“She’s her?” I repeated.
“Exactly. Penelope Fittes is Marissa Fittes. They’re one and the same person.”
* 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 the 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. Changers are the exception to this rule.
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, such as Dark Specters, radiate black auras that are darker than the night around them.
Bone Man*—Name given to a particular variety of Type One ghost, probably a sub-type of Shade. Bone Men are hairless, emaciated forms, with skin clinging to their skulls and rib cages. They glow with a bright, pale other-light. Though superficially similar to some Wraiths, they are always passive and generally somewhat dismal.
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.
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. In many towns, the beginning and end of the night’s curfew are marked by the sounding of a warning bell.
Dark Specter**—A frightening variety of Type Two ghost that manifests as a moving patch of darkness. Sometimes the apparition at the center of the darkness is dimly visible; at other times the black cloud is fluid and formless, perhaps shrinking to the size of a pulsing heart, or expanding at speed to engulf a room.
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 does 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.
Fittes furnaces—The popular name for the Greater London Metropolitan Furnaces for the Disposal of Psychic Artifacts, in Clerkenwell, where dangerous psychic Sources are destroyed by fire.
Fittes Manual—A famous book of instruction for ghost-hunters written by Marissa Fittes, the founder of Britain’s first psychic investigation agency.
Floating Bride*—A female Type One ghost, a variety of Cold Maiden. Floating Brides are generally headless, or missing another part of their anatomy. Some search for their missing extremity; others cradle it or hold it mournfully aloft. Named after the ghosts of two royal brides, beheaded at Hampton Court Palace.
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 beams of strong white light 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….