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

Alice Liddell | Alice in the Country of Hearts | Student | New Arrival

[playing_hearts]

New Arrivals- The Beginning {Alice is a foundling so any potential makers that want to size her up are more than welcome.}

[All through the journey to the castle that would be her new home, Alice had been telling herself that this is fine. She's fine. This is for the best. Now her family no longer has to suffer her gloomy presence and she can get away from that stifling town.

It's fine.

She manages to keep telling herself that all the way though the bath, and the meal, and the incredibly wasteful burning of her clothes. But now she stands in a hall that feels at once far too big and somehow claustrophobic, wearing a silk dress that should probably be on someone much prettier than she is, waiting with the other foundlings to see if anyone actually wants them. She is at last forced to admit, this is not fine.]

Are they really going to make everyone wait until all of us are chosen? We'll be here all night if they do that.

[She says that to one of the other foundlings, hopefully in a voice too quiet to be overheard. How good is vampiric hearing again?]


Pumpkin Gone Wild

[She's only barely settled into her new life when the pumpkin fiasco occurs. But she's not one to shie away from hard work so Alice is going through the hallways, gardening shears in hand, cutting vines and collecting pumpkins. What on earth are they going to do with all these gourds? Jack o Lanterns? Pies maybe? Throw them at whoever's fault this was?

She likes that last one. When she hears someone else in the hall, she doesn't even look up to check who it is, but instead remarks dryly.]

You know, all my life I've heard stories and rumors about this castle. People called it grand, mysterious, and even terrifying. Funny how none of them ever used the word silly.


Library Clean-up

[Finally, something Alice actually wants to do. She is happy to collect books and return them to the library. Although several of those books will get perused a bit along the way. Who was reading in a tree?

Well right now it's Alice. She doesn't know who put the book up there originally, but after climbing up to get it, she couldn't help but take a peek inside.

A peek turned into just a few pages. Then just the first chapter. And now she's just reading it. At least she's responsible enough to turn it in when she's done.]

Arrival

[timidheart]

[Mayoi is standing not very far from Alice, though it wouldn't be strange for her to have not noticed him at all. He waits in this horrid crowd while they're picked off one by one, and it reminds him all over again of the Finding. He feels sick, honestly.]

[He should have kept to himself, but his own nerves from this prompt him to reply, practically blurting out his response.]

P-Perhaps they will grow tired of this and drop those they find wretched into some kind of dungeon.

[He's a regular ray of sunshine, this one. Mayoi stands a bit closer, so they can be in proper speaking distance. He is a wilting flower, gloomy and clad in dark ruffles and lace. He'd have a pretty face if not for the expression he wears, which makes him look like he's ready to be nauseous at any moment.]

[playing_hearts]

[Sorry but she is a fellow gloomy pessimist so Alice just sighs.]

Yeah, that would be just my luck.

[A moment later she does notice that he seems far more nervous and much less resigned to his fate so she softens her tone a little.]

I think you'll be okay though. You're pretty good looking, and I think that's about half of what they're looking for here.

[timidheart]

[Oh good, so they are in good company.]

Yes, mine, too. I-I would almost prefer it.

[That sudden assurance does startle him, though, and he quickly brings his hands up to his face, with a soft yelp.]

M-Me..? No, I am an ugly, disgusting creature! That I got this far... It must be some horrible mistake. Ah...I-I am going to ruin everything...

[He is ...perhaps extremely nervous, actually.]

[playing_hearts]

[Oh. Wow. This guy might be in more trouble than she thought.]

H-hey, it'll be okay. Believe me, from where I'm sitting, you're not ugly. Whoever told you that needs their eyes checked.

[No his problem is probably more his attitude.]

You might do a little better if you tried smiling though.

[timidheart]

[O-Oh. To have such things said to him... these positive words ...he doesn't know what to do with it. It's a little itchy, honestly. Like too many of them might overstimulate him and make him scream.]

No... it's simply a fact, that is all. B-But thank you for your kind words...

[That seemed like a polite thing to say at least. Ah, but this business of smiling. He does not feel like he has it in him to smile, but also, what if his smile is hideous and frightens people...? He wrings his hands a little.]

W-What if the sight of my ghastly smile causes you to perish on the spot?

[playing_hearts]

I, uh, think I'll be okay.

[Perish on the spot? Is he serious? It's starting to seem like dealing with guy is going to be exhausting. But if he doesn't pull himself together he may wind up as a thrall. Alice does her best to keep a smile on her face and a calm demeanor.]

Why don't you give it a try?

[timidheart]

Oh, I see...

[Well!! If she's sure!! Mayoi will give it a try. He takes a deep breath, stands very straight with surprisingly good, proper posture, and then gives her a nervous, but not terrible smile.]

How is it...?

[She's not evaporating or anything, so that's a good sign at least.]

[playing_hearts]

Much better. You should smile more often.

[She can't help but tease him a little though and gestures down at herself.]

And look, not even the slightest bit of perishing.

arrival;

[veardant]

[ tighnari has a bit of an eye for the lost lamb foundlings, and a soft spot in his undead heart for them. he himself had been groomed for his position from a very young age, so he does not know the struggles of a foundling, but he does know how it felt to have been torn from his family, suddenly and without warning. it's enough to make him sympathetic.

so when he sees a young woman looking awkward in her own skin, he approaches. ]

It may indeed take all night. Sometimes it does.

[ he says, his tone friendly. tighnari's large, furred ears swivel toward her, his thick, fluffy tail flicking behind him. he's dressed nicely, but not nearly as opulently as much of the rest of the silver court, his sharp-fanged smile giving him away as a fully fledged vampire, despite his youthful appearance. ]

[playing_hearts]

Maybe they should bring in less people then. Do they really need this many new vampires? Or did they just have a surplus of feathers?

[She finally turns to see that she is not, in fact, talking to a fellow foundling but an actual vampire. oops.]

Ah, sorry. Guess I'll just have to be patient.

[Also is that a tail? And his ears... ugh, they're really cute. And probably so soft. Don't think about petting his ears, don't think about petting his ears...]

So, um, how long have you been at the castle?

[veardant]

Well, not every young aspirant makes it through their seasons, after all.

[ many flunk out. a few even die, if they involve themselves in black court classes that they cannot handle. ]

Many here will not become fully fledged vampires, hmm?

[ one of those incredibly distracting ears gives a little twitch. ]

I've been teaching for the Silver Court for about twenty years now. You are a new foundling, correct?

[playing_hearts]

That's... not exactly encouraging....

[This is going to be an uphill battle. Alice had better focus on... something other than that twitching little ear. Oh no. So adorable!

Oh, he just asked her something.]

Um, yes. I'm still trying to find my footing, I guess. Can I [touch your ears? No! Bad Alice!] ask what kind of classes you teach?

[veardant]

Maybe not, but it's all the more reason to work hard, I think.

[ the alternatives to vampirism being thralldom or death.. not excellent, honestly. ]

I teach herbology, potion craft, and healing classes, mostly. My special interests lie in the botanical arts. Do you have any interest?

[playing_hearts]

I do like gardening.... but mostly I've just helped my sister tend our flower garden at home. Healing sounds useful though.

[Finally distracted from the cuteness, Alice really takes a moment to consider.]

I guess I never really thought about what I'd want to study if I had a choice. Back home it was just whatever the tutors thought we should learn...

[veardant]

Well, there's certainly no rush for you to decide.

[ tighnari smiles, his expression welcoming. ]

You'll have a season or two to figure yourself out, and find where your interests lie.

[playing_hearts]

[A slow smile starts to spread across her face. So far she'd been mostly concerned with how she was going to survive in this place but now.... she might actually have more freedom in the creepy vampire castle than she ever did at home.

Assuming she can do well enough to keep from winding up a thrall. Still.. Alice is not one to shie away from hard work.]

And here I thought I had nothing at all to look forward to. Do we get to pick which classes we take or are they assigned?

Arrivals

[wonderland_vogue]

[Pretty good, it turns out. Especially because someone is taking that question and absolutely running with it. Better to feel someone out with. She can't help but make her way over, all bright pink, gold, and white and clothing very much made to accentuate her figure. She's Red, after all, and that is her favorite part of this all.

Not that it helps when her grin screams predatory.]

Ohhh~ they didn't tell you what happens? My goodness, how rude. There's a time limit, darling, there always is. Those that no one wants end up becoming much like the people that helped you clean and dress, little more than mind controlled zombies~

[Not entirely accurate, but all the more to see how she reacts.]

It's quite a shame, really, but we can't just have a human leaving here with all of the knowledge and hospitality everyone has been shown thus far~

[playing_hearts]

[Alice can't help flinching a little at that revelation. It's not unexpected.... but it doesn't bode well for her future. Now would definitely be the time to start pleading for advice or help or something. Or trying to work out a plan.

Definitely don't talk back to the first vampire you meet. She takes a slow, measured breath.]

Knowledge and hospitality? They've barely told us anything, just dressed us up and herded us into this room to get stared at.

[Good job, Alice. The irritation and stress are definitely coming out in her tone. Welp, in for a penny...]

And for the record, I'm pretty sure most of us knew what baths are and how to dress ourselves so I don't know what secret knowledge you think they gave us. And do not get me started on the hospitality.

[wonderland_vogue]

[Would most vampires get annoyed at the tone and her words? Probably. Hell, she knows a few who absolutely would, but she finds it more amusing than anything else.

In fact, it actually earns her a small laugh.]

Your guess is as good as mine on that front, that's just what I was told when I first got here. And it happens to every single person that ends up coming here to join the school, it's rather demeaning, isn't it? [The being stared at part, anyway, the new and finer clothes (for most) is absolutely a boon as far as she's concerned.]

No, no, do continue, I'm rather curious to know what you think about all of it. Be honest, no need to pretend like you need to suck up to me or something~

[playing_hearts]

[Alice torn a little between relieved and even more irritated at the reaction but since she asked....]

It's very demeaning. And why do they burn the clothes? The dress I had on was almost new. I get the symbolic 'cast off your old life' thing but at least give it away or use the fabric for something.

[She gestures around at her fellow foundlings, most of whom have moved slightly away from her so as not be guilty by association.]

And then they just ask us to stand around in the middle of the room until someone decides whether we'd make a better student or a snack. None of you know anything about us and noone has even asked.

[She is basically venting her frustrations at this point and all filters, common sense, and self preservation are on hold.]

Someone here might have some rare skill or special knowledge but they'll [she waves a hand at the vampires watching from the sidelines.] never know. Because instead of an interview or, heck, even a questionnaire, they go with the awkward zoo approach. I mean, just whose idea was this, anyway?

[wonderland_vogue]

Symbolism is exactly it, yeah. Though I agree with you on the whole being wasteful thing, I can't say I had anything worth keeping when I got here but it's still pretty disgusting to just... burn it all. [Says the woman dressed to the nines most of the time now, but that's a matter of finally having the ability to do so. And best believe she's notice the others moving away which only furthers her amusement.

This one has a spark and it's honestly amusing to see and a little refreshing.]

Exactly why I come out here like this, I remember this nonsense myself and just standing here waiting until someone took some mercy on me. It's honestly gotten better than it used to be with how many come out here to actually talk to Foundlings, but there's still a ways to go.

[However, she does shrug slowly at the last question, expression relaxed and seemingly unbothered about her venting.]

That comes from vampires far older, far more powerful, and annoyingly in a position of power that we don't have much option but to go along with the ceremonial bullshit. Trust me, I don't like it any better than you do and is the reason I attempted to avoid doing these things the first, oh, ten years or so of being a youngblood?

[playing_hearts]

[A lot of the anger leaves now that she's had the chance to vent and now she just sounds tired.]

Being really old doesn't make your ideas good....

[But she's familiar with idea of overbearing elders who can't be reasoned with. Reminds her of her father...

The mention of waiting for someone to take mercy on her does catch Alice's attention though.]

So... you were a foundling too? Did you... do anything special to find a maker?

[Maybe she can get some advice after all.]

[wonderland_vogue]

[That sounds about right and exactly what she was expecting, not that she disagreed with her in the slightest.]

You aren't wrong, though there's not much we can do about, unfortunately.

[Ah, she did grab that, good.]

I was. I can't say I did anything particularly special other than ending up lying through my teeth feasibly well enough to catch my maker's attention. I've... grown past that since and have better methods of dealing with people, but showing some skill seems to do the trick.

[She pauses for a moment, tilting her head to regard her a liiiittle closer.]

Or doing what you're doing and showing you aren't going to be a novice so easily kowtoed unlike a good chunk still standing here. What's your name?

[playing_hearts]

[Hmm... skill. Alice can't think of any particular skill she has that would grab someone's attention. She's a quick learner though, and she's willing to work hard. Maybe that's something?]

Alice Liddell. What's yours?

[She does offer a small smile with the introduction. Not easily kowtowed, huh? She's not sure about that. Alice would like to think herself brave, buuut it's more like other emotions just keep pushing fear out of the queue.]