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

ONCE UPON A DREAM PT: 1 (CW: blood/child abuse)

[It was a quaint room. A room filled with mundane things. A sofa, a kitchen, a coffee table. Daria walked in, in her Youngblood outfit...feeling out of place. But there was a warmth in the air. An unfamiliar feeling. Daria sank onto the sofa, feeling listless and lost as to where she was and why this felt so real. Silver Court magic again probably, a mess she was going to have to solve on her own. Again.

She sighed yet found herself sinking into the sofa until the door opened. A young beautiful girl, older woman in a business suit, a gentleman in a business suit, and a young woman in alternative wear. Upon seeing Daria on the sofa, they looked shocked.

Daria was unsure of how to react. Was she dreaming or was this really happening?]

Sorry, I will leave this was an accident I-

Daria?! Is that you?? Oh, we were looking everywhere for you!

Geez, Daria, you even gave ME a scare!

Daria, I was ready to call the damned FBI!

[The alternative girl said nothing, instead giving a pained expression. Running toward her, Daria was unprepared. She was embraced by the young woman and soon enough, the rest. The warmth of four people holding her, a love she didn't recognize. A love she couldn't find reason for-

Unless.

...Daria leaned into the hugs given to her, somehow allowing her to feel it. Was this a family? Why was she seeing a family? After all of these years? And a friend? A real friend? These words started flooding her brain as she felt her heart leap, taking in the embrace.

Until she felt something cold on her ankle. The cold pierced her skin against the warmth atmosphere that she started feeling something about. Something familiar...A family. People who love her. Taken by the piercing and bruising cold of the chains. The chains pulled on her skin, causing it to peel it and make it bleed. Then, a force pulled her down, slamming her on the ground and out of the arms of her friend and family...Her friend and her family!]

Worthless filth! You think you deserve this?? After what you did to us?

No, stop! You're all sick! All of you, let me go! You deserved it, you freaks!

Is that the thanks we get after letting you live all those years! Feed you our garbage and giving you the basement was too much for you! Ugly, worthless wretch! No one wants you. Especially after you MURDERED us.

You MURDERED the only people I cared about...and who cares?! This...this is-!

[As Daria was being pulled away on the ground, bleeding in the ankle and dragging blood in the path, the people who embraced her vanished. Turning into rats and swarming Daria.]

The only friends and family you deserve are the rats we let visit you down in that basement!

Stop! No! Get off!

[Then she was dragged by the one ankle further and further into the darkness behind her, the environment of the house wilting away to the cold isolated basement of her family's estate. The cruel political powers be, choosing to hide their unwanted child away from the world. After all, they wouldn't like to be known as child murderers...Unlike their actual child would grow to do.]

ONCE UPON A DREAM PT: 2

[This dream was different. Daria was in a blank and empty white space, surrounded by purple miasma clouds. They weren't dangerous but to Daria...well. She was trapped. In a floating cube prison. It was just big enough for her to comfortably lay her legs down and her back rest comfortably upright.

To others, she looked imprisoned.

To Daria, she was in a safe and personal space. It was warm, keeping her away from the poisonous clouds. She felt safe in here. It started to feel familiar, this kind of safe. Her own world away from the dangers of the outside. She wasn't going anywhere.]

NIGHTMARISH CURSE

[Due to Daria's dreams, she was more isolated than normal. Cancelling every event she had previously, only leaving her lab and personal quarters when she absolutely had to. Like for class. But that was it, she completely closed herself off.

Screaming came from her main lab. A novice seemed to have caught this strange phenomenon, and Daria began examination of the body for clues. As much as she hated working for the breathing/talking, she found out that it kept her busy.]

[ Astarion may not have been the most sympathetic person to have wandered into this. A nicer person might have intervened at any point with the families. Might have tried to stop her from being dragged along. But Astarion is not a nice person--he's a pragmatic one, at best, and mostly he's just very aware that intervening in what is clearly a nightmare isn't going to make it end any sooner.

So they end up together in the basement (with the rats skittering about). He examines their surroundings with a respectable amount of detachment before turning to her. ]

Shall I just start guessing about all of this, or do you want to tell me?

[Daria was too shook to even care. Knowing full well the nights that followed tonight and the future were going to be filled with intruders and wanderers. Yet all the same, it didn’t stop her from wanting to clam up and shrink her soul into that dark place she let herself be in for all of those years.

Then she saw that good old bastard, Astarion. Somehow that made it worse. She laid down on the freakishly realistic cold floor of her old home she was so used to. Cobwebs, musk, and all. In the corner was even her makeshift cot surrounded by withered old books. Too realistic, it just made her bitter. Her ankle bled on the stone and she couldn’t even care.]

Be my guest. Guess away in this lovely abode. Try the rat. Or don’t. They were crappy friends anyway.

I assure you, I have never been desperate enough to eat a rat.

[ He's gonna eat those words when he gets his memories back.

Anyway ]

Unless you mean I should ask it, and that seems even more ridiculous.

[ He sits down on the floor next to her anyway, and draws a lockpick from his pocket. It makes easy work of the iron---or at least it should, but it's her nightmare and nightmares have their own logic. ]

Were they really this bad, or is this an exaggeration?

[Daria hadn’t spoken about it to anyone. Not in years. Not since she met Her. But then she paid the price for getting involved.

What was she afraid of? Daria couldn’t look Astarion in the eye, trying very hard to not shrink her body in the fetal position. Even if this felt real. In reality, everyone was dead. Even her technically. She made sure of that fact. There was just a severe dissociation in her eyes, going back to a time when she wished for real unmoving death in the night.]

I was the unwanted child of a family of politicians. Once my pretty little sister was born, they had no use for me. She had the looks, the perks, and the uncanny ability to draw a crowd. So she was the golden goose and I was the loose end they couldn’t just kill or someone would find out.

So they threw you down here?

[ He sits back now that he's done doing what he can with the iron and he takes a look at their surroundings. ]

How quaint.

[ This is obviously sarcasm, full of scorn for her parents. ]

Yeah, isn’t it? Perfect for the holidays.

[She felt the metal leave her ankle. He didn’t have to do that. It was a dream after all. Then again, no one was around to see him actually help her out once again. Whatever he said in here surely was safe from the prying eyes of the public. Which was fine by her, the lest people see this the better.

She didn’t care if people cared, right? She was embittered and alone, even with one of perhaps…the only person she didn’t hate to see it.

But what she really didn’t like were the visions of normal loving people. That upset her. Greatly. She tried to hide this specific kind of hurt she couldn’t quantify by still refusing to look at Astarion in the eye. But she was at least sitting up and looking at the tables with various tools and potion bottles, things she took from the outside. One mess was on the table in particular. Like she recently made something in secret.]

I got out when I could. They couldn’t keep me in here forever, when it really mattered I suppose.

[Pause. The dream was even dastardly enough to show when she made That.]

It was a simple brew. Cyanide from the rat poisons, an old family vintage of red. Brew it, seal it like I was never there. Make sure that was the one they opened when my darling sister was given the proposal they all were so proud of.

Well, it seems that I have perhaps been underestimating you.

[ What an exciting turn of events that sounds like, his tone seems to suggest. Not the kind of thing he should share around polite company, but he and Daria have had many bloodwine filled nights talking about all the dark things that live in literature. It's hardly the worst thing he's ever suggested liking.

But more than that--it's an ingenuity he did not (and could not have) possessed as a human. He'd never killed his captor, after all.

(A thought he will have to file away from another day.) ]

So what, now? Want to go up there and do it again and hope it wakes us up?

It's not like I've told anyone. That was on purpose.

[...Still. Daria couldn't place it but there was something she liked about Astarion's response. One might suggest that maybe there wasn't care put into it but one could say the opposite.

Daria already decided she wasn't their victim. That was why she took the initiative at all. They took away the one thing that gave her happiness to save their reputation. The fear of all of that info and darkness of their Shameful Spawn to possibly be passed down and put their status at risk was too great for them. Kill her only friend, possibly romantic interest, and finally find some way to kill her...after the party.

Daria beat them to it.

Now.

Daria could feel the victimizing blame of losing what she did, and think hard about a family that might've loved her. Or she could nip negative feelings in the bud, for one moment.

Daria smiled.]

Got anything on hand?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

january tdm/event post

Daria Morgendorffer - Daria - Silver - Youngblood

dream part 1;

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