay. I was going to spend the summer with my dad, or don’t you remember him?”

I stopped paying attention. I knew sooner or later Mom would point out Lee has to bring me, or she can’t stay here with Mom during the school year anymore. Her dad’s house is too far away for her to live there while going to school.
**************************************************
We rode the ferry in Lee’s car across the lake to the town that the camp was near. When we reached the other side, I climbed out of the car and waited for Lee to follow. She didn’t.

“Listen, kid, all you do is follow up the path to the camp, okay? I’m going to visit my dad, like I planned. It’s just camp. There will be counselors to look after you, and I’ll pick you up at the end of camp, okay? But you can’t tell Mom when we get back that I wasn’t with you for this.”

“Why?”

“Look, did Mr. Ismet talk to you about being nice? Being nice is doing things for the benefits of others. In this case, you wouldn’t be telling Mom about me not being here because you’d be being nice and letting me spend time with my dad.”

“But-” The ferry made a noise.

Lee swore. “Kid, get off the ferry and go to your camp before the boat leaves.” I complied.
******************************************************************
I walked to the camp on my own. Oddly enough, I didn’t see any other campers on the way. Good. The silence was pleasant.

When I arrived at the camp, I found a woman with a tag that said “counselor” on her chest. I remembered Mom told me counselors are the people at camps who tell you what to do and where to go, so I asked her, “Excuse me. Can you tell me where my cabin is?” A moment later, I added, “I’m Drew Ambrose,” thinking that maybe she would need to check a list.

She grinned slightly. “Kid, are you lost?”

I frowned. “I don’t think so. This is the cmap on this brochure, right?” I pulled said brochure out of my pocket.

She sighed and glanced at her list. “Hmm. Seems you are on here. Cabin two. Head in and take a right, and all the cabins are over there. When you’re done unpacking, come to the center of the camp where the big stage is. We’re having everyone meet up there for your presentation and introduction.”
*********************************************************************
My cabin was a simple log cabin, like the one in the quiet place, but it wasn’t anywhere near as interesting. Just a couple of beds with a chest at the foot of each to put our stuff. I tossed my bag on top of the bed farthest to the right and started unpacking.

Clothes, clothes, more clothes, a book, a toothbrush and some toothpaste, other boring stuff...it all went in the chest, which conveniently had a lock. A couple of books that I tenderly placed on top. My knitting needles and a ball of yarn. Quiet hobbies, and I could pretend I couldn’t hear someone because I was concentrating if I was reading or knitting. My stuffed toy cat, which looked like the kitten for the quiet place. I thought for a moment and locked the chest without putting the toy in. I would bring it with me. I left my empty backpack on the end of my bed for now, and wandered out the door.

It wasn’t hard to find the central stage. There were already a few children milling about, most much older than me. I found an empty spot to sit in the grass and close my eyes and imagine.

Reano Crest – Full Powered, Wrath
Discovering his true nature.

Reano Crest, was once a boy who had no one in the world. No family, friends, not even a little pet. Even though he was always surrounded by others in the old orphanage that he was raised in as a child, he was always alone. He never knew who his parents were or why they placed him into the orphanage. As a child, he is always quiet and reserved. He never played with the other children. All he knew that he felt a strange aura inside of him, just waiting to burst out of his chest. Every day, he always noticed a man in a dark suit who had red eyes that just glared at Reano every time he came to visit the orphanage. Reano was confused to why this man would come every day, keeping an eye on him, but somehow, inside Reano’s heart, he felt like he could trust this stranger.

Then one day, the man came with papers that said ‘Adoption Papers’ at the top of the paper. He stood in front of Reano, smiling at him as he took a hold of Reano in his arms. As the man and Reano walked out of the Orphange, Reano glared at the man, staring into his soul.

“My, my. You have such a glare, young one.” The man finally spoke, glaring right back at Reano with such intensity. He felt like he should bow down to the man, before danger comes close. Reano’s glare was even more intensifying than the man’s, which was very impressive to his new father.

“What is your name, young one?”

Reano spoke in a soft voice, feeling emotionless. “Reano…”

“Ah… Did your parents name you that?”

Reano shook his head, staring up at the man he now calls his only family. “I named myself Reano…”

Reano then looked down at the ground as the man stopped walking the long walk back to his place. All the man could do was pat his head gently, and told him that everything was okay. The man replied with his name: Wrath. Just Wrath. Reano found it odd that his name was Wrath, but somehow, he was okay with the name. Wrath smiled and decided to give Reano the last name that he has given himself: Crest. Reano Crest.

----

Throughout the years of living with Wrath, Reano learned violence was key, but silent violence and rage was deep inside him. He didn’t know why he had these feelings deep in his soul, but he knew that it was his true nature.

During his time in middle school, he has been called the most hated boy in school due to his hatred and violent nature. The kids were afraid mostly from his awful glare. He would stare into the souls of the children, feeling the urge of hurting their feelings, minds, hearts, bodies, and many more. He didn’t know why he had these urges, but he didn’t deny them because he knew that this is his true self. Reano’s reputation became worse and worse to the point where he got kicked out of middle school. After his attendance of middle school, Wrath decided to teach him his learning by home-schooling Reano, which Reano agreed to, since Wrath was the only person he liked.

By the time Reano turned 18, Wrath died from causes unknown. Reano didn’t feel sad about his death, but he sure indeed missed his only family.

----

Reano, now 23, lives in a small apartment with a low-wage job as a plumber. After his day at work, he check his mailbox and took the mail out of it. As he headed inside his apartment, he noticed something came in the mail, something about a camp of some sort.
“Northern Carnival… Camp?” He became confused of why he would be invited to a camp, full with other people. He began to question why would this happen to him, and why choose him, out of all people. He noticed something at the bottom of the invitation.

“Oh… Carnival freaks, huh? Well, I’m not going.”

Few days later.

“…Yet, I still came here. Damn.” Reano felt anger in his heart because he came to this hell-hole of a camp, but somehow in his heart, that he wanted to come here. He believed that this camp had something to do with his abilities that he discovered a few years back. He didn’t know why would he have such power, but he liked it. His power to intensify people’s feelings with his silent violence nature seemed interesting to him.

As soon as he walked inside the camping area, he was guided to his resting area. Reano felt like he was going to hate this place if he stayed here any longer, but he had to find out what he is, or he will never know.

As he opened the door to his cabin, which was Cabin One, he noticed the emptiness of the room. He saw two beds separate from each other, but only one night stand. Great… this is a roommate thing now?

Reano was not prepared to what this camp has in store for his arrival.

Alphonse Cabernet

"Master Cabernet, Master Cabernet." Alphonse had been standing on the prow of the ship gazing in to the murky morning fog. He turned to see the person yelling his name the captain of the sailing vessel he was traveling upon. It was designed to look like an old Portuguese caravel, but was actually outfitted with a motor so the sails were slightly for show. "Master Cabernet, I had come to tell you that the lookout had spotted land and that we should be arriving buy roughly noon."

"Excellent, Captain Garibaldi." The elderly captain had been working for my father for years and upon my father's death offered his services to me. The Captain and I were good friends; I had never much liked planes so sea travel was preferred meaning in my years of wanderinghe had long been a companion.
"Tell the men they are free to go ashore as usual. Also tell them we may be here for quite a while."

The Captain looked at me and I already knew a question was soon to come. He knew I never liked to stay in one place more than a week at best so my decision now would raise his suspicion. "You still haven't told me for what reason we've come to such an isolated place Alphonse we're friends surely you can confide in me. So tell me, why here, and why for so long?"

I looked at the man, he knew me almost as well as my father had, and I kept few if any secrets from him. "I'm coming here for a sort of retreat, Giuseppe. There's a camp here that culminates in a sort of carnival and it's caught my interest." I turned from him briefly, knowing the town and the camp lay far off in the distance. "I received an invitation when we were visiting Prague, via letter no less, so I felt if the people in charge of such a camp felt it so important to find and message me it would be polite to attend."

Captain Garibaldi nodded his head in agreement," indeed well I'll tell the men to get ready," he began to walk away. "Oh and Alphonse once you reach that camp be careful there could be other reasons for them to track you down so carefully."
He proceeded to go tell the men what I had said. Captain Giuseppe Garabaldi, no relation to the historical figure, but still an excellent captain and a better friend.

I returned to my previous position just gazing forward. Eventually the clouds began to lift and I could see the town. We weren't long getting in to port. From what I saw it was a magnificent town for being so remote. I said my goodbyes to the crew and captain; and began to make my way towards the camp. Upon my arrival despite my age a counselor that look suspiciously like a man I once meant that when by the name of Pride directed me to a fairly large cabin. He left and I began to get set up, with such a large cabin well the brief retreat might just end up being fun.