undyingcourt | 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

[ Bones shrugs, waving a hand dismissively. It's awkward enough as it is, sharing a part of himself that he keeps so hidden from others. ]

This is the last place I'd wanna be with anyone, at least you get it. Anyone else might've been... you know how it is. We're supposed to kill our old selves and all that.

[ Even saying it feels wrong, when all Bones' family has done is put cookies in the oven. He's definitely torturing himself, trying to keep this dream together, but he wants to cling to it as long as he can, intruder or no. ]

I guess I was never too good at killing.

Yeah, neither was I.

[ It's kind of crazy to think how much he and Bones have had in common this whole time, without ever realizing it. ]

[ And to think they were just one year apart... Bones really is having a "is this guy seriously so deeply on my wavelength?" moment. Like destiny found them and decided to stick them together.

He'll feel stupid if they both just sit around and don't say anything, so. Bones grumbles, holding out his hand. ]

Leonard McCoy. Or you can call me Bones. I think I've seen you around but I don't think I ever bothered sayin' hi.

[ He shrugs. ]

I'm not real "personable" or so they tell me.

[ Edgin takes it and shakes his hand (or does the cool ye olde time grab each other's wrist greeting, which is both cooler and more homoerotic if you ask me and it was a shame the d&d movie did not do it. Anyway...) ]

Edgin Darvis. It's nice to be formally acquainted.

[ Oh, this is definitely a cooler and better handshake than a usual one. D&D movie, you missed out. Way more homoerotic this way. ]

Same here. First time meeting a guy and spilling my guts out to 'im on the same dream, so congrats on that.

[ It would be way too awkward to acknowledge the sexual tension here so Bones is going to keep acting blase and not extremely touched that Edgin hasn't made this dream thing weird. ]

Well, I'm honored.

[ he even touches his heart! ]

[ Bones levels him with a Look in response, but doesn't comment. Pretty soon the room around them starts to change, though -- the warm, well-lit country home replaced with a dreary, nearly dilapidated-looking clinic. One wonders how any medicine actually got practiced here, with the amount of bottles behind the counter. ]

Oh, good. [ Bones grits his teeth. ] We're not done walkin' through my life's regrets. Fun.

[ Now it's Edgin's turn to put his hand on Bones's shoulder, in that manly, comforting way. ]

Hey, look at me. This? It's in the past. You're a good teacher, now. You take care of the novices.

Edited 2024-02-05 04:51 (UTC)

[ Edgin... you are flying up Leonard's list of favorite people so fast. There's shattered glass and the stale scent of blood here. Leonard is sure that if he stepped too far, he'd find something he would deeply regret.

It's a good thing then that Edgin is trying to keep him occupied. It sure beats thinking about all the people that have died here, and all the people he's failed to save for one reason or another.

Bones can only take so much kindness before he starts trying to deflect it, though. And as much as he'd like to take Edgin at his word, it's hard. ]

No offense, but, you don't know that. I could be a real shitty teacher.

You're not, you know how quickly gossip spreads around the castle. And, besides, I'm Blue Court, my colleagues think getting novices high on drugs is teaching.

[ you can't win this one Bones. ]

Here, let's true something. Take my hand.

[ he holds out the hand not on Bone's shoulder for him to take. A plan slowly forming, you see. ]

[ Bones huffs a laugh. Yeah, he can't disagree with that. Blue Court'll teach you something alright.

Still, despite eyeing him with suspicion, Bones takes the offered hand. He's fairly sure Edgin isn't gonna pull some weird Blue Court shit, but this is the longest conversation he's had with the guy in 9 years, so he considers it a toss-up. ]

Fine. Now what?

[ Edgin closes his eyes and focuses, and the dream world around them changes, pulling Bones into his dreams. His memories, with little Kira chasing around some sheep in the field and Zia watching from the door with a laugh. ]

At some point, we're bound to run out of sharable memories or daytime. Whichever comes first.

[ Personally, he's hoping it'll be the latter and it'll be night soon and they'll just wake up but he's taking one for the team here. ]

[ Woah, okay. That was weird. Bones has never had a dream where someone else took over -- but then this weird dream thing they were going through was definitely on the "magic" side of the bullshit spectrum.

Damn. This is a nice one, though. Bones watches Kira run and cheer, that freedom only kids can truly enjoy. This is a really personal memory for Edgin, he's sure. It's so domestic it almost hurts. ]

You didn't have to do this.

january tdm/event post

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