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(Death serves whoever the dark lord is as confirmed in the Dawn of Sorrow sequel novel, not whoever has the stone.)
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[[File:Crimson stone.jpg|right|200px]]
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[[File:Lament of Innocence - Crimson Stone - 01.png|right|250px]]
   
The '''Crimson Stone''' is one of the two greatest treasures of the [[Vampire|vampires]]. The Crimson Stone allows its owner to use the soul of a vampire as a power source. Unfortunately it bears the curse of the vampire so a human using it would also become a vampire. It was believed to be lost along with the [[Ebony Stone]].
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The {{Nihongo|'''Crimson Stone'''|深紅の石|Shinku no ishi}} is one of the two greatest treasures of the [[Vampire|vampires]], the other being the [[Alchemy#Ebony Stone|Ebony Stone]]. It traps the soul of a powerful vampire and uses it to give its owner an immense amount of power. Unfortunately, it also bears the curse of the vampire, meaning that whoever possesses it will turn into a vampire as well, losing all humanity in the process. The Crimson Stone was believed to have been lost a long time ago, along with the Ebony Stone.
   
As it turned out, [[Mathias Cronqvist|Mathias]] was in the midst of creating it. He then had [[Death]] absorb [[Walter Bernhard|Walter]]'s soul (after [[Leon Belmont|Leon]] had defeated him) into the stone, thereby completing it. In doing so he achieved his ultimate goal - eternal life.
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As it turned out, [[Mathias Cronqvist]] was in the midst of re-creating the gem. He then had [[Death]] absorb [[Walter Bernhard]]'s soul (after [[Leon Belmont]] defeated him) into the stone, thereby completing it. In doing so, he achieved his ultimate goal: to gain eternal life.
   
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==Origins==
One additional benefit of the stone is that [[Death]] offers his allegiance to whoever possesses the '''Crimson Stone'''.
 
 
The Crimson Stone is a reference to the [[wikipedia:Rubedo|rubedo]] (Latin for "redness"), a term that was adopted by alchemists to define the fourth and final major stage in their [[wikipedia:Magnum opus (alchemy)|magnum opus]]. Both [[gold]] and the [[wikipedia:Philosopher's stone|philosopher's stone]] were associated with the color red, as rubedo signaled alchemical success and the end of a great work. It represents transcendence, perfection, immortality and incorruptibility. All these associations take on a very sinister double meaning with regard to what the Crimson Stone truly does in ''[[Castlevania: Lament of Innocence]]''.
   
 
==History==
The Crimson Stone is a reference to the final stage of the Alchemical work, the rubedo/reddening. It represents transcendence, perfection, immortality, and incorruptibility. All these associations take on a very sinister double meaning with regard to what the Crimson Stone truly does in ''Lament of Innocence''.
 
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[[File:Lament of Innocence - Crimson Stone - 03.png|thumb|200px|<p style="text-align: center;">The Crimson Stone just after being created.</p>]]
   
 
The Crimson Stone was obtained by [[Mathias Cronqvist]]. His scheme was to use it to obtain eternal life and defy [[God]] for the death of his wife [[Elisabetha Cronqvist|Elisabetha]]. When [[Leon Belmont|Leon]] defeated [[Walter Bernhard|Walter]], [[Death]] immediately took Walter's soul and trapped it inside the stone, thus making it complete, granting Mathias eternal life and the curse of the [[vampire]]. He became the [[Dark Lord|Lord of Darkness]] and the Crimson Stone has remained in his control ever since.
==Crimson Stone==
 
The Crimson Stone is one of two of the greatest treasures to the vampires, the other being the Ebony Stone. Both were believed to have been lost. The Crimson Stone uses the soul of a vampire to give its user power; however, at the same time, it also bears the vampire's curse, meaning that whomever uses the Crimson Stone will turn into a vampire. This was the case for Mathias, as he was in the midst of the creation of the Crimson Stone.
 
   
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==Additional information==
==History==
 
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[[File:Dracula's Medallion - 01.jpg|thumb|200px|<p style="text-align: center;">Replica of the original medallion worn by [[wikipedia:Bela Lugosi|Béla Lugosi]] in ''[[wikipedia:Dracula (1931 English-language film)|Dracula]]'' (1931).</p>]]
The Crimson Stone was obtained by [[Mathias Cronqvist]]. His scheme was to use the Crimson Stone to obtain eternal life and defy God for the death of [[Elisabetha Cronqvist|Elisabetha]]. When [[Leon Belmont|Leon]] defeated [[Walter Bernhard|Walter]], [[Death]] immediately took Walter's soul to use for the Crimson Stone. The Crimson Stone became complete, granting Mathias eternal life and the curse of the vampire. He became the Lord of Darkness and the Crimson Stone has remained in his control ever since.
 
   
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The idea of a special gem which provides [[Dracula]] with supreme powers was probably conceived since some of his very [[Count Dracula (novel character)|first depictions in public cinema]], namely those performed by [[wikipedia:Bela Lugosi|Béla Lugosi]] in the 1930s and 1940s, and by [[wikipedia:Christopher Lee|Christopher Lee]] in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. In many of these films, Dracula was portrayed wearing a necklace with a big sun-like medallion. It was common to see him hold this trinket in scenes where he was trying to bring someone under his control or while commanding the creatures of the night to do his bidding. This necklace became then a staple in many of Dracula's portrayals and he could be seen wearing it in diverse forms of media.
==Trivia==
 
*The only known vampire's soul contained within the Crimson Stone is that of Walter Bernhard, though it is assumed more have been collected in the ensuing centuries.
 
*It has not been in the posession of any other vampire other than Dracula.
 
*Dracula has command over Death due to his posession of the Crimson Stone. Death offered his allegiance to the one that holds it.
 
*The Crimson Stone is unique in the fact that it is the only other known way to become a vampire other than the traditional "blood gift."
 
   
  +
The medallion was originally a big radiant sun with six stars around it and a half-sun/half-moon effigy in its center; this image was later replaced by the engraving of a dragon in later films. However, as time passed by, common folklore gradually replaced this image with a red gem mounted on the medallion, which was now more in the shape of a star, and it is this way how it can be seen today in most forms of media and merchandise.
==Fan Speculation==
 
The Crimson Stone holds the soul of the powerful vampire, Walter Bernhard. With the soul of a powerful vampire, Dracula was granted his incredible powers. The Crimson Stone feeds Dracula power by way of a three-step process.  The stone absorbs chaos energy, it uses this energy to build a physical manifestation of chaos (Dracula's castle), and this physical manifestation focuses power to a singular point like a magnifying glass, thus resurrecting Dracula. Whenever Dracula dies, his soul is pulled back though his castle and filters back to the Crimson Stone, hence the destruction of the castle whenever he is defeated. This endless loop is one of the reasons Dracula constantly revives and how dark priests can speed up the process by offering extra power.
 
   
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[[File:Dracula's Medallion - 04.jpg|thumb|left|<p style="text-align: center;">Dracula's modern costume accessory.</p>]]
In a lot of the Castlevania games, the player is required to hit the pendant around the Count's neck or his head. Probably not the Crimson Stone itself (as he has been defeated with it on), it might be a focus for the castle's power. Dracula has transformed into a monstrous form after his initial phase in almost every game, perhaps signifying that the stone he wears becomes unstable when attacked.
 
   
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Before the Crimson Stone became canon in the ''[[Castlevania (series)|Castlevania]]'' series, the mediatic influence of this iconic item could already be seen in many artworks for earlier games. In some depictions, the pendant is instead replaced by the brooch used to fasten Dracula's cape, which holds the Crimson Stone (or a similar gem) in it. Other times, Dracula is seen wearing an elaborated Victorian white tie around his neck, which covers most of his chest and where the Crimson Stone can barely be seen. This apparel also became somewhat of a staple in the way Dracula is depicted and it can be seen in many artworks for different games, sometimes even instead of the pendant itself. If the Crimson Stone is in fact hidden behind the tie in portrayals where it cannot be seen, is left to speculation.
In 1999, Julius Belmont sealed Dracula's castle, and the source of his power and means of resurrection, away into a solar eclipse with the help of Japanese priests.  His pendant cut off from his source of power and his soul unable to return to the castle on his death, Dracula was slain once and for all.  His soul shattered into fragments of his former power and attached themselves to children born at that exact moment.  However, the stone itself, which Dracula sealed within the chaotic realm on the other "side" of his castle, was still intact.
 
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Perhaps at some point, and seeing how this gem had been a recurring feature in many of Dracula's portrayals, the developers eventually decided to include it as a major plot element in ''Castlevania'''s lore by giving it a well-defined origin, as well as determining the kind of power it yields and the process on how it was able to accumulate all that energy, and also making its creation a pivotal event which helped push forward the history of confrontations between the Dracula and the [[Belmont Clan]].
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==Gallery==
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<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" bordercolor="transparent" caption="Crimson Stone">
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Dracula Simon's Quest.JPG|[[Dracula]] from ''[[Castlevania II: Simon's Quest|Simon's Quest]]''
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NP C4 Dracula.JPG|[[Dracula]] from the ''[[Nintendo Power Super Castlevania IV Guide]]''
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Rob-offart2.jpg|[[Dracula]] from ''[[Castlevania: Rondo of Blood|Rondo of Blood]]''
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DracSymph.jpg|[[Dracula/Symphony of the Night|Dracula]] from ''[[Castlevania: Symphony of the Night|Symphony of the Night]]''
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DraculaCircle.jpg|[[Dracula (Circle of the Moon)|Dracula]] from ''[[Castlevania: Circle of the Moon|Circle of the Moon]]''
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Cloi-mathias-cronqvist2.jpg|[[Mathias Cronqvist]] from ''[[Castlevania: Lament of Innocence|Lament of Innocence]]''
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Dracula Order of Shadows.JPG|[[Dracula]] from ''[[Castlevania: Order of Shadows|Order of Shadows]]''
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Dracula Pachinko.png|[[Dracula/Pachinko|Dracula]] from ''[[CR Pachinko Akumajō Dracula|Pachinko]]''
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</gallery>
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==Trivia==
 
*The only known [[vampire]]'s soul contained within the Crimson Stone is that of [[Walter Bernhard]], although it is assumed more have been collected in the ensuing centuries.
 
*The stone has not been in the possession of any other vampire than [[Dracula]].
 
*Dracula has command over [[Death]] due to his possession of the Crimson Stone. Death offered his allegiance to the one that holds it.
 
*The Crimson Stone is unique in the fact that it is the only known way to become a vampire other than the traditional "[[Vampire|blood gift]]".
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*The Crimson Stone bears a resemblance in appearance and story to the [[w:c:berserk:Beherit|Beherit]] from the manga and anime ''[[w:c:berserk:Berserk (Manga)|Berserk]]'', being a mysterious artifact that grants some kind of godly supernatural powers and immortality to his owner, sacrificing another person's soul in the act. Mathias' betrayal through the use of the Crimson Stone parallels Griffith's through the Behelit. In both stories, the protagonists are betrayed and have their romantic lives ruined as a consequence of these artifacts being involved.
   
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==See also==
When Soma Cruz entered the castle in 2035, he started absorbing the chaos energy that the castle was putting out.  His power of Dominance awakened and he started absorbing the souls of the monsters in the castle.  Upon defeating Graham, he absorbed the last of the power that Graham had been collecting and reestablished the connection with the Crimson Stone.
 
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*[[Alchemy]]
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*[[Dracula]]
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*[[Vampire]]
   
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[[es:Piedra Carmesí]]
Unwilling to become the next Dracula, he managed to find the entrance to the realm of chaos with the help of Genya Arikado (Alucard), Julius Belmont, and Yoko Belnades.  The final boss of this optional ending is a giant red stone (the Crimson Stone, though not explicitly stated) which focuses power to Dracula though his castle.  With Dracula slain, the castle sealed, and the Crimson Stone destroyed, the cycle finally ended.
 
 
[[Category:Storyline Elements]]
 
[[Category:Storyline Elements]]
 
[[Category:Lament of Innocence]]
 
[[Category:Lament of Innocence]]

Revision as of 04:23, 6 October 2019

Lament of Innocence - Crimson Stone - 01

The Crimson Stone (深紅の石 Shinku no ishi?) is one of the two greatest treasures of the vampires, the other being the Ebony Stone. It traps the soul of a powerful vampire and uses it to give its owner an immense amount of power. Unfortunately, it also bears the curse of the vampire, meaning that whoever possesses it will turn into a vampire as well, losing all humanity in the process. The Crimson Stone was believed to have been lost a long time ago, along with the Ebony Stone.

As it turned out, Mathias Cronqvist was in the midst of re-creating the gem. He then had Death absorb Walter Bernhard's soul (after Leon Belmont defeated him) into the stone, thereby completing it. In doing so, he achieved his ultimate goal: to gain eternal life.

Origins

The Crimson Stone is a reference to the rubedo (Latin for "redness"), a term that was adopted by alchemists to define the fourth and final major stage in their magnum opus. Both gold and the philosopher's stone were associated with the color red, as rubedo signaled alchemical success and the end of a great work. It represents transcendence, perfection, immortality and incorruptibility. All these associations take on a very sinister double meaning with regard to what the Crimson Stone truly does in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence.

History

Lament of Innocence - Crimson Stone - 03

The Crimson Stone just after being created.

The Crimson Stone was obtained by Mathias Cronqvist. His scheme was to use it to obtain eternal life and defy God for the death of his wife Elisabetha. When Leon defeated Walter, Death immediately took Walter's soul and trapped it inside the stone, thus making it complete, granting Mathias eternal life and the curse of the vampire. He became the Lord of Darkness and the Crimson Stone has remained in his control ever since.

Additional information

Dracula's Medallion - 01

Replica of the original medallion worn by Béla Lugosi in Dracula (1931).

The idea of a special gem which provides Dracula with supreme powers was probably conceived since some of his very first depictions in public cinema, namely those performed by Béla Lugosi in the 1930s and 1940s, and by Christopher Lee in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. In many of these films, Dracula was portrayed wearing a necklace with a big sun-like medallion. It was common to see him hold this trinket in scenes where he was trying to bring someone under his control or while commanding the creatures of the night to do his bidding. This necklace became then a staple in many of Dracula's portrayals and he could be seen wearing it in diverse forms of media.

The medallion was originally a big radiant sun with six stars around it and a half-sun/half-moon effigy in its center; this image was later replaced by the engraving of a dragon in later films. However, as time passed by, common folklore gradually replaced this image with a red gem mounted on the medallion, which was now more in the shape of a star, and it is this way how it can be seen today in most forms of media and merchandise.

Dracula's Medallion - 04

Dracula's modern costume accessory.

Before the Crimson Stone became canon in the Castlevania series, the mediatic influence of this iconic item could already be seen in many artworks for earlier games. In some depictions, the pendant is instead replaced by the brooch used to fasten Dracula's cape, which holds the Crimson Stone (or a similar gem) in it. Other times, Dracula is seen wearing an elaborated Victorian white tie around his neck, which covers most of his chest and where the Crimson Stone can barely be seen. This apparel also became somewhat of a staple in the way Dracula is depicted and it can be seen in many artworks for different games, sometimes even instead of the pendant itself. If the Crimson Stone is in fact hidden behind the tie in portrayals where it cannot be seen, is left to speculation.

Perhaps at some point, and seeing how this gem had been a recurring feature in many of Dracula's portrayals, the developers eventually decided to include it as a major plot element in Castlevania's lore by giving it a well-defined origin, as well as determining the kind of power it yields and the process on how it was able to accumulate all that energy, and also making its creation a pivotal event which helped push forward the history of confrontations between the Dracula and the Belmont Clan.

Gallery

Trivia

  • The only known vampire's soul contained within the Crimson Stone is that of Walter Bernhard, although it is assumed more have been collected in the ensuing centuries.
  • The stone has not been in the possession of any other vampire than Dracula.
  • Dracula has command over Death due to his possession of the Crimson Stone. Death offered his allegiance to the one that holds it.
  • The Crimson Stone is unique in the fact that it is the only known way to become a vampire other than the traditional "blood gift".
  • The Crimson Stone bears a resemblance in appearance and story to the Beherit from the manga and anime Berserk, being a mysterious artifact that grants some kind of godly supernatural powers and immortality to his owner, sacrificing another person's soul in the act. Mathias' betrayal through the use of the Crimson Stone parallels Griffith's through the Behelit. In both stories, the protagonists are betrayed and have their romantic lives ruined as a consequence of these artifacts being involved.

See also