#Dracula Daily Ask Game

[draculathedansemacabre]

🧛‍♂️VAMPIRE for the Dracula ask game!!

(btw I just finished episode 1 and oh my god???? Really kicked us in the teeth there, can't wait for more!!!🖤🖤)

🧛Dracula Daily Ask Game🧛

Question: 🧛‍♀️VAMPIRE Which book do you think Dracula fans should read next?

Answer:

Gabriel Urbina: Oooh, two come to mind!

S. by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams is the first one. A literary mystery that unfolds in the marginalia and annotations of a shifting, mysterious novel. If Dracula is reading an account after the papers have been put in sequence, this is getting to be a part of the story that emerges as the papers are put in sequence. An experience like no other, and it really does make you feel like you become Mina Harker for a little while as you read it.

And then Jamie McKelvie's brilliant, gothic One For Sorrow just released its first issue and I want everyone to read this book. Dark, thrilling, with tremendous characters, set in the same era as Dracula and exploring a lot of the same preoccupations of modernity clashing against the occult and supernatural. Plus, oh my god, it's so beautiful, just look at this thing:

[thethirdromana]

🧛Dracula Daily ask game🧛

📕BOOK How many times have you read Dracula? Which bit, if any, have you reread most often?

🖊️ PEN Have you ever created any Dracula fanworks? If so, which one are you proudest of?

🩸BLOOD What is your favourite Dracula adaptation?

💚GREEN HEART If you were Lucy, which suitor would you have chosen?

⚰️COFFIN Which death upset you most in Dracula?

🖤BLACK HEART What's your favourite Dracula ship?

🍲FOOD Do you like paprika hendl? What's your favourite dish that's not local to your country?

🚂TRAIN Are you a train fiend? Or do you have a different preferred form of transport?

⌨️KEYBOARD What modern technology would you use to fight vampires?

🦇BAT Which Dracula character are you most like?

🚢SHIP If you had to go on a long journey with one Dracula character, who would you pick?

🧛‍♀️VAMPIRE Which book do you think Dracula fans should read next?

🐈CAT What's your favourite animal in Dracula?

🌎GLOBE What's your preferred setting for a Dracula AU?

🕸️COBWEB Which scene in Dracula scared you most?

🔮CRYSTAL BALL Share one thing you think happens after the end of the novel.

✍️WRITING HAND If you could change one thing about Dracula, what would it be?

✨STARS Share your favourite Dracula headcanon.

[bluecatwriter]

Another duality of man aspect of Jonathan is how he is described as having "quiet dignity", and being a "quiet, business-like gentleman", but he also roars a command in a voice raised in "a high-key of passion" making armed men freeze. Sharpening a blade in a corner, in cold silence, while all the others are in feverish excitement, but also loudly breaking down in front of the others at the suggestion of Mina going to his prison.

Witnessing that as Seward must have been an experience

Yeah, any attempts to categorize Jonathan as "the quiet one who just goes along with everyone else" are pretty soundly shattered after October 3rd. Everyone in the crew likely reacts to this, but it's probably most pronounced in Seward, who projects his own readings of people's character onto them and is shocked if they don't behave exactly how he believes they should.

...It's probably awakening a lot of things inside. ;)

(With reference to this comic)

[immediatebreakfast]

⌨️KEYBOARD What modern technology would you use to fight vampires?

Hmmmmm weirdly enough I think those new rosary bracelets that people can easily diy, and put whatever saint, holy virgin, or jesús in them are the perfect replacement for the full rosaries that grandmothers kept on their purses.

I mean look at them!

Cute, functional, and plausible enough to function as protection! Of course the trick is that you have to truly believe how this trinket is as powerful as the normal rosary, but that is something internal ✨

[serial-serializednovelreader]

Any ideas how Jonathan is managing to survive despite the heights he has to climb and the Carpathians he has to walk through and all the wolves?

Ooo love this question!

I have a few theories:

1. Pure adrenaline — I imagine during the climb down the castle, Jonathan used up a lot of adrenaline in order to climb at a good pace while avoiding falling — he probably needs this boost due to the stress of the day’s events and making the decision to scale the castle wall as a means of escape. If Jonathan climbing down the castle wall successfully seems improbable (and it kind of is!!), consider there have been many cases of adrenaline allowing people to accomplish feats they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do. Still, an adrenaline kick won’t last long, which brings me to my next theory….

2. Dracula’s bite — That’s right, folks! If I’m connecting the dots correctly, Jonathan had just gotten fed on the night before his great escape by Dracula, and in my mind, this would give him a tiny bit of Dracula’s abilities. Not much, mind you, just a little bit. If my theory is true, this would give him a some supernatural strength, speed, and (likely) endurance. This would definitely help him through his lizard climb, the forest, and then the long trek through the Carpathians. It might even help his balance, let him go for a while without food and see better in the dark (my own personal speculations). However, that’s not all Jonathan has to face on this dangerous journey. He has also has to face…

3. The wolves — I have three ideas for how he might be successfully dealing with these!

The first theory is that he doesn’t even have to deal with the wolves at all. Here’s how:

If Jonathan was able to finish his climb down the castle around mid-morning/early afternoon, let’s say (a generous assumption, I know), there’s a possibility the wolves are sleeping at this time (despite them being nocturnal, this article states they actually do most of their sleeping at night with short naps during the day — those who know more about wolves, please feel free to correct me on this!). Therefore, he might be able to make it out without alerting them to his presence at all. Assuming Dracula as the carriage driver really did drive in circles that first time, it might not take him as long to get out of the forest by the castle as his first time around.

However…Jonathan won’t be going for subtlety here. He is trying to get out of this place as fast as possible. I’m almost certain he’s running for it….and wolves are light sleepers. It’s highly unlikely none of them would hear him traipsing through the woods with all the grace of an elephant (not that I blame him).

So, how does he survive if/when the wolves wake up? Let’s move on to my second theory:

They’re not under Dracula’s influence anymore. Now that he’s has been carted away from the castle, his influence on the wolves surrounding it has diminished. This would make sense, as Dracula likely can’t focus his power on them from that far away and also store up his power for the journey ahead (if that’s how his power works — there’s also the possibility they’re constantly under his control, but I’m not sure about that one. He still has limitations). Plus, he would assume Jonathan would be accepting his fate right about now, not attempting to escape. There would be no need to keep the wolves on guard for him. Furthermore, wolves are not usually dangerous to humans unless provoked/very very hungry or the wolf in question has rabies (source: this article). While these wolves have killed humans before and would likely have no problem doing so again, there is the possibility that they don’t remember doing it. We don’t know how the wolves experience his influence or if they can remember what they’ve done under it (like Jonathan with the vampire sisters) or if they don’t remember a thing (like Jonathan with Dracula’s feeding). Most notably, they haven’t done anything unless Dracula has called them to do so (which is their normal way, they don’t tend to get in human business). If they don’t remember what Dracula has made them do, it’s likely they wouldn’t naturally attack a human and would just leave him alone.

However, if they do feel compelled to attack Jonathan even without Dracula’s influence (or if they just somehow have constant orders to attack anyone who tries to go to or leave the castle), we’re onto my next theory…

Again, Dracula’s bite. What if his bite gave Jonathan a fraction of Dracula’s ability to control wolves? This likely means he can’t make them do much of anything, except maybe summon them (if he knew how to — he doesn’t) or, instead, they follow him until he reaches the edge of the forest (which, if you’re wondering how Jonathan feels about a pack of wolves calmly following him as he walks out of the forest, it’s going about as well as you’d expect…not great).

This would really be the only feasible way I could see Jonathan surviving the wolves if they were in “attack mode” because…he can’t really outrun them (sure, he likely has a bit of vampiric speed, but they would be coming at him from all angles) and he doesn’t have any weapons on him. How else is he going to escape the pack if they decide to attack at once? I just don’t see another way.

That’s about all for my theories. From there it’s just a matter of finding rest/food/water where he can, staying vigilant, and not letting the HorrorsTM get to him.

I could be missing something obvious, so please feel free to point out anything I missed. Or, if you have your own theories, I’d love to hear those too!!

[fire-and-fog]

🔮CRYSTAL BALL Share one thing you think happens after the end of the novel.

I mean - I'm a firm believer in Dr. Seward and Arthur getting married. It's almost canon ;)

I'd also like to think that the surviving characters move in together. Maybe in the same house or as neighbours

[vickyvicarious]

Oh I forgot to clarify in my earlier ask

Inkpot gods - the amazing devil

Jonmina around the latter parts of the book with the whole Mina is turning thing

With the whole things of being more than their respective parents given they didn't really have parents, and also:

"Please, let her live just one more day, 'cause she is so much more than all her scars, and if she doesn't have the will, but it seems the whole world does, I'll stay"

And what you hear is not silence, it's just the trees waiting to hear what next you'll hum. And what you see is not the dark, it's just the gods upturning ink pots 'cause they know what you'll become. And to those gods, I will speak bluntly "We've an accord, if you ever touch or harm him. Please, rest assured that you might not fear a man, but to a woman, by the end, you'll kneel and plea"

"And I can hear her sing, and I know she's giving up. And I don't know what to do, how to help her, how to bring her home"

"And I can her sing: If I don't make it back from where I've gone just know, I loved you all along"

I know and love this song already. And in fact I've seen this connection being made before (in the LXGF Discord ages ago), so I've been listening to it with this exact dynamic in mind for a while, haha. Totally, totally agree.

The line about scars being not only about bites but moreso about her wafer scar on her forehead and what that implies about her damned status. And Jonathan saying she's more than that, let her live, even if she thinks she has to die I will never agree.

The harmonizing on "I can hear him break / and he doesn't understand" is both of them about each other and then Mina saying "And I wish that I could take his hand but where I'm going is for me and me alone" being perfect for her wanting to die rather than harm anyone else and not wanting Jonathan to be damned too. Also handholding is such a big thing in Dracula and her wanting to but feeling she can't is a great reflection of the door shut between them. And of course the entire "loved you all along" refrain being a perfect fit to both of them throughout so many moments in the novel, beginning with Jonathan in the castle right up to Mina writing in her diary that her last true thoughts will have been of him.

That whole bit about the title, inkpots and her swearing that they'll kneel and plea to a woman if you harm him. That works from Jonathan's perspective about Mina but also her for him, and her being the mastermind behind defeating Dracula when he didn't fear Jonathan... Just. Basically the whole song works beautifully lyrics-wise and that's not even getting into the sound which is such a great great fit for the mood.

[phoebonica]

🔮CRYSTAL BALL Share one thing you think happens after the end of the novel.

I think Jack Seward had a lot of fallout to deal with when he got back to the asylum. What do you mean your patient died under dubious circumstances and then you wrote a new will and ran off to Eastern Europe for a month.

[pop-goes-the-weasel]

For the ask game!

🚂TRAIN Are you a train fiend? Or do you have a different preferred form of transport?

🦇BAT Which Dracula character are you most like?

Intrigued by trains? Yes. Do circumstances force me on flights? Also yes

2. Ahhh Jack! Sopping wet cat of medical malpractice!

[fruitviking]

for Dracula Daily Asks: 🐈CAT What's your favourite animal in Dracula?

Bersicker supremacyyyyyyyy

My poor wolfie boy did NOT deserve to get mind-controlled and yeeted through a window. Give him all the cuddles!

[theriu]

Also for the Seven Characters Ask: Jonathan, Mina, Lucy, Seward, Quincy, Van Helsing, and Arthur from Dracula.

Ooo dangit I haven't been doing the reread so here's hoping I remember enough things from last year and the memes XD

Go grocery shopping with: Lucy. I just want to get that girl out of her house. She's so rich and sheltered, she'd probably find the whole experience exceedingly charming and distracting.

Have lunch with: Arthur. He seems nice, although I don't know exactly how we would get on, but I bet he would pick up the tab like the rich gentleman he is and we would have a nice time. :D

Have coffee with: Jonathan. I think he needs the break, honestly. And he might find a coffee or tea or hot chocolate he really likes and draw out some of his suppressed-by-trauma foodie instincts!

Go thrift shopping with: Mina! Being from a middle/lower-income background and also being a very fun and chill and supportive person, I think she'd be great at this sort of thing!

Explore a museum/art gallery/aquarium with: Van Helsing. I bet he would know all sorts of interesting facts at a museum and only some of them would be made up or totally incomprehensible! :D

Go the library/bookstore with: Seward, if only to get him out of his mental hospital. I would also ban him from the psychology section, maybe see if I can get him to read some lighthearted comic books.

Have as a plus-one at a wedding: Quincy, I am positive everyone would love him and I would be proud of bringing someone so fun and interesting to the event. :D But assuming he is around the same age as me, I would once again have to gently let down people who are all hopeful I have found a man XD (See Hardison in my last reply) (Although IDK, maybe in an alternate reality where Quincy lives, who knows?)

[draculathedansemacabre]

✍️

🧛Dracula Daily Ask Game🧛

Question: ✍️WRITING HAND If you could change one thing about Dracula, what would it be?

Answer:

Gabriel Urbina: Bahahaha, this one's easy.

I love the novel. I've loved it since I first read it when I was in my early 20's. I think its prose is beautiful, I think its format is genius, and I think its characters are some of the best in horror literature. And I think clever, kind, extraordinary Mina Murray/Harker is first among equals in my heart.

And every time that one of the other characters ushered her out of a room so that they could discuss how to solve the plot, I screamed and threw my book across the room.

I think that Mina is, even with all the recognition she gets, one of the great underrated characters and especially one of the great underrated detectives of literature. I think she could go toe to toe with Hercule Poirot and the like. (She could easily kick the crap out of Dupin as far as I'm concerned.) Every time she is allowed to drive the plot, the book just kicks into its highest gears for me.

So as a reader, as much as I've always loved the book, there's always been a shadow version of the book underneath it that I've been able to half-glimpse. A version of the story that was much more squarely a confrontation between the powers of Dracula and the intellect of Mina Harker. Something that paired down some of the other plots of the book and just let those two go at each other with everything they had.

And so... that's more of less what I've tried to do with Danse Macabre!

[excentricat1]

🔮CRYSTAL BALL Share one thing you think happens after the end of the novel.

Thanks for the ask!

I don't have the elaborate post-cannon world that some people do. I haven't thought about it as deeply. But Arthur definitely moves much of the family business to Jonathan's firm. It gives him the excuse he needs as a lord to be spending time with his good friends, inviting Jonathan to the estate to consult on this or that plan and keep him updated. And of course, since it is so far from Exeter to Ring, he simply must bring Mina along.

I like the idea that Jack goes in for investigating some of the other crazy things that Van Helsing was on about. Hypnotism and vampires and mesmerism were real. How many others of that long list have enough evidence for Jack?

Ask game here for anyone who wants to join.

[bluecatwriter]

5. Best personality trait

Lucy, Jonathan, Van Helsing

Ooh, this is a tricky one to answer because they have a lot of good personality traits between them! But I'd say...

Lucy: Courage. I had to think about this for a while, because I was tempted to say something like "sweetness" or "tenderheartedness," but honestly, I think the trait that really shines through her is her courage. It shows up both in the everyday courage of enduring a long, unexplained, unpredictable "disease," and in her dramatic moments of taking control of the situation during the Wolf Incident and having the presence of mind to leave a record of what happened so that her death won't be in vain. She is bursting with courage, even if she would never think to describe herself in that way!

Jonathan: Endurance. This guy can just keep going. He knows how to play the long game, how to keep his head down until his fortunes change, and how to go ruthlessly after what he wants until he gets it, regardless of what is stopping him. It's the reason I believe he's the only member of the cast who could've survived Castle Dracula, and it's the reason he's able to recover himself and keep himself together long enough to kill Dracula, even though it would've been totally understandable if he'd fallen apart. This guy is tough in a way that many people don't see.

Van Helsing: Kindness. He has a lot of faults, but he has a very big heart. He is devoted to his friends, he works hard to solve the mystery of Lucy's "illness," he tries to find words of comfort for those around him, he sleeps on the couch across from Arthur to prevent him from being alone, he reassures Mina that she has done nothing wrong, and many more instances. At his best, his kindness really shines through.

 (Ask game here)

[inkandrhythm]

October 5

It is as if some haunting presence were removed from me. Perhaps … Fuck.

[serial-serializednovelreader]

What's the first thing comes to mind when you think about them? -Jonathan Harker

Favorite canon thing about this character? -Van Helsing

Deepest darkest secret they won’t even admit to themselves -Jonathan Harker

More asks yay!!!! I am going to get into some implied spoilers in this one; since you’re asking about Van Helsing, it sounds like you’ve read the book before! I’ll try to keep the spoilers implied, but I also have a spoiler-free ask here, if you haven’t read Dracula already!

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of them?

Jonathan Harker — bravery, love, and lizard fashion (yes I know, hear me out).

For bravery, I think of him trying to save a child, hitting Dracula with a shovel, and silently sharpening his knife.

For love, I think of “(Mem. get recipe for Mina)”, holding Mina closer when she cries and calls herself unclean, and his hair turning white.

For lizard fashion, I think of him looking down to prevent surprise/fear of the height later, straining to climb just a *little* more while gritting his teeth, and risking his life in hopes he could escape by imitating the monster who’s kept him prisoner.

Favorite canon thing about this character?

There are many things I love about Van Helsing, so I’ll give two: a serious and a funny thing.

Serious: That he’s not afraid to break down and be emotional, especially in front of other men. Most mentor characters, even in today’s age, are expected to be infallible and stoic. When things go wrong, they are impassive and continue on as if everything is normal. It’s refreshing to see him not be stoic when something terrible happens and instead cry it out — especially considering the conventions for men at the time. I know you didn’t ask this question, but this is also the scene that really made me love him!

Funny: Pulling Jack Seward’s ear “playfully” and making metaphors about corn is just a regular thing he does. IIRC, that’s like…the first in-person scene we get with Van Helsing (by which I mean he’s in-person with Jack and not writing a telegram/letter to him — I know everything in this book is a collection of letters/diary entries)? And he immediately owns the scene by calling Arthur “good corn” and then pulling on Jack’s ear when he doesn’t get the metaphor. It’s glorious, I love it!

Deepest darkest secret they won’t admit even to themselves?

I think, for a while, Jonathan is unable to admit to himself he was fed on by Dracula the night of June 29th. The evidence is all right there for him to see the next day when he sees Dracula bloated and blood coming out of his mouth, but…he doesn’t seem to register it. He doesn’t say anything of it, except he’s (understandably) disgusted, but also notes he doesn’t want “his own body” to be a “banquet” for the three vampire sisters — as if he wasn’t already one last night.

I think it’s understandable he doesn’t write it down. We know Jonathan doesn’t like to write about events he has no concrete evidence for and — well, he’d remember being fed on by a vampire, right? He remembered when the sisters were going to do it last time. But this is different. I believe the Count kept Jonathan asleep for the feeding (or wiped his memory of it) because he knows Jonathan has been acting “rebellious” lately and didn’t want him to rebel further, though it would’ve been difficult for him to with Dracula’s mind control on him. Perhaps Dracula just didn’t want to take any chances.

So if Jonathan can’t remember the event, he isn’t going to write it down. Plus, emotionally, it may be too overwhelming for him to write about in the moment. After all, he’s just tried to escape the castle several times before he wrote it and he’s about to try another escape attempt right after he finishes the entry, which may result in his death. In other words, his emotions are all over the place. We’ve always commended Jonathan on writing the hard truth — even when it’s difficult — but in this case, I think it’s a lot like Seward writing about Renfield, where he���s not even fully thinking of the idea to make it conscious. At this point, it’s more of a horrifying possibility he’s content to leave as an unconscious idea for the time being. Later, when Jonathan has processed this trauma, he’s able to understand he was fed on and can use that knowledge to his advantage! For now, he can’t admit this, even to himself. :(

Ask game here