#rubedo killer

[ask-sibverse]

I have spent. Way too much fucking time on this. But here! Im opening asks for a side timeline for witchverse! Ask Morpheus (Nightmare), Rubedo (Killer), Albedo (Dust), and Citrine (Horror) whatever you'd like! (Star Sanses and others coming soon)

Info below the cut-

In this multiverse, what is referred to as "witchcraft" is essentially the magical application most AUs come to at some point or another. A sort of "truth" that the more one uses magic, the stronger they become and the longer they live. Witches are those who practice and study applications of magic with this understanding.

Morpheus actually had a "calm" period, while Pyrite (Dream) was still in stone. For hundreds of years, just maintaining the balance and not outright causing harm. It lasted until someone very dear and precious to him was killed and then he truly let the multiverse feel his rage and pain. This lasted until relatively recently, when the Dreamtale twins were finally able to agree to a truce. Moroheus's reasons for finally calming down again are unknown, but appear to coincide with the three mortals he has taken under his wing...

[ask-the-witchverse]

Some stuff about witches for this AU/blog

Notes

Rubedo (Killer) does not use any of these as she no longer identifies as a witch. Whether or not her broom is still bound to her is up for debate

Citrine (Axe/Horror) uses a staff to amplify his limited magic. Albedo (Dust) keeps his brother's wand instead of his scarf

Morph/Morpheus (Nightmare) is the only witch that makes potions, so there is only one cauldron needed in their tower

[itsabouttimex2]

Can I request a platonic yandere sun wukong and macaque realizing that the teen mystic monkey they've been raising is planning to leave ffm?

O Child of Unity

(I’m assuming you want Shadowpeach, then? I’m still not the best with it, but I’ll try! Also, a new bot is up!🧡💜 Also again, this fic is compliant with Deepest Hues- which I’ll expand on soon!)

There are four base colors in our world: black, white, yellow, and red. Together, these four hues represent the base components of alchemy- nigredo, albedo, citrinitas, and rubedo.

In times ancient and forgotten, a massive reservoir of these four colors existed in each corner of the earth. Like pools of chaos they surged, brimming with power and life. From each of these brightly-hued depths did an egg arise, containing a Mystic Monkey of incredible potential.

One of light. One of shadow. One of snow. One of fire.

And recently, a brand new simian, born of a union from nigredo and citrinitas, pitch black and bright yellow fusing their mystical lineage into a mottled green.

Their union blessed the world with a little virescent monkey, big eyes and soft fur-

You.

The world is such a wonderful place, you’ve learned. Geysers of boiling water and hunched spikes of snow. Sand white as bone and lakes stained pink by algae. Forests comprised of just one tree and diminutive flowers with digestive maws.

From book to book you’ve torn, indulging your curious brain in every last little wonder of the world- from glacial peaks to crystal caverns.

How many pages have you worn away by now, dreaming of wonders far beyond your reach? How many dreams has your mind spun, longing for something new? How many times have you lost the world to a lovely little daydream that took hours to shake?

A less generous eye would view this behavior as unhealthy. They might even refer to it as a ‘coping mechanism’, spending half the day locked into a foggy haze, pretending that life was more exiting, more fulfilling.

Even you had come to realize the inherent instability of your constant stupor, eventually.

All you have to do to fix this problem, then… is make those dreams a reality!

…right?

Right! No time to waste worrying!

Packing is easy! It used to be a time-killer of yours as a child, pretending to go on adventures across the world with only your trusty well-stocked backpack. All these little games were played out under the watchful eyes of your fathers, ensuring your fun never turned dangerous or led you somewhere that was off-limits.

You’d pick a locale and prepare for an ‘expedition’ with snacks and clothes, always running and asking Bába to open the pantry for you.

“A winter adventure,” Sun Wukong would lovingly coo, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Sounds like fun, bud! Don’t forget to pack your warm socks, kay?”

He’d laugh and play along, pushing sandwiches and chocolate protein bars into your hands, always with a pouch of juice to pair. Sometimes he’d go the extra mile of bagging them up, giving you a paper sack that wouldn’t be out of place on a field trip.

(How often you begged to be enrolled in school, physical or at least online. And your fathers would ‘tsk’ and shake their heads, but quickly promise you ice cream as a bandage balm for your youthful sorrow.)

And then he’d watch your little journeys with a quirked eyebrow, smiling as you pulled your plushes (given that you had no playmates outside of base simians and your often busy fathers) along and narrated your games.

You’d fill out a page in your bulky journal detailing the ‘journey’, consigning your little hours of make-believe to white pages.

And as you had grown, that many-paged journal stayed tucked under your arm, all your thoughts and hopes written away into it.

Even now, as you stare out at the endless horizon so plainly in front of you- the book is held to your chest, warmed by the excited beat of your heart.

It holds all those dreams you’ve dreamt for a full decade now, each one precious and utterly perfect to your nostalgic mind.

The grass is long and bright, glistening with morning dew. It sparkles under the rising rays of the sun, a picturesque landscape laying in front of you. Flower Fruit Mountain (Mount Huaguo, as your fathers sometimes called it) was beautiful. Is beautiful. But pretty can only satiate the mind for so long, and certainly couldn’t fulfill your wanderlust any longer.

You had explored every cave, climbed every tree, mucked every puddle, cuddled every monkey.

It had been nice. And you’d miss it, but-

The world was waiting!

And you could wait no longer.

Stuffing the oversized book into your backpack, you do the one thing you’ve wanted to do for years- and take off running.

Lush grass rips under your feet, laying in scattered half-length piles as your boots tear across the wet ground. Muddy footprints squash down flowers and weeds alike, nothing stopping your gleeful dash.

Over puddles and through tree crooks, beneath towering canopies and across deep ponds- you run. All that hampers you is the heavy bags strapped to your back and waist, full of the supplies you once only dreamed of handling during a journey.

A real, actual journey! How long had you waited?! Years and years! And it was finally coming true!

But you turn the corner of a rock too quickly, and smack head-on into something solid and warm, the figure grasping you tightly.

And all too suddenly, one of your fathers- Macaque- stares down at you, clearly displeased.

“Explain,” he sharply says, holding out the note you had left on the dining table, unfolded and excitedly penned. It had been written in such a rush of gleeful adrenaline that some parts are nigh-unintelligible.

But; even with wild pen scrawl and joyful errors, it was clearly an intended farewell.

The claw marks shredding through half of the paper is proof that he hadn’t exactly taken the notion well.

“Y/N. What the hell is this? You’re running away?”

“N-no! I’m just-“

“Do you think this is how it all works? You throw a note on the table and head out into a world you know nothing about?”

“I do know about the world! I’ve been researching it for years!”

“Your ‘research’ doesn’t mean a thing! You have no skills, no experience, nothing!”

“Because you won’t let me do anything!”

The accusation causes him to bristle in anger, lips pulled back as he snarls. His fangs, glistening and sharp, draw your attention.

(Sometimes you forget what Macaque has done. How scary he can be. Sometimes you forget that he’s never regretted his crimes. Moments like this are happy to remind you.)

Your bravado and boldness vanish startlingly quickly, shrinking under the furious gaze of the simian.

The Six-Eared simian snags your wrist, stomping over to a cavernous rift of shadows. With your arm held tight, he jumps in and drags you along.

You fall from a ceiling and into the waiting arms of your other father, Wukong. He grins and nuzzles the fur of his cheek to your own, relishing in the warmth of familial closeness. A golden brazier burns next to him, recently lit and brightly chugging the wooden fuel within.

“Someone was up to a little bit of mischief, huh?”

His reaction is the polar opposite to Macaque- where his husband blows up and seethes, the Great Sage lies to himself and pretends that everything is okay. It’s easier to think of his child as a little imp than an outright runaway.

As Wukong dotes, Macaque rips away the thick jacket and boots that you were wearing, throwing them into the nearest closet.

You didn’t need them, after all. You weren’t going anywhere.

Though a part of you is disgruntled to have some of your clothing torn away so suddenly, it’s only when he snatches the backpack that you scrabble from the Great Sage’s arms.

“Don’t mess with that!” You call, trying to wrangle the bag from his grip- but he’s got your journal before you manage to pry it free.

He holds the gargantuan journal, full of all the dreams you had through your life- to see snow penitentes, to view miscolored lakes, to visit ancient forests, to explore the world that had been kept from you for so long.

“This is what gave you those ideas? Your little baby book, kiddo?”

“It’s not-“

“Shut it! You tried to run away. You don’t get to speak right now.”

He takes a moment to breath, glaring at the offending journal. To him, the answer is clear- get rid of the book, and he’ll get rid of your silly ideations of “freedom”. If it comes undone to the very binds, then maybe you’ll give up on leaving and return to the cozy schedule your fathers adhere you to. Forehead kisses and morning cuddles, shared meals and long naps through the cold of winter.

Without it, his life will go back to being perfect, and to an obsessive villain like Macaque?

A little bit of your sorrow is worth the happiness that keeping you close brings.

“Enough of these pointless dreams.”

The Six-Eared Macaque stands to his full height, the multicolored glow on his ears fading to black as his eyes burned red. With one angry sling, he throws your book into the deepest ashes of the gilded brazier.

It catches quick, melting and warping for just a brief few milliseconds before incinerating.

You stand there for a moment in sheer disbelief, watching as a decade of heartfelt writing crumbles away in seconds.

The raw, unspeakable hurt it produces leaves you breathless and mute, incapable of summoning even a single sorrowful word.

Macaque staggers back as tears bubble up in your eyes- even the villain himself has realized that this was a step much too far. His intention; as often to the innocent and undeserving, was to inflict suffering.

Even his own family wasn’t off the table.

His sable hands are much too slow in retrieving the book from uncaring flames, snagging only an empty cover now bereft of inner pages.

Ruined. Utterly ruined and destroyed.

The slow realization that you’ll never have back your childhood journal, never read again your years of games and research, never write another word in the precious book, never finish it- never, never, never, never, all in a devastating row.

The realization sinks in slow, but clicks into place all the same.

A low whimper builds in your throat, slowly pitching up as wetness spill down your cheeks. So many tears fall that they blind your vision, pairing well with the sobs that escape you.

Wukong glares at his partner with boiling eyes, a look of outright hatred in them. “Macaque. What. The. Hell.”

“…they h-had to learn a lesson,” he weakly justifies, his cowardice bubbling up in full force.

Run from Five Phases Mountain. Run from the Brotherhood. Run from Wukong. Run from the Lady Bone Demon. Run from the Samadhi Fire. Run from consequences and run from heroes, and pray that everyone forgets how badly he deserves to be punished for his cruelty and arrogance and sins.

Still a little rat, slinking in the shadows.

“Get out,” the Great Sage snarls, fangs dripping with immeasurable hatred, and, as ever, as always-

Macaque runs.

Wukong turns to you as his pitch husband bolts, throwing off his chest-plate and wrapping his unfathomably powerful arms around your quivering form.

He’s warm, much like a spring of volcanic water, or sun-kissed wood.

Or a raging, burning fire.

You don’t really want to be warm right now.

But the ferocity with which you pound his chest and gut leave the simian utterly unfazed, shushing and hushing you all the same.

“Shh, pumpkin, shh. You know your Bába hates to see you cry. C’mon, let’s dry those tears. Y’know what? How about we get you some ice cream, bud? Something sweet and cold to make you feel better.”

Wukong doesn’t wait for a response. He rarely does. The immortal boosts you up into his arms, heading to the kitchen. He kisses your cheeks and forehead and the bridge of your nose, trying to placate your tears with an overdose of physical affection.

This was your life. Your world.

And you were starting to doubt that you’d ever leave it.

[calamitaswrath]

Thank you, Mira. Farewell, BLADE.

(Link to a proper full resolution view version of this picture, without tumblr's compression)

While X' servers were still up and running, I spent a lot of time wandering around Mira, tracking down other players' Crosses, and screenshotting them whenever they had what I would consider a "farewell message". And the other day, reddit user NoodleTF2 posted a compilation of places where other players' Crosses can appear on Mira, which featured several people that I never saw (or never saw outside of menus). This big chonker of a picture (seriously, it's 5850 x 4320 - make sure to look at it in a full view!) is the result of me compiling every single ones of these farewell messages into one singular pic. The centrepiece is an edited screenshot of my own, since I obviously couldn't screenshot my own Cross, and thought that the sunset view of NLA made for a good middle of it all.

Thank you for everyone who came together in X' last days. You all made the end something to remember.

Featuring:

Aeviann @baevi

Alban

Alex

Alice

Alvis

Amanda

Ambri

Amiya

Andrew

Apples

Aquila

Artek

Arugula

Aspirety

Aurora

Basil

Bernd

Bobby Joe

Britney Sp

Calamitas

Chicken

Corvus

Cross

Cross

Cynthia

Desu

Dimitri

Don Akechi

Duncan

Edx7

Ele

Elhaym

Elliya

Eve @faleve

Eve

Fina

Fiora

Flame

Fliro

Flit

Francisco

Galaxy

Gaz

Georley

Gigia

Gnosis

Hirschulat

Ilyana

Indigo

Jackson

Jacob

James

Jay

Jazz

Jenny X°X

Justin

Kairo

Kaz

Kerion

Killer Bee

Kleio

Kris @kay-faraway

Leonidas

Magnetara

Mario

Maya @wall-maria-around-ba-sing-se

Meivi

Miaa

Micahel

Micaiah

Michael @freakburger

Mimi

Minuske

Mio

Morp

Nanami

Nephiros

Nhi

Osmin

Patrick

Pneuma

Pyra

R-A

Ralph

Robert

Ross

Rubedo

Rus

Sam

Sarah

Scoren

Sette

Shigeru

Shunk

Simon

Skye

Soraya

Stella @eshehdafah

Sydnee

Travis

Tris

Vah Shan

Valerian

Vikky

Xelia

Yanis

Yuliya

Yuuki

Zac

Zero

[giornosnails]

something i did for my friends character universe

more info of the bug species in read more

species by order.

1st. albedo/dilligence, Venezuelan Poodle Moth,

2. rubedo/mirth, feather tail centipede,

3. nigredo/anguish, Phormictopus sp Dominican Purple,

4. citrinitas/odious, wasp - velvet ant/ cow killer ant

5. cortessa (oc designed by my friend) hammerhead worm

i havent designed outfits for some of them yet lol

[castlephantom]

Lament of Innocence things that I question myself (if I'm not alone 👀):

"They trusted each other completely, and they were bound by an old friendship."

The age gap between Leon and Mathias is literally 10 years. But that allows me to have some headcanon that Leon and Mathias knew each other because possibly their fathers were also knights or their mother had known each other.

"Rinaldo: The only person who truly understands it is Mathias.

Leon: If you are an acquaintance of Mathias, you are trustworthy."

Like how long Rinaldo and Mathias knew each other. Some think that they met few years ago but then is this line:

"Rinaldo: His family has a book of secret arts, originally handed down orally."

Which this gives me a theory that Mathias met Rinaldo when he was young. I can't exclude the possibility that Rinaldo also knew Mathias' father. I want to imagine that Mathias' father searched an alchimist and somehow he met Rinaldo.

"Succubus: Th-That old man... his own daughter..."

This really interesting aspect that Rinaldo's daughter, Justine, served her at one point if we take the comic, but I want to think that Justine was a teenager when she was turned by Walter and then was given to serve the Succubus. But then the alchimist says:

"Rinaldo: ... And at the center of it were the bodies of my wife and son... I could not believe my eyes... My daughter was there, laughing, blood dripping from her mouth..."

Justine was probabily outside before she became a vampire. After she was turned, she killed her mother and brother (and I think that she was the second born while her brother was the first born) and Rinaldo was in shock state.

The reason why Rinaldo didn't tell to Leon in the first place is because was uncomfortable topic after someone when really in hell and when he killed his daughter, Rinaldo cried about his family after he lost against Walter and stayed in the cabin, but want a revange for Walter had done to him.

"Rinaldo: Making the Philosopher's Stone is the ultimate goal of alchemy... It provides eternal youth. The two other stones were apparently created accidentally. No details of how they were made remain now."

So the Ebony and Crimson stones were creared accidentally? But if we look to create the Philosopher's Stone where were needed four stages:

nigredo, the blackening or melanosis

albedo, the whitening or leucosis

citrinitas, the yellowing or xanthosis

rubedo, the reddening, purpling, or iosis

This give a me a theory that the where other 2 stones besides the Ebony Stone (the weakest) and Crimson Stone (the strongest).

"Leon: I abandoned everything in order to save Sara! I could... I could never do such a thing."

At this point Leon was really in the most desperate to save Sara only to find out that Walter vampirized her. Leon didn't want to sacrifice her, but Sara felt that she would become a monster. Saddly, Leon made the choise that would bring the existence of the most iconic warpon: Vampire Killer.

"Walter: I see... It seems you have enjoyed the gift that I gave you.

Leon: Yes, thanks to that, I now have the power to defeat you."

Literally Leon was trying to say: Thanks for turning my girlfriend intro a vampire and now I have the power to kill you. (I didn't want to make joke about this, but this was probabily in Leon's mind)

"Mathias: That was my goal. It was my revenge against God!"

One thing that Mathias did this was because Elisabetha died and he was jealous of Leon that Sara was alive. But as I mention in the my post of cause of Elisabetha's illness, which I believe that was the real reason why she died.

"Leon: Is this what the woman you loved would have wanted? The Mathias I know would not have loved such a woman."

At first I thinked that "your wife didn't want you to become like this" but then something was in my mind that "do you ever thinked that your wife would be happy". Seriously Mathias. How selfish you could be? He uses Elisabetha as a pretext at this point for his goals.

"Mathias: Elisabetha was a kind, honorable woman. She was concerned only for me to the very end... That is why I hate Him! Am I wrong?!"

Are you sure, Mathias. I really think that Elisabetha is probabily felling sad at her husband's actions. Imagine if Mathias' parents watch at their son from afterlive and and be like: "... seriously son?! We didn't raises you like that!?". Also would be an argument between Leon's and Mathias' parents.

But imagine that after the events and Leon suddenly tells to Rinaldo about what happend:

Leon: Mathias is a vampire.

Rinaldo: Unfortunatly, he would become like Walter.

But after that tragedy, Leon married a woman that started the liniage so their descedents will hunt Mathias.

[vg-soundtrack-showdown]

Playlist of Undertale/Deltarune song recommendations

Playlist of Minecraft song recommendations

List of songs below

UTDR: [Undertale] Ghost Fight, Home, Heartache, Uwa!! So Holiday, Snowdin Town, Bonetrousle, Waterfall, Bird That Carries You Across a Disproportionately Small Gap, Dummy!, Spooktune, Spookwave, Spear of Justice, Metal Crusher, Another Medium, Death Report, Spider Dance, It's Raining Somewhere Else, CORE, Death by Glamour, Undertale, Song That Might Play When You Fight Sans, ASGORE, Your Best Nightmare, Finale, Here We Are, Fallen Down (reprise), Hopes and Dreams, His Theme, Bring It In Guys!, But The Earth Refused to Die, Battle Against a True Hero, Megalovania, Mad Mew Mew, [Deltarune] ANOTHER HIM, The Legend, Lacer, Rude Buster, Empty Town, Field of Hopes and Dreams, Lantern, Quiet Autumn, Scarlet Forest, April 2012, Hip Shop, Chaos King, THE WORLD REVOLVING, You Can Always Come Home, My Castle Town, A CYBER'S WORLD?, Smart Race, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO BE A, Pandora Palace, Acid Tunnel of Love, Lost Girl, Attack of the Killer Queen, BIG SHOT, Dialtone, Before the Story, Berdly (Rejected Concept), Vs. Susie, Faint Glow

Minecraft: Sweden, Haggstrom, Mice on Venus, Dry Hands, Wet Hands, Otherside, Pigstep, Cat, Infinite Amethyst, Rubedo

[foxceus]

rubedo and albedo role swap au!!! basically rubedo gets infected by u-do instead of albedo... more notes under the cut!!!

everything is Exactly the same up until the urtvs confront u-do. instead of albedo getting infected, it’s rubedo!!!!

since albedo has immortality powers in canon, that’s why he can’t end his life, in this case, rubedo doesn’t end his life because he’s the leader and he feels like he has to make up for everything. he’s extremely tied down to the past.

the way he goes about wanting to make up things is very twisted though since he’s been infected by u-do... so it isn’t as simple as just making amends. still workshopping this, but something about wanting to return everything to the past...

this is why he halts his growth. it’s all still really traumatic for him, but it’s more based in having misgivings about Everything that happened and wishing it Wasn’t Like That

rubedo is basically always in red dragon mode (rdm), he’s very angry and very closed off... he stays away from others.

since rubedo is seriously stuck in the past, he calls momo "sakura" and is really hung up on sakura in general.

rubedo is less likely to attack others (vs albedo in canon), he’s more vigilante.

nigredo fights rubedo instead at the song... since nigredo is the red dragon killer, it is even more fatal to rubedo (vs albedo), but they still cannot bring themself to end rubedo’s life.

rubedo gets picked up by sellers + u-tic. he does not like anyone in u-tic but it’s all he has, and he’s in survival mode anyway... so he has no choice in his eyes.

nigredo and albedo are rescued by chaos and canaan instead! and they run the kukai foundation. albedo is not charismatic at all and he doesn’t really try to open up to the public. people problems? it’s gaignun’s issue now!!! and gaignun is awkward too. it’s tough for them, but nonetheless they do what they can since albedo really hates dealing with people...

albedo’s alias is the name of roland’s horse. still kind of debating on french vs italian spellings (to be a nod to piazzolla), but we will get there!!!

albedo’s weapon of choice is an ether-based sword!! like the ones you see in episode ii. he’s also very knightly in how he attacks, as opposed to jin’s swordplay.

bonus of rubedo without his cloak :}

[pomegranateteeth]

Second Wind | Link

Do you want to continue? EDM house and techno with an epic video game protag vibe mostly | Track list under cut

Kill Or Be Killed - Freshman + Tiley Remix - Muse // Waterfall - Toby Fox // Prince Sidon’s Theme - The Greatest Bits // Right This Second - deadmou5 // The Blade Chose Me - Rainbowdragoneyes // Hang’em All - Carpenter Brute // Drop Gems - ensnare // Singularity - Dunderpatrullen // MariannE - Yooh // Advanced Cells Colonization - Fixions // You’reMine - Carpenter Brut // Enter the Gungeon - Doseone // Bfg Division - Mick Gordon // Veil Walled Garden - The Luna Sequence // Tristram Village - FamilyJules // Mania - Alon Mor // Ftp - MASTER BOOT RECORD // Murder Music - Raydar // Unification - Arighoul + Priest // Scherzo No. 5 in Death Minor - Hollywood Burns // Spear of Justice - Toby Fox // End Is Near - Pegboard Nerds // Giant - Skan // Find You Now - Technikore // Rare - Going Quantum // Warrior of the Night - Aero Chord // Head Splitter - Getter // Encore - Wildstylez // Call me it. - t+pazolite // Are You Serious - Axel Boy Remix - Pink Guy aka Joji // Your Best Nightmare - Toby Fox // Isolation - Inova // Hero - Pegboard Nerds // No Glory - Skan // Tokyo - Jinco // Intense - Armin Van Buuren // Electra Heart - MARINA // Time Bomb - Feint // Attack of the Killer Queen - Toby Fox // A Sene of Something - Canape Lee Remix - Waveshaper // Crypteque - Chipzel // Moonlight Sonata - cYsmix // ResuReaction - Palate Perfectio Knights // Milosh - Infected Mushroom // Spooky Tune - PrototypeRaptor // Client - Magic Sword Remix - Waveshaper // Spiraling Down - harvo // Rubedo - Lena Rain // New Jersey Transit - Hot Sugar

[anncanta]

The imagery of BBC ‘Dracula’: mythology, alchemy, literature. Part 3

Part 1.

Part 2.

Alchemy

Consideration and analysis of alchemical images in any modern text always encounter the same problem: unlike mythological or literary images and symbols, alchemical ones do not have their own ‘vocabulary’ which authority the researcher can rely on. Simply because the meaning and significance of alchemical texts were deliberately obscured by their authors in order to make complex and potentially dangerous knowledge inaccessible to the layman. However, some key elements of alchemical philosophy and theory – thanks to C.G. Jung and his school – can still be tried to be seen and analyzed. According to the Jungian theory, alchemy is primarily about transformation, change, as well as the connection between the external and the internal, the spiritual and the physical, the ordinary and the magical.

Based on these ideas, I chose among the many alchemical images used in Dracula, those that I want to talk about in this article.

It is color, blood, and metamorphosis.

Color

The symbolism of color in alchemy is complex and diverse, but the most important for it is the visual ‘orchestration’ of the main alchemical process – the creation of the philosopher's stone, or the Great Work.

Based on the logic of the study of Jungian philosophers and psychologists, I propose to consider it here as a metaphor for the development of the spiritual principle and the passage of a person on the path of self-improvement.

Black

The first color that we encounter in the story of Dracula is not red, as one might expect. Anyway, that's how it happens in the BBC film. In the same Bram Stoker's Dracula by F.F. Coppola, the Count initially appears before us in the first scene in red, not to mention the red skies and the spill of scarlet blood in the prologue. In BBC Dracula, at the beginning of the first episode, there is practically no red. But quite a lot of black.

In the alchemical tradition, the black color is associated with the original matter that has not undergone a transformation, the very basic material from which everything comes, a universal dough that can take any form when touched by the spirit. In the alchemical narrative, this is a matter before purification, primitive chaos.

I would say – psychological infancy.

What does Dracula look like appearing on the stairs in front of Jonathan Harker the first time they meet?

This is one of the most interesting things about the BBC film. Contrary to the expectations of the audience, taught by ‘vampire’ stories and tuned in to the perception of a certain aesthetics, Dracula's clothes are not black.

No black cloak, no raised collar, no grim Gothic aristocrat. Before Jonathan appears a nondescript old man in a dress of either gray or brown. Strictly speaking, it is hardly possible to determine the shade of his clothes at all (there is a hint – surprisingly, the printed fabric of Dracula's robe resembles the color and texture of the stone walls of the castle, forcing the viewer to ask himself at the beginning what is hiding behind this hardened shell?). This uncertainty is all the more interesting because the more time passes, the more not only the face and figure of the Count will change, but also the color and style of his clothes.

For the first time, black appears at dinner, during which already pretty shabby and emaciated Jonathan asks Dracula if there are living people in the castle besides them. In this episode, the Count is completely dressed in black – the only bright spot in his suit is a white collar, reminiscent of a colorata. Dracula casts a mocking glance at Johnny and replies, ‘No, Jonathan, there is no living here.’

And this is absolutely true. At the level of the plot, because Dracula is not alive, but at the symbolic level – because he is at the stage of ‘black earth’, completely belonging to mortal matter, not spiritualized and undeveloped. It does not even have a voice yet and it does not realize that it needs transformation.

After several episodes and dramatic moments, in which darkness and blackness from different sides show the nature of what is happening in the castle and with the Count himself, after Harker, exhausted, almost drunk down and destined for destruction, comes to his senses in the basement, finally appears the cloak.

This is a new form of manifestation of black – because it is no longer an amorphous color that appears here and there (among the many moments of black color appearance, the cloak also flickers, but as the robe of a dead man rising from the grave, and neither Jonathan's attention nor the viewer's one lingers on it), but the attribute of the object with which the hero interacts, the object that is this hero`s distinctive feature.

Even more. Pay attention to how Dracula puts on the cloak. In addition to the Count's inherent desire to show off and produce a stunning effect on the trembling victim, in this movement – a cloak thrown over his shoulders, fluttering like wings – there is a hint and a premonition of black not as chaos, but as the beginning and the dark night of the soul.

In the meantime, it is a cloak that covers the secret of something that has already arisen and is slowly ripening inside. This is confirmed by the red joined to the black – the lining of the cloak, symbolizing both blood and the next stage of the Work, called by the alchemists rubedo.

But this is still a long way off.

First, you need to put the original matter in the crucible and let it heat up.

This process has already begun in the castle. The interaction between Dracula and Jonathan, which we considered earlier, can also be considered from the point of view of the alchemical Work – the result will be the same. There is evidence that the combination and mutual influence of these two ‘substances’ have done their job in the color scheme of the same scene on the roof. First, Dracula, putting Jonathan on the sunlit part of the roof, lies down next to Harker, spreading his cloak – with the red lining up, and then, surrounded by golden rays (not yet reaching for Dracula), they engage in a dialogue about the sun, which at this time of year, according to Dracula, sets behind the second highest mountain peak and should be quite red.

Everything is ready for the next stage of transformation, which takes place in the convent.

We will not delve into the symbolism of the monastery, just note that it represents two key things for alchemical metaphor: the hermetic space (crucible) and since in this case, there is a nunnery, the habitat of the anima.

What happens when Dracula appears in the monastery?

According to the alchemical tradition, in order to begin the process of transmutation, it is necessary to put the primordial substance (dark matter) into the fire.

Remember what Dracula does when Agatha invites him to ‘step out of the shadows’?

He knocks over the lamp. After that, a man covered in red appears from the black skin of the wolf.

Red

Since the moment Dracula entered the monastery, a lot of blood appears in the film. For comparison – during the entire stay of Jonathan in the castle, there was almost no blood on the screen. Despite the fact that then the Count was actively feeding on Harker and was clearly experimenting with ‘brides’ in the basement. And only when the story went beyond Dracula's inner world, and (to use the same alchemical terminology) Dracula's ‘shell’ cracked, the streams of blood literally filled the visual plane of the text.

This continues throughout the second episode, and here it is important to pay attention to the fact that in parallel with the ‘blazing’ of red in the guise of Dracula, white begins to appear over and over again (a white shirt in combination with a black vest in interaction with Agatha – by the way, in contrast to a tightly buttoned black cape or a tuxedo in communication with the passengers of Demeter in reality) until it ends with the visual dominance of a white blouse before the hero`s being confined in a sealed box for the further process.

The white color symbolizes the albedo stage – the last before the appearance of the magisterium, the philosopher's stone. We'll come back to white later, but for now, let's continue with red.

After the awakening of Dracula in the twenty-first century, red becomes the main color, and at first glance (as, indeed, in the second episode), it seems that this is due to the desire of the creators to portray the hero as a bloody killer. At a certain level, this is true. At the plot level, red is associated with Dracula's attack on victims and blood. But on a symbolic one, everything is more complicated.

This is best illustrated in the scene at Bob's house. From the point of view of storytelling, it is difficult to imagine an episode in which the inner content would be conveyed so accurately, succinctly, and voluminously using different, complementary tools.

Look. When Dracula enters the house, both the hallway and Kathleen's bedroom are immersed in deep red. At the level of the plot, it, of course, means the predatory nature of Dracula and his desire to devour Kathleen the same way he devoured her husband. At the same time, note that there is a lot of red at the beginning of the scene, but it does not dominate, does not absorb all other colors. There are gold, blue, gray, navy blue mixed with it. A bit black, there is white and others. But as Dracula first conducts a conversation with Kathleen, and then switches to Zoe who came after him, red becomes more and more, and when Zoe enters the house, there are simply no other shades left.

And here is the most interesting thing. Dracula bites Zoe, and she ends up in his head, in his ‘mind palace’. Speaking about this scene, it is usually indicated that the image of Dracula's ‘mind palace’ is presented in a deliberately ‘vampire’ aesthetics, which emphasizes, again, his predatory nature. But if we look at this scene from the point of view of the alchemical metaphor, we see a lot of red and an almost complete absence of black.

Black, chaotic, primitive matter almost receded, practically disappeared, remaining in the background as dark spots and tree trunks – ‘rods’ (the very frame, without which incarnation is generally impossible), and everything else is red. Looking down, Zoe sees a red liquid, and the first thought that arises when we are looking at it: it's blood. Well, it is, indeed. But it is also a visually shown onset of a new stage of the Work, the rubedo stage, at which the old solutions no longer work, and new ones have to be looked for.

Part 4.

[bunny-rambles]

Reading the Harbinger reader brainrot has brought back my own brainrot specifically about Diluc and Kaeya.

Basically the reader is a retired harbinger who turned in their resignation due to reasons they don't want to speak of but they have to constantly remind people that they're retired because everyone assumes they're going to cause trouble when they just want to eat and sleep. They catch the attention of the knights and Diluc after moving to Mondstadt for their retirement. Then some more issues with the Fatui pop up involving delusions and the reader gets dragged into it (literally at some point) complaining the entire time because God fucking dammit they just want to enjoy their meal in peace you fucking assholes! Let them sleep!!!!

I haven't been following you for long but what I enjoy most is your writing. It might be hard to believe but your writing is pretty damn good and I always find myself coming back to reread your stuff (specifically about Rubedo) although I don't really understand the people who simp for Scaramouche (too smol for my liking lol) you do you, I ain't gonna say anything when I simp for an attempted serial killer (Rubedo)

I also just relate to your current issue with burnout. I don't know if burnout is the right word but I've been in that state for years now. It's been forever since I properly wrote smth and even then I never like them because I lose motivation easily and it looks like shit (to me) though the reason it's been so long is probably because I have been diagnosed with depression.

Other than that you just seem like a fun person to chat with and be around irl, the kind of friend I'd share a sense of humor with and such. It's easy to tell just from the way your write your posts.

Again, hope you feel better soon from this burnout! There's no need to rush things as Zhongli would say as long as you don't push it, I'm sure your burnout will end soon!

🐈‍⬛-anon hopefully I'm using the right emoji

i do relate to your harbinger reader can’t lie, I have had days where all I would like to do is sleep and have some peace and quiet but-

well life isn’t as kind as i’d like it to be lmfao

Nice idea, maybe develop it a little more and I’m sure you could honestly make a series out of it, I understand feeling like everything you come up with is shit honestly. But then I remember I’m a harsh critic on myself, I’m probably nastier than any reader to myself about my own work. I realised that yesterday when I wrote something I finally thought was good enough, but then I reread my old stuff and yes, although my writing has improved imo, there was still some good ideas there, and I didn’t let them flourish too much because I thought they were bad. I kind of regret it now.

So my advice, don’t listen to yourself that much. I’m sure what you’re thinking about or your writing itself isn’t shit. There’s always room for improvement, but you have to take the first step to make that improvement. Practice makes perfect my friend :,)

But thank you, I’m glad you see me that way !! We probably do have some similarities, but only time will tell about that

Ah, I can’t not listen to the ex-geo archon ): I shouldn’t rush, you are right indeed Zhongli <3

I hope you feel better soon too, my friend. If you haven’t already, I hope you receive treatment soon. I’m currently going through that stage now. You’ll have bad days, you’ll have good, just don’t give up <3

[theanimaproject2020]

The Premise.

The late Arch Scientists were responsible for bringing Alchemy to the modern world, a huge catalyst for human progress like never seen before. This gave rise to the existence of Alchemists, using the new powers for innovations and enforcing the law. One day, the scientists were tragically murdered in an accident a few years after their discoveries, their lives taken by one such Alchemist. As a result, what could have been an exciting new era for man turned to a crawl as the Alchemists fight their battles in a world of doubt and mysteries waiting to be uncovered.

“Anima” follows the story of the scientists’ only child who shares the same name. 16-year-old Anima Arch lost his parents to the accident when he was just a child, having caught a glimpse of the killer wearing the crest of the Alchemists supposedly protecting the city of Rubedo. Anima and his childhood friend, Aurum, now delve into the vast world of Alchemy to seek his parents’ killer and the reason for taking their lives. But without the ability to use Alchemy himself, Anima must resort to another powerful mean to combat the Alchemists he will meet along the way to the truth.

[ask-the-witchverse]

Rubedo! (Witchverse!Killer)

Magic focus: blood magic (or something similar to that)

Species: Demon (according to her)

About: Rubedo's human eventually decided that the most entertaining thing to them was to essentially experiment on Rubedo. Over. And over. And over. After all, they could just Reset if anything went wrong, right? Rubedo was permanently altered in various ways because of this, eventually (somehow) developing "blood magic, and instinctively using it to permanently stop the human. When that happened, Rubedo lost herself to an almost "feral" state until Morph found her and essentially brought her home.

Warnings: do not refer to Rubedo as "Killer," even though she is a Killer!Sans. Do not refer to Rubedo as he/him. Has an EXTREMELY bad trauma response to any magic being used on her at all, even healing magic.

[ask-the-witchverse]

Ask the Witches: Albedo (Dust Sans)

Magic focus: "chalk" witch (focus on written/runic spells and sigils) with a particular skill for curses

Species: skeleton

About: Albedo was a "typical" Dust Sans timeline for a while, at least until the human "flipped the script" and essentially ran a "pacifist" run, getting Flowey's assistance and tricking Papyrus into helping them both (by ensuring Papyrus heard Dust killing Toriel and convincing him he was going to kill everyone else, including Asgore. Which wasn't a lie, but still). This led to an attempted execution of Dust (the human thought this would break and demoralize him into stopping). Attempted because while the Underground began burning him at the stake, Dust screamed out a curse that effected the entire. Underground. (It also had the unintended side effect of saving Dust's life). All the SOULs of the Underground were left trapped as restless spirits, unable to move on, unable to be killed, unable to do or effect anything at all. The human thought they could reset and continue but the curse persisted. And persisted. And persisted. Until they finally gave up, leaving Albedo alone in his empty AU. Until Morph found him, unlike most Nightmares, Morph found Albedo first and not his Killer (Rubedo), and brought him to his tower.

Warnings: Albedo and his brother are on EXTREMELY bad terms, due to Albedo feeling betrayed by his brother for helping the human get everyone to burn him at the stake, and Papyrus feeling betrayed for Albedo killing people and then cursing both him and their entire home. Albedo keeps his brother's wand on it, but it is not regularly put on display. Albedo also has significant triggers from being burnt at the stake, mostly related to temperature and specific smells but can be other thibgs