undyingcourt | Test Drive Meme

Entry tags:

Test Drive Meme - New Blood

DEC TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the Undying Court Test Drive Meme! This post will allow players to test drive their AU characters in the setting, as well as meet fresh faces or even connect with those they have preexisting CR with. As with anything involved in the setting, this post will likely contain: violence, enthrallment, torture, and sexual content.

Regarding continuity, all TDM threads can be taken as in-game canon if desired. Please keep in mind that the game proper will begin in mid December, in the Winter Season, so Students/Novices should create their prompts under the assumption that the TDM takes place during the season prior to the one they will be apping as. This means that students planning to app as first season novices will be visiting Castle Courtsheart prior to their Beginning. In other words, if you plan to app a student as a second season, the TDM will take place during their first, and so on.

Feel free to brush up on the Premise, Vampire Powers, and head over to the FAQ/Game Info page if you have any questions!

Make sure you are aware of the Rules when posting your top-level. (Content warnings are always welcome!)
Please format your Top-level in this format: Character Name (AU Name if different) | Canon | Teacher/Student | Court
As a reminder, a Test Drive sample is required in order to app.
If you have any questions specific to the TDM, ask them in the Questions thread below!

Top-Level Directory:

Chat with NPC: Revar
Ace Attorney - Apollo Justice (Student)
Alice in the Country of Hearts - Alice Liddell (Student)
Attack On Titan - Erwin Smith (Teacher)
Baldur's Gate 3 - Astarion (Teacher)
Baldur's Gate 3 - Halsin (Teacher)
Baldur's Gate 3 - Raphael (Teacher)
Batman - Bruce Wayne (Teacher)
Bridgerton (Netflix) - Anthony Bridgerton (Student)
Castlevania - Soma Cruz (Student)
Castlevania: Nocturne - Maria Renard (Student)
Cosmo Warrior Zero - Harlock (Student)
Critical Role - Percy DeRolo (Teacher)
Daria - Daria Morgendorffer (Teacher)
Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha XIV (Student)
Dragon Age - Fenris (Teacher)
D&D: Honor Amongst Thieves - Edgin Darvis (Teacher)
D&D: Honor Amongst Thieves - Xenk Yendar (Teacher)
Ensemble STars!! - Mayoi Ayase (Student)
Fate/Zero - Kariya Matou (Kariya Makiri) (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Hilda Goneril (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Lorenz Hellman Gloucester (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Marianne von Edmund (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Sylvain Gautier (Student)
Final Fantasy XIV - Estinien Varlineau (Teacher)
Frozen - Prince Hans (Student)
Genshin Impact - Diluc Ragnvindr (Teacher)
Genshin Impact - Tighnari (Teacher)
Hanna Is Not A Boy's Name - Conrad Achenleck (Teacher)
Hannibal (NBC) - Will Graham (Teacher)
Jujutsu Kaisen - Gojo Satoru (Teacher)
Jujutsu Kaisen - Toji Zen'in (Teacher)
Lucifer (Netflix) - Lucifer Morningstar (Teacher)
MCU - Loki Laufeyson (Teacher)
Original - Aurinn Laurentius (Student)
Original - Bellatrix Bakhar (Student)
Original - Christine Delacroix (Teacher)
Original - Hanako 'Rosalina' Nurumi (Teacher)
Original - Jisu (Eden Woods) (Student)
Original - Karma D'Auvergn (Teacher)
Our Flag Means Death - Edward Teach (Teacher)
Our Flag Means Death - Izzy Hands (Student)
Persona 3 Portable - Kotone Shiomi (Student)
Persona 5 R - Goro Akechi (Student)
Persona 5 - Haru Okumura (Student)
Persona 5 - Ren Amamiya (Student)
Pride and Prejudice - Elizabeth Bennet (Student)
Return to Labrynth - Sarah Williams (Teacher)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Snow White (Student)
Stargate: Atlantis - John Sheppard (Teacher)
Star Trek: AOS - James T. Kirk (Student)
Star Wars - Darth Vader (Teacher)
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Trilla Suduri (Student)
The Adventure Zone: Balance - Kravitz (Teacher)
The Adventure Zone: Balance - Lydia (Teacher)
The Adventure Zone: Graduation - Fitzroy Maplecourt (Student)

NEW ARRIVALS

New arrivals will be starting their first season in the winter, but they're welcomed to the castle early, under the watchful eyes of the Silver Court. Upon arrival, they will be shown to a room by a human whose eyes glow softly from within, with vacant smiles. Thralls. There, the human thralls will draw them a bath and bring them new clothes to wear to their first meeting. These are rich, expensive things made of high quality fabric. Whether it's a silk dress and a heavy velvet cowl, or a fine pants and a vest made from a brocade, the servants will provide. The new initiate's old clothes will be burned after, in a symbol of the life they are leaving behind. If they are hungry, they will be provided food. If they need anything at all, they need only ask their new servants.

Later that night they are taken to a grand hall, with high arched ceilings and candles burning in chandeliers. There are figures painted overhead, beautiful and entwined. Some have their eyes are colored to match the courts, others are gracefully placed in their death, with blood dripping from necks and wrists.

Balconies line the hall behind a forest of pillars, and vampires all watch as the group walk through (some more hungrily than others).

"Welcome to your first undying season, initiates," a pale, silver-haired vampire calls. They have silver eyes are clad in silver robes, but command the attention of everyone in attendance. They have a beauty that seems neither male nor female. They are standing at the center of a wide semi-circle of other vampires, "As the Silver Court's acting voice at this end of the Autumn season, allow me to introduce you to the Houses that will be your new homes."

The vampire, Revar, gives the newcomers an overview of all of the courts—Blue, Red, Gold, Silver, and Black—and then invites those already claimed by their Courts to join the vampires who will be their Makers.

Revar offers the Foundlings who are left a gentle, knowing smile, and then allows them to be chosen. They are like the last sheep left at the auction, and the vampires who take them may not be the enthused about it. Nevertheless, Revar waits patiently until all have found a maker.

Now that they are paired up it is expected—indeed, required—that the initiate drink from their maker. That is their Beginning. Only once they have truly begun can they can be considered novices.

AUTUMN NOX

Silver Court is in season and for the Autumn Nox it holds a large symposium, inviting all the best vampire minds from around lands nearby and far. The whole castle is abuzz with new activity. The stables are packed full of horses, carriages litter the grounds, but somehow the castle has enough rooms to house all the new arrivals.

Novices will find that some of these vampires have not seen a human-novice in a very, very long time. These vampires might see the human-novices more like specimens, curious about their every move. They won't bite, but novices may find themselves observed as they wander the castle and its grounds.

The symposium itself is open to anyone at the castle. Scholars can present on any topic at all. Novices will find that these range from the incredibly mundane (you've always wanted to attend a history of bottom-feeding river fish, haven't you?) to the truly fascinating (new insights into how vampire hearts work) to the downright strange (the symposium has a range of lectures very close to dawn about the sharing of vampire...fluids). Seasoned novices with their own Autumn classes to attend are expected to keep up with their studies, but some teachers may let them out of a session to attend the lectures and workshops of the symposium.

The Silver Court vampires are incredibly busy between running the symposium and trying to help the new novices get settled in. They may need some volunteers to lend a hand with setting up rooms or helping scholars find their way around. In fact, volunteers might find themselves leading scholars down to the second kitchen for a bite to eat, a strong reminder that even these demure learners are still monsters who must drink blood.

PUMPKINS-GONE-WILD

The symposium isn't all that the autumn season brings. The Silver Court’s talents are on display in other ways—sometimes not in ways another had particularly hoped. An overly zealous youngblood in the Silver Court tried to grow a few extra pumpkins for the occasion and ended up with a few too many! The pumpkin vines break out of the green house and start sprouting pumpkins everywhere. These are no ordinary pumpkins, they will sprout and grow and become fully formed in the course of a night. Better keep an eye out for those vines or else your room might become full of pumpkins! Luckily, the pumpkins aren’t rotting any time soon (they’ll last until winter, or so the Silver Court vampires are saying), but it can be pretty inconvenient for them to grow everywhere. Start cutting those vines to pieces, and hope they don’t try to entangle you in the process.

LIBRARY CLEAN-UP

Meanwhile, with all the scholars in town are making a mess of the library, much to the Silver Court vampire’s dismay. Books are being checked out and not checked back in, passed around from scholar to scholar. You might find those lost books just about anywhere. Who was reading in a tree? Anyone who collects the books and returns them to the library is sure to get a little bit of favor with the librarians, and it’s never a bad thing to have a bit of an in with a Court. If you’re worried about failing Silver Court, it’s time to get searching! Although how you’re going to convince a 300 year old vampire that time is not fake and that deadlines are real (and in fact were two days ago) is anyone’s guess.

UNETHICAL EXPRIMENTS

[CW: Torture, experiments]

Those who venture towards the basement might hear something a little different than normal. The thralls who spend their time down there are normally quiet, commanded to keep silent and pleasant for the vampires they serve. But with the arrival of the new scholars comes disquieting, inhuman screams from the darker reaches of the basement. Novices trying to catch a glimpse will be chased away, but teachers might be invited to watch as these vampires experiment on one another, all in the name of science. What’s a little torture, when you’re undying?

Thanks for joining us for our first TDM! For any questions regarding the TDM prompts, please comment in the thread below. For general game questions, please check the FAQ/Game Info. Remember that the game proper will begin mid December, in the Winter Season, so Students/Novices should create their prompts under the assumption that the TDM takes place during the season prior to the one they will be apping as.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Hans scowls. Why can't people just be easy and say what they want so he can play them. ]

What, like you want money? I don't have any. Gambling's not really my thing....

[ And besides, the pumpkins don't seem interested in waiting for him to hurry. Another vine shoots out from behind the door, narrowly missing Hans' face. ]

Are you just going to stand there, then?

Getting The Band ~~Back~~ Together

[ Edgin is not helping out with the Silver Court. Forget them, if they didn't plan ahead that's on them. No, he's got another project this month. He can be found all over the Castle and its grounds hanging up flyers. These are like wanted posters, except, instead of offering a bounty for a criminal they are asking very nicely for some other people who are instrumentally inclined to join a band! Yes, next season is winter and with winter is the Blue Court's time to shine and unlike some courts (Silver) who need help (Silver) because they didn't plan ahead (Silver), Edgin is determined to be ready.

And the ready he's going to be is with a band.

The flyers just list his regular office hours, as that's the easiest way to find him, and he may even be inclined to pitch the idea to a particularly skilled novice if they've been doing well in his musical revelry classes. Red Court does not have the corner on music making. Some music is not art, some music is simply to party. Feel free to catch him hanging flyers or just visit his office hours to learn more! ]

Gossip Hours At the Teacher's Lounge (closed to teachers!)

[ After the arrival of the new students, Edgin always feels a little off. It's too weird, to see them all paraded about. To know how they're going to cut all their mortal lives short and give them a chance to be reborn into something some of them might not want to be. Nevermind the poor Foundlings, who most youngbloods turn their noses up at. Even those who were Foundlings themselves.

So he's here to engage in a good old fashioned bit of gossip! What would be better than chatting up the other teachers and finding out what they think about current students? There's nothing more distracting than drama. Also, he's here working on some lesson plans he's not just like. Doing nothing. But when someone does walk in he looks up from his lesson plans. ]

Interesting evening, right? It seems like there's more of them every time.

[ Doesn't it? Or is that just his imagination? ]

Pumpkins-Gone-Wild

[ Have you ever seen a man fight a pumpkin with a lute? Now's your chance! Edgin really is just battling pumpkin vines that are trying to keep him from his classroom (class starts in 10 minutes but he can't even open the door!!!) and while pieces of the gourds go flying, the vines don't give up in the slightest.

After a few minutes of trying and failing he pulls out a paper from his pocket and a pencil (ye olde pencil, I don't know, a piece of carcoal, a travel quill, whatever, just imagine with me) and hastily scribbles down "class on the main lawn." He then runs a hand through his hair to fix it where it was falling into his face and turns to whatever students are assembled ]

You know what? We're having class outside. C'mon kids.

Details, I see...

[ He has to admit, her advice sounds pretty good. The fact that she's offering to help him for free is a win in his book, too. He's not against doing the work, if it'll actually yield results. ]

How interesting. I never would have thought of that.

[ Rich boy from Gold Court doesn't know survival skills? Shocking. But his gratitude is genuine. ]

Thank you. I'm sure this'll be a huge help.

[ Ah. Part of her wasn't expecting the vampire to come over from her acknowledging him. Where Eden's posture and stance was quite good, but also very casual, as Xenk grew closer the teen's own stance stilled and was made a little more 'proper.' Either in knowing the difference in their places, or because of how straight this man was standing. 'What is he, military or something?' It was definitely a curiosity.

Eden wasn't going to shy away from the gaze, however, being the type to keep eye contact with whomever she was speaking with. ]

The Old Woods in the south region. Though there's a bit of a feud between a couple towns about what the whole name's meant to be, because of it's size and age.

[ In other words, those that didn't get caught up in the argument simply called it as she had. The lack of a proper town or village was purposeful; not for evasion, but simply the truth. ]

[ The scandal indeed, Anthony. What would Lady Whisperfangs think. Hans too was enjoying a stroll (and perhaps avoiding his room, as those same vines and pumpkins have taken up residence there) when he encounters Anthony. ]

Enjoying your evening, Bridgerton?

[ Look, Anthony may be a season older than him, but that's just a few months. And this is a really vivid picture, he's definitely one of Anthony's gambling buddies. ]

[Now this is the kind of lecture he enjoys. From Will's stilted conversations, he'd initially assumed his lectures would be just as stiff. But no, here's where the vampire shined. Akechi ate up his words with a glint in his eye.

When he'd paused the lecture, Akechi took a moment to ask a question.]

Could you clarify which methods of manipulation are most effective on each Court? I fear what might work on a human or a novice would be ineffective against, say, an older Red Court vampire...

[Well... he's feeling generous. Might as well have her be indebted to him in the future.]

There's one for very season.

[And yet there's five Courts.]

[No, hmm? He watches Izzy go, eyes narrowing slightly. And he scoffs.]

That hardly matters if you live a short unlife. I intend to stick around. What's the point, otherwise?

A lot of people don't.

[ It's meant as a bit of a consolation, so that Hans knew he was far from the only one that would 'never have thought of that.' A kindness, similar to her opening and flipping to a page that showed the details for poisonous plants that covered the ground. ]

I'm guessing that some of the others didn't even specify seasons or stages of the plants, but instead just details as if it were pretty clear. These are really important if any of the teachers want you to identify some local plants. Most people tend to have reaction that can be pretty... unfortunate. Some have a high resistance, but I don't think you'd want to risk finding out during a class.

[ No one wants rashes showing up in front of everyone. Get ready for even more free advice. Silver Courts are really so easy to get info from. ]

If you do touch any of these, be careful of what you touch right after. The poison's in the oils that come off, and can easily spread, so wiping it off isn't really enough. There's a chance even others can get affected by touching the contaminated areas. You'll want to wash your hands and have anything else that touched it washed as soon as possible.

[ True, you can't get a cat to do shit for you. Xenk rolls his eyes. Teachers have a duty to their students, Lydia!! ]

The visiting scholars could return to their homes in the Silver lands and share tales of our lack of organization, with so many books about. Castle Courtsheart's reputation will be tarnished if we do not intercede.

[ Founders, he is so. Like this. ]

[Well, fair enough.

He stays quiet, drinking in this information. He can put some of the pieces together, the implication. Ah -- so many do not come here of their own free will. It's strange for him to think about.]

A human man is nothing before a vampire.

[Evenly, but he figured the meaning is clear. She could easily make him pay for what he's done.]

Thank you, [ Kariya answers, reflexively, the words a distracted mumble. He studies Eden as she steps closer; he recalls seeing her—one of the Foundlings, he thinks—but he hadn't appreciated how young she had looked at the time.

It makes something curl in his stomach, bitter and sharp. No one should be forced to come here, of course—but especially not teenagers, and especially not ones that haven't been prepared for it. ]

You don't have to worry about my clothes. I don't mind if they get torn. [ The slide of the dagger rouses him from his gloomy thoughts, so he tells her that. As she pares away the vines, Kariya remains obligingly still. ] I didn't expect them to be so strong. Or so fast.

[Maybe with a bribe of food or something else she likes, but other than that? Eh. Ehhh.

She didn't ask to be a teacher, it was just boring to sit around and do nothing!!!!]

Stiiiiiill not seeing the problem or why I, myself should give an iota of a damn. Wow, the reputation of this place drops. Wow, as if I actually care about any of that. I'm here for myself and to make people as fun as possible, not for this place's reputation~

[There are two kinds of people and they're currently butting heads, clearly.]

[He laughs. It's careful and restrained, but edges on his darker undertones. Because it's genuinely funny. Or maybe he's just hiding the fact that maybe, just maybe, he wants to be in there.]

Have you gone in to see what they're doing?

[He knows there's no way he's getting in. But maybe he can get some of the details out of this teacher...]

[She considers it to be more of her own free will than not, by this point. There was no use fighting it... but also, she is choosing what she does here, within the limitations of being brought to the castle in the first place. Her father wasn't going to give her any such choices.]

True. I haven't decided how I'm going to impress that fact upon him yet. It might be more entertaining to keep him alive.

[As if she were going to judge anyone for doing nothing, especially after the whole tradition nonsense that some of them couldn't care less about. She might be the tiiiiiniest bit drunk, just a tiny bit, since her smuggling in a drink during the whole ordeal isn't really new and is the best way to keep her from getting into some kind of chaos in the moment.

It's not really doing anything in hindsight as she's just going to flop into the nearest chair, sitting in it backwards and resting her chin on the top of said chair.]

There always is, if they aren't careful there's going to be more vampires than there are humans which... sounds like a way to make us all go extinct.

I suppose.

[He watches the thrall until they disappear down the hall. Then, he turns to the girl. Now that his burst of emotion has come and gone, his expression is much more flat as he considers her. But it's not as though he has no feelings at all, or is actively concealing them. There's just a distance to him at the moment, brought on by exhaustion.]

I was caught.

[He knows the dagger's going to strike before he feels it slice open his skin.

You're dead rattles around in his head. Anger uncoils within him, frustrating at his own inability to do better. Failure is a natural part of progress, but he loathes it all the same. He falls back and catches his breath, touching his wound briefly to tell how extreme it is. Not too bad. Probably won't even scar.

He knows he'll get sloppy if he lets his emotions take over. He reconsiders, assesses. This time when he makes a strike, he goes for Fenris' hand. To disarm him -- or wound him more -- will buy him some safety to make a more serious attack.]

Are vampires people?

[He asks it with philosophical sarcasm as he moves on to his next potato. The thrall helpfully adds a new one to the pile to replace it.]

They eat people.

[Honestly, he thinks it's a better option anyway. Seems more like a gift than a punishment.]

Hmmn. So you're the sort for a prolonged torment? I can respect that.

It's just then that Apollo walks up, leaning around the taller man to get a peek at the schedule. He's clearly a first-year student by virtue of still being human, which means he's been having to keep his distance from the hungrier-looking of the scholars. Though he's been dropping by on his breaks, there's been disappointingly few lectures on anything he's actually interested in, like vampire law - instead half of it's been weird stuff that's hard for him to believe anyone but the most myopic Silvers might care about.

"Oh, yeah, you'd be surprised," Apollo says to him off-handedly. "The guy I served had to be reminded to feed his thralls all the time. He just kept forgetting about the grocery budget."

[ Luckily, there were some people going around and regularly helping out with the rampant vines. Some had even been leaving people in rather vulnerable positions, aside from tripping up a good portion of both students and thralls. It was mostly thralls. So there's no surprise or call for help when Eden discovers the delicate situation that the Gold Court student was caught in. Given the green-grey stains on her sleeve, skirt and hands, it was likely far from the first ~~or last~~. Each step on or over the troublesome vines spoke more to ease of avoiding getting tripped by similar things, given most of her attention was assessing the poor guy's situation. ]

Not another... Hold on.

[ Reaching behind her, a dagger was pulled out like it was your regular ol' utility and weeding knife. Except this is one of those daggers meant for concealment, and had a snake head embossed on the small pommel. The way she goes over to either fully cut the vines that were away from Anthony's body, or carefully going through to only slice through 95% of the vine's thickness, it was clear that she was used to using it as a normal knife. It takes a few minutes before she starts wiping the blade on the silver clothes and backing off.

It would've been faster, but there were times she had to cut some new tendrils short of getting her, or adding to the pile. Still, she's proud of getting this done rather smoothly. ]

Okay, if you pull against what's left, it should snap off. I'd move pretty quickly after you do, though.

Mm.

[If Mayoi has been very astute, he may note that the wordless little hum is in a much more pleasant tone than the usual "hn" grunts he lets out when attention is directed at him in class. It seems he is in a nicer mood today?

He munches another jelly bean and makes no move to offer any, or to help with the vines.]

Blue from the looks of it.

[He answered for both questions]

Name's Phantom Harlock - most just call me Harlock.

And just like that, the confrontation is over. The cloak falls unfolded as the thrall lets go, and Kevin bundles the sorry thing up in his arms, clasping it close to his chest. The vampire's observation is met with a scoff.

"It's not fit to be worn."

He's well aware of the garment's condition; he didn't want to keep it so he could keep using it. Keeping it stuffed beneath his pillow to clutch onto like some shredded teddy bear will suit the scary serial killer just fine.

The crisis passed, he eyes the other askance, his expression guarded. The thrall listened to this person, so he must be a vampire. Kevin does not expect kindness from vampires to come without some sort of catch.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

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Test Drive Meme - New Blood

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Edgin Darvis | D&D:HAT | Teacher | Blue Court

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pumpkins

autumn nox, hit him with everything

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Gossip???? Gossip!

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Autumn Nox

pumpkins

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