undyingcourt | Test Drive Meme

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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

Halsin hadn't really expected to have anyone ask him questions and especially not something so important. He smiles down at the man, clearly taking his time to think about what he should say. It's difficult, if only because there's a large part of Halsin that thinks that one shouldn't fight their nature. But that's hypocritical because he does it too.

"If someone came to me, for anything, I would try to help them out. I am only fifty years a vampire, but I have studied very hard to learn all I can about the process. There might be ways of making it more manageable. For example, I don't drink from Thralls. I only take from those who are fully willing...or from those who have done grievous wrong and should not live to harm further." And even then, he doesn't hunt them himself. He has friends in the Black that keep him well supplied. He chooses not to ask where it comes from.

"Are you worried? That your instincts might lead you on a bad path?"

[She appears at his side and he turns towards her, teeth fully bared, snarling like a rabid beast. He doesn't mean to. Usually, he has such a handle on his temper, but Halsin's personal space has been encroached upon and he's very territorial. His lips immediately draw down and he looks away, reaching for the knife as he does.]

Then they should suggest to them that they don't block the way to my office. What if someone needed aid? [Of course that's not fully all of it. He just doesn't like that his personal space had been bothered.] Thank you for this though. It should do a lot better than hands.

[He'll start cutting the vines, anger at the moment tucked away.] I should find who had this idea and make them clean everything up.

"You don't have to be afraid to be careful." He points out, evenly. He knows that she might be able to bounce back if she does, but he'd rather she didn't test that. What good would he be as a nurse if he stood by and let someone do something so dangerous without staying there to make sure they could walk away from it after.

"I'm going to stay right under you. Just in case. Those shelves are old and while you aren't heavy, they could still break under foot." He places himself once more just below so he can indeed catch her should the worst happen.

"That said. I think there's another book just up there." He points to a high corner with far too much dust and too many cobwebs. It must have been misplaces years before. "You can toss it down with the other. I promise I'll not make off with them to get in good with the Librarian." Unlike many vampires, Halsin doesn't like to take credit for others work.

[In any other situation, Halsin would have noted the way Percy was talking and seen his wrists. He would have teased that the young man had finally made him a proud grandfather. Perhaps he will later, after his temper has cooled and he can know that his personal space is safe and not full of gourds.

He turns, looming over Percy, that snarl rumbling low and dangerous in his throat. But he'd never hurt one of his own. He'd never hurt the man he considered his Son. One of his very very few chosen progeny.]

That would be most welcome, Percival. Before I lose myself completely and try to take this door off, vines and all. In fact, I'll go with you.

[The walk should cool his temper.]

And maybe we can think of the many ways we're going to use all those wretched pumpkins. The Thralls have to eat of course. And I'm sure the rats and the other vermin will be great and fat from it for a while.

[Elias was an interesting youngblood, he was only a couple years her inferior but was still a deeply capable person she could rely on at times like these. He was good at his job and an excellent Silver. So, without hesitation she hands off the soiled towel and takes the new one, cleaning the remaining blood from her hands. Luckily the procedure wasn't as bloody as some.]

Things are going well, I believe I figured out the perfect trajectory of the pick into the skull to sever the hemispheres of the brain. It was all rather clean, now if only the scholar didn't heal he would act as if a thrall.

[She was rather pleased with herself. Hopefully this would make for huge leaps in medical science.]

And you needn't worry, I injected saliva after, he will be right as rain soon enough.

[He knows her approach from the sound of her heels alone. Halsin knows that walk anywhere. Normally, he might stand to acknowledge her presence, usually because he knows he'll have to pick her up and move her out of his way. But now, he welcomes her intrusions. Her presence keeps him from dwelling even more on the activities that are going on below.

She leans upon him and his arm moves out of habit to drape about her shoulder and pull her a little closer. He might be clinging just a little because here is a little splash of sanity to keep him from going mad.]

They do. I was asked for by name. The Court insisted I attend just in case. [He has to agree though. It's like this every time. They keep doing this to him.] I think they want it to be...it's their way of giving me aversion therapy. Make me confront it enough times that I stop hating it. What sort of vampire am I that this stuff makes me squeamish? They're just trying to help me be a better member of the Court. [His voice says he doesn't actually believe that in the slightest. It's probably some psychological experiment from another Silver somewhere, watching him to see how many years he'll withstand it before he either breaks and joins the debauchery or simply throws away his medical vows and leaves.]

You'll be going down there today?

[Ah, her little Josuke, keeping his eyes on her face like that. How cute. And with a question that is worth her time, she was happy to answer.]

A valid concern, most cannot eyeball that with ease, some learn to.. ah, estimate it with time and practice, but with vampires - being as they are - you learn to listen to the heartrate of your thrall and how close you are getting to that point.

[Thralls are compelled to stay calm usually, unless a vampire has a particular taste for adrenaline - she personally thinks it sours the blood. So the heartbeat is steady, but when enough blood is drained it will start to slow dangerously.]

That's no fun, these scholarly types take everything so seriously.

[He makes a face at the idea that someone wouldn't want Lydia's touch and company, he would be open to both. Honestly, it's part of the reason he approached was because he saw her and thought he could keep her company while they listen to the... screams of agony the scholars were inflicting upon each other.

Maybe not exactly romantic, but he wasn't here to romance. At least it sounded like the scholars were having a good time.]

Aw, can't I do both at the same time? Because your ass is looking great and I'm not opposed to kissing it. [Smooth Kirk.]

[Oh boy, just when he thinks Hans is a dumbass the man shows himself to be dumber than he thought, because he didn't even realize that was a slight against him or take it as a joke. Who would take a joke about plants "knowing" something seriously. He almost lets his smile slip but keeps it in place.

Some small part of his mind thinks "not yet, science isn't that advanced yet" but the thought is foggy and gone as fast as it came. Like a dream that you wake up from and forget the second you blink your eyes open..]

Well, plants don't actually know any better, that was a joke. Sorry to confuse you.

[He looks through the books, but stops to tap his finger against his chin,]

Well, poison ivy for one, always has three shiny leaves on a vine, it can look a lot like an other vined plants, some even look like shrubs, but the stem is furry, it's how it delivers it's poison to the skin. If you see a hairy vine, don't touch it.

[He certainly seems to prefer this calling than politicking in Gold, at least. Elias turns to stuff the bloodied towel into a hemp sack hanging from his cart (meant for used linen to be laundered), and it's a good thing he's so hardworking, because when he blanches at Karma’s words his face is half turned away. At least he didn't do that to his senior’s face, you know, there might even be a chance they don't notice.]

oh…

[He's young enough for his body to remember mortality, in some way, because that sounds viscerally uncomfortable to him. But, well, he knows it's just an instinctual reaction.]

… I'm glad you were there to keep everything under control with your expertise… I'll um, look forward to your presentation when you've perfected the method.

[He's not up to date on why Karma wants to cut into people's brains and he's a little afraid to ask. A little…. he's also a little morbidly curious.]

…the experimental subject, were they- conscious, during-? [it sounds insane but when he tried to offer a sedative earlier the scholars were like “fuck no” so??] -how must it feel?

You're not wrong, there is a difference, but the black court does what it does for a reason too... most of the time I assume at least. Not like the blue court that likes to torment people with night terrors just for the fun of it. If you ask me at least.

[Raised in blue court lands, he knows what it's like to be tormented by night terrors, to fear.. maybe he has taken the chance to turn it back around on people but he doesn't do it without reason. Sure, Hans is someone that annoys the snot out of him, but he wasn't outright cruel to the other man. Just picked on him a little.

He raises his hands in defeat though, giving in to what she's saying.]

I can see you are able to handle yourself, I won't try to protect you. I get your point of view, what you have to do to survive verses what you do for fun. I'm not about to go out there and kick a pup for fun, I promise you that.

[She notices the blanche, but it doesn't offend her - it might have with other people, but not Elias - maybe it was because she was fond of him. She thought of him as a... gentler soul than herself, much like many of the younger silvers. But she was interested in advancing medical science, she didn't care the cost. A number of vampires and thralls have died at her hands and she would do it all again without hesitation. How better to heal people than to know what harms them?

Still, she gives him a smile.]

Oh, yes of course, it's the best way to monitor the effects and status of the patient. And it must be excruciating I am sure. Though I believe the brain doesn't have any ability to feel pain, so it's really just the eye-socket that I deliver the pick through.

[Hands clean, she hands him the other soiled rag, with a nod of thanks.]

He'll be on his feet in no time, I assure you.

Yes.

[By her attire, he's guessing she's Gold Court. He keeps running into Gold Court people, and it hasn't stopped feeling awkward yet. He's still not entirely sure why the Court he was raised in didn't claim him as well.

And he should at least try to make conversation here...]

What do you think of it so far?

"I thought I would end up in Gold, honestly." And he's not sure what it says about him that he didn't.

"I wonder if anyone's going to step forward and claim... credit." Kotone's thoughts are apparently going on a similar track to Haru's.

Kotone would agree with that.

...Right. Introductions. "I'm Kotone."

"Oh?" She almost follows that up with do tell, but all things in due time.

[He considers her words seriously as he puts away the other towel, and eventually responds:]

Well, what better test subjects than these.

[Sturdier than any thrall, and able to report how it feels too. He can see the benefits even if it weirds him out.]

You said that the vampire’s innate healing prevented him from becoming a thrall, right?

This man.. sandwich foisting!! Very rude??

"I'll attend the bio and ecology talks, when I'm not giving them myself. There's also a presentation on native plant-based poisons that I'm interested in."

But he'll likely attend even more than those, if he can find the time, at least. Tighnari's been busy managing scholars and hosting his own seminars, on top of his usual faculty duties. It's tiring!! He's going to sleep for a week once this symposium finally concludes.

"Wild zombie stories are unlikely. I advise you check the fiction section of the libraries instead."

I did - thank you.

[ weary though he might be, tighnari smiles nonetheless, taking a modicum of pride in his work. ]

My favorite so far was a presentation on a newly cultivated flower - the Moon Lotus. They think it might aid in enhancing a potion of underwater breathing, on top of being a wildly potent sedative."

[ maybe not but it sure seems Exhausting!! ]

Something tells me you'll survive just fine.

[ he remarks, though when the vines knock the knife from his hand he hisses in retaliation. all right, no more mister nice fox. seizing them in both hands, tighnari wrenches hard, using his vampiric strength to rip them away from the hinges, his claws sinking deep. he's done playing coy with these vines!! ]

As for that, you have me as your witness. You won't suffer detention.

I do, I enjoy the symposium very much, but arrogant, know-it-all guests are another thing entirely.

[ vampires are bad enough as it is. vampire scholars are even worse. they all think they're the sharpest, most clever of the bunch, and gods it can be exhausting to deal with their empty headed, passive aggressive tiffs over the potency of the indigo milk cap. ]

As a lifetime learner myself, scholars are absolutely the worst.

Mm.. just a little.

[ he says, already breathless, and he smiles at the way diluc plucks open the buttons of his shirt. with his partner on the job, tighnari is able to put his own hands to better use, burying them in diluc's fiery mane as he leans in to kiss him, hot and hard and hungry.

immediately he feels some of the tension he's been carrying in his gut begin to loosen and unwind. he deepens the kiss immediately, licking into diluc's mouth, sampling his flavor, dragging his fangs along that plush lower lip. his hands then drop down, pushing into diluc's coat to feel his body through his shirt. tighnari already knows every dip and plane, knows the shape of diluc's ribs and the ridges of his shoulderblades, but he nevertheless is always eager to relearn them. ]

You're neither intolerable nor a wretch. That's enough of that.

[ he says, sternly but gently still, as he turns to carefully guide the young aspirant away from the grand hall and into the corridor without. there are still some people milling about, but it's far quieter, and the night is darker here, lit only by the flickering sconces on the wall. ]

Here, to the window.

[ the arched stone window nearby - through it, the cool, crisp autumn night air drifts. ]

Hm.

[ tighnari's gaze drifts out across the hall, over the many faces, young and old, that throng in the space. ]

The young girl Eden is very promising. She's quite knowledgeable in flora and fungi for her age, and has excellent foraging skills. Haru as well. But I may be biased.

[ he can't help but be interested in the aspiring novices who share his own passions. ]

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Test Drive Meme - New Blood

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