Dracula Episode: September 30th

Cryptic Canticles presents Dracula

Episode Synopsis: Jonathan Harker arrives to stay with Mina and the rest of the men as guests in Seward’s asylum. He and Mina set to work ordering and organizing all of their separate accounts into a single chronological narrative. While working, Mina discovers that Renfield’s behavior coincides with the movements of the Count. Seward goes to visit Renfield, and finds him lucid, and discussing arrangements to be discharged from the asylum. Seward hopes to visit him later in hopes of uncovering more information on the Count. Jonathan travels around town, tracking the Count’s boxes of earth and buying drinks for everybody every step of the way. A delivery man working for Carter, Paterson and Co. describes that they transferred the fifty boxes into the chapel of Carfax Manor. Mina is delighted to see that Jonathan’s resolve in tracking the count has renewed his vigor as Van Helsing said it would. While Jonathan and Seward are away, Mina meets Arthur and Quincey, and in turn, comforts each of them in their trauma over Lucy’s death. When Seward arrives at the asylum, and at Mina’s request, takes her to meet Renfield. He is astonished to find Renfield conversing with her on a high intellectual level, quoting philosophy, and explaining his Zoophagous behavior as an attempt at prolonging his own life by assimilating others. When Seward and Mina must leave, Renfield shocks Seward again by wishing Mina well and saying that he hopes to never see her again. Seward picks up Van Helsing from the train station, and Van Helsing is glad to know that everybody else is already assembled. He tells Seward that they should not involve Mina in any further planning, as it might be bad for her in the long run. In a meeting after dinner, Van Helsing lays out the path before them, that the Count is strong with many powers, and influence over animals and the dead, and that failure in their mission would doom each of them to the Count’s nefarious army. Each present at the table pledge themselves to the grim task in spite of the risks. Van Helsing goes on to discuss the details about the Count that they had observed through experience, and to say that his friend, Arminius, a scholar from Buda-Pesth University, was able to provide more details about the Count through research. In life, the Count was an unusually cunning war lord who defeated the Turks long ago. His family is said to have had dealings with the devil, instilling the Count with his evil, supernatural powers. He may only rest in the earth that is made holy by the graves of his biological children, which is why he must transport their dirt graves with him, and now which they must find. At this point, Quincey, who had stepped outside to investigate a noise, shoots his pistol at a bat which had come to rest outside the window where the group was meeting. Not wanting to lose a moment, the men agree to investigate whatever boxes remain at Carfax, and, to Mina’s chagrin, she must stay behind, and no longer be involved in their dealings with Dracula.

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