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

New Arrivals - 1 - OTA

Though Percival has been teaching for 5 years, he's never sponsored anyone. His own dislike of his state is enough to keep him ignoring whispers of his impotence and weakness in that regard. He's generally stubborn enough that that's not likely to change, but at least he greets the novices politely enough, indicating the other teachers and thralls to any who wander too close.

New Arrivals - 2 - Closed to Cass

Of course, to any rule, there must be an exception. His breath stops completely as the familiar figure enters the grand hall - familiar despite not having seen her in excess of seven years, familiar despite the fancy clothes that ill-fit the temperament he once knew - and then it begins to speed up, the stillness of death becoming the hyperventilation of panic.

His baby sister is here and they're going to kill her.

... Unless he does it first. Telling himself that this is a mercy, he makes his choice, calming his breath until it's steady before stepping forward, claiming her for Silver - as is his privilege. Though he's certain of what he's doing, there is still intense sorrow in his mirror-like eyes.

Autumn Nox - OTA

[Though Percy has a natural predilection for knowledge-seeking, he's distracted this time around. He's restless, and ends up leaving several lectures without talking to the speaker, or even early - a bit of a faux pas for an up-and-coming Silver teacher, but an understandable enough one, should you know his circumstances.]

Pumpkin Gone Wild - OTA

This... is a headache. Percy's lab is easy enough to clear, but he's awkwardly carrying a stack of soot-stained pumpkins after burning away the stems with a particularly nasty alchemical substance. He can't even begin to see where he's going... might want to help before he bumps into something - or someone!

Library Clean-Up - OTA

[Well, isn't this a pickle? Percy's been put in charge of inventorying the alchemy section of the library, and half a dozen tomes are still missing. He can be seen searching nearly the entirety of the castle for them... with one big exception.]

Unethical Experiments - Open to Teachers

[Percy stalks back and forth in front of the door to the second dungeon, the last place to hold the last book. He needs to go down there - but every time a scream echoes up from below, he can taste bloody bile, flashing back to the half-remembered tortured days of thralldom. He can't do this on his own... But if a teacher approaches, they may be able to help.]

Wild Card

((OOC: Percy teaches Alchemy and History at all levels, and can be seen around! Hit up my EMP for plotting, or

ArtWildenTanzen))

Edited 2023-12-02 05:50 (UTC)

Cassandra knows how to play the part. She is the picture perfect image of poise and nobility, clad in the fancy silk dress in a shade of blue that makes the blue of her eyes more brilliant that had been given to her upon her arrival. Only those that know her would stand a chance of picking up on how… utterly devastated and deeply furious she is.

The moment she’d heard of the vampire’s arrival, with his bag of feathers, she knew what the outcome would be. It would be too easy to rig the Finding, to make certain she was the one forced to go. Forced to become a vampire. Two birds. One stone. And now she’s out of their hair. Far away and unable to make trouble.

It’s only when she sees him, sees the brother she hasn’t seen in… gods, seven years? At least? Sees him, standing there… with the vampires. Among those waiting to choose. Waiting to sponsor some poor fool who might not want any part of this. And then he claims her. For the Silver Court. It’s only then that the façade breaks, for the briefest of moments, shock, and horror, and grief, shattering the veneer of calm and poise as they’re writ plainly on her face, in her eyes, her body language. Only a moment, before she gets herself under control; she knows how to play this game. And she refuses to give them the satisfaction.

But there’s no hiding the emotion in her voice when she says his name. “Percy?”

There is no hiding the twitch that crosses him at that. His certainty is shaken, but this is probably the best thing for her still. He can feel eyes on him as he approaches her, taking her hand. "I know. ... I'm sorry."

They are only four words, but there is pain there, and as he leads her past the other vampires, to a more secluded corner, he says nothing more. He's trying to figure out why - and he can only think of one reason their ancient enemy wouldn't step forward.

They're still trying to hurt the survivors, as much as they can. This may have been a mistake, but there's no going back now.

When they arrive, he turns to her - silver in eyes and hair, but still recognizable as her brother - and gives her a big hug that would be more comforting if he wasn't so cold. Room temperature, really. "I'm so sorry, Cass."

Cassandra almost pulls away from him, as he takes her hand. She doesn’t want this. This isn’t RIGHT. But she doesn’t. She plays the part she must. She has no choice. There’s a tangled snarl of emotions in her chest as he apologises. There’s nothing he can do, either. They’d taken him. Turned him.

And now he’s going to turn her. She’s going to die at her brother’s hand, and it doesn’t matter that she’ll come back as something else. She’ll still die. Better him, though. Better him than someone else to use her cruelly. An they would. Particularly if it were one of their enemies.

She can’t breathe. Her chest is so tight she’s breathing in short, panicked gasps, her heart pounding in her ears. But she’s used to hiding her panic, her terror and she forces her breathing to steady even though she feels as though she’s choking.

He pulls her into a hug and she clings to him desperately, despite herself. Gods, he’s so cold. “They rigged the Finding,” she murmurs, voice small and meant for his ears only. “They rigged it, to force me here.” It doesn’t matter, but she needs to tell him. He needs to know.

It's not right. Nothing here ever is. He bends down, pressing his forehead to hers. When he speaks, his voice is a whisper, only for her. "I understand. They... took me in the night. I almost died so many times. They threw me here because I wouldn't, and they wanted to break me. Don't break. They'll take you for fodder if you do."

He lets out the rest of his air in a soft sigh, and doesn't breathe immediately when it's done, but when he inhales, it's for only one sentence.

"I'm sorry but you need to drink." He pulls a clean knife, a herbalist's blade more than a dagger, out of his pocket.

Conrad didn't exactly want to visit the basement at present, but he was called upon to keep a lookout for students who tried to get a peek at the experimentations that were going on. Though, like every vampire, his baser inclinations were attracted to the notions of freshly spilled blood and the like... But, regardless, when he sees Percy he stops on his way down.

"Are you... alright?" It's rather obvious that Percy is not, but still, he had to ask. He wasn't going to just walk on by, leaving the man to pace like he was. Something was obviously troubling him deeply.

"Ah. Hoping to not have to go down there to get a book, in point of fact." He offers a shaky grin that quickly fades.

"I'm... loath to be reminded of the cruelty of my clan." It's not exactly a lie - but he's more worked up than just that. It's like he's remembering something that hurts badly. A scarred trigger that'll never go away in an immortal mind.

Edited (SUBJECT LINE) 2023-12-09 03:19 (UTC)

"Oh..." Conrad offers him a sympathetic glance and a troubled frown pulls at his lips. "I can understand that, I think. I don't want to be around, myself. It's all pretty, uhm... distasteful..." Maybe that's not the best word to use, but it basically sums things up.

There's a brief pause as Conrad goes over his options to help, here, and he lightly taps his foot on the stone floor. "How about I go-? Uhm. I could go look for it for you?" He's guessing the book is kind of important for Percy to be hanging around, subjecting himself to such misery and grief. He wouldn't be troubling himself otherwise, one would think.

"It's... not that serious, I just need to get it when she comes out." He starts to raise an arm, as if to scratch an itch near his collarbone, catches himself, and lowers his hand. "It's for the library, you see. They put me in charge of recovering the alchemy books."

It makes sense - Percy is an alchemy teacher, and spends more time in the library than most. He probably knows that section well. And the librarians are often harsh with those who fail.

"I, uh... Uhm." Conrad stammers for a brief moment as he doesn't really want to argue with him, but... It's not that serious? It was obviously bothering Percy to be here, though. "A-are you sure? I mean, it seems easier than having you just wait around."

Conrad gives the back of his neck a rub, wondering if he should push Percy to accept his offer or not. He didn't want to stress him out any further. "Or I could wait with you if that helps? I-I don't know... if it... would..."

"That... might help," he confesses. Honestly, the company is welcome, even if they don't know each other well. "Some company is a welcome distraction."

Conversation will hopefully be enough to break Percy out of his funk. Though that's a lot of funk to escape! "What do you teach, again?" Normally he'd remember.

Normally his fellow Silver Courtiers aren't torturing themselves under his feet.

Conrad nods and with a light rub to the back of his neck he scoots a bit closer to Percy's side, so he's not in the way of anyone else who comes along. Conrad doesn't think he'll actually do a great job of distracting the man from the messed up stuff that's going on, but he'll try his best.

"Oh, I'm- Ah, art. Fine arts, yanno..." He understands that he might not recall what he does. And there are a fair few teachers running around, after all. "I was just at my life drawing class, for beginners." He gestures to Percy then. "How are, um, your classes going?"

The scuff of worn leather soles on stone is entirely intentional. Jaheira can move as silently as one of the stalking beasts she often chooses to appear as when she wishes, but with a crowd of strangers in the castle - too many of whom seem to have forgotten entirely how to deal with mortals and youngbloods alike - she's taken to telegraphing her presence when she's not deliberately trying to creep up on someone. She's not Black Court, mired in the mystique of shadows.

She pauses a moment to watch Percy pace, head canting slightly as a particularly ragged scream rises from the depths. She'd passed a small pack of scholars muttering excitedly about 'the limits of vampiric endurance' the previous night, and it sounds as though they may be getting close to finding it.

"You look ready to jump out of your skin," she comments. "Don't tell me you've been set to guard against wayward novices."

"Haha... no, one of my court has a book on my list down there. I hate to imagine what stains it's gathering..." He hesitates, rubbing the side of his throat, where he has no scar now, but once did, as Jaheira would know.

"... I can't go down there." It's not a point to be argued, but it's a dangerous ultimatum for any member of the Silver court to be afraid of learning, even barbaric as this information-seeking is.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Test Drive Meme - New Blood

Percy DeRolo | Critical Role | Teacher | Silver

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Unethical Experiments

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Unethical Experiments

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