Vampire Slayer Kit

It may seem strange to be ruminating on vampires now that Halloween has come and gone. We are past Thanksgiving and well into Christmas season, after all. Nonetheless, according to various accounts, December (or possibly November, but let’s not quibble in the face of horror) happens to be the birth month of an infamous historical figure, whose legacy inspired one of the all time greats of nightmarish stories. Happy Birthday, Dracula!

Bram’s Stoker’s classic horror story about the undead ghoul with a serious blood lust, published in 1897, was inspired by a history of Wallachia, a region in what is now modern day Transylvania, and one of its most famous rulers. Vlad III, born (Nov or Dec) 1431, and lovingly known as Vlad the Impaler, was one of Romania’s greatest historic figures. His gruesome deeds against his enemies and rivals were bloody, brutal and violent. He gained the seat of power as “Voivode” three separate times during his life, but most notably in 1456. It was around this time in history that the printing press was also invented, and Vlad III’s deeds were thus recorded on woodblocks which spread his legacy and legend.

Around the time of his birth, his father (Vlad II) was inducted into the “Order of the Dragon” by the king of Hungary in a very Game of Thrones move. The old Romanian word for dragon is “drac”, and Vlad II earned a new surname, Dracul. His son, Vlad III, would thus be known as “Drăculea”, or son of Drac. Driving Stoker’s later reference and story even further was the fact that in modern Romanian, the word “drac” means “devil”.

Modern day woodsmith and puzzle artist Tracy Clemons makes uniquely interesting puzzle box adventures, full of overlapping and intricate locking mechanisms, secret compartments and surprises. She had been thinking about a vampire themed puzzle for a while, and over the past year has created something ominously magnificent. She cares a lot about her audience and collectors, and worries they might need protection against these creatures of the night, so has provided us with a mysterious and fascinating toolkit chock full with all manner of anti-vampire equipment.

“When I was a little girl, on Sunday afternoons there would be black and white movies I would watch with my sisters. One was Dracula, and from that moment on I had an interest with vampires. I came up with the idea [for the VSK] about two to three years ago. I love Vampires and was enjoying looking at the old Vampire Slaying Kit's and thought it would be a great puzzle. I started to create all the things that go inside [around] 1/1/2024.”

The kit comes in the form of a large wooden box, crafted from various exotic hardwoods. A lock with no keyhole adorns the front, and the box lid appears to hinge open somehow. On top there is a plaque with twisted intertwined iron shaping the name and purpose here – VSK. Various knobs and bolts lend intrigue, and disturbingly, the box is practically drenched in drying blood. Yikes!

Hopefully you aren’t under extreme duress, racing against your vampire foe as you fiddle with the steps and discoveries required to gain access under the lid and beyond, as it will take a long time to find the right secrets and sequences. Lo and behold, inside is an incredible tableau of collected artifacts, documents and mysterious vials, which really must be seen and appreciated, despite the common practice of keeping such secrets to oneself!

All of the carefully curated and highly detailed contents are also interactive, and play a vital part in the adventure! Certain objects will be familiar to any savvy vampire hunter, but their immediate purpose only becomes clear as you delve deeper and deeper into the box, revealing further secrets and assembling the ultimate weapon. The box is extremely tricky and requires a precise sequence of the many parts that move in and around it. Like many of Tracy’s creations, there is a hell of a lot more going on mechanistically than you may suspect, and simply turning a few knobs is not going to get you very far. Better hurry up, too, you’re about to be bitten. The endgame, in which you construct a theme appropriate sculpture after accessing all of the many secret compartments, is truly stunning. Tracy has outdone herself once again!

VSK marks a new chapter in Tracy’s work. “The challenge I came across was that all of my prior puzzle boxes are all wood, and in this one I couldn't do that to have the full experience of a real Vampire Slaying Kit. So I had to just go with it and let my creative ideas go.” Tracy is referring to the plethora of curiosities and components inside the box (“I wanted to pack it full”), which build the story and are part of the solution.

 “I think I learn something new with every build. Definitely how to make each next one an even more creative, one of a kind, fun experience.” For the Vampire kits, “I thought it would be fun for the Solver to have to [reenact a crucial step required for all serious Vampire slayers] with the items that you find in the puzzle box. It has been quite a feat to create as many as I am in my dining room. Table has been covered for months. It would look as though we have a severe vampire problem.. lol”

Warning to any vampires among us, it seems best to stay clear of Tracy’s house! Eventually she will be moving on to her next highly anticipated project. “I will be Is working on my chess boards. They will be Puzzle Boxes and also interactive for two.” Playing chess on a puzzling chess board sounds like a lot of fun. “I am trying to create puzzle boxes for the world to have something Unique. I love to Create a piece of art for people to enjoy playing with and going on a fun journey they want to enjoy. I hope to push the envelope of my designs more and more.”

Slaying vampires is naturally thirsty work, so let’s quench our thirst with something appropriately devastating as we celebrate this incredibly cool interactive art piece. The drink is, naturally, deep blood red thanks to a base of robust red wine. The drink’s origins are from Spain, where the simple but delicious combination of red wine and cola has been popular for a hundred years. In 1972, during the festival of St Nicholas in Algorta, as the story goes, Coca-Cola became the official mixer, and the concoction of red wine and Coke was dubbed the Kalimotxo in loving tribute to one of the festivity organizers, Kalimero. “Motxo” in basque means “ugly”, which was also this nice person’s nickname. The drink remains extremely popular.

Robby Dow and Ally Marrone, from Brooklyn’s Grand Army bar, have updated the classic with their moody, delicious take, which reconstructs the basic flavors and augments them further. The addition of two Italian amaros gives the drink a bracing body it typically lacks, and the cola syrup amps those sweet flavors further. Cola, which was originally made from an infusion of roots and herbs, is a perfect compliment for amaro in general. Be careful with this cocktail, as it might lure the creatures of the night to your window. Cheers, and happy hunting!

Vampire’s Kiss by Robby Dow and Ally Marrone

1 ½ oz medium dry red wine

½ oz Punt e Mes

¼ oz Fernet-Branca

¾ oz cola syrup (1:2 cola:sugar)

½ oz lime

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 oz soda water

Shake ingredients except soda water with ice and strain into a favorite glass filled with ice. Top with the soda and garnish with orange slices.

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