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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ It's more difficult because Eden couldn't even control the tears that were welling up from those last moments. She was very much a person that could get through a lot, and while her eyes had watered up with frustration all of one time in years. Had joked around that there wasn't really anything to get nightmares about.

Yet now she felt heart sick, and kept her face against Karma's torso to hide what she couldn't control. Initially she shakes her head, more a refusal to move how she was hiding them, though the rest of her leaned in as Karma swayed them. She didn't know why it was soothing, but it was working. ]

I know. It's just spillover from waking up suddenly. I'll be fine once it passes.

[ Well, she won't, but does it count as a lie when you're insisting to yourself those words were true? ]

Take your time, you've been through an awful lot, I'm just glad to see you awake again.

[She hums something nonsensical as she gently sways them. It's not a lullaby or a song, just humming to soothe. The heartsick feeling is there in Karma's chest, tight and heavy. It's been a long time since Karma has let herself feel heartsick like this, so feeling it from Eden hurts.

But she just soothes her novice, calmly and carefully, letting them cry or hide or whatever they needed.

It couldn't have been too long. We have so many options for cures now...

[ Though for a solid second, Eden stiffens from the humming, relating it to being soothed back in the nightmare. It was all different, and she'd get past it, but there was a few of an arrow going through. Even though, logically, that wouldn't actually be a killing blow for Karma. Which is why the reaction only lasted a second. ]

[It doesn't matter that the reaction is only for a second, Karma instantly stops humming. There are no secrets a novice can hide from their Maker, the bond made the Maker too in tuned with the novice and Karma was.. special in her own ways that it was even more so for them. They might not pick and pry or involve themself unnecessarily, but they were very aware.]

Yes, you still were screaming and bleeding by the time I got here, Eden. Luckily not by much, but enough to be concerning.

[They pet Eden's hair softly.]

Who did you get the curse from?

[ There were no secrets between Maker and Novice. Whether it was fact or a rule Karma put didn't really matter at this point, as she'd accept it as how things were between them. Even if Eden tried to hold back on some of the more distracting things... ~~As Whisperfangs would soon reveal, she wasn't hurting for a social life.~~

So she nuzzled her face into Karma, shifting so she was a little more comfortable, to try and enjoy having her hair pet. ]

Jim... I was helping out again with the novices found to give them initial treatments until their makers came by to finish the mending, so I heard when he started getting his nightmare. So I was cleaning him up and worried because of how the scream sounded... I guess I dozed from exhaustion, or maybe I tried to connect without thinking?

I'm not sure which, so much that I was suddenly in his dream... until I wasn't. His was so... unusual, and he understood these things that didn't really exist outside of those fictional books that are in the library.

[They weren't sure who this Jim boy was... was that Edgin's boy? Regardless, hopefully his maker would be there for him, if he felt anything like Karma did, then he would surely show up.]

I warned you against working yourself to exhaustion, Eden. One cannot help others if they are unwilling to help themselves first. [Put on your mask first, young lady!]

Fictional books? That is odd, perhaps he's read too many then and it influenced his dreams. Not all nightmares are memories or reality, sometimes the strangest things will take hold of our hearts and arrest them.

[ It was indeed, Edgin's boy. ]

If it was exhaustion, I didn't realize it. I was so focused- I can't say what happened between cleaning him up and being in the nightmare.

[ Focused, keeping busy and burning candles from the sides and not just the ends, probably. Despite the bath times she took regularly, she wasn't good at stopping. She was sleeping before, but how many people were getting restful sleep in that time? She was already as good at taking care of herself as most other doctors, without all of the official schooling and age to go with it. ]

That's how it seemed, like he put himself as an unfortunate lead in one of them. I hope Edgin got to him since, and he's handling it well...

[Oh, so it was Edgin's boy. Dear sweet Edgin.]

I'm sure he is and that he has some oddly concocted Blue court cure that will hardly make any sense to us.

[It hardly matters, that was his problem and hopefully he would be taking care of it. For now, well, Karma was about to set their foot down about something and they were already ready for Eden to not like it.]

You need rest for a couple days, at least. I won't be seeing you or your cures in the infirmary or any of the afflicted's rooms until then. Understood?

[ Oh, Eden definitely doesn't like it, but has enough sense not to argue right away. She'd never been grounded before! Though most people would call that a forced vacation. She didn't know what to do with everything having been about helping people whenever there wasn't class or something else happening. ]

... Understood. It's just-

[ No, wait, if she started it like that, it would sound like fighting the orders. ]

I was going to tell you the next time you were free long enough, but the curse escalated so quickly; I woke up with all this new medical knowledge in my head. After asking if it would be fine, I even got a set of specialized needles for this acupuncture thing I also started being able to know. Not just that, but you were probably really busy before getting pulled away because of me.

[There was probably plenty of course work to focus on, Eden, you can just do that instead of being in the infirmary. Besides, Leonard is also grounded, you can be grounded together.

They wave a hand to dismiss that they were busy.]

There are plenty of capable Silver healers that can do my job while I tend to my novice, you are far more important.

[They continue to pet Eden's hair.]

I have heard you are trying strange new medical practices, but do be careful that nothing you try will react poorly with what we are already doing. Vampire medicine is very different from human medicine, there could be adverse affects.

[A pause.]

But, I would be curious to hear all about your.. sudden medical knowledge and procedures and how you came by them.

[ Sure, but she always keeps up on course work. In a way, she was getting a preview to what courses with McCoy would be like. ]

It's kind of silly, but it was just there one evening, right before the dreams and curses kicked in. I've been writing it all down though, so you could look at it whenever. It's not fully done, but I left it in the infirmary for Dr McCoy to look over after... scaring him by temporarily disabling someone's legs so he could get a needle in. They're fine, it's only while the needle's there. It works well with other kinds of medicine.

[ Just the normal kind of funny business you'd expect on 'siblings', right? ~~Which is funny if she wasn't told about that yet.~~ ]

Interesting... like unearthing a memory, hm?

[Curious.]

Well, once you finish it, I will give it a read. I am curious to learn more about these sudden medical treatments. Though do be cautious where you use them until we can properly test them out and make sure they don't interfere with anything. You barely understand vampiric medicine, Eden, making assumptions is how you get people killed.

[They don't care how Eden feels about it, that's just a fact.]

You probably gave Leonard quite the scare.

Just without a memory to put context to how I know it.

[ To which she questioned Revar about looking at her work, to which they said it won't be known until Eden tried it, and Xenk saying that it's likely authentic and not some trick. Which both does and doesn't help. Aside from that one time, she's mostly been testing things... on herself, where she can. Which she's opting to keep to herself, already hitting a limit on lectures for tonight. ]

He did get very loud about it for a little, so you're probably right. I also already promised not to do it again. I'll just finish writing it down and pack it together with the set of needles I had made, nothing else.

[Karma isn't as kind as Edgin about not prying, they pry a lot but quietly with mind reading, though those thoughts were loud enough they barely had to do anything. So they see that little thought and choose not to comment on it for now. This was Eden's life and if she wanted to test how her stuff works, then she could, even if Karma felt any harm that happened.]

Yes, I imagine he was very upset. I would be as well had that happened with me. There's still much for you to learn, especially about vampiric healing. Even a medical genius like Leonard McCoy had to go through a learning curve.

[A pause.]

Once you are done with it, I'll review it and we can run it by Revar. Then you will be welcome to test it out on thralls and willing and aware vampire patients. It's unfortunate the Symposium isn't for almost a year yet, you would get many people eager to try.

Edited 2024-02-17 21:14 (UTC)

[ The problem probably was something that's been there for the entire time. Eden never thought of the future, not in the sense of her existing in it. How things could be in general, or for others, was easy. It's probably what made it so easy to do so much in the present, mixed with the various times of impulsiveness. It made it easy to not be possessive towards anything. ]

There's no rush on any of it. Besides, it'll be better for someone else to do the testing, right? No one's going to want a novice or freshly made vampire to do any of this.

[ Just because it came from her head, it didn't mean that only she could get involved with it. Everyone would feel better with someone more established. Slowly Eden pulled herself away to start sitting up finally, roughly rubbing at her mouth. She probably looked like a mess right now. ]

I don't even know how long it's going to take to write down everything. What I gave Doctor McCoy was barely half of an introduction.

[ Well. She was a slow writer whenever trying to do something more clear than her fast 'scribbles.' ]

[Karma waves that away.]

No, you can do it, they are your theories and ideas. With me beside you and backing you up, they won't question it as readily as you might think. I will be able to assist with any errors.

[Karma reaches forward and fusses with her hair, making sure it doesn't look like a mess. Sure there was now blood on Karma from where Eden clung to them, but they were used to it.]

Take your time, there is plenty to be done with the time you have, it's not like you will have a human time limit afterall--

[They pause and bring a hand up to their throat as they get that now familiar tickle to it... the soreness flaring. Leonard.]

I must go, I have another to tend to now. Rest, take care of yourself, Eden.

[With that, they stand.]

[ Anything they were talking about was likely going to be forgotten for a while, as it was mentally dropped the moment Karma started bringing a hand to their throat. Confused and concerned, she sat up even straighter than before. ]

Another? What's wrong?

[ She'd never really witnessed someone reacting to sensations that came through on the bond, after all. The sudden standing however, implied a potential emergency. ]

I mean, if you have to go, then go.

I'll check up on you later, dear.

[With a kiss to the top of Eden's head, they rush out of the room, not wasting another moment as they know their former novice is in danger too. Oh to be so busy.]

Take your time. Just do what you have to.

[ She wasn't really going anywhere, after all. At most, she'd get up to make sure the door closed all the way, clean up, and return to being stuck in her own head.

For the moment, she'll just hope that things work out alright. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

january tdm/event post

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