#he speaks like a gothic victorian for this reason also

[slocumjoe]

I do love isadora but my last sole survivor....he just had a zest to him. that lil guy came to me in a period of my life where I was Somewhat Deranged and my boy jesse diederik pieter willem gustav stefan boswel just has so much nostalgia for me and so much weird shit. he was my lil bug. and ive killed him

[spectrayus]

Because of this twit, I motivated to write some hc about the shipping Spectrayus (Betrayus x Specter)!

✨Headcanons about Spectrayus✨👻

• Betrayus sometimes tried to go on dates with others to make Specter jealous, but didn't work because he's so miserable at getting it, nobody likes him. And besides Specter isn't very jealous to say least.

• Although they assume have nothing in common, eventually realize otherwise as they get to know each other better.

• Betrayus in his affectionate way, if his partner pampers him enough, he's assured of receiving an expensive gift.

A way of urging him (?).

• And believe it or not, it's not always all fights and arguments. They can also have their healthy convivialities such as: watching action movies, dancing, putting on makeup together, shopping, drinking too much, hating Pac-Man and enjoying talking about evil things with touches of dark humor.

• Betrayus his reason for being with Specter is due to fully overcoming his platonic infatuation with Spheria, and other painful situations by her. And another reason, wanting to learn and be taught how to seduce some other suitor, having the related null skill.

• Specter and his reason, it's in his interest to pursue his goals, to be a ruler and to dominate Pacopolis and Netherworld. So he can see the opportunity to establish in regaining his trust and submission in order to manipulate again. But he knows it'll be difficult.

• Fun fact, Betrayus being dark gothic in appearance, only likes to listen to pop and kpop genres, and Specter likes rock, jazz and symphonic/dramatic orchestra music.

• And speaking of music, Specter usually sings in private, so Betrayus when hears him casually, stays listening to him discreetly because enjoys his voice so much.

He even wonders if Specter was a singer at some point.

• Betrayus' favorite peculiarities/favorites of the spy are his voice, his slender body and his scent.

And Specter also has his favorites, being his eyes, hair and metallic claws hands'.

• Betrayus has a need to sleep with one of his stuffed animals, now he does it with his partner.

• They both commonly love to dress and model themselves in elegant Victorian Gothic and Renaissance style clothing, the way of each other having fun in a romantic way.

• The "affectionate" pronouns given:

With Betrayus; Hot-head, grumpy shark, mustache fish and Drama Lord.

With Specter: Chili piquin, toupee, Spectro and Pretty Boy.

• At the beginning of their relationship was in secret but soon in a few days the rumors and fact became public. Not because what their ghosts people are insightful, but because the two fire ghosts they're so vain, conceited and daring what fails to try to be discreet.

• About Specter's low level of jealousy. The occurring factors for that to happen, is when an opponent arrives who represents a real threat as to draw attention to Betrayus, an intimate intention with the same purposes.

And the witty thing happens next, Specter on the defensive, gets more overbearing in a persuasive way, and to prevent it, by bragging with his displays of his own agilities so as to mock and boost his haughtiness and ego, and at the same time, get Betrayus' attention again.

[sakurapika]

What are your all-time favorite outfits from Twisted Wonderland?

Hello @letterstoear, thank you for ask! I've had a lot of fun making this post, and I'm so sorry that it took forever to answer!

Every time I was certain I had my list narrowed down, I remembered another outfit I really liked. (Also, I'm a little bit biased, as you will see...haha). This time, I focused on event outfits to make it easier for myself. Maybe in the future I'll post my "reviews" on dorm uniforms or Halloween costumes.

I am always blown away by the the little details that Yana Toboso and the rest of the design team have added to each of characters' outfits, because they give some interesting insight to their personalities and backgrounds.

Without further ado, let's discuss some outfits! (Please note that there are spoilers for upcoming events from the JP server, as well as some groovy arts!)

My Favorite Twisted Wonderland Outfits

10. Floyd's Outdoor Wear (Vargas Camp)

Most of the outfits on my list are on the extravagant side. I recently bought a volume of Black Butler, where there was a note about how Yana Toboso loves to draw clothing, and it truly shows.

But in contrast to seeing our beloved characters in over-the-top costumes, it's refreshing to see them wearing casual outfits once in a while as well and see their individual, everyday styles.

I'll admit that I haven't played any of the Vargas Camp events, and have a grand total of zero (0) cards from this series. I'm not sure why; I always miss the event's runtime for some reason.

Still, I've always loved Floyd's little sling bag with the eel keychain, as well as the teal visor. The bright colors stand out and are appealing.

The whole outfit looks like something you could get from a store like Uniqlo, and sometimes it is nice to have that sort of realism in a magical game. He looks like an ordinary teenager I could find on the street. Except...if I did find Floyd on the street, I'd be running in the other direction. But that's not the main idea here.

9. Azul's Glorious Masquerade Outfit

At first, I sort of forgot that this SSR existed. When the PV for Glorious Masquerade came out, I was more focused on Malleus.

However, eventually, many people began to cosplay as GloMas Azul, and they all looked so amazing. I began to appreciate the outfit more after seeing people pose and dance in it. Azul also tends to have some of the best fanart, and fans have spared no expense when drawing him wearing this.

My favorite part of the outfit is his coat. I like the silhouette it creates with a high-waist belt, and the long coattails that resemble tentacles. The ruffles on his trousers are cute, too. I would buy a pair if I could. Unfortunately, it's hard to see these details on his in-game sprite.

As for his accessories, the pearls are so dramatic (and so very Azul). His round glasses are also cute, I hope he wears them again!

8. Idia's Suitor Suit

One look at Idia's Ghost Marriage outfit, and you can really tell that it was designed by Yana Toboso. His gloves, coat, and cravat make him look like he's in the Victorian Era. Also, doesn't he look sort of like Grelle from Black Butler?

Speaking of Grelle, Idia's outfit is meant to look more like funeral attire, between the long, black coat and the lilies pinned to his shoulder. There are also skulls hidden throughout his outfit, such as on his jacket chain and cufflinks. I was still new to TWST at the time, so I just thought that Idia liked gothic clothing. I didn't realize he was (at least in his mind) attending his own funeral!

Let's not forget his new hairstyle! This is one of Idia's first SSRs if I remember correctly, so it was exciting to see him with a ponytail.

My love for this outfit also comes from my love for the story associated with it. Fans have pointed out that Idia's "arranged marriage" with Eliza parallels the myth of Hades and Persephone. The design team and Yana were so clever for this.

I don't have this card, either, but I hope to pick him up one day!

7. Ortho's Fairy Gear

The Shroud brothers are luckyーthey are probably two of the characters with the most SSRs in the game.

That being said, we all have to agree that Ortho's fairy gear is one of the most unique and avant-garde cards in the game.

I really enjoy the white and gold color scheme in this event. His color-changing wings are stunning, and the piece covering his eyes makes him look very mysterious.

I thought this card was cool when I first saw it, but then I learned that Ortho's outfit and hair can turn pink, which is even better.

Every time I see his "pointe shoes," it makes me imagine Ortho and Idia trying to learn how to dance together in Idia's room, and Idia obsessively studying ballet costumes for his younger brother.

Yet again, I don't have this card, but my best friend does! At least I can admire him from her phone...

6. Silver's Rabbit Wear

There is no way that this outfit is just an R card! When this card was first advertised in one of the JR rail train stations, the pictures showed this card with Deuce's hometown in the background instead of the standard Diasomnia R background, so I thought that this card would at least be an SR. (Although I can't complain so much, because that means it's free!)

Silver is so princely. I am convinced that he can look good in anything. I am fond of pastel colors, and the pink/blue color scheme suits him, as the TWST version of Aurora. The bows may be silly, but I find them adorable.

Compared to the other boys in this event, Silver's outfit looks a little more like a soldier's (albeit a toy soldier's or a nutcracker's), which is a cool touch.

5. Deuce's Rabbit Wear

Deuce's hometown event was truly one of my favorite events that came out in the JP sever last year. Not only were some of my most favorite characters there, but they were dressed up in the most whimsical outfits possible. (And we got to meet Deuce's motherーshe's the coolest!)

Since Deuce is the main character of this event, his outfit bears the most resemblance to the white rabbit's in most classic illustrations, complete with a bow tie, top hat, and, of course, his pocket watch. His outfit has a blue color scheme. Like Azul in GloMas, Deuce also wears round glasses in his groovy art. Overall, it looks like the sweet ouji style, although I'm not very familiar with this sub-fashion. If anyone who is reading this has studied/worn this style of fashion, please let me know!

I used to play Love Nikki and Shining Nikki (two fashion-themed gacha games), which also featured lolita dresses inspired by Alice in Wonderland characters. For this reason, Deuce's outfit in particular feels very nostalgic to me.

4. Lilia's Right General Armor

Here's another departure from the cute pastel outfits...

Sleeping Beauty was one of my favorite Disney movies as a child. I always remembered Maleficent's "goons" as short, silly little creatures wearing simple green tunics.

So how on earth did we get to Right General Lilia Vanrouge?!

Seriously, I'm just stunned by how the artists looked at the source material and created something so radically, yet wonderfully, different.

I'm curious about the green stones (jades?) on his outfit--around his waist, there are several pieces attached to tassels, and he has two strapped to his right leg. The material matches the stone used for his weapon. Maybe it represents his status in Briar Valley. If you check his (unposed) sprite, you can also see that he is wearing something around his waist that looks like folded bat wings.

Like everyone else, I'm obsessed with his long hairーit makes him look so formidable, especially with that hood. My friends and I like to joke that his ponytail makes him look like a character in a Chinese martial arts drama.

Again, the story associated with this card made me love it even more. Few books have made me cry as much as Book 7 of TWST.

3. Malleus' Glorious Masquerade Outfit

While Sleeping Beauty was my favorite movie as a young child, when I got older, I began to love The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was only natural for this outfit to be among my favorites for this reason.

There are so many details here. The feathered hat. The sheer sleeves. The golden embroidery. The split cape. It's honestly overwhelming to take in at once.

I can say that my favorite detail is his green earrings. They really bring out his eye color, and the PV made them so sparkly.

In addition, everyone I've ever seen who has cosplayed as GloMas Malleus or has drawn fanart of him has increased my appreciation of this outfit.

[Now for some very spoiler-y stuff] The fact that this event came just before the release of Chapter 7 is worth noting. Doesn't it feel a bit tragic that just before Malleus' overblot, we have a chance to see him wearing an outfit that makes him look especially like his mother, having fun and being the star at the masquerade? And what about the feathers on his shouldersーdo they hint at another side of his family? There's so much foreshadowing and mystery going on, and nothing is more suitable for the occasion than masquerade attire.

2. Kalim's New Year Attire

I've already rambled about how sentimental this outfit is to me in a previous post, but in summary: New Year is my favorite holiday, and the New Year's Sale event was the first event I "seriously" participated in. Kalim looks excessively cute and festive in his kimono, and every time I see this card, I feel nostalgic and in the holiday mood.

1. (Tied) Epel's Applepom Outfit and Riddle's Beach Outfit

I'm really sorry, Epel and Riddle are my favorite characters, and in the end, I refuse to chose between them. They're like my younger brothers! I try to collect all of their cards, so I pay attention to their outfits the most, and picking only one outfit for each character was a challenge in itself.

My favorite part of Epel's Applepom outfit is his cloak. It looks so fluffy and warm. When you set him as your home screen character, you also have the option to "swap looks" and see his outfit without the cloak--the apple embroidery on the rest of his outfit is very detailed. Many fans have mentioned that the outfits people wear in Harveston resemble traditional Scandinavian clothing, which is really cool!

The little apple slices on his cap are everything.

And I'm always happy to see characters in different hairstyles, such as Epel's little ponytail.

One of my headcanons is that you're allowed to call Epel cute, but only when he wears this specific outfit, because he takes it as a complement to his culture.

As for Riddle, we're all so used to seeing him wearing formal suits. It's so nice to see him loosening up for once. He looks so happy, now that he has the chance to see the ocean for the first time!

I also happened to be on vacation at the beach around the time this event came out, so it felt like a gift.

I have to laugh a little, because there are so many flowers on his outfit. Even Jack pointed it out in the story. But he looks so cute!

I suppose we have to discuss the elephant in the room. My friend saw it before me, so she spammed me with messages along the lines of "RIDDLE IS WEARING A CROP TOP!!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!" and I naturally thought she was pranking me. But lo and behold, it's the truth. I like to headcanon that among the rest of the cast in this event, everyone has made an unspoken mutual agreement not to mention it. This Victorian child has already been through enough, and not a word must reach Mrs. Rosehearts.

Thank you once again for the ask! For anyone who read all of this, what do you think about these outfits, and which ones in the game are your favorite?

[gothicmatter]

hi hello!! what kind of metal do you think bsd characters like

me personally

atsushi: power metal bc he's a nerd (affectionate). also definitely nu or industrial

kunikida: black metal. (this makes me so happy for some reason, i always like it when ppl make kunikida a wild card)

chuuya: sludge🐌 metal lmao. but also. bro is the biggest NWOBHM enthusiast. loves thrash. loves groove metal. likes nu but prefers old school. the only one i hc as a full-on metalhead on this list (also maybe yosano)

yosano: gives me melodic death metal vibes for some reason (she could be into all types of death metal tbh. she's inherently metal. i love her sm, she's so cool)

akutagawa: gothic metal. you saw this coming from a mile away. but otherwise i don't think he's that big on metal tbh. which is good bc he'd be the biggest metal elitist ever. calls you a poser in victorian child speak. (he's into gothic rock and dark wave. but i don't think he'd be an elitist in the goth subculture, idk why. he's probably super chill actually. would rant about goth for hours if you mention it around him. he's actually waiting for you to mention it with the biggest bug-eyed stare ever.)

tachihara: crossover thrash. bc he likes hardcore punk

sigma: symphonic metal bc he's a pretty princess

dazai not included bc i don't think he likes metal?? i think he's more into grunge tbh

ranpo can't stand metal imo

poe listens to gothic rock only i think

that's it byeeee

edit bc i forgot gin!! i must be out of my mind bc she's more metal than all of them combined

gin: girl listens to everything metal. the most knowledgeable on this matter. metal encyclopaedia basically. probably runs the metal archives website. is in a band most likely. she plays bass. you rarely catch her without earphones (which you would think would be impractical bc she needs to be aware of threats at all times but. you will still never catch her off guard even w sepultura playing at 100000000000 volume. she's that good. i love her sm. i will never be able to repent for forgetting to mention her here)

[icewingprime]

OC-tober days 6-12!

College took over my life this week so I’m doing all these prompts in one post ✨

And all of my responses will be centered around 3 ocs: Collie, Auster, and Ceel (from left to right in the first picture)! Ceel’s technically just a background character in Auster and Collie’s story but I’ll talk about him anyways lol. (More under the cut)

Day 6: Past

Collie, Auster, and Ceel all met in university! The first drawing is an old photo they would have taken in their freshman year. Auster and Ceel were roommates during their sophomore and junior years, Auster and Collie were roommates during senior year. The three were on their uni’s competitive sailing team and won a few competitions during their time. For the most part they separated after graduation.

Day 7: Likes

Auster likes old books, mechanical bits and bobbles, classical and 80s music, avoiding the consequences for his actions, being the most dramatic person ever, and writing his gothic horror novels.

Collie likes sailing, painting, cats, reading Auster’s novels, a nice breeze on the coast, calm seas, ice cream, and chilly weather.

Ceel likes butterflies, classical lit, filmmaking, canal systems, dramatic shots and framing sequences, messing with Auster’s hair, and maintaining control.

Day 8: Dislikes

Auster dislikes smoke, pineapple pizza, his hair being messed with in any capacity, losing contact with people he cares about, and mirrors.

Collie dislikes thunderstorms, explosion noises, food courts, sand, and when people tell him to just speak.

Ceel dislikes authority, bitter food, hot weather, and things that bore him.

Day 9: Relationships

All three of them were friends during uni! Auster and Ceel dated for two years during uni. Auster and Collie remained friends after uni, and eventually they will end up together (if only I let them confess…).

Day 10: Personality

Auster has a very dramatic personality, often acting more like a caricature than a real person. He’s very self assured, calm, and aloof— aiming to come off as a mysterious person. He can almost sound arrogant at times, especially when prompted to talk about something he’s interested in. Everything he does is carefully measured, almost rehearsed.

Collie is very reserved, mostly due to his inability to speak. He’s gotten used to being the permanent listener in a conversation, so he’s a little awkward when it’s his turn to sign. He’s very sweet and mild mannered, like a soft ray of sunshine peaking through the clouds.

Ceel needs to be the center of attention at all times. He’s commanding and assertive, and can be aggressive if he doesn’t get his way. He’s a very sharp person, and as unpredictable as weather on the ocean.

Day 11: Symbolism

Auster carries so much inspiration from gothic horror— mostly Jekyll and Hyde. He’s very sopping wet cat coded as well. His hairstyle also reflects how free he is (whether or not it’s tied up, dyed a light or dark color, etc).

Collie has the least amount of symbolism out of the three and that is a crime!! All I have for him is that he’s dog coded.

Ceel has butterfly symbolism, he’s also so frail Victorian lady to me. He feels like a rococo painting too for some reason.

Day 12: Future

And we’re finally to picture #2! It’s just Auster and Collie in this future, Ceel drops off the face of the Earth during uni for Reasons.

Eventually Auster and Collie will spend their lives together. They’ll get a quaint little cottage by the sea with a dock and a sailboat, and they’ll have a wedding on the sea. But that future is very far off because I refuse to let them confess. They will continue pining for all eternity in my heart <3

[marvelmaniac715]

I love watching the Addams Family live action movies and I love the Chucky franchise, so what did I do? I combined them of course! This is the story of Charles Ray-Addams, a descendant of the original Addams clan, and his family - his lovely wife and twin children, along with his best friend, the reanimated corpse of Eddie Caputo. The neighbourhood in which they reside lives in fear.

————————————————————-

John Oak nervously adjusted the collar of his shirt. He was just an elementary school teacher, he wasn’t used to doing home visits. But there was a family in this neighbourhood who had two young children and refused to send them to school or register them as homeschooled, so John had been sent to enrol the two six year olds as soon as possible.

The house he was standing in front of freaked him out. It was a large, Victorian gothic style mansion, entirely black and grey, with a garden overflowing with weeds. Every second window was caked in a thick layer of dust or smashed, and, rather fittingly in John’s opinion, a murder of crows clustered in the bare trees that surrounded the house’s grounds.

He couldn’t see any people, that was, until he heard a child humming in the distance. When he narrowed his eyes and used his hand to shield his face from the sun, John could spot a small, pale girl with curly red hair partially hidden underneath a black sun hat. 

There was a man standing next to her with dark curly hair and brown eyes, assisting the girl as she carefully examined a row of flowers and used a switchblade to carefully pluck them from the grass. It wasn’t just flowers she was collecting, there was also half a dozen weeds lining her basket as the girl busied herself with her task. 

John was fairly certain that this was Glenda, the younger twin. To confirm his suspicion, John walked up to the girl, who was kneeling on the ground, and politely tapped her on the shoulder. When she glanced up at him with curious blue eyes, the man asked:

���Excuse me, are you Glenda Ray?”

The child grinned and corrected him:

“Ray-Addams, how can I help you, sir?”

John breathed a sigh of relief, but that sigh caught in his throat when he actually got a good look at the man next to Glenda. His eyes were almost pitch black, and his skin was so pale that he was almost see-through, with a visible waxy texture. There was a thin line encircling his throat, it looked almost like dry, flaking blood. Not to mention the smell emanating from him, it was almost like meeting a corpse! 

But he had no time to ask questions about this man, not when he had more pressing matters to get to. Shaking his head in disbelief, as if denial could make the man next to Glenda look more, well, normal, John asked:

“I need to speak to your parents, is this your dad?”

The girl pressed her lips into a thin line and shook her head vehemently, curls bobbing about in the wind in her passion. Then, she stood, pointed towards the man and said:

“No, that’s Uncle Eddie. My papa’s in his study, would you like me to take you to him?”

John nodded, and then, just to fill the awkward silence, gestured towards Glenda’s basket and said:

“Those are lovely flowers, are you giving them to someone?”

Glenda winced for some reason before nodding:

“Yes, they’re for my mama. It’s not my fault they’re lovely, but I can fix them.”

Then, a few moments passed as Glenda looked intently into John’s eyes, before raising her switchblade and advancing towards him slowly.

“You have interesting eyes. My doll Marie Antoinette lost an eye the last time I played with her, may I have one of yours to take its place?”

John paled immediately, and he turned to ‘Uncle Eddie’ for support, and for a moment he thought he’d found it as the man’s face grew serious, but he merely knelt down to Glenda’s height and gently admonished the girl:

“Now Glenda, what did your papa say about injuring people?”

Glenda sighed in disappointment and obediently recited:

“Don’t grievously harm someone without first asking for consent.”

John strongly considered running away, but before he could, Glenda clasped her hands behind her back, switchblade still clutched firmly in hand, smiled innocently and asked in a sugary sweet tone:

“Would it be alright if I took your eye out, sir?”

Eddie smiled and nodded encouragingly at his ‘niece’, and John began to think that he would die here. Then, sensing that there wouldn’t be an answer she liked, Glenda sighed and reached out a hand for one of John’s now shaking hands, grasping it firmly as she led him towards the house, instructing Eddie to search for worms and slugs as she clutched her basket in the other hand.

As the pair reached the door, Glenda removed the flowers from her basket and, using her switchblade, carefully cut the heads off, leaving only the stems, leaves and thorns, whilst the weeds remained fully intact. With a satisfied smile, Glenda placed the butchered plants back into her basket and knocked on the door three times. 

The door was answered by a blonde woman who was even paler than her daughter (Glenda had to be her daughter, the two looked so similar). The woman smiled politely at John and introduced herself as Tiffany, confirming that she was Glenda’s mother as she invited him inside. When she caught sight of her daughter’s basket and discovered that the plants were for her, she gasped in delight, kissing her child on the cheek as she carefully placed the weeds and stems in a vase and gushed:

“Oh darling, they’re grotesque! I love them, thank you!”

As John entered the hallway, greeted by entirely monochrome decor, he was offered a glass of lemonade by Tiffany. To avoid being a bad houseguest he accepted, and asked what ingredients were in it. As he raised the glass to his lips, Tiffany responded:

“Lemons, sugar, water, and of course a dash of deadly nightshade to give it some flavour.”

When John heard the last ingredient, his eyes widened as he spluttered and dropped the glass in a panic, thankful that he hadn’t drank any. Immediately, he dropped to his knees to begin gathering the shards of glass together before searching for a trash can, but Tiffany simply shook her head and said:

“Oh, there’s no need, my little girl loves walking on broken glass, I’ll just put the shards on a shelf in the twins’ play room.”

Deeply disturbed, John handed over the broken glass shards and watched as Tiffany went upstairs. Using the silence to her advantage, Glenda crept over to John and grabbed his hand whilst yelling ‘boo!’ She was satisfied by the man’s flinch and grinned as she steered him towards the stairs and called out:

“Papa, there’s a man here to see you!”

There was a prolonged period of silence as a faint crashing sound could be heard from upstairs. But then, a man called down:

“Alright, send him up, my little demon.”

Glenda gave John a gentle shove, adjusted her hat and blurted out:

“Second door on the left!”

Then, she ran back outside, leaving John to face her father entirely alone, with a great deal of dread. He deliberately dragged out his journey upstairs, stopping on every second step to tie his shoelaces or catch his breath. He was so slow that he passed Tiffany on her way back downstairs, and she’d been up there for a good twenty minutes tidying her children’s play room. But he couldn’t delay it forever, and John eventually found himself knocking on the open door of what looked like a study.

When he knocked, a man with wild dark curls that rivalled his daughter’s looked up from his desk with a manic grin. Then, without warning, he launched a dagger at John, who dodged at the very last minute, making a beeline for the safety of the study before wheezing:

“You tried to kill me!”

The man shrugged and insisted, still with a grin on his face:

“I was only testing your reflexes, I like a man who can dodge knives, my own father couldn’t.”

Then, almost as an afterthought, he added:

“The police never found the body.”

John shuddered, becoming increasingly more disturbed. He took a moment to look around the room, his eyes landing on a variety of unusual sculptures and paintings. Each one seemed to depict a human being in a great deal of pain, there was blood featured in every piece, and John wanted to vomit. 

Strangely, on one of the walls, there was a cork board filled with pencil drawings done entirely in black and white, also depicting suffering and creepy things, but the drawings looked more like scribbles. Noticing that John was looking at the pictures, his surprisingly jovial attacker said:

“I created most of the pieces in here, but the drawings on that cork board were made by my daughter Glenda, isn’t she talented? I’m Charles by the way, Charles Lee Ray-Addams.”

With these final words the man reached out to shake John’s hand. Before John could say the reason why he was here in order to get this visit over with as soon as possible, a red headed little boy poked his head round the door. 

Unlike the other inhabitants of this house, he wore colours other than black - a bright blue and green striped T-shirt. He wasn’t all that pale either, he had rosy pink cheeks, and a touch of sunburn that indicated that he’d been playing outside all day. He was clutching a piece of paper in his right hand, and he presented it to his father with a proud grin:

“I drew this for you, papa!”

The drawing was clearly created using crayons, and it was the brightest, most eye-catching thing in the room, comprised of blues and yellows and greens that stood out against its monochrome surroundings. It was meant to be a drawing of a barn, with a big yellow sun in the top corner, but because the drawing’s creator was only six years old, it looked more like a bunch of scribbles. 

When Charles looked at his son’s drawing, he thanked him and went to place it inside a locked drawer, before noticing the hopeful look on the young boy’s face and deciding to pin it up with Glenda’s sketches, causing Glen (because it had to be Glen) to bounce up and down with joy. When Glen had calmed down, Charles bent down and ruffled his son’s hair before gently instructing:

“It’ll be dinner soon, how about you go downstairs and get to your seat before your sister sticks pins in it again?”

Glen nodded and left the study, waving politely at John as he left. When Glen was halfway down the stairs, Charles turned to John and shook his head fondly, confessing:

“He’s not much of an Addams, but he’s still my son so I love him anyway. I suppose it’s the Ray in him, my father was an eternal optimist, the only time he stopped smiling was when he lost our little game of knife toss. Odd man, but at least I got his money when he passed away.”

John was utterly perplexed, how was this sweet young boy the black sheep of the family? He felt an urge to speak up on Glen’s behalf so he cleared his throat and insisted:

“Glen seems like a perfectly fine, healthy, normal boy. There’s nothing wrong or odd with him.”

Charles flinched as if he’d been struck, immediately replying:

“There’s no need to insult the boy, Damballa knows he’s tormented enough by his sister.”

John blinked in shock, unable to process what was even going on anymore. Instead, he decided to press on with the reason for his visit.

“Now, Mr Ray-Addams, about why I’m here-‘

“Ah, yes, why have you come to see me? Trouble with the authorities again? I have a wonderful lawyer, he’s gotten me off of death row four times now, I’ll just call him and let him know what misdemeanours I’ve committed this time, shall I?”

John shook his head and laughed nervously, now realising that he was probably talking to a murderer. 

‘Uh, no. It’s about your children, Glen and Glenda…”

He trailed off, realising that he didn’t want to teach the Ray-Addams children. But he couldn’t back out now, could he? He could always suggest homeschooling, right? That was a valid option that the family could consider (so that John never had to see them again). He’d dawdled for quite some time, and in that time Charles had gotten comfortable on his swivel chair and was absentmindedly using pencils as javelins to spear flies that buzzed around his study.

“What about my children, sir? I’m sorry, I just realised that I don’t know your name.”

John squeaked out a terrified:

“John Oak.”

Before returning to silence once more. He was terrified because the more this man knew about him the easier it would be for him to track down and murder him if John said something he didn’t like. So John had to play it very safe. With this in mind, he began explaining:

“Your children were never enrolled into a daycare, or a kindergarten. Local authorities just want to make sure that the twins are enrolled for the next school year, when they turn seven in about four weeks. Or of course you could homeschool, that might be better for you. You’d just have to make it official by filling out a form.”

Charles rested a hand on his chin and nodded thoughtfully as he said:

“My wife and I have been educating our children since they were born. My daughter has a particular passion for Shakespearean tragedies, and my little Glen learnt the periodic table before he learnt his ABCs, the boy just loves blowing things up, that’s how I know for certain that he’s an Addams.”

John nodded and let out a grateful sigh, excited that the Ray-Addams family would be homeschooling. With the decision seemingly made, John produced the required forms on his phone and sat down on a nearby chair to ask Charles a few questions.

“So, what is your current occupation?”

Charles shrugged and replied:

“I inherited a lot of money from my Great Uncle Gomez, not to mention the money from my father, so I mostly just do whatever interests me. I produce and sell art, I suppose. Is that my occupation or should we just put ‘unemployed’?”

John simply wrote ‘unemployed’, and moved on at a rapid pace, firing questions at Charles who had no trouble with keeping up and responding to each question with an in depth answer. Finally, the form was completed, and John could have jumped for joy that he was now able to leave. As he stood up and shook Charles’ hand, beginning to make his exit, Charles politely asked:

“We’re having a family game night tonight after dinner, would you like to stay?”

John was cursed with an inability to be impolite, so he found himself nodding, and immediately regretting that choice. In an attempt to find something positive in this situation, John timidly asked:

“W-what game would we be playing?”

Charles gave him another manic grin and replied:

“Executioner, it’s Glenda and I’s favourite game.”

John didn’t need any more context or proof of the Ray Addams family’s insanity, he simply bolted downstairs and out of the house without a word, faintly aware of Charles calling after him:

“Wait, you’ll come back sometime, won’t you?!”

[drip-from-kitchen-sink]

I just read your comment saying that Bram Stoker wrote dracula fuelled with misogyny and a hatred of immigration, and it got me interested, could you maybe explain it a bit more? Also, good luck with your writtings ✨

Of course! So Bram Stoker seems to have leant more conservative in terms of politics and favoured traditional morals. When I studied a level English literature we had to read through and analyse both what is being said and how it relates to contemporary political climates. Dracula was published in the 1890s, which was a massive time of change as it was nearing the end of the Victorian era and politics was beginning to shift in favour of things like women's rights. Gothic as a genre tends to respond to these types of anxieties.

I'll start with how misogyny may be represented in the book. Lucy is shown to be very promiscuous for a woman of the time as she kisses several men, complains about only having to marry one man, and receives blood transfusions (which is later equated to a type of marriage). This is probably a response to the idea of the New Woman, or a woman that seeks things like independence and more right. Stoker appears to be against this idea as he punishes Lucy by having her turned into a vampire, which gives him an opportunity to present her as the complete opposite of what a woman 'should be' - a good example is when she clutches a child to her breast when she feeds from him, which is an inversion of traditional ideas of motherhood.

Mina seems to be the inversion of Lucy in this sense, though she still has some attributes of a New Woman. She is entirely dedicated to her husband and is willing to do everything they need of her, she kisses the ass of every man in that book constantly and heralds them as her heroes and as big brave men, and she is weak and incapable when it comes to the high stakes confrontations. She is very intelligent (and is the main reason the protagonists are able to eventually kill Dracula) as she is the one that creates copies of all of the accounts from the characters that keep diaries and send letters - this forms the bulk of the information the men use to understand Dracula's powers. This is not shown as empowering to women, though, as Van Helsing says that she is so smart because she has a "man's brain". For her devoted service to the men and to convention, she is rewarded by having a loving husband and children (the reward that any good woman receives from authors at the time).

Onto the xenoohobia in the novel- this could br seen as forming the foundations of the plot essentially. The book begins with Harker travelling through the East of Europe to visit his client, Count Dracula. On this trip he compliments the food, but complains that the technology isn't as advanced ("the further East you go the more unpunctual are the trains"), and is generally entrusting of local religion, specifically when it comes to the use of crucifixes. As a personal impression that is in no way objective, I always think that Harker seems to look down on the locals and treats them as less intelligent. The plot point of Dracula invading England and infecting the masses is (maybe) based on fears around immigrations and of immigrants ruining British society, while also showing foreigners to be violent threats to the public.

There are some foreigners in the Crew of Light, so are presented as heroes, though they aren't portrayed as respectfully as the native English characters at times. Van Helsing is from Amsterdam, so while he isn't from the East, he isn't considered as pure and sometimes not as advanced technologically as the English, which is why he is incapable of reading shorthand and relies so much of traditional ideas of vampires. Quincey Morris is American, so Lucy writes to Mina that he teaches her southern slang terms, though she emphasises that he doesn't always talk like that and that he acts and speaks lies a gentleman. One way in which both of these men are arguably treated as lesser is during the blood transfusions as there are four men that give blood to Lucy, the order in which the men give blood could have been from most to least worthy if looking through a conservative lense. Arthur and Dr Seward are the first two to give blood as English middle to upper class men, so are therefore of the most pure blood. Quincey and Van Helsing are the last two to give blood as their blood is less pure, though the only distinguishing feature between them and the previous two is their nationality.

I hope this is what you were asking for, I spent over a year studying and revising this book so I have a lot of content stuck in my brain still. Also I absolutely hated the book so I will take any excuse to complain about it lol. And thanks!

[grimescum-2]

im very kindly asking to know more about your oc martin for no particular reason flea

😈😈😈😈😈 evil infodumping spirits r possessing me rn

OK SO. his full name is martin heinrich (german + british)!! he is i think 32 years old. i say i think bc i havent checked what his og age was yet... anyway he was born in a wealthy family to parents who were kinda detached from him emotionally. he wasn't too good at socializing w his peers so naturally he turned to books, favoring non-fiction and then horror and mystery over time. he found the tragedy present in the genre alien and interesting since he's never experienced anything like it at this point, living comfortably w everything he could need. his interest mostly lied in death and what happened after it.

so obviously his parents were like "what the fuck our son keeps asking us about what happens after death at the dinner table and hes scaring grandma what do we do" so they send him to counseling, but that didn't work, the counselor told them it was probly just him being curious. so they decided not to bother w it, he was still a good kid and had no behavioral problems

since he didn't get the help he probably needed he became obsessed w the idea of death and eventually started to find comfort, even a sense of beauty in it. living quickly lost all appeal for him and he ended up neglecting his health to the point of nutritional deficiency anemia to hopefully (in his mind) speed the process up. his parents were like "whatta fuck thats not ok!!" and he was like "no. u dont understand me 💔" (not really, more so he just thought they were wasting their breath on a dead man) so then he fucked off and moved out. and then he became a funeral director yippeee

he loves his job and takes it very seriously. so seriously in fact that his co-workers hear him talking to the bodies and complimenting them on their various states of decay (normal behavior). they also find that bodies up and disappear entirely only to re-appear days later

so ya!! hes mentally ill and lonely but he's polite, if not (very) meek. even if he's a complete pushover he has moments where he'll act out violently, usually out of desperation or fear. incredibly socially awkward. he loves taxidermy and gothic novels, he's very interested in victorian funeral customs & traditions and he knows a bit about flower language for the funerals. hypothetically speaking he could make u a little bouquet :o3 another big part of his character is that he's also a raging masochist

[niniane17]

Yet another Dracula Update, because this chapter is the one where Shit Gets Real:

-When I read this chapter the first time, I was mildly disappointed by how "tame" it was, but that's because I was comparing it to the hyper sexualized 1992 Dracula. Now I realize it was actually very explicit for its time. I'm not mad at the movie, by the way, it's just that I think some of the book's charm resides precisely in its Victorian prudishness.

-We continue the thread of Jonathan as a Gothic Heroine, and this time he learns what happens when you don't follow your Husband...I mean your Host's rules. You get eaten by evil things in a not very subtle metaphor for sex. Mostly unwanted sex. So the moral is, once again, a very familiar one to women: limit your movements as much as you can, do whatever this powerful man tells you to do, and you will be safe.

It is very saddening that Jonathan is starting to think that the Count (aka the one responsible for this in the first place) is the "least dreadful" to him, and the only one he "can look to for safety". I wonder if the wives feel the same way towards Dracula as well: they certainly seem to obey him, even if reluctantly, and apparently they were waiting for him to feed them. As they point out, Dracula cannot love. He can only form abusive relationships.

-This also ties a bit to Renfield, especially if we take into account that in various adaptation he turned mad after being attacked by the wives. What happens if the Evil Foul Things find you? If you don't die, you end up in an asylum, at least in the Victorian Era.

-By the way, this is also the second time Jonathan gets saved by Dracula from dangerous carnivourous creatures. Also Dracula bride carried John to his bed, undressed him and folded his clothes. At what point can we consider this a romance novel? Just because the main couple doesn't end up together it doesn't mean it can't be a romance.

-So Jonathan seems to remember the face of the blonde vampire. What does it mean? Is Mina blonde in the book? I can't remember. Is it a reference to something?

-There seems to be a hierarchy among the wives, and the blonde one with blue eyes is the favorite over the other two, who have dark hair and aquiline noses "like the Count". It's little touches like this that remind you that indeed this was written in the Victorian era with its wonderful beauty standards in mind.

-And of course now all the vampires speak English for some reason. I guess there was too much realism already.

[vegalocity]

Hello. I hope you don’t mind me asking but I was wondering something about the Tyrant Prince Oblivion au. You see there was a recent ask from @unseelie-robynx about Syntax in that au and in it it was mentioned that her for of “wifed-up” design was being thought up and it got me wondering if there where other interesting things about the other characters who will be “wife-ified”. So can you tell us anything? Also I’m asking you since you did Wife Red’s design so…yeah

I will say first off both me AND @unseelie-robynx are making the Tyrant Prince AU, we're mostly fleshing it out via an extended rp between us, so you can ask either of us and we'll have roughly the same answers about this kind of thing give or take a bad end or a differing timeline one of us came up with on our own (the Red Wakes Up Bad End was almost entirely Robynx's for instance and I've been plotting out one I like to call The Cavalry Falls)

But in relation to the question, i will say we do have a couple of 'Wife' setups depending on the timeline, and all of them have specific Vibes and Aesthetics that are brought to the table.

So obviously there's Red, and his 'wife' look is very... 50's traditional i suppose you could say, very 'summer home in Stepford' as we call it

But you all already knew that, Wife Red is one of the main visual draws for this AU lmao

Huntsman is another person that got wife-ified, and he and Red are the only two that are always put in this position no matter the TP Timeline. (since Huntsman 'willingly' went into things to get the rebellion access to the music for an eventual reverse to be made and then getting left there for too long on Spider Queen's call to call off the rescue to avoid detection is kind of the real reason why any PLOT can happen at all after a certain point)

But Huntsman's design is based mostly on the fact that Xiaotian is still decently arachnophobic, and from his bias it lead to Red's bias, and thus they directed Huntsman toward looks that 'covered him up' so to speak. we settled on a 'gothic lolita' type aesthetic and... ngl when i was drawing it out...

he honestly kills it

(though my own art style might have some part in that since my artistic influences have a lot of Shoujo in them so my character art tends to come out a fair bit softer)

In the Bad End where Syntax gets wife-ified just by getting caught, we went for something kind of 'victorian' since, as Robynx has said, the Court (mainly Xiaojiao and Xiaotian, but Red's not innocent in this either) kind of took a lot of frustration out on him for how much of a troublesome prisoner he was, thus he'd be specifically put in stuff that purpousefully gives him some constant low level misery.

Corsets that are always a bit TOO tight and press the implant against his spine, big poofy skirts that are super NOT Good texture and he's the only one we agreed would be put in heels (since Red probs rarely wears shoes at all and Huntsman would more likely be in Mary Janes for The AestheticTM) all specifically to restrict his movement and make life as baseline miserable as possible but in ways that people wouldn't notice.

but he IS more protected in the Red Wakes Up ending since these freaks do still consider themselves heroes and thus would probably honor the deal Huntsman struck with Red to come quietly in exchange for Syntax's general wellbeing

as such I think they'd probably put him in something softer, less specifically put together to hurt, though I personally do still like the 'period peice' concept for like irony's sake, so personally i'm fond of like, a 'turn of the century Gibson Girl' type look in that particular ending

Robynx already told y'all our general ideas on what would happen to Spindrax in either of the ends that she appears in, but in a few of them she doesn't really show up at all, and in THOSE timelines we do have an alternate wife for Xiaojiao with her own aesthetic niche

She's a fully OC character named Shuyin, we've mentioned every so often that in the Tyrant Prince world there IS a growing cult full of people that know that Xiaotian is brainwashing people and are doing so to themselves willingly, and one thing lead to another until they were convinced that 'the court' was in fact a 'Pantheon' instead. and they became a real fucking Cult.

Shuyin was made as a way to examine the cult from the inside, but we accidentally got attached to her and so did Xiaojiao so in timelines where the court are made fully aware of the cult and as such are made fully aware of the whole 'brainwashing' thing (but since the cult is very good at recruiting people they tend to be able to get them On Board with the whole thing so now whoever discovered it goes from unknowing pawn to willing accomplice) Shuyin gets that 'coveted' title of 'Xiaojiao's Wife' first due to her worship of her making the idea of 'owning' someone particularly alluring.

But since she didn't catch Xiaojiao's attention by being a pain turned obsession and also has a physical disability Xiaojiao is far softer to her than she is to Spindrax in other worlds. And as such has a softer aesthetic to go with it. Specifically Xiaojiao likes elegant looks on Shuyin, long flowing peices that show off her height and such. Shuyin is CONSIDERABLY taller than Xiaojiao and it makes for a fun visual.

After a certain point Shuyin also starts regularly wearing Xiaojiao's classic varsity jacket since in this AU she tends to wear her armor more often she doesn't wear it herself much anymore

Thats it for all the Main characters that get 'Wife'-ified though, there are a few minor characters that play out the 'husband and wife' dichotomy that are in the cult, but there's only a FEW people where you're horrified but also looking at them like 'they're killing it in that look tho'

and i will say that there ARE others that get OWNED that don't get Wife'd of course. any given bad end has Macaque getting Little Brother'd of course and there is someone else in a Bad End we haven't made public yet, but it's fine it's fine

[eden-regained]

It’s happening again. I’m channeling my inner cringequeen.

BUT HEAR ME OUT

A multicrossover AU in which the characters are an Addams-esque family living in a big victorian gothic mansion

1) Murdoc is the horribly dysfunctional dad. He was born in 666 and made a deal with the devil to become immortal, making him outlive every wife of his by a long shot. He usually sleeps inside the guest room’s gigantic fireplace (feels just like home), yes, even when visitors are over. The man needs his comfy bed! His favourite meal to both eat and prepare is Lamb Chop, when served he and his kids refer to dinner as “sacrificing the Lamb of God”.

Also I decided he’s a grandson of Chang’e and Hou Yi because why not.

2) Sans and Papyrus are the cool uncles who come to visit for every family gathering, though for different reasons. Sans is always super chill. When he watches the kids he lets them eat all the hotdogs and sweets they want and they’re allowed to watch movies all night. Plus, he's basically got every pun known to man up his sleeve and that’s always a win.

Papyrus on the other hand is energetic and actually plays with the kids, preferably videogames. He’s really bad at Mario Kart but has fun either way. He’s also convinced he’s THE GREATEST cook “alive” despite not even having tastebuds or a digestive tract for that matter, the spaghetti just falls right through him and he’s still shook every time).

3) Remilia Scarlet is the eldest child. She’s moved out to live in her own mansion on Corsica, though she comes to stay over every weekend. While she might appear to be a poised, well-behaved little girl she’s an absolute rantipole deep down who made Murdoc’s life a living hell when she still an actual child. Changing nappies? Kid just literally flew off the changing table and Murdoc had to try and catch her with a bug net and should he be unlucky enough to not get her in time she’d make herself at home in the attic’s ceiling beams and sleep there like a bat. Bottlefeeding? Vampires prefer... fresher sustenance, intravenous so to speak. Lullabies? Nah man, bring out the pipe organ. Remilia is a handful and she knows it.

That being said, Remi deeply loves and cares for her family, if anyone dares to do harm to one of her relatives she will unleash her wrath and woe to the poor fool who will not see the moon rise the next night.

4) Flandre Scarlet is the second oldest, though like Remilia her vampiric curse makes her look younger than her siblings. Despite being equipped with cosmic-horror-levels of destructive magic and raw strength she’s probably one of the family members least prone to violence. Her closet is filled to the brim with frilly dresses that would make every fan of lolita fashion go green with jealousy and she's accumulated a ton of toys from all over history, the half broken and grimy victorian porcelain dolls with clothes dyed with arsenic “Scheele’s Green” are her most prized possessions! (She does not let Papyrus even near them in fear he might break them)

Ironically Flandre is the only one in the house who adores the sun and everytime the family goes on a roadtrip they slather the poor kid head to toe in sunscreen to the point where she looks like a snowman and she’s only allowed to leave the horse carriage with atleast two hats and a ginormous parasol and yes, it’s the kind you find standing outside restaurants and cafès, Murdoc definitely stole it, don’t ask me how.

5) Mami Tomoe is the third child. She got beheaded in a witch trial and can now attatch and detatch her head at will. Well, kind of, sometimes she wakes up to being body-less and being placed in some random spot of the house “as a prank”, and that house it huge, imagine how long it takes her to put herself back together again. Yikes!

Don’t let her eloquent and gentle demeanor, her room with the cheesiest floral patterned wallpaper and the pastel dresses fool you, tea and biscuits aren’t the only thing she’s handy at. After all, that closet full of rifles from the 17th century isn't just for show...

6) Homura Akemi is the second youngest. She quite literally has skeletons in her closet and no, I’m not talking about Papyrus playing hide and seek again and not getting the memo that maaaaybe he’s been in there for two weeks not because the kids couldn’t find him. Homura is a witch and she’s not afraid to show it; pointy hat, black flowing dress, a greenhouse with bizarre plants from all around the world (though the Red Spider Lilies are still her favourites) and of course a big spellbook on her nightstand. Her specialty is time-based magic which she learned from their head maid. To use it she needs a special hourglass which Sans gave her as a gift for her 60th birthday that she has integrated into a shield and a mixture of the finest red sand mixed with cremated remains (fun fact, in canon Homura’s full witch form in Rebellion IS a skeleton. Kind of.)

7) Kaori, though better known by her nickname; Noodle, is the youngest of the bunch. She’s probably the most normal person in the house, weren’t it for the fact that she is a genetically engineered human born from Grandpa Gaster’s basement lab. As a result Noodle’s an extraordinarily fast learner, already being able to speak 26 languages fluently at the age of 10, she and Remilia love to curse like sailors in french just to piss of their dad.

Her martial arts skills are also someting to behold, Noodle is the only one besides Flandre who can take on Homura’s magical plants once they “go rogue” again under the full moon (the girls made their own task force to deal with the green ire called “Rose Busters” pun intended, Sans is proud!)

8) Sakuya Izayoi may look like an ordinary, albeit somewhat old-fashioned maid, but she’s actually been the family’s highly renowned head servant for generations thanks to her ability to control the very flow of time. As Murdoc’s neglectful and unloving mother Katherine cut all ties with the family Sakuya became the closest thing to a maternal figure in his life.

It’s become sort of a running gag in the house that Sakuya can conveniently appear��everywhere. One time she nearly gave Murdoc a heart attack when the guy sat on the toilet cursing about the lack of paper when out of nowhere Sakuya plops up next to him with a toilet roll in hand and a deadpan expression just going “You’re welcome Milord.”

9) Flowey is the most feared plant in the greenhouse and Homura one day decided it’s for the best to lock that beast up in a lion cage. Murdoc especially is freaked out by the thing, quote: “Yeah no, I’m not touching that chlorophyll-cunt with a ten foot pole!” Weirdly enough Mami is the only one who Flowey allows to water and repot him without making a scene and by "scene” I mean transforming into an eldritch abomination.

10) Napstablook is the household spirit who gets to live in the attic so they can watch the stars at night.

11) In honor of the tumblr sexyman battle I’ve decided that Reigen is the neighbourhood conman who goes from door to door to sell his shady products. He’s made multiple attempts to sell the family some bogus-magic-knockoffs, even going so far as to disguise himself so they’d let him in again but he just got the boot everytime.

12) Gaster, the malformed and enigmatic grandfather, lurks in the catacombs deep beneath the mansion. He’s locked himself away so he can be undisturbed in his quest to get to the bottom of the universe’s mysteries by studying magic and experimenting with various arcane forces. His sister, great aunt Patchouli, is the only one who can still communicate with him as he’s gone mad from centuries, if not millennia of exposure to creatures and knowledge not meant for a mortal brain.

He’s the creator of the Lapis philosophorum. Turns out that stone is not only able to turn things to gold, it also attached itself to Gaster’ soul like a parasite, keeping him alive as a half melted, only vaguely human being so it can feed off the magical energy he accumulates. Patchouli has made multiple efforts to destroy the stone with the help of her coven but the thing cannot be destroyed, atleast not for now.

[infjsnightmare]

How You Met: Rats in the House of the Dead + DOA Style

***SPOILER ALERT*** Manga spoilers

A/N: Back at it again! Spoiler alert for this one, since it contains manga-only characters. Also, I will be including the last two mentioned members of the DOA in separate editions since one of them thematically is a bit more difficult to write for and the other one will fall into a different group for their edition. I mashed the Rats and the DOA together because neither had very many characters. I also didn't include Pushkin since we don't get much of his story, although if there is anyone particularly interested in him, I could write him in the extras. More brief author's notes under the cut for those who don't mind spoilers.

Spoiler A/N: Bram Stoker will likely be included in the extras since I will have to write it for him being pre-impailed, so I'm thinking something victorian or gothic stylistically. "Kamui" will be included in the Hunting Dogs edition for obvious reasons, so he does not appear in this one. So, here we go?

Fyodor: The top shelf. Of course that's where the canned peas you needed were. You'd been staring down the cans for at least 5 minutes now, wrestling with your pride about whether or not you should climb the shelf in the supermarket. Your eyes began to glaze over in thought, but you were brought out of it by a low hum to your right. A tall, pale man stood there beside you. He must have been watching for a good few minutes, too. The second he saw your eyes turn to his direction, he put on a honey-sweet smile and it had to have been the fakest one you'd ever seen. Your eyes narrowed as his slender arm moved past you to reach up and grab the can for you. Except... he put it in his cart and began to walk away, leaving you incredulous. Just then, he stopped, tilting his head to look over his shoulder at you. A devilish smirk had taken root on his face.

"Oh my, did you need one, too?"

Ivan: The cafe you frequented was crowded during the lunch-time rush, but you were lucky to have gotten there early, finding a nice window seat. You'd been sipping your tea, eyes focused dreamily on the book in front of you. The romantic fantasy between two strangers, the air of mystery as lovers meet. The book was all that you could focus on to drown out the onslaught of customers and chatter around you. Suddenly there was a slight shadow blocking the light from the cafe. You looked up, seeing a slender man with long, angelic locks and the most serene expression of joy on his face. Your eyes scanned the porcelain cup on his hand, noticing the tag for the tea was the same as yours. When his pale lips opened to speak, the most pleasant voice rang through.

"Excuse me, but is this seat taken? There don't seem to be many open spots at this time of day."

Mushitaro: You were at the bookstore, perusing the shelves half-heartedly. You'd been bored at work and your colleague had mentioned picking up reading as a hobby. Except you had no idea where to start. You thought that maybe a mystery would keep you entertained but, beyond that, you were clueless. You saw a well dressed man in a suit with slicked hair sheepishly glancing through the mystery section, while carrying what looked like an occult-based novel. You must have looked as out-of-place as you felt, since his eyes kept wandering from the shelves back to you. You quickly snatched a random book from the shelf and turned to go check out. The man grabbed a book from an author named Yokomizo and haughtily replaced the one you had taken. He sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"If you insist on reading a mystery, you should at least make sure it is one of quality."

Sigma: You'd heard about the sky casino from the old lady at your grocery store a few days ago and thought that it might be a fun weekend trip with a few friends. So, here you were getting settled into your room before heading out to test your luck. You were wandering through the hallways for at least 10 minutes before you realized you were thoroughly lost. Your friends had already headed out together as you said you would stay behind to unpack some things. You wished you had gone with them when you had the chance. You hastened your pace as you looked around each corner for any indicator of where you should go. You quickly turned into another hallway, crashing headfirst into what may just be the most gorgeous man you'd ever seen. Your face flushed scarlet as you began an incoherent stream of "I'm sorry"s. He held his hands up to placate you, a warm smile on his face, framed by his silver and lilac hair.

"Don't worry at all. I should be the one apologizing. After all, I'm the manager. It's my job to make sure everyone is alright and here I am bumping into a customer."

Nikolai: You had just gotten done viewing the latest installment in the SAW horror movie franchise. You were jittery as you exited theater number 13. All the excitement had your nerves on fire. You enjoyed watching horror movies, but sometimes you wished your friends would agree to come with you. You threw your empty popcorn container in the trash can. Standing next to it was a super lifelike jester mannequin. It must have been, since it didn't move even a centimeter and the expression never changed. You were admiring how well made it was. It must be for a new movie coming out and you wondered what kind of movie it would be. But, it suddenly moved out of position and grabbed you, the white braid swaying behind the tall man as he smiled a maniacal grin. He let out a laugh similar to the doll jigsaw uses.

"I want to play a game!"

~After Note: You ran screaming as the man chased after you. You heard him apologizing profusely as he caught up behind you. You stopped to hear the man out as he explained that he had just wanted to get the attention of such a cute human bean. You couldn't stay mad as he bowed his head in apology with a playful wink and a mischievous smile.~

[twistedtummies2]

Top 15 Fictional Versions of Jack the Ripper

They called it the Autumn of Terror. In 1888, London, England became home to a series of very brutal and horrific crimes…among the most notorious, if not THE most notorious, was a string of slayings and mutilations committed in the Whitechapel district on the East End. These particular crimes became the stuff of legend, for a myriad of reasons, and the serial killer behind at least the majority of these cases has never been truly and officially identified or captured. It’s hard to believe that, over 130 years later, we still don’t have a solid case against anybody, and we likely never will. This killer’s colloquial title has become synonymous with all of the dark elements of Victorian England: a name that instantly conjures up imagery of gaslights and heavy fog on dirty Gothic streets.

We call him, if indeed a man he was…Jack the Ripper. I should immediately stress that the Ripper was a very real and VERY twisted human being, and there is nothing remotely romantic about the true crimes that occurred in Whitechapel that terrible year. The women who died at the hands of this brutal and disturbed individual were just as real and just as human, and did not in any way deserve the gruesome ends they met. While these points must be remembered sternly, I - and hundreds of other people - can’t help but be swept up in the strange, almost mythological, grotesque fascination with Jack the Ripper. Creators of fiction have found boundless inspiration in this series of terrible crimes, and have ensured that, if nothing else, they are never forgotten. As long as the matter is handled in a tasteful and intelligent manner, like with so much historical fiction, and it is made clear the matter IS fiction, one can find many merits in the many romanticized interpretations of the horror that transpired. To that end, I’ve decided (for no particular reason) to go through some of my favorite reimaginations of Jack the Ripper - as a case and as a character - that I have discovered over the years. There’s not much else to say, so let’s just get into it! Allow me to share a slice of something decadent: these are My Top 15 Favorite Fictional Versions of Jack the Ripper…

15. “Wolf in the Fold” from Star Trek.

Depending on who you ask, “Wolf in the Fold” is either one of the best episodes of Star Trek, or one of the most…showing of its age, so to speak. The plot revolves around the crew of the Enterprise visiting a peaceful planet that has not seen violence of any great degree in a very long time…which of course means serial murder is soon afoot! Various women are found knifed to death, and the prime suspect? None other than Scotty! Kirk, Bones, and Spock thus have to figure out what’s really going on, and clear Scotty’s name. MILD SPOILER ALERT: obviously, Scotty is not responsible for the crimes, it’s Jack the Ripper…but the way the Ripper is used is pretty interesting. In this episode, the Ripper is a mysterious, demon-like entity called Redjac (“Red Jack,” get it?) who feeds off of people’s fear before killing them. The entity visited Earth centuries ago, and was responsible for the Jack the Ripper murders, among other unsolved crimes. It soon gets aboard the ship, and the heroes have to find a way to get rid of the monster before anyone else dies. This was a surprisingly dark and daring episode. It’s interesting to see Star Trek handle a good ol’ fashioned murder mystery, and the sci-fi explanation for the Ripper is a lot of fun. The actual culprit who turns out to be Redjac is also highly unexpected. (I won’t say the character’s name, but I will say this: whoever decided  to cast the voice of Piglet from Winnie-the-Pooh as the world’s most infamous serial killer? I can’t decide if they were a genius or just drunk.) The only major downside to the episode, in my opinion, is that “showing of its age” thing I mentioned: the explanation given for why the Ripper targets female victims almost exclusively. I won’t say what it is, but it’s an explanation that really reminds you, “Oh, right. This was made in the 60s.” Once you get over that issue, though, you find a pretty bold episode full of fun twists and turns, and one of my personal favorites from the original Star Trek series.

14. The Fate Series.

I am specifically talking about the Assassin class form of Jack the Ripper; apparently the Ripper can also be summoned as a Berserker in this franchise, but it’s the Assassin I REALLY love. First appearing as a major antagonist in the anime “Fate/Apocrypha” and later being incorporated into the game “Fate/Grand Order,” this is easily one of my favorite interpretations of the Ripper from that whimsical and completely bloody weird land known only as “Japan.” The franchise, for those who don’t know, focuses on a recurring event known as the Holy Grail War: a conflict that occurs every 60 years, in which mages all over the world summon Heroic Spirits - figures from history, mythology, literature, and folklore - to do battle on their behalf. Jack the Ripper is one of these spirits, and it should immediately be stated that “Heroic” does not actually mean being a hero. In this series, it’s revealed that the Ripper of Victorian times was a supernatural entity: a mysterious being formed from the collected trauma and minds of a number of abandoned infants. While it’s not really clear what caused the crimes to stop, the entity eventually did cease killing, and now exists as a very, VERY dangerous Spirit that can be summoned. This Ripper is equal parts disturbing and tragic: she resembles a young girl, and what she really wants, above all else, is for somebody to love and understand her. She’s come to see the world as a cruel and ugly place, and she can be very, VERY sadistic…but there’s also a sweetness and a sadness to her that makes her sympathetic. She’s easily one of my favorite characters in the series, and a fascinating interpretation of the Ripper in fiction.

13. Moriarty the Patriot.

This is the only other Ripper of Japanese origin that will appear on the list. (Not because there aren’t other really great ones, mostly just because I like other fictional Rippers and stories more.) Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper actually have a surprising amount of history: Conan Doyle was writing the Sherlock Holmes stories at the time the Ripper murders took place, and the primary inspiration for Holmes - pathologist Joseph Bell, a former teacher of the author - actually helped out on the Ripper case. As a result, the World’s Greatest Detective and the World’s Most Infamous Killer have encountered each other NUMEROUS times in fiction. Three of my favorites are on this list, and of the bunch, “Moriarty the Patriot” is perhaps the most unique. The reason is mostly because of the series itself: “Moriarty the Patriot” is an anime/manga series where, as the title implies, the main character is not Sherlock Holmes but rather his arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty. In the series, Moriarty is depicted as a violent anti-hero, using crime as a means to instigate social change, rather than behaving as a straightforward villain. When I found out Jack the Ripper was going to be in the series, I was curious how he would be handled: would he be Moriarty’s enemy, or his ally? The surprising answer was…both! In “The Phantom of Whitechapel,” while the Ripper killings are going on, we are introduced to ANOTHER Jack the Ripper: Jack Renfield, an old ally of Moriarty who got his title as a combat soldier, known for his brutal style of fighting. This Jack joins forces with Moriarty to stop the Whitechapel Murders, as a way of preserving his own honor. After this, Jack Renfield becomes a major character for the rest of the series. This is already awesome enough, but the way the murders themselves are explained and managed is really interesting, too, on a lot of levels. My only problem is that this one feels a bit conflicted in how it handles history and fiction: a lot of the explanations for the Ripper are actually surprisingly fitting with history and seem logical, but the way the murders actually take place and other facts are absolute and total fiction, which leaves my mind in a muddle. It’s for this reason alone it doesn’t rank higher.

12. “Shock to the System” from John Doe.

This may well be the most obscure entry on the list. I’m willing to bet a lot of you have never heard of the crime series “John Doe.” This short lived TV show focused on its titular character: John Doe is a consulting detective in modern-day Seattle who gains his name because he has no memory of who he is. He apparently just woke up one morning with no idea of his true identity or past…and discovered that not only was he now color blind, but he also had become a living encyclopedia. He seems to have vast knowledge on virtually every matter, his mind filled with trivia about practically every subject, from history to literature to science and more. In my favorite episode, “Shock to the System,” John gets struck by lightning, and even though he survives, he suddenly discovers that not only can he see in colors again, but his encyclopedic brain is no more: all of the knowledge he used to have has just seemingly disappeared. This becomes a problem when a serial killer strikes…and three guesses who that serial killer is. Now, of course, John has to help the police catch the killer without his usual stores of information to help out. Now, SPOILER ALERT, it turns out this Jack the Ripper ISN’T the ORIGINAL Jack the Ripper, as you may or may not expect: instead it turns out to be a copycat killer trying to replicate the original Whitechapel Murders in their own twisted way, for equally twisted reasons. Still, it’s a really cool twist on the show’s formula, and the name and various iconographies of Jack the Ripper are used, as well as various historical references, so I still say this counts. The twist ending regarding the identity of the killer is probably my favorite in the series, and is largely responsible for what makes this one of my favorite fictional interpretations of the case.

11. Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper.

Well, there’s a straightforward title for you. This is the second of the Holmes Meets the Ripper interpretations on the list, and it’s actually the first one I ever came across. This was part of the long-running Frogwares “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” video game series. It’s arguably the most popular of the franchise, and from what I’ve seen and played, I would argue it’s the best. The plot is exactly what the title says, but what I love most about this particular version is that it’s perhaps the single most realistic interpretation of the concept. The attention to historical detail in this game is quite surprising, and the final solution to the case is probably the most plausible I’ve seen of this concept. The characters are fictional, but the way the story and the caper are handled feel surprisingly close to how things might have truly occurred, on several levels. You can tell the creators really did their homework, and it’s for this stark, brutal, gritty realism that the game gets its points. But it still has a lot of intrigue and some action to keep the story from feeling too slow. Not much else to say, just a good game and a very solid take on this concept.

10. Gotham By Gaslight.

There are effectively two different takes on this title: the graphic novel, and the movie. (Same as another entry later on the list, actually, but more on them when we get there.) The original “Gotham By Gaslight” was a comic that officially jumpstarted DC’s “Elseworlds” series, presenting alternate universes for their various characters. “Gaslight,” as the title implies, focuses on Batman, and has the Dark Knight tracking down the Ripper. An animated movie was made many years later; this one follows a lot of the same plot points, but also changes and adds a lot, including more reimaginings of characters from Batman’s universe. I enjoy both, but I personally think the movie is better than the comic, in this instance: the original comic, in my opinion, is mostly interesting because of a combination of its premise and its aesthetic style. The movie has these elements, too, but I think it was wise of the film to take greater advantage of its potential cast, and the twist ending in the movie, when Jack’s identity is unveiled, is, in my opinion, much better than that of the book. What’s really interesting is the way each interpretation handles the historical element: the movie ignores history completely, instead opting to go for more or less pure fiction. The Ripper’s victims are not the historical victims, and even though the time period is the same, the Ripper and Batman in this world are native to America. Whitechapel is effectively changed into Gotham City, and all the historical figures become fictional characters. The book actually COMBINES fiction and history; in that one, the Whitechapel murders still happened, but the Ripper escapes detection in London, and comes to Gotham to continue his “work.” You can decide which is a more valid approach, but both are worth checking out. I mean, come on…it’s BATMAN VS. JACK THE RIPPER. How freaking cool is that?!

9. Jack the Ripper (1988 Miniseries).

One of the most fantastical and yet weirdly persistent theories about Jack the Ripper is what’s typically called “The Royal Conspiracy.” This theory postulates that the Whitechapel Murderer was either a member of the royal family at the time, or at least someone close to the family. While most serious historians rightfully dismiss this fantasy as just that, fantasy, for a lot of very good reasons, the concept is admittedly one that makes for some great fiction when it’s used well. This two-part miniseries is such an example: the show focuses on Inspector Frederick Abberline (played by Michael Caine), who heads the investigation into the Ripper’s identity, battling with his own personal life issues while trying to catch the maniac. As the story goes on, he uncovers various dark secrets, and soon gets involved in a bizarre conspiracy involving the royal family. The miniseries is essentially a classic “Whodunnit?” murder mystery, with lots of fascinating twists and turns: not only is the Ripper’s true identity a big twist, but so is how the case concludes, and that’s just the start. The blend of fictional and historical elements in this story really makes it shine, and the cast is EXTREMELY strong. Caine, in particularly, is fantastic as Abberline; easily one of my favorites of his performances. There are admittedly a few over-the-top moments that feel a bit odd, but for the most part, it’s a powerful piece of historical crime drama that I wish more people knew about.

8. Pandora’s Box (1929).

One of the last hurrahs of the silent era, “Pandora’s Box” is a classic piece of German Expressionism: a sort of dark fairy-tale in the way it is stylized and the methods of the storytelling used. The plot focuses on the many misadventures of a promiscuous young lady called Lulu (played by Louise Brooks), whose careless naivete and raw sexuality ultimately cause the ruin of not only herself, but many of those around her. The Ripper isn’t in the film for very long, only showing up for the final act of the story, but the use of the infamous killer is interesting for two big reasons. First, because of the way he fits into the story. In a way, Jack the Ripper acts as the Big Bad Wolf to Lulu’s Red Riding Hood: even after all the decline her own fortunes and those of others around her have taken, Lulu still thinks nothing of inviting a random, handsome stranger into her home for “a night of fun.” It’s the identity of that stranger that leads to her gory downfall: play with matches too often, and you will be irreparably burned. Having said that, the other interesting thing about the Ripper in this movie (played by Gustav Diessl) is the way he’s portrayed: Jack is depicted as almost just as tragic as Lulu, and even though his time onscreen is short, he provides an interesting parallel to her own story and persona. The Ripper is depicted not as a suave gentleman, nor a demented thug, but instead a tortured soul driven by strange demons: he’s awkward, playful, and actually, at first, doesn’t want to kill Lulu. He seems to deeply regret his crimes…but he literally can’t stop himself. He has an overwhelming urge to destroy he can’t hold back, no matter how hard he tries; we actually feel sorry for the Ripper here, even though his crimes are detestable. He’s just as much the victim as the villain, which is an intriguing stance to take, and makes the final sequence of the story all the more intense and poignant.

7. Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde.

Sherlock Holmes isn’t the only literary character with close ties to Jack the Ripper. The titular character(s) of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” also has some intriguing links. The book was published only two years before the Whitechapel Murders officially began, and one of the earliest suspects was actually Richard Mansfield: an actor renowned for his portrayal of the characters onstage. Apparently, audiences thought his performance was so powerful, people worried perhaps the actor had gone mad and become a REAL Mr. Hyde! While J&H haven’t encountered JTR QUITE as often, various interpretations of the story definitely have a “Jack the Ripper Vibe” to their style and depiction of Hyde, and in some cases, the fictional and historical figures are synonymous. One example of the latter is Hammer Horror’s excellent “Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde.” In this version, not only does Jekyll transform into an evil alter-ego, but this alter-ego is also a woman, who calls herself “Sister Hyde.” In order to continue his experiments, Jekyll requires special chemicals found only in the female body. When he runs out of supplies, Hyde becomes Jack the Ripper as a means of gaining new ingredients. The movie works on several levels, and the involvement of the Jack the Ripper case in the story is just one of them; many regard it as one of Hammer’s most intriguing films, and I thoroughly agree. When you hear the title and premise, the film sounds like rubbish, but it turns out to not only be disturbing even to this day, but also surprisingly thought-provoking and has more historical accuracy than you might expect from such a demented concept. As a twist on Jekyll & Hyde, a piece of Ripper fiction, and even many other things, it functions amazingly well.

6. The Lodger.

There are many novels and short stories that feature or center around Jack the Ripper as a character, but none are as important as “The Lodger” by Marie Belloc Lowndes. In my opinion, this book is a Gothic masterpiece of the same caliber as “Dracula.” Although nowadays it seems mostly overlooked, it nevertheless remains the single most influential piece of Ripper fiction ever made. The story focuses on the Buntings, the owners of a lodging house near Whitechapel. Business is bad until a mysterious and well-to-do stranger arrives to take residence. As the story goes on, strange things happen in and around the house, and the Buntings start to believe their new guest is Jack the Ripper. Notably, it should be said that in the book, it is never CONFIRMED that the titular lodger is Jack the Ripper: it is heavily implied, but never directly stated. The book has been adapted to film no less than five times, not to mention several TV and radio productions (two of the latter star Vincent Price and Peter Lorre), and even a couple of stage shows. All of these reimaginings make changes of some sort or another: in the 1929 Alfred Hitchcock movie, the Ripper character is called “The Avenger,” and it’s revealed that the mysterious lodger is actually trying to capture the killer. In the 1944 film, starring Laird Cregar (and the 1953 remake of the same, entitled “Man in the Attic” and starring Jack Palance), there is no implication: the lodger is confirmed to be Jack the Ripper. In all three of these cases, the story ends with a rip-roaring chase scene. All three of these attempts I’ve mentioned were good movies, but I feel they lack the subtlety and true menace the original novel has. “The Lodger” is one of the earliest examples of what we now call psychological horror: the terror comes not from the Ripper himself, but from the scenario and its many ambiguities. It’s the idea of living with a killer in your midst - indeed, a killer under the same roof as yourself - that makes the story so deeply troubling, and it also brings to mind several moral and ethical dilemnas that feel largely overlooked in most adapted treatments. What would you do in this situation? How long would it be till you made your accusations and voiced your suspicions…and what would it take to make you hold your tongue?

5. From Hell.

Arguably the most significant piece of Ripper fiction alongside “The Lodger,” and almost certainly the most lauded of recent generations, “From Hell” is actually a very different story depending on which of two versions you look at: the original graphic novel by world-renowned comic creator Alan Moore, or the feature film adaptation starring Johnny Depp and the late, great Ian Holm. In Moore’s graphic novel, the story jumps back and forth between the perspectives of Inspector Frederick Abberline and the Ripper himself, with much emphasis given on the political and social issues of Victorian times and the psychology of the killer: his motivations, background, and so on. In the movie, the story is treated more like a classic “Whodunnit?” very similar to the Michael Caine miniseries: various same elements are kept, but the tale now focuses entirely on Abberline as the protagonist, trying to figure out the Ripper’s identity, whereas in the book we know the identity of the killer from very early on. Honestly, while the movie received mixed reception, I think both are equally valid pieces: Moore’s novel is perhaps more unique and complex, and the movie does take significant liberties with the source material, but the film, on its own terms, is still quite strong. “From Hell” is also perhaps the best interpretation of the aforementioned “Royal Conspiracy” concept in fiction, in my opinion. Whichever you prefer, it’s become one of the most celebrated fictional pieces surrounding the Ripper case, and definitely deserves all the praise it gets.

4. Time After Time.

I am specifically referring to the 1979 film of this title. The movie is apparently based on a book, and the book has also been adapted into a TV series. I have not seen the series, nor have I (yet) read the book, so I cannot judge either one nor discuss them. I have no idea how closely or how loosely the picture follows the original story, but I CAN say that this is probably one of the most underrated pictures I’ve ever seen. It’s not one most people seem to remember or talk about nowadays, but it is EXTREMELY good and was highly applauded in its time. The film stars Malcolm McDowell not as the Ripper, but rather H.G. Wells. Wells has actually built a real-life time machine, similar to that in his novel of the same title; Jack’s alter-ego is a friend-turned-nemesis of Wells who uses the machine to escape capture and flee into the future. Wells is quick to follow him, hoping to bring him back to the past to face justice, and soon finds himself in then-modern-day California. At first, the concept sounds like an absurd dark comedy, and there are some humorous moments, but the movie overall plays things straight. Wells in the film is, as he was in life, a very contradictory person: an enlightened optimist and repressed pessimist, all at the same time. He is appalled by the chaos of the future he finds, which is a far cry from the fantastical utopia he once envisioned. Ironically, Jack the Ripper (played by David Warner) is able to get along swimmingly in this brave new world: “Ninety years ago, I was a freak. Now, I’m an amateur,” he smirks. The relationship between the two is very interesting, and the ways the story comments on how our modern world stacks up against a bygone era leads to some intriguing themes and scenarios. It’s an odd but surprisingly meaningful sci-fi adventure that really deserves much more praise.

3. A Study in Terror.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Holmes and the Ripper together, hasn’t it? But I promised three takes, and this is the third one. While most people feel that “Murder By Decree,” starring Christopher Plummer, is the best Holmes vs. Ripper movie, I’ve actually always preferred this little-remembered 1965 feature. The movie was badly advertised in America, and in England it got lost amidst a myriad of other excellent releases; as a result, it didn’t get much attention from critics or audiences alike. While it has a couple of flaws, none of them are major, and when I think of Holmes vs. the Ripper, this has become what I immediately think of. The movie is neither as fantastical as things like Moriarty the Patriot or Murder By Decree, nor is it as historically focused and realistic as the Frogwares game: it stands somewhere in the middle, so to speak. John Neville’s portrayal of the Master Sleuth is a highly underrated one, in my opinion (the same can be said for his Watson, Donald Houston), and the climax is (quite literally) one to bring the house down. This, in many ways, feels the most to me like what I’d imagine a story about Holmes vs. the Ripper to be like, beyond the other two, and for that reason above all else, it stands high above the other interpretations I’ve mentioned, at least for my personal tastes.

2. Anno Dracula.

I absolutely LOVE these books. “Anno Dracula” is a series that takes place in an alternate universe where Count Dracula has defeated Van Helsing and his allies, and actually manages to more or less take over the English Empire. Under Dracula’s rule, numerous people become vampires, and various historical and fictional characters of the Victorian era play roles in the books. Where does Jack the Ripper come into things? Well, in the first book, the plot largely revolves around the main characters trying to track down the Ripper, who is also referred to as “Silver Knife.” In the story, the poor ladies the Ripper kills aren’t merely prostitutes…but also vampires. Doesn’t sound like he’s doing something too bad then, right? Well, here’s the thing about Anno Dracula: vampires, in this world, aren’t evil by default. They’re…basically just people. People with fangs who don’t like the Sun and need a pint or two of blood here and there, but becoming a vampire doesn’t automatically make you horrible: just like with normal human beings, some vampires are evil, but a lot of them are quite nice. Without giving away the Ripper’s identity, they are a person who has had a BAD experience with vampires, and this has caused them to believe that vampires, as a race, are pure evil, and sees what they are doing as some small way of trying to fix the world. It’s a fascinating angle to take things, as you completely understand why the Ripper kills and feel sympathetic towards him (especially once you realize who he is), but we also come to realize that what he’s doing is NOT the right way to go about things. He’s not a hero in any way, but he’s a villain you can empathize with, and the way he fits into the world of the story is quite interesting.

1. Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate - Jack the Ripper.

I’m not really sure why the Jack the Ripper DLC from AC: Syndicate is my favorite here…but it is, all the same. Taking place sometime after the events of the main game, this DLC actually has the player swap out between playing the main protagonist, Evie Frye, as she tries to help the police track down the Ripper…and playing as the Ripper himself. In here, Jack (whose full name, identity, and face are never revealed) is actually an Assassin himself…but he’s become an extremist, and turned into something of a rogue agent. With his own cabal of secret allies, Jack begins a reign of terror in London, following his own twisted version of the Creed, and butchering anybody who gets in his way. It’s revealed that the women he infamously murdered were actually Assassin spies he found out, trying to find a way to stop him from enacting much grander schemes. There’s a mixture of grandiose insanity and gritty, grimy, surprisingly historically true reality in this story that I find absolutely wonderful: the real Jack the Ripper wasn’t a criminal mastermind, but really more of a lucky thug. The Ripper in this game is somewhere in the middle. The fact we actually play as the Ripper creates an interesting element for the player and the story alike, and the depiction of the character and his ties to the Assassins are pretty interesting in terms of his role in the franchise. Once again, Jack is something of an empathetic villain: terrifying, devilish, yet understandable in his motivations and goals, and even sort of noble in his own warped way. The fact the whole franchise hinges on secret organizations and cover-ups helps to make things feel more plausible without spoiling any elements of the fiction, and even the look of the Ripper once again rides a fine line between fantasy and likely reality. This DLC was actually a big part of the reason I decided to play Syndicate (which, to date, is the only AC game I’ve actually played), and for that reason if no other, it’s worthy of the top spot here.

[echo-of-sounds]

halloween pt.2

Small Halloween drabbles with Fatgum and Gang Orca.

Gang Orca’s focuses more on his anxiety but it’s still in the spirit of Halloween!

Toyomitsu Taishiro - Pumpkin Carving

“Tai!” you shouted, getting his attention from down the dirt path. He glanced back. “This one’s perfect for you! Come here!”

He hurried over, unhindered by the three large pumpkins in his arms. But the one you found was monstrous. It was perfectly round, beautifully orange, and came up past your knee. It was practically screaming his name. 

“Need some help?” he laughed at your attempts to move it.

“Yeah, but can you carry it with all those?”

“It’s no problem.” He easily picked it up and turned around. “Hope on.”

You jumped onto his back. He carried you to the pumpkin patch worker whom you paid. Then he brought you to the car, loaded the pumpkins in, and drove home.

An hour later, the carving kits were open, the supplies laid out for the taking, and the seeds were spread between you on the table, drying for cooking later. Tai placed the timer down, paused at forty minutes. “You ready?”

You popped the cap off your Sharpie. “Are you ready?”

He took the cap in his teeth, blowing it to the floor. “I’m ready to beat you.”

“Then start the timer, big boy.”

At the push of a button, the numbers counted down. 

Tai’s pumpkin was turned from you, hiding his design. You did the same but eyed his smile. He was too positive, too confident. You needed to win for no other reason than to say you won.

After quickly and carefully sketching the design, you took the saw and began carving. He was still happily drawing which gave you some assurance. It didn’t last long though. Carving the creepy cat eyes was a breeze. Shaping each fang in the jutting, high-cheeked Glasgow smile was absolutely terrible. Your fingers cramped, your knuckles stiffened, and your wrist strength dwindled. The last one-fourth might not get done.

But Tai just smiled on, easily carving his pumpkin with his stupid enhanced strength. He winked at you, probably knowing how much you were struggling. It invigorated your hand to keep working.  

You scarcely finished the final touches when the timer beeped. You shook your hand, trying to get some sensations back into your fingers.

“You alright?”

“I’m good. Ready?”

He nodded. “One, two, three.” 

At the count, you both revealed your designs. He carved a cute little owl into his. A few vines and leaves floated around its head. It was really adorable.

“Aww,” you smiled and went over to feel it. The edges were clean and the lines were sharp, flawlessly shaped and cut.

He patted your back. “Does that mean I won?”

“No.” You pulled away. “Mine's scarier. It fits the Halloween theme better.”

“But mine’s cuter and it fits the autumn theme better. I’m pretty sure I won.”

“I don’t think so. My vote’s going to mine.”

“And mine’s for mine.”

“Well…” 

Tai hummed, moving his pumpkin next to yours. The size difference made yours look like a baby, much like when he stood beside you, towering feet above your head, making you feel hobbit-like.

He asked, “If you’re not gonna back down, how're we gonna settle this?”

You leaned on the table, thinking, “Um… sex?”

“Gingerbread houses.” He snapped his fingers. “The store was selling kits beside the pumpkin carving kits. I grabbed some.” 

“People seriously can’t wait until after Halloween?”

“I guess not. Whoever makes the best, most elaborate gingerbread house wins.”

“Deal… then sex?” you smiled.

“Then sex,” he agreed, kissing you.

Gang Orca - Costume Party

The crowd was impressive. As hard as you looked, no orca fin or huge shoulders were insight. Best Jeanist was the next best thing. You went over to him, asking before he picked up a cupcake, “Hey. Have you seen Kugo?”

“I haven’t seen him in awhile. I believe he went upstairs.”

“Thanks,” you sighed and hurried to the stairs, already knowing why he disappeared.

The men’s bathroom door was shut. You lightly knocked, trying to urge Kugo to talk. He seemed to enjoy himself when you first arrived. The work party was filled with friends. You hoped his first Halloween party where he actually dressed up would be fun, casual, and brimming with laughter. But thirty minutes in, his demeanor changed, shifting awkwardly, glancing around at every pair of eyes, every small chuckle. His anxiety ramped up. That was easy to see. Yet he wasn’t responding.

You knocked again. “Kugo, can you open the door? I’m worried.” It cracked open just enough to let you slip inside. Water dripped from his face. “What’s going on?”

He shook his head. You gently touched his cheek, not wanting to be overwhelming, and whispered, “Kugo, please…” 

“I look ridiculous.”

“No, you don’t.” You embraced his side, watching him in the mirror. The vampire costume was standard and simple but also a classic. Plus, the Victorian gothic suit looked beyond attractive on him, highlighting his broad shoulders, hugging his strong waist. “Why do you think that?”

He only stared at his hands, no doubt repeating the self-deprecation in his mind. The judgment in his eyes was sad and obvious.

You softly grasped his fingers, kissing his knuckles, speaking just as softly, “Kugo, honey, talk to me. You were excited about this the other day. You said you were looking forward to dressing up. Can you tell me what changed?”

“They were laughing at me.” He withdrew his hands and felt his face- his nonhuman face. “I should have stayed home. You should be out there having fun, not in here worrying about me.”

“They weren’t laughing at you. They were just laughing. And you certainly don’t look ridiculous because of your mutation.” You held his cheeks, bringing him down so you could kiss his nose.

“I feel foolish.”

“You know you’re allowed to have fun, giant orca man or not? You’re so handsome and your smile when you were talking with everyone was even more handsome. You deserve to dress up and eat sweets and joke around.”

He affectionately nudged your forehead. 

“You missed so much fun and playing around when you were a kid. So let yourself be a kid again, even if it’s just for tonight.”

His tongue graced your nose. You kissed him back. He muttered, “Will you stay beside me for a while?”

“Of course I will.” You took his hand as you opened the door, leading him back out to the party. Out of everyone, he’s earned the right to relax. And you were going to do everything in your power to make sure he enjoyed himself.

[littlemoondarling]

And now for the "OC asks part II"

2 - Fran, 3 - Theodore, Uni, Voya and Elliot, 5 - Theo and Rouge, 9 - Marcel, Damiano, 12 - Ahmya and Ayumu, 16 - Angel

2. Is there a meaning behind their name, or a particular reason why they have it? (either in the story, or why you as the author decided to give them their name) Fran

Fran's mother died during childbirth and Rouge learned that her name was Francissa so he named her kid after her, Francis but it might as well be nonexistent because no one ever calls him that.

3. What does their voice sound like, in a couple of words? (ie soft, scratchy, seductive, high-pitched, etc) Theodore

Teddy's voice is extremely deep and low pitched, it grasps anyone's attention and refuses to let go. He has a tendency to roll alot of his "r"s and his voice raises and falsl as he speaks giving his speech a melodic quality. Also something I don't get to talk about alot, he has a lisp.

Uni

Uni's real voice is a mystery cause the one she uses is very carefully crafted (as is everything she does) her pitch is slightly lower than average and she speaks slowly with care put into her words, she can switch from soft and silky tone to a demanding and authoritative one within seconds

Voya

They don't exactly talk, especially after they can't get access to their needed medication and the isolation. But back in the day they had a very loud and high pitched voice especially when they would get excited.

Elliot

Elliot has a very quiet and raspy voice, he mostly speaks in whispers. He inherited a certain musical tone to his voice that makes it feel like he's singing every sentence, Angel really likes that so they try to get him to talk about things he likes.

5. Does their fashion sense reflect an aspect of their personality? (ie bright and colorful outfits symbolizing that they’re an upbeat person) Theodore

His gothic style is him trying to disconnect from a very traumatic period in his life where all he was dressed in was frills and pastel and dresses, same reason why it took him a while to feel comfortable in feminine clothes again. Also it's a bit of a rebellion against his mom whom HATED goth. Also I just think he looks good in black and he seems to agree.

Rouge

YES YES YES THANK YOU! Adult Rouge has through 2 major styles, the first one is well following the trends of the time closely, with the addition of personal flares in form of a corset and everything being tight. His second style is when he sticked to a more Victorian inspired suits with lotsa frills, embroidery and most importantly... cleavage. The first phase is when he was still very restricted, following what is expected from him rather than what he desires, while the second style is him being influenced by the wildness and freewill of Theodore, and slowly but surely that was reflected in Rouge's own wardrobe as he fully embraced the things he like.

9. What is their main love language? (gifts, quality time, acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation) Marcel

To word it as normally as possible, acts of service and gifts, to put it as it is, killing your abusive parents and gifting you their skulls.

Dami

I still don't fully have their character nailed down tbh, but it would mostly be physical touches. Because they are pretty traumatised, they enjoy having alot of personal space and have zero issue with biting a chunk of flesh off if you touch them without permission, so if they initiate the touch then know you are a very special person to them.

12. How do they feel about romantic relationships? Are they into casual flings or more serious, long-term romances? Or are they uninterested? Ahmya

Oh she is dedicated! She hates short term relationships or ones that are just for fun, she likes to settle down and have a domestic life with her special someone and has no issue waiting for them to show up.

Ayumu

He is too obsessed with his work to even glance at romance, and even if he tried, his father would humiliate him and ruin it. But if he did get the chance to be with someone, he would be like his sister, his life is so hectic so it would be nice to know that there is someone you can go home to and just.. chill

16. How do other characters in the story view them? Angel

Oh man, this depends on what character you are asking. Elliot sees them as an angel, they are sweet, naive and a bit chaotic but they are truly the love of his life and he wouldn't trade them for the world.

Dami sees them as a well meaning but unlucky idiot, but they are her idiot you know?

Rouge sees Angel as a bit of a burden, but in the way your beloved kitten can be a burden when she flings herself on the heater, throws up on the carpet and covers the whole floor with poopoo sand, like you love her but come on!

Theodore admires their ass, like they are his favourite singer and their confidence in the face of all the shit that happens to them is inspiring.

Timothy is more or less neutral about them but does appreciate to have someone so fucking weird make it big, it gives him hope you know.

Ahmya's eardrums would burst if she listened to a single song from them and due to Teddy's constant nagging for her to give them a chance she now only feels hatred.

For Ayumu they are more of a guilty pleasure, like do they like the music style? In very specific songs, yes. Does he just love the absolute fucking chaos and manic energy Angel brings to an otherwise normal interview? YES.

Marcel doesn't know they exist, neither does Voya..

Lucifer adores them, they are his baby and his greatest accomplishment (that is alot coming from a man who singlehandedly killed a god, practically rebuilt a whole realm and defeated and undefeatable army) did they turn out like he was expecting? Absolutely and positively no, he couldn't have been more wrong in HIS LIFE! But that is the beauty of chaos, you never know what you'll get, too bad he didn't see them mature and get into a happy relationship tho.

Uni and Alexandria... they see Angel as an anomaly that should be studied and contained at ALL COSTS

[churchyarddirt]

Fyodor's ideal female lover headcanons? You can add nsfw

Such an interesting and a rather lovely request ♡!!!! And yes, I shall add NSFW, since I am a sucker for it ^^ I truly love Fyodor so it was fun writing this !

Fyodor's ideal lover would be such an interesting woman, if you put your mind to it! Someone to catch Fyodor's romantic attention, what kind of person that is?

Well to begin...Fyodor's lover would be beautiful and attractive. It is stated that Fyodor likes pretty people, so it's not surprising that once it comes to dating, he prefers his women breath-taking.

I would say since he is Russian, that means he is tall himself and would prefer a lover to math his height (over 1.70/5'7), so she would be tall and the only thing that people notice once she walks in the room. He wouldn't mind having a shorter s/o, but his preference is defitnely a taller model height.

This man is a busy and wanted criminal, so super clingy s/o isnt for him, he needs someone with discipline and patience. Sometimes Fyodor could be away for 6 months or even a year, If you cant do long distance, then you won't work.

I also feel like Fyodor would prefer someone with European features and beauty standards. Like light eyes, light skin, taller figure, long legs and slender arms.

He likes his women educated and smart !!! It doesnt mean that you should be an expert at math, but you should enjoy reading books and have some sort of knowledge about psychology, history, philosophy and occult. If you can't keep a conversation with him, he probably wouldn't appreciate his time with you.

You dont have to agree with all of his views, but you need to understand his reasons behind it.

A s/o who is into history, art and classic or gothic Victorian music is defitnely and eye catching sight for the rat himself.

He would prefer a s/o that understand/speaks Russian, or at least is willing to learn, he would find it adorable and admirable.

He would love it if his lover would at least be close to his intelligence level, or would be smart enough to understand and crack him up.

An obedient s/o is always appreciated, however if you can put on a bratty or dominant show once you're alone - he will melt in your arms.

He would like a lover who can spend many weeks alone. Or a girl who doesnt need physical or verbal contact, he needs a lover that can feel connection with them from only being present in 1 room, not speaking, just reading or working. An independent lover is ideal for him.

You shouldn't have an ability, but maybe, if you had, he would think its different, because of you.

He finds a human with hobbies beautiful, if you have a thing that you are dedicated to then you get bonus points.

A lover that knows how to take care of him is ideal for him (but he wont admit it). Fyodor is anemic and has bad health issues, and even worse habits. If you can make him improve himself, he will cherish you.

I feel like he would prefer a girl who matches his confidence level ♡

NSFW

To save time, Fyodor would prefer already experienced women, but the act of making you scream for the first time really intrigued him.

He is into body worship, tell him that he's divine.

His urges arent really strong and he truly can wait a week or a month if its needed, so quickies isnt common (only if you are both on mission)

He would much rather see you in hot lingerie, than butt naked. It makes him feel like you put more effort that way

His nails are long and he intends to keep them that way, so I hope you like pain.

His phase is rather slow and hard. I wouldn't label him as a freak in bed but I know deep down inside he is into knife play.

Sometimes thinks of just killing you while he is pouting the shit out of your body, but it's just a mere thought of his that will probably never come true because he likes you.

Aftercare is a must, so whenever you two have sex, he makes sure he doesnt have to leave next morning. He is gentle and mostly takes care of last might bruises.

Fyodor doesnt mind taking you forcefully, however he tries not to. He is practising consent. So whenever he wants you to be in a mood he will suggest you read a certain book, it usually starts off sweet but turns into hard erotic novel. It always works.

Fyodor, due to his anaemia, can get weak. So sometimes after sex, he will just straight up collapse on you.

He is into degrading and chains. A rope bunny is ideal for him. But he wont degrade you if you ask nicely.