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

[ Calculations aren't Xenk's wheelhouse usually, but he certainly seems intent on what he's doing. A stack of papers lie on his desk, scribbles of numbers and probabilities, all scrawled in ink and pen as he crosses out another line of calculations.

He looks up from his work only when Yuri speaks up. He's that engrossed. ]

Yes, it is a time-consuming task.

[ He doesn't specifically say why he's doing these calculations, but it must be important enough that he doesn't bother engaging with Yuri for more than that, simply gets back to it... He's not exactly chatty on a good day, but he's not usually this intense when it comes to math, I promise. ]

[Yuri's eyes scan over all the papers, taking in what he can without going over there and rifling through everything. While it isn't enough for him to get the full picture, he can at least the complexity of the math being done.

It doesn't look too bad, in his opinion. That's why, after a beat, he speaks up again.]

If you don't wanna be here until the sun comes up, I can do it for you.

[Which is probably an absurd offer, but it'd free Xenk up to look over his list and he's confident that he should be able to get it done in a fraction of the time it'd take for someone using an abacus. There are a lot of subjects he's good at, but far and away math has always been his best one.]

[ Yuri presents an interesting proposition. Xenk has been at this for days, and is just desperate enough to ask for help, even from a novice. Xenk quirks a brow, turning over his work. ]

If you wish to attempt it, then you are free to.

[ He hands over his notes; the number of thralls, an estimate of the average "value" of a thrall in terms of how much blood is consumed in the castle... Xenk has been trying to calculate if it was worth it to sacrifice the thralls to fix the nightmare curse.

Yeah, I never said it was pleasant. Or nice. But if he had his way, he'd find the right numbers to make it so. Perhaps. (Of course he'd have to propose it and it would never get approval from the Silver Court, but Xenk can dream.) ]

[Yuri doesn't bat an eye, but he does think it's a bit interesting that he's getting a go at it without any more convincing. But hey! He's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, so he drops down into the chair meant for visitors, setting his crutch against it and putting his bookbag down before taking the notes and skimming through them.

Ah. This is the worst math ever.

At least it isn't dealing with thralls face-to-face though, so after spending all of a couple minutes reading through it all, he compartmentalizes the 'thrall' part of this and focuses on the numbers themselves. Taking up a pen, he starts scribbling away, processing the calculations in seconds.

(If the data allows, he'll be writing out additional calculations that provide the probability of fixing the curse versus different survival rates of the thralls depending on how much blood is taken from them. He'll also providing those numbers based on different amounts of time, the speed of the curse being fixed this way weighed against how many thralls would be used, how quickly they'd be drained, how much time they'd have to recuperate before being potentially used again. So many variables!)

And while he does -]

... Since you've got a second, I wanted to see if this list of books from the library would work as extra reading for your Intro to Gold Court class.

[He's pausing to grab a piece of paper out his bag, setting it on the desk before resuming those calculations.]

[ Welcome to Xenk's fucked up plan club, Yuri. Will he actually go through with it? Probably not. But it's where his brain went, when the castle proved to be in danger -- acceptable sacrifice is surely another thing you'll learn as part of your Gold Court courses.

Xenk takes the moment to meditate quietly, giving his brain a chance to recharge, if only for however long it takes Yuri to run his math. It's not quite sleep, not by a long shot, but Xenk is a master of control and this is just easier for him at the moment. He thinks nothing of his terrible calculations, finding them to be perfectly in line with his own beliefs.

Yuri's question makes him blink back into focus, golden eyes intent as ever. He is still like death, inhuman in every regard. And he holds out his hand for the list, sure as anything. ]

Of course. I can make several suggestions, if you are seeking to better inform yourself into our court's practices.

[Congratulations Xenk, unethical math is a new one for him. As much as he dislikes it, he's learning! He can't really complain about that, and morality aside, the calculations themselves are interesting from a theoretical perspective. His Maker would probably be thrilled that he's being exposed to math in this context.

Yuri hands his list over and resumes scribbling. Really, this is taking as long as it is because he can only write so fast.]

Yeah, I am. I'm not sure what kinds of classes are gonna be offered next season, so if there isn't anything that expands on the fucking history and politics you went into I wanna make sure I'm not just stopping at an introduction and calling that good enough.

[ He's always happy to invent new, terrible ways to find logical answers. And Xenk isn't even a math whiz, he's just had lots of time to study, so the aid is appreciated, especially if Yuri really finds it fulfilling.

Reading through the list, Xenk nods at the list of texts. ]

I have yet to decide on the curriculum as of yet, but if your interest lies in history and politics, there are many tomes that gather the recent history of the Gold Lands, and the great progress and advancement that has stemmed from the Gold Court's rule over the land.

[ He pencils in a few additional ones, and scratches out one or two. ]

This author in particular, N. Bloodsworn, is oft-regarded for his radical views, as opposed to the array of texts you will find that largely promote a unified perspective. It is important to understand multiple perspectives, when seeking out further education.

[Yuri, meanwhile, finishes up writing out all the calculations. He perks up a little at the mention of radical views. Those aren't super common in the hard sciences (usually, radical views are so out there it's easy to dismiss them as pseudoscience), so that author has his attention.]

Yeah? Sounds interesting. Do Gold Court classes in later seasons go into that kind of shit?

[He skims over his work to double check everything, before putting all the papers back together to hand them over.]

Here, this is done.

[ Oh, Xenk does so like to see initiative from his students. ]

Later season courses, yes. Governance requires an understanding of multiple perspectives. Courses that center around our powers and abilities are more straightforward in comparison.

[ He nods, accepting the stack of papers and skimming them. ]

What did you conclude? Is a solution that sacrifices a percentage of the castle's thralls a viable option for curing the nightmare curse?

[ This is definitely a teaching moment, he's asking for Yuri's opinion more than his math, but he'll settle for either one. ]

[It's the nerdiest thing ever, but he's making a mental note to keep an eye out for Gold classes in later seasons before looking down at the papers.

He... can't really lie about this. The math is right there, and he knows his calculations are correct based on the data Xenk provided. Kind of hard to twist the facts around when you're the one who helped establish them.

His hands move to his lap, his fingers curling so he can dig his nails into his palms. His voice, however, remains its usual flat tone.]

.... There's a chance it could help.

[Oh God, is he going to get more thralls killed? There's a good chance this is all purely hypothetical, but even just the possibility makes it feel like his vision is going to start shaking.]

But that doesn't take into account crap like optics. A lot of the Silver Court's big on thrall welfare, a plan like this could really piss them off. Not to mention you'd have to weigh the short term gain of saving some subjects over the long term loss of subjects and resources. I could try to calculate out the probabilities of different outcomes with enough data, but with people involved there would probably be an element of randomness that can't fully be accounted for.

[ Well, he'll certainly win points for honesty, and for doing all that hard math in a quarter of the time it was taking Xenk. It's admirable, really. Yuri obviously had a mind for mathematics. Xenk will have to keep an eye out for this kid. ]

As I suspected.

[ He's so proud!! I mean, yeah he's definitely aware of the shortcomings of this plan (maybe,) but he still wanted to try it. A thought exercise, even if the Silver Court would sooner flay him than allow it to happen. ]

With the curse affecting the mind specifically, the Gold Court is at a disadvantage in developing a cure. [ Maybe he wanted to prove it was possible, if nothing else. ] Alas, reducing the castle's thrall population could prove to be too great a risk in the long-term, and could destabilize our food supply. I had considered this, but it is heartening to know that it would be possible, if all else fails.

[It's a hell of a lot to consider. Yuri is just quietly reassured by Xenk's response, that this is more of a last resort idea rather than something that's likely to happen. It doesn't completely eliminate the possibility, but it's enough that he feels like he can relax.]

What about supporting the other Courts? Can Gold's control over the mind do anything to help them?

[ Xenk could use some damn sleep. He hates curses, but he especially hates curses that make him feel powerless. That's really what this is about.

He keeps skimming through the papers like he's had to read a few pages over a few times. ]

Unfortunately, any contact with the mind of a person who is suffering from the curse inevitably spreads the curse to the person making that contact. Even were I to attempt to reinforce the minds of those affected, I would become afflicted the moment I tried.

[Yikes, that's rough. Everyone in the Gold Court must not only be feeling useless, but vulnerable too. What if one of them accidentally makes contact? It's almost like they should be kept fifty feet away from anyone infected at all times.]

Shit, it's strong enough that it can bypass any defense you have?

Indeed. Even my own abilities would fall short.

[ Yuri is literally on the same level as Bones and that's hilarious... but Xenk is certainly feeling stressed about it. Just the fact that his perfect poise actually looks tired is proof enough. ]

As it is an affliction of the mind, the Gold Court is at a higher risk than the rest.

[That's shitty. The Court with the most knowledge should be poised to offer the most aid, not be stuck on the sidelines.]

.... Well, if you need any more math done let me know. I can do this kind of thing in my sleep, so it's not a big deal.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

january tdm/event post

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