#like- all his focus is on killing Dracula

[myfanfictiongarden]

Alright, I´m gonna add my two cents to Jonathan’s current behaviour and state of mind (as of Oct 25th).

There seems to be this idea floating around that he is still determent to become a vampire himself if everything goes wrong with catching the Count- and with that it would mean he would stop the others from staking Mina if it came to it…. and I don’t see that being his plan…

To say his mind is troubled would be an understatement of the worst sort, but by now he has surely understood that there is no way of saving or joining Mina if the Count lives, he must have understood by now that under no circumstances is it even possible for him to “join” or “spare” her against her wishes. Someone pointed out that the vampires here have barely any resemblance to how they were before they turned, no feelings of a softer kind. Jonathan turning wouldn’t matter to Mina if it came to it, nor would it bring him anything either. Van Helsing cautioned against such thinking, and Mina expressed her greatest wish to be that Jonathan would be safe (which means she wants him under all circumstances to stay human&alive).

Jonathan isn’t sharpening his knife to attack the others if it comes to the worst, he is sharpening it to make sure no outsider intervenes so it cannot come to the worst. He’s hands are cold because he is afraid. He doesn’t write his journal for his thoughts are too troubled, not because of “his vow” but because of the realisation that it has to end with Dracula destroyed or else…

[spaceagebachelormann]

Hello! If you’re taking headcanon requests, may I please request headcanons for what Count Dracula & Erik the Phantom would be like as husbands?

dracula and erik as husbands !

✧ warnings — some mentions of death and possible spoilers for dracula and phantom of the opera. also like 2 sexual jokes i think

✧ additional info — i got so so excited by this request omg <3 if u wanna id rlly appreciate it if u sent me more requests for phantom of the opera and classic monsters!! also not really specific versions of them but i mainly had the book versions in mind

✧ m.list — nav.

ೃ༄ erik destler

he wouldn’t wait to marry you

like at all

the second you show him you’re willing to be in a relationship with him and he’s sure you won’t leave him he’s already planning your wedding

of course if you wanted to take it more slowly he might be a little impatient but he’d try his best for you :)

but he’d be so happy if u were ready to get married as soon as possible

the sad thing is he’d get so stressed while trying to plan it because he’d want it to be absolutely perfect because that’s what he didn’t get with christine

and he’d try to convince you not to worry about it or help plan the wedding becaus he wants it to be a surprise for you

however he’d talk to you about what you want <3

so unfortunately he doesn’t know a lot of people 😭 so your wedding audience consists of daroga, mme giry, and maybe christine and raoul if ur lucky and manage to convince them (but they’ll be a little on edge)

and u can invite ur family if they’d be accepting of erik!

once y’all are married it’s so sweet and romantic ohmygod

he’d make u breakfast and dinner every single day, even if he’s had a particularly bad day

he just loves doing things for you

he’d also love writing even more songs and sometimes even entire operas for you or about you, you’re his muse

before he was able to take breaks from bis work to focus on you for awhile

but now you’re married he just can’t be away from you for two minutes

will sit on the floor and talk to u while u shower

or he showers with u

his love language is spontaneously twirling u around and redoing ur wedding dance in the most random places

also carrying u to ur bed if u fall asleep on him or somewhere else, before marriage he’d just let u sleep there and make sure he doesn’t wake u up

such a sweetheart <3

ೃ༄ count dracula

takes his time to marry you

but that’s only because he takes a lot of time working out when and where to propose and shit

and then probably has the wedding planned before you even say yes

which obviously you do

he’d be a little cocky abt u saying yes ngl cause he already knew u would

but the wedding itself obviously takes place at night and mainly other vampires will show up, but he won’t let them remotely near you assuming he hasn’t turned you yet

if he has then go talk to them!! there’s no risk of u dying or getting turned by someone else!!

he’d also rlly like cooking for u and shit since he canonically had to sprint around his castle to make it seem like he had butlers or whatever 😭😭

how good is fucking amazing btw

like god damn

and obviously he has a comfortable ass vampire bed that he’d let u put 60 pillows on if u want

he’d also like have a thing for ur hair no matter how short or long it is

he likes standing behind u and running his hands through it when u do literally anything for funsies

and his fingers are really pretty and long and cold so they feel nice

he also brushes it a lot esp in the mornings

he also doesn’t even look another persons way when he’s with u

ever.

and his brides are now just. draculas sisters or wtv 😭

unless u want them to be ur wives too he won’t complain

as much as he loves you there’s time where he js like. wants personal time to go kill people think

id also imagine ur very close with renfield

like draculas kinda mean to him but ur rlly nice to him <3

like for example waving at him when u see him or just going “hi renfield!!”

renfields probably the one who found u ngl

i can’t think of anything else for him mb pookie 😔 i’ll add to this later

[prickly-paprikash]

Annette in Rondo of Blood was literally nothing more than a damsel in distress who's whole purpose is to give Richter motivation to fight against Dracula. And to help him continue the bloodline.

In other versions, she's turned into a vampire and is obsessed with Richter.

I'm sorry, but I have two questions.

In any of these, is Annette being of pure white descent necessary? Is her being blonde and pale a defining part of her character? Is there anything, anything at all that demands Annette be a white woman in every single adaptation?

No.

She's just a plot and lore device. Be saved by Richter. Love Richter. Continue the Belmont line.

That's it for Game Annette.

In Nocturne?

She's a warrior who escaped bondage and burned her slavers to the ground. She communes with her ancestors who have long since passed. She feels grief. She mourns. She regrets. She knows, in her heart, that she was at fault for Edouard's demise the same way Richter knows his mom had a better chance of survival had he got on the ship. Rage flourishes in Annette. Love grows between Annette and Richter.

She hates. She weeps. She forgives.

Annette is a character made whole in Nocturne. It also adds so much to her for being a Black, Creole woman.

Richter and Annette are parallels with key differences. Both are haunted by their mothers' deaths. Both are warrior-mages who do battle up-close while using their magic as supplementary to their combat, whilst Maria and Tera focus more on magic and use sword-play as their supplementary skills. Both carry legacies too heavy to bear, yet they persevere.

Richter feels like he's trying to forget he's a Belmont. He is cut off from the magical world. Annette on the other hand continues to push herself to connect to the realm of her Ancestors and her gods. Annette burns with a righteous rage against the ruling class. Richter is consumed by his trauma and puts up an apathetic facade when we first meet him.

They are both made whole after their failure in the crypts. Annette kills her slaver. Richter connects with his grandfather.

They are both stubborn, flawed, dauntless warriors. Richter is arrogant. Annette is vengeful. Both of them manage to fail during separate assaults on the Abbey. Both grow and heal from these failures.

Those fuckers who hate Annette for being 'too different from the source material' are dweebs.

Because Annette in the game isn't even a character! Just a tool! A supporting face! That's all she is.

Nocturne takes many creative liberties that expand on the world.

Just say you hate Annette for being black. Be honest with your racism. It makes it easier for everyone to identify who's a mouthbreathing bigot.

[tanoraqui]

I really think reading Dracula’s scenes in chronological order is improving the experience for the average modern reader. Because the novel is clearly originally written to have a significant mystery of “wtf is this guy’s deal”, the answer being, horrifyingly!, “a vampire.” But the average modern reader knows that! What we don’t know, however, is how that’s revealed, just how horrifying it is or…anything Dracula or any of the other characters do, essentially, because few of us have actually read the famous book before, nor even watched any movie remakes. Why would we need to—we all know Dracula is a vampire!

But telling the story in meticulously chronological bits like this shifts the focus from what and why (he’s a vampire; because he’s a vampire) to how and, perhaps most tension-building of all, when. The erratic updates really help with when—when we know so many answers, even the innocuous ones are exciting when they’re answered, and it’s impossible to predict when that’ll be when we know the book is all jumbled from the original. Every update, every day without an update becomes the scene in a horror movie where you know the killer is going to jump out at some point in this hallway but- there?! No, that’s a rat, that’s Jonathan saying “no particular update.” OH SHIT, THERE’S THE WALL-CRAWLING/VAMPIRE BRIDES/COFFIN-SLEEPING/ETC!

The how is mostly a question of, how bad is this gonna get? After all, we know roughly how they’ll kill him—stake, sunlight, maybe beheading, etc. But which of our increasingly beloved heroes will he hurt in the meantime—sweet Lucy? surprisingly adaptive Jonathan? The current non-flashback of the Demeter’s voyage is a perfect example: in the original text, it come toward the end, Mina finds the news clippings when trying to figure out (I assume) wtf Dracula is, how dangerous he is, and how to stop him. We the modern reader know all that! And it’d be harder to feel tension or emotion over deaths that we know have already happened within the novel’s timeline! But when presented in “real time”, the captain’s logs are great dramatic tension—the reader knows Dracula is in one of those crates of dirt instantly. How many sailors will he pick off before they reach England? When will they finally be safe? Meanwhile, there all already unsettlements at home: Lucy has started sleepwalking, Arthur’s father is badly ill, Renfield is…Renfield. And we haven’t heard anything of Jonathan since June 30, his last message being, “Good-bye, all! Mina!” as he attempts one last escape…

It’s superb. I’m so delighted by the cleverness of this Dracula delivery system.

[princesssmars]

season of the witch

a trephacard x witch reader

wc : 3.644

the saviors of wallachia are tasked with the removal of a dark entity plaguing a town, just to meet a new acquaintance instead.

contains: mentions of murder and violence, cursing, mentions of nsfw bc trevor belmont is a Bastard. fluff. me losing my sanity i need them so bad.

a/n : i miss them so badly god please.

the heart of the forest inside of wallachia was always dark, even before dracula unleashed demons from hell onto them that bloody night. some of the trees were thin, fragile, and tall; looking over you like a shadow looming behind your back. the others were thick and rotting, full of branches hanging off of them like a monster about to strike. staying in these woods long wasn't something meant for the faint of heart.

luckily, the three heroes of wallachia (or the entire world, depending on who you asked), were anything but that. unluckily, they didn't know how to be quiet.

"there's no shame in admitting we're lost really, it happens to the best of us-" "shut your mouth.” trevor quickly cuts off alucard’s jest, trying to focus on steering the group’s cart through the rough terrain. even the horses seemed on edge.

he was too, not like he would admit it out loud. he had heard stories from his older brothers about what was in here. monsters. witches. demons. but then again, he wasn't a stubborn little child who couldn't fight his battles anymore.

he was now a stubborn adult.

“boys, be civil just for this trip, please. we need to save our energy,” syphas’ head pops out from inside the cart, looking between them like a scolding mother. “i have a weird feeling about this job, I can't describe it. but, in case it's bad, we should probably hurry.”

the “job” sypha was talking about was of course investigating the woods and the small town close to them, to the northeast of gresit. there had been reports of strange things happening in the woods-most likely night creatures that had escaped somehow. they'd go in, kill the creatures, retrieve their reward (and maybe some information and ale), then be gone. easy peasy.

“worry not, sypha, it's most likely some pissed-off night creatures that frightened a few of the townspeople. nothing we haven't dealt with before.” alucard says, moving to take her hand in his to further soothe her nerves.

“mhmm…” she hums, still staring straight ahead at the road.

they eventually arrive at the town, stopping the cart little ways out and getting out to walk the rest of the way. the informant said to meet them at the tavern, and when they step inside all eyes turn to them. there are a few seconds of tense silence before the bartender speaks up, “you the three here for the job?”

“yes, we’re here to help.” alucard steps forward with a polite look on his face.

the bar then breaks out into the usual chatter and laughter as the bartender smiles and waves them closer. the three make their way over to him and sit at the stools near the bar, with alucard sitting normally, trevor with his legs open, and sypha with hers crossed.

“can I get yall anything to drink? it's on the house, the least we could do” the bartender voices, cleaning some glasses.

“some beer would be nice, actually,” trevor says almost immediately, earning playfully annoyed looks from his lovers. “what? it's the least they could do!”

they're given their drinks and the bartender gives them some more information about the job, giving insight into how some men in the village went to hunt in the woods last week and haven't returned.

“it’d be best to head out in the morning if you ask me,” the bartender’s eyes flit around, looking almost nervous. “not to be superstitious but now is around the prime time for whatever lives in there.”

the group all share a look before trevor rests his arms on the bar. “then I guess we better get started.”

“is it just me or is there nothing in here to be worried about?” sypha whispers, narrowly avoiding tripping over a large root sticking out of the ground. they'd been walking for what felt like an hour with no sighting of any night creatures, just rarely stumbling across the normal creatures.

trevor sighs, dragging his feet behind his companions. “i knew it, probably just some scared old woman who saw a weirdly shaped tree in the dark.”

“and the men who went missing?” alucard pipes in.

“skipped town or fell in a ditch.”

sypha lets out a long sigh before stopping and turning around. “alright, this clearly isn't working. we should try something else.”

adrian hums, just as annoyed as her at this point. “i could climb the trees, try to get a better view of everything.”

the redhead lights up with a bright smile, clasping her hands together. “that's a great idea, adrian! come down and tell us if you've seen anything.”

he nods, quickly jump-teleporting up the branches of one of the taller trees. below, sypha looks up at him dreamily.

“pshh, i could climb a tree too, y’know.” trevor mumbles, crossing his arms. his face slacks when sypha kisses his cheek and says, “i know you could my love. it'd take you quite a bit, though.”

alucard glances through and above the trees that he can, able to see a good few miles out thanks to the height and his vampiric abilities. he looks around, almost giving up before he sees it: smoke.

jumping down, nearly scaring the daylights out of his partners who lightly scold him, he informs them of what he saw. glad to finally have a bit of action (even if its probably a straggler camping).

as they make their way deeper into the northern section of the woods, they start to feel…weird. like an unwelcoming energy surrounds them, urging, even begging them to leave.

trevor grunts, deciding to call out the uneasy feeling. “does anyone else feel weird or is it just me?”

“yes, there is indeed something strange in the air,” alucard nods, slowing his steps, “it feels like a protective spell, probably guarding something.”

“or someone,” sypha butts in. she's cast this kind of spell before on the castle and the hold to assure alucard they'd be safe while they traveled. it was a bit complicated, but her abilities were growing every day. but the way this spell felt, it had to have been cast by someone extremely powerful. “but we've already made it this far, we might as well see it…through…”

her voice trails off as all of their steps slow. in front of the group stands a small black cottage, the walls made of cobblestone, and the roof made with a dark wood. a path leading to the house turns into a bridge halfway through, reaching over a creek that comes from a small waterfall coming from one of the walls of rock that act as an enclosure for the abode. it was eerie yet almost comforting.

“my goodness…” sypha exclaimed, walking closer to the bridge until she felt a rough hand pulling her back. she looks up at trevor with questioning eyes while he sighs. “were you just gonna walk in and say hello?”

she scoffs, knowing that yeah, she might have. she knew she could be a little naive because of her upbringing and personality, but despite the dark exterior, this place seemed rather peaceful. almost comforting. it'd be hard to explain the connection she felt to this place already.

“if anything i would assume youd be the one to run into danger, trevor,” alucard jokes, walking past the two to analyze the house, “but he is right. we should proceed with caution.”

trevor and sypha nod their heads in agreement, following the blonde over the bridge and up to the door. sypha suggested knocking but in the middle of her sentence, trevor twists the door knob to find it open.

“wait!” she whisper yells, making the man's foot stop before it can cross the threshold. "there's another protection spell starting at the doorway, let me just..."

"i think it's a special sage, lets head in and investigate."

the redhead holds her hand up to the door, her palm brimming with her magic as it gets closer to the boundary. to her surprise, the air in the doorway seems to shimmer with energy. it slightly tickles her hand, making a slight giggle leave her lips.

the companions slowly step through the doorway into what seems like a cozy and cluttered living area. there were numerous books on the far wall, being split apart by a lit cobblestone fireplace. connected to the room is a small kitchen, with various herbs, spices, and plants lining the counters. leading from where the rooms meet is a hallway leading deeper into the cottage, with many candles on the walls being lit.

"look there," alucard tilts his head to the fireplace, noting how a small cauldron is laced on a hook over the flames, with the contents inside nearly boiling over, "whoever resides here has been in here recently."

"at least theyre a nice interior decorator. but id like to know where they're hiding because im becoming uncomfortable." trevor grunts, folding his arms over his chest.

sypha slightly chuckles, poking him in the arm. "oh don't tell me you’re scared of a little recluse, trephie."

"i told you to please stop calling me that-"

"what are you doing in my house?"

the two immediately stop their teasing, all three of the hunters still, turning slowly to face the direction the mystery voice came from.

standing in the doorway connecting the kitchen to the back portion of the yard stands a woman, wearing a casual cloth shirt and simple but slightly muddy trousers. in your arms is a bundle of vegetables and plants picked from what they assume must be a small farm. the thorns of one of the flowers pricks into the skin of your arm from your grip.

the three strangers stare at you, waiting for you to make a move of attack. when you raise your leg to take a step you see the brunette raise his hand to his hip, getting ready to grip-

"my gods, is that the morning star?" you gently exclaim, pointing to the infamous weapon attached to his whip. you'd read about it in one of your books regarding renowned weaponry and the families they were tied to. which meant... "that means you're a belmont, correct?"

as you look at your other sudden.."guests", you recognize the blonde as a vampire, given his catching eyes and pale skin, and the woman with red hair is wearing what you're pretty sure are traditional speaker robes. she’s oddly pretty for a speaker you think. the ones you've seen all seemed like they would drop dead at a gust of wind.

the woman carefully steps forward, placing her hands in front of you as the men visibly tense at her movement. she smiles at you, a really damn pretty smile, and stands up straight. "we did not mean to intrude in your home miss. well, technically we did but only because we've been sent by the people of-"

"belros." the word leaves your mouth like bile, your brows scrunching in annoyance. you sigh, moving over to the counter in the kitchen and setting down your produce before making your way around them and to your fireplace, gently removing the bubbling cauldron from over the fire.

"you’re familiar with the people in the village i assume? though i imagine you don't see them often, you're more than self-sufficient out here." alucard inquires, looking at the number of items stuffed into containers and shelves on the walls.

"im familiar with how the townspeople are a bunch of babbling idiots who would cower in fear at an eclipse," you spit, moving to turn towards the three of them, "and how they banished me from the village when i was young and frequently send people out here to rid of me in fear of what i might do to them."

"you’re telling me those people in belros kicked you put when you were what, a child? what’d you do?" trevor asks, putting his hands up when sypha fixes him with a hard glare.

"no, its fine. it’s reasonable for you to question it. do you mind if i ask your names first?" you move forward to sit on the couch, the speaker sitting on the couch with you while the belmont and dhampir sit on the identical couch across from you.

"well, my name is sypha belnades. these are my partners, trevor belmont and alucard tepes." sypha answers, pointing to each person as she says their name.

"its nice to meet you all. now if you don't mind me asking, how did a speaker, a belmont, and a vampire come to travel together?"

"well it all started with this ones batshit crazy father-"

"trevor!"

"its a bit more complicated than the nitwit makes it seem, but yes, we did come together because of my father. im sure you noticed the amount of hell he unleashed." alucard is calm when speaking, seeming used to trevors rude comments.

'they seem really close', your mind thinks. you feel yourself at ease a bit more.

“yes, it was trevor who saved me from my death, actually. after that, we found alucard and went to kill dracula. once we finished we decided to stick together.” sypha tells, her face bright as she talks about meeting her companions.

“well, I'm glad your encounters with other people these past few months have gone better than mine,” you sigh, moving to sit on one of your couches while they crowd onto the other, eager to hear your story.

you explain to them how you are a witch born with magic, coming from a fairly long line of powerful ones who worked behind the scenes so as to not scare humans with your abilities, lest they call you a demon and ostracize you or worse.

sadly, thats exactly whats happened to you. when you were but a child you had seen one of the town's hunters wounded in the woods, clearly about to die if you didnt help

when you had you found this cottage, you quickly fixed it up and moved it, putting up the protection spells in fear of being found by anything or anyone. but it was inevitable that you head out into the woods and people break through. it didn't phase you any longer to admit what you had to do to protect yourself.

their facial reactions are mixed, a variation of shock, horror, and anger. you were grateful they didn’t seem too upset about you basically confessing to murder, but you suppose they had seen and caused their fair share of death.

to your surprise sypha reaches over, taking your hands in her cold ones, trevor smirking at your visible shiver. “we are so sorry to hear that, y/n. if we had any idea of what the townspeople were like…”

“its alright, sypha. thank you for listening, let alone believing me.” you thank her, smiling at the woman.

“well what do we do now?” trevor questions, “its not like we can just go back there and say we had a nice chat with you and decided to be friendly.”

“i have an idea.” alucard says. “i will need to see what potion materials you have, may i?”

you nod and rise with him, guiding him over to your multitude of stuffed shelves in the seating area and the kitchen. while he’s searching for what he needs you cant help but admire him. ou had always read about the beauty of vampires but figured it was a farce they put on to lure in unsuspecting humans to their doom. but the man in front of you is ethereal and now staring back at you.

“my apologies, i didn't mean to stare and make you uncomfortable.” you nervously chuckle, quickly turning back to look for the ingredients you were searching for.

“its alright. im often complimented for my beauty on our travels.” he laughs, playfully flicking a lock of air behind his shoulder.

“i didn't take you for the vain one, alucard.”

“you may call me adrien, if you'd like. and I'm not really. i get most of my attributes from my mother. its…comforting, to know i look like her.” his tone of voice brings your eyes back to him, seeing the mix of fondness and grief in his eyes at the mention of is mother. you remember faintly hearing that the demons you'd encountered were brought about by draculas rage at his loss, and you couldn't fathom how he managed to process the murder of his mother, the mental collapse of his father and then having to take his life.

not knowing how else to comfort him, you decide to relate to his struggles. “when I escaped here I managed to save a few things of my parents, like my mothers’ jewelry box. it hurts a bit to look at it but it's nice knowing I have something of hers to keep with me.”

alucard watches you as you speak, smiling when our eyes meet his, saying a little “thank you.” under his breath.

trevor laughs, biting into a snack you had offered to them earlier. “another addition to the club of mommy issues. god, help us all.”

the rest of the night is spent discussing and starting alucard’s plan and getting to know more about your new friends. despite the fear of what will happen the next day, you find yourself enjoying their company more than you thought you would.

.

.

.

“ah! our saviors have returned! with good news i hope?” the bartender addresses the returning trio, the other members of the bar turning to look at them in awe and hope.

“your little problem has been taken care of. you and the people of your town will no longer have to worry about what lurks in the woods.” sypha tells, projecting her voice to alert everyone inside the room.

the room quickly erupts into cheers and shouts, the patrons of the bar rejoicing with the news that they are a little bit safer. if they had still been in the dark the three would have found comfort knowing they had helped to bring safety to more people, but after becoming aware that they are happy at the death of a woman, it leaves a bitter taste in their mouths.

“thank you, thank you! we are forever in your debt.” an older man says, his attire leading them to recognize him as the leader of the village.

“trust us, it was no problem.” trevor assures. “although, how about a round of drinks? monster hunting leaves a man thirsty, after all.”

“why stop at a drink? we will throw you a feast! you have saved our people a great deal, you deserve nothing less.”

the three share a secret look.

“that sounds wonderful.”

.

.

.

the feast is spectacular. there is a great amount of food, enough to share with everyone in the village to syphas insistence. before the drinks are served, alucard excuses himself. he returns when trevor and sypha are in a seemingly pleasant conversation with the village head. halfway through the dinner, they notice how the townspeople seem a bit lighter like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

once the feast is over trevor heads to the edge of the woods near the front of the town, where you wait patiently while fiddling your hands together. you have faith in alucard but if this works, if the people recognize you…

“dont worry. it anything goes wrong we’ll protect you.” trevor notices your worry and reassures you, placing a large hand on your shoulder while he guides you into the village center.

you both stop as a woman with her child does the same in front of you. you can feel the magic inside of you gearing up in the face of potential danger.

“why hell, dear. we haven't seen you in town before. are you a visitor as well?”

you let out a concealed long breath.

“yes. yes, i am.”

.

.

.

“it seems like the townspeople are rather welcoming to you. i hope this will help bring you a sense of security, y/n.” sypha hugs you close to her in front of her and her partner's wagon. after making sure the potion had been taken and the now forgetful townspeople had been alright with your presence, it was time for them to head on to their next journey.

“you have no idea what you three have done for me today, i have no idea how to repay you,” you tell them.

“well you could always come along with us and earn your keep, i suppose.” trevor jokes, shrugging his shoulders as adrien and sypha roll their eyes at him. “what? you two were thinking it as well!”

“i do agree it would be enjoyable to have you on our travels. you'd make a powerful ally to us as we continue to clean up wallachia of night creatures.” adrien agrees.

sypha nods. “and what if the potion wears off? or more people bother you because of your abilities? maybe it would be better for you to come with us. for extra protection, of course.”

you nod your head along, pretending to take in their arguments like you hadn't already made up your mind when they had risked so much to help you. you had a feeling your life was going to become a lot more exciting traveling with the heroes of wallachia.

.

.

.

[kayesfanfics]

The Forgemaster’s Assistant

Pairing: Hector x GN! Reader

A/N: Takes place in season 2 before our boy gets put THROUGH it-

You were a human magician, you learned magic at a young age and continued to build up your powers as you grew up. You were persecuted for practicing magic, called a witch that lain with the devil, and given to the church by your own parents. They attempted to execute you, but you used your powers to escape and run far away where nobody would know you. Humans always feared and killed that which they did not understand, causing you to grow up despising people. If you were caught practicing magic, you’d have to flee yet another home and find a new one by yourself. One day, Dracula visited you in need of your powers of telepathy and telekinesis, and after learning more about you, considered you a great ally to his cause. You happily accepted his offer to help him, and you were loyal to Master Dracula. Alongside two human forgemasters, you were the only humans in a castle full of vampires that sneered down at you like you were a rat scurrying past their feet. So naturally, you stuck by the two forgemasters sides, or in your study where Dracula gave you a space to practice your magic and research old spells to aid him.

You didn’t really speak much with the forgemasters, Isaac being rather antisocial while Hector seemed a bit shy and wrapped up in his work. You couldn’t blame them, due to your shared trauma from humans, you too lacked the want or need to socialize with others much, perfectly content spending your day alone with your spell books. Sometimes Hectors undead puppy, Cezar, would wander into your quarters and run up to you, barking at you to pet him. Today was one of those days.

You were reading a book by candlelight, so engrossed in it you didn’t notice your door creak open. You jumped when you felt two little paws on your leg, and you looked down from your book to see Cezar panting and wagging what was left of his tail. You smiled softly, reaching down to pick him up and pet him. He jumped on your chest and licked at your face, causing you to let out a laugh as you pushed him down.

“What are you doing here, Cezar? Hector not paying enough attention to you, Hm?” You asked the dog, holding him away from your face as he attempted to lick you once more. “Slobbery little bastard. Go on, go back to Hector.”

You set the dog down and tried to shoo him away, but he only sat down and looked up at you with wide eyes. You sighed, getting up and guiding him out of your room before you shut it properly behind him. This cause the half dead pup to whine and scratch at your door, barking for you to let him back in.

“Oh for gods sake.” You muttered, opening the door again and picking the dog up. “Fine, I guess I’ll have to escort you back to Hector.”

You carried the dog down the halls, going up a flight of stairs to reach where Hector had set up shop. You heard the familiar clanging of his hammer on the metal table, at work resurrecting humans to turn into night creatures. You cleared your throat, to which he turned around mid swing of his hammer.

“Um…can I help you?” He asked after a moment of staring at one another.

“Oh, uh…your dog. He keeps bothering me while I try to work.” You said, setting Cezar down and watching as he ran to Hector.

“Ah, yes. He was bothering me as well, which I why I locked him out.” Hector set the hammer down and kneeled down to pet the energetic dog.

“Well, he’s been whining at my door, I can’t focus.” You crossed your arms.

“He likes you.” He shrugged, smiling softly up at you. “He’s just a being who wants love and attention, like you or I.”

“Yes but he is annoying as well.” You said, walking around the room, examining all the tools and foragers equipment. A searing hot fire crackled in the corner of the room, hot coals in another metal tin. Various books were stacked near a pile of tools, tools you would see in a morgue or hospital.

“Would you like to help me?”

“Pardon me?” You looked away from the equipment.

“Would you like to help? I can teach you a thing or two about forgemastery as well. I understand you are working to expand your knowledge on magic.” Hector said as he stood up and walked over to you.

“Well, yes, but Dracula doesn’t need me learning forgemastery. He’s having me study things like protection spells and weaponry spells, I’m not needed for necromancy.”

“Oh, this is much more than necromancy, Y/N.” He smiled, going to pick up his hammer again. “Would you like me to show you?”

“Well…” you gazed into his beautiful blue eyes, feeling drawn in by them and his kind demeanor. “I suppose I could help you out for a little while…but only if you promise to keep your dog away from my study.”

“Deal.” He smiled, holding out a hand for you to shake. You took it, his warm hand held yours softly as your eyes were drawn back to his kind eyes.

You hovered over him for a few hours that night, listening as he explained what forgemastery was exactly and how it worked. You loved learning about different forms of magic, so you were happy to let him ramble to you as you watched him work. He’d slam the hammer swiftly to the table, watching the corpse carefully for sighs of twitching and reanimation. You had to admit, seeing it up close for the first time exceeded your expectations, and watching him calm the creature and show it kindness made your chest flutter.

The next day Hector followed his dog to your study, where you asked him to help you with a spell. He held the book open for you and watched curiously as you chanted and objects around the room began to levitate, his beautiful blue eyes focused on you with awe. You explained to him the spell you were attempting to cast and it’s origins, to which he gladly listened, asking questions and genuinely being interested.

The two of you would study and read together after that, sitting in silence but with each others company. If either of you found something interesting or something the other could use, you’d alert the other and explore the subject together. Your hands would linger when handing each other books, you’d sit closely as you read over his shoulder, so close to him you could feel him breathing. Isaac would side eye the both of you, raising an eyebrow but nothing more before continuing on his way about the castle. He didn’t care much for either of you, seeing you as just coworkers, but even with the little attention he paid to the both of you, he could tell you were both falling for the other. He’d roll his eyes when your hands brushed up against each other or you’d giggle at some dumb remark Hector made while helping him in his workshop.

You’d slowly fallen for the silver haired man, his mind was as beautiful as his face. He wanted to learn more about you and what you were passionate about, and he’d actually listen to you. Nobody ever sat down to try and understand you before, so the attention you received from him was flattering and refreshing. His eyes always looked at you with kindness and curiosity, almost with a childlike wonder as you talked about the old magicians and their knowledge passed down in these books. He would talk about his own studies to you as well, he spoke with such confidence and intellect, he was proper and polite no matter what.

“Y/N!”

“Yes?” You looked up at him, snapped back into reality from your thoughts.

“Could you hand me the pliers, please?” Hector asked, his hand busy with holding a wound open on a corpse.

“Oh! Yes, sorry!” You grabbed the pliers from the opposite end of the table, handing them to him.

“Are you alright? I’ve not known you to daydream.” He asked as he used the pliers to dig a bullet out of the corpses chest.

“I’m fine, just…thinking, is all.” You shrugged.

“About?” He asked, not looking up from his work.

“Nothing, just…the war.” You made up, crossing your arms and looking away to hide the blush in your face.

“Ah.” He said simply, focusing on his task. His brows furrowed and his lips pursed slightly as he worked the bullet out of the man, finally getting it out and setting it on the table.

“Hector?”

“Y/N?”

“We’re friends, right?” You asked, and he looked down at you, tilting his head slightly.

“I would say yes. Why do you ask?”

“I just wanted to know. I’ve never really had a friend before, you know?”

“Nor have I.” He smiled, his eyes softening as you fidgeted under his gaze. “But don’t tell Isaac, he wants everything to remain strictly professional, the hardass.”

“Of course.” You giggled, smiling back up at him.

You subconsciously placed your hand on top of his before you could stop yourself. His breath hitched in his throat, looking down at your hand. You were about to pull away when he took your hand, placing it on his chest to pull you closer to him. Your eyes widened as you gazed up at him with innocent eyes, face surely the same color of the blood on the work table by now.

“May I…kiss you?” He asked sheepishly, his own face coated with a light blush across his cheeks. You nodded slowly, before your lips connected with his. You’d never even held hands with someone before, let alone kissed anyone. But you knew his kiss was amazing, his lips were soft and his hold on you gentle as you relaxed in his arms as the kiss deepened. Your hands found his chest as his held the small of your back, pulling you up to reach his lips. Both of you were so focused on the others touch, you didn’t notice someone enter the room.

“Ahem.”

Hector broke the kiss quickly, and you shoved him away as your face turned impossibly redder. You turned to see Isaac standing in the doorway, and unamused look on his face as he judged the two of you mentally.

“Isaac! What brings you here?” Hector asked, fixing his shirt awkwardly.

“Apparently, making sure you two don’t fuck right next to the corpse.” He raised an eyebrow and looked at the poor dead man on the table.

“What?! We wouldn’t-“

“That’s not what was-“

“Oh, save it.” He raised a hand to silence you both. “Y/N, Master Dracula required your presence. Hector, I suggest you get back to work.”

“Cockblock.” Hector muttered, only loud enough for you to hear. You laughed, Isaac’s head turning to glare at the both of you.

“Let’s continue this later, perhaps in my quarters?” You asked Hector bashfully as you backed towards the door.

“Deal.” He smiled deviously, ignoring Isaac’s noise of disapproval.

[see-arcane]

Van Helsing Venting (Vent Helsing)

Requisite apology goes here: I am sorry in advance to everyone with a soft spot for the funky old man.

But the reread combined with the podcast has helped put into focus an aggravation that has been nettling me forever without quite knowing how to articulate it.

I’ve brushed the edges of it more than once in several rants about how the Harkers are so constantly given the short stick in every single adaptation of Dracula for a hundred and a quarter years.

Jonathan is either erased, made into a bore, a brute, or unceremoniously killed off while all the amazing character traits and actions he’s responsible for in the story get stolen away and parsed out to others in the cast, often Dracula, Van Helsing, or [INSERT FEMALE THROWN INTO THE CASTLE TO BE BRIDAL CARRIED TO BED HERE].

Mina is alternately a feeble damsel who’s only there to be the pure maiden who gets to live through her seduction*** by Dracula (versus the suddenly scandalous-and-salacious Lucy), or a hashtag girlboss (reincarnated wife syndrome applied as desired) who divorces or otherwise abandons her milksop husband to hook up with a REAL MAN like DRACULA who sexily sex-liberates her. With sex. That she totally for sure wanted along with the bloodsucking.

But on one thing, the Harkers are equal—they never. Ever. Ever. Get to be the true protagonists of any Dracula adaptation, or spinoff, or offshoot, or revamp, et cetera.

This, despite Jonathan being the one to spend the most time with Dracula, alone, in his gothic horror novella of an opening, for Two Months, in which he got the most interaction and dialogue with the Count out of anyone else in the book.

This, despite him and his diary and his love to the point of blasphemy and his nerve and his kukri all being instrumental for the novel to work.

This, despite Mina being the one to literally compile the entire novel out of the transcripts it’s stitched from.

This, despite her connecting the dots to oust the bastard and showing immense courage all on her lonesome in confronting the Count for others’ sake more than once.

But why?

For the longest time, I was ready to grind my teeth and grouse over the obvious reasons of Jonathan and Mina Harker being so gloriously subversive then—and now!—that writers and directors of a certain sneering bent refused to acknowledge anything of their characters beyond the names when slathering their latest cookie cutter vampire bodice ripper with Stoker’s cast titles. The Harkers’ approaches to gender, to heroism, to defeating a villain whose entire role is being the worst of the Gothic Masculine Monster who bullies and preys upon pretty victims to collect for himself (hello harem and power fantasy combo, let’s make THIS guy the ultra-cool totally misunderstood sexypire star of the show!) all chafe against the mental rewrites too many filmmakers and writers make to turn the novel more palatable to their tastes. Assuming they read the book at all.

And that’s all its own pile of rants. But I’ve realized, only now, that this is just part of the problem. The other issue stems from Bram Stoker himself.

That issue being the conversion of an otherwise tight narrative and set of primed protagonist characters into the Abraham van Helsing Show.

I don’t know what it was about today’s entry specifically that made it all click home. Maybe it was already percolating since yesterday, or the day before. But somewhere in Van Helsing’s latest filibuster of dialogue—‘We must share everything! No, wait, tell her nothing! We must make all haste and not lose a moment! Let me turn five minutes’ worth of information into a monologue about bloom and blood and then suggest we all take a siesta on our laurels since we definitely have time to beat the Czarina Catherine! Jonathan, you stay at home with Mina while me and my non-questioning ducklings/the others who don’t really need lines anyway take care of the problem, doctor’s orders! And all my orders are followed, unquestionably, every time, despite them very clearly having only a 50/50 success rate, as is right!’—it all really hit me.

The moment Van Helsing turned into the never-doubted, never-need-apologize, yes, do kiss his hands like a fucking mafia godfather in gratitude for Doing the Things He Should Have Known to Do in the First Place After Lucy, ‘leader’ rather than ‘the lore collector/mentor’ is when the novel turns on its heel and starts breaking its back to accommodate him at the expense of everyone else.

The Harkers get it the worst, naturally.

Once they arrive in Purfleet and the documents are handed over, Van Helsing leads the pack in peer pressuring them into sequestering Mina away as their cheerleader who Need Not Suffer the Icky Horror of -checks notes- finding boxes. Not sent away anyplace safe and guarded by home rules and garlic and crosses; just left to Yellow Wallpaper her days away in the asylum suite.

Meanwhile, Jonathan proves to be literally the only useful member of this group project via hauling ass all over London to gather information to bring back to the table…which Van Helsing then oh-so-helpfully disseminates on top of the obvious point that, hey, yeah, there’s probably boxes there. We should do Wafers about it.

Now, in fairness, Van Helsing was a vital character up to a certain point. Jack called him in for his broader expertise, for how open his mind was as far as what he was willing to investigate or believe as a threat. Without him and his lore collection in Amsterdam, a lot of the details regarding anti-vampire tactics and Dracula’s history lesson wouldn’t have come into play. All this, plus providing the hideous proof of the Bloofer Lady’s reality, making the last three nonbelievers into members of the Drac Attack Pack. Last but far from least, he helps reassure Jonathan to free him from his crushing self-doubt, and then brings in both of the Harkers to create the full group. Fuck yeah!

All that considered, it does make some sense for him alone to give his little seminar on the Dracula Issue…

…except for the fact that Mina has absorbed and transcribed all the info herself. Literally all of it. And the fact that Jonathan personally knows the fucker. All three of these characters should have been at the head of the table, sharing what they know.

But they weren’t. It’s starting to become all about Dr. Abe—because that’s how Stoker keeps his OC self insert in the lion’s share of the spotlight.

This is also when Van Helsing is fresh off the nightmare with Lucy, fresh off of acknowledging that there is literally no reason at all to keep vampire secrets from anybody in this room, fresh off of being oh so thrilled with Mina’s helpfulness and canniness, fresh off of what should have been him learning his lesson and—in open-minded fashion—cutting off any benignly sexist chivalry at the knees to keep Mina in the loop and share the mastermind role.

And what does he decide?

Off to the tower, princess. It’s man work time! Man work here meaning: Investigate some scary dirt. Some rats are there. Everyone break up some Christ crackers, men. Thank God Mina isn’t here to suffer this, amirite? Oh, and Jonathan, be a dear and gather all the information on Dracula’s locations and properties while me and the others…do whatever. Read? Smoke? Something. Anyway, attaboy, such a good hard worker you are, Only Non-Titled Fresh-From-the-Lower-Class Man in the Group!

And then, after October 3rd?

He’s horrified. He’s upset. He’s King Laughing about Dracula’s good meal and within inches of being kukri’d. But you know what he isn’t?

Apologetic.

Oh, he says sorry for the crack about Dracula eating well—but all the actions that led up to the attack? Not a peep.

And when he falls right back into the ‘withhold as much information as possible until it’s time for a Big Specialboy Meeting and my Big Specialboy Corn-flavored Monologue of the Day, in which I’ll give more orders with full expectation that everyone here will hop to it like good little student-soldiers because the author says we can only follow me me me?’

The only saving grace is that Jonathan—not even Mina! JONATHAN!—finally puts his foot down and refuses to chase the stick without conferring with Mina first. Mina, who has always taken precedent to him, period, but also Mina, who has proven herself to be the soundest mind in the entire group and already well aware of the dangers Dr. Abe has been rambling about and trying to be oh-so-covert and sneaky about with Jack.

On that subject? Van Helsing is STILL living a fantasy world where he, and occasionally Jack, are the only ones who can put 2 and 2 together and consider taking anti-vampire measures against Mina.

When everyone has already read everything.

When Mina knows exactly what the risks and measures are.

When Jonathan ‘Would Sell His Soul for His Love and to Slaughter Dracula’ Harker knows all of this.

WHEN EVERYONE HAS EYES THAT CAN ALSO SEE MINA’S TEETH.

Brammy Pajamas. Bramothy Stokerton. Bramward Stokerbroker. My guy.

Your OC, by your own text’s rules, is not special here. He is not the protagonist. He is not the extra-clever center of the narrative’s universe, per your own fucking writing. Stop forcing this man and his refusal to evolve from his preconceptions and his main character pedestal-theft and his goddamn corncobs down our throats.*

*Note: This will not happen.

The one silver lining yet to come will be that Jonathan and Mina get to roughly shoulder their way back into the story’s forefront by the book’s climax. In a huge way. Jonathan even gets an upcoming scene in which he gets to finally, rightfully, chew Van Helsing to ribbons for casually declaring a Certain Horrifying Action has to be taken (Again! No questions asked! No explanation offered until after said chewing-out!) and the narrative treats this as the right move!

But still. Still. Van Helsing is showered with Stoker’s overblown attention to a character that should have had his influence and dialogue whittled down to a supporting role rather than crowding out the Harkers for two whole thirds of the book, complete with them batting their eyes at how brilliant~ he is for much of it.

Despite.

The facts.

In The Text.

That Mina and Jonathan could have led the the whole fucking thing themselves.

We’ll see in later chapters that Mina is ONCE AGAIN the one to figure out Dracula’s plans ahead of time and set everyone on the right course. Jonathan is ONCE AGAIN the one laser-focused on seeking and slaying the Count almost on a supernatural level. On top of all that? What galls me almost as much as the Harkers being robbed of their story spotlight IN THEIR OWN FUCKING STORY?

If Van Helsing hadn’t been one-man-showing the bulk of the dialogue to make sure Brammington got to wave his self-insert around as much as possible?

We could have let Jack, Arthur, and Quincey be actual presences in the book. Jack has a big role! Absolutely! But even he gets relegated to an orbiting figure rather than an active one once Van Helsing starts hogging the pages. Arthur is practically reduced to a mutely mourning money machine. Quincey gets a few moments to remind everyone Hi, Yes, I am a Cowboy. And that’s it.

THAT’S. IT. FOR ALL OF THEM.

Hell, even Lucy and Renfield get whittled down to wisps of dialogue compared to the whole trees’ worth of lines Van Helsing rattles off.

All because Stoker couldn’t bear to let Van Helsing be the character he should have been.

The support. The guide rather than the commander.

Star Wars isn’t about Yoda, but it wouldn’t be the same without the wise little weirdo! That’s what Van Helsing would and should have been great for! But no!

I see now that I owe at least one small retroactive apology to those movie makers and spinoff writers who try to spin Van Helsing as the very real definite archnemesis of Dracula despite the fact that they have exactly two (2) scenes together and no dialogue. It’s not just the cool name. It’s not just because all of the (frequently male and/or Dracula-crushing) directors and writers refuse to acknowledge Jonathan Harker’s existence or importance.

It's because Stoker himself damn near choked his own book to death with the old man’s screentime, backed up by an utter refusal to let the narrative or the characters acknowledge when he’s fucked up. He always has to be the wise scholar. He always has to command the room and the story when neither of them belong to him.

I’d genuinely like to see one of two adaptations in the future.

In one, we could see a Van Helsing who, following October 3rd, chooses to step back. One where he and others logically point out that he has misled everyone with forced unnecessary ignorance and following stodgy hindering social rules, again, and it has doomed someone precious to them, again. One where the Harkers finally get proper center stage, likewise for the Suitor Squad—the latter of whom are written in canon as having a legit history of dangerous adventures undertaken together. Flesh those out, writers! Let these characters be present in their own fucking story! It’d be a golden opportunity to highlight a point Stoker fumbles even as he champions so many other forward-thinking notions:

Sometimes the older generation has to let go of the reins. Sometimes progress doesn’t come just from following and nodding along, but from forging ahead with new concepts and fresher minds. Case in point, Mina and Jonathan, who are apparently still too radically-written to be bothered with depicting accurately in the 21st century apart from a podcast that is literally just reading their lines verbatim.

The other option an adaptation could take? Supposing it really wanted to lean into the horror and heartbreak and forcing the ducklings to stop grasping at the Dutchman’s coattails?

Kill Van Helsing.

Dracula would absolutely think to target him, assuming that he, the elder with his acquired lore and scholarly nuisance, must surely be the keystone keeping his young enemies together. Given the chance, he’d follow that assumption to its conclusion and, on top of burning what he assumes is all the documentation on him, murdering his fellow clever old man in cold blood, ala Renfield. Bonus points if this comes at a bittersweet cost of Van Helsing landing a parting blow on the Count as thematic penance for ‘failing’ Mina, the second young girl who trusted him and paid for it, giving the bastard his second scar to match the shovel blow on his brow. Double bonus if the mark comes from a Wafer burn.

“Any last words, old man?”

“God bless you.”

Cue him slapping the Son right in the fucker’s face. He doesn’t last long after that, but it’s still a good view to go out on as the Vampire curses and sizzles.

And, natch, he will have been wise enough to leave another memorandum for Jack and the others just in case this very thing should happen. A rousing farewell speech, some parting intel, some apologies made. Perhaps a more personal goodbye to his pupil; complete with Jack’s professional mien cracking like glass and the long-put-off tears finally pouring. Then, finally, the crew move forward as one; no longer leaning on or chafing against Van Helsing’s assumed lead, but using the exact same tools they’d always had at their disposal, along with their own wits that the narrative forced them into ignoring in favor of the Professor’s lectures.

Anyway.

Van Helsing is not a bad character. He’s richly made and interesting, as any worthwhile member of a cast should be! But Stoker crammed him into the wrong role and spread him far too thin across the whole book. Doing so has been detrimental not only to all the media which followed it, but to the actual leads of the novel.

[immediatebreakfast]

The daily format really of today really gave me a good reminder of how dangerous is the Count, and how Lucy (and everyone around her) is still blind to this threat while coming with no explanations.

Even if the trumpets of salvation started playing when Van Helsing arrived, I forgot how so far he only has theories, a certain feeling. Van Helsing needs to rule out any illness, sickness, and disease that he knows either in depth or in surface before even touching a possible supernatural explanation for Lucy.

While Lucy still loses blood.

The writing played perfectly all of the emotions that Jack felt with both the telegram, and the letter. Once again Seward's writing style is the perfect choice to give the reader that anxious feeling of what happened after you read his words. The entry starts with this:

"Terrible change for the worse. Come at once; do not lose an hour. I hold over telegram to Holmwood till have seen you."

No greetings, no indications, no explanations, nor theories. Just a tiny paragraph that says that Lucy is in danger. A change so bad that Jack has to wait for Van Helsing to treat her before he sends any information to Arthur. A few words that only tells us the grim possibility of Jack finding Lucy almost dead in her bed.

Also, despite we the readers knowing that Dracula is the one who is responsible for Lucy's suffering the horror doesn't leave just because we have it. How many days Lucy has left? How her getting better then worse is affecting her organs? What if Dracula doesn't directly kill her, and instead she gets sick and her body can't handle it?

Then, Jack has to write to Arthur. We may breath a sign of relief that Lucy is now a little bit better, but there is something... off about this letter.

"My news to-day is not so good. Lucy this morning had gone back a bit."

These words lack the urgency of the telegram to Van Helsing. It's still not good because Arthur knows that Lucy got worse, but it certainly doesn't translate the same feeling, the possibility of the worst. There is no "Van Helsing had to come quickly."

Instead the focus of the letter is finally having the perfect solution of the societal limbo trapped in the Westenra household. At the hands of Mrs. Westenra no less, who finally decides to get help for her daughter, and now both Jack and Van Helsing can actually play the role of doctors without social restrictions.

Yet that doesn't take away the anxiety of the underlying question of Lucy's state.

"If any need I shall write, so that, if you do not hear from me, take it for granted that I am simply waiting for news. In haste."

At the end Jack, just like the readers, only has one option despite all of the dread that he is feeling... he only can wait.

[beevean]

Hey now how could you say such nasty things about the show? Don't you realise how important it is for lgbt representation? I bet you're some bigoted neckbeard!

Go back to your jumping pixels on the ps2 and leave us alone you gatekeeper!>:(

I know you joke and all, but it's honestly baffling to me how NFCV (and esp Nocturne) got the reputation of being woke because of one (1) bi threesome, when it's shockingly bigoted itself.

Wallachians are depicted as backward hillibillies brainwashed by the Church and engaging in bestiality: classism and xenophobia due to them being Eastern European, plus a general shallow caricature of history.

Alucard mocks the Belmonts by accusing them of being "mentally ill hoarders" and engaging in pagan rituals such as sacrificing chickens and mummifying cats: ableism and xenophobia, not helped by the fact that he's technically a nobleman looking down on common people (so classism).

Trevor is an alcoholic because of genuine childhood trauma. He's constantly mocked by other characters (and even the fucking music sometimes), he's pushed aside in favor of Alucard who is the first person who disrespects him, and eventually ditched by his own story.

Carmilla, the quintessential lesbian vampire in popular culture, jokes about being willing to fuck Godbrand only if all the men, half of the women and some of the animals dropped dead: equates having sex with women with having sex with animals.

Isaac's backstory is being a slave owned by a Catholic priest, so historically inaccurate that it can only come from the preconception that black people can only exist in Europe as slaves.

Isaac is a self-professed Muslim man who gleefully worships a demonic creature and agrees with his idea of killing "impure" people for a superior mission, justifying his sins by misquoting the Quran. His hypocrisy is never pointed out, and we're meant to admire him all the way through. I cannot make this shit up.

The generals in Dracula's court come from all over the world, with prominent Indian and Chinese vampires, but they are literally props only there to pretend the world is bigger than it actually is: the focus is given to two white Northern European vampires, Godbrand and especially Carmilla.

Striga and Morana are the laziest form of lesbian representation you could possibly have, literally Disney level of "seventh first gay character".

Alucard got "revealed" as bi in a tweet as if to reassure us that no, he wasn't raped, he enjoyed it! Pure biphobia.

Hector's whole story in S3 and 4 is disgusting rape apologism stemming from sexism, both against men (men are inherently horny and they cannot get sexually traumatized) and against women (women are never a threat and everything they do is inherently titillating).

Vampires, unholy creatures who can only exist by causing harm to humans, are treated as if they were their own separate race, and as if the Belmonts are committing ethnic cleansing against them. Case in point, Alucard being such a cunt to Trevor because oh no, his ancestors killed vampire children and kept their skulls in their hold! As if "vampire children" would be anything else than a cursed existence. (and never forget about the "cabal of vampires" controlling the slave trade in Nocturne, or how in that show vampires are the literal ruling class to be crushed by the revolution.)

oh but game isaac is offensive because he looks like a bdsm stripper or stuff. sure whatever.

At least Nocturne had the decency of fleshing out its gay couple. Yay, progress.

[oc-challenges]

WELCOME TO THE OC HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE!

Calling all the monsters, it's time for the OC 2023 Halloween Challenge! This challenge has been hauntin' you for five years, and we're wantin' you to participate!

If you're new here, here's what you need to know: This is an event that takes place over the 31 days of October and presents oc creators with Halloween-themed challenges to get the creative juices dancing. It is open to creations for both fanfiction and original ocs, and if you want to participate you don't have to every one or even in order. It is brought to you by @purpleyearning / @aliverse, @elmunson, and includes suggestions by members of our discord! (special thanks to @endless-hoppington for helping with some descs)

Rules

DO NOT copy others edits.

If you are doing crossovers, PLEASE make sure that the creator of the other oc is okay with crossovers.

If you want your post to be reblogged onto this blog, it must contain the hashtag ohc2023.

Feel free to ask questions, I promise I’m more treat than trick.

Everything is up to the creators interpretation, although I have tried to include some examples for help!

Have fun!

RANDOM/THEMELESS (1st–5th) Some of the challenges that don't coincide with each other.

Day One: Life In Plastic

It's fantastic! Is your OC more of a Barbie or a Bratz? Maybe they go to Monster High, or they're an American Girl Doll with an inspiring story? Perhaps you want to make a Funko version of your OC? To put it simply, this day is about dolls as an ode to the best movie of 2023; Barbie.

Day Two: Lights, Camera, Action!

For day two, we're combining oc as canon, oc as celebrity, and oc's social media into one day where you get to choose which of those challenges you would like to do... maybe even all of them!

Day Three: Born In The Wrong Century

Movies depend on a lot of things, but time and place helps create the ominous feel for it. Like Crimson Peak that belongs to the revival gothic period of 1880s or Jason Voorhees waking up on a spaceship in the year of 2455, give your character(s) a new decade to explore and even monsters to face.

Day Four: Twisted

From reality episodes where two people experience switching roles with one another to an alternative reality where their roles are different from their home's universe, make your character experience life through a whole new perspective by making your hero the villain or your villain the hero.

Day Five: Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches... Oh My!

From Godzilla to Dracula to The Mummy, the monster-verse is rich with lore. Today we focus on those monsters that never go out of style, after all they’re called classics for a reason. Is your oc Frankenstein or his monster?

OH, YOU WANNA PLAY PSYCHO KILLER? CAN I BE THE HELPLESS VICTIM? (6th–12th) Due to its popularity last year, we're bringing back the horror character tropes week.

Day Six: The Harmless Antagonist

Ah, a classic in more than just horror; the mean gorgeous holier-than-thou character; more specifics of this are often The Jock, The Cheerleader, The “Slut”, The Bitch, The Rich Kid, etc. While they may annoy the main character or make their everyday life difficult with academic rivalry or teasing, they’re really nothing compared to the new enemy; the thing or person killing everyone. Which one of your ocs is getting brutally knocked down a peg… or the stairs?

Day Seven: The Comedic Relief

Honestly, they make even the scariest movies bearable. They're almost never the main character but almost always the most liked. They say laughter is medicine for the soul, so which of your ocs soothes the characters and the situation with a joke made at the worst of times?

Day Eight: The Denier/Non-Believer/Skeptic

It doesn’t matter the subgenre, there’s always one. They don’t believe a killers out to get them or their friends despite the fast growing pile of bodies, they claim there’s a natural explanation for the supernatural event terrorizing everyone, they just refuse to get with the program. This often combines with the cop or older-than-everyone-else character. Which one of your ocs will get killed by their stubborness before their loyalty?

Day Nine: The Harbinger

We hear about omens of death in every kind of mythology. Irish folklore warns you of hearing the wailing woman and German myth tells you to never find your doppelganger. Even Western Society in America will drift from their path if they see a black cat on the way. So which of your ocs stands outside of the haunted house and tells the redheaded twins “you’re going to die in there”?

Day Ten: The Accomplice

You never saw it coming, but you should’ve. There’s not just one killer you have to worry about, there’s two. This is the person whose been helping the killer since the very beginning, pretending to be your friend the entire time until the plot reached its rising action. You’re heart broken and the very ground shakes under your feet, the good person you once thought you knew is gone… or worse, had never truly existed. Which of your ocs is not only willing to help a friend hide the body, but kill it too?

Day Eleven: The Killer

They’re haunted and bloodthirsty, compelling in a dangerous way. Everyone has a monster within but due to some tragic backstory of abuse, hate, or ridicule, these people – or things– let the monster win. Whether they done a mask or turn your dreams into sentient nightmares, they’re the main reason why anybody shows up to movie night. Which one of your ocs looks into the reflection of the knife in their hand, and pictures themselves chopping up human bodies instead of vegetables?

Day Twelve: The Final Girl

It’s all come down to this, the last stand. There’s two people left, or at least two important people left; the killer and the final girl. She’s fought tooth and nail, and grief has made way for rage. At first she was just another potential victim, now she’s in the killers way and she won’t go down easy. In the beginning she just wanted to survive, but like Laurie Strode now she wants revenge. Which oc becomes the monsters monster?

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME We're exploring classic horror locations. Throw your ocs into a horror story that take place in these locations, or make up your own story.

Day Thirteen: Have Killer Fun At Summer Camp! (Location: Summer Camp)

It's Friday The Thirteenth... literally. For today, the location is a summer camp like the one Jason Voorhees terrorizes. Counselor, killer, or camper? Whatever role your oc plays, they certainly didn't read this in the brochure.

Day Fourteen: Vacation Nightmares (Location: Hotel/Island/AirBnB, etc.)

An island that magically speeds up your aging, a hotel with corridors that lead to nowhere, a psychotic airbnb host; Today is about horror in locations that are supposed to be a break from the horror of everyday life, but instead introduces you to whole new horrors.

Day Fifteen: Home Is Where The Haunt Is (Location: House or Apartment)

A home can be a place to make memories and some memories leave a scar. Focus on your characters when a place they call home is threatened.

Day Sixteen: She Doesn't Like It In The Barn (Location: Farm/Ranch)

Samara Morgan was forced to stay in the barn's hayloft to keep her burning images out of her adoptive parents minds. Framer Graham Hess had to defend his home and family from aliens that threatened to kill his son. Pearl craved to be a movie star and experienced a psychotic break where she killed those who denied her her dream. What deadly passages does the farm bestow to your characters?

Day Seventeen: Death is a Mystery and Burial is a Secret (Location: Cemetery or Tomb)

Cemeteries and tombs are the places we put our loved ones to rest, but in horror movies we find that final resting places are not so restful after all. Whether it’s ghosts, zombies, psychotic gravekeepers, or grave robbers ensuring no witnesses; how do your ocs go from mourning to trying to survive until morning?

Day Eighteen: What's The Opposite Of Miracles? (Location: Places of Worship)

Places of worship are supposed to be places of good, where people go for guidance and safety, places full of good beings and devoid of sin. But what if the bad beings sneak in or the sinless place is just a hiding place for those full of sin?

Day Nineteen: This Won't Hurt A Bit (Location: Hospital and/or Asylum)

In season two of American Horror Story, we were welcomed to Briarcliff, an asylum that became ‘home’ to the misunderstood and the criminally insane. Much like other hospitals of the past, many attempts of healing were there to disguise the evil hiding in plain sight. How does your character deal when the place that was supposed to heal them becomes the place that harms them?

Day Twenty: The Trees Have Eyes (Location: The Woods/Forest)

Shadows of the trees cast illusions, the cracking of sticks cause hairs on the back of your neck stand. The wind howls which sounds of a voice, and the birds no longer sing. The woods are creepy, desolate, and you find yourself lost in the sea of their trunks. What happens when your ocs are stuck in the woods?

RANDOM OUTLIER

Day Twenty-One: I Want To Play A Game

Some of the most recent hits in horror history have been not movies, books, or shows, but video games. From Dead By Daylight to Until Dawn, horror fans have been able to experience immersion at a whole new level by trying to make all the right choices as a character. Now, it's time to put your oc into a horror game AU. Will they live, or will they die? Only their stats and choices will tell.

STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED (22nd–27th) Character tropes are fun and all, but for the next six days we're focusing on genre tropes.

Day Twenty-Two: Solitude Causes More Wounds Than It Was Meant To Heal (Trope: Isolation)

Fear is increased when one is alone by themselves, or cut off from civilization like an reclusive island. Focus on your characters in the horror of isolation; are they forced to recognize who they truly are on the inside? Do they practice the law of nature or nurture? Do they keep their morals or own laws?

Day Twenty-Three: The Apocalypse Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Trope: Apocalyptic)

Just as everything must begin, it also must end. This, unfortunately, includes humanity. What will happen when the world as your oc knows it ends, when that world goes from millions of people to tens or perhaps even one? Will they be forced to adapt, doomed to die, or perhaps even thrive?

Day Twenty-Four: You've Killed Me Before (Trope: Time Loop)

The best thing about the sun setting is that it will come up again in the morning, and a new day will begin. But what if the sun comes up and an old day begins? Whether your oc must solve their own murder, solve somebody else’s murder, or face difficult truths about those around them, it’s time to put them into a time loop.

Day Twenty-Five: Better You Die Than I (Trope: Doppleganger)

In real life, seeing your “doppleganger” is said to be an omen of misfortune or good luck. In horror movies, dopplegangers usually take a more direct approach in ruining the lives of their lookalike. Whether they’re an omen of bad things to come or trying to steal ones life, give your oc a doppleganger and explore the horrors of a stranger that shares your face.

Day Twenty-Six: No Wonder Everyone Keeps Invading You (Trope: Extraterrestrial)

Whether your oc was a believer before or not, life from another planet has arrived to Earth on this day. These so-called aliens come in all shapes, sizes, and colors; They can even come in a human disguise, as a deadly plant, as a machine, or even as little green men. No matter where they came from or what they look like, humanity is not ready for them. Whether we try to hurt them or they try to hurt us, how does your oc deal with extraterrestrial life on Earth and the problems this arrival presents?

Day Twenty-Seven: All Politics Is A Personality Cult Now (Trope: Cult)

What simply starts as a simple dinner meal, a visit to a secluded area where people celebrate, or deciding to reunite with the estranged side of your family, can easily be your steps toward a cult. Have your characters fight to stay alive against those who have welcomed them with sinister intent.

COSTUMES TELL A STORY

Day Twenty-Eight: Let's Be Weird Together

We all know of an iconic squad that so many people are just dying to be a part of. Well, it’s your ocs and their friends chance! Day 28 is group costumes!

Day Twenty-Nine: That Could Be Us

Love isn’t in the air but maybe it’s in the fabric of costumes! It’s time for couples costumes!

Day Thirty: I Can Be Anybody I Wanna Be

If your oc could be anybody, who would they wanna be? Well, for one night only, they can be! It's time for your oc to dress up!

TRICK OR TREAT!

Day Thirty-One: I'm Just Here For The Boos

Halloween is a time for tricks and treats, for ghost to walk among the living and us to disguise ourselves. But it can be killer, and the transference of evil can be achieved. Give your shape to another, gift them and you shall receive in turn. Ocpotluck awaits.

[rollinouttahere-writes]

Okay this is out of left field I know, but I thought up and love the idea of Mihawk also having a daughter in the Strays AU, but he’s actually a good, normal father and him and his daughter have a nice, perfectly healthy relationship.

Like Doll and Lizard are out here struggling with their shitty fathers and their damaged, if not outright awful relationships with them and Mihawk’s daughter is just watching like “damn that sucks sis…” while painting her dad’s nails (using black polish of course). Shanks is begging for his “secret” but doesn’t process it when Mihawk says that he and his daughter have mutual respect for each other and Mihawk obeys her boundaries and lets her have a room on the opposite side of his castle from his own room because she’s a young woman who needs privacy and space to grow and be herself.

But… I also do like the thought of her being like early 20’s and having a huge and painfully obvious crush on Zoro, which makes Zoro terrified every time he interacts with her because he’s scared Mihawk will show up and kill him if he seems too enthusiastic, or too uncaring. Little does he know that Mihawk doesn’t mind and is completely fine with his daughter having a relationship as long as it’s healthy and consensual on both sides. In fact, he’s quietly pleased with her choice because he respects Zoro as a swordsman and knows that he’s a good person who would protect his child.

Could be reader insert, or she could be an OC because I like the idea of her looking like Mihawk, especially if she has his eyes. And I think it’d be cool if her name was Mina, like Mina Harker from Dracula.

I actually do have a request for dad Mihawk, and like this it isn't yandere. I haven't started on it yet, but it is outlined.

I'll refer to this daughter as Mina in this to avoid confusion. Doll would have definitely met her a few times growing up. While her and Mina would be friends, Doll would struggle intensely with envy towards her. She gets to see what a healthy, normal father-daughter relationship looks like, and it feels like a knife in her gut to see that but not have it.

I've touched on Doll and Mihawk's relationship here, but in this scenario Mihawk would visit more frequently and feel more compelled to help her. He always brings Mina with him so Doll can be exposed to at least one other person her age, and he even tries to convince Shanks to allow him to bring Doll with him back to his home so she can have a sleepover with Mina. He had every intention of never giving her back, but unfortunately, Shanks wouldn't agree to it unless he came with them.

Mina would be extremely blunt like her father, and routinely calls out Shanks for being weird and stifling. He always laughs it off, which annoys her.

Once Doll is free from him and Shanks starts asking where he went wrong, they both lay into him. It's all in one ear and out the other because of how delusional he is, so they quickly change tactics and focus on helping Doll.

In the case of Mina being an adult and crushing on Zoro, I agree that Mihawk would be fine with it. However, I feel like Zoro is the most oblivious man on the planet when it comes to someone being interested in him, so he has no idea. He could walk into his room and find Mina lounged across his bed with rose petals everywhere and just be like 'damn I got lost again, sorry for intruding'. Mina has never been more frustrated in her life and complains to Perona about it.

[villainsimpqueen]

Enternal bloodlines

Adrian tepes/Alucard x Male Dhampire Reader

This fanfic is for 18+ Audience's due to it containing gorey themes and later on smut.

also available on A03

chapter 2

The birth of the King and Wife child came to a surprise to the council heads of Dracula's Court. 

It wasn't one at all for Godbrand. 

The outrage it brought to the King and His human wife's Son was the very reason He was glad he kept your existence hidden. Many Generals pulled back even if it would mean going against the King of Vampires and having themselves killed. They truly believed they could hold up against the old man. 

They did not. And new Heads were put in their positions to fill the council. 

Godbrand had been an absentee to most of the meetings after the young half-breed prince was born. His presence wasn't missed nor did it raise many questions, He was always rather Absent to the majority of them in the first place, only coming when his presence was demanded. 

He had more pressing matters to focus on, You were one of those matters. 

While he did tell your mother she could leave once you started walking, She had stayed forming a bond with you despite it all. 

And while he didn't like what she could put into your head, Godbrand didn't take your mother from you, since when he was once human, he had both of his parents. 

He didn't want you to be given less. 

The woman did try to keep you out of the way and it was something he liked. You being His son would get second pickings to any feeding humans that were brought back from pillages. He being the first and despite him being first to feed, you tended to choose whatever feeder he chose. Causing him to pick you up and hold you to the feeders gaping neck after he had his fill and watch the small reflection of himself feast as he held you in his arms. He allowed your mother to take a look at any of the loot taking whatever pleased her or she could use for you. 

Other than that he stayed away and distant from You and the Woman completely. He was waiting until you were a bit older before he would start teaching you, before he would test your different abilities you possessed. 

Your mother is already getting you more than used to the sun, making you a day walker as much as a night walker. Your skin barely even formed a sunburn under the sun's rays, she would allow you to play in the river while she washed your clothes. 

When she moved to do the laundry at night instead of the day once, merely had forgotten, Godbrand had come leaning against one of the riverbank trees watching you splash around in the flowing river. 

You could entertain yourself, which was a good thing due to there not being any other child in the clan. 

Your skin turns red forming a rash alongside it when you'd leave the river but you would heal pretty fast enough for burns that would have your father dropping limbs permanently.  You being almost immune to the water had Godbrand wanting to take you on the ships getting it in your head young but you were still in your toddler stages and so he couldn't. 

While he did maintain to stay at arms lengths from you, it seemed you had inherent his stubbornness to raid others spaces. 

  When he was working at a table at the dinner hall, with his maps spread out on the table and sipping ale. The sound of a chair being dragged made him move his eyes over to watch you climb up into the chair and turn to the table smacking down a clean sheet of parchment. You had a charcoal stick in your hand and while he tried to ignore you and map out the next pillage, your loud obnoxious scribblings made him look up to see how you very messily tried copying his map and when he moved to mark something you would copy his actions. 

Messy, uniformed, lacking in the knowledge in it.

Godbrand frowned before reaching over the table grabbing you from your tunic and plopping you down on the table in front of him just before the map.

 "You need to know this boy. No son of mine is gonna be shit at map reading." 

 It was easier to watch your mother raise you from afar, only having small moments with you where you came running into his space. 

You grew faster, faster than any human child and he learned that the King's son also seemed to have accelerated growth. 

He wondered how long it would take you to reach the age where he can start taking you on the ships. When will you have your first Pillaging and when he could name you making you his son properly known to the clan. Your mother had seemed to be calling you Y/n. You have been responding well to it but he made it clear to her one night that she must also put it in your head that it wasn't your true name, that you haven't earned a name. 

You still seemed to be responding to Y/n.

By the time you were eight years of age you had the body of a young preteen. Your growth stops as your mind races to catch up to your body's age. 

Plague seemed to sweep the lands even over the ocean and you watched as your human mother grew sick and weak due to it. You were kind to your mother helping her around, helping with chores. Ignoring the snide comments the other villagers of the clan made towards you and your meek mother. You helped your mother to the river easing her down beside it as you splashed into its softer currents to wash your laundry.

Your mothers coughs ringing in your ears like nature's cruel clock slowly ticking her time away. 

"Y/n.." She breathed and you looked up at her stopping in washing tunics.

Your mother made a motion with her hand for you and you moved to her quickly. A gentle hand against your cheek.

"My dear..boy." She said between coughs. 

"Do be your own self..Don't let him change you." She whispered to you and you looked at your mother in slight confusion.

"Father wouldn't change me, moma." You told her but your mothers eyes filled with tears.

"Find love, promise me y/n you will find love, true love." 

You had promised even though you didn't understand her words.

Your mother did not live much longer after that promise. An allied clan had come onto your fathers lands, a great feast was made in the meal hall and you had left your mother at the table you both shared to watch men spare or tell tales. Entertained greatly by the spontaneous entertainment of the night and drinking from feeders who gladly bled into giant cups to state the vampire thirst. 

You enjoyed the music and rough housing around the meal hall as you sipped from your goblet of blood. 

Until there was the sound of screeching chairs and a sharp pain gasp rung over the music and into your ears causing you to freeze. 

When you turned your eyes immediately falling onto the table you shared with your mother, a vampire from the allaying clan face ripped from your mothers neck, her blood spraying from her down her body and onto the table. 

You saw behind the table your father standing from his own, a fierce look on his face, one that could have been murderous rage for your mother, despite how he never showed any real care for her. 

The Allaying Chieftain also standing, seeming confused by such an reaction.

Your fathers eyes moved to find yours but you never saw him as you saw red dripping down your mothers gown.

Red pooling at her feet.

Red dripping from the table.

Dark and dripping.

And For the first time in your life that was all you could see as your body moved against your mind. 

Red.

How sweet humans blood was,

The vampires were so much more tart. 

Like the cherries your mother picked from trees for you in the spring. Cherries that had stained your hands and lips with their dark red hue as you both had giggles in the bright sunlight. The fleeting moments you both had alone in the day before the moon fell and the clan was awake once more.

Red

Like your fathers hair that he always kept undone, you had once tried to tie it back when you had stumbled into his quarters one day. Finding him despite how he stayed away. How he woke up to see your much smaller hands than in his hair fumbling with the leather ties your mother would use to put your own hair out of your face. 

He hadnt shoved you away that day but he did pick you up and half assed carried you over his shoulder through the underground tunnels back to your mother dumping you to her.

"Keep the boy contained, woman." 

Red

Like the sunsets you enjoyed so much, how at one point of day and dusk you truly felt like you belonged. A creature that can live between being prey and predator. Where you felt like you could be just yourself. 

You never liked the sunrise or the moonfall. 

But you love the red in sunsets.

The red that you had pooling everywhere around you.

The red you were consumed with.

You were named that day, after the food hall was covered in torn and shredded bodies of that allaying clan. You did not know how you got the dripping ax in your hand or how you managed to even lift it. 

You were heaving and your once crystalline tears of your mother bow stained with red of your father as you watched them fall from your face into the pools of blood by your feet.

Your fathers clan was silent, only steps could be heard and a sturdy hand on your shoulder squeezing.

Your fathers face staring down at you as you look up.

"Antiphonus stand boy." 

in revenge of blood. 

That was what your father chose to name you. You started as he pulled you from the food hall and out to the moon filled sky of the night. Your mothers corpse on his shoulder as he dragged you away to the river. 

Godbrand had given your mother a proper death. 

Even if he only gave her a poorly made boat and didn't bother changing her gown or anything more respected, but your father only gave her this much was because of you. 

You screamed as you walked into the River pushing her boat into his depths and screamed more when you watched her boat be set blazed. Your father let you scream, let you cry out the rest of your mothers side out of yourself.

When you could shed another bloody tear for your mother you left the river, your skin no longer feeling the painful stinging of your rash as you left it. 

The much kinder and somewhat caring boy y/n leaving and the cruel indifferent bloodthirsty monster your father wanted, Antiphonus came taking place. 

"It's time for you to grow up boy."

And you did. 

You stared out of the sea as you led the ship to a nearby land, it was a simple strip of land, a simple village that livestock had colonized and was turning it into something. You looked at your mean moving the ship your father gave you to do this pillaging row moving it along until the sails catch a strong wing and do most of the hauling work. 

You moved down heading to the bow of the ship climbing up on it and enjoying the wind in your hair as your eyes moved over the oceans icy waters. You'd glance up at the stars making sure your ship was still on course to the village you were going to lead this pillage. 

You did not think of how many humans lived in that village. 

Nor how many would die as soon as your ship was ported and a small army of vampires came rushing out to feast and take. 

You had no remorse for them, not anymore, all sense of feeling guilty for needing to feed from them left you shortly after your mother had died. You felt no need to feel guilt about feasting and killing them like the livestock they were. It wasn't like there weren't any warnings of their land being too close to your fathers, they had to move through so many burned and destroyed villages before settling. If they were smart, they would've never settled so close, but livestock wasn't smart. They can only be led, That is what your father had told you, had shown you. 

While many would die during the raid, a plenty of them would be tied and forced onto the ship with whatever else is deemed worthwhile and taken back to the clan.

This was your responsibility when your father was away, traveling back and forth to do what vampire generals do. Rush to the king's call and demands, very rarely is your father actually summoned. 

You watched the sky as the wind jerked into the ship's sails picking up the speed of your journey. There was a swirl in your gut, a feeling of apprehension you were unfamiliar with. 

Something was happening. 

Something is coming. 

And whatever it was, it wasn't good. 

You closed your eyes, your jaw tightening as that feeling grew stronger and stronger as the hour seemed to be taking painstakingly slow to sail to the targeted village.

  The raid went fast as soon as the ship hit the muddy soil of the village's banks. The men jumping over the ship and rushing into the village you stayed and watched it get ripped into by the night walkers. The screams and prayers falling on the gleeful and blood thirsty ears of Vampires. 

You watched your fathers men rip through them, the humans, the livestock. Feasting themselves as if they never ate a night in their life. You soon smirking before flinging yourself off the bow grabbing your ax clean from its belt strap and rushing into the village sliding on slicken bloody mud as you swing watching the blade rip through tendons and bone of a human's neck, their blood spilling on your face as you licked your blood stained lips. 

Your apprehension waning as you tore through human after human enjoying their blood as you feasted upon them. Their huts and houses soon went up in flames with fire as soon a herd of them were dragged onto ship and thrown underneath its docks. 

You ordered the men to start rowing the ship back into the deep waters for the night's wind to snatch the sails once more and head back to the clan. 

The raid was longer than liked as the night sky started to lighten, marking the need for the crew to hide for themselves under the docks with the fearful livestock. Leaving you to man the ship alone as the skies hues danced with fading stars and hues of pinks and oranges and as the golden rays started to climb above the oceans horizons coloring your face and skin with your mothers kind saving grace.

A saving grace that couldn't save who you had lost that you looked too so dearly.

And also a reminder that you were no longer that little boy who was once touched by his humanity.

You were now a man, at the young age of twenty two, who is nothing but a bloodthirsty monster not damned in the sun's harsh light of the oceans glittering waters.

You were Antiphonus the son of the Viking general Godbrand…

But when you're alone basking into the warm humanity saving light that could not kill you, Alone with your thoughts and memories of the woman who raised you and loved you, who had foolishly stayed instead of abandoning you.

You were Y/n, The son of a human woman. 

An unwelcome half of humanity. 

And as you stared at the sun's golden light you wondered, if there were others out over the oceans waves and bitter winds who were a little more like you. 

chp 3

[understandableparadox]

I think a fundamental problem with a lot of vampire media is that a vampire is not supposed to be a zombie. it is supposed to be a human who surrendered to their own vices and flaws. the flaws of cowardice in the face of death and the vices of pleasure and gluttony.

which is why vampires can be made very versatile. As much as I don't really like Twilight, it is still a story of dealing with vices with creatures that fundamentally have allowed themselves to be dominated by them.

which is why i really like the movie Renfield.

THATS RIGHT YOU BITCH ASS MOTHERFUCKER YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO READ A SCATCHING BITCH AND MOAN SESSION ABOUT THE SATURATION OF SHITTY VAMPIRE MOVIES BUT NOW YOUR TRAPPED HERE READING MY THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON A NICK CAGE MOVIE, SIT DOWN SWEETHEART IM NOT GONNA BE DONE YAPPING FOR A FUCKING COUNTRY MINUTE

Renfield 2023 is a movie starring Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage and Awkwafina.

Renfield if you do not know is the fanatical familiar from the original bram stokers dracula movie. the human who in exchange for aiding dracula in their dark dealings would perhaps gift him with the same dark curse, making renfield a fellow child of the night.

This movie takes place Years afterwards after a very serious battle with the last vampire hunters of the modern day and age. Dracula has suffered Severe damage from the fight and has Renfield aid him in taking refuge within the depths of an asylum while he recovers.

Here we get into the meat and potatoes of the movie, as much of a sin as it sounds, it does focus on nick cage as dracula but instead on nicholas holt as the aforementioned Stooge prime renfield. Renfield, between his random killings in order to sate the blood lust of his master, becomes more and more acquainted with the new modern world, undergoing the most harrowing journey of them all...

Therapy. 

Renfield over the years has lost his spark of mad fanaticism and is worried not only with his relationship with Dracula but his relationship with himself. Aiding at least one by attending an abusive partners support group to find victims. Mostly abusive partners and criminals.  

This is very notable because it's already setting up the original themes of vampires. Your cowardice and your vices. It sets up Renfield as a true coward whose vice is his love of dracula, or more exactly his desire to  Be Like dracula. Enough so that even though he wants to feel better about himself- to feel less like a monster- he still follows dracula's demands in killing people who he has decided to pass judgment on. 

Oh sorry i forgot a detail, renfield is a power ranger and his morpher is eating bugs. He gains some vampire powers everytime he eats a bug and does some john wick shit but thats not my deal, i dont care if renfield can do a sick back flip and punch a guy (complete fucking lie, the action scenes in this movie are so god damn rad sometimes, please watch this movie, please please please!!!)

The movie splits into a couple of different story lines. One being Renfield attempting to balance his burgeoning need to have a functioning moral compass and his romance with awkwafina character, rebecca the detective. Rebecca the detective attempting to balance both the rash of murder cases and a rash of mob related crimes in order to avenge her father, and the mob themselves attempting to figure out who is wiping out their foot soldiers. 

I'm not going to harp on the story for long so let's start talking about renfield. 

Renfield is a hypocrite, and it's made apparent throughout the film that he is a hypocrite. Despite wanting to be a good person he is still a murder. He has doomed multiple people to die across the world. He left his wife and child to be with dracula. He has done so much to cut himself off from his own humanity that it's almost insane that he wants to run back to it because Dracula has not yet answered renfields desire to be a true vampire. 

This all is blended into the idea of having dracula be a parallel to an abusive narcissistic partner in a relationship. Which in all accounts throughout the movie is true and we're going to bounce back and forth from that for a bit so buckle up bud. 

The main ire of the movie is that Renfield wants to push his problems that he has gained away onto Dracula without acknowledging his roles in them. Again we see that cowardice. Renfield cannot stand to see his own faults. He listens to Dracula both out of fear and admiration. At the start of the movie I mentioned that Dracula sustained heavy hits from the last vampire hunters. Well I forgot to mention how he survived. Lets go ahead and listen in Real Close to what he says 

The hunters had dracula dead to rights if you can dare to pardon my puns. Trapped in a binding circle, burning in holy flames and about to get skewered through his heart. The dialogue is specific, Dracula makes no specific promises but notes that Renfield is complicit and that regardless of whatever Dracula has done, he is still his greatest ally. We play on that cowardice and that vice. That desire to be near dracula or be like dracula contrasted with his fear of the repercussions of his actions. 

Snap back to reality and we see that Renfield is still struggling with this. He does not want to face the repercussions of his actions so he continues doing as instructed by Dracula while also indulging in his vices, his desire for escapism by delving into all of these new things. Vigilantism, pushing his problems onto dracula, pretending that he is at the moment capable of having a new life while still using dracula's powers to attain it. 

Ah but now we need to introduce the main concept of this film. That being the portrayal of Dracula as an abusive partner with narcissism. Dracula plays on renfields, and says it with me in class, Vices and Cowardice. He knows what to say to make Renfield back down. He knows all his fuck ups and exactly what renfield wants, that being to have a simple life with dracula, but not in a gay way of course, we still have to have a straight romance sub plot, i mean its insane to think that renfield wants to bone dracula its not like dracula promises to be his salvation while he is suspended in air in a soft whispery voice while renfield stares at him with all the gale of a oculerly enlarged puppy but hey what do i know? I unironiclly read isekais, my media literacy must be that of a brain dead lemur. 

We can see this played out in this scene here

Dracula knows how to keep the hook in renfield's mouth both taught and loose enough to keep him at the perfect level of knuckle dragging dejection to ensure that he runs back begging. In that while yes he is right that renfield at so many points gave in to his own desires and *coy eye to the audience as I listen to them scream “vices” at me.*. He has begun to make an earnest attempt to become a better person. Better late than never. 

Thus renfields true growth is him rejecting that which made him so close with dracula, the rejection of what makes a vampire and vampire. He embraces his cowardice by both admitting to what he is and now allowing himself to push his own crimes onto dracula, and then standing up to dracula, and then rejecting his vices when once again dracula makes him the same offer. To be that same shield towards himself and his own shortcomings rather than deal with a life without a master. Despite it being possible in the future coming with the promise of being a full vampire like himself. 

Look guys, let's not juggle bowling pins and call it arm wrestling, Watch Renfield. Its a good movie and nick cage is fucking awasome, thanks.

[ofsilentthings]

'The Vampire Ascendant's Wife', a Postmortem

Just some writer thoughts about finishing my longest fanfiction to date!

Thank you for reading and commenting/leaving kudos.

Data and Commentary below~

I started it October 13, 2023 and finished it May 27, 2024.

With 138,915 words it is the longest fic I have ever written.

Each chapter averaged 6945 words. (Though the largest was like 13000 words.) This is unusual for me and I think going forward I'll try to keep each chapter shorter.

Inspiration:

I was inspired mainly by Dracula - mainly by wanting Jonathan Harker and Dracula kiss. Why a two hundred year gap? An arbitrary number but not really - it's how long Astarion was under Cazador's control (give or take a few decades). Besides providing a nice parallel, it was a funny reference to this line from the game:

Astarion: I'll make you pay for everything you've ever done to me! Cazador: I've known you for two hundred years! Haven't I suffered enough?

Planning:

For such a long fic as this, I do a lot of planning. I like to do a vague outline of where I want the fic to go (or even the themes I want to touch upon). When I get to specific chapters I break them down by scenes or even beats. I also did a lot of background planning. I had to know how Rickard could believably raise the performance of three businesses and quickly. I had to know how Astarion was going to become Archduke. And I had to figure out how to make Rickard fall in love with Taviana AND Astarion. Manipulating all these plots was difficult and part of the fun challenge but I think I did okay. Funny enough Henrik's death was not meant to be such a plot point; it was only supposed to be a way to force Rickard into the spotlight. I never intended Henrik to show up himself.

Successes:

I really love Rickard. I love his journey from nervous uncertain man meeting Astarion to the first time, to the last encounter when he tells him the truth and slaps him. I liked my Taviana who balanced over the line of loving and hating Astarion. I liked Astarion, since it was in a slightly different filter than most fics I've seen: one that is not new to power, but complacent. Realities of life (becoming poor) forced him to reach out to new opportunities, mainly Rickard. Whether he was ultimately changed by his time with his chamberlain is dependent upon the ending you prefer.

I think the multiple plots worked for the most part. The financials and social climbing reflected the intimacy of the three main characters, and vice versa. Also I managed to use an auction as a main plot device so that's fun to me.

Failures:

Vaida and her crew did not get a satisfactory ending. I toyed with having Astarion kill her in the final plot chapter but I worried that if Rickard saw that he would be much more antagonistic towards Astarion and not even try to talk to him.

I wish I had given a bit more attention to the businesses towards the end; however the focus on the story had obviously shifted to the three of them so I think its okay. A part of me thinks Astarion's megolomania should have been toned down a little bit, at least to show that he was listening to Rickard, even when he was angry. But I think that's a very minor point that I'd fuss over no matter what.

'Extra features':

Taviana was going to ask Rickard to kill Astarion. But Rickard does not have D&D player levels (A level 0 commoner), so he wouldn't have a chance.

I considered going a power route and having Ilmater himself get involved, making Rickard a Chosen, perhaps a super-powered monk, but again that was a bit more action-oriented than I wanted to go. It also seemed to take away from the personal strength of Rickard. Why should he stand up to Astarion when he can get the power of a god and punch the Ascendant into the sun?

Rickard was going to be kidnapped by undead inside the Ancunin estate during a grand party; that didn't work because I needed Astarion's house to be '''safe''' so that's why it was out in the streets. Part of Rickard's contract was going to include a clause that, at the end of a year (or some other time), Taviana would have the choice to leave Astarion or stay. I decided to omit that simply for simplicity sake. She's a Consort, she never could leave, even if she wanted to.

I had planned on Astarion creating a crisis of undead attacking the undead in waves. He would then 'bring them down' and be seen as a hero. But then I remembered Mystic Carrion probably still would exist and so he had a natural enemy. Taviana Lovers: Loghain, Nicollus, Marius, Elliot, Imogen. Astarion Lovers: Ellyndia, Millicent, Vero, Mathias, Morgan, Andromeda, Irenica, Miriam, Henrik (most of these are video game characters or D&D/original characters) In a similar vein: Absoleth, Sylene, and Lady Murasaki are some of my D&D characters. Jack Jekyllsby Hamstead is one of my husband's characters. Yes, even the boots. Garu is one of my friend's D&D characters.

What's next?

Who knows? I need a mental break. I am busy with a family, a job, and a life and writing so much takes time from that. I want to enjoy the up coming Elden Ring DLC as well as FF14's Dawntrail. I want to read a bunch of books and be inspired. I want to do some painting. I'm even going to start up a Curse of Strahd D&D game (someone has to DM...) But I'll always come back to writing. I love it too much not to. So expect some one-shots, maybe? I am looking at some crossovers as well (Astarion and Micolash WILL BE A THING, there's too much about blood and ascension between them to ignore). Thank you, thank you, thank you lovely readers, each one of you.

[raointean]

Elrond and Elros and Political Hostage Situations

Okay, so I just finished the second season of "Rise of Empires: Ottoman" which covers the story of Vlad "The Impaler" Dracula (yes, that Dracula), and to a lesser extent, his brother Radu. They were given to the Ottomans as political hostages to be killed if their father "misbehaved".

That gave me Thoughts about E&E! With Maedhros and Maglor, no matter how much they actually cared for the twins, were absolutely holding them as hostages; first to try and get the silmaril back, and then to deter pursuit by Gil-Galad. If he had tried to attack them in retribution for Sirion, all M&M would have to do is hold up a twin and a knife and Gil-Galad would have to back off.

Then, when they were given to Gil-Galad, he could have held them hostage as well, or else it could easily be misconstrued as that. Gil-Galad has a somewhat shakey claim to the throne, especially if you interpret the confusion about his father as in-universe or him being an illegitimate heir. Elrond and Elros likewise have a shakey claim to the throne. They are the great-grandsons of the last high king... through his daughter.

Gil-Galad COULD hold them hostage just to keep them under control and make sure they don't try to overthrow him in the confusion during the War of Wrath. Or, he could have genuinely been trying to make sure they were okay and they just misinterpreted it.

Back to the Ottomans, I think Elros parallels Vlad. He matured faster (in my mind) and more fully understood what was going on. Because of that, he had to deal with constant stress and anxiety, which takes a serious toll on the mind.

Perhaps, like Vlad, that shaped him into a very uncompromising person. As soon as Gil-Galad let him go/sent him away, Elros declared himself king of all Men. As king, he started making some... shady decisions regarding children (conscripting young boys, trying children as adults, refusing to show mercy to children on the other side, etc.) He received no mercy when he was a child. Why should they!?

Elrond matured much more slowly (again, in my mind) and was never really able to grasp the level of danger he was in. He was just swinging from caretaker to caretaker and trying to keep his sense of safety intact.

The mind, especially those of children, is EXCELLENT at twisting the facts until things are okay. Elrond didn’t focus on the fact that Maedhros held a knife to his throat to ward off Gil-Galad, he focused on the extra rations he got that night and the fact that HE was the one to save the camp from conflict. That rose-tinted view probably prevented him from examining what happened from an objective point of view until WELL into his adult life.

Gil-Galad may have offered Elrond the position of herald to a) quell rebellious whisperings that Elrond should be king instead of him, and b) to give Elrond a place in life where he FINALLY had some leverage. Elros, in his black and white view of the world, just saw it as another means of control. That was the biggest fight he and Elrond ever had.

[vickyvicarious]

It is broad daylight. That good fellow would not wake me. He says it would have been a sin to, for I slept peacefully and was forgetting my trouble. It seems brutally selfish to me to have slept so long, and let him watch all night; but he was quite right.

Not to make this heartwarming moment sad but Arthur's perspective here kills me. He is taking care of Jonathan, trying to keep him strong and sane and suffering just a little less...

I'm thinking about Arthur watching Jonathan sleep (like Mina once watched Lucy) and find momentary solace from his troubles. And he is so glad for Jonathan to get the rest he needs and to escape the fear he feels for his wife if only for a short time. But at the same time, there's only so much Arthur can focus on operating the ship or thinking about other people before his thoughts turn back to his own sorrows.

Jonathan is in many ways the man Arthur never got to be; I wonder how much he feels a sick kind of envy at times. He married the woman he loves, and though Dracula still got to her there's yet hope. Mina may be turning into a vampire but even if she does they've gotten to say their goodbyes. There's a plan in place so her soul won't be tainted by harming others once she changes too far. Jonathan knows what is wrong with her and what he can try to do to help, and until recently he was able to be with her when she needed him after the attacks. Jonathan knows who is to blame and can focus on his rage, instead of getting lost in aimless confusion and fear like Arthur did.

Obviously Jonathan is not having a good time of it. And Arthur doesn't want to make any of this about him, he wants to support the people actually currently suffering and to focus on the goal of killing Dracula. But he lost his father and Lucy both barely a month ago, he's still in deep mourning and has had barely any time to process first their deaths, then Lucy's undead status, then killing her. And I cannot imagine that he can sit quietly on the boat and watch Jonathan sleep peacefully - decide it would be a sin to drag him from that temporary peace - without his own thoughts lingering on all his own troubles.

I just... think this was a rough night for Arthur.