Wednesday, August 8, 2012

What Type of Haunting is Afoot?



In that single instant, brief and vivid as a landscape beheld in the flash of summer lightning, I saw the moon shining down through a rift of stormy cloud—the ghastly sign-post rearing its warning finger by the wayside—the broken parapet—the plunging horses—the black gulf below.”
– Amelia B. Edwards, “The Phantom Coach”

Many an old home in the World Between is said to be haunted, but sometimes you haven't planned in advance what form a particular ghostly manifestation takes. Here's a table to find out what kind of spectral manifestation is afoot:

d8
Haunting Type
1
Army of the Fallen – a detachment of spectral soldiers practices formations in the moonlight. Where do they march off to? If followed, they might re-enact a bloody battle—or perhaps they turn on any onlookers and take them to be reincarnated foes.
2
Ghost Watchdog – a spectral baying can be heard each night of the full moon. Is the baying an indication of some forthcoming familial doom or does the spirit-hound indicate where remains lie without proper burial?
3
Haunted Portrait – a certain portrait in the gallery has eyes that seem to follow your every movement. On a special anniversary the portrayed person can step from its frame. Why do they ascend to the attic? If friendly, what knowledge might they impart to those who ask politely?
4
Phantom Coach – at a prescribed time, a ghostly coach arrives at the front gate and the shrouded driver beckons any onlookers to enter within. Where does it take its foolhardy passengers? Do they arrive at a place of adventure or does the coach re-enact a tragic plummet from a jagged cliff?
5
Spectral Footsteps – ghostly footsteps can be heard in a particular hallway all through the night. If the footsteps are followed, where do they lead? Do they end at a secret passage or do they lead below into the crypts where a fiend awaits?
6
The Hidden Nosferatu – a strange moaning can be heard coming from behind a brick wall. If the wall is broken, a vampire will be discovered chained within. It is weak from lack of nourishment, but will offer strange wealth for its release.
7
The Pitter-Patter of Little Feet – a child ghost haunts an obscure staircase. Perhaps this child merely wants to be played with and entertained, or perhaps it rises from the well each night with sodden hair to do worse than mischief.
8
The Rattle of Chains – the sound of rattling chains can be heard to emanate every night from the basement. Someone was incarcerated there, but what will happen if this specter is confronted? Perhaps this person was unjustly locked away and is in need of exorcism, or perhaps they were put away for the safety of all.

14 comments:

  1. Cool stuff!
    I'll take a number 6 with a side order of 7, thank you.

    What is that creepy image from? Looks familiar... but not so familiar that I recognize it.

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    1. Thanks! I grabbed the image from tumblr, so sadly I don't have a source for it.

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  2. "Strange wealth" does have a eerily lovely ring to it.

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  3. For some reason, I first read Phantom Coach as Phantom Couch, and thought that that was an odd and surprisingly "non-moody" bit of haunting.

    And then I read it again and realized my error.

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    1. You know, phantom couch could actually work...especially in an Edward Gorey game.

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  4. This is why I don't do horror very well - these are completely creeping me out!

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  5. Now we need a chart to roll on for whatever 'strange wealth' might be...

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  6. Somehow I missed this yesterday. Great stuff. I may have call to us it in my current "spooky old mansion" Weird Adventures game.

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