Jack Priest (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bitten_notshy) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2013-02-13 10:10 am
bitten_notshy) wrote in fandomhigh2013-02-13 10:10 am
Entry tags:
Supernatural Studies, Wednesday, Period 1
Class met in the Danger Shop today, which had been programmed to resemble a large Victorian sitting room lit by kerosene lamps. While there were couches and armchairs around the perimeter of the room, the center of the space was taken up by two large round tables surrounded by chairs. Boxed ouija boards rested on a separate side table, and a library was just visible through an arched doorway beyond that.
"Welcome to my humble abode," Jack said solemnly, and then smiled to show he was joking. "We're still speaking about ghosts and spirits of the undead this week. In some worlds spiritualism -- talking to ghosts -- was a fad in the late 19th century. The belief was that some people were able to call forth the dead through a ceremony called a seance and have conversations, or get advice, or what have you. Sometimes the spirit spoke through this medium. Other times, there'd be an unexplained tapping or rapping sound to show the spirit was responding. Ouija boards, on which a spirit moves a pointer to spell out a message, were popular for amateur use."
He briefly explained how a seance worked -- the hands around the table, the closed eyes, the chanting.
"In many worlds, most of this was a hoax. The medium would make things up, or say something so vague it was almost certainly true. In one famous case, sisters made ghosts 'speak' by cracking the joints in their feet."
"But every once in a while, something unexplainable would happen. And that's what I've programmed into the shop today. Look around: There are two tables set up for seances. The first people to sit at each are our mediums, or you can agree as a group to use the Ouija board if you prefer. There's also the library over there--"
Jack was interrupted at that by the thud of books falling from shelves.
" --Which has a poltergeist programmed in to say hello. Go chat with him, if you want. Extra credit to anyone who gets him to tell you what he wants and carries it out."
"Welcome to my humble abode," Jack said solemnly, and then smiled to show he was joking. "We're still speaking about ghosts and spirits of the undead this week. In some worlds spiritualism -- talking to ghosts -- was a fad in the late 19th century. The belief was that some people were able to call forth the dead through a ceremony called a seance and have conversations, or get advice, or what have you. Sometimes the spirit spoke through this medium. Other times, there'd be an unexplained tapping or rapping sound to show the spirit was responding. Ouija boards, on which a spirit moves a pointer to spell out a message, were popular for amateur use."
He briefly explained how a seance worked -- the hands around the table, the closed eyes, the chanting.
"In many worlds, most of this was a hoax. The medium would make things up, or say something so vague it was almost certainly true. In one famous case, sisters made ghosts 'speak' by cracking the joints in their feet."
"But every once in a while, something unexplainable would happen. And that's what I've programmed into the shop today. Look around: There are two tables set up for seances. The first people to sit at each are our mediums, or you can agree as a group to use the Ouija board if you prefer. There's also the library over there--"
Jack was interrupted at that by the thud of books falling from shelves.
" --Which has a poltergeist programmed in to say hello. Go chat with him, if you want. Extra credit to anyone who gets him to tell you what he wants and carries it out."
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