Castlevania

"This castle is a creature of Chaos. With each rebirth, it takes a new form."

- Alucard.

Castlevania, also known as Dracula's Castle, is the everchanging lair and main residence of the dark lord Dracula along with being the symbol of his power.

Overview
Castlevania is the home and headquarters of Dracula Vlad Ţepeş and his army. It is strongly implied that it was built by Dracula himself. During peacetime, the castle is Dracula's home and laboratory. In wartime, it is a weapon of such danger and potency as to be legend. This is the main location that is repelled by the Belmont Clan for centuries. He stores gallons of blood for his vampire servants. Dracula teleports the Castle in the cities he targeted for destruction, causing devastation by merely appearing.

The exact location of the castle is impossible to determine. Being an entity of chaos, it has the ability to reemerge in different places whenever it revives. Still, the vast majority of times it has reappeared was in Europe, in Transylvania. Due to its supernatural nature as symbol of Dracula's magic and its ability to revive in different regions, Castlevania cannot be considered the same as the historical landmarks it takes the form of. It does not exist in the earthly plane but is, in fact, a spiritual world atop another dimension. It is also connected to many different underworlds (mainly Hell), afterlives and other realms which allowed the creatures in those realms to enter Castlevania.

The appearance of the castle also varies, in 1691 it appears to be on top of a mountain, while in 1797 it is located off the shore of a lake, and in 1479 it resides by the ocean (likely the Black Sea). Maria Renard remarks the castle is different from how she remembers it (she had fought in it five years earlier). Alucard, who had probably once lived there, notes the castle is "a creature of chaos", hinting at the castle's origins and explaining its constantly changing nature.

It houses an army of his supernatural servants and soldiers, and tends to collapse when Dracula is defeated. Yet, it is able to restore itself and reappears intact, even when Dracula himself has not yet revived himself. The whole structure is also capable of teleporting to any location, which can be done softly or in an explosion of fire.

Description
The building is both a technological and supernatural marvel; from its exterior, it can be seen to incorporate electricity and advanced mechanics in its workings. The Belmont family noted that it also used steam power and electric powered lights. Apart from technology that is centuries beyond of what the outside world possessed at the time, the castle is also operated via supernatural elements. Dracula's study is shown to have glass that reacts to his magical abilities.

The whole structure is also capable of teleportation; a "traveling machine" as Dracula puts it. Dracula can make the building teleport to any location. This peculiar ability can be done softly or in an explosion of fire. When Dracula attacked Targoviste, the castle's teleportation event was like dropping a bomb on the city, destroying the city church instantly. Immediately afterward, Dracula released his army –which was housed inside the castle– directly into the city, completely ignoring any defenses Targoviste had.

It has the ability to revive all who reside in its walls that serve the master of the demon castle until the castle collapses. The stronger the enemy is, the longer it will take to revive them. However, at the same time, it can create weaker mindless clones of singular entities, like Persephone and Nyx while the originals are elsewhere. These clones have the same powers and personalities as the the original but are unable to disobey their prime objective - destroy the enemies of the master of the castle.

Although the general structure of the castle is never the same from one resurrection to another, some places keep a similar structure in some opus. It has entrances (some with a little attic), cells, outer walls, waterfalls, tombs, fountains, and etc.

Some people tried to take over the Castle for their own gain. During 1944, the Vampire Lord Brauner harnessed the Castle's Dark Powers into his bewitched paintings to prevent Dracula’s resurrection and claimed the Castle as his own; only to be defeated by the game’s protagonists and finished off by Death.

This happened as well during 2035. Dracula had been destroyed for good in 1999 and the Castle had been sealed in a solar eclipse. Yet, the mad prophet Graham Jones believing to be Dracula reincarnated, tried to succeed him. He entered the Castle during a solar eclipse and managed to reach the Throne Room, absorbing most of the Castle's Dark Powers. However, the Castle was looking for a new master on its own, and dragged Soma Cruz, Dracula's true reincarnation, within its walls. When Soma killed Graham, the Castle transferred all the stolen power to Soma, who had to enter the Chaotic Realm and defeat Chaos itself to avoid becoming Dracula's successor.

Rooms and Features
Despite the Castle's ever-changing nature, it is almost always organized with set rooms and features. The nearby lake and forest are technically not part of the Castle in itself, yet they are infected by the Castle's magic and swarmed by Dracula's hordes. The castle can also create lairs devised specifically for Dracula's closest followers to inhabit, like the Tower of Death and Olrox's Quarters. Its most recurring features include:
 * The Entrance or Great Hall: Which consists mostly of large halls and stairways leading to the Castle's innermost sanctum.
 * The Corridor or Marble Gallery: A long and lavishly decorated gallery that links several locations.
 * The Catacombs and the Graveyard: Home of the skeleton monsters and other undead.
 * The Underground Waterway: Perhaps the place from where comes the poison that flows in the moat and most water points in the Castle.
 * The Underground Labyrinth: Among other underground locations.
 * The Garden: Populated mostly by Plant-like monsters and insectoid creatures.
 * The Villa or the Demon Guest House: An annex of the castle usually meant for high-ranking followers of Count Dracula.
 * The Pinnacle or Top Floor: The highest point of the castle, with many chasms, bridges and platform sequences.
 * The Ruins: A derelict, unkempt and mostly deserted area, rather dangerous to travel through.
 * The Dungeons: With jails and torture chambers.
 * The Arms Depot: The castle's armory, full of weapons of all sorts and populated by possessed blades or knight monsters.
 * The Colosseum: In which Dracula and his generals set fights between monsters or unleash monsters against the heroes.
 * The Alchemy Lab or Sorcery Lab: Where Dracula's wizards and witches servants study the Dark Arts.*
 * The Library: An immense library filled to the brim with countless books about every possible subject, highlighting Dracula's culture.
 * The Dance Hall: Used for recreational purpose, though mostly populated by dancing specters.
 * The Theater: Another recreational area, seldom found as a level of its own and often included within other locations.
 * The Clock Tower: In which the intruders must travel through the mechanisms.
 * The Chapel: It is quite surprising to find such a holy place in the castle of the Evil Incarnate, but keep in mind that the believers found here are more likely to be heretics and worshippers of Evil. Can include the Ceremonial Room where Dark Rituals and sacrifices are performed to resurrect Dracula.
 * The Towers: Usually many of them, travelled one after the other:
 * The Tower of Science: for researches on every subject and building machines.
 * The Art Tower: lavishly decorated and filled with paintings and statues.
 * The Observatory Tower: with a planetarium and an overall view of the surroundings.
 * The Tower of Executions: filled with lava and deadly traps.
 * The Tower of Sorcery: a sort of pocket dimension made of ice and crystal, with vanishing platforms.
 * The Duel Tower: similar to the Colosseum.
 * The Condemned Tower: similar to the Ruins.
 * The Throne Room or Coffin Room: Dracula's resting place located in the Castle Keep, where the heroes challenge him.

The Castle was sometimes separated in two distinct castles, like when the Dark Priest Shaft created an Inversed Castle in the sky, right over the regular one, as its base of operation. Also, during 1748, the Castle was split in two after Dracula had returned in spirit but not in the flesh.

Meeting Lisa
A young woman called Lisa Fahrenheit of Lupu visited Castlevania in 1455 surrounded with thousands of impaled skeletons. She asks the owner of the castle Dracula Vlad Ţepeş, to teach her science, as a last resort to become a medic.

Impressed by her resolve, Dracula accepts and guides her around. He shows her his library, laboratories and astrolabes, and reveals that the Castle is full of advanced technology, which he replicated after scrying into the future, including lightbulbs and machineries. He also explains that he can make it teleport wherever he wants.

Shortly after their first meeting, Lisa becomes the student and then wife of Dracula. At some point, they presumably left the castle and went to live at her house in Lupu.

Dracula's Curse
After Lisa was executed by a fanatical Bishop in Targoviste in 1475 under false accusations of witchcraft, Dracula returned to the castle to summon an army. He dueled with his son, Alucard, within the castle and then focused on gathering an army of demons by utilizing the various technologies the castle put at his disposal.

One year later, in 1476, Dracula teleported the castle directly into the center of Targoviste. He unleashed his army of demons to slaughter all humans and destroyed the city in short order. Dracula's army was then deployed across the entirety of Wallachia with the objective of exterminating all humanity.

About two thirds of the quest take place outside the castle, as renowned vampire hunter, Trevor Belmont, travels the Transylvanian countryside in his quest to defeat the dark lord, Dracula. Throughout his journey and depending on the paths he chooses, he will meet and recruit new companions who will help him in this task.

Curse of Darkness
The seal Hector encountered at the end of the Infinite Corridor resulted to be part of a scheme planned by Isaac in order to make Castlevania to emerge in this world. While it was required a torrent of demonic energy for it to be undone, it could also be released by a large quantity of magic that was produced in battle, like that a devil forgemaster would unleash while in combat, as Isaac explained to Trevor while attempting to kill him. In order to do this, he left behind a powerful fae warrior known as a Dullahan guarding it. When Hector defeated the fiend, powerful forces were absorbed by the seal, bringing forth the castle from below the waters in Mortvia.

Simon's Quest
The final act of Simon's quest actually takes place inside of Castlevania, which now lies in ruins after years of abandonment following the outcome of the battle seven years ago. A few sights are still recognizable, such as the long entrance corridor adorned with tall curtains. The castle can only be accessed through the collection of all five of Dracula's body parts, which Simon must bring to the basement to burn them, resulting in a final confrontation with the Dark Lord himself, who must be defeated once again to lift the curse that befell the land after their first encounter seven years ago.

Order of Ecclesia
Once Shanoa defeats Barlowe in the fortress of the Ecclesia, Castlevania suddenly emerges during the night and beckons her to enter it.

Aftermath
Following Dracula's defeat in 1999, the castle was sealed into a solar eclipse. It was later visited by Soma Cruz in 2035, although it was ultimately destroyed when Soma rejected Chaos, and by extension, his destiny of becoming Dracula.

In 2036, Celia Fortner and her cult built a castle immensely similar to Dracula's to foster the growth of a new Dark Lord. As her plan was left in ruins, the castle completely collapsed. The castle ultimately returned due to Olrox effectively taking over as the Dark Lord, until Death put an end to him.

Myths and Legends
It is possible the castle originally belonged to Walter Bernhard. His castle had the familiar strange keep structure present in Castlevania. If this was the case, the castle dates back to at least the 11th Century. In 1094, the castle appeared more like a traditional medieval castle than the more elaborate Gothic architecture seen elsewhere. One factor in favor for Walter's castle being Castlevania is that, in 1479, the abandoned castle is the place where only a Belmont's blood can gain access to the infinite corridor. Seeing as Leon Belmont was the first Belmont proclaimed at Walter's castle, the abandoned castle could be Walter's original castle.

A factor against the theory of Walter's castle becoming Castlevania is that at the end of those events, Mathias Cronqvist leaves the castle in the form of a bat and it is not known where he went, or if he ever returned. According to the information from the Hunter Organization, it outright states Dracula to have built his castle himself at the outskirts of Transylvania.

Residences of Castlevania

 * Chaos - Core of Castlevania
 * Dracula - Master of Castlevania
 * Alucard - Prince of Castlevania (Formerly)
 * Death - Right-Hand of Dracula
 * Carmilla
 * Elizabeth Bartley
 * Drolta Tzuentes
 * Olrox
 * Hector - Devil Forgemaster under Dracula (Formerly)
 * Isaac - Devil Forgemaster under Dracula
 * Jevonne - Loyal Human Sorcerer under Dracula
 * Silvana Ambrose Demetria & Gaius
 * Shaft
 * Slogra & Gaibon
 * Legion
 * Abaddon
 * Adramelech
 * Amduscias
 * Beelzebub
 * Malphas
 * Medusa
 * Astarte
 * Balore
 * Zephyr
 * Skula
 * Persephone
 * Nyx
 * Lerajie
 * Godbrand
 * Chō
 * Dragoslav
 * Raman
 * Sharma
 * Zufall
 * Richter Belmont - Temporary Master of Castlevania
 * Brauner - False Master of Castlevania
 * Galamoth - Former Prisoner in Castlevania

Creatures of Castlevania

 * Demons
 * Archdemons
 * Hellhounds
 * Incubi
 * Spin Devils
 * Succubi
 * Fallen Angels
 * Creatures of the Night
 * Doppelgangers
 * Flesh Golems
 * Incubi
 * Living Dead
 * Vampires
 * Merfolk
 * Gillmen
 * Mermaid - Female Exclusive Merfolk
 * Merman - Male Exclusive Merfolk
 * Succubi
 * Werebeasts
 * Werewolves
 * Monsters
 * Alraune
 * Cyclopes
 * Dragons
 * Hydras
 * Gorgons
 * Medusae
 * Greater Gorgons
 * Snake Men Sentinel
 * Medusa Heads
 * Hellhounds
 * Cerberi
 * Orthri
 * Larvae
 * Minotaurs
 * Fae
 * Fairies
 * Dullahans
 * Corrupted Valkyries
 * Other creatures
 * Automatons
 * Balloon Pods
 * Golems
 * Iron Golems
 * Unes
 * Humans
 * Devil Forgemasters
 * Necromancers
 * Witches
 * Human cults related to Dracula

Quotes

 * "Castlevania is a... strange place, to say the least. I couldn't even sure if I can describe it as a simple building, more like a living entity posing as one, similar to that of Hellmouth. Many warlocks, witches, and sorcerers have also come up to the same conclusion as mine after years of working with Dracula, saying that there is some "evil" living inside the castle's walls, that wickedness and miasma is woven into the fabric of its existence. Knowing that old vamp, it won't be much of a surprise if our theory turn out to be corrected." - Matt Wright.


 * "This castle is a creature of Chaos. It may take many incarnations." - Alucard.

Trivia

 * There are castles similar to Castlevania, either to bring its return or to replace it.
 * It possess an alternate universe counterpart that is also known as Castlevania but has a different history.
 * While also known as Dracula's Castle, it should not be mistaken with the castle belonging to Count Dracula or any castle belonging to Vlad III.
 * However, Castlevania was at some point located somewhere in Transylvania or in northern Wallachia, where one of the voivode's castles, Cetatea Poenari, is located.
 * Several real life castles have influenced Castlevania's appearance overtime.
 * Aside from Castlevania, Soma Cruz twice alluded to a castle that Dracula owned in Europe, presumably one of the other castles he used when he was unable to summon Castlevania.

Images Sources

 * (Dracula's Castle - 23.png) Dracula's Castle from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
 * (Castlevania resurrection of the night by pyrogas artworks ddua0dp-pre.jpg) Castlevania - Resurrection of the night by Pyrogas-Artworks
 * (Jose-vega-45480413-2149637638380574-8107576491547557888-o.jpg) Dracula's Castle from Netflix's Castlevania
 * (Grimoire of Souls Castle Detail.jpg) Dracula's Castle from Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls
 * (Dracula's Castle - Moonlight Rhapsody - 01.jpg) Dracula's Castle from Castlevania: Moonlight Rhapsody
 * (Jose-vega-45581784-2149637685047236-4303740964997955584-o.jpg) Dracula's Castle from Netflix's Castlevania
 * (Dracula's Castle (animated series) - 03.jpg) Dracula's Castle from Netflix's Castlevania
 * (Castlevania Dracula's Castle.png) [Castlevania] Dracula's Castle by dimensionalotaku
 * (Dracula's Castle - 19.png) Dracula's Castle emerges from the ocean in Mortvia from Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
 * (Dracula castle concept art by asakura1984 dbgdnzq-fullview.jpg) Dracula Castle Concept Art by Asakura1984