undyingcourt | january tdm/event post

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january tdm/event post

JANUARY TDM - WINTER DREAMS

Welcome to the Undying Court's January Test Drive Meme! This post also functions as the January Event for existing characters, and continues the Winter Season, led by the Blue Court.

New characters may handwave or backdate the previous season's arrival prompt should they wish to, but you may otherwise assume they've been here the whole time! Additionally, all TDM threads can be taken as in-game canon if desired. And remember that apps open February 3-7, with invites opening on January 28, and reserves not long after!

Note that this post will contain: violence, enthrallment, torture, slavery, horror and potentially sexual content. Dreams come in many forms, after all.

This event also features another chance for characters to submit Regains, so make sure to submit after you've posted your top-level or reply to someone else's dream. For characters both new and old, feel free to brush up on the Premise, Vampire Powers, and head over to the FAQ/Game Info page if you have any questions!

Note that this event will be occurring throughout the month of January and into February, so characters are free to forward-date as desired!
For new characters please format your Top-level in this format: Character Name | Canon | Court | Youngblood/Novice | TDM
For existing characters please format your Top-level in this format: Character Name | Court | Youngblood/Novice
If you have any questions specific to the event, ask them in the Plotting Post Q&A section!

Top-Level Directory:

ONCE UPON A DREAM

A quiet falls over the Castle as a new day begins to break. As with every morning, this is a time when vampires must retreat to avoid the rays of the sun, pulling heavy curtains around their beds and windows to block out any light. However, this particular morning is abnormally quiet as the whole of the Castle seems to fall asleep all at once, and all together. After this enchanted sleep, and for the the next thirty days, the Castle's residents will start to experience strange phenomena within their dreams.

During this period, dreams become more vivid, so realistic it feels like the dreamer is awake. Dreamers can pass into each other's dreams without meaning to. Some of these dreams are in fact memories--either those from the lives the characters have lived in the Castle and the outlying lands, or the strange memories they've begun to gain back.

But be careful! For what starts as a regular memory might start to warp into something new. If you're lucky, it'll be something positive, like a dream of a home you've always wanted. But if you're unlucky, the memory might twist and turn into a nightmare, catching you in it and turning your worst fears against you.

Each nightfall, everyone will wake and return to normal. Or at least, most people will.

[Note: Any current characters who participate in the dream event by creating a top level or tagging someone else at least once in this prompt may be rewarded with a free impactful memory, which may be used in the dreamscape. Don't forget to submit for your Regains!]

A NIGHTMARISH CURSE

It turns out that not everyone wakes up. Those who stay in nightmares for too long may find themselves cursed, and unable to wake up. At first, the curse appears no different from regular sleep. But a few hours in the victim will start screaming uncontrollably. No touch will wake them, no amount of calling their name will break the spell. After too long, the victim will start to bleed, slowly at first, and then more and more as they remain afflicted. A victim left unattended will bleed out and die.

The Council works quickly to step in. Kashire (who is looking rather frayed this season) delivers the news that there's no need to panic, but everyone will need to do their part in locating and curing victims. In fact, the youngbloods seem to be taking this as the perfect opportunity for a teaching moment, and students are expected to try and find a cure with the skills that match their Court. Novices and youngbloods alike are encouraged to try and help lift the curse from anyone they can. (Get creative! Blood heals many wounds...) Any victims that have progressed too far will need to be seen to by Revar.

The nightmare curse, however, can spread quickly. Anyone who enters the nightmare of a victim will fall victim to the curse. Additionally, any attempt to reach out to the mind of a curse victim will also spread the curse. With the combined efforts of the students and teachers, the curse can be completely put out. But it will take time and care to ensure everyone is found in time, and cured safely.

ANYWAY, WINTER GAMES!

But a few curses aren't going to stop the Blue Court from making sure everyone has a good time. The days might be short, and weighed down by the threats of nightmares, but winter has hit Castle Courtsheart in full force, and the long nights and snow-covered grounds make for an excellent backdrop to the Inter-Court Winter Games!

There isn't really a reward for the winning house besides bragging rights and maybe a trophy that doubles as a chalice, but youngbloods and novices alike are invited to join in the festivities and compete against one another in the spirit of glory and the chance to lord over your Court's superiority. Even Council members and mature vampires of each court seem to enjoy cheering on their respective teams from the stands. Everything is fine! Forget your troubles and go play in the snow.

What kind of sports do vampires play? Feel free to get creative, but here are some examples:

Thrall-Curling: Since vampiric strength proves to be a little too much for this sport otherwise, teams of novices (or youngbloods) of the same Court can team up to gently compel their thralls to play the thrilling sport of curling. Coax that stone across the ice with care, and take out the opposing team! Or, well, the thralls will do that, assuming they're guided well. Try not to break them. (The thralls, that is.)

Figure skating: Practicing your pirouettes? For a vampire, a quadruple-axel is hardly worth breaking a sweat over. Favored for its beauty and almost seductive grace, the figure skating competition will be scored and judged by a multi-court panel. Participants might get extra points for incorporating bladework and masking into their sets, so these performances are sure to wow the judges.

Ice Hockey: Yes, the high-contact sport transcends time and space, but vampires don't need silly things like helmets or padded safety gear. Don your court's colors and hit the ice to toss the puck around and score as many points against the opposing team as you can before the time runs out. Violence is encouraged! Everyone likes to see a bit of blood on the ice this time of year. (Shadowstepping is considered cheating, but only if you get caught.)

And more! Snowball fighting may not be a sport, but there's no better time to enjoy the outdoors and stretch those growing fangs and muscles than the dead of winter. So whether you're cheering on your Court or watching from the sidelines, there's something here for everyone. Just because the castle is full of the the undead doesn't mean they can't have a little winter fun.

CLASS NOTES

Other notable happenings for the early winter season include:

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and maybe it's time to find or make gifts for that special blood claim in your life. This season blood jewelry is the hot ticket item. These are pieces made from precious metal and glass, which hold the blood of a vampire in them. Carry a lover's blood to show how much you love them, or carry your own to force down the throat of your enemies so you can influence them.

Whispers around school start to say that Black Court lost a novice this month. Not murder this time! He simply unmade himself trying to mistwalk. Eh, these things happen.

As a result of a tie in last month's pumpkin carving contest, members of the Black and Red Courts will find small packages outside their doors. They are gifted silver letter openers, with the handle inlaid with pumpkins and leaves, and a note from Revar with a little drawing of a pumpkin and their signature. How nice!

Lady Whisperfangs is quiet for now, but her time is yet to come... This month's check-in will have a field to submit gossip about your characters! Vampires do so love their drama.

Once again, characters are free to talk to the NPCs as well: Revar & Kashire. For any questions regarding this month's prompts, please comment in the Plotting Post. For general game questions, please check the FAQ/Game Info. In the meantime, remember to submit your Regains for this month's free reward, and keep an eye out for our AC Check-in next week, starting on January 25-31.

The new year has brought us plenty of thirsty vampires, so we're glad you're here to share them with you!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Eden was not prepared for a hawk to dive down and suddenly turn into a man. She'd been walking around, looking over notes while keeping moving around, like a practice in splitting focuses. Except now she was fumbling to catch the notebook again before looking at-

Okay, taking a look around before, ah, back up to blue eyes- That made sense. It was hard to tell where the sparkle of silver and the natural light blue-grey differed in her own. ]

Eden Woods... Not too new. There's a whole season of novices newer than me.

[ And the way that she's tugging her cloak to keep warm was a silent way of saying that she's not helping you cover up, sir. She doesn't mind staring at someone that's naked. Sure, it's distracting, but not in the worst of ways. ]

a nightmarish curse

[Figures that when Norton finally stops being a hermit and ventures out of his work to socialize, things have gone to shite. A curse, huh? Norton has little experience with such things, but at least he knows some human-style first aid, and can coach the novices on what they can do to help if they're dealing with a novice who hasn't fully transformed yet.]

Keep a cool head on you, so you can observe and not miss a thing. Tune out the screaming-- trust me, it's worse for me than it is for you. [That last comment was delivered rather sardonically, his smile crooked... Though it wasn't even a genuine smile anyway.] But if you're that concerned... Put something in their mouth, make sure it depresses the tongue and keeps the fangs away. There are worse awakenings than realising your tongue is gone, but it would still be unpleasant.

[Then he leans over the body of the cursed vampire, though keeps his hands to himself.]

What's their status again? Novice? Youngblood? [Guess who wasn't paying attention. Is he really a teacher here?]

anyway, winter games! (betting on players)

[Sod curses, apparently. Some of the Blue Court's inclinations are not his style, but at least they got this thing right. Perhaps playing in the snow is a bit too childish, and some of the games are just downright ludicrous (thrall-curling? really? stars above!) but at least someone's being entertained...

And, hey, if there's a competition, there's sure to be gambling, right? If not, then there should be.

Norton takes a spot beside a fellow spectator of the hockey game, to strike up a casual (for now) conversation.]

Eh, all of them look to be in good shape, but it's the nature of vampires, isn't it? Who're you rooting for, in any case? It doesn't need to be your own Court, really. [Bit funny, coming from a man with his own Court's colours.]

anyway, winter games! (snowball fights)

[What was that about playing in the snow being a little too childish?

Well, fuck that. Sometimes you just have the impulse. An unlucky someone might just get a snowball to the chest. Or the head. Or even the face, if Norton can get a good angle in.

And when caught? He gives that crooked little grin, complete with a hint of fang.]

What, afraid of a little snowball? [Norton crouches down to mold another one, keeping eye contact all the while.] Don't know how to dodge or block?

wildcard
[bring your own prompt! feel free to send me a pm first if you'd like to plan it out before writing.]

[He steps back as the hawk transforms, impressed, and realizing this is something he could do someday. If he had an issue with Hayato being nude, he didn't show it in his brown eyes, flecked with an intense turquoise blue]

Phantom Harlock, just got dragged here this season.

[The scar-faced man answers with a casual shrug of his shoulders]

So what should I call you?

[ What an excessive amount of clothing... Then again, at least he's participating, instead of being at the sidelines. Look, she doesn't know skating, but watching everyone is very nice. So it's almost curious as to why this person was complaining. ]

Technically, everyone's skating with their human bodies. You have to remember that vampires start off as human, and that now even you have vampire blood in you. It still takes skill and practice to achieve the things that are being done out there.

[ Even if someone's spinning in the air a bunch of times before landing gracefully, while easier, it still took skill. ]

I'd understand if this was pure humans competing against vampires, but we're all against each other and I think the vampires are graded separately from novices.

[Where he comes from was mostly warm, he doesn't like this cold nonsense and gets cold very easily, be nice! He hadn't really expected for anyone to answer him and he's glancing towards her, letting her say her piece before he decides to reply. His attention is still focused on the ice, to be fair.]

With the increased speed and strength, do you really think that true talent and skill? Some of the skill is there, certainly, as that is something that can only be taught, but the actual effort put into the performance is something else to be said. [He at least doesn't sound like he's trying to be condescending or anything towards her, mostly that his brain just will not let him put humans and vampires into the same box even though he knows full well that he's going to end up like that in a year's time.]

Just because I've been forced into having this blood in my body does not mean I embrace the changes that it provides. [... Well, Eden may have heard some tale of him being brought in as one of the weird anomalies of the whole foreign god thing. Not that he's really doing great at blending in currently.]

Creativity and effort aren't dead once you transition, though. Even more, they're graded on how well they perform, not how many times the spinny move can be done.

[ She's met foreigners that worshiped a foreign god before, and oddly enough, she thought they were only referring to one other person with this particular anomaly showing up. She'd skate if she knew how, but it also never got cold enough in the Red Court lands for the lakes to freeze over... Not that she ever had the time to. ]

You don't have to embrace it, but you have to accept that these are changes that you're going to physically go through. Would you rather do that and keep whatever you worship, or be enthralled to not even having that to look towards? Because that's what will happen if you fail.

[That's fair. It's his own fault if he gets cold-- but, he's a vampire so it doesn't bother him as much as it would novices. Being a vampire is probably also why just popping out of bird form without any shame is possible.]

Oh ho? Maybe I have seen you around, then. It's nice to meet you!

[He does probably have his clothing stashed somewhere near by. He won't be just standing there naked for long. Probably. Give him a second to go look while he continues chatting.]

Have you been enjoying yourself at the castle? What court are you heading towards?

[Seeing an animal turn into a naked person is probably not all that weird for the castle, honestly.]

Phantom Harlock. [What a name!]

[His grin widens a bit, he catches the bit of blue in his eyes.]

Hayato Ichimonji of the Blue Court! It's nice to meet you.

Have you been lurking around as a bird this whole time, until now?

[ She won't stop him from looking, but of course it means he can't stop her from looking either. If she's lucky, he'll have to bend over and stuff... ]

Silver Court seems to be the path I'm staying on, as fun as the other classes are as well.

When you're effectively immortal, you have all the time in the world to research and take in cultures and arts, don't you? I'd still argue that's a significant advantage.

[He always has to find some way to debate these kinds of topics, especially since he has little else to do and occupy his mind and time with. It's not as if certain things were easy to get a hold of and the fact he was able to keep his crucifix hidden enough to even have it in this place was a miracle. Not that it was ever visible in public here.]

Who said I was going to fail? [Finally his attention turns properly to her, a brow raised.] I understand what these changes are, I understand that they will happen. What I will not embrace is that my beliefs are dead because I will become one of them.

If anything, it would actually help me in my service of my Lord to be effectively immortal. [It's how he has to rationalize all of this lest it become despair, even if he's doing a great job hiding all of that.]

Not the whole time, but if you've seen a random hawk hanging around for no reason here or there, that was probably me.

[Ah, there we go! Robes are convenient! Anyway, if Eden wants to look while he does that, she will note that Hayato had been very fit in life before his Making. Someone who did a lot of physical training before becoming a vampire.]

I see, I see. I have a good friend in Silver Court! He's way too smart for his own good and if I didn't drag him out for fun once in a while, he'd never leave his room, haha.

Which comes with the assumption of them having had been immortal that long, and dedicated their time to it.

[ It's as much of an advantage as it is to anyone that survives for long enough while here, including for the novices. So she's still not understanding where there's an actual issue. ]

You're the one that said you don't embrace the changes. Now you're just saying what I said you could do.

[ What kind of way of speaking was this? Saying one thing, then acting like something else was said the whole time. How confusing! ]

There's always a risk of failure for everyone, though. Don't act like there isn't. It's good to have a goal, but you need to remember that having it doesn't take away the risk. It just pushes you past it.

I suppose that's true.

[ Wyll sighs, well aware of how the strangeness of this place is wearing on the both of them. The long nights are not kind to those in their first seasons, whose eyesight has yet to adjust to the dark.

He still tries to keep his chin up about it, though! That's just his way. ]

Do you think so? I'm more shocked that vampires even remember how to have fun. Without resorting to bloodletting, that is.

[ The whole "hockey" thing is there for a reason, isn't it. Wyll has very purposely stuck to observing figure skating for now. ]

[ Wyll's eyes light up to have found a kindred spirit. ]

A challenge, then! Nothing better than a worthy opponent.

[ He grins. Human stuff is great! Vampires would probably try to hide daggers in their snowballs, but you'll find just regular snow in these! ]

You're on then.

[ Why yes, she will be pleased to look and note that down. ]

Ah, one of the ones that gets so caught up in researching that they can easily forget what season it is?

[ She... Didn't think that her former Maker had any friends. He didn't seem the type. ]

Still more time than a human or one of these novices would have had.

[Really, he's just debating it for funsies at this point, because what use is there if you only have one view of things?

He's almost glad that his mouth is hidden by the scarf, given the smile that's tugging at his lips. Ah, she didn't really understand what he was saying, did he?]

I would consider the physical changes and the societal ones two different things in this case. That is what I meant by not embracing it. The physical I can handle, certainly, but I'm not keen on the societal changes that would come with it, the way that a good majority of vampires seem to act.

[He shrugs slowly, letting out a slow sigh.]

Nor am I saying that there isn't a risk of failure. There's a risk of failure in everything and that's what should drive someone when it comes to where they are going. I don't intend on failing in this particular goal, especially to prove a point.

a dream of pleasant memories

[ Edgin's dreams are, for the most part, quite peaceful. He dreams of an idyllic little farm, in an idyllic little town in the North. Edgin might be found walking home arm in arm with a beautiful woman, a young girl running circles around them trying to tell them all about her day. Or perhaps the scene is on the farm, the child off with the animals, while Edgin tends to crops, and his wife is off cooking, getting lunch ready for them once they come in. Or later that night, out underneath the stars with a small fire, sitting around and simply chatting.

Regardless, two things are obvious: first, Edgin is very, very in love with his family; and, second, Edgin is still very much human in these dreams. It may be hard to get his attention, because he doesn't want to leave this. He wants to be surrounded by family and he wants to be happy.

Edgin isn't sure he's been happy in a long time.]

a night of twisted nightmares (cw: family member murder; potential death of a child)

[ If your character wanders into Edgin's nightmares, they all start the same way, he's standing in a large town square--really, more like a city plaza--surrounded by a crowd that's watching. It's the middle of the night, and a vampire with gold eyes is explaining all the crimes he's committed. The specifics are unimportant.

Until the vampire says that Edgin had killed his family. ]

No! I -- that didn't happen.

[ But even as he protests, a knife materializes in his hand. And then, suddenly, he's holding his wife's body in his arms, stabbing her over and over. She doesn't scream, she simply stares up at him with pleading eyes. Blood flows from the gaping wound from her chest, red at first, and then gold. ]

No, no it didn't happen this way. This isn't what happened.

[ Edgin's hands are covered in her blood. His daughter is screaming. She can't be more than 11 years old. She runs up to him, slamming her little fists into him, kicking and biting and screaming as he twists the knife in his wife's heart. Dad, stop it! Stop it, you're hurting her! ]

I swear, Kira, I swear, I didn't---it's not what it looks like.

Finding a Cure

[ Despite the brutal nightmares that came after him, Edgin managed to not fall to their curse. He's able to search for a cure with everyone else. But Edgin isn't found in the front lines next to the Silver Court vampires in the nursing ward. Instead, he's found in the library, reading for hours through all kinds of texts.

He's sure there's information about this somewhere. Maybe in an obvious place like in medical texts, or maybe hidden away in the restricted section. And he's going to find it.

Of course, he loses track of time. He might be in the library after the sun comes up, tucked away in some corner, taking notes diligently as he tries to figure out what the Castle remembers about a curse like this. ]

Anyway, Sports!!

[ The Winter Games are a distraction from the stress of the nightmares. But, more than that, Edgin legitimately wants the students to do well! He can be found cheering on Blue Court in all their sports, standing by with extra water or towels or a little bowl of oatmeal. Are there thralls for that? Sure. But look, this is packed with the power of cheerleading for his Court! ]

wildcard

[ feel free to run into Edgin elsewhere, or in one of his classes! ]

[ Wyll take's in the young lady's appearance, trying his best to recall where he recognizes her from. She'd recognized him, which is strange enough, but if she'd heard him speak of the Blade, then that means -- ]

Wait. I do remember you! You're Eden, aren't you? You lived with that woman, the apothecary...

[ Wyll does a doubletake, really seeing her now. His face falls once he truly remembers her. ]

Blade's light, I'm so sorry. I can't believe these monsters grabbed you too.

[At least one of them is seeing this situation in a mostly positive light, Enrico is more annoyed about everything and determined to get through this out of stubbornness than anything else at this point.

He tilts his head somewhat when he comments on the bloodletting, actually having to chuckle at it. He hasn't really looked at the other sports, has he?]

Oh trust me, they are having plenty enough blood sport even with their "winter games". There's another game going on where violence is encouraged, as to be expected with these barbarians. [Pucci, you are literally going to become one of them, but go off, I guess.]

I'm surprised, given that whole thing last month that they haven't also found some sort of excuse to have another orgy. [He sure didn't go to that, but he certainly heard about it.]

Yes! With Mrs Greenbelt.

[ It was a bit of time after healing from the wolf attack that he showed up, so she was still staying near the cabin to help with working on drying the herbs. Her smile was starting to widen, but faltered as his own expression fell away. ]

Hey, it's okay. Maybe now her son will finally come and take care of her. Plus, look.

[ It's not the clothes that she was showing off when opening up the cloak some more, but that she wasn't some thin stick of a girl anymore. ]

I'm healthy, and really, I've been learning a lot since showing up. I get to be around people every day, too. Despite what they could be, they're not monsters.

It's like a Silver Court endemic, honestly. Someone should mandate they all go out and get drunk once a season, at least.

[The thing is there are probably a bucket of Silver Court vampires who fit this description. How...how funny...]

If you want some unsolicited advice from a stranger in another court, don't forget how to have fun, yeah?

[Perhaps he hasn't seen weirder, but he certainly has seen worse. Given how mostly blue the man's eyes is, the ex-bandit is certain he is probably not a novice, especially the way he phrased the question]

Nice to meet you as well I suppose. So are you one of the teachers here, or just hanging around the place?

(( As a note: Phillip also draws from the novel A Prince of Thorns and Nightmares, which is Disney novel that is a mix of filling in the blanks and a bit of reimaging. ))

once upon a dream

[ The dream is the same. It's always the same. It's the dream of a girl he's met once, sixteen years ago. He's had to make her up, in his dreams. She's a stuffy princess, the kind that knows she's beautiful.

But in the dream, she's not a vampire. She's just a normal girl. And he's a normal boy. They do the things normal humans do, like go out in the sun and go on walks in the woods.

Rather than actually participating, though, Phillip stands back watching the scene. Watching the dream version of him do these dream things. ]

It's nice, isn't it?

[ He's aware enough to recognize someone else is here with him, which should probably surprise him but also he lives in a castle full of vampires, and also his betrothed got turned into a vampire before she was supposed to, so now he's just bitter and nothing fazes him. ]

It's too bad it'll never be real.

Searching For A Cure

[ Phillip doesn't know how he can help. He's a first season, and he barely knows anything about being a vampire. But he wants to help so badly. Need someone to get flowers from the green house or around campus? He's your guy. Water for the screaming patient? Sure. Run to the library for books? Of course.

But mostly, he wants to learn how to heal. He wants to know what it's like to do magic, which despite how everyone treats it, he's pretty sure vampires actually do.

Wouldn't that be grand? To do magic and heal people?

Sure, he's got a maker in Gold Court, but a boy can dream, can't he? ]

Please, let me help. I won't get in your way, I promise.

Actually, Skip Sports

[ Phillip will not be attending sports! He's been forced to play in far too many tournaments and with no one demanding his presence (and the Gold Court novices by and large very happy to try and show off), he sneaks away.

Where does he go?

The stables.

Yes, resident horsegirl Phillip would much rather spend his time in the company of those fine, fourlegged friends. He comes with a bag full of carrots and apples and he spends time with each of them. He already knows all of their names, and you might just overhear him talking to them. ]

Well, it's just, she's not going to remember me anyway, is she? She's got more important things in her life. Also, she was a baby when I met her. Babies don't know anything. They definitely don't remember anything.

Five or ten years is not more time for what's probably the most important parts of it. It looks like something someone could be doing since they were a human child.

[ Is he still moving things around to wherever he feels like? Fine, whatever. Just go and ignore that she was encouraging you to survive and continue on with your beliefs. ]

You can't say that figure skating amongst themselves and novices is so much of a change as human adults and children doing so. From what I've seen, it hasn't been so different in a 'societal' way. Then again, I don't exactly see how it's too much different than humans.

[ ... Not that she's going to share that she was living away from human society most of her life. She'll end up spending more days socializing with vampires than with people before she's even fully turned. ]

I... Don't think you have to worry about that part.

[ She was having fun watching him look for his robes. ]

I'm one of the types that has to be out and involved, having fun, experimenting and learning. Plus, it'd make my Maker sad if I didn't have something of a life.

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january tdm/event post

corner of your eye

norton campbell | identity v | blue court | youngblood | tdm

Corner of Eye

Sports

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Edgin Darvis | Blue Court | Youngblood

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(Prince) Phillip | Sleeping Beauty | Gold Novice | TDM

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