Series 2.1; Episode 5: The Wicked Woes of Goth Manor

Series 2; Episode 5:

The Wicked Woes of Goth Manor

Chapter One:
The Attic

With Mortimer gone, Dina was at lost of what to do with her own life. She couldn't piece two thoughts together for herself, let alone her kids. All alone in the brooding mansion, she came to realize just how isolated she now was.

The first thing Dina did was organize laborers to bring the baby cots and changing tables upstairs, into the attic. She figured it could be only beneficial if she were away from the sound of endless crying. They would have their own space to develop and communicate with each other undisturbed. 
She had organized the layout for her children's future perfectly, having spent plenty of Mortimer's money on expanding the attic, and furnishing it to make it at least halfway habitable by human beings. It would have its own toiletries and fridge, as well as books for occupying the time.

But the hard part came when it involved actual parenting. She couldn't stand their constant need for attention. After all, she was the center of attention, and it was horrific to see the tables turn. She had never spent time with anyone unless it made her money, and she wasn't making a single cent for doing this! Sleepless night after sleepless night of changing nappies, foul smells and echoing cries, she had had enough. She wasn't made for parenting. But what could she do?

But then she had a brainwave - Yes, she wasn't being paid to be a parent, but she could always pay someone else to do it!

Chapter Two

 The Nannies 

'Here they are', spoke Dina to the horrified Nanny, Celista Despret, as she handed her a thick wad of Mortimer's simoleons. 'The ugly one is Dedra, the pretty one is Nevarina. The rest is up to you.'

There would be at least two nannies per day - a night nanny, Karen Gast, and a day nanny – Celista. Karen would tidy up and care while they were asleep, and Celesta would arrive in the morning, and spend the rest of the daylight tending to the children's needs in the attic. As long as they did their job, Dina hoped she should be able to live her life without and acknowledgement of the children's existence, apart from the occasional entry and exit of one of the nannies.

However, the workers weren't treated well. Dina refused to feed them nor accommodate them in any way, even during the full day shifts. She was harsh, constantly telling them off for minor things. Eventually, the stress became too much for the nannies, and they both died from exhaustion. The Sim Reaper was so disgusted by Dina's treatment of them, he demanded that Dina keep their ashes in urns within Goth Manor. Those urns remain there to this day.

Neither Dedra nor Nevarina would know that, even at such a young age, death had already been called on behalf of them. The two girls would never learn that the Sim Reaper had placed the shadow of curse to linger above their destiny for the ages to come... 

'I'm warning you,' the Sim Reaper spoke to Dina, 'never cause death on behalf of a child. If you do that, you will taint their innocence forever. I'm letting you off with a warning this time, but if it happens again, these girls will be cursed for all eternity, and this curse will pass on through the generations...  Their blood will be tainted by death. You have been warned.'

Chapter Three: 
The Outside World

As Dedra and Nevarina grew older, their life remained in the same dim shadows of monotony, as they prayed to the creators for something better, or brighter days in the future. Until then, all they could do is pursue the few objects of entertainment at their disposal...
Nevarina would read the same books over and over again to the point where she could recite them off by heart. Her favorites were science fiction novels. Dedra, on the other hand, would play the violin, creating monotonous, sombre lines with nothing to base her inspiration on.

As their personalities developed, they slowly split apart. Dedra was quiet and reflective; Nevarina was loud and boisterous. Their frustrations externalized as dislike for each other, and they began to argue and fight. Throughout their childhood they got into fistfights on 20 occasions, with Nevarina winning most of them, overpowering her quiet twin sister.


 The pressure of keeping two growing girls isolated from the rest of the world proved too much for Dina. She wanted to have nannies around to tend to them and keep them occupied and subdued, but after the horror stories of the previous nannies leaked out, no caregiver in SimNation would go near the town, and finally, Dina had to realize that according to Sim Law, the children would have to go to school, whether she liked it or not. All her inherited fortune couldn't change that.

Dina adapted to the situation, and decided to do that which she hoped she would never have to, and she let them out of the confines of the attic, allowing them to roam the mansion freely. Nor forced to socialize with her daughters, it was awkward for Dina at first. For one reason, she didn't know how to talk of anything but WooHooing and partying, and she soon learned that wasn't appropriate conversation for children.

However, in time, she found communicating with her daughters easier than she expected. She encouraged them to study as much as possible, but this is when she began noticing differences between the two girls. Dedra, who seemed more disciplined with her violin, devoted more time to study, whereas Nevarina, who spent most of her youth reading science fiction books, was less interested in learning. One possible reason for this was the ghost of Don Lothario, which haunted her at night. Dedra, who showed much more intelligence, didn't believe her sister.
  Dedra's grades at school soon reached A+, whereas the unfocused Nevarina stuck with D's. Although Nevarina, who physically and mentally resembled her mother, it was still Dedra, nonetheless, whom Dina favoured. This was not because Dina felt she had anything in common with Dedra – she didn't, but rather, because she was a mother who liked to be proud of her daughter. And Dedra, who had just been accepted into an academic music studio, made her mother proud, where Nevarina didn't.

Dedra would finish her work quicker than Nevarina, giving her more time to play the violin. Dina and Dedra would often jam together


However, there was one thing about Dedra that bothered Dina. While Nevarina was a near duplicate of her mother, Dedra bore a strong resemblence to Mortimer, so much that she almost 
felt as if she were looking into the eyes of her deceased husband. She didn't like to think about Mortimer, nor anything from the past, for it was there a lot of dark secrets for both the Goth and Caliente family lay, and she hoped her daughters would never have to know. Perhaps, she considered, that is why she had wanted to keep them locked away. To think of them walking about the carpet where Don Lothario's body once lay – that was a concept which horrified a very small part of her. If she could pay the past to go away with her thousands of simoleons, she would.
lot of dark secrets for both the Goth and Caliente family lay, and she hoped her daughters would never have to know. Perhaps, she considered, that is why she had wanted to keep them locked away. To think of them walking about the carpet where Don Lothario's body once lay – that was a concept which horrified a very small part of her. If she could pay the past to go away with her thousands of simoleons, she would.

But the past was destined to find its way into the life of her daughters. Nevarina, who had found little affection nor appreciation within her home, began seeking it elsewhere, trying to make as many friends as possible at school. It was there she met a young boy named Donald Goth, who turned out to be her half-nephew. Invited over to the Goth mansion, they talked and played with each other. The Full joy and innocence of childhood disturbed Dina as she watched, for they didn't know, and wouldn't know for a long time, the story of their fathers. Young Donald did not know why he was without a Dad, nor what Nevarina's Dad had to do with it. However, things won't stay a secret for ever... They couldn't. Or can they?

Series 1; Episode 10: Parting Ways

1.
The New Heiress

Things weren't going too well for Mortimer Goth. He was far too old to deal with the many changes occurring in his life.

He had lost his entire family. He lost has wife, and his two children, meaning he was without an heir. And if that weren't bad enough, the papers and protesters were saying things about him - saying he wasn't mentally stable enough to mayor the town. They wanted him out of power. John Burb and Mary-Sue Pleasant were making his life a nightmare, and his health was deteriorating from all the frustration. 

Even the ghost of Don Lothario was harassing him, refusing to leave the Goth Mansion, which made life difficult while Mortimer gave his new wife, Dina Goth, piano lessons.

Mortimer became so fed up with the ghosts harassing him that he started spitting on the tombstones in the backyard, but this only made the ghosts angrier.

Luckily, Dina was carrying Mortimer's child. He was enthusiastic, because as long as nothing went wrong, he now had an heir of his magnificent fortune when he and Dina passed on.

But she ended up giving birth to twin girls. The first born girl, who resembled Mortimer, was named Dedra, and the second born girl, who resembled Dina, was named Nevarina.

And so, Mortimer officially declared the Dedra Goth was next in line to the fortune, after her parents passed away. It was strange for Mortimer to think that he wouldn't be around to see that happen.

'Remember, Dina,' Mortimer began, 'you are not only the current heir, you are set to be the leader of this family. I leave you these two daughters, and they shall be yours, and yours alone, to command, discipline and direct in true Goth fashion.'

But Dina wasn't listening. He could only hope that when the time comes, Dina would make the smart decision. To think otherwise would only make his passing much less comfortable.

Would Dina Goth maintain the titles, honours and styles of the prestigious Goth dynasty? All he could do is have faith in the woman he had so briskly and desperately married.




2.
The Others

With the death of Don Lothario, Cassandra had inherited his home, where she would raise her little brother Alex like a son.

Cassandra continued her scientific research for Sim State Labs to keep Alex and herself fed, but her pregnancy would slow her work down. Alex was forced to be more independent, as his sister had nobody but him to care for her.

Cassandra did not end her lament over Don Lothario. She would play 'moonlight sonata' on the piano, which would haunt the walls once reverberating the sound of hot salsa music, during the time in which Don was still alive.

3.
Flowers in the Attic

Mortimer Goth passed away, just as he had predicted, and he chose not to drink the Elixir of Life. He didn't want to take the stress anymore, and it was, in his opinion, a better time to go than ever. With his death, it was formalised that Dina Goth was the new heiress of the Goth family fortune. She now had untold riches, far greater than anything she had seen with Michael Bachelor.

However, there was one thing that was set to interfere - the twin daughters, Dedra and Nevarina. 

Dina was worried. She couldn't bare the thought of being a solo mother. The diapers, the dummies, the caring and affection! All those things made her nauseous. She moaned and groaned... until he reminded herself of how rich she was. She was a Goth!
She had Pleasantview in her pocket.



Dina had a plan, and a most evil one indeed. She commissioned a new room to be built on the third floor attic, containing a locked fence, cribs and a changing table.

Surely the sounds of whining and crying wouldn't travel to the bottom floor...

She then hired the Nanny service to come over and take care of the twins every day. These Nannies would be the new parents to the girls. They would provide the twins with food, care and company, because Dina Goth sure didn't want to do any of that.




She didn't want the girls to exist. All she wanted to do was play the piano, continuing from Mortimer's teachings, without the whining and complaining of two baby girls. Her options were few - it was too late for an abortion, (which isn't legal in Pleasantview), but confining them to an attic was the next best thing. 

The twins would live in the mansion, but completely hidden. The nannies were forced to leave no trace of their presence, nor the girl's. They would be unknown by anyone but the moaning, whimpering ghosts that circled the grounds of Goth Manor - a place where very frightening things were going down.

4.
A Brighter Future

Meanwhile, nobody at Don's condo could spare too much time for Mortimer's death, because Cassandra had given birth to a healthy baby boy, and she named him Donald, after the father that he would sadly never meet.


Despite Alex' heavy workload, he took the time to get to know his half brother. He wanted to stay in contact with his family. Alex was feeling upset about his father's passing, and he found comfort in the kind baby Donald.


On Donald's birthday, the family hosted a party, inviting a few guests, including Mary-Sue Pleasant and Darren Dreamer. Most others were too afraid of Mortimer to go anywhere near Don Lothario's old house. It was a small party, but everyone had fun. 

It was a great thing that they could enjoy themselves, and celebrate, despite all the dark things that were happening.



















What would become of Don Lothario II? Would he grow up to be like his father, or his mother? The blood of playboys and madmen ran through his veins, but did that mean anything?

As a scientist, raised by a scientist, Cassandra had been bought up to believe so. She had been bought up to believe that you're only as good as your blood - the Goth name must be preserved and untarnished. If so, was Don Lothario II a testament of that?

No, she couldn't look at her son that way. Gone were those days. She had been banished from the Goth fortune. Throughout her whole life she had been an outcast, and now she was an outcast to even her own family. Perhaps it was time to look towards to future, and he it could be a brighter future for young Don Lothario II.

5.
Through the Looking Glass, Again


Alex had to work extra hard while his sister raised young Donald. Due to his excellent mathematical skills, he landed a part time job assisting a local detective, all the while he continued to attend Smuggsworth Prep, the same private school as his father. He would often come home from school, grab a coffee and head straight to work.










But even with his busy schedule, he still managed to find time to help around the house; as well as pursuing his interests. 

He loved to read books, and he wanted to become a novelist. His favourite genre was science-fiction, because he had a fascination with space.

At the end of a long hard day, Alex would climb up to the deck - the same deck where his Mother disappeared all those years ago, and he would gaze into the telescope, just as she had done.


What had happened to her? Where had she gone? Had Don Lothario really been behind it? Had his father been right about Don?



Why hadn't he asked either of them while they had been alive? 

Alex knew he would get no answers from old ghosts. Something told him the truth lay through the lens of the scope, through the infinite depths of space, just as his Mother had seen, on this very same deck, on the night she disappeared forever.

A once united family, torn apart by revenge and ambition. What will become of the fortune, now it is in the hands of the materialistic Dina? What will be heard of the twin girls, trapped and isolated in the attic by an unloving mother? How will young Donald grow into the strange world around him, and exactly what secrets await Alex, hidden beneath the stars, through the looking glass?

Find out in next season, because the truth is out there!