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faisul · 1 year

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Hell in Paradise

By Faisul Yaseen

On a chilly December morning, something took over J, a young baker in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district as he went on a rampage, killing his mother and two others, and leaving his father and five others injured.

“He started attacking everyone ferociously like a bear. I don’t know what happened to him. It was as if he turned mad. He even attacked me and dragged his mother along and killed her too,” J’s father says, unable to come to the grips of the tragedy that has befallen the family.

As the cold winter paved way for the blooming spring, it was déjà vu.

This time another son went bizarre in north Kashmir’s Sopore area when he strangled his mother to death.

Rewind to the blazing autumn, and we see the same tragic events unfold in Kehribal village of Anantnag.

A son, along with his friend, tried to snatch money from his mother, resulting in an argument between the mother and the son.

Infuriated, the son beats and punches his mother forcefully, resulting in her fall inside the kitchen of their house.

With the help of his friend, the son brings a big stone and hits it on his mother’s head, leaving her dead.

The heartrending story is played over and again.

What toxicity is in the air?

All the three sons involved in the gruesome murder of their mothers are said to be involved in substance abuse.

Professor at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), Kashmir, Dr Arshad Hussain says that though substance abuse is associated with harm to self in most instances, in some circumstances it is associated with violence to others.

“Most of the research done in the field does conclude that substance use like alcohol and cannabis are associated with increased crime rates,” he says. “They are associated with aggression which doesn’t have a stop button as drugs cut the brakes in our frontal lobes which otherwise modulate our behaviours. Rising crime rates and accidents are indirect heinous costs of rising substance use.”

*****

Narcotics is the third largest business in the world with a turnover of 500 billion US dollars, and, according to the latest World Drug Report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), some 35 million people globally are suffering from drug use disorders.

In Kashmir too, drug addiction is becoming a rampant phenomenon, bringing other associated crimes along.

According to the ‘The National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India’, one million people in a population of 12.5 million in Jammu and Kashmir have fallen to the menace of drug addiction.

What lures people in Kashmir to substance abuse?

“Various factors,” says Prof Aneesa Shafi, Head of the Sociology Department of the University of Kashmir (KU).

“Our value system getting weak, global connectivity, media, restricted entertainment sources, peer pressure, easy access to drugs, and shrinking space for expression are some factors that push people to substance abuse,” she says.

Those indulging in drug addiction mention other factors too.

K, who is in his early twenties, says that in his teens, he used to be distressed due to the expectations of his parents of excelling at studies and would often remain confined to his room.

“To complicate matters, the girl I loved turned me down,” he says.

Unable to deal with rejection and failure to shine at studies, K was drowning in the pool of depression when a friend suggested trying cannabis.

“It gave me a high,” he says. “I was hooked.”

Within sometime, K began trying other drugs like heroin that completely derailed his life.

Soon, he was a school dropout.

*****

The substance abuse in pop culture too has impacted the lives of youth.

With easy access to Over The Top (OTT) media platforms on their mobile phones, some substance abusers say that popular Hollywood movies like ‘Train Spotting’, ‘Pulp Fiction’, and ‘The Basketball Diaries’ and TV shows like ‘Narcos’ and ‘Breaking Bad’ influenced them in doing drugs.

Others say they were swayed by the mention of intoxication in poetry like Allama Iqbal’s couplet, ‘Mai ḳhana-e-Europe ke dastur nirale hain; laate hain surur avval dete hain sharab aḳhir’ or Bashir Badr’s, ‘Na tum hosh main ho na ham hosh main hain; chalo maikade main vahin baat hogi’.

Yet others say they started doing drugs for the exploration of creative processes, something that has been in discourse for long.

Thomas De Quincey’s ‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’ published in 1821 had first romanticised the link between intoxicants and artists’ careers in songs, novels, and films.

Head of the Psychiatry Department at Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, Dr Muhammad Maqbool Dar is of the opinion that unregulated media and social media were playing the main role in pushing youth to substance abuse.

“Youth get influenced by what keeps coming on the media and social media over and over,” he says. “More than the influence of drugs in pushing them toward crimes, copycat homicides and copycat suicides are a bigger concern.”

*****

Though the phenomenon of drug addiction in Kashmir has witnessed a surge in recent years, Kashmir has long had its tryst with substance abuse.

Seeing faith healers and traditional musicians in a state of high has been socially acceptable since long.

In their book ‘Dimensions of Drug Abuse in Kashmir: A Study of Anantnag District - A Sociological Perspective’, Shahzad Wani and Pirzada M Amin write that drug abuse has been prevalent in Kashmir society for a long time and functioned as an institution in the form of ‘Takayas’.

‘Takayas’ used to be the havens of cannabis consuming addicts in Kashmir that used to have such social acceptance that people would even send them a share from their feasts.

By the 1990s, the menace of substance abuse had started taking root in Kashmir.

In 1993, Dr Mushtaq A Margoob and Dr K S Dutta set the alarm bells ringing in their report ‘Drug abuse in Kashmir – Experience from a Psychiatric Diseases Hospital’ published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.

Their report stated that the menace was “touching new heights”, the situation would eventually become “explosive”, and “urgent steps” needed to be taken to curb it before it was too late.

Noted Kashmiri poet, writer, and satirist Zareef Ahmad Zareef blames the political leadership for failing to control the menace of drug addiction in the region.

Giving the example of Mao Zedong, Chinese communist revolutionary leader and founder of the People's Republic of China, Zareef says Zedong eradicated both consumption and production of opium in China during the 1950s.

Under Zedong, 10 million addicts were forced into compulsory treatment, dealers were executed, and new crops planted in opium-producing areas.

*****

The situation regarding substance abuse has gone so bad now that a recent study done by the Psychiatry Department of GMC, Srinagar revealed that Kashmir had surpassed Punjab in drug abuse cases and was currently positioned at number two among top drug abuser regions in India not far behind Northeast.

According to the study, a whopping 33,000 syringes are used to inject heroin by drug abusers in Kashmir every day.

The worrying sign is that most drug abusers are in the age group of 17 to 33 years and unemployed.

The study says that on an average, a single drug abuser spends Rs 88,183 every month on substance abuse.

The COVID-19 pandemic also complicated the matters.

According to doctors, the substance abuse among the addicts increased during the pandemic because of boredom due to lockdown.

With the ‘dark web’, tech-savvy youth have easy access to illicit drugs.

*****

As youth continue to fall into the rabbit hole of substance abuse, calls for awareness and rehabilitation are growing shriller.

A study ‘Drug Addiction Causes and Awareness among people of Pulwama District of Jammu and Kashmir State’ by Tahira Sidiq, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Nusrat, and Feroz Ahmad Wani in the Saudi Journal of Biomedical Research says that 94.17 percent respondents they surveyed were not aware of the process of drug de-addiction.

The study urges society elders and religious leaders to come forward and support people who want to eliminate drug abuse from J&K.

*****

As drug abusers frequently feel alone and alienated, religion plays a role in providing spiritual assistance and builds their capacity to overcome this problem.

The holy Quran has several references against intoxication.

Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verse 219 states: “They ask you about wine and games of chance. Say: ‘In both these there is great evil, even though there is some benefit for people, but their evil is greater than their benefit.’”

Chapter 4 (An Nisa) Verse 43 states: “Believers! Do not draw near to the Prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying nor while you are defiled - save when you are travelling - until you have washed yourselves.”

Chapter 5 (Al-Maidah), Verses 90-91 state: “O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions are all evil of Satan’s handiwork. So shun them so you may be successful. Satan’s plan is to stir up hostility and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling and to prevent you from remembering Allah and praying. Will you not then abstain?”

There is also mention against intoxication in the Hadith.

Al-Bukhari (4087) and Muslim (1733) narrated that Abu Musa said: “The Prophet (SAW) sent Muadh ibn Jabal and me to Yemen, and I said: O Messenger of Allah, there is a drink that is made in our land and is called al-Mizr, which is made from barley, and another drink called al-Bit, which is made from honey. He said: “Every intoxicant is haram.”

Al-Bukhari (4343) and Muslim (3032) narrated that Ibn Umar said: “I heard Umar say from the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (SAW): “O people, the prohibition of khamr was revealed when khamr was made from five things: grapes, dates, honey, wheat and barley. Khamr is whatever befogs the mind.”

*****

Kashmir lacks proper facilities for rehabilitating drug users and lack of knowledge regarding drug addiction, detoxification, and rehabilitation.

The governmental agencies, educational institutions, NGOs, and other social work organisations need to scale up their awareness programmes.

As some substance abusers die of overdose while some commit suicide when they become hopeless, parent and care knowledge also needs to improve.

Professor in the Department of Psychiatry IMHANS, Kashmir, Dr Yasir Rather says there are Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) in all district hospitals of J&K.

“However, there is also a need for long-term rehabilitation centers that would provide comprehensive treatment – a combination of medical, psychological, and social services to help individuals overcome their addiction and regain control of their lives,” he says.

Though the crackdown of law-enforcing agencies’ against drug traffickers has been welcomed, people are also suspicious at times.

When former Punjab chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh spoke about the drug menace in 2018, he told Hindustan Times, “One new source of drugs is Kashmir despite so much security.”

However, SSP J&K Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) Vinay Kumar says that policing related to narcotics and awareness was getting better.

“Every year, we used to register around 22 to 23 cases under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1988, however, in the year 2022 we registered 235 cases under PITNDPSA,” he says.

Kumar feels that as Police are getting teeth to seize the financial assets and properties of the repeated offender, the results on the ground are getting better.

Stressing that while the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had informed the Lok Sabha that 4.6 percent of J&K population was involved in substance abuse, he says that according to IMHANS, Srinagar, only 2.5 percent of Kashmir population was involved.

Kumar says that the first priority of the Police Department was to take action against those working on the inside of the organisation for drug smugglers.

“Cases have been registered against BSF officials, CRPF officials, and Police officials. Five to six Police officials were chargesheeted in a single case,” he says.

While dealing strongly with drug traffickers is a welcome development, there is a need to treat substance abuse as a disease and drug addicts as diseased, rather than criminals.

*****

L, a youth who has been sober for the past 2 years after being a chronic addict for over 5 years says he owes his recovery to his parents and medics who treated him.

“If my parents wouldn't have been understanding, I would never have been able to come out of this abyss,” L says. “If I could fight addiction, anyone can.”

Greater Kashmir

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bookishcarmela · 5 months

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Shadows of Affection

warnings: alcohol abuse

slow burn Coriolanus Snow x reader, slight Felix Ravinstill x reader

Chapter 2: The Zoo

As you made your way to the lunch hall, you spotted Felix and the others enjoying their meal. A few tables down, Sejanus sat alone at a table set for three, likely waiting for Corio and you. It was a routine, his ritual, always saving a spot for you even when Felix whisked you away before you could join them. His persistent attention toward you was evident to everyone, but despite your fondness for Felix, you hadn't quite seen him in that light.

you settled beside Sejanus, exchanging greetings and a small smile. "Congratulations on the reaping today. You got the pick of the litter," you said, trying to uplift his mood. But instead of a cheerful response, Sejanus sighed heavily. "What's wrong? Aren't you happy?" you inquired, to which Sejanus replied hoarsely, "You forget. I'm part of that litter."

His words lingered, echoing the struggles he harbored from his past, despite the decade he'd spent in the Capitol. you considered Sejanus a friend, but his refusal to let go of his past hindered his potential to embrace what the Capitol offered. "Sejanus," you began, your words trailing off as Corio's chair scraped against the floor, announcing his arrival. "Are you okay, Corio?" you asked, concern etching your voice. He looked pale well paler than usual, almost on the verge of sickness. Corio slumped into the seat, his normally composed demeanor crumbling. "I'm fine," he muttered, but the sweat on his brow and the discomfort etched on his face spoke otherwise. "Corio, you don't look fine," you pressed gently, leaning closer to him. Corio shook his head, his stubbornness evident even in his discomfort. "I said leave it, Y/n!" he snapped, his tone cutting through the air. you sat in silence for a few seconds as you absorbed the sting of his words. Anger and frustration surged within you, and Coriolanus let out a sigh. "Y/n, I'm-" he began, only to be abruptly cut off by the end-of-lunch bell.

Without uttering a word, you stood up and left, the weight of his scolding lingering. It wasn't that you werent accustomed to Coriolanus's temper; you had grown up together, and you had learned to navigate it. But you despised being scolded, treated as if you were a child. How dare he speak to you like that?

The rest of your classes passed in a haze of frustration, and you dreaded the prospect of heading home. Luckily, school let out a little earlier due to the reaping, providing you the chance to head straight to my room without encountering Quincey.

Quincey Bradford, the man your mother married just two years after your father's death, wasn't the result of true love but rather convenience. After your father's passing, your mother spiraled into a destructive cycle of gambling and drowning her sorrows in alcohol. your mother's gambling and drinking habits consumed everything you had. your dwindling funds vanished into the bottom of a bottle or at the turn of a card until there wasn't a single dollar left.You had nothing left. Even the rich were struggling in the war, but you were left with nothing. Survival became a daily fight in a world where having enough to eat felt like a luxury.

Desperation led her to marry Quincey, a move motivated by the need to ensure your basic sustenance. In the aftermath, she adopted the role of the dutiful housewife, maintaining a facade of normalcy. But as time wore on, Quincey's true nature started to show. His temper flared, and soon, your mother bore the brunt of his anger, suffering bruises and wounds hidden beneath forced smiles. She fell back into the abyss of self-pity and despair, and as you grew older, Quincey's temper extended its reach to you. He'd make spiteful remarks about your father's righteousness, only to fall when rebel's bullet finally found its mark, as if his demise were some poetic justice.

Inspite of everything your mother stayed with Quincey and bore him two children: Benjamin and Charlotte Bradford. Benjamin, a spitting image of his father, possessed pale skin, black hair, and hazel eyes. On the other hand, Charlotte inherited the features of your mother, with tan skin, light brown hair, and dark brown eyes. Thankfully, at eight years old, they hadn't adopted the traits of either of their parents, and in the midst of our troubled home, Benjamin and Charlotte stood apart, untouched by the darkness around us. Their innocence was a comfort, a hope that they'd be shielded from your harsh reality.

As the car rolled to a stop, you reached home, grateful for the quiet. The silence signaled that Quincey and the children weren't around. Passing through the foyer toward your room, you spotted your mother passed out on the couch, a pricey bottle of wine in her hand. Calling for the maid, Christa, you instructed her to help your mother get cleaned up and into bed before your siblings returned. With that sorted, you retreated to your room, determined to finish some last-minute assignments before bedtime.

The perks of working with Dr. Gual included skipping class to assist in her lab. Currently, you were sorting paperwork while she tinkered with a new “experiment”. As you organized, you absentmindedly turned on the small TV nearby. The broadcast announced the arrival of the new tributes. Instead of the usual horse stables, they were being placed in the Capitol zoo—an intriguing twist for this year's Hunger Games.

Focused on your work, you disregarded the TV until gasps and awe erupted from the screen. You glanced over momentarily, catching a glimpse of the tributes being dropped into their enclosure. One of them bore an uncanny resemblance to Coriolanus. But That couldn't be right.

Your attention snapped back to the screen as you realized it was indeed Coriolanus Snow inside the tribute enclosure, hand in hand with his assigned tribute. Shock coursed through me as I noticed her wearing one of his grandmother's roses in her hair. "What the Fuck" I exclaimed, my voice filled with disbelief. Why was he holding her hand? Why was she adorned with his family's emblem? What the hell was going on?

The thought that the day couldn't get any worse shattered when the camera panned out, revealing Benjamin and Charlotte, escorted by your inebriated mother, approaching the cage where

Coriolanus and his tribute stood. you felt a chill wash over your body, your face draining of color at the sight. While other children hid behind their parents, Benjamin and Charlotte showed no fear. They boldly approached the cage, even extending their hands to shake with Coriolanus's tribute, the "little songbird" whose name you hadn’t bothered to remeber. Your mother, as usual, appeared intoxicated, hiding her eyes behind dark glasses. She seemed utterly unconcerned, heedless of the potential danger her children faced by being so close to the enclosure.

The commotion and your surprised outburst drew Dr. Gual's attention, prompting her to join you to observe the screen. Her reaction was more amused than alarmed, and she let out a giggle, taking note of your clenched fist. you tried to calm yourself, but your tension only intensified as Coriolanus was pulled out of the cage by Peacekeepers.

As if on cue, a Peacekeeper entered the lab, saluting Dr. Gual and informing her of an urgent meeting requested by Dean Highbottom. you released a deep breath, preparing to resume your work as Dr. Gual left for her meeting. However, before you could settle back into your routine, she glanced back at you with a mischievous grin."Hippity hoppity, little dove, we have a meeting to attend," she said playfully, striding toward the door. you couldn't help but give her a curious look, following her.

As you entered the high biology lab instead of heading to Dean Highbottom's office, you couldn't shake your confusion. Why were you here? Dean Highbottom's presence only added to your perplexity, his gaze scrutinizing you before addressing Dr. Gual.

"Shouldn't you be in class, Ms. Royce?" he inquired, directing his question at you. you opened your mouth to respond, but Dr. Gual interjected smoothly, "I needed her assistance for an experiment of mine."

Her words held an element of truth—you had been aiding her with paperwork—but her insistence on having your help, specifically, was alittle puzzling but you didnt think to hard about it. Before the dean could press further, a knock interrupted, prompting an annoyed sigh from the dean as he allowed entry. To your surprise, Coriolanus stepped through the door, causing a jolt of shock and uncertainty to course through me. What was happening? You asked yourself

Coriolanus and I exchanged surprised looks, both seemingly shocked by the presence of the other.

You stood in silence until Dr. Gual broke it “ Hippity, hoppity.” Dr. Gaul grinned. “How was the zoo?” Then she was laughing. “It’s like a children’s rhyme. Hippity, hoppity, how was the zoo? You fell in a cage and your tribute did, too!” Coriolanus’s lips stretched into a weak smile as his eyes darted over to you for some clue as to how to react. You attempted to signal him subtly, urging him to follow along with her banter. "We did. We fell in a cage," Coriolanus finally replied, uncertain of where this conversation was headed. Dr. Gaul seemed to expect more, raising her eyebrows in anticipation. Your attempts to help Coriolanus seemed futile as he hesitated, prompting Dr. Gaul to coax him further."And?" she prodded, encouraging him to continue. "We... landed onstage?" he added tentatively Dr. Gaul chuckled approvingly.

"You're good at games. Maybe one day you'll be a Gamemaker just like my little dove here," she remarked, playfully switching her attention between Coriolanus and you.

Then, unexpectedly, she directed a question to Coriolanus, "Do you know her, my little dove?"

Confusion washed over you. Dr. Gaul's antics seemed calculated, but her probing question made little sense. She was aware that you knew eachother, so why this charade?

Coriolanus composed himself and responded, "Yes, I am familiar with Ms. Royce," but Dr. Gaul's displeasure was evident. She frowned slightly before redirecting her attention to the dean.

"Me and my little dove have work to do, so we’ll get out of your hair. When you're done, come see me in my lab, Dean Casca," she declared, heading toward the door. You followed her out, shooting Coriolanus a lingering look.

The word "familiar" echoed in your mind during the return to the lab. Coriolanus's choice of words stung. Familiar, as if your friendship was trivial, as if you were just a foolish girl trailing after him like an idiot. Unbeknownst to you Dr. Gual’s little test for you had gone just as expected.

#coriolanus snow #coriolanus x reader #coriolanus snow x reader #coriolanus snow fanfiction #a ballad of songbirds and snakes #sejanus plinth #coriolanus x lucy gray #lucy gray x coriolanus #the hunger games #my fic #fanfic #lucy grey baird #young coriolanus snow

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c-schroed · 6 months

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I once more realized how much I love that Dracula is an epistolary novel. Because in the final chapters, Bram Stoker shows a marvellous understanding of this kind of narration, by treating two action scenes completely different.

First, we have Seward's Entry on November 4, retelling how a boat accident slowed down their progress. It's very short and matter-of-fact. We hear about Arthur helping some other ship, but that's it. As others here on Tumblr noted already, this could have been a great action scene with a heroic Arthur fighting the time to save a ship. But it's not. Because it's written down by Seward, who is in a hurry and will not spend more time on this matter than aboslutely needed (plus, he really h a t e s writing anything down, so he has an additional motivation to keep his entries short). So not only do we learn about the sheer facts in this entry, we also get a quick impression of the result of this delay: Seward is hasty and really needs to go on. Great storytelling here, Bram!

But then, in Mina's November 6 entry, we get the big action scene, told in detail and full of suspense. And not just because it's the finale, so it better be good (and it is so darn good!). The amount of detail and emotion also tells us how much this scene matters. Quincey gave his life for their cause, so of course Mina will tell about what happened in as much detail as possible. To do him justice. And more than that, when she writes it down, all is over and they have won. No more need for hurry. So she can take all the time she needs to really write shit down.

I love this finale so very much! And skipping a possible action scene just a few pages prior to increase the feeling of haste is such a well-thought decision by Stoker. Showing just one more time that he really knows how to tell a story.

#dracula daily #november 4 #november 6 #dracula #bram stoker #my gosh #i forgot how much i love this ending #schroed's thoughts

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msfbgraves · 11 months

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Tumblr - a lot of meta about current media

Tumblr - notices a lot of current media sucks

Tumblr - notices that it's hard to get a sense of pop culture because a lot of it is so fragmented by streaming now (and movies suck)

Tumblr - Fuck it we'll make our own pop culture!

Tumblr - invents Goncharov *whose writer was part licence plate

Tumblr - Puts our friend Jonathan Harker in a timeloop and goes collectively feral in installments for the second year running, no matter that the novel was published in 1897

Tumblr - Supports the wga strike in spite of pretty much being completely unaffected by it

Tumblr - Demands justice for Quincey Morris!

Tumblr is a website

#tumblr culture #dracula daily #goncharov #pop culture

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dross-the-fish · 3 months

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Okay I don’t know if this has been asked before so I’m sorry if it has BUT. What would the crew + Griffin and Dorian look like slash act like under the effects of the Hyde potion……. I’m Curious

Hasn't been asked before, and that's a really good question tbh. They way I have the hyde potion work is that it brings out not necessarily a "worst self" but rather a twisted version of who the drinker wants to be or who they think they are deep down. Griffin's invisibility would become less literal and more in line with shapeshifting. he can take any appearance or form except his original one and if he fucks up in an old skin he'll just put on a new face. This will cause him to spiral and possibly even forget who Griffin was, he just endlessly becomes new people and finds that he is now everyone and no one. His sense of identity would shatter.

Dorian would become almost doll like, beautiful and horrifying, his skin is too flawless, his eyes are to radiant. It falls into a creepy uncanny valley effect as his face looks almost mask like yet anyone who is in close proximity becomes dazzled by him. Under the influence of the potion he mutilates the faces anyone he sees who might be a threat to his beauty. If he was cruel before he is horrific now. Watson would become a fanatic obsessed with justice, almost a crusader of sorts as he loses the part of him that is humble or empathetic under the influence of the potion. He'd be younger and stronger but all of his softness would be gone. I imagine he'd look larger and more square as this is already a major part of his personality, it's just been amplified and all the temperance removed. Quincey would be similar to Edward, small, hairy and dwarfish but he's not inherently cruel, he'd be more playful and impish. Quincey is at an age where he's expected to act like and adult so in daily life he tends to act mature and take the high road. With his new persona he'd sneak into movies, go to bars and forget about his responsibilities or the impending weight of picking a career and settling into adult life.

Larry would also find himself more energetic and talkative, he'd be confident, almost to the point of arrogance and give in to kleptomaniac urges. If he sees what he wants he'll steal it. I see his "hyde" form being lanky and crooked with elongated limbs. Selma would become a monster. She'd become the things she's hunted all her life and all of the rage and despair she's forced herself to shelve would twist her into a hateful thing that didn't even look human anymore because she feels deep down that her humanity was stripped from her a long time ago. She'd be massive and terrible to look at. Theo would become smaller. She'd become a fragile and lost little creature that can't stop crying because deep down she's fearful that there's nothing left of her anymore except dregs that can't be loved by anyone. She'd be repulsive to look at but she'd beg and cling to anyone who got near her not to leave her.

Erik would become ordinary. He would not be a genius, not gifted with music, not possessing of a horrifying temper or visage just an average man who could go out to the park and sit and watch birds and maybe have a conversation with some strangers. He wouldn't even notice that he doesn't remember how to play a violin. It would scare him how happy it makes him to be "just Erik," with nothing else to him. Adam would become physically attractive but obsessive and shallow. He'd look like the version of himself Victor had wanted to create and he'd even call his inverse "Victor" because there's still something in him that needs some part of Victor to still be alive. Even if it's only because Adam refuses to bury him and let him rest. He'd indulge himself in all the things he could never have as Adam but rather than making him happy he'd still find he resents "Victor" for having what "Adam" cannot. When he's "Victor" he feels disdain for "Adam" and when he's Adam he is jealous of "Victor"

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mxsoyo · 7 months

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Watching every Dracula adaptation! #2

Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi

Next up is the first authorised film adaptation of Dracula. The movie is actually based on a play adaptation from 1924, which explains some of the changes they made.

Should you watch it? Yes, but not for the reasons you might think. The movie is very funny (not intentionally), great to watch with friends. It is also free to watch on the Internet Archive. It is still recognizably the story of Dracula, but a lot of the details have been changed, especially the characters, so beware of that if that bothers you.

↓ Character and Story Changes + notable moments under the keep reading. ↓

Character Changes: -Renfield takes up Jonathans role of the young solicitor traveling to Transylvania in the beginning of the movie. Until he is put under Draculas influence where goes back to his book version after that. Dwight Fryes performance as essentially both Jonathan and Renfield are both very entertaining. Like that man is giving 200%. -With Bela Lugosi starring as Dracula, this movie was definitely the starting point of the sexy-fication of the character. Even thought I think this Dracula has even worse social skills than his book counterpart. -Mina is actually Jack Seward’s daughter in the movie, I assume this change was made to explain why the main characters would be hanging around at the sanatorium. Personality wise she is a bit blander than her book counterpart, partially because she spents a good chunk of her screen time under Draculas influence. -John Harker (just John, not Jonathan in this version) has been definitely changed for the worse. They made him the sceptic that doesn’t understand what is going on and is constantly doubting Van Helsings advice. He feels a bit more like a douchy version of Arthur than Jonathan. -Like I said, Jack Seward is Mina’s father in this version and is the character in name only and in the fact that he owns a sanatorium. -Lucy (her surname has been changed to Weston) is a single girl since Arthur and Quincey don’t appear. She has a stronger interest in the macabre and has a small crush on Dracula (despite everything about him). -Van Helsing gets a lot of good lines in the movie, he seems a lot less eccentric, and Dracula remarks that he has heard of him. But he is not yet the badass expert vampire hunter later movies make of him. -The movie also added two prominent characters the sanitarium worker Martin the and nurse Briggs, which both serve as a kind of comic relief. Story Changes: -As far as I know this is the first time the female vampires (Draculas roommates) are referred to as his wives. -We get a lot more scenes from the point of view of Dracula -Dracula actually introduces himself to the main characters as their next door neighbour and casually comes over for conversation before they find out he’s a vampire -Lucy dies very shortly after being introduced, but the plotline of the gang trying to keep her alive was given to Mina instead - The ending is surprisingly anticlimactic. They find Dracula lying in his coffin in Carfax Abbey, Van Helsing kills him off-screen, while John looks for Mina. -Afterwards Van Helsing also says they should leave without him, they do and then the movie just ends

Notabel Moments: -The movie starts with Swan Lake out of all songs and then is dead silent when it comes to background music afterwards -The opossums and armadillos (classical Romanian wildlife)

-this GIANT BEE (totally not a normal sized Bee jerusalem cricket in a miniature coffin)

-The BATS!!! Oh my god the spirit halloween bats! The bat driving the carriage?! -the spirit halloween plastic spider on a string -”I never drink... wine.” is such an iconic line, that I was surprised it’s not from the book, this also goes for ”the strength of the vampire is that people will not believe in him” -The best scene in cinema history! I cant do it justice by explaining it, you’ll have to watch it yourself, it’s at 1:03:20

Next Up: Dracula (1958) starring Christopher Lee

#if anyone has any tips on how I could improve these reviews #like the structure and stuff #let me know #dracula daily #dracula 1931 #bela lugosi #dracula #dracula adaptations

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lorereadsclassics7 · 1 year

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It is so so satisfying to see Jonathan be the one to deal the finishing blow (yes, yes, Quincey too but this is about the parallels, shush).

The first time he tried with a shovel and couldn't do it out of terror (and maybe because of a trance) but now he finally got to do it! He got his revenge, he got his justice, and he ended Dracula's reign of terror over his loved ones.

I'm quite proud of him for finding the strenght.

#dracula daily #dracula #bram stokers dracula #jonathan harker #drac attack pack #'but Lore that was still murder'#well maybe Jonathan deserves a little murder #as a treat #he certainly went trough hell for it

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powerpolyculeshowdown · 1 year

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CANON POLYCULE SHOWDOWN

this is a contest for canonically confirmed polycules or polycules that have a lot of hints to a possibility of them being canon, even if the authors might not have intended that way!

Beware of spoilers!! Some of these only become polycules later in the media they're from, and some of the descriptions describe a tragic fate for the polycule, so keep in mind there will be spoilers

rules can be found here

bracket can be found here

honorable mentions can be found here

links for all the match ups as they go live can be found in the MASTERPOST. it will be updated each round, but i will also tag every round to make them easier to find

help me w descriptions for the honorable mentions!

Round 2 part 2 finished.

Round 3 will go live on May 19th!

(#canonround2 or #pollycule if you want to search for the polls)

tags:

#canonpolyculeshowdown - for relevant updates and the polls

#pollycule - (yes double L) specifically for the showdown polls, to make it easier to find. doesn't include the prelims cause I only thought to add this after, sorry

#canonpropaganda - for, well, propaganda. ill post asks, reblog posts and maybe reblog reblogs

#honorablemention - for the ships that did not make it in (i will still make a post introducing all of them)

#tournamnt poll - the generally agreed on tag for blacklisting purposes. let me know if i forget to use it! i cant edit polls but it will remind me for the following round

#canonroundN - N being the number of the round we're in. so, for example: canonround0, canonround1, canonround2, etc. from the quarterfinals onwards, they'll also include the specific tag (#quarterfinals, etc). Check the post's tags for that ome if you want to look at all polls from that round!

list may be updated as needed.

if you submitted something that did not get in, nor was it posted as an honorable mention, and you wish to know why, feel free to send an ask.

LIST OF CONTESTANTS:

Nathan/Vlad/Ursula (Hunger Pangs)

Rilla/Arum/Damien (Penumbra Podcast)

Nathan/Gabriel/Annalise (The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself)

Ben/Ryn/Maddie (Siren Freeform)

Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot (High Noon Over Camelot)

Quanxi/Pingsti/Cosmo/Long/Tsugihagi (Chainsaw Man)

Wu Zetian/Li Shimin/Gao Yizhi (Iron Widow)

Caleb/Astrid/Eadwulf (Critical Role)

Sadie/Walt/Anubis (The Kane Chronicles)

Rajan/Wolfgang/Kala (Sense8)

Princess Glisselda/Seraphina/Lucien (Seraphina)

Tess/Jacomo/Margarethe (Tess of the Road)

Logan/Jean Grey/Scott/Emma (X-Men)

Uzui/Hinatsuru/Makio/Suma (Demon Slayer)

Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades)

Dianda/Simon/Patrick (October Daye)

Haruka/Michiru/Setsuna (Sailor Moon)

Asmodeus Alice/Clara Valac/Iruma Suzuki (Mairimashita, Iruma-kun!)

Aizo/Yujiro/Hiyori (HoneyWorks)

Kyle/Rogelio/Lonnie (She Ra)

Dashawn/Steve/Jose/Cupe R III/Otto/Arturo/Gregory/Quackers McQuack (Bojack Horseman)

Fluorite (Steven Universe)

Miss Piggy/Kermit/Gonzo (Muppets)

Sherlock/Watson/Mary (Sherlock Holmes movies)

Ichika Hoshino/Saki Tenma/Shiho Hinomori/Honami Mochizuki (Project SEKAI)

Tree Trunks/Mr. Pig/Alien Husband (Adventure Time)

Daniel/Sam/Jack/Teal’c (Stargate SG-1)

Mukai Naoya/Saki Saki/Nagisa Minase (Kanojo mo Kanojo/Girlfriend Girlfriend)

Eddie/Venom/Anne/Dan (Venom)

Peter Quill/Aradia/Mors (Guardians of the Galaxy)

George/Gilda/Thomas (Design for Living)

Leif/Thorn/Kale (Leif and Thorn)

Kieran/Ray/Gemma (Trigonometry)

Eugene/Rapunzel/Cassandra (Tangled the Series)

Jack/August/Rina (The Wicker King)

La’gann/Coral/Rodunn (Young Justice)

Syenite/Innon/Alabaster (Broken Earth)

Enrique/Hypnos/Sofia (The Gilded Wolves)

Max/Jack/Anne (Black Sails)

Pyrrha/Commander Wake/Gideon the First (The Locked Tomb)

Neptune/Venus/Jupiter (We Know the Devil)

Quincey/Jack/Arthur/Lucy (Dracula)

Amber/Reese/David (Adaptation)

Will/Tessa/Jem (The Infernal Devices)

Kieran/Cristina/Mark (The Dark Artifices)

Winter/Moon/Qibli (Wings of Fire)

Camille/Nyra/Dendro (Muted)

Sasha/Anne/Marcy (Amphibia)

Neal/Peter/Elizabeth (White Collar)

Turtle Heart/Melena/Frex (Wicked)

Emiya/Saber/Rin (Fate Stay/Night)

Sofiane/Victor/Luisa (Mortel)

Taylor/Theo/Josey (3)

Jack/Emma/Izzy (You Me Her)

Keiko/Miles/Kira (Star Trek)

Jade/Dave/Karkat (Homestuck Epilogues)

Anzu/Kazuki/Junta (Romantic Killers)

Shikimori/Izumi/Ai (Shikimori is Not Just Cute)

Camina/Michio Pa/Josep/Serge/Berthold/Oksana (The Expanse)

Breq/Mercy of Kalr/Seivarden/Ekalu (Imperial Radch)

Roguish Semiotician/Infamous Mathematician/Player Character (Fallen London)

Alphonse/Seth/Listener (Bittersweet)

Storm/Helen/Mira (Love and Luck Podcast)

Nicky/Joe/Andy/Booker/Niles (The Old Guard)

#canonpolyculeshowdown #canonpropaganda #honorablemention #pollycule #third place

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spider-xan · 1 year

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For what it's worth, I can see why some people would find it interesting to explore the possibility of Quincey Harker getting drafted to fight in WWI, and I don't doubt some people out there have great ideas that would do justice to the character and those around him, so I would never say that it cannot or should never be done, and perhaps I would even be up for reading it myself - but I do feel like a lot of the time when it's brought up, there's a cynical smugness to it, like the person is pulling a gotcha! in either acting like everyone else forgot that WWI is coming up in the real historical timeline or they enjoy getting a rise out of people being upset at the happy ending being subverted or think people who want a happy ending are being naive, and idk it feels weird! It's like the trend of people being like, well actually, that sweet story you remember from childhood would end in grimdark horrors, like and subscribe to find out why!!, and it's like, yeah yeah, death of the author, multiple readings are valid, etc., but in a world where it feels like every reboot and sequel series is dark and cynical, even if the original series was not, as that's considered more mature, realistic, and inevitable, it's not surprising people are going to embrace a happy ending that is earnest, hopeful, and doesn't pretend to be anything else, and accept it for what it is.

Also, like, come on, Stoker wrote the novel in 1897 - of course he didn't have fucking WWI in mind as some kind of haha so you think this is going to be a happy ending?? SURPRISE!! twist in mind, nor was he stupid for not being psychic and predicting the war so that he could keep it in mind for the epilogue, which has shades of when people were mocking him for not knowing that blood types are a thing for the blood transfusions, and then still continued acting like he fucked up and should have known better even after finding out they wouldn't be discovered for several more years.

#dracula #dracula daily #quincey harker

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flightfoot · 1 year

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The adaptations claim it was Mina who Dracula liberated from the constraints of Victorian society. But let’s be real, it’s Jonathan who was liberated by Dracula through pure, unbridled rage and hatred.

AGREED. You do NOT mess with Jonathan, and you definitely don't mess with the love of his life. Still waiting for an adaptation of Dracula that actually does the story justice, especially for Jonathan and Quincey. I'm glad people saw the feminist aspects in Mina's character, but the original story arguably executed those better than the adaptations often do.

#ask #dracula #dracula daily #jonathan harker #mina harker

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endlessly-cursed · 3 months

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MA- Naila of Alderly

"𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩."

Name: Naila Mabel Rosalee of Alderly

Nicknames: TBD

Birthdate: 28th of November, 2000

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Personality Type (MBTI): TBD

Blood Status: Half-blood

Nationality: British

Physical Appearance

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Height: 1.68m

Weight: 65kg

Body Type: Tall, slender

Skin Tone: Fair

Distinguishing Marks (scars, birthmarks, etc.): She'll acquire many

Background

Hometown

Naila grew up in a country estate, neighbouring her cousins Quincey and Olympia, whom she vacationed on occasion, though she wasn't around much on their lives due to keep the magic hush-hush, since her father asked her to, given the prejudice against magic users. Nevertheless, she got a top-notch education and was among the elites, her father being among the wealthiest men in the wizarding and muggle world.

She also liked from time to time to spend time with her other cousins from the Dubois family, especially Yvonne, whom she favoured over her entitled and cruel cousin Lucille. The three women spent a lot of time together, although, being young and unaware, they kind of left Lucille out of it...

Family

Mother: Ophelie Brunhilda of Alderly, neé Dubois

A sweet, youthful spirit, she was Naila's role model and caretaker, and often told stories of the Dubois and the lineage full of strong women who made it through incredibly tough situations. One day, when Naila turned sixteen, she found her mother's body, having been brutally murdered, alongside her room and office destroyed. This'd draw her to her next adventure... a dangerous one.

Father: George Elyan Victor of Alderly

Having grown up with a troubled father and a reserved mother, he toughened up from a young age and only Ophelie broke through his walls, and with her, he built a small but stable empire that hurt nobody. Until, one day, his wife was brutally murdered. He closed himself off and swore that he'd take an eye for an eye, for only Ophelie could've stopped him. But she was no longer there, and thus he only knew rage and vengeance, which led him to neglect emotionally his only child.

Hogwarts

House: Hufflepuff

Best Class: Class, Astronomy and DADA

Worst Class: History of Magic

Boggart: Rowan's body, being killed the exact same as her mother

Riddikulus: Rowan gets up and starts complaning

Patronus: TBD

Patronus Memory: Going to Disneyland Paris as a girls' trip with her mother when she was 10, after having been accepted at the same school as her mother

Mirror of Erised: Her mother being proud of her, being close to her father again and living her life with Rowan

Amortentia (what she smells like): Coco Chanel nº4 perfume, red velvet cake, cherry-flavoured lipstick and freshly made pasta

Amortentia (what she smells): Something related to Rowan

Career

11-18: Hogwarts student

16-18: Disbander of the cult 'Saviours of Cingerix'

19-34: CEO of Ophelie's Cosmetics

35-78: Head of model agency 'Le Costume du Alderly'

Personality & Attitude

Priorities: Finding her mother's killers, Rowan's safety, get justice done and wear the perfect outfit

Strengths: Strong-willed, passionate, even-keeled, good humoured and insightful

Weaknesses: Proud, stubborn, petty and rich kid privilege

Stressed: Around the cultists

Calm/Comforted: Around cats, on Rowan's arms

Favorites

Colors: Pink, black, yellow and white pink

Weather: Partially cloudy

Hobbies: Reading, horse-riding (specifically polo), tennis and cosmetics

Fashion: Naila dresses in a 90% pink variant palette, sometimes adding a bit of black and white, and always looks fashionable

Relationships

Significant Other/Love Interest: Rowan Luther-Snyde ( @hphmmatthewluther )

They were both from the same side, until her mother's death brought them together as crime-solving partners. They worked surprisignly well, and both soon became very close, close enough to slowly develop feelings.

However, disbanding a cult from the inside was not the best place to develop a love story, and both went through many tribulations which constantly put Naila and Rowan in danger, some of them near-death experiences.

It also caught up with their last years of Hogwarts, and studying while all else wasn't easy at all. In fact, Naila's grades were affected for most part. But all's well that ends well.

After disbanding the cult, Naila and Rowan got together officially and dated shortly before graduation. For many years, they stayed together without ever marrying one another, both not seeing it necessary.

When they were both in their late thirties, they welcomed their first child, Sophie, who was their entire world.

Friends: Quincey, Olympia and Evander Alderly ( @gaygryffindorgal and @potionboy3 )

They're cousins. More TBA

Naila looks up to her and sees them as a role model. More TBA

They're cousins as well. She doesn't approve of what he did when they were younger, but after he becomes duke, she starts having a good relationship with him. More TBA

Rivals: Maverick Harlow (great-great-grandfather)

Maverick is an immortal wizard who followed the cult of his deceased wife, Tallulah La Rossa, after she was defeated by Belladonna Gaunt in the French Revolution. He killed his own great-granddaughter-in-law for a ritual, thus setting apart Naila's family. This murder is Naila's catalyst to avenge her mother and review her lifestyle and what she took for granted.

Trivia

She soon became Hogwarts' it girl on year four when she became famous for her pinkstatic outfits

She had a privileged education, being trained in dressage, courtly dances, six languages (Spanish, German, French, Swedish and ofc English) history, fencing, badminton, muay thai, playing the harp and piano, fancy cruisine, hot couture and royal etiquette

The hobby she loved most and started to develop soon was sculpture, and made some impressive sculptures

She also has a powerful singing voice, although rarely sings unless it's very helpful or benefitial

Her idols are Elizabeth Taylor, Britney Spears and Sofía Vergara

She absolutely loves old Hollywood and some of her favourite films are from the era. The non-English actress that she liked most was María Félix in 'Doña Diabla' 1949

She hates being told what to do or be given orders, which has led to many arguments with teachers and all kinds of adults

She likes Latine music better than most of English music personally

Her references are Elle Woods, Kat Stratford and Blair Waldorf

Her favourite singers are Becky G and Lana del Rey

#hpma #magic awakened #harry potter: magic awakened #oc: naila of alderly #alderly family #quincey alderly #olympia alderly #evander alderly #rowan luther-snyde #lutherly #rowan x naila #naila x rowan #oc profile #character sheet

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