Lockwood & Co. The Hollow Boy

* indicates a Type One ghost

** indicates a Type Two ghost

Agency, Psychic Investigation—A business specializing in the containment and destruction of ghosts. There are more than a dozen agencies in London alone. The largest two (the Fittes Agency and the Rotwell Agency) have hundreds of employees; the smallest (Lockwood & Co.) has three. Most agencies are run by adult supervisors, but all rely heavily on children with strong psychic Talent.

Apparition—The shape formed by a ghost during a manifestation. Apparitions usually mimic the shape of a dead person, but animals and objects are also seen. Some can be quite unusual. The Specter in the recent Limehouse Docks case manifested as a greenly glowing king cobra, while the infamous Bell Street Horror took the guise of a patchwork doll. Powerful or weak, most ghosts do not (or cannot) alter their appearance.

Aura—The radiance surrounding many apparitions. Most auras are fairly faint, and are seen best out of the corner of the eye. Strong, bright auras are known as other-light. A few ghosts radiate black auras that are darker than the night around them.

Chain net—A net made of finely spun silver chains; a versatile variety of Seal.

Changer**—A rare and dangerous Type Two ghost, powerful enough to alter its appearance during a manifestation.

Chill—The sharp drop in temperature that occurs when a ghost is near. One of the four usual indicators of an imminent manifestation, the others being malaise, miasma, and creeping fear. Chill may extend over a wide area, or be concentrated in specific cold spots.

Cluster—A group of ghosts occupying a small area.

Cold Maiden*—A gray, misty female form, often wearing old-fashioned dress, seen indistinctly at a distance. Cold Maidens radiate powerful feelings of melancholy and malaise. As a rule, they rarely draw close to the living, but exceptions have been known.

Corpse-bell—A deep-toned bell rung in churches to announce funerals.

Corpse-light—A pale and sickly supernatural radiance; another name for other-light.

Creeping fear—A sense of inexplicable dread often experienced in the build-up to a manifestation. Often accompanied by chill, miasma, and malaise.

Curfew—In response to the Problem, the British government enforces nightly curfews in many inhabited areas. During curfew, which begins shortly after dusk and finishes at dawn, ordinary people are encouraged to remain indoors, safe behind their home defenses.

Death-glow—An energy trace left at the exact spot where a death took place. The more violent the death, the brighter the glow. Strong glows may persist for many years.

Defenses against ghosts—The three principal defenses, in order of effectiveness, are silver, iron, and salt. Lavender also affords some protection, as do bright light and running water.

DEPRAC—The Department of Psychic Research and Control. A government organization devoted to tackling the Problem. DEPRAC investigates the nature of ghosts, seeks to destroy the most dangerous ones, and monitors the activities of the many competing agencies.

Ectoplasm—A strange, variable substance from which ghosts are formed. In its concentrated state, ectoplasm is very harmful to the living.

Fetch**—A rare and unnerving class of ghost that appears in the shape of a living person, usually someone known to the onlooker. Fetches are seldom aggressive, but the fear and disorientation they evoke is so strong that most experts classify them as Type Two spirits, to be treated with extreme caution.

Fittes Manual—A famous book of instruction for ghost-hunters written by Marissa Fittes, the founder of Britain’s first psychic investigation agency.

Ghost—The spirit of a dead person. Ghosts have existed throughout history, but—for unclear reasons—are now increasingly common. There are many varieties; broadly speaking, however, they can be organized into three main groups (See Type One, Type Two, Type Three). Ghosts always linger near a Source, which is often the place of their death. They are at their strongest after dark, and most particularly, between the hours of midnight and two a.m. Most are unaware or uninterested in the living. A few are actively hostile.

Ghost-bomb—A weapon consisting of a ghost trapped in a silver-glass prison. When the glass breaks, the spirit emerges to spread fear and ghost-touch among the living.

Ghost-cult—A group of people who, for a variety of reasons, share an unhealthy interest in the returning dead.

Ghost-fog—A thin, greenish-white mist, occasionally produced during a manifestation. Possibly formed of ectoplasm, it is cold and unpleasant, but not itself dangerous to the touch.

Ghost-jar—A silver-glass receptacle used to constrain an active Source.

Ghost-lamp—An electrically powered streetlight that sends out strong white beams to discourage ghosts. Most ghost-lamps have shutters fixed over their glass lenses; these snap on and off at intervals throughout the night.

Ghost-lock—A dangerous power displayed by Type Two ghosts, possibly an extension of malaise. Victims are sapped of their willpower, and overcome by a feeling of terrible despair. Their muscles seem as heavy as lead, and they can no longer think or move freely. In most cases, they end up transfixed, waiting helplessly as the hungry ghost glides closer and closer….

Ghost-mark—A cross painted on the door of a haunted building to keep passers-by away.

Ghost-touch—The effect of bodily contact with an apparition, and the most deadly power of an aggressive ghost. Beginning with a sensation of sharp, overwhelming cold, ghost-touch swiftly spreads an icy numbness through the body. One after another, vital organs fail; soon the body burns bluish and starts to swell. Without swift medical intervention, often in the form of adrenaline injections to stimulate the heart, ghost-touch is usually fatal.

Gibbering Mist*—A weak, insubstantial Type One, notable for its deranged and repetitive chuckling, which always sounds as if it’s coming from behind you.

Glimmer*—The faintest perceptible Type One ghost. Glimmers manifest only as flecks of other-light flitting through the air. They can be touched or walked through without harm.

Gray Haze*—An ineffectual, rather tedious ghost, a common Type One variety. Gray Hazes seem to lack the power to form coherent apparations and manifest as shapeless patches of faintly glinting mist. Probably because their ectoplasm is so diffuse, Gray Hazes do not cause ghost-touch, even if a person walks through them. Their main effects are to spread chill, miasma, and unease.

Greek Fire—Another name for magnesium flares. Early weapons of this kind were apparently used against ghosts during the days of the Byzantine (or Greek) Empire, a thousand years ago.

Haunting—See Manifestation

Iron—An ancient and important protection against ghosts of all kinds. Ordinary people fortify their homes with iron decorations, and carry it on their persons in the form of wards. Agents carry iron rapiers and chains, and so rely on it for both attack and defense.

Lavender—The strong sweet smell of this plant is thought to discourage evil spirits. As a result, many people wear dried sprigs of lavender, or burn it to release the pungent smoke. Agents sometimes carry vials of lavender water to use against weak Type Ones.

Limbless**—A swollen, misshapen variety of Type Two ghost, with a generally human head and torso, but lacking recognizable arms and legs. With Wraiths and Raw-bones, one of the least pleasing apparitions. Often accompanied by strong sensations of miasma and creeping fear.

Listening—One of the three main categories of psychic Talent. Sensitives with this ability are able to hear the voices of the dead, echoes of past events, and other unnatural sounds associated with manifestations.

Lurker*—A variety of Type One ghost that hangs back in the shadows, rarely moving, never approaching the living, but spreading strong feelings of anxiety and creeping fear.

Magnesium flare—A metal canister with a breakable glass seal, containing magnesium, iron, salt, gunpowder, and an igniting device. An important agency weapon against aggressive ghosts.

Malaise—A feeling of despondent lethargy often experienced when a ghost is approaching. In extreme cases this can deepen into dangerous ghost-lock.

Manifestation—A ghostly occurrence. May involve all kinds of supernatural phenomena, including sounds, smells, odd sensations, moving objects, drops in temperature, and the glimpse of apparitions.

Miasma—An unpleasant atmosphere, often including disagreeable tastes and smells, experienced in the run-up to a manifestation. Regularly accompanied by creeping fear, malaise, and chill.

Night watch—Groups of children, usually working for large companies and local government councils, who guard factories, offices, and public areas after dark. Though not allowed to use rapiers, night-watch children have long iron-tipped spears to keep apparitions at bay.

Operative—Another name for a psychic investigation agent.

Other-light—An eerie, unnatural light radiating from some apparitions.

Phantasm**—Any Type Two ghost that maintains an airy, delicate, and see-through form. A Phantasm may be almost invisible, aside from its faint outline and a few wispy details of its face and features. Despite its insubstantial appearance, it is no less aggressive than the more solid-seeming Specter, and all the more dangerous for being harder to see.

Phantom—Another general name for a ghost.

Plasm—See Ectoplasm

Poltergeist**—A powerful and destructive class of Type Two ghost. Poltergeists release strong bursts of supernatural energy that can lift even heavy objects into the air. They do not form apparitions.

Problem, the—The epidemic of hauntings currently affecting Britain.

Rapier—The official weapon of all psychic investigation agents. The tips of the iron blades are sometimes coated with silver.

Raw-bones**—A rare and unpleasant kind of ghost, which manifests as a bloody, skinless corpse with goggling eyes and grinning teeth. Not popular with agents. Many authorities regard it as a variety of Wraith.

Relic-man/relic-woman—Someone who locates Sources and other psychic artifacts and sells them on the black market.

Salt—A commonly used defense against Type One ghosts. Less effective than iron and silver, salt is cheaper than both, and used in many household deterrents.

Salt-bomb—A small plastic throwing-globe filled with salt. Shatters on impact, spreading salt in all directions. Used by agents to drive back weaker ghosts. Less effective against stronger entities.

Salt-gun—A device that projects a fine spray of salty water across a wide area. A useful weapon against Type One ghosts. Increasingly employed by larger agencies.

Seal—An object, usually silver or iron, designed to enclose or cover a Source, and prevent escape of its ghost.

Sensitive, a—Someone born with unusually good psychic Talent. Most sensitives join agencies or the night watch; others provide psychic services without actually confronting Visitors.

Shade*—The standard Type One ghost, and possibly the most common kind of Visitor. Shades may appear quite solid, in the manner of Specters, or be insubstantial and wispy, like Phantasms; however, they entirely lack the dangerous intelligence of either. Shades seem unaware of the presence of the living, and are usually bound into a fixed pattern of behavior. They project feelings of grief and loss, but seldom display anger or any stronger emotion. They almost always appear in human form.

Sight—The psychic ability to see apparitions and other ghostly phenomena, such as death-glows. One of the three main varieties of psychic Talent.

Silver—An important and potent defense against ghosts. Worn by many people as wards in the form of jewelry. Agents use it to coat their rapiers, and as a crucial component of their seals.

Silver-glass—A special “ghost-proof” glass used to encase Sources.

Snuff-light—A type of small candle used by psychic investigation agencies to indicate a supernatural presence. They flicker, tremble and finally snuff out if a ghost draws near.

Solitary**—An unusual Type Two ghost, often encountered in remote and perilous places, generally outdoors. Visually it often wears the guise of a slender child, seen at a distance across a ravine or lake. It never draws close to the living, but radiates an extreme form of ghost-lock that may overwhelm anyone nearby. Victims of Solitaries often hurl themselves over cliffs or into deep water in an effort to end it all.

Source—The object or place through which a ghost enters the world.

Specter**—The most commonly encountered Type Two ghost. A Specter always forms a clear, detailed apparition, which may in some cases seem almost solid. It is usually an accurate visual echo of the deceased as they were when alive or newly dead. Specters are less nebulous than Phantasms and less hideous than Wraiths, but equally varied in behavior. Many are neutral or benign in their dealings with the living—perhaps returning to reveal a secret, or make right an ancient wrong. Some, however, are actively hostile, and hungry for human contact. These ghosts should be avoided at all costs.

Stalker*—A Type One ghost that seems drawn to living people, following them at a distance, but never venturing close. Agents who are skilled at Listening often detect the slow shuffling of its bony feet, and its desolate sighs and groans.

Stone Knocker*—A desperately uninteresting Type One ghost, which does precious little apart from tap.

Talent—The ability to see, hear, or otherwise detect ghosts. Many children, though not all, are born with a degree of psychic Talent. This skill tends to fade toward adulthood, though it still lingers in some grown-ups. Children with better-than-average Talent join the night watch. Exceptionally gifted children usually join the agencies. The three main categories of Talent are Sight, Listening, and Touch.

Tom O’Shadows*—A London term for a Lurker or Shade that lingers in doorways, arches, or alleyways. An everyday urban ghost.

Touch—The ability to detect psychic echoes from objects that have been closely associated with death or a supernatural manifestation. Such echoes take the form of visual images, sounds, and other sense impressions. One of the three main varieties of Talent.

Type One—The weakest, most common, and least dangerous grade of ghost. Type Ones are scarcely aware of their surroundings, and often locked into a single, repetitious pattern of behavior. Commonly encountered examples include: Shades, Gray Hazes, Lurkers, and Stalkers. See also Cold Maiden, Gibbering Mist, Glimmer, Stone Knocker, Tom O’Shadows, and Wisp.

Type Two—The most dangerous commonly occurring grade of ghost. Type Twos are stronger than Type Ones, and possess some kind of residual intelligence. They are aware of the living, and may attempt to do them harm. The most common Type Twos, in order, are: Specters, Phantasms, and Wraiths. See also Changer, Fetch, Limbless, Poltergeist, Raw-bones, Screaming Spirit, and Solitary.

Type Three—A very rare grade of ghost, first reported by Marissa Fittes, and the subject of much controversy ever since. Allegedly able to communicate fully with the living.

Visitor—A ghost.

Ward—An object, usually of iron or silver, used to keep ghosts away. Small wards may be worn as jewelry on the person; larger ones, hung up around the house, are often equally decorative.

Water, running—It was observed in ancient times that ghosts dislike crossing running water. In modern Britain this knowledge is sometimes used against them. In central London a net of artificial channels, or runnels, protects the main shopping district. On a smaller scale, some homeowners build open channels outside their front doors and divert the rainwater along them.

Wisp*—Weak and generally unthreatening, a Wisp is a Type One ghost that manifests as a pale and flickering flame. Some scholars speculate that all ghosts, given time, degenerate into Wisps, then Glimmers, before finally vanishing altogether.

Wraith**—A dangerous Type Two ghost. Wraiths are similar to Specters in strength and patterns of behavior, but are far more horrible to look at. Their apparitions show the deceased in his or her dead state: gaunt and shrunken, horribly thin, sometimes rotten and wormy. Wraiths often appear as skeletons. They radiate a powerful ghost-lock. See also Raw-bones.