Test Drive Meme - New Blood

[undyingmods]

DEC TEST DRIVE MEME

WELCOME, VAMPIRES!

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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

Comments

[disdelusioned]

[He has to admit, she took the information better than he thought she would. He's not entirely convinced that she's accepted it, but she at least is taking it in stride. She might be worth keeping an eye on after all.]

A few hours. Depends on the quality of the group and the vampires who are volunteering--or being volunteered--to take them on.

[serpendipity]

[ Some parts were easier to accept than people would expect, but she was good at taking things in stride. The parts she was tripped up on was considered something to think about when there was a little less excitement going on. ]

Do the ones being volunteered usually do well enough as Makers? I'm sure some probably can take it as a duty to fulfill... There's probably something in place to make sure it doesn't end up a disaster.

[ The truly unfortunate thing would be to get stuck with a Maker that doesn't do anything or follow what should be done for the novice's chance of success. ]

[disdelusioned]

[Diluc doesn't answer immediately, instead taking the time to give a thoughtful answer to her insightful question.]

Makers vary greatly, both for those who choose their novices and those who take on a Foundling.

Novices who are chosen are brought here for any number of reasons. It's just as likely to be a punishment or blackmail as it is a recognition of potential. And even in cases where it is about potential, enthusiasm does not always translate into good guidance.

Conversely, a lack of enthusiasm doesn't necessarily mean that a Maker will shirk their duty. I'm disinclined to take on a novice without good reason, but if I were told to I would do all I can to ensure their success and survival.

[He pauses, looking her over to read her reaction.]

Does that answer your question?

[serpendipity]

[ Honestly, blackmail was never thought of as a reason to be chosen. Originally, Eden had thought the choices were for potential or special requests, then the idea of punishment made sense after Diluc had said the lotteries were for control. Which is why the teen was nodding during the explanation, absorbing and finding how it made sense.

It still wasn't so different from human society, from what little she lived with it. ]

It does so enough. I'm sure I'll see it more for myself over time, but the perspective's really helpful now.

[ It doesn't fully ease concerns for the future, but there were odds of things going in a few ways. Things weren't fully stacked against the stragglers, or for just those that came chosen. She could handle that better. ]

[disdelusioned]

Keep asking questions like you have been, and it won't be long before you know everything you need to and more.

[The statement is meant to be encouragement, although he quickly follows it up with a warning.]

But be careful who you ask, and consider whether or not the person has a reason to lie to you.

[serpendipity]

What would be the main reasons a teacher would lie?

[ There's a lot that she'd look for answers from a teacher before a fellow student, that's for sure. Eden wonders if it was just a warning in general, in case she asked literally anyone. This didn't seem like a gambling situation where lies and bluffs were encouraged. ]

I thought everyone would want the incoming students to have a chance to do well.

[disdelusioned]

I mean in general. Vampires are largely a dishonest lot, and part of thriving as one requires being able to discern between honesty and lies.

[Including him, at times, although he sees no reason not to be straightforward with this foundling girl.

Her latter question gets something of a bitter chuckle out of him.]

One would think, given that incoming students are vital to the survival of our kind. But there are those who would serve themselves first and foremost, even to the detriment of the rest of us.

[serpendipity]

[ It's starting to dawn on Eden that she may be coming across as someone that believes literally everything. Sure, she may be ready to ask anyone, but the towns she lived near weren't exactly the most honest. It has her huff out a tiny laugh. ]

I'm not sure if you're talking about any teacher in particular, or if this is a general warning as it's happened before. I'll try to make sure that when I ask a question, even they would see no reason to not be straightforward.

[ In the case of black court vampires, she could assume it's an attempt to dissuade her from them due to how dangerous their duties sounded. She'll figure it out one way or another. ]

[disdelusioned]

Good.

[His warning is more general, and based on his own experience. It's hard to imagine given how jaded he comes off in the present, but he had arrived 20 years ago as a bright-eyed and overly-eager novice. He trusted too much, and was burned badly for it.

He has no way of knowing this girl's history, but she seems to be taking his advice to heart. That's enough for him.]

Is there a particular court you hope to be selected by?

[serpendipity]

[ Placating concerns successful. 10exp earned. ]

None I'm particularly drawn towards right now. Really, I want to try learning all of the classes first, but I know we have to choose somewhere to start. Most seem like I'll do well in some parts and struggle with others. Well, save for Silver, but do I choose something just because it seems the easiest? Thinking practically, I don't think Gold or Black courts will choose me.

[ She was too thin. It was too easy to mistaken her for frail, where everywhere was lean and the muscle underneath was too well hidden. They were looking for more than just a pretty face, too, and she could tell that the others had something else... From a different upbringing. ]

Red I'm not sure about seeming appealing to them... So my highest odds would be Blue or Silver, I suppose.

[ Given she evaluated her chances (having had no preferences,) and went with practicality... It's a little clear, isn't it? ]

[disdelusioned]

If Silver Court sounds easiest to you, then I would venture a guess that it's a good fit. There are those who would find such an academic approach to be miserably difficult.

[Based on this interaction, he thinks Silver would be a good fit. She's bright and observant.

She does have a point that she seems like she has little to offer to Gold, Black, or Red. It's not a criticism of her per se, simply an understanding that she lacks what each court wants. She asks too many invasive questions for Gold, Black is too dangerous for any foundling, and Red is too concerned with aesthetics and sex appeal.]

I wish you luck.

[serpendipity]

I'm not sure if I'm exactly an academic type [ she's technically never had any education before ] but I want to learn as much as I can. Even if it's not necessarily the typical way, it would count, right?

[ That's the best she had to go off of, which is why Eden was quite critical of herself in how everything was presented right now. It was only practical to observe where you lacked in certain situations. Where else would a scrappy-looking Foundling really fit in? ]

Thank you for the luck, and the answers.

[ And by the smile, the teen genuinely meant it. ]