Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase

living.
    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 defences . In many towns, the beginning and end of the night’s curfew are marked by the sounding of a warning bell .
    Dark Spectre **
    A frightening variety of Type Two ghost that manifests as a moving patch of darkness. Sometimes the apparition at the centre 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.
    Defences against ghosts
    The three principal defences, 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 Psychical 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 Manual
    A famous book of instruction for ghost-hunters written by Marissa Fittes, the founder of Britain’s first psychical 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-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 street-light 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 . . .
    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 around the body. One after another, vital organs fail; soon the body turns bluish and starts to swell. Without swift medical intervention, 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.
    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.
    Grey Haze *
    An ineffectual, rather tedious ghost , a common Type One variety. Grey Hazes seem to lack the power to form coherent apparitions and manifest as shapeless patches of faintly glinting mist. Probably because their ectoplasm is so diffuse, Grey Hazes do not cause ghost-touch , even if a person walks through them. Their main effects are to spread chill , miasma and unease.
    Haunting
    See Manifestation
    Iron
    An ancient and important protection against ghosts of all kinds. Ordinary people fortify their homes with iron decorations, andcarry it on their persons in the form of wards . Agents