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Ravenswood Legend

Thunder Mesa

The land on which Big Thunder Mountain sits was once serene wilderness inhabited by the Shoshone people. They believed Big Thunder was protected by the great thunderbird, a powerful and ancient spirit. Anyone who dared to disturb the mountain would be punished by the spirit who could cause storms, droughts, and earthquakes. The land was forever changed when a rich vein of gold was discovered in the red rocks of the mountain. Streams of settlers flooded into the area seeking their fortune. The natives tried to warn them of the great misfortune that awaited anyone who angered the spirit. Despite the warnings, the Big Thunder Mining Company was founded by Henry Ravenswood and the land quickly transformed into the thriving gold-rush town of Thunder Mesa.

Henry

Initially, Henry was a simple prospector whose reputation was covered in red. It all started when he cheated during a duel against his own brother. A lovely southern blossom named Martha was the cause of their dispute. Martha had been in love with the brother for many years, Henry had been in love with her. Henry challenged his brother to a duel, claiming that he’d rather die than watch Martha marry another. Before the draw, Henry turned around early and shot his own brother in the back, winning the right to Martha’s hand.

When he discovered the gold, the fortune it brought him changed everything. Like most who happen upon such a grand amount of wealth and success, greed began to consume him. He had his hand in almost every aspect of Thunder Mesa’s creation. He established financial dominance over the mining operations in the area by founding the Big Thunder Mining Company. It was by his authority only that anyone was granted access to the mine. Every family in town had at least one person working for the mining company. No one saw a nugget of gold in their pocket without a percentage going into Henry’s. Since the mountain seemed to have limitless amounts of treasures, no one complained.

In order to show off his exuberant success, Henry built a stately manor atop of Boot Hill, overlooking the town and river beyond. This manor was home to Henry, his wife Martha, their daughter Melanie and a large staff. Most of the townsfolks thought little of this decision. However, some felt a twinge of anger at such a blatant statement of hierarchy.

During the decade of the company’s success, things were changing for the Ravenwoods household. Henry’s relationship with his wife became strained. They never had the picture-perfect marriage, but the more successful they became, the more they clashed. Being such a powerful man brought him attention. It was the attention of their maid, Anna Jones, that drove Martha to drink. If it wasn’t for Melanie, Henry would have cast Martha out into the tumbleweeds with the rest of the drunks.

Martha

Poor Martha. Unfortunately, those two words sum up the entirety of Martha’s life. Nothing, and that’s not an exaggeration, ever went her way. She grew up with severe middle child syndrome, always forgotten or purposely excluded. Her first choice of husband was killed by his own brother then she was forced to marry his murderer. Her dream wedding was a small quiet ceremony on her family’s plantation; her wedding was held in the middle of a bustling city with over four hundred guests. She desired a husband who would be kind and loyal; she wound up with Henry. She’d always wanted a son; she had Melanie.

When Henry’s true colors began to show, all Martha could do was hold on for the ride and try not to be in the line of fire. Ever so slowly the woman who still gave a damn gave up. Alcohol became her only comfort. She loved Melanie, sure, but after a while, even Melanie couldn’t phase her. Arguments, rumors, and women came and went through her front door and all she could do was pour another drink. Poor Martha.

Melanie

For most of her life, Melanie was doted on by her wealthy parents, especially her father. He adored her and ensured that every luxury available was bestowed on her. Melanie, however, enjoyed simple things. She enjoyed the company of the “common folk” in town her parents stuck their noses up at. A simple slice of pie from the Café was just as good as the prestigious meals served in the high-end steakhouse. As the years passed, she began drawing the attention of many suitors and this displeased Henry immensely. He became very overprotective and skeptical of anyone who showed interest in her. Melanie’s hopeless romantic spirit began to clash against her father’s controlling one.

Mysterious Deaths

There were four men who attempted to court Melanie. All of whom mysteriously met tragic ends.

Barry Claude was an oil-field salesman who knocked on the door of Ravenswood manor in hopes to make a sale. Instead, he found himself falling head over heels in love with Melanie. Their courtship began as smoothly as any other. But the more time the young couple spent together the more Henry began to realize that he was losing the only person he truly cared about. Barry was in no way good enough. Paranoia sunk in quickly. It’s not clear how exactly he arranged the bear to maul Barry to death during one of their picnics in the gardens. But that should have been the first warning sign for the rest of the men to stay clear.

A man of much higher stature, Captain Rowan D. Falls, was the next to fall in love. Rowan was the captain of the town’s prestigious riverboat. Surely the man in charge of something used almost exclusively by the upper-class residents was worthy of Melanie’s hand. Unfortunately, it was not to be. In a strange turn of events, the captain was in a rowboat that was sent barreling down a waterfall.

Rumors circulated about the mystery of the first two deaths. But that didn’t stop Sawyer Bottom from trying his hand to win Melanie’s. Sawyer owned the local saw-mill factory that partnered very closely with the Big Thunder Mining Company. When Henry learned of Sawyer’s infatuation with his daughter, all business ties were immediately severed. Still, Sawyer bid for her attention. Before they could go on their first official date, however, Sawyer was in a factory accident that ended in him being bifurcated with an industrial buzz-saw.

Lastly, an explosives manufacturer named Ignatius “Iggy” Knight came into the picture. He also worked closely with the mining company as he made the explosives used in the mine. Iggy was barely able to have more than a single conversation with Melanie, though his intentions were very clear. The morning after he and Melanie spoke, the newspaper headlines were filled with news of a building blowing up by an accidental TNT explosion. There was only one casualty. Poor Iggy.

Jacob

Jacob Evans was a train engineer that worked for an associated business to the mining company, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. When she met Jacob, she was determined to make sure it would last. Throughout the years no one in town really suspected that Henry was the mastermind behind these deaths. Melanie, however, was pretty convinced by Iggy’s death that He was behind it all. Melanie confronted her father and told him if anything were to happen to Jacob, she would cut him out of her life and leave town.

Henry played nice for a while, keeping tabs on the boy and looking for “convenient opportunities” to destroy Jacob or, at the least, the relationship. Melanie could not have been happier with Jacob. The two quickly made plans to wed. Surprisingly, Henry consented to the union. But things immediately changed when he found out that Jacob planned to take her away from Thunder Mesa. He was outraged and vowed to do whatever it took to stop the wedding.

The Earthquake

Before any wedding could be destroyed, a terrible earthquake hit the town causing major devastation and damage. Ravenswood Manor was damaged but left standing. Both Henry and Martha were killed in the catastrophe along with hundreds of townsfolk. A large portion of the town surrounding Boot Hill collapsed into a canyon, no survivors were found.

The legends of the Thunderbird had never been respected by most people but that changed after the earthquake. Most of the town was fully convinced that the earthquake was the spirit of Big Thunder’s revenge on Henry Ravenswood and the rest of the mining company who ignored the warnings. Some believed the earthquake was caused by another TNT accident within the mountain. Either way, the mining company was permanently shut down. Fortunately, other staple businesses survived. The Big Thunder Railroad was able to turn Thunder Mesa into a trading town which allowed it to continue to thrive.

The Wedding

Despite the loss of her parents, Melanie and Jacob continued with their plans to marry and leave town. The day of her wedding came, and the blushing bride eagerly anticipated her groom's arrival, but he never came. Even after all of their guests had left, Melanie refused to believe that he would abandon her. Melanie stubbornly standing at the altar awaiting her love to show up was the last time anyone in town saw her alive.

Through the stories of the staff, the events of that night were attempted to be put together. The footman confirmed that Jacob had arrived at the manor well before the time the ceremony began. The butler was the last person to see him. He claimed to see Jacob wandering around the upstairs corridor mumbling about a voice. The butler had deduced it Jacob had a few pre-wedding jitters and left him to clear his head. When he didn’t show up in the Grand Hall, the staff who’d seen him thought he’d fled.

Rather than give up hope, Melanie continued to wait. Days turned to weeks, to months, to years and Melanie locked herself up inside the manor pining for her fiancé. Some people said Melanie was mad, but most of them believed that perhaps she couldn't leave even if she wanted to; that some force, be it her broken-yet-faithful heart or something more malevolent, kept her there indefinitely.

The staff did not have the heart to tell her about discovering Jacob’s body swinging from the rafters in the attic. They decided it would be better for Melanie to at least think Jacob was alive somewhere out there, then to know he was dead. They buried Jacob in the gardens and prayed Melanie would move on quickly. They could now all hear the voice Jacob had been muttering about and strange things began happening all across the estate.

The Phantom

The stories of the goings-on in the manor did not stay contained within the gates very long. Many of the staff fled their employment in fear. Legends of the Phantom who now haunted the manor were more circulated than the ones of Big Thunder Mountain.

It was said that the Phantom not only disturbed Ravenswood manor but also the region beyond Boot Hill. When reconstruction efforts were made to the portion of the town that fell into the ravine, all progress was undone by the next morning. With no logical explanation, the Phantom was blamed. The area became known as Phantom Canyon and the townsfolk avoided that area entirely. After a while, the same thing happened to the manor itself. Some felt that such a beautiful place should not be left to rot but all restoration progress was reset overnight.

No one seems to be entirely sure what became of Mélanie. Most assume she passed on, as it's hard to believe she would still be alive after so many years. Yet locals claim they still can hear her singing on the evening air when it's quiet, along with sinister laughter and the sounds of an unseen party drifting from the old Ravenswood estate.

Return to the Mansion

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memento-rpg-blog · 5 years

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Our History

Welcome Foolish Mortals to the Bloodmere Mansion.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am your host, your ghost host. And if you do decide to join us, final arrangements can be made at the end of our tour.

Now, as they say, look alive. Your doom buggy awaits.

Ravenswood

At its peak, Thunder Mesa was a thriving mining town inhabited by some of the wealthiest families west of the Mississippi. Gold was discovered in Big Thunder Mountain thus establishing the Big Thunder Mining Company. Bathing in gold, the owner of the company, Henry Ravenswood, built a grand estate upon Boot Hill to overlook the town. For over a decade the company and the Ravenswood family flourished in success.

The Ravenswood legacy came to a shaking halt when an earthquake destroyed some of the land surrounding the manor. Boot Hill was shaken enough to cause great damage to the manor without completely destroying the structure. Henry Ravenswood, his wife Martha, and many of their staff were killed in the disaster. Henry was survived by his only daughter Mélanie. Additionally, the portion of the town behind Boot Hill collapsed deep into the ground resulting in a canyon that killed this region’s residents.

Mélanie and her fiancé Jake continued to live in the manor with a small staff. But then on the day the couple was to be married, Jake disappeared without a trace. Lost in grief, Melanie locked herself away and was never seen again.

Thunder Mesa was still able to prosper after the earthquake. Restoration efforts were attempted on the canyon. However, repairs were always inexplicably undone by the next morning. Having once been the sacred land of the Shoshone people, it was believed by many that the earthquake served as comeuppance for Ravenswood stealing the land from its rightful owners.

A few relatively quiet years passed. Whispers circulated of hearing organ music through the broken shutters of the manor. The flicker of a candle could be seen in the dark of night in the attic. Some swore they saw Melanie still wearing her wedding dress and wandering the house in search of her love. These rumors were convincing enough that the town avoided the manor and the canyon beyond.

Kindly keep an eye on your children, please. Let’s all stay together.

Gracey

The next person to show interest in the property was a wealthy man named William Gracey. His hope was to restore the once beautiful estate and turn it into a home for him and his bride-to-be, Emily de Claire. For three years Gracey and his team worked on the manor and renovated it far beyond what Ravenswood had done. With the kind of past Gracey had, he was not bothered by the rumors of a phantom or a curse.

Once the work was completed, the couple decided that their wedding would be the perfect opportunity to show off the new Gracey Manor. And for the second time in the manor’s history, a wedding turned into a complete disaster. There are many different speculations about what actually happened that evening. There are only a few things that can be told as fact. Emily and a man by the name of Randall Pace were both murdered. Allegedly out of grief, Master Gracey hung himself in the cupola of the manor a few days after Emily’s corpse was discovered. Soon after, a witch known as Madame Leota, who had been secretly in love with Gracey, also killed herself.

If you insist on lagging behind, you may not need to volunteer to join us.

Dread

Briefly following the Gracey wedding disaster, the manor fell into the hands of another wealthy man named Jacob Dread. His family, however, was so dysfunctional that their time in the estate was not long at all. The family quickly killed one another in a circle of revenge for Jacob’s fortune.

Allow me, if you will, to proceed to the story of the final mortal owners of the manor. If you’re hoping this one will be happier perhaps you should have continued to the next town over. I’m told that town is made up entirely of fantasies.

Hightower

The Hightower family is one of international prominence. The youngest son, George Hightower, sought his fortune following in his family’s footsteps exploring exotic lands. When he met a woman by the name of Constance Hatchaway he was immediately smitten. Constance’s reputation was a mysterious one and that only pulled George in more. She was drawn to the strange and macabre; making the Gracey Manor the perfect place. George purchased the manor and surprised his wife with the deed as a wedding present.

Unfortunately for poor George, the rumors surrounding his wife’s reputation were all too true. He suffered the same misfortune her last four husbands fell prey too. Because they had no children, the manor, his fortune and his portion of his family inheritance all passed down to Constance. Many members of the staff fled with tales of a psychopathic bride. Those who remained lived comfortably with their employer for many years. But when Constance died from being pushed out the attic window by an unknown attacker, no one could say they were surprised.

I forgot to mention if you decide to join us, be sure to bring your death certificate.

The Afterlife: Bloodmere Mansion

We now refer to the manor as the Bloodmere Mansion because it is no longer owned by one individual and the history of the estate can be summarized with merely; blood. After such a gruesome history in the mortal world, it was only fair for us supernatural folk to take over.

Take heart in the fact that most of the beloved characters in our history have never truly left the manor. Instead, they have chosen to retire here. In fact, many prominent ghosts have retired here from creepy old crypts all over the world and have been dying to meet you.

As our tour comes to an end, prepare to take your loved ones by the hand, please, and kindly watch your step.

Phantom Canyon

There is only room for 1000 haunts to reside comfortably in the mansion. However, just beyond the graveyard gates lies what the townsfolk call Phantom Canyon. The canyon is mainly home to the people who crossed over during the earthquake. The mortals have abandoned this region, but we think it is a wonderful place to socialize. The catacombs beneath the canyon are home to many pleasant haunts; the saloon, café, river landing, and trading post. It’s always the place for a swinging wake.

Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!

Make final arrangements now.

We’ve been dying to have you…

Return to the Mansion

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