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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He'll have ratted him out to Gold Court in a heartbeat, but being a snitch loses its luster when the target doesn't learn their lesson!

"Indeed. They are quite creative, I have found." But that's not saying much, Xenk isn't really a creative guy. Even as a student, he'd do the assignment and nothing more.

He smirks at Satoru's comment though. "One can argue that, being cool, as you put it, is a useful trait for one who wishes to be liked by one's subjects."

Xenk is very cool, when he fights or does something badass. The rest of the time... no, he's lame. And he has no taste, so this boring-ass room passes muster. He starts to head out.

"Perhaps if you can justify a connection to our tenets, our superiors may see the value in even your insistence on wasting time."

Xenk says that with that same smile. Is that a compliment? Or an insult? He sounds so honest when he says it, it's hard to tell. (Both? It can be both.)

Satoru clasps a hand to his heart, looking positively scandalized. "You mean they don't already see the value in my classes? Me? The teacher voted Best Gold Court Teacher seven years in a row?"

(He hasn't been. But he likes to claim that anyway, because in his extremely correct opinion, he should have been.)

Xenk starts to head out, so Satoru follows him, hands in his pockets like a lanky shadow. "Being cool is absolutely a useful trait," he chatters cheerfully. "Students like you if you're cool, other teachers like you, and even the people you have to talk political bullshit like you. It's a win-win. Even the Council likes cool people."

He claps a hand to Xenk's shoulder, a reassuring, encouraging little pat. "You'll get there eventually, Xenk," he assures. "Those little glimpses of badass I've seen may one day eventually translate into a cool guy persona. One can only hope!"

"An award that exists only in your mind, perhaps." Damn, okay, Xenk says that pretty obviously not under his breath, he's just serving that one up for Satoru because they are Coworkers in the worst way.

He levels Satoru the blankest stare at that hand. Being cool has never been on his radar. He thinks he's cool already, because nothing is cooler than following the rules.

"I believe your definition of 'cool' to be suspect," there's that blunt honesty again. Of the two of them, it's not hard to guess which one the Council likes best. But Xenk, serious as ever, turns around and pats a hand on Satoru's opposite shoulder. "Please simply focus on teaching your students, Satoru. They are relying on our wisdom to guide them."

Oh, his poor delicate ego. Xenk is so cruel to him! He's just a fragile little flower!

Xenk's sudden stopping and hand on his shoulder has Satoru's smile growing in gleeful amusement. The guy is so composed that it's extraordinarily difficult to make him flustered, but provoking this kind of reaction is still satisfying.

"I take my classes very seriously," he promises solemnly. And that's not totally a lie! He does actually enjoy teaching, and he enjoys helping novices grow, even if he might not be as nurturing and attentive as some of the other teachers. He is relying on the next generation to be strong and smart so they can be better Council Members in the future, after all. "Aw, but it's so nice of you to worry about the kids." Satoru beams, pinching Xenk's cheek fondly. "I'll make sure they know how much you love them."

Just a fragile little flower... Yes, Xenk knows exactly how fragile Satoru's ego is. But he's at least pleased to see Satoru gives him an honest response. It's always difficult to tell how much of it is true, but Xenk they are from the same Court, after all.

So of course Satoru finishes off his nearly honest words with a very sarcastic remark. Pinching his cheek?

"Love has no bearing in it." Xenk swats the hand away, glowering. "The will learn or they will fail. But it should be on their actions, not ours, to determine their fates."

"On that, we actually agree," Satoru chuckles.

Common ground?? What a miracle.

He's being completely honest, though, and to tell the truth, he and Xenk's attitudes towards classes and students really aren't that different. Satoru deliberately makes his classes difficult, but not unfair -- they only fail if they don't learn properly, not because of some hidden trap that Satoru springs. And he doesn't particularly care if a few fail or even die along the way, because that's just how things go when the large majority of people are weak.

He's just looking for the few exceptional ones, and hoping to take them under his wing.

He sling an arm around Xenk's shoulder, aiming to tug him along in the direction of the next room being set up. "So what classes are you thinking of teaching next season, my affectionate little lovebug?" he asks. "Something with a lot of lecturing, I'm guessing."

Common ground... it should feel a bit revolting to agree with Satoru (sorry Satoru,) but Xenk cannot deny that they both share a similar attitude when it comes to teaching. It should be no surprise, really, when they both belong to the Gold Court for a reason.

The fact is they have been coworkers for many years. Xenk may disagree with Satoru's attitude, but he allows the man to sling his arm over his shoulder all the same, following him to another room, with another group of servants setting things up.

"My introductory course is vital for any novices looking to succeed in their Gold studies." He says this as seriously as he does everything else, but there's also a hint of pride there, one that says; I won't apologize for teaching a boring class. Though he does add: "The lectures dissuade thrill-seekers from signing up in hopes of misusing their abilities."

"Hmm, yes, I've heard about your introductory course. Heard students complain about it," Satoru chortles. "That's how I know it's good."

Hark! A rare compliment!

But mostly it's because Satoru prescribes to the idea that anything easy to learn isn't worth learning, and any class that's easy is a waste of space. When students bitch about certain teachers, that just raises his estimation of those teachers.

He continues hanging off Xenk as they monitor the next room being set up, the thralls scurrying to and fro. It's a boring job, but someone has to do it. "I think I'll go with something specific about entrancement for the third years. Chronic nightmares, maybe, or inducing phobias," he hums, thoughtful.

Mark your calendars, folks. Xenk actually smiles at something Satoru Gojo says. It's a cold day in hell, and all the devils are here.

Look, they both have insane standards, it's why they manage to work together, despite their differences. And yes, Xenk usually takes the boring jobs, but he values them just as much as the more exciting ones. Everyone needs a strong starting point, and anyone who survives to their third season for an advanced class with Satoru will either lose their mind or succeed.

"Sounds difficult," that's definitely a compliment. He sends subtle suggestions to the thralls as they work, tidying up their forms and keeping them efficient. "I look forward to the complaints of any students who drop your course and believe that mine will be any easier."

Satoru barks out a laugh. "I'm sure it's happened already. I don't really keep track of the ones that drop out of my classes, but I bet if there's any late arrivals to your courses that sit there with a look of growing dread, it's probably my drop outs."

Honestly, he's pretty sure Xenk is an even more exacting teacher than he is. Satoru's classes might be difficult, but he can be a little forgiving -- as long as the students succeed in their goals, he doesn't really care what methods they use to get there, and he'll happily reward creativity and unique ways of thinking. Xenk providing them with a strong foundation is actually incredibly useful for his own classes.

"I should probably go finalize my class plans," he sighs, because he's left it until the last minute, like he does every season. "You better not have stolen any of my ideas." Xenk wouldn't have; they usually have very little overlap, funnily enough.

"I shall keep them in mind," Xenk smirks, the words cruel but exactly the kind of banter the two of them engage in. Hey, at least if they drop one class to take another, they're still not failed in Gold Court.

That's Xenk's idea of going easy on someone, though. He's more likely to fail someone outright if they show no talent whatsoever, as a kindness to save them from the headaches and pain they'd no doubt suffer from if they continued their classes. If they can't even handle the boring stuff, then that just proves they don't deserve higher learning. Easy, right?

"The chances of that are highly unlikely," Xenk muses, knowing his courses and Satoru's never overlap. Is that by design? Xenk would never admit to adjusting his own course-load, but he does want students to get a broad enough understanding of their subjects. If he adjusts his syllabus at the last minute, no one would ever know. "Had you the forbearance to simply prepare multiple plans beforehand, you would be ready every season, as I am."

That's his secret, Satoru. He has like 12 course plans and he just picks whatever is needed.

Satoru pulls a face like Xenk's asking him to do something truly unthinkable.

"You mean... people actually put forethought into their class plans? Is that why everyone's always got theirs picked before I officially register mine?" He's playing stupid-- he does put a modicum of forethought into his class topics, at least, though he does like to play it by ear a lot. There's been occasions when he's had something history-based in mind only to see another Gold teacher has taken a topic close to his, so he's switched base accordingly.

He beams, gives Xenk another smack on the shoulder, and exclaims, "So you're implying the prime strategy is to beat everyone else to the chase, so I can get my first pick of classes? You're a genius. I'm going to put some thought into my classes."

His sing-song tone makes it very clear that he's not going to do that at all.

"Later, Xenk," Satoru farewells, tossing a careless wave over his shoulder as he goes to leave. "Have fun with the thralls, but not too much fun, you absolute party animal."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Test Drive Meme - New Blood

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