Post by DornKoon on Oct 1, 2024 18:37:02 GMT
General Information
“Principles are like prayers; noble, of course, but awkward at a party.”
Full Name:
Lady Adelaide Rosamund Eleanore Pryce
Codename or Alias:
Lady Blackmoore
The Blackmoore Ghost
The Ghostly Dowager
Addie (Close friends)
Anonymity
Historically speaking, her life is public knowledge, and the fact that she's a ghost is mainly unknown.
Gender:
Female
Race:
Ghost
Human
Age:
89 (At death in 1928)
185 (In total)
Place Of Birth:
Bath, England, UK
Occupation/Status:
Dowager Duchess of Blackmoore
Paleontologist
Alignment:
Hero (Even if she would never claim such an inappropriate title)
Factions:
Planetary
Canon Or Original?:
OC
Powers/Abilities:
Ghost Physiology
Lady Pryce has all the powers associated with being a ghost: She can become invisible and intangible and teleport short distances. She is no longer affected by physical forces, except for such things as Nth metal and the power of the Lantern Corps. She cannot interact with the physical world outside her ghostly powers. She has unlimited stamina and does not need sleep, food, or water. She can also move things telekinetically with her mind, making it possible to hurl large objects as required. Unlike other ghosts, she also had limited shapeshifting abilities, which primarily revolved around her wardrobe choice, being able to dress in anything she wore when she was alive, even those she did not wear when she died. She can also cross into the astral plane, allowing her to cross into other dimensions.
As a ghost, she is also outside the flow of life, making her immune to those whose authority ends at the grave.
As a ghost, her powers can also be tied to her emotional state, making her more dangerous when angry, which usually shows itself in the form of sudden drops in temperature, interference in electronics, and spontaneous hauntings, such as moving furniture or killing to nearby fires.
Ectokinesis
Lady Pryce is well-versed in manipulating the energies that make up the ghostly world. She can shape and manipulate the extra-planar energy called ectoplasm, which can be understood as a variable-state form of matter energy coming from planes beyond the physical. As an offensive weapon, Lady Pryce can attack using a variety of energy attacks made from ectoplasm, usually in the shape of lightning. But, she can create constructs similar to how a Lantern make them out of light; in her case, these constructs take on a pale-blue/green hue and are very cold to mortals, even in instances where they would otherwise not be able to feel cold. This is because it does not affect the body but the soul. This also makes it very useful against enemies that would otherwise be incorporeal, such as other ghosts or spirits of different kinds.
Wit Beyond Measure
“Oh, well, that is an easy caveat to accept because I’m never wrong.”
In life, Lady Pryce was held back by society's norms, and as such, much of her abilities were wasted upholding the image of a traditional woman of nobility. She is a brilliant, witty, observant, and wise lady. She knows people, situations, and actions can always maintain her nobility and is not easily shaken by threats or violence. Her stubbornness is so strong that it makes her less likely to fall victim to manipulation, mind control, or panic in the face of horrors. Compared to other members of Planetary, Lady Pryce might not be as intelligent, but she is quick to think and act cleverly, and her power of improvisation has been deemed among the best.
The Ghostly Duchess of Blackmoore
Lady Pryce is not bound to stay at the Blackmoore Estate but is always connected to it, even when absent. At any time, Her Ladyship can teleport back to the grounds from anywhere in the world, and she is also aware when someone enters uninvited. In death, she is once again Lady of the Estate, and her ghostly powers grow substantially whenever she is on Estate grounds. Sure, she is an intense encounter outside, but to face Lady Pryce at Blackmoore Estate is to court disaster; every door, window, and piece of furniture is hers to command. She can warp space inside the mansion to make corridors stretch forever, command the ghostly servants to do her bidding, rearrange the furniture in the blink of an eye, and project her voice anywhere.
Permanently damaging Blackmoore Hall is difficult because the Estate can mend itself if given enough time; at the same time, repairing what is damaged is problematic because the building will go back to what it was before in the same way as if it were destroyed. A creaking staircase will always creak, and the dripping faucet will drip.
Lastly, Lady Pryce can decide to "close" the borders of her estate, causing mists to rise around it, making leaving the area near impossible without the assistance of magic such as portals or other tools which might aid.
With Sheer Willpower
Lady Pryce is unique, even among ghosts and spectres, because she did not linger due to a curse or a tragic death but remained behind due to sheer willpower. Her Ladyship is not easy to influence, nor is she easy to bind, summon or exorcise. Anything that would attempt to make her do something against her will seldom work as intended, including her ghostly body and her choice.
Paleontology
Even in life, Adelaide spent a lot of time studying ancient life on Earth and was keenly interested in dinosaurs of different kinds. This interest did not lessen with age and continued even after her death. In planetary science, she is the leading expert on Paleontology. She knows how to date bones at a glance and where the best places to find fossils are. She and her late husband made quite a splash upon discovering an almost complete Triceratops skeleton, which they named Minnie.
Polyglot
Lady Pryce learned several languages when she was alive and can fluently speak French, German, Swedish, Russian, Hindi, Latin, Latverian, and Italian. She is also well-versed in understanding ancient written languages, such as Egyptian, Sanskrit, Hebrew and Ancient Greek.
Weapons/Items:
“First electricity, now robots and alien invasions. Sometimes, I feel like living in an H.G. Wells novel.”
The Dowager Car
The car was a gift from her son, Albert, to make it easier for his mother to travel between the Dower house and the mansion. It is a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, and this now fittingly ghostly vehicle is her primary means of transportation for longer distances. Only ghosts and those able to interact with ectoplasm can travel in it, and such things as physical boundaries do not stop it. It is even capable of travelling to other dimensions. Lady Pryce's chauffeur is the ghost of a young man named Thomas, one of the servants who died at the Estate and whose ghost is now bound to the car or any representation of it.
Papa's Blunderbuss
"As my dear Father used to say, most disputes can be solved over a drink, but a gun never hurts."
Lady Pryce can arm herself with a ghostly version of her father's old blunderbuss and channel her ghostly powers through it to shoot powerful ectoplasmic shots. She can also channel her photokinesis through it to fire blasts of concentrated light, which can be very effective against demons, other ghosts, and vampires.
Blackmoore Estate
"Off the lawn! Off the lawn!"
Adelaide was the Lady of Blackmoore Estate for most of her life and reclaimed the building after her death. Blackmoore Estate is a grand building called Blackmoore Hall, with extensive grounds and several other buildings located on the outskirts of Shropshire, on the border between England and Wales. The building is also one of the most haunted in the country, a reputation Lady Pryce is not that fond of but has learned to accept. It looks like nothing more than a regular estate on the outside. But magically and spiritually, it exists as a dimension separate from the outside world, and at the same time... not.
The most mysterious property of the Haunted Estate is that it can appear in other parts of the world while still permanently being located in Shropshire. "Visistors" can walk randomly onto the ground, usually when encountering thick mist or a bad storm.
Blackmoore is a haven for ghosts at Lady Pryce's discretion. Many have sought amnesty in her domain, safe from those of higher powers who would wish to harm them.
It is a fascinating nexus of ghostly and spiritual activity.
Blackmore Ghosts
A list of special ghosts inhabiting Blackmore Hall and the rest of the Estate.
Mrs Elsie Beavin - Housekeeper (Died of Consumption)
Mr Archie Hughes - Head Gardener (Struck by lightning)
Mr Barnabus Boatwright - Butler (Murdered)
Thomas - Chauffeur (Car crash)
Daisy Black - Ladies Maid (Died of Consumption)
Maids
Maria
Nora
Hope
Footmen
Walter
Alfred
Andrew
Others
Minnie - Ghost of Triceratops/Adelaide's pet
Appearance
“Does nobody wear a gown to a wedding nowadays? You'd think this was a circus.”
Physical Appearance:
Since her death, Lady Adelaide Pryce has not changed much in the last 96 years. She died an old woman in her late 80s, not quite reaching 90. She has three general "forms" in which she can appear, one as Lady Adelaide Pryce, every bit of what she looked like alive. A serious-looking elderly woman with grey hair and piercing blue eyes, face wrinkled by age, and body marred by time. She often appears in this form to not frighten the living, and she commonly chooses to materialise so she can be seen by those without any "sight". Her second form, or her "ghost" form, looks like her first, but she has dropped all pretences of being alive, revealing her ectoplasmic shape of white mist.
Her third form happens only when she is angry; at this point, her "ghostly" appearance becomes more frightening, her clothes torn, her hair wild, and her eyes like black pits.
Clothing and Armor:
Unlike many ghosts, Lady Pryce can alter how she dresses, but her choices are limited to the clothes she wore when she was alive. Most are gowns and dresses of different designs, with matching hats and accessories. Colour and fabric can change depending on her mood or the air she wishes to exude. But no matter what outfit, she is always modest and, above all else, proper.
Personality
Sexual Orientation:
Heterosexual
General Personality:
"Don't be defeatist, dear; it's very middle class."
Proud and superior. Adelaide Pryce is an aristocrat in every sense of the word. She is a witty, sharp-tongued, and influential woman who often has the last word in any conversation. She is loyal to her family and friends but also has a strong sense of tradition and hierarchy. She is deeply rooted in her time's customs and often expresses scepticism or resistance to change. Her wit and sharpness come from her ability to observe and comment on the world around her, but she tends to do so with a practical and pragmatic perspective rather than a highly imaginative one. She has particular ideas of how things should be done and can be stubborn about implementing them. She can sometimes be critical, pointing out everything she does not understand or like about any situation.
As a ghost, Adelaide finds it challenging to change, and these changes take time and great effort, so many of her views might seem very rigid. At the same time, she gained a sense of freedom upon becoming a ghost, which she did not have as a woman in the early half of the 1900s.
More often than not, she is a voice of pragmatic solutions, looking to how problems may be solved rather than dwelling on why the problem happened in the first place. Despite her somewhat harsh personality, Lady Pryce is genuinely helpful in her way, and few things she does or says come from a place of malice. Sometimes, people need reality, not someone sugarcoating things. Beneath her harsh and sharp-tongued attitude, Adelaide has a more vulnerable and emotional side. She likes to read and write in genres such as poetry, fiction, or history. She likes to watch and listen to various art forms, such as music, theatre, or opera. She has a deep fondness for dinosaurs, an interest she shared with her late husband, and she is never slow to share her knowledge on the subject if asked.
Her most tremendous pain will always be the hole left after Alastair's passing, as she always felt something was missing in her life, and now, in death, she has periods of great loneliness and melancholy where she can stand looking at his portrait for hours if not days.
Face/Voice:
Dame Maggie Smith
Anything Else
"There's nothing simpler than avoiding people you don't like. Avoiding one's friends, that's the real test."
Character's History
Siblings:
Arthur Aston - Twin Brother (Deceased)
Mother:
Ethel Aston - Baronetess (Deceased)
Father:
Henry Aston - Baronet (Deceased)
Other Family:
Alastair Pryce, 6th Duke of Blackmoore - Husband (Deceased)
Hyacinth Charlotte Painswick - Daughter (Deceased)
Marmaduke Painswick - Son-in-Law (Deceased)
Ernest William Painswick - Grandson (Deceased)
Alice Adelaide Fitzgerald - Granddaughter (Deceased)
Oscar Fitzgerald - Grandson-in-Law (Deceased)
Amelie Fitzgerald-Newgate - Great Granddaughter (Deceased)
Edgar Newgate - Great-Grandson-in-Law (Deceased)
Elara Starchild Zappon - Great-Great Granddaughter
Ziggy Zappon - Great-Great Grandson-in-Law
Astra Zappon - Great-Great-Great Granddaughter
Europa Zappon - Great-Great-Great Granddaughter
Zenith Zappon - Great-Great-Great Grandson
Ernest Archibald Pryce - Son (Deceased)
Clementine Victoria de Mowbray - Daughter (Deceased)
William de Mowbray, 6th Duke of Norfolk - Son-in-Law (Deceased)
Oscar Bryton de Mowbray, 7th Duke of Norfolk - Grandson (Ghost)
Fleur de Mowbray, Duchess of Norfolk - Granddaughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Willhelm de Mowbray, 8th Duke of Norfolk - Great Grandson (Deceased)
Cathrine de Mowbray, Grear Granddaughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Eulalia Margaret Trent - Granddaughter (Deceased)
Chantelle Mary Pryce - Daughter (Deceased)
Poppy Clarke - Bestfriend/Lover/Companion (Deceased)
Peter Clarke - Poppy's nephew (Deceased)
Anna Clarke - Poppy's niece (Deceased)
Fabian Hausknecht - Anna's husband (Deceased)
Frederich Hausknecht - Anna's grandson
Bernhard Hausknecht - Anna's great grandson.
Adelheid Hausknecht - Anna's great granddaughter-in-Law
Benjamin Hausknecht - Anna's great-great grandson
Sonja Hausknecht, nee Henriksen - Benjamin's wife (Desceased)
Cornelius Nicolaus Hausknecht - Son of Benjamin and Sonja
Chester Edward Pryce, 7th Duke of Blackmoore - Son (Deceased)
Helga Pryce, Duchess of Blackmoore - Daughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Alastair Oscar Pryce, 8th Duke of Blackmoore - Grandson (Deceased)
Emmeline Pryce - Granddaughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Lilian Pryce - Great-Granddaughter (Deceased)
Silas Pryce, 9th Duke of Blackmoore Great-Grandson (Deceased)
George Oswald Pryce - Grandson (Deceased)
Gaspard Bettencourt - George's lover (Deceased)
Several cousins, nieces and nephews, who's families have continued over the years.
History:
Born to Minor Nobility
Lady Adelaide was born as the first of a set of twins to minor Baronet Lord Henry Aston and his wife, Ethel. Her life was as expected of a lady of nobility born in England in 1839. Adelaide was expected to be a lady and to marry someone of influence and preferably power, even if her prospects looked bleak due to how minor nobilities they were. Her brother, Arthur, was already set to inherit their father's title and land.
Growing up, Lady Adelaide was always close to her twin, Arthur. The two would find solace in each other and secretly share their different lessons. Arthur taught Adelaide Latin, math, and science. She showed him how to do needlework, play the piano, and study botany. Much of who she is today came from her learning things many other girls in her situation could only dream about. In her youth, study was less about working, passing the time, and learning to become a proper lady and future wife.
She had her first romantic encounter in the form of one of the stable boys working at the family land, a youngster named William, but before anything serious could happen, her father found out and made sure the boy was sent away. He was not cruel and ensured William would find employment elsewhere; he could not afford to have him close to Adelaide. Sadly, William later died in 1857 during the Indian Rebellion; Adelaide was 18 years old at the time and heartbroken.
At around the same time, Destiny would have a twist for her...
A Chance Encounter
Adelaide was 18 when she formally entered society and was introduced before Queen Victoria at the debutante ball. It was also during her debute that Adelaide first meet, Princess Royal, Victoria, the eldest daugher of Queen Victoria, and the two remained friends until Victoria died from Cancer in 1901. Adelaide was even present at Princess Victoria's wedding with the German Emperor, Frederick III. Her death was a great sorrow, and many of the gifts she got from the Princess Royal can still be found in Blackmoore Hall.
Still, Adelaide did not feel like dancing much and hid behind drapes in the ballroom to escape it all, mostly her persistent mother. She was not the only one with that idea, as she bumped into a young man three years her senior. He was hiding from another young lady who seemed most insisted upon making his acquaintance... perhaps a little too much. The young man introduced himself as Alastair Pryce, and Adelaide knew him as the youngest son of the Duke of Blackmoore.
The two began talking, and it quickly became apparent that they shared a passion for literature and had been reading similar novels. Adelaide was enamoured by Alastair's witty personality and dark eyes. To her, he was the most handsome man in the room, not because he was that beautiful... but because he was the first man to have ever shared her interests and not seem intimidated by them. If anything, he welcomed having an intelligent conversation.
Alastair continued to court her after the ball, sending several letters.
Less than a year later, the duke's son was at her father's estate, asking Lord Aston for permission to marry her.
This caused quite a stir; even if Lady Adelaide was a woman of nobility, she was still the daughter of a baronet, not even a baron, and yet that the son of a duke would want to marry her seemed... impossible for many. Not that Alastair cared what other people were thinking; to him, the choice of a wife was evident, and he saw no one he'd want to share the rest of his life with more. With her father's blessing, Alastair proposed to Adelaide that evening, the first time they kissed.
The two were married not long after, a grand affair, and so Adelaide Aston became Adelaide Pryce. She left her childhood home. After an extended honeymoon, the couple travelled through France and Italy before returning to England; they moved to Shropshire and attempted to make a home together at the family Estate of Blackmoore Hall.
Life could have been straightforward from there; Alastair had two older brothers and was not close enough in line to inherit anything. However, all that changed just two years later, in 1860, when in six months, both Alastair's brothers passed away; the oldest and his wife died in a drowning accident when he was out sailing with friends, and the middle brother died from being trampled by a horse. On top of that, and quickened by grief, Alastair's father died from Consumption not long after the middle brother had been put in the ground.
And before they knew how to handle it, Alastair and Adelaide had become Duke and Duchess of Blackmoore.
In addition, Adelaide was pregnant with their first child and gave birth to a daughter they named Hyacinth Charlotte Painswick.
Duchess of Blackmoore
Adelaide took to her new role as mistress of the house with apprehension and stubbornness, primarily due to her somewhat strained relationship with Alastair's mother, Adelaide's mother-in-law, who had moved to the Dower House upon the death of her husband. Still, Adelaide was no stranger to a challenge, and it did not take long before a second child came into the world, a son named Ernest Archibald. Much of the pressure of producing an heir left the couple at the birth of Ernest.
As the years followed, the young Duke and Duchess continued to produce children, ending up with five: three daughters and two sons. Combined with their responsibilities, this made their lives most eventful. Still, as her father reminded her, "Duty Addie, always, duty."
All in all, life was good, and Adelaide continued to grow into her role as Duchess, making something of a name for herself at court during their visits to the family's London Residence.
Death in the Family
Tragedy struck the family when their oldest son, Ernest, became ill and passed away from a terrible fever at only 15 years of age in 1876. It was a terrible blow for the family, but it was even more challenging for Adelaide because she and Ernest had quarrelled about his wish to study abroad, something she was against at the time. Adelaide spent the expected one year in mourning and never quite got over the guilt of losing Ernest, even if Alastair tried to be there for her.
Relief came most unexpectedly: palaeontology. Adelaide happened to be at an exhibition for fossils in London and went to a lecture by Sir Richard Owen, who, in 1841, had created a new order of reptiles, the Dinosaurs. This evidence that giant reptiles had lived on Earth in the past caused great excitement in scientific circles and even among some segments of the general public; Adelaide became very fascinated with these creatures, an interest her husband shared. So, perhaps as a way to move on, the couple began to study these fascinating animals.
Finding Minnie
A breakthrough came at a dig in western North America when Alastair and Adelaide, assisted by their crew, discovered the almost complete skeleton of a Triceratops, which they named Minnie. Their finding of Minnie cemented Alastair and Adelaide's position in the palaeontology society, and even if most of the praise was given to Alastair, she is still mentioned in history books. Not that honour and fame were ever the desire; it was about the discovery itself.
It took considerable effort, but the skeleton was returned to England, and they even built their own little "Dinosaur Court" to house her, along with other treasures such as Blackmoore Hall. Many fossils were sold in later years, but some of the best remains at Blackmoore Hall even into the modern age. Still, her new interest aside, Lady Pryce maintained her position at the Estate and did not forget or squander her other obligations. It was not a perfect cure, but it helped lessen the pain and gave Adelaide something to do.
A New Era
Life was good for the Pryce couple. Their children had grown and begun to live lives of their own, and after Ernest's death, the younger son, Chester, was set to inherit the title of Duke of Blackmoore upon his father's death. The century's shift grew ever closer, and a big celebration was planned at Blackmoore Hall on New Year's Eve, 1899, to celebrate the coming of the 20th Century; a new era was upon them.
Sadly, the start of this brave new age was marred by the sudden death of Alastair, another heavy blow to Adelaid's heart; like her father, he died from Consumption. Still, being a lady in her 60s had made Adelaide less prone to fits of despair, and even if the death of her husband caused great sorrow, she had solace in her remaining children and the growing number of grandchildren.
Yet, things would change, and Adelaide now found herself in the same position her mother-in-law had been in all those years ago, relegated to the Dower House with Chester's wife, Helga, the daughter of a Scandinavian Businessman, the new Lady of the House, and Duchess of Blackmoore. Still, Adelaide could not do much about that; it was how things had always been. Like with so much else, she did not like it, but she accepted it. The most significant conflict came when Helga wanted to "get rid" of the Dinosaur Court, something Adelaide could not accept, and thankfully, the documents her Husband signed to claim Minnie made the collection part of the Estate and, therefore, was not something which could just be removed, or donated. Afterwards, Helga never ventured into that part of the house, something her children quickly learned to use when they wanted to hide from their mother.
Of course, there were other tensions. Still, the two women developed a tentative relationship over the years, usually whenever they found a common enemy or tried to stop the spread of a scandal. Even Adelaide had to admit that Helga did have Blackmoore's best interest at heart and was willing to go behind her husband's back to make it so—a fine quality in a Lady, to her mind.
Adelaide was always close to her grandchildren, who were regular visitors at the Dower House as they grew old enough to sneak off on their own. Their Granny always had tea and biscuits for them and sometimes even pudding.
Life at Blackmoore was fraught with scandal and conflict, as one would expect from the English nobility at the turn of the century. She lost several acquaintances when the Titanic sank, but thankfully, no one in the family was onboard. A maid was caught stealing silver. Her son Chester was caught having an affair with a shopgirl from London, which almost fractures his marriage. Then came the Great War, and all her grandsons enlisted to join the fighting, much to her dismay. Still, the name Blackmoore carried at least some weight, which Adelaide used with military connections to protect her grandsons as much as possible. Still, she could do little from afar, and soon, news reached her that her grandson, Ernest, had been killed in action, and not long after, his cousin George lost his leg but survived and was sent home.
Thankfully, the war did not cause more deaths, and slowly, life returned to some normality—or as normal as it could have been during the Roaring 20s.
Death would continue to haunt the family, with her granddaughter Alice passing away after giving birth to her first and only child with a banker named Oscar Fitzgerald, a daughter he named Alice after her mother. The conflict between the two parties ended with Oscar severing ties to his wife's remaining family, and Adelaide did not hear much other than from her contacts in London. Pride won the day, and Adelaide lost contact with that side of the family, that is, until recently.
Death? Like I have the time for such nonsense!
Finally, Adelaide Pryce, Dowager Duchess of Blackmoore, died at 89 in 1928. Her heart was failing, and when she, on top of that, contracted Tuberculosis, there was nothing which could be done to stop it. Death came to collect her as she did with all living things that died; faced with this cosmic entity, Lady Adelaide was thoroughly unimpressed with the idea of "moving on".
As it so happened, she had the sheer force of will to back it up when she thanked Death for doing such a fine job but that she could not possibly go with her. In her own words: "And leave Chester in charge of Blackmoore Estate? No, I'll have to stay; I cannot be bothered with this right now." Death was taken aback, which was a feat. Still, in the end, she found the old lady funny and offered a deal. "I can come back later? And you can stick around for as long as you require." Which Lady Pryce found acceptable.
So, where other ghosts remained behind due to tragedy or magic, Dowager Duchess Adelaide Pryce had done so with a combination of stubbornness and spite. Her Ladyship had never been good at taking orders, much less admitting if she was wrong, even when she happened to be incorrect, as rare of an occasion as that was in her mind.
Which made her into a unique ghost, indeed.
The Blackmoore Ghost
One of the major drawbacks of being a ghost was that she had very little influence on the living world, and while that could be infuriating, Lady Pryce decided to deal with the matter in her own way. The first thing she did was cement herself back in Blackmoore Hall, made easier by the fact that she did not have much in terms of rivals, and most of the existing ghosts at the time were servants who had died over the years and many animals. Secondly, she continued to watch the Estate and the events after her death.
Over the years that followed, life continued, and the family grew. With time, so did Adelaide's ghostly powers; she became more confident in her new body and found herself able to manipulate ectoplasmic energies to do her bidding, which made keeping the Estate safe from outside spiritual intruders that much easier. It was not long before Blackmoore Hall became a nexus for attracting other dead, seeking shelter or a safe place to linger. Lady Pryce accepted most of them, albeit with some level of grudge. She held several balls for the dead, with the still-living family none the wiser.
Blackmoore Hall always had a reputation as being haunted, which persisted into modern times.
Death of the Endless remained a recurring guest, appearing randomly to check in with Lady Pryce.
The Decline of a Dynasty
Of course, nothing lasts forever; for the Pryce family, that was the second world war. Several members of the family died in the fighting, and a falling German bomb destroyed a large section of the house. Having lost so much, the air was knocked out of the family, and they moved permanently to the Estate in London when the war ended. They came to Blackmoore Hall less and less until the Estate was largely abandoned. Soon, even the servants left, and it did not take long before the house was covered in dust.
It was very sad, and despite her best efforts, Lady Pryce could do little about it; she could only feel a sense of melancholy.
More ghosts started to appear on the ground, forcing Adelaide to spend less time on the living and more on keeping the peace at the Estate. The growing spiritual energy also weakened the veils between the living and the dead, causing more hauntings. At the same time, Lady Pryce found herself more and more deeply connected with the house, being able to sense if people walked onto the grounds even when she was not around, and the house began to do her will more easily than before.
Blackmoore Hall also gained the power to repair itself if damaged, be it a broken window or a torn down wall. A significant and unexpected change was when a ghost looking like Minnie appeared in and around the Dinosaur Court, which confused Adelaide because the dinosaur's ghost had not been seen before. So why had she appeared at that point? Her skeleton had been part of the Estate for ages, ever since the 1870s.
Soon enough, the line of Chester died out, forcing the family lawyer to search for the next heir to inherit.
Unexpected Heir
It took several years before the lawyer could track down the children related to Alastair and Adelaide's oldest daughter, Hyacinth. This was made more difficult because the family had changed their names and discarded any noble connections. But when the lawyer tried to hand over the inheritance, the recipient, Elara Starchild Zappon, said she was uninterested in it, as it did not fit with her choices and lifestyle.
Lady Pryce never met her Great-Great Granddaughter and her hippie of a husband, nor was she very aware of the drama.
When Elara herself died, finding the next heir proved much easier, as the Estate would go to her oldest child.
Astra Zappon
Role Play Sample:
This is required for all canons and OCs deemed significant wit
“Principles are like prayers; noble, of course, but awkward at a party.”
Full Name:
Lady Adelaide Rosamund Eleanore Pryce
Codename or Alias:
Lady Blackmoore
The Blackmoore Ghost
The Ghostly Dowager
Addie (Close friends)
Anonymity
Historically speaking, her life is public knowledge, and the fact that she's a ghost is mainly unknown.
Gender:
Female
Race:
Ghost
Age:
89 (At death in 1928)
185 (In total)
Place Of Birth:
Bath, England, UK
Occupation/Status:
Dowager Duchess of Blackmoore
Paleontologist
Alignment:
Hero (Even if she would never claim such an inappropriate title)
Factions:
Planetary
Canon Or Original?:
OC
Powers/Abilities:
Ghost Physiology
Lady Pryce has all the powers associated with being a ghost: She can become invisible and intangible and teleport short distances. She is no longer affected by physical forces, except for such things as Nth metal and the power of the Lantern Corps. She cannot interact with the physical world outside her ghostly powers. She has unlimited stamina and does not need sleep, food, or water. She can also move things telekinetically with her mind, making it possible to hurl large objects as required. Unlike other ghosts, she also had limited shapeshifting abilities, which primarily revolved around her wardrobe choice, being able to dress in anything she wore when she was alive, even those she did not wear when she died. She can also cross into the astral plane, allowing her to cross into other dimensions.
As a ghost, she is also outside the flow of life, making her immune to those whose authority ends at the grave.
As a ghost, her powers can also be tied to her emotional state, making her more dangerous when angry, which usually shows itself in the form of sudden drops in temperature, interference in electronics, and spontaneous hauntings, such as moving furniture or killing to nearby fires.
Ectokinesis
Lady Pryce is well-versed in manipulating the energies that make up the ghostly world. She can shape and manipulate the extra-planar energy called ectoplasm, which can be understood as a variable-state form of matter energy coming from planes beyond the physical. As an offensive weapon, Lady Pryce can attack using a variety of energy attacks made from ectoplasm, usually in the shape of lightning. But, she can create constructs similar to how a Lantern make them out of light; in her case, these constructs take on a pale-blue/green hue and are very cold to mortals, even in instances where they would otherwise not be able to feel cold. This is because it does not affect the body but the soul. This also makes it very useful against enemies that would otherwise be incorporeal, such as other ghosts or spirits of different kinds.
Wit Beyond Measure
“Oh, well, that is an easy caveat to accept because I’m never wrong.”
In life, Lady Pryce was held back by society's norms, and as such, much of her abilities were wasted upholding the image of a traditional woman of nobility. She is a brilliant, witty, observant, and wise lady. She knows people, situations, and actions can always maintain her nobility and is not easily shaken by threats or violence. Her stubbornness is so strong that it makes her less likely to fall victim to manipulation, mind control, or panic in the face of horrors. Compared to other members of Planetary, Lady Pryce might not be as intelligent, but she is quick to think and act cleverly, and her power of improvisation has been deemed among the best.
The Ghostly Duchess of Blackmoore
Lady Pryce is not bound to stay at the Blackmoore Estate but is always connected to it, even when absent. At any time, Her Ladyship can teleport back to the grounds from anywhere in the world, and she is also aware when someone enters uninvited. In death, she is once again Lady of the Estate, and her ghostly powers grow substantially whenever she is on Estate grounds. Sure, she is an intense encounter outside, but to face Lady Pryce at Blackmoore Estate is to court disaster; every door, window, and piece of furniture is hers to command. She can warp space inside the mansion to make corridors stretch forever, command the ghostly servants to do her bidding, rearrange the furniture in the blink of an eye, and project her voice anywhere.
Permanently damaging Blackmoore Hall is difficult because the Estate can mend itself if given enough time; at the same time, repairing what is damaged is problematic because the building will go back to what it was before in the same way as if it were destroyed. A creaking staircase will always creak, and the dripping faucet will drip.
Lastly, Lady Pryce can decide to "close" the borders of her estate, causing mists to rise around it, making leaving the area near impossible without the assistance of magic such as portals or other tools which might aid.
With Sheer Willpower
Lady Pryce is unique, even among ghosts and spectres, because she did not linger due to a curse or a tragic death but remained behind due to sheer willpower. Her Ladyship is not easy to influence, nor is she easy to bind, summon or exorcise. Anything that would attempt to make her do something against her will seldom work as intended, including her ghostly body and her choice.
Paleontology
Even in life, Adelaide spent a lot of time studying ancient life on Earth and was keenly interested in dinosaurs of different kinds. This interest did not lessen with age and continued even after her death. In planetary science, she is the leading expert on Paleontology. She knows how to date bones at a glance and where the best places to find fossils are. She and her late husband made quite a splash upon discovering an almost complete Triceratops skeleton, which they named Minnie.
Polyglot
Lady Pryce learned several languages when she was alive and can fluently speak French, German, Swedish, Russian, Hindi, Latin, Latverian, and Italian. She is also well-versed in understanding ancient written languages, such as Egyptian, Sanskrit, Hebrew and Ancient Greek.
Weapons/Items:
“First electricity, now robots and alien invasions. Sometimes, I feel like living in an H.G. Wells novel.”
The Dowager Car
The car was a gift from her son, Albert, to make it easier for his mother to travel between the Dower house and the mansion. It is a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, and this now fittingly ghostly vehicle is her primary means of transportation for longer distances. Only ghosts and those able to interact with ectoplasm can travel in it, and such things as physical boundaries do not stop it. It is even capable of travelling to other dimensions. Lady Pryce's chauffeur is the ghost of a young man named Thomas, one of the servants who died at the Estate and whose ghost is now bound to the car or any representation of it.
Papa's Blunderbuss
"As my dear Father used to say, most disputes can be solved over a drink, but a gun never hurts."
Lady Pryce can arm herself with a ghostly version of her father's old blunderbuss and channel her ghostly powers through it to shoot powerful ectoplasmic shots. She can also channel her photokinesis through it to fire blasts of concentrated light, which can be very effective against demons, other ghosts, and vampires.
Blackmoore Estate
"Off the lawn! Off the lawn!"
Adelaide was the Lady of Blackmoore Estate for most of her life and reclaimed the building after her death. Blackmoore Estate is a grand building called Blackmoore Hall, with extensive grounds and several other buildings located on the outskirts of Shropshire, on the border between England and Wales. The building is also one of the most haunted in the country, a reputation Lady Pryce is not that fond of but has learned to accept. It looks like nothing more than a regular estate on the outside. But magically and spiritually, it exists as a dimension separate from the outside world, and at the same time... not.
The most mysterious property of the Haunted Estate is that it can appear in other parts of the world while still permanently being located in Shropshire. "Visistors" can walk randomly onto the ground, usually when encountering thick mist or a bad storm.
Blackmoore is a haven for ghosts at Lady Pryce's discretion. Many have sought amnesty in her domain, safe from those of higher powers who would wish to harm them.
It is a fascinating nexus of ghostly and spiritual activity.
Blackmore Ghosts
A list of special ghosts inhabiting Blackmore Hall and the rest of the Estate.
Mrs Elsie Beavin - Housekeeper (Died of Consumption)
Mr Archie Hughes - Head Gardener (Struck by lightning)
Mr Barnabus Boatwright - Butler (Murdered)
Thomas - Chauffeur (Car crash)
Daisy Black - Ladies Maid (Died of Consumption)
Maids
Maria
Nora
Hope
Footmen
Walter
Alfred
Andrew
Others
Minnie - Ghost of Triceratops/Adelaide's pet
Appearance
“Does nobody wear a gown to a wedding nowadays? You'd think this was a circus.”
Physical Appearance:
Since her death, Lady Adelaide Pryce has not changed much in the last 96 years. She died an old woman in her late 80s, not quite reaching 90. She has three general "forms" in which she can appear, one as Lady Adelaide Pryce, every bit of what she looked like alive. A serious-looking elderly woman with grey hair and piercing blue eyes, face wrinkled by age, and body marred by time. She often appears in this form to not frighten the living, and she commonly chooses to materialise so she can be seen by those without any "sight". Her second form, or her "ghost" form, looks like her first, but she has dropped all pretences of being alive, revealing her ectoplasmic shape of white mist.
Her third form happens only when she is angry; at this point, her "ghostly" appearance becomes more frightening, her clothes torn, her hair wild, and her eyes like black pits.
Clothing and Armor:
Unlike many ghosts, Lady Pryce can alter how she dresses, but her choices are limited to the clothes she wore when she was alive. Most are gowns and dresses of different designs, with matching hats and accessories. Colour and fabric can change depending on her mood or the air she wishes to exude. But no matter what outfit, she is always modest and, above all else, proper.
Personality
Sexual Orientation:
Heterosexual
General Personality:
"Don't be defeatist, dear; it's very middle class."
Proud and superior. Adelaide Pryce is an aristocrat in every sense of the word. She is a witty, sharp-tongued, and influential woman who often has the last word in any conversation. She is loyal to her family and friends but also has a strong sense of tradition and hierarchy. She is deeply rooted in her time's customs and often expresses scepticism or resistance to change. Her wit and sharpness come from her ability to observe and comment on the world around her, but she tends to do so with a practical and pragmatic perspective rather than a highly imaginative one. She has particular ideas of how things should be done and can be stubborn about implementing them. She can sometimes be critical, pointing out everything she does not understand or like about any situation.
As a ghost, Adelaide finds it challenging to change, and these changes take time and great effort, so many of her views might seem very rigid. At the same time, she gained a sense of freedom upon becoming a ghost, which she did not have as a woman in the early half of the 1900s.
More often than not, she is a voice of pragmatic solutions, looking to how problems may be solved rather than dwelling on why the problem happened in the first place. Despite her somewhat harsh personality, Lady Pryce is genuinely helpful in her way, and few things she does or says come from a place of malice. Sometimes, people need reality, not someone sugarcoating things. Beneath her harsh and sharp-tongued attitude, Adelaide has a more vulnerable and emotional side. She likes to read and write in genres such as poetry, fiction, or history. She likes to watch and listen to various art forms, such as music, theatre, or opera. She has a deep fondness for dinosaurs, an interest she shared with her late husband, and she is never slow to share her knowledge on the subject if asked.
Her most tremendous pain will always be the hole left after Alastair's passing, as she always felt something was missing in her life, and now, in death, she has periods of great loneliness and melancholy where she can stand looking at his portrait for hours if not days.
Face/Voice:
Dame Maggie Smith
Anything Else
"There's nothing simpler than avoiding people you don't like. Avoiding one's friends, that's the real test."
Character's History
Siblings:
Arthur Aston - Twin Brother (Deceased)
Mother:
Ethel Aston - Baronetess (Deceased)
Father:
Henry Aston - Baronet (Deceased)
Other Family:
Alastair Pryce, 6th Duke of Blackmoore - Husband (Deceased)
Hyacinth Charlotte Painswick - Daughter (Deceased)
Marmaduke Painswick - Son-in-Law (Deceased)
Ernest William Painswick - Grandson (Deceased)
Alice Adelaide Fitzgerald - Granddaughter (Deceased)
Oscar Fitzgerald - Grandson-in-Law (Deceased)
Amelie Fitzgerald-Newgate - Great Granddaughter (Deceased)
Edgar Newgate - Great-Grandson-in-Law (Deceased)
Elara Starchild Zappon - Great-Great Granddaughter
Ziggy Zappon - Great-Great Grandson-in-Law
Astra Zappon - Great-Great-Great Granddaughter
Europa Zappon - Great-Great-Great Granddaughter
Zenith Zappon - Great-Great-Great Grandson
Ernest Archibald Pryce - Son (Deceased)
Clementine Victoria de Mowbray - Daughter (Deceased)
William de Mowbray, 6th Duke of Norfolk - Son-in-Law (Deceased)
Oscar Bryton de Mowbray, 7th Duke of Norfolk - Grandson (Ghost)
Fleur de Mowbray, Duchess of Norfolk - Granddaughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Willhelm de Mowbray, 8th Duke of Norfolk - Great Grandson (Deceased)
Cathrine de Mowbray, Grear Granddaughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Eulalia Margaret Trent - Granddaughter (Deceased)
Chantelle Mary Pryce - Daughter (Deceased)
Poppy Clarke - Bestfriend/Lover/Companion (Deceased)
Peter Clarke - Poppy's nephew (Deceased)
Anna Clarke - Poppy's niece (Deceased)
Fabian Hausknecht - Anna's husband (Deceased)
Frederich Hausknecht - Anna's grandson
Bernhard Hausknecht - Anna's great grandson.
Adelheid Hausknecht - Anna's great granddaughter-in-Law
Benjamin Hausknecht - Anna's great-great grandson
Sonja Hausknecht, nee Henriksen - Benjamin's wife (Desceased)
Cornelius Nicolaus Hausknecht - Son of Benjamin and Sonja
Chester Edward Pryce, 7th Duke of Blackmoore - Son (Deceased)
Helga Pryce, Duchess of Blackmoore - Daughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Alastair Oscar Pryce, 8th Duke of Blackmoore - Grandson (Deceased)
Emmeline Pryce - Granddaughter-in-Law (Deceased)
Lilian Pryce - Great-Granddaughter (Deceased)
Silas Pryce, 9th Duke of Blackmoore Great-Grandson (Deceased)
George Oswald Pryce - Grandson (Deceased)
Gaspard Bettencourt - George's lover (Deceased)
Several cousins, nieces and nephews, who's families have continued over the years.
History:
Born to Minor Nobility
Lady Adelaide was born as the first of a set of twins to minor Baronet Lord Henry Aston and his wife, Ethel. Her life was as expected of a lady of nobility born in England in 1839. Adelaide was expected to be a lady and to marry someone of influence and preferably power, even if her prospects looked bleak due to how minor nobilities they were. Her brother, Arthur, was already set to inherit their father's title and land.
Growing up, Lady Adelaide was always close to her twin, Arthur. The two would find solace in each other and secretly share their different lessons. Arthur taught Adelaide Latin, math, and science. She showed him how to do needlework, play the piano, and study botany. Much of who she is today came from her learning things many other girls in her situation could only dream about. In her youth, study was less about working, passing the time, and learning to become a proper lady and future wife.
She had her first romantic encounter in the form of one of the stable boys working at the family land, a youngster named William, but before anything serious could happen, her father found out and made sure the boy was sent away. He was not cruel and ensured William would find employment elsewhere; he could not afford to have him close to Adelaide. Sadly, William later died in 1857 during the Indian Rebellion; Adelaide was 18 years old at the time and heartbroken.
At around the same time, Destiny would have a twist for her...
A Chance Encounter
Adelaide was 18 when she formally entered society and was introduced before Queen Victoria at the debutante ball. It was also during her debute that Adelaide first meet, Princess Royal, Victoria, the eldest daugher of Queen Victoria, and the two remained friends until Victoria died from Cancer in 1901. Adelaide was even present at Princess Victoria's wedding with the German Emperor, Frederick III. Her death was a great sorrow, and many of the gifts she got from the Princess Royal can still be found in Blackmoore Hall.
Still, Adelaide did not feel like dancing much and hid behind drapes in the ballroom to escape it all, mostly her persistent mother. She was not the only one with that idea, as she bumped into a young man three years her senior. He was hiding from another young lady who seemed most insisted upon making his acquaintance... perhaps a little too much. The young man introduced himself as Alastair Pryce, and Adelaide knew him as the youngest son of the Duke of Blackmoore.
The two began talking, and it quickly became apparent that they shared a passion for literature and had been reading similar novels. Adelaide was enamoured by Alastair's witty personality and dark eyes. To her, he was the most handsome man in the room, not because he was that beautiful... but because he was the first man to have ever shared her interests and not seem intimidated by them. If anything, he welcomed having an intelligent conversation.
Alastair continued to court her after the ball, sending several letters.
Less than a year later, the duke's son was at her father's estate, asking Lord Aston for permission to marry her.
This caused quite a stir; even if Lady Adelaide was a woman of nobility, she was still the daughter of a baronet, not even a baron, and yet that the son of a duke would want to marry her seemed... impossible for many. Not that Alastair cared what other people were thinking; to him, the choice of a wife was evident, and he saw no one he'd want to share the rest of his life with more. With her father's blessing, Alastair proposed to Adelaide that evening, the first time they kissed.
The two were married not long after, a grand affair, and so Adelaide Aston became Adelaide Pryce. She left her childhood home. After an extended honeymoon, the couple travelled through France and Italy before returning to England; they moved to Shropshire and attempted to make a home together at the family Estate of Blackmoore Hall.
Life could have been straightforward from there; Alastair had two older brothers and was not close enough in line to inherit anything. However, all that changed just two years later, in 1860, when in six months, both Alastair's brothers passed away; the oldest and his wife died in a drowning accident when he was out sailing with friends, and the middle brother died from being trampled by a horse. On top of that, and quickened by grief, Alastair's father died from Consumption not long after the middle brother had been put in the ground.
And before they knew how to handle it, Alastair and Adelaide had become Duke and Duchess of Blackmoore.
In addition, Adelaide was pregnant with their first child and gave birth to a daughter they named Hyacinth Charlotte Painswick.
Duchess of Blackmoore
Adelaide took to her new role as mistress of the house with apprehension and stubbornness, primarily due to her somewhat strained relationship with Alastair's mother, Adelaide's mother-in-law, who had moved to the Dower House upon the death of her husband. Still, Adelaide was no stranger to a challenge, and it did not take long before a second child came into the world, a son named Ernest Archibald. Much of the pressure of producing an heir left the couple at the birth of Ernest.
As the years followed, the young Duke and Duchess continued to produce children, ending up with five: three daughters and two sons. Combined with their responsibilities, this made their lives most eventful. Still, as her father reminded her, "Duty Addie, always, duty."
All in all, life was good, and Adelaide continued to grow into her role as Duchess, making something of a name for herself at court during their visits to the family's London Residence.
Death in the Family
Tragedy struck the family when their oldest son, Ernest, became ill and passed away from a terrible fever at only 15 years of age in 1876. It was a terrible blow for the family, but it was even more challenging for Adelaide because she and Ernest had quarrelled about his wish to study abroad, something she was against at the time. Adelaide spent the expected one year in mourning and never quite got over the guilt of losing Ernest, even if Alastair tried to be there for her.
Relief came most unexpectedly: palaeontology. Adelaide happened to be at an exhibition for fossils in London and went to a lecture by Sir Richard Owen, who, in 1841, had created a new order of reptiles, the Dinosaurs. This evidence that giant reptiles had lived on Earth in the past caused great excitement in scientific circles and even among some segments of the general public; Adelaide became very fascinated with these creatures, an interest her husband shared. So, perhaps as a way to move on, the couple began to study these fascinating animals.
Finding Minnie
A breakthrough came at a dig in western North America when Alastair and Adelaide, assisted by their crew, discovered the almost complete skeleton of a Triceratops, which they named Minnie. Their finding of Minnie cemented Alastair and Adelaide's position in the palaeontology society, and even if most of the praise was given to Alastair, she is still mentioned in history books. Not that honour and fame were ever the desire; it was about the discovery itself.
It took considerable effort, but the skeleton was returned to England, and they even built their own little "Dinosaur Court" to house her, along with other treasures such as Blackmoore Hall. Many fossils were sold in later years, but some of the best remains at Blackmoore Hall even into the modern age. Still, her new interest aside, Lady Pryce maintained her position at the Estate and did not forget or squander her other obligations. It was not a perfect cure, but it helped lessen the pain and gave Adelaide something to do.
A New Era
Life was good for the Pryce couple. Their children had grown and begun to live lives of their own, and after Ernest's death, the younger son, Chester, was set to inherit the title of Duke of Blackmoore upon his father's death. The century's shift grew ever closer, and a big celebration was planned at Blackmoore Hall on New Year's Eve, 1899, to celebrate the coming of the 20th Century; a new era was upon them.
Sadly, the start of this brave new age was marred by the sudden death of Alastair, another heavy blow to Adelaid's heart; like her father, he died from Consumption. Still, being a lady in her 60s had made Adelaide less prone to fits of despair, and even if the death of her husband caused great sorrow, she had solace in her remaining children and the growing number of grandchildren.
Yet, things would change, and Adelaide now found herself in the same position her mother-in-law had been in all those years ago, relegated to the Dower House with Chester's wife, Helga, the daughter of a Scandinavian Businessman, the new Lady of the House, and Duchess of Blackmoore. Still, Adelaide could not do much about that; it was how things had always been. Like with so much else, she did not like it, but she accepted it. The most significant conflict came when Helga wanted to "get rid" of the Dinosaur Court, something Adelaide could not accept, and thankfully, the documents her Husband signed to claim Minnie made the collection part of the Estate and, therefore, was not something which could just be removed, or donated. Afterwards, Helga never ventured into that part of the house, something her children quickly learned to use when they wanted to hide from their mother.
Of course, there were other tensions. Still, the two women developed a tentative relationship over the years, usually whenever they found a common enemy or tried to stop the spread of a scandal. Even Adelaide had to admit that Helga did have Blackmoore's best interest at heart and was willing to go behind her husband's back to make it so—a fine quality in a Lady, to her mind.
Adelaide was always close to her grandchildren, who were regular visitors at the Dower House as they grew old enough to sneak off on their own. Their Granny always had tea and biscuits for them and sometimes even pudding.
Life at Blackmoore was fraught with scandal and conflict, as one would expect from the English nobility at the turn of the century. She lost several acquaintances when the Titanic sank, but thankfully, no one in the family was onboard. A maid was caught stealing silver. Her son Chester was caught having an affair with a shopgirl from London, which almost fractures his marriage. Then came the Great War, and all her grandsons enlisted to join the fighting, much to her dismay. Still, the name Blackmoore carried at least some weight, which Adelaide used with military connections to protect her grandsons as much as possible. Still, she could do little from afar, and soon, news reached her that her grandson, Ernest, had been killed in action, and not long after, his cousin George lost his leg but survived and was sent home.
Thankfully, the war did not cause more deaths, and slowly, life returned to some normality—or as normal as it could have been during the Roaring 20s.
Death would continue to haunt the family, with her granddaughter Alice passing away after giving birth to her first and only child with a banker named Oscar Fitzgerald, a daughter he named Alice after her mother. The conflict between the two parties ended with Oscar severing ties to his wife's remaining family, and Adelaide did not hear much other than from her contacts in London. Pride won the day, and Adelaide lost contact with that side of the family, that is, until recently.
Death? Like I have the time for such nonsense!
Finally, Adelaide Pryce, Dowager Duchess of Blackmoore, died at 89 in 1928. Her heart was failing, and when she, on top of that, contracted Tuberculosis, there was nothing which could be done to stop it. Death came to collect her as she did with all living things that died; faced with this cosmic entity, Lady Adelaide was thoroughly unimpressed with the idea of "moving on".
As it so happened, she had the sheer force of will to back it up when she thanked Death for doing such a fine job but that she could not possibly go with her. In her own words: "And leave Chester in charge of Blackmoore Estate? No, I'll have to stay; I cannot be bothered with this right now." Death was taken aback, which was a feat. Still, in the end, she found the old lady funny and offered a deal. "I can come back later? And you can stick around for as long as you require." Which Lady Pryce found acceptable.
So, where other ghosts remained behind due to tragedy or magic, Dowager Duchess Adelaide Pryce had done so with a combination of stubbornness and spite. Her Ladyship had never been good at taking orders, much less admitting if she was wrong, even when she happened to be incorrect, as rare of an occasion as that was in her mind.
Which made her into a unique ghost, indeed.
The Blackmoore Ghost
One of the major drawbacks of being a ghost was that she had very little influence on the living world, and while that could be infuriating, Lady Pryce decided to deal with the matter in her own way. The first thing she did was cement herself back in Blackmoore Hall, made easier by the fact that she did not have much in terms of rivals, and most of the existing ghosts at the time were servants who had died over the years and many animals. Secondly, she continued to watch the Estate and the events after her death.
Over the years that followed, life continued, and the family grew. With time, so did Adelaide's ghostly powers; she became more confident in her new body and found herself able to manipulate ectoplasmic energies to do her bidding, which made keeping the Estate safe from outside spiritual intruders that much easier. It was not long before Blackmoore Hall became a nexus for attracting other dead, seeking shelter or a safe place to linger. Lady Pryce accepted most of them, albeit with some level of grudge. She held several balls for the dead, with the still-living family none the wiser.
Blackmoore Hall always had a reputation as being haunted, which persisted into modern times.
Death of the Endless remained a recurring guest, appearing randomly to check in with Lady Pryce.
The Decline of a Dynasty
Of course, nothing lasts forever; for the Pryce family, that was the second world war. Several members of the family died in the fighting, and a falling German bomb destroyed a large section of the house. Having lost so much, the air was knocked out of the family, and they moved permanently to the Estate in London when the war ended. They came to Blackmoore Hall less and less until the Estate was largely abandoned. Soon, even the servants left, and it did not take long before the house was covered in dust.
It was very sad, and despite her best efforts, Lady Pryce could do little about it; she could only feel a sense of melancholy.
More ghosts started to appear on the ground, forcing Adelaide to spend less time on the living and more on keeping the peace at the Estate. The growing spiritual energy also weakened the veils between the living and the dead, causing more hauntings. At the same time, Lady Pryce found herself more and more deeply connected with the house, being able to sense if people walked onto the grounds even when she was not around, and the house began to do her will more easily than before.
Blackmoore Hall also gained the power to repair itself if damaged, be it a broken window or a torn down wall. A significant and unexpected change was when a ghost looking like Minnie appeared in and around the Dinosaur Court, which confused Adelaide because the dinosaur's ghost had not been seen before. So why had she appeared at that point? Her skeleton had been part of the Estate for ages, ever since the 1870s.
Soon enough, the line of Chester died out, forcing the family lawyer to search for the next heir to inherit.
Unexpected Heir
It took several years before the lawyer could track down the children related to Alastair and Adelaide's oldest daughter, Hyacinth. This was made more difficult because the family had changed their names and discarded any noble connections. But when the lawyer tried to hand over the inheritance, the recipient, Elara Starchild Zappon, said she was uninterested in it, as it did not fit with her choices and lifestyle.
Lady Pryce never met her Great-Great Granddaughter and her hippie of a husband, nor was she very aware of the drama.
When Elara herself died, finding the next heir proved much easier, as the Estate would go to her oldest child.
Astra Zappon
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