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Post by DornKoon on Oct 12, 2024 11:15:45 GMT
To call the Blackmoore Estate grand would be an understatement. Located in what used to be an old Moore, the area had been completely redone throughout several generations, and at the centre of it all was Blackmoore Hall. A grand castle surrounded by motes. It was initially built during a very different age but stood the test of time, with many acres of forest, a large garden, and several houses that were once used to house farmers and other tenants of the Estate. Once upon a time, the building had been the centre of the Duchy, but with the decline of the nobility and several deaths knocking the wind out of the family, none had visited the place for ages. Yet, someone must be taking care of the place because the garden appeared well-maintained, the windows clean, and there was no visible sign of decay on the building outside of the wear and tear one would expect to find on such an old house, even though a bomb had supposedly hit it during the second world war, where several members of the family had died. Today, the mote was shrouded in a thick layer of mist, and dark clouds were slowly rolling up on the horizon, the threat of a storm heavy. |
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 12, 2024 14:22:39 GMT
Funerals were always difficult, but in Astra's case it was a bittersweet event. Her mother had passed away at her commune in the Yorkshire dales, surrounded by other members of her new family. She hadn't spoken to the Zappons since Astra had learnt how to astral project, and her last words were lost in memory. It hadn't been happy, or sad, but... indifferent.
So for Astra, her mother's passing had been a bit of a relief. Her sisters were sad, but her father shared her feelings. He had been abandoned too, of course. Doctor Storm had been kind enough to give her leave from her work, allowing Astra and her uncle Marley to travel from America to join with her family, and head to the funeral.
In pure Zappon fashion, the four of them were dressed in vibrant and colourful clothes, so it was certainly a shock to walk into the church to a sea of black. Expensive suits and dresses, eyes looking at them like they were alien beings.
It was how Astra found out the truth of her mother. Elara Starchild was, in fact, Eleanor Newgate, daughter of Mr. Edgar Newgate, one of the wealthiest landowners in the country. She couldn't help but laugh as she was introduced to Lords, Barons, Sirs and even a Prince or two. The Zappons had married practically into royalty and didn't even realise it.
And when she was sat in front of a lawyer who said she was the sole heir of a grand old estate that her mother had inherited and never used - it was too much for Astra. She was in hysterics.
A few weeks later...
Astra had said farewell to her family. Marley flew back to America without her, leaving her alone as the taxi drove up the long drive to the Blackmoore Estate. She stepped out, tipping the driver (a bad American habit she had picked up), and raised her head to view the building. Astra ran a hand through her pink hair, suddenly feeling the weight of stress that came with being a sudden, unwilling landowner.
"Well, shit. This is fancy."
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 18, 2024 20:11:07 GMT
"Duchess, It seems our guests have arrived."
Adelaide looked up from her book when the Housekeeper spoke; she briefly regarded her words before calmly taking off the spectacles and putting the book on the desk. It was her husband's old office, and she enjoyed being there more than anywhere else except the Dinosaur Court.
So, the new heir had arrived?
"It was about time," she commented after a sharp inhale of breath. "Very good, Mrs Beavin. Tell the Maids to prepare the bedrooms, and I suspect we will have much to talk about, so have tea in the Court and make sure Minnie behaves herself."
"Certainly, Duchess."
Adelaide rose before leaving the study down one of Blackmoore Hall's many corridors. She had not met the new heir and could only make vague guesses about her identity. Still, she was not a woman who enjoyed the exercise of guesswork; she would leave that to the philosophers. She stopped at a window, moving the drape slightly and peered down at the car arriving at the drive. What kind of hair was that supposed to be? What was the name Zappon... anyways.
Did not sound English at all.
It would be a right state if an American were to inherit the Estate; she could not live down the shame... or she would have if she were not already dead.
When Astra approached the building, she found it had opened just as she was about to reach for it. Looking at her from the other side was a young man dressed in a livery, his hair auburn and eyes bright green. "Oh-- uhm-- welcome, Miss," he smiled in a friendly way. "You would be Miss... Zappon, I believe? We've been expecting you, do come in." He stepped to the side, giving her room to walk inside. There was something off about the young man, but he looked like a regular person for all intents. If slightly old-fashioned in his uniform. "Shall I take your coat, Miss?"
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 20, 2024 9:52:58 GMT
Astra smiled like a deer in the headlights when the young man opened the door. She felt something odd in her stomach as he greeted her as if he had been waiting. There had been no mention of staff, and the lawyer had alluded to the mansion being essentially abandoned since her mother had inherited it... so who was this old fashioned gentleman who knew her by name?
"Astra, please," she said in her Bristolian accent, not American but perhaps not the pedigree this house deserved, "and I, uh, can take care of my coat, Mr...?"
Astra let the question hang in the air as she stepped into the entrance hall. Bloody hell, this was posh. Her hawaiin shirt, ripped jean shorts and ratty trainers must have dropped the value by several million just by being on the premises. She grinned to herself, then her mind went back to the strange matter at hand. Astra swung around to the man, frowning.
"'We?'"
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 22, 2024 14:00:41 GMT
"Very well, Miss Astra." The young man did the thing where he did his best to pretend that he was not looking at the odd colour of her hair. "Alfred, I'm Alfred; I'm a footman." The footman watched her as she entered the entrance hall. Apart from the fact the place looked old, it did not appear to require much renovation.
He flinched a little when Astra spun around towards him.
"W-Well, yes..." He replied, adjusting the coat of his livery. "Your lawyer was here a few days ago to inspect the property, so the household got very excited; the family has not been here for years, and when we got the news... Mr Hughes, the Butler, has instructed me to take you to the Dinosaur Court; there will be tea from the gardens, and-- well, I think the Dowager Duchess is better suited to explain. If you follow me, Miss Astra." Alfred made a polite gesture with his arm before walking further into the castle.
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 23, 2024 12:14:08 GMT
"Huh."
Astra followed Alfred with an even more confused frown on her face. She stuck her hands in her pockets as she walked just behind him, taking in all the old adornments and decorations.
"The lawyer said this place was long empty," she said eventually, rather lamely in the face of evidence to the contrary, "on account of my mum not giving a rat's arse about it."
Astra paused again, looking around, then focusing on the back of Alfred's head. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to see if she could indeed... see through it.
"The Dowager Duchess? Blimey. I've never really come across anyone of royalty. Do I bow? Kiss her hand?"
Astra watched for Alfred's expression, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
"Or is she one of these modern Dowager Duchesses that just expects you to have clean teeth and not be dosed up on coke?"
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 23, 2024 16:37:29 GMT
Alfred glanced at Astra, a look of slight confusion on his face. "Wait, how silly of me!" He exclaimed, hitting himself on the head with a slightly sheepish smile. "How silly of me. Yes, the lawyer was here, and it's only natural that he would have thought the place empty and devoid of life. Because we're all dead. I was strangled to death back in 1895," Alfred pulled down the collar on his livery, revealing a string tightly coiled around his neck, skin red and blue. "My apologies, Miss Astra. Since you could see me, I forgot you were still alive."
The young (and dead) footman stifled a laugh.
"No, I don't think you'll need that. Just shaking her hand should be enough, and calling her Lady Blackmoore or Duchess, terms like Your Grace are only used on official events." He calmly opened a door leading into a long corridor with several rooms on each side. "If I remember correctly from what Mr Hughes told us, you're the great-great-granddaughter of Lady Blackmoore's oldest daughter, Lady Hyacinth, and her husband, Mr Painswick."
Alfred gave her a curious look...
"Why would she judge you for using cocaine?" He asked, sounding confused again. "It's a wonder drug; four out of five doctors recommend cocaine, cures everything from headache to hysteria."
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 23, 2024 21:44:39 GMT
"Oh! Right."
Astra had met alien beings from across the galaxy and beyond, and yet... she didn't really know what to say to that, as Alfred showed off his impressive strangulation marks. A nervous laugh as she tucked her vibrant pink hair behind her ear.
"Sure. Sorry, I guess! Not that I did it, but, ah. Right. Shake her hand, sure..."
Could ghosts feel corporeal beings? Astra didn't want to be rude by poking Alfred in the back to check. She continued to glance around, taking in the surroundings. Had her mother seen them too?
"Remind me to get an invite to one of your parties," Astra muttered with a grin. Of course. The pre-19th century was a lawless wasteland when it came pharmaceuticals. Been bitten by a rabid dog? Chuck some liquid cocaine down your throat and call it a night.
Astra looked forward again at Alfred, brow curling into a knot of intruige and curiosity. She hadn't met ghosts before. Were they like her Astral form? Could they fly, travel across the world and beyond? Or was there an invisible chain holding them to a specific point? Don't confuse them, Astra. They lived in a world where flight was still a... flight of fancy. Start simple.
"So... just so I'm on the same page. Has any other... living person been able to talk directly to you since, um... since you snuffed it?"
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 24, 2024 7:37:01 GMT
"Don't worry about it, Miss," Alfred assured, "Most of us have been dead for ages; you get used to it. Her Ladyship tries to ensure things happen, so we get ghostly guests occasionally, usually when the wall between life and death is at its weakest. Ghosts from all over the world come to Blackmoore Hall for Lady Blackmoore's yearly ball." He talked like someone taking notes on the weather. "It happens from time to time, not often mind, children often can see us, and some are spiritually gifted. Sadly, few find their way here these days; if anything, it feels like most don't even remember the estate is here." Alfred paused at a pair of glass doors. "But talk to them personally? No, most of them just barged in without knocking, so we try to leave those to Mrs Hughes or Lady Blackmoore to deal with. Anyways, here we are, the Dinosaur Court." Alfred opened the door and stepped aside to let Astra in. Behind the glass doors was a large room with several shelves of books combined with all manners of fossils and artefacts of a similar nature—bones resting on pillows behind decorative glass. But, what dominated the room was a dinosaur skeleton, a triceratops standing on a pedestal decorated with fake plants.  "Her name is Minnie," a voice said, belonging to an elderly woman dressed in an old-style blue silk gown with her grey hair tied up and arranged neatly. She calmly returned a book to a shelf before walking over to Astra. "My late husband and I found her on a vacation to America during the Dinosaur Craze. Cost us a small fortune, but we managed to acquire and take her with us." One did not need to be a genius to know that the skeleton might well be the most valuable thing in the whole castle, if not more valuable than the castle itself; Minnie was, in one word... priceless.  Lady Blackmoore turned her piercing gaze towards Astra, taking in her pink hair and choice of outfit. She did not look impressed. "So, you're Amelie's granddaughter." This was less a question and more a statement. "Yes, you've got Marmaduke's nose; I see that's the only thing the fool passed on to future generations, no surprises there." Adelaide took off her glasses, letting them fall, attached as they were to a small chain around her neck. "Is it modern for young women to look like parrots? I would have thought it the duty of the males to make fools of themselves when courting. I am Adelaide Pryce, Dowager Duchess of Blackmoore."
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 24, 2024 9:12:28 GMT
"Well, I don't know how good the men from your era were at taking a hint, Lady Blackmoore, but nowadays they need all the help they can get."
Astra grinned. She liked the old ghost of her ancestor already, stepping up and offering her hand to shake. Her eyes had lingered on the dinosaur skeleton, as well as the rest of the literal treasures and antiques that adorned the room. She was... rich? Beyond her wildest dreams? Of course, the downside was the fact her great-something-grandmother was apparently haunting her, in a very sour and disapproving way.
"Astra Zappon, and it's a pleasure to finally meet someone in my family with taste. Old school is back in fashion, so you wouldn't stand out if you were to haunt a coffee shop in London Central these days..."
Astra paused, turning on the spot to take in the grand room once again. It was... grand. Too grand for her, really. She frowned to herself. Was she out of her depth. A big ancient mansion filled with spirits didn't really seem like her. Then again, it kind of did. She stopped, facing the old ghost once again, cocking her head to one side.
"So you're a bit of an archaeologist? Or just a collector? You must have read every book on dinosaurs in this place a dozen times over. None of my family have ever been big into the sciences. They're more about... the more spiritual side of things."
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 24, 2024 13:41:18 GMT
"I wouldn't know; my father arranged my marriage," Adelaide replied. "But I can well believe it, as darling as the men are, they can be rather silly, bless them."
Lady Blackmoore accepted the hand; her grip was firm and slightly cold, but she was... solid? It was an odd experience, as she was not solid, yet Astra could shake her hand.
"Your mother married that vagrant bohemian with the dog's name, Higgy or something. Astra is passable, so we must thank your parents for seeing sense enough not to name you after another animal." She examined Astra like someone would look at a curious oddity at a museum. "Your mother was here many years ago when she first inherited the place, but she did not stay, and all she took with her was a book about herbs and one of my finest china sets, the one with red flowers and silver borders." This was said in a way that seemed to hide a question of whether Astra might know the fate of her Chinese tea set.
"Paleontologists, my dear. Duke Alastair and I were both acclaimed in the field, and everything you see here was things we discovered ourselves; we did not buy them. It all started because we happened to be at an exhibition for fossils in London and visited a lecture in 1841 held by Sir Richard Owen, who had coined a new order of reptiles, the Dinosaurs." She gestured with her cane towards Minnie. "Such magnificent creatures, such strength, the world was different millions of years ago."
Her brow furrowed. "Yes, that is not a surprise. Shall we take tea and scones?" She gestured towards a group of armchairs overlooking the skeleton, where Astra could see another young man in livery, this one with black hair, setting up cups, a large pot, and what looked like a three-level tray with freshments, on the table were also several magazines and books on fossils and dinosaurs, most looking far newer than what might be expected to be found in such an old building.
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 25, 2024 8:15:22 GMT
"Ziggy! He's named after the son of an influential musician - Bob Marley - which is where my uncle Marley got his name. The Zappons have a long history of being bohemians, though I think I have an aunt who actually owns a house, so not all of them are vagrants."
Astra smiled with some cheek glinting in her eyes. Lady Blackmoore had a viper's tongue and strong opinions, it seemed., but Astra could dish it back just as well. She tapped her fingers against her cheek in thought, wondering why her mother had never said anything. "I remember that China set, and the book. In the end, I think she sold them. Sorry," Astra added, at least looking apologetic, "if I had known they belonged to you... or at least, used to? I don't really know how this works. I own all this, right?"
It was impossible for Astra's face to hide the expression that formed as Lady Blackmoore spoke of her paleontological background. Her eyes grew wide, mouth open. "No way. No way! That's the coolest thing I've ever heard. You were an actual real paleontologist at the start of the Bone Wars? Now I know where my lust for adventure comes from. I always felt a bit like the black sheep," she said as she sat down, running a hand through her hair, possibly as far from black as it could be, "and now I get it! It's in my blood. Do you have oatmilk, sir? I'm vegan, so nothing with dairy in it for me please."Astra gave the ghostly butler a wide and friendly smile. She could get used to this.
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 25, 2024 10:03:32 GMT
"Yes, well, that does not make the name any less dog-like," She returned calmly, " and the only Marley I am familiar with is the unseemly ghost from Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol, so I do not put much stock to that name either." She raised one slender eyebrow as Astra mentioned her aunt but decided not to comment.
Adelaide let out a small huff at hearing the fate of her favourite tea set. "That set was a wedding gift from one of my closest friends, Princess Royal Victoria, eldest daughter of Queen Victoria." She explained, taking a few seconds to feel indignant before returning attention to the follow-up question. "That is correct; in mortal laws, this building and the grounds, along with the other buildings around the estate, now belong to you." She paused, " As for the spiritual law, that part still belongs to me. After all, the only reason the place still stands is because mystical forces keep it together. You might have noticed none of the windows are broken, and despite the fact a German bomb hit the house in 1940, the building remain whole."
Lady Pryce looked slightly taken aback by her enthusiastic reaction but gave a small but sincere smile. "Yes, one could call it a war. I was always very set on what I wanted, so I would not rest until I got Minnie with us home, and I am glad to have her company in the afterlife. Would you like to meet her?" The smile turned a little more mysterious, and she was curious how Astra might react to finding out the ghost of a real dinosaur haunted the estate.
The young man looked at her, "Oat... milk?" He asked, sounding like he had never heard the word before. "Can you milk oats?"
"Don't be silly, Walter, of course, you can't milk oats..." Lady Pryce said sharply, causing the young man to smile sheepishly. The old woman sighed deeply, shaking her head. "We'll have to get some for the future; we do not often entertain the living these days. I'll send Thomas with the car."
"As you say, Duchess," Walter said before looking to Astra. "I'm so sorry, Miss. We don't have any milk of oats yet."
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Post by Beriadan on Oct 25, 2024 13:39:02 GMT
"Well - you have got a point, I guess. But, y'know... Marmaduke? That's a dog's name, through and through!"Astra grinned at the Duchess, pleased that she could verbally combat the esteemed and long dead lady of the halls. It was certainly interesting to hear about the spiritual powers that held this place together, as well. "So, wait... you're not pleased about the Zappons being a family of spiritual alternative souls, but you're happy to talk about spiritual energy holding the house together? Not that I mean any disrespect, Lady Blackmoore, but that sounds a little hypocritical."Astra raised a pink eyebrow at the comments. Her family were... exactly who they were. Lady Blackmoore might have had an issue with people like them when she was alive, but... "They're a good bunch. You'd like them... now, anyway. They believe in this kind of thing. I believe in this kind of thing. Do you think that Marmaduke would still hold your corporeal form in as high regards as I do, if he were still alive?"Her indignation was short lived. Astra slowly leaned forward in her chair. "Forget the oat milk. You're telling me that I can meet the ghost of this dinosaur that you personally dug up as a paleontologist nearly two hundred years ago? Sign me up, Duchess. If you introduce me to Minnie, then I swear on my mother's grave that not another piece of crockery or furniture will leave this place! I swear on my life that the house and everything in it will stay to your liking for as long as I live!"
Astra was ready to bet her life if it meant meeting an actual dinosaur. Paleontology was one of her true loves, besides astrology and studying the cosmos. Not many of her family had understood her obsessions, until now. She looked at the ghost of her great-great-many-mord-greats grandmother with wide, adoring eyes, alive with an excitement of someone truly interested in the subject spoken to them.
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Post by DornKoon on Oct 25, 2024 20:17:54 GMT
Lady Blackmoore stiffened slightly, and her brow furrowed slightly. "There is a difference between being spiritual and spiritual; I suggest you do not assume one is the same. As for me being pleased or not, I have learned to live with it, or I would have prevented Hyacinth from marrying that foolish oaf Marmaduke in the first place because I certainly did not pick him for her. My Hyacinth was the daughter of a duke; by rights, she should have been able to marry the duke's son in turn, but she married a banker from Liverpool." The room seemed to grow slightly colder briefly, but as Adelaide took a deep breath, it returned to normal. "Of course, he would not. I despised the man when he was alive, and I doubt he had much love for me, not that I ever wanted it. He was an insufferable social climber with no class... and why are we talking about my foolish son-in-law? I had enough of that when I was alive." She tapped her cane a few times, "You'll have to prove it then because so far, I remain unimpressed, Great-Granddaughter."She cocked one of her eyebrows at Astra's enthusiasm. "That is a small caveat to pay, Walter; where is Minnie?""I believe she is at the pond, Duchess," the young footman replied, "She was frustrated about not being able to eat the bushes again, and last I saw she was trying to drink the water.""Oh, sweet girl, you'd think she'd learn after having been dead for roughly 66 million years. Well, coming along then, Astra." Adelaide did not wait before sweeping away through the Dinosaur court; at least she was thoughtful enough to remove the living girl who could follow instead of walking through a wall. After a short walk, they arrived at the edge of the Castle's gardens, and a distance away was a small pond. "Yes, there we have her," which would be impossible to miss. Standing by the pond's edge was a Triceratops, but not one of bone, but one of flesh, even if she was slightly translucent and whispy. She looked like she had walked out of a book for dinosaurs or a Jurassic park movie.  "Every time I see her, I feel sad my husband never got to meet her," Adelaide commented as she continued walking down towards the pond. "She must be one of the oldest ghosts in the world. Minnie, over here, darling." The dinosaur slowly looked up, letting out a deep, rumbling sound before moving in their direction. Up close, she was even bigger, with massive horns and small black eyes. "Here she is" |
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