#ashe harker

[hazelkjt]

"I snuck out often as a child and teenager, covering my forehead in a worn, old headband. Never got along with the other Garlean kids, too stiff and uptight for me to make friends with. So I tried my luck in the lower side of the city, hiding who I really was from the Ala Mhigan kids. Didn't matter though, they figured me out pretty quickly. Most of them kept their distance...except two that didn't seem to care at all. Ashe and Denrick Harker were their names, brother and sister from an Ala Mhigan mining family. They were my only real friends here, made everything worth it for me for years. And yet at every turn I was told not to."

"But why? What makes them so different from us? They can laugh, they can cry, they have dreams, can get happy, be sad, everything. What made us different, what made us 'better' than them? No one would ever tell me why. Why were they the ones called 'savages' when we were the ones who thought of them as less than nothing? We were the ones who beat them on the streets, in broad daylight...and the people cheered for it. People were dying right in front of them, and no one cared. Even my own mother and father, my family, just told me to look the other way. To let the guards 'clean up the trash' and ignore them...that they didn't matter."

"Sometimes I get the urge to rip this damn eye out of my head, but what would that accomplish? It wouldn't bring them back, it wouldn't change what I am. So it stays, as a reminder. I don't like to remember, but I can't ever let myself forget. I can't bring them back, I can at least help set their home free...it's the least I can do. I don't care what happens to me after that, at least I'll know I did right by Ashe and Denrick one last time."

[sweetchainsaw]

[moonsun2010]

Ooh man, I love your Crew of Light's first Christmas tags.

Can you imagine... Lucy died on the longest days of the year, when light fades and darkness starts to reign on land and on everyone's souls from losing her. Then a month after Dracula becomes ash the Crew of Light are there together on the longest night of the year and Christmas and near the dawn of a new year. Light starts to slowly but surely come back, as if Quincey made sure of it.

Context: Anon is referring to my tags* on this post... Anon I wanted to reply to this with a comic on Christmas but I took too long,,, consider it a post-Christmas gift:

*My tags: #im damn rusty on the loreTM rn but i do agree arthurll throw a fancy ass celebration and stuff as expected from the lordling #and then once thats done the real celebration of them meeting at the Harkers occurs where its more somber. i imagine the 1st christmas #postDracula is very somber. its barely been a month after all. no parties in the goldaming estate this year im afraid yes the new lord is #just so deeply in mourning isnt he devoted. sitting at the grave of his beloveds every week. hes still in his room now mediating i heard #just as the loneliness finallt gets to arthur hes greeted by a knock at the door. seward has come to find him—one look at his drawn face #is all it takes to know they were both mourning the same ppl. so they go. down to the harkers' where van helsing is alr waiting by the door #chiding them for their lateness ('didnt you receive my telegram' 'that seems to be a recurring problem yes') even as VH's hug warms them up #from their trek through the snow ('oh no we dont need a carriage dears enjoy your christmas'). they become warmer still sitting ard the #hearth with the Harkers similarly harggard yet brightening instantly as the group reunites... and as they exchange stories of the dead #it is as though they still walk amongst them their memory forever kept alive. if 2 ghostly presences watch from the doorway well. #do pardon them. they just missed their family so much.

[see-arcane]

the only way in which dracula is a liberator is that he makes the situation so shitty he forces people to get out of the societal conformities in order to fuck him up

The Harkers can leave a thank you note with the ashes of his corpse <3

[pupsmailbox]

HORROR ID PACK

NAMES︰ abyss. adelaide. alex. allure. alluria. amnesia. amnesty. annabelle. archer. ash. asher. ashton. athena. axe. axette. bates. beal. belial. belladonna. bellatrix. bellow. billy. blade. blair. bleedesse. bloodiesse. bones. bow. briar. brute. bubba. buffy. butcher. cain. caliburn. calyspo. carcass. carna. carrie. carrion. casey. casper. chainette. chains. charley. charlie. chase. chi. chris. chucky. claire. claymore. clear. colt. connor. corpse. craven. cross. crypt. cybre. cynthia. damien. danger. derry. desdemona. dove. dracula. drow. elisabeta. elm. elmira. elvria. em. enigma. erin. eros. ethan. evelien. eventide. falchion. finale. finalis. finn. fleur. freddy. galatine. ghost. ghostesse. gladius. graves. grim. guts. harker. haunt. hound. howl. hunter. hush. ikino. jace. jane. jason. javelin. jekyll. jesse. john. julie. kateline. kille. killer. killesse. killette. killire. killyr. knifesse. knifette. krueger. lamb. laurie. lavender. lenz. lillith. loomis. lorraine. lucien. lucy. machete. mal. malice. massacresse. massacrette. max. maxine. megan. mia. michael. mike. mikey. molar. mors. morticia. mortis. myer. myers. necro. nephi. night. noir. norman. nyx. nægling. obsidian. onyx. ophelia. pandora. pearce. pike. pin. pointe. pointette. pridwen. pyper. quentin. raven. reaper. renfield. retro. revenant. river. roadkill. rosemary. rot. ryker. sabel. sabre. sacrifesse. salem. samara. sawyer. scum. scythe. seraph. serene. sharpette. sharppe. shaun. shelley. sidney. slash. slasher. slashesse. slashette. slashine. slashire. slashyr. specter. spite. survivesse. survivette. sybil. syd. talia. thomas. vein. verity. vesper. visage. viscera. vivo. warden. weaponesse. weaponette. weaponne. wendy. whisp. william. wraith.

PRONOUNS︰ aby/abyss. alien/alien. amnesia/amnesia. axe/axe. bat/bat. bite/bite. bla/blade. blade/blade. blood/blood. bone/bone. brain/brain. brutal/brutal. bull/bullet. bullet/bullet. camp/camp. carna/carnage. chain/chain. chain/chainsaw. chainsaw/chainsaw. chase/chase. choke/choke. claw/claw. co/corpse. content/content. copy/copy. cor/corpse. corpse/corpse. cry/cry. cryp/cryptid. crypt/crypt. cut/cut. dae/daem. dae/daer. dark/dark. de/demo. dea/death. death/death. dec/decay. decay/decay. die/die. eldritch/eldritch. elm/elm. evil/evil. fear/fear. fie/fire. fien/fiend. final/final. flesh/flesh. fog/fog. freak/freak. fury/furious. gau/gauze. gauze/gauze. gho/ghost. ghost/ghost. gloom/gloom. gnaw/gnaw. go/gore. gor/gore. gore/gore. gra/grave. grave/grave. gun/gun. gut/gut. hallow/hallow. haun/haunt. haunt/haunt. horr/horror. horror/horror. house/house. hunt/hunt. hush/hush. k9/k9. ki/kill. kill/kill. kni/knife. knife/knife. lash/lash. lethal/lethal. live/live. machete/machete. maim/maim. mallet/mallet. mask/mask. massacre/massacre. med/medical. medi/medical. monster/monster. murder/murder. night/night. no/none. pin/pin. point/point. point/pointy. pois/poison. prey/prey. pyr/pyramid. red/red. reveil/reveil. revive/revive. rib/rib. rip/rip. rodent/rodent. rot/rot. run/run. sacrifice/sacrifice. saw/saw. scream/scream. scythe/scythe. shadow/shadow. sharp/sharp. sharp/sharpen. sharpen/sharpen. sin/sin. slash/slash. slash/slashe. slash/slashed. slash/slasher. slasher/slasher. slice/slice. sly/sly. sni/snipe. sound/sound. stab/stab. stalk/stalk. steel/steel. step/step. survive/survive. survivor/survivor. tear/tear. thon/thon. tomb/tomb. trope/trope. vamp/vamp. victim/victim. voi/void. weapon/weapon. weep/weep. whisp/whisper. wound/wound. wra/wrath. ☠️. ⚰. ⚰️. ⚱. ⛧. ⛨. 🏥. 🏹. 🐀. 💀. 💉. 💣. 📿. 🔪. 🔫. 🕳️. 🛡️. 🥀. 🦴. 🧛‍♂️. 🧟‍♂️. 🧨. 🩸. 🩹.

[ninadove]

Nina reads Dracula 🦇

October 3rd

GOODNESS GRACIOUS I knew the horrors were coming but my feeble soul was not prepared for this level of violence. I may need a little bit of brandy myself, but all I have is coffee. Oh well.

"He came up to the window in the mist, as I had seen him often before; but he was solid then—not a ghost, and his eyes were fierce like a man's when angry. He was laughing with his red mouth; the sharp white teeth glinted in the moonlight when he turned to look back over the belt of trees, to where the dogs were barking. I wouldn't ask him to come in at first, though I knew he wanted to—just as he had wanted all along. Then he began promising me things—not in words but by doing them." He was interrupted by a word from the Professor:—

"How?"

"By making them happen; just as he used to send in the flies when the sun was shining. Great big fat ones with steel and sapphire on their wings; and big moths, in the night, with skull and cross-bones on their backs."

OF COURSE I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN

"So when He came to-night I was ready for Him. I saw the mist stealing in, and I grabbed it tight. I had heard that madmen have unnatural strength; and as I knew I was a madman—at times anyhow—I resolved to use my power."

🥺

With his left hand [Dracula] held both Mrs. Harker's hands, keeping them away with her arms at full tension; his right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom. Her white nightdress was smeared with blood, and a thin stream trickled down the man's bare breast which was shown by his torn-open dress. The attitude of the two had a terrible resemblance to a child forcing a kitten's nose into a saucer of milk to compel it to drink.

K I L L H I M

She shuddered and was silent, holding down her head on her husband's breast. When she raised it, his white night-robe was stained with blood where her lips had touched, and where the thin open wound in her neck had sent forth drops. The instant she saw it she drew back, with a low wail, and whispered, amidst choking sobs:—

"Unclean, unclean! I must touch him or kiss him no more. Oh, that it should be that it is I who am now his worst enemy, and whom he may have most cause to fear." To this he spoke out resolutely:—

"Nonsense, Mina. It is a shame to me to hear such a word. I would not hear it of you; and I shall not hear it from you. May God judge me by my deserts, and punish me with more bitter suffering than even this hour, if by any act or will of mine anything ever come between us!"

They’re everything your honour 🥺❤️

"He had been there, and though it could only have been for a few seconds, he made rare hay of the place. All the manuscript had been burned, and the blue flames were flickering amongst the white ashes; the cylinders of your phonograph too were thrown on the fire, and the wax had helped the flames." Here I interrupted. "Thank God there is the other copy in the safe!"

THANK GOD FOR MINA

I turned to wake Jonathan, but found that he slept so soundly that it seemed as if it was he who had taken the sleeping draught, and not I. I tried, but I could not wake him.

The Dracula Loop™ never lies

'First, a little refreshment to reward my exertions. You may as well be quiet; it is not the first time, or the second, that your veins have appeased my thirst!'

A little refreshment??? FUCK YOU

You have aided in thwarting me; now you shall come to my call. When my brain says "Come!" to you, you shall cross land or sea to do my bidding; and to that end this!

It keeps getting worse where is my goddamned brandy

Jonathan’s journal starts exactly as happily as expected:

As I must do something or go mad, I write this diary.

And continues just as merrily:

As it was, he thought that on the attendant's evidence he could give a certificate of death by misadventure in falling from bed. In case the coroner should demand it, there would be a formal inquest, necessarily to the same result.

H O W

When the question began to be discussed as to what should be our next step, the very first thing we decided was that Mina should be in full confidence; that nothing of any sort—no matter how painful—should be kept from her.

Better late than never

"I should get a respectable locksmith, and set him to work to pick the lock for me."

"And your police, they would interfere, would they not?"

"Oh, no! not if they knew the man was properly employed."

"Then," he looked at me as keenly as he spoke, "all that is in doubt is the conscience of the employer, and the belief of your policemen as to whether or no that employer has a good conscience or a bad one. Your police must indeed be zealous men and clever—oh, so clever!—in reading the heart, that they trouble themselves in such matter."

Van Helsing mocking the police is not what I expected from this entry, but I’ll take it.

"Look here, old fellow," said Morris, "it is a capital idea to have all ready in case we want to go horsebacking; but don't you think that one of your snappy carriages with its heraldic adornments in a byway of Walworth or Mile End would attract too much attention for our purposes? It seems to me that we ought to take cabs when we go south or east; and even leave them somewhere near the neighbourhood we are going to."

LOOK AT MY QUINCEY BEING SO SMART

"Do you forget," he said, with actually a smile, "that last night he banqueted heavily, and will sleep late?"

Look at Van Helsing being Van Helsing!

Now let me guard yourself. On your forehead I touch this piece of Sacred Wafer in the name of the Father, the Son, and——"

There was a fearful scream which almost froze our hearts to hear. As he had placed the Wafer on Mina's forehead, it had seared it—had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white-hot metal. My poor darling's brain had told her the significance of the fact as quickly as her nerves received the pain of it; and the two so overwhelmed her that her overwrought nature had its voice in that dreadful scream. But the words to her thought came quickly; the echo of the scream had not ceased to ring on the air when there came the reaction, and she sank on her knees on the floor in an agony of abasement. Pulling her beautiful hair over her face, as the leper of old his mantle, she wailed out:—

"Unclean! Unclean! Even the Almighty shuns my polluted flesh! I must bear this mark of shame upon my forehead until the Judgment Day." They all paused. I had thrown myself beside her in an agony of helpless grief, and putting my arms around held her tight. For a few minutes our sorrowful hearts beat together, whilst the friends around us turned away their eyes that ran tears silently.

Has she not suffered enough?

There was hope in his words, and comfort; and they made for resignation. Mina and I both felt so, and simultaneously we each took one of the old man's hands and bent over and kissed it. Then without a word we all knelt down together, and, all holding hands, swore to be true to each other. We men pledged ourselves to raise the veil of sorrow from the head of her whom, each in his own way, we loved; and we prayed for help and guidance in the terrible task which lay before us.

I am once again wondering how anyone could come out of this book thinking that A. the Count is some sort of sexual liberator and B. these men are motivated by anything other than love and a (somewhat misguided, but again this was 1897) sense of chivalry

To one thing I have made up my mind: if we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end, then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.

HELLO????

I have written this in the train.

My tired brain read this as “I have written this in the rain.” I am devastated.

BUT ALSO we’re back to Jonathan writing in the train… Dracula Loop™ on a wider scale… Doubly devastated…

Back to Seward…

Last night he was a frank, happy-looking man, with strong, youthful face, full of energy, and with dark brown hair. To-day he is a drawn, haggard old man, whose white hair matches well with the hollow burning eyes and grief-written lines of his face.

To be loved and to love is to be changed…

His energy is still intact; in fact, he is like a living flame. This may yet be his salvation, for, if all go well, it will tide him over the despairing period; he will then, in a kind of way, wake again to the realities of life.

See? Resilience again! I am taking notes for this Feligami AU!

"Look out for D. He has just now, 12:45, come from Carfax hurriedly and hastened towards the South. He seems to be going the round and may want to see you: Mina."

Literally what would we do without Mina?

I could not but admire, even at such a moment, the way in which a dominant spirit asserted itself. In all our hunting parties and adventures in different parts of the world, Quincey Morris had always been the one to arrange the plan of action, and Arthur and I had been accustomed to obey him implicitly. Now, the old habit seemed to be renewed instinctively.

Literally what would we do without Quincey?

It was a pity that we had not some better organised plan of attack, for even at the moment I wondered what we were to do. I did not myself know whether our lethal weapons would avail us anything. Harker evidently meant to try the matter, for he had ready his great Kukri knife and made a fierce and sudden cut at him. The blow was a powerful one; only the diabolical quickness of the Count's leap back saved him. A second less and the trenchant blade had shorne through his heart. […] The expression of the Count's face was so hellish, that for a moment I feared for Harker, though I saw him throw the terrible knife aloft again for another stroke.

Oh Jonathan is pissed off

Her husband flung himself on his knees beside her, and putting his arms round her, hid his face in the folds of her dress.

Look at them… 😭

RIP Renfield you will be missed 😔❤️

< Prev 🦇 Next >

[lauralot89]

Seven years ago we all went through the flames; and the happiness of some of us since then is, we think, well worth the pain we endured.

okay which of them does not have happiness worth the pain endured

Is it Seward? Seward is always miserable

His mother holds, I know, the secret belief that some of our brave friend's spirit has passed into him.

as well she should. Quincey Morris never dies

His bundle of names links all our little band of men together; but we call him Quincey.

"Quincey Abraham Arthur John Harker, you were named after all the dudes who kept your mother alive, after letting her get infected with vampirism by being fucking idiots"

In the summer of this year we made a journey to Transylvania, and went over the old ground which was, and is, to us so full of vivid and terrible memories.

Most important question: Did you guys eat paprika hendl at the hotel or did you have a lovely picnic lunch over the area where Dracula's ashes got scattered?

Also did you bring your child?

When we got home we were talking of the old time—which we could all look back on without despair, for Godalming and Seward are both happily married.

TO EACH OTHER. SEARCH YOUR FEELINGS YOU KNOW IT TO BE TRUE

"We want no proofs; we ask none to believe us! This boy will some day know what a brave and gallant woman his mother is. Already he knows her sweetness and loving care; later on he will understand how some men so loved her, that they did dare much for her sake."

Of course we can't end the novel without one last moment of everybody being in love with Mina, Jonathan wouldn't let us

It's been a pleasure clowning with all of you.

[partywithponies]

Photos of all of the above under the cut:

[see-arcane]

realising that jonatan and dorian both declare "i would sell my soul" in the heat of a desire, but one is vanity, the other is wrath.

Dorian “Prick-in-Progress” Gray: “I’d sell my soul to stay perma-pretty while my portrait ages!”

The Devil, pencilling him in for a death pre-middle age: “Have at it, Goldilocks, see you downstairs.”

Jonathan “Holiest Love” Harker: “I’d sell my soul to personally body slam Dracula into Hell!”

The Devil, skimming ironic twist ideas that won’t actually pay off/kill his Scholomance teacher’s pet: “Sure, let me just—“

Jonathan, still going: “What’s more, I will snap God’s neck if He denies Mina His grace over another’s violation. I will raze Heaven and Hell and eat the sun so long as it sees her unharmed and Dracula a pile of screaming ash. My god is Love and my worship will be paid through blood.”

The Devil: “…wh—“

Eros, personally whetting Jonathan’s kukri: “Too late, calling dibs.”

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:

"Such an absolute joy to read. Highly recommended."—TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea

In this fresh-yet-familiar gothic tale—part historical fantasy, part puzzle-box mystery—the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes collide in a thrilling exploration of feminine power.

At the dawn of the twentieth century in Paris, Samantha Harker, daughter of Dracula’s killer, works as a researcher for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena. But no one realizes how abnormal she is. Sam is a channel into the minds of monsters: a power that could help her solve the gruesome deaths plaguing turn-of-the-century Paris—or have her thrown into an asylum.

Sam finds herself assigned to a case with Dr. Helena Moriarty, daughter of the criminal mastermind and famed nemesis of Sherlock Holmes and a notorious detective whom no one wants to work with on account of her previous partners’ mysterious murders. Ranging from the elite clubs of Paris to the dark underbelly of the catacombs, their investigation sweeps them into a race to stop a Beast from its killing rampage, as Hel and Sam are pitted against men, monsters, and even each other. But beneath their tenuous trust, an unmistakable attraction brews. Is trusting Hel the key to solving the murder, or is Sam yet another pawn in Hel’s game?

Review:

A fun gothic take on a murder mystery featuring Mina Harker's daughter and the daughter of Moriarty as they learn to trust one another and solve crime. Samantha Harker is the daughter of Dracula's killer and works for a group of individuals who fight against paranormal creatures who are evil. She is a researcher and enjoys spending her time in libraries... yet she is also hiding a secret, she is a channel an has the ability to go into the minds of monsters. Sam's powers would help her solve the gruesome deaths happening... or they could get her thrown into an asylum. When she is assigned to work the case the last thing she expects is to be partnered up with the infamous Dr. Helena Moriarty, daughter of the criminal mastermind who was the famous nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. Helena has a reputation for being both extremely brilliant... and for having all three of her last partners murdered. Sam and Hel must learn to trust one another and work together if they want to solve the murders... but can they survive being pitted against men, monsters, and one another? This was a fun gothic murder mystery featuring a new spin on our favorite classic characters. I loved the relationship between Hel and Sam and the very light and subtle romance hint dropped (I need more and would love for their relationship to grow in the second book if there is one). The story ends in a way that could lead to many more possible books and I absolutely would read them if the author makes them. The story was a fun read and I loved the way the mystery was worked out throughout. It's definitely a book I'd recommend for fans of the classic monsters and characters who want a new historical fantasy murder mystery!

Release Date: October 15,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Bindery Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[transgenderswagcompetitions]

Okay! So I don't have an official bracket yet, but I finally got every character written down and determined who will be automatically going on to Round 1 and who will have to compete in preliminaries. Everyone automatically moving on to Round 1 had more than 1 submission, while everyone in the preliminaries only had 1 submission.

I will put together an official bracket tomorrow, but here's the list of competitors!

The characters automatically going on to Round 1 are:

Alex Fierro from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (4 submissions)

Shi Qingxuan from Heaven Official's Blessing (2 submissions)

Cheery Littlebottom from Discworld (2 submissions)

Nimona from Nimona (2 submissions)

Elle Argent from Heartstopper (2 submissions)

Eolo from The Raven Tower (2 submissions)

Anthony J. Crowley from Good Omens (2 submissions)

Kade West from Wayward Children (2 submissions)

Kel Brezon from Machineries of Empire (2 submissions)

The characters that will be competing in the Preliminaries are:

Rafe from Viscera

Rafe from The House of Whispers

Ash from DIE

Ash from Girl Haven

Jerico Soberanis from The Toll

Nadir from The Thirty Names of Night

Holly from The Mellification

Petrichor from Saga

Kazuhito "Kirito" Kirigaya from Sword Art Online

Aster Vanissen from Witch Boy

Sherlock Holmes from Sherlock Holmes

Vess from Invisible Kingdom

Tonkee Innovator Dibars from The Broken Earth Trilogy

Ben Van Brunt from Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow

Shuos Zehun from Machineries of Empire

Villy from Basil and Oregano

Valentine Weis from World Running Down

Howl Pendragon from Howl's Moving Castle

Hero from Something's Not Right

Dominic Seneschal from Terra Ignota

Firestar from Warriors

Enjolras from Les Miserables

Beatrice from Umineko no Naku Koro Ni

Axolotl from Wings of Fire

Isa from Transmuted

Inspector Javert from Les Miserables

Addy from Basil and Oregano

June Egbert from Homestuck

Alto from Your Mind is a Terrible Thing

David from Dark Currents

Monique from The Worm and His Kings

Viola Carroll from A Lady for a Duke

Will Avery from Names for the Dawn

Qven-and-Reet from Translation State

Syd from The Heartbreak Bakery

Claire/Claude from Baker Thief

Cersei Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire

Will Treaty from Ranger's Apprentice

Starflight from Wings of Fire

Yadriel from Cemetery Boys

Zila from Aurora Cycle

Kaladin Stormblessed from The Stormlight Archive

AR/Lil Hal from Homestuck

Zoe from Sleepless Domain

Sera from Angela: Queen of Hel

Max Owen from Magical Boy

Jonathan Harker from Dracula

Diana Wrayburn from The Shadowhunter Chronicles

Abraham Van Helsing from Dracula

Never from Skulduggery Pleasant

Benji/Benjamin from Hell Followed With Us

Brick from Warriors

Sidra from Wayfarers

Sascha Vykos from Vampire: The Masquerade

Penfield from Future Feeling

Sallot Leon from Mask of Shadows

Ieshwi from The Stormlight Archive

Vriska Serket from Homestuck

Orlando from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Spencer Harris from The Passing Playbook

Jane Crocker from Homestuck

Lupe from Four Leaf

Trina Goldberg-Oneka from The Seep

Cassandra Igarashi from The Wicked + The Divine

Aya Burnstein from Dancing in the Devils Auditorium

Lucus from High Class Homos

Merlin from The Left Handed Booksellers of London

Nightheart from Warriors

Sol from Dead Collections

Max from Magical Boy

Artemis Fowl from Artemis Fowl

Teo from The Sunbearer Duology

Wanda from The Sandman

Tal Smithson from Time to Orbit: Unknown

Petey the Cat from Dog Man

Captain Artemisia Blastside from Piratica

Rosa from Threads That Bind

Alter Boi from House of Whispers

Wegg from Be Kind, My Neighbor

Loki from Loki: Agent of Asgard

Scorn from Emergent Properties

Alanna of Trebond from The Song of the Lionness

Marcia Overstrand from Septimus Heap

Sage from Strawberry Seafoam

Jules from The Chromatic Fantasy

Peter Parker from The Amazing Spider-Man

Razia Khan from Stealing Thunder

Dipper Pines from the Gravity Falls comics

Mel from Something's Not Right

Hero Shackleby from American Hippo

Kino from Kino's Journey

The Marquis de Carabas from Neverwhere

River Runson from The Melting Queen

Jonathan Morgan from All the White Spaces

Leigh Hunter from Grey Dawn

Xada from LoveBot

Ienaga Kano from Golden Kamuy

Viola/Cesario from Twelfth Night

Silas Bell from The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Let me know if I accidentally have a character on this list twice! Also let me know if you see anything misspelled or under the wrong book or series. Basically, let me know if I've screwed up lol

Thank you all for your continued patience!

[immediatebreakfast]

The Castle of Dracula now stood out against the red sky, and every stone of its broken battlements was articulated against the light of the setting sun... The sun was now right down upon the mountain top, and the red gleams fell upon my face, so that it was bathed in rosy light. With one impulse the men sank on their knees and a deep and earnest "Amen" broke from all as their eyes followed the pointing of his finger. 

Although it's overshadowed by Quincey death's the use of the sun and light in this last chapter is an incredible way to show how this ending, despite being a victory for both our characters and Transylvania as a whole, is far from over for the in-narrative group.

Yes the crew of light has finally killed Dracula, with his death they have avenged Lucy and saved Mina. The people of Transylvania will finally live their lives without fearing what lurks in the dark, and all the same this result has costed them the lives of Renfield, and Quincey who never stopped fighting until he dropped on the side of the bloody snow.

And what is left of this great fight is darkness. After the sun has set, and the adrenaline goes down, all of the characters will find themselves still in the middle of winter with the black Sky moving above their heads. The fight is indeed over, but now the described landscape poses this question to them: what to do next?

The sun has set, and the wind has taken those ancient ashes back to the earth. What do you do now mrs. Harker, now that you notice that neither nature nor winter never stopped for your mission. For us the readers this is a bittersweet ending that wrapped all in a bow since may, but for the characters this ending is just the beginning.

[ninadove]

Nina reads Dracula 🦇

May 15th

MY GOOD FRIEND JONATHAN HARKER IS ALIVE AND —

Once more have I seen the Count go out in his lizard fashion.

— 1,000,000% done with this shit apparently. Good for him.

That key must be in the Count's room; I must watch should his door be unlocked, so that I may get it and escape. I went on to make a thorough examination of the various stairs and passages, and to try the doors that opened from them.

SMART BOY SMART BOY!!!!! I love how quickly he bounces back into action!!!

The castle was built on the corner of a great rock, so that on three sides it was quite impregnable, (!!!) and great windows were placed here where sling, or bow, or culverin could not reach, and consequently light and comfort, impossible to a position which had to be guarded, were secured. […] To the west was a great valley, and then, rising far away, great jagged mountain fastnesses, (!!!) rising peak on peak, the sheer rock studded with mountain ash and thorn, whose roots clung in cracks and crevices and crannies of the stone.

In other words it is the perfect prison. Cool cool cool cool cool.

My lamp seemed to be of little effect in the brilliant moonlight, but I was glad to have it with me, for there was a dread loneliness in the place which chilled my heart and made my nerves tremble.

😭

Here I am, sitting at a little oak table where in old times possibly some fair lady sat to pen, with much thought and many blushes, her ill-spelt love-letter, and writing in my diary in shorthand all that has happened since I closed it last.

OK OK the thought did occur to me during the shaving scene but now that I see more crumbs: Transfem Jonathan everyone? Anyone…?

< Prev 🦇 Next >

[devilstown]

muses I'm thinking abt adding:

Lee Harker longlegs

Jason kolchek house of ashes

one of my werewolf ocs

mabel pines gravity falls?

[vickyvicarious]

Jonathan Harker saying that he's going to have to contemplate later and make up his mind about what he believes about idolatry and what he had been taught about what's heretical and to use his own judgment was something I didn't expect

It's kind of interesting, actually. His response when first given the crucifix was somewhat mild:

She then rose and dried her eyes, and taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to me. I did not know what to do, for, as an English Churchman, I have been taught to regard such things as in some measure idolatrous, and yet it seemed so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind.

It feels not so much that he's deeply opposed himself, exactly. Just that this is what he has been taught as an English Churchman. And even then, it's only in some measure idolatrous, not totally. So right from the start it seems almost like something he hasn't really had opportunity to form an independent/strong opinion on before now, so much as something he's just been told and didn't particularly question.

But the gift was so kind and she obviously cared so much about him taking it that he accepted. Even more, she and the rest definitely got to him a bit, and so Jonathan continuing to wear the crucifix was not only out of respect for her feelings (he could have taken it off and just kept it with him if his only consideration were not offending her), but also because a part of him is already perhaps wondering if it will be helpful. At the very least, he is drawing some amount of comfort from it, even if it's just from the thought of the old woman's care that the gift reminds him of. He must be, because he's still wearing it around his neck while shaving several days later. We know Jonathan shaves every day, so it seems clear that he has a routine of daily ablutions (quite aside from the character notes of him being on an Important Professional Business Trip and probably wanting to look his best). I highly doubt he could have just forgotten he had it on. Continuing to wear it that long was a deliberate choice, even before it tangibly helps him out. And then comes that bit you're talking about:

What meant the giving of the crucifix, of the garlic, of the wild rose, of the mountain ash? Bless that good, good woman who hung the crucifix round my neck! for it is a comfort and a strength to me whenever I touch it. It is odd that a thing which I have been taught to regard with disfavour and as idolatrous should in a time of loneliness and trouble be of help. Is it that there is something in the essence of the thing itself, or that it is a medium, a tangible help, in conveying memories of sympathy and comfort? Some time, if it may be, I must examine this matter and try to make up my mind about it.

The crucifix makes Jonathan feel comforted and strengthened whenever he touches it. Both could stem from the circumstances in which it was given and when he saw it protect him already. He feels comforted/stronger because it is a form of protection, something of which he has very few in his current situation. Or maybe it's comforting/strengthening because of the tangible reminder that as alone as he is currently, there are still people out there who care about him and want/tried to protect him. Both of those options would be purely emotional placebo effects.

But Jonathan wonders if there is a literal benefit to it as well. If there is some kind of holy essence in fact, which has positive effect on him as well as negative ones on Dracula. He has after all already observed the latter. In considering this option, he is showing a willingness to reevaluate what he has been taught and possibly make his own judgement contrary to his prior beliefs about idolatry.

I'm not going to get into spoilers in this reply, but a decision Jonathan later makes about the crucifix, as well as some later statements about souls/God, seem relevant here. It kind of makes me wonder if Jonathan has viewed his religion mostly as a sort of given, natural state. It's something into which he was educated/raised, it is an identity (English Churchman) that he has accepted as natural but not truly spent a lot of time thinking hard about before. His time here in the castle immediately challenges some of the beliefs that go along with it, and as we progress through the book Jonathan's relationship with religion gets deeper and more complex (both in more-sincerely-religious-than-default and more-contrary-to-his-teachings/blasphemous ways).

[vigilskeep]

Harker I have a very important question: how would Sulahni and Minerva get along? Like, specifically along the "what would/wouldn't you sacrifice to destroy the blight" axis?

ah that’s a complicated one!

their priorities and skillsets are quite different. minerva would find sulahni’s earnest attempts at honour and communication heartbreakingly clumsy, whereas sulahni’s instinct would be to distrust minerva as a liar and a manipulator with her own private agenda. (neither of which are untrue, haha.) if they were somehow both in the party, minerva would probably take the lead on sheer basis of charisma, and sulahni might have a little resentment at being usurped until she came to respect her. gotta fill out that approval bar first

in terms of what they would sacrifice, i think their goals are slightly different in a way that matters. sulahni wants to defeat the blight, pure and simple, and do her best to make sure this place is livable on the way. minerva needs to be seen defeating the blight the right way. i think sulahni’s inexperience with the world outside her clan would make minerva’s obsession with optics seem selfish and impractical when the darkspawn are at hand. she doesn’t have minerva’s politician’s eye for the big picture and the long term. so sulahni defiling the ashes would seem like a disastrous move to minerva (do you know how this will look for people like us, do you know what that urn could have meant), whereas minerva’s choices at the landsmeet would be incomprehensible to sulahni (you would tear us apart at the final moment, and for what—prestige with these shemlen?)

there are certain things they would understand, though, like using blood magic and becoming a reaver, and having been raised to fear what they now uncomfortably use. they were both raised as potential future leaders, and have a shared understanding that they belong to a community and sometimes personal sacrifices need to be made for the good of the whole