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

[ Xenk takes stock of the group of children that have all taken Kirk as their leader of sorts. Some vampiric instinct tells him that it would be for the best if they were culled. So many young mouths to feed, it was clear they would hold Kirk back and endanger him. It would be a simple decision to make.

But he can see that Kirk will not make this decision. Having experienced now the fear of being left alone, Xenk can almost understand why. A leader looks out for those below him. A true leader does not harm those he is meant to protect. He doesn't wish to disturb this dream just yet -- James deserves an ending better than surely whatever happened in this memory. Xenk cannot imagine that these children will all live, but if he can help in any way, he will. ]

The cave, then. We will take what we can.

[ The fact that Kirk still tries to protect Xenk, who by all rights does not need protecting, isn't lost on him. Things need not make sense in a dream, but some part of Xenk senses that Kirk would do the same, even outside of the dream. Xenk squeezes his hand in return. ]

I will fight them off if I must. You have my word, James. No harm will come to you.

[ Honestly, he's really annoyed about this turn of events. It's bad enough that Xenk Yendar keeps bothering him during the night--but coming into his precious day time sleep? Really? ]

Can you go?

[ He looks over through the window at his wife and child. ]

I'm having a moment here. And I'll wake up later tonight, there's no need to wake me up now.

[ As he says this, he realizes this is like, an incredibly lucid dream? So he frowns. ]

Besides, you're just a dream person.

[ Chaux sniffs the apple, apparently pleased enough to take a big ol' chomp out of it. Enjoy that, Phillip! ]

He thinks oranges are a year-long treat.

[ Hans smiles, happy to have found a kindred spirit in talking to horses. Well, sorta. He's still playing it close to the chest, so to speak. He instead reaches forward and pats the horse's soft neck, all bright smiles. ]

You're have it pretty good, getting to eat whatever you want all year-round, huh? Say what you will about vampires, at least they're still pretty kind to the horses.

[ None of it makes sense. His hands shake where he's holding Zia, desperately trying to figure out what he's supposed to do to undo what he did here. How he can make this memory right itself, go back to the way it really was.

What he's supposed to tell Kira.

But then Kirk is there, of all people, pulling Kira away from him. She's shouting at him, of course, now taking him her fight with him and demanding he put her down so she can go back to what she was doing. ]

J-James...?

[ See, that wasn't right, either. Kirk wasn't here. But instead of using that to try and convince himself that of course this is all fake, he feels like this is just one more person he has to justify his innocence to. ]

I didn't do this. It wasn't like this.

[ Edgin brightens up when he sees Cotton!! Look at that, that's so sweet. ]

Smells like you have cookies, huh? That's gotta be the better offering.

[Wow this was some kind of fucked up, that's for sure. Everything about this screams wrong to him, screams that this is too much sadness and trauma for one child to have to endure. To lose his parents like this? To have to see them like this everyday while a vampire raises him... It makes him want to bundle Xenk up and give him a hug.

Not something he ever thought he would be thinking about Xenk.

He gets tugged behind Xenk and follows the child without much thought.

And no, this was a dream and everything felt normal and logical, so the hallway stretching on forever doesn't even make him blink. What does make him blink is how... gaudy this place was. Definitely a Gold vampire, definitely one with bad taste.]

Yeah, you don't need that much sleep, that's too long, even Vampires probably spend some of that time awake in a windowless room... we could always play hide and seek just the two of us? Or play night terrors?

[ Xenk gives him a look, like he expected better from him. But did he? He crosses his arms. He'd expect this from a novice, but Edgin has been a vampire for a decade. ]

As are they, Edgin.

[ Xenk shares the same glance towards Edgin's family. ]

This will never be your life. Why do you torture yourself with dreams of impossibility?

[ There is some truth to that. In the summer, Szass Tam doesn't just come out at night. That surely won't be a problem later in the dream, will it. Nah.

Xenk smiles, those beautiful brown eyes bright with childlike joy. It's clear from the way he's dressed that he doesn't really get much chances to just be a kid. ]

I've never played night terrors before!

[ He starts to tug Kirk down the hall, towards the door that doesn't seem to get any closer. ]

Uhm, those are from... the Blue Lands, right? [ He stares up at Kirk, eyes so full of excitement. ] Can you tell me how to play? What are the rules? Father always says you can't mess anything up if you stick to the rules!

Who says it's torture?

[ Of course Xenk doesn't understand why this is meaningful. Although, wait, for that matter: ]

It's not like I control my dreams. Again, if I did, I'd just make you leave.

[ So things like this were happening outside the bonfire incident? Maybe it was about how much of a vampire someone was before these things started to happen... Which didn't make sense, and it was all still so weird. She didn't even talk about this weird inspiration to dance, which was far more foreign to her. ]

I'm still doing that, believe me. I just hoped that a different court perspective would help.

[ But now there's new questions, less related to that, so they'd have to wait. Still, this has been enough to write down in her notes. If she could trust the information in her head, then that's fine, but it's a bit of nonsense all the same. ]

In a way it did, though that's sadly because if this were in any books, it's currently in someone's possession right now.

You will wake in the morrow and these figments will be gone. To recall how they were only makes it more painful when the truth takes them from you.

[ Speaking from experience? Nah. No way. Xenk's voice is as impassive as always. ]

I am not here of my own volition, either. This must be some form of magic... it may be best that we wake, lest we become trapped in this dreamscape.

[ Honestly, Astarion finds most of the winter games pretty boring. He's only here to look at pretty people, which is why figure skating is actually worth showing up for.

And of course, through a twist of fate, he ends up seated next to Wyll.

Why does life always give him novices please just give him a break.

Although, admittedly, Wyll does qualify as someone good to look at. ]

Oh, this happens every year. It's about encouraging friendly competition about the Courts--or something.

[ he waves a hand dismissively. He Does Not Care. ]

"Trapped"?

[ Wait. He's putting this together. Give him a second. ]

Wait, you're--you're actually Xenk. Not some creation of my dreams.

[ It's not a question. He has connected the dots. ]

Well that's new.

Correct. The whole of the castle is banding together to find cures for this curse. No doubt one will make itself known, soon.

[ If nothing else, Eden can rely on the fact that everyone is working on it... even if the Winter Games are still happening, people have been scrambling to get as much knowledge as they could. ]

I regret that I cannot offer you a simple solution. Alas, the Gold Court is more prone to the ailment than others, as our powers lie in the mind rather than the body.

[ He connected the dots. He connected them. Xenk at least never doubted that this wasn't his dream -- after all, he'd never dream about Edgin's family, be they living or dead. ]

Correct.

[ At least that answers that. Maybe Xenk is just good at this because he's in Gold Court, or maybe he's just a bastard. ]

Unfortunately it seems your lucidity has placed us no closer to being freed from this dream. You need to awaken, Edgin. This is your dream, not mine.

Edited (icon) 2024-01-22 21:35 (UTC)

[Kirk snorts at what Xenk says, for what reason seems to be unknown for a second until he opens his mouth.]

Usually I prefer Jim, but oddly you calling me James feels normal. [He shakes his head, like that was weird but can't pinpoint it.] And no one-- ah.. [He lowers his voice for Xenk.] Well, no one survives a night terror on the hunt, everyone knows that.. all we can do is hope they get bored before they find us. But.. thanks.

[He looks up at Xenk again, his smile a little more genuine, still there was fear there, covered up and hidden below a bravado of being a leader who could take care of all these kids. As if he believes he can save them all. The boy holding his other hand tugs on his arm pulling Kirk closer to him.]

Jim, I'm cold. [Without hesitating, Kirk pulls off his ragged scarf and wraps it around the kid's neck.]

I know, Kevin, we'll get warm soon. Check on the other kids, okay? See if anyone's injured while we check this house for blankets and food. Stay off the road and behind the shrubs, okay?

[Kevin nods before letting go of his hand and moving to the other kids as they hide. Kirk shivers but doesn't let go of Xenk's hand as he pulls him after him into the house.]

[ Not gonna lie, Wyll would probably have tried figure skating if he wasn't still traumatized by arriving here, and if he wasn't so sure he'd get destroyed by vampires who can do something like mid-air splits and quintuple-axles.

So he's actually enjoying watching people, is what I'm saying. But he recognizes Astarion -- it would be impossible to miss a man like him. He's a youngblood in Wyll's "Court," even if the words still don't really mean anything to Wyll, he's not dumb enough to ignore important knowledge like that.

He sits up a little straighter, though. ]

It's... almost nice to see, honestly. I would have thought perhaps your courts looked down on something as "simple" as friendliness.

[Kirk is fine taking the brunt of Kira's fighting, holding the girl around the middle as he holds her up off the ground. Sure, getting hit and picked and yelled at wasn't fun by any means, but in a way, he doesn't want to see where this nightmare was about to go if he lets her go... what if--

No, no Edgin would never.]

I believe you.

[And he does, Edgin was too honest of a person to have lied to him about what happened. He wants to reach out and touch Edgin, to comfort the man but his hands were full of an angry child.

Why were there so many children in these dreams lately?]

I know you would never hurt her like that.

[ Xenk can see the way Kirk puts on a brave face. He himself must appear as one of the children in his dream, for Kirk to say so. Of course dreams follow no logic, so who can say? It doesn't bear thinking about. It's obvious that this memory, and this dream, was a window into Kirk's past that Xenk would not see otherwise.

It should be alarming, but Xenk finds only admiration for what he sees. That even in fear, Kirk finds the strength to be strong. As a leader, he gives of himself to care for others. Xenk can do nothing but follow and hope he can live up to this promise. He will not allow any harm to come to James, even in this dream. ]

Take this.

[ Xenk shrugs out of his jacket with ease, placing it over Kirk's shoulders. It's black and gold, shifting colors as it changes to suit the dreamscape. It's either a perfect fit or hilariously big on him, but since it's a dream, it's really a toss-up. But they have a house to ransack, Xenk hasn't forgotten. ]

You will make a poor leader if you have your death of cold.

[ Oh!! The horse accepted his offering, that's pretty great. ]

It's too bad vampires can't talk to horses. [ beat ] Unless, do you think, with all that mind reading business..?

[ what if!!!!!!!! ]

[ Given that it's Gold Court vampires, they may be taking the information directly there. It would be hard for Eden to believe that Xenk didn't share every single anomaly with someone in the council. Satoru... She didn't know as well.

Which was probably why she was up here acting as an extra set of hands to treat the people collected so far. Even if some of what those extra hands did was clean up the blood. There was still a list of various herbs- some she wasn't sure actually existed- that she wanted to check against the current mixture being used to see if it could help. Henbane had potential, but it would depend on other things in it... ]

Sadly, the library is a bit... In shambles. A lot of people are going through everything trying to get any clues. Hopefully they share...

[wow. seriously? he was putting all of that energy into bitching out these sluggish players, but the second an opportunity to really do something about it presented itself he was back right out. was it because he'd actually have to fork over some kind of 'payment'? what a skinflint! the look Hazel would be leveling her companion's way could have curdled milk off sheer disgust alone.]

...fucking fine, whatever.

[sour as she was, it seemed like she still possessed a tiny modicum of common sense. with a deeply put upon huff she concedes defeat, crossing her arms almost petulantly to turn her attention back to the IMMEASURABLY SHITTY game. all is well, if more than a little put out.

...for a while, at least.

at some point after Yuri's gone back to hatewatching she's leaning down for a moment, ostensibly to check the clasps on her boots - but in reality she's forming a snowball. it only takes a second after sitting back up before she's chucked it directly at the head of the worst offender down on the ice, and when the novice demands to know just who the fuck had done that??? she's calling out to the guy without a moment of hesitation.]

Over here, shitface! Fucking surprised you even noticed the goddamn thing through your fucking coma! Get a goddamn move on!

[the object of her derision barks back an equally irritated retort - or tries to before finding himself pummeled by a second snowball to the face halfway through a sentence. Hazel's on her feet now, clearly ready to draw this confrontation out until a fight starts or the team wakes the fuck up.]

You heard me the first time! Your whole team's a fucking disgrace! My buddy's been bitching about you since the puck hit the ice!

[...oh, Yuri, she's gesturing at you as she says that. this could be mildly problematic!]

But...

[ He looks over his shoulder again, longing. He has no desire to be trapped here, let alone with Xenk breathing down his neck, but he also doesn't want to leave his family behind.

They're so beautiful, so happy.

softly: ]

I'm not ready.

You haven't? We have to fix that!

[Kirk follows where he is pulled, not minding that the door doesn't get closer. Doesn't even think about it, merely following behind Xenk best he can.]

Sure are, I come from there. And! It doesn't have many rules other than, don't get caught by the night terror, because then they get to tickle you silly.

[He played this with some of the other kids when he was young, Kevin especially. He would throw on a cloak of blanket and stuff his shirt with a pillow and chase the other kids until he caught them and then tickle them until they played dead.

Thinking about it now, it was kind of a morbid game, but it's how one coped with reality of night terrors.

What was more morbid is that Xenk wants to know the rules so he won't mess up... that suddenly explains a lot.]

I wouldn't.

[ It's your fault, Kira screams anyway, but then her choice of words changes, getting closer to the truth: she had to die because of what you did.

Edgin looks down at the body in his hands, life all but gone. The smell of blood is so overwhelming, it's so strong. But he wasn't a vampire when Zia died, he tries to remind himself, he wouldn't have felt this way about it.

He tries to focus on Kirk, instead. ]

What are you doing here?

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january tdm/event post

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