#Nocturne in Ashes

[thevondoom62]

Combining strength and intellect, the Creature is somehow more formidable than his already frightening appearance suggests.

[chorus-the-mutate]

This is an edited repost of the Erzsebet Bathory character analysis I wrote yesterday that I refuse to let go to waste. I tried doing the right thing and tagging all of the necessary trigger warnings only for this post to be completely hidden from the Castlevania Nocturne and Erzsebet Bathory tags. Since I can't afford to tag the proper trigger warnings without being punished please do not read this post if discussions of rape or sexual assault triggers or upsets you in any way. I don't take these topics lightly and they are vital to this analysis of Erzsebet Bathory.

This post also contains major spoilers for this first season of Castlevania Nocturne.

This may seem presumptive of me to say but this thought has been stuck in my head for several hours: Erzsebet Bathory is the most rapist adjacent villainess I've ever seen without her actually being a rapist.

The first and smallest point against her is how often she mentions virgins. I know that Erzsebet's initial mention of virgin sacrifices is supposed to tie into the origin of her alter ego and consumption of Sekhmet but it's super fucking weird that it played into why she wanted to sacrifice Maria.

Next point against her is the lawyer's daughter. I'm not sure if this lady was a virgin but when she's first brought to Erzsebet she's already terrified and too dazed to fight back. It's obvious that she doesn't want to be there and that even if she did that she can't really express that desire. But Erzsebet still takes this lady out of a literal gilded cage, sits down and sits this lady on her dress to admire her despair before drinking her blood. The next time we see the lady she's still dazed. The only differences are that she's dolled up and seems more suggestible. Even with hundreds of people in this ballroom scene the lady is literally ignored by everyone except for Erzsebet who dances with her and parades her around for her own amusement. Everyone else knows that Erzsebet likes to make her victims suffer and they still refuse to acknowledge the lady because Erzsebet has made it clear that she's her possession. Hell the only person who is unhappy enough with Erzsebet to go rogue at this point is Olrox and he STILL IGNORES THIS LADY. When the lady is dragged outside to be fed on again without anyone batting an eye it reminds me of a rapist roofying their target and proceeding to do everything in their power to seem interested in their victim's well-being in order to take them to a second location. And no one speaks up since Erzsebet is the Harvey Weinstein, Prince Andrew or Thomas Jefferson of the vampire world; the embodiment of people in power getting away with abuse until the damage has already been done.

The last and biggest point against Erzsebet is the entire scene where she turns Tera into a vampire. For me personally that is just an allegorical rape scene and it's executed very well. Erzsebet makes her entrance at the abbey as a lioness of a woman, a literal predator who wants to take Maria as a sacrifice and turn her into a vampire to ensure Emmanuel the Abbot's loyalty. Tera protests and offers herself to Erzsebet instead. This is such blatant coercion that Tera refers to herself as the ram Abraham sacrificed to God instead of Isaac. And the only question or concern Erzsebet has at this point is if her sacrifice should be a virgin. The only reasons she accepts the sacrifice are Emmanuel's genuine love for Tera and the fact that Tera is a powerful sorceress. Once Erzsebet settles for Tera and physically lifts her to her level no one can stop her. Maria gets knocked out for trying and Richter gets bodied immediately after. Their only option is to get the hell out of there once Annette makes an opening and Richter rightfully runs for his life. Even Maria, the only person that could look back and see Tera turn, is knocked out and that feels like an intentional writing choice to give Tera one last shred of dignity. Erzsebet holds Tera really close in this sort of hug as she feeds on her and once she's fed she literally sits Tera on her lap for her turn to feed. Then Erzsebet cuts herself and the blood starts dripping down on Tera, starting at her skirt, going to her blouse and reaching her face. At first Tera doesn't react but then her body responds to the blood and she feeds even though she doesn't want to. Even though no one wants this for her. And that is exactly what it's like when someone has an unwanted orgasm. Tera's body is protecting itself the same way a victim of assault would and that paired with the blood on her skirt being reminiscent of the blood on a woman's thigh in the aftermath of an assault hammers home the rape allegory. It's very sad and uncomfortable to think of Tera's turn to vampirism this way but the thought lingers hours after like a grimy film on my brain.

I 100,000% believe that Erzsebet would have been an actual rapist if Netflix Castlevania didn't romanticize Lenore raping Hector and ending their relationship on friendly terms. Not to mention Sumi and Taka's sudden shift from allies to sexually assaulting Alucard out of spite. Castlevania Nocturne seems to shy away from rape and sexual assault in favor of allegories or moments so brief that I missed them unlike its predecessor. So I'm blaming the gratuitous depictions of sexual assault in Castlevania on Warren Ellis, the creator of Netflix Castlevania, who doesn't work on this show for a very good reason.

Everything from her size as Sekhmet to her tendency to torture women and girls before killing them contributes to the allegory of Erzsebet being the vampire equivalent of a rapist. She exudes power and not only does she enjoy making others feel helpless she's also great at it. She is a sadist without honor, willing to parade her lady victim of choice around vampire high society or hang a young girl on hooks to drain dry rather than let any of them die a quick death. The dragged out, needless suffering Erzsebet inflicts along with her preference for women and virgins frames her feeding as something more sexual in nature than the other vampire nobles who simply indulge in their gluttony. Even Olrox feeding on his former boyfriend isn't framed sexually, it's framed as a desperate, romantic gesture to keep his lover alive. And every vampire I remember from Castlevania has their feeding framed as a tool for political power or sheer, simple gluttony. Even the vampire general Cho was shown to be more of a tyrant or a general sadist clinging to power in Japan than a deviant.

Erzsebet's sheer sadism actually contrasts quite well with Dracula's humanity and restraint. He understood humanity, only feeding to survive or strike down the merchants who slighted him. (He probably also used feeding as a tool for political power but I don't think we saw that directly.) Dracula ultimately came to understand humanity so well that he fell for Lisa Tepes, the exemplar of what it means to be human. And that love is why I believe he respected Lisa's wishes and let her keep that humanity instead of turning her into a vampire. And after Lisa's death Dracula stopped feeding entirely, hoping to extinguish his life and take out as many people as he could because he believed that humanity should've been better. He believed that the people who lived alongside Lisa would've stood up for her and they betrayed her out of a mix of fear, religious reverence and apathy. Meanwhile Erzsebet doesn't care about humanity, seeing people like the lawyer's daughter as possessions or people like Tera and Emmanuel the Abbot as pawns to further her own rule. She might be taken aback by Drolta's death once she learns of it but there's an equal chance that she wouldn't even bat an eye.

So what do these points of analysis mean for Erzsebet and Tera's future dynamic as master and pawn? The one thing that's certain is that Tera has been fundamentally changed, forced into an unprecedented nightmare scenario that will drag her down a dark path. But I'm an optimist and I believe that Tera will ultimately be redeemed. She may never be human again but her humanity, her love for her son and daughter will save her soul. Ultimately I hope that Tera lives and recovers from the trauma of Erzsebet turning her. I hope that she goes home to her children and is taken in with open arms. But if Tera dies she will die as Tera, not as a pawn, and that is because Erzsebet could never kill her humanity.

[marejadilla]

“Nocturnal eruption of Etna”, possibly 1787, coloured mezzotint by Jean-Marie Mixelle after Alessandro d' Anna. Jean Marie Mixelle, French, active 2nd half of 18th century. Alessandro d'Anna was an Italian Old Masters artist b. 1746.

[drabbles-n-doodles]

I present, an Ashes O'Reilly!

[zephsfwblog]

This is my sfw account where I just post about random stuff I like!!

Feel free to ask me stuff and I'll try my best to answer!! :3

I do have narcolepsy though so replies may be slow D:

Here are interests :3

Nsfw acc: @lilftmpuppyboy

[thaliajoy-blog]

Okay so I finished Castlevania Nocturne season 2. Gotta be a bit harsh and say, I'm frustrated and fight scenes-tired. Feeling like the characters didn't evolve all that much except for Maria's brief emo phase. It didn't get into very interesting stuff. Also a tireless cynic I am but every scene where Alucard was joking annoyed me to no end (does this guy have any other joke than how annoying but endearing the Belmonts are ?). This man is hanging by a thread, his beauty. Does the Orlox and Richter stuff just gets dropped because eeeeh the apocalypse happened we're too tired and emotionally drained now. Does the Orlox & Mizrak stuff get both somewhere and nowhere at the same time (I never believed in it anyway). I'm still thinking about the absolute high that was Castlevania season 1 and the gut ripping Alucard & Dracula showdown. What am I doing here. Jesus Christ. Good for Annette and Richter I guess. Egyptian stuff was cool. 🤒

[farthaz]

I’ll never forget the feeling I got when I watched those two interact meanwhile my golden retriever half-elf was there like c:

IM SORRY NOCTURNE OK??? 😭😭😭

In regards to your BG3 role as Nocturne; was the decision for the character to be transgender made before or after you were hired to voice her? I just wanted to know if you had any influence over the character's direction. I love Nocturne so much!

Before :) I decided to play the lines as if she and Shadowheart had been romantically involved, so that was my contribution to her haha

[lovekia]

[vettedfundraiser]

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And now, things have gotten even worse.. His mother has cancer. They don’t have access to proper medical care. No hospital. No treatment. And he has no money to even try to save her.

If there was ever a time to donate, it’s now. Every dollar, every contribution makes a difference. Help Islam save his mother.

#332 on vetted fundraiser list by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi!

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[ahogedetective]

"P-Pixie..!!" He moved his hands away from his mouth when she appears. Being called dumb just makes him whine even more! "Y-Yes, I am aware....A-And what do you mean you've been waiting for this?! That's even wooorse!!"Shuichi does not like the thought of being the one who's made Naoki finally lose it! "W..Well!! Um...!!!" He really didn't hear how he was sounding, and now he's wishing even more he did! He's really done it, now....!!!

"Heek!!" A shriek when Naoki starts yelling at him, again. He doesn't think he's ever seen him this angry before..! "I...I-I see...!!!" Thank god he was a good soldier in his army, then, he thinks to himself...! "Sh...She did? U-um, what did they say...?" Something tells him he really doesn't want to know....and when Pixie tells him, his even redder face is redder than ever before!

"EHHHH?!?" And it was just as bad as he expected it to be! "I-I-Is that, wh-what they've been saying?! O-Oh my godddd!!! Waaaah!!!" He's trying very hard not to explode into a sea of bats. Ah intimate relationship with Naoki....and with how he's been calling him 'Master'...with that innocent expression...ohh they were definitely assuming very raunchy things, weren't they! All because of him...! He feels so bad!! Everyone was getting the completely wrong idea about their relationship....!!! Yeah, if Naoki would have decided to kill him, he wouldn't had blamed him at all. He almost wants to ask if he can still kill him, honestly! He's so embarrassed and ashamed of himself...and angering his king like this. He really did feel stupid!

"I'm so sorryyyy...." He whimpers out into his hands before he moves them away from his face, eyes fixated on the floor. "A-Ahaaah...." Ohh he hopes all those demons really will forget about him ever referring to Naoki as 'Master'... He can't live with this embarrassment for the rest of his life!!

"Waaah!!!" Oh, but the thought of him getting seal spelled makes him scream. He's seen some of the way Naoki implants the seal, and he does NOT want to feel the pain of that...! He's quickly stepping back while frantically both of his hands. "N-Nononono, th-that is not necessary my king!!! I swear to you I will forget on my own!!! I promise!!!"

"Yeeesh~! For a vampire who's waaay more smarter than this muscle head, you're kinda dumb!" Pixie appears as soon as she hears Naoki yelling about the whole thing-- She settles herself on The King's shoulder and laughs hysterically. "I've been waiting for this day to come! He finally lost it! Did you not like hear yourself, Shuichi!?"

"If you weren't a demon of my army I would have killed you by now for not pickin' up the hints!!" He could never kill Shuichi-- he was too good of a soldier and also aided Chihiro on their adventure. But how could someone older and so much smarter than him could be so.... STUPID!? "Pixie even went around and eavesdropped on other demons to hear what you've been calin' me!!! And you know what they say!?"

"Master! How scandalous!! We never knew they had such an intimate relationship!" Pixie was sparing Shuichi from the more raunchier comments she'd heard. But surely, the vampire was smart enough to get to where these comments led to.

"I'm going to have to inflict a seal spells on all those demons to make 'em forget and you know how many that is!? A lot! I might as well do it to you to make you fucking forget the word 'Master'!" And everyone knows how Naoki does 'magic'.... Punching really hard and shooting lasers out of his eyes body. Well.... I's going to hurt but at least those demons and maybe Shuichi, will forget... If they survive!

[thevondoom62]

Evil beware, Doc Nocturnal is always ready for a monster hunt!

[chorus-the-mutate]

Annette is literally nicer than most of the characters in Steven Universe and you think she's mean. Lmao, you've never been bullied if you think her being rightfully upset about her time as a slave and being a bit snippy is the same as being mean.

[sylusdarling]

Love and Deepspace FanFic Recommendations

Because who doesn’t need something new to read?

Last updated: 01/06/2025

Rafayel:

Sirens Call (AO3)

8.3k words, “In which Rafayel is suffering through his rut and you offer to help him, monster f****** style.”

Second Ebb Day (AO3)

2.9k words, “Ebb Day is when Lemurian's are at their weakest. You expect to spend the night wiping his brow and feeding him broth, but Rafayel has other ideas and he desperately needs your help to realize them.”

Starlight (AO3)

3k words, “After his birthday, Rafayel holds you to your promise of trying new things.”

The Ebbing (AO3)

4.6k words, “Inspired by Ebb and Flow "’There are so many things I want you to do to me.’”

Hearbreak Anniversary with Rafayel (Tumblr)

It was your anniversary with Rafayel. One year of togetherness. But what if he does not show up when you expect him to? What if he was spending it with MC?

Oh oh, I like it baby (AO3)

4.6k words, “your date with rafayel doesn't go as planned, so you have fun with him instead.”

Sylus:

Strictly (Un)professional (Tumblr)

5.2k words, “master and servant. man and his right hand woman. you and sylus are labeled many things, but does love exist in many labels of your relationship?”

Imagine being Loved by me (AO3)

4.6k words, “In short, it’s the MC/Reader’s birthday and Sylus let’s her have her way with him.”

Sleep Kitten (AO3)

518 words, “Sylus has a meeting but you have a bad dream, and seek him out.”

The Crows Plunder (Tumblr)

23k words, “𝐀𝐁𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 night of your engagement ceremony, you suddenly find yourself as the infamous captain sylus’s bargaining chip toward getting back some valued possession of his from your own father. it doesn’t help he’s one maddeningly attractive pirate king, and you’re more than eager to escape from an unwanted marriage. you can only make the most of things on this boat, surrounded by pirates, in the middle of the ocean, and it doesn’t prove too hard with him around.”

Do Anything {To Me} (AO3)

2k words, “There’s a wet sound as his mouth unlatches from you and he says, “Just one more, sweetie. Please.” His eyes are glazed over, drunk on the taste of you. “I’ll make it worth your while.”Or, Sylus is more than willing to submit to you when it comes to sex. All you have to do is ask.”

Xavier:

Bunny Tears (AO3)

7.9k words, “Xavier has once again managed to almost burn down the kitchen, leading the two of you to be covered in ash. A small suggestion to shower together leads to a little bit more...but really who's surprised by this turn of events?”

His Name (AO3)

4.6k words, “He chanced a glance at her head and noticed the fabric she wore and held to her nose, eyes closed and mouth panting softly. The jacket he’d let her wear when they were walking home together from work. His jacket.His.”

Zayne:

Raining Flowers (AO3)

11.4k, “You could hardly call Zayne your childhood friend, coming back into your life just a few months ago. There was an unspoken distance that he put between you, a mental arms-length evident through his mean remarks and long silences. Little did you know, that seeing you with the charming painter would spark something in the doctor.”

The First Fall of Snow (AO3)

7.7k words, “The Emperor isn't interested in his concubines, but an encounter with you is enough to change his mind.” - has a part 2

Nocturne of Twilight (AO3)

16.6k words, “he is your husband and you are his wife. but of course you know the bitter truth—you will never be able to replace her”

Missed Dinner (AO3)

3.8k words, “After Headquarters mentioned that you'll be taking a long business trip to a neighboring city, you wanted to spend your last day in Linkon City with a certain doctor. But things did not go as planned. There were times that made you think if there was romance blooming between him and the new head nurse, with that you decided to make use of this trip and distance yourself with Zayne.Who would have thought, this distance would affect him?”

Call me when I’m distant (AO3)

8.1k words, “You're trying to chase away the fantasies that have been tormenting you for months, born out of Zayne's indifference, when suddenly the very object of your desires appears while you're in a very compromising position. You're mortified, but when he offers to help you out, you'd be stupid to refuse.”

Pretty when you say my name like that (AO3)

3k words, “zayne’s preferred method of relieving stress”

[drabbles-n-doodles]

Drew my mechanisms oc, Asher! He's technically a repurposed fma OC I already had and his deal is that he got plucked out of Amestris by TS who brought him to the Aurora like some kind of stray animal. His mechanism is his legs and sometimes he turns into a snow leopard. I could ramble about him further but I am being so brave by sharing this much dhkddhdk

Better view of his legs under the cut~

[whereismywizardhat]

I really think it's fascinating how Castlevania Nocturne goes out of it's way to show how much the hierarchies of power that seem as permanent as the earth beneath our feet are transient, impermanent things.

The Egyptian empires which worshipped Sekhmet have long since become dust and tombs. The Aztecs are gone, even if Olrox remains. The Sun-king has lost his head to the guillotine. Plantation owners that saw children born into bondage, grow up into adults bondage, then die in bondage have found themselves on the ashpile of history. Nothing created by people cannot be uncreated by people. Annette saying to a vampire and slaver that has been ranting about her place in the natural order that the true natural order is the sun rising and devouring the darkness, right as the morning sun rises and turns him to ashes. Her teacher telling her that humanity didn't come into this world with slaves and masters, that that came later.

It's so important to the story, so pointed, especially with how the season ended. The "divine" right of kings, bolstered by a priest who sold his soul to protect his own power and coming in the form of an immortal aristocrat. They would blot out the sun before admitting that their way of things was over.

Really makes you think about other structures built by humans that are allegedly too big to ever destroy. How true is that really?

[pupsmailbox]

GOTH ID PACK

NAMES︰ abby. ace. addam. alister. amelia. amoret. ange. angel. angelo. anubis. arch. archette. ash. aslan. aspen. astor. astoria. astrophel. atticus. axelle. azazel. azrael. bael. bat. batsy. bella. bellatrix. blade. blair. blanchette. brahms. branwen. cain. callan. calliope. cannibelle. caskeite. casketta. caskette. caspian. celeste. celestia. chaos. charlotte. cherry. chira. chiraelle. chiro. chiroptairre. chiroptelle. chiropteranne. choir. christian. cofette. coffin. coffine. constantine. corbin. corpse. crimson. crow. crowley. damian. damien. demonesse. divina. dorian. draven. edgar. elatha. elijah. elix. elwin, elwin. elwood. ember. emmaline. etienne. evan. evangeline. eve. faith. forest. forrest. frill. frille. frilleine. frilliette. frilly. genesis. ghost. gothita. gothitelle. gothitess. gothitesse. grey. gwen. gypsy. hades. hawthorne. hecate. hemlock. imortalle. imortella. iris. israel. jakob. jet. jett. johnas. josiah. judas. kain. kane. kedi. keir. lacey. laciene. laciette. lazarus. leo. lilith. lilithe. lolita. lucid. lucien. lucifer. lucius. luscious. lynx. maeve. malice. mana. martyr. max. melancholy. merle. micah. michael. misery. mordred. morris. mors. morte. mortis. mourge. mourgette. myrette. nightshade. noah. noctre. nocturne. noir. obsidian. oleander. omen. onyx. orion. orpheus. ozul. ozzy. prince. prophet. raven. ravenie. raveniette. rook. rowan. ruby. saber. saint. salem. samael. samuel. scarlet. secrette. seraph. serenity. shilo. shiloh. silas. silver. silvester. skelly. skulliene. skulliette. skully. sorrow. sylvester. syn. thorn. thorne. tobias. tommy. trix. umbriel. valkyrie. valo. vervain. vesper. victoria. ville. violetta. vito. vlad. woundie. zeon. zephyrine.

PRONOUNS︰ abby/abby. ae/aer. ash/ash. bat/bat. bleed/bleed. blood/blood. book/book. bug/bug. burn/burn. chain/chain. chap/chapel. chill/chill. claw/claw. cloud/cloud. cob/cobweb. cof/coffin. coffin/coffin. corps/corpse. creep/creep. cri/cross. cro/cros. cross/cross. cross/crosse. da/dark. dae/dae. dae/daem. dark/dark. decay/decay. dee/dark. des/despair. devout/devout. div/divine. dust/dust. echo/echo. edge/edgy. en/envie. fae/fang. fang/fang. fe/fear. fie/fiend. fog/fog. fri/frill. frill/frill. ghost/ghost. ghoul/ghoul. gore/gore. goth/goth. goth/gothic. gra/grave. grave/grave. ha/haunt. halo/halo. hie/hiem. ho/holy. holy/holy. horn/horn. hx/hxm. hy/hym. ink/ink. lace/lace. lae/lace. lost/lost. mist/mist. moon/moon. net/fishnet. ni/night. night/night. null/null. par/parasol. parasol/parasol. pray/pray. pray/prayer. proph/prophet. ro/rose. rose/rose. rot/rot. rust/rust. sac/sacrifice. saint/saint. scar/scar. shx/hxr. shy/hyr. si/sinister. sin/sin. sku/skull. skull/skull. snake/snake. spider/spider. spike/spike. sto/storm. stud/stud. thou/thorn. thron/thorn. thxy/thxm. vae/vaer. ve/ver. velvet/velvet. vo/void. whis/whisper. whisper/whisper. witch/witch. wood/wood. x/x. xae/xaer. × . ♠️ . ♣️ . ⚰️ . ⛓️ . 🌑 . 💀 . 🕯 . 🕷 . 🕸 . 🖤 . 🥀 . 🦇 .