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calliopes_pen) wrote2024-10-06 04:08 pm
calliopes_pen) wrote2024-10-06 04:08 pm
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Dear Yuletide Letter 2024
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.
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, Covid/pandemic references or situations, PWP, watersports, rape, incest, underage, mpreg, omegaverse, bestiality, cannibalism, necrophilia, kidfic, fast moving zombies, tentacle porn, sex pollen, RPF. Animal cruelty (when the animal is not secretly Dracula in bat or wolf form). Character bashing, politics.
The fandoms I requested this year are the following: Bram Stoker’s Van Helsing (2021), Count Dracula (1977), Dracula - Bram Stoker (Novel 1897), Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), Hrabé Drakula (1971), Phantasm (Movies)
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?
Pairings I enjoy: Mina/Jonathan. Jonathan/Dracula. On the platonic side, there’s Renfield and Mina, or Van Helsing, Mina and Jonathan.
There are quite a few 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, Quincey Morris
Van Helsing left a letter (never delivered) before he went to the graveyard, in the event that something befell him and he was killed. What if he was actually bitten during the course of that night when he held vigil near Lucy’s crypt?
This would be up to you, dear author, for whether it was Dracula or Lucy that bit the fellow. Given they weren’t nominated this year, you can have the bite happen on or off panel, or just deal with the fallout. Jonathan, Mina, and Seward weren’t nominated either, so if you don’t want to deal with them, and just Arthur or Quincey, I’m fine with that.
Personally, I feel like if things got out of hand and a blood exchange or something happened, then a partially turned Van Helsing would be dragging Seward off into a dark corner first. If you want him to go after that shooter of bats, Quincey Morris, first, though? Feel free. I’d love to see Quincey’s reaction to such a scenario when all he knows is he once lost a horse to the regular kind, and something kept taking all of Lucy’s blood.
Other prompts involving the nominated characters:
-Either Quincey or Arthur’s reactions (or both) to what happened on October 3rd. We only know that Quincey patroled the grounds in the aftermath, and that Arthur discovered Renfield had passed away, and that the documents were burned. Neither has a journal, but it would be interesting to see the two of them dealing with the potential outcome together.
-What if Mina’s soul cry wasn’t enough to snap Van Helsing out of the hypnosis when he was there to slay the Brides? How much worse would things get for everyone if Van Helsing fell into the power of the Weird Sisters/Brides of Dracula? If the others succeeded in killing Dracula, could Van Helsing be induced to get Arthur into the castle? Are they a worse threat when the Count is destroyed?
-As they travel to hunt down Dracula, Jonathan writes the following: “The journey may have had incidents; I was, however, too eager to get on, to care for them.” I would love to know what incidents went on, while Jonathan was focused on Mina. What mysterious or amusing things happened to or around Van Helsing, Arthur, and.or Quincey?
Pairings I enjoy whether or not they were nominated: 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.
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
Characters: Any
Those nominated this year: Dracula, Jessica Van Helsing, Johnny Alucard, Lorrimer Van Helsing.
What changes if Jessica Van Helsing goes to Johnny Alucard during the black mass, as he entreated? Is she killed? Or would she become another means to harm the Van Helsing family line, by being transformed into a vampire, even as Dracula is resurrected? If it’s the latter, what is her grandfather’s reaction? Can he slay her, or would he hesitate?
Keep in mind that Vampire Johnny could have bested Lorrimer Van Helsing, until Johnny got himself killed in the shower.
Other prompts:
-What if Jessica were bitten and changed right after being captured by Johnny? She could have played her newly transformed wits against her grandfather, and assisted Dracula in his schemes, if that were allowed.
-A newly resurrected Dracula’s first order of business: Tracking down and biting Lorrimer, rather than Jessica.
-Johnny Alucard isn’t killed in the shower, and manages to do some further damage in the story. (Even if Alucard’s death scene does make me laugh every single time.)
Pairings I enjoy: Johnny Alucard and Dracula. Van Helsing and Dracula.
You can find Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) here, on 123Movies.
Hrabé Drakula (1971)
Nominated: Arthur Holmwood, Count Dracula, Jonathan Harker, Mina Harker.
What if Dracula bit and turned Jonathan, instead of Lucy? When does it occur, and how much does everything change? How do Mina and Arthur respond to the situation? Does Jonathan, newly transformed, pay Mina a visit and try to seduce her? Lucy wasn’t nominated, but feel free to include her in the chaos if you want! She might not handle the supernatural very well.
I’m pleased that I managed to get someone to nominate this film for me. Dear writer, you likely won’t be familiar with this particular version of Dracula. It's a quick canon to consume, being that it's only an hour and sixteen minutes long. While you can find it on Youtube, that copy doesn’t have English subtitles.
You can download the film, and the accompanying subtitles from this folder on my Google Drive. It could previously be found here, on Internet Archive, when I first wrote this letter. Until the site was hacked. I am leaving the link there in the event that it should come back online.
Other prompts:
-What would have happened if Jonathan had actually reached Dracula at Lucy’s funeral, rather than the Count simply disappearing?
-What if Mina were too far gone at the end? What if Jonathan has accepted this, when he hands of his knife to Dracula? We see her running through the castle, giddy as a child; she has enough fantastic vampiric power in her by this point that she’s lighting the lamps and candles with a wave of her hands. Who turns Jonathan, Mina or Dracula?
-What if Arthur never told the others that Lucy had paid him a visit after becoming a vampire?
-Mina’s feelings as she loses pieces of her humanity.
-How did Jonathan and Arthur first meet? Did they only know each other through Lucy?
-We get the “this man belongs to me!” from the Count, about Jonathan. Unlike the novel, however, Jonathan is sitting up and not pretending to be asleep during this scene. He just seems mildly concerned that it could be a dream later, when we suddenly cut from there to him sitting up, and Count asking him to pen three letters.
Did the Count hypnotize him into returning to his room? Could they have spoken of the incident, and then make Jonathan forget?
-They mention that the moonbeams are dangerous. I would love to see a changing Mina (perhaps in an AU where things went worse) use some her newfound ability to manipulate them to startle Jonathan when they reach the castle. Or, somehow, trap another (Arthur?) How malevolent could she get, using that for travel as the vampires do?
-Van Helsing told Jonathan not to kiss Mina while they were in the castle, and she was so close to changing. They were interrupted by the Brides, who tried to lure Mina to them. What if they hadn't been? Would Jonathan have simply returned to her in the bedroom, ignoring the warnings? Could we have her swaying Jonathan to her side in private? Or, perhaps, ensuring that she isn't stopped if he sees she does want to go to the Brides.
I love the history of this adaptation. While I’m not entirely certain this is the first film to show the Count going down the wall in lizard fashion, it does appear to be the first version to show the blood exchange between Mina and Dracula, and the first to have an epilogue that’s 7 years later, just like the book. You also get what might be the first attempt at Jonathan whacking Dracula in the head with a shovel, even if a look stops it.
There are several differences sprinkled throughout it, too, and Renfield and Quincey were cut. Jonathan has total amnesia (and already knew everyone; Seward’s his doctor!) about his experiences in Transylvania until Lucy’s funeral. Arthur believes in Lucy’s transformation sooner, as in this version she comes to him while he’s in mourning; he throws garlic at her, which passes right through her.
You get to see Mina entering the castle toward the end, and with a whirl of her hands (or a light switch in reality) all the lights are lit. Jonathan is prepared to stab Dracula, until he sees that Dracula has commanded Mina to potentially throw herself from a high window; in response, he hands the Count his knife, and then goes up the wall in lizard fashion himself to assist her.
Pairings I enjoy: Mina/Jonathan. Dracula/Jonathan. Arthur/Lucy. Jonathan and Van Helsing. Dracula/Lucy.
Phantasm (Movies)
Characters: Any
Those nominated this year: Jody Pearson, Mike Pearson, Reggie, The Tall Man
In Phantasm IV:Oblivion, The Tall Man urged Mike to take his hand in the desert, but he didn’t. He hesitated, and did appear as though he truly wanted to, though. What would have happened to Mike if he did? Would he be possessed as Reggie’s dream seemed to imply, or would The Tall Man become some sort of diabolical mentor in some fashion? Especially factoring in that gold ball in Mike’s skull.
If we matched on this, and you aren’t sure which films you would need to watch? I will say that continuity and coherency aren’t that big of a deal when it comes to this film series, due to how surreal things are. Characters can be utterly forgotten, and based on the last film all things are possible because of multiverses.
Some spoilers. Everyone might die at the end of one (Phantasm II) and then be fine or just retconned into not existing (Liz from II; maybe Tim after III) in the next.
Watch the first film, and then to know what happens to Mike (because of a cliffhanger) the beginning of the second if you like, until you cut to a recast Mike. That particular film really has no bearing on my requests. You can hop on over to Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead and Phantasm IV: Oblivion from there.
You can just skip Phantasm: Ravager.
Thanks to Tubi, I watched this entire franchise in about a week (they didn’t have Phantasm II; tracked that down immediately after viewing Ravager). Given the canon, feel free to make whatever you end up writing as surreal or dreamlike as you want. And if you happen to wander into Mike/Tall Man, please, please make certain it’s the adult version of Mike from III and IV.
Other Prompts:
-Exactly what happened to Jebediah Morningside on the other side of that portal? Was he killed and his form used, basically being copied? Was he possessed? Go as warped and creepy as you want with this one, given how the poor fellow ended up.
-When and how did Mike end up with a gold ball in his head? Could it have happened at any point during the events of the first film?
Pairings I enjoy: Mike and The Tall Man. Reggie and Mike. Jody and Reggie.
Phantasm (1979) is here on Tubi. Phantasm II (1988), on 123Movies. Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead on Tubi. Phantasm IV: Oblivion on Tubi. Phantasm: Ravager on Tubi.
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.
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I would definitely read that.
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I do wonder how Renfield would react to the Brides trying to convince Mina to come to them...
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I find that so incredibly poignant, I think you should write it. I can imagine Jack Shepherd's Renfield carefully preferring cocoa, no matter what he actually wants.
I do wonder how Renfield would react to the Brides trying to convince Mina to come to them...
My first thought is that he would have wanted her kept safe as in canon, but then how difficult to witness someone else—who doesn't want it—invited into the very camaraderie you are trying so hard to resist yourself. Would they appeal to him, too, to help convince her? Or is he no longer of interest, having fled Dracula's commands?