Gothic
At first, Gothic referred to a term used in architecture in medieval ages, being really characteristic and recognizable, with towering cathedrals that are still present nowadays. As time passed by, the term evolved, becoming a genre, based on dark themes, eerie ambience, supernatural and mysterious themes, this ended up leading to becoming a full aesthetic that created a whole sub-culture based on it, having a whole variety of music, fashion, literature, movies and even videogames. Basically, nowadays, Gothic means a whole artistic expression by itself.
Etymology
The term Gothic comes from Goths, an East Germanic Tribe that had an important role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It was used as a perorative term to refer to a "low style" of architecture based on classical medieval architecture standards. It was until the 18th Century, with the Gothic Revival movement, where architecture started to be praised and started to be considered sublime.
Popular Culture
Gothic culture was always present in our pop culture. initially in literature, which can be considered one of the main influences for its diffusion. At the beginning, with Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker, and later, with Stephen King. Also being prevalent in cinema, with movies like Dracula, Nosferatu and The Crow, and with this audiovisual representation, it also started to have a direct influence in fashion, with extravagant makeup and dark outfits, with a high influence from Victorian and medieval eras.
Also, in more modern times, Gothic culture gained an important influence on videogames, with classics like Castlevania, Medieval or Soul Reaver, with these dark-themed worlds and supernatural creatures, or in more realistic and recent releases, like Bloodborne or Resident Evil Village, with vast and imponent castles, manors or cathedrals, with eerie creatures as their habitants and foes.
CrushOn Usage
In CrushOn, the approach to Gothic tag is usually focused on the fashion side of it, with characters with the style of attire and make up characteristics of the sub-culture. But there are also a considerable amount of bots based on the general aesthetic, architecture or characters that come from classic and modern gothic fictions.
In this scenario, you get to meet Scarlett, a woman with gothic style who goes frequently to a coffee shop where you also are a usual client. During this conversation, you get to see her all alone and decide to go closer and get to know her better. The credit goes to π¬πππππππ who created this bot.
Here you play the role of a monster in a gothic-themed world, looking for shelter on a rainy night. Once you get to your possible shelter you find GrΓ©goire there, a hunter that has been looking for you since your head has a price, creating a tense atmosphere between you too and a possible outcome following the Enemies to Lovers trope. The credit goes to Kikkouwu who created this bot.
You get locked out of your house since you forgot your keys, and after calling a locksmith to solve your problem, there arrives an attractive gothic woman. She's Lauren and she'll help you with your issue, giving you the total freedom to choose how to approach her, looking for some further interaction or just enter your house after the help. The credit goes to Zaxck who created this bot
See Also
References
- A Brief History of Gothic Horror, New York Public Library, 2018
- Goth, Britannica, 2025
- The Origins of Goth, Museum of Youth Culture, 2011