Pop quiz, hotshot...

[pepper]

Quick question for y'all: if, say, you came across an alien castle that had been deserted for a very, very long time (we're talking thousands of years), what sort of state would you expect the furnishings to be in? I was thinking all gone, but then I thought, hang on a moment, there are stately homes around the UK with Elizabethan furniture still in use, and that'd be 500 years old... and I'm sure I remember going to castles that have chairs and beds and such from the time of the Norman Conquest, and that was 1000 years ago... The stuff is probably not in use, because it needs to be preserved, but it may be potentially useable... So if, say, this alien castle had been deserted for two or three thousand years, and the castle is still liveable, the furniture couldn't be, y'know, dust - right? Besides the fact that it's alien furniture...

I guess what I'm asking is, what feels right? I'm trying to get a picture in my head.

Comments

[vickyocean.livejournal.com]

Well, they actually found wooden furniture in King Tut's tomb. So I would imagine it would quite a while. Especially if the wood was covered with some kind of varnish or lacquer to protect it.

Since it's an ALIEN castle, who knows what technology they would have to preserve it and it's furnishing for furture use. There may even be some kind of air filtration thing keeping the dust out.

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

Yes, see, that's a good example, too... I don't suppose the stuff would stand much bouncing up and down, but it's at least still in one piece. Barring woodworm and other environmental hazards.

Hmm. Perhaps I should just get my backstory straight in the first place.

[jewelsdelphina.livejournal.com]

I agree that it is possible for the furniture etc. not to be to deteriorated to be usable, especially if environmental hazards did not play a part. Although, if I have a sense of where you are going with the answer, wouldn't it be kind of funny if it was say a library and all the shelves had sort of fallen in on themselves and half the books had nearly disintigrated, aside from the most important book, the one with the answer, because it had some sort of protection around it....

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

Ah, actually, I was thinking more about the funtionality of the beds... *smirk*

But whilst Sam and Jack are otherwise occupied, Daniel would love to go look at the library. Ooh, what a nice idea, I may have to use it (if you don't mind?)...

[jewelsdelphina.livejournal.com]

I don't mind, since I haven't as yet fleshed out any of my ideas. I do reserve the right to use it again though, if I ever get inspired to write something more than an idea. That probably won't happen til I get through season 8 and 9 on dvd though. :)

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

Aw, ta. I might not use it, as my story has decided to head off at a tangent (Jack just popped The Question, which threw everything for a loop - for some reason I seem to have no control over the sheer sugar content of this story), but my mental picture of the castle has had a library added...

Go forth and write! You have cool ideas. IMO.

[jewelsdelphina.livejournal.com]

Thanks... Maybe if I get snowed in this weekend, I'll come up with something cool.

ooooh

[shinysilvergrl.livejournal.com]

Can't wait to read this one. :)

And yeah...I'd imagine climate would play a part. Dry, arid climates are best for preservation. Or the place might be climate controlled by that alien technology. Or they have DRD-like things that come along and dust and maintain. *g*

and ooh!

[shinysilvergrl.livejournal.com]

More movie similarities. I saw "Speed" in the theatre 7 times the summer it came out. *g*

Re: and ooh!

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

Ah, Keanu... He's done some terrible, horrible, awful movies. And then, once a decade or so, he does something that's just... guh. Speed, The Matrix... and, I have to admit, I was a big fan of Bill and Ted, too. *embarrassed* And the surfer dude bankrobber one...

Now I want a Speed icon. The bit when they're zooming across the airport parking lot on a sled made of bits of bus... *sigh*