The Spook's Bestiary - By Joseph Delaney Page 0,38

marked close to where the spirit lurks, perhaps carved into a tree or door. A Greek letter gamma (see opposite) is used for both ghosts and ghasts. The type of spirit is indicated at the top right. In this case, the letter sigma labels it as a strangler ghost.

Note the ranking system used: to the bottom right of the main symbol is a number; ranks 1 to 5 are ghosts; 6 to 10 are ghasts. In the example here, the strangler is a rank 3.

Abhuman spirits are indicated by the Greek letter alpha. They are not classified into types, but a ranking is given from 1 to 10.

Abhuman Spirits

Abhuman spirits are human souls that have degenerated and fallen so far from their former condition that they are more akin to beasts, sometimes taking the form of hybrids, half human, half animal. This is often a result of spending a long time trapped in limbo or having committed some terrible crime on earth.

An Abhuman

A Group of Abhumans

Although a spirit can usually be persuaded to go to the light by focusing upon a happy memory of its former life, this always proves far more difficult when dealing with abhuman spirits. Often they cannot remember much of their existence on earth, much less any brief periods of happiness.

Most of these poor unfortunates cannot be helped by a spook and are doomed to exist in that tormented condition until the end of time itself. Nevertheless, if the opportunity presents itself, it is still worth making the effort to free them from that miserable existence.2

Ghasts

Ghasts are fragments of spirits that have been able to move on to the light only by leaving the evil part of themselves behind. Their behavior is repetitive and compulsive: Over and over again they repeat some act that they once performed when they were alive. Often it is a crime such as murder, but occasionally they are the victims.

The largest ghast visitation in the County takes place on Hangman’s Hill, where, after a savage battle during their civil war, a large number of soldiers were executed. They can sometimes be seen there, hanging from the trees as they slowly choke to death.3

Ghasts feed upon terror. It makes them stronger. They are ranked from 6 to 10. Most people would be hardly aware of a 10, but those of the highest rank sometimes drive people insane from pure fear. Sometimes they try to touch the living with their cold fingers or even squeeze the throat or press on the chest to make breathing difficult.

The house in Horshaw, where I was born, harbors the ghast of a miner in the cellar. As soon as their training commences, I take all my apprentices there to see if they have sufficient courage to face the dark. I also attempt from time to time to deal with ghasts myself, but so far without success. As yet a spook can do nothing about such entities, and we must continue

to search for a way to get rid of them. It is fortunate that they fade slowly over time, eventually disappearing altogether.

Ghosts

Ghosts are full spirits still trapped on earth and unable to pass on, either because they are victims or have committed some heinous crime. Some may be bound to the scene of their crime; some to their own grave. Occasionally they have a message for those still alive and may linger for years, waiting for the opportunity to pass this on.

Ghosts are ranked from 1 to 5; strangler ghosts are always ranked from 1 to 3. A rank 1 strangler, although rare, is extremely dangerous and can asphyxiate its victims. Ghosts can choose whether or not to make themselves visible.

There are, very rarely, other visitations from beyond the grave. These never make themselves directly visible but sometimes cast a shadow. More usually there is a noise in the air—a cracking or tearing sound, as if the very fabric of our world is being ripped asunder and an entrance created. Very occasionally there is a physical sensation of warmth that announces the presence. I have never experienced such a phenomenon myself but have spoken to other spooks who have, and I’m convinced of the truth of such encounters. I suspect that such visitations come directly from the light and are both powerful and benign.4

A CONVERSATION WITH A STRANGLER GHOST

In the third year after the death of my master, Henry Horrocks, I was summoned to Balderstone to deal with a suspected strangler ghost. Three deaths had occurred in less