Show Notes: Elizabeth
Welcome to the show notes! This is the section where I take the writing/research I’ve done for the episodes and post them for you to see!
Story Summary so far: The clergy has been established and grown in numbers but have been forced underground. They are searching for ways to bring about the end times or the anti-christ but so far have been unsucessful.
This episodes theory: In this episode I would like to discuss my theory that this is an origin story of sorts for the in-universe Papa becoming who he is. I think in the timeline, it comes before Con Clavi or Ritual.
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Elizabeth Bathory, was a Hungarian countess back in the 16th and 17th Centuries. She is considered the worlds most notorious serial killer, with an estimated body count well into the hundreds, at most being recorded at 650 people. According to many accounts, she was known to enjoy inflicting pain from a young age.
She was associated with Satanism thanks for the guidance of her Uncle, which may have some effect as to why Papa is researching her. Some of the acts of torture undertaken by Bathory are just horrific and I will not go into detail too much into them for the sake of our stomachs. To give you somewhat of an idea though, some of these methods included cutting, baths of stingy nettles, sewing together the mouths of those that complained or screamed and most horrid of all, feeding the her servants parts of their own bodies, with herself also indulging in cannibalism.
Elizabeth Bathory was given the moniker of the “Blood Countess” and that is due to perhaps her most famous trait; according to some Elizabeth would bathe in the blood of her victims to keep her youthful looks. Whether this is true or not has never been confirmed.
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“The sigh sounds like someone relaxing in a bath”
Underneath the moonlight of old Hungarian skies
Buried in the blood drenched Earth
These barren lands of ice
The text Papa is summarising is one of the winters of Elizabeths reign of terror, and probably late into that reign to. Bloond drenched Earth. Hungary is not particularly known for being a barren land of ice, so this is somewhat confusing. Perhaps the area was not maintained due to the psychotic nature of Bathory.
She was an evil woman with an evil old soul
Piercing eyes emotionless
A heart so black and cold
Papa sings this like this like he loves her. Or that he idolises her.
Elizabeth, in the chasm where was my soul
Forever young, Elizabeth Bathory in the castle of your death
You're still alive, Elizabeth
This is where my theory comes in. Papa does not refer to “your” soul, he refers to “my soul”, thus making me think that whatever blood ritual Papa has underwent has effected his soul, much like it might have Bathory.
Forever young being at the forefront here, Papa is clearly abit obsessed with this in my opinion. In the castle of your death; not much to discuss there.
“You’re still alive” now here comes another portion of my argument. Papa of course is not referring to the actual life of Bathory, but him living on through him as he indulges in her rituals perhaps?
However, I think that maybe this part of the song, he doesn’t actually know about her Rituals in full. Perhaps he’s noticed paintings where she does not seem to age.
Her pact with Satan
Her dispasal of mankind
Her acts of cruelty and her lust for blood
Makes her one of us!
This sounds to me like Papa is becoming even more fascinated by Bathory; if he was not invested before he certainly is now.
However, this speaks somewhat of the intentions of, if not the clergy at large, then at least Papa. “Dispisal of mankind, acts of cruelty” are not what I would call things that were for the good of humanity.
Our ancient countess was refused her desires will
To bathe in pure fresh blood
She'd peasant virgins killed
This I belief is where Papa fully discovers Elizabeths secret to eternal youth and is fascinated by it, thus leading to him becoming obsessed with the idea given the next bit of the song is him repeating the choruses including “you’re still alive” and crying out to Bathroy.
So to summarise: In my opinion this takes place before Con Clavi or Ritual and is the story of Papa discovering Elizabeth Bathory. He becomes fascinated or obsessed with her to the point he attempts one of her bathing rituals and in the process perhaps loses a piece or all of his soul, leaving it open for Satan. He will go on to form the Clergy from here.