Grazia gasps. She wants to say something about the fire in Italy, but remains silent about it.
"A powerful caster named Gillian Holroyd helped me find the right spell. A neutral, strange spell from long ago that would draw their power out and focus it outward, removing their ability to cast or draw dark power. I rooted myself firmly at the base of the estate...right by the machine...and sent the spell right up through the estate walls during one of their dark rituals.
My anger....and the darkness of the estate itself...made the spell warp into something I could not control. The dark spirits in the Estate lashed out and multiplied. Ran over the Coven like rabid animals and dragged them all down...down through the Estate's very foundation and deep into the earth. Buried alive." Olivia draws in a breath.
"The machine burst to life at the surge of power and I could not shut it down. When I tried to flee, I was caught in the machine's power and felt like I was being ripped apart. Darkness wrapped around me and I thought I was dead. The machine overloaded and failed, shutting down finally.
When I woke up a day later, I was...." She waves a hand over herself. "I went from almost 60 years old to roughly 35. Kado seemed to think it was the way the machine interacted with my particular power of healing, but we're still not sure. The trick doesn't last, however. I have to use the machine on myself from time to time to keep up my appearance. A powerful glamour I paid dearly for prevents people outside of my circle from thinking about my being this age for a prolonged period of time."
"Fascinating." Grazia shakes her head. "Truly amazing." She does the math. "So...you are...98 years old?"
Olivia nods. "Yes, and now firmly on the Path of Light if you are wondering. And whatever is left of the Coven below has been sealed after Mother tried to return a year or so ago. And the poisoning of the Italy Coven you warned me about."
Her words hold so much weight Grazia turns away.
"And here we are. Fighting more darkness surrounding this Estate and its power. I should just burn the whole of it down." She looks around. "But there are too many forces at play that want it to remain standing."
Grazia nods. "So...we make sure that it does." She and Olivia stand and approach each other. Grazia takes Olivia's hands in hers and nods, the first time in a long while she's felt like she's picked the right person to trust.
Olivia asks Tanner to make sure she and Grazia have some privacy. Tanner brings wine, then stations herself outside of the room.
Once settled, Olivia takes a deep breath and thinks back over memories she's buried deep. So deep.
"I was born in Florence in 1924." Olivia registers the look on Grazias face and smiles. "We were an old witching family. We walked the Path of light for generations, but slowly...." She swallows. "Slowly my parents turned to darker magic. I left them as soon as I could, heading out on my own. Getting married. But, when my husband died in World War Two, my sadness and anger about his being gone drove me back to them."
"Political happenings in both our Coven and Italy drove us out of the country in 1946. We came to the United States after a brief stay in the UK. My parents heard about this place and its power and wanted it no matter the cost. Money was not a problem for us with their dark magic. But, the people who watched over the property refused to sell to us. It seems my parents and their dealings back in Italy made them shun us. But, that didn't stop my parents."
"Mother cast round after round of dark spells and after several members of both the law firm and The Sisters of Light were...dispatched...they let us purchase the property out of fear. Mother made sure the rest of The Sisters of Light paid dearly, angry at their actions." Olivia sighs and shakes her head. "The darkest hour."
"Threats, intimidation, and a growing Dark Coven gained them more and more power. The magic of the Estate grew more powerful, but harder to control. In 1970 or so, the casting Torben Jørgersen's Father had put into the walls and machinery of this place pushed back on Mother and Father's darkness. The entities that were drawn here to the Estate by its power - ghosts and paranormal beings, were no longer easily cast away by the machine downstairs. My parents tried to boost the spells, but it was no use. They turned to sacrifices. Men and women spirited away to the basement and tortured for energy to power their dark casting. I tried to stop them, but the whole of the Coven rose up against me."
Olivia's hands start to shake. She takes up her wine, sips, and starts again.
"I fled back to Italy. I had supporters there. Remanence of a Coven. I changed my name from Moorelli to Moore and started a new life. Started honing my powers and focusing on the light, but the evil of my Parents ate away at me like a cancer." She pauses, her eyes focusing on nothing. "So....in 1980 I flew back here...and killed them all." She sips.
Grazia settles back in with the book about the Moore Estate and is surprised to see that there is a strange addendum in the next section of the book by its author Priscilla Schneider.
____________________________
When searching through the wine cellar area of the estate, I found a family bible and several notebooks belonging to Amelia Groll – a former resident of the estate. Oddly, it looked like the books – moldy and in very bad shape – we hidden down there. After carefully reading through them, I can see why they were hidden away. Some of the things written within them were stomach curling. P. Schneider
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Grazia reads on….
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Addendum – 1930 – March
Professor Enok Jørgersen
Professor Enok Jørgersen heads up the technical work within Asaunta’s Fantasia. While little could be found on Professor Jørgersen, it was said that his expertise was in electrical engineering and spiritualism. An interesting combination to be sure.
1946 – October
Elizabeth Short is seen entering Asaunta’s Fantasia. She stayed overnight, then flew back to Los Angeles the following day. She was later found dead in January of 1947 and is known posthumously as the Black Dahlia.
Addendum – December 1946
My initial research showed that Asaunta’s Fantasia was kept empty from the end of 1946 through the year 1951 by the combined efforts of Chambers, Long, and Mitchel – the lawfirm representing Tabitha Oslow-Goodman, and the Sisters of Light group, however that was not the case.
After Tabitha Oslow-Goodman and Siegbert Werner were found dead in the estate on December 27th, 1946, Asaunta’s Fantasia was indeed closed down from that date until February 1947, but a woman named Luisa Moorelli offered to purchase the estate and grounds towards the end of February. The executors of the estate refused several large offers on Asaunta’s Fantasia and The Sisters of Light refused to meet with Moorelli or her husband Ermanno.
1947 – March
Sisters of Light leader Beatrice Cunningham falls ill and is forced to remain in bed under careful medical attention.
1947 – March
Justine Long of the law firm Chambers, Long, and Mitchel is decapitated in his home in what would be considered the strangest death in the history of the Clairemont River Valley.
1947 - April
Priscilla Geis
Sisters of Light member Priscilla Geis poisons her husband and three children. She then walks to the local police station, confesses to the crime, and proceeds to claw out her eyes before officers can stop her. She is tried and sentenced to the Conellgrad Sanitarium. She hangs herself there in June of the same year.
1947 – May
Ermanno and Luisa Moorelli purchase Asaunta’s Fantasia.
____________________________
Grazia stares at the book - shocked. Clearly these people were killed off to get the estate. She looks, and finds the section on the Moorellis.
____________________________
Ermanno and Luisa Moorelli purchased Asaunta’s Fantasia in May of 1947 after months of making offers to purchase the estate from its executors. Before they were allowed to purchase the property and grounds, however, they were part of an investigation by local authorities involving several strange deaths in March and April of 1947. There was no connection found between the Moorellis and the deaths.
Ermanno and Luisa Moorelli
Ermanno and Luisa Moorelli came to the United States in February of 1947 after the political situation there became uncomfortable for them. They moved into Asaunta’s Fantasia in June of 1947 with their recently widowed, 25 year old daughter Olivia. Olivia Moorelli’s husband Claudio was killed in World War II just two months before the end of the war.
Olivia Moorelli (Moore) - circa 1955
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Grazia blinks and stares out into the room.
“Olivia Moorelli. 25 years old in 1947.” She narrows her eyes, then laughs out loud, forgetting where she is for a moment. “No…no no, this isn’t our Olivia,” she says in Italian.
A voice whispers back in Italian. “Oh, but it is, Grazia. It is me.” Olivia stares down at her knowing the time to talk is now.
History of the MOORE ESTATE Part One: Ground Breaking
Grazia slips the book about the Moore Estate into the crook of her arm and carefully takes it to her room. It’s heavier than it should be in her opinion and wonders if it’s the material it’s made of or the information within it that makes it such a heavy tome.
She locks her door and sits on the small sofa – light set and brandy at the ready. She opens the first page and sees that the information was compiled in 2005 by a woman named Priscilla Schneider. A note has been written in.
Priscilla Schneider | 1957-2005
Grazia whispers, “She died the year the book was finished?” in Italian. She reads on, looking at the important dates and summaries pages.
________________________________________________
(( Music to set the scene ))
1921
Oil man and inventor Sterling Goodman and his soon to be wife Asaunta Di Donato of Pesaro, Italy decide to put down roots in California. Asaunta makes certain demands of her fiancé. She needs to be close to the ocean, trees, and glorious views. She wants to design the home from the ground up. And most importantly, she wants the famous architect E. Varelli of London to design and build the home to her specifications. Wanting to make his lovely bride-to-be happy, he agrees to her requests and the two of them begin the complex processes.
1923
Sterling and Asaunta Goodman find their ideal location – a 40 acre plot of land in the Clairemont River Valley just outside of the logging town of San Ravelo, California.
1923
E. Varelli makes the first trip to California from his home in London. He takes up temporary housing in the Clairemont River Valley and begins working with Asaunta Goodman on house designs.
1924 - March
Ground breaks on “Asaunta’s Fantasia”. Much is said about the unusual blueprints and unique, forward-thinking designs. The estimated cost is astronomical, but the concerns are offset by a sudden win for Goodman in the oil industry adding to his millionaire status.
1924 – May
Sterling and Asaunta Goodmans two year old son Randal Goodman dies of natural causes. Asaunta isn’t seen for a full month while she grieves.
1924 – June
Work comes to a halt for several weeks - Two workers go missing and another worker is found brutally murdered on the Goodman home site. As the investigation continues, one of the missing men – Jorge Lythcher , 21 years old – is implicated in the murder. He is never found.
1924 – July
Work continues on Asaunta’s Fantasia.
Tabitha Oslow - circa 1923
1924 – July
Sterling Goodman’s sister Rebecca passes away from Influenza two months after her husband Jonathan Oslow passed away. Their surviving 9 year old daughter Tabitha Oslow is sent to live with the Goodmans.
Asaunta and Tabitha Oslow work with E. Varelli to design the addition of a special room off the main building that was to be her bedroom.
1924 – September
E Varelli is called back to London. It is rumored that this was due to a special project - the start of the home of Helena Markos, the infamous “Mater Suspiriorum”.
1925 – August
Asaunta’s Fantasia is completed.
________________________________________________
Grazia is taken aback by the mention of Mater Suspiriorum, the oldest of the infamous Three Mothers. Dark witches. She shivers, pours a glass of brandy, and continues reading.
________________________________________________
1925 – September
The Goodmans move into Asaunta’s Fantasia.
1925 – Year’s End
Reports from the Goodmans and those associated with them state that the time leading up to 1926 was lavish and lovely. The Goodmans host parties regularly and spare no expense making each party a wondrous affair.
Staff at the manor house say that the Goodmans are very good to them, making sure they are taken care of and well paid. In turn, a job at Asaunta’s Fantasia was one of the most sought-after positions in the area.
Sterling and Asaunta’s generosity is not limited to their home. The Goodmans put a large amount of money into the Clairemont River Valley and invest heavily in the logging industry in San Ravelo.
Several guests of Asaunta’s Fantasia report hearing strange noises and seeing ghastly apparitions when staying at the manor. Many think that it is the work of the Goodmans – perhaps one of Sterling’s inventions meant to shock and entertain.
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman - February 5th, 1926
1926 – February
On February 8th, 1926, a horse given to Tabitha Oslow-Goodman for her 10th birthday suddenly runs amuck three days after her birthday event. The rampaging animal cripples the stableboy, then proceeds to run at the manor and jump through the window facing the garden – impaling itself on the complex metalwork there and dying instantly. The reason for the previously calm animals change is never found.
1926 – May
Asaunta Goodman starts The Sisters of Light – a group developed to put positive energy back into the community through various philanthropic means. The group grows rapidly over the next six months, going from nine members in May of 1926 to 28 members in November of 1926.
Small spiritual and paranormal meetings are said to be commonplace within the Sisters of Light.
1926 - October
It is rumored that Asaunta Goodman faints when she hears that Harry Houdini passed away in Michigan that day.
Bernie Logan
1927 – December
The bodies of two African American members of staff Asaunta’s Fantasia - Bernie Logan and Thomasina Patton - were found hung by the neck from a tree on the grounds. A large cross is set ablaze on the property near the bodies. The Goodmans are devastated and withdraw behind locked gates until February of the next year. A reward is set for information regarding the case – the equivalent of $50,000 in 2005.
1928 – February
San Ravelo
The bodies of seven men are found in a ritualistic murder scene in the historic Gammen House. A full report of the scene is not given in the papers at the time, but the terms “slaughter house” and “ungodly affair” are used to describe the scene. Large letters T, P, B, and L are said to be carved into the bodies and painted on the main wall in the blood of the murdered men.
When asked about the case, Sterling Goodman is quoted as saying, “It is sad that true, lawful justice could not be carried out on these men if they were involved in the murders of Mr. Logan and Ms. Patton.”
Asaunta Goodman refuses comment.
1929 – April
The first report of the Wildwood Lights. Two bright blue lights said to drift through the forest on the grounds of Asaunta’s Fantasia. After the third sighting, an article in the paper suggests that the lights are the spirits of Bernie Logan and Thomasina Patton. Sneaking onto the Goodman property to look for the lights becomes a local rite of passage.
Wildwood Lights photograph - circa 1982
1929 – September
Asaunta’s Goodman loses her battle with Tuberculosis. Sterling and Tabitha lay her to rest on the grounds in the small cemetery by their chapel – the first body buried on the Asaunta’s Fantasia grounds.
1929 – September
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman says that Asaunta Goodman is still roaming the halls of Asaunta’s Fantasia. She sets up a small shrine to her adopted mother and is frequently heard speaking to her in various areas of the house. The family doctor says that it is just part of the grieving process, but also suggests keeping a close eye on the child in case things get worse.
Photo taken on the second floor of the Moore Estate - 1978
1930 – March
Extensive, additional structural work begins on Asaunta’ Fantasia. The work is done with great amounts of secrecy with a small group of workers and engineers. Truckloads of concealed machinery are brought in over the next six months and the work goes on until April of 1931. Several fires are said to have occurred during construction. Goodman retained a full-time fire brigade on the premises during the end of construction.
Noted spiritualist Ariadna Samano is seen visiting several times during the construction and shortly after the completion of the work.
Ariadna Samano - 1924
1931 – June
15 year old Tabitha Oslow-Goodman takes a leadership role in The Sisters of Light. With her stepfather’s help, she starts “La casa di Asaunta per i bambini smarriti” (( Asaunta’s Home for Lost Children )) later that summer. The home provides shelter for over 50 homeless children in the Clairemont River Valley and surrounding area.
Asaunta’s Home for Lost Children
1931 through 1934
Reports of strange lights on the grounds of Asaunta’s Fantasia and spectral visions within the manor continue to grow. Spiritualists from the US and various other parts of the world request access to the manor, but only a handful of them are allowed entrance.
Sterling and Tabitha become more and more withdrawn. While their efforts in the valley continue to provide care for many, their strange lifestyle and withdrawn nature prove to be a source of rumors and slanderous statements.
1934 – April
Sterling Goodman starts another secret structural project. E. Varelli is consulted again and Mr. and Mrs. Vincenzo and Elisabetta Conti oversee designs of unknown electrical and spiritual construction.
Tabitha takes the opportunity to travel through various locations in the United States, but Sterling Goodman forbids her to pursue her efforts to travel to Europe due to the growing escalations overseas.
1934 – July
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman returns home upon receiving news that her stepfather Sterling is missing. The search for him continues for weeks, but no sign of him is found. Mr. and Mrs. Vincenzo and Elisabetta Conti and the workers that were on the property are questioned, but no evidence of their involvement is found.
1935 – August
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman shuts down half of Asaunta’s Fantasia and releases much of the staff.
1935 – September
Sterling Goodman is found wandering in the woods just north of San Ravelo. He’s badly burned and raving mad. He keeps repeating, “She can finally rest. My Asaunta can finally rest.” He was taken to St. Justine’s, but soon succumbs to his burns and internal injuries.
He is buried next to his wife Asaunta on the grounds of Asaunta’s Fantasia.
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman continues to meet with The Sisters of Light regularly.
The Sisters of Light gathering - 1938
1940 – December
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman marries playboy Siegbert Werner after meeting him in New York City. She keeps her family name. Together, they sell off over 75% of her stepfather’s businesses. Reports say that over 50% of the gains are put back into charities and several unnamed groups.
Siegbert Werner
When rumors spread that the couple is funding the German war effort, full time security staff needs to be hired to repel angry, pro-US groups.
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman is later reported to have saved the lives of over 220 men, women, and children fleeing Germany during the war by funding several anti-Nazi groups in Germany and Italy.
1946 – December 27th
Tabitha Oslow-Goodman and Siegbert Werner are found dead in Asaunta’s Fantasia.
Reports vary about their passing – from murder suicide, to a gas leak in the home, to ritual murder.
Mayor Ronald Carver seals the case, scene, and the investigation out of respect for the family and their years of service to the community.
Mayor Ronald Carver
“Some sort of…demon…tore those two lovely people apart. Something filled with hate killed them and two of them ladies that used to meet up there in that Light Sisters group. Nothin’ human could have done that to good folks like them.”
Quote from Officer Peter Hinde (Ret) interviewed for the Clairemont River Valley Centennial Documentary in 1983. The footage was never aired publicly.
1946 – 1951
The Sisters of Light and Tabitha Oslow-Goodman’s lawyers maintain the upkeep of Asaunta’s Fantasia and make sure it remains empty.
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Grazia looks around her room. The windows…walls….floors…all take on a greater significance now. She slips a napkin into the book to save her place, stands up with her brandy, and moves to the window. She looks back towards the garage area, then out over the grounds. The darkness of the new moon makes it difficult to see.
She whispers, “I wonder who will go with me to look for these Wildwood Lights…” Grazia smiles.
