Dear Yuletide Letter 2023

[calliopes_pen]

The first half of this letter is copied from previous years, since my likes and dislikes are about the same. Many prompts were copied over as well, though amended in light of who was or was not available in regard to the characters.

Dear Yuletide Writer,

First of all, thank you so much for signing up Yuletide writer. The fact that you are thereby offering to write even for one of the fandoms that I inhabit is delightful. If it was more than one fandom that we matched on, I’m pleasantly surprised.

Before I get started, let me say one thing. Just let the prompts take you where they may, and I’m certain that I’ll be happy. Try not to feel pressured or like you are being forced to write by these specifications, and have fun. This isn’t a point-by-point thing that I demand you stick with. You can pick whichever you want to do. You can mix and match if you like.

I’ve made a jump list to make things a little easier, just like last year’s letter, and the one before that for however many years back. You can skip around to whichever fandom you matched on faster that way. Also, for each fandom I will provide a list of pairings that I am fine with seeing, whether or not they are already canon, as well as where you can find each.

If you do wish to see what I have written for prior Yuletides, please step right this way. I’ve been doing Yuletide since 2006, and have only had to sit out two of them. You can also look back at previous Dear Yuletide letters I have written via the Dear Yuletide Letter tag, which accompanies this post.

I am fine with gen, het, or slash. If you want to do anything pairing free, that is completely fine with me, as well. For me, the characterization is the most important aspect of the story. Just do your best. Use your own judgment for what works from the huge selection of prompts, and I’m sure I’ll love the end result.

The fandoms I requested this year are the following: Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing (2021), Count Dracula (1977), Dracula - Bram Stoker (Novel 1897), House of Dark Shadows (1970), House of Usher (1960), and The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

So now we get to my likes, as well as my dislikes. My likes: Plot. Victorian horror, gothic literature (encompassing romance and horror), horror—psychological or otherwise, slow building suspense, ghosts/spirit visitations/séances, haunted houses, demons, werewolves, folklore, mythology, dark and twisted fairy tales, darkfic, vampires, Hammer Horror Movies, possession (ghostly or demonic) and exorcisms, mind control, hypnosis, character studies, adventure, action, unreliable narrators, missing scenes, devoted friendship and relationships, character development, introspection, what if AUs, worldbuilding, snark.

Also (breaking this into another paragraph due to wall of text): 19th century Spiritualism, vengeful spirits, hurt/comfort, graphic violence, PTSD, eldritch abominations, Stockholm Syndrome, sensory deprivation, brainwashing, drama, nightmares, sleepwalking, mystery, gaslighting from evil vampire Counts, fantasy elements, Faustian bargains/pacts, captivity, slow moving zombies, black magic/rituals/summoning of something, necromancy, graveyards, mounting dread, '5+1' things, epistolary novels/diary format.

Dislikes/Do Not Want To Read List: Cancer. Body horror, when it is outside of the realm of vampirism, lycanthropy, ghosts, or the supernatural. PWP or anything explicit; rape, incest, underage. Mpreg, A/B/O. BDSM. Bestiality, necrophilia, kidfic, fast moving zombies, tentacle porn, sex pollen, RPF. Another major one that I am including given the course of events in these past few years is covid-19, or non-supernaturally occurring pandemics and politics.

This is a blanket statement for all requested fandoms: Yes, treats will always be welcome, if you are so inclined!

I selected “My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)” for all of my requests. Feel free to use whoever you so desire in whatever prompt you happen to select, and if you end up using more than what I requested, I’m sure I’ll be fine with that.

Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing (2021)
Characters: Any
Nominated: Abraham Van Helsing, Arthur Holmwood, John Seward, Lucy Westenra

What if Arthur chose Lucy in the end, and escaped with her? He was very close to losing himself entirely as it was. Would they stalk the night together, and cause even worse problems for Seward and Van Helsing (and, eventually, Jonathan and Mina, since Mina pops in at the end with his journal)

This film takes place entirely during the time that Lucy is being preyed on by Dracula, with a slight AU twist in that she bites and briefly enslaves Arthur once she becomes a vampire. In this particular incarnation, Dracula is only ever seen as fog, or you see the back of his cape as he approaches Lucy’s bed.

Other prompts:

-Arthur remains affected and is soon in league with Dracula, despite Lucy being staked. Since Dracula himself wasn’t nominated, you can either leave him on the sidelines like the malignant force that he is if you like. If you want to write him, I would be equally delighted. Would Arthur be turned by him, or merely used as a pawn to learn their plans? Would he use the man to thwart efforts to find him?

-What if, despite Lucy’s destruction, Arthur remained allied more toward the undead in secret? Does Seward notice subtle cues pointing toward this first, or would it take someone like Mina or Jonathan to detect it somewhere down the line? Does Arthur sabotage attempts to defeat the Count?

-What if Dracula had also bitten Seward? If they had two under attack, Van Helsing would be run ragged. What if both of them turned? Or, to change things, what if Lucy was saved, and Seward turned? That poor maid would likely get eaten by one or both of them no matter what happened.

Pairings I enjoy: Lucy/Seward. Lucy/Arthur. Lucy and Van Helsing. Seward and Van Helsing.

You can watch Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing (2021) on Tubi (here) or on Youtube (here, for free).

Count Dracula (1977)
Characters: Any
Those nominated this year were: Mina, Jonathan, Renfield, and Van Helsing

What if Renfield did as Dracula wanted? What if he hadn’t tried to warn Seward and instead did as Dracula expected and drank from an “initiated human”—meaning Mina, somehow, while Jonathan and Seward were in shouting distance? Mina might do likewise, being in Dracula’s power at that moment from all that was implied. Or maybe it’s her choice. How would this work without drawing attention, and how would the men not notice?

Does Jonathan notice anything odd about her at all later? Was Mina encouraged to “initiate” Jonathan, turning him and also providing Dracula’s own blood to do so faster? And if he was turned, what would the four of them (since Renfield’s bound to get out of that cell even if they don’t come for him; seriously, the guy’s fantastic at that, so he’s right behind them eventually) manage to do before they were found out?

I loved this particular version of Renfield, (and Jonathan, and Mina, and pretty much all of them aside from Quincey’s accent) so have fun with it.

Other prompts:

-A nice quiet moment of downtime, perhaps with the Frank Finlay!Van Helsing making his patented hot chocolate for Jonathan, and getting more out of him than he allowed himself to write in his journal. Perhaps the man suspects something was omitted, and manages to pry it out of the other gentleman. Just to ease both of their worries, would he lace it with holy water? Another idea: perhaps it’s the day after the blood exchange between Mina and Dracula, and it’s his way of being certain that he wasn’t tainted without his knowledge.

-Renfield asks to speak with Jonathan, to the man’s confusion. He confuses Jonathan further by inquiring if the Count ever initiated him while he was away from home. Perhaps it is Renfield’s way of warning him of what there is to come, since begging Seward with that tantrum earlier didn’t work. Does Jonathan figure out the danger and act?

-Somehow becoming the Count's disciples, and/or becoming initiated, Jonathan and Mina are completely in the Count's power. They are instructed, with Renfield's presumably reluctant assistance, to stop Van Helsing from meddling in his affairs. Does Van Helsing already suspect something?

If there was no biting involved, then neither of them have fangs. Perhaps it is not so obvious in their appearances, but in their mannerisms. How are they different in Van Helsing's presence? Can Van Helsing reach them beyond their control? And is there a strange team up with a fretful Renfield, in order to bring them back towards the light? Renfield did like Mina when she was herself, after all. It stands to reason he wouldn't care for what she (or, by extension, Jonathan) was becoming.

-What if Renfield begged Van Helsing to let him go free of the asylum, hoping he might sway Seward for him? Could he even be calmer about it, and less hysterical than in canon? If he were let go for some reason, would he be spared from being murdered by Dracula? And would he then request to assist everyone with Mina if the blood exchange still happened, given his fondness for her?

Would he be allowed to go with the men as they travelled, to aid in keeping Mina safe, or is that a step too far for everyone? Could Van Helsing handle keeping an eye on both a gradually turning Mina and Renfield as they rode?

-Jonathan and Mina, reuniting in the convent. We didn’t get that in the movie, just them arriving home (via a carriage evidently driven by Dracula!) and hearing the news of the deaths of Mina’s mother and Lucy (her sister in this version).

Pairings I enjoy: Mina/Jonathan. Jonathan/Dracula. On the platonic side, there’s Renfield and Mina, or Van Helsing, Mina and Jonathan.

There are many uploads of Count Dracula (1977) across Youtube. The best uploads I’ve found are here and here.

Dracula - Bram Stoker (Novel 1897)
Characters: Any
Those nominated this year: Abraham Van Helsing, Arthur Holmwood, Brides of Dracula, Captain of the Demeter, Dracula, John Seward, Jonathan Harker, Lucy Westenra, Mina Harker, Peter Hawkins, Quincey Morris, R. M. Renfield.

The others never saw the harm in Mina and Jonathan continuing to share a bed following the blood exchange between Mina and Dracula. What if she did fully turn, and put Jonathan into her power? How would things change? Does anyone recognize the danger? Where are they during their journey when it happens? Or if she doesn’t fully turn, perhaps she has just enough of the power in her to ensnare his mind. Given what he stated in his journal, he likely wouldn’t have fought her at all.

Other prompts:

-What if Jonathan had been bitten by Dracula, and forced to drink his blood? Would Dracula’s movements in England bleed through a link and induce his night terrors? Can Jonathan sense what is happening with Lucy via the connection?

Would Jonathan be desperate to see Lucy in person, despite Mina’s efforts to assuage his agitation? And if the two of them went to Lucy’s side and saw what state she was in, would she survive? Could Jonathan explain himself to the ones tending to her, or would he keep silent out of fear?

-What if Dracula planned to survive any attacks on his life? What if he was able to send his spirit into the nearest suitable host, perhaps the one that killed him? Quincey died, but Jonathan didn’t. Would Mina suspect this, being as close as they are? Would Dracula subtly take over Jonathan a bit at a time to prolong his terror, or would it be very obviously not him? Would he attack Van Helsing outright? Would Mina be the key to Jonathan’s salvation?

-The Scholomance was briefly mentioned in relation to Dracula. I would love to see more of that, and whether he harnessed any black magic from there to survive his death at the hands of Quincey and Jonathan. Or, perhaps, during his time in the castle, Jonathan becomes enthralled and forced to participate in something of that caliber.

-What if Jonathan’s mental state were not quite right Mina arrived at the convent, from the repercussions of his “brain fever", and further terrified recollections? How would Mina handle him? Does he think the brides are hunting him, or are his warnings far more grandiose and nonsensical? What if he was never completely stable again? How would things be different? How does he behave towards everyone, in addition to the canon nightmares? Does it delay Mina in joining the rest to stop Dracula? Is Jonathan somehow used by Dracula against them, due to his vulnerability?

-Quincey tries to help Jonathan learn to use various weapons. Perhaps he even tries to take him under his wing, and be a big brother since everyone the poor man knows is dead, or almost damned.

-Jonathan and Renfield bonding, to the surprise of everyone (except Mina, most likely). How close do they become, and does Renfield survive the events of October 3rd in a world where Jonathan takes more of an interest in his welfare? Would Jonathan even argue in his favor prior to that, when Renfield begged Seward to be released?

-Arthur and Jonathan trying to find something in common, when Arthur had to stake Lucy, and Jonathan never wants to harm Mina.

-What if Mr. Hawkins didn’t die after Jonathan’s return, or still had a few good months left in him? How would Mina and Jonathan have eventually explained the situation with the Count? Would Hawkins have believed it, and trusted in his surrogate son? Or would he think that he was still ill, and should rest? I think a talk between him and Van Helsing might be fun.

I would also think that, since he basically considers Mina the daughter he never had, Mr. Hawkins would also want a piece of Dracula after the events of October 3rd. I don’t know if he would be well enough for chasing a vampire across Europe, but his reaction to everything would be interesting.

-What if Jonathan died what was believed to be a natural death one night, shortly after Lucy died (the first time, not when she was staked)? Perhaps even shortly after Jonathan saw the Count in Piccadilly, in a world where the Count saw him, too. Perhaps the Count gave him a dose of his blood. Perhaps Jonathan even turned. How would the group handle Lucy and Jonathan at large and biting children and gradually larger prey?

Does Jonathan try to lure Mina out to attack her if he remembers his past even a little, or does he just haunt the streets and graveyards, seeking victims the way that Lucy did? Is Mina enlisted to stake her husband by Van Helsing (Quincey and Arthur and Seward at her side after seeing the truth for themselves) and could she even do such a thing?

I would love to see an undead Jonathan roaming the city, or even trying to share a hidden crypt with Lucy. Can the two even recognize each other, or are they considered just competition for food? Would they have a shred of protectiveness toward each other, as they are turned by the same sire?

-Jonathan, going out windows and down the walls in lizard fashion from time to time, to the consternation of everyone. Jonathan, before the events of October 3rd, trying to teach Quincey and Arthur how to do the same because (he argues oh so politely) it could very well be a vital skill at a crucial moment!

One never knows when all the doors and windows will be locked and bolted. How does Van Helsing feel about this insistence, and about watching Jonathan perform these acts? Is he concerned that he had tasted the Count’s blood?

-When they investigated Carfax, Jonathan (and Arthur) believed someone was lurking in the shadows for a moment. What if Dracula didn’t simply do that, but spirited away Jonathan, when everyone was distracted by the rats? What do the others do in the chaos? Does Jonathan get bitten, or (if Jonathan isn’t grabbed) witness such befall someone else? Or is one of them or both he and Arthur, given blood to drink and thereby no longer to be trusted?

-When they’re on the train, Jonathan writes that “the journey may have had incidents,” but that he was too eager to move on and therefore he didn’t care about whatever was happening. Was there anything outrageous, ridiculous, or melodramatic happening when he wasn’t paying attention to it? Was it a murder mystery? A theft? Some petty grievance? What if Seward or Arthur tried to get his aid? Are they worried about him and just trying to get him out of his avenging shell, or genuinely needing him to help them?

-What if the Brides of Dracula (or the Weird Sisters, if you prefer) did succeed in turning Jonathan? Would he be content to hunt in the village and stalk the castle's corridors, or would he have grander aspirations and try to get back to England, too? Does he get the ladies to come with him, or does he abandon them, too? Is he still desperately remembering Mina and wish to turn her to share the wonder of a new world, or is he content to stay with the ladies? Does he want to run wild in England? Does he want to confront the Count?

-An AU where the Brides manage to get into communication with Mina, thanks to all of them having the psychic connection with Dracula. Is Mina able to tell the others that she's being hammered by four minds now, and not just one? Does Van Helsing pick up on anything from them by mistake during the hypnosis sessions?

-AU: Vampire Lucy escapes her staking. Ignored by Dracula, she tries to lure Mina to her side, either right before or after the events of October 3rd. Does Jonathan guard the two as they meet from friend and foe alike, openly seen by the women, and protective? Or does he just worry about the whole situation while trying to maintain their unique friendship?

-AU: Van Helsing gets bitten and fed blood by Dracula out of revenge for prolonging Lucy's life as long as he did, rather than that fate being inflicted on Mina. How does Seward react when he finds out? Who notices the signs first? Given the fact that we know that Jonathan didn't realize what was happening with Mina?

-AU: What if Jonathan ended up halfway turned into a vampire? Perhaps he's vulnerable to holy objects by the time he arrives at the convent. How would he react, in his confusion? How would Mr. Hawkins and Mina later accommodate his odd needs from an unknown ailment? Would Jonathan react in a different manner than his PTSD caused when he saw the Count, grown younger?

How would this knowledge change things with Van Helsing and the rest of the crew? Would he be treated with wary concern or some shred of distrust? How would Arthur feel about everything, having just staked Lucy? Does he pity him, and desire to make him comfortable as best he can?

-He's in the tag set and the only one that I haven't come up for a prompt for, so--have Lucy and Mina encounter the Captain of the Demeter, shortly after Dracula came ashore. Vampire or ghost? Your choice. Does the spectral Captain want revenge on Dracula for what he did to his crew? Does he haunt the vampire? Or does he first turn up after the rest of the cast bands together, perhaps while someone handles the clippings of the Captain's log?

Does Jonathan fear that he's slipping back into brain fever and delusional? Does Quincey shoot at him? Is it Arthur who figures out he's not there to harm them, or Mina (since she does love a good ghost story, and might connect the dots)? Could the Captain's ghost fend off Dracula on the night of October 3rd, or do some trick or possession to wake Jonathan in time/cause a commotion before things go too far?

Pairings I enjoy: Mina/Jonathan. Dracula/Jonathan. Lucy/Mina; Lucy and Mina. Jonathan and Lucy. Jonathan and Mina and Lucy. Mina/Jonathan/Lucy. Jonathan/Lucy. Jonathan/The Weird Sisters, aka The Brides of Dracula. Quincey and Jonathan. Quincey/Jonathan. Jonathan and Arthur. Jonathan and Seward. Jonathan and Van Helsing. Arthur/Quincey. Arthur/Lucy. Lucy and Seward. Mina and Van Helsing. Mina and Quincey. Mina and Seward. Mina/Seward. Seward and Van Helsing. Mina and Renfield. Jonathan and Renfield.

If you don’t have access to the novel, you can read it online here or here on Project Gutenberg.

If you want to listen to an audio version of it, I recommend Re:Dracula.

House of Dark Shadows (1970)
Characters: Any
Those nominated were: Barnabas Collins, Carolyn Stoddard, Maggie Evans, Willie Loomis

After she was turned, Carolyn was eventually staked by Stokes, with the assistance of the police and Roger. But what if she had managed to escape this outcome? What if she bit Maggie out of hunger, jealousy toward Barnabas, or something entirely different? What does everyone do next?

With the above prompt, feel free to go as dark as you want for potential outcomes, as the source material did that all on their own previously. Does Maggie turn? Does Barnabas still go after her? Is Willie in Carolyn’s power, too? She did bite him, and stuff him in a coffin (before Barnabas found him).

If you feel like including anyone else that hadn’t been killed off in the film by this point in the storyline, feel free to do so if the mood strikes!

If you haven’t watched the 1960’s series, all you need to know is that this movie takes a completely different alternate universe path, towards outcomes that never happened in particular storylines over there. So you’re good to go in regard to canon if you stick with the one film, and can stick with just that storyline going absolutely horribly wrong if you were overwhelmed. Enjoy!

I have been a Dark Shadows fan ever since it aired on the Sci-Fi Channel in the early 1990’s. Even if the film is a bit bloodier than that, with tragic and dire consequences as a result of Barnabas getting out of the coffin, I adore this film. It feels like something from Hammer.

Other prompts:

-At the very end of the film, Barnabas is sprawled on the floor, staked by the bolt of the crossbow that had been forced through his back. However, after the credits, a bat flies away and his body is gone. What does this mean for the few survivors? Would Maggie still be in his power, or could she prepare herself for the next time he appears?

-What if poor Willie wasn’t at peace? What if being the tormented servant to a vampire made him turn after his death? We don’t know if Barnabas is definitely defeated, and therefore something may still be active in Willie’s blood. Or perhaps Willie becomes a ghost, wanting to warn Maggie of more potential horrors?

-What if Willie had survived, and not taken a crossbow bolt to the back? Would Maggie try to form a tenuous friendship with him, knowing he was one of the few that could understand what she had been put through?

Pairings I might enjoy: Maggie/Barnabas. Carolyn/Todd. Maggie/Carolyn. If this were the canon of the 60’s tv series, I would say Julia/Barnabas, but not with the way things played out here.

You can find House of Dark Shadows (1970) here, over on Putlocker It is also available on Youtube (for free, with ads).

House of Usher (1960)
Characters: Any
Nominated this year: Madeline Usher, Roderick Usher

What if Madeline and Roderick were not entirely human? What if there was a grain of truth in Roderick’s beliefs, thanks to a pact or something else in the Usher lineage? Is it simply black magic tainting them, or some diabolical creature on the grounds that they are connected to? What if it was more than trauma after Madeline was buried alive?

What more might Roderick have seen and sensed and suffered when gazing upon his sister in this state, if it was not madness and a need for revenge from being buried alive?

Other prompts:

-What if Madeline survived after the house fell? Could she recover anything of what she was after being buried alive, and put through such torments that left her screaming? Could she go away from that house in mind, as well as body?

-What if, instead of getting buried alive, Madeline ended up getting bitten by a vampire? I half expect that if she made fewer noises as she stalked the night, Roderick might be slightly more content from not hearing an extra person wandering about. A supernatural silence might be nice, or it might torment him ever further, and make him believe it was exactly what they deserved.

Or would he find the thought of a diabolical progeny overrunning things even worse than naturally giving birth to another generation of Ushers? Would she torment him, or would she bite him? What would that put him through?

The only ones nominated from the film were the Ushers, so I tried to tailor my prompts to fit only them, if I could. If you feel like including Bristol the butler, or Philip Winthrop, by all means, feel free to do so. I liked both of them.

You can find House of Usher (1960) here, on Putlocker.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)
Characters: Captain Eliot, Clemens, and Dracula
Those nominated were: Captain Eliot, Clemens, Dracula, and Anna.

What if the Captain was turned into a vampire at the end? He lost his crew, and his grandson. What if he lost his soul to Dracula, too, becoming much like Olgaren? The crucifix provided him with no protection. He was tied to the wheel, defenseless. What if, after his body was taken away by those that found the shipwrecked Demeter, he rose again?

Continuing on from the above: What if the Captain continued to stalk the night in Whitby, either alone or with Dracula for a time? Would more tragedies unfold? Would Clemens become aware of this, and become embroiled in things? And if he did, what could he do?

Other prompts:

-Clemens followed Dracula out of the pub and into the into the fog. What does he do next? Does Dracula just lure him around town for evil laughs? Does he begin to torment him? Do they stalk each other briefly, before Dracula returns to the novel’s canon? When does Clemens lose track of him?

-If you just want Clemens to bump into everyone from the novel’s main Dracula cast, I would find it delightful. This is not required, mind you, even if I would love it.

You can find The Last Voyage of the Demeter here, on Putlocker.

That's all for this year! Again, have fun writing whatever fandom you selected from this letter, and I'm sure I'll love the end result.