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

Can anyone just immediately drop memories?

[The letter was after all, sent before the Beginning. In that, Yasuhho can feel quite secure that she left it all behind. Hardly her fault it came back, now was it!

She doesn't even know for sure if it would have been better never to write. As she said- there were still memories to cast away.]

It wouldn't be immediate though. We've been here for months.

[ Sadly, emotional attachments were one of the things that Eden was nowhere near qualified to speak about. It's what happens when you lived so isolated from people, and the one who raised you was more of a teacher than a parent. ]

Maybe not exactly drop, but you need to find a way to close that chapter of your life. Not that I'd know how, but I also don't understand why it's affecting you so much if the message was clear. It's not like you can only like one person your entire life.

[To that, Yasuho just groans. And then groans again, before moving her hands to her face.]

....Mnnnnnnhhhh...

...Do you really...want to know why I can't get rid of this? It really, really needs to stay private... [she mutters, still quite desperately hoping that's possible.]

Mm... It's less that I want to know and more that I'm confused as to why you're so caught up in the past.

[ She gives a gentle pat to Yasuho's shoulder, not intended to be comforting, but to be the reason she leans against the table pointedly faced away. ]

You can also put your shirt back on. I'm also pretty good about not telling people things I know or am told about others. For similar reasons, I prefer not to pry and find things out about people, unless it's important and relevant to what was currently happening. To be a good doctor, I should practice impartiality.

Hmnnnnmmmmm....

[She doesn't sound tense any longer at least. Just, tired, which might not be a fantastic state of being given the nightmares plaguing everyone but is at least better than where they were at before. Yasuho just gets herself redressed for now, inhaling deep and exhaling long as a further attempt to just calm down.

Another breath, while she holds her arms close and frowns.]

It would help, if they didn't show up at the last beginning...

[It's a mutter, but it's probably an audible mutter. Welp.]

[ It's certainly audible as everyone's senses were sharper than they'd originally been. Which gets Eden to turn around from how she was sitting to look at the blond with more confusion. ]

They're here, where you could settle and figure things out, but you haven't? Why?

[ It meant that since before Winter Sol, she'd been letting herself get eaten up by this, when the solution was already in-house. It didn't make sense to Eden. Because she was younger?? ]

He hasn't either..!

[It's. Childish, yes, but it's a fair point! He hasn't come for her at all! He's an Asshole.]

I'm not going to hunt him down for his apology- aside from how that looks, [she mutters again, coughing behind a hand. Because, that's super bad as a look, it really is,] How could I possibly be sure it was sincere at that point?

You know that as a new arrival, you're barely able to pay attention to anything past the initial vampires while being stared down at. Since around then, you've been holed away studying even more. Plus- Who said anything about getting an apology?

[ Then again, Eden had no clue just how weird and messed up this situation was, just that it was interfering with her classmate's life. ]

You clearly feel and think a lot about this, so I think it'd be a good idea for you to get it off your chest. If anything, so you have that closure and can move on.

He owes me.

[Hm, maybe they shouldn't press that particular part.

...She does soften a little though, at least.] ...And Gold Court thrives pretty heavily on appearances. I can't be the one to seek him out.

[It'll just, look bad. Weak. Pathetic. She can't.]

[ Eden was pretty sure that it'd look better than ending up a thrall, but with such emphasis, it was hard to get out more than a soft sigh. She really didn't like getting caught up in other people's affairs, but she'd rather not have a classmate end up being everyone's future meals. ]

Fine... How about you tell me who it is? I'm not good with names, but I can pin down faces pretty well. Unlike you, I'm not in Gold, so I don't have to worry so much about that, so....

[ She really was offering this, wasn't she? ]

Something can be set up. It won't look to be anything like what it is, you can get what you want, and I don't have to see you being eaten up by this.

[Eden at least won't have to worry about her friend being food. Everything here has been a careful moment of trust. ...A lot of trust. As far as people outside of the classes have been aware, Yasuho's just been nicely focused on doing her best to represent the Gold Court as she moves forward.

And for that matter they'll probably realize with time that the various vampires themselves have way, way...Way dumber drama going on. What a mess.

Yasuho does at least seem less peeved already though- probably that lingering oil scent in the air- and has already put on her emotional mask for going back into the halls. There's just a small crack in it to show to Eden, and it's a bit of momentary gratitude.

...Even if she's not going to take that offer.]

...Maybe after all of 'this' calms down. The nightmares are more important, and...right now I don't want to waste the work you just did to help me relax, [she adds, smiling weakly.] ...But I'll feel a lot worse if I think about something like that being set up.

[It's fine she'll probably run into the idiot in the hall later. RIP.]

Once we have cures settled for all the courts, the curse will die down.

[ And something that Eden really believed, instead of just saying it to ease any worries there were about that. Or... To take away one of the excuses for her to avoid it. However, it was definitely not anywhere near her hands, and in some ways, that was a relief. The offer was sincere, but was a little happier to be out of it. ]

Just... Try to address it before Spring starts, okay?

[ Going back to her bag, one of the 'packets' for relaxing was taken out before Eden quickly returned to offer it with a casual kiss to the cheek. ]

That should help you with getting better dreams. I'll see you at our next class.

We just need to find those cures, [She agrees, smiling a little easier. It falters somewhat thinking about Spring, but she still maintains it at least.

It is, of course, in full force when she's handed the packet.]

...Thanks, [She finally says, letting out a deep breath.] I'll see you there.

[Maybe if they're lucky it's Lutes. Lutes should be fantastic for calming down.]

january tdm/event post

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